//------------------------------// // Chapter 82 - Yakyakistan // Story: The Master Mev // by kazamacat //------------------------------// "You want me to play a game?" Chrysalis asked Spike. She stood in the doorway to her room. "Yeah, Ogres and Oubliettes. Discord makes the game come to life to make it more fun. Each player has a class. I'm a mage, Big Mac's a knight, Discord's an archer. Rainbow Dash has played a rogue with us, and Pinkie Pie's been a bard," Spike further explained. Chrysalis rubbed her hoof thoughtfully to her chin. "Very well, I accept your invitation," she announced with as much authority as she could. "Rainbow Dash and the rest are busy that day after all." "Yup," Spike agreed. "That's the idea." She gave him a somewhat polite nod, and the matter was settled. Saturday arrived, and ten ponies for Team Awesome Plus boarded a train to the Crystal Empire. They were making a stop on the way to Yakyakistan to say hello to Cadance with Amara. They would even leave the heart there while in Yakyakistan and pick it up on the return trip. Rainbow Dash did not intend to ask outwardly about magic from a crystal pony, but it was on her mind. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom wore black suits at Rarity's insistence they look the part of a Secret Service for such a big excursion. She suggested it would be fun, and they found they actually agreed with her. They rather liked it. Sweetie Belle declined whatever Rarity had in mind for Rhezenda. She rightly assumed Rarity thought of the role like a secretary. She wasn't sure what she wanted instead, aside from maybe a suit too. To that, Rarity happily obliged, so Sweetie could match her friends. Rarity added a small horseshoe pin to differentiate it, given the "right hoof" idea behind Sweetie Belle's role. "You know, Master herself would look rather dashing in a suit, if you'll pardon the pun," Rarity said thoughtfully while they all rode the train. Sweetie Belle smiled and looked up at Rainbow Dash. "I think so too." "I know she does," Fluttershy added with a knowing, sweet smile. Rarity fluttered her eyes hopefully at Rainbow Dash. Rainbow blushed. "Not for this trip, but I'd be happy to do it another time." Rarity giggled to herself with a stifled grin. The party arrived in the Crystal Empire, and Rainbow Dash greeted Cadance formally. Sweetie Belle passed Amara to Cadance, and the ruler of the Crystal Empire secured her in a room she deemed appropriate with Shining Armor to look after it. After that, Cadance met with Rainbow Dash privately in yet another room. The Awesome Crusaders found themselves standing guard for their master with the Crystal Empire's royal guard outside. "No doubt you are wondering about your last request, the magic from a crystal pony," Cadance said to Rainbow inside. Yeah, I am," Rainbow admitted. "We have a volunteer," Cadance informed the master mev. Soon, an older crystal pony was escorted in to join them. Rainbow recognized her as as the librarian, Amethyst Maresbury. "Master Rainbow Dash," she greeted with a polite bow. "Ms. Maresbury," Rainbow returned the bow in kind. "I never thought I'd live to see the day...an actual master mev," Amethyst uttered, clearly impressed. "It's always a pleasure to meet ponies who appreciate my being what I am," Rainbow said with a warm smile. "I'll be waiting outside the door," Cadance told them and left the room. "May I see the vampire form and the leviathan dread?" Amethyst asked. Rainbow Dash quickly obliged. She showed Amethyst that Blitz could change size easily and demonstrated how to pet the magical sea serpent, all while maintaining her full vampire form. After that, Blitz was soon dismissed. "Before I eat, I am curious," Rainbow began, "is your coat actually harder to bite compared to most ponies?" Amethyst giggled. "Perhaps when the Crystal Heart is fully powered, which it is not at the moment." "Okay, good to know. Are you ready?" Rainbow asked. "Oh yes, certainly," Amethyst said. The two red eyes enchanted her. She felt a bite and then fell into a pleasant sleep. Rainbow Dash opened the doors to the room and stepped out. The guards and Cadance entered. The Awesome Crusaders caught sight of the sleeping Amethyst inside before the doors closed. Apple Bloom looked to Sweetie Belle. "Did she…?" Sweetie shook her head and put a hoof up to her own mouth. She would