Binary leans back on the sofa while he stares out the window of Rainbow's living room. Sighing deeply he decides to get up and stretch before Rainbow comes through the front door.

"Are you still on the sofa? It's like midday. You're lazier than I am and that is an accomplishment." Rainbow states trotting through to the kitchen with a bag.

"You do realise how badly that comment reflects on you?" Binary asks with a deadpan expression.

"Did you say something?" Rainbow asks sounding as if she is putting things away.

"Nothing at all..." Binary walks into the kitchen and leans against the sink counter.

Binary silently watches Rainbow as she puts away food from the bag she brought in. When done, she closes the fridge and turns to Binary.

"I was hoping you'd be available for a talk when I got home. I had something I wanted to run by you." Rainbow states before leading Binary into the living room and stretches.

"It's not like I'm doing anything else..." Binary states.

"That's exactly what I'd like to talk to you about... I like you living here, I really do. It makes a change to have a roommate but not a roommate as you don't sleep in my room-"

"Shall I move into your room?" Binary asks.

"W-what? That's not what I'm-" Rainbow stutters.

"Because I can if you want me to so then we are 'roommates'." Binary states.

"No, you're cool... Look, I like you living here, however, I only make so many bits with my job on the weather team. It wasn't so bad to start but it's getting a little tight around here budget wise. So, I was hoping you'd consider getting a job to help with stuff. The weather team could always do with more wings on hoof." Rainbow explains.

Binary thinks for a moment before looking a little perplexed.

"I suppose it's not an unreasonable thing to ask... I just... Valentine was always the most productive out of the five of us. To put it bluntly, none of us has had to do anything before now..." Binary states sitting down.

"I thought you seemed a little off since the chains appeared. Want to talk about it?" Rainbow offers.

"Not at the moment. Maybe eventually, but I'm fine for right now. If you're able to get me a job on the Ponyville weather team I'd gladly do it if it'll help. It'll at least get me out of the house and maybe improve my mood." Binary states taking a deep breath.

"That's great, now get up." Rainbow states making Binary get up and starts nudging him towards the front door.

"W-what are you doing?" Binary asks not resisting.

"We're are going for a fly, so get those wings out and relax." Rainbow pushes Binary out of the front door and onto her porch.

Binary spread his demon wings and stretches a little, taking a deep breath. Rainbow does the same before taking flight, to hover a little in front of Binary.

"You seriously need to relax. It's not good for your health if you stress all the time. Follow me." Rainbow states before flying off.

Using his wings to gain lift he follows Rainbow as they simply fly around Ponyville and several nearby cloud formations. After half an hour the pair comes to rest on a decent sized fluffy cloud.

"How was that small flight?" Rainbow asks Binary who is looking around.

"More relaxing then I remember. I haven't really been out on a casual flight since we met and all this other stuff happened. Thanks, Rainbow." Binary is about to sit down before faintly hearing something in the distance.

"Fire!" The voice states.

Binary turns to face the direction of the voice which appears to be Twilight's castle. Squinting he can see something pink on her balcony accompanied by a human figure with what looks like a cannon... Binary widens his eyes upon seeing the cannon but finds it's too late as something hits him square in the chest, knocking him over onto his back.

"What the? Binary you okay?!" Rainbow asks as she inspects the floored Binary.

"Provided I was just hit by a fast moving projectile fired from what could only be described as a party cannon... Yeah, I'm fine." Binary sighs before looking at his chest to see a letter.

Binary passes the letter to Rainbow who opens and reads it.

"'Come to the castle! Exciting news!'. That's literally all it says." Rainbow states.

"Oh that all? I suppose we should get to the castle." Binary comments standing up.

Walking into the throne room of Twilights castle Rainbow and Binary look around to see their friends gathered in their thrones with the alters beside them minus Kiara and Vinyl.

I got your message... What's this about?" Binary asks rubbing his chest.

Pinkie and the Architect high five each other with a smile before Twilight clears her throat.

"I'm glad you could make it. Thanks to Starlight, we have been able to alter the map a little like when she used the time travel spell. Although this is a little track spell so nothing quite so complex. Basically, when Celestia sends me a letter with the coordinates of a chain anchor, I can place a tracker on the map to see exactly where that is." Twilight explains.

