//------------------------------//
// Chapter 11: Bad Karma 
// Story: Road to the End 
// by JusSonic 
//------------------------------//


Chapter 11: Bad Karma


Meanwhile as these events are occurring, in an alternative universe a samurai in teal armor read the events from his computer. The samurai read the story closely and gingerly before gently closing his laptop.

"Another chapter, and another time," the samurai stated as a sword leaning against a wall with a metal dragon plate with glowing blue eyes attached, glowed to the response of its wielder.

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Hsi Wu scream in anger, "Are you certain that both the Shadow Ghoul and Labyrinth of Fate's Illusion are gone?!" The goblin has informed him of the fates of the ones mentioned...and of course he is very ticked off at this latest setback.

The goblin nods as he explains, "Forgive me, masters! Really! I don't know who did it!"

"Unacceptable! Curse those ponies!" Dai Gui grunts as he kicks over an object.

"What is our next intention?!" Tchang Zu demand in frustration and angry. Why is it so darn hard to get rid of a bunch of ponies and Dragons while getting a weapon and a Triforce holder?! "I proposed that Shendu and Tso Lan should attack them at once!"

"Tsunami Torpedo," The Water Demon yells as Bai Tza blast the water current at Tchang Zu, thus pushing him against Po Kong's stomach, "Fools! The plan has already been set! You dare change them?!"

"Forgive me, sister. I'm angered by these ponies' tenacious and strengths! I'll do anything to rip them apart."

"And so as that traitorous Spike!" Dai Gui grunts a bit in annoyance. Something must be done!

Xiao Fung nods as he adds, "Bai Tza is right. In fact, both Tso Lan and Shendu will be the last line of defense in capturing Nightmare Moon, and destroying our foes for good."

"Then, I supposed we should sent the remains of our servants and pets to do it." Po Kong grunts a bit, knowing that the Demon Lords has a few servants and servants left to use.

Bai Tza said, "Indeed, Po Kong. But instead of attacking those ponies, we should remove their retrieving items."

Hsi Wu chuckle as he got the idea, "I get it. If the items are gone, those ponies will have to start their scavenging hunt all over again."

Dai Gui thought of something as he adds, "Or perhaps, they will be desperate to continue to gather the items."

"Thus, leaving any strong servants to deal with them for good, as well as retrieving Nightmare Moon," Xiao Fung suggests with an evil grin.

Po Kong jumps up and down, saying eagerly, "My servants will do their work."

Bai Tza skeptically looks at Po Kong, asking her, "Are you certain that we can trust those troublemakers, Kobalos?"

"Do we even had a choice? They are the reason of bringing my food before our banishment."

"Well, I do had one, brothers and sisters. If those Kobalos planned to betray us, my pet will make example of them." Hsi Wu suggests with an evil grin, deciding to bring in some extra 'help'. "Remind them who is in charge of these dreadful lands. Should Kobalos fail, my pet will take care of the rest."

Xiao Fung nods, saying, "Ah..... Always set a backup plan before the first order; Well thoughtful, Hsi Wu."

Tchang Zu looks around, noting that two certain Demon Lords are nowhere in sight. He asks the others, "Where are Tso Lan and Shendu?"

"It matters not. After all, Bai Tza is in-charge of us now. Let us focus on those ponies." Dai Gui insists eagerly. He doesn't want to wait around for Tso Lan and Shendu to give them the word to deal with the matter.

"Indeed. Po Kong, Hsi Wu, gathered your minions. Set them on the mission and be prepared for any betrayal. I do not want any of that ruining our plans." Bai Tza orders the two Demons sinisterly. She can't afford any more slipups!

Po Kong opens a portal to a black small figure. She spoke to him anxiously, "It is time, my Kobalos. Listen closely. This is very important." He smiled back to his mistress.

Hsi Wu opened his portal as well to a black figure with snakes-shaped. The Demon cover his eyes with his hands while speaking, "Lamia, my beautiful pet, I have a secret mission for you to do."

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At this time, Twilight's group has settled in around their camp area after another long, enduring journey through the lands that is the End of Equestria. Right now, it was just about around the morning part of their day as Tough was packing a few of their camp gear into the cart with Rabbitchu helping out while Justin was fully charged for another run.

"Everything all set Tough?" Ben called out to his friend in how things are going.

"Ye know it Ben! We're about done here!" Tough responded that they're about halfway done packing for another trip.

"We've managed to clean up the campsite." Spike spoke when he, Phobos and the pets were all done doing their task.

"Hoot!" responded off in saying this off during the discussion.

"Us, that's….Do'h, the owl tricked us!" Phobos was about to respond, but yelped in realizing that he was getting confused by the question.

"Arff-Arrff," Koga happily spoke to run around Ben's hooves all joyful.

"Hey, where are Dumbledore & Bocolix?" Nyx spoke off in noticing that the two male Alicorns with them are not here.

"I sent them out to scout for any food nearby, I was gonna do it, but they insisted." Twilight responded that when she was gonna scout, the two Enforcers insisted that they do the job for the mare.

"I thought it was quiet without those two around." Phobos remotely stated in how things felt quieter without Dumbledore & Bocolix around.

"When will they be back?" Tough asked off in when those two new fellas journeying with them will come back.

"They'll come back after a half hour searching; we need to continue our journey." Twilight responded in how long she wanted to scout this area to the Enforcers before coming back to give them a report.

"Well let’s hope they can take care of themselves." Ben issued off in hoping nothing happens to the two they meant back in Castle Nowhere.

"I think the term is, hope they don't get lost in finding us." Spike responded to the question of thought in another way of speaking.

"Nyx, do you ever have a feeling that something suspicious is happening but you don't know why?" asked Phobos curiously. 

"Well, sometimes. Why do you ask?" questioned Nyx.

"It's just that I think that Bocolix and Dumbledore are shifty figures. I mean, why were they even in a place like this anyway?"

"Phobos!" gasped Nyx. "Those two have been helping us with the ingredients. There's no way they can be evil! Can they?

Soon the scene shows the Enforcers exploring a cave region about ten meters away from the campsite with Twilight and the gang. They used some glowing sphere magic to light up the dark cave to allow some light to see. And they were looking around trying to scout anything to be wary of or at least something to eat.

"Whose dumb idea was it to come here again?" Bocolix asked off in why they were down in this place in the first place by the other one's idea to come.

"Neither of us, but if Twilight went off and got killed, Boris rig our necks." Dumbledore responded off in knowing what their boss do to them if Twilight was alone, anything would happen.

"Oh right, that reason. But still, what are we searching for?" Bocolix nervously responded in understanding the point, but wondered what the two are seeking.

"Anything. Something to eat or something to watch out for," Dumbledore shrug off to say that they either find food or a dangerous creature they need to stay away from.

"Hope it's the former one, last time, we were nearly Hydra chow." Bocolix spoke off in shivering in recalling that one bad experience from a cave event that lead to them fighting a terrible Hydra.

"Yeah, no kidding, now come on! We need to keep…" Dumbledore responded in agreement, and was about to say they should move on...

But at this moment, both Alicorns shut their yapping mouths when they thought…they heard something. The Enforcers got into goofy stances before correcting themselves in preparing what could be a monstrous enemy. However, upon listening, the two Alicorns settle down because the sound was actually….the voice of a gentle song. Mesmerized by the sound, the Enforcers walked forward a bit until they found where the source of the voice came from. What they found was not as any would believe, there was a strange trigram spell circle inside one cavern area that glowed brightly yellow that felt very powerful. And in the center was not of a monster, but it looked like it was possible….a pony. This pony was a filly with dark violet magenta fur coat, a dual color style for her classic fluff mane and fluff tail that were of pink magenta & light-pink stripe design. The other thing was from her gray color eyes that showed half-closed with a sorrow face, and that this filly was a unicorn at best. The most unusual thing about this pony was that she seem asleep in crystal ice that hovered in the center of this spell, yet Bocolix & Dumbledore still hear a 'La La, La La' voice of somepony singing, it might be from the filly inside.

"What the….some little filly is trapped!" Dumbledore yelped in seeing this and finding it shocking.

"Yeah, we gotta help get her out." Bocolix responded in thinking that the two gotta help the trapped pony out.

Just before the two were about to use their magic to perform a spell in freeing a captive, something come to mind.

"Wait! What if this is a trap?" Dumbledore suddenly did a second-thought in what could be a setup here.

"What kinda trap could it be?" Bocolix asked off in not knowing what they would be facing here.

"Maybe a shape shifter, like them Changelings; Only much worse and it's in a form to make a couple of dunces like us free it." Dumbledore spoke off in thinking this was a trick, a ploy to make them free a creature that's taken the form of a pony, but will attack them when their guards are down.

"Well if that's the case, let’s try a Scan Spell to see if maybe this trapped pony is really a pony or some dangerous creature." Bocolix requested that if they wanted to be sure this was not a trick of a disguise enemy, they'll use a spell to learn the truth of the matter.

With that agreement settled, the Enforcers used their horns to begin scanning the encase filly in crystal and the spell circle on the floor was not stopping this action since it was not breaking what it kept in case hovering. But when the spell was done, both Enforcers got a surprise look on their faces in discovering the truth of the trapped filly in crystal….was real & not a trick..

"She's one hundred percent pure pony." Dumbledore responded in surprise that this was no enemy ploy, it's a real pony sealed in crystal.

"Yeah, but why is she here alone in this place?" Bocolix responded in getting the picture, now the question remained; why and what for?

"I don't know and I don't know why one filly is stuck in a weird spell circle and encase in crystal ice." Dumbledore waved off his hooves in being unable to answer a complex question that he has no idea about.

"Maybe she's like those cannibals and that curse group of ponies from the Lake of Tears? Can we free her?" Bocolix issued how this pony is a victim like a bunch of others that came to the End of Equestria.

"Well….we are Alicorns. And maybe by doing this by ourselves, we can earn a little more favor with Twilight's group." Dumbledore spoke in thinking about this for some moments, if they do this other good deed, Twilight's group might have a little more extra fate in them.

"Then what are we waiting for, lets hurry up and set free an innocent pony and get out of here." Bocolix responded off in feeling eager now, since they got more magic, and work together, breaking a seal spell like this should be a no brainer….or at least if they try hard enough.

With that much in mind, both Dumbledore & Bocolix were charging their magic through their horns…before firing a strong DeSpell Seal Spell at the trigram circle & at the crystal. The two seem hardly affected by this magnitude of power, but the Enforcers saw that they needed to push themselves harder and so they did. The magic blast were seen growing bigger and more fiercer then earlier, and it almost seem to be making the trigram circle begin to stop spinning in place and even frozen the rotating ice crystal with its pony captive in place. Dumbledore & Bocolix were beginning to sweat from feeling their exhaustion starting to kick in, so they decided to go all out. And with one mighty burst, unleashed a charged sphere that traveled their magic streams, and came into contact with the trigram & crystal. The force impact suddenly caused the trigram circle to vanish while the crystal ice soon cracked up before…..light escaped to be followed by an explosive force of light. This unexpected force blinded the Enforcers to cover their eyes while being enveloped by the light that went throughout the entire cave and outside until slowly beginning to fade away.

However, unknown to the Enforcers, by breaking this certain trigram spell, the user that made such a powerful seal would sense the disturbance in the magic.

"Hmmm, interesting...very interesting." Tao said thoughtfully. "Looks like her time has come..."

The scene returns to the Enforcers recovering from what happened, and they check themselves to feel they are in one piece, good news, they were.

"Phew, we're alive!" Dumbledore signed in relief, for a minute, they could've been killed?

"And…so is she!" Bocolix pointed off in almost feeling breathless in seeing just before them…something else.

Now both Alicorns turn in staring that from a small clearing of misty ice from the shattered crystal, a little filly that was trapped was slowly beginning to move in a dizzy state. After slowly getting herself to feel more awake, she opened her eyes to look out, saw a few blurs in the version before the sight managed to become crystal clear. And that was when the freed unicorn filly saw….that she was freed and had company.

"Hugh…? Who…who are you?" The freed filly yelped in seeing those here before her after being in stasis.

"Us," The Enforcers yelped upon being asked that so suddenly at this situation. "We're um…um…" They were both a little off from how the Enforcers had recovered from freeing the filly, the two forgot about letting her know they were not enemies.

"Um, we're…Aicorns. As you can see from our wings & horns, right," Dumbledore spoke forth in stating that the two are Alicorn ponies to the little one.

"Ye-yeah! I'm Bocolix and that's Dumbledore. We helped freed you, um…" Bocolix responded in introducing the two, but also wondered who this pony was.

"My….my name is…" The filly spoke in feeling shy in speaking what her name is.

"Yeah, yeah, go on." Dumbledore responded in liking to know the name.

"What's your name?" Bocolix asked off in liking to know the name too.

"It's…hum….Karma…" The filly sigh before saying her name out to the Alicorns before her, thought she doesn't sound too happy about it.

"Karma," The Enforcers responded a bit lost and confused to hear that name.

"Yeah, like….bad karma." Karma made a little smile to try perking up in stating how her name relates to being 'bad karma' to others.

"Well gee, why are you called that?" Bocolix asked off in confusion about this filly named while saying it's bad, "Crackfruvhmm…/Owwww!" Suddenly, a breaker part of the cave broke off that broke into pieces that landed on the stallion's noggin.

"Cause I'm kinda bad luck, actually." Karma moved her hoof on the ground to state about being….'unlucky', as it were.

"Bad luck? Well heck; we all have that from time to time!" Dumbledore spoke off in thinking that it was just a little bad luck that happened here.

"So you two are really Alicorns?" Karma asked in pondering about these two ponies before her. "Which princess do you serve?" She asked with a slight interest about a princess that the Enforcers work for if they are Alicorns.

"Uugh…" Now both Enforcers were a little lost by this question, especially since they work for neither Celestia nor Luna.

"We're….ugh, you know….a couple of pass-byers on a quest." Dumbledore responded off in issuing that they are free agent Alicorns.

"Yeah, but-but, we are accompanying a 'real' princess right now!" Bocolix spoke off to suddenly bring up who the Enforcers are currently aiding.

"Really; Who's that? Princess Celestia? Or Princess Luna," Karma asked off a bit curious in hearing this piece of news suddenly.

"Ugh, actually, it's a new princess." Bocolix spoke off in stating that the princess that the Enforcers are discussing was a different one than of the sun and moon.

"Twilight Sparkle, hey, we can take you to her." Dumbledore spoke off in feeling that if the two bring Karma to meet Twilight, maybe something good can happen for the filly.

