The Librarian, And The Next Generation Of Friendship!

by The_Whovian16

Chapter 2

-----&-----

“Oohhh... Yona think. She going to be sick...”

“Ugh. She better look away from me then!”

Gallus groaned softly as he picked his head up, his friends shouting not helping his head. There was a stupidly loud ringing in his ears as he climbed up off of whatever soft thing just broke his fall. Looking down, he found it was a mound of pink feathers, and a cute beak. “Silver?” He winced and put a claw to his head before reaching out with the same claw to help her up.

“Gallus? Oooww.. My head hurts.” She grumbled, before gently accepting his claw as she looked around.

Smolder was pushing Yona off of her quickly, rolling the rather green faced Yak to the side. Sandbar was trying not to get Yak-rolled, and Ocellus was floating above the group, already buzzing around in a busy manner with a terrified look on her face. Something that was uncommon for the usually calm and collected Ling. “Ocellus? What are you doing?”

“Counting.” Ocellus said quietly, before sinking in low to the ground, her tail tucked between her legs.

“Counting?” Smolder snorted and rolled her eyes as she dusted herself off. “Counting what?”

“The Creatures. The Creature’s in hoods.” Ocellus explained, before motioning with a hoof around them.

Surrounding the children, were a number of creatures they couldn’t identify the species of. Four legged at least, all wearing red- no. Crimson cloaks, with lavender stripes, and adorned with different colored feathers. “Seventy Nine.” Ocellus said calmly, as she looked out through the... strange Crystal shards that were surrounding them. They had formed a pyramid like shape, floating around the students in a very purposeful shape and design, held in place by a very powerful magical field. “I count seventy nine, each with a different variety of bird feathers draped on their cloaks.”

“Bird Feathers?” Gallus and Silver asked, before looking to each other, then back to their information hub.

“Alright, so some ornithologists kidnapped us.” Smolder said, cracking her neck some as she walked over to the edge of the cage and grabbed onto the shards of crystal, and gave them a small tug. “Big. Whoop! Rrhh!”

Ocellus actually blinked and looked back over to Smolder for a moment, raising an eyebrow. She was less amazed by her attempts to pull open the cage, and more so with her correctly knowing what an ornithologist was off the top of her head.

“Hmm, impressive vocabulary, however. I am afraid you are wrong in that belief. We are not ornithologists...”

All eyes turned around to see whom had said that, and watched as the sea of cloaked figures began to spread themselves apart with shimmering cloaks, and reveal a tall figure approaching. He was a griffon, pale grey feathers upon his head- a bald eagle, mixed with some kind of jaguar or lanky cat. His was a thin frame, with a nearly skeletal face cheeks shrunken into his skull. He wore a dark grey suit that matched none of the other’s attire. He was prim and proper, with a old gothic styling about him, not unlike something unholy.... Olde, with the ‘e’ but not “Olden.” He was just that right amount to be perturbed and a little scary. He wore no glasses, and made no attempts to hide his face under a cloak like all of those around him. He walked with a thick cane in claw, black wood with a silver pointed tip, and gave the children a most ‘pleased’ look that sent shivers down their spines. “We are Cultists~” He corrected quickly enough, giving a chuckle.

“Oh, great. Cuz that’s sooo much better.” Smolder grumbled, crossing her arms as she took a step back from the wall.

Gallus raised an eyebrow at the older griffon, examining him top to bottom. He hadn’t seen this guy before, and he was pretty sure he had seen enough of the Griffon elite to recognize them. “Who are you?” He asked slowly.

The griffon turned to look at him, giving a small chuckle, before shaking his head. “We are no one. No one that matters to you.” He then turned his head to the side and tapped his staff on the ground loudly. “Begin the ritual.”

Six cultists suddenly stepped out from around the room, each bringing up items on a red velvet pillow, and setting them before the pyramid like structure. They were... strange relics- relics that the children couldn’t quite place. A book bound in stitches and black leather. A bright red spear with a golden tip, feathers tied to the head of it. A wooden flute made of hollowed bark, with a skull carved into its head, sat beside a golden jewel encrusted sheath of a sword- though notably lacking in a blade. A lantern that flickered as it was faced towards them, and a shield with a laughing dragon on its front.

