Sunset and Cheese Sandwich were feeling rather peckish themselves, but had almost returned to the camp, where everypony else was still waiting. They were ready to set their lumber aside and begin having some bananas with their entire group, feeling rather satisfied with their journey's progress. It was admittedly going to be much more difficult to construct a stable boat or raft with what little they could forage, especially with how many ponies were now stranded on the island itself. Regardless, Sunset remained positive, feeling that she's experienced much worse in the past, including getting stranded on a desert island before. This positivity would almost be short-lived, as once she and Cheese turned the corner to the campsite, something was terribly wrong. The tents were all ruined, and it looked like any leftover resources from Night Glider's group had completely vanished.
"The camp... what happened?" Sunset questioned.
"We have no idea." Night Glider replied. "All we know is that we went off to find some coconuts for a meal, and by the time we came back, the camp was completely trashed."
"Who in Equestria would do such a thing?" Rainbow said. "Wild animals native to the island?"
"It wouldn't surprise me if it was one of those giant plant monsters." Lemon Zest theorized. "Like I mentioned earlier, we had to rescue Ragamuffin and Cheese Sandwich from a pretty vicious beast."
"Muffins... and cheese sandwiches?" Sunny Flare repeated. "Great, now I'm even more hungry than I was before, and we couldn't even find any stinking coconuts. Thanks a lot."
"Sunny Flare, you are aware that they brought back a large bunch of bananas, right?" Night Glider reminded.
"Yeah, but I was really looking forward to having some coconut cream." Sunny Flare muttered.
"Beggars can't be choosers, you know." Twilight replied, before focusing her attention back on the ruined campsite. "Now then, I can't say for certain who was responsible for trashing the camp, but I might have reason to believe it wasn't one of those plant monsters."
"What makes you say that, Princess?" Flash questioned.
"Well, I don't think those plant monsters are capable of producing... this strange trail of sparkling dust." Twilight inspected the unusual substance sprinkled all around the campsite.
"I might recognize what that may be, Princess." Ragamuffin began explaining. "Going off of my years of studying geology, I could be entirely wrong, but it may be leftover dust from gemstones."
"Gem dust?" Twilight continued analyzing the sample. "Well, too bad Spike isn't here to confirm that, he loves to have it sprinkled on his smoothies. Either way, I have no idea what kind of creature would leave behind gem dust, let alone their reasoning for trashing somepony else's camp."
"Could it be a dragon?" Flash suggested. "They're known to like gems and jewels, and Night Glider mentioned that her group's supplies within the tents had been taken. Is it another instance of a dragon's everlasting greed?"
"It's possible, but dragons usually don't leave such a mess behind them." Sunset spoke up. "They're known for their organization and meticulousness, according to what I've read. Besides, it doesn't really seem like a dragon to just leave behind a trail of gem dust."
"Well, whoever was responsible for this, it doesn't seem to matter now." Cheese sighed. "I had a reserve supply of emergency cheese pizzas in those tents, but I guess we won't be having those now."
"Princess, what are we going to do now?" Lemon Zest said, worried. "We don't have a camp or emergency food supply anymore, and we'll be running out of bananas at some point."
"Not to mention, we still need to craft something to get off the island." Ragamuffin reminded.
"First things first, we can work on crafting a makeshift raft with the lumber that Sunset and Cheese Sandwich brought back." Twilight began. "In the meantime, let's salvage what we can from the ruins of our old camp, before we set off on finding the Dragonstone."
"That reminds me, Twilight." Rainbow said. "Where exactly are we supposed to look? I know Rockhoof mentioned he hid the artifact in the center of the island, but... what if he was wrong, or the island's changed drastically since he was last here?"
"The island is pretty huge, so even if we use our Enchantment Tonic to let one of us fly up and get a better view, it'll still be pretty difficult to tell what's considered the 'center' of the island." Sunset added.
"Those are good points." Twilight pondered. "Oh, if only Rockhoof was here. We should've asked him to be more specific on what he considered the 'center' to be, and there's no easy way to contact him now without magic. Even the Enchantment Tonic won't be enough to get us back to Canterlot and another round trip."
"Definitely quite the conundrum." Sunset said, before noticing Night Glider approaching them.
"Hmm, well this is surprising." Night Glider had finished going through what was left of her tent. "Out of everything that managed to not get stolen, it was this old book I borrowed from the Canterlot library?"
"From the Canterlot library?" Twilight's eyes widened. "Night Glider, mind if we take a look at that book? It might have something important that can help us out of this mess."
"Sure thing." Night Glider handed the book over to the princess, who began skimming the pages. "In the meantime, my group and I are going to search around the area for any further clues that could give us an idea of what we're up against."
"I'm certainly going to give whoever stole my stash of gourmet chocolates a real piece of my mind." Sunny Flare gritted her teeth.
"Sure thing, we'll get back to you once we're ready." Twilight replied, before Night Glider, Sunny Flare, Ragamuffin, and Cheese Sandwich had all trotted away together.
"Twilight, I don't quite understand." Rainbow said, perplexed. "What's so important about that book?"
"Aha, I knew it!" Twilight said, rather hopeful. "This book from Canterlot has a section of special magical pages in the back. These are meant for giving a reminder to the borrower of when the due date for their book is approaching. Whoever has a copy of this book's serial number is able to write reminders like that through these special pages. They work exactly like the journal Sunset and I use to communicate with each other."
"Similar to an email, I guess?" Sunset replied, before remembering she had a pen. "Alright, then it's a good thing I snatched this pen from that pirate ship earlier."