"Oh, I'm not sure that's a good idea." Bocolix spoke with some precaution at this time. "What if something bad happens?" If the filly says that she's bad luck, what if when the two do something, something bad will happen?

"Come on, what harm could happen from…Wuuaaaulp!" Dumbledore was about to state, but slipped to bump into a crack spot in the wall. "Crack-crackfruvhm…./Grugrufruvhmm…." And at that sudden moment, the entire cave was beginning to quake in an unsteady work, which signaled as….

"CAVE IN! RUUUUUN," The Enforcers yelled out in realizing what was happening and needs to get out of here.

Soon outside, the cave entrance, lots of smoke was seen coming out of it. And out of it were Bocolix, Dumbldore and using their magic, levitated Karma with them out of the cave to escape the cave in.

"Pheww…" The Enforcers sighed in relief that they managed to escape being buried alive.

"I tried to tell you." Karma shrug off her shoulders after being set down on the ground when the spell wore off as she did warn the two about her bad karma acting up.

This little event may take a while for the two male Alicorns to get by, let’s just hope their 'luck' will hold out.

During the moment back at the camp area, Twilight's group had completely finished packing up and was just waiting around the cart. Just of being here, why were they waiting, cause they were short two other players.

"Brother, Ah've seen turtles move faster than what those two are doing!" Tough groaned to complain about the Enforcers being awfully late.

"Yeah, it's been over 15 minutes over the half hour!" Phobos complained off in how much time they've waited, what's with those late Alicorns.

"Come on guys, I'm sure they have a reasonable explanation." Ben spoke that maybe the two are too hard on Dumbledore & Bocolix.

"Well, probably…or got klunk'd on the head." Spike spoke off in thinking those two got knocked out and are sleeping on the job.

"Hugh, let’s just hope they…." Twilight sighed in about to say those two are alright when…

"Look, here they come!" Nyx pointed out in seeing something, it was their other party members.

Soon flying through the air was the familiar Enforcers: Dumbledore & Bocolix. But on Bocolix's back and hidden behind his mane, Karma watched where they were going. Soon the Alicorns landed on the ground near their friends awaiting them.

"Where were yew two? We were getting worried?" Tough asked off in demanding to hear where these two were that made them worried sick.

"It's a long story." Dumbldore spoke off that what the two have to tell is a long story to tell here.

"And what's your excuse for the day?" Phobos asked off in crossing his arms, thinking that these two are gonna make up an excuse.

"It's no excuse, we found something!" Bocolix spoke in their defense about something that happened to them.

"What did you find?" Spike asked off a bit curious in what these two even found that caused their delay.

"Her." The Enforcers lean their heads in the direction of what they were carrying. And soon Karma popped from behind Bocolix to land on the ground, making her presence…present before the rest. And Twilight's group was almost spell shock to see a lost filly come to them from out of nowhere.

"Wooh, it's another pony!" Nyx responded in never being able to see a pony like her age around here.

"He-hello…." Karma slowly spoke with a nervous response in meeting these strange ponies and dragons.

"What's your name, sweetie?" Twilight approached to bend down to calmly speak to the new little pony that was joining them.

"K…K…Karma." Karma responded a bit quaky in her voice in speaking her name.

"Wait, as in like BAD Karma?" Phobos asked off in wondering if that name was meant for the bad term vers.

"Phobos," Nyx scolded her pet pal for being a little harsh about Karma's name.

"Ignore him. Nice to meet you Karma," Ben smiled to help ease the new pony that was a bit nervous. "I'm Ben, this is my fillyfriend Twilight, our daughter Nyx, the tough stallion is…well, Tough Apple, and you've met Phobos and lastly is Spike. And you already know Dumbledore & Bocolix." The stallion introduced the rest of the others to this filly while she may have already gotten to know Dumbledore & Bocolix.

"And these are 'de little critters, Ben's pet wolf cub, Koga, Twilight's owl, Owolowiscious, an' our mechanical rabbit weasel Rabbitchu, an' our MechBull, Justin." Tough spoke in pointing at the other creatures the group got around the cart that they use for traveling.

The mentioned animals responded in saying hello to Karma now.

"So….what are you doing here?" Spike asked off a bit puzzled in why Karma was here in the End of Equestria.

"I was…told to stay where I was until my freedom can be cured." Karma slowly spoke in stating what she's doing here, awaiting her freedom and to be cured it seemed.

"Freedom to be cured," Twilight asked off puzzled in hearing this strange response that made weird sense to her.

"Yes, for you see….I was put under a magic trigram spell and encased in ice 2 years when I came here." Karma issued about what happened to her before being freed by the two Enforcers.

"Two Years! By yourself," Ben responded a bit surprised to hear this from the little filly, that's a long time to be stuck here and be alive when alone.

"No, my big brother was also with me. We both originally came from Las Pegasus." Karma shook her head while issuing that she had a sibling and where they original came from.

"Las Pegasus; that's like the city of lights," Bocolix yelped in surprise in knowing of that name that everypony knows.

"The hit casino of paradise fun," Dumbledore issued off in knowing that place is famous for their casinos and gambling.

"Dag gum! Ah've heard about dat place, never been 'ta it, but Ah heard it's 'de busiest place in Equestria!" Tough responded a bit surprised, so they got a filly from Las Pegasus, now that's really rare.

"My brother was a star player in the casino; ponies always said…his luck was unlike anything ever seen." Karma explained her story about her brother to this group. "And from playing cards, dice, the slot machines, spin wheels, much of his prize winnings, he spend to help with our livings." She explained from recalling back the days of her brother helping them out with his winnings.

"What do you mean?" Nyx asked from wondering if there was more to the story.

"Our parents were in an accident and have been hospitalized and my brother had to help pay out the medical bill, plus bills we have hard time paying." Karma explained the hardships of paying debts to others, especially for their parents. "But whenever I'm around, bad luck seems to affect others, which was why nopony wanted to be friends with me. Even from how we got here." She sigh in sadness that for her, she's bad luck, which is why she has no friends to begin with.

"How did you got here?" Twilight asked with concerns in feeling this is the explanation that the group will need to hear now.

"My brother got a winnings from a griffin that spent his boss' money in a poker game, but we never realized….he was a part of a mafia." Karma explained this with a harden expression in recalling that one moment, their lives changed. "We found out that they were a part of some Mafia Family that runs a criminal empire underneath Equestria's nose, and when the boss wanted his money back, my brother said: 'That's life with gambling', but the griffins boss didn't find it funny. Soon he issued a challenge, to survive and reclaim my brother's winnings under a two year stay…in the End of Equestria." She issued this off about what happened that suddenly a different action soon took place.

"Don't tell me….your brother…" Spike was worried now, did Karma's brother….say 'yes' to the challenge?

"Yes, he accepted. But then the griffin thrown a magical orb that unleashed a vortex, it took my brother & me to end up where we are." Karma explained this part with a sorrow face in knowing how things ended up being now. "We were separated at first and I've been living to survive on my own without my brother's aid or his luck…or his love to protect me." The others could almost feel sorry for this poor filly, being alone in this terrible place, it musta been rough. "Apparently, my bad luck helped save me from monsters and wild beasts trying to eat me, and I've found food fall on me or fell into a lake of clean water by chance. Of course, that may have been lucky for me, but not in a way that brought me comfort." The filly issued how such actions may have helped Karma survived the place no pony can survive in, yet with her luck, she managed to. "I met a pony in a cloak who said he contain my luck in a crystal spell, and when somepony come, they bring the cure of what may truly free me." Karma explained the last part of her story, about some mysterious being, a pony no less, said a time would come that she would be free & cured of what suffers her life.

"And that's when these two jokers found yah?" Phobos pointed to Bocolix & Dumbledore, sensing the lunk heads ended up awakening the kid by some luck, or rotten chance.

"Heeeyy," The Enforcers remarked off in not liking that insult just now.

"So, wha'll we do?" Tough turn to Twilight & Ben in what they'll do with unicorn filly from Las Pegasus.

"We better send her to Ponyville where she'll be safer there; hopefully princess Celestia may help cure her, whatever it is." Twilight issued off in thinking that the group can't let Karma stay in this place anymore and she'll get better help with those they know can do so. "Okay, one teleport spell coming up…Hugh?" As Twilight was about to use her horn, something happened…no magical glow was coming up instantly like usual; that's weird.

"Twilight, what's wrong?" Ben asked from seeing something was not right with his love, but what?

"I'm not activating my magic right. Rrrrugh…I can barely manage a levitation spell!" Twilight struggled with some sweat in trying to focus her spell to work, even to levitate herself in an aura, but it felt harder than usual. "What's happening?" The mare was done with the magic work, something was not right in how Twilight's spell casting was not working right.

"Oh no, what if it's the bad luck," Spike yelped in fearing that maybe this was a sign of bad luck.

"Spike, there's no way it's that." Nyx issued to tell her brother that this wasn't bad luck, right?

"Wait, what's with the ground?" Twilight spotted the strange gray-magenta color flooring of the soil. "Hmm, maybe a little diagnostic spell and…oh no." When Twilight used a little magic on the soil, the glow affected it, but vanished before the mare came to a shocking conclusion.

"Wha, what's wrong Twilight?" Ben asked in not liking the looks of how Twilight reacted just now.

"This entire area we're on is made….of Negamite!" Twilight responded off with much fear and worry in where they are.

"Negamite; Wha in Sam Hill is dat?" Tough Apple responded off in not getting what the mare was talking about, just what was the deal with the stuff in the ground?

"A Mineral property that's principle is made to cancel off and weaken any positive magic from any spell caster." Twilight explained to her friends about the context on the subject of this land's soil. "That explains why I can't teleport Karma out. This area is interfering with my spells being at their strongest." The girl really found this bad and the group never knew that they camped here.

"Well at least the bad guys won't fight as much then." Tough shrug off in thinking this'll be a handicap for everyone and not just them, but….

"Wrong, Demon Magic is a negative form of power, so is darkness when used by dark wielders. It's only us that'll be most affected." Twilight issued this off about the bigger problem they seriously got on their hands now.

"Wait, you mean….our magic is weakened? And now we'll have an even harder time getting by?" Nyx asked off in almost complete disbelief in what's happening here.

"Sorry…." Karma lowered her head in shame; once again, her bad luck is jinxing her new friends here.

"Great….'now' we're in trouble." Phobos groans to complain about their situation is seriously messed up now.

"Mhhh…I can feel my Triforce Magic, but this area must be affecting me too." Ben was glowing his golden aura, but even from his special powers, the area is still affecting him. "Think we can get out of here?" Ben turn to Twilight if maybe if they are out of the area with Negamite properties, then maybe they can use their magic better.

"I'm not sure, usually, any area with Negamite was labeled of how much a region it covered, it may be a lot more than just a few meters." Twilight shook her head in being unsure; this area could stretch for miles wide long before they are out of the area zone of Negamite.

"Then we better hurry, if we get attacked now with your magic's depleted and weaken, we'll REALLY be in trouble!" Spike responded with a panicky face to state they have to leave quickly or else.

"Come on guys, so it’s one little bad luck, it's not like things could git worse." Tough responded to issue with a calm attitude, as he was leaning on the cart. But then his left hoof came near Justin's right back hoof,and the stallion stepped on it.

"MWRUUARRRUGHH," Justin cried out in annoyance before leaping upwards and charging out without warning.

"Wha..GAAAAUGH," Just as Tough was responding to this, he got tangled by some loose ropes and was being dragged by the MechBull running loose. "Ow-ow-ow-ow-ow….Bad Justin! BAD! SLOOOOOW DOOOOWN!" Tough cried out and shouted out for Justin to cease and dismiss at once, this was bruising him.

"Sorry about this. If you want, I'll just leave." Karma sighed in apologizing again before thinking it's best that she not come along if her bad luck will ruin things.

"Wait Karma; It's not your fault! Plus, once we get out of this field of Negamite, we'll send you back." Nyx came up to stop the unicorn filly from leaving in thinking that the group don't want her around, they can still help Karma out.

"Nyx is right, besides, we've face far worst stuff around here, and if you can do it, so can we." Spike spoke in feeling a little ensured that if the heroes can best the End of Equestria's worst areas of places, monsters & beasts, Demons, then they can handle some bad luck.

"Really…then…maybe I'll find my brother too." Karma spoke in feeling a little more hopeful in sensing all is not a lost for her.

"Of course, I promise you, we'll get by this." Twilight spoke with an assured smile that they'll get through this, together.

"First we gotta catch our ride." Bocolix pointed out that Justin was still dragging poor Tough across the dirt.

"Yeah, it's running loose!" Dumbledore nods in agreement, that MechBull is really running crazy without being calm down.

"Come on you two, you have wings, so you'll probably reach the MechBull much easier than me." Ben spoke in nodding his head for the Enforcers to help do the task, since magic is cut a bit for them, they'll have to depend of physical labor & wings to help in situation, and the first is helping Tough calm Justin the MechBull.

"Awww…alright," The Enforcers sighed at this; the two may as well since they 'did' bring Karma and feel some responsibility in what misfortunate has come to them.

Looks like things here are gonna a little bumpy with the gang here when they get their ride and cart under control to bring one little addition; Karma, the filly with a strange habit of luck that seems….a bit unsure of its calling.

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

Pinkamena was reading as she says, "Well seems like there will be one less evil in the world and the gang will be dealing with more dangers and such and Pinkie Pie just did one of her random skills to aid the gang a little."

Golden Heart nods, saying, "I see but I wonder how you plan to test Omega."

Pinkamena smiles, gets up and moves to Omega as it looks at her. She says, "Omega I have a little task I like you to do." 

Omega booms out, "I am ready for whatever you ask""

"I like you to hunt down some dark elves roaming around and bring the head of one of them so I can add it to my collection."

"Orders received, beginning task now."

Omega then leaps out an open window and it opens wings as some little rockets aid it in flying. As Omega heads off, Golden Heart says as Pinkamena goes back to reading, "Um you sure that Omega can do it?"

Pinkamena explains, "I know he will do it but we will have to wait next chapter to see if he does it. But for now let's see how the gang is doing."

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

Once the gang recovers Justin, Twilight, her family and Karma continued to travel until they spots someone familiar. The new filly spoke out in curiosity, "Who is that?"

Nyx answers her new friend happily, "Its Tao."

Spike nods while saying, "As usual, he's an okay pony."

Phobos rolls his eyes, remarking, "Correction: He's a weird pony."

