It was only a few short minutes ago that an avalanche forced Sunny, Izzy, Pipp, Misty, Kova, Vincent and the remaining members of Mystery Incorporated into the temple, barely making it inside before the entrance was covered in a large amount of ice and snow.
This left them trapped in the dark... alone and cold in the silence.
That is, until Shaggy's voice spoke up from out of the darkness. “Like, that was snow picnic! Ha ha!”
“Yeah, real funny, Shaggy,” Pipp said sarcastically. “You’re lucky we weren’t turned into pony popsicles!”
“But we weren’t,” Daphne's voice spoke up next. “And being together is the most important thing right now.”
Suddenly, Kova sniffed the air, not liking the smell that entered her nose. “Why does it smell like wet…?”
But as her wings and Izzy and Misty’s horns lit up, Kova saw that Scooby was holding her, Daphne, Shaggy and Vincent very tightly, all while waist-deep in the snowbank. “...oh…”
Scooby continued to whimper for a few more seconds until Shaggy rubbed his head reassuringly. “Like, relax, Scooby-Doo. We’re all still alive.”
“Are you sure, Shaggy…?”
Shaggy looked around, but at the creepy atmosphere that seemed to linger over the temple, all his optimism melted away. “Nope!”
He quickly darted to Scooby and hugged him tight, causing Kova to sigh. “So much for bravery. Hang on, Scoob, I’ll get you out of there.”
She quickly picked the Great Dane up in her paws and set him to the side as the others got out of the snow pile while the others got out and looked around. “How very lucky the unicorns were able to open the door in time,” Vincent said in relief. “We could have been crushed between the doors and avalanche.”
“But on the other hoof,” said Misty, “we’re completely snowed in!”
“Then dude,” said Shaggy, “how are we supposed to get out of here?!”
“I have an idea,” Daphne said in thought. “Follow me and watch out. Places like this are always filled with booby traps.”
“All right then, everypony!” Pipp prepared to take off. “Let’s get in there and--”
But before she could fly off, her wings glitched and she came crashing to the floor. “Ow...”
“Whoa!” Izzy ran over to Pipp and helped her up. “You okay, Pipperdoodle?”
“Yeah, but what the hay just happened?” Pipp asked while flapping her wings. “Why did my wings stop working?”
“Ohhh right...” Kova suddenly recalled something. “I just remembered that some forms of magic don't work within the temple walls, so we have to rely on other types of magic if the situation were to arise.”
“Oh, great...” Misty sighed. “Just what we needed-- to be stranded in a creepy place with no magic!”
But deciding that her friends needed her, with or without magic, Misty sighed and followed her friends through the hallways of the temple, with Kova’s wings lighting the way, since her magic seemed to be working in the temple walls.
Sunny admired the walls of the temple with sparkling eyes, gasping in wonder. “Look at all of these historical artifacts! Even though we're here on a mission, I would totally love to get a closer look at these artifacts if we have the time!”
Kova chuckled at this. “My grandfather would have loved you, Sunny. He was a history buff too, and he loved to study magic and old history books when he wasn't chasing me and my brother down.”
Sunny giggled at this. “Your family sounds really great. Do you think we'll get the chance to meet them?”
“...I wish,” Kova said with a sigh. “My grandpa passed about a moon ago and my brother... well...”
Sunny frowned at the sound of this. “Sensitive subject?”
“...yeah, you could say that. And... Allura did have something to do with it.”
“Oh... I'm so sorry, Kova, I had no idea,” Sunny said sincerely. “I can't imagine how hard that was for you.”
“...thanks, Sunny,” Kova smiled gently. “I really appreciate you taking the time to talk to me. I thought Izzy would be the only one who would listen to me.”
“Izzy is a really great listener,” said Sunny, “but you can talk to us about how you're feeling whenever you want to. You know that, right?”
“...I do now. Thanks, Sunny... for everything.”
“No problem. Now come on-- we have friends to catch up with!”
XXXXXXXX
When Sunny and Kova led the group to the middle of the temple, where there was a view of the sky, they realized that there was a high wall between them and any attempt at freedom.
Vincent was the first to speak after a moment. “I don't suppose anyone has a rope?”
“Right... and with Equestrian magic down and only one flyer,” Daphne reasoned out loud, “it looks like we'll have to find another way out.”
