Everfree Forest
Leo Sparkle was contemplating his lot in life. And in truth, it wasn't that bad. He was from a well to do family, care for his big sisters, which afforded him a lot to stay close to her for sensitive to the public. He took care by ponies who love him back and taught him how to do like writing, chore, reading and manner to one and another. All of which he was passing. He had food, he had shelter, life was pretty good honestly.
There were a few things he wanted to improve on though. Like getting his fear overcome so he can be like a normal pony... Well, lion. and maybe having some friends from outside of Canterlot. Nothing against his brother's kindness and the ponies he knew, but it just wasn't enough for him.
The trip to Ponyville had been the most fun he'd had in a long time despite the simple mission statement from the Princess for his sister. He'd met Applejack and a bunch of other ponies who thought he was interesting and not all of them really seemed scared of him at all, only shocks to see him. It was like one of the best nights ever. Though been scares by the society are not what he wishes for.
As for his location right now. He and the rest of the gang, except for Spike, who's volunteers to himself to make sure that Nightmare Moon doesn't come back for anything and will in charge of helping the guard pony who's being wiped out. Very, very pure helpful of him.
Back to the main topic, there are currently at some kind of entrance to the dark, spooky, wilderness grove, the Everfree Forest.
"So... This is the woods?" Leo asked.
"Yes, it is, you can see clearly since the place was put next to our Ponyville." Applejack replied.
The cub nodded before glances to his sister, she's been quiet for minutes after Rainbow Dash crash to the library looking for scrape because she thought Twilight know about Nightmare Moon. Even though it true, it doesn't necessarily wreck the place she loves. That's to say, the cyan pegasus apologises for her devastation opening.
As for the other reason why they have to go to the forest because the princess protège found out that some object called The Elements of Harmony are the only things that can stop the dark alicorn. She did mention while ready a book in the library that there are six of it but only five are known.
"Let's go!" Pinkie seems to hype only get stop death track by Twilight.
"Not so fast." It looks like she back from her though. "Look, I appreciate the offer but I'd rather do this with my brother only."
"No can do sugar cube." Applejack interjected. "We sure ain't letting any friend of ours go into that creepy place alone..."
Hearing the word 'friend' makes the unicorn pant up. She just wants to this without any disturbing anymore.
"...and we're sticking to you like caramel on a candy apple."
"Mm-hmm!"
They already trot off to the woods, while Pinkie says something about a candy apple in there as she trots as well.
Twilight only sighed.
"They're weird, but look after each other," Leo said while nudging her. "I think it's time you stop doing a solo mission and excepting the group mission."
"Really..."
"Tried something new, Sis."
Another sigh coming from the unicorn as it does not enjoy the ride. Can't do anything except to keep moving forward to save Equestria from the eternal night as she and Leo walked into the Everfree Forest.
One Minutes Thirty-Seven Seconds Later...
“So none of you have been in here before?” Twilight asked, her ears flat to her head as she looked around the dark, damp, forest they were walking through.
Rarity scoffed by hearing it. "Heaven no! Just look at, it dreadful!"
"Weird plants, more monsters than any other place outside Hollow Shades. It just not natural!" Applejack added.
"But what cause of this?" The cub asked.
"Nopony knows..."Rainbow Dash started making an oooh noise like she was telling a ghost story. "...you know why?"
"Rainbow, quite it!"
"'Cause everypony who's ever come in has never come, OUT!!" She finished it as the ground gave out from under them as everyone screamed.
"Fluttershy, quick!"
"Oh my goodness, oh my goodness!"
Rainbow darting downward to grab Pinkie Pie as she slid down the slope towards the edge of the cliff. Fluttershy zipped along after her, showing unexpected speed as she scooped up the screaming Rarity.
ELEMENT EARTH!!!
Earth Pillar!!!
Leo transforms to Earth form, he gets up from tumbled and rolled to jump for the punch to make a pillar in front of him, his claws were out, grabbing at it before he finally managed to get a hold to stop his fall.
Applejack snagged a hold of root to prevent her fall, though Twilight slid down and was scrambling at the edge trying to keep herself from falling.
"Sis!" Leo shouted.
The lion tried to summon more of his pillar but at his situation right now he can't seem to help, though Applejack acted by letting go of her root and sliding down to where Twilight was. The unicorn grabbed onto her forelegs like a lifeline flailing her back legs as she tried to climb back up.
"Applejack! What do I do!?" Twilight shrieked.
The brown lion climb the earth pillar, so far he can watch the scenes between them. He knew that the wind element can rescue his sister using the gust but there something on his mind that making him only to stare at the situation. Just to make sure, he concentrates the power of wind on his paws for the emergency.