Then they pulled out a can of red paint, and... a pair of hooves gently grabbed ahold of the brush.

“Is that... a pony?” Yona asked, looking through squinting eyes at the cultist. He stopped and looked up to them for a moment in brief fear.

The griffon stamped his cane upon the ground again, and turned to look at him. “Get. To it.” He told the pony, glaring at him, before turning back to the children. The pony nodded swiftly and went back to painting the ground, creating a large circle around the Pyramid.

Smolder sniffed the air for a moment, and gave a small lick of her lips. “That doesn’t smell like paint...” She muttered, watching the pony work.

“Correct my dear Carnivore.” The griffon said, in an unpleasant tone. He had some type of accent the children could recognize, though a few agreed it sounded very ‘posh’ which only added to their growing dislike for him. “That is not paint~”

“Then what is... Eewwww!” Silver gagged and turned away as she realized what it was. As did Yona and Sandbar a few seconds later. “That’s disgusting! Where did you get that stuff?!”

“Klugetown actually.” He admitted, giving a small chuckle as he rubbed his claws lightly on his jacket. “They sell it quite cheaply there- a whole ten gallons for just two bits. Rather good deal~”

“Okay- what’s going on!?” Sandbar asked, looking away from the pony painting around their pyramid prison. “Why are we here?! What do you guys want from us?”

“From you?” The Griffon gave a soft smirk, walking right up to the painted line as he leaned in close. “We want nothing from you. This is completely impersonal, you all just so happen to be a roadblock in our plans. So, we are going to just seal you away for a short time, until our plans are done. Simple as that.”

“Seal us away?” Yona asked, looking very confused.

The Griffon chuckled and bowed his head slightly to them, enjoying this just a little too much. "Forgive me, did I say you? I meant your magic~"

But Ocellus gasped as she was looking around, buzzing. “.... Oh my gosh! This- ... This is Cozy Glow’s spell!” She said, looking around very worried now- as the other children all freaked out briefly and took note of the familiar painting on the ground.

“Hmm, with a few key differences.” The Griffon joked, before the ponies with paint cans stepped back and away. “For one, we aren’t targeting all of the magic in the world. Just the magic in the cage.” He stated, before gently setting down his cane as he walked forward another step.

“Wait- in the cage?” Silver blinked and looked around to them. “But- there’s no magic in here! Just... us.” She admitted, sounding very confused as she motioned between them all.

At that. The griffon held his claw over the freshly painted circle, and laughed deeply. Oh, it was a deep and revealing laugh, giving way to the amusement he found in her ignorance. “Ehahahaahaahaa! Oh, that’s precious~” He said softly, before shaking his head. “You don’t even know what you’ve become, do you?” When the children only gave him more confused looks he smiled and shook his head. Then stomped his claw upon the ground as a yellowish energy crackled from his claws and across the blood, giving it power. “Hmf... Too bad then. I suppose none of you will ever know what it is you were meant to be.” He then pulled himself back, as the reaction began to take hold.

“Oohh Goddess...” A soft voice called out from the distance. It began softly like a gospel hymn, one person, calling out in the farthest corner. But the effect it had was like a ripple, echoing across the cavernous room a few moments later.

“Oh Goddess...” The whole group began to call out, all of the hooded figures lifting their heads up, their eyes towards the ceiling. The Children turned to look around them as the “not-paint” on the ground began to boil and bubble, crackling with yellow electricity.

“Ohh Goddess! ... Give us your gaze!~ We sing for you in our hour, to give us the power... To take all we see unfit, and raze~”

“Oh Goddess...” The electricity arched upwards and struck out, lashing at the sides of the circle, causing a number of cultists to step back. Before then turning upon the velvet pillows, and the artifacts that sat upon them.

At this point, the Children were freaking out a little. The Artifacts began to rise around them and become encased in fields of energy like those they had seen not but a few months ago- before striking the crystal pyramid they all were trapped within. They screamed and ducked in cover, assuming the worst... but. They were surprised to find that the crystal walls seemed to protect them from the powers. Glowing brightly with rainbow hues.

