The Cine-magic Series: Godzilla

Tokyo, Japan

When the Mane 6 and Spike were first introduced to the tightly-built community that was Tokyo, well, it was a quite a lot to take in, in such a small period. It was loud, busy, and bustling with urban life. Pedestrians overloaded the streets, the roads were flooded with cars and buses, and elevated railway lines weaved overhead the streets and across the countless buildings that made up the city. The language, new. The culture, foreign. And, on top of that, many of the residents quickly turned heads to the cartoon group. Turns out the cartoon is relatively popular in Japan, as well. While being bombarded with fans young and old, Twilight and her friends took and greetings and compliments in stride. Assuming they were greetings and compliments. It was pretty hard to tell since the people were speaking an unknown language to them.

Thankfully, Ford was there to keep them from getting overwhelmed and stay on course to their intended destination, that being the Tokyo police station where Joe was being held in. The group were forced to wait in the front desk area. On the plus side, it did provide them with chair to sit on. And so, they waited patiently.

"I'm guessing there's a lot of things you want to say to your dad, right?" Twilight turned to Ford who seemed to be deep in his thoughts.

Ford let out a sigh, ignoring the mundane, undiscernible chattering around them.

"I don't know where to start," he finally said. "I haven't seen him in so long. And every time he gets himself into these situations, it frustrates me."

"We understand, Sugarcube," Applejack scooted closer to the pair. "Though Ah can't truly know how ya feelin', Ah don't remember any close family members being closed off, but, ah come from a close-knit family. I can get a good understandin' of how hard it can be gettin' ta meet estranged family members after so long."

"Shikibetsu."

The group turned to see a Japanese police officer standing in front of them with an expectant look.

"I...um..." Rarity fumbled.

She was prepared to speak on her friends behalf, but she swiftly realized she didn't know what the officer wanted.

"Could you repeat, sir,"

"Shikibetsu," the officer said again, this time with a bit more emphasis.

"He's not mad at us, is he?" Spike asked.

"No worries," Pinkie stepped in. "I got this."

"But, you don't know what he wants," Rainbow said.

"Nah, I'll just hoof it," the pink mare pulled out a small card and handed it to the police officer.

The officer took it and studied it. It was Pinkie's identification card, or at least what Pinkie wanted it to be. What it actually was, was hoof-written info on a card with a tiny photo of the party mare...when she was a filly, which also had old, crumby frosting smeared on it.

Favorite color: Yellow and green

Favorite holiday: Hearth's Warming Eve

Profession: Baker/Party Planner

Was just a little bit of the personal info written on the paper card. The officer slowly turned to the front desk with a perturbed and skeptical look. Another officer, sitting behind the desk, just shrugged. The first officer handed the card back to Pinkie and walked away, acting like he wasn't starting to question his purpose.

"Have a nice day," Pinkie happily waved to the man.

The others looked amongst in bewilderment.

"Huh, well that did the trick," Rainbow said, mildly astonishment.

"How'dya do that, Pinkie?" Applejack asked in shock and confusion.

"Don't know," Pinkie gave an exaggerated shrug. "Guess I'm just an upstanding citizens."

She lowered down close to the floor, a skeptical look in her eyes.

"Unless they find the the party supply contraband."

"Did you say something, Pinkie?" Fluttershy asked.

"Upstanding citizens!" the outgoing, pink mare almost shouted as she straightened back upright, causing the others to look at her with confusion.

Just then, a buzzer went off. The group turned back to the far wall where a reinforced door opened up. A male cop and said something into his radio. He was followed by female with black hair and eye shadow. Near the front entrance of the station, older man and woman sat.

"Papa," the woman nudged the man's arm upon seeing the black-hair girl.

The two got and up and made their way over to the emo girl. The man began angrily reprimanding her. While the gang didn't know what he was saying, they could tell from his tone that the man was very angry and upset. The emo girl said some things, also in Japanese. The three made their way out of the station, all the while, the man still yelling at the younger woman.

"Yeesh," Spike winced. "What do you supposed happened there?"

"Teenagers being teenagers most likely," Rarity presumed, letting out a sigh. "I admit, I was quite rebellious during my teen years."

"Rarity? Being not so "lady-like?" Rainbow asked playfully with a snarky smile. "If only I was around to see that."

"Don't push it, Dash," the unicorn hissed.

The cyan pegasus giggled deviously while swaying on her seat.

"Heads up, ya'll," Applejack got their attention. "Ah think ya father's next ta leave."

