The Secrets of Caduceus

by Trebass

Rating: teen
Tags: Romance, Adventure, Tragedy, Dark, Alternate Universe, Sad
Length: 28432

With the new knowledge that his father is trapped in the City of Hope, Apollo Coronis marches into Caduceus with four other ponies (One of which may be his potential mother). But he is soon met by an old friend, who is on the other side of the garden

[Sequel to : Voyage to Asclepius]

Caduceus, a city the middle of a desolate desert, is run by two ponies who control everything. Live soldiers are scarce and weak, so the next best thing comes into play: Soldiers Of the Supernatural.

With the new knowledge that his father is trapped in the City of Hope, Apollo Coronis marches into Caduceus with four other ponies (One of which may be his potential mother) to try and rescue his long lost parent. But he is soon met by an old friend, who is on the other side of enemy lines.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2014-02-27 06:26:18 UTC

PROLOGUE

Loneliness, emptiness, sadness. These feelings mean nothing to me anymore.

The feeling of loneliness is dissolves in the presence of my new acquaintances, this rag-tag team of infiltrators who all have one wish. To seek my father.

The feeling of emptiness has fallen to my new name: Apollo Coronis. The name that gives me an identity, I am a living being with a purpose now. To find my father.

And sadness is replaced with the beacon of hope that is Caduceus, the City of Hope. The city where my father is trapped.

This dark room I'm sitting in, this mysterious watch-like device on my right fore hoof, the mares and colt sitting at the table across from me, and this strange fortified town in the middle of an empty desert. All of these things raise questions for me, and each question requires an answer that I cannot find so easily.

The four mares sit as silently as ever on the opposite side of the table.

From left to right... There's Thorns, darkness' own rose. I wouldn't call her a ninja exactly, since she seems to have preference for wearing beautiful dresses similar to that of the lollita style. But she certainly enjoys hiding in the dark.

Next to her is Dove, the beautiful yet fierce eye in the sky gunner. Apparently she's an ex-soldier of some sort, and that's the reason behind her excessive collection of firearms.

Second from the right is Strings, the diplomat with a harp of gold. Literally, her harp is pure gold apparently. If we need someone from the other side of the battlefield, she's the one to call. Some suspect it's the magic of her harp, or maybe it's the magic of her horn, others believe it's simply her charm.

And finally, on the far right, is Ace: The jack of all trades who always takes the chance. According to Black Blizzard she has a habit of making the impossible become possible, which is why she's the leader in this group of strange individuals. Gambling is her game and Ace is her name.

"M.A.S.T." Black Blizzard never explained to me what this watch-like thing is.

"You'll find out what it's used for soon. Hopefully your father can explain it." He says, dodging the question.

I sigh, and let him continue with the explanation of his plan.

"Alright, our goal right now is to find this pony." His horn glows, and a polaroid photo floats from his vest pocket and onto the table.

It's a photo of a young red stallion who looks to be about my age. No horn, no wings, just a simple earth pony like me as well. His brown mane runs down to the base of his neck, it's quite long. In the photo, he's wearing a black tuxedo in the middle of what looks like some sort of formal dance.

"And who exactly is this stuck up-looking snob?" Dove, the green pegasus asks.

Black Blizzard introduces our target, "Tailor Velvet. He is the personal wardrobe designer of a certain pony, someone who has a lot of power in Caduceus."

"You're either referring to George or Martha. Am I correct?" Strings asks.

He answers, "You're incorrect. But very close nonetheless. I am speaking of Martha's niece, Aura."

"You mean the psychic? How is she important to us?" Dove asks.

"Think about it. Martha loves her niece very much, so we get Tailor to lead us to her. And then we--" Black says, as I interrupt him.

"You're going to take a hostage?!" I blurt out.

Ace follows up the conversation, "We're not below taking prisoners. As long as it gets us to our main goal, nopony gets hurt."

I decide to shut up once again, in fear of being embarrassed further.

"There's a formal social event at the Gemstone Glass, the famed ballroom castle in the centre of the white region in Caduceus... Right here." Black's horn glows again, and a folded map floats from under that table and onto the table. It's a map of a large circular city. Half of the city is filled with white buildings, and the other half of the circular city is filled with black buildings. A red circle is drawn around a specific building in the white area.

"Why is the north half of the city black, and the south half white?" I ask.

"Ask your father." Ace says.

Blizzard continues, "At the social event, Aura will be confined to her room. She's currently suffering from some sort of cold, which leaves her completely defenseless."

"Don't important people usually have body guards?" I ask.

Blizzard nods, "Aura has specifically requested for her to be left completely alone in her room. Of course, Martha objects to this, but she places guards outside her room regardless. The balcony of her room is the only way in besides the suite's main door."

"And before you start thinking this is an easy operation, it's not. They also have security in the gardens below. Any noise that comes from Aura's room will certainly be heard by the guards below. And anything that comes near the balcony can be seen from almost anywhere in the garden." Dove explains.

"So wings are out of the question. And magic would make too much noise. I guess we'll be doing this the old fashioned way." Ace speaks, throwing down her hand of five (5) cards.

The skin coloured earth pony pulls a crudely drawn map of what I'm assuming is the Gemstone Glass.

"Alright Strings, you'll get us into the event itself. I'm in charge of our mode of transport, I'm sure a limousine won't be too over the top. Dove, you'll smuggle our weapons in through the hotel area of the restaurant. I want everypony with a gun hidden on their body somewhere before the extraction. Again I'm in charge of our transport extraction. Coronis, you're with Thorns. Thorns, you deal with the guards in front of Aura's room. Seduce and Slay Protocol is authorized."

Ace finishes giving each member their roles. Except for...

"What about Blizzard?" I ask.

"I've given him his own assignment. You need not worry about him." Ace replies.

I suppose it won't hurt to play along in this operation. I'll be able to look for Misaki and Shrubbery afterwards anyways, so it's a win-win situation.

The six (6) of us trot out of the dark room and out of the house itself. Black Blizzard activates his Changeling Armour and retains his former diamond dog form, then separates himself from the group and disappears. Now it's just the five (5) of us. Approaching the gate, we finally reach a fenced off area that is filled with motorbikes and dune buggies.

"We'll take this one into Caduceus, then find a more sophisticated vehicle later." Ace says, leading the group into the large dune buggy.

The machine has two (2) seats in the front, one for passenger and the other for driver. Behind the seats is an area for carrying heavy cargo, but I assume we'll be sitting there with the other two (2) mares. Ace and Strings sit up front, while Dove and I sit in the back. But Thorns decides to seat herself on top of the buggy, where the safety rails are located.

The machine begins to roar, and smoke rises from the exhaust pipe behind us. We speed out of the fenced area, and towards the gates of Asclepius. The guards from before are still standing guard, and they see us approaching quickly. They pull the gates open, and we zoom out into the desert.

The breeze blowing through my mane is the last form of comfort I'll feel for a while. Seeing as we're on our way to kidnap a sickly mare from a high security restaurant hotel.

Then I'll look for Misaki and that timberwolf... Hopefully they made it to Caduceus.

Chapter 2: The Streets of Caduceus

The train shakes as we zoom through this underground tube. The four mares sit scattered around the train. Aside from the shaking and humming from the train, everypony is completely silent.

Then suddenly, Dove trots over to me and breaks the silence, "Hey. If worse comes to worse, we'll need to shoot and even maybe kill. You're okay with that, right?"

I sit silently, thinking critically. What happens when I'm faced with that scenario?

"It's kill or be killed. This is Caduceus, ponies are constantly at war there. Whether it's on the streets, or between politicians, somepony is always trying to kill somepony." She says, calmly.

"I don't know, I've killed a dragon. But that's only a little different."

She sits down on the seat next to me, "I see. Well, I'd rather you not die on us. So I'll help you out with that gun of yours."

My gun? What's wrong with it? There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with it.

"That's gonna get you killed in battle." She points to the hoof adapter that is attached to my revolver.

It is? Black Blizzard said it's the only way an earth pony like me can shoot guns.

"It was. To him anyways. You see his brother, the same pony that designed this train, took the concept and perfected another version of it. He created a simpler and more efficient method for earth ponies to shoot firearms."

Black Blizzard has a brother? And on top of that, his brother designed this train? There's a lot that I don't know about these ponies. Can I really trust their motives and instincts?

"Presenting... The Bullet Biter! This attachment frees up the one hoof that you would otherwise use with Black Blizzard's hoof-adapter. Put this end into your mouth, then bite down, and then... BANG!" The mint green pegasus explains the new device.

After explaining, Dove tears Black Blizzard's hoof adapter off the revolver and then retreats to train car behind us.

"That's Dove for you. Always taking things into her own hooves, not considering others most of the time."

I turn my head to the driver's seat, the voice belongs to Ace.

"Do you not get along?" I curiously ask.

Ace suddenly shuts off her voice, she obviously didn't want to continue on the subject. So I decide to change it.

"So what's the plan when we get into the city again?"

That got Ace talking again, "First we find a flashy ride to show up in. Then we drive that around town until we find a clothing store. Then we use the cash we got to buy some fancy attire. And if we don't have enough, we'll use our gunpowder discounts."

I'm trapped on a train full of psychopaths headed to a city full of killers. Fantastic.

"After that we'll drive to the Diamond Glass and proceed with the plan... Well, here we are."

The train begins to make an ear-wrenching screeching noise as it comes to a halt.

Dove flies through the train's car door my revolver sitting on her back.

"Perfect timing. I just finished installing the Bullet Biter on your Viper."

The Viper? I ask why she had just called my revolver that.

"Well, it kind of fits don't you think? I mean, with the snake on it and all." She chuckles, as she tosses the gun off of her back and onto mine.

"Also, here's an automatic holster. It's mechanical, so you don't have to worry about pulling the gun out. This baby moves the Viper from your back to your front so all you have to do is blow into the Bullet Biter. It's just easier, and I don't want you fumbling with your gun in the middle of a fight."

They're really putting all their faith in me. I mean, they just met me a few hours ago. And now they're slapping all sorts of gadgets on me so that I can help them kidnap a poor, sickly, defenseless filly.

The mechanical holster is now wrapped around my stomach. It feels like a girdle, except there's gun attached to the small lever on the side of it.

"We'll have to pick up an extra large tuxedo for you, if you're gonna walk into the restaurant looking like that." Ace says, looking at me with a smug look on her face.

"What about you? You'll need an extra large dress too if you're gonna start shooting." I reply with a somewhat witty comeback.

She trots out of the currently docked train, but I can hear her making a side comment to herself, "Smartass."

I shrug, then follow the other mares out of the train. At first, I believed I was in an actual metro station. But then I realized  this was not the case. The glass ceiling above us keeps the sand from collapsing on us. I guess this entire subway was here before the sand engulfed it. The boarding platform is similar to the one we had just departed from, except for the one thing that has changed. There's no exit.

But before I can ask about a way out, Strings trots over to the linoleum wall in front of us. Her horn glows, and then the wall beings to... Move? I shouldn't be very surprised by a secret passage, I've seen weirder today.

Can't see anything in this darkness, but then a ray of light slowly appears from above us. Don't tell me, we're coming out of...

Ace answers me before I can ask, "Yup. A sewer. Get used to it, we'll be using this to get in and out of Caduceus."

I had a feeling we were treading through something like that when a foul stench began to fill my nostrils. The one word I could use at this time to describe the experience would be nasty.

But wait, if we're in a sewer... There should be a ladder leading up to the manhole. But the ray of light seems to be coming from the three holes in the manhole cover, it's certainly not enough to navigate towards the ladder or even see it for that matter.

Then, in the middle of my complaining, something beeps from my hoof.

That's right, I still have that watch-like contraption Blizzard gave me. And I still don't know what it does.

A light green light begins to flicker on and off from the watch, did I turn it on? I must have, but what do these symbols on the screen mean? Confused, I decide to proceed with what seems like the only logical option; push all the buttons until something happens. But as soon as my hoof makes contact with the screen, the watch begins to glow and shine. I look up, and I see something that I've never seen before.

Tiny little symbols hovering over the watch and rotate around it. I come to the conclusion that these are projections of some sort, I'm not sure if this is science or magic or a mixture of both! One of the tiny, green, projected boxes has a symbol on it that looks almost like a lantern. My hoof is drawn to it, and I try to touch it. The symbol disappears as my hoof goes through it, the other symbols follow.

What did that accomplish?

*BEEP*

Then, suddenly, a bright ray of light beings to protrude from the watch forward.

"Hey, thanks for showing us the ladder kid." Ace says, as she reaches the top of the ladder.

Embarrassed, I slowly trot to the ladder and follow everypony. The light intensifies, and soon engulfs everypony on the red ladder. My eyes adjust easily, but that's because the light isn't that bright at all. In fact, the light seems to be coming from a dying... Street lamp?

I emerge from the manhole, and place the cover back on the sewer entrance. And to my surprise, I find myself standing in a dark alley under the moon.

"It's already night?" I ask.

Nopony replies. And I follow them out of the alleyway awkwardly. As we exit the dark space between buildings, we come out into an empty street similar to that of the city I woke up in. The only difference is, the streets are smooth with no cracks and vegetation doesn't completely engulf the buildings.

I look around the street. All around me I see ponies smoking and drinking, and the ones that weren't were either fighting or lying on the cement.

The beautiful outer view of the city seems to have lied to me. I imagined a peaceful metropolis filled with bustling business ponies in suits and dresses. Not... Drug addicts, alcoholics, and gang members.

"We need to move fast. I don't want to get caught up with any fights before we even get to the hotel." Ace says, as she gallops down the empty street.

After following for about five (5) minutes, Ace stops near a stationary vehicle. A black limousine parked outside a worn-down apartment building.

I speak, "We're not going to--"

*SMASH*

Of course we are. The skin coloured mare has just broken the driver's seat window of the limousine.

"Don't you ever think about what could go wrong with anything you do?" I sigh, with my face in my hoof.

As she unlocks the doors from the inside, Ace replies, "Of course I do. There's nothing wrong with just keeping the window down the whole time."

Sarcastically I ask, "So you just planned on finding this exact thing in front of this exact building?"

"Of course not. But I was sure that we would find one eventually."

There's no use, I give up on trying to argue with this pony.

As each member of the team climbs into the limousine, I hear loud shouts come from the apartment building in front of us.

"Hey! They're stealing your limousine!" A male voice shouts from above.

I look up, and see a young teenage pony in a tuxedo pointing at us. Two (2) other ponies, a filly and a colt, stand near the window and gasp at us.

"Thief! Stop them!" One of them shouts.

Dove pops her head out of the limousine's sunroof and shouts, "Get in the car idiot!"

Before I can open the door, Ace begins to drive the limousine off without me.

"Wait!" I shout for help, but I'm soon scooped up by a soft feathery wing onto the roof of the car.

Before I thank the pegasus who saved me, I stick my head down into the sunroof and face the driver's seat, "What was that?! Were you trying to leave me behind?!"

"Maybe. Maybe not. Anyways, it's not like I wouldn't come back for you."

I'm starting to lose more and more hope in this girl.

But before I can get into another heated debate with her, another voice begins to quietly speak to me, "U-Uh... Do you mind... Moving?"

I realize that I had stuck my entire body in sunroof with Dove still in it! I pull myself out and back onto the roof, and the pegasus has her back pressed against the rim of the opening. An awkwardly uncomfortable smile creeps onto her face as she tries not to look directly at me.

Blushing, she slowly lowers herself back into the limousine. And I follow soon afterwards.

The inside of the limousine is slick and clean. Chrome black material lines the walls and floors. Two (2) rows of velvet seats run along the sides. It's extremely spacious, so spacious that there's enough room in here to fit a cooler! In fact, I spy one in the far corner of the vehicle.

"From the looks of things, it probably belonged to some students who were on their way to a dance of some sort. Maybe a prom?" Strings says, as she calmly raids the beverage cooler.

Her horn glows, as bottles and cans begin to pile up on the seats, "They won't be missing these." She says, "Or maybe they will. No matter, that's what they get for leaving the keys in the ignition for anypony in Caduceus to take."

A dance huh, well I guess that's-- Aggh!

My head suddenly begins to hurt. What is this?! So many thoughts swirling in my head, I feel like I'm having an earthquake in my brain!

"H-Hey! What's wrong?!" Dove asks, as she kneels down to check on me.

My eyes shoot open, I must look like someone who's overdosed on some kind of drug. Everything's going out of focus, now it's fading... Is death approaching me? I can't die now... I need to find...

SHIZUKA...!

Chapter 3: Apollo in Wonderland

I needed to... Ask her to the...

"Dance?"

Huh? Did somepony just...

"Hello? Goodness, are you asleep? Here? Of all places?"

What? Where am I?

I open my eyes, and I see that I'm in a place that I've never seen before.

I'm in a... Ballroom? Sitting in a chair at a finely crafted marble table, I look around at my surroundings.