The pale griffon outside laughed and shook his head. “Amazing. Even now, it still resists.” He muttered, watching as the pyramid (the device that summoned them to this place) was somehow still alive, and trying to protect the children. “Stubborn still, I see! Even after Sombra crushed you, and turned you into nothing but fractured pieces.” He called out, walking around it slowly, before snorting as he stared at the pyramid. He had been the one to devise the prison they sat in, so to have it defend them was annoying. “But, to be expected I suppose. It wouldn’t let itself simply die and be done with.”

“Th-That’s right!” Yona called out, assuming she was talking to them. She stared at the griffon, speaking in defiance as she was the first to get to her hooves. “Y-You can’t just t-take away our friendship! Yak is stubborn- but Friends are more so!”

Sandbar smiled up at her, and nodded before he got to his hooves and stood beside her. “Yona’s right. You don’t scare us- you or your magic stealing power! We’ve got something you can’t beat, or take away from us.” He said, looking back to Ocellus and Gallus, whom slowly smiled and joined him, flying over him and Yona.

Silver took her spot as well, standing beside Sandbar. Smolder took the clue and joined in as well, standing on the other side of Yona as she grinned smugly. “Unlike you jerks, we’ve got Friendship on our side. And we know how to use it~” She pointed out.

To this the Griffon could only take a step back for a moment, worry growing on his face. “Oh. Oh no, you’ve... you’ve Mastered friendship?” He asked swiftly, looking from side to side with a small amount of panic as he picked up his cane again.

CRACK!

The Crystal before them all cracked and shattered briefly, the magical barrier holding together around the black and silver tipped cane, before the Griffon laughed. The children jumped back a bit, Sandbar nearly getting hit in the head by that thing if Yona hadn’t shoved him back. “Oh, you are simply adorable!” The Griffon called out, before laughing. Loudly. It was a far more sinister laugh than his first one, and made the Children reel back in confusion. “Really? Your friendship is so strong- do you not realize what’s happened? Your source of POWER is being drained!” He called out, motioning to the artifacts around them.

To their confusion, the children could see that the artifacts around them were floating higher now, the electricity arching off of the rainbow magic that was defending them slowly draining the rainbow power of color. It was taking on the power itself, which was alarming in it’s own right, as Ocellus studied the area. “It’s- syphoning off the Magic? From the-”

“The Remains of the Tree of Harmony- yes yes. That’s correct.” The Griffon told her. “So go ahead!~ By all means, use what little of the Magic the Tree has bestowed upon you left. It’s consciousness has lived on in those shards, and in all of you- once the magic of the tree is gone from this world, and gone from you, there is nothing that can stop us~” He told them, before laughing again, much less threateningly now as he turned away and held out his claw. The Cane swiveled and spun in the crystal, before returning back a moment later as he smiled. “Best not to lose that, before it gets sucked in as well.” He muttered. “Now. Children? Do be good little bratz and accept your fate~ I promise, things will go much smoother if you-" -thunk- “-do~” He said, before he paused to blink. He looked confused at first as his head turned from side to side. “... Strange. I coul-”

-thunk-

He stopped in his tracks and looked about. That noise was quiet- very quiet over the singing hymns going on around him, and the crackling of power and electricity before him. But it was still loud enough for him to make out. “What’s that noise?” He asked out loud, before turning around.

-thunk thunk!-

“No, no... that’s not it.” A soft whisper drifted across the charged air, followed by another set out loud thunking noises. -thunk thunk thunk!- “No! No no, that’s also screwed on... Common, which one of you isn’t- WOW!”

Suddenly, all eyes turned to look up, the ominous choir stopping their chant mid song. High up above, one of the ventilation shafts were kicked open by a hoof- and a blue figure fell out from the ceiling, falling towards the lage crystal structure in the middle of the room. “Woowww!-” A stallion turned and landed face first onto one of the four broadsides of the pyramid. He quickly began to slide but managed to quickly get his hooves underneath him as he somehow stood up. “Wow nelly! Steep incline there huh?” He asked, laughing as he looked about his surroundings.

He was a tall earth pony stallion. Lanky, though fit looking. He wore a tweed sweater-vest, with a red bowtie, a nice cream yellow undershirt beneath it. A pair of thick, square, blacked rimmed glasses sat upon his large bridge of a snout. On either side were a pair of brilliant green eyes, which popped against his cornwall blue coat. Brown wavy hair all messed about, not a brush to be found, with a bright yellow Questionmark on his flanks, hidden within the eye of a camera. His smile faltered briefly as he turned to face the entire group set before him- a whole division of a cult.

