//------------------------------//
// Issue 9: 
// Story: MLP G5 Sunset: IDW Comic Story 
// by JesusG0987 
//------------------------------//

Issue 9:

Back at Fluttershy’s old home, the Mane 6, except for Zipp who isn’t there with them, are following Pipp as they stop at the front door.

“You need to be prepared for the worst.” Pipp advises her friends, telling them to prepare for something once she opens the door.

The four ponies looked at Pipp as Sunny spoke up. “Discord’s about to destroy a Unity Crystal, ridding Equestria of magic for the rest of eternity. I think our threshold for catastrophe is at an all-time high.” She pointed out, not seeing what could be worse behind that door with their situation with Discord.

“She’s right, Pipp.” Sunset said in agreement. “With what Discord is doing nothing can be worse than that.” She added, finding that true since nothing can be worse than this.

“You brought this on yourselves…” Pipp shrugged as she knocked on the door, which caused it to open up.

And what they saw inside was Zipp, who is looking really exhausted and tired with her Mane a mess and bed eyes with a crazed look, while having some yellow crime-tapes all around the cottage with some numbers on for the crime scenes.

“Hold up!” Zipp cried out when she turned and saw her friends, who were startled, except for Izzy, from her outburst. “This is an active scene. If you touch anything, you’ll contaminate evidence and we’ll never find Discord or save magic in Equestria.” She said as she got close to her friends, who were a little creeped out from her condition. “Which means I’ll never fly again, or achieve my 100-win flyball streak, or perform that air routine Mom asked me to do for the Royal Ball!” She added out while narrowing her eyes at them.

Pipp was not surprised, knowing how her sister was, as she raised a hoof and whispered to the little creeped out Sunny and Sunset. “Zipp stressing over Royal Duties? Okay, it is worse than I thought.” She said, seeing how stressed Zipp is, then the last time she saw her.

“She gets more stressed out than Twilight when she’s late for an assignment or overthinking things when she wants everything to be perfect.” Sunset whispered in surprise, having seen this before from Twilight, sure she wasn’t there for Princess Twilight but had been told from her and if her counterpart, Sci-Twi is the similar, she knows how Twilight can be at times when so worked up about something. “But we see what you mean, Pipp.” She added, now seeing what Pipp ment for preparing for the worst.

“Told you.” Pipp whispered before she gave a calming smile to Zipp as she placed a hoof on her chest. “We just  popped in to… say a quick hello.” She lied so that she could calm her sister down.

“Hi…” Sunny said with a nervous smile.

“Hey!” Izzy cheered  with a wave of her hoof and a smile.

“Whazzup?” Hitch asked next with a nervous smile as well.

“How are you, Zipp?” Sunset asked with a nervous smile as well.

Zipp huffed as she rubbed her eyes while looking at her friends tirelessly. “I told you I'm fine.” She said to her friends.

Pipp then starts patting her sister's head with a smile. “And obviously, we can see that. You look as peaceful as a Pegasus in a mud bath.” She said, which made Zipp huff a bit.

“Or an orchid in a sun-soaked field.” Izzy said with a nervous smile, playing along.

“Or bear surrounded by honey pots.” Hitch added with a smile.

Sunny and Sunset however gave bored expressions as Sunny spoke. “...Or a pony who hasn’t eaten or slept in several days and is on the brink of collapse.” She said in a bored tone, knowing that’s the truth.

“Or a pony who is overworking herself from seeing straight and has been losing her mind of not finding any answers she needed.” Sunset spoke with the same tone Sunny said, agreeing with Sunny’s words.

The four ponies looked at Sunny and Sunset in surprise and shock at what they just said, while Zipp gave an irritated look at the two for what they just said.

Sunset rolled her eyes from that as she spoke. “Oh, come on. The signs said it all and you guys can’t deny it either.” She said while giving a look at the group.

“Yeah, like we weren’t all thinking about it.” Sunny said in agreement as she turned her head to them with a wave of her hoof. “If Zipp’s going to solve the case, she’s going to need all of us to pitch in.” She added, knowing that they all need to work together if they want to find any leads to Discord and get the Pegasus Crystal back.

“Yeah. And Zipp, at least fill us in instead of doing things yourself, we are all in this together. No way to leave us in the dark.” Sunset said, knowing that Zipp should’ve told them instead of doing things herself as she turned to a bookshelf. “Now, let’s search this place again and see if you missed anything in your tired state.” She said as she and the others began to double check the place where Zipp might have missed in her tired state.







