“Ah!” Magic awoke to find Twilight looking down at him, tears streaming down her face. “Twi… What happened?”

“Magic, how do you feel?” She said, ignoring his question.

“That isn’t the point. I asked what happened?” He attempted to sit up, but pain quickly shot throughout his whole body, keeping him down. He looked around the room, the midday sun shining into his eyes. And where am I?”

“Magic, you don’t need to kn-”

“You broke five ribs, both of your hind legs, internally bled from over a dozen places, and if it weren’t for the unicorns and pegasi, you would be dead by now.” A mysterious voice called out. “You are in the Ponyville hospital due to those injuries. It will take quite a while for you to fully recover.”

“No, I have to get better now! I need to save Grace!” Magic shouted as he recounted the events that led him to his sick bed. “I’ll do whatever it takes!”

“Whatever it takes, you say?” The mysterious pony questioned as they walked into the light.

“Celestia…” Magic gasped “W-why are you here?”

“Princess, please.” Twilight begged as her true identity was revealed.

“To answer your question, I am here by the request of my number one student here. She told me what happened. I have to say Magic Sketch, you’ve gotten reckless.” Celestia walked over to the red stallion.

“I know Princess.” Magic sighed. “Its all my fault that the dragon is still in Cloudsdale, probably wreaking more havoc.”

“But what if you had a second chance against him?” Celestia catechized the stallion.

“Princess, do you really think this is a good idea?” Twilight looked up at the white alicorn.

“”I do. After all, Magic Sketch is determined to save the blue pegasus.” The alicorn grinned.

“Of course I will! Now what is the damn plan already!” Magic yelled at the two, stretching his neck to see them. Celestia looked back at him as her horn glowed. He felt an excruciating pain replaced with a warm tickling sensation as her magic washed over him. “W-what was that?”

“I have healed you of all your wounds. Unfortunately, due to the extremity of the damage done to you, my magic will only last for six hours.”

“That’s plenty of time. The dragon will be done for by sundown.” Magic said as he rose to his feet, already casting a spell to give him dragon-like wings. “Grace, I’m coming for you.”

“Grace! Grace, wake up!” She opened her eyes to see Lightening shaking her awake.

“What is it?” She yawned.

“Something is going to happen.” The blonde pegasus said excitedly.

“And how would you know? Its been three whole days since I’ve gotten here and this just feels like another one of those days.” Grace rolled back over.

“I can feel it! Oh come on, even you have to be hopeful at times.”

“I used to be like that. But not now. Not this time…” She trailed off, her voice unable to make a noise. Lightning Dust forced the mare up and hugged her tight, not saying a word. The tears that had caught in the musical pony’s eyes now freely fell as she clung onto her friend. “I-I just… It’s been almost four days since the incident happened. What if… What if Magic Sketch really did die because of me?”

“No he didn’t. He’s fine. Watch, soon he’ll save you and me, just you see.” Lightning said as she stroked Grace’s mane.

“O-okay. I’ll believe you…” She sniffled. “I’m just worried and well.. being in this place is kinda getting to me, you know?”

“I understand. I’m always here if you need to talk.” She smiled at the mare.

“Thank you Lightning.” Grace smiled back, regaining her faith in the stallion she loved.

Meanwhile, loud bangs were being heard from what seemed like miles away to the trapped mares. Then as their door slammed open, the mares gasped as he was revealed.

Magic didn’t stop flying since he left the hospital. He knew he needed to find the black thunder drake that had taken her. He wasn’t going to give up until it was destroyed forever.

He finally spotted an old castle-like structure deep in the Foal Mountains hours later. He landed close by to see that the overgrown vines that had resided on the outside walls of the building have recently been moved around.

“This has to be the place.” Magic said to himself. “It has to be.”

He carefully slipped inside the building from one of the many broken windows. He looked around to see what had probably been the main dining hall. He crept around the buildings, in search of either the dragon or its prisoner.

I’m almost there Grace. Just hang in there. He thought to himself.

The only noise heard by the unicorn were by his own hooves as he searched the space. With each step, the hoof step echoed against the old forgotten walls. As he went throughout, the artistic pony couldn’t help but notice the exquisite paintings and statues that cluttered the ancient space. Even though he so desperately wanted to stop and admire the artwork, he didn’t dare stop his search. He soon noticed a wooden door with a rusty handle that lay open, leading to a staircase going downwards.

A rustle was heard as Magic took the first step on his way down into the castle dungeon. He continued down, unknowingly walking into the living grave.

“Now…”

“What was that?” He pondered as the sound of a mare’s voice was faintly heard. “Huuu! Grace!” He raced down to find the answers to the many questions that ran through his brain.

