Call of Duty : Magic in Action

[(Inside Twilight Sparkle's castle, A sky blue holographic map of Equestria shows up on a round crystal table, that surrounds by seven thrones, in a throne room. The map reveals every details of magical region from a northernmost land to a southernmost land, and a westernmost land to a easternmost land. On the map, Twilight and Applejack are running inside Ponyville and searching for Rainbow Dash. Sky blue growing circles draw around them on the map before a conversation between Twilight and Applejack come out from the map.)]

[Twilight : I can't find her anywhere. Where did she go?]

[Applejack : Ah wish she wouldn't fly off when we recovered from that blind. If only ah could stop her, this shouldn't be happen!]

[Twilight : Let's search another area. I think she might go somewhere else.]

[Applejack : Ah hope she's still safe.]

[Twilight : Me, either.]

[(Applejack nods before she continues to search Rainbow Dash with Twilight)]

[Applejack : Rainbow Dash! Can you hear us!]

[Twilight : Rainbow Dash!]

[(The circles around Twilight and Applejack vanishes. They appear again around Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rarity near the destroyed Golden Oak Library on the map. Pinkie Pie and Rarity are trying to comfort Fluttershy who lying down on the ground and shivering in fear. The timid pony covered her eyes with her front hooves and can't control herself. A conversation between the three pony can be heard on the map.)]

[Rarity : It's okay, daring. That's just a magic trick that those ruffians used it on us to aid their escape.]

[Fluttershy : No! My eyes are going to be blind! I can't stand!]

[Pinkie Pie : I understand your fear, Fluttershy. That thing blinded and confused me for a moment. I thought those bullies are gonna turn me into a blind pony, you know? Well, if you said me in that time, maybe I was, but for now, I'm not a blind pony, am I? ]

[(Fluttershy squeaks.)]

[Rarity : That's not helping at all, Pinkie.]

[(The circle vanishes when the bearers of Element of Harmony's cutie marks on the thrones are sparking. At the Ponyville, ponies on the road looks curiously at the wagon that pulling by two royal guard and watching over by ten royal guards. Ponies on the road whispers to each other and some of them try to look inside the wagon.)]

Roach regained his consciousness. He was lying inside a wagon. The sergeant was exhausted from retreat and felt numb from laser bolts that hit him right in his back. Roach couldn't see anything outside since the wagon was canvased. The quadruped guard had tied Roach's wrists and ankles, which limits Roach's movement. Roach looked at Ghost who lying beside him. The lieutenant was still unconscious and didn't move. The sergeant could see Ghost's knife on his belt. Roach moved around and tried to pick Ghost's knife with his right hand from his back. Before Roach could grab the knife, the wagon stopped and a canvas was uncovered before Roach and Ghost were levitated and floated out the wagon with auras around them. Roach could see horned quadruped guards, with glowing auras around their horn, moving with the floating sergeant and lieutenant.

"What do you want?" Roach said aggressively.

Horned quadruped guards didn't respond to Roach. While Roach and Ghost was transported by an unknown force, he could see many quadrupeds nearby gathering and looking at him and Ghost, but two horned quadruped guards spoke something to quadruped "civilians" and they started to keep distance with the elite soldiers. Roach could see quadruped guardians cover young quadrupeds' eyes with their front legs while Roach and Ghost were moved. Some quadrupeds whispered to each other while some of them looked at Ghost and Roach in fear. Roach could see the horned quadruped guards bring them to a building. The horned quadruped guards opened the door and threw Roach and Ghost inside before the aura around them vanished and the horned quadruped guards shut the door. Ghost's head was hit on the floor. He awoke and quickly looked around.

"The Quadruped's Gaol"

Day 2 - (Day time)

Sgt. Gary "Roach" Sanderson

(M.I.A.)

The village.

"Shite, what's going on!" Ghost said.

"They got us." Roach said. "This place is ancient. I wonder if they used this building lastly since a century ago."

Ghost tried to take his knife on his belt. "Dammit, I can't reach my knife! Roach, you try." Ghost said.

Roach nodded and rolled to Ghost. He picked Ghost's knife from his back and moved the knife to a rope around his wrists. Roach focused his patience on the knife to make sure that it won't slipped out from his hand. The rope didn't resist the knife for long when Roach manage to cut down the rope. When Roach's hands were free, Roach used the knife to cut a rope around his ankles and quickly released Ghost from ropes.

"Thank, Roach." Ghost whispered.

Ghost flapped his hand and took his knife from Roach when he handed it to him. Ghost and Roach split up and searched the dusty room, which appear to be a small storeroom. Each window had a grille outside the room. Roach spotted three buckets at a left corner. Haystacks were under a window beside a basin of light blue liquid. Roach climbed up a ladder in the room, but he found an windowless attic up there. They can't find anything in the room that can aid their escape. Ghost looked outside the window and shook his head after he found many quadruped guards outside. Roach tried to push the door, but it wasn't budged. Ghost sat with his right knee up at the middle left of the room and leaned on the wall before he lay his right arm on his right knee and touched on his headphone.

"Archer. This is Ghost, come in." Ghost said.

["Ghost, what is happen!?"] Archer said.

"Those quadrupeds captured us and threw us in a locked room somewhere in the village." Ghost said. "We don't know what they will going to do to us. They took our gun, but lucky for us that they didn't search us. I still have some pain here and good thing they didn't kill us right away."

["Roger that. We will come back to help you in this night! Just hang in there and don't die! We're coming for you!"] Archer said.

"Roach and I won't die easily, mate. I'm looking forward to you, out." Ghost said and turned his head to Roach. "I'm quite impress that they can catch us with no hand. I think I underestimated those muppets."

Roach kicked on the door, but it didn't move. "I give up, man." Roach said.

The sergeant walked away from the door. He sat in cross-legged position opposite of Ghost and leaned on the wall. Roach put his goggles on his helmet and pulled his balaclava up to his bridge. He searched his journal in his jacket before he realized he didn't bring it with him. Roach shook his head and breathed in the dusty air before he sighed. He lay on his back and looked aimlessly at the ceiling.

"This isn't bad, actually." Roach said. "At least, it's better than that jail in the interrogation training."

"Certainly." Ghost said. "I guess those quadrupeds have their style to cage somebody."

"But, this is boring as hell." Roach said. "Well, It's can't help anyway."

Roach raised up to sit on the floor. He was thirsty. Roach stood up and walked to the basin. He crouched down and sniff the liquid. Roach smelled nothing. He held the liquid in his hand and sipped it.

"It's clean water." Roach said.

Ghost nodded. Roach drank the water from his hands and left the haystacks untouched. He returned to his spots and sat down. Roach lay down on his back and looked at the ceiling while Ghost fiddled with his knife. Roach closed his eyes before his tiredness leaded him to sleep.

Twilight and Applejack were still searching for Rainbow Dash. Twilight searched from the sky while Applejack searched on the ground. Twilight looked preciously at a road. The princess found no sign of pony and Rainbow Dash around. Applejack found Roseluck in front of her flower shop. The cowpony quickly ran at the flower seller. When Roseluck saw Applejack, she smiled and waved at her.

"Hello, Applejack. What's going on?" Roseluck said.

"Howdy, Roseluck." Applejack said. "Did you see Rainbow Dash around here?"

"Oh, I saw her hurriedly flying over there when I walked out of the shop." Roseluck said and pointed her front hoof to her right.

"Thank!" Applejack said and ran off.

"Hey, Applejack. What's actually happen!?" Roseluck asked.

"Sorry, Roseluck, Ah'll explain everythin' later!" Applejack shouted back.

Applejack ran along the road. After she ran past many houses, Applejack saw Rainbow Dash staggered out from a alley. The cowpony and Twilight spotted the cyan pony and quickly moved toward their friend. Rainbow Dash was injured. She had magic-burn wounds on her body. Applejack and Twilight held the athletic pony before she collapsed.

"Rainbow Dash, are you okay?" Twilight asked.

"No, I'm not okay!" Rainbow Dash said. "I let them escape. It's not okay!"

"It's alright, Rainbow Dash. At least, you're safe." Applejack said.

"Stop soothing me!" Rainbow Dash said.

"We need to take you to the hospital. Those wounds shouldn't leave untreated." Twilight said.

"I'm- Ouch!" Rainbow Dash held her wound.

"Come on, Rainbow Dash. Don't force yourself. You should know yourself better than us." Twilight said.

"...Fine..." Rainbow Dash said.

Applejack and Twilight helped Rainbow Dash up and headed to hospital. Rainbow Dash showed her disappointment clearly on her face. While the three pony moved away, a suspicious shadow was creeping in an alley. Red glowing eyes stealthy looked at princess Twilight Sparkle before it hid in the alley and vanished.

Rarity had managed to persuade Fluttershy to stand up and follow them. Pinkie Pie, Rarity and Fluttershy walked along a deserted road and searched for Rainbow Dash, Twilight and Applejack. Pinkie Pie quickly ran to Berry Punch, who is hiding in a crate. She looks anxiously around before Pinkie Pie helped Berry Punch out of the crate.

"Berry Punch, did you see Rainbow Dash or Twilight or Applejack around?" Pinkie Pie asked quickly.

"I saw Rainbow Dash was flying to this way before Twilight and Applejack ran to there." Berry Punch said and pointed her front hoof to the direction that Rainbow Dash, Twilight and Applejack went. "But, be careful, Pinkie. Bloody monsters were running to this way, too. I don't know where are they now or when will they eat another pony." Berry Punch shivered.

"Don't worry, Berry Punch. I'm here, and I won't let them harm any pony." Pinkie Pie said and placed her hoof on her chest before she lower her hoof down and returned to Rarity and Fluttershy. When they were about to walk, the three ponies quickly saw Twilight and Applejack helped Rainbow Dash up and walked toward them. Pinkie Pie, Rarity and Fluttershy gasped before they ran to Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy covered her mouth with her front hoof when she saw Rainbow Dash's wounds.

"Rainbow Dash, are you okay!" Rarity asked. Her voice was echoed in her hazmat suit.

"Girls, we need her to be healed as fast as we can. We must hurry!" Twilight said.

"Alright, I will lead the way." Pinkie Pie said.

The bearers of the Element of Harmony made their way to the hospital. They stopped as they heard somepony pulling a cart from behind. Twilight looked back and saw Roseluck pulling a cart to them. She stopped and released herself from a harness beside Applejack.

"Please use my cart, Applejack." Roseluck said and pointed her front hoof at the cart.

"Thank, Roseluck." Applejack said and put Rainbow Dash in the cart before she put a cart's harness on her back.

"I sincerely appreciate in your help, Roseluck." Twilight said.

"Your welcome, Twilight. I'm happy to be helpful." Roseluck said.