A little bit later, the Mane 6 are searching the cottage to see if Zipp missed something while she was tired as said Pegasus came in, a little well rested after taking a break as she rubbed her head.

“Discord researched how to destroy the crystal in this very room.” Zipp explained what she found in the room to her friends to catch them up to speed. “There’s gotta be something here that can point us to his direction.” She added, trying to remember what else she missed.

Izzy then looked at the rug as she picked something up with her hoof. “I found a claw nail!” She called out to the others while looking at the nail.

Pipp, who was searching through the couch, turned to Izzy with a disgusting look. “Ew. Cutting his claws in the living room has gotta count as suspicious behavior.” She said in disgust that Discord would cut his nails in the living room.

“Unfortunately, I don’t think it does for Discord.” Hitch comments in a bored tone, knowing that’s nothing suspicious for Discord standards, since any creature can do that.

“Stay focus, ponies. There gotta be something for us to find Discord.” Sunset said as she and Sunny were searching through the shelves together.

Sunny then thought of something as she spoke. “If Discord was researching…. Wouldn’t the answer be somewhere on the bookshelf?” She suggested, pointing to the bookshelves filled with books, knowing that if Discord wanted to research, he would study by the book, like what Twilight told him to.

Sunset places a hoof on her chin as she thinks. “Come to think of it, Discord did say that Twilight told him that he would find a solution by doing research, and books are part of it so it’s not that far off.” She said, remembering what Discord told them when he first escaped them with the Pegasus Crystal under the caverns of Canterlot as the two ponies searched through the books.

Zipp came behind them as she spoke up. “I’ve read through every single sentence on every single page of every single book here, and I promise there’s nothing helpful in them.” She pointed out, having read through every book in Fluttershy’s home but found nothing on them, while behind them, Pipp is looking at another shelf, Hitch is searching somewhere while Izzy picked up an animal bed and looked at a piece of hair on her hoof after she picked it up.

Sunny then took a closer look with a hoof on her chin as she noticed something was off. “Maybe it’s not about the book shelf… Maybe it’s about the one book that’s missing.” She said, seeing something missing on the shelf.

“What do you mean by that, Sunny? Found something?” Sunset asked, wanting to know what Sunny found.

“Aha! Sure did, Sunset!” Sunny cheered as she pointed to the stacks of Daring Do books, who are in numbered order, but notice one of them is missing. “Discord has every Signal Daring Do book ever published on this shelf, except for one. Her ninth book. Daring Do and The Curse of Basaltic Caves.” She said, remembering the book since she had collections of them as well that her dad managed to save.

Sunset looked to where Sunny pointed out as she smiled. “Great find, Sunny. It’s a good thing your father saved copies of Daring Do from his research for you to remember it.” She said, really glad Sunny got those copies of the Daring Do book for her to remember them, and something she herself likes to read from time to time.

“And it’s a really good series to read again like Twilight Sparkle and the Guardians of Friendship.” Sunny commented with a smile.

Zipp then came next to them as she looked at the shelf Sunny mentioned. “How did I miss that?” She asked in surprise.

Sunny and Sunset gave Zipp a smirk as Sunny spoke. “Sometimes we’re so busy looking for the inconspicuous, we miss the obvious.” She said to Zipp with a smirk.

“That and you were tired and stressed out to notice something was missing.” Sunset added with a smirk, another reason why Zipp missed it.

Zipp gave an embarrassing smile and chuckle from that. “Good point.” She said sheepishly.

Pipp then looked at her phone to search for said cave that Sunny mentioned. “There’s, like, zero information about the Basaltic Caves online.” She pointed out, finding nothing on the web about the cave.

Sunset rolled her eyes from that. “Pipp, if something from Ancient Equestria was long forgotten, you think they would’ve put that online by now? And even if they did, wouldn’t that be false information since they told you guys that each one of the tribes to each of you ponies would be a fake?” She asked, pointing out the flaw in Pipp’s plan on finding the answer online.

Pipp takes a moment and then realizes that Sunset is right as she gives a sheepish chuckle. “Okay, fair point.” She said with a sheepish smile.

Sunset then places a hoof on her chin as she then has a thought. “Come to think of it, that name of the cave does seem familiar, but what?” She asked herself, trying to remember that cave since she must’ve heard about it before, but can’t remember when or what it does.


“That’s because nopony’s been there in hundreds of years.” Izzy called out with her cheery smile as she raised her hoof.

Her friends turned to her in surprise as Sunset spoke. “Izzy, you know what this cave is?” She asked in surprise that Izzy knows about this cave.

