Trail of a Shooting Star - Book Three - Rebirth

Chapters

1 - A new life ***
2 - Dark Wisdom, Primal Rage **
3 - New Connections ***
4 - Esprit de Corps *
5 - Hardships of a newborn princess *
6 - Alumno *
7 - Threats foreign and domnestic *
8 - Defcon Nova
9 - Friends and Enemies in the highest places
10 - When the student is ready...
11 - Of Soldiers, Rangers and Monsters *

1 - A new life ***

It was a dark and stormy night and the rain turned Canterlot into a soaking mess, streaming down several streets and running down in waterfalls at the slopes of Canterlot Mountain as thunder and lightning dominated the skies in preparation for the following day. In the royal chambers, the mares of Tyler's herd slumbered in their shared bed. All except Luna, who was on her royal night shift and Tyler who was washing his face in the bathroom. Standing in front of the mirror, the beads of clear, cold water slowly dripped down his face while he looked into the blue glow in his eyes. It was faint, but present and noticeable once you really looked for it.

Many weeks had passed since he was crowned a prince and let the fall of Nagohod behind him. Ever since then he tried to forget the terrors he faced inside the wicked citadel fortress of Nagohod and the twisted nightmares that were haunting his every waking moment. There was something dark within him now. He could feel it just behind the eyes, driving him towards harsher methods and brutality, assuring him that his salvation rested in this. And if he should ever lose this internal struggle he kept secret even from the rest of his herd, he was sure that the better part of his soul would be gone forever. But ever since then the silence was persistent. The two phantoms haunting him remained what they should be: Memories. Closing his eyes at the sound of thunder outside, he shook his head before he walked back to the bed, to the comfort of the others. Tomorrow was a great day for all of them.

* * * * *

The day was bright and due to the storm the night before the sky was without a single cloud. In his personal chamber Tyler stood in front of a mirror and got dressed up. A drop of sweat ran down the forehead as his eyes darted to the side.
"How many are out there?"

The all too familiar voice of Shining Armor answered with a chuckle.
"All of them."

Taking a deep breath, Tyler closed his eyes before opening them once again to look into the mirror.
"All of them... Good Lord! Shining, what if I fail? What if I don't do this right?"

Coming to his side, Shining smiled and corrected his own uniform in the mirror.
"You'll be fine! You faced two alicorn opponents and survived, what makes you think you're going to fail now?"

Correcting his tuxedo, Tyler took yet another deep breath.
"I'm facing three now. And an earth pony mare who's also mother of my first child."

Looking up, Shining shook his head with a smirk.
"But they don't want to kill you, do they? Now relax! Would you prefer fighting a void dragon again?"

His eyebrow twitching, Tyler cocked his head a bit.
"That would be harder, but more simple to do."

Leaning in, Shining shook his head.
"Aw, come on... If you need any help, Cadance and I will help you out."

"First the coronation, now this... Look at this, I'm shaking!" Tyler retorted with a sigh.

It was then when a knocking became audible and a rather familiar voice spoke up.
"I was checking the others, they are almost ready... How's our big boy here?"

Looking over to the door, Shining smiled at the sight of his beloved wife.
"He's nervous. But who wouldn't be? This is an important day for them."

Coming to Tyler's side, Cadance corrected his suit a bit here and there as she saw fit.
"How are you, stud? Ready to take the dangers ahead head on?"

Not interfering with her, Tyler rolled his eyes and shook his head.
"No, but who cares? Life certainly not. I'm worried I'm messing up this day."

When Cadance looked up from his suit, her face was very stern.
"No you won't. Trust me, we've made preparations for two weeks now and this day is going to be perfect. You fought a void dragon, you fought a Changeling swarm, you fought two alicorns and their army of goons and managed to save a Changeling Queen by reversing her to an alicorn form, undoing an ancient sin and winning us a new princess. Who, when not you, could be more fitting in the eyes of my aunts and Twilight? You showed bravery, determination, and above all compassion. These are the things you're loved for."

"You know what they say, Cadance... The higher they go..."

Correcting the last details, Cadance shook her head,
"Oh, shut up! Your attitude is going to jinx it! I feel happy for you. All of you. They got themselves a good herd mate. You make me proud to be the Princess of Love, you know that? Thanks to you, I'm finally seeing this fire in my aunts' eyes. The fire only a mare in love has. Something I got myself when I first met Shiny, yet never managed to get for my aunts." Looking over to her husband, Cadance smirked. "But maybe it needs somepony or somebody extraordinary, not intimidated in confronting an alicorn mare. I sure love Shining for being that way..." Kissing Tyler's forehead, she smiled at him. "...And I'm happy you do the same for my aunts, Twilight and Applejack as well. Now. In a few minutes, the ceremony will begin."

Fanfares were played as the streets of Canterlot cheered and a giant pipe organ was played in the throne room as the four mares entered. The highly anticipated royal herd ceremony was finally beginning. Since it wasn't only a wedding among ponies, the herd had agreed that the ceremony would be a mixture of both human and pony culture.

In a wider corridor than usual, the four brides approached the altar together in one line. They decided to do so to point out that all four of them were equal before their love and none of them came first or second. Regal and with wide smiles all four looked ahead. Celestia wore a dress that was underlined by gold and amethysts to let the sunlight give it a warm reflection. The fabric over her hooves and body was finest silk while the fabric covering her was imported from the crystal Empire.

Luna had been going the all magic fabric approach and had a dark dress similar to her harness as Nightmare Moon, just graceful and beautiful instead of intimidating and menacing. Like an homage to the night she trotted in line with her three other herdmates. Looking up to her big sister, they both exchanged some happy smiles.

Applejack wore a more traditional white dress, something Rarity pulled out of her sleeve together with Granny Smith. A traditional 'Apple' family wedding dress was what was deemed good and proper in the old mares eyes. Sitting in the front row with Big Macintosh, Granny gave a glance at the Cutie Mark Crusaders spreading petals all over the floor a few meters ahead of the brides.

Twilight had a more glamorous version of her dress from the coronation. Rarity had taken the design and overhauled it. Giving it all her skill and strength as a seamstress, Rarity had only used the finest fabrics and stitches to top the old dress. A white veil rested on Twilight's head while she levitated her bridal bouquet nervously. While passing her parents, Twilight was especially tense as she took a glance to her side and saw her mother reduced to tears of happiness in the hooves of her father, both looking so very proud at her, their little girl, now finally about to get married.

At the altar, Cadance was standing as the only alicorn authority beside her aunts with Tyler and his best 'man', Shining Armor. Hearing the ravished murmur behind him, Tyler knew of who was coming. His hand squeezed Shining's shoulder. One painful wince later, he recognized that he was hurting his best friend and released his shoulder, patted it. The Ooohs and Aaahs came closer as did the sudden gasps of mares enchanted by the dresses of the four brides and as he heard the sound of hoof-steps right next to him, Tyler turned to his side right on cue. And there they stood. His four girls, beautiful like nothing he'd ever seen with gentle and loving smiles on their lips as they turned their heads to him as well, happiness all over their faces. The five members of the herd then took the last few meters to the altar as one unit and the music came to an end.

With a kind smile, Cadance then began her speech.
“What a special day… what a special relationship. The glory of this day shines upon each one of us as something new arises. A love so strong, it overcomes the frontiers of two worlds. A bond uniting these five individuals together as one circle in marriage. And a most special joy fills me on this day, for I longed to see these smiles on my aunts' faces for so long.” Turning to Tyler, the Princess of Love gave him a warm and encouraging smile. “Prince Tyler! Will you take these mares to be your wives, your partners in life and your love? Will you cherish their friendship and love them today, tomorrow and forever? Will you trust and honor them, laugh with them and cry with them? Will you be faithful through good times and bad, in sickness and in health as long as each of you shall live?”

With a determined nod Tyler smiled.
“I will!”

Turning to the four mares, Cadance's smile didn't fade.
“Your highnesses, will you take Prince Tyler to be your husband, your partner in life and your one true love? Will you cherish his friendship and love him today, tomorrow and forever? Will you trust and honor him, laugh with him and cry with him? Will you be faithful through good times and bad, in sickness and in health as long as each of you shall live?”

Luna, Celestia, Applejack and Twilight exchanged some warm smiles with each other until Twilight answered with a nod.
“We will!”

And while ponies had no fingers, finding the right rings had been a challenge for Tyler. For Applejack, he had come up with a massive golden ring engraved with her cutie mark as markings on the sides. A single crystal formed like Tyler's cutie mark of a shield as a star trail was embedded within the ring and shined in a dim orange tone. Each mare had become a similar ring with her cutie mark as engraved marking and her coat color as the color of the crystal. While Applejack was wearing her ring with a golden necklace due to lacking a horn, the alicorn mares were more than happy to place their rings at the base of their horns.

Coming forth now, Twilight levitated four rings up as her hoof took Tyler's hand and gently held it in place. From Applejack, He gained a ring of gold with a diamond cut like her cutie mark in it. Not being much for precious metals or gemstones, AJ argued that a diamond was the most clear gemstone she could think of and that one could almost always see through one as one could clearly see the truth. This made the diamond her gemstone of choice for a wedding ring. And now this ring found its way on Tyler's left index finger.

From Twilight, Tyler got a golden ring with an amethyst in it. It's purple coloration to underline the circle of nobility Tyler had now entered and how Twilight would always help him out with his problems. Both Twilight and Tyler exchanged some deep glances when she placed this ring upon his left middle finger.

From Luna he got a platinum ring with markings in old alicorn tongue embedded in it was one big moonstone, surrounded by a myriad of tiny diamonds, a ring to represent Luna's power over the firmament and her bond with Tyler. It found its way to Tyler's left ringfinger

Celestia had created a similar ring, but one made out of white gold similar to her own tiara and other regalia. Embedded was a ruby formed as a sun, shimmering from the inside with a dim glow and the alicorn markings on the sides were slightly glowing as well. A ring to emphasize the light Celestia brought to Equestria and Tyler brought to her. Placed on the left little finger, the ring adjusted itself just like the others before to the size of the finger.

Now that the rings were exchanged and the herd was exchanging loving glances, Cadance took a glance at the crowd.
“If there is anyone who objects to this union; please speak now or forever hold your peace.”

Flying up in the first row, Rainbow Dash pointed a hoof at the crowd like a threat to beat up anypony daring to speak up now.
“Try meaaahh-”

Being pulled down by Flynn, he rested a hand on her lips and held her in place.
“You stay put, RD!”

A short chuckle went through the crowd and Cadance continued.
“Then, with no protest to hear, it is my greatest pleasure to announce you five husband and wives.” There was a thunderstorm of flashes coming up while the photographers were taking pictures and the crowd cheered when Tyler first kissed Twilight as the Alpha. The young princess giggled as she stood on her two legs, resting a hoof at his chest, giving him a smile like a young filly in love. Once it was AJ's turn, Tyler took off her Stetson and placed it on his own head for it not to obstruct their kiss.

Next was Luna's turn and due to the size difference, she wasn't standing on two legs, but raising her chin while Tyler rested her cheeks in his palms and leaned down to her. Welcoming his lips, she slightly whimpered into the kiss. Last but not least, Celestia approached Tyler, almost head to head with him.
“Tyler...” Almost a whisper, Tyler could hear the love in her voice, the anticipation

Raising her chin slightly less than Luna's before, he gave her a gentle smile before replying in the same whispering tone.
“I hear you, sweetie...” Resting his lips on hers for a gentle kiss, he was suddenly surprised as she wrapped a wing around him and pulled him closer for a more passionate kiss. Her message was clear: She wanted all of him, not just a careful lover afraid to displease her. Adjusting his approach, he then grabbed some of her mane and held her in place while between their lips their tongues began to dance with one another.

And with this final kiss, the festivities after the ceremony began. While the element bearers all congratulated Tyler and Twilight, Celestia and Luna were almost bombarded with congratulations and hopes for the best in the future. It seemed that almost every noble in Canterlot wanted to express him- or herself. Meanwhile used to such routines, both regal sisters handled it with ease, but were especially thrilled with their friends among the Elements and Rangers.

While the festivities went on, at one point the crystal tone of a silver fork gently slapped against a wine glass made everyone pay attention when Prince Shining Armor began his speech.
Ladies and gentlecolts, honored guests, beloved family members...” He then looked over to the royal herd and nodded over to them. “Tyler? Over the years you've been in Equestria, I'll admit it, I've had my doubts. But you proved all those doubts wrong. Time and time again you seemed up to the test and I think I speak for many here when I say that there is no one better than you to take on the duty ahead of you... The sacrifices you've made, the victories you achieved, the bonds you created... And the lives you have saved, among them my very own... made me realize that my sister could have no one better suited to have at her side than you.” Pointing over to Sam and Flynn, Shining then approached the stage both men were standing on and prepared some instruments. “Speaking of your friends... These two guys advised me a bit about my present for you.” As the song started, Tyler arched his brows. These accords, they were all too familiar. But when Shining started to sing, all Tyler could manage to do was shaking his head with a touched smile.

"You got the touch...
You got the POWER!!!!"

While the song continued, Tyler couldn't but shake his head, touched by the gesture. Leaning into the mic, Flynn supported Shining with the one or another line in the refrain.
"When all hell's breaking loose you'll be right in the eye of the storm!”

Once the song ended, Tyler embraced Shining and while the applause was sounding off all around the two of them, Shining could hear his human friend crying. A mumble also became audible. It wasn't very loud over the sound of the applause, but Shining heard it nonetheless.
"Love you, man... Not one better brother in law in the world than you..." With a content smile, Shining patted Tyler's back.

Meanwhile the crowd cheered and demanded word from Tyler.
“Speech! Speech!”

"Oh alright, alright!" Looking around, Tyler smiled widely at Shining Armor and patted the stallion's shoulders. "First of all, thank you all for the many presents for me and the girls. And Shining...? That song was awesome, man. I really appreciate it. I, uh...” Being touched by all of this, Tyler had to find the words again. “There are some things that change in life, luckily our friendship is a constant and no force in the world could break two guys like us apart. A hero you all call me? Well, a hero is only as good as the friends he surrounds himself with so he gets help once things grow too big for him. I'm lucky to have a friend like you, Shining. Heaven knows I would never swap you for anyone else. A toast! To Shining Armor, my best stallion and friend! May we help each other out in the years to come!” A cheer went through the hall and glasses were raised.

When Tyler sat down between his mares again, Twilight smiled up to him.
“Shining is very dear to you, isn't he?”

Looking over to Cadance and Shining, Tyler nodded.
“Very... Not only is he a friend of mine, he's my best friend here on this world. Maybe even before the other human Rangers.”

Not long after that, the second in command among the Harmony Rangers, Rachel, was holding a speech of her own.
“I did my duty in the sand of Iraq and other countries you wouldn't believe in. I faced many dangers while doing so. But none of them gave me that positive thrill of becoming second in Command among the Harmony Rangers." While some claps came from the one or another pony, Rachel continued. "I see the ponies here share my enthusiasm for this wedding. But frankly, Tyler, do you know what this means for us? What you're doing to us by getting away for marriage? Sure, getting married is the best that can happen for you, but what about us Rangers over at the HQ?” Delivering these lines in a not so serious tone earned Rachel a lot of good laughs. “For us this is a very unpleasant thing. That's because while you are out there with your mares to enjoy that delightful honeymoon, I'm ordered to keep this headquarters in top shape!”

Sam and Flynn shook their heads with big grins.
“Celestia, help us!” The little comedic act caused even more laughs.

Pointing at Sam and Flynn, Rachel nodded.
“Because they know that I will never EVER be as nice to them as our prince here!” Coming to the married herd, Rachel then leaned in. “Well then, are you absolutely certain that I can't steal this guy back for us Rangers?"

Looking at Tyler with loving eyes, all four mares, shook their heads when turning back to Rachel.
“No.”

With a gentle smile Rachel then nodded and took a step back.
"Then in good old tradition, let me wish you the best for the years ahead. May all your wishes come true except one, so that you'll always have something to strive for." Another applause filled the hall and Rachel took place on her seat again.

Half an hour after the speeches, Tyler approached Rachel with a smile.
"Awesome speech, Rachel. Thank you for that."

"I stand behind each word. The girls seem to be happy with you, Tyler. If having you is their way of happiness, I can let them have that."

Tyler chuckled at the minor stab and took a sip of his drink.
“Well, this was one strange adventure, wasn't it?”

Looking over to Tyler, a smirk formed on Rachel's face.
"With all the time travel and transdimensional traffic? Yes, it was...You should save the world more often. Suits you..."

Tyler looked at the horizon in thought before he shook his head briefly.
"Nah...." Looking at her, he then gave her a genuine smile. "Tell me something, Rachel: Do you love him?"

Arching a brow, Rachel turned over to face him.
"Tyler, really, I..."

Raising his hands in a calming matter, Tyler grinned a bit.
"No, it's fine. Really, it gets totally normal after a while. But do yourself a favor, tough girl... Tell him!"

Raising her index finger at him, Rachel was about to say something.
"Now, Jones..."

But patting her left cheek, Tyler smirked and got moving.
"No... My turn to walk away." As he turned around and went on, he gave her a last glance. "But admit it: You're going to miss to call me Ponyfucker." This comment caused both of them to grin a bit. Coming back to the others, Tyler patted Applejack's shoulder. “I think your brother is going to get a little surprise in the near future.”

Arching both brows, AJ looked up to Tyler.
"Big Mac? How so?"

“Just a hunch...”

Looking at her dress which hid her pregnancy for the most part, Twilight shook her head.
“Well, I would demand a little dance right now to round the evening up a bit, but I'm afraid with this belly I'm in no shape to dance.”

Tyler gave her a grin.
“Guess it will be lots of belly rubs for you the next few nights to make up for this nice and big belly, hm?”

Arching a brow, Twilight smirked at her husband.
“Yeah, this sounds pretty nice since this is partially your fault.”

A smirk he could only reply with one of his own.
“Not that you were complaining much when we caused that belly in the first place.”

Right then another female voice approached them.
“Excuse me?”

Looking at the white mare with blonde mane, Tyler couldn't help but to recognize something about her. What it was he couldn't say, but despite never meeting her, he had the feeling that he knew her.
“You look familiar...”

Looking away in slight shyness, a all so tender blush formed on her muzzle.
“Yes, but you probably don't recognize me in this gender.”

Tyler's eyes slowly widened and his voice lowered to a certain amount.
"Blueblood? Is that you?"

With a playful giggle, the mare now gave the two of them a wink.
"Guilty as charged."

Exchanging glances for a brief moment, both Twilight and Tyler chuckled a bit as he searched for proper words.
"Wow, uh... You look good. For a mare... I guess..."

Playing shyly with her hooves, the white princess seemed a bit uncertain.
"I know this is awkward. You have no idea how unfamiliar certain things become once you're set with another set of equipment."

Now the two of them blushed a bit.
"True... We can't imagine that."

Waving the thought away, the white mare chuckled nervously.
“Oh please, don't be concerned. This was a long time ago, I've learned to adapt in the meantime. Speaking of which... Princess Twilight? I might not be an alicorn princess, but may I steal the groom for a dance? I wanted to try this waltz between human and pony ever since I heard so much about it.”

Looking up to her husband, Twilight smirked a bit.
“I think we can spare the big guy for one dance. Just be sure not to hog him for too long.”

Tyler then accompanied Princess Blueblood onto the dance floor, where he helped her finding her stance and balance in front of him. Several mares observed this with great interest and already the whispering of this regal dance between humans and ponies made the circle, causing Twilight and Celestia to wink at each other.

Looking into Blueblood's eyes, Tyler gave her a smile.
“So... No hard feelings?”

Giving a smile, she shook her head.
“No hard feelings. I've let that in the past, honest. All it would stir up again are more painful memories. You'd be surprised though. I went from Blueblood the unwanted to Blueblood the highly desired in a couple of months. Cadance really went through some effort to give my image a total makeover.

Tyler thought about it for a minute as they danced, remembered how Cadance reduced the former Prince Blueblood to a bleeding, emasculated pile of nothing.
"Maybe you shouldn't praise her like this. What she did to you..."

"...Was an improvement as far as I care.” the white mare retorted, “None of my so called 'friends' showed up once while I was in captivity. Not for good or bad. Not even for telling me how despicable my action were. It was this indifference that showed me that my life was a lie. Now, after some changes in character, I know I lost a lot, but what I lost was a personality that I don't miss at all. Good riddance! My new friends care for me, several stallions recognize me, even though some of them do it for all the wrong reasons, but most important: I can live with myself again.”

That brought a gentle smile on his face. Seemingly Blueblood had closed this chapter of her life and went on another path she enjoyed much more for the right reasons.
“Well... If you feel mostly better after this tremendous change, I of course feel happy for you.”

Resting her head on his chest, she then closed her eyes a bit, her voice a bit frail.
“You know... If you'd let me, I might be willing to express my gratitude to you...”

Looking down to her, Tyler recognized the blush on her nose and harrumphed briefly.
"You? A concubine? Don't be ridiculous... I've heard you have some suitors who court you already."

A mischievous chuckle escaped her.
"Well you can't blame a mare for trying..."

As the waltz ended, Tyler bowed down before the princess and placed a kiss on her hoof. She answered with a regal nod and returned to some mares to gossip while he returned to his herd mates. Celestia nodded at him, contently smiling.
"You did good, Tyler... I think mother would approve of you."

Looking to Celestia, Tyler gave her an unsure glance.
"Yeah?"

Giving him another nod, she rested a wing around him and went on a walk to the outside with him.
“So what are you planning to do, now that you're a prince?”

Giving a shrug, Tyler tried to give his best smile.
“Don't know. Haven't spend a thought about that. I guess I'll just go on as usual for the next few weeks until something shows up." Celestia giggled a bit. It was a good thing the sudden nobility didn't change his attitude nor his behavior. And yet, the idea of actual marriage and living as a wive to someone was something new and fresh. It was something making her heart beat in excitement. And how long did Luna and her yearned for someone like that at their side? It seemed like forever. Leaning in, Tyler then grinned at her. “So, on a scale of one to ten, ten being the highest, how scared were you that I was going to die?”

Looking up in thought, Celestia then smirked.
"Hmmm.... Three..."

The result was as she expected and was much to her amusement, though she didn't showed. Tyler's jaw dropped, slightly aghast.
"Three? A three?"

Sticking out her tongue in good fun, she nodded.
"Yeah!"

Looking to the side for a second, Tyler shook his head.
"Are you kidding me? Then what's a ten?"

Giving a sober expression, Celestia looked into the distance.
“Clowns.”

Folding his arms, Tyler could only arch a brow and give her a questioning glance
“Celestia... Clowns over my death? Clowns?”

“I'm afraid of clowns.”

Tyler rolled his eyes.
“Oh my God... You thought you lost me!”

Raising her chin, the white alicorn gently shook her head.
“No...”

“You thought I was a goner.” Tyler then continued. And when Celestia shook her head, he waved his index finger in front of her. “Yes you did. I saw you shed tears... You shed a bunch of them.”

