Sunset Eclipsed

Chapters

The Return to Equestria
Forgiveness
Luna's Student
The Road to Fillydelphia
Misunderstandings and Consequences
The Attack on Fillydelphia
Between Dawn and Twilight
Enter the Syndicate
A Warm Welcome in Ponyville
As the Night Falls
One Night in Fillydelphia
Training Days, Part One
Training Days, Part Two
Training Days, Part Three
The Captain of the Night Guard
The White Changeling
The Battle of Fillydelphia, Part One
The Battle of Fillydelphia, Part Two
The Battle of Fillydelphia, Part Three
The Road to Canterlot
Celebration in Canterlot
The Maroon Mare
The Weekend Off, Part One: The Nightmare
The Weekend Off, Part Two: The Library
The Weekend Off, Part Three: The Training Regime
The Weekend Off, Part Four: The Dinnertime Feast
The Weekend Off, Part Five: The Night Shift
The Weekend Off, Part Seven: The Skirmish
Showdown in Ponyville
Getting the Point on Pressure
Umbriel's Tale
A Night with the Princesses
Socializing
The Shadowbolt Tryouts
The Road to Vanhoover
Welcome Back to Vanhoover
At the Obsidian Horseshoe
Meeting the Townsponies
Dreamtime Revelations in Vanhoover
The Origin of Synthe
A Moment in the Obsidian Horseshoe
Craw's Regrets
Bad Graffiti
Daystar Manor
The Interrogation
Daystar Manor, Part II
Lightning in the Dark, Part 1
Lightning in the Dark, Part 2
On The Move
The Ghost in the Mirror
Long Rim
The Two Umbriels
The Courtship of General Synthe
Princess Luna vs. Lord Umbriel
Craw Unleashed, Part One
Craw Unleashed, Part Two
Craw Unleashed, Part Three
The Changeling Royal Rumble, Part 1
The Changeling Royal Rumble, Part 2
One Last Night in Vanhoover
Farewell to Vanhoover
Periodic Antagonism, Part One
Back In Canterlot
Interactions with the Syndicate, Part One
Interactions With The Syndicate, Part Two
The King's Communicator
Hailing the King
The Duel of the Deejays
The Search for Craw, Part 1
The Search for Craw, Part 2
The Big Night, Part 1
The Big Night, Part 2
The Big Night, Part 3
The Wrath of King Nelphyn
Endgame
Aftermath
Confessions and Revelations
Revelations at Canterlot High
The Weekend Off, Part Six: Sunset in Ponyville
Daystar Manor, Part III
Periodic Antagonism, Part Two

The Return to Equestria

In a dark underground bunker located beneath a grassy field, two people were sitting in a control room, talking to each other. One was a tall woman in black armor, with a grayish-green complexion and long, straight cerulean hair. The other was a younger man who was wearing kevlar. He had red eyes, grayish skin, and shaggy brown hair with blotches of green here and there.

"So, commander..." said the man, speaking a low, bass voice. "How did your operatives fare in Canterbury?"

“Sergeant Craw, here is our scout’s latest report.” Supreme Commander Chrysalis said, handing her officer a file. “It contains a very interesting account on an incident that occurred at Canterlot High.”

Sgt. Craw took the file, and read it carefully. Inside were snapshots of what appeared to be a demon-like creature attacking the front of a high school. Around it were six teenage girls with equine features, like ears and tails. At least two or three of them even had wings.

“'It was an incredible sight, unlike anything I’ve seen in months'.” Craw read the commentary from the scout. “'This pillar of light rose up from the school, and I had to investigate. Dark clouds were gathering above it, and then I saw a creature like a bat out of Hades itself, bright, red, and crowned with fire. It was attacking the building, and was performing some kind of incantation of some sort on the students there;.”

“'Unfortunately, my recon was inconveniently disrupted by unforeseen circumstances.'” The sergeant paused.

“Continue reading.” Chrysalis told him.

“There was a chaotic mess all over the place, and the demon disappeared in some kind of multi-colored vortex that entrapped it.” The sergeant continued reading. “In its place, it left a crater in the ground. We saw another teenaged girl climb out of it. I’m going to assume that she was devoured by the demon at some point, but somehow returned when it vanished.”

“And I have a profile on the girl in question.” said Chrysalis, handing him a document that looked as though it was copied from a Canterlot High School student’s file.

Name: Sunset Shimmer

Age: 18

Gender: Female

Date of birth: N/A

Place of birth: N/A

Hair color: Red, with blonde streaks

Eye color: Cyan

Address: 202 Dodge Boulevard

Grade: Senior

Height: 5 feet, 8 inches.

Weight: 124 lbs.

Sergeant Craw looked at the featured picture of her. The picture fit the description accurately enough. The girl in the photo was wearing a black leather jacket, a striped skirt, and long black boots with crimson flames along the front.

“She appears to be the most successful student at Canterlot High.” Chrysalis told Craw. “Based on our most recent analysis of the school’s student body, she has the highest grade in every class she is in.”

“Impressive.” said Craw, grinning at the photo. “She’s not only a hottie, but a smart one, too. They really are a dying breed in high schools, nowadays.”

“I want you to investigate this girl closely.” Said Chrysalis. “She must know about the demon, and about the strange pony-girls that fought it.”

“Whatever you say, boss.” Craw nodded. “But how am I going to fit in to this spying business?”

“There is a student exchange program next week.” Chrysalis told her officer. “We have already signed you up to replace one Flash Sentry, who is being transferred to Junction City High.”

“And does this Flash, or Brad, or whatever his name his, have any significance with Sunset Shimmer?” Craw asked.

“Yes, actually. Apparently, Flash is Sunset Shimmer’s ex-boyfriend. They broke up quite recently.”

“If he broke up with her, I ought to blow his brains out for turning down a girl as good-looking as her!” Craw boasted. “Though if she broke up with him, I think I should just rub it in his face.”

“Indeed.” Chrysalis nodded casually. “Are you ready to go to Canterlot High?”

“I sure am.” nodded Craw. “And I promise I’ll have whatever I can find out from Sunset Shimmer before the term’s over with.”

“Very good, Sergeant. The Syndicate is counting on your efforts.”

“But some details on this girl do seem rather vague.” Sgt. Craw said. “It doesn’t list her blood type, her birthplace, or anything that could be more useful. Could it be possible for me to send an agent to hack into the town’s personal records?”

“It would definitely be possible.” said Chrysalis.

"But I would still recommend looking into her a little...closer." said a weak, but intelligent-sounding voice.

Craw turned around. Framed in the doorway was none other than Intelligence Officer Embryo. A miniscule man, hardly any larger than a child, He was also very scrawny and skeletal-looking with wild hair that was the same color as Chrysalis', albeit darker. He also had big bulging eyes, a weak chin, and a long nose. He was wearing a dark, pinstriped business suit, and in his bony hands, he held a silver-tipped cane. It was hard to believe he was actually younger than the supreme commander.

"Closer, sir?" asked Craw.

"Of course." said Intelligence Officer Embryo. "I've decrypted and studied many false documents in the past. So you shouldn't simply trust what you read, but what you see, hear, and so forth. Investigate Sunset Shimmer closely. Watch her every move, but don't give her any reason to suspect you. Try to...befriend her, so that you will earn her trust."

"Well said, brother." Chrysalis said to Embryo.

"So, do I have to relay my information to you?" asked Craw.

"Not yet." said Embryo, stepping into the room. "I have a very special appointment with my associates at Sombra Industries about their new project. He believes it may be able to help me with my...handicaps. Still, you should expect a word from me soon after the matter is cleared up. Until then: Good luck, sergeant. And don't fail me or my sister."

"Thank you, sir." Craw nodded, leaving the room.

"So, what is this project?" asked Chrysalis, once Craw was gone.

"I'm afraid most of it will have to be kept secret...for now." said Embryo. "They call it Project Umbriel. They also have a few more things in store for our organization in the near future. It's quite exciting when you think about it."

He grinned slowly.

APPROX. ONE MONTH LATER...

It was the late evening for the twenty-ninth time since Twilight Sparkle returned to Equestria from the human world. Listening to the sounds of the night, a teenage girl wearing a leather jacket, purple t-shirt, striped skirt, and long black boots sat at the open window of her apartment to look out on the streets below. She looked vigilantly for anything that looked unfriendly. She had a rusty sledgehammer in her left hand, and her right hand was adjusting the dial on the radio. Eventually, the girl stopped it on a station that was in the middle of a news announcement.

"…The reported terrorist activity in the vicinity of Canterlot High School has yet to be verified by the Canterbury Police Department." said a news reporter on the radio. "Until then, these are rumors. Canterlot City officials are doing their best to contain whatever remains of the recent gang war dpwmtpwm, but until then: all listeners at home in the surrounding suburbs are advised to keep an eye out for any suspicious persons wandering the streets, especially in the dead of night. They may in fact be armed and dangerous. Whatever you do, do not…"

The girl flicked the switch on the radio, silencing it. She put the sledgehammer down on the bed, and then took a moment to run her yellowish-tan fingers through her long wavy hair, which was mostly red, but also had blonde-colored streaks.

"Great, now there might be a terrorist group in this town!" said the girl, stressed. "As if I don't have enough reasons for me to get out of here. Okay, let’s try that number again."

She took a cell phone off of her bed, and began dialing. After a few seconds, she seemed to have gotten an answer.

"Hey, it’s Sunset Shimmer--" the girl began.

"Hello, you’ve reached the Craw Residence...at least for the duration of my time at Canterlot High." said a recording on the phone. "I’m sorry that I can’t be here to answer your call, but I’m out hunting at the moment…"

“Hunting? Of all the--" Sunset muttered angrily.

But Craw's pre-recorded voice continued:

"…If you have anything you need me to know, I’ll return later to hear your message. Just leave it after the beep."

When she heard the phone beep, Sunset Shimmer took a deep breath, and spoke with a stressed voice into the speaker.

"Craw, it’s Sunset." she began. "Please listen to me. I don’t know why you ran from me last week, but I need you to just hear me out on this. I’m scared out of my mind right now. I don’t think I can stay in this town anymore. I think someone’s out to get me! I need to leave now! Since I don’t think I’ll ever come back, I want to let you know that I had the time of my life with you. You’ve been nicer to me than any other person I can think of, at least since Flash Sentry. Boy, do I miss him. And I’m going to miss you, too."

Sunset took another deep breath, then continued:

"Oh, and there’s something you need to know. I wanted to keep it a surprise, but since I don’t think I’ll ever get the chance to speak to you again, I’ll say it here. I’m actually a--"

But before Sunset could finish, the phone suddenly made a rapid series of beeps.

"We are sorry for the inconvenience, but this telephone’s message box has exceeded its capacity." said an electronic voice. "Please hang up, and try again later."

Sunset Shimmer growled fiercely at this obvious glitch.

"Oh, come on!" she shouted. "I can’t even say my goodbyes to my friends?! Stupid phone!"

Sunset hung up the phone, and chucked it across the room. She then took a moment to calm down. Suddenly, the phone began to buzz loudly: apparently somebody just sent her a text message. She quickly ran over to pick up the phone to see if it was Craw, but instead:

Tonight's your lucky night, Sunset Shimmer. Go to the statue immediately. WATCH YOUR BACK.

-K.N.

"K.N.? Who in the world is K.N.?" Sunset wondered aloud. "And how does this guy know about the statue?"

She sighed.

"Whatever. I’m pretty much doomed, anyway." she muttered to herself. "Time to get out of Dodge."

Sunset Shimmer went out of her apartment, ignoring that she didn't properly shut the door. She went downstairs and passed by the landlord's desk.

"Well, if it ain’t the grand ruler of Room 32." announced the man at the desk. "You’re up awfully late, Sunset Shimmer. Come to think of it, you’ve been up late for every day of this month, so far. Is there something you’d like to share with me?"

"No, nothing at all." Sunset shook her head. "At least, nothing you have to worry about."

"Let me guess: You’re going on a date with somebody, right?" joked the landlord.

"Well, I got some text message from someone with the initials K.N.." said Sunset. "Whoever it is wants me to go to the statue in front of CHS. Said it was my lucky day."

"Sounds like you got a secret admirer." said the landlord, snidely.

"Mr. Flake, do you happen to know anyone with those initials?" asked Sunset.

"Nah." said Mr. Flake, dismissively. "But are you seriously gonna go now, with all that talk about gangs and terrorists up in the city? I heard some of them might be headed outwards to do Lord-Knows-What."

"Don't worry, I'll be fine." said Sunset. "If things go wrong, I can handle myself."

"Are you sure, Sunset?"

"Besides, it's not like I'm going out to stir up trouble!" said Sunset. "It's just going to be a quick walk there and back, and nothing more."

Mr. Flake nodded his head.

"Fine, Sunset." he told her, reluctantly. "Just don’t get in trouble with anybody you don’t recognize. It’s bad for business if my tenants get put in the hospital…or the morgue. Well, I’ve got to get myself a little shut-eye. Good night, Sunset."

When Mr. Flake went through a door that led to his bedroom, Sunset Shimmer walked out the front door, and onto Dodge Boulevard. She decided not to pack anything with her, since she believed her belongings would no longer remain of use to her once she went back to Equestria. Instead, she simply wore the same exact clothes she wore when she first came to the human world. Whether it was poignant or not, she didn't care. She just wanted to leave Canterbury, and not look back.

Sunset Shimmer was walking down the street, towards the intersection that led to Canterlot High. She suddenly saw several dark shapes on the road ahead, and heard a loud roaring noise. Her instincts made her think of dragons, but she knew that none existed in this world. Then she remembered what the sound originated from: the engines of a motorcycle. But this was an entire chorus of those engine roars.

"Oh my gosh." Sunset gasped, clasping her hands to her mouth when she saw what the dark shapes were.

Around twenty or thirty people on motorcycles were speeding along the road from the direction Sunset Shimmer was facing. She had never seen so many bikers in one place. She had always marveled at those two-wheeled vehicles like bicycles and motorcycles, and the way that humans rode them as if they were riding on horses. That is, if said horse was a non-living contraption of metal and rubber.

But Sunset couldn't help but feel disturbed by what she saw; she knew for a fact that nobody in their right mind would host a motorcycle rally this late at night in the middle of the sleepy suburbs. For that matter, she didn't recall there being any motorcycle clubs in Canterbury, or at least none that large. She quickly got off the sidewalk, and hid behind a set of garbage cans lined up in front of a nearby bakery called Joe's Donuts. She crouched down, and peered at the bikers as they passed by.

They were all wearing studded leather jackets with the image of a gryphon emblazoned on the back, dark blue denim jeans, yellow gloves, brown hiking boots, and gold-rimmed goggles. Sunset could've sworn she saw a few of them carrying weapons on their belts, but they passed by too quickly before she could verify this. Once the last biker, a woman with short platinum-blonde hair, disappeared into the night, Sunset Shimmer sprinted for the intersection, and stopped to turn around.

"What was that all about?" she said to herself, looking down the other way to see if any more motorcycle-riding thugs--which Sunset Shimmer was certain they were--would be passing by there. "I guess those gangs are spreading outwards! What's going on around here? Where'd those guys--Never mind. I'm not even going to hang around to find out, anyway."

Once again, the streets were stark and silent. Sunset took a quick jog down the road that led to Canterlot High. She stopped at the massive building's front lawn, and went over to the statue that stood in the middle of the front lawn. She looked around again to make sure nobody was following her, then proceeded to bang her fist on the base of the statue that served as the hidden portal to Equestria.

“Darn it, open up!” growled Sunset Shimmer. “I’ve had it here! I wanna go back to my home! I want to return to Equestria!”

Nothing happened. Again.

"Please!" she groaned, desperately. "I don't want anything to do with this place again! If I ever get out of here, I'll do everything I can to learn about friendship! You hear me, Twilight? I'll even follow your example, if necessary!"

But despite the efforts of Sunset, the portal still wasn’t active. Irritated, she kicked the base of the statue with all her might. This proved to be a bad decision. Now her cyan eyes were watery and her booted foot was throbbing in pain. There was a sound of police sirens in the distance.

“And that…is why…I want to go back!” Sunset hissed through her pain stricken face. "Nobody wants me here! Even I don't want me here!"

She did have some friends here in the human world, or at least some classmates that sufficed as friends. Apart from the human counterparts of Twilight Sparkle's friends, there was also Flash Sentry, who was her ex-boyfriend, and finally Craw, the exchange student from Junction City that switched places with Flash earlier in the month.

But Twilight's human friends couldn't truly understand her situation, Flash was attending a high school in a different city, and Craw ran away from her in a fit of rage just a few nights ago. In other words, Sunset was all alone now.

"Why did he run off like that, anyway?" Sunset thought, remembering their last night together. "I couldn't have done anything that offended him! Even if I did, he would've told me what I did wrong!"

“Sunset Shimmer, you aren’t trying to vandalize that statue, are you?” a voice said.

Sunset turned around to find that she was being watched by a muscular man in a police uniform, whose skin was silvery-white and hair was bluish-black.

“No, Officer Armor.” Sunset Shimmer shook her head, with a nervous grin on her face. “I was just…breathing in the night air!”

“At this time?” Captain Shining Armor said. “And why are you clutching your foot like that?”

“I bumped it, duh!” Sunset snapped. “And yes, I’m just taking nightly walks nowadays. Is that too much to ask for?”

“Normally, no.” Officer Armor said. “But I got an enormous report from Lt. Soarin’ about some reports of gang activity around the school. And I've gotta warn you, considering your...reputation around here. If you are involved in any of this--”

“I'm not.” Sunset told him quickly. “And would you people seriously arrest me just for walking around outside?”

“I’m just trying to keep things peaceful around here, Sunset.”

“Well, good luck with that.” Sunset said, flatly.

“Thank you.” said Officer Armor. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to make sure the suburbs don't get torn apart on my watch.”

“Thanks…” Sunset Shimmer said with a grin, before quickly adding before Shining Armor was out of earshot. "Hey, you wouldn't happen to know anyone named K.N., would you?"

"Actually, I don't think I've heard of anyone in this town with those initials." said Shining Armor. "Why?"

"Um...no reason." said Sunset. "Well, I'll see you later?"

"We'll see." said Officer Armor, before leaving. "Stay safe!"

As soon as Officer Shining Armor disappeared around the corner, Sunset Shimmer sat against the base of the statue, on the side that she had been pounding earlier. She let out a yawn, and wondered how many more nights she could risk attempting to open the portal and who K.N. was, when suddenly the school’s clock struck twelve, and a streak of moonlight passed over her.

“What in the…?” Sunset jumped to her feet, and turned around to the base of the statue was now shimmering. “I can’t believe it! Is this seriously happening?!”

She distinctly remembered researching that the portal would only open every thirty moons, which meant that it shouldn’t have opened for another two years or so. But apparently, it could actually open every thirty nights.

“Woo-hoo!” Sunset Shimmer celebrated this revelation as loud as she could, as if to happily declare to this world that she would be out of there forever. “Equestria, here I come!”

She didn’t even stop to pay attention to someone yelling “Shut up, you crazy lady!” from their upstairs window across the street. However, she was definitely surprised by a sudden, loud rustling coming from a nearby bush, even if she didn't see the dark figure that jumped out from behind it. She could hear hurried footfalls that sounded like metal on concrete. Sunset Shimmer heard a clicking noise, and something cold and metal jab her in the back of her head: Someone was holding her at gunpoint!

"Don't you dare move, Sunset Shimmer!" said a strange, distorted voice. "Stay still, or I'll pump you full of lead!"

Though she was unable to see the man speaking to her, she could tell that he wasn't a police officer, and the strange filter on his voice ruled out the possibility of him being one of those bikers.

"Who are you?!" Sunset squealed. "What did I do--" she paused. "Hey, you wouldn't happen to know anyone name K.N., would--"

"Shut up, you!" the gunman whispered menacingly, moving some kind of mobile phone to the side of Sunset's head. "Speak into it. There's someone on the other end that wants to talk to you."

Scared out of her mind, Sunset took the phone, and spoke into it.

"Hel...hello?" she said.

"Hello, my dear Sunset." said a familiar voice on the phone. "Do you recognize my voice?"

"Craw?" Sunset Shimmer asked, when she remembered the speaker's voice. "Is that really you?"

"That's *Sergeant** Craw!" Craw said to her in an eerily calm voice. "And how are you doing this lovely, lonely night, my little pony*?"

"Craw, please!" Sunset pleaded to her friend on the phone. "You've got to help me! There's a man aiming a gun at my head!"

"Good!" Craw's voice continued to speak. "That's what I sent him to do!"

Sunset Shimmer gasped.

"I can't believe you, Craw!" Sunset whimpered. "You're my friend!"

"Unfortunately, that's not the case." said Craw's voice. "To tell you the truth, I was sent to this town to investigate that little incident last month at the school. I'm sure you know the one. I was told to befriend you, so that you would tell me everything you knew without being suspicious."

"Why are you doing this, though?" asked Sunset.

"Because I found out what you are: Some kind of...humanized equine. You weren't just involved in the incident, you were one of its contributing factors! That's why I'm going to take you somewhere where you and I can have a quiet, civilized discussion about out 'relationship', and you can explain everything to me."

Sunset was suspicious. She knew there was even more to it than what Craw was telling her.

"If you wanna talk to me, then why did you send some whackjob with a rifle after me?" Sunset asked. "This is really pathetic, and you know it."

"Pathetic?!" Sgt. Craw repeated. "Pathetic? I'm just doing my job, woman. Do you have any idea how long I've been scoping out this town? This is just me following orders! I bet you wouldn't know what it's like when--!"

Sunset Shimmer was fuming as she listened to Craw's rant. His hateful words burned deeply into her subconscious. But there was nothing she could do about it. If she tried shouting back, the man would shoot her. If she hung up, the man would shoot her. If she tried running away...

"Yeah, no hope there, either." She thought. "Really, what's going on here? Why would these people be after me for this? I can understand the Fall Formal, but why the fact that I'm a pony? Craw probably doesn't mean this at all. He sounds freaked-out about something. Whatever. I really don't have time for this."

She lowered the hand that held the phone for a moment, only to feel something cold and metallic force it back against her ear. She was subjected to Craw's rantings at maximum volume, and was forbidden from even moving the source of the noise away from her ear. She felt what was unmistakably the butt of a rifle nudge her in the abdomen.

"Keep listening, or you'll just make him angrier." crackled the sinister voice of the gunman behind her.

Heeding his words, Sunset waited for Craw to finish, and then she spoke into the phone.

"Craw, honey?" she asked calmly. "I'd like to ask you something."

On the phone's receiver, Sunset heard Craw's distorted voice groaning.

"Then ask away, my beloved horse-woman." he said to her, through what sounded like barred teeth.

"What are you going to do when you get here?" asked Sunset.

"Nothing nefarious...unless you try running away." said Craw.

"Look, I've really got to leave." said Sunset. "I'm sure that you'll have a lot of fun with me, but I've got a life of my own to get back to. Okay? I'll see you again...never."

"I'm afraid that my organization wouldn't like that, too much." said Craw. "The Syndicate just doesn't like it when its soldiers waste their time on targets. If you want to prove you're not a target, you'll be quiet and do what we say like a good little girl...pony...whatever you are."

Sunset sighed.

"All right." she said. "Just don't keep me waiting, honey."

Craw's voice laughed sinisterly as it crackled through the receiver.

"Okay, then. Consider it a date!" he said, with a sinister edge to his voice. "Hold that thought, sweetie."

"Wait, before you come here..." Sunset said quickly.

"Yes...?" said Craw's voice, wearily.

"Do you know who K.N. is?" said Sunset. "Because I got a message from some guy--"

Suddenly, the phone went silent, indicating that the call was over. There was some static coming from the gunman behind Sunset Shimmer; Craw was relaying instructions directly to his subordinate's headgear:

"I'm coming over as soon as I can, Ghost. I don't know if I'm going to kill Sunset or not. Just keep her where she is. And whatever you do, don't let her escape, or make a scene. So don't hurt her before I come over there."

Then the static faded.

"Alright, pony." the gunman stated. "The Sarge is on his way. You happy now?"

"Yeah, why not?" Sunset Shimmer said, sarcastically. "It's not like I have anything better to do than be interrogated by a bunch of gun-toting lunatics."

The man behind her was fitting armor-piercing rounds into his firearm, which he then jabbed against her back threateningly.

"That's enough out of you, horse-lady." he growled. "Get your sorry flank down to your knees, and stay there. Don't make this harder for yourself than it already is."

Sunset Shimmer voluntarily sank down so that she was on all fours. It had been ten minutes now, and the portal was still seemingly opened, even if the gunman didn't notice. But she had a feeling that it would close very soon.

"If something doesn't happen very soon..." Sunset Shimmer thought impatiently. "I'll never be able to return to Equestria! I need to get through that portal now!"

She was true to her word; No matter what the ponies on the other side of the portal might do to her, she knew that they wouldn't try to execute her in such a humiliating manner. Her prayers seem to have been answered; a police siren was wailing, and a squad car had pulled up on the curve behind the gunman. Three officers climbed out, holding tasers and nightsticks in their hands. One of them called out on the car's megaphone:

"Step away from the girl, sir! Drop your weapon immediately, or we will be forced to use drastic measures!"

"What a good joke, officers." Craw's enforcer guffawed. "Now here's something that isn't a joke: This girl, as you call her, is actually a pony!"

"For your information, whoever your are." Sunset groaned in disgust. "I'm a unicorn! At least, I'm supposed to be one..."

"Keep your mouth shut!" the enforcer hissed through his armored mask, casually treading on Sunset Shimmer's jacket-covered back with his armored boot. "I don't give a rat's behind what kind of magical horse you're supposed to be. Now don't break my concentration again, or I'll turn you into a tub of glue! You're really starting to irritate me."

Sunset Shimmer defiantly spat on the ground.

"You know, if we were in Equestria, and my brother knew that I was in trouble, you idiots would all be dead right now." retorted Sunset, rolling her eyes. "Honestly, people here get obsessed over the dumbest things."

the man with the gun promptly grabbed Sunset Shimmer by her hair, and tugged her back up. Sunset couldn't help but whimper.

"What you fail to understand, my little pony, is that you're at my complete mercy." growled the enforcer ominously. "As long as you're here, you belong to me. *Your** fate is in my hands. Now keep quiet, or I'll strike you down with more power than you can possibly imagine*!"

"I don't know, I can imagine quite a bit." grumbled Sunset.

Then he pressed his foot down harder on Sunset's back even harder than before.

"Just shut up! *Keep your freakin' mouth shut***!"

He then proceeded to punch Sunset several times in the back. Sunset Shimmer winced in pain under the beating she received, but fought hard not to cry out.

"Enough! We're not joking around!" a second officer shouted. "Stop hurting that poor girl, and step away from her now! Practicing lethal force in public is one of the most serious crimes you could be punished for in these parts!"

"Well, guess what, officers?!" the gunman laughed. "As it turns out: I'm *above** your petty laws, and I'll prove it right now*!"

A loud gunshot filled the night air. One of the officers went back into the car to call the police station for backup, while the other two brandished their Colt .45 pistols and starting unleashing suppressing fire on the enforcer.

Luckily for Sunset Shimmer, the gunman's weapon was simply fired into the air. The confusion gave her enough time to pull off her escape: She bucked hard with her legs in true pony fashion into the gunman's shins, even as he was distracted by the policemen. She quickly jumped to her feet, and turned to see the man who had been troubling her. She saw before her probably one of the scariest things she'd ever seen in her life: The man was wearing skeletal black armor of some kind, and was sporting an insectoid-looking mask on his obscured face.

"Are you ready to see Death itself, pony?" droned the filtered voice of the enforcer.

"No bucking way!" snarled Sunset Shimmer in response, a feral sensation burning in her green eyes. "I'm not afraid of a creep like you! And right now, I'm gonna show you how we handle things in Equestria!"

She threw herself onto the armored man, and who just barely took her weight. The policemen ceased firing their guns, afraid they might hit the brave (or reckless) girl that was now wrestling with the gunman that had her on her knees just seconds before.

"I can't believe this!" said Ghost as he fought Sunset. "You're just an animal...a *farm** animal*!"

"Yeah, well if I'm a farm animal, then you're a stupid barnyard yokel!" Sunset retorted, swiftly kicking Ghost in the shin, grabbing the firearm from his hands, and whacking him across the face with it so that he staggered backwards in a daze. "Yippie-kai-aye, cowboy!"

And then she detached the clip from the rifle, then threw it and the gun back at Ghost in disgust.

"That's it, you're so fu--!" Ghost began.

"Now's our chance, men!" said the police sergeant, who cocked his freshly-loaded pistol. "Let this guy have it!"

The officers crowded together, and began discharging their weapons at Ghost. The sudden attack took Ghost by complete surprise, since he had completely forgotten the policemen. While the bullets didn't harm the enforcer, it did prompt him to turn away from Sunset Shimmer to reload and return fire.

The moment she heard gunfire, Sunset immediately dove away from the ensuing firefight, rolled against the statue’s base, and was relieved that she didn’t crash into it. In fact, she went straight through it, and through the familiar vortex that transported people between the two worlds. Once again, she felt her anatomy shifting about, compressing her chest and limbs and shifting her head into its original equine shape. She felt a horn grow from the top of her forehead, her clothes vanish, and her amber-colored body develop a matching coat of fur. She could also feel something extending from her lower back.

After a minute or two, Sunset Shimmer found herself rolling into the chamber of a castle. The same castle that only a month ago, she had stolen Twilight Sparkle’s Element of Harmony from. After bumping into a closed door, Sunset turned back to where she had entered to gaze into the mirror that acted as that side’s entrance to the portal. She was now looking at a yellow unicorn with a mane and tail that matched the hair that the teenage girl had: Long, curly, and red with streaks of blonde here and there.

Curiously, Sunset decided to test the mirror one last time, to see if it still worked. But she only felt hard glass; Apparently, these thirty-night periods of usage involving the mirror were one-way trips, except after the passing of thirty moon cycles.

Sunset took a moment to think about the events that occurred: The sudden gang activity, the mysterious text message, and above all: the power-armored soldier that just tried to kill her. It was all very strange to her.

"I don't know who this K.N. guy is, but he I think he just saved my life." Sunset said quietly to herself. "But who is he, and how'd he know about the statue and that it would open for me?"

Suddenly, her thoughts were distracted by the sound of hoof-falls outside.

“Who’s in there?” said the voice of a guard outside.

Sunset Shimmer turned around and gasped. All she had on her mind at that moment was to hide, as she wasn’t ready yet to face the Princesses. She galloped up to the side of the doorway, to wait for the guard to enter. When the door was pushed open, an orange Pegasus that seemed oddly familiar to Sunset trotted in, with the handle of a lantern between his teeth.

“Is anyone in here?” the guard said, looking around the room for intruders.

Thinking quickly and desperately, Sunset Shimmer crept up to him, and cleared her throat. She pretended to look happy to see him.

"Hi there." she said. "What can I do for a big, strong pegasus like you?"

the guard turned his head in her direction.

"Wait a minute, who are you?" he asked. "I don't remember seeing you around here. In fact, I don't think anypony's supposed to be in here."

Then the yellow unicorn leaned against the pegasus in a flirtatious manner.

"I'm the mare you always wanted." she answered, nuzzling against his neck.

"You're a lovely lady and all, but you didn't answer my question." said the pegasus guard, trying hard not to seem fazed by the reddish-blonde unicorn's advances. "Who are you?"

"Somepony looking for excitement around here." answered Sunset Shimmer. "I haven't seen another pony in such a long time. I could sure use some...company."

Then the pegasus recognized the mare he was conversing with, then gave her a rather displeased look.

"Sunset Shimmer, I'm placing you under arrest." he said. "Sorry."

Then Sunset pulled herself away from the orange pegasus guard, and quickly pulled off a spell that flooded the room with a bright light. The guard took off into the air and attempted to subdue the unicorn, but failed to hit his mark when she teleported and reappeared behind him. Sunset took the opportunity to escape, and darted out of the opened door. Before she left, she poked her head back through the doorway.

“Sorry, Flash. You just missed me!” she snickered mischievously.

She broke into a mad gallop through the empty halls, and rushed past two more guards. They shouted after her, but she ignored them. Sunset was quietly coughing as she went; Though her body was changed again, she could still feel herself aching from where the armored enforcer had previously hit her, particularly the top-end of her tail, and the sides of her ribs.

“Come on!” Sunset Shimmer muttered under her breath. “The exit has to be someplace around here!”

She quickly turned a corner, to see three guards obstructing her path.

“Who are you, and how’d you get in here?” one of them proclaimed. “Tell us why you’re here, or we’ll be forced to arrest you.”

Sunset then realized that the guards were all earth ponies.

“Oh, please!” She scoffed, raising her head to cast a spell.

She teleported behind the guards, and fled again before they realized where she went. She stumbled onto a low balcony with a twenty-foot drop into a large fountain. She looked up at the sky to see that it was the early morning. She saw various ponies trotting around in the streets beyond the fountain.

“Where am I, anyway?” Sunset asked aloud.

A number of raised voices behind her forced the unicorn to cut her thoughts short. She decided to make a leap of faith into the fountain, not stopping to think about how deep or shallow it might be. She bounded into the air, and splashed into icy-cold water. As soon as she descended, one of the earth pony guards made it to the balcony, just in time to see the silhouette of the intruder fall into the fountain below.

“Captain, she just got away, sir!” he shouted back at the other guards. “Should we go after her?”

“Of course you should find her!” Shining Armor replied, galloping up to his guard. “She’ll probably be the only non-crystal pony in the city at this time of the day!”

“Yes, sir!” the guard said, galloping to reach the main entrance.

Sunset Shimmer was incredibly stressed now. She had barely set hoof outside the castle, and not only was she soaking wet, but she was already undergoing sensory overload from the extremely bright sheen of the ponies around her. Half-blinded by the sunlight reflecting off of the Crystal Ponies, she shouted for them to move aside.

Her ears were still able to tell her that a stampede of guards was in hot pursuit of her, and was running about along every alley and street she could’ve crossed through. Eventually, she wound up colliding with an old crystal-coated stallion that was crossing the main road on his walkers, and lay on the pavement, dizzily lolling about. Soon enough, the guards caught up to her.

“What were you doing in the palace?” one of them demanded. “Were you attempting to rob the Princess?”

“No!” Sunset shook herself back into focus. “I was simply in the wrong place, at the wrong time.”

Suddenly, a large white unicorn stallion in body armor approached her, parting the crowd of guards in two.

“You must be Sunset Shimmer.” said Shining Armor. “My sister and wife told me all about you.”

“Then you’re Shining Armor?” the mare asked.

“Yeah. How’d you know?”

“Lucky guess.”

“You have a lot to answer for, especially to the Princesses.”

“Ugh…seriously?” Sunset growled. “I can’t even set hoof in my own homeland without being officially questioned for something I did a month ago?”

“Unfortunately…” Shining Armor began.

Sunset heard the sound of wings beating overhead, and then hooves hitting the ground hard.

“You can’t.” added the voice of Princess Cadence. “You’re in serious trouble, young lady. I'm sorry, but you'll have to take it up with Celestia and Luna.”

Sunset Shimmer groaned in defeat, and crossed her front legs in a pout.

Forgiveness

On the human side of the portal, Ghost was discharging more rounds in the direction of the policemen, while taking a few bullets himself. Fortunately for him, the experimental Changeling combat armor he wore was highly resistant to small arms. He was able to hit one of the officers in the leg, and another had his gun shot out of his hands.

"Give up, officers." the enforcer casually told them, as he finished reloading his rifle. "Your guns can't hurt me! Don't make me break orders!"

Suddenly, the three cops were swiftly struck down by a series of melee attacks from another figure in Changeling armor, who appeared out of thin air just behind them. The officers lay non-fatally incapacitated on the ground as the two armored men walked up to each other.

"Sergeant Craw, it is so good to see you again, this evening." the enforcer said. "I think we can report to the Supreme Commander that this new armor works well!"

"Corporal, I can't believe you." Sgt. Craw groaned, frustrated. "You disobeyed one of my direct orders! You weren't supposed to engage the police in direct combat yet! How are we supposed to get Principal Celestia to cooperate with our organization if we just start shooting members of the local law enforcement agencies in front of her school?"

The corporal looked over at the statue, in front of which he previously had seen Sunset Shimmer on the ground. But now she had vanished from sight.

"I understand you, Sarge." said Ghost. "But they caught me by surprise, and just when I had Sunset Shimmer right where we wanted!"

"Corporal, where is she now?" Sgt. Craw's voice rose through the black, face-concealing helmet he wore. "I know that you had her here, now where is she?"

"That terrible pony-girl bucked me in the legs while I had her pinned down." the corporal admitted. "Next second, I'm having a bit of a tussle with her by this statue. Then she appeared to be surrendering, when the cops started shooting at me. I had no choice but to return fire. When I looked over to discover where she went, I couldn't find her anywhere. It's like she just...disappeared."

"Then let's send a message to Supreme Commander Chrysalis, asking her for reinforcements." Craw said. "Sunset Shimmer can't have gone far from here. If we hurry, we can have an entire squad of Syndicate commandos in town, and we'll be able to hunt her down by next month."

"Very good, Sarge." saluted the corporal. "We'll get that filthy pony soon!"

They heard the sounds of police sirens in the distance, indicating that the police officers' call for back-up had been successful.

"I know a place where we should be able to catch Sunset Shimmer." Sgt. Craw said. "She has an apartment a couple of blocks from here. Follow my lead."

The two armored soldiers suddenly faded into the surrounding environment, just as a pair of squad cars, an ambulance, and a paddy wagon pulled over across the street. Several policemen climbed out, and started swarming the front yard of Canterlot High. Unfortunately, they were unable to catch the men responsible for the shootout.

Craw and the corporal looked on from down the street, to see the police had dispatched paramedics to resuscitate the wounded officers. Craw made a gesture for his subordinate to follow him.

"The building should be right around the corner." Craw said. "Ghost, cover the rear. I don't want any of those cops tailing us!"

"Yes, sir." acknowledged Corporal Ghost.

They walked around the corner, and entered the apartment building with absolute stealth. They utilized their cloaking technology to sneak past the landlord's desk, and climbed the stairwell to the third floor.

"Here it is: Room 32." Sgt. Craw told the corporal. "If the door's locked, get ready to breach it."

Ghost checked the door, but was surprised to see it was already ajar. The two soldiers loaded their weapons, and pushed the door open, to find that it was unoccupied. They turned the light on, to find that the room was decorated in red and golden wallpaper. There was a small bed with amber sheets in the middle of the room, with a dresser on the front end. There was a TV set and a radio along the wall opposite of the doorway.

"It looks clear, Corporal." Craw said. "Let's get this armor off of us."

He tugged his mask off of his head, toggled off the electronics on his body armor, and stripped down to his casual wear. He piled his gear onto Sunset's bed, and propped his scoped carbine against the wall. Cpl. Ghost followed suit.

"Sarge, do you think she'll come back soon?" Ghost asked, once his armored mask was removed from his sweating face.

"She might." Craw said. "Unless she's hiding in one of the nearby buildings, or she skipped town. Though if she tried that, the Syndicate's satellite network would be all over her."

"Right." Ghost nodded, looking around the apartment. "This really doesn't look too shabby a place to live, once you get over the fact that it probably smells like a petting zoo."

He was sniffing the room cautiously, as if checking the air for the stench of fecal matter, but was relieved that the apartment's owner at least knew how to use a toilet. He decided to look under the bed, and excitedly started digging some objects out from underneath it. Mostly, there were relatively mundane things: discarded clothing, old magazines, empty water bottles, and other things one might find under any normal teenager's bed. Once or twice, Ghost found a sharpened pencil or a dusty-looking notebook.

"Wow, this pony's been studying hard, hasn't she?" Ghost muttered as he skimmed through the various equations and essays written on the many loose pages of the first notebook he found. "My cousin's the biggest math whiz I know, and not even he writes this much stuff down."

He decided to check the magazines, and saw that they were mainly about fashion trends and celebrity gossip that already became irrelevant months ago. Then he reached further under the bed, over what felt like an empty soda can, and felt a large wooden object. He reached in with both hands to try and grab it. Meanwhile, Craw sat down on a bare corner of the bed, turned the television on, and decided to check the news. There was a deadline report from Canterlot High, where a television reporter was broadcasting at the scene of the incident that occurred only a few minutes earlier. This was probably the first time that a news report was made regarding that school since last month, on the day after Sunset Shimmer's battle with Twilight Sparkle and her friends.

"This is Pressure Point, with Channel 15 News." the reporter said. "And we are here on the front yard of Canterlot High, at the aftermath of a brutal shootout between three police officers, and as eyewitnesses claim to have seen, one or two armed suspects in high-tech military armor."

"Well, how'd you like that?" Craw said, turning an agitated face at Ghost, who was still searching under the bed.

"Although no fatalities have been confirmed," Pressure Point continued. "absolutely none of the officers present during the firefight are in any condition to give us a detailed description of what the long-gone attackers looked like. Apparently, all three of them were wounded, and then knocked into severe unconsciousness by what was clearly brute force. One person, on the other hand, claims to have seen the offenders appear and disappear in plain sight of his upstairs window."

"Yeah, that's right." said a tall young man in a leather jacket, approaching the camera. "I can tell you that even though I saw it from so far away, I could hear the guns going off, and lots of shouting. And for the rest, I could tell that there was something more to it than just random gang violence. One took a whole bunch of bullets to the chest, and shrugged it off like it was nothing. The other just popped up behind the cops, and kick-boxed the heck out of 'em! And then I saw both of them vanish from the front of the school just a few minutes later, right when the other police started showing up."

"Were there any other people that you can recall being near the scene?" asked Pressure Point. "Did you see anything that went on before the shootout began?"

"Well, I heard a woman yelling loudly near the school's statue about something, and that woke me up." the witness said. "So I walk up to my window to shout for her to be quiet, and I see some big guy pointing a gun at her head. I would've gone down to help, or got the cops on the phone, but I was too interested in looking at the guy with the gun. He had some pretty cool stuff on him, like he came straight out of a sci-fi movie."

"Sir, can you elaborate on this?" the reporter inquired.

"You know, big bulky power armor, futuristic-looking guns, and cloaking devices!" the young man said. "Like something out of..."

"Sir, I meant the woman in question." Pressure Point flatly corrected him. "What did she look like, and what happened to her?"

"She looked pretty skinny, and had long hair." said the young man. "She was probably in her late teens. I wouldn't be surprised if she was one of the students here at the school."

"Whatever happened to her, though?" asked the news reporter.

"Well, the guy had the girl bend over in front of him, yelled at her about something I couldn't make out, and then the three cops showed up in their car. They were all shouting at each other for a while, and then the man fired his rifle in the air. That's when the shooting began."

"What about the girl?"

"No idea. I saw her kicking her legs back at the guy in his knees, but then I was too focused on the fighting to see where she went after that. She probably made a run for it, though. That's what I would've done."

"And...unfortunately, that's all we have time for." the reporter stated, cutting off the witness. "This is Channel 15 News, advising you viewers at home to keep your eyes open for any further incidents of this sort. If you should become aware of any further sightings, please report to our news station, and to the police department. This is Pressure Point, signing off."

Then the news report cut straight to the weekly weather report. Craw decided to start looking around the apartment for anything that could help them find Sunset Shimmer's whereabouts. He had never been in Sunset's apartment before, though the address did come up in her school files. He noticed that apart from the bedroom, there was also a small living room, a kitchen, and a bathroom interconnected with each other by doors.

In the living room, Craw found various photographs of Sunset Shimmer on the walls, mostly from school. Whether it was posing as the winner of whatever contest she participated in, or hanging around with Flash Sentry, Craw couldn't help but put his eyes on Sunset. He was surprised and even amused to see a small photograph in a stand next to Sunset Shimmer's laptop, from around the time Craw was first befriending her. In that picture, they were affectionately shoving slices of pizza into each other's mouths. He then realized how thirsty he was, having been running around all night.

He decided to raid the fridge of the kitchen, and started chugging down a bottle of soda that he found inside. Craw couldn't help but smile for a brief moment; when they were still friends, Sunset once said she would keep some bottles of Craw's favorite drinks in her kitchen, in case he decided to visit her. Neither of them ever thought it would be for an occasion like this. And then Craw reminded himself that she turned out to be some dimension-hopping humanized pony, and frowned again.

"It never would've worked too well, anyway." Craw thought.

Then he decided to shift his thoughts back to the Syndicate's efforts in subduing Sunset Shimmer.

"It really isn't working too well for us." Sgt. Craw rambled on to himself, once he finished his drink. "At this rate, the entire town will be in chaos before we can even find her again!"

"Sir, I just found something very interesting!" Ghost said, pulling out a box from under the mattress, which he had been straining to pull out for the past few minutes.

"What is it?"

Ghost pulled out a book from inside the box.

"It doesn't look like something you just borrow from the school library, now does it?" he shook his head. "Check out these arcane-looking runes all over them."

Craw decided to check out the box. He pulled out several books and scrolls. He felt like he was opening a humongous birthday present.

"Wow, you gotta check this out." Ghost said, as he was reading a page from the first book he pulled out. "That Sunset Shimmer may be a pony, but you've got to admit that's she's got some complex-looking stuff to read."

"Yeah." Craw said. "She probably brought it over from Equestria, or Unicornia, or whatever that place is called."

"What should we do with all this stuff?" the corporal asked.

"Well, it should be obvious:" the sergeant answered. "We pack it up, and confiscate it for Supreme Commander Chrysalis' archivists to examine."

"Right you are, boss." Cpl. Ghost said. "But what about that pony-lady? What if she comes back, looking for her books?"

"You're right." nodded Sgt. Craw. "We'll stake ourselves out here for the night, in case Sunset Shimmer returns. If she doesn't come by morning, then we'll radio a message to the Supreme Commander...and then..."

"Then what?" the corporal asked.

"We'll request," Sergeant Craw said, as he examined one of the magic scrolls. "that she start deploying Syndicate troops into this town. This is already starting to look a lot bigger than it should be."

Unseen by both Craw and Ghost, a lone man stood on the sidewalk outside of the apartment building, looking up at the window of Sunset Shimmer's apartment. He grinned maliciously, and then turned to walk down the road, disappearing into the night.

In Equestria, Sunset Shimmer was being sent to Canterlot by train. During the mid-afternoon, she was brought to the palace’s throne room, where she was prepared to be questioned and ridiculed by Princesses Celestia and Luna. For a while, she remained quiet, allowing her former mentor and her sister to chew her out.

“Sunset Shimmer, as happy and relieved I am to see you have finally returned to Equestria.” Celestia said. “The things you did before you had done so aren’t what I would have asked of you.”

“You caused much before you came back here.” Princess Luna added. “First, you try to steal the crown of Princess Twilight Sparkle…”

Sunset Shimmer simply responded with a raspberry at Luna’s mention of the name.

“And then you apparently transform into, as Twilight described it, a power-crazed demon, and attempt to invade Equestria with an army of brainwashed humans.” Princess Celestia said.

"I know, I know!" said Sunset, irritated. "Really, It's not like I actually meant for that stuff to happen! I wasn't even in complete control of myself when I turned into that demon!"

“I understand that, Sunset." said Celestia "But even in exile, I expected better to come out of you!”

“Of course you did.” Sunset rolled her eyes, and turned her head away from the two alicorn sisters.

“Sunset, listen to me…please.” Princess Celestia asked, gently. “I know that you wouldn't do such wicked things of your own accord. That's why I am willing to give you another chance to redeem yourself in my and the rest of Equestria’s eyes.”

“Why would you do that, Princess?” Sunset asked skeptically. “What makes you think that I would want to be your loyal subject again?”

“That is why you returned, is it not?” Princess Luna asked the now-fuming unicorn.

“Buck no!” Sunset snapped, indignantly raising her voice at the younger alicorn sister. “I came back here because your sister’s favorite little kiss-up dollface of a student ruined my life!”

Under most circumstances, Luna would've ended such outbursts by shouting back at the offender with the Royal Canterlot voice. But this one was a special case: Sunset Shimmer was not yelling out of anger or vengeance, but from confusion, anxiety, and fear. Since she herself went through such hardships for a while after her own evil was destroyed by the Elements of Harmony, Luna was only too familiar with this.

“Sunset, I understand you are upset…” Princess Celestia attempted to comfort her former student.

“And why wouldn’t I be?” The young mare ranted on, turning her head back to the elder Princess. “Nobody ever took me seriously after that, and even started pushing me around! And that’s not all. Principal Celestia—your counterpart in the human world--suspended me from Canterlot High for two weeks straight, and didn’t allow me to participate in or even attend any competitions after that! She even had the local police force dog me around every other hour of the day to make sure I didn’t do any more harm. And you know what else? This happened as soon as Twilight Sparkle left me to fend for myself, and had been going on for thirty days straight! And that was all before someone I thought was my friend tried to have me killed, just for being a pony!”

Princess Celestia and her sister were taken aback, and felt even more sympathy for the mare.

“And that is when you returned through the portal?” Luna deduced.

"Yeah, only to be arrested a couple minutes later!" said Sunset. "Really, Princess Celestia. If you wanted me to come back here, you shouldn't have let your niece ship me back here like I was going to be on death row!"

"Sunset, I realize that Princess Cadence was a little overzealous with arresting you and sending you here the way she did." said Celestia. "But I trust that it was all a misunderstanding. Cadence is Twilight's sister-in-law, and is very protective of her. And she doesn't quite understand your situation the way that I, Twilight, and Luna do."

"I'll believe that when I see it." said Sunset, rolling her eyes.

“But how were you able to use the portal to come back to Equestria in the first place?" asked Luna. "We thought that it could only open every thirty moons.”

“Well, as it turned out, that’s not always the case.” Sunset informed the two princesses.

She thought for a moment, and decided not to mention the text message or the mysterious K.N.. Or at least not yet, since she felt this would only raise more questions.

“Upon further investigation, I recently discovered that it could also act as a one-way passage to the other world once every thirty nights.”

“Interesting.” Celestia said, exchanging nods with her sister, before turning back to Sunset with a frown. “I’m actually surprised that you only just now made this discovery.”

“You’re what?” Sunset glared furiously. “You mean you could have told me about the one-way portholes when I was still with you, and you never did?”

“Sunset, I didn’t want to tell you, because exploiting those one-way passages could have brought greater imbalance to the two worlds!” Celestia admitted. “I often wish I did, though. I missed you so much these past few years.”

Sunset Shimmer was outright distraught, and was shaking all over. But she managed to choke out a few words.

“And I…” she stammered uneasily, as if her own words were hurting her. “I…missed you, too…Princess Celestia!”

Suddenly, she shook her head bitterly, bowed it in shame, and sniffled loudly. She felt Celestia put a hoof on her shoulder to comfort her.

“Now, now, my dear Sunset.” Celestia said calmly. “You’re back in Canterlot, safe and sound. You can put all of your cares away until tomorrow.”

"I almost died last night." sniffled Sunset. "And I wouldn't have been in that mess if Twilight didn't make me stay behind!"

"But I'm sure Twilight didn't mean it!" said Celestia. "I'm sure she only left you behind so that you could learn about friendship from her friends there."

"Believe what you want, but it doesn't change the fact that what happened happened!" growled Sunset. "Yeah, I did some bad stuff in the past, but I didn't do anything that warranted almost getting shot by some psychopath!"

"I understand, Sunset." said Celestia. "Just please calm down! I love you, Sunset. I always have, and always will."

"You...you mean it?" asked Sunset.

"With all the honesty in my heart." said Celestia. "If you're still upset at me and Twilight, I understand--"

Then Sunset Shimmer lost all self-control, and began sobbing loudly, with long tears streaming down from her green eyes.

“Shhh…you’re going to be fine, Sunset.” Princess Celestia whispered gently into her ear. “You’re going to be fine. Please control yourself.”

"I...I'm..s-so..."

"You don't need to say it, Sunset." said Celestia. "I know. And I also understand that you're tired and scared. You've gone through a lot before you came back here. Just relax yourself...please."

Sunset Shimmer finally stopped crying, and lifted her head back up with a determined look on her face.

“Okay. I’m ready for anything, Princess!” she said, rubbing the dried tears off her face with her right hoof. “Anything you want me to do, I’ll follow it. Just say the word. Sunset Shimmer’s back in business!”

“Sunset, dear?” Princess Celestia said, raising her head. “I am glad to see you back to your old self. And since Twilight Sparkle has already learned so much from me, I am willing make you my personal student again.”

Then Sunset hesitated, and her face shifted anxiously.

"But what if everything repeats itself, and I turn evil again?" asked Sunset, nervously. "Listen, Princess Celestia. I have a very bad feeling about this. I'm...I'm scared of what might happen if I were to go through the same routine as last time. I want to help you out, for sure. I really do! But is there some other way I can do it? I don't wanna end up turning into that demon again! And I couldn't stomach any more of the pain and torment that I went through when--"

Then Celestia bowed her head, so that she and Sunset were each staring into the other's eyes.

"The choice is yours, dear." said Celestia, with a smile. "If you have any suggestions on how the methods could be changed, I am all ears."

Sunset opened her mouth to speak, but words failed her. She tried again and again to come up with a solution that would allow her to redeem herself in a manner that was beneficial to both Equestria and herself, but she couldn't think of any. She started to sweat all over, and her breathing became heavy. Suddenly, a miracle happened: Princess Luna approached them.

“Pardon us, sister.” Luna interjected to Celestia. “With all due respect, could we perhaps…”

Princess Celestia and Sunset Shimmer tilted their heads curiously towards the Princess of the Night.

“Take Sunset Shimmer as our…my student?” Luna requested, even dropping the use of the Royal “We” for the occasion.

Sunset Shimmer felt her jaw drop.

“I just yelled at you, a Princess, not even five minutes ago!” the unicorn stated with surprise. “And you still want me to hang around with you?”

“Of course, Sunset Shimmer.” said Luna. “I see much of myself in you, actually.”

“You’re joking!”

“I do not joke about matters such as these.” Luna said. “I once fell down the same path as you. Are you at all familiar with the ‘Mare in the Moon’?”

“That was you?!” Sunset quickly deduced, mentally adding the pieces together.

“It was.” Luna nodded. “And it was thanks to Twilight Sparkle and her friends that I was free of the evil that corrupted me for all those years.”

Sunset Shimmer frowned at the mention of Twilight’s name.

“How am I supposed to compete with that, Princess?” she asked. “I mean, they have the Elements of Harmony! I’m just…”

“Hush, Sunset.” Luna told her. “You are by no means inferior to them. I will not hear another word about it.”

Turning to her elder sister, Luna asked:

“May I take Sunset Shimmer under my wing?”

“Why, of course you can.” Celestia chuckled. “You don’t need to ask me about that! Unless, of course, Sunset says otherwise.”

Princess Luna blushed, and sheepishly turned to face Sunset.

“Sunset Shimmer, Will you be my pupil, and follow my example?” the dark-coated alicorn asked.

After a moment looking back and forth between the two Princesses, Sunset finally shifted her undivided attention to Princess Luna with a smile on her face. Not a cruel or sarcastic smile, but a genuine smile that exhibited gratefulness.

“Yes, Princess Luna.” She said at last, with a bow. “I shall gladly do whatever you ask of me!”

Suddenly, Princess Luna bellowed in the Royal Canterlot voice.

“Huzzah! From this day forth, thou shalt become my personal pupil!” she began, before catching herself, and continued in her normal speaking voice, but with the modern dialect. “And welcome back to Canterlot, young Sunset.”

"Thank you!" Sunset cheered, even louder than Luna. "You're the best, Princess Luna! You're so awesome! You don't know how much this means to me!"

"Slow down there, Sunset." chuckled Celestia. "Let's not get too excited."

Sunset Shimmer blushed, and gave a simple nod.

"So, when can I start training under you, princess?" she asked Luna.

"Well, I suppose we could review a few things that you've learned under my sister." said Princess Luna. "But I must admit that taking on a student of my own is, for the most part, alien to me. So you must forgive me if I neglect to teach you anything new. At least, anything that you might find noteworthy."

"I understand, princess." said Sunset, nodding mechanically.

"But if all goes well, I may have a few sessions of my own for you in the future." said Luna. "But again, I will have to review what you've already learned, so that I don't make you feel as though I were holding you back."

"Well, I'm ready when you are, boss." said Sunset.

Luna's Student

Princess Luna led Sunset Shimmer to the upper levels of the palace, and brought her up a causeway until they reached a large gateway that was built into the mountainside.

"This is the entrance to the chambers of my bat-pony bodyguards." Luna explained to Sunset.

"I heard about those." said Sunset. "I hear they only come out after midnight. Since I often slept through the nights, I've never had the chance to see one. Though, of course, that was when you were still locked up in the moon. So, do you have anything to teach me about them?"

"Being the Princess of the Night, I am able to call upon them at any time I wish." said Luna. "Do you wish for me to demonstrate this to you?"

"That depends..." said Sunset Shimmer. "How do they behave around other ponies? I mean, they're not going to attack me or anything, are they?"

"Not necessarily." Luna assured her new student. "They're very passive, actually."

"Then by all means, I'd love to see you do it." grinned Sunset.

"Then we shall continue." said the alicorn princess.

Luna faced the gate, and unfolded her wings. Her eyes began to glow with a pale white light, and her horn glowed brightly. The large doors were pushed open by her telekinesis.

"Come to me, sentinels of the night." Luna boomed. "Your Princess commands you!"

Her voice echoed through the long dark tunnel. It was soon answered by a flapping of leathery wings and a whooshing of air. Six winged shapes emerged from the darkness, and soared towards Princess Luna and Sunset Shimmer. The dark shapes dropped to the ground in front of the princess and her pupil, and stood in formation. They slowly marched simultaneously into the sunlight, revealing their features. Sunset was astonished by their appearance:

Each of the six were pegasi, and there was no doubt about that. But they had the wings of bats, their ears were slightly longer than the average pony's, and their golden eyes had large slitted cat-like pupils. They were also wearing black and purple armor with finned helmets, bearing Princess Luna's insignia on their chestplates.

One of them opened his mouth to speak, revealing his fanged teeth.

"What are your ordersss, Princessss?" he hissed.

"My new student is in need of a proper training area." Luna replied. "Can you provide one for her?"

"Yes, your majesty." said another bat-pony, with a clear, posh voice. "We have an empty cave in our lair that will work perfectly for you two."

"Very good." said Luna. "Sunset, follow me, if you will please."

"Sure thing." said Sunset.

Princess Luna and Sunset Shimmer ventured into the tunnel, escorted by the six bat-guards. The amber unicorn kept turning her head back, and noticed that the six bat-winged pegasi were gazing curiously at her.

"Princess Luna, why are they looking at me like that?" Sunset asked her mentor.

"I suppose they are surprised that somepony not of their kind is entering their home?" Luna suggested. "Or perhaps they are fascinated by the bright colors of your coat and mane. After all, they are not accustomed to interacting with brightly-colored ponies."

As they traveled further on, the door was sealed behind them, and Luna's horn began to glow with a pale light, so that they could still see their way. They passed more bat-ponies of various shapes and sizes, but most were unarmored. Sunset even saw a few bat-foals amongst them.

"Sunset Shimmer, we are here." said Princess Luna, pointing out a large, spacious chamber filled with various objects.

The alicorn princess and her unicorn student stood in the center of the room, and faced each other.

"Let us begin, shall we?" said Luna.

"Let's." answered Sunset.

For the next two hours, Princess Luna had Sunset practice with telekinesis, barrier spells, offensive spells, and finally teleportation. Sunset Shimmer, despite having been unable to use magic for most of the past two years, excelled at each course. After the session was over, Princess Luna brought Sunset back to the palace.

"You know, I'm still a little nervous about being back in Equestria." admitted Sunset Shimmer. "Sure, you and Princess Celestia are fine with me here, but what if I'm not welcomed back everywhere else?"

"Don't worry, my dear." said Luna. "We shall see to it that you are felt welcome. Tomorrow, we shall throw a feast in your honor."

"Wow, that's just awesome." smiled Sunset.

"And we shall..."

"But Luna?" Sunset interrupted. "I'd rather not have Twilight Sparkle know that I'm here. At least, not yet."

"Understood."

"But, if it's at all possible, could you send a letter to..." Sunset began, surprised she was actually coming to this.

"Yes, Sunset?" inquired the Princess of the Night.

"My family?" finished Sunset Shimmer, after a deep breath. "I really miss my brother. I'd love to hear from him again."

"Were you at all close?" asked Luna.

"Kind of." said Sunset. "It's a complicated story. But I'm still a little tired from the training to explain it any further. Could you send the letter to him anyway? Nothing big. Just tell him that I'm okay, and that I haven't forgotten about him."

"I sympathize with you, my student." said Princess Luna. "I shall see to this. Now good night, Sunset Shimmer."

"Good night, Princess Luna." said Sunset, who proceeded alone to her sleeping quarters.

That night, Sunset Shimmer suffered from a terrible nightmare. She was a human girl again in Canterlot High. But this time, she did not instill fear in the other students around her. In fact, they began attacking her at sporadic moments. She found herself surrounded by faceless teenage masses, all yelling at her for what she had done to them. The danger escalated to a higher level, when one of the larger students seized her, and violently shoved her against a row of lockers.

Sunset sank back against the metal surface, cowering before the insane crowd that was ready to beat her to a pulp.

"Please, don't hurt me!" she whimpered. "I'm sorry about what happened! I've changed now! I promise!"

"Tough luck, you evil little harpy!" one of the featureless students yelled, in a distorted voice. "Now you're going to get what's coming to you!"

"Let her have it, guys!" another student yelled, in a shrill shriek.

The mob of adolescents began punching and kicking her furiously. Those that couldn't reach far enough to hit her just stood back and laughed at her misery. Suddenly, a familiar voice was heard on the intercom. It was the voice of Luna.

"Attention, all students." her voice crackled from the speakers. "This is your Vice Principal speaking. I am reminding everyone that unprovoked attacks on your fellow students can result in suspension from school property."

All the laughing students suddenly panicked and ran to their classrooms, but a few of the more persistent attackers remained behind.

"Might I also remind you, students, that repeat offenders will face immediate expulsion, should they continue their attacks?" the voice of Luna said again.

The attackers cowered in fear and ran away from the bruised Sunset Shimmer. Then, she felt herself being lifted gently to her feet...by Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna, the Princesses' human counterparts.

"Are you all right, dear?" Celestia asked. "I just can't believe how students will behave these days. Good thing Luna brought this to my attention when she did, or I couldn't even begin to imagine how much of your body wouldn't have to be placed in a cast."

Sunset Shimmer simply nodded, wiping blood and mucus off of her busted nose with the sleeve of her jacket. She was on the verge of falling over, but Vice Principal Luna caught her in time, and helped her out of the hallway.

"Don't worry, student." she told Sunset Shimmer. "I'll take you to the nurse's office. She'll patch you up in no-time. I won't let anyone bother you without my permission."

Sunset sat recovering in the infirmary, safe from the faceless teenagers. However, there was the sound of a loud bang! outside the room. An armored foot kicked down the door, and in came two men, wearing skeletal black armor with insectoid motifs. One of them approached Sunset immediately, and the two bright points of red light that sufficed for eyes were shining in front of her. The other's eyes had similar optics, except they were blue. There were spiked ridges running up along the brow region of their nozzled helmets. and their ribbed torsos glistened brightly in the light emitting from the hall. It was as though a pair of humanoid mosquitoes were looming over her, with the intention to suck her dry in one go.

"You won't bother anyone, ever again." said the red-eyed soldier, who spoke with a distorted facsimile of Craw's voice. "It wouldn't have worked well between us, anyway."

He and the other soldier slowly brandished pistols, and pointed them straight at Sunset Shimmer's surprised face. The false Craw squeezed his fingers to pull the trigger...

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Sunset woke up in her morning-lit bedroom in the Canterlot palace, when she heard the sound of hooves pummeling the door to her room. At first, she thought that Princess Celestia had changed her mind about letting her stay in Equestria, and sent her guards to arrest her. But then she heard the sound of voices cheering her name.

“All right, already!” she spoke loudly over the incessant knocking. “I’m up! I’m up!”

She got off of her bed, and trotted to the door, magically opening it to a pleasant surprise.

“Sunset, remember me?” said a unicorn with an orange-red coat and a long orange mane. “It’s me, your dear older brother!”

“Red Dawn?! Is that you?” Sunset exclaimed, tilting her head to take a quick look at his cutie mark; It was a pale reddish-yellow sun rising behind an ocean, just as Sunset Shimmer remembered.

"That's right, little sis!" replied Red Dawn. "The two of us are back together again, as a family."

Sunset Shimmer looked behind her brother, and saw that there was a crowd of unicorns in the corridor outside her room, cheering the two siblings on. Sunset recognized some of them right away, though it took some time for her to remember the rest.

“I really wasn’t expecting company this early in the morning." Sunset said, overwhelmed. "And now, I see you have half of Celestia’s academy in front of me…”

“Do you not like it, my new student?” Said the voice of Princess Luna, who came up to Sunset from the far end of the crowd. “In order to make you feel welcome here, my sister and I decided to send messengers to your former classmates and family members. Sadly, the only family member we could find or was otherwise available was Red Dawn.”

"So even after all this time, my parents still aren't around." Sunset thought, bitterly.

“Hey! Remember me, Sunset?” one of the unicorns attempted to speak over the commotion. “We sat next to each other in Magic Kindergarten!”

“Don’t you remember when you beat me in a hoof-wrestling match?” another said. "How about we have a rematch, for old time's sake?"

“I still practice that teleportation spell everyday, just like you suggested!” A third said, who raised her horn, and suddenly vanished and rematerialized right over Sunset Shimmer, who jumped back just in the nick of time. “I think it still needs work…Ugh!”

Sunset Shimmer barely remembered Celestia's academy, as she was busy having flashbacks to her days at Canterlot High in the human world. Back then, the students never ganged up on her like this. In fact, they were outright terrified of her. Of course, that was all before that incident at the Fall Formal. But this was a somewhat refreshing, albeit still overwhelming thing to deal with at this hour of the morning.

She was beginning to fume again, but repressed it to calmly speak to her former classmates.

“It’s…nice…to see you all again after being gone for so long.” She stated in a low grumble. “But I have important things to do.”

“C’mon, sis!” Red Dawn said, over the others. “What could be more important than walking with your brother around the castle, or---”

“How about something as simple as getting some rest?!” Sunset Shimmer snarled, before using her magic to slam the door shut on the crowd.

She was able to hear some disappointed remarks from the crowd outside.

“Yep, she’s definitely back, alright.” Said the first male unicorn. “Now I remember why we stopped sitting next to each other in class.”

“What a shut-in!” Red Dawn grumbled. “And I’m her brother, for crying out loud!”

“I know, right?” said the amateur teleporter. “It’s like Twilight Sparkle all over again.”

"Hey, don't say that like it's a bad thing!" the hoof-wrestling unicorn said. "Twilight Sparkle was a shut-in, too. But now look at her: She's a princess! Who's to say Sunset won't fare as well?"

"Yeah, and then she'll probably abuse her new abilities to be a stuffy jerk to the rest of Equestria!"

"I'm the brother of that stuffy jerk, you amateur!" Red Dawn shouted back.

"Sure, and I should totally take that 'amateur' comment from the unicorn that couldn't cast a flight spell without making something explode?" the teleporting mare's voice retorted. "No wonder you two are never together: Sunset's probably embarrassed to be in your company!"

"Then how'd you know that?" Dawn argued on. "Have you been talking to her at all recently? Is there even any indication that she didn't want me around her? You're the ones that have been screaming your heads off out here! Maybe she doesn't want you guys around?!"

"Shut up, will you?" the first unicorn said. "You were the one that had us all come up here to begin with! You're just as guilty as us!"

"No, you shut up, Pressure Point!" Red Dawn shouted back. "I wanted to come up here because I wanted to check on my sister's well-being! You and your stupid academy buddies just decided to tag along and harass Sunset for the heck of it with your stupid reminiscing!"

"Dawn's got a point." said the hoof-wrestler to Pressure Point. "Where do you get off? You've been on their case for as long as I could remember. If you weren't such a good doctor and we weren't in the presence of one of the princesses, I'd kick you in the teeth for being such a jerk! And I'm not ashamed to say it, either."

A few voices rose up in agreement, while others argued back. As flattered as she was that there were some in Equestria willing to stand up for her, Sunset Shimmer ground her teeth at the bickering, and shouted towards the doorway.

“Can anypony get some peace and quiet around here?” she demanded, loudly. “I’ll give you all autographs or whatever you want later!”

“Yes, my little ponies.” She heard Princess Luna say in support. “Sunset Shimmer has returned from a long and perilous journey to come back to Canterlot. I would advise that you all refrain from insulting my student while she is weary from her travels. And the same applies to her brother.”

“I'm so sorry about them, Princess.” Said the voice of Red Dawn. “C’mon, everypony. Let’s not deny Li'l Sunny her rest.”

There was a sound of several hooves clip-clopping away from the door, and going downstairs to the banquet hall. The door was engulfed with a glowing aura, as Princess Luna opened it to speak with her student. She strode in, majestically.

“Forgive me, Sunset.” Princess Luna apologized. “I had told them to wait downstairs, but that brother of yours had gotten everyone else so excited when he found out where your quarters were…”

“I understand, Princess Luna.” Sunset said, scowling at the wall in front of her. “I just have so much to get used to around here. When I lived in this room as Celestia’s student, I was usually left alone.”

“Those ponies missed you, dear Sunset. You cannot truly blame them for behaving like that, can you?”

“I suppose not.” Sunset admitted, before turning to face her new teacher. "But still, did you and Celestia really have to invite all my 'friends'--and I'm really using that term lightly right now--from the academy over here? I mean I can understand why you'd invite my brother, but why the others?"

"Because we did not want you to feel as if we had all forgotten about you." said Luna. "Or at least, that is what Celestia told me when I asked her about it."

"Yeah, but I think you and Celestia probably should've been more careful about inviting who'd remember me for the right reasons." said Sunset. "I mean, I actually was a bit of a know-it-all jerk when I was Celestia's student. And some of the comments they made just a minute ago don't make the memories any better."

"I understand, Sunset."

“So, what do you want me to do for you? Is there something you would like me to research? I haven’t been in the archives in ages.”

“Not at this moment, Sunset.” Luna said. “But I do want you to do something that would improve your social behavior.”

“Really?” Sunset asked. “And that would be…”

“To go out, and make friends.” Luna said, simply.

Sunset Shimmer was deep in thought at this task. Luna noticed this, and decided to elaborate.

“Twilight Sparkle had told us that you claimed to be ignorant of the importance of friendship.” She continued.

"Yeah, so she left me to be the lap-dog of the five girls I used to bully." said Sunset, with a hint of bitterness in her voice, before sighing. "Though to be fair: they actually did seem like nice people. They forgave me for the trouble I caused them, and I'm grateful for that. But something just didn't seem right. I felt like I didn't belong with them. I wanted to learn friendship my own way. But my attempts to make other friends in the human world failed miserably. It's one of the reasons I wanted to come back here."

"Then I think you should try again." said Luna. "There are many other ponies in this world that also haven't realized the true values of friendship. I think it should be your place to go out and seek them. By befriending others like you, you would improve not only your own behavior, but theirs as well.”

“Okay, Princess.” Sunset Shimmer decided. “I’ll play along. Let me guess: I’m going to Ponyville, right?”

“No.” Luna shook her head. “I can tell that your relationship with Twilight Sparkle is still very tense. I will be sending you to Fillydelphia, instead.”

“Fillydelphia?”

“Yes. I believe that somepony there is in desperate need of a like-minded friend. One that surely you could offer them.”

“Anypony I already know?”

“I do not believe so.” Luna said. “But she shall reveal herself in due time.”

“Fine, when do I get going there?” Sunset asked.

“At noon, my student.” Luna answered. “It is already 8 o’clock in the morning. I have had the servants prepare a breakfast feast for your return.”

“So that’s what they were all here for?” Sunset deduced, referring to Red Dawn and the other unicorns.

“But, of course!”

Twenty minutes later, Sunset and Luna found themselves seated in the banquet hall, alongside Princess Celestia., Red Dawn, and Sunset’s former classmates. Fortunately for Sunset, most of the ponies were too busy eating to say anything to her. But Red Dawn, who sat next to her, kept pestering his sister about where she was for the past two years. It wasn’t until Princess Celestia gave him a stern look that he finally stopped asking the question.

After the ponies all ate their share of food, Princess Celestia stood up, with her wings expanded.

“Everypony, it brings me great pleasure to welcome back my old student, and good friend: Sunset Shimmer!” she said.

The unicorns all applauded Sunset’s return yet again. But since both of the Princesses were here to restrain them from crowding all around her, it didn’t seem as bad as before.

“Thank you, Princess.” Sunset responded, in her most polite voice possible. “I haven’t eaten food as good as this in ages. I appreciate the effort you all put into welcoming me back to Canterlot.”

“You he’rd that, ev’rypon’!” Red Dawn said, dizzy from all the apple cider he had gulped down during breakfast. “That right th’re is my wond’rfu’ sis’’r, the best unicorn in all of…”

Then suddenly, he leaned too far back in his seat, and clumsily toppled over beneath the large table. Everyone in the room, even Sunset Shimmer, laughed.

“Gee, thanks for that insight there, big brother.” Sunset said, looking down at her brother. “Oh, and don’t forget your drink!”

She magically lifted Red Dawn’s glass of cider, and poured it down into her brother’s lolling mouth. When Red made a loud burping noise from under the table, Sunset dropped the whole thing on his head. Luckily, Red Dawn was able to catch it with his horn.

“Brothers…who can figure them?” She shrugged to the others, with a deadpan expression on her face.

Her fellow unicorns applauded and laughed happily.

Princess Celestia took note of how Sunset Shimmer behaved around her brother, and vice-versa. She and Luna noticed how much of a contrast it was with Twilight Sparkle and Shining Armor. As Sunset Shimmer was telling the others a story about how she witnessed a hydra losing a fight against a manticore, the two alicorn sisters conversed with each other.

“Sister, are you sure that Sunset Shimmer will cooperate with you, and be able to appreciate the values of friendship?” Celestia whispered to Luna.

“So then the stupid creature decided that it would be better to have its heads attack its enemy one at a time, instead of all at once. Can you believe that?” The princesses heard one of the unicorns speaking. “I mean, what’s the point of having so many heads if you don’t even have enough brains for one of them? I, on the other hand, have enough brains for many heads! Too bad no hydra will ever get any of it out of me!”

"That's okay with me." said Sunset. "I think I've got more than enough brains of my own as it is."

“I must try, my sister.” Luna nodded back to the white alicorn.

The Road to Fillydelphia

Finally, the breakfast feast came to a conclusion. Now, it was time for Sunset Shimmer to get herself ready for her journey to Fillydelphia. After saying farewell to Princess Celestia and her old classmates, she found herself being a given a fond farewell from her brother.

“I wish you good luck on your special mission, Sis.” Red Dawn said to Sunset Shimmer.

“Sure thing, Red.” said Sunset, not really paying attention.

“No, I’m serious about this.” said Red, who was completely straight-faced as he spoke. “Ever since our mom and dad disappeared, you’re the only family I have left right now. And it would crush me if I were to lose you again! So I hope you fare as well as possible, for not only your sake, but for our family’s.”

Sunset found herself flattered by her brother’s comment, and met it with a rare, but welcoming grin.

“Then I guess the feeling’s mutual, Red.” She said, before adding with a soft whisper in his ear: “I love you, big brother. Even if you aren’t the best sibling I could’ve asked for, I still enjoy having you around.”

“Same here, Sunny.” Red smiled. “I’ll see you later, little sister.”

He patted his sister on the back with his hoof, and went back to the other unicorns. Sunset could’ve sworn that she saw his eyes watering. Princess Celestia was positively beaming at the two of them, relieved to see that they at least recognized each other as family.

“Sunset, it is half past eleven o’clock.” Princess Luna said. “You should go back up to your bedroom, and get yourself packed for the journey. I even left a knapsack that you should useful.”

“Right.” Sunset Shimmer replied to her new mentor, before speaking back towards the rest of the room, even as she was trotting towards the staircase. “Thanks, everypony! I’ll see you all when I return.”

Red Dawn and the other unicorns left for the main entrance, leaving the two regal sisters alone in the banquet hall.

“I already have a very good feeling about this, Luna.” Princess Celestia said.

“So do I, sister.” replied Princess Luna.

"But still, I can't help but feel that Sunset's story was...off." Celestia frowned.

"That cannot be." Luna replied. "She made a very good point about that the hydra and the manticore."

"No, sister." Celestia turned her head. "I was thinking about what Sunset Shimmer told us about the human world, and how she became a pariah."

"What of it?"

"From what Twilight Sparkle told me about it, there was no indication that the people residing there were cruel enough to do what Sunset Shimmer told us. And trust me, Twilight would know better than to describe such a place in a biased manner."

"But Sunset wouldn't have lied about it, either." Luna said. "Or she probably would have remained in the human world, trying to make friends there."

"That's just it, sister." Celestia said. "I think that there is something happening on the human side of that portal that Sunset Shimmer couldn't fully understand."

"Do you suggest something...sinister may be at work?"

"I don't know, Luna. But we should find out as soon as we can. Unfortunately, it would take us two months to get the information we need and return, even if the one-way trips through the portals were used."

"I might be able to visit the dreams of someone in the human world."

"Are you certain that your powers can reach that far?"

"I will try." Luna answered. "We might be able to visit our counterpart there: Vice Principal Luna."

"Very well, Luna." Celestia agreed. "But I don't think we should tell Sunset Shimmer that we doubt her until we have further evidence of the dangers she faced. It may hurt her already troubled mind."

"Very well, Celestia. We shall make the attempt as soon as Sunset departs for Fillydelphia."

Sunset Shimmer returned to her bedroom, and put many of her possessions into her leather knapsack. These included quills, ink bottles, rolls of paper, and a few books. She also had a bag of leftover food from breakfast tied to it. After she was all set to leave, an earth pony guard entered her room, and informed her that Princess Luna was ready to see her off.

Sunset trotted out of the open gate of the palace, to find Princess Luna waiting for her.

“Farewell, my student.” Said the alicorn princess. “You shall hear from me again soon.”

“How soon?” Sunset Shimmer asked. “I really have no way to sent instant messages to you. Too bad the Internet doesn’t exist in Equestria…yet.”

“The Internet?” Luna asked, confused.

“Long story, but it’s something I came across on the human side of that portal.”

“I see.” Princess Luna tilted her head down slightly. “But you see, I'm able to enter the dreams of ponies as they sleep during the night, in order to protect them from nightmares they may otherwise languish through.”

“Well, that’s…interesting.” Sunset said, thinking about the awkward implications that could invoke. “So, you want me to report back to you while I sleep?”

“Only if our paths should cross in the dream-world.”

“I see.” Sunset Shimmer acknowledged. “Well, it’s time for me to get going.”

"Sunset, I should inform you that the railroads to Fillydelphia and Manehatten have been under renovations for some time now. The Manehatten tracks are almost done, but something appears to have delayed repairs on the Fillydelphia tracks. To compensate for this, I've taken the liberty of arranging for a pair of pegasus guards to fly you to your destination on a chariot."

"Nah, that won't be necessary." said Sunset. "I'll just travel there by the main road."

"Are you sure, my student?"

"Sure, I'm sure. I wanna get used to having hooves again. Thanks anyway, princess."

"Would you at least like an escort?"

"Princess, I'm just going to make some friends. I don't need a bunch of guards following me around. I want to be able to rely on my own skills and abilities to handle whatever problems I find there. Plus, I'd like to keep a low profile, since I'm not exactly a respected member of Equestrian society and having an escort may draw unwanted attention to me."

"A valid point." said Luna. "But I really don't want to seem like I'm giving you a difficult task."

"Trust me, you're not." said Sunset, jokingly adding: "It's not like you're sending me to fight an army of monsters!"

"Oh, I wouldn't even dream of it." chuckled Princess Luna. "If that were the case, I would've gone with you, myself."

"Well, I'm going now." said Sunset Shimmer. "See ya later, Princess Luna!"

“Until we meet again, Sunset Shimmer.” The princess said, before flying back to the palace.

Sunset trotted down the mountain passage, and passed a pair of stallions that were staring at her with stupid-looking grimaces on their faces.

“I’m worth fifty of you.” She said, turning to look at them. “Now get going, before there’s trouble!”

“Ooohhhh…kay, then.” One of the stallions said, prompting his friend to continue up the path.

“You know, I think that unicorn likes you.” The other jokingly muttered to the first, before shamelessly adding: “And I really like her mane.”

“Yeah, good for you.” Sunset thought aloud once the two stallions were out of earshot. “If there’s anything I’m not in the mood for, it’s having a bunch of half-wit country ponies hitting on me.”

Sunset Shimmer finally came to the bottom of the mountain, and saw Ponyville close by. She skulked about for a few seconds, reading the map of Equestria that was bundled in her knapsack. She could see that the mountain that held Canterlot on its slopes was in the middle, and moved her eyes down the road to the south-east. It apparently split in two separate paths. The northern path led to Fillydelphia.

After an hour or two, she decided to make a stop to lay in a grassy field. She opened up her map again. She looked again at the marker that portrayed Canterlot, which already felt uncomfortably far away. It was relatively quiet, apart from the occasional chirping of bluebirds. This made Sunset relatively happy; now she had a decent place to relax herself without being interrupted by loud, obnoxious ponies bent on invading her personal space.

It was the large, spacious fields around Canterlot that Sunset Shimmer had the fondest memories, out of all the places she had visited in Equestria during her time as Celestia’s pupil. Back then, she could stay out here for hours upon hours, until she would decide to return to the Princess’s side in the throne room.

But the peace and quiet would not stay as such for long, since it was suddenly disrupted by the loud speaking voice of a female pony.

“Ponies of Equestria, you stand before the Great and Powerful Trixie!” said the distant figure of what appeared to be a unicorn standing beside a wagon in the distance. “You see before you only the greatest magic that lesser ponies such as yourselves shall ever witness!”

Sunset expected at any second to hear the loud clamor of cheering for this mare. But when she looked more closely, she saw that nobody else was anywhere near the wagon; this meant that this so-called “Great and Powerful Trixie” was being ridiculously loud and hammy for no clear reason.

“For foal’s sake.” Sunset Shimmer grumbled. “When I get my hooves on that…wait, I think I know that voice! It’s that girl that was always hanging around that vending machine at Canterlot High. It looks like I finally found her Equestria counterpart.”

She got back up, put the map back in her knapsack, and marched towards the unicorn with the wagon.

“Come one, come all, everypony!” Trixie ranted on. “I, the Great and Powerful Trixie…”

“Should really keep her big, fat mouth shut before it gets bucked hard!” Sunset Shimmer yelled from across the field.

Trixie abruptly stopped, and started looking around for the source of the noise. She clearly didn’t expect anyone to actually hear her speeches out here in the vast fields.

“By Celestia, can’t a mare reminisce on her glory days in peace?” She mumbled, taking her pointed violet hat off her head to scratch her silver mane.

She looked west along the road, to see a very angry-looking unicorn with an amber coat and a mane that was streaked red and blonde. Said unicorn was stomping her hooves along the dirt path as she approached the blue unicorn like a wild animal.

“Can the Great and Powerful Trixie help you with anything?” Trixie asked.

“Yes, you can.” Sunset Shimmer answered through clenched teeth. “You can start by stopping that childish showboating.”

“Showboating?” Trixie repeated, offended by the mare’s remark. “Sorry, sister. The Great and Powerful Trixie doesn’t do that kind of thing, anymore.”

Sunset came to a halt just a few feet from the Great and Powerful Trixie.

“Really?” she said. “Then maybe you can explain that loud rambling that you were spouting a few minutes ago.”

“Okay, stranger. So I’m a little nostalgic.” Trixie admitted. “Is that a crime around these parts?”

“I guess not.” Sunset Shimmer said, calming down. “Which way are you going, anyway?”

“The Great and Powerful Trixie goes wherever the road takes her!”

“Is the road taking you to Fillydelphia?”

“Why, yes it is. Were you going that way, too?”

“Yes.” Sunset replied. “But I thought I’d get a peaceful moment to relax without hearing any annoying ponies blabbing on about their stupid, pointless lives.”

“Well, excuse me!” Trixie said, poking her tongue out. “If the Great and Powerful Trixie wished to be taunted like this, she would have remained in Ponyville.”

“Wait, did you say ‘Ponyville’?” Sunset asked. “Is the name ‘Twilight Sparkle’ familiar to you at all?”

Trixie gasped when Sunset Shimmer muttered the name.

“How do you know about…” she asked.

“Lucky guess!” answered Sunset Shimmer, smugly.

“Yes, I do know that mare.” Trixie replied. “She totally humiliated me last year, and ruined my entire career!”

“So, are you going to do anything about it?”

“I tried to. I even used the legendary Alicorn Amulet, but I still lost.”

“Oh, I bet you really gave them a show!” Sunset rolled her bluish-green eyes sarcastically.

“Enough of this!” Trixie stomped her hoof. “I have gotten over it, and so should you, whoever you are!”

Sunset Shimmer realized she never actually gave her name to the unicorn.

“My name is Sunset Shimmer.” Sunset said. “And I had a bit of a history with Twilight Sparkle, myself. And like you, I am trying my best to get over it.”

“You don’t say?” Trixie asked, tilting her head curiously. “Say, how about we put aside our differences, and travel to Fillydelphia together?”

“Fine by me.” Sunset nodded. “It just means less walking.”

Trixie and Sunset Shimmer climbed into the wagon, and used their magic to roll the wagon further down the road. As they directed the wagon, they decided to continue conversing on friendlier terms.

“So, what’s your story with Twilight Sparkle?” Trixie asked.

“I tried stealing her crown.” Sunset Shimmer replied. “It didn’t work well for me in the end. I wound up making all kinds of enemies.”

“Her crown?” Trixie asked.

“Yeah.” Sunset Shimmer nodded. “Didn’t you know that Twilight Sparkle became a Princess?”

“She became what?!” Trixie gasped. “You mean that she has wings and everything now?”

“Uh-huh.”

“You must be pulling my leg!”

“Nope.”

“Well, there goes my revival tour.” Trixie said, solemnly. “If my only known rival has surpassed me already, then I don’t think I could maintain the illusion of being a powerful spellcaster for long!”

“So you’re not a powerful spellcaster?” Sunset asked.

“To be honest, I’m not.” Trixie confessed. “The most I’m experienced with are flashy tricks by comparison.”

“Well, don’t worry, Trixie.” Sunset Shimmer said, with an encouraging grin on her face. “I was once a student of Princess Celestia herself. I could teach you some spells that I learned in Canterlot.”

“You’d do that for me?” Trixie asked, surprised.

“Maybe.” teased Sunset. “And maybe not.”

“Please teach me some of those spells!” Trixie whispered desperately.

“Okay.” Sunset Shimmer said. “But it’ll have to wait until we reach Fillydelphia. And you’ll have to do what I tell you to do.”

“That sounds very shrewd, but what the hay! The Great and Powerful Trixie shall be ready for anything you throw at her.”

“Trixie, this sounds like the beginning of-”

“What, a ‘beautiful friendship’?” Trixie moaned. “Even to the Great and Powerful Trixie, that’s a very clichéd thing to say.”

“Actually, I was going to say:” Sunset Shimmer continued, only to be distracted at what stood in the middle of the road before them. “What in the name of Celestia is that thing?!”

A massive creature of some kind was crouching in the road, under the shadow of the surrounding trees. It saw the wagon approaching, and lunged at it with a loud roar. The two unicorns were able to leap out just before the monster crushed it to pieces.

Trixie was absolutely furious about what happened to her wagon, which was her only method of transportation across Equestria. Not to mention, most of her possessions were in there, But now it was all gone because of this behemoth that stood before them.

“You’re totally going to pay for that, you stupid brute!” Trixie shouted, before charging headlong at the creature.

“Gee, I wonder what will happen?” Sunset Shimmer groaned sarcastically.

As if on cue, Trixie was grabbed by the creature, and hurled back down the road. Luckily, Sunset was able to use her magic to catch her companion just before the fall would become fatal. The amber-coated unicorn galloped up to Trixie, who was dazed from the attack.

“C’mon!” Sunset said. “We need to do this together!”

“Right behind you!” Trixie breathed, getting back on her hooves.

The two unicorns’ horns illuminated into twin orbs of light, which blasted magical energy through the air, both hitting their mark on the creature’s grotesque head. As the beast reeled in pain and disorientation, Sunset Shimmer prepared an elaborate set of spells to send it away from them.

Her horn and eyes glowed with a pale light, and a whirlwind blew all around them. Over the loud screeches produced by the rushing air, Sunset’s voice rose up. However, the tone of her voice dropped by five octaves, and blared the following words:

“Leave us now, you abomination!” bellowed the distorted voice. “Or you will not escape my wrath!”

The creature quailed, and disappeared into the darkness under the trees. When it became clear that it was sent away for good, Sunset canceled out her spells, and looked triumphantly on to the open road ahead. Suddenly, she heard the sound of whimpering behind her. Sunset Shimmer turned around to see Trixie sniffling over her ruined wagon.

“Now what am I supposed to do with my life?” Trixie whined.

Sunset looked at Trixie with pity. After pausing to see if the creature wasn't in sight, she trotted up to her companion, and lay down beside her.

“If you’d like,” she suggested, her voice back to normal. “You could stay with me while we’re in Fillydelphia.”

Trixie calmed down, and looked at her amber-colored ally.

“Are you serious, Sunset?”

“Sure, I am. You helped me fight that thing off, didn’t you?”

“Of course I did!”

“Then it should make up for losing that old wagon of yours. You can bunk in with me at…wherever I’m going to be staying.” Sunset Shimmer said.

“You don’t even know where we’re going to be staying?” Trixie scoffed.

“Do you?” Sunset retorted, to a speechless Trixie. “No? Then shut up and follow my lead!”

The two unicorns trotted on side-by-side along the dirt road, each as eager as the other to reach Fillydelphia.

Misunderstandings and Consequences

On the human side of the portal, Sgt. Craw and Cpl. Ghost were still in Sunset Shimmer's apartment. They waited until noon, and then decided she wasn't coming home. Craw activated his portable radio communicator, and sent a call to Supreme Commander Chrysalis' private channel.

"Supreme Commander Chrysalis, this is Sergeant Craw!" he spoke. "We've lost out trail on Sunset Shimmer."

A sultry voice spoke back to him.

"Well, that is certainly unfortunate." said the voice of the Supreme Commander. "Have you managed to acquire any noteworthy intel regarding her status?"

"We have, ma'am." Craw said. "Last night, we saw her outside of Canterlot High. Corporal Ghost was able to subdue Sunset Shimmer for a while, but then he was compromised by the local police, and she disappeared before I could reach them."

"I see." Chrysalis said.

"But Ghost and I are currently staking out her apartment." Sgt. Craw said. "We've found several books and scrolls that appear to be artifacts from her world. We will send them to your archivists, to see if they will fit alongside the ones our Syndicate's already collected."

"Very good, Sergeant." said Chrysalis. "And Captain Umbriel wants to know whether or not that Changeling combat armor has proven itself efficient."

"It certainly has, ma'am." Craw answered. "Speaking of which, I would like to make a request to begin deploying troops into town. I suspect that catching Sunset Shimmer will be much harder than necessary."

"I sympathize with you, sergeant." Chrysalis told him. "But it is Captain Umbriel's word that decides when the Syndicate sends its soldiers into a heavily-populated area."

"But don't you outrank him, commander?" asked the confused sergeant.

"Why, of course I do." she replied, coolly. "But I admit that I am inexperienced with sending out troops in numbers as large as what you suggest. I prefer to consult Umbriel before initiating any Syndicate operation that extends beyond reconnaissance or black ops."

"And why hasn't the captain considered this yet?" Craw asked. "We've already been on this assignment for a month, ma'am. Surely, he'd want to take a more direct approach for a change?"

"His tolerance is thin, but it's still there." said Chrysalis. "He still wants our agents to try convincing Principal Celestia one last time to surrender the pony-girl to us."

"Commander, I seriously doubt that he will be able to just convince her, just like that." Craw argued. "I know that woman. She may have a soft exterior, but she can be hard as nails when it comes to the safety of her students, regardless of who or what they are."

"You have a very good point." Supreme Commander Chrysalis said, softly. "If Umbriel's strategy fails this time, you have my permission to 'convince' Mayor Eve to give our organization a special permit to deploy soldiers at Canterlot High School."

"Why do we need a permit from the city's mayor?" Craw asked, seriously confused. "We don't even answer to the government!"

"Because if Umbriel's men arrive at that school without any permits, the Syndicate may have to fight the local police force, which could draw unwanted attention of the military variety. They may declare martial law and cost us our foothold in that town, which has been over a month in the making. But if Mayor Eve was persuaded to look the other way, then the police can't legally deny us the forces we will need to secure the school. If we secure the school, then Sunset Shimmer won't be able to hide from us any longer."

"But are you still sure that we couldn't just draw her out with a few surgical strikes, here and there?" Craw asked. "I mean, we've staged coups in cities bigger than this one, and won their people over with little effort."

"Those cities were run by corrupt and decadent officials, sergeant." the Supreme Commander replied. "Officials that ran their cities' morale into the ground. They were begging to be cast down in shame. This town, on the other hand, is small, peaceful, and relatively fragile. To bring it down to its knees would trigger a massive outcry across the country, and we would be chased out of here. And remember, dear, that we have only two targets in this town, and we may lose them both if we go overboard with our planning."

"Two, did you say?" asked Craw. "I was aware only of Sunset Shimmer."

"You are not mistaken." Chrysalis told him. "One of the previous calls Umbriel's agents made to Principal Celestia yielded a very interesting subject: a portal of some kind, to another world."

Sgt. Craw's eyes widened with surprise. So that portal did exist, after all. At least he now had an idea of how Sunset Shimmer first came to the human world.

"I understand, ma'am." he said. "Thank you for clarifying this. This is Sergeant Craw, signing out."

Craw deactivated the radio. He turned to Ghost.

"So, are we getting those reinforcements, Sarge?" the corporal asked.

"Only time will tell, Ghost." Sergeant Craw told him.

Later that evening, the streets were quiet. Not even the police were on patrol. In her living room, Principal Celestia was arguing angrily with someone on her mobile phone.

"You are trying my patience, principal." said an eerie voice on the phone. "What happened to Sunset Shimmer?"

"I don't know anymore about her disappearance than anyone else in the entire town." said Principal Celestia. "I...swear."

"You better swear that you aren't lying." said the voice. "I'm giving you one chance, and only one, to prove you aren't all pathetic vermin before I deliver unto your school an unparalleled malice that has not been seen in this part of your world for a very long time."

"My world?" asked Celestia. "What are you talking about?"

Then the caller disconnected.

Vice Principal Luna was sleeping in her bedroom, and was having a relatively mundane dream. Until, that is, she saw something she hadn't come to her mind since she was a little girl: A large unicorn with wings. It was a beautiful sight to behold, with a sleek dark coat, bright green eyes, and an aetherial mane that glittered like a starlit sky. What really caught the vice principal's attention was the crown on its head. But none of this could prepare her for when it spoke to her...with her own voice.

"You are Luna, the Vice Principal of Canterlot High School, are you not?" the winged unicorn asked.

"Yes, I am." the human woman answered, confused by her dream. "What do I have to do with..."

"Thou must listen to me." replied the equestrian creature. "I am thine counterpart, Princess Luna of Equestria."

The vice principal remembered how the one-time student at her school, Twilight Sparkle, was revealed to be a pony princess from a world that paralleled the humans'.

"So, I'm a princess, too?" Vice Principal Luna asked Princess Luna, half-smiling.

"In Equestria, we are." the princess answered. "As is Celestia."

"Very interesting." said the vice principal. "What can I do for my...pony self?"

She tried not to break out in laughter at what she said. But she didn't need to, since Princess Luna began asking her human counterpart questions.

"Vice Principal, is it true that Sunset Shimmer was treated poorly at your school since Twilight Sparkle left?" the princess asked.

"Oh, you mean the girl that tried turning my and Principal Celestia's students into a brainwashed dimension-invading army?"

"Yes, We have heard about that." nodded the princess. "She told us about what happened. I would like you to elaborate on the circumstances."

"Well, I don't understand why it's your business..." the vice principal said. "But if you really need to know, the school faculty did everything they could to keep Sunset Shimmer safe from..."

"From what?" asked the princess. "From the other students?"

"Not necessarily." answered the vice principal. "But strange people have been looking for her all month."

"Did they mean her harm?" the princess asked.

"I'm not sure. I overheard Principal Celestia talking to someone a while ago on the phone. And I've been hearing a lot of names...the Gryphons, the Ram King, the Chrysalis Syndicate..."

"I see." the princess nodded. "What about the accusations of your principal sending people to spy on Sunset?"

"After she came back to school, Principal Celestia and I decided to have our police watch Sunset Shimmer, to make sure that the syndicate or these other people didn't come after her again."

"I see." Princess Luna smiled. "I am grateful that you were able to explain this to me. Now I can understand why Sunset Shimmer went back to Equestria."

"So, that's where she is?" Vice Principal Luna said, relieved. "I thought she tried skipping town."

"Farewell, Vice Principal...Me." the alicorn princess said. "Thank you for your time."

"Bye." said the vice principal. "But in the future, if we ever meet again, could we just call each other Luna? I don't see why we should be so formal with each other!"

"Agreed." nodded the princess. "Good-bye, Luna."

The vice principal woke up suddenly, and scratched her long blue hair. She thought about her conversation with her counterpart, and decided that she would tell Principal Celestia about what she learned, first thing in the morning.

The Attack on Fillydelphia

Sunset Shimmer and Trixie were finally out of the forest, and within sight of Fillydelphia. The equine city comprised of several houses, with taller buildings in the middle. Earth ponies and pegasi resided here. They made it to the outskirts when a young filly came galloping towards them in a panic.

"Run! Run for your lives!" she was screaming. "The monster's going to eat us!"

"What monster? I don't see any--" Sunset began, when she saw a nearby house collapse. From under the wreckage emerged the same creature that she and Trixie fought on the road, bounding towards the three ponies.

"Not again!" Trixie gasped.

"Does that thing ever give up?" Sunset groaned, preparing a force field spell to repel the creature.

A pair of pegasi flew up to them, trying to intercept the creature's path. Unfortunately, they were both shaken off the creature's armored body. Sunset and Trixie were ready to flee, but the filly just stood there, paralyzed with fear. Trixie already dashed off to the side, but Sunset Shimmer took the time to get the young pony on her back, and carry her to the area opposite Trixie.

"Thank you, lady." the four-year-old filly said.

"Don't...mention it." Sunset Shimmer was breathing hard; She wasn't used to carrying heavy objects. "Now could you get yourself off my back?"

The filly jumped off, and hid next to her savior. They both saw that the creature had cornered Trixie and one of the pegasi in the ruins of the house. Determined to save her friend, Sunset Shimmer rushed towards the monster, her horn glowing along the way. Suddenly, an ear-splitting roar came from the direction of the forest. A massive claw suddenly appeared to Sunset's left, and grabbed the creature. The monster was large, but it was dwarfed immensely by the creature that was now gripping it: The legendary Ursa Major!

Sunset Shimmer and Trixie looked up in horror at the monstrous bear that towered over them all: Its aetherial fur shimmered in the sunlight, as though it were a mirage. Its massive red eyes were glaring furiously at its prey and prey-to-be, and its silver teeth were long and bared. As it continued roaring, massive globs of saliva glistened around its ravenous mouth. Trixie remembered her encounter with an Ursa Minor back in Ponyville. Now she really felt like a fool for confusing it for this mammalian colossus.

"Sunset, do you have any spells for this kind of creature in mind?" Trixie said, panicking.

But she saw that Sunset's mouth was gaping in shock and awe at the bestial leviathan that was the Ursa Major. Not even she, the former student of Princess Celestia, could hope to stand against this mountain-sized beast without a tremendous amount of assistance.

"I can't believe that those things could make it this far without being seen!" Trixie shouted to Sunset Shimmer. "Do you have any ideas how it got here?"

"I don't!" admitted Sunset. "I don't think the voice-distorting spell will scare it away, either!"

"Then what do we do?" Trixie squealed.

"We run away, and think up a strategy!" Sunset shouted back.

The Ursa Major had been digging its claws into the armored monster, and tossed it back into the trees with a screech, when it was unable to penetrate the metallic hide. Now, it looked down at the ponies that were fleeing from it. It bent down, and pursued them on all fours. Bellowing out its ghastly roar, it smashed a pair of houses with one swipe of its claw. Fortunately, nopony was inside those buildings. That did not satisfy the tremendous creature's apparent bloodlust. It actively began attacking the larger buildings, ripping entire towers in half with its long claws, and swinging the broken pillars at the smaller houses.

Trixie and Sunset Shimmer just looked on, horrified by the wanton destruction the Ursa Major caused.

"Come on, I need to think of something!" Sunset whispered to herself. "I think I read a book about dealing with Ursa Majors, but that was about four years ago, and I don't even remember..."

"Look up there!" the filly pointed her little hoof up into the sky. A cyan blur was speeding at an incredibly fast rate towards the Ursa Major; clearly a brave pegasus had decided to rise against the monstrosity that was rampaging through Fillydelphia.

"What is that pegasus doing?!" Sunset shouted, when she realized the trajectory of the cyan defender.

"What's wrong?" Trixie asked, her eyes glued to the sky.

"He's going to ram straight into the Ursa's head!"

"Oh, my..." Trixie gasped.

The bluish-green blur had just collided hard with the Ursa Major's left temple. The beast wheeled around in pain, but the mysterious pegasus was able to bounce off its head, and then slingshot himself into its broad chest. The Ursa Major fell back, crashing into yet another building. The pegasus shot straight up into the air, and came back down at blinding speed, straight into the Ursa Major's snout. Its snout were clearly broken now, and the Ursa Major was howling in pain. It got back up, and attempted to flail its claws at its winged attacker, who was now flying circles around its head.

"That is just incredible." Sunset heard Trixie comment.

The pegasus started bouncing on and off the Ursa's head, and became flying circles at such blinding speed, that a whirlwind was conjured up, lifting the Ursa Major up from the ground. But given its tremendous weight, it only went up twelve feet before its humongous build came down hard along an entire neighborhood.

"So, which one's trying to save the city, again?" Sunset asked, noticing the collateral damage was rising very high.

The Ursa Major climbed back up, and attempted to flee back into the Everfree Forest. But the pegasus still pursued it, even into the trees. It hammered up and down in rapid succession, until the Ursa Major toppled over beyond the trees, unconscious.

The pegasus then flew over to the ruined town square.

"Come on!" Sunset said to Trixie. "Let's see who this winged marauder is!"

The two unicorns ran down the road into the ransacked streets of Fillydelphia, until they found their path obstructed by a crowd of irate ponies. They were all furiously yelling at somepony in front of them all. Sunset and Trixie were able to push their way through the crowd, and saw a young female pegasus with a bluish-green coat and a slicked blonde mane bowing to the crowd, as if they were cheering her on.

"So this is that pegasus?" Sunset wondered.

"Thank you, thank you, everypony!" the pegasus was proclaiming in a dissonant, triumphant tone. "I'm glad to have helped you all!"

"Wow, and ponies say I'm a showoff!" Trixie groaned.

Then a stallion wearing spectacles and a greasy suit was trotting up close to her, an obviously angered expression on his face. The two unicorns guessed that he was the mayor.

"Lightning Dust, as happy we are that those monsters are gone..." he was growling through clenched teeth: "You also caused damage to a significant amount of our precious city with that reckless flying of yours!"

"Oh, that could've happened to anyone." shrugged Lightning Dust. "You're just overreacting."

"No, I'm not!" the mayor of Fillydelphia was growling loud enough for the unicorns to hear. "If you went around the other towns in Equestria, you'd see that whoever keeps them safe would know better than to cause potentially destructive damage to their towns unless there was no other way to do it!"

"Really? There was another way?" Lightning asked. "I just wanted to get rid of that thing as quickly as possible!"

"And you couldn't have tried luring it out of the city first?"

"I didn't want to waste my momentum on the amount of dodges I'd have to do to pull that off."

"Lightning Dust, you seriously need to think about those around you!" the mayor yelled. "If another attack like that happens, and you handle it the same way as this, we'd might as well let the attacks continue on!"

"What are you telling me, Mayor?" Lightning Dust said, now worried.

"I'm telling you to stop flying like a maniac, and either actually help us, or leave."

"Ouch. That's a bit harsh. Could you people at least be grateful I saved the city...at all?"

"Oh, what am I going to do with you?"

Sunset Shimmer was examining Lightning Dust the whole time. She suspected that she was the mare that Luna was referring to, that she would have to befriend in Fillydelphia. She approached Lightning Dust and the mayor, and started speaking.

"Excuse me, Mayor?" Sunset asked. "My name is Sunset Shimmer, and I think I'll be able to handle the recklessness of my colleague, here."

"Colleague?" Lightning Dust repeated. "I don't even know who..."

"I'm trying to help you out here." Sunset whispered, turning to face the blonde-maned pegasus.

"What do you have in mind for her?" the Mayor questioned.

Back in Canterlot, the two alicorn Princesses were sitting in their throne room. A unicorn guard had opened the door to speak with them.

"Your Majesties, the unicorn known as Red Dawn wishes to speak with you two." he told them. "He says that it involves Sunset Shimmer."

"Very well." Celestia said. "Send him in."

The reddish-orange unicorn marched in, with a bitter look on his face. He looked back and forth between the two rulers of Equestria.

"So, how's my sister doing?" he asked. "Is she doing fine? She better be doing fine!"

"I assure you, Red Dawn." Princess Luna told him. "Your sister is safe, and her mission is not a dangerous one."

"What kind of mission is it?!" Red exclaimed. "Honestly, I don't see Sunset Shimmer in three or four years, and you send her off somewhere, and expect me to believe that she'll be okay...just like that?"

"Sunset Shimmer is a superb mare, Radiant." Princess Celestia assured him. "She isn't not the small filly that you were left to raise when you yourself were but a youngster. She is extremely talented in magic, and one of the most intelligent ponies I have ever met in my long years in this world."

"Oh, yeah?" Red Dawn growled. "Well, I'm still worried that I might not ever see her again. I mean, why was she gone for so darn long, anyway?!"

The princesses looked at each other cautiously.

"Radiant, listen to me." Celestia told him. "If you knew the truth about your sister's previous absence, it might...disturb you."

"Well, if she's never around, anyway," Red Dawn retorted. "then I don't see how it could ruin how I feel about her!"

"Oh, dear." Celestia frowned. "You'll have to follow us downstairs."

"Okay, then." Red Dawn said, clenching his teeth. "I'll come along. But please, stop calling me 'Radiant'!"

Red Dawn and the princesses went downstairs to the enchanted mirror. Celestia began to explain its purposes.

"My sister and I decided to bring it back here from the Crystal Empire, shortly after Sunset Shimmer returned to Equestria...from the other side."

"The other side?" Red Dawn asked. "What's on the other side of that mirror?"

"Another world." Princess Luna said. "Inhabited by...humans."

"Humans?" Red Dawn queried, tilting his head suspiciously. "So, if I were to go through there, I'd be trotting about along with a bunch of people with two legs?"

"Yes." answered Celestia. "But based on what Twilight told me, you would turn into a human yourself as long as you were in that world."

"Really?" Red Dawn said. "And Sunset Shimmer went in there?"

"Yes." Princess Luna said. "But she returned much earlier than we could have expected."

"Earlier than what?" Red Dawn asked.

"Well, this portal opens only once every thirty moons, the last instance being a month ago." Princess Luna said. "And Sunset Shimmer was left behind on the human side the last time. Or so we thought. According to Sunset Shimmer, this portal also becomes a one-way passage between the worlds every thirty nights."

"Wait, so Sunset could have been stuck in there for two more years?" Red Dawn said. "That's terrible!"

"I am certain that Princess Twilight Sparkle could explain the rest." Princess Luna told him. "She is currently residing in the library of Ponyville."

"Okay." Red Dawn nodded. "I'll go find her, then."

When he left, Luna turned to speak to her older sister.

"Radiant?" she asked. "So, his full name is...?"

"Yes, sister." confirmed Celestia. "Radiant Dawn is his proper name. It was the name that was brought to me on his birth certificate when he enrolled in my academy, about seven years ago."

"He was one of your students?" asked Luna.

"Yes, sister." said Celestia. "He enrolled at the same time as Sunset Shimmer. But he didn't stay as long as she did."

"But why? What happened to him?"

"It's a very uncomfortable memory for me. Almost as bad as when his sister had that falling-out with me."

"Sister, I would truly like to understand." Luna said. "Could you please try?"

"I will tell you what I remember from that day." said Princess Celestia, reluctantly.

* * * FIVE YEARS, TEN MONTHS AGO* * *

It was noon at Celestia's academy in Canterlot. Sunset Shimmer had already passed her test to become Princess Celestia's student. Now she was ready to see two other unicorns prepare their exams: Pressure Point and Red Dawn.

Red Dawn kept staring at his sister, who was at Princess Celestia's side. He wanted to go over and talk to her; he was afraid that they might be separated, even if he did succeed with his test.

"Pressure Point!" the alicorn called the bluish-white unicorn with the purple mane. "It is your turn to take the test."

"Yes, Princess." the young unicorn said, calmly. "What shall my task be?"

Princess Celestia levitated a stool to her side, opposite of Sunset Shimmer.

"You will cast a flight spell on this stool." she said. "If your spell is cast properly, it will have flown itself in a complete circle for a minimum of thirty seconds. You may begin, but remember that levitation spells are not the same as flight spells. It must move without your direct control."

Princess Celestia and Sunset Shimmer moved away to sit down with the other judges, as Pressure Point took a deep breath, and tilted his head in circles, in order to cast his spell upon the stool. Slowly, it rose up and floated in mid-air. the colt swiveled his head a bit, giving directions to the stool. The three-legged seat flew around him in a perfect 360* radius, for forty seconds straight.

"Excellent work, young one." the princess said, proudly. "You are indeed worthy of remaining at my academy. I see much potential in your services to Equestria."

"Thank you, your majesty." Pressure Point nodded, before trotting over to the other students that passed the exams.

Red Dawn was getting very nervous about the test. His front hooves were shaking with fright, as he waited for Princess Celestia to call his name. He kept looking at his younger sister. He was so happy to know that she had been successful with her own exams. Sunset Shimmer looked back at him, giving him a wink to show her confidence in him.

"Radiant Dawn!" Celestia stated. "It is time to begin your test!"

Red felt his heart jumping up and down, and his face was cringing. The young colt was quivering all over. No matter what would happen here, this was truly the turning point of his life. If he passed this test, he would remain as one of Celestia's students, and thus be able to stay with his sister. He stopped shaking when he realized this.

"I'm on the way, ma'am." he said, humbly. "So, what do you want me to do?"

"Like Pressure Point, you shall perform a flight spell on the wooden stool." Celestia told him. "If it can fly in a circle for at least thirty seconds without relying solely on telekinesis, you shall pass the test."

"Right, then." he nodded, before adding to Sunset Shimmer. "This is for you, little sister."

Radiant stood before the stool. He felt his heart sink, and the whole room fell silent as he attempted to regain his composure. He tried desperately to remember how to perform the spell that Pressure Point cast. He was fumbling about, wincing in fear of what the judges might do if he waited too long. Seconds passed by, minutes fell through, and it was clear that everyone else was growing impatient.

"Master Dawn." one of the judges, a grey unicorn male with a silver mane said to the young colt. "It is time to cast the spell. Are you aware of this or not?"

"Yeah, yeah." Red said, nervously. "Just give me a little breathing room."

He closed his eyes, composing what he believed would suffice for a flight spell in his mind. He could feel the magic surging though his horn. He opened his eyes again, to see that the stool was indeed lifting from the ground.

"So far, so good." Red muttered to himself. "Come on, Red. Don't mess this up! Not in front of your sister! Not in front of Princess Celestia, either!"

Just like that, he felt some kind of blockage in the flow of magic. For some reason, he had some sort of uncomfortable sensation within him, as if his body was refusing to comply with what it was meant to do at this moment. He felt slightly queasy as he tried to direct the floating stool. While it indeed moved about, it did so in a very sloppy trapezoid pattern. He knew this wouldn't be good enough to pass the test. He tried harder...and harder...and harder to focus his magic on the stool.

He knew this might count as cheating, but he felt he had to use telekinesis to manually direct the stool to move in circles. He felt himself sweating all over, and his legs started wobbling. He tried to direct the stool through his magic, but the amount of subtlety it would take to pull it off without being disqualified aggravated him deeply. Every once in a while, he would chime in with his magic, so as to make sure it didn't go anywhere he didn't want it to. The amount of concentration on the spell was being harmed by his constant thoughts about Sunset Shimmer.

"I can't mess this up!" he stammered, painfully. "I can't!"

He tried too hard to keep the stool in check, and a loud boom! erupted from the tip of his horn, and he heard a crackling noise above him: the wooden stool had transformed into a mobile fireball!

Several ponies in the room gasped in horror, as the airborne flame produced smaller explosions all around it, sending red-hot ashes sprinkling in every direction. Red Dawn did his best to stop the fireball, but his stress caused the fire to expand in a burst of superheated air. Several decorations on the walls were set ablaze, and several of the students panicked.

"Help! Save me!" Red heard another of the judges cry out, as she galloped around the room, her mane and tail both on fire.

Princess Celestia quickly took off into the air, and from the top of the high ceiling, conjured a cloud that dropped rainwater down upon everypony in the room. Slowly, the fires were extinguished. She swooped down hard, and landed in front of Red Dawn.

She stared down at him with a vicious glare in her eyes. Even thought she wasn't yelling at him, it was clear to everypony in the room that she was absolutely furious.

"I'm sorry, Princess Celestia!" Radiant Dawn winced, his eyes twitching. "I lost control! I didn't mean to do that! Something happened inside me! I don't know what it was!"

Princess Celestia continued glaring at him.

"I swear that I practiced as much as I could!" said Radiant. "I wouldn't screw up this bad! I swear it!"

"Radiant Dawn, you must understand that if there were a repeat of this incident," the princess told him, with an uncomfortably soft tone in her voice. "you would risk putting those around you in danger?"

"Of course, but..." Red Dawn said.

"Then you must understand that a unicorn whose powers are as unpredictable as yours can do more harm than good?" she said.

"Ye...yes?" Red whimpered.

"And I know that it wasn't your fault." said Celestia. "But whatever is causing this amount of stress will just build up your magic and unleash devastation on this city if you don't leave and meditate on a way to control it."

"Leave?" Radiant repeated. "But can't the school help me--"

His horn suddenly started emitting red sparks, and several white-hot flares blasted forth from it, scattering all over the room. One of them nearly hit Pressure Point, and another two hit the floor on either side of Sunset Shimmer.

"I didn't do it!" he yelled quickly. "I really didn't mean to! I swear!"

Suddenly, he saw the small, familiar body of Sunset Shimmer approaching him. Red Dawn turned to look at her, confused.

"Red, just go." Sunset said.

"Sunny? What--"

"Just get out of here!" snapped Sunset, her own eyes starting to water. "You heard what the princess said! You're too dangerous to be around!"

"I'm so sorry, little sister! I failed you."

He grabbed his sister and started sobbing, as Princess Celestia stood in front of them with a concerned look on her face. After a while, Sunset attempted to reason with her brother.

"Red, you have to listen to me!" Sunset told him. "You don't have to be with me all the time. I can handle myself! I'm already Princess Celestia's star student! I'm here to learn how to handle myself! Do you understand me?"

Red nodded.

"But if you keep acting, you won't be able to help me, even if you did stay here!" she told him. "Please, Red! You'll help both of us if you just leave!"

Red looked at Sunset again, and then to Celestia.

"I promise, young Radiant." she said to him. "I will take good care of Sunset Shimmer. Under my guidance, she will be safe. I promise you."

"Thank you, Princess." he said, choking his words. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry! If my sister feels safe here with you, then I won't argue with her. I only want what's best for her. All I ask in return is that you take good care of her!"

"I know you care for me, big brother." Sunset assured him with a smile. "And I love you for it."

She gave him a comforting hug, and slowly went to Princess Celestia's side.

"I love you, too...Li'l Sunny." Red said, turning to leave the academy for good. "I'll miss you so much!"

Then he left the city of Canterlot in a huff, and then departed for the outlying lands of Equestria. He was deeply afraid that this would be the last time he would ever see his beloved sister again. On the other hoof, he did leave her in good company.

"The rest of you are dismissed." Celestia said to the other students and teachers in the room.

They left quickly, leaving Sunset alone with Celestia.

"Why?" Sunset started to whimper. "Why did you have to make my brother leave like that?"

"I only did what I felt was right." said Celestia. "Being a princess isn't always easy, even for me. In order to do what's right, sometimes you have to do something you're not entirely proud of. And I can tell you that from experience."

"Then I just hope that it'll be worth it when I become a princess." said Sunset, under her breath.

* * * THREE YEARS, FOUR MONTHS AGO * * *

In Princess Celestia's class, Pressure Point was talking with some of the other students about Radiant Dawn's incident at the flight spell exam. They were all laughing obnoxiously. Sunset Shimmer glared at them, clenching her teeth as she tried hard to concentrate on her studies.

"Seriously, how dense do you have to be to mix up a flight spell with an incendiary spell?" Pressure asked.

"I heard that he tried cheating, because of how terrible he was at magic." one of his companions said.

"If he can't even get a spell right without it malfunctioning like that," questioned another unicorn. "then why bother coming here? Why couldn't he just admit that he was a lousy unicorn, and pack his sorry flank back where he came from? Was blowing up the stool his idea of an excuse? What a clumsy moron!"

Sunset was now banging her head against her open spellbook.

"And you should've seen it when Princess Celestia was chewing Red Dawn out." Pressure told them. "You could say that he was...red in the face!"

They all burst out in laughter again.

"He must've been so scared of what the Princess might do to him!" the first companion chuckled. "If it were up to me, I would've had that clumsy oaf chucked clean off the mountain for messing up that badly. And family aside, what does Sunset Shimmer see in him? He's useless!"

"Yeah, I bet he won't be invited to any of Sunset's family reunions!" Pressure Point laughed. "If he was my brother, he certainly wouldn't be invited to any of mine. I wouldn't even invite him to attend my funeral!"

"Just shut your trap!" Sunset snapped, letting her quill drop to the ground. "You don't understand what it's like to be my brother! And in fact, I don't think you ever will! Get off his case, you vultures!"

"Okay, okay!" Pressure nodded, gesturing to the rest of his group to sit back down.

Sunset moved away from her study area, and decided to sit beside Princess Celestia, who was overseeing the academy students. The princess, having heard the commotion, attempted to comfort the fuming Sunset Shimmer.

"Dear Sunset, I understand it is hard to deal with your brother leaving." Celestia said to her. "I myself have been forced to go on without my sister Luna for the past millennium."

"I don't care, Princess!" Sunset shook her head furiously. "It really isn't worth the trouble anymore! I don't want to worry about any more stupid attachments! No friends! No family! And no classmates, either! None of that! Just you, me, and your lessons!"

It was official: Princess Celestia was now regretting ever agreeing about sending Radiant Dawn away. But she knew that it was too late now, since Sunset had just declared that she no longer wanted anything to do with him. Instead, she compromised as best as she could.

"Don't worry, Sunset." Princess Celestia told her. "I promise that you don't have to stay here with the other students if you don't want to. From now on, you may take your lessons directly from me, and me alone."

"Thanks, princess." said Sunset, quietly. "The less I think about my brother, the better."

"Sunset, surely you don't mean that?" asked Celestia, shocked.

"I want to prove that I'm better off without him." said Sunset. "You saw what he did! Really, do you think I'd be making more of a difference if I stayed here in Canterlot, or if I went with Red back home to that dusty old mansion?"

"Well..." Celestia tried to counter her star pupil. "Sunset, I understand you're stressed right now. I know that you miss your brother. You shouldn't be afraid to hide your feelings."

"C'mon, princess, don't play mind-tricks on me." said Sunset Shimmer. "Now please, I'd like to go learn my next lesson from you."

"Very well, Sunset." said Princess Celestia. "But I think we should discuss these matters later..."

* * * PRESENT DAY * * *

By the time Princess Celestia finished telling the story to Princess Luna, she had a very depressed texture to her purple eyes. A lone tear streamed down her white-coated face, and she bowed her head mechanically. For a while, she and Luna were silent.