"But wait, how are we going to use that if there's no magic?" Rainbow recalled. "Didn't you mention before that you could only communicate that way, if the journal's running on magic?"
"It looks like there's still some magic left." Twilight noticed the words on the page glowing near her hoof. "So we still have a chance to write a message to somepony in Canterlot."
"Some magic left, sounds like my cell phone whenever I go out." Sunset reflected, before taking the journal from Twilight. "Alright, I can write a message right now."
Sunset pressed her pen tip to the magical paper, but was immediately unable to write anything down. Instead, she simply heard a buzzing noise, almost as if the pages were rejecting anything to be written down at all. Moments later, the book projected a holographic image with two white boxes, and the words, 'LOGIN REQUIRED'.
"Hmm, it says that I need a login for that?" Sunset inspected the journal. "This is certainly new. I mean, I've seen this kind of thing on websites when using my computer or phone, but a... book? I feel like this is next-level technology that even the human world doesn't have, which is really saying something."
"Oh, that's right, the Canterlot library security system." Flash began explaining. "Celestia built this messaging network using magic, and I vaguely recall hearing that it was built in to ensure that only Canterlot librarians are able to use this feature. It won't allow somepony unauthorized to write whatever they want on those pages for... pretty obvious reasons."
"Sounds like the same reason I only keep certain contacts on my phone." Sunset replied, before turning to the rest of the group. "Alright, so I guess I'll have to log in using one of your accounts?"
"Actually, as far as I'm aware, Princess Twilight is the only one here who has a login for that." Flash explained. "The rest of us have no connection to the Canterlot library."
"Yeah, since I'm now in charge of the library, I've become Canterlot's head librarian." Twilight giggled. "I haven't really been using this notification feature too much, until I learned that the messages will disappear over time, kind of like magic marker. I guess I was worried about running out of room."
"Alright, what's your username, Twilight?" Sunset turned to the princess. "Could I get your Canterlot librarian login information?"
"Sure thing." Twilight nodded. "It's 'tsparkle@princess.net', no caps."
"Got it." Sunset wrote the username down on the journal's projected hologram. "Okay then, now what's the password?"
Suddenly, there was an immediate and awkward pause, as Sunset looked back at Twilight, noticing that the princess simply stared on, looking rather nervous and hesitant.
"Twilight...?" Sunset was ready to ask again. "What's the password?"
"It's 'flashhunkybearx0x0'." Twilight blurted out, before covering her face in embarrassment. "No caps."
Another awkward pause took place, as everypony was unable to come up with the right words upon hearing Twilight's extra personal password. They all just sat in bewilderment for a solid 5 seconds, trying to process everything. Eventually, Sunset stopped spacing out, before writing the password into the book's interface.
"Princess... when we get back to Canterlot, it sounds like you and I are going to have to have another one of those... serious talks." Flash put a hoof on his face in disappointment.
"I suppose so..." Twilight hung her head in shame. "But for now, let's focus on the task at hoof. The sooner we get in touch with Rockhoof, the sooner we can find the Dragonstone and save Equestria."
"Alright, I'm in." Sunset noticed that the login had been completed. "I guess this world really does have something far more equitable to cell phones, rather than just magic burping dragons. Time to message somepony in Canterlot to see if we can get a response from Rockhoof."
Back at the Canterlot Harbor, Spike had just finished retelling his fascinating stories as a dog in the human world, with the rest of the council being either invested, bored, or unable to comprehend some of the things he had mentioned. Rockhoof had begun to worry, as he realized that a good amount of time had already passed since Twilight and her crew had left, and there was almost no sign of them returning soon. The legendary Pillar surmised that something bad must've happened along the way, but there was nothing he, nor the council could do, at least not without another ship and experienced navigator. Just then, the Canterlot librarian approached, accompanied by a red Earth pony.
"Mr. Rockhoof?" Bellflower Blurb addressed, whilst holding a copy of the same book Sunset was writing in. "You appear to have a message from the princess herself. She said it's urgent, and that you'll need to write her a message through these magical pages. I'm already logged into my librarian account, so all you need to do is write."
"I see... well alright, in that case, let's see what she has to say, then." Rockhoof nodded, as he followed the librarian to the library, hopeful that Twilight and her crew weren't in any real danger.
As Rockhoof left the harbor, the red Earth pony came up to the council, looking for Pinkie Pie. She was carrying a wheelbarrow filled with decorative flowers, and eager to finish the delivery.
"Miss Pinkie Pie, right?" Gloriosa Daisy addressed her client. "You had the shipment of 600 pink and yellow roses, is that correct?"
"Gloriosa, hey!" Pinkie waved. "Yeah, these are for me and a... special somepony. I'll be having a wedding here in Canterlot pretty soon, I'm really excited about it! My big sisters and parents are so proud of me!"
"Wonderful to hear you've got such a loving family!" Gloriosa said with optimism, before it noticeably trailed off in her voice. "Rather symbolic in these flowers, but... it just makes me reflect to this day."
"Hmm, is something troubling you, dear?" Rarity inquired.
"Oh, no, I'm just... thinking about my brother, since Pinkie mentioned her own family." Gloriosa sighed. "Things... ended really badly between us, unfortunately."
"Sorry to hear that." Fluttershy said, sadly. "Would you like to talk about it?"
"Sure, it's been bothering me for a while." Gloriosa tried her best to explain. "My little brother, Timber, he was always so... full of life, you know? As fillies, we were inseparable, constantly playing together and causing mischief around Ponyville. But over the years, we grew distant, and he ended up becoming such a horrible, misogynistic pony. I wish I knew what could've caused him to turn out this way."
