All The World's A Cube

Chapters

Where The Hay Are We?
Who The Hay Are You?
A Storm Is Brewing
The Caves
Going To The Nether
Is This Hell, Or A Nightmare?
Heavenly Heights
The Thing That Wasn't Even
Dance With The Devil
Here We Are,
At The End Of Everything
Home Sweet Home
The Start Of A Great Journey
Ten Years Later

Where The Hay Are We?

They were all sitting around in Twilight's tree. Spike and They had been drinking a bit of hard cider, and were getting tipsy. Rainbow Dash was getting rather obnoxious, and suggesting they do something fun. "Hey, let's use that matter converter Twilight has in her bathement... basement."

"Rainbow, we can't use that! It rearranges our molecular structure and forms it again in a different universe, or even a different time or space altogether! The risks are too..."

She didn't get to finish her sentence, as everyone else galloped down the stairs. She sighed, and followed close. If they managed to get it running, there was no telling...

Just as she got to them, a bright flash of light engulfed them, and they felt their skin stretching, and molding. Then, all was blackness. Only the sight of endless blackness met them.

:::

Twilight Sparkle was a well read alicorn. She studied, she worked when necessary, and she even fought great foes in battle. But she never thought she would wake up, after being deconstructed and reconstructed, with a mouthful of dirt. She groaned, pushing herself off the ground, and found her friends, including Spike, beside her. "Is everypony alright? Check for... oh my Celestia."

As she looked around, she saw miles upon miles of grass, trees, and rock. But it wasn't your ordinary scenery. It was all cubes. She stood there, mouth agape, and Applejack came up beside her. "Sugarcube, what the hay did yer mole curer thingy do to us?"

"I-I don't know. The molecular converter must have sent us through space... into nowhere, I'd say. But where the hay are we?"

Around them, a vast plain spread out, dotted with a few trees. They could see some mountains in the distance, and a desert on their left. As they stood staring, the others came up beside them. There were bags beside them, and they all picked one up. Might be useful.

"Hey, AJ, how you holding up?"

"Ah'm fine, how're you and the others?"

Rarity snorted. "I'm absolutely splendid, except for the dirt in my mane, and my eyeliner is smudged, and we're trapped in a desolate landscape..."

Pinkie Pie took out her party cannon, and fired it at Rarity. "WOO! STRANGE LANDSCAPE OF NO RETURN!" She fired again, making Rarity's eyes twitch. They groaned, knowing that Pinkie wouldn't really know what was going on.

"Pinkie, darling, could you perhaps put away your contraption and come over here?" Pinkie frowned a bit, but complied. As the cannon folded, the sun started to set. They were all frightened, unsure of what awaited them in the dark hours that lay before them. Spike had been standing there with them, and now spoke up.

"Guys, shouldn't we try and put up a camp of some sort?"

Applejack looked at him, rather puzzled. "Well, Ah suppose it would be a good idea, but we don't have anything to make one with."

"You're a farm pony, just buck a tree down."

Applejack thought, then complied. It made more sense than what was happening now anyway. When she reached a tree, she reared up and hit dead center. But it didn't topple over, instead a cube popped out from where she had hit. When she got closer to it, the block suddenly appeared in her hoof. When she tried to shake it off, though, it went out of her hand, but into a bar below her eyes. She shook her head to the left, and it went left. "Hey y'all, I think this world we're in is a bit screwy..."

Just as she said that, the sun set. They huddled around, trying to figure out a plan. They heard noises, and suddenly, a massive spider jumped towards them, eyes shining. They ran as fast as their hooves allowed, and finally stumbled upon a small opening in the rocks. They squeezed through, and just as Spike got in, the spider lunged, smashing its face against the surface of the rock.

As they took in their surroundings, they noticed several pieces of a greyish material in the rock. "Somepony light up the area." Applejack wasn't a unicorn, so she couldn't. Twilight complied, and Applejack got some of her rope out of her bag. "I taught myself to make pickaxes and other things, jus' in case the need arose."

Twilight smiled. "Well, remind me, if we ever get home, to learn such actions, in case this happens again"

Applejack nodded, and fastened the rope around some sticks and bits of stone, and soon enough, they had a makeshift pickaxe. Applejack went over to the grey material. When she stood over it, she struck the rock. The rock popped up, and went into Applejack's eyes. "Hey y'all, it says 'iron ore' over the object. So we can make some weaponry, since Ah'm sure we'll find a need, with them things here."

Twilight thought for a bit, puzzled. "But we need a heat source, not only for our survival, but to smelt whatever materials we come across."

"Twilight, Ah can make a furnace too. Granny taught me quite a bit." She mined some stone, and she found some coal, too. After she had what she needed, she arranged the materials to the point where it looked like an oven. She stuck the ore inside, and added the coal. The furnace lit up, and heat resonated from its core. Applejack stuck her head in, and came out with bits of iron in ingot form. It was a good thing pony teeth were so resistant to most temperatures.

"Well then, that takes care of two problems." Twilight said, amazed.

They continued on, and discovered a vast cave system, turning and twisting in every direction. The walls of the cave were occasionally lit up by bright streams of lava cascading down, and the sound of water could be heard overhead. All around, sounds of creatures bounced of the rocks, and they could see dark outlines of all manner of disgusting beings. They turned around, looking for an exit, and found themselves facing a wall of water, behind which was sunlight, and they saw grass and trees waiting for them. They had survived their first night in this strange land.

Author's Note

Okay, hope you enjoy this first chapter of this "Ponies in Minecraft" type of thing.

Yep, as you may have noticed, Minecraft is my favorite game ever, apart from Looney Tunes Sheep Raider, for the PS1. This will be a bit of a longer thing, so if you have any problems or concerns, TELL ME WHAT I CAN FIX.

Who The Hay Are You?

"Guys, we really need to make a plan."

They looked around at their surroundings. They had no idea where they were, or even where they had woken up. Grass and rock, occasionally a tree or other shrubbery, met their eyes for miles. Some pigs and cows were wandering around, and some chickens were flapping around in a pool of water. The sun was glaring at them now, and a warmth spread over them. As they searched, they saw a hole in the side of a hill. But the peculiar thing was, there was a door in the hole, and a light came from the holes. Hope flickered in their hearts, and they galloped towards the strange opening. When they opened the door, they gasped.

Inside, the hole opened up into a vast chamber. The walls were made of stone bricks, and the floor was carpeted in black and blue, with purple on the edges. Around the walls, torches burned. and in the center of the room was a fountain, with water gushing out. In the back of the room, a high platform rose above the floor, and on it sat several beds. There were several corridors, and down each they could see different rooms, each fitted for a specific use. As they got to the platform, they saw seven beds, all in a neat row.

"W... what did this? Why is this place so big?" Twilight was amazed. In another corner, there sat a library. Great bookshelves towered above them, and a table of some sort lay beside the books. There were strange symbols being released from the books, and disappearing into the table. Under the bookshelves, lava spewed from tunnels, and the warmth resonating from the pit made them sweat. As they walked toward a tunnel, Rarity's eye for detail located a button on the wall.

"Girls, come look at this."

As they walked forward, Rarity pushed the button. A grinding noise could be heard, and presently a hole appeared in the wall. They cautiously went to it, and peered inside. What they saw made them gasp. Inside was a dome unlike any they'd ever seen. It reached up for what seemed like miles, and the ceiling had been made in a pattern, depicting a tan pony with a cyan shirt, fighting an enormous black dragon, with vivid magenta eyes. The walls were lined with gold and diamond, and peculiar blue blocks made up the outer flooring. The carpet was snow white, and in the center of the room sat another door. As they pushed, they fell, tumbling down a massive spiral staircase. When they landed, the sight before them made them hush in wonder.

There was only a three wide walking space, and beneath the space, there was an enormous lava pit. The rocks here were damp, and growing mold and moss. The door at the end swung open, and they galloped to it. Inside, they were puzzled. Another ladder, going up. They climbed again, and found themselves upstairs, by the library. "Girls, I have the strangest feeling about this place..."

At that moment, a door flung open. They heard hoofsteps, and a shadow approached them. They cowered, fearing a dreadful beast, but before them stood the pony depicted on the ceiling of the chamber. It cocked its head, staring at them with white eyes. "Who the hay are you?"

:::

Spike had been behind the mares, but now came forward. "Ahem. Hello, we are the Elements of Harmony, well not me, but they are. I'm Spike the dragon, and we humbly request we be allowed to rest here."