Applejack pulled the cart and ran along the road with her friends. Roseluck waved at the six pony before she went back to her shop. A group of royal guards stepped in the area and other hiding ponies started to come out. Some ponies looked around anxiously before they stepped out from their hiding spots or their houses. After everypony saw no monsters nearby, many ponies breathed a sigh of relief and the road soon quickly returned to normal with ordinary life of ponies.

Twilight and her friends arrived at the hospital of Ponyville. The light colored two-storied building with windowed attic was operated by pony doctors and nurses. Pinkie Pie and Rarity helped Rainbow Dash come down from the cart before helped her up and walked in the hospital. Twilight looked sadly at injured Rainbow Dash and lowered her head.

"I didn't only fail to capture the thieves, I failed to protect my friend..." Twilight said.

"We didn't expect that, sugarcube. It's not only your fault, but us, too." Applejack said. "Ah need to return this cart to Roseluck. Ah will return here as soon as possible."

"Good luck, Applejack." Twilight said.

Applejack pulled the cart and headed toward Ponyville. Twilight and Fluttershy looked at Applejack until she was out of their sight before they walked in the hospital. They found the building is crowded with injured royal guards, which suffer from an eye injury. Twilight and Fluttershy walked to a reception counter. Nurse Snowheart slightly nodded to Twilight and Fluttershy to welcome them in the hospital.

"Hello, princess. How can I help today." Nurse Snowheart said.

"I come here to see Rainbow Dash. Can you tell me which room does she stay?" Twilight asked.

"She's in the room number twelve at second floor, princess. I will bring you two there" Nurse Snowheart said.

Nurse Snowheart walked out of behind the reception counter and leaded Twilight and Fluttershy the way. They went upstairs and walked along a crowded hallway until they reached the room. Nurse Snowheart opened a door and let Twilight and Fluttershy in before she closed the door. Rainbow Dash was on a hospital bed. Nurse Redheart was bandaging the athletic pony. Rainbow Dash was clearly very upset. Rarity and Pinkie Pie were beside the bed. Twilight and Fluttershy walked to the bed. The princess smiled as she saw her friend is healed.

"Are you feeling any better, Rainbow Dash?" Twilight asked.

"Nah, my heart is hurt." Rainbow Dash said.

"To be honest, Rainbow Dash. You should be more careful about those... bipedal things." Rarity said.

Rainbow Dash frowned and ignored Rarity. The fashionista narrowed her eyes and sighed.

"Is she alright, Nurse Redheart?" Twilight asked.

"She's fine now. Miss Rainbow Dash just need to avoid to get struck by any magic blast and everything should be fine." Nurse Redheart said.

"Can I go now?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Sure, Miss Rainbow Dash. Don't be reckless next time." Nurse Redheart said.

Nurse Redheart walked to opened a curtain next to Rainbow Dash's bed and healed a royal guard on another bed. The guard had been injured by a magic explosion. He had many wounds around his body even he worn an armor. Fluttershy looked away from the guard after she saw his wounds. Rainbow Dash stepped down from the bed with bandages around her body and stretched herself. Before Twilight could have a word with Rainbow Dash. She noticed that her and her friends cutie mark are pulsating. Rarity, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash looked at their cutie mark while Pinkie played with her haunch.

"The map calls us? In this time?" Fluttershy said.

"So many things to so lately." Twilight mumbled before she turned to face her friends. "Applejack should be called by the map, too, so let's go to the castle and find out."

"I agree." Rarity replied.

"Truthfully, I have no mood for adventure this time." Rainbow Dash said.

"Oh, come on, don't be so downright." Pinkie Pie said.

The five ponies walked out of the room and walked downstairs before got out from the hospital. The princess looked at the sky before Twilight and her friends ran along the road and headed to Twilight's castle.

Archer and Toad was on a height in the forest near the village. The snipers had been lucky enough as they had found a good spot for recon the village. They had taken their time for awhile to going dark and find a shelter in the forest with Scarecrow and Ozone. They scoped through the village with sniper rifle's scopes while Scarecrow and Ozone went to search some food.

"I saw no building that Ghost and Roach possibly are in." Archer said. "Any luck from your side?"

"Not even a hint, Archer. Are you sure that they didn't bring 'em to another town?" Toad asked.

"Ghost told me he is in a locked room somewhere in there, so he should be in there. Maybe we should move out to another spot to get another view of village." Archer said.

The cold wind breezed past bushes, that Archer and Toad are in. Their ghillie suit did an excellent job to blend in with a surrounding in the forest. They saw many quadrupeds living in the village. The quadrupeds' life down there were carefree and restful. Beside from quadruped guards, which stand and patrol around the village, the quadrupeds appeared to be a peaceful race. Archer scanned through his scope and observed quadruped patrols quietly.

"I'm hungry as hell... Nothing goes pass my mouth since yesterday..." Toad said.

"We all didn't eat anything since yesterday, Toad. Stop complaining and scope the village." Archer asked.

Toad grumbled something. Archer heard he say a word like "Whatever".

"We're here."

Archer and Toad turned back and found Scarecrow and Ozone with apples in their arms and rifle at their side. The snipers left from their scopes and sat on the ground with Scarecrow and Ozone before the snipers put their rifle beside them. The members of Task Force one-four-one shared their stolen foods and ate their apple. When Archer took a first bite on his apple, he noticed that Scarecrow and Ozone are dirtied with slime and apple seeds.

"Scarecrow, Ozone. Where did you two find these supplies" Archer asked.

Scarecrow nodded slightly. "We found an unguarded orchard that fills with apples. We got in and was about to steal some apples, but we found that the orchard is occupied by bats, an army of goddamn bats! We had to fight over these foods with bats while we took apples from the trees." Scarecrow said. "They spited apple seeds at us. We're in mess, but at least we haven't to worry about starvation. You may not believe me, but Ozone can prove that my words is real."

"What he said is truth." Ozone said and nodded.

"That's... unexpected..." Archer said and ate his apple.

"This apple is delicious, or I'm just hungry?" Toad said.

"Yeah, it's kinda sweet." Ozone said.

"Did Ghost say anything in comm?" Scarecrow asked.

"No, he didn't. I guess he's not trying to be suspicious or he has nothing to tell us." Archer said. "To be honest, that moment was like Price in Kingfish all over again. If Soap told us right."

"Except this time, we literally had no support at all." Ozone said.

"Certainly." Scarecrow replied. "But we're going to help 'em. No matter the cost."

The members of Task Force one-four-one finished their apples. Archer and Toad picked their sniper rifles up and went back to scope the village while Scarecrow and Ozone watched out their back.

"When the night falls, we move." Archer said.

Twilight and her friends arrived in the front of the castle. The crystal castle shone as always even Twilight took a few care to it. The five mare walked through the castle's door and went along the hallway. Before they could reach the throne room, they found Spike is coming out from a drawing room. Spike turned his head to Twilight when she walked closer and he quickly ran to her.

"Twilight, you're in time. Professors have arrived before you guys come here." Spike said.

Twilight nodded and turned her head to her friends behind. "I need to talk to them. You girls may go ahead to the room."

Twilight's friends nodded and walked to the throne room. Before Twilight went in the drawing room, she stopped and turned her head to Spike. The baby dragon opened the door before he turned his head to Twilight.

"I'm sorry I left the Sugarcube Corner before you brought bits, Spike." Twilight said.

"Well, apology accepted." Spike said and smiled.

Twilight smiled slightly. The princess and Spike walked in the drawing room. They approached to five professors with two elite guards inside. The professors worn a white coat with saddlebags on their back. They stood up from a sofa as Twilight was approaching before she moved her front hoof to tell them to sit down. Twilight smiled at the professors and stood in front of the them.

"Greeting, professors. My name is Twilight Sparkle." Twilight said and placed her front hoof on her chest. "I welcome you to my castle. I hope my assistant treated you well when I wasn't here."

The professors nodded. Twilight put her hoof down and continued to talk.

"So, professors, Did princess Celestia tell you everything about meteors?" Twilight asked.

"Yes, she did." one of professors said.

"Okay, Spike. Bring in the map. It's on the shelve beside a chair." Twilight said.

Spike ran to pick a paper map and placed it on a table between Twilight and professors.

"Last night, I saw three meteor falling from the sky. First meteor landed outside Ponyville at this grassland." Twilight said.

Twilight placed her front hoof on the east grassland outside Ponyville in the map.

"Second meteor landed in the Everfree forest." Twilight said.

Twilight moved her front hoof to the Everfree forest in the map.

"And the last meteor landed on the ruin." Twilight said.

Twilight moved her front hoof to the castle of the Two sister's ruin in the map.

"I need you to split in three groups and search for the meteors. I need you to collect samples or take a picture anything that didn't belong to our earth or looks unusual. The guards will protect you there. In other hoof, I afraid that the meteor might not left any trace since it didn't damage anything explicitly, so I give a permission to return if you've found nothing around there." Twilight said.

"Will you go with us?" one of professors asked.

"I wish I could, but I must meet my friends at the throne room. I need you all to go ahead to locations. I promise I will go there after I know why the map need me" Twilight said.

Professors looked at each other before they nodded.

"You can count on us, princess." one of professors said.

"Okay, I will see you there." Twilight said. "Guards, please ensure the safety of our professors."

Guards saluted at Twilight. The princess walked out of the drawing room with professors, Spike and guards. Twilight made her way to the throne room while professors and guards went to the exit with Spike. The princess planed in her mind and thought about the map and the meteors.

While she was walking through the hallway, she felt something is watching her from behind. Twilight stopped and turned back, but everypony had already left the hallway. The princess frowned as she still felt somepony is watching her. Twilight closed her eyes before she cleared and focused her mind until she couldn't feel she was being watched. Twilight opened her eyes and looked around. She breathed a sigh of relief as she no longer felt creepy from being watched anymore.

"Well, I guess it's just my imagination. Time to go to the throne room." Twilight said.

Twilight started to walk to the throne room and nearly screamed out when she saw a pair of red glowing eye looking at her from behind a library's door. The door was closed as the glowing eyes had been spotted. Twilight covered her mouth with her front hoof before she walked closer to the door. She lowered her front hoof and opened the door with her magic before she walked in a library room. Twilight found that somebody turned off the library's light. She walked to a switch and used her magic on it. The switch didn't move. Twilight forced her magic to turn on the switch, but she didn't notice that above from her, there was somepony in a shadow descends down to her...

"Twilight!"

The forth princess turned to face the voice and found Spike walked to her.

"What are you doing here, Twilight? You shouldn't let your friend waiting for you." Spike said.

"I'm sorry, Spike. I just..." Twilight said and looked around. "...saw something here."

Spike narrowed his eye. He looked in the library, but there was nopony inside.

"Only me and you are in here, Twilight." Spike said.

"Well... I guess... I think I just hallucinated." Twilight said.