Looking to her side and up to him, she gently arched a brow and looked to the front again, the gentle smile on her lips never fading.
“Tears? It was raining.”

Bursting out a laugh, Tyler shook his head.
"No, it was not!"

Closing her eyes, a slight grin formed on her face as she shook her head ever so slightly.
“You were half collapsing and it was raining.”

A grin Tyler answered with one of his own as he looked at her.
“It was a totally clear nightsky and you were bawling while you all were storming at me!”

Looking into his eyes, Celestia then gave him a wink.
“Let's discuss that later in our chambers, yes?”

Giving a chuckle, he leaned in for another time and placed a gentle kiss onto her cheek.
“There's a promise I can live with...”

* * * * *

The evening went on and after several dances and speeches, the festivities calmed down more and more. And for a long time since the fight against the Descendants in Nagohod, Tyler gave an untroubled laugh. The shadows of the past were finally gone. That is, until one particular whisper became audible in his mind.

“Having fun with the girls, boy?”

Tyler froze in motion as his heart skipped a beat. 'No, not at this particular time, not so long after all this silence!' He kept them a well guarded secret. From Equestria, its allies, his friends, even his beloved ones. In a panic, he headed for the bathroom and checked if anyone was present. Once certain no one was around, he washed his face with some icy cold water and looked into the mirror.
“Pull yourself together, Tyler... They're both gone!”

What he didn't expected was the instantaneous reply of his own picture in the mirror moving on its own.
"What's the matter, boy? Missed us?"

His mouth slightly open, Tyler slowly stepped away from the mirror. Slowly shaking his head, his eyes narrowed. Either there was magic at play here or he was losing it.
"Who would miss a rattlesnake?"

His reflection was still standing close to the mirror and pursed its lips.
"Ooohh... Did you train on that line?"

Gritting his teeth, Tyler shook his head.
“Why did you two return?!? This is neither a fight to the death nor anything alike!”

His reflection, obviously Sage, then arched a brow.
“Two? Nah, the beast is still sleeping. You know as well as I do that he would take you over if left unchecked and would probably rape several mares with your body before they would knock you out. My return is just a happy reminder for you, boy. You're married! Congratulations, slacker! What's next? A nice little homestead with the kids playing in front of the house?”

Tyler had to fight the urge to jump at the mirror in order to attempt pulling his reflection out of there and strangling it to death.
“DAMN YOU!!!”

With a sneer, Sage arched a brow.
“Oh, yes, I didn't forgot, we already have Appleseed and... Nova, wasn't it? The little one still resting in Twilight's womb...? You know as well as I do that we can't lean back and do nothing. You must let us out again...”

Gritting his teeth, Tyler clenched his fists until they were bleeding.
“I won't! You two are animals! Rage is literally a mindless savage and you are no better once 'protecting' others.”

“Oh, you will! If you won't let us out, we'll break out!”

Holding his head, Tyler shook it fiercely, afraid of losing his mind for sure.
“I want you gone...”

But Sage's voice grew more stern by the minute.
"You know we can't just disappear. There is no room for negotiations. I admit that I... well, let's just say have a short fuse once you push the one button I have... But it's also the only button you have. I am more honest than you."

Looking up in anger, Tyler raised his voice.
“I won't let you out again! Never! I want you to go back to sleep, never to return!”

Sage went into the mirrored stance Tyler was standing in and winked at him with a sadistic grin.
“We'll be in touch...”

A sudden anger boiled up in Tyler and his fist smashed the mirror in front of him, prompting a minor quake at the wall. While the mirror in front of him shattered to pieces, the other mirrors left and right fell to the ground. The door slammed open and a guard rushed in, only to look surprised at Tyler.
“Your Highness! Is everything alright?”

Tyler exhaled deeply and closed his eyes. How careless he had been in that particular moment, both with his secret and his power. Since the coronation... No, since Nagohod, everything seemed far more fragile.
“I am alright. I saw a big ass spider and meant to swat it, but my new-found powers... I, uh... I overdid it. I'm sorry if I spooked you.”

Tyler healed his hand and performed a spell on the mirror repairing it. Yet after he left the bathroom, he left the festivities as soon as etiquette allowed it. Twilight and AJ looked at him, slightly puzzled.
“What's with him? Ah was about to introduce some distant family members from Manehattan to him.”

“I don't know. But it's not like him to simply leave before every guest is gone...”

Coming to their side, Rachel shook her head.
“I say Tyler simply doesn't like crowds. You go after him, I'll inform Princess Celestia and Luna, so they'll catch up with you. We'll just claim it to be...” She thought for a second, then grinned. “Youthful enthusiasm.”

Looking up to their Ranger friend, Twilight and Applejack nodded with smiles.
“Thank you, Rachel.”

* * * * *

An hour later, Celestia and Luna had caught up with Tyler and levitated him into the tower the royal herd would hold their honey moon in. Tyler did protest, yet was told that this was punishment for leaving the festivities early on. And while Applejack and Twilight became comfortable in the living room in front of a mountain of presents, Tyler was taken into the room next door by the two alicorn sisters. A circumstance that caused AJ to ask Twilight a simple question.
“Um, Twilight? Why exactly are Celestia and Luna hogging Tyler tonight?”

Giving a sigh, the young princess smiled.
“Well, they need to be fully rested in the next few days. They will of course participate in our honey moon, but they need to be available in case of a diplomatic emergency. I thought giving them a 'head start' would be a nice gesture, so they'll have something out of this honey moon if something rips them away for the rest of it.”

“Yeah, that seems fair. They might be ripped away for some reason. No complains from me there... Whoa, Nelly!” Holding up a short pink-orange fruit of some sort, Applejack arched a brow. “What in tarnation are these things?” Eying it with suspicion, she soon narrowed her eyes. “Ah never saw a fruit like that before... Ain't no orange, ain't no pear... And it sure ain't an apple!”

Giving it an inspecting look, Twilight nodded after identifying the fruit.
“That fruit-basket is Cadance's present to the entire herd. Tomorrow I'm to cast a magic barrier dome spell of some sort around the tower we're in with a spell she created for us. There was a scroll... Now where was it?”

Picking up the scroll, AJ looked over to her herdmate and chewed a bit on the fruit.
“Found it!”

The scroll was levitated and unrolled by Twilight. But as she read through her lines, her ears dropped, her pupils shrank to little dots and a heavy blush formed over her nose before she shook her head in order to digest the information.
“Wha... Cadance! I can't believe, she... this entire basket... Is she trying to drill him for this or what?”

Correcting her Stetson, AJ grabbed the scroll and read it. It wasn't long before a big ass grin formed on her face.
“Hey, hey, there, lover boy! The Princess of Love gave ya more than just one way to regain yer potency back. If that scroll is true in what it claims, just one bite of one of these 'Magna peppers' is enough to let him go for another ten rounds! I mean... What in tarnation?”

Twilight gave her herdmate a serious and stern glance.
“Worse than that! This entire magic dome spell? A libido enhancer! It will work on each of us for the duration of the honey moon! OK, except for me, since I'm pregnant already.”

Shrugging, Applejack simply smirked at this.
“Fine by me.”

“What?!?”

“With all that fightin' and feudin' we had in the last few weeks, Ah'm more than happy to be bucked silly by our Sugarcube for a change. And it will give Tyler somethin' else to think about as well.”

Narrowing her eyes, Twilight gave Applejack a questioning glance.
“You had a bite from one of these Magna peppers already, didn't you?”

Looking around slightly nervous, Applejack grinned.
“Uh... Maybe?”

Twilight rolled her eyes with a gentle smile.
“Well, he was a little absent lately. I guess you're right. Something like that will flush all the dark thoughts out of his mind...”

* * * * *

The air around Tyler was cold, yet the two warm hands caressed all over his naked body as he was standing in the center of the room, both arms tied on the back. The two women in front of him were almost perfection personified. Ample curves in both cleavage and hips made just looking at the transformed bodies of the two princesses a joy in itself. Kneeling in front of their 'prize' and 'prisoner', Luna had claimed the first turn for the night and looked up to his face as her head bobbed up and down, her lips tightly wrapped around his throbbing shaft.

Behind her, Celestia was also in human form and looked over her younger sister's shoulder while the shaft slid down the mouth and throat of her sibling. And while Luna had her arms and hands wrapped around Tyler's waist, Celestia had her hands on Luna's and her own sweet spot to please them both. Biting her bottom lip, the Princess of the sun gave her newlywed husband a naughty look. Almost fading out, Tyler moaned while closing his eyes shut. It was bliss. The situation, the blow-job, the two gorgeous women... This whole scenario would make every man weak. It was like being in a personal porno movie, only better. But all the time he struggled not to simply take Luna, despite his body screaming for her. It would be so very easy to tear these bonds apart with magic and throwing himself at her.

The shot filled her mouth completely and she closed her eyes with a moan, followed by a strong tremble of her body. The sweet arousal filled her entire body and she took deep breath through her nose, careful not to spill his precious load. While gently stroking her sisters hair, Celestia looked up to Tyler, a smirk on her face. She could see it in his eyes... The wish to blow this load into other places than Luna's mouth. Turning her sister towards her, both princesses exchanged a deep and intimate kiss, shared the load Luna had earned while both massaging and kneading each other's breasts. The taste and smell smeared over both their faces and Luna looked into her sister's face
"Such sweet and rich nectar... I want him to place it deep into me.

Looking up to Tyler, Celestia licked a big warm drop of his seed from her lip and grinned.
"As does he... The wish to do so is all over his face. And after he's done with you, he would probably turn over to me and break me in as well... And I would reward each thrust with a lustful scream no doubt. But please remember: First we want to see how he manages with Twilight and her alicorn foal... And once he succeeds, we both accept to become the mothers of his foals as well."

Standing up, Celestia took a stroll over to Tyler and gently took his penis into her grasp while looking deep into his eyes with a playful grin.
"Let's not forget: We have the magic prowess, you have the willpower and fighting spirit. But we agreed to wait just a little bit longer until you two can have this holiest of moments..." Her grasp upon his member grew in tightness and she lowered her voice while she and Tyler looked at each other from the corner of their eyes. "I burn to have my turn as well." Tyler retorted with a grin and when Celestia leaned at him, there was a firm magic spank on her buttcheeks, what prompted Celestia to yelp a bit in surprise. But when loving looks were exchanged, her hand was set in motion to please him.

Yet somehow, all of this perfect moment had a strange aftertaste. Due to being on the verge to their honey moon, they spoke their mind and conversed normally. All was well in the bedsheets, the herd loved and cared for each other and everyone did his or her best to make each moment perfect. But one thing was missing.

Tyler.

From the outside, he behaved and talked normal. But inside, of that Celestia was certain, he behaved different. Unlike before, when his mind was open to her and Luna, she could read him like an open book, dive deep into his mind and could see his desires, what all too often made Luna and her seem to know exactly what a human man desired by experience. But all they did was taking a peek into Tyler and giving him pleasure. This connection was now gone. Twilight never experienced this yet, had yet to learn how to build up such a connection and Applejack was unable to have this kind of connection to Tyler at all. And Luna... Luna was too gosh darn in love with Tyler to see it as clearly as Celestia.

But for Celestia, a mare who had seen places and beings of many sorts, creatures who would terrify and amaze nowadays ponies, had developed a certain sense for things being amiss. She wanted this to be perfect. Tyler was the most interesting male she had in millennia and there were times when she would think of him as her first true love as well. A male that respected her and on the same time didn't cower in front of her. In hindsight there were times when she thought such a partner wouldn't exist for a mare like her. This made Tyler's existence that much more interesting, more exciting. There were no words in any of the new or ancient languages to properly describe how it felt when she could surrender to him completely, only to be reassured that he wouldn't do her harm in misusing this power.

Power wasn't his thing, and yet he dominated her sexually, since she wanted it. With a man like him, of that Celestia was certain, she, Luna and Twilight could breed a new generation of alicorns. Alicorns of Harmony, striving for the greater good with alicorn power and human will to do good. There were times when even her womb, the supposedly most regal womb in all of Equestria quaked in anticipation for this. If she had the best womb around Celestia didn't know, but she did know that begetting alicorns was a step she always shied away from. Since the incident with Luna at the Canterlot Gala and the message from her mother, she knew that the time was close for her and Luna to take this next step of royalty, the ascension to become queens and having foals of their own.

But Tyler had to be absolutely perfect for this; there was no room for mistakes or doubts. And this caginess of his lately was mostly off from his usual behavior. Especially in these few hours before their honeymoon. This was something she had to discuss with Luna first and later bring this to Twilight, her being the Alpha. But there had to be evidence, she wouldn’t risk this harmony just for a hunch.

Tyler's moan brought her back to the moment and her hand was picking up speed as she pleasured his shaft over Luna's panting face. His eyes darted down to Luna and back to Celestia and while the Princess of the Night awaited her lover's sweet nectar, the Princess of the Sun gave him a mischievous grin.
"Yes... Douse her face with it..." He felt the slight tickle in his testicles and upon looking into Celestia's eyes, her grin only widened. The thick and heavy stream shot over the young face and Luna gave out a moan in delight while one of her hands played with his balls, the other hand played with herself. At the sight of his load running down Luna's naked body, Tyler closed his eyes in bliss once again. He opened them once more, as he felt Celestia's gentle touch when she used her left hand to turn his head to her. The hand she used to masturbate him was now smeared with his load and she raised it to her lips, gently licking the fingers clean. "Hmmm... Thick and rich, just the way you love to shoot it..."

A playful giggle came from her and she turned away, seemingly sated for now. But just after her first step away she felt his arm around her and in an instant, he was right behind her, freed by the bondage they've had him endure for so long.
"Oi... You!" His voice lowered, what caused a cold chill to run up her spine. "Your ass... Now!"

A mischievous chuckle now escaped her throat before a sudden movement jerked her entire body and caused her eyes to widen in an instant. Her eyes became dreamy and she closed them after a second. Once more, they both were connected. It was dangerous, made her heart race in excitement. He of course respected her wish not to engage in vaginal intercourse, yet one stab into the wrong orifice and she could end up early with one of his children.
"Are you ever sated, my love?"

As he began moving inside her, he gave her a new experience. Due to her transformed anatomy, anal sex was far more extreme and sensitive in this human form.
"No intimacy with you girls is ever enough, Celestia... Don't think about it. Maybe you should just let yourself fall...?"

Now Celestia looked to the side, where Luna was lying on the bed, spend from the love they had shared together. In her own mind, Celestia let out a sigh. 'Saying these kind of things to me, but having secrets... And thinking that keeping me from thinking about stuff like that with enough sex would work. Now I know something is wrong with you...' The warm load he planted in her bowels lingered as she lied beside of him later on, spend, satisfied, but unlike all other mares of his... deeply worried...

* * * * *

Planet Equis, a million years earlier...

The young stallion galloped all through the corridor. With his coat of bright yellow, he lacked both horn and wings. His outer appearance led many to the misconception that he was an earth pony. Much to his dismay, he was not so ordinary. Running up the stairs towards a Temple of Light, he came to a sudden stop in front of an alicorn elder.
“Aranax! Aranax!! The queen said she had finalized her preparations and will perform the spell anytime soon.”

Nodding briefly, the old alicorn stallion lost no time and turned around on the spot.
“Very good. Then we must hurry! I must say you've been a very docile apprentice of mine. If you had a horn to call your own, maybe then teaching you my knowledge would have been even more of pleasure. It's not often that one stumbles over a mind as sharp as yours.”

Looking down, the yellow stallion blushed a bit.
“Not sharp enough to evade this unfortunate accident...”

Leaning in, the alicorn elder smirked.
“I wouldn't call it unfortunate. For us Alicorns of Light it only means that the Queen is right with what she's doing. You are the living proof that life will go on, even without us. When you first came to us and stranded here, the queen ordered me to guarantee for your safe travel back. An oath I will fulfill this day. But first I wanted to show you this...”

With this they went deeper into the temple and the temperature fell dramatically. In front of a stone chest they both came to a halt and the elder nodded to his six assistants already present. Like the yellow coated apprentice, they lacked both horn and wings. The heavy lid was opened and the content of the chest revealed, causing a spark to shine bright in the eyes of the apprentice.
“The seeds of Royalty...”

A proud smile formed on the elder's face as he nodded.
“Indeed. There are six seeds and they all shall be used for good in the future.”

But now the young, yellow stallion shook his head, feeling uneasy.
“Lord Aranax… if the Alicorns of Darkness survive the Abarasion Spell and return, your subjects will be defenseless against their evil.”

“The seeds will have taken root by then. When the minions of darkness will return, so shall the six Elements of Harmony…”

“The Seed of Harmony? You will plant it?”

Nodding, the elder stepped forth.
“The First Royal Seed, the Seed of Harmony will be planted first by these brave souls here. After that the remaining seeds will be hidden and planted around the globe, unseen by the minions of Darkness. The queen has high hopes that it will aid her daughters and granddaughter well one day.

Taking a step forward, the young stallion took a glance at the six seeds in front of him, each emitting a divine aura of goodness in them.
“I've heard about this project, yet never laid witness to them... The Six Seeds of Royalty...

The Seed of Harmony was the seed with the elements of honesty, loyalty, kindness, generosity, laughter and magic.
The Seed of Wisdom was with the elements of discipline, frugality, prudence and diligence.
Then there was The Seed of Honor with the elements of justice, tenacity and persistence
The Seed of Protection was with the elements of sternness, dignity and perseverance
The Seed of Fortune was with the elements of curiosity, charity, love and hope
And finally, the Seed of Divinity held the elements of creation, destruction and change.

“Of course you haven't,” the elder alicorn retorted, “Nopony has! Until now. The Queen created them herself in hopes for an easier rebuild after the war, bringing peace and prosperity to the farthest reaches of the planet with these six seeds.”

Giving a thoughtful nod, the young stallion was lost in thought.
“A grand project.” Glancing out of the temple, the young apprentice narrowed his eyes. There was this distinctive light coming from the horizon. But this wasn't a wall of lightning, no magic that rolled over the planet. No! Little dots ascended into the skies as the light came closer and closer. As soon as the apprentice understood the situation, his eyes widened and in panic, he turned over to his mentor. “Hurry! The Abarasion spell is nearing!”

The assistants now became agitated as well. But approaching the young stallion, the elder alicorn slowly came near him remaining calm and showing no fear.
“Very well! Here is your mission now, young one… The darkest question must never be answered, the Abarasion Spell never reversed nor repeated! Find the Ten Rings of Regnancy, they will aid in keeping the secret.”

Not understanding, the apprentice shook his head frantically.
“The Ten Rings of Regnancy?!? But where should I find such legendary items? I don’t have enough time!”

With this the elder alicorn unleashed powerful magic and a blue box appeared at the side of the stallion. It was a box of one times one meters width with a height of two meters
“Time is of no importance for you, last of the time ponies! All what is important is the next generation!” With that the elder alicorn’s body began to shine brightly before it disappeared into the ceiling.

Galloping outside the temple and looking up to the ascending lights, the young stallion yelled up, tears in his eyes.
“I WILL FULFILL MY MISSION!!! YOU CAN COUNT ON ME!!! I WILL FIND THE RINGS TO PROTECT THESE SEEDS AND ALL OF CREATION!!!”

With a scream, the Doctor woke up in the TARDIS. Derpy looked up to and rested a hoof on him.
“Are you alright?”

Holding his head, the Doctor closed his eyes with a brief shake.
“I was… having that dream again…”

Author's Note

not proofread yet. Any notice about typos or other mistakes are mostly welcome. :scootangel:

2 - Dark Wisdom, Primal Rage **

"Did you notice that there is something amiss with Tyler?"

The question took Twilight by surprise.
"Something amiss?" she repeated Celestia's words, not completely sure what to make of this. It was sunset and while Luna was up early, Celestia had cut short the last royal court in the throne room before their honeymoon. Now both sisters stood in front of her, Luna sharing an uncertain glance, but Celestia showed a deeply concerned face. Looking down, Twilight thought for a moment. "Well, it never occurred to me. Did you two notice something?"

Celestia nodded.
"Our connection with Tyler ceased to exist. It's not like him to cut us off like this. Normally he was an open book and we two have had access to his mind. But not anymore.“

Blushing a bit, Luna looked to the ground.
“I... I admit, I neglected my dream duties the last few nights. But when Tia told me about this, I tried to enter Tyler's dreams last night.”

Leaning in to Luna, Twilight arched a brow.
“And...?”

Looking up, the Princess of the Night shook her head.
“I couldn't! This was the second time I couldn't enter his plane of dreams. The first time was when he was in this mind trap.”

“Tyler's mind is closed to the two of us, meaning only one thing: He's hiding something. For the first time since Nagohod, I'm worried about him. Ever since the existence of our herd, he was always open to us, cherished being open to us.” The white alicorn then looked down, worry all over her face. “This connection is now gone. It's gone by his choice.” Both regal sisters looked down, glum.

Twilight gave this a determined nod. Her herd was in danger somehow and she didn't like this severity.
"I will have a talk with him. Maybe it's just some stress relief and he wants some time alone.”

* * * * *

Twilight trotted down the hallway, accompanied by Applejack. Hiding something from the rest of the herd normally wasn't such a big deal, everypony loved to have his or her space. However, If Celestia and Luna's claim that Tyler had changed his usual behavior by mentally blocking them, it would appear he was able to sense that connection, and intentionally block it in order to keep them out. If that was the case, then something was amiss. And if Celestia was right, it was nothing Tyler was willing to talk about with the entire herd. Finding out what bugged him might do the trick, maybe he was willing to talk to her and AJ, maybe Twilight alone in person. If there were any problem, she as his first mare would be glad to help him. Upon finding him in the corridor between his chamber and the stairs down to the great hall, she gave him a smile and they approached him. He was carrying several sheets of paper with him.
“Tyler? Do you have a moment right now?”

But upon hearing her, he almost jumped a bit and some sheets fell down. Kneeling down to get them again, he chuckled nervously.
“S-Sorry, Twilight... I... ummm... I have to make some preparations in the headquarters first. We can talk later, can we?”

That statement puzzled Twilight for a second, before she smelled the sweet scent of a cheap excuse.
“Preparations? But Rachel said she would be in charge of that during your absence!”

Closing his eyes, Tyler inwardly sighed. Her own sense for detail made this little lie impossible to sustain. 'No, sweetie! Stay away from me for your own good!'
“Yes. But I forgot to give her some files regarding a project I like to see prepared once our honeymoon is over. Speaking of which: I'm thrilled for that. Don't you worry your pretty, nerdy little head, sweetie. All is fine.”

AJ arched a brow.
“Ya don't sound like ya believe that yerself, Tyler.”

She didn't recognize how her right eye gave a little twitch. Was he just lying to her?
“Would you please turn around and speak with me? I'm beginning to worr-”

In the back of his head, Tyler could hear the laughing voice of Sage. That was all it took to made him panic. All of a sudden he turned around to her.
“ALL IS FINE!!!” In an instant he held his mouth, shocked by his own reaction as he looked at her. Seeing their own shocked reactions for him yelling at Twilight, he took a step back, then another, he turned around and ran away with quick steps. Twilight's heart ached. She wanted to help him, but for some reason he pushed her away, fled her helping grasp. A heavy lump formed in her throat and she gulped it down with some effort as the tears began to well in her eyes.

