The Cybersquad and their friends darted deeper into the Everfree Forest, their breaths ragged as they pushed through the dense underbrush. After narrowly escaping the swarm of Zachbots and Mannequins by diving into the cover of thick bushes, they waited in tense silence.
Once the sounds of pursuit faded and the coast was clear, they cautiously emerged from their hiding spot, exchanging wary glances before continuing their journey deeper into the heart of the forest.
They had already deduced that the Second Crystal must be hidden somewhere deep in the Everfree Forest, especially with Hacker and the other villains sending so many robots to comb through the woods.
Determined, they kept their eyes peeled for any signs or clues that might lead them to its location. But as they ventured further into the dense forest, frustration began to set in. Despite their efforts, there was still no sign of the crystal—or anything that might reveal its whereabouts.
"Are we there yet?" Peter asked tiredly, for what felt like the hundredth time. His constant whining was starting to wear on everyone's nerves.
"No, not yet," Matt replied, his tone noticeably sharper than before.
"How about now?" Peter pressed on, undeterred.
"No," Martin sighed, sounding more and more exasperated.
"How about now? Are we there now?"
"Oh, for Celestia's sake, Peter!" Applejack finally snapped. "Will ya knock it off already?"
Peter blinked, surprised. "What? What did I do?"
"Stop asking the same thing over and over!" Inez said, her voice edged with frustration. "It's driving us crazy!"
"Repeating what? I have no idea what you guys are talking about," Peter shrugged, trying to play innocent.
Stewie groaned, clearly fed up. "I swear to God, Fat-Man, if you don't knock it off, I'm going to—"
"Alright, everyone, let's calm down!" Inez quickly intervened, raising her hands in a soothing gesture. "I know this is stressful, but fighting with each other isn't going to help. Let's just take a deep breath and keep moving. We should be there soon enough."
"But what if we never find it?" Digit asked, his voice laced with worry.
"We WILL find it," Matt said firmly, his tone slicing through the tension. "We just need to stay focused and keep looking."
"Exactly! Arguing isn't going to help," Jackie added, trying to lift everyone's spirits. "We'll get there, we just have to stick together and keep moving forward."
"That's the spirit!" Pinkie Pie cheered, bouncing ahead of the group as she joyfully hopped from one patch of forest floor to the next.
But as she gave one particularly energetic jump, a loud crack rang out. The ground beneath her trembled, her usual smile faltered, and before anyone could react, the earth gave way. With a startled yelp, Pinkie vanished into a dark hole, disappearing from sight.
"PINKIE!" Applejack cried out, racing to the edge of the pit, her heart pounding. She peered down anxiously into the gaping hole.
WordGirl quickly flew to the edge, scanning the darkness below. "Pinkie, are you okay?!" she called, her voice echoing into the cavernous drop.
"Yeah!" Pinkie's voice echoed faintly from far below. "I landed on something soft! Kind of scratchy too... like a pile of leaves or... old branches. Or maybe it's cake frosting! Wait, no, definitely leaves."
"Hold on, Pinkie! We're coming!" Martin Kratt assured, leaning over the edge, trying to assess the best way down.
Before they could organize a plan, Peter, who had been standing near the back, confidently stepped forward. "Alright, step aside, folks. Let me take a look. I'll just lean in and—"
But before he could finish, Peter stumbled over a stray root. His arms flailed wildly, and he toppled forward, crashing straight into the group. "W-WOAH!!!!"
"Peter, no!" WordGirl shouted, but her warning came too late.
With a chaotic tumble, Peter collided with the others, sending them all hurtling into the hole with him. Even Stewie, despite his best efforts to cling to the edge, was dragged down into the abyss, screeching in frustration.
As they tumbled through the pit, the group bounced and slid down the dirt walls, landing in a disheveled heap at the bottom. Groans filled the air as they untangled themselves, everyone rubbing sore limbs.
"This," Stewie muttered bitterly from beneath Chris's elbow, "Is now officially the worst day of my life."
"Peter, why?" Jackie groaned, pushing herself upright and shaking dirt from her hair. "Why did you have to knock us all in?"
Peter looked sheepish as he stood up, brushing off his shirt. "Sorry! I didn't mean to! But that root just came out of nowhere!"
At that moment, Pinkie Pie popped up from the shadows, still grinning as if nothing had happened. "Hey, you guys made it! Now we can have a hole party!"
"A hole party?" Matt groaned, rubbing his head in disbelief. "Pinkie, Now's not the time for a party!"
Pinkie, undeterred, flashed her signature bright smile. "Well, it's better than sitting around all mopey!
