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Organised by
RogerDodger
Word limit
400–750
Friendship Lessons
Princess Celestia cantered into the palace breakfast room with a smile on her lips and humming a cheery tune. “Good Morning, sister,” she called, taking a seat next to Luna.
Luna grunted, and raised her coffee to her lips. “Tis not a good morning by any means,” she grumbled. “Did you perhaps forget about the dread Salabridon, the mad deerkin who has stolen the souls of so many brave Ponyvillians?” Celestia’s smile widened, even as Luna’s frown deepened. “Or perhaps you are meddling again?”
“Maaaybe,” Celestia purred, plucking a chocolate-bread roll from the table. Luna shot her an icy look. “Oh, don’t worry, sister. A few days without a soul never hurt anypony.”
“I mislike you releasing ancient evils,” Luna grumbled. “Is their final defeat so vital you risk Equestria.”
Celestia shrugged. “Well, I’m running out of space in Tartarus, and Twilight was overdue for a friendship problem anyway. Don’t worry, she’ll soon discover the Salabridon’s lost amulet, break his power and save Equestria. I guarantee it.”
Luna cocked her head. “His lost amulet?”
“Yep.”
Luna lifted a solid black disc of obsidian off of the sideboard. “This amulet?”
“Oh, rut,” Celestia swore, snatching it from her. “I forgot to put it back in the labyrinth. Okay, this isn’t a disaster. Twilight won’t learn about the amulet until she starts research this morning.”
“Actually,” Luna cut in. “She found out about it last night, in an all night study session.” Celestia’s eyes shrank to pinpricks. “And she and her friends left on the twilight express to find it. I did wonder why you hadn’t mentioned it was in the vault but—”
“Argh,” Celestia leapt into the air. “They’ll be there any minute, if the amulet isn’t there they’ll... Rut!”
She vanished in a flash of light.
Celestia landed in a muddy puddle. “Rutting teleport wards,” she swore, picking herself up. The doors to the labyrinth were already open, and she hurried inside.
The first room was a sea of spinning blades, spinning iron balls and the occasional arrow trap. It was either Daring Do’s dream or nightmare, but Celestia didn’t pause. She danced through the convoluted floor puzzle along one of the many safe routes, breaking into a frantic canter through the final few squares. A spear leapt out from the floor, tracing a line across her cheek and she reared back.
“Rutting deathtraps!” Why couldn’t Rainbow Dash have a safe hobby, like crocheting? Celestia threw herself at the hidden door against the far wall. She’d thought it so clever to have a labyrinth filled with trials only Twilight’s friends could solve, the girls needed an ego boost after Twilight’s coronation. If only she’d remembered the damn amulet!
Racing through the maintenance passage, Celestia skidded to a halt before one of the many secret doors, pressed her ear against it, and then burst out into the hallway. “Rut,” she hissed. She could hear voices up ahead, it seemed even after skipping three rooms Twilight had the lead.
She wove an invisibility charm around herself and launched herself into the air. The next room was a living chess set, built to exploit Fluttershy’s uncanny ability at the game. Rainbow Dash’s head shot up as she passed overhead, but she saw nothing, and moments later Celestia was through to the final chamber.
“Rut!” she swore again, landing with a bang. The summoning circle was already active, waiting for some foolish pony to set hoof in it and bring forth Salabridon. The pedestal for his amulet was right in the centre of the circle.
“Boo-yeah, checkmate!” Rainbow Dash’s voice cut in from behind her.
“Come on, girls!” Twilight cried. Suddenly the thunder of their hooves was fast approaching.
There was nothing for it. Celestia threw herself through across the circle. In a single leap she cleared the breadth of the circle and dropped the amulet into place. The walls shook as the summoning began, dread energy dancing along the columns. Celestia hurled herself behind one, just as the girls burst into the room.
“You’re too late, ponies!” Salabridon roared. “The amulet is mine once more!”
Celestia staggered back into the breakfast room. Her mane hung limp, she had a cut on her cheek and her coat was matted with dirt. She dropped into the seat next to her sister and pulled a huge stack of muffins towards her.
“Not a word, sister.”
