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geniequestria · 2 years

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"RETREEEEEA- AAAHHHMMMPHHH" A royal guard sergeant exclaims as he is quickly bottled.

Just moments ago, The forces in Cloudsdale thought they were safe. Princess Luna was to take them back to Canterlot, and aside from a strange set of attire on the Princess of the Night. It all seemed like everything was going to be just fine, that is until the Princess herself bottled a guard right in front of the whole army followed by Tempest and Gleaming Shield popping out from behind two clouds and bottling a fair amount of troops themselves. The three of them manage to perform an ambush in plain sight. Tempest quickly throws any of her spheres at guards trying to escape.

No longer does Tempest's spheres petrify. Now they quickly bottle up anypony who gets hit. Even though it was only 3 against hundreds, the guards felt like they were surrounded at all sides. And the genie number only grew as transformed guards now got on on the action if they were released. Quickly turning the numbers gradually over to the genie side.

It hardly resembled a battle, this was a rout. The panicked screams of the troops as they try in vain to avoid being bottled. Anyone who dared try to assault the genies only ended up in a bottle faster. So the guards could only rely on the latter of their fight or flight instincts. And even those running away are starting to realize that wasn't going to work either...

Tempest smirked as she continued to flip and kick her genifying orbs towards the mostly fleeing ponies. When she was under the command of the Storm King, these kinds of 'battles' always felt so tedious, now that she's got more control over her life, she's genuinely having fun with it!

"This is all they have to offer? I'd be disappointed if it weren't so fun!" She laughed and launched another ball into a group. While she had been focused on the 'ground', Princess Luna and Gleaming Shield had taken to the air, circling around any stragglers attempting to fly away.

While the sight of the princess had initially brought hope, it had been quickly replaced by fear. Some go so far to think that she'd become Nightmare Moon once again. "THE PRINCESS HAS GONE ROGUE! WE CANNOT DEFEAT HER! NIGHTMARE MOON HAS RETURNED!"

Luna didn't take too kindly to that, but they would understand soon enough. Using the royal canterlot voice, she boomed over the screams. "YOU ARE MISTAKEN, I HAVE NOT BEEN SWAYED BACK INTO THE DARKNESS! I HAVE BEEN REBORN, AS THE GENIE OF THE NIGHT!! YOU SHOULD ALL REJOICE IN YOUR OWN COMING REBIRTH!" The screams from the air were soon met with silence as she bottled them up.

On Gleaming's end, she seemed to be the most disappointed in the guards ``Didn't I train you better than this?! You should have been ready to face any threat head on! Seems I'll have to make sure you're all put through some more intensive training!" Using a variation of her shield spell, Gleaming was able to encompass multiple guards in pink bubbles, but these were not normal shields. They stunned the guards within them before shrinking down enough to fit into new bottles.

Off in the distance, Gleaming can just see a particularly familiar guard running in the cloud city's alleyways trying to avoid detection from any of the genies causing chaos. It was a buff brown stallion with his blue mane shaped by his helmet. It had to be none other than Spearhead, one of Gleaming's best friends while she was still Shining Armor and in the Royal Guard. Gleaming asks Luna and Tempest if they can hold off the rest while she... catches a friend.

“Mind if I go see an old friend? We’ll need to catch up, or rather… I catch him” She winks

The two nod at Gleaming's request, they're not having any trouble with these guards whatsoever, so missing a genie isn't a big deal. They snicker at the thought of Gleaming having some fun with her old friend before getting back to their genifications.

Gleaming follows Spearhead until she's sure he's alone. Slipping into the shadows behind him, she makes sure she can't be seen.

Using her magic, she masks her voice to sound like it used to before she'd transformed. "Spear, it's me! I'm so glad you were able to get away! T-those genies, they're relentless! But don't worry, I'm here to help!"

Spearhead is initially spooked when he hears a voice from behind aiming his spear at where he hears the voice from "AHHHH STAY BACK! I'M WARNING YOU!.." But then he realizes it's a voice that's most familiar to him, and drops his guard. As it was none other the voice of his friend and former Captain. "Oh it's just you, Captain Shining... thank goodness. But as for your help... I know you prefer us to go on the offensive... but I'm not sure anything we do will work on these... genies. Any stallions that remembered your words just ended up being bottled right away! And now they're genies, too! The stallions were even transformed into mares!"

"Don't beat yourself up over it, save that energy for the fight ahead!" She says, trying to assure him. "There's no way they could have known what the genies were capable of...I was unfortunately too late to warn any of them...." She feigns sadness, but it should be enough to convince Spearhead.

His voice then mutters a bit quietly "Granted, I do have to admit they were turned into very attractive ones..."

A small smirk comes across her face when she hears how attractive Spear thinks they are. “(You'll be with them soon enough Spear... soon enough)”

Spearhead shakes his head and gets back on Topic "Listen, Shining. We have to get out of here... warn your wife, warn Princess Celestia, warn your sister, warn everypony! While we still can!"

