“Well Lodge how is it?” Rainbow Dash asked as the fragment known as Logic studied her wing carefully.

“Everything looks in order. So yes, you may resume your regular activities.” Logic finally stated, wishing the mare would rest for one more day but knowing that was quite the impossibility.

"Wahoo!” Rainbow Dash yelled as she took off, still unaware she was in the library, and banged her head on the ceiling. Her first flight in days lasted five seconds.

“So Doctor Logic, how about now?” Spike snickered as Rainbow Dash drifted back down holding her head.

“Her wings appear to be undamaged. As for her newly acquired head injury? I have high doubts that it affected any higher brain functions, not that she has many to being with.” Logic replied coldly, causing Spike fall other laughing. Even Rainbow’s ice-cold glare couldn’t stop the dragon’s laughing fit.

The library door suddenly burst open revealing the other Elements as Applejack hastened to the front of the pack, a worried look plastered in every corner of her face. She hurriedly looked around the library, searching for something. When she was seemingly unable to find it she turned to the confused occupants.

“Have any of ya seen Applebloom anywhere? She went running off with her friends but didn’t come back for lunch like ah told her t’. She’s been missing since then!” Applejack’s worried look became worse as the three shook their heads no.

“Where did you see your younger sibling last Applejack? There are few places that they could go to and not be found.” Logic questioned, Applejack thought for a bit.

“Well, her friends showed up at nine this morning and asked iffin she was around, and she was, so ah got her for ‘em and they went off t’ play. Ah told her t’ come back for lunch at 11:30, but she didn't come back.” Applejack explained frantically.

“So she’s 30 minutes late, big deal. Why are you so worked up AJ, she probably just forgot while she’s off adventuring with her friends.” Rainbow Dash said as she shrugged, hopping off the table she had sat on while Logic examined her.

“No, no, no! Applebloom is always on time for things like this. She has never been late before and ah’m scared worse than a snowpony during Winter Wrap-Up!” Applejack lashed back at Rainbow Dash, still not convinced.

“Very well Applejack. Since it seems as if you will not let this go we will assist you in finding your sister. Besides, it has been a good twenty-four hours since we last saw any other fragments and we will need your head on straight when they do reappear.” Logic said as she picked up two bags.

“Really? Ya mean it? Oh thank ya Logic, ya got no idea what this means t’ me.” Applejack replied, relieved that she would not have to search alone.

“Think nothing of it.” Logic stated as she turned to Fluttershy. “Fluttershy, if you could be so kind as to carry one of these bags? My back has become strained as of late and I believe it is because of constantly carrying these things.” Fluttershy nodded and one of the bags floated to her. She looked inside to see several fragment capture devices.

“W-why do we need these?” She asked. “We aren’t looking for a fragment.”

“True. But I believe it is better to be safe than sorry. We may just come across one of the others in our journey and if that happens we must take the opportunity to catch them.” Logic glanced at the worried Applejack, who seemed to be listening. “Unless of course it is between capturing them and saving Applebloom and her friends. Ensuring they return safely to Ponyville is our main objective.” Logic finally said. Applejack seemed to calm down and gave Logic a thankful smile, which Logic returned it with a respectful nod like she always did.

“Let’s go!” Applejack exclaimed as they all walked out of the library, Spike included after a glaring contest with Logic, in the search for Applebloom and the others. Please be safe little sis, Applejack said to herself, oh Applebloom where’d you run off to?

The door to Ponyville’s medical center opened to allow three small fillies access to the outside world. Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo walked outside with their heads hung low, depressed by yet another failure in their search for their cutie marks.

“Well I guess we’re not Cutie Mark Crusader Chiropractors.” Sweetie Belle gloomily stated as a stallion walked out of the hospital, it was rather clear he was having some trouble with his back.

“Well heck, that shouldn’t get us down girls.” Applebloom quickly said. “There’s still a lot more stuff t’ try out for our cutie marks!” The other two instantly perked up and they all nodded, running off to their next adventure.

They had arrived near town hall and saw that there was some paint cans on the side already open and ready for usage.

“Have we tried Cutie Mark Crusader Painters yet?” Scootaloo asked, scratching her head.

“Ah don’t know but there ain’t no harm in tryin’.” Applebloom encouraged. They all smiled and nodded to each other and each picked up a paintbrush and were about to start when...

“Hey girls, whatcha doing?” The three fillies turned to see who the voice was and, not to their surprise, there stood Twilight Sparkle smiling at them.

“Oh, hi Twilight. We’re just tryin’ t’ get our cutie marks like usual. We’re actually not sure if we already tried bein’ painters, but no harm in tryin’ right?” Applebloom smiled as she finished her explanation, Twilight smiled back.

“Oh of course! Nothing could go wrong with three little fillies trying to paint the side of a building alone. But why are you girls trying to be painters? It’s such a dangerous job!” Twilight replied, leaving the fillies confused.

“Um… dangerous? How is being a painter dangerous Twilight?” Sweetie Belle asked, an unsure look on her face.

“You mean you don’t know! Tragedy!" Twilight replied with a gasp. "Well it’s simple: look at that ladder over there! You could easily fall and hurt yourself! Not to mention it’s been proven that long exposure to wet paint can cause serious health problems in ponies. And of course all that hard work out in the sun can give you heat exhaustion and kill you near instantly! You should try something much safer.” Twilight nodded all-knowingly as she spoke.

