//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 // Story: Tales of Harmony // by Starwind Dood //------------------------------// She surprised me She started to open her heart to friendship New Game >Continue Options "Spike!" Twilight cried out. She ran down the corridors of the arena, checking every nook and cranny for Spike. "Where are you, Spike!?" "Twilight!" Pinkie Pie called out from behind her. "Twilight, you're still too injured. You need to get back in bed and rest." "I don't need rest!" she yelled back. "I need to find Spike!" She was losing whatever patience she had built for everyone around her. "It's your fault he's missing, and you’re expecting me to lie down and relax! I can't! Not without Spike!" All she cared about was finding the one constant she had in her life: the rambunctious and sarcastic voice of a baby dragon. "Spike! Where are you!?" She cried out one last time before passing out. "Twilight!" Pinkie Pie called out to her, catching Twilight before she could hit the ground. "Somepony! Anypony! Please, help!" Twilight lay in one of the arena's infirmary beds, a heart monitor attached to one of her forearms, slowly beeping away. Pinkie Pie hovered over Twilight, wide eyed with worry and guilt. "Is she okay?" she asked Nurse Redheart. "She's going to be okay, right? She just overexerted herself... right!?" "Don't worry, she's stable," Nurse Redheart replied, calming Pinkie Pie down. "She'll be fine, but only if she rests." "Guess she falls apart fast without that iguana of hers for company," Applejack chided from the other bed. "I almost feel sorry for her if that's all it takes to shake her up." Pinkie Pie rested her forelegs on Twilight's body, wishing she could so something to help Twilight other than hold back tears. "It's all my fault. "If I kept a better eye on Spike he wouldn't be missing, and then Twilight wouldn't hate me," she choked out before burying her face in her hooves. "You’re awfully attached to somepony you just met a couple days ago," Applejack scoffed. "I just don't get you, bandit." "It's because we're friends!" Pinkie Pie argued back, uncharacteristically raising her voice in defiance. "I mean... we came all this way together, right? We've followed each other through the Everfree Forest, saved each other from chimeras and even shared meals together. Are we still not friends after all that?" "You think I wanted to do all that?" Applejack hissed. "I don't want any part in this. I never did!" Applejack could feel her anger rising, quickly losing control over the things she was saying. "My family must be worried sick about me, and I can't blame them either, and it's all your fault, bandit!" "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Pinkie Pie cried out before running out of the room, tears running down her face. "And just what is yelling at her going to do?" Nurse Redheart chastised Applejack. "You're here because of your own choices. Saying hurtful things and shifting the blame onto others isn't going to get you out of any predicaments you’re in now." "Stay out of this," Applejack grumbled, turning to face away from the nurse. Under her breath, she muttered to herself, "Can I do anythin' without hurtin' somepony?" "Stupid Pinkie." Pinkie Pie berated herself, walking down the hallways while trying to hold herself together. "I need to find Spike... for Twilight's sake?" She picked up her pace to a quick trot, moving from one hallway to another with her eyes peeled for anything purple. "We passed through here after running from the guards," she tried to retrace her steps, desperation beginning to take over, "and we passed by these rooms." She skidded to a stop and knocked furiously on the closest door. "Is anypony there!?" The door opened, Blues from Team Mint standing on the other side. "I'm sorry, but the rooms along this hallway are reserved for clergy and officials from Caballus," he informed her. "Oh, that's all right," Pinkie Pie answered him. "I'm just looking for a little purple dragon. Well, I guess most ponies think he's a lizard, though. He's purple with green scales." "I'm sorry, but I haven't seen anything with that description," Blue made a formal bow to punctuate his apology. "Although, I think one of the clergy staying here said she saw something along those lines. What was her name... Rarity, I think." "R-Rarity!?" Pinkie Pie gasped. "Yes, she's a white mare with a curly purple mane and tail. She's wearing a modified Caballun cloak and a set of mirrors, so she's not hard to miss if you look around. She mentioned something about a purple lizard, so that might be that one you're looking for." "T-thank you," Pinkie Pie bowed to Blue, emulating his formality to express her gratitude, "you don't know how much this means to me." "I am happy to be of assistance." Blues turned back. "I saw Rarity head for the lobby a while ago. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have somepony to attend to." Applejack stretched her legs, relishing being on her hooves once again; never one to feel right just lying in bed all day. "I'm feeling right better now," she told Nurse Redheart. "You have an amazing ability for self-recovery. You should thank that more than me." "Us Apple family ponies are made of some pretty tough stuff." Applejack took a lot of pride in her bloodline. "It's just the way we are, I suppose." She looked back at Twilight, still lying in the infirmary bed. "Any idea on when she'll be up?" Nurse Redheart checked that heart monitor attached to Twilight. "Her pulse and breathing rates are fine, so he just needs some rest. I have yet to see unicorn magic that can substitute for that." "Well, that's good to know." Applejack was well again and ready to buck back at anything that challenged her, which meant dealing with the problem of getting back home. "No prize money for the losers, I reckon?" she sighed. "You still fought well." "Holy Bejezus!" Applejack jumped, landing on her back and scratching her head. "Land's sakes, Fluttershy," she groaned, "give me a some warnin' before you go and scare me like that again; I forgot you were in here." "Sorry," Fluttershy muttered. "Are you just goin' to apologize for every little thing?" Applejack berated her, picking herself off the floor and advancing on Fluttershy. "You're goin' to have to stand up for yourself sometime." Fluttershy turned away from Applejack, burying herself deeper within her robe avoiding eye contact at all costs. "It won't matter," she mumbled, "when I'm back in the forest." "Keep telling yourself that," Applejack sighed. The door to the infirmary was bucked open, revealing a widely grinning Pinkie Pie standing in the doorway. "Girls, I found somepony who knows where Spike is! Everypony, meet Rarity!" A white unicorn mare with a curly purple mane and tail walked into the room. "Yes, well, hello. I am Rarity, a pleasure to meet you all." The robes she wore denoted her as a member of Caballus' clergy, the left side of which was adorned with a series of mirrors. "Well, I saw a purple lizard being taken away by Amethyst Star, a priestess from Caballus. At the time, I had no idea that the lizard was a dragon, or that it was the pet of somepony." "Claims to be dragon anyway," Applejack snorted, "but that little fellow does belong to Miss Twi' here," she motioned to Twilight, resting in bed, "and she seemed to have quite the freak-out when she realized he was missing. If they're Caballuns like yourself, I don't suppose you could help us retrieve him? Shouldn't be too much trouble." "I know where they might be, but I can't promise much beyond that." "But," Pinkie Pie got between the two ponies, pulling them uncomfortably close, "if they do have Spike, than we can save him before Twilight wakes up, and she won't have to worry!" she exclaimed excitedly. "C'mon girls, we have a dragon to save!" "Is she always like this?" Rarity asked. "I’ll let you figure that one out for yourself," Applejack sighed. Pinkie Pie dropped the two ponies and made for the doorway before turning back. "You're coming, right, A.J.?" she pleaded. "Stop calling me that. Only my friends and family are allowed to call me that, and you're neither, bandit," Applejack sourly spat back. She turned back to Twilight, who hadn't moved in the slightest, feeling some pangs of guilt over the predicament. Would Spike still be here is she hadn't dragged Twilight to the arena, she wondered. "Fine, yeah, whatever," she said with a sigh. "Let's go grab that grumpy little iguana before our friend here wakes up and has another panic attack." "That's the spirit!" Pinkie Pie shouted. "Let's go, Fluttershy!" "What?" Fluttershy flinched. "Me too?" "Of course!" Pinkie Pie grabbed Fluttershy. "Lead the way, Rarity!" "What have I gotten myself into?" Rarity held her head, feeling the onset of a migraine. SKIT: Just an expression... Pinkie Pie: Say, Applejack, did you really mean what you said back there? Applejack: What did I say? Pinkie Pie: You said Twilight is our friend! Applejack: I did? Pinkie Pie: Yeah! Applejack: It's just a phrase. It don't mean anything. Pinkie Pie: So you still don't see Twilight as a friend? Applejack: Well... Pinkie Pie: Well? Applejack: She's a better fighter than I anticipated, especially for the bookish type. That's respectable. Pinkie Pie: And me? Applejack: You are a no good bandit that I can't wait to be rid of! Pinkie Pie: Aw, A.J., you say the nicest things. Applejack: I have plenty of nice words to say about you. SKIT: End Rarity lead Applejack, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie through Fillydelphia and to a luxurious inn that Applejack was sure she would never in her life be able to afford a room in. "Here we are," Rarity announced. "Amethyst Star, along with her personal team, is staying in this inn. I can't say for sure if the lizard I saw them take was your Spike or not, though." "In all my life," Applejack started, "I've only seen one over-sized purple lizard. If they don't have Spike, I'll put on a girdle and dance the pony-pokey." "Darling, I doubt you could pull it off." With a flick of her mane, Rarity lead the way into the hotel and addressed the receptionist, "Could you tell the Caballus party staying here that Rarity is here to see them? They're probably staying under Amethyst Star's name." "Of course, just give me a minute," the receptionist replied. "Don't you have a key?" Applejack asked. "No, I don't work under Amethyst," Rarity sighed. "Aren't you all from Caballus though?" Rarity huffed, "We may all be from Caballus, but our social standings are different. Simply put, I'm not good enough to be a part of her group." "And what does that mean, Miss Caballus Pony?" Applejack groaned. "I don't know anything about your hoity toity city." "Well..." Rarity opened her mouth, slowly forming an answer to Applejack's question that might give her an understanding of, what Rarity found to be, Caballus' convoluted structure, but was cut off by the receptionist calling to her. "I'm sorry, but nopony seems to be in the room." "I see, thank you," Rarity replied, turning