“I sure do.” Izzy answered with a smile as she continued. “According to my Uncle Fizzy, the caves are full of these really dangerous lava creeks that are so hot, they can melt an entire castle, or a ginormous stone sculpture…” She listened, which made the ponies a little nervous, especially Sunset and Sunny as they now realize what this means.

“Or maybe a Unity Crystal…” Sunny spoke in a worried and grim expression with the tone as well.

“Oh yeah, they could definitely destroy a Unity Crystal!” Izzy cheered with her usual smile, confirming Sunny’s question, but then realized what Sunny just said as she gave a grim expression as well. “Oh…” She said in a grim tone, now realizing Discord’s plan as well.

“That’s what Discord is gonna do, he’s gonna use the cave to destroy the Pegasus Crystal!” Sunset called out in worry.

The others are in a state of panic after hearing them, Zipp gives off a worried look, Hitch places his hooves on his face with his head down, and Pipp is behind Hitch while looking worried, with all of them giving grimed expressions.

Sunny turned to them as she saw their expressions as she spoke. “Okay. What we are absolutely not going to do right now is panic.” She to the others, not wanting them to panic now.

Sunset took a breath as she calmed down and spoke. “Sunny’s right, ponies. We need to keep our heads togethers if we want to stop Discord.” She said to the others as they calmed down, knowing this isn’t the time to panic now.

Sunny then spoke again. “We know Discord took the book with him. So it probably has information in it about how to survive the caves.” She stated, saying that if Discord took the book to know its location, it might be something he might need to survive in his journey.

“Yeah. With Discord’s magic glitching as well, he can’t rely on his chaos magic to complete the journey. If he had, he wouldn’t have taken the book with him and would’ve destroyed the crystal by now.” Sunset added, after seeing that Discord’s magic was glitching as well, Discord can rely on it at this point, which explains why he needs the book to survive the journey.

Pipp then looked at her phone again as she gave a confident smirk. “If we need a copy, I can get us a copy!” She said as she trotted out the door to make sure she got a signal and to get the copy of the book they needed.

“Great!” Hitch spoke as he turned to the others after Pipp left, while Zipp fixed up her mane. “And while Pipp’s busy with that, the rest of us should pack up and get ready to head out.” He said to the others, wanting them to be as ready as possible once Pipp got back with the copy of the book.

“He’s right. Once we have a copy, we head out immediately so we can catch Discord in time.” Sunset said in agreement, wanting them to head out if they want to stop Discord before it’s too late.

Izzy then looked at them in surprise. “You mean… You want to go to the cave?” She asked in surprise from their plan.

“We have to, Izzy. It’s the only way if we want to stop Discord from succeeding his goal.” Sunset said, stating that they will have to risk it if they want to stop Discord.

Izzy however feels unsure about this. “My Uncle Fizzy once threw a flying star back to its home solar system using his bare hooves, and even he was too afraid to go to the Basaltic Caves.” She pointed out, while the others are not sure if the flying star thing, but when Izzy said that even her uncle was afraid to go into the caves.

“Daring Do was able to survive the caves.” Sunny pointed out after remembering a piece about that book and about Daring Do. “I’m sure that book will be able to tell us how.” She assured, if Daring Do can do it, then that book will help them get there safely.

“But Daring Do’s a trained explorer…” Zipp said, not sure if Daring Do did it.

“An explorer who goes on adventures and can fight bad guys with just herself and her own bare hooves and survives the deadliest places in all of Equestria.” Sunset countered, having heard from Twilight that Daring Do is real since the author A.K. Yearling is Daring Do when she revealed her secret identity to all of Equestria.

Zipp blinked in surprise from what Sunset just said. “Okay, I'll take that back.” She said, regretting doubting Daring Do.

“If we don’t even try, who’s going to save magic?” Hitch questioned them in worry, since who else will stop Discord and save magic from disappearing forever.

Izzy then looked down, feeling unsure about this as she spoke. “There are worse things than losing magic…” She suddenly said as she spoke up to the others. “We’ve lived without magic before. And losing magic won’t change ponykind coming together or any of the friendships we’ve made.” She said, which made her friends look at her in shock and surprise from what Izzy just said. “Isn’t that what matters?” She asked her friends, who are stunt silent from Izzyh’s answer.

“Izzy…” Sunset said, as she knew how Izzy was feeling this whole time when the Pegasus Crystal was taken, but to see how this conflict made her feel bad for her.

“Discord’s words did stick with you…” Sunny spoke, while having a shock expression.

