“Burn it! Burn it to the ground!” Twilight yelled, as she blasted at the big black roots coming for her, writhing like thorny tentacles.
“It got me!” Rarity screamed, as she got lifted in the air by one of them.
“I’ll bust ya out!” Applejack jumped to her rescue.
“Fluttershy, look out for the...!” Rainbow Dash tried to warn Fluttershy, but she stopped mid sentence.
“Don’t you dare hurt angel!” Fluttershy screamed at a root grabbing Angel bunny.
“...Nevermind then.” Rainbow finished her previous thought.
“Rainbow, look out for the clouds!” Pinkie shouted.
“Pinkie, look out for the grabbers!” Shouted Rarity, now free from the roots’ grasp.
Pinkie just casually hopped out of their way.
“I knew about that.” She bragged.
“Discord!” Twilight roared, angrier than she ever was.
Discord was just laughing.
“If we ever survive this I’m going to destroy you!” Twilight continued her angry yelling.
Discord just kept laughing. “Now, now! Is that a way for the princess of friendship to talk?”
“It is, when she’s about to pummel someone into the ground!”
Discord laughed. “We both know, that it wasn’t me!”
“Then who?! Who was it?!”
Right as Twilight finished that sentence, the roots stopped abruptly and just lifelessly flopped onto the ground.
“Why don’t you ask her?” Said Discord, as he pointed at Starlight emerging from behind the castle.
“Starlight you did it!” Twilight flew at her happily.
“Oh, it was nothing.” Said Starlight.
“How? What did you do?” Twilight asked her.
“I... uh... I... found its source.” Starlight replied nervously. “It was behind the castle.”
“It’s so good that you’re here!” Said Twilight. “You could help us taking it out on a certain draconequus.”
“What?” Discord said indignantly. “I don’t even get a chance to prove my innocence?”
“We all know you’re not innocent!” Twilight scolded him.
“I think one of us here is aware of the truth.” He said, while looking at Starlight.
“Wait!” Starlight exclaimed. “I think you’re being too hasty with your judgement.”
“Yes, Starlight tell them the truth!” Discord cheered her on.
“Too hasty?” Twilight yelled. “You weren’t here the last time he did this. He planted the plunderseed the last time, he planted it now.”
Starlight paused for a moment. “It... it wasn’t him.”
“Oh, thank you Starlight! You are my hero!” Discord cheered her on with a funny voice.
“How can you possibly be so sure about that?” Twilight asked.
“I... I...” Starlight struggled to give an explanation.
“Yes, Starlight! Give them the story, let them know the truth!” Discord egged her on.
“Because... I... I saw who it was.” Starlight said nervously.
Discord stared for a second, then burst into laughter.
“You saw?” Twilight said in surprise. “Who was it? Tell us!”
“Yes, tell us Starlight!” Said Discord, now really getting all up in Starlight’s face.
“I don’t know.” Starlight replied.
Discord just laughed.
“You don’t know?” Twilight asked, with a bit of frustration.
“I don’t know who she was.”
“She? So we’re looking for a mare!”
Starlight started sweating visibly.
“Well whoever SHE was,” Discord chimed in, hugging Starlight with one hand, “she’s the STAR of my eyes!” He said, looking very closely into Twilight’s face. Then he burst into laughter.
“Alright, what else can you tell us about her?” Twilight continued.
“I told you, I don’t know who she was.” Starlight kept getting more and more nervous.
“Come on, Starlight!” Twilight tried to pry the answer out of her. “What did she look like?”
“Yes, Starlight!” Discord kept teasing her. “Shed some LIGHT on the subject!”
Starlight just kept getting more and more nervous. “Well... uh...” She had to quickly come up with an answer. “...She had a...” She looked at her mane, “...a purple... coat!”
“A purple coat?” Twilight thought for a moment.
“And what was her mane like!” Discord continued the interrogation, while putting a bright lamp into Starlight's face.
“Her mane?” Starlight was now sweating profusely. “Uh... her mane... was...” she looked at Rarity, “...white!”
“A purple pony, with a white mane?” Twilight thought for a moment, while Starlight was hyperventilating. And Discord just laughed at her.
“Do we know anypony with a purple coat and a white mane?”
The other ponies looked at each other. Pinkie was thinking.
“Oh, I know one!” She exclaimed. “She lives out of town though.”
“Great! Let’s get her then!” Said Twilight and they ran outside Ponyville.
“Good luck girls!” Starlight waved after them. She was now soaking in her own sweat.
Discord giggled at her for a moment, then slapped a towel in her face. “You look a bit nervous.”
“You did that on purpose, didn’t you?” Said Starlight with frustration.
“Did what on purpose?” Discord asked.
“You know it was me.”
Discord just laughed. “Well of course I do!”
“Then why didn’t you help me? Or hay, why didn’t you just tell them straight up?”
“Oh, this is way more hilarious this way! Besides, would you have preferred them to punish, poor innocent Discord?”
“Well, after that display, I wouldn’t have minded.”
“Pfff, good thing the truth will reveal itself to them anyway. And then the real culprit will be found.” He poked Starlight on the nose, then disappeared.