“Blast it!”
Goodnight glared up at the transparent pink shield that engulfed the tower.
“So much for the element of surprise. What do you make of it, Fair Weather?” he asked, turning to the yellow unicorn.
Fair Weather studied the pink bubble and shrugged. “It’s just a standard anti-teleporting spell, similar to the one we use.” He stepped forward and gently poked the shield with his horn. “Should be easy enough to break—”
CRACK! BOOM! A bolt of blue lightning shot into the unicorn, shocking him and throwing him backwards. Mountain Mist regarded his stunned companion.
“You were saying?” he smirked.
“So, it has a defense mechanism built in,” Fair Weather coughed. He stood up and shook the singed hairs from his mane. “That draconequess halfling is smarter than I thought. This may take a little while.”
“Get to work, then,” said Goodnight. “We’ll guard you. As soon as it goes down, we’ll all teleport in. You both remember the plan?”
“Yes,” replied Fair Weather. “You take the draconequess. I handle the dragon-pony. Mountain Mist grabs Jewel and teleports out.”
“Assuming the little hussy is still there,” Mountain Mist growled. “She could have teleported out before the shield went up.”
“Are you forgetting the locator spell?” asked Goodnight, motioning to a tiny object floating in the air above them. It was a hair barrette with a purple pentagon-shaped jewel on one end. It bumped against the shield like a bee trying to get at a flower.
“Just look at it!” Goodnight grinned. “Do you think it would be trying so hard to get in if its owner wasn’t here?”
“Oh! So that’s how you found us so quickly!”
Goodnight cried out in dismay as the barrette disappeared with a pop. He looked around frantically, but all he saw was a flower bed and a small fountain with a statue of a pony squirting water from its mouth.
“Show yourself, you half-breed draconequess brat!” Goodnight bellowed, lighting up his horn.
“Awww! How did you know it was me?”
The voice was coming from the fountain! Goodnight turned in time to see the gray stone statue turn its head and spray water in his face. The unicorn quickly shook off the water and fired his horn. The fountain exploded, sending gray stone flying in all directions.
“Hey, no need to be so mad,” Zany taunted, appearing on Goodnight’s back. “Just be happy I was a spitting fountain and not a pee--”
“Get off of me!” The silver maned unicorn reared and bucked. Zany held on tight, digging his hooves into Goodnight’s ribs.
“Yeeeehah!” he cried, sporting a Stetson hat similar to Applejack’s. “Ride ‘em cowpony!”
ZING! A green beam of magic shot past his head, startling him. He let go of Goodnight and leaped into the air where he hovered like a hummingbird. Mountain Mist took aim and fired a volley of green bolts at him. Zany quickly threw up a shield, grunting as the blast sent him careening backwards.
Tartarus! These guys don’t fool around!
He vanished in a POOF of pink magic.
Mountain Mist and Goodnight stood back to back and looked around cautiously.
“Come out and fight!” Goodnight bellowed. “We know what to expect from you!”
“Ha! But, no pony expects the MANE-ISH INQUISTION!”
The burly unicorns whirled around and saw three identical gray colts with swirling eyes dressed in long, flowing red robes and wide brimmed hats.
“Put ‘em on the rack!” cried the first figure.
POP! A gigantic dish rack appeared under the startled ponies. Snarling, Goodnight blasted it away. He had no sooner freed himself when he was assaulted by a flock of flying sofa cushions.
“Now for the comfy chair!” cried the next red-robed figure.
An overstuffed arm chair appeared under Mountain Mist, the arms grabbing him around the waist and holding him tight. POP! The green maned unicorn teleported out of the chair’s grip then shot a vicious green spell at the three red-cloaked Zanys. The draconequess dodged just in time as his doppelgangers vanished into mist.
“What’s the matter?” he asked. “You don’t like Monty Piebald’s Flying Circus?
“Enough of this!” Goodnight blasted away the sofa cushions, sending up a thick cloud of feathers and fluff. “I believe it is time for the secret weapon.”
“Are you sure?” asked Mountain Mist, frowning. “I thought you wanted to wait until we were inside?”
Goodnight growled. “I don’t think I can wait until we’re inside! I want to punish that little freak—”
“You do realize I can hear you, right?” asked Zany, reappearing on a low-flying cloud. “I may be a freak but that doesn’t mean I can’t hear, see, taste or smell. Speaking of which, when’s the last time you guys had a bath?”
Zany kicked the cloud causing a deluge of soapy rain to pour down on the unicorns.
“Ow!I can’t see!” cried Mountain Mist, blinking and rubbing the soap from his eyes. Goodnight squinted up at the cloud and the grinning draconequess. He blinked the water from his eyes and took careful aim.
ZAP! Zany threw himself backwards as a gray-green bolt tore a sizable hole in his cloud.
That’s weird, he thought. I thought his aura was yellow.
Another bolt ripped past his left hoof, startling him from his thoughts. He teleported away just before a third bolt struck the cloud, utterly disintegrating it.
“Blast it!” Goodnight roared, his body shaking in fury. “I just KNEW I had him!”
