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Twilight glanced outside the window, watching the scenery flash past at an amazing rate. She yawned, feeling the lack of sleep catch up to her. Finding a way to reconnect Rainbow Dash, the tour, putting up with the nobles and their stupid parties, and the lack of correspondence from Shiny had been keeping her up until the wee hours of the morning. She reassured herself for the nth time that he was fine, and it was just some small buckup that was causing the delay. Then again, Spike hadn't written in as well.

She yawned again. Maybe a little nap would be nice.

"Princess." A hoof prodded her softly. "Princess, it's time to wake up."

She groggily cracked an eye open. "Wha? Are we in Manehattan?"

"Yes we are, and we're already thirty minutes behind schedule."

Twilight blinked. And then she realized the gravity of the situation.

"Oh no! I am so sorry!"

"It's alright, Princess," the conductor smiled gently, "I can tell it's been a tiring week for you. We'll just pass it off as an equipment failure. Come now, let's get up and ready to go."

Twilight thanked the conductor and teleported away before he could refuse the tip, reappearing right inside the one of the fillies' rooms at Grand Central. A few ponies reared up at her sudden appearance, and then bowed as they realized that they were in the midst of royalty. Twilight took a step backwards as a unicorn bowed, the tip of her horn passing too close to her face for comfort.

She splashed herself with cold water and walked away with a little niggling feeling in her head that she'd forgotten something.

"Right." She poked her head back into the washroom and said, "Please all rise."

The various mares and fillies inside went back to their business. She'd forgotten that Manehattan was very much different from Ponyville, despite the fact that they now felt so very much alike these days. She cantered down the marble tiled hallways until she got to the main concourse, and was lost in a sea of noise.

Her baggage had already been moved to her hotel suite, so the conductor told her. A locator spell told her that was the case for all of the items, especially for a certain device left in her care by Princess Luna. She shut down the spell and walked through the crowd as it parted around her, various mathematical and Etheric formulae clicking together in her head. That was until she bumped into somepony, landing flat on her rump.

"With all due respect ma'am. We've got to stop bumping into each other like this."

"Flash?" Her eyes widened as he helped her up.

"Yep. I've been assigned as your plainclothes Sentinel apparently."

"Now I wonder who did that." Twilight chuckled, bringing the image of a certain foal-sitter in mind. "Do you have your conference ID?"

"Yep." Flash opened his saddlebags and extracted the ID with a wing. "The rest of the Elements are already settled in, by the way."

"Some friends they are." She scoffed.

Flash shrugged. "They told me the smelling salts didn't work."

A bright flash blinded them both. The two of them recovered just in time to see a paparazzo run around the corner.

"If only..." Twilight growled.

"Let them, Twi." Flash nuzzled her.

The Hotel Mareiott was way too grand for her tastes. It brought back unpleasant memories involving Prince Blueblood at the Gala. That, and she preferred a lodging closer to the Manehattan Institute of Science and Technology, which was a dozen or so kilometers out from the city proper. The Royal Suite did have a nice view of the city-seascape though.

But it seemed that Rainbow Dash wasn't having any of it. Twilight walked up beside her, looking out over the city.

"Hey, Rainbow. How're you holding up?" Twilight gave her a concerned smile.

"I feel terrible." That much could be seen. Her hair was a mess, and the the fire in her eyes was missing. "You're close to getting it down, right?"

"Yeah. I just have to decompile one last matrix and I can start working on a counterspell."

"I have no idea what you just said, Twi. But it makes me feel a lot better."

"That's what friends are for. You up for some cider? Applejack managed to sneak in a whole barrel." Twilight put a teasing lilt into her voice.

"Really?" Rainbow's eyes widened, and then she smiled. "Betcha can't drink me under the table."

"You're playing a dangerous game here, Rainbow Dash." Twilight grinned, "You know that alicorns have a hundred times the alcohol tolerance of normal ponies."

"And one hundred times zero is still zero, Twilight." Rainbow grinned back.

"Touché."