“Huh, Ah never thought of it like that, paintin’ is really dangerous. But if not paintin’ what do you think we should try next Twilight?” Applebloom questioned.

“Cutie Mark Crusader Adventurers!” Twilight exclaimed.

“We’ve already tried that.” Scootaloo sighed.

“You just haven’t tried hard enough! In fact I know of a great way to start. You see, there’s an old ruin in the Everfree forest that’s full of treasure! If you went and got it then you’d be rich, have your cutie marks, and you’d have earned the entire town’s respect!” Twilight explained.

“Rich!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed.

“Have our cutie marks!” Applebloom cheered.

“The respect of the town? Even Rainbow Dash?!” Scootaloo questioned.

“Especially Rainbow Dash! She’d love to hang out with a brave, heroic pony like you after that adventure! So here’s the map I found detailing where the treasure is. The path to it is almost completely clear of monsters and I’d go myself but I have so much to do!” Twilight explained as she handed Applebloom the map.

“Thanks so much Twilight!” Applebloom said as she grabbed hold of the map in her mouth.

“Think nothing of it. I’m always happy to help.” Twilight responded.

“Lets go girls!” Applebloom yelled with naïve enthusiasm as they all took off towards the Everfree forest. Applebloom stopped for a second and looked at Twilight. “Ummm… Twilight? Why are your eyes orange? Your cutie mark too?” She cocked an eyebrow.

Twilight looked surprised. “Ha-ha! Applebloom, my eyes and cutie mark have always been that color you silly filly.” She smiled.

“No they haven’t. They’re usually a purple color.” Applebloom protested.

“Applebloom I think I would know what the colors of my eyes and cutie mark have been for my whole life. Now run along and get your cutie mark.” Twilight made a shooing gesture with her hoof. Applebloom thought for a moment then shrugged, turning to catch up with her friends.

Deceit waved goodbye as the filly disappeared. She snickered at her well-placed lie and turned towards another way into the Everfree forest. Deceit had no clue of the cloaked figure, who had watched the whole ordeal, as she turned away down the street.

“Sorry Twilight I haven’t seen them anywhere.” Cherilee told Logic without thinking about it much.

“I see. Very well, thank you anyway.” Logic replied as she nodded and turned away.

“Of course, always a pleasure Twilight. Oh and by the way, I can’t wait for our late night session tomorrow!” She happily called to Logic, who stopped in her tracks wide-eyed when she noticed the change of pitch in the last part of the sentence.

“Ummm… yes, well, I am afraid I have to cancel because ummm… I have things to do, yes! Yes, many, many things…” Logic nervously replied as she tried to smile, to no avail. Eventually she gave up and ran off.

“Huh… That’s weird.” Cherliee responded. “Twilight always loves to help me grade the student’s work and organize the classroom.” Cherliee shrugged and went back inside the school building.

Logic met up with the others in the town center to relay their discoveries. When Logic saw the looks on all their faces she could tell they hadn’t found hide nor hair of the missing fillies. She got close enough to hear Applejack and Rarity yelling at the others.

“What do you mean you didn’t find them?! Oh my poor Sweetie Belle!” Rarity sobbed.

“They got t’ be somewhere! We just need t’ keep lookin’!” Applejack yelled.

Logic shook her head. “Enough you two. Falling apart and yelling is not going to help them find their way to us. We must think of where they could be.”

“I just so happen to know where they are. It isn’t a place very far.” Came from behind the group. They turned to see Zecora the zebra standing behind them, clad in the cloak she usually wore into Ponyville.

“Zecora? You know where Applebloom is?” Applejack asked as her mood elated.

The zebra nodded. “Yes, but I fear old warnings have gone unheeded, and if you do not act fast your missing fillies’ lives will soon be depleted.” Zecora’s voice was as somber as ever and this only made her sentence more unnerving to those listening. “ A map of Everfree was given to them by a Twilight Sparkle with eyes of an orange hue. The three fillies then hastened into the forest without further ado.”

Logic gritted her teeth. “It seems that Deceit has decided to play her tricks yet again, only this time the results may be more fatal.” Logic cringed at what might happen to the poor fillies, considering the Everfree forest’s dangers.

“No, no, no! We have t’ go in there and get Applebloom back! Oh how scared that poor lil’ filly must be right now.” Applejack shuttered.

“Not to mention my helpless Sweetie Belle! Oh this is truly the. Worst. Possible. Thing. Ever!” Rarity cried.

“Not to mention poor Scootaloo, I hope she’s alright.” Rainbow Dash said as she hung her head. She looked up to see the others present looking at her with confused expressions. “Oh c’mon, don’t give me that look! If I don’t worry about her nopony else is!”

“Enough! Let us move out and get to them before anything else does!” Logic interjected. The others nodded and sped off towards the forest. Logic stopped and turned towards Zecora. “Thank you for your assistance. We may just save them yet.”

“There is no need to thank me my logical fragment. Now go and save those fillies so nopony need lament.” Zecora replied. Logic nodded and sped up to catch the others.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders had trotted through the Everfree forest with bravado and fearlessness. Following the map given to them by Twilight they had made good pace to where the treasure was suppose to be.

