As the others continued to try and comfort Twilight, Rarity had moved to the edge of the cavern with her supplies so she could work in sunlight in an attempt to accomplish what she'd set out to do. However, much to her frustration, she found she lacked the supplies she needed for what she'd come up with. "Oh drat it all!" she grumbled to herself. "I suppose I'll just have to make my way back to Ponyville to retrieve what I need. I do hope I have enough back there-"
"Is this what you need?" Dr. Nefarious asked as he trumped around a corner in his bipedal form, his arms full of boxes that Rarity recognized, both from her Boutique and from Twilight's library. "Orvus gave me a checklist, I assume it's for whatever you're doing. Something wrong with Twilight?"
"It appears her Key to the Box is something she is...unwilling to lose," Rarity offered delicately, smoothing over her own shock at Nefarious' appearance as best she could. While her initial kidnapping by Nefarious had been somewhat rough and unpleasant, discovering it was specifically an opportunity for Spike - amongst others - to 'play hero' had smoothed some of her ruffling, and being 'held hostage' at the spa of all places had deadened any urge to free herself. Still, despite deciding she liked Nefarious as a person, she could never be entirely comfortable around him after that. She'd actually told him so straight out...and he'd considered it a compliment. Twilight has the oddest tastes, Rarity thought to herself, not for the first time. Still, if he makes her happy... "She's having a bit of a crisis over this right now," she continued aloud. "Do you think you could cuddle and comfort her to keep her from noticing that the rest of us have moved elsewhere for a time?"
"The first is well within my abilities," Nefarious responded immediately as Rarity took the boxes. "The second depends on how deep she is in her denial fugue, and the third on how much privacy the rest of you want to provide us."
"...I'll settle for the first, then," Rarity replied awkwardly, backing away from the most definitely evil mastermind.
Once Nefarious had Twilight in his arms, Rarity brought the others over as she began opening the boxes. As she'd hoped to find, seven essence crystals - one already imbued with Qwark's essence - gold for settings, and silver chain to hang it all from once it was complete. "Girls, it's plain Twilight is not comfortable without some physical representation of the bonds she shares with others on her at all times," she explained softly. "Probably why she was so willing to shoot her way to her Element when it was stolen. Now, obviously that charm is her Key...but we shouldn't leave her without something."
"So what'd you have in mind, Rarity?" Pinkie asked eagerly. "Huh? Huh? Huh?"
Smiling softly, she handed out five of the uncharged essence crystals. "For starters, each of you hold these close to you. Spikey-wikey, breathe a steady stream of fire onto yours. In the meantime, I'll get to work on the setting." Once she saw the others were doing as she instructed, she stuck her own essence crystal into her mouth - as unladylike as it was, it would absorb the imprint faster that way and she needed her hooves and horn-focus free for this - as she began carefully reshaping the essence crystal with Qwark's imprint. Once it was in the proper shape, she beckoned Spike over to heat the gold so she could reshape it easier for the setting.
Once it was done, she directed each of the others to place their stones, before placing her own. "So...what do you all think?" Rarity asked as she showed them the finished product.
The gold pendant was set in the pattern of the stylized Elements of Harmony as pictured in the Reference Guide. Each of the five mares' crystals were placed where their Elements went in that design, with Spike's crystal in the center glowing with his green fire. Surrounding that center crystal was Qwark's, shaped into his trademark Q. The whole thing hung on a silver chain.
"Rares...I'd say ya done just perfect," Applejack concluded as she admired the charm.
"It's beautiful," Spike agreed.
"I'm not really one for ornamentation...but I like it," Rainbow offered with her usual bravado.
"Oh my, it's gorgeous!" Fluttershy concurred.
"So...what?" Pinkie asked curiously. "Giving her a...replacement?"
"Something like that," Rarity said graciously as she levitated the charm into the air, walking it over towards Twilight. "If Twilight needs something to wear to always remind her that she is never alone...then I think this will do admirably, as she carries a piece of all of us with her now." As she finished speaking, she hung the pendant around Twilight's neck.
