Sunset Imperishable

by EldritchNexus

Rating: everyone
Tags: Other, Trixie, Lightning Dust, Adventure, Sunset Shimmer, Main 6, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark
Length: 26884

Sequel to "Sunset Rekindled". Equestria's security has been compromised, and it will take far more than Sunset Shimmer or even the Princesses could ever imagine to save the day this time. This time, the entire world is under threat.

Set a month after Sunset Rekindled, Sunset Shimmer and her friends are finally returning to Equestria after an extended leave of absence overseas in Saddle Arabia.

It is a period of unrest and turmoil in Equestria in the wake of the defeat of King Nelphyn and Tirek alike.

Talk of civil war is brewing between the royal-controlled settlements of Equestria, and those under the perpetual vigilance of the Neo-Templars.

A strange anomaly lurks among the waves that endlessly crash among its shores, pulling ships under to their demise. Inspiring fear, hostility, and paranoia, the origins of these attacks are unknown, and both of the major Equestrian factions have exchanged the blame with one another, and a threat of all-out retaliation is in the air.

Meanwhile, the ancient god of evil that is Saegmuntitus has yet to unfold his ultimate plan unto the world, but promises will be kept and even the Alicorns alone will not be able to avert this when the time comes.

To face these dilemmas, the power of friendship will have to spread like never before, as Sunset Shimmer and her friends venture forth into an odyssey of epic proportions to the far corners of Equestria...and beyond.

Current cover art: "Sunsets Dignity" by Shutterflyeqd

Published 2015-09-17 01:00:01 UTC
Last updated 2017-02-11 18:08:01 UTC

Terror from the Depths

It was the early evening, and a warship was patrolling the sea off Equestria's south-eastern coast, beneath the darkening sky. The warship was fifty yards long, and sixteen in width. It had a gilded frame around its ebony body, and many stallions in sailor gear were patrolling the five decks above.

"All right, everypony." said Durasteel, the earth pony captain of the ERS Falchion to his crew. "We just got word that someone or something has attacked Baltimare harbor. We don't know what it is, but Royal Commander Star Shield needs the Royal Navy to scour the area for it."

"Aye-aye, sir." said his first mate, a unicorn sailor. "Turning her around."

"Take her slow and steady. We're gonna be sailing through Neo-Templar territory, and things are uneasy as it is with them. So whatever you do: In the name of Celestia, do not open fire on them...unless we're given no other choice."

"Aye, sir!" said another sailor.

The ship continued onwards for a while. They were nearing a coastline that was lined with mahogany trees. The Falchion drifted noiselessly through the advancing darkness. They could hear a fog-horn in the distance, and flickers of light from the shore. Some of the sailors could make out silhouettes of colonial-styled houses along the coast, and several pony-shapes galloping to and fro in single file.

"We have a settlement on our port side, sir." said the first mate to the captain, who had gone to the bridge deck.

"Keep going." said Captain Durasteel. "We're not stopping anywhere until we're out of Neo-Equestrian waters."

"Aye, sir." said the first mate with a salute, before turning to the sailor turning the wheel. "Keep this baby going forwards. We're not in neutral territory yet."

The Falchion carried on, the sound of the fog-horn echoing in the gloom. It wasn't until the warship entered a thick cloud of fog that the horns died away. Durasteel was scrutinizing his map and consulting the navigator on what they would take next. There was a clatter of hooves as another sailor galloped down a stairway from a higher deck and rushed breathlessly over to the captain with a salute.

"Cap'n, we've got us some trouble."

Durasteel went up to the highest deck of his ship, where more sailors were loading the ballistas mounted there with steel-tipped projectiles. There were two or three armored warships circling them, none of them resembling those used by Equestria's Royal Navy. They were sleek, black, and had a chrome finish with armored plating on every side, being moved through the water by a large steam engine protruding from the keel-side.

"What's the situation?" said the captain. "How did these ships get so close to us?"

"I dunno, they must've passed through the fog-banks." said sailor. "Or maybe we got right into the middle of them?"

Durasteel looked beyond one of the ships, and saw a large port along the shore to the Northwest. It wasn't Baltimare, nor any other cities they recognized, so they could only assume this was a foreign settlement, and Durasteel didn't need to guess before deducing whom lived there.

There was a clap of thunder, and it began to rain wildly without warning. The warships turned on electronic floodlights mounted on the port and starboard sides, and shone them upon the Falchion's gunwale and sides.

"Attention, Royalist vessel!" blared a voice rising up from one of the armored ships. "We are the Neo-Equestrian Marine Forces, 6th Ironclad Division! You are trespassing in waters that rightfully belong to our government! You are advised to turn away immediately, or we will open fire! We have weapons trained on every side of our ironclads, so don't do anything you'll regret, which is highly likely."

"What should we do, sir?" the sailor asked Captain Durasteel.

"Hold your fire." replied the captain. "We aren't here to fight them."

He took a megaphone, and his own voice echoed throughout the bay.

"This is Captain Durasteel of Equestria's Royal Navy, assuring you that we mean no harm to the Neo-Templars nor the citizens they protect. We are simply passing through to get back to our--"

Suddenly, there was a massive build-up of bubbles in the water surrounding the Falchion.

"What in the--" Durasteel exclaimed.

There was a low moaning as the water started to get darker and darker, and something monstrous rose out of it on all sides, and a droning roar filled the air as the darkness rose and completely surrounded the vessel. There was widespread panic aboard the ship, both topside and below deck Captain Durasteel could only look around in horror as the entire ship was swallowed up in the closing jaws of the great leviathan. Sailors were frantically hollering orders to each other to load and fire the weapons, and discharging the ballistas in vain at the monstrous creature's interior. As the jaws closed, all went dark and silent.

The storm raged on, and lightning was striking atop the nearby buildings along the shore, and the rain was worsening with each second, the water splashing against the ironclads surrounding the monstrous thing that was rising out of the water.

The crews of the three ironclads watched in sheer awe as a massive humped shape slowly rose out of the water, then clamped itself shut with the Falchion inside its jaws. The great beast of the sea had a shiny and black exterior like chitin, ominous red lights like eyes dotting its length on all sides, the monster was scarcely describable, especially in the darkness of the night and the chaos of the storm. However, it was still visible to them, leaving a perfect opportunity to shell this new terror into oblivion. But before the templars could aim their cannons and open fire on the creature, the humped shape submerged itself, and the templars were able to catch glimpses of its colossal shadow in the water as it moved in on them.

There was movement in the middle of the shadow, and several glowing lights rose upwards by the cluster. The lights were at the ends of glistening tendrils, that rose up to meet the ironclads' armanents, which were blasting at the lights with all their might...

THREE DAYS LATER...

In Canterlot, Royal Commander Star Shield was in an intense debate with Neo-Equestrian Admiral Jak Maelstrom, with Princess Celestia and a few representative from both sides of the government in attendance.

"I assure you, Admiral." said Star Shield. "That ship had no right being in your territory. It was all a misunderstanding. However, there was also no need to sink it, either!"

"Commander Shield, my boys did not open fire a single shell on the Falchion." said Maelstrom, angrily. "But I do think it's clear that your ship sank mine! There were three shipwrecks in the water by the time we got there, and not a single sign of yours."

"And what makes you so sure that it was our ship that destroyed them?"

"Because the last thing that was sent back to us before the ironclads were destroyed was a mention of how they encountered a Royalist warship in Neo-Equestrian waters, and then a distress signal just three minutes later. I think that's enough proof that your ship was involved, in one way or another."

"Admiral, if we wanted to declare war on your government, we would've made it more clear." said Celestia. "Don't forget that your own citizens have wronged mine...quite recently, in fact."

"What Firewing's boys did in Fort Echidna was not condoned or even authorized by any of our ministers." said Jak Maelstrom. "We may not like the idea of having one of you be our leader, but that doesn't mean we go enslaving and torturing--"

"Then you should understand that things can happen beyond our control." said Star Shield.

"Sure, like a sea monster swallowed up your ship and destroyed all three of my own." said Maelstrom, sarcastically. "That's a load of horse-apples, commander. Our ships were sunk by something capable of firing projectiles strong enough to penetrate our ships' armor, which may I remind you were reinforced with titanium alloy! There are no creatures, big or small, in those waters that could be capable of destroying them so thoroughly."

"Our naval vessels don't have the armanent required--"

"So you're saying my ships destroyed each other?" said Jak Maelstrom.

"Were there any survivors?"

"None." said Maelstrom. "Not one was left alive when we got there, and your ship was nowhere in sight."

"That is not our fault." said Star Shield. "In fact, this is the second time one of our ships disappeared. Another was taken from Baltimare harbor just last week, never to be seen again. Considering what happened in that area last month..."

"You're accusing me of stealing your ships?"

"Either you, or the sea monster that the locals in Baltimare described."

"There are no monsters in the known world capable of swallowing a warship whole!" said Jak Maelstrom, defiantly. "It's just impossible!"

"Anything is possible, admiral." said Princess Celestia. "Just relax. I know you're upset about what happened to your ships, but the one responsible wasn't us."

Maelstrom took a moment to collect himself, and sighed. He looked straight into Princess Celestia's eyes, and she looked into his. They stared each other down adamantly, before Maelstrom scoffed.

"Perhaps not." he said, wearily. "We'll just have to see what happens. However, if another encounter like this happens again, I can't be responsible for what the other templars will do in retaliation. There may be some monstrous beast out there destroying our ships, or maybe not. But unless we can find a sufficient amount of evidence to prove this...thing exists, further exchanges could lead to more...drastic measures. Until then, I bid you all adieu."

He turned back to his entourage, and they left the castle unabated.

Star Shield sighed.

"Commander?"

Star Shield turned to his ruler.

"He's scared of whatever is out there." said Princess Celestia. "I could see it in his eyes."

"And I wouldn't blame him." said Star Shield. "A lot has happened these past months. And that's not even getting into what happened with Tirek and Discord."

"Of course." said Celestia, shuddering at the reminder. "I just hope Equestria can survive whatever these problems lead us all into."

"What should we do though?" asked Star Shield.

"Our cities in the far corners are in danger." said Celestia. "And there's one stallion that I know can help us...if he can still be reasoned with."

"Would you like me to send with you an escort?"

"That won't be necessary." said Celestia. "But you can never be too careful these days, so go ahead."

"Where will you go, your majesty?"

"Las Pegasus. I think it's time I paid a certain somepony there a long-overdue visit." Celestia narrowed her eyes. "Commander Shield, I'm going to need you and the Guard to watch the castle while I'm away. I won't be long."

"Understood, ma'am." Star Shield saluted.

"Also, I expect Sunset Shimmer and Captain Radiant Dawn to be returning soon. Send somepony to make sure they aren't delayed, will you?"

"Of course, your majesty." nodded Commander Shield.

Master Zed stood amid the sand-dunes to the East of New Mustangia as he watched the sky. A templar guard from the colony galloped to him, almost out of breath.

"Master Zed." he panted. "We've just received word about a temporary ceasefire with the Royalists, in order to stop this insanity and confusion."

"And...?" said Master Zed, monotonously as he saw a dark mass drifting across the stormy sky, in their direction..

"And so, I have orders from Minister Sterling not to attack the--"

Suddenly, there was a series of rustling noises, as several pony-shapes dug themselves out of the sand: a squad of armored mercenaries. All Pegasus stallions in black armor, with spiked helmets and gas masks similar to those worn by Zed.

"I'd like to introduce you to my elite unit." said Zed to the templar. "Arrived just a few days after myself. I've gathered them all here solely to topple that airship."

"But--"

Zed turned around.

"That's it." Zed told his troops. "The airship flown by the group codenamed 'E.O.H.'. I'm sure I don't need to remind you of your objectives."

The mercenaries all nodded in unison.

"But didn't you hear me?" said the templar. "You've been given orders to stand down and return to--"

Plunk!

A hoof-blade was embedded halfway in his front-right leg. The blade belonged to one of Zed's men. The templar sank to the ground, groaning painfully.

"But...how...why?!" he gasped for breath.

"Let's just say...I have bigger priorities on my mind." said Master Zed, gripping the templar by the neck. "And since they're changing their own plan, I'm changing mine."

"You'll be--"

"There is no misdeed that the ministers could deal..." said Zed, roughly. "That I haven't already experienced in the past."

He smashed his hoof into the side of the templar's head, and let him fall limply into the sand, where he groaned in pain while clutching the blade-wound with his hoof.

"A storm's brewing up there, boys." said Master Zed, turning to his mercenary force. "And I need anypony unwilling to follow me into that storm to take a step back, since this is your last chance to back away."

None of the armored pegasi moved an inch.

"Excellent." said Master Zed, as the Summerstar passed over them, hiding them under its tremendous shadow. "Then once the rain starts falling, we ascend to the merciless heavens above."

Incoming Turbulence I

Lionel Summerset was in his cell, adjusting the collar on his jumpsuit. Suddenly, the doors were opened. A unicorn jailor went into the corridor.

"Mr. Summerset, you have a visitor." she told him. "A special one, too."

"How special are we talking about?" asked Lionel, flatly. "Because with the company I normally keep, I find it very hard to see what is or isn't considered 'special'."

"I think you'll find this visit to be very special."

Into the corridor, flanked by two royal guards, was none other than--

"Princess Celestia." Lionel tucked his lips into a corner to grin. "What brings you to my corner of Equestria?"

"I came to have a talk with you." said Celestia, with a solemn expression on her face. "Come with me."

She beckoned for the jailor to open Lionel's cell door.

Princess Celestia and Lionel Summerset were in a small square room, sitting on opposite sides of a mahogany table that was reinforced with steel. The door was flanked by two royal guards.

"Mr. Summerset, I'm more than aware of what happened a couple months ago, between you and Sunset Shimmer's group."

"Oh, of course." said Lionel, sipping from a mug of coffee. "Sunset's little gang. The...Brat Pack, as I like to call them."

"I'm sure you also remember that you attempted to murder Sunset Shimmer, as well?" asked Celestia, warily.

"Murder?" Lionel scoffed. "I'm not a psychopath, my dear princess. I was simply defending my property, as any sensible pony would."

"By shelling your own building?"

"The stallion I had running that cannon was a crack-shot." said Lionel. "Maybe a little too cracked."

"Likely story." said Celestia.

"But I'm sure you didn't come all the way here to interrogate me." said Lionel.

"You're right, Mr. Summerset." said Celestia. "I didn't come here for that. Not entirely, anyway. I'm here because I'm in need of your services."

"Then tell me what you need done." said Lionel. "Within reason, of course."

"The outer regions of Equestria are in danger; threatened by forces unknown." said Celestia. "In the wake of some recent...events, the Royal Guard will be stretched too thin to protect these settlements."

"What did you have in mind?"

"Mr. Summerset, I know that you not only have a firm influence in real estate, but also...arms dealing."

"Whatever gave you that idea?" Lionel raised a graying eyebrow.

Princess Celestia narrowed her eyes, so Lionel quickly added:

"But of course, I wouldn't deny I have my own experiences with building and using weapons. After all, that's my special talent. Always has been, since I was a little colt in Saddle Arabia. You see, before I went overseas to this fair land, I was an aspiring young blacksmith in Bridylon. I built weapons for all kinds of folks. Rich and poor, domestic and foreign. My weapons were pristine, powerful, and of course plentiful. Naturally, they became quite popular. and I made lots of money from the trade. But the more widely-distributed my weapons became, the clearer it was that somepony would try using them against me someday. So I decided to leave Saddle Arabia to pursue another career choice, and I saw that Las Pegasus was the perfect place to start again.

"Many opportunities presented themselves there. So I dabbled into a few of them, and found I excelled at some more than others. Real estate, gambling, collecting, but I couldn't turn away for my talent for building weapons, so I made deals and signed contracts with other individuals to help me build weapons that would make the kind I built and sold in Saddle Arabia look obsolete and useless by comparison."

"Well, as much as I hate to see the production of war-machines, I'm convinced that Equestria may be in need of some of those weapons of yours soon. If you agree to help Equestria, I will relieve you of your criminal status, and negotiate with the Iron Horses to give you back your--"

"I will help Equestria, my dear Celestia." Lionel interjected. "But I'm done operating things from my tower here in Las Pegasus. Instead, I'm going to ask for something very different."

"What did you have in mind?"

Report: Success in Saddle Arabia

* * *

Dateline: December 12th. King Nelphyn's been defeated, and Saddle Arabia's slowly but surely pulling itself back together. I, Captain Radiant Dawn Daystar of the Canterlot Night Guard, am proud to report that we all--barely--made it out of there alive. We are out of Saddle Arabian airspace, and en route to Baltimare, where my father plans to make a stop at his old haunt, AKA the University of Baltimare, before resuming our flight back to Canterlot. We expect to make it back shortly before Hearth's Warming Eve. Right now, we could use a little snow after all the hot sand and scalding desert sun. Speaking of harsh weather, there's a bunch of storm-clouds looming over the horizon, even as I add this entry into my report.

I can't see them, but I sense them with my magic, and don't even need to hear them to know that they sure pack a punch. Nose Nip and Frosty have been reminded to stay at a neutral altitude; too high, and we'll be ripped to shreds by the storm. Too low, and we'll get smashed by the raging waters below. Those tidal waves are huge! I swear that one of them was 600 yards high!

Also, I've been told by some seafarers that a sea monster had been sighted off Saddle Arabia's western coast a week or so ago. Didn't they have enough trouble with King Nelphyn, and with all those gods running around? Now we've got something swimming in these waters? What is the monster, anyway? A sea serpent? Kraken? Beached whale? Whatever it may be, we're not going to waste time investigating. I'm sure the paladins can check it out now that Mareusalem's been restored. On a personal note, I think I'm starting to get paranoid. Ever since Nose Nip mentioned seeing a shadow under the water, I've been watching the waves for anything. I'm sure that Nose Nip only saw a shadow of the Summerstar refracted from the sunlight, but with those rumors going on and our own personal experience, you can never be too careful.

