Prolouge: Escaping The Beast's Castle
Spike groaned in pain as he was rubbing his head with a can...? Candle! The young drake lifted his arm and instead raised a white candle attached to a purple holder with a green flame jutting out. It was even more disturbing as the baby dragon squeaked bouncing backward only to hear a clunking noise like metal hitting wood. The little dragon hen cried in surprise to see his reflection in the mirror seeing how he was just a candle holder with his green eyes printed in the middle of the wax with a slim mouth for his face. The young drake looked down to see that there was a purple metal base where his body used to be, and he slowly raised his claw and gaped in horror seeing that what the reflection showed was true as it also turned into a candle as well. The little purple dragon gulped as he looked around and saw Twilight's castle had changed drastically which it now had a more gothic look. There were creepy paintings of old ponies in dated outfits and powdered wigs, A large canopy bed with velvet sheets was in the middle of the room, there were even stone gargoyles decorating the edges of the ceiling. The young drake turned to see that there was a fancy porcelain teapot with purple eyes with diamonds outlining her top and a smaller white porcelain teacup with pink swirls outlining the edge. Spike hopped over with a few clanks and asked, "what the hay is going on here? Why does the castle look like something out of a horror novel?"
The giant teapot turned around with a big smile. "Oh silly Spikey, did you forget about the spell Trixie placed on poor Iron Will?"
Spike still confused on what the teapot said who was evident by now that the teapot was a transformed Rarity. The young drake gave a small sigh and asked, "Look, just refresh my memory."
The teapot chuckled as the tiny teacup bounced spilling tea everywhere and chirped in Sweetie Belle's voice. "Spikey your so silly! How could you forget something like that! Even I know that story!"
Rarity reared around so fast spilling some black tea from her too, and her spout shot out some steaming hot tea as she scolded her sister. "Sweetie Belle that was quite rude! Now go along and serve yourself to the princess she should be awake by now."
The little teacup chirped, "You got it, big sis!" The tiny teacup skipped off humming to herself as Spike tapped his right wax candle to his chin and then a thought came to his mind as he suddenly shouted, "You don't mean Princess Twilight!"
The teapot turned around to face the odd candle as she gave Spike a strange look and asked in a rather suspicious tone, "who is this Twilight you speak of? You had better not have uninvited guests or the master will be quite angry with you."
Spike groaned as he grumbled, "nevermind, your memories have been altered as well...ok so I need to ask what happened? Tell me about what Trixie did?"
Rarity took Spike by his candle arm and lead him to the soft red seat and plopped him down as she explained, "Yes, I can tell you of what became of our poor master. However, its a rather long story and I would rather have us be comfortable as I tell it."
Spike crossed his candle arms and sat back and listened to Rarity's tale.
Iron Will who was now wearing a crown and sitting on his throne room. There was Spike who was in a butler's uniform, and Rarity was wearing a simple maid's outfit along with her sister Sweetie Belle. Applejack was wearing a maid uniform along with Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom. Dr. Whooves and Big Mac were the only stallions in the great hall both of them standing by wearing fancy butler uniforms. Iron Will was quite furious for apparently no reason as he pounded a hoof on the ground. "Iron Will has decided that you all are too soft and you all need to learn how to be more assertive and not let other ponies walk all over you!"
They all shrug as Iron Will got up to a knock at the giant front doors. Iron will stand up and swung his cape. He stomped down to the door and swung them open to find Trixie wrapped up in a cloak hiding her face only letting her white mane down which was drenched and soaking with a pretty bad rainstorm pouring down. The shivering cold unicorn asked in a meek tone. "Dear prince Iron Will would you allow the meek and soaking Trixie into your castle. Trixie would like to be out of this terrible rain?"
Iron Will crossed his big arms across his chest and stomped a hoof down as he snapped, "Not a chance this castle is mine! I won't have any freeloaders just hanging around!"
Everypony in the great hall gasped at this and started taking notes Iron Will turned around and continued to lecture his staff. "Well, now, you see! Iron Will doesn't let anypony take advantage of him; you all can learn a lesson here."
Trixie, however, was quite persistent as she bowed before the prince and responded in pleading tone. "Trixie begs of you please let Trixie stay the night she shall even pay you for your hospitality."
Iron Will crossed his arms and shook his head. "Not a chance! Besides I heard of you washed out magician you're nothing more than a simple con pony if you ask me."
Everypony gasped and turned to see what Trixie was going to do next. The mare looked up with a menacing look. "You have done Trixie a great disservice, and now The Great and Powerful Trixie shall curse thee forever!"
Trixie threw off her cape, but she slowly transformed turning larger as her body became a dark shade of ourple with magestic green eyes. Her body legenthened as two leathery bat wings sprouted from her side. The meek Trixie was now the powerful and majestic Nightmare Moon wearing a bug long purple and black cape and laughing maniacally. "You fool has failed thy's test, and now thou shall be cursed along with thy subjects for all time!"
