//------------------------------//
// Chapter 16: Royalty and Rain 
// Story: The Five: Into the Beyond 
// by lyra_lover777 
//------------------------------//

	Roseluck was the last to step onto the ship. While Spike climbed the mast to unfurl the sails and Coco and Dinky cleaned weapons and armor, Roseluck made her way to the storage room. She opened the creaky door slowly, peering inside. A pile of parts had begun to grow in one corner. Roseluck placed the pulsating white gem next to the three gears and the glowing orb of green magical energy. Five out of ten, half way there, eight days left. Only eight.
Roseluck then returned to the deck, taking the wheel and setting off as soon as Spike finished unfurling the sails and and Dinky and Coco brought the anchor on deck.
Roseluck then asked Dinky to blow a bit off wind to set off the ship on course.
Dinky's horn fired up and soon they were off.
After checking the map with the Finder, they found that they were heading to the biggest island on the map, labeled with a weird head with floppy ears and a weird long nose. It was labeled "El-p-nt."
They set off. It took three hours. It was towards the end of the day when the island came into view. they checked the map again. There was actually two parts on the island.
After ten minutes they reached the shore. Roseluck steered the ship into a small grove mangroves. The shallow water was treacherous and Roseluck almost sank the ship several times. Soon they came to a good landing spot and Coco let the anchor plop into the waters.
The quartet disembarked, breathing in the smells of the jungle.
They moved passed hundreds of kinds of flowers and birds fluttering around the tree canopy.
After a few more hours of tireless trotting, they collapsed in a small meadow. As Dinky and Spike quickly drifted off, holding onto each other, Coco just lay on her back, staring at the starry sky while she tried to fall asleep.
Roseluck just really needed one of Amethyst's special hugs right now. But the only reason she was sad was because Amethyst was gone herself.
Roseluck took a small stroll through the thinning forest while Coco started to drift off to sleep.
She trotted along for five minutes before she reached the tree line. What she saw was incredible.
A giant stone castle surrounded by thousands of giant wooden and stone homes  was encompassed by a tall stone wall.
Prodigious leathery gray creatures, clad in brown armour, guarded a giant metal gate and the stone walls.
Roseluck stared for an hour before she became to tired and headed back to camp.
The second she laid down she fell asleep, whisked away into a dreamless sleep.
===
Amethyst was huddled in a heap at the foot of the throne. Razor's eyes bore into her skull, making it hard for her to even breathe. Her eyes were as puffy as could be and her mane was matted with tears.
She struggled to look up at Lord Razor. He sneered at her, his snout curling in a disgusting manner. She felt more tears leak down her face as she looked into his amber eyes.
He threw a small bundle of moldy hay at her hooves.
"Wh-why do you feed me!? Just kill me. It's to miserable. Kill me!"
She rubbed her hide, which had been rubbed raw by a willow switch last night. The thoughts of last night prompted waves of tears to fall, slamming against the ground, trailing down her face and dripping off her muzzle.
"Bait." was all Razor said. He then took the switch and struck her, saying "Eat!"
She screeched and quickly swallowed the hay in a few bites. It was disgusting, but at least it was something.
He laughed manically as she curled up in a fetal position, weeping softly.
Soon it began to rain. Razor  rolled his eyes and got off his throne to seek shelter under the trees, which seemed weirdly familiar, like she was near home...
But soon the drizzling rain came down in torrents. She cried out as the water hit her skin like bullets. She squeaked and screeched while she rolled around the painful rain.
She looked up at the rainy sky, her tears mixing with the rain on her cheeks.
Someone, save me.
She then shrieked loudly, hoping somepony had heard her. Suddenly Razor burst from the brush and slapped her over and over with the wooden switch. She screamed as loud thwacking sounds echoed through the forest.
===
Spike softly kissed Dinky on the cheek to wake her up. She moaned, wiping her groggy eyes. Spike got to his feet, practicing with his swords while Dinky woke.
Roseluck had woken them to tell them her findings. They had then planned to go the gate. It turned out both pieces were inside the huge wall.
Spike took the back once again. Dinky tortted next to him while Coco was in the middle. Roseluck took the lead.
They quickly reached the edge of the wood. All three except Roseluck gawked for ten minutes before Roseluck prompted them to  move forwards.
They traveled through the plains for twenty minutes before the guards spotted them.
Ten guards galloped towards them. Spike had checked the tattered guide book earlier to see that these creatures were "Elephants."
The guards chained them up. The four immediately became worried as they were dragged to the city. they might be locked up soon, but at least they would be in the city.
The process was quick. The guards were silent the whole time. Twenty elephant guards pulled the giant metal gates open for the escort.
The guards, instead of putting them in jail, dragged them through the streets, towards the giant castle.
Soon they reached the castle, which had towering oak doors.
The guards hurriedly pushed them through.
They led them up innumerable swirling steps that led up. After a half hour, they reache da giant throne room. Two giant elephants sat on golden thrones, draped in purple robes.
"King Leather and Queen Mudhen, the intruders."
Spike stared up at the royals. King Leather's eyes were stormy with anger.
They were backed into a corner while the guards and the king and queen talked.
Dinky pulled the Finder out of her saddle bags and put it on, also pulling out the map.
The two items were in this very room/
Spike's eyes traveled up to Leather and Mudhen's heads.
Two matching crowns with shiny white pearls that had an aura about them sat on top of the jeweled wreath called a crown.
They needed to steal the two ruler's crowns.