Burning Twilight

Chapter 3: Racing Towards Justice


Scene 1: The Lost Caverns

"Augh! We almost had it! Pinkie, why did you have to be curious enough to pick the brackish bowl? This all has to be your fault."

Rainbow Dash was badly bickering with Pinkie.

"Guys! Settle down! We can do this toge-" Twilight tried to exclaim, but was interrupted by a harsh reply.

"Yeah, yeah! 'We can do this together!' But then some pony that is pink and totally crazy, weird, and unhelpful is disturbing us!" Rainbow Dash flew up in the air angrily. "You don't understand, do ya? Well, I'm going to seek for an exit of this cave on my own. Only me!"

At this, Pinkie started to sob badly and her puffy hair swiftly flattened. "I'm sorry, I'm so used to being like this!"

"Rainbow, whats happenin' to ya? Don' ya remember that thy magic of friendship is thy strongest of all!" Applejack complained, as she patted Pinkie Pie's back. Spike also ran over to comfort her.

Rainbow Dash strangely said,"I think Rainbow does, but I certainly don't! You don't know yet, do you? Not even you, Twilight?"

This gave the ponies puzzled looks, until a cloud of smoke suddenly emerged from nowhere, and surrounded Rainbow.

"W-whats happening?" Twilight coughed through the smoke, and couldn't see anything.

"Bwhahahaha!"

The smoke started to disappear, though very slowly, and revealed a very disturbing figure.

Discord?

"You've been behind the commotion?" Twilight stared at him in disbelief.

"I just cannot believe it!" Spike was astounded.

"Did you think I would give up on chaos? Listen to you and give up poorly? No! I'm not a softy person!" Discord laughed. "Now, if you want your sweet Rainbow back, hand over the princess to me."

"Hey! You'd better stop the party there, because it is terrible!" Pinkie yelled. I regret from the chocolate rain now! Discord wants Twilight too, so he has control over all of the power he needs! Pinkie thought further.

"Oh, and another favor!" Discord chuckled. "You have to let me get that kelp or else I will keep you trapped in the Lost Caverns forever!"

"You will never rule Equestria, Discord! You aren't capable of this job, especially if you act in such a way," Twilight demanded.

"You know what I'm thinking? You mustn't be capable of your job, since you cannot escape the cave. You cannot stop me. You cannot relocate your Elements of Harmony, princesses, or your real Rainbow Dash. Why are you a princess when you cannot fulfill your own duties? I have power. I can trap you in this cave. I can capture and hide your fellow friends and Elements of Harmony. This is a benefit, not a disadvantage for all of Equestria." Discord grinned at himself for his smart, positive sentences for himself and the understatements for Twilight. He had been good at the speaking.

"You're just playin' 'round with us like puppeteers, do ya? Well, thy matter is serious, Discord! Workin' together benefits every pony, not thy silly stuff where ya think ya can do it on your own. Last warnin', or else!" Applejack scowled.

"Or else what?" Discord smiled. "There is nothing you can do!"

"The magic of friendship!" Twilight cheered.

Twilight suddenly sparked some magic out of her horn, surrounding the rest of the ponies, causing them to float high in the air, though Spike was still left on the ground. Then, Twilight cast a powerful beam spell, which sent a blinding light towards Discord.

But Discord was still cackling after it struck. Did the spell not work? Twilight wondered.

When the blinding flash from the magic beam ended, Discord remained unhurt, and was sipping a cup of coffee he had summoned during the flash.

"Oh dear, I am very sorry but the beam is missing just one thing. Your loyalty won't work without Rainbow Dash, would it?" Discord pretended to inquire to them, and burst out laughing. "If you'll excuse me, I will summon myself out of this cave, since you did not let me take your precious princess. Good luck finding that kelp...if you can!"

Poof!

Discord disappeared out of sight.

"Darling, now how are we supposed to get out?" Rarity nervously looked around.

"Is there even an exit?" Spike questioned.

Hope felt lost about the ponies. Discord was going to attempt to rule Equestria, just like before, except this time, there was no way out of the box.

But hope did spark!

While the ponies at least tried to find something to eat or sleep on, Fluttershy sighted, very strangely, some daylight peeking out from two rocks.

An exit! Fluttershy jumped with joy.

As loud as she could, unlike last time, she yelped,"I found it!"

"You found an exit! Now that is a party!" Pinkie's hair puffed up a bit again.

"Knew there was a way outta this mess!" Applejack chimed in.

"Great job, girls! Let's go find that kelp before Discord gets there." Twilight and the four other ponies sought out on this adventure and squeezed through the hole.


Scene 2: Under the Everfree Rivers

"Wow, this is the same spot we were before- right outside the caves." Twilight looked around.

"We may be free of the cave, but there is a little problem. Well, how you supposed to go underwater to get the kelp?" Rarity asked. "Otherwise, it won't work if we go without anything to help you breathe."

"Oh no! I forgot about the bowls! They were there still though the boulders blocked the main entrance. Yikes!" Twilight started to panic. "I'll go check, if the bowls are still there, you stay here!"

Twilight went back into the dark hole. The pony friends impatiently waited. The clock was ticking and time was passing. If they didn't get the kelp in time, there seemed to be no other way to escape this conflict.

When about a few minutes had passed, Twilight came out, though empty-handed.

"Where are the bowls, Twi?" Spike started to feel fearful.

"There's good news and bad news," Twilight began. "The bad news is that the bowls broke when the boulders came crashing down. But the good news is that I was able to collect a bit of the spilled seawater into this flask!"

Twilight pulled out a tiny flask with rippling water from her bag. It started to make little waves, like the riddle said.

"Well, down the hatch..." Twilight walked to the river where they were last time, and took off her princess suit and bag, though keeping the flask in her grip. "Watch my stuff while I'm gone. I hope I make it!"

She drank the blue liquid, which amazingly tasted like nothing, she suddenly felt like she had a lack of air. I think my lungs can now only withstand water temporarily.

Immediately after this, Twilight took a plunge in the river, on a mission in search for the kelp, Rainbow Dash, the princesses, and the Elements of Harmony. Soon, she was out of sight.

"I hope she'll be alright..." Pinkie Pie peered in to the now calm water. It will be challenging down there, especially since it is a race against Discord.


A NEW BOOK IS COMING OUT!