//------------------------------//
// Fitting the Pieces 
// Story: The Prince Returns 
// by Shadowslash101 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 18

Fitting the Pieces

As Princess Celestia slept in her cage of Darkness, she was nudged by something soft and warm, and as she awakened, she found herself locked in her throne room with Big Macintosh and AC Turnip Top. “Huh? What happened?” Celestia asked them a bit scatter-brained, but before either of her guards could answer, an unforgettable voice replied. 
“You were capture, Sister.” The voice replied. Everypony turned their gaze to find Princess Luna also caged with them. 
“Sister!” Celestia exclaimed in shock as she ran over to her and hugged her sister. “You’re okay!”
“Yes, I’m fine, Sister.” Luna hugged her back. AC and Big Mac both cleared their throats as they turned around to give them a moment. Celestia broke their hug.
“Are you hurt, Dear Sister?” Celestia asked concerned. “Envious didn’t torture you, did he?”
“No, he didn’t.” Luna laughed softly. “He just left me in this cage saying that I would be out of the way.”
“Well, I’m delighted that we’re reunited, Sister.” Celestia chuckled as she looked around their cage. “We must escape this prison.”
“I’m sorry, Sister, but I’ve tried everything in my power to free myself before, but the cage is too strong, even for you.” Luna replied sadly.
“We must try.” Celestia pressed, but then they all turned around to the sound of Fancypants clearing his throat. 
“Perhaps we can be of assistance.” Fancypants chuckled as Flight Lock opened the door of their cage. 
“Fancypants, sir!” Turnip Top exclaimed in surprise. “How did you get here?”
“Well, Flight and I just hitched a ride, and we just thought that you needed a little help, Turnip Top. Now, come along quickly.” Fancypants beckoned as they exited the cage. “We must escape before Envious returns to the castle at once. Follow me.” They all ran out of the throne room through the entire complex of the castle. 
“Where’s the exit?” Turnip Top asked Flight Lock a bit confused on the entire maze of this castle, but then heard the loudest, most frustrated shout in their lives that made the entire castle shake pretty rough. It was Envious; he returned to find that his captives have escaped and now he is infuriated. 
“Go! Go!” Fancypants ordered as he led the group outside to the gate, as they ran out, Envious’ Minion flew out from every door and window of the castle to stop them from escaping. Flight Lock could just see the gate not too far from them; they were gonna make it. As he pushed open the gates with Big Macintosh, they all could see just how far up they were from the grounds below. The castle has flown higher than Fancypants and Flight Lock anticipated, and it was just too risky to escape now. “We need to jump.” Luna told them as she looked behind to see the Minions closing in on them. 
“Maybe we could just find another way.” Turnip Top suggested, but then Flight Lock pushed him toward the edge. 
“No time! We jump!” Flight Lock pushed Turnip Top off the edge and he followed, and the rest of the group did the same.
“I say, that’s quite the distance I—AH!” Fancypants exclaimed in fear as Celestia pushed him off as well. She flew down after the group as the Minions followed. Turnip Top, Big Macintosh, and Fancypants were all falling from the sky, but then the others grabbed onto them to help them land safely onto the ground. Celestia grabbed onto AC; Luna helped Fancypants; and Flight Lock strained to hold onto Big Macintosh. “Oh, why thank you ever so much, Princess.” Fancy thanked Luna as they closed in toward the ground softly.
“Don’t mention it.” Luna replied with a smile as she dropped Fancypants onto a field safely. Celestia and Flight Lock soon joined them. Flight Lock was of coarse, too exhausted from Big Mac’s weight and he let him land on the ground safely, but a few feet higher than where Luna dropped Fancypants. 
“What have you been eating?” Flight asked the Big Stallion as he landed beside him curious. As they all looked up, they saw the Changelings retreat back into the castle; making them all curious.
“Why are they all goin’ back?” Turnip asked Celestia confused.
“I don’t know, but it seems that it isn’t good.” Celestia answered staring at the castle above deep in thought.

Helpful has been staring at the bright orb for quite some time; ever deep into thought as he remembered all that Envious said. This could be his only chance to ever know who he truly is. Such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity would be crazy to decline, and he would remember everything even his Cutie Mark would be returned to his flank. “Don’t do it, Helpful.” Sunny begged beside him. 
