3rd POV
Deep within the Everfree Forest, the mistress of the night herself contemplates the last few moments since her escape. She declared herself the new ruler, created havoc in a small town full of ponies, and knocked the confidence out of a wannabe hero. Now, all she had left on her agenda was to knock her sister off her high horse and rule her new nighttime utopia!
But she had a sneaking suspicion that those ponies who knew about her were going to be trouble, if not outright disastrous!
After overhearing them talking about the only things that could stop her: the Elements of Harmony, she knew she had to prevent them from achieving their goal.
Hence, she flew into the forest to intercept the rebellious fools.
Materializing from her nebulous mist, Nightmare Moon searched her surroundings: a large, barren gully in the cleft of the forest filled with sharp stones jutting out of the ground, sulfurous geyser pools boiling like natural cauldrons, and skeletons of various types of animals littered the place like a bad omen.
Hmm, a bit roomy, could use a mare's touch, though. The alicorn thought ruefully, walking into the misty area.
After walking for nearly an hour, she suddenly noticed something amidst the quiet: she wasn't alone, just as she had hoped!
Several shadowy forms began to approach the dark mare. A spine-tingling laughter filled the air as the creatures revealed themselves to be a large clan of dark-spotted hyenas.
Each of these creatures grinned hungrily, with saliva dribbling from their chops, and gleaming yellow eyes roamed over her. One hyena stopped directly in front of her.
"Well, well, well, looky here, boys," drawled the possible leader of the bunch. A conniving hyena with a cocky smirk stood out from the rest as he addressed his minions. "It seems our dinner plans have changed!"
That remark started another bout of laughter from these gluttons, two in particular who didn't look like the sharpest arrows in the quiver.
"Haha! Dinner plans," said what looked to be the largest hyena in the pack with a dumb grin. He nudged an equally stupid smaller hyena who had his tongue hanging from his mouth in a goofy manner. "Yeah, ha! We never have plans, or dinner for that matter!" said the loopy one as the duo went into a laughing fit.
"Oh, stuff it, furbrains!" groaned the leader with an eyeroll. "Now then, who wants a leg or a wing?" he asked sinisterly, the hyena clan closing in on the mare.
Knowingly, the alicorn thought up a quick scheme that would accomplish both their goals! All she had to do was get them to pay attention.
Her horn briefly lit up with a few well-placed lightning strikes nearby, and her mane swept the mongrels off their feet, she then levitated who appeared to be the ringleader of this group.
"Uh oh, it's got Janja!" cried the loopy one, covering his eyes. The rest of the scavengers halted their assault.
"Now that I have your attention, you dogs, let's talk business!" Nightmare said with a smile, glaring at the hyena struggling in her grasp as the rest of the clan stood by anxiously.
"First off, sister, we're hyenas, totally different from those domestic nuisances," Janja said gruffly, despite the sight of a few scratching like dogs. "Secondly, what could a creature such as yourself even want with us?" he said skeptically, crossing his forelegs while still suspended in the air.
Which is understandable, since equines would never consider the concept of using intelligent predators like this. Especially if they were to feel like having a mutiny against their employers.
"I have a proposition for you and your cohorts, something that we'll both benefit from if you accept me as your new leader." Nightmare said, glancing at each mangy beast with an authoritative eye.
Janja, more stubborn than anything, didn't take that idea lightly. Him, a predator with deep dissatisfaction with his place in the circle of life, reduced to working for this walking, talking full-course meal!
So, being who he was, Janja just laughed at her face. "As strange as that offer is, longlegs, but hyenas don't bow to anyone. Especially not winged black zebras who have a delusion of utilizing our forces."
With a smirk, Nightmare surprisingly brought the arrogant alpha closer so she could look this underling in the eye. She could sense the approach of the rebels just getting close to one of her sensor spells, and decided to play that to her favor.
With a tendril of her mane brushing under the mongrel's chin, she decided to play some charm with him. "Oh, but that is where you are mistaken, my flea-riddled friend. You see, I have brought a peace offering to sweeten the deal."
Right there and then, she created a magic window that showed the purple unicorn mare and teal stallion walking towards the Everfree. Five more ponies followed suit. That certainly caught the interest of the starving gluttons.
"I bring you an all-you-can-eat buffet, each one I'm sure tastier than the last. And they will be here within the hour!" Nightmare said with a flourish, making sure they got a good look at how many were there.
"It's simple, really," the dark mare said sweetly, putting Janja back on the ground. "I want you and your pack to make sure those ponies don't get anywhere near the castle in the deepest part of the forest. Do that, and I'll grant you any wish you want, General Janja!"
