A little while later, after Mrs. Wentworth was taken away, the mayor took out another deed and faced Shaggy, a bit of a sad look on his face. “Well, I'm assuming that you'll want to lay claim to the land then.”
“No way!” Shaggy answered. “This land belongs to you and the rest of the town. I'm actually pretty proud to know my ancestors came from such imaginative and entrepreneurial people.”
“Well,” said the mayor, a smile beginning to form, “then there’s only one thing left to do.”
“What’s that, mayor?” Izzy asked, but just as the mayor began to speak, another voice interrupted him. “You’re going to bow to the might of Opaline Arcana-- that’s what!”
Everyone gasped as they looked up to see Opaline Arcana above them with flaming wings and a flaming horn, making a lot of ponies who had gathered around them to gasp and shriek. “Oh no…” Pipp sighed with worry. “Here we go again!”
“Ponies and humans of all the lands!” Opaline exclaimed, her horn flaring up. “It is I, Opaline Arcana, about to turn this night into a nightmare spectacular! But first... I believe you have something that belongs to me!”
With the blast from her horn, she cast a spell on the tree, causing magical vines to erupt from the tree and start to reach the ponies' cutie marks, causing Opaline to cackle. “Everypony, run!” Sunny cried. “Don’t let those vines grab you!”
This was enough to stop everypony screaming and running, trying to avoid the vines. Unfortunately, many of the ponies were grabbed, causing their cutie marks to swiftly be ripped away... including Izzy's.
Paradise, wearing dark blue saddlebags on her back, arrived shortly after the attack began, gasping at the sight of the mass chaos. “No! No no no no!!”
She had to do something... she couldn't let Opaline win!
Not now... not ever.
So, with anger and determination in her mind, she charged right toward the alicorn with no intent in stopping. “RAAAAAAAAGH!!!”
“Huh?!” Opaline turned and shrieked just in time to see Paradise slam into her, knocking her to the ground, where Paradise furiously tried to stomp on Opaline’s face, but she kept moving.
That’s when Opaline got another idea.
With the swift flick of her horn, Paradise’s eyes glowed a bright magenta, and for some reason, she let Opaline go. “Now now now, Paradise,” she said in a sickening sweet voice that everyone heard. “You don’t want to upset your mother, do you?”
Instead of answering her in a hateful tone, many were surprised to hear Paradise speak in a monotone voice... as if she was being made to say these things. “Yes… Mother.”
Misty gasped upon hearing this and ran toward her mother. “Mom, no!!”
“Uh uh uh…” Opaline said, hoisting Misty off the ground and throwing her back into her friends. “She is no mother to you… but a beloved daughter to me.”
“Opaline, let Paradise go! Now!” Fred cried out. “NEVER!!” Opaline shrieked in anguish. But... one look on Paradise's face made her hum in thought, a wicked idea coming into her mind. “Well... there is ONE way that you can get her back.”
Sunny raised an eyebrow at this, suspicious of this so-called offer. “And... that is?”
“You, Sunny Starscout, must beat me in an alicorn duel in Morgan’s Keep in two hours. Win, and Paradise and the cutie marks shall go free. Fail... well, the consequences will be very brutal. If you accept... I will see you in a few hours. Be ready to fight... cause I sure will be.”
And with that, Opaline stepped through a portal forming in the tree, with a brainwashed Paradise trotting behind her.
Misty tried to follow after them, but the portal closed before she could get through, leaving her to bang her hooves on the tree. “No! No! NO!!”
The poor unicorn was in tears by this point, and as the others stood in sadness and fear, Fred walked up to her and rubbed the top of her head. “Don’t worry, Misty... we'll get her back.”
“What do we do now?” Pipp wondered. “Sunny's the only one left with a cutie mark!”
“And if Sunny goes down, we all do!” Daphne said. “No... you won't,” Sunny spoke boldly. “Cause I'm going to go and fight her... and I'm gonna win.”
“Sunny... like, you can't face Opaline on your own!” Shaggy tried to argue. “She could wipe you like a paper towel on a juice spill! That's why Scoob and me...”