A giant room, with a beautiful glass chandelier hangs from the ceiling. The walls and floor are both made of marble. Ponies in frilly dresses and slick tuxedos dance around each other in the centre of the room.

"Where am I?" I ask myself out loud again.

I never expected an answer, but I got one anyways from something beside me, "Are you sober? Please, do tell me you are."

"I'm sorry but, who are you?" I turn to my right, and see a unicorn in a long black dress. Then I see her cream coloured face face. Then her smooth silky crimson mane, and a pair of beautiful magenta eyes gaze straight into mine.

She sits as straight as any ruler in her chair, and places her hooves politely on her lap.

"I'm hurt Apollo, forgetting me already? You've only just met me, but you could at least be a little more polite about it."

"Just met you? I'm sorry, but I don't think I've ever seen you before. Like, ever."

She sighs, and then her horn begins to glow. The glass of what looks like wine begins to float towards her lips.

"Look, I just want some answers alright? Now, I'll ask again... Where am I?"

The mare finishes drinking, and the wine glass grace fully floats back to where it originally sat on the table, "Why, you're at the Diamond Glass of course. You came here, and requested an audience with me. Did you not?"

"I requested an audience with you? For what reason, may I ask?"

"Now you're speaking in an elegant manner, such a hasty change in tone."

"I believe this is the only way of having you understand me, now please answer my question."

Again, the mare sighs, "I should be the one asking that. You were the one who piqued my interest with those roses sent to my room."

Roses? Just what did I do before waking up?

"The note I received in the bouquet was quite magnificent, it's hard to believe that somepony like you had written it. No offence of course."

"Much taken. But of course, I seem to remember it all now. I thank you for jogging my memory."

That of course, was a lie. I had no idea where I was, and I had no idea how I had gotten there. But it doesn't seem like she's catching on--

"Nice try. But I know you're still clueless."

Still? So she knew from the start?! Just who is this mare?

I reach for my gun, but it's not there!

"Nice try. But this is my domain now." She says as she hops off her chair.

The table in front of us flips on it's side, and the legs begin to move on their own! It's almost as if the table has just come to life!

"W-What?! What's happening?!"

Before I get an answer, I see more and more inanimate objects coming to life. Chairs, the dishes and glasses on the table, and even the statues scattered around the ballroom begin walking around.

Then I notice the mare again, floating in the air. Her horn pulsates furiously, as she levitates in the air.

"You have made a mistake coming here. And you've already broken out of my psychological chains, so now I must rid of you."

Just what in the world is happening?! Chains? Psychology? What does she mean?

She begins to call out to me in a distorted booming voice, "Never forget my name. For it is--"

"Hey... Hey wake up kid! C'mon it's not funny anymore!"

Somepony else is talking to me, but I can't see anypony else in this weird dream.

"Don't give in! Snap out of it! Apollo!"

"Gaagh!" I shout out loud, kicking and screaming.

"Hey hey hey! Calm the hell down kid!"

*SMACK*

Somepony's hoof slaps straight across my face, and I begin to calm down.

"What... Happened...?" I ask, panting and breathing heavily.

Ace steps back and takes a deep breath of relief, "It's about time! You were freaking out on the floor for almost ten (10) minutes! You wouldn't stop rolling around, and you finally stopped when we called your name."

"I don't know what happened... It was-- there was, a mare... In a ballroom. And then things just started to--"

"A mare?" Ace asks, before pulling out a photo from her jacket pocket, "Is this her?!"

I take the photo, and sure enough, it's definitely the mare I saw.

"Yeah, that's her! But how did you guys--"

Strings suddenly leans in closer towards my face. She stretches my eyelids apart, and I find myself gazing into her empty eyes again.

The unicorn makes me lie down on one of the limousine seats, and then begins to explain everything as her horn pulsates rapidly, "The filly you just met in your dream was none other than Aura. If you didn't know, she's a very powerful psychic. In fact, she's the only known psychic in the city. She has power, magic that even I've never seen before, that allows her to enter the minds of anypony she desires. She can manipulate and bend your conscious to her will. But the odd part is, how and why did she choose your mind to enter?"

"No idea. We're going up against this girl? Do you really think kidnapping a psychic will be easy?" I ask.

Strings' horn's glow fades, and she lets out a sigh of relief, "There, you should be okay. Your conscious should be protected from her."

Ace begins to press down on the throttle, and the limousine sets in motion again, "She's got one flaw in her power, and that's the fact that she can't enter more than one (1) mind."

"So if we all approach her at once, then she won't be able do anything."

"Exactly kid. You're smarter than you look." The skin coloured pony in the front says.

So we're trying to kidnap a pony who can manipulate the minds of any living being? What purpose does she even hold to us besides a hostage? And if we kidnap her can't she just use telepathy, or something like that, to call Martha for help?

"There's an easy answer to that, we put her at gunpoint. If Martha sends the in her forces, then we go through with the plan." Ace sternly explains.

"S-So you're serious about killing her?!" I ask, as I sit up from the limousine seats.

Everypony suddenly goes silent. Maybe they're finally feeling remorse for what they're doing.

The limousine comes to a stop, and Ace parks it in front of a very posh looking store. The bright white sign above it reads, "Blue Blood Linens"

Chapter 4: You Look Almost Like Your Father

The group of mares in front of me trot into the fancy clothing store, and I follow blindly once again.

A very clean and tidy store. That's surprising, considering the part of city we're currently in. Various neatly folded clothing articles are lined up on shelves and display counters. Suits, dresses, shoes, and hats surrounded me as I trotted through on the lightly coloured wood flooring. Nopony seems to be handling the cashier, so I decide to take more detailed look around.

It's harder than it looks, trying to find a suit that fits your style. Browsing the racks of clothes, I just can't seem to find something that I like.

*DING*

It seems somepony has rung the service bell at the cashier desk. I suppose I'll meet with the owner of this store and ask him to find something for myself.

"Come on Blue, we don't have all day." Ace shouts at a door behind the cashier desk.

Nopony makes a sound, and no reply is heard.

"If you're scared of Thorns, I'll have Dove hold her back if you want." The skin coloured earth pony shouts again.

Out of the darkness of the back room, a white unicorn with a blonde glossy mane slowly inches his head out of the doorway. He looks rather frightened, specifically by the silent blue lollita earth pony.

"C-Can I help you?" He asks timidly.

The blue earth pony turns away, and trots to where I'm standing. She seems to be taking a liking to me, or maybe she just doesn't like the cashier worker.

"We need something that can get us into the Diamond Glass. Classy, but not too flashy. Got it?" Ace demands.

The unicorn worker suddenly changes his attitude and tone, "Ah, I see... I'm sure I can find something for you all." He says, as he makes a full trip around the store.

His horn begins to glow and pulsate, as clothes from the racks and shelves hover behind him. He takes care to avoid me and the blue mare beside me.

Although, I don't blame the guy. If I were to be afraid of any of these mares, it would be the silent one. In fact, I've never heard her speak before. Not a sound, not even a cough.

"So do you know him? Why is he avoiding you?" I whisper to her.

She nods.

I sigh, swallow, and then ask the question I've been wondering for a while, "Excuse my abruptness in asking this but... Can you speak?"

She nods.

I guess she just prefers to remain silent.

"Here you go ladies, the finest of my store. And for the colt..." The white stallion begins to speak, but is soon cut off by an unfamiliar voice.

"I shall pick out his clothing."

The beautiful voice comes from beside me. Everypony in the room snaps their heads towards me. I slowly turn around, and realize that the blue earth pony had been speaking this whole time.

I step back, "So you can speak."

She nods.

Everypony's jaws hang open in disbelief, and that includes the white stallion.

"Who knew she could speak? This is the first time we've heard her voice!" Strings exclaims.

Thorns sighs, and then pulls my arm towards the stallion's clothing section of the store. I look back, and see everypony glancing at each other before dispersing around the store.

The blue earth pony holds up suit after suit in front of me. But she doesn't seem to be looking for something that I like. Rather, she's looking for something that she finds attractive.

Eventually, she picks out a striped black and white suit that I seem to enjoy myself.

"There" She says, "Now you look like your father did... When I first met him."

Now I see. And yet, I still don't understand her motives.

"Looking good kid." Ace says, as she steps out from behind a changing curtain.

She looks beautiful, and so does the slick black dress wrapped around her body. Although, her cowboy hat does stands out quite a bit. Strings soon follows after, and a long green dress follows with her. The flower in her mane seems a bit out of place as well.

"Yeah, you too. I guess...?" I respond vividly, not wanting to sound flirtatious.

Everypony in the room has a piece of formal clothing that should get them into the Diamond Glass. That includes Thorns, who seems to already own a dress similar to Ace's. But then I notice the green pegasus at the back of the store looking bored.

"Aren't you--" I begin to ask, but I'm immediately cut off by the same pegasus.

"No way! I'm not getting in one of those. I'll stick with the jacket thank you very much!" She responds.

Ace steps in, "We've got a special outfit for her. It's something that isn't too 'girly' for her. But it'll still keep suspicion away from her when we're inside."

Dove loudly lets out a breath of relief, as she rejoins the group.

"Thanks for your help Blue, the head of S.I.R.T. can send you the money we owe you. See you around." Ace says blandly, before walking out of the store.

I quickly trot after her, and soon catch up, "So who is the head of S.I.R.T. Anyways?"

She turns to me and responds with a chuckle, "That would be Black Blizzard himself."

Everypony re-enters the limousine, and we immediately begin driving again. Speedily, we drive down the empty street illuminated by street lamps.

The 'whirring' of the limo's motor comes to a stop after about twenty (20) minutes of driving. The one thing I noticed while driving was the change in colour around us. Only a few minutes before we had stopped, the buildings and streets around us were all occupied by drug addicts, alcoholics, and gang members. All of which were either coloured black or something relatively dark. Now I see white buildings and streets filled with futuristic looking devices, most of which are hovering in the air by some magic.

I peek out the window, and I'm met with a giant colossus of a building. But instead of the regular ivory white buildings we've been constantly passing, the restaurant slash hotel is coloured an elegant light blue. The architect, whoever he was, seemed to focus more on the height of the building rather than the width or length. The building towers above everything else in the area, but it seems rather slim to be a restaurant and a hotel at the same time.

"This is our stop. Welcome to the Diamond Glass." Ace says, as she pulls the keys from the ignition.

Strings is the first to exit the vehicle, "You all wait in the courtyard, I'll get us all a way in. Well, except you Dove. You'll go around through the back. You know what to do when you get there..."

The pegasus nods, and then flies off into the darkness.

I can hear the chattering of ponies already, they seem to be coming from the ground floor that's just past the courtyard.

The white unicorn tosses a golden harp on her back and then trots off gracefully through the two automatic glass doors that lead into the building.

"Is this really a hotel and a restaurant all in one? It seems kind of... Slim." I ask.

The earth pony in the cowboy hat explains to me that there is, in fact, an entire hotel behind the building I'm staring at.

"S-S-So... This entire building is the restaurant portion?!" My words stutter, as I'm both baffled and overwhelmed at the same time.

Ace starts speaking again, "There's been a slight change of plans by the way. Only one of you will be confronting Aura."

What?! Didn't we just talk about the fact that she's a powerful psychic that can take out an individual in a matter of seconds?!

"And that one will be our one and only Apollo Coronis." She says, pointing towards me.

Now this I understand. Strings had put some kind of protective spell on me earlier. So naturally, I'm the one they would pick to go up against Aura.

I adjust the tie that came with my suit, "So what are you guys going to do?"

"Myself? I'm going to get ahold of Tailor Velvet. Then, Strings will get you Aura's room number from said Tailor Velvet. After that, Thorns will escort you as far as the front door of her suite. We're expecting the guards to let only you in, Thorns you'll be his backup. If anything goes wrong, protocol Seduce and Slay is authorized."

As soon as she's done explaining, a white unicorn comes galloping out of the building's front door, "I have the tickets!" Strings shouts.

Already?! Just what did this mare do in there?!

"Great work. And in record time too." Ace compliments her, as she hands out each individual's tickets.

"And Dove? What will she be doing?" I ask.

Strings giggles quietly before replying, "You mean Dive?" Her giggle turns into a slightly louder laugh, "I'm sorry. It's just that... The thought of turning Dove into a boy seems quite funny to me!"

This is one side of her that I've never seen before. That seems to be the theme of this night.

Wait... A boy?!

"Oh we're not actually changing her gender, that magic is far too advanced for me. And besides, we need her to be as quick and nimble as can be. But we've tied back her mane to look like a stallion's, and on top of that we've dressed her up as a waiter as well!" The unicorn tries hard to hold in her laughs.

"That's great and all... But that doesn't explain what she'll be doing..."

Ace interjects into the conversation, seeing as Strings can't seem to hold her sanity together, "She'll be harbouring our guns. My 'Five-Card Stud' and your 'Viper' are going to be hidden in her room service cart. We'll be using these communicators to tell her where we are, and where to deliver the firearms." She says, as she tosses each member an earpiece that conceals with ease.

I slip my communicator into my earlobe.

The skin coloured earth pony continues, "Dove has her own gun, Strings doesn't fight, and Thorns keeps her 'Roseblades well hidden. She doesn't like other ponies touching her blades. Now, any other questions?"

Nopony replies, and the leader of our group commences operation ShatterGlass

Chapter 5: The Diamond Glass

Everypony trots through the beautiful flower garden courtyard and into the tall blue building. Inside, I see room with marble flooring and marble walls. Giant potted plants and flowers decorate the large room. A waiting area lies near the entrance, and is outlined by a row of couches that make up a square formation. Ponies bustle back and forth trying to get reservations  for dinner, trying to fix miscommunications about reservations, and meeting the ponies in their reserved parties.

In the centre of the lobby is a giant glass tube that reaches up into the higher floors of the restaurant.

"What is that?" I ask, pointing at the giant glass tube.

Strings replies, "My sources tell me that it's a giant elevator that leads up to different floors of the restaurant. The kitchen is on the second highest floor, the dining areas are on every floor below the kitchen, and the executive office is on the top floor."

"I see. This really is a technologically advanced city. I can see that it's not even using magic to power it."

Everypony makes their way to the glass tube, and the glass doors open as each step into the elevator. A silent hum fills the tube as the elevator platform slowly ascends higher and higher. As we rise, we pass by floors and floors of ponies in formal wear in the dining areas. The tube provides a full three hundred and sixty degree view of each floor. Red velvet carpets line the floor, marble pillars sustain the ceiling, and sky blue steel steel walls hold the entire thing together.

Finally, we reach the fourth floor of the building. It's modelled in the exact same fashion as the other floors. The platform stops, and then S.I.R.T. proceeds to the first step of it's operation.

"There he is. Tailor Velvet, over at the table near the giant curtains." Ace says, as he points to the gargantuan glass window with gargantuan drapes to match it.

I look over to where she points, and see a young red stallion with a brown mane running down his neck. He's sitting alone at a glass table under the giant window.

Then, I notice that only two (2) mares had followed me off the elevator. Strings and Ace walk forwards towards the target. I decide to split off from the group for a little bit, and try to find our missing Thorns.

I slip back into the elevator non-chalauntly, but should I go up or down? Surely Thorns wouldn't have tried to go back to the ground floor. Maybe this a part of the plan that Ace 'forgot' to mention to me specifically. Or maybe Aura sensed us, and now she's done something with Thorns! Regardless, I'm still going to look for her.

I step into the glass tube and begin to ascend up the building. As I'm rising, I then remember the device that's placed in my ear.

The communicator! I can use it to try and find her.

I tap the earpiece, a beep sounds, and then I begin to speak, "Hello? Thorns, come in!"

Waiting patiently, the humming of the elevator is the only noise that can be heard.

Then, suddenly, "This is a problem Apollo. You made the right decision looking for her, try checking the higher floors. Strings and I will deal with Tailor."

I nod, knowing that nopony will see it, and trot into the middle of the moving platform for a better view of each floor.

For every level I pass, each becomes emptier and emptier. I soon find myself at the top floor, the executive's office.

Unlike the rest of the building, the glass is tainted black and non-transparent. I exit the glass tube and trot into a room that matches the fanciness of the dining area. Red velvet carpets line the floor, and marble walls surround me. But instead of tables, wooden desks are scattered symmetrically around the room.

There's a distinct lack of ponies working at said desks, strange...

Suddenly, a crackling voice begins to come from nowhere, "Apollo... Outside the window... Over here..."

Realizing the voice is from my communicator, I gallop straight for the window that overlooks the city. By window, I mean the giant glass wall that wraps all around the tip of the building.

Outside, I see a certain blue mare dangling from a rope attached to her stomach. The other end of the rope is attached to a cloud that remains motionless a few metres away.

"Behind you!" I hear her shout through the ear communicator.

*BANG*

The glass in front of me cracks, and I spin around to find a small group of armed bulky stallions standing by the elevator door.