“I can’t wait to get this treasure! We’ll be the talk of the town! The three fillies who got their cutie marks by uncovering a grand treasure!” Scootaloo boasted, drifting into a daydream about a celebration in their honor.

“Yeah, everypony’s gonna be so proud of us! It’ll be so great!” Applebloom continued.

“Maybe.” Sweetie Belle replied with not much enthusiasm. The other two looked at her.

“What? Why are you thinking that Sweetie Belle?” Scootaloo asked, confused by her friend’s sudden lack of certainty.

“Well it’s just… How do we know this treasure exists? I’ve never heard of it. Not only that but why would Twilight give us the map when the Everfree forest is always dangerous? There’s no permanently safe path in this forest and we’re just three little fillies. We should have thought this through more.” Sweetie Belle explained, the naïve enthusiasm of earlier finally wearing off of her.

“Oh c’mon Sweetie Belle, Twilight wouldn’t give us this if it weren’t safe. Ah’m sure it’s completely fine. Twilight’s yours and my sis’s best friend, she wouldn’t lie like that.” Applebloom said, trying to convince Sweetie Belle.

“I guess so…” Sweetie Belle remarked, clearly not convinced.

Suddenly a sound came from the bushes.

“Hello?” The three fillies asked all at once, no one answered.

The bushes rustled again and the fillies could not contain their fear as they saw a pair of large, baby blue eyes appear in the bush. The fillies screamed automatically and bolted away from the area as fast as their small hooves could carry them.

“Where… Where are we running to?” Sweetie Belle questioned, panting hard from the run.

“Ah don’t know, but do you really wanna stay near whatever was in that bush?” Applebloom replied. Sweetie Belle shook her head and the three continued to flee for their lives. They stopped once they came to an open clearing. Applebloom was the first to realize where they where.

“Hey! This is were the treasure’s supposed to be!” She excitingly gasped, out of breath.

“Hey yeah! Awesome we made it!” Scootaloo replied.

“So, ummm… girls? Where’s the treasure?” Sweetie Belle asked, putting a damper on the other two’s spirits. It was true. There was nothing else in the clearing except the fillies. Applebloom became distraught.

“Where… Where is it? Ah don’t understand. Twilight would never lie to us. Ah don’t under-…” Applebloom was cut off by a screech off in the distance. The three fillies screamed and ran to a nearby tree and huddled in a large opening at the base of the trunk.

“Applebloom? Scootaloo? I’m scared.” Sweetie Belle replied, as if were not common knowledge (On the plus side they hadn’t soiled themselves like I probably would have so bravery points for that). The other two simply nodded in unison.

“Well this is just wonderful.” Rarity pouted sarcastically as she surveyed the collapsed bridge.

It was indeed an unfortunate turn of events that resulted in Logic, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash on one side and Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Spike on the other. Logic surveyed the rope used to hold the bridge in place. Cleanly sliced through, but carefully bound together to appear like the bridge was safe to travel over. A deceitful trick, Logic concluded. She got up and walked over to the others.

“A simple sidetrack, nothing more.” Logic stated. “It should only take us a couple of minutes to fly over everyone from the opposite side to our own.” Logic had thought of using her teleport spell to whisk their four companions over to the correct side but decided against it. Those unfamiliar and inexperienced with teleporting would be quite disoriented afterwards, delaying them further.

“What? No! We have t’ go now! Applebloom’s probably scared right outta her skin right now! Who knows what’s creepin’ in this here forest. We can’t delay!” Applejack trotted in place, silently screaming worry with her body language.

“Applejack it will take no more than a minute or two. Rainbow Dash will pick up Pinkamena and Spike, Fluttershy will carry Rarity an…” Logic was able to get out this much before being cut off.

“Fluttershy?! Logic no offense and all but Fluttershy is not the best at flying and ah don’t think she will be able to carry anypony across!” Applejack retorted.

Logic looked over to Fluttershy, who was staring at the chasm with great fear, and back to Applejack. Closing her eyes Logic began preparing a short speech about the benefits of positive peer pressure and how being encouraged by a large group of close friends can help tremendously. As Logic raised a hoof and opened her eyes to speak she noticed Applejack running deeper into the forest. She squinted angrily in Applejack’s direction and turned to Rainbow Dash.

“Follow her. Stay above the tree line so I can find you.” Rainbow Dash saluted Logic and flew off after Applejack. Logic turned to the others. “Try and find another way across this chasm. Even if we rescue the fillies in time it will be a good thing to have an already known escape route.” With that Logic turned again and ran off after Applejack and Rainbow Dash.

Rarity sighed. “Come on, we’d better get moving if we want to find a way across this dreadful chasm.” The others nodded and they took off to the left, following the chasm’s winding mouth.

After almost half an hour of walking Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Spike were getting no where fast. Spike, still much younger than the rest, had hopped onto Fluttershy’s back to rest and had taken on look out duty. Fluttershy, the ever fearful, constantly questioned him about their surroundings.

“See anything?”

“No.”

“H-how about now?”

“No.”

“Wh-what was that?! I heard something!”

