//------------------------------// // Chapter 47 - Salvation. // Story: Terraria: Friendship Is Magic // by Pomp-Neigh //------------------------------// -TERRARIA, DUNGEON ENTRANCE- Steven stares off into the distance, specifically, towards the direction of The Snow Biome. The fashionista sighs sadly as he says: “What do I do?, ever since I spoke to Skeletron my mind has been at war. No matter what I choose... Skeletron still benefits in the end. What do I tell Rarity’s friends when they-” [SHIM] [WHIRL] Suddenly, Steven was cut off by a beam of light mixed with a chilling twister. In mere seconds, three familiar forms now stands before The Clothier which causes a happy expression to form onto his face. “You’re all back!, thank the gods!” “Hey there partner!, mission success!”, Applejack exclaims as she proudly holds The Ice Mirror high into the air. “We managed to get it from a really big meanie!, oh!, I need to throw a: We-defeated-the-meanie-so-now-we-can-save-Rarity-with-the-Ice-Mirror party!” “Wow Pinkie... That’s a mouthful.”, Ritsu says as she currently has The Ice Chest held upon her left shoulder, leaning against her head. Despite what it looks like, the kitsune seems to have no trouble supporting its weight as she shows off her physical attribute. “Sup, name’s Ritsu. Yes, I’m a kitsune, no, we’re not extinct. We just know how to hide well is all.” Steven was truly glad to see them not to mention the fact that they now hold Rarity’s salvation. However, his expression slowly turns to sadness as he was still being haunted by Skeletron’s words. Applejack immediately catches on to this change and asks: “You ok, partner?. Ah’ thought you’d be happier about this, we can finally get Rarity out of this place!” “I’m happy Applejack, I truly am... But... [SIGH] There’s something I have to-” “Don’t say another word, Steven. Ah’ know what’s on yer’ mind and all I can tell you is that me and ma’ friends can defeat that no good Skeletron.” “W-wait, how did you-” “Recent events have made me, well, sharper. What we’ve experienced in The Snow Biome, in that lab... Ah’ swore to mah’self that I’d never be fooled again. So, ah’ decided to focus on my abilities.” “Abilities?” “That’s right, as the bearer of The Element Of Honesty, I can detect if someone is lying and I can read someone’s expression to a T. Ah’ should’ve known that she was up to no good. I... I almost got us killed because of it. “Applejack, you can’t blame yourself for-” “No Ritsu, it’s mah’ fault... I should’ve sensed that Nymph’s schemes sooner... Ah’ failed us.” “Wait a second, what happened to you all out there?” “That’s not important right now, Steven. What is important is that ah’ know what you’re going to say and I’m telling you, forget it.” “You... You don’t know how frightening his power can be. So much death and destruction... I don’t want any of you ponies to have to face this terror.” “You are a fool to assume that they will fight alone, my friends and I will defeat this great and powerful foe.” “My zebra friend is right, trust that to not be a lie, let the enemy come, against us they shall die.” Two more voices joins the conversation, each noticeably rhythmic. This causes everyone to turn around, their gaze instantly focused on a certain zebra and lihzahrd. “Zecora!, Gex!, y’all are here?!” “That is correct Applejack, we finished our newest potion and found you by testing the latest batch. A potion that takes one far and wide, to join their friends and fight by their side.” - Zecora. “That is so cool!, what’s this potions name?!” - Pinkie Pie. “It is called the Wormhole Potion, drink it and a journey to your friends will be set in motion.” - Gex, The Witchdoctor. “That’s amazing!, this potion will take us to anyone we consider a friend?. Wow... You two are amazing, Gex.” - Ritsu. As this is going on, Steven just couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Before his very eyes, the fashionista saw something he never thought he’d ever see in physical form: Hope. The words of Skeletron no longer haunted his mind as he smiles contently and says: “It is time, everyone.”, The fashionista’s words catches their attention to which they all stop their current conversation and turn their gaze towards him. “Give me The Ice Mirror, we’ve got a friend to save.”, Steven then smirks as he says: “And, a large skeleton to kill. Well, kill him again that is.” At first, everyone just stares at him in silent disbelief... That is until Applejack kicks off a series of shouting as she exclaims: “Now that’s what ah’m talking about!, yeehaw!. Good to see you come’n to yer’ senses, Steven.” “Hooray!, we’re going to save Rarity and then we’re gonna beat up the big skull guy!. Oh, we need to get everypony else to help us.” - Pinkie Pie. “Well, why hell not?!. I did just smash some psychotic Nymph, I guess it’s time to break some bones again... Literally.” - Ritsu. “Ah’right then, it’s settled. Here ya’ go Steven, take this straight to Rarity.”, Applejack says a she offers the Ice Mirror to Steven. The fashionista was just about to grab the mirror until the cowmare, instead, grabs his hand and pulls him into a hug. This gesture shocks Steven momentarily, until, he finally returns it. This prompts Applejack to say: “Thank you soo much fer’ this Steven, we owe this all to you. Please, go in there and save ma’ friend... Ah’ just want to see her safe again...”, Upon saying those words, a saddened expression forms onto the cowmare’s face. [ZOOM] “Ooh, ooh, please say hello to that person with all that party energy for me!. I can’t wait to meet her!” “[CHUCKLE] I promise you, Pinkie Pie, Candy will be delighted to meet you and I’ll be sure to pass on your message.” “[GASP] Oh my gosh!, her name’s Candy?!. Now I want to meet her even more!”, Pinkie Pie exclaims as she then pulls a mic out of her mane and begins to sing: “I want candy, I want candy, There’s somepony I can’t wait to meet, All