“Oh. Oh wow. Uh. Alright, apparently this is not the little colts room.” He muttered briefly, before giving a small chuckle and a wave. “Greetings everyone! Haha, sorry! Sorry for dropping in your little ritual! Don’t mind me...” He sounded young- not the students age, but he certainly couldn’t have been any older than Professor Rainbow Dash at least. His wave nearly cost him his footing, making him stumble a bit and slowly slide down a little more. “Wowow!~” He looked down and steadied himself once more, before noticing the creatures within the pyramid he stood upon. “Wow. Uh. Hello there.” He muttered, looking around for a moment.

“What the heck. Who are you?!” Gallus called out, looking out towards the crowd who had stopped singing at this point in befuddlement.

“Uh, No Body!” The stallion responded, smiling to the griffon as he looked back up to the group. “Nobody important! You kids alright, you’re looking a little stuck.”

Yona’s eyes were slowly growing bigger as she looked up to this stallion, her face turning into this hopefully optimistic stare. Recognition, mixed with a smile that could only be compared to a beam of sunlight breaking through on a cloudy day. Sandbar took note of this, looking a little confused at first and would have reached out-

“You!” The griffon screamed from outside the circle, flapping his wings as he took to the air to be on an eye level with this stallion. “You no good, nosey little-”

“Gulaque!~” The stallion called out, gasping in surprise like he was greeting an old friend. “You certainly look well for a 900 year old bird! Your feathers are still in place- how goes the hunt for a good toupe?~” He asked, laughing as he walked up the pyramid carefully, managing to hook an arm around the top.

The griffon just growled at him though and was about to take flight, before someone called out below him. “My Lord! You can’t!” ‘Gulaque’ stopped mid dive and turned to look back to the welp who had stopped him, before he looked down to where said servant was pointing. The circle. He snorted and pulled back, glaring at the pyramid and the stallion whom now sat upon it.

The stallion raised an eyebrow and slowly grinned. “Oh? What’s this now... You can’t enter something?” He asked, before looking about his immediate surroundings.

“It’s a spell!” Ocellus called out. “A Ritual Spell, like the one Cozy Glow used to suck all of the magic out of Equestria! Only-”

“Only it’s been modified to affect a localized area- namely one with a strong magical structure, based in geometry to oppose the natural chaos of the magical flow.” The stallion said, grinning a moment later as he looked around. This of course got a confused look out of all the kids within the pyramid, except for the still smiling Yak. “Nice, nice, alright! So then why is the power dying down?” He muttered.

“What?” Silver turned to the side and looked out, pressing her head against the crystal. The electricity was still arching out from the paint around them, however, it looked a bit different now. “What do you mean?”

“Look! It’s dying out.” He pointed out, hopping over to the other side. “See how it’s growing dimmer? The Spell is dying out, so why? It should be self sustaining what with the....” he paused and looked down. “I want to say the Remains of the Tree of Harmony, and six Elemental Bearer’s within it’s spell matrix? So what gives?”

“Ohh Goddess!”
“Oh Goddess!”

Everyone looked up to see the crowd around them singing once more. Like a Choir of the dreadful souls of Tartarus itself, their tones picked back up in tune and volume quickly. The blue stallion turned and looked around, before slowly grinning. “Aaahh... So that’s why.” He muttered, then gave a chuckle as he looked back down to the kids. “So you all are trapped in there then? Stuck? Unable to escape?~”

Smolder snorted and crossed her arms. “Yeah. We can’t use any of our Friendship Magic, or else it’ll just make things worse!”

“Is that what he told you?~” He asked, before chuckling as he looked up. “Is that what you told them Gulaque?~”

The Griffon just stared and snarled with his beak quivering angrily, before calming himself as he straightened his tie.

The Stallion’s grin turned all kinds of annoyingly playful and confident. “Hehaahhaa... Alright! So what’s your game then?” He asked, slowly getting a better grip as he hugged the Pyramid on both sides.

“Uh- hey! Dude!” Gallus called out, flying up to him. “Shouldn’t you be helping us get out!?”

