Chapter 7
Out of the Frying Pan and Into the Fire
In the Canterlot palace throne room, Princess Luna paced back and forth, impatiently awaiting the arrival of the Bearers of Harmony.
"They should have been here by now," Princess Luna said as she passed by her sister, who was calmly sitting in her throne, "Have they no sense of urgency?"
"You know, you worry too much," Celestia said from her seat. "I've never known Twilight to take more time than she needs to get anything done. I'm sure we'll be seeing her any minute."
"Yes," Luna said as she stopped moving. "I have seen her penchant for punctuality many times. But this cannot wait," Luna said as she abruptly continued walking back and forth.
"Lulu, please stop pacing. You're only going to wear yourself out before our guests arrive."
"How can you be so calm? This is nothing to take lightly!"
"I fully understand what is at stake here. I know what happened in those past millennium, and the lives that were lost. But I have complete faith in Twilight and her friends."
"What makes you think they can handle something like this," Luna said as she stopped pacing once more, "This undertaking is far beyond anything they have yet accomplished. And we don't even know if..."
Luna couldn't finish her sentence. Just the thought of what may come made both her and her sister frown. But they found themselves putting on a cheerful facade when they heard their doors opening to let in their six guests.
"Twilight. It's so good to see you again," Celestia warmly greeted.
Twilight had personally known Princess Celestia for years, allowing her to know when she was feigning her feelings. "It's nice to see you too, Princess Celestia. Is everything alright," she said, cutting right to the point.
Celestia should have known that Twilight would see right through her. Since she was found out, she decided it was best to come clean. "I'm afraid not. This is far more serious than anything we've seen before."
For the first time in her life, Pinkie Pie was at a loss for words. Any other time, she would have said something that would lighten the mood, but this time nothing came to her. It was as if all the funny had left her, and all the gravity of the situation settled into her mind.
Even Rainbow Dash was feeling uncharacteristically afraid of what Celestia said. Even though she didn't know what they were summoned for, she felt like abandoning her friends for the safety of some faraway hideout. But that was crazy! That wasn't at all like her! What was going on!?
"How dreadful," Rarity gasped, "What could be so serious?"
The princesses exchanged a look of worry, unsure of what to say. Neither sister could come up with the words to explain. Finally, Luna decided on a course of action, "T'would be easier to show thee than to tell."
"Show and tell! Ooh! I have some pop rocks from my foalhood. They were soooooo poppy, they made my mane bulge," Pinkie said. At least, that's what she would have liked to have said. Somehow, she was still at a loss for anything fun to say.
"Okay. What do we need to see," Twilight asked.
"Follow us. It's just through here," Celestia said as she stood up.
To the confusion of the Bearers, both sisters turned their backs to them and watched their horns glow. Suddenly, their thrones glowed with the respective color of their horns and began to slowly slide apart from each other. As they moved, the wall behind them began to split, and a doorway opened, leading to a room that nopony in the kingdom (not even Twilight) knew existed. Without another word, Celestia motioned for the others to follow her before she and her sister walked through the newly opened door.
Unsure what to make of the situation, the Element Bearers all stared at the doorway. Twilight glanced at her friends, and a shrug from Applejack convinced her to proceed forward. Seeing Twilight take the initiative convinced the others to follow suit.
Once they entered the room, the Bearers were awed by the sights before them. The room was decorated with hundreds of antiquities from ages past. Some looked completely simple and mundane, while others were ostentatiously ornate. Twilight's heart nearly stopped when she recognized many of the items, and realized that they were in a storeroom for what must have been every important item in Equestrian history.
"What's this thing? Some kind of royal bedpost," Rainbow Dash asked as she poked one of the items with her hoof.
"Rainbow Dash," Twilight said as she clamped her hooves around the antique before it fell over, "That's Princess Luna's scepter! She used to carry this thousands of years ago when she first became co-ruler of Equestria!"
"Oh. So, hooves off, right?"
Twilight rolled her eyes at her friend's aloof attitude toward such an important artifact. However, before she could let loose a history lesson, Celestia spoke up.
"Twilight. Over here, please," the solar princess said as she and her sister presented a simple wooden chest. It was unremarkable, to say the least, but when the chest was opened, and the contents within were revealed.
At that very moment, the doors to the throne room inched open, and Garfield and Odie squeezed their way in.
"Finally! We made it," Garfield said triumphantly, now that they were at the end of their journey. "Alright, your highness: I've been--" Garfield stopped speaking when he saw that nobody was in the room. "Darn it, Odie! You said you could smell ponies this way!"
Odie answered with a shrug and a grumble.
"What do you mean the whole castle smells like pony!? We're only looking for six specific ones!"
Without any warning, they saw a light glowing from a room beyond. If it was anything like the one that they saw before, it may have been a lead for them.
"Those're the Elements o' Harmony," Applejack exclaimed, "But what's wrong with 'em!?"
As soon as the box was opened, the six mares were greeted by the familiar sight of the artifacts that saw them through their hours of greatest need, when the world itself was at the brink of ruin.
