Escape from Arora Ridge Quarry

Feather Breeze gasped as she followed Pipp and Zipp through the busy streets of Zephyr Heights. Her eyes widened with fascination at the bright lights, billboards, and large screens adorning the high-rise buildings.

As they walked, Feather Breeze began to lag behind the Princesses, her curiosity and looking at everything slowing her down. Fortunately, Pipp glanced over her shoulder and noticed she was falling behind. Grinning, she stopped to let her catch up before walking alongside her.

“Hey, Feather Breeze. You okay?” she asked as she placed a reassuring hoof on her shoulder.

“I...I never saw it like this before,” Feather Breeze admitted before gasping up at a billboard for McWing’s. “It’s amazing. You’ve really lived here all your life?”

“More or less,” Pipp beamed. “Zipp and I lived in the castle until recently. So, I suppose you could say so. Do you like Zephyr Heights then?”

“It…It’s amazing,” Feather Breeze replied as she gazed around. “The Kirin, we’ve nothing like this. Our village, it’s tiny in comparison.”

“Well, maybe once this is all done, I’ll give you the grand tour,” Pipp winked.

Feather Breeze gasped before grinning. “I’d like that, Pipp. I’d like that a lot.”

They soon arrived at a tall building with large letters on its exterior proclaiming it to be Cloudstrike Industries.

As they entered, Feather Breeze gasped as she looked around the impressive entrance plaza. Ponies were everywhere, bustling about, hurrying to meetings and appointments, darting through doors, up and down stairs, and into lifts.

She couldn’t help but spin around, trying to take in everything, feeling very much like a Kirin out of the forest. Everything was made from white marble. From the walls and pillars that held up the upper floors, to a set of curving staircases and a series of planters within which various ferns were growing.

Pipp giggled at her excitement, staying close and making sure she kept out of trouble.

Meanwhile, Zipp made a beeline for a large, curved wooden reception desk. A grey Pegasus Mare was sat behind it, busy typing on a computer. However, her eyes widened in surprise as she spotted who was approaching.

“Princess! I…I thought…” she gasped before her eyes narrowed as she checked the computer screen. “Oh! It…It seems they’re expecting you! Please, give me a moment. I’ll get some entrance passes made up for you and get one of the Technicians to come and escort you.”

As the mare desperately got to work. Zipp snorted as Pipp appeared alongside her, a knowing look on her face.

“Okay fine,” Zipp sighed. “Being a Princess sometimes has its perks. But only sometimes!”

“Whatever you say, Sis.”

It wasn’t long before they were following a lab-coated Pegasus stallion, he escorted them through the building and eventually entered a large room. “Here you are, Princesses. The jewel in the crown of Cloudstrike Industries, the Development Lab.”

Zipp smiled broadly as she surveyed the equipment around her. There were several 3D printers of various sizes, laser cutting machines, etching machines, and vacuum formers. There was a group of expensive-looking computers too, each having multiple screens.

Quickly, she realised everything she needed to design and create the overload devices was here. “Th…This is perfect.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, what is it that you need our lab for?” the Technician frowned. “We’ve had no end of trouble removing all our top-secret prototypes for this. All we know is you want to make something.”

Zipp smiled. “Don’t worry, it’s not something for any silly videos or other shenanigans.”

“Hey!” Pipp scowled. “My videos are not silly!”

Zipp couldn’t help smirking as she produced her copy of the binder from a saddlebag along with some drawings. “We need to design, make and test a device that’s going to help us rescue hundreds of creatures,” she announced.

“Creatures that include Sunny Starscout and the Earth Ponies and Pegasi that have gone missing,” Pipp added.

The Technician’s eyes widened. “Okay, say no more. Let’s get to work.”

Each day, Pipp, Zipp, and Feather Breeze returned to Cloudstrike Industries. With the assistance of a group of Technicians, they made lightning progress on the designs and soon started assembling the test bed.

However, Queen Haven wanted Strawberry to accompany them and, despite her initial reservations, Zipp eventually agreed. Initially surprised, Strawberry eagerly jumped at the opportunity to help and soon found herself running all sorts of errands as the work continued.

Feather Breeze, however, felt more like a spare wheel. She couldn’t help much due to her lack of technical knowledge and worldly understanding. Soon she was reduced to watching as others worked, waiting for when she would be needed.

