//------------------------------// // Chapter 44 // Story: Truths of a prophecy // by Cookiedash //------------------------------// The 9 ponies, the timberwolf and the draconequus appeared outside the maze, on the other side of which the ponies had gone through. Everypony had their magic back,Fluttershy, Scootaloo and Night Walker, had their wings, and Twilight, Rarity and Sweetie Belle had their horns. "So, now you ponies, and timberwolf, have freed me from my prison as per the rules state, and not by letting me escape through your arguments, I am obliged to help you on your quest for whatever it is you are doing." "...Told you his name was Discord." Night Walker was the first to speak, the others still a bit dazed and confused as to what had happened. Twilight snapped out of the daze as this remark "Whatever, you were right, I was wrong. Now, Discord, thank you for finally letting us out of your...puzzle, but I don't think we need any more help." She said "Oh! You're trying to get rid of me! How it wounds me, here I am, offering my assistance, and all you do is rebuke me. Oh well, it doesn't matter anyway, that just means I have more time to keep up my end of the bargain, Paul." Discord smirked, then, he snapped his claws and was gone in a small flash of white. "What wus that all 'bout?" Applejack asked, looking at Paul "Yeh, what did he mean about a bargain?" Twilight eyed him suspiciously "Don't tell me you made a deal with him!" Night Walker groaned, Paul shook his head "Raw." "Paul has no idea what Discord was talking about, other than he kept talking about making a bargain in the maze." Pinkie translated, "Ughh, well, never mind, let's just keep walking, Fluttershy, what day is it?" Twilight sighed "Oh, umm, I-umm, sorry, but, I'm still getting used to having my wings back and my head is still spinning. Can we maybe wait for a bit? I mean, just until I get my bearings." "*sigh* Sure. Does anypony know what time it is at least?" "Yes, it's twelve past noon." Night Walker said, "And, I'm pretty sure we've been in that maze at least two days." "Oh great, now we're getting behind schedule." Twilight muttered to herself, "So, we wasted two whole days in that maze?" "Maybe more." Twilight groaned. -- Several days had passed since the maze, and the group were still trying to activate the elements. They had moved out of the forest into the dry-lands, but it was still visible a few hundred meters off to the side. Twilight sighed, "Right guys, I think we should head back to the forest to set up camp, I know it's not that late, but I'd much rather sleep in the forest where we're surrounded by trees, than out here where we could easily be spotted." Everyone else nodded in agreement. "Yeh, better to set up camp early than late, am I right?" Pinkie yawned, "Wowzers, I'm tired." "Come on then, we'll stay close to the edge though, so we don't have to fo too deep back into the forest." Twilight decided, but before they could make their way back to the forest, they heard a deep 'Thud', and the ground shook ever so slightly. "W-what was that?" Fluttershy asked, hiding behind Applejack "Please tell me that isn't...." Twilight trailed off "The giant robot that killed Dashie? Sure is!" Pinkie shouted, "Come on girls! It's time to get revenge!!! ARGHHHHH!!!!" She charged off in the direction of the robot, which was quickly getting closer "Pinkie! Wait!", But Twilight was too late, Pinkie had already gotten halfway and looked hell-bent on destroying it. The other sighed, knowing that now, they'd have no chance to simply escape it. "Fluttershy, Night Walker, get the girls back to the forest and somewhere safe, NOW!" Twilight's order was swiftly followed "Everyone else, CHAAAAARRRGE!!!" They all ran head on into the robot, Pinkie having already arrived and was currently trying to smash the 'eyes' of the robot, with minimal luck, the robot was swinging a for hoof wildly at it's face to remove her. With the robot distracted with Pinkie, Applejack set about creating another portal, bigger than before, to hopefully drop the robot through, as the robot placed back down it's swinging hoof back down, it slipped into the portal. It was nowhere near big enough to trap the whole robot, but it was big enough that the robot started to collapse on one side, it's whole leg caught in the portal. Violently, it shook it's head, flinging pinkie Pie off, luckily, Paul caught her before she became a fluffy pink pancake on the floor. The robot stared at it's leg as it tried to yank it free, only to realize that, when it yanked too hard, it was ripped completely from the body. Applejack's portal quickly closed and she took a moment to regain her strength from concentrating too much. Managing to stand up, the robot seemed to glare daggers at Twilight, the pony behind the controls obviously thinking it had been her to create the portal, despite the fact that Unicorn magic was absorbed before it came close the the robot. It clumsily cantered to Twilight, who was slightly distracted by a catapult she was setting up to fling boulders, and aimed to crush her underneath it's remaining hoof. Fortunately, Twilight noticed at the last second, as was able to dodge away just in time, though the same could not be said for the catapult. "HEY!" She shouted "Do you have any idea how expensive that leg was? Huh? DO YOU?" A new voice sounded, probably from the stallion inside the robot "Umm, a lot?" Twilight suggested, nervously, still running "A LOT! And YOU, made me LOSE IT! YOU'LL GO FIRST FOR THAT!" The robot continued to chase Twilight around, ignoring the others, who tried their best to distract it. Rarity and Pinkie were busy setting up another catapult, and this time, with the robot preoccupied with Twilight, they had managed to complete it. They began loading it with a heavy boulder that Pinkie insisted upon calling 'Tom'. Applejack was off to the side, trying to concentrate of making another portal, this time though, to teleport Twilight. But she struggled to focus with the loud clattering of the robot's clumsy movements driving her insane. Paul was trying his best to trip the robot over, but wasn't having any luck. After a few careful moments of aiming, Pinkie and Rarity fired 'Tom' from their catapult, and got a direct hit of The robot's front leg. Unfortunately, that meant that the robot was then falling towards Twilight, who had already fallen over when the rock shattered and sent millions of tiny rock fragments everywhere. Applejack panicked, she knew it was her fault, she had been the one to make the robot lose it's let, and Twilight was getting killed because of it. Applejack saw no other options, so out of desperation, she created a portal, leaped through, grabbed Twilight and through her back through the portal, before she could hold the portal open no longer and collapsed beneath the robot's toppling form. Everyone screamed, how could they be losing another friend? Tears began to form in their eyes as everything played out in slow motion, the robot falling atop of Applejack, their honest, hardworking friend. The element of honesty shimmered brightly from Fluttershy's saddlebag. Applebloom was being held back by her two friends, kicking and screaming, tears already soaking her furry cheeks, Fluttershy and Night Walker, desperate to reach her sister. Twilight stared in horror at the mare who was giving up her life to save her own. Pinkie and Rarity looked on, stock still, as they witnessed the damage they had caused. Paul watched with a curious sadness in his eyes, a look that stated he had wanted to know the mare better. Just when all hope seemed lost, a blur shot out from the trees and took a circular shape around Applejack as the Robot hot the ground. The element of Loyalty burning red.