"Oh, Peter. You're back here again." Max said as he noticed Peter on the door to Chloe's house.

"Um, yeah." Peter said.

"Why are you here?" Max asked.

"I just feel like being here." Peter said.

"There's got to be something else other than that."

"I just feel like being here." Peter stated but much more slower.

Max allowed Peter in. The two sat down to play A Way Out together.

"You've been coming here more often." Max suggested.

"I have to hide from my family." Peter said.

"What do you mean hide from my family?"

"Mom's an drug addict. And my Dad tries to get help for her."

"Does it work?"

"Of course not. I'm starting to wonder what even caused her to get into drugs in the first place."

"But you still love your parents?"

"Of course I do. It's just that you guys have a normal family."

Max scrunched his face.

"Are you jealous of us?"

"No! You've never had a bad family like mine."

Max placed his hand on Peter's shoulder.

"What are you doing?"

"Hey, I'm not going to mock you. But is this the reason why you keep showing up to my house more often?"

"Yeah, sort of."

"I guess if you want to escape from your family you can always come here."

"Thanks Max." Peter said, giving him a fist bump.

"So that's how you got here?" Leon said.

"Of course." Peter said. "I think the ponies were using some form of magic to bring me and Chloe here."

"I bet they're using a spellbook because no unicorn or alicorn could know about transporting to different worlds."

"A spellbook?"

"Twilight is known for her bookish attitude."

"Also Ocellus." Newton added.

"Ok, Ocellus too. But the point is, Twilight could be the one who sent the ponies who have kidnapped you and your friend."

"That makes sense. But what about the Storm Creatures who attacked me earlier in the arena? They acted like zombies!"

"We call them infected." Connor said.

"But it doesn't seem like there is a cure for the infection, aside from it wearing off. But for now, we need to rescue my friend and get out of here."

"What about us?" Leon said. "We're finding a safe place to stay."

"And you're saying this isn't a safe place to stay?"

"We are searching for a home, one where all of us can live."

"You could stay in my world."

"Wait, you would do that?"

"If you cannot find a safe place in Equestria, why live there? You could live beyond Equestria where no creature will find you."

This got every Storm Creature excited.

"Question, how are we going to get there?" Newton asked.

Walking amongst the crowd of ponies, Newton laid down the group's plan. He waited for Gallus and two of his royal guard members to arrive. He jumped out in front of them.

"Why Gusty, what a surprise." Gallus said.

"Here's the thing Gallus. Before you arrest me, I'm gonna give you some instructions that you have to follow first."

"My favorite thing." Gallus said sarcastically.

"You're going to tell me where Twilight Sparkle keeps her spellbook."

"Are you going to learn dark magic with that?" One of Gallus's guards teased.

"No, I want to find a home for the Storm Creatures."

"Gusty..." Gallus said, stroking his chin. "They're dead. You can't save them all."

The crowd surrounding them chattered to each other.

*BLAM* *BLAM*

Gunshots rang out. The two guards with Gallus dropped on the ground, motionless. The crowd was sent into a frenzy as they ran off. As Gallus was figuring out what was going on, he was hit in the face by Newton. Peter dropped down from the rooftop he was shooting at.

"You didn't tell me you were a good shooter." Newton said.

"I'm a basketball player."

"That doesn't make you a good shooter because you don't carry guns as a basketball player."

"Just take my word for it."

Gallus awoke to find himself back at the underground sanctuary. He was tied to a chair, his talons and beak who smoothened to prevent him from cutting the ropes. His wings were tied to his body, almost as if he was in a birdcage.

"Where am I?"

"Somewhere where the guards won't find you." Leon said.

"Oh boy, I'm going to like it here." Gallus said sarcastically.

"We did this the easy way, now we're going to do this the hard way." Newton said.

"I am a trained soldier who is also the captain of the royal guard." Gallus said. "You have no idea who you're messing with. Release me right now, or else suffer the consequences."

