As our heroes progress through the snowy lands of darkness, better known as "Shaded Meadows", an unlikely pair of the group manage to find a way out of their bindings, and into the castle; hidden behind the corners and walls.

Meanwhile, a pair of prisoners slowly start to wake up in a pair of cages that hang over the throne room. The first thing they see, however, is another pair of prisoners that are trapped in a coma-like sleep... and the two of them are in a single cage that rests in the center of the room, between their cages.

Sitting on the throne, the behemoth of a Horse looks up at them, and smiles. "Ah, it looks like the pair of nosy mares have finally woken up..."

Darkness... that was all that Justin was able to see around him.

"Hello?" He asked, only to be answered by his own echoes. "Where... where the hell am I?!"

Suddenly, Ruby appeared in front of him; unconscious. "Oh my gosh... Ruby?! Ruby, are you okay?! Wake up!" She didn't answer, which only made him panic even more.

"You have to face your fears, Justin... it's the only way for you to wake up!" A vaguely familiar voice replied from within Justin's head.

"Who said that? Where are you?!" Justin asked while looking around confusedly.

The voice replied, "We will show ourselves when you've faced your fears... rest assured, you will succeed... we have already foreseen this."

"Who's we? What's going-" Justin stopped himself from talking, and gasped. "Wait a minute... I'm just... sleeping?!"

The voice replied, "No... you are in a comatose state, along with your daughter, Ruby. We are already speaking to her in her dreams also, so you need not worry about her."

Justin nodded his head. "So... can I at least get a name, please? Who are y'all?"

"We," the voice began, "are the Nymphari."

Gilded and Stealth were crawling through the dirt beneath the castle; in a small, enclosed tunnel... at least, that's what they thought, due to the darkness of the environment making that assumption more of a guesstimate. Due to the fact that Foxes were great diggers by nature, Stealth was the one in front, while Gilded followed him, and dug around for him to fit through.

"I think we're here, mate... let's climb up now." Stealth said as he began to dig upwards.

Gilded sighed with relief and replied, "About freakin' time! Let's get out of this damn tunnel."

"A simple thank-you would've been better, you know."

"You'll get one when we get there, now hurry!"

Stealth grunted as he began clawing through the dirt overhead. Gilded also groaned as his muscles began to grow tired with every passing minute. Eventually, they reached the surface area, and smiled.

Then, once Stealth clawed the outer area, he cheered... only to notice something off. They were no longer in the castle's area... or the city, for that matter. Instead, they were somewhere in the Shaded Meadows.

When Gilded peeked his head out, he complained. "Damn it, we went too far... nice navigating work, Stealth." Then he began to crawl back down the tunnel while Stealth followed.

"Just drop it, Gilded." he replied, only to bump into Gilded as they crawled down.

Gilded turned away from Stealth as his weight began to affect his sore muscles. "Get your ass out of my face!" He grunted, as his claws and paws began to slide on the edges of the surface.

"Well get your face out of my ass, and hurry!" Stealth retorted as he stopped in place, and allowed Gilded time to get some distance.

"I'm not a Fox, you stupid navigator..." Gilded muttered beneath his breath.

"I said drop it, mate!" Stealth retorted, before they both stopped in unison, and noticed the rocks starting to shift. Then, once they both looked up, they screamed at the sight of a snowy ship passing over the hole; sending snow down the tunnel, and causing the two of them to fall back to the bottom of the tunnel again.

When they landed, Gilded groaned in pain. Then he mumbled, "Consider it dropped..."

Stealth, however, slightly chuckled. "Well, at least it was a soft landing."

"Easy for you to say..." Gilded mumbled beneath the snow, before lifting up, and noticing that Stealth landed on him. "Well get off of me!" He then complained, until Stealth nodded his head and climbed back to the top of the tunnel. "Where the hay are you going?!"

Stealth replied from the top of the tunnel, "I'm looking to see where the ship went! Maybe it can lead us in the right direction!"