back to Pinkie Pie. "Sorry, but there isn't much more I can do." "What!?" Pinkie Pie gasped, "but can't we storm the room or something? We can't just give up yet." "You can't, I can." Rarity replied with a huff, turning to the exit and readying her march to leave the pink pony's mad clutches. "Nope!" Pinkie Pie answered her back, slipping a hoof through Rarity's cloak and effortlessly dragging her to the stairs. "C'mon! We have a dragon to save." "What the?" Rarity babbled in confusion before coming to her senses. "I-I will have no part in this barbarity! Do you hear me?" Rarity struggled against Pinkie Pie's vice hold on her, wanting nothing to do with whatever maddening scheme Pinkie Pie had prepared, but she was surprisingly strong, easily overpowering Rarity. "Let go! I have a sister to attend to!" "You have a sister? I didn't know that." Pinkie Pie responded. "You should introduce me to her!" "Let go of me you ruffian!" Rarity screamed as Pinkie Pie dragged her up the stairs. With reluctance, Rarity lead Pinkie Pie to the hotel room where Amethyst Star was staying. She knocked on the door, but no one answered. "See," she said with a groan, "can I go now? I did what I could and that's it." "Try knocking harder," Pinkie Pie suggested. "I will not. You want this door open? You try knocking than." Rarity stepped aside, allowing Pinkie Pie to approach the door. She instantly regretted this decision when Pinkie Pie took her giant pinwheel and chopped down the door. "T-that's not a knock!" she stammered, wide-eyed and mouth open. "That is breaking and entering!" "This pony is screwier than I thought," Applejack muttered in disbelief. "We're in plain sight for crying out loud! Are you trying to get arrested?" Pinkie Pie ignored them as she casually trotted into the room. "We can't get in trouble because nopony is home. Take a look." "We long established that nopony is home already!" Rarity yelled back in frustration. "That still doesn't give you the right to act like a complete barbarian and chop down doors. I am done with any part in this, and if anypony comes to me about this mess," Rarity gestured into the room, it was a complete disaster zone, "you're going to be the one to pay." "But I didn't make this mess. I only broke the door down." "What?" Rarity took a closer look into the room, once again noticing its disastrous state. "Odd, I always took Amethyst for the orderly type? Well, whatever. They aren't here, neither should we be, and I don't know where they are. Now, may I leave without fear of you assaulting me again?" "Nope!" Pinkie Pie replied as she started opening drawers. "C'mon, maybe there are some clues in here on where they could be." Rarity took a step into the room. "Really, what are the chances of— WAH" She took another step in, and she slipped on a piece of paper and fell on her back, the offending document drifting gracefully onto her face. "Really..." she groaned. "Ooh, let me see!" Pinkie Pie grabbed the paper off of Rarity's face. "Ooh! It's a note!" Good work on acquiring the target. I'm sending somepony to meet up with you at Fort Stratus. "What is this? A party invitation?" Pinkie Pie offered the note back to Rarity. Rarity's eyes shot wide open, deliberately examining each letter of the message with scrutiny and attention to detail. "This has Blue Blood's personal seal on it!" She hissed, pointing at the blue wax seal in the corner. "But, what does it mean? What is he doing?" "Blue Blood? Who's that?" Applejack asked. "He's the head of the church in Caballus," Rarity explained, "but what target is he asking Amethyst to deliver?" "What if he’s talking about Spike!?" Pinkie Pie gasped. "We need to go save him, right away!" "We still don't know if they actually have Spike. This 'target' thing could be anything." Applejack groaned. "We can't jump to conclusions and go rushing into things." "Uh, girls," Fluttershy piped up, "I... I think I found a clue." Fluttershy stood by a table counter with various jars of green liquid and bits of purple scales littered on it. "These look like the same shade as Spike's," she said with a hint of worry creeping into her voice. "Oh nelly," Applejack whispered, feeling blood drain out of her face. "You don't think they hurt the little guy, do you?" "We have to find Spike, and quick!" Pinkie Pie screamed. "To Fort Stratus!" Fort Stratus stood a few miles to the west of Fillydelphia, abandoned by the pegasi who built it and slowly giving way to the passage of time. Pinkie Pie lead everyone to the dilapidated almost-ruins. "Here it is," she announced, "Fort Stratus. It was once a fort for the Cloud Kingdom before some resisting ponies snuck in and set off a bunch of bombs, but this was before King Meanie Wings went and conquered the border himself." "Just, what the hay kind of place is this?" Applejack took in the sight before her, a large complex of technology she had never seen before. Coupled with the state of the fort, she had numerous misgivings about going inside the building. "This is dangerous, you know." "The message said they would be meeting at Fort Stratus, not inside," Rarity responded lazily. "Seriously, how did I get caught up in all this?" "You can leave whenever," Applejack shot back with a tone of indifference. "I can do without your nagging through all this. This pink pony already has a talent for causing migraines for me as it is; wouldn't surprise me if was her cutie mark in some way." "Actually, my cutie mark is balloons, see." Pinkie Pie moving aside her coat tails, exposing the