Chapter One: The Great and Powerful...
“Come on, I'm ready for 'em, let's get going!” Rainbow Dash yelled, landing before the group. In her excitement, she failed to notice the gash along her flank, earned from her bout with the final patrol squad.
“Darling, please,” Rarity said, “you're in no shape to take on Nightmare Moon.” She closed her eyes as her horn lit up with a familiar whitish glow. Before their eyes, the fresh gash sewed itself together, leaving no trace behind. Rarity’s priestly powers had come in handy during this assault on Nightmare Moon's foul Black Temple, even if her aversion to the fray and her reluctance to do anything but stitch up her friends hadn't.
Off to the left, Fluttershy finished recollecting her throwing knives, twenty-seven in all. She had one for each reason she was here. One knife for each of her friends that had fallen before the shadowy mare's forces. Applejack trotted up and dropped three sacks before the group.
“The patrolcolts were carrying these. Take a look inside, they may come in handy.” Applejack had her own reasons for being here too – she was here for Big Macintosh, who had personally requested her assistance with this fight. He wasn't able to come along, with his current health, but he was with her in spirit.
Pinkie Pie snatched a satchel and searched it for spoils. She procured a belt with numerous bottles strapped to it. Stripping them out, she analyzed the contents, sniffing and sipping on a few of them. “Looks like there's three magic elixirs, a bottle of poison, two bottles of cockatrice blood, and... an alligator?” She laughed. “Oh, that's just Gummy!” She passed the bottles around, and Fluttershy took the poison with a tender hoof.
Twilight snatched two of the blue magic elixirs and said, “Rarity, I'll need these. Rainbow and Pinkie, take the cockatrice blood.”
“Okie Dokie Lokie!” Pinkie exclaimed happily as she snatched the bottle.
“Drink those now. They will need a little while to take affect.”
Pinkie sniffed the blood and winced. She searched her leather saddlebags and procured a bag of sugar cubes. She dropped a few in, then burrowed through her bags again. After a while, she found a squiggly straw and stuck it in. She sipped it, and said, “Blegh! Needs more sugar!”
As Pinkie went about solving her sugar predicament, Applejack spoke up. “Nothin' else good in these bags, Twi. We'd best get ready to move on.”
“Good idea.” said the purple unicorn. She stood up, her simple cloak fluttering in the breeze. They were outside the doors to the upper spire of the Black Temple. “I think it's time for us to summon Akama. Rarity, are you ready?”
“I guess so,” Rarity sighed, putting away her hairbrush. “Who is this Akama fellow, anyway? I hope he likes my choice of dress. Is my makeup still okay? Ooh, I might need to put on a new hat, there's blood all over this one.”
“Rarity, we have a job to do!” Twilight snapped. Rarity shrunk back. “Look, I'm sorry. Let's just get this over with.”
The unicorns nodded, and their horns lit up. The magic energy swirled between them, and they strained to keep up. Finally, there was an explosion of energy, and a lone pony appeared before the group, doused in brilliant light.
As the group opened their eyes, it was made clear who this pony was. Not wanting there to be any doubt, she spoke up.
“Stand aside, peasants. I am the Great and Powerful Trix... Akama!” the blue mare stumbled over her introduction. “Now, let's discuss our strategy.”
“Umm, Akama..” Twilight spoke up, “We kinda already have a strategy. We just need your magic abilities to open the door.”
“Nonsense! The Great and Powerful Akama was fooled by the foul trickster Nightmare Moon, and she demands reckoning! Now, I will need some equipment.” She proceeded over to their bags, and burrowed through them. Moments later, she emerged in plate armor and the potion belt strapped to her forehead. Twilight thought, Maybe it would distract Nightmare for a moment or two.
“Now, let's proceed.” Rarity said, holding back laughter.
The group of seven prepared themselves. Rainbow Dash, the swift paladin; Fluttershy, the quiet rogue; Pinkie Pie, the hunter, and her loyal pet Gummy; Rarity, the dazzling priest; Applejack, the fearless warrior, and Twilight, their unwavering leader and arcane mage.
They all stood there, anxious to begin. It wasn't the first battle they fought, but it would prove the most challenging. Before their hooves, ten of Nightmare Moon's most powerful lieutenants had fallen. Now, they had pushed to the end, looking to end her evil reign over the Shadowmare Valley.
“Akama” nudged the door, and it creaked open. Twilight shook her head, thinking, I could have done that. “Alright, friends. Here, we make our final strike against impossible odds. Your talents must rise to their full potential here, else we are doomed to fail.” She charged up the dark stairs as lightning cracked around the temple.