My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Starlight, Starbright

Chapter 21

The Wyrm Strikes Back

Starlight, Chaos Gun, and Bass Clef all pushed all the boulder separating them from freedom. Blades of light seeped into their cavern from the other side, filling Star and Bass with hope that this will lead them out. Chaos doesn’t really care.

Bass backed up the other side of the cavern, put one hoof on the wall, and charged at the boulder, hitting on the side with enough force to push it further. That little push caused the boulder to give way and fell though the other side, allowing light to pour on though. The trio went though the small hole one at a time to the outside.

Their eyes quickly adjusted to the light of day, during which they squinted their eyes and held to hoofs up to shade them.

“About time.” a ornery Chaos Gun said. “Feels like I was in that cave for days.”

Starlight took to the air to check their surroundings; instead of icy green grass, there were fields and hills of snow in front of them. That was enough to confirm that she had arrived on the other side of the Wyrm Pass, the side going north.

“Yet, it’s only been 2 hours, crap gun.” Bass said with a sneer.

“Shut up, nobody.”

“nobody?”

Starlight landed and separated them before they got into a argument. “do you two have to argue every time? We’re out of the cave so can you two just calm down?”

Chaos Gun’s and Bass’ only reply was them looking away from each other, not even looking at them.

A nearby explosion caused them to flinch and looked to it’s point of origin.

“Oh, gods! Daylight!” a voice-broken Golden Day said. She fell over a flat rock and sighed with a sputter. “thank Faust.” the rest of her tired and beat down friends clambered out, each as tired as her.

Goldie groaned and fell onto her back, putting her hooves into the air. “Anyone got any water?”

Begin Song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHr_1ff9cqY

Dueling the Basilisk - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Soundtrack

0:00.

Starlight saw her sister as soon as she came out and happily gasped. “Goldie!” she ran over to her, unfurling her wings in the process. As Goldie sat up, trying to find where Starlight’s voice came from, she was suddenly snagged and pulled up into the air by her sister, who hugged her tight. “Oh, Goldie! I was so worried I would never see you again!”

Goldie gave in and hugged her back. “I was worried too, Star.”

A less-then-excited Pound cheered. “yeah. Great. Whoopee. Good for you.”

Starlight gave Pound a mini-scowl. “come on, Pound. Not even a ‘how do you do’?”

“too tired. How do you do later.” he said with a hoarse voice. The rest agreed with him.

Filigree’s and Fire Ruby’s heitened senses smelled something off with in the group. “What’s that smell?” Ruby asked.

“it’s smells like Sweat and Fear.” Filigree finished. Peppy and Soarin’ looked at each other then back off, knowing they smelled them. Damn their draconian senses.

Starlight and Goldie shrugged it off and hugged each other again.

Chaos Gun scoffed at all this lovie-dovie crap. He turned to leave when the ground started to shake.

0:36.

A big part of the cave burst open and the monster from the deep, the crimson Wyrm that chased them into the cave, flew out. It skidded along the ground for a few seconds before stopping and turning to face the group. It snarled then roared.

“oh, Come on!” Sym yelled. “we just got out of a nasty cave-in!”

The monster didn’t care. It bared it’s teeth and looked them over. Plenty of tasty morsels for him to choose from.

“Nobody move.” Starlight said. “maybe his vision is based on movement.”

They all followed her advice and stood as still as they could. Some were having difficulty as they were half-way up or in awkward poses when she told them to freeze. “Thanks a lot, Star.” Sym said though his teeth.

The Wyrm looked around, as if it was trying to find them. Guess his vision really is based on movement.

“Got any bright ideas, dark boy?” Bass asked Chaos Gun. When the dark Alicorn didn’t reply, Bass looked to see he was long gone. “OH, COME ON!!” his outburst caught the attention of the Wyrm, who he forgot was there. “oops.”

1:04.

The 50-foot long serpent-like worm roared as it headed towards him. It’s mouth opened wide to turn him into lunch. Bass quickly moved his legs and ran out of the way, causing the Wyrm to crash into the side of the rock wall.

Bass skidded to a halt and laughed foolhardily. “Haha! Take that, sucker!” the Wyrm shot out of the top like a rocket, causing rubble to rain down. “crap.”

The rain of rocks forced everyone to move to dodge so they don’t turn into pancakes. Sym, Fire Ruby, and Season’s Edge found a small refuge under a small flat rock barely big enough to hide them.

The Wyrm roared as it made a beeline for Starlight. “go after Soarin’! he’s another flyer!” Goldie exclaimed.

“I don’t think that thing is keen on advice.” Starlight said.

The monster snapped his jaws at the duo, missing by mere inches. He snapped repeatedly but the Alicorn was fast. He snarled and headed down to the ground. He reached and burrowed into the stone.

Starlight noticed that the monster wasn’t chasing them anymore and skidded to a halt in mid-air. “He give up?” Goldie asked.

No, he did not. The Wyrm burst out of the ground beneath them, mouth wide open. It happened so fast, Starlight didn’t have time to react.

1:32.