Radiant Dawn stopped typing the entry on a typewriter that he purchased in Bridylon, and took a slow but deep breath. The door opened, and Lightning Dust came inside, carrying Ellie Jaye on her back. She had grown quite a bit the past month: Her body was getting darker and grayer, and her rounded violet eyes were visible now that the white layer molted off her face.

"Okay, honey?" asked Lightning.

"I'm fine." said Radiant, nodded.

Ellie leapt off Lightning's back with the speed and agility of a lynx, and landed on the desk next to Radiant's typewriter. It made some clicking noises, and licked his cheek with a thin black tendril-like tongue that left a faint pink stain where it licked.

"Agh! Not now, Ellie." said Radiant, shaking the slime off his cheek. "I've got a report to fill for Princess Luna."

"Oh, don't mind her." said Lightning. "She just wants to get to know you a little more."

Ellie clicked her mandibles, which had grown a few inches in the intervening month, and tapped the table with her extended abdomen, like a beaver pressing down on a dam with its tail. Radiant's horn glowed, and he levitated a beanie-bag out of a drawer and held it up in the air.

"Wanna fetch?" Radiant asked Ellie. "Catch the beanie-baggie?"

Ellie shook her head. She scuttled backwards, leapt off the table, and went out into the hallway.

"Okay..." said Radiant.

Ellie stood on her back legs, her front four stretched out wide as if to catch something.

"Okay, here you go." said Radiant, tossing the beanie-bag at Ellie, who gripped it with her claws and tossed it back.

"Wow!" Radiant sighed. "You're a smart little bug, aren't ya?"

"I've been teaching her all kinds of cool stuff." said Lightning Dust. "Why just the other day--"

"Where'd she go?" Radiant blurted out.

Lightning turned around, and saw that Ellie had disappeared from the doorway. Lightning narrowed her eyes.

"Ahh....she's probably gone exploring again." she muttered under her breath. "I'm gonna go get her again."

She was about to fly out of the room, when Radiant telekinetically pulled her by the tail, and clasped her by the sides.

"I'll get her for ya." he said.

"You sure, Radiant?" Lightning asked.

"Sure I'm sure, baby." Radiant grinned. "Anything for my special somepony."

"Oh, that's so sweet of you." said Lightning Dust, blushing.

Radiant Dawn got up, and went out into the corridor.

"Hey, stretch." Sunflower said to him as she passed by. "Oh, I mean uh...captain. How's it goin'?"

"Just fine, Sunflower." said Radiant. "Tell me, have you seen Ellie anywhere?"

"The bug? Yeah, sure. She's over there with Sunset's bat." Sunflower pointed to the end of the corridor.

Ellie was scurrying down the far end of the hall, Bathilda hovering around her and squeaking something that made the Megamite's antennae twitch. Ellie stopped, looked up at Bathilda, nodded her head, and continued on. She climbed onto a nearby seat and the two looked out a circular viewport on the wall. Bathilda was wide-eyed and squeaking frantically.

"What's the matter with you two?" Radiant said as he went up to them, peering out the window as well.

Radiant peered through the glass, and Bathilda landed in his mane, her clawed feet clinging to his left ear as she pointed a claw forwards. But Radiant saw nothing but stormy weather outside: Dark clouds, rain beating against the airship's frame, and flashes of lightning in the distance.

"What's the matter?" asked Radiant. "You're not afraid of a little thunder, are ya?"

"What's going on, Red?" asked Sunset Shimmer, who came out into the hall at that moment.

"Hi, Sunny." Radiant replied as he turned to face his sister. "Your bat's acting funny. I think this weather's getting to her."

"Well of course it is." said Sunset. "Bathilda relies on her ears much more than her eyes. The poor girl must be going nuts right now with all--"

BOOM! CRR-R-RR-A-A-AACCKK!

"--That thunder and lightning out there." said Sunset. "You wanna stay with mommy right now, Bathilda?"

Bathilda nodded, fidgeting like crazy. She flew off Radiant's head, and landed on Sunset's, her claws clinging anxiously to Sunset's horn. Sunset chuckled.

"Okay, okay." she said, calmly. "Just let momma take you back to her room, 'kay?"

She smirked, and went back down the hall to her bedroom. Radiant smiled as he watched Sunset comfort her pet like it was her own child, then looked down at Ellie, who was still looking out the window. He decided to continue looking out the window with her.

"Awww, how cute." said Lightning, who had flown out of Radiant's room. "You two are bonding!"

"I guess I am." shrugged Radiant.

Ellie climbed onto Radiant's back, and dug her legs into his mane. Then she lay on her back, sticking one of her back legs towards the ceiling in a relaxed, confident pose. Radiant and Lightning looked at each other, exchanging amused grimaces.

"I think she's comfy around me." observed Radiant.

"That's my girl for ya!" Lightning chuckled. "Sure takes a lot after me, don't you think?"

Suddenly, Ellie spontaneously leapt up into the air, making a loud pig-like squeal as she did so. She landed on her clawed feet along Radiant's back as loud clattering noises came from the ceiling.

"What the heck is that?" Radiant exclaimed. "Sure doesn't sound like rain..."

Suddenly, water dripped down onto his back, and the lights in the hall abruptly died out. He looked up, and saw a pegasus stallion hanging upside-down from the dark ceiling, adorned in glistening black garb and headgear that concealed his body and face, respectively. He looked down at Radiant with a baleful glare from his mask. Several other pairs of red eyes appeared in the gloom around them.

Incoming Turbulence II

Princess Luna paced around the throne room. Accompanying her was Lieutenant Flash Sentry.

"Princess, are you okay?" asked Flash.

"Of course." said Luna, frowning.

"Are you sure, ma'am?"

"No..." admitted Luna. "I've been so restless lately. I worry about Sunset Shimmer and her friends. I can't help but feel they should have returned by now."

"I'm sure they'll be back tomorrow." said Flash, yawning. "And then I can get back to my post at the Crystal Empire."

"I would love to go there, too." said Luna. "To see my niece again."

"Princess Cadence, right?" asked Flash.

"Naturally, Flash." said Luna. "Did you know that they're...expecting?"

"Expecting what?" asked Flash Sentry. "I've haven't been there in a while."

Princess Luna looked around, as if to make sure nobody was spying on them.

"They're expecting a--"

Suddenly, the doors swung open, and another Flash Sentry went inside.

"Sorry I'm late, Princess Luna--" said the second Flash, who stopped in mid-sentence. "What the heck is going on?"

The first Flash started to cringe and whimper.

"Uh...uh..." he said, starting to speak with a scratchy, high-pitched voice. "I can explain."

The first Flash burst into green flames, and started to shrink significantly. A tiny Changeling crept out of the flame, and started cowering before Princess Luna.

"D-don't hurt me!" stammered the tiny Changeling.

"Prince Naurius, I presume?" Luna said, remembering the young Changeling.

"Uh-huh." nodded Naurius. "Just...be nice, will ya?"

"What is the matter with you?" asked Luna, concerned. "I'm not going to hurt you. But I am going to question why you felt the need to disguise yourself as Flash Sentry here."

"Yeah, you better have a good explanation, little guy." said Flash Sentry, staring Naurius down. "You can get in a lot of trouble trespassing in Canterlot Castle."

"It's quite all right." said Luna. "I'm sure Naurius meant no harm."

"Of course I don't!" said Naurius.

"Naurius, why don't you sit with me for a moment?"

"Sit with you?" repeated Naurius, tilting his head in confusion.

Luna nodded, then sat down on the floor. Naurius crept to her side and sat down.

"Now, would you care to explain--"

"WWAAAAAHHHHHH-HAAA-HAAAAAAAAAA!!" Naurius started to bawl wildly, clasping to Luna's front-left hoof and sobbing into her saddle-plate.

"Sssshhhhh..." Luna put her other hoof over him to relax.

"I'm sorry." said Naurius. "I just...can't control myself sometimes."

"Take a deep breath, Naurius, and tell me what's gotten into you?" said Luna. "What are you doing all the way in Canterlot away from your family"

"My...family." grumbled Naurius. "My...stupid...mean... disrespectful, lollygagging lackadaisy--I mean, I've got problems with my sister...you know, as usual."

"Princess Dana?" asked Luna.

"Yep, that's her." Naurius rolled his eyes. "She's been riding me harder than usual all month long. She blames me for every mistake she makes, and she's a big jerk about it, and...I just wanna get away from it all. Princess Luna?"

"Yes?"

"Is it okay if I stay here with you...at the castle?" asked Naurius.

"What?" Luna and Flash both said at once.

"I mean, just for a couple of days." said Naurius, agitated. "Until that wannabe Queenie stops being a meanie...to me!"

"I'm not too sure if that would be a wise decision." said Luna.

"Aw, come on!" whined Naurius. "I promise I won't get in your way. I swear it!"

His eyes dilated.

"You...don't mind if I don't really swear do you?" asked Naurius. "I did that once, and Dana left me stranded in a cave for five days."

He shuddered.

"But what about the rest of your family?" asked Luna. "Wouldn't this cause an incident if the Changelings found out one of their royal family was--"

"Eh....I'm sure father wouldn't mind." said Naurius, shaking one of his hooves dismissively. "He barely pays that much attention to me anyway. And my own mom can barely stand to be around me and father. Says I'm too high-strung or something. Could you imagine?"

"I'm sure I could."

"So what do you say, Princess Luna?" Naurius bent down on his back hooves. "Can I stay for a while?"

His mouth started to quiver and his yellowish-green eyes became even larger than before.

Teddy and Trixie were playing cards in the lounge.

"Full house!" said Trixie, laying her cards on the table. "Just like my magic shows. I win, Teddy."

"You sure did, Trixie." said Teddy.

"And now that Trixie has beaten you twenty times in a row, you must tell her the truth..." Trixie leaned towards Teddy, narrowing her eyes.

Teddy started to sweat.

"Does the Timid and Inferior Teddy recall that moment, last month, in Canterlot..." Trixie said in a low tone. "When he dared lock lips and tongue with the face of Trixie?"

"Oh...the kiss?" stammered Teddy.

"Yes. That." Trixie whispered intensely. "And I want to get to the bottom of this once and for all."

The whole world seem to grind to a halt as the two stared into each other's eyes. Suddenly, there was a rumble of thunder, the door was slowly opened, and two merc-ponies entered the room.  They both raised their bladed hooves.

Sunset Shimmer went into her bedroom with Bathilda, who was screeching her head off over the loud thunder outside.

"Don't worry, sweetie." said Sunset. "We'll be out of this storm before you know it."

There was a flash of lightning, and Bathilda flew up and latched onto a light on the wall, and hid herself beneath her wings.

"It's just a little lightning, Bathilda." said Sunset, chuckling. "Don't worry. We've got lightning rods installed on the airship, so it won't hit us as long as we keep our course. It's nothing to be afraid of."

Bathilda started to shudder, tightening herself in her wings even harder than before. Sunset smiled.

"I'm positive that you'll be okay."

Bathilda poked her head out with an unsure expression on her face as she looked into Sunset's eyes.

"I promise." Sunset nodded. "Now will you come back down here?"

Bathilda cautiously looked out the window, and then swooped down into Sunset's mane, squeaking happily.

"You're such a good little bat." said Sunset, smiling. "You know that?"

Bathilda nodded.

Sunset levitated a pear out of a nearby fruit bowl, and held it in front of her face.

"Chow down." said Sunset, adding as the fruit bat started to nibble. "Not too fast now, okay? Just wait here a minute while I check with Nose Nip about finding a faster way out of the storm."

Bathilda flew off to a table to continue eating the pear, while Sunset looked at her with a warm, loving grin. The she turned around to open her door. She telekinetically opened it, only to reveal three stallions in dark armor and gas masks standing in her doorway. Sunset stared blankly at the trio, who stood silently, staring at her ominously. Sunset telekinetically shut the door on them slowly and calmly. Suddenly, the door burst open, and the three stallions dove into the room, surrounding Sunset.

"Can I help you guys with anything?!" Sunset said frantically.

The stallions each held up a front hoof, each with a weapon attached. One of them tackled Sunset, pinning her to the ground.

"I don't know...who...you guys are..." grunted Sunset. "But you just messed with the wrong unicorn!"

Her horn shone brightly, and the three stallions were levitated into the air, and shot back out the door. But this didn't stop them for long, since they all got back up in a matter of seconds. Sunset engaged them. She swung her front hoof into the head of one of the mercenaries, then blasted another away with a concussive blast from her horn. Then she stood upright on her back legs to face the third. posing like a human martial artist. The mercenary complied, and made the same pose, but with axe-blades protruding from his hoof-braces.

"Let's go." Sunset told the mercenary.

They leapt at each other, the mercenary swinging his blades wildly at his opponent.

Golden Sun was reading a book on the History of Saddle Arabia, when suddenly the door to the library was knocked down, and Frosty crashed through, grappling a pegasus mercenary.

"What in Equestria is going on here?!" shouted Golden Sun, alarmed.

"What'zit look like t'yah?!" Frosty blurted out as he hoof-punched his in the face. "We're undah attack!"

"Not again!" sighed Golden Sun, hopping off his stool. "Don't worry, I'll help ya!"

He hesitated, and then grabbed another wooden stool, holding it up in his hooves. He ran hollering towards the two, and swung the stool to whack the mercenary on the head. But the mercenary dodged, picked up Frosty, and placed him in the stool's path.

"Yow!" shrieked Frosty.

"Sorry!" winced Golden Sun.

"Just use yo' magic, ya looney!" Frosty shouted.

Golden Sun's horn glowed, and he blasted both Frosty and the mercenary out the door. The mercenary hit the wall first, absorbing Frosty's collision.

"Thanks!" said Frosty, dazed. "But if ya do that again..."

Another mercenary leapt down from the ceiling. But Frosty was ready this time, and blasted him away.

"Ya might end up like that guy!" Frosty shook himself awake. "Just sayin'."

Golden Sun went out into the corridor, and the two unicorn stallions regrouped.

"We've gotta find the others." said Frosty and Golden Sun at the same time. "Exactly what I was thinking...stop it! You stop it."

More mercenaries emerged from the shadowy corners of the corridor.

"Enough talk!" they both shouted at the same time. "Just fight them!"

The two stood themselves back-to-back, and started blasting spells at the mercs.

"What in blazes is that noise?!" groaned Pressure Point, who was in the infirmary.

The door opened, and a pegasus stallion in black armor entered the room.

"Halt!" said the stallion. "Stop what you're doing!"

"You mean trying to take you seriously?" snarked Pressure Point as he looked at the reflection. "You're not exactly the first stallion to try threatening me on this airship. Just look the stallion over there."

He nudged his head towards the far end.

"Over where--"

Pressure Point used his telekinesis to levitate the stallion and smashed him into the far end of the infirmary, where he landed on a table. Pressure then levitated a mirror up to the stallion's masked face.

"Right there." said Pressure. "See him?"

"Yeah, I sure see him." said the mercenary, pointing towards the doorway.

Another merc was there, armed with bladed hooves. Pressure telekinetically flicked his head, and the mirror struck the second merc on the head. While he was staggering, Pressure used his magic to shoot him back into the corridor.

"Thank you for being so helpful to the good doctor." said Pressure. "Have a lollipop."

Then he opened a closet, grabbed a giant lollipop the size of a stop sign, and whacked the mercenary over the head with it, knocking him out cold.

"Now stay where you are like a good little colt, and I'll give you a free check-up as soon as all your pesky friends are dealt wi--"

Phip!

Pressure felt a dart hit him on the neck. He felt a strange sensation going through his mind. A sensation that he was all to familiar with.

"Anesthetics..." said Pressure, groggily as he turned around and saw a third mercenary pony in the doorway wielding a blowgun. "That all you got?"

Another dart was fired into his neck.

"Go ahead." said Pressure, laughing dryly. "Keep shooting that stuff at me. I'm a doctor. I probably patented whatever you're..."

Suddenly, four more darts struck him from behind the third stallion. Then Pressure's eyes rolled, and he blacked out, just as he was about to cast a spell. The last thing he could see was a blurry image of a half dozen other armored stallions looming over him in the darkness. There were voices talking to each other.

"What should we do?"

"Bring him down to the cargo bay with the others." said a distorted voice.

Squadron Omega

Sunset Shimmer beat her final adversary as hard as she could with her hooves, and looked down at his masked face.

"Okay..." she panted. "Talk. Who are you, why are you here, and who sent you?"

The mercenary took a deep breath.

"In the proper order." he said, in a low voice. "One: None of your business. Two: None of your business. And three: Kiss my--"

"Answer my questions!" snapped Sunset, she raised one of her front-right hoof to punch the mercenary, when suddenly another armored hoof stopped her; it seemed that someone else had snuck up behind her with anyone present noticing.

"I'm afraid that just won't do..." said another voice. "My lady."

"You fools have nothing on moi!" Trixie proclaimed as she telekinetically levitated the two mercenaries above the table.

"Yeah, what...she said." said Teddy, whose face was bruised and bandaged from the fight.

"Now unless you want to be humiliated further, I'd recommend--"

Suddenly, the door swung open again, and five more mercenaries entered the room in a "V"-formation.

"That you drop our boys before we drop you." said the mercenary in the middle.

"I can take 'em, Trixie." said Teddy.

He galloped towards them, shouting "Geronimo!"

He struck one of the mercenaries on the head, knocking off his helmet and mask. His face had bruises around his right eye, which was mismatched; the left eye was silver while the right was gold.

"I'm going to enjoy gutting you like a fish." he told Teddy, who gulped.

He lifted a bladed hoof, and swung it at Teddy, who ducked slightly too late, as his orange mohawk-styled mane was split at the top.

Then Trixie telekinetically threw the two captured mercenaries into the other four, and rushed to Teddy's side.

