“Oh, my dear subjects, it has been too long since I’ve seen your lovely faces,” Nightmare Moon appeared on the terrace where Princess Celestia should have been, looking down at the ponies below.
“What have you done with our Princess?”
“Wait, don’t rush!”
Just as Yun Bao was about to charge at Nightmare Moon for a one-on-one fight, Applejack bit her tail from behind, stopping Yun Bao in her tracks.
What was Duocai doing at this moment?
Duocai was talking to Zhen Qi about something, and after Zhen Qi nodded in agreement, Duocai ran out of the hall.
Now, let’s follow Duocai to see what he’s up to; after all, you can re-watch the original plot, so I won’t waste words here | ･ ω ･ ｀ )
After leaving the Summer Celebration hall, Duocai ran all the way to Rarity's Fashion Shop.
Fortunately, Rarity's Fashion Shop wasn’t too far away.
“Zhen Qi said his gem is next to the first hanger on the left after entering. Found it, this box should be it.” After entering Rarity's Fashion Shop, Duocai saw a gem-encrusted box under a red fashion dress.
However, the first time Duocai saw that red dress, he felt it looked very familiar.
But due to time constraints, he didn't pay it any more attention.
“Hmm, the magical energy in these gems is decent, barely usable. Oh? An unexpected bonus, there’s a lot of magic in these few gems,” Duocai opened the box and picked through its contents, discovering a few good gems.
“These few can be made into amulets for Ziyue, Bi Qi, and the others. After all, with me, this little butterfly, who knows what accidents might happen? Just in case.”
Duocai thought worriedly, looking at the gems floating before him.
Time is limited, so I'll make a few more small array disks that can be used.
Finally, he returned to the Library just as Ziyue and her friends decided to go to the Eternal Free Forest to find the harmony source.
“Where are you going?” Duocai just opened the Library door and saw Ziyue and her friends about to leave.
“Duocai, where have you been? We’re just about to go find something to defeat that… Moon thing,” Yun Bao said, looking at Duocai who appeared at the Library entrance.
“Nothing, I went to get some things. Here, Yun Bao, these are amulets I prepared for you,” Duocai replied to Yun Bao and used magic to put the freshly made amulets on Yun Bao and her friends.
“My dear, is this what you made from the gems you asked me for earlier? It’s so beautiful,” Zhen Qi took the gem Duocai gave her. The gem was carved with exquisite patterns both inside and out.
“Hmm, yes,” Duocai replied.
“Amulet? What’s the pattern on it?” Ziyue asked curiously, looking at the amulet Duocai gave her.
“Hmm, I learned this during my travels; it can protect the wearer from harm,” Duocai replied to the puzzled Ziyue.
Duocai saw that Ziyue still wanted to ask, so he first asked Ziyue: “By the way, where are you planning to go? I’ll come along too.”
“Yay! Let’s go together then!” Bi Qi, as usual, said excitedly.
“No, girls, thank you for your kindness, but this time I wish to go alone,” Ziyue refused, looking at the ponies in front of her.
“Of course not, my dear. We would never let a friend go to that scary place alone. We’ll stick to you like sugar on a candy apple,” Applejack looked at Ziyue, then walked towards the door.
Fluttershy, Zhen Qi, and Yun Bao followed behind her.
“If there are candy apples, then we definitely need to go. What’s wrong? Candy apples are delicious.” Bi Qi also followed them out after saying this.
Duocai looked at Ziyue, who was sighing in place, walked over to her, and said to Ziyue,
“Come on, Ziyue, that’s what friends are for. Let’s go!” After speaking, he also turned and followed them.
Ziyue looked at the ponies ahead, then followed them too.
-
“By the way, where are we going?” Duocai looked at the surrounding trees and asked Applejack, who was ahead, even though he knew the answer.
“To the deepest part of the Eternal Free Forest. It is said that the harmony source is in the Royal Ponies’ ancient castle,” Applejack replied.
“And I heard it’s different from Ponyville here,” Applejack said seriously.
“Different? What do you mean?” Zhen Qi asked after hearing what Applejack said.
“No one knows, do you know why?” Yun Bao split from the shadows, looking at Zhen Qi and Fluttershy with a serious expression, and said eerily.
