Prologue: The Adventure Begins
Prologue: Unbelievable Occurrence! Total Eclipse of the Plot!
It was a normal day in Ponyville, and Twilight Sparkle was busy with her studies... at least she was busy.
"No. No. No. No, no, no. Where is it? Spike!"
"What is it, Twilight?"
"Have you seen Predictions and Prophecies? It's important."
"I haven't seen it lately. Why do you need it?"
"Take a look outside."
What Spike saw was a rare sight indeed: a solar eclipse was slowly covering Ponyville in darkness.
"That's strange," said Spike. "I don't remember that being scheduled for today."
"I know," replied the violet unicorn, "that's why... wait! Spike, take a note. Dear Princess Celestia...."
"Ya mind repeatin' that again, Twilight?" Applejack asked her violet friend. "Ah don't think we heard ya."
"I already told you: both Princesses Celestia and Luna have no idea why this eclipse is happening. But I think the answer might be in Predictions and Prophecies, if I only knew what page it was on."
"Chapter Seventeen: End of the Multiverse: Cause and Prevention," read Pinkie Pie.
"That's it! How'd you know what page it was on?"
"I checked the table of contents."
"Right. It says here that the Crystal Princess, aided by the Rainbow Seven will overthrow the Bronze Sori Daijin."
"We already know the Crystal Princess," said Spike, "but where do we find the Rainbow Seven?"
Before Twilight could posit an answer, the whole of Equestria became engulfed in darkness, and everypony involved fell into a deep sleep.
Garfield had felt like a piano had just been dropped on his head. That was normal Monday shenanigans for him, and should be used to it by now, but still. As he lay unconscious, Applejack and a pale cyan Pegasus pony with a rainbow-colored mane and tail were gently nudging him awake.
"Gnnngh..."
"Hey, Rainbow Dash! Ah think he's coming to!" exclaimed Applejack.
"Finally! I was about to wake him up myself," replied the Pegasus pony.
"...nnn..."
"Hey there! Can you hear me?"
"....Huh? Ah... I? What h-happened?"
"Heh! You were asleep when we found ya, sugar-cube. Rainbow Dash and I thought you'd never wake up."
"Gyerk! Talking horse, run!"
"Hah! He doesn't seem to have landed on his head! He reacted too well for it!"
"Springy little fellow, isn't he?"
"So let me get this straight: you two are from a place called 'Ponyville' and ponies can... talk there?"
"That's the gist of it," replied Applejack. "Sorry for scaring you, by the way. My name's Applejack, and this here's Rainbow Dash."
"Pleased to meet the both of you," said Garfield. "My name's Garfield."
"Now that formalities are outta the way," said Rainbow Dash, "we were just wondering: where in the hay are we?"
Garfield looked around at his, Applejack and Rainbow Dash's surroundings. Almost instantly, Garfield realized where they were.
"You guys, we're in Green Hill Zone!"
"Green What Where?" Applejack asked, a bit confused.
"Green Hill Zone," Garfield repeated. "I know this place because I played a game called Sonic the Hedgehog a whole lot. When you think nostalgia, you think Green Hill Zoner."
"Well, what're we waitin' for," said Applejack, "let's get hoppin'!"
"See ya at the end, guys," said Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow Dash flew off to explore the environs, leaving Garfield and Applejack behind.
"Rainbow, wait for us! That Pegasus, always dashin' off."
"Well, at least I'm here," replied Garfield, putting a comforting paw on Applejack's shoulder, causing the blonde Earth pony's cheeks to turn a bright shade of pink.
How noble, thought Applejack. Now Ah know how Rarity musta felt gushin' over that Prince Blueblood fella. Ah think Ah might... no, Ah gotta focus.
"C'mon, Garfield," said Applejack, "we gotta keep up with Rainbow Dash."
"Right behind you," replied Garfield, as he and Applejack ran off after Rainbow Dash.
"It is as I expected," intoned a robotic voice, "Garfield has teamed up with ponies, but not the one called 'Princess Cadence'. Nor shall he, as long as I, Glitch, have anything to say about it."
"I could not agree with you more, O Robotic One," agreed a blue hedgehog-like robot.
"Okay, just gotta get a Pegasus eye view of this place," muttered Rainbow Dash. "Only, there's not much to see around here, not like in Ponyville, that's for sure. Meh, better get to the end and wait for Applejack and Garfield."
"So, then what happened?" Garfield asked.