“Goodnight! Mountain Mist! I’ve got it!” cried Fair Weather. The two dark unicorns looked at him expectantly. There was a flash of pale yellow magic and the pink shield flickered out. “Get ready to teleport!”
“Oh, no you don’t!”
Fair Weather fell back on his haunches as the shield popped back up, glowing pinker than ever. The yellow unicorn scrambled to his feet and shot another beam at the shield. It flickered out again but quickly came back up.
Zany appeared between Fair Weather and the shield, sporting a long white beard and holding a great wooden staff.
“You shall not pass,” he said gravely.
The unicorn snarled and shot another yellow beam at the tower. Zany swung his staff like a baseball bat, knocking the spell into the sky.
“And it’s a home run for the home team!” he bellowed.
Mountain Mist joined the fray, firing his vicious green bolts at the draconequess. Zany grunted as he batted these away as well. Fair Weather took advantage of the distraction to deactivate the shield again. Zany cursed and quickly reactivated it with a kick of his hoof.
These unicorns are really asking for it.
He levitated above them, holding the staff menacingly over his head. His eyes glowed white and lightning shot from his body. He glared down at the three unicorns and spoke in a deep echoing voice.
“YOU SHALL NOT PA—”
ZAP! A gray-green bolt of magic struck him square in the chest, slamming him against the tower hard. Zany collapsed to the ground lying on his back. He tried to rise but collapsed back as a mounting dizziness filled his head. What’s wrong with me? I need to get up! His stomach churned sickeningly. He felt hot. And so, so very weak.
“Bullseye!” a triumphant voice cried.
Zany lifted his head but had to drop it back down to keep from throwing up.
“W-w-what?” he managed to gasp.
“Like my spell?” asked Goodnight, leaning down to grin in his face. “I had it designed it especially for you. I call it Eau de Tazlwurm.”
Tazlwurm! Zany closed his eyes and whimpered. The one thing with the power to stop even a full grown draconequess! He heard Fair Weather deactivating the shield, but there was nothing he could do to stop him. Never had he felt so miserable and helpless.
“All clear,” said Fair Weather. “Get ready to teleport!”
Zany groaned as he felt himself being magically lifted. Goodnight chuckled darkly.
“Feeling miserable?” he asked. “Don’t worry. You’ll have company soon enough.”
The tower loft was dim. Thick dark curtains covered all but the highest windows. A flash of emerald green aura yanked them back, letting in the afternoon sun.
“Thank you, Mountain Mist,” said Goodnight graciously.
The three unicorns looked around them cautiously, their horns charged and ready for action. Their eyes took in every detail of the loft: the books, the shelves, Twinkle’s bed, and the sparse furnishings that made up the living space. There was no sign of anything--or any pony-- else. Zany whimpered as Goodnight dumped him roughly on the floor.
“Spread out and search,” Goodnight ordered. “Make sure you scan using your invisibility detector spell. And watch out for that dragon-pony thing. I’m sure he’s up here, too.”
Slowly the stallions walked around the loft. A beam of light shone from their horns like different colored flashlights. Zany could only guess these were the invisibility detection spells. Mountain Mist scanned the little kitchenette and the dining area. Goodnight shined his spell over the bookshelves and the curtains. Fair Weather checked the closets and the bathroom.
Zany lay where he was. His body ached but he no longer felt hot and his stomach had finally stopped churning. Could the spell be wearing off? Could he work his magic? He noticed a quill laying on the floor nearby. He tried to levitate it but fell back, exhausted. Nope. Not yet.
Meanwhile, Mountain Mist had made his way to the sofa and was gingerly lifting it with his magic.
WHOOOSH! The black unicorn leaped into the air with a frightened whinny as green flames erupted around his hooves. Applespike surged to his feet, snarling and roaring like an adult dragon. He kicked the upended sofa with his powerful hind legs, sending it flying on top of Mountain Mist.
Goodnight struck the dragon-pony with his gray-green Tazlwurm spell.
“Gotcha!” he cried triumphantly. His glee was short-lived. Applespike grunted in pain but did not go down. Instead, he spun around and sent the unicorn to the floor with a slap of his dragon tail.
“STOP!”
Applespike roared furiously as Fair Weather’s magic seized him, wrapping around him like vines. He struggled, but the harder he fought, the tighter the vines gripped him. In no time, he was hogtied, gagged, and hung upside down with all four legs in the air.
“Well done, Fair Weather,” said Goodnight, wincing. He rubbed his bruised jaw tenderly. “I forgot. That Tazlwurm spell only works on magic users. Oh, well…” He lifted Zany so the draconequess was hanging in mid-air next his friend. “I think it’s time we had a little chat with you boys.”
Zany managed a cheeky grin. “Okay, I’ll start. Sooo…you think the Cowponies are going to the Super Ball this year?" He winced as Goodnight administered a stinging zap on the end of his nose.
“Let me be more specific. Where is Jewel?”
“Sheeth gawn,” Applespike managed to mumble through his gag.
“Gone?” said Goodnight, pretending to sound surprised. “My dear boy, we know she was in here after your friend’s shield went up. And he certainly didn’t have the power to teleport her after it went down.”
Applespike shook his head.“Sheeth did hit huhsef!”
