Close Call was a pegasus stallion with a periwinkle coat in color, a dark green mane just a few values from black and was on the built side for a cruise hosting captain. Seeing over the docking process and ensuring the ship's fuel was being restocked, something in the distance caught his eye as it approached the airship docking stations of the capital of Equestria. Moving through the flow of traffic, six mares and one baby dragon were followed by an assembly of their assigned security as they waded through the crowd of passengers hurrying towards their destinations, to and fro.

It was from his high disposition on the ladder to the ships main deck that the above average sized pegasus spotted the thing that had caught his eye. Among Canterlot's citizens he had never seen a level of pink so vibrant, nor one that trotted with such pip in every step. Oh sure, he spotted the disapproving glances, the judgemental eyes that quickly turned the other cheek upon seeing the Princess' favorite trotting alongside her. But whether the pony herself noticed these disapproving glances or was aware of them at all, hardly seemed to be a concern on her list.

The group of seven plus added company, moved across the sea towards his ship and as they moved Pinkie was certain she'd caught sight of the smile aimed her way.

Upon seeing the group approaching his ship the captain eyed them warily then began the most nonsensical form of idle banter anyone had ever heard a captain say to seafaring customers once he touched wooden planks and came to ground level with his future passengers.

"You get that goose, or we still lookin'?"

It was Pinkie who took a step forward, her eyes narrowing at the stallion as she approached. Ponies passed by the group in two lines heading in different directions; those boarding and those leaving. Despite the hussle and bustle of Canterlot on an afternoon, there were many who passed the group without a glance. Pinkie however only had eyes for one.

Marching right up to the stallion, her eyes narrowing, she replied: "The quack keeps quacking and the whole neighborhood can't sleep because of it! It's madness! You wouldn't believe it!"

The stallion eyed the mare, passed a cursory glance at the dozen and then some mares and stallions around them that wore no armor but carried baggage with them on the line to his ship. Flicked his gaze over to Twilight who refused to make eye contact and was blushing up a storm, and then raised a brow at the dragon trying to keep a straight face and failing.

Looking back to the pink mare he eyed her serious expression then shook his head, possibly trying to conceal his mirth.

He snorted. "Sounds like an annoying goose. No wonder you been having trouble."

Pinkie's stern glare turned into a mischievous grin. "You have no idea Closey! The kids can't sleep and we've been looking for it everywhere!"

"Well we can't have that." Close Call grinned, a chuckle escaping him. "Let me help you lot find em, yeah? Ay boyyos we got ourselves a destination to be prepping for. Take this groups bags up for them!" He turned a head up as he nodded for the crew to begin loading the passengers gear and climbing up the ladder to the upper deck of the ship. "C'mon now, best get you onboard and settled in now!"

I will never forgive you for asking the Princess to help you make up that ridiculous code.

I personally think she had fun with that. See! If the Empress is rolling her eyes, she must agree!

Spike, I really don't--

Hey, it worked didn't it? Besides, we had to stay in character. Tourists on a trip was a smart disguise and we couldn't let the whole cruise with all those passengers know we were on a secret mission from the Princess!

She has a point dear.

Made it more realistic to me.

Not you too Dash--

Hoofbump!

Uh guys, I don't think Nightmare Moon appreciates this lul in the story

I'll handle it Spike...

Ya see Empress, finding that no good brute of a griffon and his sweet-n-sour partner in crime, wasn't easy. It took the Princess nearly a week before she sent word back to Twilight about anything relating to their whereabouts. During that time, we all went about business as usual...or as usual as possible when we could be out there at any short notice.

Suffice to say, we were all on edge at the time. And we were even more on edge when we finally got the call to head on over to Canterlot. Arriving there we made our way straight to the docks. Raven Inkwell, the royal assistant to the crown who I know you've met, and was the assistant to the Princess at the time, as she is now, gave us a run-down of the situation after we got off our train ride to Canterlot. We were heading straight for the airship docking stations on the edge of Canter mountain to meet the captain of the ship that would be dropping us at the last known location he dropped off our targets of interest.

Close Call was a former member of the Solar Guard, he left not long before Discord's return. Bought an air ship with money he'd been saving up and finally went out to fulfill his dream of being a captain of his own deck. Lucky for us when the Princess sent out word of an urgent message through all her captains and through every cruising and flight path to be on alert for wanted fugitives, Captain Close happened to be coming back in from his most latest voyage from Southern Equestria. Lucky too, a few hours more and we probably would have missed them completely.

Maritina was a hub of activity. Arriving in the capital once controlled by a lost empire of Chimps, the now heavily diverse populated nation of Muul, was home to a large demographic of donkeys, ponies, griffons, felines, Dingo and Diamond Dogs, Minotaurs, and the occasional...fox. Unfortunately, these usually sparse demographics sprinkled here and there, converged in Maritina, a city renown for its trading centers.