Not soon after Nightmare Moon's horn lit up with a powerful aura of magic. The ponies all slowly turned into objects Big Mac was gradually transformed as his legs and body became wood, and his body fluffed up like a plushie's morphed into that of a big red square becoming into a giant red pillowed chair, Rarity's body shrunk and turned into a shiny glass material as her nose became longer becoming her spout while her sister slowly transformed into a simple porcelain teacup with a frilly pink trim around her lip. Fluttershy straightened out and became rigged as her mane fell out and her tail poofed out into dozens of pink feathers. She shrunk down slowly into a feather duster with a yellow wooden handle and followed by dozens of pink feathers at the end, Pinkie pie clapped and cheered as she grew bigger and transformed into a giant pink oven, Rainbow Dash shouted hey while Scootaloo also straightened out and became an orange wooden broom, while Dr. Whooves slowly shrank as his body became wooden and his face literally turned into a small circle for a clock's face. The great Dr whooves was now reduced to a simple wind up clock with a big giant wind up key in his back. Applejack grew larger as her body morphed into wood and apples were carved all over its body as she became a wardrobe while Apple Bloom slowly morphed into a wooden dresser.
Iron Will morphed in front of all of them with his horn growing out longer his body became hunched and his hair bursted out in large bushels. He groaned as Nightmare Moon laughed maniacally as she rose into the air and flew off into the night.
Spike's eyes were wide-eyed after hearing the odd chilling story. The young dragon looked to the right or him spotting Applejack who was now a wooden orange painted wardrobe and looked across the room to see that Apple Bloom was now a bright yellow painted dresser and the big red sofa which was Big Mac. The drake gulped and then heard rustling from the bed as Rarity chirped, "well it’s about time the princess woke up."
An "Ey' yup then followed this." From the sofa making him squeal and he accidentally fell onto the hardwood floor below.
But he was then picked up by an aura of purple magic, and Spike knew whose it was and gasped upon seeing Twilight who's mane was now flowing around her head looking way more elegant than before. She was also sporting a simple blue-trimmed dress with white lacing and skirt with a white apron tied around her back. The mare turned around and with a big smile and chirped in a cheery voice. "Hey, Spike looks like you had quite the fall there! Here I'll fix you up!"
He groaned as she got out a rag and started polishing his metal base, and he grumbled, "thanks, I guess."
Twilight then placed him down on a table as she went about fixing her mane in front of a mirror.
As Applejack and Rarity both were giving her advice on what to wear and how she should look. Spike just stood there with a confused look on his face unsure of what was going on. Twilight slowly picked up Sweetie Belle and drank from the cup and smacked her lips as she gave a deep sigh, "aww perfect as always Rarity."
The mare hummed and placed the hood down as Sweetie Belle chirped no problem. "Now, I need to get going you know how Iron Will gets when I'm late to meals."
Rarity gave a nod as she waved a hoof and cooed, "of course darling but may I suggest that you should get dressed in something more fashionable. You know the master likes you in those fancy gowns."
Twilight dainty threw a hoof. "Oh, don't worry about me! I'll be wearing something quite fancy later besides Applejack picked this outfit for me isn't it cute!"
Twilight twirled around in her dress, and Spike made a bleh sound as Rarity sighed "whatever you say, darling."
Applejack then came to life and snapped, "oh yeah Rarity! Why would she need to wear some fancy dress to breakfast and risk it getting ruined this is a better choice!"
Rarity hopped over and scoffed, "but it's so rustic and plain! Honestly, darling, you could have done a better job in making look more presentable."
Apple Bloom chimed in. "Well, I got her some nice what call them bras and them fancy underwear?"
Rarity and Spike both burst into laughter, and even Big Mac chuckled at the response.
Twilight's face went flush with red, and she shuffled about and snapped, "hey Apple Bloom don't say stuff like that out loud!"
She grumbled walking away with a humpf and flicked her mane and was going down the stairs and they then stomped downstairs. Spike, however, hopped after her clanking down the stone stairs and shouted, "Hey! Wait for Twilight! Where are you going! I need to talk to you!"
Twilight turned around with a smile at Spike and cooed, "Whose Twilight? my name is Belle."
Spike rolled his eyes and shouted, "ugh, you lost your memories too just wonderful!"
Twilight picked up Spike the candlestick with her magic and replied know sweet tone. "What are you talking about it seems to be the only one whose has no idea on what's going on here."
The candlestick rolled his eyes as he bounced along after her and grumbled, "Fine whatever, look where are you going anyways? I don't know if this is the way to the dining hall."
The mare giggled dainty behind a hoof as she chirped, "You're going to have to wait and see!"
Twilight continued her decent as Spike bounced after her to the main lobby. They then looked around and saw a rainbow-colored mop scrubbing the floors grumbling angrily while an orange broom colored broom with purple bristles swept along after it. Spike eyed them knowing they were Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo and continued to follow the mare until they came two giant double doors. Twilight's eyes were aglow with wonder as she lit her horn. "Spike be prepared to be amazed!"
She opened the giant doors to an enormous library where a yellow and pink feather duster was going about dusting the books and shelves. It was massive with books going in an endless spiral. Spike's mouth was agape, and Twilight bounced over and began drifted the books around and squealed, "isn't it wonderful that the Beast lets us stay here in this awesome library!"