With intrigue, the entire hyena clan smiled devilishly at their new boss, all bowing like loyal knights for a dark empress.
Ace's POV
Here we stood at the enterance to the fabled Everfree Forest, the shadows from the trees making it more ominous than I would have felt comfortable with, even in a cartoony world.
I glanced at our unusual party of ponies that made up an estranged team: the schooled magician Twilight, the speed demon Rainbow Dash, the drama queen Rarity, the cowgirl Applejack, the quiet Fluttershy, and the sugar-fueled Pinkie Pie, each one equally nervous. All except a certain pink pony and yours truly, as Pinkie was just too excited, and I was curious about what to expect from this fantasyland.
But that didn't mean my worries weren't there, clearly noticeable when I heard Pinkie say, "Whee, let's go!" as she started to trot off.
"Oh no, you don't," I said sharply, dragging her backwards with my magic. I would have laughed at the way she kept walking while being pulled back, but the severity of the situation helped me keep a straight face.
"Thanks for showing us the way, girls, but this is where I draw the line: everypony go back to your homes and prepare for the worst, blankets, candles, anything to keep your families safe!" I said with authority, looking each mare in the eye.
"Who put you in charge?" asked an incredulous Twilight, getting in my face to show how unwilling she was to this request. My only reply was to put a reassuring hoof on her shoulder and say, "This isn't up for debate, T. As your bodyguard, it is my responsibility to ensure your safety by order of the Princess. Even if it means leaving you behind to face the threat."
"Yeah, that's gonna happen!" Twilight said in her usual smart-mouthed way, striding past me.
"We're coming too!" Rainbow said proudly, speaking for the rest of the mares apparently as they stepped up.
"Look, I appreciate the offer, but I'd really rather do this on my own!" Twilight said sternly, but I could tell her insinuation that she wanted us to buzz off!
So, I decided on a gentler approach. "As sweet as it is that you want to help, I don't want any of you risking your safety for our sakes, girls." I didn't even notice the look that Twilight was giving me.
"No can do sugarcube," objected the farmpony. "We sure ain't lettin' any friend of ours go in that creepy place alone!" At Twilight's flinch from that word, and my small smile, the townponies trotted off towards the forest. "We're sticking to you like caramel on a candy apple!"
After being released from my magic, Pinkie added with intrigue, "Especially if there's candy apples in there!"
I couldn't help but snort at that remark, earning a grin from the pink mare as she rejoined the group.
But just before I could follow, I was stopped by my charge, who had mixed emotions flickering in her features. "Ace, i... it's probably best if you stay here," she said, not daring to look me in the eye.
Confused by this statement, I turned to her. "What do you mean, Twilight? Didn't you hear me earlier? As your bodyguard.."
"As my bodyguard, you are to keep my best interests at heart," Twilight cut me off snappishly, looking me in the eye with a hurt expression. "And from what's been happening all day, especially with that strange wild magic display, I don't feel like I can trust you!"
That last part really struck a nerve as I could only stare at her in shock and worry. "You don't mean that, Twi. I know what's at stake here, and dawdling around isn't going to help." I said, hopefully trying to dissuade her claims.
"Maybe, maybe not, but as my bodyguard, I have a new assignment for you," she said with a hollow voice, like her heart wasn't in it. "I want you to keep Spike safe until I return. Afterwards, I'm going to ask Princess Celestia to relieve you of your duties to me."
There were tears in her eyes by this point, although I wasn't sure who they were for. The other mares had circled back to see what the holdup was. "After all these years, I thought I knew you, trusted you, despite your strange background. But outright keeping something as crucial as being something unpony-like from me, that is just downright deceitful!" she sniffled, turning away from me.
"Twi," I said with a remorseful expression. "I truly am sorry, but it wasn't my place to tell you anything. I was only assigned to protect you by the Princess herself. But I can assure you that I can be of help here, you'll see!"
"No, Ace. I won't." Twilight said firmly, looking me straight in the eye. "Whatever it is you are, it's probably best that I don't find out. Because what I saw defies everything I've read in Starswirl's manuals on transfiguration!"
As the purple mare went to join the rest of the group, I tried to reason with her one more time while catching up. "Wait, Twilight. Please, this isn't how I wanted things to turn out!" I said worriedly, stopping at her side. "I can help; my powers might be the only thing that can get you there safely! You have to trust me!!!" I pleaded, reaching for her.
With barely a whisper coming from her lips, she muttered, "But I don't anymore..." brushing past me and trotting off into the dark forest. She left me standing there with my heart shattered like an old vase.
The others offered sympathetic glances my way before they, too, disappeared into the foliage. In silence, I walked away. Barely knew where my hooves were leading me, but at the moment, I didn't care.