Twilight stirred as she stared down at the two pendants hanging side by side. "...all of you..." she whispered softly, stroking the new pendant. "It's..."
Much to everyone's surprise, both pendants suddenly flashed with a rainbow sheen.
"What?" Rainbow demanded in disbelief. "She's gotta give up both of them now?"
"No," Nefarious swiftly corrected before any hysteria could form. "Both pendants now qualify for triggering the key reaction. Twilight...can now choose which one to give up."
Rarity and the others watched her carefully. While they had put a bit of themselves into the new charm - and Rarity had put in a great deal of effort - they all would understand if she felt she had to keep the older one for the sentimental value, the symbol of that promise that had long helped her stay sane.
Smiling softly, Twilight lifted the original Q charm off her neck. "Thank you for everything, BBBFF. I think...I think, with the help of my friends...I'm finally ready to stand on my own." Giving the pendant a soft kiss, she placed it reverently on the Box.
The pendant blazed with light, and split into two spheres of energy. One embedded itself in the pendant Twilight now wore. The other took shape as the key, placing itself in the final lock.
"And the original one's still with you after all," Fluttershy offered comfortingly, wrapping a wing around Twilight as tears beaded her eyes.
As the initial surge of emotion started to fade, Nefarious' entire body suddenly jerked upward. "Yowza, that's a bad one!" he suddenly called out.
"What do you mean?" Twilight demanded worriedly.
"I've been tweaking my sensors to detect building magical power levels," Nefarious explained. "Figured if I could pinpoint a specific being slowly gathering power to itself, I could locate Tirek that way. I've been tracking a few possibilities...and one of them just underwent a massive boost in power, and is now on a direct course for Ponyville!"
"Then we have to move!" Twilight called out. "Everypony to their Protosuits! Let's see if turning the keys with them will energize them with the power of the box!"
Pinkie giggled as she pronked into hers. "Seat belts, everyone!" she called out perkily.
"...can't this be just an ordinary field trip-I mean, final battle?" Spike whimpered.
"With pink frizz?" Nefarious joked, pointing at Pinkie Pie. "NO WAY!"
The keys turned. Nefarious prepared tons of popcorn.
*yells to the crowd*
WE NEED MORE DRINKS AND POPCORN!!!
..... I can honestly say this was the last place I'd expect to find a Magic School Bus reference.
Well done.
I liked the pendant idea, crystals seemed similar to the chandelier made for the castle in canon.
Still giving up the Q pendant would have hurt, glad to see Twilight still growing stronger even with the snarky front she holds up
7974896 Agreed and I cannot resist the obvious theme.
Can someone draw Twilight's new pendant? It sounds like a good new Elements reference picture.
Spikey-wikey, breath a steady stream of fire onto yours
1. Breathe.
That Magic School Bus reference. So good. The nostalgia hits hard man.
EVERYBODY ON THE MAGIC SCHOOL BUS!
Bravo for that reference. You have sent me on another nostalgia trip!
7974900 Ah, the nostalgic and retro memories.
Apparently the link you used isn't approved for other sites. How about this one?
7974965 Thank you.
RIDE ON THE ELEMENT PROTOSUITS!
*Beep-beep! Beep-beep!*
nice work.
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahh
OH my word the memories the nostolgia, just...
Wow. Just... thank you for those found memories.
And things are going to happen.
Go go Pony Rangers!
People really, REALLY hate Tirek.... I've seen so many stories of him getting completely rekt by various forces that I fully expect this will be another one.