“Why not?” Helpful asked her confused. “Isn’t it a good thing to have my memory back?”
“Yes, but think for a sec, Helpful.” Sunny explained reasonably. “Envious never does anything good; he only wants everything to bow down to him, and you’re just gonna let him have what he wants by taking his offer?”
Do I have a choice?” 
“’Have a choice?’” Sunny repeated a little withdrawn. “Yes, you do have a choice, Helpful! Now, chose the right choice. What would Fluttershy want for you?”
“Hm…” Helpful thought for a second, but then his attention was taken by Envious appearing before them. 
“So, Helpful.” Envious greeted warmly. “Have you decided yet?”
“Yes, I have decided, Envious.” Helpful answered taking a look at the bright orb, and making Sunny nervous beyond belief. “Y’know, who needs a past?”
“What?” Envious exclaimed in shock.
“Certainly, not me.” Helpful continued winking toward Sunny. “A past is just something that’ll wear you down to a crawl, Envious, and the sooner you’ll accept that fact, the better you’ll be. My sight is set to now, and I will not let my friends down now, because they need me!” The bright orb them shattered into fragments, and Envious exclaimed in fury as a harsh wind blew through the cavern and Envious disappeared; leaving Helpful the Selfless and Sunny alone. “Where’d he go?” Sunny asked as she looked around to find any signs of the Armored Alicorn. 
“Seems that he’s gone.” Helpful answered thoughtfully. 
“Well, good riddance.” Sunny scoffed as they continued to find the others. Fluttershy had been listening to Helpful and Snowy arguing for hours in the pitch black darkness as she sniffed tired from crying, but still very saddened from what was going on. “I thought we were going to be together, Helpful.” Fluttershy whispered sadly. “I thought you loved me dearly.” The Shy Pegasus cried to tears again as Envious reappeared beside her with a dim light. 
“You have been here for some time, Fluttershy.” Envious grabbed her attention. “It must burn you up to know that Helpful the Selfless never loved you in the first place.”
“Y-Yes, I know.” Fluttershy sniffed sorrowfully.
“He never cared for you even from the day you met, and now he hates you as he always has.” Envious continued grimacing. “After all, he never lies.” What a minute. Helpful never lies; that’s it! The Helpful here is only a fake used by Envious’ Element of Deceit to trick Fluttershy into giving everything up. 
“No, he d-doesn’t.” Fluttershy answered thoughtfully. “Unlike this one, Envious.” 
“Wait. What?” Envious exclaimed in shock again. “You know Helpful could never lie.”
“But that Helpful’s a fake used by you to trick me,” Fluttershy replied assertively. “And you know what I have to say to your offer? No!” At that moment, the Fake Helpful immediately disappeared, and Envious did so as well; leaving them in the dark, and Snowy confused. 
“What just happened?” Snowy exclaimed in confusion as he looked around him. 
“The Helpful we saw was only a fake used to trick us, Snowy.” Fluttershy answered him happily. “But it didn’t work, because Helpful said before that he loved me, and Helpful never lies to any pony.” Snowy scratched his as he comprehended this experience. 
“Oh, that makes sense.” Snowy replied with a smile. Just then Helpful and Sunny’s conversation came into hearing as they saw a light come from behind them, and Fluttershy immediatly gasped excited.
“Helpful!” She shouted as she ran over to hug the stallion of her dreams. “It really is you, isn’t it?”
“It’s me, Fluttershy!” Helpful hugged Fluttershy back and they stood there for a minute as Sunny and Snowy watched.
“Are done now?” Sunny asked them both, and they immediately broke the hug embarrassed. Pinkie Pie had been just having the time of her life! Dancing, eating cake, telling jokes, and just having a blast with her friends as the Gala continued endlessly. Pinkie Pie went over to the punch bowl to get herself refreshed from all this madness, and as she drank her drink. Envious appeared before her on the other side of the punch bowl. “Enjoying your party thus so far, Pinkie Pie?” Envious asked her politely. 
“You can bet the world I am!” Pinkie Pie answered ecstatically. 
“Well, then would you like to stay here forever.”
“No.”
