My name is... Ava Carter.

Moondancer's Perspective

Wherever we were, it stank.

The stench was overwhelming, a nauseating blend of rotting vegetation, unwashed fur, and something metallic that I didn’t want to think too hard about. The burlap bag over my head didn’t help, its coarse fibers scratching at my fur and adding to the general discomfort.

"Moondancer," Lyra’s muffled voice piped up beside me, trembling slightly. "What are these things? Do you know? You’re supposed to know this kind of stuff!"

I gritted my teeth, trying to wriggle against the tiny, clawed hands gripping my sides. "Lyra, I don’t exactly have my encyclopedia of magical creatures handy right now."

The claws dug in tighter, and I winced as the creatures—whatever they were—chittered and cackled around us. Their voices were high-pitched and grating, a chaotic cacophony that made it impossible to tell how many there were.

"Seriously," Lyra pressed, her voice rising with panic. "You’re the brainy one! Just guess!"

I took a deep breath, or as deep as I could manage without gagging on the smell. Focus, Moondancer. Analyze the situation.

The claws were small but strong, the hands themselves rough and gnarled like they belonged to something that spent its life burrowing or scavenging. Their grip was coordinated, each creature moving in sync with the others, dragging us steadily forward despite our struggling.

"I think…" I started, my mind racing as I pieced it together. "I think they’re constructs. Some kind of magical creation. They feel too… unnatural to be an actual species. Discord probably made them."

"Great," Lyra muttered through her bag. "So we’re being kidnapped by some DIY abominations. That’s comforting."

"Just stay calm," I said, though my own heart was pounding.

"Easy for you to say! You’re calm about everything!"

I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could, the clawed hands holding us tightened and a guttural voice barked something unintelligible. The creatures slowed to a stop, their voices dropping to low, excited murmurs.

Then, with a sudden jerk, the bag was ripped from my head.

I blinked against the sudden brightness, my eyes watering as they adjusted to the dim, flickering glow of torches lining the walls. When my vision cleared, I wished I still had the bag on.

We were in an enormous underground cavern, its walls jagged and uneven, like the inside of a monstrous beast’s ribcage. Wooden bridges crisscrossed the space, rickety and uneven, their planks sagging under the weight of the goblin-like creatures scurrying across them. Spiral staircases twisted nonsensically, some leading to nowhere, others looping back on themselves.

But the centerpiece of the cavern was what truly caught my attention.

At the far end of the room, a massive statue of Discord loomed over everything, carved crudely from dark stone. It was comically exaggerated—his head oversized, his grin impossibly wide, his mismatched limbs out of proportion. A gigantic crown sat crooked on his head, and a tattered cape hung from his shoulders.

For a moment, I forgot the danger we were in as my mind raced with theories. Did Discord create this as a joke? A tribute to himself? Or did these creatures do it, worshipping him like some chaotic deity?

Before I could figure it out, a raspy, gravelly voice echoed through the cavern.

"Bring them... to ME!"

The creatures surrounding us chittered excitedly, their clawed hands dragging us forward once more. I tried to resist, but their grip was unrelenting.

We were hauled across one of the precarious bridges, the planks creaking ominously beneath us, and down a winding staircase that led to the base of the Discord statue. There, sitting on a crude wooden throne made of mismatched planks and adorned with scraps of shiny metal, was the ugliest creature I had ever seen.

It was one of them, but larger and far older, its skin sagging and wrinkled like an overripe fruit. Its claws were longer, its teeth yellow and jagged, and one of its eyes was clouded and milky. A rusty crown perched crookedly on its head, as though it were mimicking the statue behind it.

"So..." the creature rasped, leaning forward on its throne. "These are the intruders, hmm? Ponies. Shiny-loving ponies."

"Ponies!" the surrounding creatures echoed, their voices high-pitched and mocking.

Lyra glared at them, her ears pinned back. "Who are you calling shiny-loving, you walking dumpster fire?"

The king ignored her, its milky eye narrowing as it focused on me. "You... the smart one," it said, its voice slow and deliberate. "You know... who we are?"

