Transcripts/Roots of All Evil Pt. 1

:[majestic music]
:[sinister music]
:Opaline: [laughing maniacally]
:[ponies screaming]
:Zoom Zephyrwing: Everypony, please stay calm! Do not panic! Everything is under—!
:Thunder Flap: Zoom! I forgot my shield! Do you have one?! Hey, something feels funny. [screams]
:[ponies screaming]
:Opaline: [laughing maniacally]
:[ponies screaming]
:Elder Flower: It can't be!
:Dapple: Elder Flower, look out! Ah, are you okay? What was that?
:Elder Flower: [gasps] I-I don't know!
:Onyx: Dapple, look!
:Dapple: Oh! My... My... Oh! Ah!
:Onyx: Oh, no! What's happening to us?!
:Elder Flower: [gasps] Our cutie mark magic! It's being stolen!
:Dapple: Everypony, ruuuuun!
:[ponies screaming]
:[ponies screaming]
:Toots: Oh, my hoofness! What do we do?!
:Jazz Hooves: Ruuuuun!
:[ponies screaming]
:Sugar Moonlight: Now dragons?! What's next?!
:[thudding]
:Rosedust: Leave us alone! Please!
:Spike: Whoa, what kind of welcome is this? It's me, Spike! Friend to ponykind since forever? Royal advisor to—?
:Sprout: Dragon! [screams]
:[splash!]
:[ponies screaming]
:Spike: [sighs] Never mind.
:Hitch Trailblazer: It's cool, everypony! He's with us!
:Dahlia: Hitch? Sheriff Hitch?
:Sprout: Wait, what?
:Hitch Trailblazer: [huffs]
:Sunny Starscout: Now, can somepony please tell us what's going on here?
:Glory: We don't really know, but it's bad!
:Seashell: Our cutie marks are all gone, and... and... the pony who took them all... She was an Alicorn!
:Sunny Starscout: [gasps]
:
:Rocky Riff: Uh, Jazz? Are you seeing what I'm seeing?
:Jazz Hooves: Our friends just rode into town on flying dragons?!
:Rocky Riff: And Pipp's hair is still fabulous!
:Jazz Hooves: Where have you ponies been?!
:Rocky Riff: Who would do something like this?
:Sunny Starscout: Her name is Opaline, and she's—
:Izzy Moonbow: Oh, Opaline! Oh, yeah, yeah, of course, of course! You know, I was really racking my mind, like, who really would do something like this? Okay, yeah. No, that makes sense. Continue.
:Pipp Petals: Izzy, who else did you think would do this?
:Izzy Moonbow: Honestly, uh... I've always been a little suspicious of Hitch's crab friend McSnipsalot. He's just so pinchy!
:[beat]
:Hitch Trailblazer: Hey!
:Sunny Starscout: Rocky, Jazz, show us what happened.
:[mysterious music]
:Rocky Riff: There! They disappeared through there!
:Sunny Starscout: But how is Opaline doing this?
:Jazz Hooves: She had these magical vines that followed her through town, and they stole the cutie marks.
:Sunny Starscout: [gasps]
:Hitch Trailblazer: And where is she now?
:Zipp Storm: The trees. She must be using the trees like portals! Just like we did when we went to the Isle of Scaly!
:Sunny Starscout: But to open a portal, you'd need a key, right? Without one, Opaline would need so much more than pony magic.
:Misty: But she has Fire Alicorn magic! And she has the Dragon Stone!
:Pipp Petals: And actual dragons!
:Jazz Hooves: And she has all of our cutie marks!
:Zipp Storm: So she found a way into Maretime Bay through the tree. [gasps] If she broke through Twilight's protection spell, that means... she could be back to finish the job at any moment!
:Rocky Riff: Everypony and everything could be in real danger!
:Sunny Starscout: You're right! Even the Unity Crystals!
:Izzy Moonbow and Misty: [gasp]
:Seashell, Glory, and Peach Fizz: [gasp]
:[pop!]
:Jazz Hooves: I'm just gonna say it... We're doooooomed!
:[ponies screaming]
:Hitch Trailblazer: Wait, everypony! Come back! We need all hooves on deck here protecting this tree!
:Toots: But without our cutie marks, we're not ourselves! We can't protect anything! Ugh!
:Misty: Yes. You can. I know it doesn't feel like it right now, but you all have something to offer. You're all smart and brave and kind. I've seen you. Any of you would do anything to help your fellow pony. Even you, Sprout.
:Sprout: Really? Aww!
:Misty: Look, I know Opaline. She's awful. She kept me locked in her lair for moons. But I survived all of it. Even without a cutie mark. Yes, your cutie marks are special. But they're not the only thing that makes you special. And nopony can take away what makes you special on the inside.
