Twilight and her friends were all standing before Canterlot Castle, seeing that it was now fully restored to its glorious state. Yet even seeing the castle rejuvenated to its former glory, none of the ponies could feel any sense of joy or relief, as the memories of the events that took place there always crept to the forefront of their minds. The memories of seeing the castle on fire, walls destroyed and screams of ponies filling the air, and seeing the bodies of dead ponies scattered about the rubble and became black charred corpses. Then there was the suicidal incident involving Dragonface…the images of the elderly Un-Natural grabbing his horns, and then violently twisting his head around and snapping his neck where he then fell into the moat of the castle. Everything that has happened here at Canterlot Castle would be something that none of the ponies will ever forget. Entering the castle the six mares made their way through the winding halls towards where they were asked to meet Celestia and Luna, and as they traversed the halls they examined the interior of the castle while they small talk.

“Twilight do you know why the princesses called us to the castle?” Fluttershy asked her friend feeling a little un-easy about being summoned out of the blue, as for Twilight she just shook her head.

“I’m not sure Fluttershy, the message didn’t exactly specify anything in particular, but I’m sure she’ll explain things once we reach her & Luna.” Twilight said as the group continued to trot through the halls.

“Do you think we should’ve brought the boys with us; we could’ve used their help if this is serious.” Rarity asked her friend, also feeling uneasy about this sudden summon, and the way it sounded didn’t particularly settle very well the fashionista.

“I think the guys have enough on their plates dealing with trouble in the past few weeks. They deserve a little break from everything that has happened.” Twilight replied to Rarity’s question. The violet unicorn then looked over her shoulder and looked right at Applejack.

“Speaking about the guys, how is Steel doing down at the farm AJ?” the farmer game a pleasant smile as she recounted the young man’s performance so far.

“He’s doing pretty good, certainly is a hard worker that’s for sure.” Applejack said confidently as she continuous to trot along.

“Actually he might be a little too good. All it takes is one good simple stomp when he gets bigger, and he clears out twelve trees easily. In fact Ah think we’re actually ahead of schedule on our harvest for once!”

The ponies started to talk about how the guys seemed to adjusting to their lives in Ponyville so far, and how the towns ponies were also adjusting towards them, which by all accounts were going pretty well. It was no surprise to hear that Pinkie liked working with Circus, he was not only a good employee to work with his power making things easier, but he was just a delightful person to be around. Aside from Steel and Circus the group heard that the others all seem to be liked by towns ponies that they were working with, although there was one thing that the ponies still noticed about the group of humans. And that was that the guys were still a little stand offish towards them all. They all still used their alias names instead of giving the ponies their real names, and even though the guys were talking to the ponies more and were being nice they all could still feel like they were still not really being truthful about themselves.

However the girls remembered that they have trust issues for non-Un-Naturals, even with the six mares being as friendly and as helpful they could be, they understood that the humans are still adjusting to their life and working to open more to the ponies. But it does make the ponies slightly crossed that the humans don’t trust them as much as the they do. Eventually the party has made it to designated meeting room where Celestia & Luna were waiting in, and when they all entered the room they saw both alicorns looking a little worried, and were having a hushed discussion as they sat around a table. Which was covered in several pieces of paper, and what looked like pictures scattered about. But when the group opened the door and took a step into the room, they both looked towards the six mares, and put on small smiles as they addressed the six mares.

“Oh good you all made it.” Celestia said to the group as she ushered them closer to the table.

“Is something wrong princess, you both look a little worried?” Twilight asked as she and her friends approached the table the two princesses were at, where their smiles faltered as dreaded sighs escaped them.

“Recently we’ve received reports that ponies in Manehatten are disappearing, all with sighting of some kind of, monster being in the area.” Luna elaborated to the group as then presented one of the pictures that was on the table to the group.

“And we were hoping that perhaps Fluttershy could tell us what it is?” The shy pegasus took the picture in her hooves where she and the others started to look it over, but the only thing they see is what looked like a blurry image of some kind of slim bodied creature darting into an alleyway.

“It’s hard to tell what it is that I’m looking, I’m not even sure what it is?” Fluttershy said before apologizing to the princess for not be helpful as she gives the photo back to the midnight alicorn.

“So what’s going on here princess, is some creature in Manehatten kidnapping ponies or something?” Rainbow Dash asked as she leaned over the table, getting a nod from both Celestia & Luna.

