The next morning the three fillies took Big Mac to see the hospitalized ponies, after they were done with some chores for Sweet Apple Acres. The ponies on the street were repairing the damage from yesterday’s incident, and the four ponies found it hard to get anywhere fast.
Eventually they made it to the hospital room without problems. When they arrived they found that the five ponies were awake and had three visitors already. Rainbow Dash, Spike, and a dark blue pony with wings and a horn just like Celestia, turned to see the three fillies and Big Mac enter the room.
“I assume these are the fillies you told me about,” the alicorn said.
“They sure are, princess,” Apple Jack said.
“Hey there Scoots,” Rainbow Dash said.
“Who’s this?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“Sweetie Belle! That is no way to act in front of a princess. I’m sorry princess, she do-” Rarity said.
“Please, Rarity, don’t start acting like this again,” Twilight interrupted.
“We are Luna, and We assume that thou art Sweetie Belle,” the dark blue alicorn said.
“Yes, I’m Sweetie Belle,” Sweetie Belle said.
“And Ah’m Applebloom,” the cream colored filly said.
“I’m Scootaloo,” Scoots said.
“And we’re: THE CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS!” all three fillies said together.
Just then the doctor walked in. “Well, I have good news and bad news,” he said after looking at his charts. “The good news is that you will be able to leave in two weeks.”
“What’s the bad news doctor?” Twilight asked.
“The bad news is that, Miss Rarity here, will not be able to have foals, and her magic was severely weakened from what ever happened to you.”
“WHAT?!?” The other ponies said except Rarity.
“Wha- I...no...it can’t be! this has to be a cruel joke,” Rarity said looking at the doctor.
The doctor, however, had a serious face as he said, “I wish I was kidding, Miss Rarity, but I am nothing but serious with my patients.”
At that, Rarity had fell silent for what she had heard taking a moment to swallow the news. After what felt like an eternity she spoke again, “Wh-what about my magic?”
“You will be able to cast spells, but it would require all of your concentration to do so.”
At that moment Rarity had begun to cry, sure she can still make dresses, she only needs to focus a little more. But she can’t start a family. Her dreams of finding a stallion and have beautiful children with him had been broken like a mirror.
Sweetie Belle moved towards her sister to give her comfort and her friends did the same and gave her a hug.
“It’s ok Rarity, we’ll get through this... somehow,” Twilight said.
“Yeah! How about if we have foals, we let you foal-sit them?” Rainbow Dash said.
“B-but I wanted to have my own foals, a-and it won’t be the same,” Rarity said between sobs.
“I know I know but there’s no other way” Twilight said placing a hoof on Rarity’s shoulder.
After thinking for a minute Rarity decided it would be best to accept her friends offer. For a long time she was generous to her friends and now it was their turn to return the gesture. Rarity would be happy at the decision she made this day.
“We need to know what happened, who did this to you?” Luna said.
Twilight looked at the princess direction she tried to remember the events at the parade and it all came back.
“Well here’s what happened...” Twilight told everything that was going on. Rainbow Dash was letting the fame go to her head, so her friends had gone with the Mare Do Well plan to teach the cyan pegasus a lesson.
“I...I don’t get it, don’t you wanted me to become a hero?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“We DO wanted you to become a hero, you just got carried away,” Rarity said.
“But a real hero doesn’t brag” Applejack said.
Princess Luna had been listening to Twilight’s side of the story with an intense look of interest. The ponies that the lavender unicorn had described sounded awfully familiar the princess hopes that it’s not the same enemies that she think they are.
“I see,” Luna said “ It would be wise to send a letter to my sister explaining the situation Twilight Sparkle.”
Using her magic Twilight began to write the letter to Celestia. A few moments later she had finished writing the letter and gave it to her dragon assistant to send it after burning it with his green flames.
.........................................................................................................................................................
Back at the dark world Herbtail was sitting at a table with the boss on the other side.