:Izzy Moonbow: Yeah! You're powerful ponies! Any one of you could kick a door off its hinges in two and a half tries!
:Pipp Petals: That is... oddly specific.
:Izzy Moonbow: Thank you very much!
:Rocky Riff: We'll do our part. But how are you gonna stop Opaline? Do you have a plan?
:Sunny Starscout: A plan? Uh, of course! Absolutely! Okay, who has a plan?
:Izzy Moonbow: Oh! Oh! Me! I do! Here's what we're gonna need – two bathtubs full of glimmerberry jam, a stick of bubble gum, and exactly sixteen cases of assorted craft supplies! This ain't gonna be easy, but if we time it juuuuust right, then we're gonna—!
:Sunny Starscout: That is... an option. [nervous laughter] Any other ideas?
:Zipp Storm: We need to figure out how Opaline is stealing the cutie marks.
:Pipp Petals: And we need to do it before she comes back here and finishes the job! [whimpers]
:Hitch Trailblazer: What if Zephyr Heights and Bridlewood are in danger, too? This is too much! How are we supposed to do this on our own?
:Sunny Starscout: We're not on our own. Opaline's not the only pony with dragons on her side!
:Toots: So, uh... what'd you come up with?
:[pop!]
:Spike: [groans]
:[thud!]
:Spike: [groaning]
:Sunny Starscout: Spike! What happened?!
:Blaize: He just collapsed!
:Luxxe: [groans] I'm not feeling so great either...
:Fountain: This must be some kind of pony spell. Is this a-a trap?
:Misty: No, it's the Dragon Stone! It has to be! If Opaline has dragons under her control, she's using the stone to do it!
:Sunny Starscout: If she uses up all of the Dragon Stone's magic, that could—
:Spike: That could put dragons back to sleep for another thousand moons. We can't let that happen. Dragons! Come with me! That stone doesn't belong to this Opaline! And if we're gonna have any chance at stopping her, we're gonna need all the dragon power we have left!
:Luxxe: Spike. What about "the One"? The hatchling?
:Sparky Sparkeroni: [gurgles]
:Hitch Trailblazer: What?! No! You can't! He's just a baby!
:Spike: He is stronger than you know.
:Misty: Hitch, he's right. Sparky's the one who filled up the Dragon Stone in the first place. He's why Opaline's Fire Alicorn magic is so powerful.
:Sparky Sparkeroni: [gurgling]
:Sunny Starscout: And if she got her magic through Sparky...
:Spike: ...maybe he's the one who can take it all back.
:Hitch Trailblazer: He is strong. But he's still my... my little...
:Spike: Believe me, he always will be. But trust us.
:Sparky Sparkeroni: [excited burbling]
:Hitch Trailblazer: You got this, bud.
:Sparky Sparkeroni: [excited burble, cooing]
:Sunny Starscout: Spike, be careful.
:Spike: Don't worry about me, Princess Sunny. This isn't my first rodeo.
:[majestic music]
:Spike: Protect your ponies!
:Sunny Starscout: I'm not... I'm not a princess!
:Spike: [laughs] If you say so!
:Hitch Trailblazer: [sighs] I'm gonna gather everypony by the tree!
:Sunny Starscout: We'll meet you back there as soon as we check on the crystals. And Hitch? Promise me you'll be careful, too.
:Hitch Trailblazer: Hoof to heart.
:[ponies screaming, whimpering]
:Hitch Trailblazer: [amplified] Everypony, listen up!
:[ponies gasping]
:Hitch Trailblazer: [amplified] I know you're scared. But we're stronger together. We're safer if we're together! Everypony, to the Together Tree!
:Sprout: [gulps]
:[tense music]
:Sunny Starscout: Phew!
:Misty: She must not be able to enter the Brighthouse still. She never could do that.
:Sunny Starscout: Good. That means the protection spell is still intact. At least here.
:Zipp Storm: Wait!
:Pipp Petals: Wait for what?! Where are we going?! Zipp. Zipp. Equestria to Zipp! [chuckles] Zipp. Zipp! ZIPP! What are you doing?! Studying?!
:Zipp Storm: Showing you this! Ha! Ever since Elder Flower told us about the connected roots, I haven't been able to stop thinking about this picture!
:Zipp Storm: [voiceover] It's from the library back home in Zephyr Heights! [laughs]
:Pipp Petals: So... what am I looking at?
:Zipp Storm: Underneath the tree. Roots that look like they power the ponies' cutie marks, right?
:Sunny Starscout: Oh, I think I see where you're going.
:Zipp Storm: Three trees. The Maretime Bay Together Tree, Misty's Together Tree in Zephyr Heights, and the Wishing Together Tree in Bridlewood. Three trees. Somehow she tapped into the connection between the three, but I just can't figure out how—
:Misty: It's not three trees. It's four.