“That appears to be the case.” Celestia responded to the pegasus question, who flew up into the air as she smacks her forehooves together.

“Well then what are we waiting for, let’s go take care of this girls!”

“Hold on a second Rainbow Dash.” Celestia warned the eager pegasus.

“We’ve already sent an investigation team to Manehatten to investigate the rumors, they will track down the creature and search for the missing ponies. The reason we called you all hear was to be on stand bye, for if the creature proves too difficult for the guard, we would like you to re-locate the beast.”

“You can count on us Princess!” Twilight said confidently which was followed by her friends each giving their own gesture, which both princess thanked with a gracious smile and nod of their head. “So when did the investigation party leave and start their search?”

“Actually they—”

Before Celestia could begin explaining things, he door to the meeting room just burst open and cutting Celestia off and scaring the eight ponies, but when they looked who charged into the room, they all gasped in shock at what they saw in the doorway. Laying on the floor of the meeting room heavily panting, body bleeding and pooling on the floor, was a female pegasus royal guard. Her armor has been smudged with something along with blood, and had small scratches scrapped all over the helmet and body armor, but it was her back that was the worst off. As everypony could see that it had five long claw marks carved into the armor, that had blood splattered on it with the pegasus’s wings looking haggard and damaged. Her mane was also an absolute mess, not only that she reeked of something foul smelling like a mixture of a skunk and rotten eggs, but what made the ponies rush over to her was the fact that her right foreleg was gone! When the group gathered around the mare, and Celestia held the guard in her forelegs, they all saw that the leg looked as if something just RIPPED clean off her body!

“Feather Squall what happened!? What did this to you!?” Celestia asked worriedly as she uses her magic to stop the bleed while the pegasus tried to speak through her labored breathing.

“Princess I’m sorry, b-but they…they…” Feather Squall tried to speak and explain what happened to her, however she was clearly not in stable condition to talk as she looked ready to pass out, but that didn’t stop her from trying to explain what happened.

“We found the missing ponies, but…”

“But what? What happened Feather?” Celestia asked calmly as she applies the medical spell, and watch as Feather’s eyes started to tear up as she explains what happened.

~~Flash Back~~

Feather Squall and her two companions, Cover Headlines and Dusty Trail, were following on what could’ve been a lead to their investigation into the missing ponies, as well as the reports in sightings of a strange creature that could be tied to the disappearances. The trio of ponies continued to follow their lead, and the horrid smell, to where they thought the creature was. But every time they would get close to the source of the smell, the thing scuttles would scuttle off at the last minute, continuing the chase. This act repeated several more times before the ponies come upon a old abandon run-down looking motel, which they got a stronger whiff of the foul smelling odor, as well as seeing various rodents scampering about the street.

“Do you think this place could be the creatures den or nest?” Dusty Trail asked as he moved to approach the door of the old building which was busted down and hanging on the hedges. Cover Headline was about to follow the larger stallion, but he was stopped by Feather Squall who placed a hoof on his shoulder.

“You stay here Cover; we’ll handle it from here.”

“Fat chance missy! This thing is in my city, and I want to be part of the group that kicks it out.” Cover said defiantly as he gently brushes off Feather’s hoof.

“Cover we’re here to investigate, not—”

“AGH!”

Both Feather and Cover were silenced when they both heard Dusty Trail cry out from inside the building, where the sound of what could be dozen of chittering creatures came from beyond the door. Both ponies slowly made their way towards the door, and again were assaulted by the foul odor that they’ve been following, though the closer they got the more pungent and prominent it became, to the point where the pair were nearly gagging whenever they had to breath. They entered the motel with Feather taking the lead, wings splayed out in a warning manner and a quick way for flying if she need to, while Cover wasn’t as prepared as the guard was, he was still ready for anything that might suddenly jump out and attack them. The lobby of the motel was fairly decent in size, and wasn’t that to run-down or broken in as the outside would lead to believe, but the pair of pegasi noticed that Dusty’s helmet was on the floor near the front counter…with a small splatter of blood on top along with what looked like a slash mark.

“Where’s Dusty?” Cover asked Feather nervously while he and the female guard searched the lobby, before something came falling down in front of the ponies…which turned to be dismembered leg caked in blood!