“...we're going with you,” Scooby finished. “No... I can't let you do that for me,” Sunny shook her head. “You have to stay here and help your friends protect everypony.”
“But you're our friend too. Scoob and I are beyond terrified of Opaline, but like, we're more afraid of you getting hurt than we are of her at the moment,” Shaggy stated. “Besides, while you fight Opaline, we can get Paradise out of that trance and make a quick getaway!”
“Please let us help, Sunny... you guys mean more to us than snacks do!” Scooby begged. Sunny was about to protest again, but the boys used their puppy eyes in an attempt to convince her... and since Scooby was a dog, they were twice as convincing.
This caused Sunny to glance around before sighing. “Okay, fine... once you free Paradise, run to safety immediately.”
“And while you all do that, I think I have a plan of my own,” Royal said. “Opaline is somehow using these trees as portals, and is using them to steal cutie marks, correct?”
“Sure, but... what does that have to do with anything?” Daphne asked. “Well... I originally thought that they were meant to leech power from ponies, but then, I realized that if filled with the magic of unity and everypony working together,” Royal stated, “we may stand a fighting chance!”
“So... we need to gather everyone in town and the people in Camelot together,” said Zipp, “around the trees and act as one force!”
“That's a great idea!” Sunny said before taking out her heart locket from the North Pole and putting it on. “We better go if we wanna get to Morgan’s Keep in time for the duel.”
With this being said, Sunny shifted into her alicorn form and let her magic levitate Shaggy and Scooby off the ground. “Be careful, guys! We know you can do it!” Velma cried, and the three of them flew out of sight just as Hitch noticed something off. “Has anypony seen Sparky?”
XXXXXXXX
The little baby dragon peeked through the saddlebag Paradise had been wearing to where they are, but he couldn't tell what this place was, making him that much more nervous. “The time has come! I have nearly all of the magic I need to return to Equestria!” Opaline cackled victoriously. “And once I take down Sunny Starscout, I'll have the last of the cutie mark magic I need, and return to Equestria to seize the Unity Crystals at once! Ha ha ha ha ha ha!!”
“Opaline!”
The fire alicorn turned to the open door, revealing Sunny, Scooby and Shaggy flying in with angered expressions. “And here they are now!” Opaline said with a smirk. “Right on schedule.”
Shaggy and Scooby immediately gasped at seeing the brainwashed Paradise, and even more so to see Sparky hiding inside her saddlebag. Nonetheless, they kept quiet so they wouldn’t blow Sparky’s cover. Scooby decided to yet over his nerves and speak first. “You have to stop this!”
Unfortunately, Opaline used her magic to bind the group to the ground before approaching them. “Why should I? It’s already over! I have all of the magic in Equestria! Except… this little bit right here,” Opaline looked at Sunny's cutie mark... the only curie mark that remained from her collection. “You don’t have to do this!” Sunny spoke up. “And you don’t have to be alone. We can all live in unity.”
“Oh, I'm not alone... you're here. And you brought two little friends with you!” Opaline tried to pet Scooby, who merely snapped at her before she turned back to Sunny. “And you're just... like... me. You want power, too. It's what all alicorns want.”
“Ugh!” Sunny scoffed. “You don't know ANYTHING about me.”
Opaline gently trotted in a circle around the trio, not removing her gaze on Sunny. “Oh really... you don't study magic and collect powerful artifacts? You don't keep the Unity Crystals in your lair, locked away behind a magic spell?”
This caused all three of them to gasp. “H-How do you know that?” Shaggy gulped. “I’ve been watching you all,” Opaline spoke as she walked up toward them. “Sunny helped to reawaken all the magic in Equestria! And look at you, you got more of it than any of your friends!”
“That’s not what I wanted,” Sunny shook her head. “I just wanted to protect our friends and understand magic!”
This caused Opaline to smirk. “You seek knowledge. I see. And tell me, little pony-- what is knowledge? It's power!”
Sunny summoned up as much of her powers as she could to free herself and her friends from their binds. “You guys know what you have to do!”
“Right!”