Not believing her own ears, Applejack shook her head in disappointment.
“That ain't our normal Tyler. That's for sure. Our Tyler would never yell at us like this.” When the young alicorn looked down glum, the orange mare bumped her flank into hers. “Oh... Don't ya fret there. This isn't yer fault. Ah didn't see his pain either, Twilight... None of us did. Ah have a very bad feeling about this. When he was fightin' for Equestria, he must have been through some terrible things. Things so dangerous and harmful he can't even tell us. Not even...” The earth pony mare stopped dead in her sentence. Looking down, her vision became blurry as tears filled her eyes. “...not even me.”

Rubbing the tears out of her eyes, Twilight looked over to her herd mate.
“AJ? Are you OK?”

Closing her eyes, Applejack shed a lone tear.
“Nope! No, Ah am not. Our Sugarcube is tryin' to protect us from a truth so horrendous, he’d rather stay alone than tell us. What could it be, Twilight? What could make honesty such a torture ya rather lie? Ah fear for him! We have to take more drastic measures about this!”

When Twilight looked up, her face was very determined.
“You're right! He's not behaving normal. But Tyler wouldn't push us back without a very good reason. So, in order to find the root of the problem, we as well have to do what we don't usually do.”

“Ya mean...?”

“Yes! We spy on him!”

* * * * *

Half an hour later both Twilight and Applejack entered a nearly empty room, but already had a remarkable resemblance to a room for a child. Applejack immediately recognized the soft, fluffy feeling of the carpeted floor. Raising a brow, she smirked at the floor. Maybe she should ask Tyler to deliver that same floor to Sweet Apple Acres. Appleseed would surely love this. But right now other things were of greater importance.
“Twilight? Ah'm not comfortable with this...”

Looking around, Twilight gave the room a thorough inspection. One of the walls had a mirror that stretched clear across it, a large white cupboard embedded on the opposite wall and a cradle right next to the door. The drapes were red velvet and currently they were closed.
“I know. But we need to learn why he’s been acting the way he has. Now: Tyler is in this room every evening ever since he found out I'm with his child. Planning and working on the room for our unborn child really seems to sooth him. Whatever it is that's distracting him, it can't be another mare. That's a given. But why? Why all this secrecy?”

Looking over to Twilight, AJ arched a brow.
“Ah forgot to ask: How are ya? With all this stress, Ah bet it's not so calm for the little one, is it? Ah'm sure Ah would be stressed if Ah would be with Appleseed.”

Replying with a sigh, Twilight turned towards AJ.
“It's fine. And I'm fine, thanks. I actually fret more about how to get my little one to know that her mommy is a national hero, princess and savior of Equestria on multiple occasions.”

The reply caused AJ to smirk.
“Ah say ya do this as calm and down to earth as possible. And of course, ya got five ponies who can confirm ya since they were there as well.”

They hid in the cupboard and Twilight cast a silence spell in order to mask their eventual sounds such as gasps or sneezes. It didn't take long before Tyler entered the room, only to lock the door behind him and cast another spell on the entire room. Twilight recognized it as the same spell she had performed just a few seconds ago. Was there any reason to make this one room soundproof? The answer came quicker than she predicted, for Tyler did something he usually didn't do: He talked to himself.
“Get a hold of yourself man... For the girls.” Striking through his hair with both hands, Tyler took a deep breath. “Who am I kidding? Like before with the threat of overcharge, I once again became a walking bomb. The shadows of Rage's and Sage's evil could end everything I love and cherish." Laying a shivering hand on the cradle, an impression of worry was in his face. "Am I a good man? Am I a madman? Where do I stand on this fine line between good and evil?” Closing his eyes, his hands clenched down to the cradle. “If these beasts ever touch my children...”

Both mares were tempted to come out to speak words of comfort to Tyler, when all of a sudden, another voice spoke up. It was Tyler's voice, yet different. A bit raspier, more bronze in tone. From the corner of his eye, Tyler could spot it. His image in the mirror was moving on its own, facing him while depicting the part of him he learned to call Sage. Still, the dark, billowing coat surrounded the dark mastermind who once helped him against the alicorn princesses only to abandon him once the fight was over.
“Do you really think that we enjoy being chained to a weakling such as you? Do you enjoy struggling against destiny? If you do, I'm sad to say it simply isn't so. You are just a waste of time for me.”

Facing his new and secret nemesis, Tyler turned around, his voice threatening.
“All what you two are is a madness! I'll cure you out and you disappear!”

“We're what you'll see if you see into your soul. As long as you live, we will still be here!” Sage replied on that.

Shaking his head, Tyler wrinkled his nose in disgust.
“I should have known that the price for your help is life long struggle! Who's the greater evil here? The raging mindless beast or the calculating mastermind, this nightmare before me?”

What followed let Twilight's blood freeze in her veins. Stepping out of the mirror, the Doppelganger now became a magical projection like a hologram. The sound of boots echoed through the room as this second Tyler stepped into reality, his catlike eyes glowing in a fierce blue and Tyler took a step backwards. It didn't happen very often that Tyler backed away from someone... Or something.
“I am not a dream, my boy. And we three will never end. This here is the fate you've chosen to fight evil. Tilerions is who we now are, no matter what you may pretend. And now you regret the deal with your inner devils...”

Enraged by these words, Tyler once more faced the magic projection with gritted teeth. Sage on the other hand simply sneered at him as he spoke.
“Lay only one of your bloody fingers on my girls and I swear: I'll end the both of you!”

“You can't end us! We two are part of yourself! Like books belonging to a shelf! We've seen what happens if only one of us is in control of you. Without me Rage would devour everything you love.”

Yet Tyler pointed his finger at Sage in a threatening manner.
“I don't need you to survive like you two need me!There were times I didn't need any of this crap to fight the evils of this world!”

With a loud laughter into Tyler's face, Sage's projection began to grow, doubling in size while big and heavy chains connected him with Tyler as two iron braces appeared on Tyler's wrists.
"You need my magic to protect the ones you love!"

Trying to break the braces apart with both magic and brute force, Tyler shook his head.
“No!”

“Oh, yes, you do! With Rage's untamed fury at my side!”

A black metallic collar appeared around Tyler's neck, choking him for a bit.
“NO!!!”

“I know that now and forever you'll never be able to part Tilerions from Tyler Jones!”

By now Tyler's voice had lost most of its power , but his hands never lost grip on the chain, his defiance still not faltering.
“Demon breed! Can't you see that you're not needed anymore?”

The grinning expression on Sage's face began to wither and he looked at Tyler with a sober face.
“This again? You're really beginning to bore me...” Both Applejack and Twilight had to bring up all of their discipline not to jump out of the closet in protest as he yanked at the chain, choking Tyler in the process.

But Tyler wasn't about to give in that easily, with every ounce of pain and suffering, their husband grew more defiant, yet his mental strength seemed to dwindle a little bit.
“Damn you, Sage! LEAVE ME BE!!!”

Reeling Tyler in, Sage's blue eyes shined down into Tyler's.
“Can't you see? IT'S OUR DESTINY!!!”

Tyler yanked at the chain himself now, not letting down his resistance.
“NO!!! Deep inside-”

“...You've doomed yourself to an eternal fight!” Sage ended the sentence for Tyler.

Yet this only earned him a shake of Tyler's head.
“No, never!”

“Yes, forever!”

Rearing up, Tyler's voice boomed at the phantom with the full force of the Royal Canterlot Voice, causing both Twilight and Applejack to cringe at the volume and both held their ears shut.
“CURSE YOU, SAGE! I CURSE YOU BOTH FOR ALL ETERNITY!”

“I'LL SEE YOU ON THE WAY THERE, BOY!”

Then, as soon as he appeared, Sage suddenly vanished with a last grin and Tyler collapsed down to his knees, free of collar and braces, yet mentally spent. Silence filled the room and only his silent weeping was audible. Twilight felt an almost choking feeling in her throat. Whatever happened on Nagohod during his fight with the Darkness Sisters, Tyler suffered a much greater deal than he revealed to them. 'During the coronation ceremony, the wedding...' She couldn't explain herself why he didn't ask anypony for help.

When the cupboard door opened, Tyler's weeping stopped in an instant gasp and his head raised a bit to listen. His heart skipped a beat and was now beating so loud, he could almost hear it beating in his chest. He had been found out. Motionless, he remained in position like a statue. But as soon as her hoof touched his shoulder, he backed off in reflex. His arms wrapped tightly over his torso, as to hold the two nightmares in that haunted him, he shook his head with a frail voice.
“NO! Don't touch me! I'm not human anymore... Just a despicable monster, a freak with issues that could end Equestria!”

But Applejack and Twilight wrapped their hooves around him ever so tightly, he had to toss them aside to get out of their little group hug, if he ever wanted to break free. While worried beyond anything, both mares were concerned and tried to speak in the most warm voice they could muster at this point.
“There, there, Sugarcube... Yer not that bad.”

“You are neither a monster, nor a freak, Tyler. If we would deem you something like that, would we still wear these rings?”

When he looked up to them, she saw an expression on his face she saw very rarely. In fact, she could only remember seeing it once or twice since she knew Tyler in all the time he was here on Equis. He was terrified. He was the one who defended them most of the time. Now he seemed to have to protect them from himself and was at a total loss. It hurt so much to see him like this, to see tears of despair glittering in his eyes as this dam of piled up fear seemed to break open at last.
“I'm so scared that I could hurt you girls... I feel just like a puppet with no control over my own future.” Looking into her eyes, he shook his head in helplessness. “Twilight, what's happening to me?”

Pulling Tyler into her embrace, Twilight looked down, not sure how to solve this problem.
“I don't know.”

* * * * *

An hour later, both Twilight and Applejack reported their findings to Celestia and Luna, who closed their eyes with a heavy sigh.
“This is far more serious than I thought...” Celestia replied.

Giving her sister a affirmative nod, Luna looked to the door to the room Tyler was sitting in. By his own wish he demanded to keep his distance a bit for the girls to plan without Sage eavesdropping on their plans.
“Indeed. If he's struggling with his dark side, it means this 'Sage'...

“Never again!!!” Celestia interrupted her sister in a harsh tone. “I will never again stand idly by while someone or somepony I love suffers to anything similar like Nightmare Moon.” Luna looked over to her sister and Celestia gave her a warm nod. “I don't know if my heart would take another thousand year banishment, no matter who it is.”

A knocking became audible and Cadance peeked into the room.
“Did somepony say heart?”

The sight of the pink alicorn brought several smiles to the herd mates.
“Cadance!”

“Good to see ya. What brings ya here?”

Giving a smirk to Twilight, Cadance then nodded at Applejack.
“Well somepony thought the libido spell was a bit too much for a certain husband. I came here to actually ensure her that the spell is absolutely safe for usage, since I tested it on my honeymoon as well. Speaking of which... Where is the loving husband?” The ongoing silence was enough to wipe the glee off her face. “What is it?” Stepping forward, Twilight charged her horn and when Cadance understood, she charged hers as well. Touching the tips of each others horns, both mares exchanged their thoughts and after only just three seconds, Cadance stopped the connection with a gasp. “Such heartache!”

Celestia nodded.
“If this is correct, ever since his victory, Tyler kept this a secret. Each one of us thought it was due to his trials in Nagohod and his fight with Lamira and Asira, that he struggled to get free of the influence of the Heart of Darkness...”

Luna then continued.
“But it seems another force has awoken in his heart. A force that empowered him then, but is terrorizing him now.”

Applejack cleared her throat and pointed towards the door
“He's right next door, we shouldn't be talking about him like he's not there...”

They nodded and one by one, the mares entered the room Tyler was sitting in. Upon looking up and spotting Cadance, Tyler was slightly confused.
“Cadance! I-”

But the pink alicorn shook her head and gave a smile.
“No need to explain, I'm already briefed. Don't worry, I'm only here to supervise.”

When Celestia approached Tyler, her face was very strict. One could see she was most displeased with the current situation. Tyler gulped down a heavy lump as he stood up and raised his hands in a soothing manner. But she wasn't in the mood for excuses right now. This was too important for pleasantries.
“Alright... Summon him!”

Taking a step back, Tyler arched a brow. 'Wait... She's not mad?'
“Celestia?”

But this only prompted her to stomp her hoof to the ground to underline her demand.
“Sage! Tell him to appear right here in front of me right this instant!”

This prompted Tyler to wince a bit. Celestia WAS mad, just not directly at him.
“If it would be that easy... He's not a lap dog I can whistle to my side whenever I please.”

Luna nodded at this.
“Very well then: Be that way! If he doesn't come to us, we shall come for him!”

“Now hold it for a second!” Tyler insisted, “Look, I'm not very comfortable with the way this is going. He's dangerous! They both are! Why else do you think I kept them hidden from you? Rage knows no bounds and Sage lacks any moral compass once he gets angered.”

Levitating a frying pan in front of her, Luna inspected it before she arched a brow and looked at Tyler.
“Tyler, beloved? I have several ways to put thee to sleep, but I am certain thou and me would prefer this not to escalate in harsher methods than needed. Thy part in this is over. Tis us who shall address that knave now. So do us all a favor and lie down for a good nap.” Not debating with a frying pan, Tyler laid down to the bed and looked up to them. Coming to his side, Luna nodded with a smile. “Good boy. Leave the rest to us.”

Celestia now turned to Cadance.
“Cadance, I want you to stay here and monitor us. If anything happens while we all are in Tyler's mind, prioritize.” The Princess of Love nodded, yet Celestia still raised her hoof. “To be clear: Any request for a hearing is canceled until further notice. And unless Equestria is under attack, I don't wish to be interrupted in this.”

Cadance nodded again, determination in her face now as well.
“Understood! Shall I inform Shining?”

Celestia thought for a moment, before she finally shook her head.
“No... The fewer ponies know of this, the better. Right now the Prince of Willpower is having a little... 'internal dispute'. I don't think we should trouble the minds of our subjects with any doubts about their protector...”

Once everyone laid down to rest, Tyler looked over to Luna, who was charging her horn.
“Be careful. I don't want them to hurt you.”

Luna answered this with a warm and gentle smile.
“I know... Don't worry...“ Darkness engulfed Tyler as Luna lowered her horn to his forehead and his suddenly tired eyes closed themselves. After an uncertain time, four lights floated through the darkness and once they came together. The world around them changed. There was gravity and they could trot on the ground.

However, the landscape was not very inviting at all. Thick and stormy black clouds filled the sky and the one or another lightning struck the ground once in a while. That's when they noticed that they were on a stone path to a very old cathedral of pure black stone. Once they stepped through the cathedral gates, Applejack corrected her Stetson.
“Well, Ah'll be honest with y'all... Ah don't like this place. The last time we were in Tyler's mind, there were some mean good-for-nothin's after us. Is his mind always in such a mess? ”

Taking a good look around, Luna arched a brow. She had been in many minds on many nights, yet this was unprecedented. A mixture of excitement and worry grew in her.
“Keep in mind, fair Applejack: Back then, Tyler's mind was shattered and divided. This time his mind is alright, but invaded by two other entities or minds. Tis this we need to find out for now.”

Twilight grimaced. She as well remembered, when she, Applejack and Luna rescued Tyler out of his own entrapment in a crystal sarcophagus. Yet this wasn't even remotely like the last time.
“This dark place doesn't seem very inviting, if you ask me...” As if on command, the torches right beside them were ignited, prompting Twilight to back away a step. But the surprise didn't take long and her face grew stern again. “Sage! Come out and show yourself!”

As a prompt reply to her demand, a primal roar sounded off in the cathedral. A roar they've heard before and made them shiver ever so slightly at the memory of their time in Nagohod, when Tyler went totally berserk.
“Ah think ya should have said please...”

The floor of the cathedral cracked open, and a dirty being, its clothes torn and ripped by the muscular body, emerged from the dirt beneath. Looking at the entity in front of them aghast, the four mares exchanged uncertain glances.
“Is that him?” Luna asked.

Twilight could only shake her head. This was not the man who stepped outside the mirror.
“No. No that's not him nor is it Tyler.”

Applejack grimaced nervously at the sight of the newcomer.
“Ah remember who that is... And like in Nagohod Ah don't like the brutish expression on that feller's face.”

But in the next moment, the three alicorns approached in formation, their horns charging, their faces grim.
“We're not here to be bumped around. Now we bump back!” Without hesitation, the princesses took flight and circled around the berserker, firing magic directly at him once they had clear aim. Each hit resulted in a fierce little detonation, tossing around their opponent.

Victory seemed already near as the three princesses were bombarding the berserker, quickly overwhelming the brutish melee fighter, pushing him into the ground, pinning him down more and more. It almost felt too easy. But all of a sudden, Rage reared up and unleashed a pressure wave of sheer magical might, expanding to all sides like a dome. Furthermore, this was underlined with a thundering primal roar and these combined forces swept the three princesses away with gushing winds and forced them to keep their distance and get themselves in the air again.

Levitating Applejack out of harms way just before Rage jumped and crashed into the place the orange mare was standing on, Twilight took a sharp turn and gained altitude , flew up into the endless sky over the roof-less cathedral When she looked down at Rage, a droplet of sweat ran down her forehead at his muscular sight. He was might incarnate, uncontrolled and unhindered.
“What a terrible force of nature...”

Coming to her side, Luna positioned herself at Twilight's left wing in formation.
“Yes. For this beast and in this mind, it doesn't matter if the magical charge is actually there or not. An imagined charge is as hurtful as a real one. We must be careful! In this dreamscape there are no limits. In Tyler's mind, everything is as powerful as he wants it to be. And the two entities here seem to take that to their advantage. That dome was created out of our own magic attacks!”

With a stern expression on her face, Celestia came to Twilight's right wing in formation and looked down.
“If this individual is part of this mind or living here, then the chances are high that he knows every spell Tyler knows. Maybe even every spell Sage knows. You've felt it, too, didn't you? That pressure wave, he took our attacks and absorbed them, took them to fend us off.”

Looking up to her three alicorn herd mates, AJ took good hold of her Stetson while shaking her head.
“No wonder Tyler's so afraid of that Sage feller! Ah sure as hay know Ah wouldn't want such a beast inside me to hurt anypony Ah love. Speaking of which... Where is Sage?”

As on cue, Sage's voice boomed through the cathedral.
“I am here. And you, Rage, have had enough fun. Time for you to go back to sleep.”

A lightning struck the center of the cathedral were Rage was standing and the berserker was wrapped inside heavy chains tying his legs together and his arms tied to the back, the raging beast was unable to move and a chain link was going right between his teeth in order to prevent biting or roaring. Hanging in midair, the beast was caged away and seemed asleep. Carefully landing, the four herd mates eyed Rage with suspicion.
“Is he...?”

Luna's eyes narrowed.
“Sound asleep. To send a satellite mind remotely to sleep... He's dangerous.”

Celestia now came to Twilight's side, a warm motherly glance before she looked into the distance with some worry.
“It is time for you to state our demand once more, Twilight.”

Nodding with a feeling of gratitude for another hint of guidance, Twilight's voice boomed through the cathedral with the Royal Canterlot Voice.
“Sage! We know you are terrorizing Tyler and threatening him by crossing over to the real world, wreaking havoc in his body! Show yourself, so justice can be served!” Looking up to Celestia, Twilight dared a little grin. “Was that OK?” Celestia smiled, as a corner of the cathedral was suddenly lit with the golden light of torches, revealing a machine they could only identify as a jukebox. All around the dark cathedral was illuminated as certain little trenches and engravings on the stone floor were set aflame and music started playing.

While the music continued playing, the flames on the ground around them formed the cutie mark of a sun with the group of mares in its center. Celestia closed her eyes and harrumphed. It would be flattering if not for the serious problem right now.
“I think he either mistakes me for Cadance... or he is up to something. If this doesn't get any better, I hope we don't have to establish a containment spell on Tyler. I would hate to do this to him.”

All of a sudden, the music stopped and a large pair of doors opened in front of them, where a single person approached them. Twilight recognized him at once. It was Sage. The entity that threatened the man she loved to a state of fear. Slowly like a nightmare, he approached the four mares like he had nothing to fear or to hide, his voice eerily calm.
“Containment... The action of keeping something harmful under control or within its limits. It is something that is always been quite effective in stopping me from spreading my wisdom to the boy who so desperately needs it. It has been my greatest adversary for quite some time. Until now...” Now facing both Celestia and Luna while standing in front of them only a few yards away, Sage then finally looked up, his eyes cat eyed slits glowing in a blue tone. A noise slowly build up and continued ever so low. It was a low rumble, like laying the hooves onto the ears and listening to the bloodstream. This and the certain temperature drop they felt made the mares uneasy.

Luna gritted her teeth and charged her horn.
“Celestia...”

The white alicorn, however, shook her head and raised her wing in front of her sister.
“Not yet, Luna... Stay calm.”

Sage on the other hand held up his palms and took a step back.
“Welcome to my domain, my ladies. Why all the hostility? Did the little wussy cry a bit about me?”

The insult was enough to take a leap and within a second, Luna had crossed the distance between Sage and her. With a thundering boom her powers collided against an invisible barrier Sage seemingly had risen.
“Is this how you show your affection to me or don't you like me? You're quite powerful, but we both know you would never go full force at the minimal risk of hurting the boy; we also both know that this is not reality here. And since this is a shared mind, let me teach you some manners for rudely whirling up all that dust!” A pressure wave pushed Luna up into the sky and pushed her back to her sister.

Skillfully landing on her hooves, Luna glared at Sage, her horn charging anew.
“I am not impressed! All I see in this knave is a shadow of darkness! Thou have no right to exist in Tyler's mind!”

The claim caused Sage to listen up.
“Excuse me?” He laughed out loud and shook his head. “If Rage and I haven't laid dormant once again after flushing out the overcharged magic out of the boy, he would be DEAD by now. He owes his life to us! I have EVERY right to exist here!”

Looking up to Celestia, Twilight gave her a confirming nod.
“So that's why you couldn't teleport Tyler that one time! They were in the middle of saving him.” Twilight shot Sage another glare. “But only to save themselves no doubt!”

Raising a hand up to wave up to the chained up Rage, Sage smirked while observing Twilight.
“Oh yes... I totally forgot. WE two are the bad guys here. The mindless beast not even capable of spelling the word 'bad' and the super intelligent emotion dumpster.”

Celestia looked over to Luna, her voice lowered.
“Emotion dumpster?”