"I deserve that and more," I said under my breath, stopping under the cover of a tree. "For all my special gifts, the only thing they won't guarantee is getting my friends to trust me." Slowly scuffing a hoof through the dirt, all I could do was replay seeing my charge's, my friend's face look at me with such pain.
"Now I've failed," I groaned to nobody in particular, lying down in the soft grass.
As I lay there feeling sorry for myself for who knows how long, my mind kept turning back to the ponies I had met since coming here, hoping that they would make it out okay.
My musings were suddenly interrupted by the most peculiar thing since coming to this world: singing in the most ridiculous language I had ever heard.
"Asante sana squashed banana wewe nugu mimi hapana, Asante sana squashed banana wewe nugu mimi hapana~"
Incredulously, I looked around for the source of the noise. But it sounded as if it was coming from everywhere and nowhere at once!
With a snort, I turned to leave, wanting to be alone for just a bit longer. Until an honest-to-goodness hand shot out of the ground and poked my nose!
"And where are you going?" asked the figure, vanishing quickly. "Um, nowhere," my reply came out halfheartedly.
"Ha, da'ts what you t'ink!" cried out the speaker, springing into full view.
An elderly mandrill, or something, stood just within my personal space, with a bark of laughter. Vanishing faster than a ghost.
"Come on, would you cut it out?" I groaned, now really wanting to be alone as I left the tree. But fate had other plans, siding with the strange visitor.
"Can't 'cut it out'; it'd grow right back!" said the primate with a deranged laugh, leaping out of the tree with a walking stick in hand to follow me.
"Creepy little monkey," I grumbled, watching the old guy keep up his pace for someone his age. Now more annoyed, I snapped, "Would you stop following me? Who are you?"
"De question is, who are you?" The monkey threw back at me curiously with a grin, making me open and shut my mouth like an idiot.
"I...I thought I knew, now I'm not so sure," I said with regret, lowering my ears and looking away from those prying eyes.
"I know who you are," said the old coot, pulling me close. "Come here, it's a secret," he whispered.
"Asante sana squashed banana wewe nugu mimi hapana~"
He chanted happily, swinging his arms in a crazy fashion. With an annoyed growl, I asked a question I knew I wouldn't get a straight answer to. "What does that even mean?"
"It means 'you are a baboon, and I'm not!'" chuckled the monkey. Angrilly stomping away, I said, "I think you're confused. I'm nobody special." Recalling every word my ex-friend said.
"Wrong!" exclaimed the mandrill, poking my nose more roughly. "I'm not de one who's confused; you don't even know who you are!"
With an eyeroll, I said with a sneer, "And I suppose you do?" Walking away again, now more irritable than anything.
"I do," said the monkey, more seriously than he had this evening. "Askari's protègè, the guardian of the five lands!"
I froze. How could I not? After all the years in this world, I had never encountered anyone living with any knowledge of the guardians. With trepidation, I turned to look at the maniacal monkey, who had a knowing grin as he saw me piece together the puzzle.
"A...are you another guardian?" I asked hesitantly. At his bark of laughter, I chalked it up to a 'no'. "Nah, not my style," he said, catching his breath.
"I am called many t'ings in my lifetime: Mjuzi, shaman, lunatic, matchmaker, but most refer to me as Rafiki! It means friend where I come from. Somet'ing d'at I believe you already know!?" Rafiki said with his grin returning, giving me a questioning look.
"Of course, your wisdom from the Pridelands is legendary!" I said, unsure if he knew anything I already did. But, this was Rafiki we're talking about, so anything is possible! "All creatures, great and small, respect you! Even if your methods are questionable."
Whack!
"I deserve that..." I muttered from the dirt, my head spinning from being hit by that darn monkey's cane.
"So Ace Pentagon, why are you here moping here instead of helping d'ose nice girls save d'e world?" Rafiki asked as he leaned down to my level on the ground.
My mood turned somber at that moment. I picked myself off the ground and sat down like Eeyore, regaling the shaman with everything, even my reason for sitting here.
"And to top it all off, I managed to hurt Twilight. I mean, yes, we have been by each other's side since school, but I have my lessons with the guardians, and she has hers with the Princess. Shouldn't the fact that I was willing to help her cover the fact that I am not normal?" I ranted. Rafiki listened with rapt attention.
"I threw myself into harm's way so she could be safe, giving her the chance she needed. Besides, I'm not at liberty to just start blabbing my mouth about being a guardian, even if she did suspect something!"
"And now, she wants me to leave," I said sadly, pressing my hoof against my forehead to alleviate the headache I had received. "How can I do that? She has been one of the few friends I have in this world. What should I do?"