not answer, and it was obvious enough nonetheless. The master mev looked at her young bodyguard. "No questions on that," she said. Apple Bloom nodded solemnly. "Told you," Sweetie Belle muttered quietly. Scootaloo gulped but said nothing. Even if she had seen Rainbow Dash eat in the Dragonlands, it felt different when it was a solitary sleeping pony. In a blink, she recalled what Torch said about a week long recovery and managed to whisper that information to Apple Bloom. She also remembered Rarity saying that daytime meals usually slept for an hour so relayed that as well. The two breathed sighs of relief. Cadance rejoined them. "I do have a little something else for you too," she told the group. Rainbow raised an eyebrow. Before them appeared a case and inside were several small slender crystals. "Twilight told me you all were hoping to craft something like magical pens for a tool you now have. I thought these would be suitable, and your magic could do the rest." "Awesome," Scootaloo commented with an enthusiastic smile and victorious raise of her forelimb. Rainbow smiled too. "They are awesome...and perfect. Thanks so much, Cadance." "A pleasure," the alicorn replied with a respectful nod. The master mev's eyes quickly flashed to red and yellow. She pulled out her own cell phone to try the new stylus with a wing. It worked. "Here," she told Apple Bloom. "You try it." Apple Bloom gave it a try with her mouth. She looked up at Rainbow Dash and nodded in approval with a slight smile. "They work great, Master," Sweetie Belle said. With a satisfied look, Rainbow turned back to Cadance. "Awesome and perfect—we knew it. Well, then, we best get these to the girls and be off. We'll be back either later today or tomorrow." Cadance politely bowed her head. "I look forward to it, Master Rainbow Dash." With that, Rainbow Dash and the Awesome Crusaders delivered the new styluses to the rest of the group. "Oh, thank goodness," Applejack noted. "Just in time for our search today, huh?" "Mm-hmm," Pinkie Pie added. "Yeah," Rainbow agreed. From there, the party put on their winter clothes of scarves, hats, and hoof coverings. They set out for the trek to Yakyakistan. Pinkie whistled out Penny and put her copy in winter gear. They bumped hooves and happily bounced together as the group began their journey. "We could teleport like usual," Starlight Glimmer suggested to the group as they tread through the snow. "Twilight's been there even if I haven't. I have at least seen it on the map too." "I vote 'no'," Pinkie said. "We can keep an eye out for caves or the flower. Plus, it gives us all more time to enjoy the adventure together." "I can be out longer this way too!" Penny said with a joyful hop. "You might turn to ice if you're out too long," Starlight warned her. "I don't think you've ever been this far north, have you?" "Oh my, I didn't even think of that," Penny realized with a slight droop of her ears. The two Pinkie forms looked over to Rainbow Dash as if the master mev could resolve the whole matter. "Primeva is right. You need to be careful about that. You're magical water essence, so you would need careful thawing," Rainbow explained. Penny shivered in place but nodded. "I'll stay out for now. It will only get colder as we get further north, so I want to make the most of it." "No teleporting it is," Starlight relented. The group walked up a mountain and passed by a cave with a growling yeti. Fluttershy spoke to him to grant the group easier passage. Penny's teeth chattered. "I better get back inside," she informed Pinkie. Her host nodded and drank her back in. Pinkie showed them a massive valley. "Yakyakistan is over there," she pointed with a hoof. "I'd say now this calls for a teleport." Everyone agreed with the exception of Rainbow Dash, who wished to fly herself nonetheless. Starlight happily obliged for the others. Pinkie Pie knocked on the massive, tall, wooden doors, which opened. Prince Rutherford was not difficult to find. "Many ponies come visit," he noticed. Pinkie bowed and explained to him, "Today's the day for Rainbow Dash to visit as a master mev. We decided to bring a lot of friends for fun. That and we're looking for something." "Oh? What ponies look for?" Rutherford asked. "A teal star lily," Pinkie answered. "Yona told us it was rare and can be best found at cave fronts." "Mm," Rutherford nodded in