“Pinkie just stepped on a fallen branch.”

“Oh… ok. Huh? Did you see that?!”

“That’s Rarity flicking leaves from her mane.”

“Oh, I’m sorry… Oh no. What’s that?!”

“That’s a manticore charging at us.”

It took Spike a second to analyze what he just said and adjust. Looking over just in time to see the manticore pounce at Fluttershy, frozen in place by fear. Spike pulled back Fluttershy’s hair with a quick tug, causing a chain reaction that caused the pony to rear up and miss being sliced in three. Undaunted, the manticore back-pawed Fluttershy and sent her and her dragon passenger flying. Pinkie tried to help by distracting the large beast but this proved futile, the creature flinging Pinkie right into Rarity. After sliding back a few feet and pushing Pinkie off of herself, Rarity turned to Fluttershy.

“Fluttershy are you alright?!” Rarity watched in relief as her yellow friend moved about. “Can you stop him? You know, like the other manticore we met before defeating Nightmare Moon?” Rarity prayed her friend’s prowess with animals would save the day.

“That manticore was angry because he had a splinter, this one wants to eat us for dinner!” Fluttershy squeaked. Rarity’s jaw dropped.

“You know… judging by the position of the sun it’s actually more like the snack-time between lunch and dinner.” Spike added aloud. He shrunk away at Rarity’s ice-cold glare.

The manticore, for his part, had decided to renew his assault on these weak little creatures he planned on feasting upon. He charged the closest two, Fluttershy and Spike, and brought his massive claw up for a final strike.

“F-Fluttershy! Move!” Spike demanded.

“I-I-I can’t. I’m too scared.” The pegasus replied.

Spike half closed his eyes in disappointment. “Well, we’re dead.”

The tiny dragon’s morbid prediction proved to be false as a silvery blast of energy hit the beast smack-dab in the face. Tumbling back, the creature’s roar was deafening. When he finally regained his composure he looked to the direction of the interruption. Before the creature stood to identical looking purple mares glaring back at him. The one on the right had eyes of brilliant silver, as well as a smile of unshakable bravery and courage. The other had baby blue eyes and a smile wider than any pony thought physically possible. The manticore had to process the scene before determining he was not seeing double and charge at them. The blue-eyed double laughed hysterically as she dodged the massive claw, hopping around as the perfect distraction for the angered beast. Finally it cornered her against a tree and prepared to strike, the smirk did not leave the blue-eyed double. Before a killing blow could be delivered the silver-eyed mare jumped onto the manticore’s back and charged magic in her horn. When she was fully charged she pointed her horn at the creature and fired, knocking the beast out cold. She rolled off as it fell to the ground and stood up victorious next to her identical twin. The pair studied their work a bit and then trotted to the flabbergasted mares and dragon.

“Hi! How you doing?” The blue-eyed one asked, smirking. Her sister rolled her eyes.

“Humor that’s no way to ask if someone’s ok after being attacked.” She gave Humor a sisterly scowl.

“What’re you talking about Courage? Hehe. I don’t see the difference when it comes to asking questions… you just ask ‘em.” Humor chuckled some more.

“So you’re the ones that have been following us.” Rarity suddenly injected, causing her three friends to cock their heads in surprise.

“Wait… you knew they were following us?” Pinkie Pie asked. “Why didn’t you say anything?!” Pinkie Pie looked peeved, a truly rare thing.

“Yes I did. Logic was kind enough to tell me she was able to sense something sentient was following us with her magic.” Rarity explained. "However she told me to keep it a secret for the moment.” At the mention of the word secret Pinkie’s complaints died down. Rarity turned to the fragments. “So, why are you following us?” She looked sternly at the two.

“Simple.” Courage replied. “Humor and I saw three fillies prancing about the forest. At first I commended them for their bravery seeing as this forest is so dangerous.” The fragments facial expression hardened. “But then our sister Deceit appeared and we overheard her speak of how she tricked the poor things into this mess. So we decided to go find them, well I decided to find them… Humor sort of laughed at the whole scenario.” Courage leaned closer to Rarity, who shuddered at the close contact of someone who reminded her of Logic. “The girl’s a bit sick in the head if you catch my drift. Laughs at everything, no matter what it is.” She whispered.

Rarity pulled her head away to look at Humor, who was already initiating contact with Pinkie Pie. “Then the other atom says ‘I think I lost an electron.’ So the other asks ‘Are you sure?’ to which the first replies ‘I’m positive.’” The two burst out into a laughing fit.

Rarity shook her head a bit and looked to Courage. “So you saw us entering the forest and decided to tag along behind us in case we needed help?” Courage nodded.

“In fact we know where the fillies are right now. We would have assisted them out of the forest but factoring in that someone who looks like mother lured them in here and that seeing two Twilights without proper explanation might break their little minds I advised against it.” Rarity commended the fragment’s forethought. As horrible as it was to think about Rarity was glad that a pony of high moral values and intelligence like Twilight had been the one to be fragmented like this. Her scholarly mind at least ensured that the fragments were not just mindless beasts following a specific doctrine.

