Oh my goodness! Nearly ninety reviews! I didn't know this would get so popular! Thanks to all who support this story and those who make me very motivated to keep writing it!

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A squawk from Philomena woke Vinyl from her not-so-peaceful slumber. Thorn and the uninvited Sunset Shimmer also awoke. The majestic phoenix pointed with her beak to a floating island in the distance. All around it was strange-looking clouds, flashing with multi-colored lightning.

"We'll be approaching soon." Philomena said with an edge of uneasiness in her voice.

Thorn and Sunset crawled to the front of the great phoenix to get a better look at the island. Thorn gasped, his changeling eyesight seeing something that the two ponies couldn't see from the distance they were at.

"It's upside down!" He exclaimed.

"It's what?" Vinyl asked.

"The island is literally floating upside-down!" Thorn repeated, "That's... How in Celestia's name is that possible?"

"It's Discord," Sunset said blankly, "What do you expect?"

Vinyl's ears laid flat against her skull. Her bright red eyes registered worry; worry that Thorn picked up on.

"Nervous?" He asked.

"You have no idea," Vinyl said, "This is the first mission I've gone on without Octavia with me. I'm... I'm worried sick about her and what that creepy... Whatever-he-is is doing her."

"Octavia's a very strong mare," Thorn replied, "Probably the strongest I've ever seen. If anything, she's got Discord knocked out and she's heading back as we speak."

"But what if she couldn't stop him?" Vinyl insisted, covering her face with her hooves, "We've just got to get there now. Can't you go any faster, Philomena?"

"This is as fast as I can go," The phoenix said, "If I go any faster, those enchanted clouds above might attack us."

So Philomena cruised along. Thankfully, the clouds let them pass without so much as a single rumble. As they approached closer, Vinyl saw what Thorn was talking about. The island was indeed upside-down, making her gulp.

"Oh Celestia." Was all she could manage to say.

"Hold on," Philomena spoke, "The gravity shifts when you approach the island. I have to flip upside-down so it won't pull us down."

The two mares and one changeling held into the phoenix with all of their might. Philomena sped up, slowly turning, then whipping her body upside-down when she flew under the floating island. The three felt the gravity change drastically as they entered, making them feel nauseated.

Slowing her momentum down, Philomena gently landed at the dock located at the very edge of the island. She crouched down and the three hopped off her back.

"Thanks." Vinyl acknowledged.

"You're always welcome," Cooed the phoenix, "Be careful. This place is not to be taken lightly. Neither is Discord. Do not fall for his tricks."

"Noted." Vinyl replied with a salute.

With her warning given, Philomena took off again. Vinyl, Thorn, and Sunset turned towards the island, taking in all of its unnatural sights.

"Well..." Vinyl began, "Let's go."

They started to trot into the forest made of candy bars. All of them were on high alert for whatever was to come. A few minutes passed and nothing had attacked them, so they allowed themselves to start chatting.

"So Thorn," Vinyl began, "What made you want to come all the way out here?"

The changeling hesitated for a moment, "Y'know... Just repaying Octavia."

Vinyl stared at him, "You came all the way out here to one of the most dangerous places in the universe... Just to repay her?"

Thorn shrugged, "I suppose so."

Vinyl was silent for a moment. However, she looked back at Thorn, a mischievous smile on her face, "You like her."

Thorn was apalled, "What?! That's crazy! I mean, I like her as a friend, but I don't like like her!"

"Thorn's got a crush! Thorn's got a crush!" Vinyl sang.

"I do not!" He blushed harder, "Changelings can't love anyway..."

"Don't give me that!" Vinyl argued, "You aren't like other changelings. You're totally in love with her!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"AM NOT!"

While Vinyl and Thorn argued, Sunset caught a whiff of something that didn't smell of the sickly sweet candy. Looking around, her blue eyes narrowed, trying to see if she could pick up on anything that might have been lurking in the bushes. However, her search was interrupted when Vinyl suddenly let out a scream. Whipping her head around, Sunset discovered Vinyl half way into the bushes, holding on to a chocolate bar tree with all of her might.

"Something's got my leg!" She shrieked, "Something's got my leg!"

"Hold on!" Thorn shouted, jumping into the bushes in hopes of seeing what had grabbed Vinyl. However, he was slapped aside by a black blur that threw him backwards a few feet.

"What is it?!" Vinyl demanded, "Oh Celestia! What is it what is it what is it?!"

Cautiously, Sunset conjured up a force field of magic and advanced into the bushes. More black blurs slashed at her barrier, nearly hitting her on more than one occasions. Sunset couldn't get any closer without hurting herself.

"Can you see what it is?!" Thorn asked.

"Uh!" Vinyl replied, straining under the pull, "It looks like-!... A plant...?!"

"A what?!"

"A plant!" Vinyl repeated, "Some kind of vine! It's black with blue spikes! I'm pretty sure it likes the taste of pony flesh, so GET ME OUT OF HERE!"

Thorn attempted to conjure up a magic, but Sunset jumped out of the bushes and stopped him.

"Don't!" She said, "I've seen these things before. They cause unicorn magic to go haywire and not respond. These plants have only one weakness!"

