2. Brilliantruly

[Lancer]

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to My Little Pony Magic Number Two; Briliantruly.
We hope you enjoy this story, but please remember not to read it within three hours of bedtime, or you might have a nightmare. Please stop reading this story if it's within that time!

(To the tune of the My Little Pony Tales theme tune)

Something is starting right now!
Something is starting, oh wow!
My Little Pony, My Little Pony, My Little Pony Magic,
My Little Pony, My Little Pony, My Little Pony Magic!
Brilliantruly's our second fable,
So come and read about the ponies as soon as you're able!
My Little Pony, My Little Pony, My Little Pony Magic,
My Little Pony, My Little Pony, My Little Pony Magic!
Truly, Lancer, Lofty, Dieserella and Soapy,
Lots more characters for you - Come and join the ponies!
My Little Pony, My Little Pony, My Little Pony Magic,
My Little Pony, My Little Pony, My Little Pony Magic!
My Little Pony Magic!

[Lancer]

CHAPTER ONE

Desiree looked up at the clock. It was 1.20pm on Wednesday 7th August 2002. She was bored. She walked towards the television, thinking that she would play a bit of "Pokemon Stadium" on her Nintendo. But suddenly she stopped.
"Why am I doing this?" She thought. "I played Pokemon Stadium just last night - why would I want to play it so soon after?"
"Because I don't have anything else to do - that's why!" She realised.
And she walked a little nearer.
"Wait a moment!" Desiree cried out loud. "I have got something else to do - I could get in the box!"
Desiree had found a large box in her garden on her previous birthday. When she got inside the box, she was transported to a magical place called Ponyland!
"I'll go and get Bubbles." Desiree thought. "He always turns the magic key to send me to Ponyland."
She went to get her magic box from the back room, but then decided to get her guinea pig first. She walked down the hall to get her pet, but then she spotted his open hutch door and remembered something.
"Oh, of course!" Desiree thought aloud. "Bubbles is out in the run in the garden for the next thirty-five minutes." She sighed, sadly.
"I wonder," Desiree thought, "If Dieselbelle could turn the key for me." She gazed at the hutch under Bubbles's hutch, where a bored-looking strawberry roan abyssinian guinea pig sat. "If I get her to wear the magic necklace, she'll be able to understand me just as wellas Bubbles would."
Desiree had found a magic necklace in her garden a few days after finding the box. When Bubbles wore it, he could speak to her and understand what she was saying. She wondered if the smae would apply to Dieselbelle.
Desiree picked up the guinea pig, who began to squeak loudly, moaning about the way she was being held.
"Dieslelbelle!" Desiree cried.
As Desiree tried to slip the necklace around Dieselbelle's neck, she got even more annoyed.
"Dieselbelle!"
Suddenly, Dieselbelle spoke.
"Please put me down!" The guinea pig squealed. "Please! What's this horrible thing around my neck?"
"You can now communicate with me!" Desiree replied. "While you're wearing that horrible thing around your neck, you can speak to me and I can speak to you!"
Desiree showed Dieselbelle the magic key with the big bow on the top. The girl explained to Dieselbele what she wanted her pet to do.
"I just have to go and get the box!" Desiree said.
She heaved the box out into the kitchen.
"There you go, Dieselbelle. You have to turn the key in the opposite direction when you hear this bell ringing."
She rang the magic bell that she had to ring when she wanted the creature who had turned the key to send her to Ponyland to bring her back down to Earth.
"Do you understand all of this, Dieselbelle?"
"Of course I do!" The guinea pig replied.
"But before you go out of my sight, Dieselbelle, I think I ought to go and get you some lunch - I haven't fed you yet, have I?"

Dieselbelle was still eating at 1.40pm.
"At this rate, Bubbles will be out of the run before she's ready to turn the key for me!" Desiree exclaimed.
But she decided against it and got Clover, her pet rabbit out of his hutch. He had finished his lunch already.
She told him what she wanted to do, and opened the magic box...which turned out to be one of the worst things she'd done in her life!

[shadow=red,left,300]To Be Continued...[/shadow]

[Lancer]

CHAPTER TWO

My Little Pony, My Little Pony,
How has the world been treating you?
My Little Pony, My Little Pony,
Hae your dreams been coming true?
Tell me what's doing, anything brewing?
Is something special in store?
My Little Pony, My Little Pony,
Can't wait to see you once more!

