"... book! Can fix shyness!", said the Tenda chief, as Twilight gave the "Overcoming Shyness" book to him, back at the Tenda Village. "Thanks."

  "You're welcome.", said Twilight.

  "I'll read to everyone... just holding it in my hooves makes me feel like I'm overcoming my shyness already! I'll take the time to read it to everyone."

  And then, the chief read the "Overcoming Shyness" book to the whole Tenda tribe.

  After that long reading session, they could hear dozens of words coming from the Tenda's mouths. Fluttershy learned a lot as well. Now the Tendas weren't shy anymore, that huge rock blocking the way to the sanctuary could be removed. Twilight skipped joyfully to Rarity's house.

  "Rarity?", called Twilight. "Are you there?"

  "Come in, dear.", said Rarity. "I'm almost done."

  "Rarity, you don't need to bring anything. Just come with us and you'll be fine."

  "Trust me on this one."

  Rarity came out of the kitchen, with a plate full of some gross-looking food. It had a horrible smell too.

  "What's... that[/], may I ask?", said Twilight.

  "It's tendakraut.". said Rarity. "It's a special dish, the Tenda's favorite. It stinks, but it tastes wonderful."

  "O... kay then. Are you done?"

  "Yes. It was a tad difficult to convince Sweetie Belle to let me go. That's how kids are, you know."

  "Yes, I know. Let's go then. Where's that strong Tenda you mentioned before?"

  "Just follow me."

  The group arrived at the huge rock, to find a determined-looking Tenda next to it.

  "Really?", said Rainbow Dash. "That puny little thing can lift a rock twenty times its size?"

  "Quite unbelievable, I know.", said Rarity. "Can you show them, little guy?"

  "Powerful... I...", said the Tenda. "... so... show everyone!"

  The Tenda started lifting the heavy rock, with quite some struggle. The group couldn't find words to describe how unbelievable that was. After a quick thank-you from Rarity, the ponies went beyond the rock's location, to find a short cave leading to the most beautiful place they have ever seen. The walls were coated with some strange, shiny substance that made them sparkle quite graciously.

  "Quite a sight, isn't it?", said Rarity, letting out a tear of extreme appreciation. "Oh, I forgot to tell you something: what makes this place so unique is the fact that it can reveal our thoughts through the walls."

  "Hear that, Dashie?", joked Pinkie Pie. Fluttershy giggled innocently.

  "Cool!", said Derpy. "I'm thinking of something orange!"

  Spike noticed an orange in one of the walls. "It's an orange.", said him.

  "Correct! Now, now... I'm thinking of something blue!"

  "Hey, Trixie.", said Rainbow Dash. "Don't think about red monkeys!"

  "I'm not.", said Trixie. "Wait... darn it!"

  "Haha, there's a red monkey over there!"

  "D'you guys hear that?", said Applejack, while some strange (but familiar) music played echoed through the walls.

  "It's Twilight's song.", said Fluttershy.

  "Okay... I didn't quite catch that last part.", said Twilight, slightly frustrated. "Only one more note to go."

  "Don't you think we'd be fine if we just left it alone?", said Spike. "I mean, it's just one note..."

  "Well, Spike...", said Pinkie Pie. "... take the L out of liver."

  "... iver.", said Spike. "What sense did that make?"

  "None! Y'see, one letter is what it takes to turn a perfectly normal word into a pile of babbling nonsense!"

  "Oh, I get it... where's that last sanctuary then?"

  "Right down there.", said Rarity, pointing to a hole at the other end of the hall.

  "Down this hole?", said Twilight. "Is it that near?"

  "We're gonna have to walk quite a distance..."

  "Who's first?", said Rainbow Dash.

  "Whee!", exclaimed Pinkie Pie, jumping down the hole in a cartoonish way.

  As the last pony jumped down the hole (that would be Fluttershy), the group instantly noticed that everything was five times its normal size. They could also hear what sounded like dinosaurs in the distance.

  "Where is this place?", said Twilight, surprised.

  "I've heard about this place in one of those old mythology books.", said Derpy. "It's the Lost Underworld... the place where all mythological creatures came from. Dinosaurs, manticores, hydras, dragons... they have everything here."

  "Sounds cool.", said Rainbow Dash.

  "Sounds scary.", said Fluttershy.

  "HEY!", said a voice in the distance. "You guys! Get outta there before you get eaten!"

  "Who said that?", asked Twilight.

  "I did!"

  The group spotted a rather small village next to them, with Tendas living in it. They went in as soon as they heard a dragon's roar behind them.

  "Why would anyone with its right mind hang around in the monster cage?", said the Tenda at the door. "You guys could get eaten in a matter of seconds!"

  "Monster cage?", said Twilight. "I thought this was the cage."

  "Nah, we just need a lot of space for the monsters to move around, to keep them distracted."

  The Tenda stopped talking when he saw Rarity.

  "Hey, aren't you Tom's wife?", asked the Tenda.

  "I thought we agreed to never speak of that again.", said Rarity.

  "Who's Tom?", asked Spike, a little desperate.

  "Come here... I'll introduce him to you."

  At a small cottage next to the convenience store, lied a gentle-looking rock in the middle of the room.

  "This... is Tom.", said Rarity, hanging her head in shame.