The strange pony scratched his chin. "I'm Steve, for the matter of names. Now, about the topic of resting, how about we discuss it over some hot food, yes?"

The mares nodded, and Spike's stomach growled in pain. They followed Steve to a massive table, where bread, apples, and pie lined the edges. As they sat down, they were greeted by a meowing, and several cats ran around playfully. Steve cleared his throat. "So tell me, how did you get here, and what's your dilemma? And what is your business breaking into my house?"

Twilight adjusted herself. "I'm terribly sorry about your house, we thought it abandoned, and we had been chased by creatures all night, and wanted to find shelter, and perhaps food. And we got here because of an accident with my matter converter. We tried to think about what to do, but night fell. I'm so sorry for intruding."

Steve just shrugged. "It's perfectly alright. I'm just elated you weren't creepers or skeletons as I first assumed."

The mares and Spike looked at him, completely lost. "You mean to tell me, that those... things have titles? And you thought we resembled them?" Rarity's voice was full of disbelief, and she shook at the thought of being killed over a misunderstanding.

"Yes, but don't take insult, please. It was your outlines, nothing more. Please, eat. You must be hungry after all you've been through."

They ate in silence, and they quickly started to feel more secure. The food was filling, and it tasted exquisite. After they finished their meals, they thanked him, and turned for the door. Steve was puzzled by this, and didn't know what to say.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay the night? It's very dangerous out there, and in the morning, if you really insist on leaving, I'll give you some supplies. But if you died, I'd blame myself. Please, just one night."

They considered this offer, and saw no point in arguing. He made a good point, and they didn't fancy meeting any creatures tonight. They agreed, and stayed in the house. Outside, the wind was picking up, and the full moon glowed down at them. But all around, despite the peacefulness of the hole, monsters of all sorts rose from the ground, and slowly made their way towards the unsuspecting octet.

Author's Note

What will happen next? Will they find peace and relaxation, or will they find a horrid surprise awaiting them?

Anyway, enough of being a rubbish voice over. Hope you're enjoying, and next chapter we dive into the more "natural" side of their trials.

A Storm Is Brewing

They were all in Steve's home, getting comfortable for the evening. Steve had used his crafting table to make more beds, and they were taking this valuable time to take baths. The bathroom was decorated with golden tiles, and the walls and tub were lined with diamonds. A great fountain poured water into the bath, and small trees sat in the corner. Paintings lined the walls, and the ceiling had been sculpted to look like a sunset. After they dried off, they all met in the main hall. They were discussing how to get back when Steve intervened.

"I think I know how to get you all back to your world. You came through a matter converter, right? Those operate with portals. I'm having a thought, if we can get you to a portal, we could try and see if it takes you back."

They looked at each other, knowing no other ideas. They all agreed it was worth a shot, and were curious as to where the portal would take them exactly. Twilight was more perturbed than curious, though. "How would we find these portals? And how would we know if they really can take us back, without any major problems?"

Steve thought a bit. "We don't really know for sure. There are three portals you could try. The Nether, the End, and the Aether. I would suggest very highly that we wait before trying the Nether or the End, as both are highly dangerous. I will go on a scavenge mission in the morning, and gather materials for the Aether portal. In the meantime, we must rest. There are swarms of creatures outside just waiting for a chance to come in. The door is well protected, however, and I'm surprised you didn't set off the trap."

The mares looked toward the door, and sure enough, at this angle, they saw a slight rise in the floor. Spike crept around it, and saw a dispenser full of fire and arrows. He cringed, hating to think of what could have happened to his friends. "I truly apologize, the trap is meant to keep any... unwanted guests from coming in. For the future, there is a button on the wall that disables it. Now, we should be heading to bed. I will see you all at sunrise. Good night."

They said their thanks, and trundled off to bed. As they lay down, thoughts of home carried them to a troubled, exhausted sleep.

:::

The morning came around, and they could hear the sounds of pigs and cows outside. The rain had come in the night, and it pounded on the roof in a relentless attempt to drench them. Zombies could be heard growling from Steve's dungeon, and a fresh smell of roses filled the chamber. The breakfast they ate was a fast, hurried one of apples. When they finished, they asked Steve about his mission.

"I'm going out to find glowstone, and maybe a few diamonds, if I'm lucky. They'll make excellent armor and tools. I'll be back around evening, and if it's later, don't wait up for me."

As they waved goodbye, a sudden chill swept over the mares. It felt like they were being watched. They glanced around, unsure of what caused the feeling. On the top of a hill, far away, they saw a figure, outlined against the grey sky. They blinked, and looked again. But the figure was gone. They looked to their right, and saw lightning strike by the jungle. A storm was brewing, and it would hit hard. Unbeknownst to them,, it would bring more than just rain.

They went back inside, trying to find the plans they had made. Steve had shown them drawer upon drawer of paper, and some empty books. They finally found them, nestled into a small notebook. When they unfolded them, a miraculous drawing of an immense machine met them. Trapped lightning spun around coils, great turbines powered the core, and impossible geometry appeared from the doorway. Another drawing depicted every separate part, and numbers beside them. On the last paper, a massive archway was shown, and a lever joined it to the power source, redstone dust. The plans were delicate, and needed excruciating attention to even the smallest detail. But it would be done, it had to be. Their futures depended on it.

:::

Far away from them, a lonely pony tried to break the rock beneath his tired hooves. Steve knew he was close to it, he could sense it. The diamonds lay under his hooves, he just had to reach them. He heard a popping noise, and turned quickly around. Seeing nothing, he returned to his task. Enderponies could be dangerous, so he needed to be careful. Finally, with one last swing of his pickaxe, he broke through. Tumbling down, he found a ledge, and landed straight on it. But his safety was short lived. A skeleton stood on the ledge next to him, looking right at Steve. Steve looked for a way to escape, but found none. Then he felt a sharp pain in his side, and a warm substance running down his body. Then there was blackness.

:::

Meanwhile, in Steve's residence, seven individuals tried to get some sleep, but a nagging feeling kept them awake. It felt as if something bad was going to happen. They tried for hours to get sleep, but nothing worked. As they started to drift off, they heard the door open. As they peered from their beds, they saw a figure limp into the room, and Twilight was on alert. The lamps flickered on, and there stood Steve, bleeding from an arrow wound in his side. His goatee was disheveled, and he was still going, towards his weapon rack.

"Hey, Steve? What's going on?" Rainbow Dash asked.

He grunted, grabbing an iron sword. "Grab something to fight with, we've got company."

After he said that, they heard a loud bang. Then another. It was coming from all around, surrounding them like a cloud. They got to their hooves, and stood in the middle of the floor, ready to fight. Then, the onslaught began.

Author's Note

What will happen to our heroes? Oh yeah, as you may have guessed, the figure on the hill is Herobrine. Just ponyfied, obviously. Don't worry, he's just a cameo, at least for now.

Sorry for the cliffhanger, but at least I update my stuff regularly, so you won't be stuck for a year waiting for the next chapter.
I hope you're enjoying this. I know I am. And there will be separate chapters for each portal. See you all next chapter.

The Caves

They swam through the space, and soon found themselves on the shore. It was extraordinary. Great stone discs lined the walls, depicting great battles and glorious rulers, and torches provided an eerie glow to the area. There were heads on posts in a line, marking the path. A great, stone door sealed off whatever lay ahead. Twilight focused what little magic she could muster, and aimed for the door. A bright light shot out, and when the dust cleared, the door lay broken to the side. They crept in, not knowing what awaited them in the dark. One of the discs depicted a being most foul, with three heads, and a skeletal body. Its eyes glowed whiter than the snow, and in the background of this creature stood a figure that resembled Steve. But its eyes were the same white. Shivers ran up their spines, and they tread cautiously.

Inside, the chamber looked like it hadn't been touched for decades. Large spikes hung from the ceiling, and there were holes in the floor. A pit of lava outlined the floor, and a rotting wooden bridge crossed the gap. Steve motioned them to wait, and carefully set hoof on the bridge, testing its strength. It held, and he put another hoof down. Then another. Soon, he was all the way on, and he crossed without harm. The others followed suit, but when Spike crossed, the ropes snapped. He started to fall, but he grabbed onto a vine, hanging from the side.

"Help! This vine doesn't feel like it's gonna hold forever!"