Spike gulped and quivered as he whimpered, "the beast?"
A bigger and scarier Iron Will with large scruffs of blue coats and giant curved goat horns with massive cloven hooves. Iron Will burst through the doors and roared, "Belle!!!!"
Sweetie Belle bounced into the library and chirped, "do you need me!
Iron Will scoffed " of course not sorry Iron Will meant I need Belle! Not Sweetie Belle!"
Twilight gulped and performed a curtsey with her dress and whispered, "what is it, Iron Will?"
The Beast stomped a hoof and shouted, "Iron Will wants you to come to breakfast now!"
Twilight gave a nod and responded curtly. "Of course I'll be there soon."
Spike hopped over with his flames shooting out like flamethrowers and shouted, "What the buck! you can't treat Twilight like this!"
Iron Will smacked him across the room and roared. "How dare you speak to me like that! Iron Will is your master now go and set our table, or I will crush you!"
Spike was quivering in fear as he got up nodding. The Beast stomped out of the library as Twilight rushed over to help the talking candlestick. "Spike are you alright I'm so sorry for what happened!"
The candlestick slowly got up and grumbled, "it's not that bad honestly I've been through worse."
Twilight hoisted up inspecting him and grumbled, "I swear, the Beast can be such a brute sometimes. Now, do you want me to take you back to my room?"
Spike shook his head. "No, I'm going to be wherever you go."
The princess gave a deep sigh feeling sorry for her friend, but she conceded, "alright, well don't provoke The Beast again. He is in a foul mood today."
Spike grumbled hopping onto Twilight's back. "Let's just get going then." The mare gave a small nervous nod before setting out of the library and back into the main hall.
The two slowly were now sitting across from Iron Will, and Twilight sat across each other as they ate it. The princess was looking depressed, and Spike had no idea what he was doing, or how this happened. But as it went on, Belle asked, "so how much longer will I have to be your hostage."
Iron will slammed a fist down on the table. "You have thirty years! That's how many years your father owes me for picking my favorite rose!"
Spike scratched the back of his head and responded, "seriously? All that for a rose?"
Iron Will roared, "It was a special rose! He had no right to pick it from my garden! I will tell you the story of how my rose was stolen!"
As Iron Will raged about some rose, Spike quickly bounced over to Belle and whispered, "pssst, hey Twilight."
The princess responded, "my name is Belle."
Spike dragged a claw across his face. "Alright, Belle look what's going on here?"
The princess rolled her eyes and replied, "didn't the Beast explain things? My dad picked one of his brute's roses and was held hostage, so I took his place."
Spike stepped back and replied, "seriously, when did that all happen."
Iron Hoof marched forward. "Only a few days ago seriously Spike get with the picture! now go on and wash the dishes!"
The poor baby dragon took the dishes away, grumbling under his breath. "I need to find out what's going on here and fast."
Later that night Spike was finishing cleaning Twilight's room with the help of Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. The candlestick that was once a young dragon was lost in thought. Everypony he knows is talking furniture? Twilights is completely brainwashed? And was he there trapped in this castle with a crazy version of Iron Will? How were they going to get out of this situation! He continued storing away a bunch of dresses. That was when he turned to see her in a very beautiful yellow dress with big bubble sleeves and was unsure of every he was seeing. "Uh, Twi- I mean Belle what ya doing?"
Twilight smirked and replied, "oh I'm having a date with the Beast tonight. We're going to go out and dance the night away. It's going to be quite romantic."
Spike shouted, "wait you mean your dancing with the monster that's keeping you here!? why would you do something so stupid and not escape!"
Twilight shrugged, "well his library, of course. It's the biggest in Equestria and has the most collection."
Spike slammed a claw and shouted, "seriously!"
After watching Twilight and Iron Will both dance, they heard ponies outside shouting. They both came to the front doors to an angry mob with pitchforks. Twilight came forward and asked, "what is the meaning of this!"
The leader who was handsome Flash Sentry and shouted, "We are here to save you, Belle!"
The mare blushed and simply replied, "well, honestly, I don't think I wana be saved. I was having a lovely time exploring the Beast's grand library thank you very much."
The other ponies gasped as a hunk of a stallion that was Flash Sentry came forward. "But Belle, you were destined to be my wife! You must come with me!"
Twilight scoffed, "I'm sorry, but didn't we broke up? You said books were stupid and despite Iron Will being a brute he's way more literate than you."
Flash Sentry was taken aback by Twilight's response and stomped a hoof blowing smoke through his nose and roared. "Well then if I can't have you, no one can!"
He roared and charged at Iron Will with a pitchfork, and the two clashed on the bridge and then it one groaned falling backward into the river below, and Flash Sentry raised his pitchfork in victory. "We did it! the Beast has been vanquished, and Belle will be mine!"
Twilight got up seething from her nostrils and roared, "you may have killed the beat, but you won't dare touch his library!"