"Nopony hurts this pathetic worm, but me." Trixie said, placing a hoof over Teddy's shoulder and around his neck.

"Worm this!" one of the other mercenaries said, brandishing a whip from under his body armor.

He lashed out, and the whip coiled around Trixie's neck. He pulled back, and started to choke Trixie. Teddy jumped forward to tackle the mercenary, who ascended to the ceiling with his wings. Teddy crashed into the wall behind the mercenaries, who all started to hover and flap their wings.

The whipmaster flew up, grappling Trixie, who still had the whip caught around her neck. He let her fall without letting go of the whip, intending to break Trixie's neck like a hangman on a noose. But Trixie grabbed onto the whip, and pressed her glowing horn against its length. The whip caught fire and snapped in two. The longer end flipped back, and hit the whipmaster on one of his own wings.

"Yow!" he shrieked in pain. "You cheating harlot!"

He dropped down to the floor, brandished another whip--this one made of links of silver chain. He raised it over his head, poised to lash at Trixie with all his might, when suddenly it glowed and coiled around the whipmaster's own neck.

"I...really...hate unicorns!" growled the whipmaster as he struggled to break free.

"So sue me." smirked Trixie.

Pressure Point woke up on a cold metal surface, his vision still blurry. It took him a moment to realize he was in the cargo area of the Summerstar, and that he wasn't alone; Some of these mysterious mercenary-ponies were standing guard around him, as well as two or three other ponies that were apparently subdued by these intruders.

"This one's just woken up." said one of the mercenaries, raising a hoof-blade. "Lemme fix that."

"Don't bother." said another. "It's not like he'll be going anywhere anyway."

"Who the devil are you?" moaned Pressure. "What's...going...on here? And what...what's that ticking?"

He turned his head, and saw a TNT barrel with sticks of dynamite strapped around it. Attached to the dynamite was a ticking clock-like device.

"Oh, no." said Pressure.

"Don't worry, that one's not meant for you." said a rough voice.

Pressure looked up, and saw a mercenary stooping over him, his masked face glinting like the hide of a Changeling.

"What is going on here?" asked Pressure Point. "Who are you?"

"You may call me Zed." said the mercenary. "Master Zed. I take it you've all been introduced to my mercenary force, Squadron Omega."

One of the other ponies stirred themselves awake. It was Radiant Dawn, who was struggling to stand himself up, but one of the other mercenaries pinned him to the floor. A door opened, and a couple of other mercenaries entered. One of them was carrying Sunset Shimmer on his back. Her eyes were closed and she appeared to be unconscious.

"Hey..." Radiant asked wearily. "What did you do to my sister?"

"Relax." said one of the mercenaries. "She still lives...for now."

"What's going on here?"

"Your retribution." said Master Zed. "Nothing more, and nothing less. Everyone aboard this zeppelin has been deemed a threat to my employer."

"Your employer?" repeated Radiant, groggily. "So who sent you? The Changelings? Was it Summerset? The Neo-Templars?"

Master Zed brandished a hoof-blade and held it to Radiant's neck. Radiant paused without another word.

"Smart." Zed told him.

He started to pace around the captives.

"Your friends and family are being apprehended as we speak." Zed said to Radiant and the unconscious Sunset. "'E.O.H.'...that's what our employer calls your little...team."

"'E.O.H.'?" repeated Radiant. "Like the 'Elements of Harmony'? You got the wrong ponies. We have nothing to do with--"

"We know." said Master Zed. "But that's not what we're here for. In this case, 'E.O.H.' stands for 'Equestria's Other Heroes'."

"Why?"

"Because that's exactly what all of you are." said Master Zed. "Back-up. Reinforcements that Equestria can potentially rely on if the real saviors should fail."

"How flattering." said Pressure Point, rolling his eyes.

"I would actually say 'pathetic'." said Master Zed.

"I know, right?" snarked Pressure, getting back up. "Somepony actually went to the trouble of taking a hit out on this flying circus that I've found myself lumped with on more than one occasion. Not to mention they actually thought that we were on par with the Elements of Harmony enough to give us the same initials."

"Anything is possible, doctor." said Master Zed. "My employer knows this more than anyone I've ever met in all the long years I've lived in Eqjuestria."

"Who's your employer?" asked Radiant.

"Why bother telling you when you're all going to die, anyway?" asked Master Zed. "Open the hatch!"

One of the other mercenaries hit a switch on the wall, and the cargo bay door opened. The wind was howling, and cold air and water spilt into the room.

"What, are you gonna throw us out of our own airship?!"

"No." said Master Zed. "We're dispersing ourselves away from here."

Lightning Dust stirred, indicating she regained consciousness. One of the mercenary-ponies grabbed the timed charge and flew out of the room. Several of his comrades dove out over the treetops below; apparently, the Summerstar had managed to emerge out of the thunderstorm over the eastern coast of Equestria.

"Why?" asked Radiant.

"Because our work is done here." said Master Zed. "We've rigged bombs to detonate the ballast systems of your zeppelin. After that, all kinds of things will happen."

Suddenly, there were several bright flashes of light coming from the corridor, followed by shouting and grunting. One of the mercenaries fell into the cargo bay, and was sent hurdling out of the open door, hollering maniacally as he went.

"You're going to pay for that dearly." said Master Zed. "Starting with her."

Master Zed approached Sunset Shimmer, who appeared to still be unconscious. He lifted a bladed hoof, poised to strike. Before Radiant could do anything, Zed lunged forward...only to be blocked by the hoof-blade of one of the other mercenaries, the one that carried Sunset into the room.

"Not so fast, ya codfish." said Sunset's savior. "Now!"

Sunset Shimmer opened her eyes, sprang back up and started blasting at the other mercenary-ponies. Golden Sun, Frosty, Scarlet Blaze, Maud Pie, Crimson Blade, and Sunflower all rushed in to join the fight. Sunset Shimmer and the turncoat helped Pressure Point, Radiant Dawn, and Lightning Dust out of the open area, while the latter simultaneously blasted more of the mercenaries out the open hatch.

"You go help the others." said the turncoat. "I'll take care of Zed."

"It doesn't matter." said Master Zed. "I've already won. In a matter of time, this whole airship is going to be a cloud of fire over Baltimare."

Master Zed darted backwards, made a dive out of the airship, and disappeared.

"What did he mean?" asked Radiant Dawn.

"It means that if we don't hurry up and find those other bombs, this whole thing is going to be blasted to--" Sunset began.

BANG! BOOM! CR-RRRACK!

The Summerstar started to shake uncontrollably.

"What was that?!" exclaimed Pressure Point.

A trail of smoke issued into the cargo area from the corridor beyond, and an alarm rang. There was another explosion.

"Dat came from the engine room!" shrieked Frosty. "I gotta get to the bridge! Whoever else can go, find out where the other bombs are!"

He galloped madly through the corridor, fighting through the superheated steam and blinding smoke that filled most of the airship at this point. When he finally made it to the bridge, he found Nose Nip grappling with yet another pair of mercenaries. Frosty quickly blasted them off of his friend, and helped him up.

"Thanks, I owe you one." said Nose Nip.

"You can pay me back by not letting this thing crash or blow up!" said Frosty. "What's the damage?"

"Engine one's been disabled by that explosion just now, and judging by the alarms, we've got fire in the cargo and maintenance decks." summarized Nose Nip. "Frosty, you think you can find a way to put them out before they blow up the fuel tanks?"

"Got it!" nodded Frosty, who ran up a nearby ladder to the maintenance hatch. Nose Nip seized the steering wheel, and pushed forwards on it so that it would descend.

There was another explosion at the rear of the zeppelin, which started to rock back and forth in mid-air; apparently, the mercenaries found a way to detonate the rear section of the ballast system.

"I hope that nopony that ain't a pegasus is anywhere near an open door or window..." Nose Nip said to himself. "Or it's gonna be an uncomfortable way down."

Lightning Dust and the turncoat mercenary were feverishly flying around the cargo area, trying to stop their friends from falling to their demise. But they knew that they couldn't save everyone for long. However, with the help of the unicorns' telekinesis, they were able to seal the cargo doors just in time.

However, this would not prevent the airship was swaying and shaking left and right, or back and forth.  The whole experience, combined with the thunderstorm raging outside and the alarms blaring inside, was more disorienting than what most of Sunset Shimmer's friends and family had ever experienced in the past. And it seemed to go on for a half hour, before a rumble and several bumps announced that the Summerstar was plowing through a field, and then through a forest.

"Everypony, hold on to something!" Lightning yelled, her voice almost drowned out by the loud noises.

"Don't worry! I know a spell..." Golden Sun hollered. "We can get through this! I promise!"

"Sunset, look out!" Sunset heard Crimson Blade shout to her.

Sunset felt something dark and heavy strike her on the scalp. She blacked out, and all went silent.

The Red Rippers

"What da heck, ma?!" Frosty exclaimed. "Why didn'tcha tell me I had a brother?"

"Well...you didn't ask." said Mrs. Flake, shrugging. "Besides, your father and I haven't been on speaking terms for a long time. Not since we divorced."

"I was very little when it happened." recalled Pressure Point. "Dad left, and took me with him. I didn't remember much else, but..."

"Then he re-married, if I recall." said Mrs. Flake. "I was pregnant with Frosty when your father left me."

"Oh, that's just convenient." scoffed Pressure Point. "I never thought I'd live to actually meet my brother, and he's been driving me nuts for over a month without me realizing who he was. It was bad enough to have Trixie for a cousin. Not you're telling me this loudmouth runt--"

"Hey!" Frosty shouted.

"--is my brother?"

"Pressure Point, is this really how you would treat your own family?"

"Well, the family I grew up with wasn't a very impressive or nice one." Pressure rolled his eyes. "So I'm having trouble believing that the one that was never around will be much better."

"I dunno, I think he's got a point." said Frosty.

"Frosty, Pressure, stop it!" said Mrs. Flake. "Both of you. You're family, so start acting like it."

"On second thought, ma's right." Frosty changed his mind. "Why don't we just start over and--"

"No." said Pressure Point, turning to leave the room. "You're my brother. I accept that. But this doesn't change anything between us. No matter what our mother says. Once I'm done resting in this hospital, I'm going back to work at my hospital in Canterlot. I've hung around this merry band of misfits for too long as it is. I don't have time for any family reunions right now, seeing as my career's on the line. Now good day."

Then he walked out.

"Not even for Hearth's Warming Eve?!" Mrs. Flake shouted after him.

"We'll see!" Pressure called back.

In another room in the hospital, Maud Pie was visiting Nose Nip.

"I'm just glad to see you in one piece, Maud." said Nose Nip. "I just don't know what I'd do if...you know...I lost ya."

"Thanks." nodded Maud, monotonously. "That's what I like about you, Nose Nip. Well, besides the fact that you're one of the only ponies I know outside my family that like rocks as much as me. But that isn't the point. The point, honey, is that you're big and tough, but know how to be kind and patient around a mare like me. The month I spent with you and your friends was...exhilarating."

"Well, that's one way of putting it." commented Nose Nip.

"But I really should be heading back home soon." said Maud. "As much as I've enjoyed your company, my family wouldn't be the same if I wasn't there. Especially since Hearth's Warming Eve is just a few weeks away."

"Okay..." frowned Nose Nip. "I understand."

He bowed his head, deep in thought.

"What's the matter?" Maud asked him.

"It's...nothing." said Nose Nip.

"Nose Nip, I know that something's bothering you." said Maud. "You can tell me what's on your mind. It's perfectly alright."

She gave him a subtle, but warm grin.

"I won't bite."

Nose Nip paused, then took a deep breath.

"Maud Pie..." he said. "I understand what your family means to you...but I wish you didn't have to go. Not so soon, anyway. I was hoping I'd at least get to show you my place back in Vanhoover. And meet my dad."

"Yes, that would be very nice." nodded Maud. "But I'd really like to go back to my own home soon."

"Okay, Maud." Nose Nip said, softly.

"But if you'd like, Nose Nip, I could ask dad if you could come back to visit us during Hearth's Warming Eve."

Many miles away, a squad of Neo-Templars was dispatched to the shores near the last known location of the Royalist vessel and the Neo-Equestrian Ironclads. They had been sent to search for a salvage crew that had gone missing while recovering pieces from the wreckage of their ships. At the head of this squad was Sgt. Axel Crude. There were a dozen templars on the shores, all adorned in black full-plate armor, such as the kind that would have been seen as decorations in the abandoned Castle of the Two Sisters, situated in the Everfree Forest. Slung over their necks and shoulders were dark red capes with the gold insignia of the Red Rippers, with red plumes streaming down from their full-faced helmets.

The Red Rippers were a heavy-duty recon force out of Fort Longhorn, dispatched when situations are dire, and in need of a thorough investigation close to Royalist territory. Crude was waiting at their encampment with five other members of the Red Rippers' detachment.

"Corporal, report." said Sgt. Crude, to one of the other templars that just returned.

"Sir, we've managed to find no other bodies from any of the four vessels, nor from the salvaging team." said the corporal. "However, we were able to find wreckage from the Ironclads, including a near-intact gun emplacement; semi-automatic, 10mm..."

"Good!" said Crude. "I want somepony to run maintenance on it right away. It might prove useful in finding just what it was used against."

"Yes, sir." the corporal saluted, before turning to the others.

He beckoned for some of the other templars to bring the gun to the camp, where (since the guns' stand was too battered to be used again) they mounted it against a makeshift barricade facing the sea. They inspected the gun and the damaged stand. Sgt. Crude looked out into the vast stretches of seawater to the East, pondering just what could have caused the Ironclads to be so thoroughly destroyed. If the Royalists had been responsible for their destruction, surely they would have seen much more wreckage than what had washed ashore. While it was true that the Royalists had much more access to magic than the Neo-Equestrians did, there was no indication that even the most skilled unicorns in the Equestrian Royal Navy were capable of sinking an entire Ironclad while leaving minimal wreckage, let alone three at once.

"Something's not right here..." muttered Crude.

Even as he said this, nearby water started to bubble. Another templar wearing light armor with scuba tanks and a rebreather emerged, and rushed up to the sergeant.

"Did you find anything?" asked Crude.

The scuba-templar, a zebra, took off his rebreather and diving-mask. After a short gasp for air, he said:

"Found one sunken Ironclad, and the wreck of the salvage team's boat, pinned under a large rock. Four or five bodies from the Ironclad, but not a trace of any from the salvage team."

"A rock?" repeated Crude.

"Yes." said the zebra. "And with all the seaweed clinging to it, I doubt that it just fell on the boat by accident; something carried it up."

"...and crushed the salvaging team with it." added Crude.

The other templars look at their commanding officer. Though they were all wearing helmets, an expression of dread was on their faces.

"And the salvaging team was sent here just a couple days ago." said the corporal. "Maybe whatever sunk their boat...is still nearby?"

"Ahoy! Sarge!" shouted a rough voice.

Yet another pair of templars, one a buffalo and the other a unicorn, ran up from the far shore. The buffalo had a bundle tied to his back.

"I think I went'n found somethin' that could help us find out what sunk them boats!" said the buffalo.

The unicorn templar levitated the bundle off the buffalo's back, and telekinetically unraveled it...only for it to turn out completely empty.

"What?!" the unicorn exclaimed. "But, there was supposed to be--"

"Oooohhh, don't feel bad." said a tiny, shrill voice. "That was never going to hold me anyway!"

The Red Rippers all looked around for the source of the voice.

"Up here, fine sires and/or madams." the voice said, clearing its throat.

They all looked up, to see a tiny creature floating a couple feet in the air. It had green skin, tiny horns on its head, long pointed ears, and was wearing goggles over its saucer-shaped eyes. It was wearing work-boots, an oil-stained apron, and gloves, plus a tool-belt that covered its waist.

"Gremlin!" exclaimed some of the templars, brandishing hoof-blades and javelins.

Gremlins were a common nuisance in the regions of Equestria controlled by the Neo-Templars, and unsurprisingly; with the influx of advanced technology during the past few decades, it was no wonder that these bothersome creatures devoted to sabotaging machinery and wreaking mischief at scrapyards would find themselves so eager to harass the Neo-Equestrians. They were somewhat rare, though, in the Royalist areas.

"Hold it!" said Crude. "There's no way that a lone gremlin could've done all the things we just encountered."

"Well...it's about time I met a templar that actually thinks for more than ten seconds." chortled the gremlin. "And you're right. I'm a gremlin, there's no denying that. But it wasn't me...this time."

"Then what was it?" asked Crude.

"Uh-uh...I ain't telling you anything if you don't say 'please'."

"Listen, you--" one of the other templars reached out to grab the gremlin out of mid-air, but then it disappeared.

"Huh?!"

"That was very rude, you know." said the gremlin, who reappeared on the templar's saddle, twirling his plume around. "Maybe you guys should add anger management to your training regimes."

He chuckled.

"Get offa me!" the templar tried to buck the gremlin off, but it floated in the air once more. The templar didn't realize that another templar was right behind him, and accidentally knocked him into a tent, where he collapsed lopsided. Then he got up, and tackled the first templar, with two or three others joining in under Sgt. Crude shouted for them to stop.

The gremlin started to giggle.

"Haha! You guys are so silly!" he said. "Okay, since you made me laugh, I'll tell ya what did it."

"You better be quick." Crude turned his head to look at the gremlin.

But the gremlin was gone.

"Where is he--"

"Right here." the gremlin was suddenly looking down straight into his face while hanging upside-down in midair. "And F.Y.I., it was a sea monster."

"A sea monster?" repeated Crude. "Nonsense."

"Oh, you don't believe, eh?" chortled the gremlin. "Well, look over."

He pointed out to the water, where several sleek black tentacles were rising out of the water. The water seemed to darken, and there were multiple red lights rising up from the depths. The Red Rippers all withdrew their weapons, and attacked the tentacles as they crept towards them. But the tendrils were too strong and fast for them, and started lashing out at their encampment, destroying their tents with lightning-speed.