Ford snapped his head back quickly. Through the reinforced, barred window, the ponies, dragon, and human could see, aside from the two police officer, an older looking man wearing a long-sleeved back shirt, and a dark blue jacket vest. The older man looked distant, like he was void of emotion, until he saw the group through the window, primarily Ford. There was a brief moment of silence before the older man weakly smiled and nodded toward his son. And was then led over to the door.

Ford didn't give a response to his father's silent greeting. He looked down on the ground and let out a long exhale. Despite working in the military, Ford couldn't help but grow a little wary.

"So, that's your father?" Twilight asked.

"...Yeah," Ford said despondently.

"Huh," Rainbow said with a mixture of curiosity and disappointment. "I thought he'd look a little worse-for-wear."

"You thought he would look like a grey-haired hermit?" the bomb expert asked.

"No!" the defensive pegasus exclaimed. "...Kinda."

"He seems like a nice guy," Fluttershy quickly changed the topic.

"He is," Ford affirmed. "When he's not drowning himself in his work and conspiracy."

"Have faith, Ford," Twilight assured earnestly. "I'm sure all he needs is a little heart-to-heart."

"And then you can all be a great big, happy family," Pinkie said cheerfully. "And a great big, happy family deserves a big party to celebrate and..."

By this point, Ford had decided to stop listening to that part of her speech. He knew there was chance to bring Joe and back and be a happy family for sure, he just needed the right words.

"Ready to go?" Applejack asked.

Ford turned to see his father standing around with the others.

"Hello," he said as warmly as he could.

There was a lot to be said for sure.

The journey to Joe's apartment was awkward and silent, with the exception of Pinkie going off on countless tangents on the most random things. Sufficed to say, the motley group learned about her obsession with chocolate frosting. Once they did eventually make it to Joe's living quarters, things started to get more lively. The retired plant worker unlocked the door and allowed Ford, the Mane 6 and Spike inside. Once everyone was inside, Joe closed the door and turned on the lights.

"This place is small," Rainbow observed.

"That's what catches your attention?" Applejack asked incredulously.

"What are you getting at?" the dubious pegasus questioned.

"Take closer a look around," Twilight gestured around the room.

The walls of Joe's apartment were littered with paper; news articles, notes, printed surveillance footage, graphs, diagrams. It all almost completely covered the warming comfort of the beige-colored walls.

"Oh," Rainbow said, slight unsettled.

"He takes obsession to a whole other level," Spike quietly commented.

"No kiddin'," Applejack agreed.

Ford turned back to his father, who was setting some personal items on the floor. He stood to meet his son's judgmental gaze.

"Honestly, Mr, Brody, how do you live like this?" Rarity criticized.

"I don't get many visitors," Joe answered bluntly.

"Clearly," Ford muttered.

"Do you need...help cleaning up?" Twilight asked.

"No, no," the older man refused. "Everything's fine. This is you here,"

He gestured over to where is bagged items were laying. Ford set his bag down next to them.

"Don't you get, like, annoyed with how you living arrangement is?" Rainbow asked.

"Not really. Can't really help it anyways," Joe replied. "Even, uh, Ph.D.'s...don't get much teaching English as a second language."

"So, you've resorted to detective boarding?" Twilight cautiously questioned.

"It's not a job," the truth-obsessed man said. "But, it's something that must be done. For closure. For answers."

Ford couldn't help but notice all the newspaper articles pinned to the walls. All of the them being themed around the nuclear meltdown fifteen years ago.

"Oh, my, even after all this time, he still can't get over it," Fluttershy said sympathetically, peaking her head over Ford's shoulder.

"Here we go. And a towel," Joe rummaged around. "All right."

He made his way over to the other side of his apartment. There, he pulled a small packet of coffee mix from a box and put in a coffee maker.

"So...how's the bomb business? It must be a growth area these days."

"Bo-Bombs?" Fluttershy said, slightly aghast.

"It's called "explosive ordnance disposal." Ford clarified, his eyes still glue to the old articles. "My job isn't dropping bombs. It's stopping them."

That sounds incredibly dangerous," Twilight said worriedly.

"That's the military for you," the army man said.

Pinkie slid over to him, the side of her face making contact with his.

"Can you get me into that program?" she asked, her tone implying an unsettling amount of interest.

Ford just gave the pink mare a weird look. Then he turned back to the pinned articles for a brief second. This crusade for the truth was getting out of hand. He turned to Joe.

"Dad..."

Hey..." Joe interrupted. "...how's Elle doing?"

