//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Medallion // Story: A Quest for Harmony // by Doodle Note //------------------------------// Kai had another dream. But this time, he was in a cavern finding his way out with a lantern by his side. He heard running coming from the dark. Kai got his sword out just in case. But what came out of the dark was a bright purple unicorn filly with a golden mane and gold eyes. Kai puts his sword away and walks to the unicorn to pet her. "What are you doing here? Where are your parents?" The unicorn hid behind him. "What is it?" Kai asked. The unicorn pointed. Kai turned to where the unicorn was pointing and saw a giant changeling. The changeling was about to blast Kai with magic, and she did. Kai woke up from his dream and found Twilight staring at him. "Did you have another dream?" Twilight asked. Kai nodded. After that, the trio continued their journey with the two strangers they bumped into last night. "I'm Twilight Sparkle. And this is Kai and Nya." Twilight said. "What are your names?" "I'm Jay." The man in blue replied. "And this is my friend, Pinkie Pie. But I sometimes call her Pinkie." "It's a pleasure to meet you two," Kai said. "But about your friend, what kind of horse is part squid anyway?" "Pinkie here is a Squid Pony." Jay explained. "One of the rarest species of hybrid ponies. Squid Ponies have many friendly relationships to other living things. Those include cats, dogs, giant fish, dragons, regular ponies, snakes, birds, and humans." "But do they have any rivals?" Twilight asked. "Squid Ponies are rivals with Octoponies." Jay answered. "Pinkie said that Octoponies were dangerous creatures to humans. There was a big war between humans and Octoponies, but the humans were too weak to fight them. But one day, a Squid Pony and his wife, the leaders of the Squid Ponies, came to tell that they wanted to help the humans. The humans didn't know the Squid Ponies well, but they agreed to let them help anyway. And when the next war started, the two Squid Ponies returned with their army. They defended the humans and fought off the Octoponies, and the war ended. And after the war ended, the humans and Squid Ponies became close friends. And the Squid Ponies still live to this day." "That makes sense." Kai said turning to Twilight. "So, what did she put it that bag?" Twilight opened the bag. "We have a map, a compass, lots of food and water, some weapons, and some kind of medallion with the colors of the Elements of Harmony." Nya puts on a surprised face. "Wait, did you say medallion?" Twilight takes out a gold medallion tied to a piece of brown string with the colors of the the Elements of Harmony glowing blue. "We must have found the Element of Laughter." Twilight turns to Pinkie. "And Pinkie must be the one!" "Me?" Pinkie asked. "The chosen one?" "Not just you, Pinkie." Twilight explained. "Kai, Nya and I were sent on a quest to find five more of the Elements of Harmony since we have one of them. But since we have one of them, we need five more. And since we found Pinkie who is the Element of Laughter, now we need four more." "But what does that make you?" Jay asked. "The Element of Magic." Twilight answered. "Now that we have two, we have to find the others. If only there was something or someone who might help us." Pinkie started to sniff the air as Jay and the travelers noticed her. "What is she doing?" Kai asked. "I forgot to mention that Squid Ponies have a strong sense of smell." Jay answered. Pinkie started to run. "I think we should follow Pinkie." Nya added. "Maybe we should." Twilight replied. The others started to follow Pinkie not knowing where they're going. 'Pinkie's like a specially trained bloodhound,' Kai thought. 'But with super senses!' After chasing after Pinkie for miles, the travelers stopped and found themselves near a prison. "We were following Pinkie to a prison?" Nya asked. Twilight looked at the medallion and saw it glowing red. "Pinkie must have found the Element of Loyalty!" "Okay, we'll just get the Element of Loyalty and that's it." Kai said. Pinkie blocked Kai's way. "You can't come in there!" She warned. "Um, why?" Kai asked. "This prison is being guarded by changelings!" Jay answered. "If you get in there, they'll lock us up, and you'll never complete your mission!" "What happened to the human guards?" Twilight asked. "They all got locked up!" Pinkie exclaimed. "But we need to be sneaky as possible when we're in there. Got it?" The travelers nodded. "Good!" Pinkie said as she gets out a rope, tied it around her waist, and turns to a squid. "How did Pinkie do that?" Kai asked. "Squid Ponies can turn into squids." Jay said seeing Pinkie squirting pink ink at the wall. "And they squirt out ink." After they sneaked into the prison to look for the right cell that the Element of Loyalty was in, the travelers kept following Pinkie's senses. The travelers stopped. "Where to now?" Twilight asked. Pinkie sniffed the air. "We need to go right." The travelers went right. After looking through many cells, Kai heard an ear-piercing sound of a clarinet. "Argh!" Kai exclaimed. "What is that loud sound!?" The rest heard the sound as well. They all went up to the door Kai was next to. "If only we had a key." Twilight said. "Oh, don't worry." Pinkie replied pulling out a prison key from her mane. "I was holding one the first time I came to this prison." Jay smiled. "Oh, you saved it." Pinkie placed the key into the keyhole, twisted the key to the left, pulls the key out, and opens the door. The travelers went inside as they turn seeing a blue pegasus with a rainbow mane and magenta eyes wearing a red headband and purple shoes on each leg, a man with blonde hair