"...And that was the last time she ever spoke to anypony about her brother." said Celestia, finally breaking the silence. "I believe I already told you what happened with Sunset Shimmer herself, and how she ceased to be my student?"

"Indeed, you did." said Luna. "That is what made me so interested in her in the first place. To think that such a proud, clever unicorn like her would have such a depressing background. And I also feel rather badly for her brother. By the sound of things, the two of them seemed inseparable. To bring them apart like that clearly hurt them both deeply."

"I truly am sorry for what I did back then." Celestia said. "But I don't think that Radiant would ever forgive me for banning him from the academy. It clearly ruined the poor stallion's life. And I fear it may have somehow paved the way for Sunset's prideful, antisocial behavior."

"Sister, do you suppose..." suggested Luna. "If Red--er, Radiant Dawn had remained at the academy, anyway, he would have been able to keep Sunset Shimmer from leaving you?"

"I do not know, Luna." Celestia said, shaking her head solemnly. "But knowing how dangerous and unpredictable he was at the time, he could've just as easily joined his sister, or fled to that human world instead of Sunset Shimmer. If that were the case, I fear that he wouldn't have adapted well to that world. In fact, it may have been worse if he went there instead of Sunset."

"Whatever do you mean, sister?"

"He may have become insane within the first thirty hours on that side." explained Celestia. "Let alone thirty moons. The same would apply to if he found out that Sunset had crossed over to that world for so long, before she returned. To know that he would literally be worlds apart from his beloved sister, his only known family, for such a long period of time would drive him over the edge. He could have even died of a broken heart. All because of me."

Then Luna's eyes widened from a revelation.

"Sister, I just thought of something." she said. "He has gone down to see Twilight Sparkle. And when he learns about her previous incident with Sunset Shimmer, do you suspect that he may...?"

But she was afraid to finish her sentence. Princess Celestia, however, knew what she meant.

"He has the right to know the truth, Luna." Celestia said. "We can only hope that he takes it well."

Between Dawn and Twilight

It was the middle of the afternoon, and Ponyville was bustling with activity as always. Red Dawn found himself in the town square, anxiously searching for the library, where Twilight Sparkle apparently lived. He did, at least, take the time to look at the area around him.

"Now, where should I start asking around?" Red Dawn asked, when he felt something bump into his leg.

"Golly!" he heard a small voice say. "Sorry, mister."

Red looked down, and saw a filly with a yellow coat and a red mane looking up at him. She was positively cute, especially with the big, red bow tie on her head.

"It's really my fault, little filly." Red Dawn admitted. "I shouldn't have stopped like that. By the way, I'm Red Dawn."

"Well, gee. I never saw you 'round here, Red." the young filly said. "I'm Apple Bloom, if you're wonderin'."

"Oh, that's the most adorable name I've ever heard in, like...forever!" the orange-red unicorn bent down to smile at her.

"Umm...thanks, Red." Apple Bloom said. "So, did you need help findin' someplace in particular?"

Red Dawn was able to regain his composure, and gave a simple friendly nod.

"Just tell me the place, and I'll try and show you 'round." the young earth pony said.

"Okay, then." Red Dawn nodded again. "I'm trying to look around for the library. I was told Twilight Sparkle would be there."

"Oh, that'll be the Golden Oaks Library." Apple Bloom said. "It's the one built inside a tree."

"A tree?" Red asked. "That's kinda odd, don't you think?"

"Nah, not really." said Apple Bloom. "You get all kinds of strange stuff happenin' 'round here. C'mon, I'll walk you there."

"I'd be delighted to have you do that, Apple Bloom." Red Dawn smiled.

The young earth pony and the twenty-something unicorn trotted side-by-side. As they went on, Red was talking with Apple Bloom.

"You know, Apple Bloom." he told her. "You remind me a lot of my sister when she was a filly. She was so cute and innocent, just like you."

"Well, thankee." Apple Bloom grinned back to the tall, lean unicorn. "And come to think of it, you remind me a lot of my brother, Big Macintosh. You're a lot more talkative, though. Not that there's nothin' wrong with that, of course."

"No offense taken, Lil Apple." Red smiled back. "So what's the rest of your family like?"

"Well, we own Sweet Apple Acres." the filly answered. "We grow lots and lots o' apples for the whole town."

"Mmmm...that sounds tasty." Red Dawn said, licking his lips. "Who else is in your family?"

"Well, there's my big sister Applejack." Apple Bloom said. "Then there's Big Mac, like I said, and sweet ol' Granny Smith. And we've got relatives all over Equestria."

"Really? All over Equestria?" Red Dawn said. "I can say that you guys are lucky."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well..." Red Dawn said, hesitantly. "My family's pretty small, to be honest: Just me and my sister. I have no idea what happened to our parents."

"Awww, that's too bad." Apple Bloom frowned, showing sympathy towards him. "Hey! Maybe you and your sister could visit us, sometime? We have plenty o' room back at Sweet Apple Acres."

"That's very nice of you. But I don't know if my sister likes apple cider that much. And I'm trying to drink less of it."

"Are you sure, Red?" Apple Bloom said. "We have some of the best apple cider in Equestria."

"I said I'd drink less of it, not that I wouldn't drink any at all!" Red assured her. "I don't think it'd hurt to drink some."

"All right." Apple Bloom said, smiling again. "Well, here's the library. I hope you get whatever you're lookin' for."

"Me, too." Red Dawn nodded, as they came up to the tree. "See ya later, Apple Bloom."

When the filly was gone, the unicorn knocked his hoof on the door. After a few seconds, the door was answered when a baby dragon opened it.

"Hello, sir." the dragon said to him. "Are you looking for Twilight?"

"Yes, I am." Red Dawn said bluntly. "I have some...personal matters...to settle with her."

"Well, I think that she's deep in reading a book that she just got, but I don't think she'd say 'no' to a visitor."

"Come in, please!" the voice of Twilight Sparkle called from inside.

Red Dawn bowed himself in, and found himself face-to-face with a purple alicorn whose mane had a red stripe on one side.

"Hi!" She said to him, positively beaming. "Welcome to Ponyville! I hope the town's treated you well, so far?"

"They have." the orange-red unicorn nodded. "The name's Red Dawn. I came here from Canterlot, though I don't live there. I'd like to stay and chat with you about...something."

"Sure, Red." Twilight said. "What would you like to talk about?"

Right on cue, Red Dawn's awkward smile twisted into a snarl. He swiftly leaned his head over the purple alicorn, and started to speak.

"It's about my sister." Red was grinning maliciously. "You know her as...Sunset Shimmer!"

Twilight Sparkle gasped, remembering her. She had no idea that she would have a brother in Equestria, let alone one older and bigger than her. One that seemed like the protective type. Not unlike her own brother, Shining Armor.

"Oh, dear." Twilight Sparkle said, nervously. "I guess you found out that she was left behind in the human world..."

"By you!" Red growled. "What were you thinking, leaving her like that?! Thirty moons, Twi! Thirty! That's how long she could've stayed!"

"Could've?" repeated Princess Twilight Sparkle. "Then she..."

"She was able to come back by sheer luck!" Red Dawn snapped. "Not only for her, but for you."

Red Dawn bent his head down, with a furious expression on his face. Twilight Sparkle seemed surprised and delighted that Sunset Shimmer had found a way to come back to Equestria, but she couldn't help but quiver in the presence of the large unicorn in front of her.

"If she wasn't able to return as early as she did," he said. "I would've gone out of my way to unleash a world of pain all over you, even if you are a princess! But what I want to know is...why did you leave her behind like that?"

"Listen, let me explain everything." Twilight told him.

For some time, Twilight and Red Dawn sat in the middle of the library, facing each other. Twilight told her guest everything she could about the human world, and what Sunset Shimmer did there.

"And then when me and the human counterparts of my friends defeated her demonic form with the power of the Elements," Twilight said. "She was restored back to her normal state. I told her that she could choose to make friends, or forever be alone."

"And then you just abandoned her in a place where everybody was probably going to be hating her guts?" spoke Red, who was upset but not furious at the notion. "You didn't even suggest that she go back to Equestria with you?"

"Well, I did have my human friends promise they'd look out for her." Twilight said. "And when I left her, she seemed alright. She was helping to fix a door that was destroyed in the conflict."

"But did you even consider reminding her of her possibilities after that? Did the thought ever occur to you that you should say 'Hey, would you like to come back with me to Equestria and start your life over again, or stay and get turned into a pincushion by everyone that you've bullied for the past two years'?"

"She..." Twilight began.

"I don't wanna hear it, Twilight!" Red Dawn snapped. "What you did was stupid and heartless. Even if she wanted to stay behind, you should've verified that with her, instead of partying your remaining time away, and leaving her to fix some stupid door that she didn't even mean to break!"

"Okay, I'll admit..." Twilight Sparkle said, sheepishly. "I did get carried away with the dancing."

"So carried away, that you could've had Sunset Shimmer apologize to all those students right then and there, and then brought her back to Equestria." Red growled. "And you still messed that up. You're the worst princess ever!"

"Now listen here, you--" the baby dragon said, but backed off when Twilight looked at him with a stern look on her face.

"Listen, Red. I understand how deeply you missed your sister." Twilight said, turning back to Red Dawn. "I understand what it's like to be unable to be with your favorite sibling for such a lengthy period of time. I have a brother of my own, you see. He's always busy, what with being the Captain of the Royal Guard, and living far away from Ponyville."

Red just nodded slowly.

"And you must understand," Twilight said, her voice shaky. "If I knew you existed when I first went to the human world, I would've done my best to bring Sunset back here, so that you two could be together again...as a family. I understand that you're angry with me. And truthfully, I don't blame you at all. You have the right to be angry at me, just like you have the right to care so deeply about your sister."

she visibly braced herself for his retribution. But to her surprise, Red slowly cracked a smile, and blinked absent-mindedly. He could feel his copper eyes becoming watery, but he didn't cry. In fact, he wasn't as tensed up as he was before. There was a moment of silence, as he mentally formulated what he would say to the small alicorn.

"You know, Princess." he finally said. "I shouldn't stay angry with you. Especially since this whole thing's already been resolved: We've now settled our differences, and Sunset Shimmer's back in Equestria, safe and sound. I think now would be a good time for us to be better acquainted."

"Same here, Red." Princess Twilight Sparkle smiled.

They performed a hoof-bump, and exchanged friendly grins.

"Thanks, Princess." Red told her. "And I'm sorry I snapped at you like that. I forgot that you're new to this kind of thing. You're obviously trying to find out the right and wrong things to do with your royal duties. You're not stuck-up at all. You understand those around you...and I admire that, very much."

"And I admire how much you care for your sister." responded Twilight Sparkle. "You kind of remind me of my brother, Shining Armor."

"So, that's who your brother is!" the orange-red colt exclaimed, as if he just remembered something from a long time ago. "Yeah, I know who he is! In fact, we used to be bunkmates when we were training to be in the Canterlot Royal Guard."

"You were a guard?" asked Twilight.

"Nah, I never got that far into the academy." Red answered, shaking his head. "I was still a cadet when I jumped ship. I wanted to be close to my sister, so I decided to just be one of Celestia's magic students. Right now, I kinda regret passing up that opportunity."

"Why?" asked Twilight Sparkle asked. "What happened?"

Red then told her all about the infamous "flight spell incident", and the immediate aftermath. Twilight just looked at him, half-horrified and half-astonished. It took a few minutes for all of the information to sink itself into her subconscious.

"Wow, that's just..." Twilight attempted to comment, but words failed her. "I don't know what to say. But I definitely bad feel for you and Sunset Shimmer now. I'd probably have been acting the same way as Sunset if I found out that Shining Armor was sent away from me like that."

"I don't think so, Twilight." Red Dawn prompted her. "You would've still had your parents, right? Sunset and I lost ours when we were both very young."

"What happened to them, anyhow?"

"I have no freaking idea." Red Dawn admitted, straining himself. "It was so long ago. I think I was eight when they turned up missing. And I had no other relatives that I would've known about, and didn't know anyone that would take us in, so I had to raise my own five-year-old sister all by myself!"

Twilight Sparkle's jaw dropped.

"That's horrible!" cringed Twilight. "And I couldn't even begin to imagine how badly the stress from that experience must have been!"

"Well, it wasn't too bad." Red Dawn said. "My father was quite the scholar. He had all kinds of books, documents, and stuff that Sunset and I were able to use to learn about all kinds of different things. Of course, Li'l Sunny had to hog them all the time."

He started laughing, and even got a small chuckle out of Twilight.

"And we had a nice remote house to live in on the far side of Equestria, away from obnoxious country-ponies or thieves." said Red. "In fact, I still live there, since Princess Celestia sent me away from her academy. But I tell you, you wouldn't believe how excited I was when I got that letter from Princess Luna telling me that Sunset had come back to Canterlot, and that I was allowed to return there!"

"Princess Luna sent you the message?" asked Twilight.

"Yeah." nodded Red Dawn. "And apparently, Sunset Shimmer is now her student."

"She is?" Twilight asked. "I didn't think that Princess Luna was the type to take ponies under her wing, let alone former students of her own sister."

"And that reminds me of something." said Red. "I'd like you to put in a good word to Shining Armor. I'd like to join the Canterlot Royal Guard...this time, for realsies."

"Why would you want to do that?" Twilight asked.

"Why not?" Red Dawn said. "I don't wanna just trot aimlessly around my house, waiting for my sister to come visit me!"

"But becoming a royal guard is a great responsibility!" Twilight Sparkle pointed out. "I mean, you'll have to go through all kinds of difficult training, long hours of work..."

"Hey, Princess Twilight?" interjected Red. "Can you have your brother tell me that stuff?"

"As you wish, Red Dawn." sighed Twilight Sparkle, before turning to the baby dragon. "Spike, it looks like we have another letter to write!"

"Really?" said Spike, who had just woken up from a nap. "We haven't sent one of those in a while."

Suddenly, there was a repeated pounding on the door. Pinkie Pie burst in, and starting bouncing around Red Dawn.

"It's the new guy, it's the new guy!" She was shouting happily. "I'm just so nervic--"

"Pinkie Pie!" Twilight shouted to the pink earth pony.

She suddenly stopped.

"Oh, sorry, Twilight." she nodded. "I just heard that there was a new pony in Ponyville, and I found out that he was visiting you."

"Yeah, and I was actually planning on leaving in a few minutes." Red Dawn said.

"Without having a Pinkie Party?!" Pinkie Pie gasped. "Please, you have to come to Sugarcube Corner with me! I've already thrown a 'Welcome to Ponyville' party for you!"

"You what?" Red felt his jaw drop in surprise. "Wow, I don't know what to say!"

"C'mon, c'mon!" she jumped about again. "We've got all kinds of fun games and yummy snacks there! You'll love it!"

"Well, I guess I could spare a few minutes..." Red Dawn muttered. "Okay, then. Lead the way."

And then Pinkie Pie and Red Dawn sped outside quickly. Twilight Sparkle and Spike stayed behind, sighing in relief.

"Well, that was..." Twilight panted. "Rather uncomfortable."

"Tell me about it." agreed Spike. "That guy seemed like a real jerk."

"He's a very troubled soul." Twilight reminded him. "I mean, when you consider what he went through in his life..."

"Oh...sorry." Spike said.

"No, it's alright, Spike. I do agree that our conversations could've went smoother. Anyway, how about we get started on the letter for Shining Armor?"

"Right, boss." saluted Spike.

Enter the Syndicate

It was the early morning on the human side of the portal. Sgt. Craw and Cpl. Ghost equipped their combat gear and armor, and set out from Sunset Shimmer's apartment. They had received word from Supreme Commander Chrysalis that Captain Umbriel had given up on reasoning with Principal Celestia. Now, it was time for the Chrysalis Syndicate to make their move on the town.

The city hall was very quiet. Mayor Eve, a middle-aged woman with short gray hair and blue eyes, was writing a letter to the governor about the rising number of terrorist attacks occurring in her town, and that she needed the Army to come in and chase the offenders out. The speaker on her desk buzzed loudly.

"Madam Mayor, the police captain has just arrived." said the voice of her secretary.

"Of course." Mayor Eve said. "Send the young lad in."

Captain Shining Armor walked in through the door, and sat down in front of the mayor's desk.

"Captain, how's your search for the people that attacked your men?" asked the mayor.

"We still haven't found 'em." Shining Armor said. "Ma'am, has the governor agreed to send soldiers to help us out? I don't think our police officers will be able to handle men with the kind of weapons and technology we've heard they use."

"I'm in the middle of writing the letter now." said Mayor Eve. "What kind of technology did you say they used again?"

Suddenly, they both heard a distorted voice in the direction of the door.

"You can see for yourself." said the voice.

Mayor Eve was flabbergasted as two men suddenly materialized on the other side of the desk, one on either side of Shining Armor. They were wearing skeletal black armor with ridged helmets, and were pointing guns at the police captain, who had his own handgun out.

"Let's not be hasty here." said one of the men.

"What is going on here?!" exclaimed the mayor.

"Tell the police captain to lower his gun, and we'll gladly tell you." said the other man.

"Not until you tell me who you are...and put your guns down."

"As you wish." said the second man.

The two men lowered their guns, and the mayor beckoned Captain Armor to do the same.

"We're members of the Chrysalis Syndicate." explain the second man. "We're an independent military force contracted to hunt down a potentially dangerous fugitive."

"Dangerous fugitive?" asked the mayor. "You mean the gang members that have been roaming town lately?"

"Actually, what we're after is something much more dangerous than anything your police can handle. Send a message to the state governor. You have to tell him that there is a terrorist in your town's midst, and that they are currently planning to launch an attack on Canterlot High School."

"Oh, my!"

"Hold it!" Shining Armor stated. "If there's trouble going on in this town, then my police can handle it."

"You mean like how they handled what happened last month?" said the second soldier. "Or what happened just a few days ago? If your police didn't interfere in our operations when they did, we would've taken that fugitive away from your town long ago."

"You were the ones behind the shootout?!"

"No, your idiotic police officers were the ones responsible. They disrupted our work, and now a criminal is on the loose thanks to them."

"What criminal?" Shining Armor scoffed. "Who the heck are you talking about?"

"We can't say for certain." said the second soldier. "But we believe that Sunset Shimmer, a student at Canterlot High School, is connected."

Two hours later, Fluttershy was standing at the front door to Canterlot High. Since the statue had been barricaded by the police, this was the most reasonable place for her to hand out fliers for the animal shelter. Rarity and Applejack had walked up to her, to speak with their friend.

"Hey, Fluttershy, have ya seen Sunset Shimmer anywhere?" Applejack asked.

"No, I haven't." Fluttershy said, quietly. "Have you two seen her?"

"We haven't found her, either." Rarity said. "I'm really concerned for her, right now. I haven't seen her since three days ago! It's not like her to just skip school."

"Maybe they might know something about it?" Fluttershy asked, pointing down the front lawn of Canterlot High.

Rarity and Applejack looked to see what Fluttershy was pointing at, and were both awestruck at the sight: There were several men charging up to the school from an armored vehicle parked nearby. They were each wearing a full set of shiny black military armor and carrying rifles and shotguns. None of their faces could be seen, as they were obscured by metallic full-faced helmets that resembled the heads of insects, minus the mandibles and antennae. Fluttershy cringed when they came up close to the three girls.

The leader, who was somewhat larger than the other soldiers, wore a unique set of armor that had a helmet with a curved horn-like spike that protruded from above the speaker at its bottom and green lenses with a reddish tint in their centers, sported broad spiked pauldrons on his shoulders, and a ribbed green torso plate. Even though his skin was completely armored, Applejack's friends could already deduce that even without it, he must have had the physique of a very devoted bodybuilder.

"What in tarnation is goin' on here?!" Applejack demanded, stomping up to who she accurately presumed was the leader of the group. "There's no guns allowed in the school! And aren't y'all a little early for Ha--"

But Applejack cut her sentence to the leader short, when the latter threateningly cocked his firearm, which was a fully-loaded M249 Squad Automatic Weapon.

"Out of our way, civvy." the leader said, speaking with a deep, distorted voice. "We have been authorized to do this."

"Do what?" Applejack asked.

Fluttershy and Rarity stared wide-eyed with their hands clasped to each other's mouths, both afraid of what Applejack's answer might be. Suddenly, the leader lowered his machine gun, took his right hand off of the front grip, grabbed the blonde girl by the scruff of her shirt, and yanked her aside, sending her smacking against the wall by the shoulder. As awestruck as Rarity and Fluttershy were by this sudden action, they both felt at least a little relieved that it wasn't anything more severe.

"Don't get in our way again, cowgirl." he said, waving a metal-plated finger at her. "Or you won't want to know what else we're capable of doing."

"Excuse me, mister." Fluttershy whimpered. "Um, that's my friend you just pushed."

"Then maybe you could teach her not to interfere with us again." the leader said.

"What in the world in going on here?!" shouted the voice of Principal Celestia, who had been walking down the hallway. "Who let you maniacs into my school?"

Applejack got back up, and stood silently, as she saw Principal Celestia yelling at the man at the front of the group of soldiers. She admired how this unarmed woman was capable of standing up to a group of heavily-armed and armored men without any negative repercussions.

"Relax, Ms. Celestia." said the leader. "We don't mean any harm to the school, or those within."

"Yeah, I'll believe that when I see it." grumbled Applejack, who was fortunately either unheard or ignored by the mysterious armored soldiers.

"Again, who allowed you in here?" the principal demanded.

"Mayor Eve has given our organization a permit to garrison troops in this town. And the building we've chosen to base our operations within...is this one."

"What for? Why are you guys so interested in this place, anyway?"

"We have our reasons, principal. Now, I would like to formally introduce myself to you. I am Captain Umbriel of the Chrysalis Syndicate. We are here to catch a dangerous fugitive, and I trust you know who she is."

"I just can't believe this is happening." Principal Celestia groaned, scratching her head angrily.

The sun was setting in Equestria, and Sunset Shimmer, Trixie, and Lightning Dust were talking with each other on the outskirts of Fillydelphia, away from the prying eyes of the angry townsponies.

"So, why are you two here, again?" Lightning asked.

"Well, I'm here on a mission from Princess Luna." answered Sunset.

"And I'm here because I don't really have anything else to do." Trixie said.

"A mission, huh?" Lightning said, with a small smile. "So, were you two here to help get rid of those creatures?"

"Not really." Sunset Shimmer shook her head. "But it does look like something you could really use our help with."

"Me? Need help?" the pegasus chuckled. "I don't need help. I was able to hold my own against that Ursa Major."

"You're underestimating what has been recognized as one of the most dangerous creatures in all of Equestria." Sunset said. "You took it by surprise. You were lucky!"

"Yeah, if that beast knew you were coming, it would've eaten you alive." Trixie added. "Trust me, I once encountered an Ursa Minor, and my magic had no effect on it. What makes you think that somepony like you would stand a chance against the adult without any help?"

"In case you didn't, notice..." Lightning Dust reminded them. "I can fly. And I'm very good at it, too."

"But you don't think about the best way to utilize those skills." Sunset told her. "Trixie and I saw how you handled that Ursa Major, and we didn't see any signs of you putting much thought into what you were doing. You were just ramming into it, flying circles around it, and doing other reckless things that could've gotten you and those around you killed!"

"Okay, okay!" shrugged the blonde pegasus. "So my methods aren't the cleanest. They just get the job done as quickly as possible."

"But if those methods wind up demolishing half a city, then what's the point in using them at all?" Trixie questioned. "I may have boasted about my talents in the past, but I never did anything as insane as what you've been doing! At least, not willingly."

"Okay, do you have any better ideas? I'd just love to hear them!" snarked Lightning Dust.

"Girls, cool it!" Sunset said to both of them. "We're not going to be able to do anything to help this city if we keep arguing like this."

"Sorry, your highness." Lightning said, mockingly. "So, are you guys going to be able to help me with this, or are you two just going to criticize me all night? I already have enough ponies back in town to do that."

"Trust me, we're going to be helping this town." answered Sunset Shimmer. "All three of us are going to do it."

"Wait, all three of us?" said Trixie, surprised. "No, no, no. I don't want anything to do with this crazy pegasus."

"Trixie, please." requested the reddish-blonde unicorn. "I don't think I could do it without your help."

"Are you sure? You seem like a brilliant unicorn on your own."

"I'm sure."

"Fine." Trixie said, rolling her eyes. "I'll do it for you, Sunset. But only because you helped me with that creature on the road. I wouldn't want to cross paths with it again."

"Thanks." grinned Sunset Shimmer, before turning to Lightning Dust. "So, do you know anywhere in town that we could stay for the night?"

the cyan pegasus nodded.

"There's a tavern nearby." she said. "But I think that it'll be overfilled with ponies by now. If it is, you could hang with me at my house."

"That depends..." Trixie said. "What kind of house do you live in? Because if it's up in the sky, I don't know any spells for walking on clouds."

"Nah, don't worry your pretty little head." Lightning Dust assured her. "My house is on an abandoned pasture on the edge of the forest. The farmers left when they couldn't plant anything, so I decided to turn it into my own personal airfield."

"What did they try planting there?" asked Sunset Shimmer.

"I think the farmers tried growing apple orchards." Lightning answered. "I think they even made apple cider there for a while."

"There better not be any of it still there." Sunset grumbled.

"Why not?"

"Because I hate apple cider."

Lightning Dust and Trixie started giggling.

"Wow, Sunset. are you serious?" Trixie asked. "You're probably the first pony I've ever met in my life that didn't like it!"

"And I thought I was the only one!" said Lightning. "I'll tell you what. Why don't you two come with me to my house. There's plenty of room for the two of you there."

Sunset Shimmer yawned.

"Go ahead. We'll follow you." she told Lightning Dust.

A Warm Welcome in Ponyville

Radiant Dawn and Pinkie Pie went down the road to a large house that looked as if it was made of candy. When they went inside, they were suddenly greeted by thunderous applause from a crowd of ponies inside.

"Welcome to Ponyville, Red Dawn!" they all said.

Red gave a yelp of surprise, and looked around. He saw that there were many party favors and activities throughout the room they were all in.

"I hope you like it!" Pinkie Pie said, excited.

"Wow, I can't believe you did this all just for me!" Red Dawn said, relatively overwhelmed by everything around him. "I haven't even had birthday parties this big!"

"C'mon, Red!" said the voice of Apple Bloom, who walked up to him. "I'll show you to everypony in town!"

"Um...did you say 'everypony'?" Red Dawn said, clearly out of his element. "I don't know if I'll have time to do that!"

"Oh, come on, Red!" Pinkie said. "It'll be great!"

Pinkie Pie and Apple Bloom took turns leading him around the building, and introduced him to the various earth ponies, unicorns, and pegasi that were present. When Pinkie wasn't guiding him, she was offering him various treats and drinks.

"I know you'll love these cupcakes!" offered the pink earth pony. "Mr. and Mrs. Cake make some of the best pastries ever!"

"Okay, whatever makes floats your boat." Red nodded. "Lay it on me!"

He raised his head, and telekinetically lifted the cupcake to his mouth. He engulfed it with one bite, and licked his lips happily.

"Wow, that was pretty good!" Red Dawn said. "But what's the occasion for this party? Just entering this town?"

"Oh, it's just what I do around here." Pinkie Pie explained, with a big grin. "I just love throwing parties for ponies that are new to Ponyville! I hope you don't mind!"

"No, not at all. This is probably the biggest party I've been to in ages, let alone one that was in my honor."

"So, yer the fella that was so kind to lil' ol' Apple Bloom earlier today!" said an orange earth pony with a blonde mane and a hat, as she approached him with a smile. "I'm Applejack, by the way. Apple Bloom's my little sister."

"Oh, yeah." remembered Red. "She told me about you. You run the apple orchard, right?"

"Yep. Me and my family!" confirmed Applejack. "And boy howdy, did Apple Bloom just go on and on about you."

"Really?"

"And as a matter of fact, I wouldn't blame her." Applejack said. "And boy, she said you were big. I didn't think you were bigger than Big Mac!"

Red Dawn felt himself blush a little.

"Uh...thanks, Applejack." he said, smiling weakly. "I get it from my mom. She was pretty tall, too..."

Red looked around for the exit. He tried to gesture for his admirers to stand aside, but they were too busy gossiping and whispering amongst each other to heed him. Suddenly, he heard a horn sound off outside. A unicorn rushed into the building.

"Everypony, the Canterlot Royal Guard just arrived!" he was shouting to all the ponies present.

"Oh, boy." Red was muttering to himself. "What could they want?"

Suddenly, a pegasus guard in golden armor marched inside, and stood erect against the doorway.

"We are looking for the unicorn named Red Dawn." he declared. "Captain Shining Armor has requested an audience with him at the city hall."

Red Dawn was relieved to be away from the large crowd of ponies, but couldn't help but notice the shocked and concerned expressions on their faces. As he finally broke free of the partying ponies, Apple Bloom walked up to the guard.

"What's the problem, sir?" she asked, visibly worried. "Red ain't in trouble, is he?"

"I don't know, little filly." he said. "All I know is that the captain received a letter from Princess Twilight Sparkle, and that he wants to meet with Red Dawn."

"Well, then let's get the show on the road!" said the orange-red unicorn, who was eager to get away from the onlooking bystanders.

He followed the pegasus along the street, until they finally reached Ponyville's town hall. Inside were several individuals, waiting patiently for them to arrive. When Red Dawn caught sight of Shining Armor, the two large stallions approached each other with dogged postures and scowling faces, each staring hard and unblinkingly into the other's eyes. They stopped just a few inches from each other, glaring adamantly at one another, but said and did nothing.

"Wow, talk about deja vu." said Spike, who was standing beside Twilight Sparkle, nudging one of her hind legs.

A few seconds passed on before Armor and Dawn's mouths started to quiver, and they suddenly burst out in laughter.

"Radiant, you old dog!" said Shining Armor, half-chuckling. "I haven't seen you since you dropped out of the tryouts!"

"And look at you!" grimaced Radiant Dawn. "A bonafide Captain of the Royal Guard, and probably one of the best that Equestria's ever seen in years! But don't forget: it could've been me!"

He let out a friendly chuckle, before Shining Armor asked him a question.

"So, Dawnie boy." Shining Armor began. "What brought you here to Ponyville?"

"That would be your sister here." answered Red, gesturing with his head towards Twilight Sparkle. "I thought I'd ask her a few questions about...personal matters."

"Oh, you mean about your sister?" deduced Shining Armor. "I know all about it. In fact, my guards had arrested her the day before yesterday, and sent her to Canterlot. I had a feeling you'd be asking around for her, so..."

"I already know about that." said Radiant. "I've already met with her. She's doing fine, I guess."

"So, what did you want from me?"

"I'd like to reapply for the Canterlot Royal Guard." said Radiant Dawn. "I don't want to put myself to waste any longer. I want to be able to do something important with my life."

"I don't know about that, Red." said Shining Armor. "I know about that little incident of yours back in Canterlot. I'm not sure if Princess Celestia would want you prowling her castle after something like that."

"The one when I was at the academy, or my outburst early this morning?"

"What outburst?"

"Never mind. Just tell me what I could do to get back in."

"Sorry, but Princess Celestia's been a little lax with who we let join her Royal Guard nowadays. Ever since that whole Changeling incident..."

"Changelings?!" Radiant said, surprised. "When did that happen?"

"During the day of my wedding." stated Shining Armor. "Canterlot was invaded by-"

"Oh, dude!" said Radiant. "That happened on your wedding? And it was Changelings? I had no idea. I don't really get a lot of news from this far out East--I live in Vanhoover, and news there is sloooooooowww..."

He coughed and took a deep breath.

"Who's the lucky mare, anyway?" Radiant asked. "Let me guess: Spitfire? Sapphire Shores? Octavia?"

"Princess Cadence." said Shining Armor.

Radiant Dawn felt his jaw drop.

"You married a princess?!" he exclaimed.

"Yep, an alicorn princess, too!"

Red decided to steer the conversation back.

"So, anyway." he said. "You said that Princess Celestia's being pickier with who joins the Royal Guard?"

"Yeah. She doesn't wanna risk anyone infiltrating the castle, and doing any more damage from the inside."

Suddenly, the doors to the town hall opened up, and Princess Luna strode in. She was flanked by two bat-winged pegasus guards. She had a vigilant expression on her face, as if she was expecting something to happen.

"Ah, Princess Luna!" Shining Armor said, quickly saluting the alicorn. "I didn't know you'd be here, too! I'm just letting you know that everything's under control, your majesty!"

"At ease, captain." said the princess of the night, before turning to face Radiant Dawn and Twilight Sparkle. "I trust that your meeting has progressed...well?"

"Well enough, your highness!" said Radiant.

Luna scrutinized Radiant's face.

"We trust that thou wishest to speak with me?" she asked.

"Yes, ma'am." confirmed Radiant. "I would like to join the Royal Guard...again."

"Why would..."

"I don't want to waste my life away, so I figured I'd do something productive." said Radiant.

"I admire your enthusiasm." said Princess Luna. "But you must understand it's not my place to give you that kind of position. That would be my sister's. And she has become...restrictive with new recruits."

"Oh, yeah?" Radiant Dawn said, suddenly shooting a wary look at the two bat-ponies that silently stood on either side of the princess. "And what about them? They look awfully suspicious!"

Princess Luna, Shining Armor, and Twilight Sparkle just exchanged confused looks, as Red Dawn started marching back and forth between the two guards.

"Okay, let's get started." he said. "I'm Radiant Dawn, and I'm going to be asking both of you some very important questions."

He started to talk to them in a quiet tone, and the bat-ponies answered in turn. The others couldn't make out what he was saying, but whatever it was made the bat-ponies flinch and bow their heads.

"Sound good?" Radiant told them, more audibly.

"Yessss, sssir." one of the bat-ponies nodded with a salute. "Whatever you assssskkk..."

"Good." he said. "You're both great guards. You might even make it as officers someday. Just don't let the princess down."

"Radiant Dawn, that was...incredible." she said. "Very impressive. It's not very often that I've met someone inspire such authority over my bat-guards."

"Yeah!" Shining Armor said, his mouth wide open with surprise. "Not even I could do something like that! Those bat-ponies are the bane of my existence! They used to scare the hay outta me when I was a foal. Even now that I'm a captain, I'm still afraid to look them in the face, let alone give 'em orders. And yet, you were able to break through to them like a cardboard wall! Radiant, what is your secret?!"

"Captain Armor, does Radiant Dawn have any experience with leadership skills?" Princess Luna asked.

"Can't really remember too much, honestly." replied the stallion. "This pony never even became a full-fledged guard! He dropped out when he was still training at boot camp! And I should know; we were sparring partners!"

"Most impressive." said Princess Luna, studying Radiant Dawn curiously. "So what did you say to them?"

"Just wanted to make sure that they weren't goofing around." said Radiant Dawn. "Minced a few words, made my presence known without being too aggressive. Kinda like what my mom would've done. She was a really tough mare, and she used to tell me all these stories about these Saddle Arabian warriors and champions and stuff when I was a little colt. I thought I'd try modeling myself after one, so..."

"Radiant Dawn, I have a propostion for you." said Luna.

"So lay it on me, your majesty!" said Radiant, eagerly.

"I, Princess Luna, wish for you to return with us to Canterlot." said Luna. "I am giving you special permission to stay the night within the castle. I do believe that my sister may find interest in somepony such as yourself, regardless of the jaded history you have with her."

"Luna, are you sure that's a good idea?" Twilight Sparkle asked. "Taking Sunset Shimmer as your student is one thing, but this guy's...well, I just don't know what to make of him! I don't think Celestia might take this too well..."

"Don't worry, sis." said Shining Armor. "I'm sure Princess Luna knows what she's doing. She's very brilliant at being a princess, just as much as--dare I say--Celestia herself."

"I'm grateful for the compliment, Captain." said Luna. "But now, we must return to Canterlot. The sun is already setting, and the Night Court will be in session very soon. As for you, Radiant, would you be interested in coming with us?"

It took a moment to respond, but Red Dawn was able to come to a decision.

"Well, the next train that'll bring me back home won't be at the station until tomorrow." he recounted. "So I guess I could tag along, at least until eleven o'clock in the morning. Of course, that's assuming I don't get the job!"

"Splendid." said the princess, beckoning Shining Armor, Radiant Dawn, and the bat-pony bodyguards to follow her back outside.

As the Night Falls

Sunset Shimmer groaned loudly the moment she first saw the farm where she would be staying for the time she and her companions would spend in Fillydelphia. The barn looked like it would collapse at any moment, the large fields that once held crops were shallow seas of mud and dirt, and the stone-covered path to the ranch house was obstructed by broken-down farming equipment. Sunset shot a frustrated look at Lightning Dust.

"This isn't a farm, this is a dump!" moaned Trixie. "I'm going to take my chances at that tavern."

Suddenly, there was a low rumble of thunder in the distance.

"Oh, yeah!" said Lightning Dust. "I forgot to mention that the town scheduled a rainstorm for tonight. I'd stay here for the night, unless you wanted to catch a cold."

Sunset Shimmer and Trixie gave a collective groan, and followed Lightning down the path. When they got to the wrecked farming tools on the path, Lightning took straight off to the ranch house, leaving the other two unicorns to deal with the obstacle.

"Shake a hoof, girls!" she called out to them from the other side. "Don't keep me waiting!"

"Do I look like a country mare to you?!" Sunset shouted back. "How about you come back and help us, before I use your wings to plow these fields?"

"Cool it, Miss Prissyhooves." retorted Lightning. "You're unicorns, aren'tcha? Why don't ya just use that telekinesis of yours to get rid of that junk?"

"Why don't we get rid of you, too?" Trixie called after Lightning Dust.

"Oh, will you two just shut up?" yelled Sunset Shimmer. "Let's get this over with, before I get rainwater in my mane!"

Her horn shone with a green aura, and the farming equipment was levitated off of the road. She approached the ranch house, with Trixie in tow.

"Uh-uh!" Lightning Dust shook her head. "You two can sleep in the barn."

"This really isn't the time to play games, Lightning." Trixie growled. "It's going to rain any minute, and there's no way I'm spending the night under a roof that looks like it could fall apart at the drop of a hat."

"Oh, that roof's just fine!" denied the pegasus. "I'll show ya!"

She ascended into the air, and landed on the roof of the nearby barn. She bounced on it a few times, before there was a loud crunching sound, and Lightning disappeared from sight with a shriek. There was a series of loud tumbling and cries of pain inside. The two unicorns gasped, and galloped in through the open reddish-brown door. Laying in a corner, under a large hole in the ceiling, was the unconscious Lightning Dust.

"By Celestia!" whispered Sunset Shimmer. "I hope she's okay!"

"Serves her right!" Trixie smirked.

Sunset gave the blue unicorn a very unamused glare.

"Okay, then." said Trixie, whose horn was now illuminated. "Let's go help her."

They formed a makeshift stretcher out of the hay-bales, pitchforks, and burlap sacks that were laying around the barn, and carefully levitated Lightning Dust outside, and into the ranch house. They laid her out on a sofa, and inspected her body for lasting injuries.

"Wow, she really busted herself up here." Trixie said, pointing at the pegasus's left wing, which was bent and bruised. "What should we do?"

"First, we need to clean the wound." advised Sunset. "So that it doesn't get infected."

She conjured up a pair of tweezers from a nearby cupboard. She directed it over the damaged wing, and attempted to remove the broken feathers. Suddenly, the entire wing sprang outward, smacking Sunset Shimmer across the face.

"Yow!" she lurched back, with a jump.

Trixie was laughing loudly, to Sunset's dismay.

"If you think you can do it better, then be my guest." growled the amber unicorn.

Trixie stopped laughing, and nervously took a white cloth off the table, and gently tried wiping the smudges around the broken feathers. The wing snapped back again, and Trixie was knocked off-balance. Sunset Shimmer leaned over to help her friend.

"Looks like it's going to take both of us to do it!" she said.

"Why do I have to do it, at all?" Trixie said, dizzily rolling her violet eyes.

"Because your smart-alecky behavior got her into this mess!" reminded Sunset. "If you didn't make such a big deal about the roof, Lightning wouldn't be in the condition she's in now!"

"Wow, you're right." Trixie frowned. "Sorry."

The two unicorns leaned over Lightning Dust, with the intent to press the wing down. But they pressed the wrong section, and the wing began swatting the two mares in a rapid-fire barrage of feather-lined blows. Giving up, Sunset Shimmer and Trixie backed away, frustrated.

"Why that little..." Trixie snarled, her horn glowing fiercely.

"Trixie, it's not her fault!" clarified Sunset. "It's an involuntary reflex! Most pegasi have them."

Trixie regained her composure, and sighed.

"Ah, yes." she muttered. "Restless Wing Syndrome. Truly, the darkest hour of Pressure Point's medical career."

"You know who Pressure Point is?" asked Sunset Shimmer.

"Who doesn't know who he is?" stated Trixie. "He's only the best doctor in Canterlot! He also happens to be my cousin...well, second cousin."

"You don't say." Sunset said, dryly. "Anyway, we're both doing this wrong. We need to tie those wings down. Do we have anything in this place that could bind them together?"

Trixie went out back to the barn, and returned with a long rope. She used her magic to tie it neatly around Lightning Dust's torso and wings, allowing the unicorns to inspect the pegasus's injuries without interference. Sunset plucked the broken feathers apart, and put a rag over the wound.

"There we go." she said. "That wing should be just fine, as long as Lightning doesn't try flying until tomorrow. Now, we should try reviving her."

Suddenly, a bucket of ice-cold water was dumped on Lightning Dust's head, and she began sputtering uncontrollably.

"Yes, ma'am!" she choked aloud. "Lightning Dust reporting for duty! Go, Wonderbolts!"

She rolled off the sofa, got up off the floor, and attempted to open her wingspan. When she realized that her wings were bound to her chest, she snapped out of her dream-like trance. Lightning turned to look at Sunset Shimmer and Trixie.

"So...what just happened?" she asked, putting a hoof against her head. "And why am I aching all over?"

"You fell through the roof of the barn, hit the ground hard, and bruised your wing badly." said Sunset Shimmer.

"No way!" denied the pegasus.

"Follow us." said Trixie.

The trio went outside, and entered the barn. Sunset pointed out the hole in the ceiling, which was the first in a number of similarly-sized crevices that went all the way up to the roof. Lightning's wings quivered, and her golden eyes widened.

"Woah..." she whispered. "I can't believe it. I could've broken my neck, or something!"

"And you're lucky we were here to help you." Trixie pointed out.

"I am!" agreed the pegasus, turning to look at the two mares. "Thanks for helping me. I'm so sorry about how I treated you two. Can you ever forgive me?"

"I can." Sunset said, leaning to comfort the shocked pegasus. "You know, the first step to friendship...is forgiveness. Lightning Dust, will you accept my friendship?"

"Sure thing." nodded Lightning. "You totally saved my life. I owe you one."

"And Lightning?" Trixie approached the two. "I'm sorry about what happened to you. I'm sorry I've been such a jerk to you. I didn't mean for you to get hurt."

"That's okay. I wasn't exactly a gentle soul, myself." said the pegasus. "If anything, I owe you an apology. So, we're cool now, right?"

"You're not going to burst into tears if I say 'no', are you?" questioned Trixie, darting her eyes at Sunset Shimmer.

"Nah, it's not my thing." said Lightning.

"Then I'd say we're ice-cold." chuckled Trixie.

The three mares laughed heartily together. There was a flash of lightning, which announced that they should prepare for the incoming storm.

"I tell you what." said Lightning Dust. "Why don't you two sleep in the house with me? I'm sure I could make a bed or two out of the couches. By the way, I don't think I ever got your names."

"Sunset Shimmer." said the amber unicorn with the reddish-blonde mane and tail.

"And I am the Grrrreat and Powerful Trixie...Lulamoon." said the blue unicorn with the silver mane.

"Well, it's nice to meet you guys. And I'm so glad that I have friends like you two." said Lightning Dust. "Let's go back inside. I was going to make some grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner. You wanna join me?"

"Yes, please!" said the two unicorns in unison, when they realized how hungry they were.

The three mares returned to the farmhouse, just as the rain started sprinkling down.

Meanwhile, in Canterlot, Radiant Dawn was brought before Princess Celestia. Shining Armor accompanied him, intending to provide moral support for his former bunkmate.

"Radiant--er, Red Dawn." said the princess. "I trust that you got the information you were looking for from Twilight Sparkle?"

"I did, your highness." he said. "And now, I want to join the Canterlot Royal Guard."

Princess Celestia eyed him uneasily. Red had a feeling that he already knew what she would say.

"Red..." she said to him, gently. "I am not certain about this."

Shining Armor interjected his own input into the conversation.

"Your majesty, Radiant here has the potential to be a great addition to the royal guard." he informed her. "He was able to get Princess Luna's bat-ponies to listen to him, and without any magic or brute force."

"Yes, I have no doubt about that." she said. "But I cannot help but be concerned about how he may adapt to the schedule."

"Schedule?" Radiant asked. "Pardon me, your highness, but don't I just have to stand around, patrol some streets, and maintain law and order in the community?"

"That is correct." said Princess Celestia. "But the only shifts available to new recruits will last twelve hours straight, from sun-up to sun-down. And I understand that you often have trouble sleeping at night, so you may not be prepared for such a demanding schedule, come the morning."

"Ah, I see." said Radiant. "But with all due respect, I would like to check all of my options before I just give up and leave."

"There is also the Night Guard." said the princess, with a sigh. "They watch over the city when the Night Court of my sister is in session. But I fear that it would be a depressing and lonely job for someone as lively as you. Speaking of which, the Night Court will begin in five minutes. We shall discuss these matters in the morning, Red Dawn."

"Thank you, Princess Celestia." said Radiant Dawn, bowing his head. "And good night."

"Good night, young one." the princess called after the orange-red stallion. "May you sleep well tonight!"

"C'mon, Dawnie." said Shining Armor. "I'll show you to your quarters."

The two stallions ventured through the castle together, past the banquet hall, and up the flight of steps. When Shining Armor stopped, he telekinetically opened a door that led into a very spacious bedroom, with a window on the ceiling, looking out into the heavens above.

"I hope you like it." said Shining Armor, before turning his head to the left. "And look! You'll be right next door to Sunset Shimmer! Sure, she's away right now, but it's the thought that counts."

Red turned to see what Captain Armor was looking at. It was indeed the very same door that just a couple of days ago, he found himself standing on this side of, waiting to see his sister again for the first time in years. The door that had been slammed in his face shortly afterwards. Regardless, he couldn't help but smile.

"Thanks, my old friend." he said.

"Don't thank me. It was Princess Luna's idea." said the white stallion. "Anyway, sleep tight! I know that I will!"

One Night in Fillydelphia

Sunset Shimmer and her friends were eating sandwiches in the ranch house's kitchen, and talking to each other about the attacks on Fillydelphia. Trixie and Sunset both listened closely to what Lightning Dust had to say about the matter.

"I tell ya, these attacks are getting worse, and worse!" said Lighting. "It's like we're fighting half the Everfree Forest. It's just crazy!"

"Lightning, when did the attacks begin?" asked Sunset, after finishing her second sandwich.

"I think about two or three weeks ago." answered Lightning Dust. "I think it started when somepony delivered a carton of eggs to the farmer's market, and it turned out that there were two cockatrices inside. A whole bunch of ponies were turned to stone, and we had to send them off to Manehatten to be revived."

"What did this pony, or whatever it was, look like?" asked Trixie. "The one that delivered the eggs."

"No clue." said Lightning, uneasily. "All I know was that they could fly, since they apparently took off into the air once the cockatrices made themselves known. And it just got worse from there. The day after that, the city hall became infested with giant spiders. And it took eight days and a small army of royal guards to get them all out of there, when some manticores turned up to ransack the marketplace. And just two days ago, some donkeys came into town, rambling on about a large creature with an armored body destroying their wagons."

"That must've been the creature we encountered on the way here." Sunset said to Trixie.

"Wait, so that thing's for real?" asked Lightning Dust. "I thought that was some kind of exaggeration."

"Yes, it's real." Trixie verified. "And we've ran into it twice: Once on the road to Fillydelphia, and again in town, just before that Ursa Major attacked."

"Lightning, why hasn't the mayor sent word to Princess Celestia about these attacks?" asked Sunset Shimmer.

"Because everypony we try to send to Canterlot ends up disappearing on us, getting lost, or being mauled by the creatures. I've never seen so many ponies being placed into one hospital." explained Lightning Dust, who was frowning. "And we're pretty short on magic, since there are only a few unicorns in town, and most of them aren't as experienced as you two are."

"Don't worry." assured Sunset Shimmer. "I have an idea as to how I could get a message through to Canterlot. In case it doesn't work, I say that we start training ourselves tomorrow. Or should I say, that I will be training you two."

"What did you have in mind?" asked Lightning Dust.

"You'll see in the morning." answered Sunset. "Now good night to you both."

Sunset Shimmer went to sleep on the sofa in the living room, while Trixie laid down on a sleeping bag upstairs, and Lightning Dust went into her bedroom. In spite of the sound of raindrops loudly hitting the roof of the farmhouse, she fell quickly into a surprisingly pleasant dream. She was back in the human world, in her humanized body, and was sitting on a couch...with Craw on the other end. She gasped frightfully when she saw him. But Craw looked back at her with a concerned expression on his face.

"Hey, Sunny?" he asked, confused. "What's the matter?"

Then Sunset realized that this dream was some kind of emulation of one of her memories of Craw, from when they were still friends. Craw didn't look angry to see her. In fact, he had the same care-free look he had in his eyes when she first met him at Canterlot High. Craw looked just she remembered him: Tall, buff, a grayish complexion, reddish-brown eyes, and shaggy brown hair with a greenish tint. He was wearing a mustard yellow t-shirt, black tennis shoes, and brown cargo pants.

"Um...nothing." she told him, trying to avoid seeming stir-crazy.

"Well, I'll admit: This is a pretty violent movie." he said, pointing to the TV, which was playing one of the many war films that the two would watch together. "If you don't wanna watch it anymore, I'll understand."

"No, it's...not that." said Sunset. "I'm just so...troubled right now."

"Baby, what's wrong?" Craw asked, gently putting a hand on Sunset's shoulder. "Come on, I'm your friend. You can tell me anything stupid or crazy, and it wouldn't make a difference."

If only. If only.

"I'm so sorry." she said simply, leaning forward to tearfully kiss him on the lips.

Craw just sat still for a second, then slowly got up.

"Um, okay then." he said, blankly. "I think you're a little delirious, Sunset. I'll tell you what. How about I go get you another glass of lemonade? That should calm your nerves."

Craw picked up the remote to pause the movie, and walked out of the room. Sunset got up to stretch, and sat down in front of the television set. She was shaking all over, wondering why the real Craw tried to have her killed just a few nights before. Suddenly, the TV screen began to glow brightly. Sunset felt the need to touch it, and her hand passed through the glass. She thrust her entire body through it, and found herself in a darkly-lit room, and realized she was a unicorn once again.

"Sunset Shimmer, we never thought our paths would cross again so quickly." said a familiar voice. "Turn around, if you would please."

Sunset turned her head, and saw Princess Luna standing over her. Sunset couldn't help but smile.

"Oh, Princess Luna!" she said. "It's so good to see you again!"

"Indeed it is, my pupil." said Luna. "We trust that you have fared well on your journey?"

"Oh, definitely!" said Sunset Shimmer. "I've already made two friends, including the like-minded mare."

"That is most excellent, student." said Princess Luna. "If thou dost wish to return to Canterlot, you may do so. I am certain that Celestia would be glad to review your mission with me."

"Well, here's the thing." Sunset told her. "I'm currently sleeping in Fillydelphia, and the city's been attacked by monsters for some time now. The townsponies have been mostly unable to help themselves, and the attacks are getting worse by the day. They need help from the Canterlot Royal Guard."

Princess Luna had a puzzled look on her face.

"I've wondered why we haven't heard from them recently." she said. "Very well. In the morning, I will tell my sister about this crisis. But now, we must part ways again. But before we do, we ought to talk for a while about your exploits in the human world."

Sunset Shimmer shuddered at the idea, but nodded anyway. Princess Luna informed her of all that Vice Principal Luna had told her when she visited her dream, and Sunset offered her own details.

"So, the Chrysalis Syndicate was the group responsible for making my life on the human side of the portal as miserable as possible?" Sunset concluded.

"I can't say for sure." said Luna. "It was all very vague. There were a number of different parties that might have been responsible. Were you and this...Craw...close at all?"

"Definitely close." said Sunset. "In fact, I think that he had feelings for me, and that I was about to return them just before our falling-out. He was just so sweet to me, when everyone else became too distant from me. I never met anyone as nice to me as he was, except for Flash Sentry. The human, that is. Not the pegasus guard."

"I'm sorry, Sunset." said Princess Luna. "It must truly hurt a lot."

"It truly, truly does." Sunset confirmed. "But I'm not going to give up now. Once the sun rises, I'm going to be doing what I can to help Fillydelphia against the monsters, and my friends will help me. I'm sure I'll be able to do more here than I ever could in the human world. At least I can use magic here in Equestria."

"Sunset Shimmer, I'm proud of you." said the princess of the night. "Take care. I suspect that a certain somepony wishes to speak to me, right now. Good luck, my student."

Sunset Shimmer hugged one of Princess Luna's front legs.

"Thank you, princess." she said, happily. "I'm so happy that I chose to be your student. You're the greatest."

"Likewise, Sunset." said Luna. "I do not think I could have found a better unicorn to take under my wing."

Princess Luna faded from Sunset's dream. She snapped out of her trance on the high balcony of the castle in Canterlot. The night sky was clear, and filled with shining white stars. She heard hooves moving slowly up the stairs. The pony ascending them cast a very large shadow. It was Radiant Dawn.

"Radiant, is something troubling you?" Princess Luna asked him.

"Yeah, princess." He answered, once he reached the top. "I couldn't sleep at all."

Radiant Dawn looked up at the sky.

"Wow, the night is so beautiful....and quiet." he said. "You do a great job, your highness."

"Thank thee, Radiant." Luna told him, grateful that somepony was able to compliment her work. "Even in recent times, the night has not been as appreciated as the day. Though I see that it does have its...admirers."

"Do ponies with insomnia count?" Radiant asked. "Because that's why I'm up."

"Radiant, how was your meeting with Celestia?" asked Luna.

"The only day shifts available to me are twelve hours long." said Red. "But I was wondering if, perhaps, I could join your Night Guard."

"Do you really mean that?"

"Yeah, I mean it! My name might suggest otherwise, but I actually like the night a lot more than the day."

"Well, I do admire how you were capable of intimidating my bat-guards." said the alicorn princess. "Very well, Radiant. You may begin training tomorrow morning."

"Thanks, princess." said Radiant Dawn. "But forget the training. I actually finished mine. I just never signed in for the royal guard. The armor they wear is rather...uncomfortable."

"Then fret not." assured Luna. "The Night Guard is not as restrictive with uniform selection as the rest of the Royal Guard. Each member is given a set of armor to wear, but they may choose to wear their own."

"But...I don't have any armor at all."

"But there is a unicorn in Ponyville, who I believe could provide you a uniform. Her name is Rarity. I could have her arrive here tomorrow morning, to make for you the outfit you desire."

"I'd like that very much." said Radiant. "The ponies in that town were so nice to me earlier today. I'm sure we'll get along just fine."

He let out a long yawn, and turned around to trot back down the staircase.

"Well, I'm going back to bed now." he said, even as he left. "I'll see you in the morning...maybe. However your sleeping schedule works, that is. At least the skies are clear tonight."

Then he halted for a brief moment. He lifted his head up, as if to listen to something.

"By the way...did you know that there's a thunderstorm over Fillydelphia?" he turned his head to ask Princess Luna.

"How do you know that, Radiant Dawn?" asked Luna.

Radiant turned to show his cutie mark to the Princess.

"It's my thing." he said. "I can sense weather patterns for miles and miles."

"That is...very interesting." stated Luna. "But is there something about Fillydelphia that concerns you?"

"Well, that's where my sister went, right?" said Radiant Dawn. "It just made me worry about her. I hope she's okay."

"Sunset Shimmer is just fine, Radiant." assured Luna. "I was just speaking to her through one of my journeys through the dream world. She is currently sleeping peacefully, and among friends."

"Did she ask about me?"

"Unfortunately, no."

Radiant scoffed.

"I am certain that she has not yet forgotten about you." Luna said. "But good night to thee, Radiant. Rest well, for you shall meet with the rest of the Night Guard in the early morning."

"Yes, your majesty." Radiant said, proceeding further down the staircase.

Training Days, Part One

The next morning, Trixie and Lightning Dust were sleeping soundly in their resting spots in the ranch house. Suddenly, their ears were blasted by an extremely loud whistle.

"Wake up, ladies!" shouted the voice of Sunset Shimmer. "We've got work to do!"

Lightning Dust was quick to get up, and went out into the hall. Trixie was slow on the uptake, and groaned loudly. The two mares went downstairs, and found themselves looking at Sunset Shimmer, except now she was wearing an entire of ensemble of clothing: a dark green vest, a short lime-green cape, gold bands on her front legs, pale green cuffs on the hind legs, a brown wristwatch, and a pair of shiny black sunglasses. She also had her reddish-blonde mane tied in a ponytail.

"Wow, Sunset." Trixie commented. "I guess you weren't kidding about the whole training thing."

"I sure wasn't, Trixie." said Sunset. "Now come on, you two! Once we're done with breakfast, we're going to start rounding ponies up."

"For what?" asked Lightning Dust.

"We're going to form a militia for this town, and I'm going to train them to stand up against these creatures."

"And what would somepony like you know about training an army out of ponies that have never fought in their lives?" asked Lightning Dust.

"Yeah, Sunset!" said Trixie. "Do you even have experience with this kind of thing? Where did you get an idea like this?"

Sunset nervously rubbed a hoof against her left ear.

"Well..." she said. "From a war movie I watched with my boyfriend, Craw. Well, when he was my boyfriend."

"A...war movie?" asked Lightning Dust, tilting her head curiously.

Then Sunset Shimmer remembered that since these ponies had never been to the human world, they may not be attuned to its technological advances.

"I'll explain it later." she said. "I found some potatoes and oranges in the kitchen. We can have those for breakfast. Unless one of you wants to go to the market, that's all we have to eat for the moment."

"Oh, yeah." said Lightning Dust. "That's what I was going to Fillydelphia for, when that Ursa Major attacked. I was trying to stock up on my food supplies, and got side-tracked. I could fly over right now, if you want me to."

"Yes, please." said Trixie.

Lightning went into her bedroom, and rummaged through her belongings, until she returned with a purse slung on her back.

"I've got about...sixty-two bits on me." said the pegasus. "Do you two want anything?"

"Anything that isn't apple cider." said Sunset, sticking her tongue out in disgust.

"How about some pancakes?" Trixie suggested. "And maybe some peanut butter and crackers?"

Sunset looked at Trixie funny, even taking off her sunglasses.

"On second thought, just the pancakes." hesitated Trixie.

"Okay, then." said Lightning Dust. "I'm going now. See you two in twenty minutes."

She left the house, and flew off down the path, back to Fillydelphia. Sunset Shimmer and Trixie Lulamoon went outside to examine the farm, which was still extremely soaked from last night's rainstorm. There were large puddles scattered throughout the fields, and there was a low, but thin fog all around the house. They went into the barn, to find that the bottom floor was flooded with water, due to the holes that Lightning Dust made when she fell through the roof last night.

"Just look at this mess!" Trixie said. "It's gonna take us forever to clean this all up!"

"Relax, girlfriend." Sunset told her, bumping her companion in the shoulder with her hoof. "We've got plenty to work with here."

"Yeah, like a bunch of dirty, dirty water." scoffed Trixie.

"I remember there being some cleaning supplies in the farmhouse. Let's go get 'em." said Sunset.

Sunset Shimmer and Trixie went back into the house, brought out various tools that they could use to get the rainwater out of the barn. It took ten minutes, but the two unicorns were able to make the floor dry and spotless, if only because of Sunset's directions.

"How do you know so much about cleaning, anyway?" asked Trixie.

"Remember when I was telling you about that whole incident with the demon transformation?" said Sunset Shimmer. "Well, after that, I had to fix a whole bunch of stuff at Canterlot High School. And that included playing janitor for half the building."

"Canterlot High School?" said Trixie. "I don't remember that city having any such school."

"It doesn't. It's in...another place." shrugged Sunset Shimmer. "Another place that I could've been stuck in for more than two years. I still can't believe that Twilight Sparkle just left me behind like that."

"Twilight didn't even bring you back to Equestria?" asked Trixie.

"Nope. She just left me to fix up a building I didn't even mean to damage, while she just partied like a maniac with my ex-boyfriend."

"Wow, that's just..." Trixie attempted to comment, but became distracted. "Wait, so by ex-boyfriend, do you mean Craw?"

Sunset blushed.

"No. My other ex-boyfriend, Flash Sentry." she said.

"I know him. Isn't he the pegasus that joined the Royal Guard last month?"

"Wait, so that really was Flash Sentry? I just thought it was somepony that looked like him! Anyway, it's not the pegasus. It was someone else that shared his name...and looks...and personality. It's kind of weird that way in the human world."

"The human world?" gasped Trixie Lulamoon. "You were in the human world?!"

"You know about it, too?"

"Not really." shrugged Trixie. "I just read about it in a book about seven or eight years ago. I can't remember what it was called, but it mentioned something about an intelligent species called humans, which walked upright like minotaurs. But they haven't been seen in this world in large numbers since three hundred and fifty years ago, or at least that's what I remember the book saying. I mean, I'm sure that the odd one might turn up now and again, but it's very uncommon.

"But if these humans have their own world, that might explain why you don't see them that much here in Equestria; They probably like to keep to themselves."

And once again, Sunset Shimmer remembered the hateful words Sergeant Craw and his enforcer said to her outside of Canterlot High a few nights ago, just before she returned to Equestria.

"Yeah, I think they wouldn't really like to be among us ponies, either." said Sunset. "To them, we'd be a bunch of stupid animals. I can tell you that from personal experience."

"Why? What did the humans do to you?"

"Well, Craw had someone try to kill me, when he found out that I was a pony." said Sunset.

"I can't believe that someone would actually try doing that." said Trixie. "But how did he not know that you were a pony to begin with?"

"The portal used to travel to the human world transforms anypony that passes through it, giving them human shapes as long as they were on that side. They would also be unable to fly if they were pegasi, or use magic if they were unicorns."

"Wow, that's just...disgusting!" said Trixie, with a pained expression on her face. "I mean, what kind of sick, twisted mind would make a portal that would do something that...debilitating? I'd probably go insane as soon as I found out I'd be unable to use my magic while I was there. How were you able to deal with such a disadvantage?"

"Well, I was trying to keep away from Princess Celestia, and I did have something of a terrifying presence at first, when I was there." said Sunset. "Usually, people would just leave me alone when I wanted them to, and I would just take whatever I wanted."

"Yeah, I bet you were quite the role model." said Trixie, sarcastically.

"Well, I'm not like that, anymore." assured Sunset Shimmer. "Now, I'm hoping to be able to make up for the terrible things I've done before. That's why we're going to help out Fillydelphia."

"But I thought you said that we were going to try getting a message through to Canterlot first."

"Already did that, Trixie."

"Dare I ask how?"

"I sent a message to Princess Luna last night."

"Understood, then. So, what are we going to do now?" asked Trixie Lulamoon.

"Right now, we're going to wait for Lightning Dust to..." said Sunset, before looking outside. "Wait, there she is now!"

Lightning was soaring through the air, and landed in front of the farmhouse. She was carrying a large bag on her back, next to her purse.

"Alright, girls!" she shouted. "Here's breakfast!"

Sunset Shimmer and Trixie came outside of the barn to meet their friend.

"What were you two doing in there?" asked Lightning Dust.

"Fixing up the barn." said Sunset. "It was half-flooded when we went inside, thanks to that big hole in the roof."

"Look, I'm sorry about what I did." said Lightning Dust. "But how about I make up for it, by making you those pancakes?"

"Sure!" said Sunset. "But let me help you."

The three mares went inside the farmhouse to prepare for breakfast.

Meanwhile, in Canterlot High, the Chrysalis Syndicate was scouring the building for Sunset Shimmer. Captain Umbriel himself using the sensors in his helmet to scan every locker he passed by, in case she was hiding in one of them, ignoring the students he was passing by. Suddenly he heard Principal Celestia talking to a nearby soldier who was answering back with random strings of sentences that were apparently taken out of context.

"Listen, I don't know if you're trying to speak in code, but could you please stop that? It's really distracting!"

"I don't know anything about Daws Arnold Caros." said the soldier.

"That makes two of us." said Celestia. "Now remember that you and your captain--Ah, Umbriel!-- just who I was expecting."

Captain Umbriel stopped scanning the lockers.

"What is it now?"

"I was just reminding this soldier of yours to at least try not to disrupt anything, since all of you are guests at this building."

"Oh...Glitch." murmured Umbriel, recognizing the strange movement and gestures of the soldier Celestia was talking to.

"Zambini is a great place to visit, captain." said Glitch. "But if you drink anything colored orange over there, a Pacific Islander named Jamie Ray Mitchell will roast a turkey."

"What on earth is this guy trying to say?!" asked Celestia. "I've been talking to him for ten minutes now, and I can't get a word of what he's trying to tell me. It's always something random like 'Hovercrafts are terrible for the soul' or 'if you shake a soda can, monkeys will sacrifice a country singer'. Is he speaking in code or something?"

"No...I'm afraid Glitch is in his own little world right now." said Umbriel. "He suffer from a rare mental disorder where he believes he's in an existential crisis, and the only way to exist is--"

"No, no...you got it wrong, sir." said Glitch. "It's everyone else that doesn't exist. I'm just reminding them that Ringo's flowers are not for sale. Just five minutes from now, I'm about to tell Princess Schoolteacher over here that I didn't want the Springjack Bandits of North Dakota to come to my cousin's barbeque."

He leaned over to tell Celestia:

"Treats..."

"What is wrong with you?!" Celestia facepalmed. "Why are you so random?"

"Well, let's see.." Glitch paused. "Wait, I think a politician just went through the roof."

He pulled out a pistol off of his armor's utility belt. He loaded it, and clicked it.

"You're seriously going to discharge firearms on school property?" Celestia gasped.

"No, I'm about to teach a gas station attendant not to yeh-may-bebebebebebe!"

"Fine." sighed the principal.

Glitch assumed a stealthy, crouching position around the locker. He waited silently for a moment, then suddenly put his foot through the thin metal door. There was a ridiculously loud crash as his armored boot broke through the green-painted aluminum.

"How in the--?" Celestia gasped, breathless.

"The armor me and my men wear makes the wearer stronger than the average man." Umbriel told her.

There was a sound of someone hollering in shock, followed by an even louder banging noise when Umbriel yanked the door off with his foot, even as he was pulling his plated leg back out. He pulled the broken locker door off his leg, bent it in half, and then casually tossed it aside. He turned to look at the occupant of the locker. But to their surprise, it wasn't Sunset Shimmer at all. In fact, it was just a scrawny teenage boy in a hoodie. He was clearly scared out of his wits, and there was a noticeable bruise on his stomach, where Umbriel hit him.

"You know, at most high schools..." Umbriel said, in his usual casual tone. "Students don't usually go *into** the lockers to get their supplies*."

"I'm...I'm sorry, sir." wheezed the boy.

"You better run, small frog, or I'll squash you!" Glitch snapped.

The boy took a textbook from his locker, and ran out with a terrified squeal.

"Glitch!" snarled Celestia.

"He didn't know anything about politics, so I let him go." Glitch assured her.

"Now that I'm taking a moment to oversee your procedures for finding the whereabouts of Sunset Shimmer..." Umbriel noted. "I don't think I ever assigned you to this operation. So why are you here, Glitch?"

"Well, let's see..." Glitch looked around. "What was the other one trying to ask me? Why I'm acting like a spring-loaded circus cow? Well, when I was a kid, I ate a whole carton of Kybana. Later, I was verbally abused by a religious leader. Then my dog attacked him. *Then** the dog got taken, and got shot because he had rabies, and now I can talk to animals*."

The whole school fell silent. Students, teachers, and even other Chrysalis Syndicate soldiers were peeking out of doors, trying to decipher what Glitch just said.

"I think I saw those movies." said Celestia, scoffing.

"What movies?" Glitch tilted his head, confused.

"Glitch." Captain Umbriel said, pinching the nose-guard of his helmet to regain his composure. "I just remembered that I need someone to get me a pizza. How far can you walk from here to...Mission City?"

"On it, sir!" Glitch saluted, then ran out of the building, never stopping.

"Isn't Mission City on the other end of--"

"I know." said Umbriel. "But that should keep him busy for a while."

"Captain Umbriel, just look at this!" Celestia groaned, pointing at the bent locker door. "Is this seriously the cleanest way your men could possibly search for one person, or pony, or whatever Sunset Shimmer's supposed to be?"

"Not at all, ma'am." assured Umbriel. "Here you go."

He took out a huge wad of cash from a tube on his belt, and handed it to Principal Celestia.

"Here. that should cover the damage." he told her. "And I'm paying this out of my own pocket...just for you."

Principal Celestia sifted through the money she was just given, and put it gingerly into her pocket.

"Um...thanks, captain." she said. "I'm going to sign some paperwork. The contractors will want to hear about this as soon as possible."

"And Ms. Celestia?" he called out to her. "Here's a little something extra, for you."

He gave another handful of dollar bills to the principal, who reluctantly accepted the gift.

"I can tell that this is very stressful for you."

"Oh, you have no idea." said Celestia.

"You should be able to get a nice, fancy dinner for yourself with that money." said Umbriel.

"Thanks." said Principal Celestia. "But I think that I'll just order take-out tonight."

When she went down the hallway, back to her officer, Umbriel quickly sent a radio transmission to his men.

"Troops, this is Captain Umbriel!" he said. "I demand a report on Sunset Shimmer's location, and pronto."

"I've searched both the Principal and Vice Principal's offices, sir." crackled the voice of Corporal Ghost. "The pony's not in either room, though I was able to find some freaky-looking pictures of her in Principal Celestia's office."

"I'm checking with all the people that Sunset Shimmer was previously associated with." said Sergeant Craw. "They know nothing about her current whereabouts, but I have reason to believe that at least *one** of them is holding something back*."

"Cap'n, this is Lieutenant Sigma." said a third voice, with a thick accent. "Me and Canopy are still searchin' the boiler room. So far, we ain't found nothin'! No girl, no pony, not even a blinkin' janitor! Also, I just found out from Private Hopper that Proxy Squad's went and done a search of both the soccer field *and** the gym, and there ain't nothin' pony-related over there, either*."

"Thank you, lieutenant." said the captain. "At ease, men! School hours are ending soon. The night crew will be in the building to search the rest of the premises, as soon as the students all leave. In the meantime, I want Sergeant Craw and Corporal Ghost to find the recordings for the school's surveillance cameras; Perhaps they could tell us where Sunset Shimmer went."

"Yes, sir!" said both soldiers through the radio set on the captain's helmet.

Training Days, Part Two

In Canterlot, Red Dawn was being measured by a white unicorn with a swirly purple mane. She was fussing over his large build, and fumbling about with various rolls of measuring tape.

"Red, darling?" asked the unicorn. "Could you perhaps crouch a bit, so that I may measure your back?"

"Certainly, Miss Rarity." answered the orange-red stallion, bending down on his long legs.

"Oh, thank you so much." Rarity told him, measuring him from muzzle to flank. "There we go: Five feet and three inches. Counting the tail, eleven inches. Okay, then. I trust that the uniform will be completed in a few hours. Now, what kind of attire would you prefer?"

"How about..." Radiant meditated on the possibilities. "An all-black ensemble, with some brown and grey?"

"Are you sure about that, dear?" asked Rarity. "You look like you could benefit from some bright colors. How about some gold, or silver, or even green?"

"Miss Rarity, I'm joining the Night Guard." reminded Red Dawn. "I wouldn't look very professional if I went around wearing bright, cheerful colors."

"That's a good point." said the white unicorn. "I am glad to have been given the opportunity to offer my services to you."

"Well, I'll give you the payment when the uniform comes back properly." said the red-orange unicorn. "In the meantime, here's ten bits, so you can get yourself something to drink. The tavern on the way back to Ponyville has some good grape juice, that I think you'll love. And tell the innkeeper that Red Dawn sent you. He'll give you a discount."

"Why, thank you." Rarity said, with a humble bow. "I will return with the outfit, once it is completed."

"Thanks, Rarity." Red said to her with a nod. "Well, you know what they say: duty calls. I suspect that Princess Luna will want me to report to...wherever the Night Guard trains itself."

"Red, could I do something about your mane first?" offered Rarity. "It's rather messy, wouldn't you say?"

Radiant "Red" Dawn's mane was long, wild, and orange, with curls on the side, and red bristles along the back.

"Trust me, Rarity. It doesn't need any changes at all."

"But..."

"Nopony touches the mane!" snapped Radiant, before adding with a polite tone: "I mean, how would you like it if I went over and touched your mane and tried changing it, just because I didn't like it? I wouldn't like it very much. Would you?"

"Well, no." said Rarity. "I just thought that since I was making you an official uniform, I could take the time to straighten your mane a tad."

"My mane doesn't need any straightening." assured Red Dawn. "And I'm a little self-conscious about doing so, too."

"I understand, dear." said the young white unicorn.

"I like your mane, though." said Radiant. "It kinda reminds me of my sister's. Only, yours is somewhat tamer. Well, I've got to go down to meet the princesses."

"Good luck, Red." said Rarity. "And thank you for the compliment."

Radiant Dawn went downstairs, through the banquet hall, and journeyed through the castle in order to reach the throne room. When he went there, the door was flanked by two guards, including the pegasus guard that collected Radiant from Sugarcube Corner in Ponyville.

"Ah, yes. It's nice to meet you again, Red Dawn." said the guard. "Princess Celestia has been expecting you."

"She has?"

"Yes, sir." said the guard. "Princess Luna has informed Princess Celestia that you want to join the Night Guard. Isn't that true?"

"That's right." said Radiant. "So Princess Celestia wants to chew me out, right?"

"On the contrary, sir." said the pegasus. "She is delighted to see you have offered your services in a field you would be suited for."

"You don't have to call me 'sir', you know." Red said to him. "I'm not even on-duty yet. Who are you anyway?"

"Lieutenant Flash Sentry, at your service." introduced the guard. "I am Shining Armor's second-in-command."

"Wow, you're already a lieutenant? You must've been with the guard for quite some time, then."

"Actually, I've only been with my colleagues for a month now."

"Then you're the lucky one. I thought that a guard had to be on duty for much longer than that before they achieved such a high rank. What did you do to give you such a special honor?"

"Well, I'd love to tell you, but Princess Celestia wants you to speak with her immediately, and I'd hate to keep the Princess waiting!"

"All right." said Radiant. "I'll see myself in, then."

"Wait a moment." Flash suddenly interjected. "First, I'd like to talk to you...in private."

"Sure thing." said Radiant Dawn.

The two stallions went to a vacant corner in the hallway, and the pegasus started speaking.

"So, you're Sunset Shimmer's brother, right?" he asked.

"That's correct." verified Radiant, proudly.

Flash started sweating under his helmet.

"Well..." he said. "I'd like to say something about her."

"Yeah?"

"Look, promise you won't laugh, get angry, or start spreading rumors, okay?"

"Fine. Done and done. Now what do you have to say?" Radiant said, urgently.

"I haven't told anypony else about this..." said Flash, hesitantly. "But when Sunset Shimmer returned to Equestria a few days ago, I had an...encounter...with her in Princess Cadence's palace, back in the Crystal Empire."

"What kind of 'encounter' would that be?" asked the tall orange-red unicorn, curiously.

"I mean that she..." Flash Sentry nervously gulped. "She tried to seduce me."

Radiant just smiled down at the orange pegasus.

"Oh, that's just adorable." he said, casually. "My little sister's all grown up, after all."

"Radiant, sir?" Flash said. "I don't think she...actually had feelings for me. I think she just did it so that she could try and get past me without being arrested."

"Sure she didn't." snarked Radiant Dawn, blankly.

"Umm...sir?"

"Yeah?"

"I've been thinking..." said the pegasus. "When your sister comes back to Canterlot from that mission of hers..."

"What?"

Flash Sentry steadily took his helmet off, to shake the sweat off his short, spiky mane.

"I think I'd like to..." he said, now breathing heavily. "Ask her out...on a date. You wouldn't mind, would you?"

Radiant chuckled a bit, and patted Flash on the back with his hoof.

"Sure." he said to him. "You seem like a responsible stallion. I think Sunset Shimmer would just adore you."

"Really?"

"I have no idea." confessed Radiant Dawn with a subtle frown. "You can sure try, though."

"Thank you, sir." said Flash. "I owe you one."

"For the last time, you don't need to call me 'sir'." said Red Dawn. "I'm still off-duty. Now if you'll excuse me, I have that meeting to go to."

"Good luck, Red." said Flash.

Radiant waited outside the throne room, and waited for the doors to open, to find Princess Celestia and Captain Shining Armor waiting patiently inside the royal chamber.

"Ah, I see that the new drill instructor of the Night Guard finally shows his sleepy face." said Shining Armor.

"Sorry, I'm late...wait a minute." Radiant sputtered. "I'm a drill instructor? I haven't even done any work for the Royal Guard, and you're already having me train other guards?"

"That is correct, Red Dawn." nodded Princess Celestia. "Luna and I were discussing this while you were in your quarters. We both agreed that it wouldn't do somepony like you justice if you were to be looked down upon by your peers from the beginning."

"Well, I already told Luna I had finished my training," Radiant Dawn recounted. "so I wouldn't need to go train in any boot camp, right?"

"That's right, Red." nodded Celestia. "And now, Shining Armor shall lead you to the training area of the Night Guard."

"Let's go, Dawnie." said Captain Armor. "I think you'll love it."

In Canterlot High, Sgt. Craw and Cpl. Ghost were sitting about in Vice Principal Luna's office, with their masks removed. They were tasked with reviewing the security tapes they had collected on a small television screen. At the moment, they were reflecting on their last encounter with Sunset Shimmer.

"One thing's for sure..." Ghost commented, with a wicked smile on his albino face. "I'm going to have such a fun time giving the pony-girl what she deserves."

"And what do you think she deserves?" Craw asked his subordinate.

"To be put down like the sick animal that she is." guffawed Ghost. "What else would you have guessed?"

Craw shifted uneasily in his seat. He never really like Ghost, nor his insane methods of dealing with problems. In fact, he was having second thoughts about how he behaved towards Sunset Shimmer during their last phone call.

"You, know..." he muttered. "I'm thinking about how I reacted to Sunset being a pony."

"Yeah?"

"I think I might've...overreacted a bit."

"And I think you gave that freak the what-for, Sarge." sneered Ghost. "I heard every word of your little argument with Sunset 'Shoot-My-Head-Open' Shimmer. And trust me, I loved every syllable and vowel of it."

Craw shot a surprised, somewhat sheepish, look at Ghost.

"You eavesdropped on us?"

"Yep." said Ghost. "I relished in hearing Sunset Shimmer's panicky voice, so I decided to tune-in to your frequency using my helmet's built-in headset to hear what you had to say to her."

"Corporal, I'm honestly surprised at you...again!" groaned the sergeant. "Do you have any idea how many protocols you've violated by intercepting that phone call? I had her speak to me on that phone for a reason, you know!"

"Oh, just cool it! It's not like I recorded it, or anything." Ghost raised his hand to wave it nimbly. "Anyway, how do you think you should have reacted to Sunset being a unicorn in human shape?"

Craw shook his head, nervously.

"I don't know, corporal." he said. "But I kinda wish I found it out a lot earlier than when I did. Before..."

Ghost nodded with a mischievous look on his face.

"Before you started having...feelings for her?"

Craw glared back at him, almost blushing.

"Not necessarily." he shrugged. "In fact, I was considering the possibility of letting her in on my little secret. You know, about the Syndicate."

"Any why do you think that would be better than having feelings for her?"

Now Craw definitely blushed.

"Well..." stammered the sergeant. "I was thinking about...I don't know, perhaps recruiting her into the Chrysalis Syndicate."

"Wow, and this whole time, I thought you had a terrible sense of humor." Ghost burst out in laughter. "I mean, I don't question your decisions if I can help it, but I just have to say: that's probably the dumbest idea I've ever..."

"Sunset Shimmer wasn't your run-of-the-mill high school girl." snapped Sergeant Craw. "I figured that out, even before I found out what she really was! She had the potential to be a great asset to our organization. And now that I lost my temper over her being a unicorn, there's no way she'll work with the Syndicate, even if we do find her!"

"So, Sarge?" Ghost asked. "I'd just like to know...just how the two of you got to know each other."

Craw raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

"You know, because I didn't join the operation until a week later." explained the corporal. "It's only fair that I get the full scoop."

"Fine, but I'll only tell you once." said Sgt. Craw. "And only because I want to get it off my mind, to someone I can trust with the information."

The following Monday, Sunset Shimmer was sitting by the statue in front of Canterlot High. She was staring at the crater that was made when she was defeated by the Elements of Harmony. Cement mixers had been refilling the hole since yesterday.

“I can’t believe I actually did that!” she said to herself.

“Are you okay, Sunset Shimmer?” asked Fluttershy, who had come back from passing out fliers for the town’s animal shelter.

“Not really.” Sunset replied. “I keep thinking that I should’ve gone back to Equestria with Twilight.”

“Oh, I’m sure you’ll be fine here…or maybe not.” Fluttershy hesitated. “Don’t worry, Sunset. I’m sure that portal will open again soon.”

“It only opens every thirty moons.” Sunset Shimmer told the pink-haired girl. “That’s more than two years away.”

“Oh, dear.” Fluttershy said. “I forgot. I’m sorry.”

“Just forget about it.” The reddish-blonde girl said.

“Forget about what?” said a voice that came from the left side of the statue.

Sunset Shimmer and Fluttershy turned to look at the source of the voice: A hardy-looking young man in gray and blue clothing. He was five inches taller than Sunset Shimmer, and he had shaggy brown hair that had a greenish texture in the middle. He sat down next to Sunset Shimmer, and started eating a slice of pizza that he was carrying on a small paper plate.

“Um, excuse me…mister.” Fluttershy stammered. “We’re kind of not allowed to eat food on school grounds.”

“Hey, I was in a hurry to get here!” the man said, shaking his head. “I had to take a train all the way from Junction City, and it was a very long ride. I also had to get here as early as possible. Therefore, I think I earned the right to eat this pizza!”

“Junction City?” Fluttershy asked. “Then you’re that exchange student that we heard about?”

“That’s right.” The stranger said. “And I’ll introduce myself to you when I’ve been introduced to everyone else. Now leave me to eat in peace, will you?”

“Okay. Sorry for bothering you.” Fluttershy said, walking into the building through the newly-built doors.

“Good riddance!” the man shouted after her.

"You know, I'm really not in the mood to tell you how wrong that was." said the voice of the other girl, gloomily.

Then the man turned to Sunset Shimmer, who was still sitting next to him. She was looking down at the ground, clearly upset about something. The man offered the other slice of pizza on his plate to her.

“You look like you could use something to eat.” He said, holding up the slice in front of her face, as if to hand-feed it to her.

“No, thanks.” Sunset Shimmer said, turning her head away.

“Come on. Try it.” The man said, who was now trying to stick the pizza in her mouth. “Trust me, you’ll love it!”

“If it’ll get you to leave me alone, then fine.” The red-blonde girl said, reluctantly.

He was able to get her to accept the pizza. She bit off the tip of the slice, and chewed it quietly. She took the rest of the slice, and chomped it down.

“Hey, that actually was pretty good!” she said, when she finished scarfing it down. “What was in it, anyway?”

“It’s a three-cheese special thin-crust.” The man said. “I stopped at a pizza parlor on the way into town. They make some of the best pizzas ever.”

“Well, thanks for the food.” said Sunset Shimmer. “So what’s your name? Mine's Sunset.”

“You can call me Craw.” Said the man. “As I was telling that other girl, I came here from Junction City, for that exchange program.”

“Well, Craw.” Sunset said, standing up. “I would like to continue chatting, but I have to get to my class.”

“What would that be?”

“I don’t know. Algebra?” said Sunset.

“Well, how do you like that?” said Craw. “That’s my class, too! We could go there together.”

Sunset Shimmer was usually opposed to being seen in the company of new students, but given what happened with Twilight Sparkle, and Craw’s generous offering of his breakfast to her, she was happy to make an exception.

“Okay, then.” Sunset said, walking towards the front door. “Follow me.”

“With pleasure, Sunset.” responded Craw.

They went through the door together, to see all the students getting supplies from their lockers. Many of them were glaring at Sunset Shimmer. Craw noticed this, and looked back at them with even greater intensity. Given how muscular he was compared to most of them, they backed down, and continued to their classes.

“Have you had any problems with the other students, lately?” asked Craw as they walked up a flight of stairs.

“Well, you could say that.” said Sunset, nervously.

“Well, I sure don’t.” Craw told her, when they reached the door that led to their class.

“Don’t what?” Sunset asked, peering into the room to see if the class was already in session.

“I don’t have a problem with you.” Craw said. “In fact, you seem like a very cool girl.”

“You don’t say.” Sunset turned her head, looking back at him with a subtle grin. “So, do you wanna hang out after class?”

“I don’t see why not.” Craw answered. “Maybe you could show me around the building some time, too?”

“Sure.” She nodded. “Let’s go in. We wouldn’t want the teachers to be mad at us for being late.”

Sunset Shimmer and Craw entered the room together, and sat next to each other at the far end of the class. The teacher noticed them, and gave a clap of excitement.

“Ah, you must be our new exchange student, Mr. Craw.” Said the teacher, Ms. Cheerilee. “And Miss Shimmer, it is so nice to see that you two have already made friends with each other.”

Sunset blushed, and turned her head away, as if to distance herself from Craw. The other students were focused on the new student.

“So, this guy’s here, instead of Flash Sentry?” asked Applejack, who was sitting in the middle of the class. “Well, howdy! Welcome to Canterlot High!”

“I bet you’ll be a ton of fun to be with!” said Pinkie Pie, who was sitting behind Applejack.

“Yeah, that’s nice.” Craw waved them off, before turning to the others in the classroom. “So, what do you guys have against Sunset Shimmer?”

There was an awkward silence emitting from the rest of the class. Many were clearly thinking about some reasons, but were afraid to speak them out.

“Craw, I think that matter should be taken up with Principal Celestia.” Ms. Cheerilee said. “Now please, students, we can’t let what Sunset Shimmer has done in the past prevent all of you from working to earn yourselves good grades!”

The class stopped mumbling, and decided to start taking out their notebooks and textbooks.

An hour later, Sunset Shimmer and Craw walked out of the classroom together. Sunset had a smile on her face.

“Thanks for standing up for me, back there.” Sunset Shimmer said. “Even if they’re right.”

“What exactly did you do that made them all look at you funny, anyway?” asked Craw.

“Umm…it’s kind of complicated.” Said Sunset.

“Well, we have a fairly long break period, right?” Craw questioned. “Why don’t we get to know each other a little?”

“Sure, Craw.” Sunset Shimmer said. “Let’s go to the library.”

They walked into the room together, and went up to a deserted level with a dusty floor. They both sat in some old armchairs in front of a tall bookcase. Sunset took a slow, steady breath.

"So, what's the 411 with those other students?" questioned Craw, trying hard not to sound like he was interrogating her.

"Okay, I'll come clean with you." said Sunset, with a low frown. "I...used to bully the other students here. I did terrible things during my time here at CHS. Stuff that, looking back, I wish I'd never done."

"Really?"

"That's right." nodded Sunset Shimmer. "I've stopped now, but I'm a little uncomfortable about going here anymore. I think that half the school wants to get back at me for the terrible things I've done."

"Did you think about transferring to another school?" suggested Craw.

"Nah." declined Sunset Shimmer. "I'm hoping to return to my hometown, someday. But I have to stay here in order to get the chance to ever go there again."

"Are you sure? I'm sure I could get you a plane or train ticket to get there."

"My hometown doesn't have any airports, nor are there any near it. And it's high up on a mountainside, so trains are out of the question."

"Where do you live, the Himalayas?" joked Craw.

"Very funny..." scoffed Sunset.

"Sorry, Sunny." said Craw.

"Uh, it's alright." said Sunset Shimmer. "It's a long story, okay?"

"Okay."

"Now, if you'll excuse me..." Sunset proclaimed. "I have to help clean up the gym. It's still got decorations left-over from the Fall Formal, and I really need to get it all out of there before Phy Ed. starts."

"I bet you could use some help with that."

"Not really. I've got Snips and Snails to help me clean up." Sunset assured him. "Besides, It's just not in me anymore to make the new student pick up after somebody else."

"Sunset, I want to help you." replied Craw. "Honestly, I've done community work in the past. I could use the exercise. And I'd hate to leave a poor girl like you to do all that work."

Sunset smiled again, her green eyes beaming.

"Thanks, Craw!" she happily exclaimed, excitedly wrapping her arms around his strong torso. "You're so sweet!"

Then the tall, muscular young man tapped Sunset's shoulder, beckoning her to step back.

"So, how about I lead you over to the gym?" she said, blushing.

"That would be nice."

The two went back down the stairs, outside of the library, and towards the auditorium.

When Sergeant Craw finished telling Corporal Ghost about the story, the corporal started guffawing.

"Wow, Sarge." he laughed indignantly. "I had no idea you were such a casanova!"

"Just shut up and cut the chatter, corporal." growled Sgt. Craw, picking up a gas-powered pistol off of the Vice Principal's desk, and pointing it at Cpl. Ghost's smug face. "Consider yourself lucky that I want her dead as much you do. Otherwise, I'd put a bullet between your eyes for that remark, and lickety-freakin'-split!"

"I doubt that." said Ghost, shaking his head. "I don't think anyone could hate those ponies as much as me."

"You've probably got that right." said Craw, putting the gun back in the holster on his armor. "Now, let's continue analyzing those security tapes, before Captain Umbriel chews you out."

"Chews me out?" Ghost chuckled. "I think he'd like to do the same to you, even moreso, if he found out you were the one delaying the two of us."

"At ease, corporal." said the sergeant.

The two armored men continued checking the playback on the security cameras. Suddenly, they could hear raised voices outside the room, hurried footsteps of someone sprinting past the door, and the sound of lockers being bashed loudly. At first, they suspected that it was Captain Umbriel or one of his men checking the lockers, when they suddenly heard static from their helmets, which were resting on an unused armchair. Craw and Ghost put them back on, and tapped into the radio frequency.

"Attention, all personnel!" said the voice of a Syndicate operative on their receivers. "Be advised: An intruder has been detected in the building!"

"Is it Sunset Shimmer?" Craw asked.

"That's a negative, sir!" said the agent. "We have a man running through the hallways, carrying an unconscious student over his shoulder. This intruder is wearing a bulletproof vest, a blue-gray bandana, and red-rimmed sunglasses."

"Is he armed?" asked the voice of Captain Umbriel.

"Yes, captain." answered the Syndicate agent. "He appears to be carrying a sawed-off shotgun in one hand, and has a sub-machine gun tied to his waist. I suspect he is some kind of militia-type. He's on the main hallway of the first floor. He may be attempting to escape through the main entrance!"

Craw and Ghost both got up, and ran out of the Vice Principal's office. They hurried down to the first floor, and were able to reach the front door, just as they saw a figure running out on the front lawn. As they opened the door, they were joined by six other Syndicate commandos, and the eight all chased after the kidnapper down the street.

Ghost fired his rifle at the runner's legs, and the stranger stumbled over, dropping the student a few inches off the sidewalk. Craw and his men caught up to the wounded man and his hostage. The sergeant, noticing the student's multicolored hair, recognized her as Rainbow Dash.

"Ghost, see to it that this girl gets immediate medical attention!" ordered Sergeant Craw.

"Yes, sir." said the corporal, who was tenderly carrying the teenage girl back to Canterlot High.

Sgt. Craw stooped over the intruder, and seized him by the throat.

"Who are you?!" he angrily demanded. "What were you doing with that student?"

"Nothing that you insipid fools would deem...'inappropriate'." said the man, who spoke very coldly and calmly in spite of his injuries.

"I'm going to ask again, and you better answer me: Who are you?!" demanded Craw.

"Just someone that wanted to test the potential of you, the so-called Chrysalis Syndicate. Though if I were to choose, you could say I'm doing a favor for the Diamond Dog Cartel." the man said, getting back up. "Yes, sergeant. They are here...in this little town."

"Then why take the girl?" asked one of the Chrysalis Syndicate soldiers.

"I have my reasons, and they're reasons you fools would never understand." said the man. "You see, I've actually had my eyes set on this place for a long time, and I don't plan on letting a band of armor-clad ruffians such as yourself take that previlage from me."

"Oh, yeah?" said Craw. "Well, you're going to have file your complaints through us first."

"With pleasure." said the man, grinning maliciously.

He brandished his guns, and opened fire on the Chrysalis Syndicate soldiers. In return, the seven members opened fire simultaneously, discharging a hail of bullets, rounds, and shells into the strange man's body. In four seconds, he collapsed to the ground with the entire front of his body riddled with bullet-holes and puncture wounds. However, to their complete surprise, there was no blood to be seen.

"What in the world is he--" said one of the soldiers,

"Cut the chatter." said Sgt. Craw. "This man's the morgue's problem. Now let's get back to the school, and make sure the girl isn't hurt too severely."

The soldiers all turned around, re-loading their weapons and switching the safety mechanisms back on. As Sergeant Craw turned, the last one to do so, he could've sworn he heard a very faint cackle emitting from the body's direction, but the body had shown no signs of movement when he went over to check. Craw could only guess he was hearing things.

Training Days, Part Three

It was noon, and Sunset Shimmer was now pacing in front of a small group of unicorns, whom had been gathered by Trixie and Lightning in the barn. Some of them seemed rather nervous about being here, but others were enthusiastic about either stopping the invasion of Fillydelphia or having the opportunity to learn more about magic from a professional.

"Alright, everypony." said Sunset, strutting about in her green ensemble. "I suppose you all know why you're here?"

"Yes, ma'am!" said the unicorns in unison.

Sunset turned to look at them all, flaring her sunglasses in their direction.

"Allow me to introduce myself." she continued. "My name is Sunset Shimmer. I am the former student of Princess Celestia, and the current student of Princess Luna. As you'd probably guess, I know quite a bit about magic. And we're here to help you all with those creatures attacking your town."

"It's about time." said a unicorn.

"Yeah!" shouted another in agreement. "This will be the last time that I have to deal with those blasted manticores tearing my stores apart!"

"And we're getting one of the princess' own disciples to guide us, too!" cheered a third. "It's a miracle!"

"Thanks, you're all too kind." said Sunset, before clearing her throat. "All right, everypony! It's time to put your hoof down on these monsters attacking you. While you're here, you will learn how to help yourselves and those around you! And the first thing we will do...is turn this broken-down farm into a training area for the rest of Fillydelphia!"

Two or three unicorns groaned.

"So you want us to do construction work?" asked one of the neigh-sayers. "But I've never done anything like that in my life! I own a flower shop, for Celestia's sake!"

"And would you prefer that those creatures destroy that, too?" countered Sunset Shimmer.

"Well, no..."

"Then I want you ponies to go out into that field, and do something fancy with all that farming equipment out there!"

"Yes, ma'am!" the unicorns said together, before departing from the barn.

For the next two hours, the group of ponies was working out in the fields, using their magic to reverse-engineer the equipment that was initially laid out on the field. In time, there was an obstacle course that all three kinds of ponies could use. There was even a makeshift catapault that pegasi could be speedily launched from.

"Wow, this looks so...cool!" said Lightning Dust, when she saw the course. "It almost reminds me of the Wonderbolts Academy!"

"You were with the Wonderbolts?" asked Trixie Lulamoon.

"Yeah." answered the blonde pegasus. "Well, I trained to be one. But I was kicked out for being too reckless."

"I'm sure you learned from that mistake now, right?"

"I sure did."

"Alright, Lightning!" Sunset called to her. "Your exercise is up now! Don't let me down!"

Lightning Dust flew off to the obstacle course, with her two friends cheering her on.

Meanwhile, Radiant Dawn was drilling the Night Guard in their training quarters, which was built inside a vast cave deep inside the mountain. Luckily, the chambers were illuminated by torchlight, or being able to work in this cavernous area would be impossible for most of the ponies in the Night Guard.

"Listen up, you shut-eyed weaklings!" Radiant said to the other guards. "I have been appointed by Princess Celestia herself to train you all to your limits! As your new drill instructor, I demand only the respect required to cooperate with not only me, but your brothers-in-arms! Do you understand me?"

"Sir, yes sir!" said the various earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns in silver armor.

"Alright, then." said Radiant, easing up. "Now that I've got your attention, I would like to have the pegasi and unicorns pair up with each other."

Quickly, each pegasus guard flew over to a unicorn, and each pair stood apart from each other.

"Very good, my fine stallions and mares." Red Dawn said, proudly. "Now you have found a partner, so you are ready to learn how to work together as a team. The unicorns shall use their magic to detect objects in the darkness, and the pegasi will seek them out. Follow me, everypony."

Radiant directed the teams to a large silver door that led further underground.

"But, sir..." inquired an earth pony guard. "What about us?"

"You are welcome to observe our scouting teams in action." answered Radiant Dawn. "Now come along, if you prefer to do so."

He saw the earth pony guards grumbling in annoyance, so he added:

"Look, it's not that I have anything against earth ponies!" he said. "In fact, one of my best friends back home is an earth pony. I promise that I'll do something for you all next time."

Radiant Dawn and his recruits went through the door, and onto a balcony overlooking an even larger chamber that was mostly unlit. They could barely see a number of openings on the other side.

"I have had Princess Luna's bat-ponies place two-hundred pieces of copper throughout this network of caves." he explained. "You each have five minutes to find as many as you can. The team that finds the most copper, and brings it to me will win. I want one team to go at a time. Remember, the unicorn shall stand here on the platform, and use their magic to find the copper. They will then direct their pegasus partner to retrieve it. Any further questions?"

"No, sir!" said the unicorns and pegasi.

Radiant approached the team nearest the end of the balcony: a male unicorn with a silver coat and black mane, and a male pegasus with a red mane and brown coat.

"Identify yourselves to me, if you would please." he addressed them.

"Silver Shadow, at your service." said the unicorn, with a bow.

"Crimson Cloud, reporting for duty." said the pegasus, with a salute.

"Good." said Radiant. "You two shall go first."

The other teams retired back to the other side of the door, while Radiant Dawn, Crimson Cloud, and Silver Shadow waited on the platform.

"And...go!" shouted the orange-red instructor.

Silver Shadow stood in the middle of the platform, and stroked the air with his horn. Once in a while, his horn would glow with a pale aura. Every time this happened, Crimson Cloud would speed into the darkness, and re-emerge with some copper pieces in his pouch. He emptied them at Radiant's hooves, and then waited for Silver to detect another cache of copper. When the five minutes were up, Radiant had Silver and Crimson count all the copper pieces that they acquired through their teamwork.

"Sir, we have acquired a perfect fifty." said Silver Shadow, once he finished counting.

"Good work." said their instructor. "Now, you are both excused at this time. As you return to the other room, send the next team in here."

"Yes, sir!" said Silver and Crimson together.

They went back through the door, and in came a male unicorn with a dark gray coat and white mane, and a female pegasus with a white coat and orange mane.

"Just to give you two a fair warning:" said Red Dawn. "The first team acquired quite a number of copper pieces already. Make sure that you remain conscious of your surroundings. Now give me your names."

"Night Runner, sir!" replied the unicorn.

"Sky Boom!" stated the pegasus.

"Get into position." said Red. "And...begin!"

Night Runner began searching feverishly through the darkness, straining to detect the copper pieces. Forty-five seconds later, his horn was still unlit.

"Oh, come on!" commented Radiant. "The bat-ponies couldn't have hidden the other copper pieces that well!"

Right on cue, the gray unicorn's horn illuminated with a blue aura. Sky Boom soared off of the balcony, in order to search for the copper pieces that her partner detected. Two minutes later, she returned with a fair amount of copper in her pouch.

"Anything else?" Sky asked Runner, as soon as the pouch was emptied.

"Yep, we've got another one, over there!" said Night Runner, when his horn lit up again. "Quickly, now!"

"On it!"

The pegasus flew into the openings again, and returned almost immediately with another scoop of copper in her pouch. She emptied it, and then flew on again when the unicorn detected another hiding place. She did not return until only twenty seconds remained. Night Runner did not detect another pile until immediately before the time limit expired.

"Count 'em up!" ordered Radiant.

"Twenty-three, sir!" said Sky Boom, after counting them.

"Twenty-four, actually." corrected Night Runner.

"Either way, that is a decent amount." said Radiant. "Send the next group in after you leave."

Next, entered a female unicorn with an orange coat and blonde mane, followed by a male pegasus with a purple coat and bluish-green mane.

"Names, please." said Radiant.

"Crown Jewel." said the unicorn, absent-mindedly.

"Green Aether." said the pegasus.

"Get yourselves in position." said Radiant Dawn.

When the unicorn and pegasus were both standing side-by-side on the edge of the balcony, Radiant told them to start. But for a while, Crown Jewel was unable to detect any copper pieces. After thirty seconds, Green Aether became impatient, and flew off into the darkness without any directions.

"Hey, get back here now!" shouted Radiant after him. "You're not supposed to fly off until your partner's detected copper!"

But the pegasus did not fly back. Meanwhile, Crown Jewel was still searching about with her magic. She detected some copper pieces in the opening opposite of the one Aether flew into. Since her partner wasn't there to collect it, she decided to use her own telekinesis to bring it to her. But Radiant, however, wasn't amused by this, either.

"I saw that!" he snapped. "You're not supposed to collect it yourself! That was your partner's job! Just leave it where it was, and find another area."

"Sorry, sir." said Crown Jewel, nervously.

Green Aether then flew back, and was about to empty his pouch in front of Radiant, when he found himself with several sparks shooting off into his face, due to Radiant's unstable magic. When the sparks cleared, he was looking straight into Radiant Dawn's glaring copper eyes.

"Put...those...back!" growled the orange-red stallion.

"But, sir! I found a whole bunch of--"

"Now!" shouted the large unicorn.

"Right, then..." said Green Aether, flying off in a panic to return the copper to its original locations.

Then Green Aether returned, and he and his partner stood nervously before their instructor, who was ominously looming over them.

"You two are missing the point of this exercise!" scolded Radiant. "It's supposed to be about teamwork! And right now, getting you two to work together is like trying to get a dragon to mate with a cockatrice."

"Eww." moaned Crown Jewel, softly.

"That's right." said Radiant. "That sums up how I feel about this little mismatch of yours. Now unless you can prove to me in the next two minutes that you two can work together, I will personally see to it that you two won't be guarding anything bigger than a three-year-old filly's birthday party!"

The unicorn and pegasus gulped loudly, then assumed their original positions. Crown Jewel was able to detect yet another set of copper pieces, and Green Aether promptly flew into the darkness to retrieve it. He returned, just in time to present it to Radiant Dawn.

"Time's up, my little ponies." said Radiant. "Time to count up!"

Aether emptied the pouch, and counted them carefully.

"We have...twelve." said Green Aether, nervously. "I'm sorry about what--"

"You two are dismissed...for now." said Radiant, in a forgiving tone. "I trust you two have learned an important lesson from this?"

"Yes, sir!" said Aether and Jewel.

"Send in the next team!" Red Dawn called over to the door, after Crown Jewel and Green Aether left.

The hours crawled on, and nearly all the teams had made their attempts. Many fared well, while others did poorly. At five o'clock in the afternoon, Radiant Dawn had the last unicorn-pegasus team (a female unicorn named Moondancer, and a female pegasus named Firefly) count up the huge pile of copper pieces they had recovered through their marvelous teamwork and coordination.

"Well, how many do you two have?" asked Radiant.

"Hang on, sir." said Moondancer, quietly counting the pieces. "Sixty-two, sixty-three..."

Radiant tilted his head to listen. Suddenly, Moondancer cheered loudly when she finished.

"Sixty-seven!" she exclaimed, happily.

"Wow, you two actually beat Silver Shadow and Crimson Cloud's record!" said Red Dawn, impressed. "And Firefly, I am particularly proud of you. Not only were you very quick and agile as you flew through the tunnels, but you're probably the only pegasus on any of the teams to actually give your partner advice on which directions to check when she was trying to detect those pieces. I trust you two will make a fine addition to the Night Guard!"

"Aw, shucks..." Firefly blushed, flattered.

"Okay, you two." said Radiant. "Time for you to come with me, and we'll see your peers."

"Yes, sir!" said the two mares.

Radiant Dawn, Firefly, and Moondancer left the room, and went to meet with the other members of the Night Guard. Radiant stood before them all, and prepared to give a speech. All eyes were focused on him.

"Alright, my fellow ponies." he said. "This was a good session. I am proud of all of you! Yes, even Crown Jewel and Green Aether."

The unicorn and pegasus shifted uneasily in place.

"This was actually a very good start for you all, so that you can understand teamwork. You will see that the night shift isn't as lonely as you may have thought. Even in the darkness, you are among friends and allies. Now, you'd better return to your sleeping quarters. The Night Court will begin in two hours. Princess Luna will want her guards to be up and ready when it happens. You are all dismissed."

The Captain of the Night Guard

Radiant re-emerged from the entrance to the training area, and into the shining daylight. He went back into the palace, and was on the way back to his quarters, when he found Princess Luna and a grayish-white pegasus in black armor chatting with each other out in the hallway. When Radiant approached the two, they both turned to look at him enthusiastically.

"Ah, Radiant Dawn!" said the princess of the night. "It is good to see you have returned at last. I wish for you to meet Star Shield."

The armored pegasus approached the large reddish-orange unicorn. Red could see that he had a tiny scar below his left eye, and that he had a grim, sleepy expression on his face.

"Radiant Dawn, is it?" he questioned, with a firm voice. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Captain Star Shield. I am in charge of the Night Guard. I hear that you're the new drill instructor for our fresh recruits."

"Yes, sir." said Radiant, with a salute. "And I can report that my first session for them was a success."

"Very good." said the pegasus captain. "I was just reciting my scout's report on Fillydelphia to her majesty. I trust that it will interest you, so I advise that you stay out here with us."

"Of course, captain." said the unicorn, with a short nod.

Star Shield turned back to Princess Luna, and cleared his throat.

"Milady, as I was informing you earlier..." he resumed his report. "My scouts have returned from their reconnaisance flight over the city. It would seem that what Miss Shimmer told you was completely accurate. They have discovered several buildings have been destroyed, and signs of the presence of at least two large creatures within the boundaries of the city."

"Thank you, captain." said Luna, solemnly. "How soon can you ready your men to reinforce the settlement?"

"Six hours, ma'am." said the pegasus captain.

"Six hours?!" repeated Radiant Dawn. "What in the name of Celestia would you need that much time for?"

"Sergeant Dawn, I would advise that you refrain from speaking out of turn." said the grim-faced captain. "But if you must know, her majesty's bat-ponies have been known to make an excellent vanguard for countering such attacks, but they refuse to leave their caves before midnight."

"Well, you're their captain!" said Radiant. "Surely, you could tell them to come out a little early!"

"If only that were true." said Star Shield, shrewdly turning his eyes to the side.

"Come on!" complained the large unicorn. "My sister's caught in the middle of that monster madness! There's no way I'm gonna just wait to help her out of that mess, just because some bat-ponies decided to sleep half the night!"

"Forgive me, sergeant." said Star Shield. "But it's just how things work around here. The bat-ponies just do not listen to anyone's commands, apart from Princess Luna's, until the clock strikes twelve. It's as simple as that."

"We'll see about that!" growled Radiant, turning back to descend the stairs.

"Radiant, wherever are you going?" asked Luna.

"You'll see!" shouted back Radiant Dawn. "Just wait here!"

Soon enough, there was a massive clamor of hooves clip-clopping from downstairs. Steadily, Radiant ascended the stairs again, but he was not alone. Behind him, marching in perfect formation, were at least a dozen bat-ponies in full armor. When Radiant stopped in front of Princess Luna and Captain Star Shield, the bat-guards stood behind him, silent as statues.

"Now, what's your excuse?" asked Radiant, staring into the captain's face.

Star Shield's face twisted into an impressed grin.

"Well, how do you like that?" he quietly said to himself. "You, sergeant, have done the impossible. Bravo!"

He clapped his wings together three times. Princess Luna's lips curved into a smile. The bat-ponies did and said nothing, as usual.

"Now I shall be ready to lead a task force to Fillydelphia as soon as the Night Court begins." said Captain Shield. "Radiant, I believe I could use someone with your abilities by my side on the battlefield."

"Do you?" asked Radiant.

"Indeed." said Star Shield. "I'm an old stallion. I have not fought in direct combat against wild creatures in several years. But I trust that with one as young and strong as you, the two of us will bring the Night Guard back to its former glory. I am making you my second-in-command."

"Wow, really?" asked Radiant. "This is...very sudden."

"Nonsense, Lieutenant Dawn." said Captain Shield. "It could not have come at a better time. If the princesses trust your skills, then so will I."

"Well, I'm quite honored, actually." said Radiant Dawn, nervously.

Meanwhile in the human world, Supreme Commander Chrysalis was overseeing the testing stages of a new combat armor, generously offered to her organization by her associate, Mr. Sombra. The two were standing side-by-side, watching a Sombra Industries employee test out the armor in question, via television screen. As they watched, Chrysalis sighed in awe. Sombra noticed that his colleague was impressed by the armor, and decided to cut to business, even as they observed it in action.

"Incredible, is it not?" said Foreman Sombra. "The SombraTech ballistic armor is the most efficient hazard suit ever made. It costs millions of dollars to construct each suit. We have currently fifty-thousand in production, but I am willing to offer the first twenty to your organization, as a token of our...relationship."

The two watched as the employee took dozens of nine-millimeter and ten-millimeter rounds from guns fired by four different people, yet stood still and unfazed.

"Sombra, dear?" asked the leader of the Chrysalis Syndicate. "Don't you think you should display more than just the fact that it can take a few bullets? After all, the armor you already sent to us earlier this month has already proven itself to be quite efficient in battle...at least against handguns."

"I promise you, madam." said Sombra. "Our new ballistic armor will make our previous model of combat armor look like a cheap latex costume."

He put on his headset, and spoke into it.

"Bring out the incendiaries!" he spoke into the microphone.

Suddenly, two other men with flamethrowers appeared on either side of the employee, and each unleashed a bluish-white stream of fire upon his armored body. But the man emerged from the fire, perfectly unscathed.

"This armor will be able to handle all but the most extreme of temperatures." explained the foreman of Sombra Industries. "Whether the wearer finds themselves in a single-digit blizzard, or a triple-digit heatwave, they may work and interact normally with the environment around them, comfortable and safe from the elements. The armor also contains built-in air conditioning units, that adjust to their wearer's body heat, and keeps it at a steady level."

"Useful, if you're tired of having to buy new clothing at the store whenever the seasons change." quipped Chrysalis.

The employee on the monitor grabbed each of the two flamethrower-toting men, and held them up by the necks with only one hand each.

"The armor also has a nerve impulse-directed hydraulics system." continued Sombra. "The armor's built-in computer monitors the wearer's stress level, and its sensors activate synthesized muscle tubes that expand the user's strength tenfold, should they find themselves unable to contend with the task at hand."

"Which should be good for those that are too lazy to apply for a gym membership." commented Supreme Commander Chrysalis, nodding her head slowly.

Suddenly, Chrysalis' portable radio set crackled, and she placed it on her ear.

"Supreme Commander, this is Captain Umbriel." said the voice on the other end.

"Captain, what is your report on Sunset Shimmer?" asked Chrysalis.

"We are still searching the building, ma'am." answered Captain Umbriel. "But it seems that we're not the only ones interested in this school."

"Whatever makes you say that?"

"Twenty minutes ago, an armed man entered the building, and tried to abduct one of the students. Sergeant Craw and his boys were able to save the girl, and killed the kidnapper."

"Do you know who the kidnapper was, or why he tried to capture this student?"

"According to Craw, the man claimed to be a member of the Diamond Dog Cartel."

Chrysalis paused suspiciously.

"So, the Diamond Dogs are there, too?" she inquired. "I thought Craw and Corporal Ghost wiped out their presence in that town two weeks ago!"

"Apparently, the Cartel is too interested in this place to give up, just like that." said Umbriel. "With a high school as big as Canterlot High, it isn't exactly surprising that they might want to exploit its student body for their human trafficking businesses! Plus, ever since that battle we had with them over in San Palomino, They're probably looking for more people to work in their diamond smuggling ring."

"Captain, you shall see to it that no harm comes to the students of Canterlot High, until Sunset Shimmer is found." said the commander. "You have the authorization to bring heavy military equipment into the city to erradicate the Diamond Dog presence. In fact, I will be sending a shipment of this new armor that my good friend, Mr. Sombra, has generously donated to our cause. And of course, the big guns will be sent in, should the situation prove grim."

"Thank you, ma'am." said Captain Umbriel. "This is Captain Umbriel, signing out."

Chrysalis turned her head to Sombra, who was standing proudly as he oversaw the end of the ballistic armor training stages.

"Sombra, dear?" she said, slyly. "I believe that my organization is in need of your resources, on account of Diamond Dog-related activities in a town that some of my men were dispatched to."

Sombra's fists tightened. The Diamond Dog Cartel had plagued Sombra Industries as much as it harassed the Chrysalis Syndicate. He turned to look at Ms. Chrysalis, with a knowing look in his dark green eyes.

"Would you, perhaps, like to have your men...test my newest products?" he asked.

"That would be lovely." said the leader of the Syndicate.

Sunset Shimmer had concluded the day's training session with Lightning Dust and Trixie, and bade farewell to the unicorns that assisted her in refurbishing the farm. The three mares looked over the place, just as the sun went down. The fields were no longer muddy, but neat and plowed. The barn's walls were reinforced, and the hole in the roof became a trapdoor for pegasi to fly through.

"Tomorrow, we'll go into town, and help the rest of the ponies with those creatures." said Sunset. "Are you girls up to the job now?"

"Sure thing." nodded Trixie.

"I can't wait to try out my new moves on those creatures." said Lightning Dust. "Don't worry, I'll be careful not to pull them off in the middle of the city."

Suddenly, a pegasus flew down to them from out of the darkening sky. He was white-coated, brown-maned, and was wearing a ten-gallon hat and plaid ascot. His eyes were obscured by red-tinted sunglasses, even though it was the early evening.

"Howdy, my fine ladies." he said to them, with a thick country drawl. "How's y'all doin'?"

Sunset groaned.

"Great, another country-pony." she thought.

"And what can we do for you?" asked Lightning Dust.

"Nothin' from you, blondie." he responded, before turning to Sunset Shimmer. "Well, if I'll be a mule's uncle. I reckon you're the purdiest lookin' unicorn that I ever did see. Ya know, you never see too many of them in this part of Equestria."

"If you're trying to hit on me, just back away now." said Sunset, narrowing her teal eyes. "I have a commitment to keep if I want to help Fillydelphia with their monster problem. But I'll give you thirty seconds to get your point across, so what do you want?"

"I just thought I'd see how my old farm's been doing." answered the pegasus.

"This is your farm?" asked Lightning Dust. "Funny. I thought a family of earth ponies owned this place, before they moved away. Who are you, anyway?"

"Folks 'round here call me Crazy Graffiti." said the stallion, showing them his cutie mark, which was a spray can. "I'm the town's painter. I specialize in painting the walls of buildings with my art."

"What kind of art?" asked Trixie.

"Murals, of course." said Crazy Graffiti. "Usually, of ponies that have been made famous by some kinda heroic deed, or if they're celebrities..."

"And, what do the three of us have to do with that?" asked Sunset Shimmer. "None of us are really that well-known. Even Trixie over here isn't exactly at the high point in her career."

Trixie Lulamoon shot a look at Sunset, but said nothing.

"Or in some cases, if the ponies are just fine-lookin'. I especially love doin' pictures of unicorns. Why, they're probably the most charming-lookin' of all the ponies...'cept the Princesses, of course."

Trixie took a bow, but Sunset still maintained her gaze on the pegasus.

"I really think that you're in the wrong place, at the wrong time." she said, trying to sound polite. "If you could tell me what you're looking for, I could probably point you in the right direction."

"Okay, my fiery temptress. I'll tell ya what I want." said Graffiti. "I wanna know if I could...perhaps, go and draw a mural of ya. As a way of rememberin' the beautiful unicorn that came and fixed up my farm."

"Hey, this is my farm, buddy-boy!" said Lightning Dust, hovering over the older pegasus.

"Shut yer trap, blondie!" snapped Crazy Graffiti. "I'll settle this with ya later!"

"Oh, you..." Lightning said angrily, about to swoop down on the pegasus.

"Lightning, just wait a moment." said Sunset. "I want to find out who this guy is before you start acting up."

"Hey, sugar?" asked the pegasus in the sunglasses. "How 'bout y'all tell me what city in Equestria produced a foxy unicorn like yerself?"

"What city in Equestria produced a nosy little creep like yourself?" retorted the reddish-blonde unicorn. "But if it'll get you to leave me alone, I'm from Vanhoover."

"Vanhoover?" repeated Crazy Graffiti. "Isn't that the city in the north-west? You don't really sound like you're from there, and I'd have expected you to sound and act a lot perkier if you were. I heard ponies over there are very polite."

"Well, trust me." said Trixie, sarcastically. "Sunset here knows twenty different ways not to be polite."

"Well, I'm not actually from the city!" said Sunset Shimmer. "I lived in a place called Daystar Manor, which is a few miles outside of Vanhoover's boundaries."

Then Sunset Shimmer found herself flashing back to a long time ago. Images emerged from her deep, labyrinthine subconscious. She could remember what it was like at the estate...on the day her parents disappeared.

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO...

"Sunny, where are ya going?!" said a young reddish-orange colt, chasing after his little sister.

"I'm goin' out in the woods, Red!" answered the young Sunset Shimmer. "There's a wagon in there, and it's broken-down! Betcha it's got all kinds of neat things in it!"

Red Dawn caught up to his sister, just as the two saw two glowing eyes in the darkness. There was a low growling in every direction, as more eyes appeared left and right. The yellow filly crouched down, shaking all over.

"Red, please make them go away!" she cried out. "I don't want them to hurt me!"

The eight-year-old colt went ahead of his sister, his horn glowing brightly.

"Hey, you beasts!" he shouted to the eyes. "Get your sorry butts away from us, or I'll bust you wide open!"

Suddenly, the eyes approached them, and the growling grew louder. A massive creature with an armored body emerged from the darkness, and began bellowing at the two small ponies with a horn-like call. All around them, black, skeletal pony-like creatures with insectoid wings appeared from under the dark trees.

"What are you two doing so far from home, my little ponies?" asked one of the creatures, with a mocking tone in its raspy voice. "Don't you know it's not safe to walk into the homes of others without their permission?"

"Please, just go away!" shouted Sunset Shimmer. "Leave us alone!"

"You don't understand, do you?" cackled another of the insect-ponies. "You're the ones bothering us! You are intruders! And you will pay the price for setting hoof on our territory!"

"I sense there is much love and happiness in these two." said a third. "Especially from the colt over here."

"Good!" said the fourth. "I haven't tasted brotherly love in the longest time. Let's catch 'em now! Changelings, attack!"

Suddenly, the insect-ponies swarmed around Radiant Dawn and Sunset Shimmer, their wings buzzing loudly. The two youngsters bolted back out of the forest, the Changelings in hot pursuit. They could feel the heavy footfalls of the armored creature rumbling behind them, but they never looked back. Suddenly, Sunset began to lose her balance.

"Red, help me!" she squealed, as the filly collapsed into a small pit in the ground.

Red looked back, and dove into the hole. He found his sister half-covered in a tangling mess of weeds.

"Hang on, little sis!" he said to her. "Big brother's here!"

His horn glowed with a crimson aura, as he attempted to untangle the weeds. The undergrowth broke apart, and the panicking filly was freed. The two suddenly went prone, hearing the sounds of buzzing wings and thunderous footfalls pass by them.

"Where have they gone?" asked the first Changeling.

"They can't have gone far!" said yet another voice, one with a more shrill tone. "Search the surrounding area!"

"Yes, Prince Embryo." said the second Changeling voice from before. "Alright, lads! Let's start with that big house down the road!"