The night passed quickly as they drank to their hearts' content. Fluttershy surprised them all by drinking Rainbow Dash and Applejack under the table and by flirting with Rarity and Rainbow Dash, in no particular order. The fashionista was taken aback by her friend's sudden change in demeanor and was about to rebuff her when Fluttershy suddenly fell asleep on the table.

The morning however, passed agonizingly slowly. The mother of all hangovers pounded in Twilight's head, and even the smallest sound only aggravated the migraine. Thankfully, the conference started at 1:30 PM. She checked the wall clock and found that she only had one hour to shake off the hangover. She rummaged in her saddlebags for Zecora's hangover cure and popped a pill.

"Twilight?" Rarity asked as she sat up in her bed, "You didn't sneak out last night and have your way with a stallion, did you?"

Twilight's cheeks burned, "No. This is Zecora's hangover cure."

"Oh. Could I have a pill, then? My head is killing me."

"Sure." Twilight passed the container over and sat back down as the pounding reduced to a tolerable level.

"Don't tell Dash or AJ."

"Oh, I won't." A mischievous gleam twinkled in Rarity's eyes.

"Good morning!" Fluttershy said cheerfully as she walked into the room, pushing a small trolley, "I am sorry about what I said last night, Rarity. I wasn't in the right state of mind."

"Oh, it's alright Fluttershy, I'm sure we all have our moments."

Twilight showered, brushed her mane with help from Fluttershy and Rarity, and summoned a cab to take her to the conference area. The taxi wound its way through Manehattan's labyrinthine streets as skyscrapers towered over them on either side. Flashing lights and advertisements dazzled her as surely as the mixture of peoples journeying the crowded streets. Griffons, minotaurs, zebras, deer, even buffalo and small dragons walked among the ponies, who showed no signs of fear or nervousness at all.

The taxi broke free from the traffic and sped down a massive bridge, wove through New Yoke's similarly complex city grid, and then emerged into suburbs and finally, forest. Giant redwood trees stood on either side of the road as forest animals frolicked in the underbrush. The road turned gently and they emerged from the forest and into a massive scientific complex built on top of a wide plain.

The taxi came to a stop at a security box and armed guards inspected the vehicle, running various sensors around it, before they opened the gate. There was a significant military presence too, understandable given the fact that hundreds of the best scientists were gathered in one place. Armsponies saluted her as she walked past.

Twilight forced a squeal down as Ad Astra and Enigma walked by, chatting amicably as they escorted a wheelchair-bound Stephen Hawkwing to the gardens. Famous physicists, astronomers, chemists, and even biologists were everywhere. It was like a dream come true. Twilight had so many questions to ask and so little time!

"Yo, Twilight!" A mare's voice sounded beside her, "Stop freaking out, you just got here."

Twilight shook her head and turned to address the mare beside her. Her cutie mark -- a bright flash -- almost glowed against her inky black coat. Her mane had alternating stripes of the same color and a bright yellow. Her bright smile was contagious. Stark white bandages wrapped across her chest and barrel.

"Radiance!" Twilight grinned, hugging her excitedly.

"In the flesh! Now if you could please stop squeezing so tightly."

"Right. Sorry."

Radiance Cloppenheimer was one of the top nuclear physicists under the throne's employment despite her young age. She was also an earth pony, making her stick out like a sore thumb against the unicorn-dominated field of science.

"What happened to you anyway?"

"Some mooks tried to mug me or something, somepony in a black suit chased them off."

Twilight had a feeling that she knew who the black suit was affiliated to.

"By the way, I received your letter. What can I do to help?"

"Let's find somewhere more private though."

"Hey, take it easy! We've only just met!" Radiance grinned.

Twilight laughed despite the seriousness of the situation.

"Twilight sure must be having fun at her conference." Applejack mused. "She's not answering any of my calls."

"Why are we here again?" Rainbow Dash winced as Fluttershy cleaned the feathers on her broken wing.

"We'll, I've business in a few days here, so why not?" Rarity spoke up.

"Same here." Said AJ.

Fluttershy placed some down feathers in a bowl. "I think it would be nice to have a change of pace every once in a while. And besides, I think Twilight wants to cast her counter spell as soon as possible."

