"Headmare Twilight?" Sandbar blinked in surprise, "Where are we?"
"Where you need to be." The glowing Twilight smiled with an unnaturally blank tone. Her purple colors would reflect off the large crystal caverns around her making the lights dance and sparkle just like her pelt. Disoriented from the events prior however, the group barely seemed to notice.
"What's that supposed to mean??" Cozy Glow, alarmed, questioned the apparition.
"Uh. Yona Confused." Yona announced, distressed and bewildered.
The figure seemed to pause, considering Cozy Glow nearby. "There is a strain on your friendship. In fact, none at all on one side. It is as I feared. You are not one," The Twilight turned to the rest of the young six, "What has happened?"
The changeling Ocellus stepped forward, "We were studying friendship's effect on history but then..." Her voice trailed off...
"Since friendship just isn't in our nature what's the point?" The blue griffin huffed, glaring at the floor.
"You do not believe friendship is in your nature? I see that in front of me the pony who speaks this is here... You believe what she has told you? You believe this breach of friendship?" The sparkly alicorn questioned, her frown evident.
"Breach of friendship..?" Sandbar glanced over to Cozy Glow.
"Little pony??" Yona asked, "Yona even more confused!"
"I-I'm sorry I just-" Cozy Glow whimpered ready to jump in to defend herself but the glimmering image of their headmare interrupted.
"This is NOT acceptable!" The alicorn raised her wings, glaring at the group as the caverns were suddenly filled with a strong breeze. The roaring and echoing surrounded the group of students as they all looked around for the source of this tense magical current. Many came to the conclusion that the harsh wind was coming from none other than the illusion of Twilight Sparkle herself.
"Our headmare is glowing you guys." Silverstream yelped, "What is going on??"
"We should probably get back to studying for the test..." Ocellus slowly backed away, gesturing for everyone else to follow. Cozy Glow was definitely happy to hide behind the changeling, ready to leave as well.
The apparition had other plans for the seven, though. It seemed to perk at an idea and absorbed the wind back into her horn, making the caverns silent once more except for the echo of her discontented voice, "A test. Yes." Twilight's horn gave off a familiar purple glow as she looked up to their one and only exit, "By sunrise this door will be closed." The crystal roots began to grow, slowly wrapping themselves around the grate to later hinder the students and their escape.
"Finish the test before then and you may go. Fail the test and here you will stay."
A flashing light began to spark from the figure, their white glow emitting throughout the caverns and surrounding the seven unlucky students before them. Each creature was completely shocked by this turn of events that no one could speak. They could only stare as one by one they were taken away.
All Cozy Glow could think before she was transported elsewhere were two words. Oh no.
The young pink pegasus shook her head and harshly rubbed at her blinking eyes. That bright white light was very blinding, after all! She let out a breath and looked around, confused... "Huh? What happened?"
Cozy Glow found herself in a large cavern of some sort. It was dark and spooky but also emitted a blue light that allowed her to see. She was standing at the top of some stone staircase on the edge of a round glowing platform. At the bottom of these daunting stone cold stairs was a big giant door. Hm. Maybe that was her way out..? Cozy narrowed her eyes and raised a hoof to shade them. She looked down at the big double doors where some movement and voices had caught her attention. Were those the others she spotted at the bottom of this cavern? The young six..? She flapped her wings to carry herself down but instead of flying she found herself cringing in pain. One of them was still injured from her disastrous entrance earlier. With a defeated sigh she was just about to climb down herself when someone cleared his throat behind her.
"Well well well... if it isn't my little prodigy." A deep voice drawled out.
The filly abruptly turned around to find herself face to face with an unknown creature she's never seen before. His lower body was a horse, but his upper body was something else entirely. A red creature with a hunched back and a greying beard. A centaur, possibly. He looked old and ragged but his eyes still gleamed with malicious intent. Luckily for Cozy, this creature was locked away in a cage unable to reach her. Still, why did she end up here of all places? With this... thing?
"Oh wowie mister! I've never seen a thing like you before! I'm a bit lost on what you mean though... Who might you be?" The little pegasus instinctively put herself in the innocently cute little pony persona. Not knowing who this creature was she found it best to hide her true colors under soft and fluff to make a good first impression. After all, don't want to go making possible useful material angry now, does she? That is if he was useful...
"Ahahah! Who might you be?" The centaur cackled as he mimicked Cozy's voice, finding it just hilarious, "Why Cozy Glow... It's me. Your pen pal, Lord Tirek."
The pegasus stiffened at that with her reddish eyes going wide. "Wait... Lord Tirek??? But you're in Tartarus!"
"Exactly. And I still am." He gestured his red hands out into the caverns around them to welcome the little filly to his homely imprisonment, "This. This is Tartarus! And you're here too. Stuck. With. Me."