I hesitated, my mind racing. “You’re ...- I...”

The king grinned, revealing rows of uneven teeth. “We are the Partypoopers!” It raised its claws triumphantly, and the surrounding creatures let out a cacophony of cheers and growls.

"Partypoopers?" Lyra echoed, incredulous. "Seriously? That’s what you call yourselves?"

"Quiet!" the king snapped, its voice cracking like a whip. It leaned closer, its cloudy eye glinting with malice. "Partypoopers... make Discord smile. Make him proud. And you..." It jabbed a claw toward me. "You will entertain him."

Lyra and I exchanged a nervous glance. Whatever the Partypoopers had planned, it wasn’t going to be good.

The Partypoopers’ idea of entertainment was… absurd. Ridiculous, even. And yet, as I stood there, my hooves chained together and my mane reeking of whatever foul substance coated the goblins’ claws, I couldn’t deny the very real danger we were in.

The king leaned back on his rickety throne, his gnarled claws tapping together with delight. “Yes… yes! Shiny ponies go in the bubbly! Very shiny, very fun!”

The goblins around us chittered in agreement, their sharp voices rising in a chaotic chorus.

I glanced at Lyra, whose ears were perked in confusion. “What’s the bubbly?” she whispered, her voice low.

“I don’t know,” I muttered, my eyes narrowing as I scanned the cavern for anything that might give us a clue. “But I’m guessing it’s not—”

Before I could finish, the crowd of goblins parted with a flourish, revealing a massive pit at the far end of the cavern.

The “bubbly” was, for lack of a better term, lava—if lava had been carbonated and dyed a sickly, neon orange. It bubbled and frothed like an oversized cauldron of soda, the surface hissing and popping with an unsettling intensity. A faint, sickly-sweet smell wafted from it, mixing horribly with the already rank air of the cavern.

The bubbly let out a loud hiss, and a geyser shot up from its surface, spraying droplets of the molten liquid into the air. The droplets hit the stone floor with a sharp sizzle, leaving behind tiny, charred craters.

The king let out a rasping laugh, his crooked crown wobbling precariously on his head. “Shiny ponies will sparkle in the bubbly! Discord will be pleased!”

“Yeah, I don’t think Discord actually cares,” I muttered under my breath, my mind racing as I tried to come up with a plan.

Before I could say anything else, two goblins scuttled forward, dragging a tall, spindly figure behind them. Unlike the others, this one was… disturbingly clean. Its skin was still green and leathery, but its claws were trimmed, and it wore a threadbare waistcoat that looked like it might have once been fancy.

“Dresser!” the king barked, pointing a claw at us. “Make them shiny! Very shiny!”

The goblin—Dresser, apparently—pushed up the tiny monocle balanced on its snout and nodded briskly. “Yes, Your Majesty,” it said in a surprisingly smooth voice.

Dresser approached us with a bundle of mismatched jewelry, ribbons, and sequins, all jangling noisily in its arms. It squinted at me first, tilting its head as if considering my “aesthetic.”

“Hold still,” it said, its tone clipped and professional. “This won’t hurt. Much.”

“Much?!” Lyra yelped, trying to take a step back despite the chains holding her in place.

Dresser ignored her, carefully draping a garish string of pearls around my neck and attaching a sequined bow to my mane. It adjusted the bow several times before finally nodding in satisfaction. “Elegant. Simple. But daring.”

Dresser didn’t respond. It had already moved on to Lyra, its claws working with unnerving precision as it clipped shiny bracelets onto her legs and tied a gaudy sash around her waist.

Lyra gave me a sidelong glance, her lips twitching as she tried not to laugh. “At least I’ll look fabulous when I die, right?”

I groaned, leaning toward her as Dresser busied itself with another bundle of accessories. “Lyra,” I whispered, my voice urgent. “We need to figure out a way out of this.”

“No kidding,” she muttered back, wincing as Dresser tugged at her mane. “Got any bright ideas, Ms. Encyclopedia?”