After a long pause of silence, I felt a gentle hand being placed on my shoulder. Opening my eyes to see the old mandrill's face sporting a calm smile, he then answered my question with a question. "Well, Ace. What would a guardian do? What would a friend do? What do you t'ink you should do?" Asked the shaman, swing his staff dangerously close to my face.
And then, it hit me. Just like the Mjuzi staff! Twilight Sparkle was my friend, no matter how she felt about it. And friends protect one another, guardians defend for honor, and a Pentagon keeps a promise. So when she told me to stay behind, I wasn't about to leave her to deal with that dark pony. Not if I had anything to say about it!
"So," asked the mandrill, seeing my resolve creep across my features. "What are you you going to do?"
Getting a smart-alic-y idea from my favorite movie, I said, "First, I'm gonna take your stick!" Grabbing it quickly in my mouth, I chucked that cursed thing across the field! the old baboon chasing after it.
"No, no, no, no! Not d'e stick!" Cried Rafiki, until he saw my retreating form, heading for the forest. "Hey, where are you going?"
"I'm going after them!" I hollered back, running to the Everfree Forest with determination.
"Good! Go on, get out of here!" yelled the Mjuzi as he succumed to his maniacal laughter again. Whooping to the heavans as his call filled the night air!
I've got to get to them, I thought with concern, galloping through the forest until I came across a cliff that had recently suffered an avalanche. Boulders were strewn about the area and had crushed some of the trees down below.
Worriedly, I slid down the slope to investigate. I checked the area for any signs of the girl's survival, but unless I was a skilled tracker, I was out of luck.
Or not! I concluded, an idea hitting me like lightning. My horn flashed momentarily as I activated a specific spell; golden fur shimmered into existence, my tail lengthened into a more mobile limb, and hooves became paws as my face took on a more leonine appearance.
Sniffing around with my heightened senses as a lion, I could smell traces of magic, (and the perfumey scent of the girls,) leading further into the wilderness. I also detected the faintest traces of the same magic signature that Nightmare Moon possessed, guessing that she was responsible for disrupting the cliff in such a dangerous way.
"Hang in there, Sparkly," I said with concern etched on my muzzle. "Your friendly neighborhood guardian is on his way!"
But before I could even make it five feet away from the rubble, another scent caught my attention; something extremely powerful and lively! Tracing the source among the rocks that were as big as I was, I discovered it buried in the cleft of the cliffside.
Cautiously, I started digging into the earth, scattering loose pebbles and stones away from myself like a dog on a mission.
The last rock fell away with relative ease, exposing a strange otherworldly light within the crevice that faintly glowed and hummed with energy.
A small crystal, barely big enough to fit in my palm, shimmered in the dark like a prism was trapped inside, sat comfortably nestled in the earth's embrace.
Is that what I think it is? I thought aloud with trepidation, until I couldn't take my eyes off its beautiful surface. My mind went blank as I leaned down toward the shiny object, transfixed like a cat as I reached out to touch it.
A whirl of images flashed across my vision like flashbacks from a time in the farthest reaches of history; Celestia, Askari, Nightmare Moon, and more things I couldn't name flashed through too fast for me to comprehend, until I saw a skeletal draconic skull leering with insidious orange eyes!
Blinking back to reality, I stared at the unusual crystal with confusion. I was somewhat torn between actually taking it or leaving it behind to find my friends. My instincts, however, were telling me that this crystal was indeed important. And that it would be safer in my care than sitting here any longer.
I made up my mind, I'll take it, and spend the rest of my life figuring out if this really is what I fear it could be. Then, I turned and vanished into the forest, on the trail I blazed to save my friends, old and new!
Twilight's POV
We crossed the bridge with hope in our steps, all of us congratulating the pegasus who had made it possible.
"See? I'd never leave my friends hanging," Rainbow said, flying close to the purple unicorn with a smile before flying off. Leaving Twilight to begin seeing the benefit of friends!
"But I don't anymore..."
Twilight stopped once she reached the other side, replaying the events that had happened before she and the girls went into these woods. Telling the only pony who treated her like a friend outside of her family that she didn't trust him.
All these years, he's been keeping that wild magic from me. I mean, I could sense something about him was different, but I never imagined it was that bad.
Sure, I have been a bit harsh, but he should be used to it by now. If we succeed and make it back, we'll probably have a laugh and go back to how our lives were!
However, she just couldn't bring herself to believe that. She may have overreacted, and she guessed that, but that claim of hers about relieving his duties to her? Ace took his job quite seriously, even if he was a bit of a goofball, and he was always there to make sure she got the rest she needed. Even if that meant taking a very important book from her and sternly pushing her to bed.
