//------------------------------//
// Expedition to Dream Valley 
// Story: Terror in Equestria 10:  The Return of Tirek 
// by StormLuna 
//------------------------------//

After Breakfast Sendoffs 

After she was done eating, Colgate got up and watched in disapproval while Twilight and White Magick were eating their meal at a much more leisurely pace.  She began to pace back and forth and sighed, "You know, perhaps I should head out first and you two can follow me." 

White Magick replied, "Colgate, I have been there before and I know the layout of that castle and you don't." 

Twilight knew that Colgate was not only impatient but also could tell that she seemed to think that her way was the only way.  She added, "Look, just give us a little bit more time to eat." 

The two gave one another a smile and began to eat at a faster pace.  While this did please Colgate, the smile they gave one another did not.  She grumbled, "If Ruby were still here, she would have put Twily in her place." 

Ten minutes later the two were finally ready to leave and before they could leave, they would be approached by those closest to them.  Scootaloo said, "I know you're tough as nails Colgate, but be careful.  You never know what lurks in that part of the forest." 

Colgate embraced her and replied, "Thank you for your concern Scootaloo but I think everything should be fine."  She leaned down to her ear and whispered, "When I duplicate that library and bring that relic back here to Coastal Equestria, I'll invite you down and we can celebrate!"

Scootaloo added, "And then we'll take those two centaurs out!" 

Colgate nodded while the others were sent off by those closest to them.  Blue Star approached White Magick and said, "Good luck Father, I hope you can secure that relic for ponykind and we can take care of those threats." 

White Magick replied, "Don't worry Son, I will." 

Celestia approached Twilight and said, "You stay safe Twilight.  That part of the forest is very dangerous and I don't know exactly what is there but it could cause you a lot of problems."  She pointed her hoof towards Colgate and added, "But most of all, be careful around her.  I could easily see her trying to do something to you, something that could harm you."  

Twilight whispered, "Don't worry, I will." 

Before Celestia could say anything further Colgate yelled, "Come on Twilight, we should have been gone twenty minutes ago, chop, chop!" 

Twilight gave Celestia one more smile before replying, "Alright, I'm coming." 

Twilight gave Colgate a nervous smile as they headed out the door and took flight towards the west.  Given that they simply took off without looking at a map White Magick asked, "Colgate, do you know exactly where we're going?  You didn't even look at a map."  

Colgate replied, "Look, I took a look at where that place is through the eye so I know exactly what to look for and I know exactly where it is." 

White Magick said, "Very well, lead the way." 





Expedition to Dream Valley

After what took a great part of the day, they finally reached the hilly area of the Everfree to the northwest of Ponyville.  Colgate pointed her hoof off towards where she believed Dream Valley was and said, "Follow me." 

The two followed Colgate and when they dropped below the canopy, it was dark, very dark.  It was much darker than it was in the area surrounding the entrance to White Magick's realm.  Twilight was the first to land and almost immediately, she felt a vine grab her by the leg.  She began to scream causing White Magick to yell, "Twilight!" 

White Magick used his magic to break the vine, swooped down and carried Twilight to the entrance to Dream Castle.  When Colgate landed in front of her she snapped, "Look Twilight, unless you want to be plant food, watch where you land, ok?"

Twilight shied back and replied, "Ok Colgate, I will." 

The three headed inside and lit up their horns.  It was horribly dark in there and not too long after they entered, a chunk of ceiling fell and landed right in front of them.  Twilight wrapped her wing around White Magick and asked, "Are you sure this place is safe?"

White Magick put his wing around her and replied, "Don't worry Twilight, if I see anything falling towards us, I'll grab it in my aura." 

Twilight blushed, "I know you will White Magick and I really appreciate that." 

Colgate looked back, saw her blush and sighed in disgust, "Enough of the cute filly act TWILY, we are here to acquire a relic, not flirt with one another." 

White Magick snapped, "Don't call her Twily!" 

Colgate rolled her eyes and continued to lead the three.  She lit up her horn brighter and saw what appeared to be the old throne room.  She commented, "So this is where Queen Majesty ruled before the fall of Ponyland."  

At this point White Magick and Twilight walked up to where they were leading Colgate.  He said, "Alright, I know the direction to the library from here.  It isn't too far." 

Twilight became excited, "Library, oh I'm so excited!  I can't wait to see it!" 

Colgate added, "AND find that relic." 

Twilight sighed, "And that too."  

The three lit up there horns much brighter, bright enough to the point where it was easy for them to see.  When they finally entered the library, both Twilight and Colgate were excited, although Colgate did a far better job of hiding it.  Twilight began flying around to where she could see everything, including the materials on the top shelf.  She exclaimed, "Oh look at all these books!  Think of all the knowledge that's in here!" 

White Magick suggested, "Well I think you should take some down and look at them.  Outside of an unstable ceiling, this place should be safe for you to study to your heart's content." 

Twilight gave him a smile before flying around to find some books she would be interested in reading.  Colgate however, was not one bit happy.  She knew that until every last book was returned to its proper place, that she could not cast the spell so she decided to try and find that relic.  She began looking around the library in obscure corners and was noticed by White Magick.