“Like, come on, Vincent,” Shaggy tried to urge their friend. “Don't you have a spell that can make us fly like a pegasus?”
“Or,” said Sunny, “something that might increase Kova’s strength so she might be able to lift everyone out at once?”
“Oh, kids,” Vincent said, hanging his head, “I'm so sorry. I'm...”
Suddenly, Daphne pointed toward something that caught her offguard. “Are you seeing what I'm seeing?”
There on the offering table sat a small candle, the flame on it burning brightly. “So somebody left a candle burning, big deal,” Shaggy brushed off. “But wait... no one's been in here before us,” Pipp pointed out. “So if none of us lit that candle, then who ELSE could have lit that candle?!”
Kova gulped nervously at this. “I'll give you three guesses...”
“I'll give you one!”
At this shout, everyone looked up in fear to see the fearsome Asmodeus towering on the temple walls above them, holding a package under his arm and leaving many to gasp while Shaggy cried out in terror. “Zoinks!!”
Asmodeus dove down toward them and fired a massive fireball, causing many to dive out of the way and into the snow, thankfully not harmed further than that. While the others were still recovering, Asmodeus pulled a secret door up and entered the secret passageway within, letting the door begin to close behind him. “He’s gonna get away!” Izzy cried. “Not for long!” Sunny responded. “Come on, Daphne!”
Both of them charged toward the door, where Daphne grabbed a large piece of wood and slid under the door with Sunny in pursuit, the wood helping to keep the door open. At the same time, the piece of paper from the package Asmodeus was holding flew off, landing in Sunny's hooves.
The others sighed in relief that their friends had made it, and Sunny beckoned them to follow. “Come on, guys! We still have a mission ahead of us!”
The others crept through the door just as the doors slammed shut, causing Shaggy and Scooby to bolt toward their friends. “What is it?” Vincent asked Daphne about the slip of paper, just as Pipp got a good look at it, her eyes widening. “It’s the Chest of Demons! Asmodeus has it!”
Scooby slammed into the rest of the group, causing them to stumble and land in a huge pile. After everyone got themselves handled, Scooby pointed in the direction that Asmodeus went. “And he’s getting away!”
“No he’s not!” Daphne said as she helped her friends to their feet, paws and hooves. “Come on, gang! I’m gonna miss this…”
“Believe me,” said Pipp as she ran beside Daphne, “so will we.”
The others continued to follow Daphne through the hallways, trying to follow Asmodeus without letting him know he was being followed. When they finally reached the spot where Asmodeus was, Daphne shushed the group before swinging on a banner and grabbing the chest from him, much to his anger. Daphne tossed the chest to Shaggy, and that’s when the chase really began.
Shaggy, Scooby, Pipp and the two unicorns ran as fast as their feet could take them to get away from Asmodeus, who somehow got ahead of them and grabbed the chest from them, causing them to run and hide in the costume closet. Then, one look at some costumes gave Sunny an idea.
Dressing her friends up in a snow-white monster-like costume, they appeared before Asmodeus who dropped the Chest of Demons in surprise and allowed them to make a quick getaway. Of course, Asmodeus quickly figured out and started chasing them again.
After a moment, the group ended up inside a room where both doors locked them in and the spikes started lowering from the ceiling, intending to crush the group. Luckily, to their relief, Scooby managed to find a door in the floor and they escaped the room through that.
But, as they came out on the other side, they ran into Asmodeus again!
No matter where they turned, he was there. Even when they were going up some spiral stairs, he was there waiting. Luckily, before he could steal the chest from them, Shaggy activated a switch that let the stairs turn into a slide and they slid down the staircase again.
They quickly got to the top of the building, and Shaggy used a banner as a zipline to swing their way into the other side of a huge gap.
But at one point, Scooby tripped and lost his friends, prompting Asmodeus to blow a ring of fire to trap the Great Dane. Luckily, Daphne swooped in and saved him, but Asmodeus was able to grab the chest for a few moments, only for Scooby to steal it back by poking the demon between the eyes.
But no matter who’s favor the chase turned in, Asmodeus still ended up with the Chest of Demons in his possession.
XXXXXXXX
After a while of running, Pipp, Izzy, Misty, Shaggy and Scooby reached a large room with a large tolling bell above them. “What do we do?!” Misty asked. “That demon king could be after us in no time!”