"Hey, sarge?" the gremlin whispered in a faux-discreet manner into Crude's ear. "Ya know what might be a great idea now? Running?"

Then he rocketed towards the Red Rippers' motorboat, docked at the nearby river leading further into the mainland. The gremlin spun in place, and turned its goggles into a sailor's hat.

"All aboard?" asked the gremlin, standing atop the steering wheel.

Pursuit

Sunset and the others were all done with their check-ups at the hospital. While they were all waiting for Frosty's diagnosis on the Summerstar's repairs, many of them decided to spread out across town. Sunset Shimmer and King Craw were sitting together on the roof of a five-story building, underneath a tarp to avoid drawing attention to the latter, who was in his true form.

"Craw, I'd just like to thank you again for helping me and my friends on the Summerstar." said Sunset. "That was very sweet of you."

"I knew you would think that." grinned Craw.

"So, are you going to just fly off and disappear to Celestia-knows-where again?" asked Sunset.

"Against my better judgement." sighed Craw.

"Well, you really don't have to go." said Sunset. "Why don't you stay with me and my family?"

Craw's red eyes widened.

"Are you daft?" he said, confused. "How would they ever accept me? How would any of your friends or family accept me? Not only am I a Changeling, but...but I tried to kill you and them at least once. And all the implications that arise from--"

"It's okay, honey." said Sunset. "I could vouch for you. Plus, we live at a big mansion near Vanhoover. Lots of rooms for you to sleep in."

"I don't know, Sunset. I've actually gotten used to my...nomadic lifestyle." said Craw. "It's simply not in a Changeling's nature to just settle down in one place for very long. We are always hungry, my little pony. Hungry for love, for affection, and so on."

"So you say you won't find love or affection with me...your own girlfriend?" Sunset tilted her head.

"Well...I didn't say that." Craw stammered, and his face seemed to turn a hue of dark green for a moment.

"Gosh, Craw." said Sunset. "Are you...blushing?"

"Uh..."

"So the big bad warrior-bug is actually shy around little fillies?"

"Sunset..." Craw started to chuckle. "I wouldn't recommend it. There's a reason why I try to stay with you for too long."

"Really? And what's that?"

"You told me you're not too familiar with the mating rituals of Changelings." said Craw. "Well, here's one detail I think I could explain. Changelings feed off of love. But there have been stories about Changelings that have grown so reliant on a single source of love that they...develop an addiction to it. That they just can't live without that one source."

"Love sickness." commented Sunset.

"More or less." said Craw. "I always thought it was a rumor passed down to the drones to encourage them to share love with their peers instead of hoarding it to themselves. But ever since I...absorbed your love in Umbriel's Vanhoover stronghold, I..."

He began to excrete sweat.

"I just couldn't stop thinking about you, my lady." he said, heavily. "I never felt so much love in a single pony. And without any other Changelings to share that love with...I couldn't get over you, no matter how much I tried. I actually believe I'm succumbing to this...'love sickness'."

He started to pant frantically. Sweat was dribbling from his chitinous head. His heart was pounding against his ribs. How it hurt him! The longer he looked into Sunset's eyes, or studied the golden-furred equine face that they were embedded in, the more his heart jerked back and forth.

"Craw, just take a deep breath and relax." Sunset told him. "You'll be fine..."

Craw obediently froze in place. Then he tipped over and laid down on his side.

At that moment, they saw Golden Sun walking down the street below.

"Let's talk about this later, okay?" asked Sunset. "Just take it easy, and you'll be okay. Maybe someone at the University of Baltimare could explain what's the deal with you."

"Very well." said Craw, nodding mechanically.

Sunset teleported down to her father.

"Whoo! Where'd you spring from?!" Golden Sun exclaimed, with a leap.

"Sorry, dad." said Sunset. "I was wondering if you and I could go for a walk. You know, show me around town."

"Definitely." said Golden Sun, smiling. "That sounds like a great idea. A little father/daughter quality time? Why didn't I think of it before?"

The Red Rippers and their new accomplice boarded the powerboat, and sped hastily down the river, away from the ferocious monstrosity in the water. They were able to make it a quarter of a mile, before three long tendrils rose from the shore where the sea monster attacked them. They simmered in the sunlight, lashing side-to-side like gigantic whips. Suddenly, the tendrils shot clear out of the water and crashed onto the shoreline. From what the templars could make out, it seemed two of them began to bore themselves into the earth, while the third dove into the water in pursuit of the powerboat.

"What the heck's going on?!" one of the templars exclaimed.

"Mmmmm....probably something bad." said the gremlin. "But even I don't need to tell you that."

A submerged red light was speeding towards them like a torpedo.

"Hostile on the keel-side!" shouted Sgt. Crude. "Blow that thing straight to the Great Abyss!"

The zebra templar set up the salvaged turret on the back of the boat, and loaded it with what ammunition they had. He began cranking the handle on the side, and the gun started to slowly pop off one shot after another. But between its relative swiftness and the delay between each gunshot, the light was dodging every projectile fired at it. Another templar started lighting sticks of dynamite and tossing them into the water in the boat's wake. Fountains spouted where the explosives detonated, creating deposits of froth and steam behind them. But there was no telling if any of them were able to hit the creature in the water.

"Hold it! Hold it!" Crude shouted at the bomber. "You're just going to make it harder for us to see that thing!"

"Yes, sir!" said the templar.

"It's still after us, sarge!" said the zebra templar. "And I only got me twelve rounds left in this here ammo belt!"

"Conserve your shots, Zak!" said Crude. "Make sure you have it in your sights before you fire again!"

"Got it, mon!" said Zak, nodding hastily, as he adjusted the turret.

But even as he did so, the red light came closer, before rising out of the water as a long, black serpent-like creature. It had winding metal teeth that seem to rotate back and forth, clockwise and counter-clockwise. A loud noise like whirring machinery was in the air, drowning out even the powerboat's engine. It was somehow able to keep its head suspended over them, even as it pursued them. Its jaws opened up, revealing an assortment of shapes within that were too dark for any of the templars to make out. There was a loud humming noise emitting from within the serpentine beast, and then the templars all felt themselves being pulled towards it.

"Yow!" shouted a templar in sudden pain, as his helmet was yanked off his head and pulled through the air. "Did...did that thing just swallow my helmet?!"

"It's tryin' to suck us in!" shouted Zak, as he saw the remaining ammo belt of the turret, and then the barrel of the turret itself, being tilted upwards towards the beast's maw.

The gremlin, who was casually adjusting his gloves on the portside, turned around.

"Wow, would you just look at that?!" the gremlin exclaimed gleefully, fiddling with his hands like a nefarious schemer.

"What are you do--" Sgt. Crude, being all too familiar with the expression of the gremlin's face, began to ask.

But then the gremlin jumped up and into the black beast's mouth.

"He's crazy, mon!" shouted Zak.

"Maybe not!" said the helmetless templar. "Look!"

The moment the gremlin disappeared, the pull that the beast had on the Red Rippers' metallic equipment ceased, and there was glints of light inside. The beast abruptly halted in its pursuit of the powerboat. Then there was smoke trailing out of different parts of its body. There was a rather sour droning from the creature, which started swiveling its head in confusion, before rapidly sinking back into the water. Just before it sank completely, the gremlin emerged from its mouth, floating in mid-air.

"Call me sometime, honey!" he shouted as he waved the monster good-bye.

Then he shot his way back to the powerboat.

"It won't be bothering you anymore." the gremlin told Sgt. Crude.

"How did you do that?" Crude demanded.

"Let's say you have your specialties, and I have mine." said the gremlin. "But tell me this:"

"What?"

"Is one of your specialties operating powerboats with your mind?"

"No."

"Then who's driving this thing? Hmm?"

The templars all turned around when they realized that, since everyone was distracted by the creature's onslaught, nobody was still manning the powerboat's steering wheel. They all hollered when they realized they were about to crash into a nearby riverbank. However, the powerboat a curved rock jutting among the rapids, sending it flying over the river bank.

"Yaaaaaaahoo-hoo-hooey!" hollered a Red Ripper as the boat was hurled through the air and landed in the middle of a grass field near the river.

The templars slowly climbed out of the drydocked boat, and then looked around. Floating in the air was the gremlin, holding what appeared to be a scoreboard, which read:

8.1/10

Too much slapstick.

"That's not funny!" growled Sgt. Crude. "We're lucky none of us were killed!"

"Oh, my mistake." said the gremlin, who scrawled something on the scoreboard. "How's it look now?"

He held up the scoreboard again. This time it read:

8.17.5/10

Too much slapstick. Not enough slapstick.

"Is everything a joke to you?" snarled Sgt. Crude, seizing the gremlin by the neck. "But then again, what should I expect from a creature that makes a living out of ruining everyone else's--"

"Sarge, we still got a problem." Zak intervened. "There were two more of those things back there, and they didn't go after us. They seemed to be going North."

"They were on the North side, so what?" asked the helmetless templar. "That's all Royalist territory that way."

Crude let go of the gremlin, who blew a spiteful raspberry as he turned his back. But he was too frantic to acknowledge it.

"Don't you understand, Banded Fire?" spoke Sgt. Crude. "This whole ironclad business wasn't our fault, and it wasn't the Royalists. It was that sea creature and its three friends. We need to get the word out of what's really happening out here."

"Then we should get back to Fort Longhorn." said the buffalo templar. "Shouldn't be too far from here, right?"

"I agree." said Banded Fire. "If they're on Celestia's land, let her deal with stuff."

"No. Listen, all of you." said Sgt. Crude, adding as he turned to face the gremlin. "Even you, pest!"

"Whatever." snarked the gremlin.

"As Neo-Templars, it is against our code to answer to the alicorns' commands and laws." Crude spoke on. "But their citizens are still Equestrians, just like us. We protect Equestria in whatever way we can. It would be absolutely careless to let a threat of this kind escape our grasp so easily. This is our problem, so it's up to us to solve it, before we trigger another political crisis."

"But what about Fort Longhorn?" asked Banded Fire.

"We'll split up." said Sgt. Crude. "A few of you will take the boat, and head back to Fort Longhorn. The rest of you will come with me. We're going after those beasts. The gremlin seems to know how to stop them, so he'll be with me."

"Just why would I do that?" inquired the gremlin.

"Because you are technically a citizen of our land, even though I don't like to admit it." said Crude. "And as a citizen, you are bound to serve it as we would see fit."

Then he turned back to the others.

"Banded Fire will lead the other group, and head back to Fort Longhorn. Once you get there, I need you to forward a message to Admiral Maelstrom and the Prime Minister."

"Yes, sarge." saluted Banded Fire.

"Zak, what's the nearest Royalist-controlled settlement in this region?" asked Sgt. Crude.

"Baltimare, sir." said Zak. "It can't be a day-and-a-half away."

"Then we'll have to be quick." said Sgt. Crude.

The University of Baltimare, Part 1

Sunset Shimmer and Golden Sun were walking down one of the many streets of Baltimare.

"Dad, how're you feeling?" asked Sunset. "Being back in Baltimare, I mean."

"Not sure, kiddo." said Golden Sun, adjusting his spectacles. "It's been so long since the last time I was here. I love this city, but so much has changed."

He looked around, and frowned when he saw a vacant lot.

"There used to be a candy shop over there." he told Sunset. "They sold some of the tastiest saltwater taffy you've ever---aahhh...and the root beer. Always had a nice crisp taste, if a little--"

"Dad, do you think we could go to the university?" asked Sunset. "I mean, if you feel up to it."

"Sure, sweetie." frowned Golden Sun. "It's just down a ways..."

They kept walking along the street, passing other ponies. After a while, they turned onto a long dirt road that led into a forest. They walked along it. Suddenly, they heard a screeching from behind them.

"Bathilda?" Sunset turned around, recognizing the sound.

The fruit bat caught up to the unicorns.

"Your bat seems to really want to be with you." Golden Sun observed.

"Of course she does." Sunset smiled. "Bathilda, did you miss mommy?"

Bathilda nodded, even as she fluttered her wings in place. Then she landed on Sunset's back, and tangled herself in her mane.

"Awww..." Sunset sighed.

Suddenly, there was a rustling, and a pony dropped down from a low-hanging tree branch, between Sunset and Golden Sun. The sound of the impact frightened Bathilda, and made her bury herself even more in Sunset's mane.

"Who? What?" Sunset exclaimed.

She felt a prick in the back of her head.

"Bathilda, will you calm down? You're hurting mommy." she whispered.

"Professor Sun, I presume?" said a voice.

Sunset turned around, and saw a middle-aged earth pony facing Golden Sun. The earth pony had a beige coat and white-blond mane. He was wearing strange goggles over his eyes, and his flank was emblazoned with the shape of a C-battery.

"Professor Fusion, is that really you?" asked Golden Sun.

"The one and only." said Professor Fusion. "My, my...I wasn't expecting to see you again. And my word...you've hardly aged a day."

"Dad, is this one of you colleagues?" Sunset asked.

"Better than that, sweetie." said Golden Sun, with a big smile on his face. "This right here is Professor Turbo Fusion, the stallion that introduced me to the University of Baltimare. I didn't think you were the type to climb trees."

"Oh, I was just deploying my latest invention." said Turbo.

"Invention?" repeated Sunset, curiously.

Turbo held up his hoof, which had a silver bracelet on it. He flicked a switch on the bracelet. Down from the canopy of the trees came a floating probe-like device with mechanical insect-like wings, beating endlessly.

"Look familiar?" Turbo asked them.

"It looks like a...parasprite." said Golden Sun.

"It's a Mechasprite." said Turbo Fusion. "It's my eyes and ears in the sky...up to fifty yards, anyway."

"No way." Sunset's jaw dropped. "You built a machine like that all on your own?"

"It's not entirely a machine." said Turbo. "On the outside, it's a bunch of nuts and bolts with wings...but inside, it has the brainwaves of an actual parasprite running through its core. Isn't that right?"

The Mechasprite started tilting itself up and down in mid-air, as if to nod.

"That thing used to be an actual parasprite?" asked Sunset.

Bathilda climbed out of Sunset's mane, and took off. She flew up to the Mechasprite, and started sniffing it. She hissed, stuck her tongue out in disgust, and flew back to latch herself to Sunset's mane.

"Sort of." said Turbo. "I transferred a parasprite's mind into the machine."

"How, though?" asked Sunset.

"A very good question, ma'am." said Turbo Fusion. "I could tell you how I did it, but perhaps it would be better to show it. How would you two like to come with me to the university?"

"Of course!" said Golden Sun. "That's what my daughter Sunset and I were just about to do when--"

"Ah, so this is your daughter?" asked Turbo, looking at Sunset. "Yes, I can definitely see the family resemblance. I can tell, just by looking in your eyes, that you are much like your father: Smart, clever. A classic example of the phrase, 'chip off the old block'".

"Thanks." Sunset started to blush. "My name's Sunset Shimmer."

"A remarkable name." said Turbo. "Though admittedly a very familiar one. I think I knew another unicorn around your age with a name like that...maybe two others, actually."

He cleared his throat.

"Anyways, onto the university."

He led them further down the forest path, until they reached a vast clearing just beyond the city's outskirts. In the clearing was a massive walled area. There was an arched gateway in the middle of the nearest side. Sunset was able to peek inside and see a variety of large buildings with old-fashioned architecture. The three ponies went through the gateway into a courtyard lined with sculptures and fountains. There were several other ponies, presumably staff and students, trotting by or talking to one another. Golden Sun had a big smile on his face as he looked around.

"So great to be back here..." he sighed, dreamily. "But still, this place seems a little gloomy."

He was right; several of the buildings looked rather old and decrepit, and some of the sculptures had cracks and crevices here and there.

"Accursed budget cuts." scoffed Turbo Fusion. "So many ponyfolk don't seem to understand our university staff doesn't just stand in front of blackboards and teach algebra. We also pave the way to Equestria's future. But with each cut, we're being forced to drop certain divisions and...perks."

Suddenly, two earth ponies in protective gear came by, and started smashing one of the more dilapidated sculptures to pieces with sledgehammers. Then a third came with a wheelbarrow, and started piling the fragments inside of it.

"So sacrifices have to be made to keep the university going." said Turbo Fusion. "We can't afford all we want, only what we need. Staff gets let go, buildings have to be condemned or outright demolished."

They went inside and walked through the hallways.

"And there don't seem to be many ponies around here." Golden Sun slowly began to frown. "When I was a professor here, this place was packed."

"And we had to sell much of our discoveries and et cetera to other collectors." said Turbo Fusion. "A lot of professors weren't too happy about this, and some of them even left town. Either to go overseas or join the Neo-Equestrians."

"Neo-Equestrians?" asked Sunset.

"Yes, I hear that the Neo-Templars, with all their faults and disagreements with the princesses, actually do manage a stable government with their own citizens. Or so I've been told."

Turbo seemed slightly disgruntled now.

"And with all that power, they still refuse to pool their resources with the princesses. It's pathetic. Not that we're getting much help from our own side of the government."

They came to a room with the word "B.R.E.W." scribed on its door.

They went inside, where other professors were talking with each other.

"Ah, Fusion!" said one. "Finally came back. I take it the prototype is in working order?"

"Definitely so, Professor Rocket." said Turbo. "I take it you all remember--"

"Professor Sun!" Professor Rocket exclaimed.

He rushed to greet Golden Sun, as did a few other professors. Rocket was clearly one of the more recent staff.

"I can't believe I'm actually meeting you."

"Please, please...there's no need to get excited over me." Golden Sun chuckled.

"Sorry." Rocket chuckled. "I'm guessing I'm getting a little bit ahead of myself. Welcome back to the university. And who's the lovely young lady behind you?"