"Hurry up, Twilight. You need to meet your friend now." Spike said.

"Okay, okay." Twilight said.

Twilight glanced around the library before she and Spike walked out of the room and shut the door. Twilight and Spike headed to the throne room. It took some time before they reached the room. Spike opened the door to let Twilight in the throne room before he followed her and closed the door. Twilight found her friends have already sat on their throne. Applejack waved her front hoof at the princess. Twilight and Spike walked to sit on their throne and looked upon the map.

"What took you so long, Twilight. I waited here like a million hours." Rainbow Dash complained.

"Sorry, girls. I was distracted." Twilight said. "Well, let's see where the map will point us to go to..."

The mane six's cutie mark flared before a image of their cutie mark floated in the air. The mane six watched their cutie mark floating and flaring in the air. Everypony in the room stared at the floating cutie marks above the map. Rarity's, Fluttershy's, Rainbow Dash's, Applejack's and Pinkie Pie's cutie mask circled around Twilight's cutie mark before they descended and hovered above Ponyville.

"Ponyville? Ponyville!? Why!?" Rainbow Dash yelled.

"Calm down, sugarcube." Applejack said.

"That's kinda new." Spike said.

"Why the map need us in there?" Fluttershy said.

"Maybe it need us to go underground?" Pinkie Pie said.

"That's sound awful..." Rarity said.

"Alright everypony, I think there is a reason behind this..." Twilight said.

Twilight flinched when a guard loudly opened the door and ran in the throne room. Twilight and her friends looked at the guard who run and stopped in front of the table.

"Princess, our guards have successfully captured suspicious bipeds in Ponyville!" the guard said.

Twilight nodded. "Thank for bring this massage to me." Twilight said before something came up in her mind. "Well, where are the bipeds now, guard?"

"They're in a storehouse inside Ponyville. The guards will interrogate them to find out what are them."

"A storehouse?" Twilight thought before she said to the guard. "Thank again. You may go now."

"Yes, your highness." the guard said and saluted.

The guard ran off the room and closed the door. Twilight stepped down from her throne and walked around the table.

"Okay, I think there must be something inside Ponyville." Twilight said.

"Maybe there's a secret here somewhere in our village." Rainbow Dash said.

"Honestly, ah never hear anythin' like a secret in Ponyville from Granny Smith, but it's possibly that nopony discovers it yet." Applejack said.

"What's about the bipeds? I think the map told us to do something with them." Pinkie Pie said.

"Well-" Twilight said.

"Twilight, we should search Ponyville for the answer!" Rainbow Dash said.

"I think that is a good idea..." Twilight said. "Alright, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash. You three must look around Ponyville and find why the map need us here. Well, Fluttershy."

"Yes?" Fluttershy replied.

"I need your animals to join with professors to search the Everfree forest. Tell me if your friends found something in there." Twilight said.

"Okay." Fluttershy said.

"Rarity, I need you to talk to pony folk. You must seek for any rumor in their gossips." Twilight said.

"Well, that's not too hard for me." Rarity said.

"Wait for me at the front of my castle after you've done and tell me everything you found. Let's go now." Twilight said.

"What's about my idea!?" Pinkie Pie said sadly.

"Don't worry, Pinkie. When we found nothing wrong in Ponyville, we will go for your idea." Twilight said.

Pinkie Pie grinned. Everypony stepped down from their throne and walked out of the room. Spike joined the group and walked through the hallway before they headed toward an exit. Twilight glanced at the library's door, but she saw nothing. The mane six and Spike left the castle before Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Rarity split up and went to do their task. Twilight and Spike looked her friends are going on the plan. The princess and the baby dragon walked on the road and looked around preciously.

"What is your plan, Twilight?" Spike asked.

"To find the secret." Twilight said.

Roach opened his eyes when the sun shone over his face. He shaded his eyes from the sun with his hand and raised up from grasses on a grassy mound. He looked around and found he is in a countryside somewhere. He could see a mountain range around him. Roach saw a wooden house on a grassy mound at his left and a small town at faraway. The wind breezed past the sergeant in a casual wear gently. Clouds and the sun upon the sky were beautiful. Everything around him was peaceful and lovely. Roach recalled his memory again and tried to connect between his past and his present. He shook his head as he couldn't make sense what's actually happen to him.

"A dream?" Roach mumbled

"Gary!"

Roach turned at the voice and saw a woman in sundress running from the house. The woman waved at Roach and stopped beside him. She smiled widely at Roach and sat beside him. The wind blew past the woman. Her sundress was waving along the breeze. The woman stared at Roach while he looked at the scenery.

"It's been so long, you know. I waited for you like a thousand years!" the woman said. "I think you won't return from SAS to visit home. Today is literally my great day. I'm so happy to see you here."

"...visit... home?" Roach mumbled. "Your great day?"

"What's wrong, Gary. You look weird today." the woman asked.

"Well, I just... em... had a nightmare minutes ago." Roach said and lay on his back on grasses. He put his hands under his head.

"Come on, you're a tough guy. You won't be scared just because of random scary dream, right? Or you're just chicken?" the woman said mischievously and chuckled before tapped on Roach's arm lightly.

"Don't call me chicken." Roach said and frowned.

"Just kidding." the woman said and smiled. She lay on her back on grasses beside Roach and looked at the sky.

Roach sighed when the woman stopped talking. He looked up the sky and relaxed under the sun. Roach tried to recall his memory, but he couldn't remember anything clearly about this place. The woman said he come here to visit his home, but Roach couldn't remember anything about his home, his family and the woman beside him. Roach turned his head to the woman. She turned at him and smiled. Strangely, the woman's smile warmed Roach's heart and regained his sanity. The woman moved Roach's arm and held his hand before she looked up in the sky. The woman hummed a familiar song, which Roach heard from somewhere. Roach stared at the woman while she closed her eyes and hummed the song. The sergeant listened the song quietly. When the woman stopped, she turned at Roach and chuckled.

"Look at your face, Gary. It's so funny." the woman said. "Why? What is on my face?"

"No no, I em..." Roach turned his head to the sky tried to think a word. "I just thought about something."

"Think about me?" the woman asked.

"That's impossible." Roach said.

"You're so cold, Gary. Relax!" the woman said. "Anyway, did you have any friend at SAS?"

Roach froze. The woman's answer echoed in his head. He remembered this question. His memories flooded in his brain and he slowly recognized the woman beside him. Roach raised up from glasses and turned back at the woman, but she had disappeared. His vision turned red. His ears heard a creepy noise. Roach looked up in the sky, which slowly becoming worst. The wind blew stronger. The grasses and trees around him slowly withered. The house collapsed. Roach could feel his pain in his head. He held his head, that feels like it is going to explode. During he was suffering, Roach saw a zombie raised up from the ground in front of him. Before Roach could react, the zombie shot at Roach with .44 Magnum at his chest. The bullet wound set his body on fire and quickly consumed him. Roach screamed out loud and blacked out.

Roach panicky opened his eyes. He looked around and found he is still in the storeroom with Ghost, who is sitting with his right knee up and his right arm on his right knee. The lieutenant had kept his knife on his belt and slept peacefully. The sergeant was sweating like he is in a hot desert. Roach stood up and walked to the basin. He crouched down before he drank water from his hands and watched his face. Roach went back to sit in cross-legged position on his spot. He held and shook his head.

"What's happen to me?" Roach thought. "If I keep having a nightmare like this, it would certainly cost my sanity."

The storeroom's door is opened. Roach turned at the door and found a horned quadruped peeking in the room and quickly shut the door. The sergeant heard it is yelling something before he heard many quadruped guards galloping behind the door. Before Roach moved to warn Ghost, the door is violently opened and Roach faced more horned quadrupeds outside the storeroom. Ghost woke up and looked silently at the quadruped guards while Roach pulled down his balaclava to cover his face. Roach tried not to alarm the quadruped guards and stared at the quadruped guards quietly. They made way for a winged quadruped guard. It walked in the room and spoke words, which Roach can't understand. The sergeant recalled his training and tried not to respond. Roach turned his head to Ghost, who doesn't act or speak anything, before the sergeant turned to face the winged quadruped guard and listened quietly even he didn't know what does it say.

"Well, I think I have to listen to these cryptic language." Roach thought and crossed his arms.

The winged quadruped guard stomped it front hoof on the floor and scolded at Roach. The sergeant tried not to react as he knew the winged quadruped guard had tried to threaten him even it doesn't looks terrified at all to him. Roach turned his head to the door when he noticed a horned quadruped guards walked in with saddlebags. The bags were opened when the bags and the quadruped guard's horn were covered in auras and photos were flied out from the bags with aura around them before the photographs floated in front of Roach. He didn't recognize anything in the photos, which are photographs of some sort of ancient artifacts or footprints.

Roach looked at the photos before they were flied to Ghost. The lieutenant glanced at the photos before a haystack was levitated and placed in front of the winged quadruped guard. The photos were lain down on the haystack and auras around the photos and the haystack were vanished as a horn on the quadruped guard stopped glowing. The winged quadruped guard scolded at Ghost and Roach and stared hostilely at the sergeant's eyes. Ghost and Roach didn't say anything, which angers the winged quadruped. It stomped its front hooves on the floor and yelled at Roach. The sergeant frowned under his balaclava, but the winged quadruped could read his eyes and its face quickly turned red in furious. The winged quadruped guard turned away and left the storeroom while it spoke something. Roach knew it gives up to interrogate them. The photos were levitated back in saddlebags as the photo and the quadruped guard's horn were covered in auras and the haystack was put away as an aura covered it before the auras vanished and the quadruped guards walked out when the quadruped guard's horn stopped glowing. They locked the door and left the elite soldiers inside.

"That was quick." Roach said.

Twilight and her friends hadn't found anything wrong in Ponyville. Everything was peaceful like other regular day. Twilight returned to her castle with Spike. She found that her friends, but Fluttershy, had already gathered in front of her castle. Rarity had took off her hazmet suit. Twilight walked to her friends and saw a disappointment on her friends' face. When her friends saw Twilight looking at them, Rainbow Dash, who is hovering in the air, tried to fake a smile, but she failed evidently.

"Ah'm sorry, Twilight. Ah didn't find anythin' wrong inside mah orchard." Applejack said.

"I couldn't find any rumor, but those ruffians that blinded us with their magic. I think Pinkie Pie was right." Rarity said.

"I searched around, but I didn't find anything either." Rainbow Dash said.

"Well, we either." Spike said.

"Twilight, let's go and see those bipeds. I think they're Shadow Thieves!" Pinkie Pie said and shook Twilight.

"Okay, okay. Stop shaking me." Twilight said. Pinkie stopped. "Well, where is Fluttershy?"

"I'm over here."

Everypony turned to face the timid voice. They saw outfit-less Fluttershy walking toward them with saddlebags on her back.

