Road to the End

by JusSonic

Chapter 3: The First Few Ingredients

"We must contemplate our standings in where everything is going." The Superior spoke in knowing they need to think about what's happening now. "For now, things are becoming a disaster in Ponyville, but at the same time, pandemonium is rising." While Sweet Apple Acres is suffering & so are the Ponyville citizens, Twilight is moving out to fix the problem at hand.

"Indeed, the spell used to remove all the iron around the Apples' farm for our own needs truly has cause measures to raise." Ms. Moon spoke in issuing what was used as a method to ruin the Apples' farm fields & their home. "And as an after effect, the life of all the wooden plants and structures had crumpled from a lost & has broken the cell structure." She issued this part out like she was sounding very knowledgeable about such facts that have taken place, how strange.

"An impressive feat from your handling of magic my dear," The Superior commented to Ms. Moon in being the one to come across that which they used to ruin Sweet Apple Acres. "But the problem now lies with Twilight Sparkle." The leader of the organization pointed out a different problem that needs their focus towards.

"Alas, where the heroes go is likely far worse than the dangers in the Everfree Forest. A place that can be considered the backyard to Tartarus," Grimmore spoke with a sly smile in seeing where Twilight's little party goers are heading towards, is a very dangerous place. "Of course, the actual threat lies going into Tartarus, but the area itself...the End of Equestria, will suffice." The Overlord King feels that had the group venture into his own dominion, they face all the horrors of Tartarus & all the great & ancient evil creatures trapped within.

"I can understand that an agent of yours will tail Sparkle & her little band, but tell us...." The Superior spoke in suddenly becoming curious to Grimmore's little agent watching over Twilight's group and their progress. "What is Number 13 supposed to be? Or perhaps, who he once 'was' at a time," Knowing Grimmore as he does, the one creature following the heroes would be no ordinary underling.

"Hmph-hmph-hmph, hmmm....that is the beauty of it!" Grimmore chuckled under his breath in being ask such a question. "I found him when he was...shall we say 'lying' around, between life & death. And over the years, made him into what I would call....the most deadliest unicorn on Equestria." The Dark Elf exclaimed his issue of explaining but a brief fact about his agent, Number 13, and what he is known as all around.

"To give one pony such a title seems a little...over doing it, don't you think?" Ms. Moon spoke in narrowing her eyes to Grimmore in being intrigue about somepony given such a standard on his existence. "Just who is he...the one called: The Equestrian Eliminator?" She has heard about that code name with the unit number 13, and if the creature in question serves Grimmore, then what is such a pony's history?

"Hpmh-hmph, these are questions that you, among the members, might not want answered. But, I can tell you all this." Grimmore chuckled in amusement before his eyes shut one moment to open them again with a surprising shock. "That Twilight Sparkle has herself to blame...in what he is now." That much alone could leave more questions & riddles than ever before, what did Twilight do to the one called the Equestrian Eliminator?

"Interesting; so he's someone that the new princess has connections to and yet his rise now is a mystery at best?" The Superior held his chin in liking this bit of info, as it holds...promises. "Quite the mercenary assassin you've played out, Grimmore." The Superior gave a compliment to his ally, sending forth such a player to watch over Twilight's progress is sheer brilliance.

"Then if he's such a promising candidate than even Sunset Shimmer was, why not have him eliminate Twilight & the others with her?" Ms. Moon asked a very good question, if the Dark Elf had such a talented opponent, why not have the guy end things quickly than to watch things progress?

"He works from the shadows, just as he was trained to become a shadow one opponent couldn't defeat, let alone a squad. Not even Celestia & Luna's Royal Guards coming at him at once could stop such a foe I've unleashed. After all, they failed to defeat or handle him and not even Lorcan could be of his level of combative skills." Grimmore smiled with a dark pride in explaining that such an agent from his side works in the shadows at best and not a lot of opposers have managed to take down the Equestrian Eliminator, and very few....know of his existence that shrouds in shadows.

"So he is an instrument of your plans as well as our own now?" The Superior spoke in liking this piece of info more and more of what Grimmore was telling them. "But tell me, what if his connection with Twilight Sparkle causes....a self-doubt of thought?" The Superior wonders that if the Equestrian Eliminator & Twilight Sparkle has a connection, what's to say that won't turn against the villains' plans?

"Does it matter? Just as there is the question if the heroes will survive or not, everything....is a game." Grimmore dodged the question in being assured that even now, the moment being played is a game to him. "I seek amusement and watch how pieces play out a course that I observe. And when the amusement has reached its final end....the amusing piece will fall." He smiled wickedly after exclaiming such a statement that when something has reached its useful end to amuse him, it will fall...hard.

"You certainly have a strange way of thinking of matters." Ms. Moon rolled her eyes in seeing just how unpredictable this Overlord King of Tartarus is.

"When you are of a god-like being, everything before you....is there for you to judge how things will play out." Grimmore smiled ever still to address the matter of how he observes it. "Until then, Number 13 will report matters to my side & yours on whoever wants to chat. Until then....we wait for what he'll report of the struggles, the heroes are just getting involved in." Even now, Grimmore's agent watches the group heading to their worst experience yet and he'll be watching & learning everything that happens. "Hah-hah-hah-hah-ha, haaaahhh...." Then with a wicked cackle, Grimmore's portal image of inferno faded away out of existence, leaving only the other members in the room.

"Sometimes, it's hard knowing much of what Grimmore thinks." Ms. Moon signed to take a breather, figuring out that the Dark Elf is harder than planning something big from their side.

"As a powerful godlike deity in Tartarus, he has ways of spreading his reach...I know that for more reasons than any of you." The Superior instructed off to say about having knowledge about Grimmore, and from the sounds of his voice, there is a lot about it. "Right now, Twilight Sparkle & Celestia's son, Ben Mare, will have to pass through much areas in the End of Equestria." The Superior declared off that the heroes venturing to the End of Equestria, most first pass some obstacles along the way. "Wasps, snakes, pony-eating plants and more; if the group cannot get through all those obstacles to find their ingredients, then it will be their grave." He issued forth the matter that since getting through the End of Equestria means facing such dangers, if no one survives that much, then the adventure of the heroes will end before it began.

After the discussion was over, both the Superior and Ms. Moon vanished in their own portals. Leaving much puzzlement in what shall happen to Twilight's group ahead.

-------------------------

In his room, Lorcan looked outside with a worried and sad look. Looking at two pony brothers who were smiling and playing a soccer, Lorcan then sighed of concern and upset as he heard some talking from outside.

"I'm glad we get to spend together, big bro." The small pony said to his big brother playfully.

Big Pony smiled as he gave his younger brother a noogie. They then laughed together before the two hugged. Lorcan turned away from the window as he crawled into a ball form while remaining sad and silent. The scarred Dragon misses his brother big time.

Princess Luna came into Lorcan's room. She noticed on Lorcan's looks, sighed, and approach him. Her 'friend' needs some support right about now.

"Are you worried about Spike?" Luna asks. Silently Lorcan nods his head. She sighed. "I'm truly sorry, Lorcan. I wish I had been there to stop him from following Twilight."

Lorcan sigh, "It's not your fault, Princess Luna. It is mine from the very beginning."

"What are thou talking about?"

"I had murdered Twilight's younger brother. I tried to take over Equestria through brutal, menaced and bloodshed force. And the next thing, I tried to kill my very own flesh and blood. I'm very ashamed of myself for all the things that I've done. I am nothing but my father's heartless shadow and weapon."

Luna sigh, knowing how guilt-ridden Lorcan is right now, "You should not blame yourself. As I had said before, I'm the one who should be blamed. I had brought my hatred and jealousy out to become Nightmare Moon. I killed your father's great bodyguard, causing him to betray and wage war against us, and even using you as a tool."

"Even so, I'm still be blamed. If I had asked Princess Celestia about my brother, I would not have begun the war and bring suffering to anypony. I would have spent my great life with my brother forever and helping Twilight and everypony. I want love. I want to have my own family like Spike, but instead, I have a hatred enemy who hates me for what I had done in the past. I wish I could change it." Lorcan said in frustration, wanting to break something, maybe even himself for what he had did.

Luna pat Lorcan's shoulder, speaking in comfort, "Oh dear Lorcan. You can't change the past just because of what happened of the event. I too think of that. But I must let it go." The Alicorn of the Night smiles as she begins to sing.

Luna: The world gives hope.
The world gives second chance.
Everypony deserve it to redeem from their mistakes.
I who understand your pain.

Luna nuzzled Lorcan's cheek as he sighed.

I who help you, believe you, trust you and be with you.
I who look upon you without hatred.
But what could you do if the mistake had been created.
So, it's best is move on.

Luna spoke a bit, "Lorcan, there is nothing you can do about the past." She goes back to her song.

It is not your fault.

Lorcan: It is mine.

Luna: You should not blame yourself.

Lorcan: I should be.

Luna: There are things that you do not hope and encountered.
You must not blame of everything you did.

Lorcan: I know what you mean it.

Luna: All the things you had done is not your doing.]

Lorcan: It is mine.

Luna: All the things you desire is never be monstrous.

Lorcan: It is too late.

Luna: Why do you blame all the things you had done constantly?
Move it on.
Forgive yourself.

Lorcan: I can't.

Luna: I[I had forgiven you.

Lorcan: I know.

Luna: Just for this once,
Leave your dark past behind.

Luna and Lorcan: And move it on........

As the sing is done, Lorcan hugs Luna, saying, "Luna; thank you for comforting me. I am sorry for everything. But I can't move on. I can't redeem the mistake I had done. I'm not ready to face Twilight and her friends when they return." The truth is, the brother of Spike is not sure if he's ready to move on just yet.

Luna sighs, "I know. But remember, Lorcan. If you truly want to be with your brother, talk with my sister and I. We will always be there and help you."

Luna smiled and so as Lorcan. Princess Luna left the room.

"Be...... there?" Lorcan asks thoughtfully. He looks out the window and begins to sing by himself.

Lorcan: Should I have the rights to move and live on,
For the ponies to forgive me?
All my life I ever been is killing poor souls,
With no love to guide me.
All I ever want is to have a family,
With no such hatred and rage exist.
All my life I wonder how I made today's difference.
Not about redemption, but part of family.
So out there,
Feeling the bonds.
Maybe someday,
Out there,
All I ask is one,
To be with my brother.
Out there,
where family exists,
With no hatred,
But a love,
Just to be with my brother, someday.......

Lorcan then looked outside the window. He sees families that are playing and having fun in the park, sports and fields, sometimes argued and even better to be together in birthday parties and having together.

Out there,
Where family spends together as one and all,
Through sadness, anger and happiness I can feel them.
Everyday parents argue and scold their own child,
In truth they deeply love them.

Lorcan came out of his room and climbed on the tower.

If I was like them,
I'd treasured every moments.
Out there,
Feeling great emotions.
Taste the love and cherish of family.
Like everypony,
Who wants to be loved.
Someday, I will be loved.
And I'd swear I'll protect my family,
Won't Regret!
Won't Despair!
All and then,
I won't care!
Someday, I'll be reunited with my brother............

--------------------

As time goes by, Twilight's group was passing a border area that was within the territory of the End of Equestria. Right now, Tough Apple was helping to steer the MechBull, Justin, across some desert area with some careful watchful eyes. Twilight was having Owlowiscious show her the map of where they are needing to go for an ingredient said to be within reach. Ben was petting Koga while Spike, Nyx & Phobos lay back to look up & around the area.

"Ahhh, what a day, everything seems peachy great!" Phobos spoke with a fine smile in how things are turning out. "The sun is out, the skies are blue, the cannibals are on us again and that backwash from earlier!" The Moon Dragon was pointing to look around in seeing how things are turning, all is...

"Wait! What was that last one again?" Spike suddenly cut Phobos off in hearing something that caught his much needed attention.

"Backwash," Phobos repeated the last thing that he said.

"No, before," Spike issued what he was stating was something before the backwash comment.

"The sun out; the skies blue," Phobos spoke off the last things he said in the beginning.

"No, no, I meant before and then after those!" Spike shook his head 'no' while issuing what he's trying to get what this annoying guy was not getting the major point here.

"Ohhh, you mean about...." Phobos suddenly got the message before suddenly about to say something when...

Suddenly, something fell out of the sky that soon jab a path blocker near the MechBull.

"Mwuuuhhhhh," Justin suddenly backflipped upwards from this surprise stunt which earn everyone to take notice of...

"CANNIBALS," Nyx screamed out from looking forward to put out what she sees.

From another direction pass some hills where some tiny blobs were starting to get a little more recognized. It's more of those cannibals like the ones that the gang defeated last night. There was no denying that these guys also looked like the type of creatures that are not very sociable.

"Dang Gum; Look at them partners! What are they wanting ‘dis time?" Tough Apple responded off in not believing the numbers of them coming foes, now what do they do?

"Explanations a little later." Twilight issue that she'll explain what those things want a little later, they just have to survive them first.

"Right, for now we gotta..." Ben nods that they have only one thing to do.

"Fight." Tough Apple suggested while getting his rifle gun ready when...

"No, flee!" Ben stated that the group don't run, but flee away.

"Hoo...?" Owlowiscious asked off the question in response.

"I think he meant the fleas that dogs have." Spike responded to the owl in thinking that was a question.

"I thought Koga already had his bath!" Phobos scratched himself puzzled in thinking that wolf cub already had his flea bath or didn't he?

"Arrff," Koga responded puzzled, when did this conversation come in?

"Now don't start this again you guys!" Twilight objected to the group confusing the owl's 'hoo' as a 'who' response and about the difference with 'flee' & 'flea' meanings, they don't have time for this confusion.

"Justin, step on it!" Ben Mare shouted an order for the MechBull to start running at mach speed already.

"Mooooowwhhh," Justin heard this before lifting up and plowed down what was blocking his path like a rampaging bull.

Soon the gang was fleeing the scene, but the cannibals were still directly following the gang while making weird battle calls.

"Why'd ya choose to flee instead of fightin?" Tough asked why Ben decided that they had to getaway.

"There's a time to fight & a time to run, we're on a clock and unless something stops us, we can just outrun those things!" Ben responded that they have no time to be dealing with such foes, they are on a deadline here, but if worst comes to it, then they'll have to fight the cannibals.

Then afar from the group, much were hearing cannibal battle cries while some were throwing their weapons to try to skewer them, which luckily them shots missed....barely.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure those guys must be into having their meals to go. Namely....US," Phobos rolled his eyes before issuing the fact that if those guys are cannibals like the other ones, then they'll wanna have the meal which is them to go, real typical pun remark that response was.

"Twilight, just how many cannibals are in this area" Spike asked the smart pony how many of these guys are in the End of Equestria that are chasing them.

"My guess is a lot. No one knows how many ponies came to the End of Equestria and live to tell about it!" Twilight explains as the Ponies fires off magic shots, rifle shots and sword swinging actions while their cannibal enemies chase them like mad.

At a sudden moment, the gang was not paying attention to when they yelped when Justin stopped when they were in front of a large mountain path. They forgot to direct the MechBull to keep going in a path where they wouldn't get cornered.

"Great, we're trapped!" Phobos groaned in seeing that the gang is caught between a rock & a hard place, perfect.

"Tough, you said Justin could break through big rocks right, can it do this?" Ben asked in recalling what this MechBull can do for them, now be a good time to help them out here.

"Sure, show them Jus!" Tough Apple nods while signaling the bull to show what it's made of.

"Mooowhh," Justin lets off a loud bull cry before charging up to the mountain's rocky surface. "BASH/CRACK-Crackvhmm..." Good news was that the bull's horns were indestructible and caused a lot of cracks to show up to be almost a good five meter break-through of the hard rock surface, "Mwuuaahhh!" The MechBull roared out again as it continued to repeat its performance while those in the cart wobbled a bit from the vibrated impact Justin did to break through a few extra feet of solid rock from a mountain structure.

"Course, this may take him a while 'ta bust through, give about...ehh, ten minutes tops." Tough Apple shrug off in seeing that this could take time, the group is bashing through a mountain, and that ain't no picnic to be handling here.

"We may not have ten seconds! Look!" Spike responded with a panicked expression to point what the heroes got now.

Suddenly, the gang saw they were getting surrounded by all sides from these cannibals. Seriously, this was not looking too good for them.

"Ben, with me, Tough, stay here to watch the others, and if those things come near you, go ballistic on them or something," Twilight made a stern face to instruct those of what to do, those that will be attacking and those that will be on the defensive line.

"Yes, ma'am," Tough Apple saluted with his pee-shooter in hand, or hoof, ready to fire when ready.

Soon Twilight & Ben got out, the princess getting her magic ready & the Earth Pony summoning his Master Sword and preparing his Triforce ability. It was just two ponies against a number of cannibals, and soon...the fighting started.

Ben fires off his magic blasts to send the cannibals flying into the air. Twilight single-hoofedly fight and defeat three cannibals literally three times her size by sheer strength, commenting, "There IS a plus side to now having the strength of many Earth ponies." She tries kicking a large rock into another cannibal, only for her to accidentally kick the rock TOO hard (i.e. the rock completely shatters) and amending, "Assuming I learn to control said strength."

As the issue of Twilight & Ben tried to hold back the cannibals, the situation with Tough Apple having Justin bash through more solid rock was about halfway done. But Nyx & the dragons along with the pets watched seeing their friends having their hooves full.

