My Little Pony: Babies Are Magicby WatchTower1992Chapters1. Baby Twilight Sparkle3. Letters For Foals, Part I4. Letters For Foals, Part II7. A Fork In The Road8. Coming Clean (Applejack’s P.O.V.)9. Coming Clean (Rarity’s P.O.V.)10. They Meet Again!13. Two Keys; One Lock?!15. Mission Accomplished! (Kindness)Prologue & Legal Disclaimer2. Shining Prisoner5. Mission Accomplished! (Laughter)6. The Keys Of Harmony11. Another Fork In The Road12. 20 Big Mac Questions14. Bonkers Butterfly Bandit16. High And Dry17. The Gang’s All Here!18. Time For A Break—And A Change, Too!1. Baby Twilight SparkleSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.3. Letters For Foals, Part ITwilight Sparkle returned—with the door key—to where India had been staying behind in case Twilight needed her. “India, wook!” she cried. “A key! Did you wose dis?” “No, I don’t think so,” answered India. “I guess that means you get to keep it.” “Yay!” cheered Twilight. “India, can we go on a tweazha hunt?” “Of course we can, Twilight!” answered India. “But let me carry the key for you; it’s far too heavy for you,” she added, using her horn to remove the key from Shining Armor’s magic grasp—thus returning it to its original weight—and levitate it. “OK,” answered Twilight, and followed India to the door across from the one through which Twilight had entered. India unlocked the door, and then, she and Twilight entered another room with a cage! “EEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!” wailed a pink baby filly—who was trapped in the aforementioned cage—in a voice so high that it would hurt even a Vampire Fruit Bat’s ears. “HEWWO DEAH!” shouted Twilight, trying to get the pink foal to hear her. “WE’AH HEAH TO WESCUE YOU!” Alas, the foal could not hear Twilight. Suddenly, Twilight spied a toy piano with six letters of the alphabet printed on its keys: E, I, K, N, P, and S. “India?” she asked. “What do dose shapes on de piano mean?” “Those are letters, Twilight”, answered India. “You spell ponies’ names with letters.” Author's Note The toy piano with the letters on it is inspired by the Burp-A-Phone in Donkey Kong 64, which is located in Frantic Factory. Lanky Kong must play the correct sequence of burp notes on the Burp-A-Phone to win a Golden Banana. 4. Letters For Foals, Part II“But India,” said Twilight Sparkle, “I don’t know dat pink fiwwy’s name!” India turned to the pink foal and asked her, “What’s your name, little filly?” “Pinkie Pie!” answered the foal. “Can you spell it for us?” asked India. “No,” answered Pinkie Pie sadly. “I don’t know my wettas.” “I do,” said India. “Pinkie Pie, do you see that little foal’s piano?” she asked, pointing to the piano. “Yeah! I see it; I see it!” answered Pinkie cheerfully. India turned to Twilight and told her, “Twilight, that pink foal’s name is Pinkie Pie. Here’s what you need to do: go over to the piano and stomp on its keys. I will spell Pinkie Pie’s name for you by lighting the keys up with my horn; that way, you will know which key to stomp. Ready?” “Weady!” answered Twilight, eager to free Pinkie Pie. India highlighted the P key on the piano first, and Twilight stomped on it with her front hooves. “P!” squeaked a Gummy look-alike as it popped out of the piano, and then it popped back in. Next, India highlighted the I key, and Twilight stomped on it. “I!” squeaked another Gummy look-alike. India and Twilight repeated the steps, and more Gummy look-alikes came out, announcing each letter. “N!” “K!” “I!” “E!” Twilight hesitated for a moment and asked India, “Is Pinkie Pie one wuhd oah two wuhds?” “There’s no Space key on the piano,” answered India. “Just stomp on the letters, like before.” Twilight obeyed India and resumed stomping on the keys. “P!” “I!” “E!” As soon as Twilight stomped on the last key, there was a Pinkie Pie-style party fanfare. Author's Note The situation in which Twilight Sparkle must spell out Pinkie Pie’s name is also inspired by a similar situation in Banjo-Kazooie, in which Banjo and Kazooie must spell the name of the game—with no spaces or hyphens, because neither of those characters is an option—by slamming the tiles on the floor of the sandcastle in Treasure Trove Cove. 7. A Fork In The RoadThe wall with the Element of Laughter on it vanished into nothingess in response to Pinkie Pie’s necklace. “Yay! It wuhked!” cried Pinkie. “Now we can go on twough!” India led Pinkie and Twilight Sparkle to the end of the newly-opened corridor, where they found another door key! “I’ll take that,” said India, grasping the door key—and levitating it—with her horn. India and Twilight took the right turn in the corridor, and Pinkie took the left turn. While India unlocked the next keyed door for Twilight, Pinkie unlocked the next Element of Laughter door by herself. “All right, you two,” said India to Twilight and Pinkie. “If either of you earns another key, bring it to me A.S.A.P.! We need to release Shining Armor, and time is of the essence!” “Quoss my heawt and hope to fwy; stick a cupcake in my eye!” answered Twilight and Pinkie in unison. “Dat’s de Pinkie Pwomise,” explained Pinkie to India. “Good to know!” answered India. “Now hurry!” Author's Note The next chapter will focus on Pinkie Pie’s effort to free Applejack. The chapter after the next one will focus on Twilight Sparkle’s effort to free Rarity. 8. Coming Clean (Applejack’s P.O.V.)When Pinkie Pie waddled through the door, she heard the sound of Applejack’s hind hooves bucking a cage; Applejack was trying—and failing—to escape by means of brute force. “Applejack, stop dat!” shouted Pinkie. “I’m twyin’ to get out of dis heah cage!” answered Applejack. “But nuttin’s wuhkin’!” Pinkie spied a huge yellow floor switch and waddled over to it. “I wonda what dis one does!” squeaked Pinkie, and stomped on the switch with her front hooves. Suddenly, a huge window in the wall opposite Applejack’s cage opened wide, revealing four targets: Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and an apple tree. A number display next to that window lit up, an apple-shaped bean bag fell through a hole in the ceiling, and Pinkie caught the bean bag in her front hooves. “Ooh!” squealed Pinkie in excitement. “Tawget pwactice!” Pinkie threw her bean bag at one of the targets, but it hit the wrong one—Scootaloo! With that, the display turned off and the window closed. “Awwwww!” whined Pinkie. “You can’t just twow dem bean bags at any tawget, Pinkie!” shouted Applejack. “You gotta aim ’em at de odd ones out!” Pinkie tried again. She stomped on the floor switch one more time and caught another falling bean bag, but this time, she looked at every target and aimed for the one that didn’t belong with the others. She threw her bean bag at the apple tree, and it hit it! The number on the display changed from 0 to 1. Pinkie caught another bean bag and aimed it at the apple tree again. She succeeded again, and now, the number on the display was 2. She threw bean bag after bean bag, hitting a Cutie Mark Crusader from time to time, which cost her a point. However, her score didn’t go below 0—unlike last time—and eventually, she got 10 points! There was a barn opposite the door through which Pinkie went in, and its window opened up, revealing a yellow key with the Element Of Honesty on its head! Author's Note This chapter and the next one have the same main title, because the word clean has a double meaning. Find out what it is in the next chapter, when I put the spotlight on Rarity! In addition, the odd-one-out bean bag game is inspired by Krazy Kong Klamour in Donkey Kong 64, in which the object is to avoid shooting the Kongs and to shoot only the Golden Bananas. 9. Coming Clean (Rarity’s P.O.V.)