Sorry for the delay, but I had to get a new battery for my laptop. Just got it now, and here's the nest chapter. Enjoy. And just a reminder, I don't own anything; this is all a parody.

Ch.14: Hunt For the Witch

Some time after our seven heroes left the Prime Color City and headed west, they reached a forest that looks deader than dead: black trees gnarled in various places; dry, gray dirt path; large black rocks. The setting sun had turned the sky above them blood red, and the only animals they can see around them are grayscale vultures and owls in the tree branches, watching them with glowing red eyes.

The group made their way down the dry path, the male members holding weapons. Spike clutches onto a large butterfly net while Pumpkinhead shakily brandishes a sword in his leafy hands. Chopper has ready an axe while Gryphon held onto a large mallet with his wings, the Cutie Mark Crusaders riding on his back.

It wasn't long before the group came upon a signpost made of black driftwood and topped with a large deer skull. The Ponies leapt off of Gryphon to read out the white writing painted on it roughly:

"Wuya's Castle – 1 Mile Ahead. I'd turn back if I were you." Gryphon nodded with concurrence before turning to leave, only to be stopped by Chopper and Pumpkinhead.

"Dude, this is no time to chicken out," Spike said to him.

"I'll have you know, Spike, I'm part bird," Gryphon stated in annoyance.

"What's that got to do with—"

"Actually," Pumpkinhead interrupted, "he's got a good point when you think about it."

"C'mon, guys," Scootaloo said to them. "If the Wizard's to grant our wishes, we have to fight Wuya and get her mask." They then started down the path leading to the castle. Gryphon freaked out at the owls and vultures glaring at them and made a break for it, but Chopper and Pumpkinhead caught him and turned him around to make him return to the group with a lot of whimpering. However, his friends became a little scared as well from all the eerie noises going on around them.

"I don't know about you guys," Spike gulped in between Gryphon's trembling eagle claws, "but I think there are ghosts here."

"Oh, that's silly," Chopper huffed. "Ghosts? Really?"

"D-Don't you b-believe in g-ghosts?" asked Apple Bloom. Chopper only rolled his eyes in reply.

"Of course not. I mean, you'd have to be a supersti—" He cried out when he was suddenly lifted off the ground and thrown onto a pile of dry gray leaves with a painful crash, as if by invisible angels.

"CHOPPER!" Sweetie Belle cried as she ran over to him, and the others ran after her to help their motorcycle friend.

"Chopper, are you okay?" Scootaloo asked when they reached him. He only cracked an eye open at them in pain.

"Jeez, who knew ghosts would be that touchy…" In reply, Gryphon got down on the ground, covered his head with his claws and wings, and started whimpering.

"I do believe in ghosts! I do believe in ghosts! I do, I do, I do, I do, I do!"

"I do believe in ghosts! I do believe in ghosts! I do, I do, I do, I do, I do!" Wuya cackled at the image of Gryphon in her crystal ball before it faded away.

"You'll be believing in more than that," she said. "I'll promise you that." She then went up to Niddler standing by the open castle window. "Take the strongest of your men and bring those fillies to me. Do what you want with the others, but I want those three unharmed. Understand?"

"Yes, Mistress," Niddler answered nervously.

"Good," she replied before shooting her arm out at the horizon. "Now GO!" With that, Niddler flew out the window to join his fellow monkey-birds flying by. Wuya then watched after them, cackling evilly.