A hub of business.

Why so many omnivores or carnivores/ meat eating creatures in one place with herbivores?

Simple: it once belonged to the Pan empire.

Yes Empress, the same one.

Panderins, or specifically the Chimps who ruled Maritina when it was a capital over a thousand years back, made deals where it was most beneficial to avoid conflict by offering a share of what they owned, provided certain rules were followed. It wasn't so much because of a fear of conflict but more so because they had fled their previous home in the distant jungles of another continent, conquered this one, and wanted to avoid losing their empire as it grew from infant to adult that was surrounded by competitors.

Interestingly enough, it worked. For a while.

They increased trade, hosted the other ape tribes they conquered or defeated as a part of their culture, and when the pigs came sailing from the west seeking iron, silver, and produce the chimps yielded and became allies with a force that would (and could) have easily wiped them off the map if push came to shove. Not only did the pigs get to gain a share of influence in the trading market which allowed them to introduce their vassals, the felines to the upper parts of the region but the chimps also gained a temporarily powerful ally that soldfied their existence for a few more centuries. At least till the Dingos did the smart thing and betrayed the empire when the Diarchy noticed the pigs were expanding into their territory.

And while the nation of Muul carried multiple species, more than any nation in the entire comtinent, Maritina was dominantly a Minotaur-donkey-griffon city...at least till its neighbor city residents came in for business.

Moving through the stream of busy bodies was like trying to push through a rapid river. It was not easy work. It required a lot of pushing and shoving, something many of the guards could do while only some of the seven were willing or physically capable of successfully pulling off without getting dragged back down the road.

On several occasions everyone lost sight of Spike.

Those were not pleasant moments. The little dragon tended to vanish behind carts being pulled along or just generally anyone bigger than him and moving with a crowd did not help this.

On three of the times he had went missing, Twilight did not notice till either a guard or Fluttershy pointed it out--

How many times do you want me to apologize for that? I still feel bad over it!

Frankly you should all feel bad. Forgetting him till after lunch?

Thank you Shining.

-- Which, once someone noticed, caused a panic because sapient dragons were apparently a minority here too. And losing Spike in a crowd like this was just as terrifying as Brutus finding him first because that meant the security might think he was one of the hatchlings that wandered away from their nest. The panics and scattered searching that followed after lunch would cause many eyes to turn in that direction, which caused one pegasus (when she wasn't fretting over Spike's disappearance) to try and perform a disappearing act by shrinking in to herself. Which would require the fastest flyer of the whole party to try and nudge Fluttershy along when the anxiety really kicked in--

Ultimately, the start of the trip after leaving the captain's ship had not been going too well. Especially when the concept of manners was not one every creature in the city seemed to stand by, let alone bother to understand. You either pushed through the crowd or you were shoved back down steam. For Rarity, this was a nightmare. And if you wanted evidence? Well-

With a gasp Rarity's hoof came up to avoid the splash back of a stomped on mud puddle. Checking for stains on her yellow sundress the fashionista could not but harrumph at the lack of courtesy towards a maiden and her entourage as they left behind the dirt road for a brick one.

"I can't believe they scheduled an unexpected shower while we were leaving the ship! I didn't bring anything to handle the rain with me! And this humidity", the scowl was just as visible as the strands peeking out of a once perfectly curled mane, "simply dreadful!"

"You brought three more bags than any of us", a raspy voice from above felt the obligation to point this out. "I'm surprised C. C. let Lug, drag your stuff out when we moored."

"The captain" the emphasis was necessary here since one of class did not go nicknaming anypony you became buddies with, "was very kind as were the rest of his crew. Lug was merely being nice."

In the background Pinkie giggled while Applejack muttered in a sarcastic drawl her agreement to that last statement.

"Bet it had nothing to do with you batting those eye lashes of yours."

"Hmph!" the giggling grew into a guffaw of laughter.

"Um, so I know we're supposed to find an inn first, but where did Sergeant Slipstream go?"

"The sergeant went ahead of us when we went to get lunch. Keeping a distance to attract less attention in case the targets are nearby. Better to keep a low profile when our targets know what you all look like, and since they'll be taking the luggage to the inn we'll be going to it seemed like a wise idea to split up. Most ponies that come from the mainland don't come for anything but business or to see the old city ruins of Pan out on the south but I doubt that's going to fool a mercenary let alone a thief." The unicorn mare beside Fluttershy informed. "Muul sees a large amount of trade to the regions of Minos, and other non-herbivore dominant nations because it holds a large chunk of influence in the seafood industry in this region. I have to say, smart move coming here."

"I'll say." Applejack grunted as a passing donkey shoved his way past her shoulder. "So, what do we do when we get to the inn. I doubt we'll be sweeping through the whole country to find two shifty snakes."