My mind raced as I glanced around the cavern. The goblins were distracted, their attention focused on the spectacle of our “shiny” transformations. The chains on our legs were thick, but the locks looked old and rusty. If I could get my hooves on something sharp…

“Okay,” I whispered, lowering my voice further. “The locks on these chains look weak. If we can find something to break them—”

“Like what?” Lyra hissed, her eyes darting around. “A rusty nail? A sharp rock?”

“I don’t know yet!” I snapped, frustration bubbling up alongside the panic. “Just keep an eye out!”

“Time to shine!” Dresser declared, stepping back to admire its work.

The goblins cheered, their voices grating and chaotic as they began dragging us toward the edge of the bubbly pit. The heat was oppressive, the sickly-sweet smell growing stronger with every step.

“Moondancer?” Lyra said, her voice tight with fear.

“Yeah?”

“Please tell me you’ve got something. Anything.”

I clenched my jaw, my mind racing as I desperately tried to come up with a plan. “Working on it,” I muttered, my eyes scanning the ground for anything that could help us escape.

The king stood on his throne, raising his gnarled claws triumphantly. “Shiny ponies go in the bubbly! Discord will laugh! Discord will be pleased!”

I swallowed hard, my heart pounding as the edge of the pit loomed closer. We were running out of time.

The bubbly pit loomed before us, its neon-orange surface hissing and popping with menacing glee. The heat was unbearable, waves of it pressing against my face and filling my nostrils with the sickly-sweet stench of molten cola.

Lyra and I stumbled as the goblins dragged us closer, our chains clinking loudly with every step. Despite the absurdity of our situation—the gaudy jewelry, the sequined bows, the bizarre soda-lava—I couldn’t stop the icy dread creeping into my chest.

“This is it,” Lyra said, her voice trembling as she gave me a sideways glance. “This is how we go out. Looking like discount Hearth’s Warming decorations.”

I swallowed hard, forcing down the lump in my throat. “We’re not done yet,” I said, though the words sounded hollow even to me.

We stopped at the edge of the pit, the goblins cackling as they crowded around us. I could feel the bubbling heat below, the fizzing surface practically daring me to take another step.

Lyra reached for my hoof, her chains rattling as she managed to hook her fetlock around mine. “Hey,” she said softly, her eyes glistening. “If this is it… it’s been nice, Moondancer.”

I bit my lip, the weight of her words hitting me harder than I expected. “Lyra, don’t—”

“Seriously,” she interrupted, giving me a shaky smile. “You’re smart. Like, scary smart. And yeah, you can be a little intense sometimes, but… I’m glad I got to know you.”

I stared at her, my chest tightening as a wave of guilt washed over me. I had been so focused on logic and survival, on analyzing every detail, that I hadn’t stopped to appreciate what we’d gone through together.

“Lyra,” I said quietly, my voice trembling, “I—”

A sudden, piercing scream echoed through the cavern, cutting me off mid-sentence.

The goblins froze, their cackling abruptly silenced as they turned toward the source of the sound. Even Lyra and I snapped our heads around, our ears perking up as the scream grew louder.

At the far end of the cave, two figures emerged from the shadows, charging toward us with all the grace and subtlety of a stampede.

“Oh my Celestia,” Lyra whispered, her eyes widening. “Is that—?”

“Ava!” I breathed, relief flooding through me.

Sure enough, Ava was leading the charge, a determined scowl on her face and a long stick clutched tightly in her hooves. Twilight was right behind her, wielding a similarly unimpressive weapon with a mixture of awkwardness and determination.

“Get away from them, you freaks!” Ava bellowed, her voice echoing through the cavern as she swung her stick wildly.

The goblins screeched in surprise, their chaotic formation breaking apart as Ava and Twilight barreled into them. Ava’s stick connected with the nearest goblin, sending it tumbling backward into its companions. Twilight followed suit, her strikes more precise but no less effective.

Lyra let out a choked laugh, her eyes shimmering with a mixture of disbelief and joy. “They’re actually doing it! They’re saving us!”

