Author's note
Two chapters left and I am done with this fanmake at last. Hope you enjoy this new chapter!

Chapter 7: Sleeping Castle

The sun will soon set as folks are preparing for hopefully the rescue of Twilight Sparkle. The king and queen sat on their own throne, waiting anxiously for their daughter. Jack came up, looking worried and concerned. He has to tell his friend that his son Ben wanted to marry a peasant pony, not Twilight, but Night Light will be upset! And may have Jack's head!

Still, Jack, doing his best not to panic, goes up to Night Light as he spoke, "Errr, Night Light, lad? I got something important that I must tell ye."

"Not now, Jack. Can't it wait?" Night Light asks Jack with a groan. He isn’t in the mood to hear what his former pirate friend wants to tell him right now!

"But it's about Ben!"

"Oh yes, that reminds me. Where is your son? He should be ready with his new bridge right now."

"That's what I'm trying to tell you about him." Jack said in concern. It's now or never. The former pirate must tell Night Light before it's too late. "He's..."

"Just go get him. It's completely important." Night Light insists, waving Jack off to go get his son.

"Arrr, but..."

But before Jack coud continue, fanfare is heard, interrupting Jack. Outside, the sun sets much to everyone's notice. The announcer spoke to the waiting crowd, "Mares and gentle-colt! The sun has set on the 16th birthday! Please welcome back your princess, Twilight Sparkle!"

The crowd cheers excitedly as fireworks exploded into the night. Nightmare Moon's curse has been foiled. Twilight is finally back after 16 years of disappearance! Looks like a good day, right?

Sadly, not everyone is celebrating. Up in the tower, the girls, Spike and Pinkamena are looking sad or sobbing as they look at Twilight, sleeping with a flower in her hooves. If only most of them haven't left her alone...but it's too late. Twilight is in a deep sleep, maybe forever, unless true love can wake her up.

The group looks outside the window at the folks celebrating in sadness. Once everyone, especially the king and queen, finds out what had happened, this celebration will turn into a sad one indeed.

"Oh, poor King Night Light and Queen Twilight Velvet," Fluttershy said in sadness while looking down. Fireworks would've cheered her up...but not this time. "They'll be heartbroken when they find out."

Pinkamena nods slowly as she adds, "Yeah…they really will be."

"Yeah…especially since we failed to protect Twilight when she needed us the most. We'll be lucky if the King and Queen just…banish us from Ponyville forever, or turn Spike into..." Rainbow said with a big gulp, fearing the worst for what could happen to Spike.

"Turn me into what? Gloves," Spike ask Rainbow nervously.

"Uh-uh."

"Boots?"

"Nah," Rainbow said, shaking her head 'no' to that.

Spike gulps nervously as he then guesses, "A jacket?"

"Not even close."

"A belt?"

Rainbow smirks while saying to Spike devilishly, "A purse."

Spike scream in horror at that thought, "Ah…nooooo!"

"Rainbow!" Fluttershy scolds Rainbow. She should've known better than to put that thought into his head!

"Rainbow Dash," Rarity scolds Rainbow in the same meaning.

"Ooh, Queen Twilight Velvet's new purse." Rainbow remarks with a slight chuckle. Imagine Spike as a purse. Wouldn't that be cute?

"That's a terrible idea!" Pinkamena exclaims frantically, getting terrified by the idea of a friend being skinned alive to be used as a purse.

"I don't wanna go as somepony's purse!" Spike exclaims frantically.

"No worries, Spike...we just find Twilight's true love, have him kiss her and things will be set right...right?" Fluttershy ask Spike meekly. Maybe if that's the case...

Rainbow gave Fluttershy a worried look. Now time to tell the others what she kept secret for 16 years, "Uh…Fluttershy, Rarity…I added another detail to the counter-curse. It'll take more than just true love's first kiss to break the spell…"

"What; how could you?!" Rarity ask, shocked to hear that.

"I wasn't finished, Rarity."

"Oh..."

Rainbow clears her throat before continuing, "I also whispered under my breath that the one who does break the spell must also make a vow of everlasting love and prove it to…well…us."

"You could have mentioned that in front of the King and Queen, Rainbow." Fluttershy said to Rainbow in disappointment. Her friend would've at least told Night Light and Twilight Velvet that before.

"I wanted to, Fluttershy…really, I did. But I couldn't risk letting Nightmare Moon hear that detail."

"But…why a vow of everlasting love, Rainbow?" Rarity ask Rainbow curiously.