Sunny quickly brought out her shield as they were pushed back, which caused both alicorns to strain as Opaline stopped her beam and started firing at them, which caused Sunny and her friends go quickly separate as they dodged the lasers.
Sunny brought out her shield again as she blocked her friends to give them some time to get to Paradise. “I'm not like you!!!”
“Get her, Sunny! Wipe that smug look off that fire pony!” Shaggy cried as the twi alicorns continued to fly and fight before he and Scooby moved to Paradise. “Paradise? Paradise, come on!”
“You gotta wake up!” Scooby shook her by the shoulder. “Misty really needs you!”
Unfortunately, all their efforts were in vain, and while they tried to wake Paradise from the spell, Opaline was able to tie Sunny's hooves together once again, leaving her unable to escape. “Fine!” Opaline yelled out as Sunny tried to break free, “If you really don’t care about power, then watch me take it all!!!”
“No!!!”
Sunny tried her best to break free, but she wasn't physically strong enough and her cutie mark quickly got ripped away from her flank. “Please!!” Sunny begged, but she quickly lost her alicorn form, causing her to fall toward the ground and for Scooby to catch her. “Sunny, dude!” Shaggy cried. “Are you okay?!”
“I’m fine… other than my cutie mark, I guess,” Sunny sighed, getting up onto her hooves. “Now I have the whole set!” Opaline declared as she put Sunny’s cutie mark into her necklace as her wings flared up with immense power. “I win! I am the fire alicorn! I AM POWER!!! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!”
Sparky moved onto Paradise's head, using his dragon magic on her, which got her curie mark to glow as Paradise’s eyes returned to normal, snapping her out of the mind control. "Wha... what's happening?"
“And nothing can stop me from taking your precious Unity Crystals either!” Opaline threatened. “Once I get this portal opened and you and your friends are destroyed, I'll shut down every protection spell in Equestria!”
Shaggy and Scooby stood by Sunny’s side, ready to help defend their friend if she needed it.“And,” Opaline roared, “I'll rule over you little, powerless ponies... FOR ALL ETERNITY!!! HA HA HA HA HA HA!!! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!”
XXXXXXXX
Back in Norville o’er Morgania, the others watched in fear as lightning flashed across the sky at a rapid pace, causing the gang to gasp in fear. “Jinkies!” Velma cried. “I guess Sunny wasn't able to beat Opaline after all!”
“That can't be! We have to do something!” Pipp exclaimed. “Pipp is right!” Misty said. “We’ll find a solution... I hope...”
XXXXXXXX
At the Together Trees with the darkened skies, all of the ponies in Camelot, Royal's friends and cousin included, gathered together as Aspen came closer to the tree and touched his hoof to the base of it as his friends smiled at him right before he started singing.
Aspen: Hey ponies listen to me
You gotta hear what I’m sayin'
You’ve got that sparkle deep inside
You’ve got a talent worth displayin'
Then, many different ponies, whether in Camelot or Norville o'er Morgania began to join in and sing with the colt.
Phoenix, Platinum and Aspen: We just need a little hope...
Hitch and Izzy: We just need a little unity
Velma, Daphne, Fred, Hitch and Izzy: We just need to find the ma-agic
That’s inside of everypony
All: Sometimes it feels a little hopeless
But things aren’t always what they seem
Can you feel it, the energy
Yeah the power is growing
Then, the wings of the pegasi, the horns of the unicorns and the hooves of the earth ponies all began to glow with a great light, sending their energy into the trees and changing them into forces of great might... not the twisted plants that Opaline had intended.
XXXXXXXX
Back at the castle, Scooby and Shaggy helped Sunny rise to her hooves so they could face Opaline, with our without powers. “You can take my cutie mark,” Sunny told Opaline, “but you can't take what makes me... me.”
Opaline, however, looked skeptical about this. “Uh-huh.”
“Like, Sunny has hope,” Shaggy gained a voice to speak. “Hope for a better future-- for all ponies and creatures, no matter where they are, to make their mark on wherever they live.”
“That is why,” Sunny said, “you and I are never going to be the same, Opaline. Because I have hope...”
Then, all three of them held hands, hooves and paws, stating one thing in unison: “...and we have friendship!”