As if on cue, the goblins began to regroup, their screeches growing louder as they swarmed around Ava and Twilight. The two of them fought valiantly, their sticks swinging with impressive force, but it wasn’t enough.

One by one, the goblins closed in, their clawed hands grabbing at Ava and Twilight’s legs and sides. Ava kicked furiously, her stick snapping in half as she tried to fend them off. Twilight managed to stun one of the creatures with a particularly sharp jab, but another quickly took its place.

“Let go, you goddamn little creeps!” Ava shouted, her voice filled with frustration as she struggled against the growing swarm.

But it was no use. Within moments, the goblins had overwhelmed them, dragging them down and pinning them to the ground.

The king let out a raspy laugh, his milky eye gleaming with delight. “More shiny ponies! More fun!”

My heart sank as I watched Ava and Twilight struggle, their faces twisted with anger and desperation. The relief I had felt moments ago was quickly replaced by a crushing sense of helplessness.

“This is bad,” Lyra whispered, her voice trembling. “This is really, really bad.”

Back to Ava!

I was not going to die in a pit of bubbling soda-lava.

The goblins’ claws dug into my sides as they dragged me closer to the edge of the fizzing death trap. The heat was unbearable, and the sweet, sickly smell of the bubbly made my stomach churn. My fur was damp with sweat—or fear—and my legs were practically useless with these stupid chains.

And to top it all off, Dresser, the world’s most annoyingly fastidious goblin, was adding the final touches to my outfit.

“There,” he said, stepping back with a self-satisfied smirk. “Absolutely radiant.”

I glanced down at myself and nearly gagged. My mane had been tied into some ridiculous knot with a giant sequined bow, and I was draped in a tangled mess of glittering necklaces and shiny ribbons. I looked like the losing contestant at a really bad pageant.

“Wow,” I deadpanned, glaring at him. “I’ve always wanted to look like a piñata that threw up on itself. Thanks for making my dreams come true.”

Dresser didn’t even flinch. He simply turned to Twilight, who was similarly bedecked in a mess of shiny garb, and gave her mane an overly enthusiastic fluff. “You’re welcome.”

Twilight, for her part, looked less murderous than me but still visibly irritated. “This is ridiculous,” she muttered, her eyes darting to the bubbly pit.

“Ridiculous is an understatement,” I shot back, eyeing the pit warily. The fizzy surface hissed and popped, a geyser of molten cola shooting up and sizzling against the rocky ceiling. “They’re actually gonna throw us in there.”

Twilight said nothing, her jaw tightening.

Before I could say anything else, Dresser gave us a little shove, sending us stumbling closer to the edge.

“Careful!” I snapped, glaring at him. “You push me into that pit, and I’m taking you with me!”

Dresser smirked. “Unlikely. My duty is to accessorize, not perish.”

“Lucky you,” I muttered, my heart pounding as I glanced at the bubbling surface below. My mind raced, desperate for a way out of this mess.

That’s when I noticed the statue.

It was hard to miss, really—a massive, gaudy monument to Discord himself, standing smugly at the far end of the cavern. But it wasn’t the statue itself that caught my attention. It was the oversized crown perched on its head.

An idea sparked in my mind. A stupid, ridiculous idea. But it was better than nothing.

“Hey, King Ugly!” I shouted, turning my glare on the goblin leader.

The king’s milky eye narrowed as he leaned forward on his rickety throne. “What… did you call me?”

“King Ugly,” I repeated, smirking despite the claws gripping my sides. “You seriously think this is gonna please Discord? Throwing us into your sugar-soda jacuzzi while we’re dressed like discount Halloween costume?”

The goblins hissed and growled around me, and I heard Twilight mutter, “Ava, stop.”

But I didn’t. If this was going to work, I had to keep pushing.

“You call yourselves Partypoopers,” I continued, my voice dripping with mockery. “But this? This is amateur hour. Discord’s the Lord of Chaos! You think he’s gonna be impressed by this half-baked bullshit?”

The king growled, his claws tapping against the armrest of his throne. “You dare insult… the Partypoopers?”