Sunset and Radiant gasped. They were talking about their home!

"C'mon, sissy!" said Radiant. "Let's go back and help our folks!"

"Right behind you, Red!" said the amber-colored filly.

Radiant and Sunset climbed out of the pit, and galloped down the forest path. Six minutes later, the two reached their manor. They found five Changelings dead on the front lawn, but the creature was missing. The front door was blasted open, and several broken objects laid in the doorway.

"Mommy! Dad!" Sunset shouted, speeding into Daystar Manor.

"Sunny, wait!" Radiant called after her. "There could be more of those things in there!"

When Sunset disappeared around a hallway to the left, Radiant felt obligated to go in after his younger sibling. He searched the building for her, half-expecting to be grabbed by one of the monsters. Fortunately, he encountered nothing. Unfortunately, it wasn't what he would've wanted, either. The estate was eerily silent. He searched room after room, and corridor after corridor for another sign of life, until he came to his father's study room. Using his telekinesis to open the door, he went inside to find Sunset Shimmer laying silently underneath a silver-lined table.

"Sunny, are you okay?" Radiant asked. "Did you find mom or dad?"

Sunset simply shook her head, her face emotionless. Radiant didn't like this at all. He went up to her, and laid down under the table to be with his younger sibling.

"They're not here, Red." said Sunset. "They ran away!"

"Why would they do that?" Red asked, trying to sound logical. "They're probably looking for us, right now! They're probably worried sick at this point!"

"No, Red." Sunset said, her voice gradually growing louder. "I looked all over the house. I didn't find any sign of them! Not even a note! Nothing! They're gone! They're not coming back!"

"Sunny, calm down. Please!"

"They're not coming back!" wailed Sunset. "My own family abandoned me!"

"Hey, I didn't abandon you." Radiant said, coolly. "You know why? Because I'm your brother. And it's my job to keep my little sister safe from harm. That's what brothers do. C'mon, little sister. You'll be fine. I promise. I'll always be there for you!"

Sunset tilted her head up to look at him.

"Always?" she asked.

"Always." Radiant answered.

PRESENT DAY...

Always. Always.

Sunset Shimmer's face twisted with pain at this memory: She audibly and visibly cringed, her eyes and teeth were shaking, and her breathing became heavy and uneasy. She was torn between guilt, sadness, and anger all at once.

"Sunset, what's the matter?" Trixie asked.

"I want to be alone!" Sunset suddenly exploded. "Don't bother me! Any of you!"

Her voice shattered the relative quiet atmosphere of the night, and she bolted off. But instead of going into the farmhouse or the barn, Sunset Shimmer began to gallop down the stone path back to Fillydelphia. As she disappeared into the night, Trixie, Lightning Dust, and Crazy Graffiti all remained behind.

"Wow, what was that all about?" Lightning asked.

"Judgin' by her reaction, I ought to assume that Vanhoover must've been a terrible place to live." said Graffiti.

"Why don't you keep your stupid opinions to yourself?" Trixie demanded, irritated. "Don't you see that you were upsetting her? Sunset's gone through a lot in her life, and she doesn't need somepony like you to drag her down any further! Now if you'll excuse us, we have to catch up with our friend before she runs into trouble. Let's go, Lightning!"

"Right behind you, Trixie!" responded the bluish-green pegasus.

Trixie sped along the path, with Lightning Dust flying by her side. Meanwhile, Crazy Graffiti remained at the farm. A malevolent grin spread across his face, as his body was suddenly engulfed in greenish-yellow flames. As his body burned, it compressed into a visceral shape, his wings became transparent and leathery, and his mane became shorter and spiky. He tossed aside his sunglasses, revealing two baleful crimson eyes with slitted pupils.

"Run, run, my little ponies." he laughed, his voice now deep and raspy. "But no matter where you go, I shall still find you. I have not forgotten you, Sunset Shimmer, even after all those long years have passed."

The White Changeling

A division of the Night Guard departed from Canterlot, and was passing on the road to Fillydelphia. At the lead was Captain Star Shield, followed by Radiant Dawn. Unlike most of the pegasi, the captain preferred to trot on the path.

"Captain, sir?" asked Radiant. "I always wondered: Why don't you just fly?"

"I am getting old, lieutenant." said the captain. "I am not that used to flying great distances. At least not as I was twenty years ago."

"And what were you twenty years ago?" asked Radiant Dawn, curiously.

"I was the Captain of the Canterlot Royal Guard." answered Star Shield. "I was and still am one of the finest guards to have ever served Princess Celestia, and have done my duties for Equestria longer than most guards ever have."

"Why aren't you the captain anymore?"

"Well, I grew weary of the long hours of guard duty during the day." explained Star. "When Princess Luna returned to power in Canterlot after that whole Nightmare Moon crisis, the Night Guard was re-organized. Before this, it was a minimal security force that exclusively patrolled the inside of the palace. But in recent months, its numbers have expanded, and we are nearly identical in numbers to the Royal Guard.

"And so, I surrendered my position as captain to my lieutenant, and intended to retire." continued the pegasus captain. "But Princess Celestia offered me the position of captain for the night shift. I was only too happy to accept it."

"So, would I be wrong if I guessed that this lieutenant of yours was..." assumed Radiant Dawn.

"Shining Armor, yes." answered Star Shield. "I trust you two have already become acquainted with each other?"

"Oh, yeah, We go way back. We used to train together for the Royal Guard. In fact, I finished my training, but turned down the position I was given."

"And why, may I ask, did you turn them down?"

"Personal reasons." said Radiant. "I found out that I would be stationed out in Baltimare, of all places. I didn't want to go too far away from my sister, so I decided to join Princess Celestia's academy for gifted unicorns, where she was a student. That didn't fare too well, either."

"Well, I am glad you are here now." said Star Shield. "You will prove to be a great guard, Lieutenant Dawn."

"Thank you, sir."

A few hours later, and the Night Guard task force was crossing along the forest road to Fillydelphia, and they came across a destroyed wagon. Star Shield did not like the looks of it, and neither did Radiant Dawn.

"Remember, everypony!" said Radiant to the guards behind them. "Maintain constant vigilance!"

Meanwhile, Sunset Shimmer was plodding somberly down one of the ruined streets of Fillydelphia. As she passed barred-up houses and shops, she thought about her brother. She felt ashamed to be away from him for so long. Between the academy and the human world, she had been away from him for so long that he had mostly fazed out of her mind. But now, she had all the time in the world to reminisce her time with him.

"I'm sorry, Red." she sniffled. "I wish you were with me right now. I want you here so badly. I don't think I can do this without you. If only I could..."

She felt a chill down her spine, as if something was watching her. She looked around the empty street, but was unable to find any living being in sight. She had not felt this terrified since that armored man held her at gunpoint outside Canterlot High. Her heart was pounding hard against her chest, and her breathing was becoming heavier by the moment.

"Howdy, pardner!" said the voice of Crazy Graffiti.

Sunset turned herself around, and saw the pegasus standing in the middle of the road. This was rather unusual, since she just looked back there and up in the sky just a few seconds before, and saw no sign of anypony to speak of. The pegasus was perfectly erect, and split the road like a statue.

"Oh, not you again!" complained the mare. "Why don't you leave me alone! What could you possibly want from me?"

"Can I interest y'all..." he began to say, before his voice suddenly deepened. "In a melting pot of *love** and happiness?*"

"What in the name of Celestia could you possibly be--" said Sunset, before staring in horror at the pegasus, who was now encased in a layer of green flames.

The fire cleared, and in Graffiti's place stood a tall, pale-bodied Changeling with crimson eyes. He was grinning maliciously at Sunset Shimmer. Slowly, he approached her, his mouth leaking greenish-white drool.

"I am here for you, my lovely little unicorn!" he said, speaking with a shrill, deranged voice. "I've wanted to meet you for the longest time ever! Let's have fun together!"

Sunset's teeth were clenched, and she prepared herself to cast a spell at the creature. Her horn was shining with a teal aura, and she teleported behind the Changeling.

"Oh, look." the Changeling said. "It looks as though you are...right behind me!"

Suddenly, he threw himself backwards through the air, beating his insect-like wings along the way. Sunset Shimmer gasped, surprised by this sudden action, and was knocked off-balance by the backwards-flying albino Changeling. At that moment, another Changeling appeared. The second creature was hovering over her, doing somersaults in mid-air at a constant rate.

"Hey, this looks like something very fun." he was saying as he was somersaulting. "Too bad you ain't an alicorn, or you could do this, too!"

"I'm still better off than...whatever you're supposed to be!" shouted the unicorn. "There's no way I'm going to be beaten by a psycho like you!"

"And now I have to kill you." said the new Changeling in a rhythmic pattern. "And then I'm going to die. I kill everybody. You kill everybody. We all kill everybody!"

"What in the..." sighed Sunset Shimmer. "What are you, the brainchild of Discord?"

"Uh...he's always like that." replied the albino Changeling. "Glitch, what are you doing here?"

"Ghost, I think I...I think I--" Glitch stammered, before letting out a thunderous belch. "Hey, did you catch the late show last night?"

"Shut up, you moron." groaned Ghost.

Glitch darted over to Sunset, and whispered into her ear:

"I secretly eat lettuce when no one is looking." he said to the confused unicorn. "By the way, would you know the fastest way to drink water from a dead tree? By the way, here's some of my special soup. I call it 'Pa'."

Glitch brandished a bowl of soup and fed it to Sunset. Sunset immediately spat the whole thing out due to how hot it was.

"Glitch! Go! Now!" said Ghost. "Go annoy someone else."

Glitch hovered around, spinning in place, before being teleported away.

"Now that we've got that out of the way." Ghost said to "My master wants to meet you right now. I could take you to him now, or keep you entertained until he comes to pick you up himself."

Then he lolled his mouth about loudly, making the most basic of vocalizations. Sunset pressed her hooves against her ears.

"Fine! Fine!" she shouted over the noise. "Just take me to him, and shut your incomprehensible trap!"

"Good, yes? Very good." said the white insect-pony. "Sleep good, because you probably won't sleep good when we get there."

"Why not?" Sunset asked.

Suddenly, the Changeling dropped to the ground, and stood over the downed unicorn with a legitimately threatening expression on his face. His twisted horn glowed with a red aura, and a bright flash of light. The next thing that Sunset Shimmer knew was that she was laying in a metallic cage, suspending from the ceiling of a cave. She could hear the wind blowing cold against her body, and noticed that another Changeling was looking up at her.

"Ah, yes." said the Changeling. "Sunset Shimmer, my darling little unicorn. I do believe we met on the other side of the continent, about fifteen years ago."

"Why would I know you?" asked Sunset. "I'm not even sure what you are!"

Suddenly, the cage was lowered by telekinesis, and the reddish-blonde unicorn was now looking straight into the wicked eyes of her captor. His tall, insectoid appearance reminded Sunset Shimmer of Craw's armored enforcer back in the human world.

"You know very well what I am." said the creature. "I am a Changeling. You and your brother encountered my creatures about fifteen years ago, when you two were both young."

"So, I take it that you're this...Prince Embryo?" asked Sunset, remembering the name.

"Yes, but I now go by the name of Lord Umbriel." said the Changeling.

"What did you do to my parents, you monster?!" the unicorn suddenly screamed out, when she realized what this meant.

"My, my." said the Changeling, with an evil grin. "You are a feisty one. But then, you always were one."

Sunset Shimmer snorted, and then laid down in the cage.

"There, that's better." said Umbriel. "Now, I honestly have no idea where your mother and father went. I can assure you, though, that they put up quite a fight against my Changelings."

"Well, enough of that, then." said Sunset. "What do you want with me?"

"I want you to join my cause." said Lord Umbriel. "I could use a unicorn with your talents."

"Just why would I join you?" asked the mare.

"Well, think about it." said the Changeling lord. "I know talent when it's unappreciated. And you, my dear, are a hidden gold mine of magical wonders that is just waiting to be opened up. With my help, you could become the absolute ruler of Equestria. Princess Celestia could never do you justice, even if you did stay with her. If you do as I say, you could rule over the pathetic ponies of this land with an iron fist before the year's end!"

"I tried ruling over others with an iron fist." said Sunset. "It didn't work well for me. Besides, I already have others here that appreciate me for what I am, thank you very much."

"Yes. For now, they do." nodded Umbriel. "But since--"

"Hang on a minute!" interrupted Sunset Shimmer. "What do you mean, 'for now'?"

"I mean that they won't be able to love you for long. The Princesses, your friends, your brother. All of them will learn to hate you, knowing that they will be destroyed because you refused to cooperate with me!"

"Like you weren't going to do that, anyway!" retorted the amber unicorn. "I can already tell that you're responsible for those attacks on Fillydelphia!"

"Oh, my dear." denied the Changeling. "Whatever gives you the impression that I would be responsible for such...atrocities?"

"Because there was an armored creature that attacked me and my friend on the road to Fillydelphia. The same creature that was there with your Changelings when they tried to take me and my brother captive."

"Oh, yes." nodded Umbriel. "You must be referring to Long Rim."

"Long Rim?" repeated Sunset Shimmer.

"Yes." said Umbriel. "He's a creature that my Changelings came across in one of the lands my elder sister, Queen Chrysalis, plundered when she was searching for a suitable population for our subjects to feed upon. He has proven to be quite an asset to my purposes."

"Had proven to be an asset." smirked the unicorn. "Long Rim's dead. That Ursa Major killed it."

"That's the prime flaw about Ursas. They can be very hard to control once you get them on the move. But Long Rim isn't dead. He was simply stunned."

"Then that thing must be pretty strong, if it could survive being clawed by an Ursa Major." said Sunset Shimmer, astonished.

"Oh, you have no idea." said Umbriel. "You should've been with us last year, when he tore a dragon in half."

"I'd...rather not think about it."

"Well, I have had a great time speaking with you, my dear." said Umbriel, in a gentlemanly manner. "And now, we shall part ways. I will have Ghost bring you back to Fillydelphia."

"Wait, you're just going to let me go?" asked Sunset. "But I didn't want to join you!"

"No, but I wouldn't want to outright kill you, either." said Umbriel. "You are much too powerful to just kill right away. There would simply be no sport in doing this. Besides, I understand you haven't had much room to stretch out with your magic. This will benefit both of us: You will be able to hone your skills, and I will finally get a good fight out of that worthless city."

"Then I bet you'll get the best fight of your life!" said Sunset. "I bet Princess Celestia's already sent an army--no, a legion!--of her best guards to bring you all down!"

"We shall see..." said Umbriel, turning his head. "Ghost! Walk this kind mare back home, will you?"

Suddenly, the albino Changeling from earlier swooped down from the darkness like a great white bat, and dropped on top of Sunset Shimmer's cage. His mouth was slavering, and his horn was glowing.

"Keep your head, missy." he said, feigning concern.

There was a flash of red light, and Sunset suddenly fell hard onto a dirt road, under a starry sky. The yellow unicorn got back up, and found that she was on the forest road to Fillydelphia. There was a thundering of hooves.

"Sunset!" called out a familiar voice. "Sunset, are you okay?"

It was Radiant Dawn, followed by a small crowd of ponies. Radiant galloped up to his sister, and bent down to look into her eyes.

"Sunset, listen." he said. "Are you hurt at all? What happened? Why are you out here all alone?"

Sunset's teal eyes watered, and she rushed forward to embrace her brother.

"Radiant, I never thought I'd see you again." she sniffled. "I'm just so happy to see you."

Radiant was surprised. Not only had he never seen his sister cry in a long time, but she actually called him by his birth name.

"Hey now, little sis." he said. "Big brother's here for ya. In fact, we're all here for ya!"

Then Sunset stepped back to look at Radiant's body for a moment. She noticed that he was wearing some kind of padded black uniform. She also took a close look at the ponies around them, seeing that they were all wearing purple and black armor.

"Radiant, what's going on here?" she asked, confused.

"Well, to make a long story short..." said her brother, with a grin. "I got a job."

"Sunset Shimmer, it is good to see that you are well this evening." said another voice.

A grayish-white pegasus approached the two siblings, giving a salute to the younger of the two. Sunset was able to recognize him, from her days as Princess Celestia's student, particularly when she was living in her palace.

"Captain Star Shield?!" she said, surprised. "Is that really you? I haven't seen you in ages!"

"Yes, ma'am. It is I, still serving Equestria in whatever way I can." said the aging pegasus.

"So, what's with the armor?" she asked. "Did the Canterlot Royal Guard have a change in uniforms while I was out?"

"Actually, I am no longer the Captain of the Royal Guard." said Star Shield. "I resigned from that post years ago. This is the Night Guard. That is, Princess Luna's guard."

"So, my dream-message to Princess Luna worked, after all?" said Sunset Shimmer. "Wow, I can't believe that Luna was actually capable of doing that!"

"Indeed, her majesty is quite powerful, much like her elder sister." said one of the guards around them.

"At ease, Night Runner." said Star Shield to the guard. "Now, we are here to assist Fillydelphia in their current crisis."

"Then I should come with you." said Sunset. "I've just found out who's responsible for the attacks. I'll fill you in on the way."

"Lead the way, Miss Shimmer." said the pegasus captain. "It is our sworn duty to assist Princess Luna, and her personal student, in desperate times such as these."

Sunset Shimmer, Star Shield, Radiant Dawn, and the Night Guard went on down the path to Fillydelphia. They would soon be ready for the battle that would determine their abilities.

The Battle of Fillydelphia, Part One

Craw was marching down the hallway, scattering students as he went. He was puffing about in his armor. He quickly reached the infirmary, where Corporal Ghost was standing guard over the catatonic Rainbow Dash. He quickly went inside, and marched up to the corporal, who was just putting his mask back on.

"Sergeant, does Captain Umbriel have any new orders?" Ghost asked.

"Ghost, we have business to discuss." said Sergeant Craw. "Let's go somewhere quiet."

"Yes, sir." the corporal replied.

Craw and Ghost went into an empty classroom, where the sergeant suddenly grabbed his subordinate and smashed the corporal's armored face into a blackboard. The corporal promptly slid to the floor, where Craw stood him back up.

"Ghost, you no-good son of a--" Craw growled through his mask, before punctuating his own curse word with a loud punch of his ironclad fist against Ghost's plated torso, and then twisted his arm around his back. "I saw a recording of what you did with Sunset Shimmer on that night. You know the one! I gave you explicit orders *not** to hurt her until I got to you two*!"

"She was asking for it!" rasped Ghost. "That pony-girl kept going on and on! She wouldn't shut up!"

"I will not have any excuses from you, you albino freak." said Craw. "I'm getting sick of you and your raunchy behavior. I wanted Sunset Shimmer to be kept unharmed until I could settle her punishments, and you treat her like a punching bag, and spout out death-threats! Not only that, but you needlessly picked a fight with those cops, and deliberately provoked them into attacking you! I didn't want *that*, either! If you screw up on following my orders again, I'll kill you where you stand!"

Suddenly, Ghost swung his other arm back, striking Craw in the shoulder. He broke away from his officer's grasp, and grappled with him. He suddenly gripped Craw's mask and yanked it off. He then shoved Sergeant Craw against the closed door. He punched him in the chest three times, and forced the door open by kicking Craw in the stomach.

"Corporal, what do you think you're doing?!" Craw breathed hard. "This is insubordination!"

"You had feelings for her, Sarge." said Corporal Ghost. "Don't hide it from me! You *loved** that pony*!"

"No, I didn't!" stressed Craw, angrily. "But what you did to her was just vile!"

"You don't know what 'vile' *is***!" retorted the corporal.

He grabbed Craw by the neck, then threw him into a row of lockers. The green doors were crushed by Craw's armored body, and the collision made for a loud, echoing crash. Several students gasped, and ran aside to get away from the two brawling soldiers. Pinkie Pie and Rarity were in the hallway, and recognized the sergeant.

"Hey, leave Craw alone!" Pinkie Pie shouted at Ghost.

"How dare you hurt our friend!" said Rarity in support. "Whatever your problem is, I am certain we could talk this out!"

Ghost then turned his masked head at the two girls, brandished a baton from his hip, and angrily chucked it at them. Pinkie and Rarity were able to duck just in time, as the blunt object hit a locker with a clang.

"You two are next!" screeched the corporal.

He slowly marched towards them, but Craw quickly got back to his feet and tackled Corporal Ghost. Rarity ran to the Principal's office, while Pinkie Pie shouted encouraging words to the sergeant.

"Get 'em, Craw!" the pink-haired girl cheered on. "Show that meanie who's boss!"

But Ghost suddenly wormed his way out of Craw's hold, and aimed a kick for his unarmored head. Luckily, most of the blow was absorbed by a pauldron on the sergeant's military armor. Craw cried out in pain, and then reached for Ghost's head, and ripped his headgear off. Ghost suddenly reached into his holster, and brandished a sub-machine gun.

"I'm gonna enjoy this, you pony-loving sicko!" Ghost shouted, pointing the gun at Craw's face.

Bang!

Suddenly, Ghost's gun was shot out of his hands and shattered apart, while two Syndicate commandos spontaneously appeared and forced him back to his feet. Craw stood himself back up, and found himself being given a hug by Pinkie Pie and Rarity, who had just returned with Principal Celestia and Captain Umbriel in tow. The sergeant and the two teenage girls stayed together in the hall, while the others proceeded across the building.

"Craw, you're not hurt, are you?" Pinkie asked.

"Nah." said the sergeant. "Apart from a stiff neck, I think that I'm unharmed."

"Oh, C-Craw!" Rarity said, whose voice was shaking. "I was s-so scared for you!"

Craw paused to look at the purple-haired girl.

"You were?"

"Yes! Yes! A thousand times 'yes'!" she bawled. "I don't want to see bad things happen to my friends!"

Craw was astonished. Even after all the things he'd gone through and done in the past few days, he still had friends at this school.

"Hey, Rarity, it's okay." he patted the girl on her shoulder, assuming his high school student persona, even though he was still wearing his armor. "I'm a tough guy! I can handle stuff like this!"

"Sorry, Craw." said Rarity, who was now calming herself down and regaining her composure. "I'm just so shocked by all of these recent events. First, you disappear for more than a week, then Sunset Shimmer's being hunted like a common animal by some government task force or whatever, and then Rainbow Dash is nearly kidnapped and hospitalized, and now you show up again, brawling with one of those soldiers...Wait a minute. Darling, whatever are you doing wearing their armor?"

"That doesn't matter right now." said Craw. "What were you two doing, anyway?"

"We were going to see Rainbow Dash." said Pinkie. "Someone tried kidnapping her, and now she looks like a zombie or something."

She stomped around, making weird vocalizations.

"Sounds serious." said Craw. "Let's go check up on her."

Meanwhile on the pony side of the portal, Sunset Shimmer finally led the Night Guard to the outskirts of Fillydelphia. They had arrived just in time, as they could see and hear the signs of a battle on the streets of the ramshackle city. There were screams, rumbling noises, and bright flashes of light rising out of the gloom.

"I just hope we're not too late." said Captain Star Shield, witnessing the fighting.

He turned to his fellow guards.

"I want everypony to maintain a solid perimeter around the city." said the captain. "You shall circle the area, and then close in on the attackers, once you have your sights set on them."

"And what about me?" questioned Sunset Shimmer. "Fillydelphia's my mission, after all."

"Indeed." nodded Star Shield. "I shall have a division of my task force escort you to your destination, wherever it may be."

"That won't be necessary. I can handle myself."

"As you wish." said Star Shield, reluctantly. "But as Captain of Princess Luna's guard, you are by extension, my responsibility out on the battlefield, as long as you are her student."

"Captain, I'm twenty years old." stressed Sunset. "I don't need a foal-sitter."

"And what about me?" asked Radiant Dawn. "Surely, you could use some help from your own family."

"No, Red." Sunset shook her head. "This is my mission. You have yours. Having you dog me around would just mean that we'd be getting in each other's way."

Radiant bowed his head, with a bitter expression on his face.

"But thanks, anyway." said Sunset.

The amber mare approached the large orange-red stallion, and wrapped her front hooves around his.

"It's great to have you back, bro." she smiled.

"Same here." nodded Radiant. "Good luck, Sunny."

Sunset Shimmer turned away from Radiant Dawn and the Night Guard, and galloped down the path to the city. Captain Star Shield turned to Radiant.

"Lieutenant, I would be honored if you were to assist me." said the pegasus captain.

"Yes, captain." said Radiant, turning to his superior.

"And I will need the bat-ponies to follow us." said Star to the rest of the Night Guard. "The rest of you, disperse yourselves across the city."

Several pegasi guards took off towards the city, while their earth pony and unicorn counterparts followed behind. Star Shield and Radiant Dawn went down the path that Sunset Shimmer took, followed closely by the bat-pony guards.

Sunset Shimmer made it to the paved roads of the city, when she suddenly heard a loud roar overhead. She looked up, and saw the large winged shape of a dragon flying over one of the larger buildings. She felt herself shaking all over, but quickly maintained self-control. She took a left turn, and found herself in the middle of a battle between three unicorns, two pegasi, and fourteen Changelings. The insect-like attackers had the ponies routed, but the mare lifted her head to cast a spell.

Boom!

A bluish-green energy field erupted from the amber unicorn's horn, and expanded forwards. The Changelings were blind-sided and scattered by the attack, but a few were able to regroup. They turned towards the newcomer, and prepared to circle her. Their wings were buzzing furiously as they quickly closed in on her. Two of them dive-bombed down on the lone unicorn from opposite directions. Sunset quickly teleported away, and the two Changelings violently collided with each other in mid-air.

"Are you ready to rock?!" Sunset shouted at the others, as she reappeared.

The other Changelings glared furiously at the unicorn, who was standing in front of a battered brick wall. They sped towards her, beating their clear wings. Suddenly, Sunset teleported away again, and the Changelings smacked themselves against the wall. Suddenly, the wall rocked back and forth, before being pulled down on the Changelings by Sunset's telekinesis. There was a series of nauseating crunching noises as the insect-like pony-creatures were flattened. The other ponies cheered loudly.

"Wow, that was so amazing!" said a familiar voice.

Sunset looked down, and saw the same filly that she had saved from Long Rim.

"Kid, I think you need to get out of here." said the unicorn. "This isn't the place for a little filly like you."

"Don't worry, I won't be out here for long. I'm just here to deliver a message." said the young pony.

"What kind of message?"

"It's from the mayor." said the filly. "He's my uncle. He wants every able-bodied pony in the city to meet at the city hall. Could you go and meet him?"

"I'm here to help." said Sunset. "Could you lead me to the city hall?"

"Sure can!" said the filly. "The name's Posey, by the way."

"That's a nice name." said Sunset, with a little smile. "Okay, now. Time to go!"

Sunset Shimmer and Posey sped down the road, followed by a few brave ponies. The city had been plunged into chaos by the invading army of Changelings and other creatures that were now running rampant throughout the streets. Every now and again, they would hear a shriek of terror, the sound of a building crumbling, or a Changeling or unicorn's spell going off in the distance.

Luckily, they were still able to navigate through the streets without engaging in any of the larger battles, since the Night Guard had already entered the fray, and were fighting off the more dangerous creatures. After some tricky maneuvering, Sunset Shimmer and Posey eventually came within sight of the city hall. Fillydelphia's City Hall was built atop a large hill surrounded by towers. It was lined with columns along the front, and was accessed from the rest of the city by a long flight of marble stairs.

The stairs to the city hall were flooded with ponies and Changelings fighting each other. There were flashes of green light, and ponies were sent hurdling up or down the stairs. The black insect-ponies slowly advanced up the stairs, relentlessly pushing back the defenders. Posey started to panic, and hid behind Sunset Shimmer.

"Sunset!" shouted the voice of Trixie.

Sunset Shimmer turned her head, and saw Trixie and Lightning Dust rushing towards her.

"We've been looking everywhere for you!" said Lightning Dust. "You had us worried sick!"

"Yeah, and now we've got an invasion on our hands!" Trixie exclaimed. "What are we going to do now?"

Sunset looked at her two friends.

"Simple: We fight them off." said Sunset. "Lightning, do you remember that move that you practiced with at the farm?"

"Yep!" said Lightning Dust. "The Thunderball, right?"

"I want you to use it on that Changeling army ascending the stairs to the city hall." said Sunset Shimmer. "I need you to clear a path, so that Trixie and I can meet up with the mayor."

"Roger that, ma'am." said the blonde pegasus with a salute.

She took off into the air, and performed a series of somersaults as she flew. She spun about across the sky, and her body became a cyan tornado. She began to glow with a golden light, dropped down hard on the Changeling army, and scattered the army in a white-hot electrified explosion. Several Changelings fell down the stairs, their comatose black bodies crackling with electricity. Lightning Dust herself stood triumphantly in the middle of the stairs, and received applause from the remaining defenders.

"Now's our cue!" Sunset told Trixie and Posey. "Head upstairs, immediately!"

The three galloped up the stairs, and were joined by Lightning Dust and the rest of the militia-ponies. They hurried through the main entrance, and worked their way through the building until they reached the door to the mayor's office.

"Mr. Mayor?" Lightning knocked on the door. "We're here for your meeting!"

There was no response from the other side of the door. Sunset knocked her own hoof against the door.

"Sir, it's Sunset Shimmer!" called the reddish-blonde unicorn. "Remember? I'm Princess Luna's student! I'm here with my friends and your niece! I even have the Night Guard out in the city, fighting the creatures!"

"C'mon, uncle!" said Posey. "Please open the door!"

Suddenly, there was a low growling on the other side of the door, followed by a pained shout.

"Help me!" said the voice of the mayor. "Get this monster away from me!"

A blood-curdling screech exploded from inside the mayor's office. Sunset, Trixie, and Lightning gasped, Posey's eyes widened with fear, several other ponies backed away in surprise. Lightning Dust tried to open the door, but it was welded shut. Sunset Shimmer went outside, and came back in while levitating a broken column with her telekinesis. She rammed it into the door five times, and knocked it off its hinges. Sunset, her friends, and a few militia-ponies went in through the door.

"That's close enough!" said a strange, raspy voice, which caused the rescuers to involuntarily halt in their tracks.

Sunset gasped, as she beheld a tall creature that appeared to be a Changeling looming over the injured Mayor of Fillydelphia. His red eyes were glaring furiously at the other ponies in the office. Eventually, he stopped at Sunset Shimmer.

"Ah, yes." the Changeling's voice boomed. "Just the pony...that I need."

The Battle of Fillydelphia, Part Two

Craw, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity entered the infirmary, where Applejack and Fluttershy were leaning over Rainbow Dash. Applejack was sniffling, and Fluttershy was on the verge of tears when she turned to see the people that entered the room. She recognized the man with Rarity and Pinkie.

"C-Craw, is that you?" Fluttershy asked.

"That's right, Shy." answered the young man. "How's Rainbow Dash?"

"I dunno." said Applejack, her voice shaking. "I'm so darn scared about Rainbow's condition, I haven't had the guts to leave her side to go out and ask about why she's like this."

Craw patted the blonde cowgirl on the shoulder, intending to comfort her.

"Why don't you and Fluttershy sit down for a while?" he offered, pointing at two empty chairs.

When all four of Rainbow Dash's friends were seated, Craw sat himself down on the bedside stool, and turned to face them.

"Craw, dear? What was that all about?" asked Rarity. "In the hall, I mean. Who was that soldier you were fighting with?"

"That was Ghost." answered Craw. "He's a corporal in the Chrysalis Syndicate. He's also one of the most despicable people I've ever met in my life, for reasons you couldn't even begin to understand."

"Yeah! That guy was a brute!" Pinkie Pie said in agreement. "I still can't believe he tried to hit me and Rarity with that...nightstick-thingie! So uncool!"

"Ghost did what?" Applejack raised her voice.

"And then he went and pointed a gun at Craw's head!" continued Pinkie Pie.

Fluttershy gasped, putting her hands over her mouth to prevent herself from crying out in surprise.

"He didn't hurt you, did he?" asked the girl with the yellowish-white skin tone and pink hair.

"Not too much." said Craw, putting his hand on his neck. "But man, do I have the stiffest neck right now! I was getting sick of that psycho's attitude before, but this is really pushing it!"

"My word, not even Sunset Shimmer ever did anything that bad!" said Rarity, before adding under her breath. "Not counting the Fall Formal, that is."

"Why'd he attack you, anyway?" asked Fluttershy.

"Because he's scum." said Craw, bluntly.

"What happened between you two, though?" questioned Rarity.

"That...man...beat up Sunset Shimmer a few nights ago." growled Craw. "I only just found out a few minutes ago, and he never told me what he did to her. Naturally, I lost my temper, and chewed him out a bit. That's when he started attacking me."

The four girls gasped. Fluttershy's eyes widened.

"So, that fight reported on the news...?"

"Yes." said Craw, in disgust. "That was Ghost beating Sunset to a pulp."

"Why would he do something like that, though?" inquired Applejack. "Sunset may have been a jerk in the past, but she ain't like that now! Heck, was Ghost even in town when she...?"

Suddenly, she cut herself off. Apparently, she realized she was about to say too much.

"It's okay." said Craw. "I know all about the demon."

"You do?!" the girls gasped in unison.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and a Syndicate operative entered the room.

"Craw, the cap'n wants you and Ghost to discuss your li'l...mishap." he said. "They're already in Principal Celestia's office."

"Thanks, Lieutenant Sigma." said Craw, with a salute. "I'll be there right away."

Meanwhile in Fillydelphia, Sunset Shimmer and her companions were staring down the large Changeling, who had the mayor at his plated hooves.

"What do you want with me?" Sunset asked.

"Allow me to introduce myself." said the Changeling, with a gruff voice. "I am Synthe, General of the Changelings. Look at my body."

Sunset noticed that General Synthe was half-covered in bits of various substances. The torso of his body was banded with some kind of greenish, rubbery substance, and reinforced by rings of steel that were tightly linked and chained together. His face had several deep scars, and was half-obscured by a metallic mask-like covering.

"Not a pretty sight, is it?" he asked the amber unicorn. "Do you want to know why I am like this?"

"Not really." said Sunset, who was becoming nauseous at the sight of Synthe's body.

"Quiet, if you would please." he said, simply. "I have been waiting for you for some time. You see, my body is in dire need of restoration...or replacement, if necessary."

"Where do we figure into that?!" demanded the mayor, who was irritated by the fact that he was being held hostage over what seemed like a trivial manner.

"I don't know." said Synthe. "But this attack wasn't my idea. It was Lord Umbriel's. I didn't even want to be dragged into this mess, but I suppose it was necessary."

"Why?" asked Sunset.

"Well, how else was I going to get somepony like you in a position to help me in my condition, without drawing the Princesses' attention?"

"Well, you could've asked for help." said Sunset with an annoyed glare.

"I couldn't." said Synthe. "Not after what I've done."

"Listen, Synthe." said the unicorn. "Let the mayor go, and we can discuss your gripes in private."

"Very well, young one." said the Changeling. "The Mayor is free to go. But only if Sunset Shimmer remains with me, so that we can begin our negotiations. The rest of you: Wait outside."

"And could you call of that army of yours?" asked Trixie.

"No. I can't do that." said General Synthe. "That is Lord Umbriel's decision. I can, however, see to it that none of my soldiers attack this building while I am inside."

"Just do what he says, everypony." said Sunset, with an assuring tone in her voice. "I can handle anything this guy throws at me."

"We shall see about that." said Synthe, giving a friendly warning.

The militia-ponies escorted the mayor out of the office, while Lightning Dust and Trixie tried valiantly to stay at Sunset Shimmer's side. Eventually, they left when they realized their interference might disrupt whatever chance they might have to achieve a powerful ally. General Synthe trotted over to the window, and saw a hydra wrapping its many heads around a skyscraper, as it fought off a trio of pegasus guards. There was several flashes of multi-colored lights scattered throughout the cityscape, indicating the battle was spreading like wildfire throughout Fillydelphia.

"Just like the glory days." he muttered, smiling weakly.

"What glory days?" asked Sunset. "What happened to you, anyway? You look like a broken-down operating room."

"It's a long, complicated story." said the Changeling general, shaking his heavily disfigured head.

Suddenly, a slow hissing sound emerged from his head. Sunset noticed that not only was the Changeling's horn broken at the tip, but there was a black breathing-tube running through the underside of his jaw, and curved over his chin. The general bent his lips outward to suck on the tube's end hardily, and shuddered uncomfortably as he did this. Sunset Shimmer also took a look at his back, and saw that his insect-like wings were thoroughly cracked, broken, and covered in dark scabs. She felt herself becoming queasy from seeing this horrible array of disfigurements: Truly, this creature had suffered a fate worse than death.

The unicorn closed her eyes, and turned away, so that she didn't have to see the mutilated Changeling's body.

"General, I want to ask what made you like this..." she said. "But at the same time, I'm afraid to find out. So first, I would like to ask you what you were like before...whatever happened to you."

As the sounds of battle grew louder and louder in the distance, Synthe turned his head to face the unicorn.

"Very well." he said, and began to explain himself to her. "I was once a loyal servant of Queen Chrysalis, ruler of the Changelings. But I grew impatient with her failed efforts to feed our people, so I attempted to overthrow her. I nearly succeeded in doing so, too."

"But you failed, right?" asked Sunset.

"Obviously." nodded Synthe. "And what you see before you is the end result."

"Wow, this Queen Chrysalis sounds like one tough cookie."

Synthe sucked hard on the breathing-tube again.

"Oh, she had nothing to do with this." he retorted, once he finished inhaling the artificial air. "If she didn't summon that alien warrior to our world, I would've beaten her easily."

"An alien warrior?" repeated Sunset. "From what--"

"I won't speak any more about it, Sunset Shimmer!" snapped the Changeling. "The stress from the memories alone is driving me over the edge. I refuse to recount them to you!"

Meanwhile, the Night Guard was routing the Changelings in a war-torn district of the city. At their head was Captain Star Shield and Lieutenant Radiant Dawn. The two coordinated their subordinates in the area to surround and flank the Changelings. The pegasi dive-bombed the Changelings, the unicorns cast their own spells to stun them, and the earth ponies rammed into them with their strong bodies.

Suddenly, the larger creatures began to appear. However, the captain and his lieutenant were ready for them, since Sunset Shimmer told them what to expect Lord Umbriel to throw at them.

"Firefly! Sky Boom!" shouted Radiant Dawn. "Fly circles around that hydra!"

The two pegasi soared in opposite directions around the many-headed beast, confusing it. It tried to intercept the flight patterns of the two winged mares, but its heads collided with each other several times. In two minutes, most of the heads clumsily slumped to the ground, unconscious. The last uninjured head pursued Sky Boom, trailing its long neck around its body until it had tied itself up. With a simple nudge from Firefly, the creature slowly toppled over and fell onto an already ruined house.

"That's my girls!" cheered Radiant, clapping his front hooves at his two trainees.

"You've trained my guards well." said Star Shield, who witnessed this.

"Hey, I can't take all the credit." said Radiant. "My sister gave me the idea, after all."

"What do you mean?"

"Hydra heads tend to work independently from each other. It makes it hard for them to work as a team."

Suddenly, a vast dragon with bronze scales soared overhead, roaring loudly. Several guards and townsponies scattered in a panic.

"Now, it's time to see what this aging stallion can do." said Star Shield, crouching down.

He shot up into the starlit sky, and chased after the dragon. He zig-zagged and spiraled around the reptilian beast, and struck its neck several times. The dragon promptly breathed bluish-white fire in various directions to try and take down the pegasus, but it missed each time. Star Shield was able to mount the beast's head, and steered it away from the city and towards the outlying forest. He pressed down hard on its neck, causing it to fly downwards into the trees. He was able to dismount and hover over the forest just before the creature took a ferocious dive into the trees, and saw it make a loud, painful crash as it plowed through five trees.

"I'm...to old...for this." the pegasus captain panted heavily, turning his head to look back at Fillydelphia. "I wonder how Sunset Shimmer's doing."

The Battle of Fillydelphia, Part Three

Radiant Dawn was directing the unicorn and earth pony guards to round up the remaining Changelings.

"Don't let any of 'em escape." he said. "I don't know what the captain wants to do with them, so try not to kill them until--"

Suddenly, Firefly approached him, clearing her throat.

"Lieutenant Dawn, Silver Shadow's spotted a large Changeling flying through the air, not too far from here." she said. "It appeared to be flying towards the city hall."

"It's Umbriel!" exclaimed Radiant. "Oh, this will be good! I'm gonna go over there, and rip that monster's flank a new one."

"But, sir!" said the pegasus. "We still need a leader, and Captain Star Shield isn't back yet!"

"You're in charge of rounding up these Changelings until I get back." nodded Radiant. "Can you do that, Sergeant Firefly?"

"I'm....a sergeant?" gasped Firefly. "This is just so unexpected. I'm just so honored, sir!"

"Don't get too comfortable with it, though." said Radiant. "It's only temporary. But if you do a good job at handling the creatures while me and Captain Star Shield are away, I might be able to convince him to let you keep it. Now get to work, sarge."

"Yes, lieutenant!" said Firefly with a salute. "One creature round-up coming up, sir!"

Then she took off and flew over the other guards to give them orders. Radiant promptly departed for the city hall, galloping quickly.

In the mayor's office, Sunset Shimmer paced around General Synthe, her horn glowing brightly.

"Alright, general." said Sunset. "Let's cut to the chase. What in Equestria can I do to get Umbriel's goons out of this city?"

"Well, you could try cooking up a protection spell to boot them all out of here." said the Changeling general. " That's how Queen Chrysalis was cast out of Canterlot the last time she tried to attack it. But you probably don't know how to make any on a city-wide scale."

"No...I don't." said Sunset, bowing her head in frustration. "If only I stayed with Princess Celestia longer. I could've sworn that she was about to teach me how to make one of them, but then I got so caught up with..."

That mirror. That accursed mirror! Sunset Shimmer growled angrily.

"You should've brought Shining Armor with you, instead of that old has-been, Star Shield." sneered Synthe.

"Star Shield is a great captain!" Sunset snapped.

"Yes, I'm sure." nodded the Changeling, mockingly. "But when I last checked, unicorns are capable of magic, and not pegasi."

"Ugh!" Sunset groaned, disgusted by the truth. "You've got a point. But my brother's here in town. Maybe he could--wait, I forgot that he's an absolute wreck with complex spells like that! He'd probably wind up setting the entire city on fire if he tried it!"

"Well, he's just as useless in this scenario as Star Shield, then." snarked General Synthe.

Sunset suddenly levitated the Changeling into the ceiling then let him fall hard to the floor. Synthe slowly climbed back to his feet, aching all over. He made a quick check of his body to make sure his life-support wasn't damaged, and then inhaled the air from the breathing-tube.

"Slow down there, unicorn." groaned the general. "I'm only trying to help you here!"

"Well, I'm sick of everypony treating my brother like garbage!" yelled Sunset, who was fuming. "He may not be perfect, but he's the only family I've got!"

"Ah, forgive me." said Synthe, without remorse.

"Look, do you have any ideas at all?" said Sunset, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't look at me. This is your fight. Why don't you figure it out for yourself, genius?"

"How about I just snap you in two with my magic, and call it a day?"

"Because you're not a monster." said Synthe, his scarred mouth twisting into a feral smile. "But in a way, I am."

Without warning, he leaped upon the amber unicorn, and pinned her to the ground. He bent his head down on her, and attempted to bite her flank. However Sunset was able to knock him off with another burst of magic. She teleported right behind the Changeling, back on her feet. She bent her head down in a vigilant manner.

"You know..." she said, lowly. "That really wasn't a nice thing to do."

Synthe turned around, with a wicked grin on his face.

"I'm a Changeling, darling." he said, his voice deepening. "I'm not supposed to be nice."

"That's fine." said Sunset. "I'm not exactly a nice pony, either."

Her horn glowed again, and Synthe was thrown across the room by the mare's telekinesis. He crashed hard into a door, and lay on the floor in a crumpled heap. He began to spit up pale green bile, and choked loudly. Sunset Shimmer approached him, visibly unamused.

"Yes, I sense much love for your brother within you." he groaned. "I am actually impressed by this, considering how you've behaved these past few years. Did I perhaps touch a nerve?"

"I know that your kind is deceitful and treacherous." said Sunset Shimmer. "But what you speak is the truth. I love my brother more than anypony else in Equestria. But no, not like that!"

She stuck her tongue out in disgust at Synthe's perverted snickering.

"And you definitely touched a nerve!" she continued. "If I wasn't trying to be a better pony, I'd kill you right now."

"And why...won't you kill me, Sunset Shimmer?" asked General Synthe, coughing.

"It's because I'm no murderer!" Sunset spat on the covering on his disfigured face. "Look at you! You're a wreck! You look like a fly on a car's windshield if it got put into an emergency room and turned into a cyborg!"

She didn't care if this strange, crippled creature didn't know what she was talking about. She honestly didn't. But it seemed like Synthe didn't care, either.

"I admire your valiance, Sunset Shimmer." he gasped for breath. "...I see a lot of potential for you, should you become a princess. Of course, that's assuming that brutality like this is accepted amongst your peers!"

"Maybe not." said Sunset. "But really, I don't care if I don't become a princess. At the moment, I just want to do what's right. And right now, that's getting back at you Changeling scum for whatever you've done to my family. You obviously had nothing to do with it, but I know that you do know where the one responsible for it is located. So where is Lord Umbriel at this moment?"

"Oh, that fruitcake? That's no secret: He's right behind you!"

Sunset Shimmer gasped, and turned to see the muscular Changeling lord staring her down, with a malicious grin on his face.

"How did you--" she began, before being pushed into a wall by Umbriel's telekinesis.

She slumped against the wall, and felt her eyes rolling dizzily.

"That...was a cheap shot." she droned, clumsily.

"Nothing you wouldn't be accustomed to, though." said Umbriel.

"Go buck yourself in the butt." snarled Sunset, who shook off her dizziness.

"You first." sneered the Changeling lord, whose twisted horn was now illuminating.

Suddenly, the unicorn was lifted into the air, and she felt her hind legs jerking back involuntarily. She felt her back hooves smashing against her backside, and she winced in pain. Sunset Shimmer wound up bucking herself ten times, before suddenly being dropped to the ground. She staggered back up, and responded by blasting Lord Umbriel with a beam of teal magical energy. The Changeling just stood there, relatively unfazed. Sunset's jaw dropped in dismay.

"Did you honestly think I would risked fighting against you if I didn't prepare myself for a unicorn as powerful as you?" he said to her.

"No, you didn't exactly seem the type." glared Sunset Shimmer. "In fact, I could smell your cowardice from a mile away."

"Insolent child!" bellowed Umbriel. "Now you shall die!"

His horn glowed again, and Sunset Shimmer felt her neck tightening. She gasped for breath, but Umbriel's spell was too much for her. She was beginning to see stars, and her vision was on the verge of blacking out. Suddenly, there was a loud crash behind Sunset, and the doors were knocked off their hinges. The familiar mass of a large reddish-orange unicorn stood in the doorway, backed by several smaller ponies. The stallion took a few steps forward, glaring intensely at Lord Umbriel.

"Get...away...from my sister!" growled Radiant Dawn.

"Ah, the elder sibling finally shows his face." laughed Umbriel. "Good! I've always loved family reunions! They're like...all-you-can-eat buffets to us Changelings!"

"You won't be feasting on any more love, Changeling!" snapped Radiant. "You're going to pay for what you did to our parents!"

"Are all you unicorns this stubborn?" queried Umbriel. "I already told your sister that I don't know what happened to your family! In fact, they did more damage to us than I did to them!"

"You still tried to have us all killed, darn it!" shouted Radiant. "And I see you're still trying to kill me and my sister! Hey, what the buckin' hoof are you doing to her?!"

Suddenly, a series of sparks erupted from his horn, and the stallion reared his head into a charging position. He leaped to the side of his sister, and canceled out the strangulation spell that was being applied to her.

"Thanks, Red." choked out Sunset.

"Always glad to help, kiddo." said Radiant, before turning to Lord Umbriel. "It's over now, Umbriel. Your army's been routed. As we speak, the Night Guard's rounding up what remains of your troops, and your creatures have been put out of commission. Even if you kill the two of us, there's still all the ponies in this building you'll have to deal with!"

Lord Umbriel took a look at the ponies standing outside the room, and felt his mouth frothing.

"Drink your fill!" he said.

"Very well." moaned General Synthe, who was struggling to get back up.

"Not you, fool!" said Umbriel. "Ghost, get in here!"

The albino Changeling flew into office through the opened window.

"What...treachery...is this?" strained Synthe.

"I am relieving you of your command for the moment, general." said Umbriel. "Ghost has volunteered to take your place, until you have patched yourself up. This is no treachery to speak of. I simply don't want my most prized champion to die before he can do anything useful."

"But, sir!" said Synthe. "I want to be here, to speak with Sunset Shimmer!"

"You've had your chance, now go!" snapped Umbriel. "I have business to take care of with these two!"

"Yes, my lord." said the Changeling general, reluctantly.

"Now hold still, Synthie." said Ghost, whose horn was now glowing.

In a flash of light, General Synthe was teleported away. Radiant's jaw dropped in surprise.

"Wow, that's the first time I've seen somepony use a teleportation spell on somepony else!" he exclaimed, impressed.

"Isn't it great?" asked Ghost. "I made it myself! In fact, I tested it out on your sister just a little while ago! Don't you remember, dearie?"

"Unfortunately." glared Sunset, before turning to Radiant. "So, which one do you wanna fight first?"

"I'll take Umbriel." said Radiant Dawn. "You take his clown."

"Good! I've always loved rematches!" said Ghost, feigning cheerfulness.

"And I sense an even stronger amount of love and happiness within you, Radiant." said Umbriel. "It will be an honor to drain you dry!"

Radiant Dawn and Sunset Shimmer bent their legs, and charged at the two Changelings, their horns glowing brightly. The ponies outside watched in awe as the two unicorns fought against the Changelings with great intensity. The room shook from the spells being cast between Sunset Shimmer and Ghost, and Radiant Dawn wound up destroying several pieces of furniture during his struggle with Lord Umbriel.

"It's a shame, really." said Umbriel. "You're a unicorn, aren't you?"

"Yeah!" responded Radiant.

"So why don't you use your magic?" asked the Changeling lord. "You're not an earth pony! Start casting some spells, you big oaf!"

"Oh, you want magic?" growled Dawn. "I'll give it to ya!"

Suddenly, his horn glowed brightly, and the mayor's desk was dropped down on Umbriel's back.

"Oh, come on!" complained the mayor, who was watching from outside. "That desk had a mahogany finish, and cost six hundred bits! Did he seriously have to break it?!"

Then Umbriel emerged from under the destroyed desk, his head bleeding green blood.

"Or you know what?" said the mayor, timidly. "I didn't need the desk that badly! Kill that monster, master guardsman! Kill him dead!"

"That's what I'm trying to do, sir!" shouted back Radiant.

Umbriel growled viciously. His horn began to glow brightly, but then it faltered from the head trauma. His eyesight was blotched with red and green from the burst blood vessels in his eyes, but he was able to make out Radiant Dawn galloping towards him, with his head down.

"Oh, for f--" he attempted to curse, when Radiant suddenly bellowed out.

Violently, Radiant Dawn ran Umbriel through with his horn, and held him up over his tall body. He began to shake him up.

"How. Do. You. Like. This?!" shouted Radiant as he did this.

There was several crackling noises coming from within Umbriel's body, as the Changeling began to squirm uncomfortably.

"Please!" he squealed. "Show mercy!"

"Did you show my parents mercy when you attacked them?" demanded Dawn. "Did you show my sister mercy when you tried to throttle her?!"

Ghost was suddenly flung across the room by Sunset's telekinesis, but caught himself in mid-flight before he splattered against the wall. He collapsed exhausted on an overturned sofa.

"Radiant, don't kill him!" said Sunset.

"Why not?" asked Radiant, still snarling at the impaled Changeling. "This guy did something to our parents, and--"

"Because he might know what happened to our parents!" she explained. "If you kill him now, we may never find them! Besides, I don't want you to brutally murder someone like this! You're not a cold-blooded killer, Red. Don't act like you are!"

"Murder, Sunset?" Radiant questioned. "He tried to kill you! He tried to kill me! This is self-defense!"

"Radiant Dawn, put that creature down now!" said Sunset Shimmer with a commanding tone in her voice.

"Okay, okay." said Radiant, turning his head down again. "You're off the hook."

Lord Umbriel slid off the unicorn's horn and dropped to the ground. He began wheezing for air, and wrapping his insectoid wings over the puncture wounds. The brother and sister stood on opposite sides of the wounded Changeling, and stared him down fiercely.

"This...isn't...over!" he snarled at them. "If you think...I'll just give up, you're...sadly...mistaken!"

"Can I kill him now, Sunny?" asked Radiant.

"Not yet, Red." said Sunset. "Umbriel, I want to know what happened to our parents! Tell me, and we'll let you go."

"You two...just aren't ready yet for the truth!" spat the Changeling. "So you think that by defeating me here and now, I'll just open up about everything? You haven't beaten me yet! This was just a setback for me! I'll come back to finish you off! Ghost, send me to my sister!"

"Yes, my lord!" said Ghost, climbing off the sofa.

"Oh, no you--" Sunset shouted, but it was too late.

Ghost's horn glowed, and the injured Umbriel disappeared in a flash of light. Radiant caught sight of the albino Changeling, and tackled him before he could cast the spell on himself.

"Where'd you send him?" said the stallion. "Where did Umbriel go this time?"

"There's really no point, big boy." said the white Changeling. "No matter where he is now, he will have left before you even reach it. That's how we Changelings work! Now, if you'll excuse me..."

There was another flash of light, and Ghost blasted Radiant off of him with a concussive blast of energy. With a third flash, Ghost vanished from the city.

"Sunset, are you okay?" shouted Trixie, who galloped into the room.

"I'm fine, Trixie." replied Sunset Shimmer to her friend.

"Oh, I was so worried about you!" the blue unicorn began sobbing into Sunset's neck.

Sunset gently tried to shrug off the crying mare. Meanwhile, Lightning Dust trotted into the room when she caught sight of Radiant, who was brooding over the spot where Umbriel once laid. She decided to comfort him. She put a wing over his back.

"You okay, big guy?" Lightning asked.

"Yeah." said Radiant, who nodded slowly. "I'm just so...frustrated right now. I failed my family. I failed everyone!"

"Don't be so hard on yourself." said the mare. "You didn't fail everyone. After all, you just saved my best friend. You also saved my hometown. You, sir, are a hero."

"Indeed, he is a hero." said a familiar voice. "As is Sunset Shimmer."

Sunset Shimmer, Radiant Dawn, Trixie, and Lightning Dust turned towards the door. They saw Captain Star Shield standing in the doorway, flanked by Crimson Cloud and Firefly. Radiant stood himself up, nervously expecting his superior to chew him out for running out on his men. But when the captain approached him, he simply put a comforting wing on the unicorn's neck.

"You've done well, lieutenant." he said, giving him a rare smile. "You have averted a great threat by intervening like this. Everypony, look outside, if you would please."

They all went to the opened window, and peered out into the city. Outside, the sun was beginning to rise, and the Changelings and creatures that weren't subdued by the defenders of the city began to flee from Fillydelphia. Throughout the city, the townsponies and guards cheering on their victory over the invaders.

"Lieutenant Dawn and Miss Shimmer." he addressed the unicorn siblings. "This wouldn't have been possible if it weren't for the quick thinking and determination of you two. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna would be proud of both of you right now."

Lightning Dust and Trixie gave Sunset Shimmer a group hug.

"Way to go, Sunset!" smiled Trixie.

"You rock, girlfriend!" cheered Lightning, blissfully. "That was so awesome of you!"

"Thanks, guys." blushed Sunset. "But I couldn't have done it with my big brother over here."

She turned her head over to Radiant, who was preoccupied by the cheering ponies outside. Lightning Dust glanced between the two unicorns, and squealed.

"Wow, Sunny." she whispered into her friend's ear. "Why didn't you tell me you had such a cool brother? Now I've got to introduce myself to him."

"Be my guest, Lightning." said Sunset Shimmer, with a smile.

Lightning Dust went over to Radiant, and leaned against him.

"So, you're Sunset's brother, huh?" she asked him.

"That's right." nodded the stallion. "The name's Dawn. Radiant Dawn."

"Call me Lightning Dust." replied the pegasus. "So, I was wondering: Are you...taken?"

"What do you mean by that?" asked Radiant.

"Well, I mean do you have a...special somepony?" asked Lightning.

"Not really." said Radiant, who was still looking out the window. "I used to date this gryphon, but it didn't work so well for us."

"Well, honey, I'm sorry to hear that." said Lightning. "So, do ya wanna go somewhere later? I know a place where we can celebrate your and Sunset's victory over that Changeling warlord. Are you two into music or dancing at all?"

"As long as it isn't a square-dance or a hoedown, I'm game for anything." said Sunset, who came over to them.

"Ditto, here." said Radiant.

"No, it won't be anything like that!" said Lightning. "I mean, go out and party! I know this nightclub uptown that plays some killer beats! We could totally swing by there tonight, assuming it didn't get destroyed in the battle, of course."

Sunset found herself smiling. She hadn't been to a dance party in ages. Not since she was in the human world.

"I'd love to go!" she exclaimed, cheerfully.

"Me, too!" said Radiant.

"And I shall send a messenger to inform Princess Luna that this mission was a success." said Captain Star Shield. "I think that I could afford to stay behind to keep an eye on her majesty's student...and of course, keep my potential recruits in line."

"Wait, what do you mean by that?" Lightning asked.

"You'll see, young one." said the Captain of the Night Guard.

The Road to Canterlot

Sunset Shimmer, Radiant Dawn and Star Shield proudly trotted down the stairs of Fillydelphia, flanked by four of Princess Luna's bat-ponies. The citizens of Fillydelphia were waiting eagerly at the bottom for their saviors. When Star Shield reached the bottom, he turned to give the two unicorn siblings a salute. The townsponies exploded with applause.

"At ease, boys." whispered Radiant to the bat-ponies, when they noticed they were quivering in the growing sunlight.

The four bat-winged pegasi took off into the air, flying westwards to escape the light of the rising sun. Taking their place were four unicorn guards of the Canterlot Royal Guard, who had been sent by Princess Celestia to help with the aftermath. The Night Captain and the siblings marched through the midst of the crowd until they reached a podium in the town square, where the Mayor and his niece were waiting patiently. The two earth ponies gave a generous bow to the three, before stepping away from the podium. Captain Shield approached the platform, and cleared his throat. The crowd gradually fell silent.

"Citizens of Fillydelphia..." he spoke with a firm, clear voice. "The time to fear the night has ended. The crisis that has plagued your city has finally ceased. Princess Luna learned of your predicament, and her Night Guard proudly rose to the call. You therefore have the Princess of the Night to thank for your newly-found safety and freedom."

The crowd applauded.

"But the doings of others must be taken into account." continued Star Shield. "If it were not for the glorious deeds of a certain somepony, we never would have learned about your troubles until it was too late. Thus, I request that you all put your hooves and wings together for none other than her majesty's own apprentice, Miss Sunset Shimmer. Madam Shimmer, if you would please..."

He turned a give a warm nod to the yellow mare, who graciously approached the podium to her loud, cheering audience. Sunset could've sworn that she heard at least three or four wolf-whistles from a few stallions and colts lurking amongst the countless townsponies, but didn't pay attention. Instead, she gave a humble curtsy, took a deep breath, and looked back up to address the onlookers.

"Everypony, I would like to say a few things." she announced. "First, I would like to point out that I haven't been the kindest soul for the past few years of my life. And I feel regretful to have been away from my homeland for such a long time, and for selfish reasons at that. But now I hope to make up for it, like I have here in Fillydelphia, and hope to prove myself worthy to the rest of Equestria in the future.

"And though I have been away from my own home and loved ones for so long, I hope that my actions here have made it possible to save your own today. This has truly been a wonderful opportunity for me, to work with others, and help them in their time of need. I even made a few friends out of this whole ordeal. It may not seem like much to you, but I can honestly say that friendship was something I, until recently, never really took the chance to learn about."

"You go, girl!" whooped Lightning Dust, who stood alongside a clapping Trixie in the crowd.

"But I can't truly take all the credit for bringing about your safety." Sunset spoke on. "I wouldn't be here to tell you all this if it weren't for a certain somepony: my loving brother, Radiant Dawn."

Radiant slowly approached his sister, and put a hoof around her neck to hug her. Sunset promptly hugged him back, putting a hoof around Radiant's other front leg. The crowd cheered on even louder than before. Radiant silently shed tears of happiness, and returned to Captain Shield's side with a wink to the townsponies. The Mayor of Fillydelphia trotted up to the podium to speak with Sunset Shimmer. Posey was at his side, carrying a long gilded key on her back.

"Miss Shimmer, words alone can't express how relieved we all are that those horrid monsters are finally away from our fair city." he said to her. "If it weren't for your selfless choice to remain in this city to assist us, even when it wasn't your task to do this, we may all be stuck in some slimy green pods in that Changeling's lair! Thus, I find it reasonable to reward you with the key to the city!"

He nodded down at Posey, who happily brought the key over to Sunset Shimmer. The mare's horn glowed, and she stood the award up with her front left hoof. She wore a smile in a manner she hadn't worn since she first became the Princess of the Fall Formal at Canterlot High.

"And since you contributed so much for this city..." the mayor resumed. "Including not only getting Lightning Dust under control, but inspiring the rest of us to stand up against the creatures, and saving my niece's life--plus my own--I, Mayor Thorn Side, declare you an honorary Fillydelphian. You, madam, are always welcome in my city--no matter what."

He bent his spectacled head down to kiss Sunset Shimmer's front right hoof. Sunset Shimmer was red in the face, not from blushing at the honor she was being given, but because she was fighting the urge not to giggle at the Mayor's name. Luckily for her, nopony seemed to notice the difference, since they were all too busy cheering her on.

"Well, how do you like that?" Sunset Shimmer thought, as she looked at her surroundings. "I guess Principal Celestia was right! Maybe it is better to inspire those around you, instead of making them bow down to you. I'm going to love being back in Equestria!"

Two hours later, Sunset Shimmer found herself conversing with Lightning Dust, as they, Trixie, Star Shield, and Radiant Dawn were walking on the road back to the city of Canterlot.

"Dawn and Sunset, huh?" asked Lightning. "Interesting theme-naming your family has: The complete opposite ends of the Sun!"

"Yeah." nodded Sunset, casually. "Really noteworthy."

"So, do you two have, like, a name for that little team you have with that brother of yours?" asked Lightning. "How about...the Daytime Duet?"

"I really don't have a team with my brother." Sunset shook her head. "We haven't worked together against a common enemy since we were still training together at Princess Celestia's academy. Besides, that's a pretty lame name."

"How about the Rising Sons?" suggested Lightning Dust.

"That wouldn't be too bad..." said Sunset, before frowning. "Too bad I'm a mare."

"Team Daystar! You know, since Daystar Manor's the name of your home."

"No thanks. Brings up too many bad memories."

"The Sunnysides? I mean, since the sun rises in the East, and sets in the West."

"Sounds too...sitcom-ish."

"The Sun Twins?"

"Radiant's three years older than me."

Lightning Dust took a while to think up the next name.

"Then how about the Sun Siblings?" she finally suggested.

"That sounds great!" Sunset nodded, before turning to her brother. "Hey, Radiant!"

"Yeah?" he replied.

"I guess we're called the Sun Siblings!" said Sunset. "What do ya think of that?"

"Well, it does have a nice ring to it." commented Radiant, twitching his ear. "Did you come up with it?"

"Nope. Lightning did."

Lightning Dust blushed, then went over to Captain Star Shield.

"So, you're a Captain, huh?" she asked.

"That is correct." said Star Shield, nodding slowly.

"So, do you guys need any more recruits at all?" asked the mare. "Cuz I could totally do that messenger thing for you. Ya know, delivering messages and stuff?"

"That won't be necessary, miss." said Captain Shield. "But I hear that the Wonderbolts are still recruiting."

"Oh, really..." said Lightning sadly, before frowning.

"What seems to be the problem?" asked Star Shield, noticing the mare's saddened face out of the corner of his eye.

"Well, it's just that I tried to join the Wonderbolts a few months ago." explained Lightning Dust. "I'm very fast, agile, and have good reflexes and stuff. But I wound up getting kicked out of there for being reckless. I'm not like that anymore, but they probably wouldn't care at all! They'd probably think I was too dangerous to keep around!"

Radiant overheard this conversation. He could sympathize with Lightning's conundrum. He once went through similar problems at Celestia's academy. The Night Captain promptly came to a halt, and the others instinctively followed suit.

"Well, perhaps there is something you could do for us." said Star Shield, scratching his chin with his hoof. "I have been considering sending Princess Luna a petition to resurrect the Shadowbolts."

"The what-now?" asked Lightning Dust, confused.

"The Shadowbolts." said Star Shield. "They were minions of Nightmare Moon, until she was defeated by Twilight Sparkle and her companions. The Shadowbolts were shadowy manifestations that assumed the forms of pegasi wearing black Wonderbolt-styled uniforms. Princess Luna told me about them a couple of years ago, when she had me send one of their outfits to Rainbow Dash for winning Cloudsdale's Best Young Flyer competition."

"Rainbow Dash?" asked Lightning Dust, frowning again. "Yeah, I know who she is. She's the one the got me kicked out of the Wonderbolts Academy. Can't say that I didn't deserve it, though. So you're saying she owns a Shadowbolt uniform, when she's not a Shadowbolt herself?"

"Yes. And apparently, Miss Dash enjoyed wearing that thing, since Princess Luna told me she was using it when she pulled pranks on the residents of Ponyville for Nightmare Night."

"So, how can I get one of 'em?" asked Lightning.

"Well, that depends on a number of things." said the pegasus captain. "First, you shall need to come with me to Canterlot, where we shall discuss these matters with the Princesses. Second, I need to see how skilled you are with both flying and following orders."

"I'm sure I could do that." nodded Lightning Dust.

"Are you sure, miss?" inquired Captain Shield.

"Sure, I'm sure!" nodded Lightning Dust with a determined expression on her face. "I won't screw up on this! I promise you, sir!"

She gave a military salute to Star Shield. The she turned back to trot alongside Radiant and Sunset.

"So, it looks like I'm going to Canterlot with you guys." she said.

Suddenly, a pegasus guard in golden armor flew up to Captain Star Shield. He was carrying a scroll in his mouth. Radiant Dawn and Sunset Shimmer both recognized him almost immediately.

"Lieutenant Flash Sentry, what a pleasant surprise." said Star Shield. "So, what brings you here?"

Flash handed the scroll over to the captain.

"We've received your message, sir." he said. "Princess Celestia has sent more royal guards to help keep the city safe from any of Umbriel's remaining troops. Also, Princess Luna is expecting you and the rest of your guards to return to Canterlot by nightfall."

"Very good, lieutenant." said Star. "We will be there before the Night Court even begins. Now, I expect your own captain will want to hear from you again. Now don't keep Shining Armor waiting."

"Of course, sir." said Flash, who then turned in the general direction of the Sun Siblings.

He felt his heart leap and his ears twitching as he saw Sunset Shimmer, who in turn was looking back at him. Nervously, Flash approached her, and cleared his throat.

"Miss Shimmer, I take it you are well?" asked Flash Sentry.

"Sure thing, Flash." answered Sunset. "So, how's the Canterlot Royal Guard?"

"It's...great." said Flash Sentry, hesitantly. "So, you're brother's in the Night Guard, huh?"

"That's right." interjected Radiant Dawn. "And guess what? I'm a lieutenant now, just like you."

"Well, congratulations!" said Flash, straining himself to turn his head away from Sunset. "I'm looking forward to perhaps serving alongside you, somehow."

"We'll see about that." said Radiant, casually. "But we're going to be leaving soon. In the meantime, how about you just go back to flirting with my sister?"

"But I wasn't--" Flash attempted to interject, but words failed him when he noticed that Sunset had shot a look at him and Radiant.

"Red?" Sunset called over to her elder sibling. "What are you talking about? You didn't set me up on a date with this guy, did you?"

"Not at all, sis." denied Radiant. "From the way fly-boy here made it out, you seemed to do a good job of pulling it off yourself!"

Sunset then looked over at Flash Sentry. She quickly deduced that Flash had told Radiant about their little "moment" together in Princess Cadence's palace in the Crystal Empire. She blushed so hard, her muzzle was as red as her demon form's skin. Trixie and Lightning Dust turned to glance at Sunset and Flash, and started giggling quietly to themselves. Sunset took a slow, steady breath, then spoke:

"Just...look." she said to Flash. "When I tried that...thing...with you, I didn't really mean what I was doing or saying. I was absolutely desperate, and afraid to be caught and arrested. Plus, you reminded me of..."

"The other Flash Sentry?" asked the pegasus guard. "Don't worry. Princess Twilight told me all about him."

"Including the fact that...we used to date?" asked Sunset, whispering in a surprised manner.

"It might've come up once or twice." nodded Flash.

"Sunset, you didn't tell me you dated a human!" said Radiant.

"I didn't." said Sunset, with a sigh. "I actually dated two."

"Well, I don't know what to say about that..." began Radiant.

"Look, it's not a happy memory, okay?" Sunset questioned loudly. "You don't see me badgering you about that gryphon or whatever it was that you dated!"

"Sounds fair to me." said Radiant.

"You know, I'm kinda bummed that we won't be able to make it to that nightclub, since we're all going to Canterlot." said Lightning. "I'm telling you guys: They've got the coolest music there!"

"That reminds me." said Star Shield, who came up to them. "There's a second message on the scroll meant for Sunset Shimmer. This one's from Princess Twilight Sparkle."

Sunset sighed.

"Okay." she said, flatly. "Let's get this over with."

She levitated the scroll up to her face, and read the bottom half of the text, which was written in a fine blue ink.

Dear Sunset Shimmer,

First, I would like to apologize for leaving you behind in that other world. I wasn't thinking clearly at the time, and I was still angry about what you had done beforehand. It was also wrong of me to steal your ex-boyfriend away from you like that. I should have spent more time helping you try to fit in with the students at Canterlot High, or at least asked you if you wanted to come back to Equestria with me.

Truthfully, it was your brother that set me straight. Thanks to him, I can't believe that I actually left you in a place I knew next to nothing about. For all I knew, the government there could've killed you for that whole incident with the Element of Magic and the Fall Formal. I'm glad to know that you are back in Equestria, alive and well. If you are still angry with me, I understand. You have the right to be angry. I simply ask that you do not retread your old ways. You're better than that, Sunset. I know you are.

Second, I would like to congratulate you on becoming Princess Luna's student. I kind of had a feeling you two would work well together. After all, Princess Luna went through more-or-less the same problems with Princess Celestia as you did. And I'm sure that your social skills will be able to benefit yourself and those around you in Equestria even better than at Canterlot High, especially since you're (hopefully) not a bully anymore.

Third, I've just heard from my brother that you saved the city of Fillydelphia from a Changeling attack. Well done, I say! I'm starting to see a bright future for you here in Equestria. You have no idea how proud the other princesses are, either. They've given Pinkie Pie permission to throw a big party for you in Canterlot Palace's banquet hall. I know you'll just love it! Hope to see you there!

Your fellow Equestria Girl (Spike came up with the name, not me!),

Princess Twilight Sparkle.

Sunset Shimmer put the scroll down, and gave it back to Captain Shield.

"Well, it looks like we're all going to have a party when we're back in Canterlot." she said to her companions. "And I guess Twilight Sparkle's going to be there."

"Oh, great." said Trixie. "Now she'll rub the fact that she's a princess into my face!"

"Miss Trixie, I was under the impression that you and Twilight had made up?" asked Captain Star Shield.

"Oh, right." Trixie said. "She kinda did. I just forget these kind of--wait, how'd you know my name?"

"Considering your knack of shouting it out halfway across the countryside, how wouldn't he?" asked Sunset, jokingly.

Star Shield and Trixie kept a straight face, but the others burst out laughing.

"And how'd you know I used to be Twilight's rival?" asked Trixie.

"I was there with Princess Celestia, during Twilight's presentation in Ponyville." explained Captain Shield. "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with her."

"Well, thanks for not having me arrested, sir." said Trixie. "What with the Alicorn Amulet, and the tormenting, and the--"

"Hey, Trixie?" asked Lightning, nudging Trixie with her wing. "I think he gets the point. So, what kind of stuff can we expect at Canterlot? I've never been there before."

"Ah, Canterlot." sighed Captain Star Shield. "Truly the crown jewel of Equestria. It is a beautiful, pleasant city. It's built on the side of a mountain, too. It offers a very good view of the surrounding lands. As one pegasus to another, I think you will love it."

"Well, it's time for me to take my leave." said Flash Sentry. "I'll see you all back in Canterlot."

"Hey, Flash!" said Radiant Dawn. "I want you to make sure that they've got some awesome music when we get there. I mean, orchestrated music is fine and all, but I kinda want something a little...cooler. I mean, for Lightning Dust's sake. Like the stuff they'd play in a nightclub."

"Radiant, you're so awesome!" Lightning squealed, leaning against the large unicorn.

"I do my best." said Radiant, before quietly adding to Flash Sentry. "Make sure they don't have any apple cider, either. I think Sunny's allergic to it."

"That's sounds fine by me, Lieutenant Dawn." said Flash. "Farewell, everypony!"

He flew westwards, while the others continued along the road.

Celebration in Canterlot

Sunset Shimmer and her companions finally made it to Canterlot, just as the sun sank westwards. Lightning Dust stared in awe at the beautiful city, even as she climbed up the mountain path.

"I will fly on ahead to announce your arrival, Miss Shimmer." said Star Shield.

"Roger that." said Sunset, with a salute.

The Night Captain flew up to the palace, while the others carried on.

"Wow, I almost forgot about this place." said Trixie. "I haven't been to Canterlot in years!"

"Well, we'll have plenty of time to reminisce when we get to the palace." prompted Radiant Dawn.

Eventually, they made it through the gates, just as the change in shifts between the Royal Guard and the Night Guard were underway. The guards saluted the Sun Siblings and their friends as they traversed the dark streets to the palace. They were greeted at the main entrance by Captains Shining Armor and Star Shield, who stood on either side of the large door.

"Princess Celestia is expecting you in the banquet hall, ma'am." said Shining Armor to Sunset Shimmer.

"As is Princess Luna." added Star Shield.

"Thanks, sirs." acknowledged Sunset Shimmer.

Sunset led the way through the corridors, as her three companions followed her. As they traveled to the banquet hall, they were saluted by both off-duty royal guards retiring to their sleeping quarters, and by night guards heading to relieve their daytime counterparts of their posts. Eventually, they came to the large wooden doors that lead to the hall. Sunset and Radiant both opened it together, when they were suddenly blasted the clamor of scores of cheering ponies. There were earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns all standing in the large room, clapping their hooves. Slowly, they parted to allow the four to enter the room.

Sunset took a look around. There were many ponies she never saw in her life all cheering her on. In the middle of the room stood the four Princesses side-by-side. At the far left was the pink-coated Princess Cadence. Next to her was Princess Celestia. On Celestia's opposite side stood Luna, who was beaming happily at her student. And then on the far right was--

"Twilight Sparkle!" Sunset exclaimed over the noise.

Twilight looked at the other three alicorns, who nodded her on in an encouraging manner. She slowly approached Sunset, whose green eyes were narrowed.

"Hi, Sunset." Twilight Sparkle said, warmly. "It's great to see you again."

Sunset contemplated lashing out at Twilight Sparkle for leaving her behind in the human world, but then she decided against it when she realized that at least ten guards of both shifts were present in the room.

"Hi, Twilight." she said, slowly. "So, what's it like to be a princess?"

"It's really not too bad." said Twilight. "Though it is hard, I'll give you that."

"Yeah." frowned Sunset. "I'm sure it is."

"So, Sunset..." said Twilight. "I noticed that you've brought friends with you! Would you like to introduce me to them?"

"I think you already know who they are." declined Sunset. "But what the hay."

Sunset Shimmer turned her head to shout to her companions.

"Get your sorry flanks over here, now!" she called to them, feigning frustration. "There's somepony that wants to talk to you!"

Trixie trotted up to them, when she recognized who Sunset was conversing with. she felt her jaw drop.

"Twilight?!" she gasped.

"Trixie?!" responded the princess. "You're Sunset Shimmer's friend?"

"Um...yeah." stammered Trixie, who was staring anxiously at Twilight Sparkle's wings, which were pressed comfortably against her sides. "Sunset wasn't kidding: You did become an alicorn! I knew you were good at magic, but I didn't think you were good enough to be a princess! I swear, I thought Sunset here was just messing around with me this whole time!"

"Cool it, Trixie." Lightning Dust said. "Don't be a party-pooper. Just go mingle with somepony, and enjoy yourself!"

"Hey, I recognize you, too!" said Twilight. "You're that one pegasus from the Wonderbolts Academy."

"Yep." said Lightning, sheepishly. "But I'm a lot better with others nowadays. And it's all thanks to Sunny and Trixie over here. The next time you see Rainbow Dash, tell her that I'm sorry about that whole tornado thing, would ya? And I'm sorry you and your friends got caught in the middle of it all."

"Fair enough." said Twilight. "I'll let her know as soon as I get back to Ponyville."

Suddenly, a speaker in the room was activated, and synth-heavy power ballad started playing throughout the room.

"Oh, I love this song!" Lightning Dust shouted over the music. "I gotta find Radiant. See ya later!"

Then Lightning promptly galloped away.

"You still live in Ponyville?" questioned Trixie to Twilight. "But you're a princess! By now, you should be living in a castle or something! And I didn't see any new castles on the way here, so what gives? Tell me that you at least moved into a high-rise building or..."

"Nope." said Twilight. "I still live at Ponyville's library."

"Why didn't I think of that?" Sunset commented, half-sarcastic. "For the past two years or so I spent in the human world, I lived in this run-down apartment in a lousy neighborhood subjected to petty theft on a weekly basis. All this time, I could've camped out in a bookstore, or something!"

The three mares laughed together. Meanwhile, Shining Armor and Star Shield were conversing with each other across the room.

"So, how was Fillydelphia for you, old man?" asked the unicorn captain. "I heard your boys went though the worst of the worst!"

"It went much better than I expected, to be honest." answered the pegasus captain. "We encountered that some dangerous creatures, but my guards were well-trained and disciplined enough to handle them. And it's all thanks to your old sparring partner, Radiant Dawn."

"Well, I had a feeling he'd be a great addition to the Royal Guard." said Shining Armor. "Not the shift I would've chosen, but if he's still doing fine, then I can't really complain."

The two captains then saw Radiant Dawn conversing with Lightning Dust.

"Ya know how to dance, big guy?" Lightning asked the orange-red unicorn.

"I know a few turns and bends and stuff." nodded Radiant. "Why would you ask?"

"Ain't it obvious?" Lightning exclaimed. "You and me should totally be dance partners. Let's get out on that dance floor now!"

"I'd like to do that." said Radiant, his mouth curving into a smile. "I'd have done it with my sister, but she's got some catching up to do, by the looks of it. You ready, Dusty?"

"You got it, Dawnie!" said Lightning, who leaned suggestively against Radiant's ribs.

The two moved over to the middle of the room with the other dancing ponies, and faded into the crowd.

"I do see potential in Miss Lightning Dust, too." said Star Shield. "She seems like she could make for a great guard, especially one of mine."

"Well, I know for sure that the Wonderbolts won't let her back in." said Shining Armor. "I guess Spitfire's still a little steamed about that incident of Lightning's back at the academy."

"Well, I have been considering an alternative to the Wonderbolts for some time, now." said the Night Captain. "Tell me, do you know what the Shadowbolts were?"

Meanwhile, Princesses Celestia and Luna approached Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle.

"It is good to see you two are beginning to make up." said Princess Celestia. "Twilight Sparkle, may I have a word with you?"

"Sure thing, princess." said Twilight.

Celestia and Twilight went over to the other side of the room, leaving Princess Luna to speak with Sunset.

"Sunset Shimmer, you cannot begin to imagine how proud I am of what you've done for the city of Fillydelphia." said the princess of the night. "To think that a simple opportunity to make friends could escalate into such a heroic deed as thwarting an invasion!"

"But I didn't do that, though." said Sunset. "The Night Guard did."

"But they would not have learned about it if you didn't tell me about the situation in Fillydelphia." Luna pointed out. "And I understand that you had inspired the other ponies to defend themselves against the attacks in an organized manner, before a single guard even turned up."

"That's true." nodded Sunset Shimmer.

"And you even gave not only the former rival of Twilight Sparkle the chance to have a friend, but you have made one of the most reckless pegasi in all of Equestria see the error of her ways." added Princess Luna.

"That's also true." agreed Sunset. "Though I don't think I would've been able to pull that last one off without Trixie's help."

"I still consider your mission to be a success, my student." said Luna. "But you have been through much in the past few days. You have my permission to take a break from my studies for the remainder of the week."

"Thank you, princess." smiled Sunset. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a little bit of...socializing to do."

"Good luck, my pupil." said Luna.

And then Sunset Shimmer went to various ponies in the room to talk to them.

Meanwhile in an underground tunnel below the Crystal Mountains, Lord Umbriel was lying on a stone platform, while having his wound healed by a lesser Changeling. Towering over the two was the tall, thin Queen Chrysalis.

"Tut, tut, little brother." she said, unamused. "I was under the impression that you had everything under control. Perhaps you'd like your big sis to save your sorry flank the next time you get impaled in the ribcage?"

"That won't be necessary, sister." said Umbriel. "I did not exactly expect to win in that battle, anyway. I just wanted to get those two siblings together again. Their love for each other is powerful, indeed."

"I see..." said Chrysalis, flickering her green lamp-like eyes down at her brother. "Embryo, whatever is your obsession with them, anyhow? They're only two unicorns! Why waste your efforts on hunting down such a shattered family, when you could go out and take the love of a much bigger group. Take the Apple Family, for instance."

"The Apples are a bunch of earth ponies." stated Umbriel, angrily. "Useless, mundane earth ponies! Sure the love of a family as large and proud as them could sustain our people, but I can't see how they could benefit my own purposes! But if I were to target a family of powerful unicorns such as Sunset Shimmer's, I could perhaps exploit their magical influence to fortify our armies!"

"Indeed?" asked Chrysalis. "How do you plan to do this now? Sunset Shimmer and her brother are probably back in Canterlot by now. They will be too far within the custody of Celestia and Luna to be within your grasp. And my own troops are still weary from my last attack on Canterlot!"

Lord Umbriel slowly stood himself back up on his holey legs, and smiled at Queen Chrysalis.

"Tut, tut, Chryssi." he said. "Do you honestly think I am worried at all about a few flying unicorns? We are Changelings! We can fly and use magic, just like any alicorn or pegacorn ever could!"

"Oh, you were always so full of yourself." chuckled Chrysalis. "You were always the fighter, and seldom the thinker. Or was it the other way around? Sorry, but I barely even remember what you were like before you got so big."

"We shall see." said Umbriel, slowly.

Suddenly, Ghost materialized in a flash of light beside the two Changeling siblings, and approached Lord Umbriel. Chrysalis backed away with a hiss, disgusted by the albino Changeling. Ghost bowed down to his master, and rasped his voice.

"My lord, Sigma's scouts have spotted some kind of vortex just outside Daystar Manor." he said.

"A vortex, eh?" repeated the younger regent. "Has anything come out of it?"

"We are not certain, sir." said Ghost. "From what Sigma reported back, the thing vanished as quickly as it appeared. If something came or went through, we haven't found it yet."

"Where is Sigma now?" asked Lord Umbriel.

"He and his scouts are resting in their hideout, at the docks of Vanhoover."

"Go to him, and order his scouting party to search the manor for anything...out of the ordinary. It may be something we could use against Radiant Dawn and Sunset Shimmer!"

"Understood, my lord." said Ghost, with a salute.

Ghost's horn glowed, and he disappeared again in a flash of light.

The Maroon Mare

Outside the doors of Daystar Manor, a lone unicorn stood tall and lean under the overcast sky. She had a shocked expression on her strong, beautiful face, and was looking around the grounds of the estate. She couldn't help but notice that the yard was largely unkempt, and mostly vacant. On the other hoof, it also looked as though the building had been renovated a few times.

"What in Equestria is going on here?" she wondered. "Golden Sun, what kind of spell did you hit me with, anyway?!"

There was no response. The mare looked around, but there wasn't another living being in sight.

"He's probably inside, that miserable little-" she began, then stopped. "Wait a minute, where did those creatures go? I swear I killed two or three of 'em! I don't even see any debris anywhere! Was that what the spell did: Repair the house, and remove dead creatures?"

The unicorn used her telekinesis to open the doors to the estate, and called out for Golden Sun. She went into the study room, which was vacated, and the shelves were missing a few books. She decided to check the bedroom to see if Golden Sun was sleeping in there, but didn't find him. She did, however, notice the signs of a largish pony, even bigger than her, having recently slept there.

"So first he hits me with a spell I don't even know, and then he invites somepony to sleep in our bed without me knowing!" she grumbled. "Well, I guess I'd better check to make sure that he didn't leave any marks on my face."

She telekinetically lifted up a handmirror from a nearby dresser, and held it up to her face. She studied herself carefully, but she still looked as she did before the spell had struck her. She had a maroon coat, emerald eyes, and a lovely red-golden mane. The mane was flat at the top, braided into a long twisted ponytail at the back, and had bangs that stood evenly in an flawless rim above her brow, with the exception of a single wiry lock that dangled beside the long red horn on her forehead.

"Now it's time to see where that husband of mine is." she mumbled. "And then where those kids of ours are."

She went to the walk-in closet, and searched for an outfit to travel in. To her dismay, she found almost none of her outfits. Instead, she found stallions' clothing, and in sizes bigger than her own. She continued searching the wardrobe, until she found one outfit that belonged to her: A silk, hooded green cloak with four matching shoes. The red mare slipped her hooves into each shoe, donned the cloak, and instinctively lifted the hood onto her head.

The mare went outside, and trotted down the road to look for any signs of life. The woods were quiet, and the tension was thickening. Once in a while, the maroon mare heard the rustling of leaves or snapping of twigs. She nervously peered out, and performed a flashlight spell with her horn to check under the dark canopy of the surrounding trees. She saw a dark shadow passing underneath, and she assumed a vigilant pose, in case it headed towards her. She was beginning to perform a barrier spell, when she suddenly heard the beating of wings and a familiar loud buzzing noise.

All of a sudden, the maroon unicorn felt a set of small hooves land on her back. She gasped out in surprise.

"Is that you, S--" she began, when she was interrupted by a loud clicking noise that came from above.

She felt something long, hard, and pointy jab the back of her hooded head. It felt like a unicorn's horn, but it was very rough and twisty. Then she heard a hollow voice speak to her from behind, and a rancid stench filled the air.

"Stay still, unicorn." the voice rasped. "Or I'll cast a very nasty spell on you."

"What is the meaning of this?" demanded the statuesque unicorn, angrily to the perpetrator behind her.

"Stay still." commanded the voice. "I'm going to fly around and take a gander at your pretty face."

Suddenly, the mare felt the hooves lift off her green-clad back, and she heard the buzzing again. She saw a small dark equine shape of average pony size land in front of her. When she saw the ridges on its head and the insectoid wings on its back, the unicorn realized it wasn't really a pony, but another of those creatures she had encountered earlier. The creature looked up at her hooded face, and moaned with satisfaction.

"Well, it looks like I hit the jackpot." the creature said to her, huskily.

"So, you things can talk?" asked the mare, raising an eyebrow.

"That's right, my pretty." it said to her. "And since I can talk, I have to say: I really like your mane."

The maroon unicorn cringed, shifting her head uneasily inside the hood. She was appalled at the idea that this...whatever it was...was displaying an interest in her. She found herself snarling and twitching her lips.

"Oh, come on!" she groaned. "Why couldn't you just be one of those country-ponies?"

"I can fix that!" said the creature, with a feral grin.

Suddenly, it was consumed in a green flame, which dissipated and revealed a buck-toothed earth pony wearing a plaid neckerchief.

"Ya know, yer mah-tee purdy, darlin'!" it said to her, with a thick drawl.

"I was kidding." said the mare, narrowing her green eyes. "What in Equestria are you creatures supposed to be, anyhow?"

Then the country-pony was enveloped in another layer of green fire, and the black insect-pony emerged. He let out a very sickening cackle.

"My, you must live a sheltered life." said the creature. "But you're a unicorn living anywhere that isn't Ponyville or Canterlot, so that's to be expected."

The mare was fuming audibly.

"So, what's your name, pretty pony?" asked the insect-pony, whose horn started glowing with a green aura. "Tell me, or I'll freeze the fur off your bones!"

"If you'll leave me alone, then fine." said the unicorn. "My name is Scarlet Blaze. Now get away from me."

Suddenly five creatures nearly identical to the first dropped down around them.

"Uh-uh, Miss Scarlet." said the original creature. "You're going to have to explain to us what you're doing on Changeling territory!"

"It'll have to wait." said Scarlet, lowering her cowled head.

Her horn began glowing with a yellowish-orange aura. With a single swish of her horn, the six Changelings were blasted away from her by a cluster of fireballs. Then she heard even more buzzing noises above her. She lifted her head, and saw at least a dozen more Changelings led by a larger white-bodied individual, all looking down at her from the tree branches. Realizing she was outnumbered, the mare bolted in the opposite direction, fleeing into the forest. The newly-arrived creatures landed around their fallen comrades, and saw Scarlet Blaze disappear into the darkness.

"Lord Umbriel will love to hear about this!" sneered Ghost wickedly, turning to his soldiers. "Search the woods! Don't let this one escape!"

Outside of Canterlot High, Sergeant Craw was ranting on to Lieutenant Sigma.

"I can't believe them!" Craw snarled. "What is Umbriel thinking?!"

"How'd that meetin' go, Craw?" asked Sigma, curiously.

"Captain Umbriel won't discharge Ghost." said the sergeant. "That psycho pulled a gun on me, and he won't even get demoted for this? Is this some kind of practical joke?"

"Well, I'm sure the Cap'n 'as his reasons." said Sigma. "Still, ya got a good point. We were even ordered not to hurt anyone here, and he still started that fight, plus tried to attack those poor girls? That's just nuts!"

"At least he won't be posted at the school anymore, so at least there won't be any students or teachers caught in the action the next time he acts up." commented Craw.

Suddenly, Craw heard the radio in his mask crackle.

"Sergeant Craw, this is Captain Umbriel." said the voice.

"Yes, sir?" Craw asked, uneasily.

"Our satellites have detected seven or eight armed foot-mobiles in your vicinity." responded Umbriel's voice. "We have been unable to pinpoint their affiliation, but they aren't heavily-armed enough to be Diamond Dogs. Could you and Lieutenant Sigma investigate this?"

"Give me a fix on their location, and we'll be there in a heartbeat." said Craw.

"They are traveling westwards along Dodge Boulevard. It's only two blocks away, so you should be able to intercept them."

Craw gulped when he remembered that this was the street that Sunset Shimmer's apartment was located on. He gestured for Sigma to follow him down the street, until they came to Dodge Boulevard. Taking a turn to the right, the two armored men saw a small group of biker-looking types strolling towards them. They were carrying handguns, switchblades, and a number of makeshift weapons in their hands or on their belts. They suddenly stopped when they noticed the armor that the two Syndicate members were wearing. Sigma cautiously raised his sub-machine gun, and pointed it warningly at the interlopers.

"Halt!" he said to them. "We are the Chrysalis Syndicate! State your business, or you will be fired upon!"

One of them, a young woman with short, spiky platinum blonde hair calmly raised a hand in acknowledgment.

"Don't shoot." she said. "We don't mean any harm to Canterlot High or your Syndicate."

Recognizing the woman, Craw approached her.

"Gilda, is that you?" he asked.

"Yeah, that's my name." she said. "We were coming to tell you guys that the Diamond Dogs were holding some of my boys hostage in a warehouse downtown."

"Which warehouse are we talking about?" asked Craw. "Because there's a whole bunch of 'em downtown!"

"The abandoned one at 102 Colton Drive." said Gilda.

"Thank you." said Craw. "By the way, might I ask what the Gryphons are doing here in Canterbury, instead of Junction City?"

"Well, some of us decided to take a cross-country trip." answered Gilda. " We stopped here for a while, but then those stupid Diamond Dogs attacked us and ran off with some of our friends. Ever since, we've been trying to get back at 'em for what they did!"

"Well, at least we know the other end of that gang war going on here." Craw said to Sigma, before turning back to the Gryphons. "Alright, if you guys want to do something about the Diamond Dogs, you can lead us to their location."

"Fine by me." said Gilda. "Our motorcycles are just down the road. You can ride with us."

Meanwhile in the palace of Canterlot, the party was coming to an end. Radiant Dawn and Lightning Dust emerged from the crowd of ponies, both sweating and panting heavily. Sunset Shimmer and Trixie had already gone up to their bedrooms, and the other guests were already leaving to return to their homes.

"Wow, Radiant." breathed Lightning, who was out of breath. "That...was some killer dancing right there. You're a natural."

"Yeah, I amaze even myself sometimes." said Radiant.

"So, you ready to go to bed?" asked Lightning.

"I can't right now." said the unicorn. "I'm a member of the Night Guard. My shift will be starting soon."

"So you're going to be up all night?"

"Pretty much. But once the sun comes back up, I'll be free to do whatever I want. Considering I've been mostly fighting, traveling, and partying for the past twenty-four hours, I suspect I'll be sleeping for most of the day tomorrow."

"Well, I wouldn't blame ya; I'm pretty tired, myself. I'd say that I'd see you in the morning, but you'll be sleeping by then. Anyways, I'll just say good night to you."

"Good night, Lightning." said Radiant Dawn, with a salute.

Lightning Dust trotted up the stairs, and went to her bedroom, which was across the hall from Radiant's. When she opened up the door, she found Captain Star Shield standing in front of her bed, with his wings spread out. She noticed that his eyes were shut. She trotted up to him.

"Um, sir?" asked Lightning. "What's up?"

"Ah, forgive me." said the middle-aged pegasus, opening his eyes. "I was taking a moment to think about something important. This was the only room that wasn't taken or about to be taken. I suppose this is your room?"

"It is." nodded the blonde pegasus. "So, what were you thinking about?"

"I am growing old." said Star Shield, sadly. "The battle in Fillydelphia took a lot out of me. And now, my shift shall begin again. I just needed a moment to rest myself before I went out to go through my usual routines. I hope you will excuse me for entering your room without you knowing."

"Hey, that's fine." said Lightning. "I only just came into this room for the first time."

"Well, I hope you enjoy it." said Star Shield. "This used to be my own room when I first became Captain of the Royal Guard."

"Really?" Lightning Dust tilted her head. "That's pretty interesting. Where do you sleep now?"

"In the western section of the lower levels of the palace, where it is nice, quiet, and dark." said Captain Shield. "It is also where Princess Luna and most of the Night Guard sleep. That's where Lieutenant Dawn would be sleeping, too, if it weren't for special privileges given to him by the Princess herself. Apparently, he doesn't like to be away from his sister for too long, so he sleeps right next door to her on this wing."

"That's all very interesting." said the young pegasus. "I oughta ask Radiant and Sunset about that tomorrow. Good night, sir."

"Good night, Miss Dust." said Star Shield, in a kind manner. "Duty calls. I'll see you around, kid."

Star Shield left the room, and Lightning Dust got into her bed to sleep the night away.

The Weekend Off, Part One: The Nightmare

Craw, Sigma, and the Gryphons arrived at the warehouse, and broke down the front doors.

"This is a raid!" shouted Craw. "The Chrysalis Syndicate owns all your--"

Suddenly, there was a burst of gunfire, and one of the Gryphons was hit in the leg with four ten-millimeter bullets. Gilda had her fellow Gryphons drag their injured friend out of the building, while she stayed behind with the two Syndicate soldiers.

"Let's rock and roll!" Gilda shouted, as she pulled out two pistols from her leather belt.

She opened fire on the Diamond Dog gunmen, and struck several of them down. Craw took out his own gas-powered pistol, and fired it five times into the small army of thugs. Each time the gun was fired, the sound of the pistons hissing and shifting within the firearm became audible, a small jet of bluish-white flames erupted from the gun's barrel, and a black-and-silver bullet penetrated the armor of the Diamond Dogs. All the while, Sigma was discharging ammunition from his sub-machine gun throughout the room, plunging it into chaos.

"Pull back!" shouted a Diamond Dog. "Get everyone out of this room!"

The remaining cartel enforcers fled downstairs, while firing back at the three attackers. But between Gilda's reflexes and the protective combat armor that Craw and Sigma were wearing, their resistance proved futile. Sergeant Craw and Lieutenant Sigma began knocking down doors to search for the hostages, while Gilda went back outside to bring the rest of the Gryphons back into the building to search for their missing comrades. Some of them even took guns from the fallen enforcers, and used them for themselves.

"Sergeant, call Cap'n Umbriel to 'ave 'im send reinforcements over here!" said Sigma.

Meanwhile, it was night-time in Canterlot. The palace was mostly quiet. Sunset Shimmer was asleep in her bedroom, dreaming once again about the human world. In this one, she imagined herself lying in the crater that was made when Twilight Sparkle and her human friends defeated her with the power of the Elements of Harmony.

"You will never rule in Equestria!" said the voice of Twilight Sparkle, in that familiar, scolding tone. "Whatever power you had in this world is gone! Tonight, you've shown everyone what you really are! You've shown them what was in your--"

Suddenly, Twilight Sparkle was grabbed from behind by an armored hand. She was lifted up, and beating her wings desperately. She was flung into the pit with no warning. Her body fell on top of Sunset's, and the two groaned painfully as they looked up. There were now dozens of armored soldiers of the Chrysalis Syndicate standing around the pit, all aiming rifles down into the hole. Sunset noticed that there were attachments that she assumed to be tranquilizers on each gun.

"In the end, you're both a bunch of disgusting freaks!" shouted the voice of the enforcer that Sunset encountered in real life. "Hit the one with wings first!"

Suddenly, a dart struck Twilight in the neck, and she began reeling in pain. She tried to stand back up, but three of the men above shot her in the legs and wings. She collapsed onto her back, her eyes streaming tears of agony as she reached over to pull the darts out of her wounds.

"But...I just saved your world from..." Twilight gasped through the pain.

"We don't need help from or against any pony freak!" said the distorted voice of another Syndicate commando. "Boys, let's send these freaks back to where they came from. As you can all see, a high school's no place for a couple of ponies!"

Then several men clambered down and seized Twilight and Sunset by the arms. They dragged them up out of the crater, and towards the horse statue, where Spike was being kicked through the concealed portal by yet another soldier.

"And stay out!" shouted the soldier, when the dragon-turned-dog disappeared into the gray stone.

All around them, Syndicate troops were ordering the students and teachers back into the school. Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle were dropped in front of the portal.

"Which one goes first?" asked the enforcer. "The ex-demon or the wing-girl?"

"Why not both at once?" asked the voice of a soldier with a familiar voice.

"Sounds good to me, captain!" said the enforcer.

Then two Syndicate soldiers each lifted Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer off the ground, and forced them to stand upright. Twilight Sparkle glared at Sunset, in spite of the intense pain she was visibly suffering through.

"Did...you...know about these guys?" hissed Twilight, angrily.

"No! I didn't!" shouted back Sunset, panicking. "I swear I didn't know they existed!"

"Well, I don't even want to think about whether or not I was better off with--" Twilight began, before being smacked in the head by a Syndicate trooper. His armored hand left a nasty bruise on her face.

Then the two humanized ponies were pushed into the portal, and they fell through together. They both came out the other side in their equine bodies. Before them stood Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Princess Cadence, and Twilight Sparkle's pony friends. But they all had sinister expressions on their faces.

"You see, Sunset? You couldn't hide from us, no matter where you went!" said Princess Celestia, with a strange voice. "Somehow and someway, we shall find you!"

Suddenly, they all transformed into Changelings, with Princess Celestia turning into Lord Umbriel.

"Now, my dear, let's finish what we started!" laughed Umbriel, a wicked grin on his face.

"Please...don't!" begged Sunset, tearfully. "I don't want this!"

"Stop crying, sweetheart!" said the Changeling lord. "Now be a good little pony, and see what your reckless actions have stirred up!"

His horn started to glow, and Sunset felt her throat tighten. Suddenly, she was lifted up and turned around through telekinesis, and she saw her reflection in the mirror. She saw herself, with a frightened look on her face, with the Changelings behind her all laughing evilly. Suddenly, the image in the glass was twisting and expanding. Now she saw herself in her human body cowering in front of an army of Chrysalis Syndicate soldiers.

"Shall we begin?" said the captain of the Chrysalis Syndicate, who approached Sunset from behind in the reflection.

Sunset Shimmer could feel the cold metal of his armored glove grasping her shoulder. She turned around and saw Umbriel's hideous face looming over her. He laughed deeply at her misery.

"Isn't it just....grand?" chortled the Changeling. "It is just what I always wanted to come of you and Twilight Sparkle. This is truly the most wonderful thing that could ever happen to either of you!"

"This is all your fault, Sunset Shimmer!" Twilight Sparkle shouted, even as she was being hauled away by Changelings. "I hate you! I hate you forever!"

"Luna, help me!" Sunset desperately shouted, her eyes suddenly opening.

She was now awake, and it was half past midnight. She looked frantically around her bedroom, and found everything was quiet again. Suddenly, she heard a hoof knocking against her door.

"Sunset, are you okay in there?" asked the voice of Trixie Lulamoon.

"Yeah, I'm okay!" said Sunset Shimmer. "Just a bad dream!"

"Okay, then." she sighed. "Good night, again!"

When the sounds of Trixie's hooves ceased, Sunset tried to fall back asleep. But she found she was wide awake, so she climbed out of bed, and went down to the throne room. Radiant Dawn was chatting with Silver Shadow outside the royal chamber's doors, both of them in full black and silver armor and helmets.

"I tell you, these helmets we're wearing are a lot better than the royal guards' helmets." said Radiant, before turning to see Sunset Shimmer. "Oh hey there, Sunny. You're up a little late."

"I need to speak with Princess Luna." said Sunset. "Can you get me in there, big brother?"

"Sure thing, Sunny." said Radiant, before telekinetically opening the doors.

The Sun Siblings went inside. Being a member of the Night Guard, Radiant Dawn knelt first before the princess of the night.

"Princess Luna, your student requests an audience with you." he announced, with a suave tone in his voice.

"Very good." said Luna. "You are dismissed, lieutenant."

Radiant Dawn nodded, then returned outside to resume his conversation with Silver Shadow.

"Sunset Shimmer, whatever may I, the princess of the night, do for her pupil?" asked Princess Luna. "Hast thou been disturbed in your slumber?"

"Yes, princess." said Sunset, with a nod. "I've been having these...dreams...about the human world."

"I see." said Luna. "What sort of dreams?"

"I've been dreaming about...some of my worst memories." said Sunset. "Not necessarily memories themselves, but rather, dreams based on those memories. Just a few minutes ago, I just had a combination between three of the worst: When I was defeated by Twilight Sparkle at Canterlot High, my run-in with that man from the Chrysalis Syndicate, and my recent encounter with Lord Umbriel in Fillydelphia. I suspect that there's a connection with the latter two."

"Strange, you never told me about that second one." said Luna.

"Oh, yeah." said Sunset, with a frown. "Well, it's a very bad memory, and of an even worse man."

"You are, of course, referring to Craw, right?" asked Princess Luna.

"No, the other one." said Sunset. "The monster that held me at gunpoint, and nearly beat me to a pulp just before I went back to Equestria! Craw said some pretty intense stuff to me for being a pony, but the man he sent was the cruelest living being I had ever met on either side of the portal, so far. He almost reminded me of--well, me--when I turned into that demon. I could practically feel that same hateful energy burning within that armored body of his. He was like...the ghost of my demon self."

"Can you elaborate further on this, my student?" asked Luna.

"I would, but...I just don't feel like I could go on about it." said Sunset, who was shuddering. "Too uncomfortable."

"I see this is a difficult thing to discuss with you at the moment." nodded Luna. "Going back to the other parts of the dream: What sort of connection do you suggest?"

"Well, now that I've come to think about the armor that enforcer was wearing, it reminds me of the bodies of those Changelings. I think that the members of the Chrysalis Syndicate are the human world counterparts of these Changelings."

"Interesting." said Luna. "Come to think of it, there was a Changeling named King Craw."

"Really? What happened to him?" Sunset asked curiously, her eyes widened.

"He is dead now." said Luna. "He was killed by a warrior who was a good friend of ours. He had come to Equestria from another world."

"I see." said Sunset, frowning. "It's a shame, though. I thought maybe I'd be able to--Wait a minute!"

Sunset Shimmer now had an excited expression on her face.

"In Fillydelphia, I encountered a Changeling named General Synthe. He said that he had an encounter with an alien warrior, and barely survived. Maybe he has something to do with it."

"And do you know where this General Synthe is now?" asked Princess Luna.

"Unfortunately, no." Sunset shook her head. "He was teleported away somewhere by another Changeling named Ghost."

"Most Interesting." Luna nodded her head. "I think that we shall look into this more next week. Do you think you can wait until then, Sunset Shimmer?"

"Yes, princess." said Sunset. "Thank you."

"You are most welcome, my student." smiled Luna. "Now I suspect you will be returning to bed?"

"I sure am." said Sunset, bowing her head. "Good night, princess."

Then the unicorn went back outside the throne room, gave a salute to her brother, and ventured back up to her bedroom. She fell asleep quickly, and had no further nightmares that night. The following morning, Sunset Shimmer woke up with a smile. She climbed out of her bed, and went outside her room. She went downstairs to the banquet hall, where Princess Celestia and several other ponies were having breakfast.

"Good morning, Sunset Shimmer." said Princess Celestia, kindly. "Have you slept well?"

"Yes, princess." nodded Sunset. "I'm not too late for breakfast, am I?"

"Not at all, my dear." smiled Celestia. "Your friends have saved a seat for you."

Sunset saw that Trixie and Lightning Dust were seated at the end, and saw that they were both sitting on either side of a vacant chair. The amber unicorn climbed onto the seat, and thanked both of her friends for reserving it. They all helped themselves to the waffles and buttered toast on their plates. Sunset Shimmer ate all of her food with great speed. The other ponies at the table looked at the unicorn with surprise. Sunset looked up and blushed.

"Sorry." she said. "I've been hungry from all the stuff I went through the past month, even though I skimmed through last night's dinner."

"That is quite all right, Sunset Shimmer." said Princess Celestia, with a soft chuckle. "I have...gotten used to it."

"Say, where's Princess Luna?" asked Sunset.

"Oh, my sister's still asleep at this time."

"And my brother?"

"He went to bed shortly before you got up."

"Well, then I guess it's just me and my friends today." grinned Sunset, looking at Lightning Dust and Trixie. "Where do you two wanna go?"

The Weekend Off, Part Two: The Library

Scarlet Blaze continued galloping through the forest, panting heavily. She had gone on for what seemed like an hour, but there was still no clear end to the sea of trees. Eventually, she wound up in a clearing, where she decided to rest for a moment. She laid her cowled head flat against the grass, and steadily closed her eyes. She let the silence around her sink in for a while.

Suddenly, she heard a loud rustling, and she involuntarily rose up in response. Scarlet looked all around the area, her horn glowing in anticipation of any Changeling attacks. She looked left, then right, then upwards. But before she could turn herself around, she heard a whoosh! in the air, and saw a black cord-like object spiraling towards her. As she gasped in surprise, the cord wrapped itself around her legs, and felt herself being hauled forward by telekinesis. She fell forward, and lay struggling to get back up. Suddenly, more cords appeared and entrapped the rest of her body.

"Well, it would seem your rope-conjuring spell is a success, Sigma." said a cackling voice.

"Yes, Ghost. It certainly is!" said a raspy voice with a thick accent. "Now then, let's go an' extract our prisoner."

There was a sickening beating of wings, and the decaying front hooves of a Changeling appeared before Scarlet's face.

"Go on then, and geddup!" snickered Sigma, prodding the unicorn's neck. "Oh, that's right. You can't, cuz of me! Better show her yer stuff then, Ghost."

Another set of hooves climbed onto Scarlet's cloaked back, and there was a bright flash of light. Before she knew what was going on, she was now indoors, in a dark, cold cave-like chamber. Scarlet was able to raise her head ever so slightly, and she could see what appeared to be several pony-shapes pinned to the walls by a thick green substance.

"Drat, they've caught another one!" cursed the voice of a nearby pony. "Why are those Changelings keeping us all here, anyway?!"

"Oh, stow it." said a deep, but smooth voice. "Even if you did know what we wanted, it wouldn't make the slightest difference regarding the predicament you are already in."

There was an echoing series of hooves plodding heavily on the stone floor. They stopped just in front of Scarlet, and turned in her direction.

"Ah, I see our newest prisoner has arrived." said the voice. "Do not worry, lovely one. Allow me to relieve you of that cord on your muzzle."

There was a faint glow of light, and the black cord binding Scarlet's mouth had vanished. She was now free to speak.

"What do you want with me?" she demanded, angrily.

"I learned from my subordinates that a lone unicorn had been wandering about my territory. I trust that you were that unicorn."

"I was trespassing on nopony's territory!" growled Scarlet Blaze. "I was just leaving my house when--"

"So, you are under the impression that your house is--hang on." said the voice. "Let me take a good look at your face."

Scarlet felt the cords tied around her neck disappear, and she bent her hooded head to look at her captor. She had a surprised expression on her face as she looked at him:

Scarlet Blaze was laying before a large Changeling. He was at least three times bigger than the others that she had seen, and his holey legs were strong and thick. Two sets of dragonfly wings extended from his ridged back, and curved spikes rose from his shoulders. The Changeling's face was broad and feral in appearance. His horn was curved and bore swirly textures. His snout rose up in a horn-like shape between his nostrils. His mouth was wide and curved in a smile that was lined with bestial teeth.

But the most disturbing feature of this Changeling was his eyes: Large and egg-shaped, with green-blue schlera, and horizontal red slits in the middle.

"Ah, I thought I would never see you again." said the Changeling, feigning relief. "And I see the years have indeed been kind to you!"

"What in the name of Celestia are you talking about?!" Scarlet asked, impatiently. "Who are you, anyway? How do you know who I am?"

"I am Lord Umbriel." said the large Changeling, pridefully. "And I do believe we already met...fifteen years ago, to the day."

Meanwhile in Canterlot, Sunset Shimmer and her two friends were in the archives of the palace. Lightning flew around the room, collecting books for Sunset and Trixie to read through.

"A Guide to Equestrian Beasts, I think it was." Sunset described to Lightning, who took off to a high bookshelf.

When Lightning returned with a broad green book with its title laid out in silver letters. She dropped it in front of the two unicorns, who opened it with their telekinesis.

"So this book mentions alicorns, bicorns, pegacorns, and various other pony hybrids..." Sunset moaned. "But nothing about Changelings? Lightning, could you fly over and get A Guide to Bestial Equestria? I think I might've gotten the titles mixed up."

"You've got it, boss." Lightning saluted, before taking off again to the high bookshelf and returning with a gilded black book. "There ya go!"

"Let me check first, Sunset." said Trixie, opening up to book and scanning its table of contents.

"Yep, we've got an entry on them in this book!" said Trixie with a smile. "It's on page ninety-five."

Sunset telekinetically moved several bunches of pages to the right, until she found the article on Changelings.

"'Changelings are a morally-ambiguous race of creatures that exhibit both equine and insectoid traits.'" she read to Trixie and Lightning. "'They are not essentially good or evil, though their methods of sustaining themselves, which include draining a living being of whatever love or happiness they possessed, have made them the enemies of many civilizations throughout this world.'"

"So, they're like leeches or something?" asked Lightning.

"'Their true origins are largely vague, but it is rumored that they are descended from a renegade tribe of pegacorns that had been banished from Equestria before either of the regal sisters rose to power.'"

"Pegacorns?" asked Trixie. "I know what an alicorn is, but what's the difference between it and a pegacorn?"

"Hang on, let me check." said Lightning, who was skimming through A Guide to Equestrian Beasts. "This book says that while an alicorn is an all-powerful unicorn that gained the wings of a Pegasus, a pegacorn is a pegasus that has acquired the horn and/or magical properties of a unicorn."

"Well, I don't recall the offspring of unions between pegasi and unicorns having both features." said Trixie. "If, say, you and Sunset's brother decided to have a foal together..."

Lightning blushed, but said nothing.

"Then that foal would be either a unicorn like him, or a pegasus like you." finished Sunset Shimmer, who interjected. "But by the sound of things, pegacorns are often created by somewhat artificial means. Like through a ritual or incantation."

"What kind of ritual?" asked Lightning Dust, excitedly. "Because being a pegacorn might not seem too--"

"I mean a ritual that involves performing a heinous action upon one of us unicorns." Sunset growled. "One that could easily deprive him or her of their ability to use magic forever. I will not go any further on the details, since it is both a disgusting and degrading thing to do. It is also one of the most abominable crimes that a pegasus such as yourself could be punished for in Equestria. Bottom line: It's illegal! Do you understand me, Lightning?"

"Um...sure thing, ma'am." said Lightning, who was taken aback. "So, what else does that article say about those Changelings?"

Sunset continued reading the entry in A Guide to Bestial Equestria.

"'Notable abilities that the average Changeling is inclined to have includes the ability to assume the form of any pony, griffin, etc. that they desire.'" Sunset Shimmer read on. "'They are also capable of flight and using magic'."

"And of course, there were the ones that you and your brother fought in the mayor's office in Filydelphia." pointed out Lightning Dust.

"Yeah." nodded Sunset. "There was the white one, named Ghost. He had that teleportation spell that could warp anypony over a great distance. Then there's Lord Umbriel, who somehow was able to shrug off one of my strongest spells without even trying! And finally, there's General Synthe, who looks like he got his flank handed to him in the most lethal sense possible, and still lived to tell about it. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find out what his abilities were, since he was teleported away before we could really start fighting."

"I don't think he could've used his magic that much, anyway." said Trixie. "His horn looked like something broke it off at the tip, and did it hard."

"And then there's Umbriel's sister, Queen Chrysalis." said Sunset. "I haven't met her yet, but she doesn't sound like somepony I'd wanna mess with, either. At least, not yet."

"So, we've found out about those Changelings." said Trixie. "Now what do we do now?"

"Simple: We get something to eat." said Sunset. "It's half-past noon. A good time for a lunch break, don't you think?"

The three mares left the library together, giggling cheerfully. As they went down a hallway, they found themselves crossing paths with Captain Shining Armor.

"Hello, girls." he said, in a gentlemanly manner.

"That's Twilight Sparkle's older brother." Sunset Shimmer whispered into Trixie's ear.

"Um...hello, captain." said Trixie, nervously. "Nice day, isn't it?"

"Yes, actually." said Shining Armor. "A nice day for traveling."

"What do you mean?" asked Lightning Dust.

"Well, I'm going back to the Crystal Empire, to be with my wife." explained Captain Armor.

"But who will be the Captain of the Royal Guard in your absence?" asked Sunset.

"Who else, but me?" asked a familiar voice behind the three mares.

Sunset Shimmer, Trixie, and Lightning Dust turned around to Captain Star Shield standing before them, clad in purple-and-gold armor.

"But aren't you the Captain of the Night Guard?" questioned Lightning.

"Indeed, I am." nodded Captain Shield. "But I was once the Captain of the Royal Guard, as well, before I surrendered the position to my noble lieutenant, who you know as Captain Armor..."

Shining Armor nodded his head humbly.

"But since he has his own duties, ruling the Crystal Empire alongside Princess Cadence," continued the pegasus captain. "I find myself stepping back into my old horseshoes every other weekend."

He turned to Shining Armor, and gave him a salute.

"I'm relieving you, Armor." he said. "Have a great weekend. Send the princess my regards."

"Thank you, Captain Shield." said Shining Armor, who turned to continue walking down the hallway.

"So, what are ya gonna do now?" asked Lightning Dust.

"Well, the weekends in Canterlot are not quite as tightly-guarded as the weekdays, so it should be a lazy day to be a captain, even if Shining Armor stayed here." answered Star Shield. "Right now, I have to keep Shining Armor's newest recruits in check."

"Can we come along to watch?" asked Sunset.

"Of course, Miss Shimmer." the captain bowed his head. "Be it night or day, I cannot bring myself to say 'no' to the savior of Fillydelphia."

"Thanks, captain." smiled Sunset.

The two unicorns and pegasi went on together to the training area of the Royal Guard, which was opened up in a large courtyard. As they went on, Lightning Dust decided to talk with the aging captain.

"So, you were doing this job for twenty years straight, right?" Lightning asked.

"That is correct." answered Star Shield.

"So, when'd ya retire?"

"About two years ago." said Captain Shield. "It was either after that infamous Grand Galloping Gala, or after Discord broke free from his stone prison."

"What was so imfamous about the Grand Galloping Gala that year?" asked Sunset. "I've been to that before. Apart from a few stiffs here and there, there wasn't really anything infamous about the ones I've even been to."

"Oh, that was the year that Twilight Sparkle and her friends wound up making a big mess of the place." answered the middle-aged pegasus. "I can tell you that I do not envy the ponies responsible for cleaning up that fiasco."

Sunset and Trixie found themselves sniggering for a moment, but quieted down in respect.

"But the worst part of it was the morning after the whole thing." said Star Shield. "Princess Celestia's nephew, Prince Blueblood, was in a fetal position for five hours straight. He was crying on and on about...carnival fare, or something. I mean no disrepect for the Princesses or their relations, but Blueblood was...quite a lot to deal with, especially for someone as old as me. If he wasn't the reason I retired, he was definitely one of them."

"Where's Prince Blueblood now?" asked Trixie.

"I do believe he mentioned that he was managing a resort in Las Pegasus." said Star Shield. "A rather charming place, too, based on the postcards and booklets that are sent here. In fact, I have one of them right now."

Star Shield shook one of his wings, and a pamphlet dropped to the ground. Sunset's horn glowed, and a teal aura engulfed the pamphlet. She levitated it up to her face, and took a look at the various photographs of what reminded her of one of the many vacation homes she saw on television in the human world. Lightning Dust took a look at the pamphlet, and looked positively awestruck.

"Wow, that looks like a great place to go if you're on vacation..." said Lightning.

"Or on a date?" suggested Trixie, sarcastically.

"Well, yeah...I guess." blushed Lightning Dust. "Wait, what are you talking about?"

"Never mind, Dusty." said Trixie. "Let's go check out those guards now."

As they went on, Trixie whispered to Sunset:

"Hey, did that book really say that about pegacorns?"

"Nah." Sunset whispered back. "I just wanted to give Lightning a little scare."

She chuckled, and so did Trixie.

The Weekend Off, Part Three: The Training Regime

Star Shield, Sunset Shimmer, Trixie, and Lightning Dust trotted into the courtyard, where several guards were sparring together. Flash Sentry, who was overseeing his comrades, turned to salute Star Shield.

"The captain is here! Attention!" he shouted.

Every guard in the courtyard paused, and joined Flash in his salute. Some began applauding excitedly when they saw which captain was there. Several of them were chattering with each other and exchanging satisfied looks, especially amongst the older members.

"No way, it's Captain Star Shield!" one unicorn guard exclaimed.

"Captain Shield, can I have your autograph?" a young-looking earth pony guard said loudly over the chatter.

"This will be an awesome training session, now that we've got Star Shield back!" one pegasus guard exclaimed.

"At ease, gentlecolts." Captain Shield said softly, waving his front left hoof in a circular pattern. "We go through the same thing every weekend, my comrades-in-arms. I am still just the Night Captain, as I have been for the past year or so. I am only here right now because your own captain is on leave until next week."

"Sir, what will you have us royal guards do this afternoon?" asked Flash Sentry.

"At the moment, I am only supervising your training regiment." said Star Shield. "You are still in charge of coordinating your subordinates, lieutenant. But I will step in if your recruits start tearing each other apart. Until then, all of you may resume your practice sessions. Now get going!"

Quickly, the royal guards went back to their training areas, and focused themselves twice as hard as before. Sunset Shimmer, who was standing next to Star Shield, stared in awe at the rapid boost in progress. Trixie and Lightning Dust went around the courtyard to observe the various guards.

"Well, I'll be darned..." Sunset commented. "I didn't think you'd be such a motivator, Captain Shield. What's your secret?"

