Immortality: Vinyl Scratch's Challenge

As everypony clapped, Lyra leaned over to Vinyl.

"Twilight's planning to invade the Griffon Kingdom!" She whispered. Vinyl's mouth dropped open.

"That's impossible!" She exclaimed, glancing around to make sure nopony was listening. Thankfully, the loud sound of hooves masked their conversation. "How? What? When?" Lyra shook her head.

"I can't tell you the details," she whispered as the clapping died down. "I have a crazy idea, though. We have to get out of here." Vinyl smiled.

"You're finally going crazy!" She exclaimed. Lyra rolled her eyes.

Their interactions were interrupted by one of Twilight's guards in sunglasses, who beckoned them with his hoof.

"Follow me," he instructed them. Vinyl and Lyra stood up and followed him through the throngs of ponies that were beginning to exit the room.

The guard took them down a narrow passageway decorated with royal purple and bright yellow diamonds.

"Very pretty," Lyra commented. The guard did not reply.

Vinyl was surprised to see that the corridor entered into a small room, probably big enough to fit only a dozen ponies.

"Wait here," he rumbled, stepping back into the hall. Vinyl watched him leave.

"What's happening?" She asked Lyra. "What are we doing here?" Lyra shook her head.

"Sometimes I just wish I had left Equestria," she murmured, as nostalgic look flooding into her golden eyes. "Then we wouldn't be in this mess, and Twilight wouldn't be a lonely tyrant."

"Mmhm," Vinyl responded. She watched the entrance until Twilight walked down the hallway, a determined look on her face. Vinyl narrowed her eyes. Was there a look of triumph in Twilight's eyes? Triumph over what?

"I'm sure you've been wondering when you'll be leaving Canterlot," Twilight said in her usual cold voice. Lyra nodded, but Vinyl shouted, "You bet we have!" Twilight turned her gaze specifically on Vinyl.

I don't like you, her eyes said. Vinyl met her stare.

"You will stay in Canterlot," Twilight continued, not breaking eye contact. "For the remainder of your life." Vinyl was taken aback by this revelation.

"You can't keep us in Canterlot forever!" She yelled angrily. "That's insane!" Twilight stomped her hoof on the ground. Vinyl flicked her tail angrily.

"I can, and I will," she answered. Lyra put her hoof on Vinyl's shoulder. Vinyl sighed.

"Fine. Whatever. Where's Pinkie?"

"Pinkie won't be staying with you," Twilight answered. "She will be out of town with the Elements, as will I. But guards will be watching your every move." Her gaze swept to Lyra, and, more specifically, Lyra's horn.

"Don't try anything," Twilight advised.

"Or what?" Vinyl asked, a valid retort entering her mind. "You'll kill us?" Twilight lit her horn and the three were instantly transported to the room Vinyl and Lyra had been sleeping in.

"Those tests I ran prove that you are more than capable of being on the brink of death." Twilight smirked. "Maybe I'll have you burried in an avalanche." Lyra turned her head to stare the ground.

"Bye, girls," Twilight said before igniting her horn. In a flash of bright purple, the ruler of Equestria disappeared.

"I think the loss of her close friends made her go insane," Vinyl suggested.

"I think you're right," Lyra agreed. "Vinyl, Twilight is taking the Elements down to the borders of Equestria."

"Oh." Vinyl realized what Lyra was saying. Somehow, she had discovered Twilight was planning to use the Elements of Harmony to invade the Griffon Kingdom. "How can we stop her?" Lyra narrowed her eyes.

"We can't." Vinyl almost missed the subtle movements of Lyra as her mouth formed the word "tonight."

"Got it," Vinyl responded. "Anyway, do they have a game of checkers we can use? Checkers isn't my thing, but it'll have to do if we're stuck here."

"I'm sure they have stuff somewhere!" Lyra exclaimed. "Let's go check."

~

Vinyl snuggled into her bed. Stupid and evil as it was to be trapped in a castle forever, she had to admit the sheets and pillows were fluffy, like the puffiest clouds that had ever come out of Cloudsdale.

Vinyl heard a rustle from the other bed.

Lyra must be going to the bathroom, she thought. The statement was followed by, I wonder if I'm being watched right now. I wonder if their are cameras in the bathroom. Ugh!

Vinyl buried her head under the covers. A minute later, she heard the sounds of a running sink. She could barely hear Lyra's returning hoofsteps.

"Vinyl." Vinyl's eyes widened as Lyra crawled under her covers.

"What are you doing?" Vinyl whispered. "This looks-" Lyra stuck a hoof in Vinyl's mouth.

"The guards can't see us," she whispered. "Look, I'm to transfer all my magic to you."

"What?" Vinyl asked, struggling to keep her voice low. "How is that possible?"

"I have a spell for you. I found it once, long ago. I memorized it," Lyra explained in a barely whisper as she passed Vinyl a sheet. "You'll take every spell I ever learned over a thousand years, combined with your own magic. Then you need to teleport us to the Elements of Harmony- and Twilight." Vinyl examined the paper. The words on it were gibberish- Vinyl had never been one for history, but she assumed it was some olden language from before Equestria.

"Read it," Lyra hissed. "Then immediately teleport us out of here!"

"Alright, alright, don't get your tail in a twist." Vinyl repeated the strange words in her head. Taking a deep breath, she began to whisper the enchantment, doing her best not to stumble over words such as 'incantethemoust.'

No sooner had the last word died on Vinyl's lips than both unicorns' horns began to glow. The golden glow of Lyra's Magic arched up to connect with the blue aura of Vinyl's magic. She winced as energy flooded through her.

It was the strangest sensation Vinyl had ever felt. She could almost feel the new magic and energy seeping through her horn. Vinyl had no words to describe it.

After a few moments, the gold and blue flare dissolved, and everything was dark again. But not all was silent.

"I'm guessing they saw that light," Vinyl said, listening as hooves began thundering down the halls.

"Vinyl, teleport," Lyra responded weakly. Vinyl grabbed Lyra's hoof.

"What do I do?" She asked.

"Think."

Vinyl searched her mind before the teleportation spell floated to the surface. She lit her horn, and in a brilliant flash, Vinyl could no longer see or feel the fluffy bedsheets.