Gilded nodded his head and lifted his right thumb-claw up. "Alright, then... good idea, for once!"

And then, after noticing the direction the ship went, Stealth slid down the tunnel; landing his lower paws on Gilded's back, hopping back onto the ground, and then digging shortly afterwards, while ignoring Gilded's groans of pain.

"Damn it! Warn me next time!" Gilded complained, while they both continued to dig through the tunnel; hoping that they could finally make it to the castle to save their friends.

From inside the front gate of Diamond Peak, the group examined the scenery before them. Instead of being a sprawling metropolis that Swift claimed it to be, it was more of a dark and gloomy city, with almost every building barricaded and boarded up from the inside. A few curious eyes occasionally looked between the boards, only to move away again... or be moved by another.

Swift sighed with a glum expression on his face. "It looks like a lot has happened since my absence."

Gilda nodded her head. "Yeah... we should just go to the castle, and be done with it."

With a nod, the group began to head towards the massive building in the distance; guarded by another gate from inside the city. As they walked, however, Maud stopped in place, and gasped. Pinkie was the first to react.

"What's wrong, Maud?" she asked her older sister.

Maud began to breath more heavier, as she turned to her younger sister and replied, "Something's wrong..."

"You bucked up big time, pal... just you wait! When we get out of these bindings, we'll make ya wish ya never crossed with the Pies!" A silver-coated mare with a dark gray mane that covered her left eye shouted in a tomboyish accent, as she and another mare (both wearing light brown rags for clothes) with a dark gray coat and silver mane that was combed neatly over her forehead, were being pushed along a small hallway by a group of guards with spears angled towards their backs.

The other mare sighed and said to the first mare in a high-pitched voice, "Please, Marble... threatening them will only make things worse!"

Marble groaned before looking into her sister's golden eyes with her purple gaze. "Limestone! Ya know that we ain't gonna go back home if we don't do somethin' here!"

Limestone sighed, before closing her eyes and pulling at her chains on her wrists. "If only my hands were free..."

Marble glared at the bindings that limited her hooves from moving. "Yeah... and my hooves!"

"Keep walking, you measly little Ponies!" the Minotaur behind them grunted before pressing his spear harder in Marble's back.

"Chill out, buck-head! I'm goin'!" she retorted, as the four of them (she, Limestone, and the two guards) walked on in the dark hallways towards a jail cell.

Pinkie stared at Maud wide-eyed, and her jaw hung open, while Maud finished explaining her latest senses that she just felt.

"Oh, no... if the others are out here, then... we have to hurry!"

Maud nodded her head. "I agree. I only hope we're not too late..."

From directly in front of them, a familiar gruff voice said, "You aren't going anywhere, I'm afraid." When they saw who it was, their eyes rested on a Minotaur with a white coat and a black mane. He was wearing a black t-shirt, dark brown pants, and a pair of black boots over his hooves.

"Boulder... I should've known you'd be against us." Swift muttered through his teeth, as he stepped through the group.

Boulder the Minotaur chuckled before replying, "Ah... your father would be proud to see you again... I'm sorry to say this, though... you won't be seeing him any time soon..." then he stomped his right foot behind his left and raised his fists up in a fighting stance. "... Or ever again, for that matter!"

Swift glared at him and reached behind his back to draw his longsword, only to be stopped by Maud, who stepped in front of him. "You guys go find the others... Boulder and I will take care of this one."

Pinkie turned from the Minotaur to her sister and gasped. "W-what?! No! I just-"

Maud cut her off with a stern expression, which Pinkie grew up knowing all too well. "Pinkamena Dianne Pie! We have two more sisters in need of our help... and if none of us go, then they will die!"

"Then let me take this one down! I can do it!" Pinkie interjected with her own glare. "Besides, I've always been faster than you!"

Maud shook her head at her sister, while the others around the area stared at the bickering sisters in confusion... even the Minotaur.