"Darling? Are you alright?" the voice of Rarity broke the studious mare from her thoughts. She looked up to see that the whole group had stopped to check on her, each one looking at her worriedly.
"What's the holdup? The Elements aren't going to fix this problem without you!" Dash pointed out a bit impatiently, earning a glare from Rarity and Applejack.
"N...nothing, girls. Let's just finish this," Twilight said uncertainly, walking past the disbelieving looks some of them were giving her.
"What do you think that was about?" asked the party pony, turning to her fellow Ponyvillians. "Isn't it obvious, Pinkie?" Fluttershy said, looking at the gang before turning her attention to the retreating form of Twilight. "She's feeling regret, I'm guessing, from saying all that mean stuff to Ace."
Do I regret turning away my only friend? Twilight thought with a small tear escaping as she continued to walk, leading the mares to the entrance of the castle ruins.
"Come on, girls," Twilight said, trying to stay on course. "The Elements are just ahead!"
"Oh, they are alright," said a sinister voice from the darkness, followed by a spine-tingling laughter that sounded off from every shadow in the vicinity. All of the little ponies were put on edge by that strange noise. "But this is as far as we're allowed to let you go!"
One by one, strange creatures crept out from the cover of the shadows with a hungry growl, each one slightly bigger than a pony. They looked almost like large dogs, or wolves even, but something was completely off about them; they had sloping backs where their hind legs were shorter than the front, a mane almost like a pony's but more coarse, a stumpy brush of a tail, and their yellow eyes held a dangerous intelligence within. Especially the one who appeared to be the alpha of the pack, standing directly at the castle entrance with a cruel smile.
"Eh, hehe. Nice doggies." Rarity said nervously, backing away from their drooling maws. Applejack and Dash took up defensive positions on either side of the group, Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Rarity kept close to the center, and Twilight stood point as she analyzed the situation.
"Ugh, why do people think we're dogs?" growled the leader, shaking his head in annoyance as two of his lackeys spoke up. "I don't know," said the really big one as he turned to look at himself. Another, odd-looking fellow with a loopy expression sniffed himself for a bit. "Me neither!"
"Those aren't dogs," Fluttershy said with fear, crouching down into a trembling mess. "Those are hyenas!" she exclaimed in her whisper-like voice.
"Finally, someone who gets it!" said the leader with a smile returning, though it wasn't a nice smile, as Pinkie pointed out in a hushed tone. "Now then, fellas, who's hungry?"
"Sorry, boys, but we didn't bring the basket for Grandma," Pinkie Pie said, popping up between the two dumber hyenas while placing her hooves over their shoulders. "Maybe next time, though, and I'll be sure to bring lots of cupcakes!"
"Oh, that sounds yummy!" said the big guy, licking his chops sloppily. The other one nodded his head so fast you could hear his face making a comical slapping sound.
"Ugh, furbrains, they already brought dinner when they first stepped into the forest!" said the leader in aggravation, motioning at the girls who shrunk back. "Now then, I think I'll take the purple one. Maybe eating her will give me magic!" snarled the alpha, the rest of the pack closing in.
Twilight tried to figure out which spell would work best to repel these mongrels, but with the hyenas constantly snapping their bone-crushing jaws too close for comfort, she couldn't focus properly.
Rainbow Dash would use her aerial tactics to dive-bomb the clan while throwing a punch here and there, and Applejack definitely had the strength to kick back any who got too close, but they were still vulnerable, and those two couldn't keep it up forever!
Maybe Ace was right, Twilight thought sadly as she charged her horn up while avoiding the snapping teeth. If he was here, he could have helped us. But here we are, so close to our goal, and we're about to be eaten!
She tried shooting a bolt of magic at the swarming beasts, but with her nerves on edge and that laughter that wouldn't stop, she missed more than she struck. And I never will get a chance to apologize to him, to thank him for being there for me, to tell him..
"Back off, hyenas!" cried out a vaguely familiar voice from the dark, causing everypony to freeze momentarily.
"Is that?" Fluttershy's voice trailed off as she looked up. The rest of us followed suit to see who had spoken. Standing just above us on a nearby ledge by the castle doors was a figure glaring down at the hyena clan with fierce, golden eyes.
"So that's where you've been hiding?" said the alpha hyena, looking completely smug. "About time, I'd say. The Mistress of the night has informed us about a teal pony playing pretend, and now the fun can really begin!" But what jumped out of the shadows toward our position, and slapped away the leader, was no pony; it was an adolescent golden lion with a fiery red tuft of mane on his head, his teeth bared aggressively as he looked at each hyena.