He headed to another part of his apartment to gather a few more things.

"And Sam. Oh, my god. He must be what? Three? Three and a half?"

"He's almost five," Ford walked over to the shelf that almost separated the room in two.

"Yeesh, this is all incredibly disorganized," Twilight viewed the shelves, overloaded with books and binders. "You really should tidy this place up."

She grabbed a handful of books in her magic.

"I thought you were over this," Ford grabbed a book of the shelf. "Echolocation"?

"Oh, hey," Joe hastened over.

"Parasitic communication--"

"Please don't, if you don't mind," the older man grabbed the books and placed back on the shelf. "I have everything the way I like it."

"But, it's so messy," Twilight complained. "I get a headache every time I look at it."

"I concur considerably," Rarity said. "All of this is incredibly unhealthy."

"I just..." Joe gestured to the shelf. "I'm studying bioacoustics."

"Does that have anythin' to do with yer "searching fer the truth" stuffs?" Applejack interrogated.

"You told them about that?" Joe turned to his son.

"They want to help as much as I do," Ford replied. "What were you doing, going back there?"

"This trespassing stuff, that was bull," the older man said dismissively.

"You broke the law," Ford said bluntly.

"And got thrown in jail for it," Twilight added.

"I was trying to get back to our old house," Joe argued.

"In a quarantine zone," Ford argued back.

"Precisely," Joe barked. "The new readings are exactly like they were on that day and I can prove it to you."

"Readings?" Spike asked in confusion.

"I think this guy's too far gone," Rainbow whispered, which earned a jab to the back of her head from Applejack.

The older man tore one of the sheets of paper off the wall.

"With a little bit of luck, if I can get back to my…the house...I can show you and the world..."

"Dad, no."

"...this was not a natural disaster."

"Mr, Brody, please..." Twilight tried to interject.

"This was--"

"Dad!" Ford yelled.

Silence reigned throughout the apartment. Nobody spoke, or even dared to move in that brief moment of emotional tensity.

"T-This might be harder than we thought," Fluttershy muttered quietly.

"You can hear their anger right now," Pinkie whispered to the butter-yellow pegasus.

Indeed, there was a faint whistling reverberating around the room.

Joe slowly made his way over to the other side of the room again. An electric kettle was sitting on the tiny table right next to the coffee maker. Steam whistled out of the opening, until the estranged father turned it off. The whistling died down, drowning the room with silence again.

"Look, Mr. Brody, from what your son has explained, you've been through a lot," Twilight finally spoke up. "I can only imagine what it's like loosing a loved one. The grief, the heartbreak, the belief that you were to blame. I understand you want some semblance of closure, but this is doing too much. And it's hurting you, it's hurting your relationships and that's not healthy. You can't keep living like this."

Joe just stared out through the window.

"I can't live normally until I get the truth," he said quietly. "Your mom's out there, Ford. To me...she'll always be there."

"Ah understand, Sugarcube," Applejack consoled. "Believe me, ah lost mah parents at a very young age, and it took ah very long time to completely move on. Ah like ta believe they're lookin' down at me, seein' all mah accomplishments and work ah done on th'farm. It ain't easy sometimes, but it can be done. S'long as ya can accept it, ya can live on normally and peacefully."

"But, I can't accept it, AJ," Joe said sadly. "They evacuated us so quickly. I don't even...have a picture of her."

The mood seemed to have become disheartened.

"No mementos to remember her by," Spike said grimly.

"Okay, that's...that's pretty depressing," Rainbow admitted sadly. "But, that doesn't give you the right to trespass."

"This has to stop," Ford added, turning to his father with a stoic, yet empathetic expression.

He, too, missed his mom as much as his dad did. It was all the more reason he wanted to help Joe, bring him back onto his feet and find peace and acceptance. It's what his mother would've wanted.

"You know I did everything I could. You know that, right?" Joe turned back to face Ford, his more vulnerable side beginning to break through.

Ford did really respond to his father's question. He looked down, refusing to meet Joe's gaze.

"Ford, you don't actually blame Joe for your mom's death, do you?" Twilight asked, sounding crestfallen.

"Of course not. It's just...a lot to think about, even now," the non-employed soldier said.

Ford looked back up at his dad.

"Let me take you home."

Joe looked up at him with a dispiritedly.

"Come home with me," Ford urged. "I got a little boy who's desperate to see his grandpa."

"Yeah, and who doesn't like being a grandparent?" Pinkie asked playfully.

