As Celestia opened the large obsidian doors to the next trial, the two remaining groups of ponies stepped onto a raised balcony that looked out over the final room. From what they saw, it appeared to be another obstacle course, only without any obstacles. There were walls set up almost randomly, and two raised platforms on opposite sides of the room, one blue and one red. In the center of the room was a yellow flag on a pole, the base of it glowing a bright yellow.
"Capture the Flag?" everypony asked simultaneously.
Celestia took this as her cue to explain the final trial.
"Fillies and gentlecolts, welcome to the final trial. As you have already guessed, it is indeed Capture the Flag. This test is more so to observe how well you work together as a team, not so much as your ability to win. So keep in mind that victory does not guarantee passing the trial."
Everypony nodded in understanding. Celestia continued to explain the rules.
"The rules are quite simple. Both teams will work to take the neutral flag to the opposite team's base to score one point. The first team to three points wins the official match. The flag shall be reset after every capture. There is a magic barrier in the air just above the walls to prevent cheating by flying over the entire course to score, and there will also be a compete restriction on telekinesis. Teleportation will be limited to only a short distance ahead as well."
Celestia quickly glanced at Shade with that, who chuckled nervously.
"Red team shall be Sky High and Tumbler, and Blue team shall be Jet Fly and Shade Vortex."
With everything settled, the two groups headed towards the stairs leading down into the room.
"We totally got this, Jet. With your strategy and my determination, we can't lose!" Shade said to Jet as they took their position on their side of the room.
"I sure hope so. Hopefully this will all be worth the trouble. I wonder what she meant by reset, though?"
Shade simply shrugged at Jet's question. With everypony stationed at their side of the room, Celestia spoke again using the royal canterlot voice.
"On your marks..."
Both teams readied their stance.
"Get set..."
The pegasi of both teams flared their wings out.
"Go!"
An orange blur quickly passed Shade as he made his way to the flag. Jet had taken the time on the balcony to analyze the entire layout of the walls, so he remembered where to turn in most areas. Sky High had done the same.
Both reached the flag and grabbed the pole at different spots with their mouths. As they struggled to take the flag away from each other, Tumbler and Shade reached the center to lend aid to their partners. Jet lost his grip on the pole, and Sky High quickly swung it out of his grasp and smacked him out of the way with it. She flew right past Shade, who had been knocked over by Jet as he stumbled from Sky's tricky maneuver. She didn't even wait for Tumbler, who was trying to follow her.
"Wait for me!"
Gathering himself back together, Jet stood and helped Shade to his hooves.
"Somepony's a little cocky..."
"You got a plan?"
"Now we wait. Let them score this one point."
"Huh?"
"The reset. I noticed how the flag sort of had this vibe to it. And the glowing base? Think about it, Shade. There must be some kind of connection. The flag must transport back to that central base once a team scores."
Shade couldn't help but be amazed at such a deduction.
"So if you're right, when the flag theoretically warps back here..."
"We'll be right here to take it and score, and they'll have no time to stop us."
A plotting smile crept both of their faces.
____________
"Seriously, Sky, wait up!"
Tumbler struggled to keep up with the speeding pegasus, breathing heavily. Sky wasn't exactly the 'cooperative type.' She much preferred to rely on her own skills, and carry the whole team with ease.
"If I stop to wait for you, that's more of a chance the enemy has of winning!" she yelled out before rounding a corner wall.
"We're supposed to work together you know!"
Striving to keep up, he sighed to himself.
"It's her stubbornness that's going to cost us the actual test here..."
Sky dodged around numerous walls and sped down the gap that led to Blue team's base. Landing just in front of a glowing yellow circle on a blue pedestal, she confidently planted the flag in the center. To her surprise, it immediately became consumed in light and magical energy and disappeared.
"I guess that's the reset she was talking about. Time to head back to the center."
She quickly turned and sped back the way she came, past her panting partner. Tumbler just watched as she left him behind again.
*Screw it... we're doomed to lose...*
___________
"...So I guess you can say things are getting pretty serious," Shade said as he wrapped up his story.
"Huh. I had no idea you had a special somepony back where you lived."
"Well... she doesn't actually know how I truly feel about her..."
