Live or Die

As the three friend's waited for the next trial they waited in awkward silence. Timidthy finally spoke up,

"U-Um.......Sweet Dreams.......I just wanted to say I'm glad your alive. But of you had to would you have hurt Blood Bones even more?" Timidthy said stating his word's very cautiously. Blood Bones looked at Sweet Dreams with lingering fear. While Sweet Dreams blushed deep red.

"No, of course not! Blood Bones is your brother and if I had to do more harm I'd simply give my last word's and let that helmet take my life!" Sweet Dreams said as she pointed at the helmet with disgust. Blood Bones smiled slightly but Timidthy's ears ducked down. As he tried to give his best pleased smile. Blood Bones looked at Timidthy with a hint of worry. Did his brother want his marefriend to hurt him? Sweet Dreams spoke,

"Timidthy, do you wish to say something?" Timidthy gulped.

"Not really. It's just I don't like seeing my brother hurt but stab wounds can heal. And I don't want my marefriend to die! I love you both and I'm not sure who'd I'd be able to choose if it came down to it." Timidthy said as he looked down at his hooves in shame. Blood Bones and Sweet Dreams shared looks of concern. What if Timidthy did have to choose at some point? Then one of them would be in trouble. Their thoughts we're interrupted when they heard the wall slide again. This time Bumper and Crepe we're on the platform, their back hooves chained together. They both we're unconscious as the timer set it's self to one minute, and a buzz saw was set in the path of the two colts. The friends shared scared looks as their fellow friend's woke up.

"H-Hey what's going on?" Crepe said as his mind came to focus, Bumper looked around.

"And where's French Press?" Bumper said and blushed red realizing he'd said that.

"Not that I care or anything." Bumper said quickly trying to clarify. Everypony rolled their eye's, just before a deep voice spoke.

"Bumper and Crepe this is a matter of whose loyalty is strongest. As you can see you are unable to escape, and there's a buzz saw I'm front of you. You two will either have to give yourselves up or kill another just to save your own skins. But I'll be fair if you two find a way to escape alive, then your free to go. Good luck, it's time to choose. Live or Die." Bumper and Crepe paled, as the timer counter down and the buzz saw started making it's was down to the colts. Bumper tried pulling out of the restrains. But the most he did was give a clear shot to the saw that was now heading towards Crepe. Crepe looked at Bumper and pulled back, Bumper fell on his stomach as the saw now was aimed for his back hooves. Sweet Dreams and Timidthy looked in horror as they saw the hopeless situation. And the timer count down as it hit thirty seconds. Blood Bones was fighting the urge the light his horn up, 'Remember you can't help or you die.' Blood Bones kept repeating in his head. Crepe and Bumper we're now in an ultimate tug of war match as they pulled at the chains that blinded them. The continued counting down from ten and Bumper pulled one final time as Crepe flopped onto his back. Crepe tried to get but Bumper held him down with his magic. Crepe looked at the saw it was only meer inched away,

"Bumper please." Crepe squeaked out as tears flooded his eye's. Bumper then gave a small smile, and lit his horn and blasted the chains. Crepe smiled and quickly moved out-of-the-way, just in time to avoid the saws blade. The timer buzzed and everypony held thier breathe.

"But I was expecting blood shed! Fine I guess you two get to live. Just move it and join your friend's before you join the dead instead!" the deep voice said clearly annoyed and angry. Bumper and Crepe quickly got off the platform and sat next to Timidthy. Now they had to wait for what they thought to be the last test. But as they waited Crepe hugged Bumper for a second,

"Thanks I thought you'd really let me die." Crepe said. Bumper blushed and rolled his eye's,

"I only did it because French Press might not want me if I let you die." Bumper said and everypony smirked. Bumper smacked his forehead. Realizing he'd just admit to caring. Either way his friends knew that despite what Bumper said there was a kind-hearted motive to it.