Explosions peppered the side of the monster, causing it to go off course and almost sent it into a mountain. It stopped in time, it’s snout just inches away. It turned back to the group and snarled.

“Stay away from her!” Glade confidently said, he and the unicorn members of his troop horns glowing.

“Glade.” Starlight gasped. So he did survive. She was both thankful that he was alive, and fearful that he is still alive and intent to take her back.

Glade quickly flew up and pushed Starlight away as the Wyrm shot back down. That push made him miss the Alicorn mare. He stopped before hitting the ground, turned around, and snarled.

“You want to get to Starlight…” the tip of his horn glowed. “you’ll gonna have to go though me.”

1:48.

Chaos Gun casually flew away from the battlefield, glad to finally be away from those stupid ponies. His horn, never broken in the first place, glowed bright.

“haha! So easy and so fun!” he cheerfully said. “Volvagia will tire them out and I can make my move and take Starlight to my master. Hahaha! So good.”

Screams echoed to him, which he took to be music. When a certain mare’s scream reached his ear, however, he went wide-eyed and stopped in mid-flight.

The image of that Sweet Song mare filled his eyes again. He closed them and shook his head. “KYAH! Get out of my head!”

He then felt a feeling he never felt before: guilt. He was feeling guilty for leaving them. But why? Why does he feel guilty?

He looked down and lightly tapped the crystal hanging around his neck. What is going on with him?

2:12.

Peppy yelled as she was pinned by the monster’s claws. She struggled to get loose but the monster had her pinned tight. He tightened his grip, breaking a few bones and knocking her out cold. He let go and let her fall, where she is quickly saved by Soarin’, who quickly flew away before the Wrym could bite him.

Marian and Glade wrapped magic whips around both his hands, which did little to stop him. He grabbed the whips and flung the two of them around, flinging Marian into Cotton and Glade into Goldie.

A couple of pebbles belted him in the back of the head. He turned his attention to the ponies who continued to throw rocks at him. Big mistake. He roared and slithered along the ground to them.

“Told you this was a bad idea!” Cotton exclaimed as she and the others ran for it. Sweet Song didn’t move fast enough and was grabbed by the Wyrm. It slammed and pinned her on the rock wall. She struggled to get loose but the monster’s grip was too strong. The monster opened it’s mouth wide, inhaled, and reared it’s head back, preparing to breath fire.

“SWEET SONG!” her friends all yelled.

2:44.

A dark magic whip suddenly wrapped around it’s neck and pulled it back, letting go of the mare. It was sent rolling into the peak of a mountain, where a beam followed and blew the top off.

Sweet Song yelled as she fell. She was quickly caught by a black blur. It stopped flying and she opened her eyes to find that she was saved by, “Chaos Gun?”

The monster angrily roared and shot towards the Alicorn. He dropped Sweet Song, who fell 5 feet to the ground, turned around, and fired another beam at the monster. It hit him in the left arm, cutting though it.

The arm fell off, causing the beast to screech in pain.

“I think you made him mad.” Windancer said.

He did, to the point the monsters eyes rolled into his head and his rage took over.

3:11.

The Wyrm roared as loud as it could, it’s bellow reaching all the way to Ponyville. Without warning, it slithered though the sky violently and wracked Chaos Gun out of the sky with it’s tail.

“oh, he is very mad!” Glade yelled. He and the unicorns in his squad tired him down to try and hold him in place but it was a wasted effort. It quickly broke loose and breathed fire to the soldiers. They all jumped down before the wall of flame hit.

Starlight powered up a fireball spell and shot it to the Wyrm. It hit it in the face but she remembered that this thing was using fire, so it likely wasn’t going to work. It didn’t. it flew out of the smoke and grabbed her with it’s good arm. It spun around and tossed her into the cavern it came out of.

Bass and Screw Loose ducked behind a rock big enough to hide them. Fire hit the rock, scorching it.

“This is insane!” Screw yelled.

Bass agreed but they had to do something, or else this thing is going to kill them.

The ground shook, causing the mare to fall into Bass’s lap. “Sorry.” she said as she got up. While doing so, she noticed something that may help them. “how strong are you?”

Bass raised a eyebrow in confusion.

Glade and Chaos Gun slammed into the monster’s gut, making it lose the contents of it’s gut. Both their horns glowed and they shot into it’s gut, penetrating the stomach and causing further damage.

All it did was make the monster even more angry. It grabbed them both, roared in their faces, and tossed them into the same cavern as Starlight. The mare was just starting to get out when her cousin and her mortal enemy slammed into her, sending her back in.

4:00.

“Come on! Push!” Bass grunted. He and Screw Loose relocated themselves to the top of a nearby mountain, pushing a boulder that was on the precipice of falling over.

“I’m pushing, I’m pushing!” Screw Loose snapped.

The boulder was so close to falling, they could taste it.

The Wyrm tail-whipped the soldiers that accompanied Glade into the snow fields and sent a fire-ball to them. It hit the area they crashed in, causing a explosion.

“NO!” Glade yelled.

The Wyrm turned back in the direction of the cavern and roared.

The area under the boulder began to give way under it’s added weight thanks to the earth ponies.

