Or, How Shining The Brave Got the Goods
“Shiny…”
I bolt upright, the book I was holding falling to the side. I look around the small cave we took shelter in, but find nothing out of the ordinary.
“Shiny…” That sounds like Lady Twilight, and it sounds like she’s in pain! I leap to my hooves, bounding out of the part of the cave I was in and into the part she is in.
I find her on the stony floor, holding her stomach and moaning, an older grey mare watching over her.
“Smarticus!” I call out, rushing to her side. “What’s wrong with Lady Twilight?”
She brushes a strand of mane away from the youngest pony’s face. “I am afraid she has become very sick, Shining. I have only seen this affliction once before, and there is only one known item which may cure it.”
My ears perk up. So there is a chance I can help her! “What item? Where is it?”
“The Jar is what we require to nurse her back to health.”
My joy turns to anger. “That won’t work, Smarticus. The location of The Jar was lost to ponykind long ago!”
“Nay,” she says, smiling slightly, “The Jar is here, in the mountain.”
“No! I would have sensed it, or Lady Twilight would have!”
“That is because it is hidden atop an icy white tomb which obscures it’s magical signature. It is deep within the heart of the mountain; you must hurry if you are to save Twilight.”
I nod, taking and slinging my spear across my back. I may not believe The Jar could be here, but any chance to save Twilight is a chance I am willing to take. “Then I will find The Jar and save her!” I start walking out of the cave.
“Beware, young one,” her voice echoes through the cave, “of The Jar’s protectors. Two fierce dragons guard the tomb from trespassers. Not even a fully armed knight would dare face one normal dragon alone. I advise caution in this; stealth is a better option than a fight.”
“Don’t worry, Smarticus,” I laugh, “I’m the best there is.” The mares fall out of earshot as I exit the cave.
I slowly make my way down the mountain, trying to avoid making too much noise. I have no idea where these dragons are, and I remember this mountain being a potential rockslide zone. Eventually, I make it to the bottom, where a large cave mouth yawns at me. It is much more tall than it is wide, which will make escaping difficult if I have a dragon on my tail. Even so, I fearlessly enter the cave. No slithery serpent will stop me from saving Lady Twilight!
A ways down the tunnel, I realize the sunlight has been replaced with a haunting red light, and it has become noticeably warmer, even though that shouldn't be the case, as I am looking for a tomb of ice. Suddenly, the tunnel opens up, and I find out why it's so hot.
A roiling, red, burning carpet covers the whole room, from where I stand to the cave at the far end. Lava. Why'd it have to be lava? Several large stones jut out from the lake, making a somewhat treacherous way across.
A deep rumble sounds through the cave. Looking closer, I see that the very last stone isn't just a stone; a gigantic dark blue dragon is sleeping on it! He grumbles again, and a thick cloud of dragonsmoke pours from his nose. I gulp. If he should awaken, I’d be nothing more than an appetizer for him! Then, I remember Twilight, in pain somewhere above me, and I steel my resolve.
Gathering my hooves under me, I leap at the first stone. It’s quite a bit taller than me, so my hooves catch on the edge, and, with a little struggle, I hoist myself up. I pause as the rock shifts under me; nopony told me these things weren’t stable!
I look at the next stone. It’s shorter and a lot flatter than this one, so I quickly jump to it with a thud. My eyes dart over to the dragon, but he’s still fast asleep. Good.
I continue along the platforms until I am face to snout with the dragon. I can see a thin ring of stone around him I can walk along without touching him, if I am careful. Readying myself, i jump across…
And almost lose my balance. Thankfully, I correct myself, and I creep along the thin edge. Sheesh, talk about between a dragon and a hot place! My hoof brushes against him a few times, and each time I freeze, praying to Celestia the dragon doesn’t get up. Thankfully, he never does.
I hop to safety on the other side and walk silently into the next room. I hide behind a stalagtite - or is it a stalagmite? - as I survey the room. It’s large, not quite large as the lava room, but still pretty big. The pillar I am behind seems to make up a group of strategically placed rock formations, all dragon-sized. A chill runs through the room as I spot it nearby: the icy tomb, glistening an icy white. On top of it, just like Smarticus said, is a small bright blue container. The Jar!
I start to walk towards the tomb, only to duck back behind the pillar as the second dragon sweeps into the room, this one a little smaller and a light grey in color. A female, I think.
She busies herself with something on the far side of the cave, giving me the time to act. I clamber onto a ledge on the pillar, allowing me to jump onto the central plateau. Unfortunately, the gap between the plateau and the tomb is too great for me to jump.
Thankfully, I am, in fact, a unicorn. I concentrate, and a pinkish glow surrounds The Jar. It shakily rises into the air, crossing the gap and coming to rest in my hooves. Upon closer inspection, I see that the surface of The Jar is covered in images depicting bounties long past.