triad of party balloons that were her cutie mark. "It symbolizes my love for parties!" she explained earnestly. "Why, I can still remember my first party. Wanna hear about it?" Applejack ignored Pinkie Pie. "I've got apples for a cutie mark, and it means I buck apples for a living," Applejack drawled out her sentence deliberately as a mild insult directed at Pinkie Pie. "I would be bucking apples right now if a certain crazy pink pony didn't rope me into all this craziness." "Oh silly, you buck apple-trees, not apples." "Let's just keep going already!" Applejack yelled, ending the conversation. "We're not going to get anywhere just yapping to each other." She started to circle the large fortress, her senses piqued for any signs of pony activity. "Right behind you, A.J." Pinkie Pie replied, sticking close to Applejack, much to her discomfort. SKIT: Worldly Applejack: Hey, Pinkie, just how did you know about Fort Stratus Pinkie Pie: I traveled to Fillydelphia with Trixie before. She's actually the one who told me about this place. Applejack: Really? That raving mare? She struck me as one who needed to be kept in a white jacket. Applejack: Which does make perfect sense for why you would be traveling with her. Pinkie Pie: She may have that odd habit of speaking in the third person, but she's awfully knowledgeable about stuff. Applejack: Like a scholar? Pinkie Pie: Maybe. I've asked Trixie a ton of times about her life, but she never shares anything. Notice: Pinkie Pie earned the title Knowledgeable! SKIT: End Twilight stirred in her bed, slowly opening her eyes. "Ugh," she groaned, slowly shaking the exhaustion out of her body. "W-what happened?" "You collapsed from exhaustion," Nurse Redheart informed her. "You ran off, looking for your Spike, and collapsed from exerting too much energy." "Oh yeah," Twilight groaned, "that's right." She massaged her temples, slowly clearing away the fog in her mind. "Spike! Is he here? Where is he?" "I'm sorry, but he isn't here." Nurse Redheart replied. "Before you freak out, I should tell you that your friends went looking for him so you can stay here in bed and rest." "My friends?" Twilight looked back at Nurse Redheart, confused. "You don't mean Applejack and the others?" "They aren't your friends? Twilight was about to answer her and she wanted to say no, that those crazy ponies she had spent the past few days with had nothing to do with her, but the words never came. She, instead, stared down at her bed-sheet, trying to find and answer there. Are they my friends? "They all went looking for Spike for my sake?" "Yes, they did it so you could stay in that bed and get better. If that isn't a friend, then I just don't know what is." "Thank you, but I'm feeling better now." Twilight leapt out of the bed, trembling as she hit the ground. "Where's my spear?" "Didn’t you hear me?" Nurse Redheart groaned. "I said you need to rest, you're in no shape to be up and about.” "How long have they been gone?" "They left a few hours ago, now please get back in bed?" "Thank you," Twilight replied, spotting her spear in a corner of the room. "You're still not well enough," Nurse Redheart tried to explain in a futile attempt to calm Twilight. "Are you trying to kill yourself?" "I'll take it easier this time," Twilight's answer didn't make Nurse Redheart feel any better, "but I'm worried for... well for my friends. So I need to find them and Spike." Twilight bowed one last time before taking off. She galloped down the halls of the arena, keeping her stamina in check to keep from passing out again. "Applejack!" She cried out. "Fluttershy! Pinkie Pie! Spike! Where are you!" Twilight didn't pay much attention to where she was going, so it was inevitable that she would bump into another pony. She ran into a blue pegasus, tripping and collapsing to the floor, taking the rainbow-maned pegasus down with her. "What's with everypony running into me!" The pegasus, who Twilight recognized as her last opponent in the arena match, complained. "Huh, it's you again." "Sorry," Twilight apologized. "Rainbow Crash, was it?" "I'm not the one crashing," Rainbow Dash snapped back, "and it's Dash, not Crash." "Again, I apologize, but I'm busy looking for... for my friends. The orange pony with me in the match and the nut jobs who hi-jacked the announcer's seat." "Oh, those guys," Rainbow Dash laughed. "Best commentary ever. I'm thinking of using ten seconds flat as a catchphrase. What do you think?" "I think I'm busy." "Well," Rainbow Dash grinned, "I might have seen where they were heading, and I might be willing to tell you." "Really?" Twilight turned back to Rainbow Dash, hoping she might divulge the information she needed. "But, it'll cost you." "How big is this thing!?" Applejack complained. "We've been circling it for close to an hour now and still no sign of any ponies or an annoying iguana. We're in plain daylight for crying out loud but we can't find anypony!" "Maybe they're hiding," Pinkie Pie suggested. "I know that if I was trying to have a super secret meeting I would want to hide it somewhere nopony would find me." "I'm not going to justify that with an answer." "Actually, she may have a point," Rarity chimed in, much to everyone's, especially Applejack's, surprise. "Meeting all the way out here is suspicious as is, and we already found some rather incriminating evidence to something sinister going on. It wouldn't be too much of a stretch to say these ponies do not want to be found." "I guess you have a point," Applejack hesitantly agreed. "You mean I have a point!