With a radiant glow, the elements always gave hope to those who saw them. But now, only three of them glowed. Magic, honesty and generosity were as brilliant as ever; but kindness, laughter and loyalty had all reverted to the dull, useless stone form as when they were first found.
"Princess, what does this mean," Twilight asked as she examined the inert elements.
"You've got to reorganize your rock collection," Garfield said as he and Odie arrived.
Odie took his spot next to Fluttershy, who was standing at the back as always. But the yellow pegasus's attention was elsewhere.
Hidden behind a grand display of treasures, among items on a shelf, Fluttershy saw what looked like an orange and yellow bust with many faces on all sides of it. On the side facing her, there was a symbol of what looked like a jagged sun on the forehead of the creature. From what she could see, it looked to be the image of some kind of ferocious feline that was carved into the faces on the bust that sent chills through her. There was something special about this bust, but what, she didn't know.
"I fear this means the worst shall happen," Luna said solemnly, "When an element looks this way, it means that it no longer has a bearer."
"What," Rainbow Dash shouted as she darted directly to the princesses, "But I didn't give up being a bearer! And I'm not gonna! Ever!"
Despite her brave words, she only felt more like she wanted to abandon everypony. What was making her feel this way!? How could she call herself the Bearer of Loyalty if she couldn't even stay by them!?
"We do not doubt your spirit, Rainbow Dash," Celestia assured her, "It's just that...you and the others..." she didn't know how to finish the sentence. But with the gravity of the situation came the responsibility to divulge it. With a heavy sigh, she did her best to decide what to say next, "You may not be around much longer..."
"What are you talking about? We're all still here," Pinkie said, before her mane slowly deflated when she suddenly realized what the princess meant.
Even though he just met her, Garfield was heartbroken to hear what may very well be her fate. Since he arrived, she was the only pony who was nice to him. Better than that, she treated him like an honored guest. He truly did enjoy the short amount of time he spent gorging with her, and looked forward to doing it again. At first, he had nothing but the desire to go home. But now, when his new friend was in danger, he decided to put off leaving to help save her. "A change of heart, and complex emotions? What's happening to me," he wondered to himself.
In the back, Odie noticed how Fluttershy was staring at the bust. He was saddened by the news, but Fluttershy acted like she hadn't heard a word that was spoken. She just continued staring at that strange, cat-thing on the shelf.
As Fluttershy stared deep into its design, she swore the colors came alive, dancing like flames that made the air around her grow hot. Then she felt something on one of her wings, like a tiny ember.
At first, she thought she only imagined it. When she felt it again, only hotter this time, she reached into her feathers, and retrieved the tiny stone she found earlier that day.
Once again, the colors danced and swirled before her, the same as they did on the colorful bust. Fluttershy knew they were connected. Like they were meant to be together.
A tiny shadow on the bust caught her eye, and she could see that there was a small indentation there, the exact same size as the stone she held in her hoof. What she needed to do next was clear.
Slowly, her hoof drifted toward the antique, ready to make it whole once more.
She heard a quiet whimper behind her, and saw Odie staring worriedly at her, silently warning her not to proceed. Fluttershy knew that animals had an innate sense of danger. If there was anything to listen to, it was the caution of animals. But this time, she didn't listen.
She placed the stone in its place, and watched all of the color drain from the bust, dribble off the shelf and pool onto the floor like water before they started taking a new shape.
"How can this be," Rarity wailed, "Whatever shall we do once you...stop being Bearers?"
"Now, now. Please do not lose hope," Luna said softly, "There may still be a chance yet to avert calamity."
Fluttershy watched as the pool of color took the shape of a tiny feline. She couldn't believe it. That fierce decoration produced a harmless, helpless little kitten, who was scuttling its paws on the floor, trying to stand up on the slippery, polished surface.
"Oh no," Fluttershy whispered as her motherly instincts took over, and took the small creature in her hooves. "Don't worry, kitty. Everything's going to be okay," she cooed quietly.
But it was not to be. Through nothing more than her innocent nature, Fluttershy released what was going to be the end of the Bearers of Harmony. And it all started when the creature's eyes glinted like embers.
Odie began to bark loudly at the creature, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. From where they stood, they couldn't see what he was barking at, as it was hidden by many of the other displays. But when the royal sisters investigated, they saw a sight that chilled them both.
Fluttershy was gone, and in her place, a great burning flame. And when the fire died down, there was no trace of her, not even a pile of ash. She had been consumed, as had several items around her, feeding the blaze before them. When it died down, it took another form like the one before, only different.
What was once a helpless kitten had now matured into a very, large cat. Not a wild cat like a leopard or a tiger, but more like Garfield. Just bigger. At least, three times bigger, and nearly as big as a pony. Its colors had become more defined as well, now glowing brightly, and with points of red on its legs, face, ears and tail. The flames on its back flared wildly, reaching out to all sides of its body, entwining around nearby objects, and swallowing them whole.
Celestia and Luna stared in horror at the creature before them. It was one that they recognized all too well. They thought they had seen the last of him when Starswirl the Bearded sealed him away, allowing Celestia to take position as the sun. But now, Svarog, the elder god of the sun had returned, and was going to spread his flames once more across the land.