Before Flash Sentry could move a rumbling noise came forth from below, and a handsome prince he was tall like a white coated alicorn with a long and beautiful blue and gold striped mane and tail with a lovely sexy tuxedo and dashing blue eyes. This sexy stallion strode out from the depths of the river below. With a charming smile, he replied, "Thank you for saving me Belle, your love of books has turned me into a handsome prince!"
Spike and Twilight both went wide-eyed and shouted, "seriously!"
Spike was suspicious hopping over. "So...Iron Will was a prince this whole time but wasn't he always a minotaur!"
The prince gave a nod and explained, "Yes, that is true, but due to your love for books and knowledge. Your beautiful, literate mind has changed me forever.
He took the mare by the hoof. "Now my beautiful Twilight, would you marry me?"
Before the princess could say a word, Spike slammed his head onto the prince catching his coat on fire. He squeaked and started to roll around, trying to smother the flames. Twilight squeaked and had her hoof pulled by Spike who shouted, "come on we need to get out of here! We need to find a way to save our friends! Come on, this maybe our only chance to escape!"
Twilight blinked as she was unsure of her love for that big library was pulling her back to the gothic castle of the Beast. But this candlestick's his words struck a chord in her, and she gave a nod. "Alright, let's go."
She picked up the candlestick with her aura of magic and ran down the road. The prince reared up and shouted, "Everypony after those two don't let them escape!"
The angry mob roared and ran after the two chasing them to a sheer cliff with a waterfall pouring downhill. Twilight gulped turning backward and exclaimed, "we...were going to jump!"
Spike gulped and replied, "we don't have a choice you can fly right?"
Twilight whimpered, "I...I forgot! I didn't have to use my wings that much!"
Spike sighed, "Then we need to jump now!"
Twilight squeaked and threw herself off the cliff, and as they sped to the ground, they tore through a page tearing it open into a black void.
Chapter One: Returning to the Beast's Castle!
Twilight Sparkle groaned as she rubbed her head, trying to figure out what happened. The princess looked up and saw that she was standing in the middle of a sea of white pages stretching out with black ink making up words that formed under her hooves. The mare looked down at the sheets under her hooves with a surprised expression on her face and whimpered, "I'm literally in a book of some sort. Where the buck am I?"
The confused mare looked across the sea of pages and saw Spike was turned back to normal and was lying unconscious on the ground. The princess gasped and started to run across the pages of the book with a worried look on her face as she shouted, "Spike! Are you okay! Talk to me!"
The young drake groaned as he rubbed a claw on his face. "Ugh! What happened?"
Twilight looked down at the baby dragon with a worried expression and asked in a concerned tone. "Hey, how are you doing?"
The baby dragon continued to groan, slowly getting up grumbling. "I'm not sure? Am I a candlestick still?"
Twilight looked over Spike and making sure his body was normal and replied, "no, it doesn't look like your body is enchanted anymore."
The dragon took a good look on of his claws. "I think I'm doing okay... it seems like everything is back to normal."
The princess gave a nod as she turned around and looked at her own body over and seeing that the dress was gone and "It looks like my dress is gone and my mane is back to normal."
Spike sighed as he rubbed his head with his claw. "So do you have any idea on what's going on? Honestly, I thought we defeated Maniac and then somehow after that we got transported here?"
Twilight shook her head and looked around at the white pages surrounding them and replied, "It seems that we're still trapped in a book somehow. Did you take any other enchanted stories?"
Spike shook his head as he explained, "no, I don't think so! I'm sure I only bought this comic from Enchanted Comins in Canterlot!"
The two both squeaked in surprise as somepony exclaimed, "Twilight! Oh, thank Faust I found you!"
Both princesses squealed and turned around and to their surprise a princess alicorn with a dark yellow coat, a light purple mane tied up in a long ponytail as her tail was tied in a bun, who wore thick black glasses over her big brown dull-looking eyes, with a big book with a gold crown printed on the cover for her cutie mark sat squarely on her rump. The princess alicorn was stumbling about like a newborn foal trying to lower herself to ground. But the alicorn squeaked as she instead plopped onto the ground and slowly got up adjusting her glasses on her face as she grumbled, "I need to work on that.."
Twilight was beyond surprise upon seeing another alicorn even if she was quite clumsy and asked, "Who are you?"
The alicorn raised her wings and proclaimed, "I am the princess of the library! Librianaia and I'm here to help you escape this cursed storybook!" She squealed stumbling backward and falling on her rump again making Spike snicker. Twilight gave the dragon a cold stare, and he instantly gave a cough and looked away.
Twilight who was still quite surprised at what the alicorn said exclaimed, "No way seriously! This is crazy I thought Celestia, Luna, Cadence and I were the only alicorns!"
Librianaia stumbled about as she rose up on her hooves and responded, "oh, no! You're all real princesses I'm just using this form to seem more imposing."
Twilight has still infatuated with the alicorn fell to her knees and bowed as she replied, "oh great princess of the library. I do greatly appreciate everything you've done for me! I have a perfect record in returning every book I've ever borrowed! My picture is still hung up in the royal Canterlot library!"
