The light cleared and everypony suddenly found themselves standing in front of the gem-encrusted door. "Wh-what just happened?" Rarity exclaimed.

"It must have been a magical illusion," Twilight said. "Like Sombra's door in the Crystal Empire, but more benign."

The multicolored gems in the door were now glowing brightly. "Guess that means we passed the trials," Flash said, still panting slightly.

"Now what about the last one?" Twilight said.

The white gem in the center of the door began to shine faintly, revealing words carved into it. "'The mother of all things, faith and hope and charity. No use to one, but it makes two into one,'" Daring read out loud. "It's a riddle. I hate riddles."

"Faith and hope and charity," Twilight murmured. "Makes many things into one..."

Enlightenment shone in Flash's eyes. "Isn't it obvious?" he said. "It's love."

Everypony looked at him as Flash turned to Twilight. The two ponies locked their gazes, and for them, that moment felt like holding a match to a piece of tinder; like standing before a door that was once locked and is now about to be opened, revealing what is on the other side. Wingtips fluttering, Flash strode forward.

"Twilight," he said softly, a nervous smile flitting about his lips. "You are the most beautiful mare I've ever met, and I mean that in spirit. You're honest, you're kind, you're really sweet. You're loyal to your friends and really smart: whenever there's trouble, you always know just what to do. And you're also one of the bravest ponies I've ever met. You...you're a really great friend."

Twilight's cheeks turned a little red. "Flash, thank you. And...you're also a really great friend, too. You're brave, you're very sweet, you always look out for others instead of yourself..." Her cheeks turned redder and she stepped closer, suddenly finding it hard to meet Flash's blushing gaze. "I...I guess what I'm trying to say is..."

Flash slowly reached up, placing a hoof underneath Twilight's chin and lifting her face up. "Twilight...I love you," he whispered.

"I love you, too," Twilight said.

His heart dancing in his chest and his wings trembling, Flash slowly leaned forward and closed his eyes as he pressed his lips against Twilight's. Her wings slowly spread open and pleasure sparked from her horn as she kissed him back, her own breath catching.

"Awww!" Rarity, Pinkie and Fluttershy all cooed.

"About time," Applejack said with a smirk. Rainbow Dash just rolled her eyes.

As the two ponies separated, a spark flew from Twilight's horn and into the white gem, which began to glow even brighter. With a series of clicks, the door unlocked and slowly swung open, revealing a dark cavern behind it. Hesitating for only a moment, the group strode forward and into the cavern, lighting flashlights as they did so. The first thing that their lights fell on was a small stone column attached to a stone trench. In it was what looked like a thick layer of dry hay. Daring examined the hay, giving it a brief sniff. "It's covered in oil," she said.

Phillip reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a cigarette lighter. Flicking it open, he applied the flame to the hay, which caught quickly. The flame sailed down the trench and into the cavern, dispelling the darkness. And what the ponies saw made them all stop, staring in astonishment.

The cave was filled with treasures: statues of stone, silver and gold, huge paintings, chests of intricately carved jewels and coins, scrolls and books that were easily hundreds of years old, ancient artifacts of bygone civilizations. Amazed, the group began to examine the treasure trove in closer detail.

Twilight bent closer to a rickety wooden shelf that was laden with scrolls. Examining the seal on the faded red ribbon tying one of them, she gasped in astonishment. "Scrolls from the Library of Clover the Clever!" she whispered excitedly. "Is this possible?"

Rarity gazed in delighted awe at an open chest of jewels, already imagining what spectacular designs she could make with them. Fluttershy was examining a painting that depicted a beautiful alicorn mare with white fur, long red mane and tail and blue eyes like the sky with a cutie mark of an inkpot and quill rising from the ocean as a pair of angels flew in to robe her. Flash and Rainbow were looking over a collection of ceremonial swords and spears.

"It's a big, blue-green pony with a tall hat and a strange goatee," Pinkie said, her head tilted to the side as she examined an ancient Equegyptian statue before her. "I'm guessing that's significant!" she said with a smile, hugging the statue.

Meanwhile, Daring had proceeded up towards a pedestal in the back. It had an object on it, covered with a cloth that had been ravaged by time, ripped and faded. It was the only thing in the cavern hidden from sight like this.

Could this be the secret of the Mare Lisa, the key to great power? Daring took hold of the moldy curtain in her mouth and with a gesture, pulled it off. What she saw beneath it made her freeze, gazing in astonishment and confusion.

Mostly confusion.

Her own reflection looked back at her, wide-eyed in bewilderment. The object was a wide, gilded mirror. An inscription in the frame read "True power lies here."