Just then, they all heard echoes of all the ponies in the village and in Camelot singing from the roots of the castle.
XXXXXXXX
All: Don’t look now, things will get better
So hold my hoof
Cause we’re growing together
We got the strength to take on whatever
Cause we got the magic
We got the magic in us
The magic continued to pour into the trees as Royal, Zipp and Pipp flapped their wings and flew to the highest point of the tree, in order to inspire all the ponies and citizens further.
All: So everypony, everywhere
Now is the time to raise your voices
You know its time to show your courage, yeah
And nopony’s gonna stop us, no
Cause there is hope when we’re together
And it grows stronger when we sing
So raise our voices in unison.
Raise our voices in harmony, yeah
Don’t look now
Things will get better...
XXXXXXXX
Back in Morgan’s Keep, everyone kept listening to the song as Sunny's locket began to glow and pulsate, making Scooby smile and turn to Opaline with a smile. “And what is friendship, Opaline?!”
Suddenly, the locket burst open and released a rainbow of light which circled Sunny and her friends in the shape of a heart before encased Opaline with its own powerful magic.
With her evil mother distracted, Paradise turned to the baby dragon on her back, internally thankful that Opaline spared her cutie mark so she could go through with this. “Now, Sparky!”
With the glow of her horn and the stomp of her hoof, Sparky was instantly transported to the Dragonstone, much to Opaline’s bewilderment. “But... but, you're under my spell!”
Sunny, however, sighed in relief. “Oh, Paradise!”
Sparky babbled and used his dragonfire on the stone and took back all of his magic from Opaline. "What?!” Opaline cried out with a gasp as the dragon fire destroyed the necklace and freeing the Mane 6's cutie marks. “NOOO!!!”
Sunny's cutie mark flew back toward her while the rest of the cutie marks belonging to her friends disappeared, and having her cutie mark back restored her alicorn powers to their full glory. “Yeah-heh!”
With Sunny having her powers back, Sparky blew his dragon fire at Opaline's tree and began to return the cutie marks to the proper owners as the song seemed to reach maximum value.
All: Don’t look now, things are getting better
So hold my hoof cause we’re growing together
We got the strength to take on whatever
Cause we got the magic, we got the magic
All across the English countryside that Shaggy’s ancestors once called home, the cutie marks returend to their respective owners, especially the rest of the Mane 6, Aspen, Roy, Phoenix and Platinum, as they were overjoyed that their cutie marks have returned to them.
All: Don’t look now, things are getting better
So hold my hoof cause we’re growing together
We got the strength to take on whatever
Cause we got the magic, we got the magic
Just take another look, things are getting better
We’re growing stronger, growing together
We’ll always have each other forever
Cause we got the magic, we got the magic in us (Pipp: Don’t look now)
Yeah we got the magic, we got the magic in us (Pipp: Don’t look now)
Yeah we got the magic, we got the magic in us (Pipp: Don’t look now)
We’ve got the magic
We’ve got the magic in us
XXXXXXXX
The tree in Morgan’s Keep soon began to grow wildly, causing the entire structure to begin to crumble, and making Paradise panic. “We should go!!”
Sunny picked up her heart locket which closed, before following her friends to the other side. Opaline was free from her rainbow prison by this point, but the gang didn't really care by this point. "And Opaline, we are not friends," Scooby added and Oplaine snarled. "Just wanted to clear that up."
Paradise stomped her hooves to the ground, teleporting everyone out of the castle and to safety, causing Opaline to shriek in anguish.
No matter... she would come back... she would ALWAYS come back with another plan.
Opaline groaned and moved but she became blocked by the growing tree roots and her cutie mark was taken by one of the roots. “Noooooo!!! My mark!” Opaline chased the root into a tree trunk opening. “My power! Come back!”
But, as soon as she entered, Opaline’s eyes widened as the entrance she came through began to close forever cause of Sparky's unleashed magic. “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
And with her final scream, the tree was sealed, Morgan's Keep was destroyed, and everything seemed to be all right.
Because one thing was for certain...
...Opaline Arcana was gone for good this time.