New cover image! Yay! I decided to give the three alicorns some spotlight, changed the designs of all the characters and rearranged where they were on the screen! I used an App on my iPad to do the cover image. It's called a Drawing Box.
Longest chapter yet! And yes, some of you may have guessed what Fairtytale Sweetie Belle's in...
You know what, screw the letter X! I mean, I only know like two words which begin with X (exaggerated) and when Chapter 25 (which is technically Chapter 26 if it weren't for my damn prologue) comes out, I'm not going to let my weird obsession with lettering get the better of me, and I am going to start it with any letter I want! Yep, that just happened letter X, you have been excluded! Was I just talking to a letter..? Oh well!
Also, I have decided to not be lazy, and I have edited my passed chapters! (Not really, just the ones which were annoying me!) some edits are just spelling errors, and paragraph phrasing, but I have made two minor but significant changes:
In chapter Years Later, I say that Twilaura's birthday is in a week... and I am pretty sure with the days I have been flicking passed, she should be fast asleep by now, thanks to my terrible timing. Now I have changed it to a month.
Also, in the chapter where Cinderainbow realises that Diamond Tiara are there and stuffz, I have decided to not make DT and Silver Spoon Cinderainbow's age, but older, as in Granny Smith older... Jk, they are their normal age again, as the CMC's ages. No, this doesn't mean they're going to show up and start bullying... I just need them as their natural age for a few lines sorry... besides, I think it'll make RD more frustrated at the fact that she is following orders from ten year olds :D I am so evil.
Oh ya, and I have an unintentional reference from a story I used to read when I was 3 in this chapter. It was about a duck.
• Chapter Twenty-four: Vacant Or Occupied •
…
"You're not actually thinking of... going... in there, are you?" Babs Seed stared at Apple Bloom.
"That is exactly what ah'm thinking." Apple Bloom spoke, who was already marching towards the large doors at the front of the castle.
"Wow! This castle is massive!" Scootaloo rushed besides Apple Bloom. Rumble closely followed behind her.
Babs Seed gritted her teeth. "But..."
"This's exactly what Zecora wanted us t' find!" Apple Bloom explained. "Whether ya like it or not Babs Seed, we're goin' in there. Ya're still welcome to sleep alone out ere' for the night if ya're so desperate."
Babs Seed shook her head, but narrowed her eyes. "I don't know... it just looks a bit... daunting."
"Daunting..? This is going to be so exciting!" Rumble hopped up and down.
"Well enjoy it while you can. We're only staying for a night," Scootaloo pointed out, as she stood at the doors of the castle.
Apple Bloom slitted her eyes, before looking up to where the doorknob was. It towered above their heads- not even a full grown pony would be able to reach it. "Rumble, fly up and open the door."
The colt nodded, as he flapped his wings, and rose into the sky. He came to the same height as the doorknob was, and opened the door.
Before them, stood a long hallway. The lights were on, shining down, cascading the room.
"Hello? Anypony home?" Apple Bloom trotted into the mansion.
"Do you think somepony lives here?" Rumble turned to Scootaloo. "Could the place be vacant?"
"Of course not!" The orange filly shook her head. "Why would the lights be on otherwise?"
Rumble shrugged, as he flew across the room.
Apple Bloom glanced around at all the sculptures, paintings and artefacts, which were set up neatly around the area. Doors lined the walls, and across the other side of the room, was one, massive, glass door. Apple Bloom trotted up, and nosed the glass-door open, stepping out into a magnificent garden.
"Wow! This has basically every plant existing!" Babs Seed trotted up, and watched as a patch of tulips began to close in the glittering moonlight.
"Hey Scootaloo!" Rumble trotted up to her. "Here!" He handed her a bouquet of unusual but alluring flowers.
Scootaloo blushed slightly, trying to hide her face from the smirking Apple Bloom and Babs Seed behind her. "Thanks!" She took the flowers, sniffing them. "That is so sweet of-" Scootaloo went into a fit of coughing. "These flowers smell horrible! Rumble!" Scootaloo went charging through the garden, hot in pursuit of the light grey pegasi, who was laughing his head off.
"Aww! That was so cute," Babs Seed continued to smile, "and evil."
Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. "Typical of 'em. C'mon Babs Seed, we need to go back into the house and see if there's any place for us all to sleep."
Nodding, Babs Seed followed Apple Bloom back into the house. The two fillies patrolled either side of the hallway, opening each door in the sides of the walls.
"Nope- that's a library... a kitchen..." Apple Bloom opened another door. "A... gym?"
"No luck here either," Babs Seed called from the other side of the halls as she opened another door. "A bathroom..." She opened the door next to it. "Bingo! Here a bedroom is!"
"Lemme' see!" Apple Bloom scampered up, and peered through the door, to reveal a room with about six beds stretched across it. "Perfect! Scootaloo, Rumble!"