"Fluttershy!" Twilight said. "Did your animals find anything in the forest?"

"Well, they found... this." Fluttershy said.

Fluttershy opened her saddlebag and held something out with her mouth before she placed it on the ground. Twilight levitated it up and looked closely. She found that it is a knife. Twilight's friends gathered around and looked at the knife in a magenta aura.

"My birds found it in a carcass of giant timberwolf... well, I mean, that scary thing..." Fluttershy said.

"I think it's not a normal kitchen knife, darling." Rarity said.

"Anyway, who would use this useless blade to fight a giant timberwolf?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Ah don't know, sugarcube. But anypony who can defeat the beast with this knife is certainly a scary gravy." Applejack said.

"I think I can hold this knife. Can I have it, Twilight?" Spike said.

"Don't touch it, Spike." Twilight rebuked and levitated the knife away from Spike.

"I spy a word on the knife!" Pinkie Pie said.

Twilight turned the knife around and saw a word engraved on its blade. Twilight narrowed her eyes as the word was carved in standard Equestria alphabets. The mane six and Spike looked at the word and said at the same time.

"Roach?" the mane six ans Spike said.

"You mean, a cockroach? " Pinkie Pie said.

"Eww!" Rarity exclaimed.

"I hate cockroaches, too." Spike said and glanced at Rarity.

"Who the hay kind of name is Roach!?" Rainbow Dash said and laughed. She nearly lost her balance in the air.

"Ah think that's a bad name to your foal." Applejack said.

"Well, I agree with you all..." Fluttershy said.

"So, Fluttershy, did your animal find anything more in the Everfree forest?" Twilight asked and put the knife in Fluttershy's saddlebag.

"Beside this knife, I don't know anything more." Fluttershy said.

"Okay, I see." Twilight said and exhaled from her mouth. "I need to meet the professors. Fluttershy, Spike you come with me. Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash. Find the storehouse where the bipeds are imprisoned and search for the clue from them."

Applejack, Rarity and Pinkie Pie nodded. Rainbow Dash stopped laughing and joined with them to search the storehouse, but she still giggled. Twilight, Fluttershy and Spike went to the east grassland. Twilight could hear Rainbow Dash and Applejack talking about bipeds and Rarity's comment about bipeds' clothes in her assumption while Pinkie Pie was telling her plan to approach the bipeds. The princess thought about the map while she was walking on the road with Fluttershy and Spike.

"I think the professors might find the meteors now." Twilight mumbled.

Twilight, Fluttershy and Spike arrived at the east grassland. The princess looked up in the sky to estimate the time. It was nearly a time for lunch. She looked down from a grassy mound and found two professors are holding a magic crystal and a camera below. Twilight, Fluttershy and Spike approached the professors and saw the crystal is shining brightly.

"Did you find anything?" Twilight asked.

"Here, princess." a professor said and hoofed over the crystal. Twilight looked at the crystal and knew that the crystal shines due to a fierce force of magic in the area. "We didn't find any meteor landing site, but we found a strong trace of magic here."

"Anything else in this area?" Twilight asked.

The professors shook their head. Twilight touched her chin with her front hoof and recalled her memory about the detail of meteors last night, but she couldn't connect clearly between the meteors and the trace of magic. Twilight looked at the ground and thought. An idea quickly ran in her mind when Twilight realized she has a spell that will show a trace of magic. Twilight cast a spell and pointed her horn at the ground. Her horn flared and shot a laser beam on the invisible trace of magic.

"Wow." Fluttershy and Spike exclaimed.

The trace slowly became visible. A professor held the camera and took a picture. The trace glowed in magenta light and revealed a magic crater on the ground and two sharps of bushy thing with two legs in the middle with some kind of sticks. Twilight's pupils widened as the traces revealed hoofprints around the sharps of bushy thing and strange hoofprints lead out the magic crater. Twilight followed the strange hoofprints, but the trace of magic was thin as the hoofprints made a distance from the sharps of bushy thing. The strange hoofprints ended on the gassy mound and the trace of magic was no longer be able to track down. Twilight tried to shoot the spell on the ground, but it didn't reveal anything further. From the mound, Twilight could see Ponyville clearly. Fluttershy, The professors and Spike walked up the mound and looked around for the trace.

"Okay, we've done with this area. Fluttershy, We need to move to the Everfree forest" Twilight said and turned her head to professors. "It's nearly noon, professors. I suggest you need to have some lunch at my castle. Spike, please take care our guests."

"My pleasure." Spike replied.

Professors looked at each other before they slightly bowed at the princess and went to Ponyville with Spike. Twilight and Fluttershy headed toward the Everfree forest to find another professors. When they were on a dirt road to forest. Angel, the bunny, ran toward them and moved its arm to tell Twilight and Fluttershy to follow him.

Rarity, Applejack and Pinkie Pie walked around Ponyville to search for the storehouse. Rainbow Dash flied in the sky and scanned the village below. She found many unicorn royal guards around a small storehouse at faraway. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes as she saw Filthy Rich is talking with a pegasi royal guard. Rainbow Dash flied down from the sky and land in front of her friends.

"I think I know where the bipeds now." Rainbow Dash said. "Let's go and check that storehouse."

Rainbow Dash pointed her front hoof at the storehouse. Applejack raised her eyebrow. She tilted her head and looked at the storehouse. Rarity looked at the storehouse and shook her head, while Pinkie Pie narrowed her at the storehouse.

"Are you sure this time?" Applejack said.

"Certainly, I mean, I'm never wrong when I try to find something." Rainbow Dash said confidently.

"What's about few moment ago when you lead us to a wrong storehouse." Applejack said.

"Oh, come on, that isn't counted." Rainbow Dash said.

"Well, I hope this one was right." Applejack said and walked to the storehouse with Rarity and Pinkie Pie. Rainbow Dash smiled sheepishly and followed them from behind. When they walked closer to the storehouse. Filthy Rich was smiled proudly at the pegasi guard and walked away. The guard nodded slightly and noticed Applejack walking to his right.

"Halt, this is a district area!" the guard said. "Wait... are you Applejack, the bearer of the Element of Honesty?"

"Yep, Ah'm coming with mah friends. Twilight tell us to talk to the suspicious bipeds. Are they in there?" Applejack asked and pointed her hoof at the storehouse.

"Yes, they're in there, but let's me tell my commander first." the guard said and put out his mic. "Commander Strong Swift, four bearers of the Element of Harmony request to enter the district area."

The guard listened a message and nodded. "Yes, sir." he turned his head to Applejack. "Okay, the commander granted you all a permission."

"Yay!" Pinkie Pie cheered.

Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash walked to the door, but the guard raised his front leg to block them.

"Are you sure that you will speak with them?" the guard asked.

"What do you mean?" Applejack said and raised her eyebrow.

"Well, you know. My sergeant tried to ask them about the crime scenes, but they remained silence even he scolded to them. They actually could free themselves from ropes even they're tied tight. Our commander doubled the guards to make sure they won't escape and was about to call you all to bring a information out from them. But you're here and have a permission now, but I have no idea how to make them speak." the guard said.

"Well, Ah guess there is no need to be feared. We have Pinkie with us. They will speak everythin' out when she's in there." Applejack said and pointed her hoof at Pinkie Pie. She smiled broadly at the guard.

"Okay... then, good luck, everypony." the guard said and lowered his front leg before he turned this head to a unicorn guard beside a door. "Open the door and let them in."

The unicorn guard nodded and levitated a key at his side to unlock the door. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Pinkie Pie walked in the storehouse with four unicorn guards watched out their back. Rarity coughed as the air inside was dusty. Applejack stunned as she saw unknown creatures in the dim room. Rainbow Dash, who her body was warps in bandages, flied up and hovered in the air. She stare hostilely at the creatures. Pinkie Pie was the only pony, who still smiles as she saw them.

There was two bipeds sitting and leaning on the wall in the room. The bipeds glanced at the four pony before and looked away. They worn pants, with olive-green camouflage and pockets, and gray jacket, with pouches around their waist. The right biped worn a helmet and headphones with goggles on its helmet and a black mask . The left biped worn headphones and looked scary with visible lower part of skull, until the four ponies realized it is a mask. The left biped sat with its right knee up and its right front leg on its right knee while the right biped sat in cross-legged position. Rarity glanced at weird gloves on the bipeds' claw-like front hooves and boots on its weird back hooves, which look like a boot that Applejack used to wear in a awful Gala dress. Thinking to the past caused Rarity giggles quietly.

"Howdy, every... biped." Applejack asked. "Can ah know y'all name?"

The bipeds didn't respond. Applejack walked closer to them before the pegasi guard held her.

"Stop!" the guard said.

"What's wrong?" Applejack asked.

"They possibly are Shade Thieves. You need to be careful or they will harm you!" the guard said.

"Well, they ain't be that dangerous, right." Pinkie Pie said.

Everypony looked at Pinkie Pie. She was beside a biped with skull mask. Pinkie Pie looked curiously at the biped. She brought out a tray of sweets out of nowhere and placed it beside the biped. Before the guard could warn Pinkie Pie, she bounced on her hooves and moved to a biped with goggles and brought another tray of sweets out of thin air and put it beside the biped. Pinkie sat beside the biped with goggles and stared at it with smiled. The biped looked at each other before they pulled their mask up and picked desserts from trays. They ate sweets pretty quickly, while Applejack smiled satisfactorily and turned to face the guard.

"Ah think this is a good start." Applejack said.

The bipeds finished their sweets. Pinkie Pie looked closely to the biped with goggles, but it didn't react anything further. The party pony expected some compliment from the bipeds and she faced a disappointment when the bipeds just pulled their mask back. Pinkie Pie frowned and decided to use her ultimate tactic to force somepony to speak.

"Hey, have you ever had a Hayperroni?" Pinkie Pie said and smile widely.

Pinkie Pie looked at the bipeds. They still remained silence. Pinkie frowned and raised her eyebrow before she smiled and continued to talk.

"Well, you know. Hayperroni is a mixed up word between Pepperroni and Hay!" Pinkie Pie said continuously. "Well, I tasted Pepperroni once and it tasted marvelous even I'm not a chef or something, but I wish I knew how to cook main dishes! Hey, or should I call it Pepperrohay! What do you like, big hooves, Hayperroni or Pepperrohay? Hayperroni or Pepperrohay? Hayperroni or Pepperrohay? Hayperroni or Pepperrohay? Hayperroni or Pepperrohay? That's so alike, right!? Speak of alike word, do you know hay is spell like say, way, yay, stay, okay and so on! Well, I there is so many word alike word in the world! Say with me-"

The biped with skull mask had walked and crouched down to close Pinkie Pie's muzzle with his claw-like front hoof. Pinkie Pie tried to put the biped's claw-like front hoof away until she knew it is impossible. The biped with goggles shook it head and looked away. The pink pony begged with her eyes at the biped with skull mask. It stared hostilely at Pinkie Pie. When it released Pinkie Pie, she rubbed her muzzle and ran back to stand beside Applejack. The biped walked back and sat on its spot with its right knee up and its right front leg on its right knee. Applejack and Rarity frowned and turned to face the biped with skull mask.