Everyone glance at Tao who wore weird necklaces and pendants around his neck and a hat with five horseshoes while holding a left basket with one rabbit and another which is a basket of garlic. He wore a belt on his waist. Tao is dancing around.

Tough blink while asking his pals, "What in tarnation is he doing now?"

"No idea. And I thought someone we know is weirder than him." Bocolix comments, referencing to either Pinkie Pie or Discord, give or take.

Dumbledore agrees, "No kidding."

"Whatever he's doing, I think he knows something about Negamite." Ben said, hoping that Tao knows how to get rid of the Negamite or knows of a direction that the group can go to get out of the stuff.

"Hope so. Hopefully, I don't make a mistake like not believing Pinkie's Pinkie Sense." Twilight said, recalling what happened during the incident with Pinkie's Pinkie Sense.

"That's for sure, Twi." Spike chuckles, recalling that event in a funny way.

Twilight and her friends approached Tao. Nyx was the first to speak to him, "Uh...... Mr. Tao."

Tao turn to Twilight and her friends. With a smile, he said, "Ah, Twilight, and everyone, greetings. Oh, I see you had a new friend."

"Yeah, her name is Karma."

"Karma; Do you mean-"

Phobos remarks in amusement, "He's gonna said 'bad luck'."

Tao hits Phobos's head, scolding, "Manners, Phobos. I was going to say: is she related to the pony gambler named Joey Dice?"

Karma ask Tao hopefully, "You know my brother?"

Tao shook his head, saying, "Nope; Just a rumor. As soon as you went missing, rumored spoke that Joey Dice gave up the gamble as he seeks his little sister; She who somehow ended up in the End of Equestria. I'd never thought I would meet her here." Of course, the old pony recognized her as the same filly whom seal that he was responsible for the seal spell with a certain nephew's help.

"Well, speaking of rumor, what's with this stuff?" Spike asks, noting the items that Tao has with him.

"Oh. You mean my hat, necklaces, pendants, belt, baskets of one rabbit and garlic? Why these are my good luck charms."

Everyone ask in once and in surprise, "Good luck charms?"

"What is 'dat stuff fer, Tao?" Tough ask Tao puzzled.

Tao hits Tough's head, scolding him, "Preventing more bad luck; did you read the books about bad and good luck?!"

"Well, I did, Mr. Tao. But those stuff are just superstition." Twilight said in disbelief. She presumed that the stuff involving bad luck is just nonsense to her!

Tao hits Twilight, making her yelp as well. The old pony comments, "You believed in myths, magic, curses, secrets and faith, yet you don't believe in superstition? Humph. You really need to be open minded to any kinds of situation such as luck, Twilight." 

"I'm not saying I don't believe it, Tao. It's just so hard to believe that there's such -" The Earth pony was interrupted when a big rock hit Ben's head. "OW! That hurt!"

More rocks hit on Twilight and her friends, and even Karma, except Tao. Everyone try to avoid the attacks while screaming in pain.

Spike yells out, "How come Tao is the only pony that didn't get hurt?"

"I'd say lucky, I guess." Phobos exclaims while getting hit by the rocks as well.

Bocolix groans in pain, "This is so not our lucky day."

"Somepony stop the falling rocks!" Dumbledore exclaims frantically. Surprisingly, the rocks stop much to his surprise. "What do you know? It works. So I guess our luck change."

Then, it rain on Twilight and her friends. They are wet while Tao used an umbrella to protect him from being wet. The rain stops. Tough groan in annoyance, "Yew had 'ta say it."

Everyone shook their bodies and manes off to get themselves dry. Tao waits until they're finished to speak up once more, "So tell me: are you still doubtful of superstition?"

Twilight rub her head as she speaks, "Okay, I admit that was my mistake, Tao. I guess I should have known that I have to be open-minded, no matter what kind of situation that I faced."

Tao smile as she say, "Good enough."

Karmka, feeling guilty, looks down as she say, "I'm very sorry for that."

"Why would you apologize, Karma? After all, it happened to everyone when it comes to luck."

"But I am bad luck. I bring nothing but bad luck to anyone."

Tao chuckles, saying, "Nonsense, child; Luck is not necessary relied on nature or items, but how much you believed in faith to have luck."

"Do you mean it??" Karma asks Tao hopefully; Odd, he kinda say that same words as the pony in the cloak did 2 years ago.

"Indeed, Karma. No matter what kind of problems you face, always have faith, because everyone you know will always be in your heart. That is true luck."

"I don't know."

Tao turns to Nyx, asking her gently, "Nyx, can I entrust you to make sure that Karma always have faith in herself?"

Nyx nods slowly as she speaks, "Well, I can try."

'Hopefully, we need all the luck to overcome the problems." Spike said, knowing that the group, who turned around for a moment, will need a lot of luck to get out of this mess alive.

Phobos cringe a bit, adding, "No bad luck, please."

"It got worst. Tao's gone again." Bocolix remarks with a frown. Sure enough, as the gang turns back, Tao is gone...again.

"Terrific. We were hoping that we need his lucky charms for our survival." Dumbledore groans in despair and disbelief.

Just then, a familiar voice spoke up from out of nowhere, "Bad Luck Be Lucky, Be Faithful, Be Yourself."

"What?" Nyx ask, a bit startled by the latest riddle in line here.

"Bad Luck Be Lucky, Be Faithful, Be Yourself."

"Just great; His riddle had gotten weirder than before."

"So, what's the voice said?" Spike asks Nyx, wondering what the voice is saying this time.

"'Bad Luck Be Lucky, Be Faithful, Be Yourself'." Nyx explains the riddle to everyone else.

Everyone look awkward. Phobos remarks in annoyance, "That is the most stupid riddle that I ever heard of."

Tough agrees, grunting, "'Dhat doesn't make sense."

"Like no warning or something for what we're dealing with?" Bocolix ask puzzled. Normally, the group would face something terrible up ahead. What's up now?

"So not our lucky day," Dumbledore groans in annoyance. Ever since the Enforcers had found Karma, they run into bad luck, lack of use of magic and now this darn riddle.

Twilight sigh, "Well, whatever it is, we just need all the luck that we had to get out of the situation." With the magic still having a bad time, the group will need luck to get out of the Negamite area.

"Hopefully, no more bad luck," Ben nods in agreement. The group then heads on off on the next part of their journey."

Tao watched Twilight and her friends continue to travel. Dragon Kick, Jade and Mighty Heart appear from behind him. The old pony remarks, "Aieyah. I only hope that they had faith in themselves especially Karma."

Dragon Kick, recalling his first meeting with Karma 2 years ago and putting her in the crystal in the first place, frowns as he spoke, "Uncle, you could have help her when we first met her."

"I could, but Karma is the one who should help herself."

"What I don't understand is why go through all the trouble for Twilight and her friends to help Karma? She is bad luck."

Tao hits Dragon Kick's head, making the nephew yelp in pain. The Mystic pony scolds him, "Do I have to remind you?! Karma is not bad luck! Karma lacks her faith and luck to balance her light chi. Her light chi relied on her brother. Without him, Karma continues to have more bad chi. To avoid them, Karma must learned to have faith to build her good luck."

Jade asks Tao curiously, "And that's why you choose Nyx to be her guidance?"

Tao nods. Mighty scratch his mane while speaking next, "Sensei, I don't understand one thing. Why did your riddle sounds different this time? Shouldn't you give the riddle about the monsters that they are facing or what they need to do?"

"I did. And that is for Karma to help them." Tao explains to Mighty. "If Twilight and her friends can teach her the means of faith and luck, Karma may finally balance her chi and save them."

"Hopefully, there's good luck for Twilight and her family." Jade said, hoping good luck on her friends.

"One more thing: How's everything going on from Ponyville?"

"Well, Gwen and I had good times, and so far no ponies spotted me being somehow related to her." Dragon Kick explains, blushing a bit. "Gwen's so sweet and cute when she blushed."

"Ponyville is still in a bad mood, but the Mane Five are still doing their best to help." Jade said, explaining how the situation in Ponyville hasn't improved any at all.

"The Protection Spell is still in good process. I just need to add more ingredient to the potion. So I guess we should go back." Mighty said, saying that the group should go back now.

"No. You can watch. Let us hope they can figure my riddle sooner or later." Tao said, suggesting that the others can watch. Maybe if Twilight and her friends can work the riddle, Karma's bad luck will be over for good.

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

The 'Droid' was busy, keeping an eye out on the Superior. Things were doing fine...until the leader turn and spoke to the Droid, "Android."

The Droid responses, "Meatbag."

"In order for you to keep a low profile, you are to wear these black slippers to those...unique claws. Also, I am assigning you to an ally..."

The Superior gives the Droid some black slippers. He blinks and takes them. Better be worth it...

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

And so, we focus our view of Twilight's crew riding in their cart with Justin fully under control as the MechBull was pulling them. As of now, Karma was riding with them until they can escape the region of this land that's got much Negamite inside that cancels and weakens magic users. So the group will have to depend much on their physical labor skills by Earth & Pegasus abilities, and of course some Dragons and machines, and some pets with their own skills wouldn't hurt.

"Okay, if we travel along this path, we 'should' come across a region where there won't be any more Negamite in the area." Twilight explained to the group in what the group needs to be doing if they wanna get out of this area that's messing up their magic.

"Then we best hurry." Nyx responded in thinking that the group needs to get out of here as fast as they can.

"I'm sorry, this was my fault." Karma sighed in sorrow in feeling that this mess was kinda her fault.

"Hey come on, so we learn we're in a place we're our magic's a little off. Things could be worse," Ben smiled to the filly in assuring her that this situation seems bad, but it could be worse. "Like…Guuugh!" The stallion's words were suddenly cut off when something white smacked against his face that knocked him backwards.

"Ben!" Twilight cried out when she and the others saw that something got their friend.

Soon Ben was seen knocked out the back of the cart to land on his back before the others stopped to inspect their friend if he was attacked. But truth be told, what ended up hitting Ben was not an attack, but….a white duck. And the funny thing about it was that the stallion was struggling to remove a duck's bottom from his face which he succeeded in and breathed easier.

"Ugh…hugh….what just happened to me?" Ben coughed a bit in spitting some feathers off his mouth, confused by what occurred.

"In plain sight, yew met a fowl's end, Ben buddy. Hehe, git it, cause fowls are water, an' by 'de end, it was them bottom. Hooo, didn't see 'at one, did yah?" Tough Apple responded with a tiny crack smile in making a funny statement that Ben just meet his end by a duck fowl's behind and it made him crack a bit to let off a giggle.

Spike, Dumbledore & Bocolix tried to contain their inner laughs in finding this situation funny but it was so hard to do. Twilight gave a stern face to the others to try to keep them from laughing, but in truth, she covered her mouth to stop herself from giggling at how funny this was.

"Sorry honey, but it was silly, you taken out in such a way I mean." Twilight responded to say sorry, after all, if her love was beaten in such a way, who's to say that it wasn't a funny gag?

"Yeah, well what happens if that happened to you, I don't know if I could live with it or laugh about it too." Ben made a sly smile in stating how his love feel if she meant her end, but in a comical way.

"Oh you," Twilight rolled her eye to pound Ben's shoulder with a left hoof, seeing that the pony trying to be clever.

"Quack-Quack," The duck was quacking around the gang with an upset face.

"Hey buddy, go away! You done your deed for the day." Phobos stood near the duck that cause this little stunt.

"Quack-Quack," The duck however, was not moving back and just annoyed the Moon Dragon.

"I said go!" Phobos issued off when the duck was too close, and he pushed the rude bird away.

"QUACK-QUACK; Quake, Quake," The duck however, got any to start flapping its wings in attacking Phobos

"Phobos, maybe you shouldn't tease it so much." Nyx spoke to her friend in maybe he should lay off, it's just one duck.

"Not when he's roughing me up with feathers! I said…SCRAM!" Phobos issued off in about having enough of this one duck getting on their nerves, "Powwfruvhmmm!" That's when the Moon Dragon blew blue flames from its mouth to roast the duck.

"QUACK; QUACK; QUAAAAAAAAAACK," Now the duck was flapping himself from almost being roasted to make the loudest cry that was echoing all around.

Suddenly, the entire area fell into silences and everything from winds died down; something was not right.

"That…doesn't sound good." Ben responded in having a very odd feeling what the group did triggered something.

"Quack-Quack-Quack…." Then more noises of ducks were heard, but the gang could not see them.

"I hear duck calls close by." Dumbldedore issued off about that sound being more ducks nearby.

"And they sound louder, maybe closer." Bocolix stated from hearing the sounds get louder the closer it got.

"Um guys, look up there!" Spike nervously pointed out in noticing something that the others should see.

Soon what the group was seeing the skies show some white figures flapping around, surrounding all areas to be like a closing tornado for the group as the eye of the storm.

"By Grandma's name; It's…a…" Nyx was about to say something with her frightened expression, but the answer came to them all, this was….

"DUCK-MA-GEDDON," Tough cried out in fear in witnessing a near Armageddon event playing out, only with one force of creature: DUCKS!

"QUACK-QUACK-QUACK…" A large battalion of angry ducks were diving and surrounding the gang before….they began the assault-work.

"Ow-ow; cut it out!" Spike yelped from the ducks were biting him all over.

"Ahhhh, they're in my mane!" Bocolix cried out in noticing the ducks were getting in his mane and messing it up.

"They're under our waist!" Dumbldedore yelped when some ducks went below the stallions to knock them off balance.

"What's with these ducks?" Ben cried out in trying to swat the ducks away, but they just kept attacking them.

"They're…ow….Angry Ducks! Ow-Ow…said to attack anything that harms one of their own! Ouch! They're very fearsome!" Twilight was issuing off between yelp cries when the ducks were biting of pecking her all over.

"Gugh-Peetowee; Hiyah Justin, Hiyah; Git our flanks ou' of here," Tough spits out some feathers before he got onto the cart with the rest to get out of here.

"MWRRUUAAUGHHH," Justin the MechBull let off a bull cry before pulling the gang's cart to get them away while being pursued by a flock of angry ducks chasing after them.

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

After surviving a onslaught of attacking fowls and loosing those cranky ducks around the corner…the gang stop near another area. Course Twilight's group is a bit messed up with scattered feathers all over them and cleaning them out of the cart while moving along.

"Okay, so that was a little….hairy, in expecting the unexpected." Ben spoke a bit sheepishly in seeing that what they encounter was a little different than usual.

"If you mean being attacked by ducks, then yah, it was." Phobos spoke off to say that being attacked by everything more ferrous, and they got about beat by ducks is the most unexpected thing to see happen.