"Well, it's hard to say for sure without knowin' the details." Applejack began. "But sometimes, folks change when they're goin' through a rough patch in their lives, or when they're feelin' lost. I'm sure you were a caring sister, Sugarcube."
"I tried to be the best big sister I could." Gloriosa reflected. "I gave him all the love and attention he needed, but maybe it wasn't enough, or I did something wrong. All I know for certain is, despite my flower business taking off in Ponyville, I could never fully escape the shadow of my past, or the guilt I had felt over not being able to save him from his self-destructive path."
"Is it possible that he became jealous of your success?" Spike suggested.
"I never really thought of it that way." Gloriosa pondered. "I mean, I always tried to include him in everything I did, even when he became distant. But now that you mention it, I feel like we began to grow distant after I started running my flower shop."
"Perhaps it wasn't that he was jealous, but rather, he was trying to find his own path in life, and felt like he couldn't live up to your family's expectations?" Rarity offered, trying to console Gloriosa. "It's not uncommon for siblings to feel lost or confused when they're trying to find their place in the world, and sometimes, they make mistakes along the way."
"Well, I suppose that's true." Gloriosa nodded. "It's just hard to not feel responsible when you're the older sibling, especially after hearing Timber became infamous for his brutal treatment of mares, and had gained an unhealthy obsession for power and wealth."
"Perhaps it would help to remember that Timber made his own choices, and while you may have been there for him, he ultimately chose his own path in life." Starlight added, offering some wisdom. "And who knows? Perhaps one day he'll come to his senses and realize the error of his ways, and try to make amends for all the hurt he's caused. I know that myself, from experience."
"I hope you're right about that." Gloriosa sighed. "Despite the pain I had felt from my brother's decisions, I never gave up hope that one day, he'd return and reconcile with me. I always clung to the belief that deep down, Timber was still the kind and loving colt I once knew..."
As Gloriosa was sharing her life story with the rest of the council, Rockhoof had already seen the message Sunset had written in the book, on Twilight's behalf. He just finished writing a reply back, which Sunset had immediately received, upon seeing a magical glow, similar to when she wrote to Twilight in the human world. As Sunset began reading Rockhoof's response, Night Glider's group had regathered with everypony else at the ruined campsite, whilst Twilight herself had climbed atop a rather tall palm tree, trying to get a good look at the iceberg she had created to halt the progress of those pirates earlier.
"It looks like the iceberg around the island is beginning to melt." Twilight looked off on the horizon from the palm tree. "We may have less time than we thought."
"Twilight?" Sunset addressed the princess from below. "Rockhoof just gave me a response. He said that although he may not have been completely accurate about the Dragonstone being hidden at the center of the island, there's two possible landmarks we should explore. He doesn't remember with certain where he had hidden it, but recommends that we check either a volcano, or a grotto with gemstones encrusted at the entrance. He mentioned that they should be on opposite sides of the island, can you see anything like that from up there?"
Twilight looked around the island, before spotting what looked like a volcano in the far distance.
"Well, it looks like there's a large volcano, east of the camp, but I can't seem to locate this grotto." Twilight observed, before climbing down the tree. "My guess is that wherever it's located, it's covered by a dense jungle, so we'll need to explore and hope we can find it. If they're on opposite sides of the island, I'm thinking it's definitely better for our entire group to split up, since time is of the essence. Once the iceberg completely melts, we'll have to worry about those pirates again."
"So you're saying we should split up and just hope that we don't get eaten by those carnivorous plant creatures?" Sunny Flare scoffed with sarcasm. "That's a great plan, Princess."
"I understand that it sounds risky." Twilight began explaining. "But we can't all go to the volcano and the grotto at the same time. We can all meet back here later to share what we've found. You DO want to eventually get off the island, just like everypony else here, correct?"
"Fine, whatever." Sunny Flare glanced at the others before looking back at Twilight. "But if I find anything useful along the way, I'm keeping it for myself. I don't share."
"With that kind of stinky attitude, you might as well go off on your own." Lemon Zest narrowed her eyes.
"Well who would really miss you anyways?" Sunny Flare hissed, before turning to everypony else. "Go fall in a pool of lava for all I care, I usually prefer to work alone, anyways."
"Alright, I suppose we could accommodate for everypony's wishes as needed." Twilight rolled her eyes. "Everypony, you're all free to go in whichever direction you wish. Just remember to be careful, and keep an eye out for each other. We should split up into two different groups, and explore either the volcano or the grotto, in hopes of finding the Dragonstone."
"If I may interject, Princess?" Flash spoke up. "It sounds like it would make more sense for us all to check the volcano. It just seems like the more appropriate place, where an artifact known as the Dragonstone would be hidden."
"That's true, but Rockhoof said he doesn't know for certain." Sunset replied. "In any case, it could actually be hidden in the gem encrusted grotto. After all, could whoever lives in the grotto also be the one responsible for leaving behind the gem dust at the campsite. Maybe they even took the Dragonstone for themselves."
"All rather fair points, Sunset." Twilight nodded. "In other words, it really is a 50-50 on which location we should be exploring. However, since one of them is a volcano, I'll lead the group who wishes to accompany me there. It just seems like the more dangerous of the two, but I have had experience with traversing the Dragon Lands."
"I'll join you, Twilight." Rainbow raised her hoof. "Had my fair share of similar adventures with Daring Do, let's just say."