"Well, we're here and we're not doing anything. 'Sup with that?"

"Dash here has a point, what say ya'll we tour the city? I'm gotta visit Aunt and Uncle Orange first though, haven't seen them in quite a while."

"That's alright, Applejack. Why don't we go with you?"

"Aw shucks, why not?"

Fluttershy gaped at the sights as they rolled down Mane Street. High-class restaurants, movie theaters, and other establishments advertised themselves on either side. There was a small plaza in the middle of five-way intersection decorated with a monument to Princess Celestia, an oversized timepiece hanging from her mouth.

"Which one, miss?"

"Take the fourth one on the right and go right on Cannon. Ya can't miss it."

"Righto."

The crowd in front of the Oranges' property certainly didn't as well.

"Down with Tyrant Celestia!" A scruffy-looking mare wielded a sign with that statement as she screamed into one of the windows.

The other ponies cried in assent, raising their banners and signs up high. Many of them were throwing rotten fruits and eggs at the house. One of the activists held up a sign depicting a shiny toilet, the words 'Princess Toilet Sparkle' written under it. Applejack growled.

"How uncouth!" Rarity noted.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash made their way to that pony only to be pulled back by Rarity's telekinesis.

"What in hay was that for?" Applejack yelled over the noise.

"Two of you against fifty of them, I don't think that will end well for the both of you."

"Don't you notice something?" Fluttershy said, "Look at them. They're mostly earth ponies, ad almost all of them look poor and underfed. They're desperate."

As if to prove her point, a skinny mare was held aloft by a set of hooves. "While the nobility hosts parties in Canterlot, wastes money on the military, and indoctrinates our children in Ponyville, we starve!"

Applejack fumed at the accusation directed towards her friend, but she held herself back. They were just about to leave and try the back door when two very familiar ponies climbed up onto a stage and started pandering to the crowd.

"Why, lookie here, Brother!"

"Yes indeed, Brother! It's Princess Celestia's attack dogs! The Elements of Harmony!"

Applejack barked, "This all your doing, Flim, Flam?"

"No sir-ee, we're just here to deliver a message from our Benefactor." Said Flam, "If you would so kindly stay and listen, maybe you would also be enlightened to their condition."

"I have nothin' to do with you." Applejack lowered her voice, "I'm just here to visit my family."

"Well, we certainly can't deny her that, Brother." Flim said.

"Perhaps you're right."

"C'mon girls." Applejack motioned towards the door, "let's go before they change their minds.

Applejack dismissed the apologetic look Flim gave her as a figment of her imagination.

"...you mean to say that somepony has a viable stockpile of Magnite?"

"Yes." Twilight spoke in a hushed whisper, "Radiance, if your team is using it, please tell me because this is a matter of national security. I fear that what happened with Princess Celestia may happen again, and this time more frequently."

Radiance sighed and hung her head down. "Yes, we were experimenting on Magnite. But thing is, Princess Luna authorized us to use it."

"You mean to say we've been keeping a secret stockpile?"

"Yes."

"For how long?" Twilight glared.

"Ever since Chrysalis. We very nearly lost Canterlot because that shield used up so much power. The nail in the coffin was when Sombra returned, remember how Cadence struggled to hold up her barrier? It was never meant to be used as a weapon, Twilight."

"So how did it end up as a weapon?"

"A couple of years ago, a few grams of Magnite went missing. We and the OSS were never able to track it down. Whoever stole it must have used the Magnite as a seed crystal."

Radiance pointed at the device, "And I'm sure that you'll be seeing more devices like this. It kinda needs a name too, how about 'disruptor'?"

Twilight sighed. "Disruptor sounds good. Can you help me make a counter?"

"Yes. Let's get to my lab."

Applejack sighed tiredly as she settled onto the couch, trying to make heads or tails of the situation. Riots were happening in the larger cities, even in Canterlot. Princess Luna was becoming more and more public as Princess Celestia started hiding herself away in the palace. And there was even news of war brewing in the East between Saddle Arabia and one of the griffon warlord clans.