Gleaming’s Shining voice lowers to a somber tone at the mention of Cadance and Celestia. "No... it's too late for that... Those genies, they got to Celestia... and Cadance too… it's because of them I was able to get away. I failed them, Spear!" She yells, hitting a nearby wall. Gleaming was acting her heart out, trying her hardest to not break character. "I just wish we had a way to stop them!"

Spearhead is disheartened by the fact that Celestia and Cadence have already been compromised, but he is quick to point out there's still a tiny bit of hope. "There is still your sister and no doubtedly all her friends. In tight spots, the Elements of Harmony has always bailed us out when things looked bleak"

"Yeah… that's true. Twilight always did figure out how to get out of a jam..." Gleaming snickered to herself, Spear's comment about being in a tight spot had her thinking on what she'll hear when he's shoved into his own tight spot. "If there's anypony who can help, it's them. We should try to get out of Cloudsdale with any pony we can, see if we can regroup with Twilight and the others!" She said in a hopeful tone.

"Once this is all over, you'll be able to focus more on your art! I know you'd been talking about wanting to do that more right?"

Spearhead wondered briefly why he heard a light laugh from Shining as he replied about Twilight. But he brushes it off and chuckles "Yeah, seriously... once this crisis is over. I'm retiring for certain, and becoming a full fledged artist from then on! Before military service gives me any more gray hairs at my young age..."

"Retire...?" This made Gleaming feel some genuine emotion rather than the act she was putting on. It nearly made her break character and reveal her voice. She may be aiming to genify him but he was still one of her best friends. They'd been in the guard together for years. So the thought of him leaving the guard stung, but it's understandable. This did give her an idea for his vessel though. She conjures up something in her hoof, but it's not a bottle. “(I think he's going to need something to better represent that dream… if I can just get him to say it as a wish…)”

Spearhead salutes before asking one more question "Say Captain, when did you even get here. I admit I never saw you arrive, did you get here while I was sleeping awaiting Luna's arrival?"

The question about how she'd gotten there did make her hesitate for a moment but she smiled "I had no choice but to sneak in. The genies were on my tail since the Crystal Empire fell to them. Practically going from cave to cave, any dark spot I could find to stay out of sight. Kind of like what we're doing now." This was something Gleaming shouldn't have said, this whole time she'd been a silhouette with a voice, Spearhead hasn't actually seen her during the whole conversation.

Spearhead does realize that this whole time Shining hadn't even shown himself, if he was hiding in the shadows because of the genies. "Wait, if you're hiding from the genies, why haven't you shown yourself before me...? If I didn't know any better, you could actually be a changeling-in-disguise!"

(“Oh I know he didn't just compare me to the....ok...ok...no it's a fair point. Breathe, I've got this...He doesn't think I'm a genie.”) Gleaming clearly didn't appreciate the changeling comparison, but considering her actions thus far, it makes sense it would be Spearhead's thought process. Gleaming takes a deep breath, changing her body to look like what it used to, no veils or genie attire. She even made sure to add some scrapes and make herself look a bit disheveled, to be more convincing that she'd been on the run with no rest.

While she thought it might be nice to be back in her old form, it no longer felt familiar. It was strange to say the least. Gleaming steps out into the light, allowing Spearhead to see her. "Don't compare me to the changelings! I just...I've been on the run since the empire, it was hard to know who to trust...for all I know, you could have been a genie in disguise! I'm sorry, Spear, I'm just a bit on edge..." She pauses "Is there a place we can fall back to? A bunker? maybe there's some remaining resistance left? We can all escape together, at the very least warn whoever's there that it won't be safe from the newly made genies!"

Spearhead is considerably calmed now that he can actually see his friend in full-form though he's downtrodden as to options as to where they can go. "To be honest, it might only be us two against the world at this point... but if there's anypony of the entire force former or otherwise that I'd choose from to at least try to beat the odds... you're the one I'd want most by my side"

"Heh, you always did know what to say to get me fired up. Thank you, Spearhead, I needed to hear that. You know I'll always have your back too." She smiled. "Alright let me think of something..." She looks out of the alleyway, 'checking' where they could go. Though given that she had flown herself there, she knew the layout of the city just fine and she already knew that both Tempest and Luna wouldn't be bothering them. She turns back to Spearhead "Ok I know this is going to sound crazy, but I think we can make a run for it. We'll cut through the Cloudsdale museum of art and then take the back exit. All we have to do is cut through this street to get there. Are you with me, Spear?"

Spearhead grimaces, knowing that if he and/or Shining are caught for even a second. The tall purple one could bottle them in mere moments with those near unavoidable spheres as he saw befall on many of his own comrades. But he's known Shining all his career, and most times the Captain ordered a risky maneuver. It all worked out in the end. "Alright, Captain. I trust you. Let's go!"

"Keep your head down and MOVE! I'm right behind you!" Darting out from the alleyway, she and Spearhead rush to the museum. Gleaming looking around at the skies for any 'incoming spheres'. The two of them could hear some of Tempest's orbs crashing into the clouds a few streets over. The screams and then moans of ponies being transformed echoed through the streets. "GO GO GO! WE'RE ALMOST THERE!"

