Silver Spoon, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie found themselves in an indigo jungle. The chartreuse sky was very cloudy. The chartreuse clouds struck down with indigo lightning.
The bolts hit some of the trees. The ponies saw a nearby cave and went inside. There they saw something unusual, There were paintings and a pony wearing a lion costume.
The costumed pony noticed she had guests. “Oh hello there, guests. Name’s Leo.”
Rarity said, “Hello. Um, is that costume for camouflage?” Rarity hoped the answer was yes. She could not see it being used as a fashion symbol and Nightmare Night was a few months away.
Leo said, “Oh this? This is the skin from one of the Nemean Lions around here. Invulnerable and indestructible unless it happens to be struck by lightning.”
“I see,” Rarity said. She and most of the other ponies were a little disgusted by the implications.
Silver Spoon said, “Do you know how to open the gate nearby?”
Leo said, “What gate?”
Rainbow Dash thought, ‘Figures.’
Leo had an idea. She said, “This storm won’t go away till morning. Why don’t you stay here for the night? There’s plenty of room here in my cave.”
Rarity and Silver Spoon found the offer disturbing. They were used to more luxurious accommodations. The Cutie Mark Crusaders recalled the last time they slept in a cave. Despite this, the ponies knew that sleeping outside was worst. Rainbow Dash was already too tired to clear the clouds.
The ponies accepted Leo’s offer and set up camp in the cave.
A few hours later, Silver Spoon approached the Cutie Mark Crusaders.
“Hey,” Silver Spoon said.
Scootaloo said, “What’s up?” She still found the very fact the Silver Spoon wanted to make up for bullying her and her pals a little disturbing.
“I just wanted to play with you for a bit,” Silver Spoon said.
Apple Bloom said, “Well, there’s not much to do in this cave.” She wondered what happened that would have caused one of her bullies to want to make up and the other to go with the windigoes.
Sweetie Belle said, “We could tell jokes.”
“That’s right,” Apple Bloom said.
“Pinkie told me some great jokes a while back,” Scootaloo said. “Okay, Why did the chicken cross the road...”
The fillies went and had fun around the cave, A few hours later, the ponies were prepared to go to sleep.
Silver Spoon noticed a familiar shadow in the maw of the cave. She wondered who that was.
The next day, The ponies exited Leo’s cave. the chartreuse shy was clear directly above them but there are some storm clouds coming on the horizon.. Twilight wondered what trial they had to face.
Rarity said, “That was the most dreadful sleep I’ve ever had!”
Sweetie Belle said, “At least you didn’t wake up with laughing fits.”
Applejack asked, “So what do we do?”
Rainbow Dash said, “I betcha that ‘indestructible’ costume had something to do with it.”
“Really, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity said. “You think the costume had something to do with the trials.”
“She wouldn't had told us about if it wasn't important. She could have easily said that it was for show or camouflage.”
Applejack said, “You’re kidding, right?”
Rainbow Dash said, “Well it’s better than nothing. I’ve got it! We’ll search for one of the lions and bring it to the gate.”
“That’s a great idea,” Pinkie Pie said.
Silver Spoon noticed something rumbling in the bushes. She went over there to check but there was nothing there.
Apple Bloom saw Silver Spoon checking the bushes, “Something wrong?”
Silver Spoon said, “No.” The two looked back to the mares.
Twilight said, “How will we even find the lion anyway?”
Silver Spoon said, “I can ask Leo back at the cave.”
Apple Bloom said, “I’ll go with her.” She noticed something suspicious with Silver Spoon.
“We can be Cutie Mark Crusaders researchers,” Scootaloo said.
“Yeah,” Sweetie Belle said.
“Fine,” Rainbow Dash said. She felt a little worried about the fillies. “But I’m coming with you.”
Scootaloo gleefully said, “You are?”
Rainbow dash said, “”If we’re gonna find that lion, I would like to know what we’re dealing with.”
Applejack said, “Guess we’ll try and search for the beast.” She knew that there was no stopping Rainbow Dash now.
Rainbow Dash and the four filles trotted into Leo’s cave, while everypony else searched the jungle.
