*Spottedleaf's POV*
After Cyber had kicked the panther where it would really hurt, the large black cat ran off as Nightmare Moon vanishes.
I help Cyber back up onto her hooves.
I spoke "Twilight, Flash! Follow me!"
I dart back to the library with the three ponies.
But little did we know that six more ponies followed us as Spike and Wendy woke up.
Wendy spoke "We gotta stop Nightmare...."
I spoke "Sorry Spike and Wendy, it's just too dangerous for you both."
Cyber asks "What are we looking for though?"
Rainbow Dash snaps "Alright you spies! Talk!"
Azure Wind spoke "Rainbow, calm down!"
I growl "We ain't spies!"
Applejack spoke "Simmer down, sally!"
Crosswind had pulled Rainbow's tail, getting the mare to back off.
Crosswind spoke "But they do know what's goin' on."
Blizzardstar asks "Don't you Twilight?"
Twilight sighs "Yes."
I explained to the nine about my prophetic dreams.
Twilight spoke "The only way we can stop Nightmare Moon is to find the Elements of Harmony."
Flowerstep asks "And where would those be?"
Flash spoke "The last known location... is the Everfree Forest..."
The seven mares, two stallions and I were soon on the border of the forest.
I spoke "As Flash mentioned one time... The weather doesn't work the same way as the rest of Equestria does... The animals care for themselves, plus the plants are wild...."
Twilight spoke "You girls should go back. Flash, Cyber, Leaf and I can handle this ourselves."
Rainbow Dash spoke "No way!"
I spoke "You're just asking to get killed Skittles."
Azure Wind spoke "Uh-oh…"
Rainbow Dash shouts "WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?!"
Azure grabs Rainbow by the face before kissing her on the lips, calming her back down.
Azure spoke "Watch it fluffball, only I can call Rainbow by that nickname."
“Or what, blue rat?” I quipped before Rainbow Dash face-hoofed.
Twilight whacked me on the back of the head with a forehoof.
Azure Wind growls "What… did you just call me?"
Rainbow spoke "Az, cool your jets."
But Azure looked like he was really starting to get angry.
Rainbow nuzzles her head under Azure's chin, calming the stallion down.
Azure chuckles "Just you wait Skittles, I got plans for you later."
Rainbow Dash giggles "And I just can’t wait, bad boy."
Twilight spoke "*ahem* Anyways... We should stick together, who knows when that panther could attack again."
And so, the nine ponies formed a circle around me as they trek into the forest.
I ask "Have any of you been into the forest before?"
Rarity spoke "Heavens no darling. It's just like you said Leaf, the Everfree Forest doesn't operate by the same rules as the rest of Equestria."
Azure spoke "I’m used to stuff like that."
My ears perk up suddenly.
I yowl "FALLING ROCKS!!!"
Twilight and I were dangling off the edge of the cliff though I had Twilight's tail in my mouth.
Twilight spoke "Applejack! Help!"
Applejack spoke "Hold on! I'm a-comin'!"
Twilight asks "Applejack! What do I do?"
Applejack spoke "Let go."
Twilight spoke "Are you crazy? That would kill me and Leaf!"
Applejack spoke "No I ain't. I promise you'll be safe."
Twilight spoke "That's not true!"
Applejack spoke "Now listen here. What I'm sayin' to you is the honest truth. Let go, and you'll be safe."
I could tell she was being honest, but it was still nerve-wracking.
Twilight slid off the ledge, only to be caught by Flash as Rainbow and Fluttershy had a hold of me.
I snicker "Real smooth Flash!"
And much to my amusement, Twilight was a blushing mess when she was caught by Flash bridal style.
Azure and the others snicker.
I snicker "Sparkles has it bad!"
I soon hear roaring since the black panther from before was fighting with a manticore.
Cyber spoke "Wait a minute…"
I ask "What is it Cyber?"
Cyber spoke "That panther looks familiar..."
But something was off about the manticore.
But to our shock, Fluttershy was approaching them.
Twilight spoke "Fluttershy, what are you doing? Run!"
Little did the ponies and I know, a black anthro cat with ice blue eyes and a purple collar that was studded with teeth was watching from the shadows.
Fluttershy spoke "It’s okay you two. Calm down."
The panther ran off once again.
The manticore stopped.
I spoke "uh..."