“Don’t panic, ponies!” Pipp reassured. “All we need is the element of disguise and some clever improvisation!”
“Uh…” Scooby looked over at Shaggy with confusion. “Did you understand any of Pipp’s theater talk?”
“Like, nope,” Shaggy said. “Not a word.”
Pipp sighed, ears drooping in exasperation. “Just follow my lead…”
XXXXXXXX
Within a few minutes, Asmodeus entered that very same room, looking around for anything suspicious…
…but he did not find anything. All there was in that room were some people doing some meditation.
So, he decided to take his leave just before one of the meditators greeted him. “Like… namaste.”
Asmodeus turned to see Shaggy, in a red cloak that Pipp had found for a disguise, getting up to greet him. “You're just in time for the complimentary hour of guided meditation,” Shaggy said. “My sisters, come forth and greet our newest brother-in-arms!”
Pipp, Izzy and Misty (who also wore red cloaks) turned to him and bowed. “Namaste, great demon brother,” Izzy said dramatically. “We shall turn your life around and help you find spiritual peace, kapish?”
Asmodeus blinked in confusion. “Uh…”
“Good, good, good,” Pipp patted his shoulder before trotting over to Scooby. “Don't mind Brother Scoobert-- he's observing the last year of a ten-year vow… of silence.”
Scooby opened his eyes and looked at his friends with confusion. “I am?”
Misty chuckled nervously at this. “Well, he was…” she said before turning to Scooby in a whisper. “Scooby, I thought we agreed you would keep silent during the skit!”
“Oh… did I?” Scooby recalled with a nervous giggle. “Sorry…”
“Anyway, first you'll need to pretzel your legs like a lotus,” Shaggy said, getting down on the floor and crossing his legs into an uncomfortable position. “And no, I don't know what a lotus is. But who doesn't love a good pretzel? Am I right? Man, I love pretzels.”
Asmodeus tried to cross his legs for this part, but was unable to, holding the Chest of Demons, so Izzy and Misty helped him with this part. “Now, you'll need to free up your hands for this bit,” said Shaggy. “So, Sister Misty and Sister Izzy, if you please…?”
“Come to Izzy…” Izzy whispered, reaching out for the chest when Asmodeus roared, sending the unicorns flying back into a nearby wall. After a moment of silence, Misty groaned as they got up. “We’re okay!”
“Now,” Shaggy scolded, “is that anyway to achieve inner peace?”
“Speaking of peace,” Pipp cut in, “I think it’s about time for our mantra. Brother Scoobert?”
Scooby then sat down on the floor with his legs crossed and eyes closed before beginning to chant. “Om… om… om… om, oooom…!!”
Now, it was Shaggy's turn to do the same thing. “Like, om… om… om…”
Asmodeus watched this in confusion, still grasping the chest tightly before shrugging and deciding to try meditation himself. “Om… om…”
“Om… ohhhhh my pony!” Pipp cried out with wide eyes. “We forgot to get you a robe!”
“Oh, you’re right, Sister Pipp!” Izzy said before she and Shaggy rushed over to a nearby chest. “What are you, a size six?”
“Hmmm…” Scooby said, studying Asmodeus a bit. “Seven-and-a-half.”
“No no no, I think he looks like more a seven,” Misty interrupted before Asmodeus started glaring at her. “Seven… and three quarters…?”
“Thirteen!” Asmodeus barked, just as Izzy and Shaggy arrived with the largest cloak the ponies had ever seen. “Thirteen? Zoinks!” Shaggy exclaimed. “You’re a big one, dude!”
“Ahem,” Misty cleared her throat as she held up one of the sleeves with her horn. “Now, just slip those arms through the sleeves…”
Asmodeus did so without any complaints, and then, when his arms were fully off the chest, Misty knew when to give the cue. “Pipp, now!”
Pipp leapt in without any hesitation and kicked the Chest of Demons to Scooby, and in his attempt to get the group, Asmodeus got himself tied up in the robe, allowing the group to run for the doors. “Namaste!” Shaggy cried. “Namaste!”
“Namaste,” said Pipp, “as far away from us as possible-ay!!”
And just like that, they sped off through the doors, and within minutes, Asmodeus trailed behind, the fires of his fury strengthening him beyond level.
Now we can only wonder... what would our heroes do next?