agreement. "Yona right. Why ponies want that flower? It magic. Oh," he laughed heartily. "You want because it magic?" "Not just any magic," Twilight Sparkle said. "It's good for fusing magic in a way that would help us a great deal for one of our clients." "Ponies take flower home?" he asked. "Assuming it's possible, of course," Rarity admitted aloud. "We don't need it for nearly a month, but given that it's rare, we don't want to miss our chance either." "In that case, you need magic ice for magic flower," Rutherford explained. "That will store flower right." Pinkie Pie looked at Rainbow Dash with a slight realization. "She's practically made for it," Rainbow agreed with the unstated thought. "Oh, pink pony thinking of using water copy, yes?" Rutherford realized too Pinkie nodded. "It's just...she's my friend too. I'll miss her. What if she's so frozen I can't talk to her until we use the flower?" Rutherford pat her on the back, quite hard. "It be okay. She magic. You all super magic users and eaters. Ponies find way to be with friend." "You really think so?" she asked him with a mix of sadness and hope. He nodded reassuringly. "Yes." "We should talk to her ahead of time," Rainbow decided. "Starlight, Twilight, are either of you able to make a warm zone for our water friend?" They shook their heads. "We might be able to do something if we pool our natural elements together," Rarity offered. "Applejack has a pony's worth of flame on her after all. I could create a rock platform." "Prince Rutherford has place for you," the yak prince told them and led them to a hut. "Create platform and fire here." Applejack and Rarity nodded at each other, creating a designated spot. Rainbow Dash hovered nearby. Everyone else waited in a cluster together in the hut. Pinkie Pie whistled out Penny. "Oh wow, my own little warm spot! Yay!" Penny declared. She looked at Pinkie Pie. "Is something wrong?" "You remember how Master said you could help us with our work?" Pinkie asked with a weak smile. "You need me to be an ice Pinkie for the flower, don't you?" Penny knowingly declared with minor pride. Pinkie nodded. "How did you know?" "A hunch, especially after Starlight pointed out I might become ice around here. It makes sense. The flower helps fuse magic after all," Penny said. "You're not mad or scared?" Pinkie asked. Penny shook her head. "It was always the plan. Maybe not the exact plan, but you know, it's actually kind of cool, heh heh," she snorted, "'Cool'. Get it?" Pinkie smiled and nodded. "Like ice!" She clapped her front hooves proudly together. "It's my own special skill to help Team Awesome," Penny explained. "I'm proud to be this magical essence. Happy to help! I like hanging out with you, Pinkie, but I'm also...well, me. I want to have a mission." "But if you're ice, I might not be able to talk to you," Pinkie pointed out. "I'm not sure I can even suck you in." "You will be able to draw her back into the reserve," Rainbow told her. Penny put a forelimb to touch Pinkie's. "It's going to be fine. I'll bet I can talk to you on your flexchange day, like today! We can even test it out if you find it!" Pinkie hugged her. "Right. Okay. If you and Master are 'cool' with it, then so am I. Heh heh." Penny giggled. "Alright, come back in," Pinkie said, and with that, the magical copy was sucked back into the reserve. Applejack and Rarity tended to their own mev magic as well. "Let me talk to Prince Rutherford before we begin our search," Rainbow told them. "Everyone stay here." They all nodded. "Master pony want yak body magic?" Rutherford asked. Rainbow nodded. "Yaks no fly, no have horn magic. What magic yaks have for master pony to eat?" he asked. "Strength. It's magic similar to earth ponies," Rainbow explained. "They have magic that is considered 'passive' more than 'active' and is linked to the land they tend." "Oh," Rutherford understood. "Hmm. What happen to yak who give Master magic?" "The magic is gone for a week, so most likely, the yak would be weaker for seven days," Rainbow answered. "What yaks get for this?" Rutherford continued asking questions. "The magic goes into a reserve that can help if some other force ever took your magic away," the master mev told him. "That very not likely," he pointed out. Rainbow nodded in agreement. "I know, but I also know it is my obligation to make this offer. My power is a