“What! Why would you decline such a humongous offer?” Envious snarled at her angered by her decline. 
“Well, partying at the Grand Galloping Gala would be great, but forever? C’mon, Envious. I have a life, y’know?” Pinkie Pie giggled, but then everything around swirled into darkness and left her inside the caves of Mount Joysong again. “Thanks for understanding!” Pinkie giggled, and she soon was found by Helpful, Sunny, Fluttershy, and Snowy shortly. Rainbow Dash was taking a breather as she landed onto her cloud to rest for a second. She and the Wonderbolts have been practicing forever now. It’s becoming quite tiring for her to keep up. “Come on, Dash!” Spitfire waved toward her. “You wanting to become a Wonderbolt, right?”
“Yeah…just let me…let me.” Dashie collapsed onto the cloud exhausted from all the hard work they’ve been doing so far. Her wings have ben aching for a long time, and she can’t take much more spinning now she was so tired. 
“Okay, Dash!” Spitfire agreed with the Pegasus Mare. “We’ll let you rest for a sec, but you need to get back up soon!”
“Okay, Spitfire!” Rainbow sat up and looked around her in the sky, but then Envious appeared beside her. 
“How are you enjoying your practice with the Wonderbolts so far, Rainbow Dash?” Envious asked her with a comforting tone in his voice. 
“It’s been fun. Really, but…” Rainbow answered him thoughtfully.
“But?”
“I’ve been thinking; if I ever become a Wonderbolt, what would happen to my friends? I mean, won’t they miss me?” 
“They won’t miss you if they see you in every show you star in.”
“Yeah, but…I don’t want to become a Wonderbolt, Envious.” Dash replied a bit hesitant. “Or at least not now, I really need to help my friends, and not going to fall for your lies.” Just then the sky around them turned to a pitch black night and Envious left Rainbow Dash inside the caverns, and soon her friends found her. Rarity had been pacing back and forth all around her precious gems contemplating on what her answer should be. “Pro! All these gems Envious has offered are all just too beautiful and it would be rude if me to decline such generous offer. Con! My friends need me to help them stop Envious with Prince Joyful and save the world from certain destruction.” Rarity continued to pace as she thought about this carefully. “Pro! This is probably my once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have all the gems I’ve ever wanted for my fashion to let my business grow to a huger reputation! Con! Helping my friends save the world will give us all world peace and we will all live as the world was intended to be… I don’t want to let them down, but what about all these...gems?” Envious appeared before Rarity; spooking her for a second. “Oh, Envious. You’re here to hear my answer?”
“Indeed, Rarity.” Envious answered comfortingly. “What is it?”
“I-I…I don’t need all these gems. Thank you very much though.” Rarity answered with a great smile. “Besides, I once said that my friends mean more to me than all the gemstones in the entire world, and I will not go back on my word.” Then all around her, the millions of gemstones began to spin, along with Envious, and Rarity couldn’t take so much at once that she had to hide herself, and then when she opened her eyes, everything was gone; she was left in the cavern with just her magic spell. “Well, at least he’s gone.” Rarity optimized as she continued to find anypony.
“Rarity?” A voice came from behind her.
“That sounded like Helpful?” Rarity turned around to find all of her friends, except Twilight, Spike, and Applejack. She quickly dashed over to greet them. “Everypony! Am I delighted to see you now! I--!”
“We’re delighted see you too, Rarity.” Helpful assured her with a smile. “What happened?”
“Well, Envious was here and he offered me ton and tons of gemstones, and I just couldn’t oppose such a generous offer, but then--.”
“You didn’t accept it did you, Rarity?” Fluttershy gasped concerned.
“Oh, heavens, no, Fluttershy. I declined it, but he disappeared, and who knows where he’s at now.” Rarity chuckled relieved that it was over with.
“Weird. Envious seems to tempting us all with our greatest desires, and breaking us with our greatest fears.” Snowy thought aloud turning his gaze to Fluttershy; remembering what happened.
“But why does he want to do that?” Rainbow Dash asked confused.
“To break us apart, Dash.” Sunny replied. “Envious knows that only our selfish desires and greatest fears would cause us to break apart from one another.”
“But it didn’t work,” Helpful added with a smirk. “And now we’re coming back together; one by one.”