The My Little Ponies were enjoying a special day called "Ponyland Song Day".
MLP's took it in turns to sing a song and dance a little dance to their chosen tune. At the end of the day, the best performer would win a prize - a gold cup.
"OK, Rock 'n' Beats! You're up!" Dazzle, the judge, cried and Melody, Tuneful, Sweet Tunes, Half Note and Pretty Beat began to sing...
"Sweet Music, Ooh, Sweet Music,
That's what I hear when you appear,
Sweet Music, Ooh, Sweet Music,
Life is a tune when......"
"Hang on a moment!" Half Note cried. "Didn't I just hear a noise?"
"I heard it too, but I thought that it was just in my mind." Tuneful replied.
"Start again!" Dazzle commanded.
"Sweet Music, Ooh, Sweet Music,
That's what I hear when you appear,
Sweet Music, Ooh, Sweet Music,
Life is a tune when you are near!
When you are gone..."
"There it is again!" Melody shouted.
"What did you say?" Asked Dazzle.
But before Melody had a chance to answer her, the strange noise returned.
They heard an evil cackle before a nasty voice said:
"I might not have got her last time, but I've come back for White Pony! And I will get her this time!"
There was another evil cackle and then the noise ceased.
The ponies looked around. They'd nearly forgotten the incident where a monster - The Black Pony Of Darkness - had come to capture a little white pony named Truly.
He must be returning. At least he had given them a warning this time.
They had managed to defeat him twice before - once when he had come around three months ago, and the other time was several years ago, when he'd come to haunt all of the inhabitants of Ponyland, and take the magical world for himself.
The MLP's had got several humans from Earth to help them, but the humans had turned out even worse than the Black Pony himself, and the MLP's suspected that these people were still in Ponyland causing trouble. Perhaps they had even helped the Black Pony to return exactly six years since Truly, Lancer and Lofty had so bravely defeated him. Several ponies had disappeared over the last three months, the first being a little pink pony on the day that the Black Pony had returned. This little pony had taken his pet with him. Nobody knew where the ponies had gone, but more ponies seemed to be disappearing - in fact, Dazzle disappeared later that day.
What could the ponies do about The Black Pony Of Darkness coming back?
Nothing.
All they could do was sit back and wait for him to come.

Back on Earth, Desiree opened the lid of the box to get inside. As she unfastened the lock, everything in the kitchen went mad! A noise filled the ears of Desiree and Clover. It sounded like a huge elctric fan, but there wasn't one! Things started to blow around - the shopping list and various money off coupons hit the ceiling!
"Oh no!" Desiree cried. "I don't believe this!"
Then a strong wind blew in their faces. Again it felt like there must be an enormous electric fan somewhere nearby. But where was it then? There was a loud noise, and a strong breeze, but there wasn't an electric fan in the kitchen!
Desiree shouted to Clover over the noise.
"CLOVER! CAN YOU HELP ME CLOSE THE LID?"
Clover jumped on top of the box.
"I'LL TRY!" The rabbit yelled back. "BUT I CAN'T PROMISE ANYTHING!"
He jumped up and down on the box, but it didn't work.
"IT'S NOT CLOSING!" Clover shouted.
"JUMP A BIT HARDER!" Desiree shouted in reply.
Clover jumped as hard and as fast as he could.
"IT'S STILL NOT WORKING!" Clover cried.
"I'LL TRY THEN!" Desiree cried back. She jumped on top of the box and managed to close it. The noise immediately stopped.
"What was all that about?" Desiree asked Clover.
"I don't know, but I don't think that we ought to open that box again." Clover said. "At least, not for a while."
"I expect that the whole 'electric fan' thing was in our imaginations." Desiree said.
"No!" Clover cried. "I just feel that there is something strange going on...and I don't like this feeling!"
"Well, let's just try the box once more..." Desiree said.
"No!" Clover shouted, and sicne Clover was the one who would have been turning the key, that answer was final.

[shadow=red,left,300]To Be Continued...[/shadow]

[Lancer]

CHAPTER THREE

It wasn't until almost two months later that Desiree even thought about the magical Ponyland. Her mother was writing a letter and suddenly, as Desiree listened to some My Little Pony songs, she saw a picture of the Black Pony in her head. She quickly switched off her video and said to Jacqui, "I'm just going into the kitchen to record a story on tape. Will that be OK? Will you want to get in the kitchen?"
"No." Her mother replied. "I'm very busy here. You have plenty of time."
So Desiree walked into the kitchen.
"Why didn't I think of this before?" Desiree asked herself.
She walked down the hall to get Bubbles out of his hutch.
As Desiree brought the guinea pig into the kitchen, he began to squeak excitedly.
"Bubbles!" She said, "Please be quiet for a moment."
The guinea pig stopped squeaking.
"I want you to turn the key again. Will you do that?"
"I've done it plenty of times before." Bubbles said, as he slipped on his magical necklace.
Desiree handed him the big key, and told him that she would give him a huge lettuce reward on her return from Ponyland.
"Now, you only bring me home if I ring the bell, if my Mum calls for me, or if Dad comes in from work."
Bubbles promised to bring his owner back if any of these things happened, so she climbed into the big, purple box and, as Bubbles turned the key, she drifted off to Ponyland.

The ponies had heard no more from the Black Pony and they had started to forget about him. But on the morning of 7th October 2002, the very day that Desiree was climbing into her magical box, alarm clocks had rung, waking ponies all over Ponyland...all except for one pony.