Just then, the group's attention shifted to Digit, who was cradling his wing and emitting a high-pitched shriek of pain. "Ow! I think my wing is broken!" he cried out, his voice tinged with panic.
"Oh no, Digit!" WordGirl exclaimed, rushing to his side. She knelt beside him, her expression filled with concern as she examined the injured wing. "How bad is it? Can you move it?"
Digit winced, attempting to shift his wing but quickly letting out another pained squeak. "I can't! It hurts way too much!"
"Okay, just breathe," Jackie said, kneeling next to him. Her brow furrowed with determination. "We'll figure this out together." She scanned their surroundings, looking for any possible way out. "Can you stand, Digit?"
"I'll try," he replied, his voice trembling as he struggled to rise to his feet. Every slight movement seemed to send fresh waves of discomfort through him.
"Here, let me help," Fluttershy offered, stepping in with gentle compassion. She positioned herself beside Digit, placing one hoof under his shoulders for support. "Just lean on me. We'll get you out of here."
With Fluttershy's assistance, they slowly made their way toward the edge of the pit. Meanwhile, Stewie rolled his eyes, his usual impatience bubbling to the surface.
"Fantastic! While you all play nursemaid, can someone remind me how we're supposed to get out of this dirt hole? I'd prefer not to spend the rest of my life in the pit of doom!"
Chris Kratt glanced up at the hole above, frowning. "It doesn't look like we can climb back the way we came."
Digit's voice trembled with worry. "Then how are we going to get out of here?"
"Hey, how about we follow that bright green light over there?" Pinkie Pie suggested, bouncing with excitement. "Maybe it'll lead us out of here."
"Bright green light?" Jackie repeated, glancing around in confusion. The others exchanged puzzled looks, equally unsure of what Pinkie was talking about.
They all turned in the direction Pinkie Pie was gazing, spotting a faint, eerie green glow emerging from the depths of a dark cave just ahead. Sharing hesitant looks, the group took a deep breath and stepped forward, venturing into the cave with the mysterious light as their guide.
As they moved deeper inside, the narrow passage opened up into a sprawling stone labyrinth, its walls crumbling and worn with age. Cracks zigzagged across the ceiling and floor, reminding Matt of the ancient, decayed icy structure where he had discovered the First Crystal.
Now, the Everfree Forest was known for the many abandoned castles and ruins that were found there, but this was something none of the remaining Mane 6 recognized, when asked.
After navigating the winding corridors of the labyrinth and unlocking a massive stone door, the group entered a grand chamber. The walls and ceiling were draped with ancient vines, while small waterfalls cascaded gently on either side, filling the room with a soft, echoing trickle. At the center stood a pedestal, atop which hovered the second green crystal—a striking match to the First Crystal they'd encountered before.
This time, Inez felt a strong pull to step forward and claim the crystal, while the others stood back, watching her with cautious anticipation. As her fingers wrapped around the gem, something unexpected happened.
Matt instinctively braced himself, half-expecting a hologram of Sapphire—the original wielder of the crystal's power—to appear and congratulate her on finding the Second Crystal, just as before. Instead, a faint tremor rippled through the room, and the crystal began to emit a vibrant, pulsating glow, filling the chamber with shimmering green light.
For a brief moment, a line of bright green text appeared on the wall behind the pedestal where the Second Crystal had rested, spelling out a single, glowing word:
"Farlands?" WordGirl read aloud, her brow furrowing. "What does that mean?"
The group exchanged puzzled glances. "Farlands… Sounds like another place," Matt mused, scratching his head. "Maybe it's where the next crystal is hidden?"
"Who names a place 'Farlands' anyway?" Peter grumbled. "Sounds like it's just begging to be in the middle of nowhere."
Well, whatever it means, my best guess is we'll need to head someplace far from here," Martin Kratt suggested thoughtfully.
"Far from here?" Matt asked, scratching his head. "But where exactly is 'far from here'?"
"You know! Somewhere far, far away!" Pinkie Pie chimed in with a big grin, clearly pleased with her contribution.
Matt sighed, trying to clarify, "I get that, Pinkie, but where exactly are we supposed to go?"
Pinkie simply shrugged, still smiling. "Oh.., I have no idea!"
"Well, at least we have a lead on where to go next!" Matt said, his voice brightening. "Let's get moving!"
"Hold on," Stewie interjected. "The remote doesn't exactly label worlds—if they even have names. 'Farlands' could mean anything!"
Matt paused, frowning thoughtfully. "Huh, I didn't think of that. So how are we supposed to know where to go? Are we missing something here?"
"I doubt it," Jackie replied, glancing around the room. "That's probably the only clue we're going to get."
"Wait a second!" Inez exclaimed, holding up the crystal and squinting at it. "There's something here...something on the crystal itself!"