Tempest had flown up, catching a glimpse of the duo and snickered. (“Well well well, someone's having fun. Didn't take her as the acting type, hmm I should give her friend a scare and play along!”) She kicks an orb in their direction, but intentionally misses. From their perspective, Spear wouldn't know who she's aiming for but Gleaming can see that they're not going to hit them. But for the sake of her plan, she keeps up the act.

"Spear, on your right! Dodge it! That dark purple one might have spotted us!"

"AHHHH, CAPTAIN! WE'RE AS GOOD AS APPLE CIDER NOW!" Though miraculously he thinks he managed to dodge some of Tempest's spheres. Not knowing that she was missing on purpose. He could hardly believe his luck, but he has no time to celebrate too soon. He runs quickly, and manages to ‘dodge’ more of Tempest's spheres. Before he and "Shining" both dive towards the art museum's entrance. A sphere exploding just behind them.

Spearhead gets a moment to catch his breath, he breathes heavy as he looks at his friend. "She's going to come in after us... isn't she...? I hope there's a hall of mirrors in this place or something, anything that can buy us some time"

The explosion behind them seals off the front entrance right after they dove in. In Spear's mind, it just bought them some time. "I don't know... hah... but I think she assumes that she either got us, or that we got crushed. Listen, the blasts are getting further away! Still, let's not stick around too long, I don't want to waste this opportunity! (Nice going, Tempest. Now Spear's sure to get right where I want him. I wasn't expecting her to use actual explosions though…)” In the jumble, Gleaming didn't notice that some of her disguise fell, the manestyle and tail she had as a mare was now showing rather than the one she had as a stallion. While the mane could be marked off as something caused by the explosion, the longer tail was not so easy to explain.

"But hey we did it!" She holds out her hoof for a hoof bump, not realizing this change.

"Yeeaaaa-" Soearhead's eyes widen and he frowned, as he notices the sudden longer tail on Shining. "Captain... what happened to your tail? OH GOSH, were you hit?! Some of those who were genified were bottled beginning with their tail slowly stretching first! It may be too late for you!"

"What...?" She looked behind her to see her tail and gasped. (Oh great, I lost focus and undid some of the disguise! ....wait, he thinks this is a slow burn kind of deal? Ok I can roll with this.) Gleaming acts surprised. "No! I.. .didn't feel myself getting hit! B-but I'm not going to give up now! Come on, Spear, I may not know how much time I have, but I can still get you to safety! Besides I know that there needs to be some kind of bottle for the transformed to go into! M-maybe I got lucky! Because I don't see any bottles nearby!" She puts on a brave face, holding her hoof towards him. "We knew full well this could happen. Don't give up now! You've got a wish to fulfill right?! To be an artist!?"

"Are you sure?! Because I'm sure this place must have some ceramic vases waiting to gobble you up!" He looked from side to side just waiting for a vase to come flying in and start stretching Shining towards it. "And yes... My greatest wish is to be an artist, but that won't happen if I'm literally inside the art!"

Gleaming could barely hold in a laugh, poor Spearhead had no clue how that worked... but it did provide her with ideas for later genifications. "(You know, having some bottles fly in from all sides to transform others could be a really fun idea~!)"

When Spearhead confirmed what his greatest wish was, Gleaming knew it was time. A wide smile came across her face, one that could easily be described as sinister. The object she conjured up earlier appeared in her hooves. It was not a bottle, but a paintbrush. The handle was silver, much like the spears the guard would wield. "Don't you worry, Spear... I'll make sure that you're not trapped in the art...I'm going to ensure you can make the art of your dreams...make that wish come true." Her voice was shifting from the stallion one to her normal mare one. Perhaps it was another sign of the 'transformation'? "But while I'm still me... I want you to have something..." She holds the brush out to him. "I... made it specifically for you, Spear. I just wish I could give it to you under better circumstances. Whenever you hold it, I want you to remember that wish, can you do that for me?"

Spearhead gasped "Captain! Your voice!" He's about tearing up thinking his dear friend's transforming into another one of them. He quickly grabs the brush with a wing, and looks for an exit. Though not before turning back to his captain "I'm so sorry this happened to you... I promise I'll go see your sister and together we'll free you, Princess Cadence, Princess Celestia. And everypony else!"

Gleaming grasped at her neck, acting as if she were stunned by the voice change. "It's... It'll all be fine, I got to save you after all. You just focus on your dreams, hehe I'm sure we'll be looking at your art in a museum just like this one someday. No matter what happens, I want you to remember, I'm still your friend."

Unfortunately for Spearhead, even if he were to reach an exit, it would already be too late. From the moment he touched that brush with his wing, the transformation was taking place. It was slow at first but Gleaming could see that the tip of the brush was sticking to Spearhead's wing, sucking him into it as if it were becoming paint.

Gleaming started to laugh "Hehehe, you think I could.... pull off one of those veils? I mean despite what we may think about the genies themselves, we did agree that those outfits are pretty cute."