“EEEEEEEEEEEE!” Upon waddling in, Twilight heard that scream, which was coming from nopony other than Rarity! Rarity was imprisoned as well—not in a cage, but in a giant foal carriage! She was lying down on her back, her front hooves were buckled down as far apart as possible, and her barrel was buckled down, too! “Twiwight!” she cried. “Tank Queen Sidewia you’ah heah!” “What’s wong, Wawity?” asked Twilight, very worried for Rarity. “I need my diapie changed—and quickwy, too!” cried Rarity. “I need to find a way to get inside youah foal cawwiage fuhst,” answered Twilight. Twilight looked all around Rarity’s carriage/cage for a clue, and she found a hidden button in the bottom of the carriage/cage, which was too small for her hoof. She pushed the button with her horn instead, and two tokens fell from a hole in the ceiling into a bucket on her left. She stomped on the switch in front of that bucket with her front hooves, and then she caught both tokens quickly. One token had a water drop icon on it; the other token had a diaper icon on it. She put the token with the water drop icon into the slot on a counter next to the bucket, and a drawer opposite the bucket opened up. The drawer contained a pack of wet wipes. She picked up the wet wipes, set them on the counter, and closed the drawer again, which caused some tiles on the floor to rise into a staircase, enabling Twilight to access Rarity’s carriage/cage. She went around the staircase to the counter opposite the one with the wet wipes. Then, she put the other token, which had a diaper icon, into the slot on that counter. Another drawer opened up, but this one contained a clean diaper. She took it out, closed the diaper drawer, went back to the counter on which she’d set the wet wipes, and picked them up. With the wet wipes in one hoof and the diaper in the other, Twilight was ready to change Rarity’s diaper at last. She went up the staircase, put her horn through a small hole in the gate of Rarity’s carriage/cage, and lifted her head to open the gate. She went in and changed Rarity’s soaking-wet diaper, remembering to wipe her rump thoroughly. Once Rarity’s diaper change was finished, Twilight picked up the wet diaper and the wet wipes she used and went back down the staircase. She held down the switch next to a diaper pail with her hind hoof, disposed of the used wet wipes and used diaper in the diaper pail, and released the switch to close the pail. As soon as Twilight took her hind hoof off the switch, a rectangular window in the ceiling opened up, revealing a white key with the Element Of Generosity on its head! Author's Note Rarity hates being dirty, hence her needing a diaper change. The diaper change in this chapter is why I rated this story T for Teen instead of E for Everyone. I apologize for such a long chapter, but it’s long only because of the Rube-Goldberg-style route that Twilight Sparkle must take in order to change Rarity’s diaper. Speaking of Rube Goldberg, that complicated diaper changing procedure is inspired by Snide’s blueprint machine, and Snide is a character from Donkey Kong 64. 10. They Meet Again!Pinkie Pie and Twilight Sparkle returned to India with the keys they’d just earned. “India,” asked Twilight, “may I stay behind foah a moment? Deah’s a foal named Wawity, who’s stuck in a giant foal cawwiage!” “Of course, you may,” answered India. “A good friend always keeps somepony else company.” India took the keys that Pinkie and Twilight earned in the magic grasp of her horn. Then, Twilight waddled back to where Rarity was still imprisoned, and Pinkie and India hurried back to where Shining Armor was still imprisoned. “Hi, Shining Awma!” squeaked Pinkie Pie. “We bwought you two keys dis time!” “Perfect timing, you two!” answered Shining Armor, congratulating Pinkie and India. “But who’s the pink foal?” he asked India. “Her name is Pinkie Pie,” answered India. “Well, here come the keys!” she announced, levitating the keys and moving them to the appropriate locks on Shining’s cage. “Yellow lock: yellow key,” she thought, putting the yellow key into the yellow lock. “White lock: white key,” she thought again, putting the white key into the white lock. As soon as she opened the locks, out came two more Elements of Harmony: the Element of Honesty, shaped like an orange apple, and the Element of Generosity, shaped like a purple gem! India seized both Elements with her horn, and then, she and Pinkie hurried back the way they’d gone in to meet up with Twilight Sparkle again. “Good-bye, Shining Armor!” they said in unison as they exited. (Pinkie, still a foal, had a foalish voice, but India’s mature voice drowned Pinkie’s foalish pronunciation out, so Shining heard the same thing from both of them, because in essence, they both said the same thing.) Meanwhile, Twilight Sparkle was snuggling with Rarity, keeping her company as well as keeping her calm and happy, until India came back with the Elements she’d just obtained. “Twilight?” called India, interrupting Twilight and Rarity’s snuggle time. “India!” cried Twilight. “What awe dose?” she asked India, pointing to the jewels above her head. “One of these,” answered India, “is for your new friend, Rarity.” Then, she moved the purple jewel over to Rarity’s foal-carriage-shaped cage, and the jewel unbuckled Rarity from its elevated floor. Rarity, now free to stand back up, took the pack of unused wet wipes with her and exited her prison safely, and then the Element of Generosity vaporized the foal carriage prison. India took care of the leftover wet wipes by teleporting them somewhere safe with her horn. Then, Pinkie, Twilight, and Rarity followed her out of the foal carriage room and into the room in which Applejack was still trapped. Once India and the three foals entered Applejack’s prison room, India levitated the Element of Honesty and dropped it into Applejack’s cage, completely annihilating it and freeing Applejack. “YEEEEEE-HAAAAAW!” hollered Applejack. “Now I got wots moah woom to kick out my hooves and buck apple twees!” “Welcome back, Applejack,” said India, Rarity, Twilight Sparkle, and Pinkie Pie in unison. “We missed you!” cried the foals, and gave Applejack a huge hug. “Awwwww,” said Applejack. “Y’all awe wike famiwy to me.” With that, India and the four foals exited Applejack’s prison room and continued their search for the other Keys of Harmony. Author's Note Yes, the colors of the Keys of Harmony (not to be confused with the canonical Keys of Harmony—the ones from Twilight’s Kingdom (episodes 425 and 426)) do not all match those of their corresponding Elements. The Keys of Laughter and Loyalty match their respective Elements in color exactly, the Key of Honesty differs only slightly in color from the Element of Honesty, and the other three keys (Generosity, Kindness, and Magic) are colored completely differently from their respective elements: the Key of Generosity is white; the Key of Kindness, green; and the Key of Magic, black. 13. Two Keys; One Lock?!Twilight Sparkle and Applejack met up with India yet again. “We found anudda doah key, India!” said Twilight and Applejack together. “Good job, my little ponies,” answered India, taking the door key that the former two had earned from playing Big McIntosh’s game. “You two are very clever.” “Wheah did you get dat udda key, India?” asked Applejack, since India was carrying two keys again! “Pinkie Pie and Rarity found it hanging on one of the walls of the room we just left,” answered India, and Pinkie Pie and Rarity came out from behind her. “Hi!” cried Rarity and Pinkie, who joined Applejack and Twilight in a group foal hug. “Well, now dat we’ah all togedda again,” said Twilight, “wet’s neva spwit up again—eva!” “Wight!” agreed the other three foals. After heading back through the room in which the freely-accessible key had been hanging, India and the foals came upon yet another Element-activated wall, which had the Element of Generosity painted on it. Rarity aimed her necklace at the wall, and it cleared the path easily. Now, they were at another fork in the path! To their left was another keyed door; to their right was another door unlockable with the Element of Honesty. Speaking of honesty, Applejack piped up next, saying, “Wet’s take de weft tuhn dis time. We have two keys, so we might as well use one of ’em.” The other foals, as well as India, complied with Applejack’s advice and took the left turn. Then, India unlocked the keyed door—once again, as always, with her magic horn. Author's Note In the very next chapter, you will finally get to witness Fluttershy in her cage! 15. Mission Accomplished! (Kindness)Carrying the green key with the magic of her horn, Rarity returned to India and the other foals. “Wook at dis key, India!” cried Rarity, showing the key she earned to India. “A job well done, Rarity,” answered India. “Five down, and one to go.” All the foals followed India—yet again—to Shining Armor’s prison. India told him, “Let me introduce you to Applejack and Rarity. We also brought another Key Of Harmony!” “You’re making progress, everypony!” answered Shining Armor. “Just two more keys, and I’m out!” India opened the green lock, which released the Element Of Kindness—a jewel in the shape of a pink butterfly! Wasting no more time with Shining