"Of what? Your mom?" A Storm Creature taunted.

"Hey Sam, too harsh." Leon said.

"I have just and fair when dealing with creatures like you. I only follow orders!"

"From Twilight only. I see you give orders to your guards." Newton countered.

"You creatures don't understand. You guys have dealt so much damage to our country. You robbed from us, you enslaved us, you tried to drain the princesses' magic to gain power for yourself, and you're saying that you're actions are justified?" Gallus shouted. "Because what? Your king had his wife killed in some raid and he's avenging the queen's death! That's justifiable, purely justifiable!"

Peter walked up wearing an apron over his hoodie, science goggles, and white gloves. He wielded a long blade with rotating parts.

"What is that thing?" Gallus said nervously.

"Something you would find in a horror movie." Peter said.

"We're gonna give you a simple question." Leon said. "If you do not answer, you die."

"By what? That thing?" Gallus said.

"Let's just say, you're gonna lose your head when it happens." Peter said. "So here it comes, where are you keeping the spellbook that Twilight used to get into the human world?"

"I don't know!" Gallus said.

"Oldest diversion in the book!" Peter said.

Peter started up the device. It sputtered as Peter started up again. Gallus only let out a chuckle.

"Screw you and you're so called resistance! You Storm Creatures cannot topple the magic that is friendship! You will go to Tartarus for this! You'll be rolling in your graves, creatures will dance upon your mangled corpses, and make flash cupcakes out of you!"

Peter started up the device as it made the successful whirring sound. He held it close to Gallus's neck as the latter craned his neck to avoid the blade.

"Okay, Okay! I'll tell you!" Gallus said. "What is it that you want to know?"

"The spellbook that Twilight used! Where is it?!" Peter shouted.

"The School of Friendship. In the Headmare's office." Gallus nervously said. "But you'll never get there. There are teachers who know about the School of Friendship better than I could. You will ultimately fail, and you'll prove that you're no better than bandits."

Peter started up the chainsaw. Gallus let out a scream.

The news came out to every creature across Equestria.

"We are saddened to say that Gallus, the captain of the royal guard has lost his life while on patrol. His body was found without a head floating on stream." One reporter said, trying hard to cry.

"It widely believed that bandits were responsible for the deaths of these royal guard members. Creature officials have tightened security in all of their respective regions." Another reporter added.

"The royal guards ask you to be on the lookout for any suspicious behavior."

The group geared up. Peter made sure to carry extra cartridges for his gun. He made sure that it was clean, had iron sight, and a laser pointer. He tested his gun on some shooting targets before leaving with the others.

"Okay, I'll go with my sister to get the book." Newton said.

"You have a sister?" Peter asked.

The same earth pony whom Peter met at the arena earlier walked in.

"You." Peter said.

"You did good out in the arena." The earth pony said.

"This is Neytiri." Newton introduced.

"How were you even captured by the ponies in the first place?" Peter said, shaking her hoof.

"I was supposed to spy on them. Bad idea."

"There's a lot more questions I want to ask." Peter said.

"I'll answer them along the way." Leon said. "Right now, you and I have to rescue your friend."

"Ok, meet us back here at the base when you're done." Newton said.

"You got it."

Neytiri and Newton arrived at the School of Friendship. As Starlight Glimmer welcomed the new students, Newton and Neytiri blended in with the crowd.

"We have used our savings to expand the school's design. Now, we can house even more students than ever before! Please welcome our new creatures that can now join us, kirins, buffalos, zebras, cats, and dogs!"

The students cheered as the leaders of the respected creatures walked up.

"I am honored to have friendship be taught to my creatures." The kirin leader Rain Shine said.

"Come on, we need to move." Newton said.

As the speech continued, Newton and Neytiri went through an open window into one of the classrooms in the School of Friendship. The two walked into the hallways as they avoided the staff on patrol. The two arrived in the headmare's office with little trouble.