Twilight tried a levitation spell, but magic had no affect in the chamber. Applejack, seeing no other option, had a plan. "Spike, grab on to mah hooves, and Ah'll pull ya up."

He did as instructed, and she lifted him off of the swinging vine. Just after she rescued him, the vine fell from the strain used, and burned in the lava. They all sighed in relief, and hurried on. The next chamber had less decay, and an odd sight it held. The floor was cracking, but a lush purple carpet rested on the floor. A round table sat in the center. Around the table sat six dead colts, all that was left was skeletal remains. In the center of the table, partially concealed by a trap door, was a chest. Steve slowly crept up to it, lifting his sword to feel for traps. Finding none, he lifted the door, and then the chest.

"I've found it. The Book of Ender Knowledge. Everything in the universe now has an answer. I can finally figure out how to get you all back home. Wait, what was that?"

The ground started to tremble, and rocks started to tumble down from the ceiling. They ran around, trying to locate the exit, and finally found the door. As they ran, they decided it best to just jump, without the bridge. So Spike was lifted on to Twilight's shoulders, and held on for dear life. Once they made their way out, the rest of the building crumbled, leaving a cloud of dust in its place. After the dust settled, they did a head count, not wanting any losses.

"Rarity... Applejack... Fluttershy... Rainbow... Pinkie... Spike. Good, we're all in one piece. That was rather exciting, if I do say so myself."

The rest of them looked at her, and Rarity was just silently glaring at her. Twilight blushed, and they made their way out. They swam back, and Fluttershy had a thought. "Girls, um... if we don't find any diamonds, or whatever it is, um... how will Angel be fed?"

Twilight rolled her eyes, but smiled. "He'll be fine, he knows how to fend for himself."

"I guess you're right. Okay, I'm sure h-he'll be fine."

Twilight smiled, and they continued up the sloping tunnels. After traversing mainly to the left, they found it. They found themselves in a high, dome-like space. Lava flowed down the walls, and in a passage to the right. A small beam of sunlight emanated from a hole in the roof of the cave. In the floor in front of them, all in a cluster, were shiny, blue diamonds.

Steve smiled. "We found them. We'll be able to make at least eight diamond swords, which we'll need. And there may still be more under it."

They dug and dug, and finally unearthed every single diamond from that spot. They had seventeen in all, and were satisfied with their spoils. "I have a plan to get out faster," said Steve. "We'll build a staircase, starting from there, and go up until we reach that hole. Then we'll dig our way out. Let's go."

They set down blocks, bit by bit, and started the ascent. As they built, they could hear groans and rattles from the other tunnels. "They're coming, hurry!" Steve knew they were doing their best, but they needed to go faster. They finally reached the top, and cleared the dirt away. They looked out, and daylight greeted them. They were by a village of sorts, and crops were growing. The villagers ran about almost aimlessly, and Twilight accosted them.

"Excuse me, do you happen to have a ma..."

The villager thrust a board in her face, but when she tried to move, she couldn't. She struggled and fought, but realized it said "Farmer offers emerald."

She was confused as ever, but it said he requested three gravel. She happened to have that item. She pointed at the gravel in her inventory, and the board disappeared, and in her hooves lay an emerald. Steve came up and whistled. "He gave you that for just three gravel? That's rather good bargaining on your behalf. We should be moving. It's midday now, and I smell rain again. My house is just that way."

So they made their way back, exhausted by their travails. It was only midday, but they already desired sleep. They decided a nap would suffice, and flopped down on their beds. The events of the day replayed in their dreams, and they knew they were closer to going home.

Author's Note

They may be closer, but not by much. Three realms to visit, many diamonds and things to find, and enemies to defeat.

Hope you're enjoying, and I'll see you in the next chapter.

Going To The Nether

The rain pelted against the roof again. A spot in the roof had a leak, and water dripped down on Twilight. She growled, trying to pull the blanket over her head, and remembered she couldn't. Sighing, she put a dim light on her horn, and went to the bookshelf. She browsed the books, and was completely in awe. The books were old, young, crumbling, dirty, and everything in between. She found one with a rather intriguing title, and excitedly pulled it off the shelf. "The Mysteries of Our Land: Herobrine, the Nether, and the End." She grew even more excited, and rushed to the bed.

There are quite a few legends surrounding our land. We walk upon ruins of civilizations, and we fight horrendous monsters all around. While many have forgotten these legends, a few remember, and spread the tales. One such tale is Herobrine. The legend, is that he was once Notch's brother, but betrayed him. He was forever damned to roam our dimension, killing innocent miners for their items. He stays well away, until ready to kill. It is said her hails from the Nether, a most horrid place, crawling with abominations.

She grew curious, turning the pages.

The temples of the Enders are run down, mossy creations found in jungles. The temple is ridden with traps, but if you can find your way through, treasure and knowledge await you. Their desert temples hold little reward, but still pose an intriguing adventure should you find one.

She made a mental note of this, in case they needed this knowledge, then put a marker in the book.

The End is the most dangerous, and most sacred, sub-dimension to us. It is blackness, but you are on a small island of a peculiar stone. The Ender Dragon guards this realm, and will stop at nothing to destroy all it deems dangerous. It guards its egg, which is quite valuable. The Old Ones, the Dragon, the Lich, and the Wither, are the oldest and most dangerous entities in our realm, and if you see even one of them, pray for yourself and run.

Twilight was fascinated, and read well into the morning, until her eyelids could take no more.

:::

She awoke to the sound of a fire, and smelled bread. She rubbed her eyes, and looked at her hooves. They looked dirty, so she decided a wash was in order. She splashed the cold water on her face, and it effectively awakened her. She heard laughing coming from the main room, and realized the others were up. She found them at the table, and Steve had a set of blocks in front of him. Sounds emanated from them, and they stared in wonder. Musical notes floated up from them, and the noises entranced them.

"It's a tune I came up with a while ago. It's called The Moonlight Waltz."

Rarity shook her head, the trance breaking. "It's wonderful, darling. If we do eventually find a way home, would you like to come?"

Steve thought for a while, scratching his goatee. "I would like that. I doubt I would know what to do, if there truly are no cubes. But we aren't cubes, so I wonder if I really do come from here. I shall take your offer, Miss Rarity."

Rarity smiled, mostly from being called Miss. Steve cleared the floor, and then his throat. "Today, we will go to the Nether. We have enough tools, and we need glowstone and Blaze powder. Prepare yourself, and meet me in the portal room."

He left to get his gear, and the rest followed suit. Pinkie's abnormal silence was ended. "Oh my gosh, I can't believe we get to go to another dimension! I wonder what different kinds of..."

Applejack thankfully interrupted. "Pinkie! We'll only find out when we get there!"

Pinkie frowned, but it quickly disappeared. Fluttershy giggled. "Pinkie, we know you're excited, but really, we have to trust Steve."

They finished gathering their things, and met Steve in the portal chamber. "Hey, what are we gonna do exactly?"

Rainbow Dash's question confused Steve. "Well, we're going in the nether. Obviously, we're going in to get glowstone, Blaze powder, and golden nuggets."

Their eyes lit up at the word gold, and Steve lined them up. "Go in one at a time, and quickly go to any shelter you can find. The Ghasts will try to destroy you. Don't let them. Now, let's go."

As they entered the portal, thoughts swam through their minds. What if they got trapped? What if they died? They would find out soon enough. They each disappeared into it, and finally Steve finished the line. He prayed to Notch that they succeeded, and stepped in.

Author's Note

What happens next? You get the drill. Hope you're enjoying.

Is This Hell, Or A Nightmare?

They stood, staring at the surrounding area. All around, red stone emanated heat, and fires burned endlessly on many of them. The sweltering heart and the lack of moisture made them start sweating profusely. They walked forward into the arch before them, and gasped in shock and amazement. Lava waterfalls and rivers flowed down high cliffs, and a great fortress stood in the background. The lava was pouring into an enormous ocean of lava. But what they saw next surprised and terrified them more than their surroundings.

In the air, directly in front and above them, floated massive head shaped creatures, with stubby tentacles protruding from the base. Its face depicted a frown, and it came towards them. With a ear splitting shriek, its eyes opened, as did its mouth, and great balls of fire shot in their direction. Steve swung his sword, which sent the flaming projectile back to its source. Steve knew what must happen. "Everypony, run. NOW!"

