"That is one big bear!" yelled Shooting Star.

The bear was in the way, where the ponies are heading to the tower.

"We have to get pass him." Ember inquired, "We can't turn back now!"

The ponies had try their best to get pass, but the bear is so big and dangers to get close. Even if Ember, Melody and Shooting Star can fly over him. He'll just pound them with his paw.

"What do we do now?!" Shooting Star pleaded.

The bear rose up, walking on two feet and with his claws up to get at the ponies. They take a few steps back away from the bear, expect Melody and Sweet Stuff.

"Please Mr Bear." Said Melody to the animal. "You don't really want to hurt us, do you?"

The bear did not by it as he got closer, then Sweet Stuff came next.

"Sweet Stuff! What are you doing!?" Buttons cried in panic. "Get away!"

But Sweet Stuff ignored her and went face the bear.

"Come on Mr Bear." She said with a smile. "Please do lighten up."

The bear stared at Sweet Stuff and she stared back. Then she closed her eyes slowly and open them up with an adorable look in her eyes, with a few blinks of her eye slashes. And then showing him a sweet smile and till her head to the side, which made the bear stopped. She is now using her secret weapon; The Cutesy baby dull eyes and the sweet little smile. That make her a sweet and insist looking that no pony or creature cannot resist.

The bear looked at Sweet Stuff's face, with her smile and eyes. Seeing the cute face that cannot bear to hurt her, as his eyes filled with water and cannot resist it. That he sit down and going some wimping noise.

The ponies were surprise that Sweet Stuff had manage to stop the bear and surprise that Sweet Stuff had her cute little smile, so she can get away with anything.

Sweet Stuff laugh. "My Cutesy baby dull eyes and my smile works every time and it's the best thing I can do."

As the bear moaned again, not that he angry, but sad and pain.

"Oh what's the matter?" Melody feeling pity for the poor animal.

The bear showed them the problem. There is a wound in his paw and it is so painful that drive him crazy and worst is killing him.

"Oh you poor baby." Melody went to take a look in his paw and see a small sharp stone into.

"That's what all the fuss is about?" Shooting Star wonder.

"Let me take care of it," said Jasmine, "I notice some herbs around here that might cure the pain. I'll get on it right away."

Jasmine knows a lot of plant that can heal anything that's worst. Sweet Stuff went to help her.

"I'll get the stone out." Said Buttons volunteer to help.

"I'll give you some light." Ember suggested.

As Ember and Buttons are trying to get the stone out. Melody notice that the bear will go crazy if she don't keep him clam. So she get him to look at her and sing him a song with her lovely voice.

"Don't you ever cry, just look at me.

I'll be here to covet you, when you're feeling down.

If you are in trouble or what darkness that frightens you.

I'll be here to keep you safe and sing to you."

Melody singing had got the bears attention and her musical voice is soften him with joy. Melody continued singing and stoking the bears' neck.

"No matter where you are or ever you are lost.

My song will guild to your home.

So take a look at me, listen to my song.

And I'll be here for you."

The bear was so enjoying Melody song that he had forgotten the pain he had. As Buttons had got out the stone and Jasmine had got the herbs ready after matching them, mix them and added them into a leaf to hold them.

She place in the bears paw and hold it down as the herb get into the pain.

"That shall do it." She said, "But I need something to tie around the paw to hold the leaf."

Buttons had a thought and the one thing she can do. She take off the blue ribbon in her mane and tie the leaf around the bear. As soon is done, the bear is getting a bit better.

"There you go Mr Bear." She said proudly, "You'll feel better in no time."

"Are you happy now?" Sweet Stuff ask.

The bear is very happy with a big smile, that the ponies were so helpful to him.

"That's good. And have some yummy honey."

Sweet Stuff had found some fresh honey while she is helping Jasmine finding some herbs and she know that bears like honey.

Just now the ponies need to move on and will be alright as he eats his honey.

"Bye Mr Bear." Melody wave to the bear. "Take of yourself."

"Enjoy your honey." Sweet Stuff replied.

"And you can keep the ribbon." Buttons added.

"Are you sure about that?" ask Ember. "That is one of your best ribbons."

"It fine. I've got platy of them back in my shop."