It was approaching lunchtime and Feather Breeze watched a machine with a mixture of confusion and interest. She had no idea what it was doing, other than cutting lines into a round board covered in a copper-coloured material. She didn’t understand the purpose of the lines either, but its movements were strangely hypnotic as it left green tracks in the copper surface.

Sighing, she pulled herself away from it and headed towards Pipp, who was sitting at one of the computers.

However, Pipp was deep in concentration. She had a set of headphones on her head and was studying three large monitors intently. Her hoofs darted around, making movements with the mouse and tapping away at the keyboard.

Suddenly, she scowled and banged repeatedly on the keyboard in frustration. “Ugh! Why isn’t this working?! Grrrr! Stop being so awkward!”

Grimacing, Feather Breeze decided not to interrupt her. Instead, she walked away from the computers and towards where the testbed was being assembled. However, she couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by the large piece of equipment. She remembered being told it was like an early computer but didn’t understand.

All she knew for certain was what she could see, Zipp helping a group of Technicians as they worked on a large grey box with two tape players in the centre. With many flashing lights, knobs and switches which were arranged in columns down its top half.

Meanwhile, The bottom half was open, allowing the Ponies access to work inside, installing complicated-looking boards along with cables and wires that looked like spaghetti.

Feather Breeze sighed again before stepping backwards in surprise as she heard something above her. Gasping, she looked upwards and saw two Pegasus Technicians were busy with one of the emitters. They were attaching it to a scaffold frame which represented the exterior of the watchtowers.

She couldn’t help frowning, feeling sure she could help hold it in position for them. However, she remembered how she’d already failed at helping and decided better of it. Instead, she shook her head and left them to it.

She walked to the spot where she would stand during the tests, positioned in the centre of a large red circle painted on the floor, a short distance from the scaffold. She took a deep breath as she looked around and spotted where her friends would be standing.

This was behind a much smaller console and set of monitors over to one side. However, there were numerous empty holes of different sizes all over it and she assumed there was much more work to do.

Suddenly, she frowned, something didn’t look right. She cocked her head before advancing towards the console, holding out a hoof expectantly.

Sure enough, her hoof hit something hard. A large transparent screen positioned between the control console and the red circle. “So, she is listening to me,” she murmured.

As she thought about it, her stomach began churning with worry. Zipp wanted to replicate the artificial purr, to test if the ‘disk’ shut it off successfully or not. Closing her eyes, she grimaced. She didn’t like the idea at all and had started worrying about what could go wrong.

“Feather Breeze? Are you alright?”

Feather Breeze gasped and spun around to find a concerned-looking Strawberry behind her, numerous brown paper bags and white cups of various sizes held in her levitation.

“I…I honestly have no idea,” Feather Breeze stammered. “But it’s nothing for you to worry about.”

Strawberry looked surprised before frowning as she looked around the room. “S…So, how’s everypony else?”

Feather Breeze gasped, grimacing at how she’d sounded. “T…That’s what I mean,” she replied quickly before shaking her head sadly. “I…I don’t know. Zipp is putting things together, I think. And I have no idea what Pipp is doing, especially with those things over her ears.”

Strawberry frowned as she looked towards Pipp. Spotting the headphones on her head, she turned back to Feather Breeze, tilting her head in confusion. “How do you not know what headphones are? They had those in ancient Equestria.”

Feather Breeze blinked. “Did they?”

Strawberry gasped. “I…I’ve been doing some research,” she explained hurriedly. “T…Trying to reconnect with my ancestors.”

Feather Breeze sighed and gave a small smile. “They probably did, and I know many Kirin moved to Equestria in the past. But” – she gestured to everything around the room – “all of this is completely alien to me.”

“So, your village doesn’t have electricity then?” Strawberry blinked.

Feather Breeze frowned and looked confused. “Well, we…”

Suddenly, the sound of Pipp’s voice cut her off. “Is that Strawberry? It is! Oh, thank glitter. Did you get my Hay Burger?!”

Strawberry and Feather Breeze both turned to look at Pipp. She had spun her chair around and was holding her hooves out toward the paper bags, clapping them together. Her eyes were wide with hope, and a large, goofy grin spread across her face. Strawberry wasn't quite sure, but she could have sworn she saw literal stars in her eyes.