Cozy Glow narrowed her eyes at the centaur and shook her head, turning around again to face the giant door, "Oh no no no Mister Tirek. I can't be here stuck with you. This is a test, right? So that means there is a way out... at least for me! Hehehe~" She giggled deviously to herself until a voice calling her name caught her attention.
"Cozy Glow! Hey! Where are you? Was that you giggling manically just now?" Sandbar's voice called out from the bottom of the staircase.
The pegasus perked up and ran up to the side of the platform, "Just a minute! I'll be down soon! And uh- nope! That wasn't me! It must've been-" The little filly began with another tale to spin as usual but suddenly felt something heavy and cold snap around her neck. She let out a yelp as she was suddenly yanked back towards Tirek's cage with her hooves nearly stumbling over and her wing aching once again as she tried to right herself back up. Cozy looked down in shock to see a chain of some sort. It wasn't connected to anything... but it felt bulky and awkward. There was also something there. Some magical element that made raising her head a strain.
"What... What is this?? What did you do to me Tirek???" Cozy Glow questioned, giving the centaur a furious glare.
"Oh I didn't do that~!" Lord Tirek hummed as he examined his nails, "It seems you just did that to yourself..."
"What's that supposed to mean???" The little filly huffed, marching up to the cage bars until the sound of hoofsteps and the clicks of talons sounded out behind her.
"There you are Cozy!" The changeling, Ocellus, sighed in relief.
"We were getting so worried! We all disappeared and then reappeared here! But we didn't see you!" Silverstream yammered on, "Oh we're just so glad you're okay! Hey- who's that?" The hippogriff pointed at Tirek with claw.
"Do you know who that is, Cozy?" Gallus was the next to ask, raising a brow at the caged centaur.
"Uhhh... Nope! Don't know a thing about him!" Cozy Glow chirped but then suddenly felt another heavy weight wrap around one of her front hooves. She jumped in surprise with her round eyes now staring down at the new chain. The others however didn't seem to notice Cozy's new dilemma. All their attention right now seemed to be on Tirek.
"Oh I think she's knows plenty." Tirek chuckled as he clutched onto his prison bars, "Maybe more than you think."
"Is scary creature saying truth, small pony?" Yona asked while tilting her head towards Cozy.
"Yeah, if you know more than we think... could you maybe tell us where we are?" Smolder huffed, crossing her arms.
"Uhhh..." Cozy hesitated, glancing between the group members surrounding her. "Umm. I'm not exactly sure where we are right now-" Snap! Another chain found it's way around her other front hoof.
"Ohh~! What about you tell them what you really think about them all little prodigy~? I'm sure they'd LOVE to hear that! After all, you are their friend aren't you?" The centaur gave a dark and sinister chuckle.
"What does he mean by that?" Sandbar questioned, looking back towards Cozy.
"Uhh..." The pegasus hesitated, biting her lip.
"Oh! Yona know small pony definitely has good things to say about Yona! Don't you small pony?" The yak smiled, excited to see what the pegasus would say.
"Oh- uh... I'm sorry, but are we just going to ignore the chains wrapped around my hooves??" Cozy questioned, gesturing to one of them with her wing.
"Oh oh! I want to see what you have to say about us!" Silverstream butted in, looking excited.
"Me too, I think that would be nice." Ocellus beamed as she sat next to her hippogriff friend, waiting to see what Cozy Glow would say.
"How about this, you tell us what you think about us then we'll help you right out of those chains of yours." Gallus suggested, smirking.
"Um... Okay I guess? But why can't you just help me now???" The pink pegasus was starting to get frustrated and confused. Why were they all acting like this? They should be helping her!
"Eh, we have some time to kill before sunrise!" Smolder decided to add in, walking up to Cozy Glow and awaiting what she'd say, "Here. Start with me. Come on, I'm easy."
"Well..." Guess it couldn't hurt to gain some more trust... "Smolder, I think you're a great friend and a great dragon! I look up to you and someday I want to be just as strong and brave as you are!"
Bam! Another chain! Right around her hind leg! Cozy Glow yelled out in surprise and struggled to raise her own back hoof.
"What about me?" Silverstream curiously asked, "What do you think about me?"
"Um- You- I think you're a very intelligent hippogriff. Not only are you funny and caring but you're really smart too!" Cozy Glow beamed before another chain appeared around her other hind leg, making her raise her uninjured wing in alarm.
"Ah! I don't think this is working!" The pegasus panicked, not sure what to do.
"Awww..! All that stuff you said about us was so nice of you!" Silverstream giggled, clapping her talons together.
"Oh! How about me?" Sandbar asked, "What do you think about me?"