"We have to help them guys." Nyx issued to the ones in the cart, her folks could really need some help.

"What can we do?" Phobos asked off in not knowing what to do here.

"Can't you & Spike shoot fireballs at those creeps?" Nyx issued off what the dragons here can do, they may be small, but they pack some fire in their bellies.

"Hugh, guess she's right." Spike rubbed his back-head in recalling he forgot, after being a dog in that other world of human-versions of ponies, that was a trait that he nearly forgot about.

"Listen, while you do that on the cart, I'll have to try something I may have finally work the kinks out of." Nyx instructed to the dragons to stay and protect their cart of travel while Tough is having Justin bash through the rocky walls to get them through it.

"Wait, if ye go out, them folks o' yers won't be happy!" Tough Apple turn his head in seeing that Nyx was gonna go out and get into trouble.

"Yes, but what I'm about to do is something I wanted to show them for a long time, so...here goes!" Nyx looked back to say before rushing off to join the fight. Her horn was glowing, as her magical aura was covering her entire being...making the girl grow...bigger.

At this moment, Twilight & Ben were back to back from seeing the cannibals were just not wanting to give up on feasting on their flesh, not even an alicorn or an Earth pony with some tricks & a sword would scare them. But then a sudden storm of lightning zapped the cannibals either back or yelped in pain away from the two ponies.

"Nice save Twilight." Ben turn to give thanks to thinking his love did that move.

"Ben, that wasn't me. But who else with magic could have....?" Twilight spoke in seeing that wasn't her, but the only ones with them that have any magic are a total of...three.

"That...would be me." Spoke of voice of a mature mare that rang a few bells in Twilight's mind.

At the moment, some new pony landed before the group. It was an alicorn, black body coat & was as tall as Celestia & Luna, but from the familiar mane & tail, plus the eyes & the Shield Cutie Mark, this was...the filly Nyx. What?

"What the...? You're...." Twilight yelped in surprise in seeing her daughter but, in a different form.

"Nyx; you almost look like...." Ben was almost having a hard time stating who Nyx look like and he's heard the legends too.

"Nightmare Moon, but without the armor & different Cutie Mark, I know." The now revealed grown-up mare form of Nyx spoke with a more different voice of a more mature mare tone in speaking with her parents about her 'new' appearance with a slight difference.

"How are you like that after what happened during the Demon Pony event?" Twilight asked off surprised in remembering how her daughter was once Nightmare Moon during Ben & Boris's final standoff.

"Right, that time, I was turned back to normal, and what darkness you had was gone, so how?" Ben nods in remembering like it was yesterday, the Love of Eternal necklace help restore the stallion from a Demon & return Nyx to her filly state, so how was this feat possible?

"I knew that being a filly wouldn't be much help to you, my parents, unless I was more of something that could truly fight back." The adult Nyx explained her stating while also firing a lightning spell that knock more cannibals away nearby. "I secretly went to Spell Nexus to ask how I could change into a form where I can be at my strongest to protect those I love. He explained that something called a Battle Mode which was a technique taught to allow fillies & colts in the arts of magic and combat of how to change into grown-up mares & stallions for more physical & more magical boost in feet." Hearing this was surprising, Spell Nexus knew of such a spell used to make even young ponies become larger versions to be ready for combat or for war. "Course, the spell can also let one learn of what they may grow up to be if they choose to, and for me, this form is similar to what I'll be, only without the armor part, & not like the evil tales of Nightmare Moon described as in the past. It's the perfect way to allow me a shot to fight. But of course, when I run out of magical energy, I will revert back to my small filly form." So now the Adult Nyx has explained that she can change back to her original self anytime, or change back if she's completely drain of magical strength or defeated, but otherwise, this form gives her a chance to perfectly fight & not just stay out of the way.

"I can't tell whether to think about grounding you or thanking you." Ben responded surprise to his daughter after clashing his sword against a cannibal.

"We'll discuss this after handling these cannibals!" Twilight issued about what they'll talk to their daughter after dealing with this.

"Dragon Rage," Spike's voice was heard from afar now.

"Moon Rage," Phobos' voice was also heard from afar to.

Soon an emerald & blue fire of energy were shot that collided against a group of cannibals that sent them off to crash against other structures while feeling pain. Twilight & Ben saw Spike & Phobos near an entrance cave that Justin must've made, the dragons fired off some attacks to give the others a hand by Nyx's request.

"Mother, father, lets fight...together!" Battle Mode Nyx issued from standing tall, maybe taller than her parents in wanting to have them fight together...as a family.

"I never imagined the day would come us three fought together." Twilight smiled lightly in seeing that she had not only her love helping her, but her own daughter in this case.

"You never imagine our daughter growing up so fast." Ben made a slight joke to his love in them never believing their daughter would be before them as a grown up, it's almost like time was passing much faster than before.

Now this time, the Sparkle Family was really tearing up the filed against the cannibals. But it seemed that the enemy was still trying to out power the group with numbers.

"Okay, time to dish out de secret weapon!" Tough Apple spoke from coming up behind the dragons with a little box in hand.

"What secret weapon? You never said we had a secret weapon?" Phobos asked off in wanting to know what they had that was a secret till now.

"It wouldn't be much a secret if Ah had." Tough Apple remarked off to the curious dragon about keeping things a secret till later.

"Good point, so what is it?" Spike nods in understanding the point, but asked, what was their secret weapon anyway?

"This! Hey Sparkle family, step aside! This one will finish 'de job!" Tough Apple shouted before throwing a wooden box out into the air.

Deciding not to argue, Twilight, Ben & the grown up Nyx steps away while the box crash top pieces before the cannibals gathering around it to face...the secret weapon. But what came out was a yellow rabbit/mouse mixture creation with black stripes and the only thing odd about it, is that it has six tentacles on its back that can stretch a good length range. It looked at the cannibals with its little playful red eyes and....

"Gwahahahaha," The cannibals laugh at seeing this like some joke, a little creature like this was supposed to scare them, yeah right.

"Oh look, they give us a cute rabbit as an appetizer!" One cannibal spoke in pretend fear in seeing what was before them.

"Lets feast on it before we get to the main course!" Another cannibal issued that they come near the creature to eat it & then the others.

That was going to be the cannibals first and last mistake cause this creature was actually...a machine with a special life-stone gem into its creation to function almost like a living being; Rabbitchu, "CHUUUUUUUUUU!" Soon Rabbitchu was expelling a large surge of electricity from its body to make contact with those around it.

"Waaaaauuuhhahahaaaaahhhh," The cannibals were screaming while being shocked by who knows how many voltages.

"IT'S A DEMON RABBIT!" One cannibal that was blackened screamed out to point at the creature was not normal.

"Hiiss..." Rabbitchu hissed to wipe its tentacles to let off a few shocks from its body, ready to deliver another shocking feeling on the enemies.

"Forget these guys, RUN!" Another cannibal issued off in seeing they ain't gonna get some ponies, Dragons & pets if it means dealing with a rabbit demon.

Soon the cannibals were making loud cries while scattering array from the group. After a few short minutes have pass by, all was silent, the group with Twilight have somehow managed to get pass the insane cannibals…without becoming their dinner.

"Tough, what's...how'd you get something like a War Machine from the Armory out of Canterlot?" Twilight turn to Tough Apple in wondering how this pony managed to somehow have an actual Machine of War that Flim & Flam made and they took possession of it to use against any invaders.

"Especially Rabbitchu here," Phobos issued how that getting even one machine like a MechBull was hard enough as it seemed, but the little rabbit with a taste of electrified prey.

"Hoboken Joe pack him away wit' Justin here, seeing ye couldn't be too careful, he pick de only one 'de guards won't notice until later on." Tough Apple shrug off to say while turning to head into the made hole crack wall, somehow an ally they know from afar, was giving aid to the group with something that's a big thing that came in a small package.

"Good old Hobo Joe, he never misses a shot to secretly help out. I'm amazed he didn't just give us the Scout Falcons or the Naga Troopers." Ben shook his head with a little smile in thinking how his old hobo stallion friend at the Canterlot Library somehow pulled wool over anybody's heads to secretly give them an advantage while never getting caught.

"Well, he certainly helped clean those cannibals' clocks, especially for a little yellow guy!" Spike spoke from patting Rabbitchu like a pet in giving him the benefit of thanks. "Zap!" Course the rabbit/mouse machine did let off a spark that caught the Dragon by surprise. "Ouch....right, not a normal bunny, but one with lots of shock bite." Spike yelped from the shock, but let it slide in being happy that they got another helping hand out of that jam.

"Well....another helpful aid is always what we need." Battle Mode Nyx spoke as she glowed before suddenly reverting herself to her original age self of a filly, "Ahhh, back to my little self. Sometimes, I feel more mature when I get bigger." Nyx spoke off sounding & acting like she usually does, that new spell to make her get big, powerful, more fighter material does make her be more like a grown-up, with the side of still being her good self instead of being an evil pony from the past, which is a good thing to be happy about.

"Next time Nyx, you shouldn't keep something like that a secret. If you done that back home, some ponies would think you changed back into Nightmare Moon." Twilight issued to her daughter to let her parents know about what she had develop to help her fight, but should have said about this sooner, especially if she did that form back home, folks would think that Nightmare Moon returned.

"Sorry...I just wanted to be more helpful from now on." Nyx apologized to her mother in feeling like she's in trouble for keeping this a secret, like the time she made a clone of herself during the Lorcan Warfare issue.

"Well I say that showing us that special trick will be easier to let everyone know what you can do now, so they don't begin to fear the worst. But otherwise, you did good," Ben spoke in which both him and Twilight smiled to give a little hug to Nyx, being grateful that their daughter tried to do something to help them out, it's the thought that counts.

"Hehe, thanks daddy," Nyx giggled from the hug, happy to be of help and won't be in the way anymore with her Battle Mode form to give her the edge.

"BASH," Suddenly, a loud smashing sound with dust came from the cave entrance that the MechBull made that alerted the gang, "Mwuuaghhh!" Justin's voice was heard calling out, almost announcing something like a holler noise miners make when they struck something, or found something, whichever. Tough Apple ran inside to check what was going on and report to the group.

"Hey everypony, we bash through, come on over!" Tough Apple's voice is finally heard from within the cave he & Justin made when the stallion rushed to notice, they broke through the wall and can now get to the other side.

"Come on, we better regroup!" Spike signal to the rest that they can now get going now.

"Come along Rabbitchu, you're hanging with the cool crowd. Put her there!" Phobos issued to the little rabbit machine that's basically alive while holding a paw to it to shake.

"Chu," Rabbitchu happily responded to use its tentacle to shake the Moon Dragon's hand. "Bzz..." Course it was so excited, it forgot to be careful of not letting loose its electric power.

"Wooowtch; Guess you gave me a shock!" Phobos yelped from freeing his hand from feeling a shocking experience, and that this little guy will be a shocking addition.

"Come on everybody, we need to get through here to find the ingredient on the other side." Twilight instructed the group about them needing to hurry along so they can find what they need to help save Sweet Apple Acres.

Hearing those words, everyone was going through the cave created by Justin. Once reaching the MechBull, everyone got on the cart, Twilight, Ben, Spike, Phobos, Nyx & Tough Apple helped Rabbitchu to join the little ones with Owlowiscious & Koga together. Once Tough Apple climb aboard, did he signal Justin the MechBull to move out as they were rushing on out of the cave...towards some made light at the end of their little made tunnel to find themselves…in another part of the area they are in.

-----------------------------

In her throne room, Celestia sigh of worriness and upset. She is discussing with Golden Heart and Pinkamena about the important event, "Although I had faith that Twilight Sparkle will return from her journey, I cannot stop my concern but to think of who and why they did such a thing."

Golden Heart nods, saying, "Whoever did this to Applejack's home and crop field surely want to weakened the powers of Elements of Harmony."

"Who else could it be?" Pinkamena ask, hanging upside down fromt he ceiling. "It couldn't be King Sombra coz he's dead. Queen Chrysalis is still trapped in her kingdom with the Changelings! Nightmare Moon, and I don't mean Nyx or Luna, the monster is gone for good. You don't think it's him, do you?"

"Possibly," Celestia said in concern, knowing what Pinkamena is sensing. Suddenly, the pink pony lookalike's sense went off. Golden Heart and Princess Celestia sensed something as well. "Who goes there?"

The black smoke puffed and emerged on the throne room. The trio was in shock as if they're meeting someone. The gray old Earth Pony with black mark on his left eye and white mustache and beard as well as having white mane in ponytail like Ancient Chinese, he dressed in Chinese white silk adviser's robe-like with Yin-Yang on his center. His cutie mark is a Yin-Yang Symbol with Five Cards: Red, Blue, Green, Bronze and Gold Cards. Surrounding him is the 5 pieces of paper cards.

Celestia gasped as she knows who this pony is, "Mystic Tao? What are you doing here?"

Golden Heart frowns as he snaps towards him, "You have no right to come here, Tao!"

Tao smirk and chuckle, "Do you predict my arrival, Golden Heart? I expect no less of a great and might golden Alicorn whose ability can see short distance of timeline."

"Hey, you'd better watch your mouth, Tao! Or I'll gonna kick your flank!" Pinkamena demanded, fighting bad to defend her brother.

"Calm down, sister of Golden Heart. I brought myself upon from Mystic Realm to have a little discussion with her highness of this amiss."

"So what do you want, Tao?" Celestia ask Tao, wondering what the old Earth pony wants from her. He is no threat but can be a hoof-ful at times.

"I wish to know. Is it true that Twilight and her family left to seek the ingredients to bring forth the growth of the land of Apple Family?" Tao ask Celestia in a serious tone of voice.

Celestia nodded, answering, "Yes. Why? Do you know what is going on?"

"So she stepped forward for this great task. She now faced the test of her endurance and determination. It has begun. Impressive; Perhaps, I was right."

"Right? For what," Pinkamena ask Tao a bit confused by what this guy just meant.

"Destined to become not only as a princess, but something worthy and greater to Equestria, Twilight Sparkle will be. I have watched her from the heaven. Her skills, intelligent, courage and love of friendship and family had given her where nopony could never understand the path of benevolent. Great strength and wisdom she possessed to fight for righteous and freedom." Tao answers Pinkamena. The Earth pony apparently knows something about Twilight; that she is destined for even greater things!

"Stop with the riddles! And make sense, stupid mystic!"

"What he means is Twilight Sparkle is destined to become powerful and greater to save Equestria, with the power of her friendship and family." Golden Heart explains clearly to Pinkamena.

"Yeah, that makes sense. Sort of," Pinkamena said, getting the idea, so to speak.

"You'd believe that she would defeat our future great foe?" Celestia ask Tao hopefully.

Tao smiles as he answers, "Yes, my dearest friend; But I do believe I know who is responsible of this mess."

Golden Heart raised his eye-brow, asking, "Who, Tao?" Does this Earth pony know who caused this mess to begin with?

"One whom Twilight and her family had dealt and faced off from the realm of our Human Forms."

"The Superior; He is responsible? He is the one responsible for the mess, our great enemy?" Celestia gasps in surprise yet in a not so amazed kinda voice. No surprise that the Superior himself is responsible!

"Yes. But all of you including Princess Luna and I know his name well. He is the one who brought great despair, chaos and destruction on our land thousand years ago." Tao explains seriously to the group. "He is responsible for bringing forth the demon Discord. His name is feared by everyone across the land of Equestria. Now in the present, his descendants are fulfilling their great ancestor's dark wishes and destiny."

"When will this happen?" Golden Heart asks Tao seriously, fearing the worst.

"Not far distance of our timeline. I know one thing. If you are not prepared for this upcoming war, then face the wrath of our greater enemy. So be prepared for our great battle and war of our history."

Celestia nods, saying gently, "Thank you, O' Wise Mystic Tao."

"I shall take my leave. I shall watch upon Twilight and her friends in her long journey." Tao said, preparing to take his leave for now.

"For thousand years, you're still seeking the one who will not only become the savior of Equestria, but the one who hold principles of benevolent and kindness. Despite wanting to help them, you have your mysterious ways to blend in with ponies as well as guiding them through the use of your wise powers, riddles and questions. You believe that my student will be the one?"

"Twilight Sparkle...... A young mare who desired to do her best to fulfill both her duty and obligation to you, yet knows no knowledge of friendship and benevolent till the day you sent her on the important mission. That very day, Twilight struggle her hardship yet learning the true means of friendship. She had grown very well. She is truly the one. "

Celestia chuckles, shaking her head as she speaks, "You have not change since I last saw you."

"Nor do you, my friend." Tao pauses then got to another subject, a very sensible one, "Tell me, Princess Celestia, how long will you keep the secret? One day, once he learnt the true parentage of his own, do you believe you and him will be forgiven by your son?" Golden Heart and Pinkamena were confused of Tao's words. But Celestia knows, struggling and hesitating.

"Please, don't tell him. Ben's not ready to know about him and me."

Tao sighed, "As you wish, old friend. But keeping this secret can only bring more harm not to your only 'adopted' son but to you, Celestia. Will Megan keep the secret from you?" Celestia remained silent and turned away. "She doesn't. I suggest you must do it before our great foe makes his move; for he knows yours and your child's true origin. Farewell, princess."