"Ouch, my mouth..." Pinkie Pie said.

"That's so mean! How could you do that to Pinkie!" Applejack said.

"Apologize, now!" Rarity said.

The bipeds ignored Applejack and Rarity. Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes before an idea was coming in her mind. She flied to Pinkie Pie and whispered something in her ear. Pinkie Pie's pupils widened before she smiled and nodded to Rainbow Dash. The pink pony ran out from the room while Rainbow Dash grinned at the biped with goggles.

"Alright, everypony. Time to step it up a notch." Rainbow Dash said.

Angel leaded Twilight and Fluttershy to a carcass of giant timberwolf near a cliff with ivies. There was many rubble around the carcass. Trees and bushes around had been damaged. Two professors and a royal guard were checking the carcass with Fluttershy's animals. The professors were holding a magic crystal in their hoof and had a trouble to communicate with the animals until Fluttershy translated her animal's tongue. Twilight looked around the area and turned her head to a professor.

"Any more clue to tell us who defeat this timberwolf?" Twilight asked.

"Maybe, your highness. Beside the knife that these animal found. The crystal detects a strong trace of magic under this carcass." the professor said.

Twilight nodded. She focused at the carcass and levitated it up. Twilight placed the carcass in the woods and cast a spell on the ground. Soon, the spell revealed traces of hoofprints in a magic crater and familiar sharps in the middle on the ground with weird sticks and strange hoofprints leaded to the cliff. Twilight recognized the sharps quickly while other pony looked curiously at them.

"It can't be..." Twilight mumbled.

"What's wrong, Twilight?" Fluttershy asked.

"Professors, take the photo." Twilight said. "Meet me at my castle when you've done. Fluttershy, go back to Ponyville with professors and meet our friends. I will go to the ruin alone."

"Are you sure?" Fluttershy asked.

"Don't worry, Fluttershy. It's gonna be fine." Twilight said.

Twilight filed up in the sky and checked strange hoofprints on the cliff before she headed toward the Castle of the Two Sister when she found the strange hoofprints end on a ledge above. Fluttershy looked around in the forest and joined the searching team to translate her animal's words to them.

Twilight arrived at a ravine and found a bridge is recently replaced. The princess scanned around the castle and saw the ruin and surrounding was destroyed by explosions and magic blasts. Twilight frowned as she saw no royal guards around the ruin. She held her chin with her front hoof and flied at a tower when she noticed that it had been heavily destroyed and found a professor with a guard inside. Twilight went through a broken wall and landed inside the destroyed room, which ruined by a forceful explosion. The princess approached to the professor, who holding a magic crystal like other, on a damaged raised stone floor.

"You're detecting a trace of magic here?" Twilight asked.

"Actually, princess. This place is filled with traces of magic, but this one isn't alike other."

"Isn't alike other?" Twilight thought.

Twilight cast a spell on the floor and made the trace become visible. This time, the traces were faded and unclear, but a magic crater was visible. Twilight guessed the traces aren't clear to be seen because they were destroyed by a explosion. Twilight felt she need a few evidences to connect between the traces and the meteor. The professor photographed the magenta unclear traces while Twilight was thinking.

"Oh, I almost forgot. What's happen to royal guards? they suppose to be here to guard the Element of harmony, right?" Twilight asked.

"Em... yes, we suppose to be here... but, something was happening, so our commander commanded us to leave this place." the guard said.

"What's going on?" Twilight asked.

The guard slightly nodded. "The Element of Harmony is... disappeared, my princess." the guard said.

"What!" Twilight exclaimed. "But- but, beside princess Celestia, princess Luna and us there is no other pony who can take the gems. Was the princess Celestia's assumption wrong!" Twilight said.

"We don't know, ma'am. But certainly, somepony stole them since last night." the guard said. "We've sent the letter to Canterlot to tell the Element was stolen, but for now, there is nothing we can do."

Twilight put her front hoof on her chin and looked down. She was thinking hard. Twilight couldn't think how other pony can take the Element of Harmony since the tree had enough magic to protect itself. She focused herself and put her questions out of her head.

"But we still have the Element of Harmony inside us." Twilight thought and put her front hoof down. She turned her head to the professor and asked. "...beside of the bad news, did you found anything further?"

"Well, we found that somepony was fighting inside this ruin, but we don't know who was in here last night." the professor said "They actually destroyed many parts of the ruin, especially the library."

Twilight flinched "The library!" Twilight said.

No more word, Twilight flied out the tower and headed toward the library. Twilight flied in and nearly fainted as she saw a ruined library. The princess walked toward a book on the floor and levitated it up. Twilight check the book and found it was slightly damage. She placed the book on a shelf and levitated another book to its place. Twilight looked around and levitated every scattered books before she checked for a damaged book closely. After she found no book is ruined, she slowly place every books in its shelves and repaired broken shelves with her magic. During tidying the library, the professor and the guard walked in the library and approached to the princess.

"Oh, sorry for leaving abruptly." Twilight said. "Did you take every photos?"

"Yes, my princess." the professor said.

"Thank for your help. You may leave now. Meet me at my castle." Twilight said.

The professor and the guard slightly bowed to Twilight before they walked out of the library. Twilight looked closely at each book before she put the book on its shelf. She remembered when she had tried to find some clues about the mysterious chest from here. Twilight took some time to put the library in order. The princess wiped her sweat with her wing before she flied up and headed back to Ponyville.

Rainbow Dash was waiting for Pinkie Pie outside the storehouse while Applejack and Rarity had tried to talk to the bipeds inside. The athletic pony hovered in the air and looked around until she saw Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, with her saddlebags, walking on the road. When they arrived at the storehouse. Rainbow Dash grinned and landed in front of Fluttershy.

"Alright, Fluttershy. You can use the Stare, right?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Yes, I can, but why do you need my Stare?" Fluttershy asked.

"It's simply, Fluttershy. You just use your Stare to those bipeds and make them speak everything out!" Rainbow Dash said.

"That's horrible..." Fluttershy said.

"Come on, these bipeds tried to turn us into blind ponies once. This isn't a big deal at all!" Rainbow Dash said.

"Em... Okay." Fluttershy replied.

"That's the spirit, Fluttershy!" Pinkie Pie said and pushed her front hoof at Fluttershy's side.

"Well, let's get in and teach them a lesson!" Rainbow Dash said.

Rainbow Dash flied past royal guards in the storeroom with Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie followed her from behind. Applejack and Rarity noticed them and quickly walked toward them. Rainbow Dash looked at the sitting bipeds in the room and rolled her eyes.

"Did they say anything?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Nope." Applejack replied. "Rarity and Ah tried everythin', but they didn't react to us at all. Honestly, these bipeds are as stubborn as a mule! ... Well, no offense."

"Non taking..." a mule outside the storehouse said.

"Maybe they're upset." Fluttershy commented.

"Well, Fluttershy, you can communicate with animals and monsters, right? You should try it." Rainbow Dash said.

"Em... I think I should wait here and see how you guys can do." Fluttershy said and smiled sheepishly.

"We all here tried to talk to these biped, Fluttershy. You and Twilight are the last one." Rarity said.

"...Maybe I should wait for Twilight..." Fluttershy said slowly and quietly.

"Maybe you must go now, Fluttershy!" Rainbow Dash insisted and pushed her front hoof against Fluttershy's side.

Fluttershy squeaked and turned her head to the biped with skull mask. The timid pony swallowed hard and avoided to make eye contact with the biped before she walked closer to it a pace. Fluttershy could feel it threaten with Its small eyes and her legs started to shaking. She bit her lip and turned her head back to her friends, who waiting for her to use the Stare, before she turned her head and looked at the biped behind her hair.

"Well, em, can I know your name, sir?" Fluttershy asked quietly.

The biped didn't react. Rainbow Dash frowned and flied to stand behind Fluttershy.

"It can't hear you from here, Fluttershy. You need to get closer!" Rainbow Dash said and pushed Fluttershy with her head.

"No, I can't!" Fluttershy said and pinned herself down on the floor.

"Do it!" Rainbow Dash said.

"I can't." Fluttershy argued and refused to get closer.

"DO IT!" Rainbow Dash insisted.

"I CAN'T!" Fluttershy yelled and closed her mouth with her front hooves. In the same time, Rainbow Dash pushed Fluttershy too hard an launched her and Fluttershy toward the biped with skull mask. It didn't expect them to slide toward its position and Fluttershy's head and Rainbow Dash's front hooves violently hit directly at the biped's trunk before it could dodge. The bipeds exclaimed an unknown word as it was hit. The knife in Fluttershy's saddlebag flied out and pinned beside the biped with skull mask. It pushed Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash on its left leg away. The biped rubbed its trunk and narrowed its eyes at the knife.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Fluttershy said.

The biped didn't replied. It took the knife and completely ignored Fluttershy. The timid pony sweated and kept apologized the biped. She stopped when the biped said something in doubtful tone and pointed at the knife. Fluttershy stepped away and didn't said anything. Rainbow Dash looked at Fluttershy and narrowed her eyes. The athletic pony walked to stand beside the timid pony and pushed her hoof at Fluttershy to calm her down.

"Seriously, Fluttershy. You have no need to fear them like that. See, we nearly pushed them over, but they didn't mind us at all." Rainbow Dash said and quietly laughed.

Fluttershy turned her head to Rainbow Dash with sad face. "I'm sorry..." Fluttershy said.

"So, did you hear it speak something, right?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Well, I heard he say some words out, but I don't know what it mean." Fluttershy said and pointed her front hoof to the biped with skull mask.

"Oh, come on! Why!" Rainbow Dash said.

"I think I em... need to learn their language for a bit longer." Fluttershy said.

"Okay, so go ahead and talk to them." Rainbow Dash said and pointed her front hoof at the biped with skull mask. It stood up and walked to the biped with goggles before it hoofed over the knife to it. The biped with goggles looked closely at the knife and kept it on its belt.

"I can't..." Fluttershy protested while the biped with skull mask returned to sit on its spot with its right knee up and its right front leg on its right knee.

"Why you have to fear these monsters, Fluttershy. Use your Stare!" Rainbow Dash said.

Fluttershy shook her head and lowered her head down. Rainbow Dash was frustrated.

"So, what should we do!?" Rainbow Dash said.

"What's going on in there?"

Everypony turned their head to the voice. They saw Twilight is walking in the room.

"Twilight!" Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack and Pinkie Pie said at the same time.