“Oh! Yes,” Strawberry gasped as she levitated one of the bags and drinks towards Pipp. “One double haypounder with cheese and extra mayo, large fries and extra-large banana shake.”

“Eee he he he!” Pipp squealed with happiness as she accepted the food, her hind hoofs wiggling up and down with delight. “Thankyouthankyouthankyou.”

Hearing her sister, Zipp turned and spotted Strawberry. “Oh, food’s here everypony!” she announced before flying towards Strawberry. “Let’s eat now, then we’ll start on the control system.”

Strawberry grinned as she handed out the bags and cups, remembering each pony's order without a mistake. Finally, she returned to Feather Breeze and placed the last two bags and cups on a nearby table with a smile.

“Here you go,” she said brightly. “I know you didn’t know what to get. So, I went with what Pipp suggested you try.”

Feather Breeze nodded unsurely as she inspected the bag and cup, “T…Thanks.”

Strawberry smiled knowingly, “Here, let me help. We never had McWing’s in Bridlewood until recently, so I know what it feels like to try one for the first time.”

Zipp watched as Strawberry opened Feather Breeze’s paper bag and took out a burger and fruit bag. She frowned before sitting down next to Pipp. “They seem to be getting along,” she murmured.

Pipp glanced back at Strawberry and Feather Breeze with confusion. “Yeah, they do,” she beamed. “Aww, adorbs, Feather Breeze looks so confused at her McWing’s. Oh, and Strawberry’s helping her, that’s so awesome!” She quickly spun around in her chair before holding up her phone and taking a few photos.

Zipp smirked. “Well, if you’ve never even heard or seen anything like it before…”

“What! Really?” Pipp gasped dramatically before frowning as she turned back to her screens. “Okay, you have a point. So, come on miss broody. What do you really think about Strawberry?”

“Yeah, she’s changed,” Zipp nodded. “The arrogance is gone, but…”

“Ugh, you’re not worried about what’s replaced it are you?” Pipp groaned. “Lighten up, Sis. She’s done nothing but help us.”

“Yeah, I know. I just…” Zipp let out a sigh. “I just don’t like how it seemed she was using Misty before, you know. I…I think it’s going to take me some time.”

“Well don’t take too long,” Pipp grinned as she grabbed her milkshake and took a big swig. “You know Misty wants her on the Marestream with us.”

“I know,” Zipp groaned.

“Look, Detective. Put your instincts to one side,” Pipp advised. “It’s not like she’s working with some evil Alicorn!”

Zipp snorted. “Har Har, Pipp. Very funny.”

Pipp couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter before she grinned sheepishly at her sister.

Meanwhile, as she consumed her burger, Feather Breeze studied Strawberry intently. Eventually, she let out a sigh as she put the burger down.

“Don’t like it?” Strawberry asked worriedly.

Feather Breeze gasped. “Oh, nono, it’s fine. “It’s, err, quite different to what I’m used to.” She paused and frowned before sighing again. “Strawberry, I’m… I’m sorry.”

Strawberry blinked with confusion, “What for?”

“For earlier, when you asked me how I was. I…I didn’t mean it like that.”

“I know and it’s fine,” Strawberry smiled. “It’s clear you feel completely out of your comfort zone here. I do too to some extent, Zephyr Heights is completely different to Bridlewood. I’ve just had more time to adjust.”

Feather Breeze nodded as she rubbed the back of her hoof. “T…There’s something else too. I’m sorry for capturing you.”

“B…But I thought that wasn’t your fault,” Strawberry gasped. “Everything you’ve said about the mind control. How can you feel responsible?”

“The same way you feel responsible for letting everypony down.”

Strawberry’s eyes widened as the fry she had in her hoof fell to the ground. “W…What?”

Feather Breeze sighed as she looked down. “I…I see it in your eyes. You… You feel like you failed everypony.”

Strawberry closed her eyes and grimaced. “I failed myself as well,” she admitted. “I was arrogant. It made me blind to how… how useless I really was. Misty, she…”

“She sees something in you,” Feather Breeze nodded understandingly.

Strawberry sighed as she opened her eyes, fiddling with her dress. “I don’t see why.”