"According to the friend of the captain, once we get to the inn, at night tonight she'll send somepony to get us and guide us through to where they're staying. Apparently our thieves have been switching locations every two nights."

"Wait", the light red mare looked up to meet the athlete's eyes, "why are we going to meet this friend of CC's if she's not even hosting them?"

"Because it pays to know the gossip around here when the guilds that handle most goods around these parts are in competition with each other." Twilight replied sagely. Upon the curious looks she was receiving she smiled sheepishly.

"I uh, ahem, have an older cousin. Minimumm Value loved her business economics. She's actually why--"

"Hey! Hey you!" Rainbow Dash suddenly exclaimed.

"Rainbow Dash what are you--?"

The pegasus took off without so much as a word.

And before anyone knew it, the chase was on.

Hooves of multiple individuals pounded on bricked road, and the destination of one individual as a flyer gave chase suddenly changed completely.

The griffon that oddly chose to run instead of fly, body checked a earth pony stallion in his passing, snatched the flyers out of his muzzle, and then threw it into the air.

"Oh--", was all Rainbow Dash had the chance to say before she flew through uncut confetti that unfortunately went in her direction thanks to the wind.

"I'm going down! I think he went right!" she shouted blindly. The ensuing crash Spike witnessed with a Minotaur talking to a donkey about his pumpkins (he guessed, because what else would you be discussing in a pumpkin stall) was almost as painful as it sounded.

"Ouch", before the vision faded as he was caught in a magical field and hoisted on to Rubber Runner's back. The light red unicorn mare casted a spell that amplified her voice and shouted: "Move it or lose it, official crown duty!"

It only managed to make a small fraction of the crowd budge. Still, it was better than nothing.

Slipping through the small gaps and shoving where necessary a distant pegasus took to the sky to aid the scattered guards and her friends in surveillance. Looking around the market place that they'd gravitated towards from the docks, Fluttershy skimmed countless moving bodies and then her eyes locked on a small figure, a griffon pushing and shoving his way to the open street where just across that, another market place laid ahead behind the background of settlements.

"He's headed this way!" she called to the other three pegasi: Skid, Boltrush, and Twirls followed after the pegasus as the griffon ran on all fours. Pushing, shoving, jumping and running over anyone or anything in his path. In a crowd this large he shouldn't have had it easy moving but whoever this was, was tiny. Small in stature and was using that size to their every advantage. If it weren't for the sore thumb of blue, black, and grey feathers that gave him away against the brick red road this would have been a lot more difficult to track.

"Whoa dare!" cried one voice owned to a Earther stallion as the griffon leaped over their stand of berries. "Watch it wouldja!"

"Sorry!" Fluttershy called as she flew overhead.

The griffon rounded a corner, slipped behind a group of passing Minotaurs and bolted down the downwards slope into the alley of a row of stalls. Fluttershy heard Boltrush curse under his breath as they lost sight of him on the left turn he made behind a closed stall. Grimacing he took up higher altitudes, eyes scanning this way and that.

"Anything?!" Twirls flew up to them from her groundview of after minutes of searching had passed. The shake of a head caused her to scowl which only intensified Boltrush's.

Fluttershy frowned. She saw Skid go out farther up ahead over the plaza and peer between the gaps of the arrayed commerce stalls, trying to make out anything for the target of their eye. He kept moving up and up, occasionally talking to locals and listing descriptions.

Below on ground the grounded division of their group went in pairs or trios, following the trail and lurking through the market to try and find where their target had went.

Fluttershy moved lower, her eyes moving left and right, up and down, nervousness momentarily forgotten as the concern of somepony getting hurt or worse nagged at her mind as they searched for this possible link. Without thinking she landed, then broke off into a careful trot as Skid alighted beside her.

She knew the griffon they were looking for wasn't Brutus. Brutus was bigger, he was way bigger than this one. At least twice the size. The colors were all wrong also, where the plumage was a shade of lighter blue with black and grey mixed here and there- Brutus had been a dirty white, yellow splotches found on his crest, chest feathers and near the forelimbs. He was clearly a different griffon, yet somehow something had tipped Rainbow Dash that this griffon was someone that needed chasing.

Ears splaying the mare watched Twirls and Boltrush move east and west in the air with Rainbow Dash who streamed by now and then to exchange words before flying off. Bodies went up and down, passing her by in the narrow street that barely allowed many to go through the intersection. Noise of all kind filled the air from chatter, to bartering, to movement, to the clicking of talons.

Her ears perked, turned as she turned with them to locate the source.

"Don't move." The clicking stopped.

Every muscle in her body locked instantly and the beating sound of two hearts filled her ears within seconds. Tension, a friend, made itself at home. Without even thinking, instinct alone guiding action, she made to move away from the source of danger as all herd animals naturally would.