"So, how's going on?" Twilight asked.

"One word, fruitless, Twilight." Rainbow Dash said.

"Ah'm glad to see you here, Twilight. With your help, we might know somethin' from these biped in no time." Applejack said.

"They squeezed my mouth too hard!" Pinkie Pie complained.

"They smell terrible." Rarity complained.

"I... em... accidentally headbutted on him." Fluttershy said.

"Okay, everypony." Twilight said. "Let see if I can do about these bipeds."

The five ponies nodded. Applejack and Flutteshy made way for Twilight. She walked to the biped with skull mask. Twilight glanced at the biped, who looks silently at the floor. The princess frowned as the bipeds looked familiar. She scanned the biped with skull mask and stopped her eyes at its claw-like front hooves. Twilight picked its left claw-like front hoof with her front hoof and looked closely before the biped quickly moved its claw-like hooves away from Twilight. The princess smiled awkwardly at the biped and turned to face her friends.

"I think I can guess their species." Twilight said.

"So, what are they?" Applejack asked.

"I assume that they're Human."  Twilight said.

"Human?" Twilight's friends said in the same time.

"Human is a sentient being that living in another side of the Crystal Mirror. I met many of them when I was there. You see, this two things are called hands and this both limbs are called arms." Twilight said and pointed her front hoof at its claw-like front hooves and its front legs. "Minotaur and Tirek have these things alike them. And this two things are called feet." Twilight pointed her front hoof at its back hooves. "With these organs, I guess they possibly are human, but their head and their eyes aren't alike any human I saw, so I need some prove to show that they're actually humans."

"How we can find out that they're humans or not?" Rainbow Dash said.

"If they can talk or show a side of intelligence or have any electronic device, we may know this soon. Well, did you guys talk with them?" Twilight asked.

"We tried everythin', Twilight, but these bipeds spoke few words that we don't understand. But what is a electronic device?" Applejack asked.

"A electronic device is a device running by electricity." Twilight explained quickly. Applejack tilted her head and narrowed her left eye. "Well, I think these human-like may have their own language..." Twilight said, before an idea ran in her mind as her pupils widened. "Fluttershy, what's about the knife. Did you show it to them?"

"They already took it, Twilight. I think it's belonged to him." Fluttershy said and pointed her hoof at the biped with goggles.

"Okay, I see." Twilight said. She walked toward the biped with goggles and turned her head to her friend. "They might speak differently, but they possibly use they same alphabets. If we have some papers and quill. We might find a way to communicate with them."

"Speak about stationery, Twilight, I have papers and quill stashed all over Ponyville, in case of papers and quill emergency. Well, I have a ink bottle, too." Pinkie Pie said and picked papers with a quill and a ink bottle from under Applejack's hat.

"Hey, when did you put those thin' in mah hat, Pinkie!" Applejack said.

"It's a secret." Pinkie said and giggled.

"Alright, time to test my theory." Twilight said and levitated the papers, quill and ink bottle from Pinkie Pie. She put the ink bottle on the floor and opened its lid. Twilight dipped the nib of quill in the ink bottle and wrote on the paper. Twilight's friends could see the bipeds look at the aura-covered floating paper and quill. When Twilight finished, she turned the paper with words at the biped with goggles by her telekinesis. The biped read the words and nodded.

"What did you write on the paper, Twilight?" Rarity asked.

Twilight smiled widely and turned at her friend. "I asked him if his name is Roach. He definitely acted that is his name!"

"Wooohooo, we make a progress here!" Pinkie Pie said. She jumped and blew confetti out from her back. The bipeds looked confusedly at the pink pony while other Twilight's friends, but Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, were cheering and stomping for a short moment.

"So, he defeated a giant timberwolf with that knife... right...?" Fluttershy said and shivered.

"Come on, Fluttershy. Even Spike can beat up that thing." Rainbow Dash said.

"But you're flyin' away when you saw it, Rainbow Dash." Applejack said. She narrowed her eyes and smirked at the athletic pony.

"Fine, I admit that it's strong!" Rainbow Dash said.

"So, what should we ask next? Should we ask what did they think about my baked goods?" Pinkie Pie suggested.

"Not now, Pinkie. We need to ask them if they're member of Shade Thieves." Twilight said.

The princess turned to face the biped with goggles and wrote a question on the paper with her magic before she turned it at the biped. It read the question. The biped narrowed its eyes and shook it head.

"What did you ask it, Twilight?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"I asked him that if he know Shade Thieves." Twilight said.

"You lied, your tricky human-like things!" Rainbow Dash yelled and pointed her front hoof at the biped with goggles.

"What's about you, Applejack? Did he lie to us?" Twilight asked.

"Ah don't know, sugarcube... since it can mean it didn't know or it isn't Shade Thieves." Applejack said.

"Well, time for the next question." Twilight said and wrote another question on the paper. She levitated the paper in front of the biped and showed the question after she had done her writing. The biped looked at the question and nodded.

"I think it's gonna take us many hours until we actually accomplish something." Rainbow Dash said.

"I see, they told me that they're human." Twilight said.

"Hey, what is this thing?" Pinkie Pie said.

Twilight looked around for Pinkie Pie and found her standing beside the biped with goggles and pointing her front hoof at a device in its pouch. The biped covered it with it's left hand and pushed Pinkie Pie away. The party pony looked curiously at the hand and happily snuggled it with her head.

"Pinkie!" Twilight rebuked.

The biped quickly moved its hand away and crossed its arm. Pinkie Pie scanned the biped and pushed her hoof on a pocket on the biped's pants. Six stones rolled out from its pocket and stopped in front of Twilight. She looked closely at the stones and found her and her friends cutie marks on them. Twilight picked a stone with her cutie mark. It cracked on her hoof and revealed a familiar gemstone inside. Twilight's friends gather around the stones and picked their stone up. The stones cracked and showed what is inside them.

"The Element of Harmony...?" Twilight said. "But, how!? I was stolen from the Tree of Harmony last night!"

"Why these bipeds had the most important gemstones like this!" Rarity said.

"They definitely stole them from the Tree of Harmony! I knew they lied that they didn't know Shade Thieves!" Rainbow Dash said.

"Sir, we found the Element of Harmony in suspect bipeds!" a guard behind the mane six reported in his mic.

Everypony was talking and the room was noisy. The guards and Rainbow Dash stared hostilely at the bipeds. Twilight turned at the biped with goggles and noticed something form on its goggles.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here!"

Everypony turned at the voice, which come from the biped with goggles. Twilight narrowed her eyes and placed the papers and the quill on the floor until she saw an acquainted figure in the goggles. The bipeds, who looked doubtfully at the Twilight and her friends, started to looked around for the voice. The biped with skull mask ended their eyes on the goggles while the biped with goggles touched lightly on its goggles. Discord came out from its goggles and nearly hit his head on the ceiling. The draconequus smiled awkwardly and cleared his throat.

"Well, sorry for interrupt you all here, but it's nearly pass the lunch time, you know? So, I'm come her to tell you that you should go to have some lunch now." Discord said.

"Discord!" Twilight shouted. "That doesn't matter. I actually have something to ask you. What did you do with the Element of Harmony? Why these bipeds had them!?"

"Oh, come on, Twilight. I'm reformed. You helped me from Tirek, remember?" Discord said and brought a small photo of Twilight and Discord with defeated Tirek under their hooves. "I won't touch on the Tree of Harmony again after you've been so kind to me like that, and I know you need a case for the Element of Harmony, so I brought you this one." Discord said and a case appeared out of thin air. Twilight narrowed her eyes and looked closely at the case before she opened the case with her magic. She levitated and kept the Element of Harmony in the case before she closed it. The princess placed the case beside her and turned her head to Discord.

"Then why they had them!" Twilight asked and frowned. She put the case on her back with her magic.

"You see, Twilight. Princess Celestia's assumption was wrong. There is another pony who can take the Element of Harmony from the tree... Well, and that actually doesn't include me. I'm innocent! You must believe me!" Discord and and made innocent eyes.

"Then who is the pony that can extract the Element of Harmony and why you're here and harassed the bipeds?" Twilight asked.

"I just come here to tell you to have a lunch, sincerely! And otherwise, I come here to give you this book." Discord said and took a book from his back before gave it to Twilight. The princess narrowed her eyes and briefly looked at the book's cover, which a canvas strap straps over the title of the book.

"The Hero of Tides?" Twilight said as she saw the cover. "Why did you bring me this novel?"

"Well, well, I'm centuries-old, you know? There isn't too many book that I'm enjoy, so I will give you this one. It's my favorite." Discord said.

"I read this book when I was filly, Discord. It's just a story for children." Twilight said.

"Then you should read it again, Twilight. Maybe you will find something useful." Discord said. "Well, I must go now. See you again, Fluttershy. I will waiting for you at your house."

Discord vanished in a flash of light and left the mane six with bipeds. Twilight levitated the book and briefly looked at its cover. The princess knew the story in the book, but she couldn't remember anything special from the story. She remember that the book tell a story of a mysterious hero and the serpent, which has an ability to raise an army from its teeth. Twilight put the book on the case and turned to face her friends.

"I agree with Discord one thing. We need to have some lunch." Twilight said. "Let's eat something at my castle."

"Yeah, lunch time!" Pinkie Pie said.

"But, em... Discord is waiting for me at my house." Fluttershy said.

"Oh, I almost forget. Then we need to go home now. Meet me again this afternoon." Twilight said.

"See y'all later." Applejack said and walked out of the room.

"See ya." Rainbow Dash said and flied out the door.

"See you later, everypony." Rarity said and walked out through the door.

"Goodbye!" Pinkie said and rushed out the room.

"I guess I must go now..." Fluttershy said and slowly flied out the room.

Twilight tidied the papers, the quill and the ink bottle and put them on a haystack while her friends left the room and levitated the case and the book beside her. The princess walked out of the room with the case and the book and headed to her castle. The guard started to move out of the room. The guards locked the door when there was nopony in the room and left the bipeds inside.

Twilight arrived at the front of her dining room. The princess walked in the room and found only one professor is having lunch. Twilight sat on her seat and levitated the book and the case on a dining table before she levitated a dandelion sandwich to eat. The princess knew quickly the lunch is leftovers from yesterday, but she couldn't complain since she hadn't refilled her fridge.

"Sorry, professors, I forgot I have no food inside my castle." Twilight said an smiled sheepishly.

"No worry, princess. Most of us decided to eat something outside when your assistant said the castle is running out of fresh food. There is no hard feeling." a professor said.

"So, where is my assistant now?" Twilight asked.

"He's on the way to buy foodstuffs. I think he's on the way back now." the professor said.

"Okay, I see." Twilight said and ate the sandwich.

"I have to meet my workmates now. We will send a letter to you when we found something in the photos and samples that we collected from the magic craters and the ruin. For me, I must beg my leave." a professor said and bowed to the princess.