“I’m not saying I want to get rid of magic. I love magic!” Izzy pointed out, not wanting her friends to misunderstand her as she used her own magic to levitate herself in the air as she hangs upside down. “I wouldn’t be able to do this without magic.” She said as she levitated herself down as she continued. “But even good things like magic can come with some not great things, too. Discord said he wanted to get rid of magic because he didn’t want anypony feeling lesser than because of their powers.” She finished, seeing what Discord is doing wouldn’t change anything since they lived without magic before and their friendship wouldn’t change even if magic was gone.

Zipp then spoke after what Izzy just said. “He also said that’s how you felt when we flew off without you and Sunset near Canterlot.” She said, remembering what Discord said when they first began their search and left Izzy when she and Sunset were alone when the others took off to begin their search.

Izzy then looked down as she gave a sad look. “Maybe I felt that way a tiny, little, atom-sized bit.” She said sadly, which Sunny and Sunset notice.

Sunny then spoke up. “I told you, flying above those trees was about getting a better perspective of the forest.” She reminded them that it was the best way for them to cover more ground.

“But… It didn’t actually help us find the gate of the ancients.” Zipp pointed out, seeing the flaw in Sunny’s plan. “All it did was separate us and leave Izzy, Sunset and Hitch on their own.” She added, now seeing why Izzy feels this way.

“We were fine.” Hitch called out as he spoke. “Don’t you see? This line of thinking is exactly what Discord wants. You can’t let him get in your head.” He pointed out while tapping his hoof on his head, saying that Discord wants them to get this way.

“All Discord wants is to make sure everypony is on equal hoofing.” Zipp argued.

“By getting rid of what makes us special.” Sunny called out, tension grew as Izzy looked down, unsure what to do while feeling conflicted while Sunset looked at her friends, really growing annoyed at this as Sunny continued. “Our magic has already saved us in so many ways.” She pointed out.

“Communicating with animals makes me a better sheriff.” Hitch added, really likes to understand animals and it helps him become a better sheriff to both critters and ponies.

“Izzy’s not saying our powers haven’t helped. But I’m sure magic has made all of us feel left behind at some point.” Zipp argued to them, trying to be reasonable.

“Don’t you wish you could play flyball with everypony, too?” Izzy asked Zipp about the flyball thing she played and what she said earlier in her tired state.

The four ponies continue arguing as Sunset is at her breaking point, seeing that they don’t really get it as she facehooved herself the others kept arguing. Having enough, she stomped her hooves on the ground hard as she yelled out in her Royal Canterlot voice. “Will you ponies just, BE QUIET!!!” She yelled out, which caused the ponies to stop arguing and flinch from Sunset’s yelling as Sunset continued. “We don’t have time for this nonsense! And arguing is not helping! So we can either continue to waste time and let Discord succeed in destroying the Pegasus Crystal or we go after him before he does so that magic could stay?! And I want to know how to argue until then! Got it?! We already discussed this before the last time we were here! Discord isn't a bad guy. Are his methods wrong? Yes. He's an old man with the wrong perception of unity? Totally. Does that mean he's a bad guy? No. He's just misguided. He was alone for not having friends by his side when he outlived them due to his immortality! Maybe none of us can convince him to not destroy the Crystal!” She yelled out, while having an idea in her head while her outburst caused the four ponies to stay silent until Izzy spoke up.

“But is our friendship more important than magic?” Izzy asked again, which caused them to speak out their reasons again as the arguing tensions came back.

Sunset facehooved herself again. “Oh for the love of a pony…!” She yelled out as she can’t take much more of this.

Pipp then came back with the copy of the book they needed with a smile. “Prepare your cheers, everypony! I’ve got--” She was cut off when she saw the others arguing while Sunset stayed quiet as she was growing really annoyed by this. Seeing that they won’t stop, Pipp then yelled out. “HELLOOOOOOOOO! I REQUIRED YOUR DIVIDED ATTENTION BE COMPLETELY UNDIVIDED!” She yelled so loud, it caused the others to flinch from her outburst while Izzy fell on her back from the loudness Pipp just yelled in surprise.

“Seriously?” Zipp questioned her sister from yellowing again while cringing from that outburst.

Sunny recompose herself and then she smiled widely at the book Pipp got. “How in Equestria did you get this so quickly?” She wondered, wanting to know how Pipp got the copy so fast.