As Desiree travelled to Ponyland, she immediately knew that something was wrong. She normally heard a tune as she travelled, but today she could only hear a very loud noise!
It just didn't make any sense. Also, the stars that usually surrounded her and formed a rainbow were in the wrong order, creating a bright, multi-coloured blanket that didn't resemble a rainbow at all!
When she got to Ponyland, she found herself in the middle of a field. The field was normally full of ponies, but today it was empty. Desiree stood still, wondering where to go. Where was Paradise Estate? Then she saw it in the far distance. The box had taken her to a different place in the field! Why? Was she supposed to go in the other direction?
"It must be my imagination." She thought. "Why would the box take me to a different place? I must just think I'm further away."
And she began to run towards Paradise Estate. Suddenly, a thought came to her. What if Bubbles didn't take her home in time? She felt in her pocket to check that her magic bell was still there...and found that it wasn't!
"It's lucky that I asked Bubbles to bring me home if Mum called for me or if Dad came in!" Desiree thought. "But what did I do with the bell? I don't want someone else picking it up!"
Suddenly, she heard the Black Pony's evil cackle. She ran even faster.
When she finally arrived at the Estate, she found that all of the ponies were hiding.
"That's strange." Desiree muttered. "Why are they all hiding?"
She called out and Cupcake appeared from under a bed. Desiree asked Cupcake what was going on and the little white pony informed her that Truly had disappeared that morning along with three or four other ponies including Dancing Butterflies and Spring Song.
But, just at that moment, shimmering stars appeared around Desiree, and she disappeared from Paradise Estate!

Later that night, when Desiree was feeding her animals their supper, she was grateful that Bubble had brought her back. Just as she'd jumped out of the box, Desiree had seen her Mum walking through the kitchen door with a packet of cheese rolls that her Dad had brought in with him.
It would have been terrible if her parents had discovered that she wasn't in the kitchen!
Now, her Mum was cuddling Bubbles while Desiree put the guinea pig's food in his hutch. Desiree wasn't really thinking about what she was doing - she was thinking about what had happened earlier that day. What would Cupcake have said if she could have stayed in Ponyland for a longer time? Well, that would have to wait until tomorrow when she would get Bubbles to turn the key again.

[shadow=red,left,300]To Be Continued...[/shadow]

[Lancer]

CHAPTER FOUR

The following morning, yet again, alrm clocks rang everywhere in Ponyland. All of the ponies dashed out of the door to Paradise Estate and Nurse Tenderheart counted all of them to find out if any more MLP's had disappeared. No more ponies had gone missing, but who knew what would happen by the end of the day?

Desiree didn't get another chance to go to Ponyland that day. She didn't even have time to play with the "My Pretty Pony", Della, who she had bought at a toy fair the previous day. First Jacqui and Desiree had to go to the launderette, then they were eating their dinner and thenshe was busy doing schoolwork and reading...so there was no way that she could go and see her pony friends again today.
"OK," Desiree thought, "Maybe I can't go to Ponyland today. But tomorrow I'll make it - I'll make sure of that!"

But Desiree forgot all about Ponyland. The following morning she got out of bed and realised that "The Latest Pony" newsletter that she made for her family and friends was due out in only a few days time, and she had hardly started on it! It was only on the 16th of October that she finally remembered the ponies. What had been happening in Ponyland, while she had simply been typing a pony newsletter?
She rushed towards her magical box!

"Is everybody here?"
The ponies were being counted for the evening. Desiree ran behind Paradise Estate and listened.
Magic Star, who was counting the ponies, turned some pages in a book - obviously a book of names.
"Angel?"
"Here." The pony said.
"Applejack?"
No reply.
"Applejack?"
Still no reply.
"Are you there, Applejack?"
Suddenly, the pony came trotting over.
"Sorry." Applejack mumbled. "I was in the orchard and..."
"Go and join Angel!" Magic Star laughed.
"Amber?"
The pony quickly stuck her hoof in the air and called out that she was at the back of the crowd of ponies where nobody could see her.
"Ace?"
There was no reply from this pony either. Desiree had never been particularly fond of Ace, and would have been laughing if this had been an episode of "My Little Pony Tales". But this wasn't a TV show any more. Desiree felt fear gripping at her throat.
She looked around. Suddenly, Ace simply walked over to the group of "counted" ponies without even telling Magic Star that he was safe!
Magic Star laughed again and went back to her list.
"Backstroke?"
The Sea Ponies, sitting together in a large barrel of water, started to call out their names.
"Backstroke!"
"Beach Comber!"
"Foamy!"
"Sea Shimmer!"
"Sea Star!"
"I'm here!" Called Baby Sea Princess, the Fancy Mermaid Pony.
And so the list went on. Magic Star kept calling out names and everybody was replying.
"Sweet Sundrop?" Magic Star called when she got to 'S'.
There was no reply.
"Sweet Sundrop?"
No reply.
"Are you there?"
The ponies looked around in panic.
"There she is!" Morning Glory cried, before realising that it was Flowerburst.
"No, that's her there!" Fizzy shouted - but it was Dainty.
Sweet Sundrop was nowhere to be seen!
Suddenly, a now familiar and nasty voice drifted over Ponyland from the Black Mountains...
"The peach pony has come to me,
That's why you don't see this MLP!
You won't be seeing her again,
Or your little White Pony friend!"
There was an evil cackle before the nasty noise stopped.