Tao disappeared in the puff of blackness smoke. A familiar voice spoke up, "Is he gone?"

"You can come out, Discord." Pinkamena said. Discord appeared as in flesh from the Discord's image in a familiar window.

"Phew. For goodness sake! I thought he'd never leave. I'll get my scale be burned by his 'stupid' magic if he ever sees me. He's so not fun and funny to make with than Golden Heart! He's always ruined my best surprise especially involving a dirty trick for Golden Heart. No offense, Pinkamena."

"None taken; But Yeah! I don't like that Earth Pony, even if he's a good guy and helping us! The way he says and acts like he knows everything. I hate him!"

"Calm down, my little sister." Golden Heart said, calming his sister down. Turning to Discord, the male alicorn continues, "Discord you should not worry about Mystic Tao. I believe he knows that you had reform."

Discord huffed, "Like he ever trusted me to handle the good guy job. Trust me, Goldie, he doesn't like and trust me. And I don't like him too. He's too mysterious, and acts like he knows everything. Please!"

Golden Heart sighed, "Although I admit I'd never like his ways, but his reliable source and ability to see the deep future had helped us through the hardships of uniting the land of Equestria. But now, his words puzzle me. What does he mean 'yours and your child's true origin'?"

Golden Heart was speaking to the princess for the last part. Celestia sighed, "Its best that you must not know of it, Golden Heart. But for now, I can only hope that Ben, Twilight, Nyx and everyone who is with her be safe from their journey."

--------------------------------

Ever since word of Twilight's departure from Ponyville to go to the End of Equestria, the ponies of the town do their best to survive, or even help the Apples. Filthy Rich, concerned, is speaking to Granny Smith, "Well, Granny Smith, can we still get Zap Apples?"

Granny Smith sighed, "I'm afraid not, Filthy. Even if we go and get the small bits of Zap Apples, the ground and trees refuse to grow, and out of life."

Filthy sighed, "So not only will your business goes down, but mine as well. If Ms. Sparkle and her family don't return home as soon as possible, the citizens of this town will be finished."

"I know."

Applejack, Big Mac and Apple Bloom continued to search and look for more and any good and fresh vegetables, with the help of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. And who to show up to give the non-cutie mark ones a bit a surprise? You guess it; Diamond Tiara with Silver Spoon trailing right behind her.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the blank flanks? So, how's your - what again?" Diamond asks, pretending to forget, "Growth going? Not good. Oh sorry to hear," She snorted and laughed. Silver Spoon pretends to laughed and giggled, but deep in her heart, she feels sorry for them. Applejack, Big Mac and the CMC glared at the spoiled brat.

Pipsqueak demands, "What are you doing here?!"

Dinky remarks to the bullies, "You're not welcome here!"

"Go back home!" Twist snaps to Diamond Tiara, not in the mood to hear any of her bullying right when Ponyville is in a middle of a crisis.

"Come now; is that the way to treat your fellow classmate and friend?" Diamond asks the fillies slyly.

"Since when did we ever make friends with you?" Scootaloo ask Diamond in annoyance.

"All you did is insult and making fun of us!" Sweetie remarks in agreement. "Now get lost! We have some food to find and gather!"

Diamond scoffs, "Yeah, the only fresh food is mud."

Diamond laughed merely. Apple Bloom cried and sobbed. She turned and glared at Diamond Tiara, asking, "Yew thinks everything is just a joke?! Yew think 'dat everypony in Ponyville panicking an' being scared is funny?! Yew think sending mah very best friend an' her family 'ta 'de end o' the world is funny?! Yew thinks my family's crop's dead is funny! Don't forget! Yer daddy needs us! So if we're out, then he an' yew are out! Can't you think o' somepony fer once in yer life?!"

"Your point?"

Apple Bloom groaned and yelled angrily as she was about to attack Diamond Tiara but Applejack stopped her by hugging her. The mare insists, "Easy, Apple Bloom! Easy!"

Apple Bloom sobbed loudly, "It's not fair! It's not fair! We've lost mah ma an' pa! We've lost our home! Now we've lost our great friends who we think o' them as part o' de Apple Family! It's not fair!"

Applejack hushed gently to Apple Bloom while hugging her. Diamond Tiara laughed and snorted at them. The CMC, Big Mac and even Silver Spoon glared at her. This isn't even funny or amusing at all!

Big Macintosh demands sternly, "Can't you show some remorse and love for us for once! If you don't, I'll tell-"

"Tell my dad?" Diamond scoffs, rolling her eyes at the 'threat'. "Please, he's busy with that old mare. He won't even know one thing of what I did."

"Diamond Tiara," Filthy is suddenly heard. Diamond turns and yelps as she saw her father who was behind her this whole time!

"Daddy; what are you- Why are you-!"

"Young lady, this is far too much! You're grounded! Now, let's go!" Filthy snaps furiously. Diamond left with groans while her father turns to the Apple Family. "I'm very sorry for what my daughter did. If it weren't for your cousin, she would have causes you problems; my apology."

"Cousin," Applejack and the CMC ask in surprise. Tough is gone so who else could've told Filthy as to what Diamond was doing. Suddenly a familiar cousin from Manehattan appeared, "Babs Seed!"

"I'll leave you and your Apple Family Reunion alone to gather as much as you can. I'm sorry again."

Filthy left as the Apples and the CMC greeted and welcomed Babs Seed. Applejack said, "Welcome, Babs."

"Yer're here, Babs!" Apple Bloom laughs while hugging Babs in surprise. "What - How?"

Babs grins as she explains, "I heard about what happened here. So I told my family to come here. We all are here to help."

Apples and the CMC in surprise ask, "We all?"

Granny Smith appeared, along with the familiar faces of the Apple Family as they carried with their foods and supplies from home. The three Apples and CMC were shocked to see this. The rest of the family has heard of the crisis and came to help them in this time of need!

"Yew all came to help?" Applejack asks her family in amazement.

"Eeyup, we Apples got to stick together to the end." Braeburn explains to Applejack with a grin. "In other words, we're gonna help you with all the foods and supplies we had to help you."

Applejack smiled, saying, "Thank you all."

"It's good thing to know that our family are here to help." Big Macintosh remarks with a nod.

"Just like our Apple Family Reunion." Apple Bloom said with a laugh of delight.

"You said it, cous!" Babs remarks as she gave Apple Bloom a high-hoof.

"C'mon, everypony; Give your best shot! We've gotta keep the Ponyville fit and alive, no matter how long it takes!" Granny Smith calls out to the rest of the family and those who wants to help eagerly.

The Apple Families and the CMC cheers onward, "Yeah!"

As help continues onward, Princess Luna and Flash watch this from nearby. At least now, things are slowing down but it may not for long unless Twilight and her group's quest is a success. The Pegasus couldn't help but remember the conversion and scolding that the Mane Five were given not too long ago.

"Do you think we were being too hard on them?" Flash Sentry asked Luna.

"I don't know," she replied. "I'm not the one who saw her best friend be turned to stone by a cockatrice, kidnapped by diamond dogs, watched her little sister get tortured, watched her best friend get beat up by Lorcan and got bullied at Flight School."

"W-wait!" gasped Flash Sentry. "Those things happened to the Mane Six!?"

"You mean you didn't know?" Luna replied. "Also, Twilight's friends were pretty worried for her so I don't think they are, how you say, selfish. I mean what would if Twilight never came back? Now do you see why Twilights' friends didn't want her to go?"

"I..... didn't know. It never occurred to me that they would be scared of losing her." said Flash Sentry bowing his head in shame. "I'm going to gather Twilights' parents, Shining and Cadence and have a meeting and try to see what we can do for help."

And with that, he trotted away.

--------------------

The group goes through a new grassy area, having onward to where the next ingredient should be at.

"Say Twilight, you and Ben went into the Bullet Acorn Woods, right?" Spike asked off a sudden question while the group was traveling through the desert region here in search for another ingredient.

"Right...?" Twilight slowly responded to that first question.

"So how did you do it, did you two do?" Spike asked off in wanting to see if Twilight and Ben managed to get what they were after before the whole cannibal incident fell into place.

"Well, here's the ingredient: the Raspy Footlong Cucumber!" Twilight opened up a sack she had near her, and with her magic horn, showed everyone that miss out where she and Ben went to...the ingredient. It was black, long and ugly looking, but all in all, if not for a few differences, it looks like a normal cucumber.

"So how'd you get by that woods area with them Bullet Acorns?" Nyx asked her folks with a curious mind at the moment.

"And about the tremors that fire the acorns that release poisonous sprouts unless you catch them, did yah? Hugh-hugh, hugh?" Phobos asked off in really being excited and wanting to know this himself.

"Shoot, Ah like 'ta know what yew did mahself while we're moving along wit' nothing else at 'd time." Tough Apple smiled from up front with Justin, who sounded off to in wanting to hear the story of the two ponies.

"Well...." Ben shrug off to say in feeling it wouldn't hurt to tell, this group at least needed to hear what he and Twilight did before rescuing this lot from cannibal ponies.

After leaving the others, Twilight and Ben enters a forest. There appears to be nothing by acorns. The alicorn said, "We need to be careful. It looks safe but can be dangerous, Ben."

"I know, one false move and..." Ben begins to say.

Suddenly a tremor shakes the area, causing the acorns to fire at the speed of bullets. The two ponies quickly dodge them like mad.

"Watch it!" Twilight exclaims as she and Ben dodges the acorn bullets. Some of them hit the ground, causing poisonous sprouts to come out. "Be careful of the sprouts!"

"We gotta find that ingredient somehow." Ben remarks, using a forcefield to block out the acorn bullets and the sprouts; the ground shakes a bit. "Geez, this place has seen its share of earthquakes!'

The two flew through the area. They need to get the ingredient and fast.

"There it is!" Twilight exclaims, pointing a hoof at a cucumber in a tree high above them. "You think you could get it, Ben?"

"No problemo. I can do it while flying." Ben said with a smirk.

Then the brown stallion flew up. Some acorns are thrown at him, but he uses a force field to block them. The Earth pony grabs the ingredient and quickly heads back to Twilight.

"Got it," Ben exclaims with a proud smile.

"Great, now let's get out of here!" Twilight exclaims. The lovers use a force field to block out the poison and the acorns while they make their escape from this mad place.

"That about wraps up what happened to us." Ben shrugs off his shoulders in wrapping up the case of how he and Twilight did before coming to the group's rescue.

"But at least we've recovered the first ingredient." Twilight sign with relief before putting the Raspy Footlong Cucumber back in the sack; this was the first of many others to gain on their trip into the End of Equestria.

"Cool." Spike chuckles as the group moves on. "We got one ingredient. Hopefully the next few ones aren't so hard to come by."

Unknown to the group, the Equestrian Eliminator was secretly watching them from a tree. Half of him wishes that he interfered to fight the cannibals...but then again, the other half knows better than to be seen. The pony doesn't know it but he ends up being watch as well by a mysterious figure that appears behind him.

"So, you must be the Equestrian Eliminator." Tao spoke, getting the Equestrian Eliminator's attention. The figure is startled that somepony snuck behind him like that. "Nothing but a mere servant of Grimmore; you do realize that he has no heart for you."

The Equestrian Eliminator snaps angrily, "Why should I care for that? I just do what I'm good at. So, stay out of the way, hermit. I've got some important duty to do."

Tao shakes his head as he continues speaking, "Do you wish to know your true origin?"

"Why do you know mine?" The masked pony asks Tao suspiciously. What does this stallion knows that he doesn't?

"I know one thing. You possess the love and family bond to Twilight Sparkle." Tao said mysteriously.

The Equestrian Eliminator glared at Tao as he snaps, "I had no idea what are you talking about! Twilight Sparkle had no idea of who I am. And I had no idea of who I am! She and I had no family connection! Who do you think you're really are? Acting like you knew my true life when you don't even know who I really am!"

The Equestrian Eliminator passed Tao as he was about to follow Twilight and her family. The mysterious pony smirks as if pretending to do some thinking.

"Then, if you truly had no connection to Twilight, then why do you help her, as well as hesitate to meet her in pony?" Tao ask the Equestrian Eliminator, causing him to stop short. "Through your mind you obey the heartless master who never revealed the truth of you, but deep in your heart, you know who you once were."

"Like you can convince me, hermit," The Equestrian Eliminator scoffs at Tao. There's nothing that this pony can do to get him to change his mind at all.

"I can, Starlight." Tao said suddenly.

The Equestrian Eliminator stopped in his tracks and, turned his attention to Tao with a shocked and confused look. He doesn't know what this guy is on about but finds the name so...familiar somehow.

"What makes you say that? My name is not Starlight! He's Twilight's dead brother!" The Equestrian Eliminator snaps, not wanting to believe what Tao just said. "He was killed by Lorcan just before his body......."

"Disappeared?" Tao spoke, interrupting Grimmore's servant. "Yes, it is true that no one knows the fate of Starlight. But I do, for he struggled to live on between life and death, Starlight."

"Stop calling me that! It is not my name! I am the Equestrian Eliminator!" The Equestrian Eliminator yells like mad at this one who would even think of calling him by the name 'Starlight' as if it was his true name.

Tao shakes his head, saying in pity, "So stubborn. So much hate; So much rage; And so much sadness in seeking the truth; in your mind, you may desire no truth of your origin, but your heart does."

The Equestrian Eliminator glared at Tao before demanding, "What do you want me to do? Not because I want to know the truth about me, so I want to shut you up if you keep on like this! You're getting on my nerves."

"Simple; Leave Grimmore and the Apocalypse Ponies for the greater good; If you do, then I shall give you the truth. The truth of who you truly once were before the heartless Lord of Tartarus manipulated you." Tao said mysteriously.

The Equestrian Eliminator huffed at this offer, "Like that will happen. I owe my life to Grimmore. I must obey him. I don't need you, old 'pony'."

Tao sigh, "Starlight, how long can you keep lying to yourself? Ignore the truth of your origin. If this is how you wanted, then let doom come upon you. However, should you and Twilight learn the truth of how the event occurred before today; I shall be there to explain of how it began. Farewell, Starlight."

Tao disappear in a puff of smoke. The Equestrian Eliminator yelled in anger, "My name is not Starlight!"

The Equestrian Eliminator panted and huffed from his anger. He then stomped on the branch hard with both frustration and anger. The Dragons, who weren't too far ahead, somehow heard him.

"Did you hear something just now?" Spike asks Phobos in concern.

"Nope," Phobos said, not really bothering to care about the subject.

---------------

As Golden Heart and Pinkamena along with Gold Wing wait, somepony comes in and Golden Heart knows him.

"Prince Golden Heart, I have found that you were right about the crops, someone had sabotaged them." The mysterious pony came in.

Golden Heart said, "Well, Jack Zen, I thank you for making sure. Now return to your patrols and be on standby until I have a new task that I would like you to do."

Jack Zen bows and heads off as Pinkamena says, "I have to say, Goldie, Jacky is helpful when needed."

Golden Heart nods, adding, "Well, he is not just an Elite Royal Guard, he's a good friend."

Pinkamena nods as she fiddles with a knife. The pink pony soon said thoughtfully, "But you know, if Twilight and gang are to make it- and like you said, Goldie- it will not only mean that they saved the Apple Family's home, but also meaning Twilight will be not a pony to be fooling around with. but I have the strangest feeling that someone is watching them in the shadows."

Golden Heart agrees, "I see, but I have a feeling things will go well."

"I hope so." Pinkamena remarks in agreement.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two familiar villains made alicorns watch on in the sky, watching Twilight's group move on.

"You think they will make it through here, buddy?" Bocolix asked Dumbledore curiously. "The boss won't be happy if Twilight dropped dead without warning."

"Oh, they will make it through here, and we are here to keep an eye on them like Boris wants us to." Dumbledore remarks with a grin. "This is like taking candy from an old mare!"

"Uh, isn't that 'taking candy from a foal'?" Bocolix asked Dumbledore puzzled.

"Same deal. Come on!" Dumbledore said as he and his pals prepares to resume following the group.

However, the two heard chuckling, much to their confusion. They heard somepony talking, "How long can your pathetic forms keep you up, Boxco and Dum-Dum? That is the most very pathetic and stupid forms that I ever seen." The two minions turn and saw Tao, standing on a mountain top nearby. They look confused, wondering how he even knew whom the two are.

"Who do you think you are old Earth Pony filth," Bocolix snarls to the enemy, pretending to be dumb (more so than usual). "My name is Bocolix. I don't even know about Boxco."

"Mine is Dumbledore! We're Alicorns, you're just an Earth Pony," Dumbledore remarks with a quick stupid nod.

"Do not underestimate because of my appearance and yours too. I can be easily angered when someone like you who is foolish for not realizing your limits." Tao said sternly as he made five cards appear, much to the so-called alicorns' bewilderment. "But I give you a hint to start your battle. Five cards I possessed are magic. They obey to me only. They strike and defend at my command. Red represent Fire, Blue as to Water, Bronze as to Earth, Green as to Wind, and Gold as to Light. So be prepare of what I'm about to do, or face my wrath."

"Take this for making fun of us!" Dumbledore snaps as he blasted at Tao. But the Earth pony waved his one crimson card. It deflected Dumbledore's attack and blasted back at him.