Armor, India took the Element Of Kindness with her, and the four foals followed her back they way they’d come—again! The power of the Element Of Kindness made Fluttershy’s cage vanish, and down she fluttered—very gently—into India’s front hooves. The timid pegasus foal was speechless, but she didn’t need to speak for India to know that she was safe and back in good hooves. Author's Note Only one more pony to rescue—Rainbow Dash! Prologue & Legal DisclaimerAuthor's Note My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic and all characters, trademarks, etc. pertaining thereto are property of Hasbro. My Little Pony toys ©2010-2021 by Hasbro; My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic ©2010-2021 by Hasbro; all rights reserved; all credit granted wherever due. Prologue & Legal Disclaimer Once upon a time, in the capital of Equestria—known as Canterlot—there lived an intelligent unicorn mare named Twilight Sparkle. She lived with her parents, Night Light and Twilight Velvet, as well as her elder brother, Shining Armor. She didn’t know it at the time, but she was about to make five new friends, and their names were Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash. Unfortunately for Twilight Sparkle, Discord had trapped her in a labyrinth modeled after a daycare center. As for Shining Armor, Discord had imprisoned him in the labyrinth, too. Terrified by the disappearance of both of their foals, Twilight Velvet and Night Light could do nothing at all other than hope and pray (to Queen Sideria, perhaps?) for their foals to return to them unharmed. Because there was nothing else they could do, Twilight Sparkle’s parents decided to pray to Queen Sideria, imploring her to save Shining Armor and Twilight Sparkle from the danger in which the latter two found themselves—and each other. 2. Shining PrisonerTwilight Sparkle waddled down a corridor and into a huge room with a hexagonal cage. The cage had six locks, so opening the cage required six keys—one for each Element of Harmony. Imprisoned in the cage was Twilight’s BB/BFF (big brother / best friend forever), Shining Armor! “Shining Awma!” cried Twilight in utter shock. “What happened to you?” “Discord,” answered Shining from his cage. “Discord happened to me.” “By using his chaos magic,” he explained, “he turned this place—the Canterlot Labyrinth—into a foalish nursery-like labyrinth, and he imprisoned me in this cage!” “Dat’s evil!” cried Twilight. “Twily,” ordered Shining, “you have to defeat Discord at any cost. To let me out of this cage, you need to find six keys, which will open the cage’s six locks. The gray key on the wall across from where you came in is a door key, which will unlock any door in this labyrinth, but not my cage. Go take it down; I will help you lift it.” Twilight Sparkle waddled over to the gray door key and seized it with her front hooves. Then, Shining Armor, using his horn, levitated the key and made it lighter so that Twilight could carry it easily. “May Sideria bless you, Twily,” said Shining. “Amen!” answered Twilight, and waddled back the way she’d entered, carrying the key in her front hooves. Author's Note The cage in which Shining Armor is imprisoned is based on the Gazoobo shape sorter toy from Chicco. That children’s toy comes with seven color-coded keys, of which one is a white master key, which will unlock all the doors. Shining Armor’s cage is inspired in part by the Gazoobo and by K.Lumsy’s cage in the video game Donkey Kong 64. 5. Mission Accomplished! (Laughter)A compartment in the toy piano opened up, revealing a blue key with the Element Of Laughter on its head. “Is dat one of de keys to Shining Awma’s cage?!” asked Twilight Sparkle in excitement. “I believe it is!” answered India. “Let’s take it there right now!” she continued, levitating the newly-earned blue key with her horn. “Twily! You’re back!” cried Shining Armor when he saw Twilight and India returning. “We got de fuhst key, Shining Awma!” cried Twilight, and India levitated the key so that Shining could see it. “A job well done, you two!” answered Shining. “Quick—put in the blue lock and open it!” With her powerful magic, India inserted the blue key into the blue lock and opened it. The iron bars below the blue lock fell down, and out came a blue balloon-shaped gem—the Element of Laughter! “We got da fuhst ewement, India!” cried Twilight with joy. “It’s de Ewement of Waughta!” “You can use that Element to release Pinkie Pie from her cage,” explained Shining Armor. “We betta huwwy, India!” said Twilight. “Pinkie Pie needs owa help now!” India grasped the Element of Laughter with her horn’s magic, and she and Twilight hurried back to the room with Pinkie’s cage. Author's Note Up next, it’s Applejack! Stay tuned, everypony! 6. The Keys Of HarmonyWith the Element of Laughter firmly in the grasp of her magic, India levitated it, moved it over to Pinkie Pie’s cage, and dropped it in. Pinkie Pie caught the blue balloon-shaped jewel in her front hooves. As soon as she did so, it gave off a blue aura, which vaporized the cage in which she had been imprisoned. “Wow-weeeeee!” squealed Pinkie in excitement. “I’m fwee; I’m fwee; I’m fwee!” In addition to destroying her cage, the Element of Laughter reappeared around her neck as a necklace with the aforementioned blue balloon-shaped jewel as its centerpiece. “Double wow-wee!” cried Pinkie. “Pwetty neckwace!” “You uhned it, Pinkie,” said Twilight Sparkle. “You helped India and me in owa pwan to wescue you.” “But more importantly,” said India to Twilight, “you learned your letters and how to spell.” “Me, too!” added Pinkie. “Yes,” acknowledged India. “You, too.” India, Pinkie Pie, and Twilight Sparkle exited the room with the toy piano, going back they way they’d gone in. Suddenly, Pinkie spied her Element on the wall to their left. “Wook, Twiwight!” she told Twilight. “De Ewement of Waughta is painted on dat wall!” “Well, Pinkie,” suggested Twilight, “since you have de Ewement of Waughta, how’s about you use it on de wall?” “I hope dis wuhks!” cried Pinkie, standing on her hind hooves and with her new necklace facing the wall with her Element on it. Author's Note This is a cliffhanger. Furthermore, the walls with the Elements Of Harmony on them are analogous to the Kongs’ ammo switches in Donkey Kong 64. The difference between the walls and the switches is that only when a given pony is freed does her Element become visible on the walls that depict it. 11. Another Fork In The RoadIndia and the four foals took a left turn and saw another Element of Harmony on the wall to their left—this time, the Element of Generosity. Applejack and Rarity, just like Pinkie Pie, were wearing necklaces with their respective Elements of Harmony in their centers. “Wet me go next!” cried Rarity, eager to press on. “Dat Ewement on de wall is mine!” By pointing the purple jewel on her necklace towards the wall, she vaporized it, and the five could go forward once again. They came to another fork in the labyrinth, and they decided to split up again. This time, however, Twilight Sparkle went with Applejack, and Pinkie Pie went with Rarity. “Once again,” commanded India, “we must get back together as soon as possible!” India stayed behind while the four foals went their separate ways again—two by two this time, instead of one by one. Twilight and Applejack took the left turn while Pinkie and Rarity took the right turn. Author's Note The next member of the Mane Six for the foals to rescue is Fluttershy. 12. 