Nightmare Moon continued cackling, as lightning crackled all around her.
“Seize her! Only she can tell us where the princess is!” Mayor Mare shouted.
“Stand back, you foals!” Nightmare Moon reared back on her hind legs and attacked the approach guards. She swatted them down to the floor like flies. Another cackle taunted the guards as she disappeared into a black puff of smoke flying out of the town hall.
“Just what were you expecting to do against an alicorn?” Wing asked, trotting up to one of the guards.
“Ow…” the guard muttered.
“Rainbow Dash, what the buck are you doing?!”
Wing looked to the door and saw Dash racing out in pursuit of the smoke monster. “Nighttime forever?” Wing heard her mutter as he and Sev arrived to her spot.
“Yes, Dash, that’s what she’s here to do,” Wing replied sarcastically.
“There’s no need for sarcasm, Wing,” Dash groaned.
“Well, there goes Twi,” Sev noted as Twilight scrambled out of the town hall.
“Where’s she going?” Dash replied. “What the hay does she think she’s doing?”
“Oh, for crying out loud,” Wing facehooved. “Come on, let’s find her before she starts accusing Twi of being a spy.” The rest of the girls in the vicinity nodded in agreement.
By that point, Spike was in bed and Twilight was searching through the library’s books. “Oh, how am I supposed to defeat Nightmare Moon without the Elements of Harmony?”
“And just what are the Elements of Harmony?!” Rainbow Dash shouted as she got in Twilight’s face. “And how you you know so much about Nightmare Moon? Are you a spy?” Rainbow felt herself being dragged as she finished the last sentence.
“Simmer down, Sally. She ain’t no spy, but she does know bout what’s goin on. Don’t ya, Twilight?” the pony dragging Dash, Applejack, inquired.
“I read all I could about the predictions on Nightmare Moon.. Some mysterious objects called the Elements of Harmony are the only things that can stop her. I don’t even know where they are where to find them or what they do,” Twilight sighed.
Pinkie Pie bounced around the bookshelves and bumped her head into one of the books. “The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide. Cool,” she commented.
“How did you find it?” Twilight gasped, as she knocked Pinkie over to get a look at the book.
“It was under E,” Pinkie grinned.
“Duh. You didn’t think to go in alphabetical order to find it, Twi?” Wing asked.
“That’s so unlike you, given your OCD,” Sev added.
Twilight glared at Wing and Sev and gave Pinkie a more quizzical look before she opened the book. “There are six Elements of Harmony, but only five are known. They are kindness, laughter, generosity, honesty and loyalty. The sixth is a complete mystery.”
“It’s magic.” Wing told Sev telepathically.
“Huh?” Sev replied.
“The sixth element, it’s magic.”
“Why don’t you tell Twi that, then?”
“It would raise questions of how I know what the element is. No Equestrian books about the elements of harmony mention what the sixth element is. So how else would I know about it?”
“Okay, I get it. I hope they can find it on their own.”
“It is said that the last location of the six Elements was in the ancient castle of the Royal Pony Sisters. It is located in what is now...” Twilight stopped reading as her lip quivered.
“Well, where is it, darling?’ Rarity asked.
“I think you know the place, but it’s not somewhere you want to be alone…” Wing added.
“Wait, you don’t mean…” Rarity replied.
“Oh yes, that’s what he means,” countered Sev. “It’s in…”
“The Everfree Forest?” the six mares spoke in unison.
-------
The group of adventurers arrived at the edge of the creepiest forest in Equestria. To say they were nervous was an understatement--well, save for one pony.
“Whee, let’s go!” Pinkie cheered.
“Not so fast,” Twilight cut her off. “I appreciate the offer but I’d like to do this on my own.”
“Have you gone nuts recently?” Sev gaped. “You know it’s dangerous in there.”
“No can do, sugarcube,” Applejack added. “We sure ain’t letting any friend of ours go into that creepy place alone. We’re sticking to you like caramel on a candy apple.”
“Especially if there’s candy apples in there. What? Those things are good?” Pinkie Pie commented.
“What do you think, buddy? Should I go for max firepower or penetration?” Wing asked Sev.
Twilight looked back to see Wing holding two firearms. “Um, Wing will we really need those?”
“Twilight, it’s the Everfree Forest. Of course we’re gonna need them,” Sev replied. “As for your question, Wing, penetration.”
Wing looked at his weapons again. ‘How bout you take the penetration and I take the max firepower? That way we’re ready against any threat?”
“Sounds good to me!” Sev replied, taking a bulky firearm as Wing took the lighter one.
“Are you two ready yet?” Twilight butted in.
“Yes, Mom,” Sev replied sarcastically.
Twilight sighed and shook her head as the three ran to catch up with the others.
“So none of you have been in here before?” Twilight quizzed the rest of the group.
“Wing and Sev have been in here before, I know that, but this is our first trip here. Hopefully the last one, too. Just look at all this horrid dirt!” Rarity replied in disgust.
“It ain’t natural. Some folks say it doesn’t work the same as the rest of Equestria,” Applejack added.
“What’s that suppose to mean?”
“Nopony knows.” Rainbow Dash said spookily.
“Dash… we don’t have time for that story,” Wing rubbed his head in frustration.
“Because nopony who’s ever gone in has ever come out!” Dash finished her story.
“Um, we’ve been in there…” Sev trailed off.
“Oh, right.” Rainbow Dash chuckled. “Lemme change the story. Many have come in, few have come out! There, much better already.”
Wing felt the ground beneath his hooves tremble for a second before it collapsed underneath him. It happened so suddenly that that pegasi in the group barely had enough time to take off. The rest screamed as they were falling to their doom off a cliff.
“Time to do what pegasi do best!” Dash shouted.
Wing and Sev flew to grab Rarity, while Rainbow and Fluttershy swooped in to help Pinkie Pie. Applejack grabbed a branch to hang on, but noticed Twilight had slid to the edge of the cliff.
“Hang on, I’m coming,” she said as she let go, sliding down the hill to help Twilight.
“Applejack, help!” Twilight cried out.
Applejack tried her best to help her up, until she saw something below the cliff. “Sugarcube, you’re gonna have to let go.”
“Are you crazy?!”
“Ah promise you’ll be alright.”
“That’s not true!” Twilight shrieked.
“Now listen here. What ah’m telling you is the honest truth.” Twilight looked at Applejack, seeing the sincerity in her words, before closing her eyes, taking a deep breath, and letting go. Instead of plummeting to her doom, Twilight found herself hovering in place after a few seconds.
“Did you really think we’d let anything happen to you, Twi?”
Twilight opened her eyes and saw Wing and Fluttershy holding her. “Wing? Fluttershy?”
“You were expecting someone else?” Wing smiled.
Before Twilight could reply, the trio dropped down to the ground safely.
“Sorry, but I’m not used to carrying anything more than a bunny or two,” Fluttershy admitted, as her wings were a little strung out.
“It’s okay, Flutters. You came in when we needed you,” Wing commented. “For now, let’s keep moving.”
“Yeah, Nightmare Moon’s still out there,” Sev responded.
“Right, good idea,” Twilight commented as the rest of the group got their bearings and went on their way.
“One down, five to go,” Wing communicated to Sev.
“What do you mean?” Sev asked.
“You’ll see soon enough.”
However, nopony there spotted a purplish puff of smoke emerging near them, speeding off to a shadowy figure further down the road.