Both Feather & Cover slowly tilted their heads up to looked at whatever was above them, and when they looked towards the ceiling they saw what happened to Dusty, as their own blood ran cold, and their eyes widen with horror. The large muscular stallion was being gnawed on; flesh & armor being chewed & ripped by a monster that was hanging from the roof by a foot claw and tail coiled around a sturdy beam. As it ate away at Dusty’s body, with strips of flesh and blood falling to the floor along with scraps of metal, while clawed hands manipulated the body, both Feather Squall and Cover were on the verge of panicking and alerting the monster to their presence, but remarkably they managed to withhold their screaming as they just stared at the monstrosity.

“Cover, we need to leave! Now!” Feather said as quietly as she could to her fellow pegasus, to which Cover silently nodded his headed and started to back away slowly, neither pegasus taking their eyes off the monster as it feasted. But while both pegasi slowly made their way back to the door, something caused the minimal silence of the building to be disturbed.

“OW!” Cover shouted as something bit him. Feather turned to tell him to be quite, but stopped when she saw him with four fairly big rats scurrying all over him and biting at him, while he tried to swat the pesky rodents off himself. “Get ‘em off, get ‘em off, get ‘em off!”

Feather immediately sprang into action and swatted at the rats with her hooves, knocking them to the floor or slamming against a wall. Just as Feather Squall slapped the last rat away, a heavy thud petrified the ponies before the heard a chittering snarling sound. Cover watched as the monster contorted its body straight wise, and latched all claws onto the roof, and was now looking right at the two pegasi. It’s glowing eyes trained on both of the frighted ponies, as blood dripped from its narrowed maw of sharpen teeth and claws, as the quills on its back rattled softly. Only one thing entered both their minds as the seconds ticked by before the brief eerie silence was broken.

“RUN!” Cover & Feather screamed in unison as they bolted towards the exit as fast as they could, while the monster shrilled and lunged at the ponies. Bloodied claws & fangs ready to strike as it launched itself off the roof towards the two ponies, while a swarm of rats burst from the walls of the building, closing in on the pair as a darken tide.

~~Present~~

As Feather Squall finished recounting the events that she barely escaped from, both the princess and element bearers all looked upon the mare with more horror and worry than before, as they female guards eyes flowed with tears.

“I tried to save him princess, I tried to save him…but the swarm of rat’s got to him first and dragged him away…before the monster tried to get to me.” Feather blubbered as she started to weep and cry more profusely.

“I couldn’t save him…I couldn’t do anything.” Celestia used a wing to comfort the pony as she held the guard close, like a mother trying to comfort their child.

“You did what you could Feather, but for now you need to try to rest.” Celestia then looked to her sister with a worried and concern look. “Luna could you fetch one of the doctors.” The midnight alicorn only nodded before she vanished in a flash of cerulean magic.

“What should we do princess?” Twilight asked her mentor while wiping away the tears of grief and horror from her own eyes after listening to Feather Squall’s report.

“I need you to send a message to Plasma. We may need his and the others help, this has become more dangerous than I initially thought.”

“Wait I thought we were going to handle this?” Rainbow said in mild surprise but before she could say anything else Applejack chimed in as she wiped the last of her tears away.

“Dash look at what that critter did to this mare, and she’s a trained Royal Guard. We may be able to handle our own in a fight, but this—” Applejack pointed towards Feather who was still covered in Celestia’s magical glow, who was managing to close the wounds covering the guards body until help arrived.

“I don’t think we can handle this. This ain’t your average run of the mill creature…this thing is smart. And it also seems to have an army of rats at its beck and call.”

“Well yeah but we out number it six to one even with its little rat army, plus Twilight can just use her magic to capture it before it even does anything. And no offense, but there is no way that thing could ever catch me.”

“Never the less Rainbow Dash, your friend has a good point. That is why I want the humans to accompany you to keep you all safe.” Celestia retorted to the pegasus confidence in the groups chances against whatever this creature was.

