Discord flashed the royals to the island of Marendelle, which was now quiet and foreboding at the same time. Snow Pea had been out at night before, but now without a single trace of activity, it creeped her out a bit. When the royals walked down the majestic halls of the palace, the entire castle was dark and gave off an eerie air.
Spike cringed, “Eesh. Reminds me of the time Discord, the guys, and I went into the Everfree Castle when it was still wrecked.”
Discord agreed, “No duh.” He snapped his fingers and immediately, all of the lights became lit.
Snow Pea sighed, “That’s much better. Thank you, Uncle Discord.”
Sunset looked around in awe and said, “Oh, wow. This is a beautiful place you live in, Snow Pea. I’d say you’re pretty lucky, kid.”
Snow Pea then hung her head and said, “I wouldn’t know about that.”
Sunset then remembered and said, “Oh…It’s your snow powers, isn’t it? Why don’t we have a talk after dinner?”
Screwy said, “Oh, yeah! I’m hungry!”
Jewel said, “Same here.”
Discord said, “Er, if you don’t mind, I think I’ll eat a light supper.”
Screwy asked, “Because you ate a snack earlier?”
“Well, partially. But mostly, I would like to wash off the Tatzlwurm spit. I was in that dreaded creature’s mouth. Blech!”
The royals giggled at this.
After supper was over and Discord jumped into the shower, Snow Pea took Sunset to the library and sat down on a couch with her.
Snowy told her aunt, “Don’t get me wrong. I love it here, but ever since that accident last winter, I’m afraid of what ponies might think of me. If I try to use my powers out in the open again, they’ll think I’m a monster, a freak…” Her eyes then glistened as she finished, “…a bad guy.”
Sunset wrapped a hoof around her niece and said, “Now, stop that. You’re not an evil pony and your powers don’t really make you that way. It’s how you choose to use them that counts, Snowy. And you’ve done nothing but good. You froze Big Bongo just so he could give us the Air Vest. If that wasn’t a brave deed, I don’t know what was.”
“But, Aunt Sunny, I was afraid. My fear did that, not my courage.”
“Well, if your magic was strong because you were scared, just think what it might do if you were brave. If you’re sure of yourself when you do your snow magic, it might accomplish a lot…and for the better.” Sunset gave a wink, causing Snowy to giggle. She continued, “Remember what I told you last Hearth’s Warming, Snowy. Just believe in yourself, and you can do incredible things with your powers. You don’t need to be ashamed of them. They’re a part of who you are. I’m sure your parents think the same thing.”
Snowy embraced her aunt and said, “Thank you, Aunt Sunny. I feel better now.”
Sunset stroked her niece’s mane and chuckled, “Anything for you, kiddo.”
The two of them then went up to Button Mash’s study. When they opened the door, they saw Button sleeping on the desk.
“Poor Daddy!” Snow Pea said. “How long has he been sleeping like this?”
Sunset said, “Well, I’m guessing since the curse hit. By the looks of it, he was busy doing something when he fell under the spell.”
“I think I know. Daddy said that he was going to look up information about the tiara in the books.”
“You talked to him last night? Or whenever last night was?”
“Mm-hmm. Just before the curse happened, Little Button and I talked to Daddy through the mirror Mommy brought. I told him about the vendor who gave us the jewelry and how they’re now stuck on us.”
“Did he know what they were?”
“Not really. But when the tiara showed a picture of the pendant, he knew it was powerful magic. He also said that he was going to get on the next ship to the mainland as soon as he could.”
“Then he knew the tiara meant big things.”
“Uh-huh. And it has, along with your bracelets.”
“Say, why don’t we put your daddy in his bed? He’s going to feel really uncomfortable sleeping like this.”
“Yeah. The last time Daddy said he slept like this, his back ached for a week.”
“No kidding.”
With relative ease, Sunset lifted Button with her magic and carried him to his castle suite.
Before Sunset could tuck Button in, Snow Pea said, “Wait! If it’s okay with you, I think I’d like to sleep with Daddy tonight. I want to feel like I’m safe and secure, though he’s under a sleeping curse.”
Sunset smiled and said, “All right. Whatever you want, Snowy.” She used her magic to lift Snowy onto the bed and then tucked her in. “Night, Snowy.”
Before the amber unicorn could leave, Snow Pea said, “Aunt Sunny? Can you sing me a lullaby? Mommy always sang to me and Little Button before we went to sleep.”
“Sure.” She then sang, “Close your eyes, little girl blue…Inside of you like a rainbow…Yellow, blue, pink, orange, purple too…White, amber and orange, then the ye-llow…Rest your head, little girl blue…Come paint your dreams on your pillow…I’ll be near to chase away fear…So sleep now and dream till tomorrow…I’ll be near to chase away fear…So sleep now and dream till tomorrow…”
Snow Pea smiled before she closed her eyes, “Thank you, Aunt Sunny.”
Sunset said, “You’re welcome. Good night, Snow Pea.”
When she walked out into the hallway, she heard a strange sound. She raced towards a window and saw that Discord was blowing a conch shell on the beach.
She then teleported to Discord’s side and asked, “Discord?”
Discord yelped as he fumbled with the shell. When he secured it with both hands, he admonished her in a startled tone, “Sunset, don’t ever sneak up on me like that again! You could’ve given me a heart attack!”
She muttered under her breath, “Like you could get a heart attack.” She then asked, “I just wanted to know what you were doing with a conch shell.”
Discord held out the conch shell and said, “This isn’t any conch shell. It’s Sweetie Belle’s. Back when we had to stop Button Mash from marrying Diamond Tiara, the kelpies gave Sweets a conch shell in case she needed help. She only used it one time, and now I’m planning to use it to summon the kelpies.” He then blew into the shell one more time, but there was no response. He shook the shell and muttered, “Dumb thing must be broken.”