“Alright.” She finally said. “Lets go. We have to find them as quickly as possible.” The others nodded and they set off.
Pinkie and Humor stayed close to together, exchanging jokes and laughing merrily. Spike had taken refuge from walking on Rarity’s back and he once again stood lookout. Courage walked at the head of the pack, leading the way. Fluttershy wormed her way from the back of the group to Courage’s side.

“T-That was really brave what you did. W-With the manticore I mean.” She stumbled over every other word. Courage smiled at her.

“Thank you! I pride myself at being brave and courageous! Not like I have much choice in that regard mind you.” The fragment laughed at her obvious mental handicap.

“I-I wish I was as brave as you are, and not some scared little filly who’s too frightened to save herself.” Fluttershy sighed at her obvious flaw.

Courage looked at her reassuringly. “Well what’s stopping you? Courage isn’t some magical spell you need to learn to activate. It’s something that’s always inside of you and all it takes to have is that first step.” She smiled at the yellow pegasus.

Fluttershy sighed again. “I wish it were that easy.”

Far away from the Element’s rescue mission, Anger walked crudely across the ground. A vein popped in her head as she walked. She was trying her utmost best to ignore the mare behind her. Unable to stand it anymore she acted.

“FOR FUCK’S SAKE! DO YOU HAVE TO BREATH SO GODDAMN LOUD?!” She turned to her travel companion, looking at her with a look of pure rage.

“Really Anger there’s no need for language.” She stated. “You can still get your point across without vulgarity. Yeah you cunt-fucker, calm the hell down or else I’ll rip out your heart and feed it to you.” Anger’s companion coughed after that last part. “Sorry about that. No I’m not.”

Anger’s eyes rolled. “You know what? Fuck you Morality! The hell are you following me for?” She stared at Twilight’s morality fragment. It’s left eye was the purest of whites and it’s right was jet black. The large star of her cutie mark was white while the tinier ones were black. Morality stared back at her sister.

“Because I want to try and convince you off of this blind path of revenge and hatred. It will only end in your own pain. Also I want to set shit on fire!!!” Morality twitched a bit and looked at her sister with earnest eyes.

Anger just kept walking. “Good luck with that.” She pouted and cursed when she stepped in some swamp goop.

Lets just kill her, steal anything she has, and make for the nearest strip club; I’m feeling frisky. Morality sighed. Really? Must you too be so barbaric? What? I’ve never experienced the love of another… course that’s just cause our mom’s a prude. Morality sighed yet again, only to have her ears perk up as she heard something. “Anger…” She called.

Anger paid no heed. “I don’t care Morality. Whatever it is you can take it and shove it… up your… oh fuck me.”

Anger had to cock her head all the way back to see the heads of the hydra in front of her. The beast stared down at her; one of its mouths was stained with blood. Peering to the side and seeing a pegasus mare covered in blood some meters away she had to guess that’s where it came from.

“This day just keeps on sucking. I am extremely pissed right now.” Anger announced, as if it wasn’t common knowledge.

Rarity’s group had just made to a small opening in a large rock face. Courage had told them that there was a naturally forming bridge that could take them across, thereby finding a way past the chasm that impeded their progress.

“So this is it?” Rarity questioned, Courage nodded. “Okay then. Lets go. We need to meet up with the others as soon as possible.”

Rarity, Spike, Pinkie Pie, and Humor all hurried into the cavern. Courage was just about to head in herself when she noticed there was only five of them. She looked back at Fluttershy, who was eyeing the cave with a fearful expression.

“Fluttershy what are you doing? Come on we have to keep moving.” Courage asked, despite knowing the answer.

“It’s so dark in there. I-I can’t do it. Just leave me here. I’ll wait for you here.” She squeaked.

Courage’s eyes rolled. “Come on it’s ok. I’m right here with you, okay?” The fragment extended a hoof out to Fluttershy. The pegasus looked at it, then back to Courage. The fragment’s face was reassuring, confident, and brave. Fluttershy took the hoof and nodded, prompting a smile from Courage.

Their moment was cut short by the loud sound of rock crunching and breaking apart. They looked towards the cave, then to each other, and darted inside. Running frantically, the two skidded to a stop at the edge of a large chasm. Looking about they were able to spot their companions on the other side of the chasm. Pinkie Pie was holding on desperately to a small ledge, Rarity and the others clung to her sides.

“What the? What happened?!” Courage shouted over to them.

“We were walking across this bridge when it just collapsed!” Rarity squealed, frightened by the long merciless drop below them.

“W-What do we do Courage?!” Fluttershy looked to the fragment, hoping she had some failsafe plan.

The fragment’s eyes shifted all about, thinking of the right course of action to take. After a minute or two of thought she looked to Fluttershy. “Ok here’s the plan: you fly over and grab them one at a time. I’ll meet you half way and levitate them to safety with my magic.” Courage smiled at her well thought out plan. She had, however, not taken in one crucial piece of information.

“I-I can’t do that!” Fluttershy squeaked, the fragment’s ego deflated. “It’s so dark and high up and dangerous! Why don’t you just teleport them right here?” Fluttershy prayed it was a possibility.

“Impossible.” Courage explained. “I need to be physically touching them to teleport them this far a distance. Building on that, I can see no ledge big enough to support me. In other words: you’re our best hope right now!” Courage’s stare became adamant.