[shadow=red,left,300]To Be Continued...[/shadow]

[Lancer]

CHAPTER FIVE

Desiree came out of her hiding place behind Paradise Estate, and the evil oice began to speak again.
"And you'd better give up too,
You from the Pony Home Of Rest,
You can always try to stop me,
But I'll always be the best!"
The ponies looked at each other. Was it true that they would never see Sweet Sundrop and Truly again?
Desiree walked over to the MLP's. She asked Magic Star a question, and the little pony nodded towards a little yellow pony named Posey.
Desiree walked over to the pony, but Posey backed away.
"What's wrong, Posey?" Desiree asked.
"It's a human!" Posey muttered to herself. "I didn't know that the owner of the My Little Pony Rescue Home was a human!"
Desiree didn't get a chanceto think about this though, because she suddenly heard a voice in her head - Jacqui's voice!
"What's going on here? Bubbles is sitting out here wearing a necklace! And where's Desiree?"
Desiree heard another voice in her head. This time it was Bubbles.
"What should I do, Desiree? Can you hear me? She's come into the kitchen and she's found me!" He whispered. "Should I turn the key now?"
"Where's she going?" Desiree thought back to Bubbles, "And how can I communicate with you?"
"I don't know." Bubbles said. "I saw a blue unicorn in my head, and she told me to speak to you."
Desiree heard laughter and saw that it was Ribbon.
"I think I know who the blue unicorn was." Desiree said. "I don't know what you can do, Bubbles. But whatever you do, you had better do it quick!"
"Ribbon!" Medley called. "Send this music in a dream-message to Desiree's mother!"
Medley waved her tail and played a cheerful little tune. Desiree began to see pictures of what was happening on Earth in her head.
"What's that noise?" Jacqui said to herself. "It sounds like it's coming from the living room - I'll have to go and look!"
Bubbles was so pleased that he began to jump up and down and squeak excitedly. Jacqui went to investigate and Bubbles quickly picked up the bow thatwas attached to the top of the key - and found that the two parts were no longer connected!
"I can't move the key!" He cried.
He suddenly realised that he'd said this aloud! Desiree hadn't heard it, but Jacqui had!
"Desiree, is that you? Did you say something?" Jacqui called. "Where are you, Desiree? Are you in the back room?"
Desiree did hear this. "Bubbles, turn the key!" She thought to him.
"I can't!" Bubbles cried. "Look! She's on her way again!"
Majesty twirled her horn, and time stood still - but not for Desiree and Bubbles!
"What's wrong? Pick up the key!" Desiree cried, desperately.
"I can't!" Bubbles explained his predicament.
"Well, you'll have to glue it back on!"
"But glue takes hours to dry!" Bubbles moaned. He closed his eyes and saw a pink pony.
"One day, all of our nightmares will wash away!" The pony whispered.
"If you use the right type of glue,
As sticky as paint that's black,
Then it won't take hours to dry,
So use a special pack!"
"Where can I find some glue then?" Bubbles asked.
"I never said a word about glue!" Desiree said, thinking that Bubbles was speaking to her.
"I want the Black Pony beaten,
So that I'll see my best friend,
I know all black will turn to rainbow-colours,
In the very end!
I want them beaten as badly as you do,
So I will help you to find some glue!
Stand up straight and close your eyes!
When you open them, you'll find a surprise!"
Bubbles closed his eyes tightly, and saw the little pink pony shaking his yellow, pink, blue and purple mane, all the while muttering three letters, "CLM, CLM, CLM, CLM, CLM, CLM..."
The pony had a bright green and yellow symbol that began to glow so brightly that Bubbles had to open his eyes. He did hear one last thing that the little pony had to say though...
"The Black Pony may seem evil,
But he's in a terrible state,
He knows that he's lost everything,
Being as sweet as a meadow was great!"
Bubbles opened his eyes, and found a pot of "Extra Sticky Glue" right in front of his nose!

[shadow=red,left,300]To Be Continued...[/shadow]

[Lancer]

CHAPTER SIX

Bubbles used the glue to mend the key, and strangely, the glue immediately dried! He turned around to hide the bottle, but found that it had already disappeared! Bubbles picked up the key, turned it in the lock on the magical box and Desiree re-appeared.
Majesty twirled her horn, and time began to move forward. Jacqui came wandering into the kitchen...
"Oh, there you are, Desiree! I was wondering where you were!" She said. "You know it's cruel to make that guinea pig wear a necklace..."
She stared at Bubbles in horror.
"He was wearing a necklace! It was around his neck!" She exclaimed.
"Well, that's where most necklaces go, but my guinea pig doesn't happen to wear one." Desiree said.
This was true. Bubbles wasn't wearing a necklace now. But then Desiree had a thought. If Bubbles wasn't wearing the necklace, where could it have gone?
She looked around the kitchen, but it was nowhere to be seen.
Without the necklace, there would be no more communicating with Bubbles, which meant no more trips to Ponyland.
And with no more trips to Ponyland, the Black Pony would surely win!