"That, Miss Shimmer, is the power of respect." lectured the aging pegasus captain. "In time, you can earn it. Though it might take longer to win somepony over to your side than forcing them to join you, the results can prove to be worthwhile in the end."

"Yeah, I got that one about a month ago." mumbled Sunset. "This just seems...I don't know..."

Captain Star Shield sighed, then turned his head so that his obsidian eyes met the teal of Sunset's. Sunset Shimmer felt compelled to look back. The old pegasus had an understanding look in his stare, one that the young unicorn felt comfortable with.

"Miss Shimmer, how do you feel?" Star Shield asked simply.

"Confused, sir." answered Sunset Shimmer.

"How so, exactly?"

"Well, it's just that things seem to be running together." said Sunset. "Think about it: You used to be the captain of Princess Celestia's guards, and now you're the captain of Princess Luna's. I used to be Celestia's student, and now I'm Luna's. Even my brother tried training to be in the Canterlot Royal Guard, and now he's in the Night Guard. Don't you think that's a little odd?"

"Somewhat, yes." nodded Star Shield. "But at the same time, I think it is fitting that things have gone as they have."

"But...but...I was meant to be Princess Celestia's student." Sunset stammered quietly.

"Ah, but I was meant to have retired from Captain of the Royal Guard two years ago, and stayed as such." countered Star Shield. "But here I am now, overseeing their training."

"You know, Princess Luna's a great mentor and all..." said Sunset Shimmer. "But I just don't see the connection between the two of us. Not thematically, anyway. I mean, the word 'Sun' is in my name! Don't you think that I should still be with Celestia, the Princess of the Sun?"

"Ah, but what you seem to forget is that your name is Sunset." noted Captain Shield. "Sunset, the tail-end of the day. Just before the night begins. And then the beginning of the night, of course, is..."

"Twilight." finished Sunset. "I never noticed that connection until now. Heck, even 'sparkle' and 'shimmer' are close together in meaning."

"Indeed, you are true to your name." said Captain Shield. "You have passed from the day to the night, just as the sun sets into darkness."

"In more ways than one." frowned Sunset Shimmer.

Captain Star Shield stretched out a grayish-white wing, and patted Sunset's back with it.

"Now, don't you worry, Sunset." he said. "You are not alone. I am proud to serve under Princess Luna, but I miss serving under Princess Celestia, too."

"And how do you cope with it?" Sunset Shimmer asked.

"Well, it can seem complicated to understand," began the pegasus captain, taking a deep breath. "But there is more than one way to express one's loyalty to someone that matters to them. One could interpret loyalty as one who constantly remains at the side of those they care for, no matter what happens around or between them. But if one were to follow their example, even from afar, and still express how much they care for them, then that would make them very loyal, indeed."

"Like my brother." said Sunset, with a small smile. "Even after being sent away from Canterlot, and being separated from me for so long, he still came back for me when Luna sent him the letter."

"There you go, Sunset." said Star Shield, curling the end of his lip into a smile. "What I'm saying is that you can answer to one princess, yet follow the example of the other."

"Thanks, captain." Sunset grinned, climbing up to hug Captain Shield's neck. "You really inspired me."

"I am grateful that we had this conversation, young one." said Star Shield, in a grandfatherly manner. "Now if you'll excuse me, I think a pegasus across the courtyard just sprained a wing."

"Right." said Sunset, detaching herself from the captain.

Star Shield trotted around the sparring guards, and came up to the sore guard.

"Are you hurt, guardsman?" he asked.

"N-no, sir." winced the young pegasus, who was only seventeen years old. "It's just a stretch mark."

"Now, now." said the old pegasus. "I can tell that you have sprained it. Do not feel ashamed to admit it."

"Yes, sir." nodded the pegasus. "I think that last blocking motion took a lot out of me. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to..."

"What is your name?" asked Star Shield.

"Skywater, sir." answered the young pegasus. "I'm from Cloudsdale."

"Ah, yes." said the captain. "I hear that it is quite pleasant at this time of the year. Now allow me to take you down to the infirmary."

"I don't need it that ba--Ow! Ow, ow, ow..." moaned Skywater.

"No, I insist." said Star Shield, laying a wing aross the young guard's back. "It's just downstairs from here."

"Thank you, sir." said Skywater.

The two pegasi left the courtyard. As they entered the palace, Flash Sentry turned away from his recruits to look in awe at the selfless act of the captain. Sunset Shimmer and her friends followed suit, with Sunset and Lightning Dust clapping their hooves together.

Meanwhile, Lord Umbriel was pacing around Scarlet Blaze, who was staying laying on her knees.

"What do you mean, 'fifteen' years ago?!" demanded Scarlet.

"I mean that you were away from your family for just that long." said Umbriel. "Surely, you've noticed how everything seems so different from what it once was?"

"So, Golden Sun hit me with a time-traveling spell?" gasped the mauve unicorn.

"It would seem that way." nodded the Changeling. "Otherwise, it was a long-term freezing spell."

Suddenly, there was a clatter of metal in the room. There was a series of metallic taps that announced that something was approaching Scarlet and Umbriel.

"Ah, General Synthe." sighed Lord Umbriel. "I see you have made a full recovery. At least, as full as can be."

The disfigured Changeling came into view, and Scarlet couldn't help but gape at him. Synthe had a scowl on his scarred, half-covered face as he looked his master in the eyes. He inhaled the processed air out of his breathing-tube, and exhaled vigorously.

"My lord, I must express my gripes." he said in a low growl. "That is, about our meeting with Sunset Shimmer in Fillydelphia..."

"We shall not discuss it here." Umbriel stated, shooting a look at Scarlet Blaze.

Umbriel and Synthe left the chamber, and stopped in a dark, empty tunnel.

"Go on then, general." said Umbriel, in an invitational manner.

"Why would you deny me the chance to negotiate further with Sunset Shimmer?" asked Synthe. "I was so close to coming to a break-though with her--"

"Yes, I could see that..." snarked the Changeling lord. "When she nearly had you break through that door."

"I am serious, my lord!" stressed the Changeling general. "She could have helped me escape from my present condition!"

"You should not worry about making yourself better..." snapped Umbriel. "And instead be grateful that you are alive at this moment."

"But that is simply unfair!" countered General Synthe. "I hate having to live this way! I have at least twenty different objects running through my body to keep me alive, I can barely use any magic with this busted horn of mine, and I hate the fact that I have to inhale from this two-bit breathing device!"

"Would you rather have me remove all of them for you?" asked Umbriel, tilting his head to the side. "But of course, that would mean that you would die less than five minutes afterwards."

"I don't want to do that, either." said Synthe, speaking calmly. "But at the same time, I know that there is some way to restore my body to its original state."

"Well, forgive me for not realizing how spoiled a child you are." Umbriel moaned. "I saved you in the best way that I could at the time. You are still fit to fight, general. That is all that you need to concern yourself with at this time. Now if you are going to question my methods any further, I will surrender you to Queen Chrysalis. I'm sure my sister will want to know who my champion really is!"

"Very well." sighed General Synthe. "Forgive me, my lord. I guess I'm still aching from my scuffle with Sunset Shimmer."

"Synthe, you are to watch over our fine redheaded guest." said Umbriel. "It should not be too hard a task for you to accomplish. Now if you will excuse me, I need look into something on the other side of Equestria. I will return soon."

"Understood, master." said Synthe, raising an ironclad hoof in a salute. "I will look into the unicorn, and extract what information you may deem useful."

"Well done, general." said Umbriel, with a smirk. "Now get to your post."

Umbriel then extended his four dragonfly-like wings, and beat them so that he hovered in the air. He then shot away down the tunnel, and faded in the darkness. Synthe promptly turned to re-enter the chamber, grumbling about his own damaged wings.

On the human side of the portal, Corporal Ghost was standing in front of the horse statue where he confronted Sunset Shimmer several days before. He stared at it curiously, as if he was drawn by its presence. Suddenly, he heard some static in his portable communicator. He clicked it on.

"Corporal, the ballistic armor has been shipped to us." said the voice of Captain Umbriel. "The supply convoy is within Canterbury's city limits. Estimated time of arrival...impressive! Twenty seconds."

Suddenly, Ghost turned to see an armored military vehicle drive up to the school. Its back doors opened into a ramp. A Chrysalis Syndicate operative in light armor climbed out. He gave a salute to the corporal.

"The first suit's all yours, corporal." said the agent. "Oh, and the SombraTech ballistic armor's customizable."

"Well, happy birthday to me..." Ghost muttered to himself, proceeding up the ramp.

He found himself in an air-tight chamber, with a suit of heavy military armor on a stand. He stripped himself of his Changeling combat armor, and replaced it with the ballistic armor. Once the full set was on him, he flicked a dipswitch on the hip, and then typed a combination on the keypad built on the left gauntlet. A synthesized voice crackled through the wrist-mounted computer.

~SombraTech ballistic unit, Mark III activated. User identification: commencing.~

Suddenly, Ghost felt his right hand tighten inside the armored glove, and something sharp prickle his thumb and wrist from underneath the metal. He felt a surge of pain, followed almost immediately by numbness. Before Ghost could even contemplate what just happened, there was a loud blip, and a high-pitched whine from the computer.

~User identification secured. Name: Unknown. Callsign: Ghost. Combat HUD activated. Life-support systems activated. Oxygen levels at maximum capacity. Medical systems are standing by. Main unit battery at 100%. Back-up solar battery standing by. Unit personality: default.~

Ghost typed a special code on the keypad.

~Personality coding: accepted. Unit personality: Grim Reaper.~

Suddenly, the armor transformed. The color turned chalk-white, and several hydraulics shifted about, raising and lowering several areas throughout the suit. In seconds, the armor resembled a crude, ridged human skeleton. Even his mask was reshaped into what resembled a grinning skull with red eyes.

"Oh, I think I'll like this!" Ghost exclaimed. "I'd like to see the look on that stupid pony's face when she sees me now!"

The Weekend Off, Part Four: The Dinnertime Feast

At six o'clock in the afternoon, it was time for dinner in the banquet hall. Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Sunset Shimmer, her friends, Captain Star Shield, Radiant Dawn, and several off-duty guards and other attendants of the palace sat down together at the large table. Star Shield sat at the right side of Princess Celestia, since he was still substituting for Shining Armor. Radiant Dawn sat to the left of Princess Luna, where Star Shield was normally seated. Since Sunset Shimmer was Princess Luna's student, she was sitting to Radiant's left side.

"So how was your first day back in Canterlot, little sis?" asked Radiant Dawn.

"It's great to be back." said Sunset, cheerfully. "As you know, I wasn't able to get a good look at this place before I went to Fillydelphia. But now that I've had time to actually do some exploring, I'm starting to feel a little nostalgic."

Radiant levitated a carrot off his plate, and took a large bite out of it.

"You know..." he said, when he finished chewing. "This sure beats living at Daystar. All lonely and depressed..."

"I know what you mean." said Sunset Shimmer in acknowledgment, after eating a leaf of lettuce. "But what I really can't believe is that I stayed away from here for so long. You probably don't know why yet..."

To her surprise, Radiant Dawn nodded.

"Actually, I know all about the human world." said Radiant.

Sunset choked on her strawberry lemonade, and turned to her brother.

"You do?" she questioned the orange-red stallion.

"Yeah. They told me about the mirror." said Radiant, tilting his head to the Princesses. "And they also told me about your incident with Twilight Sparkle."

"Oh, did they?"

"And then I went down to Ponyville, and had a long talk with Twilight about the whole thing." Radiant continued.

"And how did it go?" asked Sunset.

"Well, I think I got the message through to her." said Radiant. "I told her how wrong it was for her to leave you in the human world like that. And she totally regrets it now."

"So, that's what made Twilight Sparkle apologize to me like that!" Sunset exclaimed happily. "Thanks, Red. Give me a hoof-bump, my number one B.B.B.F.F.!"

"What the hay is that supposed to mean?" asked Radiant, puzzled.

"Big Brother Best Friend Forever. Um, it's something Twilight told me about when she was talking with me at the celebration about when she--" Sunset hesitated. "Never mind. Hoof-bump--Chop, chop!"

Sunset raised her front right hoof, Radiant raised his front left, and pounded them against each other. The two exchanged an innocent chuckle, and continued eating their food. Meanwhile, Captain Star Shield was conversing with both of the Princesses.

"Your majesties, I have a suggestion that could strengthen the Night Guard." the pegasus captain told them.

"Then let's hear it, captain." said Princess Celestia, who placed her undivided attention on Star Shield.

"Whatever you wish of us, I am certain we could deliver it." agreed Princess Luna.

"Well, I was thinking about perhaps reviving the Shadowbolts." said Captain Shield.

"The what?" Celestia asked.

"The Shadowbolts were my minions when I was Nightmare Moon." explained Luna to her sister. "They appeared as a team of pegasi in black fight suits. They attempted to persuade Rainbow Dash to abandon her friends when they were searching for the Elements of Harmony. When Rainbow won the Best Young Flyer competition in Cloudsdale a couple of years ago, I decided to send one of those uniforms over to her as a reward for saving your Wonderbolts. She even wore it as a costume when I visited Ponyville during last year's Nightmare Night."

"I see, little sister." said Celestia, with a nod. "But captain, are you sure the Shadowbolts would be necessary? I mean, we already have my Wonderbolts. Don't you think it would be redundant if we had another acrobatics team stationed in Canterlot?"

"That's not what I had in mind, princess." Star Shield shook his head. "I have a more military-oriented role in mind, should the Shadowbolts be remade."

"What manner of role would you suggest?" questioned Luna.

"Think of it as an elite division of the Night Guard, reserved for the best of its pegasus guards." said Star Shield to the Princess of the Night. "They would wear the flight suits of Nightmare Moon's Shadowbolts, but would participate in more covert activities in your name. That is, reconnaissance, espionage, and so forth."

"It does sound like an exciting idea." Luna nodded. "But it would mean searching for even more recruits than usual. Are you sure you are up to commanding that many different guards at once?"

"Well, I don't intend to have the Shadowbolts answer directly to me, but rather to you." said Star Shield. "I would suggest they have their own ranking system, separate from the rest of the Night Guard. That includes their leader being a captain, who would answer to you the same way that I do as the captain of your guard."

"That sounds like a most interesting concept." said Luna. "I shall approve of this. Though you will have to train the first few recruits yourself."

"Thank you, princess." said Captain Shield. "I shall begin next week. I already know who will be my first recruit."

He turned to look at Lightning Dust, who was sitting down the far side of the table between Trixie Lulamoon and Flash Sentry. Radiant Dawn, who finished his meal, went up to Star Shield.

"Captain, sir!" he saluted. "I am ready for the night shift."

"At ease, lieutenant." said Star Shield. "I am going to sleep once Princess Celestia declares that the feast is over."

"But sir, the night shift begins at that time!" pointed our Radiant. "You'll need to be awake by then."

"Now while I am standing in for Shining Armor, I won't."

"But who will be in charge of the Night Guard?"

Star Shield shook his head.

"Isn't it obvious, Lieutenant Dawn?" he asked. "Tell me, who is the highest ranking member of the Night Guard, apart from me?"

Radiant twitched his ear, and looked around the room.

"It is you, lieutenant." said Star Shield. "I am placing you in charge of her majesty, Princess Luna's night guards for the weekend. That's why you sat where you were just a minute ago. That's where I usually sit at the dinner table. It's the captain's chair, you see."

"So you're making me a captain?" asked Radiant.

"Not quite." said Star Shield. "But I am sure you will make a fine captain one day. But I am still in charge of the Night Guard. But since I'll be active for the day shift this weekend, I won't be able to be awake to make the usual rounds. So I am relying on you, one of my best guards, to handle things while I am asleep."

"Thank you, sir." said Radiant Dawn. "I will do my best."

"I know you will." nodded Star Shield.

Radiant went back to his sister.

"Guess what, Sunny?"

"What is it, Red?" Sunset asked.

"I'm in charge of the Night Guard for the weekend, starting tonight." said Radiant.

"Wow, that's great." smiled the yellow unicorn. "So, are you nervous at all?"

"A little." said Radiant. "But Captain Star Shield said it's only until Shining Armor comes back to Canterlot. So, it's all good, I guess. I'm sorry I wasn't able to be with you for most of the day, today. But I was really tired, between all the traveling, the celebration, and last night's shift. You get the idea. So, is there anywhere you'd like the two of us to go tomorrow?"

"Sure." said Sunset. "How about Ponyville? I'd have gone down by myself, but I'm a little nervous about going down there alone, since it's Twilight Sparkle's hangout and all. Oh, and how about Lightning Dust and Trixie come with us, too? I think they have a few things to settle down there."

"Sounds good to me." said Radiant. "I met some ponies down there. They're actually pretty nice. We shouldn't run into any problems down there."

"Are you sure?" Sunset asked.

"Sure, I'm sure." Radiant grinned. "Would your B.B.B.F.F. or whatever you call it, lie to you? Besides, they've got some great food down in Sugarcube Corner. Some of the best darn cupcakes I've ever had in my life. You've gotta try one when we go down there."

"Then I'll do it for you, big brother." said Sunset, before hesitating and then raising a hoof in a salute. "I mean Lieutenant Dawn."

Then she turned her head left and right.

"Um, it looks like everypony's clearing up." said Sunset. "You'd better check your schedule with Princess Luna."

Radiant Dawn turned around, and saw that the other ponies in the banquet hall were now leaving. Some to go to their sleeping quarters, and others to get to their jobs. Princess Luna turned her head to look at him.

"Lieutenant, I trust Captain Star Shield has informed you of your task?" questioned the moon princess.

"He certainly has, ma'am." said Radiant. "I'm ready for my job."

"Yes, and you may begin by escorting my student--your sister--to her bedroom." said Luna. "I trust you two will enjoy each other's company."

"Yes, princess." nodded Radiant Dawn.

Radiant turned to Sunset Shimmer.

"Ready to go upstairs, sis?" asked Radiant.

"You've got it, brother." answered Sunset. "Just let me have a word with the princess."

"Sure thing."

Sunset Shimmer approached Princess Luna.

"Ah, how was your dinner, Sunset?" asked Luna.

"It was delicious." smiled Sunset. "And I have to say that I like Captain Star Shield a lot. He's actually pretty cool for an old pegasus. Too bad I never took the time to talk to him when I was still your sister's student. Where is he now?"

"He has already retired to his sleeping quarters." answered the princess. "And Trixie and Lightning Dust have also gone to bed, in case you were wondering."

"Well, then I'd better get upstairs, too." said Sunset. "I'm going down to Ponyville tomorrow. I'd hate to get on the wrong hoof with Twilight Sparkle's friends over a little sleep-related crankiness."

"Good night, my student." said Luna. "And good luck with your visit to Ponyville."

"Thanks, princess." said Sunset. "And good night to you, too!"

Radiant Dawn and Sunset Shimmer went up the stairs together. The two of them stopped outside Sunset's bedroom. Radiant took a moment to walk over to the one next to Sunset's.

"See, Sunny?" Radiant pointed the door out. "This is my bedroom. I'll be right next door to you, whenever my shift is over. If you have anything you'd like to tell me, I'll be in there for you."

"Well, that's great!" beamed Sunset. "It'll be like old times!"

"That, it will." smiled Radiant. "Well, duty calls. I'll be making the captain's rounds all night, but don't worry. I'll have one of Princess Luna's bat-ponies stand guard outside your door."

"Oh, those guys." muttered Sunset, remembering the ones she saw when Luna took her into their cave to train. "But wait a minute! I thought they only come out after midnight! That is, unless Princess Luna herself told them to..."

"Well, that's the thing." said Radiant. "I'm able to get them to listen to me."

"You're joking!" Sunset stared skeptically at her brother.

"Not at all." said Radiant, before turning his head to whistle.

When he did so, a gray bat-winged pegasus in full armor suddenly swooped down from the dark end of the corridor. It dropped down between the two siblings. Sunset gasped, but Radiant just smirked for a moment.

"How do you think I got into the Night Guard in the first place?" Radiant questioned his sister, before turning to the bat-guard. "Sergeant, you're going to keep an eye on my sister while she sleeps. If she needs anything from you, you'll give it to her. Do whatever she asks you to do. And above all, don't let anypony suspicious enter her room without checking with you first. Understood?"

"Yesss, ssssir..." hissed the bat-pony.

"Good night, Sunset." said Radiant, who turned to leave his sister with her nocturnal bodyguard.

The Weekend Off, Part Five: The Night Shift

Sunset Shimmer looked up at the bat-pony.

"So, would you rather be in your cave right now?" she asked.

"I could ussssse the fresssssshhhh air." hissed the bat-pony.

"I sssssseeeeeeeeeee what you meeeeeeaaaaaannnnn." Sunset replied, imitating the guard's hiss. "Um, why do you talk like that, anyway?"

"Verbal tic." replied the bat-pony, flatly.

"Ah. I see." said Sunset. "Sorry."

"It issss quite all right, ma'am." said the guard. "Good night."

"Good night." said Sunset, who went into her bedroom.

She tucked herself into bed, and lay deep in thought. She found herself reflecting on what she went through these past few days: Craw betraying her, the Chrysalis Syndicate trying to hunt her down, returning to Equestria before the thirty-moon cycle ran its course, being sent back to Canterlot, becoming Princess Luna's student, meeting her brother again for the first time in years, going on that mission to Fillydelphia, befriending Trixie Lulamoon and Lightning Dust, meeting and confronting the Changeling that might or might not have been responsible for her parents' disappearance, and taking part in saving an entire city from a great evil.

"I must lead a very interesting life." she muttered aloud with a frown. "I wonder if I should bother telling Twilight Sparkle about all those details."

She thought about when she was a bully at Canterlot High. She thought about when she was defeated at the night of the Fall Formal, and Twilight's words to her. She also thought about Craw and that Syndicate enforcer's rantings. They echoed through her subconscious, and overlapped with each other.

"You country-folk really aren't that bright." she heard her own voice saying.

"You're an animal...a farm animal!" shouted the distorted voice of the Syndicate operative.

"I'm not a monster!" Sunset's voice echoed.

"You're a sick parody of humanity!" Craw's voice shrieked.

"You will never rule in Equestria." said Twilight Sparkle's scolding voice. "Any power you had in this world is gone!"

"You...have...nothing!" chorused the voices of the Syndicate enforcer and Sunset Shimmer's demonic form in unison.

Sunset blinked her eyes, and the voices died away. She shuddered, and decided that she wasn't ready for bed yet. Sunset Shimmer opened her door, to find her bat-pony bodyguard was still standing right where she left him. The guard slowly tilted his head down to look at her.

"Issss there ssssomething you need, ma'am?" asked the bat-winged pegasus.

"No." said Sunset. "I'm just going for a walk around the palace. I don't know when I'll be back."

"Very well." droned her bodyguard.

Sunset Shimmer went down the stairs, and starting wandering around the corridors. The corridors were mostly dark and quiet, but not empty. Once in a while, Sunset came across a two-member patrol consisting of a unicorn waving their glowing horn around, and a pegasus closely following them. The first time, one of the unicorns detected Sunset with their horn.

"Halt!" commanded the unicorn.

"Who's over there?" the pegasus asked her comrade.

"It's me! Sunset Shimmer." Sunset introduced herself quickly. "Princess Luna's student!"

The two guards sighed in relief.

"Good evening, Miss Shimmer." said the unicorn guard. "We thought that you'd be asleep right now."

"I'm not tired right now, so I thought I'd take a walk around." Sunset told the patrol. "By the way, where's my brother?"

"Right here, Sunny." said the familiar rough voice of Radiant Dawn.

Sunset turned around and saw her brother, now clad in black-and-silver full armor.

"I'm not interfering with your duties, am I?" asked Sunset.

"Certainly not." answered Radiant. "I was just on my way to file out a report for Princess Luna."

"Do you think I could come along and watch?"

"Sure. Just follow me." invited Radiant Dawn.

The two siblings went on together down a flight of stairs and went into the Night Captain's office. Sunset's jaw dropped as she saw the colossal stack of paperwork on the ebony desk at the end of the room. She felt even worse when Radiant sat himself down on the black chair, and started sorting through them all.

"Wait, you're seriously going to do all that by yourself?" Sunset questioned.

"Not really." said Radiant, as he shifted through the papers. "I just have to get two or three documents out of this mess. Trust me, this isn't as boring as it looks...it's worse."

He groaned, and telekinetically shuffled all the papers around, looking for the name he wanted. He even put on a pair of reading-glasses that were laying on the table. Sunset held back the urge to snicker at the sight of her strong older brother wearing spectacles.

"Hey, brother?" Sunset asked.

"What's up, sis?" Radiant asked.

"So, do you need help with that, at all?" offered Sunset Shimmer.

"No, I wouldn't want to drag you into this mess." said Radiant Dawn. "It's just not right to have my little sister do all my work."

Sunset smiled, since it reminded her of when Craw offered to help her clean up the decorations leftover from the Fall Formal at Canterlot High.

"It's okay, big brother." said Sunset. "I do stuff like this all the time. I know I can't actually sign the papers for you, but I can certainly sort them all out for you. It'll help you get done a little quicker."

Radiant fumbled for a moment, and looked at his sister.

"You'd do that for me, and you're okay with it?" he asked.

"Sure." Sunset smiled. "I did this kind of thing all the time when I was Princess Celestia's student."

"Well, then be my guest." said Radiant.

Sunset Shimmer's horn shone with a teal aura, and the papers on the desk were levitated into the air. They circled around the younger unicorn, who moved her head around to study the dates of the papers. She picked three of the most recent, and put them together on the desk. She then carefully placed the older papers in sets of three and four, and laid them out on a nearby table. When she was done with them, she turned to face Radiant.

"Are those the ones you were looking for?" she asked.

"Yep, that's them!" Radiant smiled. "Thanks, Sunny. Now I just need to fill these out, and I'm done."

"How long should that take you?"

"About twenty or thirty minutes on each paper." said Radiant, pointing his horn at all the blank lines on each sheet of paper.

"By Celestia!" gasped Sunset. "That'll probably keep you busy until midnight!"

"Yeah, probably." Radiant nodded. "Of course, I'd still have another six hours of other guard-related things to do. If you don't want to stay and watch, I'll understand."

"No, it's fine." said Sunset. "I'll stay."

An hour and a half later, Radiant Dawn finished working on Captain Star Shield's report for Princess Luna. He saw that Sunset Shimmer was falling asleep in a chair nearby. He couldn't help but smile at his sleeping sister. He had nearly forgotten what it was like to see her asleep: Whenever Sunset Shimmer was asleep, she looked as though she were the happiest, friendliest pony to ever live in Equestria, even when she was at her worst while awake. Even if she was suffering from a nightmare, she was quiet, only making a few subtle movements and facial expressions. She wasn't even snoring, which Radiant also liked about her.

"I can't believe how peaceful she looks!" he thought as he looked at her. "It's like she's a little filly all over again."

His horn started to glow, and his aura enveloped Sunset, who was slowly levitated onto Radiant's back. Her front hooves were crossed around his neck, so that she would be secure as she rested.

"Time for you to get back to bed, my little angel." he whispered, wheeling his head around. "We've got a big day tomorrow."

"Mm-hmm." snoozed Sunset, nodding groggily in her slumber.

He set the papers on the desk, deciding he would come back for them, and carried his sister out into the corridor. Several night guards saluted him silently as he passed. Sky Boom even smiled when she saw Sunset Shimmer sleeping on top of Radiant. Radiant crossed paths with Princess Luna, who was heading for the captain's office.

"Ah, Lieutenant Dawn!" she said. "I trust you have--"

"Ssshhh..." Radiant beckoned for quiet, adding a whisper. "The report's in the office, all sorted out for you, princess. I'm just bringing Sunny back upstairs."

He turned to show the alicorn princess the mare that was resting on him. Luna chuckled a little.

"So, my student has been a little adventurous again, has she?" she asked.

"She thought she'd help me out with sorting the paperwork in there." whispered Radiant. "She was a real help finding everything."

Princess Luna smiled, and placed a dark, sleek wing on Sunset Shimmer's back.

"Well done, dear Sunset." she smiled. "And good night, my young student."

Sunset started to nibble on Radiant's ear in an affectionate child-like manner, indicating she had entered a dream. Radiant and Luna couldn't help but smile.

"Aawwww..." sighed Princess Luna, with a grin. "You two are just so...adorable together. It almost reminds me of my sister and I when we were growing up."

Radiant blushed, and gently shook his ear out of his sister's mouth once Princess Luna had continued down the hallway. Sunset opened her mouth to let out a long yawn, and smiled as she hugged her brother's neck harder and pressed her cheek against his temple. The stallion could've sworn that his twenty-year-old sister was now cuddling him in her sleep. Radiant carried Sunset back up the stairs that led to their bedrooms, where Sunset's bat-pony bodyguard was still standing faithfully.

"At ease." Radiant said, when the bat-pony saluted him.

He carried his sister into her bedroom, levitated her onto the bed, and tucked her in under the sheets. He kissed her good-night, and went back downstairs to resume his guard duties. For the rest of the night, Sunset Shimmer continued to sleep peacefully. The next morning at ten o'clock, the mare found herself woken up by a loud knocking on the door.

"Hang on!" said Sunset over the noise. "I'll be right there!"

She climbed out of bed, and used her telekinesis to open the door. Radiant Dawn, Trixie, and Lightning Dust were standing outside, eagerly waiting for her.

"Hey there, Sunny." said Lightning Dust. "Ready to go down to Ponyville?"

"Are you?" asked Sunset.

"Sure am." nodded Lightning.

"Alright, everypony." said Radiant Dawn. "Let's get over to the train station. The train down to Ponyville will be leaving at eleven. We'll get our breakfast on there."

"Sounds good to me." said Trixie. "It means less walking for me."

"Then let's get going." said Lightning Dust told the others.

"Right, then." said Radiant. "Everypony, follow me."

The four ponies left the palace together, and made themselves comfortable on the train, ready to go down to Ponyville.

The Weekend Off, Part Seven: The Skirmish

Lightning Dust and Radiant Dawn went to a cafe, sitting on either side of a small round table with an umbrella stand. A few of the other customers thought it was such an odd sight to see such a large unicorn and a small pegasus sit together. Radiant levitated a menu from the table and began to peruse the various foods and beverages listed. Lightning had her own menu spread out against the umbrella pole.

"Sir and madam, may I take your order?" asked the earth pony waiter, when he finally came over to them. "Might I interest you in any of our fine beverages?"

"Lemonade, with plenty of ice cubes!" Radiant and Lightning both said at once.

"Very good, then." said the waiter, who went back into the restaurant.

"So, you like lemonade, too?" asked Lightning Dust.

"Sure do." said Radiant. "I've been drinking almost nothing but apple cider for the past couple years of my life. Since I'm doing more with my life now, I figured I'd start drinking other stuff. Lemonade was the first thing I could think of."

"Likewise, Radiant." smiled the pegasus.

The waiter return with a tray loaded with a jug of lemonade and two tall glasses filled with ice cubes. After placing the tray on the table, he decided to ask them what food they would order.

"And what, sir and madam, would you two request of our fine establishment?" he asked, thoughtfully.

"I don't know." said Radiant, who was quickly scanning her menu. "There's a lot of stuff on here, but nothing I'm all that familiar with."

"Get the grilled cheese." whispered Lightning Dust. "Trust me. I think you'll love it."

"Okay, I'll have what my friend here recommended: The grilled cheese sandwich." Radiant told the waiter. "Oh, and some potato wedges, too."

"And the lady would like the same?" asked the earth pony.

"Yep." said the pegasus, who just drained her glass of lemonade. "Except with mozzarella sticks on the side."

"Then I'll be back in a few minutes with your meals."

"That's fine by me." said Lightning, who was holding her head up with her front hooves. "I have all the time in the world."

When the waiter left, Lightning Dust sighed quietly as she stared dreamily at Radiant Dawn. Radiant was just finishing his own glass of lemonade, then pulled his head up to let out a loud belch.

"Oh, excuse me." the unicorn cleared his throat.

"Oh, that's just fine, big guy." said the pegasus. "I may be a girl, but it doesn't mean I don't like to get a little...edgy."

She refilled her glass, and guzzled down the whole thing. In a few seconds, she put down the glass and belched even louder and slightly longer than Radiant.

"Ya see?" she said.

"You know, I'm impressed by how fast you drained that glass." smiled Radiant. "That must've been three or four seconds."

"I can do it faster!" boasted Lightning.

"So can I!" countered Radiant.

"Wanna bet on it?" grinned the mare.

"How about we have a lemonade drinking contest?" suggested the unicorn. "I mean, just for fun."

"You're on!" said Lightning Dust, with a determined look in her gold eyes.

Further up the mountain, in the city of Canterlot, Flash Sentry was reviewing a group of unicorn guards who were practicing with basic force field spells.

"Very good, gentlemen." he nodded. "Now that we've got that one covered, let's move onto the restraining spells."

"Lieutenant, well done." said a voice.

Flash Sentry turned around to see Captain Star Shield in full purple-and-gold armor.

"Captain, I was under the impression that you went down to Ponyville with Sunset Shimmer and her friends?" asked Flash.

"I am afraid you are mistaken, lieutenant." said the captain. "I am much too busy keeping the royal guards in line to..."

He paused slowly. The pegasus captain had a surprised look on his face.

"No, he couldn't have..." he whispered to himself.

"Sir, is there something wrong?" asked Flash.

"The security of Canterlot has been compromised!" Star Shield began to shout. "We've been infiltrated! Lieutenant, scramble the guards! Don't let anything enter the palace without your consent."

He quickly unfolded his wings.

"Captain Shield, where are you going?" asked Flash.

"To Ponyville." answered the older pegasus. "Lieutenant, I will need you to send a squad down after me. Princess Luna's student is in danger. And if half the stories I've heard about him are true, then Princess Twilight will have her hooves full, too."

"Are you serious about that?" asked Flash Sentry.

"Do I look like I'm joking?" said Star Shield, sternly.

"Not at all, sir." said Flash, who turned to the other guards present. "Alright, everypony! It's time to see what you guys can do. Get to defensive positions! Watch out for anything out of the ordinary."

"Pegasus guards, follow my lead!" bellowed Captain Star Shield, who took off into the air.

He flew over the city walls, and a dozen pegasus royal guards followed him down the mountain. In Ponyville's library, Twilight Sparkle, Sunset Shimmer, and Trixie Lulamoon were checking the various objects present: spellbooks, scrolls, statues, and jewelry.

"Alright, that's forty artifacts cataloged and only a hundred and fifty more to go." said Trixie, bored. "I'm not gonna lie, Twilight: Things are going very slow here. I mean, I'm all for learning about new artifacts, but this really isn't how I would've done this. I'm still surprised you're letting me do this with you, Twilight. Considering our past disagreement, and all."

"Oh, quit your bellyaching, Trixie." said Sunset, who was more enthusiastic about analyzing the objects. "This sure beats what I had to do in the human world. Seriously, if I had to go fix another door, I'd just puke."

"That reminds me, Sunset." said Twilight. "How'd you get back to Equestria so early? That portal shouldn't have opened up again for another two years or so."

"Well, that's a funny story, actually." said Sunset. "So, on the thirtieth night after the portal deactivated, I had the urge to go over there to see if I could find a way to open it up. Then by pure luck, it activated for me."

"Did you or someone else mess around with it?" asked Twilight.

"I don't think so." said Sunset. "It seemed more like it was meant to happen. My theory is that every thirty nights, it would open up for a limited amount of time for someone from one side of the portal to take a one-way trip to the other side."

"That seems awfully convenient." said Twilight. "In fact, it's so convenient, it's way too good to be true. I wonder why none of the princesses told me about it when they sent me in after you."

"Maybe Princess Celestia didn't want me to get any ideas on how else to use the mirror." said Sunset. "It sure didn't stop her before."

"But that still raises the question of why that one-way porthole thing would come into effect like that." said Twilight.

"I think it might be a failsafe of some kind." said Sunset. "In case somebody--or somepony-- were to find themselves stranded on the wrong side of the portal, but were unable to wait the whole thirty-moon cycle."

"Seriously, thirty moons?" Trixie scoffed. "As in thirty lunar cycles? What divine idiot built that portal anyway?! That's probably the most inconvenient time integer ever!"

"To be fair, though." said Sunset. "I think it's a good thing that portal's shut for so long, anyway. You know, in case someone from one side decided to go invade the other side."

"Like what you almost tried to do last month?" asked Twilight.

"Well, kind of." said Sunset, who shifted nervously in place. "But I mean if someone that actually came from the human world tried invading Equestria."

"Are you serious about that, Sunset?" said Twilight. "We've both been to Canterlot High. All the people there are pretty nice."

Sunset Shimmer scoffed, stomping a hoof.

"C'mon, Twilight!" she snapped. "Don't be so narrow-minded. Canterlot High's not the capital of the human world. It's just one school in one town. There's still an entire nation all around it, and their laws are way different from what you'd expect here in Equestria. I consider myself lucky that Canterbury--the town Canterlot High is located in--was in a part of the country that didn't practice capital punishment."

"Sunset, please calm down." said Twilight.

"No, I need to finish." said Sunset. "And do you know what capital punishment is, Twilight? It means that I could have been executed for what I did when I was that demon. If Canterbury's justice system did practice capital punishment, they wouldn't have cared if I had been purified by the Elements of Harmony or not. As far as they might've been concerned, I was a dangerous terrorist or criminal or whatever, and needed to be brought to justice their way!"

"Don't you think you're exaggerating just a teeny-tiny bit?" questioned the violet alicorn.

"Not at all." said Sunset. "And trust me, I've seen--I've escaped--from the people that the country on the other side of the portal consider terrorists and dangerous criminals. Probably even the worst of them all: The Chrysalis Syndicate."

"The what?" asked the alicorn princess.

"The Chrysalis Syndicate, Twilight!" exclaimed Sunset Shimmer. "They're a bunch of soldiers in high-tech armor. They've got military-grade firearms and everything! I barely escaped with my life trying to get away from just one of them! They were hunting for me, and even tried to kill me in cold blood. Why? Because I was a pony!"

Twilight Sparkle listened to Sunset's words, and gasped.

"Sunset, listen to me." she said. "I completely regret ever leaving you back there. If I had known that madmen like this Chrysalis Syndicate were on that side, waiting for you, I would've gone out of my way to bring you back to this world. No matter what you did, nothing could've warranted what you just described. I honestly thought it would've been a great way to make friends."

"That reminds me, Twilight." said Trixie. "Why, may I ask, did you put the very people Sunset was bossing around in charge of being her friends? You've been studying friendship for what, three years now? Why couldn't you have done all of that in the safety of this world?"

Before Twilight could answer, the trio heard the sound of someone clearing their throat. They turned to see Captain Star Shield standing in the doorway, his wings erect.

"Um...hi, captain." said Sunset, waving a hoof. "How are things with you?"

Star Shield's head turned up, and a wicked smile curled on his face.

"Oh, much better now." he said, with a strange tone in his voice. "In fact, I have just what I was looking for."

"What are you talking about, old man?" asked Trixie. "Were you eavesdropping on us?"

"You could say that." said the pegasus. "Not that you'll be able to do anything about it."

"What in Equestria are you talking about?" asked Twilight Sparkle.

"You'll see, princess." Star Shield's voice began to deepen. "You'll feel it, too."

Realizing what was happening, Sunset Shimmer leaped up in front of Twilight and Trixie.

"Watch out!" she shouted. "Get away from him!"

Her horn glowed, and a teal energy beam shot out from its pointed end. The spell hit Star Shield square in the front. The pegasus was knocked back outside, and climbed back up to his feet. He casually strode back towards the library, as if nothing happened. The three ponies gasped.

"Oh, no." Sunset moaned, her green eyes widening. "Not him again!"

"What's going on, Sunset?" asked Twilight.

Suddenly, Star Shield's body burst into green flames. But he kept on moving towards Twilight Sparkle and her two companions. His body seemed to alter underneath the fire, and grew to roughly the same size as Princess Luna. His legs stretched and thickened, and his body broadened into a buff dark shape. A horn grew from his forehead, and a smaller one extended from his snout. His face grew wider and monstrous in appearance. His black eyes enlarged, his schlera turned green, and his pupils reddened and expanded horizontally. But the final note of this impostor's true identity came when its two bird-like pegasus wings became four long, silvery dragonfly-like wings.

Showdown in Ponyville

Twilight Sparkle approached the large Changeling that now stood outside the Golden Oaks Library.

"What's the meaning of this, Changeling?" demanded the alicorn.

"Twilight, you should seriously back down a bit." said Sunset. "This guy's a killer."

"Yes, Twilight Sparkle." said the Changeling. "If you were half as wise as everypony here in Equestria has made you out to be, I would listen to your colleague."

"So, you're this Lord Umbriel that Princess Celestia told me about?" asked Twilight.

"That is correct." nodded the Changeling lord, smugly grinning.

"That's the tyrant behind those attacks on Fillydelphia." said Sunset Shimmer, whispering into Twilight's ear. "I fought him, and he overpowered me. We'll have to take him together."

"By all means, send the entire town after me." gloated Umbriel. "This place is so ripe with love, friendship, and kindness, it is practically a grocery store to a Changeling such as myself."

"You're not taking any love from us!" said Twilight. "We've beaten you creeps before. We can do it again."

"You only met my sister, Queen Chrysalis." said Umbriel. "You never met me, though. What you see before you, princess, is the most wondrous union of brains and brawn that Equestria has ever seen."

"You have serious nerve to just show up in the town that's practically on the doorstep of Canterlot." said Trixie.

"Oh, yes." Umbriel turned his head to Trixie. "The Great and Powerful Trixie. However did the Alicorn Amulet treat you?"

"How do you know about that...thing?!" snarled Trixie.

"Don't you remember?" Umbriel questioned.

"Remember what? I never met you until I saw you in Fillydelphia."

"Don't you remember how you first found out about the Alicorn Amulet? That unicorn that gave you the book about the amulet? That was me!"

Trixie's eyes widened.

"The pegasus that told you what city the amulet was located in? Also me!" grinned Umbriel.

"I thought I smelt a stinkbug." said Trixie.

"And the shopkeeper that sold you the amulet?" Umbriel began to laugh. "Me, me, me, me!"

"Dare I ask why?" Trixie questioned, slowly growing angry.

"I knew about your little run-in with Twilight Sparkle." said the Changeling, as he entered the library. "And since she did have a part in defeating my sister at Canterlot, and again when she tried to invade this very town, I decided to...coax you into going after her."

"You...used me?!" growled Trixie through clenched teeth. "You took my personal vendetta, and exploited it?"

"That is correct." Umbriel said, gloatingly. "By wearing the Alicorn Amulet, you became susceptible to the corrupting power it possesses. Thus, you were able to not only exact your revenge against Twilight Sparkle, but do so with little to no restraint. And as it turns out, that's exactly what I would've wanted in an agent: Powerful, but easy to manipulate. Poor, pathetic little Trixie. You were working for me, and you didn't even know it!"

"You monster!" shrieked Trixie. "I'll tear you to pieces!"

Her horn began to glow, and an arc of electricity shot out from its point. But Umbriel responded by illuminating his own horn, and unleashed his own magical attack. The two rays collided with each other, then fused together. Suddenly, the combined beams fell under Umbriel's complete control. The beam connected the two combatants like a paddle-ball. Trixie found herself being telekinetically flailed around the library in a complete circle around Umbriel, who casually turned his head about to keep the momentum flowing.

"Geeeeeetttttt meeeeeeeee ouuuuuuuuutttttt offfffff thhhhiiiiiiiiiiiissssss mmmeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssss!" Trixie shouted as she was spun around the room.

"Hang on, Trixie!" Sunset shouted. "I'll help you."

"Try helping yourself first, Sunset." Umbriel taunted.

Suddenly, Sunset Shimmer felt herself being telekinetically lifted, and rushing through the air. She found herself being bounced up and down like a basketball by Umbriel's telekinesis. It would have been a humorous spectacle if it weren't for the fact that the two unicorns were crying out in pain.

"Enough!" Twilight Sparkle shouted, her horn glowing purple.

Using her own magic, Twilight canceled out the spells Umbriel had on Sunset and Trixie, and levitated them safely back to her. Trixie was hyperventilating on the ground, and Sunset Shimmer was moaning in pain.

"I think I might've pulled something." Sunset groaned.

"Make it stop!" Trixie panicked, terrified by her recent experience. "Just make it stop!"

"Oh, you are no fun, Twilight." laughed Umbriel. "I was just giving Trixie the greeting I believe she would be most accustomed to."

"Just leave them alone." said Twilight, simply. "It's me you want, isn't it?"

"Not at all." said Umbriel. "It's actually Sunset Shimmer that I'm here for."

"Why?"

"He's been trying to kill me, Twilight!" Sunset said, trying to climb back to her hooves.

"Only if you won't join me, Sunset." said the Changeling.

"There's no way I'd work for you!" shouted Sunset Shimmer, furious. "You still haven't told me what happened to my parents!"

"Then before I kill you, I will give you the privilege of dying, knowing that Scarlet Blaze lives on." answered Umbriel.

Sunset Shimmer gasped.

"That's my mother!" she said. "Where is she now?"

"She is a prisoner in one of my strongholds." said Umbriel. "My troops caught her exiting from your childhood home near Vanhoover. She is currently being interrogated by my general. Who knows what he's doing to her now. After all, General Synthe has been...repressed for quite some time, especially given his condition. He might get a little excited to be around..."

"Don't you dare go there, Umbriel!" Sunset snapped. "Now enough with the lies and tricks! I want a fair fight from you!"

Trixie quickly jumped back upright, her horn glowing.

"Count me in, Sunset." she. "I wanna bring this monster down as much as you do! I'll show him what it means to manipulate the Great and Powerful Trixie."

"Very well, Lulamoon." said Umbriel. "I don't sense much love within you, but I'm sure I could give Sunset here a fighting chance. Go ahead and team-up with the Vixen of Vanhoover over here. I trust this will be a much more interesting duel than the one I had with her and Radiant in Fillydelphia."

Sunset Shimmer's horn glowed with a teal aura. She turned to Trixie.

"Hey, remember that spell I taught you back at Lightning Dust's place?" she said.

"You know, I forgot all about that until just now." nodded Trixie. "Want me to test it out?"

"Oh, yes." smiled Sunset, devilishly as she whispered. "Go for the potted plant to Umbriel's left."

"And whatever are you two talking about?" chuckled the Changeling.

"Trixie, do it now!" shouted Sunset.

"What in the--" Umbriel exclaimed.

A ball of magenta energy erupted from the horn, and sped forwards through the air. Umbriel quickly beat his wings, and zipped to the right like a hummingbird. He guffawed, believing that Trixie was aiming for him. He was surprised when he noticed that the two unicorns had very toothy grins on their faces. Suddenly, he heard rustling beside him. The large, muscular Changeling rotated to the left, to find himself looking at a massive carnivorous plant, which was reaching towards him.

"Well, whatever do we have--" Umbriel began, before he found that a vine had wrapped itself around his neck.

He attempted to break away, but another vine seized him by one of his front hooves, and began pulling him towards the botanic mass that now covered a corner of the library.

"Well, this...is a fine turning of the tables." grunted Umbriel, as he jerked himself back.

Suddenly, three more green tendrils seized the rest of Umbriel's limbs, and the Changeling warlord quickly disappeared into the massive plant. Twilight Sparkle stood there shocked, but Sunset Shimmer and Trixie exchanged a hoof-bump.

"Wow, I didn't think it would work that well!" cheered Trixie.

"A growth spell, huh?" observed Twilight Sparkle. "Very interesting and resourceful."

"That's the same spell that I used when I passed one of my mid-term exams at Princess Celestia's academy." said Sunset Shimmer. "I thought it would come in handy, so I kinda let slip to Trixie how to cast it. I also mixed in a little of another classmate's growth spell for good measure when I told Trixie about it."

"Well, I've got to hand it to you, Sunset." said Twilight. "If you stayed in Equestria instead of running off to the human world, you'd have made for a great teacher."

"I don't think so." said Sunset. "I think going to the human world, being purified by the Elements of Harmony, and then returning here was what made it possible."

Suddenly, the large plant began to pulsate and bulge.

"Oh, no." said Trixie.

"It looks like it'll still take a while for him to get out of there." said Sunset. "How about we get out and get help before Umbriel escapes your fly-trap."

"That's a good idea, Sunset." agreed Twilight.

The alicorn took off outside, Sunset Shimmer teleported after her, and Trixie galloped out.

"Okay, so you can fly," Trixie said to Twilight, before turning to Sunset. "And you can teleport. What do I get? Smoke and mirrors! Seriously, one of these days, I'm getting a magic carpet or something."

"Sure, we'll go to Saddle Arabia to buy one when we're not being tormented by Changelings!" snapped Sunset. "Now let's go and get help before..."

Suddenly, there was a loud explosion inside the library. Out of the cloud of smoke that rose out from the opened doorway emerged Lord Umbriel, whose body was covered in steaming green juices from the plant he burst out from.

"Twilight, go!" shouted Sunset. "Go get your friends! We'll take care of him!"

Umbriel shook the juices off himself, and began to beat his wings. He slowly hovered forwards, his horn glowing eerily. Sunset Shimmer and Trixie Lulamoon both unleashed their own barrages of offensive spells at the Changeling, and Twilight Sparkle raised her head upwards. Her eyes began to glow silvery-white, and an identically colored ray rose up from her horn. It shot upwards into the sky, as a pillar of light that could be seen for miles.

At the cafe, Radiant Dawn was on his twelfth glass of lemonade and Lightning Dust on her sixteenth. Radiant suddenly saw the pillar of light, and sprayed the contents of his glass onto the pegasus' face.

"Hey, what was that for?!" she shouted at him.

"Look behind you!" Radiant answered. rising quickly from his seat.

Lightning Dust turned, and saw the light.

"It's coming from the library!" Radiant observed.

"That's where Sunset, Trixie, and Twilight are!" added Lightning Dust. "It looks like trouble!"

Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Rarity were rushing by the cafe. Rainbow flew up to Lightning Dust and Radiant Dawn.

"Hey, it looks like Ponyville's under attack!" she said.

"So that's what that thing's for?" asked Lightning.

"Yeah. It's the Equestrian Royal Flare." said Rainbow Dash. "Twilight came up with it after the whole Fillydelphia thing. When you see it go up, it means the town it's in is being invaded."

"Well, then let's get going!" said Radiant.

The unicorn galloped down the stairs, and onto the dirt road. Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust looked at each other.

"Looks like we're working together again." said Lightning, smiling.

"It sure does." Rainbow rolled her eyes. "So are you ready to help everypony, instead of putting them in danger?"

"Oh, definitely!" nodded Lightning.

The two pegasi took off, and soared to the pillar of light.

Getting the Point on Pressure

Sunset Shimmer and Trixie Lulamoon unleashed spell after spell upon Lord Umbriel, but he continued to approach them. Unfazed by their attacks, he laughed at their attempts to subdue him.

"Really, now." he said to them. "Is this honestly the best you two could throw against me?"

"Hardly." answered Sunset Shimmer. "We're just stalling for time."

"Is that so?" questioned the large Changeling. "For what reason?"

"For when we show up to kick your Changeling butt!" yelled a voice.

"Ah, that sounds like Rainbow Dash." said Umbriel, looking around. "Now wherever is she?"

"Right up here!" shouted the voice of Lightning Dust. "And we brought friends!"

Lord Umbriel looked up, and saw Rainbow Dash, Lightning Dust, Captain Star Shield, and several pegasi guards were hovering in the air above them. But the Changeling simply laughed.

"Oh, a pair of hotshot mares, an old hand that should've stayed retired, and an inept brigade of royal guards." snarked Umbriel. "I am just so intimidated. Or I would be, if I wasn't capable of flying just as well!"

"And us!" shouted the voice of Applejack.

Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Radiant Dawn, and several other townsponies had arrived, and surrounded Umbriel on all sides.

"You'll never be able to take all of us, Umbriel!" shouted Twilight Sparkle.

"Give up, or face the wrath of the Canterlot Royal Guard." demanded Star Shield.

Suddenly, the Changeling began to laugh maniacally. Several ponies began to back down in fear. His horn began to glow brighter than ever. Everypony present could tell that he was going to cast something extremely dangerous, even volatile.

"What's he doing?!" shrieked Rarity.

"He could blow up half the town if that spell goes off!" yelled Trixie.

"Back down, or everything explodes!" roared Umbriel, his deep voice ringing in everyone's ears.

"That is quite enough, criminal!" boomed the voice of Princess Luna.

The lunar princess dropped down from the sky, alongside Princess Celestia. The two alicorns simultaneously raised their heads, their horns shining brightly. The Changeling found his spell being neutralized by the combined effort of the two regal sisters.

"Umbriel, you shall not conduct any harm upon the residents of this humble town!" declared Princess Celestia. "Nor shall you threaten my student!"

"Nor mine!" added Princess Luna. "You have lost, Umbriel. Surrender thyself, lest thou pay for this intrusion upon our kingdom!"

"Okay, okay." said the Changeling lord, nodding his head. "You win this round."

He folded back his wings, and bent his legs so that he sat down on the ground. Star Shield came down to the ground to check on Sunset Shimmer and Trixie.

"Are you two all right?" he asked.

"I think I'll be fine, as long as..." Trixie began, before putting a hoof to her nauseous face. "As long as...I just lay down somewhere."

"But I think I hurt myself while fighting him." said Sunset. "Could you get me to the hospital?"

"Of course, ma'am." nodded Star Shield. "There's one here in town."

"No!" interrupted Sunset Shimmer, distressed. "Take me to the one in Canterlot. I was planning on going back there..."

"Sunset, it's not your fault." said Twilight Sparkle, who came up to Sunset. "I don't blame you for what Umbriel's done."

"That's not the point. He came here for me, Twilight." Sunset shook her head. "I feel like a fool right now, going out in the open like this--"

"That's quite all right, Sunset." said Luna, softly. "You are safe now. Everything is fine."

She knelt down, and gripped Sunset with her wing to pull her closer. Luna comforted her as if she were her own child. Twilight Sparkle couldn't help but smile a little.

"I am so proud of you." said the princess of the night. "You are truly a good student. You have already done well, dear Sunset."

"How touching!" mocked Umbriel, who was being escorted away by a group of royal guards.

"You have much to answer for, Changeling!" said Princess Celestia, angrily. "But we will discuss this in the palace. Until then, keep yourself quiet!"

"Yeah!" shouted Rainbow Dash in agreement. "Keep your mouth shut, you scumbag!"

"Sunset, are you sure you don't want to get a check-up here?" asked Star Shield who came up to Sunset Shimmer.

"Yes, captain." nodded Sunset, whose tears had dried up. "Take me to Canterlot. Pressure Point can patch me up much faster than anypony here. After all, I don't wanna miss Umbriel's trial."

Radiant Dawn rushed up to the two, his copper-colored eyes watering.

"Oh, Sunny." he sniffled. "It's so good to see you're okay. I was so worried about you."

Sunset went over to comfort her brother.

"I know you did." she said, with an understanding smile. "You're my brother. It's your job to look out for me. But you promised me you wouldn't get so worked up about it. I can handle myself..."

She extended a front hoof upwards, which Radiant graciously accepted with both of his own.

"I know. I was just afraid that I'd lose you again, little sis." Radiant breathed. "I was so afraid...that Umbriel would've gotten to you this time. I don't wanna lose you, Sunset."

"I wouldn't want to lose you, either." Sunset beamed at her elder sibling. "I love you, big brother."

"Wow, it's just like me and Shining Armor..." commented Twilight.

"Now let's get back to Canterlot." Sunset told Radiant.

"You've got it." nodded the stallion.

Later on, Sunset Shimmer was brought back to the palace, and lay recovering on a bed in the infirmary. A bluish-white unicorn with a short purple mane stood over her, using his telekinesis to levitate a quill that he was using to write a report on his clipboard. Once he finished, he looked down at Sunset.

"Thanks, Presh..." said Sunset.

"Not a problem, Sunset Shimmer." droned Pressure Point, as he scrawled a report on the clipboard. "But you of all unicorns ought to know better than to pick a fight with a Changeling."

"It's not I could help it." said Sunset. "He caught me--and everypony else--off-guard."

he scowled at his former classmate.

"Well, I guess even you can't be perfect at everything." said Pressure.

"Excuse me?" Sunset cocked her head to the side.

"Oh, nothing." droned Pressure, as he continued scrawling the medical report. "It's just that I remember a certain unicorn I went to school with. Smart, beautiful, but totally insufferable. Always studied by herself, never hung out with anyone else, rudely brushed them off."

"Look, I know I haven't exactly been a nice pony in the past--" Sunset began.

"Yeah, yeah." said Pressure. "I know. Spare me the details, alright? Listen, I'm sure you've got much better things to do with my irritating cousin and your other...friends. To be honest...I think I harbored some respect for you back when we were classmates. Or at least, I would've done so, if you weren't so--"

"Look, I hardly think you're one to talk." said Sunset. "Remember how you used to criticize my brother all the time?"

Pressure sighed.

"All right, all right." said Pressure. "I guess I have some apologies of my own to make. Listen, Sunset. Would you care to let Red--Radiant know that I'm really sorry about the argument earlier this week? And all the times at school?"

"You could tell him yourself, you know." said Sunset. "He's in the Night Guard, so he's not that hard to find."

"Well..." Pressure hesitated. "All right. I'm just not sure if I'd have time."

"Oh...you'll have time." said Radiant Dawn's voice.

Radiant stood in the doorway to the ward, wearing his night guard armor.

"Funny seeing you here, Pressure." he said.

"Well...I am the doctor here." said Pressure Point.

"Really." said Radiant. "So is my sister okay?"

"Yes." said Pressure Point. "A couple sprains and sores...maybe some blunt trauma...but nothing too serious."

"Good." said Radiant. "At least you can be helpful when you're not being pretentious."

"Listen, about the school." said Pressure Point. "I admit that I was very childish--dare I say, foalish even--But I've grown up since then. Older, wiser."

"Well, I sure hope so." said Radiant.

"And I want to say I'm sorry that I gave you such a hard time back then." said Pressure Point. "I should've been more sensitive about you and Sunset's feelings. And I'd like to say congratulations...I guess, for helping save Fillydelphia."

"Yeah, and I didn't even need to blow anything up." snarked Radiant, who was scowling.

"Red, what's the matter?" asked Sunset.

"Ah...nothing, Sunny." said Radiant. "I'm just feeling kinda down about...you know."

He lifted a hoof and point at his horn.

"Oh..." said Sunset. "Pressure, you're good with surgery. Think you could help Radiant Dawn find out what's going on with his horn?"

"Goodness, that thing's still acting up?" Pressure stated.

Radiant's horn shot out sparks, two of which hit Pressure on the muzzle.

"Yow!" Pressure yelped as he jumped back. "I'll take that as a yes!"

He rubbed the ash off his nose.

"I'd like to do that, but that'll take some time." said Pressure. "Could I set an appointment for...a couple weeks or so?"

"I guess." said Radiant. "Though I thought a pony whose special talent is medical attention and surgery would be able to do it faster."

"Well, I'm sorry to say that the materials and supplies I'll need for this sort of thing will be...quite expensive." said Pressure. "But if there's anything else I could do, just let me know. It's the least I could do for giving you two so much trouble in the past."

"Don't worry, we'll let you know, doc." said Radiant Dawn, who let out a yawn. "I've gotta get going. Duty calls, ya know."

The door opened again, and Trixie came in.

"Sunset, how are you---" she paused.

"You?!" she and Pressure both said to each other at the same time.

"If you're here to check on Sunset Shimmer, she's fine." Pressure told her, through barred teeth. "Now go."

"Trixie can come and go as she pleases, cousin." Trixie said.

"Yes, and I hope you can go soon." said Pressure Point. "I don't have time to mess around with annoying relatives today. I have a very busy schedule today."

Suddenly, the two started arguing nonstop for what seemed like ten minutes. Sunset, who had been watching the two go at it until just that point, got out of her bed.

"I...think I'm going to lay down in my own room." said Sunset. "I'll leave you two to...resolve your family dilemmas alone."

Umbriel's Tale

To Sunset Shimmer, it was a familiar scene. But this time, she wasn't caught in the middle of it. She stood on one side of Princess Luna's throne, and Captain Star Shield stood on the other. Mirroring them were Twilight Sparkle and the recently-returned Captain Shining Armor at Celestia's throne.

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were circling Umbriel, who had his wings chained to his torso.

"Umbriel, you have committed many crimes against Equestria." said Celestia. "And the lengths you have gone to are just loathsome."

"Oh, do go on." grinned the Changeling, mockingly.

"You have torn many families apart over the years." said Luna. "Not only my own student's, but others as well."

"You have terrorized many countrysides for as long as you've had even the slightest amount of power." Celestia added. "And now, you've actually began to attack heavily-populated areas. And above all, you've violated the truce placed between Equestria and Queen Chrysalis' Changeling Empire that has been there since the death of King Craw. But what I want to know, Umbriel is...why? Does the Queen of the Changelings already hunger again for the love of my subjects?"

"Not quite." said Umbriel. "I do not act on my sister's behalf, though I do remain loyal to her."

"Then what is your motivation for these atrocities?" asked Luna. "Why are you plaguing our lands?"

"I don't know much, myself." admitted Umbriel. "It's just that ever since I had received my...gift, I have become rather passive-aggressive. Not to mention, ambitious."

Celestia and Luna exchanged confused looks with each other, as did their students.

"Your 'gift', did you say?" asked Luna.

"Of course, your majesty." smiled Lord Umbriel. "I wasn't always the hulking beast-with-brains that you see before you. Until quite some time ago, I was just a scrawny runt of a Changeling prince by the name of Embryo. I was weak, shrill, and pathetic to look at. But I had a brilliant, if ambitious mind. It certainly made up for what I didn't have back then."

"However did you become what you are now?" asked Princess Luna.

"It's a bit of a lengthy tale, so I'll skip to the tail-end." said Umbriel."It was shortly after my sister Queen Chrysalis had regained power amongst the Changelings, following King Craw's defeat, that I took it upon myself to find a way to strengthen myself, in the event that another would-be usurper attempted to rise up against her. Though I was able to send whatever troops I could spare to help her regain the throne, it wasn't enough. If it weren't for the mysterious alien warrior she sent to your world--you know who I am referring to, I am sure--My sister may have met her untimely end because of the traitorous Craw and his other-worldly allies."

"I had wondered where Queen Chrysalis had gotten so many drones to assist her, even when she was in exile." said Celestia.

"Quite." said Umbriel. "But continuing on, I searched high and low throughout Equestria for a power that I could rely upon to rid me of the loathsome defects that I was born with. Eventually, my sources all led me to the Frozen North..."

EARLIER THAT YEAR...

The diminutive Changeling prince beat his small wings across the cold wasteland. Following him were at least a dozen of his fellow Changelings.

"Prince Embryo, my lord?" queried Ghost. "are you absolutely certain that we will find it all the way up here?"

"Yes, Ghost." said Embryo, with a shrill voice. "We must press on! Keep flying forwards!"

"As you wish, master." said the albino Changeling.

Through the harsh weather, the Changelings advanced through the air. A few began to shiver, but the others continued, anyway. Eventually, they came upon what appeared to be a frozen lake. Embryo and Ghost landed first in the middle, while the others dropped down all around it.

"Keep an eye out for any intruders!" Embryo screeched to his troops. "I don't want anypony spoiling our big day!"

"But master, whatever can we find all the way in the middle of nowhere like this?" asked Ghost.

"The solution, my loyal subject." answered Prince Embryo. "The solution."

"Understood, my prince." said Ghost.

Embryo inspected the ice carefully. He could see the vaguest of movement underneath.

"Yes..." he sighed coldly. "This is indeed the correct place. Now we shall begin the excavation!"

The prince's horn began to glow. A series of heavy footfalls echoed in the snowstorm, until a vast shadow emerged from the freezing whiteness. The armored form of Long Rim appeared silently before Embryo and Ghost.

"I trust you know what to do!" Embryo smiled at the massive beast.

Long Rim nodded mechanically, and then crawled towards the frozen surface that the Prince of the Changelings was standing on. He ushered forth a loud roar, and rammed his head and claws into the ice. It gave way before the beast, who gradually sank down into a slanted pit.

"The door's open, boys." hissed Embryo. "Now follow me!"

The Changelings all flew in after Long Rim. They found themselves in front of what looked like a sealed back gate. Embryo ordered his Changelings to lead Long Rim back up to the surface, and he was left alone. The Changeling prince approached the gate, and cast a spell on its enchanted lock. There was a low growling and a deep voice on the other end of the gate.

"Who dares...awaken...me?" said the voice.

"One with news that may interest you, King Sombra." said Prince Embryo, who was grinning maliciously. "For a price, of course."

"What news do you bring me, stunted one?" growled King Sombra's disembodied voice.

"News regarding recent events in Equestria." said Embryo. "Including the resurgence of your old Crystal Empire!"

"So the curse has finally lifted?" questioned King Sombra. "A thousand years have already passed?"

"But of course, your highness." nodded Prince Embryo. "But just take a moment to listen to me."

"Then speak quickly." commanded Sombra.

"I am responsible for your liberation." said Embryo. "If it were not for me, you'd be trapped down here for all eternity!"

"And what do you ask in return?" boomed Sombra's voice.

"I wish for the power to remove myself of this...horrid condition that I was born with!" shuddered the Changeling. "King Sombra, if you would take a moment of your time to give me a little something in return..."

"You ask for me to relinquish my powers to you?" said the malevolent unicorn monarch. "I shall not do this."

"I don't mean give all of it to me!" said Embryo, quickly. "Only what you can afford to lose! I understand that an exceptionally powerful unicorn such as yourself may be able to offer some assistance to those that need it? I scratched your back, so you should scratch mine in return!"

"Very well, stunted one." said Sombra. "If it will rid you of that pathetic vessel you dare call a body, then I shall see this done."

Suddenly, a massive dark shape emerged from behind the gate, and two luminous green eyes peered into Embryo's face. But the Changeling did not flinch or otherwise show fear. It was clear that he knew exactly what he was in for.

"Now, what is your name?" asked Sombra.

"I am Embryo, Prince of the Changelings." said the Changeling. "If you help me with this body, you will have the full support of the Changeling Empire."

"Very well..."

Suddenly, the darkness consumed Embryo's body. He felt himself being twisted and unraveled, and being reconstructed and refined. His scrawny body grew larger and stronger than before. His small shaggy black mane grew longer, spikier, and cerulean in color. His bulbous eyes were somewhat reduced, and he felt his pupils dilating sideways.

"This...is incredible!" Embryo's voice said in the dark, deepening on every syllable. "Give me all that you desire, O King Sombra! I am truly grateful for this...most...generous...gift!**"

"Rise, my agent of darkness." said King Sombra. "Rise, Lord Umbriel! Go out, and spread my legacy throughout the other lands of Equestria."

"Yes, master." said Umbriel. "Whatever you wish! And one other thing?"

"Yes, Umbriel?" questioned King Sombra.

"I was thinking..." Lord Umbriel suggested. "Perhaps when you have reclaimed the Crystal Empire, you might be interested in becoming...acquainted with my sister, Queen Chrysalis?"

"We shall see...now go!"

The enlarged Changeling beat his four new wings, and flew out of the tunnel to meet with his minions.

"Behold, I have returned." boomed Lord Umbriel. "Now, you shall know me as...Umbriel!"

The Changelings all bowed down before their master.

"We have much to do now." said Umbriel. "The first thing I shall do is tell my sister that I am ready to double my payload!"

PRESENT DAY...

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna glared at Umbriel intensely.

"So, you were the one responsible for King Sombra's freedom?" interrogated Luna.

"That is most certainly correct, princess." said Umbriel, in a mockingly casual tone.

"You had unleashed a great evil upon this land, Umbriel!" said Celestia. "Have you no shame?"

"I am grateful for it." said Umbriel. "You see, I did it to protect my sister. Not because Sombra would ever do it, but so that I could do it better than before!"

"Umbriel, we shall continue this tomorrow." said Celestia. "You are to be locked up in our highest-security dungeon. If you cooperate in the future, you will be given proper accomodations."

"Oh, joy..." growled Umbriel, as Captains Shining Armor and Star Shield led him out of the throne room.

Sunset Shimmer scoffed at the fact that Umbriel wouldn't receive his sentence yet.

"Now, now, my student." said Luna. "We are still taking his actions into account. Now, I think you should get some rest. Tomorrow night, We shall begin our next sessions."

"Thank you, princess." said Sunset, humbly. "Good night."

Sunset Shimmer and her friends all went up to their bedrooms. The yellow mare fell asleep quickly, and had a dream about being an alicorn, something she hadn't dreamed about in a long time. In this dream, she found herself standing alongside the four princesses. All five spread their wings, and took off into the air together. The sight of Equestria beneath her was breathtaking, to say the least. Suddenly, she felt the crown she was wearing crackle. Immediately afterwards, she discovered her wings were crumbling. Before she could scream, she found herself spiraling out of control to the ground below. She was bounding closer and closer, and then--

Bang! Bang! Bang! CRASH!

Suddenly, Sunset Shimmer was in her bedroom and saw her door tumbling down. For a moment, nothing was visible but the hall beyond. Sunset looked around wide-eyed, until she suddenly heard a series of beeping noises in the direction of the fallen door, which was suspiciously tilting and rocking on its own accord. Metallic footfalls echoed all around her. Before she could gasp, she could feel something metallic seize her by the muzzle. She could feel cold, plated fingers wrapping around her snout. She was unable to scream and unable to see what was in the room with her, but she could hear the distorted voice just fine:

"Sunset Shimmer. For crimes against humanity, you are to be placed under arrest, and shall be recognized as a prisoner of the Chrysalis Syndicate."

Suddenly, everything between Sunset and the doorway started to shake and shimmer. The moment the black-armored devil revealed itself to her, it was clear to the unicorn that there was no hope of escape for her. Suddenly, the Chrysalis Syndicate soldier removed his mask, revealing the face of Craw.

"Wake up, Sunset." he said, softly. "You're just having a dream! Wake up and talk to me!"

Sunset Shimmer awoke with a start. Radiant Dawn was standing at her bedside, leaning over her.

"Red, what's wrong?" Sunset asked groggily.

"I'm getting you up!" said her brother. "It's one o'clock in the afternoon!"

"Wow, I was sleeping for that long?!" Sunset gasped.

She quickly climbed out of bed, and went to the mirror on the other side of the room. Using her telekinesis, she brushed her mane while simultaneously checking the drawers underneath for her books. She was feverishly reading through several of them.

"Sunny, what's going on?" asked Radiant. "For such a heavy sleeper, you seem pretty restless right now."

"I'm going to be given a lesson by Princess Luna in a few hours." said Sunset, in a panicked tone. "I need to make sure that I don't go in there looking like a lazy moron! I need to study up on anything she might teach me tonight!"

"Do you know what she's going to teach you?" asked Radiant Dawn.

"Well, no." admitted Sunset. "But I still can't mess around, and not prepare myself for it! I mean, if I mess up as Princess Luna's student like I did as Celestia's, who knows what might happen to me!"

"You're not going to mess up!" said Radiant. "You're just as smart as our father was! And your skills with magic are incredible! Not to mention, you were Princess Celestia's star student! What the heck are you so worried about?"

"I don't know." said Sunset Shimmer. "I guess I'm a little shaken up from my fight with Umbriel. So, what's that overgrown horsefly up to, anyways?"

"He's locked up tight down in the dungeons." replied Radiant Dawn. "We even have a certain someone down there to make sure he doesn't try escaping."

"Who?" asked Sunset, just as a cracking sound became audible.

"Oh, that would be me." said a quirky voice.

The two siblings turned over to Sunset Shimmer's bed, to see--to Sunset's surprise--none other than Discord sitting on top of it.

"Greeting and salutations, Sunset Shimmer." said the draconequus. "Finally, we've had the chance to meet."

"Um...Radiant?" Sunset urgently bumped a hoof against her brother's leg. "What is the god of chaos doing here? I thought he was turned to stone a long time ago!"

"It's okay, Sunset." said Radiant Dawn. "Princess Celestia told me that she was able to set things straight with him."

"And how? Let me guess: Twilight Sparkle, right?"

Suddenly, there was a loud ding! ding! ding! that seemed to come from nowhere, followed by the disembodied voices of an invisible crowd that seemed to be applauding from all directions.

"My, my! Bravo, Sunset Shimmer." said Discord, clapping slowly. "You are correct! Here, you win a free chicken."

He snapped his claws, and a young pegasus with a brown coat and short purple mane popped out of thin air. She looked around, confused.

"What's going on?" she was saying. "What am I doing in Canterlot?"

"Oh. Sorry about that, Scootaloo." chuckled Discord, snapping his claws again.

In an instant, Scootaloo vanished again. Sunset Shimmer just looked at Discord with a puzzled look on her face.

"Oh, that was just a little in-joke among me and a few others." said Discord.

"Discord, what are you doing in my room?" Sunset asked, simply.

"Give me one reason not to be in your room, if you would please." said Discord, who was now playing with a paddleball that he produced out of nothingness.

"Well, you're kinda disturbing my privacy." said Sunset.

"'I have better things to do than socialize' are your words, yes?" questioned the draconequus.

"Well, they were." admitted Sunset Shimmer. "But I'm a changed mare. I'm not arrogant or evil anymore. How'd you know I said those words, anyway?"

"I may have been turned to stone for a long time, but it doesn't mean I was deaf to everything around me." said Discord. "Even if it wasn't in the immediate area. For example, I heard your little outburst all those years ago when you abandoned Princess Celestia's teachings. I even heard you crying like a little filly when you apologized to Princess Celestia a few days back. It was actually...rather moving, to be honest."

Sunset Shimmer blushed.

"Um, okay. I get the point." she said. "But I still stand by what I said: You're disturbing my privacy. I'm very busy here."

Discord's paddleball changed into a basketball, which he began bouncing upwards and catching with his hand.

"Sure, I'll go." said Discord. "Just give me time to throw a little game in."

He casually flung the basketball sideways, and it ricocheted throughout Sunset Shimmer's room like a three-dimensional pinball. Several things were knocked aside, and Sunset and Radiant had to dodge several times to avoid getting hit. All the while, Discord just lounged about on the bed, ignoring the pandemonium around him. When the ball bounced towards him, he extended his hand into the ball's path and caught it effortlessly.

"Tilt." Discord said, simply.

Sunset looked around her room, surprised that nothing was broken by the basketball's onslaught.

"Toodles." Discord said, snapping his claws.

In an instant, he was gone.

"That was...an interesting experience." Sunset said.

"Tell me about it." nodded Radiant. "That sure never happened back home."

"Well, I'd better get back to my studying." said Sunset.

"Right." said Radiant. "And I'd better get over to the training area. See ya later, little sis."

A Night with the Princesses

Sunset Shimmer finished reading her books, and went downstairs for a late lunch. Trixie and Lightning Dust were down there with her, chatting with each other.

"So, you're gonna be a Shadowbolt, huh?" Trixie asked Lightning.

"I hope so." said Lightning. "Captain Star Shield said that I had the stuff to be one. I hope I have it, too. Sure, I'd rather try out for the Wonderbolts again, but it doesn't seem to be happening any time soon."

"Hey, I'm sure you'll be okay." said Trixie. "Take my word for it."

"Thanks, Trixie." said Lightning.

"The Shadowbolts, huh?" said Sunset.

"Yeah." nodded Lightning Dust. "Captain Shield wants me to try out for them."

"When?"

"Tomorrow."

"And I'm going to get another lesson from Princess Luna tonight." said Sunset. "I'm looking forward to seeing just what she has in store for me this time."

"Do you think maybe she'll send you to another city again?" asked Trixie.

"Nah, she already said that sending me to Fillydelphia was a jump off the deep end. I'll get my next lesson from her from the safety of the palace."

"Well, that sounds good. Well, Lightning and I are going to look around Canterlot while you're with Princess Luna."

"I hope you two have fun doing that." said Sunset Shimmer.

For the next few hours, Sunset was reading through her books again. Eventually, there was a knock on her door.

"Come on inside!" said Sunset, closing her book with her telekinesis.

Radiant Dawn went into her bedroom, wearing his Night Guard armor.

"Sunset, Princess Luna has asked me to escort you to the garden." he said. "She'll train you from there."

"Thanks, bro." said Sunset Shimmer. "Let's go."

Radiant Dawn and Sunset Shimmer went outside, where Princess Luna was waiting for them, standing under the starry night sky. There were crickets chirping all around them, but it was otherwise quiet out in the garden.

"Thank you for bringing your sister over to me, Lieutenant Dawn." said Luna. "You are now excused. I am sure Captain Shield will want to hear from you again."

"Thanks, princess." said Radiant, with a salute. "Good luck, little sis."

"Thanks, Red." said Sunset.

Radiant went back to the castle, and Sunset Shimmer went over to Princess Luna's side.

"So, what are we going to be doing tonight?" asked Sunset.

"I think the two of us could do with a walk." said Luna. "Follow me, if you would please."

"Yes, princess." nodded the unicorn.

The princess of the night and her pupil strode along the outer wall of the palace gardens, looking down at the lands around the mountain. The stars and moon were shining brightly, there were a few lights down in in the city below.

"It's so beautiful, Princess Luna." said Sunset. "I kinda regret sleeping for so long during the night. I can tell I'm missing out on a lot."

"I should say you are." said Luna, nodding. "But of course, you are right to express your opinions."

"Princess Luna, I have a question." said Sunset.

"Ask away, my dear Sunset." said the alicorn.

"Why did you want me to be your student?" asked the unicorn.

"Because I sympathized with you so much." said Luna. "You are so much like me, it is all-but uncanny."

"And how am I like you?" asked Sunset.

"Like you, I was very ambitious." explained Luna. "I wanted to prove myself to the inhabitants of Equestria. But they had all loved Princess Celestia's work more than mine. I rebelled against my sister, becoming the diabolical Nightmare Moon. For a thousand years, I was imprisoned up there, in the moon."

She tilted her hoof up to the night sky.

"It must've been pretty lonely up there." said Sunset, softly.

"Indeed, it was." said Princess Luna. "A part of me had regretted ever turning against my sister, but the evil within me dominated my mind."

"Just like...me." frowned Sunset. "That's what happened when I put the Element of Magic on my head back in the human world. I turned into a monstrous demon. I couldn't control the power surging within me. It drove me insane, and hurt me deeply. I became megalomaniacal, even willing to murder, even if it wasn't completely necessary."

"You see, I tried to kill Twilight Sparkle by shooting a fireball at her. That led to my downfall as a demon. And then I was defeated with the Elements of Harmony. Even though they weren't really in her possession, she and the human counterparts of her friends still managed to beat me with their power. I'm actually kinda glad they did. The demon drew out the worst of me. A dark side I never wanted to have."

"As the Nightmare Forces did to me." said Luna. "I am grateful for what Twilight Sparkle and her friends did by defeating me. If it weren't for her, I would never have been given a chance to reunite with my sister."

"Yeah." Sunset frowned even harder. "Too bad she couldn't do the same, and reunite me with my brother."

"Sunset Shimmer, I'm sure that if Twilight had known about it..." Luna began.

"But you did that, Luna." the unicorn turned her head, a smile growing on her face. "Thank you. I'm...so...grateful for it! You're the best princess ever!"

She hugged Princess Luna, who enveloped her wings in return.

"Luna, I'm impressed by your progress with Sunset Shimmer, so far." said the voice of Princess Celestia.

The younger regal sister and her student turned to see the princess of the sun drop down from the sky beside them. Sunset shifted a little nervously.

"Are you truthful about this, big sister?" asked Luna.

"Of course." smiled Celestia. "Though she's only been your student for a few days, I can already tell that you two have become much closer than Sunset ever was with me. To be honest, I think you two were meant for each other."

Sunset went between the two princesses.

"You...you really mean it, Princess Celestia?" asked Sunset, nervously.

"That's right, Sunset." nodded the sun princess. "Not that you were a terrible as my student--apart from the obvious falling-out--but because you needed somepony you could sympathize with; that knew your troubles. My sister here went through so much when she turned against me all those centuries ago, as she no doubt already told you. You did more or less the same thing when you abandoned your studies as my student, but on a smaller scale."

"I'm really sorry about that, princess." frowned Sunset.

"I have already forgiven you, Sunset." comforted Princess Celestia. "But I do wish for your own forgiveness."

"Whatever for?"

"For sending your brother away from Canterlot a few years back. I realized how wrong it was for me to do that. It really hurt you, and I'm sorry for my rash decision. Especially now, since I've taken the time to continue my interrogation of Lord Umbriel. No matter how badly your brother may have messed up during that whole flight spell fiasco, I could see now that it wasn't entirely his fault. Embryo greatly affected both of your lives, and in more ways than one."

"So, do you want me to return to being your student again, Princess Celestia?" asked Sunset.

"The choice is yours, my dear." said Celestia. "But I won't force you to make any decision you don't want. But to be honest, I think I've already taught you as much as I could."

"But...I abandoned your studies!" said the unicorn, confused. "I didn't really finish!"

"Ah, but you did, in a way." assured the sun princess. "By befriending your fellow ponies, you had finished my very last lesson for you: The importance of friendship. Though it was one of your first lessons with my sister, it would've been my very last for you."

"Are you sure about that?" asked Sunset. "But I don't feel any closer to becoming a princess than I was when I left you."

"Maybe not." said Celestia. "But I can already tell you're well on the way. But let me tell you something, though: Even if you did decide to become my student again, I would have wanted Princess Luna to teach you in my place. I always did think you two would've done well for each other."

"And that is why you allowed me to take Sunset Shimmer under my wing, yes?" asked Princess Luna.

"That's right, little sister." answered Princess Celestia, before turning to her former student. "I was also happy to see that you were willing to take responsibility for somepony you knew almost nothing about, except that she had turned against me."

"As did I, big sister." said Luna.

The two alicorn sisters approached each other, and hugged one another with their wings and legs. Sunset went up to the two, her eyes watering with joy.

"Thanks for being so understanding." she smiled. "Both of you. You're both great teachers. The best I ever could've had."

"Have you forgiven me for banishing your brother, Sunset." asked Celestia.

"I already did, princess. That's all in the past, right?"

"That's right. And I also look forward to meeting with you more often, Sunset Shimmer. Not as my student, but as my friend."

"And I wish to be your friend as well, my student." said Luna to Sunset.

"Okay, you two kinda need to lighten up." giggled Sunset. "You're making me blush a little. But yeah, if that's what you two want from me right now, that's what you're gonna get! I'm your friend! Happy now?"

"We couldn't be happier." said Luna, smiling.

"Likewise." said Celestia. "Good night to you both."

Sunset Shimmer turned to Princess Luna, once the elder regal sister went back inside to retire to her bedroom.

"So, what's my lesson going to be about now?" asked Sunset.

"That was the lesson." beamed Luna. "I wanted to see you on good terms with my sister again. Now, you may return to your bedroom, or spend a little more time with me, young Sunset."

"Gee, thanks." blushed Sunset. "But I think I will spend some more time with you, princess."

"Please, you may simply call me Luna, if you wish." said the moon princess.

"Okay, Luna." said Sunset Shimmer. "I'd like to take the time to check out the palace at night, anyhow. You know, to get to know the various members of the Night Guard. I already know Captain Shield and my brother, so I'd might as well meet some of the others, too."

"That sounds like a great idea." said Princess Luna. "I think my next lesson tomorrow night will be to have you interview a few members of the Night Guard."

"Well, I did have something of an interest in journalism during my time at Canterlot High." said Sunset. "Even if I only used it for...selfish reasons."

"That could make for an interesting topic to cover in a later lesson." said Princess Luna. "Well, I think it's time to go back to the throne room. I imagine Captain Shield has another report for me to read."

Socializing

Princess Luna and Sunset Shimmer went back into the throne room. Inside were Captain Star Shield and a female unicorn guard. When Sunset Shimmer approached the two, the unicorn guard rushed up to speak with her.

"Sunset, long time no see!" she said.

"I'm sorry, but do I know you, at all?" asked Sunset.

"Sure you do!" she said. "Let me take off this helmet."

She removed her headwear, and a long, curly red-and-purple mane fell down along her back.

"Oh, yeah! I remember now." nodded Sunset Shimmer. "You're Moondancer. You were one of my classmates at Princess Celestia's school. What are you doing as a guard, though?"

"Well, it's kinda hard to explain." said Moondancer. "But I am quite fond of the night."

"Hence the name, right?" joked Sunset.

"Oh, don't go joking around like that." she said. "I'm really busy right now."

"Hey. I'm sorry, Moony." said Sunset. "So, are you waiting for Princess Luna or Captain Shield to give you something to do?"

"Actually, yes." nodded Moondancer. "I'm just a little nervous, and don't want to mess something up."

"Trust me, I know that feeling." said Sunset. "I guess it comes with being a student of one of the princesses."

"Oh, you're with Celestia again?" asked the unicorn with the purple-red mane.

"No. She is with me." said Princess Luna.

"Oh, sorry." she said. "I'm just a little nervous. I don't want to make a fool of myself, so..."

"Who's got your flank caught in a trap?" asked Sunset Shimmer.

"It's Lieutenant Dawn, Sunset--I mean Miss Shimmer." said Moondancer. "His methods have been driving a few of the recruits over the edge."

"Hey, that's my brother you're talking about." said Sunset. "He can't be doing that poorly, can he?"

"Oh, he's your brother?" asked Moondancer. "Funny, he never brought it up. Come to think of it, neither did you. I would've expected to have met him sooner, when you were still Princess Celestia's student."

"Well, he used to go to Princess Celestia's academy, just like you and me." said Sunset. "But you two probably never met each other, because you entered the academy the year after he left."

"Ah, I see." nodded Moondancer.

Suddenly, the doors swung open, and Radiant Dawn and two other guards stomped into the throne room. They were clearly arguing about something.

"But, sir, that is just ridiculous!" said Crimson Cloud to Radiant Dawn.

"There's nothing ridiculous about a prisoner exchange." said Radiant.

"But what you're suggesting is ludicrous." said Silver Shadow. "What would the princesses think about that?"

"I don't know, let's ask th--" Radiant cut himself off short when he noticed that Sunset was in the room. "Oh. Hi, Sunny. How was your lesson with Princess Luna?"

"Fine, Red." said Sunset. "What's going on?"

"Yes, Lieutenant Dawn." said Captain Star Shield. "Whatever are you three arguing about?"

"We just finished interrogating Umbriel." said Radiant Dawn to his superior. "He just told us that my mother is being held prisoner in his stronghold."

"Wait, he wasn't fooling around?!" gasped Sunset Shimmer. "Well, what are we waiting for? If our mom's at his mercy, then we need to go over to his stronghold, and bust her out!"

"Here's the thing:" Radiant told his sister. "Umbriel refuses to give us the location of his stronghold. It could be anywhere in Equestria. The only way we'll get mom out of there is if we trade her for the big guy himself."

"Lieutenant, do you honestly think that would be a wise idea?" asked Star Shield. "Umbriel is a dangerous criminal, and a military leader as well. Letting him go would allow him to raise another army to atttack our citizens!"

"But it could be the only thing that could save my mother's life!" argued Radiant.

"Lieutenant, just stop and think for a moment:" said the pegasus captain. "Even if Umbriel wasn't lying to you, would you think that saving the life of one unicorn would be worth the price we'd be paying for unleashing one of the most dangerous Changelings to ever live upon Equestria?"

"Well, forgive me for missing my mother!" snarked Radiant, turning away.

"But I think I know where he lives." said Sunset. "At least, I have a vague idea."

"What would that be, Sunny?" asked Radiant, curiously.

"Red, do you remember the day our parents disappeared?"

"Unfortunately."

"Well, those Changelings that attacked us said we were trespassing on their territory, which was apparently within trotting distance of our home. So if we go back to where we encountered those creatures..."

"Then we'll find Umbriel's stronghold!" finished Princess Luna. "Brilliant, my student. Once again, your thinking has benefited us again."

"But that was fifteen years ago, sis." said Radiant to Sunset. "Things could've changed since then."

"Umbriel's stronger than he was fifteen years ago." said Sunset. "Who's to say his territory hasn't expanded since?"

"Good point." said Radiant.

"Miss Shimmer, where would you be referring to?" asked Silver Shadow.

"Our home..." began Sunset.

"Daystar Manor." both unicorn siblings said at once.

"We'll send some scouts over there to check." said Star Shield. "Tomorrow, I'm sure Princess Celestia will send a squad of her own royal guards to Daystar."

"What about now?" asked Sunset.

"Well, my break period's a couple of minutes away." said Radiant. "Hey, how about we go over to the kitchens? They've got donuts down there!"

Radiant licked his lips.

"Sure thing, Red." said Sunset Shimmer. "I didn't get much to eat all day, anyway."

The two went down to the kitchens, where there were large plates loaded with various foods and pastries for the guards.

"Help yourself, Sunny." said Radiant.

Sunset examined the content on the table, and licked her lips. Using her telekinesis, she levitated a knife, and cut several slices out of a cheese wheel, and then placed them on a plate. She promptly gobbled them up. Then she levitated a napkin to her mouth to wipe it.

"What do you think of working the night shift, Red?" Sunset asked her brother.

"It's pretty quiet at times." answered Radiant Dawn.

"Does it ever feel...lonely at all?"

"Not really. At least, not as much as it is back home."

"That reminds me." said Sunset Shimmer. "I'm sorry about that day at the breakfast feast. I really treated you like an idiot there."

"Hey, that's fine!" Radiant said, calmly.

"And about slamming the door in your face."

"Well, I understand why you did it. I would've been in a bad mood, too, if I had a bunch of ponyfolk crowding around my bedroom door while I was trying to sleep!"

"Right." nodded Sunset in agreement. "Thanks for understanding."

"No problem, sis." said Radiant Dawn, with a friendly grin.

"So, what was it like back at home?" asked Sunset. "You know, without me being there?"

"Lonely and depressing." said Radiant, flatly.

"Did the Changelings give you any trouble while you were out there?" asked Sunset.

"Maybe once or twice." said Radiant. "But it was never as big as that attack fifteen years back. But by the sound of things, I wouldn't be surprised if they've already seized the mansion."

"I just hope our mother's okay." said Sunset.

"So do I, Sunny." frowned Radiant. "So do I. But still, I wonder what happened to our dad."

"Me, too." said Sunset Shimmer.

"I swear, it's like a curse or something." Radiant Dawn commented. "First, our parents disappear for no reason. Then I have that accident with the flight spell exam and have to leave Canterlot, then you run off to the human world for more than two years, and now our mother turns up again, in captivity of dangerous enemies."

"Well, at least Umbriel's locked up here in Canterlot." said Sunset. "Those Changelings wouldn't dare try pulling anything while their leader's in chains!"

"Maybe not Umbriel's Changelings." said Radiant Dawn. "But there's still his sister, whose name escapes me--"

"Queen Chrysalis." interjected Sunset.

"Right." said Radiant. "His sister, Queen Chrysalis, is still out there somewhere. If what Umbriel said was true, we might have a lot more to deal with if she decides to rescue her brother."

"Why?"

"Because Queen Chrysalis is the leader of all of the Changelings, or at least of the empire that she originated from. Umbriel told me and the other guards that he controls only 40% of the Changeling Empire's military force. And even then, only a select number of his troops were present during that battle in Fillydelphia. But that percentage is only counting the actual Changelings in his army. He's also got tons of slaves, mercenaries, and allies from all over Equestria and the surrounding lands. But Queen Chrysalis has even more Changelings under her command!"

"Well, good thing Twilight Sparkle and her friends can just roll in to save the day with their Elements of Harmony!" Sunset Shimmer rolled her eyes.

"That's the funny thing, actually." said Radiant. "They don't have them anymore."

"They don't?" asked Sunset.

"Nope." said Radiant. "Princess Luna told me that Twilight Sparkle relinquished them back to the Tree of Harmony a few weeks ago."

"She what?" Sunset said loudly.

"Yeah, because apparently the Everfree Forest was growing out of control, and the Tree of Harmony was dying. If they didn't bring the Elements of Harmony back, then this land wouldn't be so much 'Equestria', but rather 'Florania'. We'd be tangled in some nasty black vines right now, if it weren't for them. The princesses, too, apparently."

"Well, that's rather...odd." said Sunset Shimmer. "What could've caused that?"

"I don't know. I didn't ask about that one." said Radiant. "I think Discord might've been involved, but I can't put my hoof on it."

"So, perhaps that plant problem could explain why all those dangerous creatures went to Umbriel." said Sunset Shimmer. "They were all kicked out of their homes, and they went to the first place they could find..."

"The woods around Vanhoover." added Radiant Dawn. "Yep, I'm totally sure that's where Umbriel's lair will be found. Sunny, how do you feel about taking a trip down memory lane with me?"

"I'm with you, brother!" Sunset said, determined. "I'll get my friends, and we'll go there at the earliest opportunity!"

"Well. it can't be now." said Radiant. "I have to get back to my post in ten minutes. How about some time tomorrow?"

"Right." said Sunset. "Though Lightning Dust has her Shadowbolt tryouts tomorrow, so let's go after she's done with them?"

"That would be great." said Radiant. "Besides, I think I owe her something for beating me in a lemonade-drinking contest. We had one when we visited Ponyville."

"I see." smiled Sunset. "Well, good night!"

"Good night, little sis!" Radiant Dawn saluted his younger sibling.

The Shadowbolt Tryouts

That night, Sunset Shimmer was in yet another nightmare. This was somewhat different, though. She found herself standing in front of the Crystal Mirror. She was on the Equestria side, and humanized self was in her reflection. To her astonishment, her reflection was moving independently from her actual self, and even speaking to her.

"So, how do you feel right now, Sunny?" the human Sunset said, her voice leaking with mockery and sarcasm.

"That depends which me I'm speaking to..." said the unicorn Sunset.

"Take a wild guess, you little loudmouth." laughed the human Sunset Shimmer. "The one with a backbone!"

"Wrong." said the unicorn. "that would be me! You're just a shallow imitation of what I once was!"

"No, you're wrong." smiled the human. "You're what I once was! Until over a month ago, you were tough and in-control of everyone around you."

"At what cost, though?" asked the equine Sunset. "I was terrible when I was a human."

"You were still terrible, even as a pony."

"Not as terrible as you, though!" said Sunset.

"At least I didn't have to rely on friends or family to bail me out of a situation!"

"Because you had no friends or family! You needed them!"

"No. You...you're lying!" denied the human Sunset, indignantly.

"And look at you, now!" quipped the unicorn Sunset. "You're dead! You don't even exist anymore, except as a cold memory."

"We'll see about that!" growled the human self.

Suddenly, her body was enveloped in a bluish-green light. A tall red-skinned creature with flaming hair, black-and-green eyes, and tattered bat-like wings now stood in her place. She tightened her four-fingered claws, and flew through the mirror. She loomed over the unicorn, laughing maliciously.

"So, what do you have to say about me?" said the creature with a deeper, sultry version of Sunset Shimmer's voice.

"I still say you're dead, you abomination!" shouted Sunset Shimmer angrily. "You're a mockery of me, and everything I should've stood for!"

"I'm not really dead, my little pony." cackled the demoness. "I just got transferred to a new vessel. One much more satisfying than you ever were! You were always a weakling, Sunset Shimmer. You just weren't cut out to be an evildoer."

"Because I'm not a monster, unlike you!" retorted Sunset to her evil side. "And what 'new vessel' are you talking about?"

"You know the one." said a familiar, distorted voice.

"You've got to be kidding..." gasped Sunset, turning around.

Standing before her was none other than the Chrysalis Syndicate enforcer that beat her outside Canterlot High. Suddenly, there was an explosion of magical energy, and the enforcer fell over unconscious. Behind him was none other than...

"Princess Luna!" Sunset exclaimed happily.

"Yes, my student." said the princess of the night. "I have finally come to free you from these horrid nightmares!"

"You win this round, Sunset." growled the demoness.

In a burst of red fire, the creature vanished.

"If you wish to wake up, now would certainly be a good time..." said Luna...

Sunset Shimmer woke up with a start, climbing immediately out of bed. She opened her bedroom door, just in time for Radiant's to open.

"Oh, hey there, sister." said the orange-red stallion. "I was just going to wake you up! It's time for breakfast, if my memory serves me right."

"Thanks, Radiant." smiled Sunset. "Well, let's go on downstairs, shall we?"

"Right!" nodded Radiant Dawn.

The two unicorn siblings went down to the banquet hall, where both Princesses and several other ponies were already seated. Without a word, Sunset quickly seated herself in an empty chair next to Radiant. As the other ponies ate their food, Sunset decided to chat with Radiant.

"So, did you even sleep at all?" asked Sunset.

"A little." said Radiant. "I had a very disturbing dream about you."

"How so?" asked Sunset Shimmer.

"I don't know." said Radiant. "I barely remember it. I just know that I didn't like what was happening at all."

"You're lucky." said Sunset, with a frown. "I remember all my dreams perfectly...whether I like it or not."

Then her eyes started to water, and she sniffled.

"Well, you're all right now." comforted Radiant. "I hate to see you like this, Sunny, all crying and upset. C'mon, let's just have some food. That'll calm your nerves."

"Good idea." said Sunset in agreement.

Later on, Radiant and Sunset finished their breakfast and went outside the city to a grass-covered field where several pegasi in black flightsuits stood in a row in front of Captain Star Shield.

"Thank you, everypony, for volunteering for this training session." said the low, clear voice of the Night Captain. "I must warn you, though, that you will be expected to perform daring feats for Princess Luna. Have I made myself clear on this?"

"Yes, sir!" chorused the pegasi trainees.

"Then make twenty laps around the mountain." said Star Shield.

The trainees all took off into the air, and flew circles around the summit of the mountain. Radiant Dawn and Sunset Shimmer went down to the field where the captain was looking up at the pegasi vigilantly.

"So those are the Shadowbolts?" asked Radiant.

"That is correct, lieutenant." said Star Shield. "Or at least, that's what I intend them to be."

The pegasi flew through the twelfth lap. Then the thirteenth...fourteenth...fifteenth...

"Well, how do you like that?" Star Shield commented, when a golden streak sped around the mountain, outstripping all the other racers. "Miss Lightning Dust has the skills, after all."

"I'm surprised she isn't trying to dive-bomb into anything." joked Sunset Shimmer.

The Shadowbolt trainees finally finished racing, and flew down to the field. At their head was the golden streak. It slowed down, revealing the bluish-green form of Lightning Dust.

"Simply superb, my dear." said Captain Shield in a congratulatory manner to Lightning.

"Thank you, sir." said Lightning Dust, with a salute.

"By the way, where is your wing-pony?" asked the Night Captain.

"Right...here...sir!" puffed a large exhausted pegasus with a light brown coat and a mane with shaggy bangs that obscured his eyes, who slowly approached the two.

"Hoops, what took you so long?" asked Lightning.

"Sorry, Lightning." he said. "I lost track of you at the ninth lap. And then when you started speeding around like that, I wasn't able to keep up."

"Well, I told you to wear those goggles!" prompted Lightning. "Really, how else are you supposed to find anypony if you have your mane in your eyes all the time?"

"Right." said Hoops. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Nevertheless, cadet, you did quite well." said Star Shield. "I saw you were able to hit Mach 3 in twenty seconds. Quite impressive in a new recruit."

"Yeah, but doing that just wore me out, sir." said Hoops. "I don't think I can do it over long distances."

"Understood." said the Night Captain. "Still, I see much potential in you. I hope you do well as a Shadowbolt."

"Thanks, so do I." saluted the sports pegasus.

"What about me, captain?" asked another trainee, a gray mare with a pale blonde mane.

"You did...well enough, Miss Hooves." said Star Shield. "Just try harder not to crash into any of your wing-ponies next time, and you'll do just fine in the future."

"I'll be careful next time, sir!" said Derpy in an awkward tone. "Oh, my muffins are ready! Am I dismissed, sir?"

"You're dismissed." confirmed the Night Captain.

Derpy Hooves promptly shot down to Ponyville, without even removing her flightsuit.

"So, what are we doing next?" asked Lightning Dust.

"I'm going to send some of you on a reconnaissance mission in the vicinity of Vanhoover." answered Captain Shield. "Lightning Dust, I am making you a sergeant for the duration of this task."

"A sergeant, huh? So I'm going to be ordering other ponies around?" asked the blonde-maned pegasus.

"That is correct, Sergeant Dust." said Star Shield, firmly. "You and two other Shadowbolts will be assigned to Lieutenant Dawn and Miss Shimmer over here."

"What?!" the siblings both said in surprise.

"It's no secret that you two are determined to find your mother." explained Captain Star Shield. "But even without Umbriel to pull their leashes, the Changelings and other creatures there may prove to be too much for two unicorns alone."

"Why not send some guards with us?" asked Sunset. "Heck, my brother here's the tamer of bat-ponies!"

"Because we will need everypony here to make sure that Umbriel doesn't escape, and that nothing tries to break him out." said Star Shield. "Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are still discussing their strategies with Captain Armor. I am unable to make any decisions at the moment, since I'm not on-duty at this time. My word as a guard captain is only relevant when the sun goes down."

"What about the Shadowbolts, though?" asked Sunset. "Aren't they an extension of the Night Guard?"

"Not quite. They are an independent branch that answers to Princess Luna, and she has already authorized the mission I have set out for them: protecting her student."

"But captain, I don't need--" Sunset began.

"Miss Shimmer, this was not my decision." said Star Shield, adamantly. "Princess Luna herself explicitly wants you to be kept safe. She's concerned for your well-being. If I remember correctly, you nearly died fighting Umbriel himself...twice. What would you think Princess Luna would say if something happened to you this time?"

"Well, I'd be fine with just Red over here, but okay." said Sunset, reluctantly. "If Lightning Dust is going to be coming with us, that's fine in my book."'

"Awesome!" exclaimed Lightning Dust, excitedly jumping up to hover in the air.

She zipped over to Radiant Dawn like a hummingbird, and hovered so that her head was level with his.

"Looks like you and I are going to have some fun together, big guy." she commented, slyly nudging his plated shoulder with her front-right hoof.

Sunset Shimmer could practically read Lightning's mind as the blue-green pegasus whispered something into Radiant's ear.

"Maybe you could show me what your bedroom looks like!"

"Remember sergeant, this is a very important mission." reminded Captain Shield. "Since Radiant Dawn is one of my highest-ranking officers, you will address him as 'lieutenant' or 'sir'."

"Nah, it's fine, captain." chuckled Radiant. "She doesn't need to be formal with me."

"She needs to understand the importance of this task, Lieutenant Dawn." reminded Star Shield.

"Chill out, captain." said Lightning Dust. "I know just how important this mission is, and am willing to go through with it, no matter what! I mean, like I'd leave my b..."

Then she hesitated when she noticed that Sunset Shimmer was giving her a suspicious look.

"Err, best friend and her brother hanging!" she finished.

"So, how do we get there?" asked Sunset.

"You and your brother will be taking the train from Ponyville to Vanhoover." said Star Shield. "And then you'll journey to your home from there."

"Sounds fair enough." stated Sunset Shimmer. "But if you don't mind, I'd like to bring some friends with us."

"And who would they be?" asked Star Shield.

The Road to Vanhoover

Sunset Shimmer was rolling around laughing with her brother in the living room of Daystar Manor.

"Now, now, kids!" said Golden Sun, who was reading a book nearby. "Let's not make a mess of the place!"

"Sorry, daddy!" giggled Sunset. "Red and I were just playing a game!"

"That's right!" said Radiant. "I kinda forgot how to play it, though."

"Well, I'd keep it down a little, you two." chuckled their father. "Your mother really needs her beauty sleep."

"Okay." said Sunset. "Dad, what are you reading?"

"Oh, it's nothing special." said the cream-colored unicorn with the short, curly gold mane. "Just my old copy of Daring Do and the Storm Tower. Would you like to read it with me, honey?"

"Sure, that would be so fun!" said Sunset.

Sunset Shimmer rushed to Golden Sun, who lowered the dusty book for the two of them to read. But Sunset was quickly to scan the pages before she decided that she was done.

"My, you're a fast reader, my dear!" said Golden Sun, adjusting his spectacles.

"Ah, I just remembered that mommy already read it to me last week." sighed Sunset. "I'd like to read something else."

"Well, I'd like to do that, but the next Daring Do novel isn't going to be in stores for a month." said Golden Sun.

"Oh, that just stinks." pouted the young filly.

"Hey, I tell you what?" assured Golden Sun. "Your fifth birthday's gonna be in three weeks. I could pre-order it, just for you, and give it to you as a present."

"That would be cool, I guess." said Sunset, bored. "But still, I want something to read...now!"

"Okay, I'm sure there's something in my study that I could dig out for you." said Sunset's father. "Would you like to come with me?"

"Okay." said Sunset.

"Oh, could I get a book, too?" asked Radiant.

"Radiant Dawn, come up here now!" shouted the voice of Scarlet Blaze.

"Oh, she sounds pretty steamed." commented Golden Sun. "Hey, you'd better see what she wants. I'd hate to keep her waiting."

"Radiant Dawn, get over here!" said the voice of Sunset and Radiant's mother again.

"C'mon, Red, get up!" said the voice of the grown-up Sunset Shimmer, as Radiant Dawn woke up from his dream.

The orange-red stallion opened his copper eyes, and found himself in the compartment of a train that was headed west.

"Are we there already?" asked Radiant.

"No, I just wanted you to be ready for when we do get there." said Sunset. "Also, we're all having lunch in the next car over."

"I have been pretty hungry lately." said Radiant Dawn, acknowledging his growling stomach.

Sunset Shimmer led her brother out of the compartment and into the corridor. After using her telekinesis to shut the compartment door, the two siblings went down to the next car.

"So, what were you dreaming about?" asked Sunset, curiously.

"Our family, when we were still all together." replied Radiant.

Sunset Shimmer put a hoof against Radiant's leg to comfort him.

"Don't worry." she said. "I'm sure they're okay."

The two unicorns went into the dining car, where Lightning Dust, Trixie Lulamoon, Pressure Point, and two Shadowbolts were eating their lunches.

"Sunset, why did you drag me along again?" demanded Pressure Point. "I have a lot of patients to tend to back in Canterlot!"

"Because you owe me for that little incident in the infirmary." said Sunset Shimmer.

"Why, what did my cousin here do?" asked Trixie, eying Pressure suspiciously.

"Oh, it doesn't matter right now." said Sunset. "So, what's on the menu?"

"Most of it has already been eaten." said one of the Shadowbolts.

"But there's still some fruit pies left." said the other.

"Then they're mine!" said Radiant, quickly.

"Oh, and a cheese pizza with five slices left."

"Then I'll take 'em!" Sunset interjected.

When the two quickly finished their lunches, everypony gathered around the middle of the dining car, and decided to discuss their strategy.

"Okay, I checked with the conductor." said Lightning Dust, to the others. "He told us that we're going to be reaching Vanhoover in one hour and twenty minutes. Does anypony know what the bunch of us should do once we--"

Suddenly, there was a loud rustling on the roof of the car.

"What was that?" questioned Trixie.

"Probably the weather." said Radiant Dawn. "Vanhoover is known to have snowstorms every once in a while. No idea why they'd schedule them in such frequency, but..."

Then there was another loud rustling, followed by a bang.

"Sounds like hailstones." commented Sunset Shimmer. "Haven't been in the middle of a hailstorm since I was nine years old."

"Odd, I don't see any hail outside." said Lightning Dust, looking out the window.

"Neither do I." said Pressure Point, looking out the other side. "But there's a lot of snow and ice on the ground. Though I'd chalk that up to the colder climate of the area."

"I don't hear the noise anymore, it must've blown over by now." said Sunset. "So let's get back to planning, shall we?"

"Right." said Radiant. "Sunny, there's a carriage system that could take us straight out into Vanhoover's countryside. From there, we should be able to walk back home to Daystar Manor."

"First, I think we should take a look around Vanhoover itself, to try and find any leads on those Changelings." said Sunset. "Pressure and Trixie should come with me."

"Right behind you, Sunset." nodded Trixie.

"If I must, then I will do the same." said Pressure Point, reluctantly.

"Red, you and the Shadowbolts will make sure that the local garrison of royal guards are all aware of the presence of Changelings in and around their city."

"Right." nodded Radiant Dawn.

"Got it, boss." said Lightning Dust, before turning to the other two Shadowbolts. "You ready, boys?"

"Yes, ma'am." said the two Shadowbolts simultaneously.

Suddenly, the clattering resumed again.

"What in the hoof is that noise?" Sunset questioned, annoyed.

There was a smash of glass in the next car, and the sound of raised voices. There was a zap-zap noise, and several panicked shouts before the door that led into the dining car opened up with telekinesis.

"We're under attack!" shouted the voice of an unseen passenger. "Somepony get those guards over here!"

"What's going on?" said another voice, before screaming out. "By Celestia, what are those things?!"

There was a buzzing noise, which announced the species of the attackers.

"Changelings!" Sunset Shimmer exclaimed. "We've gotta get them off this train!"

The ponies in the room rushed towards the next car, to find ten of the insect-ponies attacking the passengers. There was a gaping hole in the ceiling, and a cold gust of wind was blowing through.

"Oy, look 'oo we 'ave 'ere, boys!" said a Changeling with a thick accent. "Sawnsat Shimmuh an' companeh! You know what to do!"

The Changelings wheeled around to face their challengers, their horns glowing brightly.

"Drop 'um!" shouted their leader.

The Changelings unleashed a wave of magic spells into the group of ponies. But Trixie and Pressure Point were quick to deflect them all. Several balls of energy ricocheted throughout the car, and several Changelings were propelled out through the hole, making shrieks of terror as they went. The remaining four dropped down to the floor, poised to strike.

"All right." said one of the lesser Changelings. "Sigma, perhaps we should try not to kill them. One of those spells might hit us, instead."

"Aw, fine then!" growled Sigma. "We'll just 'ave to make this as quick 'n' clean as possible! Canopy, darlin', do somethin' 'bout those Shadowbolts!"

"Yes, captain." hissed a female Changeling. "Let's go out for some fresh air, shall we?"

She shot towards Lightning Dust, and the two started to wrestle with each other in mid-air. The two were sucked out of the hole in the car by the train's high speed, and the two Shadowbolts flew out after them.

"It's still four on three, Sigma." said Sunset. "We can still beat you."

"We kinda anticipated that." chuckled the Changeling leader. "Look 'round for a sec."

Sunset looked to her right at the window. Suddenly, a Changeling's projectile struck the glass, creating a massive gaping hole in the side of the car. The amber unicorn found that the floor beneath her was crumbling, and she was blasted out of the train, and out into the tundra beyond.

"SUNNNNNYYYYYYY!!" Radiant Dawn shouted in a panic as he saw his younger sibling being shot out of the train. "No, no, no, no, NOOOOO!!!!"

Suddenly, the airborne unicorn disappeared in a flash of pale light, and reappeared inside the car, blindsiding one of the remaining Changelings.

"How in the--YARGH!" screeched Sigma's bodyguard as he found himself being unintentionally tackled by the teleporting mare.

The Changeling collided with the wall of the car, and his neck cracked loudly.

"I need...medical attention!" the debilitated Changeling gasped for air. "Get this...unicorn...off of me!"

Sunset Shimmer quickly climbed off of the Changeling, and rushed back to her friends.

"Are you okay, little sis?" Radiant asked, breathlessly.

"I'm okay, Red." said Sunset. "I don't go down that easily!"

"Well, enough of this!" shouted Sigma. "I'm gonn' call this a stalemate. You'll be hearin' from us again! Let's go help Canopy!"

"Right, sir!" said the other Changeling.

The two flew through the hole in the roof of the car, leaving their wounded comrade at the mercy of the four unicorns and the other passengers in the train. But Sunset Shimmer wasn't willing to give up straight away. She fired a spell after the escaping Changelings, but missed. She calmed down, though, when she remembered that one still remained on the train. The same one she collided with a few minutes ago.

"Please, I'm in...no condition to...hurt anyone!" panicked the dying Changeling.

"Well, don't you worry then." said Pressure Point. "Just hold still, and I'll inspect your injury."

The bluish-white stallion stuck his horn a few inches from the insect-winged creature's neck.

"Yes, I see that you had some whiplash over here." Sunset could hear Pressure mumbling. "Oh, and you've dislocated your spinal column a little bit over here. You'd better not try flying anytime soon, either."

"Pressure, are you seriously helping that thing?" Radiant questioned.

"I'm a doctor, and he's wounded." Pressure Point snapped. "Why wouldn't I help him?"

"Because that's the enemy!" said Trixie. "C'mon, cuz! Those things attacked this train!"

"And probably left a lot of ponies severely wounded, I know!" said Pressure, feverishly. "But this one can probably tell us why they did it. But if I don't know how to do it, then I won't be able to stop him from kicking the bucket before he sings!"

"Good point, Pressure." said Sunset. "I'm all for it, then. Trixie, Red, you two should help me check the rest of the train."

"And make sure that Lightning Dust and the Shadowbolts are okay." added Radiant Dawn. "My horn's picking up a blizzard in the distance, fifteen miles to the west, headed this way. Let's make sure they aren't stuck out there when it rolls along."

"They'll know where to meet us." said Sunset. "If they turn out to be Changelings in disguise, we'll be able to tell them apart."

"Look up there!" said Trixie. "I see them coming back now! And it looks like..."

Then she gasped; Lightning Dust was hurdling towards the train. Radiant Dawn raised his head up, and used his telekinesis to grab the falling bluish-green mare. He gingerly levitated her back in through the hole, and let her rest on his back. The two Shadowbolts flew back into the train, exhausted.

"Thanks, Radiant." Lightning Dust panted.

She leaned forward and licked Radiant's cheek.

"Yep, that's definitely her." grinned Sunset, before frowning. "Or is it? Hey, Lightning!"

"What's up, boss?" asked Lightning?

"What happened to Canopy?" asked Trixie.

"She's out cold on the railroad tracks. Didn't like the whirlwind too much." said Lightning.

"Whirlwind?" repeated Radiant.

"Yeah." said Lightning. "My two wing-ponies here pulled off one heck of a tornado that knocked us both silly. I was barely able to get back to the train. Good thing my boyfriend here was able to save me."

"Boyfriend?!" repeated everypony except for Sunset Shimmer and Radiant Dawn.

"Yep." said Lightning Dust, who dropped down to Radiant's side. "Radiant and I are going steady now."

The small bluish-green pegasus nuzzled the large reddish-orange unicorn.

"It was only a matter of time, wasn't it?" Sunset Shimmer asked flatly.

"What do you mean?" Radiant Dawn asked. "I thought we were careful about it."

"Um..I kinda let slip to Sunset that I had feelings for you." explained Lightning Dust.

"How long have you two been each other's...special someponies?" asked Trixie.

"About two days now." said Radiant Dawn.

"You don't say." said Sunset.

"Umm...." Pressure Point began. "Isn't there a blizzard headed this way? Shouldn't we do something about this wrecked car?"

Welcome Back to Vanhoover

The remainder of the trip to Vanhoover was without any further incident from the outside world. Hoping to pass the time on the way there, Sunset Shimmer was playing a game of checkers with Radiant Dawn. It was a swift and intense playthrough, and Sunset was able to take four of her brother's pieces in record time, only losing one of her own on the way.

"Okay, Red." said Sunset, as she moved one of her black pieces to her brother's end of the board. "King me!"

Radiant levitated one of Sunset's extra pieces over the board, and stacked it on top of the "kinged" piece. And then for his next move, he took two of Sunset's pieces and reached his sister's end in one fell swoop.

"King me." grinned Radiant Dawn.

"Oh, don't tell me you're going soft on me, big brother." said Sunset with a dry and sarcastic tone, as she stacked a red piece on top of Radiant's "kinged" piece.

"Just trying to keep things going smoothly." shrugged Radiant, as he moved the newly-kinged piece back to his end.

Sunset Shimmer giggled a little as she took his piece with one of her own.

"Yeah, real smooth." she chuckled. "You may be a better fighter, Red...but I've got the bigger brain."

She tapped her brow with her hoof while making a straight face.

"Oh, really?" Radiant snickered, pointing out that Sunset neglected to move her own "kinged" piece out of his line-of-fire.

He levitated one of his remaining pieces in an arc over Sunset's piece, and claimed it with ease. Sunset Shimmer closed her eyes and exhaled through her nostrils. Then she lifted her head and chuckled in a refined manner. The timer that was ticking nearby buzzed, indicating the round was over.

"I think I'll consider this a draw." she said as she opened her green eyes again.

"Ditto." agreed Radiant Dawn. "So, would you like to do anything else?"

"Sure." giggled Sunset Shimmer. "How about telling me about how you hooked up with Lightning Dust?"

"Um..." Radiant stammered. "I'd...rather not talk about it now."

"Why not?" asked Sunset.

"Because she's looking at me right now." said Radiant, casually turning his head to see the cyan pegasus staring dreamily at him from the other side of the car.

"Come over here, you big red hunk!" Lightning Dust called out to him, smoothly.

"Umm...Uhh..." Radiant hesitated.

"Go get 'em, bro!" encouraged Sunset Shimmer, with a little smile.

Radiant Dawn nodded his head mechanically, and took a deep breath. He rose out of his seat, and went over to sit with Lightning Dust. Sunset Shimmer took a book out of her knapsack, which was lying under the table where she and Radiant had been playing their game, and started skimming through it. As she red her book, she heard Lightning Dust and Radiant Dawn conversing with each other.

"So, what's your hometown like?" asked Lightning.

"Well, Vanhoover is a big seaside city, with lotsa earth ponies and unicorns, plus some gryphons." Radiant summarized. "It's got all kinds of things: It's got shipyards--in fact, the biggest on Equestria's western coast, fisherman's markets, and a station for the Equestria Royal Navy with its own launching area. If you're not into nautical stuff, though, it's also got dance clubs, gyms, a stadium for sporting events, and some other things an athletic pony like you would find appealing."

"That's pretty awesome." said Lightning Dust. "Maybe you and I could hit one of those dance clubs sometime."

"That's not a bad idea." said Radiant. "But we'd both have to wait until we're both off-duty, since we'll both be working at night. Can you keep that in mind, sergeant?"

"Sure I can, lieutenant." assured Lightning. "It doesn't mean we can't plan ahead a little!"

"Good point." said Radiant, with a nod. "I'm just thankful Captain Shield was okay with this whole thing."

"Yeah, Star Shield's the coolest pony I've ever met." agreed Lightning Dust. "Present company excluded, obviously. He's calm, laid-back, and very understanding. Spitfire was pretty cool, too, but she was kind of stiff with trainees at the Wonderbolts Academy. Very strict, too."

"Well, she's only trying to help her recruits be the best they can be." said Radiant. "The Wonderbolts wouldn't be the marvels they are today if its line-up consisted of slackers and potential safety hazards. Wouldn't ya think so, Dusty?"

"You know, I never thought of it that way." grinned Lightning. "That's very inspiring, what you just said. I'll definitely keep it in mind. You really do share the same gene pool with Sunset. That just makes you even cooler, big guy!"

Eventually, the train gradually came to a halt in front of a train station that stood in the middle of a seaside city. Sunset Shimmer finally stopped reading her book, and looked out to the paved streets of Vanhoover.

"Home sweet home!" Sunset heard Radiant say. "Let's go, Sunny!"

"Right." nodded Sunset, before adding with uncertainty. "Home sweet home."

Sunset Shimmer, Radiant Dawn, Trixie, Lightning Dust, and Pressure Point got off the train, and found themselves blasted with a gust of cold wind. Everypony but Radiant and Sunset shivered.

"Well, how'd ya like that?" said a low voice that spoke with an ambiguously northern accent, which Sunset thought sounded Norwegian. "If it ain't Red Dawn!"

A buff, pale bluish-green earth pony wearing a cap and suspenders approached Radiant.

"Hey, Nose Nip!" chuckled Radiant. "Haven't seen you in a while! How's Frosty doing?"

"Oh, he's fine." said Nose Nip. "He's got a bit of a headcold, but nothin' too serious. Anyway's it great to see you again."

"I'm sure it is." smiled Radiant. "And look who I brought back with me!"

He turned to Sunset Shimmer, and made a gesture for her to talk to Nose Nip.

"So you're Sunset Shimmer, huh?" asked Nose Nip. "Red here's told me all about you. Your brother said he had a cute li'l sister...and now I'm looking right at her!"

"That's right." nodded Sunset. "And who are you supposed to be?"

"Sunny, this is Nose Nip." said Radiant. "He's one of my buddies here in town."

"Drinking buddies, to be exact." said Nose Nip. "speaking of which, do you wanna go on a cider run with me later?"