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "Still, what are they trying to do with Spike?" "Well, if he really is a dragon, any number of things really," Rarity started to explain. "Just about any part of a dragon can be used to make some rather powerful potions. From bones to scales, dragon parts are valuable!" Rarity's mind swirled with ideas of what she would do with so many bits. "Oh how much easier my life would be with that many bits." "Maybe," Applejack interrupted her train of thought, "but he doesn't deserve to be treated like some ingredient for a fancy potion. Get your head out of the clouds and let's find him." "Hmph," Rarity groaned. Fluttershy spoke up. "Maybe they're inside the fortress?" "That can't be a good idea." Applejack took another look at the building; it looked like any sudden breeze would cause it to topple over. "It seems kind of dangerous to go inside." "We can just take a quick check," Pinkie Pie suggested. "We can be out lickety-split before we have any chance of being crushed." "Well, all right." Applejack gave in, and they all began searching for the entrance. "You know," Rarity started, "I think I hear something." Her ears shot upwards, listening for the slightest of sounds. "Hoofsteps!" She galloped off in the direction she heard the steps emanating from. A trio of unicorns dressed in Caballus robes stood by the entrance to the fort, vigilant for any movement. "Well, I reckon we found them." Applejack walked up to the unicorns. "Say, have you seen a little purple lizard? He's about this big and-" "Nopony is allowed past this point," one of the unicorns uttered back at her. "Leave, now." "Will you listen to me," Applejack yelled back, frustrated. "Purple lizard, green spikes, no sense of cooking. Have you seen him?" "Leave!" "Forget it. Hey, prissy pony, you try!" "My name is Rarity!" Rarity snapped back, approaching the unicorns. "Listen, we're looking for a purple lizard by the name of Spike. Per chance, have you seen him?" "We're here on official orders from Blue Blood, Rarity," one of the unicorns scoffed at her. "I suggest you don't interfere with what happens here, or we will make your life difficult." "More so than it already is? I would like to see you try," Rarity snapped back. "Whoever the hay Blue Blood is, his lackey's got our iguana!" Applejack walked up to the closest unicorn, her eyes narrowed on him. "Let us through. Last chance. I can't be held responsible for what happens next," she warned them. "Leave!" the unicorns shouted again, ignoring Applejack. "Don't say I didn't warn you. Pinkie Pie, your turn." Applejack backed away from the unicorns. "What are you talking about?" the perplexed unicorn asked, and was answered almost immediately. "Crazy Devastation!" Pinkie Pie fell out of the air, her giant pinwheel spinning as she slammed it down between the unicorns, creating an explosion that left a crater on the floor and knocking the unicorns unconscious. "Easy peasy." "W-What!?" Rarity stood still, stunned at the level of destruction the pony before her was capable of causing. "That was? But? You did?" She continued to blather on, incapable of creating a coherent sentence. "How did... how did you do that?" "Remember what I said, Miss Rarity," Applejack replied, finding amusement in the high-strung pony's flabbergasted mumbling. "This pony don't make a lick of sense." "But... still!" SKIT: Did I say that? Pinkie Pie: Say, Rarity? Rarity: What? Pinkie Pie: What did those unicorns mean by “make your life difficult”? Rarity: Oh, well, suffice to say my life in Caballus boils down to constant manual labor. Applejack: Wait, hold that thought. You, doing hard labor? You just don't seem like the type. Rarity: Oh, be quiet. I work at the grand church where they either have me mopping floors or repairing old uniforms. Applejack: And Blue Blood is the one who runs that church? Rarity: Yes, don't remind me. Pinkie Pie: So they would tell Blue Blood? Then what? Rarity: I don't know. Probably get assigned more shifts, or worse, go on another date with that inconsiderate, tactless, ill-mannered excuse for a pony. Applejack: Date? Rarity: Did I say that? Moving on. SKIT: End "What the hay is all this stuff?" Applejack looked all around her, examining the high-tech walls of the fortress. Everything about it was foreign to her, from the general structure, to the amount of technology used, and even the aesthetic bugged her. "I've never seen any place like this before." "It's all harmotech," Pinkie Pie explained. "When you're as rich as the Cloud Kingdom, you can afford to make these high-tech fortresses to spy on other ponies with. Kinda creepy, but it's all broken now." "Dang, I bet I could have made a killing if just some of this stuff still worked." "And I thought the pink one was the bandit," Rarity mocked Applejack. "Watch your mouth, missy," Applejack shot back, threateningly. "Uh, girls," Fluttershy spoke softly, but still getting her companion's attention. "I think I can hear voices coming from the top." Everyone went silent, priming their ears to the faintest noises. The voices came in, difficult to make out, but distinct pony voices coming from somewhere above them. "Do you think it's them?" "Come on!" Applejack charged down the hallways, looking for a flight of stairs and her hoof-steps echoed across the building. "Looks like a party is about to start!" Pinkie Pie squealed. "Let's go, Fluttershy." "Can we think about this?" Fluttershy whimpered as she was dragged off. "Oh for the star's