The step forward was met with the painful tug of her tail and the talons of a limb digging into her shoulder. Never cutting to draw blood but providing a pinch as a dangerous warning.

"I said", the whisper more stern, "don't. Move." He growled, feathers to coat, body-to-body.

She whimpered and went still. Almost half her size but she dared not move.

"Your friend up there", the breathing was labored, he-- no that was female. Fluttershy could feel the anatomical difference on her back, the voice was getting clearer as the seconds went by-- she paused trying to catch her breath before continuing and Fluttershy, for some odd reason didn't take advantage of this. It ws clear she'd done a lot of running and needed the rest, "How far is he?"

"I- I- I'm n-not s-- eep!" she tried to shrink forward from the sharp sting above her shoulder and instead ended up getting her tail tugged on again, pain shot up her dock, caused her hind legs to twitch and she stopped moving as she sat down. Fighting the tears in her eyes.

"Don't give me that. You best not be stalling here I want a proper ansa. How. Far. Is. He?"

She blinked the moisture out of her eyes. Deep breaths Fluttershy, blinking again helped somewhat and she ignored the light sting in her shoulder to focus.

"H- H- He's I think--"

"No, estimate. Feet. Steps. Distance. Is he in the air or on the ground, are your friends near by, do you see them, hear them? Answer, now."

"M- Maybe, twelve feet away. He's straight ahead, he'll see you the moment you move away from me." She couldn't lie. The only thing saving her captive was the blindspot and they both knew it.

The griffon swore. "Just my damn luck. Out to get some damn lunch and I had the misfortune of running right into that cocky fast one first. Can't believe she chased me just because of a few stolen coins. Should've ran when I turned away, damn" the griffoness sighed an exasperated sigh as she gave the trembling mare whose tail she stepping on another affectionate pat. One or two griffons passed by with a raised brow and she gave them a sad smile in return as she nuzzled the whimpering mare.

The moment they were gone she stepped back.

"You're going to get me out of here." She whispered into her flicking ear once they were more or less alone. Shadows flickering by from the light of day but none entering the incline they were on just yet. Just ahead she make out Skid's distant form. Walls poked in down the straight road ahead of them providing a minor blind spot in this tiny alley, but if Skid moved to his right just a little and turned around...

She swallowed, said nothing. The griffoness chuckled darkly, pressed her weight on her shivering back even more to let the pegasus know any attempt at shouting would just end badly.

Not that she intended to kill her. Do that and she'd be screwed completely. Maritani had officers in the outskirts of the marketplace, thieves wouldn't get far and if Rainbow Dash had told the others, maybe they'd be on alert.

"Pellets", the griffoness scowled, "hostage won't work. Flying won't work, not with that fast one and what I assume guards are. Can't let the unicorns see me or its over." As she whispered her options and lapsed into silence as it was becoming clear the odds were against her.

Or maybe not.

Shuffling around the griffoness guided Fluttershy to a stand. Never once did she attempt to make eye contact or even look in the pegasus' general direction. There was some height difference but it wasn't significant. Still though...this brought back memories. Memories that made her stomach churn and reminded her of one more reason why she'd left Cloudsdale as soon as she could, as old as she'd have been allowed.

"I got no intention of murdering you lass", the whisper broke her from the dim walk down memory lane. "All I need is for you to distract your friend. Keep him away, let me go. That's all I need."

Bravely, even with the tremor in her voice, "I can't l-let you do that."

Grimly," It's not a matter of if you can or can't. It's a matter of if you will or won't. You're shakin like a leaf, been so since I touched ya. You won't risk it."

They moved in silence, step-by-step, step-by-step. Clip-clop, click-click, clip-clop, click-click.

Skid hadn't seen them yet. None of the others were around either. He was distracted also, talking to a group of donkeys. This was their perfect chance. It was now or never. Timing had to be perfect as the donkeys were moving away and-- two griffons, the same ones that passed them minutes ago had his attention as they moved up to block him.

"Move." The order came.

They moved together, keeping pace, matching speed, never trying to slow the other. Down the straight path they went, blending in with others who stood around or nearby vendor stalls, sampled something here or there that was offered or moved through the traffic onto their path from other roads.

Memories of a similar time trickled in only with a different individual guiding her forward. That time she had been moving with free will not forced to move by a hostile threat backed into a corner.

A single thought crossed Fluttershy's mind as anger trickled in with every step, a thought that only seemed to make the bubbling anger peak.

At least the griffoness next to me right now wasn't acting like we were friends to get what she really wanted.

The wake up call came when the world violently blurred with sudden movement, shoved forward, Fluttershy collided into a minotaur calf who caught her as she stumbled just as a call from Skid reached her ears, her thoughts derailing she turned to see the tail dip behind the corner and before she even knew what she was doing a new chase had begun.

