The Equestrian Prime

The Equestrian Prime

Chapter 3: Relaxation Before the Takedown

As Celestia's Sun set, a certain Alicorn of Friendship was lying in her bed, in the arms of Artemis, twitching slightly as she breathed hard. She shivered as she exhaled slowly before her ears twitched at an unfamiliar sound. "That sounds like..." she mumbled sleepily.

"Hmmm?" Artemis muttered slightly, having woken up from the sound as well while Twilight was in his arms. "You say something?"

Twilight blinked a couple of times, humming softly before her ears twitched as a voice she instantly recognized carried up to them. Her eyes widened as she was about to sit up, only to realize that their bed was kind of scattered around the room. She blushed deeply as she shivered at the memories rushing through her mind.

"I take it that Sunset just showed up, didn't she?" Artemis said, sitting up while rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "I'll get in the shower and do a quick rinse. Speaking of…" Artemis turned to Twilight with a saddened look. "Did you tell her about what happened to them? I know she was fond of Starlight."

"Honestly… I wouldn't be too surprised if the world on the other side of the mirror mirrors this one in other ways." Twilight said with a saddened sigh. "AJ's human counterpart also lost her parents as well, although whether or not incidents like… those… were also mirrored… I hope not, but I haven't had the chance to mention Starlight to her yet." Twilight had a sheepish look on her face.

"How about this? You go shower." Artemis said, rubbing his hand on her arm, smiling down at her. "I have nanomachines that can do what a shower can do. I'll go meet her and let her know you'll be down in a little bit. I've always wanted to meet Sunset, because I know what it's like to make mistakes and learn from them. But I think we should get the other Princesses and your brother down here to explain it all to her together. Now, move your cute little caboose." Artemis said, giving Twilight's flank a resounding smack, making her jump and yelp.

Twilight tilted an eyebrow. "And here I thought you wanted to join me~" she pouted in a sing-song tone.

"We'll have time for that, I promise Twi." Artemis said, smiling down at her and giving her a hug, being mindful of her wings. Twilight sighed contentedly as she returned the gesture. "But we don't want to keep Sunset waiting. So let me go greet her while you take a shower. I definitely like that lavender fur wash you use. And don't get me started on the blueberry and lilac shampoo."

Twilight smirked slightly before she vanished into the bathroom.

—

Outside, Sunset Shimmer exhaled softly as she paused before she blinked.

"I think I know a few that these ponies have never heard before," an unfamiliar voice drawled. Cianán saw the look of mild confusion and surprise on her face.

"Such as?" Sunset quipped jokingly. She saw the Pegasus smirk, though what caught her attention was how he walked: a slow, lazy gait.

"Lost Highway by Jon Bon Jovi, for example." Cianán commented before his ears twitched at approaching hoofsteps from the palace. He noticed the metallic tone to the hoofsteps as he knew a similar sound to his own. His hands were wreathed in prismatic flame as something formed in his hands which made Sunset's eyes widen.

"Is that one of the first Les Paul Gibson Guitars?" she almost squealed.

Cianán blinked before smirking. "Aye," he quipped. "Serial number 0000004," he commented. His ears twitched twice at a metallic twang before he heard a rather audible splash. He had noticed a five gallon bucket of soapy water held up by a piano wire by one of the outer doors and could see Artemis covered in soapy water from the stage. Unfortunately, it wasn't one of his pranks… in fact, he was fortunate not to get caught by it himself. "Shall we?" he commented innocently as if he hadn't noticed.

Sunset shook her head before she took a deep breath.

Cianán blinked, looking closely at her before his eyes narrowed fractionally, noticing slight darkness underneath her eyes, signs of minor exhaustion.

She's distracting herself from something painful, he thought.