“Yun Bao, that’s enough!” Applejack heard what Yun Bao said and knew Yun Bao wanted to scare the ponies, so she tried to make Yun Bao stop.
But clearly, Yun Bao wouldn't stop.
“Because, any pony who enters the forest never returns… alive,” Yun Bao lowered herself, and at the same time, walked step by step towards Zhen Qi with an eerie tone, finally suddenly flying up and shouting loudly.
Successfully scaring Zhen Qi, Fluttershy, and Bi Qi.
Then the ground beneath them suddenly collapsed. Except for Yun Bao and Fluttershy, who flew up, everyone else fell down.
Then Yun Bao and Fluttershy reacted and rushed down to catch Zhen Qi and Bi Qi.
Applejack also bit a branch with her mouth and stopped herself.
But when she saw Ziyue slide past her, she also let go of the branch and grabbed Ziyue just as she was about to fall.
“Applejack, what do I do?” Ziyue held onto Applejack tightly, asking in a panic.
“Let go.”
“Are you crazy?”
“No, I’m not crazy. I promise you’ll be fine.”
“Fine, my hoof!”
“You have to trust me, I wouldn’t joke with your life, Ziyue. Let go, you’ll be fine.”
Applejack held Ziyue’s hoof, looked up, and saw Yun Bao and Fluttershy return after getting Zhen Qi and Bi Qi to safety, then said to Ziyue.
After hearing Applejack’s words, Ziyue believed her and let go of her hoof.
Then she screamed and fell, only to be caught by Yun Bao and Fluttershy.
Then they watched Applejack jump down step by step along the protruding rocks on the cliff edge.
“Oh, by the way, where’s Duocai? Is he safe?” At this moment, Ziyue remembered Duocai and quickly asked Yun Bao and Fluttershy.
“Originally, I wanted to save Duocai and let Fluttershy catch you, but look, Duocai is going down over there, isn’t that cool?” Yun Bao heard Ziyue ask about Duocai, suddenly got excited, and then turned Ziyue to the other side, letting Ziyue see Duocai.
“This is unscientific, how did he do that?” Ziyue looked at Duocai with a shocked expression.
As for why Ziyue was so shocked, it was because every step Duocai took, a glowing pattern would appear under his hooves, as if he were walking on flat ground, and he just jumped down step by step like that.
Ziyue looked at the glowing pattern; it seemed somewhat familiar.
Then she looked down at the amulet Duocai had given her earlier.
It looked very similar to the pattern inside the amulet.
But looking closely, there were still some differences.
By the time Ziyue landed, Duocai had already landed on the ground.
“Is everyone alright? Ziyue, are you alright?” Duocai asked, looking at everyone.
“I’m fine, but what was that under your hooves just now? Was it magic? How did you do it? Can you teach me?” Ziyue ran to Duocai as soon as she landed, asking a string of questions.
“This, like the amulet, was also obtained somewhere else before. I’ll tell you in detail after we rescue the Princess,” Duocai said, looking at Ziyue, whose face was full of curiosity.
“Can our amulets do that too?” Yun Bao asked excitedly after hearing this.
“No, this is something else. Due to time constraints, I only made one,” Duocai replied, looking at Yun Bao.
“Their functions are different, but the amulets will automatically create a shield when you are in danger.”
“Thank you, my dear, for giving us such a precious thing,” Zhen Qi heard that the amulet around her neck could protect them and hugged Duocai.
“Oh, a hug!” Bi Qi also hugged Duocai after saying this.
Then Fluttershy, Yun Bao, Applejack, and Ziyue all came over and hugged together.
Alright, this is normal; I often saw them hugging in the anime.
However, Duocai felt a bit squeezed in the middle, and Bi Qi was hugging a bit too tightly.
Suddenly, a roar came from a distance, interrupting this warm moment.
The ponies heard it and looked towards where the sound came from.
They saw a lion with a pair of Bat wings, but with a scorpion’s tail.
“Manticore!” Ziyue exclaimed, looking at the creature in the valley.
Then Zhen Qi rushed over and kicked the Manticore, who roared, and her hair instantly turned into an afro.
Then Applejack jumped onto the Manticore’s head, trying to tame him, but failed and was thrown off.