Fluttershy looked for another way out. “W-What about Humor? She’s touching them. She could teleport them to this side no problem.” Fluttershy begged this to work. She was at a difficult crossroads.
Courage violently shook her head no. “Oh no. Oh no no no no! You do not want Humor to try and teleport! She is one of the worst when it comes to complex magic. I saw her hug a tree once and she accidently teleported. I couldn’t even tell it had once been a plant when she reappeared.” Fluttershy tilted back in fear.

Hanging on to Pinkie’s left leg, Rarity’s eyes rolled. “Um, excuse me darlings. Not that I want to be rude or anything but DO SOMETHING! WE ARE HANGING BY A THREAD HERE! I DON’T WANT TO BE A RED STAIN ON THE CHASM’S FLOOR!” Rarity breathed deeply, not used to yelling that much.

Fluttershy squeaked at her friend’s outburst. Courage put her hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulder. “Fluttershy, you have to. You’re the only hope we’ve got.”

“I-I-I can’t! I’m too much of a weak, scaredy cat that can’t even be brave enough to save her own friends!” Fluttershy was close to tears. “I’m just a waste of space.”

“Weak? Scared? Waste? Pff…” Courage shook her head. “Wasn’t it you who stood up to a manticore not too long ago? Didn’t you make a dragon nearly wet himself?” Courage glared at Fluttershy, clearly not convinced at her self-criticism.

“I, well yes but…” Fluttershy didn’t know what to say.

“And when the Cutie Mark Crusaders ran into the Everfree forest didn’t YOU go after them?!” Fluttershy shook her head yes. “I have no doubt that there are a ton more examples of brave things you’ve done. Fluttershy, bravery and courage are not heading face-first into danger without fear. In fact they’re the exact opposite! Courage is about moving ahead despite the fear, it about knowing you’re afraid but acknowledging that there is something more important than that fear and you’re willing to risk everything to get it!” Courage once again gave Fluttershy a confident look; she disregarded it.

“It’s easy for you to say. You can’t feel fear. And you’re certainly not in my position right now. You don’t think I haven’t heard that speak before?” Fluttershy took on a crueler pose. “It’s always the same: just thoughtless encouragement. A lie, really. You never expect me to take you seriously. It’s all a game, a stupid lying game!” Now tears really were streaming down Fluttershy’s face as past memories flooded her mind.

Courage had had enough! She grabbed Fluttershy’s head with both her hooves and stared her right in the face. “You know what Fluttershy? I know I’m a hypocrite! I know that coming from me that speech sounded like complete bullshit! And I know ponies tell you to never give up and fight on and never fear, when they really don’t mean it sometimes. They lie to you. But you know what? If you ask me, a lie that makes someone feel like life’s worth living is worth a ton more than a truth that makes them want to die.” Despite meaning every word she spoke, Courage was glad Twilight had read so many quote books and inspiring speeches. Fluttershy looked at Courage, then the chasm, and back to Courage. “If it makes you feel better, don’t look down.” Courage latched on to Fluttershy and tossed her over the edge.

Spike kissed the ground repeatedly. Pinkie Pie hopped up and down congratulating Fluttershy on conquering her fear, even if it was a bit forced. Rarity scolded Courage for putting Fluttershy through such a traumatic experience.

“I can not believe you just threw her over the edge! What is wrong with you?!” She hissed. Courage opened her mouth. “Oh no! Don’t give me that: Oh but it worked Rarity so why are you complaining? It was truly uncalled for! For shame Courage!”

The fragment’s eyes rolled. “Can we just focus on meeting up with the others? We have to find a way across this gap.”

Humor, who was a short distance away from the group, heard her sister and hopped in place. “Ooo, Ooo! I know! We can walk across it!” And with that she jumped high over the chasm, landing in midair and simply standing there. The rest of them, except Pinkie, stood with mouths agape.

Courage’s pupils shrunk. “Dear maker she’s gained the powers of the pink one. We’re doomed.”

Rarity shook the confusion off herself. “Wait a minute.” She trotted up to Humor and, with a spark of magic from her horn, made an entire rock bridge form under Humor and stretch across the chasm.

Courage chuckled, walking up next to the white unicorn. “Huh. Deceit must have sabotaged the one bridge and hidden the other. Geez, she’s being uncharacteristically sadistic today isn’t she?” Rarity shot her a look.

“Ooo… When I get my hoofs on that fragment… She’s gonna wish Logic has a capture device ready!” Rarity pouted in anger and trotted across the bridge, the others shot glances at each other. She turned after noticing no one followed. “Well? Lets go! We don’t have all day! My precious Sweetie Belle must be fainting from despair by now!” They nodded and followed suite.

Logic dodged the massive tail that swung towards her. TWACK! A tree exploded into thousands of debris and splinters. Looking up from her spot on the ground she saw Rainbow Dash nosedive the hydra attacking them. Applejack was curled up next to a tree, protecting the three shivering fillies they had rescued from the hydra’s attack. Shaking off mud and twigs, Logic felt her sides. Blast! That damnable beast had caught her capture device bag and torn it clean off! Logic quickly mourned this loss and then charged an attack and aimed for the hydra. Firing a green magic burst and hitting the hydra dead center in one of its heads, the beast backed off from trying to eat Rainbow Dash and focused on Logic. Dodging head after head trying to engulf her, Logic smacked into a tree. Coming to her senses she looked up and cringed as the beast prepared an all out strike against her. The beast flung every single one of its heads at once towards Logic. Time stopped. Sounds ceased. It was that moment, when death is upon a being too early and their lives’ halt to a standstill to witness their final moments. The fragment had no clue what to do and simply closed her eyes automatically, waiting for the final blow.