that party energy is meant to be free, Once she’s out, we’ve got parties to make, Together, we’ll party all day, Because, I want candy, I want candy...” As Pinkie Pie continues her song, Steven chuckles to himself as he turns around and makes his way into The Dungeon with a determined expression. -TERRARIA, DUNGEON DEPTHS- Rarity and Katelyn Pierce, The Mechanic, were currently having a conversation about the pony fashionista’s home world. As this is going on, the other prisoners were going about their own business, although, Candy did sense the presence of a certain party pony which causes The Party Girl to dance excitingly. “Wait, wait, wait, you’re telling me that griffins exists in your world?!” “They sure do, darling, there’s a whole nation of them too. Why?, don’t they exist here?” “If they do, I’ve never seen one in my life. They mostly just exist in stories and legends.” “Aha!, so that means it’s possible for them to exist after all.” “How do you figure?” “Well, legends are mostly based on something that actually existed, or, something that inspired the legend. Of course... It could also be someone who’s had too much to drink.” This causes the two fellow prisoners to laugh before Rarity recovers and continues: “If your world truly does have legends about griffons then odds are they probably do exist, or, they once existed. Why, back in my world, there used to exist these giant lizard looking things called: Dinosaurs, who existed long before anypony showed up. Many legends were passed down about them and according to Twilight, these legends predates even before the very first dragon ever existed, mind you, dragons have inhabited my world even before ponies.” “Your world had dinosaurs too?, huh, they once existed here but I don’t think they all went extinct. Apparently, there are adventurers who uses certain types of dinosaurs as pets and mounts. I’ve never ran into any of them, yet.” [SKREEAR] Suddenly, the doors to entrance of the hallway of cells opens up as Steven happily walks in and turns to Rarity’s cell. This catches the attention of the other prisoners as well. “Rarity, it’s time to get you out of here. You remember when I told you about your friends retrieving that Ice Mirror for you?” “Why yes, darling, but whatever could you-”, Rarity’s words were silenced as Steven pulls out the aforementioned object, The Ice Mirror. “They’ve done it, Rarity. Your friends have recovered it for you, now, be free.”, Steven says as he gives Rarity the mirror by sliding it into her cell. Rarity’s tears began to flow freely as she was truly touched by her friends actions, to know how far they’d truly go for her. She never doubted them, of course, especially after the Nightmare Rarity incident. However, it was still heartwarming to know all the same. “I... But... What about everyone else here!. I can’t just leave them all!, can’t you open the cell doors and let us all out so I can-” “I’m sorry, Rarity... This won’t turn out as you’d hope. Sure, The Ice Mirror can transfer its user and those within their vicinity to a location they’d been to before. However, these cells shields and hides you all from... The Dungeon Guardian, you remember me telling you about that?” “I do, but, if these cells hides us from it then that means...” “We’ll die if we leave them, The Guardian will spot us and will catch us before we could even use that mirror together.” “B-but Katelyn... I... I don’t want to leave you all-” “You’re not leaving us, Rarity!. I know what kind of pony you are, all of us does, we know you’ll come back for us. Then, when you save us, you know what we’re gonna do?” Katelyn’s words causes the rest of the prisoners to voice various replies of their own: “I’m going to let you always drink for free at the very next Tavern I run, you’re a good mare, Rarity.” - Ross Bosman, The Tavernkeeper. “If you ever need any type of fishing equipment or ever need to rent a boat, I’m your guy.” - Jeremy Bravos, The Angler. “I will style your mane anytime you wish, darling. Free of charge.” - Livian Hesper, The Stylist. “I shall teach you all of the magic that I know, I’ve grown quite fond of you and everyone else here.” - Magius Swirl Magnus, The Wizard. “I’m just going to hug you like my life depends on it. But, I am a mechanic so I can hook you up with some appliances and anything technological.” - Katelyn Pierce, The Mechanic. “I’m going to throw you a-” “We all know, Candy.”, Everyone says in unison as they then laugh together, this causes The Party Girl to giggle. “Oh!, that’s right!. Candy, Pinkie Pie says hello and that she can’t wait to meet you. She’s some sort of party pony.” In that moment everyone present, aside from Steven, shudders from that statement as they all say in unison: “Oh no... Not another Candy.” “[GASP] Pinkie Pie?!, I love that name!. Thank you soo much, Steven. Oh-my-gosh-oh-my-gosh-oh-my-gosh!”, Candy then pulls a mic out of her hair and starts to sing: “If you wanna be my lover, You got to get with my friend, Candy and Pinkie forever, The friendship never ends, If you wanna be my lover, Our parties you must attend, Candy and pies forever and that’s the way it is...” As Candy continues her song, which causes most of her fellow prisoners to facepalm, Steven leans into Rarity’s cell and says: “I think you should go, but, before you do... Let me just say: Thank you, Rarity. For everything...” “Thank you, darling... Everyone. I promise, I’ll come back to save you all, I’ll bring an entire army if I have to.”, Steven nods understandably as Rarity lifts the mirror high into the air and thinks of The Dungeon Entrance as she then disappears in a beam of light mixed with ice. [SHIM] [WHIRL] After watching his pony friend disappear to freedom, all the while Candy is still singing her song, Steven said to himself internally: -I hope you’re watching, Skeletron. This is the beginning of the end, for you.- ”[CHUCKLE] Let them come, Steven.”