"I'll look around." Newton said. "You keep on watch."

"Got it." Neytiri said.

Newton searched every place he could think of. He then found it. Inside a cabinet in Twilight's desk. The spellbook that Twilight used to get into the human world. He saw a flat pressable plate on it.

"A pressure plate. Twilight's learning." Newton said to himself.

Newton grabbed another book and carefully replaced the spellbook with the book he just grabbed.

"I got the book." Newton said.

"Great, let's go back."

Back at the castle, Leon and Peter spotted guards on patrol throughout the castle.

"There's too many of them." Peter said. "We need some distraction."

"There!"

Leon was referring to the unguarded guard barracks where the guards stored their armor, food, and tools. This gave both of them an idea.

"Do I smell smoke?" said one of the guards.

The guards turned to the direction of the smell.

"The barracks! It's on fire!"

The guards rushed to the barracks to save the supplies. This allowed Leon and Peter to sneak into the castle.

"Okay, do you recall how you got to the arena?" Leon said.

"I remember Gallus taking me to another room, and after that, I remember myself falling."

"Do you know that room?"

Peter led Leon to the fancy hotel-like room that Gallus trapped him in.

"This is it."

"Hey, what's this thing?" Leon said, noticing the lever.

"That must be how Gallus trapped me in here!" Peter said.

Peter pulled down the lever, exposing the trap. When he released the lever, the trap closed.

"It looks like we have to split up." Leon said.

"I'll go down there and rescue Chloe myself."

"Got it. I'll try and find a way to reach you."

Leon opened the trap, this time allowing Peter to hop into the darkness that seems to be the end.

Chloe stood with the other prisoners in the arena.

"Welcome one all! To another survival game!" The new gamemaster Silverstream said.

Silverstream pressed the red button with her claws. The infected came out to attack their new victims.

"I wonder what happened to the old gamemaster." A yak guard said.

"She's with Twilight now. That's all I know."

Peter popped out of from the side holding the gun he got from the Storm Creatures.

*BLAM* *BLAM*

The infected all stopped and turned to the direction of the sound. This in turn also caused the guards to cower in fear. The prisoners still ran for their lives as the infected continued chasing them. Chloe was shoved to the ground as a prisoner used her as bait from an infected. She braced for the worst...

*BLAM*

The infected was killed. As Chloe looked around she saw a familiar face. Peter was there, and he somehow managed to get into the arena.

"Look! It's the guy that knocked me out in the second round!" Silverstream shouted to the royal guard.

Peter shot down all the remaining infected that were going for him and Chloe. The audience in the arena ran for their lives. Peter took out a smoke grenade and threw it in the air. He aimed his assault rifle at it.

*BLAM*

A cloud of smoke erupted, shrouding the prisoners along with Peter and Chloe.

"Are you okay?" Peter said.

"Yeah, I can walk." Chloe said. "But... Twilight... She used me."

"We'll worry about that later. Right now, I have to get you out of here."

Chloe silently nodded.

"Stay behind me." Peter added.

Peter took out a flare from his inventory. As he pulled the trigger, he threw the flare at the entrance to the arena. This caused the infected to chase after the flare.

"Block the entrance!" Silverstream shouted.

The prisoners waited until the infected were gone. They then ran for the entrance too. As the arena cleared, Peter waited until the time was right.

"Follow me!" He stated.

The royal guard tried to stop the prisoners from escaping, they were the first to be met by the infected. The infected swarmed them as the prisoners ran for their lives. Peter and Chloe avoided the infected as they ran down the hallway. A dragon guard used her flame breath to push the two back. Peter returned fire by shooting her in the chest. A changeling soldier appeared from the side using a prisoner disguise. Peter shoved the changeling away and fired at his neck. An earth pony guard grabbed Chloe from behind but Peter managed to shoot him in the forehead.

"Look out!" Chloe shouted.