"Everypony! Leave now," Celestia yelled.
"But where's Flutter--"
"GO!"
Without another word, the entire group left, except for the princesses, who stayed to seal the beast once more.
Back in the throne room, the mares all panicked over what was to come.
"What the hay was that thing," Applejack shouted.
"It looked like me when I don't get my morning coffee," Garfield added.
"Urf," Odie said with a nod.
"You're not supposed to agree to stuff like that!"
"Did you ever read about anything like that," Dash asked Twilight. If Twilight knew anything about it, which, knowing her, was very likely, there was a chance to win.
"I did," Twilight answered, recalling the book she read last night, "But it was only stopped when the princesses used the Elements of Harmony."
"Then we can just do that."
"Didn't ya see those Elements? They don't have bearers, so they're just rocks now," Applejack reminded Dash.
"Okay! Now we just need to find a new bearer!"
"Are you really so simple as to think new bearers will just appear," Rarity snapped at Dash.
Their bickering continued, until they felt a hot wind blow from the treasure room. When they looked, they saw a bright orange light glowing from within.
"P-Princess Celestia," Twilight asked.
Bounding through the doorway came the beast from before, larger and fiercer now more than ever. Now, it was larger than the princesses, and bulkier with a rounder face, stubbier legs, and more pointed ears. It growled at the mares, deciding which one it would devour next.
"Everypony scramble," Pinkie shouted, prompting everypony to run from their aggressor.
They all burst out of the throne room, past the guards, who stared in bewilderment at the fleeing company. Then they felt the temperature rising rapidly behind them.
As they ran through the castle, the halls around the seven escapees burst into flames. And whatever was caught in the fire was consumed by it. Not burnt to cinders or reduced to a pile of ash. It simply disappeared. But the damage was still being done.
As the group descended a staircase, a part of the ceiling burned down, and dropped towards them. As Twilight, Rarity and Applejack charged past the danger, Odie blocked Garfield, Pinkie and Dash from progressing, just as the ceiling crashed between the two groups.
A new escape was needed. Jumping from where they were was liable to cause an injury, and slow everypony down, and with the monster so close behind them, Dash couldn't air lift them all out of there one at a time. There was no choice. They had to double back.
"Just keep going! I'll take care of things here," Dash shouted to her friends as she hustled the others back up the stairs. Somepony had to look after them while that monster was running around, but after seeing what the dog did, she felt more like she should leave it up to him.
But there was no time to think about that, since the beast came bounding into the room and lunged at them all. They all moved just before they were engulfed in fire.
Wherever they ran, there was no escape from the blaze. The flames of the beast slithered all around them, devouring everything in their path. In one hallway, they were separated again when a wall of flames arose between them all, with Odie and Dash on one side, and Garfield and Pinkie on the other. Dash tried to fly back for her friend, only for the flames to flare up and stop her.
Pinkie and Garfield looked behind them, and saw the flaming beast charging towards them. For Pinkie, there was nothing she could do. There was no laughing at this savage beast to soothe it. And there was nothing funny about being swallowed by fire.
Garfield knew something had to be done. With the monster so close, and no way to escape, he had to at least save his friend. And he knew just the way.
"Kitty! What are you doing," Pinkie asked as she felt her tail lifted up before she fell onto her face.
"Punt position #117. Done right, you can travel across a football field like this," Garfield said as he wound up his leg for the proper punting technique. When he let loose, Pinkie sailed through the flames unscathed and landed on top of Dash and Odie.
No sooner did Garfield start celebrating did he have to jump to avoid getting landed on by the monster. He landed on its back, and quickly jumped off as the flames singed his fur.
When he landed, the beast opened its mouth, and a vortex of flames appeared like a whirlwind. The next thing Garfield knew, the air around him started pulling him toward the beast's mouth, along with everything loose around him.
From the other side of the fire, Odie and Pinkie watched as Garfield as he rolled away from the vortex when the wall behind him broke, and was pulled into the monster's mouth.
When it was done, the vortex stopped, and they watched it undergo another change. Its ears grew more pointed, and curved like a pair of horns, and its legs and tail became longer and more bulky. Its body grew larger, and spots of black rippled on its body like sunspots.
"You know, a mint might help with that breath of yours," Garfield said nervously.
As it was with the wooden wolves, his remark didn't go over well, and the monster lunged at him again. Garfield escaped harm by running into the opened wall.
Not about to leave his friend to be slow-roasted, Odie began running frantically to find a door where he could rejoin Garfield, and keep him safe from the monster. And after being saved by him, Pinkie ran to do the same.
"We have to keep going," Dash said as she picked Pinkie up and flew down the hall with her, despite her pink friend's resistance.
In the new room, Garfield scrambled behind anything that he could use for cover: a chair, a table, a counter, an oven. It then occurred to him that he was in a kitchen.
Around him, there were finished foods and pastries, as if the staff was busy at work before they had to evacuate. Normally, he'd try to decide what to eat first, but now he had to think of a way to escape as quickly as possible.
