Best Friends For Ever! (5 page)

Pippa continued to hug her. She wanted to say something wise and comforting but the words wouldn’t come. At last she pulled away from Stardust to examine the dungeon bars. They ran from floor to ceiling and were as solid as a mountain. They didn’t even rattle when Pippa tried to shake them.

‘We’re well and truly stuck,’ she said as Misty came to stand beside her. ‘Unless . . .’ An idea popped into Pippa’s head. With mounting excitement she said, ‘Misty, could you use your unicorn magic to freeze the bars?’

Misty stared at her for a moment then a slow smile spread over her face. As Stardust realised what Pippa intended, she came to stand beside her.

‘I think so,’ said Misty.

As the unicorn bent her head forward, Pippa was struck by how delicate her spiralled horn looked against the thick prison bar. Could something so tiny and beautiful overcome the strength of the iron?

‘Yes,’ Pippa said softly.

She clenched her hands into fists. It was like good and evil. Good always won in the end if people had the courage to stand together and fight the bad.

A cracking noise reverberated around the prison cell as, slowly, the bars began to freeze. Pippa could feel the cold radiating from them.

‘It’s your turn now, Stardust,’ said Pippa. ‘Can you kick the bars out?’

Stardust shook back her long, white mane. There was a look of determination in her brown eyes.

‘Easy!’ she said.

Turning her back on the bars, Stardust lashed out with her hind hooves and there was an ear-splitting crack. Stardust kicked again and again. Suddenly the bars clanged to the floor.

‘Hooray!’ cheered Pippa.

She scrambled up on Stardust’s back.

‘Now we go after Divine.’

At a fast trot Stardust and Misty fled the dungeon into the dark tunnel. Many of the flickering torches had been snuffed out. Pippa squinted as they flew along, but the passageway didn’t look familiar.

‘Left,’ she said uncertainly, as they reached the first branch of the underground labyrinth.

Pippa clung on to Stardust’s back, ducking her head in the places where the ceiling was low. Stardust and Misty’s breathing came in noisy rasps. They continued for ages, until they reached a crossroad of four paths. Pippa hesitated.

‘Which way?’ Stardust asked, pulling up.

Fear gripped Pippa’s insides. She didn’t remember this part of the tunnel at all. There was a buzzing noise in her ears. Pippa shook her head in irritation.

‘Watch out!’ cried a tiny voice. ‘It’s meee. Your good friend Zzzimb.’

‘Zimb!’ Pippa’s spirits soared as her horsefly friend flew in front of her face and landed on her nose. Pippa giggled and crossed her eyes as she tried to focus on him.

Zimb chuckled too then flew away to perch on Stardust’s ear.

‘A little losssssst, are we? Let Zimb help.’

There was a faint buzz and suddenly the tunnel glowed with a thousand pinpricks of light.

‘Fireflies!’ Pippa said, staring around in delight.

‘Weee ssssaw you enter the Volcano,’ said Zimb. ‘No Royal Pony has ever ventured here before. Weee guesssssed you might need help.’

‘Thank you,’ said Stardust.

Quickly Pippa, Stardust and Misty told Zimb why they were in the Volcano.

‘Baronesssss Divine hassss assembled everyone in the castle courtyard,’ said Zimb. ‘Weeee sssssaw her on our way in. Hurry!’

Stardust and Misty galloped through the tunnels, led by Zimb and with the light of the fireflies showing them where to go. Together they burst into the castle courtyard. As Stardust pulled up, Pippa gasped.

‘Wow!’ she exclaimed, her eyes popping at the huge crowd of Night Mares assembled in front of Divine.

No one noticed Pippa, Stardust, Misty, Zimb and the fireflies join the back of the crowd. All eyes were on Divine, who stood on a platform of black rock as she addressed the crowd. Crowning her head was the eighth golden horseshoe, glinting in the fierce light of the Volcano.