The group was split in what they should do about this whole situation, well, most of the group was of the opinion that this maybe something that was over their head. Rainbow Dash was the only one who thought that this wouldn’t be much of a challenge, and she even compared it to when they all were dealing with the changelings, though she was completely ignoring the aspects of plausible injury from a wild unknown creature. But regardless, Twilight jotted down a message for Plasma as her teacher suggested, asking him and his friends to come to the castle to discuss this whole thing. Once the message was written Twilight levitated the message to Celestia, who then used her magic to send it to Spike via the messaging enchantment she shares with him.

~~~~~

Sometime has passed since Feather Squall managed to make it back to Canterlot Castle, and reported what has happened to her and her two companions, Twilight, and her friends along with the princesses waited for Plasma and the other humans to arrive in Canterlot, where they would then inform them of situation that they are facing. Eventually the group was alerted to the humans arrival in the castle, when a guard brought the group of humans to where the ponies were waiting for them. When the humans joined up with the ponies, they began telling the six Un-Naturals what has been going on in Manehatten, and what has happened in to the investigation team sent to look into the strange disappearances. And as the ponies told the six young men they noticed that while they looked concerned, none of them appeared to be as affected heavily in the event that they were. Eventually Celestia finished with the recounting of events that has transpired, and awaited for the humans input in aiding them in this endeavor.

“So basically you’re asking us to help you in dealing with this strange monster in the city situation, who seems to be the source of the number of disappearances. Is that the jest of it?” Burner asked the princess as he stood in front of the ponies with a disinterested look on his face.

“Yes. We would be grateful if you could help us in this situation.” The six humans looked at each other for a moment as if they were having a silent conversation with one another, but after brief moment the six humans looked back at the ponies before Burner spoke again.

“No.” the young man said flatly and bluntly to party of mares. To say that the ponies were shocked, even taken back by the reply, would’ve been an understatement. Celestia especially out of all the ponies was shocked by Burners response the most, and the collective look on the other humans in agreement.

“B-but why!?” Celestia asked the human confusedly. She honestly thought that the humans would help them, and if she were honest, she would rather have the humans handle this dangerous situation instead of Twilight and her friends.

“Look princess we feel really bad for you and your ponies, but this doesn’t involve us directly.” Wave began to say to the princess.

“We’re trying to start over in your world, and actually have a comfortable life for once. So the last thing we want to do is go out and fight monsters, besides you have your royal guards can’t you send them instead?”

“I understand this, but I fear that without your help, more and more ponies will be hurt, or worst. And this creature is unknown to us so we can’t be sure what it’s capable of.” Celestia said wholeheartedly as she tries to sway the humans to help.

“So instead your sending us in because we’re not your ‘precious’ little ponies.” Burner said in a rather rude tone which the other humans were not exactly pleased with.

“It’s not like that I assure! With your powers you could not only stop this from happening, but whatever else may pose a threat to Equestrian. With great power comes great—”

“DON’T YOU DARE FINISH THAT SENTENCE!” Burner all but shouted at Celestia causing her to flinch back, and making the other seven ponies gasp in shock, even the other Un-Naturals were a bit shocked. But they recovered from the sudden outburst as Burner continued.

“Just because we have these powers doesn’t mean we’re super heroes, or have or want to be heroes! We’ve already had to deal with Dragonface, which was a personal issue to US because we know his pain. But THIS, this is a completely separate issue, and we’re not your toy soldiers that you can order or try to persuade into helping you, princess!” Burner’s outburst left the ponies speechless at what they had just heard, and it seemed that the other humans were also unsure what to say to this whole thing, but they ultimately agreed with what Burner had just stated.

“Look Celestia, we’re grateful for what you have done for us…but that doesn’t mean you can ask us to risk our own lives to handle dangerous stuff like this. Let alone going after a monster and thinking we will come out of it without a scratch.” Snap said as he tried make the whole situation clear to the princess, while also gesturing to the still lingering scars that all of them still bared after tangling with Dragonface.

“B-but…I thought we were friends?” Pinkie said in a slightly sadden tone as she looked up to the six young men who aside from Burner, looked a little heartbroken. “And friends help each other.” Circus then spoke up to Pinkie’s statement.

“Pinkie I hate to break this to you…but we’re not friends.” the ponies gasped again, Pinkie more so as her mane wilted slightly.

“If anything, we’re acquaintances at best. We haven’t been around you long enough, or got to know you all well enough to actually be called friends.” Rainbow Dash then gritted her teeth as she looked up to the humans with a clearly angered look.

“So that’s it huh! After everything we’ve done for you guys, you’re just going to ditch us like that?!”