Pipp smirked as she gestured to the door. “I had a little help. Say hello to the Pippsqueaks!” She cheered as two mares appear from the door with sparkles in their eyes, one is an Earth Pony has a light tin coat, black hair with a red bow on top while the second one is a Pegasus with a light purple coat and long yellow hair with a plant on top next to her left ear.

Sunny then waved at them as she spoke. “Hi, everypony. I’m--” She was about to introduce herself but the Earth Pony mare came in front of her with her hooves on her cheeks while in fan-mare mode.

“Sunny Starscout! We know who you are!” The Earth Pony mare said excitedly, which made Sunny flinch and smiled uncomfortable of her being this close. “You are all totally our heroes.” She said excitedly while Pipp smirked at this outcome, knowing how fans can be.

“Some ponies talk the talk, but y’all trot the trot.” The Pegasus mare said with a wave of her hoof with a smile as she got between Zipp and Pipp, with a smile and sparkles in her eyes as she placed her hooves around them. “Zipp, the detective who uncovered Discord’s hair in the Crystal Brighthouse.” She started excitedly.

Zipp gave an uncomfortable look at her. “Don’t touch me…” She muttered to the pegasus fan, not one with fans.

The Pegasus mare didn’t hear that as she continued. “Pipp, the incredible documentarian who captured crucial clues on her phone.” She added, which made Pipp blow a kiss at the compliment.

The Earth Pony mare then excitedly came to Izzy and Hitch. “Hitch, the sheriff who followed Cloudpuff straight to the gate of the ancients. Izzy, the optimist who befriended a squirrel and found Fluttershy’s crystal message.” She said excitedly as Izzy smiled at her for the compliment while Hitch gave a look.

And then the two mares came to both Sunny and Sunset, who were giving a little smile at them as the Pegasus mare spoke. “And Sunny and Sunset, the Alicorns who brought you together in the first place…” The pegasus mare said while gesturing her hooves to them.

The Earth Pony mare spoke next with a hoof on Sunny’s back. “And taught ponykind that Equestria is a place where all Earth Ponies, Pegasi, and Unicorns can live together in harmony and help show the ways of the true history of Ancient Equestria.” She said, still excited.

Sunset gave a small chuckle at the two mares. “You ponies really know our stuff and keep track.” She said with a small smile, didn’t know their fans were that excited.

Sunny gave a small smile at their compliment. “Well we certainly try to make sure everypony feels included.” She commented.

And then the two mares saw Izzy next to them, who was looking down after the argument they had. The Pegasus mare looked at her friend with a knowing look. “Uh-oh, are you sensing tension?” She asked her friend, who is giving the same look.

“I’m sensing tension.” The Earth Pony mare confirmed, having sensed it too.

Sunny flinched when she heard them say that as she gave a nervous smile. “Everything’s fine.” She insisted.

“Maybe there’s a little bit of tension.” Izzy honestly said while feeling a little, which caused both her and Sunny to look at each other in surprise from that as Izzy gave a nervous smile. “Everything’s completely fine.” She quickly said, trying to cover it up.

Sunny then gives a down expression. “Okay. There’s some tension.” She said, seeing no point in this.

Sunset facehooved herself from that again. “This is awkward.” She muttered.

The two mares looked at them from that as the Pegasus mare whispered to her friend. “They can’t even agree on if they’re agreeing or disagreeing.” She whispered to her friend, who nodded in agreement.

Sunny then spoke with a sheepish smile while Izzy turned away to avoid eye contact. “We just had a minor disagreement. But what friends don’t have those? Airing out your issues is healthy!” She said sheepishly, trying to avoid this talk.

The two mares however gave concerning looks. “I don’t think anypony would diagnose this as healthy.” The Pegasus stated.

“Seems like what you all need is to talk it out.” The Earth Pony mare said with a small smile, wanting them to talk things out.

Sunny however, loses her patience as she gives an annoying and angry look. “We don’t have time for that.” She said while shaking her hooves, which made the two mares, and Sunset to flinch from that as she walked out the door. “But there’s truly no need to worry. In a few hours, I promise we’ll be back to the well-oiled, completely in-sync team we’ve always been.” She said as she walked out the door, right before Sunset grabbed her tail with her magic, stopping Sunny from forward in as she turned and glared at the alicorn.

“Yeah, maybe I should stay next to you after seeing your outburst, Sunny. Until you cool down.” Sunset said, while giving Sunny a look that made her flinch out of her previous breakdown.

Sunny sighs as she takes a breath. “Okay. Fine. Let’s just go.” She said as she and the others walked out of Fluttershy’s home and continued their journey to find Discord.