Feather Breeze took a deep breath, thinking for a moment. “I…I don’t…” she sighed again. “I’m sorry, Strawberry. I’m not sure. M…Maybe bringing this up was wrong. I’m sorry, again.”

Strawberry sighed as she looked back across the table at Feather Breeze, trying to remember what she had looked like at the construction site. Then she remembered when Feather Breeze had transformed in the throne room. “W…Why do Kirin turn into Nirik again?”

“When we’re angry.”

“So, every time you feel anger?”

Feather Breeze nodded. “I become a Nirik. I think it’s a natural defence mechanism. But I’ve never been given an exact reason. It’s just part of being a Kirin and something we’ve learned to deal with.”

Strawberry gave a small smile. “Better not make you angry in here then, there’s too much expensive equipment.”

Feather Breeze frowned with thought as she looked towards the red circle. “Yeah, I’d rather not. Not until we’re ready for the testing at least.”

Strawberry’s eyes widened in realisation. “Is that why you’re here?”

Feather Breeze nodded before looking worried.

“That’s… That’s really brave,” Strawberry sighed before taking a sip of her milkshake.

Feather Breeze sighed as she looked away. “I…I suppose it is. But I…I’m…”

“Worried?”

Feather Breeze gasped as she turned back, “Yes.”

Strawberry took a deep breath and gave a small smile. “Do what I didn’t… Trust in others.”

Feather Breeze frowned, considering. Eventually, she nodded and gave Strawberry a small smile.

Deciding to change the subject, Strawberry smiled as she pointed with a hoof, “Tried the shake yet?”

Feather Breeze looked confused before examining her cup and the straw that was sticking out of it. Carefully, she placed her lips around the straw and sucked out the contents, her eyes widening in surprise.

“Chocolate milkshake,” Strawberry smiled. “I wanted to get you a smoothie, but Pipp says Sunny’s are better.” She let out a sigh of regret. “I really need to try one of those.”

Feather Breeze took another big suck of milkshake, holding the cup with both hoofs to steady it. Eventually tearing herself away from it, she placed it down and returned to her half-eaten burger. “There’s something I don’t understand,” she said as she picked the burger up. “Very few Ponies I’ve seen wear clothes, yet…”

Strawberry gasped before letting out a deep sigh. “It…It’s to cover up my flanks.”

Feather Breeze froze, mid-bite, as her eyes widened.

“I…It’s fine,” Strawberry added quickly, shaking a hoof. “It’s not your fault.”

Feather Breeze pulled her burger away, chewing as quickly as she could before gasping as she swallowed. “Th…The slogans! They’re…”

Strawberry bit her lip. “Not exactly…” she admitted. “I tried washing them out. But they wouldn’t budge. So, I’ve had my coat shaved off.”

Feather Breeze gawped. “So, under the dress….”

“Yeah…”

Feather Breeze grimaced, looking guiltier than ever.

Strawberry scowled. “No, don’t do that to yourself. You couldn’t do anything to stop me from being captured. Your mind and body weren’t your own.”

“B…But I could have changed things earlier!” Feather Breeze gasped. “I…I should have run for help… I shouldn’t have tried to…” She huffed, hanging her head as tears welled in her eyes.

Strawberry blinked with confusion and worry, completely shocked and unsure of what to say.

However, after a moment, Feather Breeze let out a deep sigh. “S…Sorry,” she groaned still looking down. “I…I was part of the first group that was captured by Allura. There….There was a moment when she lost control of me. A moment that I could have run, gone and warned our village. I didn’t. I tried to rescue Spring Flare and… and…”

“We’ll save them.”

Feather Breeze gasped as she looked up at Strawberry.

“We’ll save them,” Strawberry repeated determinedly. “I’ll do everything I can to help.”

“Thank you, Strawberry,” Feather Breeze smiled as she wiped away a tear from her eye. “I…I think I’m starting to understand what Misty sees in you. Speaking of, how’s your teleporting going?”

Strawberry blinked and looked down guiltily. “It…It kind of isn’t. I’ve gotten so busy helping here.”

Feather Breeze nodded understandingly. “Then why don’t we help each other?”

“Of course! You know how to teleport,” Strawberry gasped.

