S4 E3 Everypony! Daring Don't is up next! (Sorry if this is shorter than the last two episodes)

...

On a typical peaceful morning, Malibu was seen back in the Golden Oaks library with Twilight as the two were busy reading. Celestia had allowed them to live in Ponyville which Malibu was happy about since he wanted to keep living with Applejack's family too.

Twilight soon reached peak frustration, slamming another book shut. "Uggh!" She moaned, throwing the book which nearly hit Spike, destroying his feather duster.

Malibu had jumped from her frustrated groan. "Whoa, it's alright Twilight. I know we'll find something." He tried to assure, Spike wondering what they were doing.

"What's up guys?" Spike asked, Twilight rubbing her head. "I've gone through every book in Ponyville, Spike. And there isn't a single mention of the mysterious chest that came from the Tree of Harmony, nor anything about keys to unlock it! But something tells me that opening it is pretty important."

The former gargoyle agreed. "Yeah, but where would the keys be? I hope we won't have to travel to the far reaches of Equestrian to find them." He said nervously, not ready to travel out of reach of his home.

Twilight lowered her head. "I hope your mom will have ideas. If the library in Canterlot doesn't have anything, I-I don't know where else to look!" She sat down in despondency, Malibu putting a hoof around her.

Spike suddenly yelped out, belching out what appeared to be a message, Twilight opening it with her magic and reading it. "My dearest Twilight and son, while it will be perfectly lovely to have you in Canterlot once more, I have another option in mind much closer to Ponyville!"

Malibu stared in surprise but gratefulness. "That's a start." He said, Twilight reading further. "As you know, the ancient castle that I once shared with Princess Luna lies mostly in ruins, deep in the Everfree Forest. But if you look carefully, you may find a book that could prove helpful to your research."

Just from reading that made Twilight suddenly geek out. "Oooh! There could be so many ancient books! We gotta go Malibu!"

Malibu however didn't know about this, especially after being held hostage there by Nightmare Moon he had no desire to return to that place. "Not sure if you forgot that Nightmare nearly killed me in that castle!" He snapped, feeling tiny pricks of PTSD.

Twilight nudged him playfully. "Come on, I know you're scared, but it could help you find your key to the chest. We'll be close by you this time."

After a time, Malibu then gave in, nodding nervously. "Alright."

...

The trio soon arrived at the Castle of the Two Sisters which was still just as foreboding as it ever was before. Malibu's heart thumped in fear, still not so sure about venturing inside.

Twilight had given him an encouraging look and he reluctantly followed his friends into the entrance. It felt too long ago that they had found the Elements in here.

When entering in the library of the castle, it caused the mulberry alicorn to completely flip out, Malibu grinning when she did. "Wow! Look at all these ancient books! It is a veritable goldmine of information! I can't believe it!" She whooped out in joy, flying about while Spike trembled, stumbling about and getting caught in cobweb before falling and collapsing against a horse statue head.

Malibu noted how spooky it looked, Spike yelped out, chuckling nervously. "So, uh, Twilight, ready to head home?"

Twilight was buried in a pile of books. "Are you kidding? This is perfect!" She shrilled, burying herself in again, Malibu gulping, rolling his eyes, while noting the spiders with stars on their backs crawling around, hoping they weren't poisonous while Twilight read through a lot of books to take to another room with her.

What they didn't know was that at this moment Fluttershy and Rarity had turned up, Rarity wanting to bring back some old tapestry to fix up, and along with Rainbow Dash and Applejack betting a dare on each other to be the most daring pony by spending the night in the castle.

It took the trio hours to pour through all the books, Malibu yawing but keeping himself alert for danger, feeling like something was watching them. "Find anything guys?" Twilight asked, Spike putting his book down. "Uh, nope nothing yet."

"I hope this isn't another dead end," Malibu complained, throwing another book aside after a no go with that one until a white something jumped in front of Spike. Spike yelled out a second time but it wound up beingâ Angel the bunny.

Twilight blinked. "Angel? What are you doing here?" She asked in surprise, Angel hopping over to Malibu and jumping onto his back, chittering.

Malibu wished he could understand Angel. "I'm sorry but I don't know what you're saying. Maybe Fluttershy is around somewhere." He then pointed out, Angel nodding, hopping over to Twilight.

This now had Malibu filled with the desire to look for his friend, hoping she wasn't lost in this castle trying to find Angel. "You guys keep reading, I'm going to find Fluttershy." He told them, Twilight and Spike both nodding. "But aren't you scared?" Spike asked.

"Pft, scared, I'm not... heh...scared...Malibu said, his heart thumping when staring at the dark hallways. "Well, be careful." Twilight pleaded. Malibu nodded, turning to go down a hallway.