On the other hand, a certain purple princess had been caught nuzzling a certain guard pegasus stallion in Grand Central. No doubt Twilight was going to explode on this one. Twi wasn't much for titles, and she had once told her that she'd rather be respected for what she did than be respected for being a princess. While AJ was quick to point out that, essentially one of those things led to the other, she got the point.

Rainbow Dash stretched catlike, flapping her wings as she worked out the stiffness in the muscle. Fluttershy was helping her with the recovery exercises and Applejack noted that the two of them were spending a lot of time together, more so than they usually did.

"I'm back!" Twilight bounded into the room, clearly very happy about something, "Rainbow, I've got the counter spell!"

"Really?" Rainbow dashed over, leaving Fluttershy in a cloud of down. "Can you do it now?"

"Yep. Just let me prepare a matrix." Twilight levitated over a box of chalk.

She drew a spell circle on the carpet and told Rainbow Dash to stand in the center.

"It's still in beta, so it's not that portable yet." Twilight explained, more to herself than to them.

Rainbow Dash hopped excitedly, "I don't care! Just cast it already!"

"Here goes." Twilight's horn glowed as she charged the spell.

Applejack stepped backwards as the circle, and then Rainbow Dash began to glow. Odd beeping sounds filled the air, followed by a multitone screech and a flash of light. She blinked the stars away and saw the residual energy arc over Twilight's horn.

Rainbow Dash looked at her hooves with wide eyes. She flapped her wings, almost immediately leaping up into the air, blowing away the smoke with the downdraft. She settled down onto the floor, still looking shocked.

"I can fly..."

A smile broke out on her face as the full weight of the realization hit her.

"It worked Twilight, it worked! I can fly!" She laughed, bouncing off the walls and ceiling in a convincing facsimile of Pinkie Pie. "I can fly! I can fly!"

Rainbow Dash leapt out onto the balcony, preparing to jump off the building. She had just cleared the railing when Twilight yanked her back inside with her telekinesis on Fluttershy's behest.

"Not so fast, missy." Fluttershy frowned, "Your wing hasn't fully recovered yet and you're molting. You can test your wings out later."

"But -- "

"Later."

"Fine."

Rainbow Dash slunk back inside as a knock on the door sounded.

"Housekeeping!" A pleasant voice called.

"Ooh! My eclairs are here!" Rarity bounded over and opened the door, letting a gentle old mare and her service trolley inside.

"Thank you, dearie." The old mare smiled, "I also have a message for Princess Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight put down her book, "Yes, ma'am. What is it?"

"Princess Luna says to open the packet."

Twilight was silent for a moment, "You're her agent?"

The old mare's voice suddenly sounded very different, "Yes."

Green flame enveloped the pony, the illusion giving way to gleaming black carapace.

"Changeling!" Rainbow Dash leapt into the air, preparing for a fight.

Twilight was faster, slamming the changeling against the wall while silencing the room with her magic.

"Why are you here?"

"I told you. I'm Luna's agent."

Twilight's eyes narrowed, "Prove it."

The changeling rolled its eyes. "Trolley, look in the garbage. You will find a black case. Password is 117649. Inside is my ID and Princess Luna's seal."

"AJ."

Applejack kept an eye on the changeling the entire time as she walked towards the trolley. There was indeed a black suitcase inside the garbage, and it was indeed unlocked by the numbers 117649, and there was indeed an ID and the seal of Princess Luna. She deposited the things in front of Twilight.

"AJ, Dash. Hold it down while I check the seal."

Rainbow Dash saluted and helped Applejack restrain the changeling, who surprisingly did not try to fight. Twilight's horn glowed and the seal crumbled into dust.

"The seal's legit. It's telling the truth."

"I'm watching you." Rainbow Dash glared as she walked away.

"Was there ever any doubt?" The changeling stood up and shook itself off. "I am Agent Midnight Specter, Office of Shadows and Secrets. I prefer the pronoun, 'he', and I have important news."

Specter looked evenly at the five of them, "Pinkamena Diane Pie has been kidnapped."

Author's Note

So, my prereader is on break for the week. If you spot anything, feel free to comment it.

This chapter officially ends the prologue. It's time for the real fun.