“In a minute!” He told Gallus. “For now, just think of a good song. I need to talk with the Griffon in the Monkey Suit.”

“But, if you stay in the circle with us, your magic will be affected too!” Ocellus called out.

“Ehh, don’t worry too much about me and my magic. I’ll be fine, I don’t technically have any.” The stallion admitted, before giving a small shrug.

Gallus blinked in confusion, looking back to the others, before looking back to him. ‘Think of a good song?’ “Is this guy crazy?” He asked, floating back down.

“No magic?” Ocellus muttered, before looking back to Sandbar who was equally confused. “But. That’s impossible.”

“Many things are.” The stallion admitted, smirking deviously on one side as he stood up. “Right Gulaque?~ Many things are impossible, like designing the perfect spell to entrap and ensnare all of the hope for a better world! Attempting to seal it away with a single spell! That's VERY impossible, but that doesn't stop others from trying!~"

The Griffon on the sidelines snorted at him as the singing grew behind him. He seemed displeased with the mockery of a stallion. “You have no idea... Thankfully, I know my design to be quite solid! There’s nothing you can do to save them, or stop this process!” He told the stallion.

“Oh, is that so?~” He asked, looking around, and carefully slid his way down the side of the pyramid. “You think I can’t undo what you’ve done?! Let’s see what you’re working with...” He muttered, stopping himself from touching the ground as he looked to the Artifacts floating around them. He gently fiddled with his glasses, straightening them as he squinted. “So! We have The Journal of Queen Chrysalis, The Shield of Hunter Hellfire. The Spear of Serenity, The Lantern of Shadows. The Flute of... Death?" He asked out loud, before his eyes fell upon the sheath that floated beside it. He turned and looked over to Gulaque with a strange and almost angry look. “... Avalon?”

Gulaque gave a chuckle and shrug. “A personal relic from my own collection.” He admitted, taking in that deliciously angry look the stallion was giving him.

Smolder frowned, seeming more confused by the second. “... I don’t get it.” She said, looking back to the others. “That’s all just a bunch of junk right?”

Ocellus though, spoke up. “Uhhh. No. I don’t think it is just, ‘junk.’ T-The Journal of Queen Chrysalis? That’s said to contain all of her spells, spells she stole from the most powerful wizards in history. Not to mention the secrets of the most prestigious and resourceful kingdoms of the last 9 Centuries-”

“11 Centuries, actually.” The stallion corrected. “It’s been on my list for quite a while. Been meaning to find that.”

Smolder seemed impressed with that actually. “... Uh... Well- what about the Spear? That’s just someone’s spear right? Couldn’t be too bad-”

“The Spear of Serenity is the most cursed weapon to be seen by any member of Royalty.” Silverstream muttered. “I know it because it killed my Great Great Great Great Grandma In Seaquestria!”

“It’s been used in a number of revolts and rebellions against royalty over the last 500 years, and has been the cause of a few even before that.” The stallion stated, sitting up a bit more. “It’s responsible for a number of murders in multiple royal courts, before eventually finding its way into Seaquestria- likely when it was chucked into the ocean by Celestia after an attempt on her life... It was the only weapon that ever left a permanent scar upon her body. Said to be able to kill even an alicorn...”

Yona took a step back as she looked to the other things around them, now worried. “.... Lantern.” She stated, before pointing to it. “Lantern of Shadows! It-It comes from old Folktale in Yak-Yakistan of mad-leader of tribe who created armies from a cursed Lantern! Armies made of shadows of dead yak warriors who he killed!”

“But-But what about the recorder?” Sandbar asked. “And the scabbard thingy?”

“The Flute of Death!” The Blue stallion turned around, quickly climbing back up. “Created by an Occult Hermit Unicorn, it's said to be one of four he carved into being, each one for the appropriate Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The flute was said to be made of the unholiest materials, to ensure that Death’s touch would be broadcasted through it, and is also where we get the phrase "Instrument of Death" from. Any who hear it are immediately killed, their hearts and minds lulled into eternal peace by it’s eerie tune. It rots flesh and kills all living matter. I originally came for it- well. Not exactly.” He then dropped the subject, and turned and looked to the ‘scabbard’ last, watching as the extravagant sheath slipped just out of his reach a few feet away.