Bocolix was in shock. Before he could do anything, Tao had launched fire from his red card. Bocolix dodged the attack. Tao use the blue card to launch Water at him but Bocolix dodged in time. The wise old pony then launched light from his gold card at him. Bocolix again dodged but was hit by water.

Dumbledore became annoyed and angry as he blasted the attack at Tao. The old pony deflected the attacks for few times. Bocolix then helped too by firing at Tao. For a few attacks later, Tao remained defending the attacks as he yawned. Dumbledore and Bocolix were in shock, just before they have been frozen up.

"Shadow Lock and Shadow Imprisonment are the most effective powers when trapping the most stupid of opponents such as you. I told you before, your forms are nothing to me, compare of dealing with Discord in my days." Tao said calmly.

Tao waved his green card and bronze card hard. The strong wind came and blew at Bocolix away while a rock hit Dumbledore. They fell right onto the tree's top part. Bocolix and Dumbledore recovered from the injuries. They stared and gasped in fear and worried. They hugged each other as Tao approached Bocolix and Dumbledore.

"What are you?!" Bocolix ask Tao with a whimper.

"No Earth Pony could do like that like Ben did! We're Alicorns! We should not be beaten by you!" Dumbledore exclaims frantically.

Tao smirk as he explains, "I am Equestria's guidance. I shall guide against those who tried to wrong the right such as you." Bocolix and Dumbledore shivered in fear. "I shall spare you, on one condition. Leave and never come back here. You shall inform Boris that Twilight's heart belongs to Ben, no matter how many times he tried. His love for her will be removed as a new one is now within him."

Bocolix and Dumbledore shrug as they had no idea as to what Mystic Tao had said. The Earth pony adds, "One more thing. Tell the Superior that his time of taking over Equestria will not be in fruition, the power of friendship and benevolent shall triumph over evil such as him. He shall not win the war. Deep in the future, the Superior will fall. The dream of his ancestor will fall. Not by me, but by the hands of six heroines. Now leave."

Bocolix and Dumbledore immediately leave. Tao turned and watched Twilight and her family continued to travel to find more ingredients. He mumbled, "The rest is up to you, young Twilight Sparkle. Let your benevolent and heart guides you to seek what you require for the sake of your home."

Tao leaves but unknown to him, two familiar Alicorns watch the old pony quietly. Bocolix ask, "You don't think he's serious, right?"

"Who knows, but who do you rather fear? This old pony's wrath or the boss's if we came back like failures?" Dumbledore ask Bocolix in concern.

The two alicorns pauses a bit then yells out, "The boss's!" They quickly flew off into the sky, not wanting to risk Boris's wrath should the new Alicorns come back as failures.

------------------

Soon, after some time had passed, Twilight's group soon arrived in a field filled with much plant life. It was strange to come across this area in the middle of a desert, some thought of the plants as wild cactus flowers or something. But the target was searching for another ingredient located around here.

"Okay, everypony, we need to find a certain flower around here before leaving the Shifting Sands area." Twilight issued off something to the group in what they'll need to do next here.

"What's it look like, Twilight?" Ben asked in what kinda flower that the group need to find.

"Like this." Twilight showed a picture that her pet owl hovered in the air to reveal a flower that was blue, black and red all over, has seven petals and a green stem on the drawn chart. "It's called the Flower of Eternity, which is supposed to keep things growing without failure, and it should be here." The pony fully explained the conditions of the target ingredient they'll find here.

"Pickin' flowers fer 'de lady, sounds easy," Tough Apple responded when the gang got off of their cart and stood near their MechBull.

"Yeah, maybe too easy; this area's still within the End of Equestria, after all." Spike spoke with doubt that this maybe an easy flower picking job, not around in the dominion lands of this dangerous place no pony ever wanna comes to.

"What could be here?" Nyx asked off in questioning what threat can be around this area, "We already stopped a bunch of cannibals."

"Wruuarrghh," A tiny cry voice was heard that directed everyone to look…down. There was a dark tan-green plant with a red flower bud that looked like a mouth with grip teeth, like it could capture prey if it landed inside it.

"Ah, look, a tiny plant is crying out to us, oh, I feel scared!" Phobos spoke off in poking and teasing the little plant with a mouth that tried to snap at the Moon Dragon, but he was too quick.

"Better be careful there, 'dat looks like one o' 'dem nasty flytrap things." Tough Apple spoke in caution in seeing what they got here was a plant whose bite might be worse than its bark.

"Actually, according to the map, we're supposed to watch out for a carnivorous plant when looking for the flower, but the rest of the writing seems to be missing." Twilight spoke from looking over the map with see of where they are and what to be aware of, but the last few lines seem to have been blocked off…how strange.

"Sniff-sniff...sniff-sniff..." Koga came near the strange plant to sniff it out to learn something of it. "Chomp!" Too bad the plant wanted to make a meal out of the wolf cub, "Arrf-Arrf!" Koga managed to dodge away in time to start barking at the thing like it was an enemy.

"Hey, easy, Koga, it's just one plant!" Ben spoke to ease his pet, what was the worse one little plant could do to them?

"Better let me handle this!" Phobos issued in seeing that if there's a problem, this case will be a snap. Then the Moon Dragon blew his fire that was burning the plant on the spot. "There, problem solved." Phobos declared that with this, now the plant that tried to harm Koga is dealt with.

"WRUUAARRRGHHHH," The tiny plant cried out from within the flames before it was burned to ashes to the ground where the flame cease.

"Um, why do I feel that its cry could lead to trouble?" Spike asked with worry that a weird action like that could mean something bad will happen.

"Cause it did, look!" Tough Apple spoke off from looking serious in pointing at something that's trouble is coming their way.

Soon popping out of the ground were more of the same carnivorous plants, some small, some a bit taller to pony size. "Wruuurarrguhh...Warrrughhh!" And these plants were letting out noises to stretch out and...snap their plant jaws onto the gang.

"Hoot-Hoot," Owlowiscious was flying in the air while avoiding a few chomping plant jaws trying to snatch the bird.

"Hey! Owl is NOT on the menu!" Twilight protests to use her magic to hold these plants to let her owl get by without becoming a meal.

"Bark-Bark; Bark; Grrr...." Koga was seen barking against one plant to growl and start biting its middle root center.

"Chop!" Then the Master Sword was seen swinging to cut off Koga's plant prey in half. "Neither is wolf cubs," Ben protest to the defeated plant about trying to mess with his dog, or wolf cub in terms of the matter.

"WRUARRUGHHH," One tall plant growled to rise up, this carnivorous plant type was about to strike…or was it?

"Bang," Tough Apple soon fired his rifle that blew that plant to pieces right in knocking the head off. "Look alive! We've got a serious WEED problem here!" Tough Apple issued this out to his pals in what kinda situation they be dealing with. "Justin, help trample some o' them things!" The tough stallion was hollering out the MechBull to try and flatten the little bunch while plowing some of the taller plants attacking.

"Mwruuuaaghhh," Justin the MechBull heard the call, and started to charge straight into battle. "Powwvhhmmm….Stomp-Stomp…." A bit of collision and stomping across the ground with some taller plants and a few little carnivorous plants that were getting wrecked across the field.

Twilight used her magic to tie a few of the plants in bows while Ben Mare or Tough Apple slices or blasted the other carnivorous devils apart. Spike and Phobos were really lighting up the party with their fire power, course maybe that was saying too much, considering how much smoke is being started.

"Hay-hay, careful, or you might burn the whole field and the flower that we want!" Twilight spoke with worry, as she used a water spell to put out the fire Spike and Phobos carelessly started.

"Try telling them that!" Spike issued off the direction of the crazy plants trying to come and bite him and Phobos so much.

"Heads up, Nyx," Phobos shouted in seeing his friend was also being targeted by the plants.

"I got it!" Nyx used her horn to cast a protective barrier around herself along with Owlowiscious and Koga with making it hard for the plants to eat them.

Twilight comment, "Let's see how strong my size spells are now." She shrinks a massive plant down to half the size of a mouse and enlarges Spike and Phobos to 30 times their normal sizes (with the appropriate increases in proportionate strength, durability and flame breath) so they can fight six other monsters each approximately the size of full grown Ursa Majors on equal footing.

"Nice, how did you do that?" Nyx ask Twilight in amazement.

Twilight comment, "I remembered all the way back to my entrance exam. When I first hatched Spike, I accidentally enlarged him to almost the size of an adult dragon. Anyway, it dawned on me; if I could do that THEN, as a filly, then I should DEFINITELY be able to do it NOW, as a young adult mare with more than a decade of practice - especially with how much more powerful my magic has gotten recently."

Ben put in, "So you basically just did ON PURPOSE what you did by accident as a filly, figuring that, even if Spike and Phobos shrank back to normal size in a few minutes, the boost in size and power would still be enough to allow them to fight off the monsters attacking them."

Spike put in, "Actually, I wouldn't mind going through that again. I mean, basically the power of my Spikezilla size, but with a calmer brain. That could actually be useful again in future adventures."

Finally, after carefully decapitating another carnivorous plant's head or lightly burning it by Phobos and Spike, the group had somehow managed to tend to the garden work pretty much okay. Course this needed more than a green thumb, especially since ponies have no thumbs, but the Dragons, who shrank back to normal, did but that's a different of opinion.

"Welp, problem solved, now let's look for that plant we want!" Phobos clapped his hands for a job done; now the group can finish their task now.

"Something up Twilight," Ben turn to notice that Twilight was seemingly uneasy, even after they just took care of some wild plant life trying to bite their limbs off.

"It's this part about carnivorous plants, the last writing is hard to make out, it could be a vital clue." Twilight issued to Ben from looking at the map of where they are again, she can't help but feel that this fight against plants were but a trouble issue than a major part; the princess felt something was off with the warning note and tried to uncover the truth. "Hugh, why's this part...mushy?" Twilight tapped her hoof against the words about carnivorous plants to discover a goopy stuff that was almost…like applesauce.

"Oh, Ah see, heck, Ah ate some applesauce one night and it was so dark, I thought it was a napkin, heh, sorry." Tough Apple spoke off in admitting some guilt about what happened one night, he used one of the maps and messed it up; the stallion made a sheepish expression to chuckle off that honest mistake.

"Ugh, well, that explains a lot." Twilight moans for Tough's little mess before magically cleaning it up and… "Oh no," The girl yelped in surprise to suddenly find…something else written for a heads-up notice she never came to read, 'cause the applesauce was in the way.

At this moment, some background theme was suddenly being played out of the bloom.

"Hey, that sounds like the music: VS Sigma, from Megaman X8 Original Soundtrack!" Nyx spoke off in recognizing that kinda sound from somewhere, course that made Tough, the Dragons and pets look at her weirdly in what she said. "It's my Auntie Pinkie Pie's gift of breaking Fourth Walls. But that sound is not good." Nyx shrug off in issuing that it's one of the talents she got from her aunt Pinkie Pie to break Fourth Walls at random moments and so forth.

"Okay, a little weird, but probably a good notice 'ta be on alert." Tough Apple slowly responded off to the weirdness while thinking it's warning them of something approaching.

"Twilight....What's wrong?" Ben asked his love of what made her feel like she saw a ghost or something.

"According to the area of the map we're in, in this field of flowers is not just a few carnivorous plants, but a giant plant that sends out its roots from its body to deal with its opponents. It's called the Mehitos." Twilight Sparkle explained that what the group has been facing isn't of just a few foes, but one giant plant opponent that has been fighting with its many roots and may not be just any ordinary carnivorous plant either.

"Mehitos," Ben responded off a bit weird in hearing the name of the plants they fought…was of one creature type.

"Yes, says here, it was a special Guardian which was made and seal in a ring, and whoever wields the ring can control its actions. Otherwise when let free, it goes wild in its territory that either has wild garden life or just travels in the ground." Twilight explained this other action of knowing what this Mehitos was most likely gonna be, and it sounds pretty dangerous unless it's kept on a leash by the user of the ring…which they don't have.

"What else is there to know?" Spike asked off in liking to be well alerted of what other problems they got to tend to here.

"When it's attack with its small and medium size roots failing, it'll come up to its full size and use all its roots, including larger ones to attack whoever disturbed it." Twilight explained the last issue notes of what to expect when you mess with a wild free plant that's out of control and can be ferocious when angry.

During the moment unknown to the rest, underground within a ray of white light, a shadowy plant was rising up towards the gang with the one in front as a large mouth with tiny root mouths around the body.

"But the one who disturbed it was...." As Phobos was about to ask about who would be targeted by attacking the carnivorous plant first was… "Uh...oh..." At this moment, Phobos froze solid in realizing the error that he was the one at fault for a toasting one plant. And suddenly, the entire ground was shaking, quaking around the gang until… "PowwFruvhmmm…./Gaaaugh!" Suddenly a giant mouth came out of the ground, and clamped itself around the Moon Dragon, and then a yelp from Phobos while something was rising upwards.

"Phobos," Nyx cried out in seeing her pet pal was in trouble, and boy was everyone seeing how 'BIG' Trouble they gotta deal with.

"HEEEEEEELLLEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLP," Phobos was seen outside with half his lower body in the mouth of some creature that caught him, he was literally screaming up a storm with wide-eye terror while his position from going up was turning a bit to the left side.

And from a far view, the gang could only gasp upon shocking discovery in what they are witnessing that caught Phobos. A giant version of the carnivorous plant was seen bursting out of the sandy ground of the field that stood so very, very tall and large like an empire state building. Around the long root was like other roots of other carnivorous flytrap jaws of medium to small size, but the real threats were those larger than the rest. And right now the biggest one was at the top of the rest holding Phobos in its plant jaw, this was the Carnivorous Plant: Mehitos.

"GREAT FARMER'S FIELD; LOOK AT 'DAT THING!" Tough Apple shouted in surprise in seeing the mere size of the plant they've been dealing with, this was the entire force while they handled by tiny or middle size carnivorous flytrap beasties.

"That's one big plant!" Spike spoke out in utter amazement; they've never face something 'that' big before.

"And it's got Phobos!" Nyx pointed out that their friend is within the jaws of the enemy…literally.

"Auugh…Aaaughh…I'm too YOUNG to be plant food!!" Phobos cried out from trying to pull out of the jaws of this plant beast, he was so spooked out he couldn't think straight to even just try to breath fire on the thing's weakness.

"Everyone, we have to save him. Charge through!" Ben instructed to the group that they need to get Phobos before he ends up getting eaten.

Now everyone was trying to attack and to save poor Phobos in the jaws of the beastly foe. But there were more plant jaws of the carnivorous plant that many used tactics to block, dodge, or attack. Twilight and Nyx used whatever magic they could to stop or blast off the roots. Spike blew some of his fire at the roots while using his Flame Step technique to skip in the air, but too many other plant jaws almost tried to make a meal of him. Ben used his Master Sword to slice across the field of living vines with jaws and Tough Apple kept blasting with his rifle or just rip a few vines in half. The pets stayed with Justin, as the MechBull tried to plow against one large carnivorous plant by the horns, but it was hard to overpower such strength. Twilight took notice of their situation; they won't get anywhere unless they stop the root of the problem. And that made her mind flash.

"Wait a second, the map said about a ring to control Mehitos, then…." Twilight spoke with some thought about what was a way to defeat this plant foe, and it was from the ring that lets one control it. And from a distance, Twilight saw one vine that shimmers from a light reflected of the sun, which showed that it wore something….the ring. "That's it! Ben, fire a Sword Beam twenty degrees longitude and 34 degrees altitude!" Twilight responded to her love in spotting the target in where that was the key to stopping this thing.

"Huh, why," Ben asked off puzzled to see the vine, and he almost thought something was around the neck, like a ring maybe.

"Just hurry, that one vine has the ring, separate it from this plant." Twilight instructed Ben to quickly attack that part of the plant.

"Waaaughhhaaaahhhh; don't let this thing EAT MEEEEEEE!" Phobos cried out from thinking it's a matter of time before one of the other flytrap jaws of this plant come to take a bite out of him within his trapped state.

"Bang-Bang…." Tough Apple fired at a lot of vines with jaws, but he wasn't getting anywhere. "Darn it, there's too many for me 'ta aim right!" Tough Apple cursed that he's been keeping a few of the hungry plants away from Phobos, but his bullets are almost all gone.

Soon a scene shows one carnivorous plant charging straight towards where the Moon Dragon was at, and around its neck was a strange ring that shines a bit in the light, "WRIUAARRUGHHH!" The plant let out its jaws to let off a screeching cry to about to attack Phobos.

"Here goes…Sword Beam!" Ben Mare declared in charging up his Master Sword, and soon fired it off towards the other plant about to attack Phobos.

The entire scenery felt like a slow motion, as the medium size carnivorous plant was about to bite Phobos….it got sliced from its neck area. "SLASHVHHMM…." That one move left Phobos with a wide-eye frozen state, unable to react to what happened in his slow world around him. As for the chopped off plant head, the ring from under the root slipped out, and soon, the entire Carnivorous Plant Guardian, known as Mehitos, was glowing a bright color before….it's entire being vanished into thin air. "CRASHFRUVHMMM…." Of course around the time when the background music stopped, Phobos was dropping like a stun fly before coming into contact with the ground. "Uaaaughh…." And from that tower falling force into the ground, made Phobos let off a yelp cry of pain whelk making a bit of sand dust around him.