They say the contents of The Jar were forged in the Holy Fires of Elysium, able to cure any illness. However, this will all have been for nothing if The Jar is empty. I grasp the lid of The Jar with my magic, lifting it off with a muted pop. My nose is bathed in the delicious scent of the heavens, and I lose myself in it’s warm embrace.
Alas, the good times come to an end as something wraps around my midsection, hoisting me up into the air and turning me around to face a very angry-looking dragon.
“And just what do you think you’re doing, young stallion?” She growls at me. I valiantly try to loosen her grip on me, but to no avail. She easily plucks The Jar from my grasp.
“Hey!” I shout. “Give that back! My lady needs it!”
The dragon pauses. “Oh? And what lady would that be?”
“Lady Twilight. I am her knight, Shining the Brave. If you do not release me, fell beast, I will be forced to act!”
She grins. “A knight, are we? No, I think you are nothing but a little thief who needs to be punished for sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong.” She then starts dragging me away. I quickly pull out my spear and thrust it right at her nose!
It bounces off the armor-like scales, but it is enough for her to drop me in surprise with a yelp. The Jar falls daintily onto my back. Without looking back, I sprint out of the room as she shouts “You’re not getting away that easily, Shining!”
I run back to the room with the sleeping dragon. It feels like the female is right behind me, so I jump without looking. I land right on the sleeper, running across him and jumping off onto the next stone. Thankfully, he slumbers on. I keep jumping as the female charges into the room, right at me through the lava.
Leaping to the other shore, I throw my spear at the dragon, hoping it will buy me a little more time. I gallop down the tunnel as she roars behind me.
I can feel her on my heels as I run. I see light up ahead; I pour on the speed, exiting the tunnel just ahead of the dragon.
I immediately turn, blasting up the side of the mountain. I catch sight of a small grey figure jumping around on some rocks above the cave Twilight is in.
“Smarticus!” I shout out. She spins around, sees me, then kicks out at a single rock, dislodging it.
And then, with a rumble, the mountain comes down. I deftly dodge the rocks as they pass by. Fortunately for me, the dragon is much larger and clumsier than me; with a thud and a subsequent roar, she falls back down the mountain. I charge into the cave…
And burst through the door into Twilight’s bedroom, startling her. She jumps to her hooves, using her magic to gently put her book down. “BBBFF! You’re back!”
“Yes, Lady Twilight,” I say, eager to keep the game going a little longer. “I have defeated the monstrous dragons and retrieved The Jar for you!”
She beams, then remembers her role in our game. She stands prim and proper, giving a small bow. “I thank thee, sir knight. This will greatly assist in my recovery.” She eagerly snatches the jar off my back, letting loose a mighty squee. She hobbles over to her bed, flopping up onto it. I join her and open the jar up, revealing our prize.
Cookies. And not just any cookies; Mom’s fresh-baked double chocolate by-Celestia-these-are-delicious cookies.
We both take one cookie, ready to enjoy a piece of heaven, when there comes an “Ahem” from the door. Sharing a look of fear, we look towards the sound. Standing in the doorway, her hoof tapping the floor, is Mom. She is holding a pair of hoofballs in her magic, along with my foam noodle spear. “Shining, would you care to tell me why you bopped me with your toy and threw all of your hoofballs at me?”
I suddenly decide my hooves look a lot more interesting than Mom. “Well, we got hungry, and Twilight wanted cookies, so I,” I gather the courage to stand on the bed, proud and tall, “as her valiant knight, went on an epic quest to provide sustenance for my lady!”
She looks like she’s about to go full out rage-Mom on me. Then, with a deep breath, she deflates. “Okay.”
“Huh?” Twily and I say at the same time. She’s not mad?
“I was a foal once too, you know. I went on fantastic adventures to rescue sweets from my own mother.” She smiles. “Just don’t eat too much, okay? You don’t want to spoil your appetites.”
We look at each other, then back at Mom. “Really? Thanks Mom!” We say at the same time.
I’m about to bite into my cookie when Mom says “Oh, and Shining?”
“Ye-” I yelp as my spear breaks the cookie into little crumbs.
“Don’t you ever, ever attack your mother again.”
I gulp. “Y-yes ma’am.” She nods, and leaves the doorway. I cautiously grab another cookie, ready to dig in.
“Oog…” We’re both lying on Twily’s bed, our stomachs somewhat distended. The jar of cookies lays empty on the floor. Mom is standing at the foot on her bed, an unamused look on her face.
“Now, what do you two have to say for yourselves?”
I raise my head, pumping one hoof into the air lazily. “Totally worth it...”
