Twilight in the Darkness: Vs. Nightmare Moon
"Look. Y'all. I know yur good folks who want to try to try and stop the big bad from ruinin' the world and all, but frankly I don't think there is anything else we can do here. I was getting the farm packed up and getting ready to get the hay outta dodge."
Applejack paced around, as we waited at the mouth of the forest again, waiting for everyone to show up, clearly not happy she'd been pulled away from protecting her family.
"Applejack is right, Darling. We can't go sauntering off into the forest every time, this...human says we can stop Nightmare Moon. I'm not even sure we stood a chance WITH the Elements of Harmony, but not that they are gone, I'm afraid we got as much of a chance as a sunhat in a blizzard." Rarity says to Twilight, clearly hoping to get this whole mission called off.
I simply stand off to the side, not really willing to speak to anyone. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy haven't shown up yet, and Pinkie is just standing around, staring at the ground. I really feel like doing much the same. Twilight hasn't said a word since she called everyone back. She's refusing to make eye contact with me. The fact she called everyone here anyways should mean something, but this lack of communication is disheartening.
"Are we REALLY going to try this again?" A voice come flying in from the sky, as Rainbow Dash flies down to join the rest of us. "This didn't go so hot last time, and we are super unprepared for this. Do we got a plan this time?"
Rainbow looked over at me, and I could feel the stares of the other boring into me as well. Luckily I was spared from talking quite yet, but the arrival of a very apologetic yellow Pegasus.
"I'm so sorry everypony. I just couldn't get Angel Bunny to settle down. He wants us to just pack up and leave, and that really sounds like a great idea right about now. But I'd feel so bad if anything happened to you guys, so I just had to come." Fluttershy says, landing gently and looking around. Reading the situation, she just folds her hears back, and stands off by herself, staying out of the oppressive atmosphere caused by the situation.
We all just stand around, the tension so thick, it's nearly suffocating. I figure now is as good of time as any.
"I'm sorry everyone. I'm sorry that I haven't been completely forward with you all. I'm sorry that I held you back last week. This whole thing is my fault. If I had been more careful, we could have beaten her last time.
"No. This is my fault." Twilight finally speaks. "The princess sent me here to make sure everything went fine, and I let her down and now she's missing. I should have studied more, instead of just running in there."
"Twi, do you really think we got a chance here? Or do you think we should just call it quits? I'm going to be honest, I'm still not sure I can trust Fawkes here as far as I can buck him. This all started when he showed up, and he claims to be from another world. Humans haven't been seen in equestria for at least a thousand years. how do we know he isn't just some distraction sent by Nightmare Moon to keep us from suceedin' in stopping her? He says he knew all about what was happening. how is that possible if he's from another world?" Applejack stares at me the whole time she throws these accusations, but I can't do anything but swallow them. As much as I know that they're untrue, they aren't baseless. frankly from her point of view, I don't see how she could be wrong...
"Well, The Princess trusted him. I can't really say I can either, but if Celestia says he can be trusted, then it's part of my mission to trust him." Twilight says. MY heart lifts a bit. Even if it for her mission, the fact that she says she is willing to give me the benefit of the doubt is the best news I've heard all day.
"Well, I say we truss him up like a pig, and bring him with us. All we need is his mouth, and he can barely walk as it is. I figure it stops him from backstabbing us if we are wrong." AJ says, pulling a lasso out of seemingly nowhere.
"No way, no how there, cowgirl" Rainbow dash flies in front of me, her limbs outstretched. "Twilight says we can trust him, because the princess does. I see no reason other than that to let him go. I said this they day I met him. I NEVER leave Ponyville hanging. Right now, we are headed up cloud creek without a paddle, and if he has a way to fix all this, that's better then turning tail and running. Plus he has that weird fone thing. I ain't never seen nothing like that before. It can't be from our world. he HAS to be telling the truth."
I put my hand on Rainbow's shoulder, and give her a non verbal thank you.
"Listen, Applejack. I know you want to protect your family. I met them, remember? They are good peopl...ponies. I want to protect them too. You've all been great to me so far. I thank you for your honesty. It's a really good trait to have. Sometimes, people just need a big dose of honesty, and I feel you are the perfect pony to be that dose." I pick up AJ's hat that fell off during her tirade, and brushing it off, put it back on her head. I turn to Rainbow Dash and smile. "Thank you, for helping me. I want to help, and we are going to need everyone here to to this. That kind of loyalty is inspiring, and it's not even to me, it's to your friends, and your town. Everyone should have a friend like you, who is loyal, and brave, and frankly, just a bit too awesome."
"Yeah, I'm pretty awesome, right? Anyways guys, we got a gameplan here? we still got a moldy old mare to beat right?
"About that. Fawkes? I need to you tell me everything. If we are going to beat nightmare moon, I need to know the sixth element." Twilight turns to me. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she was pleading.
"I'm sorry Twilight, but If I told you outright, you'd never be able to harness the power of the elements. Also, about them. They weren't destroyed. Only the vessels they were contained in were. Think about it this way. If I were to run full speed into a tree, what happens to the kinetic energy I use running at it?"
"Ooooh, I get it. The energy gets dispersed in the next easiest medium, motion transfer into the tree, with the rest being diffused as sound and friction. The elements weren't destroyed, they just moved to the closest available mediums. but what are they?"