A line of unicorn guards readied into position. They all fired their magic blasts which Peter and Chloe were forced to avoid by running down another hallway. The hallway seemed clear as Peter and Chloe continued on. An infected jumped onto Peter as he pushed it away. Peter fired back on him. Another infected got to Chloe. Chloe tossed the infected aside to a wall. She then toppled a bookshelf over the infected, trapping him. An infected knocked the gun away from Peter. As Peter wrestled with the infected, the same line of unicorn guards appeared in front of them.

"Shoot! Shoot!"

Peter grabbed the infected and used it as a human shield. The magic blasts hit the infected while keeping Peter safe. Peter slid to cover. Another infected came to attack Peter. Peter wrestled with that infected creature while Chloe watched helplessly. Peter's gun was right in front of her, but running out to get it was suicide. The royal guard was closing in on them. Chloe held her breath as she leapt up.

"AH!" She screamed holding Peter's gun whiling firing.

A hippogriff guard and a griffon guard were gunned down.

"Peter!" Chloe shouted.

Peter caught the gun Chloe tossed at him and shot down the infected. At the same time, Chloe felt a sharp pain on her back. She collapsed onto the ground.

"I hit her! I hit her!" A male unicorn guard said.

"Great job, Gumdrop!" A yak guard congratulated.

Peter's heart sank. His mission... It was all a failure. What hurt even more was Chloe's hand reaching for his jacket. She was this close to being saved. Peter slowly removed her hand, it had now gone cold. Chloe was gone. His breath was shaky, his hands were trembling, all that he wanted was vengeance.

"This way! This way!"

Peter reloaded his gun. He slid out of cover and shot down a pegasus guard. A dragon guard and a earth pony guard were met with shots from Peter. A yak guard tried to tackle Peter, but he dodged her attack and shot her in eye. A changeling guard tried to disarm him, but Peter knocked her into a large table and shot the changeling in the temple. Peter shot two more guards who readied him. He was so swarmed with guards that he didn't see a creature approaching him from behind. Peter aimed his gun.

"Hey! It's me!"

It was Leon.

"How'd you get here?"

"I found a secret passage that led me here. We can use it as our escape! Come on!"

Leon ran off. Peter turned to Chloe's body. He could not leave her behind. He strapped the gun to his shoulder as he carried Chloe's body out of here.

"You did all that you could." Leon said. "That's what matters."

The two made their way out of the lower grounds of the castle and into the main hallway.

"Come on, the exit's not that far."

Leon covered for Peter as he shot down the guards attacking him and Peter.

"They're escaping!"

The two ran out of the castle just as the doors closed behind them.

"We're not out of the woods yet. Keep running!" Leon said.

As soon as they were out of sight, Leon and Peter were on their way back to the underground sanctuary. The two then noticed the place completely ransacked. Storm Creatures were dead on the floor.

"What happened?" Leon said.

Peter placed Chloe down on a bed. He and Leon armed themselves as they examined the area. A member of the royal guard grabbed Peter from behind as Leon shot him in the head.

"Look for anyone still standing!" Leon ordered.

Peter gave off a salute as he ran off. He first checked the most crowded area in the underground. He noticed Tempest among the royal guard. He hid behind a piece of cover to avoid their sight. He popped another cartridge in his gun to be ready. He emerged from cover, shooting down all the guards with Tempest. As Tempest tried to flee, Peter tackled her down.

"Hooves behind your head!"

Tempest surrendered as Peter knocked her to the ground with the butt of his gun. Leon arrived shortly after.

"You okay, man?"

"Yeah."

"They got Angel, Connor, and everyone else."

"But at least we have a lead on where they are."

Both of them turned to Tempest, still conscious. They rolled over her body as she was now facing up. As Tempest opened her eyes, she was met with the demanding temper of Leon and Peter.

Author's Note

Took me a while, hasn't it? Anyway, what really held me back was that I was super busy. I had school, work, and a thing called a life. Anyway, if that seems far fetched to you, then I don't know what else.