“Tell me Herbtail, how strong are the fillies?” the boss asked.
“They were strong enough to weaken me a little, but not enough to stop our-- I mean, your plans,” Herbtail replied.
“Really? Then we don’t have much to worry about,” the boss said. “We just need to send Fleetrain and Frostfall in and they will be dead in no time.”
“Why not just me, master?” Flare asked as she appeared in the room from a portal.
“You can’t do this job alone,” the boss said looking at Flare. “United, they are strong, but...”
“We separate them, and they fall,” Fleetrain said as he glided in through a window.
“It’s possible,” the boss replied, “To be honest I’m kind of wanting them to survive for a while.”
“Sounds like someone wants a final battle with three Keyblade masters,” Moonfire said as he walked into the room.
“Not only that Moonfire I want them to experience the maximum level of despair” The boss said chuckling.
“Setting up a battle that you will be able to win hands-down? I thought you were better than that,” Frostfall said as she stepped out of a dark portal.
“Oh you’ll see what I mean soon enough, Frostfall” The boss said laughing, “I have a hell in store for the Keyblade masters.”
“Oh, I forgot to mention that they took out thirty Shadows before I fought them,” Herbtail said.
“That doesn’t matter. We will succeed! We will make the ponies of all of Equestria suffer!” The boss said standing up
“And then ‘we’ will rule over all,” Frostfall mumbled under her breath.
The boss suddenly perked up as he felt a familiar force on the land of Equestria, it belonged to one of the ponies who had locked them up in this world of darkness.
“So, you know that we are awake, huh?” the boss said to himself.
“Did you feel that as well, master?” Fleetrain asked.
“I TASTE that,” The boss replied to Fleetrian.
“Should we do something about Her?” Moonfire asked.
“No, she can’t do much by herself, She’s alone,” The boss said.
“So, we wait for Her to make a move?” Frostfall asked.
“Even if she DID something she still wouldn’t stand a chance” The boss said.
“Yeah, it’s not like anypony can stop us-- I mean you, master,” Herbtail said.
“Whatever, the important thing is keeping the Keyblade masters occupied for a while,” The boss said.
“Yes, let’s keep them busy for a while,” Herbtail said maliciously.
“Let’s not hurt them too badly though,” Moonfire said.
“You’re such a sissy Moonfire,” The boss said.
“Hey, I just don’t like hitting mares, or fillies for that matter!”
“Can you remind me why I recruited you?”
“I’m extremely smart, I can make anything with just a box, and I can cook better than those other idiots,” Moonfire said with a smile.
“Oh, so we’re ‘the idiots’ now?” Herbtail said, slightly annoyed.
“Just who was it that came up with an ‘unbeatable plan’ that got our tails kicked ten thousand years ago?” Frostfall asked.
“If you don’t want my foot up your flanks you better shut up!” The boss yelled.
All three of them stopped arguing and turned towards their master, fear evident on their faces.
“I guess Frostfall and I-” Fleetrain began a few minutes later.
“Enough!” The boss commanded “Let’s just prepare the next assault!”
The bipedal cloaked figure had left the room with anger in his voice leaving the generals to carry on the orders he gave.
“looks like we’re in for some punishment,” Herbtail said dejectedly.
“Frostfall, come with me,” Fleetrain said. “We need to gather the Shadows for the next battle.”
“That’ll be better than sitting here waiting to get punished,” Frostfall said as she created a dark portal.
“What about me? I didn’t do anything here,” Flare said as Fleetrain disappeared into the closing portal.
“Who knows what he’ll do to us,” Moonfire said.
“All I know is that I’m tired from fighting those foals,” Herbtail said.
“Oh yeah, who was it that took my last cookie?”
“That was yours?”
“... You’re lucky that I don’t hit mares,” Moonfire said maliciously.
“And you’re lucky that I’m tired right now.”
“Why do I always get stuck with you two?” Flare asked.