"Well, see you later." Twilight said.

The professor stepped down from her chair and exited the dining room. Twilight checked inside the case and found that the gemstones are still in there. She levitated the gemstones and looked at them closely. Twilight filled her stomach with sandwiches and put the gemstones back in the case before she closed it. The princess turned at the door when she heard it is opened. She saw Spike walk to and sat on the chair beside her.

"I refilled our food supply, Twilight." Spike said and looked at the book. "What? You bought another book?"

"No I didn't. Discord gave me the book when I was at a makeshift jail. It's a children's novel knows as "The Hero of Tides", Spike. Are you interesting in it?" Twilight asked.

Spike removed the strap. He read the book's title and opened the book. When Twilight was stepping down from her chair, Spike chuckled and turned the book's page with a illustration at Twilight. The princess tilted her head and walked closer to the book. She looked at the illustration of hero, which is a bipedal creature, is trying to communicate with an ancient pony.

"Twilight, this isn't a novel. It's a history book." Spike asked. "And in other hoof, This hero is alike me, right?"

Twilight raised her eyebrow. She levitated the book from Spike's claws. The baby dragon nearly lost his balance when the princess took away the book. Twilight read a bronze label on the book preciously. It wasn't "The Hero of Tides". It was "The Battle of Selene". She didn't remember the book names like this. Twilight briefly checked the book and found it is a history book that tells about a bipedal hero. The princess quickly turned the pages and eyed on the illustration of hero is drinking a potion hoofed over by a zebra.

"The hero drank the potion, to translate the tongue, of pony and other?" Twilight read out loud. "I think there must be something wrong about this book. Discord might try to prank me."

Twilight put the book on the floor. She shot a dispel spell on it, but nothing was changed. She shot the spell on the book again, but the book was still unaffected.

"Come on, it's just a boring history book." Spike said.

"Okay, okay. Spike, bring me saddlebags to keep this book and the case." Twilight said. The baby dragon ran out to find saddlebags. Twilight touched her chin with her front hoof. The princess had noticed the hero in the book and the bipeds are resembled. Twilight recalled her memory about humans at the Canterlot High School and realized the humans have the same language with ponies.

"Those biped possibly are humans from another world... since I never heard about another language in that realm" Twilight mumbled. "Well, I think I should ask Zecora about a translation potion. If the book was wrong, Zecora would tell she hasn't one... and I will know that this book is counterfeit..."

Spike returned with saddlebags. The princess worn them and levitated the case. She put the case and the book inside the saddlebags.

"Spike, follow me." Twilight said.

Twilight and the baby dragon walked out of the dining room and went to Zecora's hut.

Fluttershy opened her house's door. She walked in and found nopony inside her cottage, but her animals. The animal caretaker looked around the living room, which contains birdhouse and home of her animals. She noticed all food trays are refilled and animal's houses are cleaned. Fluttershy walked in the kitchen. A lunch was on the table, but Discord wasn't there. The timid pony walked upstairs and opened the bathroom's door, but there was nopony in there. Fluttershy looked around her house, but she didn't find her chaotic friend anywhere.

"Discord?" Fluttershy called.

After she received no call back, Fluttershy walked downstairs and sat on a sofa. She put took off her saddlebags and placed it beside her. Fluttershy's animals surrounded the timid pony and looked at her with sad face. Fluttershy petted on Angel's head and noticed a bird is holding a note in its mouth. The timid pony took the note and read it out loud.

"Don't worry, Fluttershy. I will return soon, Discord" Fluttershy read and looked at her animals. "Why he leave this short note to me? Where did he go? Why he didn't tell me anything? Did you know anything?"

Fluttershy listened a squirrel talking to her in its tongue. The timid pony nodded slowly.

"He just did my chores and left the note? He looked serious when he's gone? Oh my... I never see Discord is serious before." Fluttershy said.

A bird tweeted to Fluttershy. The yellow pegasi nodded slightly.

"I should looking for him? But, where should I start?" Fluttershy asked nervously.

Angel prodded Fluttershy and pointed its paw at the kitchen.

"What? I already searched the kitchen. Discord wasn't there." Fluttershy said.

Angel shook his head and made a gesture of eating.

"Oh, I almost forgot! I have to have some lunch." Fluttershy said and flied slowly in the kitchen. The bird looked angrily at Angel and followed the yellow pegasi in the kitchen. Angel shrugged and followed Fluttershy in the kitchen.

Twilight and Spike arrived in front of Zecora's hut in the Everfree forest. The Zecora's hut was in the big tree with few Zebra's masks decorated around and potion bottles hangs on branches. Twilight and Spike approached to the hut. The princess stood in front of the door and knocked it gently.

"Zecora, are you in there?" Twilight asked.

"I'm here in my hut, come in here the door isn't shut." Zecora said in rhyme.

Twilight and Spike opened the door and walked in. Zecora was brewing her potion in her cauldron at the center of the hut. The zebra turned her head to Twilight and smiled.

"What bring you here my friends, I'm happy to see you again." Zecora said.

"Zecora, sorry for interrupt you, but did you know anything about translation potion?" Twilight asked.

"Unquestionably, I have the brew you said, I will show you what I made." Zecora said.

"Definitely, it doesn't exist... What!" Twilight exclaimed.

"It's a simple translation potion with few need, no ingredient in there was exceed." Zecora said and walked to potion shelves. She searched for the potion and picked a flask of translation potion with her front hoof before she walked to Twilight.

"Here the potion, Twilight Sparkle, this brew's effective is double." Zecora said and gave the flask to Twilight. "So, why did you ask for this brew, What caused your curiosity grew?"

"Well, my friend gave me a history book that seem to be fake, so I need to prove it for a reason." Twilight said and gave the flask to Spike. Zecora slightly nodded. "But I also need this potion, too. Well, how to use this potion?"

"You need to drink it from this small cup, but be careful, don't mix it in a syrup." Zecora said and walked to the shelves. She held a cup in her mouth and walked back to Twilight.

"Thank, Zecora." Twilight said and took the cup. She gave it to Spike, who hold the cup and the flask in his arms.

"If you want more of these potion, just asked me when there is the sun." Zecora said. She smiled and turned to the cauldron.

Twilight and Spike walked out of the hut. The princess closed the door and levitated the flask and the cup with her magic to help the baby dragon when he nearly lost his balance. Twilight levitated Spike to sit on her back and walked back to Ponyvile with the flask and the cup beside her.

Roach looked aimlessly at the ceiling. He felt like he has been in the storeroom for ten years. After the six quadrupeds left, Roach had nothing to do, but fiddled with his knife and drank water. He recalled his memory when the six quadrupeds was here and tried to analyze what did they trying to do or what is their intention.

The pink quadruped had gave them desserts, which Roach had to accept in its deliciousness. He didn't know clearly why the pink quadruped had gave them the sweet. Roach assumed that it was trying to bribe him and Ghost, but it was still unclear why they needed to persuade them with desserts, especially the pink quadruped had showed no sign of cunning and seemed to be childish. The white horned quadruped and the orange quadruped had clearly showed that they didn't like him and Ghost at all, but the two quadrupeds had tried to fake that they wasn't mind Roach and Ghost when the horned winged lavender quadruped was around. The cyan winged quadruped with bandages certainly had remembered them and stared meanly at Roach and Ghost all the time. The yellow winged quadruped had appeared to be afraid of Roach and Ghost. The lavender quadruped had clearly been curious about them and the chimera had showed to be tricky.

"I can't connect the dots together. What are 'em? Are they interrogation team? But they looked untrained." Roach thought.

Roach was thinking, but he couldn't find a satisfied answer. He raised up to sit and looked at Ghost. He was sitting as the same position as he got in here and didn't sleep. Roach thought topic of conversation and decided to talk to Ghost to pass the time.

"Ghost." Roach called.

''What?" Ghost replied.

"Can you... remember when we're at the Fire Base Phoenix?" Roach said.

"Well, it's not a good memory for you with that performance at The Pit." Ghost said.

"I know I couldn't come close with your eighteen seconds." Roach said.

"You're still thinking about it?" Ghost said.

"I mean, we joined in the Task Force in the same time. It's always fun to be your teammate in Task Force, but that time is very terrible even I could do it better." Roach said and laughed.

"Everyone makes mistakes, Roach." Ghost said. "Remember, Soap and I trusts you to do every important tasks, because we know you can complete 'em with no flaw and trust in your skill."

"I'm not worthy of such this compliments, Ghost, but thank anyway." Roach said. "So, what's your unforgettable memory?"

Ghost looked at the floor and exhaled. "I failed to protect my family." Ghost said.

"Your family?" Roach said and frowned.

"I killed the murderer with my own hands, so it's alright for me." Ghost said. "After my family died, I've devoted myself to our country, to kill anybody who want innocents' blood, such as Makarov... Well, what's about your family, Roach?"

"Em... I see." Roach said. He thought about the woman in his dream. "I think... I have no family, Ghost."

"Really? I had never known about it. Are you an orphan?" Ghost said.

"Truth to be told, I can't remember anything clearly before I joined SAS." Roach said.

"Okay, I'm understand." Ghost said.

Roach and Ghost turned at the door when they heard it is unlocked. Six familiar quadrupeds and a scaly living thing walked in the room with six horned quadruped guards followed from behind and floating flask and cup in magenta auras beside a lavender quadruped. It had saddlebags on its back. The horned quadruped guards stood behind the six quadrupeds while the lavender quadruped with a magenta aura around its horn. It walked to Roach along with hovering a flask and a cup in magenta auras. The lavender quadruped looked at the flask decants a glittering green liquid into the cup on their own. When the cup was filled, it floated to Roach and placed in front of him and an aura around the cop vanished. Roach stared doubtfully at the cup with a unknown liquid. The sergeant looked at the lavender quadruped. It moved it front hoof to tell him to drink it. Roach pushed the cup away and shook his head. The lavender quadruped frowned. The papers and the quill was covered in magenta auras and levitated from the haystack. The paper and the quill flied and hovered in front of the lavender quadruped. The quill wrote something on a paper in a magenta aura before the paper turned what it was written to Roach.

"Please drink it?" Roach read.

The sergeant narrowed his eyes and looked at the cup of green liquid. He picked the cup up and pulled his balaclava up. Roach noticed that scaly living thing is watching him doubtfully. He sniffed the liquid. He smelled no poison from the liquid, but it didn't smell great either. Roach looked from the corner of his eyes. He could see that the lavender quadrupeds is excited and didn't kept its big eyes off him. When Roach lowered the cup down, the lavender quadrupeds frowned at him and moved its front hoof to tell him to drink. Roach turned to face Ghost. He sat still and looked straight at the sergeant. He put the cup down and shook his head at the lavender quadruped. It narrowed its eyes before the quill wrote on the paper in a magenta aura. The paper turned words to Roach. The sergeant narrowed his eyes and read it.