Almost instantly, Rumble came smashing through the halls, pouncing across the floor, and landing in front of Apple Bloom and Babs Seed.
"You gotta save me!" He desperately hid behind the two earth ponies. "If she gets me, you'll have to pay for my funeral!"
"We're already broke as it is! We'll just bury you in the backyard!" Babs Seed teased, stepping out of the way, as Scootaloo went plummeting through the halls.
"No- wait!" Rumble cried.
Apple Bloom conveniently stepped to the side, just as Scootaloo darted forward, springing onto Rumble and attacking him with a wrath of unforgiving tickles.
"Haha! I... haha... I told you I'm not ticklish!" Rumble rolled over, clutching his stomach, and hysterically laughing.
"You only said that so I would never try and ambush you with them again!" Scootaloo giggled, as she plucked a feather from her wing, and used it as a weapon. It was twice as effective.
Rumble tried kicking her away, but his attempts were hopeless. "Please! Hehe... be merciful!"
"It serves you right!" Scootaloo chortled, turning to Apple Bloom and Babs Seed, whilst she held Rumble to the ground. "You were calling us?"
"Yes, we found the bedrooms. We'll just stay here for the night," Babs Seed explained, trotting through the room, and springing onto one of the beds. The mattress sunk underneath her, and she let out a tranquil sigh. "They're so comfy!"
Scootaloo hopped up onto one of the beds. "Claimed!"
"Wait! I wanted that one!" Rumble zipped forward, and tackled Scootaloo to the ground.
She kicked him off, grabbing a pillow and aggressively throwing it at him. "You'll have to fight me first!"
Whilst the two pegasi had a vengeful pillow fight, Apple Bloom trotted up to a bed across the room, settling down. In amusement, she watched the two battle for a few minutes, before she interrupted. "Ya two better make the decision of who gets the bed before ah turn the lights off!"
Scootaloo and Rumble turned to each other. They had a staring contest for a seconds. The tension was unbearable, as the two purple eyes were locked-dead on their target. Finally, Rumble gave in, hopping off the bed and flying to the one next to her's. "You win."
"I know," she smirked, before settling down on the bed she had bravely fought over.
Apple Bloom switched off the light.
…
"Morning already?" Apple Bloom yawned as Babs Seed prodded her awake. The room began to light up with the sunlight filtering through the windows on the walls around them. Apple Bloom rubbed her eyes, and got out of the blankets. "We should go now."
"Already?" Babs Seed tilted her head. "But we just got here..?"
"Wow, you must really hate change," Scootaloo appeared besides them, smiling. "I had a good sleep. You two?"
"Definitely," Apple Bloom stifled, as she began to trot across the room. "Now we should go... Sweetie Belle will be wondering where we are."
"Oh yeah. I thought there was another one of us," Rumble joked, as he flew out of bed and appeared besides Scootaloo. "Morning."
"Greetings," Scootaloo flicked her ear, before trotting up to the entrance. "I agree with Apple Bloom. The sooner we get out of here, the better."
"What... scared?" Rumble smirked, as Scootaloo slowly turned to him, a harsh expression on her face.
"Am not!"
"Is too!"
Babs Seed rolled her eyes, plodding out of the room. "Can we just give the garden one last visit before we leave..? I remember Sweetie Belle asked for a flower."
"Of course!" Apple Bloom dashed towards the backyard of the castle. "Ah forgot about that!"
Once the four young ponies had reached the garden, they began to rummage through all of the flowers, seeking a gift for their friend.
"What type of flower did she want again?" Scootaloo peered at Apple Bloom.
"A rose. No specific colour or anything." Apple Bloom sniffed at some lavenders. "I haven't seen any roses here though."
"That's handy, having every flower except the one which Sweetie Belle requested," Rumble muttered, as he rummaged through a bed of dandelions.
"Here!" Babs Seed peered down, to a single plant. "Only one rose... oh well! It's good enough!" The others approached, as she delicately made her way through the severe thorns, and nipped the stem off of the flower. It dropped to the ground, the red petals neatly spraying put.
"Perfect!" Apple Bloom gently lifted the rose up. "Ah am sure that Sweetie Belle will be pleased!"
"How dare you!" A voice was heard from a few metres away.
The four ponies slowly looked up, frozen-solid in place. Their eyes met a pair of furious golden ones, baring down on them. The rest of the pony wasn't viewable, as it was hidden in the shadows.
"What..? Who are you?" Scootaloo narrowed her eyes. "Do you live here?"
"Of course I live here, and who I am is not to thou concern! Thee four have only caused trouble whilst thee have been here. Alas, I shan't let any of thee intruders defeat me, and my territory. Out of all the flowers, why my rose? My one and only rose..." The eyes went distant, before glaring at them again.
"What's with the fancy speaking?" Rumble glanced at the pony in boredom.
The pony faltered. "You... sort of pick it up after playing video games for six years... that's off topic! Why did you steal my rose?"