It was too quiet for Malibu's liking with the exception of the occasional creaking of the castle slowly falling apart, which didn't settle Malibu's fear any less, though he wondered what this place had been like in its glory days.

After wandering for a time, including going through a hallway with creepy looking armor, Malibu suddenly heard Rarity's scream, making him pick up the pace, running right into the throne room, eyes widening in surprise at the sight of her staring at the two broken thrones.

"Rarity?" Malibu shouted out, making the white unicorn jump, before spotting him. "Oh, darling, what on earth are you doing out here?" She exclaimed.

The teal alicorn knew he had some explaining to do, coming closer. "Wellâ Twilight wanted to learn more about the chest from the Tree Of Harmony and she figured there would be a book on it so I decided to follow her and then I heard Fluttershy and your voices and went to find you." He said rather quickly.

Rarity blinked for a moment then nodded. "Well I'm glad to see you because maybe you can help me with this tapestry?" She began to try using her magic to get it down.

Malibu tilted his head. "Why do you want that old tapestry?" He asked, glancing at the night like pattern on it above Luna's old throne. He also looked at the middle of the thrones and felt dejavu when seeing the big hole in the castle wall, reminding Malibu of the vision from the potion he drank.

"Because... these tapestries can't go to wast—." Rarity grunted, trying to pull it further, until Fluttershy spoke too. "I gotta find Angel guys. I hope he doesn't think I've given up on him."

"What happened?" Malibu asked in worry, now noting the bunny's lack of presence. Fluttershy had tears in her eyes. "We lost him after falling down a trap door!" She sobbed, Malibu putting a comforting arm around her.

"Don't worry, I can try to help you too." Malibu assured her, until there was a sound that sounded like an organ being played, making the fur on the back of his neck stand up. Rarity next to them yelped, for the chair had spun around, revealing another trap door.

Malibu and Fluttershy both turned to see their friend gone, and Fluttershy screamed, Malibu staring wide eyed. This was getting crazy; mysterious organ, missing rabbit and now missing Rarity!

Fluttershy shivered. "Rarity! I know hiding isn't really your sense of humor, but please let this be a joke!" She whimpered, going to lightly tap the chair.

It made Malibu raise his hoof in worry. "I wouldn't do that..." Too late as she touched the tip of it, and the castle rang with the sound of the organ, Fluttershy shrieking and flying off in her panic, making Malibu moan, about to fly after her then knew he had to make sure Rarity was alright, eyeing the throne.

Swallowing, Malibu lightly tapped the throne too, but nothing happened which confused him, tapping it again. "Come on, spin, I know you're a trap door throne!" He exclaimed. The organ sound wound up playing again, Malibu gasping out as the throne spun, sending him flying down a tunnel, leading to the courtyard outside.

He grunted in pain, feeling all sorts of twigs and dirt in his mane, shaking himself, and turned to face the creepy place. "Y-You don't scare me old castle. I don't know what you're doing to my two friends but leave them alone!"

Lightning rang through the sky, goosebumps showing under his fur, Malibu's ears flattening as he backed away, turning to find a way back inside, desperate to get back to Twilight now besides finding Fluttershy and Rarity.

But when managing to get into a doorway which opened up into some stairs that lead downwards. Just great, more darkness. Malibu's ears flattened even further, taking scared steps downward, wondering how far down they would go.

Soon, the stairs led into a hallway that creeped out Malibu most of all, his chest breathing rather fast at the sight of a hallway full of pony hooves holding torches. Malibu's blood went cold in fear, wondering if these hooves were from actual ponies, taking shaky steps down it, wanting to be back at Sweet Apple Acres. Perhaps it was a bad idea to try to find answers here.

Eyes darting around every direction, Malibu suddenly felt his curiosity get the better of him, going to see if the hooves were actually from ponies, gulping and lightly touching one.

It felt loose for some reason. "Huh?" Malibu asked, tugging, then screamed when the wall spun like what happened to Rarity, finding himself in complete darkness, not sure where he is at all!

"TWILIGHT!" Malibu screamed, knocking on walls around his closed in space, then lit up his horn, sweat coming down his face, realizing this looked too much like a dungeon, glancing upward, seeing a hole above him. Maybe this was the trap door that Fluttershy and Rarity had come down.

Meanwhile in the library Spike was all jumpy, wondering why Malibu hadn't come back yet and had heard his scream. "Twilight, d-did you hear something?"

Twilight shrugged, too absorbed in her book. "Come on, Spike! Quit being such a scaredy dragon! This castle is 1,000 years old and half of it was destroyed by Nightmare Moon! Of course it is making strange sounds. It's practically falling apart."

A piece of the ceiling fell, nearly hitting Spike who jumped out of the way who swallowed, grinning nervously. "If-If you say so."