Spearhead's touched by "Shining's" response, though as of yet he still doesn't quite see an actual exit. He feels an odd tickle of his wings but assumes that's just the brush's bristles against his wings. Though he frowns when his captain mentions the veil "Oh gosh, you're starting to think like them too... I gotta get out of he- hey... wha...? Uhhhh.. uhhhhhhh... UHHHHHH..."

He finally notices that the odd tickle from his wings was not that of the brush touching. The wing was beginning to rescind into the brush. "Oh no... OH NO... NOOOOOOOOO! Captain, tell me you didn't... YOU MADE THE BRUSH A VESSEL?!"

There was no need to put on an act anymore. Gleaming gives a wide smile, laughing again as she fully transforms back into her genie form and attire. "I did! I thought it would be far more fitting than a bottle for you, especially given your WISH. The thing is, technically anything can be made into a vessel! And what better place to do it to you than in an art museum? In some regards, a brush could be like a spear. Think like the pen being mightier than the sword and all that, heh." She steps closer to him "I did mean what I said though, you and I will always be friends, and now it will be forever as genies~!"

Spearhead gasped, his old friend, his captain. Had deceived him the whole time, it seemed he was in fact one of them the entire time. Or maybe... this genie was never Shining Armor at all. Though more likely, that's what Spearhead wanted to believe. He looked sternly at Gleaming "How... how could you... you.... you can't possibly be Shining Armor... ! He'd never betray me or Equestria like this! You rotten genie, you and your kind won't get away with this!"

Spearhead grunts as he falls over as now his hindlegs started to move strangely, his back hooves curved and folded back towards the direction of where both of his wings were being sucked in. Being his wings were part of his body, he could get a hint of the pleasure of the transformation but it's not quite strong enough yet for him to be considerably comforted by the transformation yet.

Gleaming had expected this kind of reaction, but it still stung a bit to be accused like this.

"Let me set something straight with you. Despite what you may think, my allegiance has been and always will be to this nation, Spearhead. Though we are remaking this into a more unified world under the Geniequestria banner now. We will be stronger than we've ever been. Safe from all evils that threaten this world. Threats like the Storm King, Tirek, and especially the likes of Queen Chrysalis, won't be able to stand up against us genies.

With this kind of power we can protect everything and everyone we love! Never again will ponies need to live in fear, never again will they have to struggle! Everypony will be able to follow their dreams, that includes you!

Granted, you're correct on one thing, I don't go by the name, Shining Armor anymore. I'm Gleaming Shield now, but that does not change the history we've had either! If I was a fake this whole time, would I have known about your past? Would I have known about your desire to be an artist? I'm sorry I had to trick you like that, but would you really have believed me otherwise?"

She could see the transformation picking up in pace, there was no chance of escape from it now. "Look, I know it's scary at first. It was for me too, but there's a certain point where it becomes enjoyable. I'm sure you can already feel it, can't you?"

Spearhead thinks back to their conversation they had, and he remembers that Shining, or who he thought was Shining, indeed brought up his dream of being an artist first. And he had only told a select number of ponies about it, which other than Shining only included Princess Cadence, Princess Celestia, and some of his most trusted fellow guards. Of course, maybe there's room to doubt if say the genified Celestia or Cadence could have blabbed all about that to every one of the other genies. Though he shakes his head from that thought because it's not like the genies would care about one single guard's dream enough to conspire together like that.

He had to admit it, it's more likely than not this genie was in fact once Shining Armor. It'd be harder to believe if he hadn't seen some other guards transformed into mares, plus this Gleaming Shield had pretty much the same color scheme as his friend. "I... just don't know... the fact you're going by a different name... and even accepting of being in a different form of your own doesn't seem like you're you anymore... am I about to lose myself too...? This is scary no matter how you put it Shini- I mean... Gleaming... it almost felt like Nightmare Moon was back when Luna started bottling some of my friends..."

"Why do you think I wanted to do this to you specifically? The others, they would've just hit you with one of those orbs or just stuffed you into a bottle. I wanted to make it personal. You deserved something more befitting what you desired in your heart. You're not going to lose yourself..." She sees her reflection in one of the art pieces held in a glass container.

"I may look different, sound different, even go by a different name. But at my core, I'm still me. I know this comes off as an invasion, like we've become corrupted, but I feel more complete than I ever have. And I want to share that feeling with everypony else. I can be with Cadence for the rest of time. I won't have to eventually leave her alone when my life would have come to its end. Once you change, things will be different obviously, being a mare does take some getting used to as well. But most importantly, you'll be free to do what you want. The feeling it gives may make you want to genify others, like what I, Princess Luna and Tempest are doing. But I will leave that decision to you. Take this as your retirement effective immediately, Spear."

His hooves have not touched the end of the vessel yet, but they were gradually waving and stretching there, though as more of his wings were sucked in. A blush finally starts fading in on his cheeks as he was beginning to feel just a little more pulsing pleasure flow through him. Almost putting him at ease before he shakes his head to attempt to struggle against the brush's power.