"Bubbles, where did you put it?" Desiree asked her guinea pig again.
But Bubbles just squeaked. He didn't understand what his owner was saying, and Desiree didn't understand his answer.
She looked at Bubbles sadly. "I wish I knew what you were saying to me..." She mumured.
Desiree noticed something on the desk she was sitting next to - the necklace she had got free with "Pets and Me" comic. It looked similar to Bubbles's necklace, but it had hearts on it instead of bows.
She held it up to Bubbles, and placed it around his neck.
"Bubbles? Can you hear me?" Desiree asked, hopefully.
The guinea pig squeaked.
It was no good. This necklace wasn't magical like the one that the ponies had given her. She gently took the necklace from Bubbles and put it back down on the desk.
"What am I going to do?" She thought. "I wonder what's happening in Ponyland. If only there were another way to get there - but there isn't."
All Desiree could do was sit back and wait.

It was time for the morning count - today Firefly was counting the other ponies.
"Confetti?"
"Here."
"Cool Breeze?"
"I'm here."
"Cosmos?"
"Me."
"Cotton Candy?"
"Right here!"
"Cranberry Muffins?"
The little green pony stuck her hoof in the air.
"Crumpet?"
"I'm just here!"
The list went on...
"Sunglory?"
No reply.
"Sunglory?!"
There was nobody there.
"Sunglory?!"
But there was no answer.
Then suddenly, Sunglory walked through the crowd of ponies to the group of MLP's who had already been counted.
They had no more problems with ponies not answering when called, until they got to Twilight. All of the MLP's called for her, but the little unicorn did not reply...

Desiree walked down the garden.
"There must be another necklace somewhere." She thought. "The ponies will send me another one!"
But she realised that the MLP's probably didn't even know that the original necklace had disappeared.
"Well, with all of the magic in Ponyland, surely somebody knows." She thought.
But she knew, deep in her heart, that this wasn't very likely. And even if this was true, the pony who knew of her terrible situation may have already been captured by The Black Pony Of Darkness. After all, Desiree had no idea what was happening in Ponyland now. Was it even still called Ponyland? Or had the Black Pony taken over and given it some new and horrific name?
Desiree looked at Bubbles again sadly - he'd just been put out in the run so that he could eat some grass and exercise his legs. Suddenly, Desiree had an idea!
She ran into the house, and broke the bow off of the top of the key (it was still weak from where it had broken before) and, having noticed a small hole in it, she threaded it on to a piece of ribbon. Desiree raced back into the garden, knelt down by the side of the guinea pig run, opened the little door and popped the ribbon around Bubbles's neck.
"Bubbles, can you hear me?" Desiree asked, and waited in anticipation, hoping for a reply.

[shadow=red,left,300] To Be Continued...[/shadow]

[Lancer]

CHAPTER SEVEN

"Bubbles, can you hear me?" Desiree repeated.
"Of course I can!" Replied Bubbles. "I am wearing a magical necklace, you know!"
Desiree was so pleased to hear the little guinea pig speaking to her again. But she knew that while he was wearing the necklace, he couldn't turn the key...now that the bow charm from the end of the key had been used on the necklace.
But then another bottle of "Extra Sticky Glue" appeared in front of Desiree's nose. It was a pink and black bottle with "CLM" written on it in faint writing followed by a strange code...
"KLB CXV, XNN KZ KZR LGIHPMXRBQ WGNN WXQH XWXV!
Whatever this may mean to you,
I just hope this line is true!"
Desiree didn't understand this and decided to ignore the message. She turned to Bubbles and asked him if he would turn the key once she had taken his necklace off and stuck the bow back on top of it. The guinea pig agreed to this, so Desiree stuck the bow on the end of the key, and once again, the magic glue dried immediately.
Desiree jumped into the box and closed the lid. Bubbles turned the key...and Desiree jumped out of the box...still in the kitchen. It hadn't worked. Why?
Obviously there was more magic in the necklace than Desiree had originally thought. Desiree tried to send a dream message to Ribbon, but it didn't work. Ribbon could only send dream messages, not receive them. But why would Ribbon send her a message when she didn't know that Desiree had lost the magic necklace?
So it seemed that if Desiree wished to visit Ponyland again, she was in big trouble!