20 Big Mac QuestionsTwilight Sparkle and Applejack found another Element-activated wall, but this one had the Element of Honesty on it. “Dat’s my Ewement! Dat’s my cue!” cried Applejack, and waddled over to the wall, raising her necklace as high as she could as she aimed it at the wall. The wall disappeared completely, and Applejack and Twilight waddled through the corridor until they arrived in a dead-end room, where they met Big McIntosh—Applejack’s elder brother! “Howdy, Applejack! Twilight!” said BigMcIntosh. “Howdy, big bwudda!” cried Applejack, filled with joy to see her brother again. “Hi, Big Mac!” cried Twilight Sparkle, filled with joy to see a new face. “Guessing game,” said Big Mac to Applejack. “Twenty questions.” “You guess right, you win key,” he added, turning around and pointing to the door key behind him. “Can I pway, too?” asked Twilight. “Eeyup!” answered Big Mac. “The more, the merrier! Applejack goes first, though; she’s my little sister.” The two foals began the guessing game. Starting with Applejack, they took turns posing yes/no questions to Big Mac. “Is it made fwom apples?” asked Applejack. “N-n-nope,” answered Big Mac. “Is it awive?” asked Twilight. “Eeyup,” answered Big Mac. “Is it Apple Bwoom, youah wittle sista?” “N-n-nope.” “Is it Applejack, my new fwiend?” “N-n-nope.” Their game continued for quite a long time until… “Is it Pwincess Wuna?” asked Applejack. “Close, but no Zap Apple Jam,” answered Big Mac. “I know! Is it Pwincess Cewestia?” asked Twilight. “Congratulations, Twilight!” announced Big Mac. “You and Applejack won!” “Hooway!” cheered Twilight and Applejack together; they won the guessing game fair and square. Author's Note 20 Questions is the perfect game for Big McIntosh to play, since he usually only says “Eeyup” or “N-n-nope”. He can say other things, too, as he does in episode 223, Ponyville Confidential. I made him sound like Cookie Monster from Sesame Street in this chapter, because he only says the “important” words in his sentences. Consider it an exaggeration of Big Mac’s not saying much, as if any of you are new to Friendship Is Magic, and therefore, didn’t know that until now. 14. Bonkers Butterfly BanditRarity waddled through the newly-unlocked door, and whom did she see other than Fluttershy? Fluttershy’s crying was too soft for Rarity to hear, but Rarity already knew that she needed to rescue Fluttershy, since Rarity saw Fluttershy trapped in her cage. Rarity also saw a timer high on the wall on her left and a score counter high on the wall on her right. In the center of the room was a tree stump, which contained the Key of Kindness, and just beyond that stump was a butterfly net, which she could use to catch butterflies and score points. She waddled around the stump to a switch in front of the net, and she stomped on the switch with both front hooves. That released the latch that held the net in place, and Rarity caught the net in the magic grasp of her horn. As soon as Rarity caught the butterfly net, the timer started at 59, meaning that she had one minute to catch five butterflies. The first butterfly she caught at 49 seconds on the clock. The second one she caught at 44 seconds. The third was much harder for her to catch than the first two were, but she managed to catch it when the clock said 27. Now short on time, Rarity scampered all over the room to find the fourth butterfly. When she finally caught it, she only had 12 seconds left! Rarity needed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat when she found the fifth and final butterfly. She caught it at the last second—literally, because the timer said 0 when she did so! “Whew!” sighed Rarity, whose face was covered in sweat. Her heavy exercise paid off, though, because a door in the tree stump opened wide, revealing her well-deserved prize—a green key with the Element Of Kindness on its head! Author's Note The title of this chapter is another Donkey Kong 64 reference: Batty Barrel Bandit, a Bonus Stage in which you must line up four Golden Bananas to earn a point and earn three points to win a Golden Banana. In Snide’s HQ, after returning all 40 Blueprints to Snide, you can play a super-hard version of the game, known as Bonkers Barrel Bandit. The game that Rarity must play to release Fluttershy, however, involves not a slot machine but a butterfly net, and its gameplay is more similar to that of another Donkey Kong 64 Bonus Stage: Beaver Bother. 16. High And DryThe five Mane Six babies followed India to another branching path in the labyrinth. Straight ahead was another wall with the Element Of Honesty on it; to the left, another keyed door. “Dis one’s mine! I’m goin’ in!” called Applejack, and by the power of her necklace, she vaporized the wall. “We’ll wait for you in the other room, Applejack,” India told her. “Be careful, now, and good luck!” As Applejack bolted down the newly-revealed corridor, India unlocked the keyed door to the “other room” that she’d mentioned to Applejack. Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle, and Rarity followed India closely. Applejack saw Rainbow Dash trapped in a cell at the top of a huge tower. “AAAPPLEJAAAAACK! GET ME DOWN FWOM HEAAAAAAAH!” screamed Rainbow Dash from her lofty cell. Right in front of Applejack was a special saddlebag. Beyond the saddlebag was a checkered starting line. Applejack donned the saddlebag and dashed past the starting line, at which point a number display right below Rainbow Dash’s cell lit up and showed the number ‘0’. Now, she needed to collect 10 apples scattered throughout the maze that surrounded the tower. Much to her confusion, however, some Changelings—disguised as Apple family members—were guarding some of the apples! She picked up every unguarded apple she found and put it in her saddlebag. As for the guarded apples, she obtained them by giving the Changelings a “no mercy” kind of stare, which took quite a lot of effort on her part. She K.O.’d each Changeling before taking the apple that it was guarding. After collecting all the apples, Applejack arrived at a pulley. The pulley had a big bucket on one end and a platform on the other end. After getting on the platform, she took all the apples she had collected out of her saddlebag and put them into the bucket. The bucket fell, making the platform rise. As the bucket fell, the number on the display increased by 1 all the way to ’10’. Exactly when the display showed ‘10’, the bucket depressed a switch at the bottom of a well (which delimited the path of the bucket). That switch raised the iron bars in front of the newly-raised platform, thus granting her access to an elevator inside the tower. Applejack rode the elevator all the way down, at which point it depressed another switch. That switch opened the elevator’s exit, letting her go through it and back across the starting line. Finally, her prize fell toward her through a hole in the ceiling—a red key with the Element Of Loyalty on its head! Author's Note The apple maze is inspired by Stash Snatch, a Bonus Stage from Donkey Kong 64 in which Chunky Kong must collect DK Coins instead of apples. 17. The Gang’s All Here!“Wook at de wed key I uhned!” Applejack told India. “Congratulations, Applejack!” answered India, praising Applejack’s success. The five foals, with India leading the way (as usual), backtracked for the last time. India put the red key into the red lock of Shining’s cage. Out came the Element of Loyalty—a red lightning-bolt-shaped jewel! There was no time for introductions, and besides, Fluttershy was too bashful for an introduction. The newly-acquired Element Of Loyalty destroyed the tower that held Rainbow Dash prisoner. At last, all of the Mane Six were back together! “Did you miss me, evewypony?” asked Rainbow Dash of the other foals. All six foals nodded and had a big group hug. Author's Note Don’t think for a second that the story ends here. It doesn’t. The Mane Six still need to get the Element Of Magic and free Shining Armor. 18. Time For A Break—And A Change, Too!The Mane Six, of whom all were still foals, had gone in their diapers! They all cried like the babies they were—especially Rarity! Fortunately for them, India remembered the pack of wet wipes that she had teleported away. “You poor foals!” she told the foals in a motherly voice, and with her horn, she teleported them onto the changing table, which was big enough for all six of them. “No wiggling, please,” she warned them, and restrained them with one whole front leg! While she restrained them, she used her other front leg to cuddle them or even tickle them! With both of her front hooves full, she used her horn to do all the rest. First, she unfastened the foals’ diapers. Then, she slipped the diapers gently off their rumps and tails and disposed of them in the diaper pail. Next, she cleaned the foals’ rumps thoroughly—using a dozen wet wipes at a time, no less! Then, she disposed of the wet wipes. Finally, she took out six fresh, new diapers, put them on the foals’ rumps—one diaper per foal—and fastened them. Incidentally, the motif on each foal’s new diaper would become her respective Cutie Mark! Author's Note Here’s another chapter about diaper changing—hence the T for Teen rating. I intentionally omit explicit mentions of what gets a diaper dirty or wet or those body parts which a diaper covers up to avoid the M for Mature rating, and diaper changing is not appropriate subject matter for an E for Everyone rating.