"Don't be silly. It's a translation potion?" Roach read. "What is a translation potion anyway?"

Roach saw the six quadrupeds are talking to each other before a pink quadruped bounced to stand beside Roach and held the cup in its mouth. It drank all the liquid and put the cup down before It turned and smiled widely at Roach while the lavender quadruped rebuked the pink quadruped with unknown words. The pink quadruped watched the flask decants another liquid in the cup. A orange quadruped walked to him and said something in their tongue. The scaly living thing stood beside him and talked something that Roach can't understand. A cyan quadruped with bandages flied beside him and appeared to mock him with its words, but the lavender quadruped quickly rebuked at the cyan quadruped with unknown words. The cup placed in front of him when it was filled and the lavender indicated him to drink it and slightly smiled at Roach.

"If they intend to kill us, they would do it long time ago." Roach thought. "This is probably the stupidest thing I've even decided. But well, Here we go."

The sergeant picked up and drank all the liquid inside the cup. He put the cup down and felt an electric current running inside his body. Ghost's eyes widened as Roach was glowing. Roach slowly understood what the quadrupeds are talking. Their words slowly became intelligible. When Roach stopped glowing, he pulled his balaclava back and heard the lavender quadruped talking to him.

"Are you alright, sir?" the lavender quadruped said.

"...you can talk?" Roach asked.

"Yes, I can talk." the lavender quadruped said. "So, mister Roach. can you hear me clearly?"

Roach nodded. The papers, the flank, the cup and the quill floated to place on the haystack and the auras around them vanished while the lavender quadruped smiled widely as its horn stopped glowing.

"It's work! The potion is work!" the lavender quadruped said.

"Wow, you can talk now!" the pink quadruped said.

"You sir can talk now? Congratulation!" the white quadruped said.

"Ah know it was a hard time for y'all, but this is a good time for you." the orange quadruped said.

"Ha! at last you can talk now! Nicely done, Twilight." the cyan quadruped said.

"That's amazing!" the scaly living thing said. Roach noticed that it looks like a reptile.

"Well... are you alright?" the yellow quadruped said.

"Well, hold on..." Roach said.

"What?" the lavender quadruped said.

Roach turned to the lieutenant. "Ghost, it's actually a translation potion. I can understand these quadrupeds intelligibly."

"Quadruped? Who?" the lavender quadruped asked and looked doubtfully at Roach. "Well.. anyway, you need to drink, too, mister skull-man. We still have a plenty of it."

The lavender quadruped's horn, the flask and the cup started to cover in magenta auras and float up. The flask decanted and filled the liquid into the cup. It floated to Ghost, who take it with his right hand and stare at the liquid. He pulled his balaclava up and drank the liquid. He glowed for a moment before he turned his face to the lavender quadruped and handed over the cup.

"Here." Ghost said.

The lavender quadruped smiled at Ghost. He pulled his balaclava back while the cup and the flask were levitated and the scaly living thing held them when the auras around the objects and the lavender quadruped's horn was gone.

"Okay, first of all. What are you?" the lavender quadruped asked and looked at Roach before turned at Ghost. Roach was about to speak, but Ghost raised his hand to Roach to stop him and turned to face the lavender quadruped.

"It's us who need to ask you what are you?" Ghost said. The lavender quadruped tilted its head and raised its eyebrow.

"Well... you see, we're pony." the lavender pony said. "Oh, how rude of me? I didn't introduce myself yet. My name is Twilight Sparkle." Twilight put its front hoof at its chest. "Here is my friends. Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Spike." Twilight pointed its front hoof at each ponies and a scaly living thing as it introduced them and put its front hoof down. Twilight's friend, but Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, slightly waved its front hoof at Ghost and Roach.

"Nice to meet you." Ghost said quickly. "Well, you look like civvies more than a part of army. I know interrogation team maybe casual sometime, but you're different."

"Em... yeah! We're not E.U.P. Guard. We just need some answer from you two." Twilight said.

"What do you want?" Ghost asked.

"I want to ask you again. What are you?" Twilight asked.

"It's actually 'who are you?', not 'what are you?' " Ghost said. "But if you asked about our species, we're human. I'm Ghost and this guy with goggles is Roach." Ghost gesture his hand to Roach.

"So, mister Ghost. Why you couldn't comprehend our words? All human I met can talk and understand our language." Twilight said.

"I don't know what kind of human you met, but there is no possible for you to survive on our Earth." Ghost said.

Twilight frowned. It stepped away one pace, but kept its eyes on the lieutenant. Fluttershy hid behind Rarity while Rainbow Dash narrowed its eyes and frowned. Pinkie Pie and Applejack looked and each other before looked at Ghost and tilted their heads.

"So, why did your friend had the Element of Harmony?" Twilight asked.

"What is the Element of Harmony?" Ghost asked.

"Well... here." Twilight said as its horned glowed. The case in magenta aura was levitated from its saddlebag and floated to Ghost. It opened and briefly showed six gems inside before it closed. "It used to be inside stones found in your friend's pocket."

"I have no idea where did he get 'em." Ghost said.

"You lied, Ghostly! They're in his pocket. You certainly must get it from somewhere!" Rainbow Dash said.

"Rainbow Dash, stop!" Twilight said and turned its head to Ghost. "I must sorry for her, mister Ghost."

"So, I gave you many answers. I would like to ask you as well." Ghost said. Roach knew what is he plan for.

"I'm listening." Twilight said. The case put in the saddlebag before the aura around it and the lavender pony's horn was vanished.

"Where are we now?" Ghost asked.

"You're in Ponyville, of course." Twilight said.

"Ponyville? That's weird name..." Ghost said.

"Hey! you shouldn't say anything like that. Your friend's name is worse than our village's name!" Spike said while he put the flask and the cup down.

"It's alright, Spike." Twilight said.

"So, your ponies and scaly things live in this village?" Ghost said.

"No, no, no. He's a baby dragon. Beside, we have other cities and towns around Equestria, such as Manehattan, Canterlot, Fillydelphia and many of them. Well, it's maybe too late, but we welcome you two to Equestria." Twilight said before Spike could say a word. The lavender pony smiled sheepishly at Ghost.

"But you imprisoned us in this storeroom. It's not a good introduction." Ghost said.

"Em... well... you see. You and your friends harmed many royal guards with your magic and we didn't know yet that you're Shade Thieves or not, so we have to put you in here." Twilight said.

"We don't know about Shade Thieves or anything like that. And we have no magic. It's nonsense." Ghost said.

"Every criminal says that they're innocent." Rainbow Dash said. It hovered in the air and crossed its front legs.

"It's your choice what you're gonna believe, but you comical ponies will get nothing from us until we're released." Ghost said coldly and stared at Twilight.

"Hold your tongue, you cunning monster! You know who you're speaking to!? She is the princess! Show some respect to her!" a guard behind Rarity yelled.

"I didn't mind that." Twilight said to the guard and turned its head to Ghost. "Okay, I promise I will release you and your friend."

"These ponies are unintelligent than they look." Roach thought. He saw that Twilight was easily convinced by Ghost. He had expected Ghost to persuade the lavender pony a bit longer to release them. His hope started to grow. Ghost moved a bit and nodded slightly.

"But with three agreements." Twilight said.

Ghost raised his eyebrow. He looked at Roach, who gestures his hand to listen to Twilight. Ghost nodded and turned to face Twilight. Roach hoped the agreements are easy to comply.

"Go on." Ghost said.

"First, you must promise us that you will not harm anypony." Twilight said.

"That's easy." Ghost replied.

"Next, you must listen to me and be under my watch." Twilight said.

"... That fine." Ghost replied.

"And last, you two have to make a Pinkie Promise that you won't break these agreements."

"What?" Roach thought.

"Okay, I will do it." Ghost said.

"Good! Now, say with me!" Pinkie Pie said and bounced on its hooves to stand between Ghost and Roach. "Cross My Heart, Hope to Fly, Stick a Cupcake in my Eye!" Pinkie Pie said slowly while it put its front hoof on its chest and raised the hoof up before put the hoof on its eye.

"Did I have to do this!?" Roach thought while he was looking at Pinkie Pie doing its promise.

Roach and Ghost looked at each other. They both hated to do a childish act. Roach looked at the six ponies, especially Pinkie Pie. They stared at them and waited for Roach and Ghost to do the promise.

"Cross My Heart... Hope to Fly... Stick a Cupcake in my Eye..." Roach and Ghost said and acted the promise with low enthusiasm.

"Thank for your cooperation." Twilight said and clapped its front hooves before it turned its face to its friends. Twilight's friends, but Rainbow Dash, smiled back. Twilight turned its face to Ghost and raised its front hoof.

"Guard, set two humans in the storehouse free." Twilight said.

"But, princess." a pony guard protested.

"Don't worry, I know they will keep the promise." Twilight said.

Pony guards looked at each other. Roach knew the pony guards don't trust him and Ghost. One of the pony guards looked angrily at Ghost, while one of them put a mic out from its armor.

"Commander Strong Swift, princess Twilight Sparkle request to release two humane suspects." the pony guard said to the mic.

"They're human, guard." Twilight said.

"Oh, pardon me, princess." the pony guard said.

Roach noticed that all pony guards wear a small earpiece in their ear and have a small mic. The pony guard listened its command and put the mic back in its armor.

"Suspects release!" the pony guard announced.

"Please follow me." Twilight said to Roach and Ghost.

Ghost and Roach stood up. Spike picked up the flask and the cup. The pony guards leaded the six ponies and Spike out of the room with Ghost and Roach. Upon Roach and Ghost ducked down and walked out of the room. Ponies on the road stared at the elite soldiers and stopped what they are doing instantly. Twilight looked at the ponies and smiled awkwardly.

"Don't worry, everypony. We talked and told them to made a Pinkie Promise that they won't hurt anypony." Twilight announced.

Many ponies breathed a sigh of relief. Ponies continued their daily life and looked away from the elite soldiers. The six ponies and Spike leaded Roach and Ghost while pony guards watched out the elite soldiers' back. While they were walking on the road, Twilight and its friends had to talk or announce to ponies that didn't know about Roach's and Ghost's promise. Twilight kept announcing like "They're friendly. Don't panic everypony.", or "It's okay, everypony. They won't do any harm", or "Calm down, they mean no harm.". The news spread fairly quickly as less ponies were panicking when they saw the elite soldiers. Roach and Ghost looked around while followed the six ponies. The village was lively and peaceful. There is no sign of conflict around and every pony was cheerful. The air was fresh and the environment was clean. Roach breathed in the air and exhaled loudly.

"So, where are we going?" Ghost asked.

"To the Sugarcube Corner, of course." Twilight said.