"Well, if there's a volcano involved, count me and Ragamuffin in." Lemon Zest spoke up. "We've been up close and personal with some of them during our Manehattan island tours, as part of the city's famous ferry attractions. So, we're more than up for the challenge!"
"That's right, I just hope there aren't any unfriendly dragons lurking around there." Ragamuffin added. "We're definitely not prepared for that."
"If we do run into one, I'll do my best to handle the situation." Twilight assured. "However, our primary goal should be finding the Dragonstone, not tangling with dragons. So, let's focus on that, and try to keep ourselves safe. Anypony else wish to join us?"
"I'd like to join you too, Princess, if that's alright." Cheese Sandwich trotted over to Twilight's group. "I've always had a fascination with dragons, and I'm not really afraid of them. Plus, if we do run into one, I can try to reason with it, using my... Cheesy Sense."
"Very well then." Twilight nodded. "However, that's as big as our group can get, since there's nine of us. We shouldn't have a group less than four, and there's only four more ponies remaining. Flash, Sunset, Sunny Flare, and Night Glider. Do you four think you can explore the grotto?"
"I think we can handle it." Night Glider nodded. "I'm not too worried about it being dangerous. I mean, it's just a bunch of caves, right? We'll be fine."
"It's not really the caves themselves, but rather, what could be living in the caves that'll pose as a threat." Sunset deduced.
"That's why I'm going with them, then." Flash replied. "I'll be sure to use my katana if needed."
"Well, since I'm stuck with you three, I guess I have no choice." Sunny Flare muttered under her breath. "I got some experience in kung fu, so I guess it'll be useful. But don't expect me to do any heavy lifting."
"It's all settled, then." Twilight looked toward the two groups, feeling like everything was set. "Flash and Sunny Flare, I think you two will be a great help in case you run into any monsters or creatures in the caves. Just be careful and watch each other's backs. As for you, Sunset and Night Glider, I hope you have a safe and successful journey to the Dragonstone. Good luck, everypony!"
The two groups understood their objectives, and trotted away in opposite directions. Sunset went off with her group, unsure of what to expect when they reached this grotto. For whatever reason, that strange gem dust that was left behind at the camp, Sunset felt like it sounded familiar. Was it maybe something she had heard during her time at Camp Everfree? It was the same place where Sunset and the Human Twilight had been trapped within a gem encrusted cave by Gloriosa Daisy, so she couldn't help but feel a sense of déjà vu before even reaching the grotto.
"Night Glider, have you had any experience with caves before?" Sunset asked.
"Well, back in Our Town, there was the cutie mark vault." Night Glider reflected. "It was where our town leader, Starlight Glimmer, had removed our cutie marks with the Staff of Sameness, and she stored them in this cavern vault."
"Ah yes, I remember Starlight mentioning something like that to me." Sunset recalled. "Actually, come to think of it... you're that Night Glider I recall hearing about a while ago. Twilight mentioned that you and Sugar Belle had been close friends for a while, and that you had both met somepony named Solstice in your youths?"
"Solstice..." Night Glider tried her best to remember. "Oh, you mean my karaoke teacher from when I was just a filly? Yes, that's right, she was the one who taught me how to sing, and encouraged me to pursue my dreams of becoming a famous singer. Though I eventually gave up on it, after realizing that it was a pretty difficult career. I decided to focus more on flight lessons afterwards."
"Interesting." Sunset listened on. "Do you by any chance know what happened to her after you stopped taking those lessons?"
"Not really, actually." Night Glider replied. "Never really kept in touch, which I kinda regret doing. She was a really sweet and encouraging teacher. Why?"
"Oh, it's just..." Sunset began explaining. "I have no idea if your karaoke teacher was the same Solstice, but I've been trying to find my biological mother, who shares the same name. I unfortunately haven't had much luck though."
"Really?" Night Glider's eyes widened. "That's... quite the coincidence. I'm sorry to hear that you're having trouble finding her, Sunset, it must be real tough. If I ever do meet her again, I'll be sure to let you know. She was the best teacher I've ever had."
"Thank you, I'd really appreciate that." Sunset smiled, trying to sound reassured. "Who knows, maybe someday I'll find her as well. It'd actually be my very first time meeting her, since... let's just say I never got the chance to do so."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." Night Glider's ears went down in sadness. "Well, if you ever need somepony to talk to, I'm always here to listen. I know how hard it can be to find somepony you care about."
"That means a lot." Sunset tried to stay positive. "But you're right when you say it could be a coincidence. Who knows, this could be a completely different Solstice, for all we know."
"Hmm, it might just be my speculation talking, but it may not just be a coincidence." Flash looked to the two mares.
"What do you mean, Flash?" Night Glider asked, curious.
"You mentioned that this Solstice pony was your karaoke teacher, and she's also Sunset's mother." Flash began brainstorming. "That means she must've had a big influence on both of your voices. Call me crazy, but after hearing both of you talking back to back, you and Sunset... have pretty similar voices."
"Do we now?" Night Glider raised an eyebrow.
"Huh... I can kinda hear it myself, too." Sunset noticed. "I didn't even think much of it until you just mentioned this."
"I can hear the similarities too." Night Glider agreed. "Though obviously, my voice is more raspy than yours, Sunset."
"What's crazy is, my friend Applejack pointed out that Sugar Belle and I also had pretty similar voices." Sunset recalled. "And considering how Sugar Belle supposedly had the same vocal tutor as a filly, she may be the very Solstice I'm looking for."
"It's certainly a possibility." Flash replied. "Perhaps if she was regularly giving lessons like this, she had a unique singing style that she passed down to all of her students."
