Ch.17: To the Rescue

Meanwhile, Spike kept on running until he reached the small area where Gryphon and Chopper had just finished putting Pumpkinhead back together again.

"Guys!" he cried out happily as he ran up to them.

"Spike!" Chopper cried, taking the little dragon into his handlebars with surprise. "Are you okay? Where are the girls?"

"They're trapped in Wuya's castle!" he answered in between pants. "And I think she's…gonna…We just gotta get them back! I don't think they've much time!"

"Do you know the quickest way there?" Pumpkinhead asked.

"It's just over that hill behind me," the little dragon answered, thumbing at said hill behind him, "but it's really steep and rocky."

"Lead the way!" So the four of them made their way up the hill to try and get to Wuya's castle.

The way up is pretty steep and rocky like Spike said. Just halfway to the top, Chopper slipped and almost fell back, but he grabbed onto Gryphon's tail as some rocks under them rolled to the ground below.

"Oh," Gryphon grunted in pain, "I sure hope my strength holds out."

"I hope your tail holds out!" Chopper whimpered with a pale glance at the ground below. They quickly made their way up the hill before they finally got over to the other side. And right before them is the dreary castle of Wuya of the West.

"Yeesh," Spike groaned. "And I thought Wuya was ugly." Since he was too busy running away from the guards, he didn't bother to give the place a second glance.

"The girls are trapped in that awful place?" Pumpkinhead asked with shock.

"Oh, I hate to think of Sweetie Belle in there," Chopper whimpered, trying to fight back his tears. "We just gotta get them out." Pumpkinhead quickly comforted him with a pat on the back.

"Don't ya start crying again, Chopper," he warned. "I didn't bring your oilcan with me this time."

"Yeah, and no offense," added Spike who's riding on his back, "but you're squeaky enough as it is."

"Uh, guys," Gryphon then said as he looked down at the drawbridge area nervously. "I think we got a problem." They looked down to see the little round and red soldiers from before marching about in military exercise in chant:

"O-Ee-Yah! Eoh-Ah! O-Ee-Yah! Eoh-Ah!" Observing them are the two knights and their captain, a knight in silver armor with golden eyes and a flowing blue cape.

"They may be short," Spike gulped, "but I don't know if we can handle them all, especially those three."

"Don't worry," Pumpkinhead said with a snap of his leafy fingers. "I've got a plan on how to get in there."

"Oh, good," Gryphon sighed. "You've got a plan."

"And you're gonna lead us," the scarecrow added. The larger beast turned to him in shock.

"Me?! I gotta get in there."

"Yes, you." Gryphon turned to the castle with a gulp before becoming firm and brave.

"Alright, I'll go in there for the girls, Wuya or no Wuya. Guards or no guards, I'll tear them apart. I may not come out alive, but I'm going in there. There's only one thing I want you guys to do."

"What's that?" the others asked.

"Talk me out of it," he whimpered as he sulked fearfully. They just rolled their eyes in annoyance before grabbing him.

"C'mon." And they pulled the reluctant Gryphon with them. They then made their way down to the base of the hill, but they stood out of sight. They then started to listen to what Pumpkinhead has in mind:

"If we can disguise ourselves as those guards, we can sneak in without getting caught."

"How are we gonna get disguises?" asked Chopper.

"Uh, guys?" Gryphon whimpered.

"If we grab a few, we can take their outfits," Pumpkinhead answered.

"Guys?"

"But how are gonna grab them?" asked Spike.

"Guys!" Before the others could ask their fourth companion what's wrong, three of the guards that snuck up on them jumped them and fought with them. But in the end, our heroes won and got the disguises off the knocked out guards. They were surprised to find that they stretch out to fit them, but they decided to let it slide and focus on getting in without getting noticed. They then watched the two nights turn to their captain with salutes.

"We're ready to return into the castle, Captain Meta Knight," the turquoise knight said to him.

"Alright," the blue-caped knight replied with a Spanish accent before turning to his troops. "Men, into the castle!"

"Now's our chance," Pumpkinhead said to the others as the three knights began leading the guards across the drawbridge. "C'mon." They then marched at the very back of the troops, who didn't bother looking behind them to see them. But our heroes stayed focused to avoid suspicion. Soon they were inside the castle, and they dodged to the side as the troops kept on marching away.

"Now which way do we go?" asked Chopper.

"This way, guys," Spike answered, leading them up the stone stairway. They then followed the little dragon up the stairs and towards a wooden door leading into the room where the girls are trapped.

"Girls," Spike called. "Girls, can you hear us?" Inside, the girls rushed up to the door upon hearing his voice.

"Spike!"

"Don't worry; the guys are here! We're gonna get you out!"

"Please hurry!" Sweetie Belle said, turning to the hourglass, which is down to a quarter. "The sand's almost run out!"

"Stand back!" Chopper cried. On the other side of the door, he and Gryphon backed up before charging and bashing into the door, which then started to give in. And with a fifth bash, the door smashed to pieces, and the girls rushed out of the room and into their friends' arms just as the hourglass was down to mere seconds.

"Guys!" Scootaloo sobbed happily as she hugged Gryphon. "Oh, you have no idea how much we've missed you!"

"We've missed you too," Pumpkinhead said as he hugged Apple Bloom.

"Did Wuya hurt ya?" Chopper asked Sweetie Belle. "Cuz if she did, she's gonna regret it!"

"We'll worry about that later," she answered. "Right now, we gotta get out of here."

"Finally something we can agree on," Gryphon replied as Spike and the girls gathered onto his back. Once done, he, Chopper, and Pumpkinhead rushed down the hall and back down the stairs to make a break for the drawbridge outside the entrance…only for the doors to close suddenly with a boom followed by a cackling laugh!