"Phobos, speak to us!" Nyx spoke in approaching her Moon Dragon first to pull him out from ending up having his head in the ground, weird as it sounds.

"I'll never complain about my veggies again…cause I think I might be off from eating my salads from now on." Phobos spoke off from getting out, looking dizzy while stating about that experience will make him very concerning of when he sees or touches his veggies or other plants.

"I think he'll be fine." Spike rolled his eyes in seeing this was an action they all can tell right away.

"Mwrruaaghh…." Suddenly, the group turns to Justin roaring near a spot to get the others' attention.

"What's up, Jus?" Tough Apple asked off from approaching the bull in what Justin was going on about here.

"Hoo," Owlowiscious spoke off in issuing a response here.

"The MechBull, who else would Ah…ah darn, yew playing me," Tough Apple was about to respond to the question of 'who' but was fooled by the owl.

"Arrf-Arrf,” Koga was near Ben to circle him in wanting attention around the ground level.

"Hey, check this out, you guys." Ben spoke to kneel down near the wolf cub to spot…a certain flower that the heroes were seeking. "We found it, the flower you wanted, Twilight." Ben turn to his love to have her look at the plant in question; the one that looked like the Flower of Eternity from the map.

"The Flower of Eternity; Oh, thank Celestia it wasn't destroyed from all this commotion!" Twilight Sparkle smiled to use her magic to magically scoop this flower up carefully into a pot and kept it in a case to protect it.

"And look at this! A ring," Nyx spoke in pulling forth from the ground that looked like a gray ring of a plant's teeth mouth, like a Venus flytrap, or of a familiar carnivorous plant they just beat.

"That's the Mehitos!" Twilight spoke to use her magic to bring the ring Nyx had to her eye level to study the object. "Or at least, now back in its state until it's used by its wielder." The princess knew that unless this magical item had a master to summon it, it would stay until it would be summon so long as someone keeps it close.

"Hey, maybe this can be a good thing. You know, if this thing listens to whoever holds the ring, then maybe this plant could help us out on our journey." Spike smiled in suggesting what they can do now that they had this ring that contains Mehitos inside, if they are the users for the plant creature, it'll follow their orders and may help them through the End of Equestria.

"You wanna have us take the thing that tried to EAT ME like Fertilizer?" Phobos protest out in thinking they wanna have something that almost made him into plant food.

"Come on, Phobos, that was when it was wild and without a master to hold the ring use to call it, maybe in Twilight's hold, we can make a difference." Ben spoke to ease the Moon Dragon in over thinking things, so long as they hold Mehitos's Ring, the plant will listen to them if and when they summon it. "There, what do you think, Twilight?" Ben brought out a silver line rope to wrap around Twilight's neck, with an opener connector to which, the stallion let their new souvenir ring dangle from.

"It's nice, a ring around a necklace, and I'll be sure to keep watch over it and use it for emergencies." Twilight smiled to hug Ben for the little aid here, and she'll keep an eye on this magical summon ring, it may come in handy when they need a little help.

"Heck, better than on your hoof, since ‘dat ring looked fit fer only someone with fingers." Tough Apple spoke off in seeing that from a good view, the ring that contains Mehitos seem for fingers instead of hooves.

"Maybe we'll come across other items on this trip that could help us, what do you think, mommy," Nyx spoke with a nice idea that may serve to aid them, if they find other stuff that if the group defeat Guardian Creatures, then an item they are sealed in could be theirs to use for good, then for bad.

"It's a thought, Nyx, but for now, let's just focuses on traveling." Twilight nods with a smile in giving a 'we'll see' kinda response, after all, they are on a journey for ingredients, but a few survivors to collect might not be bad and could help them out in aiding to protect Equestria.

Once everyone was done, they got back on their cart with Justin the MechBull pulling them out again. Now they've managed to collect two ingredients; that's not too bad. If they can get a few more, then they'll have what they need to help undo what happened over the Apples’ Farm.

-------------------------

While Twilight and her family, along with Tough, were visit in the End of Equestria, things aren't doing so well back in Equestria. For starters, Flash Sentry told the other Mane Six at their restaurant what Twilight's group is doing and they are freaking out a bit. And soon word spread, and all of Ponyville is scared that their newest princess isn't coming back. And that's not all...

"Cakes; Sweets; Ice Cream," Caramel ask the Cakes in disbelief. Two days that the ponies had to eat this stuff and even then, they are getting sick of it! "That's all you're gonna sell?"

Lucky Clover agrees, remarking in a cranky way, "We've eaten those for two days."

"I would love to but don't you have fresh foods to give?" Golden Harvest asks the Cakes in disbelief.

"I'm sorry. That's all we had." Mr. Carrot Cake apologizes to his customers in concern.

Mrs. Cup Cake adds in sadness, "We're good at baking cakes and sweets, not gardening and farming like Applejack's."

"C'mon, can't you all eat them?" Pinkie asks the ponies anxiously. But that only made them madder.

"Seriously; we can't keep on like this!" Lyra complains in annoyance. Sweets are fine but the ponies needs veggie big time!

"Where's our vegetables?!" Sweetie Drops yells out furiously. The ponies are getting madder; they are going to riot soon!

"You can't give us like this!" Rosy exclaims as Daisy and Lilly glared at the Cakes, who looks nervous at the glares given to them all.

Even Mayor Mare herself is getting mad, yelling at the Cakes, "You can't keep us like these forever! We want our vegetables!"

Soon the ponies are ganging up on the Cakes, yelling in madness, "We want our vegetables! We want our vegetables! We want our vegetables!"

The Cake Family and Pinkie panicked, they are going to be trampled on or worst unless these ponies get what they want. Rainbow, Rarity and Fluttershy, coming into Sugarcube Corner, saw what had happened. They gasped in worry. Pinkie and the Cakes are in big trouble...and so is Ponyville!

"Aw man! Princess Celestia's right. They can't keep eating the sweets for whole days and weeks." Rainbow groans a bit while slapping a hoof to her forehead. This is bad, unless the ponies get their veggies, this could get ugly big time!

"But what can we do? Applejack is still looking for some fresh foods. I doubt she can get everything done." Rarity said to her friends desperately, looking like she is going to faint at any given moment and with no couch to faint onto this time.

"What can we do?" Fluttershy whimpers a bit. It looks like it's all over for the Cakes and Applejack.

Suddenly, the ponies all heard a noise. They turned and saw that Applejack and her whole family had arrived with large carts of vegetables. Everypony was in shock and surprise. Their wishes have came true!

Once the carts came to a complete stop, Applejack is the first of the family to speak, "Sorry 'ta keep y'all waiting. But our Apple farm is having shortage of foods. We can't promise 'dat we can find more an' replant them, or even gathered 'de foods fro' another area. But we can promise one thing. We must fight our hunger! We must control our hunger till 'de night we eat. We have 'ta wait fer Twilight Sparkle an' her family 'ta git back home. Wit' 'de ingredients they could git, we can replant everything we had lost."

The ponies became uncertain as they chatted. Granny Smith frowns as she shouts, "Now you listen! If it weren't for us, you wouldn't be here! Ponyville wouldn't exist in the first place! I know it's hard! But we must fight! Fight our hunger! Fight for our survival! Coz if you're don't, then we are finished!"

Apple Bloom yells out in agreement, "In other words, yer're all got 'ta eat small pieces o' every vegetables, an' keep it fer 'de next day, an' then after. But if you eat it all at once, yew won't have a chance to live another day. Sorry."

"So, it's time 'ta show Equestria 'dat Ponyville can live fer another day by showing them that we can hold our stomach until tonight." Applejack pleads to her fellow ponies in hope that they can listen. "So, please not fer me, but fer everypony an' Twilight. Ah know it's hard an' tough but it's 'de only way. We must do our best 'ta keep our hunger down."

"Beside, we fought battles like Lorcan, Tirek and the Three Ghost leaders like they're nothing to us. So, show us that being hungry is nothing to us!" Big Macintosh calls out. The ponies are getting more inspired, determined and brave as the Apples kept on encouraging them all. "If we fought them hard, we must hold our stomach hard till night time to have dinner!"

"We fight for our survival by saving foods for once in every night." Granny Smith said with a nod.

"It's 'de only way. It's time 'ta show them what yeu're made o'!" Apple Bloom cheers on. She is even getting the foals' attention.

"Are yew wit' me?" Applejack calls out. The ponies cried and cheered as they're willing to fight their hungers. "Then, let's do it, y'all! Remember, each family get one type o' every food."

The ponies went to the Apple carts to gather the food and willingly to hold their hunger until night time. Rainbow, Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie smiled. Looks like everything is going to turn out fine after all.

As soon as everypony got their foods and left, a shadow approach over the ponies. The Mane Five gasped as it turned out to be Flash Sentry from before.

"Flash? The Mane Five ask in alarm.

"What do you want?!" demanded Rainbow Dash. "Are you hear to make insults at us again?! Fluttershy's been bullied all her life as a foal and now you dare to insult her!?!"

"Ahem!" Rarity exclaims, knowing that Rainbow's tone of voice is rude.

"Sorry. Look, we get it. We really are such irresponsible mares for not thinking of our friends. You're right and we're wrong. Happy?"

"No." Flash spoke. The Mane Five were shocked and confused upon hearing that. "I'm not happy of what I had said."

"Well. You are a rude pony." The white unicorn scoffs a bit. Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie and Rainbow glared at Rarity. "I mean why would you not be happy of what you had said?"

"It's not right to scold the heroines, especially Ben's fillyfriend's friends. It's just that........ I refused to see this happen again."

"What do you mean?" Fluttershy ask Flash, not sure what he meant. 'This happen again?'

"Ever since Ben's disappearance when I was a colt, I couldn't forgive myself for not being there with him. So I vow myself that I will do what I can to help Ben to stand up for not only me, but for Twilight and everything he believed in." Flash explains calmly to the girls. "I also vow to make sure that every best friend must support and help each other, no matter what danger and cost it might be. That's why I'm angry at you two days ago. I'm sorry. I'm ashamed of what I had said."

Applejack pauses then sighs a bit, "'Ta be honest, yew were right 'ta scolds us as Shining Armor had said. We're her best friends. We should help her overcome her problems, instead we ignore her twice before."

"Yeah. I mean, we've been through a lot of adventures, dangers and battles. We'd never run or gave up on our friends no matter what. Though you were kinda rude to us, but still you're an okay pony for fighting and believing in friends." Pinkie adds to Flash with a giggle.

Rainbow smiled as she says, "You know, you really are Ben's first best friend. You'd never give up on him. You believe he can make it back, do you?"

Flash smiled as he answers, "I do."

"What a fabulous and great friend you really are." Rarity said proudly to Flash.

"If you do, then so do we." Fluttershy said with a determined look. If Flash believes that Ben will come back, then the girls shall do the same thing for him and Twilight. "I really wish that I can be very brave as you and Rainbow."

"Being brave doesn't gotta do well with showing off, Fluttershy, it's gotta do with your guts and what you believe." Flash explains to Fluttershy. "So if you believe in Twilight, then I'm sure that she will be back home safely. Like I always believe in Ben, he will always be back home."

"Eeyup," Applejack said while looking at the sky, filled with hope. "Ah too believe in Twilight. She'll be back. I know an' hope for it."

--------------

Twilight's group arrives in more of the desert area. Spike calls out, "So what is this place?"

"It's called the Shifting Sands." Twilight explains while looking at the map. "The next ingredient, The Tasteless Diamond, is buried in this area."

"Tasteless Diamond; I don't know if I wanna be tempted to eat it or not."

"It's called that because it tastes like glass. Trust me."

Suddenly before the gang, a large covering of sand was being blown around them without warning.

"Augh great, sand in mah face," Phobos groans in seeing they are getting sand blown all around.

"Where did this come from?" Nyx asked off in where this sudden sandstorm came from.

"I don't know, just...out of nowhere." Spike shrug off to say since he didn't know where this came from.

"Hay ya'll hear buzzing?" Tough Apple spoke off in hearing a weird sound, kinda like the sounds of...insects.

True to words, there were buzzing sounds, and at that moment, it was making the gang feel pain. Somehow, the group covered their ears in feeling this buzzing noise was effecting them, why?

"Gah; what are those noises?" Ben asks, groaning a bit from the pain.

"It hurts, daddy, mommy! It hurts!" Nyx whines a bit like a horse (which she is of course). Even the animals are making noises of pain from the sudden noises.

At the moment, much of the gang was on their knees, gripping their ears in being unable to handle such irritating sounds.

"Everypony, stand strong, we can't give up!" Twilight instructed to the group as they were now seen pushing themselves back on their feet.

"Princess Twilight Sparkle!" A sudden voice spoke off in a mix of sounding everywhere, and nowhere, and most of all, sounding almost inhuman; almost demonic by the male tone.

"Hugh, that voice?" Twilight yelped in hearing a voice just now, who or what was it?

"You've done well to make it this far." The mysterious voice mix of some inhuman creature spoke to the group.

"Great, I'm hearing voices in my head!" Phobos responded in feeling like hearing voices would make his headache worse.

"Who are you? Where are we?" Nyx asked off in wanting to know who or what this thing was & where they are.

"I am...the Swarm. And this is the center of the Shifting Sands." The unknown strange demonic voice spoke to the group.

"The center," Spike repeated, what did this weird creature mean?

"Don't matter where we are, lets git outta 'dis weird-o place." Tough Apple issued before having Justin try to get them out by running out of here, or so it would have work if the MechBull didn't flinch at...a surprise...

For suddenly, an entire group of wasp insects that form a colony buzz near the stallion appear. But what's worse was that they were making something, a form cloud or shapeless forms of their choosing, all to frighten Tough from going anywhere.

"What da," Tough responded almost totally weird out in seeing something freaky going on before their eyes.

Soon the colony of wasp was forming into a face with empty eye holes & a mouth. It almost look human with the face, eye, mouth, nose structure, but them glimmering yellow eyes and it's spooky bodiless form nearly scared everybody out of their mind. And above the forehead was a yellow gem that glowed, this was the Wasp Creature: Swarm, a new foe for Twilight's group to face within the End of Equestria.

"It's pointless to flee!" Swarm bellowed off in finally appearing before this group in it's form within this sandstorm. "Escaping from the Shifting Sands is impossible." This group of wasp spoke while glimmering from its form being kept together before the gang. "Now, surrender and be given a quick....painless death." The wasp colony face exclaimed in wanting those before him, or it, to prepare to surrender.

"Forget it, you won't make us!" Phobos exclaims to the villain madly.

"Yeah, we can on a quest and you won't stop us!" Nyx exclaims in agreement.

"Scam, git," Tough Apple demands, waving a hoof as he wants the Swarm to get lost so that the heroes can move on with what they are doing.

"You Will Not Survive!" Swarm snarled off to hover it's self over to the group in sounding strict while glowing & even showing its scary eyes.

"No!" Nyx protest to the meany whatever, they won't just roll over and play dead for real.

"Keep away!" Tough Apple snapped off to hold his pee-shooter and fired off a shot.

Swarm was hovering close to the group, making even Justin the MechBull back away from this freaky freak of nature. Soon Justin was given a command to high-tail the group away from this area,....but it seem that no matter how far the gang try to flee, the loud painful buzzing was heard & getting into their minds, almost like Swarm was trying to make them lose all sense & give in.

The more the Swarm glowed with its buzzing, the more Twilight realized something.

"This sound....those wasps!" Twilight spoke from realizing that this creature was made of insects, so then that meant....

"Bang-Bang-Bang," Tough Apple was firing his rifle gun, but every shot just pass through the Swarm like nothing. "Why...Won't...’Dat...Creep...Stay...DOWN!" Tough responded after every shot, nothing was even phasing this monster.

"Tough, it's no use, there's too many of them in small size to hit unless it was larger!" Ben explained to his friend that no matter how much they attack at a time, more will just replace the rest.

"Surrender...SURRENDER," The Swarm hollered out in approaching the group trying to flee ever so more.

"Stop...Stop...." Nyx protest, as she, Spike, Phobos, even the pets held their heads in feeling agony taking over.

As much as Twilight, Ben, and Tough tried to resist what was playing at their minds, the Swarm's glimmering form hovered over the gang, almost like it's mouth was swallowing them along with their MechBull whole. Everyone was wide eye in horror of what was to happen to them until...they just couldn't fight the urge to stay awake. Soon a scene shows the ponies & Dragons drifting down into some abyss.

"Sleep..." Swarm exclaimed to the travelers that were slowly falling into a strange state. "Twilight Sparkle...Sleep with your companions." The Swarm made its final issue before everything seems to go dark around the scenery.

Twilight groans a bit as she looks ahead. For a moment, it appears that...the pony and her friends are back...back home with their friends and loved ones. The whole thing appears to be a nightmare. No disaster, no worries....and best of all, there are the princesses...Sunset Shimmer...

Wait, hang on! Twilight realizes something: Sunset Shimmer is trapped in the parallel world for 2.5 years! This cannot be real! Twilight yells out, "Everyone! This isn't real! Only an illusion! Wake up!"

Everyone else begins to recover, realizing the truth...especially when they see bee figures over the illusions! They gotta escape. Tough moves around quickly, mumbling, "Gotta git, gotta...ooh, apple!"

Tough picks up an apple of some kind...then yelps as Granny Smith's face appears, scolding, "Tough! Haven't I done taught you nothing?"

