Chapter 6: The Forest's Test
The six humans turned ponies walked through the Everfree Forest. Durring this time Tenya decided to explain the basics what he remembered he learned about the elements of Harmony.
"The five known elements of harmony are Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Honesty and Loyalty. The 6th a complete mystery and will only be revealed when the other five are present and a spark will reveal it." Explained Tenya.
"That doesn't help much." Said Ochaco.
"We do have to figure it out ourselves." Said Izuku.
"Does it say what the spark is?" asked Momo.
"No it can mean anything." Said Tenya.
They didn't notice the cloud form of Nightmare Moon nearby watching them.
Then it noticed something nearby… something it knew would work well against them.
As the 6 headed deeper into the forest they heard a growling sound.
"Remember this forest is full of monsters." Said Tenya.
"About time." Said Katsuki.
"I don't know if it's a good idea to fight them." Said Izuku.
"You might also cause a forest fire." Said Shoto.
And then a bear suddenly pointed at Katsuki and growled something before walking away.
"It wasn't the bear growling." Said Shoto.
"So we're not going to bring up the fact that the bear was clearly scolding Kacchan about forest fires?" Thought Izuku.
Before any more could be said they finally saw what was growling… and it definitely wasn't a bear. But rather a trio of timber wolves, which reminder are wolves made out of timber.
"Timber wolves." Said Tenya.
"All right!" said Katsuki.
"Don't if you try to destroy them then not only can they reform, but they can combine into one larger one." Said Tenya.
"Like a mecha!" yelled Izuku in shock.
Katsuki glared at the timber wolves but still knew that out was a better idea to run away.
They ran away from the timber wolves.
"Is there any way to beat them without them combining?" asked Ochaco.
"I don't know." Said Tenya.
"Why you have an idea?" asked Izuku.
"I might." Said Ochaco.
They quickly realized it might be using her quirk.
"Should I?" asked Ochaco.
"We don't have any other ideas besides running." Said Momo.
Ochaco flew up into the air and behind the timber wolves, using her quirk touching their bodies.
"This better work." Thought Ochaco.
The Timber Wolves began to unravel until the three timber wolves were reduced to just their headed.
All three heads had "What the hell happened" looks one their faces.
All of them whimpered as they bobbed around trying to figure out what to do.
"Good job." Said Izuku.
"Right!" said Ochaco with a look on her face.
"What did you leave their heads in tact because you thought it would be funny?" asked Katsuki glaring at her.
He wasn't glaring her because of that, he was just glaring at her because it was his default expression.
"No… of course not." Said Ochaco sweating.
"Really Uraraka?" asked Momo.
"We're all really stressed out right now… I thought we could relax a bit…" she admitted.
"Well it was kind of funny." Admitted Izuku blushing a little.
'We can't blame her for that." Said Tenya.
"But please tell us next time if you do something like that." Said Momo.
"I know." Sighed Ochaco, "This is serious…"
"We really have to go." Said Shoto.
As they counited through the forest Nightmare Moon got an idea.
She in her cloud form entered one of the trees and used a spell on it along with the surrounding trees.
Making them all terrifying.
That was when the 6 arrived in this particular part of the forest. They all stared at the trees.
"Seriously?" asked Katsuki.
All of the trees were glowing and had evil looking faces.
"It's like Snow White." Said Ochaco.
"I guess we really shouldn't be surprised that trees exist like that here." Said Izuku.
Nearby Nightmare Moon watched, it's cloud like body language hovered in a way that made it say "Why did I think that was going to work?"
They continued on their way, ignoring the evil looking face trees.
Once they were past the evil looking face trees, they found some strange looking bulbous purple plants of various sizes.
"Everyone be careful. These are among the most dangerous plants in the forest." Said Tenya, "If they start shooting their pollen, hold your breath."
"What happens?" asked Izuku.
Nearby Nightmare Moon decided to disturb the plants, causing them to shoot out pollen.
Momo quickly created a gas mask, Tenya ran away from the pollen, both Ochaco and Shoto flew out of the pollen, Katsuki held breath and ran out as fast as he could.
"Did you breathe it in?" asked Shoto.
"I don't think so." Said Ochaco.
"Don't worry, we would know if you breathed it in." said Tenya.
"Wait where's Deku?" asked Ochaco.
The pollen soon clear and they saw Izuku sitting there. His eyes completely empty.
"No…" said Tenya.
"I'm dead aren't I?" Izuku whispered .
"What?" asked Ochaco.
"The pollen fills anyone who breathes it in with despair so they can't fight back." Said Tenya.
"What do you mean fight back!" yelled Katsuki.