:Sunny Starscout, Izzy Moonbow, Pipp Petals, and Zipp Storm: What?!
:Misty: There's a fourth tree. Opaline has her own magic tree in her throne room. But it's not beautiful like the Together Trees. It's dark and twisty.
:Misty: [voiceover] It's supposed to feed on unity magic, but it never worked because Opaline never found unity with anypony.
:[thunder booming]
:[ominous music]
:Misty: She's never had a friend like—
:Zipp Storm: Elder Flower!
:Izzy Moonbow: [gasps] She's not friends with Elder Flower?!
:Zipp Storm: Uh, no! Elder Flower said they're all connected. If our cutie mark magic is flowing through the roots of the trees...
:Sunny Starscout: ...then Opaline must be able to reach them through her own tree!
:Zipp Storm: So, she can travel through the trees and she's using the trees to steal the cutie marks?!
:Izzy Moonbow: Whoa! This is a lot! Um... Hey, where did Hitch say he was gathering all the ponies again?
:Hitch Trailblazer: See? It's cool. We're safe here together. Everything is— [gasps]
:[whooshing]
:Sprout: Not good! Everything is not good! Ah! My essence!
:[ponies screaming]
:Zipp Storm: It's not safe!
:Izzy Moonbow: Get away!
:Pipp Petals: We were wrong!
:Hitch Trailblazer: Ohhhh, this is not good. Okay, opposite plan! Everypony split up! Get away from the tree!
:Dahlia: But... But you said to go—
:Sprout: My cutie mark! [high-pitched] Mommy! I want it back!
:Zipp Storm: If the tree here in Maretime Bay is doing all this, then what about the one in Zephyr Heights?!
:[phone buzzing]
:["Everything is Gonna Be Okay" ringtone]
:Queen Haven: You've reached her Royal Majesty Queen Haven of Zephyr Heights' voicemail. Please leave your message after Cloudpuff's bark! [laughs]
:Cloudpuff: [barks]
:[phone beeping]
:Pipp Petals: No answer!
:Zipp Storm: Did you leave a message?
:Pipp Petals: She doesn't know how to check her messages! We have—!
:Hitch Trailblazer: We have to warn Zephyr Heights!
:Zipp Storm: We're on it!
:[tires screeching]
:[horn honking "My Little Pony" theme]
:Zipp Storm: Izzy?!
:Izzy Moonbow: Okay! I've got Bridlewood! Hitch, you're in charge of here! You listen to me. Can you handle this as a solo Hitch mission?
:Hitch Trailblazer: I don't know! Uh, I mean, uh... where are Sunny and Misty?
:Zipp Storm: They're at the Brighthouse on the lookout! At least we know the crystals are safe.
:[glitching]
:Sunny Starscout: Oh, no! Not again! Not now!
:Misty: It... It doesn't make any sense! The ponies are frightened, but they're still working together!
:Sunny Starscout: It's Opaline! It has to be! [gasps] She's figured out a way inside!
:Misty: That's not possible! She's not strong enough to break through the protection spell yet!
:Sunny Starscout: What do you mean "yet"?
:Misty: If Opaline gets enough cutie mark magic, she'll have enough power to break any spell and take all the magic!
:Sunny Starscout: UGH! That can't happen! We can't let Equestria lose their cutie marks and their pony magic, too!
:[glitching]
:Sunny Starscout: What defense would we have then?
:[ominous music]
:[wind howling]
:Blaize: Looks like nopony's home.
:Sparky Sparkeroni: [gurgling]
:Spike: [gasps] The Dragon Stone! Do you sense it, too?
:Luxxe: It's definitely inside there, but it... it feels distant. Like she's keeping it somewhere... below.
:Fountain: Oh, no! Come on! Not a...
:[door clangs]
:Fountain: ...dungeon! Ugh! You know I hate dungeons! You know what happens to a dragon in a dungeon?!
:Luxxe: They chain us up?
:Fountain: They chain us up! Correct! I've been chained up in a dungeon before, Luxxe! Have you?! It's not cool! It's not cool at all!
:Spike: Shhh! Opaline could return at any moment!
:[ominous music]
:Spike: There. It's just been charged.
:Blaize: Oh, no. Lava and Jade. She has them! That means she must've...
:Luxxe: Chained them up!
:Spike: Once we retrieve the stone, we can rescue them and set everything right. She's got some kind of magic shield around the stone.
:Opaline: Oh, that's where you're wrong, Spike. [chuckles] I didn't put a spell around my Dragon Stone. I put a spell around my dragons! [cackles]
:Fountain: Aw, COME ON! I told you guys!
:Blaize: Argh!
:Fountain: [groaning]
:Spike: Ugh, you can't keep us in here forever!