The farm pony blinked down at her, her ears perking up.
“Let go.” Applejack said simply.
"Are you crazy!?" The unicorn yelped.
"No, I ain't. I promise you'll be safe."
"That's not true!"
"Now listen here, what I'm saying to you is the truth. Let go and you'll be safe." She stated.
Twilight winced a little though with the last gulp and eyes closed. She did so, falling with a scream to the bottom of the fall but the pegasus already there to hold her. Though the shy mare does not usually carry this weight much aside for rabbits so they're barely holding on to her.
Applejack stood up and dusted herself off before she hopped off the edge of the cliff as well, dropping about two and a half feet to the ground below following by Leo in his wind form as he lands on the ground softly while the wind blow vanished.
"Are you alright, Sis?" The cub asked.
"I'm fine, thank you for asking."
It looks like everything is doing well so far. While no one was watching their surrounding, a mysterious mist eyed on them and quickly flew ahead to find the next peril to prevent them from getting closer to finding the Elements of Harmony.
As they resume to the old castle, the golden lion came up closer to the farm pony. "Hey, Applejack."
The mare turned to see him. "What is it sugar cube?"
"Did you know that Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy would save my Sis?"
"Yep and let me tell you this, ah would never lie to another pony, especially my family and friends."
"I see..." He said as he smiled.
Later...
"And once Pinkie and Rarity were saved..." The rainbow mare twirl over from Twilight head and land next to her. "...whoosh! Me and Fluttershy loop-de-loop around and WHAM! Caught you in the nick of time!"
"Yes Rainbow Dash, I was there and I'm very grateful."
The Mane 6 and the Lion Cub keep on moving as they made their way out the ravine. Aside from Leo, everypony seems to be a little tired of it. The lion chuckled to the cyan mare for being brag to his sister for a while now.
The mare glance to him, surely she wants to ask why he chuckles but her mind wants it something else, something that bothers her. "Hey, Leo."
"Yeah?"
"How do you doing the move from before when fighting this Nightmare Moon." She asked.
"Oh, you mean the Elemental Split?"
She nodded. Before the cub could explain to her, his ears perk up as he stops walking. The ponies took another few steps before stopping as well, they're staring at him with a confused face on them.
"What is it, Leo?" Twilight asked her brother.
"I'm hearing something. And it's big." He said.
This time his ears flattened to his head as he heads in front of the group, his sister when next to him while the Lion sniffing the air for any intruder, after for sure there something wrong before he staring at the large bush on the other side of the old game trail they were on.
Despite the warning, the small group was still surprised at the sight of the large manticore leaping out of the brush towards them. The lion-like creature's wings flared wide, while not enough for it to fly it could use them to glide and aid with lift for its jumps.
"A manticore! We got to get past him!" The lavender mare shouted.
The beast makes a move first, he roared while it was in the air fangs bared as it descended on Leo. The Golden Lion concentrate the will of energies from his body to cast out one of his elements.
ELEMENT WIND!!!
He transforms into Wind form again, he then started to collect the wind to his paws as he released to the manticore.
Wind Blast!!!
The blue tornado blows the hybrid animal, force him to fell and got push-off, back to where he leaps from. A growing came from him as he lunges again with his shredded claw opened to execute his enemies but the fact is that Leo quickly leaps in the air to bring about a gust of swirling wind from his legs for hovering.
Thought the Lion is saved from the assault, the beast now on his way to Rarity but get a kick by the face from her hind legs.
"Take that, you ruffian!" She called put confidently, only to roar him at Rarity which messed up her mane. "My mane!" She cried out as she ran off from the beast.
"Wait." The yellow pegasus said in a soft tone which nopony heard except Leo who's now landing near her.
"You notice something?" The aerokinesis asked the shy mare and her nods her head.
Meanwhile, Applejack jumped on top of the manticore. "YEE-HAW! Git along! Little doggie!"
"Wait," Fluttershy repeated more firmly but her voice was still too soft. Leo was about to call out but we're interrupted when Applejack was thrown off by the animal.
The mare yelled out and saw Rainbow Dash in the air, ready to fight. "All your partner."
"On it." She saluted and charged at the beast.
"Wait." The butterfly mare called out a little louder.
"Hold on girls." The cub turned back to regular form, he tried to call out but was interrupted again as the hybrid lion used his scorpion tail to smack Rainbow Dash away.
Twilight called out to the rainbow mare as the hybrid beast got ready to charge at them. The golden lion doesn't like going offensive ways but he knew their need to process if they want to defeat the dark alicorn so he prepares the Earth energy from his body to trap the beast until...
"WAIT!" Fluttershy yelled out this time which made everyone stop and look at her as she approaches the manticore.