"What? What does yew mean Granny?"

"Wasps hate fire! Use smoke to escape!"

Tough looks startled as he saw an apple tree with many Granny Smith faces appearing, all of them yelling, "Use smoke, use smoke, use smoke!!!"

Soon the gang snaps out of it, finding themselves in an unknown area...they are trapped! But then, something big and familiar is coming their way...

Suddenly, the scene opens to where in the desert sands were nothing at first.... But then busting through the sands was a MechBull and from it was Justin pulling its companions out of the sand they were buried in out into the light. Everyone was coughing and struggling to wake up.

"Great, I got sand in places I'm too ashamed of to say!" Phobos groans off to say from feeling he's got sand in places he never knew or didn't wanna gross anyone out.

"How'd we get here?" Ben asked off in noticing they were somewhere that wasn't familiar.

"Dat Swarm fella was messing wit' our noggins. But it must not have mess wit' Justin here, since he's a machine. Good work gitting us out o' dat jam pal." Tough Apple explained off what may have happened to them while knowing that only the MechBull wasn't dragged by the illusion trick being done by that wasp creature, even to pat the bull on the head.

"Mwuurrarrgh," Justin the MechBull let off a bull sound in raising its head, happy to be of service.

"Well I'm glad Justin helps us escape." Nyx smiled in seeing their travel ride has helped them out.

"Was that all a dream?" Spike asked off if what they experienced…was all a dream, the thing about the wasp & everything.

"No, it probably wanted us to come here." Twilight issued with a serious expression on her face.

"Why say that?" Spike asked off a bit lost by what Twilight was saying.

"As long as we're aiming for that tower," Twilight instructed from when they looked to the other side in seeing a spiral tower of mountain dirt in this ant-lion sand pit that the heroes are in.

"What do yah mean mommy? What is that thing?" Nyx asked her mother in not following much of what was going on in the slightest.

"Maybe she got too much sand in her brain to know what she's saying," Phobos issued off to say in a silent voice about Twilight got knock on the head to be saying something kooky.

"Apparently, it's the center of the Shifting Sands." Twilight explained this other issue out to her friends in what they may have here of what the area they are standing before is.

"The center," Ben asked surprised to hear this news just now.

"Somehow, it might sound crazy, but...the Shifting Sands itself guides all visitors in the End of Equestria to this tower." Twilight responded in knowing what she's saying sounds hard to believe at first, but it makes sense somehow. "As long as that's where we're heading, Swarm won't try to stop us. Because...that's where another ingredient we need is." The girl spoke out with a determine face in knowing, what they seek, is right where the threat lies in wait for them.

"Wait! We're actually trying to go, where the bad guy is waiting for us? Are we in Crazy-town?" Phobos asked off in almost not believing this to be true, the gang actually wanna go where they'll be prey to a number of wasps.

"Guess we have no choice. It's either sinks or swim time." Tough shrug off to say about their choices here.

Soon the gang had to leave Justin behind with the pets since those that could fly or hover with magic flew over the spiral tower while Tough was climbing pretty okay like he was a pro at this. Once they reached the top, did they look down to where the entrance was, it was like a mountain for ants to call a colony.

"This hole looks considerably deep." Ben spoke with a serious statement about how far deep this hole in the tower mountain must lead.

"It's so dark down there, we can't see a thing." Spike stated from leaning to look closely, but couldn't see much.

"Mommy, are you sure about this?" Nyx asked with some concern if this was really the wise thing to do, it might be dangerous.

"Yes, the ingredient is down there. The list Zecora gave me explained where it usually grows." Twilight nods to state about what they seek, Zecora wrote on where one they are seeking, one can be found in this territory.

"Then there's no mistake." Ben shook his head in understanding things, the adventurers have to brace for whatever is lying in wait.

Suddenly, the gang hears buzzing noises that are painful to their ears, ever since they entered the Shifting Sands. It sounds like Swarm is welcoming them to its lair, though that doesn't make them too happy to hear. Then a rumbling sound was heard, and from the pit blew out like a volcano's top that surprised the gang, but instead of lava, it was....wasps.

"Make sure you don't fall!" Ben instructed around and got a lot of nods in agreement.

Soon the wasp were forming together to recreate Swarm's headless face in the air with the glowing gem in the center. "Welcome...to your doom." Swarm hovered down in issuing this act towards the gang.

"Our doom," Phobos repeated in fright, not liking this thing anymore than before.

"Those are some wasps." Ben remotely issued about their foe is nothing but wasps, but he has his Master Sword, just in case.

"Spike, Phobos; breath fire on this cloth," Twilight instructed to hold a piece of cloth in wanting her friends to burn it while she used magic to make Spike hold it.

"Why? Oh never mind, okay." Spike was about to ask why, but decided against it than just getting into an argument.

"None of you shall escape here." Swarm spoke off while hovering & glowing within the air.

But then the dragon duo blew fire on some cloths, the light made Swarm flinch a bit back in fear suddenly. The Dragons wave this off to try to get the beast of many to back off.

"Mumph...." Swarm yelped from seeing this act, it didn't like smoke or fire before becoming a swarm of wasp to fly back down in its hole.

"What's going on here?" Nyx asked off lost in what just happened now.

"Remember what Granny Apple said in our illusion? Bees, wasp, insects hate fire." Twilight explained to her daughter & group in what the creature that they face hates most.

"But what is with those bees?" Tough Apple questioned about the Swarm creature they chase off for now.

"They might be the being controlled by that gem on the forehead, after much thought, I believe someone made it to have the insects act as one brain." Twilight explained with a serious tone in what they just saw was something made from sorcery. "For now, we may have to defeat it with two weaknesses, fire, and the gem on the forehead by destroying it. Spike & Phobos, stay here with Ben, Tough, & Nyx, & wait for my signal to attack." The girl stated off to issue what they know while instructing what they may need to do next.

"You sure mommy," Nyx asked with concern in her voice.

"Yes sweetie, I can fly down, find the ingredient and fly up to lead Swarm into our trap, but it looks like I'm mostly its target." Twilight kneel down to assure her daughter, she'll be find and get what they came for while having a plan to defeat the enemy of many tiny bugs.

"Be careful Twilight." Ben hugs Twilight in wishing her to stay safe now.

"I will." Twilight return the hug to her love before parting from him…she's got a job to do here.

Soon Twilight took a moment to cast a glowing fireball light spell, and used her wings to flap in flying down with a little light source & protection for her. As Twilight was getting further from her friends above in the light, deep in the dark pit, she heard the loud buzzing noise be louder, meaning Swarm was close. Soon Twilight was in precaution cause the swarm of wasp was buzzing around the alicorn.

"Give yourself up/Give yourself up!" Suddenly, Swarm was making two of his faces & maybe more, issuing for Twilight to give up her foolishness.

"Keep away from me!" Twilight snapped to use her fireball sphere to whirl it around the other

"Give up!/Give up!" The Swarm face figures issued while swirling around to scare the pony, but one face got mostly burned. Soon Swarm had to flee away, giving Twilight a moment to breath.

As Twilight was drifting down, she saw what was a hive made of large material, and more surprising was...a vast collection of valuable treasures of all the victims Swarm had taken. Twilight had a theory the wasp were like bees to gather nectar, but this creature was stockpiling treasures dropped in the desert and made these piles. As Twilight went down slowly, she was saddened in wondering how many lives were lost to build these things to build these hives here. These were like towers of death and it was but one of many places in the End of Equestria.

Once Twilight touches the ground, she used her flaring light to search around, and saw what was clearly the base of the tower; But around the tower was something that was of a substance that Twilight was looking for.

"It's...the Tasteless Diamond!" Twilight issued the ingredient that was before her eyes. It looked like a huge diamond but big and dull looking, nothing Dragons would want to taste, but that was definitely what Zecora requested.

As Twilight began to collect the diamond, she noticed that trying to remove the stuck around the base could cause the whole pillar to collapse.

"You shall not have it!" Swarm's voice bellowed out that caught Twilight's attention. Soon the wasp gathers to form the face to be in front of Twilight, looking almost upset. "You shall not have this Tasteless Diamond!" Swarm protest in seeing what this pony was clearly after his property.

"Keep away!" Twilight used her fireball to wave around, and it looked like it would keep the wasp at bay, but it faded out, "Oh no! I forgot to keep focus to keep it lit!" Twilight was so distracted by this thing's surprise & focusing on the ingredient, she forgot to keep her only spell lit.

Swarm let off a laugh remark in almost smiling at this surprise.

"I have to get that and replace it with something before this structure comes down on me!" Twilight issued her serious case that unless she did that first, she would not escape unharmed, but what could she… "Wait, I know just the spell!" Thinking fast, Twilight reached for the ingredient, and then snatched it along with casting a spell. A lookalike of the Tasteless Diamond appears in the real one place.

"Urraaaughhh," Swarm let off a surprise gasp tone before speaking again. "How dare you!" Swarm snapped at the determined Twilight, as it had its wasps circle the princess. But then Twilight bust out of the swarm of wasp with her wings to fly out, as Swarm was spotting the alicorn trying to flee upwards. "You shall not have it. Return it to us!" Swarm roared out in demand to reform its face before Twilight's under side.

"Ben, Spike, Phobos! Get ready now!" Twilight shouted out for her friends to get ready on their side while picking up speed, but so was Swarm to fly after the fleeing princess heading up.

"You won't get away!" Swarm bellowed out like a demonic demon wanting to take its prey before she or her comrades can safely escape from it.

Above, Ben, Tough Apple, Nyx, Spike & Phobos position themselves in getting ready for whatever was gonna come.

"Remember guys; don't shoot unless mommy is out first." Nyx instructed the Dragons to not fire unless Twilight comes out first.

"Right," Spike & Phobos responded in agreement, the two Dragons don't wanna mess up and toast their friend…they never hear the end of it.

"Here she comes!" Tough Apple issued from looking down below in spotting Twilight coming.

Below in the crater, Twilight was almost reaching where she saw the light at the top.

"Open fire, once you hear the buzzing the loudest!" Twilight shouted in what her group can do to defeat this enemy.

Below Twilight, Swarm's swarm of wasp was forming its face to chase the fleeing pony.

"That's the signal! Standby," Ben instructed the gang to be ready as they were standing by now.

Finally, Twilight rush out of the hole, Nyx & Tough Apple caught the pony to pull her out right on time. But below, the buzzing was truly reaching its loudest, "MRUWWRROOOUUURRRUGUHHH!" Swarm was seen coming up closer with its open insect mouth of wasp, ready to get those that dare define against him.

"Here they come." Spike spoke out in seeing the enemy was about to rush out of the hole to attack them.

"One, two, THREE," Phobos counted when he and Spike stood by the entry, counting down to attack in a sync moment.

Soon the dragons blew out their emerald and blue flames from their breaths over the hole entry. As that was covered, what soon swooped upwards over the flames was the Swarm creature itself, "MWURAARRUGH-ARRUUUGGHH!" Swarm let out an agonizing painful cry in feeling itself being burn to fly around, unable to put itself out.

"Sword Beam," Ben Mare shouted to swing his Master Sword to fire off a charged crescent beam shape attack upwards. "SLASH/Crackfruvhmm…." The beam sliced & broke the glowing gem on Swarm's forehead, meaning whatever kept the creature safe to just get more insects to keep it's self around…was gone now.

"MWRUUARRRUGH-Aaahhaaahhhhh…." Soon Swarm was letting out its last echo of agonizing pain in the air before its entire swarm of wasp were burning away, dropping like dead ashes and smoke to fall back into the spiral tower's hole…never to be seen or trouble anypony again.

The gang could not believe it, they stood there, surviving against a creature that seemed to be one of many that no pony could survive against in the End of Equestria, but they did it. And they got the ingredient; the Tasteless Diamond as Twilight smiled in holding it out for them to see they've acquired their target. After moving out of the ant-lion pit and within their cart with Justin the MechBull managing to pull them out, the gang look over the smoke coming from the spiral tower of the center of the Shifting Sands; now with its guardian foe no longer running the territory.

"Yahoo!; we did it partners!" Tough Apple cheered in seeing they've overcome the first big troublesome issue, even more then the cannibals.

"We made it through, somehow." Ben spoke with a serious thought about making it through one of the few worst areas in the End of Equestria's large size dominion.

"Thanks to all of you," Twilight thanked her friends for the aid in what they've accomplished. "Though we may have been separated, we were perfectly connected, right." Twilight smiled to the others that even if separated, they managed to still work well after all.

"Gee, glad to help." Spike smiled to tap his fingers together in almost being bashful here.

"Yep, maybe we can do this after all." Phobos puff up his chest, feeling the urge of fearing has left him, maybe this trip won't be so bad.

"Yeah, who knows how many more 'dangerous' or 'wildest' events we gotta overcome to get all of the ingredients to save the Apples' Farm," Nyx spoke off in knowing that if they made it through this tricky part, then there is bound to be more, but they won't stop till they help save Sweet Apple Acres.

"Gulp….gee, can't wait." Phobos swallowed hard while moaning about this in remorse, now recalling that this was still just the start for them.

"Come on ye'll, got more now to collect, so let’s… Git-R-Done," Tough Apple spoke off to the group in seeing they have more to work around, so now time like the present.

"MQWRUUAAUGHHH," Justin the Mechbull made a loud bull cry before pulling the cart to pull this group towards their next area for the next target ingredient to find.

------------------------

After escaping from the Shifting Sands, Twilight and her friends continued to move on. Deep in Twilight's thought, she could not help but noticed about how strange the cannibals act earlier before the gang found the flower. There is something...not right with them at all.

Ben, noticing Twilight's look, ask, "Twilight, what's wrong?"

Twilight sighs a bit. "It's nothing."

"Twilight."

Twilight sighed, knowing that it's pointless to keep Ben in the dark, "I can't help but to think about those cannibals. They acted strangely for some reason. It's like something drove them mad."

"What makes you said that? I mean we've come across the cannibals before. They wanna put us near the fire to tell them stiff." Phobos points out to Twilight, recalling the first time that the gang encountered those meat-eating cannibals. "Ha! Wasn't that crazy enough of how cannibals are?!"

"Okay, maybe some are right. But still, Spike, you told me that they are a little bit intelligent, right?"

"Well, yeah." Spike said. She's right, he did say that to her earlier. "When Nyx tried to trick them about us being 'infected', one of the cannibals managed to figure out our escape plan; I guess he had enough of lie experience for him to figure that out."

"Don't forget. They said that there are two or three ponies came across them before. But who," Phobos ask with a ponder; who else has deceived these cannibals before?

"Yew know, folks, Twilight might be on'ta something." Tough said thoughtfully. "Besides, not only they were just charging and attacking, they can plan it too. Like when we tried to get away fro' them, the cannibals trapped us by sending more 'ta 'de front while we got distracted fro' fighting an' running."

"So, something or someone is controlling them?" Nyx ask in bewilderment, wondering if that is the case.

"Could be, Nyx; Ah don't know."

Everyone think of how and why the cannibals are behaving oddly and strangely. Then a flute sound is heard in Ben's ears.

"Stop," The son of Celestia yells out. Everyone stopped as Ben jumped off the cart. "I heard something."

Ben runs off. Everyone follow him. Ben keeps moving as he follows the sound of a faint flute. As he keeps going, the sound is becoming louder. He then came across the large beautiful lake, and even the forest is in green and clear.

Ben was in shock and amazement as he looked around the area. Twilight, Nyx, Tough, Spike, Phobos, and their animal pets came down. They also looked amazed and shocked to see this area as well.

"Wow. I didn't know that 'The End of Equestria' actually had a beautiful land like this." Spike said in amazement. In the past, the End of Equestria was supposed to be ruined, lack of life, but this?

"It's so unbelievable." Phobos said in disbelief.

"The real question is what is this place," Twilight said, wondering where the group is at.

Ben hushed them as he listens to something carefully. He heard the same song. Twilight and others listened carefully as well. Ben walked slowly to find the source of the song. Spike and Phobos gasped as they pulled both Twilight's and Ben's tails. They pointed at something or someone. Twilight, Ben, Nyx, Tough, Justin and Rabbitchu turned and saw something shocking.

The group saw the old gray pony (Mystic Tao) who is sitting on a rock while playing a flute. He then starts singing. Ben approached the pony slowly, followed by Twilight, Nyx, Spike, Phobos, Tough and their pets while listened to the song.

Tao: Far over the End of the World rise
Leave us standing upon its end
What was before, we see once more
Our home a distant light

Darkly mountain beneath the light
The words unspoken, we'll be home soon
For home a song that sing goes on
And all who find us will know our tune

Some folk we never forget
Some kind we never forgive
Haven't seen the home of us yet
We'll fight as one as we live
All eyes on the mysterious land
To the End of the World's border
We'll ride in the darkness storm
Until we get our long lost hope

We lay under the End of the World's shadows
In slumbers deep and dreams of faith
We must awake, our lives to make
And through darkness a light we hold

From long ago when lights shined
Till this day our hearts have been touched
Her fate unknown the Harmony
What was lost must be brought back
.
Tao play the flute again. Twilight and her family listen to the song closely. They smiled as their looks looked peaceful and happy as if their hearts and worries was cured. Animals like deer, rabbits, birds, bears, wolfs and more gathered around Tao. They howled, roared, screeched and whistled.