After struggling to calm down from his panic, Malibu knew he had to find some way out of here, looking around in each wall for some kind of option to spin the wall back around. Then he wound up spotting a hole in the wall, putting his hoof through it, hoping it was something until he felt one of the torches outside. Pulling, Malibu felt the wall spin him back out.

He sighed in relief but wanted to get away from that trap door, running for it which was leading him towards the main room close to the entrance, not even realizing the rest of his friends besides Rarity and Fluttershy were also backing into the same room.

That was when they all bumped against each other unknowingly, causing all 5 of them to scream out loud. Malibu had cowered and covered himself with his wings but the others kept on running about, Malibu eventually peeking his eyes open to see all of his friends minus Twilight going nuts and screaming non stop.

For Fluttershy she saw lightning flash and thought she spotted Angel's shadow but it was just a little pile of rocks that looked like the bunny. "Angel?" She gasped. Applejack whimpered, running into a pillar that collapsed right down onto the 'rabbit', making Fluttershy spill down a lot of tears. "ANGEEEEL!" She shrilled, thinking the rabbit was dead but really he was with Spike and Twilight.

Twilight blinked. "What in the world is that?!" She asked in surprise, now realizing that Malibu was taking too long to get back. Spike trembled, holding his pillow.

"Oh, you know. Probably just some more strange sounds of this old castle falling apart!" He said shakily. Twilight got up, Angel jumping onto her shoulder. "No one likes sarcasm, Spike." She advised, Spike rolling his eyes and following Twilight in her wake.

Meanwhile, Malibu had gotten over his scare, attempting to calm every pony down but failing. "Guys, stop! There's nothing scary now!" He roared, the rest of the Mane 7 screaming their heads off, Fluttershy sobbing over 'Angel's' body.

Spike peeked over the balcony in surprise. "What's gotten into them?" He asked curiously, Malibu having heard his voice, flying up to them. "They're too panicked to listen to me, Twilight! Can you help?"

Twilight nodded, glaring. "ALRIGHT, EVERYPONY, STOP!" She bellowed, shooting a magic that froze everypony except for herself and Malibu, stopping them all in their tracks.

Applejack looked up in surprise. "Twilight? Malibu?" She questioned.

Fluttershy was frozen in her position of trying to lift the pillar. "Must.. save... Ange—!" She suddenly saw Angel reveal himself, saluting with his ear. "Oh." Fluttershy then blushed.

Rainbow Dash, frozen in mid air, spoke. "Fluttershy? What are you doing here?"

Rarity was covered in a tapestry. "She's with me..." She replied, still sounding a little stressed which Malibu could relate with. Twilight then unfroze every pony, Rarity gasping in relief as her mane was now no longer frizzy and dirty.

Twilight stared in confusion. "Have you all spent the whole night running around, scaring each other?"

Applejack narrowed her eyes in suspicion again. "Well, that depends."

"On what?" Malibu asked.

Rainbow glared at Twilight. "On whether or not you're the Pony of Shadows!" She accused, pointing with her hoof. Malibu swallowed, for his mom had told him about the legend, and didn't want to come across the Pony of Shadows any time soon.

Spike shivered. "What'sâ the Pony of Shadows?" He asked shakily, Twilight smiling comfortingly at him. "Oh, that's just an old ponies' tale."

Malibu's heart thumped. "I hope you're right." He muttered, until that scary organ music suddenly played, making them all gather around Twilight in fear.

The baby dragon's eyes bulged. "Then who's playing... that?"

Twilight frowned. "We're gonna find out."

The former gargoyle gulped. "D-Do we have to?" He asked, Twilight nodding at him, the whole group following where the sound was coming from.

Soon they found themselves in an old organ room, Malibu's eyes widening in awe at how big the instrument was but then his feelings switched when they spotted a strange shadowy figure playing it.

They all gasped in fright. "The Pony of Shadows!" Twilight whispered. Malibu trembled all over. "What do we do?"

Twilight somehow had a spark of courage, going closer to the Pony Of Shadows which Malibu didn't like. "Twi, wait!" He reached with his hoof but too late.

Glaring, Twilight used her magic to take off the Pony's hood, which revealed to be none other than...

"Hey, you guys! Did you know I can totally play the organ? Because I didn't!"

The 6 others stared dumbfoundedly at the reveal of none other than Pinkie Pie, who is all smiles. "PINKIE?!" They all yelped in disbelief. "Check it out!" Pinkie continued to play a now more cheerful organ song. And Malibu was surprised that she wasn't too bad at it.

Rainbow's face was too full of disbelief to comprehend this. "You're the Pony of Shadows?"

"The Pony of What?"

Twilight rolled her eyes. "See, what did I tell ya?"