“Sort of,” Feather Breeze admitted. “I could when I was under the mind control but now…”

“Say no more,” Strawberry grinned. “We’ll work on it together.”

Feather Breeze grinned before nodding and returning to her burger.

A few days later, the watchtower control unit had been completed and the overload device, a thick round disk the size of a saucer, was attached to its side.

Additionally, in the centre of the red circle, a large, grey padded chair, resembling one typically found in a dentist's surgery, had been bolted to the floor. Everything was ready for the tests to begin, apart from one thing.

Feather Breeze stood with a look of determination on her face as Pipp and Zipp busied themselves around her, attaching electrodes and routing wires all over her body.

“Are all these necessary?” Pipp frowned as she placed a headband full of electrodes around Feather Breeze's head.

“Of course,” Zipp frowned as she routed the wires, “We need to keep track of her vital signs. We can’t take anything to chance.”

“It’s fine, Pipp,” Feather Breeze reassured before taking a deep breath. “Is that everything?”

“For the moment,” Zipp nodded before gesturing towards the chair with a hoof.

Feather Breeze nodded grimly before walking towards the chair and sitting on it. Placing her back against the reclined backrest and her hoofs on the rests.

Zipp nodded reassuringly at Pipp before they both began strapping Feather Breeze down with padded velcro straps. A few around each leg and a couple of wide ones around her barrel.

Feather Breeze sighed as she watched Pipp’s grim expression. “Pipp, please. I wanted to be strapped down like this.”

“Better to be safe,” Zipp nodded as she started plugging the wires into the chair. “We don’t know what will happen with the purr.”

“Yeah, exactly,” Pipp scowled.

As Pipp fastened the last strap, Feather Breeze gave her a reassuring smile. “Pipp, I trust you. I trust Zipp, and I trust Strawberry.”

“I know,” Pipp sighed. “Ready?”

Feather Breeze nodded before taking a deep breath and lifting her head to allow Pipp to attach a collar around her neck.

“You still don’t have to do this you know,” Pipp groaned as she adjusted the collar.

Feather Breeze sighed before looking at her with determination. “Yes, Pipp. I do. We need to be sure the disk will work. We need to be sure it will help us save everycreature. To save Spring Flare.”

“To save Sunny,” Zipp nodded.

“Ugh, yeah, you’re right,” Pipp groaned. “But it doesn’t mean I have to like it!”

“You comfortable?” Zipp asked as she plugged the last wire in. “Nothing chafing or digging in?”

Feather Breeze gave an experimental wiggle before nodding. “As comfortable as I can be. I’m ready.”

“Strawberry, we all good?” Zipp asked as she glanced over towards Strawberry, who was standing behind the control console.

“Yes, everything seems to be coming through over here,” Strawberry confirmed as she looked at the monitors. “I’ve run through the diagnostic checks you gave me. Everything is ready.”

“Okay,” Zipp nodded. “Remember, I have no idea if the purr is going to do anything. It relies on a recording, and I only got a rough one on my phone.”

“Ugh, it took ages to clean that up,” Pipp muttered.

“I understand,” Feather Breeze nodded. “We need to know if the disk shuts it down or not.”

“Not only that,” Zipp smirked as she looked at Pipp.

Gasping, Pipp smiled as she turned to pick up something before reaching for Feather Breeze's ears.

“What are you doing?” Feather Breeze gasped as she felt Pipp placing something in her ears.

“I’ve been working on these earbuds,” Pipp winked. “If they work, they should protect you from the purr.”

Feather Breeze’s eyes widened. “R...Really?”

“We hope so,” Zipp smiled. “We’ll know shortly.”

Feather Breeze let out a deep breath as she gave another wiggle. Finally, she relaxed into the chair and nodded. “Okay, I’m ready.”

“Sweet,” Zipp smiled. “Let's do this. Everypony in position.”

Feather Breeze could only sit nervously as Pipp, Zipp, Strawberry and the Technicians moved into their positions for the test.

“Power levels are good,” one Technician reported.

“Fire suppression systems are on manual control,” a second added. “We won’t be getting any unwanted alarms.”

Strawberry frowned as she checked the screens in front of her. “Err, vitals normal?”

Zipp smiled at her reassuringly. “It’s okay, Strawberry. You’ve gone over them plenty of times. You’ve got this.”