  "Greetings, fellas.", said Tom, the talking rock with a British accent.

  Rainbow Dash couldn't hold it. She instantly burst into laughter, along with Pinkie, Applejack and Trixie. Twilight and Fluttershy giggled (not so innocently). Derpy and Spike let out a single "heh". Rarity just felt worse.

  "I was brainwashed, okay?", said Rarity.

  "Twilight Sparkle.", said Tom. "You finally came here."

  "What, I'm well-known between rocks too?", said Twilight.

  "Listen... I'm going to tell you something really important. You may want to take notes. Ready?"

  "Ugh... not this again...", said Rarity. "Do you guys want a snack?"

  "You're the chosen one. Your destiny is not only yours... it's the destiny of the whole universe. There will be a time in which all of you in the universe will overlap each other. It's not necessary to understand now. Do you remember the Giant Step in Canterlot? That is one of your sanctuaries. It is a spot which gives you power and allows you to realize all your skills. You must reach all of the eight power spots in the world... when you get the melodies of all eight power spots, you can finally see your world. I'll tell you all of the power spots: Giant Step, in Canterlot; Lilliput Steps, in the Peaceful Rest Valley near Ponyville; the Milky Well, in Grapefruit Falls at the Pinkie Valley; the Rainy Circle, found by Derpy in Ice Cube Land; the Magnet Hill, at the edge of the city of Manehattan; the Pink Cloud, which Rainbow Dash knows, and... the Lumine Hall, where the shining lichen lives in the cave."

  "I already knew all that...", whispered Twilight to herself.

  "A new place is now going to be opened up for you: the Fire Spring, located southwest of here. Listen to the melodies of all eight power spots. If you do not fail, you may upset Discord's plans... understand?"

  "Yes..."

  "The time will come. The time when the destiny of you and the whole universe will overlap... it is fast approaching."

  "Are you done?", said Rarity.

  "Yep.", said Tom. "Now, go. Save the world."

  "This sandwich is delicious!", said Spike. "What's in here, anyway?"

  "Cheese.", said Rarity. "Now, let's brave through the monster cage, shall we?"

  "*sigh* Might as well...", said Fluttershy.

  "I'll protect you.", said Rainbow Dash.

  "We're talking about carnivore dragons and dinosaurs."

  "No worries."

  "Hey, is that tendakraut I smell?", said a Tenda coming through the door.

  "Yeah, I made it myself.", said Rarity. "You can have it."

  "Such a unique smell... it's the scent of godly food!"

  "It stinks.", said Derpy.

  And so, the ponies braved through the monster cage, keeping their head in the stars all the way through. Dinosaurs tried to kill the ponies. They failed, as they were smite to the ground. Dragons tried to eat the ponies. They failed, as they were striken down to the ground. Manticores tried to destroy the ponies. Hahahaha... they failed! As they were thrown to the ground! Hydras tried to defile the ponies... but the hydras were proven wrong!

  Eventually, the ponies reached a cave, away from all the monsters. In it, they couldn't see anything noteworthy... but it sure looked scary. Anyway... they eventually found the Fire Spring, in another cave. It was a really firey place, with lava all over.

  "This place looks like hell.", commented Rainbow Dash. "Are you sure it's a sanctuary?"

  "Don't question it.", said Twilight. "Looks like a nice place, actually."

  "This place is so cool!", said Spike. "Not 'cause it looks like hell... it just... looks cool."

  "Well... we made it.", said Twilight. "All eight sanctuaries... what do we do now?"

  "Did you catch the whole song?", asked Trixie.

  "Yeah... I memorized it."

  "Should we just stay here and wait until something happens?", asked Rarity.

  "Ah don't think anything's gunna happen if we just stay here.", said Applejack.

  "I don't know about you guys...", said Twilight. "... but I'm feeling really sleepy now... let's just stay here."

  Twilight then fell to the floor, sleeping like a rock.

  "I don't feel sleepy.", said Derpy.

  "Well, bedtime'll have to wait.", said Applejack. "Let's get outta here. Twi'light, wake up."

  Applejack poked Twilight's belly, trying to wake her up. Didn't work.

  "C'mon, Twi'. We don't have all day."

  Pinkie Pie rolled Twilight over. Didn't work either.

  "Maybe she's in a really deep sleep.", said Pinkie Pie.

  "There's no way it could be possible.", said Trixie. "She just fell down."

  "Oh no!", said Derpy. "What if she's not sleeping?!"

  "Don't you dare say that!", said Rainbow Dash, smacking Twilight's face. "WAKE UP!"

  "Please don't treat her like that.", said Fluttershy.

  "Sorry."

  Spike began to shake Twilight intensely, enough to wake up a freaking Snorlax. Didn't work.

  "I can't believe it.", said Spike.

  "Does anyone here know CPR?!", said Rarity. "Someone's dying over here!"

  "I don't think kissing her will solve anything.", said Pinkie Pie.

  "Guys, cut it out.", said Fluttershy. "She's still breathing. See?"

  "Oh, thank heavens...", said Applejack.

  "Let's just stay here until she wakes up.", said Spike.

  "I wonder what caused that...", said Trixie. Next Chapter: No Turning Back Estimated time remaining: 27 Minutes