Pinkie Pie noticed a glowing stone near the gates. “Ooh,” she said. The chartreuse stone glowed brilliantly in the indigo dirt.
Fluttershy saw Pinkie Pie trotting towards the stone. She felt something familiar about the glowing stone. “Um, Pinkie? What is that?”
“Dunno,” Pinkie said. “But it sure looks cool.”
Twilight, Applejack, and Rarity looked at the stone. Pinkie Pie tried to pick it up. The chartreuse stone flashed brightly and engulfed the area in light. The five ponies vanished with the flash.
Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Silver Spoon were inside Leo’s cave. They were surprised to see that Leo herself wasn’t there.
“Hello?” Sweetie Belle said. “Leo?” Her voiced echoed throughout the cave, but there wasn’t a response.
‘Damn,’ Rainbow Dash thought. The five ponies knew that Leo wasn’t here. They would have to find the Nemean Lion without her information.
“Guess we’re flying blind,” Scootaloo said. They exited the cave.
The ponies saw a familiar shape in the distance. Rainbow Dash recognized the shape from the Everfree Forest. Silver Spoon saw it as her friend, before what happened at the Unicorn Range.
“Hey!” Rainbow Dash said.
The shape fled. RaInbow Dash flew after it. The Cutie Mark Crusaders and Silver Spoon followed her.
They chased the shadow around the jungle, but the shadowy figure was elusive. It flew up into the sky. Rainbow Dash chased it and then there was a great flash and Rainbow Dash vanished.
Scootaloo wondered where Rainbow Dash went. She mumbled, “Rainbow Dash?”
Apple Bloom said, “Scootaloo?”
Scootaloo mumbled to herself, “It’ll be okay, I’m sure Rainbow Dash flew too fast, that’s all. Maybe she’s still in the jungle.”
Silver Spoon said, “Are you alright?”
Scootaloo ran deeper in the jungle.
Sweetie Belle said, “Scootaloo!”
The other three fillies tried to find their friends.
A few hours later. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Silver Spoon found Scootaloo near some large trees. The chartreuse clouds block the sky as rain fell on the jungle. Scootaloo was curled up in a ball.
“Rainbow Dash?” Scootaloo said. She looked back and saw the other fillies. “Oh.”
“Are you okay?” Apple Bloom said.
Scootaloo didn’t respond. She felt hollow inside. She didn’t know how to take it. Rainbow Dash just vanished in front of her eyes.
“Man, she’s really out of it.”
The fillies recognized that voice. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Silver Spoon looked back and saw Diamond Tiara,without Diamond Dust’s ice wings or horn. Lightning began to strike the ground as thunder roared in the distance.
“You?!” Sweetie Belle said.
“Diamond Tiara?” Silver Spoon said. She didn’t know what to feel.
Diamond Tiara trotted forward. “Aw, what’s the matter? Gave up now that your friend is gone?”
“Leave her alone!” Apple Bloom said.
SIlver Spoon was appalled. She never seen her go as far as to force somepony in their darkest hour like that.
Diamond Tiara turned to Silver Spoon. “Let’s go, Silver Spoon.”
Silver Spoon looked at the Crusaders. She didn’t know what to do.
“What are you waiting for?!” Diamond Tiara said. “Let’s go!”
She saw Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle tried to comfort Scootaloo. She looked back at Diamond Tiara and shouted, “No!”
Everypony here was surprised. Diamond Tiara was the most shocked. She said, “What do you mean ‘No?’”
“I’m not going with you,” Silver Spoon said. “Not now.”
Diamond Tiara said, “Silver Spoon, what are you talking about?”
Lightning flashed as Silver Spoon, “That filly needs my help more than you do.”
Diamond Tiara was shocked. She said, “But don’t you want to rescue me?”
Silver Spoon said, “I do and I will, but right now I have to help rescue my friends from the trouble you and your newspaper caused.”
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were surprised to hear that.
Diamond Tiara was furious. “You’ll pay for this!” Her voice changed into a roar, Her pink fur became golden in color and her mane became brown as it grew around her face. She grew bigger and bigger. Until her form and size became that of a lion.
