//------------------------------// // 34. // Story: 8-Bit Pony // by Dawn Flower //------------------------------// About two minutes after sending the letter, a wisp of green flame floated in through the open window, and coalesced into the response letter. Hearing the letter arrive, Twilight removed her hooves from her head and turned to see it lying beside her. Getting back up slowly, she then levitated the letter up to her face and started reading. As she continued reading, her slump started to fade and she brightened up a bit… just a bit. “It looks like Princess Celestia wants us to come to Canterlot right away. Let’s get going before someone says something and we get distracted by another…” She hesitated for a second before continuing, her left eye twitching slightly. “…something.” With that said, Twilight quickly shuffled out of the castle before they could respond, with the others following behind her. When they had all walked out of the castle, Black Mage, who was the last one out, suddenly spoke up. “Oh, one last thing before we go.” He then turned back towards the castle, and held his two hands together at his side, as a small light then began forming in his palms. “HADOKEN!” He yelled as he threw his two hands out in front of him, as the ball of light grew even bigger and turned into a huge beam that shot out directly in front of him, destroying everything in its path. The light from the beam was so bright that everyone gathered, minus Black Mage, had to shield their eyes. When the blast cleared, the Friendship Castle was gone, leaving only a giant crater in its wake. “Haha.” Black Mage laughed, triumphantly. “Black Mage: 6. Castles: …4.” When Twilight looked at the crater where her castle had once stood, she suddenly started to have flashbacks of her fight against Tirek, with her rage from then returning in full force. She then turned towards Black Mage with an angry look on her face, and her horn lit up, fully intending to kill, or at least seriously injure him. However, before she could take another step, there was suddenly a huge rumbling beneath their feet, and the next moment, another identical crystal castle suddenly popped up out of the ground, chiming like a cash register. Twilight and Black Mage both looked back at this incredible sight and their jaws dropped. “F-f-cheater.” Black Mage stuttered out. Fighter then suddenly appeared behind Black Mage. “Black Mage: 6. Castles: 5.” “Shut up.” Black Mage said to him, with only his eyes looking back to face him.