It was the next morning when everything went wrong, Celestia didn't show up, instead, it was Nightmare Moon! Then Twilight rushed back to the library, me, Dashie, Flutters, Applejack, Rarity, and a pony named Pinkie followed her. I had left Scootoloo with Granny Smith.
"I don't know who you think you are.....or how you know that.....thing! But you better start talking!", Applejack questioned as Twilight went looking through her books.
"Applejack, calm down....", I said, putting my paw on her shoulder, "She's what you'd call an "obsessive compulsive" pony."
"Obsessive compulsive? I'm trying to save Equestria from eternal darkness! And you're telling everyone to calm down?!?", Twilight exclaimed, surprised at my remark.
"Twilight....remember what I said...."
"Yes, I know....'There's a thin line between being a hero, and being a memory'! But this is serious! Celestia is gone, and Nightmare Moon is going unleash eternal darkness! I need to find the Elements of Harmony! Which should be....according to this book, hidden in the old castle in the Everfree Forest! I must go! Spike, you stay here!", she blurted, very annoyed, slamming her book and putting Spike in his bed.
Spike didn't mind, he fell asleep on contact with his pillow.
"Well in that case, we'll come with you! You can't run off on your own in there!", Dashie smiled, flexing her wings.
"No! It's too dangerous! I need to go alone! I never needed friends, and I never will!", Twilight glared.
I didn't mind Scootoloo going berserk every now and then, but when grown mares are fighting, that's where I draw the line.
"ENOUGH!!!", I shouted, making everyone jump, "We're ALL going!!! And that's that!!!"
"But......", Twilight said.
"IT. IS. OVER. FINISHED. Now, follow me.", I snarled.
"You know where the old castle is?", Twilight asked.
Flutters smiled, "I wouldn't be surprised, Papa has experience, he knows just about everything!"
"Oh, Flutters.....you're making me blush....now let's go! Ummm.....have we met?", I smiled back, before the pink pony got in my face and started examining me.
"I'm Pinkie Pie! I work at Sugar Cube Corner! You may not have known who I was, but I know who you are!", the pink pony beamed, jumping up and down.
"Okay, let's go!", I said, leading to way to the forest.
An hour into the forest, everyone was talking to each other, except Twilight.
"Papa.....", Flutters asked, "How many times have you been in here?"
"Hmmm....only a couple of times, but I got lost in here when I was about Scoots's age, so I know this forest like the back of my paw.....Hey! That's new!", I replied, before looking at a scratch on my paw.
"Be careful, I read that some of the ground here is very unstable and could collapse at any moment.", Twilight pointed out, as we went around a cliff edge.
"Oh, please! You can't believe everything you...", I said, just as a section of ground collapsed underneath us.
Dashie, Flutters, and I were able to fly, leaving Rarity, Pinkie, Applejack and Twilight clinging on to a branch for dear life. Pinkie was mysteriously heavy for some reason, so it took Dashie and Flutters to pick her up, while I grabbed Rarity and we took them to the solid surface.
Applejack held on to Twilight's hoof, she then saw Dashie and Flutters hovering underneath, waiting to catch Twilight.
"Twilight! You've got to let go!", Applejack said.
"What? Are you insane?!?", Twilight screamed.
"Twilight! You'll be alright! I would never lie to you, or anyone else! You've got to trust me!", she urged, beginning to lose her grip.
Twilight really hated to, but she let go, Dashie and Flutters caught her, while I picked up Applejack. When we were all back on solid ground, we all released a sigh of relief.
"Corkscrew, darling, are you sure you know the way?", Rarity asked, as we started off again.
"Hey! Do you think my dad doesn't know the way? Or do you think he might lead us into another accident? Huh? Huh? Which is it?", Dashie said, defending me.
"Now, Dashie....", I said, putting my paws around both of them, "She has the right to question my authority. After all, I almost did get everyone splattered back there. Rarity, I can assure you that it's smooth sailing from here on out! We're going away from the cliffs now, so don't worry!"
As we walked through an open part of the forest, Twilight came up to me and asked, "Why did you do that?"
"Do what?", I asked back.
"Take all the blame for what happened back there, you could've blamed the ground, or ME for jinxing us and making the ground collapse underneath us. Why?", she replied.
I laughed, "It's what a father does, he takes responsibility for whatever happens to his children. Especially if he had a part in it. I led you all here, so I took responsibility, I take it upon myself to take care of you all, My Little Ponies...."
"Corkscrew, I appreciate the sentiment, but we have a LITTLE problem right now.....", Applejack said, as she pointed to a manticore, which Rarity and Dashie were fending off before Applejack joined them.
Twilight and Pinkie joined them. Flutters stayed behind, with a shocked look on her face.
"Papa.....I don't think it'll hurt us, I need to talk to it.....", she said, uncertainty in her voice.
"Are you sure?", I asked.
"I think it needs help, I've got to try....", she replied, mustering up what courage she had before walking towards it, as it flung Dashie and the others towards me.
They started running towards it again, but I stopped them.
"Corkscrew!?!? What are you doing? She'll get eaten alive?!?", Applejack exclaimed, looking at me with fear in her eyes.
"She knows what she's doing.....", I said, hoping deep down in my gut that she did know.
The manticore growled at her, before Flutters said quietly, "Do you need help?"
It whimpered, to our surprise, and showed her a thorn in its paw.
"Oh my.....let me get that out.....it's gonna hurt, so be ready....", she cooed, before she pulled it out, making the manticore roar!
But, instead of eating her, it grabbed her and pulled her into a hug, licking her.
"See? She has a way with animals....", I smiled, as Flutters jumped into my arms.
"Papa! Did you see? I did it!!", she beamed, reminding me of when she first started playing the drums.
"Yes, I saw you. I'll always love you, My Little Flutters...", I smiled, "Always....let's keep moving..."