//------------------------------//
// 54. 
// Story: 8-Bit Pony 
// by Dawn Flower 
//------------------------------//

With a flash of light, the group of seven reappeared. They were now in a clearing, with the Everfree Forest behind them, and a rope bridge leading to a dilapidated castle in front of them.

“I taste mud,” Fighter spoke up.

“Fighter,” BM began. “One: We may have just teleported and appeared in a forest like last time, but this isn’t the same situation as before, and two: you’re standing up, with your face nowhere near the dirt, so even in this new context, that doesn’t work.”

“I taste mud,” Pinkie Pie spoke up, who was face down in the dirt after teleporting.

Black Mage just grumbled to himself in annoyance.

“If we can move this forward,” Twilight spoke up, getting everyone’s attention. “Now then, since we know that Nightmare Moon is inside the castle and Discord teleported us just outside the castle, we should take this time to prepare a strategy for how we’re going to deal with Nightmare Moon.”

“Well,” Rainbow Dash began. “We know that Nightmare Moon can be beaten by the Elements of Harmony – which could defeat her instantly – but we can’t use them anymore, and while we did trade those in for the Rainbow Power, which is even stronger, we still can’t use that since Applejack isn’t with us, and backtracking to get her would defeat the purpose of teleporting here to save time.”

“Okay, let’s see then,” BM began in. “We came here to defeat a literal God, and in doing so we left behind the immortal ruler of this country who can move the stars themselves, a chaos spirit who is apparently even stronger than said ruler, the one other pony who could make it so that we win instantly, magical MacGuffins that have been proven to be her kryptonite, all of mine and Fighter’s weapons, and clearly all common sense.”

“Wow, we really came here unprepared.” Pinkie Pie chimed in, now standing up.

“I don’t know. This is pretty standard for us, actually.” BM stated simply.

“Black Mage, I do not want to hear in any way that we are becoming anything like you. At this point, I would rather eat an entire warehouse of quesadillas.” Twilight announced.

“…I don’t get it.” Black Mage deadpanned.