‘I hope these ponies clear their heads along the way after what happened, and I will give them a talk about this whole magic thing and Izzy being left alone. But for now, I have thought of a way to stop Discord’ Sunset thought to herself, going to give Sunny and the others a lecture after the argument they had so that they can understand better, she would talk to them about it now, but they are on a time limit, while looking at Pipp phone, remembering a certain recording she took the first time they were in Fluttershy’s cottage.







A few hours later, the Mane 6 are somewhere on the side of a mountain as they follow Sunny and Sunset, while Sunny is looking at the book to follow the path while the others squeeze through the narrow path.

“Sorry!/Excuse me.” Both Izzy and Zipp both said to each other after bumping into each other.

“Eyes on the road, Sunny.” Hitch in a bored expression since Sunny is focused on the book to focus on the path.

“He’s right, Sunny. You might fall off the cliff of the mountain if you keep your focus on the book and not know where you’re going.” Sunset said in agreement.

"I'm sorry, but these instructions are really confusing." Sunny said with concern, as she kept reading the book.

"You've got time until we reach the Basaltic Caves." Zipp pointed out to her with concern.

"The instructions aren't for the caves." Sunny revealed. "They're for the Boulder Grit Canyon, which we're going to have to pass through first." She explained.

"That doesn't sound like the leisurely scenic route I want to be." Zipp confessed with a cringed expression.

“Yeah, trying to go through a canyon is not always a good thing.” Sunset said, knowing some bad things happened in canyons.

"Don't worry, the canyons aren't dangerous." Sunny assured. "But there are huge boulders that separate the road, so if we go the wrong way, we could get very lost." She pointed out with concern.

"And we're already running out of time." Hitch pointed out with worry, as he watched the sun setting in the horizon.

“Which means we will have to move fast.” Sunset added, knowing that they need to hurry.

"Luckily, Daring Do left us specific instructions for navigating through the boulders." Sunny said with a smile, as she showed a map with some words to the others.

"Turn right, then left, then right, right, right, left." Izzy sang cheerfully.

"Are you sure it was Boulder Grit Canyon Daring Do was talking about?" Hitch questioned, before pointing at their surroundings in panic. "Because we've been walking though Boulder Grit Canyon for the last half hour, and I can't see any boulders or turns..." He pointed out in concern.

"T-That doesn't make any sense!" Sunny said in panic. "The whole road is supposed to be one big confusing maze..." She pointed out with worry.

"Maybe Daring Do made a mistake." Zipp suggested, as she approached Sunny to take a better look at the book.

“Did you ponies know that Derring Do was during my time in Ancient Equestria? Which were many, many moons again?” Sunset called out, which gained their attention. “Yeah. You ponies forget that this was during ancient times, and generations later the layouts can change with the passage of time. And learned that the hard way when most of Equestria is unfamiliar to me.” She pointed out, since this book was during Ancient Equestria times during Twilight’s and her friends' time, the layouts can change.

“You know, Sunset has a point.” Pipp said, seeing that Sunset’s right.

"Yeah, maybe..." Sunny replied unsure.







Later on, the Mane 6 arrived at an old bridge in the middle of the canyon.

"You decided to warn us about Boulder Grit Canyon but not about the creaky old bridge with the 1000-foot drop?!" Pipp shouted in panic. "The guys are not even here to catch us if we fall!" She pointed out with worry.

"It's perfectly safe." Sunny assured, with her head buried in the book. "Oh, wait! It actually does say there was an incident back in––" She tried to explain with a worried look, but then Sunset snatched the book from her hooves, which surprised her.

“Yeah, maybe you should take a break from that book for now.” Sunset said in a bored expression as she gave it to Hitch.

"Yeah. I agree with Sunset, Sunny. How about we put the book away for now?" Hitch suggested with an annoyed expression, putting the book on his badge while Sunny gave them an annoying look with a huff. "Just follow my lead, and whatever you do... Don't look down." He instructed with a determined look, before carefully walking over the bridge.

“Just keep straight and walk slowly.” Sunset added as she followed after Hitch.

The girls looked at each other uncertainly, but Zipp decided to be the third one to follow after Sunset, then Sunny, then Izzy, and then Pipp.

"Turn right, then left, then right, right, right, left." Izzy sang to stay as calm as she could, while also trying not to look down. "Turn right, then left, then right, right, right, left." She sang again.

"Careful. There's a rotting piece of wood here." Hitch instructed the others.

"Copy that." Zipp said, focused on the bridge.

"Turn right, then left, then right, right, right, left." Izzy kept singing.