Fluttershy grabbed something and pulled it out before the manticore roared.
Twilight and I gasp "Fluttershy!"
But then it hugged Fluttershy, affectionately licking her.
Twilight asks "How did you know about the thorn?"
Fluttershy spoke "I didn't, sometimes we just need to show a little bit of kindness."
*Some time later*
Rarity spoke "My eyes need a rest from all this icky mud... Uh, I think I just stepped in something."
Flash asks "Is she... Laughing at the trees?"
“Pinkie?” I noticed.
Twilight spoke "Tell me she's not..."
Rarity spoke "She is..."
Azure spoke "Cue music."
I facepaw as Pinkie sang Giggle at the Ghosties before laughing along with the ponies.
Cyber spoke "We should get a move on. Given that I hear someone crying."
Rarity’s ears twitched at that.
*At the river*
Cyber asks "Excuse me sir, is everything okay?"
Steven cries "Well, I don't know. I was just sitting here, minding my own business, when this tacky black furball with a purple collar that's got teeth embedded in it just whisked past me and sliced half of my beloved mustache clean off, and now I look simply horrid!"
I ask "Black furball with a purple collar?"
Steven cries "Yeah! I don't know where he came from but that collar was so tacky!"
I think "Something just doesn't add up here... I should try to contact my ancestors about that cat."
Cyber spoke "Something must be done to fix this."
Rarity spoke "Blizzardstar might not like this idea I have but I have to fix this."
Rarity pulls one scale off Steven's body, making him yelp in shock.
Steven yelps "Ow! What was that for?"
Twilight asks "Rarity, what are you...?"
Rarity chops her tail off, causing Steven to think she had hurt him instead thus he had fainted.
To my surprise, Rarity had used her tail to repair Steven's mustache.
Though unheard by the ponies, Thunder spoke "Impressive..."
Azure spoke "Wow… that took guts."
I spoke "Yeah but we're only half way there!"
Twilight spoke "Oh look, we can cross the river now."
Steven spoke "Allow me."
I spoke "Good idea, since I hate getting wet. It's a cat thing you know."
After the ponies and I cross over the river, I wave farewell to Steven.
Twilight spoke "We're almost there! Come on!"
I pull Twilight back with magic just as she was about to run off yet another cliff.
I spoke "You nearly fell off another cliff Sparkles, you just have to be patient."
Rainbow Dash spoke "Don’t worry. Azure and I have got this."
Thunder whispers in my ear as I spoke "Just watch out for three ponies in dark outfits, they might try to trick you two speedsters."
*Rainbow's POV*
As Azure and I were about to fix the bridge, we heard voices.
I ask "Who goes there?"
Azure spoke "Show yourselves!"
It was just as Spottedleaf warned me about, three Pegasi in dark outfits appear.
A mare spoke "We were looking for you two.
Spottedleaf yowls "Rainbow! Azure! DON'T LET THEM TRICK YOU!"
But the dark tortoiseshell cat's voice was drowned out by the fog.
Azure spoke "Dashie, we can't leave our friends behind."
I spoke "You're right Azure, I'm not that kind of pony to leave her friends behind!"
I declined the opportunity before Azure and I got the bridge fixed, returning to our friends.
*Spottedleaf's POV*
Rainbow spoke "See? I'd never leave my friends hangin'."
Azure spoke "Neither would I, Friends stick together."
*At the castle*
I spoke "Look Twilight! We made it!"
Twilight spoke "Woah."
Applejack asks "Come on, Twilight. Isn't this what you've been waitin' for?"
Twilight spoke "The Elements of Harmony, we've found them. Careful, careful!"
Pinkie spoke "One, two, three, four... There's only five!"
Rainbow Dash asks "Where's the sixth?"
Cyber spoke "Something's not right... The book said when the five are present, a spark will cause the sixth Element to be revealed."
Azure asks "What's that supposed to mean?"
Twilight spoke "I wonder..."
But then we heard dark laughter.
I had heard Thunder growling since he sensed it too.
Cyber shouts "Nightmare! Where is my brother?"
The voice laughs "Fool! You never noticed?"
I growl "I heard about you... one of my ancestors warned me about you... Scourge!"
I blast Scourge with lightning magic, drawing his attention away from the ponies.
I hiss "I won't let you hurt my friends!"