"Kinetic what now? What are you guys even talking about?" Rainbow looks stunned as Twilight and I energetically talk science
"well, the energy just needs to be called into a proper medium fitting of each element. So, think about it. We have some time to get there. Let's go, it's time we put a stop to this once and for all."
As we start toward the forest, I noticed one pony linger behind, still staring morosely at the grounds. I walk up to her, and I kneel down.
"I know things are looking down, Pinkie, but now then ever, your friends need you. To be the one who keeps everyone's spirits up, and to keep a smile on everyone's face. Remember that first party, on the rock farm?"
As those words leave my mouth, Pinkie blinks, and slowly turns to stare at me.
"How do you know about that?"
I just smile, and continue.
"Remember the smiles on everyone's faces? Here's the chance to do that again. look around you, do you see any smiles? Think about in Ponyville. Any smiles there? You're Pinkamena Diane Pie. Ponyville's Premier Party Pony and Planner Extraordinaire! Who's gunna plan the party for after we win, if you're all here being a gloomy Gus? Aren't you supposed to...Giggle at the Ghosties?"
Pinkie Pie springs back to life. Its like a deflating ballon, but in reverse, all the energy rushes back inside her
" *GASP* omigod you're right! I got a party to plan after this. Alright everypony, I'm in! Lets go bring the smiles back to everyone in Ponyville...NO! IN EQUESTRIA!"
"One more thing." I call attention back to myself, "After we get out of here, I promise to tell everyone here everything. No more secrets. For all the good it's done here, I might as well take the chance. Alright, let's go!"
We all walk towards the woods, again getting swallowed up by the intimidating darkness of the Everfree Forest. After walking for a while, we come to the drop off where the cliff gave way. The road is completely ruined. the only way to go, is down. Twilight simply just teleports down, AJ, skillfully jumps from rock to rock, working her way down. Fluttershy carries Rarity down, and Rainbow helps me. carrying me under the arms, like some weird child.
"Dude, even to a pegasus, you're pretty heavy."
"Yeah, i was intending to lose some weight, but i kind got sidetracked by...this.."
After we all touched down, and double checked that everyone was all right, we kept moving on, coming to a burbling stream, with an odd wailing coming from further down the stream.
"What's that sound? I ain't never heard anything like it before" Applejack asks curiously, peering down the river at the direction of the sound.
"It's a river dragon. He's having a bit of an...issue. Twilight, you got that tonic I asked for?"
"The hair growth one? Yeah but I don;t understand why you want it."
"Watch. this might be interesting." I walk over to the edge of the river, and leaning on my crutch, I take a deep breath and shout "HEY STEVEN! MR. STEVEN MAGNET? ARE YOU THERE?"
The others look at me in complete surprise and disbelief.
"I'm a bit busy right now, please come back later!'' A voice shouts back at us, much to the surprise of the ponies with me.
"I can fix your mustache, please come over here." I shout back, and cup my hand to my ear for the response.
"REALLY? I'll be right theeerrre" Steven replies with a singsong voice, his wailing a thing of the past.
The river starts to seemingly surge in the opposite direction, as a large purple dragon comes sailing on the water towards us, halting to a sudden stop in front of us, spraying me, head to toe in wake.
"Hello, all you cute ponies, and whatever you are, sir. You said you can help with my mustache?" He says, flamboyantly, motion to his mustache with a flourish, where half has been pulled out.
"Nice to meet you Steven, I'm Fawkes. I have here a bottle of hair repair tonic, made by my friend, and personal student of the Princess. It should get your mustache back to its original radiance and magnificent state in a few hours, all you need to do, is splash it on where it was damaged, and try to keep it out of the water for a bit. In return, I ask that you help us cross the stream. We have a date at the castle in this forest, and we can't be late."
"Oh, of course, of course. It would be my PLEASURE to help you, if it means my mustache gets better. Please, just climb on my back, and cross over, I'll grab the tonic from you after." Steven straightens his long back across the river, and lowers his head, so we can cross him. After we all get across, he turns back to the other side, and I pass him the tonic. he crawls out of the water, and uncorks the bottle slathering the liquid on his damaged facial hair. Instantly, the damaged hair starts to grow back, and it seems like it wont be stopping any time soon.
"All you got to do is wash off the tonic when it reaches the right length. Thank you for help, Mr. Magnet." Twilight says, as Steven marvels in amazement at the effectiveness of the tonic.
"Oh, Anytime, sweeties. an-y-time at all. Thank you guys soooo much for helping with my mustache problem. If you're ever in the area, don't be a stranger. Bye now!" He calls back as we make our was into the forest again.
"How did you guys cross the river last week?" I ask, looking back at the now calm waters ,as they glisten in the moonlight.
"I had Rainbow Dash carry us over. By then you and Fluttershy were back at the cliff, so it was pretty easy.
We continued into the forest, and walked for another ten or so minutes.
"I think the castle was about another five more minutes or so. we should come cross a trench soon, and it's tight on the other side of...What was that? Twilight stops suddenly, and motions for everyone to be still.
A low rumble can be heard, coming from the woods itself. and odd smell rises from the woods around us.
"I know that smell. It smells like timberwolves!" AJ shouts, and point toward a tree, where a timber wolf comes out from the tree, and several more behind it.
"If it was just one we'd be able to take it, but I don't think we can fight an entire pack..." Twilight says, worried, as we all back up into a group. I take my crutch, and spin it around, and hold it like a baseball bat, ready to swing at anything that gets close enough.