"There it is~" She gave a softer smile as the sensations were now getting to Spearhead "Just let go, let the feelings of the transformation flow through you. Trust me, I'm still on your side"

"No... no.... no no no no no!" Spearhead slammed his hooves on the museum grounds in one last act of defiance. "This isn't what I... no, this isn't what WE signed up for... to simply surrender and give in... Equestria can't fall like this…!

"Equestria in name may fall but we will rise back as something greater. Geniequestria will stand firm, everyone will have a rightful place within it! It's not a surrender, it's just the next step in our history!"

"I must... I must... I mussssst.... I MUST RESIIIIIS- AHHHHH!" Spearhead's merged legs have finally reached the bristles. He was feeling a little bit of it before with his wings, but it was now far more intense. Cheeks blush even pinker, his eyes go lidded, and he begins to relax. "Ooooh... oh my... what... Captain... what... is this...?"

Gleaming floats around Spearhead as he finally lets the feeling of the change take over. "This is exactly what I was talking about, the feeling you're experiencing now, that's what I now fight for! I want everypony to feel it, to become free and feel safer than ever. In a sense, it's a new kind of shield for me to protect what I hold dear. Like our friendship. Now be at ease, let yourself go deeper and deeper. Embrace the wishes in your heart and that vessel will make it happen.

"You... or perhaps I should say... we... are going to make Equestria... into Geniequestria? Huh, if all that mostly changes besides us becoming genies… is an additional syllable... maybe... I overreacted... Unnnh~" A big pulse of pleasure makes him moan briefly. "After all... all that magic... and power.... might be a boon for my paintings actually..." He starts thinking of the potential he could do with the magic of a genie, far beyond his limits as a pegasus. It slowly dawns on him more and more that this may in fact be the greatest thing for him, just as the brush has now whittled him down to just above his hips. Managing a smile his eyes drift upward in a mixture of daydreaming of the possibilities along with everything flooding through his entire body...

"See I knew you'd come around!" She smiled and gave him a hug while there was still enough of him to do so. "You get it now! I wasn't doing this to inflict any harm or to make you or my previous guardmates suffer. This is meant to be a gift, and you can harness it in any way you see fit. Use it to inspire yourself, inspire your artistic endeavors! Nothing will be able to hold you or your creativity back! I want to see you succeed in that, Spear. As a genie of course… but more importantly, as your friend."

The brush's tip continues to pull him in, his body essentially becoming the paint. "And I know you're going to be just as beautiful as the art you'll make. Doesn't that sound better than what you originally thought? We're not destroying anything. This is all for the best"

Spearhead puts his hooves to the side and slightly behind his back. Causing the suction to now pinch him in so now it's only his upper torso, shoulders, and his head to go. Being pinched by the brush seems like it would hurt, but it actually pumps up more of the pleasurable feelings the royal guard was feeling. His moans get longer and more intense, he shakes himself but not out of resisting. But just shivering from everything flowing through his mind and body right now.

"Ooooh... captain~... I thought this was going to be a horrible experience... like something that's not me completely taking me over inside... but that couldn't be further from the truth... I... want this... No... I NEED this... Nothing's ever felt quite like this before!" His shoulders are absorbed as all that is left now is his neck and head, the process almost reaching the best part for any mortal's transformation into a genie.

"That's it, Spear just a little more! This is what it feels like to become part of Geniequestria! You think it feels good now, just wait! The best is yet to come! Embrace the magic, embrace these feelings and let it all come out!" Gleaming had genified plenty of ponies already but doing this to a dear friend, it was different. Far more satisfying to her. It filled her with joy to be able to share this feeling with a close friend like Spearhead.

"Aaah... aaaAAAAaaaAAAH AAAAAAAAHHHHH~. Y-y-y-YES! YES! YEEEES! The world... the world shall be our canvas… Magical art EVERYWHERE…. Ooooooh captaaaaaiiin.... MY CAPTAAAAAAAAIiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnmmmmmppppph" Spearhead honoring his friend's former rank and title echo throughout the halls and is silenced as his mouth, followed by the rest of his head follows suit into the brush's thistles. Gleaming carefully picks up the vessel containing his dear friend with great satisfaction.

A blush came across Gleaming's face as Spearhead had called out to her one last time. Holding the brush in her hooves, she couldn't help but smile. "Now you're right where you belong. We are going to paint this world anew. But I can't do it without you, partner! So let's see how you take to being a genie! You will be the first 'creation' this brush makes!" Unlike the other vessels, Spearhead's didn't have a cap or lid to unseal. With his body becoming the paint for the brush, the method of bringing him...or rather her back out now needed a different approach. Gleaming conjured up a blank canvas and with a flick of the wrist, tossed the paint out of the brush and onto it! "Come back to me, Spear! Show me what you look like now!"