I dive for cover by the nearest desk, as bullets begin to fly above me. With no gun, the options I have a limited to surrender or die.

"Apolo! Thorns! Come in!" A familiar earth pony's voice shouts into my ear

Thorns replies, "We're here. Coronis is trapped under gunfire, and I'm... Hanging."

"Hanging-- Whatever, you don't need to explain. I'm sending Dove up now, we're just warming up to Tailor."

Hopefully she can get here before I get pierced by a bullet. Each gunshot sounds like it's getting closer, and in turn, the ponies shooting at me are as well. I can't tell how many gunners there are, but I think I saw about six (6) of them.

"Ace, I'm kinda of... Caught with something as well..." Dove's voice responds.

"What kind of 'something' are we talking about here?" Ace asks.

*SCREECH*

The communicator begins to make strange noises, it looks like somepony's earpiece is malfunctioning. But I don't have any time to ask, as I'm currently being barraged by a storm of bullets.

Suddenly, the gunfire stops. Then, I hear something strange coming from behind the desk. It's.. A voice, but it's sounds extremely distorted, almost robotic...

"Chance of survival... Calculating... Confirmed. Zero point five percent. Current options limited to two, surrender or confiscation of life. You have thirty minutes to comply." The voice says.

Don't tell me this place has...

I peek out of from behind the desk, and I'm almost not surprised by what I see. A pony covered in metal armour stands tall in front of me. A metal helmet sits on his head, and a glowing red strip of transparent covers his eyes.

"Thorns...?" I ask without moving a muscle.

"Yes?" A flat toned voice replies.

"Does this place have robots?"

"Yes."

"Great."

"Yup."

The android interrupts the short conversation, "Cease conversation with your comrade, and come with us."

I let out a sigh, seeing as there's no other option, "Very well."

After standing up, the rest of the shooters are revealed as mechanical ponies as well. Just what is this place?!

As I start walking alongside the robot, I stop and remember the mare outside hanging from a cloud, "Wait! I know I have no chance of survival, and I know you don't really owe me anything because you're... Well, a robot. But can you please let my friend over there--"

I turn around, to find that Thorns is missing! Only a cloud with an empty noose remains hanging in the sky. Where in the world did she--

*SCREECH*

The sound of metal scraping metal drives me to the ground. I look up with my hooves over my ears to see what's making that awful noise.

A blue mare stands on top of a pile of metal ponies, each with a series of multiple gaping holes in their armour. The blue mare wields two long slender blades that are attached to the anklets on her forehooves. A rotary disc on the anklets seem to allow the user to angle the blades to their preference. Another futuristic device that seems unrealistic.

She jumps forward onto the metal pony and starts slashing away mercilessly. Her silver steel blades furiously whip back and forth as she cuts deep into the metal. The hilts, which are attached to her anklets, are red and decorated with a bloomed rose on the end of each of them.

It only takes about ten (10) seconds flat before the armoured stallion is covered in gashes and cut marks in his steel plating. Thorns performs an unneeded backflip off of her prey as it collapses to the ground.

"Hurry up. Whoever sent these soldiers after us will surely know that they've been deactivated. We need to regroup with Ace, she already has Tailor in custody." She says, as she dashes back into the elevator.

I close my jaw, which was previously hanging wide open, and then follow her down the glass tube. Impatiently she taps her right fore hoof on the transparently metal surface we stand on.

Strange, the lift seems to be going down faster than usual...

Chapter 6: Shafts and Shadows

Okay, this lift is descending too fast. How can I tell? Well, it sort of started when I began to rise into the air slowly. Floor after floor, I see ponies staring at us as we casually approach our doom.

"W-What the hay?! Thorns stop this thing!" I shout, turning to the other floating pony in the elevator with me.

"I'm trying! Just hold on!" She angrily says, gritting her teeth.

Her Roseblades spin so that the sharp edges of the blade face forward. She raises her hooves and then drives the blades into surface of the lift floor. Pushes and pull the blades in and out of the floor, and inches closer to the floor selector. Attempting to press the buttons, her hoof stretches far to no avail.

The blue mare becomes more and more aggravated, until she gives up and simply stabs the numbered buttons. With her left Roseblade jammed in, the numbered board begins to shoot out sparks.

*SCREEECH*

An ear wrenching noise forces me to cover my ears with my hooves.

"What did you do?!" I shout.

She remains silent, and then sharply twists the blade. The sparks stop flying out, and the lift stops. Suddenly, an extremely painful shock races through my body.

I whine in pain, as the front of my body slams onto the lift's floor.

While I writhe in agony, Thorns gracefully descends onto the floor without making a noise.

"I stopped the elevator." She says flatly.

I sigh, and then sit up with my hoof in my face.

Suddenly, my communicator begins to beep and crackle again, "Come in, is anypony there? Answer already!"

"We hear you ace. What's up?" I ask, groaning.

"Not you, that's for sure! We just saw you falling from the top floor of the building! Are you okay?" She whispers angrily.

While Thorns yanks her Roseblade from the elevator panel, I ask about the progress of the mission, "Did you get the info out of Velvet?"

"Yeah, we got her room number with some... Difficulties." She says in an unsettling voice.

I ask curiously, "What kind of difficult--"

"AAH! Please! No more! No more! I gave you what you want--" A male voice screams and shouts until the communicator cuts off.

I sit on the lift floor in shock, sensing that my eyes are slowly dilating. Just what kind of crazy group have I entered?!

"Don't worry about it too much." Thorns says, as she spins her Roseblades to a position where blades point up her arms and reach all the way up to her neck. How this technology works, I have no idea. It could be some sort of magic that Strings whipped up, or maybe Dove designed it. Whatever it is, it baffles me.

The blue mare continues talking in her soft flat voice, "We should make our way to the hotel area now. Ace will fill us in on the way."

I nod, and then stand up.

*SCREECH*

"Wait, what is that noi--"

*SCREEECH*

The elevator begins to shake, and then slowly descends.

"Oops. Looks like my Roseblade was keeping the elevator sustained in the tube." She says disappointingly.

"So that means there's nothing holding up the..."

*SCREEEEEEECH*

The lift falls for about five (5) seconds, and then slams into the ground floor. Fortunately, I stayed on the surface of the elevator the entire time.

As we step out of the glass tube, I notice that the mildly crowded lobby eerily staring at us. We did just crash an elevator lift into the floor of the building.

"Faulty mechanics. You should get it checked out." I let out a obviously fake laugh, pathetically trying to cover up our vandalization of the hotel.

"Come on, we need to hurry outside." Thorns whispers, as she dashes out of the lobby.

I gallop after her. Stopping in the middle of the automatic doorway, I see a blurry blue object moving around the corner of the building through the garden that wraps around the entire building.

I trot through the ominous shadowy garden slowly. Flowers and orchids, which should be full of colour and vibrancy, are reduced to black dark pieces of vegetation.

"Thorns? Hey Thorns?" I whisper quietly, not wanting to disrupt anypony who might be lurking in the gardens at this hour.

Silence looms over me, and the fact that I can't see anything from here to the garden lamp post a few metres away gives me an even more unsettling feeling.

You have got to be kidding me. Alone in the dark in a garden where anypony can jump out at me? This mission just keeps getting better and better.

*rustle*

I quickly turn around, "Who's there? Thorns?"

Silence again.

"Come on. If you're trying to register a sense of humour for the first time, it's not working."

Silence still looms in the air.

"You some kind of gangster? Alright punk... You asked for it."

I reach for my revolver, but then I realize that Dove still has my Viper. So... I'm alone, in the dark, in a city filled with psychos, without a gun. Okay now I'm starting to panic, but only just a little. On the count of three (3), I'll make a run for the lamp post.

One... Two... Three!

My hooves gallop as hard as they can, while the rest of my body is stricken in fear. Now I'm sure something is following me! And that something is making a lot of noise, with the snapping of twigs underneath it's feet. The closer I get to the lamp post, the closer my hunter gets to the backs of my hooves!

I'm slowly becoming fatigued again, breathing heavily and panting consistently. As a last stand, I use the final ounce of my strength to make a dive for the ray of light underneath the lamp post.

"Oof!" I grunt, as I land on my side, bathed in light.

I take a second to catch my breath, and then scramble slowly to my hooves. My head tries to analyze what's beyond the ray of light, but to no avail. Whatever was chasing me, it's either gone now or it's hiding cleverly.

"That's right!" I shout, "And that's why you don't mess with--"

"Apollo?"

I shout, while jumping back. A blue mare stands behind me with a hoof reached out to me.

"I-It's just you... Sorry."

She tilts her head in confusion, "Who else would it be?"

I shake my head, "N-Nothing. Just... Just forget about it."

She gives me a look of concern, and then turns around to walk away.

I've never lied to these ponies before, but I suppose it'd be best to keep this to myself. I gallop after my companion, hoping whatever was chasing me had given up.

----------———

After catching up to Thorns, our earpieces begin to pick up signals again.

"Hello? Thorns... Apo..llo... An... Pon.."

A loud and irritating crackling noise muffles everything that the caller is trying to say.

"Dove? Is that you? Respond!" I hear Ace's voice come in through the earpiece.

No response.

"Ace, what's wrong? What happened to Dove, and where is Aura?" I ask.

The earth pony replies, "I'm trying to find her now. Strings will walk you through the hotel part of the plan."

Then, the white unicorn chimes in as if called on cue, "Alright you two, I need to split you guys up. Thorns, you'll extract Apollo and Aura when he captures her. Apollo, we've sent a gift to the psychic, and its from you."

From me? Just what are they planning?

"A bouquet of beautiful red roses has been sent to Aura's room. I must say, you have great taste when it comes to flora." Strings continues.

I can tell she's making a joke, but I don't appreciate their methods of getting the job done.

I won't humor her this time, I'm more focused on completing the mission,"Alright, which suite number is hers?"

"Number twenty four (24), on the third floor of the hotel. Tailor Velvet was kind enough to provide us with the key to her suite. I've asked for it to be sent to the front desk of the hotel. One of my... Clients, is holding on to it for you. It's a stallion, he'll have a name tag labeled Billiards T."

I'm starting to speculate how Strings gets her inside information.

"You got all that?" I ask, facing Thorns.

She nods, and we both gallop through the courtyard of the hotel.

Chapter 7: Aura Borealis

As my companion and I enter the hotel lobby, I notice that there's a very large difference between this lobby and the restaurant lobby. While the restaurant lobby looks more modern and futuristic, the hotel seems to be designed in a more old-fashioned regal manner. Beautifully woven tapestries line the walls, and paintings that are just as beautiful fill in the gaps between tapestries. I can't make out what's woven into the tapestries, but it's clear that the paintings are portraits of old-looking ponies.

"Floor... Twenty four was it? Come on Thorns, let's go." I say, as I turn around to face my companion.

And once again, the mysterious blue earth pony has disappeared on me.

Then I recall what Strings had said earlier, "I'm going to have to split you two up."

That's right, she wanted Thorns to extract me and Aura when I'm done with my part of the plan. Now I just have to find a certain mister Billiards.

I trot towards the information desk, and ring the bell.

*ding*

After a moment of quiet, a black stallion greets me from behind the counter, "May I help you sir?" He asks.

"Yes sir, I'm looking for a Billiards..."

He closes his eyes, and then nods, "Ah, that's one of our employees. I shall fetch him for you, please wait a moment." He says in a sophisticated accent.

I wait for about a minute or so before he returns with a stallion matching the same description that Strings gave me.

"Are you Apollo Coronis?" Billiards asks.

I reply with a simple, "Yes."

He reaches into his coat, and then places a keycard on the desk in front of me. I take the card, and then we part ways.

Unlike the restaurant area, there is no elevator in this building. There are simply a set of elegantly large white marble spiral stairs that lead up to the next floors. I galloped slowly up the spiral staircase, and I soon come up to the third floor. Hard birch wood runs down the hallway and all along the walls. Doors with golden plates, that have number etched into them, also run down the hallway. My target is also somewhere down these halls, and I think I know where...

I'm going to guess that the suite that's being guarded by two (2) buff stallions is the same one I'm looking for. I swallow in fear, take a deep breath, and then slowly walk over to the two brown guards. And I'm not exaggerating when I say 'slowly'. The stallions both stare straight ahead, either they don't notice me or they're extremely dedicated to their job.

I inch closer and closer, and then catch a glimpse of the suite number plate.

"Twenty four?" I ask out loud without noticing.

Both guards snap their heads to me, "This suite is off limits. Please leave immediately." One of them sternly commands.

"I'm... Apollo Coronis. I--"

"Hey, it's him." One of the stallions interrupts me.

The other continues, "The one who sent that cheesy bouquet?"

"Yeah, what a joke." The first replies.

Thanks, I really appreciate it. In the end, it wasn't even me who sent them.

"So you think that sending the one and only Martha's niece a bunch of flowers gives you permission to enter her suite? Yeah right." He chuckles with a scoff.

The both start laughing, until a loud voice from behind the suite door begins yelling.

"LET HIM IN!" The mysterious voice shouts.

Both of the guards stiffen up, and then step to the side.

"If you have a key, then you're allowed to enter. Martha's orders." The stallion on the right says.

"Y-Yeah! So there's no chance of you getting in!" The second stallion says.

I smirk, and then pull out the key that I received earlier.

Both of their eyes dilate and widen in shock.

Trotting past them, I swipe the keycard into the small slit near the door handle. The door beeps, and then the handle turns on it's own.

I push in the door, and then mockingly smile at the guards before entering the room.

The room I've entered isn't as large as I would have imagined, but at the same time it's exactly small.

It's enough to hold an entire queen sized bed, a television set, and a cabinet. Not to mention the size of the bathroom near the door that I entered through. Everything that I just listed was inside the suite strangely enough.

Slowly I trot inside the suite, and I soon catch sight of the queen sized bed which sits in the middle of the left side wall. Then, I notice the filly lying down underneath the covers in the bed. Her horn sticks out from the comforter, and her crimson red mane flows messily down her cream coloured neck and onto her pillow.

Then, the filly begins to speak to me, "Hello, Apollo."

Then she turns from her side to face me, and I'm charmed by her cute face, "Uh, hello."

"Oh good, I got your name right. I'm not going to lie, your writing is rather unpleasant to read. But the roses were very much appreciated. I am Aura Borealis, but you must have already known that." She says, as she sits up from her bed.

I approach her slowly, as she pats the side of her bed, "May I sit?" I ask politely.

She nods, "Yes, I would appreciate the company."

I sit by her bedside and then she continues to speak, "My aunt never lets anypony near me. I know she loves me dearly, but placing armed guards by my door is rather eccentric. Don't you agree?" She asks, tilting her head?

"I suppose."

"I must say, I've never received a bouquet quite as beautiful as the one you sent. You must either be an eccentric romantic or a desperate fool to send a gesture such as this to somepony of my social standing." She begins speaking in her usual elegant soft voice, but towards the end of her sentence she starts to sound very stern and aggressive.

"I, uh... I'm.. Well..." I stutter, trying to explain myself.

She giggles, covering her mouth and closing her eyes, "Hee hee, did I frighten you? Don't be so scared, I'm only joking! Did you know that you're the only pony who has sucked it up, tried, and succeeded in gaining an audience with me?"

Am I really? With her looks, I would imagine ponies would be lining up to see her, "Perhaps your friends outside scare away most of the crowd?"

The filly fakes a gagging noise, "Those two? My friends? Hardly. I have no friends aside from Tailor. He's the only one who understands me and my style."

Poor girl, she doesn't know what's happened to him. Potentially, he could be dead. But perhaps Ace... Nah, he's definitely gone.

"You seem sick. I heard you were ill, and I guess that's why I thought sending you roses..."

She places her hoof on mine, "It's strange... We only just met. And to me, you're nothing but a fan who has sent me a bouquet of flowers... But why do I feel this connection with you? Have we... Met before?"

This is it. I can't delay the plan anymore. I won't fall for another filly, I need to do this right now!

"We have. But only in a dream."

I raise my hoof high. And with a great force, I bring it down on her left temple.

Before she can gasp, Aura Borealis is knocked unconscious.

"I would have liked getting to know you better, it's too bad the job had to get in the way."

I tap the communicator in my ear, "Everypony, the objective is secure. Thorns can you extract me now?"

Through the earpiece, a mare replies, "Roger. Be ready to jump off the balcony. Sync?"

I just want to get out of this place, and I don't care how, "Sync."

"Alright, on my mark... Mark!"

*THUD*

*THUD*

*CRASH*

Within seconds one of the guards, dressed in a tuxedo, flies into the room.

Screams of the other guard travel into the room, as I catch a glimpse of the blue blur repeatedly hacking at the other guard with one of her Roseblades. Fortunately, I'm unable to see anything upwards past the flank of the guard. I'd rather not witness the bloody gore that Thorns has bestowed upon the poor bodyguard. But for some odd reason, I don't feel a bit of remorse for that guy.