"We... our friend... our friend Sweetie Belle requested for a rose before we left..." Apple Bloom stuttered.
"Sweetie Belle..?" The pony's eyes went distant again, before anger buzzed through him. "What have you done to her..? Ahem... off topic again... why? I mean... goodbye!" The pony latched onto a leaver which appeared out of nowhere, and all four Crusaders went tumbling down into an underground cavern. The ground hit hard beneath them, as they all peered up to see the pony smirking down at them. The roof began to close up, sending the four into a pitch-blackness.
"See you never..!" The pony trotted away smugly. "Wow, I really love repeating movie lines. This is the first time I have spoken to a pony since forever! Wow! The last pony I spoke to was..." The colt went silent, as his back slumped and his ears drooped. "They know her."
…
"We need to find a way out!" Rumble slammed against the side of the cavern again, with no success.
"Please stop... you're making it more and more depressing for all of us..." Scootaloo peered at the ground in sorrow, looking like she was on the verge of tears. She quickly peered away from the other Crusaders. "I'm not crying..."
Rumble sympathetically trotted up, wrapping a wing around her, and holding her close for comfort. "It's okay Scoots. Everything'll be fine."
"What are we going to do?" Babs Seed lay on the ground, blowing a red-pink strand of her mane out of her face.
"Ah really don't know..." Apple Bloom peered around. The area was restricted, but maybe it still had its weakness. "Maybe we could dig our way out."
"Yes, and that will only take a few months!" Babs Seed hissed, before calming down. "Sorry."
"It's okay..." Apple Bloom peered around, before her eyes rested on a tiny glint of light at the top of the prison. "There! There's an opening!"
All four of them looked up, and peered at the tiny speck of light.
"You're right!" Scootaloo smiled. "We just need to get high enough..." She sighed. "Like that will work."
"Hey," Rumble stepped back, unfolding one of his wings, and giving her a smug glance.
"Oh... right!" Scootaloo turned to the side in embarrassment, as Rumble began to fly up to the top of their dungeon. He scanned the small opening, trying to squeeze his way through, but it was only just too small for him to fit his head through.
Rumble flew down to the ground, reporting the dilemma.
Apple Bloom pricked her ears. "But it is wide enough to fit a smaller pony through..?"
Rumble's eyes widened, before turning to Scootaloo who glanced at them in confusion. "It is."
Scootaloo desperately stepped back. "Why are you all looking at me..?"
"Well you're probably the most smallest out of all of us," Babs Seed stepped forward.
Scootaloo put up a flustered face. "What do you mean by that? I am exactly the same height as all of you... except Rumble, but still!"
"Yes, but you are lighter... your body is more aerodynamic, and fit for squeezing through compacted areas," Babs Seed explained.
"I can't even fly though," Scootaloo peered at her back, ruffling her feathers. "My wings are too small..."
"Yes... which would make it more easy to fit through places," Rumble retorted.
"You've got a point..." Scootaloo muttered, doubtfully peering at them. "But how will I get up there in the first place?"
"Duh. Rumble will just carry ya up," Apple Bloom pointed out.
The two pegasi slightly peered away from each other.
"Carrying more than a pony's own weight is hard though..." Rumble cringed slightly.
"Hey- if Cinderainbow's friend Soarin can do it... then you can," Scootaloo turned to him.
The others glanced at her in confusion.
"Uh... a story which Cinderainbow told me about... she had a broken wing and... stuff..." Scootaloo scuffed her hoof on the ground, before trotting up to Rumble. "You okay with this..?"
The light grey pegasi confidently nodded. "Of course! Ready Scoots?"
She nodded, as he wrapped his hooves around her, and began to flap his wings. At first there was nothing, then Scootaloo felt the earth disappear below her hooves. She gasped, as she felt herself getting higher and higher. "Wow..."
Rumble grinned. "Impressed, eh?"
Scootaloo rolled her eyes, smirking at him. "What do you think?"
Eventually, the two reached the crack in the wall. Scootaloo examined it, before turning to Rumble. "I think I can make my way through it... I just need you to give me a boost..."
"Right on it." Rumble flew her up to the crack, so her head was literally touching the roof. Scootaloo grasped at the rock crevice, and hung from her hooves for dear life. Rumble heaved her upwards, and Scootaloo broke through the crag, her head jutting out the other side. She vigorously flapped her wings, giving her extra propel, as she finally managed to make her full way out of the crater with Rumble's help.
"You okay there, Scoots?" Rumble called from the other side.
Scootaloo peeped her head through the hole to meet his grey-purple eyes. "Yep. Now what in pony's sake am I meant to do..?"
"Wait a second..." Rumble went zooming back down to the ground, and began to question Apple Bloom and Babs Seed. Scootaloo tried to hear what they were saying, but they were too far down for her to decipher their muffled words.
Eventually Rumble hovered back up. "Well, you just need to go home and find Sweetie Belle. Then you two can discuss a plan to help us."