Sunset shook her head, “I don’t think that’s the problem. I’ve read a lot about kelpies and almost every book said that they would respond to almost every call except when there’s danger.”
“Well, I think this qualifies, doesn’t it?”
“This might be a different kind of danger. The kelpies made the Water Necklace, after all, so they might not want the Umbrum to seek them or the necklace out.”
“Oh! That reminds me…” Discord then pulled out the hoofheld mirror and spoke into it, “Pips, can you patch Firestone through? We need to talk to him about the clue that leads to the Water Necklace.”
Pip answered, “I’ve already got the clue from him. While you all were busy, I decided to talk to Firestone and asked for it myself. The clue he gave me was this: Tides are most treacherous during a new moon. Be careful or you’ll be led straight to your doom.”
Discord asked, “That’s not much to go on, if you ask me.”
Sunset suggested, “How about we pull out a map of Marendelle in the library?”
“Well, here’s to hoping we can find something.” He snapped his talon and in a flash, they were teleported to the library. Discord then searched the shelves and muttered, “Maps, maps, maps, maps…” When he found what he was looking for, he cried, “Ah! There you are, my pretty!” He then pulled out the rolled-up map and laid it on the table.
After Sunset put the paperweights on the corners of the map, she said, “Okay, the clue mentioned tides, so it’s probably near or even out on the sea.”
Discord pointed to a place on the map and asked, “Would it be at Vermount’s Lookout Point?”
Sunset shook her head and said, “Uh-uh.”
Discord pointed to another spot and asked again, “Seahorse Beach?”
“Nope.”
“Starry Cove?”
“No.”
Discord groaned in exasperation, “Argh! There must be something here that fits the clue!” He pointed to another spot on the map and said, “Bony Rock? No, probably not.”
Sunset gasped, “Wait, Bony Rock! That might be it!”
As Sunset raced to search the shelves for a book, Discord asked, “It is?”
She said as she looked through the books, “Yes! I think I’ve heard a legend about that place!”
POOF!
She turned back to see Discord holding a book in his paw.
He said, “It’s easier to do it this way.”
When Sunset returned to the table, she opened the book and exclaimed, “Ah! Here it is.” She read aloud, “’Bony Rock is one of the most dangerous places on Marendelle. On nights when there’s no moonlight out or it’s stormy, ships often run into the rocky islet and many ponies on board die upon crashing. Legend has it that when it’s darkest out, the skeletons on the rocks will return to life and make their way towards the island.’”
Discord gulped in fright, “I suppose that’s why Button was creeped out by his mother’s tales about zombies and skeleton ponies.”
She asked, “Do you think the two are tied?”
“I’d…rather not think about it.”
She turned the pages and found the section about zombies. She read aloud, “’Zombies are known to have come out of their graves under three circumstances: a new moon, Nightmare Night, and…’” He eyes shrunk when she read, “’…the Reign of Darkness’!” She told Discord, “Quick! Get a book about all sorts of legends, not just the ones in Marendelle!”
Within a second, he conjured up another book. He asked with a concerned look on his face, “You don’t suppose what’s happening now is the Reign of Darkness, do you?”
Sunset replied when she skimmed the book, “I have a bad feeling it might be.” When she found the section, she uttered, “Oh, no…”
Discord was almost afraid to ask, “Bad news?”
“Very bad.” She then read aloud, “’The Reign of Darkness is prophesied to be the age of the Umbrum. It is said that darkness would enshroud all the land and the sun would no longer rise. There would be only the moon and nothing else. Once the symbol of the Umbrum covers the entire moon, the Umbrum will forever rule.’”
“Well, if that isn’t your typical apocalypse/dystopia, then I don’t know what is.”
“Wait, there’s more.” Sunset continued reading, “’The Umbrum tried to hasten the fulfillment of the prophecy long ago, but the Elemental Jewelry was crafted to defeat them. In case a threat as dire as that of the Umbrums should ever rise again, the four pieces have to be worn again.’”
“Well, until we find the Water Necklace, you can wear the Air Vest.”
Sunset closed the book and said, “Oh, no, no, no. I’m not going to wear it unless it’s absolutely necessary.”
“Oh, come on, Sunny. Think of it this way: by wearing the vest, you’d be guarding it with your life.”
“For the last time, Discord, I’m not getting another piece stuck on me.”
Discord shrugged, “Suit yourself. I guess I’m going to have to wear it, then.” He then conjured up the Air Vest.
Sunset warned, “Discord, don’t you dare…”
Discord unfastened the straps and was about to wrap the vest on himself. He singsonged in a playful tone, “I’m going to…”
“NO!”
She lunged at him and knocked him to the floor. She then grabbed the Air Vest with her magic and raced out of the library at super speed.
Discord said as he sat up, “Two can play at this game, Ms. Shimmer.”
He conjured up a tracking device and his eyes followed a blip representing Sunset Shimmer. He saw that she was going super fast, so he had to decide on a point to intercept her. When he saw that she was heading for the front gates, he smiled slyly, “I’ve got you now, my pretty.”
He flashed in front of the front gates and said while holding his paw out, “Hold it right there, Sunset Shimmer!”
However, when Sunset rounded the corner towards the front gates, she just crashed into him. They both then tumbled out of the castle until they stopped about a few feet from the entrance.
Sunset grunted, “Discord, don’t do that again! You’re not going to wear the Air Vest and that’s final!”
But Discord soon noticed something in the village and cried out, “Who let the dogs out?!”
Sunset looked in the direction he was facing and was agape as well. Large dogs wearing silvery armor were running amok and trashing the houses and shops of Marendelle.
She then cried out, “Diamond Dogs!”