"Because…it takes more than just a kiss to show true love and if I know Nightmare Moon, it'll take more than just true love's kiss to break her spell." Rainbow explains. She's right. Nightmare Moon wouldn't let anything like a kiss just simply ruin her spell.

"Still, back to the kingie and queenie," Pinkamena said, looking out the window. "What will they say when we tell them this once they find out?"

"Oh, they won't find out." Rarity said in determination. Her friends look at the white unicorn in surprise. She isn't going to tell Twilight's parents that their little filly is under the curse that the Mystic Ponies were supposed to keep from happening?! "We will put everyone in the castle in the same deep sleep. They will not wake up until Twilight is freed from the spell."

"Oh, that makes sense." Fluttershy said with a nod. If everyone wakes up after Twilight, it would be like what happened to her never happened at all!

"All right, time for us to put the castle to sleep...figure of speech." Rainbow said with a slight chuckle.

"You go handle things. I will keep guard of Twilight; do not forget your gift, Rainbow Dash." Pinkamena said. She walks and lay beside Twilight's bed as she keeps watch as they leave. The mare says, "And if you see my brother, let him know I am ok. I am sure Golden heart might be worried about me."

The four nod and head off as she then looks at Twilight, saying, "Do not worry, your Prince will come."

Pinkamena nuzzles her forehead and then lay beside Twilight's bed again. The three Mystic Ponies made themselves small so to avoid being detection then put an anti-magic spell around Spike so he won't fall to the spell himself. The plan was simple; cast a sleeping spell to make the residents fall into a deep sleep. That way, when Twilight wakes up, everyone else will act like nothing has happened. They'll need to fly around the palace, casting a sleeping spell which soon started a chorus melody to play in the background, don't ask!

Chorus: WhoooowooohhhhWHhoohh! WhooowwhhooWhooohh!

As the three Mystic Ponies and Dragon descend down as little glowing lights to the naked eye, they soon begin to put their plan into action.

Slee……ping……Pon…y thing…..

They go in separate directions, as the entire palace changes to a shade of green and it's surroundings while one of the trio lets down magic of some sorts, it must be the sleeping magic that they discuss.

All…the suuuuuch….I neeeeeed….your hooof.

Soon this glowing figure is Rainbow as she comes down to some Royal Guards wielding axes, uses her magic from her necklace onto them as one begins to feel sleepy before continuing onward to the next.

Liiips that shaaaaadeful, reeeeed, red rooooose!

One of the Royal Guards begins to feel drossy before his figure becomes green like the castle's surroundings and he begins to slip down to the ground where he lays on the cement of the palace's walls. All while Rainbow does so forth with the rest of those guards before moving onto the next batch.

Dreaming of Truuue Love,

In the palace court yard, it's surroundings are changing green as well as the spell has spread to here too, as another one of the trio is glowing and floating by, sprinkling sleeping magic dust to the residents below.

Iiiin some wheeere, re-poooooours!

The residents below begin to slowly lean while others begin to yawn, like their getting tired and are even turning a shade of green with the others.

Ooooone Daaaay, Heeee'll will coooommmme.

So another one of the trio glows by as she floats over the other courtyard district, using her magic as that happens, most folks holding flag poles begin to lean them from becoming so tired and unable to hold them right.

Riiiiding a Hope for thooooouuuuuhhh!!!

Now the next person to enter the throne room was Rarity and Spike as the mare uses her magic down below to the royals and everyone else awaiting for the princess. Soon the places walls turn green and even those inside the place are beginning to change from their outer colors and even begin to feel sleepy.

Aaaand you'll aaaawaken,

Everyone soon changes to a green color and now sleeps within the throne room.

Truuue Looooove's First Kiiiiiiiss!

Then outside, near a fountain, another one of the trio of glowing lights passes through, about to use magic onto the folks down below.

Tiiill theeeen,

As she begins her work, the scenery changes to a green color like all the others.

Sleeping Ponnnnnny,

The figure in question is non-other than Fluttershy as she does her job of using her Element of Kindness on the ponies down by the fountain.

Sleeeeps foooorrrth!

Two ponies sitting by the fountain get hit by the magic, begin to yawn and change to a green coloring.

Oooone Daaay, you'll awaaaken,

As Fluttershy wraps up casting everyone to fall asleep, she circles around the fountain and surprisingly starts to slowly stop producing water as everything now becomes a green coloring around the place and it's ponies.