Thunder had revealed himself to the black cat.
Thunder growls "I should've known you'd end up here too you dumb tom!"
Twilight tries to get the elements to work but suddenly, she ends up in a different part of the castle.
I dropkick Scourge through a wall, knocking him out cold before running back to the others as they went after Twilight.
I spoke "Twilight! We're coming!"
Twilight's eyes sparkle.
Twilight spoke "You think you can destroy The Elements of Harmony just like that? Well, you're wrong, because the spirits of the Elements of Harmony are right here!"
The others and I were by Twilight's side in an instant.
Nightmare Moon gasps "What?"
Twilight spoke "Applejack, who reassured me and Spottedleaf when we were in doubt, represents the spirit of... honesty! Fluttershy, who tamed the manticore with her compassion, represents the spirit of... kindness! Pinkie Pie, who banished fear by giggling in the face of danger, represents the spirit of... laughter! Rarity, who calmed a sorrowful serpent with a meaningful gift represents the spirit of... generosity! Rainbow Dash, who could not abandon her friends for her own heart's desire represents the spirit of... loyalty! And Spottedleaf, the very cat who has been by my side for ten years represents the element of... patience! The spirits of these five ponies and this cat got us through every challenge you threw at us!"
Nightmare Moon spoke "You still don't have the seventh Element! The spark didn't work!"
Twilight spoke "But it did! A different kind of spark. I felt it the very moment I realized how happy I was to hear you, to see you, how much I cared about you. The spark ignited inside me when I realized that you all... are my friends! You see, Nightmare Moon, when those Elements are ignited by the... the spark, that resides in the heart of us all, it creates the seventh element: the element of... magic!"
As the six ponies and I blasted Nightmare with a harmonic beam, Scourge had also gotten caught in the crossfire thus getting the darkness ripped out of his heart.
Soon, everything in the castle was consumed by a blinding light.
Cyber, Flash and Azure shielded their eyes with their wings.
Flash spoke "Twilight!"
I groaned as I came to, not realizing the element of patience was on my neck.
I ask "Is everypony okay?"
Much to the surprise of the ponies, Scourge had been reduced to the size of a 9 year old cat and his collar was gone.
I soon notice the sun rising as Celestia appears.
Twilight spoke "Princess Celestia!"
Princess Celestia spoke "Twilight Sparkle and Spottedleaf, my faithful students. I knew you could do it."
I spoke "But... you told me it was all an old pony tale."
Princess Celestia spoke "I told you that you needed to make some friends aside from each other and Flash, nothing more. I saw the signs of Nightmare Moon's return, and I knew it was you who had the magic inside to defeat her, but you could not unleash it until you let true friendship into your heart. Now if only another will as well. Princess Luna!"
Luna gasps.
Princess Celestia spoke "It has been a thousand years since I have seen you like this. Time to put our differences behind us. We were meant to rule together, little sister."
Twilight, Rainbow and I gasp "Little sister?"
Princess Celestia asks "Will you accept my friendship?"
I had a good grip on Scourge with my magic since he tried to run away.
Luna broke into tears and hugged Celestia.
The black panther was watching the group from afar.
I ask "What should we do with this little brat?"
Pinkie gasps "Hey! You know what this calls for?"
*Back in Ponyville*
Pinkie exclaims "A party!"
Somehow, I wasn't surprised.
Twilight sighs.
Princess Celestia asks "Why so glum, my faithful student? Are you not happy that your quest is complete and you can return to your studies in Canterlot?"
Twilight spoke "That's just it. Just when I learned how wonderful it is to have friends, I have to leave them."
Princess Celestia spoke "Spike, take a note, please. I, Princess Celestia, hereby decree that the unicorn Twilight Sparkle and the dark tortoiseshell cat Spottedleaf shall take on a new mission for Equestria. They must continue to study the magic of friendship. They must report to me their findings from their new home in Ponyville."
Twilight spoke "Oh thank you, Princess Celestia! I'll study harder than ever before."
I spoke "As will I!"
Flash spoke "And I will continue to protect Leaf. One threat may have been stopped but there are still more."
Pinkie Pie exclaims Isn't this exciting? Are you excited cause I'm excited I've never been so excited, well, except for the time that I went [deep gasp] but I mean really-"
I whack Pinkie with a book.
End