In my rearview mirror,
My life is getting clearer,
The sunset sighs and slowly disappears…
These trinkets once were treasure,
Life changes like the weather,
You grow up, grow old, or you hit the road 'round here…
So I drive…" "Drive drive," Sunset echoed.
"Watching white lines passing by…
My plastic dashboard Jesus…
Waiting there to greet us,

Hey, Hey, I finally found my way,
Said goodbye to yesterday…
Hit the gas, there ain't no brakes on this lost highway,
Yeah, I'm busting loose, I'm lettin' go,
Out on this open road…
It's independence day on this lost highway,
Hey hey, hey hey…

Don't know where I'm going,
But I know where I've been…
I'm afraid of going back again,
So I drive…" "Drive drive," Sunset echoed.
"Years and miles are flying by…
And waiting there to greet us,
Is my plastic dashboard Jesus…

Hey, Hey,
Hey, Hey, I finally found my way…
Said goodbye to yesterday,
Hit the gas, there ain't no brakes on this lost highway…
Hell, I'm busting loose, I'm lettin' go…
Out on this open road,
It's independence day on this lost highway…
Hey hey
hey, hey

Oh patron saint of lonely souls,
Tell this boy which way to go…
Guide the car, you've got the keys…
Farewell to mediocrity,
Kicking off the cruise control,
And turning up the radio…
Got just enough religion,
And a half a tank of gas…
Come on,
Let's go…" before he broke into a solo.

"I finally found my way,
Said goodbye to yesterday…
Hit the gas, there ain't no brakes on this lost highway,
I'm busting loose, I'm lettin' go…
When I'm out on this open road,
It's independence day on this lost highway…
Hey hey," he belted out.

The ponies were staring before they broke into cheers.

"Damn, I knew you were good." Artemis said, looking at Sunset with a smile. "But to see it with my own optics, that was beyond impressive." Artemis then noticed something on the wire that was connected to the bucket of soapy water that drenched him. He grabbed it and pulled off a particular blue wing feather.

"Really Dashie?" Artemis mumbled, chuckling and shaking his head. "Even in death, you're still a prankster." Artemis looked back at Sunset, seeing she was crying silent tears. Artemis narrowed his eyes, reminded of Twilight's words before they parted while she went to take a shower.

Twilight, get down here, quick. Artemis said to Twilight telepathically. Remember what you said about events from here being mirrored in the mirror world? I think something happened. I just pray to Primus I'm wrong about what exactly may have happened. And make sure to get the other Princesses and your brother down here first. I want Celestia in on this especially, considering hers and Sunset's history.

—

Twilight paused as she rinsed her mane, hearing him before her eyes narrowed. I'll take care of things as quickly as I can. She relayed back before she tilted her head. She quickly scrubbed down and got ready to rinse off before she felt a resonant pulse in her Cutie Mark before she blinked as it was pulsing steadily.

—

Outside, Cianán saw Sunset setting her guitar on a nearby stand. "I can tell you're trying not to think about something painful. Trust me, I know well what that's like. I've lost my legs twice in two very painful fashions, though the second time was actually worse, if I'm honest… far more terrifying." He sighed, shivering. "And I still have nightmares of it." he admitted.

"You do? I bet you've never lost your closest friends." Sunset said thickly, fighting to retain some semblance of calm.

"What did you say?" Artemis said, having been lost in the telepathic conversation between him and Twilight.

"I don't like thinking about it, much less talking about it." Sunset snapped, tears at the edges of her eyes.

Artemis' eyes narrowed, not at the way Sunset snapped at him, but at seeing the tears flowing freely.

Twilight, emergency. I think it happened over there. Get them over here and get them here ASAP. Artemis relayed. Sunset's reaction is giving off serious red flags of it being more than a possibility.

Cianán frowned. "This may sound harsh, but by ignoring what happened to your friends, you do a disservice to their memories. I know well what it's like to suffer loss. The first time I lost my legs was to a pendulum blade trap in an Ancient Greek ruin after taking two cinnabar darts to my ribcage. The only reason I didn't immediately die was cauterizing my own legs with a flare… which hurt like hell. Next thing I knew, I found myself in another reality… not sure how it happened, as I was unconscious at the time, but I awoke shortly before an incident where Exobytes were released into the atmosphere… which awoke magical talents within me and augmented my healing… turns out what I thought were my legs were advanced prosthetics… and regenerating my legs from stumps… let's just say I'd prefer to have every one of my teeth pulled without anesthesia than go through that again."