All three unicorns chuckled at his answer. “Oh, please! That stupid filly couldn’t teleport across a room, let alone out of one.”
“Jewel is not stupid!” Zany spat indignantly. “She’s the smartest, most sly, most resourceful filly I have ever known! And if you think we're gonna give her up to you, then you’re the one who’s stupid!” Applespike mumbled in agreement.
The silver haired unicorn grinned at the insult. “Such a pair of noble colts,” he said sweetly. “So loyal! No matter! I know just the thing to bring her out of hiding.”
Goodnight’s horn glowed and a bright orange ball of flame appeared above the colts. “I believe I still owe you for that humiliating hot hoof at the Gala.”
Both colts gulped.The flame was as big as a buck ball. They could feel the heat of it hot on their fur.
“Now, let’s see. Who should go first?” Goodnight teased. “The big-mouthed draconequess…” Zany gritted his teeth as the ball came close to his hooves. “Or a certain filly’s special somepony?” Applespike’s eyes widened in fear.
The unicorn chuckled darkly. The orange flame cast a sinister light across his face. “Oh, this is a no-brainer,” he said and lowered the flame towards Applespike’s defenseless hooves.
Zany laughed. “Wow! You really are stupid!”
Goodnight stopped what he was doing to glare at the draconequess. “Beg your pardon?”
“Look at him, he’s half dragon!” said Zany, rolling his eyes. “Dragons are immune to fire. Everypony knows that!”
Goodnight studied the dragon-pony for a moment. “I do believe you are right,” he conceded. “I would hate to waste this spell on someone who couldn’t feel its effects.” He shifted the flaming ball back to Zany. “Thank you for the information.”
“No! Ith nuh tue!” Applespike mumbled, fighting the restraints. “Peez! Duh bun him!”
“Sorry,” replied Goodnight, grinning ferally as he brought the flame closer to Zany’s exposed feet. “I’ve already made my decision.”
Zany squeezed his eyes shut, gritted his teeth and prepared for the worst.
CLUNK!
Zany opened his eyes at the dull metallic sound. He looked up at his captor and saw the stallion’s eyes rolling back in his head. The ball of flame, as well as the spell holding him, sputtered then went out.
CLUNK!
Fair Weather groaned then toppled over like a felled oak. Applespike felt his magical restraints loosen then dissipate into nothing.
Mountain Mist lit up his horn and looked around desperately for whatever it was that had laid his companions out. Only Zany and Applespike saw the frying pan floating directly behind him.
SLAP!
Mountain Mist yelled as the pan smacked his flank hard. He whirled around but the pan followed him.
SLAP!
Another painful smack landed right on his cutie mark. The colts laughed as the unicorn spun around like a dog chasing its tail, trying to get away from the flying frying pan. No matter which way he turned, it stayed on his tail.
“You’ve been a bad, bad pony,” a sweet tinkling voice chided, the pan striking Mountain Mist’s bottom on every syllable. “A-very, very- bad- lit-tle- po-ny.”
“Where are you?” Mountain Mist bellowed. “Show yourself, you little wench!”
“Goodness, I see you still don’t know how to properly address a lady!”
The big unicorn looked up to see Jewel standing on one of the rafters. He bared his teeth as he fired up his horn.
CLUNK!
Mountain Mist went down in a heap, a lump forming on the back of his head. Jewel teleported to the floor and looked disdainfully at the unconscious unicorns.
“And for your information, I can teleport across a room. I just can’t teleport out of one.” She turned to her friends. “Are you two okay? They didn’t hurt you, did they?”
“Just my pride,” replied Applespike, rubbing the back of his neck. “I wasn’t exactly expecting you to have to rescue us.”
Zany chuckled.“The damsel rescuing the dragon for a change!”
“Oh, goodness!” cried Jewel, looking at the draconequess. “You don’t look very well at all! What happened?”
“Don’t worry, I’m fine,” Zany replied, rising shakily to his hooves. “Goodnight hit me with a Tazlwurm spell, but it seems to be wearing off. Still can’t use my magic yet, though.”
“I hope you’re okay to run,” said Applespike, throwing open the door. “We need to get out of here before they recover.”
“Too late, dragon whelp!”
The door crashed shut. The three friends turned to see Goodnight rising slowly to his hooves.
“You are coming back with us, little Missy, if it is the last thing we do!”
“And it will be!”
Applespike tossed a small white object that bounced off the unicorn’s nose and landed softly at his feet. Goodnight glanced down at it.
“A marshmallow?” he snorted derisively. “That all you got, freak?”
Zany pushed Jewel down. “Duck! Quack-quack!”
KA-BLOOP!
A literal Mount Hoofsuvius of sticky, gooey marshmallow exploded in all directions, coating everything in a thick layer of sugary whiteness. It covered the walls, the books, the furniture, and all three unicorns. Goodnight roared as he pawed at the sticky confection that covered his eyes. He could hear the sound of the door opening and hooves clopping on stone.
“NO!” He lunged but fell face first into an enormous bank of marshmallow goo.
"NO! You're not getting away this easily! I'll get you, Jewel! I will make you pay for this!"
But the Chaotic Three were too far away to hear.