They ran, and tried to think of where to go. They thought back to the fortress, and assumed it would be as good a place as any to try and survive this nightmare. They remembered seeing a rather steep slope to one of the balconies, and headed in that direction. They at last found the base of their obstacle, and proceeded to climb. It was dangerous, as the rocks crumbled under their hooves, and fire was raging on a few of them. Once in a while, one of them would lose their hoofing, and rocks would tumble down to whoever was below. They had to dodge many fireballs, but eventually found themselves at their destination. The fortress was large, and constructed of a dark red brick. Windows were barred with fence of the same material, and there was next to no illumination present. Twilight and Rarity lit their horns, and they stepped inside.

Rainbow Dash sighed. "What was the purpose of coming here again?"

Pinkie Pie raised her hoof. "Ooh ooh! I know, it's because there's a party in here right? Maybe those head things are the creatures that live here and they just want a..."

Applejack shoved a hoof to the pink pony's mouth. "Sugarcube, Ah don't think those things are exactly, friendly. And Ah definitely don't think there would be a party in this place."

Pinkie frowned, and looked at the ground, disappointed. "Dang it, I should have known nobody had a birthday today."

The mares looked confused at this, but continued. Spike was staying rather quiet, but in this realm, nothing much could be said, as everything was a puzzle. But he had something now. "Hey, shouldn't we look for that glowstone crud you talked about, Steve?"

Steve nodded. "Yes, but as you saw, we're not really welcome here. Those were Ghasts, vicious monsters that want only destruction. T this, their kind was forever damned to roam this realm. and because of this their facial expressions are contorted to appear sad. Zombie pigcolts are armed, decaying figures, but they won't bother us. But whatever you do, do not hit them, the entire area will attack you if this happens. Now, there should be glowstone and Blazes in this area. Blazes are extremely dangerous, burning enemies, which look like floating heads with rods encircling them, and they shoot fire. They drop powder though, which is used for potions and Eyes of Ender. We need to hurry."

They jogged the corridors, searching this way and that for signs of their targets. The maze of corridors and stairs finally led them to an open area, where a cage-like cube could be seen. As they neared it, it looked like there was something spinning in it. At the center of this cage, endlessly turning, was a figure matching the blaze's description. They crept forward, but no sooner did they get within a few feet, when suddenly a fiery being appeared, matching the description Steve gave them.

"Well, looks like we found the Blazes. Dodge their fires and kill them!" Steve jumped to the left, narrowly escaping a painful inferno. He jumped and dodged, and swung at the threat, until it toppled over, disappearing. It dropped a small, cylindrical object, colored orange and yellow. Steve walked over and it vanished into him. He started to strike the cage with his pickaxe, and it broke, and colorful orbs escaped from the center. As they continued on, they became anxious. It was suffocatingly hot in this realm, and they couldn't take much more. They happened across a bridge and, just a few blocks above them, was a bunch of bright, glowing material.

Steve's eyes brightened. "Yes! Hang on, I'll get it! That's the glowstone."

He placed block after block, until finally he reached it. Twenty three glowstone blocks sat there, all in a big cluster. He mined away at them, until finally every last bit was his. He hopped down, and smiled. "We only need a few more Blaze rods, now. There should be another spawner that way, because there's a raised up section, with fence around it. Come on."

They followed him to the described destination, and found exactly what Steve said was there. Blazes popped out, and they rushed to defeat them. Dodging and kicking, swinging and ducking, they defeated every last one of them. As they picked up the rods, they heard that telltale noise, that shrieking.

"RUN!"

They did. They ran through corridors, over bridges, past lava falls and great cliffs, until finally they reached the portal. They knew the drill, and lined up to go through. Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and finally Twilight. Spike was next, followed up by Steve. He took one last look back, and saw the Ghast coming closer. He stepped through just as he heard a loud boom.

Author's Note

Next chapter is the Aether, so stay in touch for the next EXCITING EPISO-

"Yeah okay, whatever Sakra, you suck."

"Oh, but why?"

"Because you do, so shut up. Anyway, look forward to the next chap-"

"AHAHAHHAHAHA!!"

"AAH OH MY G---------"

Heavenly Heights

They collapsed on the floor, panting heavily. The cool, open air was inviting, and the ponies took deep breaths of it. Steve was already back on his hooves, running to his crafting table. As he worked, the others finally regained their composure.

"Whew! That horrid place was too dry for my liking." Rarity was already walking to have a wash.

"Ah agree, that place didn't even look safe for a rattler."

Rainbow Dash shrugged. "It's surprising Pinkie hasn't talked as much during this entire alternate dimension thing. You cool, Pinks?"

Pinkie was still breathing heavily, sweating. "Yeah, I just never expect what's around the next corner and it leaves me in awe. But I should be back to norm-"

Rainbow shoved a hoof to Pinkie's mouth. "You know what, let it keep surprising you. Maybe it'll give you a brain hemorrhage."

Twilight's eyes widened. "Rainbow! That's not funny! Brain hemorrhages are severe bleeding in the brain, which can cause permanent-"

"Yeah yeah, egghead, save it."

Twilight glared at her, and Rainbow faltered under her stare. She knew Twilight's angry side, and didn't like it. Twilight turned to the door, from which came the sounds of Steve building. As they looked around the corner, they saw him with the same glowing blocks from before. He was going out the door, so they followed him. In the clearing, Steve started placing the blocks, one by one until they resembled the Nether portal. He took out a bucket of water, and placed it in the top of the frame, sending a blue light over everything for a brief period. They gazed in awe, as the portal lit up. Steve smiled widely. "Yes! The Aether portal has been built! But first, we need a few more supplies. We need iron, and we need to enchant some armor. There's also three Old Ones, the Sun Spirit, the Slider, and the Valkyrie Queen. They will be difficult to defeat, but it can be done."

He thought a bit, and added, "We must get our diamonds. There is a way to duplicate them, though it shall take a while. I must place them in a furnace, and hit it. Then, i must immediately put it back down, but the rewards will be compensation enough." He went to the kitchen, and grabbed a furnace from the corner. After setting it down in the middle of the floor, he placed the diamonds inside. Then he broke it, and quickly plopped it back down.

"Yes! We need to keep doing this."

They repeated this for hours, with many screw-ups along the way. Finally, they had five hundred and twelve diamonds. Enough for full armor for everybody, and much to spare. They couldn't believe their eyes, and Rarity decided if they ever got out of this realm, she'd marry Steve. Multiplying diamonds, who wouldn't want that? They followed Steve, and he created all the necessary items: armor, tools, and weapons were soon ready. They donned the armor, and soon, as they walked out, Elena Siegcolt's song Pareidolia started playing, and they were walking really slowly.

"Umm... is this normal?"

Steve stopped. "I don't know. Just go with it."

They continued walking slowly, and Pinkie blew her party cannon. Such a mess was never known before. They found themselves a bit closer to the portal. They were wondering when they would get there, when time sped back up. They stood before the portal, glowing and blue. They remembered the drill, and lined up, Steve at the back. They filed through, and even before they entered they felt nauseous. When they emerged, they found themselves above the Earth, and around was a miracle. Floating islands surrounded them on all sides, and clouds floated aimlessly around. They saw several blue bouncy cube things, and some hills off to the side. They wondered where to start, but Steve spoke up.

"We need to find some dungeons, and then get out. It's obvious, or it seems to be obvious, that this isn't your portal. Come on."

They headed for the hills, and saw several of the bouncy cubes coming closer. "Those are Blue Swets, nasty creatures. Stay away from them, whatever you do. They'll toss you up and engulf you in gunge. I don't think we should kill every Old One, but we can try."

The mares raised their eyebrows, but continued. It was going to be a long trip. And a very slimy one at that.

Author's Note

Yep, play Elena Siegman - Pareidolia when you see the reference, up until they find themselves in the Aether.
INNUENDOS!!!
Anywho, next chapter's all about that boss! And maybe cake. You never know, man, you never know. ONWARD, MY FELLOW DEMONS!

The Thing That Wasn't Even

"This is the Aether?"

Rainbow Dash's question surprised Steve. "Well, yeah. Did you expect it to be on the ground?"

Rainbow Dash looked away, and Steve decided to let it go. They made their way down the hill they spawned on, and immediately came in contact with a thin, female figure. The Valkyries were all around, and it didn't take long for Steve to raise his hoof. "Don't. Attack. They're neutral, just like their queen. If they follow us, don't be alarmed."

"How are we not supposed ta be alarmed, mister?" Applejack had venom in her question.