“... and that, is Avalon... Sheath of the Legendary Sword, Excalibur.” He stated softly, turning to look back to Gulaque. “The Sheath of the sword used by King Grover, capable of healing any wound or ailment. It was created by the famous Wizard in history, Starswirl the Bearded himself. When Grover lay dying upon his deathbed, needing it the most... Avalon was nowhere to be found. Likely stolen to ensure the King’s final breaths.” He said softly, before his eyes slowly rose up to meet Gulaque. “... It's disappearance brought about the end of the Golden Era of the Griffon Empire.”

The student six all turned and looked to each of these items, feeling an ominous fear crawling up their backs. They each had a dark history behind them, and yet, all having some kind of connection to them.

However, Gallus was the one who broke the silence that clung to them, turning up to look at the stallion who seemed impossibly informed. “How... Do you know all of this?”

The oddly dressed stallion turned to look down at the group, his ever present smile growing in confidence and courage. He notably took notice of the Yak staring back at him hopefully, and gave a small chuckle. “Because. I’m The Librarian.” He told them swiftly, adjusting his bowtie with a hoof.

Gallus raised an eyebrow slowly, before shaking his head. “Yep. He’s crazy. We’re doomed.”

“No! We’re okay!” Yona reaffirmed, grinning from ear to ear as her tail wagged back and forth behind her. “Trust him!"

“Trust him?!” Ocellus asked. “He’s insane! He just fell from the ceiling and dodged landing on the sharp end of a pyramid! How can he save us- he doesn’t even have any magic!?”

“Huh-Ooh! Magic Shmagic! I don’t need to possess any to get you out of this!” The Librarian said, before hopping down the walls once more and grinning as he reached out before he hit the ground, grabbing the wooden flute with the skull carved into it. “Gulauqe! I should inform you that you’ve made a VERY BIG mistake with your design!~” He said, grinning brightly as he climbed back up the pyramid before anyone could get him again.

Gulauqe angrily squaked at him as he got to his feet. “You wouldn’t DARE!” He shouted suddenly. “That will kill everyone here! Including the Children! And if there is one thing I know about you Librarian, it’s that you are too weak of will to kill anyone!” He said, smirking slowly as he floated above, that ominous singing still ringing around them in the cavernous like structure. “No matter the cause... So give up! Don’t pretend like you will play that.”

“Correct! I’d never play the Flute of Death, especially not with the intent to kill anyone.” The Librarian said, grinning brightly as he looked back to the crowd of curious and worried onlookers. The magic was still flowing into the flute for a moment, coursing... past his hoof and into the pyramid still. Ocellus seemed to stare in awe for a moment, studying the phenomena. “But that’s where your mistake comes in! I came here tonight to collect a particular artifact- this one in fact!” He said, holding up the flute.

“...” The Griffon gave a confused look for a moment, before suddenly growing wide eyed.

“Kids, cover your ears.” He told them all quietly, before standing up, holding the flute to his lips carefully. The Children immediately took to his advice and covered their own ears as he took position. “The Flute of Death is rumored to be made out of stone and metal, materials Death has no domain over! Materials that do not wither away under her touch! This therefore, cannot be the Flute of Death. It isn’t the "Flute of Wrath," she strikes me more as a heavy-metal kind of mare, and Conquest is more into brassy, victorious kind of instrument." He admitted, chuckling like he knew these fellows. "So, by process of elimination! This must be... The Flute of Pestilence!” He declared, before giving it a quick blow.

Gulaque turned around, and tried to cover his ears in time- before the loud sound of a whistle came blasting around them, the power coursing through the artifact already rebounding off the stone walls and growing in strength as it reached the farthest corners of this stone structure.

Like a wave of air pressure, there was silence preceding the note he played, bringing out a small noise from the back... “cough.” Then, another. “cough!.. caug-” Until it began to spread outwards like a plague, from the front to the back.

The cloaked figures all began to cough uncontrollably, feelings of vertigo and delirium passing through their minds. Fevers began to fester, warts and boils began to grow across their pelts. An irritated throat began to ring loudly through their ears bringing the choirs singing to an end.