The Crusaders knew that she had changed into the Nemean Lion. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle lifted Scootaloo and galloped away with Silver Spoon. The lion chased after them.
The lion chased them all over the jungle until they hid behind a tree.
“What do we do?” Sweetie Belle said.
Apple Bloom and Silver Spoon noticed someone hanging by the hoof on a nearby tree.
“Is that--?” Apple Bloom asked. Sweetie Belle lifted Scootaloo’s head towards the tree.
Scootaloo saw Rainbow Dash, unconscious, banged-up and upside down. the rain woke her up and she saw the fillies.
“What happened?” Rainbow Dash said.
Scootaloo smiled. “You’re alive!”
Rainbow Dash freed herself and said, “What? You assume that a small flash of light would get rid of me that easily?”
Scootaloo said, “Yeah, silly me.”
The five ponies heard a loud roar. Rainbow Dash said, “Is that--”
“The lion?” Scootaloo gulped.
The gilded Nemean Lion emerged from the trees. Rainbow Dash was hurt but she felt that she can still fight. She said, “Hide.”
The fillies did as told and hid behind another tree. Lightning hit the nearby trees. The lion roared as it faced Rainbow Dash. She tried to charge the beast, but its hide blocked the assault. The lion swept one of its claws at Rainbow Dash, but she dodged and kicked the beast.
the fight kept on for a few minutes but Rainbow Dash was unable to even scratch the beast. ‘Man that pony was right.’ She thought. the lion landed a blow with it’s sharp claws
Scootaloo saw the lion was winning. “We have to do something!”
Silver Spoon said, “But what can we do?”
Apple Bloom saw lightning strike the tree they were hiding behind. She remembered what Leo said the previous day. “Rainbow Dash, the lightning!”
Rainbow Dash realized that the hide of the Nemean was weak to lightning was weak to lightning. She flew up to the clouds and brought one of them down. The lion heard Apple Bloom and was ready to pounce.
“Oh no you don’t,” Rainbow Dash said. She placed the cloud over the lion and kicked it. An indigo bolt hit the golden beast.
The fillies went to another tree. Silver Spoon and Apple Bloom carried some sap.
The lion writhed in pain. It tried to escape but Rainbow Dash kicked the cloud again and another bolt struck the beast.
The lion was heavily damaged. He pounced on Rainbow Dash and destroyed the cloud. the lion smirked as it prepared to strike Rainbow Dash down. But Rainbow Dash dodged the attack and the lion hit the tree. The impact had wounded the lion but it was too determined and proud to quit.
Rainbow Dash just hovered near a bent tree. She taunted, “You want me? come and get me!”
The Nemean Lion pounced, but Rainbow Dash flew to the side and pointed down. The lion saw that its foot was stuck to the bent tree, and it snapped back, flinging the lion into the storm.
The fillies went out from behind the tree. “It worked!” Silver Spoon said.
The five ponies saw a bolt of lightning hit the beast and it fell down near the gate. They went to find where it landed. The clouds began to clear.
When Silver Spoon, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and Rainbow Dash returned to the gate. They saw Leo nearby a pile of ash and some golden fur. Leo looked at Silver Spoon “So I take it you stood up for your new friends, found Rainbow Dash and slain the beast with the lightning?”
Silver Spoon said, “How did you know?”
Leo said, “I have my ways. Nemean Lions always overestimate themselves.”
Several lights appeared and Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy emerged from the lights. They saw Rainbow Dash and the fillies were wet and messy. Rainbow Dash was also wounded.
Applejack said, “I feel like I’m missing something here. Are you alright Rainbow Dash?”
“I’m fine,” Rainbow Dash looked to the fillies. “Thanks to them.”
Twilight and Fluttershy tended to Rainbow Dash’s wounds. Leo took the skin and ashes closer to the gate. The ashes turned into chartreuse particles and formed the sign for Leo (♌) on the gates.
Leo handed the empty hide of the beast to the group. “Here’s a souvenir for later. I’ll see you later”
“Thank you, darling,” Rarity took the hide. She felt that she could make a indestructible one-of-a-kind dress with the hide. She looked to Rainbow Dash and Sweetie Belle
The ponies entered the gates.