Despite being an alicorn, Celestia's gifted ex-student and the current ruler of Equestria as a whole, Twilight felt like Rox's situation was beginning to grow too much for her hooves to grasp. After the iron nuisance disappeared from Ponyville, things did not get any clearer. His whereabouts were a mystery and Rainbow was still yet to get back to her in terms of finding Rarity, Fluttershy or Starlight.

Twilight could think of nothing else but reassure the citizens of the town to stay calm, make her way back to Canterlot and educate herself on how to properly deal with the issue. She had to get her royal forces ready, issue emergency plans for those affected by Rox's potential destruction, figure out what exactly is the extent of the giant's power and how to handle it, possibly contact Celestia, Luna and-

"Sugarcube, please! Calm down a little, alright?" Applejack placed her hoof on Twilight's shoulder, sending a shiver down her system.

Finally in the present moment, Twilight looked at the orange mare, her breathing growing more steady with each second that passed looking at her concerned smile. Slowly, her head went back to the cork board, many strings, pins, pictures and notes with scribbles on them plastered all over it. Closing her eyes with one last breath, she finally felt ready enough to tackle the discussion again.

"Thank you, Applejack. I think I've grown rusty in terms of dealing with villains during the past year...." she admitted to lowering her guard.

"No kiddin'! Ah never thought an alicorn could risk dying from a heart attack until seein' ya just now" AJ moved closer to the board.

Following her friend's motion, Twilight's horn lit up as she walked over, moving a few pins around and grabbing a pointer, "Okay, let's see what we got..." the wooden stick landed on the drawing in the middle of it all, a crude depiction of Rox, "We have a potentially world-ending threat on our hooves" she didn't like the sound of that, but there was a rational counter, "While that is yet to be proven, as we have only his words and small displays of his powers to go off, we still have to consider it the most likely scenario so we can prepare in the most efficient way"

"Alright, I'm followin'" AJ nodded.

"Seeing as we lack the information about his current resting place, that is considering he must be taking breaks during his travel, the smartest course of action I see is getting not only my army involved, but also our friends and the general public"

"We- I mean, you have an army?" Spike asked, walking into the room with a tray of cookies in hand.

"Weeeeeeell... I made sure that all protocols and training were focused on self-defense, base-defense and emergency rescue calls since that what I want to focus on, you know, more defending, less invading, BUT it is still technically an army... just not an offense-orientated one!" Twilight was actually proud of her anti-violence approach. If she was to be the new ruler of Equestria, she had to show every creature that safety was a priority, no matter if was a friend or foe. After all, who is an enemy if not a friend yet to be redeemed, right?

"That might actually be more useful this time around, Twi" Applejack looked through the window of the meeting hall, overlooking Canterlot, "With how easily that nasty bucket of strength send me and Rainbow flying, defense could be a better approach..."

Twilight smiled happily at the farmer's approval of her ways, while Spike rolled his eyes, popping one of the chocolate-chip cookies into his mouth, "But it's not as cool..."

"TWILIGHT!" came Starlight's desperate shout as a bright flash of teleportation brought her to the castle's ground, only one strand of hay away from AJ's face, "Oops...?" turning her head, she finally spotted the mare she was looking for, "TWILIGHT!"

"Ouch. You didn't have to shout the second time..." Spike unplugged his ears.

"Doesn't matter" the young princess commented, "What's the issue, Starlight? I thought I told Rainbow Dash to go get you"

"She did, we both went after Rarity and Fluttershy but things got... complicated" Starlight admitted with worry in her voice.

"Complicated how?" Twilight pressed further. She had to know the details, this could bring their current situation on a brand-new course of action.

"After we got together, I had to remind Rainbow that Rarity and Flutters went on a business trip to Manehattan" Twilight listened intently to her explanation, "After teleporting there we found the whole city in chaos, that 'Rox' creature at the center of it all."

"Rox is in Manehattan?!" Twilight's eyes widened.

"Yes and that's not all! I teleported in the middle of the chase, leaving Rainbow to fend for herself while I went to get you" Starlight's expression fell a little, "Only problem being that I lost a little bit more time than I expected looking for you. Pair that minor slip-up with Rainbow's speed, and I'm not sure if I can accurately tell where she and Rox are!"