Firefly had decided that the pony-count hadn't been very accurate, due to the MLP's keep racing off to the "counted ponies" section without bothering to answer to their names. So they had to start all over again, and by the end of the list, they had found that there were several missing ponies - Cupcake, Fizzy, Gusty, Heart Throb and Princess Skylark to be exact.
The ponies were getting very worried now.
"The Black Pony can't do this to us again!" Sunny Bunch cried. "He just can't!"
"Oh yes, I can!" Said a voice.
But nobody really heard it, because just then an enormous blue rock fell from the sky just a little way in front of them!
"What's that?" Asked Sprinkles.
"Never mind about that - we need to find shelter!" Floater yelled.
"But where shall we go?" Asked Twirler. "We won't all fit in Paradise Estate!"
"Where did it come from?" The ponies all asked themselves together.
"Maybe it came from another planet?" Suggested Lemon Drop.
"Maybe it's just somebody in a bad temper who's throwing rocks around?" Ice Crystal said.
One of the ponies commented about what size someone would have to be to throw an enormous rock like this one.
"But maybe they have some kind of rock-throwing machine!" Insisted Ice Crystal.
"Perhaps it's one of the missing ponies trying to send us a message?" Peachy suggested.
"Maybe if we all push it at once," Said Love Story, "We will be able to turn it over and we'll find a message on the other side of it!"
"Perhaps it wasn't even thrown by one of the missing ponies!" Grumbled Confetti.
"But maybe it was!" Replied Jazzy.
"Well, there's only one way to find out!" Heart Throb said.
So what else could they do?
"I think this is a waste of time!" Said Fair Flyer. "I think the rock came from that huge storm cloud up there!"
"Perhaps The Black Pony Of Darkness will throw another rock at us in a minute and squash us all!" Shady moaned.
They heard a distant laugh, but kept on pushing at the rock.
I don't know why they bothered, because they knew where it had really come from. They knew that The Black Pony Of Darkness must be trying to squash them!
Suddenly, another huge rock crashed down just a little way away from the ponies! The MLP's began to scream and ran towards Paradise Estate! But there were so many of them that they blocked the doorway and nobody could get inside!
"Move out of the way please!" Buttons ordered. "Let me in! Then I'll call the rest of you in one by one!"
But more rocks continued to fall on the ground around them.
And then one landed on top of Paradise Estate, crushing the roof in!
"It's not safe in there either!" Cried Lickety Split. "Where can we go?"
"The rocks don't appear to squash the ground." Medley pondered. "So let's dig ourselves an underground shelter!"
The ponies dug fast and had soon created a lot of underground tunnels underneath the high hill where Paradise Estate stood. They quickly darted inside. Rocks fell above them, blocking the entrances to the tunnels they had dug! The ponies were trapped!

[shadow=red,left,300]To Be Continued....[/shadow]

[Lancer]

CHAPTER EIGHT

Desiree walked around her garden. She was looking for another necklace. Of course, there wasn't one. The ponies obviously didn't know about the missing necklace. How could she get a message to the ponies? She couldn't go to Ponyland and ask for a new necklace, could she? This was silly - she should have had an extra necklace in the first place. But, unfortunately, nobody had ever thought about something like this happening. She looked at the glowerbed at the bottom of the garden. What was that glittering down there? Oh, it was just a piece of smashed flower pot.
Was there any way to get to Ponyland? No. There must be a way! But there wasn't! Oh, there must be a way, mustn't there?

Whilst they were down in their tunnels, the MLP's didn't notice the disappearance of several more of their pony friends.
But where were the ponies disappearing to? Well, they were all in a little room at the back of Nightmare Castle. But they were in a rather nasty situation at the moment - the little room was on fire!
"Help! Somebody please help us! Help!" They yelled.
"Help!" Cried Princess Skylark.
"Oh, somebody help!" Cupcake shouted.
"Help us!" Exclaimed Fizzy.
"Oh, it's getting so hot in here!" Heart Throb cried, flying up to the ceiling.
The fire crept nearer...

Meanwhile, back on Earth, Desiree was still searching her garden for a necklace. There wasn't another one though. She went and sat in the lounge. And waited...

The ponies in their underground tunnels started to hear a noise - it got louder and louder! It was the sound that usually accompanied The Black Pony Of Darkness when he spoke, but this time he wasn't talking. The ponies listened for a message, and soon got what they had waited for...
"Although you don't know where the ponies are,
It's quite obvious that they're not very far!
Don't wait for Desiree - She can't help you!
She's lost the necklace and soon the key too!
You'd better get those ponies back soon,
You only have a few hours - just watch the moon!
All will die if they're not back by dawn,
So get them back before the morn!"
They heard an evil cackle and knew that the Black Pony had finished speaking.
"What do you think we should do?" Asked Trucker.
"There's nothing we can do." Replied Space Hopper, sadly. "All we can do is sit down here and wait."
"Well, there is one thing that we can do." Said Nice 'n' Spicy. "We can send Desiree another necklace!"
"And I think we should send her a spare necklace or two!" Added Happy Hugs.
"And three more keys!" Cried Parasol.
So, the ponies dug their way out of the tunnels and threw the keys and neckalces off of the edge of the clous that formed Ponyland in the direction of the My Little Pony Rescue Home.

Desiree decided to search the garden one last time. She was sure it was useless. She looked around and saw six little sparkling things in the flower bed - this time it wasn't just smashed flower pots, but three necklaces and three keys!

The ponies in the dungeon screamed as loudly as they could, desperately hoping that someone would hear them. But what hope did they have in the tiny room at the back of Nightmare Castle where the Black Pony had locked them? They stared at the flames that were creeping nearer!
"What can we do?" Asked Fizzy.
"Nothing." Replied the two Sweetheart Sister Ponies sadly. "There's nothing that we can do at all."
The fire got nearer still...
"There has to be a way out!" Cried Baby Pineapple. "There just has to be!"