But no matter where he ran, there was only more kitchen. He ran up and down the walls, trying to escape his pursuer. On top of some cabinets, he found some decorative plates, which he hurled like frisbees at his opponent. He should have known that it would only eat the projectiles.
With a swipe of its paw, the monster destroyed the cabinet, and sent Garfield flying across the room.
He landed on the table, and the monster came rushing back toward him, knocking over everything that it didn't just consume.
Garfield needed to find something to defend himself, but kept coming up short. This wasn't like fighting a black panther. A panther was a normal kind of threat. This thing ate everything that he threw at it. It reminded him of himself in that way, just with a ton of malice. That meant that he had to find something to feed it that would damage it. But nothing came to mind.
He rolled across the table as the monster demolished it, and consumed it in its flames.
Garfield ran across its surface as it was consumed, but it was like running the wrong way on a conveyor belt.
He hopped over each utensil, and finished food dish as they came toward him. Soon, he saw what he was looking for.
As he jumped over the oncoming stack of assorted desserts, he grabbed one off the top, and flung it into the monster's mouth before he ran to the furthest end of the table, and paused to see if his plan worked.
At first, nothing happened, but then the beast stopped eating. Then it coughed and convulsed after it swallowed the rock hard, bland pastry. The flames on its body dimmed and flared as it looked like it was going to hack up a serious hairball.
"Fruitcake. The perfect gift for people you hate," Garfield mused. Seems that even here, fruitcake was universally hated.
But, even as the monster was incapacitated, by the evil pastry, its flames still crept toward Garfield, who started backing away, before he noticed something very large behind it.
Without any warning, the refrigerator fell down on top of the beast, flattening it underneath, and seemingly snuffing it out. Behind the fridge stood Odie, who was panting as happily as ever.
"Arf," he said triumphantly.
"Nice save," Garfield yelled as Odie ran to his side. "But what a tragic casualty," he said as he looked woefully at the fallen fridge. Odie bowed his head and crossed himself in mourning for the appliance.
Then they saw smoke seeping out from the under the refrigerator, until it burst into flame, and the face of the monster appeared in the blaze.
"Run like crazy! Don't let the fridge's sacrifice be in vain," Garfield shouted as he and Odie ran away.
The exit wasn't far from where they stood, and they took it as quickly as possible. The ran as fast as they could, looking for a way out of the castle. But the flames around them kept them from taking certain paths.
"Do you think it's still after us," Garfield said as they ran.
Odie wasn't sure about that. If it wasn't, they'd have that much less to worry about, and they could relax a little bit. He stopped, and looked behind himself, only to see the monster come barreling around a corner towards them.
"Don't stop! Just run," Garfield said as he grabbed Odie by the ears and dragged him behind himself.
Finally, after innumerable turns, they found a way out. There was a window at the far end of the hall where they could escape. It didn't matter to them how high up it was. As long as it was an escape.
They ran as fast as they could down the hall, as the flames around them grew bigger. Even though they couldn't see behind them, they knew the monster was catching up. But as the monster grew nearer, so did the window, and their ticket to freedom.
"We need to go back for Mr. Kitty," Pinkie protested as Dash carried her through the halls.
Dash didn't know why Pinkie was so insistent on going back for a cat. She was no Fluttershy, but she knew that animals had a way of escaping on their own. After losing her oldest friend, she wasn't about to lose anymore.
The world was falling apart around them, and it took all of Dash's flight skills to swerve around danger. The fixtures dropped from above, and the flames constantly tried to engulf them both.
In a large room, the ceiling broke, and the flaming chandeliers started swinging wildly around.
Dash dodged it by diving to the floor, but was forced to ascend when the entire ground turned to fire.
She swung Pinkie out of the way as the chandelier swung toward them.
"There's another one," Pinkie shouted as another chandelier swung toward them. "And another! And another!"
Dash was having enough trouble dodging danger without Pinkie yelling at her. She had to get them out of there, and as luck would have it, part of the wall had burned away.
From where Dash was, it looked weak enough for her to break through. She thought she could even see daylight on the other side of it through the charring. It was her only chance. She tightly gripped Pinkie and flew forward as fast as she could.
"What the hay are you doing," Pinkie shouted as the wall grew closer.
"Just hang on, and take a crash position," Dash answered.
"Oh, horseapples," both mares yelled as they crashed through the wall, into the open air outside.
Though they couldn't hear it over the noise, the window above them broke, and out flew Garfield and Odie, who yelled loudly as they saw they were falling toward a lower rooftop, though it would be a miracle if they could reach it. After them, came the monster.
Dash looked up, and saw the monster plummeting toward them. With Pinkie's extra weight, she couldn't fly fast enough to avoid the danger, so she did the only thing she could do. She threw Pinkie forward with all her might toward the nearest rooftop.
As he flew through the air, Garfield grabbed Odie, and squeezed him so that his tongue shot out and gripped onto the edge of the roof. With his free paw, he reached out and grabbed Pinkie's hoof before she fell.