"I'm so very sorry for the trouble.” Karma sighed in feeling that this incident was her fault again.

"Don't be, that was….an incident. And Phobos shouldn't have tried to attack something that would call in its flock to back it up." Twilight spoke to comfort the lost filly into knowing that this was not Karma's fault; rather, if Phobos didn't start it, they wouldn't have ended up like this.

"Sure, how was I to know?" Phobos dryly exclaimed in sarcasm in seeing he's getting the blame.

"I find it hard to believe one duck, let alone a whole flock could be so mean." Nyx spoke in pondering how some unseen batch of ducks would end up being so mean into becoming hostile.

"Hay fellas; Ah think Ah got just 'de medicine 'ta cheer us up!" Tough spoke off in seeing something ahead that made him smile to brighten their day. "Some good ol' sweet honey, Ah'll be right back!" The stallion issued from seeing a lonesome tree with a hive, and where there are bees, there is bound to be sweet honey.

Soon Tough stops Justin to approached the tree to collect some honey for the gang.

"Oh, maybe we should help." Bocolix spoke in thinking that the Enforcers should pitch in to collect some honey.

"Nah, what if we get strung?" Dumbledore issued off in thinking that the two get strung by angry bees if they got near.

"Come to think of it, didn't we kinda tick off another bunch of insects earlier?" Spike asked off in recalling what the gang once did to an Evil Guardian to the Wind Demon.

"Don't worry Spike; that was with Swarm, these will just be normal bees." Twilight spoke in assuring her baby Dragon friend of no dangers.

"In the end of Equestria," Phobos remotely reminded the mare that this is no ordinary area, and that even average creatures might be scary.

"Okay, sure, there's that, but…" Twilight was about to say something for that when...

"Woooh," Suddenly Tough's voice made the others seen him fall on his flank from breaking off a branch, "Crackfruvhplushvmm…" At that moment, the hive fell and shattered to pieces. "BIizizizizizizi…." And from that busted hive came a lot of bees swarming together, looking and sounding mad, "Oh Joe….YIIIIIIEEEEEEEEE!" Tough responded to himself before quickly screaming and running for his life.

Soon the scene shows the gang standing by and watches what happens when a pony upsets angry bees….the stingers of the first thing to watch out for.

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

Now we enter a part where the gang are having Justin pull their cart while Twilight & Nyx & Spike are helping to put some ointment on Tough, being strung all over; ouch.

"Settle down Tough, this stuff will help ease the stings." Twilight spoke to wanting the tough stallion to settle himself.

"Ouch….dah gum! Them bees were worse than Swarm was," Tough cringe to yelp from the medicine that strung the spots that hurt him.

"Lucky thing Dumbledore and Bocolix swooped down to get you out of there while we steer Justin far away." Nyx stated about the good thing that happened after getting away from angry bees to treat their friend.

"Crack-crackvhmm…" Suddenly, something was cracking that could be heard within the cart.

"Hay, you guys hear something? Sounded like a crack." Spike asked off in not liking what the group just heard, sounded bad.

"Okay, who cracked the eggs?" Phobos asked off in demand if somepony sat and cracked a carton of eggs that they brought.

"Ben, what's going on?" Twilight asked in the front where her love and the two Enforcers were driving Justin.

"I think it's the ground, it seems thin here." Ben responded to Twilight in issuing what the gang may have stepped into…trouble.

"Crackfruvhmmm…/Waaaaughhhh," Suddenly, the entire ground broke from underneath the gang that they screamed from falling down into something… "Plufrupvhmm…." Then the group splash landed right into some green goopy messy pit area that was below about 5 to 7 feet deep.

"Yuck! This tastes like slime!" Dumbldedore responded off grossed out in swallowing this green goop.

"And like it had some slugs swimming in it!" Bocolix issued off in the same disgust in what the goop tastes like.

"Cause it is." Twilight suddenly issued off from when the gang noticed; they fell into a pit of slime and some green slugs. "Eek, we fell in a pit with slime and is apparently…a slug's nest." Twilight responded off in feeling like how Rarity reacts, this was very messy indeed.

"Gross!" Nyx stuck her tongue out in feeling disgusted as were the pets that were covered in slime.

"I'm sorry; my bad luck has struck again." Karma sighed to apologize for thinking that they all ended up here, cause of her.

"Bees, now slugs in slime," Tough groanly remarked off in wiping the nasty stuff off him.

"Uuuugh, we'll argue about this later, Bocolix, Dumbledore, I'm sorry to ask, but can you help get us out of this pit?" Ben spoke to calm the group down while asking the Enforcers to help use their wings to bring them up to solid ground level.

"Sure thing," The Enforcers got around the cart to lift it up almost to the top, only for the slime to slip from their hold that dropped the surprise group back in the pit of slug slimes. "Whoops!" The Alicorn males sheepishly responded in seeing that they have some butterfingers on their hooves, or in this case, slimy fingers on their hooves.

"Anybody got a dry towel to wipe off the slime?" Spike asked off to shake the sticky stuff off of him again.

"Yeah, cause we may 'be' here a while." Phobos dryly remarked off in seeing this may take more time than they think.

And so things here was gonna be a bit sticky, with the Negamite around, using magic or focusing much of it was a no-no, and the only way out…was by flying. So yeah, the gang will get out, just…give them time to coordinate & have a solid firm grip.
-----------------

The Rainbow Droid arrives in some sort of dark lair that the Superior has directed her to. What kind of mad pony would live here? He is about to get his answer the hard way when a voice greets him.

"Welcome to the lair of SCIENCE! To the lair of," said the voice as a figure walks out of the smoke and stops under the spotlight, "Dr, Pinksano!!!!!!!"

Dr. Pinksano press a button on a remote control causing cannons to appear, shooting out debris all over the place along with balloons and such. The RD just stared, not impressed as he ask, "...what the hay?"

Pinksano gasps upon seeing the Droid, rushing over and saying, "Oh my gosh; you sound like her, only like she's talking through a tube. Could you teach me how to speak with a robot voice sounding my own?! Pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease-"

The Droid tears off a slipper, revealing a... "SON OF A ..." As he rants, the Droid begins to sound more robotic until there's no trace of Rainbow Dash in his voice. This only happens when he gets angry.

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

The group with Twilight was again seen, out of the pit and was near a creek to help them clean off the slime all over them. After a few minutes, ponies and Dragons had finally about cleaned themselves, their cart and animals.

"Well, at least we're clean." Nyx sihned in seeing they managed to get cleaned up now.

"Hugh…." Karma sighed in feeling a bit sad about what's happened here.

"Hey Karma, you can't think that incident was your fault. It just happened." Twilight spoke to help cheer this filly up from feeling too sorrow about what's happened to them.

"I understand you're trying to say that you're not mad, but eventually….you may just wanna leave me!" Karma exclaimed that somehow, this group will eventually get tired on having had bad luck ruin things.

"No way; what kinda friend abandons another friend just cause of a little bad luck?" Ben protests that it makes no sense for a friend to leave another, just cause of bad luck.

"The honest kind," Phobos silently spoke in pointing out how an honest friend would break the mold of the moment.

"Sssshh…keep it down, kay." Spike hushed the Moon Dragon to not be causing trouble here.

"Hey looky fellas; some fish," Tough spoke from spotting some fish moving around in the creek.

"Think they are ponies turned to fish?" Dumbledore asked off in joining Tough in spotting the fish.

"Nah; that was only the other area," Bocolix waved off in thinking what they last encountered, can't be the same here.

"Come on, maybe some fish will help…" Tough was about to say something, but was cut off here….

"Hiiiyaaahh/Kurchop," For without warning, a lone fish leaped from the water and delivered a karate chop right on the stallion's nose.

"Gooowh; Wha n' Tarnation," Tough yelped off in shock, what just happened here?

"Tough, what's hap…" Ben came over to see what the commotion was, only to get interrupted himself, "Ka-Pow/Owww!" Ben yelped when some fish that jump up had chopped him behind his neck.

"Hugh!" Dumbledore & Bocolix were about to see what was going on… "Whack-Whack," But these two also got attacked by fish jumping and attacking, "Ouuuch!" The Enforcers cringed out from feeling that last attack bruising them.

"Whipfruvhm…." One fish came up that delivered a punch to the baby dragon's elbow, "Ow, hey!" Spike yelped off to rub his aching shoulder; that was not funny.

"Kickvhmmm…" Another fish came out that kicked the moon dragon from his behind. "Hay, watch it!" Phobos snapped off in looking ticked off against these little fish devils.

"You two, get back!" Twilight quickly got Nyx and Karma out of the creek and near the cart.

"Mommy, what's going on?" Nyx asked from seeing something was going on, but why fish?

"I can't say, but I think we just came across Karate Samyn." Twilight responded in having a bad feeling in what kinda trouble they ended up in. "A weird group of fish said to live in a creek of water and any trespassers that enter, they'll attack with skilled martial art moves." Yep, sound like another unlucky event is taking place, and boy is it fishy.

The male group is gonna be having their hands, or hooves, filled with fighting off the terror of fishes of the deep and the not so deadly and ugly kind.

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

After a while of separating the guys from the fish kicking their butts, the group was on the road again. Course now Twilight had to help tend to those that felt bruises from getting slapped around, and some were holding ice packs up to where it needed to be cooled down.

"How humiliating, getting whoop'd by fish!" Tough groans to keep an ice pack near his bruised black eye, them fish were rough even if bit-size.

"It's a fishy tale if anyone's ever heard." Bocolix spoke off from rubbing his ice pack in admitting how fishy hearing such a tale is.

"Yeah, what else could happen?" Dumbledore shrug off to say from lifting his pack of ice off his noggin.

"In case you two never knew, we get more problems when one 'ask' for it." Phobos dryly remarked this fact for the thick male Alicorns missing how situations work.

"Come on Phobos, sure we got slapped, but we've survived tougher stuff." Spike spoke off to have his friend else up, it's not the end for them if they got beat by tiny fish.

"Grugrugfruvhmm…" Suddenly, the ground was starting to crack with a sign of red lines.

"Uh-oh," The gang responded in not liking what this could be.

"Powwfruvhmmmm/Waaaaughhh," And then without a warning, a lava geyser shot off from the ground that threw the gang off while screaming. "Clupfruvhmmm…." Soon the cart landed back on the ground, toppled over and making a dust cloud.

"Mruuaawwruughhh," Justin popped its head out from the clouds, showing that he's alright and so was Rabbitchu since both were machines, but for the rest….they ached in pain.

"Owy, what was that?" Nyx rubbed her aching noggin in what happened to them that time.

"My guess, a hidden magma that erupted," Ben shook his head to regain his senses in what just happened to the group.

"And why our spot," Phobos asked off in remarking why they were over such a spot, like it wasn't obvious?

"Hugh, I'm terribly sorry for this mess." Karma sighed in feeling like this was her fault once again.

"Hay chill, me and Phobos are Dragons, so, we're good, so are Justin & Rabbitchu, and the cart's sturdy to take the heat." Spike spoke to have the filly unicorn not be so hard, most of the gang were resistant to that and the rest were in the cart so the magma's hot lava didn't burn their flesh.

"Right, let’s get this setup again before trying to continue, and AVOID, any more surprises on the road." Twilight nods in agreement, that much was not so bad, mostly, but now they need to fix their tipped vehicle of transport.

This got everyone to be in agreement before working together to reset the cart and help connect it back on Justin's sides.

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

In the next scene, we see the group of travelers going across some strange vine field of wild flowers. Many remember their battle with the Guardian Carnivorous Plant, Mehitos, but they should have things under control here.

"Great, plant life," Phobos groans in seeing this scene now all of a sudden now.

"What's wrong with him?" Karma asked in seeing Phobos act upset over plants.

"Nothing, he just remembers of almost being eaten once by Mehitos." Nyx shook her head in explaining how her pet pal almost got eaten by a plant.

"At least he wasn't actually eaten like Nyx was by the Hydra; that was so scary, we thought she never return." Spike issued to tell about what happened to Nyx that was even scarier for them to handle.

"You were?" Karma asked off surprised when Nyx nodded her head to that. "Wow, and I thought 'I' had bad luck!" Karma responded in finding that event sounded like terrible luck to encounter.

"Yep, guess we both were lucky to avoid such things." Nyx smiled to issue this off to her friend on the subject.

The two fillies giggled and it was the first time Karma felt happy after being stuck in the End of Equestria.

"It's nice to see Nyx help Karma out." Ben smiled in seeing his daughter help their friend out.

"Yeah, let’s hope we can find her brother." Twilight replies in agreement, they have to help Karma find her brother and escape this region covered in Negamite in order to use their magic better.

"Hmph," Tough responded off weird in seeing…something moved through the vines. "Hay folks, Ah think Ah saw something!" The stallion stated from having Justin stop in what looked like they had uninvited company.

"What is it?" The Enforcers asked in being in the caution zone for anything here.

"Don't know, but if it's something o' another misfortunate, it ain't getting 'de drop on us! Every stallion an' Dragon; come on! Let's flush 'dis thing out!" Tough responded off before grabbing his rifle to prepare to defend himself and wanted the tough males to accompany him.

"Strong Alicorn males," Dumbledore stood up ready to aid here.

"Reporting in, sir," Bocolix issued off that they are here to fight.

Soon Spike & Phobos jumped from the cart in being asked to help in whatever they gotta deal with now.

"Be careful Ben." Twilight spoke with concerns in not knowing what they'll come across here.

"Twilight, it'll be fine, what could we find we couldn't handle?" Ben spoke with a smile in assuring his love, all will be fine.

Now while Twilight, Nyx & Karma stayed with Justin, Rabbitchu and the other pets, they watched the others. But soon found what was a tall plant of a slender body with daisy petals around its neck and covering it's seedbed head form. It looked like a humanoid female from vines making its legs and arms.

"Wait, what is that?" Phobos asked in seeing a weird plant figure that looked…human-like.

"It looks like a living flower!" Spike responded that whatever the creature is, it's more plant than animal.

"I think I heard of them, they're Exotic Daisies, said to be over-extreme when it sees a male!" Ben stated off in recalling what they may be seeing here and it's something if it survived in the End of Equestria.

Soon the revealed daisy creature turns to see she had company. And her beautiful face of a perfect human female with bright blue eyes saw what was before her and….

"Aaaaahhh…MAAAAAAALE!" The Exotic Daisy shouted out with a look in looking like she pass over her peaceful side to be replaced by….a hungry mode of being in love.

"Um Ben, she sees us." Dumbledore spoke in not liking how this weirdness they are feeling in the air didn't sit well with them.