sake," Rarity moaned as she brought up the rear. "This is a very bad idea." Working together, they managed to find a set of stairs which they followed to the roof, where the source of the voices was coming from. Applejack stepped out first, and before her stood multiple unicorns dressed in magenta cloaks. In the center, between them, was a cage containing a sleeping Spike. "Well, if I didn't know any better," she started, "I would write this off as just suspicious." "Wow, there's a lot of them!" Pinkie Pie pointed out, pursing her lips and eager to see what will happen next. "You're insane if you want to pick a fight with some of the most powerful unicorns in Caballus," Rarity groaned, now gasping for air as she finally surmounted the stairs. "Rarity," a pink unicorn with a blue mane called out, "what are you doing here?" "Oh, A-Amethyst!" Rarity stuttered. "Well, you see, these ponies are friends of the mare who that particular lizard belongs to. Why, I was almost abducted. You could say I was forced against my will!" "You best not be selling us out." Applejack shot a scrutinizing gaze at Rarity. "N-No! Nothing like that." Rarity turned back to Amethyst Star. "Could you please give us back the lizard?" "We have direct orders from Blue Blood to turn this dragon over to him," Amethyst Star answered back. "Rarity, I order you to stand down. Return to Fillydelphia, and take these ponies with you. You should be preparing for the Summer Sun Celebration tomorrow, remember?" "Yes, like saying a few tired lines needs preparing," Rarity groaned. "Well, you heard her. Let's go." Rarity tried to pull Applejack away from the scene, but she wasn't budging. "Now, Miss Star was it?" Applejack started, "Where I come from, we don't take kindly to kidnappers, foal or otherwise. So let's be civil about this, or else." "Or else, what?" Amethyst Star's horn began to glow with a purple light; she pointed it at Applejack, the other unicorns gathered behind her following her lead. "Oh, I was afraid of this," Rarity sighed. "Your fancy unicorn magic doesn't scare me," Applejack gloated. "I'll show you the strength of an honest work horse!" She was lifted into the air, surrounded by a purple aura of magic. It was a familiar sensation to when Twilight had caught her before with her own magic, save for one thing: Twilight's magic was far stronger. Applejack struggled against the pull of magic on her body, and she was even winning. "You've got nothing!" she cried out as the other unicorns worked together to restrain her. "Girls, help!" "It's party time!" Pinkie Pie jumped at the closest unicorn, twirling her body to increase the force she would hit the unicorn with. "What the-" the unicorn cried out as he fell under Pinkie Pie's weight. "Grab her!" Amethyst Star order to the other unicorns. The unicorns broke their concentration on Applejack as they jumped on Pinkie Pie. "So much attention, just for me?" Pinkie Pie laughed as she grabbed her giant pinwheel with her teeth. "Dizzy Punishment!" She spun the pinwheel around herself, flinging an unsuspecting unicorn and herself into the air. "Fluttershy! The combo!" "Oh, okay." Fluttershy whipped out one of her sickles and flung it at the air-bound unicorn. "Aching Chains!" The sickle came to life and coiled itself around the unicorn. With a tug from Fluttershy, the unicorn was slammed into the ground. "S-sorry about that." "This is crazy!" Rarity cried. "W-We shouldn't be fighting!" "Traitor!" A unicorn fired a bolt of lightning at Rarity, prompting her to flinch. "Wha- who did that!" Rarity turned on the offender, the four mirrors along her robe coming to life and floating behind her, coated in an aura of blue magic, her own horn giving off the same light. "Eternal light, ever true and undefiled, grant this wanton sinner before me the majesty of thy judgment!" Rarity's mirrors began to glow, before firing off several beams of light. "Ray!" Light spread across the roof of the building, blinding and burning any pony foolish to get caught. "Let go of me!" Applejack gritted her teeth as she gave the magic around her one last pull, but she couldn't break free. "Dang it!" "Give up," Amethyst Star commanded her. "I could fling you off the side of the building if I wanted to, and I doubt you would survive the fall." "Let me warn you that apple family ponies are made of some really tough stuff. Better make sure that fall kills me before I come back up and buck you!" "Aren't you cocky," Amethyst Star sneered. Twilight's voice erupted from the sky. "Burning Spear Fang!" A unicorn with a mane and tail of fire barreled out of the sky, landing right in front of Amethyst Star. The resulting shock-wave of the attack created a surge of fire, forcing Amethyst Star to break her concentration on Applejack and retreat away. Applejack landed on her hooves, and turned to Twilight. "Well, I wasn't expecting to run into you up here," she commented, stretched her legs. "Are you okay to be out of bed? How did you even find us? Or get up there?" "First: No, I'm not fine to be out of bed," Twilight laughed, her mane and tail returning to normal, "and it was rather easy to find you all. You guys make a rather conspicuous group when put together, so enough poking around Fillydelphia gave me all the clues I needed. As for how I got up there... well, I hitched a ride." "Hitched a ride?" "I see a fight!" Rainbow Dash dove out of the sky, tackling a unicorn and knocking him unconscious. "Rainbow Dash!?" Pinkie Pie blurted. "You're here too!?" "You girls are so going to owe me