“Hey sis? Sis? You ok? Need some aspirin? Maybe a stiff of cider?”

Logic opened her eyes to see a baby blue eyed duplicate of herself staring at her, giving her a large smile. “H-Humor? W-What are you? Where is the hydra?” Logic questioned, clearly confused.

Humor laughed hysterically. “Well it’s pretty funny really! You see we’ve invented hydra ball!” Logic’s head went back, a bit in disgust and a little in confusion. She moved her head to the left to see past her sister.

Courage had engulfed a large tree in magic and had proceeded to smack the hydra upside each of its heads. Rarity, desiring to protect her sister, had also grabbed a smaller tree and began attacking the hydra. Logic shook her head.

“Enough of this.” Logic stated firmly as she got up. With her moment of relapse and fear over, Logic grabbed the largest tree in the vicinity and floated it above the distracted hydra’s head. With a flick of her neck Logic broke the tree over the hydra’s heads, one could still hear the bones cracking over the splintering wood. The hydra, for its part, finally decided this hassle wasn’t worth the meager meal it would receive for victory and it turned and fled deeper into the forest.

“Yeah that’s right you better run! You big chicken! Bawk bawk bawk!” Rainbow Dash taunted.

“RAINBOW!” Logic roared. “I have had enough of you today! Shut your mouth or I will shut it for you!” Rainbow Dash stopped instantly, not wishing to anger Logic more than she already had on this trip.

Throwing her tree aside, Rarity ran up to Sweetie Belle and hugged her tightly. “Oh Sweetie Belle I’ve been so worried! I thought I’d never see you again! Are you alright?” The filly nodded but did not speak, this worried Rarity. “S-Sweetie? Are you well? Why aren’t you talking? What happened? Did you eat something? Did you-“ Logic cut her off.

“They are simply shaken from the ordeal Rarity. They will regain their speech later. Right now we must return them home.” The fillies nodded at the idea: home. Logic gave a suspicious sigh. “I suppose the fact you are not frightened or hesitant of me is because Applejack has explained Twilight Sparkle’s condition.” Once again, the fillies nodded. Personally they were happier to be alive than anything else.

“It only seemed right, considering.” Applejack stated, defending her actions. Logic gave a respectful nod, clearly condoning Applejack’s course. The fragment turned to her sisters.

“So… You were the ones following us?” Courage and Humor nodded. “I see. Fluttershy please give me your capture device bag please. Mine was lost fighting the hydra.” Courage laughed.

“Oh I get it. This is the part where you capture us right? As if it weren’t obvious.” Courage laugh had subsided to a chuckle. “Look Logic. I get why you’re doing what you’re doing but… I don’t want to go back.” Logic glared at her sister.

“You do not have a choice. I am doing what must be done to fix our mother’s accident. I thank you for assisting our friends in finding their way here and fighting the hydra but still… I can not allow you to leave.” Logic looked ready to pounce on her sisters, if necessary. Courage looked ready to bolt. It was Spike who made the next move.

“You know Courage, personally, I think that it would be the bravest, most courageous thing possible if you were to let us capture you. Think about it: isn’t sacrificing yourself to save an innocent life really, really heroic and brave? I think it is.” The dragon prayed his persuasion had stuck, he wanted his friend and caretaker back as soon as possible.

The fragment scratched its chin. Spike had appealed to its nature and it did sound rather brave when one thought about it. After all how could she, in good conscience, live her life knowing it was bought by a freak accident that basically destroyed an innocent? Not only that but Logic gave Courage a I-will-hunt-you-to-the-ends-of-the-earth glare, which solidified Courage’s resolve. “Alright, alright. I can see there is no way out of this. Fine Logic, you win.” Courage sighed as Logic took out a capture device.

“Wait!” Fluttershy dashed to Courage. “Courage I… I ummm… Want to thank you for what you said. I really do appreciate it and I'll try to be braver... for you.” She smiled at the fragment, trying to hide the sadness she felt from watching her go.

Courage smiled back. “I'll hold you to that Fluttershy.” She hugged the yellow pegasus and clicked on the device Logic had placed on the ground. She vanished into the tiny thing and Fluttershy fought back some tears.

“Ooo Ooo! That looks like soooooo much fun!!!” Humor grabbed one of the devices and clicked it, laughing as she was sucked in. “It’s like an ultimate merry-go-round!!! Woohoo!!!” She yelled as she finally was brought in. The remaining ponies stared at Humor’s device for a bit, dumbfounded. Logic snorted. At least she went out happy as foal in a candy store.

Logic flexed her muscles, she grunted in pain when her rear end felt strained. Oh right, She thought, I had almost forgotten. Logic sighed. “Well, now that the day’s excitement is over I believe it is time we made it home. I wish to heal the pain in my backside in peace… away from Rainbow Dash.” The last part had quite the flicker of anger.