That was when suddenly all of the purple plants sprouted vines.
"If we can get him to snap out of it, they will stop." Said Tenya, "But we have to make sure that the vines can't touch him."
Katsuki ran over and destroyed one of the vines with an explosion while Shoto froze one of the vines. Momo created a pair of hedge clippers to cut down any of the vines she could.
It was up to Tenya and Ochaco to snap him out of the despair.
"That sludge villain probably killed me after all or I probably decided to listen to that advice." Said Izuku, "None of this can't be real."
Katsuki blew up a vine but did flinch a little when he heard that.
"It is real! Please!" said Ochaco.
"It can't be… quirks don't work that way…" said Izuku.
Katsuki gritted as he blew up another vine.
"Midoriya we're your friends!" said Tenya.
"It's too good to be true. I'm just useless." Said Izuku, "Who would ever be my friend?"
"Will you shut up!" yelled Katsuki blowing up some more vines.
Neither Momo or Shoto said something as they continued to make sure the vines didn't get Izuku.
Tenya was about to say something, but Katsuki beat him to the punch.
"You really think your dead because some stupid plant!" yelled Katsuki, "That's pathetic!"
Ochaco was going to say something, but then she noticed the vines were coming in slower.
"Deku! Stop letting these fucking plants tell you what's real! Those two idiots clearly voted for you during that stupid election!" yelled Katsuki.
"It wasn't stupid." Muttered Momo.
"You're supposed to be a hero so act like it!" yelled Katsuki.
Izuku blinked it was clear he was no longer under the effect of the pollen, the vines retreated. Most of them breathed a sigh of relief.
"Sorry about that." Said Izuku.
"It's fine… it's a magical plant…" said Tenya happy that Izuku managed to fight off the plant.
"Kacchan…" said Izuku.
"I don't need thanks." Muttered Katsuki, "Don't fall for anything pathetic as that again."
"We need to continue." Said Shoto.
"That plant's defense mechanism was really scary." Said Ochaco.
"If it's pollen it probably has to do with the reproductive system." Said Momo.
This made Izuku freeze up. Tenya also seemed to freeze but in a very different way.
"Wait… was that plant going to do?" asked Izuku.
"It's better not said aloud." Said Tenya.
"We really should get out of here." Said Ochaco.
"Yeah…" said Izuku not wanting to fall under that again.
Nightmare Moon still in cloud form was upset and floated away.
However she sensed something nearby and got a new idea.
As the 6 continued to fog began to spread.
"Everyone be on your guard." Said Tenya taking charge.
However something came out of the fog and dragged him away.
"Shit when did this become a horror movie!" yelled Katsuki.
However one of the shadows grabbed him as well.
Third shadow grabbed Momo and dragged her away as well.
A fourth tried to grab Izuku but he ended up teleporting somewhere!"
However it was clear that shadows couldn't fly, as both Ochaco and Shoto took to the air.
"Deku!" called out Ochaco.
"I'm over here!" called out Izuku.
They turned to see he stuck in a tree, clearly embarrassed.
"I think I'm stuck." Said Izuku.
"At least you got away from them." Said Ochaco.
"I'll find them… You free Midoriya from the tree." Said Shoto.
Ochaco began to break away branches, while Shoto began his search.
That was when he heard crying.
He looked at saw a young filly crying her eyes.
He knew he had to find the others but he couldn't help but to stop and see if she was all right, especially with those strange things out in the forest.
"Are you all right?" asked Shoto.
"This weird cloud dragged me away!" cried the filly.
That was when Shoto noticed there was something off about, there was an ethereal glow to her.
"I don't know where I am and I don't know where my family is!" said the little filly.
"It will be okay… there's something in the forest and it took my… classmates." He told her.
"Classmates?" asked the filly confused, "What's that?"
"I go to school to them." Said Shoto.
"School? I never heard of that." Said the filly.
"It's a place where you learn things." Said Shoto.
"Oh wow!" said the filly ,"That sounds neat!"
Shoto nodded.
Meanwhile Ochaco had gotten Izuku out of the tree and was carrying him.
"I can't believe I ended up in a tree." Izuku said embarrassed.
"It's fine." Giggled Ochaco.
That was when they found Shoto with the filly.
"Hey!" called out Ochaco.
She flew down and left Izuku had a low enough height and canceled her quirk, then landed.
"I haven't found them." Said Shoto.
The filly hid behind Shoto.
"It's okay." He said to her.
That was when the fog once again came in.
"They're back." Said Ochaco.
They saw the shadows moving around in the fog.
One of them was about to attack.
However the filly jumped in front of it.