1. Baby Twilight SparkleSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
3. Letters For Foals, Part ITwilight Sparkle returned—with the door key—to where India had been staying behind in case Twilight needed her. “India, wook!” she cried. “A key! Did you wose dis?” “No, I don’t think so,” answered India. “I guess that means you get to keep it.” “Yay!” cheered Twilight. “India, can we go on a tweazha hunt?” “Of course we can, Twilight!” answered India. “But let me carry the key for you; it’s far too heavy for you,” she added, using her horn to remove the key from Shining Armor’s magic grasp—thus returning it to its original weight—and levitate it. “OK,” answered Twilight, and followed India to the door across from the one through which Twilight had entered. India unlocked the door, and then, she and Twilight entered another room with a cage! “EEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!” wailed a pink baby filly—who was trapped in the aforementioned cage—in a voice so high that it would hurt even a Vampire Fruit Bat’s ears. “HEWWO DEAH!” shouted Twilight, trying to get the pink foal to hear her. “WE’AH HEAH TO WESCUE YOU!” Alas, the foal could not hear Twilight. Suddenly, Twilight spied a toy piano with six letters of the alphabet printed on its keys: E, I, K, N, P, and S. “India?” she asked. “What do dose shapes on de piano mean?” “Those are letters, Twilight”, answered India. “You spell ponies’ names with letters.” Author's Note The toy piano with the letters on it is inspired by the Burp-A-Phone in Donkey Kong 64, which is located in Frantic Factory. Lanky Kong must play the correct sequence of burp notes on the Burp-A-Phone to win a Golden Banana.
4. Letters For Foals, Part II“But India,” said Twilight Sparkle, “I don’t know dat pink fiwwy’s name!” India turned to the pink foal and asked her, “What’s your name, little filly?” “Pinkie Pie!” answered the foal. “Can you spell it for us?” asked India. “No,” answered Pinkie Pie sadly. “I don’t know my wettas.” “I do,” said India. “Pinkie Pie, do you see that little foal’s piano?” she asked, pointing to the piano. “Yeah! I see it; I see it!” answered Pinkie cheerfully. India turned to Twilight and told her, “Twilight, that pink foal’s name is Pinkie Pie. Here’s what you need to do: go over to the piano and stomp on its keys. I will spell Pinkie Pie’s name for you by lighting the keys up with my horn; that way, you will know which key to stomp. Ready?” “Weady!” answered Twilight, eager to free Pinkie Pie. India highlighted the P key on the piano first, and Twilight stomped on it with her front hooves. “P!” squeaked a Gummy look-alike as it popped out of the piano, and then it popped back in. Next, India highlighted the I key, and Twilight stomped on it. “I!” squeaked another Gummy look-alike. India and Twilight repeated the steps, and more Gummy look-alikes came out, announcing each letter. “N!” “K!” “I!” “E!” Twilight hesitated for a moment and asked India, “Is Pinkie Pie one wuhd oah two wuhds?” “There’s no Space key on the piano,” answered India. “Just stomp on the letters, like before.” Twilight obeyed India and resumed stomping on the keys. “P!” “I!” “E!” As soon as Twilight stomped on the last key, there was a Pinkie Pie-style party fanfare. Author's Note The situation in which Twilight Sparkle must spell out Pinkie Pie’s name is also inspired by a similar situation in Banjo-Kazooie, in which Banjo and Kazooie must spell the name of the game—with no spaces or hyphens, because neither of those characters is an option—by slamming the tiles on the floor of the sandcastle in Treasure Trove Cove.
7. A Fork In The RoadThe wall with the Element of Laughter on it vanished into nothingess in response to Pinkie Pie’s necklace. “Yay! It wuhked!” cried Pinkie. “Now we can go on twough!” India led Pinkie and Twilight Sparkle to the end of the newly-opened corridor, where they found another door key! “I’ll take that,” said India, grasping the door key—and levitating it—with her horn. India and Twilight took the right turn in the corridor, and Pinkie took the left turn. While India unlocked the next keyed door for Twilight, Pinkie unlocked the next Element of Laughter door by herself. “All right, you two,” said India to Twilight and Pinkie. “If either of you earns another key, bring it to me A.S.A.P.! We need to release Shining Armor, and time is of the essence!” “Quoss my heawt and hope to fwy; stick a cupcake in my eye!” answered Twilight and Pinkie in unison. “Dat’s de Pinkie Pwomise,” explained Pinkie to India. “Good to know!” answered India. “Now hurry!” Author's Note The next chapter will focus on Pinkie Pie’s effort to free Applejack. The chapter after the next one will focus on Twilight Sparkle’s effort to free Rarity.
8. Coming Clean (Applejack’s P.O.V.)When Pinkie Pie waddled through the door, she heard the sound of Applejack’s hind hooves bucking a cage; Applejack was trying—and failing—to escape by means of brute force. “Applejack, stop dat!” shouted Pinkie. “I’m twyin’ to get out of dis heah cage!” answered Applejack. “But nuttin’s wuhkin’!” Pinkie spied a huge yellow floor switch and waddled over to it. “I wonda what dis one does!” squeaked Pinkie, and stomped on the switch with her front hooves. Suddenly, a huge window in the wall opposite Applejack’s cage opened wide, revealing four targets: Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and an apple tree. A number display next to that window lit up, an apple-shaped bean bag fell through a hole in the ceiling, and Pinkie caught the bean bag in her front hooves. “Ooh!” squealed Pinkie in excitement. “Tawget pwactice!” Pinkie threw her bean bag at one of the targets, but it hit the wrong one—Scootaloo! With that, the display turned off and the window closed. “Awwwww!” whined Pinkie. “You can’t just twow dem bean bags at any tawget, Pinkie!” shouted Applejack. “You gotta aim ’em at de odd ones out!” Pinkie tried again. She stomped on the floor switch one more time and caught another falling bean bag, but this time, she looked at every target and aimed for the one that didn’t belong with the others. She threw her bean bag at the apple tree, and it hit it! The number on the display changed from 0 to 1. Pinkie caught another bean bag and aimed it at the apple tree again. She succeeded again, and now, the number on the display was 2. She threw bean bag after bean bag, hitting a Cutie Mark Crusader from time to time, which cost her a point. However, her score didn’t go below 0—unlike last time—and eventually, she got 10 points! There was a barn opposite the door through which Pinkie went in, and its window opened up, revealing a yellow key with the Element Of Honesty on its head! Author's Note This chapter and the next one have the same main title, because the word clean has a double meaning. Find out what it is in the next chapter, when I put the spotlight on Rarity! In addition, the odd-one-out bean bag game is inspired by Krazy Kong Klamour in Donkey Kong 64, in which the object is to avoid shooting the Kongs and to shoot only the Golden Bananas.