one," Rainbow Dash laughed, "but first I need to clean house!" Even though she had forgotten her sword, she was still going to fight. "You brought her with you?" Applejack eyed Twilight. "She's quite useful," Twilight responded. "Did you all really come all this way just to find Spike... for me?" "Yeah, I owe you one for putting you through that haymaker of an arena. Look over there, Miss Twi'." She pointed over to the cage in the center, Spike unconscious and trapped within. "Applejack, thank you." "Save all that for later," Applejack replied. "First, we have to rescue the sleeping prince." "Right!" Twilight's horn began to glow, the fringes of her mane and tail beginning to ignite as magic coursed through her body. Amethyst Star was stunned. The unicorn before her was not an ordinary one. "What the? What level of magic is this?" "Twilight! Cover me!" Applejack threw herself at Amethyst Star. "Beast!" she cried out as she swung one of her hooves, blue energy roaring forth from it. Amethyst Star casted one of her own spells in retaliation. “Stone Wall!" A barrier of earth materialized in front of Applejack, halting her assault. "Twilight! Got anything?" Applejack yelled back. "Try this!" Twilight felt her magic flow out of her body. She directed the flow to Applejack, allowing her magic to wrap itself around Applejack's hooves. "Try not to get burned!" "Don't you worry about that!" Applejack tackled the earthen barrier again. "Fiery Beast!" Applejack's natural energy mixed with Twilight's magic, causing a lion's head of fire to emerge from Applejack, completely decimating the wall. "Gotcha!" "Impossible!" Amethyst Star cried as Applejack continued to charge at her. "Eat this!" Applejack slammed her body into the ground, calling forth another explosion and numerous pillars of fire. Amethyst Star managed to block most of the blow with a green barrier, but in doing so she spent too much of her magic: she wouldn't be able to strike back. "What the hay was that?" she groaned. "Just a little teamwork," Applejack replied back, cracking her hooves. "So, you can either give back Spike, or get a hoof in the face." "Twilight!" Pinkie Pie called out. "Somepony is trying to grab Spike's cage- Surprise Infliction!" Another unicorn tried to attack Pinkie Pie, but she managed to counter it with an upward swing of her pinwheel, drawing a crescent shaped gleam in the air. "Spike!" Twilight winked behind Amethyst Star, closing in on Spike's cage, and next to that cage stood a cloaked pegasus. "You won't take him!" she screamed, her mane totally consumed in fire. The cloaked pegasus took hold of Spike's cage, flaring its wings to take off. "Flame Lance!" Twilight conjured a spear of fire, pointing at the pegasus trying to make off with Spike. She jumped, grabbing the spear with her teeth, and riding it at her target. The pegasus unsheathed a double-bladed sword from within its cloak. With a swing, the sword clashed with Twilight's spell, forcing Twilight down to a stalemate. "You won't take Spike!" Twilight screamed, enchanting her spear to attack the pegasus from behind, forcing it to retreat. "We're done here!" The pegasus called out with a feminine voice. "This battle is lost. Retreat before we suffer more casualties." With a beat of her wings and incredible finesse, the pegasus took off into the sky, soon disappearing over the horizon/ "Count your blessings." In a flash of purple light, Amethyst Star winked off, and one by one the other unicorns following suit, leaving Twilight and her companions alone on the roof. "Oh, this isn't going to end well for me," Rarity sighed. "Spike!" Twilight cracked the lock on the cage, carefully taking Spike into her fore-legs. "Spike, wake up!" "We should get him back to the nurse," Applejack suggested. "Yes, of course." Twilight held Spike close to herself. "Please be fine." SKIT: Noisy Applejack: Of all the ponies to show up out of nowhere, I would have never expected you to show up, Miss Twi'. Twilight: Neither would I. I'm doing stupider things every day now. Pretty soon I'll jump off a cliff. Applejack: I'll be sure to catch you before you do. Rainbow Dash: Hey, aren't you forgetting somepony here. Applejack: Oh yeah, you. I guess I also owe you some thanks. Rainbow Dash: Oh, I want more than that. Applejack: What? Twilight: Ugh, just ignore her for now. Twilight: But, who are you? Rarity: Oh, I am Rarity from Caballus. Twilight: You're from Caballus! Oh, I have so many questions about what it's like there. Rarity: Uh, sure, no problem, darling. Rainbow Dash: Pft, Caballus is nothing compared to the mighty and awesome Cloud Kingdom. Rarity: I'm sure. Instead of a bumbling fool for a leader, you have a tyrant. Rainbow Dash: You best not be insulting King Steel Wings while I'm around. Rainbow Dash: Hey, fellow pegasus, you know what I'm talking about. Fluttershy: Uh, actually, I live in the Everfree Forest. Rainbow Dash: What!? Applejack: We sure have all types in this group now. It's getting pretty noisy. Pinkie Pie: I know, isn't it great!? SKIT: End Nurse Redheart had just packed up the last of her tools. The combatants from the tournament were all treated and she could finally return to her clinic on the other side of town. That is, until her door was bucked open, and on the other side was Twilight with a sick looking baby dragon on her back. "Please," Twilight pleaded, her eyes tearing up, "can you treat him?" "I'll try," Nurse Redheart replied as she carefully moved Spike to a bed. She turned back to Twilight and behind her were