"You still have family that want you back," Twilight said solemnly. "We can help you move on from all of this."

Joe couldn't help but smile a little bit. Despite being estranged and overly-focused, his son still wanted him back.

"We can leave tomorrow," Ford said.

He also began to smile.

"Is it settled then?" Rainbow asked.

"...Yeah." Joe said.

"Hoo-we. That went better than ah thought it would," Applejack wiped her brow. "And here ah was worried this would devolve inta a huge fight."

"You said we'll leave tomorrow, right Ford?" Rarity asked.

"Yes," the army man replied.

"Well, I suppose we'll have to stay here for the night," Rarity rolled her eyes. "However small and cramped it is."

"Eh, we've had worse," Rainbow said coolly.

The Mane 6 and Spike shared a brief round of chuckles from the pegasus' boisterous statement. Rainbow Dash was certainly right on that. The group decided to get more situated for the night. During which, Pinkie approached Joe. She stared at him with a void expression. Joe just looked around, feeling himself getting more uncomfortable.

"Can I...help you?" he asked.

"Do you have any blue crystals lying around?" the party mare asked quizzically.

Joe wasn't sure to be either confused or disturbed by such an odd question. He also couldn't think of anything he said, did, or had that would imply he did have blue crystals.

"No. No, I don't."

Pinkie then let out a giggle.

"Just making sure." she turned on her back hooves and cartoonishly skipped away. "See ya around, Walter."

"My name's Joe," the mentally-disheveled widower said.

Either Pinkie didn't hear or chose not to respond.

Despite the early morning hours, the city of Tokyo was like a non-stop machine, people were hustling and bustling about preparing for work and school. The morning sun had barely climbed past the hulking mountains in the misty horizon. Ford along with Rarity, Fluttershy, Twilight, and Spike were sleeping on a makeshift futon, a traditional Japanese floor bed, while Applejack, Rainbow, and Pinkie made comfort with sleeping on the floor with blankets, plenty of blankets.

While his mind was still hazy, Ford was able to pick up a quiet voice coming from somewhere. He blinked hard to snap the sleep away and slowly got up from the makeshift bed, somehow avoiding waking up the others. As he slowly crept around the large bookshelf, he noticed Joe sitting at his computer while taking to someone through a radio in Japanese. He couldn't translate what his father was saying, whatever Japanese he learned had rusted away through time.

Joe finished speaking with whoever was on the radio and put it away along with his glasses. As he turned to get up, he found Ford standing beside the shelf. The two stared at each other for what seemed like forever.

"What are you doing?" Ford questioned.

Joe seemed to hesitate for a second, but quickly sat back up.

"I'm heading back out there, Ford," he put on his black jacket vest.

He was heading back out? To the quarantine zone? Whatever happened to agreeing to come back with him. Ford didn't know what his father had found, but he wasn't going to let him spiral again, not with them being so close to finally burying the hatchet.

"One hour, in and out," Joe declared.

"No. I don't think so," the military officer said firmly.

"I have to go!" Joe raised his voice, which woke up some of the others.

"Ugh, what is going on?" Twilight asked groggily.

"Joe wants to head back out again," Ford explained.

"What?" the alicorn asked incredulously.

"Did I just hear that right?" Rainbow took to the air and zipped over between the father and son. "You're deciding to double-down on your quest for answers? Really? Whatever happened to getting back with the rest of the family?"

"Exactly," Ford agreed.

"Wait, what's going on?" Fluttershy slowly got to her hooves.

"Apparently Joe has had second-thoughts about returning home," Twilight grumbled.

"Seriously? Did ah'r words just fly right over ya?" Applejack asked critically.

"Something new came up," Joe accounted. "Something that changes everything."

"Oh, for heaven's sake," Rarity grumbled under her breath. "Is closure that much of a desperate need for you."

"What I think you need is therapy," Twilight said sternly.

"Or just a friend," Pinkie zipped around and wrapped a leg around the older man's neck. "Free 24/7."

"What I need are answers," Joe said defensively. "I came back here and wasted six years staring through that barbed wire, thinking it was a military mistake or some horrible design flaw that they were covering up."

He let out and exasperated sigh. Ford and the Mane 7 remained silent, anticipating that there was more to be said on Joe's end. He paced back to the end of the room and pulled out a pair of heavy-duty overalls.

"One day, I met a guy who runs a cargo boat offshore. Every day he goes right past the reactor site. So he places a couple frequency monitors on buoys for me."

"snort Bouys. That's a funny word," Pinkie giggled.