9. Coming Clean (Rarity’s P.O.V.)“EEEEEEEEEEEE!” Upon waddling in, Twilight heard that scream, which was coming from nopony other than Rarity! Rarity was imprisoned as well—not in a cage, but in a giant foal carriage! She was lying down on her back, her front hooves were buckled down as far apart as possible, and her barrel was buckled down, too! “Twiwight!” she cried. “Tank Queen Sidewia you’ah heah!” “What’s wong, Wawity?” asked Twilight, very worried for Rarity. “I need my diapie changed—and quickwy, too!” cried Rarity. “I need to find a way to get inside youah foal cawwiage fuhst,” answered Twilight. Twilight looked all around Rarity’s carriage/cage for a clue, and she found a hidden button in the bottom of the carriage/cage, which was too small for her hoof. She pushed the button with her horn instead, and two tokens fell from a hole in the ceiling into a bucket on her left. She stomped on the switch in front of that bucket with her front hooves, and then she caught both tokens quickly. One token had a water drop icon on it; the other token had a diaper icon on it. She put the token with the water drop icon into the slot on a counter next to the bucket, and a drawer opposite the bucket opened up. The drawer contained a pack of wet wipes. She picked up the wet wipes, set them on the counter, and closed the drawer again, which caused some tiles on the floor to rise into a staircase, enabling Twilight to access Rarity’s carriage/cage. She went around the staircase to the counter opposite the one with the wet wipes. Then, she put the other token, which had a diaper icon, into the slot on that counter. Another drawer opened up, but this one contained a clean diaper. She took it out, closed the diaper drawer, went back to the counter on which she’d set the wet wipes, and picked them up. With the wet wipes in one hoof and the diaper in the other, Twilight was ready to change Rarity’s diaper at last. She went up the staircase, put her horn through a small hole in the gate of Rarity’s carriage/cage, and lifted her head to open the gate. She went in and changed Rarity’s soaking-wet diaper, remembering to wipe her rump thoroughly. Once Rarity’s diaper change was finished, Twilight picked up the wet diaper and the wet wipes she used and went back down the staircase. She held down the switch next to a diaper pail with her hind hoof, disposed of the used wet wipes and used diaper in the diaper pail, and released the switch to close the pail. As soon as Twilight took her hind hoof off the switch, a rectangular window in the ceiling opened up, revealing a white key with the Element Of Generosity on its head! Author's Note Rarity hates being dirty, hence her needing a diaper change. The diaper change in this chapter is why I rated this story T for Teen instead of E for Everyone. I apologize for such a long chapter, but it’s long only because of the Rube-Goldberg-style route that Twilight Sparkle must take in order to change Rarity’s diaper. Speaking of Rube Goldberg, that complicated diaper changing procedure is inspired by Snide’s blueprint machine, and Snide is a character from Donkey Kong 64.
10. They Meet Again!Pinkie Pie and Twilight Sparkle returned to India with the keys they’d just earned. “India,” asked Twilight, “may I stay behind foah a moment? Deah’s a foal named Wawity, who’s stuck in a giant foal cawwiage!” “Of course, you may,” answered India. “A good friend always keeps somepony else company.” India took the keys that Pinkie and Twilight earned in the magic grasp of her horn. Then, Twilight waddled back to where Rarity was still imprisoned, and Pinkie and India hurried back to where Shining Armor was still imprisoned. “Hi, Shining Awma!” squeaked Pinkie Pie. “We bwought you two keys dis time!” “Perfect timing, you two!” answered Shining Armor, congratulating Pinkie and India. “But who’s the pink foal?” he asked India. “Her name is Pinkie Pie,” answered India. “Well, here come the keys!” she announced, levitating the keys and moving them to the appropriate locks on Shining’s cage. “Yellow lock: yellow key,” she thought, putting the yellow key into the yellow lock. “White lock: white key,” she thought again, putting the white key into the white lock. As soon as she opened the locks, out came two more Elements of Harmony: the Element of Honesty, shaped like an orange apple, and the Element of Generosity, shaped like a purple gem! India seized both Elements with her horn, and then, she and Pinkie hurried back the way they’d gone in to meet up with Twilight Sparkle again. “Good-bye, Shining Armor!” they said in unison as they exited. (Pinkie, still a foal, had a foalish voice, but India’s mature voice drowned Pinkie’s foalish pronunciation out, so Shining heard the same thing from both of them, because in essence, they both said the same thing.) Meanwhile, Twilight Sparkle was snuggling with Rarity, keeping her company as well as keeping her calm and happy, until India came back with the Elements she’d just obtained. “Twilight?” called India, interrupting Twilight and Rarity’s snuggle time. “India!” cried Twilight. “What awe dose?” she asked India, pointing to the jewels above her head. “One of these,” answered India, “is for your new friend, Rarity.” Then, she moved the purple jewel over to Rarity’s foal-carriage-shaped cage, and the jewel unbuckled Rarity from its elevated floor. Rarity, now free to stand back up, took the pack of unused wet wipes with her and exited her prison safely, and then the Element of Generosity vaporized the foal carriage prison. India took care of the leftover wet wipes by teleporting them somewhere safe with her horn. Then, Pinkie, Twilight, and Rarity followed her out of the foal carriage room and into the room in which Applejack was still trapped. Once India and the three foals entered Applejack’s prison room, India levitated the Element of Honesty and dropped it into Applejack’s cage, completely annihilating it and freeing Applejack. “YEEEEEE-HAAAAAW!” hollered Applejack. “Now I got wots moah woom to kick out my hooves and buck apple twees!” “Welcome back, Applejack,” said India, Rarity, Twilight Sparkle, and Pinkie Pie in unison. “We missed you!” cried the foals, and gave Applejack a huge hug. “Awwwww,” said Applejack. “Y’all awe wike famiwy to me.” With that, India and the four foals exited Applejack’s prison room and continued their search for the other Keys of Harmony. Author's Note Yes, the colors of the Keys of Harmony (not to be confused with the canonical Keys of Harmony—the ones from Twilight’s Kingdom (episodes 425 and 426)) do not all match those of their corresponding Elements. The Keys of Laughter and Loyalty match their respective Elements in color exactly, the Key of Honesty differs only slightly in color from the Element of Honesty, and the other three keys (Generosity, Kindness, and Magic) are colored completely differently from their respective elements: the Key of Generosity is white; the Key of Kindness, green; and the Key of Magic, black.
13. Two Keys; One Lock?!Twilight Sparkle and Applejack met up with India yet again. “We found anudda doah key, India!” said Twilight and Applejack together. “Good job, my little ponies,” answered India, taking the door key that the former two had earned from playing Big McIntosh’s game. “You two are very clever.” “Wheah did you get dat udda key, India?” asked Applejack, since India was carrying two keys again! “Pinkie Pie and Rarity found it hanging on one of the walls of the room we just left,” answered India, and Pinkie Pie and Rarity came out from behind her. “Hi!” cried Rarity and Pinkie, who joined Applejack and Twilight in a group foal hug. “Well, now dat we’ah all togedda again,” said Twilight, “wet’s neva spwit up again—eva!” “Wight!” agreed the other three foals. After heading back through the room in which the freely-accessible key had been hanging, India and the foals came upon yet another Element-activated wall, which had the Element of Generosity painted on it. Rarity aimed her necklace at the wall, and it cleared the path easily. Now, they were at another fork in the path! To their left was another keyed door; to their right was another door unlockable with the Element of Honesty. Speaking of honesty, Applejack piped up next, saying, “Wet’s take de weft tuhn dis time. We have two keys, so we might as well use one of ’em.” The other foals, as well as India, complied with Applejack’s advice and took the left turn. Then, India unlocked the keyed door—once again, as always, with her magic horn. Author's Note In the very next chapter, you will finally get to witness Fluttershy in her cage!
15. Mission Accomplished! (Kindness)Carrying the green key with the magic of her horn, Rarity returned to India and the other foals. “Wook at dis key, India!” cried Rarity, showing the key she earned to India. “A job well done, Rarity,” answered India. “Five down, and one to go.” All the foals followed India—yet again—to Shining Armor’s prison. India told him, “Let me introduce you to Applejack and Rarity. We also brought another Key Of Harmony!” “You’re making progress, everypony!” answered Shining Armor. “Just two more keys, and I’m out!” India opened the green lock, which released the Element Of Kindness—a jewel in the shape of a pink butterfly! Wasting no more time with Shining Armor, India took the Element Of Kindness with her, and the four foals followed her back they way they’d come—again! The power of the Element Of Kindness made Fluttershy’s cage vanish, and down she fluttered—very gently—into India’s front hooves. The timid pegasus foal was speechless, but she didn’t need to speak for India to know that she was safe and back in good hooves. Author's Note Only one more pony to rescue—Rainbow Dash!