Now uninhibited, Dash had half a mind to fly away to safety. Those two animals would look after Pinkie until the danger had passed.
"What am I thinking," Dash said to herself as she veered toward Pinkie.
But it was too late. She hesitated too much before taking action, and the flaming monster was upon her. In a burst of orange, Dash was consumed in mid-air.
Odie pulled everyone to safety on the rooftop. As soon Pinkie got her hooves on the roof, they all looked down to see what the monster would do next.
Once it landed, it underwent another change. Its body grew even larger, and its fangs grew longer and sharper, as did its claws. The spots on its back began to morph and merge together into dark stripes across its body. Once it finished, it started putting its new claws to use, and climbed the wall towards Garfield and friends.
There was no time to even mourn Dash. Pinkie tossed the animals on her back, and started running across the steepled rooftop. When they ran out of roof to run on, she jumped to the next lowest roof.
The monster wasn't about to give up though. Wherever they went, it deftly jumped from wherever it was, getting closer with each leap.
Soon, they ran out of rooftops, and there was nothing high enough for them to jump to. They were so close to the castle gates now, it was almost worth the risk of jumping.
Down below, Pinkie could see Twilight, Rarity and Applejack all running to the gates, and wished she could somehow reach them. She yelled at them all, but they couldn't hear her from where she was.
Garfield saw how desperate she was for help. What she was doing would do no good, so he decided to take matters into this own paws. He and Odie jumped off her back, and took position behind her. "It's gonna be a big one, Odie. I'll need help with this one," he said as he assumed punt position #54.
Odie agreed, and judging from the technique Garfield was about to use, he decided to supplement it with punt position #251.
The dog went first, and sent Pinkie straight up into the air. As she came down, Garfield unleashed his mighty boot, and sent her flying. With no hooves on the ground to offer resistance, the pink mare went sailing far, screaming all the while.
Down on the ground, her friends heard her, and looked up to see her falling. Without even a thought, Twilight caught Pinkie with her magic.
Back on the roof, Garfield and Odie were relieved to see that Pinkie made it. But now, they had to worry about the flames that were creeping toward them. With nowhere to run to, they both climbed up to the stop the spire on the roof, and prayed that it would start raining.
With a twinkling light, a starry doorway opened in Canterlot castle, and Jon stepped through it. Though when he arrived, he wished he hadn't.
All around him, the world burned. What looked like it was once a posh, grandiose palace now looked like he stepped into the inside of some well-decorated oven.
"Ohhhhh! Jon, what've you gotten yourself into this time," he shuddered as he stood in the middle of the blaze.
His first order was to find an escape, and he ran to an open door, hoping he'd be able to escape that way.
No good, when he found it to be a balcony on what must have been the tenth story.
"Can't a guy get a break," Jon asked himself. And finally, his break came to him.
High above, on a nearby rooftop, he could see Garfield and Odie clinging to the top of a castle spire.
"Boys," he called to them. But then his eye was drawn to what they were escaping from.
Further down the same rooftop, he saw a flaming beast crawling towards them, and spreading fire slowly up towards them.
"Hang on! I'm coming," he shouted as he climbed to the outside of the balcony, and slowly walked across the tiny edge along the roof.
His hooves slipped as he went, slowing his progress, and it didn't help that there were statues blocking his path.
"Just hang in there," he yelled as he tried to climb around a statue. "Don't worry! I've got his under control--WHOOP!!!"
Jon slipped, and fell so that he hung to the ledge with only one hoof.
"Odie, look! Someone's coming to save us," Garfield said as he pointed at the dangling pony. Sure, he didn't look very good at saving pets, but it was something.
Then his hopes sank even more when he saw how the pony was pulling himself up to the ledge, with his hooves firmly gripping the statue's flank. It was so ridiculous, only Jon would do something like that.
"Wait a second!" Maybe it was Jon! Maybe he found finally found them!
Odie began barking loudly to encourage the pony to move faster.
Hearing his dog barking worked. Jon quickly scrambled to the ledge, and started to quickly scuttle to his pets, just as the fiery monster passed by him.
But giant flaming tiger be darned, Jon didn't come so far to not find his friends.
He jumped from the ledge, and grabbed onto the tail of the beast.
"Ow! Hot! Hot! Hot! Hot!" Jon yelled as he climbed up the back of the monster.
His pets were growing so close. He stood on the face of the monster, and sprang off, now closer than before.
Then he felt the air grow even hotter, and pull him backwards.
The wall started pulling itself apart as he climbed, and he had to scramble to keep a hold of anything.
Finally, just as the last chunk of roof fell, he reached the spire, and began climbing toward his pets.
As soon as he was close enough to grab them, they felt the spire lurch.
With the roof so damaged, and Jon's extra weight, the top of the roof came loose, and sent it falling down the side of the castle.
The three passengers screamed loudly as they fell, but it was the sudden jolt when the spire landed point down that shook them off, and safely on the ground.
Without another word, Jon bucked both of his pets onto his back and ran to the castle gates.
Just as it was before, the flames followed wherever they went, and spread into the town.