"Either way, I did have friends that did die…" Cianán continued. "Especially when that bastard Darkseid showed up. Of course, he tried to use his Omega Beams on me at close range… I don't quite understand what occurred, but I absorbed his Omega Sanction and basically stripped him of his most dangerous power… however, when it occurred, the detonation blew us apart from each other and rendered me unconscious. So you can imagine how traumatizing it was to wake up to Parademons EATING MY FUCKING LEGS!" he snapped, unaware arcs of pale green magical force edged with bloody crimson flickered around him not unlike flames.

What they didn't notice was a certain navy furred Alicorn Princess flashing into the room in time to hear the end of Cianán's rant, seeing him breathing heavily but not noticing her presence. It was obvious to her that whatever rant he'd let off was one that had traumatized him from the way he was trembling.

"Pardon my friend's rather harsh way of putting it into perspective," Artemis started to say, guiding Sunset to a chair at the edge of the stage and having her sit down, "but I agree with what he said first. Ignoring whatever happened would be doing their memories and legacies a great dishonor and disservice. Just sit down and take it easy. I've already let Twilight know to call the other Princesses and her brother. I want you to tell us what happened. I know it may be hard to do so, but we're here to help. Because we have something to let you know as well. And I'm glad you could make it, Luna." Artemis didn't need to turn his head, as his IFF beacon went off the moment she arrived. "Back to you, Sunset. I know of the history between you and Celestia. I doubt she doesn't want to see you, but would rather very much want to help you through this, you just have to bear through it and tell us exactly what happened once everypony else arrives."

Sunset shivered. "But it…" she started.

"I know." Artemis said, looking at her in sympathy. It broke his Spark to see her like this, but it made his Energon boil and the thought of what he thought may have happened. "Believe me, I can relate more than you can imagine, Sunset. But when everypony else shows up, remember… you're not alone. Twilight's here for you, Celestia and Luna over there are here for you." Artemis pointed to said Alicorn of the Night. "Even me. Just remember that when you tell us. Okay?"

Sunset nodded shakily before she noticed the Pegasus stallion shuddering, noticing almost absently that his wings were in severe need of preening.

Cianán was shuddering as he forced the tumultuous energy down within him. "Even though we know loss and suffering, it doesn't stop us…" he muttered hoarsely as his hand covered the Ring over his heart as he closed his eyes, unaware the bloody crimson aura was trying to overwhelm his pale sea green aura before his eyes closed as low words escaped him. "At the end of Night, At the break of Day… All fear of Death shall fade away… Life long lost shall show its might… Now returned… White Lantern's Light." He whispered, unaware the bloody crimson of the Omega Sanction was obliterated, replaced by brilliant, almost silvery white light that melded with his own pale sea green aura.

While Cianán calmed down, his words didn't escape Artemis' ears nor Twilight's, as well as Celestia's, Cadence's, and Shining Armor's as they arrived.

"I'm glad the rest of you could make it." Artemis said, looking to Sunset, who looked back at him. When he nodded, and she nodded in return with a shaky breath, he turned to them, saying, "Now before we say anything, I don't know what happened to Sunset here in the mirror world. But her reactions so far had been pointing to some major red flags as to what I believe may have happened. Despite her mental and emotional state, she has agreed to talk about it, as I assured her all of us will be here for her. So before she tells us what happened on the other side… Twilight, babe?" Twilight looked over to Artemis as he came to stand next to her, putting his arm around her shoulders. "I think you should tell her first, that way we can compare and find out exactly what happened."

Twilight took a slow, deep breath. "What I initially heard with Rainbow was that she had been involved in an accident. She took a job at one of the Weather Factories…" she cleared her throat thickly before she continued. "Supposedly, she fell into one of the fans intended to churn and thicken the clouds which… well… let's just say that those fans rotate at very high speeds," she said thickly. She saw Sunset's eyebrows shoot up.

"Rainbow was in training to acquire her pilot's license when her single prop plane engine stalled and though she was able to land it safely, an 'errant spark from a frayed wire ignited a small crack in one of the fuel lines'... I'm sure you can guess the result," Sunset revealed.