“What do you mean by that Rainbow?” Steel retorted to the pegasus as he stood in front of the group.

“Last I checked neither you, nor your friends have done something for us. We were the ones that decided what we should do, we were the ones that found ourselves jobs, and we were the ones who choose to live in this world without you or anyone else asking us to.”

“And what about the princesses treating your injuries? Are you just going to forsake that bit of kindness and not return the gesture.” Rarity remarked to Steel, which Wave responded to before the others could.

“We appreciate that the princess did all that for us, but that doesn’t mean we’ll just gladly accept a task that could end up with us getting hurt, mortally injured or even killed.” Wave the gestured to the rest of the group as he continued on with his remark.

“We’re not indestructible trained warriors or super heroes. Sure we can fight with our own powers and everything, and if you think our fights with Dragonface says otherwise, it’s not, if anything they were like a street fight.”

The meeting room transcended into an eerie silence after Wave spoke. The ponies looked incredibly sad and hurt, and possibly even a little betrayed? While the humans remained resolute in their stance in not being called to arms soldiers to handle dangerous tasks. Celestia managed to regain her composure, but a sense of remorse could be seen on the princess face as she knows she has no right to have the humans handle, or do anything she has asked them to do. The six humans just want to have a peaceful life, a life that was taken away from them on their own world. Asking them to do something that has a high chance of plausible injuries as grave as Feather Squall, and expected them to just blindly oblige wasn’t fair to them.

“You’re right.” Celestia said as she looked at the humans with a more calm and composed look, as well as a look of understanding and realization.

“I shouldn’t have made the assumption that you’ll do something so dangerous on our behalf, just by my say so or because you fought a previous threat that was more personal to you than us. None of you are under my authority or jurisdiction, so you don’t need to feel obligated to do anything for us. I am sorry for trying to make you feel like you did so.”

“I’m sorry this whole meeting didn’t turn out as you would like princess, but this is just how we feel.” Plasma said in response to Celestia words.

“It would seem we will have to come up with a new plan in order to deal with the vermin, sister.” Luna said to her fellow princess who nodded in response.

“But how are we going to handle the monstrous rat creature, with its agile movements, razor sharp quills, and army of rats at its command how will we approach this.” That’s when the humans perked up after hearing what Celestia had just said. Plasma then looked towards the table that was just a foot from the group and noticed the pictures on it.

“…mind if we see those pictures?” Plasma asked the princess which made the ponies look at the group with confusion.

“I thought this didn’t concern you guys?” Rainbow remarked in a slightly bitter tone.

“Dash.” Applejack said to her friend as to not start anything. Both Luna & Celestia briefly looked at each other, before Luna decided to allow Plasma and the others to look at the pictures. Walking over to the table Plasma and his crew looked at the pictures that were on the table, and as they all looked everyone in the meeting room heard Snap gasp as he quickly grabbed a single photograph.

“Snap? What’s wrong?” Applejack asked the human as she looked up at him. The other humans gathered around the young man, and they all looked shocked at what they saw.

“Vermin.” Was all Plasma said, and by the way that he said it caused the others to suddenly get riled up. Plasma then looked at the princesses. “This is the monster you wanted us to deal with?”

“Uh, yes. Yes it is?” Celestia slowly said still looking at the group with a befuddled look. But after seeing the reaction the humans had towards the photo, and Plasma’s response to said picture that’s when a thought came to her. “Is this another, Un-Natural?”

“Yeah.” Steel said as he looked down towards the group of mares.

“I know we just said we wouldn’t be doing this because it didn’t concern us, but this—” Steel pointed to the picture that Snap was still holding in his hand. “This changes things.”

“So, you’ll handle this?” Luna asked the humans with trepidation, which the humans collectively nodded, but that’s when Plasma then looked to the others.

“Wave, I want you to come with me on this one, we should be enough to stop Vermin.” Wave nodded to Plasma’s statement before the group’s leader turned to look back at the ponies. “Tell us where he is, and then we’ll deal with him.”

Celestia then used her magic to summon forth a map & a quill, before circling where Feather Squall and her departed party encountered Vermin on the map of Manehatten. Once Plasma & Wave saw where they need to go, they were about to leave but were stopped when Twilight and Applejack insisted on going, and they didn’t seem to be taking no for an answer. The two humans agreed and allowed the two mares to come along, but they were to be their guides to their destination and nothing more. As the quartet left the room the others began making their way out of the room as well and make the trip back to Ponyville, while Snap just teleported the rest of the human’s back to Ponyville, leaving the princess alone in the room now having to wait for the final report on this strange case.

Author's Note

It would seem that the guys just can't a break can they? well hopefully after this little incident with, Vermin, they can finally have the peaceful life they all want.