"Change of plans" Twilight decided to put her worries aside, putting on her brave royal persona, "Applejack, Spike, inform the guards that my previous order is modified, they are all to dispatch to various cities all over Equestria instead of just Ponyville. In addition, they are to be ready for potential rescue operations and extra aid for ponies in need!"

After both of them nodded (Spike a little more irritated now that he had to repeat his task) and took off, her eyes returned to the headmare of her school, "Starlight, you and me are going to inform my subjects, pony or not, to keep a lookout for Rainbow Dash. We need to get this mess under control before Rox destroys anymore restaurants"

"Wait, what?" Starlight was confused.

"What?"

"That's his whole deal? He's destroying restaurants?"

"He did wager a full-blown war against our food supply apparently..."

"That's... uh... weird"

"I gave up on sense and logic in all of this a few hours ago"

"O~kay...?" Starlight shook her head, "So, the public announcement, yes?"

"Yes, how big of a projection spell can you cast?"

"I'm not an expert in this field, but given my range of teleportation, plus the efficiency of spells conjuring illusions over long distances, simultaneous image distribution and the energy required to combine all these spells, uh... About 3 cities in proximity to Manehattan?" the unicorn estimated with absolutely zero practice beforehoof.

"Given the complexity of the spell, that's more than fine" Twilight praised her late pupil with a smile, "Thank you Starlight!"

"Everything for a friend- uh, Princess in need!"

"Right, speaking of them, I will write individual letters to ponies we can't possible expect to be near Manehattan but still might need their help regardless" her expression turned from a cold, calculated stare to a more determined smile, "But for now, the projections, if you please"

"Right away!" Starlight's horn began glowing, her focus doubling at the intense task, "We'll be live in 3... 2..."

"WAIT!" Twilight yelled at the top of her lungs.

"What, what?!" the lilac unicorn looked around frantically, "What's wrong?!"

"I need to put on my regalias!" the alicorn began rummaging through her closet.

"Really?"

"Yes, really" Twilight's belongings began flying out of her stash, "Everypony knows their princess has standards to uphold!"

"Is this going to take a while?"

"No, no! They're somewhere in here... I think..."

"You don't know, do you?"

"I do not"

Starlight groaned.

"Have you heard? Apparently a storm swooped through Manehattan, out of nowhere too..." Morning Shift scanned the press release in his hooves, following the unusual situation with anticipation.

"Hmm, an entire storm...? Meh, everypony makes mistakes, even the weather team... Especially the weather team..." Early Eye shivered, turning the other side on his hammock.

A storm they say? What a bother. Good thing no foul clouds were hanging above Las Pegasus's HoofAGo-Resort, not a thing to ruin Celestia's retirement. Back at it, fresh after yesterday's anniversary of Twilight's Coronation. Yep, retirement. All of it. All thousands of years she has left of it. Yep. Not a thing-

"Tia!"

Still not a thing to ruin it, only Luna, back with the cocktails!

"About time, dear sister~" Celestia said smugly, readjusting her sunglasses.

Luna's hooves stopped right next to her sister's sunbed, silence where her response should be...

*SPLASH*

A sudden and chilling rush of liquid took the white alicorn right out of her comfortable retirement plans. She didn't even think to use her magic, her hoof already holding the dripping sunglasses in a steady grip, "Luna?! Have you gone mad?" and then she smelled the luxurious aroma.

"W-was that my... my cocktail-"

"Neigh, that was the water you order as your side drink, sis" Luna answered calmly.

"O-oh... But please, next time warn me-"

*SPLASH*

"BAGHAAH?!" Celestia jumped to her full height like a cat sprayed with water, shaking it off desperately. There was this aroma again, "Was that my-?!"

"Neigh, that was MY water I ordered as a side drink, sis" Luna answered, still calm as water, "But here's your cocktail!"

The ex-princess cowered in fear, her coat already imagining the third impact, this one sticky and far more expensive then the previous ones!...
But nothing came.

Opening one eye, a tall glass with a mini-umbrella and a squiggly straw levitated next to her, engulfed in a dark blue aura.

"Why are thy shaking, sister dear?" Luna asked with a snicker, "Is this not what you desired?"