Twilight's eyes widened slightly at the revelation, a bit disturbed by the similarity between the counterparts' deaths.

"AJ… we still don't know much. But what we do know was that Big Mac and Sugar Belle were out for dinner, leaving AJ and Granny Smith at the farmhouse. Applebloom was on her way back from meeting Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle when…as she turned onto the driveway towards the farmhouse… a massive detonation of emerald flames tore the house apart," Twilight said slowly, thinking of the most recent incident. Artemis hugged Twilight with his arms around her shoulders as she started to cry.

Sunset's eyes widened fractionally before she paused, her head tilting. "Why does that sound familiar?" she muttered to herself before she shook her head. "AJ on the other side… the police claimed the evidence showed that she was in a 'single car accident with evidence of alcohol present' but I know something isn't right about that as AJ is…. was… a very careful driver. Hell, the only one more careful behind the wheel was Flutters. On top of that, AJ never drank behind the wheel. Hell, more often than not, she would have a water bottle in the truck and rarely a soda mostly because of Rainbow, not some alcohol," she deadpanned.

"Let me guess… Sweet Apple Acres apple cider as the soda?" Artemis asked, taking a wild guess.

Sunset shook her head. "In terms of soda, usually, yes, the soft cider. Though it was Patròn tequila, strangely enough, found in her truck. Anyone who knows AJ, however, would have known she hates tequila… in her words it tasted 'like a gorilla's piss filtered through a three month old sweaty gym sock soaked in rotten eggs'," she commented bluntly.

Artemis narrowed his eyes as he looked down, crossing his arms while rubbing his chin in thought. "This can't be a coincidence. Something's fishy about all of this. And if it happened almost like it did here, then Cianán, wanna take a trip?"

Cianán blinked at Sunset's remark of her AJ's opinion of Patròn tequila. He snorted, trying hard not to chuckle. "Having had that… I would agree that Patròn tequila is a very acquired taste… being that you'd have to have no taste buds at all to like that shit. That being said, that mess smells worse than a cargo ship of rotten fish… which says something as I've been on Cobblepot's ship which smells like Liquid Ass mixed with rotten fish and old burnt grease," he deadpanned. "I'd wager that something is being covered up in that one," he deadpanned gruffly.

Artemis' eyes briefly flashed red like a Decepticon again at the too close of a similarity between the Elements' deaths on both sides. He took a deep breath, his eyes going back to their normal ocean-blue, saying, "Sunset, you don't have to keep talking about it. I get it's too much right now. But, and I'm speaking for everypony here, you're welcome to stay to get away from there. Besides, who knows if whoever caused these 'accidents' is also after you. So you'll most likely be safer here. But once me and Cianán are finished with our investigation on Twilight's friends' deaths, we'll come back with you and help there too. It's against my nature to let evil crap like this slide. And I think my friend Cianán would agree, aye?" Artemis turned to Cianán with a smirk, knowing Cianán hated it when he imitated his accent, though it was good fun.

Cianán cocked an eyebrow. "Aye, ya jackass," he deadpanned gruffly, a slight smirk crossing his face. "I would be far too tempted to stomp a mudhole in the ass of whoever is up to that shit," he deadpanned.

Sunset blinked a couple of times in confusion. "Okay, you have me more confused than Pinkie," she sighed, shaking her head before Twilight giggled.

"You too?" Twilight said as she giggled.

Then Artemis had a thought, considering the events in the last twenty-four hours. "Sunset, and bear with me on this considering what's happened in the last day for us. But did all of you, before their 'accidents' that is… have a bad run in with a certain nephew of Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna on the other side?"

Sunset cocked her head, her eyebrows twitching upward before she hummed in thought. "The only one I know for sure was Rarity, as that egocentric ass fucking little hijà de pûtà came in whilst I was repairing one of my jackets. The others…. I don't know," Sunset said, a frown flitting over her face.

"You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?" Artemis asked Cianán, hoping he was having the same thought pattern: A road trip to the mirror world once things were settled here as well as the 'Pinky and the Brain' reference.

