The group slowly made their way across the bridge towards the ruins of what had once been Opaline’s Castle.
“You weren’t kidding when you said the roof had collapsed,” Sunset commented as she pushed Starlight’s wheelchair.
“The tree looks a lot healthier too,” Starlight noted. “Is it really a Together Tree, Zipp?”
“I think so,” Zipp answered. “It’s certainly got the same colour now. Both in the leaves and the flowers.”
“None of the nasty purple anymore,” Pipp grinned. “The whole area looks far brighter and less menacing somehow.”
“Could this be one of the castles from your time?” Kendi asked hopefully.
“Well, we know where the Canterlot Castle is,” Sunset responded. “The only other castle’s I can think of are Twilight’s and the Castle of the Two Sisters.”
“It’s not either of those,” Starlight replied. “This is nowhere near where Ponyville should be. At least I don’t think so.”
“I really think something happened to reformat the land,” Sunset sighed. “I’ve not travelled between Canterlot and Ponyville much. But I agree Zephyr Heights feels like it’s in completely the wrong direction from here.”
As they entered the castle, they noticed much of the debris from the roof collapsing had already been moved. There was therefore a large clear area with one large pile of debris.
“Spike Junior said Blaize had been here and rescued the Dragon Stone,” Hitch frowned.
“That’s fine,” Sunny smiled. “It’s better off with the Dragons. It belongs with them.”
Sunset frowned as she spotted the sphere above the caldron pool. Starlight sensed her unease and looked back at her with concern.
“Is that what she trapped you in?” Starlight asked.
“Yep,” Sunset growled. “Kind of annoyed it’s not been damaged.”
Starlight looked at the sphere and noted many of the largest beams from the roof had fallen onto it. Other roof beams had then been stacked up against these. This meant the sphere was partly covered by debris. However, it showed no sign of damage.
Suddenly, an image flashed in Sunset’s mind, causing her to freeze. She’d already seen it once before, at the party. However, now it was more vivid and seemed to line up perfectly with what she saw before her. Blinking as it disappeared, she shook her head violently.
Looking back at the sphere, Sunset gasped as she spotted Sunny was right next to it. Picking up the hat from the edge of the pool before giving it to Kendi.
“Sunny, whatever you do, don’t go near that sphere,” Sunset insisted.
“Why?” Sunny asked. “It’s not going to jump out at us.”
“Call it a feeling,” Sunset responded. “I have no idea how Opaline got me into it or how she got Nightmare me out. All I do know is I couldn't escape it once I was inside.”
“But the artefacts are around the edge,” Sunny advised. “Half of them are berried under all this.
“We need to recover them,” Kendi added. “Having items that all the Guardians of Friendship had, it is my greatest hopes and dreams coming true.”
“We can’t leave any of them behind Sunset. It’s too much of a risk,” Starlight reasoned. “You heard what Cozy Glow tried to do with relics back in our time. Trust me, that was a close call. Therefore, these need to be protected so nopony can use them for evil.”
“Okay, okay, you’re right Starlight but let’s just be careful,” Sunset advised as she moved forward. “I agree Sunny, it shouldn’t jump towards us, but I really don’t trust it. Please be careful.”
“O…Okay,” Sunny replied unsurely.
Starlight frowned as she watched Sunset. She couldn’t help feeling something was wrong.
Meanwhile, Zipp was looking around with a little confusion.
“Zipp, while they’re doing that. I’ll show you the library,” Misty advised. “You can see what Opaline had that could help with future mysteries.”
“Oh cool, I was just wondering where that was,” Zipp beamed. “If anything, we ought to just load everything into the Marestream. Even if I have to make multiple trips let’s get everything we can. We don’t know what could be useful in the future.”
“That’s true,” Misty smiled. “There’s a lot to carry though.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll help,” Izzy beamed. “I bet I can carry more books than anypony else.”
“Thanks, Iz,” Zipp grinned. “With both you and Misty using your magic it shouldn’t take too long.”
With that, the three of them followed Misty towards the library.
As Misty, Zipp and Izzy disappeared, Pipp looked around with concern. She had wanted to livestream, however now she was here she wasn’t sure. Did she really want to remind everypony about Opaline? As she pondered this, she moved towards the tree. Suddenly her eyes widened, and she shrieked with surprise.
“Pipp?” Hitch gasped as he hurried to her. “What’s wrong?”
“Please tell me she can’t see us,” Pipp gasped as she pointed at the trunk of the tree.
Hitch gasped as he saw the shape of Opaline’s face. She had seemingly been absorbed into the tree and had become part of it.
“Woah,” Hitch gasped. “I honestly don’t know.”
As he moved closer to inspect, it was soon clear this wasn’t just a covering of bark. Only her face was visible, the rest of her body wasn't to be seen.
Hearing the commotion, Starlight grunted as she wheeled herself over and took a look as well.
“Oh yeah, she’ll be able to see and hear us,” Starlight advised.
“Really?” Pipp gasped.
“Based on what Discord told me about being trapped in stone,” Starlight responded. “I think that’s quite the fitting end actually. She used this tree against us and now she’s a part of it. I wouldn’t worry about it Pipp. She can’t escape.”