"Thorns! Quit messing around! Take Apollo and get to the balcony!" I hear Dove's voice through the ear communicator.

The blue mare suddenly stops, and the gallops into the room. She rushes past me and then tears open the large glass doors that lead to the balcony.

She pauses again, then turns to me, "I brought some friends behind me. Hurry up."

I don't think I have time to introduce myself so I follow her to the balcony, with the cream-colored filly flopping around on my back.

*BANG*

Gunshots begin to ring out behind us, and screams follow them. Suddenly, I feel something being pressed on the side of my back.

I turn around to see the butt of a gun, my gun, being pressed into the side of my body.

"Here." Thorns says, "Dove and I met up outside, and she gave me your Viper before flying off somewhere. Hurry up and attach it to your stomach, I'll shut the doors."

I carefully pull the filly from my back with my mouth, and sit her down near the thick marble railings that wrap around the balcony. After that, I crawl into the large ring that attaches to the arm that holsters my revolver. Now I'm fully equipped.

But before I can retrieve Aura, Thorns rushes in and bites down on the filly's cloak before jumping off the balcony.

*CRASH*

I turn to see a purple pegasus with darker purple stripes painted on various parts of his body. His striped mane alternates between dark purple and black, and his tail shares the same traits. Anklets, with black stones in the centre of each of them, line each of his legs. Wings are covered in armour, and his violet eyes pierce into mine.

As intimidating as he looks, the menacing pegasus seems to have gotten his head stuck between the balcony doors that Thorns had jammed with a... Metal like tube.

The pegasus screams and shouts as he stretches his neck to try and bite me. Then he begins to form actual sentences with his words, as he yells in a penetrating tone, "GIVE ME BACK MY SISTER!"

I had no idea Aura had a brother, but I still felt no remorse.

The handles on the door begin to break, and I take that as my cue to leave. But as I turn away to run for the end of the balcony, I notice that the metal tube that's holding the door has started to beep.

"Surely... No. Thorns wouldn't..."

Suddenly, I hear a voice call from below, "Apollo! Jump!"

But, it's not the voice of Ace. It doesn't belong to Dove, Strings, Thorns, or even Black Blizzard.

With no time to think, I gallop as hard as I can to the edge of the balcony and leap with the last pound of strength I have! Making over the railing, I begin to fall into the dark gardens below. I can't see what's below me, but I sure hope it's soft!

*RUSTLE*

My body has tensed up, and I'm flexing every spot in my body! Only to find that my landing was met with a soft... Leaf?

"Wait... What is--"

*KABOOM*

A loud explosion echoes from above, and I see the falling pieces of the balcony crashing down towards me!

"Whatever you are, whoever you are, just get me out of here!"

*GROOWL*

Well if that's not clear enough, I don't know what is.

Then, I notice that I'm getting farther and farther away from the burning hotel. I start bobbing up and down for no reason, but it feels very familiar to me. And what's this all around me? Twigs and branches? And this leaf I'm sitting on. Could it be..

"Sh-Shrubbery?"

Suddenly I stop moving, and whatever I'm on kicks me off it's back and onto the garden's brick path.

I stand up straight, turn around, and then realize that I'm standing face-to-face with a giant timberwolf.

Chapter 8: Above and Through the City of Hope

Usually, a pony in his teen years would scream and pass out at the sight of a real-life timberwolf. But not me, I've seen timberwolves around me long enough to be used to it by now. I'm so used to it in fact, that I'm not even breaking a sweat looking at the one in front of me.

Silence looms in the air, save for the growling of the monster mere inches from my face.

A tear begins to form in my eye, but it's not from fear. It's from pure joy.

"Sh-Shrubbery?!" I calmly ask the beast if that is it's name.

The wolf begins to growl, then that growl transitions into a whimper.

There's only one way to confirm the identity of this canine, and that's to check it's backside. If I remember correctly, a certain filly made off with my supplies and rations a few days ago.

But then again, there's always the possibility that she had stored them somewhere else or consumed them all on her own. And I can't rule out speculation that she might have been mugged, which might explain why she isn't here with her pet right now.

Suddenly, I hear something whiz past my right ear. The sound of a fast moving object nearly killing me is followed by the loud roar of the timberwolf in front of me.

*AWOOOORAAAHH*

Then I notice that a shiny metal object is sticking out of the paw of my little wooden friend. I slowly approach it, as I examine the assailant's weapon. It's a sharp and slim knife with a silver rose head attached to the bottom of the hilt. Whoever threw this must be extremely strong, as the entire blade had pierced the timberwolf's ankle all the way through into the cement.

Why am I not concerned whoever's behind me? I should think it's quite obvious, as the knife seems to represent the owner's obsession with flowers. Specifically, flowers with Thorns.

I turn around, and my presumptions appear to be true. The blue mare stands behind me with the cream-colored filly we had been targeting on her back.

"Take it easy! This guy saved me from the bomb you planted!" I shout in a sudden change to anger.

She trots past me without making any eye contact.

The timberwolf attempts to scramble away from Thorns, as if it fears her. But it fails oddly enough, the knife seems to be etched in deep in the cement.

Thorns bends down and puts her mouth to the hilt of the knife, then yanks it out in one smooth motion.

The timberwolf cries out and lets more of it's whimpers fill the air.

She leans in close to the quivering beast, and whispers something that I can't hear.

Before another second passes, the timberwolf lies down flat on it's belly.

Is it me? Or do mares have some power over animals that we stallions are oblivious to?

She tosses Aura onto the back of the timberwolf, and then turns to me, "Hurry up and get on. I hear sirens approaching."

I nod, then mount the wooden wolf. As I hop onto the backside, I hear a strange clattering sound.

What is this? A tin can?

Looks like my theory is that much closer to becoming a reality. The supplies that we had packed, along with medical supplies, are stuffed into the timberwolf.

"So it is you, boy..."

I grip a branch that sticks out from the timberwolf's side, and pull myself into the small crater carved into Shrubbery's backside. Thorns climbs onto the wolf's neck and whistles.

Shrubbery stands up on his two back legs and then slams his forepaws into the ground, creating two tiny craters in the cement garden pathway. He kicks his back legs and begins to gallop out of the garden, and around the restaurant area. We leap over the small courtyard in front of the restaurant and onto the paved street. To our left, blue and red lights flash from afar.

"Keep going down this street!" Thorns shouts, and the timberwolf obeys.

Riding the timberwolf down the street, it pumped proverbial adrenaline through my vein. I felt so excited, regardless of being potentially chased down by the authorities.

"What about the others?!" I ask.

"They've already left! We'll meet them at the train!" Thorns shouts.

I nod, and peek out from behind the timberwolf's back. Now I'm facing the same direction as Shrubbery.

The street is as empty as it was before, no cars or pedestrians so I'm not too worried about Shrubbery trampling over somepony. Looking behind, I still see the red and blue flashing lights approaching.

The sirens sound closer than ever now.

"But isn't the Laser Train the other way?!" I shout over the sirens.

She replies, "Is it?!"

"I thought you knew where you were going!"

"I'm not that great with directions okay?!"

Who knew that the quietest one of all would be so clueless? But there's no time to think about that now! The police cars are right on the timberwolf's heels. There are only three of them, but that's still enough to take down our wolf.

"Cease and desist. Attempts at any further resistance will result in severe penalties." A low, robotic, monotone voice calls out from the middle car.

This is becoming extremely annoying, I just want to find my friend and leave. I never asked to be chased down like a criminal, I'm putting a stop to this.

Pulling the Bullet Biter to my face, I carefully aim my revolver towards the wheels of the middle police car. The robotic clasp makes multiple soft clicking noises as I tilt back and forth with my two forehooves.

I take a deep breath... And chomp down on the metal mouthpiece.

*BANG*

The gunshot is followed by a loud constant whistling. It seems as if I've hit my target. One of the wheels on the police car deflates, causing the vehicle to crash into the police car on its right. Now only the left one remains.

But before I can line up another shot, the police car stops in its tracks. Shrubbery gallops away faster, and makes a quick turn down into a nearby dark alley. He just barely fits, leaving about an inch or two between him and each alley wall. The sound of his sticks and branches being scraped off of his body grows closer and closer. I tighten my grip on Miss Borealis, trying keep her on the running wolf's back.

I shut my eyes, and look upwards, peeking out from the sliver between my eyelids to find the blue mare on Shrubbery's neck. Then I look back down at the cream coloured mare cradled in my arms.

"It's fine now… It's fine. We'll be at the train soon." I whisper quietly to unconscious pony.

What drove me to do so? I have no idea, perhaps it was a heat-of-the-moment sort of thing.

I see the narrow walls of the alleyway disappear from the sides, we've emerged from it. Shrubbery comes to a sudden halt, and I peek out from behind the wall of branches and wood that surrounds me. We're out in the open empty streets again, with no signs of the authorities.

"Which way to the train back to Asclepius?" I ask.

Thorns looks up, and then digs her back hooves into the timberwolf's neck. The wolf stands back on its hind legs, and then slams its forepaws into the cement, making small cracks in the street. It then leaps up into the air, my stomach curls as we ascend upwards. I clutch the most stable branch I can find on Shrubbery's body, and wrap my other forehoof around Aura. Shrubbery's claws dig into the side of a nearby building, as he begins to crawl up.

I'm hanging by the branch I grabbed onto, and I can feel my grip slipping away.

"H-Hey! I'm slipping!" I shout, but nopony seems to hear me.

The wolf just violently continues up the building, diggings his claws deeper with every reach. Thorns is too busy wrapping herself around the Shrubbery's neck to notice me. I look up, still holding Aura by the upper body, as we near the top of the building.

The timberwolf's paws reach the ledge of the top of the building, and with a whip of its body I'm sent flying up into the air!

For what seemed like a few minutes at the most, I'm surrounded by beautiful buildings and city lights. The desert night sky looms above the city of Caduceus, I take it all in… Until I realize that I'm currently plummeting down into the beautiful city.

Before I can scream, I'm soon distracted again by a yellow glow coming from… Me? No, from the mare in my arms.

"Au-Aura?"

The glow begins to intensify, and soon I'm engulfed to the point where I can't see anything past the mysterious filly.

Chapter 9: Go Small or Go Home, the Farewell of Goodbyes

I flex and grip the mare wrapped in my arms harder than ever. Even though I know that a fall from this height will most definitely kill me, I brace for impact anyways. Though, with the mysterious glowing coming from the mare, I'll be unprepared for when I hit the cement.

I wait patiently for the end. Waiting for the sound of cars driving down the empty streets to get louder and louder until everything goes silent. Waiting… Waiting for…

"Uh… How do you suppose we get rid of this thing?" I hear a familiar voice ask.

The voice is followed by a loud whimpering.

"Could it be… Thorns?"

"Hello? Apollo?" I can concur that the voice is none other that Thorns'

"H-Hey! Thorns! What's happening!?" I shout.

"Well… You're sort of just floating there."

Floating? Could this filly's glow be levitating me? She is a psychic, I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case.

"Hey. Hey! Wake up--" Then I suddenly remembered, I had knocked her unconscious moments ago. I couldn't expect her to wake up on command.

A moment later, the light around me begins to dissipate, almost as if it were snow melting on the sidewalk. Eventually, it disappears altogether. Then, we fall the short distance to the ground. I clutch her, wrapping her in my arms, as I brace for impact.

*THUD*

Landing on my side, I release my grasp on the filly.

"They won't wait much longer, we need to hurry up before the train back to Asclepius leaves." Thorns states, as she pets the back of Shrubbery's neck.

I nod, and then climb back onto the timberwolf with Aura draped over my back. Thorns leaps on, and the pulls back on ears of our canine friend. He rears up, and then makes a running start towards the edge of the building's rooftop. Leaping farther I could ever imagine, we soar through the air towards the next rooftop; which is situated a little bit lower than previous.

*BOOM*

The wolf lands on the next rooftop, making a giant crater in the cement. He continues to leap from roof to roof. Each lower than the previous, until we were finally low enough to jump from and survive. Unfortunately for the owner of the black limousine Shrubbery decided to land on, we're afraid we're unable stop to pay for the damage.

"That way!" Thorns shouts as she points forward.

Shrubbery gallops down the street. I keep my ears open in case the authorities decide to pick up our trail once again.

"Stop here!" The blue mare shouts once again.

I hop off the back and drag Aura, then throw her onto my back.

Trotting over to the front of Shrubbery, I look up at Thorns and ask, "Is this manhole the one?"

She nods, and then leaps off the wolf's neck.

Suddenly, before I can pull Aura off my back, we hear the sound of sirens in the distance.

Thorns spins around, trots over to me and tosses Aura onto her back, "They found us! Hurry up, get down--"

*WHIMPER*

"Oh no… Shrubbery won't fit though, what do we--" I ask, before being cut off.

"There is no other way, come on!" Thorns shouts, as she begins to climb down the ladder with Aura's jacket hanging from her mouth.

"But--"

*BANG*

A loud gunshot rings out from above us, the sound of twigs snapping and wood being broken follows. Then Shrubbery lets out a high-pitched cry.

"Arooooooh!"

"No!" I cry out in a panic!

The timberwolf falls over on its side. Then, the sharp spear-like projectile that has dug its way through Shrubbery left hind leg is revealed.

*BANG*

Suddenly, another gunshot rings out. Another sharp spear comes flying from the rooftops above us. It lands straight in the timberwolf's uninjured hind leg. Another sharp cry rings out in the air.

Ear-wrenched and tears in my eyes, I try to cry out over the sound of the wolf's agonizing pain, "I'M SORRY!"

I scramble towards the manhole, and begin to climb down, until suddenly another voice is heard.

"Burn the timberwolf! Then go after the ponies!" A deep-voiced stallion shouts from an unknown location.

"NO! Please NO!" I shout, as I try to climb out of the manhole again.

But as I grab the manhole cover, I feel something gripping my hind leg.

"LET GO! They're going to--"

Before I can continue, I hear the sound of glass shattering. I look up to see Shrubbery in flames, scrambling and rampaging everywhere. I assumed somepony had already thrown a combustion projectile at him. The scene was traumatizing, an animal being burned alive while it's being held down by spears piercing its legs. As the Timberwolf thrashes around, its tail slaps me in the face. Knocked back against the rim of the manhole, I begin to slowly slip into the darkness of the sewers. In an attempt to grasp something, I grab onto the manhole cover, which I accidentally pull back into the darkness with me.

As I fall, I can see the flames engulfing the wolf that brought me and my companion so far in the first place. Fortunately, I land in the sewage water for a softer impact.

Unfortunately, the manhole cover follows me into the water, slamming down on me.

My vision begins to blur, and my hearing is muffled as I descend into the water.

I can only hear the soft and quiet howls of my near friend. Will they spare him? Probably not. I slowly come to terms with the sudden incident, as I feel the water current drifting with me to who-knows-where.

Then, everything fades to black.

Chapter 10: Something in the Water

"Hey! Popo!"

Popo?

I find myself struggling to open my eyes, and a blinding white light engulfs me. I hear the sound of… Laughter? And… Splashes of water? Cheerful chatter… Just where am I?

My eyes adjust, and I find myself sitting comfortably in a pool chair. Wait, a pool chair?

"Popo! Come on in already!"

I look around for the voice calling me, but all I see is an outdoor swimming pool full of ponies, and other characters sprinkled amongst them. That explains the noises, but it still doesn't explain what this place is…

"Hey!" A voice shouts from behind me.

I quickly jump out of the chair and spin around to see who it was. A grey earth pony, with silver hair and a silver spoon for a cutie mark.

"Who…?" I begin to ask, until being interrupted once again by another voice.

"Hah, Apollo what's wrong? I thought you knew how to swim?"

I turn to my left, and a white earth pony with brown spots and a brown mane approaches me, dripping with water from the pool.

"Who… Who are you?" I ask, as I slowly back away each of them.

The sound of a pony emerging from water comes from my left, where the pool is. A dark cream coloured pegasus with a brown mane shakes off the excess water dripping from his body.

"Who are we? Hey man, are you having a heatstroke or something?" The pegasus, as he trots over to a nearby pool chair and bites down on a towel.

The silver pony continues, "Yeah, you've been acting pretty weird. C'mere for a second and let me check your temperature." She says, as she approaches me.

Whilst these ponies are trying to speak to me, I can only think to myself, "Who are they? Where am I? How did I get wherever this is?" These thoughts spin around in my head, and before I know it the silver pony has already got her hoof on my forehead.

I dare not make a move, thinking that she might be some sort of Caduceus spy, and that all of this is just some sort of illusion performed by a high level unicorn.

Holding my breath, my heart beats faster and faster.

The silver pony seems to take notice, blushing, she speaks up,  "Geez. Just… Just calm down already, it's not like you're not used to this. You're always getting sick, and I'm always there to clean you up."