"I don't know, Brain. What am I thinking? Narf!" Cianán said with a straight face.

Sunset and Twilight both blinked before they started to giggle uncontrollably.

Luna cocked her head in mild confusion, not getting the reference. She did feel that Twilight and Sunset did need a reason to laugh, however. She blinked as her stomach gurgled before a loud, long pppppbt escaped.

All sounds of giggling stopped as all eyes were turned towards Luna, who was blushing bright scarlet. Artemis sniffed a few times before he started to cough.

"Okay first, Primus damn it, that stinks." Artemis was waving his hand in front of his face. "And second, six words: Damn, Luna. What did you eat?! That stinks enough to choke a Cybertronian lifeform. I should know… I am one and I literally can't breathe." Artemis continued to cough as his systems were overloaded with fart methane.

"Damn, girl, that smells worse than Scarecrow's fear toxin and Bane's bad breath combined," Cianán coughed.

"Careful, if somepony lights a match, we could get blown up." a random pony commented.

"Just for that, Luna," Artemis started to say, "your flank could be considered a deadly weapon of chemical and biological warfare." Then he started to laugh out loud at Luna's expense, much to her embarrassment.

Luna facepalmed. "Were I you, I'd be careful I don't decide to eat a three course meal of beans and lock us both in a room, hmm?" she muttered.

"Trust me, that won't even compare to what I've let out in the past." Artemis said, laughing like he wasn't fazed by the threat. "Just ask Cianán. Ain't that right, mate?"

"Trust me, him, Alex, and Joseph… those three are fucking scary after hot chili night," Cianán deadpanned.

"Primus damn, the one time I eat spicy chili." Artemis deadpanned like Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator after the failed attempt at smiling. "Could not stop blowing a tune on the old butt trumpet, add the diarrhea smoothies that basically kept making me run to the bathroom."

"Butt trumpets, my ass." Cianán deadpanned. "You three weren't playing butt trumpets, you were playing the butt orchestra." His eyebrow twitched upward.

Twilight's eyebrows rose as she tried hard not to laugh at the image. Sunset, however, was snickering before she sat in a nearby chair before a loud pppppbt followed. She blinked, looking in the chair to see a whoopee cushion. "Maybe we should get them together for the Grand Galloping Gala, wouldn't you say? 'The Astonishing Butt Orchestra'," she giggled.

Celestia blinked at the idea before a grin crossed her face as a slightly manic glint entered her eye.

Luna shivered. "Uh oh," she muttered.

"Maybe we should, if a certain irritating nephew doesn't take a hint, lock him in a sealed room with only one hose for air… attached to the gassiest pony we can find… with a regular diet of the smelliest beans and vegetables," Celestia's hummed comment was far too innocent.

"Then I will volunteer for that." Artemis said with an evil smile that rivaled a certain Decepticon leader. "Give me all the asparagus you can muster, and I will let out the worst fart on him in the history of the universe. Courtesy of the old toxic byproduct of when Energon is produced."

"I have to wonder… are there any parkia speciosa beans here?" Cianán hummed. "Those things rival asparagus for a good backup blast or colon clearer, preferably with a big asshole in range," he commented innocently.

"A big blonde asshole with a proton sized dick, maybe?" Sunset said innocently, trying not to grin too obviously.

"Preferably one here," Artemis grinned, his eyes turning Decepticon red again, "the other in the mirror world if my hunch is correct."

"Wonder which one is gonna have their head shoved deeper in their own ass," Cianán muttered.

"Depends on if we bring those two together and shove the head of one up the other's ass, Hancock style." Artemis grinned, chuckling a maniacal chuckle.

"Too bad I rather doubt we'd be lucky enough that 'same matter cannot occupy same space'," Cianán deadpanned dryly.

"Is this another one of those 'Pinkie' references?" Twilight commented wryly.

"Afraid so." Artemis said, chuckling. "What he said was a reference to a quote from a time-travel movie I loved as a kid, bested only by the greatest trilogy in that genre from my childhood."

Cianán smirked slightly before he tugged free a single edged blade. "I was always more into a rather particular series, myself," he commented wryly.