“You’re sure?” Hitch asked.
“Perfectly,” Starlight reaffirmed. "She’s not just covered in bark. She's become one with the tree."
“Okay, as long as you’re sure,” Pipp smiled.
She turned around and raised her phone. After a bit of adjustment to get the right angle, she posed and took a selfie with Opaline in the background. Starlight looked confused as Hitch grinned and posed alongside Pipp. She grinned as she took another selfie of the pair of them in front of Opaline.
“I really don’t get what you’re doing waving those things around like that,” Starlight sighed. “It was the same when I visited Sunset in her world.”
“We’re taking selfies,” Pipp responded.
“Which are?” Starlight blinked.
“Oh, come on Starlight you must know,” Pipp grinned. “I’ll show you.”
Starlight cried in surprise as Pipp suddenly spun her wheelchair around.
“Just smile up at the phone,” Pipp instructed.
She held her phone up as Hitch got on Starlight’s other side. They both gave Starlight some instruction on where to look and soon enough Pipp had snapped the selfie of the three of them.
“See, you look amazing,” Pipp beamed as she showed Starlight the photo.
“Wait, so you’re just taking photos?” Starlight frowned. “Why not use a proper camera? Why mess around holding that phoney thing at hoofs length?”
“Because these have already gone viral,” Pipp squealed with joy. “Okay fine, livestream time!”
As she fluttered off to start her stream. Starlight looked at Hitch with even more confusion.
Meanwhile, Sparky had been getting the artefacts that were under the pile of debris. He grunted as he squeezed under one of the fallen roof beams. Carefully pushing some of the broken roof tiles away as he did so. Slowly, he was making his way along the edge of the pool towards the final artefact.
Sunny meanwhile was behind Sparky. She was under the pile of roof beams and debris too. However, she was in as far as she could go due to her larger size. Squeased in under a number of beams, she barely had enough space.
“Be careful Sparky,” she advised.
“Kay,” Sparky squeaked. “Got it!”
“You have?” Sunny grinned. “Way to go Sparky, eee.”
Sunny giggled with excitement and bumped into some of the debris. Outside the pile, Sunset was waiting apprehensively with Kendi. She gasped as she heard a creaking sound and looked around the pile with concern.
“Sunny, don’t move like that,” Sunset advised. “I don’t think this lot is very stable.”
“This is the last one,” Sunny called back.
“We know,” Kendi smiled as she looked over the five items that had already been recovered. “You are both doing very well.”
“Just follow your own advice and be careful please,” Sunset replied. “I don’t know why I agreed to letting you go in there.”
“Because Sparky needed help,” Sunny reminded. “He couldn’t get the sewing machine out on his own. It was too heavy.”
“You also did not want to risk moving the debris,” Kendi recalled. “In case it disturbed the sphere or crushed the relics.”
Sunset only groaned and grumbled in response.
Meanwhile, Sparky whooped as he pushed the crown out towards Sunny. Sunny couldn’t help squeaking with delight as she picked it up with her newly learnt levitation and sent it upwards, through a gap towards Sunset.
Sunset stopped grumbling and couldn’t help grinning as the crown appeared. She took it in her magic and passed it to an overjoyed Kendi.
“Okay, now get out from under that lot. Away from that pool and the sphere,” Sunset advised.
Sunny beamed as Sparky squeezed out from under the beam and grinned at her. “One Sparky incoming,” she advised.
Sparky looked at her with confusion until he felt Sunny pick him up with her levitation. He squeaked with joy as Sunny sent him upwards through the same hole and out of the pile.
Sunset gasped as Sparky appeared. She grabbed him with her magic and directed him towards herself. Sparky laughed as he flew gracefully through the air. He grinned as Sunset grabbed him in her hoofs.
“Okay, good idea,” Sunset conceded. “Now, be careful as you extract yourself.”
Sunny was fully intending to be careful. With no room to turn, she began carefully shuffling herself backwards. However, she had forgotten about her wings and gasped as one got caught. Grumbling, she began trying to extract it but found that to be harder than expected. Suddenly, she found the other wing was getting trapped as well.
“Sunny?” Kendi said with concern. “What is going on. You are making the pile wobble.”
“I’m fine,” Sunny replied. “Just having a little wing trouble.”
“Well turn them off or something,” Sunset panicked. “You’re being too rough.”
Suddenly, Sunny squeaked with surprise, and everything seemed to happen at once. One moment the pile was there, then there was a massive cloud of dust and a clattering sound. Sunny made another surprised squeak as more and more dust filled the air.
Sunset, Sparky, Starlight, Pipp and Hitch all coughed and coughed. Their eyes stung from the dust which made finding out what had happened difficult.
“Sunny! What...” Sunset coughed. “Where are you?”
“Are you okay Sunny?” Hitch shouted with concern.
“Speak to us Sunny,” Kendi coughed.
Pipp meanwhile flew upwards, above the dust cloud and readdressed her livestream.
“Okay Pippsqueaks,” Pipp said. “I...I’ll be back shortly once this dust has settled, and we’ve confirmed what’s happened here.”
“Sunny!” Sunset shouted worriedly before coughing. “S…Speak to us!”
To be continued...