wearing a green cloak, black gloves, a green headband, black shoes, and green pants, and a pale green squid wearing a brown coat and gray shoes playing a clarinet. Twilight looked at the medallion and saw the red light glow brighter. "We found the Element of Loyalty!" The prisoners turn to the travelers. "Who are you?" The squid asked. "Are you guys arrested too?" The man in green asked. "Well, no." Twilight answered. "We're here to get all of you out of here." "Why?" The pegasus asked. "We've been arrested for no apparent reason." "Three of us were sent on a quest to find the last five of the Elements of Harmony since we have one of them." Twilight explained. "We have Magic and Laughter. And now we need Loyalty. We need you and your friends to come with us. So, are you in?" "Okay." The pegasus agreed. "Finally, someone who can help us!" The man in green exclaimed. "Now before we leave, we must introduce ourselves." The squid said. "My name is Squidward Tentacles, one of best clarinet players of Toonera. This is Rainbow Dash, a soldier that is well known to the world. And this is Lloyd, a combat expert with a taste for adventure." "I'm also Lloyd's steed." Rainbow said. "We should probably get you guys out of here before we get locked up." Jay added. Meanwhile, two changelings were walking around the prison searching for intruders, but they suddenly stumbled upon pink ink. "What is that stuff?" One changeling asked. The other changeling dips his hoof into the ink and smells it. "A Squid Pony is here." Back with the travelers, they were looking for a way out so they wouldn't be caught. Twilight turns to Jay. "So, how did you and Pinkie meet?" "Well," Jay started. "I once lived in a cabin with my parents. My dad would always get some wood and hunt for some food, while my mom would clean and cook. It was pure harmony for me. And that cabin was my home. But that's when my life changed. One day, I was in bed in my room gazing at the stars and wishing at one of them for a friend. But I looked down and saw changelings in disguise walking to the cabin. One of those changelings knocked on the door as my mom answered. That changeling lied about being a babysitter, but my mom refused to let those changelings in. But those changelings got in by force knocking my mom over. So I got out of bed and hid in the closet. Those three changelings broke the door down and got into my room. I heard my mom saying that if those changelings don't get out of the cabin, she'll call the Mainland to send some guards over. But one of those changelings knocked my mom out. I tried my best to keep quiet because I knew they were after me. But I accidentally made a sound, and the changelings found me in my closet. and they knocked me out with some kind of magic gem. I woke up in a prison cell. I ran to the door, but it was locked. I tried to use my strength to break it down, but I lost hope and waited for someone to get me out of that prison. But that's when I met Pinkie one day. She unchained me and helped me escape. I didn't know how to get back home, but I did find a trail of hoof prints to help me get home. So I followed them and Pinkie followed along. It took forever, but I finally found the way back to the cabin. But when I ran to the cabin, it was burnt down. I noticed that those changelings burnt it down while I was knocked out. I also noticed that my parents were gone too. I was traumatized. But Pinkie calmed me down with a song. I smiled because of Pinkie and decided that I should come with her. She even brought me to her town of Squid Ponies and her parents agreed to let me stay at their house. Her dad was the mayor of the town of Squid Ponies by the way. Plus, Pinkie introduced me to her three sisters. The eldest was a little gloomy, the second sister was a grumpy little girl, and the youngest was silent. And I was curious and shocked about the citizens. Their appearance, the way they act, everything they do. But Pinkie's parents told me a lot about their kind. And by the time of year they call Hearth's Warming, Pinkie and I became best friends. And when we grew up, Pinkie and I were now able to get out into the world to find something new to do to our lives. We even got paid for saving lives. Until we bumped into you and your friends." "So that was the last time you saw your parents?" Twilight asked. "And you became friends with Pinkie's family?" "Yeah." Jay answered. Pinkie sniffed the air. "Uh, guys?" The other turn to Pinkie. "What is it?" Nya asked. "We've got company." Pinkie said. The others looked to where Pinkie was looking and saw many changelings running to them. "Run!" Twilight yelled. The travelers ran as fast as they could to get away from the changelings. They ran to the left. They also stumbled upon a changeling two sizes larger that the other changelings. "Leave this guy to me!" Rainbow said as she started to fight the changeling. Twilight turned and saw the changelings running up to them, but Lloyd managed to bring out a green glowing ball of energy and throw it at the changelings. "Are you a wizard?" Twilight asked. Lloyd shrugged. The travelers ran down the stairs and saw the exit. Two changelings ran to the gate. "Close the gate." One of the changelings commanded. The other changeling pulled the lever as the gate started to go down. The travelers ran to the closing gate and managed to escape as the gate closed behind them. "That was close." Kai said. "Let's get out of here." One of the changelings spied on the travelers and contacted Plankton. "Master, we lost them." "I see." Plankton said. "But I have a job for you and the others. Get me those travelers and bring them to me." "Yes, Master." The changeling said as he hung up.