I WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR LOVE

Chapter 6: Who Can It Be Now?

“I'm sorry, Cheerilee, but the Princess is right. A mare in your condition should not be anywhere near that forest. It's far too dangerous.” Twilight sighed in exasperation for the twenty third time in the last hour. She nuzzled the distraught mare, and winced when she pulled away from her a little. This did not go by unnoticed by her lovers or Applejack who were preparing to go with her, nor Rarity or Celestia who had gathered to see them off in the field near the forest.

Cheerilee glared at her hard. “Are you saying that I'm not strong enough to protect our baby?”

Sighing for the twenty fourth time with waning patience, Twilight said, “From the physical threats, maybe, but how would you fight off a field of wild magic? What would you do if a dislocated spirit attempted to possess her? What if you run into a cockatrice?” Seeing the earth pony back down and wilt a little left her tasting ashes in her mouth. She ran a hoof through her mane to clear it from her eyes. “Cheery, love, you are one of the three mares I would want at my side if I have to face danger more than any other.” The librarian kissed her and placed her hoof gently on the teacher's belly. “But we have to think of our little one, first, last, and always.”

The earth pony gazed at her with tears in her eyes. “I just don't want to lose you so soon after...”

Twilight put a hoof to her lips, silencing her. “I'll be well protected, Cheery. Not only will I have Spitfire and Trixie at my side, we'll be guided by one of the two or three ponies who knows this part of the forest like the back of her hoof.” She gestured over to Applejack, who gave then a small smile and a nod.

Celestia wrapped a wing around the maroon mare, letting her warmth soak into her. “Trust in them, my little pony,” she said in a soothing voice. “They are four very capable ponies. They will return safe and sound.”

“Yes, darling. You may rely on them to come back unharmed,” Rarity added, resting a hoof on the teacher's shoulder. “Even if you discount the other's abilities, Twilight is a very capable pony. Why, just look at what she's faced down with no harm done to her. A few ragged creatures in a forest are surely no match for her.”

“We will be back. That's not a promise, Cheery; it's a fact,” Twilight said with confidence that they could all feel. She gave her a quick peck on the lips and turned to go, but was brought up short when Cheerilee grabbed her and turned her around, giving her a passionate kiss that had Applejack looking away and blushing, and left Rarity breathless.

She released Twilight's lips and pushed her away. “You come back to me, Twilight Sparkle. You come back for your foal, and you come back for me.”

The unicorn blushed deeply, but only nodded in reply as she turned to leave. Cheerilee buried her face in Celestia's shoulder, sobbing. “Why did it have to be her? Why couldn't she let somepony else do it?”

Celestia nuzzled the crying mare. “Because she wouldn't be Twilight Sparkle otherwise.”

(\ /)
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*(“)(“)

The mares followed Applejack, who had taken the point position. Seeing as this was more her territory than theirs, it only made sense. “So what do you think we're dealing with here?” Spitfire asked in hushed tones.

Twilight shrugged as she walked. “The way I see it,” she said in equally hushed tones, “it's one of two things. Either a pony has somehow gotten a hold of a Mare Do Well costume and is using the persona to capitalize on the preexisting fame and be a hero...”

“Or?” the pegasus prompted.

“Or, some... creature or force from the forest took on the appearance of Mare Do Well. It could be something benevolent like a restless spirit seeking redemption, or some creature with long range evil plans using the good name we built up so as to dupe ponies into trusting it for some malevolent reason.” Twilight smirked at Spitfire. “However, considering the fact that Rarity said a costume is missing, it all suggests the former, rather than the latter.”

She sighed as she turned her sensor forward into the forest again. “However, we can't discount the extremely implausible out of hoof either.” She stopped, bringing the whole group to a halt. She let her sensor rotate around her head a full three hundred sixty degrees, taking in the whole forest. “I can't describe it, but there's a sense of... unease here. Like a storm you can see just on the horizon.”

“Ah feel it too, Twi,” Applejack said. “S'like an Ursa sittin' on mah chest.”

Twilight nodded. “Let's get going while we still have some light left, AJ. No sense in stretching this out any longer than we have to.”

“Trixie cannot feel anything especially off, here. It looks like an ordinary forest to her,” Trixie said.