"And giving us them weird eyes." Bocolix pointed out from them weird eyes seem like she wants them badly and looked ready to go crazy.

Suddenly, the Exotic Diasy jumped to drop everything it was doing to hang it's tongue out to rush towards…the males.

"EVERYPONY MALE; RUUUUUN," Tough screamed out in suddenly being given a look of fear and terror.

"Aaaaaahhhh-Aaaahhh," The entire male lot was now screaming to run or fly away from whatever was chasing them.

"Ben, what happened?" Twilight asked from seeing the guys returned, what happened, they heard screams.

"Exotic Daisies," Ben cried out before passing his love to continue running.

"Talk later! RUUUN,” Phobos shouted out from passing Twilight that they couldn't explain now.

"She's after us!" Spike screamed out from when he, the Enforcers & Tough ran pass the cart to get distance.

Soon the males ran away from their female pals, and soon Nyx, Karma & Twilight saw what stopped near their confused faces…the Exotic Daisy.

"You hoo, lover boys; Come to Daisy!" The Exotic Diasy waved off in trying to flirt with the scared males before rushing on after them.

Now the situation was filled with lots of confusion, puzzlement, a weird feeling that this day of sense went out the door.

"Mommy, are daddy and the others gonna be fine?" Nyx asked her mother in wondering what's gonna happen to the others.

"Um, well, you see Nyx…Exotic Daisies tend to overreact with affairs in seeing a male. They'll wrap them up in their vines & almost end up giving to many kisses of their effecting." Twilight slowly spoke in explaining how Exotic Daisies work, they show too much effecting when they see one or more males and will show it as too much for any to stand.

"Well, I guess that was really lucky it wasn't us, but I feel sorry for them." Karma spoke that at least the girls were fine, but looks like the boys will have their hands full.

"I'm sure they'll escape, if our 'males' could fight demons, a crazy in love flower won't be much a problem for them to lose." Twilight spoke with a little smile in thinking that Ben and the others can handle this; it won't kill them from one crazy in love flower.

"MY MALES; Mwwwwughhh," A loud voice of the Exotic Daisy was heard from a distance while she sounded like she was gonna kiss someone, "Wuaaaaughhhhh!" A few male screams are heard during the moment that sounded like they were screaming for their lives.

"Eheheh, course…it maybe a while before they meet up with us." Twilight sheepishly chuckled in suddenly feeling that maybe the guys will be stuck with this issue.

So now Twilight had Justin bring them up to a hill zone to show where they be for their missing friends to meet up. Course, that didn't mean the girls wouldn't end up seeing how the guys are seen running in terror of one overly excited crazy hybrid flower in love, it's almost Pinkie Pie crazy, only with different standards. And when the males get back, they'll end up looking silly with kiss marks all over and the girls in the cart might have a hard time getting over something 'that' funny.

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

And suddenly, we see the group of ponies and Dragons…rolling down on sphere-shaped rocks down a steep hill, and it's VERY STEEP!

"HOW DID WE END UP LIKE THIS?" Phobos shouted off loudly in not recalling how they ended up like this in the first place.

"I DON'T KNOW!" Spike yelled out in being unable to remember the instant the gang ended like this.

"ONE SLIP AND ITS DOWN HILL," Dumbledore cried out loud in recalling one incident made them come into this scene.

"A REALLY-REALLY STEEP HILL," Bocolix pointed out in seeing they were really going downhill.

"HOLD ON EVERYPONY!" Twilight shouted from holding onto Nyx and Karma so they wouldn't slip while she tried to keep from slipping herself.

"KEEP BALANCING AND DON'T SLIP!" Ben shouted out in wanting the rest to not lose their bottom hooves trying to roll and steer the rock.

"AND ALSO, KEEP SCREAMING!" Tough shouted out louder than the rest in what else they had to do.

"AAAAAHHHH…" The gang screams before disappearing down pass some dead trees that blocked our view, "Kurpowwfruvhmmmm!" An unseen crash sight happened before a lot of dust clouds covered the area we see the gang all over the place, but alive at least. "Mwrruaaghh…." Justin was seen walking up slowly towards the crashed sight of the others with the other pets aboard, this was gonna be another eventful moment.

As the string of bad luck continues on, Tao's group watches on. Jade cringes a bit while saying, "Ouch, that's gotta hurt."

"I'd never forget of how I tried to get Karma to the cave where Uncle Tao's working the seal spells." Dragon Kick remarks, recalling what happened when he brought Karma to that cave 2 years ago that got him hurt like this. "That was very long bad day for me. Now, it's bad day for all of them."

Mighty nods, turning to Tao and say, "I think you should give them a more specific riddle for them to understand."

Tao hits Mighty's head before scolding, "Do not question my wisdom! I'm sure Twilight and her friends will figure it out."

Jade sigh, "I hope so." This is going to be a long adventure for the gang.

---------

The Demon Lords laugh evilly and nonstop. They are watching the madness unfold on their portal back in the Realm of Demons, and boy, was it fun for them all!

Hsi Wu laughs, "Now, that's gotta be funniest thing that I ever seen!"

"It looks like they all had bad lucks!" Po Kong laughs a bit. Perhaps this make up for all the bad luck that the Demon Lords has to suffer themselves!

Dai Gui grunts, recalling the kissing flower part, "Spike gets love poison from stupid pretty."

Tchang Zu wipes some tears from his eyes, saying in glee, "It looks like we finally have our hatred calmed down for good."

"Indeed, it looks like our luck has been changed. We now have our advantage!" Xiao Fung remarks in amusement. As long as the heroes got all the bad luck, the Demons has the advantage.

"Indeed. Though death does not satisfy our anger, but seeing them hilarious and funny had made me better." Bai Tza said, a bit amused by what happened but the death won't satisfy the Demons' anger until Nightmare Moon and Ben are theirs and the rest are destroyed.

The Demons all continued to laugh evilly.

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

At last, we finally see the gang, riding on their cart with Justin pulling them to go up and over a cliff from a spiral mountain. They have endured much unfortunate luck moments while stuck being unable to use their magic with the Negamite around messy up their focus and control. The gang only hopes they'll make it across this and hopefully, be out of range of what was making them work their fingers to the bone, course, if they had fingers if one was a pony.

"Can I say this is really risky?" Phobos asked off to the others in wanting to say this.

"No!" The others responded that they don't wanna hear that when they are doing this.

"Okay, it's really risky, going over this area, with no magic, and….MISHAPS!" Phobos calmly explained this before shouting out loud in what's been happening to them this whole time, bad luck in every turn.

"Come on, so we hit a few bumps along the way." Nyx spoke in trying to make the subject not be totally bad as it sounds.

"One; Hah; Wha we got was over a dozen or so moments we rather not talk about?" Tough laughed off in issuing how they've gone over dozens of misfortunate events they never dealt with before.

"Especially during that flower hugging us," Dumbledore issued off in remembering what happened during the plant lady meeting.

"And then brought those lips to kiss us?" Bocolix exclaimed with a nervous face in recalling what they've went through afterwards.

"Eeeehieihiehiehieeeee…." The Enforcers shook like leaves in finding that event scared their afterlife out of them, that's a relationship with a crazy plant lady no male should suffer through.

Ben's right eye twitched in recalling that event, there was such a thing as a limit….

"Hay Ben, she didn't scare you that much, did she," Twilight asked in seeing her love was twitching a bit from memory before snapping back to reality.

"Whah, hugh, come on! I've faced a Hydra that tried to finish us, it's just…" Ben responded in trying to not sound so bothered while looking away to softly speak this out. "Getting cornered by a crazy love-drive person was….a little more out of it." To Ben, he thought he's seen plenty of scary things, but in cases of a weird soul that means no evil show such affection, too much of it, then a sensible male would not, he's not crazy enough to stick around and learn what happens next.

"Oh buck up you." Twilight perked a bit to knock her love's left shoulder to make a playful act.

"Heh, thanks." Ben laughs off slightly while rubbing his shoulder; leave it to Twilight to get him to get out of what troubles him, which is why he loves her.

"I'm hoping we'll be alright, after…" Karma spoke in fearing for thought of the alternative course of this travel.

"Hay don't sweat, we'll make it through this no…" Nyx was about to calmly say they'll get by this without any problems until….

"Hehehehe…." Suddenly, a strange laughter was heard in snickering at the scene of the fillies chat.

"Phobos," Nyx spoke off with an upset tone to her Moon Dragon pal.

"What? What I do?" Phobos asked off in sensing something that was gonna be his fault.

"Stop laughing at Karma!" Nyx scolded Phobos for thinking he was being bad to laugh at the unicorn filly for not having such luck.

"But I didn't even laugh!" Phobos issued off his defense over this matter.

"It's true, I was with him." Spike nods in agreement, he was watching Phobos and he never spoke or laughed.

"Then who else was laughing?" Nyx raised an eyebrow confused in who else was laughing just now.

"Not me!" Tough shook his head from the front about not being the culprit.

"Us neither!" The Enforcers declared together in not being of the guilty party.

"And it wasn't me or Twilight, so then who…" Ben spoke for his and Twilight's defense, but if none of them laugh, then who even did?

"Hehehehehe….." Then that laughter was heard in the very back of the cart that made the others turn to see what it was. It was a gnome-dwarf wearing a cloak with black clothing & red belt sash & brown boots. But the worst of it all was that it held a sack, but not any sack bag, this one contained…their objectives.

"Kobalos," Twilight exclaimed in shock in recognizing the creature, but more so, became wide eye in what it was holding before them. "And he's taking our ingredients!" She cried out that this little thief was stealing their hard work under their noses.

Soon the thief got out and by the time the others reach the back, saw the Kobalos riding away on….a unicycle? How'd a gnome-dwarf get one of those is beyond their understanding.

"Hiyah Justin! After that rascal," Tough issued out an order for the MechBull to pick up the pace here.

"Mwruuuoooowwhh," Justin roared off before picking up speed to chase after the thief on his own mode of transport.

"Twilight, what is that thing?" Spike asked off puzzled in what was it they were chasing and Twilight seems to know it.

"Kobalos are mischievous creatures fond of tricking & frightening mortal beings like humans. They've been depict as 'impudent, thieving, droll, idle, mischievous, gnome-dwarfs' from Greek myths, and as 'funny, little triksy elves' of a phallic nature." Twilight explained what that creature was to the gang, and from the details of it, it was seriously bad news for them.

"Talk about…" Phobos was about to say at the moment, but….

"Don't say it! This was not bad luck, just rotten timing!" Twilight cut off Phobos in bringing up if this was more bad luck, they aren't gonna blame this on Karma; it was just an unexpected surprise.

"Aren't they the same thing?" Bocolix questioned off to his partner in silence about how one addresses the manner of speaking.

"Sssh, don't make her mad." Dumbledore hushed his friend so they don't make Twilight upset or disrespectful towards the chat leading towards Karma, since it wasn't her fault, sorta speak.

Now the group was rushing along the dangerous cliff sides up a spiral mountain cliff on a wagon while their thief was getting away on a unicycle with better balance work. The gang was starting to catch up to the Kobalos, but it turn around to look at the others…..with a sneaky smirk across its face; like it either found the gang funny, or something else was afoot.

"I don't like the way that he's looking at us." Spike spoke in not liking what the thief was doing, almost like he wasn't nervous of being caught by them, why?

"Who cares, get me close and I'll roast his bottom!" Phobos spoke off in just wanting to teach this guy about stealing from this gang.

Suddenly, the cart felt shifty from feeling unbalance, almost unsteady from how the gang is going fast on this rocky road.

"Tough, ease this thing, okay?" Ben requested the stallion driving them; they are in a bad spot pretty close to going over an edge on this spiral mountain path.

"'Dat wasn't me. Something ain't right." Tough spoke off in stating this wasn't his act, something just made things shake up.

"Look! In the Kobalos's hand," Nyx spoke in noticing the gnome-dwarf ahead to see he showed something in his other possession.

"Those look like….the bolts that kept the ropes & cart connected to Justin." Twilight spoke in recognizing that stuff the Kobalos showed and then her expression turn to much worry now.

At that moment during a 'U-turn' when the thief went around, Justin made the turn, however….the others in the cart went over the edge.

"For the record, I blame our sense of not seeing this one coming! Waaaahhh,” Phobos dryly issued this comment to the rest before gravity took over and he was then screaming.

"AaaaaaHhhhhh," The entire gang was screaming as they were falling down, rolling out of control down the mountain until… "Clupsfruvhmmm…." Soon another crash happened then the group's cart bashed against another wreckage sight of wooden carts of the last visitors of this area. "Aaauauuuuuyuuagh…" Everyone was seen crawling to get up from what happened to them this time, most of them were scattered around.

"Is everypony okay?" Twilight groans to stand up on her hooves to see how the others are.

"I'm fine mommy." Nyx spoke from where she and Karma got up near a spot.

"Everypony here accounted for except Phobos." Ben spoke from getting up near Tough & the Enforcers, the only one missing is the Moon Dragon.

"I'm here!" Phobos was seen popping out from near a bush in the area. "Well, lucky thing this bush broke my fall." Phobos sign in relief, he actually landed in something soft for a change.

"Ugh, 'dat's actually poison ivy. Been in one once before an' 'de itching is terrible." Tough spoke off in notifying what that bush 'really' is which the other knew what this could mean.

At that moment, Phobos was suddenly scratching himself all over, unable to stop.

"Um fellas, we're also near an old cart of mirrors here." Tough spoke in noticing the number of carts and one of them has a lot of mirrors placed around.

"Oh no….that ain't good." Dumbldeodre yelped in worry in what this could even mean.

"Right, keep them away!" Bocolix exclaimed in not wanting to break those things or bad luck will be with them.

"Ugh….whoosh," Karma was slowly feeling dizzy from the landing, but she didn't watch where she was going.

"Karma, watch it!" Nyx tried to stop her friend from wobbling too close to the mirrors…

Too late as Karma bumped into a mirror that waddles a bit before she landed on her flank in noticing this and everyone cringed with worry of what else was gonna happen. Soon a worried Karma moves away, but too late, like a domino game, one mirror fell to crack itself, then that mirror behind did the same until ten mirrors broke. Then the top pole broke off that knocked the top cover down, a nearby hung mirror cracked before dropping to break, then another hung mirror by a tree broke suddenly. Twilight grit her teeth during this whole thing before she and Nyx opened their eyes to see the damage as one last mirror came off from a nearby tree and began to roll away free off the roof top that lean. Soon the mirror rolled itself towards Tough, Ben & the Enforcers, as they saw the mirror roll like a coin until it soon toppled onto its backside…unbroken which made some relief. But soon the last mirror completely shattered that caught the gang by surprise and soon behold the damaged to this area of broken mirrors cause by Karma.