“I’m just calling it like I see it,” I shot back. “If you really want to impress Discord, you’ve gotta go big. And shiny. Like, actually shiny. Not this glittery garbage.”

The king’s eye twitched, and Twilight shot me a warning glance. “Ava,” she hissed, her voice low. “What are you doing?”

I ignored her, my gaze locked on the king. “You want to make Discord laugh? You want to make him proud? Then give him what he really deserves—the shiniest treasures you’ve got.” I pointed a hoof toward the elements, which were sitting in a messy pile beside the throne. “Like those.”

The king’s gaze followed my hoof, his milky eye narrowing as he stared at the crown and necklaces.

Twilight, finally catching on, straightened up and nodded. “She’s right,” she said, her voice calm and authoritative. “Discord’s magic craves chaos, yes, but it also craves extravagance. If you truly wish to honor him, you must use only the most exquisite items for your display.”

Lyra and Moondancer, still chained near the bubbly pit, stared at us like we’d lost our minds.

“Are you two serious right now?” Lyra hissed, her voice barely audible over the goblins’ murmurs.

“Shh,” Moondancer muttered, her gaze fixed on the king.

The king tapped his claws together, his expression thoughtful. “The shiny treasures… for Discord?”

“Yes,” I said quickly, giving him my best smug smile. “Only the best for the Lord of Chaos. And those shiny treasures? They’re perfect.”

The king grumbled, his claws scraping against his throne as he considered. Finally, he waved a claw at his minions.

“Give the shiny crown… to the loud one,” he ordered, pointing at me. “And the necklaces… to the others!”

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding as the goblins scurried to obey.

“Nice work,” Twilight murmured under her breath as one of the goblins placed the Element of Magic crown on my head.

“Thanks,” I whispered back, my heart pounding as I felt the familiar weight of the crown settle on my mane. “Now let’s hope this works.”

The goblins began chanting the moment the Element of Magic settled on my head. Their high-pitched, screechy voices rose in a chaotic chorus, repeating the word "shiny" over and over like it was the only thing they knew how to say.

"Shiny! Shiny! Shiny!"

I smirked, adjusting the crown slightly. It wasn’t the most comfortable thing I’d ever worn—seriously, how did Twilight not get a headache from this thing?—but it felt good. Powerful, even.

"Are you completely insane?!" Lyra shouted, her voice cutting through the chanting like a knife.

I turned to her, my smirk widening. “What can I say? Desperate times, desperate measures.”

Lyra’s eyes narrowed, her shiny accessories clinking as she shifted in her chains. “You’re gonna get us all killed! What if this doesn’t work? What if the Elements don’t do anything? They’ll be ruined!”

“Relax,” I said, giving her a quick wink. “I’ve got a good feeling about this.”

That was a lie, of course. I didn’t have a “good feeling” about any of this. My heart was pounding, my legs felt like jelly, and the heat of the bubbly pit was making me lightheaded. But I couldn’t let her see that.

Harmony, please don’t let me down now, I thought desperately.

The goblins’ chanting grew louder as they surrounded the pit, their beady eyes gleaming with excitement. The king, still perched on his rickety throne, watched with a crooked grin, his milky eye glinting in the torchlight.

"Shiny ponies… into the bubbly!" he bellowed, pointing a gnarled claw toward the pit.

“What?!” I yelped, my stomach dropping. “Wait a second—”

Before I could say anything else, the goblins shoved us forward.

My hooves scrambled for purchase, but the slick surface of the wooden platform offered no grip. Twilight let out a startled gasp as she stumbled beside me, her hornless forehead bumping against mine as we both tipped over the edge.

The heat hit me first, an intense, suffocating wave that made my eyes water. Then came the fizzing sound, loud and menacing, like the bubbly was mocking us as we fell.

This is it, I thought, panic clawing at my chest. I’m gonna die in a pit of soda-lava, dressed like a rejected holiday decoration. What a way to go.

But then, just as the fizzing heat reached its peak, something incredible happened.

The crown on my head glowed.