As he walked around, a carpet, several pillows and a table with tea and biscuits appeared in front of them. AJ sat down, but just as she wanted to take a biscuit, Twilight levitated it our of her hoof while still glaring at Sage. Arching a brow, Applejack quickly understood that Twilight wasn't trusting him one bit. Meanwhile Sage continued his little monologue.
“And since you don't understand the way Tyler works, I don't expect you to understand anything I say. You think you know, but it's way more complicated than charging, discharging and recharging a battery with magic. Tsk! I'm the smartest guy in this mind, but do I have a say in what this idiot is doing? No! Not even after saving his own mind this self-righteous ingrate utters one word of gratitude to me! Twice! I take all his burdens and what do I get? A prohibition never to surface again.”

This caused Celestia to arch a brow. 'Twice?' Luna, however, shook her head.
“Tis just like me a thousand years ago, Celestia. A part of the consciousness is most unsatisfied and rebels. I suggest we'll use the Elements of Harmony on this dark side of Tyler.”

The statement from the Princess of the Night caused Sage to turn around.
“Using the elements on me and Rage? I'd like to advise against this. You have no idea what the elements could do to us three, now that all three of us share the same body...”

Gritting her teeth, Twilight lowered her horn in a threatening gesture.
“It would drive you out, buster!”

Leaning in to Twilight, both Sage and her bumped each others foreheads together nigh conflict.
“Are you so sure of that? What if instead they meld us together? And just like that...” he snapped his fingers. “...the Tyler you know is gone! Are you sure you want to be responsible for that? I don't want that to happen. And even if this would destroy the both of us... Could you really destroy a part of the man you love?” A sly grin formed on his lips as he was eye to eye with the lavender alicorn. “I don't think so.”

By now Twilight was on the verge of snapping. It was like Tyler was being held hostage in his own body and Sage had all of Tyler's memories, knew of Tyler's value for them and used this knowledge to his own advantage. Gritting her teeth, Twilight had to hold herself back and not jump at this dark version of Tyler.
“You could only say that to save your sorry skin!”

Glaring down at Twilight, Sage only shook his head. But much to Twilight's surprise, his tone was not disgusted or arrogant, but disappointed.
“How little you understand, Twilight Sparkle. Tyler is unique.” A thunder struck in the distance. “And because he is unique, Earth will never tolerate his existence!” This last sentence made Celestia listen up closely and a glance to Luna later, both siblings nodded in agreement. They were on to something. Sage then continued. “And what about the fact that Rage and I first surfaced in Tyler's mind AFTER the Elements of Harmony were first used on him in Manhattan? Maybe we were inside of him before, that I can't tell, but you unlocked the door keeping us in.

“Or maybe you came to be just after Tyler was forced into the Heart of Darkness!”

Another sly grin formed on his lips.
“Do you want to trifle with maybes, Twilight Sparkle? When it comes to Tyler?”

Raising her voice, Twilight stomped her hoof down.
“Well then, can you be so certain?”

In this moment, Celestia stepped in and laid a wing on Twilight's back. A gesture that was sufficient to calm the young alicorn down. Her former mentor was there to aid her and with a calm voice she adressed Sage.
“What do you want?”

Seemingly this caught him by surprise.
“What I want? Oh, Celestia, you should be aware of that... I am a part of Tilerions, I feel the same things Tyler does, love and hate the same things he does. As does Rage I presume... I'm not sure though, he doesn't make much use of his vocal cords other than roaring and grunting. Most of the time he just wants to bang one of you or kill some enemy. Especially you...”

His eyes were glued on Celestia, whose wings were standing up now in surprise.
“M-Me?”

Giving a chuckle, he nodded in reply.
“Oh, certainly... Equestria's mare standing for fertility and femininity, who wants to be dominated by a strong male. Every time Tyler looks at your flanks in lust, Rage is howling like a wolf in heat. He is very simple if it comes to needs. Sleep, food, killing and intercourse are the only four needs he has to satisfy. But nothing would satisfy him more than to plant his seed into you, Celestia. As for me... I awoke in the Ranger HQ at the news that you were taken and began to gain control rapidly.” Sage now glanced over to Twilight and Applejack. “But certain mares reeled Tyler back in before I could gain total control. Pity... I had so many plans to bring exquisite misery to these traitors and to advance Tyler's knowledge. But no matter... In the end, he had no choice but to give it back to me as Rage ran amok. No hard feelings for the both of you. How could I anyway?”

Shooting him angry glances, the mares now shook their heads while Twilight pointed her right hoof at him.
“It was you all along who tried to make Tyler unkind! Not just the Darkness Sisters!”

Sage bowed down to Twilight. Looking into her eyes, his very own eyes began to glow until a blue mist emerged in the corners of his eyes. A sight similar to King Sombra... A sight Twilight wasn't eager to see again.
“Great men are forged in fire...” A sadistic grin came over his lips as he bowed even deeper before Twilight. Even in his pupils a blue flame seemed to burn ever so brightly. “It is the privilege of lesser men to light the flame.” Standing tall again, Sage looked down at her, no remorse in his face. “I'll cripple anyone who wants to harm the ones we love to a state where he or she can never again harm what we love! It was a pleasure to stomp them out like the plotting and scheming snakes they are. And we carried hell to their doorstep; we have made them pay! They have reaped the Rage they’ve sown on our judgment day! It was a fight without any mercy, fashioned in cold blood! Blows of fear and kicks of doubt. No forgiveness! No way out!!! Only bloody justice! I hope they went to hell!”

Twilight shook her head slowly. These flames in his eyes... Sage was nothing more than the embodiment of all the hatred Tyler could muster. Sage was manipulating Tyler for the worst, a being of darkness and worst of all: He was enjoying being that way...
“You are a monster...”

Now his eyes shined brightly, seemed almost eager to burst out in flames.
“No... I am a cultivated side of Tyler. Refined and filtered wisdom tainted in darkness, lurking in the shades of his soul, always there, always sleeping until you all woke me and Rage up with all that influence. The real monster is the one without any control, that raging beast only motivated by intercourse and bloodshed that I reel in from time to time. I admit that some things I do could be considered harmful, even outright evil. I have no illusions about it, but it must be done.”

'Must be done? Is this his nature or is something compelling him to do so?'Arching a brow, Celestia leaned over to Luna and lowered her voice to a grade where only Luna could hear her.
“At least this 'Sage' seems capable enough to argue.”

Luna silently arched a brow, still analyzing Sage.
“The illustrious talk aside, dearest sister of mine... I believe that this rascal knows full well of the consequences of his doing. And his place within Tyler...”

Celestia nodded in silence and glanced over to Sage, who eyed the two of them, probably guessing what they had to discuss.
“I think so, too. He knows more than he is telling us, we might rely on him in some ways. Let's not be hasty.” Addressing him again, she raised her chin in pride.“Sage! You helped Tyler reel the berserker Rage in during the fight in Nagohod, saving Luna in the process. Thus I deem you a very calculating one. I believe you when you say that you have no intention to harm us since you feel the same as Tyler does. I don't fully understand you yet, but time will allow us to learn more about you. But I wish you to promise me that you won't scheme anything against the enemies of Equestria and leave that to Tyler.”

Shaking his head, Sage crossed his arms.
“I'm sorry, but I won't make promises I'm not able to keep. Besides... The Prince of Willpower should be able enough on his own to reel me in. If he's not strong enough, maybe someone else should have the title, don't you think? If not under proper control, Rage and I will rain destruction on your enemies. Every minute you stop Tyler from growing, more innocent ponies will come to harm.”

As they exchanged some glances, Celestia simply closed her eyes.
“Luna? What would you think about a being that takes Tyler, the father of two children and soon to be father of your child, away from us?”

Luna gave her sister a glance before she gave Sage an icy cold glare.
“I would despise such a being forevermore...”

While Sage's expression grew in worry, the mares began to smile more and more. Now they got him right were they wanted him.
“Now, ladies... Listen...” Turning to Applejack and , Sage opened his arms as he tried to reason.
“Don't be like that, please.”

But the earth pony had already caught on and arched a brow in the way only she could as a smirk formed on her lips.
“Say... uh... Sage, right?”

“Yes?”

“Deem yerself mah pardner?”

“Uh-huh...”

“Wanna be mah sugarcube?”

“Gladly, I guess...”

“Want me to love ya like Tyler?”

“Certainly!”

The orange mare then stomped her hoof on the ground, a stern expression on her face.
“Then leave Tyler the hay alone!”

Standing up now, he gritted his teeth and growled in frustration.
“I would if I could! But I can't! I'm bound to this body! Rage and me are part of him as he is part of something bigger!”

“It appears you have a certain knowledge about what is happening to Tyler right now... If you want to persuade us that you are no threat and a part of Tyler we can learn to love, I suggest you start cooperating with us and him in order to earn this love.”

Growling in anger, Sage clenched his fists.
“It seems you have your hooves at my throat... Very well then! For the sake of the herd I shall leave him untouched... No matter what happens... He shall make his... slow progress on his own. A pity, he could advance so much faster. And he might need this strength in the future.”

Celestia now grew more stern in her expression.
“We demand answers, Sage! You seem to know what is going on right now. If so, I want you to share these answers with us!”

Giving a sigh, Sage simply shrug.
“If only I could give them to you that easily. This is another burden of mine.”

Arching a brow, Luna cocked her head.
“A burden? Pray tell, what are thou speaking of? Does this mean thou can't answer although thou knowest it?”

Leaning slightly towards Luna, Sage cocked his head with another grin.
“Because I be, what I be. I would tell thee what thou want to know if I could, lass, but I be a sage. And no sage anywhere, ever gave anyone a straight answer.” This earned him a low grumble from Luna. He was mocking her. Chuckling a bit, Sage then harrumphed before stopping the Shakespearean talk. “You want to know what is happening to Tyler right now? I for one would call it growing pains. His body is in its prime, but his mind has so much more growth ahead of it. As he learns through me, little by little, his understanding of magic will grow. Its mechanics, its fabric... there is so much more he has to learn. Fortunately his body is stagnant now.”

Twilight arched a brow.
“Stagnant?”

First looking at Twilight, Sage then looked at Celestia and Luna.
“You haven't told them?” A grin grew on his lips as he arched a brow. “Really?”

The faces of both regal sisters became dark while Twilight turned her head towards them.
“Told us what?”

With a grim expression towards Sage, Celestia shook her head briefly.
“Let's discuss this once we're outside, Twilight.” Twilight knew that look. It happened very rarely when something wasn't going according to Celestia's plan and the following situation demanded damage control afterward. Yet somehow the lavender alicorn got the feeling it was only going about Tyler and herself. They were the topic of this conversation right now. 'Stagnant in what way? Are my studies as a princess not bearing enough fruit?'

A myriad of questions raced through Twilight's head until she finally shook it briefly to get a clear mind. She had to focus on the moment, where Sage was a present... Looking at him now conversing with them, could he really be deemed a threat? Stepping forth, she looked up to Sage.
“I have a question...”

Looking at her, Sage's voice remained calm.
“Yes, Twilight?”

This calm and polite tone was even more frightening than Rage with his loud and roaring behavior. Twilight had to make sure not to tremble visibly.
“If we sleep with Tyler, is there a chance that you two peek?”

The question got the two sisters by surprise, but Sage didn't even flinch upon that question. It was almost eerie that this man never showed the extent of emotions like Tyler did. “In a way we two can experience everything Tyler is perceiving, including sex with one of you. But we do not sit by and play with ourselves in his mind, if that is what you think... I for one see very little entertainment in this. Tyler and Rage on the other hand find it delightful. But to answer your question whether or not we cease control: No, but in a way we aid Tyler in this action. This happens with a slight shift of control, nothing harmful. You experienced it already, Twilight. The sexual act in the penthouse, he took you way harder that time than before, right?”

With a deep blush Twilight remembered her adventure with Tyler in the penthouse in New York City and the night Nova was conceived.
“So this was...?”

“This was a mixture of Tyler and Rage. But Rage would never harm any of you girls. This skirmish a few minutes ago? Child's-play, not even the tip of the iceberg. A lion playing with its pup. Of all living beings in Equestria, you four are the ones who are most secure from him. Rage can use all the magic Tyler knows and utilizes this on pure instinct base. I can't say if he would bash in a mare's face or simply taking her by force, if he would stumble across one, but there's no need to let him get into such a situation.”

Twilight thought a bit longer, remembering the evening. Rage wasn't only out for death and destruction, but if she and her female herd mates were only safe from him by serving as living sex toys, this wasn't any better. However, there was another detail from that night she remembered. The first time she experienced something like this.
“There was a certain force wave or energy wave once Tyler and I... in the penthouse...”

Giving a nod, Sage folded his arms.
“I noticed, but I don't know what caused it. I have some theories though. Maybe, if we have more time together, we might discuss these.”

Celestia had monitored Sage the entire time of the conversation. This wasn't the talk of someone to betray them. The more they talked with Sage, the more Celestia had gotten the impression that Sage knew full well what was wrong with Tyler. And more importantly, what was wrong with himself. He wasn't allowed to say it out loud by his own rules or from someone else, for if he could, of that she was certain, he would do so. All this trouble to drive Tyler insane, all the threats, the dark clothing, the dark way to talk... Was that really Sage or just a charade, a mask over the real Sage? If one could think that way to the end, all of this here, was nothing but a call for help.
“One more thing, Sage.”

“You're beginning to try my patience with all these questions... Make it quick!

Celestia gulped a big lump down. She had to take this risk. If she was right in even half of her assumptions, Sage wasn't only the trouble, he was in trouble.
“Pitiful creature of hatred... What kind of live have you known? The stars gave me courage to show you you are not alone!” All eyes grew wide as Celestia took a final step towards Sage and pressed her lips on his.

In the distance, drums of war sounded off and a light like a rising sun began to light this dark fortress. Twilight's head darted to Luna.
“What is happening?”

Looking towards the light, Luna grimaced a bit.
“Tyler is waking up. We should get out.”

Taking a step backwards when their lips parted, Sage shook his head, tears beginning to well in his eyes as he stared at Celestia with a mixture of shock and fear in them. Celestia was expecting a snarky remark, maybe even a slap to her face. But fear? No, this was worse than she expected it to be.
“Get out! Forget me! Forget all of this! Leave me alone! Forget what we said!” Teleporting away, he reappeared on a balcony several meters above them, his right hand cramped at his heart. “Get out before he awakes! Swear to me it's your fate never to tell the secrets you now know of the Angel of Hate!” Again he teleported and the drums in the distance grew louder. Standing on the highest tower of the fortress, he reappeared once more. His billowing coat grew massively until it represented two dark and gargantuan wings as he reared up.

“GO NOW!!! GO NOW AND LEAVE ME!!!”

The light turned blindingly bright and a few moments later, the mares woke up one by one in the real world. Slowly rubbing the sleep out of their eyes, they got up, when Twilight took a look around.
“What was that all about?”

Cadance looked up from the couch and cocked her head.
“Back so soon? Did everything went accordingly? Or is there a problem?” The four princesses came together and charged their horns, and with a touch of the tips conversed in their minds. After a few seconds, the connection ended. “I... I see.”

Twilight grumbled a bit.
“Well, if you could fit me in, I would be thankful. The flashes happened so fast, I'm still processing it.”

Resting a wing on Twilight, Cadance gave her a mild smile and shook her head.
“It will come in time, Twilight. Each time will be faster, trust me. Don't rush the spell. As for our little problem: Sage was born out of hatred and magic. Aunt Celestia gave him a kiss. If I'm correct, for the first time in his existence, Sage has known unconditional love. And not just for Tyler. Unconditional love only for him.”

Twilight looked down. This explained the tears. Looking up to Celestia, she had still more questions to ask.
“So... Was that the reason why he seemed unable to handle you? Did you destroy him with that emotion?”

Celestia simply shook her head.
“Not even close. But I think I gave him something to think about for a very, very long time. I feel bad for him. Tyler seemingly deemed him useful in his fight inside Nagohod, but caged him away afterwards.”

Stroking Tyler's hair, AJ shook her head.
“Ah wonder if Sage is even capable of doing the right thing.”

“That is no big question, if thou are asking me, fair Applejack.” Luna stated with a smile. “Look at me! I'm the Princess of the Night. But the war-maiden appearance of Nightmare Moon deep inside of me? This helped me to aid thou in Nagohod. Not to speak of the occasional Nightmare Night appearance on Nightmare Night. Everybody can do the right thing if willing to do so.”

Looking over to the still sleeping Tyler, who slowly recovered from Luna's sleeping spell, Celestia shook her head.
“I believe Sage is not so bad as he wants us to believe. Not evil, but marked by it. I pity him. If your entire life is denial of freedom, you start to revolt sooner or later. And the things he said about being an emotion dumpster... I think there is a whole lot more to Sage than we first thought. And I think once he will resurface again, and he will, we will have another chance to learn about him.”

Now the mares approached Tyler and exchanged some glances.
“So... What are we about to do with our little troublemaker?” Applejack asked.

The alicorns grinned at each other before Twilight looked down to him.
“Well... Lying to us and excluding us from a major problem threatening to break him and the peace of our herd? I say we punish him. Now... What would be the best way to get even with him on the eve of our honeymoon...”

* * * * *

When Tyler woke up, the ceiling was slightly different than what he was used to. It was no longer his own chamber, he recognized it as Luna's very own private chamber. Harrumphing a bit, she stepped next to him glancing down to him in strictness.
“Thou are awake. Good. Thou can now hear the sentence the others and I have agreed upon.”

Tyler sat up straight, still a bit tired. Seemingly the danger was cast aside and the girls now wanted to punish him for keeping his state a secret from them. A move he expected.
“Alright... Let's hear it.” he mumbled under his breath.

Luna looked down to the floor, seemingly not very fond of the punishment she had to announce.
“One hour solitary confinement.”

Tyler glanced at her, first in amazement, then in amusement.
“That's it? Luna, that is no punishment. I will sit that out in no time!” He chuckled while shaking his head.

His amusement withered though as Luna raised her head again, no sign of amusement on her face whatsoever.
“One hour in the waking world... while experiencing one year in thydream.”

Standing up very slowly, Tyler held his hands up in a soothing manner.
“Now Luna! You know I only did this because I was worried about you all!”

But before he knew it, the Princess of the Night had opened her eyes wide with a sudden flash of magic erupting from her, causing him to lose consciousness at once and collapse to the ground. Stepping next to him, her face showed remorse.
“I know, beloved. That's why I pleaded them to give thee only half the sentence. I will check on thee all five minutes from now on to ensure thou won't go mad in there...”

When Tyler opened his eyes yet again, he found himself in a completely white room, maybe just 10 feet wide, long and high. There were no windows, no doors, no furniture, no nothing. Yet the walls of this room illuminated the room itself, as if it would consist of panels of light. Sitting down, he leaned against the wall and looked around. There was no hunger, no thirst, no bodily need. He knew his body was safe and secure in Luna's chamber, safeguarded by her in person. And still, this hour in the waking world was stretched to an entire year inside this dream. The girls really put him into the one thing that was nearly torture to him. They kept him away as he kept them away. There was no way to contact them, no way to escape this time since there was no Mindling showing him an illusion. All he could do was sit down and endure it.

* * * * *

The corridor of the royal herd was utterly silent. No one would ever even think of that behind one of these doors a human was dreaming an entire year for the next hour. Slowly stirring her tea, Twilight listened ever so carefully. The silence was eerie, one could hear the spoon in the teacup, the browsing through the letters of a book, the soft steps over the carpets on the floor. Taking a sip of her tea, she looked into her own reflection inside of the aromatic drink.
“Didn't we go too far with this?”

Taking a sip from her own tea, Celestia looked up to Twilight and Applejack.
“No, I don't think so. Tyler's intentions were well minded, but misguided. If he would have been more honest with us, we might have solved this problem before Sage got so out of hoof. And who to 'punish' him better than the warden of dreams? I am quite pleased that Luna volunteered to 'adjust' Tyler in that way. Even if she pleaded for only one year instead of two. Hopefully he understands that we all still love him the way he is, but are disappointed in him for not trusting us. This 'punishment' of his? I wonder what he will take more to heart. Living through this year will give him plenty of time to think about what he did.”

Cadance smirked at the idea.
“A punishment only you could come up with, aunt Celestia... Imprisonment with no real imprisonment” Looking over to Twilight, the pink alicorn arched a brow. “But as alpha mare, wouldn't it be your duty to do this?"

“Well, Luna is the only expert in Equestria when it comes to dreams. She had some theories about what steps are neccessary to keep the dreamer dreaming by force.”

Looking down, Applejack gave this a nod.
“Ah guess we can only hope that Tyler learned his lesson. It sure isn't pleasing anypony here to punish him like that. Especially after this darn dream trap he was with that Changeling bug...” Looking over to Celestia, the Earth pony arched a brow. "Ah'm no expert in this dark magic hooey, but ah hope y'all aware that Tyler was pretty darn close to become a second coming of Nightmare Moon?”

Celestia now lowered her cup and nodded.
“Unfortunately all alicorns have the capability to give in to evil. This was the very reason for the Abarasion Spell mother used countless of years ago. Tyler is no alicorn, but he can beget them with us. These alicorns will certainly have strong willpower among their character traits, I'm sure of it. Now that we know about Tyler's little secret, we can help him, should Rage or Sage ever cause problems again.“ Cadance exchanged some glances with her aunt. It were glances with a mixture of excitement and worry. Once more Tyler had brought to them a new kind of problem, something they had to face in a whole new way. Once more Celestia felt alive again. And oh, it felt so good.

* * * * *

One hour later, after a brief shower and a cup of coffee, Tyler entered the room his herd was sitting in. Looking up, Celestia smiled at him.
“Ah! You're back again. How do you feel, Tyler?”

Rubbing his neck, Tyler searched a bit for words.
“Please don't take this the wrong way... But this silence in my head is soothing.” Several smiles grew on the faces of his herd mates , but Tyler wasn't in the mood for smiling. “Girls, I... I-”

But the mares simply smirked when Twilight slapped the back of his head with one of her wings.
“That's right, you better be sorry!” Standing in front of him, his four girls all looked into his face while Twilight was standing in front of them all. “Don’t you EVER keep such a dangerous secret from us EVER again, do you hear? We're here for you. We care for each other. We need you to trust us just like we trust in you.”

Tyler looked down, a feeling of guilt was building up in him.
“I... uh... I wanted to... But I was afraid to. I can protect you from almost anything, face everything with varying degrees of success and fear... But I can't protect you from myself. I- I could never forgive myself, if my hands were to spill your blood.”

The girls looked at each other. Each one of them couldn't help but smile warmly at this. Taking a few flaps, Twilight hovered in front of Tyler before she landed and stood on her hind legs. Looking up to him, her muzzle gently nudged his chin until he looked into her eyes.
“We know that, you big dummy. We know you love us more than your own life. That's why I was afraid in the penthouse. Not because of you, but for you. Even with that beast of berserker inside of you, you couldn't harm me. That's why I can't wait to hold Nova in my hooves.”

Tyler gulped and put an arm around her to hold her. Gently stroking her cheek with the other hand, he then leaned in and they exchanged a long and demanding kiss. Once their lips parted, he closed his eyes as his forehead rested on hers, gently touching her horn.
“I was a fool...”

Beneath him, Twilight giggled.
“That you were. But we still love you.”