Then Yun Bao made a grand entrance, quickly circling the Manticore, trying to dizzy him, but was swatted back by the Manticore’s tail.
Then Ziyue and the re-prepared Applejack, Zhen Qi, Bi Qi, and Yun Bao charged at the Manticore together.
But at this moment, Fluttershy called out to Duocai and together they stopped Ziyue and her friends.
Then, to Ziyue and her friends’ shocked expressions, Fluttershy walked up to the Manticore, said a few words, and then pulled out the thorn from the center of the Manticore’s paw.
Then the Manticore gave her a new hairstyle, and then the ponies walked out of the valley.
“Fluttershy, how did you know he was hurt?” Ziyue asked Fluttershy in confusion.
“I didn’t know, but sometimes a little kindness can solve the problem,” Fluttershy said matter-of-factly as she walked past Ziyue.
Ziyue first had a puzzled expression, then felt she understood a little.
Subsequently, she and the ponies walked into a dense forest.
Only faint moonlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves.
This sliver of moonlight did not dispel the darkness.
This faint moonlight reflected off the twisted trees here, adding a touch of horror to the place.
Scaring Fluttershy and the other ponies, who screamed.
Just as Duocai was about to take out another array disk he had prepared earlier, he heard Bi Qi’s voice.
“Don’t tell me he’s going to…” Ziyue looked at Bi Qi.
Darkness and shadows always make me frown.
“Here we go,” Zhen Qi.
I’ll hide under my pillow.
Overthinking and so scared.
………………
So if you’re scared, just giggle.
If you’re scared, just laugh out loud.
………………
Laugh~~~
Hahahahaha
Duocai also started laughing along with Bi Qi along the way.
After all, laughter is contagious.
Then Duocai gave up on using this array disk.
Following Bi Qi, they happily walked out of here.
Then by the river, they met a dragon who was crying loudly in the river.
This dragon was crying loudly in the middle of the river.
What kind of world is this, what kind of world is this!
Truly, it makes listeners shed tears and questioners feel sorrow. (´ ･ ･ ) ﾉ ( ._. ` )
Then they asked the dragon what had happened to make him so sad.
It turned out that someone, he didn’t know who, had broken one of his whiskers.
Zhen Qi felt very angry after hearing this; such a well-groomed hairstyle and whiskers were ruined.
“Zhen Qi, you’re…” Amidst the shocked expressions of Ziyue and her other friends,
Then she used a dragon scale to cut off her beautiful tail and made it into new whiskers for him.
“Oh, Zhen Qi, your beautiful tail!” Ziyue said, looking at Zhen Qi’s tail.
“It’s alright, my dear, short tails are in fashion this season, and besides, it will grow back,” Zhen Qi said, looking at her own tail with a bit of heartache.
“Whiskers will grow too,” Yun Bao said, leaning between Duocai and Ziyue at this moment.
Thus, on the bridge built by the dragon’s body, the ponies hopped and skipped across the river.
Subsequently, they walked out of the forest and saw a castle not far away.
Ziyue saw it and excitedly ran towards the castle.
But there was a short bridge in the middle, and Ziyue almost fell off again. Fortunately, Yun Bao pulled her back.
“Why do you keep jumping off cliffs today?” Yun Bao said, smiling at Ziyue.
Then Duocai and Yun Bao went to the other side of the bridge together, wanting to rebuild it.
But after Duocai walked to the other side, stepping on the array diagram, a sudden mist separated him and Yun Bao.
Here, he couldn’t see his own hooves.
He could only vaguely hear Yun Bao next to him, seemingly talking to someone.
After a while, the mist cleared, and Duocai saw Yun Bao and Ziyue and her friends coming from the other side of the bridge.
“See, I never disappoint my friends,” Yun Bao said proudly to Ziyue and her friends.
“Hey, Duocai, where did you go just now? I suddenly couldn’t see you,” Yun Bao asked when she saw Duocai.
“I just came over here, and the fog suddenly got thicker for some reason, then I couldn’t see anything. After a while, the fog cleared again, and I saw you all coming,” Duocai replied after seeing Yun Bao and her friends approach.
“Alright girls, I think we’ve arrived,” Ziyue said, looking at the castle in front of her.