Luna rolled her eyes and took another sip of coffee.
“Okay... maybe I’ll ease up on the friendship lessons.”
Luna grunted, and raised her coffee to her lips. “Tis not a good morning by any means,” she grumbled. “Did you perhaps forget about the dread Salabridon, the mad deerkin who has stolen the souls of so many brave Ponyvillians?” Celestia’s smile widened, even as Luna’s frown deepened. “Or perhaps you are meddling again?”
“Maaaybe,” Celestia purred, plucking a chocolate-bread roll from the table. Luna shot her an icy look. “Oh, don’t worry, sister. A few days without a soul never hurt anypony.”
“I mislike you releasing ancient evils,” Luna grumbled. “Is their final defeat so vital you risk Equestria.”
Celestia shrugged. “Well, I’m running out of space in Tartarus, and Twilight was overdue for a friendship problem anyway. Don’t worry, she’ll soon discover the Salabridon’s lost amulet, break his power and save Equestria. I guarantee it.”
Luna cocked her head. “His lost amulet?”
“Yep.”
Luna lifted a solid black disc of obsidian off of the sideboard. “This amulet?”
“Oh, rut,” Celestia swore, snatching it from her. “I forgot to put it back in the labyrinth. Okay, this isn’t a disaster. Twilight won’t learn about the amulet until she starts research this morning.”
“Actually,” Luna cut in. “She found out about it last night, in an all night study session.” Celestia’s eyes shrank to pinpricks. “And she and her friends left on the twilight express to find it. I did wonder why you hadn’t mentioned it was in the vault but—”
“Argh,” Celestia leapt into the air. “They’ll be there any minute, if the amulet isn’t there they’ll... Rut!”
She vanished in a flash of light.
Celestia landed in a muddy puddle. “Rutting teleport wards,” she swore, picking herself up. The doors to the labyrinth were already open, and she hurried inside.
The first room was a sea of spinning blades, spinning iron balls and the occasional arrow trap. It was either Daring Do’s dream or nightmare, but Celestia didn’t pause. She danced through the convoluted floor puzzle along one of the many safe routes, breaking into a frantic canter through the final few squares. A spear leapt out from the floor, tracing a line across her cheek and she reared back.
“Rutting deathtraps!” Why couldn’t Rainbow Dash have a safe hobby, like crocheting? Celestia threw herself at the hidden door against the far wall. She’d thought it so clever to have a labyrinth filled with trials only Twilight’s friends could solve, the girls needed an ego boost after Twilight’s coronation. If only she’d remembered the damn amulet!
Racing through the maintenance passage, Celestia skidded to a halt before one of the many secret doors, pressed her ear against it, and then burst out into the hallway. “Rut,” she hissed. She could hear voices up ahead, it seemed even after skipping three rooms Twilight had the lead.
She wove an invisibility charm around herself and launched herself into the air. The next room was a living chess set, built to exploit Fluttershy’s uncanny ability at the game. Rainbow Dash’s head shot up as she passed overhead, but she saw nothing, and moments later Celestia was through to the final chamber.
“Rut!” she swore again, landing with a bang. The summoning circle was already active, waiting for some foolish pony to set hoof in it and bring forth Salabridon. The pedestal for his amulet was right in the centre of the circle.
“Boo-yeah, checkmate!” Rainbow Dash’s voice cut in from behind her.
“Come on, girls!” Twilight cried. Suddenly the thunder of their hooves was fast approaching.
There was nothing for it. Celestia threw herself through across the circle. In a single leap she cleared the breadth of the circle and dropped the amulet into place. The walls shook as the summoning began, dread energy dancing along the columns. Celestia hurled herself behind one, just as the girls burst into the room.
“You’re too late, ponies!” Salabridon roared. “The amulet is mine once more!”
Celestia staggered back into the breakfast room. Her mane hung limp, she had a cut on her cheek and her coat was matted with dirt. She dropped into the seat next to her sister and pulled a huge stack of muffins towards her.
“Not a word, sister.”
Luna rolled her eyes and took another sip of coffee.
“Okay... maybe I’ll ease up on the friendship lessons.”