"Like what?" Matt asked, leaning in curiously.
"Look! There's some text engraved here!" Inez said, pointing to a faint inscription on the crystal.
"Really? What does it say?" Peter asked, eyes wide with intrigue.
Inez squinted, reading aloud, "In a fortress long forgotten… that's it. That's all it says!"
"A fortress long forgotten?" Digit echoed, scratching his head. "Nope, doesn't ring any bells."
Martin repeated the phrase thoughtfully, "In a fortress long forgotten… But where is that supposed to be?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Martin Kratt chimed in excitedly. "We've got to head to the Farlands and find that fortress!"
"Yeah, but where exactly is that?" Digit asked, his voice filled with worry. "We know where to go, but we have no clue where it is!"
"Digit, calm down!" Applejack urged, placing a steadying hoof on his shoulder.
"Yeah, Digit," Jackie added reassuringly. "We'll figure it out. We always do!"
"But what if we don't?" Digit exclaimed, his anxiety growing. "What if we can't find it? The whole multiverse could be doomed!"
"We're not giving up that easily," WordGirl said firmly. "We'll keep looking until we find the answers. We're in this together."
"That's right, Digit! All we have to do is—" Matt started, but he was cut off as the ceiling exploded above them. Dust and debris scattered as Zusk, controlling a strange machine with a mechanical arm, peered down into the room.
"I'll take that!" Zusk sneered, snatching the crystal from Inez's hands in one swift motion.
"What? Hey!" Inez cried out, stunned and frustrated.
"Thanks for finding the Second Crystal for us," Zusk taunted, "And for leading us right to the location of the third!"
"But… how did you find us?" Martin Kratt demanded, his eyes wide with disbelief.
"Oh, please, that was easy," Tobey's voice sneered. They turned to face Zach and Tobey, whose smug expressions gave away their confidence. "We've been watching you this whole time with Zach's little toys. Didn't think to check for any followers, huh?"
"You slimy little varmint!" Applejack growled, stomping a hoof.
"And what about those three?" Jackie asked, glancing nervously at Cozy Glow, Tirek, and Chrysalis, who stood quietly behind them.
"Oh, them?" Zach grinned, motioning casually to the trio of former villains. "Well, let's just say we found a couple of statues that needed... liberation."
Cozy Glow gave a sickly-sweet smile, her eyes glinting with malevolence. "And let's just say we're very grateful to have a second chance—especially when Equestria's up for grabs."
"Equestria? What do you mean?" Inez asked, narrowing her eyes.
Tirek chuckled darkly. "Why else would we team up with these… humans?" He sneered. "In exchange for a little assistance, we get to rule Equestria, starting with eliminating you and your little friends."
As he spoke, shadows gathered around them, and Tobey snapped his fingers. From the shadows emerged the rest of the Mane Six, Spike, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders, each clad in Zach's signature grey armor with eerie, red-glowing eyes.
"You see," Chrysalis began, her voice dripping with venom, "We've taken control of your precious little friends. Now, not only do we have the crystal, but we have the perfect little army too."
Applejack's heart sank as she took in the sight of her friends, especially what was once her sister. "Rainbow… Twilight… Apple Bloom…" Her voice broke, unable to bear the sight.
"TRAITORS!" Peter shouted, his fists clenched in fury.
"Oh, they're not traitors," Cozy Glow giggled. "They just know a good plan when they see one."
The villains began closing in, forcing the Cybersquad back. They barely had time to react before a burst of magical energy hit, and Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie were grabbed and restrained.
"Applejack! Fluttershy! Pinkie!" Matt yelled, lunging forward, but was forced back as another robotic arm blocked him.
Inez grabbed his arm, her voice panicked. "Stewie, now would be a great time to use that remote!"
Stewie, who had been frantically trying to recharge the remote, finally saw the indicator light flash green. "Alright, everyone, hold on!" He shouted, pressing the button.
In a flash, the Cybersquad vanished, leaving only a faint sparkle in their place.
"DRATS!" Zach screamed, his face twisted in fury as he watched his enemies slip through his fingers. "They got away!"
Tobey, still holding the crystal, shook his head with annoyance. "Typical... Well, at least we have the crystal," he said, holding it up as it glinted ominously.
"Not to mention we still have the Mane Six and the princesses." Chrysalis sneered, her expression one of pure satisfaction.
The villains exchanged a dark look as they reported their success to Hacker, who appeared on a holographic screen in front of them, his grin widening at the sight of the captured ponies.
"Excellent!" Hacker exclaimed. "With the Second Crystal in our grasp and our new allies, nothing will stop us from conquering the multiverse." He chuckled darkly.