We must awake and make the day
To find a song for heart and soul

Some folk we never forget
Some kind we never forgive
Haven't seen the end of journey yet
We'll fight as one as we live
All eyes on the mysterious land
To the End of the World's border
We'll ride in the darkness storm
Until we get our long lost hopes
Far away from The End of the World's darkness

Tao stopped playing his flute. As he looked up, and turned to Twilight and her family, the old pony smiles while speaking, "Oh. I did not expect a little visit."

"Yeah. Did you play that song?" Ben ask Tao in amazement.

"Why, yes, my dear boy. That song has great meaning. To both nature and harmony of life; without such music, the harmony ceased to exist."

"That's very nice, mister...... Mister...... Uh......What was your name? I don't think we catch that." Nyx said, realizing that the group didn't realize what the pony's name is yet.

"You may call me Tao." Tao said while giving out a mysterious smile. "I'm just an ordinary hermit. Thank you for your pure kind nature of words, my Beauty of the Night's Hope."

Nyx blushed at the compliment. Tough roll his eyes as he remarks, "Well, enough o' 'dat music. What 'de heck are yew doing; Do yew even know where the heck yew are?"

"Such rude and anger, you possessed, could not get the right attention; so ignore, I must, Sir Lord of the Tempered."

"Why yew?!"

Tough would've charged at Tao but Twilight stops him in time, saying, "Calm down, Tough. Let me handle this. I'm sorry for our friend. He doesn't like and trust strangers. He's kinda protective to us since he is our friends' family. My name is Twilight Sparkle. This is Ben Mare. That's Nyx. The Dragons are Spike and Phobos. The rude pony if you consider is Tough."

Tao clapped his hooves gently, praising, "Excellent display of good manners, my dear Princess of the Stars."

Twilight blushed while saying, "I wouldn't said that I'm best at my manners."

"Just wondering, why are you here?" Ben asks Tao in concern. "You do realize that this place is not the safest place."

Tao chuckled gently, "I am aware of it, sir Knight of Justice."

Ben blushed, insisting, "Come on, I'm not exactly a great hero-type."

"There is, my boy. There is more to you than meets the eyes, yet you have not realized your true potential."

"You think so?"

Tao smiles as he continues, "Why, yes, my dear boy. Never let doubts clouded your mind, let your mind and heart be one to guide you to seek and fight for your rights."

"So, what about me? What am I called?" Spike asks Tao, anxious to know if the Dragon got a cool nickname like Twilight and Ben.

Tao smiled as he answers, "The Honorable Warrior, young Dragon."

"I guess I'm going to be called selfish." Phobos groans a bit. He is known to be selfish from time to time and act like it too.

"On contrary, you're known as A Mighty Dragon."

Phobos and Spike smiled happily. Tough quickly interrupts, "Can we go back 'ta our topic? By the way, so what do you call me instead o' Lord o' Temper?"

Tao smiled as he answers Tough's question, "Of course, 'The Tiger Warrior'. As why I brought myself upon here, I have come and seek the peaceful and harmony quiet place. I believe this area is perfect."

"Not to be rude, this is 'The End of Equestria'." Twilight reminds Tao. "I don't think it's quite peaceful and harmony."

"True. But do you not know that this land was known as the 'Valley of Peace'?" Tao spoke mysteriously. Twilight's group was in shock upon hearing that. "There is a tale; A tale that the land was controlled and poisoned by Warlord of Darkness since the beginning of Equestria. He seeks darkness upon our world, and conquered through brutal and bloodshed until a 'Great Mag'ne' had come who brought light and defeated the Warlord."

Twilight's group was in shock and surprise. They know of who the Warlord of Darkness is: Tirek the Aominable. And 'Mag'ne' is Megan! Tao, smiling, continues his story, "With the Warlord's death, the land of Equestria rebuild their losses but one: the 'Valley of Peace'. It is beyond repair because the land has too much of darkness since the Warlord came upon on it. Thus, it became what you had known it: 'The End of Equestria' where no ponies dare to come."

"Now you put it that way. But what about this place; this area doesn't look like it was covered by darkness." Nyx said, noting how this place wasn't covered by darkness at all.

"There is one pony who come from the Heaven: a Mystic Pony. He cured this area with his purity of light, love and nature. An area what stood before you is known as 'Lake of Eternal'. He tried to cure the rest of the 'End of Equestria' but he has no powers left to cure it. And so he returned to the Heaven with great disappointment for he had failed in achieving his quest. Thus, The End of Equestria is what known came before you. Nopony knows of such a place but you and I."

Twilight's family was amazed to hear such pony coming from Heaven. Spike spoke up, "I didn't know there's such pony."

"A pony comes from the Heaven? Mommy, is there such a pony?" Nyx ask Twilight in amazement.

Twilight nods as she answers her daughter's question, "There is, Nyx. The one who come from Heaven is called a Mystic Pony."

"Mystic Pony? What in tarnation is 'dat supposed 'ta mean?" Tough Apple asks, a bit confused.

"Mystic Ponies is the rarest ponies that come from the Heaven. They are either Earth Pony, Pegasi or Unicorns. And they possess both powers and magic because they stayed true to themselves and their principles, values and beliefs of what they believed in. They also guide anypony who passed on or dead to either Heaven or Tarturus. It is said that they guide and answered to anypony who pray for help and guidance to their quests and answers; Hmmm. That's interesting facts. I never thought that a Mystic Pony cure this land, thousand years ago. Does still he exist?"

"Yes and no, my dear," Tao answers Twilight's question in some way. "Mystic Ponies don't appear to ponies easily, unless there is a reason. Myths, ponytales and legends are meant to be silent and fooled to those who of desired power and control of the land in their greed, temptation and hunger."

"So why does he want to cure the 'End of Equestria'? And why the others didn't help?" Ben ask Tao in curiosity.

"For he desired the clean, perfect and love place of nature such as this; the others did not come because they feared of corruption and temptation of this land; Thus, leaving one Mystic Pony to achieve one goal for a year to cure the area."

"I wish I could meet him." Twilight said with a sigh. Meeting this Mystic would've been wonderful to do.

Tao smiled gently as he said, "Someday, he will, my dear."

"So, what are you doing here?" Nyx ask Tao, wondering what the old pony is doing here in the first place.

"I journeyed here for a long time to seek peace and quiet."

Nyx gasped as she realizes something, "You must be the pony that fooled the cannibals before."

"You're right!" Spike gasps. Nyx is right! Tao must've been the pony that fooled the cannibals as mentioned before!

"Whoa. That's crazy but awesome." Phobos remarked, impressed.

"We didn't want to bother you more, but we want to ask you something about the cannibals." Ben said to Tao, wanting some subject about the cannibals clear more.

"Are cannibals truly intelligent?" Tao spoke up, knowing what Ben was going to ask without waiting for him to do so first.

"How did yew know?" Tough ask in bewilderment.

"I come across them once. But I observe their intelligent slowly and cautiously. Though their looks may be ugly as little ugly duckling, but deep within them, there is something unexpected."

"Meaning," Phobos ask Tao in bewilderment.

Twilight, knowing what Tao means, explains to Phobos and the others, "They can be smart sometimes. But they only relied on one leader who thinks smart and observe the situation and experience the hunting and battles."

"Well conclusion, young Twilight." Tao said with a proud smile.

"So, we know 'dat they're smart. But real question is what drove them mad?" Tough ask Tao with a frown.

"Mad?"

Suddenly, some bushes nearby shakes. Twilight's group turn and sees who it was. They soon encounter a black foal whose looks like the cannibals that they met.

"Hey, what are you five and pets doing here?" The foal, who is a colt, asks the group in surprise.

"Five?" The group asks in confusion. Didn't the foal see Tao at all?

"But didn't you see - Hey where did Tao go?" Nyx ask as she realizes something. Everyone except the Cannibal Foal looked shocked and worried when they see that Tao is not with them anymore. Before Twilight could speak, she heard something in her head.

"Seek the Curse. Free the Poor Souls." The voice booms eerily in Twilight's head.

"Huh?" Twilight ask in surprise. What did that voice in her head mean?

"What's wrong, Twilight?" Ben asks Twilight puzzled.

"Didn't you hear that?"

"Beside 'de noise o' de woods, not really." Tough remarked with a shrug. It's obvious that Twilight that the tough stallion didn't see the noise at all. Only the mare is the one who did so.

"I thought I heard something." Twilight said in concern.

The voice spoke up once more, "Seek the Curse; free the poor souls."

In Twilight's mind, she thought, 'Whatever it is, that must be the only reason of why the cannibals became mad and crazy.'

"Uh, what are you five doing here?" The colt asks the group again in concern.

"Maybe we don't wanna tell you, crazy pony." Phobos remarks to the colt with a frown. "You wanna eat us like the others did!"

"Whoa, whoa! I am not crazy like the others. Honest! Most of the ponies who are cannibals were driven crazy by a mysterious force!"

Twilight's group looks a bit disbelief, wondering if they should trust this colt's word. How does the group know that he is telling the truth and isn't planning on backstabbing and eating them all? Ben narrows his eyes as he said, "Kid, if you aren't lying to us, approach us now."

The colt hesitates then gasps as Ben took his sword out. The others wonder what he is up to. Of course, the stallion is doing so to intimidate the young foal. The strange pony then gulps to brave the danger and approach Ben.

"Now touch the sword." Ben said sternly. The colt then touches the sword...and appears not to get hurt in any way.

"Please...if you are here for a purpose, then please, help us..." The colt begs the newcomers.

The others look to Ben who pauses, then nods with a serious face. He say, "This pony isn't lying or trying to deceive us. If he was evil, any evil creature would feel pain from touching my sword since it's known as the Evilslayer."

"Okay, kid, you're cleared." Twilight said to the colt whose lets go of the sword. "Now then, first off, we came here to find some ingredients. And second, what do you need help with?"

"You know that the cannibals try to eat you, right? Well, they aren't normally like that before today! An idol is causing them to behave so strangely. The ponies who come here to the End of Equestria are normally vegetarians like normal ponies but someone, a Demon, is using a strange idol to drive them crazy. They have been worshipping the thing that had robbed all but my own senses to be crazy."

"In that case...lead us to this idol."

"Uh, mommy; you sure this is a good idea?" Nyx ask her mother in worry.

"These cannibals have their freewill enslaved for too long. If we destroy this idol and the one using it, we could cure the cannibals of being insane." Twilight said with a nod. "Colt..."

"Mowgli, my name is Mowgli, miss." The colt known as Mowgli explains to the princess sheepishly.

"Very well; Lead us to where the idol is, Mowgli."

--------------

Mowgli led his new friends through a jungle until they reach the clearing where more cannibals are at, standing like statues in a trance. The colt points to something, saying, "That's him, the Demon. He's the one who drove my family and people mad! He holds the statue. He used it to control them."

Twilight and the group take a closer look at the Demon. He is a skinny black color Demon with bat's ears and large wings. He has small black beard. He has three spiky hair-like on his head. He has long tail. He wore the loincloth.

He looked very angry as he held the monkey-like gold statue on top. The Demon roars, "Useless slaves! You couldn't find something for me to eat! If I don't get any meat by tonight, I will starve you all! I should have control the sky Ponies area, instead of these mindless ponies. But who cares, as long I hold the Xin Kong Zhi Idol, you will do as I command! Bow before me, you useless ponies!"

With the idol held up, the cannibals' eyes are red. The cannibals obeyed and bowed before the Demon. Twilight and her family gasped in worried and shock. Spike ask, "That's the Demon?"

"Whoa. He's scary than he looks." Phobos yelps a bit. "Who is he?"

"That's Hsi Wu!" Twilight exclaims, recognizing who the Demon that is controlling the cannibals is. "He's not just any Demon. He is one of Eight Demon Lords! He is the Demon Lord of Sky."

"Demon Lord? As in very powerful than any Demons?" Nyx ask her mother in worry.

"I'm afraid so. But this demon maybe small, he is very cunning and tricky for us to defeat him."

"So, who's 'de rest o' his family? What's his history?" Tough ask Twilight curiously.

"Tso Lan controls the Gravity, Shendu - the Fire, Bai Tza - the Water, Dai Gui - the Earth, Tchang Zu- the Thunder, Xiao Fong - the Wind, and Po Kong- the mountain. Hsi Wu is the youngest Demon. After Tirek's defeat, the Demon Lords controls the End of Equestria as their lords because they are made of darkness and they're more intelligent to lead." Twilight explains. She sighed. "Unfortunately, they all betray and wage the war against Equestria to control the rest. They were all defeated and banished to the Realm of Demons by Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Star-Swirled the Bearded and the Mystics, with the help of Elements of Harmony. Nopony had ever heard of them since."

"Until today, Hsi Wu's the only Demon we had seen. What's he holding?" Ben asks, noting the idol that Hsi Wu is holding to control the cannibals.

"That's Xin Kong Zhi Idol. It means Heart-Control. It controls anyone or anybody to obey to the one who holds it." Twilight explains. She then realizes something, what the voice was talking about. "That's it. Seek the Curse! Free the Poor Souls!"

"What was that?" Spike asks puzzled to Twilight.

"I heard something in my head. But the more I think, the more I realize. The curse is the idol, and the poor soul is the cannibals. We have to help them!"

"Help the cannibals?! No way. Why should we help the meat eaters," Phobos yelps to Twilight in worry. After all, these guys almost tried to get the gang twice? Why help them after all that mess?

"We had to. I know that they want meats, but they are alive like us. They don't deserve to be punished by the Demon." Twilight explains to Phobos gently. "Besides, as Mowgli said, they are normal vegetarians until this guy changed them. We can't let them continue to be this way."

"How? You said that Hsi Wu is cunning and tricky. So, heading on and attack that Demon is not good idea," Spike reminds Twilight as to what she mentioned before.

"Maybe, but with a little distraction, we might have a chance to get the idol away from him." Ben explains. Perhaps a little distraction could help them in this matter, "But what? Phobos's out definitely, he'll blabbered out too much. Tough can, but Hsi Wu would love to torture and make him angry. So, it'll be too risky for Tough to attack the Demon."

Spike gulped, "I guess that's leave me and Nyx to do it, right; Just great."

"We had to, Spike. We'll do our best." Nyx said in determination; anything to help her new friend Mowgli and free the cannibals from their freewill imprisonment.

"Ah'm going with them." Tough said. Ben was surprised but worried, "Don't worry, Ah'll keep mah mouth shut."

Koga and Owlowiscious nodded their heads as they want to help out. Twilight speaks, "Let's hope so. We're dealing with a Demon trickster. Mowgli, can you help us?"

"Sure! I want that Demon out of my home for good!" Mowgli exclaims in determination.

"Okay, here's the plan."

----------

The cannibals continued to find foods mindlessly and crazily by the order of Hsi Wu. He looked both bored and annoyed of waiting. He then heard the cannibals cheered wildly.

Hsi Wu groaned, "What is it this time? Better hope that it's not another empty hoof." He was in shock and surprise. Mowgli brought in a cart which consists of Tough, Nyx, Spike, Koga and Owlowiscious who are in tight ropes, "Mowgli. You had come. I see you brought me food: Pony food."

"Lord Hsi Wu, forgive me for the delay." Mowgli said with a bow to the Demon. "I found them by the lake. And I had brought them here before you."

Hsi Wu stood up from his throne chair, as well as getting his idol with him. Behind his throne chair are Twilight, Ben and Phobos who groaned. Ben comments quietly, "I guess he's good in not leaving anything behind."

"This is going to be difficult than I thought." Twilight sighs. "I guess being the youngest doesn't mean that he's stupid. I'm gonna try my levitation spell to get the item. I just hope they can hold a little longer."

Twilight approached outside as she used her levitation spell to get the idol as Hsi Wu approached to his prisoner as he looked at them closely and carefully. The Demon then laughed sinisterly and evilly.

"What's so funny, Demon?" Tough demanded to Hsi Wu in annoyance.

"Nothing to humiliate, pony; But I found something to be funnier." Hsi Wu explains with a smirk on his face.

"Was that supposed to be mean?" Nyx ask Hsi Wu in offensive.

"I know who you once were, Nightmare Moon, and Demon son of Tadaka."

"My name is Nyx. Nightmare Moon is gone. What makes you think of that, Sky Demon?!"

"What do you mean me Demon?" Spike demands to Hsi Su in annoyance yet confusion.

"Well you see it's quite simple; Rumors, history and even the events had flown in the air and across the Equestria, even the Realm of Demons. Luna was the first Nightmare Moon. When she transformed back to her true-self, her darkness of rage and anger was left behind for the possessed servants to bring forth their undead princess. And you are the proof, Reincarnated Nightmare Moon. So, you don't deserve your own name, Nyxie. You will always be Nightmare Moon." Hsi Wu taunts Nyx sinisterly. Nyx glared at him. He then turned to Spike. "As for you, my little Dragon, my brother, Shendu, was Tadaka's master but more than that, a sworn brother." Spike was shocked upon hearing that. "That's right. Tadaka learned some dark and demonic powers from Shendu, and to mention he befriend all of us during our reign. When we want Equestria, your father turned against us. He has been helping ponies all along! So, we warned him that he will regret everything that he had done to us, should he choose the ponies."