Anger. Familiar anger washed over her and Fluttershy ran like timberwolves were after her. Well trained muscles from years of handling creature twice or thrice her size, weight, and form, moved with ease as she flew between metal roof sheets and began running on rooftops after the blue griffoness they needed to capture before it was too late.

She ran with a fixed narrowed eye, coral pink mane and tail billowing like curtains on the wind behind her. Metal thundered under her hooves, raising shouts and hollers as she rushed on by. Ignoring it all the demure pegasus gave chase as Skid ran somewhere behind, shouting and yelling for every creature to make way.

The griffoness however was not about to make this easy.

Vaulting over vendor stalls and making sharp turns, she would run straight in and dive into the crowd only to momentarily get lost in the traffic just to barely be caught in the corner of Fluttershy's eye as she made an exit.

Hooves continued to pound over thick metal sheets. Fluttershy ran, anger and adrenaline pumping through her body. She had never been a fast flyer, laughter from those times were always (and maybe would always) be a fresh memory of hers. But when she wanted to, when she felt she had to, she could keep up with even an earth pony. But keeping up with this griffoness was no easy task.

She weaved, turned, and slipped through the market like it was the back of her own playground. Grabbing fruits in passing and skillfully leaping then using her wings to glide she would hurl it at Skid. Sometimes hitting, other times missing, most of the time tripping. When an opportunity presented itself the griffoness would chuck coconuts at Fluttershy. Causing her to briefly lose her which would only cause her to run.

Spotting Rudder three stalls away the pegasus tried to call out to the light red unicorn but the second her eyes left her target, the griffoness turned around a sharp corner and looped down a different column, away from Skid who was being slowed down by the ponies between his chance to cross and cut her off.

Shouting: "Rudder over here!" before running off and leaping over a gap with a extra glide to cross the distance, Fluttershy guided the unicorn who now shot a flare out into the air behind her to draw the attention of the other parties.

This drew attention, and in the distance shouts from another type of group were being made as the crowd parted to allow officers to flow by.

For a brief second Fluttershy lost sight of the griffoness then all of a sudden a shadow befell her, knocking her from the rooftops and together they rolled into the sky, both instinctively tucking their wings in and landing with a heavy roll to burn off momentum and force before jumping to their stances.

Fluttershy was slower to get up.

The griffoness lashed out with her talons and almost instantly, Fluttershy dropped and rolled to avoid. Bystanders stood confused. No one jumping in to help, unsure if this was a stunt or part of some kind of gimmick to draw customers in or something.

Scowling the griffoness fluffed out her wings, her eyes closed but her attention alert. "Leave me alone!"

Fluttershy didn't answer. Every step she made as they circled each other slowly was another step her friends, Skid and his colleagues or the shouts of market security getting closer. The griffoness would open her eyes briefly, just a crack to see. Uncertain what sort of strange magic allowed Fluttershy to contain hostility she made sure her gaze was always diverted with either her feather tips or looking somewhere else.

Then she struck.

A wing shot forward, whipping the pegasus with a crack of air that forced eyes to shut on the flinch and with new vigor the griffoness ran as voices closed in behind them ordering for citizens to get out of the way.

Fluttershy's ears perked. Tracking the sound of steps, following the gust of wind that came with the griffoness' passing even as she vaulted over another stand and then slipped through the side gate the pegasus was already following by the time her eyes had fully opened.

Leaping over and giving chase Fluttershy followed after her target. Behind her the voice of an officer grew louder but she dare not turn back in case she lose sight of the slippery griffoness.

A voice shouted up ahead, recognizing it as Applejack's and immediately the griffoness jumped into the air, flying low she banked a sharp left, stomped over one of the metal poles holding up the roof of a stand she was passing and launched herself forward to gain further distance before shutting her wings and using the drop to increase speed.

Somehow when she glanced over her shoulder Fluttershy was still keeping up.

Tactics were changing now as they both heard the voices of officers and her friends gaining on them from different directions.

"Shit!"

"You have to stop!" Fluttershy shouted out. "Give up, please!"

"Never!" she spat with every ounce of venom she could muster. "I ain't no damned traitor!"

She leaped on a passing colt, rolled with him then sneered as Fluttershy froze. "Back!" she pressed her talons into the throat. "Back!" she shouted louder.

The crowd parted and now it was just the three of them.

"I'm not going out like this!" the griffoness snarled. "There's no room from traitors on the ship", she stated darkly. "Now get!"

The colt squirmed and ceased when the grip tightened. "Papa!"

"Charms!" a distant stallion shouted.

Fluttershy's ears perked, the griffoness looked behind her as a griffon wearing a black and green vest with a silver badge floated above the crowd.