"Huh, I wondered what you meant by McCloud earlier." Artemis said, looking at the sword. "Never was into Highlander. My old friend was. Weirdest thing is he was a clairaudient. He was watching the Highlander movie from 1986. He said that he was watching the scene where Connor McCloud, who was using the alias Russell Nash, went home after he recovered his sword from where he'd stashed it. But strangely, where almost everyone sees him simply looking down as if tired or exhausted, my friend saw him look up and address him almost directly. Not quite by name, which would have been far creepier. All he said was 'I know you're watching'."

Twilight's eyebrows rose, as did Cadence and Celestia's.

"Strange… an extremely rare talent, even one I lack, is known as leaksleeping where one is able to essentially dream of other realities. Or more precisely, act as a 'channel' of sorts for said realities." Luna commented thoughtfully.

"He never dreamed, but he could hear others from those other dimensions like you can hear me normally." Artemis said, looking at Luna. "We were in contact with some pretty heavy hitters as far as worlds we once thought were fictional. Like the MCU and the DC Universe."

"Hmmm. Now that, I've never heard of," Luna commented thoughtfully.

"Kind of like we never thought we'd be surrounded by anthropomorphic mares that, frankly, look very fuckable," Cianán deadpanned before he blinked. "I have no idea why I said that," he muttered, noticing a sweet smoky scent that, for him, brought to mind maple and brown sugar smoked bacon. He also noticed a fainter scent of lilacs and lavender with a hint of morning glories. He cocked his head at a snicker before his eyes narrowed.

"Discord," he growled before his eyes flicked around. He noticed the masculine spirit of Chaos, surprisingly, dressed in a gray and purple bodysuit with a rather blatant 'H' on his head and he hung inverted with a bow and arrow.

"Ugh… a rather blatant reference to Sparrowhawk," Cianán muttered as he turned… only to find himself facing whom most agreed was Discord's Rule63 counterpart: Eris.

"I knew we were going to come face to face with either Discord or Eris sooner or later, just not both." Artemis said, shaking his head as he facepalmed at Eris's antics. "Are you two related somehow?"

"Who's related to what, Tony?" Discord quipped innocently before a rock got caught in his mouth.

"You and her… ya jackass. You're about as subtle as a baseball to the nuts, ya ken?" Cianán deadpanned.

"So cut the shit and answer my question straight, would ya Discord?" Artemis said before he got an evil smile. "Though I have a sneaking suspicion that you're more the asshole of the family while Eris here is the more mild-mannered one. So maybe I'll ask her instead of talking to you, considering what you did when Tirek attacked has put you pretty high on my shitlist."

"Actually, he's closer to 'innocent prankster chaos' in nature, while I'm more the 'widespread natural disaster chaos'. But in form? I suppose you could say we're siblings, though in truth we're more like Harvey's coin." Eris hummed.

"Of course you would know I've run across Harvey… and he's fairly decent when his good side surfaces," Cianán sighed.

"Ugh, never trusted him, despite the fact he uses that piece of crap coin to judge people." Artemis groaned out. "Though I will admit that he does have his moments."

"How do you think I dragged Cobblepot's squawking ass out of the Old Gotham Subways? Though I do remember that blast underneath Gotham's Old History Museum. At the time, Etrigan mentioned two souls he was protecting were pulled away, in his words 'not as if their owners did subside from life's tide, but as if they were transported beyond the reach of the spell's abide'," Cianán deadpanned.

"Never could understand it when Etrigan talks." Artemis chuckled. "Honestly, no offense to Zecora, but his rhyming riddles and such are even more confusing than hers."

"I'm pretty certain that Etrigan meant that whoever had the souls was still alive, but beyond his particular brand of magic's reach. Though trying to figure out what Etrigan says half the time is about as easy as predicting the winning lottery tickets," Cianán sighed, shaking his head.

Then Artemis caught the same scent that he was sure that was happening from Twilight earlier, though he detected a similar scent from Luna. When he looked at Twilight with a quirked eyebrow, she blushed and nodded. He nodded back with a smile. Shining Armor scowled at Artemis, to which he turned to Shining Armor, noticing the scowl.