The Librarian began to struggle from on top of the pyramid, feeling a sense of nausea rolled over him. Hanging on for a moment, he slowly let himself go and slide down the side, rolling onto his feet when he hit the bottom. “Uuuugh- that’s. That’s not good.” He grumbled, before seeing the golden scabbard pass over his head. He turned slowly and grabbed it as boils began to grow on his face- before slowly bringing as he shuddered and held the sheath close to his chest. Just as quickly as they began to appear, they began to disappear as well, making him turn and smile towards the children as he now sat on much sturdier ground. “Oof! Much better!”

The children all slowly lifted their heads off of the ground taking in the noise and ‘cacoughony’ of wretches going on behind him. Then slowly looked back to this stallion before them, who was grinning brightly right back, like nothing was wrong. “So, who’s ready to start singing?” He asked the six of them, smiling enthusiastically.

“.... What!?” They all asked him in unison. It was unquestionable at this point, there was something clearly wrong with this stallion.

“Y-You just created a PLAGUE!” Ocellus shouted.

“Only a small one.” The Librarian responded. “And fast acting, so I suggest you start singing soon.”

“Why!?” Smolder interjected. “Why would we need to sing?!”

“To take over the spell of course!” He pointed out, before giving a chuckle. “Didn’t you notice?! They were charging the spell with their energy via chanting- Vocalizing their magic! Musical Magic! It’s not very powerful magic, but when combined with six magical Artifacts, the husk of a pillar of the universe, and a strong enough will emotionally leading the song, it creates a megaspell! Unlike Cozy Glow’s, it’s much faster charging, so instead of a few days, this one works in a few minutes- they've charged it mostly but it's not reached its peak yet!” He called out, quickly snatching up the shield from the floating artifacts and scratching away at the ground around the Pyramid.

“Wait- but if we charge it, aren’t we going to just end up sucking our own magic out still?” Ocellus asked.

“Not if I change the markings on the ground!” He said, creating long grooves with the shield’s tip. “Thankfully, this paint is pretty thick and wet! If I create small enough grooves it should leak in like water leaks into a crack on a sidewalk!”

The children all turned to look at him in utter shock. Then they turned to look at each other, thinking the same thing at that exact moment.

“Well. What have we got to lose?” Gallus asked, before shrugging slightly. “Anyone know a good song?”

“Oh! OH! I do!” Silverstream called out, grinning brightly. “I’ve had this song stuck in my head ALL DAY since I woke up! Professor Pinkie Pie taught it to us when she was talking about throwing a party for her friend Colgate!”

“Perfect! The catchier, the better!” The Librarian called out. “The music creates a feedback loop in the mind if it’s catchy enough, basically doubling the-”

Du-du-deh Deh-deh-deh-DuhDuh!

The Music began from out of nowhere, as Silver began to sing with the bob of her head. “When I’m feeling lonely! Sad as I can be!”

Gallus groaned and faceclawed. “Oh Grover no... Please no.”

Silver grabbed him by the shoulders and put her head into his as she continued to sing. “All by myself, an uncharted Island in an endless sea!~”

“You know what, I think I’d rather have my magic sucked out of me.” Smolder stated, turning around and yelling at the cultists. “HEY! WE GIVE UP!”

“Guuuyyyss! Common!” Silver begged. “This’ll be fuuunnn!”

A groan surfaced from the other 5 members of the student body, before Sandbar, ever the pragmatic swallowed his pride. “... What makes me happy.”

“Fills me up with Glee!” Yona called out, smiling as she soon bobbed her head to the beat.

With a roll of her eyes, Smolder added; “Those bones in my jaw, don’t have a flaw- my shiny teeth and me.”

“My Shiny Teeth that twinklllleee! Just like the stars in spaaaacceee!” Silver proclaimed. “My Shiny Teeth that sparkle, adding beauty to my faaacccee!”

“My Shiney Teeth that Glisten! Just like a Hearthswarming Tree!” Ocellus picked up, flying up beside Silverstream.

“You know they’ll walk a mile, just to see me smile.” Gallus chimed, snapping his claws to the beat. “My Shiny Teeth and me~”

“Shiny Teeth, Shiny Teeth!” Sanbar and Yona sang.