"Look, you think this is my fault, you can go back through the portal. It's obvious this isn't your world, so there's only the End left to try. But while we're here, we should see what we can get. Sound good with you? Then come on."

Applejack rolled her eyes, but followed Steve nonetheless. They tried to look down, but Fluttershy got vertigo, so they moved from the ledge. The sun was up, and they wondered if it could even be night in this realm. It had already been a long time since they awoke. They found themselves in a cave-like opening, and Steve halted them. "This is probably one of the dungeons. We need to be cautious."

They slowly made their way through, and found that they were in a carved passage. It looked much older than they anticipated, but they made their ay through. "All we need to do in this realm is just see if we can get the Hammer of Notch, and get out. We're too weak to fight the Old Gods. If I'm correct, this is a Bronze Dungeon, so we'll find it here."

But finding it was much harder than talking about finding it. They went through passage after passage, fought thousands of horrendous mobs, and could not seem to find their way. Then they found it. The Bronze Dungeon. They stood in a great room, the walls were made of a strange, stone-like tile, with symbols decorating parts of it. In the center, sitting still, was the Slider. It was a large, gray object, with something that looked like an eye in the middle of its body. It seemed to be sleeping, but Steve knew better.

"It's watching us. On my go, everypony get around it and strike with your pickaxes."

They gathered around the creature. Steve raised a hoof, and in doing so struck his head. The sound echoed off the walls in that great space, and the beast opened his eyes. It was disgusting. They struck in tandem, and ran. Its eyes became red, and it started sliding across the room, throwing them up in the air. As they fell, they had an idea. Loading their pickaxes into Pinkie's party cannon, they grabbed Pinkie's tail and fired.

"Weeeeee! Take that you big meanie!"

One by one, pickaxes flew at the Slider, and he lost a good two thirds of his health. Oh the power of Pinkie Pie. After they landed, they saw Steve flipping, rolling, and twirling. After he landed, the Slider launched smaller cube-like entities, which flung them up again. They used the same tactic, but the Slider flew up and struck them again. Seeing his friends hurt, Spike grabbed Steve and flung him at the Slider. Steve knew what to do, and swirled around in the air, pickaxes extended. He landed again, and the Slider was dead. When he disappeared, he dropped a key, and several pieces of a kind of carved stone.

"Yes! We actually killed one of the Old Ones! We need to go back though, the Valkyries are too strong-"

Just then, they heard a hissing sound. When they turned around, three Creepers were approaching them. Steve backed away. "What? They don't belong here! Let's gt the buck out of here before-"

An explosion sounded, and the Creeper that was responsible had taken a bit of Steve's life. They ran out, trying to get to the portal. They ran through the passages, past the rooms, and out of the cave. They saw the portal, but they were stopped in their tracks. They had fallen down a hole. Twilight illuminated her horn, and they saw mobs all around them.

"What's going on! They aren't supposed to... you."

In the blackness, two white eyes glowed back at them. They heard a menacing laugh, and the creature stepped forward. He looked like Steve, save the eyes. He held a diamond pickaxe, though, and he smiled.

"Hello Steve."

Author's Note

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPJUBQd-PNM

YEAH.

Anyway, has the menacing monster captured our crazy crew? Have they been doomed to die in the hole of hopelessness? FIND OUT NEXT TI-

SHUT UP!

Pfft, you ain't got nothin' on me-

YES I DO! *hits with a spade*

Ow...

Dance With The Devil

The figure stared at them, as if a predator sizing up his meal. His features were very Steve-like, all except the eyes. White, shallow eyes, burning into their souls. He had a black cloak on, covering his shirt and body.

"Steve, I'm depressed. Don't you remember me? It's Herobrine, your brother!" His voice echoed itself, sending chills down their spines.

Steve snarled. "You're not my brother! Notch created me, and I'm alone in this cube hell!"

Herobrine chuckled. "You're so naive. You really think that he only tried to create you? It takes more than one try to create a being. You're his son, and I his brother. And I'm going to enjoy killing you."

He drew a diamond sword from his cloak, and kissed the blade. Steve mimicked the motion, and the two beings stared each other down. Herobrine raised his hoof, and his army of monsters retreated. Steve looked at his new friends, smiling. "I've got this, you guys. First sign of defeat, you get out of here, got it?"

They looked at him in awe, admiring his bravery. But it was quickly forgotten, as the Devil himself struck. Thus the battle of the ages began. Flurries of blows, slashes, and jabs everywhere. Herobrine levitated, using his sword as a boomerang. Steve countered all the attacks, but Herobrine tore his shirt, and grabbed him by the hole. He raised him up to his heartless eyes, and sneered.

"Didn't you ever wonder about your parents, or your real origins? You pathetic coward, answer me!"

Steve smiled, and spit in his face. "I prefer to try and make sense of the impossible. Like just how my god created you. But I know one thing, I'll see you in hell."

Steve kicked him in the chest, sending him backwards. Steve landed on his back hooves, standing upright. Holding his sword out, he charged Herobrine, aiming for his heart. Herobrine saw this maneuver, and parried. Blows were made towards his heart, but Herobrine was an expert swordsman. Steve succeeded in cutting his arm, and a black substance leaked out. Herobrine let out a gasp of agony, and threw Steve to the wall. Steve quickly recovered, and saw the hole above, leading to the surface. He jumped, and soon followed Herobrine and the others.

Steve stood on a narrow platform, high above the ground. Below him, he could see the Overworld far below. Herobrine landed, and shed his cloak. Raising his blade again, he slashed for Steve's ribs, missing them by an inch. Steve took this opportunity to slash at Herobrine's neck, but he was too slow. Herobrine blocked, and drew another sword. Blocking with the one, he attempted to stab Steve's chest. Steve saw this coming, and dodged, swinging at Herobrine's legs. He succeeded with a deep gash, but nothing more.

"You can't win! I am Herobrine, brother of the almighty Notch! I'm immortal!"

Steve grinned. "Not when you've clearly left your weakness visible."

Herobrine was puzzled, then he remembered. He had injured his left shoulder long ago, in the fight with Notch. He growled, and charged Steve with renewed force. Steve jumped, and slashed across his assailant's back. Herobrine was enraged, and swung around to slash at Steve, but could not find him. He heard a sound from above, and only just saw Steve come down, his sword pointed for Herobrine's skull. Herobrine raised his sword, and it pinged off of Steve's. Steve saw an opening in the platform, and backed towards it.

"Are you retreating, boy? Have you accepted your defeat?"

"No, but I'll give you yours."

Herobrine grinned, licking his lips. With a loud cry, he charged Steve with all of his remaining strength. Furiously, they struck and parried, and Steve saw his window closing. With one final rush of adrenaline, he jumped over Herobrine's head, and kicked him. Herobrine staggered, and realized what Steve was trying to do. He laughed, so the hairs on their backs raised.

"I know your plan, boy. And it shan't work."

He threw his sword at Steve, striking him in the shoulder. Steve was dazed, but not out. He got up, and saw Herobrine levitating. His eyes became even more white, and he made a sickly cracking sound. At that moment, two more limbs grew from his body, revealing the full detail of his abomination of a life. Two more swords appeared, in the new hooves. Steve smiled, knowing this would be his enemy's downfall. He jumped up, and fought ferociously. Herobrine parried, but Steve saw his opportunity. With one quick jab, he aimed towards Herobrine's chest. It ruptured, and the black substance leaked out in rivers.

"Hell awaits, brother."

He kicked with all his might, and it flung Herobrine towards the endless sky. As his screams echoed across the space, Steve felt conflicted, yet peaceful. How could his creator have constructed that abomination? But at least he had saved his friends. When he'd recovered himself, he made his way over to the others.

"Wow Steve! That was amazing, the bangs and the booms and the flashes and the jumping and the slashing and-"

They left Pinkie to it, and decided to ask him questions. "Who was that, Steve? I was reading books, and it looked like Herobrine."

Steve grimaced. "Because it was. My creator, Notch, had a brother. That brother wanted control over his world, so they had a terrible, bloody battle. Notch thought, as punishment, he would banish Herobrine to the Nether, but he found ways to go to all dimensions. He now terrorizes miners from all across the world, and won't stop until he finds a way back. I retrieved his diamonds that he dropped, though. We're ready for the End."

They smiled, and prayed to Celestia and Notch that they would survive. They went through the portal, and resolved to pass the buck out, once they got back. And to have sandwiches. And finally some bubble baths. Molestia will be so jealous!