five other ponies crowding the room and making the air feel dense. "Would the rest of you please wait outside?" The other five mares moved into the adjoining hallways, each collapsing on a bench from exhaustion. "Well," Applejack sighed, "I think I've had more adventure in the past few days than ever before in my life." "You need to get out more," Pinkie Pie giggled. "Adventuring is so much fun, like every day could be a big party, and it often is." "I don't need any more parties like that," Applejack shot back, her voice lacking the typical strength she had and instead coming out in short panting breaths. Her adrenaline was wearing off and fatigue setting in. "I need to go home, take my whooping, and rest." "W-Whooping?" Fluttershy squeaked. "It ain't nothing," Applejack replied tiredly. "I'm going to agree with the orange one on this," Rarity sighed. "This was murder on my mane." Rainbow Dash laughed. "I guess not everypony can have a perfectly stylish mane like mine all the time." "There is nothing stylish about that knotted rat's nest!" Rarity argued, all the while Pinkie Pie laughed over the scene unfurling. "Have you even heard of a comb?" "Everypony," Twilight called out. "Heya, Miss Twi'," Applejack answered her. "So how's the iguana doing?" "Somehow, he lost a lot of blood," Twilight replied, "but he'll be all right if he rests. Nurse Redheart and I are going to move him to her clinic where she can treat him better." "That's good to hear," Applejack replied, finally able to relax for the first time all day. "Okay, now that that's over with," Rainbow Dash butted in, "I think it's time for my payment." Twilight sighed. "You're horrible, you know that?" "That's not what I want to hear." "Oh Dash, she's the best. A cut above all the rest. With wings so strong she soars on high, she'll one day be the master of the sky." Twilight sung with a toneless voice. "Like music to my ears." "You mean to tell me you hauled your keister around like that... for a cheer!?" Applejack stared at Rainbow Dash. "You’re some level of crazy, I know that much." "Like, crazy awesome!" Rainbow Dash spat back. "Yeah, I know." "Nelly, get me away from this one before I have to buck her back down to earth with the rest of us." "Hey, Dash!" Gilda's sour voice echoed across the hall. "Where the flock have you been?" "Hey, G.!" Rainbow Dash casually met Gilda's attitude with humor. "Beauty rest treat you well?" "Just answer the question, and for that matter what are you doing with these dweebs anyway?" "I helped them out with finding their dragon or something. You know, the lizard that took the announcer's table." "Whatever," Gilda grumbled, "let's just get away from these losers." "All right, all right." Rainbow Dash turned back to the ponies. "It's been fun," she said with a wave. "What, don't leave!" Pinkie Pie pleased. "Sorry," Rainbow Dash replied as she walked away, "but duty calls." "I should be taking my leave as well." Rarity got up from the couch, turning in the direction of the reserved rooms. "You too?" Pinkie Pie sighed. "I have a sister to look after, and we need to start packing for the Summer Sun celebration tomorrow." "We'll be there!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "Yeah, if we can find some bits," Applejack groaned, now left alone with Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy. "I guess we better start looking for something." "Excuse me," a finely dressed stallion approached the trio. "You're the pink pony that hijacked the announcer's chair." "Yep!" Pinkie Pie replied. "Are you going to haul her to jail now?" Applejack replied, a little too hopeful. "Are you kidding? You and the kid were a hit with the crowd. I'm wondering if I can get you to do it again? We can pay you!" "Bits!" "The universal language, baby!" "Twilight..." Spike mumbled as he opened his eyes. "Twilight, is that you?" "Spike!" Twilight cried as she hugged him. "You're okay!" "What happened? The last thing I remember was running from the guards..." "I'll explain it to you later, Spike, but right now you need to rest." "Yeah, I could do for a little sleep." Spike nodded off. Twilight carefully put down Spike. Now that she was sure he was okay she could let herself relax. She collapsed into a nearby chair wearing a relieved smile. "Good night, Spike." "Twilight!" Applejack barged in. "Shush!" "Oh, sorry, but we got bits for getting back to Canterlot, courtesy of the crazy mare's crazy announcing." "Back to Canterlot," Twilight mused, turning to her saddlebags lying in a corner. "Well, I would hate to miss the Summer Sun Celebration." What are the chances of Nightmare Moon appearing? "So how's the little fella'?" Applejack asked as she entered the room. "He's fine," Twilight answered, "and that's what matters. Applejack, thank you for everything you did. I have no idea how I can repay you." "That don't matter. I did it because I owed you for putting up with me in that arena. Besides, it just seemed like the right thing to do. Twilight stood outside of the Fillydelphia dome, housing the harmotech air-carriages that would take her back to Canterlot. Spike sat on her back, idly munching on some cookies she had bought him. "It's been quite an adventure, huh?" "I'm kind of sad that we're going back already," Spike answered her. "Sorry, but I don't plan on raiding every cave and ruin looking for the elements." "Dang, sounds like fun." "Hey!" Pinkie Pie called to her from the entrance of the dome. "Twilight! We're over here!" "Our friends are calling us," Twilight sighed.