"Or Yona?? What small pony think about Yona?"
"I'm always curious to know what others think about me... If you don't mind..." Ocellus nervously smiled under a hoof.
"And maybe me? I guess I'd like to know too at least." Gallus slyly asked with a raised brow.
The group was starting to get closer now. They were asking questions and rambling. Tirek was laughing and just egging them all on. They pestered and they asked and they questioned and all Cozy Glow could do was stare in shock as the young six continued. What in Equestria was going on and what in the world has gotten into these six??
Under the school unbeknownst to Cozy Glow, Each friend actually found themselves elsewhere within the roots of the tree. The real Silverstream wasn't asking for compliments; she was hiding in a cavern's pool from the eyes of the Storm King. Sandbar wasn't pestering the little pegasus; he was instead trailing after an illusion of Rarity and Rainbow Dash with the hope of impressing them with their assigned friendship mission. Gallus wasn't bothering Cozy with questions; he was actually in a cramped room reaching for blue lights while avoiding purple ones in order to escape. Ocellus wasn't talking in a sweet and soft voice to get everyone's attention; she was instead in her hive with unreformed changelings coming up to her and calling her queen to her dismay. Smolder meanwhile wasn't ranting about friendship but instead was having a tea party with two lovely ponies in a dress and all.
Then there was Yona. Her screams reverberated throughout the caverns as she ran as fast as her yak hooves could take her. She turned a corner only to see red glowing eyes staring her down. Another ear-piercing cry later she was running through the tunnels and hopping up onto a pile of rocks, hoping it would at least keep the critters that were chasing after her at bay. She looked down and watched as a big pile of black spiders began to make their way to the rock pile, inching closer and closer to her hooves. Yona freaked out and stomped against the pile while bellowing out a loud, "NO!"
Then, the worst happened. As the yak was keeping her hooves away from the spiders on the ground, one suddenly decided to slowly make its way down from the ceiling above. It carefully landed on her muzzle, making her eyes widen with fear as she stared up at the eight-legged creature riGHT IN FRONT OF HER!!
"AAAAH!!" Yona shrieked before dashing off once again, panicking as she made her way into another area of the caverns only to come to a screeching halt as more spiders appeared in her path. Her breathing quickened as she took a step back, thinking she could run the other way but instead found more creepy crawlers circling her and blocking her exit out. How was this a test for Yona?? This was a living nightmare! Yona cowered, whimpering and clutching at her muzzle as she closed her eyes. If Yona can't see them, they can't see her right???
Even with this tactic, she could steal hear the arachnids inching closer and closer as one- "YONA NEED HELP!!!" The yak screeched, "WHERE'S YONA'S FRIENDS WHEN YONA NEEDS THEM??"
She opened her eyes for a moment, seeing the spiders were DEFINITELY closer than they were last time! She jumped up and swung her hooves in the air while letting out another fearful scream. Thankfully this made the spiders back off for one moment allowing her to land and cover her eyes once again. As the moment passed she didn't hear the pitter patter of spiders crawling closer to her like before. Yona peeked out from under her hooves and looked around at the scary arachnids. Why weren't spiders attacking? She glanced at the crowd of black and red before one decided to make itself known.
The small spider quietly moved up to her and let out a cute little squeak. "Are you okay?"
"Huh?" Yona blinked in surprise, realizing she could understand what the spider had just said.
It squeaked again, "You screamed really loud for your friends..."
Yona sat up while considering the concerned spider, "Y-Yona no mean to scream..." The yak apologized as she glanced at the rest of the spiders all showing the same concern this little one had too, "Yona loves making friends... Spiders friends?"
She lowered a hoof flat against the ground for the spider to hop up onto. Once the little thing had hopped aboard, she raised them up to her face.
It let out another chirp, "I could help you find your other friends."
"Wait-" Yona, surprised, raised the little spider up to her ear. "What little spider say?"
"I can help you find your friends!" The spider squeaked happily.
"Oh! Yona would love that very much!" The yak beamed as she sat the spider on her shoulder, "Let Yona and spiders go find others! What little spider's name? Yona is Yona!"
"Spindle!" The spider then gestured to the others with a leg and Yona watched as the army of black spiders raced to one side of the cavern and began to go down another tunnel, "This way Yona!"
"Yona thank Spindle!! And other spider friends!" The yak cheered before trailing after the large collection of arachnids. She went through dark tunnels and raced around cobwebs until finally the spooky caverns from before turned into crystal walls and shining roots.
They all continued throughout the tunnels until they passed a large door of some sort. Yona came to a halt and curiously stared up at it while the spiders urged her to continue. "Wait! Yona confused, why is there giant door here?" The yak asked, glancing at the cluster before making her way over to the gates of who-knows-where.