"Tell them to back up!" she shouted at Fluttershy her grip tightening on the foal's throat.

"STOP!" the griffon leading the charge slowly halted just a couple yards away as did his company. Eyes glaring at Fluttershy he looked up just a little, then noticed the griffoness with the hostage.

"Put the foal down and come in quietly!" the lead officer cawed.

For his shouting he got spit being shot at the ground in derision and the griffoness backing a step away as she moved to a bipedal stance.

"Shove it!"

"Please!" Fluttershy's voice snapped her attention to her, which she quickly averted by looking away. "Just let the--"

"Shove it!"

She took off, foal screaming as they soared and in seconds her wings were pumping harder than she'd ever imagined. They zoomed through the market, turning, twisting, zooming around individuals, obstacles, grocceries, and more.

"You want this colt so bad, catch!"

"NO--" the griffoness whirled to her back, wings keeping her level as she glided belly up, cocked her limb back and threw him in an entirely different direction.

Cursing her lack of skill and finese, Fluttershy didn't even hesitate to go after the foal, her wings angled on instinct, her pinions kissed the wind trying to turn a straight shot into a sharp twisting manuever--

The colt went sailing by her narrow eyes. Her teeth clenched as she put every ounce of herself into trying to bleed off speed to make the turn as anger welled up inside her, fueling her movement as she recalled every nasty thing, every dirty rumor, every despicable jab at how she was wasting her family's funds on flight school; how she, a pegasus, couldn't even go a lap under the 5 minute mark; how one of the first friends she made in senior flight camp, when the name calling had been at its worst, had only bothered to be her friend for no other reason but because of her looks--

Fluttershy screamed a cry of anguish as tears flooded her eyes. Shame, anger, frustration, guilt was all as she knew as she wouldn't making it in time. The colt was flying. An earth pony colt flying in the air. Heading straight for the ground, face first, seconds ticked by, head mere feet from the hard and sturdy brick road--

They meant nothing to the streak of rainbow that zoomed by and caught the earth pony colt.

"Go!" Rainbow Dash shouted at Fluttershy as she flew beside her. "Get her! The others and the officers will cut her off!" She steamed backwards to where the unicorn stallion had been giving chase the whole time and then with a flap, bolted off after the griffoness.

Bleeding speed off she landed on the roofs, picking up faster than she could fly, the pegasus watched as Skid blocked one path with three griffon officers; a group of bystanding Diamond dogs, dingoes, and minotaurs blocked another forcing the griffoness to circle back and on the next path that led outside the marketplace Boltrush, Twirls, and a few other officers blocked the path.

A caw of frustration followed the griffoness as she sharply turned left into an alley. Fluttershy followed her, the pounding of metal giving her away but the anger burning inside her at the sheer vile behavior she had seen made her ignorant of this.

When the tackle came this time however, she expected it. Hooves, teeth, talons and beak snapped forward; trying to peck while Fluttershy tried to kick her opponent offn create some.sort of distance.

Rolling and tumbling off the edge of the stall's roof the two tumbled through an opening into a booth containing a stack of cheeries. The customers observing them scattered and together pegasus and griffoness rolled like greased up pigs in berries. Matting their fur and feathers in berry delicious juice that stained them red and then rolling off that into the ground.

"OH YEAAAAH!" shouted a masculine voice from somewhere, but if the two females cared as they tussled on the ground and the crowd gave them space it was easy to tell they didn't.

"You should have let me go when you had the chance you stupid horse!"

The oblivious gathering crowd that had not caught on to the situation "ooooh'd."

"And you should have never used that poor defenseless colt as a bargaining chip!" the angry pegasus snapped back as she rolled the griffoness off her and they broke their lock.

The crowd went silent at this revelation and seemed to catch on this wasn't the usual haggling fight for groceries they were used to.

"It's over!"

"It's not until I say so!" she leaped, Fluttershy didn't.

The clock with the spell that came from behind hit her before her eyes could even register the set up.

Her name... Athena. Athena Grace.

She refused to tell us anything else but that. And there was nothing we could really do to get her to even if we wanted. Any truth spells we tried to uss didn't work as she wouldn't say anything no matter how much you tried. What we did know, was she worked with or knew Brutus and that was enough for us.

After convincing the market officers to kindly hand her over to us, Skid and the rest of the guard that accompanied us stayed to question her while the girls, Spike and I were escorted by Rudder to the inn where sergeant Slipstream and the remaining six of the Royal Guard were waiting .

We were all pretty tired after that hectic afternoon. Once we got to the inn I think everypony kind of just, went to bed early. Especially since we would be meeting Captain Call's friend that same night.

Four knocks, one tap.

Sergeant Slipstream ignited his magic and slid the door open. "Come in. They're waiting upstairs."