I haven't heard from Ratchet or Clank in a while now what happened to them
you know, if you dont have the ryno protosuits play the 1812 overture when they blast him...
i wont be mad, someone's still getting exploded/
7975067 Did you ever read RealityCheck's version? THAT is a brutal one.
Orvus grinned and turned to the assembled group in the main chamber of the great clock "The time has come...." he began slowly "To place your bets!" he finished cheerfully
"100 bolts says the slaught......er I mean battle lastes less then 5 minutes" Kaden spoke
"5000, says Twilight has Tirek crying for his mommy" Ratchet added
"10,000 says Tirek tries to run away back to Tartarus, after taking one look at Twilight" clank said
Vendra and her brother shared a look then Neften spoke "5100 bolts says, the batle lasts less then 5 minutes and leaves Tirek crying for his mommy"
Sasha and Tallwyn grinned "1,000,000 bolts says Tirek Pisses himself when he realizes just how fucked he is for challenging Twilight and her friends"
Orvus nodded jotting all the bets down. "Anymore bets?" he asked
"Assuming you take bits, 10,000 says after beating Tirek Twilight finds a way to shrink him back down, trap him in a hamster ball and use him as a test dummy for hew weapons." Discord said appearing with pop corn of his own.
7975198 5,000 bits on Tirek doing his whole evil spiel and monologue, and Twilight preparing some big honking space gun while he does it.
7975238 I could SO see that happening!
First, that was very sweet what Rarity did. Second Tirek should have stayed far away becuase the amount of firepower that will soon be incoming will be epic. Finally Tatsurou I believe you are the only person on this site that could do a Magic School Bus crossover with MLP and make it not only good but great, so please give it a whirl.
Of all the references you could have done, that was the last one I expected.
A magic school bus reference. You never cease to suprise me.
7975198
I'm sideing with discord on this one with the addition that tirek gaining the most unusil multie personality order.
WARNING, spoilers ahead, and the spoiler thing is broken, you have been warned!
The Magic School Bus!
I remember watching that, that was hilarious.
7975351 what kinda personality's?
7975156 - Yea, that's one of the ones I was thinking about specifically... Tirek vs Artillery battery followed by Kaiju Crystal Champion Spike.
A new one came out recently, was Tirek vs Doom Guy from the latest Doom... Ended pretty much as expected, on all levels.
7975374 Read that one as well, can not say that I am surprised that at the end of that one, Doomy got suck in with Tirek. Ponies are A$$HOLES
7975371
well the other tireks that the main 6 faced all going into 1 body. so in other words a multy tirek personalitys. where each one is difrent.
I am suddenly reminded of FOE where Rarity makes the figurines of her friends
Ouch, right on the childhood. Seriously, that was one of my favorite shows as a kid. And now the theme song is stuck in my head.
7975495
I hear ya, what makes it even funnier for me though is I was just watching it last night on Netflix with the kids I was babysitting.
Cruisin' on down Mane street your relaxing feeling good
Next thing that you know there's a Centaur in the neighborhood?
My childhood!
No I don't care if their are already two other people to post the theme, so don't bother telling me that.
7975256
The Frizz raises Celestia, it would explain her teaching method. Especially with the fact the whole show basically started off with her sending Twilight on a field trip.
Did twilight make any thing for spike
7974991 no prob.
That Magic School Bus reference. Already singing the song
Also, I'm looking forward to the future curbstomping.
7975370
You have to Spoiler each line individually.
Magic School Bus! Now we will sing the "EQG: Legend of Everfree" opening.
Because, you ain't sh*t if you're not together forever.
7976117 Still seems broken.
Edit1: NVM, I had put them into quotes instead of spoilers accidentally.
7976214
...you're clicking "Quote".
"Spoiler" is the black SP button.
Alternatively, [ spoiler]Type like this[ /spoiler], but remove the spaces.
7975676 saddly, Tia is already slated to show up on a ship with the registration number NCC 1701-D...
Excellent Magic School Bus
7975153
I would go more for the MLP-FIM theme song, but since this is Ratchet and Clank we are talking about... and the 1812 Overture does play for a certain RYNO-class weapon... that might be ok.
7976598
Ah, okay. Gotcha.
Now, I'm thinking of her as one of those cat ponies:
derpicdn.net/img/2016/12/14/1317037/thumb.png
She'd be on Qwark's back like this:
i390.photobucket.com/albums/oo345/stryke81/MLP/202522__UNOPT__safe_twilight-sparkle_animated_image-macro_cute_spike-at-your-service_catgif.gif~original