"I'm proud of you Bumper. You put your own life at risk. And to be honest for a split second I thought you'd let Crepe meat a painful death. But you proved me wrong and that just shows what a good pony you have become." Timidthy said calmly. Bumper blushed redder and smiled,

"Thanks Tim." Bumper said bashfully. The kid's we're interrupted when they heard the wall slide again. And this time French Press and Binkey we're given the freedom to roam. But one big tank stood in the center of them as they both we're asleep. But what shocked everypony the most was the white alicorn that was in the tank. She was asleep as well and her horn was tied on with a white bandage. Timidthy and Blood Bones stared in horror. As they felt like running to their mother but knew they couldn't. French Press and Binkey woke up and immediately noticed Princess Celestia. Princess Celestia started to stir as the deep voice spoke.

"SURPRISE! This is the last challenge, you three only have twenty seconds. French Press and Binkey all you have to do to live is leave the princess be. But if you wish to be brave and free her before her untimely death then you will die. You see the tank the princess is in will soon fill with a toxic gas of my own creation. If you break the glass then the room all of you are in will fill with the gas and all of you will die. So just sit back and watch the life drain from your precious princess. Oh and I would like to point out, Celestia, Timidthy, Blood Bones. Luna wanted to apologize for failing her test and y'all as well. So all of this leads to the final question of the day. Will you all live or die?" The ponies we're silent as they let those word's sink in. And finally Timidthy, and Blood Bones burst into tears. The other's hung their head's in defeat as they all slightly mourned and cried. Celestia, with tears in her eye's looked at the timer as it started counting down. Celestia gasped and started bucking the glass it stated cracking and breaking.

"Everpony take a deep breath now!" Celestia said urgently, the kid's wiped away their tears. And took deep breaths and held their breathes catching on to what Celestia was trying to do. Blood Bones lit up his horn as he put a force field around them. While Binkey and French Press got down and protected their faces. Celestia with one final buck shattered the glass and sent it flying. Celestia held her breathe and jumped out of the tank just as the toxic gas stated filling the air. Celestia hurriedly grabbed the kid's but stopped. Once she saw that Timidthy and Blood Bones had circles around them. They looked at her with pleading eye's, Celestia forced her horn to spark and undid the spell. She then grabbed her two son's and teleported out of the room. When the hero's teleported they landed of what appeared to be a hallway. Everypony started gulping down air, after they took in the much-needed oxygen. Timidthy began to cry again,

"I-I can't believe auntie Luna is gone." Timidthy whimpered. The remaining kid's all started tearing up as well. Celestia levitated the kid's onto her back, and lit her horn up. Her horn started glowing and Celestia followed it until it flashed a blinding light. By a cell that smelled of rotting meat. Celestia placed the kid's down, she lit her horn again and with a flash of bright light. Luna appeared in the center of the cell completely unharmed. Celestia smiled and levitated Luna as she searched for a way out.

Meanwhile the figure was angrily looking at the screens. As it was furious for Celestia's quick thinking. It thought for sure that once Celestia found out Luna was dead she'd break down! And when did she learn a retroversion spell!? The figure didn't have anything planed so it would have to improvise. Suddenly before the figure could react the door was busted open by a magical blast. The figure turned around to see Celestia and Luna. And seven livid kid's, Celestia looked at the figure with caution. Luna looked at the figure with fear, while the kid's jumped the figure and held it down. Blood Bones was at the front as he let his horn spark uncontrollably. Dangerously close to the figures face,

"Yeah we kinda dragged mom and auntie here. But besides that, it's time to see who you really are!" said Blood Bones as he ripped the cloke of the figure. And everypony gasped, Timidthy, Crepe, and Binkey we're shaking as they all paled. Sweet Dreams's and French Press's eye's glared down at the figure. Bumper paled slightly but tried to look unafraid. And finally Blood Bones stared at the figure with malice in his eye's. As the figure held a disgusted and annoyed look and was reveled to be non other than Bessie Bully.