Ponies ran for their lives as the buildings were consumed by the fire. There was utter pandemonium, and Jon had to practically dance out of the way.
One of the flames grew dangerously close to Jon, who leapt forward onto the top of a pony-less carriage.
The carriage rolled down the winding road, and Jon remained steady atop it, as if he knew what he was doing for once.
As they sped down the road, the carriage slammed into a mailbox, and went flying through the air.
Before he knew what he was doing, Jon grabbed a flag from a toppling flagpole in his teeth, and swung over a wall of flames that blazed beneath him.
After the flames, Jon saw a white mare with a purple mane surrounded by fire that was slowly creeping closer to her. Garfield and Odie recognized her as the one of the mares they followed to the castle, but Jon only saw a pony in danger.
Letting go of the rope, Jon landed on the ground and charged into the blaze. He needed something to get past the fire, and the nearby trash can would do just fine.
Without missing a beat, he pushed the can over, jumped on top of it, and rolled through the fire at top speed as his hooves scrambled to remain on top.
Past the blaze, he reached down, and took the mare in his hooves, carrying her like a knight would carry a maiden as he sped out of the danger.
Jon could feel his balance being thrown off by the extra weight.
Before he fell, he jumped free, and twisted through the air, landing safely on his hooves before he gently placed the maiden on the ground.
"Is this really...Jon," Garfield wondered to Odie. Jon Arbuckle was a man who screamed while he clipped his toenails, and called that a wild night. Here was a pony who fearlessly braved a living inferno to rescue him, Odie, and some mare he never met before.
"Who...Who are you," Rarity practically swooned, awed by what the stallion before her had just accomplished.
Jon heard how she asked him, and his ego had swollen after rescuing his pets and a beautiful maiden. He lifted his chin, flexed his muscles, and sucked in his gut to put on his most impressive display before he introduced himself. "Jon Arbuckle. Liberator of towns. Buster of gangs. Dragon slayer."
Even though he looked perfectly plain, there was nothing ordinary about this Jon Arbuckle to Rarity. A lot of boorish, geeky stallions like him would lie about their accomplishments so they could date her. But this one was different. He had a strange kind of aura about him that told her his claims were true. Something about him seemed dangerous, yet appealing.
For as long as she could remember, her dream was to find a noblestallion she could spend her life with. Now she realized how ill-conceived her dream was. This average scrub before filled her with more emotion than any noble she met.
Rarity's face flushed red, partially from the heat around her, but more from the passion growing within her.
"I-I'm Rarity..." she stammered as she offered her hoof to him.
"Charmed, milady," Jon said as he took her hoof in his.
"That is so not Jon," Garfield said to Odie, who shook his head in agreement.
Little did Jon know that all of those other times when he sucked in his gut, his pants loosened just a little bit every time. Now it all came back to bite him when his pants dropped around his ankles, revealing his flank, which was decorated with a cartoonist's art board.
"That is so Jon," Garfield corrected himself, while Odie nodded in agreement.
The reunion was spoiled by the sudden arrival of the monster that was chasing them. It roared viciously as it charged down the street.
No time was wasted to escape.
The mare, the cat and the dog all bolted as quick as they could, while Jon hopped behind them, trying his best to pull up his pants.
"This way," Rarity directed them. She tried to recall the direction her friends were headed before she got separated from them, but the city had become nearly unrecognizable to her. That, and the noise of the monster behind them further disoriented her, making her take any turn she could to lose her pursuer.
Soon, they came to a dead end alley. The same one that Garfield passed through while he was chasing after Pratfall. He recalled how he escaped from one of the back alley horrors by squeezing through hole at the bottom of the fence, and directed his friends to it.
But the monster was too close for all of them to make it through in time, especially since Jon got stuck halfway through after Rarity went first.
"Ohhhhhh, this is stupid," Garfield said as he prepared to take on beast, paw-to-paw.
The monster glowered at the cat, anticipating devouring it. It opened its mouth, and another hot wind blew, until it stopped suddenly when it felt something hit the back of its head.
Turning around, it saw Pinkie standing there with a whole stack of pastries, ready to be thrown.
"Just go, Mr. Kitty," she said to Garfield, "My friends are around the corner from here." After being saved twice, it was her turn to repay him for what he had done.
Garfield almost hesitated to let her do it. A whimper from Odie convinced him that he should let her carry out her decision. He kicked Jon through the hole, and hustled through it, hoping he could taste more of Pinkie's lasagna once this was all over.
Rarity had heard what Pinkie said from the other side of the fence, and ran in the direction she said. Once out of the alley, she looked up and down the road, and saw her friends looking for a way to escape.
"Everypony," Rarity called to her friends as she and the others ran to them.
"Rarity," Twilight greeted her. It was such a great relief that she was okay after they were separated, but there was still the other issue, "Where's Pinkie?"
"She...She stayed behind to save us," Rarity said.
Rarity didn't have to say anything more for them to know what likely happened to her. Despite how much they dreaded the thought, it was only a mere hope that they would see her again.
With a deafening roar, the monster came climbing over a building.
