//------------------------------// // Desert Diamond // Story: Pony Tales 1- Anonymous Letter // by ChrisText //------------------------------// -----Desert Diamond----- The only thing that Twilight felt like at this point, was 20% dumber, and 80% baby sitter. Three fillies are too much to handle at this point, especially the Cutie Mark Crusaders. She had hoped the only interruptions would be trying to keep them all together, or finding an object to plug her ears with. ''Well if we aren't searching for treasure, why are we searching for a person?'', asked Scootaloo, she had that confused look on her face when something didn't seem right. ''Because I received a letter from a pony who calls his or herself anonymous, whoever this pony is, claims that she's an old friend.'', responded Twilight. Sweetie Belle then unleashed 1,000 questions that each irritated Twilight to the ends of the Equestria. She couldn't wait till all of this ruckus was over. The one thing that worried Twilight, was that to get to that cliff, she'd have to pass through Desert if the directions are true. One of her many fears, was crossing a desert with three hyperactive fillies, except she learned that was one of her fears just now. Twilight called it Crusaderphobia, and it shot up to her number one fear on the list. If you've ever seen or heard of the movie called, ''Are We There Yet'', then you should be able to understand Twilight's frustration at this point. The direction they're heading for is in-fact a desert, and things are starting to heat up already. The Cutie Mark Crusaders are singing their anthem and Twilight is begging them to stop, yet they continue to sing every 3 minutes. ''One hour, my flank!'', Twilight shouted, ''If we have to cross this whole desert to reach an uncharted cliff that has more trees than Sweet Apple Acres has, then this is going to torture me, because I see nothing but sand!'' ''SO MUCH SAND, SWEET CELESTIA, I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE''. ''Um, sorry Twilight, we'll stop singing so you can focus.'', said Applebloom apologetically. ''No, you can keep on singing, I won't be the killjoy on this journey.'', Twilight responded, ''It just confuses me until I can't take it anymore, why would anypony want to meet me across a desert?'' ''Maybe it's a tribe member of the sand ponies!'', said Scootaloo. ''Uh, are those actual ponies, or did you just make that up?'', asked Sweetie Belle. ''It shows how much you know!'', Scootaloo replied, ''They're real alright, they ambushed Ponyville and I had to rescue Rainbow Dash, afterwards she gave me flight lessons, and then Princess Celestia herself bestowed a crown on my cute little head!'' Twilight began to regret her decision, and the fillies' music along with the stress of the situation caused her to faint. Her sweaty body now collapsed on endless dunes of sand. The only point in time where she had been this exhausted was when Applebloom called the Flim Flam Brothers out for a challenge. ''Twilight!, Twilight!!'', the three fillies screamed, and it was no good. It seemed like nothing could wake her up at this point. They had no choice but to muster up the strength and carry her across the desert. Sweetie Belle's magic was a big help, but she wouldn't be able to help for too long. Whenever you think of three fillies and one mare traveling a desert, when the oldest pony faints, fear sets in. ''W-What if there w-was a sandstorm?'', Applebloom brought up. ''Don't say scary things like that-I mean, don't jinx us Applebloom!'', said Scootaloo as she tried to mask her fear behind her words. ''Are you scared of a little sandstorm Scootaloo?'', teased Sweetie Belle. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ''Where, where am I.....'', asked the purple mare. ''Get up Twilight, we're not even halfway through the desert yet!'', said the pony beside her. ''I'm sorry, I think I passed out from the heat or something.'', responded Twilight. She struggled to get back up and noticed something was wrong. ''Girls, girls where are you?'', Twilight asked as she searched for the three fillies. ''What are you talking about, I'm right here!'', the pony repeated herself. ''What happened to you three?'', she asked as she turned around, ''You have differe-W-W-W-W-W-W-W-WH-D-D-D-DARING DO!? ''Uh, yeah, It's me Daring Do, the one you agreed to come with remember?'', said Daring. ''I thought you'd remember these kinds of things, with you being a brainiac and all.'' Twilight looked at her surroundings, and they looked the same as they did before. She even started to wonder if this was her life all along, and that she just woke up from some kind of deep dream. ''Where are the girls, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Applebloom?'', asked Twilight. ''I'm afraid I don't know what in Equestria you're talking about, but haul some flank, we've got around an hour to reach our destination before the sandstorm sets in.'' Twilight read up on these kinds of situations in books, she pulled all the stops, including blinking, sneezing and hitting herself. Daring Do watched in confusion as the purple pony tried to knock her self conscious. To her it seemed as if she was going crazy at the moment, so she had to drag her along the dunes. ''Twilight Sparkle, let me ask you something, have you sniffed any.....dangerous flowers or mushrooms of any kind.'', asked Daring. ''You're not exactly being yourself right now y'know.'' ''Actually I take that back, you're always freaking out about every single little detail, so I guess you're fine.'' She remembered reading a book with events just like this one, she played it out like the character in the book, and just waited for it to be over. ''I really hope the girls aren't panicking right now, because if we're in the same places right now, then that sandstorm Daring mentioned....I don't want to think about it...'' They continued walking on, at least Daring was, because Twilight was still being dragged by her tail. Daring Do exclaimed, ''We're finally here!'' Twilight was still attempting to wake herself during the 20 minute interval of walking. ''Oh, that's great, I think...'', said Twilight. ''What's