//------------------------------// // Betrayal // Story: The Chronicle of The Hidden Key // by Blazewing Inferno //------------------------------// Chapter 4: Betrayal         The group reach The Golden Oaks Library, Twilight’s residence.  After yet another random sunrise, Twilight, exasperated, says, “OK! We’re here!  Now, everyone just please, please, please, please go inside, please?” AJ says, ”I will absolutely refuse!” as she goes from a muted shade of her old color to a full-on greyed out version, the same happens to each of the mares as they enter the library, Fluttershy stomping on the nearby flower bushes, Pinkie complaining and Rarity refusing to go in without her ‘diamond’ “Pleeassse?  We’ve got to hurry!”  Twilight tells Rarity. “Forget it, Twilight!  You too, Blaze!  I know what you’re up to.” Rarity responds, her greed much more dominant than it was before, “The second I go in, you’ll have Blaze and your little minion, Spike, take Tom!”  Blaze ‘facehoofs’-as he doesn’t have hands anymore, “You’ve gotta be kiddin’ me!  She named it?!”  And Twilight nearing her rope’s end, “Tom?” “Well, it’s not going to work!” Rarity yells as she kisses the rock then pets it.  Rarity goes ‘gray scale’ and Twilight, groaning, says, “You’re not going in without ‘im, are you?”  Rarity confirms this with a no grunt.  Twilight carries the rock over to the door. Within the library’s main chamber, a baby purple and green dragon sleeps soundly on the floor with a mop and bucket, this is Spike: Twilight’s #1 assistant. He always does as she asks and puts up with the various shenanigans that happen daily.  Fluttershy picks up the bucket and dumps the water on Spike, waking him very abruptly.  After psyching out from it, and looking like a startled Muaka, he shakes himself dry and looks at Fluttershy, asking why she did it.  She responds with, "Cause you just looked so peaceful.”  Spike wrings out his tail and before he can ponder about what happened, a resounding crash announces “Tom’s” arrival via going through the wall with much complaining from Rarity.  Twilight and Blaze both say, “Oh, for the love of-” but Twilight gets interrupted by Spike, inquiring Twilight as to what’s going on, and Blaze finishes, “Mata Nui.” under his breath.  Spike sees Blaze and introductions are exchanged.  Twilight just says, “Don’t ask.”  The three proceed to look for a book and Fluttershy douses the trio in water, which is vaporized the moment it makes contact with Blaze.  The tensions rise even higher, Twilight more than most, “UGH! No time to explain.  We’ve got to find the reference guide to The Elements of Harmony before,” now growling through her teeth, “Somepony does something she’ll regret!”  Spike remembers where that book is and goes to grab it; only to have it snatched by Fluttershy.  Twilight tells Fluttershy to give her the book, who sets off a round of, “Keep-away!” Fluttershy tosses it to AJ who says, “I don’t have any book!”  As she balances it on her muzzle, tossing it to Pinkie, who tosses it back to Fluttershy.  This goes on for a few cycles, which gets stopped by Spike tackling Fluttershy.  The book lands on the ground and Rarity takes it telekinetically via magic saying, “Mine!”  Twilight asks, “Hey! Do you know what you just stole?”   “No, but if you want it I want it!”  Twilight has had it, “Grrr! Give Me That Book!”  Rarity’s chased by Twilight and causes a mess and Twilight rams into the boulder after Rarity’s boosted up by Fluttershy and asks where Rarity is, her temper out the window thanks to her friends’ response, and a fight ensues between Twilight, Applejack and Pinkie.  It kicks up a dust cloud, and Twilight leaps out clutching the book, Spike and Blaze move to act as defense for her via rolled up scroll for Spike and a flare up in Blaze’s wings. “Back off!  This is my book.  And I’m gonna read it!”  After the two take position to allow Twilight to read the book in relative peace, she opens it and gasps.  Blaze sees 5 necklaces and a crown each bearing a gemstone with identical shape and color to the Hypergate Address of Equestria:  the Elements of Harmony.         Twilight looks up and turns to her friends, rejoicing in her triumph while they are just sitting there being total deadweights.   “You don’t even care, do you?” Twilight asks the five greyed out mares whom respond with a unanimous, “No!”  Twilight’s head droops sorrowfully and sighs, “I never thought it would happen:  My friends,” then with anger, ”Have Turned Into Complete Jerks!”  Using her magic to put each bearer’s Element on them: Blue Balloon(Laughter) to Pinkie, Magenta Diamond(Generosity) to Rarity, Orange Apple(Honesty) to Applejack, Pink Butterfly(Kindness) to Fluttershy saying, “necklace, necklace, necklace, necklace aaaaand big crown thingy!” putting the one with the star-like jewel on her head. “C’mon everypony, let’s go!”  Spike stops Twilight, asking if all are accounted for; to which Twilight responds, rather ticked, “Nope! We’ve got The Liar, The Grump, The Hoarder and The Brute!  That just about covers it!”  Spike asks, “What about Rainbow Dash?”  This is pondered for a moment and Twilight puts the necklace with the red lightning bolt (Loyalty) on Spike, “Congratulations, Spike! You’re the new Rainbow Dash; now let’s go”  Spike worries how Rainbow Dash would react to this and it gets blown off by Twilight with, “Too bad, you’re Rainbow Dash, now let’s go beat Discord so we don’t have to talk to each other again!”  Which get all but Rarity to cheer and trample Spike as she’s still lugging around “TOM”!  Blaze quickly uses a Mahiki-Ilusion- to transform into Twilight and yell, “Move!”  Startling Rarity into booking it out the door with “Tom” not far behind.   “Look out! Here comes ‘Tom’!” the real Twilight calls out before launching the boulder out to land near the rest of the group.  After the crashing impact of the boulder, Blaze tells Twilight he’ll hold down the fort.   “Well, well, well.  I see you found The Elements of Harmony. ” Discord says as he hovers in front of the group, “How terrifying!” he says with obvious sarcasm.   “Discord!   I’ve figured out your lame riddle.  You’re in for it now!” Twilight yells to Discord.  Discord, milking every last bit of drama he can, says, “I certainly am.”  He touches down next to a tree, “You’ve clearly outdueled me; now it’s time to meet my doom,” he puts on a set of sunglasses out of thin air, “I’ve failed.  I’m prepared to be defeated now, ladies.  Fire at will.”  He says as he waves in a bull's eye target onto his midsection.  Twilight calls, “Formation, Now!” which is met with groans and complaints from the other ponies and the dragon. They make a semicircle around Discord.   “Now, let’s get this over with.”  says an annoyed Twilight as they begin to hover while their Elements glow with grey light and when they are in the air Discord removes his shades wondering if he actually is gonna get blasted again.  The attempt fails and all six fall to the ground.  After the four mares again contend, they discard their Elements to Twilight and Spike respectfully returns his to Twilight, Discord marches up, clapping.