The creature looked ready to attack Fluttershy and the other mares were about to step in when Leo put a paw out to stop them.
"Please hold on for second, I think Fluttershy knows what's wrong." He said which made the mares look at Fluttershy grabbed the beast left paw.
"There, there, it's okay." She inspected his left paw, revealing a very thick thorn in it. "Oh, your poor, poor baby."
"Little!?"
Shouts from the other pegasus while everyone else watched in interest while the manticore gives Fluttershy a sad look. She told to him that it will hurt a little bit in gently and quickly, she pulled the thorn out of him. The hybrid beast roared and scooped her towards his mouth.
The mare cried out and called her name while Leo took a shock from the action but as it reveals that the animal wasn't going to eat her but he was licking as he was grateful for Fluttershy for removing the thorn out of his paw and he began to purr which made the mares sigh in relief and smile while Fluttershy giggles.
"Aw, you're just a little ol' baby kitty aren't you? Yes, you are, yes you are." She replied sweetly.
The manticore where distract by her, so the rest of the gang quietly, trot down the road until got past him. Twilight stopped for a moment so does her brother to look back to see the pegasus with her messy mane.
"How did you know about the thorn." The Unicorn asked.
"I didn't. Sometimes we all just need to show a little kindness." She said with a smile as she fixed her mane from the manticore licking. "And besides, we don't necessarily need to use brute force to solve our problem, showing kindness is a good way to go first."
The golden lion smiled to the way of mercy, he then proceeds to their next place. 'Maybe I can learn a few things from her.'
As the group leaving the area, the thorn that Fluttershy pulled out of the Manticore paw turned into a purple mist and flew away.
Eventually...
"Oh! My eyes need a rest from all this icky muck!" Rarity groaned until the moon was blocked by the cover of the trees, making everyone's vision black. "I didn't mean that literally..."
Since the location is so dark they can't see anything, The same mist colour like Nightmare Moon weaved around Leo and the mane 6 until the mist seeped into the trees.
"Be careful your surroundings everyone, that ancient ruins could be right in front of our faces and we wouldn't even know it." Twilight pointed out.
They started to bump each other, Unicorn bumps another unicorn while Rainbow Dash stepped on Leo tail which making him yelp from the jolt. It's not 'till Applejack stepped in something this time, which makes Fluttershy screaming at her.
"Relax, Sugar cube. It's just mud." The farm pony chided before turning around to keep walking and coming face to face with the 'why' of the scream, a glowing horrific face. Applejack screamed and jumped back as numerous other leering and fearsome faces appeared around them.
The Lion, on the other hand, was tried his best to show no apprehension to the trees. Tree can't do that face like that! unless somepony wants to make a hunted place for their Nightmare Nights to earn some gold. But the other mention that nopony even dare to wander around the forest just for money so scratch that. He doesn't like frighten pony in trouble before he could make a move, somepony giggled.
There was a brief pause in the screaming as their looking over what they saw, Pinkie Pie standing next to one of the leering faces, giggling and making faces right back at it.
“Pinkie, what are you doing!?” Twilight shouted shoving her brother, knockdown him while landing his face into the mud. “RUN!”
"Oh, girls don't you see?” Pinkie Pie stated as the music started to play from somewhere.
“When I was a little filly and the sun was going down...”
“She's not...”Twilight deadpanned.
“The darkness and the shadows, they would always make me frown...” Pinkie Pie sang on.
“She is...” Rarity concluded.
"I'd hide under my pillow. From what I thought I saw.” Pinkie bounded around them.”But Granny Pie said that wasn't the way. To deal with fears at all......”
“Then what is? Rainbow Dash demanded.
“She said, 'Pinkie, you gotta stand up tall. Learn to face your fears. You'll see that they can't hurt you.
Just laugh to make them disappear." Pinkie Pie chimed hopping over to a monstrosity. ”Ha! Ha! Ha!”
The group gasp (except Leo) as the face in the air faded out, the light returning a bit showing it was little more than an oddly-shaped tree.
“So, giggle at the ghostly. Guffaw at the grossly. Crackup at the creepy. Whoop it up with the weepy. Chortle at the kooky. Snortle at the spooky” Pinkie Pie continued to sing while the cub managed his head and pull it out of the mud to gasp for air.
Everypony moved around with even Fluttershy giggling at some of the faces with the others. Pinkie pie somehow managed to hop into one of the leering faces mouths going off on a rant. Oddly even the forest was lighting up again as if the darkness was part of the spell.
“And tell that big dumb scary face to take a hike and leave you alone and if he thinks he can scare you then he's got another thing coming and the very idea of such a thing just makes you wanna... hahaha... heh...” Pinkie breathed in. ”Laugh~!"