With nothing else that comes to mind that I can do, I decide to play along with their charade, "I don't ask you to come and help you know."

As I finish my sentence, the cream coloured pegasus places his hoof up to his forehead, as if in agony, and falls backwards into the pool.

"What's his deal?" I ask the silver pony, who has just finished feeling my forehead.

"As if you don't already know." She says, rolling her eyes.

She turns around and struts away toward the white and brown spotted earth pony.

"Don't mind those two. Perhaps you should just go for a swim, and cool off." The white and brown spotted earth pony says, as he jumps into the pool himself.

Perhaps a swim will clear up my mind. With a running start, I leap far into the deep end of the pool. Swiftly, water engulfs me, and I find myself at the bottom of a swimming pool. Bubbles occasionally escape my mouth and float upwards towards the surface. Suddenly, I find myself unable to breath or move. My mouth automatically opens, as a sad attempt to gasp for air underwater.

Then, with my eyes just barely open under the water, I see a strange and blurry object, growing larger in size as it approaches me. Paralyzed and unable to move, I simply let the strange object get closer. Eventually, it grows close enough to touch if I were able to move. Whatever it is, it begins to wrap itself around my neck. My rump is slowly lifted off the bottom of the swimming pool, and I begin to float towards the surface.

Slowly, the bright light above the swimming pool begins to fade, and a black darkness is all I can see around me. Whatever's wrapped around my neck begins to tighten its grip, and I feel myself being pulled faster and faster out of the water until finally…

*GASP*

The moment I emerge from the water I take a deep breath. After catching my breath for a second, I begin to struggle out of whatever's gripping onto me.

"Let go of me!" I shout, as I try to squirm my way out.

I didn't expect one, but I actually received a reply immediately, "Stop moving! The current is pulling you down, you gotta lose the vest!"

A female voice shouts, and what it was saying was true. I could feel water pulling my vest, and my body, away with it.

"I can't move my arms with you holding them like that!" I shout over the noise of the raging waters splashing up against my face.

"Do I have to do everything?!" The voice asks.

*SHINK*

I hear the sound of a knife being pulled from its sheathe above me, "Wh-What are you doing?!"

"Saving your life!"

*RIP*

I can just barely feel the cold steel of her blade against my back, as she cuts the inside of the leather vest down the spine. I instantly feel a relief, as the water ceases to drag me along with it.

Breathing heavily, I'm soon lifted up out of the water completely. My rescuer falls backwards trying to pull me up, but quickly scrambles to her hooves.

"Alright… So… I saved you. Now… You gotta answer… Some questions." She says, taking a deep breath between words.

"Yeah. Yeah sure…" I say, mimicking her pauses in the same fashion, trying to catch my breath.

"Now. Answer me…" Her tone begins to soften, as if she's about to… Cry?

"Can you… Can you forgive me?"

"Who… Wait! That voice…"

*SCRATCH* *SCRATCH*

The sound of a matchstick being stricken echoes through the darkness. The flame is too dim to see anything. But the flame drifts off, and eventually grows brighter. Whoever is holding the matchstick has clearly lit a lantern to make the surroundings brighter. Then, the face of a grey pony is revealed from the shadows.

"It's me. Misaki."

Chapter 11: Bring Me Home

Speechless, I sit there with my jaw hanging open in awe. Could this be real? Is this just another illusion?

"Hah… Sorry, I realize this is really sudden." She apologizes.

"Y-You… You!" I shout, stomping towards her.

She backs away slowly, and soon presses her back against the wall, standing only on her two back legs. I thrust my two hooves into the wall on the right and left of her head.

"You took our only transportation, and all of our supplies! Then you left me out in the desert to die!" I shout, my voice echoing through the sewers.

"I… I said I'm…" She quietly starts.

"Sorry?! No thanks! I don't need your apology!"

I push off the wall, and turn around to face the sewage stream I was caught in. A silence looms over the air, the dripping of water occasionally breaking it. Damp, wet, and cold, I sit down and lean my back against an iron pipe that connects the ceiling and the floor. Misaki sits down in the corner she had retreated to, and remains silent.

I couldn't tell how long the silence had lasted, but I decided to break it, to try and assess the problem. I had remembered why I came to Caduceus in the first place, it was to find her. And now I'm scolding her after all my hard work? I suppose I earned it, but the opposite could easily be said as well.

"Two days." I whisper.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see her ears perk up near the lit lantern.

"It took me that long to get here. And I couldn't stop thinking about you, not for a second. I don't know why. You almost never talked, and you took off with everything we had. And yet, I still came to find you."

She turns away, her head perched on top of her folded forelegs. She spreads out her body, stretching straight on the wet floor.

"Shrubbery made a mess of a nearby town, Asclepius. Let's go back there."

She twists her head to face me.

"If we head to where I came from, we'll reach a train that can take us there." I explain, as she seems quite interested in the thought of leaving this place.

That reminded me, "Say, why are you down here anyways?"

Suddenly, I begin to hear her sob, I get up and start to walk towards her, "Hey. Hey, what's wrong--"

*CLICK*

"Don't move." A deep voice suddenly drifts from the shadows.

It didn't take me long to realize what had happened, Misaki has just led me into a trap.

"You…"

The filly continues to cry, "I said I'm sorry…" Her head still buried under her arms.

"You are one slippery little colt you know that?" The deep voice calls out.

"Who are you? And what do you want from me?" I ask.

The voice coughs twice before speaking, as if he suffers from old age, "What do you think? I suppose you wouldn't know, would you?" The sound of hoofsteps bounce off the sewer walls around us, and a revolver emerges from the darkness.

The firearm hovers in air, which leads me to believe that a unicorn is wielding it.

The voice continues, "Madam Martha. That's a name you should know quite well. She's one of two ponies in charge here, and she doesn't approve of your methods of transportation. Destroying the city we've worked so hard to build up, you little scamp."

"I don't know what you're talking about." I decide to play dumb.

Then, at that moment, I notice two things. The first being that the unicorn's revolver's hammer is already drawn back, and the second is the noise of the sewage current. Moments ago I was struggling against the powerful waves of the sewer, and now it's been reduced to a quiet trickling stream.

"Nice try." The voice resumes speaking, "But we have lookouts, snipers, and spies in every corner of this city. We've seen your face. And what luck we had, when we found little Misaki here."

"What do you mean?" I ask, standing motionless and facing forward with a stern look upon my face.

"One of our sources spotted her in the streets, below one of the buildings you had leapt from. She was shouting, 'Shrubbery! Shrubbery!' throughout the streets. The source decided it was suspicious, and restrained her. Afterwards, she explained that the timberwolf you were riding was hers. So, being the nice ponies we are, we decided to track it down for her." The voice explains.

"That doesn't explain how you found me."

"On the contrary kid, that's exactly how we found you." The voice begins to sound more confident, "You remember how your little pet got taken down right? Well, we also chased down your friends too."

Without thinking, I accidentally let out a quiet gasp.

"Don't worry." The voice assures, "They got away, for now. But, we saw you get hammered by that manhole cover, must've hurt yeah? Well we positioned units down every sewage system post we knew you would float through, and sure enough, here you are!"

"Tsk."

"Don't give me that. All you had to do was back out of little Asclepius' plan, and you could be safe here in Caduceus. Hell, you could even be in a high-class suite right now if you played your cards right." The voice chuckles.

"Listen. If you're asking for money, I don't have any to fix your buildings."

The voice doesn't reply for a moment, the only sound I can hear is the sewage stream along with the whimpering of Misaki. Then suddenly...

*CLICK*

Thinking something was about to hit me, I shut my eyes quickly as a flinching reflex.

"Aw. Too bad. No bullet."

The trigger on his revolver had been pulled, and the hammer was thrown forward. Whoever I was dealing with was either a klutz or a dramatic. Whatever the case, this was my chance to get out of this mess. Swiftly, with one motion, I slap the revolver out of the air with my left forehoof and draw my revolver, which was still hidden on my right side, the side my assailant couldn't see!

With no time to let the robotic arm take aim for me, I grab the revolver with my own hoof and take aim at the darkness where the voice was coming from. Then, I bite down on the Bullet Biter that stuck out from the revolver.

*BANG*

The bullet flies into the shadows, while the gunfire illuminates the area for a mere second. But in that mere second, I saw nothing where the voice should have been.

"W-What the--" I'm soon cut off by a voice coming from where I had just shot!

"Czzk-- Did you really think it would be that simple?"

Confused, I quickly grab the lantern from Misaki, who was now standing on all fours. Swinging the lantern towards my target, it reveals nothing. There lies an open area with nothing but a strange and small device on the ground. Then I realize, that small device… It's a radio.

"Surprise."

Suddenly, the sound metal grinding against cement echoes through the sewers. A ray of light slowly reveals itself around me, as I look directly up. The blinding light adjusts, and I see buildings towering above me. Then I realize, I'm at the bottom of a manhole.

Before I can act, a large circular object begins to fall towards me. A millisecond later, everything around me begins to fade; Misaki, the lantern, and my gun. Looking up, I can see the figure of a pony hopping down into the sewers. He leans in close, but I'm unable to see his shadow covered face. The ringing in my ears, caused by the manhole cover, prevents me from hearing anything he's saying.

Soon, everything fades to black.

Again.

Chapter 12: Escape

"How gullible." A voice echoes back and forth from inside my head, "Or perhaps I simply outwitted you. It doesn't take that much effort for somepony like me."

My eyes slowly open, and I find myself staring at the bottom of a metal higher bunk bed. On my back I turn on my left side, and notice where I am. A prison cell with a single bunk bed and a single toilet in the corner. Grey steel walls surround me, and I roll off the bed onto the steel prison floor. It's cold, damp, and just feels miserable in this tiny cell.

Then, the voice from before appears again from behind me, "Oh, you're awake? It's more satisfying to sass you when you're awake."

I spin one hundred and eighty degrees and face the iron bars behind me. Behind the set of bars stands a white unicorn with a strangely beautiful black mane.

"Who are you?" I ask.

The unicorn turns away, smirks, and then trots off to the right of the cell, disappearing from my sight.

"Hey! Come back here!" I shout, as I jump forward and grasp the bars with my hooves.

The unicorn is gone, and I'm left alone in this pathetic closed steel space.

I retreat to the bed, and look around the cell. There has to be something around here that can help me get out of here. I'd rather try and struggle out of this cell than wait patiently for whatever sad end awaits me. First, I trot towards the small porcelain toilet in the corner of the cell. It's cleaner than I expected. The bowl is completely empty, perhaps I had hoped to find a shiv or a key sitting at the bottom for me to use, sadly it wasn't as convenient as that. The sink was just as empty, there was only a hole at the bottom, and that was as empty as the toilet bowl.

Disappointed, I switch on the tap. Water begins to slowly trickle out of the faucet head with low pressure. I let the drops of water fall onto my tongue, as my thirst is partially quenched.

"Just where in the world am I? Those mares who brought me here don't seem like the type who would risk their lives to come back and save somepony they've known for such a short time." I think to myself in the empty cell.

"Psst."

"I mean, I like them and all. But I don't expect them to come immediately, I might be stuck in here for at least another two or three days."

"Psst!"

"Hopefully they'll get here before I die of either starvation or execution by that unicorn--"

"HEY! Idiot! Over here!", a voice loudly whispers from outside the cell.

"What the…" I spin around to face the iron bars keeping me in the cell.

There, outside my cell, stands the grey filly who got me in this mess; Misaki.

"You!" I loudly whisper back, lunging towards her and gripping the iron bars.

"I know, I know. I'm really sorry okay? Just… Just be quiet for five minutes okay?" She whispers back, gesturing to be quiet with her hoof on her mouth.

With no other options available, I nod and ask, "We'll deal with this later. Just tell me how you're getting me out of here."

"The keys are right over there, in the warden's office, and behind his desk." She says, pointing off to the right of my own cell.

"How do you know so much about this place?"

"I've been here ever since I ran away."

"I see. Well, be careful getting the keys okay?"

She nods, and then disappears from sight. Patiently I wait for her return. After a few minutes I soon hear the sound of jingling keys coming towards me.

"Hey, I got them." Misaki whispers, as she slowly slides a keycard down the scanner outside my cell.

*BOOO-WEEP* *BOOO-WEEP* *BOOO-WEEP*

A sharp and loud noise begins to sound and bounces off the walls of the cells!

"What did you do?!" I shout over the alarm.

"I-I, I don't know! Maybe it's the wrong one?!" She shouts back, frantically trying to slide different keycards into the scanner.

Finally, after about four or five attempts, she finally finds the correct keycard, which then lowers the iron bars into the ground. If I wasn't panicking from alarm, I would question and admire the engineering of the cell bars. But sadly, I don't have that luxury right now.

"This way! Come on!" Misaki shouts, as she waves her hoof frantically from down the hall.

I gallop after her, and take every turn she takes. The pulsing red glow radiates down every white metal hall, with the annoying and blaring alarm still echoing along with it. Passing the other cells, I notice that they are all empty.

"Where is everypony?!" I shout, galloping after Misaki.

She ignores me, still running ahead. I suppose the alarm is drowning me out in her ears. I follow her until she stops at a metal door.

"Come on… Come on…" She repeats over and over again, as she swipes down keycard after keycard.

"Hurry up! Just how many cards are on that chain?!"

"Stop yelling at me! Just, keep an eye out! Geez!" She shouts.

After about three or four tries, I finally hear the faint sound of a beep behind me. Before I follow her, I look back at the corridor behind us. The dark red lights pulsate in the dark metal hallway. For a moment, I thought I saw the silhouette of a tall pony at the far end of it. But I don't have the time to go and investigate, my best bet is to close the iron door behind us.

Passing through the metal doorway, I push the red button on the other side, closing metal door behind us.

Following Misaki, we continue our run through the labyrinth of metal.

"Do you know where you're going?!" I ask.

"It's just down this hall way! We turn right and the elevator is just at the end!"

I let out a sigh of relief, as we make the final turn towards freedom. Sure enough, there is an elevator-like door at the end of the corridor. We make a dash for it, fearing that guards may be hot on our tail already. Using the momentum she's already picked up while running, she slams her hoof into the button with an arrow pointing down. The ring around the button lights up with a dark blue, which sticks out from the pulsating red glow of the alarm.

Then, at that moment when the button began to glow, I suddenly begin to speculate a possible theory. Why were there no ponies, anywhere?! Through our entire escape, we haven't encountered a single soul, not even in the cells. Then the only other place they could be is… In the elevator.

I turn around, facing the lift. Hearing the elevator come to a stop on our floor, the two metal doors begin to open slowly.

Chapter 13: Blinker

Apart from the pulsating red glow, darkness surrounds me and Misaki. The white light slowly peeks from the slowly opening elevator doors. This is it, the reason we haven't seen anypony around could possibly be because they were taking an alternate route through the elevator. Finally, the blinding white light envelops our eyesight. As things start to clear, all we see is an empty lift. Before I can let out a sigh of relief, Misaki pulls me into the lift and slams the button labeled 'G'.

"We're going to the ground floor. Hopefully nopony will notice us, and just go straight for the cell block you were on." She says, sliding down the elevator wall and onto the floor.

Already on the floor, I sit my back up against the wall, "After we get out of this… Whatever this is. We need to get back to Asclepius."

"I've heard of that place. The unicorn you were talking to earlier, he told me about it. It's a resistance group, yeah?"

I think back to when I was staying in that small village outside the outskirts of Caduceus. The kids constantly bugging me to play with them, the pleasant chatter of the mothers, and the military dedication of the fathers.

"That place. It's not a resistance group. It's a community. A village just looking to survive on their own, instead of submitting under two tyrants." I say, unintentionally in an angry tone.

"Martha and George? The two snakes of Caduceus." She says, getting quieter towards the end of her sentence.

I raise an eyebrow at her, "Snakes? They're not actually… Snakes, are they?"

She turns to me, and giggles, "Ha… No of course not. They're ponies, unicorns. The unicorn who took care of me, the one you spoke to earlier, he told me they have the most powerful magic in this world."

"That's reassuring. I wouldn't want to live under those two either. I'd rather take my chances in the wild like Asclepius."

*DING*

The elevator stops, and the previously illuminated 'G' button returns to it's originally unlit state. Then, the doors slowly open again. Jumping to our hooves, we press our backs against the walls closest to the door, so that nopony could see us, should they be waiting outside. Holding my breath, I slowly lean into the doorway. In front of me is a giant lobby. White marble flooring and white marble walls make up the giant room, as it's decorated with couches, coffee tables, and a circular information desk sits in the centre of the lobby.

"Where are we?" My voice echoes, and I realize just how loud I accidentally spoke.

"Clef Industries. For all of your miscellaneous needs." She replies quietly, as she steps out of the elevator.