Author's Note

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMSkC2PGyTs

We're coming up near the end, my fellows! Sorry, I wanted it to be longer, but inspiration isn't bought. And unless the IM is real, then we're drawing this particular story to a near close.

Here We Are,

They woke up to a smell of apples, and a breeze washed over the house. They supposed Steve was cooking again, and decided no time like the present to get up. They walked through the arch, and found the most extraordinary thing. Pinkie Pie appeared to be watching a mob tank, and Steve was behind her. They were both moving back and forth in tandem, and Pinkie's mouth was moving. Blushes spread quickly among the others.

"Pinkie Pie? What are you doing?"

Pinkie turned around, and smiled. "Oh hi guys! Steve and I were just singing a tune, watching the creepies and the crawlies fight his dogs! Care to join?"

Their blushes were gone, and they kicked themselves for even thinking of it. They sat down at the table, munching on their food. Steve came up and they still couldn't help but blush. Steve didn't seem perturbed, however, and spoke with a clear voice. "I think, in light of recent events, we should go to the End sooner than originally planned. Herobrine is, as he said, immortal. And I can't put you all in danger meant for me. We will go to the End tonight, which still gives us time to prepare and train. Yes, train. It's a dragon, black as night, and we'll need all of our knowledge to... hey! What are you doing over there!"

Pinkie Pie was in the mob tank, throwing confetti and streamers all around. Creepers stood there, and just tilted their heads in confusion. Pinkie skipped about, oblivious to Steve banging ion the glass, screaming. She saw him, and skipped out to him, wearing a stupid hat. "Hey Steve, wanna join?" She blew a horn in his face, leaving his hair and goatee in a mess. As he shook his head, she tried to jump into the tank again, but Steve grabbed her tail.

"WHAT IN THE NAME OF NOTCH ARE YOU DOING!"

Pinkie shrank back, and frowned slightly. "Sorry, I thought they needed cheering up, they've got frowny-drowny faces. And those zombies look a bit... dead in sense of humor."

Steve looked at Pinkie, puzzled as a pig without a farm to jump on. "Of course they're not humorous, they're dead! What did you expect, for them to jump around and sing 'don't mine at night'? Ridiculous!"

Pinkie started giggling uncontrollably. "You're funny when your hair's on one side!"

Steve rolled his eyes, and no sooner did he do this that a Creeper came up to him, and put a party hat on him. Steve was paralyzed, but the Creeper had a smile, for once in its life. But he soon recovered his state of mind, and whipped around to strike the Creeper. When he struck, a final frown covered its face, and it vanished.

"Stupid Creeper thingies, blowin' a hole in my place."

Steve wiped his sword, and turned back to the mares, and Spike. Seeing them staring at him, Steve saw the open window space, and tried to jump through it, but failed. He grumbled, kicking the space. "Stupid window thingy, blocking a hole in my... what?"

"Steve, that Creeper just wanted a hug."

"But Pinkie..."

"NO BUTS, mister! I am quite frankly appled that... wait no, I'm appalled that you'd kill poor Ivanhoe."

Steve blinked. "You gave it a name?"

"Yes."

The other mares rolled their eyes, knowing Pinkie's sense of urgency, which wasn't much, was going to delay them. Steve took a long breath, and colected himself. "Alright, as I was saying, we'll need all our strength and knowledge to defeat it. Once we do, it will drop an egg. What we'll do with it, that's another discussion entirely. But it will also open a portal. This is the last portal known to me that exists, so this must be the one. Everypony ready? Good, gather the supplies and tools, we'll need 'em. Retrieve some blocks to build with, bridges and shelters will be mandatory. This will be my most challenging feat yet, and I've spent years preparing for it. We can do this."

Twilight had a question, however. "Steve, it's a dragon, yes? Can we try and let Spike talk to him? Or at least have him search for a weakness?"

Steve scratched his goatee in thought. "Yes, I suppose that could work, yes. Good idea, Ms. Sparkle."

Twilight blushed, not ever having been called that before. Steve grabbed his supplies, food, weapons and tools, a large book, and armor. He donned these items, determination set in his face. Wind blew through the chamber, and the torches flickered. They made their way towards the portals, saying prayers to Celestia and Notch for guidance and survival. The portal chamber smelled of sulfur and a light scent of dragon breath. They stood at the edges of the portal, and fear and curiosity overwhelmed them.

"If we don't make it, it's been a wonderful time getting acquainted with you all."

The mares and Spike smiled, knowing they could die in this portal. But they were glad that it could be with each other. Steve held them back still, waiting. "We need to be sure every last objective is carried out. If we die, that's it. So, before we do this, I'm glad you got stuck here, no offense. It's been nice. Now, on the count of three, we all jump, ready? One, two, THREE!"

Author's Note

Will our heroes meet a heinous and daring death? Will they ever see the sun set over their city? Find out next ti-

SHUT UP!

*sigh* Fine, you ruin everything.

At The End Of Everything

All around, darkness cloaked them like a fog, and the air was filled with a smoky haze. Seven tall, black obsidian towers stretched up into the sky, and on top sat shiny, rotating runes, defying normal description. Tall, black figures surrounded them, carrying blocks without describable texture. As they looked around in awe, they felt the unearthly qualities of the shapes getting to them. It filled their minds with questions, and they heard a flapping of wings. But the source could not be found. They were standing on a floating island, made of the same material the tall creatures were holding. They had strange magenta eyes, and their legs were at least two or three times the length of a normal pony's legs. In the center of the island, a pole of bedrock stood, surrounded by a bowl-like addition.

"This is it, ladies and gentledragon, we've reached the End."

Just when he said that, a loud, thunderous roar erupted from the skies above. They all got back to back, readying themselves for the fight ahead, and waited. It wasn't a long wait. With a loud crash and a flapping of great, webbed wings, the membrane torn from thousands of years of flight. The Ender Dragon was a sight more terrifying than Luna's nightmares, which Twilight had chosen to participate in years ago. Its great jaws opened, and a magenta colored projectile rushed forward, burning their manes.

"Don't let it kill you! We can do this, but it will take all of our strength and courage! Do you trust me?"

They looked at him with perplexed expressions, but they didn't ave time for that now. "Damn it, I need to know if you trust me! I need you to start destroying the crystal runes up there, he'll draw strength from them! As long as they stand, he's immortal! GO!"

They didn't need extra incentive. The beast roared with all its might, and advanced towards Steve. Drawing his diamond sword, he thought of the parents he never knew, the life he could have had, and his friend's fates. He would not let them meet this end. With a scream of fury and survival, Steve rushed forward, and hit the dragon in its snout. This only caused annoyance in the dragon, and he swished his tail to whack Steve, but he ducked just in time. Steve recovered, and found a ledge near the obsidian tower. He jumped to it, and onto the dragon's back he went, riding it like a pig. He knew he couldn't do anything yet, but he could still distract the dragon until his friends were done.

:::

Meanwhile, Twilight was attempting to destroy one of the crystals with her magic. But it arced, instead of going straight. This dimension had an effect on her magic, so she had to adapt to finally complete her objective. After several tries, a reassuring boom sounded, and the rune was no more. The beam that had surged from it disappeared, and the Ender Dragon roared with fury. They only had a few more to go. They climbed down, and started on the next one, oblivious to the magenta eyes that followed them, reaching for them.

:::

Steve smacked the flat of his blade against the side of the dragon's head, resulting in a loud roar from said dragon. As it tried in vain to shake Steve off, Steve saw a wonderful opportunity. The force of the dragon shaking could fling him up, and there was a tower nearby. With all his strength, Steve smacked the dragon's face, resulting in a roar and a violent shake. As he went up, he drew a bow, and after knocking an arrow, sent one straight through the dragon's nostril. In pain, the dragon thrashed and flailed, and finally removed the main stem. But the head was lodged in place, and the dragon became even more enraged. He made a grab for Steve, but just ended up with a clawful of air.

Steve decided to add salt to the wound, and thought mooning the dragon would be a good idea. It was quite the opposite, however, as the dragon swiped at him, flinging him off the side. Steve landed, shaking his head in disbelief. Nothing could withstand his special tactical move! He drew his sword and his pickaxe, and charged the dragon again. When the claw came down, he just narrowly escaped death, and clung to the enormous claw. The dragon was even more annoyed, and tried in vain to shake off Steve, but his grip held fast.