"Izzy, we really need to concentrate right now." Sunny told her with a frown.

"I've never been good at concentrating." Izzy confessed. "There're always too many fun things around, and how can you just pick one thing? It's impossible!" She pointed out.

"Well, your singing is making it a bit difficult for the rest of us to concentrate." Sunny scolded.

"But it helps take my mind off the scary bridge." Izzy pointed out with worry.

"Your mind should be on the bridge! Focused." Sunny said in anger.

Sunset then turned after hearing them. “Sunny, can you please leave Izzy alone? She’s already feeling conflicted and nervous about this whole thing as it is. You don’t need to put more fuel on the fire!” She scolded, wanting to end this argument since this was pointless to even argue about it.

“Well we need to focus so why not quit while we’re crossing a bridge over a steep cliff.” Sunny said in anger, really don’t have time for this.

"Can we please stop arguing back––" Hitch tried to beg, but he stepped right on the rotting piece of wood and fell from the bridge. "––THEEEEERE...? THE BOOK!" he shouted as he fell, and the Daring Do book fell from his bag.

"My wings are glitching!" Zipp shouted in panic.

"MINE TOO!" Sunny shouted desperate, wanting to save Hitch, but not being able to since her magic was failing.

"Come on!" Pipp cried out as well.

“Hang on, Hitch!” Sunset cried out, but then she tripped and got her hoof stuck on the broken plank as she struggled to get it out. “Oh come on!” She cried out in frustration.

Suddenly, Hitch was wrapped by a blue aura of magic, and he was being levitated back to the bridge.

"Come on, magic. Do your thing!" Izzy cried out, grunting in effort as she struggled to levitate Hitch back to the bridge, which she was able to do.

"Izzy! You did it!" Hitch cheered with a genuine smile, although he and Izzy seemed anxious after Hitch almost freaking died, and Sunny even wrapped her hooves around Hitch as she hugged him tightly.

"But it looks like our magic is glitching out more by the second." Zipp pointed out with concern.

“Well I don’t feel the glitch, but you ponies are running out of time for your magic.” Sunset added, while since she’s the only magic user in all of Equestria to keep her magic since hers is not connected to the crystals as she got her hoof unstuck from the plank carefully.

"And we kind of lost the Daring Do book..." Hitch added with worry and shame, since he wasn't fast enough to catch the book before it fell.

"So we'll be entering the caves with barely any powers and no road map? That's just great." Sunny complained, separating from Hitch.

Pipp then brings out her phone as she speaks up. “There’s still time to call in the Pippsqueaks for help.” She suggested, but then remembered what Sunny just said to the two mares before they left as she raised an eyebrow at Sunny. “But yeah, no. Why would we need the Pippsqueaks when we’re clearly such a well-oiled, completely in-sync team?” She rhetorically asked.

That remark made Sunny turn her head to Pipp as she glared at her in anger and a huff from that.

Sunset saw this as she flew over and grab Pipp’s phone. “Hey!” Pipp called out from her phone being taken.

“Sorry, Pipp. But that was uncalled for and really not the point. I’ll be holding onto this phone until you learn not to say remarks to your friends.” Sunset lectured as she placed the phone away as she flew ahead, leaving Pipp stunt at that.

“Let’s just keep moving forward.” Zipp said in a little annoyance and worried at the same time, worried that they need to hurry while annoyed at what Pipp just said as they continue their quest, while Pipp looked down a bit that her phone was taken.







Later on, the Mane 6 managed to arrive at their destination.

"The Basaltic Caves! We finally made it!" Sunny cheered with a smile.

“Thank Celestia.” Sunset added with a smile in relief.

The Caves were covered by a giant rock door that had some symbols around and a clock hand.

"Turn right, then left, then right, right, right, left." Izzy kept singing near a puddle, despite not being in a live or death situation anymore, with Pipp beside her, looking at a couple of bunnies, finding them cute, secretly taking a picture of them with her back-up phone she always carried since Sunset took her other phone.

"We're not the only ones." Zipp pointed out, also pointing at some footprints on the floor.

“Those footprints are very obvious on who is in there.” Sunset said with a serious look.

"Discord..." Hitch said with a frown, before walking to one side of the giant rock blocking the entrance. "Get your hooves in position. It's going to take all of us to move this builder aside" he stated.

"Wait!" Sunny told him. "According to Daring Do, the only way through is to solve some sort of code." Sunny explained with concern.

"Great. What's the code?" Pipp asked in a tired tone.