"Wait!" cried the filly, "He's not the one who took me! He's really nice and so are his… assmates I think he called them."
Both Izuku and Ochaco looked at Shoto.
"I said classmates." He said.
"Please! It was a weird cloud that took me! He was just trying to cheer me up." said the filly.
The strange shadows suddenly turned into a pair of strangely ethereal ponies, clearly a mother and father.
The filly ran towards them.
"Well this is awkward." Said the a stallion.
"I told you they weren't the foalnappers," said the mare.
"You're the one who took the big one." Said the stallion.
"Don't you start." Said the mare.
"Sorry about them…" said the filly embarrassed by her parents.
"Oh right we should give you back your friends." Said the stallion.
Suddenly the three that were taken suddenly appeared in bright flash of light, all three of them clearly confused at what happened.
"Sorry for the misunderstanding!" said the stallion.
"Thank you weird half colt!" called out the filly.
The three strange ponies disappeared along with the fog.
Nightmare Moon in cloud form silently watching steaming in anger then flew away.
"What the fuck just happened?" asked Katsuki as it was the three didn't remember what happened.
"I think you were just kidnapped by ghosts who mistook you for a kidnapper." Said Izuku.
"But ghosts weren't in the book!" yelled Iida.
"Honestly with everything that happened the last few days we shouldn't be surprised about ghosts." Said Shoto.
"He's got a point." Sighed Momo.
"We need to continue." Said Shoto.
Izuku looked at Shoto. Realizing that if hadn't comforted the the probable ghost filly, they wouldn't have been able to save them.
They counited on their way. When suddenly they saw some sort of anthropomorphic cat in the middle of the forest surrounded by a strange wall.
"Sorry, but there's a toll." Said the cat who was clearly female.
"What?" asked the 6.
"Yes… you must give me one gold nugget." Said the cat like creature.
The cat like creature smiled evilly.
"I got this." Said Momo creating a gold nugget from her body.
"What!" yelled the cat like creature in shock.
"Will this do?" asked Momo giving her the gold nugget.
The cat like creature was in shock.
"I stand corrected! There needs to be two gold nuggets." Said the cat like creature.
"This is a scam." Whispered Tenya.
Shoto nodded as he looked at Momo.
"It's okay… I'll keep distracting her." She said in a low voice, "I ate plenty of guacamole and nuts at the party."
She got a couple stares.
"I'll explain later." She said.
She created another gold nugget while Tenya went one way and Shoto went the other.
"Also I need 6 sapphires." Said the cat.
The remaining four stared at her. Not because of that… but because of other reasons.
"What? It's just sapphires." Said the cat.
(Flashback)
While getting out the party food, Ochaco found a bowl of high quality gems.
"Why is there a bunch of jewels in the cupboard?" she asked.
"Those are mine!" called out Spike popping his head in , "Can you hand them to me by the way, I need a little snack. "
She gave him the bowl, and watched as he snacked on them.
He entered the main room and everyone saw him eat the gems.
"Are those jewels?" asked Izuku.
"Yeah, so what's the problem?" asked Spike.
"What are they rare in your world?" asked Starlight.
The fact that none of them answered, made them realize that, yes, yes they were.
"Wow… you're world is so weird." Said Starlight.
"You're one to talk!" yelled Katsuki.
(End of Flashback)
Momo's eye twitched as she created the sapphires.
"Just the fact that they were currently in a world where sapphires were considered just another thing was just weird.
"Also you can't get passed me unless you give me a bicycle!" said the cat.
"Are you fucking serious!" yelled Katsuki.
"Kacchan calm down!" cried Izuku.
"This is the last thing!" said Momo.
"Don't worry I agree." Said the cat.
Momo did managed to create a whole bike, the cat took it.
"Everyone laughed at me for this scam by building a mile long wall and demanding a toll in the middle of the Everfree Forest! But I showed them all! I SHOWED THEM ALL!" she laughed.
Then she noticed the little bell.
"Cool! You even created the little bell." Said the cat who began to ride away.
That was when Tenya returned.
"The wall appears to stretch out a half mile in that direction. If I were to guess it would be the same in that direction." Said Tenya.
"Too late." Said Momo, "She already left."
Iida blinked as she noticed the cat was gone.
"So she left." Said Shoto noticing the cat was gone.
"It did work though." Said Izuku.
They went through the gate, unaware that Nightmare Moon was still watching them. With a the body language of "Well… that happened…"
However she still followed them.
"I can't wait for this to be over." Muttered Katsuki.
"Yes, but if what Miss Sparkle told is true we won't be able to go back home for another year and a half." Said Tenya.