[shadow=red,left,300] To Be Continued...[/shadow]

[Lancer]

CHAPTER NINE

The MLP's in Ponyland watched as the moon drifted into the sky. The words of the nasty message echoed in their minds.
"We'd better go to bed." Baby Night Cap yawned.
She began to walk towards Paradise Estate. When nobody followed, she looked over her shoulder.
"Aren't you coming?" She asked.
"We can't go to bed, Night Cap!" Said Pina Colada. "We have to watch the moon!"
"OK." The Baby Pony replied. She yawned again, and took the other Baby Ponies back to the Lullabye Nursery.

It was nearly 1am. Desiree gazed out of the window. She could hear the ponies calling for help in her head, but she thought it must just be the ponies that the Black Pony had captured. They would have to wait until tomorrow morning - she couldn't go to Ponyland now! Surely, they could wait just a few more hours? Just until the sun rose?

"It's moving so quickly!" Said Moonshadow.
"Well, we had better at least try to find a way to get to the Plack Bony's castle!" Said Tootsie. Lollipops appeared all around the ponies, but they didn't have time to eat them! "There has to be a way!"
They began to walk away from Paradise Estate when suddenly a voice cried out behind them...
"Don't leave! I don't want to be left! You're deserting me!"
And there, standing in the doorway of Paradise Estate, was a small, dark shape, squealing for help! A few of the ponies screamed. Twilight, the So Soft Pegasus Pony, lit a candle and the ponies looked as the shape was brightened by the flickering flame.
"Dieserella!" The ponies laughed. "We forgot all about you!"
Dieserella was Truly's pet guinea pig.
"I'm so pleased that it isn't anything to do with The Black Pony Of Darkness!" Said Applejack.
"So am I!" Garden Glow smiled. "I think we'd better stay here. The Black Pony is just full of threats - nothing ever actually happens!"
"I have a feeling," Twilight, the Unicorn Pony said, "That something will happen."
"Oh, yes!" Ribbon agreed. "I am sure something will happen tomorrow morning!"

Desiree went to bed. It was 1am and she'd finally decided that she simply couldnt go to Ponyland at this time in the morning. The ponies would have to wait until tomorrow.
That night, Desiree had a very bad dream. She saw a picture of several ponies, standing with their mouths open as if they were screaming. But Desiree couldn't hear their screams - she could only hear a loud crackling noise! It sounded like a fire! At that point, Desiree woke up. She looked at the clock. It was morning.
"Just a bad dream!" She convinced herself. "Nothing is going to happen to the ponies!"
She thought that she'd go ti Ponyland straight after breakfast. She thought that she sould hurry. She thought that her dream may have been a message from Ribbon.
But then she heard a nasty voice in her head. It told her...
"Go back to sleep, Desiree!
Then it will be too late!"
Sadly, Desiree listened to the first half of this message, and was asleep before the second half had even been spoken!

[shadow=red,left,300]To Be Continued...[/shadow]

[Lancer]

CHAPTER TEN

"Desiree!" Her mother called from downstairs "Desiree!"
"I'm coming..." Desiree mumbled, as she awoke.
She looked up at the clock - it was almost 10am! She'd badly overslept! She quickly dressed, raced down the stairs and ate her breakfast. Then she ran into the back room to the magic box.
"Bubbles!" Desiree called, and soon the little guinea pig ran towards her, from where Jacqui was cleaning his hutch in the hall.
Desiree could hear her Mum calling Bubbles, but simply told her that the little guinea pig was in the back room with her before closing the door.
She gently placed one of the magical necklaces around his neck, and found that he could speak to her once again! She found that her original key was missing, but this wasn't a problem now that she had three new ones the same!
She grabbed a key, and ran to the box.
"Will you turn the key again, Bubbles?" She pleaded."It's urgent!"
"I will!" Bubbles replied.
"I must find out what's happening in Ponyland!" Desiree said.

Earlier that morning, the moon had sunk in the sky.
"What are we going to do?" Gypsy asked.
"We'll have to go and look for the ponies!" Hopscotch cried.
"There's no time." Raspberry Jam sighed. "I think we only have around ten minutes until sunrise!"
They watched as the moon disappeared - soon it was gone from view.
The ground began to shake violently! The Black Pony cackled, and began to speak...
"You didn't get them back, did you?
You're not as clever as you think!
But there's a reason not to worry -
Remember that I was once pink!"
The ground suddenly stopped shaking, and the Black pony calmly continued...
"It was all a trick,
No need for a fright!
I won't hurt you,
Until tonight!"
He laughed again, and the ponies looked at each other fearfully.
"Tonight?" They muttered in fear.
"Yes, tonight!" Came the reply.
"And if they aren't found by then, then you ARE in for a fright!"
The ponies thought that his message was over, but the Black Pony gave them one more clue before he stopped talking completely...
"The fire already blazes,
Giving ponies such a fright!
But it won't get any nearer,
At least, until tonight!"
Then the voice stopped. The ponies looked at each other.
"Well, it looks like he tricked us!" Said Tutti Fruitti.
"Don't worry." Replied Applejack. "I never believed it anyway!"
"But we only have until tonight!" Posey whispered. "And I don't think that he was joking this time!"