Applejack looked over her shoulder at the showmare. “Trixie? We're not in the Everfree yet.”

“Oh.”

Further discussion was quelled, and the continued in silence until they reached the clearing with the hill the foals had turned into a soapbox ramp. Twilight looked at the “emergency stop” at the bottom incredulously. “Oh, no. This is all wrong! If they had to use this, it would have launched them instead of stopping them! Applejack, you have to let me help them with these kinds of things next time. They could have seriously hurt themselves on this!”

The farmer rolled her eyes. “Twi, I'll have a talk with them, but let's do what we came out here to do first?” She gestured at the racer, still half buried in the sinkhole.

Spitfire and Trixie grinned at her while Twilight blushed and stammered an apology. “S-sorry. Force of habit.” She wandered up to the racer, examining the hole. Her lovers examined it as well while Applejack kept an eye out for trouble. The hackles on her back had risen, making her more alert than she had ever been in this part of the woods. She scanned the trees, looking for trouble, sure that something out there was watching them.

“Hey, Twilight. What do you make of this?” The pegasus poked a hoof at a twig that looked like a roughly sharpened peg.

The lavender unicorn walked over and examined it closely. “Hmm...” Her sensor glowed green before shifting back to purple. She held the peg up with her magic, getting the attention of all the ponies there. “Ladies, what we have here is a tooth from the Ligna Canis Lupus, or, common timberwolf. Second lower molar on the right side, I believe.”

Applejack sniffed it and recoiled. “Eeyup. That came from a timberwolf's mouth alright. Nothin' else smells quite like it.”

“Look at this!” Trixie exclaimed. The others gathered around her, taking note of a patch of purple cloth.

Twilight's sensor glowed blue before returning to it's normal purple again. “This is definitely Pinkie's missing costume.”

Applejack arched an eyebrow at her. “How can yah tell it's from hers? T'aint like it's got a tag on it or anythin'.”

Presenting the cloth to her, she proudly said, “It's got her magical imprint on it. When she rescued those ponies from the falling building, she unconsciously used a lot of her Pinkie Sense to avoid the falling timbers, not to mention the usual innate earth pony strength to carry three ponies on her back. There's a magical residue left on it called an imprint. That's why weapons used by unicorns are so easy to identify, clouds shaped by pegasi, or objects used by an earth pony that take great strength to use, even if they don't leave hoofprints on them.” She put a hoof to her chin in thought. “There's no other imprint left on it though. Odd. Even if the pony who took the costume didn't use magic, they still should have left a little of their own imprint behind, if the Crusaders' story is accurate.”

“Could a ghost have taken and used it?” Trixie asked.

The librarian shook her head. “No ectoplasmic residue, so, no. No ghosts.” Her sensor glowed yellow this time, followed by red and pink before returning to its normal purple. “No psychic imprint, no hairs, sweat, or skin cells, no pheromones, nothing! It's like the pony who wore this doesn't exist!”

Spitfire and Trixie standing behind Twilight and Applejack, who was once more scanning the woods, looked to each other nervously before resuming carefully neutral expressions.

The farmer looked towards the setting sun worriedly. “We'd best head back now, Twi. We don' wanna be caught this close to the Everfree at night. 'Specially if timberwolves are coming out here in the day. No tellin' what might crawl out at night. 'Sides, It feels like we're being watched.”

A wolf-like howl caught their attention, and they looked towards deep into the forest. “I suppose we'd better,” Twilight agreed reluctantly. As they walked back, she added, “I'm just glad Nightmare Night is so far away. It'll give us time to solve this before we have to cancel that... if the mayor agrees to it, anyway,” she said sardonically.

(\ /)
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*(“)(“)

Much to Twilight's delighted surprise, it turned out that the mayor's truculence was all for naught. Celestia had called her over to the library for a conference, along with the librarian. “We both understand the importance that tradition plays; especially in small towns such as this,” the Princess said in a kind, motherly tone. “However, there are times when adherence to those traditions can become a hindrance; even to the point of endangering public safety.”

“I'm not asking you to change your cultural customs on a whim, Mayor,” Twilight added. “I know as well as anypony how hard it can be to change something that you've been doing for years. All I'm asking for is for you to take my advice a little more seriously. That rock shelf was a perfect example; somepony could have been hurt if it collapsed like I told you it would. That being said, until we find what's going on and whether or not it poses a danger to the public, we may have to seriously consider delaying, or even canceling outright the Nightmare Night celebration.”