Katsuki gritted his teeth.
Nightmare Moon began to formulate a plan, a very dastardly one. A temptation would be perfect…
But which one. The green one was too pure, the pink one wouldn't work either, the red one was clearly smart, the half and half one was clearly too guarded and she would rather not deal with the orange one.
The blue one would do nicely.
That was when they got to a gorge. A somewhat broken bridge was nearby.
Somewhat broke because it could be easily fixed by someone trying it on the other side.
And thankfully they had two fliers so they were able to get across.
Ochaco was the one to retie it.
"It's probably go best to go one at time since it still looks unstable." Said Tenya.
Tenya was the one to cross first, however something made the bridge unstable.
And he was knocked down.
"Iida!" yelled Izuku.
Tenya was falling, however as he was falling, a unicorn caught him.
"Are you all right?" asked the uncorn who was a shade of blue with a different shade of blue mane.
"Thank you." Said Tenya.
"Not a problem." Said the unicorn, "You're not from this world… are you?"
Tenya froze.
"And if I were to guess that's not your normal form." Said the unicorn.
"How… "said Tenya.
"I'm a very powerful sorceress." Said the unicorn, "I can send you home…"
Tenya looked at the self-proclaimed sorceress.
"I can even make it like you were never gone." Said the unicorn, "You can go back home to your family like none of this ever happened."
"What about my friends?" asked Tenya.
"Sorry I can only do it for one pony or whatever you were in your world." Said unicorn.
"As tempting as it sounds." Said Tenya, "As a hero in training I refuse to both leave my friends behind and leave a world that needs my help."
The unicorn gritted her teeth.
"Besides… I don't think I should really trust the one who's causing this mess." Said Tenya.
"So you already figured it out." Growled out the unicorn who clearly Nightmare Moon.
However before anymore could be done. Nightmare Moon had a wall of ice headed her way and turned back into her cloud form and floated away.
"Iida are you okay!" called out Izuku.
He turned and saw Izuku and Momo climbing down a nearby set of stairs.
Ochaco also flew down as Shoto melted the ice he had created.
"Everything's fine." Said Iida, Where's Bakugo?"
Ochaco pointed to the other side of the bridge as he sullenly watched from above.
"What happened?" asked Izuku.
As they walked back to the bridge, Tenya explained how Nightmare Moon tried to tempt him.
"Of course she would try something like that." Said Momo.
"Even if I didn't see through it, I still would have rejected it." Said Tenya.
"Really?" asked Izuku.
Tenya nodded.
"You are my friends and classmates, it would be dishonorable to leave to in such a situation." Explained Iida, "It's the same reason why I didn't run ahead during the timber wolf attack."
Izuku smiled at his friend.
Thankfully the three managed to cross the bridge safely this time.
They saw the ruins of the castle where the elements were supposed to be. The found a stature with five stone orbs.
They brought them down.
"So does anyone have any idea what the spark is." Muttered Katsuki.
None of them had yet to figure it out.
"It can't be a magic spark, it couldn't have been that simple, and they would have told us it was that simple. It had to be something we haven't figured it out yet. But what…" said Izuku in his muttered muttering spree again.
"You're doing that thing again." Said Ochaco.
"Oh sorry." Said Izuku.
However that was when suddenly Nightmare Moon showed up once again in cloud form, she stretched herself around not only the elements but Izuku as well. And suddenly in a bright flash of light both Izuku and the elements were gone.
"Deku!" yelled Ochaco.
"That bitch!" yelled Katsuki.
"They have to be close by!" said Tenya.
"But where?" asked Momo.
Elsewhere in the castle, Izuku looked up and saw that Nightmare Moon reformed herself into her true form.
"You honestly think you can defeat me…" said Nightmare Moon, "With this little bobble?"
She proceeded to smash the five elements shocking Izuku.
"I've overheard quite a bit about you… how else was I able to make your friend's temptation otherwise…" said Nightmare Moon, "However you outsider will regret this."
Izuku stared at the Alicorn in shock, not sure what to do.
After all he fought her before… and with the elements gone there didn't seem to be any hope…
However what Izuku didn't know was that the spark had to yet to appear and as the saying went it's always darkest before the dawn…
Next Time: Izuku must once again face off against Nightmare Moon. Will he be able to defeat her with the elements gone? Or are they truly gone? Will he figure out what the spark is? Find out next time!
A/N: Oh I wanted to clear up something about those creepy plants in case you're thinking naughty things... the vines have a stinger that would inject a substance that over the course of a few hours turns the victim into a plant... so yeah, it's a completely different kind of creepiness...