However, it was Ace's voice that escaped his lips as he replied, "I have a message for your mistress." He stood tall, like a descendant of a royal line of kings.
"Until the five lands meet, never accept defeat!!!" shouted the lion as he leapt into battle with the mongrels!
Ace's POV
Leaping forward, I swiped my paws at the offending hyena clan, tossing the one who looked similar to Janja into a nearby bush. Cheezi and Chungu charged at me as well, but with an uppercut paw swipe and headbutt later, they were bowled right into the remaining scavengers. Now with fewer obstacles, I ran to my friend's defense.
"Ace," exclaimed Rainbow Dash with a shocked expression. "Is that really you?"
"Yeah, it's me, guys." I confirmed with a smile their way before focusing on the pack. "Now, it's time that I show what I really am!" The hyenas had already regrouped and started attacking again.
I tackled Janja away from the girls as I spotted Twilight using telekinetic blasts to repel some of the mongrels, protecting Rarity and Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash flew in to assist her. Applejack seemed particularly busy with Chungu, poor guy thought he stood a chance, leaving Pinkie with Cheezi, as she seemed to be assaulting him with what looked like banana cream pies. And Cheezi seemed to be torn between getting mad at her or grateful for the free meal.
"A.J., on your left!" I warned the orange mare before plowing into the hyena with my shoulder. "Much obliged, Sugarcube!" she said before kicking Chungu away.
"Ace, duck!" Rainbow said as she flew towards me at blinding speed, her hoof pointed out like a fist. I immediately obeyed, and she barreled into the mangy mutt, sliding to a stop just behind me. "Nice one!" I complimented, stroking her ego.
Suddenly, I saw a hyena sneaking up on Twilight from behind as she focused on Janja. "Heads up!" I shouted to the purple mare, who only had a second before I pushed her out of harm's way and gave the scavenger a well-placed headbutt.
"Th...thanks." Twilight said, smiling nervously. I just returned a reassuring grin as we went back to it. Fighting back to back like a scene in an action movie!
We pushed back Janja's gang enough to where we could get a breather, regrouping closer to the castle. "Hurry," shouted Twi, about to race ahead. "We have to go before..." then the hyenas surrounded us again, backing us up close to the cliffside where we couldn't budge an inch from the Elements.
"Oh, you're going somewhere alright," Janja said maliciously, licking his teeth with his tongue. "Either you go down our stomachs quietly, or drop down a thousand feet! Your choice, but we won't wait for long on an answer!" His cronies laughed with him.
I could tell the odds were not in our favor; with only two fliers here, nopony was going to survive that fall, and neither unicorns looked like they were prepared for this. With our options running out I had only a last minute effort to keep my friends safe.
"Hahaha, gotcha now!" Janja said with a triumphant smirk as we edged closer to the cliff, his goons closing in.
There's no other choice. I concluded with a determined frown, knowing what the consequences were. "Girls, get behind me, Now!" I said firmly. Three out of six obliged immediately, the others giving me looks of disbelief.
"What? Why?" Rainbow said, asking for herself, Applejack, and Twilight. "Ace, you can't fight these things by yourself!" my charge spoke up with concern.
"Trust me!" I said, glancing at them with a steady gaze. Eventually, Applejack did so without objection, followed shortly by Dash, who passed me a worried look. Twilight hesitated for a bit, making me give her a small smile until she finally gave in, hiding behind me with a muttering I couldn't quite catch.
"Get 'em boys!" Janja ordered, not noticing the winds changing direction.
Bracing myself, I magically charged everything I had left, parted my jaws to unleash it all in a pure, primal leonine roar! The clouds shifted into roaring lions as they backed me up, sending Janja and his stinking hyenas away in a powerful gust of wind and sound!
Most of the hyenas tried to fight the current, but it became too strong, sending them flying into the foliage on the far side of the ravine.
I roared a bit more for good measure, just to be sure they were gone, until I stopped to catch my breath. With the energy spent in this form, I reverted back into my pony body, taking a few deep breaths to steady my lightheadedness.
When I had gotten over that little issue, I turned to inspect my friends for injuries. Each of them was giving me an assortment of different expressions; Twilight was shocked beyond belief if her dropped jaw was any indication, Rainbow Dash was awestruck with her hooves smooshed against her cheeks in an adorable way, Fluttershy had wide eyes filled with wonder, Rarity had a nervous look on her face, and Applejack looked relieved as she wiped her forehead.
Before I could see how Pinkie was doing, the pink menace rushed me so fast that I didn't see where she went until it was too late. Her hooves had me locked in a death grip of a hug as she started chatting my ears off.