The door to the library slammed open revealing a shadowy silhouette standing tall, with white, glowing eyes glaring down at the ponies seated around the table. NEIGH! THOU VILLAINS MOST FOUL SHALT NOT HALT OUR CELEBRATION! The power behind the voice was enough to send Twilight and the Mayor flying into a bookshelf where they slid down, the Mayor upright, and Twilight upside down.

So much for the cool, calm, and collected approach, Twilight thought to herself.

Celestia, who had not so much as a hair out of place despite the carnage wreaked around her said, “Luna, would you like to voice your opinion on the matter?”

The moon mare glared daggers at her fellow diarch. “Sister, how couldst thou become party to such skullduggery as this? And Twilight! We art surprised at thee! We thought thou a friend to us. And wouldst somepony not think of the foals?”

Twilight righted herself and walked calmly back to the table, trying her best to ignore the books knocked loose from their places on the shelves. “Princess, we are trying to think of them. How would you feel if any of them were harmed through an incident which was easily preventable by canceling an event?” Luna had the good sense to look chastened, but the librarian wasn't through yet. “Sure, they may be disappointed by the cancellation, but at least they'll be alive to look forward to next year.”

“And in any case, we aren't saying that it even will be canceled, Sister,” Celestia cut in, “just that we need to prepare for the eventuality of it.”

The Mayor adjusted her glasses as she resumed her seat, after bowing to the newly arrived Princess. “It's just a shame we couldn't move the celebration, rather than lose it altogether.”

Luna's face lit up like a Hearth's Warming tree. “A most excellent suggestion, good yeoman!” She looked to her sister with glee. “ 'Tia! We couldst host a Nightmare Night celebration for the foals at the palace!”

Putting a hoof to her chin in thought, Celestia pondered this. “Hmm... it has been a while since the last time a foal's laughter was heard in the halls of the palace,” she said with a grin and a pointed look towards Twilight.

Twilight blushed a little, but returned the smile to the alicorn. “That's a wonderful idea, Princess Luna, but will the palace security agree to it?”

“Tish Tosh. Thou doth forget just who rules whom,” Luna replied. “If it pleases us to decree a celebration to be held at the palace, then it shall be so! Zounds, this will be delightful!” She clapped her hooves together in glee.

Just then, a yellow blur streaked in through the still open door, and Fluttershy attached herself to Luna's side like a limpet, tears in her eyes. “Luna, please don't hurt them! I'm sure they have a good reason for doing it, whatever it is!”

Luna Swept her up in a hug, beaming at her. “Oh, frabjous day! The best news possible, Dear Fluttershy! Nightmare Night shall be held at the Palace this year!”

Her face turning red, Fluttershy gasped out, “That's great, Luna; but I... can't... breathe...”

Just as the pegasus's face was turning purple, Luna released her grip. “Oh! Our apologies, Fluttershy! Art thou well? Dost thou require a doctor?”

Fluttershy waved her off. “Oh, um, it's alright, Luna. But, um, the palace? Isn't that a bit far for the foals? Even if you make it an all day affair? Won't the poor little dears get tired from the trip?”

Celestia smiled at her. “Not if we have Twilight and the Mayor here work out a transportation plan. I have every confidence that between them, they'll be able to put together a plan that will satisfy everypony.”

The Princess's protege puffed up her chest proudly and beamed at her. “Thank you Princess! I won't let you down.”

Leaning down to nuzzle the mare, she said, “I know you won't, Twilight.”

(\ /)
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*(“)(“)

That night found Celestia lying awake and staring out the window at Luna's moon as it shined its light into the room, giving her a pale, unearthly glow. A murmur along with movement at her side caused her to lift her wing and look down at the pony pile curled up next to her. Twilight was of course, nestled up to her, with the others arrayed around her, each one touching the others in some way.

The alicorn smiled down at them, and nuzzled the librarian again, giving her a small peck on the forehead. Her smile turned wistful as she pulled away. I wonder how much longer she'll treat me this way? Will she always see me as a benevolent mother figure? She sighed quietly and caressed the mare with a wingtip. The action brought out a smile on Twilight's face and she murmured again. Celestia strained to hear, and almost wished she hadn't when she made out the words “...love you, Celly...”