"Wait! Yona, that isn't the way to your friends!" Spindle squeaked as it gave Yona a small tug on her ear.
"Then why is big door here?" Yona questioned, looking confused, "Is part of another friend's test?"
The spiders all gave each other a look that Yona understood was uncertainty. Maybe they weren't sure what was behind the door itself? At this, the yak let out a huff and began to scrape against the floor with a hoof. A chattering erupted from the spiders as they tried to convince her to stop, but the yak was already rushing forward and banging her horns against the large door.
BANG!
"What was that??" Cozy Glow managed to ask in the middle of the chaos.
BANG!
"There it is again!" She yelled, pushing her way through the other six to get a good look of the door. The very source of that loud noise.
BANG!! CR-RACK!
A piece of the door fell right off. It was a small piece, definitely not big enough for Yona to fit through, but that didn't stop her from seeing the chained pegasus, her friends, and her clone on the other side!
"YONA'S FRIENDS!!"
"Yona??" Cozy Glow questioned with surprise as she looked up at the other Yona much closer to her, "But then who is-??"
"Yona curious, did small pony know about what was down here?" The possibly fake Yona questioned as she continued to pester Cozy Glow. The rest following suit. They all seemed to ignore the yak banging at the doors down below.
"DO NOT WORRY! YONA GET ALL OUT SOON! EVEN OTHER YONA! Wait- other Yona??" The yak narrowed her eyes in confusion before backing away, "YONA COMING IN ANYWAYS!"
The pegasus nudged herself forward, trying to get to the large door at the bottom of the staircase, but was stopped by Gallus who put a talon down on one of her chains. She huffed, looking back and realizing... this group might not be the real deal.
"Hurry!" She called out to the door below as another loud clang resonated throughout the caverns. However, the tree of harmony took notice and was slowly patching up the cracks Yona would make.
Smolder had long escaped her test, ran into Gallus who separated to look for the others, and was now helping her friend Ocellus through hers. The poor changeling had turned into Chrysalis and was unable to transform back. She believed that her past was so horrible that it'll stick with her forever. That she'll never be able to change from what she once was. The dragon however admitted that even she could change.
"I like cute silly stuff!" Smolder announced as she hovered up to Ocellus' eye level, "Ever since school started... I realized sometimes I kinda don't mind cute stuff."
Ocellus exploded into laughter and sat back, covering her mouth and coughing into her holey hooves.
Smolder gave the changeling a look before landing on the ground floor to continue after her friend had her fun, "If a dragon like me can admit she likes tea parties then that's proof we can change!" She put her claws on her hips and smirked playfully at the other, "I was going to invite you to a top secret tea party with me but if you want to stay down here..."
"Oh! No! I want to come!" Ocellus smiled, glad to find another creature who understood her. Who could change just like... Just like she could! In her joy she transformed back into her old self. As Ocellus! This was her! This is who she always is.
"I thought that might work," Smolder chuckled smugly as Ocellus clapped her hooves together, "Come on! Lets go!"
The two ran off through the hive together with Smolder in the lead. The dragon went to guide her friend through the tunnels to find the grate once again, but instead heard a loud bang in the distance. They both bumped into one another as they came to an abrupt pause. Their attention went towards one tunnel where another thunderous sound echoed through the darkness.
"DON'T WORRY! YONA COMING!" The familiar voice of their yak friend Yona yelled out.
Ocellus and Smolder gave eachother a concerned glance before dashing away towards their loud friend, "Hold on Yona! We're coming to help!" Ocellus cried out as they both flew towards the yak- only to be greeted by a large crowd of spiders instead, "Eek!" The changeling flew back in surprise.
"Okay- spider army." Smolder huffed, "Yona! Do you need help with these spiders?"
"No no!" Yona called out from somewhere behind the menacing critters, "Spiders Yona's friends! Wait- Yona's old friends?? But old friends stuck behind big door too!!"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Smolder questioned as she carefully made her way through the spiders, flying over them along with Ocellus. It was then that the two saw the giant door. It was huge! Which one of them could've possibly had a test like this that involved such a big door??
A heavily fortified one, too. Each time Yona broke a hole into the door, roots would begin to cover it all up again. "Yona! Yona calm down!" Ocellus raced up next to her yak friend, "We can't just go through this with brute force!"
"But Yona's friends are in there! Just like Yona's friends out here- Wait. Now Yona confused!! Why is there two Yona and two Ocellus and two Smolders??"
"What?" Smolder raced up to the door and peeked into one of the large cracks that Yona had made. From the door, she could see in the distance the young six- even herself- crowding around one pink little filly in chains. She perked up, realization hitting her.
"That isn't us... It's part of the test! This is Cozy Glow's test!"