True Looooove's Fiiiirst Kiss!

Fluttershy now begins to bounce around on lit torches, putting them out, one by one.

Tiiill theeeen,

Now we return back in the castle, at the royal banquet hall as Rainbow is now finishing his wrap up of putting everyone to sleep as the scenery of the place is now turning green as well, like the others and the folks are completely asleep.

Sleeping Ponnnnnny,…..

Rainbow now waves herself around some candles still lit before putting them out, and just as she was about to go, something caught her attention!

Sleeeeps foooorrrth!

What Rainbow had notice was Derpy who was knocked out earlier was awakening herself, a little bit after being drunken and is confused by what's going on around here.

"Sorry pal, but in this case, you gotta sleep on the job!" Rainbow remarked off to say ass he uses her Element of Loyalty to put magic onto the mare, just as the chorus song ends.

"Gaahhhhuuh-Huumpphhhh," Derpy yawns as the spell lands on her, turning her green like the others as she fell back under the table, now fast asleep like the others are.

Rarity is putting on the finishing touches, putting Night Light, Twilight Velvet and Jack under the same spell. Spike knew that it's hard to do this, but it's the only way. As they prepare to leave, Jack is trying his best to keep awake as he is mumbling to Night Light...who is already out like a light.

"Listen, Night Light, promise me ye won't be angry...but I spoke to Benjamin." Jack mumbles to Night Light while trying to keep up. "He told me some shocking news. He has fallen for...a peasant pony."

"Huh," Spike asks in shock as he and Rarity overheard what Jack just said.

"Peasant pony," Rarity gasps in shock and alarm. Could it be? The unicorn flew back to Jack as she spoke anxiously, "Peasant pony. Tell me, who is she?! Where did they meet?"

"Just some peasant pony," Jack mumbles a bit as he doesn't seem to notice Rarity but is hearing her the same.

"Where; Tell us where...."

"Once upon a...dream..."

Soon Jack fell asleep at last. Spike looks shocked as he spoke, "Once upon a..."

"IRIS!" Rarity gasps in shock and in realization. Of course! That colt that Twilight has met in the Everfree Forest and fell in love with: that was Ben! "That means…Prince Ben Mare is the one who Twilight fell in love with; oh, how could I have been so stupid?!"

"Same with me! I thought he looked familiar but I didn't realize who he was until now; Ugh; why didn't I realize this before?!"

Spike held onto Rarity as the mare flew back to outside the castle where her friends are waiting, having completed their task. Fluttershy spoke, "Well, besides us and Pinkamena, everyone in the castle is now asleep."

"Girls, we gotta get back to the cottage at once!" Rarity exclaims to her friends quickly.

"Huh? Why? Did we forget something?" Rainbow asks Rarity puzzled as to why her friend wanted to get back to the cottage so badly.

"No! That colt that Twilight fell in love with, that we told her never to see again? That was Prince Ben Mare!'

"What," The other two Mystic Ponies gasps in shock and surprise. The colt was Ben all along?!

"Come on, we gotta get going!" Spike exclaims quickly to the girls.

The four quickly left the castle, heading off to the Everfree Forest. If they get there and meet Ben, the four will explain what's going on and bring him back to the castle to help lift the spell! The heroes can only hope that they get to him before Nightmare Moon or Sombra does!

----------------------

Ben's group arrives at the cottage with flowers in one hoof. The stallion happily whistles 'once upon dream'. He and the others are unaware that the cottage is now abandoned, as well as what had happened at the castle, especially to the filly that he loves.

As Ben climbs off Dragoking, he exclaims to the two mares, "Bangerang, girls. We made it!"

"'Dis is 'de cottage in 'de glen?" Applejack asks, looking the cottage over. "It looks…modest enough."

"Hmm. It's quiet. Maybe a little too quiet; But my Pinkie Sense is telling me something's a little bit off here." Pinkie said suspiciously at the cottage. Something is off here.

"Oh, Pinkie…don't you worry." Ben said to Pinkie with a chuckle while going up to the door, knocking on it. "Besides, I needed to look my best for that filly…so what's there to worry about? And I've got the ring and everything for my proposal."

"Well, at least Ben's not so much o' a showoff like 'dat creep, Boris 'de Animal." Applejack commented, referring to her friend's nasty rival Boris.

"Okay…here I go. Ahem..."

"Come in." A voice spoke. Odd, Iris sure sounds odd; Still the door opens, allowing the stallion to come in.