Giving a short giggle, Cadance then headed for the door. “Twilight? If you are uncertain of the libido spell, I'll come back later to aid you with the dosage of it. I'll leave you lovebirds all to yourself now.” And with a last wink, she left the chamber.

Stepping outside to the balcony, Celestia came to Tyler's side, who was taking a deep breath as a strong breeze gushed through his hair. The warm light of the sun shined down from the sky.
“Still so distant, Tyler? Is there something else on your mind?”

He gave her a sober glance before he looked over to the others who were still conversing with each other. After a second, he turned to her again.
“You know what scares me the most?” She gently shook her head, but listened closer. Tyler spoke about his fears very rarely, so she deemed it a good idea to listen to when he would do so. “When I was Tilerions, when I could fight to no end and the Darkness Sisters began to fear me?” Looking to his right into Celestia's worried face, Tyler's own face showed a mixture of fear and concern. “I liked it.”

Author's Note

Proofread by Snyperwulff0

3 - New Connections ***

Earth, the icy deserts of Antarctica

The roaring rotors of a lone helicopter echoed over the plains approaching the demolished and burning buildings. Once landed, the rotors ceased and the pilot jumped out. Marcus Brady had returned with several supplies for the research facility in return for last month's core samples. Upon noticing the smoke miles away, he braced himself for some problem, but the closer he had gotten, the more he could see the extent of the destruction. Now, with the helicopter sitting right in the middle of this chaos, he caught a glimpse of this foreign hell the base had been through.

The black and charred corpse lied in the ground, the exoskeleton plates heavily burned and distorted. One part of it looked human, another one looked like it was mixed with an equine or some quadruped. Several flames were still burning in the eye sockets and the open mouth, where fangs extended from the normal human teeth. Nothing in nature could create such a twisted and distorted abomination, far beyond any regular shape. In shock, the pilot shook his head.
“What in God’s name...?”

The biting stench of smoke still lingered in the air. His eyes darted over the still burning buildings, looking around in haste, trying to spot at least one survivor. Something terrible had happened here. Another charred body was lying in the side of one of the buildings, this one large as a truck. Several cans of gasoline rested nearby, also heavily burned as if used as makeshift petrol bombs.
“Hello!!! HELLO!!! CAN ANYBODY HEAR ME?!?” Hidden in the darkness of one of the buildings, a shadow flashed by the windows. Inside several frozen corpses of humans bitten to death or torn to shreds by unknown attackers rested in place like frozen statues giving witness of the gruesome fate the base was struck by. Outside the pilot's calls for survivors were still audible as a perforated hoof stepped closer to one of the windows.

Shortly after a rifle barrel was pointed at the pilot through a broken window and the thundering sound of a shot filled the base, followed by two more. But the shots only hit the snow at his feet and caused the pilot to cower on the ground. A door was kicked open and a human with a hunting rifle approached the pilot. Noticing the coat and the clothes, Marcus Brady held up a hand to sooth the situation.
“It is me! Samantha, IT’S ME! MARCUS!!!”

Narrowing her eyes, she eyed Marcus with a glare, madness in her eyes. She knew of Marcus Brady, but the things she'd seen had taught her paranoia.
“Show me your blood!”

The demand stumped Marcus for a second and in his confusion, he slightly shook his head while slowly attempting to stand up..
“What?”

Tossing over a knife, Samantha Frey pointed her rifle at his head.
“SHUT THE FUCK UP AND SHOW ME THE COLOR OF YOUR BLOOD!!!” Holding up his arms to calm her, the pilot knelt down to take the knife and pricked his own finger. Red blood dropped into the snow. Seeing this, she nodded and let him stand up again, still holding him at bay at gunpoint.

Still shivering from cold and fear, Marcus shook his head.
“What happened here? Samantha, what on Earth happened here???”

In the next moment another door was pushed open and a white coated pony galloped down the alley and away from the base. Not losing a second, Samantha took aim and delivered two further shots before her magazine went empty. Gritting her teeth, she looked after the pony.
“That's not a pony…” Turning around to the Brady, she yelled once more. “MARCUS!!! START THAT HELICOPTER AT ONCE!!!” And as the helicopter flew high over the ground, the hunt for this last ’pony’ began.

* * * * *

Equis, Equestria, Canterlot, three weeks later

The pink magic force field encircled the very top of the tower the royal herd was residing in completely. For weeks now the princesses were absent and were only to be disturbed in case of an emergency. Since this was unprecedented ever since the founding of Equestria, no pony dared to protest. After a thousand years of peaceful rule under Celestia, the nation seemed eager to give the two diarchs a well-deserved break. There were of course nobles who plotted the one or another scheme, yet Prince Shining Armor, Princess Cadance, Captain Dusk Aegis as well as the Royal Guard and the Harmony Ranger Forces kept them in place. Today was the last day of the honey moon and Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor made their way up the stairs to fetch the lovebirds and get them back into reality. Yet a few feet away from the magical orb Cadance came to a halt and blocked the way for her husband.
“I'll take it from here. That spell right here is very potent.”

Shining couldn't but chuckle at this.
“If it's one of yours, the word 'potent' means a lot.”

Cadance giggled, but shook her head.
“Seriously, Shining. I don't want to alarm the guards to get my very own, suddenly sex-crazed husband off my back with a crowbar.”

Shining's chuckle grew dirty now.
“Not that you objected to that during our honey moon. Don't take too long in getting them ready, OK?”

* * * * *

Celestia's throat felt sore, her breath deep and heavy, the smell of semen omnipresent in her mind. The heat in her cheeks didn't end. Being openly 'face-fucked' as Tyler called it in front of the herd was a mixture of shame and paradise. How often did she dream of her own army of stallions pleasing her in these lonely nights in her years of heat. All these dreams were null and void after her husband took such good care of her deepest and darkest desires. To be his plaything, never to be mistreated. He didn't pamper her during sex, she was just a mare, his mare and nothing more. This sexual degradation from a princess everyone bowed to to a mare simply there to please a male and receive the delight of climax... this was Celestia's private little paradise. At one point Luna used an illusion spell bringing an image of surprised and aghast nobles in the throne room.

It didn't take long after that for Celestia to moan like crazy, her flanks shivering and quaking, her eyes wide open and looking up to her husband. She climaxed so hard she almost wet herself. Noticing this, Tyler didn't withhold long and climaxed as well. Gulp after gulp, she drank all of the magically enhanced volume. It came in with such force this time and so rich and thick, she could sense it coming from pulses jetting up the underside of his shaft. Her tongue felt it before it filled her mouth. The ecstasy almost made her lose consciousness. After ten gulps, he was still going and escaped her mouth, splattered her face with his load. But greedy and sex-crazed as she was in this moment, her hooves pulled Tyler in by the hips again. Her one demand was to sate her thirst until he emptied out.

That was an hour ago and now the Princess of the Sun was resting on her side, lying on a big pile of red velvet pillows. Still the semen on her face softened the shades of red in her face. On the other side of the room, Twilight sat and had a cup of tea, although her levitation let the cup shake a bit. There was no word exchanged between the two alicorns, just wordless situation. If glances could speak, Celestia would probably tell how happy and satisfied she was right now. As for Twilight, her glance was that of a mare who was still processing that her one biggest idol had such a normal and sleazy side. A thought that made Twilight speechless, yet on the other hoof also made Celestia that much more likable. Each mare in their herd had her own approach to Tyler. This diversity was healthy for all of them.

As for herself, Tyler had spent a lot of time with the now pregnant young princess, helping out a bit more than usual. More than once Twilight had to remind him that she didn't need that much help.
“I'm pregnant, not helpless!” she sometimes scolded him, causing AJ to chuckle a bit each time. Now that Appleseed was in the care of Granny Smith on the farm for these three weeks, the country mare found great pleasure in seeing that Tyler behaved around Twilight as he behaved around herself while she was pregnant. Yes, his daughters meant the world to him. In the evenings, he often spent hours in giving Twilight relaxing and soft belly rubs, something that caused envious glances from the others, especially Luna.

Seeing that big belly, Luna could hardly hide her envy for the upcoming motherhood, yet refused to let it turn to a harmful kind of envy. This also meant more belly rubs for the rest of the mares, since not one of them wanted to be left behind. And after a long day within their love nest, Celestia and Luna performed a final couple of spells to do their duties as co-rulers before the herd snuggled together into one big pile of care and love. Right now, the herd seemed content with this life, yet both royal sisters knew that this probably would not stay like that forever. It never did.

And truly, on this morning, after a three week honeymoon, the door to the outside opened again and the Princess of Love stepped in, only to find her aunt on a small pile of red pillows, ravished by the things that happened earlier this morning. Stepping closer, Cadance looked down to her big aunt, only for a big wide grin to form on her face.
“You seem quite satiated, Auntie. I guess this new protein diet will do wonders for your physique.”

Stemming herself up, Celestia shook her head and her mane flowed a bit stronger than usual. Gathering her composure, she gave her niece a smiling nod.
“A little self-indulgence shouldn't be that bad once in a while, would it?”

A knowing, almost dirty chuckle escaped Cadance's throat.
“After hundreds of thousands of years? No, no it won't...” Levitating a handkerchief towards her aunt's eyesight, Cadance's grin didn't falter. “Take this, you have some left-overs on your face. Where is Aunt Luna?”

Once the door opened a very young filly version of Luna strolled into the room, her eyes closed, her labia smeared in love juices, a cheerful humming on her lips. She was so lost in her little world, that she didn't notice Cadance standing there until her muzzle bumped into Cadance's chest. Upon looking up, Luna's eyes widened before a sheepish grin formed on her lips.
“C-Cadance! My....” Harrumphing a bit, she tried her best to maintain her composure. “Child! How wonderful of thee to visit us again.”

A knowing smirk formed on the pink alicorn's face.
“You do know that pedofillya is against the law?”

“Pedofillya? Nonsense, child! I am old enough for this.”

Biting her bottom lip with a smirk, Cadance eyed her aunt a bit, imagined the scene that had taken place.
“Well, this body of yours sure isn't. Where is Tyler? What does he think about this?”

“Oh he is still taking a shower. He objected to that fantasy first, yet I hath taken care of that. Mentioning to him that I don't feel pain like that and actually enjoy the 'virtually' bigger girth, he accustomed quickly. I think he never came so fast and hard.” Now noticing the grin on Cadance's face, Luna blushed and arched a brow. “What? What is it?”

“You really love being a Lolita for him, do you?”

But before Luna could think of an answer, the bathroom door opened once again and Tyler stepped out. Humming a tune, it didn't take long until he noticed the visitor.
“Ah, yeah... Man, I feel great! Oh? Hi, Cadance! Is it time already?”

Cadance replied with a nod.
“Yes, I came to tell you that your love nest is to make way for reality.”

“Fine with me... I feel like I could take on the world! Hnnng!” He stretched his back and arms while letting out a big hefty yawn. That was when it happened. The towel slipped and fell down, revealing his hard rod, standing attention high up into the air. Cadance arched both brows at the sight of it, seeing a human man naked for the very first time. Being used to Shining, however, she wasn't very impressed by the size, yet wondered how much stamina this member could muster, if capable of satisfying four mares. The coloration seemed fitting regarding his skin color and the one or another vein stood out. But surprise nonetheless took place once Tyler grabbed her head by the cheeks and placed a deep and passionate kiss onto her nose. “Thanks, Cadance! These three weeks were balm for my soul, I really needed that after Nagohod.” Not bothering to pick the towel up again, he strolled towards the table to fetch himself something to eat.

Twilight came to her sister-in-law's side and bumped her flank into hers.
“Seen enough?”

Cadance looked down to Twilight with a blush on her face, yet smiled then.
“I guess it's just curiosity. I lack knowledge about human coupling or love rituals. I might have some tests I'd like you to perform on him, once you're alone again.”

Twilight grinned.
“Maybe... If these 'experiments' mean fun to us, I see no problem.”

* * * * *

Upon leaving the pink force field, Cadance shook herself. It wasn't easy withstanding all this with someone nude around. Her own spell almost got the better of her, but other than some naughty ideas her alicorn self-control made her withstand the urges. The dosage had been chosen just right. But if she would have stayed in there for some longer, the guards would have been need for a crowbar to separate her mouth from the nearest male crotch, in this case, Tyler's. A frightening thought. Approaching her own husband now, Cadance decided not to tell him that she barely averted disaster. She had remained faithful and that was the end of it. But should such a spell ever be cast again, she would be sure to enter it with more caution next time. Shining nodded up towards the shrinking force field.
“So, what about them? Is Tyler OK again?”

“Tyler?” She giggled a bit and rolled her eyes. “He already has the manners of a king...” Looking up to her husband, Cadance then smirked with mischief. “Shining? I want to experiment a bit...”

Closing his eyes, Shining then shook his head with a grin.
“Uh-oh... I sense some sleepless nights coming up. What's on your mind, honey?”

Levitating her husband upside down in front of her, Cadance slowly went down the stairs.
“I want to experience sex with a human and as a human... Would you mind testing out some transformations tonight?”

Shining frowned, not fully understanding.
“You mean you as a human woman and me as a stallion or you as a mare and me as a human man? What for?”

“Well, I can't just approach the humans here, they are all in herds. And once we're both humans, I might be more... you know... acceptable for your load.”

Shining's eyes widened, followed by a grin.
“So that's the entire reason...”

“I'm not eager to wait another 500 years for that to come back. And I know just the stallion who would love to give me what I need...”

* * * * *

Equestria, Canterlot, one week later.

After things had returned back to usual business, the humans, Princesses, Element Bearers and their herd mates had gathered together one evening. Drinks were had, jokes and stories were exchanged. Now, after all had settled down, they finally seemed to be distant enough from the recent adventure to Earth and all the things they had seen. Celestia and Luna listened with great interest about the things the others had seen in the other world. Luna took great pleasure in the image of human cities being lit up like a sea of stars on the ground while Celestia had found a liking about the family reunion Flynn could tell about. After a while, Sam pulled Pinky and Lyra in and looked over to Tyler.
“So, what now, Tyler? You and the princesses are going to take on the next step?

The question prompted Tyler to chuckle.
“Sure, I could go for the next coronation with the girls, could be a king!” Pulling Celestia in, he expressed a wide grin. “But if you ask me: I'm already king.” Streaking through Celestia's mane, he then looked into her eyes before exchanging a kiss with her. “Hail to the king, baby!”

Taking a sip from her ice tea, Luna then harrumphed gently, causing Tyler to look over to her after the kiss. Cocking her head ever so slightly, she presented her cheek, no doubt expecting some fond kisses as well. Giving a chuckle, Tyler then instead gave her a kiss on the neck slightly below, prompting her to yelp in surprise.
“Oh, thou knave! Thou know very well how ticklish I am there!”

Taking off his crown, Tyler then put it onto the table, the blue gemstone shining ever so slightly. Sam pointed right at it.
“What's with this crown of yours anyway? One unicorn Ranger claimed he wanted to lift it, yet was unable to levitate it. He then tried to do it by hoof with the same fruitless result.

Celestia gave a warm smile over to Luna.
“This is due to Luna's enchantment on the crown.”

Giving a proud nod, Luna raised a hoof to recite her enchantment.
“Whosoever has the love of princesses ruling this land, may wear this crown and rule alongside with them.” Looking down to the crown, her proud smile didn't faint. “No other but Tyler and us is able to lift this crown.

But that caused Rachel to snicker.
“Yeah, whosoever, be he worthy... Whatever, Luna! It's a trick!”

Luna shook her head with a giggle.
“Nay, tis much more than that, fair Rachel...”

Flynn stood up and looked down to the crown of dragon skin, what gained him the smirking attention of the others. Looking at the quintet of the royal herd, he pointed at the crown.
“If I lift it, do I get to rule Equestria?”

Leaning back, Tyler took his arms around Celestia and Luna, a big smirk on his lips, while Twilight and Applejack leaned their heads over his shoulders.
“Yeah, sure...”

Giving it a nod, Flynn then looked around as he approached it.
“Dash, the girls and I will be fair, but firmly awesome.” Giving it some muscle power, Flynn's hands clenched around the crown, but no matter how much he pulled, the crown didn't budge nor was it lifted an inch. Raising a finger on remark, he gave it a smirk. “I'll be right back...”

In the next moment his entire herd was trying to lift the crown, three mares and a human trying to raise the crown with sheer power. But no matter how hard the pegasi flapped their wings, the crown didn't budge. Looking over to her batpony herd mate, Spitfire gritted her teeth.
“Elise, do you even pull?”

“Of course I am! Just represent and pull!”

After five minutes, Flynn's herd has given up. However, not fearing the challenge, Fluttershy cheered for her companion.
“Come on, Grinko! I know you can do it!”Tyler smiled, but as the crown budged for the quarter of an inch, that smile vanished for a second. The smile returned, however, as the crown wasn't lifted despite the best efforts the muscular Masar prince could muster.

Finally, Sam looked over to Rachel.
“Ladies first?”

Rachel, however, shook her head.
“Nah, I won't apply for that measurement...”

Flynn took another sip of his drink before he shook his head.
“The crown is enchanted alright. 'Whosoever is being the most stubborn guy in the land may wear this' is the actual enchantment?”

This prompted Tyler to laugh and shaking his head, he stood up.
“Yes, these theories are all pretty interesting... I have a better one:” With that he lifted his crown like nothing and placed it on his head before sitting back down and caressing Celestia's and Luna's ears, causing them to giggle playfully. “They don't love you in the way they love me.”

The statement prompted everybody in the room to roll their eyes with a smile, when all of a sudden, the screeching, high-pitched tone of glass caused everyone to shudder in pain. What followed was the sound of footsteps. In the window, Tyler moved in the middle of the room, despite sitting between his wives.
“Ah yes... Love... The sweetest prison of them all.” As the others one by one looked at the independent moving reflection, Sage shook his head and gestured them to remain sitting. “Oh, you people can sit tight, I have no business with you. I am here for a talk with him.” His eyes now glowed blue, showing the cat-eye pupils. “You are just a puppet, boy. Love is your cage. I may not be as loved as you, but this only means that when I'm in control, I'm free.” With that he smashed at the window. Although only a projection in the glass, Sage's blow to the window caused it to crack like a real fist would have harmed it. Once more, Sage showed that he already had limited reach into the real world. “Let me out! NOW!!!”

After digesting the first shock, Luna was the first to react.
“How can thou...? He was dormant all this time!”

Sam looked over to the princesses.
“Wait! You know him? Who is that?”

Charging her horn, Twilight braced herself for trouble as she pointed it at Sage.
“Someone Tyler got in the Heart of Darkness.”

Correcting her Stetson, Applejack shook her head.
“Sage, ya back for more? Ah reckoned ya would behave yerself a bit.”

But Tyler interrupted her and stood in front of his 'dark side's' image in the mirror with a new confidence. Now the others knew about Sage, there was no reason to hide him anymore. There was only one thing left to do and that was storming forwards to the enemy.
“I appreciate the gesture, AJ, Twilight, Luna, but he is a problem I myself have to face.”

Arching both brows, Sage gave Tyler a surprised, maybe even amused glance.
“You? Facing your darker side, boy?” In an instant, his voice lowered and grew in anger. “Don't talk such nonsense! You know I hate it when you talk shit! You don't know the first thing about battling me.”

“And what about you?” Tyler then asked, “Total freedom? You? The girls already told me that you care too much about them to act against me. It would take their absolute absence for us two... no, us three to let go completely, to totally unleash our powers to full extent. But we both know not one of us is willing to take that sacrifice.”

Gritting his teeth in anger, Sage then spat to the ground, if only in the reflection.
“Right now you are nothing but a cage for me, boy... A nuisance, a hindrance, the only obstacle between me and my freedom. If I would have a body of my own, I could do so much more. Yet I am caged inside of you, a cage I can not break physically and now I'm also under the supervision of four female guards I can't hurt either.”

Tyler sighed, they were going in circles here.
“True... We are bound together; we can't stand one another. And I get the impression you feel unappreciated. It's hard to appreciate someone who forces my hand to violence and threatens to continue so.”

“Unappreciated, I like that term. Since I enhance your powers into nearly unlimited amounts to equal you to alicorn princesses in combat with not a single thank you. Instead you keep me a secret! First from everyone, then from anyone but your loved ones.” His voice now began to boom. “You can't do this to me! I'm the one who reeled Rage in in Nagohod! NOT YOU!!!” He now pointed at the others. “I SAVED THEIR LIVES FROM YOUR INNER BERSERKER!!!” Two meters from Sage the glass panels started breaking as a shock wave emitted from him.

And while the others took their distance, Tyler tried to keep his cool.
“Sage, what do you want me to do? Say thank you to you for helping saving the nation? If you start making all that trouble, there must be something you want. So what is it you want?”

“Oh I like that one as well... What do I want? I want to have a say in what we three are doing. You, Rage and I... We no longer have that Limbo since you became a prince, so I can only have conversations with you in reflecting surfaces.”

Luna arched a brow, already getting an idea.
“That would be a nice way to get rid of thee if thou misbehave...

Sage looked over to Luna, a smirk on his lips.
“Don't turn this into a vendetta, Luna. You would lose that one If you limit me even further, I'll terrorize him whenever he looks into the eyes of one of you. So if you want to play rough, I can oblige...”

Cracking her knuckles, Rachel shook her head.
“I say we kick him out! There's always a way!”

Looking over to her, Sage's smirk became even wider.
“Rachel Higgins, the gunslinger among the Harmony Rangers. You know what's the benefit of being me? You cannot shoot me without shooting Tyler Jones. And how often did you try that already? You cannot shoot me, stab me, club, strangle, maim, cut, squish, crush or disintegrate me! It is not possible, for this is not my body.” Looking over to the Elements Bearers, he smirked. “And the Elements? They have the risk of merging us together, giving you a Tyler that's more like me. So what do you want to do?”

“Offering you tea?” The entire room whirled around in confusion, back to the table, where Celestia had taken her cup of tea again. “How about a cup of tea, Sage?” Looking over to him, Celestia smiled gently.

Sage, on the other hand, clenched his teeth in stress.
“You again...” As the silence between the two of them began to grow in length, Cadance tipped on Twilight's shoulder and both mares nodded at each other.

Cadance then closed her eyes with a smile.
“I think we all should leave Tyler, Sage and Aunt Celestia alone to settle some things...”

Rachel nodded and began to smirk as well.
“Oh, I see...”

One by one, the friends went to the exit and Flynn turned to Rachel once outside.
“What? What is it?”

Rachel grinned wide.
“Seems to me that this 'Sage' is scared shitless of Princess Celestia Maybe that's a good thing.”

Now alone, with Tyler and Sage in the reflection of the window, Celestia calmly took another sip of her tea.
“Tyler? Would you be a dear and give Sage some control over your body? I'd like to have word with him... in person.”

Looking to the window, Tyler grimaced a bit, uncertain.
“Do you think this is wise? If he does anything to you, it will be my hands doing it!”