"Oh, haha... ha..." Celestia laughed slowly, her own magic quickly snapping the drink out of her sister's hold, "Gimme that!"

With a more open laugh, the lunar pony sat down on her neighboring sunbed, "Like a white, puffy and elegant cat... You remind me of Ms. Rarity's cat!"

"As much as I treasure each of my previous subject and the Elements, I do not wish to be compared to their pets, especially not that one" the white alicorn took a towel to her mane, "Now, is that the end of your games? Can we enjoy our sunny day not risen by my horn?"

"Perhaps... Oh, not!" Luna reached for her saddlebag, pulling out a letter with a royal insignia on it, "It would seem our wonderful and thoughtful hier wants to speak with you"

"Oh, sounds more pleasant than another surprise shower" she took the parchment from her sibling, unrolling it while her mane began dripping less and less, "But why did you get it, not me?"

"I found that strange too, are you sure you haven't received anything?"

Celestia narrowed her eyes at the piles of ash resting on the table near her resting spot, the graveyard of all the 'pesky' letters that were interupting her rest- Oh.

"I... No, nope, nothing! Perhaps she just trust you more in uh... safe... delivery of un-soaked papers, yes!" she smiled at her younger sister.

"Right... anyhow and anyway, it's your ex-protoge, I find it fitting you get the honors to read it first!... and because it's my turn to sunbath" Luna's eyes disappeared behind a pair sunglasses (most likely stolen from Celestia).

"Fair enough" Celestia began reading "Seems she is calling many different ponies to attention, this doesn't feel like a dinner invitation however..."

"Ah, dreadful... I cloud go for another round of our old royal pastries, mhm!" the lunar alicorn licked her lips before taunting her sister, "Not sure if it 2nd serving would... server you all that well though, ha..."

Her sister, however, had no response, her eyes scanning the text like it was of court matter, something of importance.

"Is... Everything alright, Tia?"

Still, nothing.

"Celestia, what is it-"

*WOOSH*

Only a dark take-off spot and a blazing afterimage was left of Celestia, gone before the scroll could even hit the ground. It never did however, Luna's quick reaction saved it from the nearby pool's deathtrap.

"C-Celestia?!" the younger sister looked towards the skies, concern and bewilderment battling for dominance on her muzzle, "Wha-"

She looked down at the open letter, narrowing her eyes and decoding the first sentences, "What on Equestria could be...?"

Dear Celestia & Luna,

I'm writing these letters to important ponies of Equestria, hoping that anypony will be able to answer my call.
Yesterday, after the royal event took place, something bizarre had taken place presumably on the outskirts of Ponyville. I do not posses enough details to describe the full version of the events but the main point is that a presence had began wrecking chaos, first centered in the aforementioned town, only to then extend its range as far as the city of Manehattan.

The being in question is charged with threats, destruction of public domain as well as private property, assault (with suspicions of aggrevated assualt still being researched) and theft. The biggest issue lies in the fact that this individual posses abilities which prove not only difficult to properly contain but make it harder to keep track of the criminal's location.

From what little I could interact with the being, I managed to aquire few basic informations about him, although I was unable to research him or find any documents about such a creature in Canterlot's record. From his own testiomy, he claims to be ancient, had been imprisoned in stone by Celestia and Luna, and (this is yet to be comfirmed) caused a massive catastrophy that let to his imprisonment. He claims that his name-

"No... Surely, it's not..."

He claims that his name is Rox D. Struction, although-

Rest of the letter's content became unimportant, knocked out of the picture by the sheer presence that name held in the back of Luna's mind. But that's not about her, is it? No, if that name was a bomb waiting to blow inside of her memory, then in Celestia's subconscious, it was nothing short of a big bang! She had to follow her sister, she could not allow this conflict to start again... not over something so trivial, not again!

Author's Note

And now we're official at the point where my hobby of writing comes to a halt in favor of getting my personal life together (how can the world be so cruel to forbid me from writing about my lovely magical horses...). In all seriousness, if everything goes right then I estimate I will be back on my pace halfway through February... fingers crossed!

I appreciate all those who engaged or even gave a thought about reading my stories so far! Thank you all and I'll see you later, ta-ta!