“Yeah, you do,” Pipp grinned reassuringly.

“O...Okay,” Strawberry sighed. “Vital’s normal.”

Zipp nodded as she placed her hoofs on the control desk before her. Everything was set up, so all the controls were at her hoof tips. “Okay, Feather Breeze. I’ll activate your collar first, you ready?”

Feather Breeze leaned her head back before taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, “Yes.”

“Okay, here we go,” Zipp said as she pressed a button.

The string of LED lights on Feather Breeze’s collar started flashing and she grunted as a strange sensation rippled through her body.

Suddenly, her eyes shot open, and she cried out as her body convulsed before there was an eruption of flames.

The flames dissipated to reveal Feather Breeze had transformed into her Nirik form. However, her expression wasn’t the normal one of snarling anger, it was wide-eyed shock.

“Feather Breeze?” Pipp gasped. “You okay?”

Feather Breeze didn’t respond. She grunted again as she struggled involuntarily against the straps.

“Strawberry, vitals?!” Zipp demanded.

“I...I...” Strawberry gasped as she watched her screen through wide eyes. “T...They’re all over the place.”

“Okay, I’m aborting,” Zipp decided as she reached for a button.

“N...No!”

Zipp froze, just before her hoof touched the button.

“I...I’m okay,” Feather Breeze grunted through gritted teeth. “It’s j...just…. Gah! T...This feels so wrong. Uaah! H...Hurry!”

“V...Vitals are stabilising,” Strawberry gasped. “I…I think.”

“Zipp,” Pipp gasped worriedly.

Zipp pulled her hoof back from the button and reached for another. “Okay, we’re continuing. Activating the purr... Now!”

Her hoof pushed the button and the tape in the watchtower console started turning. There was the sound of something powering up before everypony’s ears twitched, as though there was something they couldn’t quite hear.

However, in her Nirik form, Feather Breeze could hear it perfectly. Her ears twitched and she grunted as suddenly a mix of jumbled-up words forced their way into her mind.

“...Situation...receive...target...escort...instructions...obey...patrol...routine...prisoner...Allura...”

Her eyes widened as she froze completely, her mind unable to process what she was thinking.

“…Eighteen…airship…patrol…hut…corner…obey…prisoner…Twitch...confinement…capture…”

“Her heart rate is through the roof!” Strawberry cried. “I…I don’t think she’s breathing!”

“Sis, abort!” Pipp cried desperately.

“NO!” Zipp shouted urgently. “It’s just the purr working. Activate your earbuds. Shut it out!”

Pipp gasped and nodded, quickly pressing a button on the console.

Feather Breeze inhaled a lungful of air as her body convulsed again, the straps straining to hold her in position. Her head slammed into the headrest before she sat gasping for air with her eyes closed.

“Feather Breeze?!” Pipp shouted worriedly.

After a few worrying moments, Feather Breeze finally raised her head. “I...I’m okay,” she said hoarsely. “T...That was, different.”

“I said the purr wasn’t the actual recording,” Zipp said in relief. “I assume it wasn’t the same?”

Feather Breeze shook her head. “No, it was not.” Her ears twitched and she gasped. “Wait, what’s that sound?”

“Music,” Pipp beamed. “The buds are working.”

“Yeah, the purr is still going,” Zipp grinned. “Trust Pipp to use music to cancel it out.”

“Hey, it’s only on low,” Pipp snorted indignantly. “I thought it’d be way better than random white noise. She can still hear us can’t she?”

Feather Breeze frowned, listening hard before blinking in surprise. “Th…That’s going to take some getting used to,” she admitted before taking a deep breath and looking at Zipp with determination. “Okay, next!”

Strawberry grinned. “Vitals are all good.”

Zipp winked back at her. “Cheers, Strawberry. Okay, so the disk should shut off the purr. But...”

“You’ll need to turn the bud things off,” Feather Breeze realised before taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. “Okay, I’m ready for it.”

Zipp nodded. “Strawberry, keep an eye on her blood oxygen levels.”

“Got it,” Strawberry nodded.

“Okay,” Zipp frowned as she hovered her hoofs over two buttons. “Pipp, get ready to shut the collar off. But on my mark, turn off the earbuds.”