All judgmental eyes were on the pink mare as she laughed and giggled.

"Keep that to yourself next time, Pinkie," Rainbow deadpanned.

"Anywhere," Joe continued, amidst putting on the protective overalls. "Two weeks ago, because I check this thing like every other day just for the kick in the teeth, two weeks ago, I'm tuning in...and, oh, my god...there it is."

By this point he had closed the gap between him and the rest of the group.

"What is? What did you found?" Twilight asked, sounding more interested than she'd want to admit.

"Some form of communication," the untidy researcher clarified. "Whatever "it" is that's in there. Whatever it is they're guarding so carefully...started talking again. And I mean talking."

"What did it say?" Pinkie asked in a hushed tone. "Can it hear us right now?"

"I don't think he meant literal talking, Pinkie," Rainbow rectified.

"And this "communication" is what's driving you to start investigating again?" Rarity asked.

"Yes," Joe said, a defiant smile forming on his face. "Ha, ha. I have to go back to our house."

The older man put on a thick coat. All the while, Ford had a look on his face that read "You can't be serious right now." Communications or not, it was all just a major stretch. The only thing Joe was going to get out of this was another trip to jail.

"I need my old disks, if they're still there," Joe said. "I need the data to be able to prove a baseline here that this isn't a fantasy," - he pointed over to all the articles and photos pinned on the wall - "that I'm not what you think I am."

Fluttershy deciding to be more courageous, stepped in away from her friends.

"I think that you need to talk to someone about this," she said in firm, yet shaky voice. "I-I'm talking about a professional, by the way."

"I just think he's cuckoo," Rainbow snickered.

"I don't need professional help and I'm not a cuckoo," Joe said, a tinge of anger sizzled in his voice. "I'm gonna find the truth...and end this. Whatever it takes."

"Let's not go there," Twilight tried a smooth out the situation.

"Why can't you just let it rest?" Ford asked.

"Because I sent her down there, son," his father replied.

Ford exhaled through his teeth. It wasn't Joe's fault. He couldn't have ever been able to foresee any of what happened. He was letting his guilt drive his want for answers and closure.

"This wasn't just a reactor meltdown," the older man said.

"I don't want to hear this," Ford said blatantly.

"Ah'm gonna have ta agree," Applejack added. "This ain't right. Yer lettin' yer emotions cloud ya."

"Yeah, like Ford said, we didn't come here to hear you go on about breakthroughs in your search," Spike added.

"I know. I know you don't," Joe admitted. "I know that's not what any of you are here for. But, Ford, you can't keep running away. And, son, you can't bury this in the past."

"But, why not?" Rarity asked. "Why is it so hard for you to move on from this?"

"Some things need to taken head-on. Whether you want to admit it or not," the ex-plant worker said judiciously.

Ford looked down. He knew what he was about to agree to was stupid and dangerous, but, at this point, if it meant his dad would finally get closure and come back to him, then he'll do it this final time.

"Fine," he conceded, looking back up at Joe. "I'll help you with this."

The Mane 6 and Spike were flabbergasted by this sudden change on behavior.

"You can't be serious," Rainbow said with dismay.

"Ford, what gives?" Twilight asked in surprise. "I thought you were against Joe going back to the quarantine zone, much less yourself."

"Yeah, ya said that it was breakin' the law," Applejack added.

"I know what I said, but it's apparent to me that dad isn't going to let this up until he finds what he needs," Ford explained solemnly, turning to his father. "If you finally get the answers you want, will you come back with me and the others."

"...Yes," Joe replied without emotion. "Just in and out. That's it."

"B-But, Mr. Brody, this is what you didn't want to happen," Fluttershy said.

"I know that, and I don't like it at all," the army man said. "But, if I'm being honest, I guess deep down inside I also want answers to the truth. I'm not tunnel-visioned on it, but there have been times in my left where I wonder to myself as to what happened on the day of the meltdown."

"But, you've been so against your father with finding out the truth anyways," Spike pointed out. "That's..."

"I understand it's hypocritical, but it's the truth," Ford said. "It may not be wise, but I feel it's for the best."

"You ponies said you wanted to help, right?" Joe asked.

"Yes?" Twilight asked cautiously. "What are you getting out?"

"Would you be willing to come with us?" Joe asked.

"WHAT!?" the ponies and dragon all exclaimed.

"You're asking us to come along with you to some dangerous, closed off area for some disks?!" Twilight asked in complete shock.