"Well, when we manage to get off the island, I'll be sure to go back to my house in Our Town, and see if I can find any clues that could help you locate her." Night Glider said. "Pretty sure I still have some documents laying around, regarding her business information."
"That would be wonderful." Sunset smiled. "It's so nice to have friends who are almost just like family."
What happened next was unexpected. Sunny Flare was listening in on the conversation the entire time, and had finally reached her breaking point. She went off of the jungle's trail to hide behind a nearby tree, where she could cry privately. Sunset, Night Glider, and Flash all looked confused at this, but felt that being there for the unicorn was the right thing to do. The entire time they've known Sunny Flare, she may've come across as a cold and irritable mare, but perhaps there was a side to her that they were missing, which caused her to behave the way she does.
Sunset even recalled that the first time she had briefly met this Sunny Flare back on the train, shortly before Twilight's coronation, the unicorn seemed particularly agitated at Sunset and Derpy's conversation regarding their own friendship dilemmas. This was way back on the first day during her extended return to Equestria, when Sunset was still unsure of whether or not her decision in returning to Equestria would potentially entail abandoning her human friends. Somehow, discussing this topic around her on the train had caused her to lash out at them both? Sunset knew that she had to get to the bottom of this, as much like Celestia described earlier, her former student embodied empathy like no other pony.
"Hey, Sunny Flare... are you alright?" Sunset approached the unicorn, followed by Flash and Night Glider. "If there's something you want to talk about, we're here to listen."
"I'm... fine." Sunny Flare sniffled, wiping away a tear. "Just forget about it, and go on without me."
"You know we won't do that." Sunset gently put a hoof on the unicorn's shoulder. "We're a group who sticks together until the very end. Whatever it is that's bothering you, we'll help you through it."
"You've been talking about meeting your real mother and having friends who are like family... it's really touched a nerve." Sunny Flare sniffled again. "My biological parents... I never got the chance to meet either one of them. From what I can understand, I was put into foster care as a baby, and went from house to house most of the time. My new families... treated me horribly. I grew up, constantly feeling ignored, forgotten, or pushed away. One of my families even claimed that I was only there as a business for them. When I finally became a mare, I was immediately kicked out of the system, and had no choice but to work for a dress design firm with a mean and demanding boss."
Hearing Sunny Flare open up about this, Sunset began to have an understanding of the unicorn's hostile behavior. This would explain why she seemed so irritable, hearing conversations regarding friendships. It especially seemed heartbreaking to hear that much like what Lily Pad had been going through with Chestnut Magnifico, Sunny Flare had been in the same boat. Though unlike Lily, Sunny Flare most likely didn't have somepony there to protect her from the hardships of her youth. Instead, she had no choice but to endure everything, which would've scarred her, psychologically. A combination of all these factors perfectly explained her hostility, insecurity, and selfishness.
"Oh, Sunny Flare..." Sunset wrapped her hooves around the unicorn, offering her a comforting hug. "I'm so sorry to hear that. That must have been terrible for you."
"It was... and it still is." Sunny Flare continued. "Sometimes, I wish I could just forget about everything and start over. But... it's hard. I don't know how to let go of all that anger and hurt, especially when I was in school. Everypony made fun of me for not having real parents, and thought I was too socially awkward to be friends with."
"Sunny Flare, I understand how you feel." Night Glider said. "I've had it pretty rough myself, growing up. My parents may not have treated me poorly, but they often left me with sitters, growing up. I dare say that even Solstice was more of a mother figure to me than my actual mother. My real parents were never really there for me, which definitely broke me as well, even after I had met Sugar Belle. It took me a long time to find my place in the world, but I did. You can too."
"I can relate to how you're feeling as well, Sunny Flare." Flash added. "I mean, not with the foster care part, but... losing my dad to a bunch of timberwolves when I was really young... it was tough. After he was gone, I didn't have anypony to rely on, especially during my later years at the Canterlot training academy. But through the struggles and perseverance, I made it to this very day, protecting Equestria as one of Canterlot's most elite royal guards."
"And we're here for you now." Sunset looked into the unicorn's eyes, trying to offer a reassuring smile. "You don't have to face this alone, we're your friends, and we'll help you through everything. Together, we can help you find your place in the world, and make a family for ourselves. You just have to let us in, okay?"
"But I was so mean to all of you, even going as far as to say I wouldn't miss any of you, if you fell into lava." Sunny Flare wiped away her tears, looking at the trio. "It's as if... I've been psychologically prone to reject any new friends, because I'm afraid of being rejected again. Why are you all being so nice to me?"
"Because you're important to us, and you matter." Sunset continued to embrace her empathy. "You're a pony like the rest of us, and we're here for you, no matter what. Besides, you wouldn't be alone as far as... rejecting friendship."
"What do you mean?" Sunny Flare looked up at Sunset, curiously.
"Well, I had a similar experience when I was younger." Sunset reflected her experiences as Princess Celestia's student. "I didn't want to have any friends, because I thought it would distract me from my studies, and I'd lose my focus. So I pushed everypony away, and it made me lonely, bitter, and resentful. But eventually, I realized that having friends isn't a bad thing. They can help you through the toughest times, and make everything better."
"What changed for you in the end?" Sunny Flare asked, genuinely curious.
"Well, I had a good teacher who pushed me in the right direction." Sunset began opening up. "Twilight saw the potential in me, even when I didn't, and she never gave up on me. She helped me see that I didn't need to be alone to succeed, that I could have friends and still be a great student. She left me under the watch of... a group of outside friends, and eventually, I opened up to them, and let them in. It was the best decision I ever made."