“I have faith in both him and you. He won't hurt me and if he attempts to do so, you will help me.” Tyler looked down, visibly uncomfortable with the entire situation, but this prompted Celestia to smile again. “Come now, Tyler, a little bit more faith into yourself, when everypony else is having faith in you already.” Reluctantly, Tyler nodded and sat down, closed his eyes and took several slow and steady breaths. Once he was absolutely calm, Celestia leaned in. “Sage?”

When Tyler opened his eyes once again, they were glowing with cat eyed pupils.
“Speaking...”

* * * * *

Twilight was trotting down in circles, restless. An hour passed, followed by a nerve-wrecking second. Finally on the third hour, the door opened and Princess Celestia stepped in, much to Twilight's relief.
“Did you find out anything? Will he cooperate? Will he not?”

Raising a hoof, the white alicorn calmed down her younger herd mate and let out a sigh.
“Well, he was very vocal in releasing his frustration about Tyler and his current 'imprisonment', crushed a stone pillar and flower pots to let off some steam, but all in all, I think this conversation with Sage was very fruitful. More and more I come to the conclusion that this personality, this dark mastermind isn't actually a dark mastermind, but a good one.”

Cocking her head, Luna arched a brow.
“A good one? How so?”

“He is vile and has a short temper at the moment, yes. But this is the lasting effect of the Heart of Darkness Tyler was put into.”

Slowly realization crept into Twilight's mind.
“So... what? One of Tyler's 'Alter Egos' is suffering personality poisoning?

Celestia nodded in confirmation.
“It could be that simple, yes. Sage once said he was Tyler's 'emotion dumpster'. Back then this statement made very little sense. Now, in view of this new set of points, it makes sense perfectly, even if that sense is a blessing and a problem in one. The Heart of Darkness was used to make Tyler hard and unkind, yet our half sisters didn't knew of Sage and Rage lying dormant in Tyler. Well, no one knew.”

“The Heart of Darkness spell is a standard black magic spell of alicorn magnitude and normally it is meant for one individual alone.” Luna began to explain. “During my time as Nightmare Moon, I as well made use of it. Or rather... It formed me into Nightmare Moon. Such spells slowly alter your personality and are dangerous. My second transformation was a safer alteration of the original spell, I am not making the same mistake twice. I am not surprised that Asira and Lamira found this knowledge as well. Maybe they were taught it by a book they found or by their parents. However, twas to Tyler's fortune that he had Rage and Sage lying dormant within him at that time. Sage seemed to have accumulated all the hatred in Tyler's place in order for him to keep a clear head. If Celestia's thesis is correct, then at the time when Tyler was inside the Heart of Darkness. Rage and Sage took over. Rage took most of the physical alteration while Sage took all the psychological alteration. That is why Tyler was able to regain control.”

Twilight looked to the ground. Without a doubt, Sage had saved Tyler from a fate Luna once suffered. This was shedding a whole new light on the entire situation with him.
“Because if he would have been alone with only one mind at that time, he would ended just like Luna and would have become a second Nightmare Moon...”

“Tis correct, Twilight Sparkle. Just like me, Tyler would have been changed to a state only the Elements of Harmony could have helped. And then Tyler's coronation would have been postponed at least a thousand years.” A feeling of regret began to rise in Twilight. Sage's anger at Tyler and the others for protecting Tyler was just. He carried a load all by himself that was meant for another and received nothing but imprisonment in return. Becoming resentful in that situation was a very easy thing.

The lavender alicorn then looked up.
“But that means we could use the elements in order to heal Sage!”

Shaking her head, Celestia dismissed the thought.
“Not exactly... When the Elements of Harmony were first used on Tyler back on Earth, Rage and Sage were dormant more or less. Now they are active inside him. I have to agree with Sage: It could meld the three personalities together to a Tyler we don't know.

Cocking her head, Applejack then arched a brow.
“But... What can we do then? Ah recon without the Elements, there's little we can do to help the feller.”

The question made Celestia beam with glee.
“Oh, that's easy, Applejack... Alicorn Therapy!”

Looking at each other, both Applejack and Twilight then looked at Celestia, dumbfounded.
“What?”

“Cadance and I are Alicorns of Light, Luna is an Alicorn of Darkness. However, since Luna and I are Children of both Light and Darkness, we can both use both sides of this power, but have our preferred ways of handling things. You, Twilight, are an ascended alicorn, not born with an affiliation to one side. And as your name already underlines: You are in the middle. Your freedom as the Princess of Friendship and Magic is the freedom of choice. It's up to you to decide if you want to take your studies more in the Light or the Dark or simply learn as much as you can. I think Princess Shiria will study more under Luna's guidance once her advanced studies are over and Luna's ready for her. But I digressed... Tyler will receive therapy from Cadance and me. And maybe from you as well, if you want to learn how to help him as best as you can that is... More and more, we will help Sage to return back to normal by absorbing the dark influence out of him and Tyler, like sucking poison out of a wound.”

Twilight pondered about these new revelations.
“If that thesis of yours is correct, that is.” She then gave it a sigh. “But lets hope for the best. I'm willing to give this idea a shot, since we don't know the outcome of the Elements being used on the three of them. Playing it safe would be the best thing to do.”

Celestia then giggled.
“Speaking of things to do: I wish to ask something from you for the impending Summer Sun Celebration...”

* * * * *

Later, in the Harmony Ranger Headquarter, the humans Lyra, Shining Armor and Cadance were sitting together in a secured conference room as Tyler explained them the situation with Rage and Sage. Hearing this, Rachel leaned back
“So you're not just a nutjob, but a magical nutjob? How many of them are in your head?”

While Rachel's choice of words earned her several frowns at the table, Tyler closed his eyes and sighed.
“Two and these two are more than enough. They're not sure if this is a single case, only the first of its kind. It might happen to every human coming in contact with magic.”

Sam folded his hands and looked down.
“From what I understood from the things you explained, you suffer from something next to a mixture of the problems of Henry Jekyll and Bruce Banner.”

Rachel shook her head.
“You should have told us earlier! You are the Head Ranger, this entire facility looks up to you.”

Lyra nodded with a frown.
“Rachel has a good point there. It's never good for any group if the leader hides a weakness from the rest.”

Giving a sigh and a nod, Tyler looked down at his hands
“After the thing with Nagohod, I was a bit overwhelmed. I mean, becoming a prince, saving a princess, prompting two princesses to flee... And that. A bit too much all at once, especially if you barely made it out alive thanks to two inner phantoms. As for the Darkness Sisters, they are weakened, but not defeated. Princess Asira and Lamira will return. That is a given. We will have to prepare for that, for they will come back to have their revenge. I injured Asira's horn and the tip was brought to Canterlot to be taken care of.” This earned him a glare from Cadance. To this day the whereabouts of the remains of this tip were unexplained. Some at the table knew about it, but had sworn secrecy.

Tyler then looked up.
“Alright. Rangers? Listen up! After the Summer Sun Celebration, which will be tomorrow, we are in motion. I expect the Descendants or at least the Darkness Sisters to return in the future, so I got us some new funds and with our new Griffin and Masar allies, we are about to get a lot of supplies and resources as well. And we will need that. I expect humans to show up any moment now. By that time I want a fully trained security force that is able for serve and rescue operations, but also is combat hardened. While we secure these humans as Rangers, Princess Celestia and Luna are working on the double to create new laws that allow humans to live on a larger scale than just five of us. Hunting restrictions, a place to live in, introduction to this world and country as well as the founding of several organizations to aid newcomers in their strive to implement here.”

He waved his hand and a hologram of the map of Equis appeared on the table.
“And since we are becoming a growing part of not only Equestria, but also from the Crystal Empire, the Griffin Kingdom, the Zebrican Commonwealth and the Moranji Queendom. A lot of new recruits wish to enter our ranks. Luna and I have worked out a test in order to make sure the loyalty of newcomers gets evaluated properly. It will give us the means to sort out Descendant infiltrators in our midst.”

Rachel leaned in and arched a brow.
“What kind of test are we speaking of?”

“Isolated stress situation, held in a dream similar to the mind trap I was once in. Acclimatization to Equestrian society in a dream 'lasting' about three months before we get to the final test phase, yet in real time it will only take about an hour or so.” Tyler answered.

Lyra arched a brow.
“Isn't that a bit extreme?”

Tyler shook his head in reply.
“Not as extreme as 70 years, believe me. In order to secure this HQ, the research we are commencing here, the military applications we will build here and the tactical information we will concentrate in this very headquarter, we will have to take every step. How can we secure Equestria and its allies, if we can't even secure ourselves?” Pointing over to Shining Armor and Cadance, Tyler nodded with a smile. “Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadance are partaking this conference since the Crystal Pony Harmony Rangers are an essential part of this HQ. The crystal ponies have proven to be invaluable assets in processing huge chunks of data.” The royal couple of the Crystal Empire nodded with proud smiles as Tyler continued and lifted up a small brown box. “So... I asked each one of you to think of something and propose projects in order to advance our efforts.” Taking the first card out of the box, Tyler read it. “Cooperation with the...” Tyler arched a brow. “...Wonderbolt Academy...?”

Raising a hand, Flynn nodded.
“That's mine. It is no secret that not everyone is accepted into the Wonderbolts, be it a lack of minimum required skills or an attitude problem with the candidates. But I wonder if we might send over some recruit scouts to pick up the one or another that might fit in.”

Rachel nodded in agreement and looked over to Tyler.
“A sound idea. Intel gathering is best done from above, so a squad of pegasi could sweep the area or scout a place from above.”

Tyler took note of this with a satisfied nod.
“Mhm... Good, good... I'll approach Captain Spitfire and her superiors about that in person. Being an alternative to the Wonderbolt career might make us more interesting for recruits, yet we have to set up similar standards.” Going on to the next card, he narrowed his eyes, since the writing was small. “Motorization and expansion of engineering... Sam, I think this is yours?”

Sam shook his head and pointed over to Lyra.
“Not entirely. Lyra and Vinyl also helped me on the idea. As of now, the system of our hover tank is getting cleaned. "We have a Theory that we think might be able to enhance the reusability of your blood indefinitely, prevents the corrosion of the pipes, but we need the Crystal Ponies to help test this.”

Shining nodded over to Sam.
“Cadance and I will send word to our technicians. I can already see what you are trying to achieve. Preserving it in a crystal circuit... That might work.”

“It will prolong the time we can use the tank in the field and go beyond its current limits of one use until blood depletion. If this works, the blood might never spoil again.” Lyra whispered something into his ear now. “Oh yes, thanks, sweetie. Also we're understaffed. I like to note that we run this entire facility with just a few engineers. I'm a car mechanic, not a plumber. I lack the mustache and italian accent for that.”

Nodding in thought, Tyler took a look at everyone.
“Since the only fuel to propel that thing is my blood, this prototype and all its successors are going to be limited. This will no doubt calm the nobles and surrounding nations. As for the missing engineers, this depends on the incoming recruits. We might want to draft a few specialists in to work in this facility. I have to talk with the princesses about this. Anything else?”

Sam nodded.
“Yes, we want to work on a prototype being a track vehicle.”

“A conventional tank, then? Sure, motorized by my blood as well or conventional engines?

“Another blood engine.” Lyra replied, “We want to tinker a bit, learn how to create a motor with such an energy source. This tank will have a quite larger armament due to its platform stability.

Tyler made a few notes and nodded.
“Make sure that thing leaves Equestria standing once it fires, OK?” Taking the next card, Tyler showed a smile. Things were going smoothly here at the table. By that pace, they would be done before lunch. “Now, what do we have next? Gentlemen for...” He frowned for a moment as he read a bit further and looked up. “Cadance? I think this is yours?”

The pink alicorn nodded with a wide smile on her face.
“I think such an agency would benefit the pony population and would ensure a relief of possible tensions between ponies and a future human population. Since there are seemingly more men than women on your world...”

Tyler harrumphed, not entirely sure of what to say to this.
“No, you got that part wrong. Our male to female population ratio is actually balanced. It's just that Sam, Rachel and Flynn were sitting together in the Betty. You have a point with the idea that newcomers from Earth need a job here and do not beg on the streets, yet this here needs a lot more than just training. Well, if this is voluntarily and a civilian thing... Please keep in mind that this can only go on until there are incidents or public opinion is against this. Tell you what: If you sit together with Rachel and can persuade her that this is a good idea and the whole thing runs under your private jurisdiction, I see no problem with setting up such an agency. However, I don't think we Rangers can spend manpower for this.”

With that Cadance's beaming smile turned to Rachel, whose right eye twitched ever so slightly.
“Why do I have the slight feeling in my guts that I won't like this?”

Tyler then looked into the empty box and nodded one final time.
“Alright: Who has something else before we close this meeting?” It didn't take long before a mint coated hoof raised once more. “Yes? What is it, Lyra?”

Looking down a bit shy, the unicorn then looked up, determination sparkling in her eyes.
“I... I want to request the continuation of the experimentation of the portal spell.” All eyes turned to her and she gave her best smile to the sudden attention from all sides. “It needs to be researched.”

Tyler took a glance to the closed door, before he nodded to everyone.
“What I say now is confidential. It is not to leave this room. As of now, no one but the princesses, the Elements of Harmony and the ones present right now know of the portal spell we have. Beside the crossing from Earth to Equis through the Bermuda Triangle, this is currently our only way back to Earth. This knowledge must never leave this facility.”

Lyra shook her head, not understanding.
“But why?”

Tyler looked over to her.
“You. Because of you, Lyra. You are the key. I don't know how the Darkness Sisters were able to create a portal, but you are, as of now, our most valuable asset in this facility. Deep within you is something that connects you to the human world. Keeping this a secret is keeping you safe from ill intended minds. We will experiment with this, but only in this facility and within safety precautions.”

When Lyra looked down a bit glum, Sam patted her shoulder.
“Easy there, Lyra... If more people from Earth come over here, there will be much more to learn for you.”

Giving a sigh, the unicorn nodded with a smile.
“I guess so. Well, I was on the other side, I saw with my own eyes that this place, Earth, exists. That's more that I ever could have asked. I just want to go there without the worry of a Changeling monstrosity or some pressure due to Equestria being in peril. Just a visit, you know?”

Tyler looked at each one, before he closed his eyes with a smile.
“I think everyone here wants that to happen, Lyra. And some time in the future we will have the people of Earth and Equis meeting each other, casual and in friendship. But until that day comes, we still have some work ahead of us. Let's stay focused and give it our all until-”

He was interrupted by an alarm as the announcement came.
“Warning! Warning! HQ is under attack!”

Looking up, Tyler arched his brows.
“What?!?”

Storming into the room, a unicorn ranger saluted in a hurry.
“I am sorry to intervene, Head Ranger, but there is some aggressive growth coming from the outside. It's already working itself down the corridors, blocking the way to the outside!”

Tyler's face darkened.
“Show me!”

* * * * *

The dark vines grew tireless inside the corridors. More and more gaining in thickness, they blocked and filled every last inch of the corridors up to Canterlot. Upon seeing this, Flynn shook his head.
“I've seen enough hentai to see what this stuff might do.”

Rachel shot him an annoyed look, before taking a pistol out of her holster.
“Will you shut up? I'm going to fry this shit and once we're up, we will take care of it on the surface. Should be over before the day is out.”

But even before she could aim properly, Sam's hand rested on her gun and pushed it down again.
“We can't just blast our way through the weeds.”

Not understanding, Rachel shook her head.
“Why not? It's a plant, fire magic should work great on it.”

Sam now shook his head as well and explained his thoughts.
“Because the flames would eat through our oxygen down here before we would get up to the surface. We are at least a few hundred yards below the surface and the corridors are full with that crap. What good is done if we make it through while everyone below is suffocating?” He then pointed at the air vents, which was spreading the dark vines as well. “These vines are clogging the air circulation system as well, the oxygen supply is scarce as it is.

Taking a look at the vines clogging everything, Tyler nodded.
“Sam is right. More so, the smoke we would produce would easily kill us even faster.”

Folding her arms, Rachel narrowed her eyes.
“Alright, genius! Then what is your brilliant plan to solve this?”

“Something not so drastic, but also efficient.” With that, Tyler performed a spell to cast several fire axes.

Taking one, Rachel gave him a doubtful glance.
“Fire axes? Really?”

Taking one himself, Tyler then turned towards the vines.
“You can either hack at these vines or continue to complain. What would bring us to the surface faster?”

“Oh, alright...”

* * * * *

About two hours later of constant hacking and slashing, the humans took a short break while the plants grew back several inches.
“How far did we come?”

Taking a look back, Tyler sighed.
“Well... I say about... 50 yards along this corridor with a moderate pace?”

“And how much is left?”

“About 750 more yards?”

“Tyler, this is pointless!” hitting his ax into a nearby vine, Sam shook his head. “Unlike us, these vines grow without a break. We tire, they don't!”

Giving a sigh, Tyler lowered his ax.
“I know. But what better plan do we have? Burning them would burn our oxygen as well and would doom the ones we leave behind, if we ever make it out of here, I can't order to sacrifice our personnel.”

Coming to his side, Flynn nodded.
“But what good would be achieved if we all die down here? Maybe we can't save everyone down here. Have you considered that?”

Tyler closed his eyes in silent anger before he nodded.
“I did! But leaving even one behind is not an option I'm willing to take!” With that he slammed his fire ax into the vine one final time. Slowly, a noise became audible. Listening up, Tyler turned around. “You guys hear that as well?”

Arching a brow, Rachel looked to the ceiling.
“Yes, there seems to be something closing in.” All of a sudden, the tips of the vines began to shine in a bright rainbow colored magic effect and were reduced back to nothing and clearing the corridor. Shaking her head in confusion, Rachel shrugged and spread out her arms. “What the...? Seriously?”

Looking over to the others, Tyler nodded and pointed over to the now clear corridor.
“I don't know either, but we need to take status reports from every floor and department. And then we will see to whatever happens on the surface. Come on, folks! We have our work laid out.” And with that, the Harmony Rangers made their way upstairs.

* * * * *

Earth, Washington D.C. 10:23 AM
The television was blabbering with the news as yet another celebrity had exclaimed his opinion about what happened on that very day on Manhattan Island. For weeks the news were filled with pictures of the chaos the city had to endure. The entire world was reeling from one simple fact: Humanity was not alone and not everyone of the new beings that were out there were friendly to mankind.

President Meyer, or the old man, how he sometimes was nicknamed by others, was looking through some paperwork while the news continued and remembered with dread about the message that was whispered into his ear on that day. A message that no president wanted to hear, especially after the towers: Our country is being attacked.

That alone was enough for his heart to skip a beat. And due to some whistleblowers, it didn't take the internet long to unveil the order for Operation Hammerfall. No, the Manhattan Incident was a lot, but certainly not healthy for politics. In an instant, his approval ratings plummeted down in the ground, not that he blamed the public for thinking so. But cauterizing an escalating situation before it spread out beyond control was an option. An option that he as the president had to bear the consequences for. Simply doing nothing was out of the question.

What also followed was a storm of calls. Russia, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy... the list went on and on. Everyone and their dog demanded to know what the hell had happened. If Earth was under attack by an extraterrestrial force or if some super-hologram was causing a mass panic. Certainly not healthy for politics...

The silence in the oval office was disturbed as one young man knocked and entered with a smirk on his face, handing over several files, among them one labeled as confidential and the fresh AEGIS logo on top of it.
“Sir, have you seen the game yesterday?”

Still concentrated on his work, the president shook his head.
“Who was playing?”

“Chicago Cubs against New York Mets.”

Looking up, the old man smiled gently. Benjamin Hopkins was a good man, always trying to distract him from worrying too much. Somehow that young Afro-American agent still had it in his guts whenever others around him needed a break. Seemingly he now sensed that the president needed a short break. Stretching a bit, he then looked up to Hopkins.
“Sounds promising... Maybe later, first I have this conference on the schedule.”

* * * * *

Half an hour later several men and women sat together at a table while the president was presented the facts. Only one question was pressing itself out of his mind right now.
“Whatever happened to the U.S.S. New Jersey?”

“The ship disappeared in an area somewhere in Bermuda. We think the crossing from our world into theirs lies in this very location. The Navy encircles said area with patrol ships as we speak, but as of yet, there have been no signs of further emergence. Dr. Borielli and the rest of the scientific staff think that it might only travel in one direction. Um, in case you weren't briefed already: Dr. Borielli was the first to make some conclusions about the supersized creature we encountered in the Manhattan Incident. But, on the bright side: The veterans supposed to work on that vessel returned with the appearance of a portal that closed once they were through. They were questioned about the whereabouts of the New Jersey, yet their only response was 'The old girl is still on duty.' along with a story that a bunch of ponies took their ship to fight whoever attacked New York. The ship was heavily damaged in that fight.”

Looking up from the file he was reading at the moment, the president's right brow twitched ever so slightly. This meant the ship was lost and with it, several million dollar in taxpayer money, even if it only served as a floating museum. Along with this the technology for battleship weaponry, although he doubted that a military force able to bring in floating fortresses was even interested in such things.
“So whosoever took the ship and its entire crew at that time at least had the decency to return these men.”

* * * * *

Outside the conference room, Rick Marshall was arriving with an uneasy feeling. A sudden call, a new post in Washington, a certain meeting with the president to give reports about something concerning national security. His superiors were vague in their orders, but he had a hunch what this was all about. Since the failure of Operation Hammerfall, he was urged and stressed not to speak of it. Obviously now the superiors of his superiors demanded to know what really happened in Manhattan from people who were there.

Going through screening was a pain as usual. The agents of the Secret Service seemed even more thorough than their reputation preceded them. Confiscating Rick's service weapon was an expected, yet strangely odd thing. Maybe he, as someone involved in such close contact with the alien entities, wasn't trusted completely. He didn't care, simply wanted this to be over with. Yet all of a sudden, Rick recognized a face among those in the corridor.
“Borielli? What are you doing here?”

Andrea Borielli turned over to him and shook his hand with a smile.
“The same thing as you, Agent Marshall. I was ordered to come here. If the President of the United States wants to speak to you, you attend, no matter what sort of jerk he is in your opinion.”

“True...”

The 36 year old woman shook her head and pointed down the corridor with her thumb.
“I was escorted from my office by two of these men, reeking Central Intelligence all over the place. Seemingly they are recruiting folks and the entire data I had about that acid you've brought me was confiscated and labeled B001. I of course protested, but the paycheck they were wiggling in front of me for shutting up about this in public and working for them was too big to decline. So I'm here.”

Rick nodded in thought.
“Well, I'm here because-”

He was unable to complete the sentence as the door to the conference room opened and one Secret Service agent stepped outside.
“Agent Marshall? You may come in now. Dr. Borielli? You and your colleagues may come in as well.”

As Rick entered, he noticed the conference seemed to have a little break for the one or another walk to the bathroom and a refreshment in form of a glass of water. It was then, when he was waved in by an older man.
“Ah! There he is! Agent Marshall! Come here, please.”

Upon noticing him, Rick gulped a bit, but approached as demanded.
“Mister President...”