And once Ben was about to enter the house, Pinkie began twitching, which meant that her Pinkie Sense was telling her something. The pink pony gasps, "Wait a minute. My Pinkie Sense is picking up something. Do you smell it Applejack?"

"Smell what?" Applejack asks Pinkie in concern.

"That smell…that kind of smelly smell. A smelly smell that smells smelly." Then Pinkie's eyes grew to enormous size as she spoke strangely. "Diamond Dogs."

"Huh? What are yew talking about, Pinkie Pie?"

Pinkie begins yelling at the top of her lungs, "DIAMOND DOGS!"

And no sooner had Pinkie screamed those words when inside the house, Ben felt something or someone jump on him. Rover yells out, "Dog pile!"

Ben yelps as more Diamond Dogs jumps onto the stallion, keeping him down while tearing his good clothes up in the madness. The two mares outside prepares to jump in to help, but more Diamond Dogs appear, grabbing the two ponies and holding them down. Soon, all trio are tied down with Benjamin inside being held by the enemies. He looks confused. What's going on?

Suddenly, Ben gasps as he saw a familiar Alicorn coming forth with Gilda. Nightmare Moon looks at her nephew wickedly then spoke, "Well, well, well. What a pleasant surprise. I had this trap set up for a mere peasant colt, but lo and behold, I caught a Prince and it's my dear sweet nephew, Benjamin, too. Ha ha ha ha ha ha. All right, boys...take him away. But be gentle with my nephew. He is family after all."

"Yeah, and make sure to do the same thing to the other two lame-os." Gilda comments as Ben is carried over to the tied up Applejack and Pinkie. "I want something to put my frustrations on."

"Don't worry, Benjamin. You and your friends won't be alone; a friend of Dragon Hope’s will be there for you."

"Who," Ben demand to his corrupted aunt in anger.

Glida smirked while answering the question, "Starts with 'B' but has fire on his hooves."

"Blazefist," Applejack gasps in shock upon hearing that name.

"He's alive?! What have you done to him?!" Pinkie demands to Nightmare Moon, trying to get free. But even the villains' rope kept the poor random pink pony at bay.

Nightmare Moon shrugs as she explains, "Nothing personal; Giving hospitality; a very special treatment."

"Aunt Luna!" Ben exclaims in shock. He can't believe his aunt would go this far.

"Take them away."

The trio is taken away by the Diamond Dogs. Dragoking meanwhile would've help but he's tied up at the moment, literally! One of the Diamond Dogs had hit the Hydragoon in the face, knocking him down then allows his colleagues to use chains to hold him down. Dragoking struggled but he couldn't escape.

Looks Ben's group is now hostages of a mad Alicorn!

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Rarity's group returns to the cottage, hoping to find Ben there. But when they open the door, the four gasps in shock as they find the remains of Ben's date clothes on the floor, torn up. There are also evidence of Diamond Dogs tracks in the cottage itself!

Rarity picks up the clothes as the group gasps, "Nightmare Moon!"

"Oh no, we're too late." Spike said in worry.

"Oh man! She got to Ben before we did!" Spike exclaims in concern. If Nightmare Moon knew that the Mystic Ponies would bring Twilight home tonight, that means she had known as to where the cottage was all along, waiting to capture Twilight's true love!

"That means…she's taken Ben to Mount Thunderflame." Rarity said seriously to her friends. It's the only place where Nightmare Moon would take her captives.

Fluttershy gasps, looking terrified by that, "But we can't go there, Rarity!"

"Oh yes, we can…and we must!" Spike exclaims seriously to the others.

The group knew that anyone who isn't a resident of Mount Thunderflame would never get out alive or uncaptured. But the four knew that they must risk going there to rescue Ben and save Twilight!

Author's note
Ben has been captured. Things just took a huge turn. In the next and final chapter, the Mystic Ponies risk their lives, saving Ben and helping him get back to the castle. But Nightmare Moon isn't about to let them win so easily. And even then, it's time for the final battle...but is it with Nightmare Moon or Sombra?! Read, review and suggest!

Rainbow's suggestion that Spike would be turned into a purse is a reference to 'The Rescuers Down Under' sort of.

Once again, I borrowed a bit of VISION-KING's fanmake to help in the song sequence.

Bangerang is slang from 'Hook'.

Pinkie made a reference to the pilot episode of 'SpongeBob SquarePants'.

Dragonking's capture is a reference to what happened to Toothless in 'How to Train Your Dragon'.