Sunny gulped and started to sweat nervously. "Well, I didn't make it that far in the book..." She confessed with shame.

"Daring Do's not known for giving away clues." Zipp pointed out. "If it was in the book, it would have been hidden in some sort of riddle." She explained.

"A riddle that has to do with turning this dial." Hitch pointed out as well while pointing to entrance of the cave.

“Knowing the Daring Do series, it’s not easy to figure out her kinds of riddles if she did.” Sunset added, knowing how mysterious Daring Do is when she does this kind of adventure.

"But how many times and in what direction?" Sunny asked in concern.

"Turn right, then left, then right, right, right, left." Izzy sang again.

"Izzy! What did I tell you about singing while we're trying to concentrate?!" Sunny scolded her with a frown, and Izzy flinched at her outburst.

“Sunny! That was not cool!” Sunset lectured, which caused Sunny to flinch as well.

However, Zipp realized something. "No! Wait... keep singing. The directions Izzy's singing were clearly not for Boulder Grit Canyon, but this rock dial also turns right and left." She explained with a smile. "What if what Izzy's singing is the code?" She questioned.

Sunset then realizes that Zipp is right. “She’s right. Izzy’s singing is just the left and right thing, but in a pattern.” She said while turning to Izzy. “Izzy, didn’t your uncle tell you about the caves when you were a filly, from what you told us?” She questioned, while Izzy nodded her head in confirmation. “Didn’t he also sing you a song like the one you are singing now?” She asked again as Izzy nodded again, this time with a smile. “Izzy, what if he was telling you the combination to this dial?” She guessed with a wide smile.

Izzy then realizes what Sunset is saying. “You’re right! While my uncle was too afraid to even go to this cave, he did study it instead of actually going to it!” She said cheerfully.

“And that’s our key to opening this door.” Sunset said with a smile.

"It's worth a shot." Hitch said with a smirk, grabbing the giant clock hand.

"Turn right one, left one..." Both Sunset, Zipp and Hitch repeated, as they both moved the clock hand in said directions.

"Right one, right one, right one..." Sunny kept going.

"And then left!" Izzy sang again.

And just like that, the doors to the Basaltic Caves door opened up, granting access for the Mane 6.

"It worked!" Hitch cheered.

"WOOHOO!" Zipp cheered as well.

"Yes!" Sunny celebrated, as the entire group entered the caves.

"We did it" Izzy cheered too.

"Nice one!" Pipp added with a smile.

“Well done, ponies!” Sunset cheered with a smile.

"That code was a real head-scratcher!" Discord's voice spoke, and everyone looked up to see him, Reginald Fursome and the squirrel that Izzy helped a while ago over some rocks, with the draconequus holding the Pegasus Crystal. "But look at us, able to figure out by working together as a team, and blah blah blah." He added in a mocking tone.

"Discord!" Izzy growled with a frown, while lightning up her horn to get the Crystal away from him.

"GET THAT UNITY CRYSTAL!" Sunny shouted in concern.

“This time, we will stop your goal!” Sunset yelled out with a determined expression as she took to the air, horn flaring with magic to be prepared for anything.

However, Izzy's magic was fading away, and Discord giggled since Izzy's magic tickled him.

"Oh, please, stop! It tickles, it tickles!" Discord pleaded jokely. "You really are all trying your best, aren't you?" He added in a mocking sad tone. "Let me save you the embarrassment.” And so, Discord snapped his fingers, transporting the Mane 6, but for some reason, Sunset isn’t with them, to a cage that hung right in the place where the bridge they crossed before used to be.

Then, Discord himself transported over the cage and looked with a bored expression at Hitch biting the cage with his teeth, and at Sunny glaring daggers at him. "Don't look at me with those woebegone eyes. I'm doing this for you. For all of you!" he pointed out with a smirk. "One day you'll thank me for creating equality among all ponykind. But in the meantime... at least you can indulge in these fleeting moments of magic trapped with the ones you hold dear. You're welcome." He added confidently before he disappeared from them.

“Come back!” Pipp called out desperately.

“Don’t do this!” Sunny desperately called out.

“Somepony help us!” Zipp called out for somepony to help them out.

Sunny then looks around the cage as she realizes somepony is missing. “Wait, where’s Sunset?!” She asked in worried and surprised.

The others looked around the cage when they noticed that Sunset was not with them. “We don’t know! She should be with us!” Zipp called out in worry.

“Where is she?!” Sunny questioned, as she and the others worried for Sunset and wondering what had happened to Sunset, wondering why she isn’t with them.

End of Issue 9.