"Oh...this is my daughter, Sunset Shimmer." said Golden Sun. "And she's every bit as intelligent as me...maybe even more so."

"Oh, dad." giggled Sunset.

"Sunset, I'd like you to meet my colleagues. Here's Colt Smolder, top physicist in Whinneapolis! And there's Kris Bridle, from Trottingham."

"'Allo!" said Professor Bridle.

"Ja?" nodded Professor Smolder.

"Nice to meet you!" said Sunset.

"And don't you dare forget about me" said a female voice.

A pale blue unicorn mare with a particularly sour expression on her face approached Golden Sun. She was wearing horn-rimmed spectacles, and her dark purple mane was tied in a bun.

"Of course..." nodded Golden Sun. "How could I ever forget you...Abacus?"

"That's Professor Abacus to you."

"You work at the university now?" Golden Sun said, shocked.

"I run the university now." Professor Abacus told him, with a scowl. "I'm the dean of the University of Baltimare, as I have been for the past two years."

"Oh, no." scoffed Golden Sun.

"What's wrong?" asked Sunset. "Who is she?"

"Another student at the university, when I first enrolled." Golden Sun explained. "Always got better grades than me, and never let me hear the end of it. I thought that I'd seen the last of her."

"And I would've thought the same of you, Golden Sun." said Professor Abacus. "I thought you ran off with that brutish Saddle Arabian mare?"

She turned to look Sunset in the eyes with a nerve-wracking steely gaze.

"Ah...and I see you did. And got busy. So you're his daughter?"

"I am." said Sunset. "And proud of it."

"Somepony around here has to, I guess." snorted Professor Abacus. "I'd love to hear your interesting life-story, but I'm afraid I have an important business meeting in town."

She turned to face the other professors.

"I expect to see you boys clean up the mess from your latest experiment by the time I get back. Understand?"

"Yes, Professor Abacus." the other professors droned in unison.

As soon as Professor Abacus left, Professor Rocket scoffed. Bathilda even climbed out of Sunset's mane and spat in disgust as soon as the door closed.

"What a terrible lady!" Bathilda thought. "And that smell of hers...ugh! She smells like...that one stallion that Sunset seems to like a lot."

Her eyes widened.

"I think there's more to that Abacus than she's letting on."

"I thought she'd never leave." Rocket said. "Maybe now we can all get back to work."

"So, where are we exactly?" Sunset asked.

Professor Rocket took a deep breath, and now wore a relaxed expression on his face.

"This right here is our B.R.E.W. chamber." said Professor Rocket.

"B.R.E.W.?" asked Sunset.

"Biological Reconstruction Environmental Workshop." said Rocket. "This is where we hope to create the next great wonders of the world. Would you like a tour?"

"Sure."

A Break in Baltimare, Part 1

Radiant Dawn and Lightning Dust were at the boardwalk, sitting and looking out into the ocean. No sound except the waves crashing against the shore, and the cry of seagulls in the distance.

"Wow, isn't it just...amazing?" Lightning asked.

"It sure is..." Radiant nodded.

"I can't believe we spent a whole month out there." Lightning commented. "Across the ocean. It felt weird, being so far from home. It was a great time, though...even if the start was rough."

"You're telling me." said Radiant. "I still can't get over that I almost got sacrificed by some weirdo cult. I'd expect this to happen to somepony more...I don't know...important or something."

"Ha! So you're saying you're not important?" chuckled Lightning. "You ain't gotta be so modest, dude. You're the captain of the royal guard!"

"The Night Guard." corrected Radiant.

"Right." Lightning snickered. "So...how much stuff do you think we'll have to do once we're back in Canterlot?"

"A lot." said Radiant. "We've got soooo much to check up on. Long hours, late nights, and lots of new names to remember. And lots of paperwork for me to fill out. Good thing I got that report on Saddle Arabia finished on the Summerstar. That alone would've taken me a fortnight if I waited till Canterlot."

Lightning Dust hovered in the air, and nuzzled against Radiant's neck.

"You don't have to worry about a thing, big guy." she told him. "I can help ya with whatever ya need me to."

"Thanks, Lightning." said Radiant Dawn.

He started to pant as Lightning held onto him even tighter. Lightning's face started to redden as she stuck out her tongue, and it reached towards Radiant's cheek. She leaned in even closer...

"Lightning?" asked Radiant.

Lightning Dust pulled her tongue back, and sheepishly let go. She shrugged her front legs, and started whistling.

"There was...a question I've wanted to ask you." he told her, half-stammering.

Lightning stopped whistling.

"Really?" she said. "What's on your mind, chief?"

"HEY, YOU!" hollered a very loud voice from behind them.

Radiant and Lightning jumped in surprise. Radiant fell over like a log , and then quickly got back up. As soon as he did, he turned to face Lightning Dust...who appeared to be engaged in conversation with another pegasus mare. A pegasus mare that seemed to be identical in appearance to Lightning Dust, except that she had a tan coat and black-and-green mane.

"What the heck are ya doing in Baltimare, sis?" said the doppelganger. "I finally find you, and you're sightseeing like a softie. C'm here, will ya?"

She grabbed Lightning Dust, and gave her a very aggressive noogie.

"Who the heck are you?" asked Radiant Dawn.

The pegasus lowered her eyelids.

"Wow, your boyfriend's a real hunk." she told Lightning.

"Uh...Radiant?" Lightning Dust rushed to his his side. "Let's get outta here."

"Who are you?" Radiant asked the pegasus again.

"Oh, Lightning didn't tell you about me?" the pegasus told him, her hooves on her hips as she hovered. "The name's Zap. Indigo Zap, and I'm Lightning Dust's way-past-cool twin sister."

"Oh, she's way-past-cool, all right..." muttered Lightning under her breath.

"What's the matter with you, sis?" asked Indigo. "I thought you were living in Fillydelphia?"

"I moved out." said Lightning.

"I wondered why you weren't there the last fifty-something times I tried to visit last month."

"You've been looking for me?" asked Lightning.

"Sure." said Indigo. "I just wanted to pay you a visit. So tell me, sis. What have you been doing lately? I mean, besides avoiding me...again."

"Uh..." Lightning hesitated, then sprayed out frantically: "Nothing you need to worry about. I'm okay. So nice talking to ya, sis. So sorry ya gotta go. Bye?"

She pushed Indigo away as she said this, even as they were both in mid-air.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa...whoa." said Indigo, as she wrestled out of Lightning's grip. "I ain't gotta go! I ain't seen ya in four years, sis, and you're just gonna brush me off?"

"No, it's not like that?" Lightning chuckled with her eyes closed...before nodding repeatedly. "Okay, it is! Could you please go? You're kinda killing the mood."

"What mood? Oh, did I spoil the big moment for your date? Just talk to me, sis. Just for a minute. C'mon, we barely talk to each other as it is."

Lightning opened her eyes, and scoffed.

"Fine..."

Radiant Dawn looked at the two sisters, blankly.

"Wow." he droned under his breath. "Twins..."

Frosty and Nose Nip were mulling over the wreckage of the Summerstar. Nose Nip could barely say a word, and Frosty's eyes were welling up with tears. Accompanying them were Sunflower, Teddy, and Trixie.

"Man, I still can't believe what those stupid mercs did!" growled Frosty. "And I just before I was gonna get 'er a new paint job and everythin'!"

"Not to mention that I was thinking about hosting a dinner theatre on there." said Trixie. "Karaoke nights, live entertainment, and all the best food in Equestria...all ruined in one fell swoop!"

"I have to admit, I was almost getting used to it." said Teddy. "Just traveling all over the world in that thing. We spent a lot of time in the two months we had it."

"It's like losin' a very good friend." frowned Sunflower. "One dat wuz always dere ta getcha outta a jam when ya needed 'em the most."

"If it weren't for the Summerstar, I don't think we'd be so tightly-knit." said Teddy. "We all left Las Pegasus and went to Saddle Arabia and back on it...together."

"Teddy, as much as it pains Trixie to say..." Trixie said. "You're right."

"I hear ya, sistah." Frosty added. "Let's have a moment of silence for what was once the best friggin' airship---or any vehicle--in all of Equestria."

The five bowed their heads in respective silence.

"And now it's all spare parts." groaned Nose Nip, after what seemed like a half-hour of silence.

Frosty raised his head.

"Hey, you're right!" he said, with a slight optimistic tone.

"Whatcha talkin' about?" Sunflower asked.

"The Summerstar may be gone...but most of the parts ain't!" said Frosty.

He approached the wreckage, and started inspecting it.

"Ya know, if we had the right time and folks to help us, I bet we could make somethin' brand-new outta all dis stuff."

"Like what?" asked Nose Nip.

"Well...maybe like a seaplane or a helicopter." Frosty said. "I'm sure there's enough of the engines left, and plenty of metal for propellers or rotary blades."

"Frosty, are you nuts?" asked Nose Nip. "Actually, you don't even need to answer that. No matter what Sunset might've told us about the human world's technology, I'm pretty sure even the latest in Equestria's transportation hasn't caught up yet. Trains and airships are one thing, but--"

"Hey, Equestria's got gyrocopters, don't it?" asked Frosty.

"Yeah, but most of them are tiny and pedal-powered." said Nose Nip. "So how do you expect us to make one that actually runs on fuel, let alone is capable of holding a dozen or so passengers? And don't say 'Sunset Shimmer'. She's a smart mare, for sure. But I doubt that CHS ever gave students instructions on how to assemble aircraft made of anything stronger than construction paper."

"I bet those Neo-Templars could make it." grumbled Frosty. "C'mon, Nips. Can'tcha think positive for once? We made it through the impossible in the past, even before we started hanging around Sunset. Or maybe somepony at that University here in town could. They got all kind'za geniuses over there. Right, guys?"

He turned around, and saw that the other three ponies weren't even paying attention: Sunflower was adjusting the sunflower she wore in her mane, but Teddy and Trixie were out of sight.

"Where'd they go?" Frosty asked.

"They went around the other side." said Sunflower. "Said something about a private chat."

"Well, this I gotta see."

"By the way, I knew from the beginning that those other mercs were going to walk right through those doors." said Teddy. "Where there's two, there were bound to be even more. And you know what? I would've gotten rid of every single one of them in a whole minute...tops, if they didn't sabotage the engines."

"Oh, I know, Teddy." Trixie smirked, exhibiting a smarmy posture.

She had a front leg around Teddy's neck, was leaning forward, and had a hind leg bent backwards. Teddy was flexing one of his own front legs, while making a cocky grin.

"Yep, I'm just awesome." said Teddy.

"But those mercenaries would have never lasted a minute against the Great and Powerful Trixie, either." Trixie said, boastfully. "For she is too well-versed in the magic arts."

Frosty, Nose Nip, and Sunflower all got chairs out from the wreckage of the Summerstar, and sat down to watch the show.

"Not as well-versed as I am with brawling, my vain sorceress." Teddy told her smoothly. "Did I mention I run a gang back in Canterlot? The biggest, baddest gang in all of existence?"

"Baddest, hmm?" Trixie mused. "But what sort of bad are we talking about, Mr. Fearless Gang Leader?"

She leaned in even closer, so that her face was almost touching Teddy's. Her smirk was turning into a grin.

"The 'We-make-the-Changelings-look-like-a-buncha-wimps' kind of bad." said Teddy. "I'm talking bad!"

"Goodness me!" Trixie gasped, feigning shock. "Then even the Great and Powerful Trixie cannot hope to match up to you! If there is anything Trixie can do to appease you, Mr. Fearless Gang Leader, just say the word."

Teddy chuckled.

"Well, I have been looking for a leading lady to help me run my gang of super ruthless tough-guys." he told her. "What king's complete without a queen? So tell me, O Great and Powerful Trixie, would you care to look past your vanity just this once, and accept my humble proposal to you?"

Trixie batted her eyes ever so fluidly.

"Oh, how could I ever deny you what your heart desires?" she asked. "Especially when you're so tough, so strong, so commanding, so..."

Suddenly her grip on Teddy's neck tightened, and she flipped him over so that his back was against the ground, and Trixie had him pinned in an instant.

"Pathetic." she said, her smarmy grin changing to a cocky one. "Honey, you're so lucky you're a good actor, or I wouldn't have taken you seriously for even a minute. I'm honestly surprised you had this kind of attitude in you. I'm surprised you didn't ever try becoming a showpony like yours truly."

She snickered, and closed her eyes. Suddenly, Teddy grabbed her neck, flipped her over, and pinned her down in the grass.

"Because I'm not some showpony." said Teddy. "I'm the real deal, baby."

"Do go on." Trixie snickered some more, her expression still as smug as before.

"I'm not a stupid buffoon anymore, Trixie." said Teddy. "I've just been acting that way for weeks. I'm coming clean to you now, so that you get a real understanding of me. Trixie, I'm only going to say this once:"

He put his muzzle against Trixie's.

"How do you like me now?"

"Perfect." Trixie said.

Teddy's blue eyes dilated. Trixie's horn glowed, and Teddy was levitated off of her body, and hung suspended in the air. Trixie got back up, and approached him, still smug in the face.

"Trixie knows an actor when she sees one." she told him. "I knew there was another side to you, Teddy, that you've been hiding from me. I had no idea that this was the side. So impressed, Teddy. So impressed."

Teddy blushed, even as Trixie telekinetically held him in place.

"Though I still doubt that you will ever be able to live up to my superior reputation, the Great and Powerful Trixie does not feel ashamed to admit that you and I..."

she whispered to him in a sultry tone:

"...Should be together."

Teddy's ears twitched like crazy as Trixie kissed him, slabbing her tongue up and down his closed mouth. Her horn stopped glowing, and Teddy was free to move. He was blushing even deeper than before.

"You...kissed me?" his entire head was reddening.

"Oh, sorry about that." Trixie said, feigning shame. "I do all kinds of stupid things when I get excited."

"...What?"

"Sound familiar, Teddy?" Trixie told him. "Now you know exactly how I felt, handsome."

She seized Teddy again.

"But don't think for a minute that I've forgiven you for what you did." she said, threateningly. "I'm going to be watching your every trot, Teddy. And don't you dare think for a second that you are my better half; I am yours. Don't try kissing me again without my consent, either, or I'll seal your mouth shut permanently."

"All right..." Teddy muttered, uneasily. "Basically, how's it been to begin with."

"Exactly. I knew you'd catch on. Other than that, Teddy..." Trixie mused on. "Congratulations. You are now Trixie's special somepony."

Trixie leaned against Teddy, and started nuzzling against him.

Frosty, Nose Nip, and Sunflower just sat there blankly for ten minutes straight.

"Wow...I guess anything is possible." Nose Nip said. "Okay...let's get to work on the helicopter...or seaplane."

"Uh...right." Frosty said.

A Break in Baltimare, Part 2

Crimson Blade and Scarlet Blaze decided to trot along the street together to their old home. As they went, they decided to reflect on their old life in the city.

"Baltimare..." sighed Crimson. "I never thought I'd be walking these streets again."

"Me neither, dad." Scarlet told him. "I sure made a mess of things the last time I was here, didn't I?"

"Certainly." said Crimson. "I still remember all the reports I had to file to the mayor from when you wrecked the front doors of that synagogue. Not to mention the embarrassment of finding out that my only daughter had eloped and ran off with a professor from the university...even when she was a priestess and thus not even allowed to be married in that manner."

Scarlet cringed, barring her teeth.

"Still, I'm happy to know that you had managed to settle down and have a good family of your own, my dear Scarlet." Crimson assured her.

"Thanks." Scarlet nodded.

They realized that they just passed the old schoolhouse. Scarlet paused and looked on, chuckling nervously.

"What's wrong?"

"Ah, nothing." snickered Scarlet. "I was just thinking about how things were around here, back when I was a filly. I still remember the day when I got my cutie mark..."

FORTY-TWO YEARS AGO...

Young nine-year-old filly Scarlet Blaze was nervously walking out of the schoolhouse, and waited at the corner for her father to finish his guard duties and collect her.

"Hey, Scarlet!" taunted a filly. "Nice glasses! They sure make those eyes look big and stupid!"

Scarlet felt her very thick glasses, which were almost twice as big and wide as her eyes, and blushed.

"Oh, leave me alone, Topaz!" Scarlet whined as she turned around.

"Or what, your dad's gonna arrest me?" laughed Topaz.

A brown-maned unicorn filly with a beige coat and blue eyes approached Scarlet. Even though Scarlet was taller than Topaz by a few inches, she still shook nervously and buckled her knees.

"Why would anyone wanna defend a stupid-looking blank flank like you?" inquired Topaz. "Everyone else has their cutie marks! And none of them look anywhere near as geeky or desperate as you."

Scarlet's legs were almost bone-thin, she had a visible overbite with braces, her red-gold mane was big and excessively curly, and she had a long braid in the back of her head bound with an oversized ribbon. She also had her inhaler tied around her neck by a string.

"Hey, lemme see that." said Topaz, grinning mischievously as she reached for the inhaler.

"No! That's mine!" Scarlet pleaded as she backed away.

"Don't worry, I just wanna look at it." said Topaz.

Topaz's horn glowed with a silver aura as the inhaler was levitated off Scarlet's neck. She inspected it while it floated in the air, then turned it to face Scarlet, and sprayed it in her face.

"Yow!" exclaimed Scarlet.

"Here, you can keep the stupid thing." said Topaz, levitating it back to Scarlet.

Scarlet reached for the inhaler, which suddenly flew into her face, and smacked her between the eyes.

"Oops!"

The inhaler hit Scarlet on the face again, then sprayed behind Scarlet's glasses, causing some of the vapor to get into her eyes.

"Cut it out!" said Scarlet.

"Whatever, I've got better things to do than mess with you anyway."

Topaz levitated the inhaler over Scarlet's head and let it fall. It bounced off her head and landed in a nearby fountain, while Topaz left.