"Well," Applejack replied, "The Elements of Harmony made Twilight vanish, and when she returned, she had wings and everything."
"Wow. So, sucks about Rainbow Dash, huh?"
"Shoot, don't worry bout her none. S'not the first time she ditched me. Course, she wasn't herself at the time, but it's water under the bridge."
"Applejack? Applejack, darling, is that you?"
Rarity, having recognized the voice as her friend Applejack, trotted up to her and Garfield.
"Rarity! Ah thought I'd never see you here of all places."
"Yes, well as you can see, I've been far too busy collecting these fabulous gold rings. I think I've collected fifty so far."
"Don't look now," said Garfield, "but I think something wants to take them away from you!"
"What in the world are youuuuaAARGH!"
Rarity wheeled around to find that a chameleon robot literally rocketing towards her, knocking off and scattering all her collected rings.
"Oh, no, my rings," Rarity cried. "Don't let them get away!"
"Don't worry, we've got 'em," said Garfield as he and Applejack chased after the errant rings that hadn't disappeared into thin air.
Hmm, there's something about Applejack's friend, Rarity thought, but I can't put my hoof on it.
"Sorry, Rarity," said Applejack, "but we only got twenty rings."
"Pardon me, Applejack," said Rarity, "but you absolutely must introduce me to your friend."
"Right. Rarity, this here's Garfield. Garfield, Rarity."
"Well, Rarity. I have to say that a pony as pretty as you shouldn't have to carry all these rings yourself."
Rarity couldn't help but giggle at the tabby's faux gentlemanly manner. This could be an interesting turn of events for the unicorn.
"It would seem that everything's in order," said Rarity, "so let's get going, shall we. Chop, chop, everyone."
"Rarity seems nice, doesn't she?"
"Yeah, if'n ya like prissy to th' point of annoyance," muttered Applejack.
"Well, come on," said Garfield, "we're burning daylight. Let's get a move on."
Later, at the Goal Plate...
"Finally," said Rainbow Dash. "I thought you guys would never get here."
"Honestly, Rainbow Dash," replied Rarity, "You should be more considerate of our friend here. After all, he does know this place better than any of us."
"Really, does he know what that is?"
Rainbow Dash pointed up to a giant version of the gold rings that Rarity had collected.
"You bet I do," said Garfield. "That's a Special Stage Ring. Enter one, and you could win a chance at a Chaos Emerald."
"Really," Rarity said. "I could use some more gems for my designs."
"Perfect," replied Garfield, grabbing Rarity, "because you're coming with me."
Garfield and Rarity both entered the Special Stage Ring, a shot at a Chaos Emerald at stake. Will they succeed? Only time will tell.
To be Continued.
All or Nothing! Get the Chaos Emerald! Part One
"So, have you found anything yet?" asked Rainbow Dash.
"No," answered Twilight, "and I won't if you keep asking every five minutes."
"Whatever, I'm taking a look around."
She wasn't even sure there was a spell to fix what had happened, or to send them back, for that matter. The only thing on her mind was the prophecy: what were th Rainbow Seven, and how were they connected to Princess Cadence? More importantly, what in Equestria happened to her friends? Were they safe, or had something bad happened when they were separated?
All or Nothing! Get the Chaos Emerald! Part One (Green Hill Zone, Act Two Part One)
"Twilight? Is everything okay?" asked Spike. The baby dragon hadn't seen his equine familiar this stressed out since… Well, the time she thought Celestia was going to flunk her all the way back to Magic Kindergarten.
"No, everything is not okay," Twilight snapped. Truthfully, she was on the verge of breaking down again. If anything, she would snap completely and magically nuke the entirety of Green Hill.
"I'm tripping something hard over here."
Garfield and Rarity found themselves in the Special Zone: a bizarre dimension made up of solid colored blocks and other items that was continuously rotating. Somewhere in this realm of insanity was a Chaos Emerald and it was up to the duo to navigate the maze and find it.
"Oh, I know," replied Rarity, "but we must soldier on, as it were." To Garfield's surprise, Rarity's horn started to glow.
"I-is that normal?" Garfield asked.
"Why yes," responded Rarity. "The first time this happened led me to getting my Cutie Mark. This means that there's a gem nearby. Come along, Garfield."
"Coming."
"This ain't making any goldern sense!" Applejack commented. "It looks like Equestria's flipped like a sunny-side up egg."