"What?" Daring said. "The secret to ultimate power is a mirror?"

"It's not the mirror," Twilight said, walking up with the others, her reflection joining Daring at her side. "It's us. Don't you see? By standing together as friends, with the virtues that we used to get in—kindness, loyalty, honesty, generosity, laughter, friendship, endurance, focus, bravery and love—we can accomplish anything."

Daring looked at the others reflections in the mirror, all of them smiling back at her in companionship. When she looked at Phillip's reflections, he grinned back at her softly, and something in his gray eyes sparkled. Daring felt herself smiling back at him. "I guess that—" Something suddenly moved in the reflection. Daring froze, then dived out of the way. "Look out!"

Everypony else leapt aside as a huge blue paw came down hard on them, smashing the mirror. The paw was attached to a large blue dog-like creature with a long tail that had an extra paw on the end, jet black hair and mean yellow eyes that glared in hatred.

"Ahuizotl," Daring growled, glaring back at the beast. "So that's why there weren't any other animals."

"Friendship?!" Daring Do's archenemy growled. "Bah! Well, if I cannot have ultimate power...then I shall have you, Daring Do!"

Instantly, Daring attacked, leaping into the air with a flying kick. Ahuizotl dodged it, swinging his tail around to knock her out of the air. She smashed into a wall and crumbled to the ground.

"Oi, wanker!" shouted an enraged Phillip, instantly flinging his boomerang at Ahuizotl's head. The beast dodged it, slapping Phillip aside so that he tumbled into a pile of coins that spilled over him. Ahuizotl turned his attention back to Daring and was about to move to finish her off when a voice interrupted him.

"How dare you!" Fluttershy shouted, flying up and locking eyes with Ahuizotl, giving him a full-blast Stare. "You think just because you're bigger than everyone that you can do whatever you want? You should be ashamed of yourself! Didn't your mother ever teach you that hurting others is wrong?"

"No! Please! Have mercy!" Ahuizotl begged, dropping to his knees in terror and holding up his clasped paws in pleading as he trembled right down to the extra paw on his tail, sweat dropping down his back.

As soon as he was vulnerable, Applejack sprinted up and bucked him hard in the gut, doubling him over. Rainbow followed up with a flying uppercut that dazed Ahuizotl, sending him staggering back.

Quickly, Pinkie Pie leapt onto his back and climbed onto his head. She leaned down and gave him an upside-down grin. "Hi!" she said. Growling, Ahuizotl tried to slap her with his paw. The result was, of course, that he bonked himself on the head when Pinkie jumped aside at the last second.

"Yoo-hoo!" Rarity called. When Ahuizotl turned towards her, he suddenly found himself blinded by a bright light. He howled in pain, covering his eyes.

"Take that, you ruffian!" Rarity declared, having accomplished this trick by using several of the polished gems and metal artifacts to reflect the light from her horn several times.

While Ahuizotl was staggering in blinded agony, Twilight charged up a spell in her horn and fired it at him. It struck him hard, bringing him to all fours. Instantly, Flash flew in, striking him up from underneath his jaw, then coming down hard on his head. The sound of the blow echoed in the cavern, and Ahuizotl was knocked out.

Rainbow and Twilight helped Daring and Phillip to their hooves, both of them shaking their heads as they recovered. "Huh," Daring said, examining the unconscious Ahuizotl. "Not bad work."

"So what happens now?" Flash asked.

"Well, we should call the Guard to secure him," Twilight said, glancing nervously at the beast. "And Celestia should know about this, certainly. We've discovered a historical treasure—"

A sound distracted everypony. Looking up, they saw a collection of wildcats, including a small white house cat, dragging Ahuizotl away. A tiger stood between its master and the ponies, teeth bared.

"You may have defeated me today," Ahuizotl groaned as he was dragged up and out of the cavern. "But I will get you eventually, Daring Do, and your little friends too!" And with that, the cats carried him out of the cavern. Instantly, Daring and Phillip raced after them. But by the time they got to the surface, Ahuizotl and his cats were already gone. Daring grunted and stamped her hoof against the ground in frustration.

"Hey," Phillip said, reaching out and touching her shoulder. "It's all right. Let him go and lick his wounds. At least he doesn't have the secret to ultimate power."

Daring sighed. "You're right." She glanced back at the cavern, seeing the other ponies emerging from it. Phillip gave her a small, encouraging smile, which she returned as they rejoined their friends.

Author's Notes:

It was at this point that I sort of just stopped caring and wanted to end this story as quickly as possible.

Big thank you to Trickilee for prereading and giving me some advice and corrections!