Shaking Rick's hand, the president gave him a smile.
“Don’t be so shy, my boy! Take a seat. You earned yourself to be heard since you were right in the middle of it.” Rick sat down, and watched as the other’s returned to their respective seats as well. He was then addressed by the president once more. “Yes, you certainly are an agent of many connections.”

That statement stumped Rick to some degree. Frowning, he looked around, noticing that he was the center of all attention until one of the agents spoke up.
“You are related to Flynn Marshall?”

Now Rick knew the game and his facial expression sobered.
“He's my younger brother. After his disappearance, he was deemed dead, yet I've encountered him among some... unusual friends in Sacramento.”

The man sitting directly in front of Rick, an Afro-American and by from what Rick could see, a strategic adviser of the president, stood up and began his explanation with careful hand gestures.
“Agent Marshall, you must understand that anything discussed in this conference room is strictly confidential until further notice. Everyone here has read and signed several Non-disclosure agreements to never speak about what is discussed in this room until it is declassified. You are here to give us the opinion of a man who was in direct contact with these entities and are related to someone even closer in contact with them. Several reports of several troops state this. This is why we think that you are an asset to evaluate this new and unusual threat to national security. You can give insight to their nature. And knowing their nature we have to. For while the whole world believes that Manhattan was the only attack, there had been a second one.”

Rick as well as others listened up at once.
“A second one? Where?”

A file was presented to him, giving several satellite pictures from a base in an icy wasteland.
“Exactly four weeks ago, our research base in Antarctica was attacked. There are only two survivors. Marcus Brady and Doctor Samantha Frey. Mr. Brady was returning to the research base after the attack as its only pilot. Dr. Frey was present during the attack. Both are still under quarantine on a military vessel that fetched them up and arrested anyone coming in close contact with them as well.

President Meyer arched a brow.
“Who attacked them?”

“It's not so much a who, but what, Mr. President.”

A file with several pictures was handed to President Meyer and every attendee and upon opening it, he saw the pictures of charred and twisted monstrosities as well as the murdered humans frozen to gruesome statues.
“Jesus...”

“Jesus has nothing to do with that, sir. We also salvaged the thing they shot to death.” Seeing the photography of the most normal Changeling, the president frowned. As he looked up, the agent nodded. “Indeed, sir. Like one of these ponies, but like an insect version of it.”

Rick recognized the black chitin plating. It was smaller, but the resemblance was undoubtedly there.
“Yes, like a smaller version of the thing that wiped out the police department in Sacramento and went super-size later in New York. Sir, I have seen what these things are capable of. Any creature able to withstand small and large firearms without getting downed and later getting so big even tank shells do nothing IS a living bio weapon in my book no matter what the white-coats say.”

Borielli smirked.
“Thank you...”

“No offense, Borielli.”

Her smirk now turned into a full grin,
“Oh... Of that I'm sure.”

Shaking his head, Rick then looked over to the president.
“These insect-like creatures seem to be predatory in nature. Sir, the beast that wiped out the police department in Sacramento was specifically after these 'ponies'. But these ponies all seem very approachable, even outright human in their nature. You look too long at them and they become annoyed. I even had a longer conversation with one of them. If you ask me, these insect beasts are a threat, these ponies are not.”

One agent nodded in thought, but pointed at Rick.
“That may be, but Marcus Brady and Doctor Frey stated that these insects are capable of somehow transforming into a pony appearance like some form of mimicry. That effect ceased as they shot the thing. Doctor Borielli has delivered her data to our experts already. Her observations and conclusions about the samples foreign entity B001 were indeed helpful. What specimen we found in Antarctica had the same traces of radiation as the remains of B001 in Manhattan. If this radiation occurs by this species or by some sort of alteration in environment is yet unknown.” A projector was started and showed Manhattan Island. “But this leads to our final event: Manhattan. I'm certain everyone saw the pictures of the tanks turned into hamburgers or the bridges clogged by ice cream and spaghetti on the internet already...

“A dark day for McDonalds.” The joke caused Borielli to snort in amusement for a second while the other men frowned at this. Rick looked down, a smirk still on his face. “Sorry.”

“On that day the entire world was witness as the entire human arsenal fell, to quote the troops ‘flat on its ass’. But never before did we have to battle an enemy able to alter reality.” The pictures slid through one by one depicting how humans were chased by the various creations of the Draconequis. Rick looked over to the president, who at one point rested his forehead on his folded hands and shook it. “However, the entire show was quickly over as that big monster climbed up this building. 432 Park Avenue. It was there when one of our squads on a neighboring building took pictures of what we believe reversed the entire city-wide effects.”

Now a single picture showed Tyler being charged with the magic from the Elements of Harmony. The beams entered his body in the picture and he was slightly glowing, while the other humans were positioned at the left of the picture, fighting Mimesis. Several of the people in the room gasped.
“Good God...”

“Yes, that's just what our boys at the NSA thought as well.”

One General cocked his head and pointed at the energy beams.
“So... what is this supposed to be that goes into him?”

The agent at the projector wall shrugged.
“Lightning...? Energy...? Maybe magic or something...”

Borielli shook her head and stepped closer to the projection.
“They are equine in shape, but these energy beams... maybe their entire weaponry is based on such ray gems.”

“But why are they aiming at him, why didn't they aim at that monster?” an advisor asked.

“They did a few moments before this picture was taken. It seemed rather inefficient and was only able to push the beast away.”

“So that's how it is...” Borielli stated with fascination in her voice. “Their weapons seem not to work as usual in our world. So they focused their attack in this young man... To withstand such an extent of energy. The amount of stress must be staggering!”

“Yes, some of our soldiers handed in reports about these ponies as well, claiming that they were not hostile towards humans and, in fact, fought side by side with them, aiming these trinkets at their targets.”

Another agent corrected his glasses.
“We also received note that several thousands of men and women being in Manhattan at the time this energy weapon went off reported incidents of heavy skin burn until the skin fell off. Yet in an instant, the skin did regrow and the wounds disappeared as if never caused.”

Hearing this let several men arch their brows.
“What?”

“Is that confirmed?”

“Yes, sir. 7492 cases of such appearing and disappearing wounds have been reported.”

A phone rang and one of the agents answered it. Meanwhile Borielli arched a brow.
“Agent Marshall? I think you are right. Seemingly not all of these creatures mean us harm. These chaotic, hovering ones seem hostile, yet these...” Looking at a set of pictures of Rainbow Dash and Rarity, the woman shook her head, “... not to sound unprofessional, but Pegasi and unicorns in lack of better terms at the moment... they seem to battle the hovering ones. It is possible that these wounds were an unwanted side-effect. But whatever their goal is, this young man seems to be the key since they focus and enhance their attack with his help.”

“But let’s not forget that this one man, Tyler Jones, is a wanted hacker.” A picture now depicted him with the Descendants all around them, his hands in handcuffs. “Are they taking him... prisoner?”

One general arched his brows and looked around.
“That man has brought a war to our world that seemingly started on theirs! A war with an enemy that can encapsulate and isolate the entire bandwidth of effects of a tactical nuclear warhead.”

Now the president rested his palms on the desktop.
“I've heard enough. I understand that this man is the most dangerous threat to our nation.”

One of the scientists nodded.
“Oh, yes! The area of effect engulfed all of them at that point altered Manhattan Island. Any man that can unleash that kind of firepower is nothing but a walking bomb.”

The old man's fist slammed onto his desk before he opened it and stabbed his index and middle finger onto the very same place.
“I want that man found and secured for questioning! They've sent agents over into our world, I think it's only fitting if we return the favor. We-”

Now the agent on the phone looked up to the others and addressed the president.
“Sir? A civilian airbus has entered our outer perimeter of Bermuda. We think it is on course to the crossing phenomenon.”

Looking over to his military advisors and generals, the president received nods. He then shot Borielli and the other scientists a glance, and as they nodded with eagerness, he finally agreed.
“Let them proceed.”

One of the scientists narrowed his eyes while going through some notes.
“With the data recorded from the crossing, we can maybe determine its size and, if present, its movement. Radiation, magnetic energy, maybe even seismic readings... A lot of data could be drawn from this This means that we can contain the area, if needed. Also the records might show if there is any electric discharge or electromagnetic field present at the point of the crossing. Anything that might actually help us develop safer crafts to cross over.”

Listening only with one ear to the scientific babbling of the whitecoat, the old man leaned over to one of his advisors.
“Jim, aren't we risking the lives of civilians with this?”

Jim Hopper, however, shook his head.
“Sir, please keep in mind that these people are entering an area now known to lead into the other world. They WANT to do this.”

Looking out to the window, the president then sighed.
“Godspeed, you courageous pioneers... Godspeed...” Turning around he then faced the others.”I don't see any use in containing something from our side going in at this point as long as it's not military in nature. If we are to police any traffic into this crossing, it should be only to avert a trans-dimensional war caused by terrorism. Bill! Make a few calls with Europe, we don't want to do this alone. What's more, the crossing down in Antarctica seems their exit into our world. We have two one-way-crossings here. Let's police the exit on our side more strictly than our entrance. We know how to sink a ship or how to shoot down a plane, but we don't know how to deal with an aggressor able to withstand nuclear attacks yet. If there is need for conventional warfare in Antarctica, the world should be ready.”

“Agreed.”

Another scientist raised a finger.
“There's another thing: These people didn't have any need to take the Antarctica route. Neither did these large constructions that violated Manhattan airspace. They all landed in this world on the northern hemisphere. And you already stated it: The veterans returned through a portal.”

Several brows arched in this moment.
“You mean...?”

“Yes! It means only one thing: They have another way to come into our world. A mechanism seemingly working with portals. This means that they could enter our world without even using the Antarctica exit, slipping through our surveillance net there.

The old man now hummed in thought. Folding his hands together, he placed his mouth and nose behind them as he always did while contemplating.
“This is too big for one nation alone. The entire world must work together for this, for each nation could be visited at any given moment. I will have to address congress for an executive order giving your AEGIS organization more funds. And I mean way more funds. With this new threat, we have to stand together.” Looking up, President Meyer saw into each face at the table. “We might be facing a threat that could also lead to several new allies, since not all entities on the other side were hostile towards us. We need to be careful with our next steps since we don't know if the conflict on the other side came to an end or not. The following weeks will be filled with difficult choices, but we will see it through. Until then: Thank you all for your time.”

One by one the men and women left the conference room, but Rick remained and approached the president.
“President Meyer? Sir? I request permission to send reinforcements to the other side or being among the first to be send over.”

Looking out of the window, the old man sighed and shook his head briefly.
“I'm sorry, Agent Marshall... I know you want to see your brother again, but I can not allow you to do this. At least not for now. Any armed group entering the other side now might be seen as an act of war. We have to remain cautious. However, we will soon send over agents in order to look for these civilians and to assess the situation over there. And as soon as we have a foothold on the other side, we will look for their entrance into our world. You're a good agent according to your file. Why don't you join AEGIS? It would be your best chance to be among those crossing over. The alternative would be risking your life like these civilians by making it there on their own.”

Rick nodded in defeat. Seemingly seeing Flynn again would take a bit longer. Joining AEGIS, however, seemed to boost his chances to learn more about Flynn's current whereabouts. Just as he wanted to reply, Benjamin Hopkins entered the room once more.
“Mister President? Sir, the airplane vanished from radar and satellite observation.”

* * * * *

Equis, Canterlot, late evening.
Coming out of the Ranger Headquarter, Tyler, Shining Armor and the others took in some deep breaths. After making sure that the headquarter was secure, they had made haste to the surface to come to the aid of the civilian population. Yet nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Tyler frowned upon seeing this.
“Alright Let me see, Equestria is not under attack, maybe it was just our HQ that was under attack.

“Or maybe the extent of these vines vanished all at once.” Shining pondered.

Rachel cocked her head, not sure what to make of the whole situation.
“Possibly... But who or what could ever have the power to exterminate so much evil plant life in the blink of an eye?”

Right in this moment trumpets sounded off from Canterlot Castle, causing Shining Armor, Cadance and Tyler to look at each other with wide eyes.
“The ceremony!” all three of them exclaimed at the same time.

Tyler facepalmed.
“Shit! While all that mess was up in the HQ, I totally forgot! Listen, you two go and tell them I'm on the way while I-” Rachel shook his shoulder, her eyes wide and her face aghast. “Yes, what is... it...” Following her arm and hand, pointing over to the Everfree Forest while Twilight's magic boom sounded off over Canterlot, another thundering boom emitted from the west, where a civilian airliner made its descend into the Everfree. While Shining and Cadance halted in their tracks to see the catastrophe unfolding, Tyler only shook his head. “No... No, no, no!”

Carving a path of destruction into the forest, the wings of the plane were ripped off by the trees while the airplane's body almost miraculously remained in one piece, yet heavily battered and crushed at the cockpit. While the first detonations went off, the humans were almost frozen in place. Flynn grimaced at the sight.
“From... from the sight of it, that's an airbus... Passenger capacity of 850.”

Hearing that number caused Tyler's face to darken in determination. Turning around to the others, he barked but one order.
“Harmony Rangers! Assemble!”

Author's Note

Proofread by Snyperwulff0

4 - Esprit de Corps *

Heat. Blurry darkness slowly turning into an orange inferno of flames and metal. Mike Thorne shook his head in an attempt to become clear again. Screams of panic, agony and disorientation filled the air, each hammering inside his ears, aiding in him regaining consciousness. Looking to his side, he noticed an iron bar bent into the passenger cabin. Turning completely left, he saw that the passenger to his left side had been impaled with said bar. Gritting his teeth, Mike tried to stand up, only to remember that his seat-belts were still fastened. After some struggle, he managed to unfasten them and jumped up, away from the corpse. The heat was omnipresent.

Beyond the smoke he could make out two figures, one trying to lift something up from the passenger seats, the other holding one arm in front of their face to at least filter some smoke from being inhaled while waving through the air with the other arm to see better.
“Richard! Richard, get the hell out of there!”

Richard Henson stood above one passenger seat and shook another man. Upon stepping closer, Mike could see that this guy was bleeding from the forehead, seemingly his head was hit by something heavy, which was easy with several loose things in the airbus.
“Bill! Bill, come on! Don't do this to me!”

Feeling for his pulse, Mike shook his head.
“I'm sorry, Richard. He's gone.”

Looking at him aghast, Richard then turned back to the dead sitting in front of him, shaking him vigorously.
“What?!? No! He's not! Bill! BILL, COME ON! YOU-”

Ripping Richard away from the corpse, Mike yelled at him. If Richard wasn't able to listen to reason, then by God he would listen to force.
“FORGET HIM, HE'S DEAD!!! AND YOU WILL BE TOO IF WE DON'T GO NOW!” Pushing Richard out towards the exit, Mike then gave a look around to another man, who was holding his bleeding head. “You're the guy from Virginia, right? You OK beside that cut?”

Looking up, the man nodded, seemingly groggy, but recovering.
“Yeah... Yeah!”

Helping him up from the seat and shouldering some of his weight, Mike noticed the two metal briefcases the man was clinging to.
“Important stuff?”

“Very... If I can't save much, the least I can do is saving my personal belongings.” Mike arched a brow. 'He places his personal stuff over all these people in jeopardy?' Not going into detail, he didn't address this topic further. The plane had just crashed and people were still reeling from the event. He was surprised he himself could think straight, so he didn't blame this guy for saving his stuff before coming to his senses and helping others. His train of thought was interrupted, however, as the man looked up once more. “By the way: Nick. Nick Hopkins.”

“Mike Thorne.” Mike replied with a nod.

Coughing a bit at the biting stench of the smoke, Nick grimaced at the heat.
“You know? That crossing into their world was a bit harsher than I thought.”

A drop of sweat ran down Mike's dirty forehead. How many people were out already? There were so many corpses and the stench of burning flesh was everywhere.
“No one said it would be easy.”

This caused Nick's face to darken.
“No one said our plane would automatically crash-land!”

Outside, the air was chilling and damp, much in contrast to the dry heat inside the plane. Helping Nick outside, Mike let him sit on a tree stump. While the thicker trees seemed to have ripped the wings away from the machine, the body of the airbus had carved a path of destruction into the forest, its cockpit smashed to pieces as it went along.
“Listen! We're alive! That is all that matters. From what I know, we need to get these people into proper shelter and then find out where we are and where the heck civilization is on this world.”

Everywhere people were helping one another as best as they could. Some were simply confused and disorientated from the crash. The ones with just a few bruises or scratches helped those with broken limbs or other more dire injuries. While turning to the burning wreckage again, Mike then overheard a female voice.
“Come on, Clara! You need to stay awake! Speak to me, girl!”

A group of two women and two men sat together, one woman was lying between them. Approaching them, Mike quickly recognized the red piece of cloth being held to her side.
“How is she?”

“Clara was injured by some debris, leaving a nasty cut in her side.” one of the women answered. “We've put some cloth and some pressure on it. She will live for now, but we need proper medical supplies here or several dozen of these folks won't live through the night. Cuts, stabs, concussions, burns, blunt trauma... The list goes on and on.”

“Joey! Can't we improvise something?” Mike then asked.

One of the men shrugged.
“Well, we had a Doctor, he could have done something...”

Aghast, Mike shook his head briefly, unwilling to face the most unpleasant fact of all.
“Had? Where is he?”

“Burning on seat 451.”

“Fuck!” It was a bad situation. Without proper medical staff, the chances of helping the wounded dwindled within their hands. In the back of his head, a small voice asked Mike Thorne if coming here was for the better.

A ray of hope seemed to come, nonetheless, as one of the others pointed over to the back of the airbus.
“The Doc did say something about some medical supplies in the cargo hold, though. I think he wanted to establish a medical station for whatever we wanted to do here.”

“Then we better get some way into that cargo hold before the fire does.”

“And how do you suppose we get inside, Mike? Through the fire? Or the airplane hull?”

“That's an aluminum hull, Hunnigan! I think even a bird colliding into it could damage it. If need be, take some stones or debris and strike the hull until it bends and gives in! We need these supplies or some of these people out here won't live to see another day!”

Then all of a sudden, a loud noise emitted from the woods, prompting one of the women to look at the same direction as well.
“What was that?”

“Nothing, Vasquez. Just the fire cracking.”

But listening closer to the woods, Carmen Vasquez soon heard something for a second time.
“No! No, that was different! That crack was too full and sated to be a short crack of a fire...”

A howl in the distance made Mike Thorne close his eyes.
“God... Why?” Turning towards the others, he looked at the other men. “Arm yourselves! Take some makeshift torches and create a perimeter!”

Nick Hopkins opened one of his two briefcases and took two pistols out of it, handing one gun to Mike.
“Here! I guess we will need these very soon...”

Looking in surprise at the Beretta handed to him, Mike Thorne then looked up.
“Wait! How did you manage to smuggle this on board?” But another howl, closer this time, made both of them realize that this wasn't the time to argue about this.

More and more of the survivors were arming themselves with whatever they saw fit as a weapon, leading to a variety of sticks and pieces of debris as makeshift blunt and bladed weapons. Yet trying as they might, they couldn't make out much in the Everfree.
“I can't see shit in these dark woods. It's almost a jungle out there.”

One man looked at the ground in order to find a weapon as well and upon finding something, he reached down to grab the thin log.
“M-maybe these are alien wolves?” But as he grabbed the log, it didn't budge, yet a low and threatening growl emitted from the bush he was leaning at. His blood froze as said bush began to shift and reveal a massive wooden snout snarling right into his face, before the horror jumped at him.

The scream of agony turned everyone's heads and upon recognizing who was screaming, several of the men rushed to his aid.
“Joey! God damn! NO!!!”

Readying his handgun, Mike Thorne was the first to arrive at the scene. But what looked like an oversized wolf was actually something far worse than that. Something that didn't make any sense to any one of them. This thing consisted of logs, branches and leaves. Approaching with a growl, the Timberwolf eyed the many humans as to decide which prey to snatch first from the banquet table. Aiming the gun now directly at the creature in front of him, Mike Thorne pulled the trigger and three shots thundered through the air. The shots made the beast back away for a bit, before it growled even angrier and approached once again, the bullet holes still in its wooden snout.

Looking at his gun in shock as more and more of the wolf pack arrived at the wreckage, Mike Thorne then turned his sight back to the creature in front of him, before he got hold of a nearby pipe stuck in the ground. It was a mere melee weapon, but if bullets didn't cause these beasts harm, at least it was something to keep them at bay.
“You damn dirty bitch! I'm going to make you work for your meal!”

The wolves began encircling their prey, claws of black bark, fur of leaves and pine needles, eyes glowing in a poisonous yellow, jewels from the pits of hell itself. The biggest one, obviously the alpha animal, approached, sniffing, took aim and leaped right at Mike, before several energy bolts descended from above, hitting it in midair. One by one the timber wolves were dismembered by projectiles that detonated on them, and by doing so reduced them to simple fire wood.

Confusion hit the survivors as the threat that was upon them was eradicated by something even stronger. Suddenly, spotlights were shining down from the skies and blinded some of the humans while the entire site was illuminated all of a sudden.
“Remain where you are!” the announcement began, “Do not attempt to attack or to flee! This is the Equestrian Harmony Ranger First Response. We are here to aid you.”

As the ground was more and more illuminated, several ponies jumped through the woods, clothed in shaped white armor covering their entire torsos. All the different plates seemed to be connected with a sturdy material, giving flexibility to the entire armor, but holding the strong plates together. On the neck and the limbs, where flexibility was more important than impenetrable armor, the material held together a myriad of tiny hexagons. And, if watched closely, the big shaped plates on the torso also glittered a bit, revealing to exist of several hexagon plates shaped together into one smooth plate. The heads of these ponies were wrapped in some sort of white headbands. Mike couldn't make out the material, but it sure wasn't cotton. Resting on their foreheads, these headbands aided in keeping the manes in check and thus helped the unicorns aim the firearms they were wielding within their levitation grasp.

Among them, three humans approached the site, two of them also were also wearing headbands while the third one was wearing a white hood. Orders were overheard. “Keep your distance from them until the Head Ranger has cleared the situation!” and “Be careful not to do anything that might scare them any more than they already are!”

Undecided if they should shoot or not, Nick shot Mike a glance.
“What the hell is happening?!?”

Witnessing the ponies hurling away debris away to make room and extinguishing the first fires, he noticed them securing the area with their guns pointed away from the humans. No, this wasn't an attack, it was a rescue operation here for them.
“I don't care. We need any help we can get now. Go! Go help the others! We need to get them out of there!”

By now two Pegasi approached the figure with the hood.
“Prince Tyler! Sir, we secured the imminent area.”

Nodding at them, Tyler smiled after hearing this.
“Good. Keep an eye out for more Timberwolves! If some show up, show them they're not welcome here right now!” Turning over to three unicorns, Tyler pointed at the airplane. “Get those people out of the plane and stop these fires before we have a full scale forest fire here! Pay attention that none of your magic comes in contact with one of them. The Royal Guard is taking over once we get them out of the Everfree.”

More and more the body of the airplane was pried open with magic and once the fires were under control, the survivors were salvaged one by one out of the plane. Reaching for an older man, Sam stretched his arm.
“Can you get it?”

