Chapter X: Snakes in the Grass
Trixie
"There is nothing like a hot bath to make a pony feel great," I said walking to the throne room door when I heard someone talking.
"What do you mean you flew away?" Vlad asks clearly upset. A voice responds in a strange language. "You are ghosts you're already dead!"
"Yeah but that doesn't mean we like getting blown to bits," another voice answered. I could tell that just talking to whoever is there was stressing him out. "Look if you want….," before anything else could be said a strange green creature was thrown through the door.
Plasmius massages his temples as he catches sight of me. "What is it Ms. Lulamoon?" he says as I walk inside.
"I just wanted to let you know Twilight and her friends are coming," he glares at me his eyes glowing with power. "Don't worry I have set some delight…," a beeping noise came from his belt. "
"CHEESE DOODLES MY HOUSE!" he yells teleporting out of the room.
I sit down on the throne. "He's lucky I am here. Plasmius maybe wearing the amulet but it's my genius that runs this place." I look up at my hat and frown. "This is not proper head dress for an empress." I had had it for years and was showing its age.
I use my powers to summon a changeling to the room. "You, go find Trixie something fitting to wear." It looks at me strangely. "Did you not hear Trixie? I want a crown!" I scream as the bug races out the room faster than lightning.
Dani
"Is everyone okay?" I ask landing Applejack, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy on the first ledge. The yellow pegasus is trembling like a leaf. "What's wrong?" I ask her worriedly.
"I was fine until that third tree came out of nowhere," she said terrified. I assured that the worst part was over and that she should focus on helping her friends. She collected herself for a moment and sighed. "You're right Dani, Equestria needs us."
I was about to go ask Danny something when I heard something. "What was that?" I follow the sound to an old tree. "There's…," I feel something around my ankle. I look down and see a vine wrap around my legs. I try to phase out of them but something is blocking my powers. "Not to…," another wraps around my wrist preventing me from cutting free.
I try break free but everything I do seems to make the vines tighten more. Others start wrapping my waist and chest and pull me away somewhere. I try to move but fall down on my face. "Da…," I call out before one wraps around my mouth and am pulled into the darkness
Rainbow Dash
"Finally," I say unwrapping the glowing ropes from my body. That is the last time I let those humans convince me to do something.
"Has anyone seen Danielle?" Twilight asked looking around for her. The other looks around calling her name. "She couldn't have gotten too far. We better find her before we go any further." She orders each of us to go in a different direction and report back when we find her.
"I'll…go search this way," I walk over to a nearby tree to relax for a bit. "She'll pop…," I hear someone call my name. "Who's there?" I walk over to a bush as Scootaloo pops up. "Scoots what are you doing here?" I ask her.
"That's not important Dash. I have message from Dr. Hooves," she hands me a small note. It says that humans are not to be trusted. "The doctor was able to take care of the girl but we still need to get the other two before they report to Vlad and Trixie.
"I'll take care of this don't worry," I told filly patting her head.
"Are you sure there is no other way to get to castle," the boy asks looking at the map. I smiled and called out to him. "Rainbow! Please tell me you found something," I motion for him to follow me.
I tell him that I saw Dani near here, "Where I can't see anything," I tell him to keep looking. While he's distracted I kick him off the ledge and into a nearby slime pit.
Clockwork
"This is your solution," an Observant said as he watched the boy try to escape from the slime. "You have risked multiple lives, broken interdimensional laws for what?" I roll my eyes and tell him to look at the larger picture. "Our mother will not pleased Chronos," he said crossing his arms.
"When she is ever pleased?" I ask her as he the ghost gasps and finally leaves me alone. "Thank the gods," I sighed sitting down in my chair. These pests can be so exhausting even for a ghost. I glance at the screen from the corner of my eyes. "If only they knew…,"
Sweetie Belle
"What is the place?" Apple Bloom asked as we walked down the long hallway. "This sure doesn't look like anyplace in Equestria." She looks down at the gold rug. "I think I found something," she says as I race over to where she was.
She pulls the rug away revealing what looks like a door. "Where do you think it leads to?" I ask but before we can find out I see something coming towards us. "Apple Bloom," I call out pushing to the floor as three ugly green vultures with red eyes appear. "Who are you?"
"All right ferdl come along quietly and we don't have to mess you up." The leader says as we slowly back away.
"What's a ferdl?" Apple Bloom asks as we start to run from them. "They're still on to us. Sweetie you think can teleport again?" my friend asks trying to catch her breath. I tell her I can try. "Well now might be a good time."
"Okay," I closed my eyes and thought of somewhere far away from those things. "Come on work! Work!" The birds go after us but we disappear before they can capture us.
Vlad
"Hopefully those idiots can handle..," I began to say as a changeling entered the room. "What is this time can't you see I'm busy?!" he trembles and says they captured someone. I smiled at last some good news. I closed my eyes and teleport us to the dungeon.
"In there my lord," he said pointing to cell where a mass of vines and tendrils hung. I order the creature to go back and see if can't capture the others. "Yes Lord Plasmius," he vanishes leaving me with my prize.
I order the tendrils to unravel, "well if it isn't my prodigal daughter," I said seeing Danielle struggling to break free. "I wouldn't struggle my dear it's useless." She shutters as I stroke her face. "It's like I said before you will always be…," She spits in my face. "YOU WRETCHED PIECE OF ECTOPLASM!" I clenched my fist tighten the vines.
"Danny will…," she begins to say until the air was squeezed out of her. "You won't….get…." I smile as the vines cover her face up again. She tries to break free as I walk away.