Applejack tilted her head, wondering how she got here. "I thought you went to ring the school bell all week."

Pinkie nodded. "Oh, yeah! I only had to ring it for like, five minutes! They said that was good enough! Eh, can't imagine why!"

Malibu had a mental image of how Pinkie Pie would ring the bell which weirded him out, the others apparently having the same vision.

Pinkie continued her story. "So then, I decided to throw a 'finish ringing the school bell party!' But I didn't have any bluebells, and you can't throw a finish ringing the school bell party without bluebells, so I went to Everfree Forest to pick some, but it started to get so chilly. I had to wrap myself up in the tarp I was gonna use to gather flowers, and then I saw Fluttershy and Rarity. But they went into the castle before I could invite them to my party. Luckily, I followed them inside so I could help you all with your party!"

Rarity raised her brow. "What party is that?"

Pinkie grinned. "Uh, the 'everypony come to the scary old castle and hide from each other while I play the organ' party?" She pressed another organ key which activated a spring in the floor, sending Spike into the air then falling to the ground. "Duh!" Pinkie then hopped off cheerfully, leaving the rest utterly confused, but were happy they were all together in this creepy place now.

"I actually found a pretty cool room I want to show you all," Twilight then told the others, gesturing them to follow her. Malibu wondered where it could be when in the library upon getting there; revealed another secret passage but into a small bedroom that looked like where his mom could've sleeped in. Also there was a big book in there that Twilight obviously was reading.

Malibu smiled. This was much more welcoming than the rest of the castle had to offer as he sat down on a cushion, feeling rather exhausted from everything. "Wow, Twilight. This is pretty beautiful. But what is that book?"

Twilight grinned at him. "Thisâ is your mom's journal. The Journal of the Two Sisters."

He stared in amazement, feeling excitement flood inside. "What did you find in there?"

"Not much sadly." Twilight explained. "But you can look through it if you want." She levitated the book in his direction. Malibu opened it up, and was instantly drawn into the stories of Celestia and Luna when they lived in the castle, admiring all the drawings they made too. This was something he had to bring home to them.

Rarity herself was sewing the tapestry that fell on her head. "I swear, this is going right back where I found it just as soon as I've returned it to its former glory."

Fluttershy nuzzled Angel lovingly. "Now don't go running off again! Oh, I can't believe I was so frightened. Guess I let my imagination get the best of me."

Malibu looked up from his reading when hearing it, flushing then. "I kinda did too. Especially when being in the hall of hooves. That was too creepy for me." He said with a shudder.

Applejack smiled in embarrassment. "We all did Mal. Don't feel so embarrassed."

Pinkie Pie just smiled randomly. "I always let my imagination run away from me! Then it comes backâ with cake!" She said, from confusing glances from her friends.

Twilight gave a sigh. "Well, it's good to know that wherever your imagination is getting away from you, a good friend can help you rein it in." She said in a friendship letter styled lesson." And even though I didn't find anything out about the mysterious chest, I'm glad I was able to help all of you."

The Mane 7 and Spike all nodded, agreeing with what she said, Malibu feeling his fears fade away, for being among his friends always helped his anxiety.

Then, Twilight had a look in her eyes. "I've just got a great idea! Why don't we keep a journal? Just like the royal pony sisters?"

Malibu felt surprised at this notion, but actually didn't mind it since they didn't need to write friendship letters anymore. "All of us?" Fluttershy whispered.

"Sure! That way, we can learn from each other! And maybe someday, other ponies will read it and learn something too!" Twilight explained further, causing the others to get excited at the thought. "It would be great to be able to write down things I've been feeling in it." Malibu stated in, for he missed writing down the lessons they've learned.

Rarity nodded. "And what a splendid idea!"

Applejack took off her hat. "I know what my first entry will be! Dear diary, I'm glad Granny Smith's legend wasn't true."

Rainbow Dash agreed, putting her arm and wing around Malibu in a hug. "Me too."

Pinkie Pie then jumped in between them and Applejack. "Me three! Because you two are still tied, for most Daring Pony!"

Applejack and Dash then glared at one another, making Malibu confused. "What happened to you both in here? Daring Pony?"

Rainbow laughed nervously. "Long story, I'll tell you later." She said, the two of them giving each other another kiss that they figured they deserved after everything. With the new journal now beginning to start, Malibu knew they would tackle lessons probably much harder than they ever did before.

"Pft, Shadow Ponies. How ridiculous is that?" Spike asked, rolling his eyes. But he had no idea that outside the secret room, a mysterious living shadow hid there, its yellow eyes opening up in intimidation.

...

Since this episode had the Mane 6 separated until near the end it would have been impossible to have Malibu be with all of them at once which is why this was only 3,000 words. but the next one should hopefully be even better since Daring Do is on the horizon!