"Wooh, thirteen broken mirrors," Tough spoke off amazed in how many mirrors they managed to see break all at once.

"Times seven is….91 years!" Twilight counted to multiple the math in estimating how many years a broken mirror is to give a creature bad luck.

"And if we think about in dog years, its…um…" Spike tried to think of the number in what would happen if they added in a total for dog's years.

"It would be 637 years, for dogs like Koga here!" Twilight answered this off in knowing that answer and it's a big number indeed to have to live that long with bad luck.

"GUAAAAAAAAUUGHH," Phobos screamed out from scratching so much, he was looking red all over from the poison ivy spreading and it's made his eyes go red. "I'VE HAD IT! THIS IS AS FAR AS MY PATIENCE WILL GO!" The Moon Dragon screamed off in finally cracking under pressure here. "This Whole Mess Is The Fault Of YOU Two!" He turns to point the entire blame at Dumbledore & Bocolix.

"Us," The Enforcers yelped in seeing they are now being given blame for something.

"Yeah, cause you freed a pony that was 'supposed' to await for heroes that could break her bad luck and instead 'we' got her! And look where it's gotten us!" Phobos issued off in seeing that Karma should have gotten those she was told to wait for, and instead got them and now their luck has gone down the drain. "We've had too many misfortunates in the last couple of hours; lost our ingredients to save the Apples' Farm after surviving every horror imaginable, only to lose in the end….FROM BAD LUCK THAT YOU TWO DOLTS BROUGHT!" The Moon Dragon was clearly in a loss of rage from the poison ivy infection, and thanks to the Enforcers in bringing a filly that was cursed, they lost their only way to save Applejack's farm.

"But we….we were….it ain't our fault that this happened." Dumbledore responded in trying to say that this was not seriously their fault.

"Right, we were just being nice & wanted to help out." Bocolix responded in trying to say that the two aren't at fault and only wanted to help.

"Well thanks to you fools, our luck…HAS RUN OUT!" Phobos dryly remote off to say, and then unleashed a loud fury that was heard echoing all over the area.

Karma was feeling a little sad to almost begin to have her face about ready to pout in tears in witnessing what this could mean. The filly saw it and knew what it means; her bad luck was true and now from the mirrors she broke, she'll remain unlucky for her life until it ends. Sniffing her nose while breaking a few slight tears of sadness, Karma soon immediately broke off to run away from this group. By the time anypony recognized this action, Karma was very much putting much distance between herself and those she has caused harm with her misfortunate.

"Wait Karma," Nyx called out to her friend that was soon long gone, and she was clearly heart broken.

"Boy, you've really done it now Phobos." Spike rolled his eyes to cross his arms, why Phobos had to go and now make everything more difficult.

"Yeah, ye gone an' made 'de little filly cry! Ye outta know she apologized & thought o' not being around, but she been alone then!" Tough responded in agreement, the poor filly was sent here, been alone without a brother, and she believes her bad karma ruins everything for every creature, good or bad.

"Ohhhh, sorry, with all these things, and this unbearable itching, urrrrgh, I couldn't control myself." Phobos spoke off from being unable to stop scratching, he now realizes too late the damage that he's done; he feels just terrible now.

"Hugh, but maybe he's right. We might just have been nothing but fools to think we help." Dumbledore spoke in letting the others know not to blame Phobos cause the two Alicorn males are as much to blame as anypony here while thinking about what they clearly are.

"Yeah, besides that one time at the castle, we've only been the goofs that haven't been much." Bocolix spoke off in thinking that the Enforcers haven't been much help, they may have saved Twilight from Somnambula, but after that, nothing good else came then.

"Listen you two! I don't care if you both are seen as jokers or as fools! What you did was not wrong!" Twilight came up to sternly give the Enforcers a stern talking to that they truly did nothing wrong…at least this time. "You saw a pony in trouble and wanted to help, any pony would help a friend in need! And right now, that same pony needs our help!" Dumbledore & Bocolix felt some relief from Twilight's kind words that they helped a filly that was in need, and there is no shame in doing it, any good pony with the right sense would never just avoid it unless they had no heart.

"But where do we start? 'Dat Kobalos took off somewhere wit' them ingredients & Karma might be anywhere!" Tough made a good point in stating out the clear facts, that gnome-dwarf had a big lead start with their ingredients & they gotta get them bad, not to mention that Karma could be anywhere in the End of Equestria.

"We'll have to split into teams," Ben issued this off with a stern face in seeing they need to get ready for action. "Tough, you'll stay here with the pets to get Justin & fix the cart. Me, Phobos, Dumbledore & Bocolix will find that Kobalos with the ingredients." Ben was giving assignments to everyone here from fixing their transportation to finding the thief that stole their hard obtained ingredients, "Twilight, you, Spike & Nyx try to find Karma. With any luck, and that's a long shot, she isn't far." Ben turn to his love in wanting her to find the missing unicorn filly, hopefully the princess of magic can perform a magical miracle to help Karma with her troubles.

"Understood," Twilight nods with a determine face, she will not lose this, if the princess can't even help a child, she may as well call it quits now and go home a failure: NOT ON HER WATCH!

"But what about your magic, what if we still hasn't cleared away from the Negamite and it disturbs you guys?" Spike asked in worrying that if the group are still around the region and haven't escape from what is causing the gang to not have their magical abilities, they are just at half-strength and in a handicap predicament.

"That's a chance we'll have to take." Ben stated with a stern face that whatever the odds, they'll face them.

"Alright everypony, let’s go get our ingredients and friend back!" Twilight issued off to the rest that they have a job to do, and they will either come back with one or the other, but hopefully…with both.

Now things are really gonna be heating up here, with Tough working on getting the cart up and the pets assisting while Justin comes over…the rest heads off to find their valuables: the ingredients & Karma. The Race…Is ON!

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

In a cave far away from the group, the three Kobalos contacted the Demon Lords about their mission success, and demanding something important to them.

"You dare request me to give your freedom?!" Po Kong demands to the Kobalos in disbelief.

The first Kobalos snaps, "Yeah! We work for who knows how long! But no more! For me and brothers are solo!"

The second Kobalos adds, "Besides, you trapped inside the Realm of Demons for good."

"I'm not enjoying your stupid humor." Xiao Fung said, a bit irritated by the Kobalos's bad sense of humor.

"Dai Gui shall not forgive you!" Dai Gui roars at the Kobalos for what these thieves are trying to pull here.

"You will pay for your treachery!" Tchang Zu exclaims in agreement, planning on getting back at these guys.

The third Kobalos couldn't help but taunt his Demon overlords, "Whatcha you gonna do? You're stuck inside, while we're outside."

Hsi Wu and Bai Tza smirk as the former ask slyly, "Are you certain?"

Before the Kobalos could speak, they heard a roaring sound. The first Kobalos who held all of ingredients that Twilight and her friends retrieved look up and scream in worry as he saw something. He then turned into stone. The other two Kobalos panicked.

"Tell me: is this a wise decision to defect from us?" Bai Tza challenge the thieves to continue their idea of defecting. The Kobalos shook their heads. "Then, listen carefully, I want you deal with Ben and his companions at once. I have a feeling that they might tried to find their ingredients while Hsi Wu's pet will take care of Twilight, Spike and the Unicorn as well as retrieving Nightmare Moon."

"Does she make herself clear?" Po Kong demands. The Kobalos nod their heads. "Get back to your work!"

The Kobalos rush off in a panic, fearing what would happen if they mess up or try to defect...again!

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

The war between the remaining two Kobalos and Ben's group has begun as the thieves set off traps to slow them down. There are some like holes in the ground, electric nets, bee bombs and such to some that's lame like stolen rainclouds, apple cores and whatever not so creative. Ben's group even fell into thorn bushes, coming across a warthog the hard way or dealing with Moblins.

Now we see Ben's group reached a part of the cave they've entered, only to find that they've come to a closure. It was a dead end; there was no other way out.

"Great, now what," Phobos asked off dryly in what do they do now, they have nowhere else to go after losing their pursuers.

"Give me a second, I'll figure something out." Ben spoke in needing time to figure this whole thing out now.

"What about that there," The Enforcers pointed out in noticing something to their attention.

Soon they find two Kobalos that appear out of the shadows as if they were cleverly hiding to surprise the gang, but not in the good Pinkie Pie style were everyone laughs together; this was sneaky mean.

"Alright you two, answer us this! Where is our bag of ingredients?" Ben sternly demanded the two gnome-dwarfs answers his question or else they'll cause trouble.

"You want bag, you gotta know where to go." The first Kobalos responded off with a sneaky expression.

"Yes, and for you to get pass, you must pay a fee." The second Kobalos issued off with a twitching of his fingers to be seen.

"You're blackmailing us for cash?" Phobos asked off in disbelief in what these guys were asking of them.

"No, we shall be honest. To help you on your way," The first Kobalos responded in stating what they are wanting here.

"You must play us a song and a path will open." The second Kobalos requested this off right out of the blue.

Soon the Kobalos showed a piano after pulling a clever sheet down from the wall to show the instrument to the ponies and Moon Dragon.

"So let me get this straight, we can get out of here & find what one of you took from us by playing a song from a piano?" Ben asked off in trying to understand this clear point in what they gotta do and that's all there is to it.

"Yep," Both Kobalos responded in answering that question like it was the easiest thing in the world. "Let us help straighten it up for you." Both gnome-dwarfs responded together in wanting to prepare the piano for the pony group to play it.

Now the Kobalos went to make sure the front & back of the piano was working. But behind the piano was a large stack amount of TNT & bombs placed there with tricker wiring for a 'certain' action to trigger an explosion. As the gnome-dwarfs secretly chuckled under their breath, they moved the piano to a wall for this group searchers to see.

"There's your piano, ponies!" First Kobalos pointed the piano was all set and ready to be used.

"Now let’s see you play it!" Second Kobalos instructed that now the ponies here have to play the piano.

"Ugh, sure, what song request do you have in mind?" Ben responded with a raised eyebrow, but wanted to know one thing; any request.

"Why not….'Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms' song," First Kobalos issued off in thinking what song he wanted Ben's group to play for them.

"Yes, now play it and if you do right, an answer you will get!" Second Kobalos demanded off in how the ponies will get answers after they play that song by instrument.

Soon the gnome-dwarfs turn to rush out of the way of the ponies and the piano to strangely take cover behind a boulder corner. Ben had a strange suspicious about trusting Kobalos, like Twilight said, they can be mischievous & tricky; something about this didn't sit right.

"Well Ben, you gonna do it?" Phobos asked off if Ben was gonna play that requested number on the piano or not.

"I think something stinks about this. It either could be what can help us or a trap. We just can't tell." Ben spoke in having a suspicious suspicion about what those Kobalos are up to.

"Maybe we should play the piano instead." Dumbledore spoke in offering to provide some aid for Ben instead.

"Yah, we'll be the ones to play it & find out!" Bocolix responded in agreement that maybe the two can do something.

Soon the Enforcers came up to the piano in hopes to help 'make-up' for past failure moments and for the trouble they believe to be blamed for.

"Are you sure we should let those bozos to this task, what if they mess up?" Phobos silently whispered this to Ben in having doubts those two new Alicorns can even be helpful now of all times.

"Maybe…or MAYBE…this is just what we need." Ben responded with a strange hidden smile in seeing something come together; maybe to beat a Kobalos, they may need…some 'dumb' luck on their side for a change.

Soon Dumbledore & Bocolix were by the piano and the former took the first shot. He was playing the right key notes that were in the request of 'Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms'. Course hidden from view was a strange looking wire to one key with a box underneath, it might be the trigger mechanism the Kobalos want any pony to press for that 'right' rhythm. Course, Dumbledore ended up missing that key from the right and left, leaving the middle trigger key untouched.

The Kobalos heard this and knew that something wasn't right, that was NOT how to play that song and trigger the explosives.

"Nooooooooo; that's Not It," The Kobalos came out with the first one snapping off in anger that the Enforcers didn't play that song part right at all.

"Wrong Keynote; Try AGAIN!" Second Kobalo snapped off in demanding the two dolts make certain to play the 'right' keynote for the song.

Then both the Kobalos quickly went back into their hiding spot while peeking to see when their trap will be sprung.

"Hugh, I thought that 'was' the right song notes." Dumbledore spoke puzzled in what the Enforcer may have done wrong here.

"Let me have a shot, maybe I can get it instead." Bocolix insisted that he might do better at this than his pal did.

As Dumbledore watched, Bocolix was soon playing the first beginning key notes correctly for the song. But once again, he even managed to miss the trigger key with the wire around the spot by tapping the right and left sides.

Finally, both Kobalos came out of hiding, looking like they lost patience. The gnome-dwarfs came up to the Enforcers in looking ticked off by how dumb these two ponies are in messing up.

"Ohhhh…you Stupid Ponies," The first Kobalo snapped off against the Enforcers in how they couldn't play a tune right.

"Outta the Way; LIKE THIS!" The second Kobalo yelled out annoyed to push the Enforcers away so the two gnome-dwarfs would show how's supposed to be done.

Now the Kobalos were the ones working together to play the piano keys. The two were giving a quick demonstration in playing the keynotes in how to correctly play 'Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms' is done. But they also tapped the center keynote with the trigger wire twice in forgetting their setup, "KAPOWWFRUVHMMM!" And soon a large explosion covered everyone's sight, and from the smoking clearing out and loud piano bust noise, we end up seeing two toasted Kobalas a little messed up before gravity knocks them to the ground, with a stump stuck face. And then if that wasn't enough, a new opening was made from that blast to lead this group out.

"Great job you two." Ben smiled at Dumbledore and Bocolix for that job well done here.

"It was?" The Enforcers responded off puzzled, they actually did something right instead of wrong by not playing the piano right?

"Yeah, I figured that those Kobalos planted a trap and so the only way to beat a trickster at their own game is with annoying them to see their trick isn't done right by blockheads." Ben smiled in stating how the gnome-dwarfs were said to be mischievous, but they hate seeing their trickery not pulled off to end up getting involved. "And with that lucky break, you two pulled it off and made sure we didn't get hurt." The stallion thanked the Enforcers for that helpful moment that saved them from getting an explosive surprise in the end.

"Hugh, I guess we did an okay job after all." Dumbledore spoke in starting to feel pretty good about himself now.