"Shining, I give you my word I would treat her with the utmost respect." Artemis said. "She saved my life, and when I found out who she was after the fact, she stole my heart. And vice-versa. So no need to go over-protective-brother on her. I wouldn't do anything she wouldn't want to do."

Shining Armor snorted. "Like I'd believe the word of someone I barely know," he muttered.

"Wow, that was about as subtle as Luna's fart… or Artie's," Cianán deadpanned with a straight face.

"Okay, I see what you wanna find out." Artemis said, a serious frown on his face. "You and me. No magic, no weapons, just good old fists and legs. After we've had some rest for the night. Tomorrow at noon?" Artemis extended his right hand to seal the deal.

Shining Armor's eyes narrowed fractionally as he nodded slightly before he shook the Cybertronian's hand.

"Honestly, I'm tempted for a good spar myself," Cianán commented wryly before he paused, his ears twitching at a thestral mare whom was leaning against the wall wearing dark blue and silver armor.

"Ye want a spar, laddie?" she commented in a Scottish brogue.

"Okay, let's get some rest everypony." Artemis said, Twilight moving to his side, making Shining Armor's left eye twitch. "We can make this a tournament-style fight. The winners of both rounds will fight until only one is left standing. Remember, no magic or weapons, and obviously no killing. Have a good night, everypony." Artemis walked off with his arm around Twilight's shoulders, their tails unconsciously intertwining with each other, making Shining Armor's left eye twitch dangerously.

Cadence's hand rose before she gave him a hard swat to the back of the head. "Could you be a little less overprotective? You're her brother, not her father, baka," she grumbled.

"But…" Shining started before Cadence cocked an eyebrow.

"You want a month on the couch with the cage?" was all she said, making him cringe.

Cianán smirked fractionally before he shrugged. "Honestly, I'm tempted to do a few more songs, probably get Miss Brown Sugar Bacon to help," he commented nonchalantly.

Sunset blinked a few times before blushing deeply. "Ah, fuck me," she groaned softly, mortified.

Luna snickered. "I may take a nap myself," she sighed thoughtfully.

"Call it a feeling, but if Kori is here, it's likely that Earth may be here as well. Maybe not the Earth we are from, but an alternate Earth," Cianán commented wryly. He was far more tempted to explore than rest for the time being, admittedly. He wasn't going to admit aloud that Sunset's scent had his mouth watering.

He tilted his head before he hummed. "Should be interesting to see what music you know, lass," he commented thoughtfully.

Sunset's eyebrows rose slightly in challenge. "Is that a challenge?" she said slowly, the corners of her mouth curling slightly upward.

With Twilight and Artemis…

While Cianán and Sunset were about to compare music in the auditorium of the Castle of Friendship, Twilight and Artemis were locked in a heated make-out session in their room, both naked and on the bed.

"Did you make sure to lock the door and soundproof the room, babe?" Artemis asked after they parted for air.

"Yes." Twilight said, laying on Artemis' chest to rest. "You think I didn't notice the way my brother looked at you? Honestly! I swear, it's like he doesn't want to accept that I'm grown up or can make my own decisions now. Especially when it comes to my love life." Twilight sighed at the last word in that sentence.

"Then you put up the privacy spell over the door just in case?" Artemis asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Might be wise to make sure the door's shut, you two," Cadence giggled.

"Ah slag." Artemis cursed under his breath. "Did he hear us, Cadence?"

"Fortunately not, though I will admit that I'm curious what kind of music your friend knows," she replied.

"Well he knows a lot." Artemis said, smirking before he blushed. "Mind closing the door? Twilight will lock it behind you."

"What, planning on testing their limits?" Cadence's giggle was quite amused before the door clicked shut.

After Cadence left, Twilight locked it with her magic, redoing the soundproofing and privacy spells on the room.

"Now where were we?" Twilight said, giving Artemis bedroom eyes.

"I think I remember." Artemis smirked slyly. They began another heated make-out session before Twilight closed the blinds to her windows and turned off the lights.