the matter Twilight, this is the temple of the Desert Diamond!'' ''This is what we've been waiting for all along!'' She didn't exactly care for what was going on, but amidst the confusion, she decided to go along with Daring Do and enter the temple. Unfortunately for Twilight, she was unaware of what her and the three fillies were going to face. Someplace else in Ponyville, Rainbow Dash was still training for her race with Spitfire. There was one thing that was constantly eating at her though. ''Oh, horse apples, I can't believe I forgot the book, Twilight still has that book!'' She dashed over to the spot where they had left each other, and happened to pass by Spitfire, she didn't think that she saw Rainbow Dash, and shrugged it off. The three fillies were now rushing to carry Twilight's unconscious body over to the desired destination, but if the sandstorm approaches, they won't be able to tell direction from direction. ''Um, Scootaloo....'', said Applebloom sheepishly, ''What if the sandstorm hits this area before we make it, how will we be able to tell what direction we're heading? Scootaloo replied bluntly, ''We'll just have to maintain our course, and keep walking on in this general direction, I don't care if we have to burrow under the sand!'' ''Are you sure about that Scootaloo, you do know how much sand that sandstorm will kick up right?'', asked Sweetie Belle. ''Use your head Sweetie Belle, we'll need your magic to protect us from the storm, while me and Applebloom carry Twilight!'', replied Scootaloo. ''Why do I have to do all of the work anyway?'' ''Aren't you the one with wings?'', Sweetie Belle complained back to Scootaloo. ''Um, Not to spoil the surprise, but I can't fly you know, much less use my wings to brave a sandstorm.'' Applebloom then proceeded to call Scootaloo a flightless dodo bird. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight and Daring Do had overcome many trials, and many speech impediments. Mostly just reading dusty old maps and dodging poison darts, along with the cliche walls that close in on every single side, including up and down. One Pegasus and one Unicorn working together seems like a dream team. Ironically, Daring had pulled a muscle in her wing while she struggled to carry Twilight to the temple. Daring Do didn't like this one bit, because it reminded her of one of her many journeys, like her quest for the Sapphire Statue. Twilight also seemed to notice how everypony has been dragging her to get places for the longest today. Once they both entered the main chamber, the final trap was sprung, a master puzzle that was developed by none other than Ahuizotl! Daring's nemesis was ready for her this time with traps of every kind. ''You won't get away with stealing the Desert Diamond Ahuizotl!'', Daring exclaimed. Twilight was almost overcome with joy seeing as she owned all of the Daring books, but she wasn't too happy, she still worried about the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Rainbow Dash was now right on top of the Crusaders, she noticed that they were carrying Twilight and that she didn't have her bag. She flew over to them hoping that this wasn't true, because the book that Rainbow wanted to read so badly was supposed to be in that bag. ''Rainbow, is that you?'', asked Scootaloo. ''Yeah, its me squirt!'', Rainbow called her the name she usually uses instead of Scootaloo. ''Why exactly is Twilight unconscious, and where is that bag she was carrying?'', asked Rainbow. ''What bag are you talking about Rainbow?'', replied Scootaloo. Rainbow put a hopeless expression on her face, she knew it was all over now. At least she had something else to occupy her, like making sure Twilight didn't escape from her wrath. That seemed to be one of the only things keeping her from leaving, aside from the fact four of her best friends are in a desert and one of them are knocked out cold. Daring Do and Ahuizotl were preparing themselves for battle in his master trap. Lava slowly filled the room from left, right, top, and even the bottom. There was a hole in the roof that acted as an exit, and the only thing keeping Daring Do from victory, was whether she left the temple roasted or without the Diamond of the Desert. Twilight watched in awe and somehow with the last of her strength, levitated Daring Do up to the exit. All Daring Do had to do was wait for Ahuizotl to reach the top, because he isn't exactly lava-proof either. Twilight thought of a plan to get her out of this dream, but her plan was interrupted by the sandstorm approaching. As Ahuizotl desperately tried to make his way up the staircase leading to the exit on the other side of the room, the sandstorm drew closer and closer. Unfortunately the same thing happened in real time, whereas the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Rainbow Dash were unsuspectingly making their way to the destination. One fatal decision would decide who gets the Desert Diamond, who makes it out of the temple, and who makes it to the end. Twilight made one last effort to make things right for everypony on all sides. She had knocked herself out, which somehow took her out of the climax of the book that Rainbow Dash wanted to read so desperately. The end result woke her up in the world of Equestria, and all the fillies jumped in surprise. Rainbow had asked her what had happened to her, and there wasn't anytime for a proper explanation. Daring Do had defeated Ahuizotl, but he had escaped the temple as well, but without the Desert Diamond. The sandstorm closed in and both groups, prepared themselves for the incoming threat. The sandstorm devastated the entire desert, the sand cloud was 90 ft. tall. It also turns out that if anypony could save 4 ponies within 10 seconds flat, it was her. All of them were perched on top of Rainbow Dash's back. ''You're the best Rainbow Dash!'', exclaimed Scootaloo. ''Aw shucks, you don't have to...agh....say that, I'm not all that great, you know...'', Rainbow replied with a raspy voice. ''Uh, Twilight, how many pounds do you think Rainbow can carry?'', Sweetie Belle asked. Everypony else became silent for a few moments. Twilight said nothing at all.