The paint splattered on the canvas begins to glow and ripple for a short while until an orangish brown tendril of magic with blue sparks swirls from outside. The tip rises some height above the canvas before it begins shaping into a new form. That not of the stallion that Spearhead was, but now a silhouette of a mare. As the new genie fully fades her eyes are closed as she's hugging herself, the mane was of a similar style to Spearhead's as it was before, but much longer,, the mane was covering one of her eyes entirely. The veil and legging color is similar to that of a scarf that Gleaming knew Spearhead liked to wear when not in combat. She then opens her eyes, and a long satisfied sigh before eyeing Gleaming down on the museum's floor

Gleaming marveled at the spectacle before her. Spearhead's return was nothing short of artistic. "Already starting off your artistic career strong! I think you pull off the look nicely! And your veils, I had a feeling you'd want them to be just like your favorite scarf!"

"Requesting permission to speak my mind, captain" Although she knew Shining, or well, Gleaming didn't mind having his squad speak freely. She thought that for at least this first entrance as a new pony, she'd ask formally for she's not just her captain anymore... But her mistress.

She did chuckle at Spearhead still using the old dynamic to address her. "You don't have to be so formal, we're no longer captain and subordinate, we are equals. I mean in my eyes, we've always been… but you know what I mean. You'll always be free to speak your mind. So please, ask away!"

"Hehe, I know... but I do feel like a whole new me. Maybe I felt sort of like a rookie all over again" She giggles. "On that subject though... I'm starting to understand why you changed your name. As Shining Armor nor Spearhead seems fitting for what we are now anymore. I don't suppose you have any ideas? I like being creative, but I admit names aren't my strong suit"

"I suppose in that case, I do get it, hehe. Don't worry, it took me some getting used to the new name too. But once I got more used to it, it really matches the new me. And I'll be happy to show you the ropes, it'll be like old times!" She laughed "But I know the perfect name for you… Bayonet." Gleaming gives her a warm smile. "It's similar to your old name but I think it fits who you are now. Speaking of which, why don't you take a look at your cutie mark? You'll be pleasantly surprised to see what it's become."

"Bayonet... Bayonet..." The mare that was once Spearhead smiles just saying it, satisfied that it's similar to her old name but also fresh enough to represent her new self. "I like it! Thank you so much, Gleaming" She floats down to hug her fellow genderbended genie friend.

As Gleaming asks her to see her cutie mark "Oh hold on, I can't exactly see my cutie mark with my lower half like this..." Bayonet flies on down to where her brush vessel lays on the ground, picking it up with her mouth. She places the brush on the canvas and sucks in all the "paint" until she can now disconnect herself from the canvas, now she is connected to the brush itself. She then floats down on the ground, and begins to paint her lower body back into existence with the brush. fully disconnected from her brush now. Bayonet smiles as she spins the brush on her hoof, already prideful of her creative magic.

She finally gets a look at her flank, and gasps as she sees her silver spears were replaced with three paintbrushes in the same arrangement. A big grin on her face as she puts a hoof on her cheek "Oh Celestia! It's perfect!"

Gleaming happily returns the hug, she's fascinated watching Bayonet work with her vessel. In the back of her mind, she didn't know if this would work properly compared to something like the standard genie bottle, but she's glad that it did! "See? What did I tell you? Your wish is now fully realized! This is a new beginning for you! This right here, it's why we're genifying everyone else! That is your genie mark!"

She rushes in to give Bayonet another hug. "So, would you like to meet the others? Maybe show some of our guardmates why we're doing this? It would be a good first 'training session' for you!"

She smirks, maybe even a little deviously and salutes. "Sure thing, Captain Gleaming! Let's go~"

Gleaming and Bayonet were once again together as fellow genies, and soon went back out of the museum to join in on bottling some of the remaining stragglers in the forces.

Elsewhere though, Tempest and Luna were having some trouble with some particularly stubborn fliers. Judging by the speed and maneuvers they were capable of. The Princess knew these were three of the elite Wonderbolts. Even with their genie power, they have trouble with the tricky fliers who either easily dodge vessels thrown at them or they create tornados that redirect the vessels elsewhere. Although that maneuver did end up accidentally genifying some of the guards attempting to flee. The three of them are constantly flying around the area, not letting the genies have even a sliver of time to trap them. Not even teleporting straight to them or cloning themselves attempting to surround the quick pegasi work for either Commander Tempest or the Princess. Frustrating the two of them immensely.

"Didn't think there'd be anypony with this kind of fight within them!" Tempest yelled as she continuously kicked orbs towards the main trio of wonderbolts. But their movements allowed them to dodge swiftly. “(It doesn't help that aerial combat isn't my specialty, I'm still too new to flying! If I could get them on the ground, it'd be over already!) Stay still! This is for your own good! Open up your eyes to the possibilities!"

Princess Luna wasn't faring much better, she was trying to use her magic to combat their flight capabilities. They wouldn't stay still long enough to get a hold of them, nor would creating obstacles in front of their paths deter them in any way. To the wonderbolts it was just like another training regiment. "BE STILL! Your princess commands that you cease this at once! This is for the benefit of all ponies!"