:Opaline: Oh, hush. You'd be surprised how long I can keep somedragon in here. You're mine now. My own little scaly army. How lovely. See? I can make friends, too. Friendship! Ha! They used to tell me that was magic. [chuckles] You know what I think is magic?
:Sparky Sparkeroni: [babbles]
:Opaline: Power! And soon, I'll have all of it! Dragon Stone? Right there! Cutie mark magic? Incoming! Prisbeam? Soon enough! Together Trees? Did you see my tree upstairs? Poor little thing. I tried and tried to make it grow, but you know what feeds a Together Tree, right? Did you guess "unity"? That's correct. It's always unity. So my little tree would always just wither up and die.
:Opaline: [voiceover] Why, even when I found it a real live friend, it wouldn't grow. No matter. My little fake friend brought some real unity magic back to me whether she meant to or not. And all it took was one tiny spark...
:Opaline: ...to activate my tree.
:Sparky Sparkeroni: [whimpers]
:Opaline: And once my tree woke up, well, it made friends with the tree in Maretime Bay and another tree in Bridlewood. And then my friend Misty – do you know what she did? She grew a brand new one for us in Zephyr Heights. So maybe my little Misty really has been a true friend, after all. Now all of the cutie marks come to me one by one. Bing, bong. But I'm saving my favorite cutie marks for last. And once I have those, nothing will stop me from total domination!
:Opaline: Then, Equestria is mine! [cackling]
:Sparky Sparkeroni: [whimpering]
:[glitching]
:Misty: Oh, this is all my fault! I never should've come here! If I hadn't helped Opaline, she never could've done all this!
:Sunny Starscout: You can't think like that. What were you supposed to do? Stay in that creepy lair forever by yourself? Besides, I'm the one who made us all leave. We never should've gone to the Isle of Scaly. We should've stayed here and protected Equestria.
:[glitching]
:Misty: But then you wouldn't have helped the dragons find their courage again. You're a leader, Sunny. You always help everypony.
:Sunny Starscout: I'm not a leader. I'm just a pony. A pony who can't ever stop stirring up trouble!
:Misty: Sunny, you know that's not—
:[heartbeat pulses]
:Misty: [gasps] She's back! Opaline's here!
:Sunny Starscout: How do you know?
:Misty: I can feel it in my hooves. See it in my mind.
:[evil laughter echoes]
:Hitch Trailblazer: Everypony, keep away from the tree! This is the sheriff's responsibility! I won't let any more of you be in danger!
:Kenneth: [chirps]
:Hitch Trailblazer: Kenneth! Guys, no! You can't be here, either!
:[tense music]
:Opaline: Don't try to hide, ponies! I will find you!
:Hitch Trailblazer: Not as long as Sheriff Hitch is around!
:Opaline: [grunts, chuckles] Earth pony magic? Ah, what'll they think of next?
:Hitch Trailblazer: Wait! Kenneth! Steven! McSnipsalot!
:Opaline: [grunting]
:Hitch Trailblazer: No! No...
:Opaline: Ugh!
:Kenneth: [chirping]
:Jade and Lava: [breathe fire]
:Hitch Trailblazer: [whimpering]
:Opaline: Come out, come out, wherever you are!
:Hitch Trailblazer: Not in my town!
:Opaline: Ugh! [grunting] Ah! [grunting, laughs] Your weeds are no match for a Fire Alicorn!
:[thud]
:Opaline: Huh? Well, look at that. And I thought I'd collected all of the other cutie marks.
:Hitch Trailblazer: Not today! [grunting] Run! Get out of here!
:Opaline: After them!
:Hitch Trailblazer: No! [groans]
:Opaline: There it is. Ripe for the plucking!
:Hitch Trailblazer: [groaning] Not... in... my... town! [grunts]
:Opaline: Argh!
:Hitch Trailblazer: [grunting]
:Opaline: [grunting, laughs]
:Misty: She's got Hitch!
:Sunny Starscout: We have to help him!
:Misty: Sunny, I... I can't!
:Sunny Starscout: Misty, we have to!
:Misty: I don't think I can face her!
:Sunny Starscout: You don't have to. Stay here. Somepony needs to protect the Unity Crystals.
:Hitch Trailblazer: [grunting]
:[tense music]
:Hitch Trailblazer: Not... in my... town.
:Sunny Starscout and Misty: Hitch!
:Opaline: [laughing evilly]
:Jade and Lava: [roar]
:[clouds rumbling]
:[evil laughter echoing]
:Izzy Moonbow: Hitch!
:Pipp Petals: No!
:Zipp Storm: Hitch!
:Jade: Now, Mistress Opaline, all of the cutie mark magic in Equestria is yours.
:Opaline: Not quite. Four little ponies to go...
:[thunder booming]
:[credits]