Prologue & Legal DisclaimerAuthor's Note My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic and all characters, trademarks, etc. pertaining thereto are property of Hasbro. My Little Pony toys ©2010-2021 by Hasbro; My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic ©2010-2021 by Hasbro; all rights reserved; all credit granted wherever due. Prologue & Legal Disclaimer Once upon a time, in the capital of Equestria—known as Canterlot—there lived an intelligent unicorn mare named Twilight Sparkle. She lived with her parents, Night Light and Twilight Velvet, as well as her elder brother, Shining Armor. She didn’t know it at the time, but she was about to make five new friends, and their names were Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash. Unfortunately for Twilight Sparkle, Discord had trapped her in a labyrinth modeled after a daycare center. As for Shining Armor, Discord had imprisoned him in the labyrinth, too. Terrified by the disappearance of both of their foals, Twilight Velvet and Night Light could do nothing at all other than hope and pray (to Queen Sideria, perhaps?) for their foals to return to them unharmed. Because there was nothing else they could do, Twilight Sparkle’s parents decided to pray to Queen Sideria, imploring her to save Shining Armor and Twilight Sparkle from the danger in which the latter two found themselves—and each other.
2. Shining PrisonerTwilight Sparkle waddled down a corridor and into a huge room with a hexagonal cage. The cage had six locks, so opening the cage required six keys—one for each Element of Harmony. Imprisoned in the cage was Twilight’s BB/BFF (big brother / best friend forever), Shining Armor! “Shining Awma!” cried Twilight in utter shock. “What happened to you?” “Discord,” answered Shining from his cage. “Discord happened to me.” “By using his chaos magic,” he explained, “he turned this place—the Canterlot Labyrinth—into a foalish nursery-like labyrinth, and he imprisoned me in this cage!” “Dat’s evil!” cried Twilight. “Twily,” ordered Shining, “you have to defeat Discord at any cost. To let me out of this cage, you need to find six keys, which will open the cage’s six locks. The gray key on the wall across from where you came in is a door key, which will unlock any door in this labyrinth, but not my cage. Go take it down; I will help you lift it.” Twilight Sparkle waddled over to the gray door key and seized it with her front hooves. Then, Shining Armor, using his horn, levitated the key and made it lighter so that Twilight could carry it easily. “May Sideria bless you, Twily,” said Shining. “Amen!” answered Twilight, and waddled back the way she’d entered, carrying the key in her front hooves. Author's Note The cage in which Shining Armor is imprisoned is based on the Gazoobo shape sorter toy from Chicco. That children’s toy comes with seven color-coded keys, of which one is a white master key, which will unlock all the doors. Shining Armor’s cage is inspired in part by the Gazoobo and by K.Lumsy’s cage in the video game Donkey Kong 64.
5. Mission Accomplished! (Laughter)A compartment in the toy piano opened up, revealing a blue key with the Element Of Laughter on its head. “Is dat one of de keys to Shining Awma’s cage?!” asked Twilight Sparkle in excitement. “I believe it is!” answered India. “Let’s take it there right now!” she continued, levitating the newly-earned blue key with her horn. “Twily! You’re back!” cried Shining Armor when he saw Twilight and India returning. “We got de fuhst key, Shining Awma!” cried Twilight, and India levitated the key so that Shining could see it. “A job well done, you two!” answered Shining. “Quick—put in the blue lock and open it!” With her powerful magic, India inserted the blue key into the blue lock and opened it. The iron bars below the blue lock fell down, and out came a blue balloon-shaped gem—the Element of Laughter! “We got da fuhst ewement, India!” cried Twilight with joy. “It’s de Ewement of Waughta!” “You can use that Element to release Pinkie Pie from her cage,” explained Shining Armor. “We betta huwwy, India!” said Twilight. “Pinkie Pie needs owa help now!” India grasped the Element of Laughter with her horn’s magic, and she and Twilight hurried back to the room with Pinkie’s cage. Author's Note Up next, it’s Applejack! Stay tuned, everypony!
6. The Keys Of HarmonyWith the Element of Laughter firmly in the grasp of her magic, India levitated it, moved it over to Pinkie Pie’s cage, and dropped it in. Pinkie Pie caught the blue balloon-shaped jewel in her front hooves. As soon as she did so, it gave off a blue aura, which vaporized the cage in which she had been imprisoned. “Wow-weeeeee!” squealed Pinkie in excitement. “I’m fwee; I’m fwee; I’m fwee!” In addition to destroying her cage, the Element of Laughter reappeared around her neck as a necklace with the aforementioned blue balloon-shaped jewel as its centerpiece. “Double wow-wee!” cried Pinkie. “Pwetty neckwace!” “You uhned it, Pinkie,” said Twilight Sparkle. “You helped India and me in owa pwan to wescue you.” “But more importantly,” said India to Twilight, “you learned your letters and how to spell.” “Me, too!” added Pinkie. “Yes,” acknowledged India. “You, too.” India, Pinkie Pie, and Twilight Sparkle exited the room with the toy piano, going back they way they’d gone in. Suddenly, Pinkie spied her Element on the wall to their left. “Wook, Twiwight!” she told Twilight. “De Ewement of Waughta is painted on dat wall!” “Well, Pinkie,” suggested Twilight, “since you have de Ewement of Waughta, how’s about you use it on de wall?” “I hope dis wuhks!” cried Pinkie, standing on her hind hooves and with her new necklace facing the wall with her Element on it. Author's Note This is a cliffhanger. Furthermore, the walls with the Elements Of Harmony on them are analogous to the Kongs’ ammo switches in Donkey Kong 64. The difference between the walls and the switches is that only when a given pony is freed does her Element become visible on the walls that depict it.
11. Another Fork In The RoadIndia and the four foals took a left turn and saw another Element of Harmony on the wall to their left—this time, the Element of Generosity. Applejack and Rarity, just like Pinkie Pie, were wearing necklaces with their respective Elements of Harmony in their centers. “Wet me go next!” cried Rarity, eager to press on. “Dat Ewement on de wall is mine!” By pointing the purple jewel on her necklace towards the wall, she vaporized it, and the five could go forward once again. They came to another fork in the labyrinth, and they decided to split up again. This time, however, Twilight Sparkle went with Applejack, and Pinkie Pie went with Rarity. “Once again,” commanded India, “we must get back together as soon as possible!” India stayed behind while the four foals went their separate ways again—two by two this time, instead of one by one. Twilight and Applejack took the left turn while Pinkie and Rarity took the right turn. Author's Note The next member of the Mane Six for the foals to rescue is Fluttershy.