"You never tol-"
Jet's question was cut short by a bright light behind them as they sat at the base of the flag stand. The flag had been reset, just in the manner Jet predicted. Quickly, he grabbed the flag.
"Cover me while I run the flag?"
"You got it."
Both quickly hurried in the direction of Red team's base, Jet flying at a moderate pace so Shade could keep up. Both were laughing as they glanced Sky High coming to see their little "surprise."
__________
"WHAT!?"
That was all Sky High could exclaim as she saw that the flag was gone.
"Looks like we've been misdirected. An interesting play."
"Oh shut up, Tumbler."
Sky flew off to chase down the flag before Blue team could score. Tumbler didn't even try to follow.
*I'll just wait here for the flag and give it to who I see first. Don't got time to chase after anypony. I got asthma.*
__________
"Dude she's catching up somehow!" Jet exclaimed as they raced to Red team's base.
"Determination can provide much adrenaline in trying circumstances."
Jet raised an eyebrow at Shade's ominous statement.
"What?"
"Nothing. How much farther?"
"About 20 pony lengths away!"
Shade looked back as Sky High gained on them, teeth gritted and fire in her eyes.
"Think it's about time we gave her the slip."
With that, Shade focused his sights on the Red pedestal at the end of the gap between the walls. In a white flash and a few blue sparks, they teleported right onto the pedestal. Jet firmly planted the flag down and watched as it reset.
"YES!!!"
"NO!!!"
Sky halted her flight, spun around, and made her way back to the center. Jet turned to Share quickly to state their next move.
"Trail her. I'll take a shortcut and cut her off."
"Consider it done."
As they split off in two directions, Shade could only admire Jet right now. His strategic mind was impressive. Shade continued to pursue Sky, his legs unrelenting in their motion.
He had run before. Harder than this. He had to run for his life those dreaded two months. He could handle this now. Eyes locked on their target, Shade teleported again, this time in front of Sky.
"What th- GET OUT OF MY WAY!"
Sky halted and landed on the ground in an attack stance. Shade only gave her a cold stare. Then, he stood up on his hind legs. Now Sky was getting a bit worried. She had seen this stance before, and what happened to those who were stupid enough to challenge it. Her eyes widened and her lips quivered as she looked up at him. Jet rounded around the corner to carry out his ambush, only to see his friends in his signature intimidation stance.
"Shade...?"
Shade just stood there, everypony beginning to fear. Shade finally broke out a smirk.
"BOO!"
"EEK!"
Sky jumped back and fell flat on her flank.
"NOW! GO!" Shade yelled to Jet, and they quickly headed to the center.
Sky was still on the ground, panting heavily.
_____________
Jet and Shade eventually reached the center to see Tumbler just lying against the base of the flag stand. Both shared a confused look.
"You didn't... try to capture the flag?"
"What's the point? My team clearly can't function as a team, and it doesn't matter if we win officially or not. The whole point was to test our teamwork skills, which my partner is clearly lacking."
Before anyone could say anything else, there was a bright light around the entire room. When the light faded and everypony was done wiping their eyes, they discovered they were back on the balcony with Celestia.
"I believe I have seen enough. It is clear to me, and apparently to at least three of you, which of you can and cannot work as a team. As promised, you will all receive the extra credit for enduring to this point, but only Jet Fly and Shade Vortex shall continue from here. Tumbler and Sky High, my guards shall escort you back out. And you both will be given substantial time off from school and small prizes of your choice for coming this far."
Sky was still trying to make sense of everything that just happened, while Tumbler was just content with everything being over with. As he watched them leave, Shade turned to ask Celestia the million bit question.
"So where *do* we continue from here?"
“Whatever do you mean?"
Now it was Jet's turn to step up.
“Don't give us that. We know something's up. No way you'd go through this much trouble just to see our 'co-operation skills.' The only reason we participated was because we both knew there was something deeper going on."
Celestia could only smile.
“And your suspicions were correct. I am impressed you both saw past the obvious and loomed deeper. To see what truly lies on the inside. I must say I'm quite proud of you both. I was secretly hoping you two would be the winners. Come with me, and everything will be explained as to the true reason I held these trials."