“It’s working!” Bass said.

“Just keep pushing!”

The monster closed in on the Alicorns and roared in their faces. Starlight covered her ears; she never liked loud noises.

After much time and effort, Screw Loose and Bass were able to push the boulder over the side.

“Yes!” she cheered.

“LOOK OUT!” Bass yelled out.

4:30.

Bass’s yell reached the ponies and they quickly scattered.

The Wyrm, in confusion, looked up to see the rock roll towards it. Knowing it would kill it if it landed, it attempted to flew away. Magic whips from Glade, Starlight, and Chaos Gun kept it from going anywhere.

The boulder rolled off the mountain and into the air. It whistled as it fell, crashing into the Wyrm. The monster fell backwards, it’s head crushed under the boulder’s weight.

It’s body continued to squirm for a few seconds before dying.

5:02. End Song.

Back in the safety of his throne room, Sombra watched the fight with the Wyrm. He was surprised to see Chaos Gun help them beat the Wyrm but he supposes that he did it to try and obtain their trust. If so, it worked. Barely.

“Still should keep an eye on him.” he mumbled, remembering that Chaos Gun paused a few times and touched his necklace. Something is happening to his creation. He’s just not sure what.

Bass and Screw Loose returned to the bottom and sighed contently, seeing the dead monster. “I can’t believe that worked.” they both said.

“nice thinking.” Woona panted. “How did you know what would work?”

“we didn’t.” Bass said. “it was just pure luck.”

Starlight was the first one back out of the cavern and sighed, seeing that her friends and Bass are still alive. “well, whatever the case, it saved our lives.”

Sweet Song agreed. “but… why did Chaos Gun save us?”

That WAS a good question. “only way to know is to ask.” Sym. “Ch--” he stopped short, seeing that the black Alicorn was long gone. “where’d he go?”

“Who cares?” Soarin’ said, helping Peppy up. “we’re still alive and he’s gone; let’s just be thankful for that.”

Bass trotted over to Starlight. “Glad we got out of this in one piece. Cause this could’ve gone--” he was interrupted by the soldiers, who survived, who pinned him to the ground.

Glade walked to him and used his magic to snap cuffs on him. “you are under arrest for the kidnapping of Starlight Sparkle!”

“WHAT!?!” both he and Starlight yelled.

Glade used his magic to snap cuffs on her hooves and wings. “And you, Starlight, are under arrest for destroying the Canterlot Royal Museum.”

“What?” Starlight disengaged Glade’s magic with little ease and walked over to him. “for the thousandth time, I didn’t destroy anyplace. And Bass didn’t kidnap me.”

Her cousin ignored her and used his magic to pull Bass up. “tell that to Princess Celestia cause we’re heading back to Canterlot.” he walked past her. “if he’s lucky, he’ll be executed painlessly.”

Anger filled Starlight’s body as soon as he said executed. Without warning, she magically rammed into Glade and pinned him to the rock wall. “YOU WILL NOT TOUCH HIM!!!” she yelled.

Her eyes turned green and red with wisps of purple fire coming out the edges of her eyes. The tone of the yell caught everyone off guard. “Bass has helped me more times then you or anyone else ever did and I will NOT LET YOU KILL HIM!”

Bass was surprised by how passionately she’s being. Why is she so concerned for him? She barely knows him. And her friends were surprised as well. She wasn’t like this before. Goldie was more afraid then surprised. Her sister’s sudden change in attitude scared her.

“now I will tell you this for the last time: I did not destroy the museum! Bass did not kidnap me! I left on my own accord and I was nowhere near Canterlot!” she let him go, letting Bass fall. “for a captain of the guard, you hardly listen.” she turned and headed for the snow fields. Her eyes went back to their normal color, losing the green, red, and purple.

She used her magic to grab her saddle-bags and put them on her back. She stopped in mid-stride and looked back to him. “I’m going to find my real father, regardless of what you all say.” she looked to her friends. “or do.”

Golden Day gulped. “you… overheard us, didn’t you”

Starlight didn’t reply. She walked off, leaving them behind. Bass wrested his hooves free and ran after her.

“she’s really determined, isn’t she?” Eris Shine asked, knowing full well the answer.

“yep.” they all replied. They waited until Starlight and Bass were dots in the distance before they started after her.

Glade got up and watched his friends walk after Starlight. He knows Starlight would never lie. But he never saw her eyes change like that. And what was that about her father? He never heard that from his aunts.

“what now, captain?” one of his soldiers asked.

For the first time in his job, he had no clue what to do. But he came all this way, so… “we’re going after Starlight.” he said. “but not to take her back home.” he said as he walked off. His troops looked at each other, then walked after him.

Only Screw Loose remained. “after that outburst… after that battle… they’re still eager to go with her.” she closed her eyes and exhaled deeply. “and I guess I’m stupid enough to go along with it.” she grabbed her saddle-bags and ran after them.

Chaos Gun hovered above the land, watching them head to the north. “they are really going to go with her after that outburst?” he lightly chuckled. “shows how much I know about them.”

He disappeared in a flash of dark fire.