Once he quickly reached the bottom of the long stairs, Magic looked around the dark hall to find more doors than he initially thought possible. “Damn it…” He went through each and every door, finding nothing but ancient, fractured skellingtons inside. Only halfway done searching the rooms, Magic started to lose hope that he would ever find the pony who had made that noise.

“Magic…” He heard again, louder. Deja vu, he thought to himself. “Save… You…” Quickly getting the hint, the stallion raced down the hall. For every room, he forcefully bucked open the locked doors.

“Believe… you…” He heard the voices again. It only made him more desperate to find the mysterious mare that sounded more and more like Grace with every word. Minutes later, he reached the last door, slamming it open. Magic Sketch gasped as he looked into the room.

What he saw was indescribable.

In that room, there was nothing.

Nothing but a dead corpse and a bloody message on the far wall that read: In order to save the mare, you must defeat me on top of Mt. Solaris.
“Grace Note!” Magic gasped as he finished reading. Without a thought, he ran back up the stairs and out of the castle. The second he exited the old building, he remade the magical dragon wings and raced toward the mountain where he may or may not lose his life and endanger many other’s.

“What are you doing with us?” The music pegasus mare shouted as she repeatedly struck one of the thunder drake’s claw with her right hoof. The dragon ignored her as he continued flying to the destination unknown to the two mares.

“Give it up Grace, he wouldn’t tell us anyways.” Lightning sighed.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. But still… It was worth a shot.” She ceased the unsuccessful violence, earning a smirk from their captor. “Oh that’s funny to you huh?” Grace humphed.

The trio soon arrived at the very top of the selected mountain. The charcoal colored dragon proceeded to tie the pegasi mares back to back together using a rusting chain which most likely came from their old prison. He soon after left, leaving the mare’s alone.

“Grace, you need to stop moving! You’re only going to chafe us.” Lightning scolded her companion.

“Sorry.” Grace replied, doing her best to stop her attempt at wiggling free from the captivity of the weakened metal. “I just want to be free again.”

“And so do I but…” The blonde slumped forward. “I think waiting it out is the best option right now.”

“So you think that simply sitting here and waiting for a hero to come along is going to work?” She gasped. “Sorry but that is not how I roll. No way am I going to wait here like some damsel in distress like in the story books.”

“But you kinda already are.” Lightning laughed. “Your red prince will soon come along on his trusty stead.”

“Yeah right. That’s only if he is alive, well, and isn’t mad enough to want me dead.” She looked down at the grass, watching her tears water the green plants.

“You know as well as I that Magic Sketch would never be mad at you and would never wish you to die.” She said, turning her head to see the weeping pegasus as best as possible.

“Yeah well you don’t know him as well as me.”

“But I do know you. You, my friend, would never date a stallion that didn’t care about you as much as you cared about him.”

“Maybe. Just maybe.” Grace Note sighed, her shoulders slumped down in defeat. The mare looked around as she heard a mysterious masculine voice shout out.

“Lightning, you heard that too, right?”

“No… Are you sure you’re ok?” Worry coated the mare’s question.

“I’m fine. I just…” She sighed. “I just thought I heard someone shout my name.”

“Maybe it was your prince charming come to save you.” Lightning smirked.

“No, no. I’m only hearing things. It’s not like it will be the only time.”

“Grace!” The voice shouted.

“See? I heard it again.” Grace said confident.

“No wait. I think I heard it too.” Lightning perked up.

“No, you’re only trying to get me to believe your silly stories.”

“Then what’s that?” The blonde mare pointed to the sky with her muzzle. Grace looked up to see a dark red blur shooting towards them.

“Could that be…”

“It has to be your hero. I told you.” She grinned.

“It’s Magic Sketch. He is alive.” More tears flowed from the mare’s eyes as he grew closer and closer to where the prisoners lay. Meare minutes later, said stallion landed in front of his beloved pegasus.

“Grace… I found you…” He smiled.

“You’re alive… And safe…” Grace grinned from ear to ear. “You’re not hurt either.”

“Well…” Before he was able to explain the situation, Magic was thrown into a nearby mountain by the black thunder drake.

“Magic!” Grace watched as the malicious dragon persisted to re-break every bone that Celestia had healed.

“Grace…” He muttered as he gazed at the one he loved.

“Magic! You need to fight back! Please!” She struggled against the chains harder than she had before in her best attempt at saving her beloved coltfriend.

“Grace…”

Author's Note

Yeah so I updated but left with a cliffhanger because I felt evil

I hope you enjoy it though.