//------------------------------// // Chapter 19: Arriving at the Castle // Story: The Never-Ending Ending // by 5u0myn0n4 //------------------------------// Day 9 of the spell. Mid day. Inside of Opaline's castle, the super powered Opaline waned over the magic tome that would complete her spell. She peered through the magic protective shield. She made out the words being scribbled by Cozy Glow's feather. "The Summer Sun Celebration" Opaline read. "A day where ponies were divided in fear over their differences. Sounds awfully familiar. Where have I heard that? Oh right. Because that's exactly what happened to these ponies as well! Haha! All cause of me and my tactics. I knew you and your sisters were too formidable to face. However, once the two of you conveniently left Equestria, and left your protégé Twilight Sparkle in charge, I knew that was the perfect time to formulate my plan, and take over Equestria, and rule it as the powerful fire alicorn that I am! But Twilight was crafty. Filly would stop at nothing to make sure that the power of Equestria did not fall into my hooves. But jokes on you, Twilight. Your magic is now inside of me, making me more powerful than anypony has ever been!" "Try as your magic might to slay me, but it is too late. The spell is underway, and once it is done, I will emerge on the other side, and will be Celestia's apprentice, who eventually becomes Princess of All of Equestria! Nay, all land! I will invade! Conquer! Until every inch of the new land belongs to Opaline Arcana *cough cough cough* AAHHHH!!!" Opaline entered her throne room, and saw a familiar sight. Sunny Starscout slouched over, head pressed against the throne. "Why the long face, Sunny? There's only half a day left before my spell erases your entire existence. Pfft. Some alicorn you turned out to be. What? Can't alicorn it up without your friends? Pathetic. You are just like her. What good are friends that you can't count on? I had no friends, and look at me. I'm about to be in control of everything. Even poor Misty. For all her effort, and all the time and effort it took raising her to be competent, she only proved mildly useful when all was said and done." "There remains only hours left of your world. It's not too late to make yourself useful, Sunny. You and I can rule." As always, Sunny kept herself quiet, in the midst of Opaline's lecturing. "I'm sick of your silent act! You have Unity magic, and you choose to do NOTHING with it! You're the one not deserving of alicorn magic! You are BOTTOM RUNG ALICORN!" Sunny turned head head away from Opaline. "FINE! For the last time, fine!" Opaline knocked over a tall torch. "Sit here and watch everything be erased!" Opaline exclaimed. "Even if you had the drive to move, and be an alicorn, there's nothing you or your friends can do to stop me!" The Marestream soared across the skies of Equestria. The flying tram car created a bright trailing rainbow. Ponies across Equestria witnessed the rainbow shoot across the sky. The bright glow of the rainbow gave hope and optimism to everypony who looked up at it. They hoped that the skies would clear, that they would see the sun again, and that their magic would return. Inside the Marestream itself, Izzy piloted the craft and headed straight towards the billowing tower of dark magic touching the sky. As they got closer, it was clear where the magic was coming from. They saw, for the first time, Opaline’s castle. That’s where Sunny was being held captive. Though foreboding, the sight of the tall castle did not deter any of them. Zipp double checked her gear to make sure it was all functional. She looked around at her peers. They were all determined more than ever to get inside and rescue their friend. And with time limited, stopping the spell was also paramount. The Marestream made an easy landing in front of the bridge leading to Opaline's castle. Everypony exited the Marestream. Izzy, Hitch, Zipp, Sparky, and Pipp all looked up at Opaline's castle, and were amazed at just how tall it was. "Woah." Izzy said. "Didn't look so big from the air, huh..." Hitch said. "Nuh-HUH!" Sparky added. They were awestruck at how tall the castle was. And even more so, they saw the big bellowing spell flowing from the top of the castle. "That's definitely where she's keeping Sunny. Atop the highest point of the central tower. Where the dark spell bellows and emanates." Izzy