Leo sat up as everyone else was laughing noting the fear spell was gone, he didn't catch the scene of their doing, the only music he can hear. Though he looked around for there no one plays the music but he expected it had been there somewhere. Not actually.
“AHH! MUD MONSTER!!” Pinkie Pie screamed out, hiding behind Fluttershy with Rarity doing the same thing.
“Seriously?” Twilight asked looking at Leo. ”At a time like this, you're playing in the dirt?”
Leo just simply growled before sighed at them as he tried to clean the mud out of his face.
Eventually...again...
After leaving the trees behind with giggle and happy mare thank to the pink pony singing. Aside from the golden lion that not appreciates the dirty fur on him. They came to a sudden stop because there is a wild river stream in front of them while it appeared rather shallow, the water is acting ragingly violent which would drag anypony away.
"How are we going to cross this?" Pinkie asked.
"That's easy!" Rainbow Dash looked at the Lion. "Leo, part the water so they can cross, well except for me and Fluttershy can fly over."
"Uh... I can't."
"What, why? I though you control the Elemental!"
"He only has three elements, Rainbow Dash." Twilight started to explain. "Lightning, Wind and Earth are the only power that Leo have right now. Though a simple fireball spell is the simple one to cast for the mid-beginners Unicorn but lightning from the start? Is out for the starter."
"I have some kind of energies inside of me that allows transforming into one of the element forms. At least, that what Celestia told me." The cub added.
"And I thought for someone controlling the power is easy enough for them."
Just then, there all hear crying nearby. "Huh?"
The group all turned to see a rather large but lanky sea serpent named Steven Magnet who missing half of his moustache weeping to himself in the middle of the water which makes the water act ragingly violent.
"What a world, what a world!" He sobbed dramatically.
"Excuse me, sir, why are you crying?" Twilight called out, trying to be polite which gained the sea serpent's attention.
"I was just sitting here, minding my own business when this tacky little cloud of purple smoke just whisked past me and tore half of my moustache clean off and now I look simply horrid." He explained and went back to wailing as he slammed back into the water, creating a massive of water-soaked them.
"Great, just great. First the mud and this!" The lion groaned.
"Oh give me a break." The rainbow mare muttered annoyed.
"That's what all this fuss about?" Applejack asked in disbelief.
"Why of course it is!" Rarity replied as she stepped forward. "How can you be so insensitive? Oh just look at him. Such lovely luminescent scale." She commented at the sea serpent's scales.
"I know..." He sniffed.
"And you're expertly coiffed mane." She added.
"Oh I know, I know." The serpent replied as he ran his fingers through his mane.
"Your fabulous manicure." She pressed on.
"It's so true." He answered as he looks at his fingers.
"And now it's all ruined without your beautiful moustache." She finished with sympathy in her tone.
"It's true! I'm so hideous!" He cried dramatically.
"I simply cannot let such a crime against fashion and beauty go uncorrected." She said with resolve in her voice.
Before someone could do anything, Rarity used her teeth to pull off one of Steven's scales which made him yelp.
"What did you do that for?!" He asked.
"Rarity wait!" Leo called out but it was too late.
SWIPE
Everyone eyes shrunk in shock and Steven fainted but fortunately, he didn't splash the group with water again. Rarity had just cut her long and elegant tail off, leaving a short remain for her tail. She then used her magic to pick up her cut-off tail and carefully tied it onto the remains of Steven's cut moustache and with magic, he moustache is turned back to normal which he wakes up and notices the change in his moustache.
"Oh-hohohoho!" He exclaimed with glee. "My moustache! How wonderful! Thank you, my dear!"
"You are most welcome. You look smashing." The white pony said with a smile.
"Rarity, your beautiful tail..." Twilight said with sadly which made Rarity look at her now short tail with a sad look before smiling.
"Oh, it's fine dear. Short tails are in this season and besides, it will grow back eventually." She said, trying to make the best of the situation.
"Are you sure? We sorry for you to do that." Leo apologise.
"I'm fine, and it's not your or anyone fault, darling." The white uniform patted his shoulder. It'ss good to be generous to those who are less fortunate, even if you do gain nothing in return except for the feeling of happiness at doing something nice for somepony else which makes everypony happy." Rarity smiled, make the lion smiled too.
It's not long when the lavender mare shouted because the stream was now calm. With the help of the serpent, who's allowed himself to used his body to create a set of hump platforms for everyone to cross over. As all of them crossed the waters, the golden lion was the last one land on to the ground as he waved goodbye to Steven who swims away.
The group press on, while the sibling stays closer together.
"You know what, Leo. I think your right about this group mission." The big sister smiled while her brother chuckled.
"Glad you started to like it."