Pipp nodded, frowning with concentration as she also hovered her hoofs over two buttons.

“Now!”

Pipp nodded and pressed the button under her left hoof whilst Zipp watched Feather Breeze like a hawk.

Feather Breeze grimaced and let out a snarling grunt as the music in her ears stopped. She shook her head violently, closing her eyes as she gritted her teeth. However, she was powerless as her mind was overtaken again. She froze, eyes wide as she stared straight ahead into nothingness.
“…Prisoner...watch...patrol...airship...capture...contain...”

“Her breathing’s stopped,” Strawberry reported. “Blood oxygen hold... No! It’s starting to fall.”

“Okay, we need to be quick then,” Zipp nodded as she pressed the button under her left hoof. “Purr countermeasures activated.”

There was a low humming sound from the disk, and they watched Feather Breeze intently.

However, she continued staring straight ahead with her eyes wide and barely breathing.

“Blood oxygen still falling!” Strawberry shouted urgently.

Zipp gritted her teeth in annoyance. “Pipp, be ready to shut the collar off if this doesn’t work!” She ordered before slamming her right hoof down on the next button. “Collar countermeasures activated.”

Pipp and Strawberry both gasped and watched Feather Breeze in surprise, unsure what to expect.

However, if anypony had been expecting something dramatic from the collar, they were disappointed. It emitted a low pop before the LED lights went out.

Feather Breeze’s reaction to that was more impressive. She was engulfed in flames again. When they dissipated, she had returned to her Kirin form, her head back against the chair.

Her eyes rolled back in her head as she let out a sigh and her head lolled to one side.

“Vitals!” Zipp ordered.

“T...They’re all over,” Strawberry gasped. “Wait, no it’s okay. Her heart rate is stabilising, she’s breathing again. I...I think...”

Zipp nodded before she started towards Feather Breeze. However, Pipp was well ahead of her and was already by her side.

“Feather Breeze,” Pipp gasped worriedly as she undid the velcro. “Speak to me.”

As Zipp and Strawberry arrived and started undoing straps, collars, wires and electrodes, Feather Breeze let out a grunt as her nose twitched.

“Feather Breeze?” Pipp gasped.

Feather Breeze grunted before her eyes finally fluttered open. “W...What? D...Did it work?”

“Almost,” Zipp sighed as they helped her up. “The collar deactivated perfectly.”

“But the purr didn’t,” Strawberry sighed. “Is that an issue if the collars don’t work anymore?”

Pipp groaned at her sister’s expression. “Yes and no.”

“We could have issues with the Auroricorns if the purr is active,” Zipp sighed.

“I...It’s not the same,” Feather Breeze grunted as Pipp and Strawberry helped her stand. “I...I don’t think it’s a f...fair test. A...Also, Allura could just purr at them d...directly.”

“So we’ll have trouble anyway,” Pipp frowned. “Zipp, we can’t delay this.”

Zipp scowled. “I know we can’t.”

She walked away, scowling before sitting at one of the computers and studying the screen.

“Zipp? Pipp gasped. “Sis?”

“This was a success,” Strawberry said suddenly as she waved a hoof. “All of this, in a few short days. It’s remarkable.”

Zipp sighed. “I...I just...” she groaned before taking a deep breath and sighing again.

She headed towards the watchtower console and pulled the disk from the side with a loud clunk. “We’re going into production,” she announced. “Once these disks are complete, we’ll fly back to the Quarry.”

“We’ll stop Allura,” Feather Breeze huffed. “We’ll rescue everycreature once and for all!”

“Yeah, we will!” Pipp beamed holding out a hoof.

“For sure,” Zipp smiled as she placed her hoof on her sister’s.

Feather Breeze only smiled as she placed her hoof atop the Princesses. All three nodded and looked expectantly at Strawberry whose eyes widened.

“W...Wait! Am I...” she gasped.

“Yeah, you’re coming with us,” Zipp smirked.

“We won’t be able to do it without you,” Pipp beamed. “So, get your hoof in here already.”

Strawberry gulped and lifted her hoof towards the others. She hesitated slightly before taking a deep breath and finally adding it to the pile.

“Ready?” Pipp grinned. “We’ll all do our part!”

Together they thrust their hoofs in the air and shouted, “HOOF TO HEART!”