A tear rolled down her cheek as she repositioned her wing to once more cover the ponies from the night's chill.

“Why dost thou torment thyself so, sister?”

Celestia flinched internally at the sound of her sister's voice before she realized it was in her head. “I could ask the same of you, Lulu. I almost thought you were going to kiss Fluttershy tonight.” The alicorn's view of the world blurred as she transitioned directly to the formless dream world where a blushing Luna awaited her.

“Ahem. Yes, well... thou does thyself and thy faithful student a disservice with such melancholic thoughts,” the alicorn of the night said. “We discovered long ago that such was our fate. T'ill all are one.”

“T'ill all are one,” Celestia whispered. “I cannot help it Luna. She's just so...”

Luna placed a comforting hoof on her shoulder, then drew her into a hug. “We know. We feel it every time we gaze at any of them, but most strongly with Fluttershy.”

“She's just so...” The alabaster mare sobbed into her sister's shoulder, before pulling away and wiping her nose with a hoof. “But enough of what cannot be. I presume you have felt the perturbation as well?”

“ 'Tia, thou canst not just hope to bury thyself in work when-” Luna stopped when she saw that her sister wasn't listening, and sighed. “Very well. Yes, we hath felt it as well. Verily, we wouldst have to work at not noticing this foul stench that permeates the aether.”

Celestia frowned at Luna. Then you can identify it? Without a doubt?”

Luna shuddered. “By Gar, we lived with it for over a millennium! How couldst we not know its leprous stain?”

“Then you can track it down.”

“Neigh. We wish that we couldst, but...” Luna lowered her head and closed her eyes.

“What is it, Lulu?” Celestia asked, her voice full of concern.

She sighed in helplessness. “Verily, it hath hidden itself from my ken. Not e'en the shadows speak of it.”

“Then we are back at square one,” Celestia sighed.

“Indeed.” Luna pawed at what passed for the ground here as she collected her thoughts. “ 'Tia,” she began, but was cut off by Celestia raising a hoof to quell her words.

“Don't even say it, Luna. I won't hear it. She deserves what she has.” A tear rolled down her cheek again as she turned away from her sister. “She deserves better than me.”

(\ /)
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*(“)(“)

Trixie awoke to sudden movement. Blearily scanning her surroundings, she saw a large white blur near the glass doors leading out to Twilight's upper deck. Rubbing her eyes, she refocused to see Celestia standing before the doors, a look of intense concentration on her face. The sky took on a slight greenish tinge as the unicorn quietly got up and wandered over to the Princess. She looked out at the horizon, and noticed the clouds gaining a silvery quality on their bottoms.

Celestia looked down at the showmare. “Good morning, Trixie,” she whispered.

Stifling a yawn, Trixie replied, “Good morning, Your Highness.” She let the moment of silence linger before asking, “Will you be staying for Trixie's show today?”

“You're putting on a show, Trixie?” Celestia asked.

Nodding, she said, “Yes, just a little one for the foals. It's free admission. Trixie's hoping that it will go a long way to saying 'Trixie is sorry' to the townsponies.”

Celestia smiled at her gently. “It's a lovely gesture. I'm sure the foals will love it, and I'd be delighted to attend.”

The showmare gave her a little bow. “Thank you, Your Highness. I look forward to performing.” A worried expression crossed her face momentarily. “Trixie just has to find out where she can get some potassium chlorate this quickly.” she muttered mostly to herself.

“You still use flash powder instead of making an illusion of it?” the alicorn asked her.

Trixie nodded. “Yes, for many reasons. Firstly, there's an art to properly using flash powder, one that Trixie does not want to see disappear completely. Secondly, it's easier to use a mundane source rather than tie up my magic with something like this. Thirdly, when it comes to certain things, illusions are a poor substitute. Fourthly, actual flash powder is more than just sight and sound, adding more realism to the show. But mostly, it's because not everypony can be as talented as the truly Great and Powerful Twilight Sparkle.”

She sighed as she looked back to the sleeping mare who had become the center of her life. “Don't get Trixie wrong, she loves her truly, madly, and deeply; but standing next to her is like the morning star rising with the sun; still there, yet all but invisible next to the sun's brightness.”