“Hold your horses, Helpful.” Sunny told him, but then was surprised to see him holding onto Fluttershy. “It’s an expression.”
“Oh.” Helpful chuckled as he let go Fluttershy, but then she hugged him instead with a delighted grin.
“Applejack, Spike, and Twilight are still gone, and if we don’t find them soon…I don’t know what would happen.”
“Then let’s get moving.” Helpful agreed as he led his friends through the cavern with his wings lighting the way. Twilight Sparkle looked through all the books she pulled out of the shelf behind her, and was busy looking for a spell to bring back Spike’s mouth. The Unicorn Mare had been looking through each book, and found many useful spells, but there was no mouth restoring spell in any of them. “Oh-no.” Twilight began to become nervous. “How are we going to find a spell on restoring your mouth at this pace?” She asked Spike as she looked around the entire library that surrounded them. Spike’s response was only muffled by not having his mouth. “What was that, Spike?” Spike just looked at her thinking, but then he ran over to one of the books, opened it up, and then ripped out a blank piece of paper. “Spike! What are you doing?” Spike turned around and motioned for Twilight to be patient. He then ran over to her saddlebags, pulled out a quill and started writing on the paper. Twilight at first didn’t understand, but then it all started to make sense as Spike turned back toward her; holding the paper out to her. She accepted it with her magic and read out loud the text. “’Just say ‘no!’” Twilight read aloud, but before she could asked Spike ‘why’, Envious formed up beside her. 
“Twilight Sparkle, I believe that you wouldn’t say ‘no’ to such a huge offer.” Envious greeted with an assuring tone. Twilight noticed Spike shaking his head, and then she looked back at Envious thoughtfully. 
“You’re right, Envious. I do have an answer.” Twilight replied with a smile; making Spike nervous till he started to sweat.
“And what is it?” Envious urged to know. 
“Absolutely…” Twilight replied with a smile; making Envious laugh, and Spike faint. “…not.” Envious’ laughter softened to a chuckle, and Spike looked up from the floor. 
“Excuse me?” Envious asked her with a little anger in his tone. 
“You may have made it possible to put all these books of spells in one place, but if I am smart, and I am, I would have to decline your offer.” Twilight explained with a smile; making Envious growl at her frustrated. “My friends are more important than all these books and I believe that we will win together! Separated we fall; you know that, but united we fight, and we will win!” It was in that moment everything around them started to form into darkness and liquid-like shadow as Envious began to kindle his anger even more. 
“You may have rejected my offer, but that doesn’t mean that your friend will either!” Envious laughed maniacally as everything around Spike and Twilight disappeared; leaving them back inside the cavern like before. 
“That was too close.” Spike remarked, but then he realized that his mouth was back. “Twilight! My mouth is back, Twilight!” Twilight turned on her light, and sure enough, Spike’s mouth was back as it should have been. 
“It seems that we’ve restored your mouth, Spike.” Twilight chuckled, but then she noticed that they were before a huge door with no way to open it, but there was a hole in the center of it. It made her wonder greatly as she took a closer look. Spike followed curious as she was. “What is it, Twilight?” Spike asked her curious. “Do you think’s a keyhole?”
“It might be, but I can’t tell for exactly.” Twilight explained as she studied the hole carefully. “It’s too big for a horn to be used to open it, and there surely isn’t any key big enough to fit in there.”
“Well, what do you assume it’s for?” Spike inquired to know.
“I don’t know, Spike.” Twilight sighed a little annoyed. “I think it might be something activated by a certain form of magic, but…I’m just not sure.” She looked up to see seven gemstones above the door. Each one had a different shape. One was shaped like a diamond, another was shaped like an octagon, the next was shaped like a sphere, another was shaped like a triangle, the fifth was shaped like a cube, the next was shaped like a six pointed star, but the seventh that was in the middle of it all was shaped like a heart; which made Twilight wonder why it was there in the first place. “Hey, Spike.” Twilight grabbed her dragon’s attention. 
“Yeah, Twilight?” Spike replied curious.
“Do you see that up there?” Twilight pointed up to the gemstones. Spike looked straight up to them. 