"That's... really nice of the princess." Sunny Flare sniffed, wiping away the last of her tears. "I guess I could try to let you all in, too. I'm just... I've always been afraid to make friends. What if they reject me because I'm different from them, or because I don't know the first thing about friendship?"
Sunset felt so much more relatable to Sunny Flare than ever before, remembering that she once said those exact words when Princess Twilight grabbed her hand, and helped her out of that crater she had created from her inner demon. She made certain to assure Sunny Flare the same way Twilight did back then.
"Don't worry, Sunny Flare." Sunset grabbed Sunny Flare's hoof, and helped her back up. "We're not going anywhere without you. We accept you just as you are, and we're here to help you learn about friendship. You don't have to be afraid, we're all here for you, and will help you through this. We won't judge you for not knowing how to embrace friendship, we'll teach you. And if you ever want us to, we'll let you know how we feel, so you don't have to be afraid of the unknown. We're your friends, Sunny Flare, and we're here to stay. Isn't that right, Flash, Night Glider?"
"That's right." Flash nodded, his eyes showing his sincerity. "Sunny Flare, we're all here for you, and we won't leave your side. We're all a team, and we'll help you through anything. You're not alone anymore."
"Yeah, we're all in this together." Night Glider smiled warmly at Sunny Flare. "Just take it slow, and we'll help you learn. You'll see, it's not so bad being friends with us. We promise."
"Okay..." Sunny Flare sniffled again, looking at the three other ponies surrounding her, before giving them a small, shaky smile. "I guess... I can try. I mean, it's not like I have anything else to lose, right? Thank you, all of you. I'll try my best to be a good friend."
"That's the spirit!" Sunset smiled warmly at the unicorn. "We're all friends here, and we'll help you along the way. Don't worry about making mistakes, we all do that sometimes, nopony's perfect. With that said, what do you say we continue our hunt for the Dragonstone? This'll be our journey, our story to tell."
"Sure thing." Sunny Flare took a deep breath and nodded. "Let's go, but um, do you mind if I just... trot a little bit behind you three? It just feels pretty new, being this close to you all."
"Of course, Sunny Flare." Sunset nodded, understandingly. "We're all friends here, and we'll go at your pace."
"We'll be with you the entire time, and if you ever need a break, just let us know." Flash assured.
"And if you ever feel lost, just look for the brightest star in the sky, that's always me!" Night Glider giggled. "Well, as soon as I can fly again, that is. I really wish we had our magic back, it'd be nice to fly or cast spells right about now."
"Oh yeah, speaking of which..." Sunset took the Enchantment Tonic bottle out of her mane. "It's a good thing I have this, now. It might have a nasty taste, but it'll give us temporary access to our magic again, regardless of where we are. Well, for you three, it would. It probably wouldn't do much for me, now that I'm an Earth pony."
"We could definitely put it to good use, but like the princess herself said, we'd best be saving it for emergencies." Flash advised. "Who knows what's waiting for us in that grotto?"
"Good idea, best to keep it in reserve." Sunset tucked the bottle back into her mane. "Alright then, let's head on over to that grotto, onwards!"
The four ponies began making their way forward, now determined more than ever to continue their journey. Flash, Night Glider, and Sunset all gave Sunny Flare encouraging gestures, as they made their way through the jungle, occasionally stopping to point out interesting plants or sightings to the newcomer. They were all eager to show her the ropes of friendship and exploration, which the unicorn began embracing more and more of. The time she was spending with her new friends, Sunny Flare even began to let go of her memories of hardship from her youth, which had always made her bitter and distant from everypony over the years.
After traveling for a while, the group had eventually gotten a glimpse of what looked like a large waterfall. The jungle path had unfortunately hit a dead end, obscured by an overgrowth of plants. However, Flash looked over the horizon, and noticed what looked like an entrance just behind the waterfall. This had prompted everypony to make their way through the thick growth of bushes and overgrown vines, although it was easier said than done. Sunset and her companions carefully pushed their way through the vegetation, their bodies occasionally getting scratched by thorns and twigs. As they emerged from the foliage, the entrance to the grotto came into view.
The grotto, when they finally reached it, was nothing short of breathtaking. Its walls were adorned with shiny magenta gemstones, and the waterfall trickled down into a crystal-clear pool at its entrance. The sound of rushing water filled the air, and a chill breeze rustled through the trees. As the four ponies approached, they noticed what looked like piles of rocks scattered near the entrance, as if the grotto had once been caved in, but someone had removed them through their sheer strength, presumably Rockhoof himself. This gave Sunset and her group hope, that this was in fact the place Rockhoof had hidden the Dragonstone after all.
"Well, it's definitely a pretty safe bet that this is the grotto we're looking for." Sunset said, as her group trotted around the waterfall and made their way through the entrance, traversing the cave.
"Uh oh, is it just me, or is it getting darker, the further we go?" Night Glider observed.
"I'm noticing it too." Flash said, concerned. "The deeper we go, the darker it seems to get. Sunset, maybe we should use the Enchantment Tonic for some temporary magic? How about an illumination spell?"
"That sounds like a good idea." Sunset agreed, as she took the bottle out of her mane. "Unfortunately, I might not be able to do much, since I don't have my horn anymore."
"Let me try." Sunny Flare volunteered. "I still have my horn."
"Alright, just bear in mind that this might have a bad taste." Sunset poured a sample of the tonic into Sunny Flare's mouth, making her gag.