Scarlet angrily dove into the fountain, got the inhaler out, and then put it back on the necklace around her neck. She sneaked after Topaz, her horn glowing. When Topaz decided to take a detour in a back-alley, she ran back out seconds later screaming:

"Eww! Rats! Gross, disgusting rats!"

She galloped away as fast as she could down the streets, and Scarlet tried chasing after her. As she passed by the alley, she heard screeching, and turned to see rodents of unusual size approaching her with ravenous mouths. There were five of them, and they all looked hungry for something, and Scarlet could guess what it was. Scarlet stood paralyzed with fear as the rats approached her. Scarlet looked around hastily, but nopony else was around to help, but she could make out the hairs of Topaz's tail as she ran around the corner.

"She just makes me soooo mad!" growled Scarlet.

She started to growl even harder, when she remembered that the rats were still approaching her. Suddenly, one of them leapt at her through the air to pounce her, and she cried out. Her horn, which was still glowing, suddenly discharged a cluster of projectiles at the rats, and the recoil was so strong that Scarlet was knocked back against a wall, from which she slid to the ground in a half-daze. Her glasses were knocked off her head and lay lopsided on the street.

"Scarlet!" shouted the voice of her father. "Are you okay?!"

Crimson Blade came galloping up to her, and helped her up.

"Oh, thank goodness you aren't hurt." he sighed. "I thought those rats were gonna get you for sure! Just a second longer and--"

"I'm fine, daddy!" moaned Scarlet. "But did'ja see that spell I just used on 'em?"

Crimson saw Scarlet's glasses laying on the ground, then put them back on his daughter's head, allowing her to see clearly. Not only were the rats all incapacitated, but there were multiple scorch marks on the garbage cans and walls in the alley.

"Wowzers!" Scarlet gasped. "Did I really do that, daddy?"

"I'd say you did, kiddo." said Crimson. "But what were you doing fighting those rats anyway?"

"Well, Topaz was making fun of me...again. So I thought I'd give her a piece of my mind...again." said Scarlet. "When all of a sudden, these big ol' rats showed up and--"

"Great Scott!" Crimson Blade said with surprise. "Your flank!"

Scarlet Blaze looked at her flank, and saw there was indeed a cutie mark there: three fireballs burning brightly together in a triangular pattern.

"Scarlet, do you know what this means?" whispered Crimson.

"That I'm in trouble?" whimpered Scarlet, lowering her ears, and quivering.

"No." smiled Crimson Blade. "It means you've made me proud to be your father. You know that wind-up toy you wanted me to get you for your birthday?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, how about after I get off-duty, we go to the toy shop and buy it a little early? I think you earned it today."

"Shucks, daddy! You're the best!" Scarlet grinned.

PRESENT DAY...

Scarlet and Crimson laughed together. At that moment, they made it to their original home address, at 2761 Starhawk Avenue. They noticed that the house had been redecorated and the front door now had a bell installed beside it.

"Looks like somepony else lives here now." said Crimson Blade. "I guess it was a given."

He approached the door, and rang the bell next to it.

"Hello?" He called.

There were faint hooffalls inside, and the door slowly opened.

Pressure Point was on the train, en route to Canterlot. He was sighing in relief that he would finally get to return to work as a doctor in Canterlot.

"Finally, I'm free from all that...insanity." he scoffed, as he laid down in a seat in his compartment. "Good riddance. I thought Sunset and her friends would be the death of me. If I have to see any one of them ever again, it'll be too soon--"

"Hey, Pressure." said a familiar monotone voice.

Pressured hissed in annoyance as he mechanically turned his head to see who just opened the door. He snorted when he realized who it was.

"Maud Pie, I didn't expect to see you on this train." said Pressure. "Are any of the others here, too?"'

"No...just you and me." said Maud. "Do you mind if I sit in here with you?"

"No, go ahead." said Pressure.

Maud slowly trotted into the compartment, shut the door behind her, and sat across from Pressure. Pressure looked out into the countryside, as the train sped on. Suddenly, it became apparent that Maud was staring at him. Even though Maud rarely ever showed any sign of emotion in her face or body language, something about her gaze seemed to indicate that she had something on her mind. But Pressure already had a hunch as to what Maud wanted to talk about, but didn't say anything. He continued looking out the window for five minutes. Maud stared on. Ten minutes. Maud stared on. Fifteen minutes. Maud stared--

"I'm not going to talk about it, Maud." Pressure suddenly snapped.

"Why not?" asked Maud. "He's your brother."

"Frosty is a pest." said Pressure. "I didn't need to spend a whole month in the desert with him to realize that. The less I see him from this point, the better."

"But he's your family." said Maud.

"We have nothing in common, though."

Maud blinked.

"Pressure, that's no excuse." she said. "My sisters are all different. We don't all do the same things, look alike, or talk the same way, but we love each other all the same. Pinkie Pie, for example--"

"Pinkie Pie?" repeated Pressure Point, stunned. "She's your sister?"

"Mm-hmm..." nodded Maud.

"But she's--"

"Different?"

"To say the least."

"That's not a bad thing, though." said Maud. "Pinkie is my little sister, and I love and care for her and the rest of my family so much. That's why I'm here right now, to get back to them."

"Good for you." said Pressure. "But I'm on this train to get away from my family. My obnoxious 'brother' Frosty and my loudmouth 'cousin' Trixie are enough to drive me up the wall, down, and back up again. One thing I like about being a doctor is that I get to meet families that are far better than my own. But me? I don't need my family to be happy. As long as I help others, that's all that matters."

Maud stared at him blankly.

"Call me selfish or insecure, but that's just how it is for me." said Pressure. "Wouldn't have it any other way..."

Maud kept staring.

"Any other way..." Pressure Point muttered.

Maud just kept staring at him, her eyes perfectly still and unblinking. Pressure Point groaned.

"How do you do it, Maud?" he spat out. "Okay, okay. I--I'll give them another chance. But I...I'm still going back to Canterlot. I don't want to end up losing my job. I'll see them for...Hearth's Warming Eve."

"That sounds good." nodded Maud. "Boulder thinks so, too."

She held up the familiar pebble in her hoof.

"Do you carry that thing around with you everywhere?" Pressure asked, distracted.

"Only because I don't have something to carry him in."

The University of Baltimare, Part 2

Golden Sun and Sunset Shimmer were being introduced to the various machines and contraptions stored in the B.R.E.W..

"This is the Hybridization Module." said Professor Fusion, standing next to an apparatus that consisted of a metallic cylinder with glass tubes full of various liquids. "We just finished the final model a couple of weeks ago. It can transplant or splice different species of animals together."

"How amazing!" Golden Sun exclaimed.

Sunset cringed; she remembered her own experiences in the human world, and how Zanzibar Firewing had become the vile Bloodwing at Fort Echidna.

"Are you okay, dear?" Golden Sun asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." said Sunset. "I just hope that thing works all right. Not that I plan on using it anyway, but still..."

"Oh, don't worry." said Turbo Fusion. " It's perfectly harmless...so far."

"What have you tested it with?" asked Golden Sun.

"A few animals." said Fusion. "Bears, insects, and the like. It allows us to see how creatures with the characteristics of more than one species can survive in certain environments."

"Have you ever done it with ponies?" asked Sunset.

"Well, we have sometimes applied the DNA of ponies to other animals, but never the other way around." said Fusion.

"Sounds like you've got a Dr. Moreau sorta thing going on." Sunset said.

"Doctor...who?"

"Never mind." said Sunset. "So, you could give other animals pony-like features with that thing?"

"Not just that, but you could also change their entire bodies to look equine, size and all."

Bathilda climbed out from under Sunset's mane, her ears twitching. She was intrigued by this, but lamented that she was unable to speak her mind on the subject.

"Problem is, though, that we've been running low on donors for the project." said Turbo Fusion. "Both for test subjects, and DNA samples."

"Test subjects?" asked Sunset.

"Animals to test on." said Fusion.

Sunset Shimmer instantly thought about a movie that she watched a few months ago in the human world about animals that were experimented on in a lab to gain human-like intelligence.

"That's...interesting." Sunset said, trying hard not to cringe.

"Now, how about I show you how we made that Mechasprite?"

"Sure, why not?" asked Sunset.

Turbo Fusion let Sunset Shimmer and Golden Sun over to a machine that was long and rectangular with two glass domes on the top. In one of the domes was a duplicate of the Mechasprite. In the other was the most decrepit-looking Parasprite they had even seen.

"Only an hour left to live, this one." Turbo noted. "Parasprites usually only have a week or so before they kick the bucket. No doubt their rapid reproduction more than makes up for it."

Their were sensors and cables attached to the top of the Parasprite's body/head, and similar cables were attached to the Mechasprite's body.

"You ready in there, ol' girl?" asked Turbo, leaning to look into the Parasprite's exhausted eyes.

The Parasprite made no response, but its body was still breathing.

"Right." Fusion said. "Here we go."

He flicked a switch on the side of the machine, which started to hum and vibrate. The glass domes began to flash with light.

"That's the transfer sequence." explained Fusion, speaking loudly over the humming. "In a few sec--there we go!"

There was a ding! like a microwave that had finished cooking food, along with an accompanying smell. The flashes ceased, and the Parasprite's body was laying lifelessly in its dome.

"The brainwaves have vacated the organic body." said Fusion, who now pressed a button that said "Eject".

The miniature platforms inside the domes lowered into the machine, and then emerged from small doors in the sides. The Parasprite was blown to the ground by a gust of wind, but the Mechasprite stood still.

"So how do you like yourself now?" Fusion asked it, holding up a mirror. "Go ahead, give those new wings of yours a try."

The Mechasprite's visor lit up with pale blue light. It shifted itself in place and started to whir and beep excitedly as it started flying around the room. Bathilda kept turning her head around and around to follow the Mechasprite, but she got dizzy and cross-eyed.

"I think she's pretty happy." said Golden Sun, in reference to the Mechasprite.

"Yeah..." hesitated Sunset, looking down at the dead Parasprite on the ground. "What happens to the old body, though."

"We take it down to the Biology lab for research purposes."

"You're going to dissect it, aren't you?" Sunset deduced.

"Not necessarily." said Turbo.

"I imagine it must've taken a lot of power to transfer the Parasprite's brainwaves." Golden Sun remarked.

"Not really." Turbo told him. "Parasprites actually have very tiny brains and don't take up much space to begin with. It's like changing a light bulb, really. And speaking of which, it would take three."

"Ah...interesting." Golden Sun chuckled.

Turbo whistled for the Mechasprite to return to him. It hovered beside his right ear awaiting a response.

"What do you do with them once they're in their mechanical bodies?" asked Sunset.

"We like to keep them around the University for research purposes." said Turbo.

"They don't fly off?"

"No." said Turbo. "They actually like it around here."

"How were you able to build those bodies for them, anyway?" asked Sunset. "I didn't think Equestria was advanced enough to build its own robots."

"Like I said, they aren't able to control themselves." said Turbo. "They need brainwaves from a living being in order to function. And it's been easy to build a mechanical body for a Parasprite because of how small and simple their bodies are. Of course, 'easy' is a loose description."

"How do they keep going though?"

"They have battery packs installed in their bodies." said Turbo. "As long as they plug themselves into a power source once in a while, they can recharge."

Later that night, Sunset Shimmer was resting in bed, in an unused dormitory room at the university. Bathilda was sleeping among the curly locks of her mane. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"Huh? Who is it?" Sunset asked sleepily.

The door opened. It was Golden Sun.

"Oh, you're asleep." he said. "Sorry, I guess I'll check with you in the morning."

"No, it's okay." Sunset told him. "Please come in, dad."

Golden Sun went inside, and sat on a chair. Sunset yawned, and then got out of bed and sat on the chair next to him.

"Sunset, I'm really sorry if my colleagues...disturbed you, at all." he told her. "They're not a bad bunch, honestly. They're just very ambitious, and desperate to put their theories and experiments to the test."

"I know." said Sunset, bluntly. "Doesn't make it any less...weird. Not bad, just weird."

"I know what you mean." said Golden Sun. "Weirdness has been such a regular occurrence in my life, that I've almost forgotten what it's like to live normally. You see a lot of strange things when you spend so many years at the University of Baltimare. And the strangeness never seems to leave. And that's not even getting into what it was like after I met your mother."

He sighed.

"Life is weird."

Bathilda sleepily made a clicking sound with her fangs, before rustling around to make herself comfy.

"Having a nice dream, sweetie?" Sunset asked.

Bathilda was snoozing on.

"You know, Sunset, I have to wonder if you usually sleep with your bat tangled in your mane like that?" Golden Sun wondered aloud. "It doesn't seem very hygienic..."

"She's a bat, daddy. She tangles herself in stuff all the time." said Sunset.

"I mean, for your sake." corrected Golden Sun. "Are you sure that Bathilda's had her vaccinations?"

"Of course she has." said Sunset. "I'd do anything to keep her healthy. She's practically my baby."

"Very well." said Golden Sun. "See you in the morning, Sunset."

"Good night."

Sunset Shimmer was running along a vast grassy field under an early afternoon sky. It felt so good to feel the soft texture of the plants beneath her. A welcome contrast to the rough, hot sand of Saddle Arabia. After a while, she started to roll into flower-beds and patches of tall grass, giggling like a little filly. She just started climbing out of a massive blanket of dandelions, when suddenly--

"Hello, Sunset." said a familiar voice.

Sunset looked around, and saw none other than--

"Princess Luna!" said Sunset. "It's so great to see you again."

"Likewise, my student." said Luna. "I'm sorry that I wasn't able to keep in touch with you, but there were some problems that my sister and I had to deal with. I'm relieved to hear that you and your friends made the return back to Equestria. But the news about what happened to your airship concerns me."

"Yeah..." said Sunset. "We were attacked. Some mercenaries somehow got aboard the Summerstar and ambushed us. We were all lucky to make it out of there. Does 'Squadron Omega' mean anything? They're the ones that did it."

"I don't recall hearing that name before, but I appreciate that you were able to tell me." said Luna. "I'll be sure to let the Shadowbolts know about this. And just as soon as Lightning Dust comes back, I will send them out."

"Thanks."

"And I'm also looking forward to seeing how your brother will fare as the new captain of the Night Guard." Luna added.

"Me too, princess." said Sunset. "And I'm looking forward to new lessons with you."

"Of course." said Luna. "My sister and I have both been looking forward to it. But first, I think there's something you should know."

"About what?"

"Well, about Princess Twilight Sparkle." said Luna. "Much has changed since you and your compatriots departed overseas. In Ponyville, there is now a--"

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Sunset opened her eyes, and lurched sideways in her bed: A Mechasprite was hovering just above her head, and making a noise like an alarm clock.

"You interrupted the princess, you stupid little--!" Sunset growled.

The Mechasprite started making some sad beeping noises.

"Good morning, Miss Shimmer." said Turbo Fusion, who was standing in the doorway. "I hope you didn't mind, but the university uses Mechasprites to wake the personnel up. Sorry if I forgot to mention it."

"Yeah, you kinda did." said Sunset. "And right when Princess Luna was sending me a message."

"I'm terribly sorry." said Turbo.

"Well, it's not going to make much of a difference now." said Sunset. "I'm going to be seeing her in a little bit when we all get back to Canterlot."

Trixie's Pet

Professor Abacus went on down the street with a smug grin on her face. As she went on, several ponies on the streets stopped to glare at her. Eventually, she made it to a tavern, where she went inside.

"Ah, professor." said the bartender. "The usual, then?"

"Not today." said Abacus. "I was expecting someone here today."

"Of course. They're in Parlor #3."

Abacus grinned even wider, to the point where it seemed disturbing.

"Perfect."

She went downstairs, and went through a door with the number "3" emblazoned on it in peeling letters. The room was empty, apart from a fireplace, a few chairs, and a table. But nobody was in there to meet her. However, this didn't confuse her at all. She sat herself down in a large chair facing the fireplace. A half-hour passed before the door slowly opened behind her.

"Well, it's about time." said Abacus, as a flash of red light appeared in the doorway.

King Craw entered the room.

"I wasn't sure if you wanted to use the restroom before we started talking." he said casually.

There was a flash of green light in front of the chair.

"You know that I resent meeting like this." Craw growled.

"Too bad, Craw." said Abacus' voice. "You know that the only reason why Chrysalis and Umbriel haven't found you yet is because of me."

"I know that." spat Craw, adding under his breath. "But I don't plan for this to stay that way for long."

Suddenly, the fire went out, and a dark shape rose from in front of the seat. It lunged forward and knocked Craw backwards. A beam of green light erupted from the dark shape's head, coiling itself around Craw's neck. Craw felt a surge of electrical energy jolt through his body, making him cry out in pain.

"What was that, now?"

"Nothing at all...lady Cinch." said Craw, with a hoarse tone in his voice.

The coil vanished, and the dark shape turned to re-light the fireplace. The fire illuminated the room again, revealing a slim, haggard-looking Changeling standing over Craw. She had heavy eyelids, a greasy grayish-brown mane with a slight violet tint, and a smarmy expression on her face.

"Good." said Cinch, now speaking with a distorted version of Professor Abacus's voice. "Now if you've finished with your incessant complaining, I have a job I need you to do for me."

"And what do you have in mind?" asked Craw.

"I'm so sorry, sir and ma'am." said the mechanic. "I'm afraid that we're fresh out of those parts."

"Are you kidding me?" asked Teddy. "You're the third guy we've talked to that said that!"

Teddy and Trixie had been searching the marketplace for a vendor that could sell them parts needed to repair the Summerstar. Suddenly, a gryphon whistled to them.

"'Ey, ponies!" he shouted to them. "Wanna buy somethin?"

Teddy decided to ignore him, but Trixie wasted no time in answering:

"That depends." said Trixie. "What do you sell?"

"Beasts." said the vendor. "Fantastic beasts, unlike any Equestria has ever seen. Well...most of it, anyway."