“I don’t know, Twilight, but maybe you could use your magic on them like that door at the Crystal Empire?” Spike explained. Twilight then concentrated her magic long and hard, and then casted a spell of happiness onto the gemstones. They all soon shone with light, but then some energy crackled and ran straight down through Twilight’s spell right into her; shocking the focus out of her. Twilight hit the floor hard, and Spike ran over to her concerned. “Twilight! Are you okay?” Spike worried as he shoved her awake.
“Huh? What?” Twilight stood up and looked around. “Where am I?” 
“You’re in Mount Joysong, remember?” Spike grabbed her attention.
“The Darkness…” Twilight gasped remembering everything. “The Elements of Harmony and Prince Joyful!”
“She’s back.”
“The door here must be the entrance to Magi’s chamber!” Twilight pointed out. “But I don’t know how to get inside.” 
Meanwhile, Applejack had been spending time with her friends at the Grand Galloping Gala. It had been fun joking around, and whatnot, but Applejack was still concerned on how she would answer Envious, but Merciful wasn’t around anymore; like he disappeared. 
“Hey, guys.” Applejack her friends’ attention. “Do you I should say ‘yes’ to Envious, or ‘no’?”
“You should say ‘yes.’” They all answered her concurrently; making Applejack feel a bit uncomfortable. 
“Uh, okay. I’ll be looking for somepony right now. I’ll be back soon.” Applejack left her friends right back into the Gardens where Merciful was sitting in the center of it all. He looked like he was trying to concentrate on something hard, but nothing was happening. He then charged without warning and applebucked one of the trees, but it hit the ground hard as he broke through it. “Um, oh-no.” Merciful said to himself. “Let’s see here.” He focused his magic to lift the tree off the ground and fix it back into place as it was before. Merciful then applebucked the tree again, but softer than before, and the apples fell onto the ground. “Huzzah!” Merciful exclaimed in triumph, but then the tree fell onto the ground again. The Dark Blue Alicorn sighed sadly as he used his magic to fix the tree back into place like before. “Is there not a way I can pick these apples without breaking the tree into shreds, like dear Applejack?” Merciful stomped his hoof into the stone; making it form cracks; which really grabbed Applejack’s attention. Merciful doesn’t even know his own strength and he must be too much of a prince to realize that. Merciful picked up all the apples that hit the ground before with his magic and settled them all into a basket, but then was surprised to see Applejack on the other side of it. “Applejack!” Merciful exclaimed in surprise. “I-I, uh…”
“Hey, Prince Merciful.” Applejack greeted him kindly. “Whatcha doin’ here?”
“I was just picking apples.” Merciful cleared his throat. “A prince has to something with his spare time.”
“Yet, there’s a party goin’ on inside.” Applejack smirked. Merciful started to blush, but he cover his face with his wing to keep Applejack from noticing. 
“The party means nothing to me, Milady.” Merciful answered. “You already know that.”
“Yeah, I do.” Applejack replied with a comforting expression that made Merciful feel a little calmer. “I saw what you were tryin’ to do back there, and I think I can help ya!”
“You can?” Merciful asked his a little curious. 
“Sure, I can. Who do think’s been pickin’ apples the most here?”
“Of coarse, Madam.” Merciful followed Applejack to one of the apple tree in the garden. 
“Now, Applebuckin’ is nothin’ to it, just kick the tree.” Applejack assured him. Merciful looked at the tree questioningly, and then he turned over his gaze to Applejack. 
“But didn’t you see what I did to the tree before?”
“I know, Merciful, but just kick this one a little softer.”
“Yes, Milady.” Merciful lightly kicked the tree and it didn’t move.
“Try a little harder.” Applejack encouraged. Merciful kicked a little harder and the tree only shook lightly. “Little harder.” Merciful kicked it harder, but only a few apples fell. “Little bit more harder.” Merciful kicked it again, but nothing fell. 
“That must all t--.” Merciful’s sentence was cut off by a huge number of apples falling from the tree and burying them both under the huge pile. Applejack and the Prince both popped their heads out. “I am sorry, Milady.” Merciful apologized to the Mare. “I do believe that I have too much strength to by ‘pickin’ apples.”