"Right on it," Scootaloo saluted, before leaning down, and giving Rumble a light peck on the cheek whilst he flew before her. She blushed immensely, as she gave a small smile. "Thanks for everything by the way." Then she was gone.
Rumble was dazed, as he stared into the sky in a starstruck manner. Slowly but surely, he made his way back down to the ground, still absent minded, as Apple Bloom and Babs Seed gave the colt a strange expression. Finally, his blank expression faded, as he furiously shook his head, wearing a goofy grin on his face, from ear to ear.
…
Sweetie Belle lay on the floor, buckets of ice cream lifted around her with her magic. "They're gone I tell you! Gone! By the name of Celestia, I have lost everypony I ever loved!" She began wailing, as she scooped lots ice cream, stuffing it into her mouth. "At times like this, I don't find it hard to compare myself to Raripunzel." She looked at her mane, no longer neat and curly, but in messy dreadlocks, clinging down her scalp. She ate another scoop of ice cream, as she continued to cry. She suddenly heard the sound of the door sliding open, and pricked her ears. Sweetie Belle narrowed her eyes, powering up her horn and teleporting into the kitchen.
"Wow! I actually successfully teleported!" She shook her head, knowing this was no time to celebrate. She levitated a frying pan with her magic, and slowly tiptoed across the room, listening to the hoof steps audible from the hallway. Finally, she blasted the door open, and charged forward.
"Whoever is in my house, get out- now!" She raised the frying pan to the air, ready to hit any opponent who appeared, when she realised what certain pegasi was standing there in shock.
"Scootaloo! Oh, how happy I am to see you!" Sweetie Belle lunged forward, and wrapped her hooves around Scootaloo in a bone-shattering embrace. "I missed you so much!"
"Okay! Okay! Easy!" Scootaloo coughed, as she helplessly returned the hug. "The rest of us are in serious trouble... so enough of the sweet, mushy stuff..." Scootaloo gagged, and the hug ended.
"Trouble?" Sweetie Belle's eyes widened. "Oh no! Alas, we must go and save them- destiny awaits, no soldier shall be left behind, with Celestia as our witness!"
"Now you're speaking old-fashionably," Scootaloo muttered.
"What?" Sweetie Belle tilted her head.
"Never mind. Now come, we need to find a way to rescue them." Scootaloo began to trot back to the door.
"Wait," Sweetie Belle called, levitating her ice-cream back to her, and eating the final scoops from the container.
Scootaloo raised an eyebrow. "That's all you are thinking about right now, when our friends are in grave danger?"
"What?" Sweetie Belle uttered, through a mouthful of ice-cream. "I like to eat! No judge!"
"But..."
"Nuh-uh. No words child. No words." Sweetie Belle raised a hoof, silencing Scootaloo, as she levitated the ice-cream into the bin, before giving Scootaloo a serious look. "Now let's go and save some friends!"
"And kick some butt!" Scootaloo went into a fighting pose.
"And save some friends!" Sweetie Belle gave an artificial smile. "Now let's go!" She began to canter towards the Everfree Forest. Scootaloo followed, taking the lead as she directed Sweetie Belle to their destination. The castle was surprisedly not hard to get to.
"Wow! You actually navigated not bad for once!" Sweetie Belle smiled.
"Oh please! I needed to ask you for what direction North was, and where the castle would be sitting, even though you haven't even been there before!" Scootaloo protested, before trotting forwards, and glancing at the door. "Now that we're here, I remember that the others were dropped into an unusual trap, below the garden... where the rose bush was."
"The... rose bush..?" Sweetie Belle's emerald-green eyes widened. "I requested for a rose... is that the reason why you were there in the first place..?"
Scootaloo didn't reply for a few seconds. Then she looked away. "Yes..."
"Oh no!" Sweetie Belle began jittering around, her movements distorted. "This is all my fault! This would have never happened if it weren't for me! I shouldn't have been lazy! No more days off!" Sweetie Belle dropped to the ground, pleading to the sky. "Please forgive me Celestia! I didn't mean any harm! Forgive..? Oh no! What if the rest of our friends don't forgive me..?" Sweetie Belle turned to Scootaloo. "What if they kick me out of the Cutie Mark Crusaders? What if they kick me... out of the house?"
"Enough of this nonsense! We have a duty to fulfil!" Scootaloo slapped Sweetie Belle hard across the face.
"Heh..." Sweetie Belle's eyes went goggly. "You said duty..!"
"That's something I would say!" Scootaloo yowled, before shaking her head, and dragging Sweetie Belle towards the castle. "Whoever you are, please get out of Sweetie Belle, I need her!"
Sweetie Belle shook herself like a dog, and her eyes darted to Scootaloo. "Sorry... the truth just hurts."
