My Little Friends

Reign Of The Night - Part 2

In the previous chapter, during the Summer Solstice Festival, Nightmare Moon appears unexpectedly. The girls manage to escape and hide in the library, where they debate the possibility that Nightmare Moon is actually Luna, and the reasons for her being like this. During the discussion, Twilight finds a book about the Elements of Harmony, which should be in the abandoned castle in the Forest of Freedom. Determined to help Luna, they set off in search of the elements. On the way, the girls are attacked by a manticore, but Fluttershy manages to calm the creature, which was only wounded. Nightmare Moon discovers the girls' plan and decides to intervene, creating an earthquake that separates Applejack and Twilight from the others. With her friends worried and afraid, Pinkie sings and dances, lifting everyone's spirits. Meanwhile, Twilight and Applejack struggle to get out of the hole they've been trapped in. In the end, they all manage to find each other again.

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The girls continue on their path, with each step bringing them closer to their destination. Twilight, immersed in her own thoughts, feels a vibration from her phone.

-There's signal here?- she asks, taking the device out of her bag, the screen's glow reflecting in her eyes. On the screen, a call from her brother was displayed, along with thousands of other missed calls.

-I can't believe I left mine in the library...- Rarity grumbles, disappointed.

-Uh! I remembered I promised my mom I'd call if anything went wrong!- Pinkie says, holding both eyebrows. She turns to her friends, indecisive. -Can this be considered a problem?

Rarity looks at her, unsure of how to respond. -Ah...

-Who is it, Twilight?- Applejack asks, approaching the nerd.

-It's my brother.- Twilight quickly answers the call before it ends. -Spike? Is everything okay there? How are you?

-Twilight, finally! Where are you?- Spike almost shouts on the other end of the line. -Me and some other students are hiding in the auditorium. Some are injured. We don't know where the others are, but Nightmare Moon seems to have left Encantia.

-Left? What do you mean?- Twilight asks, frowning. The other girls look at her with concern and curiosity.

-A student just came into the auditorium. He was lost in the school and said he hadn't seen or heard Nightmare Moon. And he searched the whole school to find us here!

-Okay, we found a solution for Nightmare, we're going after it now. I'm with the other girls, we're all fine. I'll call you as soon as we solve this. And Spike, call me if there's any news.

-Okay, be careful out there!- Before Spike or Twilight could end the call, it drops.

Twilight sighed, putting her phone in the pocket of her tattered dress. -He's fine, there are some students with him in the auditorium...

-What did you ask about Nightmare?- Rainbow asks, arms crossed.

-Apparently, she's not in Encantia anymore.

-But where would she be then?- Fluttershy asks this time. -Could she have gone to the castle in Canterlot?

-Or where she imprisoned the queen?- Rarity suggests, her thumb on her delicate chin. -But we don't know where that is.

-We'll look for the queen later,- Twilight resumes. -We have to find the Elements of Harmony first.

Agreeing, they resumed walking. The girls reached the rocky river bridge, an aged structure but still clearly usable. Despite its old appearance, the bridge maintained a rustic beauty that harmonized with the nature around it.