Desiree jumped into her box Would it be too late? Would something have happened to the ponies? She appeared in Dream Valley.
"Where have you been?" Asked Shady.
"Well, I haven't been that long!" Desiree said. "I only received the necklaces and keys last night!"
"Exactly! Last night?!" Fireball cried. "Plenty of time to put us out of our misery!"
But Desiree explained that she hadn't had a chance. Soon, she found out what had happened, and why the ponies were so cross with her!
"Have any other ponies disappeared?" Desiree asked.
"Yes, a lot!" Said Magic Star. "Honeysuckle, Heart Throb..."
"Never mind who they are! When did they disappear?"
"Last night - we don't know an exact time." Magic Star explained. "They seemed to disappear gradually!"
"And, I fear," Ribbon sighed. "That we will soon join them!"

The fire came nearer.
"What shall we do?" Said Fizzy. "Shall I blow some bubbles with my unicorn magic?"
"What good would that do?" Sighed Heart Throb.
"Well, maybe I could put the fire out!" Fizzy replied.
"Huh! Try it!" Muttered Gusty. "I doubt it will do any good though!"
The ponies had been given a plate of water. I don't know how they were supposed to drink from a plate, but that was how the Black Pony supplied the small amount of liquid. Fizzy placed her horn in the water and began to blow bubbles at the flames.
After a while, the fire did grow slightly smaller!
"Wouldn't it be easier to simply pour the water on the flames?" Sky Rocket said.
"We don't have much water, do we?" Said Flowerburst. "We need to spread it out!"
Sky Rocket glanced up at the flames and realised that Flowerburst was right. There would be no chance of putting the fire out if they just poured the water from the plate on to the flames!"
"Let's soak the carpet around the flames. Then the fire won't come any nearer!" Cried Sky Rocket.
"There wouldn't be enough water for that either!" Said Flowerburst.
"There might be!" Sky Rocket insisted.
"Oh, silly pony!" Sighed Heart Throb.
Truly stood up on top of the only piece of furniture in the room - a large chaire - and gazed out of a small crack towards the ceiling of the dungeon.
"Well, I don't know about the rest of y'all," She said. "But I believe that the escape route is out there!"
"But how do we get there?" Asked Cherries Jubilee.
"Simple." Wind Whistler said. "We just have to use our hooves to break the glass in the one-way window!"

"I went and found Nightmare Castle last time." Desiree said. "So I know where the dungeon is! I'll go now!" She began to run.
"Well, I'm coming with you!" Said Milky Way.
"And so am I!" Said Scoops.
And the two ponies raced after her...

[shadow=red,left,300]To Be Continued...[/shadow]

[Lancer]

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Back on Earth, Bubbles was getting excited. He was singing a little song to himself...

"When Desiree comes home, she's going to get me a treat!
When Desiree gets home, then she'll get me a treat!
Yes, yes!
She'll get me a treeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!
Lettuce with tomato pie,
I'll be happy because it will reach the sky!
And I'll have some nice tomato pie!"

Desiree arrived outside Nightmare Castle. Scoops and Milky Way had decided not to come along, as they didn't like the idea of a dangerous adventure. Soon she was running through the castle.
She peeked under a pink mat that was outside the dungeon door, and found the key! She let herself into the dungeon and saw the ponies banging on the one-way glass window with their hooves.
"Don't do that!" She cried. "You'll hurt yourselves!"
But the ponies couldn't hear her - their were flames between them and Desiree, and she couldn't get across the dungeon to them.
How could she make the fire disappear? Suddenly, a bottle of "Glittering Paradise Lake" water appeared in her hand. She began to pour it on to the flames and soon discovered that there was a neverending supply of liquid in the magical bottle! The flames sizzled before disappearing!
"Come on! Out the door!" Desiree cried to the ponies.
"But where is the door?" Shady asked, from somewhere in the smoky room. "We're lost, I just know it!"
"We're not lost, Shady!" Fizzy comforted her friend. "We just don't know where we are! Relax!"
Luckily, Fizzy was half right. The ponies weren't lost - at least, not after Desiree had guided them to the door!
Soon they were galloping towards Dream Valley.
"Thank you, Desiree!" Said Cupcake.
"Yes, thank you!" Said Wind Whistler.
"I'm glad that you finally arrived!" Melody snorted. "But I do think that you could have been a bit quicker! Truly's idea would never have worked!"
"Well, I'd like to know what your idea was!" Truly retorted.
Melody trotted away, and Desiree and Truly giggled.
"Do you think that The Black Pony Of Darkness will return?" Asked Locket.
"I doubt it." Desiree replied. "I can't see why he would bother! We always defeat him!"
"I'll be back," Said a voice, "Until I have my Ponyland!"
There was an evil cackle, but nobody heard it as Desiree rang her bell, and drifted back to Earth...

My Little Pony, My Little Pony,
Time I was heading homeward bound,
My Little Pony, My Little Pony,
Twinkling stars are all around!
Daytime is ending, Night is descending,
Smiling above is the moon!
My Little Pony, My Little Pony,
Let's get together real soon!

[glow=red,2,300]The End[/glow]