There was a series of growling noises from inside the gryphon's pavilion.

"Ah, shuddit!" he turned his head to yell, before turning to face Trixie again. "So ya wanna check it out or what?"

"I certainly have time to spare, if that answers your question." said Trixie, feigning boredom. "But that doesn't mean I'm in the mood for visiting some petting zoo."

"This ain't no ordinary petting zoo, sister." chuckled the gryphon. "Me and my boss have nothing short of the biggest, baddest, most dangerous creatures we could gather under one roof. In fact, they're so dangerous, they'd be illegal in other countries."

"So how do you know they're legal in Equestria?" asked Trixie.

"Why don't you come in and find out?" asked the gryphon.

The gryphon led Trixie into the pavilion, where dozens of massive iron cages were lined up in a row. In the cages were a menagerie of monsters: The nearest one to the entrance was relatively small, and contained a giant spider.

"We managed to get this one pretty easy, actually." said the vendor. "It was one of the creatures that attacked your city of Fillydelphia a couple months ago. Maybe you heard of that incident."

"Heard of it?" said Trixie. "I was there in time to see it--"

There was a loud banging noises coming from inside a closed cage in the middle. It was making most of the other creatures panic in their cages.

"So...what's in that one?" asked Trixie, nervously.

"That...is an Umber Hulk." said the vendor, whispering ominously into Trixie's ear. "One of the many, many creatures that dwell deep in the subterranean realms below our world."

"And what, may Trixie ask, is an Umber Hulk?"

The gryphon had a grin across his face as he slowly approached the cage.

"It has the body of a gorilla, the head of a stag beetle, the claws of a grizzly bear, the hide of an ox--"

There was a loud roar coming from inside the cage, peppered with clicking noises.

"And the ferocity of a lion...if you don't know how to tame it, that is."

"Do you know how to tame it?" asked Trixie.

"Goodness, no." snorted the gryphon. "Why d'ya think I'm keeping it in that cage? So do ya wanna buy 'em offa me or what?"

The Umber Hulk's cage started to rock back and forth, indicating that the creature was as urgent to get out of its cage as its seller was to just get away from it. If it weren't for the half-dozen chains keeping it in place, the cage likely would've been knocked over by now.

"Normally, a crea--a creature like this would sell for five-hundred mil..." he attempted to speak over the chatter of the menagerie. "But since you seem like such a trustworthy mare--and since I really don't wanna risk getting my head bitten off any longer than necessary!--how's about we make it fifty grand?!"

Two dark claw-like fingers reached through the bars of the cage, and started scratching the outside of the gate. Trixie could make out two glistening red lights from inside, no doubt the eyes. A noxious smell was in the air.

"I would love it buy it off of you, but..." said Trixie, who started to gag. "But that just wouldn't work out for me."

Then she looked in a cage at the end of the menagerie, and started smiling.

"But I would like that manticore, though." Trixie said.

The vendor looked warily at the cage Trixie was pointing towards, and guffawed.

"That thing?" he laughed hollowly. "You sure?"

He approached the manticore's cage. The creature winced, and backed into a corner like a frightened puppy.

"C'mon." he beckoned it with his claw.

The manticore gulped, and slowed crawled back to the front of the cage.

"He's a big baby." said the gryphon. "Doesn't even like eating meat. Why would you want him?"

"Well, as it happens." said Trixie. "I'm a travelling showpony, and I need a manticore for a trick I plan to pull off for my magic show. One that's easy to train. That I can trust to let somepony enter its mouth without swallowing them for real."

"Well, lucky for you, this is probably the most docile manticore you'll ever find." said the gryphon. "I thought nobody was gonna want him."

"So how much?" asked Trixie.

"Five hundred bits." said the gryphon.

"It's a deal." said Trixie, fumbling through her saddle-bag. "Uh...do you take Saddle Arabian currency?"

"Sure." said the gryphon. "As long as it's valuable somewhere."

"Oh, come on..." grumbled Trixie. "I forgot that Teddy had all the money."

Then the Umber Hulk's cage started to rattle some more. There was a banging noise, followed by some visible dents appearing on the sides of the cage. The gryphon noticed this right away, and he cleared his throat.

"How's about I make you a deal." said the gryphon.

"Yeah?" asked Trixie, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. "What's that?"

"I'll let you have the manticore for free..." said the vendor.

"Really?"

"But...you have to take this happy camper over here with you." he pointed at the Umber Hulk's cage.

"But I told you that it wouldn't work for me!" protested Trixie.

"Then you can give it to somepony else." said the gryphon snidely. "Surely, you can think of a friend--even an enemy--that could deserve it?"

"Perhaps." said Trixie. "But--"

"Just sign here." the gryphon brought out a clipboard with a paper attached. "And here. And here."

Trixie inscribed her name in triplicate, as "The Great and Powerful Trixie", and filled in the other information required.

"Well, congrats." said the gryphon. "You are now the proud owner of one of the most rare and dangerous creatures that this world has ever seen...and a manticore, I guess."

He was now wearing a very strange and triumphant smile across his beak as he tapped on the Umber Hulk's cage.

"And since you signed the paper, that means I'm no longer responsible for anything that this abomination does. Have fun!"

He pulled back a metal plate that was keeping the cage sealed. and the giant gorilla-beetle monster lunged out from the cage's shadowy depths. Its body was glistening in the lantern-light inside the pavilion, and its circular red eyes were glowing ominously as they stared down at Trixie. It paused, and then roared loudly in her face. Trixie felt her silver mane stand on end, and the irises of her eyes shrunk down to tiny dots.

"What've I gotten myself into?" Trixie muttered to herself.

The gryphon let the manticore out of its cage, and brought it out next to the Umber Hulk. The manticore cringed as it looked up at the Umber Hulk's long pincers, but did not make any attempt to escape.

"Well...let's go." Trixie took a deep breath.

The two creatures followed her out of the pavilion. The Umber Hulk bursting out like a linebacker, with the manticore crawling gingerly in its wake. Teddy, who was standing outside waiting for Trixie to emerge, flipped back in shock when he saw these creatures come out after her.

"Trixie...what?" he stammered. "What the heck is that?!"

Trixie pointed at the manticore.

"This is my new pet." she said, before pointing at the Umber Hulk. "That one...is yours."

"Whaaaaaaaaaaa..." Teddy droned in dismay.

His drone was interrupted by the Umber Hulk, which slouched forward, and loudly roared in his face. Teddy's orange mohawk-like mane was standing on end even harder than usual, and the irises of his eyes shrank to tiny dots. All the other ponies present on the street were now staring at the two ponies and their creatures. Some of them were horrified, and would have probably run away screaming if they didn't see the spiked collars around their necks, or the Fantastic Creatures pavilion nearby.

"Uh...new pets." Teddy winced nervously at the other ponies.

The Umber Hulk looked around at the passersby, and growled for all of them to leave, which they did.

"Maybe you two could learn something from each other." smirked Trixie.

Teddy looked at Trixie, then the Umber Hulk, and shrugged.

Disturbing the Peace, Part 1

"Who the heck are you?" said a mare that emerged from the front door.

She was middle-aged, had a cream-colored coat and a crescent-like light brown mane with a thin violet streak.

"Topaz?" Scarlet Blaze said aloud.

"Scarlet?!" gasped Topaz. "You...you're alive?"

"Yep." nodded Scarlet.

"But you haven't aged a day!" said Topaz. "What happened? You look the same as you did when you last lived here! That was...twenty-something years ago."

"It's a long story, Topaz." said Scarlet. "What are you doing in my dad's house?"

"Yes, I would definitely like to hear an explanation." added Crimson Blade, approaching Topaz.

"Woah..." said Topaz. "Mr. Blade? You're...out of jail?"

"That's right." said Crimson Blade. "But don't worry, it's all in the past. Do you live here now?"

"Actually, yes." said Topaz. "I've been living here for some time now. When you got arrested, your house was seized by the government and open for rental."

"I can't believe it..." growled Crimson.

"But I bought it." said Topaz. "Out of respect for you and Scarlet. I had given Scarlet a hard time when we were fillies, and I thought that watching over your house here in your absence would--"

Topaz paused.

"It's okay." Crimson told her.

"But don't worry, I kept all your stuff here. Barely touched a thing, in fact." Topaz fumbled. "I bet you'll wanna come in."

"Topaz, who's there?" called a stallion's voice.

Out walked an earth pony stallion that was very familiar to Scarlet.

"Thunder Lee!" exclaimed Scarlet.

"Ms. Blaze!" Thunder gasped. "I...I didn't expect to see you here."

"Oh, Thunder...you know Scarlet?" Topaz asked, curiously.

"Of course." Thunder nodded. "I met her and her family in Las Pegasus a couple months ago."

"Thunder Lee?" asked Crimson Blade, puzzled.

"The actor." sighed Topaz. "We've been dating since last week."

"I've been taking a break from working on a movie with Quick Shot." said Thunder. "I found some comfort with this lovely mare."

Topaz blushed.

"Oh, Thunder." she giggled.

That afternoon, the four were in the kitchen enjoying some of Topaz's cooking. While they ate, Thunder Lee was describing his latest movie to Scarlet and Crimson.

"So in the next scene I filmed, I had to whip a bunch of stacked crates to make them fall on my opponent." he told them, holding up his front hooves for the sake of putting it into perspective. "I was supposed to be careful not to hit the other actor, who was this close to the spot I was meant to hit. Took me seven or eight takes before I got it right. I thought I was going to get sued when the whip left a gash on the fellow's left cheek."

"I bet he was pretty mad, though." said Scarlet.

"You'd bet right." nodded Thunder. "I'm just fortunate he was a stunt double and not the real actor, or I would've really gotten in trouble."

Then Scarlet decided to change the subject.

"Thunder, have you...heard anything about Lionel Summerset lately?" asked Scarlet.

Thunder frowned.

"Not really." he said. "Well, I heard that he might be going on probation some time in the near future, but that might only be a rumor. I hope it's just a rumor."

"Why? What happened?" asked Crimson.

Thunder and Scarlet told Crimson about the whole incident with Summerset in Las Pegasus.

"How loathsome." said Crimson. "How is he not serving a life-sentence for the things he did?"

"No idea." said Thunder. "I reckon that Summerset's clever enough to devise an alibi or two, or could bribe his way out of anything. He's got lots of friends at the Las Pegasus garrison of the Royal Guard. I should know, since a lot of there were planted there by Summerset himself, or paid to look the other way."

"Excuse me." Scarlet cleared her throat. "I'm going to be taking a look around the house. You know, to...catch up on some old memories."

"That's fine, Scarlet." Topaz assured her.

Scarlet climbed out of her seat, and went downstairs into the basement. As she suspected, all her old things--and her father Crimson's--were stored down here: Photographs, trophies, medals, toys, and outfits. She gasped when she found the same pair of thick eyeglasses that she wore as a filly.

"Oh, that was so long ago." sighed Scarlet. "Where did the time go?"

That last sentence sent a jolt from her subconscious. She remembered the spell that Golden Sun had tried to use on the Changelings that attacked their home almost sixteen years ago. The one that had been deflected back at her by Ghost, and displaced her from Equestria for fifteen years.

"I can't believe I didn't think about it until now." said Scarlet. "What was that spell supposed to do, anyway? I'm going to have to talk to my husband about this, first chance I get."

The train continued on along Equestria's countryside. Pressure Point and Maud Pie sat still and (in Maud's case) silently in their compartment.

"So...collect any strange rocks lately?" Pressure Point asked, idly.

"No." said Maud.

Pressure Point rolled his eyes.

"Why is everything taking so long?!" he thought.

THE NEXT DAY...

"Princess Luna?" Prince Naurius said, as he hovered around the alicorn princess, who was laying in her bedroom.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Uh...I wanted to thank you again for letting me stay at the castle." said Naurius.

"You mentioned this five times already." said a wearisome Luna. "You need not mention it again."

"Sorry." said Naurius. "So, uh...been keeping in touch with Sunset Shimmer and her friends?"

"I was just sending a message to Sunset Shimmer through her dreams." said Luna. "But unfortunately, she was woken up before I could finish."

"Awww..." said Naurius.

"Tell me, Naurius." said Luna. "Are you absolutely sure that your family knows that you're away?"

"Don't worry, I got it covered." said Naurius, tapping his front hooves together nervously.

Naurius knew that his sister Dana would never let him run off somewhere, so he had to devise a plan to hide this. Naurius was clever, much like his father Umbriel. Before he left, he had Glitch disguise himself as him and take his place. Of course, it was forbidden for Changelings to disguise themselves as each other, but at least Glitch's mental instability wouldn't get him punished too harshly if his cover was blown.

"Did you clean your room yet, little brother?" asked Princess Dana.

"Singer, singer, weapon let me hear my door." said the false Prince Naurius.

"What?"

"Heh, heh...sorry." he chuckled. "I think I got a little delirious for a moment there. Maybe I'm suffering from a cold."

He pretended to cough. But on the fifth cough, his head swelled to twice its size, and he opened his mouth as if to let out a cartoonish burp. However, instead of making an actual burp, he made a noise like TV static, but mixed with the sound of a door being repeatedly slammed shut.

"I told you to stop hanging around Glitch." said Dana. "That freak turns annoying little brats like you into brainless rejects like him."

She sighed when Naurius failed to respond.

"Sigma! Canopy!" Dana called out.

Luna looked at Naurius, who was twitching nervously.

"What is the matter?"

"Nothing, nothing." said Naurius.

"Naurius, I've been curious about something ever since I first saw you and your sister." said Luna.

"Yeah?" asked Naurius.

"If you and Dana are Umbriel's children..." said Luna. "Then where is your mother?"

"Uh...it's kinda complicated." Naurius started to chuckle nervously. "She and my dad aren't really on speaking terms with each other. In fact, I don't think they ever married. Me and Dana were both...accidents. Especially Dana."

He started to excrete sweat all over his chitin-like hide.

"Of course, Dana would kill me if she ever knew that." he muttered under his breath.

"So your parents never married each other." Luna said, flatly. "And seldom even see each other. That...certainly explains a few things about your father."

"Like why he always talks about you?" asked Naurius.

"...Yes." said Luna. "He seems to harbor some sort of interest in me, and I'm not sure why."

"Do...do you think my dad might...like you?" asked Naurius.

"He likes something about me, but I doubt it has anything to do with romance." said Luna. "One can never tell how Changelings really feel about something. They tend to be manipulative and--"

"..." Naurius stared.

"Sorry." said Luna.

"No, no. It's okay." said Naurius. "My sister always accuses me of lying to her at least two or three times a day. Especially when all I'm saying is 'I love you, sis.'"

"There's obviously some dysfunction in your family." said Luna.

"No joke, right?!" cackled Naurius. "The only one in my family that doesn't seem to have a problem with me is my cousin Pupa. And she's...well, I don't wanna say what she is; it would be very rude of me. Anywho, I'm gonna leave you to your...princess stuff."

He zipped out of the room before Luna could say another word.

Trixie and Teddy were going along the street, with the Manticore and Umber Hulk in tow.

"Trixie, did you really need to get me this...thing?" asked Teddy, as the Umber Hulk drooled on his tail. "It keeps lurching over me, like it could bite my head off any minute."

"Sorry, Ted." said Trixie. "I didn't really have a choice; it was a mandatory two-for-one sale."

"Are you sure?" asked Teddy. "Because I really think you'd be better off keeping it--"

"No, Teddy." snapped Trixie, under her breath. "It belongs to you now. There's no way I'm letting that hideous thing be even remotely associated with me."

The Umber Hulk started growling at the Manticore, which cringed.

"And I really don't want it to hurt my Manticore while I'm trying to train it." Trixie added.

"Okay, okay." said Teddy. "I'll do it for you, baby. But you owe me for this."

Suddenly, the ground started to rumble.

"Keep it down back there!" Trixie yelled at the two creatures.

But she looked back and saw that they were perfectly motionless. However, the pavement behind them started to crack apart.

"What the--"

The ground burst skywards, and something emerged from the rubble. Something long, black, and serpentine. A building just a few blocks away collapsed, and an identical creature emerged from the wreckage. Both of them seemed to look down at their surroundings, and then sprang forth to attack.

"Oh, horse-apples." Teddy muttered.

Disturbing the Peace, Part 2

Indigo Zap was holding Ellie Jaye in her hooves, hovering a few feet above the ground.

"Wow, Lightning." said Indigo Zap. "A rare species, huh?"

"Yep." nodded Lightning Dust. "From one of the last couple Megamite colonies in Saddle Arabia".

"So they're called 'Megamites', huh?" asked Indigo. "Well, I'd say they're a might 'mega'! Heh, 'might'. Geddit?"

"Yeah, sis." chuckled Lightning, hollowly. "I, uhh...sure get it."

"You must be so lucky to have this thing as a pet."

"Well, she isn't just my pet." said Lightning. "Ellie's my friend. I'd even say she's the closest thing I have to a foal."

"Aww, so you think this bug's your baby?" snickered Indigo.

She started speaking in baby-talk to Ellie, even as she bobbed her left and right in her hooves.

"C'mon, Ellie." she giggled. "Wanna give your Auntie Indigo a nice, big bug-hug?"

"Uh...sis? I wouldn't go tryin' that if I were you..." Lightning interjected.

"Nah, she's cool with me." said Indigo. "ain't that right, El--AAIIIIIIIEEEEE!"

Ellie Jaye broke free of Indigo's hooves, and clamped her legs around her ribcage. Indigo had a pained expression on her face as she gasped for air. She lost control and fell back down to the ground, where she landed on her back with Ellie still clasped to her body.

"That's enough, Ellie!" said Lightning. "Let go."

Ellie chittered in confusion, and loosened her grip on Indigo, but still didn't let go. Then she clicked her mandibles softly while turning her head from side-to-side.