The figure nodded and climbed the wooden stairs up to the room that acted as the living room with the sergeant taking the lead.

The royal suite was large. Large enough to hold ten ponies, and a baby dragon. Entering the living room with the sergeant knocking twice he poked his head in and nodded, a second later the door opened wider and in slipped their guest.

"Chocolate Cherry, I presume?" Rarity asked.

The mare nodded. Curls of a bright cherry red bounced with her every step and the tawny unicorn gave the group a small smile that reached purple eyes as she took a seat on a waiting cushion.

"Please, call me Cherry. Now then, there's been quite the talk about the big chase that happened this afternoon", Cherry stated as she took the offered cup of tea. "Thank you."

Twilight nodded. They all waited for her to continue.

"There's been especially a lot of word about you Miss?"

"O-oh, um, Fluttershy..." she said rather quietly. The unicorn hummed eyeing the pegasus mare thoughtfully and after a few seconds, a light red unicorn standing in the corner of the room just outside the kitchen cleared her throat loudly.

"Is there anyone news we don't already know?" Rudder asked with obvious impatience.

Cherry smiled. "Yes. You see--"

"A- Actually", the pegasus shyly interjected causing the mare to go silent.

"Yes?"

"Um, is that colt Athena threw, is he...?"

The silence filled the room for a moment before it was banished by the light brown unicorn's returning smile. Beaming brightly she nodded. "Yes, thank you for asking. He's perfectly alright. Thank you all for helping my nephew by the way."

The shocked looks were ignored and the unicorn smiled brightly at Rainbow Dash next. "He's been talking a lot about you especially."

The flush of pink that overtook the athlete's cheeks made the older mare laugh. "Awww, look at you? So cuute!" Cherry squeaked with motherly adoration.

"Ahem", the sergeant cleared his throat. "Miss Cherry, if you don't mind, we're kind of short on time."

"Of course, of course." She sniffed and took a sip. "The two you're looking for have had friends waiting here for them for a while. Maritina is a place that attracts all sorts of sapients for business due to its market in fruits, crab, and clams. The ones you're looking for have been here to sell things before. They usually sell to jewelry interested crafts. I know a few jewellers here who have done personal business with that griffoness you have in your custody, but I would be lying if I said they stay here long. They're frequent visitors though but they haven't been here recently in the past year till just a couple months back. I don't know the name they go by as a group but I've heard the words: 'Prized Nugget' used now and then when they've been in business around these parts. They come, and go. Known to be a real hard bunch though, have actually gotten into a few fights before in the past and this isn't a first. At least not for Athena."

Grimacing Applejack shook her head. "So what? You got nothing you can tell us about them?"

"Well I didn't say that now did I?" she took a sip and continued. "Brutus, I know him, he doesn't hide what he does. He's a mercenary for hire. Solo act and all, he's got his own code of doing things and it's usually violent. His friend Gulliver however is completely knew. He's a fresh face I haven't seen before but he's been the one switching their placement and lodging for the past week.

"About nine moons ago actually they came in a ship that dropped them off and word around the grapevine is the two of them stayed for a few weeks. They hit the alchemical shops mostly, and then two weeks after one of the ships Athena always comes with dropped her and a band of her co-workers off. Pleasant--"

"The captain's friend?" Pinkie interjected.

The unicorn nodded. "Correct, Pleasant had both of them staying in her hotel on two separate occasions. The first was not long after Athena and her gang came in, the second was recent. Last week before you all showed up. They were in different rooms on different floors but apparently Brutus and Athena did some talking."

"And how do you know that?" Rudder asked.

The raised brow and small smirk was the only answer they all got.

"O-oh..."

Curious, Spike asked "what?", to which Twilight replied with a rapidly growing blush, "later."

"From what Pleasant told me last, one of the maids overheard Gulliver talking about them leaving tonight."

"No doubt with Athena's air ship." Boltrush smirked. "Guess we're lucky the captain of the ship is in--"

Hoofsteps sounded. Seconds later a stallion's voice could be head behind the door as he yelled in a manic cry: "THERE'S BEEN A BREAK IN! THERE'S BEEN A BREAK IN, IN THE CENTRAL DUTY DEPARTMENT! ATHENA IS OUT OF CONFINEMENT!" The doors slammed open. "A bunch of griffons and minotaurs raided the place and broke her out!"

Under his breath Boltrush cursed the universe.

"Where they headed?!" Applejack jumped to her hooves.

"The docking station should take them thirty minutes to get to on hoof", Cherry gleefully advised. "Such excitement! Is it always like this?"

"I hope not", Spike groaned as he was lifted onto Twilight's back.

"Let's go cut them off!"

"Thank you!" Rarity called back.

"Oh you're very welcome! Do stop by again for business next time!"