Digging through her saddlebags, Sunset pulled out a spray bottle labeled: The Flim-Flam Brothers' Weed Killer. Sad weeds, but one happy gardener!

"Weed killer?" Thorn asked, "How is that going to help? The things are magical! Weed killer can't kill-"

Sunset approached the vines bravely, aiming the nozzle of the bottle at them. With one simple spray, the weeds recoiled, shriveled slightly, then retreated into the bushes. The vine tugging on Vinyl released her, causing the unicorn to frantically scramble out of the bushes, breathing erratically.

"Holy Celestia riding a celery stalk to the moon," Vinyl gasped, "That was terrifying!"

"You okay?" Thorn asked.

Vinyl looked at her hind leg, "Looks like it might have scratched me up a little. Other than that, I look fine." She looked to Sunset, "Thanks, Shimmer. Perhaps you aren't as much as the demon spawn I thought you were."

Sunset raised an eyebrow, "Er... Thanks? I guess..."

Vinyl stood up, brushing herself off, "Well... We better keep going. Let's hope we don't run into anything else like those things again."

They continued on without another words. However, Thorn began to have a very important chat with Vinyl.

"Aren't you just a little suspicious?" He asked.

"'bout what?" Vinyl replied.

"Sunset knew how to kill those plants."

"She said she's seen them before. She probably knew how to kill them from experience."

"But how did she know to bring a bottle of weed killer? Who brings weed killer to battle the... Things in Discord's Domain?"

"Uh... Sunset Shimmer?"

"Yes?" Sunset interrupted, hearing her name.

"Nothing." Thorn quickly dismissed, "Let's just keep going."

---

The doors to Lyra's chambers slammed open. The mint-green unicorn looked up from her book, discover an enraged Princess Luna stood there, her face in the biggest snarl that Lyra had ever seen on any pony.

"What hath thou done?!" The alicorn screamed.

Lyra wasn't sure what she was talking about, "Uh... Pardon?"

Luna growled, "Thou knowest exactly what I speaketh about! Thou hast allowed more ponies to travel and enter Discord's Domain!"

Lyra laughed nervously, putting her book aside, "Um... I have no idea what you're talking about!"

Luna approached, her eyes glowing with an angry fire, "Why hath thou done such a thing? I gave strict orders to never go!"

Lyra sighed a looked down, "I couldn't just not let them go. Octavia had gone in secret, I couldn't stop her. And I just couldn't break Vinyl's heart and not let her go. Thorn and Sunset chose to go."

"Four ponies went?!" Luna looked as though she was about to have a heartattack, "You...! How...?" She rushed out the door, groaning in frustration.

Lyra followed her, wondering what she was going to do. Luna faced all of the guild members, who quickly turned to her with anxious looks on her face. She then said something that made Lyra the happiest she had ever been.

"I need a team to go to Discord's Domain," Luna announced, "Who will join me?"

---

Vinyl, Thorn, and Sunset approached the large dam, their anxiety and nervousness rising within them. Stepping onto the cold stone of the dam's structure, Vinyl stopped and looked around.

"Looks like we just have to cross this river and we'll be to the castle." She said.

"Problem is getting inside without being seen." Thorn added, "If we can even get in. I can't see any front door on that thing."

They trotted ahead slowly and cautiously. Sunset was strolling behind them, glancing over the sides of the dam to look at the sweet-smelling liquid flowing below.

"So..." Thorn began, "How exactly are we gonna stop Discord once we get in there?"

"Duh," Vinyl replied, "I'll use my bass cannon, you can use your changeling powers, and Sunset can use... Her weed killer."

"Against a guy who can bend reality at his will?"

"Who knows? He might be half plant with that mixed-up body of his."

Thorn looked over his shoulder, "Speaking of Shimmer, where is she?"

Vinyl turned around, "Uh, Sunset?"

It seemed as though the orange unicorn had vanished. However, their question was answered when a powerful force knocked them both sideways. Vinyl crashed into the dam's siding and found herself dangling over he seventy-foot drop to the raging rapids below. Thorn was thrown against the wall and stunned. Clueless as to what had just happened, Vinyl dangled precariously over the side of the dam. Unexpectedly, Sunset appeared at the edge, looking at the helpless Vinyl. She was smiling in an all too friendly way, causing Vinyl to scowl.

"You!" She growled, "You're working for Discord! Oh, I shoulda known!"

"Not in the least," Sunset replied with a smirk, "You've gotten too much of the attention, you and that cello player. It's time that I become the hero of the day."

"That's not what being a rescue team is about!" Vinyl cried, her hooves slipping, "By getting rid of us, you're no better than Discord!"

Sunset simply scoffed, "Well then, you can just fall to your death for all I care. You've gotten in my way far too much," She saluted tauntingly, "So long, Vinyl Scratch."

With that, she ran off. Vinyl's grip on the side of the dam was failing. She attempted to push herself back up on to the stable parts of the dam, but her weak upper body strength proved to hinder her. Her hooves were hurting, her mind was blurred with the recent hit. Where was Thorn? She couldn't hold on for much longe-

SNAP!

Vinyl found herself falling towards the rapids below, her mind completely lost within failure and betrayal.