When he saw this he asked, "Colgate, what are you doing?  I thought you would want to do some studying too." 

Colgate replied, "I'm searching for that relic.  If I can find it, it will aid my, I mean our cause in handling those centaurs immensely." 

As Colgate was searching every last crevice for the Rainbow of Light, White Magick couldn't help but watch with a look of suspicion on his face.  He knew that finding it would be necessary to take on their foes but he had his concerns that if Colgate found it, that she may make demands for the ponies of Equestria to use it, demands such as much more territory.

Thirty minutes later, Colgate began to become frustrated that she had not found it.  She glared at White Magick and yelled, "I thought you said it was in the library!  I'm not seeing it anywhere." 

He knew that he certainly couldn't show it but White Magick was kind of happy that she could not find it.  He nudged Twilight and asked, "Twilight, think maybe since Colgate can't find it that maybe we should look for it."  He then cast his gaze at Colgate and added, "And then you can do some studying." 

Twilight replied, "I think that would be a wonderful idea!" 

Colgate added, "That sounds good to me but I think perhaps you should search somewhere else, search another room because it might be in there." 

White Magick replied, "Good suggestion Colgate."  He grabbed Twilight by the hoof and added, "Come on Twilight, let's go look for that relic." 

Twilight blushed deeply when he grabbed her hoof before the two headed over to the next room.  Colgate whispered to herself, "Excellent!  Now to put those books back up on the shelf and cast that spell!  It will be one more step towards me being the most learned pony in Equestria!" 

Colgate levitated the books Twilight was studying back up onto the shelf before grabbing the whole collection in her aura.  Her horn began to glow brighter and her eyes began to shine blue as she focused more intently on duplicating the collection.  The collection almost seemed enchanted to Colgate but that would not lessen her desire to duplicate them.  She put more power into her spell and after what seemed to be forever, she completed the spell.  She looked at all those books and snickered, "Soon duplicates of you will be where you belong, in my archives!" 

Once she had finished the spell she decided that she would again search for the relic.  She saw a doorway that led into what seemed to be another room.  It seemed like something was calling her to it so she approached it and would be shocked by what she saw, she saw a bridge with a rainbow colored portal.  She gasped, "It's real, it's actually real!  The Rainbow Bridge is real!" 

She felt drawn to the portal but had a feeling that she had better not go through it.  She did approach it and at the very base of it, she saw a golden locket, one that resembled what she had been taught the locket looked like so many millennia ago.  She levitated it up to herself and took a much closer look at it and sure enough, it was the Rainbow of Light.  She looked at the back of it and saw the initials MW.  She gasped, "MW, Megan Williams!"  She flew back into the library and cheered, "Yes, yes, yes!  I found it!"

Her cheers caused White Magick and Twilight to come rushing in her direction.  White Magick yelled, "What?  What did you find?"

Colgate proudly held the locket up and replied, "I found it, I found the Rainbow of Light!" 

White Magick grabbed it from her and began to examine it closely.  After several minutes of examining it and finding the initials on the back he said, "Yep, you found it.  Now we should be able to defeat not just Tirac and his Rainbow of Darkness, but Tirek and his magic stealing ways." 

Colgate grabbed it back from White Magick and placed it in her saddle bags.  She cast her gaze at the two and suggested, "Well shall we get headed back home?"

White Magick was not thrilled that Colgate would grab it away from him when he was the one who understood its energies the most.  He asked, "Colgate, are you taking that with you?  Are you going to take it back with you when I'm the only one who truly understands its energies." 

That was exactly what Colgate wanted to do but realized that doing so may jeopardize their friendship and their alliance.  With a neutral expression on her face she replied, "Look, I'm the only one who has saddle bags and it would be much easier for me to carry it." 

White Magick and Twilight gave one another nervous looks but knew that Colgate did make a point.  He replied, "Very well but once I accompany Twilight home to Ponyville, you are going to give it to me." 

This was one thing that Colgate did not like, somepony telling her that she better do anything, especially handing over something that she believes would give her an advantage over other leaders.  She sighed, "Very well but now I think we should get going....."

Even though they were in the darkest part of the forest, when they first arrived they could see that it was still daylight.  At this point, it was already night and neither White Magick or Twilight wanted to be flying a long ways in the dark.  Twilight asked, "Look, it is already dark and I don't know about you but I don't want to fly such a long distance in the dark."

White Magick added, "Neither do I." 

Colgate had no problems with it at all but knew that since she would have to hand over the golden locket eventually, that staying out there for the night would be in her best interests.  She sighed, "Very well but once it gets light, I want us to fly out and find food before we go flying too far." 

The two nodded and when they saw Colgate sit down and lean against a bookcase, White Magick and Twilight did the same.  They powered down their horns but Colgate kept hers lit up for long enough that he saw that White Magick had pulled Twilight's head under his as though he were providing her comfort and protection.  Despite being told by multiple ponies to let it go, including the one she is closest with, she still couldn't help but feel that he was being disloyal to Ruby.  She thought to herself, "I should have known he would fall into her trap eventually."