12. 20 Big Mac QuestionsTwilight Sparkle and Applejack found another Element-activated wall, but this one had the Element of Honesty on it. “Dat’s my Ewement! Dat’s my cue!” cried Applejack, and waddled over to the wall, raising her necklace as high as she could as she aimed it at the wall. The wall disappeared completely, and Applejack and Twilight waddled through the corridor until they arrived in a dead-end room, where they met Big McIntosh—Applejack’s elder brother! “Howdy, Applejack! Twilight!” said BigMcIntosh. “Howdy, big bwudda!” cried Applejack, filled with joy to see her brother again. “Hi, Big Mac!” cried Twilight Sparkle, filled with joy to see a new face. “Guessing game,” said Big Mac to Applejack. “Twenty questions.” “You guess right, you win key,” he added, turning around and pointing to the door key behind him. “Can I pway, too?” asked Twilight. “Eeyup!” answered Big Mac. “The more, the merrier! Applejack goes first, though; she’s my little sister.” The two foals began the guessing game. Starting with Applejack, they took turns posing yes/no questions to Big Mac. “Is it made fwom apples?” asked Applejack. “N-n-nope,” answered Big Mac. “Is it awive?” asked Twilight. “Eeyup,” answered Big Mac. “Is it Apple Bwoom, youah wittle sista?” “N-n-nope.” “Is it Applejack, my new fwiend?” “N-n-nope.” Their game continued for quite a long time until… “Is it Pwincess Wuna?” asked Applejack. “Close, but no Zap Apple Jam,” answered Big Mac. “I know! Is it Pwincess Cewestia?” asked Twilight. “Congratulations, Twilight!” announced Big Mac. “You and Applejack won!” “Hooway!” cheered Twilight and Applejack together; they won the guessing game fair and square. Author's Note 20 Questions is the perfect game for Big McIntosh to play, since he usually only says “Eeyup” or “N-n-nope”. He can say other things, too, as he does in episode 223, Ponyville Confidential. I made him sound like Cookie Monster from Sesame Street in this chapter, because he only says the “important” words in his sentences. Consider it an exaggeration of Big Mac’s not saying much, as if any of you are new to Friendship Is Magic, and therefore, didn’t know that until now.
14. Bonkers Butterfly BanditRarity waddled through the newly-unlocked door, and whom did she see other than Fluttershy? Fluttershy’s crying was too soft for Rarity to hear, but Rarity already knew that she needed to rescue Fluttershy, since Rarity saw Fluttershy trapped in her cage. Rarity also saw a timer high on the wall on her left and a score counter high on the wall on her right. In the center of the room was a tree stump, which contained the Key of Kindness, and just beyond that stump was a butterfly net, which she could use to catch butterflies and score points. She waddled around the stump to a switch in front of the net, and she stomped on the switch with both front hooves. That released the latch that held the net in place, and Rarity caught the net in the magic grasp of her horn. As soon as Rarity caught the butterfly net, the timer started at 59, meaning that she had one minute to catch five butterflies. The first butterfly she caught at 49 seconds on the clock. The second one she caught at 44 seconds. The third was much harder for her to catch than the first two were, but she managed to catch it when the clock said 27. Now short on time, Rarity scampered all over the room to find the fourth butterfly. When she finally caught it, she only had 12 seconds left! Rarity needed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat when she found the fifth and final butterfly. She caught it at the last second—literally, because the timer said 0 when she did so! “Whew!” sighed Rarity, whose face was covered in sweat. Her heavy exercise paid off, though, because a door in the tree stump opened wide, revealing her well-deserved prize—a green key with the Element Of Kindness on its head! Author's Note The title of this chapter is another Donkey Kong 64 reference: Batty Barrel Bandit, a Bonus Stage in which you must line up four Golden Bananas to earn a point and earn three points to win a Golden Banana. In Snide’s HQ, after returning all 40 Blueprints to Snide, you can play a super-hard version of the game, known as Bonkers Barrel Bandit. The game that Rarity must play to release Fluttershy, however, involves not a slot machine but a butterfly net, and its gameplay is more similar to that of another Donkey Kong 64 Bonus Stage: Beaver Bother.
16. High And DryThe five Mane Six babies followed India to another branching path in the labyrinth. Straight ahead was another wall with the Element Of Honesty on it; to the left, another keyed door. “Dis one’s mine! I’m goin’ in!” called Applejack, and by the power of her necklace, she vaporized the wall. “We’ll wait for you in the other room, Applejack,” India told her. “Be careful, now, and good luck!” As Applejack bolted down the newly-revealed corridor, India unlocked the keyed door to the “other room” that she’d mentioned to Applejack. Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle, and Rarity followed India closely. Applejack saw Rainbow Dash trapped in a cell at the top of a huge tower. “AAAPPLEJAAAAACK! GET ME DOWN FWOM HEAAAAAAAH!” screamed Rainbow Dash from her lofty cell. Right in front of Applejack was a special saddlebag. Beyond the saddlebag was a checkered starting line. Applejack donned the saddlebag and dashed past the starting line, at which point a number display right below Rainbow Dash’s cell lit up and showed the number ‘0’. Now, she needed to collect 10 apples scattered throughout the maze that surrounded the tower. Much to her confusion, however, some Changelings—disguised as Apple family members—were guarding some of the apples! She picked up every unguarded apple she found and put it in her saddlebag. As for the guarded apples, she obtained them by giving the Changelings a “no mercy” kind of stare, which took quite a lot of effort on her part. She K.O.’d each Changeling before taking the apple that it was guarding. After collecting all the apples, Applejack arrived at a pulley. The pulley had a big bucket on one end and a platform on the other end. After getting on the platform, she took all the apples she had collected out of her saddlebag and put them into the bucket. The bucket fell, making the platform rise. As the bucket fell, the number on the display increased by 1 all the way to ’10’. Exactly when the display showed ‘10’, the bucket depressed a switch at the bottom of a well (which delimited the path of the bucket). That switch raised the iron bars in front of the newly-raised platform, thus granting her access to an elevator inside the tower. Applejack rode the elevator all the way down, at which point it depressed another switch. That switch opened the elevator’s exit, letting her go through it and back across the starting line. Finally, her prize fell toward her through a hole in the ceiling—a red key with the Element Of Loyalty on its head! Author's Note The apple maze is inspired by Stash Snatch, a Bonus Stage from Donkey Kong 64 in which Chunky Kong must collect DK Coins instead of apples.
17. The Gang’s All Here!“Wook at de wed key I uhned!” Applejack told India. “Congratulations, Applejack!” answered India, praising Applejack’s success. The five foals, with India leading the way (as usual), backtracked for the last time. India put the red key into the red lock of Shining’s cage. Out came the Element of Loyalty—a red lightning-bolt-shaped jewel! There was no time for introductions, and besides, Fluttershy was too bashful for an introduction. The newly-acquired Element Of Loyalty destroyed the tower that held Rainbow Dash prisoner. At last, all of the Mane Six were back together! “Did you miss me, evewypony?” asked Rainbow Dash of the other foals. All six foals nodded and had a big group hug. Author's Note Don’t think for a second that the story ends here. It doesn’t. The Mane Six still need to get the Element Of Magic and free Shining Armor.
18. Time For A Break—And A Change, Too!The Mane Six, of whom all were still foals, had gone in their diapers! They all cried like the babies they were—especially Rarity! Fortunately for them, India remembered the pack of wet wipes that she had teleported away. “You poor foals!” she told the foals in a motherly voice, and with her horn, she teleported them onto the changing table, which was big enough for all six of them. “No wiggling, please,” she warned them, and restrained them with one whole front leg! While she restrained them, she used her other front leg to cuddle them or even tickle them! With both of her front hooves full, she used her horn to do all the rest. First, she unfastened the foals’ diapers. Then, she slipped the diapers gently off their rumps and tails and disposed of them in the diaper pail. Next, she cleaned the foals’ rumps thoroughly—using a dozen wet wipes at a time, no less! Then, she disposed of the wet wipes. Finally, she took out six fresh, new diapers, put them on the foals’ rumps—one diaper per foal—and fastened them. Incidentally, the motif on each foal’s new diaper would become her respective Cutie Mark! Author's Note Here’s another chapter about diaper changing—hence the T for Teen rating. I intentionally omit explicit mentions of what gets a diaper dirty or wet or those body parts which a diaper covers up to avoid the M for Mature rating, and diaper changing is not appropriate subject matter for an E for Everyone rating.