"So, you're saying that my father was a Demon's servant, but he turned against you because he helped Princess Celestia and Luna? So what is your point? He's helping them for peace and freedom, just before he became evil."

"My point is Spiky-Wikey is that he and we are a lot in common. We want revenge on the ponies for what they had done to us. We share emotions and pains while ponies used us like tools. So your father sold his soul to us to become a powerful Dragon. He is one of us now. Our hatred and anger flows through his vein, and thus his blood has flown through to his sons. In other words, you are one of us."

Spike was in shock. The Dragon protest, "No, I don't believe it! I'm nothing like you. I'm not a Demon!"

Hsi Wu smirks as he remarks, "Of course not. In fact, I'm more surprised that youngest son of Tadaka had never become a Demon with his great hatred but rather be nice and gentle. Yuck; disgusting taste of love; must be your mother's blood interrupting Demonic blood when you were still inside the egg."

Twilight's levitation spell managed to take the idol away from Hsi Wu's loincloth. It is in midair. Tough snaps to the villain, "So what; Coz he's part o' our family! He's nothing like yew!"

Hsi Wu scoffed, "Please. What's so special about family? We Demons may have same blood and flesh, but we desire power and control! We'd never care for each other as long we get what we want!"

"You guys are really monsters!" Spike exclaims in disgust to Hsi Wu.

"Pretty obvious; Oh please, you got caught by my traitorous servant which is so easy." The Demon remarks with another smirk. Hsi Wu grabbed the idol tightly just before he turned to his enemies. Twilight, Ben, Phobos, Tough, Nyx, their pets and Mowgli were shocked. "Please, that's the oldest trick of the book: giving presents to me while I was being distracted, gloating and blah-blah; Game over, Alicorn."

"Not yet." Twilight said in determination.

Hsi Wu smirked as he respond, "We'll see, Princess." He held the idol up high. "Minions attack!"

Hsi Wu immediately took off to the air. Twilight went after him. Nyx transformed into her Battle Mode. She freed herself from her ropes and followed her mother. The cannibals' eyes glowed in red. They roared like wild animals. They charge right at Ben and Phobos. Tough, Spike, Koga and Owlowiscious freed from their ropes.

"Remember don't hurt them! They're under Hsi Wu's control!" Mowgli points out to his friends in worry. This isn't the 'cannibals'' fault, but Hsi Wu's!

"Don't hurt them?! What about us?" Phobos protests to Mowgli frantically.

"Guess, we had to hit them with old pony fashion." Ben remarks while cracking his hooves, preparing to fight.

Ben used his hooves to kick and punched the cannibals off or knock them out, followed by Tough, Spike, Phobos and Mowgli. Owlowiscious flew down and gave the cannibals a scratch on their faces and hands. Koga bites on the cannibals' legs, making them scream in pain.

"Hsi Wu! Where did you get that idol," The alicorn demands. Twilight chased after Hsi Wu with all her might to fly faster. Hsi Wu proved to be faster. Twilight continued to follow Hsi Wu. Nyx followed her mother as fast as she can.

"Would you want to know? Well, it begins with an archaeologist pony who owns the Xin Kong Zhi Idol who came into my home, my territory." Hsi Wu explains to Twilight, telling a bit of the story. "He then found something that opens my escape: the Panku Box. When he played too much of that puzzle, he activated my escape route. So when I did, I took care of him and own this box."

"So that's the pony number two. You'll pay for what you did, Sky Demon!"

"Like I care for a little life."

Hsi Wu flew up high. Twilight followed him to the top. Hsi Wu then comes down. Twilight groaned in concern. Hsi Wu noticed Nyx who is in Battle Mode about to unleash her magic. The black alicorn blasted her attacks at Hsi Wu but he dodged to the left before the Demon could dive down deeper. Nyx groaned and followed Hsi Wu. She near to Hsi Wu as they are close to the ground.

Hsi Wu smirked as he opened his wings and floated up high. Nyx gasped and stopped before she hits the ground. Nyx glared at Hsi Wu, who is now laughing, "What's the matter, Nightmare Moon? Can't keep up with me?"

"You're gonna be sorry for that, Hsi Wu!" Nyx snarls angrily to Hsi Wu.

"Only if you can catch me if you can, little brat."

Hsi Wu flew again. Nyx followed him. Hsi Wu keeps on flying as fast as he can. The Demon then noticed Twilight in front of him. Hsi Wu smirked as he flew very fast right at her. Twilight immediately blast her magic at Hsi Wu rapidly. But Hsi Wu dodged it very quickly. Twilight groaned at Hsi Wu's tricks as he is getting closer to Twilight.

Just before she could fire again, Hsi Wu flew up high. Nyx then hit right on Twilight's head as she thought that she herself caught him.

Hsi Wu laughed, "Cornering me is the best? That's the best you can do? So hilarious! Have you forgotten who I am? I am Hsi Wu, the Demon Lord of Sky!"

Twilight and Nyx recovered from the attack as they rubbed on their heads. The black mare groans, "How are we gonna beat him? He's too cunning for us to stop him."

Twilight thinks for a moment before she smirked, saying, "Instead of us chasing him, we make him come after us."

Hsi Wu glances at the mares, smirking as he taunts, "What's the matter? Copping a plan to bring me down? Too bad because I'm too cunning for you to handle."

"Actually, you're much more cowardly than cunning."

"What!"

Nyx scoffed, knowing what her mother's planning. She plays along, saying, "You're the most cunning than any Demons and ponies. Please, you can't even match against Discord!"

"Don't you dare compare me to that chimera, you runts," Hsi Wu roars, feeling insulted for being compared to Discord all of the sudden. "He's nothing to me; Nothing!"

"Really; I heard that Tso Lan, Shendu, Bai Tza and Tchang Zu are the most powerful Demons among the Demon Lords." Twilight remarked, angering Hsi Wu some more.

"Really; I thought it's Dai Gui, Xiao Fong and Po Kong who are." Nyx said in pretend thought. "I mean, right, they maybe the dumbest, but at least they're the strongest Demons than Hsi Wu."

"You've got it, Nyx."

Twilight and Nyx laughed. Hsi Wu growled in anger. He then yelled in anger as the Demon flew down to attack, roaring, "I'll show who is the strongest Demon among my stupid brethren; I will make you pay!"

Twilight and Nyx smirked as they say at the same time, "No, you won't."

Twilight and Nyx blasted their magic at Hsi Wu as soon as he gets near them. Hsi Wu got hit, and got send away and up. The Demon shook his head and groaned in anger. Hsi Wu yelled angrily. He then blasted at his foes with red lasers. Twilight and Nyx dodged the attacks.

Hsi Wu snaps, "Nobody not even ponies can make a fool out of me!"

Twilight exclaims, "Then, let's fights fairly, Hsi Wu!"

"Unless you're too chicken to fight, Sky Demon," Nyx taunts Hsi Wu. The Demon growls angrily at the comment.

Hsi Wu charged at Twilight and Nyx. They both fired their magic at Hsi Wu while he fired his laser eyes at them rapidly. Twilight and Nyx continued to dodge their enemy's attacks while firing at Hsi Wu. He did the same routine as Twilight and Nyx.

On the ground, Ben and others did their best to fight off the cannibals without killing them, but there were too many for them to handle. They are becoming tired and exhausted. Tough groans, "At 'dis rate, we won't make it out alive!"

"Then, what do we supposed to do?" Spike asks with an exhausted pant. The gang needs a new plan and fast.

"Twilight and Nyx are busy in handling Hsi Wu to get that idol." Phobos groans. "We're ground zero to help!"

"No, we aren't." Ben said suddenly. Everyone looked confused. "Why should we get it if we can destroy it?" Tough, Spike and Phobos nodded their heads. They understood what the stallion is talking about. It could work! "Tough, call our artillery strike! Phobos, tell Twilight and Nyx about the plan. Lure him down as they can. So, I can get the clear shot."

Tough make a whistled sound. Justin the Mechbull and Rabbitchu appeared from the bushes. They make roar noises while scaring the cannibals. Phobos flew up to get to the two mares. Twilight and Nyx became very tired and exhausted from dodging, receiving wounds and attacking His Wu. The Demon felt the same thing.

Phobos came to them as he whispered to Twilight and Nyx about the plan that Ben made. The two mares nodded their heads, and turned to Hsi Wu. Twilight exclaims sternly, "Hsi Wu, this ends now!"

"If you can catch us, wingless bat," Nyx taunts Hsi Wu, angering him some more.

Twilight and Nyx turned away and flew down to the ground, along with Phobos. Hsi Wu groaned, "I will make you pay for that!"

Hsi Wu flew and followed them with all of his might. They are all close to the ground while Hsi Wu is close to them as he was about to use red lasers. Twilight calls out, "Now!"

Twilight, Nyx and Phobos went separately from the group. Hsi Wu was shocked and confused. Just before he could do anything, he saw Ben on the ground who is holding his Master Sword. Hsi Wu looked confused and worried as the hero exclaims, "Game over, Sky Demon Lord!"

Ben threw the sword right at Hsi Wu. The Demon panicked and quickly flew to his left. Instead of hitting him, it hits the idol. Hsi Wu turned and saw what happened after he dodged the attack. The idol is destroyed.

"Nooooooooo," Hsi Wu exclaims in shock.

The cannibals froze up as they were about to do something. Their red eyes turned back to normal eyes. They looked confused and worried as they had no idea of what happened. Ben smirked. Tough, Spike, Koga, Mowgli, Owlowiscious, Justin and Rabbitchu cheered wildly, including Phobos. Twilight and Nyx smirked at the victory.

"You've lost, Hsi -!" Twilight begins to rub it in it.

Suddenly Twilight was hit in her stomach, being send up to the sky. Nyx was about to attack but received a punch from Hsi Wu. The Demon became very angry as he yelled angrily, "I will not defeated by mere ponies! I will destroy you all!"

Hsi Wu yelled angrily as he flew up high. He is above Twilight. Hsi Wu then used his fist and legs to hit and kick at Twilight's both back and stomach as many as he wants. He used two first together and knocked her down to the ground.

Nyx became very angry as she blasted her magic at Hsi Wu. He dodged the attacks and coming closer to Nyx. Before she could do anything, Hsi Wu grabbed one of her back legs. He swings her around and around for 10 times before he threw Nyx to the ground.

Phobos glared at Hsi Wu. He was about to give a punch at Hsi Wu. But he dodged the attack. Hsi Wu then gave the punches as many as he want. He then grabbed Phobos's shoulders. Hsi Wu used his head and hit on the Dragon's head. Phobos was knocked to the ground.

Twilight, Nyx and Phobos were too tired and exhausted as they received minor injuries. Ben and the others came to Twilight and Nyx to check on them. Hsi Wu roars in madness, "I will kill you all!"

Hsi Wu blasted his enemies with his lasers at the trees, grasses and even houses. The former cannibals panicked and screamed as they run away from Hsi Wu. Twilight and her friends quickly went and hide behind the big rock. They braced the attack. Hsi Wu continued to use his red lasers while destroying the cannibals' homes.

"At 'dis rate, we'll be Demon chow!" Tough exclaims frantically.

"We've gotta do something!" Spike exclaims in concern. Something must be done to stop Hsi Wu once and for all, but how?

"But how; He's too strong." Nyx points out in concern. Fighting him only exhausted the alicorns.

"Not to mention he's pretty angry. Wow, no wonder why Demons are banished to Realms of Demon. They're too angry and hot-tempered." Phobos said while shaking his head at this.

"We have to save the cannibals." Twilight said in concern.

"How; it is impossible to attack him, even if you can fly." Mowgli said in concern as well.

Suddenly, the flute, coming from out of nowhere, suddenly hit on Ben's head. It then dropped on his hooves. It confused him. Suddenly a voice spoke up, "Used the Flute."

"What?" Ben asks in surprise. Now he's hearing what Twilight just heard in her head.

"The Sound of Flute shall smite Hsi Wu."

"But..... but......"

The voice interrupts Ben, "Time is of the essence, death approaches!"

Ben nodded his head as he headed out. Twilight and her friends became worried and scared, including the cannibals as they watched and looked at Ben as if he was about to do something. Ben glared at Hsi Wu as he starts playing the flute.

Hsi Wu continued to fire and attacks the cannibals' home. When he heard the sound, Hsi Wu screamed in pain and anger as he stopped his attacks. He quickly closed his ears with his bare hands. The Demon roars in pain, "Who's playing the flute?! I despise the flute!"

Ben continued to play the flute. Twilight, her friends and the cannibals looked amazed and shocked to see Hsi Wu is being weakened. Phobos in amusement asks, "He actually hates the flute?"

"Wow. Hsi Wu must be having a hard time trying to find good music." Spike comments in amusement.

Before any of them could do anything, they heard something else, a familiar voice is heard, "Yu Mo Gwai Gwaai Fai Di Zao! Yu Mo Gwai Gwaai Fai Di Zao! Yu Mo Gwai Gwaai Fai Di Zao!"

Twilight was in shock as she recognizes the words. Everyone continued to look at Hsi Wu while listening to the chanting words. The flute that Ben is playing glowed in green. Ben stopped and looked at the instrument. The flute then blast at Hsi Wu; a green Chinese door-like appear and open in between.

Hsi Wu turn and saw something that shocked and scared him. The Demon screams, "No! No! No! Nooooooo! Anything but that! Stay away from me!" Hsi Wu tried to fly and escape but the current pulled him back to the door. Unable to keep on flying, Hsi Wu was pushed back as he screamed, "Noooooooooooooooo!"

As soon as Hsi Wu entered the door, it closed. Everyone was in shock and surprise. They cheered happily, so is Twilight and her family. The alicorn hugged Ben, exclaiming, "You did it, Ben! How did you know that's his weakness?"

"Way to go, daddy!" Nyx cheers for her daddy eagerly.

"Yeah, you play like nothing had happened! Hsi Wu then sent back to the Realm of Demons." Spike cheers on with a smile.

Ben smiled and blushed while saying, "C'mon, guys, you're flattering me."

"Gee, I wondered happened to him?"

Tough smirked as he said, "I think he's not gonna enjoy it. After all, he got explanation o' how he managed 'ta git here wit'out letting his family know."

Phobos laughs, "No kidding. They must be a very nasty family."

"Where did you get the flute?" Twilight ask, noting the flute that Ben now got.

Ben blinks, looking confused as he said, "I don't know. It hit on my head, then the next, I heard the voice."

"The same as the one who chants that spell?"

"Yup; how did you know?"

"That's the voice that I heard in my head." Twilight said in amazement. Whoever that voice is has helped him save the day.

"What was that, mommy?" Nyx ask Twilight. What was that spell used to get rid of Hsi Wu once and for all.

"It's an Ancient Banish Spell from the Land of Ma. They used them to banish any Demons, ghosts and evil spirits. But the real question is who did that?"

"I really don't know." Spike said with a shrug. Perhaps the voice's identify will remain a mystery.

"But who cares! That Demon is gone for good!" Phobos cheers on wildly.

"Whoever it is, he must be one good guardian angel." Tough commented with a laugh.

---------

Somewhere in the forest, Tao smiled at the event as if he was expected it to happen. He said gently, "Well done, Twilight Sparkle and Ben Maregillian. You had learned my riddles very well and quickly. I shall watch over you. Move on, my friends."

--------------

The other cannibals gather around, one of them say, "Thank you so much...although I wonder what happened."

Still the other Cannibals cheers, rejoicing that they are now freed thanks to these brave travelers; Twilight spoke up, "So who are you ponies and how long have you been in this land where no pony has returned?"

Another former cannibal comments in confusion, "We don't know. We lost track of our history ever since we came here. We are even having trouble what our names are...except for Mowgli's here. Who are you?"

"My name is Princess Twilight Sparkle, the student of Princess Celestia. This is Ben Mare, her son..."

"The princess has a son?!" The third former cannibal gasps in surprise.

"Yes. I am Celestia's adopted son." Ben explains to the cannibals with a smile. "My mom is still ruling Equestria with Aunt Luna..."

"The Mare in the Moon," The first former cannibal asks in surprise. "She is back?!"

"Wow, you guys have been here for a long time." Spike said in amazement. These guys had missed out a lot since before the return of Princess Luna from her exile.

"The truth is, we were under control of that idol for so long, we have missed out on a lot." The second pony cannibal explains with a sigh. "We thank you all for curing us. We apologize for anything we had done to you while that monster was controlling us."

"Yeah, we also turned some of you into stone a while back." Nyx said sheepishly. "Oh! But I betcha mommy can free them, right?"

"Right; since the idol's destroyed, those cannibals would be back to normal by now. Now then, looks like your home are trashed so I send use my magic to send you all, including the stoned ponies, back to Ponyville where you will be safe and let everyone back home how we are doing." Twilight said gently to the former cannibals.

"Yes, we need to catch up on our loved ones since we have been here for so long." The first cannibal said with a nod. "Make it so."

"Thank you all. You gave us our life back." Mowgli said to the newcomers with a smile. Now he see Equestria again for who knows how long and no longer has to deal with Hsi Wu any more.

Twilight's horn glows as she works on her magic. Soon the former cannibals are sent away, hopefully the stoned ones shall follow. The princesses should know what to do. The Alicorn of Magic spoke, "Well, shall we go now?"

The others nods. Their job here is done. They got onto Justin and moved onward to their next destination.