"I've kicked the habit, Nips." declined Radiant Dawn.

"What about you, Sunset?" asked Nose Nip, in a polite tone. "Do you like apple cider at all?"

"I don't." Sunset told the earth pony in the most neutral tone possible.

"Well, that's fine with me." shrugged Nose Nip.

"What is it you do around here?" asked Sunset, adding under her breath: "I mean, besides consuming mind-numbing beverages?"

"I'm a mountain climber and guide. If you need to climb someplace, I can help you get to the top, the bottom, or anywhere in-between."

"That reminds me:" interjected Radiant Dawn. "Nips, have you seen any strange creatures in or around town lately?"

"That depends on your definition of 'strange creatures', I guess."

"Changelings." said Radiant. "You know: They look like ponies, have bug-wings, shiny black hides, and stuff?"

"About once or twice, I think I saw some in the woods." said Nose Nip. "Can't say I ever saw any here in the city. Though I do run into some very strange ponies now and again. Like this weirdo pegasus in a ten-gallon hat, said he was a painter or something."

Sunset Shimmer's eyes flickered at theses words, remembering Crazy Graffiti.

"Yep." she said. "This city has definitely been infiltrated."

"You sure?" asked Radiant.

"Positive." replied Sunset. "I know who exactly your friend's talking about."

"Just what I thought." nodded the earth pony. "I mean, who goes around in a ten-gallon hat all day, anyway?"

"The Apple Family." said Sunset Shimmer and her companions in unison.

"Well, you got me there." Nose Nip rolled his turquoise eyes.

"Nips, we have to get to the royal guard barracks here in the city." said Radiant. "Can you tell us where we can find it?"

"I think it's downtown." answered Nose Nip, turning his head towards the northern end of the city. "But that's all I know; I don't normally go up that way. If you want any more directions, you'll have to find somepony else."

"Thanks, anyway." said Sunset. "Let's go!"

The six ponies proceeded down the streets. Before long, they crossed paths with a large gryphon.

"Bonjour, monsieurs and mademoiselles." he said, with a thick French accent. "What are you looking for, huh?"

"Oh, great." Nose Nip said flatly. "Another fancy-speaking gryphon."

"Sacre bleu!" spat the gryphon, offended. "I have no time for your rudeness, monsieur pony. Now off with you!"

"Let me handle this." Sunset Shimmer said to her fellow ponies, and then approached the gryphon.

And then she did something that completely took the other ponies by surprise: She started to speak French to the gryphon.

"Bonjour, griffon." she said, politely. "Nous sommes à la recherche pour la caserne de la garde royale du centre-ville. Pouvez-vous nous aider?"

"Qu'est-ce que c'est?" gasped the gryphon, speaking in the same language. "Vous parlez ma langue? J'ai pensé que vous poneys étaient trop faibles pour prendre le temps d'apprendre une autre langue!"

"Oui, C'est vrai." nodded Sunset. "Vers le même caserne..."

The gryphon pointed his claw to the north-western side of the city.

"Il sera le bâtiment avec la statue d'un poney de terre, licorne, pegasus et opposé à l'autre." stated the gryphon. "Il ne devrait pas être difficile à manquer, car il y aura beaucoup de formation vous des poneys extérieur."

"Thanks!" Sunset smiled, speaking in English again.

"My pleasure, mademoiselle." the gryphon acknowledged. "Au revoir, my little ponies."

And then the gryphon took off into the air. Sunset Shimmer turned to face her friends, who all had awestruck expressions on their faces.

"Sunny, that was incredible!" Radiant finally said.

"Where'd you learn to talk like that?" asked Trixie.

"I picked up a few things in the human world." said Sunset. "In fact, Craw--my second human boyfriend--was the one that taught me the language. He comes from a Cajun family, so English and French go hand-in-hand with him. Though you wouldn't be able to tell, since he doesn't normally sound French or Cajun. Anyways, that gryphon told me where to find the barracks. Follow me, everypony."

The six went on until they reached a building complex that was distinguished by not only the dozens of ponies training outside, but by a statue in the shape of an earth pony, a unicorn, and a pegasus standing vigilantly back-to-back against unknown foes.

"Looks like we've made it." observed Radiant Dawn.

At the Obsidian Horseshoe

Sunset Shimmer and the others went up to the front gate of the barracks, which was monitored by a trio of earth pony guards. One of them went up to the six to question them.

"Halt! State your business!"

Radiant and Lightning stepped forward and proceeded to introduce themselves.

"I am Lieutenant Radiant Dawn of Canterlot's Night Guard." said the orange-red unicorn.

"And I'm Sergeant Lightning Dust of the Shadowbolts!" added the cyan pegasus.

"Ah, I thought I recognized you, Dawn." said the guard. "Though how couldn't I? There aren't a lot of unicorns your size. At least, not that I would know about. So you're a guard now, huh?"

"That's right." confirmed Radiant. "And I already got far up in the ranks."

"I see, lieutenant." said the earth pony guard.

"And I was appointed the rank of sergeant by Captain Star Shield himself." said Lightning Dust. "And I've got witnesses here to prove it."

"Very well, then. Well, since you're all checked out, you two are free to go inside. But what about the others here?"

"Friends and family." answered Radiant again. "They're witnesses to an incident that occurred on the way to town."

"And my boys back at the train depot have a prisoner to be brought in, too." said Lightning Dust. "We'll need you to send a couple of guards to collect them."

"Preferably unicorns." added Sunset Shimmer, who came up behind the two.

Then the earth pony guard took a look at the yellow mare.

"I recognize that swirly red-and-yellow mane anywhere." he stated. "You're Golden Sun's daughter, aren't you?"

"That's right." nodded Sunset. "And Lieutenant Dawn's little sister."

"What was your name again?" asked the guard. "Sunshimmer, wasn't it?"

"Sunset Shimmer, actually." corrected the unicorn. "So, you knew our father?"

"Sure do!" confirmed the earth pony guard. "He's that scholar that used to live in that mansion out-of-town, had all those books, and taught at Baltimare University."

"That's the one." said Radiant.

"And I definitely remember your mother, Miss Scarlet Blaze." continued the earth pony. "She was quite the war-horse, but was so regal and ladylike at the same time."

"And pretty bossy, when it came to me." said Radiant nodded slowly. "Not that I didn't mind it. It's what got me to be such a good brother to Sunny over here."

"Well, at least I know where those two got it from now." thought Pressure Point as he overheard their conversation.

"I suppose you're all tired and worn-out from your journey." said the guard. "Very well, you may all come on inside. I will inform our commanding officer about your presence, and your prisoner."

The six ponies were across the training grounds, and into the building. They were led into a private parlor, where a tall earth pony in leather armor was conversing with a gryphon.

"Now listen here, Zephyr, we don't have any gripes with your kind here!" assured the earth pony. "So, can't bygones be bygones, or what?"

"You say that now, but what about those two unicorns that went and attacked my home?"

"What unicorns?" questioned the guard.

"The two black ones, monsieur guardsman!" snapped Zephyr.

"Wait a minute, I don't recall there being any black unicorns living in Vanhoover!" stated the guard. "And I should know; I keep a list of everypony in town!"

"Because they aren't unicorns, sir." said Radiant, approaching the two. "They're Changelings."

"Sacre bleu, who are you?" demanded Zephyr. "What are these 'Changelings', of which you speak?"

"Terrible creatures." said Radiant, simply.

"Creatures that go out of their way to take happiness from your life, just to benefit themselves." added Sunset.

"Bah! I've never heard of them!" spat the gryphon. "I'm going back home. Au revoir!"

The gryphon promptly left the room without uttering another word.

"Sunset Shimmer, I see you have returned home at last." said the guard, approaching the mare. "I am Sergeant Bullpup, head of the Royal Guard garrison here in Vanhoover."

"What was that all about?" asked Pressure Point, interjecting. "I mean, with that gryphon?"

"Oh, just another complaint about wildlife." said Bullpup. "The gryphons here are very paranoid, thinking that us ponies are out to get 'em."

"Have there been any monsters tearing through this town, too?" asked Lightning Dust. "I mean, considering Fillydelphia and all."

"Nothing serious, at least not in comparison to what happened in Fillydelphia." said Bullpup. "Sometimes something might try getting in, but our guards would just as easily chase it out. But we've definitely gotten some weird stuff out in the woods and mountains around here. Stuff that ain't even supposed to be there!"

"What kind of stuff are we talking about?" asked Trixie.

"Oh, it's a long story." said Bullpup. "Listen, I've got a lot of reports to fill out today. Lieutenant Dawn and Sergeant Dust, why don't you two stay here and help me and my men fill them out?"

"Right." nodded Radiant. "But what about the others?"

"There's an inn down the street from here." said the earth pony officer. "The four of them should be able to find themselves comfortable there, until we're ready to interview you all."

"Actually, sir, I'm a local." said Nose Nip.

"Oh, right." stated Bullpup. "Then you should be able to guide them there. The place is called The Obsidian Horseshoe."

"Thanks, sir." said Nose Nip. "Alright, everypony. Let's go."

Nose Nip led Sunset, Trixie, and Pressure outside, when they suddenly collided with a small unicorn.

"Hey, watch where you're--" moaned the small unicorn with an irritable voice. "Oh, Nips, it's you!"

"How ya holdin' up, Frosty?" asked Nose Nip.

"Terrible." said Frosty, shaking his body frigidly. "This sickness is getting worse and worse. Maybe I should've stayed home in Baltimare."

Then he suddenly started coughing loudly. Everypony but Pressure Point jumped back cautiously. The bluish-white unicorn approached Frosty, his horn glowing.

"Here, let me see what ails you..." he said. "Ah, just a sore throat and a runny nose."

"Oh, is that all?" questioned Frosty, irritably. "Yeah, it's the common cold, smart-guy. It's nothing you probably haven't seen before."

"C'mon, Frosty." said Nose Nip. "These ponies are from out-of-town. Let's not be rude to them, huh?"

"Sorry, sorry, sorry." groaned Frosty. "So, where are you all from?"

"Canterlot." said Pressure Point.

"Same here." added Trixie.

"And I'm actually from--" Sunset began.

"Wait, I think I know you." said Frosty. "Radiant told me about you. You're Sunset Shimmer!"

"That's right." said Sunset. "You don't have a problem with that, do ya, shorty?"

"Who're ya callin' 'shorty', shorty?" growled Frosty through a stuffed muzzle. "You wanna get in trouble with me? It's your funeral, missy!"

"Would that be before or after your morgue party?" Sunset questioned, her horn glowing.

"Don't you start with me, honey!" Frosty whispered threateningly, his own horn glowing with a silver aura. "I've still got plenty of juice in me to mop the boardwalk with you!"

"Wow, was I this worked up with Sunset?" Pressure mumbled under his breath.

Pressure and Trixie were about to rush over to help Sunset, when Frosty suddenly started laughing coarsely.

"Welcome back to Vanhoover, Madame Sunset." Frosty grinned spontaneously. "So what can a humble pony like me do for a rich, beautiful mare like yourself?"

Suddenly, Sunset Shimmer couldn't help but think about her landlord back in the human world, who would often address her like she was royalty, albeit as a joke.

"I'm flattered and all, but what are you talking about?" asked Sunset. "'Madame'? 'Rich'? Sorry, but I think you've gotten me confused for somepony else."

Frosty looked at the yellow mare for a few seconds, then laughed loudly, before having another coughing fit.

"I love that sense of humor of yours, Sunset." said Frosty. "Just like your brother's. Seriously, though, don't you live in Daystar Manor?"

"I used to..." Sunset muttered.

"The most expensive estate in Vanhoover's countryside?" added Nose Nip.

"Only a very rich family lives in a place as big and nice as that." said Frosty.

Sunset found herself blushing. She had no idea that Daystar was all that special.

"It's really not that much..." Sunset attempted to shrug.

"Are you kidding me, Sunset? It's one of the Top 15 Most Wanted Homes in Equestria. Even the pamphlets suggest passing by it when you come visit Vanhoover."

"Okay okay, just stop." snapped Sunset Shimmer. "I get the picture. But really, I don't have too many fond memories about that place. What with..."

"Oh, I see." Frosty frowned. "Your parents. Yeah, Radiant told me about that. What a terrible thing to happen."

"Never mind." dismissed Sunset. "Let's get inside. I'm getting a little chilly out here."

Sunset Shimmer and her friends went into the inn, which was crowded with various ponyfolk and a few gryphons. Sunset gestured for Trixie, Pressure, Nose Nip, and Frosty to sit at an empty table in the corner, away from the loud chatter and watching eyes of the other patrons. When they were seated, Sunset herself approached the innkeeper, a male unicorn wearing a tan apron.

"Hello there, young lady." said the innkeeper. "Welcome to my humble inn, the Obsidian Horseshoe. How many drinks will you be wanting, miss?"

"Five." answered Sunset Shimmer. "Two mugs of...apple cider, two milkshakes; one chocolate and one peanut butter, and a glass of strawberry lemonade."

"Okay, then." said the barkeep. "Your party is over in the corner, right? So you're friends with Nose Nip and Frosty, hmm?"

"Actually, my brother is." said Sunset.

"Well, I'd keep an eye out for those two if I were you." said the barkeep, cautiously.

"Why? Are they known to have a bad reputation?" asked Sunset.

"No, because they seem to get themselves into trouble wherever they go." said the innkeeper, flatly. "Just get to your seat, and one of my assistants will be at your table."

Sunset Shimmer went back to her friends, and sat between Trixie and Pressure. She shot a wary look at Nose Nip and Frosty.

"Um...what's wrong?" questioned the earth pony. "Do I have something in my mane?"

"Um...nothing." shrugged Sunset.

Meeting the Townsponies

It was noon in Junction City, and it was mostly quiet in Daystar & Associates. The young woman that managed the bookstore was upstairs in her bedroom, having dozed off while reading her personal copy of Paradise Lost. The door quickly opened up, and a tall, lean young man with long, spiky orange hair and copper eyes rushed inside.

"Yo, Susie!" whispered Richard Dawson, as he leaned over the desk where his sister was napping.

Susan Shelby's green eyes opened wide, and she let out a long yawn.

"What's up, Richie?" she asked, brushing various strands of her disheveled red-and-blonde hair away from her eyes.

"You totally need to take a look at what's on the news." replied Richard.

"Why? What's wrong?" questioned Susan.

"Just come downstairs with me." replied the redheaded young man.

Susan and Richard went into the bookstore, and approached the television set on the counter, which was tuned to Channel 15 News. On the screen was a photograph of...

"Hey, that's me!" gasped Susan.

"Not so fast, Susan." said Richard. "Listen to what they're saying."

"...The search for Sunset Shimmer, a foreign terrorist and master of disguise, continues over here in Canterbury..." droned the voice of news reporter Pressure Point.

Sunset Shimmer? Terrorists? Canterbury? Miss Shelby caught only a fragment of a single sentence, and she was already swamped with questions.

"...As it has been going on for nearly two weeks."

"Two weeks?!" repeated Susan.

"For those of you that are just coming in, The Canterbury police have given way to allow a paramilitary organization known as the Chrysalis Syndicate to search their town for Sunset Shimmer, a dangerous criminal that is wanted for a number of felonies. Captain Umbriel, the field leader of this organization, has released a message directed towards this fugitive."

Suddenly, the footage on the screen cut to a large masked man in black military-looking armor

standing erect in front of a desk in what was unmistakably the principal's office in a high school.

"Attention, Sunset Shimmer: Turn yourself in, and repent for your crimes. If you submit yourself soon, you will face neither brutality nor hostility from my men. If you surrender, you will be re-located where you may live your life in peace, without causing any further harm to those around you."

Then the captain turned his head sharply to the side, as if to scan the room. Another armored man wearing white skull-like armor went over to Umbriel's side. He added his own section of the message, speaking with a similarly distorted voice.

"But if you continue to defy and resist us by hiding your sorry carcass, then we'll be happy to get...nasty. Remember, the longer you hide from us, the harder your punishment's gonna be!"

Then the man in the skeleton-like armor brandished an assault rifle, and cocked it.

"You know what this is, Sunset Shimmer, and you know what it's used for." he said, sinisterly. "But don't worry, Sunset. I won't try using it on you...this time. I was just in a bad mood during our last meeting. If you'll surrender, I'll even give you a chance to shoot *me** with it! C'mon, you know you wanna...*"

And then he just barely audibly muttered what sounded like "...you filthy animal".

"Okay, I think I've seen enough." said Susan Shelby, turning off the television.

"So what do ya make of that, sis?" asked Richard Dawson.

"Well, I'm not sure." said Susan. "I just hope that I'm not in trouble with those Syndicate guys for what Sunset Shimmer's done."

"Don't worry, they already said that the real Susan Shelby won't be harmed, as long as she doesn't go looking for Sunset Shimmer."

"Well, I'll keep that in mind." said Susan. "I sure feel bad for Sunset, though...whoever she is."

In Vanhoover, Sunset Shimmer finished her strawberry lemonade, then decided to continue speaking with the innkeeper.

"So, what kind of trouble do Frosty and Nose Nip tend to get into?" she asked curiously.

"The weird kind, and let's leave it at that." said the landlord. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have other patrons to tend to at the moment."

As if on cue, a blue earth pony with a red mane and tail went inside.

"Oh, if it isn't my favorite patron." grumbled the innkeeper.

Nose Nip and Frosty got up out of their seats and approached the earth pony.

"Teddy, how're ya doin'?" asked Frosty, with a wide, fake-looking smile on his face.

"Oh, not too bad." said Teddy. "How are you and Nips?"

"Well, I'm sick, and we're both unable to find any work at the moment." responded Frosty. "What are you doing here, anyways?"

"I just thought I'd get a drink while I was passing through the neighborhood."

"Like heck you will!" snapped Nose Nip, out of nowhere. "You still owe me that refund, you free-loading weasel! You're not going to spend a single bit on anything in front of me until you pay those forty bits back!"

"Hey, I told you that I'd do it when I actually have the money!" assured Teddy. "But that deal I had with those gryphons hasn't come through yet. I'm short on cash!"

"Fine, I'll give you a couple of days to get something straightened out." said Nose Nip. "If not, then you'll have to do some work with the two of us."

Sunset Shimmer examined the three stallions bickering with each other, and decided to approach them.

"Whatever are you three talking about?" she asked, curiously.

"This chump sold us shoddy climbing-equipment a couple of months ago." explained Nose Nip. "It was very pricy, too. I almost got my neck broken when those cables snapped!"

"How could they just snap like that?" Teddy questioned. "They were reinforced with steel chains! Stuff like that doesn't just break apart, ya know! And I used that stuff myself for four years! I wouldn't have sold it to you if it was in bad condition!"

"Nips, did you even inspect the cables after they snapped to see if it was because they were in bad condition?" asked Frosty, eying his partner suspiciously.

"Well...no." admitted Nose Nip, sheepishly. "I just stopped using the stuff after it happened."

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me." scoffed Teddy. "I have to pay you back in less than a week, and for equipment you've barely even used?!"

"Fine, I'll give you more than a week." said Nose Nip.

"Thank you." said Teddy, flatly. "Now, since none of you seem to be very welcoming right now, I figure that I'd might as well just leave."

He turned back towards the door, but Nose Nip suddenly spoke.

"Hey, maybe you could sit down and have a drink with us?" he offered, politely.

Teddy slowly turned around, wearing a very grateful smile.

"Thanks." he said.

Suddenly, Nose Nip leaned forward and stamped his hoof.

"Now sit down before I pile-drive you!" he said, threateningly.

The whole inn fell silent. Everypony was stationary, except for Frosty, who suddenly stood up and clumsily fell between the two earth ponies with a loud crash. Despite this, neither Nose Nip nor Teddy moved a muscle.

"Wow, this is a weird town." thought Pressure Point, who saw and heard this exchange happen.

"Did Frosty just...face-fault?" thought Sunset, surprised.

"Right...no more apple cider...for me." said Frosty, dizzily as he got back up. "I've got to walk this off."

"Hey, could I come with you?" asked Sunset. "You know, in case you fall over again?"

"Sure, why not?" nodded Frosty, his eyes rolling involuntarily.

Sunset Shimmer escorted Frosty out of the Obsidian Horseshoe, and out into the breezy streets of Vanhoover. Sunset looked around the marketplace, especially at the various food being sold there. Eventually, she stopped at a stand held by a pair of earth ponies.

"Hello, ma'am." said one of them, an adolescent filly with a cream-colored coat and beige mane, to Sunset. "Can we interest you in a pot of honey?"

"Um...sure thing." said Sunset. "How much?"

"Five bits per pot." said the other earth pony, who Sunset guessed to be the filly's father.

"Then I'll take two." said Sunset, opening her knapsack.

Ten bits were levitated out of the bag, and landed in a neat row on the stand. The older earth pony tilted his head down, and it re-emerged with two small pots stacked along his neck. Sunset's horn glowed, and the two pots were levitated into a pouch on the side of her knapsack.

"Thanks!" smiled Sunset.

"Only the finest from the Syrup family!" said the stallion, with a humble bow. "Name's Chocolate. And this here's my daughter, Maple."

"Well, it's nice to meet you two." said Sunset, politely. "How's business around here, anyhow?"

"Most of the sales here in Vanhoover are either or domestic or imported from the docks." said Chocolate Syrup. "For some reason, trade's very slow with Canterlot."

"There haven't been any troubles on the roads, have there?" asked Sunset, curiously.

"Not necessarily." said Maple. "It's just that Vanhoover's in a very far corner of Equestria. There aren't too many settlements nearby to set up a decent trade route that would lead to Canterlot. Plus, we're close to the Crystal Mountains, so that aren't any steady roads to actually move stuff around. If only we had more pegasi in this town, or they could fly stuff back and forth."

"But what about the gryphons?" Sunset questioned.

"They're not all that helpful towards us ponyfolk." explained Chocolate. "They only seem interested in helping us with our economy if they get something out of it themselves. It's a shame, really. We're all perfectly willing to co-exist with them, but they don't seem so enthusiastic about it."

"Hey, what the heck kind of popsicle stand is this?!" demanded a loud voice behind them. "These can barely even be called popsicles!"

Sunset turned around, and saw a female gryphon with a white eagle-like head confronting a pair of male unicorns that were almost identical in appearance to each other. They were both tall, rail-thin in build, and wearing vaudeville-style outfits.

"Sorry if we disappointed you at all..." said one of the unicorns.

"Disappointed me? Driving me nuts is what you two numbskulls are doing!" snapped the gryphon, who pointed her claw at a wooden stick in a puddle of melted colored ice. "That's the third time in a row that one of your stupid frozen treats fell apart when I tried to lick it! Give me something sturdier, or give me my money back!"

The two unicorn twins gulped and looked at each other nervously.

"What do we do, Flim?" asked one.

"Follow my lead, Flam." said the other, whispering into his brother's ear. "I've got it all under control."

Flim used his horn to telekinetically activate the large ice-making machine on their stand. He cranked the dial on the side very far, and a very large red ice-ball fell down into a cup placed below the machine. He levitated it towards the gryphon, and gripped it with her claw.

"Sorry for the inconvenience, miss." said Flim. "You can have that snowcone for 50% off, in compensation for those popsicles."

"Fifty?!" the gryphon snarled. "Why not a hundred?! I already spent a dozen bits on your stupid ice-pops! No way I'm gonna spend that much on this! So you know what? Keep your stupid snowcone, you stupid ponies!"

Then she chucked the cup angrily at Flim and Flam, who both caught it with their telekinesis.

"Now, there's no need to be such a spoil-sport, Gilda." said Frosty, who saw the incident and approached the gryphon.

"Put a sock in it, small-fry." said Gilda. "This place is way too lame for me. If you need me, I'll be hanging around the cool crowd, thank you very much."

Then she spread her brown wings, and shot up into the sky with a bird-like screech. Sunset Shimmer observed this whole thing, and couldn't help but be reminded once more of her time as a bully at Canterlot High.

"So, who was--" Sunset Shimmer began to ask the Syrups, before being interrupted by another newcomer.

"Hey, Sunny, it looks like you just met my ex-girlfriend." said a familiar, rough voice. "As you no doubt heard...her name is Gilda."

Sunset turned, and Radiant Dawn was standing to her left, his eyes glaring angrily up at the sky. He had an extremely bitter expression on his face, and it looked like he was shedding tears. Not tears of happiness or sorrow, but anger. Sunset Shimmer was speechless at what she saw.

Dreamtime Revelations in Vanhoover

For ten minutes, Radiant Dawn stood by the Syrups' stand, eyeing the sky bitterly.

"Uh, Red?" Sunset tried to get his attention. "What's the matter?"

Radiant shook his head, and growled audibly. Some sparks shot out of his horn.

"Why...did she have to be...here?!" he fumed. "Here, of all places!"

"Radiant Dawn, calm yourself down." said Sunset Shimmer.

Radiant lowered his head, relaxed himself, and took a deep, steady breath.

"Yeah, that was my ex that you saw." nodded Radiant Dawn slowly to his sister. "I dated her for a while when you were in Canterlot...without me."

"Was she always like that?" asked Sunset.

"Pretty much, Sunny."

"Then how could you stand to be with her?" asked Sunset. "For that matter, how could she stand to be with you? I mean, she doesn't seem to like ponies that much."

"I was one of the special exceptions." said Radiant, flatly. "At least, as far as she was concerned. Thought I was cool. Thought she'd get herself a cool boyfriend, so she let me take her out on dates. But it didn't last long. In fact, she dumped me less than a week later."

"Why'd she break up with you, though?" asked Sunset.

"I'd rather get into that later." said Radiant. "I just went out here because I'm hungry and the food at the barracks tastes like vomit."

"Well, I just bought a couple of jars of honey from the Syrups over here." said Sunset. "Would you like one?"

"Sure. Thanks, sister." smiled Radiant, levitating a jar out of Sunset's knapsack.

He put the jar into a pouch he had slung to the side, and went over to Flim and Flam.

"So, how are you two doing?" he asked them. "that was some pretty intense stuff with that gryphon."

"Well, I'd say that it was only the second most uncomfortable moment of our careers." said Flim, turning to his brother. "Wouldn't you say, Flam?"

"Agreed, brother." said the mustachioed twin. "Sometimes, I wonder why we even bothered leaving Baltimare at all. We're just trying to be legitimate businessponies, but all we do is make everyone mad at us for one reason or another. It really kills the mood we're trying to set."

"Oh, you two are from Baltimare, huh?" asked Radiant Dawn. "My mom's from that town."

"You don't say!" said Flim. "Say, maybe we could all talk to each other for a while."

"Actually, I've got to get back to the barracks soon." said Radiant. "I thought that I'd check on you two for a moment. See ya."

Radiant Dawn went back to the barracks, and Sunset Shimmer decided to return to the Obsidian Horseshoe. Frosty had already come back, and was in a cider-drinking contest with Nose Nip and Teddy. Pressure Point and Trixie were at the bar, conversing with the innkeeper.

"How much are the rooms here?" asked Trixie.

"About forty bits per night." said the landlord. "Extra sleepers are ten bits apiece. Five if they're colts, fillies, or whatever you call your young."

"Sounds kinda pricy." commented Trixie.

"I've got plenty of bits on me." said Pressure Point. "You can make it two rooms."

He levitated a large bag of money onto the counter.

"One room for me, and another for the girls." said Pressure.

"Sir, you realize you're spending nearly a hundred bits, right?" asked the innkeeper, half-surprised.

"I'm a successful doctor, so I get a very high income." elaborated Pressure Point.

"That sounds fine by me, doctor." said the innkeeper. "Well, I'll get you and your friends the keys to your rooms. I hope you enjoy the rest of your time here in my tavern."

"Wow, Pressure." said Sunset, who went up to the two unicorns. "That's awfully nice of you."

"There's no way in Tartarus I'm sharing a room with my cousin." stated Pressure, who leaned to whisper in Sunset's ear. "She snores!"

"I do not!" said Trixie. "You're the one that snores, cousin. You'd think a great doctor like you could take the time to do something about your sinuses!"

"Oh, I haven't snored since I was fourteen!" snapped Pressure Point.

"And I haven't snored once in my life." said Trixie.

"Well, the sun's coming down soon." said Pressure. "I figure we'd might as well get ready for bed."

After a quick and quiet dinner, Pressure Point, Sunset Shimmer, and Trixie Lulamoon went upstairs.

"I'll be in Room Two." said Pressure. "You two will be in Room Three."

Sunset Shimmer went into the bedroom first, and picked the bed next to the window. Trixie chose the one beside it. Sunset fell asleep quickly. She was in another dream. This time, it was completely unrelated to the human world. She was a filly again, frolicking in the woods around Daystar Manor. She was blissful and overjoyed.

"Hey, wanna play a game, Sunny?" said the voice of the young Radiant Dawn, who appeared beside her.

"Sure, Red! I love games!" giggled the young Sunset Shimmer.

Radiant nudged her shoulder with his hoof.

"Tag! You're it!" he said, then turned to gallop away.

Suddenly, Sunset began to cry loudly. Radiant took notice of this, and decided to run back.

"Sunny, what's the matter?" he asked his sister, with much concern in his voice. "I didn't mean to touch you that hard. It's just..."

Then Sunset nudged him in his own shoulder, and started laughing.

"Tag, you're it!" said Sunset, who then turned and bolted away.

Radiant Dawn chased after his giggling sister around the perimeter of the manor. They ran for four laps around the house, until they suddenly collided into the tall mauve-coated body of their mother.

"Children, what are you doing?" Scarlet Blaze flashed her green eyes between the two siblings.

"Sorry, mommy." said Sunset. "We were just playing a game. You're not gonna yell at us, are ya?"

"That's quite all right, dear." said Scarlet, leaning her head to give a warm grin to her daughter. "As long as you're only playing around."

And she turned her head to Radiant.

"And how about you?" asked Scarlet. "What would the birthday boy like from his mommy?"

"Gee, I don't know." said Radiant, fumbling about. "I don't usually think about this kind of stuff."

"Radiant, darling, you're eight years old now." said Scarlet. "You need to learn to make important decisions sooner or later!"

"I know, mama. I'm trying my best." said Radiant.

"And that's what makes you such a good big brother to sweet little Sunset." said the quirky, but lovable voice of Golden Sun.

Golden Sun came up to his family from the direction of the front door. He had a cream-colored coat, a short but curly golden mane, silvery-blue eyes, and a cutie mark that took the shape of a sun hovering over shimmering golden clouds. He was dwarfed somewhat by his wife, and was ever-so-slightly overweight. Apart from this, his features were quite handsome and smooth.

"So, would you like to go into town for anything, son?" asked Golden Sun.

"Umm....sure thing." said Radiant. "Sunny will be there with me, right?"

"All of us can be there, if you want." said Scarlet. "That reminds me: What would you like your cake to be?"

"Marble, with strawberry frosting." replied Radiant.

"Strange combination, kiddo..." hesitated Golden Sun. "But okay. We'll get it when we go into town."

Then Sunset Shimmer blinked, and she was in a completely different location. Standing before her, in all her aetherial beauty, was--

"Princess Luna!" exclaimed Sunset in surprise. "It's nice to see you again."

"Likewise, my student." agreed Luna. "How has your hometown treated you, so far?"

"Vanhoover's got a lot of nice ponies here." said Sunset, adding under her breath: "And some gryphons that aren't so nice. Sorry that I wasn't able to take you up on tonight's lesson, Luna."

"It is quite all right." said Princess Luna. "I understand how important returning to Vanhoover is to you."

"Thanks, Luna." nodded Sunset Shimmer. "By the way, how are things in Canterlot?"

"Things have been awfully quiet since we arrested Umbriel."

"And what about Ponyville? How are Twilight and her friends doing? I hope they're not mad at me about what happened..."

"They do not blame you at all, Sunset." said Luna. "Changelings have troubled all of us to some extent. They would know what it is like to face those creatures. Also, the mayor of Fillydelphia has sent a messenger to us. His city is reviving itself very rapidly. It should be back to normal again in a week."

"That's great!" smiled Sunset.

"Also, you have been getting...fan letters, apparently." said the alicorn princess. "You have many admirers amongst the ponyfolk of Fillydelphia."

"No joke?" asked Sunset.

"No joke." answered Luna.

"Wow, that's incredible!" said Sunset. "I've got to see this sometime."

"Well, I can conjure up some copies of these letters right now." offered Luna.

Her horn started to glow, and an envelope materialized beside her, floating in mid-air. Sunset used her own telekinesis to open it, and read the note within.

You rock, Sunset Shimmer! You should swing back here sometime, and hang out with me and the other stallions! Seriously, the guys can't get enough of you.

Your faithful fancolt, Soft Iron.

"Interesting." said Sunset. "Any more?"

Another letter appeared before Sunset, and she read it:

Thank you so much for saving our city. You should totally run for mayor during our next election (Mayor Thorn Side's a real stick-in-the-mud!) when it comes around.

Ace Spades, gambler extraordinaire.

"Well, I think I'm a little too young to run for a position like that." mumbled Sunset. "Okay, I think I've seen enough, Luna. Thanks."

"It is no problem at all, my student." said Luna.

"But now I'd like to change the subject before I let the fame get to my head." said Sunset.

"Very well." said Princess Luna.

"So, what dastardly crimes has Old Umbee done this time?" she asked.

"He is still imprisoned at this time." said Luna. "He's certainly an interesting one, I shall admit."

"If by interesting, you mean a pompous tyrant..." mumbled Sunset.

"He is most definitely the boastful and arrogant type." acknowledged Luna. "But I can tell he is as dangerous as Changelings come. Especially among their royal leaders."

"Oh, yeah. That reminds me..." said Sunset. "Some Changelings attacked the train on the way to Vanhoover. It seems Umbriel's goons aren't as dependent on his leadership as we thought. Although we got rid of 'em easily. We even took one prisoner. He's being interrogated by the local garrison of the Royal Guard."

"We must acknowledge that General Synthe is still at large." said Luna. "Umbriel told me much about him."

"Like what?" inquired Sunset Shimmer.

"He has told me that Synthe is in fact:" announced Princess Luna. "The usurper of the Changeling Empire, the one that attempted to overthrow Queen Chrysalis more than a year ago. He is none other than...King Craw."

The Origin of Synthe

Sunset Shimmer just stood silent, almost speechless from Luna's revelation.

"Synthe...is Craw." Sunset finally said, flatly. "Wow. I sure feel awkward right now."

"I am sure it must be, Sunset." said Luna.

"But...I thought King Craw died." said Sunset. "So how was I able to fight him in Fillydelphia?"

"Umbriel explained it to me." said Luna. "I shall tell you the tale, based on what he told me."

APPROX. ONE YEAR EARLIER...

Canterlot was in shambles all around Prince Embryo, as he fluttered his insectoid wings in the air. He hovered his tiny body a few feet over the ground. He was searching the battlefield, which was filled with slain royal guards and Changelings.

"Well, this is a pleasant sight." snarked the Prince of the Changelings. "Well, I didn't exactly expect my sister's vengeance on Craw to be clean."

Then a Changeling drone of average size flew over to Embryo.

"My lord, we have just received word that King Craw and his allies have been defeated." said the messenger, with a nasally voice. "Chrysalis is once again our queen."

"Marvelous." rasped Embryo. "Lead me over to her immediately."

"As you wish, sire." said the drone.

The two Changelings soared over the buildings, and came just before the entrance to the palace. Two royal guards challenged them.

"Hold your ground, boys." Embryo waved a little gnarled hoof before them. "We are Chrysalis' followers, not Craw's. Stand aside, if you don't mind."

Then the tall Changeling queen strode out of the main gateway of the palace, a smug look on her face. Embryo zipped over to Chrysalis.

"Sister, congratulations on your victory." said Embryo. "Craw truly got what was coming to him, did he not?"

"He most certainly did, Embryo." said Chrysalis. "May his death be an example to any who attempt to overthrow the righteous rulers of the Changeling Empire."

"My troops will certainly keep that in mind." said Embryo. "So, how did you kill him?"

"Oh, I can't take credit for that." Chrysalis said, turning her head back towards the main entrance. "That would be the doing of him."

What Embryo saw walk upright out of the palace was truly the most incredible thing he had ever seen in his life: It was more than nine feet tall, adorned in a cloak, and its body was skeletal and appeared to be made of a dark metal. Its claw-like hands held metallic cylinders in each hand.

Embryo zipped over to the strange warrior, and spoke to him.

"You have our thanks, fine sir." said Embryo. "Craw was no match for you, I am sure."

"Back away, gnat." the alien warrior said, swatting Embryo away with a claw. "I am done with you creatures."

Embryo caught himself before he could fall, and scowled after the cloaked alien.

"Real gentleman, that one." snarked Embryo, rolling his large bulbous eyes. "Still better than Craw."

"My lord, I have come to you at last." said a voice.

Embryo wheeled himself around, and saw the albino Changeling known as Ghost before him.

"I have need of your assistance, Ghost." said Embryo. "Follow me."

Embryo and Ghost knocked on the gate to Canterlot Palace. The door opened and out came Captain Star Shield.

"Your business in our city has concluded, Changelings." said Star Shield. "I would advise that you leave before the princesses expel you by force."

"Not quite." said Embryo. "We wish to collect the remains of King Craw."

"Why?" questioned the pegasus captain.

"Because usurper or not, he is still recognized as a ruler of our empire." explained Embryo. "We simply wish to move him from the site of his death so that we can entomb his in a cermonial manner."

Star Shield looked between the two unusual Changelings with vigilance.

"You may do this, but only if you linger no longer than necessary. I will arrest you both if you intend any harm upon the citizens of Canterlot."

"Oh, relax yourself, old one." said Embryo, coolly. "We shall be gone before you even know it."

Star Shield informed the two of the chamber where King Craw and his otherworldly allies were killed, and the two Changelings flew over there. Ghost telekinetically opened the doors, and Embryo flew inside, and beheld the carnage that laid strewn before him. There was green gore all over the floor, even a few severed body parts here and there. In the center was the tall body of King Craw. He has rips, tears, and bruises all over his body. Despite this, and to Embryo and Ghost's collective surprise, he was moving ever so slightly.

Instinctively, Embryo cast a stasis spell from his horn, and the usurper's mutilated body was preserved in a field of energy, safe from the elements.

"So, the great King Craw has finally met his untimely end." taunted Embryo.

Craw was silent.

"You may be dying, Craw, but you're not hard-of-hearing or mute." snapped the Changeling prince. "Speak to me, you whelp!"

"I...have...nothing to say..." moaned Craw, angrily.

Craw lifted his head, which had probably the worst disfigurements of all. Even his horn had been broken. His red eyes welled up with tears, and his face was damp with sweat and blood. He held no remorse for his actions at all. He did, however, show a fear of dying.

"Positively lovely." said Embryo, snidely. "I can safely say I'm not the Changeling with the worst physical condition anymore."

"Up yours...you insipid, insolent...midget!" snarled the wounded Changeling, through the pain. "Just...get...away from me! If I'm going to die, then let me do so in peace."

"That depends on how badly you want to die." commented Prince Embryo. "Do you truly want to die?"

"I certainly don't want to!" growled King Craw, choking on a long trail of greenish bile that was leaking out of his mouth. "I...don't...want to!"

"Then you are in luck, Craw." said Embryo, smiling nefariously. "I can save you."

"You...are as much a filthy liar as you are a stunted weakling, Embryo." spat Craw, defiantly. "What can you possibly do to save me? I am...on...the brink of...death! I would probably be dead right now, if you didn't have this accursed energy shield around me!"

"What I speak, Craw, is the truth." clarified Embryo. "I can perform the skills to replace the body parts you have lost, cease the bleeding in your body, and keep you alive and walking. But there is a catch."

"Naturally, there is a catch." scoffed Craw. "Tell me what it is, you b--"

"You will be living the remainder of your days as my general and master strategist." said Embryo. "The knowledge and experience you hold in your grasp is simply too valuable to just go to waste."

"I will not serve the runt of the royal litter!" shrieked Craw, loudly.

Then he clutched at his neck, and choked again.

"Okay...I'll do this." Craw hissed in agony. "I'll do it."

Embryo dropped down to the stone floor, and stood before Craw's scarred face.

"Good boy, Craw." he grinned with mockery. "Ghost, get us out of here!"

"Yes, sire." said the white Changeling.

In a flash of light, the three were teleported into a cavernous chamber. Embryo then began to work on Craw's body. For many long hours, he telekinetically applied unspeakable objects to the false Changeling king's body, reshaping parts of his anatomy and covering or sealing the bleeding wounds dotted throughout his body. Eventually, Craw was able to stand on his legs once more.

However, it pained him to inhale the natural air. Fortunately for him, a breathing device had been attached to, and even ran through, his lower jaw. The tube curved up to his mouth, inviting him to suck on it. When he did so, he was able to feel a refined air issue into his mouth. It felt good to him.

"Thank you, Embryo." he said, softly.

"You see, Craw?" said Embryo, who hovered beside him with an unamused expression on his face. "This has been possible because I'm such a genius. How do so many fail to see this. Now listen here, Craw. I own your pathetic flank now, until the day you die. I am the commander, and you are my soldier. In fact, you're my champion."

"I...understand...I suppose." Craw mumbled, reluctantly. "But what about Chrysalis?"

"Queen Chrysalis." corrected Embryo, flatly. "But don't you worry. As long as you remain loyal and obediant, I will not utter a single word of this to her."

"He's blackmailing me! I can't believe this!" Craw thought, disgusted.

"Until then, you'd better ditch your more commonly used name." said Embryo. "After all, 'Craw' is not exactly a name that can be shrugged off as a coincidence. Also, I'm getting sick of looking at that face of yours."

Embryo levitated a piece of a metal container from a nearby rack, and telekinetically bent it into a crude-looking mask. He fastened it onto Craw's disfigured face, then hovered back to observe Craw's reformed body.

"Excellent." said Embryo. "You're practically a new Changeling, already."

"I, on the other hand, feel like recycled garbage." snarked Craw.

"Craw, I tend to forget: What is your full name?" asked the Changeling prince.

"I am King Synthe von Craw III." stated the masked Changeling.

"Yes...'General Synthe' will do nicely for a name." said Embryo. "That's how you shall be known as long as you serve me. Do you understand me? Forget about being 'King Craw', and you will do just fine."

"Yes, sir." said General Synthe.

PRESENT DAY...

Sunset Shimmer thought about Princess Luna's story, and the implications of her first (and currently only) interaction with Synthe.

"So, that whole time..." Sunset muttered to herself shortly after waking up the following morning. "That was my boyfriend that I was tossing around with my telekinesis. Well, not really my boyfriend, but his counterpart in this world. Either way, that was the weirdest date ever."

Meanwhile at the royal guard garrison, the captured Changeling soldier was being held in a small candle-lit room. It moaned at the pain it had received on the train. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and it opened straight away. A pegasus wearing sunglasses, an ascot, and a ten-gallon hat came inside.

"Well, lookee what we have here." said Crazy Graffiti. "If it ain't one o' Lord Umbriel's lil ol' varmints."

"What, how did you--" the Changeling hissed, confused.

"Maybe y'all should learn to put y'allselves out of your lil' ol' misery, huh?" said Graffiti.

The pegasus took off his hat, and then his sunglasses. He opened his eyelids, revealing two red bulbous eyes. He smiled wickedly, and snorted loudly.

"Sir, whatever have I--" said the Changeling.

"Now, we can't have you spill any unwanted information to the royal guards, now can we?" said Graffiti, his voice deepened and drawl lost.

"I can barely move!" said the Changeling. "And I have the worst pain in my head right now."

Graffiti opened his mouth, revealing razor-sharp teeth. He exhaled hard, then closed his lips again. He raised his front hooves and put them around the Changeling's neck.

"Let nice ol' Ghostie take care of that for ya, Hopper." said the pegasus, malevolently.

Crr-rack!

"There. Pain's gone. Time for me to go now. I can see that you're dead tired."

Then Crazy Graffiti put his sunglasses and hat back on, and vanished in a flash of light, leaving behind Hopper's lifeless body on the table.

A Moment in the Obsidian Horseshoe

Sunset Shimmer went downstairs to the main parlor, where Trixie Lulamoon, Pressure Point, and Frosty were sitting together.

"So, what's Canterlot like nowadays?" asked Frosty, curiously.

"Pretty good." said Pressure. "Having three princesses in and around it certainly helps."

"I knew about Celestia and Luna, but I thought Princess Cadence had gone to the Crystal Empire?" said Frosty.

"He's referring to...Princess Twilight Sparkle." mumbled Trixie.

"Twilight Sparkle, huh?" asked Frosty. "I've heard about her. She's Princess Celestia's star student, and has been involved in all kinds of crazy stuff in the past couple years, from what I've heard."

"Tell me about it." Trixie and Sunset said simultaneously.

"But I used to be Princess Celestia's student, too." said Sunset.

"Ditto for me." said Pressure. "I didn't go anywhere near Twilight or Sunset's level, though."

"Whether that's a good thing or not, is up for debate." added Sunset Shimmer, in a deadpan tone.

"Very funny." snarked Pressure.

Suddenly, the door opened up, and a female pegasus crept inside under a dark gray cape. She had her face obscured by an explorer's hat she was wearing. She approached the innkeeper, and asked for a mug of cider.

"Sure thing, miss." said the landlord. "Just get yourself seated with my newest patrons over here, and I'll get you what you need."

"Thank you." said the pegasus, quietly.

The brown-coated pegasus sat down next to Frosty, who eagerly scooted down to make room for her.

"Hello, ma'am." said the small unicorn. "Whatever brings you to this corner of Equestria?"

The pegasus said nothing.

"Silent, huh?" asked Frosty, leaning his head suspiciously. "Nothing to say to a guy like me?"

The pegasus still made no attempt to respond.

"Hey, that's cool with me!" Frosty waved a front hoof. "I was just talking with my friends here about something unrelated to you."

"Yes, that would certainly seem like a reasonable thing to do, Frosty." agreed Sunset. "She looks uninterested in socializing, anyway. I can relate to that, actually."

"Really." said Frosty.

"Oh, yeah." said Sunset Shimmer. "You should've seen me during my years at Canterlot."

"And whether that was a good thing or not is definitely debatable." retorted Pressure.

"It sure was." droned Sunset. "Stop digging up the embarrassing parts of my past, please."

"Fine, then." said Pressure.

Teddy came into the inn, his teeth chattering.

"Gee, I sure am pretty chilly." he said. "I'm in dire need of..."

"Blankets?" suggested the innkeeper, who approached him with a blanket across his back. "Perhaps some hot chocolate?"

"No. Companionship." corrected Teddy, who promptly went over to Sunset's table. "Wait a minute, somepony's already taken my seat! What gives?"

He was circling the pegasus' seat, as if expecting to make her leave.

"So, what are you gonna do about it, huh?" questioned the blue earth pony. "Are you gonna sit somewhere else, or..."

Suddenly, the female pegasus removed her cape, and stretched out her wings, which struck Teddy on the nose. She then drank from her glass of water. It seemed as though she wasn't even aware of Teddy's existence. Sunset couldn't help but chuckle a little.

"Well, fine!" snapped Teddy. "I guess I'll just sit somewhere else!"

Teddy started trotting around the parlor, looking for somewhere else to sit, but it seemed that most of the ponies there were uninterested in his company. Seeing this, Sunset Shimmer decided to get off her seat and walk up to him.

"Hey, umm...Teddy?" she asked. "I think I could get you some more...poignant friends."

"Wow, you'd do that?" asked the earth pony.

"Sure." said Sunset. "I know somepony that would really appreciate your company. Follow me outside, will ya?"

Sunset and Teddy went outside, and over to the marketplace. Right on cue, Flim and Flam had just arrived with their frozen treats machine. Sunset nudged on Teddy's side, and turned to him.

"Go talk to Flim." said the yellow unicorn. "He's the one without the moustache."

"Okay." said Teddy.

The blue earth pony approached the unicorn twins.

"So, hi. How's business for you guys?" asked Teddy.

"Oh, just fine." said Flam.

"Can we interest you in a snowcone?" asked Flim.

"Sure. I love snowcones."

"What flavor would you like?"

"Pink lemonade, please." said Teddy.

The Flim-Flam Brothers activated their contraption, and a pink ball of ice dropped down into a cup at the bottom.

"That'll be ten bits." said Flim.

Teddy opened up his side-pouch, and dropped ten bits onto the table. Flim levitated the snowcone over to Teddy.

"There you go, fine sir." said Flim, before noticing Sunset Shimmer. "And would the lovely lady like anything?"

"Umm...no thanks." said Sunset. "I just wanted to introduce Teddy here to you guys. He wants some friends, you see."

"I see." said Flim. "And does Teddy have any sense of...showmanship?"

Meanwhile, a unicorn guard came bursting into the officers' lounge in the royal guard barracks, where Radiant Dawn and Sergeant Bullpup were conversing with each other.

"Sir, we have a problem!" exclaimed the guard.

"What is it, private?" asked the sergeant.

"The Changeling we were holding in the basement cells has been slain."

"What?!" exclaimed Radiant. "I thought he'd be safe down there. What happened to those two guards we had stationed at the doors?"

"One was unconscious on the floor, and the other has disappeared without a trace." answered the guard.

"Looks like we've got an intruder in our midst." said Bullpup. "Tell me, have you seen any suspicious ponies in the building?"

"Well, there was this pegasus in a ten-gallon hat walking around." recounted the guard. "But he told me he was in the wrong place, and that he'd leave right away."

"Oh, come on!" groaned Radiant. "You guys have got to be kidding me! This is what Vanhoover has to offer in terms of royal guards?"

"Unfortunately, Lieutenant Dawn." said Bullpup. "The Vanhoover division of the Royal Guard has seen better days. But we'll make up for this, I promise you. Since you technically outrank me, do you have any orders for my men?"

"I do." said Radiant Dawn. "Go out and keep an eye out for any more suspicious ponies. Also, wake up Sergeant Dust, and bring me to my sister!"

"Yes, sir!" saluted Bullpup.

Meanwhile, in Canterlot High, two Chrysalis Syndicate soldiers were reviving Rainbow Dash. After spending fifteen minutes of pressing on her chest and administering electroshock therapy to her body, she finally woke up again. Her friends were all crowded around her, cheering excitedly.

"Wow, where have I been?" Rainbow asked groggily.

"Oh, it was just terrible!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "You were conconscious for six days straight!"

"Conconscious?" repeated Rainbow.

"Yeah, it was like you were unconscious, but it was more like a concussion than anything." said Pinkie. "I mean you were all dizzy, and your eyes were open, and you were all sweaty and..."

"And did you say...six days?!" shrieked Rainbow Dash. "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh...My test scores are sooo gonna fail."

"Don't ya remember anythan', Rainbow?" questioned Applejack. "Some cowpoke with a shotgun tried grabbin' you from the school! If it weren't for the Chrysalis Syndicate over here, y'all would've been doin' goodness-knows-what in goodness-knows-where!"

"Well, I do remember me screaming loudly, and then being punched in the face, and being injected with a bunch of needles." recounted the girl with the multi-colored hair. "What happened to that guy that grabbed me?"

"He's dead." said Fluttershy, timidly. "The soldiers shot him up. I saw the aftermath on the news. It was...horrible."

"Well, it serves him right, then!" said Rainbow Dash. "I mean, who goes around abducting teenage girls, anyway?"

"Many people, with many reasons." replied one of the Chrysalis Syndicate soldier. "Trust me, I've seen it all happen before."

"They probably mistook you for Sunset Shimmer, and tried to make a run for it with you." said the other soldier.

"They'd mistake me for Sunset Shimmer?!" growled Rainbow, who struggled to get back up. "I look nothing like her! I don't even look like a 'Sunset', so what gives?"

"Well, they'd probably know you had something to do with her." said the first soldier. "That whole Fall Formal incident isn't exactly under wraps. All kinds of crazy stuff happened back there, and the Diamond Dog Cartel has always been looking for able-bodied people for their businesses."

"The Diamond Dogs?" questioned Rarity. "Those jewel smugglers?"

"That's right." said the second soldier. "They're also into all kinds of businesses, too. Businesses you don't even want to know about."

Then Rainbow Dash felt her bowels shifting, and she groaned uneasily.

"She's not gonna have any lasting effects from those drugs, is she?" Fluttershy asked the soldiers, curiously.

"No, it's not the drugs." said Rainbow, urgently. "I've been out for six days straight. I really need to use the bathroom!"

"Hang on, we'll get you a bed-pan..." said one of the soldiers.

"No time!" squealed Rainbow Dash.

Then she sped out the door with extremely blinding speed, leaving an airborne rainbow-colored streak in her wake. The two soldiers stood there, their masked faces gawking at the ajar door.

"Holy sh--" said one of the soldiers.

"Shut your mouth." said the other, casually. "That just freed up the rest of our day. Now we can stop baby-sitting these little girls, and start doing some real Syndicate--"

Pinkie Pie suddenly threw herself between the two Syndicate soldiers.

"Oh, wow!" exclaimed the pink girl. "You guys went and saved our friend's life! You Syndicate guys are okay in my book! I know, I'll throw you all a party tomorrow in the gym!"

"Thanks for the offer, but we're much too busy for--" began the second soldier.

"Um, trust me." said Applejack. "Pinkie Pie's parties are just somethin' you don't turn down around here."

"C'mon, Canopy." said the first soldier to the other. "Just humor what they have to offer us!"

Canopy looked over to her comrade, and then to Pinkie Pie and her friends. She promptly shrugged.

"I don't know if Captain Umbriel would approve of this, Hopper, but what the heck..." said Canopy. "I haven't exactly been in a partying mood, lately, but this shouldn't seem too bad."

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" cheered Pinkie Pie.

"I'm going to regret this." said Canopy, quietly.

"Don't worry about it!" said Hopper. "At least we don't have any reports to file out, unlike the sergeant."

Craw's Regrets

In Umbriel's lair, General Synthe was pacing angrily around Ghost.

"Why did Hopper have to die?!" growled General Synthe. "Tell me, Ghost. What reason do you have for committing such a heinous act upon one of our own?"

"I did what I had to do." said the white Changeling, coldly. "He was ready to tell those guards anything and everything about us."

"You didn't have to kill him, though!" said Synthe. "You could've teleported him back here, just like you got yourself back here!"

"I don't teleport useless garbage." said Ghost.

"You teleported me and Umbriel!" snapped the Changeling general.

"I said 'useless', not 'used'." said the albino Changeling, mockingly. "Not in Lord Umbriel's case, mind you. He's my leader, so I'd be a fool to just leave him to die. You, on the other hand..."

"Stop mocking me, you animal!" shrieked the disfigured Changeling. "Get back to your post at Vanhoover. Don't let Sunset Shimmer find us!"

"Very well, general." said Ghost. "I'll take my leave...gladly."

And then he vanished in a flash of light. General Synthe inhaled from his breathing-tube, and growled lowly.

"What am I going to do with these psychos?!" roared Synthe von Craw, furiously. "This never happened to me when I was still Chrysalis' captain! Even Renn and Ulrik were easier to reason with! Umbriel's driving me nuts by having me foal-sit all of these maniacs!"

Sigma and Canopy entered the room where Synthe was ranting.

"Sir, do you require anything of us?" asked Canopy.

"None at all." said General Synthe. "I just...need a moment to myself."

"Understood, then!" said Sigma. "Alright, we won't disturb ya!"

The two Changeling soldiers fluttered away without another word.

Meanwhile in the human world, Craw was once again sitting in Sunset Shimmer's apartment. He decided that since Sunset would be unable to use it for some time, he would use her laptop to type his report for Supreme Commander Chrysalis regarding the shootout with the Diamond Dog Cartel, and then e-mail the document to her personal address.

Commander, the raid on the Diamond Dogs' holdout was a success, the hostages were rescued, and nobody friendly to us was killed. I managed to gun down eleven or twelve of those sick maniacs with little effort, and Lt. Sigma got at least twenty of them with his SMG. I haven't had this much fun since that feud I had with those drug runners back in Junction. But this time, it was great to have allies (and this incredibly durable combat armor, obviously) handy. Not to mention, the Gryphons really came through for us, especially Gilda (she's their underboss, if you're wondering) with that akimbo gun-play of hers.

Sooner or later, those Cartel punks are going to learn their lesson: Do not interfere with the Chrysalis Syndicate, or you will face the worst consequences imaginable. And with Mr. Sombra's "donations" to our organization, we'll dish them out easily and with no remorse. Just like San Palamino, but (hopefully) without the collateral damage.

However, the search for Sunset Shimmer is beginning to run cold on us. I can confirm that the portal to Equestria indeed exists, and that Sunset recently used it. We just have no idea how to reach her now. Have your archivists examined/translated those spellbooks that Cpl. Ghost and I sent over to you earlier this month? They might be able to tell us how the portal works.

If anything else comes up, I'll inform you and/or Captain Umbriel. In the mean-time, I'll await your response.

Sgt. Synthe von Craw III

2nd Division, Umbriel Corps.

And then he sent the message, and let out a long yawn. Bored, he decided to check Sunset's computer for anything noteworthy or interesting. After spending a few minutes of scouring the text documents, he came upon one that caught his attention: [LuvUBaby.txt]

Craw snorted, and assumed it was a message that Flash Sentry had sent to Sunset from when the two of them were still dating. He opened it up on the laptop's Notepad application, and skimmed through the contents. To his surprise, it was an unsent love letter composed by Sunset, and meant for him:

Dear Craw,

There's a couple of things I'd like to get out of my system. Here's the first thing: I'm absolutely crazy for you, honey. That date we had at the county fair was simply incredible. You're such an awesome boyfriend, and I can't get enough of you. You're one of the greatest friends I ever had in my life. I haven't known a guy this nice to me since Flash Sentry or my brother, Radiant Dawn (Wow, just typing that makes me VERY homesick).

Since I'm very, very far away from my family, and Flash Sentry is out-of-town (plus he already broke up with me WAY before you even set foot in Canterbury), you're easily the most important guy in my life right now. You've helped me endure my life here, in a town where everyone else would otherwise hate my guts for what I did in the past. For that, I love you and appreciate everything you've done for me.

Also, I'm wondering if you'd like me to do anything special for you? I mean, the one-month anniversary of our relationship is only a few days away! Tell me if anything comes up. One thing's for sure, though: I've got a surprise for you when that day comes! :)

Your loving girlfriend, Sunset Shimmer.

Craw sighed miserably after reading the love letter. He definitely felt terrible for how he acted towards her in the past.

TWENTY-FIVE DAYS AFTER THE FALL FORMAL...

Craw and Sunset were walking down a street in downtown Canterbury, chattering about what movie to rent from the video store.

"How about Die Hard 2 or Platoon?" suggested Craw.

"C'mon, I think I've watched enough action movies for one week, Craw." chuckled Sunset. "Don't get me wrong. I loved Full Metal Jacket, especially with that drill sergeant. 'Yer so ugly, ya could me a modern art masterpiece!' always leaves me in stitches. But still, I'd like to see something funny and not just bloody or gritty. For a change, I mean. I'm only a girl, after all."

"Trust me, I have not forgotten your gender." said Craw, jokingly. "It's almost impossible to do so."

"Look, I'd just like to get some a little softer in tone every once in a while." said Sunset. "I mean, I've heard watching too many violent movies can make someone very violent themselves."

"Oh, don't believe anyone that actually tells you that." dismissed Craw. "People who say that they acted as they did because of things like that are just making up excuses because they are too cowardly to confess to their actions.You're not gonna turn psycho just from-- "

"Craw, I was half-joking." said Sunset, sternly. "I wasn't born yesterday. I know very well that watching or playing violent stuff doesn't actually turn people violent. People are perfectly capable of turning violent on their own. I can tell you that from personal experience."

"Why, did you beat someone up?" questioned Craw.

"Maybe once or twice." admitted Sunset Shimmer. "Never too seriously, though. Just a quick shove or a punch in the stomach."

"Did you steal anything?"

"Only what I absolutely needed. But that was ages ago, for all I care. I don't play that game, anymore."

"Did you ever...kill anyone?" asked Craw, raising an eyebrow.

Then Sunset Shimmer remembered the Fall Formal, when she turned into a demon and tried to lob a fireball at Twilight Sparkle.

"Thankfully...no." shuddered the girl with the red-blonde hair. "Why are you asking me all these questions, anyway? Are you a cop?"

Then Craw chuckled.

"Relax, baby." he patted Sunset on the shoulder. "I was just curious about what you meant by 'personal experience'. Or did someone beat you up in the past?"

"Not to my recollection." shrugged Sunset. "There were some close calls, I think. But for some reason, nobody's actually tried beating me up. No idea why! To be honest, they'd have plenty of reason to do it, too! Considering what I've done in the past."

"Well, don't worry." said Craw. "If anyone tries it, they'll have me to answer to--"

Suddenly, Craw's cell phone began to buzz. He pulled it out of his trouser pocket, and flipped it open. He looked at the Caller ID, and sighed in relief.

"I have to take this." he told Sunset. "Very important call."

"I'll be right here for you." said Sunset, with a smile.

Craw went into a back-alley nearby, and spoke into the phone.

"This is Sergeant Craw speaking." he said.

"Sergeant, we've deciphered the hair and blood samples you sent us." said a distorted, vaguely masculine voice on the phone.

"Good, so what've you got from it?" asked Craw.

"Well, let's just say there's more than meets the eye about Sunset Shimmer." said the voice.

"Yeah, like what?"

"For starters: The school files say she's eighteen. This is incorrect. The blood test says she's twenty."

"Twenty, huh?" repeated Craw. "Well, I'm not exactly eighteen, myself. Does this mean she's been illegally staying at Canterlot High?"

"Possibly." said the caller. "For what reason, I can't even begin to imagine. But the hair samples you sent yield an even bigger surprise."

The world seemed to slow down around Craw. He could feel his heart beating slightly faster.

"What kind of surprise?" asked Craw, dryly.

"I'd rather not say over the phone, as it may disrupt your current operations." said the voice.

"Tell me what they are." said Craw, calmly. "I can take it."

"These results may shock you."

"Tell me, anyway!"

"I seriously don't think..."

"Tell me now, or I'll put a bullet in your head when I get there!" snapped Craw, angrily.

"Fine, smart-guy." said the voice, coolly. "Those hair samples are a 100% match with...horse DNA."

Craw felt his heart leap, and he started to sweat.

"What?" he spoke, breathlessly, into the phone.

"It's all right here on our monitor." said the caller. "You did sent us the right hair samples, didn't you?"

"I snipped them straight off Sunset's head!" said Craw. "Three red, and two blonde."

"And that's what we have: Three red, two blonde."

"There's got to be a mistake!" said Craw. "Those blood samples I sent must contradict the hair samples! That blood came from straight out of her nose, so I know that isn't fake!"

"There isn't a mistake, Craw." said the caller, adamantly. "It's in the blood samples, too. Sergeant, that girl is a *pony***."

Craw felt his body seize up, and he ground his teeth in disgust.

"But...she doesn't even look like a pony!" shouted Craw. "She looks as human as you or me! But why?"

"I have no idea, so I'll leave you to think about it." said the caller, before hanging up.

Craw switched his phone off, and fumed in shock and dismay. He suddenly noticed that Sunset was looking at him from around the corner.

"Honey, is there something wrong?" asked Sunset, clearly oblivious about the nature of Craw's phone call.

Craw said nothing. Sunset slowly approached her boyfriend, with a concerned look on her face. Craw examined her body, and saw it as a mockery of his own. He became extremely impulsive and afraid.

"Craw, what was that call all about? I could hear your shouting all the way from--" Sunset began.

Then suddenly Craw did the unthinkable: He punched Sunset Shimmer square in the chest, and then slammed her into the wall with all his might.

"Ow, what the heck...did you do that for?!" choked Sunset, as surprised and confused as she was in pain.

"You leave me alone!" shrieked Craw, pointing an accusing finger at his girlfriend. "You're not to talk to me, you got that? I'll let you go right now, but don't you dare let me see you again for the rest of the day! You got that?!"

Sunset nodded, whimpering.

"Good." said Craw. "Now stay there, or I'll break you in half!"

Craw began to march out of the back-alley, and Sunset tried to follow him.

"Craw, what's the matter?" asked Sunset.

"Shut up!" snapped Craw. "Don't talk to me!"

"Craw, what did I do wrong?"

Craw paused, and hesitated to turn around and explain the situation. But he didn't want to show the tears streaming down his eyes, so he turned the corner and bolted down the street with all his might. When Sunset Shimmer ran after him, she turned the corner, but Craw was nowhere to be seen.

"Wow...just wow." said Sunset, nervously. "This is just...crazy. I...d-dont know...what to...."

She sat down in the alley, and started to cry. She was all alone again. It was almost as bad as the Fall Formal.

Little did she know, Craw was doing the same thing, just two blocks away. Afraid and confused, he didn't think he could ever face her again.

PRESENT DAY...

Craw bowed his head in shame. He legitimately felt terrible about his behavior back then. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could think of that could justify it. Indeed, he already jumped the gun by having Umbriel bring his soldiers into town.

"I've got to find a way to end this madness." he said. "I just hope that If I am able to find Sunset, I do it before Ghost or Umbriel do."

Suddenly, his cell phone buzzed, and saw a text message:

Big party tomorrow in the Canterlot High gym. We're giving our thanks to the Chrysalis Syndicate for saving Rainbow Dash's life. Oh, and Rainbow Dash is okay. She just got up and walking again a while ago. Sure doesn't look like a zombie anymore.

-Pinkie Pie

Craw shrugged, then decided to lay down for a moment on Sunset's bed.

Meanwhile in Equestria, Radiant Dawn and Lightning Dust sped out of the royal guard barracks in Vanhoover, and came to the marketplace, where Sunset Shimmer was speaking with Teddy, Flim, and Flam. Radiant stopped and dismissed Flim, Flam, and Teddy so that he could speak to Sunset in private.

"Sunny, something just came up!" said Radiant. "The Changeling we captured has died."

"What? How'd that happen?" asked Sunset, surprised.

"Apparently, a pegasus infiltrated the barracks." said Lightning Dust. "I think it might've been--"

"Crazy Graffiti." said Sunset, flatly. "It was Graffiti, wasn't it?"

"Possibly." said Lightning. "I wouldn't put it past him."

"That's fine." said Sunset. "I know just how to deal with him. Alright you guys, I'll need you two to get the guards and Shadowbolts ready for something the people in the human world like to call...a sting operation."

Bad Graffiti

Crazy Graffiti was trotting casually along Vanhoover's docks, shooting odd looks at every pony he passed by. After a while, he came to the apartment building where he was staying. He went up the stairs, and found his door was slightly ajar.

"This is rather unusual." thought Graffiti. "I don't remember leaving the door like that!"

The pegasus put his hoof on the door, and steadily pushed it open. Suddenly, his door shone with a teal aura.

"Come on in." said a seductive voice.

Graffiti went into his home, to see the source of the voice. Laying along his sofa was--

"Sunset Shimmer?!" growled Graffiti. "What in the--"

"Oh, cool it, will ya?" asked the unicorn. "I only want a special request of you."

Sunset got off the sofa, and stretched her back in a cat-like manner. She leaned suggestively against Graffiti, and batted her green eyes.

"What would you like me to do?" asked the false pegasus, curiously.

"You're a painter, aren't you?" asked Sunset. "I've got a...project for you. Show me to your bedroom. I'm willing to pay top dollar--bit--whatever--for this, too."

"Well, I'll gladly do this, missy." said Graffiti, who slipped into his thoughts. "What is this unicorn up to? She knows very well that I'm a Changeling! Should I kill her, anyway? Nah...I'll milk this experience for all it's worth. And from the sound of things, this'll be worth a lot."

He adjusted his sunglasses, and pointed Sunset to the doorway across from the front door. Sunset went through the door, and laid herself down on the bed.

"So, how much are you talkin' about, beautiful?" asked Graffiti.

"500 bits, at the minimum." said Sunset.

"Wow, you're really loose with yer change, lady." said the pegasus. "Fine, you've got yerself a painter. Wait right here."

He flew out of the room, and came back with a canvas and paintbrush.

"Okay, so have ya got any requests..." asked Graffiti, his voice lowering so that he could snidely add under his breath: "Before I make mincemeat out of you?"

"Yes, actually." said Sunset, stretching her body and moving her hooves into a suggestive pose. "Draw me like one of your French ponies."

CRASH! CR-RACK! BOOM!

"What in the--" Graffiti looked around, confused.

The windows all shattered, and several pony-shapes of various sizes burst into the apartment. Before he realized what was going on, at least three pony guards were pinning him to the ground. Sunset Shimmer jumped off the bed, and approached the pegasus in a haughty manner.

"Red, I think you might've jumped the gun a bit." Sunset whispered to her brother, who rushed to her side, wearing black armor and a full-face helmet. "You guys were supposed to come in and grab him after he started drawing me."

"Sorry, Sunny." said Radiant. "I was just getting a little nervous back there. There's just something not right about--"

"What in tarnation are y'all doin' in mah house?!" screamed Crazy Graffiti.

"Drop the act, Ghost." said Sunset. "We both know you're not really a painter, or a pegasus, for that matter. Stand him up, will you?"

The guards let go of Graffiti, just long enough for him to get back to his feet.

"What was the point of this, then?" demanded Graffiti, dropping his country drawl.

"Because I just love messing around with my enemies." said Sunset. "I'm not evil anymore, but it doesn't mean I can't be a little creative once in a while."

"Not evil, anymore, huh?" asked Graffiti. "You sure could've fooled me."

Then Sunset Shimmer raised her front-left hoof, and smashed it across Graffiti's face so hard, his sunglasses were knocked across the room. This revealed the two red eyes that he was concealing, and prompted him to reveal his razor-sharp teeth with a feral snarl.

"That's for messing around with me back in Fillydelphia." said Sunset.

Then she struck him again, even harder than before. The blunt trauma caused him to shift between his pegasus disguise and his true Changeling form.

"And that's for the beating that your human world counterpart--at least who I believe him to be--gave to me on the way back to Equestria."

"That reason's a stinking pile of--" Ghost attempted to swear, before being smacked in the face by Radiant Dawn, turning back into Graffiti.

"That's for hurting my family!" Radiant shouted in his face.

"Yes, and it's nice to meet you, too." said Ghost, panting from the pain. "I don't think we properly met back in Fillydelphia. I take it you're Radiant Dawn, the big stallion of the Daystar household?"

"You've got that right." confirmed Radiant. "Not too proud of it, though. I'd rather like to know what happened to the rest of my family. My mother, for example..."

"Oh, you must be referring to Scarlet." said Ghost. "She's a real conversation piece, that one. A real show-to-the-town, as it were."

"'Show-to-the-town. 'What the heck is that supposed to mean?" questioned Radiant.

"I think he means that..." Sunset began.

"Oh, I just meant that she's really attractive, that's all." said Ghost, turning back to the younger unicorn. "I can see where you get it from, gorgeous."

Sunset Shimmer couldn't help but shudder at Ghost's notion. Radiant saw and heard this, and struck Ghost in the head again.

"Ow...oh, and she's a fiery one, too." said Ghost, snidely. "No wonder your brother's such a thug, Sunset. In fact, I think having her as a mother may have done a number on what might've been a quality gene pool."

"What did you say?!" Sunset growled furiously.

"Your mother is an over-sized Baltimarian brute." said Ghost. "She may look beautful and feminine, but in reality, she's too impulsive and violent to be reasoned with. How your father ever got with her is..."

"That's a filthy, filthy lie!" screamed Sunset.

Then Sunset threw herself onto Ghost, and started thrashing him in such a manner that made even Radiant cringe. As the two wrestled with each other, Ghost shifted back into his Changeling form. Using a telekinetic blast, he managed to shoot Sunset Shimmer into the ceiling. The amber unicorn dropped back down to the floor, aching in pain. Before she realized what was going on, she noticed that Ghost's horn was glowing with a baleful light. There was a flash, and Sunset Shimmer was gone.

"Where'd you send her?!" demanded Radiant, who bolted towards Ghost.

But the white Changeling dodged Radiant's tackle, and zipped towards the doorway.

"I'll tell you." said Ghost, changing back into Graffiti. "But y'all will have ta hog-tie me first, suckas!"

Then the impostor shot out of the apartment, and into the path of a certain bluish-green pegasus in a black flightsuit.

"Graffiti, we meet again." said Lightning Dust, unamused.

"What can I do for ya, blondie?" asked Crazy Graffiti. "How's the farm doin'?"

"Drop the act." said Lightning. "You're under arrest."

"Oh, really?" asked Graffiti, sinisterly. "Over mah decaying carcass!"

He zipped past Lightning Dust, who wound up spinning about in mid-air. Radiant and his guards ran out of the apartment, with the reddish-orange unicorn huffing and puffing as he galloped down the stairs.

"Don't let him get away!" shouted Radiant Dawn. "He's done something to Sunset!"

Lightning Dust gave a salute in acknowledgment, wheeled around, and shot towards the false pegasus. They flew over the many buildings of the city, sideswiping and colliding with each other as they went.

"What...did...you do?!" demanded Lightning Dust, as she pounded into Graffiti.

"Be. More. Specific!" Graffiti pounded back.

Lightning Dust hollered, and grappled with Graffiti as they flew over the city hall. The two airborne pegasi spun out of control and crashed hard into the marketplace. The two of them knocked over the Flim-Flam Brothers' contraption as they went. Graffiti limped away in the ensuing confusion, cursing under his breath. Lightning Dust clipped her wing, and was forced to chase after him while grounded. She galloped after him, running past Flam, who was mourning over his destroyed ice-maker, and Trixie and Pressure Point, who were visiting from the inn.

"Lightning Dust, what's going on?" Pressure asked the rushing pegasus.

"No time, gotta catch this criminal!" Lightning Dust shouted back.

Lightning chased after the false pegasus through a back-alley, only to find he was gone. Frantic and worried, Lightning Dust turned around several times. Suddenly...

"Hello, miss." said a voice. "Are you looking for something?"

Lightning turned, and saw a yellow earth pony with a purple mane looking at her.

"Yeah." said Lightning Dust. "I'm trying to catch a dangerous criminal."

"Oh, really?" asked the earth pony. "Are you a guard?"

"I'm a Shadowbolt." said Lightning. "I'm one of Princess Luna's special agents."

"That sounds pretty cool." said the earth pony. "So, what kind of criminal are you trying to catch?"

"Look out for a pegasus with a country drawl, an ascot, and a ten-gallon hat." said Lightning, turning around to continue her search. "Be careful, though. I think he might be...a..."

"Changeling?" finished a raspy voice behind her.

Suddenly, she felt a heavy body tackle her.

"You know what, ma'by?" asked the voice, which was beginning to sound like Graffiti's. "I think you and I're gonna get along just 'bout nice! Yo, yo, yo."

"Oh, cut it out with that stupid accent!" demanded Lightning. "That's not even cowboy talk!"

"Okay, then." said Ghost. "I think I've been hanging around Sigma too much. I was beginning to get tired of that act, anyway.."

"Not as tired as I am of you!" retorted Lightning Dust, who struggled to get away from Ghost.

"Same here." said another voice.

Suddenly, two strong pale bluish-green pony-legs bucked Graffiti off of Lightning Dust. The false pegasus crashed into a wall, extremely dizzy and nearly unconscious. He burst into green flames, fully shedding his Graffiti disguise, and revealed at last his albino Changeling body.

"Whoa." said the owner of the legs. "What the heck is that thing?"

"A dangerous criminal." said Lightning Dust, getting back to her feet. "Thanks for the help."

"Oh, no problem." said the voice. "Hey, you're Lightning Dust!"

Lightning Dust turned to see that it was--

"Oh, how are things going, Nose Nip?" asked the pegasus.

"Just fine, Lightning." said Nose Nip. "I was passing by, and I saw that...thing attacking somepony. Would've been a bad idea to just them hanging like that. Where's Red?"

Right on cue, Radiant Dawn and the other city guards had caught up to Lightning Dust and Nose Nip.

"He didn't escape, did he?" panted Radiant, who was out-of-breath.

"Nah, he got a taste of our local flavor." said Nose Nip, gesturing with his head towards the incapacitated Changeling. "He's right behind us."

"Good!" proclaimed Radiant. "Thanks a ton, you two. Now, maybe we can find out what happened to Sunset Shimmer."

Meanwhile, Sunset Shimmer found herself laying in the middle of a dark corridor. Feeling cold, she got back up, and trotted down the hallway. She saw that it wasn't a cave like the one that Ghost teleported her to during the crisis in Fillydelphia, but a regular household. The layout seemed eerily familiar to her. She passed several paintings, mostly of landscapes, but none she immediately recognized. She went down a flight of stairs, into what seemed to be lobby or living room.

She saw an ajar doorway just across from the stairs, and decided to go outside. She turned around to look at the building she just left, and gasped: It was her childhood home; Daystar Manor.

Daystar Manor

Sunset Shimmer was both awestruck and horrified to find herself staring straight at her childhood home, for the first time in more than eight years. So many memories were flowing through her subconscious. She went back inside, and turned on the lamps. She noticed that there was a lot of junk scattered on the floor; apparently, Radiant Dawn was a sloppy housekeeper. She decided to go back upstairs, and looked around again.

She decided to go into her father's study room. She found herself flashing back to her youth:

SIXTEEN YEARS AGO...

Golden Sun was translating a spellbook that he had acquired from a merchant in the city. Normally, he did not at all like to be disturbed when he did this. He heard a small hoof knocking on his door.

"Radiant, daddy's busy!" Sun shouted back. "Go play with your sister, will ya?"

"Dad, it's me!" said the four-year-old Sunset Shimmer.

Using his telekinesis, Golden Sun decided to open the door to let his daughter into the room.

"Hey there, kiddo." said Golden Sun, turning his head. "Are ya lonely?"

"Kinda." said Sunset. "Could I sit in here with you for a while?"

"Well, of course you can." smiled Golden Sun. "Sit anywhere you like, Sunset."

The filly with the red-and-blonde mane sat on a stool next to her father. Sunset couldn't help but climb half-way onto her father's desk to see what he was writing down.

"Wow, that looks pretty weird." said Sunset, looking at the symbols. "It's kind of like something out of the Daring Do books."

"Hmm...Daring Do wishes she could decipher stuff like this." said Golden Sun, with a casual smirk. "I could figure out the mechanisms of the Storm Tower way before Miss Do could even figure out how to get inside it. I'm just that smart."

"Wow, you could really do that?" asked Sunset.

"Of course, my little angel." said Golden Sun. "I have a major in five different subjects and speak three languages, two of which are archaic or dead. You can thank my years of learning and teaching at Baltimare University, plus my own travels around Equestria for that."

"Can I take a look at what you're working on?" asked Sunset.

"Sure you can." said her father.

Sunset stood up on her hind legs, and examined the archaic symbols on the tile that Golden Sun was examining. She then looked at his notebook to read the translation.

"Dad, the words don't really make any sense." said Sunset. "'Earth, Wind, Fire, and Air'? But 'Air' and 'Wind' are the same thing, aren't they? Where's 'Water'?"

"Really?" asked Golden Sun. "Because I could've sworn they said--"

Then the cream-colored stallion chuckled lightly, when he realized that he had mistranslated a set of runes on his papers. He promptly used his telekinesis to scribble the proper translation onto the next sheet.

"Of course, I tend to exaggerate my skills at times. Still, I'm probably one of the smartest ponies you'll ever meet in Equestria. And I'm sure you'll be one of them, too!"

"I think I'd like to start now, then. Can I go look at your spellbooks, daddy?" asked Sunset.

Golden Sun looked at his daughter, who was looking at him with big puppy-dog eyes and a quivering lip.

"Please?"

"Umm...sure thing, but only one." said Golden Sun, grinning. "I wouldn't wanna hurt your little unicorn senses."

Golden Sun levitated a book from his shelf, and laid it on Sunset's lap. The little filly started to skim through the pages in a casual manner.

"Ooh, this looks pretty neat." said Sunset, pointing at a Dancing Animal spell. "Too bad we don't have any pets. I think I could pull that off."

Golden Sun turned to look at what Sunset was reading.

"Huh." he nodded. "It sure does. In fact, I think maybe you could try hypnotizing some cats some time. Of course, you'd never be able to do it here; I'm afraid I'm simply allergic to them."

Then Sunset frowned.

"But don't fret, Sunset." said Golden Sun. "I'm sure there's something you and I could do together. You're a smart little girl. Pretty soon, you'll be even smarter than me!"

"You mean it, daddy?" asked Sunset Shimmer.

"I sure do!" nodded Golden Sun. "You've got my brains, and your mother's beauty. I can tell you'll be going places when you're older."

PRESENT DAY...

"Well, I sure went places." said Sunset, mumbling to herself. "I'm not too proud of it, though."

She decided to go back to her old bedroom, and saw that she had old spellbooks scattered all over the place, leftover from her father's collection. Deciding she might be able to make use of them now that she was a fully-grown mare, she went into her father's study to grab a knapsack, and went back to her room to collect her books.

"I'm going to have a lot of catching up to do here, I can tell." said Sunset. "But first, I think I should try and find out why Ghost sent me back here."

Then she slung her knapsack on her back, and went downstairs to the front door. She cautiously looked outside to see if anyone--or anything--was waiting for her out there. But she didn't find any Changelings, ponies, or any other creatures outside. Sunset deduced that she was sent there by accident.

"Ghost must've intended to teleport me back to Umbriel's lair again." Sunset mumbled. "Nopony even knows I'm here. Well, since I'm already at home again, I'd might as well take the opportunity to get myself settled in."

She used her telekinesis to lock the doors and windows, and went upstairs to sift through her old clothing. Of course, most of the clothing she would've had would have been outgrown. She chuckled as she found a pink bow-tie that she wore on her tail when she was a filly.

After a while, Sunset Shimmer decided that she'd might as well take the time to take a bath. She went into one of the manor's bathrooms, laid down in the bathtub, and washed herself happily. She realized she hadn't really taken a bath in months. Usually, the bathwater in her apartment in the human world was too hot or too cold. Either way, it was also too expensive for her to spend as much time as she would've wanted, since the landlord charged a lot of money to his tenants for using up the water. But here, she had no restrictions, since no-one was around to stop her. She could bathe herself into the night if she wanted to.

But of course, Sunset didn't have the time to do this. After (what she assumed to be) twenty minutes of bathing, she climbed her drenched amber-coated body out of the tub, and telekinetically fit a purple bathrobe and matching slippers onto her body. She strode back to her bedroom, and carried her knapsack down to the living room. After brushing her mane and tail, she looked into her knapsack, and found, to her surprise, a copy of Daring Do and the Storm Tower.

"Well, I guess I could take the time to read through this old thing again." mumbled Sunset. "At least until something else happens."

Meanwhile in Canterlot, Princess Luna and Star Shield were conversing with each other.

"Captain, what is the status on our prisoner?" asked Princess Luna.

"Your majesty, Umbriel is being unusually quiet." said Captain Star Shield. "He has hardly eaten any of the food we have offered him."

"That is not too unusual." said Luna. "I don't expect that Changelings would be accustomed to the delicacies of pony-kind. Still, I would rather not let him feed on the more...conventional desires of a Changeling."

"But of course, your majesty." said Captain Shield. "Whatever should we do about him, though?"

"Double the watch on him." answered Luna. "And can we spare any men to send to Vanhoover?"

"I'm afraid that all my other guards are busy undergoing a training regiment with Sergeant Firefly." said Captain Shield.

"And my Shadowbolts are occupied in a training session of their own with my Lunar Guard." said Princess Luna.

"But still, I am certain that Lieutenant Dawn and Sergeant Dust will manage to keep your student safe." said Captain Star Shield.

"I have faith in them, too." said Luna. "Perhaps I should check on them some time, though."

Meanwhile in Umbriel's lair, Scarlet Blaze was being escorted into a holding cell by Sigma and Canopy.

"Yo'll do just foyn in he', Blaze." Sigma told her. "Maybe you'll find it a lot easier to sleep 'round here if ya stay in solitary."

Scarlet said nothing, but wore an unamused expression on her face.

"You're awfully quiet." said Canopy, observantly. "Changeling got your tongue?"

"Maybe she got a bad taste in her mouth. It ain't easy being one of our prisoners." said Sigma.

Scarlet Blaze growled a little.

"What's your problem?" asked Canopy, who noticed the sound "I mean, apart from the obvious.".

"Just stop talking." said Scarlet. "I'm really not in the mood for your prattling."

"Oh, that'll be just fine." said Canopy, telekinetically opening the cell door. "Once your inside, you'll get all the peace and quiet that you want. Now get inside!"

"Fine." said Scarlet, bowing her head as she went into the room; the cell door was made with average-sized ponies in mind.

She laid her body down on the bed at the far end. After a while, she heard a rustling on the other side of the cell door. Scarlet opened her green eyes, just in time for the cell door to open up. General Synthe went into the room, flanked by two smaller Changeling drones.

"I see the lady is alright?" asked Synthe, mockingly.

"What do you want with me?" asked Scarlet, getting back up.

"I simply want a word with you." said Synthe.

"Where is the rest of my family?" asked Scarlet.

"Your son and daughter are both in Vanhoover." said Synthe. "They fought off some of my agents yesterday, on the train there. You would be proud of them, I am sure."

Scarlet sighed, knowing that her children were safe. But she still glared at the disfigured Changeling.

"And my husband? What have you done to him?!" she demanded.

"You are in no position to interrogate me, wench." said Synthe. "Speak softer, or my soldiers will force you to be silent."

"Why don't you quiet me yourself?" asked Scarlet.

Synthe lowered his battered head.

"Look at my horn." said the Changeling general, angrily. "Look at it! It's broken! I can't perform magic with it! If only that accursed master of mine would do anything about it, I would gladly cast a spell to bind that insolent mouth of yours shut!"

"Then what's stopping me from blasting you with my own, fully-active magical horn?" questioned Scarlet.

"How about the fact that I have troops stationed throughout this complex, that could swarm you the moment you try to pull anything?"

"Fine." said Scarlet, sighing to calm herself down. "Just tell me where Golden Sun is, please?"

"The heck if I know." shrugged General Synthe. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to start asking you questions."

"Then do it." scowled Scarlet Blaze. "I don't have all day."

"I just found out that one of Lord Umbriel's agents, Ghost, has been compromised." said Synthe. "Before he was captured, though, he performed a teleportation spell on your daughter, Sunset Shimmer."

"Really?" Scarlet tilted her head. "So has she been captured, too?"

"I believe she was meant to be captured." said Synthe. "Unfortunately, she wasn't brought here. She may have been sent off-course somewhere. So I would like to know where your home can be found?"

"Why don't you ask your master about it? He attacked it fifteen years ago, after all." questioned Scarlet.

"Because he is not here at the moment." said General Synthe. "And only two other Changelings survived your defense. One of them, Hopper, has been killed by Ghost--the other one, who is in captivity. Oh, and there was also Sigma, but he had amnesia a few years ago, and forgot all about it."

"Wow, really nice teamwork you Changelings must have." snarked Scarlet.

"Enough!" snapped Synthe. "Tell me where your home is!"

"Kiss my flank, you freak." defied Scarlet.

"So you're going to be sassy about it, huh?" said Synthe, unamused. "Now I can see where Sunset gets it from."

"Actually, I think I'd give my husband credit for that." said Scarlet. "It really pays off to live in a house with an intellectual like him."

"Either way, I was given the 'honor' of being subjected to your daughter's sharp wit a while ago, back in Fillydelphia."

"You mean she knocked your block off, right?" quipped Scarlet Blaze.

Synthe said nothing, instead struck Scarlet in the head with a plated front hoof.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'." said Scarlet, scratching the bruise.

"Forgive me. I prefer to be more civil around members of the opposite gender." said Synthe. "But then, I remember that the opposite gender contains sassy members like you, Sunset Shimmer, and that rude pegasus known as Rainbow Dash, or hopelessly incompetent blowhards like Queen Chrysalis. I will return when I regain my composure."

"Well, I won't hold my breath for you." snarked Scarlet, who seated herself on the bed, crossing her front hooves and wore a smug expression on her face as she watched Synthe and his guards leave her cell.

The Interrogation

Umbriel was sitting in his cell, having a conversation with Princess Luna.

"Now, there is another thing I would like to ask." said Luna. "Is Queen Chrysalis involved in your schemes?"

"Not necessarily." said Umbriel. "She is actually very neutral in this scenario."

"But you are the second-in-command of the Changeling Empire!" said Luna. "Surely you would be taking orders from your own leader and sister?"

"Actually, my actions are my complete responsibility." said Umbriel. "As they have been for the past few decades. I may not be the complete ruler of the Changelings, but I still harbor my own sense of independence as a ruler. And my followers may not be as numerous as my sister's, but unlike her, I choose only Changelings that I know for a fact will remain loyal to me. Can your sister say the same?"

"What do you mean?" asked Luna.

"You know very well what I mean." said Umbriel. "I'm looking at it right now."

"Celestia and I are family, that is different." said Luna. "It is wrong to base family sole on whom you choose to be in it."

"Yes, I am sure." said Umbriel. "No, I was actually referring to Sunset Shimmer. That ungrateful little--"

"How dare you compare yourself to Sunset Shimmer!" snapped Princess Luna.

"Oh, stow it." said Umbriel, blankly. "You were once no better than her. Does 'Nightmare Moon' ring a bell?'

Reluctantly, Luna nodded.

"Look at me." said Umbriel. "I am not the monarch of my empire. I am not the most powerful being in Equestria. I am not in complete control of it. I do not need it at all. I never did. I am perfectly happy with what I have. I prefer to think small, and only big when it is within my logical grasp."

"And?"

"Beings like you and Sunset Shimmer sicken me!" snarled Lord Umbriel. "You were not happy with what you had! You wanted more! You control the moon, but you wanted everypony to love your night. If I could control the moon, I wouldn't care if ponies weren't happy with it. I would rock that thing through the sky like it was my baby! And then there's Sunset Shimmer: A brilliant and intelligent unicorn, but so selfish and vain that she gave up on her wonderous magical talent to bully a bunch of snot-nosed brats at a high school!"

Luna growled a little, and glared intensely at the Changeling. But to her surprise, Umbriel laughed again.

"You two truly deserve each other." said Umbriel. "I can tell that you have really worked well together, more than you ever did in the past by yourselves. I admire that."

Luna started to calm down.

"I wouldn't normally say this to one like yourself, but..." she hesitated. "Thank you."

"Well, I have to say, Luna:" said the Changeling lord. "Of the two regal sisters, you were always my favorite."

"Oh, am I?" said Luna, warily. "And why is that, may I ask?"

"Well, we just have so much in common. More than you would believe."

Luna narrowed her eyes, but nodded for him to continue.

"We are both the younger siblings of the rulers of our civilizations. We are also very loyal to our elder sisters, even if it means getting the short end of the stick."

"I have not received the short end of the stick." said Luna, sternly.

"Good, and neither have I." grimaced Lord Umbriel. "You are a fine princess, Luna."

"Don't attempt to flatter me, Changeling." said Princess Luna, in an unamused tone. "You are a most dangerous criminal, Umbriel. And I won't forget it."

"Fair enough; Neither will I." joked Umbriel.

Princess Luna turned back to the cell dor, when Umbriel's layered voice penetrated her ears.

"Oh, and I forgot to mention something." said the Changeling lord. "I am utterly bored, just sitting in here all day and night. Could you bring a book in here? Preferably a history book? Just for some light reading, I mean."

Luna scoffed, and returned five minutes later with a book on ancient artifacts.

"This book has eight hundred pages." said the alicorn princess, levitating it onto the table beside Umbriel.. "May it serve you well."

In Umbriel's lair, General Synthe was walking down to the complex's dungeon chambers, escorted by Sigma and Canopy.

"Has the prisoner been brought to a cooperative state yet?" asked Synthe.

"Not quite, general." replied Canopy. "She is one of the most stubborn creatures I have ever dealt with. I still can't believe my squad was able to capture her."

"Looks like I'll have to handle this myself." said General Synthe.

"But sir, you can't even use magic!" said Sigma.

General Synthe, who didn't like being reminded of this, inhaled from his breathing-tube angrily.

"I won't need magic for something as bone-headed as a gryphon!" he snapped. "Now open that door, immediately."

"Yes, sir!" said Canopy, her own horn glowing.

The chamber doors were swung open by telekinesis, and the sounds of loud arguing issued out of the prison.

"Listen, you bugs better let me go, or I swear that I'll cut you to ribbons!" shouted the voice of Gilda. "You should know better than to mess with a gryphon!"

General Synthe approached Gilda, and chuckled in a sinister manner.

"So, you're our first catch of the day, huh?"

"Blow it out your--"

"Quiet." said Synthe, sharply. "Now listen to me. I have a proposition for you."

"Yeah? What did you have in mind, pony?" asked Gilda.

"I'm not a pony, I'm a Changeling." said Synthe. "And I understand that you are familiar with a certain unicorn named...Radiant Dawn?"

"Yeah, and what about it?" asked Gilda.

"Well, I think you might like to know that he apparently has...moved on with his life." said Synthe.

"So he's found someone else to love, huh?"

"That is correct." said Synthe.

"Big whoop. I ain't his girl, anymore." said Gilda. "And really, I don't mind that. After all, I broke up with him."

"Really." said Synthe, flatly. "Because I was under the impression that he was the one that broke up with you."

"Yeah, well whoever told you that is a big, fat idiot."

"Well, I was hoping I'd be able to coax you into taking out his new pegasus girlfriend." said Synthe. "She had been quite a nuisance to our operations lately."

"Oh, a pegasus. It wouldn't happen to be Rainbow Dash, would it?"

"Absolutely not." said General Synthe. "It's actually Lightning Dust."

"Oh, I know her." said Gilda. "I have a score to settle with her."

"Then if you agree to eliminate her, then you will be free to go." said Synthe.

"Wait, eliminate?! I didn't mean that I wanted to kill her! She just owed me some money!"

"Then you can take it off her dead body." said Synthe. "Canopy, this one is being difficult again! Use the spell on her!"

"But sir, I haven't tested it out yet on her species!" argued the female Changeling.

"Just do it!" shouted Synthe, anxiously.

"Well, here goes nothing." grumbled Canopy, her horn glowing.

Suddenly, Gilda's eyes started to shake, and glowed green.

"Okay, boss. I'm all ready." said the gryphon, with an eerily low tone in her voice. "One dead pegasus coming up!"

Meanwhile, Ghost was re-located to the garrison, and was being interrogated by Radiant Dawn, Bullpup, and Lightning Dust. The two Shadowbolts, as well as half a squad of unicorns were forcing him to stand still as he faced his interrogators.

"Really, just answer the questions, and we'll get you to a nice, comfy cell." said Bullpup. "Okay, we'll go through them again: What are the Changelings doing here in the city?"

"Love and happiness satisfies our kind." said Ghost. "The ponies in this city are so polite, they practically give it to us for free."

"You don't say..." said Bullpup. "Now, for our next question...."

"What did you do to my sister?!" interjected Radiant Dawn, pounding the table with his front hoof.

"Lieutenant Dawn, sir, please control yourself." said Sergeant Bullpup. "This is not proper royal guard etiquette. At least, not in this city."

"Sergeant, this maniac doesn't deserve this city's trademark sympathy." said Radiant. "He's an insane killer, and has done goodness knows what all over Equestria."

"Radiant is correct." said Ghost. "I am quite deranged. Loodie-loodie-loodie-loo."

Lightning Dust narrowed her eyes.

"Seriously, just answer my boyf--I mean Lieutenant Dawn's question, or I'll make you answer it!" demanded the pegasus.

"Okay, blondie." said Ghost. "I'll play along. I used a teleportation spell on the lovely Sunset Shimmer."

Radiant Dawn fumed as he listened to the Changeling, but said nothing.

"So, where did she go?" asked Lightning.

"I don't know." admitted Ghost. "I meant to send her skywards and then drop her down into the sea, but she went off-course."

"How?" asked Radiant Dawn. "You made that spell, and you couldn't even find a way to perfect it? And for something as simple as having her take a dip in the bay?"

"Hey, I don't want to hear it from you, big boy." said Ghost. "The only reason she went off-course was because I went cross-eyed from all the injuries applied to my head. You and your sister need to learn how to control yourselves."

"It looks like we're going be having a lot of fun here." snarked Radiant. "Lock him up!"

"I don't think so, big boy." said Ghost. "Remember the fact that I can teleport on a whim?"

"Yeah." nodded Radiant.

"And remember the fact that I can also teleport anypony I wish on a whim?"

Radiant didn't like the sound of this.

"Oh, boy." he muttered under his breath.

"Then think fast!" screeched Ghost, his horn glowing.

There was a flash of light, and Radiant was gone. Lightning began to hover.

"Where'd he go?" demanded the bluish-green pegasus.

"He's just signed on for my personal sky-diving class in the forest outside of town." said Ghost. "You have twenty seconds to find and catch him before he hits the ground!"

Lightning Dust, alarmed, shot out of the open window on the ceiling and soared southwards to the woods, leaving a golden zig-zagging trail behind her.

"Men, grab that thing!" shouted Bullpup to the unicorn guards.

"Nuh-uh-uh." said Ghost. "I've really got to go now. Toodles."

The albino Changeling disappeared in a flash of light, to the chagrin and surprise of the guards.

"Quickly, we must send a squad into the forest. Lieutenant Dawn and Sergeant Dust will need our assistance!" Bullpup barked his orders.

Daystar Manor, Part II

Radiant Dawn was taken off-guard by Ghost's teleportation spell, and found himself hurdling to the ground, a couple miles above what appeared to be a forest. As he fell, he attempted to think of a spell that he could perform to get him out of this mess. But he wasn't able to think of any: He couldn't levitate himself to slow down, he didn't know how to teleport, and--

"Why couldn't I perfect that flight speeeeeelllllllllllllllll?!" he shouted as bounded down through the sky.

Suddenly, he realized what was immediately below him: His own home, Daystar Manor. Thinking quickly, he tried to find something on the roof that could break his fall.

Sunset Shimmer, who was looking out the window upstairs, saw the large orange-red body of her brother falling from the sky. She gasped, and instinctively raised her head to use her telekinesis. Radiant Dawn slowed down shortly before hitting the ground, but not as much as Sunset would've liked. Radiant hit the ground hard, and laid immobile in the grass. Alarmed, Sunset teleported outside, and went to her brother's side.

"Radiant, are you okay?" Sunset asked urgently. "Please, say something!"

Radiant made no response.

"Come on, Red..." said Sunset, "Don't tell me you're--"

Suddenly, one of Radiant Dawn's ears began to twitch, and he tilted his head up slowly.

"Oh...hey, Sunny." he said, groggily.

Sunset Shimmer's lips curved into a smile. She knelt down to hug Radiant's neck.

"I'm happy to see you're okay." said Sunset.

"Likewise, little sis." choked Radiant, whose neck was tightened by his sister's grip. "C'mon, could you...lighten up? You're...choking me!"

Sunset Shimmer pulled back, and blushed a little.

"Red, can you walk?" asked Sunset.

"Of course." said Radiant, who slowly climbed back up.

Just as quickly as he rose up, though, he stumbled back, and yelped in pain.

"On second thought, this could be a little difficult." grumbled Radiant.

"Don't worry, I can get you back inside." said Sunset.

Five minutes, Radiant and Sunset were both sitting in the spacious living room of the manor, drinking glasses of milk. Radiant Dawn was sitting with several bandages on his back-left and front-left legs and chest, and was wearing a copper bath-robe.

"Just like old times." said Radiant, half-smiling. "You and me, living together in this old place."

"Yep, it sure is." said Sunset, smiling as well. "But still, we've got a mission to do while we're out here."

"True." agreed Radiant Dawn, nodding slowly. "Still, you can't blame a stallion for being nostalgic."

"Nor can you blame a mare." added Sunset Shimmer.

"Right." chuckled her brother. "That you can't. So, what should we do now? Should we go back to Vanhoover?"

"Of course we should." said Sunset. "But not yet, though. Not in your present condition. We should wait for help to come to us. You know, in case we get intercepted by more Changelings."

Radiant nodded slowly.

"Alright." he said. "Just promise you won't run out on me without me knowing. Okay, Sunny?"

"Okay, Red." agreed Sunset. "So would you like me to make anything for you, bro?"

"Sure." said Radiant. "How about some tomato soup?"

"Sure. I'll be back in a little bit."

Sunset went into the kitchen, and later returned with a warm bowl of soup, which Radiant eagerly gulped down in less than five seconds.

"Wow, you sure have an appetite." said Sunset.

"Nah, I just had a sudden craving for tomatoes." shrugged Radiant.

"I see." said Sunset, casually. "By the way, did you notice that I cleaned the place up for you?"

Radiant looked around, and saw that the living room was spotless.

"Wow, you did a pretty good job." said the stallion. "Shame that I didn't really have a sense of cleanliness the last time I was in here."

"Did you ever think of hiring a housekeeper?" asked Sunset.

"Unfortunately, I don't have much money for that." answered Radiant Dawn. "I've only got enough bits for food, clothing, and stuff like that."

"Maybe when this is all over, we can find someone to help keep this place neat." said Sunset.

"Maybe." said Radiant. "I wonder how the others are doing right now."

"Don't worry." said Sunset. "I'm sure they're fine."

Radiant yawned.

"I love ya, Sunny." he said, bending back.

"I know ya do, Red." Sunset replied.

"It's so great that we're both here...in our old home." Radiant's eyes started to water. "Like we used to..."

He looked out the window, and remembered how he used to go outside and play tag with Sunset, and how his mother would take him outside in the early morning, just to watch the Sun rise in all its divine radiance. His copper eyes shed a lone tear that slid down his left cheekbone. He started to sniffle after a while.

"I'm sorry." he said quietly. "I've just had...so many great memories here."

"I don't know." said Sunset. "There's a lot of memories that just made me hate coming back here."

"I know, our life here wasn't perfect." said Radiant, heavily. "But darn it, we did our best. Those years weren't the happiest, either."

He turned to look at Sunset.

"But they were worth it to be here with you." he told her.

"I...I was happy to be here with you, too." said Sunset. "You're the best brother I could ever ask for."

"Nah...I could've been better." said Radiant, with a soft chuckle. "But there's no replacing a sister like you. I don't care how far you run away from me, or what you do...you'll always be my little sister. And I'll always be with ya..."

"Always?"

"Always."

Radiant yawned.

"Well, I'm gonna take a nap." said Radiant.

"Okay, Red." said Sunset. "If you need me, I'll be right upstairs."

Later on, Sunset was reading through her father's spellbooks, when Radiant suddenly shouted for his sister to come down to him.

"Red, what's the mat-"

"Shh! Sunny, there's something out there." whispered Radiant, pointing towards the window next to the front door. "My leg's still in pretty bad shape, so you'll have to check it out."

Sunset crept up to the window, and peered through the glass. She gasped when she saw it: Long Rim was wandering around the grounds of the mansion.

"I can't believe it." she muttered under her breath. "Oh, boy. This is bad. This is...very bad."

"What's wrong?" asked Radiant, who overheard Sunset.

"Red, do you remember that armored monster that was with those Changelings fifteen years ago?" asked Sunset. "The ones that attacked us, I mean."

"Yeah. What about it?"

"It's prowling around in the garden, as we speak." said Sunset.

"What's it doing?" asked Radiant, visibly alarmed, but attempting to be cautious.

"Nothing really." Sunset said as she inspected the creature's movements. "It's just...pacing around. Either it's bored out of its mind, or it's looking for something."

"Or someone." said Radiant. "You think it likes eating ponies?"

"I don't know." said Sunset. "And I don't wanna find out, either. Let's go upstairs, and get to bed. If we turn the lights off and keep things quiet in here, it won't go looking for us."

"That's a good idea, sis." agreed Radiant Dawn, who then moved his head to telekinetically extinguish the candlelight in the room. "You should close the curtains yourself, Sunset. You can see what that thing's doing out there while you do it."

Sunset Shimmer went back to the window, and saw that Long Rim was now seated in a patch of tall, untamed grass. Its head was moving left and right, looking blankly at its surroundings. Sunset carefully timed her telekinesis, and pulled the curtains shut when the creature's head was turned away from the direction of the mansion. The other curtains followed suit. The two unicorns quickly went upstairs, and retreated to their parents' bedroom.

"It feels so strange being in here." said Sunset, after shutting the door with her telekinesis.

"I know what you mean." said Radiant. "I miss them so much."

"Me, too." said Sunset. "But there's still hope we can find them again."

"Right."

"We know that mom's accounted for." said Sunset. "Of course, we've got only the word of a megalomaniac to go on."

"There wasn't a single lie in Umbriel's words, Sunny." said Radiant, sternly. "I am confident that mom's in his lair right now."

"But what about dad? Whatever happened to him?" asked Sunset.

"No idea." said Radiant. "He could still be out there, sis. He's probably just as worried about us as we are for him and mom."

"I just hope that mom's alive the next time we see her." said Sunset. "If there is a next time, I mean."

"Hey, don't say that." said Radiant, tucking his large body underneath the coverings of the bed. "Mom's a tough mare. She's what made me the good, protective brother I am now!"

"Good night, Red." said Sunset, smiling warmly. "I love you."

"I love you, too." said Radiant. "Good night, Sunny."

The two siblings laid together on the bed for a while, perfectly blissful.

"Oh, Red." Sunset sighed as she lay against her brother. "I've forgotten how warm your body is..."

She leaned further, then caused Radiant to cry out in pain.

"Oops! Sorry, Red."

"It's okay." said Radiant. "Really."

Sunset tried leaning again, but Radiant twitched and yelped.

"Uh...maybe I should go in the other room." said Sunset. "You look like you're in pain right now."

"Okay..."

Then Sunset decided to go to her own bedroom, and slept in there for the remainder of the night.

Meanwhile in Canterlot, Umbriel was sitting in his cell, reading through the book given to him by Princess Luna. Suddenly, there was a flash of light, and Ghost was standing beside his master.

"I have looked all over for you, sir." said Ghost. "Do you have any idea how many rooms in how many cities I've teleported myself in and out of to find you?"

"Were you seen at all?" asked Umbriel.

"Maybe once or twice, but never by anyone important." said Ghost. "Not that it would matter anyway. They're too far from here to do anything about it."

Umbriel chuckled a little.

"A good point, Ghost." he smirked.

"So, are you ready to be teleported back to your lair?" queried Ghost. "You're missing out on a lot in Vanhoover."

"Not yet." declined Lord Umbriel. "I have plans here in Canterlot, and I plan to see them through."

"Are you sure?" asked Ghost. "But you're in the custody of the princesses! They could arrange your execution at any moment! At least let me teleport you out of this cell!"

"No, Ghost! My plan requires me to stay in this cell until the proper circumstances reveal themselves." said Umbriel. "But your arrival is most convenient. I am in need of your services at this time."

"What shall I do, my lord?"

"Take this book." said Umbriel, levitating his book before Ghost's pale face. "Read page one hundred and forty-nine."

Ghost's horn glowed, and the pages flapped to the right until he reached the page in question. Then the white Changeling began to read through it.

"How in Tartarus am I supposed to get the Alicorn Amulet?!" he exclaimed, indignantly. "I don't even know where the blasted thing is!"

"The last known sighting of it is in Ponyville." said Umbriel. "Start your search at the Golden Oaks Library."

"But that's where Princess Twilight Sparkle lives, isn't it?" said Ghost.

"Exactly." said Umbriel, flatly. "Do you have a problem with that?"

"Not at all." said Ghost, grinning sinisterly. "This will be exciting."

And then he teleported away. A guard entered the room just after the flash of light faded away.

"Umbriel, what are you doing in here?" he demanded. "You'd better not be stirring up trouble in here!"

"Oh, not at all." said the Changeling lord. "I was just brushing up on my history."

"I see." said the guard. "You'd better keep quiet in here, or you'll be history!"

"Oh, I am so worried." said Umbriel, feigning cowardice. "Please don't do anything nasty to me, kind sir!"

"Well, okay." said the royal guard. "My shift is coming to an end, anyway. You'll hear from my night shift counterpart the next time you act up, and he's even less tolerant than me!"

And then the guard left the room, and sealed the cell door.

"If you think he's intolerant, you'd better hope my sister doesn't catch wind of this." snarked Lord Umbriel, before muttering quietly: "Actually, forget about it. You'll wish my sister was here. What I have planned will be much worse than anything she could ever brush out!"

Lightning in the Dark, Part 1

Lightning Dust flew over the trees as fast as she could. She was looking feverishly for Radiant Dawn.

"Come on, where could he be?!" she muttered, frantically. "He couldn't have already--"

WHAM!

A dark shape sped towards her, blindsided her, and knocked her out of the sky. She found herself spiraling out of control, but caught herself just before she could collide with a tree. But before she could turn to see what hit her, she heard a sound like a mix between a lion's roar and an eagle's screech. The attacker caught up to the pegasus, and knocked her down to the ground with ease.

As Lightning Dust down on the ground, she was attempting to straighten her senses. Everything seemed like a blur to her, but she was able to see a dark streak in the sky. She couldn't recognize it, but she could recognize the voice mocking her:

"You know what, Lightning Dust?" said the voice. "Your name really suits this situation: You fell like lightning, and then bit the dust!"

"Gilda?!" exclaimed Lightning, rubbing her eyes. "What the heck's your problem?!"

"I've got orders to eliminate you." said Gilda. "You're going down, you pathetic pony!"

"What? Why?" said Lightning Dust, getting back to her hooves. "What's going on? What the buck did I do wrong?! Tell me!"

"You blabbed, Lightning." snapped Gilda. "You blabbed about the Changelings!"

"Are you crazy?" asked Lightning. "I don't even know anything about Changelings!"

"You should've listened to me, and stayed in Fillydelphia." said Gilda. "Now I'm gonna kill you for this mistake."

"Come and get me!" said Lightning Dust in a sly manner.

Her wings began to flutter, and she hovered a few inches from the ground.

"Uh-uh!" said Gilda. "You ain't getting away from me!"

The gryphon's own wings fluttered, and she shot towards Lightning Dust. The bluish-green pegasus retaliated by somersaulting in mid-air, kicking Gilda back with her two hind legs. The kick had struck the gryphon in the face, and the purple-tinted feathers that hung over her brow were bent or broken. She responded by roaring like a lion and shot towards Lightning Dust with her claws stretched out.

Lightning Dust shot upwards just as Gilda was within claw's length of her, and the gryphon crashed into a tree. She was now struggling to get out of the trunk, as she was stuck in the middle, with the front of her body sticking out of the other end.

"You just wait till I...get out...of this mess!" grunted Gilda.

"Sorry, but I don't have time for this, G." said Lightning. "I've got a boyfriend to find."

Then Lightning Dust flew away, continuing to look for Radiant. Gilda screeched like an eagle, and broke her way through the rest of the tree. However, she was aching all over, and unable to take off in pursuit of her opponent.

"I'll get you, Lightning! Just you wait!" she said, her hawk-like eyes glowing green again.

Suddenly, two more dark shapes appeared in the distance, and subdued Lightning Dust in mid-flight.

"Yo' comin' with us, Lightning Dust!" said Sigma, whose front hooves were braced around the pegasus' neck.

"I'm not going anywhere!" shouted Lightning Dust. "You better let me go, or I swear that I'll--"

"Canopy, get 'er unda control!" demanded Sigma.

"Got it, Ziggy!" said Canopy, whose horn began to glow. "Sleeeeeep."

Lightning Dust stopped struggling, and her eyes began to close. Before she completely blacked out, she heard the buzzing of the Changelings' wings as they carried her body away.

Meanwhile, Ghost was sitting on a branch of the tree that the Golden Oaks Library was built within. Below him, Fluttershy and Twilight Sparkle were talking with each other.

"Oh, Twilight. I'm so worried that Lord Umbriel might escape from Canterlot." said Fluttershy.

"Don't worry, Shy." said Twilight. "They've got everypony and their uncle watching over him, making sure he doesn't get out of there." said Twilight.

"I still can't stop thinking about it, though. It gives me goosebumps. Very, very big goosebumps."

Ghost teleported to the far side of the tree, and shape-shifted into Crazy Graffiti. He went around to Twilight and Fluttershy.

"Howdy there, yer majesty!" said the pegasus in the ten-gallon hat. "I hear that you've been looking for a painter."

"Um...hi there, sir." said Twilight. "Who are you?"

"The name's Graffiti. I'm one of the finest artists in Equestria."

"Well, it's nice to meet you." said Twilight. "But I don't remember requesting any artists around here."

"Quick! I've got to come up with something!" Ghost thought. "Okay, who's one of Twilight's friends? Who could possibly have any interest in anything to do with artwork?"

"Applejack sent me!" said Graffiti, aloud.

"Really, Applejack sent you?" asked Fluttershy. "Hey, are you one of her cousins at all?"

"Um...sure. Let's go with that." said Graffiti. "I'm married to her...second...no, third cousin-in-law, whatever-number removed."

"Are you sure?" asked Twilight. "I don't remember seeing you at any of the Apple Family's reunions."

"Uh...Uhhh.., I recently became related?" said Graffiti, weakly. "You know what, I'm not here to talk about who I'm related to, how I'm related to them, or any of that nonsense."

"Then what are you here for?" questioned Twilight Sparkle.

"Well, I have an interest in making paintings of ancient relics." said Graffiti. "Take, for example, the Elements of Harmony."

"I'm sorry, but we no longer have the Elements in our possession." said Twilight.

"Really." said Graffiti.

"We gave them up a month ago." said Fluttershy. "They were brought back to the Tree of Harmony last month. I don't know if they can ever be found again."

"Well, that there's a might shame, huh?" Graffiti shifted uneasily in place. "Well, there's some other relic I've been awfully interested in."

"And what would that be, Mr. Graffiti?" asked Twilight.

"The uh...Alicorn Amulet." said Graffiti.

"Well, we don't have that, either." said Twilight. "We've given it to our friend, Zecora, for safe-keeping."

"And who the heck is Zecora?" asked Graffiti.

"She's a zebra that lives in the Everfree Forest." said Fluttershy. "I could show you where she lives, if you want."

"Nah, I don't need your sympathy, girly-girl." declined Graffiti. "I know exactly what I'm looking for."

"Come on, don't be rude!" said Twilight, narrowing her eyes. "Look, I don't trust you at all, Graffiti or whatever your name is."

"Then why'd you go and tell me where to find the Alicorn Amulet then?" countered Graffiti. "That thing's a pretty darn dangerous toy, ain't it?"

"Because we were planning to lead you there ourselves, to make sure you don't cause any trouble with it." said Twilight.

"Well, by all means: Lead me there!" said Graffiti.

Fluttershy turned towards Twilight.

"Are you sure about this?" the yellow pegasus asked her friend.

"Don't worry, we can handle anything this guy throws at us." said Twilight. "But just in case, I think I should go tell Spike to send a message to Princess Celestia. I think there's more that this guy wants than just a painting, and I think it might have something to do with this Lord Umbriel character."

"Ya know I can hear everything ya say, right?" asked Graffiti. "I ain't meanin' to hurt nobody. I just want a decent painting for the art show in Baltimare."

"What art show in Baltimare?" asked Twilight. "There's no--"

"Just shut up, and take me to the zebra!" snapped Graffiti.

"Fine, just give us a couple of minutes to get ready." said Twilight. "Wait out here, will you?"

"Well, that's fine by me, princess." said Graffiti in an insincere manner.

Meanwhile, Lightning Dust opened her eyes slowly. She found that she was stuck to a wall, and half of her body was covered in a goopy green substance. She struggled to break free, but her wings were covered in the same substance. She tried to look around, but it was too dark for her to make anything out.

"Hello?" she called out. "Is anypony out there?"

There was no answer.

"what is this stuff?" Lightning attempted to shake the substance off of her body. "Eeeewwww..."

Suddenly, there was a sucking noise in the darkness.

"I see that Gilda has failed in her mission." said a low voice. "You should never send a gryphon to do a Changeling's work. I just didn't realize it."

General Synthe emerged from the darkness, and cleared his throat.

"So you are Lightning Dust." he said. "We meet, at last!"

"Yeah, I'm Lightning Dust." said the cyan mare in response. "Big whoop. Like, do you want my autograph or something?"

"No." said Synthe. "I just want you out of the way."

"What for? I didn't do anything to you! Why are you holding me prisoner?"

"Remember those Changelings on the train? How about the ones that you bamboozled back in Fillydelphia?"

"Oh...right." shrugged Lightning. "You got me there. So what do ya want we me, slick?"

"I want you to join me." said General Synthe. "I could use a pegasus as skilled as you!"

"Um...why?" asked Lightning. "I know that you were the one that sent Ghost after us!"

"Wait, did Ghost try killing ponies again?" asked Synthe, surprised.

"Yep." said Lightning. "He teleported Radiant Dawn with the intent of having him fall to his death."

"Goodness, he tried to kill Sunset's brother?!" gasped General Synthe.

"And tried to kill Sunset, too." Lightning Dust narrowed her eyes.

"Oh, what am I going to do with that fool?" Synthe cursed under his breath. "First Hopper, and now this! Seriously, what does Umbriel see in him? He's a moronic and selfish brute!"

"Wait, you work for Umbriel?" asked Lightning. "Oh, yeah! I recognize you! You're that Changeling that held the mayor of my city hostage! General Synthe, right?"

"That is correct." confirmed Synthe.

"Yeah, I draw the line at associating myself with megalomaniacs that threaten the lives of unarmed politicians." said Lightning Dust. "It's totally bad for my karma."

"Oh, really?"

"Really, really." quipped Lightning. "You Changelings are a bunch of freaks, too. I'd never associate myself with you guys!"

"That's...totally fine." said Synthe in an uneasy manner, before turning away. "Sigma! Escort this pegasus to the holding cells!"

"Yes, sir!" said the voice of the Changeling from earlier. "Canopy! Use that spell on her again!"

"Coming right up!" said the voice of the female Changeling.

"Oh, give me a break!" scoffed Lightning Dust.

And then her eyes blacked out again, and everything went silent.

Lightning in the Dark, Part 2

"Spike, I'm gonna need to you write down a message to the Princesses." said Twilight Sparkle.

"What for, Twilight?" asked Spike, who was straightening out the books on a shelf in a library.

"Because there's this weirdo pegasus outside, that wants to paint a picture of the Alicorn Amulet."

"Really, they do that?" asked Spike. "Who does he think he's fooling?"

"I have no idea." said Twilight. "He also says he's Applejack's cousin, even though I've never seen him at any of the family reunions."

"Well, come to think of it, I don't think I've ever met Applejack's mom or dad, either." said Spike. "So?"

"Never mind." said Twilight. "Let's just get started on that letter. Also, I'm thinking about checking on Sunset Shimmer again. I think she might know something about this guy."

"Uh, Twilight? Sunset's not in Canterlot." said Spike. "She went to Vanhoover a couple days ago."

"What the heck would she be doing there?" asked Twilight.

"I don't know." said Spike. "I just got the message from Princess Luna last night. Apparently, she took her brother, and Trixie, Lightning Dust, and Dr. Pressure Point with her."

"And you didn't tell me, Spike?" questioned Twilight. "C'mon, I thought we got over this! Can you get the message to me?"

"Well, here's the thing." said Spike, sheepishly. "I...sorta...set it ablaze right after reading it. I had some hiccups yesterday, and...well, you know how I get when that happens."

"Fine, we'll go to Canterlot to ask about it later." said Twilight. "The pegasus outside's very antsy for some reason. I'm gonna give him what he wants, and then if it turns out to be something bad, I'll put him in his place."

Later, outside of Ponyville, Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy led Crazy Graffiti into the Everfree Forest. After several hours of walking, the pegasus in the ten-gallon hat was getting impatient. When they entered a clearing, Graffiti thought it was time to question his two guides.

"So, when are we all gonna go and get there, huh?" questioned Graffiti. "I ain't got all freakin' day, ya know."

"Oh, don't worry your little head about it, sir." said Twilight, chuckling nervously. "It's right around the corner now."

"What corner?" asked Graffiti. "There's corners all over the darned place!"

"Whatever are we going to do with him?" asked Fluttershy.

"Just follow my lead." whispered Twilight. "You have to trust me on this!"

"Darn it, will ya'll quit messin' 'round with each other, and get me to the zebra's house?" groaned Crazy Graffiti.

Suddenly, a dragonfly buzzed out of nowhere, and harmlessly hovered by Graffiti's face. Annoyed, the pegasus hocked up a glob of bright green phlegm, and spat a loogie at the insect, which stuck the insect against a nearby tree. Fluttershy, being sympathetic towards all animals big and small, gasped in horror.

"How could you do such a thing?!" she said, offended.