MEANWHILE, The Librarian could only laugh to himself as he worked, hearing the music begin to worm it’s way around the room. Within the Pyramid, it echoed very little, but what managed to break it’s way out past the magical seals was echoing off the walls very loudly. It began to bounce around as he continued dragging long lines in the ‘paint’ and away towards the pyramid, still holding the flute and scabbard under one arm each. “That’s it guys! Keep going!” He called out. “Just keep Singing!”

Outside the circle, Gulaque was coughing and hacking away, trying to pick himself up as he could barely focus. He snorted and growled as he tried to push himself upright, feeling his magic slowly returning him to his physical peak. However, the Flute’s own magic was powerful, and hard even for an immortal to simply brush off. He turned towards the Pyramid, and slowly managed to get a grip on his cane. “... you...” He whispered in a raspy voice.

The Librarian looked up at him, giving a small smirk as the crimson paint’s yellow crackling slowly began to fade, the boiling blood look it had about it gently settling down. “.... Me?~” He asked him playfully.

Gulaque snarled carefully and tried to pull himself into a standing position, but his gut nearly emptied its contents onto the ground as a result. He held his beak shut and turned away, making The Librarian give a small wince. “Oooh... That’s not good.” He muttered, before he continued to carve away at the ground. “You know- maybe you should see a doctor about that?~”

Gulaque turned to look back at him with bloodshot eyes and an outreached fist- but his body wretched as he was made to turn away again, the sickness hitting him hard.

----

“My Shiny Teeth so Awesome! Just like your favorite soooonnngg!”
“Shiny Teeth! Shine-Shiny Teeth!”

“My Shiny Teeth I floss ‘em, so they grow to be real strooooonngg!”
"Shine-Shiny Teeth! She's got really Shiny Teeth!”

Silverstream and Ocellus were singing carelessly to the wind, while Sanbar, Smolder, Gallus and Yona were all providing the backup and chorus underneath them.

“That’s it Kids! Just a little more!” The Librarian called out, before grunting as he finished carving up the dirt and stone beneath him. The paint began to trickle through the cracks he had chipped into the ground and made for a quick series of continuous lines that grew towards the pyramid. “Hmm... Alright- good enough!” He called out, before taking the artifacts he was holding onto and throwing them up into the air. Then he turned around and quickly scurried up the side of the pyramid. Just as the red paint began to turn a strange lavender hue, small sparkles slowly flying above it.

“Alright- Time for the Finale!” He told them, tapping on the crystal. “Show-Stopper time! Bring us Home!” He told them, grinning brightly and laughing slightly at the absurdity of their choice in song. He shook his head. “Ugh, I won’t get that out of my head for another decade at least...”

“You got it!~” Silver called up to him, before grabbing Ocellus as she dropped down to be with their friends. “My Shiny Teeth- I LOVE THEM, and they all Love meeee!”
“Aaah-aahh-ahh~”
“Why should I talk to you when I’ve got thirty two! WOW! My Shiny Teeth and me.”
“Shiny Teeth, Shiny Teeth!”
“My Shiny Teeth and meeeeee!”
“Shiny Teeth Shiny Teeth!”

The arching magic that was previously attacking the pyramid structure swiftly began to vanish. A strange set of dancing lights began to slowly grow from the ring of lavender energy like a lit fuse on a firework, before exploding forth in a quickly made blaze. The Pyramid was suddenly struck by a beam of white light, on all four sides. Six separate lights streamed into the crystal structure, causing the magical energies that were giving it structure to slowly bind the crystal together into a more ‘Solid’ feature once more.... Slowly, symbols began to glow on the pyramid, where each light struck it, turning a different color when it was reflecting....

Pink Balloons.
Blue Lightning.
Yellow Butterflies.
Orange Apples.
White Diamonds.
And a Purple Star.

Suddenly, the lights striking the pyramid turned and converged onto the Circle surrounding it- throwing up a MASSIVE Rainbow Bolt of Energy into the sky. It smashed through the ceiling, sending dust and debris everywhere around them. The Ceiling began to crumble, and the underground colosseum was bathed in bright, purifying light. Their world became solid and warm before they all felt it leave them....

Leave them alone, and in the dark. No Artifacts. No Pyramid. No Children... And No Librarian~

Author's Note:

As always, comments would be appreciated!