:::

Twilight had just finished destroying another rune, when she heard a grunt from directly behind her ear. When she turned around, a creature black as night, with eyes like pink fire, stood behind her. Screaming, she blasted it with magic. Its jaw opened, revealing just how unnatural it was, with the lower jaw becoming completely detached from the upper jaw. Hundreds of the creatures swarmed their location, and they knew that time to escape was running short. Two of the runes were down, so only five were left, making it less difficult than before. Or so it seemed. More Endercolts came by the minute, and soon there were thousands of angry Endercolts fighting their way to them. They needed Steve to hold out some more.

:::

Steve banged the dragon's head again, trying to rouse as much rage in it as possible. He saw that they had destroyed three runes, and knew they were close. They couldn't lose now. He decided it was time for the next phase, and positioned his sword tip at the rim of the dragon's horns. He stabbed, and lifted upward. The horns dislodged, and the dragon became blinded with rage and pain, thrashing about and even killing Endercolts in its path. Steve saw some loose scales by the chest area, and moved to remove them. He succeeded in a few, but the dragon grabbed him, smashing him against the obsidian pillars.

His pickaxe was still lodged in its spines, and Steve had to retrieve it. He jumped, narrowly missing a meeting with a deadly tail of death, and grabbed his tool. In the process, he dislodged several smaller, yet painful, spines. The dragon was close to the edge now.

:::

Twilight zapped a rune, then another, them being conveniently placed near each other. She saw the remaining three, and started her walkway towards the nearest pillar. Boy, she was going to have to tell her kids about this, one day. She didn't have any kids, but it was a thought. A really strange, foreign thought.

:::

Steve held on to the dragon's snout, and stabbed its softer scales, under the eyes and the nostrils. But this only succeeded in making it annoyed, not angry or hurt. He needed a better plan, maybe. Or a plan at all, that would be nice. He kicked its chin and neck, and got thrown off by one angry drake. Temper tantrums never got anybody anywhere, so why did they have them all the time? He jumped on again, but didn't even make it to a landing spot when he was smacked to the side.

:::

Twilight climbed the last bit up to the next one, and destroyed it. She sighed, thinking the worst of the climbing was over. But she soon saw, the most dreadful thing, that the last two were on opposite sides from each other. She readied her blocks again, swung them at an Endercolt, and trekked to the final destinations. So close.

:::

Steve was holding up rather well, considering the immense trouble it was to keep a fully grown dragon from releasing fire. It was in their natures, as one might guess. A cloud of smoke emanated from the beast's mouth, and Steve became uncomfortably warm. As he swung his sword, he managed to cut the dragon's membrane. With its wings in fiery pain, the dragon reared, and Steve only just got out of the way before the giant claws came crashing down.

:::

Twilight destroyed the rune, and saw the last one directly across from her. So close, just hang on girls. And Steve. And Spike. She decided all or nothing, and raced full speed to the final rune.

:::

Steve was being tossed around like a toy in the dragon's grip, and he knew they were running out of time. The blows may not be completely lethal yet, but in time they could turn so. Turning and thrashing, Steve managed to release himself from the beats's grip. He ran up its scaled, black arm. When he saw the eye, he saw a perfect target, and struck. Screaming the dragon threw him to one side, but Steve was quick, and latched back on. Frustrated, the dragon smashed the ground, sending a tremor through the entire island. Steve hope Twilight was hurrying.

:::

Twilight fought and climbed, through Endercolt and her instinct to flee, and finally found the last rune. The last ancient source of power in this dimension, the raw power emanating from it sent a shiver down her spine. Herobrine would have wanted this, and it could have helped him destroy the universe. With one last magical surge, she destroyed it. The dragon's death was near. An Endercolt tried to kill her, but she stabbed it with her horn, sending it howling in pain. She knew it would be back. But they had destroyed the runes, so they could now defeat the Ender Dragon. Victory, and home, were very near.

:::

"Steve! We destroyed the last one! We can kill him now!"

With that shout came a trampling of hooves, and the Elements of Harmony, including Spike, charged to the dragon. Steve smiled, and put all of his effort and combat skills to work, going near his limit. The mares helped, kicking, biting, and shooting the dragon, and Rainbow Dash spiraled around him, creating a blur of color. The dragon didn't particularly care for such nonsense, and swatted her to the side. After recovering, Dash doubled her efforts, making sure to kick him every time she made a full turn.

Steve was busy by his face, slashing and stabbing, and the dragon was almost down. With a great flapping of wings, he lifted, and circled the island from above, Steve in claw. As much as the mares tried, they couldn't seem to harm him fro this distance. Magic just didn't seem to have any range. The dragon swooped down again, and they continued their assault, kicking, shooting, and striking. Twilight ran up its arm, and when she got to its mouth, unloaded a stream of bright purple magic. The dragon was nearly dead, and reared up in anger. Twilight saw her opportunity, and tied its back legs together, and her magic tightened. The dragon toppled over, but he quickly regained his composure, but all was needed was one, and Pinkie delivered it. With a cry of "Take this you big meany pants!", she blew her party cannon in its face. The dragon froze, and started to rise in the air. A booming noise could be heard, and bright lines of light came forth from the dragon's body. An explosion, followed by more noise, and the dragon was dead.

They cheered, and hugged each other tightly. They were safe. In the center of the island, where the pole stood, opened up the portal. On the pole, sparkling yet black as night, sat an egg. Twilight carefully levitated the egg to her, and wrapped it in cloth. You never knew when you'd need a dragon egg. Placing it in her bag, she rejoined Steve and the others by the portal, and Steve took a breath, which sounded like a chuckle/sigh of relief.

"Well. time to get the hay out of this place, am I right?"

They stood by the portal, and readied themselves to either be back home, or disappointed and stuck in this one. With one last look at the surroundings, they plunged, and blackness met them. In the End, the Endercolts stirred, and the humming continued.

Author's Note

What will happen next? Well, not that much, to be honest. Just read on and find out. Hope you enjoyed this weird boss battle, as well.

BTW, I finally figured out why it won't let me format it like the other stories, like this example:

something gibberish was surprised.

"Oh!"

"Yes!"

I finally got my tab button to work, but for the sake of continuity, the rest of the story will stay in the format in said chapter. NO I WILL NOT EDIT THE ENTIRE DANG THING AGAIN.

Home Sweet Home

The sun was warm, and the birds sang in the breezy afternoon. Ponies went about their business as usual, wondering where the Princess Twilight, let alone the other Elements, had gotten off to. It had been weeks, with no sign anywhere. Life went on as usual, and the princesses continued the search. Today was like any other, save the fact that the Elements were missing, and the town square hummed with life. Granny Smith was buying tomatoes for tonight's dinner, when she heard a splash, and felt a cold wet sensation hit her back.

"Jumpin' junipers! What the hay's goin' on here!"

The barrel beside her had become full of eight bodies, all soaked and tired. Twilight and crew emerged, then Steve, brushing off his goatee. Granny knew her eyesight wasn't very good, so she had to squint, trying to make out Steve's face. "Yer not from around here, are ya feller?"

Steve smiled shyly. "No ma'am, I'm, shall we say, not from this side of the world."

Scratching her head, Granny decided they should all get hot baths and food at the farm, so she had them tidy, and set the table. Over dinner, Granny asked them exactly what had happened, but explanations were a hard business, especially if you were talking about coming from another dimension entirely. They tried their best, but it wasn't at all easy.

"Well, I'm from a different dimension entirely. Everything there is a cube, or made of cubes. But the creatures all come in two forms, blocky and not. So, I suppose you could call me mad, but this world seems too smooth for me."

Granny chuckled. "Well, you young'uns should git some sleep, if all this is true. And I don't doubt it is, comin' from AJ. Good night, everypony."

They each said goodnight, and stumbled off to sleep. A soft bed, and/or cot, was a welcome change. They woke up in the morning, feeling refreshed and rested, but there was a thought on everypony's mind.

"Steve, you need to see the princesses today. They'll know what to do."

On the train ride there, nothing was said. Not a word. But when they got to Canterlot, Steve marveled and wondered at the structures, the large domes, the lush gardens, and finally the Royal Palace. And Twilight just now noticed that since that morning, a few days ago, Steve and Pinkie were staying close together now. She smiled, knowing that they were experiencing love. Pinkie had been talking more, now that they were home, and was showing him around.