"Don't think nothin' about it." said Graffiti. "It was just a little bug."

Twilight Sparkle made a quick analysis of the loogie that pinned the insect to the tree trunk. It looked oddly familiar to her. she lightly pressed a hoof against it to free the dragonfly, but it nearly stuck herself to the tree, as well.

"Yep, just as I thought." said Twilight, who turn her head towards Graffiti.

"Oh, What the f-" Graffiti exclaimed when he saw Twilight's horn glowing.

The pegasus was knocked against a tree.

"-udge is...going on here?" coughed Graffiti. "Golly almighty, that went and knocked the wind right outta-"

"Drop the act, Changeling." said Twilight. "Really, I've been hanging around the Apple Family long enough to know that your accent is the fakest I've ever heard in my life."

Then Crazy Graffiti burst into green flames, revealing Ghost.

"Wow, an albino Changeling?" thought Twilight, examining the shape-shifter's true form. "That's very strange."

"You think you got me?" said Ghost. "Just you wait."

The Changeling's horn glowed, and then fired a blast of energy at Twilight Sparkle. The beam was deflected by a barrier spell that Twilight conjured from her own horn. Ghost then launched himself towards the purple alicorn, and grappled with her in mid-air.

"Oh, dear!" Fluttershy exclaimed. "Twilight, what should I do?"

"Get help!" said Twilight, struggling. "I'll try holding him off! Just get Rainbow Dash and the others over here!"

"I don't think so!" shouted Ghost, who struggled to turn his head in Fluttershy's direction.

His horn glowed, and Fluttershy was thrust against another tree. In response to this, the alicorn furiously struck Ghost several times.

"How dare you hurt my friend?!" exclaimed Twilight Sparkle. "You do not--"

She struck his head hard.

"--do that--"

Twilight hit him again in the torso.

"--To Fluttershy!"

"Oh, that's what her name is?" said Ghost, reeling from his bruises. "All you ponies have the silliest names ever. We Changelings have much better ones."

"You are in no position t--" Twilight began.

"Oh, shut it!" interrupted Ghost. "I thought that testing my skills against a princess would be fun! But I see that this is just a big waste of friggin' time for me. You're boring the heck right out of me, Twilight Sparkle, so I'm going to have to cut this short. See ya!"

Then in a flash of light, he vanished. Twilight Sparkle and the newly-recuperated Fluttershy gasped in surprise.

"Where'd he go?" Fluttershy whimpered.

"I have a hunch." said Twilight. "Get back to Ponyville, and tell the others to meet at Zecora's place."

"Right, Twilight." said Fluttershy. "What about you, though?"

"I'll try and stop that Changeling from doing anything that could plunge Equestria into turmoil." said Twilight. "And tell Spike to find a spellbook with something that can be used to cancel out teleportation spells. I think I'll need to learn one of those very soon."

"Okay, I'm going now!" said Fluttershy, who happily sped through the air back to Ponyville.

Twilight Sparkle then cast a teleportation spell of her own, and found herself outside of Zecora's dwelling. Almost immediately, she heard a loud rustling noise and several shouts and grunts inside, indicating that Ghost was already inside, and that Zecora was putting up quite a fight against him.

"By Celestia, I hope I'm not too late!" exclaimed Twilight.

She barged into the door, just in time to find the white Changeling had the zebra in a headlock.

"Where's the amulet, you two-toned weirdo?!" growled Ghost into Zecora's ear.

"Stranger, please don't shout; I don't know what you talk about." strained the zebra. "And if you must gripe, please don't take it out on my windpipe."

"I'm talking about the Alicorn Amulet!" said the albino Changeling. "Twilight Sparkle said it was here, now don't deny it! Where's the blasted thing?"

"If you let me go, I will tell you what I know." pleaded Zecora.

"If it's not what I want to know, you're not leaving this building alive. You got that?" threatened Ghost, even as he unclasped his gnarled hooves from the zebra's neck. "Now where's the Alicorn Amulet?"

"Don't tell him, Zecora!" shouted Twilight. "He'll probably try to kill you, anyway!"

"This Changeling is not so bright, to threaten a live before Princess Twilight." commented Zecora, relieved.

"Like I'd need to be bright to handle a zebra!" said Ghost. "Even Sigma could break you!"

And then he cackled malevolently.

"But really, I don't need your help, anyhow." said Ghost. "This is all in good fun. I already know where the Alicorn Amulet is."

He pointed towards a black-and-silver box in a corner of the house.

"Really, how could I not spot that?" he questioned. "If you're going to hide something from a dangerous enemy, you should know putting it in plain sight is a very bad idea. Especially when Changelings are involved."

And then his horn glowed, and conjured up a barrier spell that separated him and the container from Twilight Sparkle and Zecora. Simultaneously, he levitated the container towards himself, and smashed the lid open. He put a hoof into the box, and yanked out none other than the black talisman, which was still fastened to its cord.

"Well, how do you like that?" grimaced Ghost. "It would be a real shame if this thing were to fall into the wrong hooves..."

"You wouldn't dare!" shouted Twilight, in vain. "Put that back now, Changeling, or you'll be sorry!"

Ghost simply guffawed, and then teleported away again, taking the amulet with him.

"Wake up, kid!" said a female voice. "Come on, talk to me!"

" Lighten up, Spitfire! The tryouts aren't supposed to start again for another ten minutes!" argued Lightning Dust, as she lay half in a dream.

"What in Tartarus are you talking about? Just open your eyes!"

Lightning Dust's golden eyes opened up, to see a tall red unicorn mare looming over her.

"Hi." said Lightning, simply. "Good morning?"

"I think it's half-past noon, actually." said the unicorn. "So, it looks like we're cellmates."

"Not for long!" said Lightning, getting herself up quickly. "I'm busting us out!"

The blue-green pegasus shot towards the cell door, and pummeled it with her front hooves. Her attempt to escape was met with a concussive blast from a Changeling jailor outside. She was pushed back, and smacked against the back of the cell.

"So do you have any more bright ideas, little miss hotshot?" snarked the unicorn. "Or are you going to continue banging your head against a brick wall?"

"Um...sure." said Lightning, trying to shake off her sudden dizziness. "Just give me a little while to pull myself together. By the way, the name's Lightning Dust. Second best flier in Equestria."

"Well, I suppose it's nice to meet you, Lightning." said the unicorn. "Not the name I would've chosen, but it doesn't really make a difference, does it? Well, since you gave me your name, I'd might as well give you mine. My name is Scarlet Blaze."

"So you're Radiant Dawn's mother?" asked Lightning.

"That's right." said Scarlet. "But how do you know him?"

"I'm his gi..." hesitated Lightning. "I'm a good friend of his. I'm also gal-pals with Sunset Shimmer."

Scarlet raised an eyebrow.

"I see." she said. "Well, I may not know what my children have been up to for the past fifteen or so years, but any friend of my son and daughter is a friend of mine."

"So, what should we do?" asked Lightning Dust.

"We should bide our time." said Scarlet Blaze. "We can come up with a plan later. Right now, this place is too heavily guarded. We'd never have a chance to escape. But don't worry, I have a hunch about something. I'll explain it later, though. You'd might as well get yourself comfortable in the meantime."

On The Move

Meanwhile in Vanhoover, Trixie, Pressure Point, Nose Nip, and Frosty were sitting in the Obsidian Horseshoe.

"Okay, something really needs to be done around here." said Trixie. "Sunset Shimmer, Radiant Dawn, and Lightning Dust have all gone missing. Until one of those three have come back, all of you are going to have to answer to me."

"And why should we?" asked Nose Nip. "You ain't even from around here!"

"Because I happen to be Sunset Shimmer's friend." explained Trixie. "And I'm probably the most experienced unicorn in the city right now."

"Present company excluded, right?" asked Pressure Point.

"Yeah, who do you think you are, just making yourself look all high and mighty?" agreed Frosty.

"I happen to be none other than the Great and Powerful Trixie, the greatest showpony in all of Equestria." she said.

"And the biggest loudmouth, too." said Pressure Point. "It's kind of her thing, really."

"Very funny, cousin." snarked Trixie Lulamoon. "But really, does anypony else have idea what we should be doing?"

"Not me." admitted Nose Nip.

"Ne, neither." said Frosty.

"Well, then I say we go out into the forest, and find them." said Trixie.

"Trixie, this sounds positively suicidal." said Pressure Point, flatly.

"What doesn't sound suicidal around you, Pressure?" countered Trixie.

"Fine. But how do you propose that we go out and look for them?" asked Pressure.

"Nips and I could guide you around the forest." suggested Frosty. "It'll probably get us killed, but it'll be worth it to see our friend Radiant again!"

"Then I say we get out there as quickly as possible." said Nose Nip.

A few minutes later, Trixie, Pressure Point, Frosty, and Nose Nip were hiking in the forest outside of Vanhoover. They were traversing along a path along the edge of the forest, from which the skyline of the city was visible. Trixie even stopped a moment to examine the city they just left: From the train station to the East to the docks on the West, all of Vanhoover was glimmering brightly under the sunlight and bustling with activity.

"Wow, this is one beautiful city." Trixie couldn't help but comment.

"It's no Canterlot, but it's pretty...neat." agreed Pressure Point, who stopped along the road between Trixie and Frosty.

"Neat? It's absolutely wonderful!" said Trixie. "All the ponies here are so nice, and generous, and..."

Then she paused. There was a rustling noise further in the treeline opposite of the city. A dark shape emerged from the trees and tackled Trixie without warning. The two were sent rolling down the road, and into a patch of trees below.

"Oh, you're so gonna get it!" growled a female voice. "You're gonna die today, pony!"

"What did I do to you?!" exclaimed Trixie in surprise.

"Something's going to die!" shouted the voice.

"And it's not going to be me!" Trixie struggled, her horn glowing brightly.

She unleashed a spell from her horn, which knocked the attacker off of her. The brief moment of freedom gave Trixie the time to see who her attacker was: A crazed gryphon with ruffled purple-tinted feathers on her head.

"Gilda, what's the matter with you?!" demanded the voice of Frosty, who was charging down the road with Nose Nip and Pressure Point.

"Watch out, Frosty." said Nose Nip. "Something's not right about her."

"You two buzz off!" said Gilda, who sharply turned her head to glare at them. Her eyes promptly glowed green.

"Wait, that ain't right." said Nose Nip. "Aren't her eyes supposed to be yellow?"

Gilda simply responded by rushing at Nose Nip with her claws extended. She swiped at his head, by missed when Pressure Point blasted the gryphon with a burst of energy from his horn.

"Thanks, doc." said Nose Nip.

"No problem." said Pressure Point.

Gilda thrashed about on the road, grunting and cursing as she hesitated to choose who would be her next target would be. She decided she was going to try attacking Pressure Point when she was suddenly struck from behind by an electric current from Trixie's horn. Stunned and surprised, the gryphon collapsed to the ground.

"What was her problem?" asked Frosty. "She doesn't normally act this violent!"

"She's been brainwashed." said Trixie, who approached the catatonic gryphon with her horn glowing. "I can tell from personal experience."

Using her telekinesis, she levitated Gilda so that she was on her feet again, and then stared into her dizzy eyes.

"Must...kill...pegasus." droned Gilda.

"I'm not a pegasus, you psychotic moron." said Trixie. "I'm a unicorn. In fact, nopony here is a pegasus."

"Not unicorn...Lightning Dust." said Gilda.

"You tried to kill Lightning Dust?" interrogated Trixie. "Where is she?"

"Changelings...took her. Said I....failed." said the dazed gryphon.

Trixie struck Gilda on the beak.

"What are you talking about?" asked Trixie. "Where are the Changelings?"

"I...they're in the forest." said Gilda.

"Where in the forest?" inquired Trixie.

"There's a cave entrance. Ten miles South from here." said Gilda, at a halting pace.

"Wanna bet that's where Sunset and the others have disappeared to?" suggested Pressure Point.

"Probably." said Trixie. "The Changelings have been after her for days now. If they have any intent on taking her alive, they've been taken into that cave."

"A reasonable suggestion as any, cuz." said Pressure. "Nips! Frosty! Do you two know anything about this?"

"Well, I do remember spotting what looked like a pit or a cave on one of my hikes through these woods." said Nose Nip. "It might be what Gilda's talking about."

"Great, you just now brought that up." snarked Frosty. "Come on, let's go look for this thing, then!"

"But what about Gilda?" asked Nose Nip.

"You're right, Nips." said Frosty. "What should we do with Gilda?"

"I say we just leave her here." said Trixie, coldly. "Leave her to fix her own problems."

"Now, now, cousin." said Pressure. "Let's not be a jerk about it."

"She tried to kill me!" reminded Trixie.

"But as you said, she's been brainwashed!" said Pressure. "We should at least take her to a more controlled environment."

"Yeah, like a prison cell in the royal barracks." said Trixie.

"No!" urged Frosty and Nose Nip at once.

"Why not, guys?" asked Trixie.

"Gilda's really not that bad when you get to know her!" said Frosty.

"She kinda is." said Nose Nip.

"Shh!" snapped Frosty. "What I'm saying is...well, she might be a jerk under ordinary circumstances, but she doesn't normally try to commit any serious crimes like what she tried to do a few minutes ago. So you can't really blame her for this."

"So what do you suggest we do?" asked Trixie.

"Let's keep her with us." said Frosty. "At least for a little while."

"She does look very battered." commented Pressure Point, upon further analysis of Gilda's body. "Perhaps I could take the time to maybe patch her up for a minute."

"You guys, you guys!" shouted another voice.

It was Teddy, who galloped down the road from the direction they first came from.

"I just saw you guys leaving town!" said the blue earth pony. "What are you up to, and what the heck is Gilda doing here?"

Trixie, Pressure, Nose Nip, and Frosty looked at each other awkwardly.

"We're looking for Radiant, Sunset, and Lightning." said Nose Nip. "And something's up with Gilda over here."

"Something sure looks like something's up." nodded Teddy. "Why's she looking all busted up? Did someone give her what was coming to her or what?"

"I don't know." said Trixie. "But she just tried attacking me not too long ago. I can't even begin to guess why, only that she was somehow brainwashed."

"Brainwashed?" repeated Teddy. "Brainwashed by who...or what?"

"We think it's the Changelings." said Frosty.

"Changelings?!" said Teddy, surprised. "There are Changelings in this town now?"

"That's right." said Nose Nip. "Just knocked a white one out yesterday afternoon. And apparently, it did something with Radiant and Sunset."

"Well, we should tell the royal guard at that barracks about it, then!" said Teddy.

"That's what you are going to do." said Frosty.

"Do what?" asked Teddy, confused.

"You're going to tell Sergeant Bullpup, the commanding officer of the town's garrison, about what we're planning to do." said Nose Nip. "And you're gonna take Gilda here with you?"

"Why Gilda?" said a flabbergasted, even offended Teddy. "Why do I have to take her there!"

"Because she knows something about where Sunset Shimmer, Radiant Dawn, and Lightning Dust have gone off to." said Trixie. "They're my friends, and you're going to help us find them! Got it?"

"Yes, ma'am." nodded Teddy, uncomfortably. "Well, I'll get Gilda over to the guards, then."

He approached the dazed gryphon, who then hissed angrily like a cat at him. Teddy jumped back in shock.

"Um...this is going to be harder than I thought?" said Teddy, nervously.

"Hang on, I'll calm her down." said Pressure, whose horn was glowing.

He waved his horn over Gilda's head, and the female gryphon seemed to mellow out somewhat.

"There you go." said Pressure. "She should be a lot easier to reason with now."

"Thanks." nodded Teddy, who proceeded to guide Gilda back to Vanhoover.

"And how do you know that?" asked Nose Nip, when they were out of earshot.

"Oh, it's just a muscle-relaxing spell I read about in Canterlot." said Pressure. "When used on the brain, it can make the target ease up, and become less aggressive."

"And you didn't use that to help me before because...?" asked Trixie, suspiciously.

"Well, it looked like you had everything under control, to be honest." said Pressure in a calculating tone. "Now, how about we go and look for that cave?"

"Yeah, before something even bigger comes out to attack us." said Frosty, who turned to Nose Nip. "Not that I'm scared, of course."

"Oh, don't worry." said the muscular earth pony. "I ain't gonna let anything big or scary get you, my little buddy."

"Umm...thanks." said Frosty, with a slightly assured look.

Trixie couldn't help but be reminded of Sunset and Radiant by the interaction between Nose Nip and Frosty. Trixie genuinely felt amused by this. At the same time, though, it made her feel guilty about not being at Sunset's side as often as she could and should have.

"Alright, let's move on." said Trixie. "We're going to go into those woods, find that cave, find our friends, and kick any Changeling flank we come across. Are you three ready?"

"I sure am!" said Frosty.

"Ditto here." said Nose Nip.

"And if this is seriously all I'm good for right now, then I guess I'll join in on your little crusade." said Pressure Point. "I won't even attempt to argue how reckless and potentially life-threatening this is."

"Good." said Trixie. "Because I'm really not in the mood for your redundant complaints."

She then led her companions further down the road, ready to take on anything they might come across in the woodlands outside Vanhoover.

The Ghost in the Mirror

"Nearly three weeks at this friggin' high school, and we haven't found anything about Sunset Shimmer's whereabouts." Major Canopy ranted to Lt. Sigma as they walked to the gymnasium. "And I swear, if I have to investigate *one** more report about girls sleeping in the library at night, I will freakin' put my foot through something. If I were in the captain's position, I'd declare 'Operation: Eclipse' a waste of time and resources*."

"Lucky you, we ain't got too long here, anyhow." said Sigma. "I 'spect that Cap'n Umbriel will recall all of us from Cantuhbare soon enough."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Ziggy." groaned Canopy. "But I don't want to wait for 'soon enough' to come. I want to get out of here *now*! I should be out shooting Cartel thugs or gathering intel, not babysitting a bunch of freakin' teenagers or hunting magical horses!"

"Ponies, Canopy. *Ponies***." Sigma corrected Canopy.

"Whatever, hunting magical *midget** horses." groaned Canopy, rolling her eyes underneath her mask. "Honestly, I stopped caring about all that cutesy-wutesy unicorn garbage when I was in grade school. I feel like I'm being force-fed this Equestria nonsense. Even if it is real, why do we have to be involved in this tripe? I'd say 'just let the ponies be ponies, and move on with our own lives'*."

"Well, that's what I was thinkin'." said Sigma. "But if that was the case, why did Sawnsat Shimmah come ovah to our world to begin with? Gotta admit, that's pretty odd. And to attend one of *our** high schools, too*."

"Yeah, wouldn't Hogwarts have suited her better?" Canopy chuckled. "From what I've heard of this Sunset Shimmer girl...pony...whatever, she'd *totally** be a Slytherin. Full-stop*."

"Oh, so you're not into unicorns, but you *are** into that ''Arry Potta' mumbo-jumbo*." said Sigma.

"Yes, but only in my spare-ti--shut up**!" snapped Canopy.

"Man, you need to stop readin' tha' kid stuff, and start readin' bettuh stuff, like 'The Lord of'--"

"And *you** need to learn how to shut up, and start to respect other peoples' opinions*!" Canopy yelled back.

"Fine, fine." said Sigma, waving an armored hand. "By the way, have ya seen Craw anywhe'e?"

"Yeah, he's in the vice principal's office, arguing with Captain Umbriel about Sunset Shimmer." said Canopy. "I'm starting to think the sergeant actually *liked** that pony*."

"Yeah, that's wha' *I** was thinkin' too!" agreed Lt. Sigma. "Wouldn't blame him, though. I actually met that pony 'round the time Craw went undacovuh at this school. She seemed like a decent li'l lady. Though, that was before we found out she was a pony.*"

"Wait, you were already here before the rest of us were sent in?" questioned Major Canopy.

"Yeah, I was sent to help the sarge fit in. Ya know, get 'em a nice place to live, and all that. I even took him and Sawnsat Shimmah over to Craw's place, and we all had a nice bite to eat togethuh, as friends."

"I see." nodded Canopy, slowly. "So, how come you didn't stay with him? The way things seem to go between you two, I'd say you and Sergeant Craw are buddies."

"Cap'n Umbriel wanted me back to clean up them Cartel doggies over in Pally." replied Sigma. "Couldn't stay for long. Then Corporal Ghost was sent, 'stead of me."

"Wanna bet Craw's mission would've been better if you stayed with him, instead of having that maniac work with him?" asked Canopy.

"Probably." said Sigma. "But I'm not one to argue with Cap'n Umbriel's orders."

"Well, somebody should speak up every once in a while, don't you think?" asked Canopy. "Not that I have anything against the captain, but it's good to hear input from a third party, don't you think?"

"A real good point, Canopy." said Sigma.

Outside of the Everfree Forest, Ghost materialized out of thin air, the Alicorn Amulet's cord draped around his hoof. He couldn't help but laugh heartily at his triumph.

"Wow, that was just incredible." he said. "Lord Umbriel will be soooo pleased with me."

He tossed the pendant up and down in the air, and caught it with his horn. He grabbed it again, and carefully looked at it.

"You know, I think that I oughta test this thing out." Ghost mumbled. "I wouldn't want to go back to Umbriel to give him a bogus artifact."

He put the Alicorn Amulet around his neck, and he felt a strange sensation in his body. Initially, it seemed very uncomfortable, but then it yielded a more welcoming surge of energy.

"Oh, wow. Umbriel can wait. I've got to do something with this much power!" commented the white Changeling, his red eyes widening. "I've gotta...I've gotta..."

Then he sporadically turned his head at a patch of trees that was separate from the rest of the Everfree Forest, and unleashed a massive concussive blast from his horn. All of the trees in that group were reduced to splinters. Just as quickly as the trees were destroyed, a bluebird flew up to Ghost, chirping angrily and pointing towards one of the broken trees.

"Oh, did I do that?" grimaced the Changeling.

His horn glowed again, and the broken chunks of wood began to cluster together and circle the bird. With a swish of his head, the wood joined together, turning into a wooden cage that trapped the bird.

"There, you have a new home." said Ghost. "Don't expect me to feed you, though."

Then the Changeling made a very obscene sound with his mouth, and teleported away. He found himself in the basement of the Royal Palace of Canterlot. He was now standing in front of the Crystal Mirror. He decided to take a moment to look at his reflection.

"Ghost, you handsome white devil." he snickered, flexing his hooves. "You are really are the..."

"...best freaking thing to ever happen to this place ever." said his voice, except it was coming from...the mirror.

"Um...hi?" said Ghost, blankly knocking on the glass. "Is anybody home?"

"Is somebody out here?" demanded the voice, who sounded began to sound distorted. "Show your face to me, you no-good son of a--"

"I'm right here, buddy-boy." said the Changeling. "There's no need to be violent."

"I don't know who's talking, but why does it sound so much like me?" said the voice in the mirror. "I don't like it one bit. You'd better show your face, before I blast it off!"

"Wow, has it truly come to this?" inquired Ghost, unamused. "Am I seriously being threatened by a mirror?"

"I'm not a mirror, you idiot!" said the voice. "I'm a guy with a gun, and I know how to use it. Now show yourself, or I'll start shooting in every direction."

"Why don't you show yourself, tough-guy?" countered Ghost.

"I *am** showing myself! I couldn't be more out in the open if I tried*!" shouted the voice.

"So am I." said Ghost.

"Then where the heck are you?!" shouted the voice.

"The bigger question, whoever you are, is where are you?"

"I'm in front of Canterlot High School, by the statue." said the voice.

"Are you a Changeling like me, or a pony?"

"I'm a human being, you dumb little sh--"

"Language, sir." said Ghost. "I was simply asking a question. What is your name?"

"What's *your** name*?"

"Ghost."

"Ha! What a stupid liar! You ain't Ghost!"

"Really? And why not?"

"Because that's *me**!" said the human voice. "I'm Corporal Ghost of the Chrysalis Syndicate*."

"But my name is Ghost, too!" insisted the Changeling. "Ghost of the Changeling Empire."

"Wait a minute, I think I just realized something." said Corporal Ghost, whose voice was now coming in clearer. "Where are you?"

"Canterlot Palace." said Ghost the White Changeling.

"That wouldn't happen to be in 'Equestria', would it?"

"Yes, actually." said Ghost. "Come to think of it, 'Chrysalis Syndicate' sounds awfully suspicious. Is Chrysalis the name of your leader?"

"Yep. Supreme Commander Chrysalis is in charge of us over here."

"How interesting. The Changelings over here are led by a Queen Chrysalis. Is there also a Lord Umbriel over there?"

"Captain Umbriel, actually."

"Craw? Sigma? Canopy?"

"Yes, yes, and yes."

"And how about anyone named Celestia and Luna?"

"Yeah. They're the principal and vice principal of this high school the Syndicate is scouring for Sunset Shimmer."

Then Ghost realized that he was speaking to...

"Guess what, Corporal? You and I are counterparts to each other."

"What the heck kind of nonsense is that? First there's that teenage girl that's actually a magical unicorn, and now you're telling me that there's a whole world of magical talking unicorns that are all counterparts to people in this world?!"

"Not all of them are unicorns, corporal." said Ghost. "There's also earth ponies, pegasi, and other magical creatures. The least not being my species, the Changelings."

"And what the heck is a Changeling?"

"We are equine, but with insect-like features. We can fly, use magic, and shapeshift. And by the sound of things, the Chrysalis Syndicate is your world's equivalent of us. Your group is led by a Chrysalis and an Umbriel, just like us."

"But what I don't get is...how the heck am I talking to you, other me?" asked Corporal Ghost's voice.

The equine Ghost tilted his head down, and studied the features of his amulet. He realized that it was glowing ever so slightly.

"I think I have an idea, corporal." he said.

His horn glowed, and a steady white magical projectile shot into the middle of the mirror. The glass shimmered for a moment, and then the human Ghost became visible, standing where the equine Ghost's reflection should be.

"There, now do you see me?" asked Ghost.

"Oh, yeah." said the albino, armored human. "I see it, and I really like it. Kinda surprising, really."

But as quickly as the human Ghost was visible, his image disappeared.

"Hey, what gives?!" shouted Corporal Ghost.

"It looks like I will need to find a way to properly channel the raw power of my amulet to keep the power of the portal at a constant rate." deduced Ghost the White Changeling. "I think I know what Lord Umbriel wants this amulet for now. See you later, human me."

"Ditto here, Equestria me." said Corporal Ghost's voice. "I've got to report this to Captain Umbriel, anyhow. If you see Sunset Shimmer at all, tell her that she's gonna be in very big trouble for wasting Syndicate resources on finding her."

"How badly was it?" asked the Changeling, curiously.

"We've been scouring and patrolling this friggin' high school for weeks now." said the human. "Looks like we're finally gonna be getting somewhere earlier than I thought! Of course, we still need to get into Equestria to do anything about her, apparently. Know anything about how this portal of yours works?"

"I don't know. I only found out about this just now." confessed Ghost the White Changeling. "Maybe Lord Umbriel could tell me more about it! Well, toodles!"

"Don't start tormenting Sunset Shimmer without me!" said Cpl. Ghost.

Then there was complete silence from the Crystal Mirror. After turning his back on it, Ghost took a gander at the Alicorn Amulet wrapped around his neck, and sighed.

"Is there anything this thing can't do?" he snickered. "We'll just have to see!"

Then he looked back at the mirror one last time.

"Geez, that world's Changelings are a military group, but their Celestia and Luna are run-of-the-mill school-teachers? Even a screwball psycho like me can tell the balance between these two worlds was broken somehow. Well, I guess a little unbalance on one side deserves a little more weight on the other; to Lord Umbriel, I shall go."

Then he snickered, and teleported away.

Long Rim

"So, what am I going to do now?" Sunset wondered, looking around the grounds of the mansion. "There's an army of Changelings holed up somewhere, my mother's being held hostage in a place I can't find, my brother's injured, and there's a film crew I have to foal-sit so they can finish their stupid movie."

Suddenly, there was a thunderous shake, and a loud hiss like the piston of an engine.

"What the heck?" Sunset Shimmer looked around, frantically. "I hope that's not what I think it is! Not here! Not now!"

Then there was another shake, which took Sunset a while to recognize as a heavy footfall. Then two more that were close together. There was a noise like raspy breathing coming from under the shadow of the nearby trees. Sunset was on-edge when she saw the heavy dark shape billowing through the tree-line, and the two luminous points of ghastly light at the front. Slowly but surely, the bestial, truck-sized armored form of Long Rim came into clear view. The creature shuffled its large metal claws as it went forth, turning its head left and right like a ravenous predator. After a few more seconds, Sunset was able to decipher the noises it was making:

"Rim...Rim...Rim...Rim..." revved Long Rim, before pausing to face Sunset Shimmer straight on. "Long-long-long-long!"

"Oh, boy." muttered Sunset, whose horn was now glowing.

The beast then charged at the unicorn like a crazed bull, but Sunset was able to teleport away in time, re-materializing right behind Long Rim. The creature, having missed his target, skidded to a halt, and boomed out a horn-like call that echoed throughout the grounds of Daystar Manor. Birds perched high up on the surrounding treetops were all flying away in a panic, cawing restlessly.

"I'm over here, big boy!" said Sunset, loudly.

Long Rim slowly turned around to face the unicorn again. It made various abstract gestures with its head and front claws, and snorted loudly. It seemed to be challenging Sunset, who was already prepared for him. She fired a series of bluish-green blast waves from her horn, which knocked the beast onto its back.

The front doors of the manor swung open, and Radiant Dawn came charging out to investigate the source of the loud noise. He stopped in his tracks when he saw the creature laying in front of his sister.

"Wow..." he said, astonished. "I remember that thing. That's...that's..."

"Red, stay back!" said Sunset. "This thing's too dangerous for somepony in your condition to fight."

"Rim...Rim! Rim-rim-rim!" Long Rim blared hastily as it tried to get back up. "Long! LLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOONNNNNNGGGG!"

"What are you doing here?" asked Sunset. "Why are you lurking around my home? Did you come to kill us? Where is Umbriel's lair?"

"There's no point, Sunny." said Radiant Dawn. "I don't think that thing even knows how to speak."

"It doesn't need to." said Sunset Shimmer. "I have a way of making this overgrown Pocket Monster listen to me."

Sunset's horn and eyes glowed, and she spoke with a distorted voice.

"Long Rim, hear my words!" boomed Sunset. "Take us to the lair of Lord Umbriel, or you will perish!"

Long Rim slowly rolled over, and stood up with a hesitant stretch. The creature lowered itself for the two unicorns to climb onto its back. It promptly charged into the forest, even as the front doors to the mansion opened up, and members of Quick Shot's crew saw Long Rim disappear into the darkness. After a while, Long Rim stopped, and grunted for the Sun Siblings to climb off. Sunset Shimmer was able to climb off almost immediately, but it took some effort for Radiant to get off, since he was still sore from yesterday.

"Okay, why in Tartarus did you stop here?" demanded the elder sibling, as he looked around.

Then there was a loud buzzing noise in the treetops. A noise that was painfully familiar to both of the unicorns. Sunset looked up, and saw at least thirty Changelings hovering above.

"Oy, now...look 'oo we 'ave ovah he'!" said Sigma, who dropped to the ground first. "Looks like a certain pair o' unicorns are looking for their mummy! Good boy, Long Rim, bringing 'em ovah to us!"

"Yes, good for them." said Canopy, in a deadpan tone.

"Great...just great." growled Radiant in a frustrated tone.

"Red, no." dismissed Sunset. "You're in no condition to fight. Just trust me on this."

"Okay, Sunny." said Radiant, who then turned to Sigma and Canopy. "I'll surrender...for now."

"Ditto here." added Sunset Shimmer. "Just take us to your lair."

"Well, that won't be a problem." said Sigma. "Canopy, could ya do that spell on 'em?"

"Right away." said Canopy, whose horn was glowing.

Radiant felt his eyes black out, and gradually fell asleep. His sister followed suit. Eventually, they both woke up in a dark cell in an even darker cavernous complex. They were Changelings standing guard outside the door, both pointing their glowing horns threateningly at Radiant and Sunset.

"Don't worry, Red." whispered Sunset. "I got this covered."

Sunset's horn glowed and she teleported out of the room, right behind the Changeling jailors. She made a break away from them, and turned the corner just before they could see where she went. She galloped swiftly through the hallways, looking through every cell door she found. It was an even worse experience than the chases she had in Princess Cadence's crystal palace. At least there, she had some sense of where she was going, she wouldn't have been punished as badly if she were caught, and she didn't have to stop every ten seconds to search for what she wanted, further risking being caught by guards.

After looking into what seemed to be the twentieth cell, Sunset Shimmer suddenly found herself colliding with a large figure. A figure that was making loud sucking noises with a device attached to his mouth and jaw.

"So, you've finally found your way here." said General Synthe, in a dull drone.

Before Sunset could react, Synthe seized her neck with impressive speed, and put her in a stranglehold.

"Tell me, my little pony." he said, with an irritated tone in his voice. "Tell me why I haven't snapped your neck yet?"

"Be-because..." choked Sunset. "I'm probably the only hope you have of full recovery, right?"

"Wrong." said Synthe. "I have many alternatives. You're just one option."

"But Umbriel won't let you go out and find an alternative, now will he?" retorted Sunset.

This comment angered Synthe, whose hooves tightened around the unicorn's neck.

"Do you really want to make that risk, though..." gasped Sunset, breathlessly. "...Craw?"

The Changeling general began to cough loudly. He was taken by complete surprise, and even dropped Sunset Shimmer to the ground again. He took a second to look around for any other Changelings that might overhear them, and bent his long neck down to whisper.

"How do you know my real name? Nopony's supposed to know!" he demanded, in a quiet baritone voice.

Sunset Shimmer kept silent, but grinned at Synthe. The voice that Synthe had just spoken with was almost identical to the human Craw's, albeit slightly distorted and deepened.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" questioned General Synthe.

He couldn't help but shudder slightly. This unicorn that he attempted to strangle moments ago was now looking at him as though she had just...

"No, that can't be the case." thought Synthe. "She's just smirking at me, that smug little--"

"Don't worry, Synthe." said Sunset, who slowly approached the Changeling general. "Your secret's safe with me."

Since Sunset Shimmer appeared to have an honest look in her eyes, Synthe decided to attempt speaking to her in a friendlier manner.

"Why is it with you...at all?" questioned Synthe.

"I'll explain later." said Sunset. "I'll surrender to you now. But only if you promise to do two things for me."

Though he truly didn't care either way, Synthe decided to at least humor what this unicorn would say.

"Very well, Miss Shimmer." he said, grinning through his scars. "What would you like?"

"First, I would like to see my mother sometime." said Sunset. "I know she's here."

"And what is the other?" questioned Synthe.

"I'd like to spend some...quality time with you." said Sunset, with another grin on her face. "I know that you're just aching to ask me some questions."

"Captain, you have no idea how important it is that *I** am the one that finds Sunset Shimmer*." said Sergeant Craw, pacing around the vice principal's office.

"Then tell me *why** it is important, sergeant*." said Captain Umbriel.

"I shouldn't even *have** to!" said Craw. "I shouldn't even be having this conversation with you! I should be having it with the supreme commander. She's the one that gave me the mission to begin with, not you*!"

"And yet, here I am." said Umbriel, flatly. "Because your mission was compromised by your recklessness."

"How...dare* you*?!" growled Sergeant Craw, whose mask emitted static from the feedback.

"Oh, do not attempt to deny it, sergeant." said the captain. "You and I both know that you wouldn't have needed me and the Umbriel Corps. to be here if you carried out your mission as intended."

"But...I *did***!" said Craw, hesitantly.

"If I remember correctly, Corporal Ghost told me you wanted to kill Sunset Shimmer, after you received a message from one of my men about her...equine genetics."

"I can certainly say I overreacted." nodded Craw.

"...Even though the mission my sister gave to you was to ensure that Sunset Shimmer was kept alive and unharmed until she gave you the information we needed regarding the Fall Formal incident. And did you get all of the information you required?"

"Well..."

"No, you didn't!" Captain Umbriel suddenly shouted out. "If you did, you would have already been back with us as soon as your mission was accomplished. And if it was accomplished properly, you would've been done long before you even got that call from us! But no, you had to pace yourself so that you could have your little play-dates with that horse!"

"If by properly, you mean drug and/or interrogate her..." said Sergeant Craw. "Listen to me, captain. You don't know what she was like! She was going through serious depression when I met her! I wanted to go easy on her, and it worked! I practically had her eating out of the palm of my hands when--"

"Sergeant, you are a moron." said Captain Umbriel. "First, you go in too deep and practically go native with this town, then when we send you legitimate intel, you blow your own cover, and have Corporal Ghost--"

"Oh, stop talking about your little teacher's pet!" snapped Sergeant Craw. "If anything, that psychopath nearly blew *our cover! He was on the verge of murdering Sunset Shimmer in front of three police officers, who he then proceeded to pick a fight with! I wouldn't have really done that! I wouldn't have done anything like that! I was just in the middle of a freak-out, but still wanted to stay true to the mission. Why did you even assign that maniac as my partner, anyway? He didn't even follow my orders not to harm Sunset, and just beat her to a pulp! Why couldn't you have had Sigma or Canopy be my partner, instead of that no-good jackwagon?! At least they would know better than to do anything that would send the cops after them!*"

"I have my reasons, Craw." said Umbriel, dully. "Lieutenant Sigma and Major Canopy are valuable soldiers that I cannot just let go to waste in some backwater town like Canterbury, unless I were leading the operation, myself."

"I didn't even want you to come here at all!" said Craw. "When I called for back-up, I wanted Supreme Commander Chrysalis to send soldiers from the lesser divisions here! Nothing big! Nothing serious! Just some people that could cover more ground here in town! And yet, you and your friggin' Umbriel Corps. charge in here like a S.W.A.T. team, and..."

There was a knock on the door, and Corporal Ghost hastily rushed inside to give a salute to Captain Umbriel.

"Sir, I just discovered something very, very interesting." he said, grinning wickedly under his skull-like ballistic mask.

The Two Umbriels

"Ghost, I trust that you acquired the Alicorn Amulet?" questioned Lord Umbriel, seconds after his subordinate teleported into his cell.

"Yes, my lord." nodded Ghost. "But that's not all I found."

"I trust that this news involves the whereabouts of Sunset Shimmer?" asked Captain Umbriel.

"It sure does." confirmed Corporal Ghost. "I can confirm that not only is she not in Canterbury,..."

"No...he can't have found out about it!" thought Sergeant Craw, dismayed.

"But she's not even in this world any longer!" said Ghost.

"Whatever do you mean, corporal?"

Corporal Ghost told Captain Umbriel about the portal, and his interactions with his Equestria counterpart.

"It really adds up, I must say." said Corporal Ghost. "I can't believe it took so long to find out where she went. The answer was right there in front of me, and I didn't even realize it."

"And if everyone in this world hypothetically has a counterpart in Equestria, then that would explain why Sunset Shimmer and Susan Shelby were so identical to each other in appearance." commented Captain Umbriel. "And just think: Our counterparts there have an entire empire to themselves, and have the combined traits of two of the three major types of pony, plus a shape-shifting ability."

"How intriguing a concept." said Lord Umbriel to Ghost, once he finished explaining his discovery regarding the Crystal Mirror. "I must meet my own counterpart at once. Ghost, teleport me into that room where you found the mirror."

"Yes, my lord." said Ghost, whose horn was glowing.

The two were warped into the basement, and right in front of the mirror. Ghost walked up to the mirror, and the Alicorn Amulet began to glow again.

Captain Umbriel marched out of Canterlot High, and stood in front of the horse statue. He knelt over, and tapped the base of the statue. Nothing happened.

"Is anyone in there?" he spoke aloud, in a calm voice.

There was no response. Corporal Ghost had told him exactly which side of the statue he saw his counterpart through. After a while, the captain grew impatient, and slowly turned back to the school while cursing under his breath.

"Does anyone hear me over there?!" called Ghost's voice.

"Corporal, I am in no mood for this right now." said Captain Umbriel, looking around.

But the corporal was nowhere in sight. Umbriel looked at the base of the statue again, and slowly approached it. Brandishing his sidearm, he knelt over again and spoke.

"I hear you." he said.

"Likewise, captain." said a voice identical to his own, albeit layered. "And well met, I daresay."

"So, my corporal was correct, after all." said Captain Umbriel. "Might I assume that you may be."

"Lord Umbriel, junior regent of the Changeling Empire, at your service." said the voice, haughtily.

"And *Captain** Umbriel, of the Chrysalis Syndicate, at yours. However, I cannot stress enough how glad I would be if I can truly see you*."

Suddenly, the base of the statue began to shimmer, and produced an image in the gray stone as though it were a television screen. Surely enough, he could see two horse-like creatures standing in what looked like a chamber in a castle. The bigger of the two was standing squarely across from where the captain stood on his own side of the portal. Like the captain himself, he was very muscular, had a short, wild turquoise hairstyle, green eyes with red pupils, and a strong chin. Lord Umbriel's body was jet-black, and wore a ribbed green saddle-like garment that vaguely resembled the torso covering of Captain Umbriel's own custom-made Dragonfly armor in both shape and color.

"I...you* look...marvelous*." said the captain.

"As do you, captain." said the lord.

Captain Umbriel extended his hand towards the base of the statue, as if to reach for his counterpart. But his armored fingers clinked against the transparent stone surface.

"It seems the portal still is not open, despite my best efforts." said Lord Umbriel. "But I at least have made it possible for us to see each other. This should be enough for you and I to conduct business. I have been informed that one Sunset Shimmer has crossed over into your world through this very portal."

"Oh, yes indeed." nodded Captain Umbriel. "I have had my troops scouring Canterlot High, the building right behind me, for weeks looking for her. But now my corporal tells me that she crossed through it back to your side."

"She most certainly has." said Lord Umbriel. "And I've never encountered a unicorn anywhere as amusing as her."

"Sunset Shimmer has been an object of interest among the members of my organization for nearly two months now." commented the captain. "I just came over here from an argument about her with Sergeant Craw."

"Ah, so your organization has a Craw of its own?" asked the lord, curiously.

"That's an affirmative, your lordship." said the human Umbriel. "And does he have a counterpart over in Equestria, as well?"

"Oh, most definitely." said the equine Umbriel. "And I can say that he has been quite the handful for the past year or so. He is a good soldier, even if.."

"He has..." added Captain Umbriel.

"A knack for..." continued Lord Umbriel.

"Being an ungrateful prat." said the two Umbriels at once, who then guffawed in perfect synchronization with each other.

"This is truly an interesting experience for me, captain." said Lord Umbriel.

"And for me, your lordship." concurred Captain Umbriel. "But for a moment, I would certainly like to take this moment to know each other a little more."

"Then ask away." said Lord Umbriel.

"I was informed by my corporal that you and my sister's counterpart are members of a royal family in Equestria."

"Ah, of course." verified his counterpart. "The Changeling Royal Family has truly had its ups and downs in the past few generations, but I am proud to call my sister my true and proper leader and a rightful queen amongst the Changeling Empire."

"And if my sister's counterpart is a queen, does that make *you***..."

"A prince? Technically, yes. But I have recently been endowed with this extraordinary physique you see before you. And so, I was able to consider myself a lord. Before that, I was known as..."

"Embryo?" finished the captain.

"Were you once like that, too?"

"Yes, but I would like to hear how you came to be known as Umbriel."

"Very well." said Lord Umbriel. "Before I went by the name of 'Umbriel' I was a diminutive Changeling prince by the name of Embryo. I was small, scrawny, and pathetic to look at. But my brilliant tactical mind won over my peers and subjects, even just a little. Then the oh-so generous unicorn King Sombra cured me of my stunted growth with his magnificent powers."

"Much like how *Foreman** Sombra funded the bio-experiment that made me the Herculean super-soldier you see before you." the captain flexed one of his arms. "To think It was just a month ago, when I was last known as Intelligence Officer Embryo. Here I am now, leading*--"

Then he remembered the importance of this moment, and couldn't waste time.

"Lord, how does that portal function?" questioned the captain.

"I really don't know?" said Lord Umbriel, flatly. "But perhaps we can figure it out. When was Sunset Shimmer last seen by your men?"

"It couldn't have been more than two or three weeks ago." answered Captain Umbriel. "I can guarantee, though, that it was thirty days after the incident that drew us to the school to begin with."

"And what incident would that be?" asked Lord Umbriel.

Then the captain fell silent.

"Excuse me." he said to his counterpart. "I have to contact my sister about this. Farewell, my counterpart."

"But...wait!" Lord Umbriel called after him.

But it was too late; Captain Umbriel was already out of earshot.

"Ghost...seal the viewport." grumbled the Changeling to his subordinate.

"Yes, my lord." said the albino Changeling, speaking for the first time in nearly ten minutes.

Ghost stepped away from the Crystal Mirror, the Alicorn Amulet stopped glowing and the faint image of Canterlot High disappeared from the enchanted glass.

"Well, what did you think?" he asked his master, curiously.

"Yes, that was indeed most intriguing." said Umbriel. "I don't know, though, if I can completely trust my human counterpart. It is certainly suspicious that he would just leave like that, before making clear his intentions. But of course, I do notice the irony in my suspicions; I would have done the same, were I able to contact my own sister under the present circumstances."

"Should I teleport out of here and tell Queen Chrysalis that you are in danger?" offered Ghost.

"No, that won't at all be necessary." dismissed Lord Umbriel. "I already have my own ways to salvage myself from this scenario, should I be compromised. Though I think we should return to my prison cell. We wouldn't want the guards to discover I have gone missing, now would we?"

"Sir, are you certain that would be a wise decision?" asked Ghost. "After all, we now have the Alicorn Amulet, and I could merely teleport you and myself straight out of the city at a moment's notice!"

"I perfectly understand what I am doing, my Albinistic cohort." said Umbriel. "Now teleport me into the cell!"

"As you wish, sir." said Ghost.

In a flash of light, Umbriel found himself once again in his prison cell....to find the door was opened, and Princess Luna and a trio of night guards standing immediately in front of him.

"You know, Umbriel...." scoffed Princess Luna, whose eyes narrowed. "If you desired a tour of the palace, I would have been more than happy to arrange one for you."

"Puh-lease, at these prices?" snarked Lord Umbriel, looking at the guards that were now encircling him. "It just wouldn't have been worth the trouble. Besides, I have a knack for thinking outside the box!"

"I see that a simple prison cell will not be enough to keep you at bay, Umbriel." said Luna. "This has called for something much more efficient. Come with me, and my sister will give you a more suitable place to stay. One that will almost certainly--"

But the Changeling lord guffawed sinisterly.

"You know, princess, I don't think you understand how much of a threat I am to your subjects." said Umbriel, now wearing his usual pompous grin. "I suspect you think I am nothing more than a bully that has nothing better to do than torment those weaker than me, because I am simply too cowardly to do anything against legitimate authority figures of the royal variety."

Umbriel opened up his four dragonfly wings, breaking the chains that held them in place.

"But nope." he sighed. "That's not the case at all. What I was doing was biding my time, waiting for the ideal moment to exact the next part of my plan."

"Umbriel, what are you talking about?!" demanded Luna, whose horn was now glowing.

"Now, just so that you are never again confused at the absolute extent of my power...." Umbriel taunted. "I will be more than happy to clarify it to you!"

He bent himself forwards, and blasted a wave of energy that knocked back the guards around him like bowling pins, before launching himself straight at Princess Luna herself. The night princess was taken by such surprise that she was unable to anticipate the possibility of a physical attack until the muscle-bound Changeling had thrust her out of the cell and into the corridor outside.

"Be ready to face the awesome power of the Changeling Empire, as you have never experienced it before!" Umbriel growled into Luna's ear.

Then the alicorn princess retaliated by blasting the Changeling lord with a magical projectile. But Umbriel only hovered back, and dropped back down to the ground. He laughed in a sinister manner.

"Here it is now, The moment I have anticipated ever since I was cured of my condition:" he spoke proudly. "When I, the younger ruler of the Changeling Empire, should do battle with you, the younger ruler of Equestria."

"Then bring it!" boomed Princess Luna, in her Royal Canterlot voice.

The Courtship of General Synthe

Sunset Shimmer was led into a chamber that could suffice as a dining hall. There were various dinner plates lined up on the tables, that General Synthe had the servants prepare for his guest.

"Well. I can't say that you don't have manners, general." said Sunset.

"Oh, it is no problem at all, my dear." said Synthe, when the two were seated next to each other. "So...would you like anything in particular?"

He began to inhale hard from his breathing-device.

"Well, I would sure like to talk to my mother." said Sunset.

"It can wait." said Synthe. "Just tell me what you want to eat while we talk. I have quite a selection from our inventory."

"Okay." said Sunset Shimmer. "How about a glass of strawberry lemonade, and a lettuce-and-tomato sandwich?"

"No bacon?" asked Synthe.

"I'm a vegetarian." said Sunset, flatly.

"Right." said the Changeling general. "I didn't think you ponies liked eating meat, anyhow. Sigma, get her that food!"

"Yes, sir! It'll all be good 'n done, 'en!" said Sigma, who flew away.

After a few minutes, he came back with a platter. He served the food to Sunset, who quickly guzzled her meal down.

"Why does he talk like that, anyway?" asked Sunset.

"Well, he apparently had some brain damage a few years ago." said Synthe.

"Ouch. Sounds pretty bad." said Sunset.

"Apparently, it happened when he was scoping out Trottingham, when he was impersonating a local there. Apparently, he really liked the accent." said Synthe. "Or maybe it was in Manehatten. I don't know, I wasn't even with Lord Umbriel when that happened."

"Funny, he sounds exactly like this one guy I knew in the human world." said Sunset. "His name was Ziggy."

"'Ziggy', huh?" asked General Synthe. "Well, that happens to be Sigma's nickname. And what occupation did he assume?"

"Well, he was a friend of your counterpart in the human world." said Sunset. "And seemed like a very nice guy."

"So, you say I have a counterpart in this other world?" asked Synthe. "And tell me what he is like."

"Oh, boy. Where to begin..." hesitated Sunset Shimmer. "Well, he seemed like a cool guy, too, when I first met him. A little stalker-ish, maybe. But still, he seemed like a gentle, caring guy. Almost reminded me of my brother. He was comforting, and sweet, and--"

"Yes, I bet he was very special." said Synthe, flatly.

"But as it turns out, he's actually a terrorist, and he had a man try and kill me when he found out that I was a pony!"

"Well, that is...certainly unfortunate." said Synthe. "But it sounds very personal."

"He was my boyfriend." said Sunset.

Synthe began to choke.

"You...dated my counterpart?" asked Synthe.

"Well, he was very close to my age." said Sunset.

"Can't say the same about me, though." said Synthe. "I'm even older than Queen Chrysalis herself. So forgive me if you don't like older men."

"How much older, Craw?" asked Sunset. "I mean, I'm twenty years old. It should matter too much for me."

"Well, I was in my late teens when I first joined the Changeling Royal Guard." said Synthe. "And that was when Queen Chrysalis was still a young princess. You know, I never got that with you ponyfolk; Why is it that you have so many princes and princesses, but no kings or queens? I mean, the only pony off the top of my head that actually called himself King was Sombra of the Crystal Empire, and he was a tyrant."

"Because there are so many princes and princesses out there now--alicorn or otherwise--that can just as easily claim to rule Equestria, that it wouldn't be fair to single any of them out as a monarch or regent or whatever." explained Sunset Shimmer. "It's just a shame I never really got to be one of them."

"Unlike me." said Synthe. "I actually got to be named King of the Changelings. At least for a while."

Then he growled in frustration.

"But then that accursed alien took it all away from me!" he continued, bitterly.

"At least you got to be a ruler at all!" said Sunset. "I only got the power to be a princess for not even five minutes, before Twilight Sparkle and her buddies pulled the plug on me with their Elements of Harmony."

"The Elements of Harmony, huh?" repeated Synthe von Craw III. "You know, I tried stealing the power of the Elements myself."

"How'd that go?" asked Sunset. "Did they turn you into a psychotic fiery creature, too?"

"I didn't even get the chance to wrest their power from their bearers." said Synthe. "But I did manage to take the six ponies captive."

"Really? All six of them?" commented Sunset. "That's quite the accomplishment, if I do say myself."

"True, it wasn't too difficult for me." said General Synthe. "Although Rainbow Dash was something of a handful."

"Oh, tell me about it." said Sunset. "I've known the human counterparts of Twilight's friends for years. I even managed to dismantle their friendships for a while, before Twilight herself showed up to set them straight and brought them all back together to turn the tables on me."

"And I was doing alright, myself." said Synthe. "Before Queen Chrysalis summoned that alien champion to break me apart, and end my rightful rule. And I was so close to permanently beating that useless witch of a queen to the curb. Not even her little brother, Prince Embryo, could've done anything about it."

"I'd say we're quite the pair, you and I." commented Sunset.

"If you're trying to group me with yourself, then don't." spat the Changeling general, frustrated. "You and I are very different. We are two separate islands in two separate oceans. I don't know what the relationship is between my human self and you, but it wouldn't be the same at all between the two of us!"

He sighed quietly.

"Though, I do like to toy with this idea:" he added. "If we met a couple of years ago, perhaps around the time you first decided to overthrow Princess Celestia, I think you and I could've made for great partners."

"Well, I didn't really want to overthrow Princess Celestia." said Sunset. "I just wanted to be a Princess just like her, and was frustrated that she didn't make me one. She said I wasn't ready yet. I wanted to prove her wrong."

"...By going to a world where you would be unable to use magic." said Synthe. "...When you could've just as easily gone out to find some magical artifact that could give you the power you required."

"Well, I didn't know that going through the Crystal Mirror would render me unable to use magic!" said Sunset. "In fact, I didn't even know what kind of world was on the other side of that mirror until I already crossed over! I thought that the mirror was some magical artifact that could give me the power I needed to become a princess. In a way, it did. A princess at a high school dance, sure, but a princess nonetheless."

Then General Synthe guffawed.

"How cute." he chuckled. "And yet, so pathetic at the same time."

"Well, what else was I supposed to do, go back to Princess Celestia and be punished?" asked Sunset. "Of course, I do realize in hindsight that it wouldn't have been as bad as I thought!"

"It is still laughable that you would choose to stay somewhere while denying yourself an ability you were born with!" said Synthe.

"Hey, you can't really use magic right now, yourself." said Sunset, sticking her tongue out in mockery. "At least I could potentially go back to Equestria and use it again. You can't use magic at all, because your horn's broken! So there!"

"How dare you mock me?!" growled Synthe. "Yes, you can use magic but I can't! Yes, I was closer to achieving my goals then you were. But it doesn't really matter to me. All I know is that my life has been one of absolute misery right now."

Sunset stopped grinning, and put on a straight face.

"Your rulers may be forgiving, and have given you a chance to redeem yourself." the Changeling ranted on. "And they may have welcomed you back with open arms...but I can't even think about saying the same for myself! I mean, just look at me! I'm barely recognizable as what I once was! And Umbriel keeps me on such a short leash as it is! He's done nothing to make sure I get better than I already was, he's forced me to watch over his ensemble of misfits and outcasts--would you believe even Changelings have them?!-- and he's blackmailing me to make sure things stay that way! If Queen Chrysalis found out who I really was, I would be deader than dead!"

"But why did you even agree to live as you do now?" asked Sunset. "Surely, you'd think dying with dignity would be better than living as Umbriel's chew-toy! I saw how he treated you in Fillydelphia! He does not look like an understanding or benevolent ruler."

Then General Synthe bowed his head.

"Because I am afraid to die." said Synthe. "I nearly did so once, but I couldn't bring myself to come close to that experience ever again."

He turned his face to look into Sunset Shimmer's eyes. Tears began to stream down the exposed, scarred half of his face.

"There you go, unicorn." he sniffled. "If you've ever wanted to see a Changeling cry, here you go! Go ahead and mock me! Kick me while I'm down! I don't care! I'd still welcome it over death!"

He began to moan sadly, laying his head down on the table. He even seemed to be sobbing a little.

"Craw, what's the matter?" Sunset asked, in a friendly tone.

"Why would you care, pony?" asked Synthe. "My gripes don't concern yours. And if you're wondering, I'm not crying because of remorse or pity. Changelings don't feel such things! If we did, we wouldn't even need to steal the love of others to feed us!"

"Then why are you crying?" asked Sunset.

"Fear, my little pony." said Synthe. "Fear. I'm afraid to die."

"Why, though?" asked Sunset. "I'm not gonna kill you!"

"No, but I've already said too much as it is, without even getting all the information I wanted." said Synthe. "Any number of Changelings will have overheard us! And if Lord Umbriel finds out about this, he may tell Queen Chrysalis about me! And that happens, I know for sure that I won't be forgiven! I'm afraid to die! I can't believe I'm admitting it to a pony, but I'm afraid. Very, very afraid!"

Synthe sobbed more audibly. Sunset felt her own eyes shaking, and she placed a hoof on Synthe's scarred back.

"Shhh, it's going to be okay, Craw." said Sunset. "Please, pull yourself together."

"I would if I could, unicorn." said Synthe, steadily. "But I can't, now can I?"

"Just, you know, ease up!" said Sunset. "I may not have known too much about what you were like before you turned against Queen Chrysalis, but I'm sure you were a lot more dignified than this!"

"I was, yes." nodded Synthe. "But those days are long since over! If I even tried to act like I did before, I would be as good as dead. Don't try to sympathize with me, Sunset Shimmer. I don't deserve it!"

"You might be or able to--or want to--like me, but why can't I feel sorry for you?" asked Sunset.

"Because I'm a Changeling!" said Synthe. "I feed off positive emotions of others! It's what we're known to do! If you tried anything with me, it would only do more harm than good to you!"

"Ah-ha!" exclaimed Sunset Shimmer. "So if you don't want anything like that to happen to me, then you must care about me, even a little!"

"Don't push it, pony!" said General Synthe.

"Just admit it, will you?" asked Sunset.

"Fine, fine." said the Changeling. "I'll admit it. I do harbor some kind of...concern...for you."

Sunset couldn't help but blush a little.

"But not like that, Sunset Shimmer." said Synthe. "In fact, if I were at my physical peak, we wouldn't even be having this conversation at all!"

"And yet, here the two of us are!" retorted Sunset. "So we'd might as well keep talking with each other!"

"No, we will not." said Synthe. "In a minute, I will have you escorted to the nearest holding-cell."

"C'mon, honey!" said Sunset, nudging against the Changeling. "Don't be like this! You've clearly got a lot on your mind! And it's very unhealthy to keep it all bottled up!"

"That's a good point, which I'll admit." said Synthe.

"Now, I would really like it if we were more honest with ourselves." said Sunset. "I'd like to see your whole face, in its entirety. Craw, how long can you go without that mask on?"

"A few minutes." said Synthe, as he unclasped his mask.

When the covering was removed, he shuddered slightly. Sunset expected to see a large amount of scarred tissue on his face, but to her surprise, there were less disfigured features on that side than they were on the exposed side. This made Sunset not only comfortable to be able to look into the eyes without being distracted by his scars, but his face bore an uncanny resemblance to the human Craw's, albeit in a darker, equine shape.

Sunset couldn't help but nuzzle against her human boyfriend's equine counterpart. There were even a couple of tears streaming down from her bright green eyes, but she didn't care if Synthe noticed them or not. But Synthe just stood there. completely still like a statue. Gradually, Synthe began to breath at a normal rate. He even felt more strength in his vital organs, particularly the stomach and lungs. Reluctantly, he clasped one of his plated hooves around Sunset's back, and looked down at her with a grin on his face.

"Don't fret, my little pony..." thought Synthe von Craw III, in a calculating tone. "I actually like this as much as you do. Just...not in the way you might imagine."

Princess Luna vs. Lord Umbriel

The royal palace shook as Princess Luna and Lord Umbriel unleashed beams of energy from their horns towards each other. In spite of Luna's efforts, Umbriel would not budge. He remained hovering in the air, unfazed as he concentrated his energy against his opponent. Eventually, they were both overcome with fatigue and simultaneously ceased to produce magic from their horn.

"Most...impressive!" panted Princess Luna. "I have not gotten a good fight out of another magic user in such a long time."

"Obviously, you don't fight Changelings that often!" stated Umbriel in response. "At least, not those of royal blood!"

"It does not matter!" said Luna. "I can still defeat you, all the same!"

"Then let's go on and see if you are right!"

Umbriel prepared to blast Luna again with a magical beam, while Princess Luna fired another of her own. The beams collided, then splintered apart. Lord Umbriel beat his wings very quickly, and smashed into Luna's body. But this time, Princess Luna took his weight and pushed him back against a wall. Then she fired a blast of magic at him, causing him to slide to the ground in a crumpled heap. The Changeling groaned, then shook his head. He rolled over, and hovered in the air again.

"But...but...that was supposed to put you in stasis!" said Luna.

"Well, unfortunately for you..." said Umbriel. "I am resistant to such spells."

"How?"

"Royal Changelings are very resistant to such spells. How do you think we were so good at capturing others? Lying and trickery aside, mind you."

"Enough! Obviously, we won't get anywhere by simply using our magical skills!" said Princess Luna.

"Then shall we meet our ends by brute force?" asked Lord Umbriel.

"You're on!"

Princess Luna beat her wings, and tackled Lord Umbriel in mid-air. The two began wrestling throughout the corridor. As they went, they knocked over several statues and decorations in the corridors their fight traveled through. Eventually, Umbriel blasted a hole in the wall and the struggle spilled out into the city. The two grappled each other, and they dropped down to the streets. Umbriel seized Luna by the chest, and turned her around, so that she was looking away from him.

He started to squeeze her ribs, despite Luna's efforts to break free. But Luna's bones were very strong, no doubt an attribute of her earth pony-like strength, and wouldn't break apart. But Luna wasn't strong enough to completely break free of Umbriel's thick hooves. Umbriel intertwined his back legs around Luna's so that all four of her limbs were locked in place. Luna tried to push Umbriel back, but Umbriel countered each attempt with an attempt of his own to ram his pelvis into her lower back. The two grunted and growled together in sequence with their grappling and struggling.

"No need...to struggle, princess." said Umbriel, half-grunting. "Why bother fighting? We...all go through...with this...sooner or later!"

"What do you plan to do now, Umbriel?" asked Luna, breathlessly. "You're out of the palace. Why don't you just leave now?"

"Oh, so you're not concerned for your student's safety?" asked Umbriel. "Did you forget that she and her pathetic gaggle of friends are at the mercy of my soldiers?"

"That may be..." said Luna. "But I have--ah!--confidence in Sunset Shimmer--ugh!--that she will...succeed in her mission. The least I can do is make sure you don't cause any further harm to Equestria! If you will not leave now, then you must pay for your crimes!"

"Oh, stow it." said Umbriel. "Either try fighting me, or I will destroy you."

Luna's horn emitted a bright flash of light that temporarily blinded Umbriel, allowing her to break free. The alicorn and Changeling unleashed another barrage of offensive spells at each other as they flew towards each other. They came up close to each other, pressing their front hooves into each other. Even though Umbriel's legs were considerably thicker and stronger than Luna's, the princess was still able to hold her own against her adversary.

"Impressive." grunted Lord Umbriel. "So those books were accurate, after all. Alicorns do possess the super-strength of an earth pony!"

"Art thou daunted?!"

"Not at all!" said Umbriel. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm very strong, myself! I, Lord Umbriel of the House of Thorax* and the second-in-line to the Changeling throne, am not one to be taken lightly...ever!"

And then the two exchanged several swift blows with each other, but were unable to deal any considerable damage to the other. Eventually, at least forty guards from both shifts had circled the opponents, maintaining a solid perimeter of unicorns and pegasi.

"Give it up now, Umbriel!" said Luna. "There is no hope for you to escape."

"What did I just finish telling you?!" growled Umbriel. "If you are going to insult my skills further, then you leave me no choice!"

He raised his head, and a blast wave knocked all of the guards backwards. In the confusion, Umbriel zipped back through the air, and landed straight in front of a crowd of civilians that had gathered over the last couple minutes.

"One last chance, Umbriel." said Luna. "Surrender now, or die. You are all alone here!"

"I think not!" said the Changeling lord. "You see, one will find that we Changelings are--and forgive me if I am using a borrowed phrase--more than meets the eye."

Just like that, the crowd of ponies behind him became a bright green inferno, and by the time the fires cleared, everypony in that crowd was replaced by a Changeling. And there were many of them, at least fifty or sixty. And standing tall and proudly at their head was--

"Ah, sister!" said Lord Umbriel. "It is good to see you again! But really, this was wholly unnecessary."

"On the contrary, brother..." said Queen Chrysalis, who slowly trotted up to Umbriel. "I do believe that you are embarrassing our empire!"

"Perhaps, perhaps." said Umbriel, who casually strode to join his elder sister. "But if I do remember correctly, you were okay with this!"

"Perhaps at first, but now is the time to pack up your toys and come back home with us." said Chrysalis.

"Really?" asked the younger regent. "For what occasion, may I ask?"

"A Changeling royal summit." said Chrysalis. "Your lap-dog Ghost told me something very interesting."

"Oh, really?" asked Umbriel, before turning to Luna. "Sorry, sweetheart. You and I will have to cut this session short."

"You shall not go anywhere, you vile monstrosity!" snapped Princess Luna.

"Oh, I beg to differ." said Lord Umbriel.

"You wouldn't risk breaking your truce with my empire just yet, princess!" added Queen Chrysalis. "Not without your older sister's consent!"

Princess Celestia flew down from the palace, flanked by a squad of pegasus guards.

"Let them go, sister." she said, reluctantly. "As long as they do not perform any more crimes against Equestria, we have no quarrel with them...for now."

"But sister, Umbriel would be free to harm Sunset Shimmer even further!" said Luna.

"Oh, so that's what all this trouble is about?" asked Chrysalis. "Well, I am going to have a long talk with my brother when we get back to my lair. Come, brother!"

"Yes, sister." Umbriel bowed his head proudly. "Let us leave this place."

Then the two Changeling regents took off into the air, and the drones around them either teleported away, or took off into the sky after their leaders. Once the Changelings all left, Luna turned to face Celestia.

"Sister, what is the meaning of this?" she asked. "Why did you let them all just leave?"

"Because Queen Chrysalis may be the only one able to keep Lord Umbriel in line." said Celestia. "And we do indeed have a truce with the Changelings at this time, and I would not risk breaking it here and now."

"I understand, sister." said Princess Luna. "But still, we must send more guards to help Sunset Shimmer in Vanhoover."

"That, we shall." said Celestia. "And I will take the liberty of sending my own guards, too. After all, Sunset was my student, too."

"Okay, does this look like that cave you two found?" Trixie asked Nose Nip and Frosty.

"Yep, it sure does." said Nose Nip, inspecting the tunnel the four ponies reached.

"So, who goes in first?" asked Pressure Point.

Trixie shot a look at her cousin.

"Hey, don't look at me!" scoffed Pressure Point. "I didn't sign up for something like this!"

"You didn't sign up at all, Pressure." said Trixie. "Now get your Ph.D ridden flank into that cave!"

"Blast it, Trixie! I'm a doctor, not a spelunker! Frosty, why don't you go in first?"

"Sorry, but I'm more into climbing and hiking, not going through deep, dark caves." said Frosty.

"Oh, you're all a bunch of stubborn mules." said Trixie. "If nopony else wants to take point, then I shall do it myself. Now follow me closely, everypony."

Pressure Point, Nose Nip, and Frosty reluctantly followed after her, grumbling about uncomfortably cold the cave was. After twenty seconds, Trixie halted in her tracks.

"Wait, does anyone else hear...buzzing?" she questioned.

Right on cue, several dark shapes sped towards them in the darkness, all beating their insectoid wings.

"Shoot, it's an ambush!" shouted Frosty.

But Trixie Lulamoon and Pressure Point were ready, and shot off several offensive spells from their horns. The winged attackers were quickly incapacitated, except for one.

"I've got this one!" shouted Nose Nip, who galloped forward and tackled the last one.

"Ow, right in the blinkin' head!" yelped the Changeling that Nose Nip subdued. "Why'd they always go for it?!"

"Wait, I recognize that voice!" said Trixie.

"So do I." said Pressure, whose horn glowed and illuminated the tunnel. The three unicorns could now see that Nose Nip had tackled a Changeling that was not only slightly overweight, but sported an underbite.

"That's the one that led the attack on the train!" said Trixie to Pressure Point. "You know, the one with the funny accent!"

"Yeah, lovely to meet ya again, too!" said the dazed Changeling. "Name's Sigma, in case ya forgot."

"Well, at least we can say we're on the right track." commented Frosty.

Sunset Shimmer continued to nuzzle against General Synthe, oblivious to the strange grin he was giving her. He was also beginning to pant heavily.

"Craw, what are you doing?" Sunset asked, dreamily. "What's with that noise?"

"Keep going, Sunset!" Synthe thought. "What you're doing is making me feel...so...good!"

The inside of his body was surging from all the love that Sunset was emitting. It felt positively refreshing to him. He could feel his wounds healing slowly. His scars began to contract and fade. He felt his body stretching here and there. His legs were regrowing, but the plating and prosthetics were obstructing their growth. Quickly and painfully, he ripped them off to reveal his shiny new limbs. His wings regenerated, and extended to their original shape.

Then Sunset realized what was happening, and gasped in shock. Instinctively, she teleported away to the other side of the room. But it was too late: Synthe yanked off his breathing-device and even pulled out the breathing-tube that ran through his jaw. The wounds almost automatically mended themselves.

"What in Equestria?!" exclaimed Sunset. "What's happening?"

"I will tell you what has happened, my dear Sunset Shimmer." said Synthe.

He let out a horrible cry, and a shiny black horn protruded from the broken stump, smothered in greenish blood.

"You have just made me..." said King Craw. "A very, very happy Changeling!"

Craw Unleashed, Part One

Sunset Shimmer couldn't believe how gullible and careless she was; by allowing herself to express her love for the human world's Craw, she had given his even more dangerous Changeling counterpart the chance to regenerate his body. Her horn was glowing, and she was ready to spam King Craw with her magic. But then a sensation came over her. She hesitated, and the aura around her horn failed. She looked into Craw's red eyes, and studied his newly-restored facial features. Her heart was audibly pounding in her chest, and she was breathing uneasily.

"What's the matter, my little pony?" asked King Craw, grinning malevolently. "Getting hot under the collar, are we?"

Craw's voice was now somewhat clearer than before. He seemed to resonate a suave, but emotionless tone as he spoke. Not too different from the human Craw's. Sunset couldn't help but quiver as Craw approached her. The false king of the Changelings put one of his restored hooves underneath Sunset's chin, and tilted her head up.

"Sunset Shimmer, you have done what I thought could never be done." he said to her. "And I must say, not that I don't have the numbing pain to distract me, you are simply gorgeous."

"Oh...okay." said Sunset, nervously. "So you've got your body back to normal and I assume you can use magic. Now, what are you going to do?"

"You know, I never really anticipated that I was be restored to my original state so soon." said Craw, darting his eyes in a calculating manner. "Well, I do think this calls for a reward, my dear."

"What kind of reward?" asked Sunset Shimmer.

"That is simple, my golden beauty." said King Craw. "The opportunity to live your dream. That's right, your dream of becoming a princess."

"Where are you going with this?" asked Sunset.

"I now have the potential to overthrow the rulers of the Changeling Empire once again." said Craw. "That is, if you help me do this. I will be able to resume my rightful position as the ruler of the Changelings, and you will be able to exact your vengeance upon Lord Umbriel for endangering your family. In return, I will use the resources of the Changeling Empire to ensure that you are made a Princess. Or better yet, the Princess of Equestria."

"You know, Lord Umbriel made a very similar proposition to me a while back." said Sunset. "And here's a newsflash: I turned him down!"

"Good." said Craw. "That really displays how intelligent you are. As if anyone with even the slightest sense of independence would willingly serve under that pompous fool, let alone Queen Chrysalis. But trust me, I would not be ordering you around at all. Think of it more as...a partnership."

"Look, I'll commend you for agreeing that Umbriel is scum..." said Sunset. "But I'm not going to side with you on anything. To be perfectly honest, I don't give a hoof how the Changelings run their empire. You can all get caught in a giant bug-zapper for all I care."

Then Craw snarled.

"Very well." he said. "Then I see we will have to settle our differences at a later time."

Then he turned away, and slowly walked towards the doors.

"Wait, where are you going?" asked Sunset.

"I'm going to do what I've wanted to do for months:" replied King Craw. "I'm going to kill Umbriel. And when he's out of the way, it's open season on Queen Chrysalis."

"Craw, don't." said Sunset Shimmer.

The Changeling turned his head to face the unicorn.

"Excuse me?" he questioned in a dull tone.

"You don't want to do it." said Sunset.

"Don't I?" Craw frowned. "Don't I?! My dear, you clearly do not understand my situation whatsoever. I am restored to my physical peak. I am now at danger of being slain. Once Queen Chrysalis catches so much as a rumor of my return, her drones will be hunting for me. It is best that I kill or otherwise overthrow them all now before they do the same to me."

"But there's another way, Craw." said Sunset.

"That is King Craw to you, unicorn!" snapped the Changeling.

"Fine then, your majesty." said Sunset in a smarmy tone. "I'm just saying that there's another way you could do this."

"And what would that be?" asked King Craw.

"Go before Queen Chrysalis, and beg for her forgiveness." said Sunset Shimmer.

Then Craw let out a cold, stiff laugh that made Sunset cringe.

"Forgiveness?" he repeated. "You don't seem to understand our ways at all. Queen Chrysalis is hardly the kind of ruler that would forgive those that tried to disrupt her rule."

"But Princess Celestia is." said Sunset. "You could come back with me to Canterlot, and present yourself to the princesses. I'm sure they'll offer protection and--"

"No, absolutely not!" spat King Craw. "I refuse to humiliate myself in front of your princesses. You may have a sense of remorse or pity, but I don't! I either do things my way, or die trying! Though of course, I prefer to avoid the latter as much as possible."

"Well, you're probably going to end up dying again if you just rehash what you tried before." argued Sunset.

"Why are you so concerned about my well-being?" questioned the Changeling.

"Because..." Sunset began, but words failed her.

It took a few seconds for her to continue, but Craw was surprisingly very patient.

"Because you just remind me so much of..." she finally said.

"Let me guess: the other me, who happens to be your abusive lover."

"First off, the other Craw was not abusive." said Sunset. "Though he did get pretty angry when he found out I was a pony...somehow. Still, he was a great guy for the majority of the time I knew him. And second, I was going to say that you remind me of myself. We're really not that different, no matter how much you deny it."

Craw's face now sported a relatively neutral expression. He took a moment to think about what the unicorn had just said. He looked into her eyes, then curved his lips into an amused smile.

"Okay, kid." he said, in a bland tone. "I'll humor you...for now."

Supreme Commander Chrysalis sat at her office desk, speaking on her mobile phone.

"Now, I do hope we have come to a mutual understanding." she said, sternly. "The militant branch of your Cartel is to be dissolved, and your trafficking business terminated. If you try anything like this ever again, Diamond Dog, I will see to it that your remaining members are all wiped off the face of the planet. May what happened at San Palamino and Canterbury only be a taste of what happens to anyone that tries crossing swords with the Syndicate."

"Yes, ma'am." said the leader of the Diamond Dogs. "We only ask for your forgiveness."

Chrysalis clicked the hashtag key on her wrist-mounted computer's keypad, and hummed a few notes from a song. On the other side of the line, a loud clattering and the sounds of a struggle were audible. There was a distorted shout, a burst of gunfire, a thud, and a cry of agony before all went silent.

"All is forgiven." mused Supreme Commander Chrysalis, as she hung up.

Then there was a faint buzzing noise from the headset that was laying on her desk. Chrysalis picked it up, and fastened it to her head.

"Captain Umbriel reporting from Canterlot High!" said the voice that was audible in the receivers. "How are you doing, sister?"d

"Wonderfully, Umbriel." answered Chrysalis. "I have just concluded negotiations with the Diamond Dogs. They will never bother us again."

"Are you sure about that, sister?" asked Umbriel's voice.

"Positive." said Chrysalis. "I even had Sergeant Chitin shoot the Cartel leader's arm off for good measure."

"Ha! I didn't think those slavers would take a hint any other way!" laughed Umbriel. "Which arm, by the way?"

"His right arm." answered Chrysalis. "Fortunately for him, he was a lefty. He'll need the dexterity to call for medical assistance. And that reminds me, brother. What have you called for? I can tell that this is for more than a social call."

"It seems that Sunset Shimmer wasn't hiding out at Canterlot High, after all." said Umbriel's voice. "I have just discovered the interdimensional portal my agents learned about earlier. Not only this, but I have made contact with the inhabitants of the other side. Sister, it appears our counterparts are members of a royal family that rule over a race of insect-like ponies known as Changelings, who are supposedly our organization's counterpart in Equestria."

"Very intriguing." said Chrysalis.

"In fact, I had just spoken with my counterpart not along ago. Apparently, he is a prince-turned-lord and your counterpart is the Changelings' queen."

"That is even more intriguing." said Supreme Commander Chrysalis. "Umbee, do you think that the Changelings will be able to benefit our organization at all?"

"I'm not sure, Chryssi." admitted Captain Umbriel. "But I only have a hunch as to when we'll be able to cross over to the other side. Sister, have the archivists finished translating the books that Sergeant Craw and Corporal Ghost uncovered in Sunset Shimmer's apartment?"

"Yes, actually." said Chrysalis, taking out a file from a drawer. "We were able to translate a poem or incantation of some sort that we assume explains how the portal functions:"

"Thirty moons, the gate is shut

Three days, it opens up

To world unknown and alien, but

Be wary, it will corrupt!

Users of magic will find none here

And those with hooves will be changed;

Wings vanish, and horns disappear.

But if this should leave you deranged,

There is a way to cheat this fate:

before the cycle finishes

Wait thirty nights, go through the gate

And all despair this will diminish.

But choose wisely, my friend

no matter where you end

you cannot go back to the other side

wait thirty nights more, to retry the ride."

"Thirty moons, I assume, means thirty lunar cycles." said Chrysalis. "So that means that under normal circumstances, the gate will only open every two-and-a-half years or so, and only for a time frame of three days."

"But if you were stranded on the wrong side, you would be able to make a one-way trip back to the world you came from every thirty nights." added Captain Umbriel. "And Sunset Shimmer has done just that, it would seem: She escaped back to Equestria right under our noses, making us waste resources and rendering 'Operation: Eclipse' effectively pointless."

"It would seem so, brother." said Supreme Commander Chrysalis, with a small frown. "But if Sunset Shimmer was able to exploit this apparent failsafe, then so can we."

"Don't be ridiculous, sister." scoffed Captain Umbriel. "Even if I were to wait a few more days for this failsafe to resurface, I could probably send in only one soldier at a time, and he would be stranded in Equestria for the next thirty days, even if he were to apprehend Sunset Shimmer! I would not put any of my troops on such a suicide mission."

"Ah, but we have analyzed more than that poem." said Chrysalis. "There are also enough notes to compose schematics for this kind of portal."

"Schematics?" repeated Umbriel. "As in, one could simply build another one?"

"Not necessarily." said Chrysalis. "Such a thing would require performing an elaborate ritual that nobody in this world could possibly perform, using objects that don't even exist in our world, and a ton of other things that even the Chrysalis Syndicate couldn't so much as dream of pulling off."

There was silence on the other end, as if Captain Umbriel was waiting patiently for what his sister had to say next.

"But the way these symbols and markings are arranged, it would seem that there may be ways of tampering with the portal. Glitching it up, if you will."

"Good, I *love** glitches*." mused Umbriel.

"I will have my archivists and engineers devise a plan for what happens next." said Chrysalis. "In the mean-time, I will deploy a Hydra tank into Canterbury."

"A Hydra?" questioned Captain Umbriel. "But now that the Diamond Dogs are gone, why would I need heavy artillery so badly? My troops already have enough firepower and armor as it is."

"Trust me on this, brother." said Supreme Commander Chrysalis. "You will understand, soon enough. By the way, I almost forgot this: Sergeant Craw had sent me an e-mail yesterday regarding his report on his raid on the Diamond Dogs. In it, he also mentioned that he discovered the portal, as well. Did he tell you about it?"

"No, Corporal Ghost did just an hour or two ago." said Captain Umbriel, who then took a deep breath and continued in a low, unamused tone. "Sister, may I have permission to chastise the good old sergeant, despite the fact that he isn't one of my own men?"

" Granted, brother. Just don't do anything that will leave permanent damage." said Chrysalis. "He's one of my best agents, after all, and still has his dignity."

Then Umbriel's end faded into static, and Chrysalis deactivated her headset.

Craw Unleashed, Part Two

"C'mon, let us get out of here!" said Lightning Dust to the two Changeling drones guarding her and Scarlet Blaze's cell. "Just for a couple minutes! I haven't been able to stretch my wings since I first wound up here!"

"Keep quiet, pegasus!" snapped one of the jailors. "Neither of you are getting out of there until the general sends someone to collect and/or interview you."

"Can I at least get a bathroom break or something?" asked Lightning Dust.

"We'll send a basin in there in a couple of minutes." said the other jailor.

"What, so I can take a whiz in front of you guys?" groaned Lightning Dust in disgust. "I don't think so."

"Then sit down in the corner, and shut your trap!" said the first jailor. "I'd rather not spend all afternoon arguing with the convicts."

"When I get out of here, I am so whooping your flanks." Lightning Dust narrowed her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, don't care!" said the second jailor, clearly uninterested. "Why can't you be quiet like your unicorn friend in there? Say, what is she doing, anyhow?"

"I dunno." mumbled Lightning Dust, shrugging her wings.

"Well, I'm gonna go in there and check..." the Changeling said, whose hole-ridden hoof was now on the cell door.

"No, Chitin." said the first jailor, pushing him away. "We're not supposed to open those cells for anything! At least, not until the general sends a detainment team over."

"Oh, right." sighed Chitin. "Almost walked right into that one...literally! Nice try, you ponies!"

And then he sheepishly turned his back to the door, and whistled a song. Then he paused.

"Shoot, I just realized that neither of us has checked on the newest prisoner yet!" he said. "Node, could you stay here while I check on that big red unicorn down the corridor?"

"That's an affirmative, Chitin." said Node.

Then Chitin flew down the hallway, and landed in front of the cell door near the end, where Radiant Dawn was laying in a depressed slump.

"Oh, what's the problem with you, big boy?" asked the Changeling. "I know that our cells aren't the comfiest, but there's no need to start crying about it!"

"It's not the cell." scoffed Radiant. "I'm just in a lot of pain right now."

"Oh, really?" asked Chitin. "Well, tough luck for you. Our medics are out sick for the day, so you'll have to recover the old-fashioned way: Staying still and preferably keeping quiet."

"Is this how you Changelings treat all your prisoners?" questioned Radiant.

"Nah, we usually just put them in stasis pods until our leaders come to interrogate and/or drain them." said Chitin. "At least, that's Queen Chrysalis's favorite method."

"You're one of Chrysalis's soldiers, huh?"

"That's right." said Chitin. "Just got transferred over from her lair three days ago. Lord Umbriel apparently made a few requests here and there for some exchanges to be made every so often between the queen's soldiers and his own. Of course, I haven't actually met Umbriel himself since I came here, but still..."

"Interesting. Have you met him at all?" asked Radiant Dawn, curiously.

"Only a couple years ago, when he was still Prince Embryo. Really interesting, the Changeling Royal Family is--Wait a minute, you're not trying to distract me, are you?"

"No, of course I'm not. I just figured that talking about stuff would keep this debilitating, crazy-intense pain off my mind."

"Well, you'll have to find some other way to entertain yourself now." said Chitin. "Because chatting-time is over. I only came here to make sure you didn't try busting out of here like your sister."

"Where's my sister now?" Radiant tilted his head up.

"The general caught her trying to escape. She's being interrogated as we speak."

Then Radiant Dawn toppled over in shock, and started groaning in pain.

"Ow! Ow!" he found himself seizing up. "Please, help!"

"Oh, quit your belly-aching! It ain't that bad!" said Chitin. "Sunset's doing fine in there!"

"No, it's my pain!" shouted Radiant. "It's too much for me! I desperately need medical attention!"

"Only if you don't shut your mouth, unicorn!" said the jailor. "Really, do you think I'm going to fall for that trick anytime soon?"

Suddenly, Radiant stopped shaking and limply collapsed to the floor, where he remained silent and motionless. Chitin took a moment to blink his pupil-less eyes.

"Wow, I guess he wasn't kidding!" he commented, jokingly. "I mean geez, is there a doctor in the house?"

"There is now!" said a voice beside him.

Chitin took a look to his left, and saw at least four ponies standing in front of him, all outside of the cells. Before he could react, he was knocked back against the wall almost immediately. Radiant Dawn cautiously got back up in his cell.

"What in Tartarus is going on?" he thought aloud.

"Normally, doctors don't make house calls anymore." said a familiar voice.

Then a keyring enveloped in a gleaming aura was levitated to the keyhole of the door, which then opened up. And then Pressure Point rushed to the opened doorway with a small grin on his face.

"But in this case, I think an exception had to be made." he finished, casually.

"I never though I'd be so happy to see ya, Pressure." said Radiant.

"Same here, Radiant." said Pressure Point. "Now let's get the heck outta here!"

"Not yet." said Radiant. "Sunny's in this place somewhere. This will be pretty dangerous. Tell me you didn't come here alone."

"Nope." said Frosty, who came around the corner of the doorway. "We're here to help, buddy."

Nose Nip rushed up to the incapacitated jailor.

"Where do you keep the other prisoners?" demanded the earth pony.

"Look all around you, pony." said Chitin. "There's prisoners throughout this part of the stronghold."

"Then let's not waste any time!" said Trixie. "Let's start busting everypony out!"

After Radiant and Nose Nip tossed Chitin into Radiant's cell, the five ponies proceeded down the corridor, smashing open every cell door they passed by.

Meanwhile, Node was curious about the loud noises that were becoming more and more audible. Eventually, he became so distracted that he couldn't help but turn away from the cell he was guarding. Without warning, the cell door behind him was blasted open by a kinetic blast. Scarlet Blaze and Lightning Dust rushed out of their door, and looked around in case any other guards were around to obstruct their escape.

"Time to kick some Changeling butt!" shouted Lightning Dust, excitedly.

"And let's start with that battle-scarred general!" said Scarlet. "I've been wanting to re-arrange his face the moment I laid eyes on it!"

"Then count me in, ma'am!" said Lightning.

Then the two mares charged down the left end of the corridor, knocking aside more Changeling drones and breaking opening cell doors as they passed by.

"So, are you absolutely sure that you don't want to help me overthrow the Changeling Royal Family?" asked King Craw.

"Positive." said Sunset Shimmer, flatly.

"Well, that's a shame, my little pony." said Craw, rolling his red eyes. "Because I think you and I would make a great team."

"Hmm...maybe if we met before Twilight Sparkle defeated me and rid me of my inner evil..." said Sunset. "But it's just not in me anymore to try and pull a coup on the ruler of a powerful civilization."

"Not even against tyrants?" asked King Craw.

"Not even for tyrants." countered Sunset Shimmer.

"But surely, you would've wanted to take revenge against Twilight Sparkle for ruining your life?" suggested King Craw. "I can certainly help you get back at her. Seeing as she has taken away your destiny, just as my own destiny was taken from me by that no-good alien, General Gri--"

Then there was a frantic knocking on the door.

"General, there's a mass jail-break in the dungeons!" shouted the voice of Canopy. "And I've just found Sigma and several other drones stuck together against the walls just inside the secret entrance; We've been infiltrated and compromised!"

"Then scramble our security forces to quarantine the prison...permanently!" said Craw. "If we can't get the inmates back to their cells, we can at least make sure that they never see the light of day! And while you do that, evacuate the complex! Get all Changelings out of here, and send them to the nearest outposts! I will be joining you shortly!"

"Yes, sir!" said Canopy.

"Well, it looks like I don't have too many options now." King Craw told Sunset, once he was sure that Canopy had flown out of earshot. "Since I don't expect we'll be meeting each other again, I don't think I'll be able to save this for a more...poignant time."

Then he bent his head down, and licked Sunset Shimmer on the side of her muzzle. Sunset couldn't help but blush.

"I do believe that my counterpart might have owed you that at some point." smiled Craw.

Sunset Shimmer found herself daydreaming as she looked back up at King Craw's face. She imagined herself facing the human Craw. She couldn't but moan happily as she thought about him. But then she realized what King Craw said earlier, and shrugged off her romantic fantasies.

"Wait a minute, what did you mean when you said 'quarantine the prison permanently'?!" she gasped in surprise.

"I mean that the guards are going to collapse the tunnels to the lower levels, cutting the prison area off from the rest of Umbriel's lair." explained King Craw, coldly. "And when the drones are done, I'm going to do the same to the upper levels. I will see to it that nothing, pony or Changeling, stops me from exacting my revenge on Chrysalis and Umbriel!"

"That's just crazy, Craw!" gasped Sunset. "You're bluffing! Please tell me you're bluffing!"

"Pretty soon, it won't matter if I am or not." said Craw. "Because I'm going to be leaving this place very soon, and I will be leaving enough dead ponies to fill Appleoosa and Ponyville combined on your hands!"

Then Sunset Shimmer snapped; her horn began glowing wildly, and a powerful blast of magic erupted from her horn. Craw managed to absorb the blast with his own magical energy, albeit backing involuntarily against the door, which was knocked back off its hinges under his weight.

"You're not killing anypony today, Craw!" shouted Sunset, furiously. "And my mom and brother are still down in those dungeons, you monster! So I'm gonna see to it that you are stopped, even if it kills me! Do you understand?!"

"Then by all means, let us continue where we left off in Fillydelphia!" said King Craw, with a mocking bow. "After you, my sweet little princess-in-training."

Craw Unleashed, Part Three

Trixie unleashed a blast of lightning from her horn, incapacitating a trio of Changeling drones, while Nose Nip and Radiant Dawn stood front-to-front, bucking away whatever Changelings that came to seize them. As they did this, Frosty and Pressure Point ran along the cells and telekinetically forced them open. As they did so, more and more ponies, gryphons, and even donkeys and mules came out to join in on the fight. Soon enough, the entire cell block was in chaos, and Changelings were being knocked around silly in every possible direction. Radiant looked around for his sister and mother, but couldn't find anypony he recognized.

"Everypony, let's go to the upper levels!" shouted an orange earth pony with a pink mane. "it's time for us to get the heck out of here! I've been Changeling food for way too friggin' long!"

There were shouts and roars of agreement throughout the area, as the prisoners all ganged up against the Changelings lined up against the exit. They bowled them over with little effort, setting off magic spells every which way. But their path was obstructed by an even larger, much angrier-looking group of guards.

"This is gonna be harder than I though." commented Trixie, as she looked on.

King Craw and Sunset Shimmer exchanged barrage after barrage and magical spell after magical spell at each other, pushing themselves to their limits. While Sunset was able to deflect the red blasts of Craw's magic, the Changeling usurper was able to evade every bluish-green attack directed towards him. As they fought each other, the complex shook around them.

"You seriously--don't have--to do this!" shouted Sunset between spells. "Just--give up---and we could--try being friends!"

"I already said I'm not like you, Sunset Shimmer." said King Craw. "I'm a Changeling! I don't show restraint when someone keeps me from my goals! The only reason I haven't outright killed you yet is a simple matter of respect."

Then he telekinetically threw Sunset Shimmer against the wall, and then swung her into the ceiling.

"Though I do think I owed you that for Fillydelphia!" continued King Craw. "Do you have any idea how badly you hurt me back there?"

Sunset coughed in pain, and then attempted to get back up. But then Craw flew up to her, and wrapped his hooves around her neck.

"Now where was I earlier?" queried King Craw, sinisterly. "Oh, yes. I was about to break your pretty little neck!"

Suddenly, an orange ball of magical energy struck Craw in the back, and he was almost knocked sideways.

"Don't you dare hurt my daughter!" shouted a voice that Sunset hadn't heard in many long years.

Sunset turned her head to see a sight that brought tears of joy to her eyes, like she never thought she would have again: Her mother, Scarlet Blaze, was standing tall and vigilantly in front of her, alongside Lightning Dust. It was as though she hadn't even aged a day.

"M-mom?!" she exclaimed. "Is that really you?!"

"Yep, it's me, Sunset." answered Scarlet. "But we can catch up later. Right now, we've got a Changeling here to get rid of."

"Good luck with that, Ms. Blaze." said King Craw. "In case you didn't notice, I'm not weakened or battle-scarred anymore. Now, I can do what I wanted to do earlier and silence you for good!"

Then Scarlet fired a cluster of orange spells from her horn, breaking Craw's concentration.

"Very well." he said. "If that's how you want to be..."

Then he fired a magical beam from his own horn at the ceiling of the chamber, and fired similar projectiles at the connecting tunnels. The complex began to shake everywhere.

"Craw, what did you do?!" Sunset exclaimed in surprise.

"I just triggered a cave-in of epic proportions." said King Craw. "I estimate you have...ten minutes to get out of here, or you will all be crushed into dust. Farewell, my little ponies. I'd stick around to make sure you die, but I don't want to get caught in the rubble. Farewell!"

Then he beat his wings and flew out of the main chamber, and towards the secret entrance.

"'Ello, could anyone help us off o' this wall?!" shouted Sigma, who was still trapped on the wall.

King Craw landed in front of the subdued Changelings, who were all hanging by black cords.

"Well, look what we have here." said Craw, grimacing at Sigma and his subdued drones.

"King Craw, it's you!" said Sigma. "What's happenin' down there?"

"It seems one of our prisoners thought it would be a good idea to bring the lair crashing down on us." said King Craw.

"Wait, aren't you going to get us down from here?" asked one of Sigma's squadmates.

"I would, but I'm afraid doing that would create more problems than it would solve." said Craw. "So it's up to you. I'm afraid I've got an important appointment with the royal family. Farewell."

Then Craw flew out of the cave and into the late afternoon sky beyond, as Sigma and his drones looked on.

"What a bleedin' load of rubbish!" shouted Sigma.

"Sir, why don't we just use our horns?" asked one of the drones.

"Right!" said Sigma.

Then they used their telekinesis to break the cords apart, and all flew off to safety.

Trixie and Radiant Dawn led the escapees out of the prison corridors of Umbriel's lair, and half-way up to the high levels. They found themselves being barricaded by at least forty Changelings led by Canopy.

"Alright, ponies! You'd better get back to your cells, or we'll drop the tunnels on top of you!" shouted the female Changeling in a threatening manner.

Suddenly, the tunnels began to shake.

"You idiots! You weren't supposed to do that yet!" Canopy shouted at the drones behind her.

"It'sssss not ussssss!" hissed one of the drones. "The higher levelsssssss are falling apart! We musssssssst leave!"

"Drat! Then fly for your lives!" shouted Canopy to the other Changelings, who scattered and took off in the cramped corridors in a panic.

As they went through, several pieces of debris fell from the ceiling. A few Changelings even got crushed in the process.

"Now's your chances!" shouted Radiant Dawn. "Everypony, get your flanks out of here now!"

The gryphons and pegasi were the first to leave, flying out with the Changelings and dodging the falling debris with their impressive agility. But the unicorns had to stay behind to create barriers against the falling rubble. It was a difficult task clearing the way for more than forty ponyfolk and two dozen members of the related species through the tunnels, but they eventually made it to the top levels, where Scarlet Blaze and Sunset Shimmer were blasting spells at the escaping drones.

"I've got twenty-two of them, mom!" said Sunset over the rumbling.

"That's my girl!" said Scarlet, who unleashed another cluster of spells that smacked half a dozen more Changelings against the wall.

"Sunset, it's time to go!" shouted Trixie over the noise of the escaping prisoners. "This place will go up any minute!"

"Lightning Dust, we are leaving!" Scarlet shouted to the bluish-green pegasus, who was beating up two Changelings in mid-air.

"On it, Scarlet!" said Lightning. "Alright, everypony! Follow me, and you won't get smashed by the boulders!"

The pegasus took off through the tunnel entrance, and the entire mob sped after her.

Sunset Shimmer, Scarlet Blaze, and Radiant Dawn were at the back, all talking to each other as they charged out.

"It's so friggin' great to see you again, mom!" said Radiant.

"Radiant, you've certainly grown!" commented Scarlet. "Your sister, too! I'm very proud of both of you right now! I really am!"

"Thanks, mom!" said Sunset and Radiant at once.

Eventually, everyone made it out of the collapsing lair to a beautiful sunset, just as the tunnels all collapsed in on themselves. It caused a massive black cloud of dust to emerge from several places in the forest. The escaped prisoners all crowded together and cheered loudly.

"That'll show those Changelings not to mess with us!" said Lightning Dust excitedly.

"That was one heck of an experience, I have to say." said Pressure Point, looking around. "It sure ain't the same as staying in my ward at Canterlot. And that reminds me...free check-ups all around! To everypony here!"

Several ponies, gryphons, donkeys, and mules crowded around Pressure Point, applauding his generousity. Meanwhile, Sunset Shimmer, Lightning Dust, Trixie, Radiant Dawn, Scarlet Blaze, Nose Nip, and Frosty were gathered together separately from the others.

"It's so great to have you back, mama." Sunset cried into Scarlet's legs. "I've missed you s-so much!"

"I've missed you, too." said Scarlet, sadly. "More than I could ever imagine. I'm so sorry I couldn't be there for you two."

"We know, mom." said Radiant, who joined in on the hug. "It's not your fault."

"Say, when you guys are done bawling over each other, maybe you could take a moment to look at the sky." said Trixie.

Scarlet Blaze and her two children stopped hugging, and trotted up to a hilltop, where they were joined by their friends. The sky was positively golden and shimmering brightly, with red clouds hanging over the setting sun.

"Look at that." said Radiant. "It's your namesake, little sis."

"Do you think it's a sign, Red?" asked Sunset.

"I think it's a sign that you have done very well today, dear." said Scarlet.

"You have no idea, ma'am." said a voice.

Sunset turned, and there was Sergeant Bullpup, along with Captains Star Shield and Shining Armor, and several royal and night guards, who were coming up from the direction of Vanhoover.

"We came as soon as we could." said Bullpup. "We had almost given up on finding you all, when the Canterlot Royal Guard arrived in the last train here. They insisted that we search for you all here. I trust your mission was successful, Lieutenant Dawn sir?"

"It sure was." said Radiant Dawn.

"Radiant, you're a guard?" asked Scarlet.

"That's right, mom." answered Radiant. "A night guard, to be exact."

"Ah, Captain Shield!" said Scarlet. "How are you doing, sir?"

"I am doing fine, Madame Blaze." said the pegasus captain. "And I can say that things are already looking up for you and your children."

"We have a lot to discuss, I can tell." said Sergeant Bullpup. "Why don't we all talk it over back at the barracks."

"Umm, there's a slight problem." said Sunset Shimmer. "Look behind us."

Bullpup went over the hill, and saw to his surprise, the entire crowd of prisoners that had been liberated from Umbriel's lair.

"My word! Where'd they all come from?!" he exclaimed.

"Various places throughout Equestria." said Lightning Dust. "It looks like Umbriel's been gathering quite the collection of prisoners over the years."

"But what are we going to do about all of them?" asked Bullpup. "Not even the Obsidian Horseshoe will have enough room for all of them! They won't all have rooms for tonight, for before they all go back to their respective hometowns."

Sunset and Radiant looked at each other for a moment.

"We've got it covered:" they said at once, with smiles on their faces as they turned to shout towards the crowd below. "Slumber party at Daystar!"

Scarlet Blaze looked down at the crowd, who all suddenly exploded in applause, and sighed in dismay.

The Changeling Royal Rumble, Part 1

Daystar Manor was bustling with activity. There were several ponies, gryphons, and other creatures eating in different rooms, talking to each other about their homes and what they were doing when the Changelings had captured them.

Sunset Shimmer was telling her mother about what she and Radiant had been doing in the fifteen years that she was absent.

"Well, I am very impressed with you, Sunset." said Scarlet. "And I'm sure your father would be happy to hear that you got to be Princess Celestia's star pupil."

"That reminds me, mom." said Sunset. "What happened to him?"

Scarlet Blaze frowned.

"I'm not too sure." she admitted. "One minute, I'm fighting off those Changelings. Then Golden Sun came out, saying that he had a spell to get rid of them all. He cast it at them, but one of them--the white one, I think--deflected it back at me. Next thing I know, I'm standing outside our home, fifteen years in the future,"

"So, you don't know what happened to dad?" asked Sunset.

"I'm afraid not. Sorry, honey."

"It's okay." said Sunset.

Then Quick Shot approached Sunset with a big smile across his face.

"Miss Shimmer, I must commend you for what you wrote in that script." he said. "It looks absolutely amazing! I am definitely going to use it in my next movie, You should consider being a writer or playwright."

"Thanks." said Sunset. "Glad I was able to help you at all."

"Hello, and you are..." said Scarlet.

"Oh, my name's Quick Shot." said the earth pony. "I'm a film director. Your son had let us film scenes for our movie in your lovely home. We've already finished filming all the scenes, so you won't have to worry about us bothering you at all."

"So, what are you going to do now?" asked Sunset.

"Well, the rest of the crew and stunt-ponies have already packed up and left. I'm just sticking around to give you my personal thanks. Say, if you and your friends ever plan to visit Las Pegasus any time next week, you might be able to catch the premiere of the movie. You might even find a little something-something in the credits!"

"I'll keep it in mind, sir." said Sunset, happily. "See ya later, then!"

"My studio awaits!" said Quick Shot, in a melodramatic manner.

And then he galloped out the front door. Once he left, Scarlet and Sunset continued talking to each other.

"But still, I'm surprised at you for acting against the princess." said Scarlet.

"I know, I know." said Sunset. "And you have no idea how stupid I feel right now for going to the human world. I mean, it seemed like a good idea at the time. But the novelty has long since worn out. I'm never going to deny myself the ability to use magic again."

"Well, I can't really argue with you, since I wasn't there to see it happen." said Scarlet. "But I'm sure you still did what you felt was right."

Sunset groaned.

Radiant Dawn went up to them.

"So, how are you doing, mom?" he asked.

"I'm doing just fine, son." said Scarlet. "Apart from, well, the fact that you've turned our home into a hotel."

"It's only for one night, mom." said Radiant. "Tomorrow, these guys will all be on the trains back home, and everything will be back to normal."

"Well, not completely." frowned Scarlet. "Your dad's still missing."

"I know, and I sure miss him." said Radiant.

"So do I." agreed Sunset.

Pressure Point entered the room, followed by Frosty and Nose Nip.

"Hello, Sunset." he said to his former classmate. "How are you all doing?"

"Fine." said Sunset.

"You did a good job back there, Pressure." said Radiant. "Really came through for us in the end."

"Well, I'm just doing my job of being a good and loyal doctor." said Pressure.

"So, how was your first big adventure away from home?" asked Sunset.

"Dreadful, to be honest." said Pressure Point, flatly. "I can't wait till I'm back in Canterlot, working at my hospital again."

"Now really, do you have to be like that, Presh?" asked Frosty.

"Yeah, you just helped save my life, doctor." said Scarlet. "I think you should be a little more...lenient."

Pressure Point turned to the red-coated mare with the red-golden mane for a moment.

"Umm, okay." he fumbled. "Well, I'm glad I was able to help at all."

"There, now was that really so hard?" asked Scarlet Blaze.

"I guess not." said Pressure. "Well, I just came in to check to see if you needed me to check on any abnormal injuries at all."

"None you need to worry about, doctor." said Scarlet. "But I think you should check up on my kids."

"Really, we're okay, mom." said Sunset.

Then Radiant cleared his throat.

"Umm, actually." he fumbled. "There's something I'd really like to bring up, mom."

"Really?" asked Scarlet. "What's the matter, Radiant?"

"Well, it's about my horn." Radiant bobbed his head nervously. "I've been having trouble getting it to cast spells properly."

"It's true." said Sunset. "It's the reason why he got kicked out of Princess Celestia's academy and banned from Canterlot."

"Yeah, like whenever I try to perform a complex spell, I either find myself unable to perform it, or it messes up terribly and sets something on fire."

"And how long had this been going on?" Scarlet asked, curiously.

"A few years ago." said Radiant. "I think it has something to do with the amount of stress that's been applied to my mind and body."

"So, that's what the problem was?" asked Pressure Point. "I thought you were just very terrible at using magic!"

Scarlet and Sunset both shot unamused looks at the unicorn doctor.

"I will have you know that that nopony in our family is by any means terrible at using magic!" said Scarlet.

"Yeah, well, I wasn't--" said Pressure. "Look, when we get back to Canterlot, I'll take a look at Radiant's horn. No charge."

In Queen Chrysalis' lair, hidden in the Crystal Mountains, the two ruling siblings of the Changeling Empire were deep in discussion with each other. They sat down on their backsides, facing each other.

"So, would you at all care to tell me whatever you were hoping to accomplish by picking a fight with Princess Luna?" asked Queen Chrysalis.

"Well, I always had a sense of admiration for the Princess of the Night." said Lord Umbriel. "She is the younger of the two regal sisters, yet she powerful and respected in her own right."

"An interesting point, I am sure." said Chrysalis. "But why the fighting? You are aware that the Changelings still have a truce with Equestria, right?"

"Oh, I have my reasons." said Umbriel. "You understand that, don't you, sister?"

"I know, brother." said Chrysalis. "But still, I would prefer if you didn't make a spectacle of yourself in front of the princesses."

"Sorry about that, but I simply couldn't resist." said Umbriel, sheepishly. "So, about that meeting."

Just then, the doors to the royal chamber gave way, and Sigma and Canopy came busting through.

"Y'see, Cannie?" said Sigma. "I told ya it was right here!"

"Okay, Ziggy. You win." said Canopy, rolling her eyes.

"You two, what's the meaning of this intrusion?!" demanded Queen Chrysalis.

"Hang on, sister." said Umbriel. "Those two are my soldiers. Let me deal with them."

The Changeling lord approached the two lesser Changelings.

"Sigma, report." said Umbriel.

"Well, um..." Sigma shifted uneasily in place, nudging Canopy's side. "Why don' you explain it?"

Canopy cleared her throat, then spoke in a monotonous manner, as per usual.

"My lord, there have been some...complications while you were away." she said.

"How so, Canopy?" asked Umbriel.

"Well, it seems that--okay, enough with the formalities!--Sir, your lair near Vanhoover's collapsed!"

Umbriel's eyes shook with anger, but he simply sighed.

"Really? And what is the damage report?" he asked, steadily.

"Well, it seems that it's nigh impossible to repair, at least fifty Changelings were killed, and most of the prisoners have escaped."

"It was Sunset Shimmer, I suppose?" asked Umbriel, calmly.

"No, sir. We actually managed to capture her and her brother." said Canopy. ""They didn't put up much of a fight."

"I suppose they pulled a fast one on you, then?" asked Umbriel again.

"No, it was Sawnsat's pals!" said Sigma. "The lot of 'em found the entrance, and got straight past me! They overpowered me, sir! Honest, they did!"

"Well, I confess that I am rather disappointed by this turn of events." Lord Umbriel paced around his two subordinates, who quaked before him. "But I am willing to give you the benefit of a doubt; I still have three more strongholds here in Equestria, so it's not like I lost too much. Simply tell me who was responsible for the destruction of the Vanhoover fortress."

"Well, um, that's the thing." said Sigma, nervously.

There was a loud boom! outside the chamber, and a series of shouts filled the air. Four charred Changeling carcasses were thrown into the chamber, dead as a doornail. Out of the cloud of reddish smoke that seeped into the room emerged a tall, slim Changeling figure with a long mane.

"And what do we have here?" said Queen Chrysalis.

"It's a blast from the past, your majesty." said a cold, mocking voice. "Do you recognize me now?"

The figure now revealed himself, as none other than--

"Craw!" shouted Chrysalis and Umbriel in surprise.

"That is most certainly correct." said King Craw. "And now, I am going to make you both pay for the terrible life I've had to live under your rule. Starting with you, my lord. You will pay for the injustices you inflicted upon me!"

Umbriel barred his teeth vigilantly.

"Brother, whatever is he talking about?" questioned Queen Chrysalis.

"Umm...I'll explain it later." said Lord Umbriel, nervously. "Right now, I say that we should handle Craw."

"With pleasure." said Chrysalis, her horn glowing.

King Craw stood himself in front of the two siblings, his own horn glowing with a red aura.

"After you, Umbriel." he said, with a wicked grin.

"With pleasure, Craw." said Umbriel, ominously.

The the Changeling lord looked at his two soldiers, who were still in the middle of the three Changeling rulers.

"You and I shall discuss this later." he told them. "Now go!"

Sigma and Canopy didn't need telling twice, because they beat their wings and shot out of the room without a word.

"Well, I am ready for this." said the queen. "Let us settle this once and for all, Craw. I don't know how you came back, but I know that this turn of events will not be my downfall!"

"Nor mine!" seconded the lord.

"Likewise, fools!" shouted the king.

The Changeling Royal Rumble, Part 2

The royal chamber shook as the blast waves collided with each other. King Craw tackled Queen Chrysalis, but Lord Umbriel was quick to grab his neck and attempted to break it in half.

"How...did...you get back to normal?!" growled Umbriel.

"That's for me to know, and for you to never, ever find out!" said Craw, who shook Umbriel off of him.

Queen Chrysalis straightened herself and hovered upright.

"Brother, you ought to explain yourself now." she said, blowing a lock of hair away from her eyes.

"Must I do it now?" questioned Umbriel, who was wrestling with Craw.

"Do you have any better suggestions?" demanded Chrysalis.

"I certainly do." said Craw, pushing Umbriel away. "It's that both of you drop dead!"

He blasted his aura beams at the two siblings, who both deflected his attack.

"Okay, okay." said Umbriel, zipping to his sister's side. "I'll admit it. I may have been keeping Craw alive behind your back."

Chrysalis' eyes widened.

"You what?!" exclaimed the Queen of the Changelings, dodging another of Craw's projectiles. "Whatever is the meaning of this? Brother, what do you think you're doing, keeping my enemies on life-support like that?"

"Oh, come on!" said Umbriel. "It really did seem like a good idea at the time."

But Chrysalis argued on, even as she and Umbriel continued battling against King Craw.

"A good idea? A good idea?!"

"You should've seen Craw when I first found him. There was no way he would've been able to try anything again!"

"Brother, Craw is one of the most brilliant tacticians the Changeling Royal Guard has ever seen! Did you not anticipate that he might find a way to restore his body to its original state?"

"Well, I did keep him on a short leash." shrugged Umbriel.

"A very short leash!" shouted Craw. "One that I hope to strangle you with!"

"At least your sense of humor is more or less the same." said Umbriel. "In that... it's non-existent!"

"We can all certainly agree on that!" laughed Chrysalis.

"Shut up, and continue fighting me!" shouted Craw.

Then the three Changelings continued battling each other. For nearly twenty minutes, they frequently battled against each other. Suddenly, there was a flash of red light, and Ghost appeared in the room.

"Hold everything!" he shouted over the conflict.

The three Changeling rulers stopped fighting each other, then turned towards the albino Changeling, who then sat down and started munching on a bag of candy hearts that he unclipped from his leg.

"Okay, you can keep fighting each other." said Ghost. "I just didn't want to miss this."

But Craw sighed.

"Listen, this hasn't really been what I wanted to have to do." he said. "At least, not like this."

"Whatever do you mean, Craw?" questioned Umbriel, feigning concern.

"Well, I just don't see the point in trying to overthrow you two now." admitted Craw. "I should've been able to dispose of you two by now. But you two are simply too powerful together."

"Good." said Umbriel.

Then Chrysalis and Umbriel's horns began to glow in unison. But Craw was quick, and flew out of the chamber.

"Guards! After him!" Chrysalis shouted as she flew out after Craw.

And right on cue, nearly every Changeling in Queen Chrysalis' lair was in hot pursuit of King Craw.

"For the Queen!" shouted a drone.

"Kill the traitor!" said another.

But Craw simply blasted them and several others away with little effort.

"Curses!" growled Chrysalis. "What do I pay these incompetent fools for?!"

"You don't pay them at all, sister." said Umbriel. "They're your subjects."

"I know that, brother!" said Chrysalis. "Just kill Craw, darn it!"

"Sister, there is a problem with that." said Umbriel.

"What?"

"He's already gone." Umbriel pointed a thick hoof at a massive hole in the wall.

Queen Chrysalis began to fume angrily, and was even hyperventilating on the spot.

"Curses, curses, curses!" she snarled. "Where could he have gone?!"

"Sister, I believe you should calm down." said Lord Umbriel. "We will find him again. I promise you that."

"Don't you try calming me down, Embryo!" snapped Queen Chrysalis. "This was your fault that he's out and about again!"

"It wasn't my fault at all!" denied Umbriel. "His horn was broken! He couldn't even use magic! Something must've happened that caused him to regenerate his body!"

"But that is simply ridiculous!" said Chrysalis. "Can our kind even regrow limbs?"

"Um, yes." nodded Umbriel. "But it would take the consumption of a tremendous amount of love for something like that to happen! Especially in Craw's condition. And I was so careful, too, not to let him anywhere near someone that could hold that much romantic love! Not to mention, he wouldn't have been able to shapeshift or use magic, so the only way that he could feed off of it was if it was directly offered to him."

Then Chrysalis began to laugh for a while.

"What a good joke. As if anypony could actually love one of our kind!" she snarked. "I'll admit that Craw may have been...rather charming when he was younger, but I don't think even he could get a pony to willingly fall in love with him like that!"

Umbriel tilted his head and opened his mouth to speak. But before he could to so, Ghost teleported behind Queen Chrysalis and Lord Umbriel.

"Your highnesses, do you not realize that there are many possible reasons as to how a pony could ever voluntarily love a Changeling without shape-shifting or spells?"

"Really, Ghost?" said Chrysalis, bored. "You're just telling me this now. What does Umbriel here pay you for?"

"I don't pay him at all." said Umbriel. "I just let him stay at my side because he offers very soothing massages."

"Really?"

"No! Of course not, sister!" said Umbriel. "He's a brilliant magic user! That's why I keep him around!"

Ghost flew up to the queen.

"But, your majesty, I can offer to give you a massage..." he said in a smarmy tone.

"No, no no!" spat Chrysalis, sticking her tongue out in disgust. "I am not letting you put one albino hoof on my coat, you maniac!"

"Down, boy." said Umbriel, gingerly pushing Ghost back with his silvery wings.

"Listen, Ghost, if you want to prove as helpful to me as you are to my brother, then do me a favor." said Chrysalis.

"Yes, my queen?" asked Ghost, earnestly.

"I want you to scramble my drones." said Queen Chrysalis. "Search every mountain in this range, and all of our outposts and fortresses in Equestria for Craw! I will not have him stirring up another rebellion again! The soldier that apprehends him gets to be the new captain of my elite guard. Do you understand me?!"

"Yes, madam!" said Ghost, who teleported away again.

"Sister, and whatever shall we do?" asked Umbriel.

"You and I are going to be working together on this one." said Chrysalis. "We are going to have to pool our soldiers together for this hunt."

"Of course, Chryssi." said Umbriel. "I shall be glad to do this."

"Oh, you had better be." said Chrysalis.

Sigma and Canopy had now returned, and saluted the two Changelings in unison.

"You two, I want you to reorganize the survivors of my Vanhoover stronghold, and search for Craw." said Umbriel. "Scout the settlements of Equestria for him."

"What about Sunset Shimmer, my lord?" asked Canopy.

"She can wait." said Umbriel. "Getting Craw back down to his knees is much more important than harassing a bunch of ponies."

"We'll see it done then, milord." said Sigma.

"Good." said Umbriel. "You may start your search where Craw staged his last attacks: Appleoosa, Ponyville, and Canterlot. But remember: Don't let your cover be blown! And pick any fights with those ponies...yet."

"Yes, my lord." said Canopy.

Then the two Changelings flew away, leaving Queen Chrysalis and Lord Umbriel behind again. The two siblings decided to go back into the royal chamber, and sat down.

"So, where were we before we were so rudely interrupted by...everyone." said Chrysalis.

"Well, I believe that we were going to talk about what I discovered in Canterlot?" asked Lord Umbriel.

He told his sister about the portal, and his interactions with Captain Umbriel, and about the Chrysalis Syndicate.

"How interesting." said Queen Chrysalis, once Umbriel was done.

"But what do you think we should do about them?" asked Umbriel.

"They sound like they'll only get in our way." said Chrysalis. "Especially if our own counterparts get themselves involved."

"Are you sure about this, sister?" asked Umbriel. "I mean, they're pretty much...well, us."

"Precisely." said Chrysalis. "I mean, what if they come into our world, and they come to crave for love, just like us? We would be fighting them for resources! We're already struggling to feed our people as it is! We can't let our population be doubled like this. Not to mention, we don't know what their motives are, so they may wind up killing us along with the ponies!"

"You don't even know if they plan to kill anyone, even the ponies!" said Umbriel. "My counterpart told me that his organization was only looking for Sunset Shimmer." said Umbriel. "Otherwise, they wouldn't be interested in Equestria at all."

"Or would they?" asked Chrysalis. "Think about it, brother. We Changelings hunger for love, happiness, and other such emotions. What if our counterparts hunger for something...more?"

"They have extremely powerful weapons and armor, apparently among the greatest their world has to offer." said Umbriel.

"And we have extraordinary magical skills, and yet it's not enough for us!" said Chrysalis.

"That is true." admitted Umbriel.

"So I am going to suggest that we give the Syndicate what they want." said Chrysalis. "Before they even have a chance to visit Equestria. We shall capture Sunset Shimmer, and when the portal opens itself again, we are going to cast her through it and let the Syndicate have her!"

Umbriel's eyes narrowed.

"No!" he shouted.

Chrysalis blinked her eyes in surprise. For the first time that she could remember, Umbriel had raised his voice against her in anger.

"Brother, whatever do you mean?"

Then Umbriel sighed, calming himself down.

"I apologize, sister." he said. "But I still have plans for Sunset Shimmer that require her alive, well, and in Equestria. I would rather not explain them now, but my plans...they are absolutely important to me."

"Very well, brother." said Chrysalis. "We will do things your way...for now. But on one condition, since I don't mean to spoil you at all."

"Capture Craw first?" asked Umbriel.

"Capture Craw first." confirmed Chrysalis.

"Yes, I will like that very much." grinned Umbriel.

"And so will I." said Chrysalis.

One Last Night in Vanhoover

Later that night, Sunset Shimmer woke up from a dream she was having and sat on her bed in silence until the sun went up a few minutes later. After waiting a while in silence, she decided to climb out of bed and go downstairs. As she went down, Radiant Dawn's bedroom door opened up, and Lightning Dust came out.

"Lightning, what the heck were you doing in my brother's room?" asked Sunset.

"Radiant and I had to share a bed, since this place is so packed!" explained the pegasus. "Did you know your brother's totally got a snoring problem?"

"Well, nopony's perfect." said Sunset, shrugging. "By the way, did you two do...anything while you were in there?"

"Not really." said Lightning Dust. "Radiant went to bed pretty quickly. Why?"

"Oh, no reason." said Sunset, who started to whistle inconspicuously.

Sunset and Lightning went downstairs, where Scarlet Blaze was talking with Frosty.

"So, you're from Baltimare, huh?" asked Frosty.

"That is certainly correct." said Scarlet. "And you are, too?"

"That's right." said Frosty.

"So, how come you live in Vanhoover?" asked Scarlet, curiously.

"Because I wanted to get a lot of girls to like me." said Frosty. "I heard that the ponies here are very polite and gentle, and I thought that it would be easy for me to get a marefriend or two around here that would let me take them out on a date."

"Uh-huh." said Scarlet, in a sarcastic, calculating tone.

"And then I met Nose Nip during my time here, and we turned out to be the best explorers in town." said Frosty.

"Sure, you are." said Scarlet, sarcastically.

"What's that supposed to mean, huh?" questioned Frosty. "Is it because of how short I am?"

"Well, maybe." snarked Scarlet.

"Which reminds me, how come you're so tall?" asked Frosty. "I don't get why that is. The ponies in Baltimare don't usually get that tall."

Scarlet examined one of her long legs for a moment.

"Okay, I'll explain it." said Scarlet. "I got it from my father, Crimson Blade's side. He's part Saddle Arabian, and the ponies they are very tall. In fact, they're almost horse-sized."

"Well, that's interesting." said Frosty. "So, Radiant and Sunset are part Saddle Arabian, too?"

"That's right." said Scarlet. "Radiant inherited his tallness from me. But Sunset didn't. Her height's actually closer to her father's."