The alicorn blushed and waved a hoof. "It's alright! Though...I do believe that your record could be wrong I'll have to look back at it. Actually, I really wanted to meet you! I never met a pony who loved the library as much as you!"
Twilight clopped her hooves together and squealed, "so! You live inside libraries!"
The alicorn blushed and adjusted her glasses as she explained, "well not exactly I just oversee every book ever made. But my main concern are enchanted works of literature. I fear that a cursed storybook locked away in this castle has connected itself with your enchanted comic book and has chosen your friends to play the roles of various princesses!"
Twilight gasped in surprise and asked, "so...wait are you saying that this book chose my friends and me? Why?"
The alicorn stood over Twilight and replied, "Yes, this book has been possessed by an evil prince. Hundreds of years ago, a prince was obsessed with marrying beautiful mares and breaking their hearts. He was so obsessed with fairy tales he managed to place himself in a storybook in hopes of ensnaring mares in his clutches and forcing them to marry him in these stories for all of eternity."
Twilight's face grew a deep red with steam coming out of her nostrils and shouted, "seriously? That's horrible how dare he uses books for his perverted schemes! It's the greatest crime a pony could possibly commit!"
Spike just rolled his eyes. "I think you're over-exaggerating."
The alicorn princess shook her head. "Well, Twilight is right to be an angry prince is quite devious he's using ideas and memories from your minds and was manipulating Twilight into thinking she was a fairy tale princess."
Twilight whimpered as she asked, "wait...so this prince was trying to marry me!"
Librianaia turned to the princess and explained, "Yes, that was his goal, and everything you saw was an illusion of his creation to ensnare you.
Spike scratched his head. "huh, so I was never a candlestick?"
The mare shook her head as she pushed her glasses up her nose and explained, "no, it was all illusions, now he has your other friends trapped in their own stories. Your goal will be to go through each one and find them. Also, it seems there was a pony left in your original story. I'm assuming the Prince is holding him hostage so he can try to force you to become his wife."
Twilight stomped a hoof in anger and shouted, "seriously! How could somepony use books like this!"
Spike sighed and shook his head. He then turned to Librianaia and asked, "Can you at least tell us whose trapped in the Beauty and the Beast story?"
The alicorn princess took another book from under her wing and flipped through it with her magic as she nodded and replied, "The name that pops up here is Big Macintosh."
Twilight shouted, "what! That's Applejack's brother! We have to go rescue him!"
The princess nodded and replied, "that's right, you and Spike both are the only ones who can help Big Macintosh escape. But you will need disguises that are apart of the story as the Prince will know your coming."
Twilight gave a sheepish smile and asked, "I'm not sure about that, I'd rather not be transformed into furniture."
The mare chuckled and shook her head as she explained, "the Prince will be expecting that. I'll transform you two into some new disguises. You will have to go in unnoticed. If you disturb the story, it will cause the Prince to come after you, and you two will both be caught up in the story loop for all eternity."
Twilight twirled her mane back and shouted, "right, don't worry, we'll be careful!"
Spike nodded as he continued, "yeah, don't worry about us. We've handle evil ponies before."
The alicorn princess's horn lit up with magic as she exclaimed, "remember everypony else in this story is nothing more than a figment and aren't real! They are in league with The Prince don't trust anypony!"
They both nodded as a circle of magic grew around their bodies, and they suddenly disappeared in a burst of smoke.
Twilight groaned, rubbing her head as she slowly got up. She noticed something was off from the start seeing her hoof was longer. The mare looked behind her to see her rump was a lot bigger with her horsetail was a lot longer and asked in a curious tone, "huh? What am I!?"
The confused princess then slowly reached a hoof over her head and gasped feeling something was missing! "My horn it's gone!"
She squeaked stumbling about and shouting, "I became a bucking horse!"
"Calm down gir- I mean Twilight." A gruff voice echoed, and a big brown coated old looking earth pony, with a crop of bushy white mane and tail coming out of her rump, along with a set of goggles hanging around his neck, and a gear printed on his rump for a cutie mark. He slowly waddled over and explained. "It seems as if I'm some crazy old inventor...or that's what my mind is telling me and you're my horse."
Twilight stomped a hoof and snorted, "I don't care this is ridiculous! Also, don't go thinking you're going to ride me!" They then heard howls. Spike squeaked as he clambered onto Twilight back and shouted, "let's get out of here!"
He snapped the reigns making Twilight neighing loudly as she reared up and sped down the road at a blinding speed kicking up a trail of dust. However, the Timberwolves were howling and snapping at their heels down through the forest. They eventually made it to the old creepy castle, and they crossed a snow-covered bridge and up to the main doorway. Spike gulped quickly clambering down and waddled over to the door and gave it a few nervous knocks.
Iron Will opened the door and looked down at the old stallion and gulped. "H..hello! My na..name's Maurice... Belle's daughter?"
Iron Will scoffed, "I know you! You're the one who stole my rose! Your daughter is here paying for your crimes!"