Once again, it changed is appearance. After consuming so much, it had grown even larger, and had a mane of fire around its neck and chest.
Jon, who had just pulled his pants up, let them drop again as he froze with fear at the sight of the monster's new form.
"Run. Run now," Twilight shuddered as they all turned to run in a new direction.
No good, since they were stopped by a wall of fire.
They tried a new direction, and were once again blocked by flames. And no matter where they ran, they were stopped, until they were completely boxed in by the flames. The beast reared up before them, and opened its mouth to consume them all.
Twilight tried to think of a way to escape, but a solemn look from Applejack told her that there was no escape. She looked to Rarity, who had the same frightened look of realization on her face. With a whimpering sigh, she took her friends' hooves, and awaited the inevitable.
Seeing the togetherness of the mares, even in the face of death stirred every emotion within the three strangers in Equestria. It was only by chance that they found one another, and now it was fate that they ended together.
Jon hugged his two pets as they huddled against him, holding a small comfort in just being with one another, and the closest of friends, no matter how different they were.
Then a sudden light blinded the monster, and stopped it from consuming as it covered its eyes.
Garfield had seen this light before, but why was it shining now? And why was it shining around himself, Odie and Jon? As he watched, he saw butterflies radiating from around Jon, until they flew into the mark on his flank, making it glow brightly.
Odie was struck by lightning on his side, changing one of his spots into a glowing dingleball.
Then Garfield watched as balloons surrounded him, and converged onto his backside, where one of his stripes turned into the most radiant pan of lasagna he ever saw.
"Holy Celestia and Luna! They're bearers," Twilight shouted.
"What did ya say," Applejack asked, unsure of what she heard.
"Th-They're bearers!! The dog, the cat and their owner!! They're Bearers of Harmony!!!"
Rarity gasped sharply when she heard those words. She, nor anypony anywhere had ever heard of such a thing as more than the six Bearers of Harmony.
Applejack was equally at a loss for words. If she wasn't the Bearer of Honesty, she would have said Twilight was blowing smoke.
The three visitors watched as a familiar twinkling light appeared before them, and spoke in a familiar voice.
"In the hours of greatest need, when our very existence has been turned upside-down and all hope is lost, all we need to do is remember all we have learned from others around us. The value of honesty. The warmth of kindness. The joy of generosity. The fun of laughter. The bonds of loyalty. And the magic of friendship. Through these, the world can be changed, and harmony can restore."
In another twinkle of light, six jewels appeared. The tiara with a jewel of a six pointed star alighted atop Twilight's head, while the diamond and apple necklaces fastened around the respective necks of Rarity and Applejack.
Jon was taken slightly aback as a necklace with a butterfly on it fastened around his own neck, while Garfield and Odie readily took to the balloon and lightning bolt necklaces. Strangely, it felt as if they were meant to wear such things, even if they had no idea why.
"Now that you have awakened, you can do what you were meant to do, Bearers from another world," the voice said. "Believe in your friends, and strike true with the magic of harmony!"
No further instruction was needed. Garfield, Jon and Odie all stood firm, placing complete trust in one another as the light around them grew brighter, and came alive, swirling around them.
Seeing the strangers power strengthened the mares' resolve to save their kingdom. Even though they were not the Bearers that they knew, it was clear that they were no less friends than they were.
The light around them grew as well, and merged with the one radiating from the strangers.
As much as the beast tried to approach them, it was kept back by the barrier of light that surrounded them, which snuffed out any of its flames as it grew. Soon, it was overwhelmed by the light, and began to diminish in size as its flames across the kingdom disappeared. Once the entire kingdom was enveloped in the light, Svarog let out one final roar, which steadily grew quieter and quieter, until it completely disappeared in the blinding light.
Their energy was spent. The light disappeared, and the six bearers all panted heavily from their work.
Twilight gasped when she looked up, and saw lying on the ground the two princesses, and all of her friends who were consumed by the beast. With the biggest smile, and the greatest relief, the mares all tightly embraced, never again to separate.
Jon watched the scene before him, before he realized that his pants were still down. He quickly hiked them up, and buckled his belt, before looking down at his pets.
"Boys," he finally said, just as he was tackled to the ground by his two pets.
"Never go camping again, Jon! Never, ever go camping," Garfield said as he rubbed his head against Jon's face in a show of feline affection.
Odie licked Jon unmerciful, soaking him nearly to the bone with his slobbery tongue, and for once, Garfield didn't mind getting caught in the splash.
"Odie, I have something for you," Jon said as he reached into his pocket, and produced the dingleball Lyman gave him.
The dog leapt with joy as he took the ball in his teeth and started tossing it around and catching it.
Not about to be left out of the fun, Garfield took the ball when it rolled to his feet, and tossed it for Odie to fetch for him.
As the three played together, the mares were all busy trying to figure out what exactly happened.
"What? How did..." Princess Luna asked as she looked around the city.
"But, the Elements were inert," Princess Celestia said, for once without any idea about what happened.
"I'm not to sure what happened either, princess," Twilight said, "But I think it had something to do with them."