"Don't worry." She continues, "If anypony is here, they'll be working on the upper floors. Either investigating the alarm or working quietly and letting others check out the alarm."

I step out, relieved completely.

"We should be fine, as long as--"

*WHOOSH*

I blinked. Now, Misaki has just up and vanished.

"M-Misaki?! Where did you--"

I'm soon cut off by laughter, a deep voice coming from… All directions.

"Haha… Haha!" The sound echoes back and forth in the giant lobby room.

I glance up, and about ten meters in the air sits a giant crystal chandelier. I would say that it's about 5 meters wide, and blocks most of my view of the ceiling. It's possible the littler chuckler is up there, throwing his voice around the lobby.

"Where's Misaki!?" I shout.

No response. The laughter has stopped at least. Then, within a split second, I find my self lying face down in the floor.

*THWOMP*

I swore I felt something pushing my head for a split second! But how did I end up on the floor so quickly?! Jumping to my hooves, I look around frantically. Nopony in sight.

What is going on?!

"Having fun Apollo?"

My ears perk up, and I begin to look around again.

The voice continues, "Ahah! You're really one of my more favourite toys you know? Normally, anypony I hit would be dead by now! Ahah!"

"Who the hell are you?! Come out! Where's Misaki!?" I shout at the ceiling, assuming that's where he is.

"Tch. Hell huh? A concept made up by a bunch of creatures who wondered where they went after they died."

"What… Yeah, I guess."

The voice continues, "Here's a fun fact! Some people think that Hell is place of eternal torture! Experiencing the most painful of pains, and not being to do anything about it!"

Suddenly, I hear the sound of the chandelier above me moving. Without hesitation, I jump to the side and roll perfectly back into a standing position. Looking up, I see a small indentation in the floor where I was previously standing.

"So you can predict my movements now? My, you're a smart unicorn ain'tcha?" The voice continues.

Think Apollo, you need to find a way to get out of here alive and find Misaki… Wait, did he call me a… Unicorn?

I remain silent, and try to remain perfectly still.

Then, I realize that the voice has also muted itself. Why did he decide to shut up all of a sudden? Could it be, the only reason he could find me was because I was making so much noise? Also, why did he call me a unicorn? Is he… Blind?

"You found it out huh? I can tell by the way you're not making any noise. But you'll have to breath sometime! And when you do, I'll hear it."

Is his hearing that perfect? I feel myself about to let out a breath. Quick, what can I do? I'm sure he won't miss next time, so I have to think fast. Looking to my left, I notice that I'm standing next to a desk beside a couch. On the desk, a flower vase sits pristinely and elegantly. Knocking it over, I get ready to slowly shift to the side when it hits the ground.

*CRASH*

Stiff as a stick, I robotically move my hooves to the right. Then, I see something blurry move from above me. I blink again on habit, and it's gone once again. The only thing that remains in its place is the broken table legs and the shattered vase pieces, as well as another small crater in the floor.

"You're smart kid! I like that in an enemy of Caduceus."

I don't have time to ask questions about what he's talking about.

Still silent, I listen for any clues on his whereabouts.

"Tch. I'm as quiet as a cloud kid, don't even try to listen for me. Also, the acoustics of this room prevent you from finding me. It's impossible! So just give up and take your last breath!"

I can't believe I'm going to do this, but it seems like my only option right now.

"Ahem." I clear my throat for him to hear.

"Mistake!" I hear him shout.

Quickly stand up on my hind legs, I open out my forehooves like I'm about to hug somepony. And in a way, I suppose I am.

I wait for the moment I feel him making contact with me… A breeze. Now!

Shutting my eyes, I close my forelegs and feel the body of another pony wrapped inside them.

"Gotcha!" I shout.

But as I shut my mouth, I feel something on my tongue. Feathers? I accidentally chomp down, and hear the sound of my victim screaming in pain.

"AGH! You little--"

Before he calls me out in a vulgar fashion, we both hit the floor in a crashing fashion. As we crash into one of the nearby vases and desks, I feel my teeth sinking further into the wings of what I'm assuming is a pegasus.

He cries louder than before, "AGH! I'll… No! Stop!"

Releasing my bite, I spit to the side. Only then I realize that I had complete bitten through his wing. Blood on the floor, I back away slowly, eyes shot open in shock.

"I-I… I'm s-sorry…" I stutter.

Sure I've shot a gun before, and I've even killed a creature! But the pain back then was only for an instant! Never before have I made somepony suffer this way!

He groans in pain, grunting and breathing heavily, "You… YOU! You took… My gift… Away from me! I'LL KILL YOU!" He shouts, crawling towards me.

But before his hoof can reach me, a grey hoof stomps down on the joint in his right foreleg.

Again, the pegasus cries out in pain.

"Misaki!" I cry out, as I look up to see my companion.

"Don't. Touch. Me. Again." She says, as she twists her hoof into his leg after every enunciated word.

"AGH! STOP! STOP PLEASE!"

"Hey! He's had enough!" I shout, pulling her away from the bloodied pegasus.

I finally catch a full image of our assailant. A pegasus with a midnight purple coat, striped with a darker shade of purple on his legs and face. His mane is also striped, but black and dark purple. His tail matches his mane. His eyes are a venomous violet, and I noticed that he's wearing two sort of bracelets or anklets on each of his legs. One on each of his lower hooves, and one on each of his high legs.

Misaki releases her hoof, steps away and turns around. She then turns her head slightly backwards, to almost face the corpse.

She speaks in an aggravated voice, a tone that I've never heard her speak in before.

"Blinker. Tell them to stop following us. Or your sister gets it."

Before I follow Misaki out of the building's lobby, I turn around and see the almost-lifeless corpse writhing in pain.

I cringe, shudder, and then turn around to leave.

Chapter 14: Memoria Recludam

After experiencing the potential torture of another pony, I awkwardly walking behind Misaki; making sure not to anger her by stepping on the backs of her hooves. The streets of Caduceus are eerily quiet and empty as we walk on the cement sidewalk. The moon is raised high in the sky, which helps us in case the authorities decide to chase after us again. The street lamps light our pathway, as we aimlessly wander around the city.

"So… About back there…" I start to ask.

"Hey, do you think less of me now?" She replies with another question.

I pause, still walking, and think about it for a while before responding.

"Not really, I guess."

She turns her head around, while still walking forward, "Really? But…" She looks away, "You don't even think a little less of me?"

"Not really. You were mad, and I would have done the same… Probably."

She scoffs, "You could have done without the 'probably', yeah?"

"What's with the weird dialect? Did you pick that up around here?" I chuckle.

"Sh-Shut up! I've always had this. I just never talked to you enough I guess…" The mare snaps back, her cheeks blushing red.

I chuckle again, and follow the filly through the city. After a few more minutes of walking, she finally stops at a manhole in the street.

"This is where you got knocked out. Can you… Get back to your camp?" She asks, pulling the iron manhole cover back.

"You're not coming with me?" I ask.

"Well… I'm from Caduceus… Would they really accept me so easily?"

"It'll be hard... And you did damage some of their property with… Shrubbery."

An awkward silence fills the air, and we both look down in disappointment.

"I miss him too." Speaking up, she sits down on the edge of the manhole, dangling her back hooves inside.

"We can't spend the rest of the night crying over this. Come on." I being to climb down into the manhole.

She sighs, and then follows me, making sure to cover up the manhole behind her.

The stench of the sewer hits us with a foul smelling odour, nearly making both of us gag.

"Ugh… This is horrible. And on top of that, it's pitch black down here." I complain.

"I have a lighter, let me just find it…" She responds.

I stand still, hoping not to fall into the sewage system again. After a few seconds of searching, I finally hear the sound of a lighter being opened. After a few clicks of the igniter, a dim flame appears in front of me.

"Shall we?" She asks, as she turns around with the lighter in her mouth.

I follow her down into the sewer walkway, as we continue down to where the laser train is parked.

"Are you sure it's down this way?" I ask.

She spits the lighter out onto her fore hoof so she can speak while still speaking, "This is where you were drowning, and it's also where I found you. If we keep going this way, I'm sure we'll find where you originally fell in."

With that conclusion, I would go down this way too. After walking down the tunnel for a few more minutes, we finally come to subsection of the sewage system where a ray of moonlight is shining down from above the streets.

"Is this the place?" She asks.

After pondering it for a moment, I reply, "Yeah. I think I remember falling from up there and into the sewage."

"Sounds gross. Well, lead the way!" She says, gesturing for me to go first.

I trot past her, and then finally remember, "Hey. Come to think of it…"

"What's up?"

"Nothing, it's just… I had a weird dream after I fell into the sewer stream."

Her ears perk up, as she speaks with a sense of urgency, "D-Dream?!"

I look around for the secret passageway that Strings had opened when we first entered Caduceus via the Laser Train, "Yeah. But I guess it's not surprising, seeing as I was hit on the head with a manhole cover."

"C-Could you, go into detail?" She asks, stuttering.

"Um, it hit my head and then I--"

"No!" She blurts out an exclamation, "Idiot, I meant the dream!"

Turning around to face her, I ask, "What's up with you? You're acting really aggressive for no reason."

"I… Well, I had a weird dream a while ago too…" She says, piping down the volume on her voice.

I guess I could recollect what happened in the dream, "Well… There was a swimming pool. And it was crowded too. It was really sunny, and I was with--"

"Three other ponies?!" She blurts out again.

"Yeah… How did you know?" I suspiciously ask.

She pauses, and then looks back at me, "We had the exact same dream. And the three ponies, they called me… Shizuka."

"I had them call me by a name I wasn't used to either, except I had received it before the dream occurred."

"You have a name now?" She asks.

"Apollo. Apollo Coronis." I say, as I turn around towards the wall to look for the secret passage.

After a few more moments of searching I finally come across a strange extension coming from the metal sewer walls. Pushing the extended piece of metal in, I hear a click.

I turn to see that a wall has moved out of the way to reveal a passage!

I turn to inform Misaki-- Or Shizuka-- Or whatever, "Hey, I found--" But I as I turned around, I could only see something I wish I hadn't.

*CLANG*

A revolver was dropped, and had fallen to the floor. It's the Viper, my revolver. The filly holding it stands in front of me in tears.

"W-What--"

"They… They…" She begins to sniffle after every other word, "They told me… They told me a story. They told me about a pony who would join Asclepius, and bring Caduceus to its knees. They said that if that were to happen, nopony would be spared… Not even the children."

I stand in front of a filly who left me for dead, with a revolver sitting in the three feet between us.

"The Harbinger of Suffering, that's what they called it."

It.

"They said that… Apollo Coronis, the Harbinger of Suffering would bring this world to an end…" She continues to sniff and cry, "I've seen these ponies, and they're not as bad as you think! Of course there are bad ponies in that city, but there are just as many innocent ones!"

I chuckle, "It's funny. The exact same thing is happening in Asclepius, minus the whole 'Harbinger of Suffering' thing."

She chuckles back, still weeping and sniffling, "Heh… I guess that's true…"

I ask her directly, "So why didn't you do it? Why didn't you kill me? You could have potentially saved thousands of lives."

Still sniffling, she replies, "Because I had a dream after the one at the pool… In the dream, I saw… Us. We were under an umbrella at a beach, and there were… There were kids, two of them, playing in the water in front of us."

My breath hastens, as I listen to her description of a beautiful family life.

"I thought that was beautiful. I wanted that kind of life, instead of the one we have now; no memory, no family, no friends."

I pick up the revolver and toss it onto my back, "Tch, idiot."

She looks up at me with tear-filled eyes, "Wha--"

"We both have families, we have to. Otherwise we wouldn't be here! We have friends, but you just haven't met them yet. And as for memories, we've have some pretty extreme ones already haven't we?" My attempt at comforting the filly could have done without the insult, but I believe it reached her all the same.

She sniffs, chuckles, and then proceeds to plant a kiss on my nose.

"Thanks." She says, before trotting down the recently revealed corridor.

I think about dream she had, and the way she described it.

"A family…?"

I turn around to face the corridor, but then turn my head to face the open manhole leading into the streets of Caduceus.

"I'll find you dad."

Chapter 15: The Last Train to Asclepius

After emerging from the hidden tunnel, the grey filly and I find ourselves under a glass ceiling and on a train station platform. But there's one thing missing, a train.

"Damn! They really did take off without me."

"Th-They'll come back right?!"

"I can only hope, let's look around and see if we can find something to call the train back."

Two steel pillars on the train station platform hold up the glass ceiling above us. The linoleum tiled floor that the platform is made of is torn up and chipped.

"Looking up, I guess I never realized that Caduceus' asphalt streets were painted onto this all this sand." The filly says, looking upwards in amazement.

"I guess I never realized it myself… Tch, it doesn't look like there's anyway to call the train back. No button or control panel or anything."

"Have some faith Apollo. Maybe they just had to go back to Asclepius to do something?"

Well, we did just kidnap the niece of one of the two dictators running Caduceus. But with no other option, I decide to close the hidden passage and wait patiently for something to happen.

After about half an hour of waiting, I slowly become more and more frustrated.

"Argh! This is mind-nummingly BORING!"

After venting out some steam, I notice that the filly is sitting with her back up against one of the pillars, nearly half-asleep.

"Oh, sorry." I apologize.

She turns her head and speaks softly, "Haha… It's okay. I'm bored too."

"What's with the overdramatic head turn?"

She turns silent, and then playfully sticks her tongue out. I chuckle, and then decide to pace around the platform. I wander over to the train rails, and look down. Nothing but some garbage and litter, it seems those four mares don't care much for recycling.

Suddenly, the filly behind me says something that I can't understand.

I turn around and begin walking towards her, "What was that?"

"You know that part in my dream where we had kids?"

"W-What-- Woaah!"

*thud*

Surprised, I lose my footing and accidentally trip over my own hooves.

"A-Are you okay?!" She asks, concerned.

Climbing to my hooves, I reply, "I-I uh… I, uh, I-I… Yeah It's just that, um…"

"Oh! I didn't mean to creep you out or any--"

"N-No, it's not that it's creepy! It's just I… Well you're great and all…" Flustered, I attempt to construct a sentence, failing miserably.

"I'm sorry! I didn't think you met another--"

"No no no! I haven't really talked to any other fillies… Unless you count my potential mothers…" I didn't know she was concerned about that!

"Wait… What?!"

"Huh?"

"You're… Mothers?"

"Oh yeah, actually there are four of them. But only one of them could be my real mom right?"

She pauses, steps back with a disgusted look on her face, "I… Didn't know you were into that kind of stuff."

Looking at her with a blank expression on my face, I calmly reply, "You got this… All wrong."

*BEEP BEEP*

"Please stand back from the yellow line on the train platform. The next train arriving in five seconds." A strange, robotic voice begins to speak from nowhere.

"Haha! Look, it's the train! Come on let's go." I say, laughing to cover up my clear escape.

She squints at me in distrust, and slowly follows me towards the yellow line.

A long white train car slowly arrives at the platform with a quiet 'screech'.

The doors open, and a mint green blur quickly flies at me.

*THUD*

"Oh my gosh! I thought we'd lost you there!" A green pegasus says, hugging tightly me on the ground.

I see the look the grey filly is giving me, and I couldn't feel any more uncomfortable.

"Give it a rest Dove. I told you he'd be fine right?" A familiar voice sounds out from the train door.

"H-Hi… It's good to see you guys again. It's also good to see you didn't leave for dead."

"Funny." The grey filly says sarcastically.

I look past the green wings, still hugging me, to see Ace leaning on the open train doors.

The earth pony finally asks, "Hey, who's the girl? You pick one up off the streets?"

"W-What do you mean?" I ask, not understanding what the earth pony meant.

"Uh, never mind. You two are probably too young to get it." She chuckles.

"Anyways, let's go. The party's almost over back at base."

"Party?" I ask, while gently pushing Dove off of me.

Dove begins to hover above me, "Haha, sorry. Yeah, we're having a little party to celebrate the completion of our mission. You're friend is welcome too! Oh, uh, just as long as she's not… You know."

The grey filly begins to look uncertain, almost scared.

But before she can say anything, I jump in and interrupt her, "Oh yeah, she's uh… A fellow prisoner! Yeah, we escaped our captivity together over at uh… What was it again…"

"Clef Industries." She says quietly.

Ace continues her sentence, "For all your miscellaneous needs."

"You know it?" I ask.

"Yeah. I do."

Did I touch a sore spot? Hopefully not.

Finally, we get on the train and sit down on one of the seat on the wall.

"Where are Thorns and Strings?" I ask.

"Another one of your moms?" The grey filly leans towards me and whispers.

"Shut up."

Ace answers after pushing a bunch of buttons on the dashboard of the train, "Oh them. They're in the next car having a little dispute. Hey, here's an idea; maybe you can go and settle it for them?"

Me? I suppose I could try.

"Sit tight. I'll go and see what's happening." I instruct the grey filly, before I make my way to the next car.