“What do you mean ‘too much strength’?” Applejack laughed. “There’s so much strength in you that you could pull eighteen wagons a time!”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, that you’re just strong enough for me!” Applejack laughed, but then immediately realized what she just said and covered mouth. Merciful only laughed as she did this; making Applejack throw an apple at his head. 
“Ow!” Merciful exclaimed in pain as he looked at Applejack confused, but then she laughed. The two playfully fought against one another as time rolled by; throwing apples and chasing one another till their clothes were wrecked, but they didn’t stop there. They continued to play until Merciful tripped, and Applejack, who was chasing him, fell on top of him. They both laughed at one another after having so much fun together. Merciful bit into the apple Applejack wanted to throw at him, and Applejack noticed this. “Hey!” Applejack laughed again. They both just laid there on the grass and stared into once another eyes. Sure, Merciful may have had a big white eye, but it soothing to Applejack; reminded her of a big white moon at one of her campouts with her brother and sister in Sweet Apple Acres. The maroon eye of his was also very comforting as well. To Merciful, Applejack’s bright green eyes made him feel so strange that he couldn’t help, but stare into them, and smile deeply. “You’re troubled.” Merciful broke the silence finally; making Applejack look at Merciful shocked. 
“How can you tell?” Applejack asked him confused on how he knew, but Merciful only sighed and looked away from Applejack. “You can tell me.” The mare turned Merciful’s face with her hoof. 
“When Envious returns, tell him ‘no.’” Merciful answered finally. Applejack only laughed at Merciful.
“Now why would I tell him that?” Applejack hugged Merciful fondly. “There’s nowhere I’d rather be than with you.” Merciful then broke his hug with Applejack, and he pushed her off so he could sit back up. 
“No!” Merciful reasoned with her. “This is all a lie, Applejack.”
“A-A lie?” The mare replied with a shocked expression. 
“Yes, Envious wants your curiosity to blind you from actually doing the right action.” Merciful explained to her with a serious expression. “You have to decline his offer, Applejack. You and I cannot be together!”
“B-But…” Applejack stuttered a bit shocked on what was happening. Merciful looked around, and spotted Envious coming their way.
“I must go.” The Prince ran off from Applejack.
“Wait, Merciful!” Applejack shouted after him and chased him into the Gala, but she soon lost him inside the crowd. Tears filled into her eyes as she couldn’t find him anywhere, but then she gasped surprised to see Envious behind her. 
“Is there something wrong, Applejack?” Envious asked her comfortingly.
“No, Envious! I don’t want to stay here!” Applejack shouted at him infuriated. Envious growled at her as the walls started to chip away all around the room. All the food molded and turned to dust all around the table, and the ponies all hit the floor groaning in pain as they squirmed. Applejack was shocked to find out that the castle was coming apart, and the ponies here weren’t as they seemed. “I have been rejected for far enough!” Envious growled madly. “I will not let the prophecy come true, and I will not let you escape!” All the ponies around Applejack turned into the Minions of Envious and as the entity laughed the entire castle fell apart into second and Applejack was falling into an endless pit of nothing. As she screamed in fear, she was caught by something that she would never forget. It was Merciful! He came back to save her from certain death. “Are you alright, Milady?” Merciful asked her concerned. 
“Merciful!” Applejack hugged the Alicorn. “You came back!”
“Of course, I came back, but don’t have time for hugging.” Merciful looked up to see the Minions coming straight down toward them. “We need to escape now!” Merciful immediatly flew off in a second, but the Minions chased after them. Applejack could hear Envious’ crazed laughter as they flew through the twisted dark realm. Merciful flew in-between some pillars, and it stopped the Minions for some time, but they came back shortly. “Don’t these guys ever quit?” Applejack asked Merciful surprised to see them back. 
“They are the Minions of Envious.” Merciful answered as they flew through a ruined palace. “There is no end to them.” The Minions followed them through the hallway, and they were beginning to gain on them, but then Merciful used his magic to knock one of the columns out of place, and cause the entire palace to crumble around them. 
“Uh, Merciful.” Applejack tried to grab his attention as they were flying through the entire collapsing palace. “Merciful?”
“Hold on tight!” Merciful ordered as he dodge an incoming column that drew the Minions back. They finally escaped from the disastrous ruin that collapsed onto the Minions so they would buy time. 