"Bleh, no kidding, this tastes worse than anything my foster mom fed me as a filly!" Sunny Flare made a face of disgust, before suddenly feeling her magic return to her. "Hey, wait a minute, it's working! I can feel my horn glowing again, what a miracle!"
"That's great!" Night Glider said with optimism. "Are you able to illuminate the darkness?"
"Well, that's just it... I don't know how." Sunny Flare sighed. "With the rough life I had as a filly, nopony ever taught me how to use my magic to the fullest potential."
"Well, I'm sure I could teach you a thing or two." Sunset tried her best to explain how to cast such a spell. "Just focus your magic on something, and try to make it light up. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and imagine the light flowing through you. Try concentrating and picturing something bright, like the sun, and see if you're able to become one with the brightness."
"I'll give it a try." Sunny Flare did as she was instructed, before focusing the magic in her horn.
The unicorn did her best to picture light flowing through her horn, imagining the warmth of the sun shining down on her. Her horn began to glow brighter and brighter, until finally, a small orb of light had begun to slowly emerge, but not quite escaping yet.
"Not... quite... finished..." Sunny Flare kept focusing her energy.
"Come on, you can do it!" Sunset encouraged, as Flash and Night Glider did the same. "We believe in you!"
With one final push, Sunny Flare forced the spell to be casted, sending the orb of light above her, which emitted a bright glow onto the cave walls.
"I did it!" Sunny Flare exclaimed, opening her eyes. "I've never even done one of those spells before, it was so... fulfilling. I might've actually found my destiny in life, it all led up to this moment. I guess it really makes sense now, why my name's Sunny Flare?"
"Well, it's certainly fitting for what you just pulled off." Sunset giggled. "I'm actually surprised I remembered how to do that spell after all these years. It was a lesson I recited way back in Magic Kindergarten. I guess I really am Princess Celestia's #1 student, even when I don't have a horn."
"Well, you've certainly become a great teacher, yourself!" Sunny Flare grinned. "And hey, now that we can see where we're going, it looks like we'll have a better chance at finding the artifact."
Suddenly, an eerie, ghostly voice began to make itself apparent, before the group was even able to progress.
"OooOooOooOooOooOooOooOoo..." The voice began to warn the ponies that they would regret trespassing. "Turn back now... if you know what's good for you..."
Although startled by this, all four ponies began to recognize it was the same voice they had heard before, when the mysterious fog had engulfed and sank both of their respective boats. Although rather intimidating, they had already gotten this far, and it would be foolish to chicken out and bail now.
"We've come this far, we're not about to give up now!" Flash yelled.
"That's right, we're not leaving without a certain special artifact!" Sunset tried to sound confident.
"You dare seek the treasure of Everfree Island!?" The voice sounded haunting and ethereal, as if it were echoing from far away. "Foolish mortals... my treasure is not for you to find... they are relics of the past, best left buried and forgotten..."
The group stuck close together, ignoring the ghostly voice's warnings. They were on high alert for booby traps, dangers, or anything that seemed suspicious. As the four ponies made their way deeper into the grotto, they began to hear what sounded like unusual hissing. It was a dead giveaway that something hostile was approaching soon, making everypony nervous. Once they had reached the end of a long corridor, the hissing had mysteriously stopped, which made Sunset wonder if whatever was creating the noise was now attempting to give them a false sense of security.
This would soon prove to be true, once Night Glider attempted to trot on, thinking nothing of it. Suddenly, a giant, sentient thorny vine emerged from around the corner, ensnaring the pegasus in a cocoon-like coffin. The three other ponies' eyes widened at this, as Flash brought his katana out, ready to rip the vine to shreds.
"You two, get back!" Flash warned Sunset and Sunny Flare, before turning back to the vine. "You mess with our friend, you mess with all of us!"
Sunset and Sunny Flare backed up, as Flash put all his might into hacking away at the vine, which was rather insistent on trapping Night Glider. Suddenly, the two mares freaked out upon feeling something brushup against their tails. Turning around, another one of those monstrous vines had emerged, just as hostile as the first. Sunny Flare and Sunset freaked out, trying to escape before getting cornered. There was another passage between the two vines, which the two mares had run into. The relentless vine pursued, before whacking Sunset across the corridor with its strength, sending her flying nearly 30 feet away.
Witnessing this had angered Sunny Flare, which allowed her to build up some courage. As Sunset got up from the vine's attack, she began to panic, as she noticed she was now cornered between the vine and a dead end. The vine stood atop Sunset, asserting its dominance over the now defenseless pony. Suddenly, it began to lunge toward her, prompting Sunset to close her eyes, expecting the worst. Just as she thought she was done for, Sunny Flare quickly ran over to Sunset's side, casting her illumination spell once again, this time at a greater volume. The luminous flash of light had temporarily blinded the vine, throwing it off balance. Using this to her advantage, Sunny Flare then casted a fireball spell, hurling the projectile toward the vine at unnatural speeds.
The thorny vine instantly recoiled from the flames that began to engulf it. As the fire grew stronger, the vine's thorns had begun to incinerate and cause a chemical reaction with the poison within them, turning into a hazardous acid. Now the vine was not only burning from the intense heat, but even its own toxins from within, deteriorating its cells at an exponential rate. After a few moments, the vine couldn't take much more, before falling limp, and dissipating completely. Sunny Flare then ran over to Sunset, who was still laying on the ground.
"Looks like you've already taught me more than simply the first thing about friendship, huh?" Sunny Flare reiterated what she said earlier, before grabbing Sunset by the hoof. "Come on, let's get you back up, and see if Flash needs our help."