delegation. I know that enriching my reserve with diverse magic from the many kingdoms in the land will benefit the land altogether too. Please, Prince Rutherford." Rutherford became thoughtful. "Okay," he eventually conceded. "Prince Rutherford find proper yak while ponies search for flower." "Thank you, Your Highness," Rainbow said. "Do you have any physical objects that contain magic specific to your kingdom?" Rutherford nodded. "One of our music players. Very special." "With your permission, I would make a backup copy of that as well." "Mm, granted," Rutherford said in approval. Rainbow bowed and returned to her friends. The large party decided to split up into pairs: Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo, Applejack and Apple Bloom, Rarity and Sweetie Belle, Starlight and Pinkie Pie, Twilight and Fluttershy. Apple Bloom zipped ahead of Applejack, darting this way and that in the hopes of being the one to find the magical flower. Applejack rolled her eyes followed by a warm smile. "We all hope to be the ones who find it, sugarcube. You don't gotta rush it so much." "Yeah, but I'm the gopher. I'm supposed to find and fetch things. I want it to be like my power. I hope I get one," Apple Bloom noted. "It is for making a potion after all." "That would be nice, I agree, but this is also Pinkie Pie's designated mission, and it's Saturday," Applejack pointed out. Apple Bloom gasped at the realization. "Dang it, I should have gone with her. Do you think it's too late to trade with Starlight? Hey, it may be Saturday, but your day was yesterday, so maybe we've still got a chance." She swished ahead with the same fervor. Pinkie Pie and Starlight Glimmer walked near a cave and scoured the snow-covered ground. Pinkie sniffed. "Do you actually know what it smells like?" asked a curious Starlight. "I will when I do smell it," Pinkie assured her. "It's Saturday~!" she sang. Starlight chuckled. She telekinetically lifted a great deal of snow and held it above the ground for Pinkie to get in a good look. "There!" Pinkie leaped at the sight of a flower. "That one's yellow, not teal," Starlight said. Pinkie dug it out anyway. "Trust me. My mev senses are a tingling. It's the exact same shape with the star. Call Master." "Alright," Starlight agreed with a sigh, plopping the snow back down, some of it falling directly on Pinkie Pie. The pink earth pony blinked and shook it all off with an amused smile. Starlight's new cell phone appeared in a poof and she gave Rainbow Dash a call. She and Pinkie showed the flower on the screen. Starlight pointed out the color, and Pinkie pointed out the shape. "Search nearby for anything that might change the color," Rainbow advised. "Check inside the cave. I'll suggest the same to the others." "We'll call you back if we find anything," Starlight agreed. Applejack and Apple Bloom heard a bloop sound. "What was that?" the younger sister asked. Applejack's cell phone materialized in front of her. "Oh, it's the phone." She grabbed it with her hoof and read the text message. "Master says we should look inside caves for anything that might change a flower's color. Pinkie found a yellow one with the proper shape, and she's quite sure it's the real deal." "Oh neat. Come on. We're not far from the last cave we passed. Let's check there," Apple Bloom galloped in the suggested direction. Applejack followed. "Slow down, Little Sister. I don't remember you being so fast." Apple Bloom giggled and turned back to face her older sister. "Maybe it's a little bonus power as a new servant." "Heh, maybe," Applejack agreed. They continued onward. "It's dark in there. I don't suppose these fancy schmancy phones have flashlights in them?" Apple Bloom asked, pulling hers out. She found an icon for a flashlight. "Oh wow, they do. Look Applejack!" she pointed and directed the light straight into Applejack's eyes. "Dagnabbit, Apple Bloom. Watch where you point that thing!" Applejack grumbled at her. "Sorry sis," Apple Bloom replied bashfully and pointed it elsewhere. Applejack shook her head clear and recomposed herself, then tried out her phone too. "I don't believe it." Apple Bloom climbed on Applejack's back, suggesting she be on the lookout and shine the light within the cave's walls. "Just don't shine it in my face again," Applejack muttered. The two entered and found several paintings at first. They didn't