"That's where Princess Celestia and Luna live, and over there's Cloudsdale, off in the distance, and over here's where Chrysalis, a mean bugpony, tried to take the city, and over here..."

She showed Steve the sights and sounds, and the two seemed happier than before. They ascended the steps to the castle entrance, and once inside, Steve nearly fainted from the architecture. Well, you can tell his forte is building and structure. Maybe I can get him a job building houses and things. Twilight smiled at her clever plan, and they found themselves in the throne room.

"Ah, Twilight, you're back. Where exactly have you been, pray tell? And who's this colt?"

Twilight looked at Steve, then at the princesses. ""This is Steve, he's... not from our world. And we've been on a rather odd adventure. But we're back, and glad to be. That's enough friggin' spiders for anyone."

So she related the tale, which apparently made the princesses attentive, as they seemed more interested in this than anything else. When the tale was over, Celestia stood up, taking quill and ink. "I should investigate this. Fine work, all of you. And yes, Steve may have a home here if he so chooses."

Steve almost hoof=pumped, but remembered he was in the presence of royalty. He coughed, and raised his head. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I would be delighted."

They left the palace, and Steve and Pinkie Pie were talking the whole way out. When they stopped to sit down, Steve and Pinkie decided to say something. Steve was the one who said it, and had to brush his now shaggy beard. "Pinkie and I have something we would like to reveal. After days of thought, and getting to know each other, we've decided we want to pursue a relationship."

This came as... not as much of a surprise that you'd think at first. They had seen them interacting for a while, and speculation only led to them having a relationship. As hugs were given and reciprocated, they all knew what this would mean. Baby shower and wedding expenses. Bucking brilliant.

Author's Note

Alright, so we're drawing to a close here. Last chapter up next, then I have a crossover idea I want to share with y'all. And I expect opinions on it.

AND REVIEW THIS STORY AT THE END, PLEASE. I want to know what's goin' through all your cerebrums.

The Start Of A Great Journey

They stood there, waiting to be swarmed. The banging got louder, and they could hear groans and rattles from every direction. A minute passed while they stood, but to them it seemed an eternity. They looked at the door, waiting. The noises stopped. They waited and waited.

Just then, they heard a loud crash, and soon the room was crawling with unspeakable vermin. Steve rushed them, and started slashing enemies with his sword, severing limbs this way and that. Twilight and the others rushed to help him, beating back the throng. Spike was running around, breathing fire on the mobs until he ran out of breath. The smell of dead, burning flesh stung their nostrils, and they quickly covered their faces. The enemies number dwindled down, and only half of the original mob still stood. Steve was able to finish them off with quick slashes and jabs, and Rainbow Dash helped by creating a sizable tornado, sucking the mobs into its deadly whirlwinds. All that stood now was a lonely skeleton, still creeping ever forward. With a kick, Steve sent it stumbling to the center of the floor. He stood over the creature, and with one good swing, removed its head.

There were bodies lying everywhere. and the stench was unbelievable. As they stepped among the corpses, they found something shiny. Twilight picked it up, and discovered it was a small, green orb. They turned it in their hooves, wondering what its use could be. Steve came over, and took it in his hooves. "Oh my... you found an ender pearl. We need these to access the End portal. And it just so happens, I only need one more."

He ran to the library, and pulled a book out from the shelf. It opened, revealing a dark, stone hallway. They ran down until they saw a light. Inside, the chamber was a massive dome. The ceiling depicted a great stone tower, stretching into the sky. The walls were lined with obsidian and stone. In the center, there lay a circular object, resembling a piece of the moon. As they stepped up to it, Steve gazed at the portal. All of the spaces around it were full, except for one. He got some orange dust-like material out of his bag, and merged the two items.

"Uh, Steve... what are you doing?"

Steve continued merging them, and smiled. "I'm making an Eye of Ender. These are what you use in the portal. Once I place this, the portal will open. But there is much that must be done before we go. That dimension is dangerous, and unpredictable. And the Ender Dragon resides there. We will need everything we can get before we traverse through the portal."

He placed the Eye in its place, and stood back. Almost immediately, a black film appeared in the frame. In the blackness, what seemed like stars glistened and shimmered. Rarity was amazed, and imagined herself in a dress fashioned like the film. Steve smiled at them. "Before we go there, we will first need to go to the Nether, then the Aether. Once we have done this, we then need diamonds, and plenty of them."

Rarity raised her hoof politely. "I believe I can help with that. Spike and I are expert diamond locators. We could easily find some."

Steve looked puzzled, but continued. "Alright then, you'll be tasked with this mission. But the rest of us will still help you. Hang on, there's diamonds on your butt." He raised his pickaxe, and swung.

"OW! Whatever in the name of Celestia did you do that for?"

Steve blushed. "I'm sorry, I get rather... odd when I see diamonds. Please forgive me."

Rarity smiled, and rubbed her sore flank. "It's quite alright, darling. Where should we go first?"

Steve thought, and dryly said, "I don't know, but I can tell you there is a cave system not far from here, filled with treasures. If we can get to it, I have no doubt we can find diamonds, and many other things, along the way."

Twilight was confused. "You mean the one in the side of the mountain, over there? We got chased through there by all those mobs."

Steve scratched his goatee thoughtfully. "Then we must be more prepared, and tread cautiously." He grabbed pickaxes and swords for everypony, and a few apples for them all. They exited the house, anticipating the trek ahead. The sky was sunny, and they could hear pigs and cows, which were grazing not far from them. They went over to the hole they had come out from, and remembered it was behind the waterfall. They went through it, and were immediately met with terrible noises, coming from every direction.

"Stay close to me, and don't wander too far." Steve brandished a torch, and they started the descent. The crude passages and damp air made their torch flicker, and shadows danced along the walls. Every so often, they would come across an intersecting passage, and would leave a torch to mark their trail. As they made their way through, they discovered something odd. The passages looked much older than the other ones they had gone through, and soot marked the ceiling.

"Umm... shouldn't we be a bit careful around here? It looks like somepony else came through here, and what if they're not friendly?" Fluttershy looked around, trying to sum up the scene. There was a small puddle of water on the floor, and a light shone below it. There was a cave under it. Fluttershy motioned towards the strange opening, and everypony went through, unsure of what they would find on the other end. They did find it odd how this came about, but many things were odd in this land of cubes, and this one lonely colt helping them. Only Celestia knew what lay in store for them, and she certainly wasn't about to tell.

Author's Note

What's in the cave? Will they find their answers? Will you find yours? ALL UP NE-

Enough of this nonsense. Hope you're enjoying, and I will meet thee in the next chapter.

Ten Years Later

Ten years have passed since that time, and much has happened in the land of Equestria.

Steve and Pinkie Pie were married on a sunny day of September, and had three young fillies from it. They now live in a cottage on the hill, overlooking the Everfree forest. Steve has made millions building houses and rooms for others, and Pinkie runs a side business making her cupcakes, and even pumpkin pies.

Twilight started studying lore, and found the dimension they had entered was called the Minesion. She has dedicated her life to magic, but also to discovering different dimensions, and recovering them. She now has a degree in portal physics.

Rarity had salvaged a few diamonds from Steve's stash, and boomed her business with the cash. Her dresses took on a theme of brown and green, as she had discovered they went well together, as did black and magenta. Her dresses sold like hotcakes, and soon she was able to buy herself a house by the forest, with a boutique beside it.

Applejack had gathered some seeds from the golden apples at Steve's house, and used them to make four times as much profit, earning them a bigger barn, stable, and orchard. They now live a comfortable, easygoing life, and their apple business has never been better. Especially with their signature Golden Apple Cider.

Fluttershy had managed to smuggle a golden carrot back to her own world, and she was able to grow them for her creatures, but she even managed to make some profit from them. She even had a mansion built for her birds.

And Rainbow Dash... Rainbow Dash didn't change. She continued to be a egomaniac, loyal, independent loud mouth. She still serves on the Weather Patrol, but she now receives more pay due to her ability to tell distance with cubic cubes. "It's just something I picked up."

They all have happy, comfortable lives in Equestria, with their discoveries leading the way into a new era. And one last note. Princesses Celestia and Luna had decided to go to this Minesion themselves, and requested Twilight open the portal. When they got there, hundreds of mobs were waiting for them, trying to find their next meals. The princesses ran. And a new era was born.

Author's Note

THE END

I had so much fun writing this, even though inspiration didn't show itself very often, which is why this is short compared to other crossovers of this.