She pointed to the strange stallion with his dog and cat, who were still busy at play. Sure, they looked plain enough, but it was what they were wearing that caught they eyes of everypony.
Any other time, Fluttershy would have avoided approaching a new pony. But seeing the stranger wearing the element that she was supposed to bear warranted an investigation.
As she got closer, Jon stopped the game to see what she was doing. As Fluttershy looked at Jon, and saw much of herself in him. Even though they just met, she felt like they were the same being, born for the same purpose, and it brought a smile to her face knowing that kindness wasn't limited to her.
"Uh, I think this belongs to you," Jon said as he gave her his necklace, after seeing the mark on her flank was the same as the jewel on the artifact.
"Thank you," she said quietly, "And thank you very much for saving my friends."
"ARF!!!!" Odie was overjoyed that the nice yellow pony was back. He jumped all around her, dingling the dingleball in his teeth as he cavorted about.
"Hey, that's my necklace," Rainbow Dash said as she joined Fluttershy's side and took her necklace back, "This is only supposed to be worn by somepony who values loyalty over everything else."
"I think that's why Odie's wearing it then," Jon explained. "The thing about dogs is that their greatest instinct is staying by their friends no matter what. So, who would know more about loyalty than the dog who's been with us through all the ups and downs of our lives."
That actually made a lot of sense. And if that was true, then this strange stallion was probably one of the nicest ponies who ever lived. "But what about the cat," Dash asked, "How can a cat be that funny?"
"You must not have the internet here," Garfield said as he sat on Pinkie's back and put his necklace around her neck.
"You're already the best burper in Equestria, Mr. Kitty," Pinkie said to the feline on her back, "But now you have an even bigger title to defend: Biggest, Bestest, Bearer of Laughter. And I don't think even you can beat me at that."
"I don't see you in over a thousand newspapers around the world," Garfield retorted.
Then, once again, a twinkling light appeared before Jon, catching the eye of all the bystanders. Never before was Jon so glad to see that portal again, for he knew exactly where it was going to take him.
"That's it, boys," Jon said to his pets, "We're going home now."
Home never sounded so good. But it was so sad, knowing that they may never see their new friends again.
"Must you really go so soon," Rarity asked Jon, "I think I'd like to get to know you better."
"I think they're needed back at their home," Applejack said to her.
"'Tis true," Luna affirmed, "For wherever there is harmony, there are those who need to maintain it."
"Farewell, Bearers from another land," Princess Celestia added, "We will never forget what you have done for us."
A single drop of sentiment appeared in each of the visitor's eyes. No longer were they ordinary folks from back home. They had a responsibility to uphold, and they were going to do the best they could to do it.
"Write me, won't you," Rarity whispered in Jon's ear before she rejoined her friends.
Jon had grown bolder in his travels, but no less dorkier, so he could only answer by letting his tongue go slack as he said, "Uh...huh-huh...'kay..."
Odie ran around and around Fluttershy, urging her to throw his dingleball for her before he left. "Okay, doggy. Just this once," she said as she took the ball and threw it for him.
The dog leapt, and caught the ball mid air before he ran back to her to throw it again. She said she would only throw it once, but how could she not do it again when it made him so happy?
"I'll never forget you, Mr. Kitty," Pinkie said as she hugged Garfield.
"Folks like you and me are unforgettable," Garfield said as he returned the hug.
"Hold it. I have something for you before you go," she said as she reached into her mane. After about a second, she produced an entire basked full of pastries, wrapped in cellophane, and tied up with a big, pink bow. "It's a goodbye dessert basket, so leaving can be just a little sweeter."
"But, nothing will get rid of its sour aftertaste," Garfield wondered.
"Oops! How'd this get in here," Pinkie asked as she took a fruitcake out of the basket and threw it against a wall, where it shattered like glass. Apparently not even the Princess of Pastries could fix that.
"Come on, boys," Jon said, "We really should go now."
"Yeah. There's so much to do now," Garfield said as he and Odie went to the portal with their belongings in hand. With one last goodbye, Jon, Odie and Garfield all walked through the portal, and back home.
The mares all watched as the portal closed with heavy hearts, and smiling faces.
"Is that sugar I smell," Celestia asked as she sniffed the air.
"HIT THE DIRT," Pinkie yelled as she jumped into a nearby trashcan.
The wind in Canterlot picked up slightly, until it lost its momentum, and left only the scent of sugary treats with no further troubles.
Back at the campsite in Indiana, a doorway opened in the middle of nothingness, and out stepped a dog, a cat, and their human owner. Jon was only too glad to be back on two legs.
It looked like no time had passed since they left, since it the sun was still just under the horizon, and the empty coffee pot was still sitting on the nearby tree stump. They all looked around the campsite, until Jon said, "You know, I think we can leave all this stuff here."
"Boy, you said it," Garfield agreed, as Odie nodded energetically.
"In fact: let's never go camping again."
"The man does have a brain!"
"Come on. Let's get back to the car."
They all walked down the forest path, for once looking forward to the coming day. A day where they would fulfill their new roles and responsibilities, and keep people smiling for years and years to come.