Celestia lay down on her belly, bringing her eye-level with the unicorn. “I'm reminded of another pony who once said words similar to those to me. 'But Princess! How could I ever outshine you? You're so good, so beautiful, so powerful, so... perfect. I could never hope to have my name even be uttered in the same sentence as yours, let alone compete with you!' But she was wrong I am happy to say. And now, I think she shines even brighter than the noonday sun,” she finished with a beatific smile.

Trixie sat on her rump as she considered this. Turning her gaze to the alicorn's eyes, she said, “You're talking about Twilight, aren't you?”

“Am I that transparent?” Celestia asked her smile turning wry.

The azure mare's expression became carefully neutral, but to the alicorn, her face was an open book of concern and worry. “There's a certain... light in your eyes whenever you talk about her; a lilt in your voice that is absent when talking about anypony else. Your whole demeanor changes.”

Celestia sat quietly for a moment before responding. “And you're worried I might try to 'steal her from you'?” She laid a hoof over Trixie's, causing the smaller mare to look towards her. “Allow me to be perfectly clear, Trixie. I hold no romantic feelings towards Twilight. Do I love her? Of course I do. To know her is to love her, but not in that way.”

“Now I just have to worry about the other two, then,” Trixie muttered. “Not to mention the multitudes that she seems to attract unawares.”

Gently rubbing her hoof across Trixie's, Celestia replied, “Oh, my little pony. You have nothing to fear. Twilight loves you just as much as you love her.”

Trixie's teary eyes turned to the diarch. “Then why can't she love me exclusively like I do her?” she practically moaned.

“Do you?”

“Pardon?” Celestia's question caught her off guard.

“Do you love her exclusively?” she elaborated. “It may be senility catching up with me, but I've seen you look to Spitfire and Cheerilee with the same affection you hold for my faithful student.” The showmare's jaw dropped as she tried to form some sort of defense, but the alicorn was giving no quarter. “Why, just last night, I saw you and Cheerilee huddled in a corner, thick as thieves. No doubt, you were planning some shenanigans to inflict on poor Twilight, or Spitfire, or even both, once I've gone back to the palace.” A blush overcame the azure mare, turning her cheeks a deep maroon. “And I've noticed you licking your lips a time or two while watching Spitfire walk. So I'm going to have to call you out when you say that you love Twilight exclusively. You may love her more than the other two right now, but you do still love them.”

Celestia patted the speechless mare's hoof and rose, stretching her legs as she did. “I hope you'll excuse me, but there's a few matters I need to discuss with my guards.” And with that, she leapt off the balcony and into the crisp autumn air, and with a couple powerful flaps of her wings, landed next to two guards at the door to the library.

Immediately, the two unicorns saluted her. “Your Highness,” said the taller one.

She nodded in reply, allowing him to lower his foreleg. “Lieutenant. Have you seen Plain Sight?”

The guard nodded. “Around back waiting to report to you, Ma'am.”

Another nod and the Princess was on her way. “Thank you, Lieutenant.” She answered, pronouncing it “left-tenant”, and trotted around to the back of the library where the gray earth pony sat, counting the fast disappearing stars.

She rose and bowed removing her hat when the Princess rounded the corner. “Your Highness,” she said. Rising without being bidden, she started into her report. “Our friend in the forest says by the prickling in her gums, something wicked this way comes.”

“Did she now?” Celestia asked with a grin.

Plain Sight had the good sense to look chagrined. “Well, I may have paraphrased, but that was the gist of it.” She sat down and scratched one foreleg with the other. “The strange thing is, that's all she could tell us. Her feelings were way too vague to pinpoint a source.”

“And the timberwolves?”

Plain Sight sighed as she tried to formulate a response. “That one has me puzzled too. They aren't acting at all like your average timberwolf. They followed me through the woods, but broke off the chase not long after starting it. There were no other creatures fearsome enough to scare them off where I lost them, they just... lost interest. Moreover, they were far outside their territory when the chase began. If I had to venture a guess, I'd almost say that they were called off.”

Standing stock still, Celestia mulled this information over in her mind as she gazed out into the sunrise. “And what did Nyx have to say?”