"It always does, young one. It always does." Scootaloo gave a grim smile, and patted Sweetie Belle on the back. "Now come... for the fifth time. We have a du... a mission to fulfil!" Scootaloo began to scamper towards the door, pawing at it with her hooves, and looking up at the knob.
"Okay... task one. We need to find a way to open the door... before we got Rumble to just fly up and open it, but he's not here... any ideas Sweetie Belle?" Scootaloo turned to her friend.
"Uh... yeah," Sweetie Belle pointed to her horn, as if it was obvious... which it was.
"Oh... right," Scootaloo went red as her unicorn friend used her magic to open the door. The two fillies trotted inside, cautiously watching where they went. They made their way across the hall, arriving at the glass door, and making their way through it. The garden stood before them, the flowers basking in the sunlight, as rich green grass curled around them. Some of the flowers looked like they were dancing in the soft breeze, whilst others stood still like soldiers. Some were curved like pretzels, and others bended like vines, some even camouflaged with the grass.
"Wow..!" Sweetie Belle's eyes widened, as she skipped through the flowers. "I never even knew there was this much plants in the Equestria!"
"Yes, I know this exciting, but we have three friends to rescue from a trench and we have no time for frolicking," Scootaloo pronounced.
Sweetie Belle reluctantly nodded, as she followed the orange pegasi towards a rose bush. Sweetie Belle noticed the crimson petals of a delicate rose splayed across the grass beneath the rose bush. Sweetie Belle felt the blood rush to her head as realisation flooded to her. "This is where you guys fell, wasn't it..?"
Scootaloo nodded, as she trotted passed the rose bush and towards a large patch of grass. Sweetie Belle curiously watched as Scootaloo parted the grass to reveal a small, secret passage located in the ground. Scootaloo bent her head through the hole, and began to call. "I'm back! Sweetie Belle's with me!" Her voice echoed a few times, before a response sounded.
"Okay! Now we need to gather a plan to get us out of here!" It sounded like Babs Seed's voice, but the brown-orange filly couldn't be seen from the bottom of the chamber, it was too far down
The sound of beating wings was heard, as Rumble appeared at the opening. "Any brilliant ideas, Scoots?"
The orange filly shook her head, but paused. "Maybe if me and Sweetie Belle wear away the opening, we might get a big enough gap for you to fit through."
"What about the earth ponies?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"We'll just leave them behind," Scootaloo shrugged.
"What? Are you crazy? Why in your right mind would you do something propostrous like that? They are our friends for crying out loud! They're fellow crusaders!" Sweetie Belle went off at Scootaloo, who was bursting into laughter alongside Rumble.
Sweetie Belle narrowed her eyes at the two. "That was a joke, wasn't it..?"
"Yep," Rumble snorted, before turning to Scootaloo. "Well good luck diminishing the exit... I may as well preserve my energy whilst you're at it. Bye."
"See ya," Scootaloo murmured, as Rumble flew back down to the bottom of the cave. Scootaloo smiled to Sweetie Belle. "Let's begin." She began digging at the opening like a dog, removing small pebbles, debris and grit.
Sweetie Belle joined in, using her magic to take away more difficult objects like rocks and tree roots. Despite their immense effort, the hole was still only gradually wearing away.
"My hooves are bleeding..." Scootaloo complained half an hour later.
Sweetie Belle gritted her teeth. "Same... there has to be a more easy method than this."
"Well do you think there's any way to make this easier?" Scootaloo blinked.
Sweetie Belle hesitated, before brightening up, her eyes wide, as if there was a lightbulb flickering on above her head. "I know! We could just use water to make it all soaking... then it will wear away, lickety-split!"
Scootaloo thought for a moment. "That actually isn't bad. Y'know anywhere where we can get the water to do that..?"
"Well this is a garden, there's bound to be water somewhere!" Sweetie Belle began to rummage through the plants.
"Yeah- like in the clouds," Scootaloo muttered, as she followed the white unicorn with the pink and purple mane.
"Here!" Sweetie Belle retrieved a hose. "And it's not a cloud!"
"Lucky," Scootaloo murmured, as she trotted up to the water pipe, and turned the handle.
Sweetie Belle levitated he hose with her magic, as the water began spurting out into the hole.
Scootaloo trotted up, smiling. "It will be easier to remove the dirt now-" she was cut off, as a conundrum was heard from below their hooves.
"By Celestia's mane, what are ya doing up there?" Apple Bloom's voice was heard, spluttering.
"Maybe they're giving us some water to drink?" Babs Seed offered.
"This water is unconditional! I don't think we'll be able to drink it all before we drown!" Apple Bloom roared.
"Oh no... pegasi find it difficult fly when their wings are wet..." The sound of Rumble flying was heard, as he made his way to the top of the cave, but away from the gap so he wouldn't drench himself. "What're you two doing?"
"We're just trying to make it easier to remove the soil," Scootaloo explained.