"Speed alone won't make a difference, Pinkie Pie! You have to have a proper balance, and know the pressure points first!"

"I know about pressure points, Maud Pie! You can even ask the others about the guards in Port Greenhold's Prison!"

"Yes, Pinkie, but don't forget you also need the proper strength to go with the speed, if you expect to even inflict any damage to begin with!"

"Maud, why don't you ever let me do these things, huh?! You aren't my parents, and you're not my boss!"

"I'm your older sister, though! Our parents told me to protect you! Doesn't that say enough about my actions?!"

Before another word could be said, the two of them were lifted off the ground by a smiling Rock Golem; both being held by the backs of their coats (Pinkie was still wearing the red jacket, by the way. She never could find her other sets of clothing.)

"Boulder! What are you doing?!" Maud and Pinkie asked in unison.

Boulder chuckled and replied in his Atlantic (British-sounding) accent, "Have no fear, my mistresses... I shall handle this one, and you both go find the other mistresses!"

Maud and Pinkie raised an eyebrow at him. "Boulder... you can't be serious... you haven't fought in years, though... at least over a decade, even!"

Boulder (the Golem) replied, "All the more reason to stretch ol' Granite and Igneous! I don't want to become Sedimentary, after all!"

For some reason, Pinkie and Maud both had a small, brief giggle out of that one. "Ah, it looks like Mistress Pinkie Pie is wearing off on me! I may have to be a comedian after this!"

Maud then looked from her friend to the Minotaur, and back at her friend again. "Please... don't die, okay? You're too important to our family."

Boulder (the Golem) nodded his torso/head. "Have no fear, Mistress... I may be old, but I am no pushover!" With that, he walked up to the open area, and raised his fists.

Boulder (the Minotaur) chuckled and said, "I'm going to enjoy this..." then he turned towards the guards around him and said, "You guys go warn the king! I'll handle this one on my own, also!"

When the battlefield was cleared of all but the two Boulders, the Minotaur said, "It's been a while since I've seen visitors from Atlantis... perhaps I should send you to your family in pebbles!"

The Golem chuckled before replying, "I say, perhaps you mistake me for a mere rock, ol' chap... let's see who sends who to the ground first, though!"

"Indeed... let's!" With that, the two charged head-first, with the Golem planting his feet to the ground, and bracing for impact from the Minotaur's leaping punch.

Author's Notes:

And so, yet ANOTHER pair of heroes join the team! Please welcome...

Marble Pie (Inkie Pie is her nickname, like Pinkamena's "Pinkie" name.)
and
Limestone Pie (Blinkie Pie is HER nickname, like Pinkamena's "Pinkie" name.)

(Before you go on asking why, I'd like to point out that this group NEEDED more mares to begin with... and what better choice than to add the REST of the Pie Sisters?! )

Oh, and I'm sure y'all are curious about the ages of the characters, so I may as well throw that in, as well! (I kinda overlooked that throughout, like, this WHOLE story! )

---

Justin Daniels: 32 (Yeah, I'm old in this story! (Just kidding. 30 is still kinda young, isn't it? ))

Ruby: 8

Gilded Blade: 25

Gilda: 19

Pinkie Pie: 18

Stealth Paws: 21

Zero Gravity: 19

Thor'lok: 24

Swift Justice: 20

Zula: 22

Software Patch: ?? (Approximately 1,500 years old)

Sand Barrier: 26

Topaz Claw: 25

Storm Light: 23

Heavenly Quill: 17

Maud Pie: 26

Limestone Pie: 17

Marble Pie: 20

Nightshade: ?? (Approximately 10,000 years old, and up.)

Twilight Sparkle: 18

Fluttershy: 19 (She's a year older than Pinkie, obviously. )

Rarity: 21

Applejack: 17

Rainbow Dash: 19

---

Any other ages, I'll add when requested!

As always, stay sharp, My Little Bronies! And remember... "The best path in life is different from each individual... but to go through it, we ALL start the same way... with a single step!"