“Before I answer that,” the earth pony said guardedly, “I need to ask you something. You don't have to answer, but knowing this would help put things into perspective better, and might aid me in helping you.” The Princess's face was serious as she nodded her assent. Plain Sight took a deep breath before asking, “Is she as powerful as you and Princess Luna say?”

Celestia silently nodded again, causing a worried frown to cross the gray mare's face. “Then we are in the latrine up to our eyebrows, Your Highness. Miss Nyx couldn't discern the identity of whatever's pulling the strings, and her assistant seemed to think that gathering information is her specialty.” Her hoof visibly shook as she brought it up to adjust her flatcap. “If someone that powerful is being stymied by an unknown force...”

“Princess Luna and I believe we may know just what is behind these mysterious circumstances,” Celestia interrupted. “The problem with countering this... entity lies in not tipping our hoof too soon.” She silently considered for a moment before saying, “I'm assigning a squad of special knights to patrol the area. They'll be incognito, so feel free to interact with them at need. They shall be independent of you, but you may consider their commander of equal rank to you.”

Eyes wide, Plain Sight carefully considered the meaning of this information. “Understood,” she said with a nod. She stood with a groan and stretched her legs. “I better get going. I need to check in with one of my ponies and see if he's done repairing the costume I borrowed from Miss Rarity.”

“The ones you ordered from the royal seamstress haven't arrived yet?” Celestia asked.

Plain Sight smiled as she shook her head. “No. I guess they're taking their sweet time about it. I am pretty low on the totem pole for requisitions; at least, from them I am.”

Celestia nodded and stood as well. “I'll see what I can do to expedite your order. I'll let you be about your business, then. Good luck, soldier.”

“Luck?” Plain Sight replied with a smirk and a chuckle. “Luck is for wusses who can't work without nets.”

(\ /)
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*(“)(“)

“Trixie, you get back here with my towel this instant!” A soaking wet Spitfire dove for the purloined cloth.

The showmare held it in her telekinetic grip just out of the pegasus's reach. “Ah, ah, ah. You didn't say the magic word!” Her grin threatened to take over her whole head, and her rump wriggled, sending waves down her tail.

Spitfire growled as she made another fruitless dive for it. “Like hay will I ask nicely for something you stole from me!”

Sighing with frustration, Twilight looked up from her book on the couch. “Just give it back to her, Trixie. She's dripping all over my floor. What if she gets the books wet?”

Trixie danced away from another attempt at the towel. “Not until she uses the manners Trixie knows she has. Besides,” She leered at the wet mare, dripping onto the wood floor. “How can you not enjoy this view?”

I have to admit, she does have a point. Seeing her with that slicked down mane, water beading up on her coat, powerful wings glistening in the sunlight, chest... heaving... from exertion... A familiar warmth took hold of the librarian's lower extremities, spreading throughout her body, culminating in a flushed look on her face. She unconsciously licked her lips and her forehooves fidgeted as she took in the wet, naked athlete before her. My stars, she's like an ancient Roaman warrior. Beautiful... deadly... and mine. Her blush became deeper at this last thought, suddenly ashamed of her possessiveness.

Sitting next to her on the couch, Cheerilee whispered into her ear, “It's okay to want her. Hay, looking like that, I want her, too.” Twilight gave no response, only turned her attention back to her book.

It was to this scene in which the Princess walked. Everypony froze with wide eyes except Spitfire, who snatched her towel away from Trixie, and ran back to the first floor bathroom. Spike walked out of the kitchen, pink frilly apron proclaiming “Fire the Cook” with little flames around it, and spatula in one paw. “Pancakes are ready-” He gazed at the frozen tableau, and turned around back to the kitchen. “I don't even want to know.”

Author's Notes:

Angsty enough for you? Don't worry. The humor will make a return. Why, with what I have planned for next chapter, well, let's just say that SNAFU will be a fitting description. ^_^ And it appears that Spike is adjusting well, huh? Let's see who breaks first, Twilight from embarrassment, or Spike from frustration. ^_~

Usual disclaimers here. Everything but the arrangement of the words, Plain Sight and Nyx belong to Hasbro and Lauren Faust. Those three are aaalll mine. I'm just borrowing the rest for my own perverse enjoyment.