What If... (EDITED 8/28/18)

11

Sandra opened her eyes, and stood up, stretching. Charlotte was still asleep, murmuring nonsense. Sandra started to creep away, but was stopped short by something tugging at her ankle. A blue chain appeared, the disappeared. Sandra sighed. Of course. She still had an invisible chain around her ankle. She sat down, her back against the tree, and put her head in her hands. What was she going to do now?

Someone tapped her shoulder, and she found herself staring into her father's eyes.

"Daddy?" Sandra whispered, tears forming in her eyes.

Stanley nodded, and hugged his daughter. She hugged back, tears flowing down her cheeks. They stayed like that for a while until Stanley pulled away.

"Are you hurt?" he asked softly.

"No," Sandra whispered in reply. "Are you?"

"No. Can you move?"

"I have an invisible chain around my ankle."

Stanley nodded, and placed his hands on the tree. The chain appeared, then snapped in two, waking up Charlotte. She glared at them with her black eyes and hissed.

Sandra yelped, and clung to Stanley. Charlotte shot a black fireball at them, but Stanley deflected it.

"H-How is that possible?" Charlotte asked, standing up. "You're a mortal. You aren't allowed to have powers."

"Bill gave them to me," Stanley stated.

Charlotte laughed and began walking towards them. Stanley shot a fireball at her. A shield appeared all around her, deflecting Stanley's attack.

"Oh, Bill has told me all about your powers," Charlotte cackled. "I have protection against all of them."

Stanley grew terrified and Sandra began to softly sing, like she always did when she was scared. Charlotte stopped moving and attacking them. Stanley looked at her in surprise.

Charlotte was frozen. She couldn't move or use her powers. Sandra stopped singing, and smiled up at Stanley.

"Y-You did this?" Stanley asked his daughter in disbelief.

Sandra nodded, and grasped her father's hand. Stanley looked back at Charlotte. Her arm was outstretched as if she was reaching out to them. Her face was a frozen scowl, and her eyes were permanently narrowed.

"What do we do now, daddy?" Sandra asked.

Stanley's grip on his daughter's hand tightened.

"We find Stanford," Stanley replied.

With that, they disappeared.

***

C-Bell ran through the forest, Stanford clinging onto her mane for dear life. Where did Fiddleford go? Worry started to creep up his spine. Did Bill find him?

"Faster C-Bell!" Stanford yelled.

"I'm going as fast as I can!" C-Bell yelled back.

"Do you want to find Fiddleford or not?!?"

"I do!!! That doesn't mean that I'm the fastest unicorn alive!!!!"

A flash appeared in front of them, startling C-Bell. She neighed loudly, and reared back. Stanford yelled in surprise as fell off her back. C-Bell took off, leaving Stanford with whatever was there. The light vanished, and Fiddleford stood there, face pale.

"F-Fiddleford?" Stanford asked. "A-Are you okay?"

"S-Stanford," Fiddleford stuttered, hie eyes closing.

Fiddleford took a step forward, and his legs buckled out from underneath him. Stanford caught his friend as he fell. His eyes were closed, but he was steadily breathing.

Bill watched from afar as Stanford carried Fiddleford back to where the unicorns were. He grinned. Everything was going as planned. He rose into the sky, and silently followed them. He flew over a clearing, and stopped in midair. He frowned, and flew down to the clearing.

He began to walk around a frozen figure. Charlotte. Bill scowled. Sandra must have discovered her powers. Bill snapped his fingers, and Charlotte could move again. She fell to her knees.

"I have failed you, Master," Charlotte whispered.

"Charlotte, look at me," Bill ordered.

Charlotte did what she was told. Bill smiled at her.

"You have not failed me," Bill said. "You have broken Fiddleford down as I instructed."

"But I let the Pines girl get away," Charlotte complained.

"Don't worry about that," Bill said, holding out his hand.

Charlotte took it, and Bill helped her up.

"Master?" she asked.

"I have a job for you," Bill said with a sneer. "Find Stanley and Sandra. Keep them away from Stanford."

"What about you?"

"I'll keep Stanford and Fiddleford busy. Go now, Charlotte."

"I will not disappoint you, Master," Charlotte said, and disappeared.

Bill smiled to himself.

Of course you won't Charlotte. I know you won't.