"Well you're annoying the others... this cave may be very tall, but it's not wide, and the walls are hard... the water won't dissolve into the earth, it will obliterate us!" Rumble called, avoiding droplets of water which trickled towards him. The last thing he wanted to do was dampen his feathers.
"Oh no... Sweetie Belle, the plan's not going to work. We will suffocate our friends..." Scootaloo began, turning to the unicorn who was still surging the water into the cave.
"Oh... right..." Sweetie Belle began, before she pricked her ears. "How long until the cave completely fills up?" She called.
Rumble, from inside the cave, examined the rising water levels. "By this tremendous rate, about ten minutes... why..?"
Sweetie Belle hesitated, before calling down into the cave at Apple Bloom and Babs Seed. "How good are you two at swimming?"
"Ah can swim really well," Apple Bloom spat. "But this is ridiculous! Ya're not expecting us to swim our way out of here, are ya?"
"That's exactly what I'm thinking," Sweetie Belle shouted. "And how are you with swimming Babs Seed?"
"Sure... my parents used to make me attend survival stroke classes, if ever there was an emergency," Babs Seed barked. "But... why can't you think of a more humane way of getting us out of here?"
"Bexcuse this will solve all the problems! It will not only grind away all the dirt at the opening, but will rise to a high enough level for you all to clamber out! You just have to float for about ten minutes, and then the water will reach the top opening!" Sweetie Belle smiled, turning to Scootaloo. "Is it a good plan?"
"It's perfect!" Scootaloo replied, turning to the hole. She yammered, "just hang in there everypony!"
"Fine!" Apple Bloom let out an irritated huff, as the water was now up to her neck, and she was only just tiptoeing on the ground.
"Turn the water to full pressure... the faster the water rises, the sooner they are out of there," Sweetie Belle commanded.
Scootaloo obediently nodded.
"What about me..? The hole is too big to fit me through..." Rumble blared, as he gritted his teeth. Large splashes of water were flashing towards him, and his wings could only make him fly so fast, in the constricted area.
"We'll just have to hope that this water wears away enough of the exit!" Sweetie Belle yawped.
Rumble let out a shocked cry. "So that's how you're doing this..? You're taking the chance that I will survive?" Rumble vociferated.
"Rumble, do you trust me?" Scootaloo squalled.
The light grey pegasi hesitated as he dodged a slop of maroon grit. "Yes..."
"Then you will know that I will do anything in my natural born life to save you," Scootaloo truthfully claimed.
Rumble looked up, and saw her orange blur through the glistening water which pooled through the hole. Being distracted for that very moment, a large splash of water hit him hard on the left wing, and he felt his feathers begin to grow healthier. Rumble shrieked, vigorously flapping his right wing, which sent him banging into the wall on the side. He went slipping down, and splashed into the water, which the other two trapped ponies were wading in.
"Welcome, Rumble," Apple Bloom muttered. "Now a trio is swimming in this pit of icy, shivery, chilly, frosty, frigid, freezing water." She glared at him. "Want any more adjectives for 'cold'?"
"Uh... no thanks..." Rumble replied, peering at Babs Seed. "Why's she so angry..?"
Babs Seed shrugged. "She's responsible... it's in her nature to take care of us, and right now she is slightly frustrated."
Apple Bloom began to chant out a group of unrepeatable curses.
"Okay... she's a lot frustrated," Babs Seed sighed. "She deserves a day off... but now after what has happened with Sweetie Belle gone, I am unsure that she will be ready for something like that anytime soon."
"You got that right," Rumble murmured.
"I can see them," Sweetie Belle stammered from up above. "Keep swimming, Crusaders! You're nearly at the exit!"
"Thank Celestia!" Apple Bloom griped. "Ah never want t' be stuck in this dreadful place ever again!"
Scootaloo trotted up to the hole, and glanced down, to see the three ponies paddling in the glistening water, which lapped the sides of the walls. "You might want to turn off the hose now. They are basically at the top, and I'll be able to drag them out."
Sweetie Belle nodded, powering up her magic, as a mint-green hue began to ripple around her horn's edges. She switched off the hose, and pulled it away from the gutter-like chamber.
The ponies no longer needed to shout, as the surging of the water had been discarded.
Scootaloo smiled to Sweetie Belle, before trotting up to the edge of the hole, and poking her head through. "Okay, who'd like to be rescued first?"
The three, trapped Crusaders peered between each other.
Rumble shrugged. "Ladies first!"
"Let's just get this over and done with," Apple Bloom muttered. "You go Babs Seed."
"Alright..." the meek, brown-orange earth pony gulped, before swimming directly under the hole.
Scootaloo bent further down into the chamber, grabbing ahold of Babs Seed with the hooves, and tried to heave her up. For that very second, Scootaloo went toppling down, and splashed into the water alongside the other three. Scootaloo spat out some murky-brown water, and blinked her purple eyes twice, before her face went scarlet and steam literally puffed from her ears. She looked like she was ready to swear. "Epic. Fail."