The old stallion gulped and stammered, "I..I.I know that I do, really. I just wanted to make sure she was okay."
The horse that was Twilight nodded as Iron Will shrugged, "fine. However, your horse has to be kept in the stables."
Twilight whinnied and stomped a hoof and protested, "No bucking way! I'm not a dumb animal!"
Iron Will crossed his arms over his chest and scoffed, "that's the deal, or you two both can go and try facing those timber wolves by yourselves."
The howling from the forest made them both tremble as Iron Will eyed them and asked, "Well?"
Twilight rolled her eyes and relented, "fine, I'll go in the bucking stables."
She strolled off as Spike slowly entered the castle. Nothing changed since they escaped the first time with the gothic architecture reflecting everywhere within. The animated Feather duster that was once Fluttershy went about dusting things off while Rainbow Dash mop was still soaking the floors. They entered the dining room of which all ponies, a stallion was sitting in a lovely yellow dress with his mane done up in curls of straw-colored mane wearing fancy-looking yellow high heels and wearing a set of pearls around his neck was none other than Big Macintosh. Spike's mouth dropped and shouted, "wait...Big Mac is playing Belle!"
Everypony looked around at Spike casually waved a hoof and whimpered, "Oh uh..s..sorry...my mind slipped was all."
Iron Will shrugged and exclaimed, "well that's alright now! Sit down I had Pinkie Pie prepared us a meal!"
Maurice slowly sat down as a big pink oven bounded over clanking and banging metal. Her big blue eyes were on top of the oven, and the door of her oven was her mouth as she exclaimed, "welcome! I prepared an excellent dish for all of you! Blueberry pie!"
She then opened her oven door, and blueberry pies exploded from her belly slamming onto the plates of Maurice and "Belle," and one slammed right into Iron Will's face! The "Beast" stood there with pieces of pie crust and blueberry mush dripping down from his face as everypony burst out laughing as the minotaur wiped the mess from his face as he shouted, "Pinkie I told you to be careful with that seriously!"
The oven whimpered stepping back. "I..I'm so sorry master."
But Big Mac turned to the with a glare at the beast and scolded him. "What did I say about your temper honestly? You're not going to make any progress acting like that."
Iron Will blushed as he stepped back and apologized. "I...I'm so sorry...I didn't mean to act the way I did…"
The minotaur lowered his head as Big Mac rolled his eyes. "Pinkie can you give the poor Beast another pie?"
"Most certainly!" Pinkie Pie shot out another pie as it slammed down the beasts plate and Big Mac turned to "Maurice" "now dad, I know you're worried about me, but the Beast and I made up our minds, we...were going to be married!"
Spike spat out his pie coughing and gaging. "S..seriously!"
The beast roared, "You have a problem with that!"
Big Mac eyed his fiancée, and the beast stepped down, still grumbling under his breath. He turned to Spike. "Yes, dad, we are getting married. I know it's sudden, but there's a lot to the beast you don't see."
Spike got up, slamming his hooves on the table and shouted, "but he foalnapped you! He probably brainwashed you or something!"
Big Mac shook his head. "Ey' nope we love each other very much. "
Iron Will hugged Big Mac. "That's right, Belle will be my wife! Tonight we shall dance in my ballroom to celebrate!"
Big Mac blushed as the beast went for a kiss and Spike groaned making a bleh sound and then grumbled, "Well...I...guess that's okay with me…"
Big Mac got up "well Iron Will, and I are going to go dance. There's a guest room it's on the east wing three doors down to your right."
Iron Will stood up and fixed his blue suit. "Yes, Belle and I shall go and dance you go get some sleep."
The two walked out of the room as pinkie pie bounced over and chirped," So ya gonna eat that pie!"
Spike hoofed it over and got off as he grumbled, "this is bad, really bad. I need to tell Twilight that Big Mac replaced her as the princess!"
Out in the snowy stables, Twilight sighed seeing she was alone in the rundown stables with only some nasty oats in a trough. The mare groaned eating it and was grumbling, "go in the stables. I swear if we weren't trying to save Big Mac, I would have shown that overgrown minotaur a piece of my mind!"
She then turned to see Spike slowly walking into the stable with a worried look on his face. Twilight looked up and asked, "so you found him? How is he?"
Spike sighed and responded, "I have good news and bad news. What do you want to hear first?"
Twilight gulped and asked in a nervous tone." Uh...start with the good news."
Spike nodded and explained, "good news is Big Mac is here, and he seems to be doing fine."
Twilight gave a loud sigh of relief. "Okay, that's good...so what's the bad news?"
Spike gulped and whimpered, "Bad news is he's replaced you as Belle."
Twilight's mouth dropped and whispered," You're kidding me? Is..is he…"
Spike chuckle knowing exactly what Twilight was thinking and replied, "no he's still a stallion...but he's all dressed up in a dress, and he really does look like a fairy tale princess!"
They both burst into fits of laughter and Twilight stomped about and whinnied, making her squeak out in surprise. She wiped the tears from her eyes. "Okay let's wait until tonight and try to find a place in the castle where nopony can overhear you two. Convince his rump that we need to get out of here and then we'll jump over the cliff and escape this story tonight."