We managed to barely make it in time. We met Gulliver halfway and had actually teleported in front of us as we were reaching the docks. Not gonna lie, they weren't too happy to see us. And the brawl that broke out as we were trying to get the Elements back was one of the biggest throwdowns I had ever been a part of at the time.

We stole a ship!

Rainbow Dash?!

What?! We did!

We um...actually bribed them. Sergeant Slipstream bribed the owner of a airship to follow the one Gulliver and Brutus were fleeing on.

That ended badly.

It really did. They shot us down and forced us to make an emergency landing around the peninsula of Minos, Crete. It wasn't great.

It wasn't. A lot of us got hurt, specifically Twilight and the rest of the unicorns. Feedback hit them hard trying to protect us.

I will never get over how we dragged that poor minotaur into that whole mess. He almost died... Just got swept away in the wind and...that was it, gone. I couldn't stop panicking when I found out he was gone. We were so lucky, really lucky he managed to land with a part of the airship's mast still in tact enough to slow his fall.

Pinkie now don't you start! You know how you and Fluttershy get when you start talking that way!

I- I just couldn't stop crying when we crashed and somehow we were all alright. Till I found out how Hanz went missing then I- I--

Empress, landing on Crete wasn't easy. We struggled getting off that island to the mainland's shore and after we did that's when we learned about Minos' struggles. The minotaur states were in conflict with each other, or to be exact they were in conflict with a band of pirates and the ruling aristocrats of Kaiti, Babys, and Aragon that had sided with the pirate's captain.

His name was Captain Merrik Sharp. He was the griffon leading the assualt on Minos' but he wasn't really the one that ordered the Elements be taken.

We found out from the locals in the city of Titus about the raids, the situation and how the head of the aristocracy, the newly crowned minotaur, Queen Rashida was trying to deal with the rebellion. The reason the princess and none of us in Equestria had heard anything about this is because Merrik had cut off chances of airships or naval vessels sending word out to any of Minos' allies. Any ship that wasn't didn't send out a specifc series of flare colors in a different pattern in intervals of time were shot down. With one of his own ships flying in so close he let Brutus and their crew do the shooting and it almost worked.

If we hadn't damaged their air ship on the way down.

To cut a very long and tiring story shorter, it wasn't easy trying to find Gulliver and Brutus and their back up after they crashed. Luckily they crashed while crossing ally territories and had no choice but to try and lay low but to wait for help to arrive.

If it honestly weren't for Brutus backstabbing Gulliver, literally, leaving him for dead and ditching him I'm pretty sure we wouldn't have been able to get his help stopping them let alone finding them with the tracker spell he placed on the enchanted box they got.

We're lucky he didn't check to open it also otherwise he might've learned sooner Gulliver had it enchanted to activate when a magic signature locked on to it to get it open.

We got lucky a bunch of times. To be completely honest.

Even more lucky when we found out just who we were really fighting.

The shadow of four tails loomed behind him. Standing on his hind legs, Merrik grinned, irises flashing a yellow-green.

Rock and stone tumbled together forming soldiers that took the form of bipedal canines. Their eyes glowed a deep yellow mixed with the misty forms of green vapor.

"I've waited more than six million years for this", one masculine and one feminine voice said together as one. "I missed my first opportunity when they came but not again. Not this time. So I'm sorry to tell you this filly, but now that I have a body again, even if it is disgustingly mortal, I'm done waiting."

A phantom face flashed over the pirate's for just a second but not long enough to be seen.

Merrik grinned. "And I'm looking forward to having my body again when I'm queen."

She called herself Aoi Ioa.

She was the one who had Merrik steal the Elements. And was the reason some of his crew had been studying magic at all. Apparently Gulliver had been hired moons in advanced to steal the Elements, but needed time before they commit to the operation.

The crown he wore, the one he and his crew stole from Inujima when they were coasting its peninsula, was her crown.

She...knew about you. You and Princess Celestia, Empress. And mentioned something about you having a friend backing you, I didn't really understand it. There was so much going on at the time and so much at stake I didn't bother thinking about it because she knew how to get the Elements working somehow.

Said she'd spent a lot of time roaming the Astral plane after her body was destroyed by Hinata. Tore up her soul and put it into that crown you see on the glass over there.

She said it was the only thing she could do after you, and the Princess used the Elements to decimate her forces with the help of your friends. Although she didn't know there were six. I...still feel like there was more to those words, and I was hoping you could fill us in on that later.

There's another thing though Empress. Just before we took back the Elements and they chose us...before we used them on Merrik and freed him of Aoi's control, she told us...to tell you when we see you again, that--

"You can't hide the truth forever..."

...I...Empress, who is Aoi Ioa?

Author's Note

Interlude 1 comes right after this chapter. There was a slip up with chapter editing and the interlude had to be reposted as a latest chapter.