"Well, she sure inherited your good looks and attitude, though." said Frosty.

"And her father's brains." said Scarlet, her lips tucked in a grin.

"Morning, mom." said Sunset, trotting into the room.

"Good morning, Sunset." said Scarlet. "So, when will we be getting all these ponies out of our household?"

"When everypony's ready to go." said Sunset.

"Well, we'd better start waking everyone up, then!" said Scarlet.

"I'm on it." said Lightning Dust.

And then the pegasus flew around the mansion, getting everypony out of their bedrooms. In a few minutes, a crowd of at least fifty stood together on the front lawn of the estate. Sunset Shimmer and her family and friends led the liberated prisoners into Vanhoover, and let Sergeant Bullpup and his guards escort them to the train station.

"Alright, everyone." Bullpup told them all. "You're all going to be taking the next few trains to the train station in Canterlot. From there, Captain Star Shield and Captain Shining Armor will meet you, and you'll be led to trains that will bring you to your respective hometowns. Pegasi, gryphons, and anyone else that is capable of flying or otherwise travelling long distances can leave straight away. Maps will be given to those that need them."

"And what about those of us whose homes have long been destroyed or otherwise unavailable?" asked a donkey. "I was actually homeless and bankrupt long before the Changelings captured me."

"If there is anyone you know that can take unfortunate ones such as you in, then make yourselves known." said Bullpup. "If not, we can provide temporary lodgings for you all."

"Or perhaps anyone here might be interested in earning some money to get your own homes?" suggested Scarlet Blaze, who was standing beside Sergeant Bullpup. "My mansion has been understaffed for quite some time. I'm willing to pay money."

Half a dozen ponies and donkeys, plus a gryphon approached Scarlet.

"Well, I don't really have much of a job, myself." admitted a unicorn.

"Good, then you can all start next week." said Scarlet. "As for the rest of you...um, sergeant?"

"As for the rest of you." continued Sergeant Bullpup. "The train to Canterlot leaves in ten minutes, and the next one in two hours. Your tickets will be on us."

On cue, the ponies, gryphons, and other creatures that didn't choose to stay behind to wait for the next train boarded the one currently in the station, and soon enough, the train started speeding to the southeast.

"I estimate that it won't be until tomorrow that we'll be able to get back to Canterlot ourselves." Sunset Shimmer said to her friends. "So how about we take a look around here. I mean, now that the Changelings are all gone?"

"That sounds awesome!" said Lightning Dust.

"Maybe I can try pulling off one last magic show here." said Trixie. "Let's see if those spells you've taught me have made my magic tricks any better."

"I'm sure you'll do great, Trixie." said Sunset.

"But I think I'll need an assistant for my final trick." said Trixie.

"I'm all yours, Trixie." said Lightning Dust.

"Oh, this will be brilliant!" said Trixie.

Later that night, Trixie was able to book an exhibition at the Vanhoover Renaissance Theatre, and half the population of Vanhoover was there.

"Fillies and gentlecolts of Vanhoover!" proclaimed the blue unicorn. "You shall bear witness to the latest and greatest performance of me, the Great and Powerful Trrrrrrixie!"

As she uttered her name, her horn glowed and her star-covered pointed hat and cape appeared on her body in a flash of purple light. The ponies in the audience cheered on, though most of the gryphons seemed indifferent.

"And for my first trick, I'm going to create an exact duplicate of myself."

The ponies in the theatre all held their breath, as Trixie's horn glowed again. Surely enough, a second Trixie appeared on the stage in a flash of light. The two Trixies looked at each other, and started moving in perfect synchronization with one another, before the second Trixie blew a raspberry at the first, prompting the audience to laugh.

"And now, let me introduce you to my assistant, Lightning Dust!" said the first Trixie.

Her horn glowed, and the second Trixie transformed into the familiar bluish-green pegasus, who was now wearing a little black dress. Radiant Dawn whistled at her from the audience. Lightning Dust heard this, and blushed.

"Now for my next trick, I am going to saw my assistant in half." said Trixie to the audience.

Lightning Dust flew off-stage, and returned with a long cardboard box with holes at the end. Radiant Dawn looked nervously at Lightning as she opened up the box, and stuck her head and hooves out of the holes.

"Relax, bro." said Sunset. "It's all in good fun. It's not real."

"Right, Sunny." Radiant nodded slowly.

Trixie levitated a hacksaw over the box, and began to saw it in half. All the while, Lightning Dust was whistling blissfully. When the saw went through all the way, Trixie used her telekinesis to pull the two halves apart. Lightning's head and hooves were still moving on their own. Then Trixie levitated the two halves and spun them in circles. She turned the half that held Lightning's head into Frosty, and the lower half into Nose Nip. The two stallions got up, and stood on either side of Trixie. Nose Nip picked up Trixie's hat off of her head, and threw it up towards the ceiling. Trixie's horn glowed, and a flash of light engulfed the entire stage. The hat disappeared, and a streak of electricity was circling above the stage, before dropping down to the ground.

In the cloud of ash that emitted from the spot where the lightning hit, Lightning Dust emerged, and stood in front of Trixie, Nose Nip, and Frosty. When all four ponies bowed to the audience, the whole theater erupted in applause. Some even began to chant Trixie's name.

"Thank you, everypony!" said Trixie, who conjured her hat back onto her head. "And let's put our hooves together for my three assistants here!"

And the crowd did just that. Frosty especially looked happy to see all the mares in the audience looking at him.

Later, Sunset and her friends came out of the theatre, though it took Trixie a while to finish signing autographs from her various fans. Frosty came out, being crowded by a bunch of local mares, who were all giggling and nuzzling against his short body.

"Frosty, what's your secret?" asked Radiant, looking at him.

"I don't know." said Frosty. "All I said was that I was from Baltimare. And then...well, I don't exactly know what happened. But if you'll excuse me, I have some quality time to spend with these girls. Nips, you want in on the action?!"

"You know I do, man!" said Nose Nip.

"Are they always like that?" Sunset questioned, once Frosty and Nose Nip were gone.

"Pretty much." said Radiant, with a shrug.

Trixie came out of the theatre, and stopped in front of Sunset Shimmer.

"You did great, Trix." said Sunset, with a smile.

"Thanks, Sunset." said Trixie. "So what are we going to do now?"

"Hello, everypony." said Pressure Point, who suddenly appeared.

"Pressure, where the heck were you?" asked Trixie.

"Oh, I was at the general store, intending to buy medical supplies."

explained Pressure.

"So, I take it you didn't see my performance, cousin?" asked Trixie.

"Well, of course I did." said Pressure. "You actually did pretty darn good, cousin. I just thought I'd make a quick stop to the general store, but it closed twenty minutes ago. So that's why I'm here now. And empty-hooved."

"Hey, guys!" said a high-pitched, almost whiny-sounding voice.

"Hi there, Teddy." said Sunset Shimmer, recognizing the voice and turning around.

"It's good to see you're all right, Sunset." said Teddy, stepping into the light emitting from a nearby lamp-post.

Sunset and her friends saw that there was a black eye on his face, and his muzzle looked bruised.

"Teddy, what happened to you?!" gasped Sunset.

Teddy whimpered, and turned around slowly. Standing there was--

"Gilda!" shouted Radiant in surprise.

Gilda was standing there, still looking as unfettered and disheveled as she was when Trixie and her companions found her.

"How are you doing, B.F.?" asked Gilda, sinisterly.

Gilda crept forward, knocking Teddy aside. But before Radiant could do anything in retaliation, Sunset Shimmer slowly approached Gilda.

"Tell me, girl." said Sunset. "What the heck is your problem with us?"

"What?" Gilda asked, offended. "No, what's your problem with me?"

"Hey, we don't go around attacking random bystanders at the drop of a hat." said Sunset. "I know how you stuck-up bullying types work. You're so shallow, foul, and predictable. I know, because I used to be like that for a while."

"You wanna bring it, sister? Because I'll bring it!" said Gilda.

"No, I'm going to bring it off, and right now." said Sunset. "Now listen closely."

Then she bent her head forward, and spoke to Gilda in rapid but quiet French. Gilda just stood there, seemingly unfazed. Then she started to nod every now and then. She seemed positively bored, when Sunset's voice was suddenly louder and angrier. Then Gilda's nods became slower and heavier. Her eyes even began to water a little. Eventually, she seemed as though she were about to cry. But then her head mechanically lifted back up, and she had a bored expression on her face again.

"Whatever." she said, calmly. "I've got better things to do than bother you guys, anyway. I'm out of here."

Then she flew off quickly.

Sunset bent over to help Teddy back up.

"You okay, Ted?" asked Sunset.

"Yeah." said Teddy. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." said Sunset.

"What'd ya say to her?" asked Radiant, curiously.

But Sunset just yawned.

"It's late, Red." she said. "We should get ready for tomorrow. We've got to get back to Canterlot tomorrow."

"But...but...what about me, man?" Teddy asked, almost on the verge of tears.

"Don't worry, Teddy." said Pressure Point. "I'm a doctor. I'll get those injuries looked at back at Daystar Manor."

Then Pressure turned his head towards Radiant and Sunset.

"I mean, if you're okay with it." he said.

"Yeah, we're fine with it." said Radiant.

"We'd be crazy if we weren't." said Sunset.

Farewell to Vanhoover

Back at the manor, Pressure Point was telekinetically tying a sterile rag around Teddy's muzzle, and cleaning up his eye. Once he was finished tending to his injuries, Sunset Shimmer decided to ask her guest some questions.

"Teddy, what did Gilda do to you?" asked Sunset Shimmer.

"Oh, it's nothing, really." said Teddy. "I mean, she's beaten me worse than this."

"What, are you serious?!" Sunset gasped. "And you never told anypony about this?"

"Well, I didn't want to cause any unnecessary trouble with the gryphons." said Teddy. "Gilda's the daughter of the patriarch of one of the local clans."

"Yeah, but you still shouldn't let her treat you like garbage so much." said Sunset. "For goodness' sake, I know what it's like to bully people! If nobody does anything about your situation, then the tormenting won't stop!"

"I just want to live a normal, healthy life without having to bring law enforcement into the mix." said Teddy, frustrated.

"Well, you won't find it here with Gilda around." said Sunset Shimmer.

"You know, you're right about that." said Teddy. "I've been thinking about moving out of Vanhoover, anyway."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I was thinking maybe moving to somewhere more exciting, like Canterlot or Manehatten."

"But, Teddy, Vanhoover's your home!" said Sunset.

"And I think I've spent too much time cooped up here." said Teddy. "Sure Vanhoover's a nice place with nice ponies, but really, it's kind of dull for those that spend their days in town. There's nothing really for somepony like me to do except drink cider or get harassed by Gilda. I just wish that I were somewhere where I could make a living doing something exciting. Vanhoover's kinda out of the way."

Sunset could sympathize with that. She likened Teddy's sentiments with the time she spent in Canterbury. While it seemed like a pleasant and peaceful place to live in hindsight, it was boring compared to Equestria. Its only saving graces (at least to her) were the technology, the fact that she had opposable thumbs in that world (though she didn't need to have them in Equestria)...and Craw. Sunset frowned as she thought about him again. And cringed as she thought about King Craw, who was currently doing Celestia-knows-what in Celestia-knows-where.

"So, you wanna move?" asked Sunset.

"Sure, if it'll get Gilda and all the other wannabe thugs off my back." said Teddy.

"Well, you could come with us to Canterlot." said Sunset.

"Are you sure about that?" asked Teddy.

"Sure." nodded Sunset. "I'm sure that my brother could get you a spot in the Canterlot Royal Guard, so that you could learn to protect yourself...plus anypony else that needs it."

"I...I don't know." stammered Teddy. "I'm more of a talker than a fighter. And that guard duty stuff seems like it'll be too stressful for me."

Then Sunset Shimmer remembered how she had learned various martial arts and hand-to-hand combat techniques during her time in the human world; she didn't really put much focus into it since she crossed back over to Equestria, since she could use magic again.

"Well, I could train you to defend yourself." said Sunset.

"You mean it?" asked Teddy. "No fooling?"

"No fooling."

Later the next day, Sunset Shimmer and her friends were all at the train station (apart from Lightning Dust and the two Shadowbolts under her command, whom had been sent ahead to Canterlot to prepare for their arrival) and ready to get back home.

"So, are you two sure that you don't want to come with us?" Radiant Dawn asked Nose Nip and Frosty. "You two would be great recruits for the Night Guard. I'll even put a good word in to the captain!"

"Nah, guard duty really isn't our thing." said Nose Nip. "And I don't like being too far from home, at least not if it can be helped."

"And we consider ourselves freelancers, anyhow." said Frosty. "But if you need any help in the near future, we'll be glad to lend a hoof."

"Hello, my little ponies!" said the voice of Scarlet Blaze, who arrived at the station. "I thought I'd come to the station to see everypony off."

Sunset Shimmer, Radiant Dawn, and their friends turned to see Scarlet, whose mane was now long, unbraided, and curly. Sunset and Radiant approached their mother, and proceeded to hug her. Sunset hugged Scarlet's front legs, while Radiant put one of his own around Scarlet's neck.

"Kids, it's okay!" said Scarlet. "I know, I'm going to miss you both, too."

Sunset and Radiant let go of their mother, and backed away a little.

"So, what are you going to do now, mom?" asked Sunset.

"Well, I think that I'll take a look around town." said Scarlet.

"To get caught up on stuff you missed the past fifteen years?" asked Trixie.

"And to find out what happened to my husband." said Scarlet. "Maybe somepony around here knows something about it."

"And we'll be glad to help you find him." said Nose Nip.

"For a price, of course." added Frosty.

Then everypony laughed.

"Wait a minute." Frosty suddenly said. "Where the heck is Teddy?"

He started looking around.

"He's already finding a seat for us on the train." said Sunset. "I'm going to be taking him with us to Canterlot, so that he can find himself a decent job."

"Well, he still owes us money." said Frosty.

"I'm sure he does." said Sunset. "Well, I'll be seeing you guys later. Don't let anything happen to my mom, okay?"

"We promise."

Sunset proceeded to hug Frosty as though he were her favorite uncle.

"Thank you." she said softly.

"Ow, jeez!" said Frosty, shaking himself away. "What is it with the mares around here, always wanting to cuddle and nuzzle against me?"

"Sorry." said Sunset, sheepishly letting go of Frosty. "So I guess I'll see you later!"

"And be safe, Sunset." said Nose Nip. "Frosty here doesn't like it when potential customers get themselves in perilous situations!"

"Well, I'll keep that in mind." said Sunset. "By the way, could you try keeping Gilda under control in our absence?"

"Well, since I was able to knock a few Changelings' blocks off in that cave, I don't think one single gryphon will be much of a problem." said Nose Nip.

"Good, I'd hate to deal with her again." said Trixie. "Well, I think it's time for us to get going now."

"Right." nodded Sunset Shimmer. "Bye, everyone!"

"Bye, Sunset!" said Frosty.

"Be a good girl, Sunset!" said Scarlet. "And you be good too, Radiant!"

"We will, mom!" said Radiant.

"Oh, and I almost forgot." said Scarlet, who levitated several jars out of her purse into their travelling bags. "This is from the Syrup Family. Apparently, they heard about our exploits in the Changeling lair, and wanted to give some of their latest product to each of us. It's a new type of marmalade they've been brewing."

"Thanks, mom!" said Radiant. "I love the food they make, and I bet the marmalade will make it even better!"

Later, everyone was gathered in the lunch car of the train to eat peanut butter and marmalade sandwiches. While they ate, Sunset Shimmer, Radiant Dawn, Trixie, Pressure Point, and Teddy were all talking about what they would be doing once they went back to Canterlot.

"I'd like to see the look on Lord Umbriel's face when he finds out King Craw wrecked his lair." chuckled Trixie. "With some help from the bunch of us! I tell you, when I get back to Canterlot, I'm going to work more on my magic skills. What about you guys?"

"I bet Princess Luna's got a new session--or five--in store for me once we get back there." said Sunset Shimmer.

"And I bet Captain Shield will want me to file a whole lot of paperwork, too." said Radiant.

"And I bet my hospital will be overfilled with patients by now." said Pressure Point. "I'll have to work very hard to make up for lost time."

"And if I'm going to be moving away from Vanhoover, I'd better find somewhere that I can live." said Teddy. "And I'm gonna need a job."

"You're sure you don't wanna be a guard, though?" asked Radiant.

"Yep."

"You could be my assistant for my magic shows." offered Trixie.

"Nah, I get stage fright." said Teddy. "Plus, I'm not that good an actor."

"You could help me around the hospital." said Pressure.

"Um, no thanks?" declined Teddy, nervously. "I get very squeamish when it comes to hospitals."

"So what did you do for a living when you still lived in Vanhoover?" asked Sunset.

"Well, I am something of a musician." said Teddy. "I play the keyboard."

"A musician, huh?" asked Sunset. "My first boyfriend was a musician. He played a guitar."

"First? Who was your second?" asked Teddy.

"A soldier." said Sunset, dreamily.

"Oh-kay." Teddy said, weirded out by Sunset's expression.

"Sunny?" asked Radiant.

"Yeah?" asked Sunset.

"I was wondering, since we won't be back in Canterlot for a few hours...what the heck did you say to Gilda in Vanhoover?"

"Well, I basically told her to leave us alone." said Sunset. "And when that failed, I started making some very scathing comments like I the kind I used from my bullying days, even using some curse words that my boyfriend taught me to say in French."

"And based on Gilda's reaction, I'd say you have quite a way with words, little sis." said Radiant.

"I sure do." said Sunset. "It was part of how I was able to rule Canterlot High School with an iron fist. It even saved my life before I came back to Equestria."

"How?" asked Radiant, curiously.

"Well, I was able to persuade my boyfriend to--" Sunset paused. "Actually, I'd rather not get into it. At least, not until we get back to Canterlot. I don't really know if I can trust you guys with the information...yet."

Reluctantly, Radiant nodded.

"Okay, if you say so, Sunny." Radiant then yawned. "Well, I'm going to take a nap. Tell me when we get there, okay?"

"Yep. Me, too." seconded Teddy.

"A nap sure would sound good, wouldn't it?" Sunset agreed. "I'll be in my compartment."

"By the way, Sunset?" asked Pressure Point.

"What is it, Pressure?" asked Sunset.

"I hope you don't mind, and don't take this personally, but..." Pressure took a deep breath. "I hope I never go adventuring with you again."

"Okay." said Sunset, casually.

"This whole thing was a one-time deal." said Pressure. "I was doing a favor for you and your brother. Though I can't say I didn't have a good time at all. It was actually kinda nice to see your hometown. If it seemed like I was complaining at all before, it's because, well, I'm just not an outdoors kind of pony. I'm at my happiest when I'm indoors, checking on my patients."

"No pressure, Pressure." said Sunset, smiling. "I totally understand you."

"Thank you." Pressure nodded in relief. "On that note, I'd like to say that I see what kind of stuff you and your friends have to deal with. I sympathize with you and your brother completely now."

"Well, that's great." said Sunset. "See you in Canterlot, doctor."

"Same for you...Miss Shimmer." said Pressure, As Sunset passed into the next car.

Periodic Antagonism, Part One

Queen Chrysalis, Lord Umbriel, and a squad of royal bodyguards were standing at the collapsed secret entrance to Umbriel's Vanhoover stronghold.

"Brother, you do know this was bound to happen sooner or later, correct?" questioned Chrysalis in an unamused tone.

"Of course, sister." said Umbriel. "But let's salvage what we can from this little embarassment, shall we?"

"Ugh! If only he was still in our world! We could surely be able to finish off Craw for good!" muttered Chrysalis, frustrated. "But since those ponies don't have the Elements of Harmony anymore, maybe I could try summoning him again, and I'll be able to keep him around in case this happens yet again."

Umbriel knew, of course, that Chrysalis was referring to the alien general that she had brought into their world to fight King Craw the first time he rebelled against her. But when she initially summoned him to Equestria, the amount of power it required nearly killed her. And Umbriel knew this well enough; it had taken twenty minutes for Prince Embryo to resuscitate his unconscious sister after she first cast the spell, and she remained in a semi-catatonic state for the six-and-a-half hours that followed.

It angered him so, how the peril that Craw had put their family in was so terrible, that Chrysalis nearly got herself killed trying to bring forth the ultimate champion to defeat her former captain. But now that Prince Embryo had become the tremendously imposing Lord Umbriel, he now had a chance to prove how effective a protector he was, in addition to being the part-time consultant to his beloved elder sister. He was not willing to see anything of that sort happen again.

"Sister, you should not risk it." said Umbriel. "It is too dangerous to try it again. Please, let me assist you. I am here at your side, as I always have been, and always shall."

"How I love it when you flatter me, little brother." said Queen Chrysalis. "But I am being serious."

"So am I, big sister." said Lord Umbriel, flatly. "I won't let you be harmed. Not even by yourself. I've done the impossible to prove this to you. I saved you from that prison you were trapped in, didn't I? And I was able to get you out to safety when Craw overthrew you. And I provided you with soldiers to aid in quelling Craw's revolution. And I plan to do even more in the future."

Chrysalis turned her head at Umbriel, and blinked her large, bright green eyes as she looked at him. Ever since they were young, Chrysalis had been something of a mother-like figure to her brother, and often treated him as if he were her own son. But as they matured, their own personalities began to deviate by a significant amount. Chrysalis often let her brother do as he wished, even if his actions differed from her own.

But now that she was a queen, Chrysalis knew that she had to keep her brother in line every once in a while, to ensure that he didn't do anything that may embarrass the royal family, and by extension, the Changeling Empire. Normally, she didn't have to worry about this, but she had remembered her truce with the denizens of Equestria, and had decided to renew it...this time.

"Brother, I have been thinking..." she said, slowly.

"Yes, sister?" asked Umbriel.

"I think you and I will still need assistance with subduing Craw." she said. "I don't doubt you or either of our soldiers, but there's still another option available to us, that won't require me to cast that space-warping spell again."

"I'm all ears, Chryssi." said Umbriel, intelligently.

Sergeant Craw was sitting against the base of the statue outside of Canterlot High, in the exact same spot where Sunset Shimmer was when he first met her. He was reflecting once more on his previous relationship with Sunset Shimmer, when Corporal Ghost approached him.

"What's the matter?" said the corporal in a cold tone. "Still miss your 'girlfriend'?"

"Why does it matter if I do?" Craw questioned, sternly.

"It really doesn't." said Ghost, flatly.

Craw stood himself up quickly.

"Listen, corporal." he said. "I want to know what the heck your problem is with Sunset Shimmer, anyway. What do you have against ponies?"

"I don't hate ponies at all." said Ghost. "At least, unless they start talking back to me."

Craw scowled at Ghost, though his helmet made it impossible to see this.

"Ghost, how often do you come across a talking pony?"

"Never, or at least that's how it should be." said Ghost. "And the ones on TV don't count, since they're all fictional, and they're not actually talking to me."

"Well, your behavior has been extremely ridiculous." said Craw. "For crying out loud, you almost attacked two students from this school because of this stupid anti-pony regiment you seem to be running."

"How different am I from how you were talking to Sunset on the phone, when we last encountered her?"

"Because I was still freaked-out from when I found out that she was actually a pony." said Craw. "I was in a bad mood, so it really doesn't count that much."

Ghost just seemed skeptical.

"But you know what?!" Craw suddenly snapped. "Why don't you tell me why you had such a problem with her to begin with?"

Then Ghost removed the skull-like headgear from his face, and sighed.

"You know, I really don't know myself." he said, flatly. "It just seems like I've really been letting my anger get the best of me lately."

Craw took his own helmet off.

"Oh, you think?" he snarked.

"But for almost two months, something's been driving me insane. Burning me up from the inside." said Ghost. "Like a ravenous hunger."

"Really." said Craw, simply.

"That's right." said Ghost. "I think it all started before I even joined the Syndicate. You see, I used to be a radio deejay on this station in San Palamino. I got harassed by prank callers all the time. Usually, I found them somewhat amusing, but one night, I just snapped. I had a very loud and profane mental breakdown on the air, and I had to quit my job."

"So you hate ponies because of a bunch of stupid prank callers?" questioned Sgt. Craw.

"No, it wasn't them." said Ghost. "It was something else. This strange sensation came over me from out of nowhere. And it's still there. And here's something else: Every night, I have nightmares."

"Really?" said Craw. "What kind of nightmares."

"Like me being harassed by this red winged demon thing with flaming hair." said Ghost. "It sounded an awful lot like Sunset Shimmer, too."

"Funny, that seems to be the same description of the creature mentioned in the scout's report for this town." said Craw. "The report that brought me to this town to begin with."

"And that creature was Sunset Shimmer." said Ghost. "I knew it! That pony-witch put a curse on me!"

"Ghost, you had that curse on you before you were ever even in the same state as Sunset!" said Craw.

"Either way, it's still that pony's fault that I'm a mental train-wreck." said Ghost.

Vice Principal Luna was in her office, with Captain Umbriel sitting across from her. He had his helmet off, but wore sunglasses over his eyes. Without his headgear, he was revealed to have a hard, muscular face with a squarish jaw, and thin lips that were bent into a sinister grin. He also had cerulean hair in a short, curly hairstyle that, when combined with his facial features, vaguely made him look like an actor from an old boxing film that Luna had seen when she was a teenager.

"So, for what occasion do you ask me to speak with you, Vice Principal Luna?" asked Umbriel, whose voice sounded clearer and smoother without his helmet distorting it, and only slightly less deep.

"I want to know something, Captain Umbriel." said Luna. "Just what do you and your men intend to do once you cross over through this portal?"

"None of your concern." said Umbriel, simply.

"Well, you're bringing my school into this mess by bringing all these soldiers and weapons and so forth over here. If you really don't intend to harm Sunset Shimmer, then why bring all of this dangerous military equipment--which I highly doubt is even remotely legal."

"I must confess something." said Captain Umbriel. "I frankly don't care either way what happens to Sunset Shimmer. At least, not until her purpose has been exceeded."

"Her purpose?" asked Vice Principal Luna. "So is your organization under the impression that Sunset Shimmer is a tool or weapon?"

"No." said Umbriel. "But she personally doesn't mean anything to me, alive or dead. The supreme commander calls the shots, and she only wanted Sunset alive so that she could give us information that could benefit the Syndicate."

"That could benefit terrorists, you mean." said Luna, flatly.

"Now, why make such an extreme comment like that?" said Umbriel. "We aren't holding anyone hostage! We aren't planning to blow up this school! We're a paramilitary organization, and nothing more."

"Then you are of a very overzealous and trigger-happy one, apparently." said Luna.

"Perhaps, but not if we can help it." Umbriel waved a muscular arm. "But really, why do you care so much about Sunset Shimmer, anyway? I think it's perfectly clear, from all the information we've acquired about her, that she was a troublemaker from the moment she came into our world."

"I am not certain." frowned Luna. "I always thought it was because she was a student at this school, but I think there may be something much deeper, regarding the two worlds."

"And I know much about Equestria, already." said Captain Umbriel. "But how much do you know?"

"Not too much; Sunset never really summarized just what her world was like, except that it had magic and talking ponies."

But Umbriel took off his sunglasses, revealing his green eyes, which had horizontal red slits for pupils. The vice principal couldn't help but gasp when she saw this.

"How in the world--?" she gawked.

"Are my eyes like this?" finished Umbriel. "It's a rather unfortunate side-effect of the super-soldier project that made my body as strong as it is right now. But this is beside the point. I can tell you are holding something back, Ms. Luna. Don't bother denying it."

Luna hesitated, then took a deep breath.

"Very well, captain." she spoke, reluctantly. "A couple of weeks ago, shortly after Sunset Shimmer disappeared from Canterbury, I had this...dream."

"And what happened in this dream?" asked Umbriel.

"Well at first, nothing odd really happened in it, until a pony version of myself appeared before me, and spoke to me about Sunset Shimmer and her whereabouts."

"Your counterpart in Equestria, no doubt." stated Captain Umbriel. "Yes, it would seem that Equestria is inhabited by pony versions of many people living in this world. I have already spoken with my own counterpart, and so has Corporal Ghost with his. I wonder, what is your counterpart like?"

"She was a winged unicorn, and a very beautiful one, I might add." recalled Vice Principal Luna. "Apparently, she is also a princess, as is my sister Celestia's counterpart."

"Interesting. Very interesting, indeed." said Umbriel. "And my counterpart just so happens to be a prince who became a warlord, but he is of a different society from the one your counterpart rules over with your sister's."

"But your counterpart isn't the ruler of his?"

"Not necessarily, but my sister's counterpart in that world is a queen."

"You have a sister?" asked Luna.

"That is correct, Ms. Luna." confirmed Umbriel. "And she happens to be the leader and namesake of the Chrysalis Syndicate. You didn't think that I was the leader, did you? No, I am simply the top field leader and second-in-command, just like my counterpart is to my sister's."

"So based on what I can put together from this information, would that mean that in this other world..." deduced Vice Principal Luna. "You and I are rivals?"

"It would certainly seem that way." nodded Captain Umbriel. "But I hardly think you would pose much of a threat to me in this world, since I'm a super-soldier and you are just...a schoolteacher. No offense, mind you."

Luna frowned, and bowed her head. She felt Captain Umbriel's armored hand tug ever so slightly on her fingers, even as they drummed against the desk.

"But really, I actually contain quite a bit of respect for you, Ms. Luna." said Umbriel. "You are a beautiful, intelligent woman. I admire women like you. Don't worry, I wouldn't even try to harm you. And I'm not saying this because my sister said not to let any harm come to your school; My feelings are genuine."

"And what feelings would those be?" asked Luna, monotonously.

"Here's a hint." said Umbriel, raising Luna's hand and setting it to his sneering lips.

He kissed the back of her hand, and then slowly let go. Blushing, Vice Principal looked up at Captain Umbriel, who winked at her and curled his lips back into his signature grin.

"Well, I've got another appointment to attend to with Sergeant Craw." said Umbriel, casually. "I will see you again later, vice principal."

He put his mask back on, and then marched out of the office. Ms. Luna just sat in her seat, her face frozen in a confused and nervous expression as she reflected on the exchange of information she just had, and worried about what might happen next.

Back In Canterlot

Finally, the train from Vanhoover stopped at the train station in Canterlot in the early evening. Sunset Shimmer and her friends came out of the train cars, and were greeted by Princess Luna, Captain Star Shield, and a number of night guards and Shadowbolts.

"I am glad to see you once again with my awake eyes, Sunset." said Luna. "You have done well, my student."

"Thanks, Luna." said Sunset. "But really, I couldn't have done it without my friends and family."

"Regardless, I can tell that we have much to discuss." said Luna. "For I have news of my own. It will have to wait until we have returned to the palace."

"What? Are you hoofin' kidding me?!" exclaimed Sunset in disbelief. "Umbriel escaped? How the heck could this have happened?"

"I don't know, my student." said Luna. "But these circumstances were beyond our knowledge and control."

"I bet it was Ghost's doing." said Sunset. "That albino slimeball is practically implacable with that teleportation spell of his."

"Yes, Twilight Sparkle was able to experience this herself." said Luna. "She sent a message up to Canterlot a couple of days ago, telling us that a white Changeling attacked her and Fluttershy, and stole the Alicorn Amulet from the zebra known as Zecora."

"So Twilight wasn't able to stop him?" asked Sunset, skeptically.

"I'm afraid not." said Luna.

Normally, Sunset Shimmer would've been glad to know that there was at least something besides fitting into the human world that Twilight Sparkle didn't excel at, but her time as Princess Luna's student had made her a more mature and dignified mare, not to mention the fact that the circumstances were a lot more dire than trying to win some silly popularity contest at a high school. Sunset remembered what Trixie Lulamoon told her about how the Alicorn Amulet was a powerful magical artifact that apparently powered-up its wearer's magical abilities to several times their normal state, at the cost of turning them power-hungry and insane.

"Oh, that's just great." Sunset muttered in shock. "And if Lord Umbriel has it, then there's no telling what he's gonna do next."

"Well, he was not wearing it when I fought against him a few days ago." said Princess Luna. "But I still have reason to believe that if the Changelings have the amulet in their possession, then something horrid may be in store for Equestria. One can only hope that Queen Chrysalis still has no interest in invading Equestria again."

"Well, even if the Changeling Royal Family doesn't pull anything again in the near future, we've still got one or two other things to worry about." said Sunset Shimmer. "One: King Craw's back in action, thanks to my carelessness. There's no telling what he'll try now."

"And the other?" asked Princess Luna.

"The Chrysalis Syndicate. If the Changelings of this world aren't going to threaten Equestria, that doesn't mean the Changelings of the other world won't do something bad."

"Sunset, do you think the Syndicate may know about the portal to Equestria?" asked Luna.

"I don't think so." said Sunset. "I mean the only Syndicate member present was Ghost's counterpart, and he was distracted by the Canterbury Police, so he couldn't have seen me go through the portal at all. Even if he did, he wouldn't be able to do anything to follow, because of the time-frame between when the portal opens. And the chances of him or someone else figuring out the failsafe are even more slim."

"Unless, of course, there was something on the human side of the portal that could show them how the portal works." said Luna. "Did you leave anything Equestria-related behind at all?"

"No." said Sunset. "The only thing I ever brought from here was Twilight's crown, and we all know what happened there. The only way they'd find anything about the portal to Equestria is if somepony else had crossed over before me, and brought something with them."

Princess Luna paused, an uncomfortable expression on her face.

"Luna, what's the matter?" Sunset questioned. "How many other ponies before me have ever used that mirror?"

"I don't know for certain." said Luna. "But my sister once said that a number of ancient spellbooks and scrolls had disappeared from the palace archives, and were never recovered."

"Well, it wasn't me." chuckled Sunset. "I didn't even hoof...foot...whatever through the Crystal Mirror until after the guards confiscated everything I took from the Canterlot library."

"I am aware of this and believe you, my student." said Princess Luna. "But the artifacts I refer to had vanished more than three hundred years ago, before any of your known ancestors or relatives were even born."

"Well, that changes everything, doesn't it?" chuckled Sunset with a puzzled look on her face. "So do you think that these artifacts could've been brought to the human side of the portal at all?"

"It is possible." said Luna. "Though I hardly think the identity of the thief would matter much, since they would have passed away a long time ago, especially if they stayed in the human world."

"You're probably right, Luna." said Sunset Shimmer. "Well, I'm gonna be with my friends. See you tonight!"

"And I will look forward to our next meeting, Sunset." said Princess Luna.

APPROX. TWO MONTHS, ONE WEEK AGO...

A strange black-haired man wearing a leather jacket and red-rimmed shades entered the apartment complex on Dodge Boulevard, his right arm slung around a cardboard box. He walked inside silently, and stopped by the landlord's desk.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for a Miss Sunset Shimmer." said the stranger.

"Who the heck wants to know?" asked the landlord.

"It really doesn't matter." the stranger replied in a low, ominous tone.

"Look, I just want to know why you'd be looking for Sunset Shimmer."

"I'm just dropping something off in her room."

"Well, Sunset happens to be up there at the moment, so I'll phone her for you and tell her to expect company." said the landlord, fumbling with the cordless phone in his hand.

But the man reached over the desk, and seized the landlord by the wrist so hard, the phone fell out of his hand.

"I insist that it be kept a surprise." said the stranger, letting go of the landlord.

"Ow! Jeez, you've got some muscle there, don't you?" groaned the landlord, uncomfortably. "Shoot, I think my arm's gone numb or something. Okay, if you want to drop it off so badly, she lives in room number thirty-two, on the third floor. Now get going, before I sic my dog on you."

The stranger nodded simply, ignoring the landlord's threat, and ascended the stairwell, and went up to the third floor. He stopped outside Room 32, and stood silently in front of the doorway. He scrutinized the hinges, contemplated how hard he should strike the door, when there was a loud speaking voice coming from inside.

"Nah, I don't need you, Flash!" said the voice of Sunset Shimmer. "I've got everything I could possibly need to become Princess of the Fall Formal...again. And just you wait till you see what I have in store for the school this time around. When I win, you're gonna regret breaking up with me!"

There was a moment of silence in the room.

"Oh, I can't really tell you, baby." said Sunset, sinisterly. "But tomorrow night, I'm gonna be making a little errand to personally acquire a little something that will make this year's Fall Formal unforgettable. Bye."

Then the repeated thuds of Sunset's booted feet approached her apartment door, which she unlocked, and opened up. As she did so, she was recapping the first stages of her big plan.

"Okay, first thing to do is--and who the buck--I mean f--" Sunset exclaimed in surprise, when she noticed the strange man standing before her. "Umm....are you a new tenant or something?"

The man said nothing. This angered Sunset deeply.

"Talk to me, you weirdo!" snapped Sunset. "You've got three seconds to say something, or so help me, I'll--"

The man leaned forward with great speed. He extended his left arm, and put his hand on Sunset's head. He stroked his fingers through Sunset Shimmer's red-and-blonde hair as if he were petting her, while blankly looking at her face, which gradually began to snarl angrily.

"Get away from me, you freak!" demanded Sunset, angrily pulling herself back.

She was about to slam her door shut again, but the man suddenly stuck his leg through the doorway and caught it before it could shut. Sunset quailed, and sank against her bed, her fists tightening and eyes opened wide.

"Get out of my room, or I'll beat the tar out of you!" shouted Sunset, who started to reach for something from underneath her bed. "Whatever nasty thing you plan to do to me, you'll regret it!"

"If anyone is going to regret anything around here, it will be you." said the man.

"What the heck is that supposed to mean?"

"You'll see, Sunset Shimmer." said the man.

Sunset Shimmer brandished a golf club from underneath the bed, and attempted to strike the man in the head. But he caught it with no effort. Sunset quickly stood back up to try and punch the stranger, when the man pushed Sunset onto her bed, and set the box he was holding down on the floor. He approached the girl, and bent over her to gaze into her wide green eyes.

"Go on, big guy." Sunset groaned in defeat. "Do your worst."

"I'm afraid my worst will have to wait...for now." said the man. "What I'm doing right now is putting the pieces into place."

Sunset just looked at him confused and puzzled. Before she could open her mouth to ask again, the man pulled out a syringe with three needles from his jacket pocket, and stuck it into Sunset's navel through her t-shirt, injecting her amber-skinned adolescent body with a triple dose of modified horse tranquilizer. Sunset's teeth began to chatter and her body shuddered uncomfortably.

"Wh--what is-ss t-this?" twitched Sunset.

"Nothing you need to worry about...yet." said the man. "For now, you should go to sleep, my pretty. When you wake up, you won't remember ever meeting me."

Sunset Shimmer felt compelled to obey him, and she calmly shut her eyes and fell asleep on her bed. As she slept, the man opened up the box, and inspected its otherworldly contents to make sure nothing was missing. Quietly, he slipped it deep underneath Sunset's bed, and stood back up to grin wickedly at the resting humanized pony, groping her bright, dormant face.

"So go ahead with your plans." he whispered. "May they succeed or fail. In the end, it won't matter at all."

The man walked outside the room, shutting the door behind him, and walked back down the stairwell to the first floor. He walked outside, preparing to initiate the next phase of his enigmatic plan, and pulled out his Smartphone. He dialed an encrypted number, then texted the following message:

Ms. Crystal Iris Roachanov, or should I say "Supreme Commander Chrysalis", I am an informant with invaluable intel for your organization. It appears that your "buddies", the Diamond Dog Cartel, are up to no good elsewhere, and have set up shop in the town of Canterbury. If you don't know where it is, it is located in Washington State, fifty or so miles to the south-east of Peach Creek, near the American-Canadian border. I advise that you send a reconnaissance team to spy on the area around Canterlot High School, particularly about four nights from now. That's when something big will go down.

You will not be disappointed.

K.N.

After he sent the text message, he looked back at the apartment, grinning wickedly again.

"The master will be pleased, for certain. For now, I let everything continue as planned."

Then he went into the alleyway beside the apartment building, and disappeared into the darkness.

Interactions with the Syndicate, Part One

In Principal Celestia's office, the principal was speaking with Sunset Shimmer's landlord and his building's electrician. The landlord was a short, neurotic-looking man native to Baltimore, with greasy, balding hair and dusty spectacles. The electrician was a tall and buff, bearded man wearing overalls, hiking boots, a plaid buttoned shirt, a grey neckerchief, and a black woolen cap that made him look more like a lumberjack than a custodian.

"Look, Ms. Celestia, I just wanna know what this whole thing is about Sunset Shimmer being some kind of criminal mastermind." said the landlord. "I've been that girl's landlord--and by extension, her legal guardian--for the past two-and-a-half years; since the day she came into town; before she even set foot in your high school. So I know what a girl like her is capable of. And one thing's for friggin' sure: She ain't no friggin' terrorist!"

"Yeah." agreed the electrician, speaking with a thick accent. "She ain't some kinda spy! She's just a perfectly normal young woman."

"C'mon, Nips." said the landlord. "We can't say she's normal. Sure, she was pretty bossy up until a couple months ago, but ain't a menace to society! I mean, so she was once a bully at this school, so what? She never did anything that warranted sending these armored wackos after her!"

"I understand what you mean, Frosty, and agree with you completely." said Principal Celestia. "But having these soldiers all come to hunt for her wasn't my intention in the slightest. I assure you that this school would never let harm come to Sunset Shimmer, no matter how many students she might have manipulated or humiliated."

"Then why the heck has Sunset Shimmer not been seen at this school or in my apartment complex for the past eighteen days?" questioned Frosty, anxiously. "And why are you letting a bunch of stinkin' terrorists just waltz around your building like they own the place?"

"It's complicated, Frosty." said Celestia.

"Well, could you at least tell me what the heck they plan to do with Sunset Shimmer once they find her...wherever she's supposed to be?"

"I don't know for certain, either." said Principal Celestia. "But I fear that, if they don't outright kill her, they may exploit her for their own purposes."

"And what kinda purposes would those be?" asked Frosty.

"Again, I don't know for certain." said Celestia. "I'm afraid that you'd have to directly ask the Syndicate leaders yourself."

"Oh. I'll gladly do that!" said Frosty. "Where's the leader then?"

Right on cue, the door to the principal's office opened up, and Vice Principal Luna and Captain Umbriel walked inside together. Frosty quickly climbed out of his chair before Nose Nip could stop him, and stomped up to the power-armored second-in-command of the Chrysalis Syndicate. Despite the fact that Umbriel towered over him, was fully-armored, and had a fully loaded handgun holstered on his belt, Frosty looked up at him with great spite.

"Okay, I wanna know what the flip you guys want with my tenant so badly!" demanded Frosty, angrily. "I haven't seen her in so long, that I'm worried that she might lying dead somewhere! What did you do to her?"

"Nothing...yet." said Umbriel, casually. "You don't need to worry, though. Sunset Shimmer is alive and well, and accounted for where she is."

"And where would that be?"

"Her homeland."

"What, you mean she went back to Canada?" asked Frosty. "Why aren't you looking for her over there then, man?"

But Umbriel just guffawed at him.

"You honestly think that she's Canadian?" responded Captain Umbriel.

"Well, that's what she always told me!" said Frosty. "That she came from Vancouver, and that she had no family there, so she crossed the border to start a new life here in Canterbury."

"Then Sunset Shimmer was a blatant liar." said Captain Umbriel.

"Look, I know what Canadians are like. Most of my tenants and guests at my apartment building are either Canadian or of Canadian descent. In fact, you could say that at least two thirds of this town's people are at least partially Canadian. Heck, even Nose Nip over here's Canadian--"

"Boss, how many times do I have to tell ya?" groaned Nose Nip. "I'm not Canadian, I'm Norwegian! I have a grandmother in Oslo, for pete's sake!"

"Okay, okay, Nips!" said Frosty. "My mistake!"

Umbriel cleared his throat, prompting Frosty and Nose Nip to look back at him.

"Right." said Frosty, sheepishly. "Anyway, as I was about to tell Ms. Celestia over here, I haven't seen Sunset Shimmer since eighteen or nineteen nights ago. She told me that she was going out for a walk, and left at what I think was a quarter to midnight. She didn't tell me where she was going, when she'd be back, or how far she would walk. So I'm afraid that something terrible may have happened to her."

"And where do I come into the picture?" questioned Captain Umbriel.

"Well, you're in charge of these soldier guys, aren't ya?" asked Nose Nip. "Did they do anything bad to Sunset at all?"

"If we did, we wouldn't even be having this conversation; me and the rest of the Syndicate would be long-gone from this town." stated Umbriel.

"Well, then I was hoping you can explain some weird guy that came to my apartment building a couple of months ago, looking for Sunset Shimmer." said Frosty.

"What 'weird guy' would you be referring to?" asked Umbriel, tilting his head curiously.

"Black-haired guy wearing red shades, had a very strong grip, and carrying a cardboard box in his hands." recounted Frosty. "Maybe one of your Syndicate agents?"

"Can't be. Our organization didn't even set foot in your town until after the Fall Formal."

"Then you guys can't be responsible for why Sunset came back to my building, all dirty and roughed-up."

"No. That happened because of something Sunset had brought upon herself." said Umbriel.

Captain Umbriel told Frosty and Nose Nip about what really happened at the Fall Formal, and about Sunset Shimmer's true origins. After a moment of silence, Frosty chuckled.

"So, you're saying that Sunset Shimmer is not only some kind of pony, but turned into some kind of fiery monster that then got beaten by a bunch of pony-human hybrids with a magical rainbow, all because she wanted to be a princess at some parallel universe?" Frosty inquired.

"That is very much correct, actually." verified Principal Celestia.

"Get outta here, that can't be it!" said Nose Nip, skeptically.

"It's very much the truth, Nose Nip." said Vice Principal Luna. "What Captain Umbriel just told your boss is one hundred percent accurate."

"This has to be a joke, because there's no way in the world--" said Frosty, shifting nervously in place.

"Frosty, You're looking a power-armored super-soldier dead in the face." Vice Principal Luna spoke at last. "If this was all a simple joke, it would've exceeded its punchline a long time ago."

Frosty looked at Luna with uncertainty. She had been Frosty's number one source of knowledge as to Sunset Shimmer's behavior and activities at the school, since Sunset herself rarely ever told him about what she did there. Therefore, she was his go-to person for the truth on his tenant's would-be antics and schemes. Frosty slowly took a deep breath to let all this information sink in. He turned around to sit in his chair again, and look at Principal Celestia.

"Okay, Ms. Celestia." he finally said. "If your sister says this is the truth, then I'll believe anything you and Master Chief over there tell me."

He turned to take another suspicious look at Captain Umbriel, who seemed to be reaching his muscular arm around Vice Principal Luna's waist in a suggestive manner, then retracting it when he noticed Frosty and Nose Nip were both watching.

"Well, anything you tell me, ma'am." Frosty turned to correct himself. "So, my tenant's a pony, huh? That's kinda neat, if you ask me."

Suddenly, the door opened again, and two teachers came into the office: Mr. Doodle and Mr. Shill. Doodle looked as cranky as per usual, and Silver Shill looked very nervous, especially when he wound up walking right into Captain Umbriel.

"Oh sorry about that, sir." he said.

"Principal, Silver and I are having some problems with these Syndicate thugs being here." said "Cranky" Doodle to Principal Celestia.

"Mr. Doodle, whatever do you mean?" asked Celestia.

"What antics have my soldiers done *this** time*?" asked Captain Umbriel.

"Well, it's awfully convenient you're here, Captain Umbriel." said Mr. Doodle. "I wanna say that ever since you and your 'soldiers', as you call them, first showed yourselves on school property, a few of your men have been giving some students of mine a hard time."

"And they've been barging into and disrupting my classes, too!" added Mr. Silver Shill. "How am I supposed to teach my Home Economics class when I have a bunch of machine gun-toting, black-armored brutes turning my classroom upside down every ten minutes for someone that clearly wasn't there? They scared the pants off poor little Sweetie Belle the last time they came in, during a quiz I was handing out to the freshmen just this morning!"

"And I just saw a couple of them pointing guns at Button Mash for playing a game on his laptop during break period, even when he had my permission to do so!" added Mr. Doodle.

"Well, what game was the boy playing?" asked Captain Umbriel.

"I dunno, I'm not a video game kind of person." said Doodle. "But I remember hearing him mention it had something to do with 'fallout' and the city of Las Vegas."

"I know exactly what he's talking about, then." said Captain Umbriel. "Your student was playing an M-rated game. I think my men had every right to scare him out of playing it at *school*! Isn't that right, Luna?"

He turned to Vice Principal Luna, who slowly nodded in agreement.

"Maybe you should keep an eye on your students next time, Doodle." said Umbriel. "You can't expect Luna over here to babysit your troublemaking students all day, can you? Can't you see the poor woman already has enough on her mind as it is?"

Vice Principal Luna blushed a little at the captain's flattery, but said nothing.

"Actually, I know about what my colleague's talking about, too." said Principal Celestia. "Except Button Mash wasn't actually playing the game in question, but working on some mods for it. He told me all about it. He assured me that it didn't have the violence or bad language the game itself actually has--"

"Uhh...look, I think that's beside the point, Ms. Celestia." said Frosty. "I think you need to do something about what Doodle and Silver over here just told ya. I mean, why the heck haven't the cops come barging in yet about whatever the heck these guys are doing?"

"Because the mayor herself gave us permission to conduct our operations to search for Sunset Shimmer without interference from the local authorities." explained Captain Umbriel.

"Sure, I'll believe that when I see it." said Frosty. "Well, Nips and I have a couple of things to check on at my building. Bills to pay, tenants to check on. Wouldn't want to keep you all busy! See ya!"

Nose Nip proceeded to leave the office to go back to the main entrance, but Frosty stayed behind for a moment to whisper something into Principal Celestia's ear.

"Oh, and I don't wanna go pointin' fingers, but I think you miiiiight wanna keep an eye or two on that captain fella. Call it a hunch, but I think he's got the hots for your sister!"

Celestia peered over Frosty, and saw Captain Umbriel playfully flexing an arm and shifting himself in place while staring at Vice Principal Luna, who was talking with the other two teachers about their complaints.

"Noted." said Principal Celestia, nodded her head slowly.

And then Frosty left the room, whistling quietly.

Interactions With The Syndicate, Part Two

Vice Principal Luna turned towards Captain Umbriel, who was still scrutinizing her.

"Umbriel?" she asked.

"Yes, vice principal?" replied Umbriel.

"Seeing as it is now known that Sunset Shimmer is no longer in our world, could it be possible at all to call off the searches for her? Is there really any point in having your men scouring the school for someone that you know isn't there?"

"You are most certainly correct, Luna." said Captain Umbriel. "Don't worry your pretty little head about it."

He held up a hand, and flicked a switch on his helmet's attachments.

"Attention personnel of the Umbriel Corps., this is your commanding officer speaking." he spoke into his built-in radio. "The target has been confirmed to be beyond school property. All searches are to be called off until further notice. Return to regular patrols in the hallways and on the grounds."

"That ain't gonna be a problem, sir!" said Lt. Sigma's voice on his receiver. "I've got my eye on some o' the students here as it is!"

Then Umbriel turned to face Vice Principal Luna, and casually brushed his armored hands together.

"Well, that's that." he said, quietly. "You didn't seriously think that I would just let my soldiers harass your students all month, did you?"

Luna said nothing; she clearly didn't want to question Umbriel's methods any further than need be.

"I can be very gentle with children and teenagers, myself." continued the captain. "I have a son of my own, who's graduating from middle school next year, and a daughter in high school. I even have a niece, who is simply adorable, once you look past her *unfortunate** disabilities*."

"Really, you have children?" asked Luna. "And do they look up to you that often?"

"Actually, my daughter and I rarely speak; she lives in Japan and only stays in touch with her aunt. And my son lives with his mother on the other side of the country. We're not married, and they're both illegitimate offspring. Not that there's anything wrong with that."

In the gymnasium, Pinkie Pie's celebration party was still in progress. Attending the party were Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and several other students. Lieutenant Sigma, Major Canopy, the rest of Proxy Squad, and a handful of other Chrysalis Syndicate operatives were also present.

Sigma had his helmet and a part of his mantle removed, revealing him to be a slightly overweight man with spiky dark brown hair, a short frizzy beard, and a slightly visible underbite. He was recounting to Fluttershy, Applejack, and a few other students about one of his previous assignments during his time with the Syndicate.

"So, ya see, I was all on m' own--well, not entirely 'lone--but Cannie over here was still a civvie at the time." Sigma gestured towards Major Canopy. "I had a bunch o' hitmen all 'round me. They all had silencers all on their guns, so I had ta be careful not to get shot in the back, cuz I wouldn'ta heard it. So I spun around, smackin' 'bout everyone in my reach, and gunning down ev'ryone else in sight, when suddenly some blighter went 'n' popped a blinkin' .22 straight into ma cranium!"

He pointed his armored finger at the edge of his scalp, where a brownish scar was barely visible. Applejack's eyes widened and Fluttershy gasped,

"Goodness!" whispered Fluttershy.

"How'd y'all survive gettin' a bullet stuck in yer head, Sigma?" asked Applejack, curiously.

"Because I was there to call the ambulance." said Canopy, finally taking notice of Sigma's story. "Plus, I was able to bust a couple of caps of my own into the punk that shot my colleague over here."

"Good thing the bullet was small, and only barely grazed the lobe, or I woulda been done for." added Sigma. "Sure, it went 'n left me with a bit o' brain damage, but at least it didn't affect my motor skills, 'part from my accent goin' all off th' fritz! Can't even tell what accent I'm speakin' with righ' now! Anyway, you were a purda goo' shot yo'self, Canopy. 'Specially since ya never even used a gun before then!"

"So, whatever did you do before you...uh, joined the Syndicate?" Fluttershy asked Canopy, who was detaching her helmet.

Canopy finished removing her helmet, revealing her to be a somewhat middle-aged woman in her late thirties or early forties. Her grayish-green hair, which was worn in a sleek, 1950s-esque style, sported a graying streak along her smooth bangs, and her emotionless face seemed slightly coarse and rough, especially above her cheekbones, her heavy eyelids, and along the edges of her tall, stark forehead.

"I used to be a telemarketer." said Major Canopy, whose natural voice was dry and monotonous, but still clearly feminine. "I've also been a proud dabbler of Kickboxing since I was fourteen years old."

"And how'd y'all become a soldier?" asked Applejack.

"Well, Ziggy--I mean Lieutenant Sigma over here tracked me down and coaxed me into joining the Chrysalis Syndicate." said Canopy.

"And by 'coax', I of course mean that he basically stalked me and flirted with me...aggressively. It wasn't until I decided to help him fend off those guys he was fighting that I decided that he didn't seem like a totally impolite brute."

Applejack was about to question how one could flirt in an aggressive manner, when Fluttershy spoke.

"What got you interested in her, mister--I mean, Lieutenant Sigma?" she asked the lieutenant.

"Well, it's a kinda funny story." said Lt. Sigma. "I was submittin' a report, when Intelligence Officer Embryo--that's what Cap'n Umbriel was called back then--decided to show me a prank call somebody on the 'Net made to a bunch o' clueless telemarketers. It was pretty friggin' funny, but it was when Canopy got called that I really got interested."

"So this guy that sounded like a redneck of something--no offense, Applejack--kept telling me to stop calling his number, but didn't even attempt to tell me what his phone number actually was." recounted Canopy. "So to be courteous, I decided to give him my first name and personal extension, when he suddenly threatened to come over and attack me or something..."

"And then Cannie went 'n told the caller 'bout how she knew Kickboxing and threatened to 'rearrange' his face, and in such a cool, casual manner." finished Sigma, a joyful grin on his rugged face. "And that showed me just how bloody awesome Cannie was, and cemented her in ma mind as a stone-cold fox! So then I spent days looking for her address on the Internet--since the blasted prank call had most o' the names 'n' locations beeped out!-- until I finally foun' wher' she was, and the rest is...well, history."

Sigma put his arm around Canopy's waist, and patted her hip. Canopy rolled her eyes and turned her head away sheepishly.

"Wow, so y'all got hooked up because of a prank call?" asked Applejack, amused.

"That's right." said Canopy, flatly. "Sure, Sigma wasn't even the caller, the call was done two years before we met, we lived on two separate parts of the country, did completely different jobs, and I was already the mother of two little children, but somehow I'm here now: making a living as a soldier for some covert paramilitary organization, wearing some scary-looking power armor, and going steady with my squad leader over here."

"Aww, that's so sweet." said Fluttershy.

Canopy's face seemed to glisten with sweat, and she began to pant silently.

"Well, I'm going out for a smoke." she said, turning to Sigma. "If you need anything at all, I'll be outside. I figure it's time for me to relieve Sergeant Craw of his guard duty."

"All right." said Lt. Sigma. "See ya later, Canopy."

Canopy put her helmet back on, and left the gymnasium to go out to the front lawn. As she went outside, there was suddenly a deafening burst of electronic music, which began to resonate throughout the gym. Some students covered their ears, while the Syndicate operatives simply tuned the music out through the audio filters on their helmets. In half a minute, the music quieted down ever so slightly, and Lt. Sigma went to the middle of the gym.

There, the school's local disk jockey, Vinyl Scratch, was in some kind of trance-like dance battle with a Chrysalis Syndicate soldier with oddly-designed armor: He had what appeared to be a synthesizer attached to his right gauntlet, which seemed to be the source of the music, and a computer-like device on the left gauntlet; his helmet had surplus audio attachments that resembled headphones, a straight horizontal black visor with a red dot that constantly sweeped left and right.

"Oy there, Remix!" shouted Lieutenant Sigma over the noise. "At ease there, souljah!"

Remix turned around, and silently gazed at Sigma before turning back to face Vinyl Scratch. The two then continued their dance-battle. Sigma just scoffed at him, prompting Remix to raise his right arm to face it backwards and extend the index and middle fingers of his hand into a gesture that someone as street-smart as Lieutenant Sigma would recognize as an obscenity; clearly, he didn't want to be interrupted by anyone. And then he proceeded to re-sync himself with Vinyl's movements like it was nobody's business.

Every once in a while, Remix began to diverge from Vinyl Scratch, as if trying to get her to follow his dance patterns instead. A few times, he was successful, but Vinyl made a few changes of her own that Remix almost seemed compelled to follow. Their dueling styles seemed to confuse the other, and by the end of the dance-duel, neither participant was dancing the same way as when they began. When the bass-boosted technopop they were dancing to died away, both dancers stopped dead in their tracks.

"Wow, dude." panted Vinyl, clutching her ribcage and rubbing beads of sweat off of her sunglasses. "For a heavily-armored soldier, you sure know how to get down!"

Remix simply nodded, not uttering a word in acknowledgment.

"Silent, huh?" asked Vinyl. "That's pretty cool of you, too. In fact, you've probably got the coolest armor out of all these soldier-guys here. No offense to any of your buddies."

Once again, Remix expressed indifference. The only part of him that was moving was the red dot sweeping back-and-forth across his visor like a raindrop being pulled by two sources of gravity.

"This round goes to the guy that looks like a Cylon!" exclaimed Pinkie Pie, who was apparently judging their competition.

On cue, Remix typed a few buttons and keys on his wrist-mounted device, and raised his arms trimphantly, to the chagrin of a few of Vinyl's friends in the crowd around them.

"Oh, yeaaaaaaa-*aaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!*" shouted, to the students' surprise, a purely electronic voice, which emitted from the microphone attachment on Remix's helmet. Said voice was clearly from a text-to-speech program, except it had been autotuned, distorted, and vocoded to make it seem as though the otherwise monotonous voice was displaying emotions.

"[By the way, the name's Remix. Corporal Remix, Proxy Squad," said the robotic-sounding voice.

"No way, are you a robot?" gasped Pinkie Pie.

"Nah, Remix over here ain't a robot. He just doesn't like using his normal voice that of'en." chuckled Lieutenant Sigma. "So he went and added a who' buncha stuff to his armor. That 'Cylon' look, as ya call it, ain't the only thing! He's also got a computer built int' one arm, and a self-recordin' synthesizer on his otha' arm! If anythin', Mixxie's livin' proof that action ain't the only thing that speaks louder than words!"

"Well, good thing Remix ain't gonna be replacing me in the long term." said Vinyl. ""I kinda like being the school's 'official' unofficial DJ, so I'd be crushed if this guy was trying to put me out of business."

"Who said I wasn't trying?" droned Remix's electronic voice.

"Excuse me?" asked Vinyl. "You trying to challenge me again, robo-breath?"

"Would it matter if I was?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I rarely play my skills to a competitive level, but I can already say that I am Wolfgang Petersen. And you are Uwe Boll."

A few people gasped at the notion of Remix not only questioning Vinyl Scratch's skills to the point of comparing themselves to two German filmmakers of opposite reputation, but the fact that Remix's text-to-speech program actually pronounced Uwe Boll's name accurately.

"What the--did you seriously just compare me to that--Wait, how'd you get your program to get his name right?" questioned Vinyl. "I mean, whenever I do something like that, I'd get 'you-we' instead of 'oo-vah'."

"When foreign words are involved, I type some names and words phonetically. I sometimes wonder why others don't try doing the same." explained Remix.

"Okay, so you wanna rematch or what?" asked Vinyl.

"It doesn't matter to me either way. Bring it on. Anytime. Anywhere."

"Okay, then." said Vinyl Scratch. "You. Me. The arcade downtown. 11:30, tonight. Ten songs non-stop on DDR. First to make it past midnight without giving into exhaustion wins."

"Challenge accepted." accepted Remix, amid the enthusiastic onlookers' gasps and cheers. "See you there."

Then Remix turned back to meld back into the crowd of his fellow Chrysalis Syndicate soldiers. He stopped in front of Lieutenant Sigma.

"Congrats, corporal." said Sigma. "You just made yerself a friend."

Remix did not know whether he should take Sigma's comment as a compliment, or insult him for what seemed like a sarcastic quip, so he simply shrugged and proceeded to walk around the room.

The King's Communicator

King Craw magically unsealed a hidden chamber built near the original lair of the Changelings, before they moved their forces to the Crystal Mountains. As surprised as he was that he finally had an opportunity to re-enter his old haunt and re-utilize its content, what surprised him even more was the fact that Queen Chrysalis and her blowhard of a brother did not locate it themselves. He grinned, knowing that he still managed to stay one step ahead of the Changeling Royal Family without even trying.

He approached the center of the chamber until he was standing before a round table made of polished stone. On the table was a bundle of dark gray fabric. Using his telekinesis, he opened the bundle, revealing an assortment of electronic devices that once belonged to his one-time associates, Renn and Ulrik. One of them was called a "transmitter", which projected a three-dimensional image based on data of whatever person or object was encoded in its memory banks. Another was a quasi-spherical object called a "probe". Craw used his telekinesis once more to flick a dipswitch located at the top of the device, causing several red lights on the sides to activate, and it began to levitate a few feet off the table. As it floated on its own accord, it made several beeps and high-pitched humming noises.

"How may I serve the master?" droned the electronic voice of the machine.

"Patrol the chamber, and scan it for intruders." said Craw.

"As the master desires." said the probe, as it began moving through the air at a slow but steady rate.

King Craw looked at two identical devices that were laying together in the middle of the cache.

"Oh, perfect." he grinned. "These will both do nicely. But who can I trust to use one of these? No Changeling would dare cooperate with me now!"

Then he thought outside the box, as he usually did. If his fellow Changelings would be of no help to him and his schemes, perhaps...

"Oh, I know just who to give this one to." Craw held up one of the devices with his hole-ridden hoof. "Probably one of the few in Equestria that would have any true idea how this would work, based on her own personal experience. I just need to make a few adjustments here and there, and..."

He used his telekinesis to disassemble the device, intending to modify it.

A couple of days passed since Sunset Shimmer and her friends returned from Vanhoover, and Sunset had taken the opportunity to take Teddy under her proverbial wing. After coaching him on using trash-talk and wise-cracks, she decided to try her best to teach some of the martial arts she learned in the human world to the blue earth pony.

"Give me one more chance, Sunset." said Teddy, who was sweating from the work-out he had done that afternoon. "I know I can do this one right this time!"

"Okay, just remember to sweep your legs to the appropriate sides..." Sunset Shimmer prompted Teddy. "Otherwise, you'll just have them smack into each other, which will hurt a lot."

"Got it, boss-lady." said Teddy, nodding instinctively.

He looked back and forth at the two makeshift dummies that Sunset stood upright via her telekinesis on either side of him. He raised his hind legs, and sweep-kicked them both down with a big "Hyah!".

"You have done well, Teddy-san." Sunset bowed her head, closing her eyes and speaking with a phony Japanese accent as she did so. "That will be all for today, my apprentice."

"When's the next session?" asked Teddy. "Tomorrow, right?"

"No." said Sunset, speaking again with her normal accent. "I've got a session with Princess Luna at that time. And I think Trixie will want me to coach her on a couple of spells some time soon, so the day after that's out of the question, too. How about Sunday?"

"Sure, that'll be great." smiled Teddy. "See ya later, Sensei Shimmer."

After Teddy left Sunset's bedroom, the door knocked again.

"Come on in!" Sunset called towards the door.

The door opened, and a redheaded pegasus with green eyes and a light tan coat flew inside carrying a parcel.

"Special delivery for Miss Sunset Shimmer!" the mailpony stated, laying the package on the unicorn's bed.

"Who's it from?" Sunset asked curiously. "Is it more fan-mail from Fillydelphia?"

She had spent two hours straight last night, reading the stacks of letters she had received from her many Fillydelphian admirers. If Princess Luna didn't already warn her in advance, she would've been swamped and overwhelmed by the amount of reception she had received for her deeds in that city.

"No, actually." said the mailpony. "I don't even know who it's from, just that it was meant for you."

"Well, I'll take a look at it, then." said Sunset. "Do I need to pay you a tip or anything?"

"Not at all, Miss Shimmer." said the pegasus. "I've already been paid in advance by Captain Star Shield. Well, I've got more rounds to do."

Once he flew out, Sunset Shimmer used her telekinesis to unwrap the package.

Sergeant Craw was thinking yet again about Sunset Shimmer. No matter how he tried, he couldn't stop fantasizing about her. He could practically imagine her luminous green eyes looking at him right now. Her amber skin shining like gold in the sunlight. Her long curly red-blonde hair blowing in the wind. Her tan lips curved in a friendly grin as she extended her hand gracefully towards him. Craw wanted to reach over and seize Sunset by the wrist to pull her towards him for the biggest embrace he could possibly imagine.

But this wasn't so. Sunset Shimmer was currently in some parallel universe, and probably wasn't in any hurry to come running back to him. Not after the degrading, hateful things he last said to her. Not after setting Corporal Ghost on her. He found himself scowling at the fact that he would even consider harming someone so beautiful, so golden, so pure, like Sunset Shimmer. He was wondering what made him behave as he did, anyhow.

Could it have been some abstract phobia of hybrid creatures, a fear of the unknown, or a simple surprise that he did not know how to properly react to? Could it have been his cold militant personality digging its way out of the tangled web that was his assumed persona? It had been weeks since he actually participated in any standard Syndicate operations. But surely someone as intelligent and refined as him would've been able to take a revelation like that a little better than that, no matter how improbable it seemed!

Sgt. Craw sighed heavily, and decided that Captain Umbriel was right; he was definitely getting too caught up in his previous relationship with Sunset Shimmer to actually behave and act as he was supposed to. After all, even if Sunset Shimmer did still love him in some form, would she want to stay for some obsessive, whiny man-child that lied about being a teenager? Craw shook his head, deciding she probably wouldn't.

He pulled himself together, and stood himself erect against the statue. He closed his eyes and slowly took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes again, his frustrated expression blanked out as he put his helmet back on, and he simply walked back and forth along the statue autonomously. As he did so, he silently formulated a number of potential strategies and approaches he could take to reacquire the pony--the woman--that he was so intensely in love with.

As he did this, he analyzed his polished black XM8 assault rifle with attached laser sight and extended magazines. The idea of crossing into a world inhabitated by talking ponies with a fully-loaded automatic weapon of this caliber almost seemed absurd to him. The idea of an entire army of troops armed with similar weapons crossing into said world seemed absolutely inhumane from a glance. On the other hand, though, Equestria was apparently inhabited by all kinds of magical creatures, including these so-called "Changelings", who were apparently the Chrysalis Syndicate's counterparts.

"I almost wonder what my own counterpart in that world is like." Craw thought. "Would his relationships with that world's Chrysalis, Umbriel, and so forth be just like mine with this world's? Maybe better, or worse? Would he be just like me?"

Then Sgt. Craw thought about this; Would he be the cold, calculating soldier that he himself was supposed to be, or would he be able to at all show a little sympathy like he could? Would he harbor the same feelings for Sunset Shimmer, or would he just treat her like expendable trash?

The front entrance to the school opened, and Major Canopy came outside.

"How are you doing, Synthe?" she asked, as she approached him.

Sergeant Craw thought about whether or not he should tell Canopy about his recent "encounter" with Captain Umbriel, but decided he would worry about thing on his own...for now.

"I'm doing just fine, Hope." said Craw, hesitantly. "I'm a bit concerned about Sunset Shimmer, but I've decided that I'm going to try and keep things on a professional level from now on. What're you doing out here?"

"I was just coming out here to remind you that your shift out here's done with." said Canopy. "And because those friends of yours are distracting me from my own duties."

"Thanks." said Craw, coolly. "Well, I'm gonna go back inside."

Which he did, as Canopy assumed his previous position, and checked to see if her firearm, a suppressed carbine, was loaded or not.Just as she switched the safety back on, Craw turned back to speak.

"Wait, could I take a moment to ask you a question?" asked Craw, turning back.

"Fire away, sarge." answered Canopy.

"Well, I'm looking for some...relationship advice." said Sergeant Craw, slowly.

Canopy took her helmet off.

"Really, you're coming to me about that?" she said, surprised. "Okay, but be quick."

Craw turned back around to take his helmet off and wipe off the coagulated blood from under his nostrils. He turned around again and took a deep breath.

"Okay, I know you and Sigma are in a relationship."

"That's true." confirmed Major Hope Canopy. "That's how I came to join the Syndicate in the first place."

"Exactly." said Craw. "That's why I wanted to talk to you in particular. So, it wouldn't seem too far-fetched if I were to get say...Sunset Shimmer to join our organization, since she was my 'girlfriend', after all."

"Well, I could sure look past the fact that she was some kind of humanized unicorn, unlike some people around here." said Canopy. "But I'm not sure if Captain Umbriel or even the supreme commander would approve of recruiting someone like her, even if she was an actual human. I mean, the captain let me join this Syndicate because I had nothing to do with our organization beforehand, and was a clean slate. But Sunset Shimmer is the direct subject of this mission right now. It just wouldn't be the same recruiting a girl into an organization that she was convinced just tried to kill her a month ago."

"Good point." said Craw, with a light shrug. "Well, I'm going to talk with Captain Umbriel inside. See you later, Canopy."

"Same here, Synthe." said Canopy, putting her helmet back on.

When Craw went back inside, he decided to go to Vice Principal Luna's office, where Captain Umbriel and Lieutenant Sigma were having a conversation, while unhelmeted.

"Listen, lieutenant..." muttered Umbriel. "Our watch on this school might not be as tight as before, but I still don't want to see my men slacking off with a bunch of civilians."

"We ain't slackin' off, sir!" said Sigma. "I promise yer that this thing'll only last a couple o' hours, and then Remix will be back to his patrols."

"I still have my doubts, Sigma." said Umbriel. "At least promise me you'll make sure that Corporal Remix will never do anything else like this, at least as long as we're here in Canterbury. He's in your squad, after all, so I'm holding you responsible for his actions."

"Well, I unfo'tuna'ly can't make an' promises, but I'm willin' to put a bullet in him if he ends up makin' the Syndicate look bad." said Lt. Sigma, hesitantly.

Then Captain Umbriel laughed.

"You sure know how to pass a loyalty test, don't you?" he commented. "But really, that won't be necessary. Now go back and check on the students, lieutenant."

"Yes, sir!" said Sigma, putting his helmet back on and then leaving the office.

Craw went inside after Sigma left, and saluted the captain.

"Ah, Sergeant Craw." said Captain Umbriel, feigning satisfaction in seeing him. "Not have any more problems, are we?"

"Hardly, sir." said Craw. "I've been thinking about what you said earlier, by the statue."

"Yes?" asked Umbriel, raising an eyebrow.

"I think you were right: I have been letting this whole Sunset Shimmer affair get the best of me." said Craw, trying hard to avoid seeming reluctant. "If a colder, pricklier Sergeant Craw is what our organization needs, then I'll be willing to provide it for you."

"Very good, Craw." said Umbriel, cracking a smile. "I knew we could depend on you."

"'We', sir?" asked Sgt. Craw.

"Of course. Me and my sister." said Captain Umbriel. "The supreme commander will be stopping by in a couple of days. I'd hate to see our organzation's men, let alone one of her prized soldiers, acting like fools in front of her!"

Craw's eyes widened.

"Supreme Commander Chrysalis is coming here?" asked Craw, surprised.

"That is correct, Sergeant Craw." said Umbriel. "And she's bringing additional support with her."

"Additional support--you mean another division, right?" asked Craw.

"Not quite; I actually meant that she will be bringing some more combat vehicles with her. She believes that they will benefit us for the next phase of Operation Eclipse."

"But...sir, what about the Diamond Dog Cartel? Doesn't the Syndicate need to dispose of them?"

"Not anymore, sergeant." said Captain Umbriel. "My sister--our supreme commander--has dealt with their leaders, already. She now has enough time to spare to come over here and check up on her beloved younger brother, not to mention you. You don't have any problems with this, do you?"

"Not at all, sir." sighed Craw. "Do you have any further instructions for me, sir?"

"Well, now that you mention it, I actually do." said Umbriel. "Lieutenant Sigma told me--just before you came in--that Corporal Remix has apparently been challenged to a dance-duel with a student here at the school--Miss Vinyl Scratch, if I recall correctly."

"And what do you want me to do about it, sir?" asked Sergeant Craw.

"Oh, just go over to the town's video arcade tonight, and make sure that Remix stays on his best behavior." said the captain. "I understand that I was a little hard on you today, so consider it my of letting you take a break from guard duty."

"Thank you, sir." nodded Craw, leaving the office.

Hailing the King

Lieutenant Flash Sentry was in the middle of his patrol in the corridor up the stairs from the banquet hall, when he paused to look at Sunset Shimmer's bedroom door. He found himself thinking about the amber unicorn that was on the other side of the door, and contemplated going inside to check up on her.

"Ah, Flash Sentry." said a low, slightly hoarse voice. "However are you doing?"

Flash turned around, and saw Captain Star Shield ascending the stairs, wearing a dark purple tunic with short sleeves.

"Ah, captain, it's really pleasant to see you." saluted Flash Sentry. "And I am doing well, sir. Everything's secured up here."

"Ah, very good." said Captain Shield, giving a little smile. "But there is no need to be formal with me right now, son; I'm off-duty at this time."

"Right. Sure thing, dad." said Flash. "I just got a little...distracted. You see..."

"It's Miss Shimmer, isn't it?" assumed Star Shield.

"Well...umm..." stammered Flash. "Why ever would--"

"You don't have to say anything about it, my boy." said Star Shield. "I understand your interests in her."

"My 'interests'?" repeated Flash Sentry.

"Yes, I think you made them clear enough on the road back from Fillydelphia."

"I did?"

"A fair amount, actually." said Captain Star Shield. "But I'm afraid that Sunset Shimmer's heart belongs to another."

Lieutenant Flash Sentry frowned a little.

"Yeah." he said, weakly. "That's kinda what I was afraid of, dad."

"But you have no reason to feel ashamed." assured Star Shield. "After all, such feelings are perfect natural for a stallion your age. After all, I once had them, myself."

"Really? For whom?" asked Flash.

Captain Shield frowned.

"Somepony that was far out of my league." said the elder pegasus, turning to face a tapestry depicting the Sun.

Then Flash Sentry decided to change the subject, since it seemed to get too personal for both their sakes.

"So, is there anything going on that I need to check on?" he asked.

"Not that I can think of at this time. But you're doing a great job, son. Keep up the good work, and keep making me, Captain Armor, and the Princesses proud."

"I'll do just that, father." said Flash, with a salute.

Then Star Shield turned around and descended the stairs once more, and Flash Sentry continued his patrol down the corridor.

Sunset Shimmer laid out the contents of the package on her bed. To her surprise, it was an electronic device of some sort. She decided to try and get it to work.

"Okay, I think I remember watching a TV show or movie or something about stuff like this back in the human world..." Sunset thought aloud as she used her unicorn magic to fumble with the device. "I think I just need to flick a switch here, press a bunch of buttons there, and I'll get some kind of response--"

And to her surprise, she was actually right; After messing around with the switches and other doodads on the device, it began emitting a strange humming noise. She felt an urge to cover it with her pillow to prevent its noise from leaking out into the hallway, but at the same time was curious to find out why it was humming at all. Still, she couldn't help but feel a bit afraid that she had just activated a bomb of some kind. But she shrugged this off quickly, since it would've gone off by now if it was a bomb, and it wouldn't have needed someone like her to trigger it.

"We just need to find out if that thing will work..." a familiar voice rose from the device.

"Craw...is that you?" Sunset asked, recognizing the voice and feeling her heart jump an inch.

But which Craw could it be? The advanced technology of this device would imply that it was Sergeant Craw, but that couldn't be, as the only known portal to the human world was still shut at this time. Suddenly, there was a muffled sound of hooves clattering against a stone surface. At first, Sunset looked towards the door, thinking it was somepony outside. But then she realized that the noise, just like the voice, was coming from the device.

"My dear Sunset...Hello, my little pony." said the voice, now coming in clearer. "I take it that you have recognized my voice?"

Sunset couldn't help but gasp. It was King Craw speaking through the device. Speaking directly to her.

"Craw, what's going on here?" demanded Sunset, after clearing her throat.

"Well, I just thought you and I could take a moment to talk to each other." said the voice of Craw. "Nopony else is in your current position, right?"

"That's right, Craw." said Sunset, narrowing her eyes. "Though I'm considering choosing otherwise..."

"You needn't do that, my dear." droned King Craw's voice. "I am in no position to pose a threat to you, nor to anyone that matters to you."

"Except, you know, when you tried dropping a cave down on our heads!" retorted Sunset.

"Yes, I admit that what I did was...over-excessive..." muttered Craw. "But in truth, I did not intend to have you killed. I knew for a fact that you could survive, if not outright escape it."

"And what about everypony else?" asked Sunset, skeptically. "Where were an awful lot of other pony-folk in Umbriel's lair that could've been crushed to death with the Changelings."

"I merely anticipated that they would have survived as long as you survived, too."

"Well, as flattered as I am that you'd think I'm capable of saving that many lives, that was still a very big assumption to make. Especially from you."

"Perhaps it was, Miss Sunset Shimmer, but you still pulled it off, did you not?"

"Well, I'd actually say my friends were the ones that did it..." recounted Sunset.

"Then you surely know your own limitations, I take it?"

"I've known them for over thirty lunar cycles, Craw." said Sunset Shimmer. "Now let's cut to the chase. Why did you send this thing to me?"

"Because you are the only one that I can trust at this time." explained King Craw. "I have already tried to overthrow the accursed spawn of King Thorax, and failed. I barely escaped with my life."

"Well, it goes to show you that maybe you shouldn't try biting off more than you can chew." smirked Sunset.

"Yes, you know that lesson all too well, don't you?" replied Craw's voice.

Sunset frowned; King Craw was certainly right. Though she didn't feel like making this known to him. Instead, she persisted on her previous question.

"So what do you want?" she questioned again.

"I would very much like to meet you again someplace." said King Craw. "I don't really care where."

"How do I know this isn't some kind of trap?" asked Sunset. "I mean stuff like this has happened before!"

"Because I have more important things on my mind than tormenting unicorns." said Craw. "And I think I may have information that could benefit you--maybe even the princesses--greatly. Just name the place and the time, and I'll be over there."

Sunset scoffed.

"Okay, Craw." said the unicorn. "I'll play your little game. But on a couple of conditions."

"And they are..."

"First, I'd like to bring company with me. You know, in case something goes wrong."

"And the other thing?"

"Tell me a little about the information you're gonna give me."

"Very well." buzzed Craw's voice with reluctance. "It's intel that Lord Umbriel's soldiers had acquired many months ago when he was still Prince Embryo, even before Queen Chrysalis' attack on Canterlot."

"Go on, then." said Sunset. "I won't tell you where to go until I know more."

There was suddenly the noise of an indistinct explosion and a distorted voice emitting from the communication device.

"What was that, Craw?" asked Sunset.

"I don't know! I think something has entered my hiding place! I don't know if it's a Changeling, though--" said King Craw's voice, which now sounded surprised and even frantic. "Anyway, it seems that there was an incident more than a year ago, at Tartarus, where Cerberus left his post for an extended period of time!"

"Really, Cerberus left his post?" gasped Sunset Shimmer. "But why? I mean, I would've been...away...when that happened."

"That's just it: it hadn't occured by accident. Someone--or something--drew Cerberus away."

But before Sunset could ask what it was, a cold cackling erupted from the communicator.

"And made my own liberation possible." said the newcomer's voice. "King Craw, I might presume? Or, so you would be, if you were in fact a real king."

"Back away, whatever you are meant to be!" said King Craw. "You are not welcome here!"

"I could just as easily say the same for you." said the voice. "Trespassing on my newly-acquired property. For shame, Changeling."

Suddenly there was an exchange of noises like magical projectiles whizzing past each other. Sunset just stood there both confused and horrified.

"Um, Craw?" she said. "What the heck is going on?!"

"I'm being attacked!" shouted Craw's voice over the confusion. "This creature is too much for me! I have to escape! Don't look for me! I'll look for you, instead!"

"Craw, what's going on?!" shouted Sunset.

Suddenly, every noise originating from the device fell silent. Almost immediately, the door to Sunset's bedroom opened, and Flash Sentry hastily rushed inside.

"Suns--I mean Miss Shimmer, are you alright?" he exclaimed. "I heard raised voices in here."

"Yeah, Flash." said Sunset Shimmer. "Just fine. I'm just really excited about my present."

She pointed to the communicator on the bed.

"What's that supposed to be?" asked Flash. "I've never seen anything like it!"

"It's kinda exotic." said Sunset. "I really don't know much about it myself."

"Well, I guess that I'll see myself out of your room, Miss Shimmer." said Flash. "I'd hate to disturb your privacy any longer."

"Actually, I think I could use your company right now." said Sunset.

"Really?" Flash turned his head back.

"Yeah." said Sunset. "I'm a little stressed out right now. I could use a big tough guard like you by my side."

Flash looked around uncertainly.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

Sunset nodded, as she used her telekinesis to deactivate the communicator again. She felt reluctant about it, in case King Craw tried contacting her again. But at the same time, she was afraid of what might happen to it--or to her--if someone were to find out she had been communicating with a dangerous enemy of Equestria.

"I think I'd like you to take a walk with me." said Sunset.

"Will do, ma'am." said Lieutenant Sentry, who escorted Sunset out of her bedroom.

Queen Chrysalis and Lord Umbriel had reached Queen Chrysalis' old haunt, alongside an elite brigade of Changeling soldiers. They entered the caves, and found no living beings inside, but did find many recent signs of a great struggle within. Some tunnels were caved-in, or opened up where they weren't before, and many old tapestries and other objects lay ripped and broken on the cave floors.

"I have a bad feeling about this, sister." said Umbriel, looking around vigilantly.

"Same here, brother." said Chrysalis. "You know, I never thought I'd set hoof in this place again!"

Then one of the queen's bodyguards zipped up to them from the darkness.

"Your majesties, King Craw is nowhere inside this place." it said. "Nor any of his apparent attackers. Not even whom won the battle."

"Would it at least be possible as to determine who did this?" asked Umbriel. "If these strangers killed Craw, I would very much like to know if we should thank them for getting the job done, or if we should brace our subjects for a potential threat."

"We can't find any trace of them." said the bodyguard. " So even if Craw was dead, we've been unable to find his body anywhere. And then there's the matter of these strangers. If I may recommend, we ought to leave this place now, lest they return."

"I wouldn't argue with that." said Chrysalis. "This place is nothing but bad memories for me, anyhow."

"And for me." said Umbriel. "But what should we do now?"

"We should have a few drones remain behind to scout the surrounding area for anything...hostile." said the queen. "You and I, in the mean-time, should go back to the Crystal Mountains. I have a feeling our subjects will need us there."

The Duel of the Deejays

Ms. Crystal Iris Roachanov--or Supreme Commander Chrysalis, as the members of her syndicate knew her--stood almost completely armored in the middle of her office, missing only her helmet and sidearm, which were laying on her desk. She was preparing to go out on the field again, for what seemed like the first time since her younger brother, Erik Bryon Roachanov, also known as Intelligence Officer Embryo, became the super-soldier known as Captain Umbriel. She was analyzing the preparations for her flight to Canterbury where she would rendezvous with him, when the door suddenly opened slowly. Clinging to the doorway stood a scrawny little girl with pale skin, big watery eyes, and long cerulean hair. Her eyes were twitching and her lip quivering.

"Penelope, what's the matter?" said Crystal, slowly.

The little girl strained to open her mouth and attempted to speak.

"Ma....ma." she said, slowly.

There were metallic footfalls outside, and a beautiful lavender-haired woman in sleek black armor rushed to the girl's side, and stooped to pick her up.

"Forgive me, ma'am." said the woman. "She must've wandered off when I was taking her back to her bedroom. I would gladly see her in bed right away--"

"It's quite all right, Lieutenant Cerci." assured Supreme Commander Chrysalis, flatly. "But you can wait for now. Please, bring my precious little Pupa over here."

"Yes, commander." said Cerci, who gently picked Pupa up and carried her to Supreme Commander Chrysalis.

Then she slowly put her down, keeping her hands on either side in case the girl fell over. But she retracted them when Pupa proved to be standing well enough. Chrysalis sank to one knee, and put a hand on Pupa's scalp to stroke her hair.

"Now what's the matter, sweetie?" she asked her daughter.

Pupa's eyes welled up with tears, and she hugged her mother's chest as tightly as she could.

"I guess she doesn't want you to leave, ma'am." said Lt. Cerci, gently.

"Now, now, now, daughter." Chrysalis said quietly to Pupa. "Mommy has work to do out-of-town, okay? This is very, very important."

Pupa, as usual, said nothing. But she shook her head, indicating she was either frustrated or confused.

"I have to meet with Captain Umbriel by tomorrow." she said. "You remember your uncle Erik, don't you?"

But Pupa just frowned ever harder.

"Now, let's not be difficult." sighed Supreme Commander Chrysalis, blinking her eyes slowly. "After all, your birthday's only three days away!"

Then Pupa burst into tears even harder, clearly bitter at the reminder. The reminder for a day that she could tell her mother would miss. Chrysalis patted little Pupa on the shoulder. Cerci could tell that Chrysalis was getting impatient, but couldn't tell if she should take Pupa out of the room or let her handle this kind of situation.

"Oh, that reminds me." said Chrysalis, suddenly. "I almost forgot about giving you a birthday present."

Pupa stopped shedding tears, and silently looked at her mother.

"Mommy will be right back, okay?" whispered Chrysalis. "Just wait here."

Chrysalis got up and walked over to her desk to open a bottom drawer. She shifted through the clutter and junk until she finally grabbed what she was looking for: A big stuffed pony doll with overly fluffy pink fur. She couldn't help but give a little grin just touching it again after what seemed like forever. She went back to Pupa, and gave the stuffed animal to her.

"Here you go, sweetie." she said. "This is Fluffle Puff. She was my favorite toy when I was around your age. She's very soft and warm. Go ahead and give her a hug."

Pupa took the stuffed animal from her mother's hands, and slowly squeezed it. Fluffle Puff made a noise like a sigh, which made the girl holding it smile.

"Do you like it?" asked Chrysalis.

Pupa nodded silently, but quickly.

"Happy birthday, my little Penelope." said her mother. "Now go on to bed, sweetie."

Penelope "Pupa" Roachanov slowly turned around, and Lt. Cerci led her out of the room. Cerci closed the door with a nod and salute to the supreme commander, who simply sighed in relief.

"Ah, I thought I'd never get that out of the way." she muttered, referring to her daughter's intrusion. "Now let's see what my little brother's gotten us all into in Canterbury."

She walked back to her desk, and put on her helmet, which was black and featureless, except for two large, bulbous green lenses for her eyes, and had openings in the back and top so that her long, straight cerulean hair could hang behind her. She activated the speaker on her helmet, and spoke into it:

"Node, is the helicopter prepared for travel?"

"Yes, madam commander!" confirmed the pilot. "And we have Blacks Seven and Nine ready to escort us to Canterbury."

"And what about the Hydra tank?"

"It should arrive there shortly after we do the same." said Node.

Chrysalis took her personal sidearm, a sleek black 93R Auto-9 pistol, off of her desk, cocked it, and then took a moment to look at it. For a moment, she mused about the SombraTech Deagalizer, that monstrous sidearm that her brother used in combat nowadays, and chuckled to herself as she looked at her own handgun.

"Leave it to Sombra Industries to try and one-up the classics." she thought, with a smirk.

Then she twirled the automatic pistol in her hand like a gunslinger of the Old West, swiftly deposited it into her holster, and spoke again into her helmet's built-in radio:

"Then get the chopper ready. I'm coming to you right now."

The video arcade was bustling with people--most of which seemed rather underage to be out at that time of night--and music was blaring from the speakers of the DDR machine at the far end of the game room, where Remix was facing off against Vinyl Scratch.

Sergeant Craw was sitting at a booth in the corner, wearing his helmet and armor, and carrying his gas-operated sidearm on his waist. He was tapping the heel of his metal boot against the floor as he listened to the music.

He couldn't help but reminisce on the first time that he and Sunset Shimmer went to this arcade. He remembered how a few weeks ago, the two of them played three matches on the Street Fighter II arcade game before Sunset rage-quitted and stormed off with a huff. Craw went after her, and managed to persuade her to go with him to a dance club instead.

Deciding he was thinking too hard about it again, he decided to look around to see if he could recognize anyone else. Suddenly, he realized who was sitting in the booth next to his: Pressure Point.

Out of curiosity, Craw got up and took off his helmet, then approached Pressure.

"Hey, you're Pressure Point, aren't ya?" asked Craw. "Kind of an odd place for a reporter to be, don't you think?"

"Oh, you're one of those Chrysalis Syndicate guys, aren't you?" asked Pressure Point, analyzing Craw's shiny black armor. "The stuff you wear isn't exactly conspicuous. I mean, wouldn't just wearing a bulletproof vest or something under your clothes be enough?"

"You can never be too careful." noted Sgt. Craw. "You know, I haven't seen you snooping around a lot, like most reporters that I've seen."

"Well, I'm going to be honest with you, soldier-boy." said Pressure. "I'm not as fanatical as people make us reporters out to be. In fact, I'm not even that enthusiastic about being a reporter at all."

"Then why have the job?" asked Craw. "I mean, I don't think the pay could be that good."

"Because this job is a part-time thing for me." said Pressure, scratching his short, curly purple hair with his left index finger. "I'm only going to be a reporter until I graduate from the medical college. Once I become a licensed physician, I'm bailing out faster than you can say 'Lulamoon'."

"Lula-what?" asked Craw.

"Oh, right." said Pressure Point, who seemed reluctant, even upset that he brought it up at all. "Okay, so I know you and your Syndicate pals are running around Canterlot High for that Sunset Shimmer girl..."

"Yeah?"

"Well, I have a cousin--well, a second cousin--that's a student there. Her name's Trixie Lulamoon."

"Oh, yeah. You mean--" Craw grinned.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie!" said both of them at once.

Craw chuckled a bit, but Pressure didn't look even remotely amused.

"What's the problem, Pressure?" asked Craw.

"Trixie and her father are an embarassment to my family." said Pressure, his eyes narrowed.

"Why? What's wrong with 'em?" asked Craw. "I mean, Trixie's alright. In fact, I think she's just adorable, especially with that magician thing she has going on."

"Trixie's a brainless beauty that runs her mouth off and puts on overly flashy magic shows to compensate for the fact that she's a shallow, hopelessly untalented individual." explained Pressure, bitterly. "And Old Man Artie--oh, I'm sorry, the 'Supreme and Mystical Artemis'--is a terrible parent for raising his daughter to be just like him."

"Oh, yeah." said Craw. "I heard about Artemis. They say he's the best magician in Las Vegas, at least these days. In fact, some of the other guys in the Syndicate said they personally enjoyed his shows."

"Yeah, I know that he's great with magic." said Pressure. "But if he wasn't family, I'd press charges against his smoke-and-mirrors behind for turning Trixie into the annoying loudmouth she is today."

"Oh she's not that bad!" denied Craw. "Don't you think you're being a little extreme about this?"

"Behold, citizens of Canterbury!" shouted a loud, Midwestern-accented female voice over the music. "I, the Grrrrreat and Powerful Trrrrrrrixie, have achieved the highest of all scores on this arcade machine!"

Craw turned and saw Trixie stepping away from a machine for a racing game, pumping her fists back and forth in the air.

"Oh! just shut up, Trixie!" shouted a random person, who promptly tossed an empty soda bottle that struck the silver-haired girl on the shoulder.

Trixie turned on her heel, and leaned towards the other person.

"Oh, does the Great and Powerful Trixie have a challenge?!" she scoffed.

"Yeah, I have a challenge for ya:" shouted the voice. "Be quiet!"

Trixie growled, and raised her hands. She pressed her middle and index fingers against her temples, closed her purple eyes, and angrily uttered something under her breath, but her words were drowned out by the loud music. Pressure Point shot a dismayed look at her, and then back at Craw.

"You know what? Never mind." grumbled Sergeant Craw, with a shrug.

"I just hate it when she does that!" said Pressure. "It embarrasses me to no end to be related to someone like...that!"

"Then why are you here?" asked Craw.

"Because it's Trixie's eighteenth birthday, and her mom Selena wanted me to keep her busy while she and Artemis set up her surprise party."

"What?! I have a surprise party planned for me, cousin?" said Trixie, who stomped towards Pressure Point. "Then why did you have to bring me to a place infested with such insolent people? The Great and Powerful Trixie demands that we leave...now!"

"I'm not a chauffeur, Trixie." said Pressure, annoyed. "So don't treat me like one!"

"You will bring me back home--"

"Or what?"

"Or the Great and Powerful Trixie shall kick her foot so far up your--"

It was then that Sergeant Craw decided to leave the two family members to argue in solitude, and check up on Remix and Vinyl Scratch.

Remix and Vinyl were still pulling off accurate, rapid-fire dance moves on the platform, even though they had been going on for twenty-five minutes straight. They were currently dancing to an instrumental rendition of "Starsign" by Apoptygma Berzerk, and neither of them looked like they were stopping anytime soon. Just like that, a series of blips were heard on Remix's wrist-computer; they both passed.

"Not bad, dude...not...bad." Vinyl Scratch panted, as she tilted her sunglasses up so that her purple eyes were visible. "You and I should..."

Then she hesitated, getting off of the machine.

"Wow, I dunno how to say this." said Vinyl.

"Say what?" asked Remix's electronic voice program.

"That we should totally collaborate together on an album or something." said Vinyl. "You know, like, make dance mixes or covers of songs like the ones we were just dancing to."

Remix flipped the microphone on his helmet back, and toggled a couple of switches on his helmet to deactivate the red light on his visor. He tugged on his helmet so that his mouth was away from the voice-distorting electronics.

"I don't collaborate with pre-graduates." he spoke with a voice that turned out to be very deep and raspy. "But you did good yourself, kid."

"Wow, you really mean it?" asked Vinyl.

"If I didn't, I wouldn't be speaking to you with my normal voice right now." said Remix.

"Wow, that's your normal voice?" asked Vinyl. "What happened, did ya get sick or something?"

"It doesn't matter to you, Miss Scratch." said Remix.

"Well, could you at least take your helmet off so I can look at you?"

Remix clicked his helmet back into place, as if it was his way of saying "no". Vinyl frowned a little.

"Yeah, that's cool, I guess." she said. "I like you with all that stuff on, anyway. Very retro."

Remix nodded ever so subtly.

"But still, what'dya have against pre-graduates?" asked Vinyl Scratch. "I may not be in college yet, but I'll let you know that I happen to be one of the best darn musicians in not only CHS, but in all of Canterbury. I wrote my first lyric when I was seven, composed my first song at ten, and made my first mixtape when I was twelve. And guess what? I've actually been hired by a whole bunch of different people across town to provide musical entertainment for all kinds of occassions! Birthdays, plays, you name it!"

"Yeah, that's nice." said Remix's electronic voice. "But I normally don't work with teenagers..."

"Yeah?" said Vinyl, slowly.

"Though I think I might make an exception for somebody of your caliber, Vinyl Scratch." continued the electronic voice. "I suppose we could cover a song together. Only one song. But later."

Then Vinyl smiled.

"Thanks!" she said, turning to leave. "See ya tomorrow, dude."

The crowd of onlookers parted for her, while Remix started to fumble with his computer, which started beeping just after Vinyl Scratch left. Craw's helmet, which he had just put back on, started to buzz shortly afterwards.

"Attention all Syndicate personnel, this is Captain Umbriel with an important message." said the captain's voice. "Supreme Commander Chrysalis will be arriving within the city limits of Canterbury at sunrise. I want everyone to prepare for her arrival when this happens."

Sgt. Craw frowned, though nobody could see it due to his helmet obscuring his face.

Captain Umbriel, meanwhile, was sitting on the porch of Celestia and Luna's residence, with Vice Principal Luna sitting in a chair beside him, wearing a black bathrobe and slippers with her arms crossed.

"Do you really want to....do...what I think you will to Sunset Shimmer?" asked Luna.

"Only if necessary, Luna." Umbriel said, his helmet off. "But regardless, this will all be over in a few short days."

Luna stood up on the lawn, the grass brushing against her heels. She looked up at the night sky, towards the Moon. Umbriel stood up and went next to her.

"I'm afraid that this may be the last time we ever talk to one another, baby." said Umbriel, coolly.

"Oh, goodie." mouthed Luna, coldly.

"But before I go, I wanted to savor the moment, and ask you:" said Umbriel. "How would you like to join the Syndicate?"

"Excuse me?" Luna turned.

"You are a smart and clever woman. We could benefit greatly from you--."

"I'll have to pass, honey." said Luna, flatly. "I've seen the world, and to me, it's all here, with my sister, CHS, and its students."

She slipped on a hood, and turned away from the streetlights so that her face was shrouded in the darkness.

"It's been...quite the experience knowing you." said Luna, flatly. "Good evening, captain."

"Just a moment."

Captain Umbriel approached Luna, turned her by the shoulder, and stuck his face forward to whisper:

"Feel free to call me anytime."

Luna nodded frigidly, backed away again, and sank into the shadowy threshold of the front door, dissolving into the house's lightless interior without a sound, the door seemingly closing by itself. Umbriel caught a glimpse of two beautiful green-blue eyes gazing longingly at him in the darkness behind the glass, before they blinked, turned, and disappeared mysteriously. Umbriel smiled widely, and then turned away.

The Search for Craw, Part 1

Sigma, Canopy, and a handful of other Changelings were prowling the streets of Canterlot, looking for King Craw. Not wanting to draw attention to them, Sigma decided that they should all assume disguises quickly.

"Okay, look 'round, lads." said Sigma. "Don't engage any enemies, ya got it?"

His overweight black body shimmered into a bright green flame, from which he emerged as a short yellowish-orange earth pony whose wild, spiky bluish-black mane came down in mutton-chops below his ears. He also wore a plaid outfit that implied that gave the impression of one that lived in an alpine region.

"Got it, Ziggy." said Canopy, who shapeshifted herself into a tall light blue Pegasus with gray-pupiled white eyes, a long shiny red mane that hung down in thick, classically-styled curtains along the sides and back of her head, and wore a flowing white outfit with long boots of matching color, a golden triangular pendant around her neck, and dark purple leggings.

The other Changelings likewise turned into various ponies, and split themselves up among the crowds of ponies wandering the streets.

"Aggro, turn into something else!" said Canopy, whose voice was now slightly lower and sported a thick Germanic accent, to a Changeling that turned into a royal guard. "The Royal Guard is bound to notice 'un extra guard--und a missing vun, too, so don't try replacing any-vun. The same goes for those Shadowbolts."

"Okay, okay." said Aggro, who shapeshifted into a teenaged unicorn colt.

"Und zese are school hours, so stay disguised as 'un adult." said Canopy again. "Besides, I doubt Craw vood feel safe disguising himself as vun of Celestia's students."

"Picky, picky, picky." said Aggro, changing into a zebra, then a female unicorn, and finally a male Pegasus. "There! You happy now, boss-lady?"

"Adequate." said the disguised Canopy. "Now, I vant you to check ze vesterm side of zis city wiv Remix. From vaht I understand, zere's a garden party over zere. You both vill certainly vind all sorts of ponies zere."

"And Canopy--er, Femme Mystic--you're gonna come with me." said the disguised Sigma, speaking in a rough voice without the mixed accent he was accustomed to speaking with. "If anypony asks, we're on a date."

"Ugh. Okay, dear." scoffed Femme Mystic, as she was aggressively nudged by her "husband", Razor Sharp.

Razor Sharp and Femme Mystic were Sigma and Canopy's favorite disguises for when they went undercover. Often, they were portrayed as bitter rivals or a married couple. In most cases, it was both at once; a one-sided relationship. Sometimes, Femme Mystic was a stuck-up, haughty mare of a possibly aristocratic background, juxtaposed with Razor Sharp, a middle-class, quiet but easily angered husband, that Femme either nagged and exchanged banter with, or playfully flirted with and teased. They were practically the opposite of the loud but passive Sigma and quiet, overly serious Canopy.

Razor stopped a passing royal guard that was on patrol.

"Hey, where can I get a drink 'round here?" He asked, roughly. "My wife over here's been driving me nuts all day!"

"Well, you could go to the inn just down the street, past the curio shop." said the guard. "I hear they have a special discount on lemonade today, so maybe you can get a little something for your wife, too."

"Okay, I guess that would--"

"Razor Sharp, you haff-vitted, cider-drinking moron." growled Femme Mystic. "You know zat I hate lemonade, so don't you dare agree with zat stallion!"

"Oh just shut it, red." said Razor, turning to growl back. "I, for one, am gonna get myself a drink. If you want anything, either come along with me or fly back to Manehatten and get yourself a drink there!"

Femme scowled at him, then rolled her eyes before sighing submissively.

"Okay, okay." she said. "But you had better nut be surprised if you should vind yourself sleeping alone tonight."

"I'll keep that in mind." said Razor.

"Stay safe and civil, you two." said the guard, who decided not to intervene with the quarreling.

"Whatever you say, bub." grumbled Razor Sharp as the guard left earshot. "C'mon, Mystic."

"Coming, dear." sighed Femme.

The two disguised Changelings continued down the road, and were about to begin their stakeout at the inn, when they suddenly found themselves face-to-face with Sunset Shimmer and Flash Sentry. Sigma was so surprised to find Sunset right in front of him that he almost reverted back to his Changeling form, if it weren't for Canopy warning him in advance of her approach.

"Um...uh...hey there." said Razor Sharp, hesitantly.

"Good afternoon, sir." said Sunset. "Lovely day we're having, isn't it?"

"Yep, real lovely day." said Razor, nervously. "Me and my wife, Can--I mean, Femme Mystic were just going for a stroll. We decided to come here from Manehatten for a date, and were about to book a room at that inn over there. The name's Sharp. Razor Sharp. I'm a..." He thought for a moment, then produced a cutie mark in the shape of a razor blade on his flank--"A barber."

"And as my darling husband just told you, I am Femme Mystic." said Razor's wife, who covertly shapeshifted a cutie mark in the form of a comb leaning against a bottle of perfume onto her flank. "'Und I am a stylist. I used to be a schoolteacher os vell, but zat is unnuzer story."

"'Razor Sharp' and 'Femme Mystic'?" Sunset thought as she studied the two ponies. "For some reason, those names remind me of something. Heck, these two actually look familiar, somehow. But from where, and how? Maybe the human world?"

"So, you two give haircuts, huh?" Sunset asked aloud. "Come to think of it, my brother's mane's been pretty messy, lately. Maybe sometime, you could--"

"Sorry, but we're very strict about doing work away from our shop." said Razor. "Especially my wife over here."

"Quite." agreed Femme, running a hoof through her stylized red mane.

"Well, It was nice to meet you two." Sunset said, with a warm smile. "Hope you enjoy your stay here in Canterlot."

"Thank you." said Femme, gesturing for Razor to follow her into the inn. "At least somepony in zis town knows how to be polite."

And then the two went through the door to the inn, while Sunset and Flash continued down the street. After they booked a room, the two went upstairs and shed their equine disguises.

"Boy, o' boy, was that a close 'un!" said Sigma. "I almost 'ad a panic attack when I saw that unicorn comin' at us! Coulda blown our cover, real easy."

"Just relax, Ziggy." said Canopy. "As long as you keep things under control and not attack any ponies, she won't suspect a thing."

"What' 'bout Craw, though? We still gotta find 'im!"

"Just keep a low profile, and he'll turn up soon enough." said Canopy. "In the mean-time..."--she shapeshifted back into Femme Mystic--"Let us keep our minds 'un our mission...und hope ze others do ze same."

"Hear ya loud and clear, red." said Sigma, after shapeshifting into Razor Sharp, and getting into character straight away. "Now let's go get me a drink, shall we?"

"Ah, as you desire, little man." snickered Femme, who now wore a cat-like grin on her face. "Und ze first glass shall be 'un me."

"Ha! Now you're speaking my language, fraulein." chuckled Razor.

"Ah, I see what your problem is now." said Pressure Point, who was in the emergency room of Canterlot's hospital, inspecting Radiant Dawn for the source of his inability to perform complex spells. "It looks like you've got some kind of build-up between your frontal lobe and your horn."

"It's not too serious, is it?" asked Radiant, concerned.

"It's not cancerous, if that's what you're asking." said Pressure, flatly. "Though if it was, you'd probably be dead right now, and we wouldn't be having this conversation."

"So what's the cause of it?" asked Radiant again.

"Well, it's often caused by a combination of blunt trauma and a severe anxiety attack. It often occurs in unicorns in their teens, and can stick with them for years, even a couple decades at a time."

"Is there anyway to treat it, doc?" asked Radiant Dawn.

"Funny you should ask that." said Pressure. "I've actually been researching this condition ever since I got my job at this hospital."

"But you've been unable to find any way to cure it?" groaned Radiant.

"Not completely." said Pressure, admittedly. "But I do have some tonics to temporarily soften up the blockage. Just give me a moment, and I'll be right back"

He left the room, and returned a couple of minutes later, telekinetically carrying a tray lined with bottles of differently-colored liquids. He levitated one of them up to Radiant's lips.

"This is called Grindwater Ale." said Pressure Point. "It's a beverage that was imported to Equestria a long time ago, and still remains popular in some areas. Zecora, a zebra that taught me a little about potion-making and alchemy, said it can ease stress levels applied to a pony's brain. Careful, it's very sour."

Radiant chugged down the bottle, and felt his eyes widen involuntarily as his taste buds surged with energy from the ale, which tasted like a combination between watermelon and lime.

"By Celestia, now that's what you call a drink!" exclaimed Radiant Dawn.

"The brain-relaxing parts should follow suit in a couple minutes." said Pressure. "You have no idea how long it took me to stock up on this stuff, especially since the fruit most often used in Grindwater Ale doesn't even grow in Equestria. So we pony-folk had to emulate it with melons, lemons, limes, and stuff like that. Even then, it's pretty darned expensive, so it's best that it's only used for medical purposes, like right now."

"Thanks, I'm already feeling a lot more relaxed." said Radiant. "But still, how come you're being so helpful to me, Pressure? You don't even like me!"

"You're right, you and I have our differences." said the unicorn doctor. "But it would be wrong for me to let a fellow pony suffer from something beyond their control. Plus, I think somepony like you ought to be at their physical peak if you're meant to be a guard."

"How often should I drink this stuff?"

"I'd say once a fortnight, for the next few months or so." said Pressure Point. "I think I might go down to visit Zecora sometime, to see if she could find a long-term treatment for this. In the mean-time, you're good to go, Red Dawn."

"See you later, Presh." nodded Radiant, who turned to exit the hospital.

The Search for Craw, Part 2

Remix, disguised as a pegasus wearing sunglasses and headphones, was trotting rhythmically down one of the streets of Canterlot, when he suddenly heard a loud series of dubstep beats that were loud enough for him to hear, even with his headphones on. He would've gladly stayed on task and continued searching for King Craw, but the beat compelled him even further. He just had to check it out!

He looked around for the source of the music, when a window on the second floor of a nearby building quickly opened up, releasing a blast of loud music into the streets. He was almost going to turn back into his true Changeling form when a unicorn with shades and headphones similar to his own poked her head out and pumped a hoof in the air.

"C'mon, everypony!" she was shouting. "DJ P0N-3 is in the HOUSE!"

Several ponies that were passing by excitedly charged like a pack of feral beasts into the building, eager to join in on whatever was going on inside. Remix decided that he would follow suit, since any one of those ponies could have been Craw in disguise.

The inside of the building was like a giant music store, with sound booths, turntables, and synthesizers lined up against the walls. In the middle was a vast dance floor with multicolored spotlights rotating left and right from the ceiling. At least a dozen ponies were dancing here, with the unicorn from earlier telekinetically operating a turntable that was playing a pop song. Remix took a while to watch all the dancers to see if any of them were doing anything suspicious, when DJ P0N-3 stopped the song with a scratch of the record she was playing.

"Okay, I'm ready to take some requests!" she shouted. "I've got like a hundred albums here, and plenty of time to play them!"

Remix approached the deejay, and shapeshifted back into his Changeling form. He was wearing a headset with a tinted black visor that had a wavy red line going horizontally through the middle.

"I've got a song for you." he spoke with a deep, raspy voice.

"I place you in charge of all operations in that worthless realm, Nelphyn, and yet you cannot give me but the simplest request: Bring forth an army to invade Equestria!" shouted a deep booming voice to the man with the red-rimmed sunglasses, who was sitting in a cavernous dark room.

"Master, you must be patient. Only a few days remain, and the portal shall open once more." said Nelphyn. "Even as we speak, the Chrysalis Syndicate are lining up and waiting for the portal to re-activate."

"Fool, this will not be enough!" said the voice. "You should have brought them over to Equestria a long time ago!"

"Master, if I may ask, whyever did you not have this happen when the portal's normal cycle has passed but two months ago?"

"Because the Princesses would have anticipated an attack from the mirror during the three-day periods! Do you not understand why I did not have you dispose of Sunset Shimmer that night, even when I anticipated that she would never succeed in her goals? I needed her to be my guinea pig to test how great Princess Celestia's defenses were."

"Your way is the only way, O Saegmuntitus." said Nelphyn. "I almost feel sorry for that pathetic, misguided pony. Either way, she was doomed."

"And now, she is back once again in Equestria." said the voice of Saegmuntitus. "There is hope yet for your plans to succeed."

"My plans, master?" asked Nelphyn.

"Yes." said Saegmuntitus. "I have many grand schemes in store for these pathetic equines and humans. If this one fails, it is because of you and you alone. I have others in my service, even as we speak. As a puppeteer controls his marionettes, I control the puppeteers! You are an asset to me, King Nelphyn. Pray to me that I do not consider you expendable."

"I understand, Saegmuntitus." said King Nelphyn. "But what can Sunset Shimmer's presence in Equestria do to benefit this scheme?"

"Because that is what will ensure that the Chrysalis Syndicate will interact with hostility against Equestria." explained the entity's disembodied voice. "They want Sunset Shimmer more than anything, and are willing to outright annihilate anything that keeps them from their goal. So it should be rather unfortunate if Princess Celestia and her worthless subjects were to turn them away, would it not?"

"It most certainly would, master."

"But we cannot afford to waste any further time." said Saegmuntitus. "The portal must open soon, or morale will decline among the members of the Syndicate."

"Goodness, Razor, don't you think you haff had enough?" droned Femme Mystic, who was pacing around her husband with an annoyed expression on her face.

"Shut yer trap, lady." grunted Razor, after finishing his seventh glass of hard lemonade.

"But I vont to leef now!" strained the German-accented pegasus. "Honestly, why do I even go any-vere vith you?"

"Excuse me, ma'am." said the innkeeper, who approached the couple. "Is there a problem you two are having that I could help with in any way?"

"Don't worry about her." said Razor. "My wife's just being a prissy little filly, as usual."

"Excuse me?!" growled Femme Mystic, barring her teeth. "I am nut the von being an insufferable brute right now."

"Nopony here needs to hear this, you two." said the innkeeper. "If you two have some kind of problem with your marriage, either keep it at home or visit a therapist."

"I haff been trying to get Razor to do just zat with me!" stressed Femme Mystic. "But no, he's stubborn as a mule--" she turned her head towards a mule enjoying a beverage nearby--"No offense, mind you."

"Um, none taken." said the mule, drowsily.

"Ma'am, perhaps you'd like something to drink while your husband is--"'

"Hmph! Not at all." said Femme. "I vill nut vaste myself on such petty beverages--"

"Ah, shaddup." said Razor, turning his head. "Ya really need to shut yer mouth."

"And vat if I ver to decline, husband?" smirked Femme, who went up to Razor and leaned herself next to him, against the bar, and making a smug, haughty face.

Razor climbed off his stool, and pressed against Femme Mystic's side, pinning her to the bar. The chatter that previously filled the bar suddenly died out, and everypony was looking at them. Most of them actually looked relieved that something was finally being done about the nagging mare.

"I really mean it, lady." growled Razor. "You better quit fussing, before things get nasty."

But Femme just giggled back, a grin on her face.

"Alright, dear. You vin zis round." she said, submissively.

"Ah, this place is boring me, anyway." said Razor. "Let's go outside."

Razor could've sworn that he saw one of the other patrons ecstatically mouthing "Yes! Please do!" as they left.

"Zat was pretty invigorating." said Femme.

"Yeah, but don't you think you were overdoing it a little back there, Canopy?" asked Razor. "Oh, I mean 'Femme'."

"Can I help it, Sigma--err, 'Razor'?" asked Femme. "I am, after all, a classically-trained actress!"

"I know, I know." said Razor.

Femme bent her head down and stroked Razor's cheek with her tongue.

"You're so understanding." she said, grinning.

"Miss Shimmer, what exactly is on your mind?" asked Flash Sentry.

"Just trying to get some stressful things off of my mind." answered Sunset.

"Anything in particular?" inquired Flash.

"It's...kinda hard for me to explain it right now." said Sunset, who then decided to change the subject. "So, Captain Star Shield's your dad, huh?"

"That's right." confirmed Flash Sentry. "In fact, a lot of my family's been in either the Royal Guard or the Wonderbolts for the past six generations. In fact, I have a cousin named Soarin', who's a Wonderbolt."

"That's pretty neat." said Sunset. "My gramps was a guard, too."

"And your brother said you have a very smart daddy." said Flash. "It sure stinks that he's not around right now. I'm sure he'd be very proud with what you and your brother have done for Equestria lately."

"Yeah, I'm sure he would." sighed Sunset.

Suddenly, there was a sound of somepony clearing their throat, and Sunset snapped her head to the left. Standing on the side opposite from Flash was a grayish-white pegasus stallion with reddish-brown eyes and a shaggy brown mane with green streaks here and there. His cutie mark was of a jumbo shrimp.

"Hey there." he said, with a subtle Cajun accent, to Sunset Shimmer. "Boy, have I been looking all around for you, mon cherie."

Sunset's eyes widened and she tried hard not to gasp in surprise.

"Um...wow, I thought you'd never find me!" said Sunset. "How are you doing?"

"Oh, fine." said the Cajun pegasus, pointing to an alleyway. "Say, how'd y'all like to have a chat with me over there?"

"Flash, could you just stick around for a minute?" Sunset asked Flash.

"Yes, ma'am." nodded Flash Sentry.

Sunset and the Cajun pony went around the corner into the alleyway, and made sure they were out of sight.

"Okay, Craw." she said. "Time for you and I to have a chat."

The pegasus morphed into the familiar tall Changeling that Sunset last saw in Umbriel's lair. But this time, he looked very fatigued and bewildered about something. More than often, his red eyes darted left and right to make sure no one was spying on them.

"I am very glad to have found you, Sunset Shimmer." said King Craw, leaning his head over Sunset's. "It warms my soul to look at your beautiful, shining face."

"So what did you want to tell me, before...whatever happened on the other line?" asked Sunset, trying hard not to blush at Craw's comment.

"Well, I was about to tell you that more than a year ago, something drew Cerberus away from Tartarus." said King Craw. "Something...of a positively horrid nature."

"Like what?" asked Sunset.

King Craw looked around again, then continued to speak:

"Are you aware of the legend of the Ram King?" he asked.

"The Ram King?" Sunset repeated. "I don't think I have, actually. What about it?"

"It's an ancient tale as old as the world you and I both stand on." said Craw. "It is known to Changelings and ponies alike, the former even more so."

"Care to summarize it for me?" asked Sunset.

"Forgive me, Sunset Shimmer, but I cannot do this now." said King Craw. "Ask the princesses about it, though, should you ever get the chance."

"Well, could you at least tell me what happened at your hiding place?" asked Sunset. "I mean, whose voice was that?"

"Apparently, he is an ancient enemy of Equestria." said Craw. "Older than the Changelings, but not as old as Discord or the Ram King. Unfortunately, I never caught his name."

"Who is the Ram King, anyway?" asked Sunset.

"Again, I advise you ask your princesses about him." said King Craw. "If they turn you away, then use his true name: Saegmuntitus."

"Well, that sure is a memorable name." snarked Sunset. "Okay, K.C.. What are you going to do now?"

"I'm afraid that I must leave now, Sunset Shimmer." said the Changeling. "I suspect the good queen has her troops searching for me here."

"Wait." said Sunset, just as King Craw began to turn away.

"What would you like now, my pretty?" King Craw paused.

"Let me look at your eyes." replied the unicorn.

Craw opened his heavy eyelids so that they were wider than before. Sunset stared longingly into the rogue Changeling's eyes, and found her own beginning to water.

"Am I really that intimidating?" quipped Craw.

"No." said Sunset, quietly. "I just...wanted to see your eyes before you left. To see his eyes again. Thank you."

"Sunset, is everything okay over there?" she heard Flash's voice call to her from around the corner.

King Craw shapeshifted back into the Cajun-accented pegasus just as Flash entered the alleyway.

"Everything's all right, Flash." said Sunset. "I was just saying good-bye to my friend here."

"And now I'm outta here!" said the disguised Craw, who quickly took flight.

Sunset looked up at the sky as he flew away, with tears streaming down from her eyes. She missed the human Craw so much now.

The Big Night, Part 1

11:02 P.M.

A few nights passed, and Sunset Shimmer was back to learning advanced magical lessons at the palace with Princess Luna. The mentor and student sat next to each other in front of the empty thrones, with their eyes closed and their horns illuminated.

"Remember, Sunset." said Luna. "Concentrate as hard as you can."

"Got it." said Sunset, uneasily.

Her aura engulfed a bag of marbles that was laying in front of them both. Each ball was levitated out of the bag, spun around in a circle around the alicorn and unicorn, and then transformed into figurines of different animals.

"Well done, my dear." said Luna, with a smile.

Sunset let the figurines drop steadily to the floor all around her and Luna.

"Thanks." she smiled.

"And now, we shall move on to the next lesson." said Luna, whose horn was glowing even brighter.

The figurines began to move their appendages independently, and turned their heads. They all started to dance with each other.

"Wow, that's amazing." said Sunset Shimmer.

"Are you ready to learn the spell?" asked the princess.

"Um...actually, Luna." said Sunset, with a yawn. "I'm feeling kinda tired right now. Do you mind if I just go back to bed?"

"Of course not, my dear."

Sunset left the throne room, and passed by Radiant Dawn and Lightning Dust in the hall.

"Hey, how's it going?" Sunset said to them.

"All clear, little sister." said Radiant.

"Skies are clear for tonight, Sunset." said Lightning Dust. "Nothing's getting in while we're on duty."

11:23 P.M.

That night, in the apartment building on Dodge Boulevard, Nose Nip came rushing in through the front door.

"Frosty, you should come see this!" he said.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." said Frosty, who was manning the front desk as usual. "Let me guess, Nips: another buncha dumb teenagers put graffiti on the walls outside, right?"

"No!" said Nose Nip. "It's down by the school. It looks like the Syndicate's going to war! I've never seen so much military stuff in my life!"