Sweetie Belle appeared at the entrance. "Oh my! What can I do to help?"
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe you could try getting us out?" Scootaloo spat, before calming down. "Why don't you try pulling us out?"
Sweetie Belle's eyes widened. "I'm not as strong as you Scootaloo! And even if I did try, I'd probably end up in the water like all you five, and we'll all end up eventually drowning!" She gulped. "I'll try use my magic..." She engulfed a green aura around Scootaloo, magic sparks flickering off, as she used all the energy in her to try and levitate the orange pegasi up out of the water. Unfortunately, she barely lifted the pegasi before she slumped to the ground, panting in exhaustion. "I'm... s-sorry..." Sweetie Belle peered over the edge, her greyish-mulberry and greyish-rose mane hanging down, and leaking with sweat. "I can't help you all..." She squinted her green eyes and began to cry. "I'm sorry..."
"Stop! I can save them..." a voice was heard from afar. Sweetie Belle peered up from the ditch, and stared at a figure which stood in the shadows.
She tilted her head. "Who are you..?"
"I... uh..." the pony went quiet, and stepped back slightly.
"Sweetie Belle! I recognise that voice! It's the pony that sent us here in the first place!" Scootaloo hissed. "Don't trust him! He'll probably make everything worse!"
"W... what..?" Sweetie Belle gasped, looking at the pony, fear twinkling in her eyes, as she stepped back.
"Wait- no... I didn't mean any harm..." the pony faltered.
"Yes ya did! Why would ya put us down here to drown if ya didn't mean it'?" Apple Bloom scoffed.
The pony's golden eyes narrowed, clearly offended. "I did no such thing! I dropped you down in the chamber, and I was going to free you later! The water was never meant to happen... you put the water in there yourselves! It's your fault you are about to drown unless you let me help!"
Sweetie Belle gaped. "Ponies, it's either that you probably die and not get saved, or at least have a chance of dying and being saved! Whether or not you trust this pony, your lives are still at risk!"
Babs Seed sighed. "I agree with Sweetie Belle."
Rumble slowly nodded. "Same..."
"Me too..." Scootaloo bit her lip, and turned to Apple Bloom.
The earth pony scowled, but muttered, "just save us."
The pony tilted it's head. "Oh, I amn't saving you for free! With thou lives, there comes a price to pay..."
"Oh no..." Scootaloo muttered.
"What dya' want?" Apple Bloom grumbled through clenched teeth.
The pony gulped, before peering at the ground. "I want... I want Sweetie Belle..."
Sweetie Belle let out a shocked squeal, stepping back. "How do you even know my name?"
The pony seemed to smile cheerily. "I know a lot about you Sweetie Belle! Your favourite colour, animal... how you idolise your sister. I know how you hate Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon... and I know you're the best singer in the world..." the pony went silent. "I... I mean... no... I don't know you that well... lucky guess?"
Sweetie Belle stood dumbfounded for a second, before shaking her head, and letting out a terrified squeak, backing away further.
"Don't you dare even touch Sweetie Belle! You're not having her! I'd rather die!" Scootaloo thundered.
"Yes! Don't leave us Sweetie Belle! We're not worth ya givin' up on life!" Apple Bloom cried.
Sweetie Belle crouched down. "But... I can either go with him... and live knowing that you are all safe and alive... or I can live knowing that even though I had the chance, I ditched you guys... and be alone for the rest of my life." Sweetie Belle's eyes clouded.
"You're not actually thinking of going are you?" Babs Seed chortled. "I don't like the look of this pony. Not. One. Bit."
"Heh. I'm right here," the silhouetted pony wavered a hoof.
Sweetie Belle gulped, looking over the edge, and seeing her friends, still swimming in the water, however, they were now exhausted looking. Apple Bloom was wasting her energy, just glowering out of the hole and Babs Seed was slowly but surely sinking deeper and deeper... occasionally her head went under, before she desperately kicked up. She was the worst swimmer of them all. As for Scootaloo and Rumble, they hung close to each other, guarding the other pegasi with their life, and making sure each other was staying above the water.
Sweetie Belle couldn't bare watching her friends suffer, as she looked up through narrowed eyes, and to the pony. "Okay. I will go with you."
"What?" All four Crusaders and the pony shrieked at the same time.
The pony's eyes widened. "Wow, you're loyal. I never doubted you Sweetie Belle, but you did get me worried there! Like that one time when you were-"
"-just save my friends, will you?" Sweetie Belle raised an eyebrow.
The pony swiftly nodded. "Right! Okay!" He stayed where he was, but he dwindled his hooves around, receiving a peculiar gadget, and pressing a few buttons on it. Almost instantly, the opening of the underground prison began to part, leaving a reasonable exit. Then, the water began to spurt out of the cave, as a floor began to rise up from the ground. It didn't take long for the four Crusaders to be standing on hard ground again, as they dazedly stared at a Sweetie Belle.