"You have to be gentle with her, Indie." said Lightning. "Ya have to hold her just right, or she could squeeze you in two. She's got kung-fu grip in those legs of hers. Don't feel bad, though; I learned it the hard way, too."

"So you say..." Indigo chuckled awkwardly, trying to mask her pain. "There's a nice girl. Just...let...Aunt Indie go, okay?"

She cautiously placed a hoof on Ellie's back, and ran it up and down her exoskeleton, encouraging her to loosen her grip. Lightning dropped down after her. There was a low rumbling nearby.

"What the heck's that noise?" Lightning asked.

The black worm-like creatures were surging through the city, ripping through buildings like paper. Rubble was scattering everywhere and ponyfolk were fleeing in a state of intense panic.

"What the buckin' hoof is going on here?!" Teddy shouted over the calamity.

"I don't know, Teddy." said Trixie, whose horn was glowing. "But the Great and Powerful Trixie shall put a stop to it."

She galloped forward, blasting projectiles at the black worms. At first, they paid no heed to her. However, when she shot a stream of magical lightning at one of them, they ceased their advance and turned to notice her. They burrowed into the pavement, and started tunneling around her in circles.

"Show yourselves, fiends!" Trixie hollered at them.

She shot spell after spell at the elevated ground, but to no avail. Suddenly, there was a loud rumbling, and the ground she was started on started to crack. She bolted away, just as it began to collapse into a sinkhole. The pit was twenty feet in diameter, and ten fathoms deep. The worms emerged from the pit. One of them looked down at the staggering Trixie, while the other burrowed underground again. It began to tunnel to the outskirts of town, towards the University of Baltimare.

The first worm made a deep roaring noise that caused Trixie's pet Manticore to flee and hide behind a food-cart. Trixie shot a spell into the worm's mouth, causing white-hot sparks to issue from its jaws. There was heavy galloping from the side, and Nose Nip and Frosty charged up to the creature. Frosty was holding up a makeshift flamethrower that was salvaged from the Summerstar. Nose Nip had the Cluster Buster, as well.

"Hey, mega-ugly!" Frosty shouted. "Get back ta yo' dune!"

The worm looked down at him and opened its mouth. It started to make a loud sucking noise, and Frosty and Nose Nip both felt a strong tug on their weapons. Frosty's flamethrower disappeared into the creature's mouth, where it was shredded by its countless rows of razor-sharp teeth.

"What's going on here?" asked Nose Nip.

"Aww, come on!" Frosty complained. "I didn't even get a chance to use it!"

"Then use your magic!" Trixie shouted. "Are you a unicorn or not?"

"Oh...right."

Frosty's horn started to glow, and he blasted a freezing spell at the worm. The body was unaffected, but the inside of the mouth was riddled with ice. Nose Nip started galloping up the length of the worm's body to get to the head, the Cluster Buster loaded and ready to fire.

"Like eating metal, do ya?" Nose Nip shouted at it. "Then eat this!"

He pointed the Cluster Buster down, and pulled back on the oversized trigger with his front-left hoof. There was a loud BANG!, a massive number of metal objects of various shapes and sizes burst straight from the Cluster Buster's barrel and struck the worm's hide. He pulled back again and again until the rear end of the weapon violently shattered. The fourth blast went through the worm's thick black armor and out the other side. It let out a garbled wail as it careened into a nearby shop with Nose Nip still riding it.

"Nips!" Frosty yelled.

Frosty, Trixie, and Teddy went into the ruins of the store, and found Nose Nip laying stunned and bruised next to the downed worm. His head and front hooves were half-covered in dust and powder from the rubble, making him seem a paler green than usual.

"Did...I...get 'em?" sputtered Nose Nip. "O Yeshmiyek, I'm hurting all over!"

"Don't worry, you got it!" Frosty said. "I can't believe how tough that weapon was! Too bad it's busted, or we coulda used--"

"Frosty! Trixie!" said Teddy, who was looking at the destroyed worm's exit and entry wounds. "Nose Nip, you guys might wanna check this out."

Nose Nip got up, and went with the others to investigate the creature. However, just as they were about to surround it, the worm started emitting flames and sparks from the wounds. Then it started to billow left and right.

"I don't like the looks of this..." Frosty whispered.

Radiant Dawn, Lightning Dust, and Indigo Zap arrived at that moment.

Lightning and Indigo were both shocked at what they saw. Radiant Dawn's horn started to glow as the worm raised its head and began swiveling about.

TEN MINUTES LATER...

The University of Baltimare was in chaos. The walls and floors were all shaking. Professors and students alike were scattering every which way, trying to find the nearest exit from the building. It felt as if some Kaiju-sized beast was charging across the campus. Then there were loud crashes and bangs that echoed into each other from no specific direction.

"What's going on?!" Sunset Shimmer yelled over the commotion.

"I don't know!" Golden Sun shouted.

Professor Rocket galloped madly towards them.

"Some kind of creature!" he told them, gasping for breath. "Attacking the B.R.E.W....Turbo's trying to stop it!"

"Oh, no." Golden Sun frowned.

He raced down the hall and entered the chamber. The interior looked like a war-zone, and a gaping pit was opening in the middle of it, extending down to the basement levels. Turbo Fusion was nowhere to be seen.

"Turbo!" Golden Sun hollered down into the tunnel. "Turbo! Where are you?!"

There was no response. He, Sunset, and the rest of the remaining alumni of the university were crowding around the hole.

"I can't believe it." Rocket stammered. "It got him. Th-the creature must've gotten him. I know I shouldn't have left him here!"

"Calm down, professor!" Sunset told him. "What creature? What got Turbo?"

"It was...some kind of giant black worm or serpent. It just burrowed from under the ground. Tore through the floor like cardboard."

"And destroyed some of the surrounding rooms in doing so." said one of the other professors. "Abacus is gonna be furious about this."

"You'd be right, Mr. Javelin." said a voice behind them.

"Ma'am, we...we..." Professor Javelin hesitated as he and the others turned around.

"Don't give me your excuses." Professor Abacus told him. "This is unforgivable."

"It wasn't our fault, Abbey." said Rocket. "We were attacked. This huge worm--"

"Yes, I know about it." said Abacus. "But I'm afraid that there's simply nothing that can be done about it right now. The university must be closed down until this situation has been resolved."

There were gasps throughout the room.

Sunset and Golden Sun were trotting along the forest path between Baltimare and the University.

"Dad, I'm sorry about--"

"You don't need to apologize, Sunset." Golden Sun told his daughter, as the two left the university campus with Bathilda in tow. "None of it was your fault."

"But what was this creature?"

"Your guess is as good as mine."

Radiant Dawn and the others galloped towards them, with Indigo and Lightning speeding next to them.

"Sunset! Dad!" Radiant Dawn shouted. "Something big just tore through the town. And it's on the move."

"We know, Red." said Sunset. "It attacked us not even five minutes ago."

"No, Sunset!" said Trixie. "There's two of them. The one that was headed to the university, and the one Nose Nip just blasted."

"The one that attacked us burrowed underground, and took one of the professors with it." Golden Sun summarized. "Now you tell me there's another one?"

"Yeah, but it burrowed underground, too." said Nose Nip, "There was something happening when I put a hole through it with the Cluster Buster. It was shooting sparks and fire all over the place."

"So it's some kind of dragon?" asked Golden Sun.

"It didn't look like any dragon I ever saw." said Nose Nip. "I think it's something else."

"Yeah, there's something about that worm that seemed...mechanical." said Teddy.

"Like a robot?" asked Sunset.

Trixie snorted in disbelief.

"You've been in the human world for too long, Sunset." she said. "This is Equestria. Equestria is part of a world of magical creatures. What the Great and Powerful Trixie and her cohorts previously confronted is undoubtedly just another magical creature."

"I don't care what that thing is supposed to be." said a gruff voice.

Crimson Blade, Sunflower, and Scarlet Blaze galloped up to them very moment.

"We saw something big knock down the western treeline from underneath the roots." said Scarlet. "I'm willing to bet that it was one of those worms."

"They might be headed fo' Cant-ah-lot!" Sunflower exclaimed.

"That settles it." Radiant Dawn said. "Lightning and I have been on leave long enough. Someone needs to get to Canterlot and raise the alarm."

"And track down those two worms." added Sunset.

Welcome to Baltimare

"And so...it's over." Master Zed remarked as he and the other mercenaries of Squadron Omega watched the Summerstar race closer and closer towards the forest below.

The airship was hurdling faster and faster, when a flash of red and gold light flash all over it as it disappeared into the trees.

"What is that?" asked one of the mercenaries.

"It must be the unicorns trying to stop the airship from crashing." said Master Zed. "Pointless, really. Even if they do land safely, we'll be there to finish them off."

Another pegasus in armor similar to that worn by the mercenaries flew towards the group.

"Sir, we have a new message from our employer." said the newcomer.

He gave Master Zed a package with an attached note. Zed read it:

Z, Your mission parameters have been updated; Once you have concluded your sabotage and assault of E.O.H.'s airship, your next mission will require you to scope out Ponyville and spy on the other E.O.H.. Contained in this package are files on the members in question. Like the previous group, your objective is not to kill the targets, but to weaken or cripple them. You may do as you wish, as long as it doesn't prove lethal. These are maximum-priority targets and are considered very important to Equestria as a whole. Good luck.

Master Zed opened the package, and read the files: it was none other than Princess Twilight Sparkle and her five Ponyville friends.

"Boys, these are our new targets." said Master Zed to his comrades, showing them the files. "We're staging another attack. Once this group is dealt with, the Princesses will be more than happy to wipe out the Neo-Equestrians."

"But they bear the Elements of Harmony." said one of the mercenaries. "How could we possibly--"

"Do not speak out of turn, soldier." said Master Zed. "Besides, the Elements of Harmony no longer exist, and all six of them are undoubtedly exhausted from their recent battle with Tirek."

"Of course, sir." said the mercenary.

Master Zed perused the files, before stopping on the file of the light-blue Pegasus with the multi-colored mane: Rainbow Dash. He took a moment to scrutinize the picture in her file. He started to breath more audibly under his mask.

"Of course, even I would be a fool to fight an Alicorn just yet." said Master Zed. "But this one, Rainbow Dash, is mine. Do what you will to the others, but leave this one to me. I've wanted to test myself against her for some time now."

"Yes, sir."

"And leave someone to keep an eye on this group." Master Zed pointed at the crash site. "I'm not going to let them get away that easily."

"Wake up!" said a voice into Sunset Shimmer's ear. "Please wake up!"

Sunset slowly opened her eyes, and slowly got back up. Her vision was slightly blurry, there was a ringing in her ears, and a part of her head was throbbing with pain.

"Ow..." she groaned. "What happened? Where are the others?"

After a moment, she realized she was laying in bed in a room she was unfamiliar with. She tried to get up.

"Take it easy, ma'am." said a stallion's voice. "We're at the Baltimare Medical College. You and your friends were brought here just in time."

The stallion was clearly a doctor. A Pegasus doctor, too.

"Thanks, but who are you?" asked Sunset. "And how did I get here?"

"Red Alarm." said the stallion. "Some guards from our town's garrison told me they saw your zeppelin crash not too far from town, so they rushed the whole lot of you over here."

"Thank you." said Sunset. "But I'd still like to know where my family and friends are."

"Hey, Sunny!" Radiant Dawn rushed into the room. "How ya doing, sis?"

He grabbed Sunset by the chest, and hugged her tight.

"Ahhh..." Sunset winced. "Red, you're...kinda squeezing my ribs!"

"Oh, sorry." Radiant said, letting go of his sister.

"Captain Dawn, I told you not to try grabbing her like that!" said Red Alarm, frowning.

"I said I was sorry." Radiant frowned in return.

"Radiant, are mom and dad okay?" Susnet asked quickly. "What about grandpa, and--"

"They're fine, Sunny." said Radiant, coolly.

"Thank Celestia..." sighed Sunset.

"But it looks like the Summerstar's down for good this time." said Golden Sun, who went inside to check on his children. "I just checked with some of the town guards. They said the airship's engines and ballast systems were destroyed, and most of the other parts were ripped to pieces when it landed in the forest."

"Frosty and Nose Nip won't be too happy." Sunset commented.

"Let's just hope Lionel Summerset doesn't find out about it." said Golden Sun. "He sure won't be too happy."

"Which reminds me..." said Radiant Dawn. "Who were those mercenaries? Where did they come from? And why did they attack us?"

"Squadron Omega." said a stallion's voice in the doorway. "That's who they were!"

Sunset, Radiant, Golden Sun, and Dr. Alarm all turned to see a familiar grayish-white pegasus with red-brown eyes and a shaggy brown-and-green mane. It was none other than the disguised King Craw.

Sunset gasped ecstatically, galloping forward and  throwing her hooves around her boyfriend's neck.

"I just knew you would've made it!" she said.

"When did you get here?" asked Radiant.

"He was disguised as one of the mercenaries that boarded the Summerstar." Sunset let go to talk to the others.

"He was the turncoat that helped us, then?" asked Golden Sun.

"Yep." nodded Craw, putting a hoof around Sunset's neck. "Always a pleasure, to help my precious golden gal."

Suddenly, there was a squeak, announcing that Bathilda was flying overhead. She landed on Sunset's muzzle, and hugged it.

"Good to see you too, Bathilda." Sunset smiled.

Bathilda crawled off, and hung on the wall.

"A fruit bat, huh?" said Craw.

"Mm-hmm." said Sunset. "She's my little Bathilda."

Craw stared at the fruit bat curiously. The bat stared back, twitching her nose cautiously. She narrowed her eyes, and made a quiet hiss.

"What's wrong?" asked Sunset.

Bathilda just kept looking at Craw, cocking her head to the side with a scowl.

"You can trust him, sweetie." said Sunset. "He's mommy's boyfriend!"

Bathilda looked at her with a confused stare, then looked back at Craw. She shrugged, and then wrapped herself in her wings.

"It doesn't look like your bat likes me too much." Craw pointed out.

"Nah, it's okay." said Sunset. "She just needs some time to know you better."

"Speaking of knowing." said Golden Sun, turning to speak to Craw. "I'm glad that I got the chance to meet you. You're my daughter's boyfriend, huh?"

"That's right." said Craw. "We've been seeing each other for...quite a while now. Wish I coulda met y'all sooner, though."

Bathilda secretly peeked through her wings as she watched Sunset's boyfriend talk to Radiant Dawn.

"Something about that guy seems very weird." Bathilda thought. "He looks weird, he talks weird...ugh! And he even smells weird! Like a roadkilled stinkbug! Something's up with him, or I'm just a mouse with paper wings!"

Then she looked at Sunset.

"What does she see in him, anyway?" Bathilda thought some more. "Is it a pony thing that I don't get cuz I'm a bat? Or am I just being jealous for no reason? After all, I'm just a bat! A pet bat."

She frowned.

"Still, Sunset has always been nice to me. I guess I could trust her boyfriend if she says he's alright."

Frosty slowly tried to open his eyes.

"Wake up, hun'!" said the Bronx-accented voice of Sunflower Seed, who was leaning against Frosty's bed with her front hooves stretched out.

"Wut time'zit?" said Frosty, who was still dizzy.

"We're at the...uhh, Baltimare Medical...somethin'." said Sunflower. "The doctuh said'ja we got he'e just in time! Nuthuh minute, and it woulda been too late."

Frosty saw that there were bandages around Sunflower's torso, and a splint was cast around one of her hind legs.

"Busted up one'na my ribs when we crash-landed." Sunflower explained.

"Aw..." Frosty said softly. "Nopony should hurt yo' body like dat, baby..."

He tried to get up, but he felt intense pain in his spinal column, so he stayed where he was.

"Musta been da kirahpractah..." chuckled Sunflower.

"Chiropractor?" repeated Frosty.

"Yeah." said Sunflower. "He said the crash did a real numbah on yo' back! So you might have to stick around here a couple days."

"Welp." said Frosty. "At least it can't get worse..."

Suddenly, there were heavy hooffalls, announcing that somepony was hurrying rapidly towards the door, which swung open. Standing in the doorway was a unicorn mare with a graying azure mane and a silver coat.

"Oh...hi, ma." said Frosty.

"Thank Celestia that you're all right, son." said Mrs. Flake. "When I heard you were in Baltimare, I was exciting. But do you have any idea how scared silly I was when I found out you were in the hospital? I've wanted you to come visit me, not make me have to visit you!"

"Ma, don't worry 'bout it!" chuckled Frosty. "Heh, heh...I've been through worse. This is nothin' compared'ta last Spring."

"So, yo' his momma, huh?" Sunflower approached Mrs. Flake.

"That's right." said Frosty's mother. "And uh...who might you be?"

"She's my girlfriend." said Frosty.

"Sunflower Seed, at yo' soiviss!" smiled Sunflower. "We've been together almost two months!"

"Frosty, I'm impressed." said Mrs. Flake, turning to her son with a neutral expression on her face. "You managed to go steady with somepony that long without moving on to someone else, huh?"

"Yeh..." muttered Frosty.

"Good for you, dear." Mrs. Flake turned to Sunflower. "If you're lucky, he'll stick around almost as much as my husband did. I hope you know how to keep him in his place. Anypony gives him an inch, he trots all over them..."

"Oh, ma..." scoffed Frosty.

Then they heard Pressure Point's voice rambling in the hall:

"For the love of Celestia, what does it take for a stallion to get a decent rest around here?"

He went into the room, cradling an icebag along his head.

"I could hear you all babbling like idiots from next..." Pressure paused, and looked at Mrs. Flake. "Mo...Mom?!"

He dropped his icebag in shock.

"Son?!" Mrs. Flake replied after a pause, equally as surprised.

Sunflower was wide-eyed, her jaw dropping.

"Uh...what?!" Frosty jumped as he laid on the bed so fast, he ended up pulling too hard on his back, and fell over.