Opening the doors between cars, the first thing I see are two blades slashing through the air. Thorns is going absolutely crazy with her Roseblades! But what could have caused this?!

"They occasionally have this type of falling out. It's best not to get in the way." Dove explains, still floating behind me like some sort of fairy.

Behind the flurry of blades slicing, I can see another pony; who I can assume is Strings.

Then I notice, Thorns isn't slashing at nothing, she's slashing at…

"Sharp notes. Or whatever Strings calls it. Her harp is magical, see? It can send magic notes flying from the instrument. It's some kind of magical instrument from her homeland."

"Thank you Dove dear. I would explain myself, but I'm sort of busy." The white unicorn mockingly says in a melodic and harmonic voice.

Thorns, on the other hoof, remains absolutely silent and concentrated. I would imagine she would have to be, since slicing music out of the air would require some level of precision. Wait, what am I saying?!

"Look, could you two stop it? You're eventually going to hurt somepony. Maybe me…"

"Oh very well then dear." The unicorn says, as she plucks her final note on a string.

And with a final slash, I vaguely spot the magic note splitting in half by the hoof of Thorns' Roseblade.

"Hmph." The blue earth pony scoffs, as she turns around trots out of the train car and into the next.

The unicorn begins to speak up again, "Oh I do wish she'd stop being melodramatic. It's ALL JUST FUN AND GAMES DEAR!" She shouts at the earth pony leaving the cart.

Thorns responds by sending a rose with a pointed tip at the bottom of the stem towards Strings. The rose flies into the ground, mere centimetres away from String's hooves.

"Tch." Strings makes a final mocking noise, before trotting towards me.

"It's great to see you again Apollo. Do tell about your little adventure in Clef Industries." She says, while placing her hoof on my chin.

"Wait… How did you--"

She answers before I can finish questioning, "Little miss Borealis told us. She was inside your mind the whole time, and told us when you had arrived at the train station."

"Oh. So did she, um… Tell you anything else?"

She smiles, and then pats me on the head, "Nothing else." She giggles, before proceeding into the next train car.

"She knows…"

Suddenly, the train begins to move. And with that, I find myself escorting a filly, trapped on a train filled with her enemies, back to a city that is also made up of her enemies. Won't this be fun?

Chapter 16: On Our Way Home

After being bombarded with questions, I explain what happened when I fell into the sewers. I mentioned how Shizuka pulled me out of the sewage stream, but I left out who she was.

"So that's quite the little adventure you two had. But I'm still concerned about the part with that pegasus." Ace says, sitting in the train's driver seat, resting her chin on the seat's backrest.

The train zooms through the underground tunnel, as I continue my stories.

"So… You met Blinker, I assume." Ace says, while scraping her chin.

"You know him?" I ask.

"Indirectly." She responds, "He's one of the Three Supernatural Sentries. Aura Borealis being the second."

I casually glance towards Shizuka, and notice that she's feeling more and more uncomfortable.

"Who is the third?" I ask to change the subject.

Ace closes her eyes and nods, "Nopony knows. But we do know this; the three Supernatural Sentries are made up of three, you guessed it, ponies who defy all known forms of magic and physics. First, Aura Borealis. The only earth pony to successfully produce, and successfully use magic. That strange part is that her earth pony magic is more powerful than any unicorn magic we know."

Shizuka interrupts her, and interjects into the conversation, "Second only to George and Martha."

The eyes of every mare, with the exception of Thorns who is staring out of the window uncaringly, dart towards the grey filly.

"I, uh… I meant, um…" She stutters in embarrassment.

Ace chuckles before replying, "Of course, I forgot about them for a moment."

I sigh with relief, as it seems Shizuka's cover has not been blown just yet.

Ace continues, "The second Sentry is Blinker, you've experienced him first-hoof. He is faster than light itself, or claims to be. They say that George and Martha picked him after Martha's eyes caught a glimpse of him zooming past in a race. The announcer accused him of cheating, but George defended the pegasus. When asked, the pegasus claimed he had no memories. He only had a note in his pocket that read 'Be the Fastest. Be faster than them all. Be faster than him'. After some painful surgery, at the hoof of George, they discovered that he had some sort of… Oh what was it?"

After a few moments of pondering, Shizuka finally spoke up, again, "They found unknown crystals in the flesh of his wings. They called it Quantimite, because it seemed to give him the power to transcend space itself."

After a pause of silence, Dove is the first to speak up, "So, um… Don't take this too personally. A-And I'm not trying to be suspicious of you or anything, so try not to--"

"For crying out loud. How the hell do you know all this?" Thorns finally snaps, violently.

Shizuka jumps, and the lowers her head to face her seat, "Well… I hang around White Caduceus a lot, so all the ponies mention these sorts of fairy-tale type stories."

"I… See." Ace says, acting even more suspicious.

Strings then speaks up, "Well then dear, have the ponies in White Caduceus ever mentioned the Twins of Time?"

Shizuka looks up, and tilts her head in confusion, "No, never… Wait, you don't mean--"

"Haha, good girl. It seems you've caught on." The white unicorn giggles.

Ace turns to the unicorn, "This is the first I've heard of this as well."

"It's the same situation for me as well. But I've only received this information just before we left to come and get Apollo." Strings says, while performing elaborate hoof gestures.

"Spit it out." Thorns snaps, once again.

The unicorn scoffs, "Tch. My sources in Caduceus tell me that they've seen a potential suspect for the mysterious third Sentry."

"He wouldn't happen to be… A white unicorn like you, would he?" I casually, yet suspiciously interrogate her.

She then pulls a folded piece of paper from her pocket, "The photograph is a polaroid, so it's only in black and white. But he does seem to be a unicorn, look familiar?" She says, as she turns it around to face me.

My eyes light up, and my ears perk up, "Th-that… That's…"

"THAT'S HIM!" Shizuka shouts.

Looking at the photograph, I completely recognize who is centred in the picture, "That's the punk who threw me behind bars!"

"Do you… Have a name?" Shizuka timidly asks.

Strings raises an eyebrow at both of us, as do the rest of the mares, except thorns.

The white unicorn sitting across at me sighs, and then shakes her head, "Sadly no. My source just barely escaped with his life getting this picture."

The grey filly and I sigh in unison.

It was then that I had noticed how much time had actually passed, as we had already arrived at the station. With the train coming to a casual stop, the sliding doors open and each exit the locomotive. Silently, we make our way up the stairs that lead into the secret passage in the desert.

"Amazing… From here, Caduceus looks like a tiny little town!" Shizuka points out enthusiastically.

As Ace and Dove head off to fetch the dune buggy we arrived here on, Strings and Thorns continue to keep space between each other; with the grey filly and myself between them. The tan earth pony and the green pegasus return, with a whirring motorized buggy along with them.

"Hurry up you four. I swear, you'll never hear the end of it if we get back and I find out Blizzard drank my keg of cider dry because you were too slow." Ace says, in an obviously joking manner.

We each climb into the buggy, with Shizuka and myself sitting in the tailgate. With stomp on the gas pedal, Ace begins to drive recklessly back to Asclepius.

I look up at the sky, and see the moon at its highest peak in space. Then I look forward, and see a marvellous fireworks display taking place in the town of Asclepius.

ENDING

We pull up to the gates of Asclepius, where we are met by a pony on top of the gate who asks for our identities. After rudely shouting some vulgar language at the gate guard, Ace manages to open the gate without lifting a hoof.

As we slowly ride into town, we are met with an abundant amount of ponies and others with fireworks and glow sticks. Cheers, firework pops, and the constant laughter of the celebrating crowd.

"This seems like a rather large celebration for… Well, you know." I whisper to Ace, making sure to be louder than the crowd, but quiet enough so that the grey filly can't hear me.

"Well, this is Asclepius' first victory against Caduceus in a long time. It's natural to celebrate that sort of accomplishment!" She replies.

"Speaking of which…" I ask, "Where is she? I'd like to ask her some questions."

Ace sighs, "Hmm… I'll show you to her. But only if you have a drink with us first!"

With no other option, I agree to her invitation.

After riding through town for a couple of minutes, Ace parks the buggy in a fenced off area near Black Blizzard's house. Thorns disappears into the dark alleys of Asclepius, while Strings eyes the blue earth pony suspiciously before trotting off into Black Blizzard's house. Dove shakes her head in concern and then follows Ace, who then proceeds to follow the white unicorn.

"Shall we?" I ask Shizuka, gesturing to follow the rest of the mares.

She nods, and we enter Black Blizzard's home.

"Well look who's back from the land of the dead!" A familiar voice shouts.

Out from another room approaches a black unicorn, with a bottle of champagne magically hovering above his head.

"I knew it. You're getting into my booze again!" Ace shouts, while swiping away the bottle from the black unicorn.

Blizzard chuckles, "Chill out kid, you got an entire cellar of this garbage downstairs."

"Garbage?!" Ace yells back, "This is a vintage Eché Wine that I've been aging for who knows how long!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever you say kiddo. Do me a favour, and go down and give our little guest a visit. And while you're at it, grab a bottle of something that isn't one of your family heirlooms."

"Guest? You mean… Her?" I ask.

Blizzard replies, "Yup. Your little Sentry made it home, safe and sound. I suppose you'd like to ask her some questions. Well then, maybe you can bring me a drink from down there."

"Look, priorities first. Just tell me where she is." I demand.

Ace sighs, and then gestures to follow her.

Then, I realize that Shizuka may be skeptical about our mission, "Um, Shizuka. Maybe you should--"

"Nice try, but I'm tired of you hiding stuff from me. And I know that's kind of hypocritical of me, but you can't stop me now!" The grey filly angrily interrupts me.

Annoyed, and unable to persuade her, I finally agree to take her along. We both follow the tan earth pony down a set of wooden stairs near the stairs, which leads down into a pitch-black darkness. As we descend down the stairs, the celebratory noises begin to fade away. Fireworks, poppers, and confetti cannons all become muffled, but are still loud enough to be heard in the distance.

The only source of light underneath this damp underfloor cellar is a flickering light fixture on the ceiling. On our left and right sides stand kegs and wine shelves that hold an abundance of bottles and alcoholic liquid. Although cramped, there is enough space to walk to the end of the cellar. And at the far end of the cellar, the three of us come to a wooden door. Ace unlocks it, and then proceeds inside.

"Hey. I'm gonna switch the lights on, don't jump out at us if you know what's good for you." Ace says, as she flips on a switch she feels on the wall.

The lights flash on, and I rub my eyes to adjust. Reopening them, I'm met with a completely wooden room. A large collection of rum kegs and wine coolers line the walls of the room. It is very similar to the previous room, but the main difference is the amount of moving space. However, I believe something's missing from this room.

"You better come out now, don't make this hard for me kid…" Ace grumbles angrily.

Then, a small yellow-cream coloured head pops out from behind of the kegs in the far right hand corner of the room. Aura Borealis stands to meet us.

Sticking her tongue out, the young mare speaks in an mocking tone, "You kidnap me, and then talk about me giving you a hard time? Such insolence!"

"Spare me. I might let you wander around the town tonight, since you're partially the reason for the celebration." Ace says, as she walks over to a wine cooler and picks up another bottle with her mouth.

Aura then notices me, her eyes light up, and she shouts in glee, "Apollo!"

I wave back, and then turn to Ace, "I wouldn't mind escorting her through the town. I think she needs the fresh air, since you've been keeping her down here all this time!"

"Calm down. It's only been a couple of days since we got back, and we let her out often. According to your friend, you were knocked out in that cell for a while. We kept coming back to look for you, but…" Ace says, as she pops the cork out of the bottle in her mouth.

The cream coloured filly trots towards me, "I need to get out of here! I'll go crazy if I spend another minute in this drunkard's cellar!"

"Why you--" Ace begins to shout, but Aura grabs my arm and runs off with me before the tan earth pony can finish.

With Aura wrapped around my leg, and Shizuka following behind us, the three of us make our way upwards and out of the house. We're met with the cracking of fireworks and the cheers of celebrators.

"Wow! There's never anything like this in Caduceus!" Both Shizuka and Aura Borealis shout in synchronization.

Surprised, the two fillies stare at each other, and then begin to speak in synchronization again, "Wait, what did you--"

"Heh, I suppose I should introduce you two. Shizuka this is--"

"Aura Borealis. Niece of the famed Martha of Caduceus." The grey filly says in a serious tone.

"And you are?" Aura rudely asks.

The grey filly pauses, then begins to glare angrily at the cream coloured earth pony, "Misaki. Misaki May." She introduces herself bitterly, using her previous alias' name.

"Ah, I see… Well then! Shall we get going into the celebration? Ooh, what's that over there!?" Aura quickly transitions, changing the topic.

Deciding to play along and avoid any drama, I answer the earth pony's question, "Oh uh, that's a candy apple stand."

"Candy… Apple? Do tell me more." She says, and she slowly squeezes my foreleg tighter.

Uncomfortable, I trot forward and try to explain, "Well, they're apples that are coated in all sorts of sugary sweets. Like caramel and icing."

"Fascinating! Now buy me one immediately! " Aura commanded.

After letting out a nervous laugh, I escort the two fillies over into the festive town, as the grey one continuously glares at the other.

Time passed quite slowly as we explored the firework-filled town of Asclepius; visiting food vendors stationed equally apart each other, watching performers perform their acts in the streets, and even participating in fun and distracting contests and games. It truly felt like the sun would never come up again, as the moon stayed fixed in the sky with the stars twinkling around it. Surprisingly enough Shizuka seemed to enjoy herself, despite being the presence of the somewhat annoying Aura Borealis.

Both fillies had purchased, or rather obtained for free, an intricately designed mask that each of them would wear on the side of their heads. They both explained that it 'smelled unpleasant' on the inside of the mask, and it was easier to breathe and see if they wore it that way. The masks depicted

We find ourselves wandering through the streets on the way back to Black Blizzard's house.

"I'm surprised you two haven't had a falling out in these past couple hours." I chuckle, while taking a bite out of a corn dog I had received for free earlier.

Shizuka speaks loudly and over the crowd's chatter, "You clearly didn't see that competition earlier! I had totally won that weird hammer-and-bell strength game!"

"In your dreams, it was me who should have taken home the prize!" Aura rebuts.

The two begin to fight again, which breaks their previous record of fifty minutes. Although, I don't know what they're getting so worked up at each other for; it was me who won the contest in the end. In fact, I split the prize between them, so they shouldn't arguing in the first place! The prize, of course, was a gift basket. Coincidentally, there basket was able to be evenly distributed between two individuals. Inside were two bottles of apple cider, two vouchers to see a theatre act in Asclepius, and two delicious looking cakes.

I remember that the two fillies had to be escorted off the stage, as Aura had attempted to use magic to cheat, and Shizuka was caught attempting to steal the prize when the judges weren't looking. Honestly, it's always 'more than meets the eye' with those two.

Suddenly, I begin to hear their argument develop a type of heat that has never taken place in their arguments before.

"Excuse me?!" Shizuka shouts.

The cream coloured pony takes a step backwards with a smirk on her face, "You heard me. Got a problem?" Her regular style of speaking seems to have changed drastically from formal to casual.

"You better repeat it, because I don't think I heard you right!" The grey earth pony raises her hoof up.

"H-Hey guys…" I try to interrupt them, but the heat of their debate pushes me back. Figuratively. Fortunately, we're far away from the festivities that nopony is around to worry.

Aura's smirk just screams the words, "Come at me you peasant!"

Shizuka falls for the trap of her rival's smirk, and then leaps forward towards her target. Aura soon finds herself a few inches above the air, being held up by her neck.

"H-Hey! Calm down Shizuka!" I shout.

Aura's smirk grows larger, "Gotcha."

"Whaddya' mean?" Shizuka says, as she shakes her victim gently.

"Shizuka and Apollo Coronis. The stars foretold your presences in our world." The cream coloured filly says in a monotone voice.

"What are you--" Shizuka starts to ask, but is soon cut off by the robotic sounding Aura.

"Silence. You two are not of this world, but the stars still acknowledge you having a purpose here."

I speak up in a concerned voice, "Tell us, we need to know!"

"Your father is in the same situation as you are. He constantly pulled from space and time itself, and then placed into another world. However, he is able to retain his memories, but you are not."

The nullified sound of cheerful festivities adds to the seriousness of the atmosphere. Nopony is around to see or hear this filly talk about dimensional paradoxes, fortunately. The empty dune buggy parking lot remains silent, before it is broken by Aura's voice again.

"There is a way to return to your own world, but there are side-effects." Aura offers a solution.

I ponder the opportunity for a moment. Do I really want to go back to my old world? What if it's in a worse state than this one?

The cream coloured filly continues, "The conditions are this; you will lose all memories of your time in this world, all of Caduceus, and all of Asclepius will be gone. You will, however, regain the memories you had from before you were sent here."