"But as for you Sweet Stuff." Ember turn to Sweet Stuff, "You really had us scare when you face the bear. Even you Melody."

"I was just doing what I have to do." Said Melody. "Showing a bit of kindness with a song."

"And I have to stand up tall." Sweet Stuff added. "And give a smile to make the bad go away and give them something sweet like honey.

"That really makes ponies like us happy and…" she begin to giggle, "laugh."

She laugh happily as she went on, so does the other ponies. Even Ember her worries for her lifelong friends is about to fade. That it feels great to have some friends by her side, it's much better than she hoped and remember. Which it did help them to forget the fear of the forest and getting close to the tower.


Meanwhile back in Maren Tone, Gloria was just recovered a little when she, Wind Whistler and Corn Flour had heard that Ember and her five mare friends had went into The Shimmering Forest to The Eastern Tower to face Terra.

Filbert, Martino and Fixit were in shock too, even Arthur that he is now worried about Ember. Though he is still resting and not ready to get his straight up.

"We must go after them!" Corn Flour demanded "They could be killed in there with no protection."

"But we're not sure we can find them or catch up to them." Said Wind Whistler, "It will be hard if Terra will be expecting us."

"But you can let them get hurt." Filbert inquired, "They might need our help."

"We can't help right now." Said Gloria as she can walk a bit. "We just have to have fate in Ember, she still needs the golden heart."

"What about Jasmine, Melody, Sweet Stuff, Buttons and Shooting Star?" ask Corn Flour. "What can they do?"

"I don't know, even for their safety. But will go to them as soon as I regen my powers and until Arthur recovers his straight. Let just hope that our girls will be alright."


Ember and her friends are getting close to The Eastern Tower, where Terra is hold the golden heart. Ember is desperate to get it back, Galloping Valley is still under Terra's dark magic and the ponies and creatures are still counting on her.

She won't let them down again, even with her five friends that they were great help getting through the forest in one peace. Like escaping the timberwolves and calming an angry bear. But it is still not over, for she'll be facing Terra again and she need to keep her friends safe, without getting hurt by Terra wrath.

The ponies made their way through the trees of the forest, until at last they found the tower. It was an old watchtower, which is still stands and built high up. But until Terra took it over, she made it as a dark tower with lightning bolts bursting out.

"So that's The Eastern Tower." Jasmine inquired looking at the tower. "I never thought that it has been abandon for years."

"And now that witch bird Terra is using it as her nest." Sweet Stuff.

Ember can feel the heart energy. That is close and inside the tower, just at the heights top.

"Come on." She said. "We're almost there." She hurried along to the tower and her friends followed. Although Ember stop, nearly fell off an edge of a gorge and the tower is just at the other side.

"How do we get across this?" Buttons wonder.

"Duh, look." mutter Sweet Stuff pointing to a rope bridge near to the ponies.

"Now that should be easy." Said Shooting Star.

"Too easy I think." Ember mutter with a thought, "Terra well be expecting us."

"Come on Ember. You not really think that witch had notice us coming to her?"

As they head to the bridge, Shooting Star had spoken to soon as she didn't know.

Just at the top of the tower, Terra the harpy witch is looking around the area. Until she spotted the six ponies are about get across the robe bridge. She also notice Ember, the alicorn princess she had met and knowing she has come to take back what is her.

"So, I'm about to expect some visitors." she said to herself with a grin on her beak face. "Along with their princess. Am I? I think I'll give them a welcome present."

She waited until the ponies were haft way on the bridge, when she shot out a bean from her eyes on the start of the bridge and getting the ropes of the bridge to break.

Melody heard the break of the rope that was behind her, because she was last in line. She turn to check it with her head and she gasped.

"Quick!" she cried. "The bridge is about to fall!"

The ponies notice and hurried to the other side. Melody, Shooting Star and Ember quickly get in the air with their wings. Lucky they can fly, but the others three ponies can't.

As the side of the bridge is about to brake in a few seconds, Jasmine, Buttons and Sweet Stuff hold to the bridge until the side of it fell as the ropes brook. The unicorn and the two earth ponies had avoid to fall off the broken bridge and it's a long way down of the gorge to a deep river.

Ember and the two pegasus had got to the other side close to the tower and they need to save their friends from falling.