know if the images were from yaks in days past or the current group they knew now. The pair continued onward until Apple Bloom gasped. "Applejack, over there! To the right!" Applejack led them to a glowing pool of blue water. Within the cave's wall just above it were multiple green and black crystals. Applejack sniffed. "There's magic in them. I'll bet we can change the color with all this. Let's get everyone over here." She pulled out her stylus and typed her response as best she could manage with her mouth. The other ponies soon joined them. The unicorns and alicorns of the group used their horns as torchlight for everyone's benefit. Rainbow Dash suggested everyone stand at some distance to give her and Pinkie Pie some space. She herself would move out of the way once she had a sense of whatever needed to be done. Rarity and Applejack made their warm platform again, just to be on the safe side, as Pinkie whistled Penny out from the reserve. Penny looked at the water and the crystals in fascination. "Once you have the flower teal, I stand with it in the water to ice over. I'm not sure how you actually get it to the color though." "I do!" Apple Bloom suddenly offered. Everyone turned to look at her. "Pretty sure I do that is," she added with a blush. "You use the black crystal to suck out the yellow color. Then a green to make it, you know, green. Dip it in the water once that's done. It will take on its teal color. Then Penny goes into the pool with the flower on her, and she'll freeze to her ice self." "Any pony best suited for doing all that with the crystals?" Rainbow asked. "Like you?" "No, actually, Pinkie Pie," Apple Bloom suggested. Pinkie pulled out a black crystal and placed it against one of the yellow petals of the flower. She stuck her tongue out with a look of deep concentration. The color drained and turned the flower white. Pinkie put the black crystal back in the cave wall. She took out a green crystal, repeating the process to see the petals turn green. "So far, so good," she said with a half-pleased, half-nervous air. Using both hooves she put the entire flower into the water. She lifted it out to ensure the teal color properly formed. "Awesome!" Penny shrieked. All of the group cheered. Pinkie gave her friendly copy a hug. "Be okay," she said and put the teal flower in Penny's hair. "I Pinkie Promise," Penny said. She hopped from her platform into the pool. Thick white ice immediately crystallized over her entire body. It shattered into several small icicles to show a clear block of ice encasing the mirror pool copy with a surprised expression. She had expected to be able to see through it and was afraid for a moment she wouldn't. Pinkie Pie waved at her. Penny smiled from within. "I'm fine," she said in a contained echo. The fifth fledgling breathed a sigh of relief. The entire party behind her followed. "I can't move or talk much, but it can be done—still best for having me out only on your day and pack meetings," she told Pinkie Pie. She stiffly shifted a forelimb to show what she meant. Pinkie nodded and hugged the block. An obvious shiver ran up over her entire body In a flash, she whistled the icy block back into the magical reserve. "Mission Teal Flower Accomplished," she said to Rainbow Dash with an ambivalent smile and voice. Rainbow hugged her. "Thank you Quintaza and Pentaza," she whispered. Pinkie hugged back, comforted. The Equestrian party returned to Yakyakistan to tell Prince Rutherford of their success. Pinkie whistled out Penny to show their accomplishment. He was quite happy for his friend and proud his theory proved true. He also met with Rainbow Dash to offer up a yak he found willing to fulfill her request. "This yak famous yovidaphone player, Yigrid. Her music magical." "Lovely," Rainbow replied. She quickly and privately tended to her meal. Not long after that, she had Pinkie help her create a small copy of the music player. When prompted for a name, Prince Rutherford chose Anat. With missions completed, Team Awesome Plus departed to the Crystal Empire. There, they met with Cadance, saw Amethyst was alright, and looked over Amara. They stayed the night before returning to Ponyville to all enjoy the rest of their weekend. Discord and Spike reported to Rainbow Dash that Chrysalis enjoyed the Ogres and Oubliettes game with zeal. There had not been any problems with her.