"Clearly, you haven't lived in the States long enough, then." snarked Frosty.

"Oh shut up, man." grumbled Nose Nip in an uncharacteristically frustrated manner. "I'm calling the police right now. And if you cared for anyone but yourself, you'd consider doing the same!"

he ran up the stairs to his room to grab his cell phone, while Frosty just sat at the desk, dumbfounded by his employee's comment.

"Yeah, but...uh...well...uh...ah, sonuva gun." he grumbled idly.

11:47 P.M.

Shining Armor of the Canterbury Police Department was on one of his patrols. He stopped his motorbike just down the street from Canterlot High.

"Keep your eyes open, Silver." said Officer Armor, through his walkie-talkie. "We've got reports of something very big about to go down soon. Over!"

"Copy that, captain." said Officer Silver Shadow.

"I'm gonna check on those Syndicate guys." said Shining Armor. "They've been here almost a month now, and haven't shown any intentions of leaving."--he paused and to look ahead towards the school building--"In fact, I see that they just brought another tank in front of the school."

"Good lord, that's the third one in a row!" said Silver Shadow. "Sir, I'm coming around from Dodge Boulevard. Wow, there's gotta be at least forty--no, fifty of them!"

"What are they all doing?"

"They all seem to be pointing all their weapons at the statue at the front of the school, sir. Cripes, even the tanks are pointing at it! What the heck are they trying to do?"

Officer Armor took out his binoculars, climbed off his motorcycle, and stalked down the road. He looked through the binoculars, and saw just as Silver Shadow described: What appeared to be a small army of soldiers in black armor and helmets were all forming a perimeter around the statue, as instructed by two larger soldiers: The muscular Captain Umbriel and the tall, sleek Supreme Commander Chrysalis.

"Well, sonuva gun." grumbled the police captain under his breath.

Suddenly he heard a series of clicking noises around him, and he suddenly found himself being surround by a trio of power-armored soldiers that suddenly materialized out of the night. They were all pointing assault rifles at his head.

"Lovely night for a walk, isn't it?" said one of the soldiers.

"What the heck's going on?" asked Officer Armor.

"Can't tell ya." said one of the soldiers. "What we can tell ya, is that this'll be the last night we'll ever spend in your pathetic little hick town."

"As an officer of the law, I demand to know what that is all about!" Armor pointed at the artillery aiming at the statue.

"You're pushing us to answer you, pig." said one of the soldiers. "We're not gonna warn you again: Get out of here, or else--"

"Or else what?" demanded Officer Armor. "I'm a police captain, you morons! You shoot me, and the FBI will be all over you guys!"

"You wanna know so bad?" said another voice from behind.

Shining Armor turned around to find a fourth soldier materialize and point his gas-powered sidearm at the police captain's nose.

"Then I'll take you to the boss right now." said Sgt. Craw, with a sinister, cold edge to his distorted voice.

"Then lead the way." said Officer Armor in a calm, level tone.

11:56 P.M.

Sunset Shimmer tucked herself into her bed, thinking again about what she's been doing for the past month. She already done more great things and made more friends in this small amount of time than she ever did in the two-and-a-half years or so she spent in the--

Suddenly, she heard a noise in the next room. It sounded like a magic spell. Sunset grinned.

"Maybe Trixie's training for her next show." she chuckled to herself.

Then she heard the sound again, and an identical sound from the room the other room next to hers.

"Hmm...it seems like somepony's doing a little late night teleporting." Sunset mused, before pausing suspiciously. "But who?"

It couldn't be any of her friends, since none of them know how to teleport. Princess Luna could teleport, but if she was looking for Sunset Shimmer, she would've just teleported straight into her room. Twilight Sparkle was currently in Ponyville, so it was unlikely to be her. Sunset got out of bed and teleported out of her room, and into the hall. She barely caught a glimpse of a greyish figure in the dark, just before it vanished before her in a flash of red light.

Suddenly, there was the sound of hooffalls of someone ascending the stairs. It was Captain Star Shield.

"Miss Shimmer, is there something wrong?" he asked as soon as he saw Sunset.

"Captain, I think here's an intruder in the palace." said Sunset. "Someone's teleporting around here, and it's nopony I recognize."

"Are you sure?" asked Captain Shield.

Suddenly, there was another noise. This time, it came from Sunset's room. Sunset quickly opened her door to find a dark figure with red eyes standing there: Ghost.

"You picked the wrong time to try and sneak up on me!" Sunset growled, her horn glowing.

"Well, I didn't think this would be your room." said Ghost, whose own horn was glowing. "But I think now would be a good time for a rematch! You just have--" he teleported behind Sunset Shimmer. "--to--" he teleported into the air over Star Shield. "--find me!"

He teleported again, but Sunset was ready.

"Oh no, you don't!" she yelled, teleporting after him.

They teleported through room after room, corridor after corridor, waking up several sleeping ponies as they went. Eventually, they both came into the palace basement.

"That's it!" snapped Sunset. "No more teleporting! Let's fight fair and square!"

"Well, I would...but I'm not here to fight you!" said Ghost.

Sunset teleported on top of and pinned Ghost to the ground.

"Quit lying!" growled the unicorn.

"I ain't lying!" snapped Ghost, rolling over to knock Sunset off of him.

Sunset rolled over on the ground and took a moment to notice what was on Ghost's neck: the Alicorn Amulet!

"But if you want a problem, then come get some!" said Ghost, whose horn was glowing.

Several flashes of light appeared, and various beasts appeared around them: two manticores and several giant spiders.

"But..." stammered Sunset.

"Amazing what this amulet can do, ain't it?" Ghost fumbled with it, before turning to the other creatures. "Go nuts!"

The creatures all charged at Sunset, who quickly teleported away, and unleashed a flurry of magical blasts from her horn that knocked them all back. The spiders were easily knocked aside, but the manticores quickly charged at her. She used her telekinesis to knock them both into each other, causing to sting each other with their tails.

"Ah, phooey." grumbled Ghost, just as Sunset unleashed another beam of energy right at him.

He collapsed quickly to the ground. Before he could draw out further magic from the Amulet, Sunset yanked at it, as hard as she could. But she found much difficulty in pulling it off. She wasn't the only one straining herself; Ghost was choking and gagging like mad as the cord squeezed against his jugular.

"Not worth it, not worth it, not worth it, not worth it!" Ghost quailed and choked. "You want the amulet so bad, take it!"

Ghost unclipped the amulet, and allowed Sunset to seize it. She laid it down beside them, and she lowered her head to snarl at him.

"Okay, you got me!" scoffed Ghost. "What do you want now, unicorn?!"

"I want to know what happened to my father." said Sunset. "My mother told me you might have done something with him."

"I don't know." said Ghost, flatly.

"I don't believe you." said Sunset, angrily. "If you don't tell me where he is, so help me, I'll--"

Suddenly, there was a strange noise in the room that caught both their attention, and Sunset saw its source: The Crystal Mirror was there, standing right before her. Its glass was shimmering; another thirty days had passed since she last used it. Sunset grinned maliciously.

"Or I'll throw you right through that portal." said Sunset. "Never to return."

"Go ahead, Sunset Shimmer." Ghost grinned back. "Do your absolute worst."

He blasted Sunset off of him without warning. She was knocked against the wall opposite the mirror. She charged at him, and levitated him into the air, absolutely livid by this point.

"Okay, you want my worst?" said Sunset. "Let's see you try to teleport out of there!"

She thrust Ghost through the air as hard as her telekinesis could allow, and smirked as she did so. Then her satisfactory expression turned to a terrified stare: Just before Ghost even touched the glass, something long and thin shot out from the mirror's shimmering glass. It stuck to the wall just inches above Sunset's head. It was a cable of some kind, with a grappling hook on the end, buried halfway in the wall. Ghost was able to catch it by pure luck. He was dangling in a rather silly manner from the line with a relieved sigh.

"Uh...welp." said Ghost. "Here comes the neigh-borhood."

Then he teleported away, leaving Sunset Shimmer standing motionless and horrified by the thing above and in front of her. She had only one guess what this meant, and unfortunately, she was correct.

The Big Night, Part 2

Supreme Commander Chrysalis and Captain Umbriel stood armored but unhelmeted at the statue, watching as the Hydra tank successfully shot through the shimmering base.

"Remix, can you confirm whether or not it's hit anything?" asked Chrysalis.

Remix nodded.

"The tank's hit its mark, whatever it may be!" said another operative standing nearby.

"Sister, what shall we do now?" asked Umbriel.

"Fire two more cables through the portal." said Supreme Commander Chrysalis. "After that, fire some warning shots."

Umbriel made a gesture towards the gunner of the Hydra tank, who ducked back into the armored vehicle to operate the controls. The quad-barreled tank fired away. After it did so, Captain Umbriel cocked his M249 machine gun, pointed at the shimmering base of the statue, and pulled the trigger...

Sunset Shimmer gasped as two more cables identical to the first shot out of the mirror and pierced the wall. The mirror's glass then suddenly began to flicker with hundreds of lights. Sunset Shimmer teleported away just in times, as dozens of red-hot lead bullets rained sideways through the portal and left many large holes in the wall around the cables. The floor was covered in broken plaster and marble.

"I've got to get out of here! Fast!" Sunset panted, and bolted through the door that led upstairs.

"That ought to to scare any pony that tries prying the cables off." said Captain Umbriel, raising his gun to blow on the smoking barrel. "What now, sister?"

"Proxy Squad, move up!" said Supreme Commander Chrysalis. "You will be sent in as the first wave!"

Lieutenant Sigma, Major Canopy, Corporal Remix, Private Hopper, Private Mantis, and Corporal Aggro all lined up in front of the portal.

"Remember, troops." said Captain Umbriel. "You are going in for Sunset Shimmer, and Sunset Shimmer alone. Therefore, do what you will with whatever else you find on the other side. Remember, as long as something is running through that portal and out the other side, it will never shut. So you shouldn't have to worry about being stranded on the Equestria side unless the cables are detached or severed. Which I highly doubt, since they have been reinforced many times over. You could haul a Boeing 747 out from the bottom of an ocean with them, and they wouldn't snap. Any questions?"

"No, sir." said Sigma.

"Then lock and load."

The six power-armored soldiers cocked their firearms, and latched onto the cables. They proceeded to zipline through the base of the statue, and came out through the other side. Lt. Sigma landed first, hitting the ground much harder than he thought he would. He took a moment to inspect himself, and brushed dust off of his body...only to find he no longer had hands. Nor was he wearing armor. Instead, he now had a black equine body with holes on his legs.

"Well, how'd ya like tha', gois?!" said his voice, which was now layered.

"This is...both remarkable and disgusting at the same time." said Major Canopy, behind him. "Why do I have these holes in my limbs? If I was Trypophobic, I'd be having a panic attack right now."

"Forget the holes, how the heck are we supposed to use our weapons?" said Private Hopper.

Suddenly, the headset on Sigma's head began to emit static.

"Sigma, do you copy?" said the voice of Supreme Commander Chrysalis. "Were you able to cross through without incident?"

Sigma put his hoof to the speaker attached to his face, and spoke:

"Well, I've b'n turn'd into a bug-eyed, bug-winged, bug-everyth'n', bug-pony...bug, bug-bug, whatever. So you tell me." said Sigma.

"Just as I suspected, then." said Chrysalis' voice.

"'Ow da heck am I s'posed to use my weapons?!" whispered Sigma.

"I've analyzed the artifacts that we've acquired from this world in the past." said Chrysalis. "Apparently, the ponies of this world are shown to be able to pick up objects without the need of fingers. Try picking something up."

"Copy 'at. Sigma out."

Sigma looked around, and saw his MP5K lying on the ground beside him. Instinctively, he reached for it, and surprisingly managed to pick it up, in spite of his lack of fingers.

"How the heck did you..." said Mantis. "What kinda weirdo laws of physics does this world have?"

"That of a cartoon, apparently." said Canopy. "Ziggy, can you fire that gun?"

Sigma shook the hoof that "held" the gun, clearly trying to find a way to pull the trigger.

"Oh, wha' a lo'd o' rubbish!" he shouted. "I can't ev'n shoot the blasted thing! Ya know, I think I'm startin' to hate this world already!"

Suddenly, his horn--which he just realized he had--emitted a green light. It shot a green orb of energy that struck the wall. The six transformed soldiers paused to look at the spot where it hit.

"Or maybe this place is unbelievably awesome!" shouted Aggro. "And look, we've got wings, too!"

"Wings that look like a dog chewed on them." snarked Canopy, examining her own. "I bet we wouldn't be able to fly at all with these!"

"Just watch me!" said Aggro.

He sped up to the door, his hooves leaving a trail of green fire as he rushed along the ground. His horn glowed, and the door was blasted off its hinges. He then sped up the stairs, even running up along the walls as he went.

Sunset Shimmer was speeding through the corridors in a crazed panic, hyperventilating as she went. Eventually, she bumped into Radiant Dawn in the darkness.

"Sunny, what the heck's the matter with ya?" he asked, concerned.

"Red, they're here!" said Sunset Shimmer. "The Chrysalis Syndicate has crossed through the portal!"

"What?!" exclaimed Radiant Dawn in shock. "I'll have to kick 'em out, then...!"

"No!" said Sunset. "They've got guns! They'll kill you for sure!"

Suddenly, a dark shape appeared, speeding towards Sunset in a mad gallop that flickered with a green flame, and leapt through the air. It tackled Sunset Shimmer without warning, and the two rolled along the floor, wrestling each other viciously.

"You're coming with me, Sunset!" said Cpl. Aggro. "You're a prisoner of the Chrysalis Syndicate."

"She's nobody's prisoner, you Changeling freak!" said Radiant, his horn glowing.

Suddenly, there was a flurry of green magical blasts coming from the direction that Aggro came from. Five more shapes were flying down the corridor towards them.

Razor Sharp was taking a walk outside, when he suddenly saw several night guards rushing through the streets towards the palace.

"Slow down, bub." said Razor, stopping one of the guards. "Where's the fire?"

"Sir, I must ask you to get off the streets." said the guard. "There's an incident going on at the palace. Some kind of attack."

As soon as the guard left, Femme Mystic dropped down from the sky beside Razor, and contracted her wings.

"Vot is zeh problem?" she asked, curiously.

"Let's ditch these disguises." said Razor, shapeshifting back into Sigma. "Someth'n's goin' on at the palace!"

Femme shapeshifted back into Canopy.

Sunset blasted Aggro off her body. She took a moment to realize that even though they had weapons and headgear, the Syndicate operatives were not able to use them in their present forms. And surely, they weren't as experienced at shapeshifting and using magic as this world's Changelings were.

"Red, I can handle these guys!" said Sunset.

"Sunny, are you sure?!" Radiant shouted as he hoof-punched Mantis in the gut.

Sunset went next to her brother, turned her head slowly, and said with a smile:

"Trust me."

Her horn glowed, and she shot several bluish-green bolts of magical energy at the six operatives.

"That's e'nuff!" said Lt. Sigma. "Fall back! Back to the portal!"

Sunset chased after them, until she came back to the basement. Radiant quickly went after her. Sunset used her telekinesis to levitate all six Changelings and juggle them around in the air.

"Let's see how you guys like being tormented!" Sunset shouted.

Like bullets coming out of a revolver, each soldier was shot back through the mirror one after the other. Even rotating accordingly.

"Tourists." quipped Sunset as soon as the last one was sent back through the mirror.

"Good job, Sunny." said Radiant. "Think that was the last of 'em? Now, let's get rid of those cables--"

Suddenly, another shape emerged from the portal. This one was large, muscular, and extremely familiar by this point to the two unicorn siblings. It quickly sped to knock aside Radiant Dawn, and seized Sunset Shimmer by the neck.

"You are coming with me now, my little pony." said Captain Umbriel.

Sunset quickly saw the Alicorn Amulet lying on the floor, and by pure luck managed to grab it just as Umbriel dragged her back through the portal. Radiant Dawn got up as fast as he could, but was struck down by a tranquilizer dart that Captain Umbriel shot at him from a device attached to his hoof.

Sunset Shimmer and Captain Umbriel emerged from the based of the statue, where dozens of Chrysalis Syndicate soldiers stood around them, with Supreme Commander Chrysalis in the middle.

"Well done, brother." said Chrysalis. "I knew I should've sent you in first."

"And now that we have Sunset Shimmer, we can finally leave this pathetic town." said Captain Umbriel, clamping the corner of Sunset's mouth with two of his armored fingers. "You led us quite the chase, you know that, little pony-girl? We've spent a whole month looking for you. A month! But not anymore! Proxy Squad!"

"Yes, sir?" said Major Canopy.

The six soldiers that Sunset had defeated just a few seconds ago all approached Captain Umbriel and Sunset Shimmer.

"Present arms!" said Umbriel.

They brandished their firearms, cocked, and loaded them. Captain Umbriel threw Sunset to the ground coldly. The pony-girl closed her eyes, and prepared for what might happen next. Then she heard another voice.

"Hang on. Captain, I'd like to be the one that does it."

It was Corporal Ghost, wearing his white skeletal ballistic armor, which to Sunset made him look very much like his Equestria counterpart.

"Then by all means, corporal." said Umbriel. "Do it."

Sergeant Craw saw what was going on, and looked on in shock as Sunset Shimmer was laying on all fours, like a sick dog about to be put down. He rushed towards Supreme Commander Chrysalis, earnestly.

"Commander, We have to talk." Craw said, his helmet off.

"What's the matter now, sergeant?" asked Chrysalis.

"You have to stop this!" said Craw. "We have no reason to kill Sunset now. Not here, anyway. Too many things could go wrong..."

"Craw, I know that you like her." Chrysalis said to him, flatly. "But we are people of business. Sunset wronged us, and we are dealing with her in the appropriate fashion. Don't feel bad for her, though. Soon, we'll leave this place, and we can go back to how things were before. Unless you're saying you'd rather defect right now, and try to stop this."

"Of course not." Craw said, quickly. "You know I'd never turn on the Syndicate."

The armored albino soldier approach Sunset Shimmer, cocking a shotgun in his hands. Sunset felt the gun's barrel being pressed against her head, but she said nothing.

"You have no idea, do you? How happy I am to finally be able to do what I should've done a month ago." Ghost whispered sinisterly under his breath.

Still, Sunset Shimmer said nothing. Instead, she fumbled with a small black object she held in her right hand.

"I could easily say the same about you, Ghost." she thought angrily.

Ghost loaded his shotgun with half a dozen armor-piercing shells, and cocked it audibly.

"No last words, huh?" asked Ghost, fastening his finger to the trigger. "Good. I had enough of your mouth last month, anyway. Well, time to get this Sunset eclipsed."

But even as he spoke these words, the Alicorn Amulet began to glow in Sunset's hand.

The Big Night, Part 3

Ghost was just seconds from pulling the trigger. Anytime now, Sunset Shimmer would die. Suddenly, Sunset felt the amulet she held in her hand becoming warmer and warmer. She felt a power surging through her body, like she hadn't felt in this world since two months ago. This time, though, she was in complete control. Her body began to transform. She grew equine ears, and sprouted a tail from her skirt.

Everyone there was so surprised by this that even Ghost lowered his shotgun to try and make sense of what he was seeing. Then he caught himself, and prepared to pull the trigger. But he was too late, as Sunset leapt not only back to her feet but into the air with her fist raised over her head.

"What the--" said Ghost.

The punch hit him so hard, it sent him careening into the front doors of the school. The other soldiers stood in awe for a second, then started loading their firearms. They all aimed their guns at Sunset, and pulled the trigger. Bullets filled the air, but Sunset Shimmer suddenly disappeared in a flash of light. She reappeared behind two soldiers and knocked them both to the ground. Before the other soldiers could wheel around to face her, she teleported again. She was now at the far end, where she kicked three more soldiers into each other. She teleported again, and appeared in the exact center of the army.

"There she is!" yelled a soldier. "Everyone, initiate attack pattern Mirrorwall."

Just like that, the armor that all the soldiers were wearing suddenly became like transparent glass. Sunset found herself looking at an army of reflections of herself. Sunset heard quick footfalls growing near her in all directions. She looked around, and it seemed as though the reflections were all moving around and overlapping with each other. She felt a metallic hand grab her by the shoulder, but she quickly swatted it away, sending a soldier colliding with another. Sunset found herself in a melee with a whole army of her own reflections, and found the experience disorienting.

"Get away from me!" Sunset yelled, desperately.

"Get away from me! Get away from me! Get away from me! Get away from me!" her own voice chorused in every direction, emitting from the speakers on each of the soldiers' headgear.

A fist struck Sunset in the face, and she was knocked off her feet. The moment she hit the ground the mirror-armored soldiers all huddled around her, and started beating her ruthlessly. Sunset could only see a host of reflections of her own pain-stricken face as she lay on the ground. All the while, her voice was echoing throughout the battlefield, shouting "Get away from me!" over and over. Sunset saw her eyes start to glow red, and then a magical energy surged from the amulet she still held in her hand. She let out a cry of rage, and all the soldiers attacking her were knocked off their feet. Sunset leapt back to her feet, and watched as the many soldiers materialized even as they lay on the ground.

She took a moment to put the amulet around her neck, and teleported again. She was now standing in front of the statue.

"Good work, Sunset Shimmer." said Supreme Commander Chrysalis, putting her helmet back on. "But how will you deal with *this*? Remix!"

Remix jumped between Supreme Commander Chrysalis, Captain Umbriel, and Sunset Shimmer. He typed several keys on his arm-mounted computer, and activated the "Auto" mode on his built-in synthesizer. It started to play an extremely loud electronic song that hurt Sunset's ears so hard she had to cover them with her hands. Remix apparently counted on this, since he took out two silenced pistols from his belt, and opened fire on her. Luckily, Sunset managed to teleport once more, just as one of the bullets grazed the collar of her jacket. She was now standing on the roof of the school. She now had a panoramic view of the front lawn.

Supreme Commander Chrysalis activated the radio built into her helmet and spoke:

"Alpha-One to Gunship! Alpha-One to Gunship!" she shouted. "Engage target!"

"Black Six is engaging target now, supreme commander." said the voice of the pilot through her radio.

There was a sound of rushing wind above the roof the school, followed by the sound of helicopter blades spinning overhead, as the dark mass of a Comanche attack helicopter reached the school. It stopped in mid-air at least fifty yards from where Sunset Shimmer stood, before opening fire with its mounted machine guns. Hundreds of rounds were emptied in Sunset's direction. But she stood there, completely unfazed. Her eyes began to glow again, this time with a red aura. The bullets were all absorbed by an invisible barrier that had been developed around her by the Alicorn Amulet.

"Black Six, pull back!" said Chrysalis. "Your ammunition will be wasted at this rate! Return to base, and re-arm yourself!"

"Black Six returning to base, supreme commander." said Black Six.

The helicopter pulled back and disappeared into the night like a dissipated storm cloud.

"Aggro, get her down from there!" Captain Umbriel bellowed, pointing his finger at the roof of the school.

The soldier began to ran towards the building. As he did so, police sirens were heard in the distance; Apparently, the Canterbury Police Department's tolerance for the Chrysalis Syndicate had finally gone over the edge. Squad cars, paddy wagons, and even SWAT vehicles from downtown all converged around the school. Dozens of policemen were exiting the vehicles and forming a perimeter around the front lawn with their most powerful available guns out. On the outskirts of this perimeter, a news van appeared, and Pressure Point and his cameraman were on the scene.

"It is absolute pandemonium here at Canterlot High, exactly one month from the first encounter between Sunset Shimmer and a member of the Chrysalis Syndicate!" said Pressure Point. "As you can see, the police are out in full force, ready to apprehend whoever is--" he turned around and looked at the roof. "--why yes! It is indeed Sunset Shimmer, who has apparently come out of hiding to battle the Chrysalis Syndicate!" he whispered to his cameraman: "Follow me!"

He walked over to Police Chief Star Shield, who apparently was in charge of this perimeter. He spoke into the microphone:

"Sir, as chief of police, we at Channel 15 News hope that you can shed some light on this recent development?" he said, before handing the microphone over to him.

"It is exactly what you are seeing, reporter." said Star Shield. "I have been instructed by the mayor herself to maintain this perimeter, and make sure neither Sunset Shimmer nor the Chrysalis Syndicate spill this fight into our beloved streets. I don't know who we ought to gun for, since Sunset Shimmer is allegedly responsible for her own dark deeds at this very school. On the other hand, the Syndicate is holding one of my own men hostage as we speak!"

Pressure Point visibly cringed for a moment, then turned around to speak into the camera.

"Well, you heard it here, folks at home!" he said, uneasily. "It looks like Canterbury's officially become Crazyland!"

He barred his teeth, turning to eye what was happening.

"Yes, it looks like one of the Chrysalis Syndicate operatives is performing--holy guacamole!--Le friggin' Parkour to scale the building, in order to reach Sunset Shimmer! He's fast! He's like something out of a martial arts movie...on a sugar rush!"

Using his momentum and the hydraulics built into his armor, Aggro managed to jump and flip up the side of the school until he reached Sunset Shimmer.

"Time for round 2, pony!" shouted Aggro.

"Idiot, that's *my** line!" Ghost voice echoed through Aggro's radio, just as he busted through a nearby maintenance door. "I'm not letting this opportunity pass me by ever again*!"

The two soldiers circled Sunset Shimmer like ravenous wolves.

Pinkie and Maud Pie were in their living room, manually changing channels (Pinkie accidentally baked the remote into a pie earlier that day) on their television to look for something they could both watch.

"Pinkie, can we go back to the Home Shopping Network?" asked Maud. "I wanted to see that commercial for that gold-crusted emerald ring."

"Okay, anything for my favoritest sister in the whole wide world!" said Pinkie Pie, changing the channels. "Gee, why would ya want a ring---oh my goodness!"

She had stopped on Channel 15, and saw what was happening.

"Whoa, Sunset Shimmer's back!" she shouted, and grabbed her cell phone out of her pocket. "I gotta tell everyone!"

Nose Nip and Frosty were watching the television in the apartment complex on Dodge Boulevard. They were watching Sunset Shimmer fighting both Aggro and Ghost at once on the rooftop. Nose Nip was cheering her on, but Frosty was beside himself with excitement.

"Go, Sunset Shimmer, whoo-hoo-hoo!" he shrieked, pumping his fist in the air. "I love this toooooowwwwwwwnnn!!!"

The human world's own Sunset Shimmer and Radiant Dawn were watching on their own television set at Daystar & Associates, as was Flash Sentry, who had come at the last minute to buy new textbooks for his classes at Junction City High School.

"Wow, she's incredible!" said Susan Shelby.

"Yeah." said Richard Dawson.

"I still can't believe she's actually some kind of pony from an alternate world!" said Flash Sentry.

"Wait, she is?" asked Susan, pausing to look at her customer. "Well, I guess that explains the tail, ears, and magic. And, for that matter, why she looks so much like me!"

"Yep." said Flash.

"How'd you know that, though?" asked Susan.

"Because I used to date her." said Flash.

Susan and Richard both looked at him, lost for words.

"Can we get this over with?" said Sunset Shimmer to Aggro and Ghost. "I'd really like to get back to bed."

"Then we'll make sure you rest in pieces!" said Ghost. "Let's rock and roll!"

The two soldiers leaped at Sunset, and unleashed a hurricane of ironclad fists at her. But she evaded each hit, and unleashed her own magic-assisted flurry of punches on them, and put dents in their armor. She roundhouse-kicked Ghost to the side, then unleashed a lightning-fast high-kick on Aggro, who was sent flying clean off the roof and into the starlit sky. Ghost leapt back to his feet, and resumed his exchange of punches with Sunset Shimmer. They kept going and going and going, until Ghost found himself exhausted.

"Hey...pony..." he panted. "How's about you and I take a break?"

But Sunset narrowed her eyes.

"I don't think so." she said coldly, raising a hand that began to glow red. "You're not going to be seeing my world anytime soon, so I'll instead have to introduce you...to a whole new world of pain."

Suddenly Sunset felt a cold hand touch her shoulder.

"No, Sunset." said a strange voice behind her. "Allow me."

She felt another hand as cold as the first grab the cord of the Alicorn Amulet, and effortlessly pulled it off of Sunset Shimmer, a feat that would've been next to impossible under normal circumstances. Sunset Shimmer's tail vanished and ears returned to normal, and her magic was once again suppressed by her mundane human form. She turned around to see the strange man that she once encountered, even if she did not remember him.

"I believe this, once upon a time, belonged to me!" said King Nelphyn, sharply adjusting his red-rimmed shades as he held the Alicorn Amulet. "And I must warn you: I chastise anyone that keeps my treasures from me. I'm afraid that includes you, my little pony."

The Wrath of King Nelphyn

"What the devil is going on up there?!" said Supreme Commander Chrysalis, looking up at the rooftop.

"There seems to be someone else up there, sister." Captain Umbriel deduced. "And I doubt it's another of our men."

"I'll go up there." Sergeant Craw said, clearly.

The two siblings looked at him.

"Sunset Shimmer's my woman." he said, an intense glare in his eyes. "If there's anyone she'll listen to, it'll be me. I'll bring her back here, alive or dead, like I should've done last month."

"Don't fail this time." Umbriel told him, holding up his Deagalizer in a threatening manner. "Or else..."

"Wait a minute." said Corporal Ghost. "You're the guy that kidnapped Rainbow Dash! I thought you were gunned down weeks ago!"

"You'll find I am much harder to kill than your typical mortal." said the man. "This world may not have much in terms of magic, but it will take more than a few pieces of metal to vanquish me."

"Who are you?" asked Sunset Shimmer.

"I am Nelphyn." said the stranger, turning to Sunset. "I was once the ruler of Saddle Arabia, in Equestria."

"Saddle Arabia?" repeated Sunset.

"Ha! I get it!" said Corporal Ghost. "It's like--"

"Silence, human filth!" snapped Nelphyn.

He took off his shades, and opened his eyes. Where his eyeballs should've been were two bright red points of light in dark sockets. The red lights grew bigger and brighter, and each let out a trail of pale red smoke that lifted into the sky. The two lights connected between Nelphyn's eyes, and two beams of fiery red light blasted forth, knocking Ghost over the edge of the roof.

"Now perhaps us Equestrians can speak in privacy." said Nelphyn, coldly.

"But...but...why are you so interested in me?" asked Sunset Shimmer. "I didn't know the Alicorn Amulet was yours...or anypony's for that matter."

"Naive little unicorn." he grumbled, closing his eyes again as he put the shades back on. "But I suppose you have the right to know."

He placed a hand on Sunset's right temple. Sunset felt her teeth chatter as images flooded through her subconscious. Sunset Shimmer now found herself in her pony body, in the middle of a scorching hot desert.

"This is Saddle Arabia..." said Nelphyn's voice. "Four hundred years ago."

Sunset turned around, and saw many tall ponies pulling on ropes. She looked and saw that they were attempting to drag a monolith across the sand.

"What are they trying to do?" Sunset asked, hoping the voice would answer back.

"What you see is the construction of my empire." said the voice of King Nelphyn.

"Your empire? But that would make you--"

"Hundreds of years old." said Nelphyn. "But allow me to skip ahead a bit."

The desert blurred, and Sunset Shimmer found herself at the great doorway of a palace located in the middle of a grand desert city. All around her were many tall earth ponies. Some of them had markings and tribal ornaments on their bodies. All were bowing at the gateway, which slowly opened. Out came a massive earth pony wearing Egyptian-esque attire. His face was concealed by a black-and-silver headdress with a chrome-plated mask.

"Go, my soldiers!" the masked pony shouted with a deep, booming voice. "Go to the ships! Invade Equestria!"

"KING NELPHYN, YOUR TYRANNY HAS COME TO AN END!" said the unmistakable voice of Princess Celestia, who was speaking in the Royal Canterlot Voice, a voice Sunset was thankful she never had to hear in real life.

The alicorn dropped down from the sky, flanked on both sides by royal pegasus guards.

"So, you discovered my plot, have you?" asked King Nelphyn. "However did you learn of it?"

"That would be my doing." said a nearby Saddle Arabian.

Sunset turned to look at him. He had a copper coat, green eyes, a short red mane and beard with curls. He had a fire-shaped cutie mark, and similarly shaped markings on his face.

"Maroon Inferno!" said Nelphyn, furiously. "How dare you!"

"Maroon Inferno?" repeated Sunset, curiously.

"I have lived under your horrible rule long enough!" said Maroon Inferno. "The rest of you may fight for this tyrant if you wish, but I am defecting to Princess Celestia right here and now."

He went to Princess Celestia's side, and bowed to her.

"A pity, Maroon." said King Nelphyn. "You could have died as one of my heroes. Your descendants would have remembered you for your greatness. But I see that you would rather die a liar and traitor."

"That's enough!" said Princess Celestia. "He made his decision by following his heart. Not unlike you, when you decided to turn your rule of this peaceful land into an iron-fisted dictatorship."

"And I would willingly do the same to any other land in this or any other world." said Nelphyn. "And with the power of my Alicorn Amulet, I can make this happen!"

He revealed the pendant he was wearing around his neck. It began to radiate with a bright red light. Suddenly, Sunset Shimmer's vision began to blur, and she was back in the human world. King Nelphyn had taken his hand off of Sunset.

"No! I refuse to show any more." he said, angrily. "The memories anger me too deeply. But I will give you a brief summary: Princess Celestia overpowered me, used the Elements of Harmony to strip the Alicorn Amulet from my body, and then shot it across the world with her telekinesis."

"But it didn't... turn you good?" asked Sunset.

"Absolutely not." said Nelphyn. "But it did drive me into hiding. I had to forsake my own civilization, my own empire. I eventually learned about the Crystal Mirror. Since I was an earth pony, and had little to no magical properties to begin with, I had nothing to lose by going to this word. I would bide my time, waiting for my master to give me my next instructions."

"So, you're the one that stole those books from the Canterlot library all those years ago?" said Sunset Shimmer.

"And I planted them in your apartment, where the Chrysalis Syndicate would find them." said Nelphyn.

He put his hand on Sunset again, flooding her mind with the memories of their first encounter, and what happened immediately after.

"So that's why I...wait a minute." said Sunset. "You brought the Chrysalis Syndicate here?! You monster!"

"Yes, but enough exposition." said Nelphyn. "Now, it is the time that I destroy you."

Nelphyn's hand began to glow an infernal red aura. There were suddenly heavy metallic footfalls and the maintenance door was slammed open again. There was a gunshot, and a bullet shot Nelphyn's shades off of his head.

"Get...away...from my....woman**!" shouted a familiar voice.

It was Sergeant Craw. Flanking him were three other Chrysalis Syndicate soldiers. Nelphyn turned to look at them. His eyes still had that baleful light, and red smoke was trailing from them once more.

"Your petty lives don't matter to me at all." he said. "If you choose to protect this lesser equine, then go on. But know that I will destroy all of you, regardless."

He put the Alicorn Amulet around his neck, and dark clouds started to appear in the sky. Lightning struck the amulet, even as King Nelphyn wore it. It produced a strong flash of light that enveloped Nelphyn's entire body. When the light cleared, he was covered from head to foot in the same Ancient Egyptian-looking attire, headdress, and mask he wore when he was the ruler of Saddle Arabia. But this time, a horn like that of a unicorn protruded from the brow region of the mask.

"Time for all you to die!" said Nelphyn, as a layer of armor of a similar style began to cover his body.

He banged his ironclad fists together, producing a powerful shockwave to knocked Sunset and the four soldiers over. He then sprouted a pair of black-feathered bird-like wings from his back, which then became covered in a similar metal substance. He grabbed the wings, and pulled them out, revealing them to be shield-like objects, which absorbed whatever bullets the soldiers fired at him.

"Sunset, I'm going to get you out of here." said Sgt. Craw, who had gotten back up and ran towards Sunset while she lay on the ground.

Sunset just looked at him, wide-eyed and afraid.

"I...I don't trust you at all." said Sunset. "You probably want to kill me as much as he does!"

Craw took his helmet off.

"I wouldn't blame you for believing that." said Craw. "Except that I'd be giving you a few more minutes to live."

He helped Sunset up, and put an armored hand on her shoulder.

"I'm going to get you out of here. Back to Equestria."

"Why?"

"I don't have time to explain. Let's go!"

He then quickly led her through the maintenance door while King Nelphyn was busy fighting off the other soldiers.

"Ladies and gentlemen, there's something going on on the rooftop of the school." said Pressure Point, on the TV. "It seems a massive armored figure is now attacking both Sunset Shimmer and the Chrysalis Syndicate."

"He better not hurt Sunset!" yelled Frosty. "That girl still needs to pay me last month's rent!"

Sunset and Craw ran through the dark hallways of the school.

"Don't worry, I don't think he'll find us here." said Craw.

"Can't I?!" Nelphyn's voice rang throughout the building. "Maybe not. But there is something that can. Come to me, my loyal servants! Let them know the might of the Maul-Ras!"

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

Radiant Dawn slowly got back up, and heard an ominous noise, like Shepard's Tone. He looked around and saw a dark centipede-like mass coming down the stairs, spiraling in mid-air. He dove aside just in time, as it spun through the Crystal Mirror, weaving around the cables as it went.

"What the heck was that?!" he said.

The creature came out through the other side of the portal, and broke into three sections. Each section unfolded into skeletal creatures that looked like a mixture of a velociraptor and a scorpion. One of them leapt through the air and through the doorway that led through the front door. The other two scaled the walls and broke through windows.

"You know, sister, I'm thinking that keeping the portal open wasn't a good idea." said Captain Umbriel, taking his helmet off. "I have a feeling the police will be blaming us for this."

"Right." said Supreme Commander Chrysalis. "I want Proxy Squad to be sent in there to get rid of those things. Once their bodies--and whatever made Sunset Shimmer be able to use magic--are secured, I want those cables gone!"

The five (Aggro was nowhere to be seen) members of Proxy Squad loaded their firearms, and charged inside.

Sunset and Craw ran around, looking for the stairs to the second floor. After a while, they stopped to catch their breath and recall the layout of the building.

"Craw, you've been here for two months, and you can't even find it?!" said Sunset, frantically.

"You've been here for more than two years, and you can't?!" said Craw.

"For your information, I do know where it is." said Sunset. "But I'm not going to tell you."

Sunset glared at him intensely.

"I loved you, Craw." she growled. "I loved you so much!...But now I don't know if I could trust you at all."

"I'm aware of what I did, and I don't like it any more than you do." Craw told her, flatly.

"To think I wanted to have a...committed relationship with you!" Sunset scoffed, her face reddening with anger. "To move in together, to have kids! But not anymore. I don't care if the entire Syndicate's going to be waiting for me out there. I'm going alone from here, as I have been ever since I lived in this cruel world."

Sunset began to walk away, but Craw walked up to her.

"Sunset, ever wanted to use a gun?"

He took a spare revolver out from his belt and handed it to Sunset.

"Why?" she said, nervously.

"Because I have a feeling you're gonna need it for whatever you face next." said Craw.

"No...just no." said Sunset, giving the gun back with her tongue out in disgust. "I hate guns."

"Your funeral, baby." said Craw, coolly. "Don't worry, though. I'll see to it that you get out of here alive."

He gave her a smile, which caused Sunset to involuntarily blush, her anger subsided.

Then they heard a noise, and a classroom door was knocked off its hinges. A Maul-Ra charged into the hallway, making fluid-like motions as it moved its head to face the two. Sunset Shimmer cried out in fear and hid behind Craw, who was similarly shocked at the monstrosity that he saw. However, the fact that Sunset was defenseless and afraid had prompted him to take action.

"This is going to be interesting." he said, aiming both of his pistols.

King Nelphyn effortlessly threw the three Chrysalis Syndicate soldiers over the edge of the roof.

"None can escape my wrath! No exceptions!" his voice echoed around the school.

Corporal Ghost climbed back to the top of the roof. and approached the armored humanoid. His armor was battered, and helmet broken apart.

"You...really...shouldn't have done that." said Ghost. "I don't care who or what you're supposed to be, Mr. Saddle Arabian, but nobody does that to me!"

"Worthless human, if you wish for me to kill you, then stay still." said King Nelphyn, raising a glowing hand.

Then there was a sound of helicopter blades spinning in the distance: Black Six had returned.

"Well, that's my cue to get the heck outta here!" said Ghost, who turned and bolted for the door.

"Engaging target, supreme commander!" said its pilot.

The Comanche helicopter fired its machine guns and four Sidewinder missiles at King Nelphyn. The bullets, once again, were absorbed by an invisible barrier. The missiles, however, were stopped telekinetically and detonated in mid-air dangerously close to the helicopter.

"Pulling back, pulling back--" said the pilot.

Then the helicopter was caught in a red aura, then telekinetically crushed, and shot into the distant mountains, where it exploded into a fiery mess. Despite this, a dark speck was just barely visibly, dropping slowly from the sky, indicating the pilot managed to eject in a parachute.

"Worthless fools." Nelphyn said, quietly.

Endgame

"Come on, you ugly son of a--!" said Craw, cocking his pistols.

Craw fired at the Maul-Ra, which dodged every shot.

"Come on, hold still!" shouted Craw.

"Craw, behind us!" yelled Sunset.

Craw turned around, and saw another Maul-Ra approaching them, leaping from wall to wall and banging on lockers as it went.

"Well, I guess the stairs would be out of the question." said Craw.

"We need to escape this building, and fast." said Sunset. "Before those things kill us."

Craw looked around. He saw a classroom door that had apparently been left ajar.

"Looks like I just found our way out." said Craw. "C'mon!"

He grabbed Sunset by the wrist, and hauled her through the door just as the two Maul-Ras pounced at them. Craw forced the door open and ran across the classroom. Craw tried opening the window, but it was mysterious jammed...and glowing with a red aura.

"Nelphyn's trying to keep us shut in!" said Sunset.

"Not for long." said Craw, turning his head. "Do you trust me?"

"What?" asked Sunset.

"Do you trust me?!" repeated Craw.

"No."

"Then too bad!" Craw grabbed Sunset and made her cling to his back as he leapt through the closed window, shattering the glass as they went. The two were falling down to the front lawn, with Sunset screaming as they went. Craw's powered armor managed to absorb the shock that would have surely broken his legs as he landed atop one of the Canterbury Police's paddy wagons. several police officers turned around and pointed their guns at them.

"Put your hands up!" shouted Lt. Soarin'. "You're both under arrest."

"Don't worry about us, worry about them!" yelled Sunset Shimmer, pointed at the broken window.

The three Maul-Ras all crawled out from the window, and leapt down after Sunset and Craw, who both jumped off the truck and ran across the front lawn, to where the rest of the Chrysalis Syndicate was holed up.

"Good work, sergeant." said Captain Umbriel. "You have successfully captured Sunset Shimmer, I see."

"No time, captain." said Craw. "Those things are coming right for us!"

The Maul-Ras were knocking aside police officers as they rushed towards them.

Chrysalis activated her headset:

"Proxy Squad, pull out of the building!" she yelled. "The targets are outside on the front lawn!"

"That wouldn't be the only thing!" said Sunset Shimmer, pointing at the roof. "Look!"

There was a flash of red light on the roof, and King Nelphyn disappeared. Then there was another flash of red light, and Nelphyn reappeared right in front of the school's main entrance. Between the Canterbury Police, the Maul-Ras, and Nelphyn, Sunset and the Chrysalis Syndicate were surrounded.

"Pathetic humans of this world!" shouted King Nelphyn. "May you all remember the might and terror that I, King Nelphyn, have brought you! What you have seen here is but a shred of my power! But as much as I would enjoy exterminating your entire degenerate species from this derelict realm, I'm afraid I must make up for much lost time elsewhere. Farewell, vermin!"

"No! He's going to cross back to Equestria!" shouted Sunset Shimmer. "If that happens...who knows what will happen."

Nelphyn teleported right in front of Sunset.

"You are correct, my little pony." he said. "And unlike you when you tried to do this two months ago...I have no way to fail."

"Wanna bet?!" shouted a familiar voice.

Sunset turned, and saw Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie were standing at the opposite end of the front lawn.

"I will already have a harem waiting for me in Saddle Arabia." said King Nelphyn. "So I'm afraid that if you five came to offer your services, they won't be needed."

"Harem?!" repeated Rainbow Dash, angrily.

"Why, I'd never!" yelled Rarity.

The five girls were then enveloped in a multicolored aura, and developed equine features similar to those they had two months ago.

"What...what happened to them?!" yelled Craw.

"I don't know." said Sunset. "I think that maybe their close proximity to the portal may have reawakened their dormant magic. That's exactly what happened at the Fall Formal."

Rainbow Dash and the others rocketed towards King Nelphyn in five streaks of light. But the Maul-Ras intercepted them and engaged them in battle. One of them tackled Fluttershy to the ground, who was whimpering very audibly. Applejack rushed to her assistance, and threw herself at the Maul-Ra, punching and kicking it with all her might.

Rarity and Pinkie Pie teamed up against the second Maul-Ra, with Rarity conjuring diamond-like magical barriers around the Maul-Ra, and then grabbed it and hurled it into a nearby patty wagon.

"Oh, dear!" she gasped, yelling to the policemen. "Sorry about that!"

Pinkie Pie found a heavy machine gun on the ground, presumably dropped by one of the Chrysalis Syndicate soldiers. She picked it up, and everyone present felt their jaw drop in unison. She started to glow, as did the gun. An emblem shaped like a cluster of balloons appeared on the side of the gun. The third Maul-Ra came charging towards her, but she cocked her weapon and fired. But instead of the intended projectiles, a hail of confetti, balloons, and fireworks erupted from the barrel, sending the Maul-Ra crashing against the wall of a nearby house.

"Not exactly a party cannon, but it'll do." said Pinkie. "Right, guys?"

The remaining Chrysalis Syndicate soldiers just stared blankly at her through their helmets.

"Now if you don't wanna party tonight..." she said, adopting a tough voice. "You better get away from my friend Sunset Shi--"

But the second Maul-Ra charged at her and knocked the Party MG out of Pinkie's hands. The third recuperated and switched its focus to Rarity. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash was speeding around while unleashing a flurry of karate moves on King Nelphyn, who stood there unfazed, protected by his armored form,.

"You five may have the powers of the Elements..." Nelphyn noted, analyzing the other girls' battle with the Maul-Ras. "But you lack the knowledge required to have them actually harm me...pathetic!"

"But...why not?" Rainbow Dash paused for breath, backing away as she did so. "It worked before..."

"Unfortunately for you, the Elements themselves have ceased to exist." said Nelphyn, turning his head. "I'm not even back in Equestria, and I can already sense that their power has forsaken your counterparts in Equestria. Maul-Ras! Back through the portal!"

The three creatures that were standing by, awaiting Nelphyn's command, suddenly bolted towards the statue, beating down Chrysalis Syndicate soldiers as they went. They disappeared into the base of the statue, and into Equestria.

"I admire your efforts, all of you." said Nelphyn. "But they were all for nothing. But you five!"--he turned towards the human counterparts of Twilight's friends--"What was the point of you?! You can't do anything against me! Away with you all!"

He lifted his hand and unleashed a powerful shockwave that knocked down everyone that was on the front lawn, even throwing the Hydra tank skywards and pulling out the cables that held the portal open. The portal was now sealed once more. The five human girls lost their equine features.

"Sunset?" said Craw, weakly as he lay on the ground.

"Yeah, Craw?" replied Sunset, sad by the portal closing.

"I'm sorry about what I did last month." said Craw, slowly getting up to sit. "I was just freaked-out about what happened, that...I know, there's nothing I can say that can show how..."

Then Sunset crawled over to Craw, and climbed herself up to put her arms around his chest. She kissed him, and he kissed her back...slowly. When he stopped, Craw stopped to speak.

"Sunset Shimmer, you are by far the most beautiful woman I have ever met, even if you aren't really human." he said.

"I love you, Craw." said Sunset. "I really do. Even after the horrible things you did, I really do."

"If I'm going to die tonight, I'm glad that my girlfriend will be with me when it happens."

Sunset blushed and hugged him even harder, her eyes beginning to water. She opened her mouth, extended her tongue, and licked around Craw's lips. Craw extended his own tongue, which connected with Sunset's, and the two began to tongue-kiss while embracing each other as hard they could. They didn't care who was watching, or what would happen now. They wanted this moment to last while it still could.

The remaining Chrysalis Syndicate members found themselves looking back and forth between them and King Nelphyn, flabbergasted at what they saw.

"Pathetic." said King Nelphyn, who apparently saw this exchange.

"Tell me about it." said Captain Umbriel.

Nelphyn contemplated whether he should smite the whole lot of them, but then he decided that the portal was of greater importance. He turned around and approached the statue. He lifted up a hand, which started to glow.

"Ladies and gentlemen watching at home, I don't know what to make of this!" said Pressure Point. "It seems that--" his cell phone started to beep. He opened it and read the text message. "I...got my Ph. D?!?! Well, guess what? I got some good news, viewers at home: I quit!"

Pressure dropped his microphone and had an overjoyed expression on his face.

"Bye-bye, Channel 15! I'm a doctor now! Whoooooooo!!" he shouted, running like a maniac into the night.

The cameraman picked up the microphone, and faced the camera.

"Umm...back to you?" he said nervously.

A red beam of energy shot from the Alicorn Amulet, and struck the statue. The base began to shimmer once more; The portal was reactivated again.

"Sunset..." said Craw, slowly. "Go after him."

"What?" asked Sunset.

"You're the only one that can stop this guy! I know it!" said Craw. "I can tell that your world's gonna need you more than I or anyone in this world ever could. This may also be your last chance to go back to Equestria, so go! Go now!"

"I'll never forget you, Craw." said Sunset.

"I know." said Craw, flatly.

Sunset quickly got up, just as King Nelphyn was about to step through the concealed portal, and leapt onto him.

"What--?!" Nelphyn shouted as the two tumbled back through the multicolored vortex.

They both came out into the Canterlot palace, where Radiant Dawn and what looked like the entire Night Guard were all waiting for them. Sunset wound up rolling forward on the ground, but King Nelphyn stood on his hooves flawlessly.

"Look, I have no idea who or what you're supposed to be, but I can only assume you're not supposed to be here." said Radiant Dawn.

Nelphyn examined Radiant, the guards in the room, and then Sunset Shimmer, who was slowly getting herself back up.

"None of you are any threat to me. None of you!" bellowed King Nelphyn. "I possess the Alicorn Amulet! Now stand aside, for I wish to return to my kingdom!"

He disappeared in a flash of red light, and away from Canterlot.

Radiant Dawn looked around.

"Does anypony here have any idea what the heck that was about?!" he shouted at the other guards.

"I have an inkling." said Sunset Shimmer, getting back up. "We need to tell the princesses right away!"

The members of the Chrysalis Syndicate, along with the five human friends of Twilight Sparkle, and several Canterbury police officers stood on the front lawn of the school.

"I would say that we absolutely humiliated ourselves, sister." said Captain Umbriel. "We blew our cover, lost Sunset Shimmer...again, and had half our organization's fighting force wiped out in the past hour alone."

"I'm calling in choppers to pick us up." said Major Canopy, activating the built-in headset on her helmet.

"You know, this all could've been easily avoided, right?" Applejack asked Captain Umbriel and Supreme Commander Chrysalis. "If y'all didn't come here in the first place, this wouldn't have happened."

"Awfully blunt, wouldn't you say?" asked Supreme Commander Chrysalis.

"Honesty's pretty much Applejack's cup of tea, as it were." said Rarity.

Star Shield, the Chief of Police, approached the two leaders of the Chrysalis Syndicate.

"All right, speak up." he said. "All of you have a lot of explaining to do, in regards to what just happened here. Why did we receive reports that you were holding one of my men captive? Where is Shining Armor?"

"Present!" said Shining Armor, walking up to meet his superior. "Sir, I wasn't really taken captive. I was having a chat with Sergeant Craw here, who was explaining what was going on."

"Then why did you not report back saying you were alright?" asked Star Shield.

"Well, I was accidentally knocked out when Sunset Shimmer started fighting the Chrysalis Syndicate, specifically when they tried to subdue her with their Mirrorwall tactic. One of their men landed right on top of me, and I lost consciousness. If I could, I'd like to see a doctor, in case I fractured anything."

"Permitted, captain." said Police Chief Star Shield, before turning to Umbriel and Chrysalis. "Also, what was that...creature that was attacking you, and what of those other ones that emerged shortly afterwards? Where did they come from, and where did they--and Sunset Shimmer--go?"

"Chief, I believe these five girls--" Captain Umbriel pointed them out. "--can tell you where they--and Sunset Shimmer--came from."

"Girls, is this true?" asked Star Shield.

"Yes, we can explain as best we can." said Pinkie Pie. "So it all started two months ago, when..."

As the five girls approached the police, taking turns offering their own sides of the story, Chrysalis activated her headset, which promptly buzzed a message into her ear:

"Supreme Commander, this is Corporal Aggro." said the voice that called. "Requesting pick-up!"

"Aggro, where are you now?" asked Chrysalis.

"You won't believe this, ma'am..." Aggro said, hesitantly. "But Sunset Shimmer sent me flying all the way to a cul-de-sac in the middle of Peach Creek!"

Chrysalis paused, her eyes widened with surprise.

"What?!" she said after fifteen seconds.

"Yeah, I didn't believe it, either." said Aggro. " Good thing I've got this ballistic armor, or--never mind. Hey, if you aren't too busy catching Sunset Shimmer, could you send a chopper to come get me?!"

Chrysalis looked at the people around her for a moment, then rolled her eyes.

"That depends how long you're willing to wait." said Chrysalis. "Because it looks like I'm going to be having my hands tied--in probably more ways than one--for a while. Try a week...at the minimum."

Aftermath

Professor Gordon Sampson was typing an important thesis on his laptop at Daystar Estate, located near the city of Vancouver in Canada. He was conducting research on what his daughter Susan Shelby called him about a couple weeks earlier: a doppelganger of herself from an alternate world that was living in Washington State.

"Very interesting..." he muttered to himself, at least five times, supplemented once in a while by: "How unusual! How unheard of!"

"Honey, do you ever take a break?" said his wife, Sarah Browne, who was laying on the sofa beside him in a greasy green bathrobe and black slippers.

"Sorry, sweetie." Gordon smiled in a childlike manner. "Even I tend to forget the time for someone to sleep."

"That's just it, I don't want to go to sleep yet." said Sarah. "I'm bored. Can't you do that research stuff later? Why don't we go out and have some fun for a change?"

"I promised you that we'd go walk by the harbor tomorrow, didn't I?" asked Gordon.

"That's what you said three days ago." said Sarah, yawning. "Well, since you're keeping yourself occupied, I'm going to get a little target practice in. If you need me, I'll be on the balcony."

Sarah got off the couch and removed her bathrobe, revealing a dark greenish-gray tank top and dark brown shorts. She took off her slippers and put on a pair of hiking boots that were laying beside the ottoman. She also picked up a SPAS-12 shotgun that was laying atop the ottoman, and loaded it with ammunition as she went out on the balcony just outside the living room. She had a clear view of the countryside from there, which helped relax her. On the balcony was a catapult holding large spheres that would be launched for target practice. Connected to the catapult was a computer with a sensor that responded to voice command. Sarah put on a pair of mirrored sunglasses that were laying on a table next to the computer, and switched off the safety mechanism on her firearm.

"Pull!" she shouted.

The computer beeped in response, and the catapult launched a sphere ten yards into the air, which Sarah blasted with her shotgun. She loaded another sphere into the catapult, and repeated the sequence many times. As she did so, Gordon continued typing on his laptop, undisturbed by the sound of his wife's weapon.

It wasn't until his laptop started to lag that he decided to save the document, close it, and reset the computer. While he was waiting for it to boot up again, he decided to turn the TV on and watch the news. At that moment, his smartphone rang, and he answered:

"Hello, you've reached a private number, reserved for--" he said, before being interrupted.

"Dad, it's Susan!" said the voice of Susan Shelby.

"What's the matter, Susie?" Gordon asked his daughter.

"Are you watching the news right now?" asked Susan. "I think you might wanna tune in right now."

"Got it." said Gordon, turning to look out the door at his wife, who was in the middle of reloading her shotgun. "Honey, I'm gonna need you to take a break on that!"

He turned the channel until he hit GNN (Global News Network), and looked on in awe and surprise.

"This is Hector Ramirez here, giving you live feed on the aftermath of a very nasty exchange in front of Canterlot High School, in the suburb of Canterbury, Washington, near Canterlot City. As we can see here, parts of the school have been reduced to rubble, perhaps the most damage it 's sustained since over two months ago during an unspecified freak accident. Over two dozen are confirmed dead or wounded, and many people are being taken to either the hospital or the local police station for questioning."

Riot police and emergency workers from Canterlot City are being sent to clean up the aftermath, but nobody can say for certain who is responsible or where they went, but we have word that the leaders of the organization known as the Chrysalis Syndicate are scheduled for questioning in the federal court, effective next week."

Gordon Sampson just kept staring blankly at the TV, as his wife came back in. Not even Susan's voice on the phone could break his concentration.

"Dad? Are you seeing it?" asked Susan. "Dad? Dad?!"

"And In other news, Sombra Industries has denied rumors of them selling weapons to terrorists, but has been obligated to terminate its production of weapons following a successful lawsuit." said the voice of another reporter. "As of now, all arms production will be managed by Sombra's competitor, Summerset Enterprises. We're going over to--"

"Wow." said Gordon Sampson. "I just don't believe it."

He picked up the phone again.

"Susan, I just watched it." he said. "Are you safe?"

"Yes!" said Susan. "Richard and I watched it in Junction. And I got a call from someone from that area that said that we should leave town for a while. Things sound like they're gonna get complicated here for a while, and we'll feel safe if we leave for a bit."

"Good." sighed Gordon. "Thank the lord."

"You and mom won't mind if we come up for a while, will ya?" asked Richard Dawson, also on the other line.

"Of course not!" said Gordon.

Sunset Shimmer was in the throne room, standing before Princesses Celestia and Luna, the former having woken up only a few minutes before. She told the princesses about how the Chrysalis Syndicate crossed through the portal, abducted her, and tried to kill her. It was when she mentioned the Alicorn Amulet and King Nelphyn that Princess Celestia looked seriously disturbed.

"Ah, King Nelphyn." said Princess Celestia. "Now that's a name I've not heard in a long time...a long time."

"So you actually know...well, remember...who this guy is?" asked Sunset. "Because I for sure never heard of him before...at least, not until he tried to kill me."

"King Nelphyn was the strongest earth pony that ever lived. He was truly a force to be reckoned with. He took over Saddle Arabia with ease, and was one of the most dangerous threats to Equestria I've faced since Nightmare Moon."

"So why'd he turn evil?" asked Sunset.

"He wanted to acquire the magical abilities of a unicorn, but couldn't." said Celestia. "He was jealous of this, and wanted to harness the magic himself."

"I suppose that's where the Alicorn Amulet comes in, right?" asked Sunset.

"Correct." said Princess Celestia. "I don't know where he got it from, but its power made him truly terrible. They say he possessed it for so long, that it made him more than an earth pony. He had power that could rival even the highest-level unicorns in Equestria. He had the Alicorn Amulet for so long, that he somehow managed to master it without succumbing to its corruption."

"Like what happened with my friend Trixie." said Sunset.

"Precisely, Sunset. "And this mastery of the Amulet prolonged his lifespan, making him nigh-immortal, and gave him access to magic that were previously inconceivable to ponykind. At that time, the only magic considered more powerful than the full potential of the Alicorn Amulet were the Elements of Harmony. They were one of the only things capable of removing the Alicorn Amulet from whoever it deemed to be its true master."

"So that's why Nelphyn was able to remove it from me so easily when I wore it." said Sunset. "Since he wore the Alicorn Amulet in the past, he must have been able to cancel out the Amulet's magical lock."

"Sunset, do you know where he is now?" asked Princess Luna.

"I don't know." said Sunset Shimmer. "He said something about going back to Saddle Arabia."

"Did he say what he would do once he went there?" asked Luna.

"I don't really recall." Sunset shook her head.

"Ah...it's so late in the night, which has long enough for you as it is." said Celestia. "You can put your worries aside until tomorrow. In the morning, I shall send messengers to Saddle Arabia to see if King Nelphyn has been up to anything. In the meantime, good night."

"Good night, Princess Celestia." said Sunset, letting out a long, well-deserved yawn.

Sunset left the throne room, and stopped to speak to her brother.

"Red, it's been one heck of a month, hasn't it?" asked Sunset Shimmer.

"It sure has, Sunny." said Radiant Dawn.

"You know, I wonder if I was right to come back to Equestria as early as I did." said Sunset.

"What d'ya mean, sister?" asked Radiant.

"Well, it's just that I've done a lot of things in the human world. Stuff that I was hoping to make up for before I came back. But I never could between my boyfriend and the Chrysalis Syndicate hunting me, and...well, I just seem like a redundancy."

"'Redundancy'?" repeated Radiant. "What're you talking about?"

"Well, I'm just saying." said Sunset. "It seems like a lot of the stuff I did this month seemed like stuff that could've been resolved without me. Fillydelphia, our mom coming back..."

"Yeah, but you did a lot of great stuff, too!" said Radiant, frowning. "You gave a lot of us a new purpose in life by being here. Trixie, Lightning Dust, me! If it weren't for you showing up when you did, I'd still be living at Daystar, Trixie would be wandering the roads in vain, and Lightning Dust...well, would've just been Lightning Dust."

Sunset thought about it for a moment, then smiled.

"You know, you're right." said Sunset. "I mean, what good would I have done if I stayed in the human world, anyway? Here, I have so much potential to be what I want to be. In Canterbury, I probably would've been stuck helping those girls at Canterlot High with some boring talent show or whatever."

The two siblings chuckled.

"I love ya, Sunny." Radiant smiled.

"Love ya too, Red." Sunset smiled in return.

The two hugged each other. Then Sunset Shimmer continued down the hall. She decided to take a walk through the garden to get a breath of fresh air. It was mostly tranquil, the only sound breaking the silence were the chirping of birds...

And a rustling in the tree. Sunset gasped and looked up. Her horn started glowing, illuminating the branches. There on the lowest branch, was a bat. A small, straw-colored bat with reddish-brown tufts of hair on its head, and bright greenish-brown eyes on its fox-like face. It was climbing along the branch and reaching for a red apple hanging from it. It started grappling with it. Then just as the bat was about to sink its teeth into the apple, the apple broke off from the branch, taking the bat with it. The bat gave out a terrified squeal as it fell.

Thinking quickly, Sunset dove forward to catch the bat on her back, at the cost of the apple getting impaled on her horn.

"You okay, little fella?" Sunset told it as she levitated the apple off of her head. "Are you hurt?"

The bat squeaked graciously, and started hugging its savior's mane just as a guard entered the garden.

"Oh, come on!" complained the guard audibly. "Another one? I thought we got rid of them all days ago!"

Sunset turned to look at the guard, the bat squealing as it clung to the back of Sunset's head.

"What's the problem?"

"Our garden's been infested with bats for the past few days." said the guard. "Seems like we missed one. Miss Shimmer, if that pest is giving you any trouble, I can get rid of it for you."

The bat squealed anxiously into Sunset's ear. Sunset levitated it off her head. She took a moment to look at it, its brown eyes staring longingly into her bluish-green eyes, its lower lip quivering. Sunset looked at it, and couldn't help but be reminded of how she was when the Elements of Harmony blasted away her inner evil: frail, shameful, and repentant. And the bat was so young, too. Practically a baby, probably all on its own.

"No thanks, guard." said Sunset. "This bat's gonna be with me from now on."

"Are you sure, ma'am?" asked the guard.

"I'm sure." said Sunset. "It's just a baby. It probably doesn't even know how to fend for itself. I'm gonna look after it. Besides, it looks like a fruit bat, so it shouldn't be harmful anyway. A girl one, too."

"You can tell?"

"Yeah, I've done my share of looking after animals not too long ago. And I think now's as good a time as any to have a pet."

The fruit bat hugged Sunset's neck lovingly.

"Wanna come live with me?" Sunset asked the bat.

The fruit bat nodded.

"Then welcome to the family...Bathilda." Sunset said.

Sigma and Canopy, who had overheard the earlier conversation, while both disguised as night guards, left the palace. Once they were out of sight of any guards, they shed their equine disguises.

"Well, that was a waste of our time." said Canopy.

"Ma'b'." said Sigma. "But oi sho' th'nk 'at Lo'd Umbriel will wann' he'r 'bout wot we jus' he'rd."

"He sure will." said Canopy.

Remix flew up to them.

"Where've you been?!" said Canopy. "We haven't heard you in almost a week!"

Remix held up a trophy in his holey front legs. On it were silver letters that said:

#1 Mixmaster in Equestria

DJ REMIX ACAPELLA

"I was nominated for three awards, but managed to get one." Remix told them, with his raspy, guttural voice.

"Well, what'dya know." said Sigma. "Least somebody's hap'peh we cam' he'e!"

He started to laugh, and so did Remix. Canopy looked at the two, a bored expression on her face. She rolled her pupil-less eyes, dismissing this buffoonish behavior. Ultimately though, even she couldn't help but join in for a good laugh. Which she did.

Confessions and Revelations

On the road to Fillydelphia, Sunset and Trixie galloped on. It was nearly dusk, and they were already very tired.

"Trixie, do you feel like stopping at all?" Sunset asked, panting. "I feel like I could fall over if I go any further."

"Yes, we should." Trixie replied.

The two unicorns skidded to a halt on the road, and decided to rest next to a fallen log nearby. Sunset took some fruit out of her bag, and lay them down on a piece of paper on the ground.

"You're probably hungry." Sunset offered. "Why don't you have some of these with me?"

Trixie felt her stomach growl, which she hadn't noticed until now.

"Certainly." Trixie said, hungrily staring at a pear. "Thanks, Sunset."

"I wasn't that hungry, anyway." Sunset Shimmer nodded. "I'm just troubled by so much, that I can't even enjoy eating as much as I'd like."

"Really, what kind of problems?" Trixie asked.

And just like that, Sunset closed her eyes, and remembered what happened back in the human world. She remembered fighting with Twilight Sparkle over the Element of Harmony. She remembered proudly putting the crown on. She remembered the intense pain that she felt as its power surged through her body, transforming her into that vile demon.

"I'm not a monster." She unintentionally said aloud, for Trixie to hear. "And yet, I became one. I can't believe I actually did that."

"Did what, Sunset?" Trixie asked.

"Remember when I said I tried to take Twilight's crown?" Sunset answered, hard-faced. "I actually succeeded. But when it happened, it drew out the evil within me. It...transformed me into a horrible abomination from out of my own nightmares."

Trixie leaned forward, both curious to learn more, and afraid to do so.

"It couldn't have been that bad, could it?" Trixie said. "I mean, you got the powers of the crown, right?"

"I did." Sunset nodded. "But by doing so, it transformed me into a demon. My inner evil conquered me, and drove me to insanity. It filled my being with anger, cruelty, malice, and bloodlust."

"Bloodlust?"

"Yes." Sunset nodded, her eyes watering. "I was driven by those powers to destroy...to conquer...to murder."

"Murder?" Trixie gasped, her violet eyes widening. "Murder who?"

"The pony I tried to murder," Sunset said, taking a deep breath. "...was Twilight Sparkle."

Trixie was horrified.

"And those powers did that to you?" Trixie said.

"Yes! A thousand times, yes!" Sunset Shimmer exclaimed. "Without that power, I couldn't even bring myself to hold someone hostage, let alone kill them. I may have bullied people, but I rarely inflicted physical pain on them. But when all that power entered my body, I couldn't control it. I would never willingly kill someone in cold blood, yet my inner self forced me to try."

Trixie opened her mouth, but found herself speechless. She just stared at Sunset, who was now in tears. It shocked her that the bossy, cranky mare that she had met just four hours ago was now crying her eyes out. It shocked her even more to know why she was crying. It reminded her so much of herself.

"I'm not a monster..." Sunset Shimmer was sobbing to herself, her head facing down so that Trixie wouldn't see the tears on her face. "I'm not...I'm just not..."

Trixie hesitated for a second, then decided to comfort her. She used her telekinesis on the pear she was about to eat to give to Sunset.

"Here, you clearly need this a lot more than me." Trixie comforted her companion.

"No thanks." Sunset Shimmer said, waving a hoof against it. "I'm really not that hungry."

"I understand your problems." Trixie said.

"And how could you?" Sunset turned her head up, as if she was suspecting a lie.

"Sunset, I do feel your pain." Trixie said, her lower lip quivering. "I felt the same when I wore the Alicorn Amulet. It gave me incredible powers, but it drove me mad with power. I couldn't stop it. It turned me into a vain tyrant. Well, more vain."

"At least you had crowds to please with your magic." Sunset said. "The only crowds I ever had around me were all terrified to talk to me. I've never had any friends of my own. I only knew how to tear other friendships apart."

Trixie looked on, understanding.

"That's the reason I've been traveling out here, Trixie." Sunset Shimmer told her. "I wanted to make friends."

Sunset started wailing again. Now that Trixie could see Sunset Shimmer's troubled face for herself, her own eyes were getting watery, too. She raised her front hooves, and hugged Sunset.

"Well, if you'll stop crying..." Trixie said. "I'll be your friend."

Sunset Shimmer's eyes widened, and a smile spread across her face like an inferno.

"Thank you, Trixie!" said Sunset Shimmer, who hugged Trixie back. "You don't have any idea how much this means to me!"

Now the moon was visible in the night sky. Trixie and Sunset Shimmer stopped hugging each other, and looked down at the fruit, and decided that they'd better start eating, before it spoiled. The two mares were both calmed down now, and decided that they both made a great choice for a friend.

Meanwhile, Red Dawn was staying the evening in an inn outside of Ponyville. As he was there, waiting for the train to return him to his home, he decided to guzzle down more apple cider. What had been satisfaction of seeing his sister again after so long had again become bitterness that it didn't last long.

"I can't believe it!" Red grumbled aloud. "I can't believe my own sister could just forget about me like that!"

"Sir, could you please calm down?" said the pegasus innkeeper, who came up to quiet him. "You're really making a scene, and it's embarrassing. Also, I think you've had enough cider as it is. I wouldn't want your bladder to explode all over the parlor!"

"Fine!" the reddish-orange unicorn groaned, rolling his eyes. "Forgive me for not meeting up to social standards, but I didn't really get what I expected out of meeting someone that's dear and close to me for the first time in years!"

"Oh, goodness." the landlord said, taking a deep breath. "Forgive me, sir. Would you like to talk about it? I just can't say no to a distressed patron."

"Thanks." Red Dawn slowly nodded, and began explaining his problems. "So, you see: My name is Red Dawn, and I have a younger sister: Sunset Shimmer, who's been hanging around in Canterlot as Princess Celestia's student. I haven't seen her in a very long time, since I live in a different part of Equestria."

"I see." acknowledged the landlord. "But you're both unicorns, aren't you? Haven't you tried enrolling in Princess Celestia's school, yourself?"

"I tried that..." Red Dawn frowned. "But as it turns out, I'm absolutely terrible at casting any spells more complex than telekinesis. That's all I'm going to say about it."

"Hmm..." nodded the innkeeper. "Could you have at least tried finding a place to stay in that town, so you wouldn't be too far from your sister?"

"I tried doing that, too." Red nodded, gloomily taking another sip from his apple cider. "But I felt I would just be a hazard around Sunset Shimmer."

"Because of your magic skills, or lack thereof?"

"No, because I'm extremely protective of my little sister, and I figure I would've gotten violent and impulsive if I found out if anyone wasn't treating her fairly in Canterlot." Red Dawn explained, before adding with sarcasm. "I bet that worked well for me!"

"But why are you so protective of her, anyway?" the innkeeper asked. "I understand she's your family, but you make it seem as though she were unable to help herself. How old is Sunset Shimmer, anyway?"

"She's about twenty years old, right now, when I last checked her birthdate." Red replied. "Yet she's better at spellcasting than I am, and I'm twenty-three."

"Your sister seems like a capable mare. Why worry so much about somepony that seems as capable as your sister?"

"Sure, she's one of the best unicorns I've even known in Equestria, but that doesn't change that the fact the she's the only family I still have left, or at least, that I know is still alive and well. And words can't begin to imagine how much I've missed her for such a long time. But if she was gone for so long that, if Princess Celestia didn't send messages every so often, telling me that Sunset Shimmer was doing fine, I'd have assumed something bad happened to her, too."

Red Dawn took yet another sip from his drink, and his copper eyes sank into a glare.

"Either way, I've been worried sick about her." he continued, his voice subtly elevating into depression, and then fury. "I tried shaking off my worries by moving on to other things, and by drinking so much apple cider to calm my nerves. Thanks to the long time I waited, all it did was make me a nervous wreck, and a clumsy, dimwitted colt addicted to cider."

Red Dawn snorted loudly, clearly frustrated.

"And you know what else is troubling me right now?! I hadn't seen Sunset in years, and when I finally got to talk to her earlier today at Canterlot palace, she didn't even recognize me until I pointed myself out to her, *and then she slammed a door in my face, treated me like some brain-dead oaf during breakfast, and Princess Celestia wouldn't even let me ask MY OWN SISTER where she was for such a long time***!"

Now the other customers of the inn were staring at the furiously hyperventilating unicorn. But the pegasus innkeeper was in an understanding mood, and decided to comfort the unicorn.

"I feel your pain, Red." he said. "If you think that Princess Celestia wasn't right in keeping you from asking your sister questions, I'd suggest going back to Canterlot tomorrow, and setting the record straight. But tell me, friend: Did your sister do those things to you on purpose?"

"Well, the Princesses did say that Sunset Shimmer had returned from some long journey that she had left her very exhausted." Red answered. calming down. "'But I won't believe that until I hear it straight from Sunset's mouth. For all I know, Princess Celestia was deliberately keeping her from me!"

"Surely, you don't think that?" the innkeeper asked. "Princess Celestia is a fair and just ruler. She would never keep a family separated unless it was of their own will!"

"I guess you're right." Red Dawn nodded. "But I still think I should have a little chat with our Princesses tomorrow, before I go back home."

"That sounds reasonable, Red." the innkeeper encouraged him. "And just for you, the apple cider you've drunk will be given a 75% discount."

"Thanks!" Red said, leaving the parlor. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get some shut-eye! I'm gonna be a very busy pony, tomorrow."

Revelations at Canterlot High

In Canterlot High, Rainbow Dash was laying catatonic in the infirmary, with an oxygen mask pumping air into her body. Her eyes were wide open, but she made no attempt to move them, nor the rest of her body. Corporal Ghost and another Chrysalis Syndicate operative were standing guard over her and monitoring her heart rate. The rainbow-haired girl had several bruises on her body, including a black eye.

"So, what's the diagnosis on her, so far?" asked Ghost, his mask removed.

"Sir, the girl's doing fine at the moment." said the other man, who was fully-armored and masked like the other Syndicate commandos. "Not exactly ship-shape, but I'm sure her present condition's nothing she couldn't survive. Heck, this is nothing compared to that lady that my team found back in San Palamino."

"You mean the one that kept puking up that black-and-red bile, and nearly choked to death on it?" said Corporal Ghost. "Yeah, that was some pretty nasty stuff. I can't even begin to imagine how many drugs they must've injected into her bloodstream."

"Quite." said the soldier. "And you have no idea how many more our medics had to put into her to cancel it all out."

He inspected a small puncture mark on Rainbow Dash's neck.

"But that Diamond Dog must've really wanted this girl badly." he commented. "Between this mark and the blank stare in her eyes, I'd say he popped her with some kind of tranquilizer."

"Like a mild sedative?" asked Cpl. Ghost.

"Probably *too** mild." replied the agent. "Since I have yet to give Miss Dash a blood test, I don't know what the man injected her with, but it probably didn't relax Rainbow Dash too much. In fact, I think it made her harder for him to control. If that bruise on her eye's any indication, he had to punch her out hard*."

"Yeah, I'm sure that's a fine way to treat a lady." said Ghost, sarcastically. "But why's she like this, though? I mean, she looks like she recently had a seizure or something."

"Well, it's possible that something was injected in with that tranquilizer." said the Syndicate member. "Maybe some kind of muscle relaxing agent, or...."

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"Come on in!" said Corporal Ghost.

Applejack rushed inside, and knelt by Rainbow Dash's side. Fluttershy stood nervously by the door.

"What in tarnation happened to Rainbow Dash?" she asked, looking at her injured friend's face. "Why's she all buggy-eyed and stuff?"

"Well, that's what we're trying to find out." said Ghost. "My colleague here thinks that Rainbow was drugged by the man that tried to abduct her."

The blonde cowgirl knelt over her friend, and gently brushed her bangs off her cold, sweating face.

"Oh, Rainbow!" she said, worried. "Please tell me she'll be alright!"

"She'll be okay." said the Syndicate commando. "Her heart rate is perfectly stable, if a littler faster than usual. But there's no indication that she will fall into a coma, or anything worse. She's just in some kind of mental stasis. It should wear off in at least half an hour."

"Well, okay." said Applejack. "But I'd like to stay for a spell, if you'd please."

"Fine by me." said Ghost.

Meanwhile, in Principal Celestia's office, Captain Umbriel and Sergeant Craw were speaking with Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna.

"Captain, I want you to understand that if anything bad has happened to Rainbow Dash..." she said to Umbriel, warningly.

"I assure you, ma'am." said Umbriel, holding a hand up. "The girl is just fine. I have our best medical equipment and operative keeping her in check."

"But I would like to know the identity of the man that tried to kidnap her." said Celestia. "And why anyone would try to do something like this at my school."

"I can answer that one." said the sergeant. "Before the man was shot dead by me and my men, he claimed that he was a member of an organization known as the Diamond Dog Cartel."

"The Diamond Dogs?" repeated Vice Principal Luna. "I've heard about them, but I'm not familiar with their work."

"They practice jewel smuggling, theft, armed robbery, and human trafficking." said Umbriel. "The Diamond Dogs are pure scum, no matter how you look at them. We suspect they came from the city of San Palamino, since that's where our organization first encountered them. But we've fought them in several other cities since then: Las Vegas, Junction City, Townsville, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Peach Creek, Vancouver, and now here."

"Yeah." said the sergeant. "And they're very hard to remove from a city once they've set their sights on it. Heck, I thought I had already gotten rid of the ones in this town two weeks ago, but they're *still** showing up!*"

"Well, whoever these Diamond Dogs are, whatever their number is..." said Celestia. "I want you and your Syndicate to keep them out of this building, and away from my students. And if your men must resort to violence, keep it off of school property! Our contractors are still reeling from the damage caused last month, during the Fall Formal. They don't need anything bigger than that!"

"That's the plan, Ms. Celestia." said Captain Umbriel. "Once they show their ugly mugs again, we'll have the Cartel out of this town before you know it."

"And I promise that our men won't let anything bad happen to your students while we're on the job." assured the sergeant.

"And who, may I ask, are you again?" asked Vice Principal Luna. "Your voice sounds vaguely familiar."

The sergeant turned his head to Captain Umbriel.

"Go ahead, sergeant." said the captain.

The sergeant slowly pulled off his mask, and showed his face to the two heads of Canterlot High School.

"Craw?!" Celestia and Luna said at once.

"That's right, principals." he said. "I'm with the Syndicate."

"Is that why you were absent for over a week?" asked Celestia.

"That's right." said Craw.

"So were you a member this whole time?" asked Luna. "Even before you came here?"

"Yep." said Craw. "I was sent to infiltrate the school after that little stunt that Sunset Shimmer pulled off at the Fall Formal."

"And you're already a sergeant in the Chrysalis Syndicate?" asked Celestia. "But your file said you were only eighteen! How old are you, really?"

"I'm twenty-two." said Craw.

"That seems about right." said the vice principal. "You didn't exactly look like a teenager to begin with. You almost looked like you should be in college."

"Well, Sunset Shimmer wasn't exactly a teenager, either." said Craw. "Based on a blood test we got out of her, we found out that she's actually twenty years old, though she appeared to be an eighteen-year-old girl. Oh, and that she's a pony!"

He was looking between Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna, as if waiting for them to make a confession. Luna slowly nodded.

"Yes, it was only a matter of time before someone found out about her...secret." she said. "I should've anticipated that people like you would go after her."

"So, you let this girl into your school, knowing she wasn't really human?" asked the sergeant. "When did you find out?"

"A few hours after the Fall Formal ended, when Sunset finished laying the bricks for the doorway that her demon form destroyed, she decided to explain what she really was to me. She told me that she was a unicorn, that she came from a world called Equestria, and that she had used a portal to come here."

"You don't say." he said to her. "Then you must know where it is."

"Very well." said Luna. "If you truly want to know where it is, you should come with me."

"Lead the way, then." said Craw, putting his mask back on. "The sooner we find where Sunset Shimmer went, the better."

Luna and Craw walked over to the Vice Principal's office, and sat down at the desk. Luna opened a hidden compartment hidden on the underside of her desk, and pulled out a video tape.

"This is a recording taken from an exterior camera." explained the vice principal. "This was taken on the night of the shootout. I had it...hidden because of the content. I was afraid someone might get the wrong ideas about your organization."

"Then let's go see it." said Craw.

They played it on a TV set. It was an overhead view from above the door. They could make out the figure of Sunset Shimmer standing by the horse statue on the front lawn. She was banging on the side, while shouting words neither could make out. She kicked the statue, then stepped away.

"A little far back, don't you think?" asked Craw. "Never mind. I'll fast-forward."

He sped through the tape, and past the part where Sunset Shimmer was conversing with Shining Armor. He stopped it when he saw the figure of Ghost running towards Sunset, with a rifle pointing at her. He was holding her at gunpoint, but didn't pull the trigger. He handed her a mobile phone, and the girl spoke into it. After a few minutes, her body language became uneasy. She even began shouting into the phone. When the call ended, Ghost took the phone back, and had her bend down on the ground.

The police car came up along the road, and three policemen climbed out. They approached Corporal Ghost and Sunset Shimmer, one of them even speaking on a megaphone. Then Sunset Shimmer and Corporal Ghost began arguing with each other, with Ghost retaliating by savagely beating Sunset Shimmer, even as she was on all fours. Craw felt a surge of anger course through him, but he kept watching the recording.

In the video, the small dark figure representing Ghost began shouting at the police officers, and fired his rifle into the air. The cops promptly opened fire on him, until Sunset Shimmer raised her legs behind her, and bucked Corporal Ghost in the shins. She got back up, and the two began fighting each other for a while. Eventually, Sunset grabbed Ghost's rifle and struck him on the head with its butt (which earned a chuckle from Craw), and angrily tossed at back at him. Ghost was about to get ready to confront Sunset again, but then the cops resumed shooting at him. As Ghost turned to shoot at the police, Sunset dove away, and disappeared into the side of the statue, leaving behind no trace of her body.

Craw turned off the video, and ejected the tape. He handed it back to Vice Principal Luna, thanking her before walking outside the room.

Meanwhile, Sunset Shimmer was conversing with Radiant Dawn on the road to Fillydelphia, at the rear of the Night Guard. Radiant had told her about how he came to join them, but his sister had a skeptical expression on her face.

"So, let me get this straight." she said. "You mean to tell me that Princess Luna just let you join her guard, just like that, and that she had you start training the other guards right away? Sorry, bro, but I find that a little hard to swallow."

"To be fair, sis, so did I." said Radiant. "But I guess I just had all that skill welled up inside me for all this time."

"Wow, Radiant." Sunset stopped, to look at her brother with skepticism. "You mean to tell me that you could've used those skills all this time, and yet you turned down your job at the Royal Guard all those years ago to stay in the academy that got you kicked out of Canterlot? C'mon, Red, I didn't need you with me that badly! I mean, who knows? Maybe you'll become a general by next week!"

Radiant simply gave his sister a slightly unamused look, but decided it wasn't the time to argue.

"So, sissy." he said. "What's the scoop on those monster problems?"

"Yes, Miss Shimmer." said Captain Star Shield, who came up to the two unicorns. "If there's any good time to inform us what the situation is in the city, it would be now."

"Okay, here's the situation so far:" said Sunset. "These attacks have been carried out by a variety of creatures, and they were coordinated or manipulated into attacking by a Changeling known as Lord Umbriel."

"I do recall receiving reports about a rogue Changeling being active somewhere in Equestria." commented the captain.

"And Radiant?" Sunset Shimmer said, turning her head to face her brother. "He's the one that attacked us all those years ago. He's Prince Embryo!"

"So, does that mean he's the one that made our parents disappear, too?" asked Radiant, his teeth grinding together. "I think I'll enjoy bringing him down more than I should!"

"Well, he didn't seem to know what happened to them, either." said Sunset.

"That's what they all say. I bet he didn't want to say anything because he knew that you and I would tear that monster limb from limb if he actually told you anything!"

"Red, I'm really unsure about this." said the sister. "But frankly, I'd like to see this tyrant brought to justice. Not just for what he did to our family, but what he's done to Fillydelphia and the other towns in Equestria."

"That's the spirit." said the brother. "Trust me, Sunny. We'll break that freak, even if we two are the only ones left to do it. Umbriel's going down!"

"If we hurry..." said Star Shield. "We will be able to reach Fillydelphia before the next attack starts. Miss Shimmer and Lieutenant Dawn, since you know more about this Lord Umbriel than the rest of us, why don't you two lead the way?"

"Yes, sir!" said the two siblings at once.

Sunset Shimmer and Radiant "Red" Dawn galloped down the road, closely followed by the Night Guard.

The Weekend Off, Part Six: Sunset in Ponyville

Sunset Shimmer sat and thought about the last time she was on a train: When she was arrested outside Princess Cadence's palace, and subsequently transported to Canterlot. She recalled being shackled in crisscrossing irons, cold from the weather of the Frozen North, and encased in a magical force field by Shining Armor. Every so often, a guard would show up to check on her, making sure she didn't try to break free. If she had any outbursts, her muzzle would be bound shut by a guard's spell for fifteen minutes at a time. If she tried escaping, she would be knocked out by the guards.

Thankfully, this was different. Now that she was once again a citizen of Equestria, Sunset could appreciate the novelties of traveling on a train. She and her three companions had an entire car to themselves. Just as the train started to leave, the doors slid open, and a grayish-white pegasus with a shaggy black, but graying mane trotted into their car. Trixie and Lightning Dust looked at him confused, but Sunset Shimmer and Radiant Dawn were quick to recognize him, despite the lack of his armor.

"Star Shield?" gasped Sunset.

"Captain?!" Radiant exclaimed. "Whatever are you doing here, sir? I thought you had to watch over the royal guards today!"

"Princess Celestia has instructed me to make sure that the four of you are welcomed into Ponyville without incident." said Star Shield. "On account of Miss Shimmer and Miss Lulamoon's history with Princess Twilight Sparkle, mind you. I have had Lieutenant Flash Sentry watch over the city's guards until I return in the afternoon."

"That's nice and all, Captain Shield." said Sunset. "But like I said before: I don't need a foal-sitter!"

"I'm not foal-sitting you, ma'am." said the middle-aged pegasus. "Consider me your royal escort for the morning."

Sunset nodded.

"Well, when you put it that way...thanks." she smiled.

The captain sat next to his lieutenant. Sunset turned to take a look at Star Shield's cutie mark: True to his name, it was a silver shield with a golden five-pointed star emblazoned in the center. Suddenly, she felt a hoof tap her on the back. Sunset turned around to look into the golden eyes of Lightning Dust.

"Hey, I'd like to talk to you for a sec." said Lightning, quietly.

"Sure thing, Lightning." nodded Sunset.

"Let's go further down." said Lightning Dust, turning to point her hoof at an empty row of seats at the back of the car.

The two mares climbed off of their benches and seated themselves at the back.

"So, what'd you wanna talk about?" asked Sunset Shimmer.

Lightning Dust shifted about in an uncharacteristically nervous manner, then took a deep breath.

"Keep this is a secret, will ya?" she said to her friend.

"Sure thing." acknowledged Sunset.

"Well, you see..." Lightning looked around to make sure none of their companions were eavesdropping on their conversation. "I...think that I have...feelings for...your...brother."

"What kind of feelings?" asked Sunset, curiously.

"I mean, I think I'm...attracted to him." hesitated Lightning Dust.

"Oh, really?" Sunset Shimmer thought, sarcastically. "I had no idea!"

"Well, I guess I wouldn't blame you." she said aloud. "I mean he can be pretty lively at times."

As they conversed with each other, Radiant was talking with Trixie.

"So, where are you from?" he asked Trixie.

"I'm from Canterlot, actually." said Trixie. "My cousin--err, second cousin's the best doctor there. His name's--"

"Pressure Point?" interrupted Radiant Dawn.

"Yeah. How did you know?" asked Trixie.

"Lucky guess." shrugged Radiant.

"Do you know him at all?" asked Trixie.

"Oh, do I ever!" exclaimed Radiant. "He was a classmate of me and my sister at Celestia's academy. He's also the biggest jerk ever!"

"Why, what did he do?"

"What didn't he do?" interjected Sunset Shimmer, who was going back to original seat with Lightning Dust following behind. "He's a total creep, a snob, and an insufferable bully. He also made my brother here the laughingstock of the academy, even after he already left!"

"Well, he's always been bit of an--Wait a minute." Trixie paused, turning back to Radiant. "You left Celestia's academy? As in, you didn't even finish it?"

"Nope." said Radiant. "I messed up badly on a flight spell, and got kicked out by Princess Celestia. Something I'd like to note is that Pressure Point took the same exam as me, and passed with flying colors."

"Well, how badly did you mess up?" Trixie asked.

"My target exploded into a fireball, and set a whole bunch of stuff on fire." Radiant explained. "All because I tried too hard on casting my spell."

Trixie held back the urge to laugh, and simply nodded.

"I remember that." said Sunset. "I have to say, Red: You really scared me there. Not just the fireball, but how angry you got when Princess Celestia yelled at you. And then, when you left..."

Sunset's eyes began to water. Trixie face-hoofed, knowing that her friend was going to have another crying fit.

"I just...stopped caring..." she whimpered. "And didn't...want to make friends...or do anything but study. And then, when Princess Celestia...showed me the mirror, my pride took the best of me. I became selfish, vain, arrogant, and...I just hate myself for it. I just wish I was never born!"

Radiant got up, and approached his sister.

"Come on, little sis." he chuckled, lowering his head. "Don't cry."

"I was a terrible pony for the past few years." said Sunset. "If you saw me back then, you would've hated me like everyone else. I was a big jerk!"

"Well, you're not a jerk now, Sunny." assured Radiant. "Even if you were, you're still my sister. I don't care if you're good, evil, or...something else. I still love you for who you are. Nothing can change that."

"Are you sure?" asked Sunset.

"I'm your brother." said Radiant Dawn. "It's my job to look out for you, even if you didn't want me to. We've both messed up in the past, but things are already looking up for both of us."

"I guess they are." smiled Sunset, whose eyes were drying. "Thanks, Red."

Radiant patted Sunset on the back. Lightning Dust approached the two siblings.

"I sure don't think you're a jerk, Sunset." said Lightning. "In fact, you're probably the nicest pony I've ever met in a long time. Even when I was a jerk to you and Trixie, you still made sure that I recovered from that accident that could've cost me my life. Even when an entire city hated me for my recklessness, you still stuck your neck out for me. You're not just my hero, Sunset Shimmer. You're my best friend ever."

Lightning Dust unfolded her wing, the same one that Sunset and Trixie tended to back on the farm, and used it to pat Sunset Shimmer on the back. Trixie scoffed.

"Wow, are friendships normally this corny?" she thought.

Then she remembered her adventures in Fillydelphia with Sunset Shimmer. She shrugged, then decided to join Sunset, Radiant, and Lightning Dust in the middle of the car.

"You know, Sunset." she said. "I don't think I properly thanked you for saving me from that armored creature. So that's I'm going to do: Thank you, Sunset Shimmer, for saving my life. Also, for helping me see my sensitive side."

She turned to look at Lightning Dust, and winked.

"So if you're a jerk, Sunset, then you're doing a pretty poor job at it." she smiled. "You've inspired me quite a bit. Thank you again."

"Thanks, Trixie." said Sunset. "That means a lot coming from you."

Trixie humbly bowed her head, and went back to her seat. Then Star Shield went up to them, and cleared his throat.

"You see, Miss Shimmer?" he said to Sunset. "That is the power of respect."

"Yeah, and it sure feels good, sir." said Sunset Shimmer.

Suddenly, the train began to slow down. The five ponies quickly got into their seats so they wouldn't be knocked over by the momentum. They were now at the train station of Ponyville. Star Shield and Radiant Dawn got off first, and stood on either side of the door for Sunset Shimmer and her friends to climb out safely. When all five of them were on the platform, they suddenly heard a loud whistle, but not from the train.

"Well, look who finally showed up." said a familiar voice.

The five turned towards the station to see Twilight Sparkle and her friends standing side-by-side, all facing them.

"Welcome to Ponyville!" smiled Twilight. "Princess Celestia told the six of us to expect you, Sunset Shimmer."

"So, she's the mare that stole your crown, Twilight?" questioned Rainbow Dash, who was now hovering in front of Sunset, when she noticed--

"And look who she brought with her: The Loud and Obnoxious Trixie, and my 'buddy' from the Wonderbolts Academy, Lightning Dust. I guess trying to enslave all of Ponyville and putting everypony at the academy in danger wasn't enough for you two."

"Hey, listen up." Lightning Dust leaped up to hover in front of Rainbow. "I already told Twilight that I was sorry about what I did with the Wonderbolts. So just cool it, will ya? Geez!"

"And I'm not even into pulling off magic shows anymore." said Trixie. "My showboating days are over, and I've been trying to turn a new leaf with what I have left."

"Those two speak the truth, Miss Rainbow Dash." said Star Shield, who approached the hotheaded, rainbow-maned pegasus.

"And what about her?" Rainbow pointed a hoof at Sunset Shimmer. "Don't you know what she did last month? She could've put all of Equestria in danger!"

"Rainbow--" Twilight began.

"I'm trying to help you out here, Twi." Rainbow interrupted, dropping down so that she was looking Sunset Shimmer straight in the eyes. "Look, Sunspot, or whatever your name is. I don't care who you are, or how you came back to Equestria, but let me just say that nopony messes with my friends and gets away with it! If you make one false move around here, I swear to Celestia I'll--"

"Miss Dash, I admire your loyalty to Princess Twilight Sparkle, but your current behavior is irrational." said Star Shield. "I must request that you back down, before you start a riot."

Compelled to obey, Rainbow cautiously broke eye-contact with Sunset Shimmer, and turned to face the grayish-white aging pegasus.

"Um, who are you again?" she asked. "You seem kind of familiar. Aren't you one of the Wonderbolts?"

"No. " said the older pegasus. "But my nephew, Soarin', is one of them. I trust you may have met him?"

"Yeah." said Rainbow Dash. "I saved his life once, and even got a picture with him at Shining Armor and Princess Cadence's wedding."

"And saved his apple pie at the Grand Galloping Gala, I do recall." added the middle-aged winged stallion.

Rainbow nodded her head.

"So, what's your name?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"That's Captain Star Shield." said Twilight Sparkle, who went up to Rainbow's side. "My brother told me about him. He used to be captain of the Canterlot Royal Guard."

"And now, I am captain of Princess Luna's Night Guard." said Star Shield. "And this strong young stallion beside me is my lieutenant, Radiant Dawn."

"Oh...him." said Twilight, nervously remembering the tall reddish-orange stallion.

"But what would two members of the Night Guard being doing here in Ponyville, when it's the middle of the day?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"In case somepony may choose to harass the student of Princess Luna." said Captain Star Shield. "Such as what was happening just a minute ago."

Twilight Sparkle's friends all gasped in surprise.

"Hold on there a sec, pardner." said Applejack. "Y'all mean that Sunset Shimmer over here's like Princess Luna's own personal Twilight Sparkle?"

"In a way, yes." nodded Sunset. "I am her student, if that's what your country mumbo-jumbo's trying to spit out. And I have to say I'm already starting to like having her as my mentor instead of Princess Celestia."

"I never thought she even took students!" said Rarity. "From what I've heard, only Princess Celestia does that!"

"Well, there's a first time for everything, beauty queen." Sunset Shimmer said to Rarity.

"Wow, that practically makes you and Twilight cousins!" said Pinkie Pie, who was running her mouth off at an excited rate. "I mean, you used to be Princess Celestia's student, too, so it's like you two were sisters before, but when you left, it's like you got kicked out of the family. But when you came back and became Princess Luna's student, it's like you were welcomed back into the family, except you got adopted and raised by your aunt, and then--wait a minute, what would that make Shining Armor and Red Dawn? If Red's Sunset's brother, and Shiny's Twilight's brother, then maybe--uh--uhh--i don't know, maybe--"

Pinkie finally stopped when she went cross-eyed from her overly-complicated analogy. All the ponies around her looked at the pink earth pony as though she had grown a second tail.

"Hang on, everypony." she panted, rubbing some sweat off her face. "I need to get some water. I'm parched."

Suddenly, she pulled a unicycle out of thin air, and climbed onto it. She pedaled away with her back hooves, disappearing around the corner of the station while whistling a tune. Sunset Shimmer and Radiant Dawn's jaws dropped simultaneously.

"How did she--" Radiant muttered.

"Do that?" finished Sunset.

"Oh, that's just Pinkie Pie for ya." said Twilight, shrugging. "You get used to it after a while."

"All of a sudden, I'm pining for another of Discord's ludicrous games." mumbled Star Shield, sarcastically.

"So, where are we going to be staying?" asked Trixie. "The Great and Powerful Trixie had better not be expected to slumber in the dirt!"

"You and Sunset can bunk in with me and Spike at the library." said Twilight. "I hope you guys don't mind sharing a bed. I've only got two."

"It's okay, Twilight." said Trixie. "We're just visiting until the evening. There shall be no need for a slumber party."

"But still, I think that you should come check my place out." said Twilight. "I'm sure there's a lot of interesting things you could learn from the books here. Ever since I became a princess, I've been getting all sorts of weird and mysterious artifacts from all over Equestria. I think that I could use some help archiving them all. And who better to help me with them than a couple of skilled unicorns like you two?"

Sunset and Trixie exchanged surprised looks.

"You need our help?" they both said at the same time.

"Sure thing." said Twilight. "You both have some experience with dealing with dangerous magical objects, and I can say that from personal experience."

Sunset and Trixie both nodded their heads nervously.

"And it would be great to have an opportunity to work with instead of against you, Sunset." said Twilight. "Let's see what you're capable of doing now that you've switched mentors. I bet Luna's taught you all kinds of neat spells."

"Actually, I've not gotten that far with Princess Luna's teachings." said Sunset. "I'm kind of a newbie, since I just finished my first mission for her a couple of days ago."

"Right." said Twilight. "But you used to be Princess Celestia's top student, just like me. Even if you're still tired out from your mission, maybe you could still be a consultant or supervisor for me and Trixie as we catalog everything."

"You'd honestly trust me with something like that?" asked Sunset.

"Why not?" asked Twilight. "After all, what are the chances that I'd find somepony else as bright as you to offer me free advice on dangerous magical artifacts? I mean, Princess Celestia won't be around all the time to help me out. You're probably the closest thing I have to a field advisor right now. So what do you say? Wanna help me out?"

Flattered, Sunset smiled and nodded.

"Okay, Twilight." she said. "I'll play your game. Just don't think you'll be able to walk all over me, just because you're a princess. If I get something wrong, don't expect me to grovel for your forgiveness. And don't treat me like I'm your assistant, either. It's 'partner', 'counterpart', or 'colleague'. Got it?"

"You've got yourself a deal." acknowledged Twilight. "Okay then, partner. Let's go."

Twilight Sparkle, Trixie, and Sunset Shimmer went on to the Golden Oaks Library, Twilight's friends went to talk with Star Shield, and Radiant Dawn and Lightning Dust were left alone.

"I guess it's just you and me, big guy." said Lightning.

"It sure looks like it." muttered Radiant in agreement.

"Wanna go get something to eat?" asked Lightning. "Your sister's probably going be busy all morning with whatever Twilight has at the library."

"Sure." said Radiant. "Name the place; I'm buying."

Daystar Manor, Part III

Sunset Shimmer was snoozing quietly and peacefully in her bed, and woke up to the sound of birds chirping. She slowly opened up her eyes, and yawned slowly.

"Well, it's time for a brand new day...again." she mumbled.

Then she suddenly felt a gentle tug on her blanket, as if someone was pulling them to their side of the bed.

"Oh, sorry." Sunset mumbled, slowly shutting her eyes again. "I guess it's a little too early. I could use a few more minutes...of...beauty...sleep?!"

Sunset sharply turned her head to the right. There was an earth pony in a gas mask at the corner of her bed. The yellow unicorn gasped, just as the earth pony tried to tackle her. Using her quick instincts and telekinesis, she threw the bedsheets onto the intruder's body, enveloping him in the fabric. The earth pony crashed against the wall with a loud cry of pain. There was a knocking on the door.

"What in the hoof is going on in there?" shouted a voice Sunset didn't recognize. "Dude, if you broke something in there, it's coming out of your paycheck! Mr. Quick Shot won't be happy!"

"What happened in there?" asked another voice.

"I don't know, sir! I'm gonna find out."

Just as the door creaked open, Sunset Shimmer teleported into her parents' bedroom, where Radiant was still sleeping.

"Red, wake up!" shouted Sunset.

Radiant awoke with a start, shaking himself awake.

"Sunset, what's going on here?" asked Radiant.

"Some idiot in a gas mask just tried attacking me in my bedroom! And there's somepony else in there as we speak!"

Radiant wore a disgruntled look on his face.

"Great, it's those guys again." he grumbled.

"What are you talking about?" questioned Sunset. "You mean they've been here before?"

"Yeah, they're--"

There was a knock on the door. Sunset telekinetically swing the door open, and an earth pony wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses fell into the room.

"Ow! What in the--" grunted the pony.

"What are you doing in our house?" demanded Sunset.

"Geez, there's another one of you Daystars?" said the earth pony, who managed to get back to his feet. "Great, now we have to split the profits even further, don't we?"

"What are you talking about?" questioned Sunset Shimmer. "Who are you?"

"It's okay, Sunny." said Radiant Dawn, climbing slowly out of bed. "These ponies aren't here to hurt us."

"Then who are they, and why are they here?"

The earth pony walked up to Sunset, and cleared his throat.

"The name's Quick Shot."

"Who?" asked Sunset.

"Quick Shot!" said the earth pony. "Famous movie director from Las Pegasus? Surely, you've heard about me!"

"Sorry, I haven't really been paying attention to Equestria's entertainment industry. Especially since I haven't been around here for years. In fact, I completely forgot that they even made movies in Equestria until just now."

"What, have you been living under a rock?" asked Quick Shot.

"No, behind a mirror." said Sunset.

Then Quick Shot chuckled.

"I like that sense of humor of yours." said Quick Shot. "I've got to get whoever writes your stuff. But to be honest, I'm not too surprised. Movie theatres aren't exactly something you come across often in Equestria. Only a few towns and cities have them. Mostly the big ones: Manehatten, Baltimare, Las Pegasus, and so forth."

"You still haven't answered the other question." said Sunset. "Why are you here?"

"Oh, we were filming some pick-ups in here for a movie that I'm working on." said Quick Shot.

"And that's why you had somepony try to attack me while I was in bed?"

"So, that's why my stunt-pony was injured? I thought he was goofing off in there."

Sunset turned her head back at Radiant.

"Brother, do you know anything about this?" asked Sunset.

"Yes, actually." said Radiant, sheepishly. "I kinda...gave them permission to film some scenes in here for their movie."

"When?"

"A couple months ago." said Radiant. "I thought they had finished last month."

"Well, we thought we'd come back here today for a few pick-ups." said Quick Shot. "Thankfully, we'll only need stunt ponies for these scenes. All the main cast members have already done their jobs, and gotten their salaries. If I had to pay an extra bit, I'd puke."

"Oh, so my brother here can't afford a housekeeper or a maid, but he can just let some cheapskate snob with a camera mess around with our house, and risk breaking our family heirlooms?" questioned Sunset.

"Hey, I'm no snob, and I'm not cheap!" said Quick Shot. "Lady, I will let you know that I am one of the most prolific and charismatic filmmakers in Equestria. I have three Golden Hoof Awards for my work, and I suspect that I'll get another one for this exciting action/adventure thrilller: Beware the Filly Flasher."

"That sounds kinda...dirty." chuckled Sunset.

"I know." acknowledged Quick Shot. "But the title wasn't my choice. It was the producer's."

"And who's producing your little...flick?" asked Sunset, curiously.

"My dad." confessed Quick Shot. "And he just goes on and on about how it's his production, and that it's his money I'm throwing away if I don't make it in the way he would like it!"

"Sorry to hear that." said Sunset.

And then she remembered last night.

"By the way, I've got a non-film question for ya, Mr. Director." said Sunset.

"Fire away, ma'am."

"Did you or your crew come across any...unusual creatures outside?"

"Not to my recollection." said Quick Shot. "Usually, animals don't even go anywhere near here. At least, that's what your brother here told me the last time my crew and I were filming here. Really helped us out when we were filming outdoor scenes. Why?"

"Oh, no particular reason." lied Sunset. "So, would you mind if I went down to your...set?"

"Please do, miss...."

"Shimmer. Sunset Shimmer. I'm Radiant Dawn's little sister."

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you then, Miss Shimmer." said Quick Shot. "I was coming in here to ask your brother here if he would like to help us with filming."

"Sorry, but I seriously hurt myself yesterday." said Radiant. "I'm still aching all over, and need my rest. Maybe Sunset could help you?"

"Me? Work on a movie?" asked Sunset, whose eyes widened. "That sounds exciting! If my mom and dad could see me..."

Then she suddenly remembered that her mother was still in captivity by the Changelings.

"I just remembered that I have a serious assignment to take care of in this area." said Sunset. "That's the whole reason I came back to Vanhoover to begin with."

"Well, that's too bad." said Quick Shot. "I was thinking that maybe you could help our second unit director with some work. Visual stuff, I mean."

"That's nice and all, but I have some stuff of my own to do." said Sunset. "Though it wouldn't hurt to give it a look on the way out."

Sunset walked out the door, when the door to her bedroom opened up again. The earth pony in the gas mask came out the door, and flinched at the sight of Sunset.

"Oh, geez! It's you!" he whimpered. "Look, I'm sorry I jumped at you in that room. It's just that you, well, scared me."

"I scared you?" questioned Sunset. "No. You scared me! I mean sneaking into a mare's bedroom while she's sleeping? Who does that?"

Then she suddenly remembered that night in the Crystal Empire, when she stole Twilight's crown.

"Actually, never mind." she shrugged. "I forgive you. Just tell me what you were doing in there, will ya?"

"Sure thing. I was going in there for my break period. I didn't count on somepony already being in there. I tend to panic a lot when I get surprised by stuff like this."

"And yet, you're a stuntpony." Sunset said in a deadpan tone.

"Well, it was either this, or being the guy that brings donuts to the other actors." said the stuntpony. "At least I have a better chance of being famous if I did some stunt-work."

"Sounds reasonable, then." said Sunset. "Well, I'm gonna go check on that movie you're working on."

Sunset Shimmer went downstairs, to find an earth pony working a film camera, and a pegasus with a boom mic. In front of them were three gryphons in gas masks and an earth pony wearing a mud-splattered trench coat and domino mask.

"Quiet on set!" shouted the camerapony. "Action!"

The masked pony leaped onto one of the gryphons, and punched him in the head with his hoof. Then he proceeded to attack the other two, even putting the third into a headlock once the first two were both incapacitated.

"Cut!" said the camerapony. "That's a good take!"

The earth pony and gryphons took off their masks, and went to sit by a row of chairs that had been placed by the closed front door. Sunset approached the pony running the camera.

"Wait, wait." said the camerapony. "Who in Tartarus are you? I thought I didn't want anypony bothering us while we were filming our scenes! And I don't recognize you, either!"

"I live here." said Sunset. "And Mr. Quick Shot said I could help you out with your...cinematography."

"Really? Because I think we've got everything under control over here."

"I'll be the judge of that." said Sunset. "Let me look at the shooting script."

The pegasus that was previously carrying the boom mic flew over to the living room table, and grabbed a script, which he then handed to Sunset. She scanned the pages quickly.

"Okay, this looks pretty good." said the unicorn, casually. "Not too bad here...wait a minute."

Sunset paused for a moment.

"Why is there no description of a fight scene here?" asked Sunset.

"It's improvised." said the camerapony. "These are pick-ups. They tend to be made long after normal production is ended."

"And that weak little tussle I just saw was the best you guys could think of?" asked Sunset. "Come on, I've been in bigger fights than that! Here, let me give you some ideas of my own."

Sunset levitated a quill, a bottle of ink, and some sheets of paper from a nearby drawer, and quickly scribbled down several lines in a script format.

"Take a look at what I wrote." said Sunset, who levitated the paper back with her magic to the camerapony.

"Hmm..." the camerapony scanned the contents of the pages. "Yes, this looks like it could work. Yes, this looks quite nice. Ma'am, you should write screenplays sometime. We'll definitely keep this stuff in mind. Thanks."

"Always glad to help." grinned Sunset.

"By the way, what's your name?"

"Sunset Shimmer, sister of Radiant Dawn and student of Princess Luna."

"No way!" said the pegasus worker. "Is that really you? You're the one that saved the city of Fillydelphia from the Changelings!"

"Wow, you heard about me?" said Sunset, surprised.

"Sure did! My wife told me all about you! She said that you fought a whole army of Changelings by yourself!"

Sunset couldn't help but blush a little.

"Well, I wouldn't say a whole army..." she dismissed.

"And that you're not just a hero, but have become something of a celebrity in Fillydelphia."

"Actually, I already knew about that." acknowledged Sunset.

"Boom Mike, are you sure about this?" asked the camerapony.

"Of course I am, sir!" said the pegasus. "She's saved an entire city from monsters. I think she deserves all the praise from us that she wants."

"Look, I really don't need all that." said Sunset. "I don't need the paparazzi harassing me in my childhood home. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to go outside for a walk."

"No problem at all." said Boom Mike. "We already filmed the last exterior shots just a while ago."

"Good." said Sunset.

The unicorn went outside of her mansion, looked around the yard to investigate the garden, where Long Rim was prowling around the night before. There were large markings in the dirt, and a strange smell in the air.

"Geez, does this thing even know how to take a bath?" mumbled Sunset, sniffing the air. "Not even the Canterbury Animal Shelter smelt this bad!"

Then she growled angrily for reminding herself of the human world.

"You know what? Never mind." she grumbled. "I don't care about that place, anymore. And I bet they've forgotten all about me by now."

Periodic Antagonism, Part Two

Captain Umbriel went out through the front doors of the school, and walked across the lawn to where Sergeant Craw and Corporal Ghost were arguing.

"Look, this whole dream thing's just a coincidence. There's no way that Sunset could've put a curse on you!" argued Craw.

"Wake up and realize, sergeant, that Sunset came from a magical world!" countered Ghost. "Who's to say she doesn't still have some kind of weirdo powers that she can use in this world? Maybe she's like a gypsy, and could put curses on people whenever she felt like it?"

"A gypsy? Puh-lease!" dismissed Craw.

"And then there's the fact she turned into that demon thing at that school dance." said Ghost. "How do you explain that, sergeant? Tell me!"

"At ease, corporal." intervened Captain Umbriel. "I would like a word with Sergeant Craw over here."

"Yes, sir." said Ghost, putting his helmet back on, and walking back into the school.

Umbriel took off his own helmet, and leaned against the statue.

"Sergeant, I have some good news for you." he said, casually.

"What news, captain?" asked Craw, curiously.

"My sister has finished translating the books you and Ghost discovered." he said, coolly. "It will be only a matter of days before you will see your precious Sunset Shimmer again."

Craw was going to smile, but the tone in Umbriel's voice had as he spoke these words made him uncomfortable.

"And...is there anything else?" asked Sgt. Craw.

"Yes." said Captain Umbriel, quickly.

He leaned forward, and quickly grabbed Craw's shoulder, and squeezed hard on the area beside his neck. The sergeant yelped in pain as Umbriel pulled his subordinate towards him.

"Sergeant, didn't my sister ever teach you to never go over my head when submitting status reports?" questioned Umbriel, menacingly. "And to report everything to your commanding officers straight away?"

"Ow!--What--are...you...talking about?" strained Craw.

"Would you care to tell me how my sister learned about Sunset Shimmer using the portal before me?"

Craw stammered and hesitated, and found himself staring into Umbriel's ominous eyes.

"I'm sorry, sir!" groaned Craw. "It slipped my mind!"

"Slip this!"

Umbriel jumped aside while simultaneously Irish-whipping Sergeant Craw face-first into the horse statue. Craw cried out in pain, and clasped his hand over his bloodied nose.

"And another thing:" continued Umbriel, whispering into Craw's ear, with a cold, sadistic tone in his voice. "I'm holding you accountable for wasting Syndicate resources on this little wild goose chase that you had brought upon by yourself and your hormone-addled antics. You should hardly blame Corporal Ghost for acting as he did, when you were the one that unleashed him upon Sunset Shimmer to begin with. Do you get it, Synthe?"

"I get it, captain!" moaned Craw, bitterly. "It was all my fault, sir! I screwed up, and wasted your time! I. Am. Sorry!"

"I know you are, sergeant." said Umbriel. "That's why I'm not going to have you disbarred from the Syndicate."

Craw sighed.

"I am going to silence your shame, and let you receive a final goodbye from my good old friend, Mr. Deagalizer!"

Umbriel drew out his large, twin-triggered, double-barreled sidearm, and pointed it at the back of the sergeant's shaggy-haired head. Craw just stood there silently, waiting for his commanding officer to pull one of the two vertically-stacked triggers, and put either a .357 bullet from the lower barrel or an armor-piercing round from the upper barrel, into his skull. He closed his eyes, expecting the last sound he would ever hear again to be a--

"Bang." said Umbriel, flatly. "You are dead."

He swiveled his SombraTech Deagalizer in his hand, then stuck it back into his holster hip, before backing away from Craw.

"What...you're not going to kill me?" questioned Craw, surprised.

"No." said Umbriel. "I hardly think my sister would approve of it. Or the school, for that matter. Thank you for being such a good sport, Craw, not shouting out at all. The silence was able to let me think about whether or not I should actually kill you."

"Is this some kind of sick practical joke?!" growled Craw, pulling his face away from the now-bloodstained statue. "I'm tasting my own blood right now, because of you!"

"Do I really need to answer that?" deadpanned Umbriel. "Well, I'll leave you to clean up that mess. And your nose, too."

"I liked it better when you were still a midget." muttered Craw under his breath. "And that's not saying much, really."

Umbriel halted, and turned his head.

"And I liked it better when you still had your dignity." said Umbriel. "You're losing yourself over a bloody pony, sergeant! You're a cold-blooded killer, Craw. Start acting like one!"

"Don't give me ideas, captain." thought Craw, angrily.

Captain Umbriel put his helmet back on, and was about to walk towards the front doors, when the two soldiers heard a girl's voice nearby.

"Hey, what the heck did you do to Craw?!"

It was Rainbow Dash, who had been walking back from the soccer field, when she apparently witnessed Umbriel tormenting Craw.

"That's none of your concern, little girl." said Captain Umbriel, dismissively.

"'Little girl'? I'm seventeen years old!" Rainbow Dash growled. "And Craw happens to be my friend. What the heck were you doing to him?"

"Oh, I was just giving him a private lecture of my own." answered Umbriel.

"Then why's his nose bleeding?"

"It was a crash course." snarked Umbriel.

"Listen, colonel or captain or whatever the heck you're supposed to be, you shouldn't be such a bully to your own men!" said Rainbow Dash.

"I'm not. Craw isn't even one of my own men, he's one of my sister's."

"Oh, and that makes it okay?" questioned Rainbow Dash. "Dude, you're such a thug! Sunset Shimmer never did anything like that!"

"Except try to incinerate you and your friends with a fireball." retorted Umbriel.

Rainbow Dash gasped.

"You...you know about what happened at the Fall Formal?"

The captain nodded jerkily.

"Oh my gosh, that's the reason you guys are after Sunset Shimmer?" asked Rainbow Dash, a sense of terror in her voice.

"That's an affirmative, young lady." confirmed Umbriel.

"Dude, you don't need to go and kill her over that!" said Rainbow Dash. "She may have been a jerk, and she may have turned into a demon or whatever that was, but you don't need to hunt or kill her like an animal! Especially if you've got this whole army with you! This is just ridiculous!"

"Killing Sunset Shimmer isn't our primary objective, or at least it wasn't." said Umbriel.

"What are you talking about?"

"All we wanted from her was information on how she turned into that demon, and whether or not it would benefit our organization. But your friend over here, Sergeant Craw, blew a gasket when he learned that Sunset Shimmer was a pony, threatened to have her killed, and scared her out of our world."

Rainbow Dash turned to Craw, who approached them while pinching his bloody nose.

"Craw, is that true?" asked Rainbow.

"I'm afraid it is." strained Craw. "I can explain why I reacted, though. You see--"

Before he could do this, Umbriel turned around again and interrupted him.

"You can do that when your shift is done, sergeant. For now, clean yourself up, pull yourself together, and continue monitoring that statue! As for Miss Rainbow Dash, I advise that you stop harassing my organization's personnel, and get your lean little keister back in the building!"

Normally, Rainbow Dash would've threatened to smack someone upside the head for berating and physically abusing her friends in front of her, let alone accusing her, of all people, of being some kind of troublemaker. But of course, those kinds of people normally weren't power-armored soldiers with fully-loaded guns and an (assumed) licence to kill; Even someone as hotheaded and determined in assisting her friends like she was would've known better than to act up under these given circumstances.

"Whatever." said Rainbow Dash, pretending to be uninterested. "I'll just wait until I hear Craw's side of the story, anyway, before I jump to any conclusion about his 'actions'. Later."

And then she went back into the building, followed by Captain Umbriel, who was walking back to Vice Principal Luna's office. Umbriel paused and contemplated whether or nor he should contact his sister again, recommending that Sergeant Craw be discharged or executed. But then he decided that someone like Craw could still prove to be a valued asset to the Syndicate in the future, and (reluctantly) shot this idea down. He walked by a vending machine, which was in use by a purple-eyed, silver-haired teenage girl wearing blue-and-purple clothing. Captain Umbriel seemed to see her at or near the vending machines at this school nearly everyday that he was here. This time, though, she seemed positively steamed about something.

"Obey your mistress, stupid machine!" she growled, banging a fist against the side. "The Great and Powerful Trixie has made her request and paid her tribute! Now give Trixie her peanut butter crackers!"

"And what seems to be the problem here, young lady?" Captain Umbriel asked, approaching slowly.

Trixie turned around, and looked up at the captain with awe and glee, before turning around to face the snack machine again.

"You have met your demise, mechanical vendor!" proclaimed Trixie, in a melodramatic manner. "The Great and Powerful Trixie has successfully summoned a champion that can aid her in a acquiring the coveted snack food!"

Captain Umbriel looked at Trixie, fighting the urge not to burst out in laughter. Instead, he decided to humor her, and inspected the machine for the problem. Upon further analysis, he discovered that exactly $1.00 were in the machine, yet the price tag for the peanut butter crackers was removed. Deducing that either the price was raised, or exact change was needed, he pulled a quarter out of one of the packs on his belt, and deposited it in the machine. He then entered the combination, and a pack of crackers fell to the bottom of the machine. Trixie wore a grin in a perfect cresent shape, and she took the crackers out of the machine.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie is in your debt, sir!" said Trixie, with a bow.

"And you can fulfill that debt by getting back to your class." said Umbriel. "And by putting that quarter on your I.O.U.."

Trixie nodded, and walked back down the hallway. There was a soft clap from the other end.

"Well done, captain." said Vice Principal Luna. "That was a very generous thing to do for Miss Lulamoon."

Captain Umbriel turned around to see the vice principal walking towards him was a little smile on her face.

"Well, it wasn't that big a deal." shrugged Umbriel. "I can be a nice guy whenever I feel like it. By the way, would you like me to get anything from this machine for you?"

"No thanks, captain." said Luna.

"Please, just call me Umbriel."

"Okay then, Umbriel. I was just heading to my sister's office, anyway." said Vice Principal Luna. "Apparently, Sunset Shimmer's landlord and his building's electrician are both inquiring about Sunset Shimmer's whereabouts. I think you ought to come along, too, seeing as your organization is behind her search."

"Very well." said Umbriel. "I'll follow you there."