//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3 
// Story: Pony Mansion Mystery 
// by CAPTAIN YOSHI HD 
//------------------------------//

			Meanwhile, Spike was shaking in fear. He looked around where he was heading. He hears echos of his footsteps, and strange echos out of nowhere. "Don't worry, Spike.", he said. "It's just a cave, there's no need to be afraid of." He walked to his left and heard hoofsteps from behind him. He tried to peek behind a corner, but, he was too afraid. "It must b-be him." He got prepared to strike for the monster, he sprung out of the corner, yelling, with his claws preparing to attack. But, it wasn't the white pumpkin, it was Rarity. She screamed at Spike's jumpscare. Spike was surprised. "Rarity, what are you doing here?", he asked. 

"I wanted to help you.", Rarity said.

"Help me?", he asked. "Didn't I tell you wait with the others? I needed to do this alone."

"Yes, but... , I just worried about Sweetie Belle.", Rarity said.

Spike walked with Rarity through the passage. "Rarity, I know you're worried about your sister.", Spike said. "But, it's ok, I'll find evidence if I find the white pumpkin's lair."

"Thank you, Spike.", Spike said. "And I'm sorry that I went after you, even though, you told me to stay with the others."

"No worries, Rarity.", Spike said. "At least, I am here alone... with you." He stroked under Rarity's chin.

Rarity giggled. "Hehehehehe stop hahahaha very ticklish."

Then, they both heard hoofsteps.

"Rarity, how are you making those hoofstep noise without moving your hooves?", Spike asked.

Rarity looked down at her hooves. "My hooves aren't doing anything.", she said. "I say it's your tiny little feet."

Spike looked at his feet. "My feet aren't doing anything.", he said.

They turned around and saw a shadow of a pony. "The white pumpkin.", Spike said.

"He heard us.", Spike said.

They both walked slowly back to that corner, and prepared to strike at the creature. They both screamed then try to attack the strange pony, then they saw Max standing in front of them screaming. Max was holding something with his magic until he dropped after the dragon and the unicorn tried to attack him.

"Max?", Spike asked.

"You two, what's the big idea?", Max asked. "You trying to give me a heart attack?"

"We thought you were the white pumpkin.", Rarity said.

Max picked the thing that he was holding back up, Spike and Rarity saw that the object was the portal key. "Max, is that the key?", Spike asked.

"Yes it is.", Max said. "I stole it."

"You stole it from your own group?", Rarity asked.

"Yes, and this was what I wanted to tell you.", Max said. "And I'm not the white pumpkin, I was just trying to prank my group. Also, I wanted it to be harmless."

"So it's your fault?", Spike said.

"No, I just wanted to keep it a secret for a while.", Max said. "Also, I was keeping it safe from the white pumpkin. Remember what Iron Guitar said? He's after this."

"I think you should give it back to Blank.", Spike said.

"Yeah, I think that will be the best option.", Max said.

"Well, why didn't come in the library if you had it?", Rarity asked.

"I was terrified, I didn't want my friends to get upset at me if I told them I had it.", Max said.

"Well, you are lucky that I didn't pick you then you would just lie to me about it.", Spike said. "C'mon, let's finish this mission."

The three walked together until they found a door. They walked through it and saw blue banners with Danny on it, and there was one chest.

"Wow, look at these banners.", Rarity said. "And why do they say "Sir Sonic HD" on them?"

"We normally call him 'Danny', his real name is 'Sir Sonic HD'."

"Yeah, Iron Guitar did say what his name was, didn't he?", Spike asked.

"Yeah.", Rarity said. "But, can we see what's in that chest?"

Spike walked over to the chest and opened it up. He looked inside a grabbed a picture of himself.

"Is this my picture of me with an x on it?", Spike asked.

"I think so, Spike.", Rarity said. "Look what else is in there."

Spike looked inside again and saw a bunch of paintings with x's on them. "It's pictures of all of us in this mansion, but, I can't find Danny's picture.", Spike said.

"Well, didn't you see the those pictures of our and friends and Sweetie Belle's friends.", Rarity asked. "There were groups in one picture each. If there is one pony left out of the pictures with x's on them, that must mean one of us is the White Pumpkin."

"This must be easy to solve.", Max said. "Who do you think the white pumpkin is?"

Spike thought for a second and realized something. He finally knows who the White Pumpkin is. "The white pumpkin... is Danny.", he said.

"If he's the white pumpkin,... then he might kill our friends and MY LITTLE SISTER!", Rarity said.

"We have to go back to the others.", Spike said. They all ran out of the lair.