A soft, golden light spread outward, meeting the faint glow of the necklaces around Lyra and Moondancer. The three Elements pulsed together, their light growing brighter and brighter until it surrounded us in a blinding flash.

I felt a sudden jolt, like I’d been yanked upward by an invisible string. The heat of the bubbly vanished, replaced by a cool, comforting breeze.

When I opened my eyes, we were floating.

I blinked, trying to process what I was seeing. Twilight, Lyra, Moondancer, and I were encased in a shimmering, iridescent bubble of light. It was warm and soft, like being wrapped in the world’s coziest blanket, and it hummed with a faint, harmonious melody that made my chest feel lighter.

The bubbly pit below us hissed angrily, its neon surface bubbling and frothing like a child throwing a tantrum. The goblins, meanwhile, were completely mesmerized.

“Shiny…” one of them whispered, its clawed hand reaching toward the bubble.

“Shiny,” another echoed, its voice trembling with awe.

The chanting resumed, but this time it was different. Softer, reverent. “Shiny… shiny… shiny…”

Even the king seemed struck by the sight, his milky eye widening as he stumbled off his throne. He fell to his knees, his claws clutching at his chest as he bowed low. “A sign! A blessing! The shiny ponies… are chosen!”

“Uh, Ava?” Lyra said, her voice shaky as she clutched her necklace. “What the hay is happening right now?”

I couldn’t help but laugh, the sound bubbling out of me like the fizzy pit below. “I think… I think Harmony just saved our flanks.”

Twilight gave me a sidelong glance, her expression caught between disbelief and a grudging sort of respect. “I’ll admit, I didn’t think your plan would work.”

“Neither did I,” I admitted, grinning.

The bubble of light began to rise higher, pulling us away from the pit and the goblins below. The king let out a pitiful wail, reaching toward us as though he couldn’t bear to see us go.

“Wait!” he cried, his voice breaking. “Take the shiny back to Discord! Please!”

“Sorry, King Ugly,” I called down, unable to resist one last jab. “Looks like this shiny’s got other plans!”

As the bubble carried us higher, I couldn’t help but feel a surge of hope. The Elements had worked. We were alive. And now, we had a chance to turn this fight around.

The transition was seamless, like being whisked away by a soft breeze. One moment, we were floating above a pit of molten cola, the goblins chanting below us. The next, the shimmering bubble of light landed gently on the smooth marble floor of a dimly lit corridor.

The light faded, and we were left standing in the silence, the warmth of Harmony still lingering in the air. My hooves felt solid beneath me again, but my knees wobbled like jelly as I tried to process everything that had just happened.

"Everybody okay?" I asked, turning to the others. My voice was steadier than I felt.

Twilight nodded, though her mane was frazzled, and her chest heaved as she caught her breath. "I think so," she said, her voice a bit hoarse.

Lyra slumped against the wall, her sequined sash slipping down her side. "I’m shiny, sweaty, and completely over this day," she muttered, rubbing her temples.

Moondancer adjusted her glasses, her expression thoughtful despite the exhaustion in her eyes. "That… was incredible," she said softly. "The Elements—whatever just happened—saved us. They really are powerful."

"Yeah, yeah," I said, my heart still racing. "Harmony’s great and all, but we need to stay on guard. I doubt that was the last time Discord throws something insane at us."

As if on cue, a sound echoed down the corridor, breaking the momentary calm.

It was faint at first, like the distant rustling of leaves. But as it grew louder, it became unmistakable: a low, heart-wrenching wail, carrying with it the unmistakable sound of… sorrow?

Twilight’s ears perked up, her eyes widening as she whipped her head toward the sound. “That voice…” she whispered, her tone suddenly urgent.

“What is it?” I asked, but she didn’t answer.

Her legs were already moving, her hooves clattering against the marble as she galloped toward the end of the corridor.

“Twilight!” I shouted, chasing after her. “Wait! It could be a trap!”

“I don’t care!” she shouted back, her voice raw. “That’s Princess Celestia! I know it’s her!”

I exchanged a quick glance with Lyra and Moondancer, who both looked equally uncertain, before we all bolted after Twilight.