"I'm so happy you're here! You missed out on so much; we fell off a cliff, Applejack saved Twilight, fought a manticore, Fluttershy tamed it, got lost in the dark, had some laughs, met a giant sea serpent, Rarity lost her tail, Twilight almost fell off another cliff, Rainbow Dash fixed the bridge, those scary guys showed up, and you came to our rescue!" Pinkie Pie said in a single, rushed breath with me still trapped in her embrace and rapidly losing oxygen.
"PINKIE PIE!!!" everypony shouted, catching her attention. They pointed at my purplish-blue face within her bone-crushing hug with serious expressions. Sheepishly grinning, the party pony released me as I dropped like a sack of potatoes on the cold ground, gasping like a fish out of water.
"Deep breathing!" I wheezed momentarily, dramaticially, just to fool around. "Sweet relief."
"That, was, awesome!" Rainbow crowed eccstatically, throwing her hooves in the air like a cheering fan. Catching herself she then said nonchalontly, "I mean, not as awesome as me, but close enough." she rubbed the back of her head in slight embarrasement.
"I agree," Applejack said approvingly with a tip of her hat as I rose back into a standing position. "I knew y'all were a bodyguard, Ace. But seeing ya in action like that was quite a show."
"I am simply delighted to see you again, darling. Although I do wish the circumstances were more accomidating." Rarity said, staying a good distance away. I could respect that; I'd feel self-concious too if I'd lost my tail.
"You were really brave." Fluttershy said in a cheer/whisper, hiding behind her pink locks of hair.
I just smiled, embarrassed by all the compliments the girls were giving me. Until I realized that one pony in particular was keeping her distance and her voice to herself.
Looking at the mare in question, I could see she looked conflicted; she sported a frown and her eyes were downcast, but her ears betrayed the shame she tried to conceal.
I approached her calmly, placing my hoof on her shoulder to get her attention. "You okay, Sparkly?" I asked with more concern than humor in my tone, causing her to look up at me with a questioning gaze.
"You came for us, why?" She asked simply, but I could sense the layers behind such a short question: why aren't I with Spike, why am I here, why did I save them, why am I with her?
"Because that's what friends do," I said with a reassuring smile, pulling her in for a side hug. "They forgive each other!" The embrace was short, but I felt Twilight relax against me, and I could tell she started to feel better just from that simple act alone.
Breaking away, I then turned to the rest of the gang with a determined grin, saying, "C'mon, ladies, we've come this far already, and the world isn't going to save itself!" before trotting off. The six of them followed suit.
The seven of us approached the entrance to the ruined castle without hesitation. I paused to sniff the air for traces of Nightmare, letting my guardian senses do their thing as I searched for the scent of magic. Finding nothing but the scent of ivy, moss, and the crisp cool air, I continued forth.
Stepping inside the corridor of the roofless castle, we found a strange object, a pedestal crafted of stone, covered in an overgrowth of greenery sitting in the middle of the area. Five protrusion-like tablets branched out, each with a colorless stone sitting in it, a globe-like sphere in the center. They must have been the Elements of Harmony, the only things capable of defeating the star-studded tyrant.
"Whoa," Applejack breathed in wonder, speaking for everypony at the sight before them. "Come on, Twilight. Isn't this what you've been wait'n for?"
"The Elements of Harmony," Twilight said, stepping forward to get a better look. "We've found them!" she exclaimed proudly.
Hmm. I wasn't sure, but something put me on edge for some reason. This feels too easy. I thought to myself with a frown. While the flyers of the group removed the Elements from the apparatus, I started to investigate further into the main hall, sniffing quietly for what was making my nerves tense. Though her scent sure as heck wasn't here, I could definitely smell the lingering aroma of magic somewhere in this strange place.
But the crystal that was sitting in my satchel gave off so much magic, I couldn't get a proper reading!
"There's only five!" Exclaimed Pinkie's voice, snapping me back to paying attention.
Five bowling-ball-sized stones, each marked with etchings of a gemstone, were placed on the ground in an almost pentagon shape. The girls stared down at the strange objects with a bit of disappointment. "Where's the sixth?" Rainbow Dash asked in light frustration.
I couldn't help but sneak a peek at the crystal I had found in my satchel, wondering if it might be the sixth Element of Harmony instead of what I feared.
Twilight started to crouch down to the awaiting Elements as she recited something. "The book said, 'when the five are present, a spark will cause the sixth Element to be revealed!'" Okay, that phrase made the rest of us look at her in flat-out confusion.
"What in the hay is that supposed to mean?" Applejack asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow at the riddle.
"I hate riddles." I couldn't help but mutter with a snort.