"Ember," Buttons yelled, "Melody, Shooting Star! Help!"

"Just hold on!" Ember replied, "We'll get you up!"

"Well hurry!" cried Jasmine, "We can't hold on much longer!"

Ember, Melody and Shooting Star are about to pull the bridge so they can pull the other up. But as Terra is watch them, she had other plan.

She shot another beam and aim it to the ground. Until a Minotaur made out of the stone and with glowing red eyes. Terra had made the monster with her dark magic and get to attack the ponies.

Ember, Shooting Star and Melody are trying to get their three friends up the bridge that they didn't notice the rising of the Minotaur. But when they hear the snorting and moaning coming from behind and they've turn to meet the Minotaur stomping towards them.

"This must be the work of Terra!" Ember said in shock of another treat.

"I'll keep him busy," suggested Shooting Star with her act of courage, "while you too help our friends."

"No Shooting Star! It's too dangers!"

Shooting Star ignore Ember warnings and flew against the minotaur. Good thing she can fly with her wings that the beast cannot catch her.

"All right you over sizes bull!" Shooting Star smirked, "Let's see what you're made off!"

The Minotaur is now lock on to Shooting Star, as he try to catch her and run her down. But Shooting Star is much too quick for him, as she fly about in front of him and zoom around him.

"Do you think Shooting Star can handle that thing?" ask Melody in worried.

"I hope so." Said Ember. "But right now, we the others to worried about."

Ember decided to use her magic to lift her friends, since the bridge is too heavy to pull up. Jasmine is the first to be lifted, because she is first in line and close to the top of the gorge. Melody flew down to get Sweet Stuff for she is close to the bottom of the broken bridge.

Shooting Star is try her bust to keep hold of the minotaur, by avoiding his charges and getting himself beating by knocking on trees or as she kick the dirt of him. But the monster is made of magic and the stone that his body is too thick to break.

As Shooting Star is losing out of time, her friends are in trouble and she had an unbeatable beast in her wing. She must find a way to stop the beast. But then she realized that there is a deep river down the gorge and then the gears are turning into her head.

When Ember had finally got Jasmine up to safety and then Buttons. Melody has got a hold of Sweet Stuff and then gently put her down with the others.

They were about to help Shooting Star, but then she came to the edge of the cliff not too close to her friends as they watch in wonder.

"Hey you slowpoke!" she shouted to the Minotaur, "I think you're so slow and stupid that you can never run down a pony like me!"

That kind of insulting is making the stone minotaur mad, as he got his hands to the ground, kick back some dirt from his hoofs, snort out his nostrils and charge at Shooting Star as she stand still.

He was coming to her as she was in front of a stampede.

"Shooting Star! Get out of the way!" cried Ember.

Then the Minotaur got closer, Shooting Star jump off the gorge and shot herself to the air. Just in time to move away from the Minotaur, as he falls down the gorge and hit the deep dark river with a huge splash. The Minotaur is really made out of that he sucked and drowned in the river.

Shooting Star land on the ground and sighs, when her friends came along.

"Shooting Star, are you O.K?" Ember question.

"Oh yeah, but whew." Shooting Star said with believed. "I mean that big bull is really tough."

That made Sweet Stuff giggled.

"That was brave and cleaver of you." Said Melody, "And you did give us same time to help Jasmine, Buttons and Sweet Stuff."

"Yeah, how lucky." Buttons sighs.

Ember is pleased to see that her friends are safe, but as she turn to the tower. She realized this is not over. She guessing that Terra had notice her and her friends. Ember can't let her stop her not what can of game that bird witch is planning.

"I know what you are thinking Ember." Said Shooting Star notice Ember as she look at the tower.

"Yes." Ember turned to her friends. "If we can't stop this, Terra will win. That is why I must have the golden heart back. Let's go while we still have time."

Her friends agreed, Terra's witch craft is growing and it will spread across Equestria. And Ember needs some help getting the heart and stop Terra.

So they a brooch the tower, following a small path to door. But as they didn't know that the harpy witch is watching, with a wicked look.


As they say in Cinderella, at of kindness and courage. Like help the poor bear with kindness and a bit of laughter. And facing a mean minotaur with courage and loyalty.

If you can guest what I mean. Or not.