"Lose our memories? Of this place?" I ponder to myself.

I'll be the first to admit that I feel horrible here sometimes, but it's not always terrible! Like today for example, I feel a great sense of relief and self-enjoyment today.

Shizuka pushes Aura up against a nearby building wall, still holding her up by the neck, "Is there a way to come back?!" She asks, grinding her teeth in anger.

"There is no method to manipulate in order for you to travel back and forth between spaces on command. That is, none available to us." Aura says with difficulty breathing, but still maintaining her monotone speaking style.

Shizuka turns to me, her furious looking face changes into a concerned and worried one, "What's your take on it?"

"Put her down and maybe I'll tell you." I say, casually walking towards her.

"Tch." The grey filly exerts her annoyance, and then releases her grip on Aura Borealis, "Now, what do you think?"

Pondering the offer for a moment yet again, I finally reply after a temporary pause, "Let's do it."

"Really?" The grey filly asks.

I nod.

Aura continues, "I do have good news if you'd like."

"Please, everything you know." I request as much information as she can provide.

"We, the stars and Aura Borealis, are only knowledgeable to the restrictions of this world. Anything beyond the fabrics of this space and time are unknown to us. And any consumption of knowledge from beyond this world's boundaries could possibly result in self-termination." The cream coloured pony explains.

"In normal speak?" Says, not understanding anything that was said in Aura's explanation.

I simplify and summarize the statement, "She doesn't know anything, except for knowledge that's provided in this world. And if she were absorb any information from another world, on top with the information in this world, it would be too much for her to handle, and she would shut down I guess."

"Correct. It seems you would be lost without this one, Shizuka." Aura says mockingly, but still retaining her flat voice.

Shizuka's teeth grind harder, but she remains silent.

"Anyways, returning to the good news… Well, semi-good news. You see, I have no understanding of the world outside this one. So the concept of transport between spaces at will is not out of the question completely. And since you ultimately ended up here, it raises the chances of finding something to assist you."

"I… I want to do it if you do it." Shizuka speaks up.

Aura then follows, "If you both decide to proceed with this option I am offering, you will need to hurry."

"A time limit? Why? And how long?" Shizuka asks.

"The stars align tonight, and they will not align in the proper formation for another half-year. If you wish to go, you have until the a minute after midnight."

Looking at the Asclepius bell tower that stands in the centre of the city, the clock on the tower reads that it is about fifteen minutes before midnight! Honestly, could she have told any later?!

"I have a plan! Will we be able to carry material possessions between worlds?" I ask hastily.

Aura shakes her head, "Unfortunately that is not the case. Only your physical body remains, your mental state and material belongings will remain where they were developed. Anything outside the boundaries of your body will not travel with you, should you agree to this option."

"I see… Then maybe…" I scratch my chin, and then quickly head off towards Black Blizzard's home.

With a plan set in my head, I can just barely hear the shouts of Shizuka behind me as I suddenly run off.

Bursting through the door of Black Blizzard's house, I'm immediately met with five icy cold glares. Everypony, with the exception of Thorns and Dove, seems to be having a nice drink together in the living room of Black Blizzard's home; located to the immediate right of the entrance.

"What's got you out of breath Apollo?" Strings asks, as a wineglass gently leaves her lips.

Catching my breath, I outburst, "Dove!" at the top of my lungs.

The green pegasus flies around the corner from another room and into the living room, "Y-Yes?! Somepony called?" She frantically asks.

"Can the three-dimensional firearm designer on the laser train imprint designs on something that isn't a firearm?!" I ask loudly.

She stutters, "I-I, Um.. Well I suppose we could extract the design tools…"

"Help me! I'll explain later!" I shout, as I gesture for the pegasus to follow.

The pegasus, flustered, flies towards me and agrees to come.

"H-Hic. I'm tired of this, I wanna find out… H-Hic, too!" Ace drunkly shouts, with an occasional hiccup.

Strings and Blizzard also decide to tag along, not wanting to be left out of the insane plan I had concocted in my head. And as if on cue, Thorns walks through the entrance with the remnants of a candy apple stick in her mouth.

She tilts her head and raises an eyebrow, "Hm? Wuths' going on?" She says, just barely making her words out with a mouthful of a apple.

Black Blizzard explains, "Apollo's got something planned, and he needs the firearm designer for some reason."

"Oh, so that's your game huh?" Thorns says, munching on the small bits of fruit on her stick.

"Game?" Blizzard tilts his head.

Thorns swallows her food, and then proceeds to speak again, "Yeah, I overheard him, the new girl, and the psychic talking some kind of nonsense about dimensions and whatnot."

"Dimensions?" Strings asks.

"Uh-huh." The blue mare takes another bite out of her candy apple, "Then Apollo here books it out of there like a bat on Nightmare Night."

Suddenly, a sharp pain begins to throb inside my head, "Aaagh! I-It… It hurts…" I cringe, my teeth grinding harder than ever.

"Apollo!" Dove shouts, dropping to my level of height, "A-Are you okay? What happened?!"

"N-Night… N-Nightmare… Night…" I slowly piece my words together, writhing in pain on the floor.

Thorns' eyes light up, and then she drops to my level as well, "Hey! Do you… Do you know what Nightmare Night is?!"

Ace turns to Thorns, "But, he can't! Nightmare Night is--"

"An Equestrian Holiday."

Everypony turns to look at the front doorway. A grey filly stands on the house's porch, with a cream coloured earth pony standing next to her.

"Who the hell are you…?" Ace speaks just under her breath.

Shizuka speaks in a valiant tone, "My name is Shizuka. I attend Element Highschool, in Ponyville Equestria."

The grey filly crouches down to my height as well, as I massage my head with my hooves. She pulls my head under her chin, while gently stroking my mane.

"W-What… Why are you--"

"Apollo… My memories, they came back. They came back when that blue mare mentioned Nightmare Night."

Suddenly, another familiar voice begins to speak, "Memoria Recludam."

Once again, everypony turns around to face the porch. Aura Borealis stands in the entranceway.

"Memoria wha--?" Ace says, confused.

Aura replies, "Memoria Recludam. A phenomenon that triggers when an individual's memories flood back after a large-scale case of amnesia or memory loss. You can guess how it is triggered."

Everypony goes silent in awe.

Strings breaks the silence, "Wait a minute… So these two are Equestrians, and now they remember everything from Equestria. This one might be the son of any one of us, except you Blizzard."

"Funny." The black pony scoffs.

Strings continues, "Let me guess the next part, the one who sent you here in the first place was--"

"Oh no!" I shout, jumping to my hooves.

"What's wrong--" Ace asks, but is immediately cut off by Shizuka.

"Of course! We only have five minutes left until the stars go out of alignment!" The grey filly shouts.

Dove flies above us and begins waving her arms around, "Hold on! Hold on! Just hold on! What do the starts have to--"

Aura butts into the chaotic conversation, "I'll make this brief, as I do not wish to stress myself anymore. The stars will align at midnight tonight, and that is our cue to return to your 'Equestria', but without memories of this dimension."

"R-Return, to Equestria!?" Ace jumps to her hooves.

Thorns jumps in, "But wait, how come we maintained our memories when we came here?"

Dove begins to explain, "Well that's because--"

Ace intervenes, "Lemmie stop you right there Dove! According to Apollo's girlfriend here, we've only got five minutes on the clock now until we lose our opportunity!"

Aura nods, "This is true. Actually, to be specific, we currently only have three minutes and forty seconds left. Exactly."

I frantically look around the room, "There's no time! Aura, do what you need to do to get us back to Equestria! I need to find…"

As Aura moves outside to prepare some sort of ritual, Apollo runs off somewhere into the house. The blue earth pony, the tan earth pony, the green pegasus and the white unicorn all follow her. I'm left alone, waiting for Apollo with this quiet black pony. Blizzard was it?

"Um, aren't you going to follow the other mares outside?" I ask.

The pony chuckles, and then brings the bottle in his hoof up to his mouth, after removing it he replies, "Heh, somepony needs to stay here and defend Asclepius no? I built up this city. If I retained my memory, I don't think I could live with myself knowing that I could have doomed my baby to destruction by Caduceus."

"I… See." I quietly reply, respecting the honour and conscience that this pony exerts.

He turns to be me and then offers the bottle in his hoof to me. I shake my head, and he shrugs.

"Say, your boyfriend's taking quite a long time. Wonder what's--" Black Blizzard

"RRAAGH! Hngg… Hngg… RRAAH!" Screams of pain and agony echo through the house.

Concerned, I shout out to him, "Apollo! What's wrong?!"

After a long pause, and after about fifty to a hundred taps of my hoof, I decide to investigate. But before I can, the grey pony limps into the room.

"What was that about?!" I shout.

Apollo places his hoof over my lips.

Panting and catching his breath, he whispers to me, "No time to explain… Just, hrng… Don't worry."

I nod, and then place his arm around my neck. I help him down the porch, where the mares and Aura Borealis are sittings in a circle. Each of them glare at us.

"Where have you been?! Take this more seriously!" The tan earth pony shouts.

Apollo catches his breath, "I'm… Guh, sorry. Just, get on with it. How long do we have left?!"

Aura stares at the sky, still sitting down, "Along with the one minute after midnight, we have two minutes and thirty four seconds. Thirty three, thirty two…"

"We get it! Just get it done! Tell us what to do!" Ace shouts angrily.

"Everybody who wishes to go to Equestria must stand within the circle that is outlined in the sand. I will handle the rest." Aura says, as she begins to… Glow?

The strange cream coloured earth pony begins to slowly lift off the ground. When she is about a foot in the air, a large and transparent yellow orb begins to form around her. I'm absolutely baffled, but I remain quiet as I do not wish to disturb our chances of returning to our own dimension. I look around at the ponies in the circle, and every single one of them is open-jawed. I believe the blue earth pony seemed to be the most astounded, almost to the point where I could almost see stars in her eyes. Speaking of stars, the tiny twinkling dots in the sky begin to almost dance about. By 'dance' I mean, of course, the stars looked as if they were spiralling around in a tornado-like formation.

I glance towards Apollo, still leaning on the side of my body. He seems to be the only pony here who is unfazed by this amazing sight! Just what has he seen in Caduceus?

"Apollo." I say at a normal volume to catch his attention.

He doesn't seem to notice me. I poke and prod him, and he finally turns to me. He looks confused, and begins to move his mouth, but no words come out.

"Apollo? Why can't--" Then I realize the obvious, we're in some kind of vacuum that prevents sound or something.

Apollo seems to have noticed it too, as he seems flustered by it all. Then, I notice that everything around us seems to have been blurred out. Almost as if I had shut my eyes and then opened them in front of a bright room. The yellow orb that Aura had enveloped herself in seems to have risen higher than before. Everypony in the circle, except Apollo and myself, seem to be meditating. The silence is uncomfortable, as I can barely hear my own bated breath.

Then, in an instant, everything around me turns white.

Chapter 1: Entering Caduceus

The dune buggy bumps and shakes as we zoom through the empty desert towards a towering sand hills in the distance. The four (4) mares sitting in the buggy remain silent.

After riding for about half an hour, we finally reach the base of the sand dune. Ace switch's off the ignition, and the buggy's motor stops making noise. Everypony, including myself, hops off the buggy. The rest of my party begins to trot up the mountain of sand.

"Come on kid, Caduceus is just behind this hill." Ace encourages me to take the hike up.

I start, and soon become fatigued halfway up. How do these mares stay in shape, while I'm being left in the dust on this steep dune.

Finally, after another ten (10) minutes of climbing, we reach the top. And I immediately collapse the moment I reach the peak of the dune.

Say, this feels like earlier when Black Blizzard first approached me. I had been tracking Misaki May and Shrubbery the Timberwolf, and then almost passed out from the heat.

"There it is, the city of hope."

Upon hearing this, my head shoots up from the sand.

In the distance, about half a mile away, a magnificent white metropolis towers high. Perfectly round ivory skyscrapers reach into the clouds. It's so beautiful that I am unable to convey it into words.

"That's... Caduceus?" I ask.

Ace nods, and then begins to descend the sand hill. The others follow, and I do as well.

After we reach the base, I come to a conclusion, "Are we seriously going to walk all the way there?"

Ace replies, "Of course not. We'll take the train."

Train?

Dove flies forward, about a kilometre ahead. She lands near a cactus, and pulls back one of the larger glochids. At first, nothing happens, but then the ground begins to shake, and then the sand in front of us begins to cave in. Almost as if a trapdoor had fallen into the earth and the grains of sand on top of it chose to follow.

Another crazy sight, just what is this place? Before I know it, there is a large square that leads into darkness before me.

The four mares descend into the darkness. And once again, I follow.

"What is this place?" My curiosity makes me ask automatically.

This time, Strings answers, "This is our way of getting into Caduceus, the underground Laser Train. Designed and built by a friend of ours who happens to be a scientist."

Suddenly, the lights switch on. And I find myself standing on a boarding platform with a single white train in front of me. It looks almost like the buildings of Caduceus, in the way that they're smoothed to perfection with an ivory coat of colour.

Everypony, including myself, trots into the train. The inside is so complex that you would never have guessed that all this technology could have been hiding inside. Monitors and boxes with dials and switches completely cover the walls. Of course, I've never seen anything like this before in my life. Near the back of the train is a wall with guns of all kinds hanging from it. Each gun is painted or designed artistically, I'm guessing that's to label which gun belongs to each pony. Then I remember the revolver that Black Blizzard gave me. I've had it strapped to my back all this time and I've completely forgotten about it.

I take it from the holster on the saddlebag Blizzard gave to me earlier before I left.

It was then that I noticed the green pegasus floating above my head, leaning closer to the gun with a curious look on her face.

"A Colt Single Action Army. Shoots six (6) bullets, enough to kill anything that moves. It looks a little bland though. You wanna add a little 'Umph' to it?" She gives me a complete description of the gun, and then asks if I want to decorate it? What an odd pony.

"Um, I suppose it wouldn't hurt..." I reply confused.

Dove flies over to one of the strange machines near the gun rack, "It won't take any time at all, the pony who designed this train also designed everything in it. This is a three-dee model firearm designer, you put the gun in this compartment and then slap whatever design you want on it through the computer." She explains it like it's some sort of toy to be used by a teenager on their clothes.

I place the revolver in the compartment, and then close the small hatch in front of it. The screen beside it lights up, and I see a picture of my gun on it.

"It's a touch screen, so just use this pen to draw whatever you want on the monitor. After your done that, just drag it wherever you want to put it on the gun. Or you can just draw over the gun itself, that works too." The pegasus explains.

I look around before I do anything. Ace leans on Strings' shoulder with a cigarette in her mouth. It looks as if Strings is currently attempting to start the train. And I'm not sure if Thorns is taking a nap, meditating, or simply standing bored in the dark corner of the train.

With the thought of being embarrassed in front of the others eradicated, I take the pen in my mouth and begin to draw over the revolver on the screen.

After a few minutes, I finish and drop the pen.

Dove suddenly appears over my shoulder again, "Done? Huh, that's a weird design. But to each their own I guess. Now just push this..."

*CLICK*

The monitor shuts off, and the machine begins to make noises similar to that of a can of spray paint.

A green light flashes, and the door to the compartment opens. A small bit of smoke rises from the box, but it clears in less than a minute. I pull the gun out from the box. I'm not sure whether or not to be embarrassed or proud of my work. But the design certainly looks better than it did on the monitor.

Thorns turns to me, and trots over to inspect my gun. But rather than taking a close look at it, she simply walks past while glaring at it silently. Is it really that bad? Maybe it's just how Thorns is.

Ace and Strings trot over as well, why does everypony want to see my gun?

"Simple and plain. Interesting though..." Ace says, before returning to the driver's seat of the train.

Strings stares at the gun and then at me, "I think it's great. It's unique and your own."

It was then that I noticed Strings' eyes. They were the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen. Beautiful, yet so empty. It's strange... I feel like I'm falling endlessly when I look at them.

All of a sudden, she jumps back in a panicked manner. She stutters something, but I can't hear exactly what she said.

I turn to Dove to ask what the problem was, but she has already retreated to the gun rack to check on the weapons.

"It's all ready to go. Hold on tight everypony!" Ace shouts, as she pulls a lever on the dashboard down.

The train makes a hissing sound, and then begins to move away from the platform. Soon, the light from the boarding platform shuts off, and the only illumination is from the lights within the train.

Finally, I'll be able to see the inside of the city of hope: Caduceus.

Hopefully I won't have to use this revolver. I stare at my weapon. The beautifully drawn grey winged snake slithers from the handle of the gun to the tip of the barrel.

Anew

Where… Am I? The last thing I can remember… Is the colour white. And… A muted sound. Where am I?

Are those… Vines? On the ceiling? Is that… A window? Is that… Wait… What is that thing? It's moving. It's… Grey. Wait, who is that? Who am I?