"I'm not sure, but I have an idea," Twilight said with resolve, focusing her attention on the stones. "Stand back! I don't know what will happen." she warned, charging her magic to ignite the Elements.
"Come on now, y'all, she needs to concentrate," Applejack said, leading the mares back to wait outside. Since I was still allegedly her bodyguard, I stuck close by to watch her back in case we had another surprise attack.
Just to be sure, I checked my magic reserves to see if I had any juice left for a final showdown. However, not only could I not feel anything from my lion or stag masters, but I could feel something, like an awakening power just sitting below the surface.
Plus, Askari and Alabaster were surprisingly quiet at the moment, which made me feel slightly insecure.
"You don't have to stay with me, you know." Twilight stated, only this time she said it with a gentler tone than she had ever used on me, as if she thought I still hadn't forgiven her. "I know that," I said, looking away for a second. "But I just have a funny feeling that this seems like..."
I didn't get to finish as I saw a purple cloud whisk past me and shoot towards Twilight's position faster than I could blink, creating a cyclone that enveloped the Elements in its whirlwind. Twilight and I stared in shock and fear at what was happening.
"The Elements!" Exclaimed my charge in concern, powering down her magic. When the cyclone started to worsen, lifting the Elements in its grasp, I could tell that Twilight was about to do something very impulsive. And she did. She jumped in after them as the vortex started to close.
Alright, that does it! I fumed in my mind with a snort. Charging forward, I took a leap of faith to hopefully get in before Twilight gets in way over her head!
A bright flash of light, and a poof of smoke later, Twilight and I had been transferred into a completely different part of the castle while coughing from the excess smoke: it appeared to be an old throne room, huge pillars of stone lined up along the walls, windows big enough for a full-sized alicorn to use as a door, and a dias at the far end with a very familiar dark mare in possession of the Elements of Harmony!
As Nightmare Moon cackled like a wicked witch in victory, lightning flashed around us. Twilight and I could only stare in fear at what would happen next.
"Hello, Ace Pentagon! I have been expecting you!" said an ethereal voice that sounded intrigued by something. It must have been a spirit guide talking to me because neither of the mares seemed to have heard him.
"I'll make this brief, young guardian. So you can help your friend. Afterwards, you will report to me for a more thorough inspection." Said the voice in my head, until he became silent. A sudden rush of magic could be felt, reaching every corner of my body, ready to spring into action at a moment's notice!
With a grim determination, I got into a charging position with my horn lowered, pawing the ground to work up steam like a rhinoceros. Twilight, surprisingly, followed suit. "Go for the Elements," I snuck a whisper to the purple pony. "I'll buy you some time!" Giving me a brief glance, I barely heard her whisper back, "Be careful."
"You're kidding. You're kidding, right?" Nightmare Moon asked unimpressed, lowering the Elements to the ground with a furrowed brow.
We didn't bother answering as we lit our horns like beacons before charging full speed at the alicorn! Nightmare Moon charged as well, her towering height rushing us with deadly intent.
Before the mare in the moon knew what happened next as both sides neared collision, Twilight used her magic to teleport herself out of harm's way in a flash of purple magic.
On the other hand, or hoof in that matter, I allowed my magic to encompass my form until I let the new guardian spirit take over. Blue scales took the place of teal fur, my tail thickened into an arrowhead-tipped limb, taloned paws replaced my hooves, and mighty blue wings sprang from my back as I gave a warcry on impact with Celestia's evil twin!
My transformation complete, I was now a creature resembling a blue dragon, but I knew better; I was the Stormclaw Dragamonz that Dax was, and I even had his comically memorable underbite!
"Hydraulic Headbutt!" I shouted as I flew towards the alicorn, my body glowing a light blue as I moved at incredible speeds.
We grappled with each other briefly, our heads locked like twin clamps as both of us tried to overpower the other.
"You cannot hope to win this, foolish whelp. For I will be victorious!" Nightmare drawled, shoving me to the ground. "If you wish for you and the others to survive, play it safe and surrender. I could have use for a creature of your prowess!"
With an angry growl, I snapped my wings open, flapping them once to gain some distance from the mare as I tried to taunt her. "Nopony ever became the best by playing it safe," I said, throwing the offer out the window as I made a 'come at me' gesture with my paw. "Last time we battled, I was afraid I wasn't able to save ponies because of my lack of experience. Then I realized that battling is what I do best, and that's how I'm gonna protect my friends!"
My Little Pony belongs to Hasbro
The Lion Guard belongs to Disney
Valt the Wonder Deer belongs to Dream East
Dragamons belongs to Spinmaster
I own nothing but my oc...