“Oh come on Lodge! I said I was sorry! How was I supposed to know it was booby-trapped?!” Rainbow Dash almost whimpered a bit, trying to repair the emotional damage to her fragment friend.

“Yes, because a Wonderbolts poster signed by the entire team is definitely something I would expect to be lying around in the Everfree forest. The plausibility of that happening only increases when we know for certain that my sister Deceit is running around doing maker knows what.” Her sarcastic tone did not escape Rainbow Dash, whose ears turned back in regret.

Logic used her magic to pick up Scootaloo and placed the frightened filly on her back. The poor foal instantly grabbed hold of Logic’s neck, gladly hooking on to any possible mother figure she could find after her terrible ordeal. The remaining fillies were placed on their respective sister’s backs and Spike once again hopped onto Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash, in an attempted peace offering, picked up the fragment capture devices and placed them in the bag she had decided to carry herself. When they were all ready to head they all gave understanding nods and set off (Fluttershy and Spike bravely took the lead).

Logic placed the towel carefully down onto the couch in the main room of the Ponyville library. She then set off towards the kitchen to grab some ice. All the fillies had been returned to their respectful homes, Logic could barely stop Scootaloo’s parents from hugging and thanking her when she returned to filly to safety. The whole ordeal had been exhausting on everyone and they decided it was best to call it a day. Only Spike and Logic remained in the library now and they set off doing their own thing. Logic returned from the kitchen and placed a large icepack on the towel. Placing her rump directly on the icepack Logic sighed in a pleasurable relief that had escaped her for the better part of their adventure.

Spike, who had been cleaning, cocked an eyebrow. “So what exactly did Rainbow Dash set off…”

“I do not want to talk about it.” Logic interjected angrily, remembering the painful event. “Suffice it to say I will not be speaking to her for the remainder of today and tomorrow.”

Spike shrugged and walked over to the nearby table where Courage’s and Humor’s devices where. In Logic’s haste to find relief she had forgotten to put them in the chest and so Spike took it upon himself to do. Opening the chest and placing their new captures in Spike began to count. Twenty. They now had twenty fragments locked away tightly. Ever since they met Creativity fragments had been popping up everywhere, they had to have caught seven in one day alone. The high number of captured fragments bred a thought in Spike’s mind.

“Hey Logic.” He turned to the fragment. “We’ve got quite a few fragments now. Do you… Well, do you think we could start putting them back into Twilight now? Can we start to repair her?” Spike’s face beamed with hope.

Logic sighed. “N-No. We cannot start repairing Twilight Sparkle. I am sorry Spike.” The dragon’s face deflated.

“B-But why? Is something wrong? Will something bad happen?” Logic’s eyes peered down to the floor. “That’s it isn’t it? You know that something bad will happen if we repair her too soon.” Spike sighed now.

Logic shook her head. “No… it is not that. The truth is I have no clue what would happen if we started to repair her… and I-I am afraid of that.” Spike looked at Logic, clearly confused. He obviously knew that a being of intelligence would be scared senseless about not knowing something but this was a different matter. Logic caught his face and did her best to explain. “You see Spike, think of a… a… a grandfather clock. Now imagine that several pieces broke. You clearly need to repair it, so you do. But the thing is you do not buy all your parts at one store or all at once. You buy one piece and install it into your clock. You do not compare it with other pieces and you never check to make sure all the pieces fit perfectly with each other. If all the pieces do not work well together what will happen?” She turned to Spike.

The dragon pondered. “Well, I guess the clock wouldn’t work right.” His eyes beamed with realization. “You’re afraid that if you don’t repair Twilight with all the fragments at once it will hurt her in some way?” Logic nodded.

“This unknown danger is not something I want to risk. I cannot risk it. If Twilight were to be harmed because of my foolish haste I… I am not a risk taker Spike. I will always choose the safer route.” The fragment’s face was unmoving.

“Not a risk taker? Unlike Creativity?” Spike glared at Logic, but the fragment’s face was still. Spike sighed. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.” He turned towards the kitchen. “If you need me I’ll be making myself something to eat.” The fragment didn’t respond, she simply nodded her head slightly. Spike’s eyes dropped a bit and he went to the kitchen, leaving Logic alone with her thoughts.

Anger breathed heavily. Her mane and tail had been slashed to tomboyishly short lengths by the hydra’s teeth. But she was alive… and covered from head to hoof in blood. Anger half-sighed, half-chuckled a bit at the massive amounts of energy and magic she had to use to fling herself through the hydra’s body and out the other end. The creature lay dead in the swamp now, a gigantic hole through its chest. Anger turned to her sister Morality as she tended to the pegasus mare that was here before them. Morality’s head shifted to look at her sister when she approached.

“The hydra got her pretty bad. Looks like her throat’s been torn to hell. It’ll be a miracle if she talks again. I can heal her and get her on her hooves real quick, what do you think?” She asked.

“I don’t care. Leave her or help her, just don’t slow me down.” Anger barked back. “I gotta go clean this shit off of me, will she be done by then?” Morality nodded. “Do whatever the hell you want then.” Anger growled as she walked off to find some pond to clean off in. Morality watched her walk off and then set to work.