"Yeah, it actually paid to annoy others for once." Bocolix responded in feeling good in what they've done here.

"I don't believe what I'm seeing and hearing. These two ACTUALLY did something right with 'Dumb' Luck!" Phobos slapped his forehead in finding this sorta action to be the dumbest thing ever expected to happen.

"Now come on! Twilight and the others must have found Karma by now, and we gotta find where they stash away our ingredients." Ben instructed the group here that they need to get going and find what they came to find here.

With that in mind, this little group went through the open hole to hopefully find their stolen bag of ingredients and reclaim them. And of course, hope the other party of Twilight's group is fairing just as much luck in finding Karma and that's a pretty tall order of luck they'll need.

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

Soon we find Twilight, Spike & Nyx entering a cavern area of much develop structure from the walls. They could tell that some water was hidden around here, just not sure where.

"Boy, where do you think Karma is?" Spike asked from not seeing the missing filly anywhere.

"She has to be somewhere." Nyx stated that they have to find her, Karma should be somewhere around here.

"I think I just found her, look!" Twilight spoke in suddenly spotting what they are looking for ahead of them.

Ahead near a cavern cliff's edge was Karma that sat, alone, looking sad and in sorrow. She apparently was having many things on her mind, sniffing from signs of crying, but not as much as when she soon heard…the voices of company.

"Karma…" Twilight spoke from afar in trying to speak to the unicorn filly feeling down. "It's okay, what happened wasn't you. It was just…" She was going to say that what happened wasn't Karma's doing, however...

"Stop, just stop alright. Just don't, okay." Karma sternly turns to the others to have them stop with an upset face. "I know you're trying to do a nice thing, Miss. Sparkle. But you don't understand." She sadly expression'd while showing she's not happy by what Twilight is trying to do or to prove here. "I'm not just bad luck. I'm a Loser!" Karma issued in acknowledging that she herself is not just a pony with bad luck, but is also a loser at being what she is, "A Reject! I'm the girl that everypony wants to stay away from!" She stood up to snap this off to the surprise Twilight, Nyx and Spike about what she is and what she is meant to be. "So just do the same, okay? I have no one else, my parents, my brother. Just let me be the Loser I know I am!" Karma signed to look away in depression in saying it's 'okay' for this group to see that they can't help her, so they can just go in seeing….this pony is a lost cause.

Now Twilight's group showed sad signs on their faces, Nyx almost felt a few tears down her eyes in seeing what suffering Karma has gone through. Spike even felt bad for the unicorn filly more that Karma felt like an outcast, the baby Dragon knows it but this is a new level that he can't compare to. Twilight was the most lost in seeing Karma like this, seeing that sad face and lost hope, she felt so….so….so upset in seeing it.

"No…" Twilight made a stern face to shake her head in rejecting that idea of Karma's request.

"Whah," Karma raised an eyebrow in confusion, did Twilight say…she wasn't gonna let her be who she is?

"You heard me right. I'm not gonna let you be who you think you are!" Twilight sternly issued that she will not let this filly believe her life is over and will just have to live with it, not on her case.

"Yeah, no pony is perfect, I should know. I was once the reincarnation of the evil Nightmare Moon but mommy here helped me on the right path." Nyx explained to approach Karma to let her know that even this black alicorn filly went through troubles, but if not for her mother, Twilight, she would never be on the good path she is on now.

"And if not for Twilight, I wouldn't be friends with ponies." Spike spoke with a smile in telling this filly about himself and what he went through. "Why, even Ben was once a Demon Pony, but Twilight never gave up on him." He happily issued how thanks to Twilight, she saved her long-lost love from staying a Demon.

"Even someone like Tough always was seen as a tough rogue that his anger got the best of him, we helped change him, even his Cutie Mark fit with his 'real' self." Twilight smiled to tell about how they have helped many ponies and others with such problems that seem hopeless, but they did the impossible.

"You…you are all serious?" Karma asked off in almost feeling like she's forgetting her sadness. "Does that mean, my bad karma…can be changed too?" She asked in wanting to be told the truth, can even she be changed from being bad luck?

"Heck, it can be good karma if you wanted to." Nyx smiled to happily say that Karma could have good luck when she thinks about it.

"Right, you said so yourself, your luck helped you survive this harsh place and against hostile beasts, that's majority good luck." Spike smiled to pat Karma on the back to think about the crazy stuff this filly overcame and that was lucky there.

"The point is you been thinking too much that what you do is all bad, but never knew if you can show good luck wherever you are." Twilight smiled to approach Karma to issue that if the filly wants, she can make even her own luck be what it is. "Maybe your brother helped you feel at ease and that's what helped you feel happy to not be unlucky." Being a young sister to a big brother, Twilight knows how Karma's big brother must have been looking out for his little sister.

"Sniff….so then…there's still hope?" Karma rubbed her runny nose to smile more brightly than ever before in liking what she's heard.

"Yes, there is." Twilight nods in assurance, where there is a will, there will be a way.

"Hey everypony; look over by that cliff," Nyx pointed in spotting something near the other cliff spot.

"The missing ingredients, we found them!" Twilight spoke off surprised when this group has found what was stolen, and the sack was hanging over the edge of that cliff's tip.

"Um Twilight…I hate to ruin the moment, but I think we got company." Spike spoke from looking behind the group that was staring elsewhere to notice they have more company coming up. "Gulp…the bad kind!" He swallowed much of this nervous tone done his throat after saying what was coming was not their friends but…something else.

Soon what got the others attention was noticing that there was the slithering sound…of a snake. Twilight almost yelped in hearing a serpent sound, but what she and the rest saw coming into the little light from the caverns was…something else. It was a half woman, half snake, simile to that of the mythological Naga. With dark emerald snake scales and tan-turquoise belly scales, to light tan turquoise human skin with tan blue long hair down her back and across her front. Her similarities to a siren or mermaid, especially with a gold harp in hand while looking like she has pointy elf ears. But what came around its wrapped tail was…..a gnome-dwarf, now…a Kobalos statue. This creature was none other than the Guardian Gorgan Snake: Lamia and what she will do to any she meets.

"What is that thing?" Nyx shouted out surprise to seeing some creature the gang hasn't encountered…until now.

Soon the Naga guardian came full forth into the light, and then…opened her eyes!

"EVERYPONY; DON'T LOOK IN ITS EYES!" Twilight shouted to shut her eyes to look away before it was too late, but….

"Waaaaugh," Too late, from the screams heard, Twilight turn to look behind her in seeing…Spike, Nyx, and even Karma slowly begin to turn to stone starting at their bottom legs.

"Wha-what's happening? Why are we turning to stone Twilight?" Spike yelped in trying to move his feet, but he felt he couldn't even move a pinky toe, why?

"Be wary friends. For you face the Evil Guardian; Lamia, the Gorgon Snake." Undine's voice is heard inside Twilight, Spike & Nyx's minds in what new enemy they face, an Evil Guardian. "If you do not magically shield your eyes from its own, you'll slowly turn to stone and the only way to stop the process is to finish her before the effects can compete over the victim." The Water Guardian instructed the cautions in dealing with such a foe and how long those affected by the gorgon power have.

"Any suggestions," Twilight asked the Water Guardian from her collection of rings around her neck.

"Sadly, none, unless it was with an owner, but it is serving the Demon Lords, so you'll need to find another way." Undine's voice sadly stated that Twilight will need to find another way to defeat such a dangerous opponent.

"Well for now, this spell should shield me eyes." Twilight soon used a little magic glow around her eyes to help protect them for a while against any gorgon magic, course the effects of this spell might not be perfect from any nearby Negamite in the area. "You guys stay put while I handle this!" Twilight turns to those having a slow transformation into stones.

"Like we have a choice?" Spike cried out with worry that if Twilight doesn't do something, they'll be garden ornaments.

"Don't worry Karma, it'll be okay." Nyx looked to her friend to help make the unicorn filly not feel bad about the situation.

"I…I hope so." Karma responded in trying to not lose her hope now, not after being cheered up & with friends wanting to be with her.

Soon Twilight flew in the air to get some distance from the creature, but this Naga opponent was shown to be much quicker than expected. What was more of a problem was that Lamia was firing energy blast at Twilight by playing her harp that released an electric surge to cause a shocking harm. The attacks went flying around wherever Twilight flew, but some missed, some almost got where the others were stuck on the cliff and one even cracked the edge where the sack of ingredients where.

"Careful! We're right here!" Spike yelped from how Twilight was not watching where she was going and nearly had the Naga lady almost hit them. "Oh man, I feel like my life as a Dragon will end and I'll be nothing more than a Garden Statue!" Spike moans in seeing he's only got about half of his flesh body left since the stone transformation is up to his waist.

"Have fate Spike, mommy will free us!" Nyx spoke in wanting the baby Dragon to not lose hope here.

Soon Lamia tried a different approach, in tossing one of the stone Kobalos at the mare from its mighty tail. Twilight managed to dodge that, but heard a smash cracked sound, and soon saw that the gnome-dwarf that she recognized as the thief was smashed to pieces; he too was a victim of Lamia's Gorgon Eye curse.

"Wait, did she….she turn that Kobalos into a stone statue, and it broke. Which means…hugh," Twilight was so busy in realizing what happen if she never beat this foe in what happen to the others, only to be distracted and snatched by the Naga lady's tail.

"Oh no, she's in the gorgon's lock!" Karma yelped in seeing that Twilight has been caught.

Twilight could almost feel the squeeze she's feeling from Lamia and the lower snake body was clearly stronger in capturing and crushing foes inside. During the moment, Twilight's magic around her eyes were fading a bit, Lamia noticed this that without that, the mare will be helpless to being turn to stone.

"Uuuuugh….my magic around my eyes is…wearing off. If I…ugh….don't figure out how to beat this thing, we'll all become stone from the look in her…eyes?" Twilight struggled from being constrict by her enemy and knows that if her magic around her eyes vanishes, she'll be vulnerable to the curse of staring at the eyes to be turn stone…or was it bad. "Wait, that's it! Gorgon Eyes! That's its own weakness!" Twilight suddenly realized that maybe her situation can be turn into an advantage to stop this creature.

Twilight was now in the middle of her struggling while the others on the cliff watched while having up to their chest potions now covered in being stone. But then the gang saw the Gorgon creature slowly plans to open its eyes.

"Oh no, it's opening those eyes again!" Nyx yelped in seeing that her mother was about to be exposed to those gorgon eyes.

"We got bigger problems! The floor beneath us is giving away from our heavy stone weight!" Spike spoke with worry in seeing the heavier they become stones, the ground beneath them will break from that last attack that damaged the flooring.

"Nyx; Karma; Listen to me!" Twilight shouted from her spot to get those she called to hear her. "On my word, you both need to use any magic you may still have to make a mirror." The mare went off to ask a very weird random request at this troubling state she's in.

"But why do you need that?" Karma asked puzzled in what Twilight was planning to do with a mirror.

"Trust me and don't do it until I spy the glimmer of Lamia's Gorgon Eyes!" Twilight instructed in wanting those that have some magic to combine it to provide her aid, even with the Negamite, two fillies magic should forge a simple mirror creating spell.

"Mommy must have a plan, so let’s do it!" Nyx responded in having fate in her mother that wouldn't steer them wrong.

"And hurry too!" Spike requested that the group speed the request up, the stone transformation was now up to their neck point.

"Okay, I'll try to make amends." Karma nods with a determine face in preparing herself to make things right now.

Soon Twilight's tight squeeze state was making her struggle hard and her magic around her eyes faded. Soon Lamia came close to prepare her eyes to stare directly at the mare with no way to look away now.

"NOW," Twilight shouted out loud in signaling the moment to begin things here.

Soon from Nyx & Karma's combined efforts, they used their horns to send a magical aura to appear near Twilight's fact between the gorgon lady; Then for a brief moment, floating in midair was an average mirror, but soon Lamia stared her glowing eyes directly into her prey, except the target was…herself.

"Ruarrrughhh," Lamia was sound heard yelling, as its grip on Twilight slowly was released to let the mare fly away. "Arrruuarrrrughhhhuuuuuhh…." Lamia was wailing out a long screechy sound while its body was slowly being turn to stone until finally….it was covered all over. "Crack-Crack…./THRUWBOOOMFRUVHMMM!" In a sudden flash instant, the Snake Gorgon Guardian erupted in an explosive light before exploding into pieces; Twilight Sparkle has defeated the Evil Guardian Lamia.

And in that record breaking moment when Spike, Nyx & Karma were up to only a half of their faces left as flesh, their stone skin shattered off them like a second skin. With the defeat of the gorgon, the spell curse of being turn to stone was broken.

"She did it!" Karma responded in surprise with a smile, Twilight had some amazing luck there.

"Mommy won!" Nyx cheered in seeing her mother had won that fight hands down.

"Um, girls…." Spike suddenly became fearful in noticing, they were not out of the woods yet.

Suddenly, the ground beneath Spike broke off and he dropped after yelping. Nyx and Karma saw this to quickly grab their friend, but he was heavier than expected. And with Nyx's small wings and both hers' and Karma's magic on the 'Frits', keeping a baby Dragon dangling off an edge was tricky stuff.

"Hugh!" Twilight turns to see the others in trouble, but also saw the ingredients that were slipping. "My magic is still a little unstable with any Negamite; I can't do two things at once, so…I have to choose!" Twilight feared that she could only choose one of the others to be saved; question was…which would it be?

Then in an instant, both fillies dropped below the cliff and they and Spike screamed in falling until….they got swept upwards by their savior; Twilight. Twilight zip upwards with her catch, but at the same time, the ingredients' sack broke off from the cliff's edge to drop below to diaper into a darken hole. Soon Twilight landed on the ground from flapping her wings before setting herself to allow Spike, Nyx & Karma to get off and to see if they were safe.

"Everypony alright," Twilight asked after saving this group from falling into a bottomless cavern.

"We are, thanks mommy." Nyx nods with a smile to thank her mother for the save there.

"Yeah, thanks for the quick save." Spike nods in feeling glad that they were saved.

"But…you lost your ingredients. All that hard work…" Karma looked over the edge with a sorrow face, she felt sad that this group lost what they work so hard to obtain, only to see it slip their grasp.

"Hey, we've collected them before, we can do it again." Twilight approached Karma to pat her back with an assured smile to not worry about this; they'll just search again to re-obtain what they had. "Between saving thousands while not saving one small life is the same thing as not saving any. I'll still save my friend's home while helping anypony in need." Twilight spoke like a truly respectful and promising princess in wanting to help even if it's one life at a time.