said. "We have to get up there and save Sunny, and stop whatever that spell is from completing!" Zipp said. "Right. So do we just... enter the castle? Like through the front door?" Pipp asked. As they were getting ready to enter the castle, their thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of somepony crying. "Huh?" they said collectively. They looked and saw Misty crying and yelling on the ground a short distance away. them. "I'm sorry I wasn't enough, Opaline! I did everything I could for you! But it was never enough!" Misty said to herself, crying. "Am I doing a good service now, Opaline?! I'm crying you a moat to keep out intruders! WAAAAHHH!!!!!" Everypony watched Misty sob. "This is just... sad." Zipp said. "Is she actually crying? Or is this some elaborate ruse to distract us?" Hitch asked. "This ain't no ruse. I recognize a friend in need when I see one." Izzy said. Izzy walked up to and comforted her friend Misty. "Hey. There there, Misty-mama. What's wrong, friend?" Izzy asked. Misty wiped her face, and sniffed up her nose, in order to be heard clearly. "I tried for so long. I gave my LIFE to Opaline, all because I wanted to repay her for saving my life. She promised me a cutie mark when I properly earned it. But now she said I wasn't deserving of a cutie mark at all!! Even after all I've done for her! Even with only a few hours left of our existence, she said I wasn't good enough." Misty cried. Misty cried, and pressed her head against Izzy's chest. Izzy felt the tears run from Misty's face, and embraced her best unicorn friend. "There there, Misty. The measure of a pony's virtue isn't by the material deeds they do. It's what's within that counts." Izzy said. "Like what? My BMI?" Misty asked. "Not that inside. I mean, the heart. Your character." Izzy said. "Cutie mark or not, you're my friend. I would never ask you to do some stuff to prove your worth. That's just not right, it's a terrible mindset to be in. You're my best unicorn friend in the whole wide bay, and I love you, Misty." Izzy said. "You mean that? But all I've done is assist Opaline with her terrible plans." Misty said, crying. "I can tell that you never wanted to really hurt anypony. You're lonely, and you need friends to really experience what friendship is, and I'm here to be your best friend." Izzy said. Izzy's warm words turned Misty's sad tears into happier tears. Izzy embraced Misty, and allowed her to continue crying into her chest. Everypony let Misty cry, and let it all out. Even though they were all aware of the ticking time, it only seemed appropriate to let Misty's emotions flow out of her. "You good?" Zipp asked. Misty nodded gently. "Please tell me you're done with Opaline for good. She's done nothing but treat you horribly." Pipp said. “I am. If she doesn’t want my help, then it’s her loss. And her loss, is your guy’s gain.” Misty said. *sniff* Izzy once again gave Misty a big hug, and Misty embraced Izzy. Pipp, Sparky, and Zipp also hugged Izzy and Misty. Izzy held Misty's hoof. "Now will you please help us save our friend?" Izzy asked. "Yes. Of course. Sunny's your friend, and friends are important. And I will do everything in my power to help you save Sunny!" Misty exclaimed dramatically. "Great! So how do we save Sunny?" Zipp asked. Misty began explaining. "Alright. Sunny's being held in Opaline's throne room at the very top. To get there, all you gotta do is enter the main gate, enter the foyer, go up the grand staircase, enter through the left doorway, through the grand hall, up four stories via spiral staircase E, enter the 6th door to your left on that floor's hallway, and finally you climb the never ending staircase to the very tip top." Misty explained quickly. That was a mouthful to take in at once. Everypony looked up and really took in the height of the castle. They noted how powerful the spell seemed to have gotten by this point. “You seriously do all of that any time you wanna climb up or down the tower?” Pipp asked. "Mhm." Misty said. "That'll take too much time though. There's no way we all can get up there in time." Zipp said. "We might not need to." Izzy said, with a devious face. Izzy turned around and climbed back into the Marestream. "Izzy? Where are you going!? Now's not the time to retreat!" Zipp said. Izzy honked the horn of the Marestream loudly. "Izzy, we can't retreat." Hitch said. "No, not retreating. But if