"Why, Sweetie Belle..?" Apple Bloom stared at her. "You have just opened a gateway to the worst life possible..."
"You're losing your freedom. Being stuck here could even make you lose your sanity..." Babs Seed countered. "Just look at him!"
She pointed to the pony, who put up a hoof. "I'm still here you know?" The pony's eyes twitched.
"And you're losing us... your friends..." Scootaloo whispered.
"Why did you do it?" Rumble tilted his head.
"I couldn't let you drown..." Sweetie Belle stared at all of her friends. "I love you all."
"Wow, I am feeling really bad now..." the pony from the shadows mumbled.
"Ya should be!" Apple Bloom roared, menacing forward. "Ya think we're going to just let ya walk away with our Sweetie Belle? Think again!"
"Yeah," Scootaloo hollered. "By the time we're done with you, you'll be wishing you never even laid eyes on us!"
"Yeah! You mess with the Sweetie Belle- you get nothing of the 'sweet' in her name!" Babs Seed smirked.
"Whatever they all just said!" Rumble cheered.
"Guys... stop." Sweetie Belle raised a hoof to the air, silencing the four Crusaders. "A deal's a deal... I have to go."
"But Sweetie Belle! You have so much more to live for!" Scootaloo whimpered.
"Don't do it Sweetie Belle!" Apple Bloom whined.
Sweetie Belle gave a solemn smile. "As much as I'd like to go with you guys... I can't... I hope you all understand..." Sweetie Belle trotted forward, and started a group hug. "Goodbye..."
After the hug ended, Babs Seed menaced forward, suddenly seeming a lot more threatening. She gave a petrifying glare as she came nose to nose with the pony in the shadows. "I have ripped the heads off of dolls, and sent foals in my school to hospital before! If you hurt one hair on Sweetie Belle's head, I will do more than just send you to hospital! Have I made myself clear?"
The pony in the shadows vigorously nodded.
"Good," Babs Seed trotted away, her head high as she returned to the group.
"Please don't forget us," Rumble murmured. "Try to see us again someday."
"I will," Sweetie Belle sighed, before turning to the pony in the shadows. "What now?"
The pony hesitated. "I have planned this like... a million times! But then every time I get up to this part, I always die... stupid level three... wait... no, no levels... ignore what I just said! Yeah, but I have planned this, trust me, but I have never got passed this part... ahem..." The pony gave an awkward smile. "I think I am just meant to kidnap you now... and scare your friends away." The pony put up a devilish grin. "Reminds me of what my mum told me! If I'm not the hero... I must be the villain! Or did she say something like always be the hero..? Oh well, I forgot! Anyway, I have always wanted to act out the villain, so just let me just get into character..."
Sweetie Belle exchanged glances with the other Crusaders, who only shrugged.
The pony did a few warmups, fixing up his accent, and the way he moved. Then he smirked evilly towards the five Crusaders, now wearing a silhouetted moustache which had appeared out of nowhere. "Me, ze Professor... What'shisname, will now kidnap ze damsel in distress... Madam Belle!" The pony leapt forward, knocking Sweetie Belle over, and pinning her to the ground. Somehow, he was still not viewable, as he wore a completely black outfit... everything was covered except his eyes.
Sweetie Belle screamed, her friends coming to her aid, but the pony suddenly out of nowhere pulled out another unusual gadget and frantically pressed the button. Almost instantly, a green fog began to whip out of the device, the scent devoured by all the Crusaders, including Sweetie Belle and sending them into a deep sleep.
It didn't seem to affect the colt, as he was wearing the moustache, which was actually a breathing mask. He slowly looked at all the sleeping bodies, planning what to do. Then, he pressed the buttons on one of his devices. A shopping-trolley appeared, and he awkwardly lifted all the Cutie Mark Crusaders into it, minus Sweetie Belle. He chuckled slightly, at the sight of all four ponies shoved into one shopping trolley, and took a photo of it with another gadget. Then he rolled the trolley down the path, and to outside his castle. Making sure he kept in the shadows, he pushed the trolley into the Everfree Forest, and watched as it gradually carried the four Crusaders away. Then, he trotted back to his gardens, and deciphered what to do with the certain white unicorn nestled in a patch of grass. He let out an excited cry. "I kidnapped Sweetie Belle! I kidnapped Sweetie Belle!" He danced around slightly. "Oh, we'll have so much fun! We can play games, and draw, and climb trees, and have fun!" Suddenly, a zap ricocheted through his body. He stepped to the side, giving a tormented and ersatz grin. "Or video games... video games... video games..." He scanned the area, before hitting his head. "No... I must fight it! I must! I must!" Realising he'd been talking to himself for the passed six minutes, he quickly picked up Sweetie Belle and slumped her over his shoulder. Then he carried the sleeping filly to a room in the house, and rested her on the bed. "Bye Sweetie Belle! Tell me when you wake up!" Then, he hopped away.