“Suckers!” Applejack laughed as they closed in on a certain pillar with a Ruby Orb at the top. Merciful flew up toward it, but then Envious was coming in fast. Merciful activated the Ruby with his magic and it opened a portal into the outside world. He flew up the portal, and Envious was coming extremely fast. “Quickly,” Merciful pushed Applejack inside gently, “Go and find the last Element of Harmony and Prince Joyful before it’s too late.”
“But what about you?” Applejack asked him in the other side of the portal.
“Like I said before, ‘there is no time for those questions.’” As Applejack could see Envious threatening to impale Merciful with his sharp wings, the portal closed at the last second.
“Merciful!” Applejack gasped shocked to see only the wall. “Merciful!” The mare ran to the wall and began digging into it; hoping that she’ll find him; she was so panicked. She stopped digging and cried onto the floor. She knew it was too late to save him, and there was no time to go back. She had to look ahead, but she couldn’t find the strength to stand up and walk. Soon the rest of her friends, except Twilight and Spike found her crying on the floor. She was no longer wearing her dress, and her hat was back where it belonged. “Applejack?” Helpful grabbed her attention.
“Helpful?” Applejack looked up curious, but glad to see her old friend. 
“You okay, Applejack?” Rarity asked her concerned.
“I’m fine.” Applejack stood up. “I just had the worst experience of my life.”
“Same here.” Fluttershy agreed with Applejack. 
“Well, you can explain it to us as we go on up, Applejack.” Sunny told her as they continued up the mountain caves; listening to Applejack’s story. 
Meanwhile, Twilight had been pacing back and forth trying figure out another way to open the huge door before her and Spike, but then they heard voices come from the hall. “What’s that?” Twilight wondered as they came closer. Soon, they saw a bright light come their way, and then the rest of their friends were there to greet her. 
“And that’s when the portal closed.” Applejack finished her story.
“Whoa.” Helpful remarked a bit surprised. “That sounds like you had quite the spill, Applejack.”
“I know.” 
“And I’m jealous.” Rarity scoffed a little irritated. “You just met the most charming and selfless prince I’ve heard of, and he loves you. I wish I was you for a change.” Everypony just raised eyebrows at one another confused on why she just quoted that, but they threw the thought aside. 
“Applejack, Pinkie Pie, everypony!” Twilight grabbed their attention as she hugged them all. “I’m so glad you’re all here! This should never happen again! In fact, I’m so glad I could just explode with excitement!”
“Let’s not do that, Honey.” Sunny remarked as a bright light formed over Twilight’s head.
“Oh, but I want to. You know why, because you’re all my best friends and I will never ever doubt you’ll ever be there!” The light above Twilight’s head formed a golden tiara with a purple, six-pointed, crystal star on the top. “I love you all!” It was that moment that the tiara shone light and Twilight began to float above the ground. As did all of her friends except for Helpful, Sunny, Snowy, and Spike; who all watched in awe as the light illuminated the room, and all the Elements that the others had reappeared on their neck and shot beams of color toward Twilight’s tiara and it shot six beams of color into the seven gemstones, except for the center one and they all shone light. A handle appeared in the hole of the door, and it was made by crystals of different color. As the show from Helpful’s friends calmed down to a crawl, Helpful pushed open the door, and he found himself inside a chamber filled with seemingly endless shelves of books and contraptions. “Whoa.” He remarked as his friends all came in as well. The chamber had many shelves indeed and contraptions she’s never seen before. As she scanned the entire chamber, she spotted an old stallion wearing a robe reading a book that was settled onto a stand. Twilight grew curious and slowly walked up to the old stallions as her friends marveled the huge chamber. She walked right up to old stallion. “Excuse me, sir.” Twilight greeted him warmly. “Excuse me?”
“Has it been so long that everypony forgot how to knock before entering somepony’s home?” The old stallion asked her not turning from the book. 
“Uh…” Twilight just shook head to forget that question. “We’re here looking for a Sorcerer named: Magi.”
“Indeed, I know him.” The old grey stallion answered her kindly.
“Well, where is he?”
“You are staring at him.” Magi explained as he continued reading his book. Everypony gathered behind Twilight and listened carefully.