Spike nodded," good plan, however one problem, Big Mac seems to really think he's Belle like you were...how am I going to convince him?"
Twilight shrugged, "I don't know maybe lie to him or something. The longer we stay here, the bigger the possibility we'll be stuck in this story forever."
Spike nodded in agreement and replied, "Your right, your right, I'll do what I can." He looked around and whispered, "just be careful, I have a bad feeling that we're being watched."
Twilight nodded," I feel it too, I bet the Prince is waiting for us. That's why we need to get out of here as soon as possible."
Spike nodded and waddled off as Twilight sighed, "I really hope he knows what he's doing."
Later that night Big Mac slowly waddled back to his room grumbling quite irritably. Many of the enchanted pieces of furniture moved out of his way seeing he was as mad as the beast! The "Princess" stormed into his room and threw his shoes away and began undoing his mane as he shouted, "ugh, I can't stand my dad!"
Big Mac then went to his mirror and started washing out his makeup from his face. He slowly took a damp rag and removed the massacre from his eyes and removing the lipstick on his face. Rarity, the purple and white painted wardrobe with her big purple eyes and with a worried expression on her face she hopped over and asked in a concerned tone. "Something is bothering you, darling?"
The "princess" gave a long deep, exasperated sigh as he was washing his hooves with hoof polish remover and grumbled, "my dad is stubborn he doesn't like me marrying the Beast."
He then had Rarity use her wooden posts like arms to start removing the dress from his body as she cooed, "oh don't worry darling, I'm sure he'll warm up to him soon."
Big Mac was still quite irritated and grumbled, "I honestly doubt it you should've seen him at dinner. He even called me "Big Mac" for some reason! I don't even know a Big Mac!"
Rarity waved a post. "Oh darling he's old, I'm sure it was just a senior moment." The wardrobe then stored the fancy yellow ball dress into herself. Big Mac chuckled and gave the wardrobe a loving smile before rushing over and gave it a big hug making the wood creak as he shouted, "oh thank you Rarity! I'm sure he will!"
Rarity groaned hearing her wood crack and wheezed, "that's alright darling...now can you please get off me!
Big Mac blushed as he stepped then heard a knock at the door and opened it to see his dad Maurice outside as he grumbled, "what do you want?"
Spike gave a nervous gulp as he shook about unsure of what to say as he asked, "Hey...um...Belle… I'm sorry for what I said to you earlier?"
Big Mac paused and asked, "no, it's alright I should've explained things when I sent you the invitation. I'm sorry I know the beast treated you harshly when you first came here."
Spike gave a nod and asked, "Your absolutely right! I was still angry at the beast for imprisoning me, and I was just concerned for your safety."
The princess squealed as he held the fat stallion in a big hug as he squealed, "oh thank you, dad! Your the best!"
Spike groaned feeling both uncomfortable and being squished by the oversized stallion. He had to wheeze out, "hey! Belle, listen!" Look I don't mean to be rude or anything but can we talk in private?"
Big Mac gave a nod and followed Spike down the hall and into an empty room. Spike looked around first to make sure they weren't followed then locked the door. He then gave the room an inspection as well making sure there was enchanted furniture around. He then turned to Big Mac and sighed before explaining, "alright, Belle, there's something I need to tell you."
The stallion turned around and asked, "What is it?"
Spike continued in a nervous tone, "t...tha..that isn't the beast! He's been foalnapped!"
Big Mac gasped as he placed his hooves over his face and cried, "what seriously! Then who was dancing all night! Who did I just kiss!"
Spike groaned knowing that was way too much information and continued, "yeah...the real Beast was foalnapped by the evil Enchantress and has put another Beast in his place to trick you. She wants you to marry the fake Beast to put you under her spell!"
Big Mac eyed Spike and asked in a suspicious tone, "that sounds convoluted, and it doesn't make a lot of sense. Also, even if that were true, how would you know anything about that?"
Spike stammered uncontrollably unsure of what to say, and then a familiar voice shouted, "it's because! The evil Enchantress turned me into a horse!"
They both blinked and went over to see the Twilight in the snow below, and Big Mac asked, 'Who are you?"
Twilight stomped a hoof in the snow and shouted, "I'm your sister, and I was cursed as this beast of burden to forever be enslaved to the Enchantress! Please, you must ride with me so we can find the true beast!"
Big Mac tore out his mane and cried, "this doesn't make any sense! I feel like this isn't apart of the story!"
The stallion blinked at what he just said and squeaked, "why did I say story! What's going on here!"
"What is going on here! Belle, sweetheart answer me!" Rarity shouted through the locked door. Spike took Big Mac by the hoof. "You just need to trust me on this!"
Just than Rarity smashed through the door and turned towards the two and shouted, "Raise the alarm! The princess is trying to escape!"
She then opened her doors, and pieces of clothes came out and snatched Spike who squeaked as he was pulled into Rarity's belly. He kicked and tried to fight back as he shouted, "seriously! If this weren't a life or death situation, this would actually be amazing!"