"You are no princess of ours! You're nothing more than a traitor! I would rather die than listen to what you've become!" Spitfire roared "Wonderbolts! Scramble maneuver alpha! Don't let them corrupt any more of our allies!" Spitfire broke off from Soarin and Fleetfoot, taking charge and flying faster than she ever had before. “(Never thought I'd be up against one of the princesses, but I am not about to give up!)”

Soarin' and Fleetfoot nod. Though Soarin' sheepishly kinda grimaced given he was the one who started the tornado earlier that kind of backfired when it came to saving the troops on the ground "Sorry about getting a few of them bottled up accidentally, Spitfire..."

Fleetfoot just shrugs "Heh, that just means we'll have a new nickname for you when we're back at HQ~"

"Oh please no..." Soarin is already not looking forward to whatever name they'll be calling him now.

"You can feel sorry for yourself after we've taken victory!" She smirked "But yeaaaah you're gonna have a brand new nickname when we get back. I'm thinking... Fumble? Then again if I'm Spitfire, maybe you can be Backfire!" She laughed, having a moment of levity amongst this flight.

Tempest and Luna looked insulted "Are they joking around while still flying away from us!? Luna you come in from one side, I'll come in from the other! Take out their captain and the rest will fall!" She zoomed off.

Luna nodded and did the same, flying in the opposite direction. Both aiming right for Spitfire, a howl could be heard as they came flying. But Spitfire was expecting something like this. Right as the two got in close, she dropped down immediately which made Luna and Tempest crash into each other with a loud 'THUD' "Gah! This is infuriating!"

"Ha! That was foals play! Some all powerful beings you are!" She taunted before rejoining with the other two wonderbolts "We can keep them at bay but I doubt we'll have the stamina to last forever… if only we had some backup here!"

Getting cocky, Fleetfoot flies around them and turns upside down while looking at them. Crosses her eyes and raspberries at the two genies. Before mucking them some more "What's the matter? Did you leave your brains in those bottles of yours?~" though still flying off before either of them could swipe a vessel right on her face..

"Arrogant little foals!" Luna scowled at the trio, it was clear their antics were getting under her skin. "We are trying to bestow a gift upon you and this is how you react?!"

She tried to charge up another spell to launch at them but Tempest put a hoof on her shoulder, stopping her. "Wait, Princess. They're the ones trying to get into our heads. Make us sloppy. We'll never get them like that. Besides, I'm sure Gleaming will be coming back soon with a new ally in tow as well. So why don't we try a different approach? Let them get more arrogant, then we'll be the ones with the last laugh!"

Meanwhile, just behind a cloud not too far from the action. A green pony with shades of gold hair is watching the Wonderbolts bout with the genies. She hmmphs, not even cowering from what's been going on. Instead she seems... unimpressed. ("Just what are these Dunderheads think they're doing... flying around them like this is just going to make themselves tired! They should be striking HARD at them! Feel the full brunt of a pegasi's might! Hmph, no wonder I was rejected by them. Clearly, I was too radical for these bozos... No matter... Who other than LIGHTNING DUST to show them their mistake… and once I've saved the world by myself... I'll start my OWN flying club that'll make the Wonderbolts look like a retirement home!)

Lightning then does a flip above the cloud, takes in a deep breath, and yells with ALL her might... "HEEEEEEY YOU! GENIE TERRORS! LOOK OVER HERE, AND WITNESS THE FASTEST PONY OF ALL-TIME!!"

Startling not just Tempest and Luna, but also the Wonderbolts. The 3 high-flying pegasi unfortunately can never unhear such a boisterous voice. "Oh no..." Soaring bluntly stated, while Fleetfoot is more annoyed. "Ugggggh... why now of all times?!"

Everyone's attention is now drawn to the newcomer. "What the?! A civilian!? No! Get away from here! They're too dangerous!" When Spitfire got a better look at who just foolishly charged in, she grimaced. "No... not her… ANYTHING but HER! That reckless idiot!!" If she let Lighting Dust go in alone, she was sure to be genified. "Wonderbolts, move in to assist, we need to get her off the field immediately! (I wanted backup, but not like this! Lightning Dust is too headstrong!)”

Luna and Tempest barely dodge this oncoming tackle, but they're both quite confused by this new arrival. Her speed made their heads spin. If the wonderbolt trio was giving them trouble, Lightning was going to be a whole new level of annoying. They could have sworn that nearly all of Cloudsdale had been overtaken by them. How did they miss someone so loud and obnoxious? "Unbelievable, another nuisance! She's nearly as fast as Rainbow Dash!" Luna whined.

As the wonderbolts attempt to grab Lightning Dust, she just spins and flips around the three of them. Even for as experienced as the Wonderbolts are, Lightning was on another level, if she hadn't been such a reckless jerk. She would have been top of the class, in some ways even above Rainbow Dash despite the Element of Loyalty's slightly superior speed. As the Rainbow-maned Pegasus was still prone to a fair bit of mistakes, while Lightning rarely did. Or at least too prideful to admit she made one.