‘The time has come. This Midsummer Day will go down in our history, for today marks the start of a wonderful new era for the ponies of the Volcano. We are gathered here to witness the end of the Royal Realm. Nightingale was wrong to have meddled with magic. She never should have created Chevalia and allowed ponies from the human world to come here. I will reverse her mistake. By throwing this horseshoe into the lava, our volcanic island will return to the way it was. Down with Chevalia! Long live Volcanica!’

A loud cheer resounded from the Night Mares and they stamped their hooves with approval.

Out of the corner of her eye Pippa saw Nightshade and Eclipse huddled together. Their eyes were huge with worry and they shook their heads in disbelief.

‘Only they know the truth,’ Pippa said softly. ‘If Divine destroys that horseshoe she’ll destroy the whole island.’

Chapter 5

The cheers rose to a crescendo, and with it the courtyard darkened. Pippa stared up. What was the dark shape that was spreading closer, like spilled ink? The Night Mares fell silent. A soft whooshing noise filled the air. It reminded Pippa of wings.

‘Cloud!’ she exclaimed, as the silver-grey Princess Pony led a flock of flying ponies into the courtyard.

‘Mum, Dad! Crystal, Cinders . . .’ Stardust’s voice was soft with wonder as the entire Royal Court flew into sight and hovered above them.

‘I saw you enter the Volcano,’ said Cloud. ‘I thought you’d probably need some help.’

‘And I think I saw you!’ Pippa exclaimed, thinking of when they stepped into the Volcano Castle and she’d noticed something in the sky.

Cloud swooped down and rubbed her nose against first Stardust’s and then Misty’s nose. There was a loud crack and a bright flash of light as they both sprouted wings. Pippa adjusted her position on Stardust’s back around the Princess Pony’s new wings.

‘You dare to invade my castle?’ Divine demanded, her eyes rolling wildly. ‘What’s the meaning of this?’

‘We’ve come to save Chevalia, for the good of all the ponies who live here,’ Cloud replied.

‘Too late!’ shrieked Divine.

She tossed her head and the golden horseshoe spun into the air. It flew over the Volcano, spinning in the wind. Then it plummeted towards the fiery pit of the Volcano.

Pippa shouted to Stardust, ‘After it!’

Stardust plunged down, her mane and tail flying behind her straighter than arrows. Pippa hung on tightly, gritting her teeth as the hot volcanic air washed over them. Far below she could see the molten lava glimmering red. The horseshoe spun towards it, flashing in the fiery light.

Stardust flew even faster. Pippa could feel the pony’s muscles straining as she dived towards the molten heart of the Volcano far below. Burying her left hand in Stardust’s mane to anchor herself, she reached out for the spinning horseshoe. Her fingers brushed it but then the horseshoe spun away. Stardust flew faster still. Pippa reached out again. She was so close. Her curly hair streamed out behind her and the wind rushed in her ears. Her fingers ached as they snatched for the horseshoe and, this time, she caught it. The horseshoe tingled in her hand as magic coursed through her fingertips. It filled her with warmth, excitement and hope.

‘We did it!’ she shouted.

Stardust whinnied with delight and, turning round, she soared upward. She flew over the courtyard and circled it in a lap of victory. Pippa sat tall on her back, proudly holding the horseshoe in the air for everyone to see.

‘Stupid fools! You’ve ruined everything,’ Divine shrieked with rage.

‘No,’ shouted Stardust. ‘
You
would have ruined everything, but now Chevalia is safe for us all to live in and enjoy again.’

‘She’s right,’ Nightshade and Eclipse called out. ‘The Mistress wanted the island for herself. She doesn’t care what happens to us.’

The Royal Ponies flying overhead cheered wildly, but at first the Volcano ponies looked doubtfully between Divine and Stardust, unsure who to believe.

‘Nightingale created the horseshoes and Chevalia for everyone,’ said Nightshade. ‘Why would Divine want to destroy them unless it was for her own gain?’

It was as if the Night Mares had suddenly woken up. Their faces cleared as they understood the truth and they burst into noisy cheers.

‘To Chevalia!’

The applause and cheering lasted for ages. As the noise finally died away, Stardust spoke.