"Well spoken honey!" Ben's voice spoke before look and behold, the stallion was seen on top of Bocolix & Dumbledore with Phobos in their hooves and holding…the ingredients.

"Ben? Where'd you…?" Twilight responded surprise like the others were doing, how did these guys suddenly appear out of nowhere?

"We popped from below where there was a secret tunnel!" Phobos issued off in what happened to them that they ended up in this state.

"And we saw the ingredients and quickly caught them from going down a vortex thing." Bocolix explained the other part in what they did to show they saved what they almost lost.

"At least our luck seems to have improved, we managed to be helpful now." Dumbledore smiled in seeing they've managed to make some amends in fixing this problem at the very least.

"Yes, now come on, let’s get out of here and meet up with Tough." Twilight smiled to nod to that claim and now that they have their ingredients and Karma back, they can now leave this place behind them.

Everyone was in an agreement here and quickly took the quickest way to lead them out of here and get back outside to join with their other friend waiting for them…with some lucky news to tell.

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

After leaving that caverns, did the group managed to find Tough with Justin pulling the cart and with their animal pets with the tough stallion.

"Hoo boy, ye fellas sure look like ye been busy! Ye got back everything, fro' de filly 'ta de ingredients." Tough spoke off in being glad to see his pals have returned, and with everything in check to.

"Twilight, I wanna again say…thanks." Karma slowly spoke in wanting to give her thanks to this princess. "I guess I've always thought my luck was bad, but in truth, it can be whatever I want it to be." The little unicorn filly spoke in never believing she was special with her luck, and now, she has learn it.

"That's good to hear Karma." Twilight responded to praise this filly with an encouraging smile.

"Hey guys! I think we're out of any Negamite zones now." Ben spoke from beginning to have his TriForce mark glow as he floated off the ground. "I can feel my Triforce power feeling much better with some control then before with that stuff interfering." As he set down, it was proof the gang are finally out of being in the zone of a large region of Negamite, now they can use their magic without a problem.

"That means, all our magic is fully used again!" Nyx spoke with a big smile for joy in learning this news.

"Alright," The Enforcers cheered from using their horns to make a few flashy sparks appear.

"That means we can help send Karma back home to Ponyville." Spike responded with a smile in knowing they can help sent Karma home and away from dangers here.

"Finally, our luck has changed for the better." Phobos smiled from feeling glad, that and Nyx was using her magic to help cast a magical poison ivy removal spell.

While the others were cheering, Karma was seen quiet from the celebration here. It wasn't long before a few of the others noticed this quiet act of the freed filly that they found.

"Hey Karma, don't worry, here or back home, you make your own luck, kay?" Ben kneel down to encourage Karma about her situation with luck.

"Yah, thanks…I will." Karma wiped off some sorrow on her face to smile happily in knowing that was true, she'll be much better off than she was in the past.

"Karma, look…on your flank," Nyx yelped in pointing at something that surprised Nyx quite a bit.

At the moment, everyone soon saw what was on Karma's flank side and was all surprised. It was a golden balance scale, and from the scale plates were two objects would sit; one representing luck & the other being jinx. The mark was indeed something that shows a blanche between fortune and misfortune for one that has good or bad karma.

"It's….my Cutie Mark! I…I finally got my Cutie Mark!" Karma responded in shock surprise, and was smiling bigly at this news.

"Wow, earning a Cutie Mark in 'de End of Equestria, wha are 'de lucky chances?" Tough rubbed his noggin in seeing this as something no pony ever would imagine could happen.

"About as long as the world's longest sub sandwich." Phobos spoke off of the chances to earn a Cutie Mark in this terrible place was like making a really long sub.

"What do you think it stands for?" Spike asked off puzzled in what Karma's Cutie Mark even represents the unicorn filly.

"Probably in balancing both luck & jinx, controlling good and bad, like a balance board," Twilight said thoughtfully. "Now you know you’re not bad luck Karma, your name could be bad for your foes, but good for your friends."

"Hehe, I'll be sure to remember that." Karma giggled in feeling so happy to have earned her Cutie Mark, after overcoming her troubles with thinking she was bad luck. "I just wish my brother could see this with me." She was a little sad in not being able to have her missing older brother be here to witness this.

"Don't threat, we'll find your brother and send him to you." Twilight patted Karma on her head in assuring the girl, they'll send her brother to meet with her after they send her back to Ponyville.

"Or maybe her 'brother' will show up instead!" A sudden young voice that sounded enthusiastic and sounding like a guy that would fight to help people one loves with a Brooklyn accent.

Now at this moment, up on a hill was a strange pony in a red raggedy cloth cloak that concealed his identity while teleporting from his spot to join the gang belong. And then when he removed the cloak, it was revealed to be of a young stallion unicorn with a light-green coat, a dirty blond mane in the sporadic hairstyle and the tail was long in a similar style, but different, and he has brown eyes. He appeared well psychically fit & in shape with his body, and on his flank was a Cutie Mark in the form of two pairs of dice together showing off their six number patterns.

"It's My Brother! Joey Dice! You're okay!" Karma responded to rush over to hug her missing brother, she was so happy to see him back.

"Course I'm okay, you think spending so long around this place could knock me for a loop, not a chance!" Joey Dice responded in stating that he's fine and dandy as nothing would keep this stallion down.

"Where were you, were you sealed like Karma was?" Bocolix asked in wondering where this pony was during the entire event they had Karma with them.

"Nah, I was traveling around in surviving this place, with some explosive dice help." Joey Dice respond off to magically use his horn to make dice appear and thrown them off to see them explode off sight. "They don't call me 'Mr. Dicer Dealer' for nothing with my magic I'm packing." He issued off with pride in having the luck and magic to survive his areas, be it in casinos or in the wild life against dangerous obstacles.

"But you've been here for two years, right?" Dumbledore pointed off in how long this pony has been here from what Karma once told them.

"What! It's been that long? I was so focus on finding Karma that I didn't count the days of being stuck here!" Joey Dice yelped in realizing something that completely slipped his mind at the time. "When I get my hands on those Griffins from Las Pegasus, I'll teach them not to drag my sister when it was supposed to be a gamble with me involved!" The stallion shook his right hoof in threatening the guys that ain't here in what this pony will do when he gets to the griffins that done all this to him.

"Boy, you must have been pretty thickheaded not to have noticed your gambling would attract the bad crowd." Phobos dryly issued while rolling his eyes in seeing what kinda brother Karma has to deal with.

"HAAAAAY; How's about a little respect here," Joey Dice responded off in feeling a little annoyed off in being insulted just now about his standings.

"Don't mind him; he gets under lots of ponies' skins." Spike spoke off to have Karma's brother forget about what Phobos said, he does this a lot to annoy and get attention.

"Still, I wanna thank you for watching out for my sister." Joey Dice responded in feeling thankful to this group for all they done for Karma. "And boy, my kid sister got her Cutie Mark the moment I found her! What luck and I missed out!" He responded in seeing this was a big moment for his sister, only to miss out on it.

"Hehe, don't worry brother, you'll see plenty of it, now that I realize who I am in not being all bad luck." Karma laughed a bit happily to let her brother know that he'll see much more of her new Cutie Mark a lot when they get home.

"Well, if you’re both ready, I'll teleport you both to Ponyville and you can get a ticket to get straight to Las Pegasus." Twilight stated that with everything all ready, she'll send the siblings back and out of the End of Equestria.

"Wait, before we depart, I know we just met, but here…look through this sack of mine of anything you want. It's yours." Joey Dice stops the others to drop a sack he carried to let Twilight's group take whatever they like he has on him.

"Really," The Enforcers asked off in finding this offer too good to be true.

"Yah, I've been looking and you find her and then soon enough, I finally catch up. It's the least I can do." Joey Dice issued this off with a smile that he wants to show an appreciation to those that helped his sister, so a reward is his way of giving thanks.

"I can tell she means a lot to you. You must be good to your family and to your little sister." Ben responded with a smile in seeing this pony was someone that wanted to help his family out no matter what troubles lie ahead.

"Believe me, when you care about somepony, it helps make you stronger, and that's the kinda motive to help us get through." Joey Dice issued this part to Ben in knowing that when it comes to family, it'll make anypony get a motive to go the distance to help save someone they love.

"Wait, what's this thing?" Bocolix asked off in finding something very weird from the sack bag.

"I don't know, it's weird," Dumbldedore pondered off puzzled in what the Enforcers even found.

The gang noticed what the Enforcers showed from the little sack bag Joey Dice had his other stuff. One item caught one pony's interest which was Twilight, the object was the Giant Rabbit's Foot and the princess mare could only gasp in recognizing it.

"Hugh! That's the Giant Rabbit's Foot, another ingredient off our list!" Twilight gasped in surprise in recognizing that object as an ingredient they need to find.

"What, that thing? I stumble across it while looking for Karma. Tell you what, as a special offer, it's your pay fee for helping watch, take care, and reunite my sister with me." Joey Dice recalled off in explaining how he came across that ingredient when he was searching for Karma, so the pony just picked it up along the way.

"Yew serious," Tough responded off in disbelief, finding this a very surprising feat.

"That means we'll have obtained another ingredient today!" Spike issued off in knowing that they got another ingredient from the list of what they are seeking.

"Boy, all our time with luck started off bad, but now it's skyrocketed to pure gold!" Phobos responded off in looking back in how things started out bad, to now being good at this moment.

"Hehe and you have these two to thank for helping me meet all of you." Karma giggled off in knowing that she has the Enforcers to thank for helping to free her to meet with the ones that help give her freedom with a cure to her troubles.

"Aw shucks there." Bocolix responded in feeling bashful in being given praise from a filly of such a young age in what they did.

"It was nothing." Dumbledore spoke of in feeling that the Enforcers didn't do much, sure they found the filly, but that was…well, luck in their minds.

"Yo sis, time we get ready to head home or close to being in Equestria!" Joey Dice called to Karma in issuing their time to head back to where they belong now.

"Okay!" Karma responded to her brother calling her over. "Thanks everypony, I hope we'll see each other again?" Karma responded in wanting to see everyone here again someday in the future for helping her.

"We all do, take care." Twilight responded with a smile in wishing the best luck for Karma and her brother.

Then with Twilight's magic from her horn, it flew off like a magical light that became a sphere around Joey Dice & Karma. Soon that sphere of light floated upwards before shooting off like a shooting star's speed, projecting itself straight towards Ponyville and letting two more pony souls escape the End of Equestria.

"Well, there they go…brother and sister, united again." As Ben spoke this, he soon saw Twilight looking a little sad. "Hey Twilight, you okay?" Ben didn't know if something was wrong for Twilight to seem a little sadden after just helping some ponies be together and sent out of this dangerous place.

"Yeah, just, really happy for them is all." Twilight smiled to shake off her earlier sad expression to tell her love this. But in truth, seeing those siblings again, it kinda remind’d Twilight about her and her big brother Shining Armor and also…her younger brother Starlight…but she shook that memory out to not let it distract her focus here.

"Come on gang, we's got more of this place to continue our journey," Tough signal off to the others that they need to be heading on out now.

"You know, I'm gonna miss that little filly with the habit of misleading us into trouble." Phobos spoke off to say in feeling he'll miss Karma and the unfortunate luck they had during this whole time.

"Really, you are?" Spike asked off surprised to hear Phobos say this.

"Just a little, okay," Phobos issued off that he meant a 'little' bit, not a whole lot, nobody wants to go through what they've experienced.

"Oh Phobos," Nyx smiled to giggle under her breath in how silly her moon dragon was being.

Twilight, thoughtfully recalling the riddle, spoke up, "You know I think I figure the riddle out."

"Really," Ben asks Twilight curiously.

Twilight nods as she explains, "Bad Luck is referring to Karma. 'Be Lucky, Be Faithful, Be Yourself' means that -"

Nyx answers, " Karma needs to have faith, luck and be herself that everypony she knows of will always be there for her."

Twilight smile as she says, "Exactly. I'm glad to see both her and Joey Dice are together again. That is best reunion that I ever see."

"Yeah. We're lucky to help those ponies." Ben said in relief, knowing that it's good to reunite another family who was separated for so long.

Tough got Justin ready while calling out, "Ready 'ta heads off?"

Everyone nodded their heads as they continued to move on. Once the gang got themselves together onto the cart and with Tough signaling Justin to move out, the gang was once again on the move. This day might have been an experience where luck really can affect any adventurer's journey, through good or bad, one has to overcome such odds. And boy, did the gang really learn such an important lesson from all of this from Karma & Joey Dice's involvement, sorta. But now they'll be off, with another ingredient obtain, the next adventure…will be another day within the End of Equestria.

A familiar group watches as Mighty said, "That was close for them. They're lucky to survive of that."

Jade add with a smile, "You bet, M. Karma finally got all the things she needs: her luck, her faith, her cutie mark and best of all: her brother."

Dragon Kick said with a nod, "Yes. No matter what happens, we'll always have our luck. Family is my lucky charm."

Tao nods while adding, "So as mine, Dragon Kick." He, Dragon Kick and Jade hug before Might Heart grabbed and hug them tight. After letting go, Tao said, "Now, everything's alright. I believe you had something to do.:"

Dragon Kick, Jade and Mighty Heart nod their heads before they disappear in a puff of smoke. Tao continue to glance at Twilight and her family continuing to move on.

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"Just terrific, our luck just changed." Xiao Fung groans as he kicks at a rock. The Demon thought that he and his siblings would succeed, only for the plan to backfire...again!

Hsi Wu groans in despair, "So not my lucky day. I've lost my pet!"

"I've lost my servants!" Po Kong sobs while hitting the table in sadness. Why must she get all bad luck lately? First she lost her pet, then she herself lost a battle and now Po Kong lost her servants.

Dai Gui roll his eyes while grunting, "Luck or not, Po Kong's servants are useless!"

Tchang Zu agrees, "Indeed."

"Our fight with the enemies is not over. We will be victorious. We will get Nightmare Moon back to us. It is not over yet." Bai Tza assures the other siblings that the battle isn't over just yet. There are still more to come.

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

Shendu and Tso Lan continue to have a discussion. The latter used his powers to put the former up high as the Fire Demon made what appears to be a berserk proposal. Shendu ask nervously, "I don't suppose you would reject my proposal, wouldn't you?"

Tso Lan glare at Shendu who gulped. He put Shendu down gently while saying, "Very well, Shendu. But if Spike does not join our cause like your former servants, you know what to do."

"I understand."

"Come let us check on our brethren. They better hope that they had good news."