Soarin panicked “Lightning! This is no time for your bold foolishness! Get out of here! Leave! Before any of the genies get you!”

Lightning scoffs "Ha? ME leave? I think you're mistaken. YOU should all run along! I'll take on these bottled behemoths myself. But before you go... allow me to show you all what you rejected!"

The green and gold Pegasus then flies high up in the air soon she’s so high up the genies look as small as ants. Above where Luna was standing, she compacted a fair amount of clouds until the start fading into darker colors of gray, prepared to do a death-defying stunt using a small thundercloud as a launch pad. "Behold the debut of my ultimate technique... THE THUUUUUUUUUUNDER STRIKE!"

Luna looks up at the pony far above her that looks like a dot from how far up she is. While she sort of expects the fast pony to dodge it. Luna proceeds to chance things by poofing up a new bottle, with a lightbulb shaped topper.

Spitfire zips about, doing her best to catch up to Lightning Dust. She's flabbergasted that Lightning is still so bitter about being rejected. "You're still mad about that!? This goes beyond any personal problems! THEY WILL STUFF YOU INTO ONE OF THOSE BOTTLES AND CORRUPT YOU IF YOU STAY HERE!! Do you not see that!?" She doesn't notice that the two genies are already plotting to make Lightning theirs with the freshly conjured bottle.

"Seems they've got bad blood between them." Tempest smirks at the sudden chaos "This is the moment we've been waiting for, that nuisance is about to be our ace in the hole! Get ready Luna!"

"Excellent thinking!" She nods. "That 'thunder strike' won't do anything to the likes of us! (But it will make a glorious show all the same.)” Luna practically holds a target to her chest, also holding the bottle right in Lightning's line of trajectory. She taunts "Come on then, hit us if you can! We’re right here~!"

Spitfire finally notices that Luna's holding up a bottle to seal Lightning Dust away into. "NO!!" She tries to rush into Lightning to stop her but the reckless pegasus was too fast for her, blowing her back with the sheer force she had created upon her descent. "Gaaaah! Lightning Dust, you fool!"

"Now prepare.... FOR THE WRATH OF LIGHTNIN- MMMMMPPPPPPPhhhhhh!" Within just a moment, it was already over. Lightning crackled all around Lightning Dust, creating a trail that looked almost similar to a sonic rainboom. The force did push Luna back a bit, but most of it was taken by the bottle itself. Lightning was cut off by the speed and momentum of her body warping to shape into the bottle within barely a second.

Where Luna raises an eyebrow and smirks in amusement while raising the sealed bottle to her face as it was still fading into Lightning's color scheme. The Princess then snarks as she finishes Lightning's sentence for her "Lightning in a bottle?~"

The Princess sealed the bottle with the light bulb topper, laughing as the bulb turned bright. "You were the fastest at becoming a genie, I'll give you that! We could really use your speed~" She looked up at the three wonderbolts who were now sweating bullets. "Why don't you show us how much faster you are than that trio there!" She says before unsealing the bottle.

Soarin is nervously biting his hooves, as he eyes over to Spitfire "Spitfire! What do we do now?!"

Spitfire recovers thanks to her friends, just in time to look on in horror to see Luna opening up Lightning's bottle. "I... I don't know, but we're about to have more trouble on our hooves." Her eyes twitched as the bottle shook and crackled like thunder and lightning. "Get ready to move, everypony!" She braces herself for the oncoming genie Lightning Dust.

Tempest and Luna relished in the fear on the wonderbolts' faces. "Not so confident now, are we? Don't fret my dear wonderbolts, you'll be able to be as confident as you like once you become genie bolts~!" Luna cackled. "Come forth, show these pegasi what true genie speed is!"

"Heh, really going heavy with the theatrics aren't you, Princess? First Gleaming does her little act and now you?" Tempest chuckles, but the sentiment is shared by her.

The bottle containing the reckless flier shakes and quivers violently, almost seeming like it can barely handle the power as it spins like crazy. Before smoke pops out not in the typical swirl, but almost like a firework shooting straight in the air. A smoke trail rockets up above the vessel, golden sparks and even some electricity surrounds the swirling mass continuing to circle around the tail as perhaps an aftereffect of Lightning's move or perhaps she had become something of an elemental genie in using such a move during her transformation, the smoke soon forms into the silhouette of Lightning Dust. As she fades in, a confident smirk can be seen on the mare's face behind a golden veil.

Having been very quickly bottled, Lightning didn't even get much time to contemplate what being a genie might be like before she was transformed. The bottle's power quickly took advantage of her ego while she was inside, however, and soothed her into a quite willing genie.

She looks at her hooves and down below where her hindlegs would be. But she wasn't feeling any shame despite her reckless act. "Well well well... this is a surprise to be sure.... but it's a welcome one~. I feel more powerful than ever! Who needs to be JUST a wonderbolt? Being a high-flying genie is where it's at!"

A deepening dread overwhelms the three Wonderbolts, knowing full well they’re in trouble now.

CONTINUED HERE

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