"Are you crazy?" Rainbow questioned.

"There is no chance I would do such a thing!" Rarity exclaimed. "To do something so dangerous and illegal."

"Plus all that radiation," the purple alicorn added. "We may not be familiar with that stuff, but, from Ford has explained to us, it's nasty stuff."

"We have protective suits," Ford pointed out.

"You have protective suits. We don't," Twilight said, her tone becoming more protective. "Look we came along to help fix the relationship between you and Joe, not dive into some highly-dangerous island that we have to protection from."

"Hold on," Spike interrupted. "Twilight, what if a magic bubble could shield us."

"What? You mean like the magic shields I use?" Twilight asked.

"Yeah, maybe that could shield us against the radiation," Spike propose.

The alicorn princess gave it some thought. In theory, a magic shield would protect them from anything in Equestria. But, in a different world, would that still apply?

"Maybe, but there's no guarantees it will," she said. "Why exactly are you asking, Spike? Are you saying you want to go to the quarantine zone?"

"Well, no, not exactly," the little dragon said sheepishly. "But, I did some thinking. If we really want to help mend this father-son relationship, might have to "take the plunge." If you catch my drift."

The Mane 6 looked amongst themselves. Was Spike unto something?

"Spike, I don't think we can take that risk," Twilight said.

"Yeah, that's like incredibly dangerous. And that's coming from me," Rainbow added.

"We can cheer from the sidelines," Pinkie held up a banner that said "Go Ford & Joe!" on it.

"Or we could sit here and wait until they get back," Rarity suggested more realistically.

Ugh, boring," Rainbow rolled her eyes.

"Guys, I know it's a huge risk, but it's not like me and Joe are going to be safe," Ford said.

The ponies and dragon, feeling conflicted, all configured into a team huddle.

"Are we really doin' this?" Applejack asked.

"We would be doing them a pretty big favor," Spike said.

"We weren't doing this as a favor to begin with, Spikey." Rarity reminded.

"Well, we won't be much help if we stand around in here," Pinkie said. "Besides, since when did danger become a discouragement for us."

"Wut do you think, Twi?" the orange farm pony asked.

Twilight was deep in conflicting thoughts. On one hoof, they would be helping Joe get the answers and closure he desperately wanted and indirectly helping fix Ford's relationship with him. On the other hoof, they would be throwing themselves into a place that was protected by law and overflowing with radiation. As they thoughts raced in her head, Twilight remember something Ford said earlier.

"It may not be wise, but I feel it's for the best."

The violet pony princess let out a long sigh. It may not be the smartest or safest decision, but, as the Elements of Harmony, it was their duty to help in any way they could on friendship missions.

"We're the Elements of Harmony," she said. "Dangerous or not, we promised to keep harmony and fix any problems or threats that came out way. I know this won't be easy or safe, but it's something to show the power of friendship.

The rest of the Mane 6 took in Twilight's words. While none of them liked the idea, they knew she was right with the whole "friendship mission" duty and the promise to bring harmony to anycreature.

"All right, but ah'm still wary 'bout this," Applejack was the first to agree.

"You know what, the more dangerous, the merrier," Rainbow said confidently. "Count me in."

"Count me in, too," Pinkie added joyfully.

"I'll come, too," Spike said.

Rarity let out a sigh of defeat.

"For friendship," she smiled.

The others turned to Fluttershy, who was shaking a little bit. She really, really didn't want to go on this journey.

"Remember. You wanted to stop being so scared. This is your chance." she told herself.

The apprehensive pegasus swallowed hard.

"Okay,"

"Then it's settled," Joe said. "We'll leave as soon as possible."

He stepped around the group of ponies and dragon and to the other side of the bookshelf.

"Just get what you need and then we'll leave," Ford followed after."

"In and out," Twilight muttered quietly.

"Ah really hope ya know what yer doin', Twi," Applejack spoke up ardently.

"I do, Applejack," the princess reassured. "Once this is done, everything will fall into place and Joe and Ford will be back with a happy family."

"And as long as we lie low, this will go without a hitch," Joe called out.

"Whatever you say," Rainbow said dismissively.

"Hopefully this will work," Twilight's horn began to glow brightly.

Concentrating, she created a magic shield that cocooned around her and her friends in a half-circle.

"We stay close," she said.

The others nodded, knowing what was at stake here. They all hoped things would be an in-and-out operation, swift and easy. Unfortunately, none of our friends knew just how bad things were going to get. That island was hiding something. Something none of them could even imagine.

To be continued