Chapter 19:

Searching Mount Aris - Part 2:

Meet Rarity and Fluttershy

During their search, Twilight, Pinkie, Rainbow Dash, and Spike saw one of the Ape Soldiers as he ran ahead of them. The Mane 3 and Spike tended to follow him but were suddenly stopped as they quickly dodged some thorn-like darts shooting out of nowhere.

"Whoa! Look out!" Rainbow Dash said as she, Twilight, Pinkie, and Spike dodged them.

Looking ahead, they see one of the soldiers is using a cannon to stop them. But Pinkie put that to an end in a zapping snap. With that out of their way, the Mane 3 and Spike found the next block and Pinkie jumped onto it, pressing it down. Meanwhile, another podium sprouted up from the ground. But while it was growing, medium captain Ape Creatures showed up and ran towards the Mane 3 and Spike.

"Go and find Gaia and Marina, Twilight. We'll hold them off," Rainbow Dash said as she and Pinkie got in front of Twilight and blocked the attackers with their wings.

Twilight nodded to her two friends as she and Spike run off to continue their search while Rainbow Dash and Pinkie handled the enemies.

Twilight and Spike continued on their way through Mount Aris to get to the castle clearing away barriers and avoiding dart shooters. But then the two came around a building and saw some more Ape Soldiers and Captains hooting and hollering. Aside from that, they also saw that they are guarding two cages.

One cage is holding two Alicorns, around the height of Twilight, Pinkie, and Rainbow Dash. Except one Alicorn is white and has a curly purple mane and tail and a cutie mark of three diamonds. And the second Alicorn is yellow, has a long light pink mane and tail, and a cutie mark of three butterflies.

The second cage, however, holds two Hippogriffs, one is a tall white female Hippogriff with a gradient of brilliant fuchsia to a strong mulberry head and tail feathers and magenta eyes. And the other Hippogriff is a little shorter than the white one and she is light gambogeish gray with a light arctic blue mane and tail and has brilliant cyan eyes.

Seeing how these folks are in trouble and in danger, Twilight knows what she had to do, "The Enemy of my enemy is my friend," Twilight quoted.

"Does that mean what I think it does?" Spike asked, knowing what Twilight is thinking.

"Yeah, we gotta help them," Twilight replied as she heads on over to deal with Slash's forces.

"Oh, boy," Spike groaned.

Twilight used her Electric Magic to zap and toss the small soldiers over the edge. Then she switched to her Air Magic and blew the big old Commander away as well. After dealing with them, Twilight and Spike made it to the two cages holding the folks captive. Then Twilight turned to Spike and instructed him, "Spike, you go help those two Alicorns in that cage, I'll help those Hippogriffs in that one," She said, pointing Spike to the cage to their left and pointing to the cage to their right with her wing.

Twilight and Spike split up to free the prisoners.

Spike headed on over to the cage holding the white and yellow Alicorns. As he approaches them, the yellow Alicorn saw him coming and had a look of surprise on her face.

"*Gasp* A Dragon! Oh, thank goodness you've found us," She said.

"Well, I'm glad I did. Anyway, my name's Spike. Who are you two?" Spike asked while introducing himself.

"Oh, um, I'm Fluttershy," Fluttershy said, introducing herself.

"And I'm Rarity," Rarity, the white Alicorn, said, also introducing herself.

"Well, it's very nice to meet you. Especially you, Rarity," Spike said, feeling a little love-struck by Rarity's beautiful appearance.

Meanwhile, Twilight was running towards an Ape Soldier guarding the cage holding the two Hippogriffs and rammed him into it, breaking the cage open in the progress.

"Watch where you are going will you?" the older Hippogriff said.

"Sorry, I was just trying to help you," Twilight apologized.

"Well, the Hippogriffs and I, Novo their queen, don't need any help," Queen Novo said.

"Oh, you were just about to spring into action, huh?" Twilight asked, sarcastically.

"Well, um, Sorta," the younger Hippogriff said in embarrassment.

"What did they want with you and your people anyway?" Twilight asked, turning to Queen Novo.

"It's complicated. Now if you excuse us, I've got people to bring home. Come along, Skystar," Queen Novo said as she and Skystar, the light gambogeish gray Hippogriff, walked out of the cage and began their own quest.

"Yes, Mother," Skystar said, walking alongside her mother.

"Oh, You're Welcome by the way!" Spike said to them.

After Queen Novo and Princess Skystar have left, Twilight heads back to join up with Spike, who has freed Fluttershy and Rarity from their cage.

"Hey, Twilight. Meet our new friends, these are Fluttershy and Rarity," Spike said, introducing Twilight to Fluttershy and Rarity.

"The Alicorn Warrior. I-I-I don't know what to say," Fluttershy said, being very shocked to see Twilight right in front of her and doesn't know what to say.

"Well, you could say it's very nice to meet you," Twilight suggested, shaking Fluttershy's hoof.

"I couldn't agree more. But pardon me for asking but why are you and little Spikey Wikey here on Mount Aris, anyway?" Rarity asked while petting the baby dragon's head and he looked to be in bliss.

"Well, we're looking for two Alicorns. One mare was named Gaia Evermane and the other was named Marina. Do you happen to know them by any chance?" Twilight asked.

"Why yes, we do. We just saw where Slash and his forces had taken them," Rarity said.

"Do you girls think you can show us the way to them?" Twilight asked, hoping they would take her, Spike, and the others to where Marina and Gaia are being held up.

"Oh, I don't know if that's a good idea at all," Fluttershy said, looking away in fright.

"Why, Fluttershy?" Spike asked.

"What sweet Fluttershy is trying to say is that ever since Slash and his forces took over this mountain, getting to Marina and Gaia hasn't been easy for us. It's how we ended up in that horrid cage in the first place," Rarity explained to the dragon.

"But this time, you have me and Spike with you. If we work together, we might be able to rescue them, so what do you two say?" Twilight asked, reaching her hoof out for a hoof shake with Rarity.

"Well…if it means getting Gaia and Marina back. I don't see any harm in it. Consider us, your allies," Rarity said, shaking Twilight's hoof.

"Great. So which way do we go from here?" Twilight asked.

"Follow us, Twilight. We'll show you two the way," Fluttershy said as she and Rarity walked ahead of them and Twilight and Spike followed behind them.