Big Mac squeaked as he took the hoof of Spike and grunted, "Hey Rarity! Spit him out!"
He was able to rip Spike out of the wardrobe and sent Rarity into the wall knocking her out All the while Spike was now back in his normal baby dragon from but he was wearing a frilly black and white maid's outfit complete with white frilly stockings mary jane shoes and a cute black bow tied around his spines. The embarrassed dragon squeaked as he pulled his dress down over himself and cried out, "seriously!"
Big Mac gasped, "dad! what happened to you! are you a dragon!"
Spike groaned and shouted, "I'm not your dad! But you need to trust me, and we need to get out of here!"
Big Mac turned to Rarity, who was getting up and nodded, "right!" He grabbed Spike's claw, and they both burst through the window and onto the back of Twilight. They galloped off into the snow. However, Pinkie Pie broke out of nowhere shooting pies at them shouting, "get them! the princess is trying to escape!"
Iron Will then burst out of a window roaring however Twilight was able to gallop away just as all the pies slammed into the Beast's face until he was covered entirely in blueberry mush and pie crust making him slip and fall right into a pile of snow. Pinkie Pie burst into fits of laughter falling over in the snow. Big Mac however wanted to go back to help Iron Will who was wiping the mushy pie off his face. Spike held onto the big stallion's back and shouted, "don't! He's not real! We need to get out of here!"
Big Mac's eyes filled with tears and held onto the horse, galloping down the snow-covered road. It wasn't long until they came upon Nightmare Moon with her mane flowing around her body as she shot magic at them. Twilight was slowly turned into wood her body shifted and morphed becoming rigid and smelt of pine, all the while long curved beams of wood grew between her hooves. Spike and Big Mac cried out as they were thrown off the rocking horse and fell into the snow with the evil Nightmare Moon laughing maniacally with her wings spread out and her horn was glowing. "Fools! You have fallen right into my trap!"
Big Mac cried out," th..this isn't how this story was supposed to play out! What's going on here!"
The Enchantress reared up and shouted, "oh Belle, you were betrayed by these fools! They were trying to trick you into believing that the Beast was keeping you at the castle, but it was I the Great and Powerful Trixie!"
She continued to laugh maniacally as Spike stood up brushing the snow from his maid's outfit and shouted, " We're lying to him! Your the ones who's messing with his head!"
Nightmare Moon continued to shout, "What are you talking about? we're here to help Belle become the princess she was always meant to be!" Magic poured out of her horn and gold tendrils of magic wrapped themselves around Big Mac. The stallion kicked about as the tendrils started transforming him into a mare. His body shortened as his tail and mane grew out around his body, and the stallion cried out in pain as his head shrank and his bones cracked as it rounded out. As the stallion was wobbling about in his new mare body, a golden dress slowly formed around her body. He squeaked as he pressed his legs together and brushes and combs fixed his mane again while makeup hit his face. All the while big red wings grew from her side, and a horn grew out from his head. He squeaked and cried out as his body morphed and change into that of an alicorn all the while the Enchantress was laughing maniacally and exclaimed, "I finished my Prince! Your princess is ready!"
The Prince then came out as he patted Trixie on the back. "Well done," The Prince then turned his attention to Big Mac, Twilight and Spike as he explained. "You see we actually set this up to catch these two they were trying to foalnap you."
Big Mac stepped back and turned to Twilight and Spike and then turned to Prince and Nightmare Moon. "I...I…"
The Prince slowly strutted over and asked in a sinister tone. "Your beautiful and gorgeous we had a wonderful night tonight dancing the night away. I have no idea why you would want to run away? Isn't this what you wanted?"
Big Mac gulped and quivered as Spike slowly got up fixing his maid's dress and shouted, "don't listen to him! Your real name is Big Macintosh! your Applejack's brother!"
The Prince came closer and whispered in the mare's ear. "Don't listen to him, you know this is real and that these two have lied to you. How can you trust them?"
Big Mac gulped as he squeaked as the Prince pulled the mare into his embrace "Come on, you know me to remember the wonderful night we had?"
The stallion who was now a mare whimpered and kicking about in her dress. "I...I...do love you."
The Prince's eyes flashed a dark red as he looked up at Twilight with a sneer, "So, Twilight... are you jealous?"
Despite being made of wood, Twilight's face turned to that of anger as she shouted, "as if! you can kiss my rump you pompous jerk! You make Blueblood look generous!"
Big Mac snuggled into the Prince's embrace as he chuckled evilly. "Now, now don't get so feisty that you failed so miserably now you have two options. One, you stay here in this story and remain my princess forever. Two, this big idiot takes your place, and I'll turn you into furniture forever! It's your choice."
Then all of a sudden Big Mac slammed the Prince aside and blasted the Enchantress with her horn shrinking Nightmare Moon into Trixie squeaking and stumbling back. Big Mac screamed, "take that, pompous asshole!"
Big Mac then snatched Spike and Twilight into her magic and zoomed through the air and over a cliff and tearing through the sky as if it were made of paper.