While Garfield and Rarity were exploring the Special Zone, Applejack and Rainbow Dash were looking upward at a disturbing scene: The sky was broken apart into strips: half normal Green Hill sky-at-day, half Equestria. Was this part of the prophecy, or was it a window to something more sinister?
"Yeah, you're right," replied Rainbow Dash. "It's creeping me out."
"Rainbow Dash? Rarity? Is that you?"
"No way," said Rainbow Dash. "Is that…?"
"Things are going according to plan, as per usual," said Glitch. "Soon, the multiverse will be mine. Now to prep the Checker Wrecker for battle."
As Glitch hovered over to an egg-shaped hovercraft, Garfield and Rarity happened upon...
"The center of the maze, finally!" Garfield exclaimed. "All we have to do is make these colored blocks disappear, and we're good to go."
"You mean 'all you have to do'," Rarity suggested. "Before we embarked on this endeavor, I had a pony-pedi, and I simply can't have them get scuffed."
"If you say so," replied an incredulous Garfield. "Feels like I'm gonna throw up. Who designed this wacko place, anyway, M.C. Escher?"
"Pinkie Pie?" asked Applejack. "It is you! Ah thought Ah'd never see ya here of all places."
"Yep," replied Pinkie, "I was just on my way to find out where Twilight had gone off to, only to run into you guys. So... What's going on with you?"
"Nothin' much," said Rainbow Dash. "Just waiting for Garfield and Rarity to get back from this Special Zone place. Speaking of which..."
"...Do you like Applejack?" asked Rarity.
"Of course I like her," replied Garfield, trying to dissipate the crystals surrounding the Chaos Emerald.
"No, dear; I mean like her, like her."
"What do you mean?"
"I know love when I see it; it's so darling."
"What are you going on about, Rarity? What's 'so darling'?"
"Isn't it obvious? I have reason to believe that..."
"...You have a crush on Garfield," said Rainbow Dash.
"No Ah don't," Applejack lied, her cheeks burning with uneasiness. "Where'd ya get somethin' silly like that?"
"Green Hill to Applejack, anypony home?" teased Rainbow Dash. "It's so obvious. You'd better tell him before somepony else makes her move."
"Yeah, Applejack," added Pinkie Pie. "You'd better Pinkie Promise to tell him."
"Ah can't, Pinkie," Applejack replied. "Y'all remember the last time Ah Pinkie Promised to admit ta somethin'?"
"Oh yeah," mused Pinkie. "But I'm over that; this is totally different. You won't regret it, trust me."
"Ah, finally, the Chaos Emerald," exclaimed Garfield. Once he grabbed it, he was given a vision of when Twilight Sparkle and friends faced off against Nightmare Moon.
You think you can destroy The Elements of Harmony just like that? a confident Twilight asked Night Mare Moon. Well, you're wrong, because the spirits of The Elements of Harmony are right here.
What? asked an incredulous Night Mare Moon.
Applejack, who reassured me when I was in doubt, represents the spirit of... honesty! Fluttershy, who tamed the manticore with her compassion, represents the spirit of... kindness! Pinkie Pie, who banished fear by giggling in the face of danger, represents the spirit of... laughter! Rarity, who calmed a sorrowful serpent with a meaningful gift represents the spirit of... generosity! And Rainbow Dash, who could not abandon her friends for her own heart's desire represents the spirit of... loyalty! The spirits of these five ponies got us through every challenge you threw at us.
You still don't have the sixth Element! countered Night Mare Moon. The spark didn't work!
But it did! A different kind of spark. I felt it the very moment I realized how happy I was to hear you, to see you, how much I cared about you. The spark ignited inside me when I realized that you all -- are my friends. You see, Night Mare Moon, when those Elements are ignited by the... the spark, that resides in the heart of us all, it creates the sixth element: the element of... magic….
As soon as the vision began, it quickly ended, leaving Garfield and Rarity with the Blue Chaos Emerald and being greeted by Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Rainbow Dash.
Oh great, thought Garfield, more of them.
"Hi. I'm Pinkie Pie," greeted Pinkie. "I see that you already know Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Applejack. Now we just need to find Fluttershy and our circle will be complete."
"Good," replied Garfield, "the faster we do, the faster we can get out of here."
“Speking of Fluttershy,” said Pinkie, “where is she?"
"Kyaaaaaaa~!"
"If I had to guess," said Rarity, "that might be her."
To Be Continued...