The two mares ran back over to Flash, who was still desperately slashing away at the vine, but to no avail. The outer layers were more durable than the carnivorous plant creature from earlier, and Flash's katana was merely giving the vine nothing more than a papercut. Sunny Flare knew that she couldn't use fire to burn this vine as well, given how Night Glider was still trapped within. Suddenly, Sunset remembered something she had read about thorny vines during her magic studies.
"If we could find the main, vital root of the vine, we might be able to sever it and free Night Glider that way." Sunset suggested. "Problem is, that root could be anywhere."
"Why don't we try an x-ray spell?" Sunny Flare proposed. "If there is such a spell, could you teach me how to do it?"
"Good thinking!" Sunset nodded, before trying to remember how it was done, back when she was Celestia's pupil. "Alright, just concentrate on one section of the vine, and focus your magic into it! You'll know when you've found the root, because it'll feel different from the rest of the vine! Search for the thickest root possible, that should be the one we're aiming for!"
Nodding, Sunny Flare took a deep breath and focused her magic on one segment of the vine. She could feel it tingle and buzz under her hooves, like something alive was pulsing underneath. Taking another deep breath, she channeled her magic into the vine, searching for any sign of a thick root system. Eventually, the magic began creating a trail, until she could visualize something large and retaining water from below the ground. Sunny Flare and Sunset followed this path, until the unicorn could identify a pulse from below the soil, beating more rapidly as they approached. She quickly pointed at the location where it was coming from, prompting Sunset to call Flash over, who was still desperately swinging away at the vine.
"Flash!" Sunset waved. "Your katana won't cut through that thick vine! Instead, come over and do a downward stab right here, where Sunny Flare is pointing!"
"What good is that going to do!?" Flash turned around, unaware of Sunset and Sunny Flare's plan.
"Just trust us, it's our only hope at saving Night Glider!" Sunny Flare encouraged.
Feeling like he had no other choice at this point, Flash nodded and ran over to them. He then positioned himself above where they were pointing and took a deep breath. With all his might, he thrusted his katana deep into the ground. There was a loud cracking sound as the blade pierced and penetrated through the dirt and the vine's vital root. The vine finally gave way and collapsed limply, releasing Night Glider from its grasp. Flash quickly withdrew his blade and turned to face Night Glider.
"Are you all right, Night Glider?" Flash ran over to the pegasus, still gasping for her breath.
"I-I think so." Night Glider coughed, before she smiled gratefully at the three ponies. "Thank you so much for rescuing me. I couldn't have done it on my own."
"It was nothing." Sunset smiled back. "You're part of our team, and we always look out for each other. A few vines weren't enough to halt our progress, so let's move forward and get what we're after!"
The group made their way past the first thorny vine, and it didn't take long before they eventually came across an area within the grotto that was more open, and surrounded by a shallow pool of water. Beyond the water was a trail of gold dabloons on the ground, which led to a huge stack of treasure hidden away at the far end of the area. Everypony's jaws dropped upon seeing the vast riches that were sitting before them.
"Wow... I've never seen this much treasure before." Sunset said with awe, upon looking at all the dabloons, jewels, and ancient-looking artifacts scattered in front of them.
"Well, now that we're here, we'd best find what we're looking for, and bring it back to the camp, before any more of those nasty vines show up." Flash said, as he and Night Glider trotted over to the treasure, searching for the Dragonstone.
Sunset and Sunny Flare were about to do the same, before Sunset stopped, feeling uneasy. She noticed that the same gem dust she had seen back at the campsite earlier was present along the ground, which meant that this was most likely the hideout of the camp wrecker, who had also sent those vines to attack them.
"What's wrong, Sunset?" Sunny Flare raised an eyebrow.
"I don't know, it's just..." Sunset whispered, looking around the grotto, nervously. "I've got this feeling that we're not alone in here..."
As Flash and Night Glider were digging through the treasure as fast as they could, it became apparent that they were angering someone, whose presence began to resonate throughout the area. Suddenly, 50 of those same thorny vines from earlier had emerged out of nowhere, trapping both pegasai who were scavenging the treasure chests. They created a mountainous coil around the two ponies, completely immobilizing them. Thankfully, the vines hadn't wrapped around their heads this time, allowing them to breathe.
"Sunset, Sunny Flare!" Flash called out from a distance. "We can't move!"
"I think these vines are getting even tighter than before!" Night Glider shrieked.
"Don't worry, we're coming over to help you!" Sunset said, ready to trot over to her pegasai teammates. "Just hang in there!"
But before the two mares could even do so, the same eerie ghostly voice from earlier had returned. It began to fill the cave again, echoing ever so often. Suddenly, the voice began to grow more loud and clear, as if whoever was making the noises was getting closer by the second. Before long, a mysterious figure began materializing out of thin air, right behind Sunset and Sunny Flare. They both turned around instantly, unable to believe their eyes. Supposedly, this was the same ghostly figure who had sank both of their boats on the Celestial Sea, who had also forced Rockhoof to give up his boat navigating skills centuries ago. The two mares were too afraid to even speak up, unsure of how they should proceed.
"Foolish mortals..." The figure snarled, angrily. "You willingly ignored my warnings and are not only trespassing, but stealing... MY TREASURE!!! NOW YOU WILL FACE THE EVERLASTING WRATH OF I, THE ANCIENT SPIRIT WHO HOLDS DOMAIN OVER THIS FORGOTTEN ISLAND, GAEA EVERFREE!!!!!!"