climbing to the top is going to take too long, we'll fly up there! Together!" Izzy said. “That’s… actually not a bad idea.” Zipp said. “Then what are we waiting for!? Let’s all hop back into the Marestream, and dock upstairs.” Izzy said. Zipp, Pipp, Hitch, and Sparky joined Izzy and re-entered the Marestream. Misty watched them enter the Marestream “Come on, Misty?” Izzy said. “Uh, yes! Of course! That’s right, I’m a member of your team now. We’re all in this together. Which means joining you guys in ascending the big tower, and confronting… Opaline.” Misty said. Misty entered the Marestream as well, and the door shut. With the lantern on the dashboard, it glowed in a bright rainbow color, and powered the Marestream. The tram car glowed and lifted off into the air. Misty pointed to the top where Opaline's throne room was. "It's right there. Just land next to the outside." Misty said. "Mhm. Noted." Izzy said. Izzy steered the Marestream... away from Opaline's castle? "Izzy, where are you going?" Pipp asked. "Oh, I'm just getting some distance." Izzy said. The Marestream climbed in altitude, until it was about the same height as the top of the tower. "Altitude set. Adjust position." Izzy said. Izzy faced the Marestream directly at the castle. Izzy revved up the Marestream. "Izzy, what are you doing?" Pipp asked. "Izzy, please don't do what I think you're about to do." Zipp said. Izzy started to laugh maniacally. "But I am. Fasten your seat belts fillies and gentlecolts." Izzy said. "We're going to crash this castle!!" "Izzy, please don't!" Pipp pleaded. "Surely there's a less destructive way to do this!" Misty said. "Izzy there is a baby dragon aboard!" Hitch said. Sparky covered his eyes. Izzy floored the Marestream and accelerated. "AAHHH!!!!!" everypony exclaimed. The Marestream zoomed directly at Opaline's castle until- Meanwhile, inside Opaline's castle, Opaline sat on her throne room, stroking Sunny's mane. "Your mane. Those colors. It's interesting how being an alicorn forever altered your appearance, yet you continue to hide your wings and horn from me." Opaline said. "It takes more than power to rule the world. It also takes brains. How clever of me to find the statue of the trio, and trick you into releasing them. And I tricked them into thinking they had an upper hoof on me, but I was one step ahead of them the whole time. Pitting Tirek, Chrysalis, and Cozy Glow against you and your friends was a carefully calculated win win for me. They win, I trick gullible ol you into giving me what I wanted. Poor Sunny Starscout. So kind hearted, and so foolish." Opaline said. "As much as I love dragon fire, as a fire alicorn myself, gathering enough heat to melt those pesky Unity Crystals, thus giving me the magic of Twilight Sparkle, was a career defining moment. With mere moments to spare before the world is transformed, and not a single sign of your pitiful friends, I declare this land from here on out my..." Opaline paused when she heard a loud sound outside. Opaline and Sunny looked and saw- *CRASH* The Marestream 2.0 crashed into Opaline's castle. The Marestream went clean through the wall, and then stopped when it hit the opposite wall. "Thank hoofness for seat belts." Izzy said. "Goodness gracious! So intrusive! Couldn't you have just knocked like normal ponies!?" Opaline asked. Izzy kicked the door open, and leaped out. "Put 'em up, alicorn! Surrender now and let Sunny go!" Izzy exclaimed. "You and what army?" Opaline asked. "Me and... huh?" Izzy said. Everypony else slowly walked out the Marestream, all dazed and dizzy. "Please never do that again, Izzy." Pipp said. "I probably could've come up with a more effective... and less destructive means to achieve this same outcome, Izzy." Zipp said. "So it looks like this is a party after all." Opaline said. "Nuh-UH! We're crashing this party!" Izzy exclaimed. "Izzy?" Sunny asked softly. "Sunny!" Izzy exclaimed. Opaline looked, and saw Misty peeking her head out of the Marestream door. "Misty?" Opaline said. "Eeek!" Misty exclaimed. Misty shrieked in fear when Opaline shouted her name, and retreated to the inside of the Marestream. But the rest of Sunny's friends were undeterred. Though they were certainly still somewhat dizzy. Regardless, they stood strong, and determined, and they were ready to do whatever it would take to fight for Sunny, stop Opaline, and stop her wretched spell.