"I believe I understand what you're saying. I take it we will also get the colour of the chain so we can send the correct person to deal with it." Binary adds folding his arms as he leans on Rainbow's throne while she sits down.

A letter suddenly pops in front of Twilight which she takes in her magic. Opening it she begins reading before looking between the letter and map several times. Using the spell she places a blue marker on the Forbidden Jungle.

"It seems we have our first anchor marker. It's the blue chain which is anchored in the Forbidden Jungle at some kind of temple." Twilight points out on the map.

"I'd hate to be the poor soul who has to travel all that way through that jungle." Binary comments before looking around to see everyone staring at him.

"Umm B... Given the colours, I saw on Luna's necklace there are only two shades of blue... Yuuki's is ice blue which means..." Valentine begins tipping his hat slightly to hide the expression of sympathy pain.

It takes Binary a few moments to fully realise what Valentine was getting at, but when it finally sunk in his expression dropped.

"First one? you have got to be kidding me!" Binary groans and falls backwards onto the floor.

Despair walks down the hall towards the mage barracks. After passing several stained glass windows he opens a door which leads to a lab of sorts with several large garden plots growing various fruits and vegetables in large quantities. Looking further into the room he can see it's much larger with the whole room being some form of 'greenhouse'. After a little searching, Despair finds Luxure crouched in front of a short mutated tomato type plant creature with a twisted vine body which includes legs and arms.

"A small project you are working on?" Despair asks.

Luxure smiles and strokes the tomatoes head gently. Its mouth reaches from ear to ear (if it had ears) and is filled with razor sharp teeth.

"Something like that. Luxure felt a little lonely without master so she decided to experiment and made this little fellow~" Luxure explains still smiling.

"It's cute if nothing else. Not a bad achievement either." Despair strokes Luxure's hair which makes her purr happily.

"What brings master to Luxure's barracks? Not that I'm unhappy for visits~" Luxure stands up and turns around to face master.

"I just wanted to check up on your progress. That spell you weaved a couple of days ago was rather complex. I wasn't sure you'd be able to do it. Have you been spending time in the pool like I asked?" Despair asks as the two exit the greenhouse lab and walks back towards the main area.

"Yes, Luxure has been spending regular time in there to adjust her body to the new magical powers she is developing. It makes things a bit easier and reduces the time between experiment sessions~" Luxure informs Despair.

"That's good. I want each of my generals to be at their best just in case something new develops. I have to attend to something so I'll see you later." Despair states before heading up the main rooms stairs towards his chambers.

"So, let me get this straight... We're taking a train to Dodge City, after which we will then head off towards the jungle to make our way to the temple on hoof?" Rainbow asks, sitting beside Binary at the train station.

Binary has a newly crafted messenger bag which is big enough to hold some essential supplies. Rainbow has her saddlebags, which are rested beside her.

"That's the general travel plan that Twilight explained to us. Although given our luck recently... I highly doubt this trip will go well." Binary sighs deeply.

"Don't do that." Rainbow states firmly.

"Do what?" Binary asks confused.

"What you just said. Don't do it." Rainbow states again firmly.

"You mean about the recent luck and our trip-" Binary is silenced by a cyan hoof.

"I said don't. Almost always in movies when someone is pessimistic about something it never goes right..." Rainbow shivers.

"I thought it was the other way around. If you're positive about something then you're likely to jinx it and it'll go the opposite." Binary comments.

"Well, either way, don't do it." Rainbow sighs.

The train arrives soon after and a conductor steps out blowing a whistle.

"Next stop Dodge City!" The conductor informs anyone heading that way.

"Looks like this is us. If I am, to be honest, I think it might not be so bad." Binary states standing up before helping Rainbow with her saddlebags.

"You seriously didn't just do exactly what we discussed you shouldn't..?" Rainbow rubs her temple before the pair board the train.

Author's Note

Thus we begin our first string of chain chapters! I'm excited to be making progress on CLC and hope you all enjoy it as well.