“Yes... Yes!” Climbing over some luggage, the old man grabbed Sam's hand and was helped out of the debris. A sudden flash made Sam turn to his right, where a young man stood and made a polaroid picture.

This visibly displeased Sam.
“When you're done with your unimportant bullshit, maybe you can lend a hand!” That order was enough to shake the young man awake and in an instant, he helped pull the old man out of the airplane while Sam descended deeper into the wreckage. The smoke was almost everywhere, biting in his eyes and his throat. He could remain here for just a couple of seconds, maybe a minute at most. Hundreds of people rested dead in their seats, Sam could make out several more within the fire, their corpses were already burned down to a crisp,But the fire inside the plane was still raging and grew in intensity. It was then when he noticed movement on the ground. Recognizing a teenage boy grabbing his boots, he helped him up and carried him to the outside and back to safety.

More and more humans were gathered outside, making it difficult to secure the area. Flynn looked over to Rachel and shook his head.
“Do you see this? Hundreds of them. And maybe even more inside!”

Rachel grimaced at the still burning wreckage.
“The worst thing is: Until there's a way to prevent this, there will be more incidents like this. If only they were as lucky as we were.”

Letting out a sigh, Flynn shook his head.
“Well the Betty was way smaller than this plane. We slid through the trees, only losing our wings and our momentum. This machine here was ripped to shreds by the forest. These people here are lucky to be alive at all.”

In the midst of all the chaos, a young girl noticed Tyler. Taking a closer look, her eyes went wide all of a sudden. Tugging at a woman's shirt, she pointed at Tyler.
“Mommy! It's the guys from the news! The ones they saw in Manhattan!”

Overhearing this, Tyler turned to the new arrivals who more and more looked in his direction. They were shaking from the crash, lucky to be alive at all. What they needed now was the assurance that this was the lowest they could have fallen, that things only were about to get better. Taking his hood down, he addressed them.
“I am Tyler Jones, Leader of these Rangers. Your bad luck is over for today. You will be brought to civilization right away. There will be a short flight in these carriages, so best to hold tight. Once outside the forest, your injuries, if present, will all be treated and you will be brought to Canterlot, the nations capital by train. There, Princess Celestia will greet and welcome you in a proper way and you will be given proper shelter after a good meal. If you wish to return back to Earth at any given time, the travel can be arranged, but will need some preparation. As for now, rest assured that we will do everything to ensure your safety and well-being.”

One of the women stroked her little girl through the hair.
“See? No need to worry, sweetie. These nice men and ponies came here to help us.”

One by one the survivors were carefully escorted to the carriages and flown out of the Everfree Forest, even more so if they were injured. On the meadows bordering the Everfree, they landed and came to a halt near an improvised field hospital. Once there, the next hurdle approached the human rangers, as the earth pony doctor seemed confused. Doctor Silver Sting was known to be a competent and trustworthy staff member of the medical staff in the Ranger HQ
“Uh... I'm more a pony and griffin doctor... Humans are relatively new to me.”

Grabbing him by the collar, Flynn gritted his teeth.
“Well you could start with the cuts, bruises and broken limbs! Their treatment would be the same! You know how to stitch them together so they won't bleed to death, don’t you?”

“Ce-certainly!”

Coming along, Doctor Silver Sting began first treatments while Rachel assured the survivors.
“Yes, I know, he's a pony and all, but that is normal here.” Turning over to him, she arched a brow. “Will you be alright?”

Sighing in frustration, Silver Sting nodded.
“My dear... I'm afraid I lack the luxuries or precision of a unicorn doctor. Sadly the one or another scar will remain.”

While the first treatments went along, Sam asked some of the survivors questions.
“Are there any doctors or paramedics on board? A nurse maybe? Anyone with medical expertise?”

Shaking heads were the response. Mike then approached Sam.
“Before these things attacked us, we were discussing that our only doctor bit the dust, but there is a crate of medical supplies inside that airbus.

Moments later Tyler returned with a wooden crate, partly broken at the sides.
“I think this is it. Careful, the sides are broken, there may be some glass shards inside.” Once pried open, the crate was inspected. Several medical supplies that were filled into glasses were lost, yet Mike nodded. “Of 50 glasses of standard medications, 36 were broken. Can't be helped. But, on the bright side, the Doc made a checklist with all items of the crate and their purpose. I think he wanted to train some of us so we could lend him assistance if needed.”

Tyler gave this an approving nod.
“I'll get this crate to Silver Sting. Human medications for human patients, now things look better...”

Three hours passed and after the last stitch, Silver Sting sighed once again, yet this time in relief. “Alright. Cuts stitched, bruises treated, several splints applied. Without magic, that's currently the best I can do. The rest would need to be done in a hospital. I can't inject anything here at the moment. An overdose without proper treatment could turn out fatal.”

Turning over to Rachel, Tyler nodded at her.
“Rachel? You're in command! Bring these people over to Ponyville Station and from there right to Canterlot. I'm informing Celestia right this moment.”

* * * * *

In Canterlot Castle, Celestia trotted back and forth in her chamber, much to Luna's dismay.
“Thou should get some rest and leave this to me, Tia...”

“I can't!” Celestia replied in a troubled tone. “Did you see the size of that thing? That was way bigger than the Betty. We're not expecting a hoof full of humans this time, Luna... We are facing a little community!”

Taking a deep breath, Luna slowly let it out and shook her head.
“Troubling thyself will not help at all, Tia. He is out there for a reason. He does it and took Flynn, Sam and Rachel with him to show them that humans are not threatened here, but respected individuals.”

Giving a deep sigh, Celestia closed her eyes and shook her head.
“You're right. I'm already seeing problems where there are none. Tyler will come right through this door and tell us all about it.”

“No...” Taking notice of Tyler entering the room not from the corridor, but from the balcony door, both sisters turned around. “...actually I'm coming through here.”

When they turned around, they were obviously finding a liking in the Ranger battle armor Tyler was wearing.
“Oh!”

“You look extraordinarily good in that armor, Tyler.”

Rolling his eyes with a smirk, Tyler shook his head.
“I'm happy that you like it, but I'm not wearing it to impress. Right now we are facing more stressing matters. Let's go for a walk, shall we?”

Upon entering the corridor, Tyler walked in the middle, with both mares flanking him. In an instant, their voices became sober and formal when Celestia looked to the front,
“How many of them are there? How bad is it?”

Tyler looked to the front as well, bracing himself for what he was about to say.
“134 survived the crash... Out of 726. 16 children are among the survivors, one boy lost both his parents. Furthermore, four survivors were lost when the Timberwolves attacked them. So that's down to 130.”

Closing her eyes, Celestia let out a silent sigh.
“By the stars, what a catastrophe. I wish to address them. All of them. Are their wounds treated properly?”

Opening a door for them, Tyler then let them walk through first before he followed them and closed it behind. Soon after that, Celestia's secretary Raven joined them while he continued
“Non-magical medical aid, as we agreed. I've expected the children to be far more frightened, but since ponies are something pleasant on Earth, the adults were more wary than the kids. Rachel had to persuade one woman to be treated by Doctor Silver Sting.”

Taking a glance over to her secretary, Celestia's eyes narrowed down.
“Raven, were the welcome gifts dispatched?”

A brief nod was given and Raven held up a sheet of paper.
“As we speak, a warm meal, and supplies are waiting once they arrive at Canterlot Station. However, the clothing may not fit since we only had the measures of three grown human men and a grown woman. Clothing for the children will have to wait until we can ask for measures.

Closing her eyes, Celestia shook her head ever so gently.
“It can't be helped. For the time being, I think this is the best we could do on such short notice.”

* * * * *

After being fed with vegetable stew and multiple fruit baskets. the humans were then escorted through the streets of Canterlot by members of the Royal Guard. The streets were closed for the moment now to lower staring ponies to a minimum. Richard Henson felt his stomach.
“I must say that was quite the best stew I had in a long time. One could taste each and every vitamin out of it.”

Nick Hopkins, still clinging to one of his briefcases after the guns were confiscated for safekeeping, took a deep breath.
“Mike! Do you smell it?”

“Smell what?”

“Precisely! The air is so fresh and unpolluted... Each breath as cleansing as the kiss of an angel.”

Mike Thorne shrugged.
“Well, other than that train they don't seem to have combustion engines or heavy industry.” They were lead into the throne room of Canterlot Castle and were offered seats and pillows to sit down.

Not long after that, a guard stood attention and raised his voice.
“Their royal majesties, Prince Tyler, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna!”
Once the door opened, Tyler, Celestia and Luna stepped forth and entered the throne room, bypassing the throne. When Celestia and Luna approached the crowd, the humans were quite surprised. A sight Celestia remembered very well from first contacts. Sometimes she wished we wasn't that well bred of a mare, standing out like this with this divine radiance and the bigger size, yet it was a wish she never uttered out loud.

Stepping forth, Tyler began the introduction. In his mind, a human introducing other humans to the whereabouts of the nation was the best approach although he secretly wished he had more time to prepare for this important moment.
“A beginning is a very delicate time. Know then that it is the nation of Equestria in the year 1089 new calendar time. The nation is ruled by the diarchs Princess Celestia and Princess Luna... Two of my wives.” Several silent gasps became audible. Tyler wasn't sure what surprised the humans more: The marriage to a pony or the existence of polygamy.

However, Celestia stepped forth as well, a warm and maternal smile on her face.
“We welcome you to our planet and nation and hope our gifts are of use.”

Mike nodded and looked over to the other survivors. New clothing for the adults, medical treatment, toys for the children, utensils for oh so many occasions... Some of the survivors already felt spoiled.
“They are indeed much appreciated. We only regret we can't pay your noble race back right now.”

“In time, you enriching this nation with the peaceful cultures of Earth will repay these gestures of kindness enough. As of now, the victims of this dreadful crash have been salvaged. Their bodies will be buried appropriately to the customs of your choice. We do not know much about human faith, but Prince Tyler already mentioned there are dozens, if not hundreds of religions on Earth. Thus, I leave these poor souls in your hands, to bury them as you see fit.”

“Prince?”

“I thought he was just the leader of these rangers...”

Ignoring the whispering behind him, Mike Thorne repaid Celestia's announcement with a nod.
“Thank you for being this respectful.”

Shaking her head, Celestia's smile withered.
“No! It is the least we can do for being so surprised by your sudden arrival. In the future, there will be training sessions to catch a crashing airplane in midair. But since we can't predict the appearance of someone crossing over, our reaction window is awfully small. We did know it to be a door from your world into ours, but we simply don't know how to see when someone behind this door wants to enter, it is a one way crossing.”

This earned her several understanding nods, before Mike shrugged.
“I guess it can't be helped, then. Our arrival took you by surprise, maybe the landing wouldn't be that hard, maybe it wouldn't make a difference. Making a fuss out of that won't bring back those who died.”

Leaning in to Tyler, Luna lowered her voice.
“That little one in the second row... Is that a human child?”

Spotting the little girl behind her mother, Tyler nodded.
“That it is...”

Luna's ears dropped, glum.
“She looks afraid of me.”

“Consider that these people went through a lot in just a few minutes after crossing over. Such things are not to be taken lightly, especially not for a child. Maybe she's afraid, but not specifically of you.” Giving a brief nod, Luna then returned to her former stance, but Tyler saw that was bugging her anyway. That's when he decided to just go and clear the situation. To hell with etiquette anyway if he could help a kid and his wife at the same time. Approaching both mother and child, he then gave a gentle smile. “Excuse me? Who is that shy little lady there?” The little girl hid behind her mother, shying away. Tyler didn't blame her. All was big and new for this little girl and talking ponies were omnipresent. Actually he thought she would go crazy over all the cuteness in Equestria. “Hello there, young lady. Why are you hiding?” Looking up to her mother, Tyler smiled a bit. “What's her name?”

“Linda.” her mother replied with a friendly smile.

“Hello, Linda.”

“Hello.” Slowly coming forth, the little girl seemed to forget her shyness as it was replaced with curiosity. “Are you a real prince?”

While crouching down to meet her face, Tyler then bowed a bit to her.
“Yes, Linda. I am a real prince. Just like in the fairy tales. And my duty is to protect everyone in this nation from harm. This now includes you, your mom and all the others here. Even these big and scary looking men you have with you.” Linda giggled a bit and seemingly warmed up a little to Tyler's silliness. “Tell me, Linda... Why do you look so afraid? You don't have to be afraid of this place, here are a lot of very nice ponies. You know, Princess Luna over there is worried that you might not feel comfortable here. And guess what? She is the Princess of the Night. While we all are sleeping, she watches over our dreams. And when there's a big spooky monster chasing after you, she will come and make it go away for you.”

Linda's eyes went wide upon hearing this.
“Really?”

Standing up, Tyler cocked his head with a smile.
“I wouldn't dare to lie to a fine young lady such as you. Do you want to have an audience with her right now?” Nodding vigorously, Linda then looked up to her mother, who first looked into Tyler's face, and after an assuring nod from him, she agreed.

Taking Linda's hand, Tyler then walked with her over to Luna.
“Luna? May I introduce you to Lady Linda?

By now Luna seemed a bit uncertain herself, not sure how to approach this correctly.
“H-Hello...”

“Will you really come into my dreams?” Linda asked, her eyes wide in marvel.

Slightly baffled, Luna then looked back and forth between Tyler and Linda, before focusing on the little girl.
“I... Why, yes... I can do that. But I mostly interfere if the dreams become nightmares. It's not polite to intrude dreams without very good... reason...?” Once they noticed the silence in the hall, Luna and Tyler looked up, seeing the rest of the crowd looking at them with dropped jaws. Some looked at them in awe, some in surprise, Celestia began to smile a bit. Luna's love and devotion for children had taken the tension in the room and crushed it by a big deal with that little talk to Linda.

The silence was broken when one of the men shook his head in disbelief.
“Wait, are they serious? Can she really do that?”

“Princess Luna is able to do this, yes.” Celestia answered with a nod. “There are things possible in our world that are impossible in yours. While I raise and lower the sun, Luna raises and lowers the moon as well as having her duty as Guardian of Dreams. A duty she takes with much responsibility. Please don't be alarmed by all this. We are telling you this not as a threat, but to inform you. Many things here in Equestria will seem alien to you, odd and outlandish, but we welcome you with open hooves to show us your ways as well, so we can learn from one another.”

“Now you can't be serious. There's no way you could move the sun.”

Cocking her head while arching a brow, Celestia began to smirk.
“Is that so?” Her horn began glowing ever so slightly and the sun moved down to the horizon before rising to her former point in the sky.

This caused most of the eyes in the hall to widen. Some in awe, some in surprise, some in concern.
“OK! I stand corrected.”

Mike Thorne slowly shook his head. It didn't make much sense now and the questions in his mind were in dire need of being asked.
“But how? How can one even hope to move such celestial objects?”

“On this world, a powerful force beside gravity and all other forces of nature is the force of magic.” Beginning to float in mid-air, what alone left several of the humans stunned, Tyler closed his eyes as a slight murmur went through the crowd.“Magic can extend life...” A slow ripple of distortion wave expanded from him as he ever so slightly emitted a short burst of warmth, one could follow it with turning the head slowly. The echo of 'extend life' was slightly audible within that wave as it slowly and gently went through the room, gently tickling the skin as it passed by. “Magic can expand consciousness.” Looking down to the other humans with a gentle smile, he then pointed over to the unicorn guards in the room. “Magic is vital for the daily life of the ponies. Unfortunately it is quite difficult to explain magic to one who doesn't come from this world. It is a force one has to experience to understand. But it is also a force that shall not be forced upon you. I am the first human who ever set foot on this world. I wish to establish a healthy coexistence between ponies, humans and all the other species on Equis. If you are in need of something, anything, feel free to bring the topic to my attention.”

This made another man raise his arm.
“Speaking of force and needs: Will there be special laws for humans?”

Descending down to the ground, Tyler shook his head.
“As of now, there are no laws for humans specifically. Out of respect, the four humans living here, myself included, have decided to live by Equestrian law. Now that there are more humans than us, it is time to lay out laws to protect and order humans and ponies as equals. Mr. Thorne, I wish your group to elect people to work with me and the Princesses on these laws. We want this to be fair and just for every side involved.”

Mike nodded in thought, the more they talked with these princesses, the more he had the impression that they meant well, but were utterly taken by surprise of dealing with such a large amount of humans all of a sudden.
“Yes, I can do that. However, there is one more question on my mind.” Seeing Tyler's nod, Mike then continued. “Why was Manhattan attacked?”

Looking at Mike a bit surprised, Tyler then took a look at everyone present.
“This is a longer story, but to keep it short: Princess Celestia and Luna are alicorns. As of now, there are five alicorns living in Equestria. Put simply, there are Alicorns of Light and Alicorns of Darkness. In the far distant, ancient past, both sides waged war against one another. Manhattan was attacked by two different alicorns calling themselves the Darkness Sisters. They held Princess Celestia hostage and while attempting to rescue her, we opened up a portal. But instead of bringing us back to Equestria, we landed on Earth. It is possible that the Manhattan attack happened as their pursuit for us brought them there. This ancient Alicorn War, it seems, never truly ended.”

A woman raised her arm before speaking up. By the looks of her clothing, Tyler deemed her to be a flight attendant.
“Where are they now? Are we in danger here?”

With a shake of his head, Tyler shot that woman a smile.
“Their armada was destroyed and their armies are scattered across the globe. As we speak, several aid flotillas are sending goods to a nation they almost crippled. As for the Darkness Sisters themselves: I faced them, yet only made them flee. I was unable to defeat them for good.”

Mike Thorne narrowed his eyes.
“So this means they might return one day.”

“That's correct.” Tyler replied. “But as we speak, several ambassadors are working hard to set up an alliance with neighboring countries. The victory over the hostile armada forged former enemies together. And now, with human ingenuity, we might have the chance to defeat them once and for all.”

Now Nick Hopkins raised his arm.
“Will we be allowed to bear firearms?”

Shooting Tyler a concerned look, Celestia gasped a bit, but he briefly shook his head.
“I think every gun should be gathered and stored within a safe and heavily guarded storage area for now. You can form a police force and the royal guard will most certainly aid you in this. I believe it will be most pleasant for everyone, if ponies and humans work in closer partnership, so that acts of specism can't occur unnoticed. Believe me that I will personally hunt down any such case.”

“It's nice and cozy for you to say that. You seem to have a nice place among the princesses. You even have this magic! But what about the rest of us? We only had two pistols and no magic and the pistols were confiscated already. If something or someone wants to take our stuff, shall we call for the guard while they or it has its way with us?”

Tyler's tone grew a bit more stern.
“Equestria is a realm of peace and harmony. There is no evil in it unless one brings evil there with him. And I assure you, all of you: I swore to protect any citizen of this nation. And if anyone dares to wrong any one of you, I will hunt that individual down and bring him, her or it to proper justice.”

Celestia now raised her voice again.
“What my husband is trying to tell you is that with the new laws we will create with your elected representatives, these laws will be enacted by the guard, the only force beside the Harmony Rangers currently being allowed to bear weapons. If you are willing and able to, you can serve your community as a guard or Harmony Ranger and protect those rights of those around you according to the law. And maybe a human Guard for human cities might be an idea worth looking at. But this is something I wish to discuss with your elected representatives...”

Now several whispers were mumbled.
“Husband...”

“I doubt they were joking about this...”

Arching a brow, Tyler cocked his head and looked at the one or another whispering.
“Is there a problem?”

“Well, uh... This might come off odd, but: Are you really married to the Princesses?”

Tyler and Celestia briefly exchanged some glances. This was something that had to come sooner or later. Looking back to the crowd, Tyler held up his hand, revealing the four rings on his fingers.
“Being the only human until the arrival of the other humans you already met, I learned to live by their customs. I thought I was stranded on this world forever, so I moved on. I don't see why I should abandon the relationships I now have for the sake of procreation with my own species, since I already have a daughter here and another foal is on its merry way.

Some people nodded, others grimaced in disgust. One of the women shot the next question.
“So, uh... No disrespect, but: You and these 'wives' of yours... You, uh...”

Making a certain displeased facial expression, Tyler was just about to answer as Celestia stepped in. Raising her right wing in front of Tyler, she signalized him that she wanted to answer.
“Excuse me if I deny you that answer, but whatever royal snu snu happens in the royal chambers, stays in the royal chambers.”

The woman's jaw dropped a bit, but she nodded as if she understood the hint to back off. This nod was replied with a warm smile and a nod from Celestia as well. “Well then: While we plan out the details for a first human settlement, I want you to feel welcome in Canterlot. Each one of you will get some financial means for a startup, so you can order proper clothing or food. You will soon notice that we currently serve mostly the food for herbivores, for something as the experience of meat... Well, our current source for that resides at the outskirts of Ponyville. If you wish for something like that, I am certain we could arrange a little 'shipment'... As for your housing until you can begin and finish your settlement... Tyler?”

Turning over to her, he smiled.
“Yes, sugar lips?”

“I think the rooms around the royal garden would make a decent temporary shelter. Bright, warm, comfortable beds and with access to the garden, they should accommodate all of them and give the children something to play at.”

Giving a nod, he went towards the door.
“I will bring them there at once.”

* * * * *

The crowd followed Tyler in a calm and collected manner as he brought them to . Walking by his side, Vasquez eyed him for a bit.
“I must say it is hard to believe that you are married with some of them. Don't you feel like a sicko?”

Tyler looked over to her. With her dark hair, her well developed muscle tone and her brash personality, she left the impression of someone able to fend for herself.
“I know what you mean and what you are aiming at. They seem more open about this topic than we humans do and frankly I see my four wives as individuals equal to me. There is nothing to it. One gets used to them in a couple of weeks, but you can imagine my surprise when I faced them for the very first time, only that this wasn't in the vague safety back on Earth, but right at the edge of that Everfree Forest.” Turning to the crowd, Tyler nodded. “The best advice I can give to you all: See each one of them as a human, as weird as this sounds. You would be surprised how human some of them can get. They express joy, fear, hatred, anger, all emotions we humans express as well. They can give consent and they can deny it. There are of course some quirks that can make one smirk a bit, but on this world, it's the norm.

This brought the one or another frown.
“Quirks? Like what?”

Giving a smirk, Tyler opened his arms. “For instance? They have this nice looking metropolis out there called Manehattan instead of Manhattan.” As he saw the one or another smile, Tyler nodded. “See? Expect some language alterations to some common words here. Anypony instead of anyone and the such. As for the youngsters: Be careful, kids! Almost everyone of them is many times stronger than you. I know kids love to be wild while playing, but keep in mind that they are used to much more strength than you do.”

Leading them into the western wing of the castle, Tyler approached the suites for diplomats and ambassadors. Opening the first door, Tyler presented it to the others.
“And here we have it. Possibly the best guest rooms in Canterlot.”

Carmen Vasquez shook her head while looking at the room from the door sill.
“Guest rooms? Tsk, that's a good one! These are luxury! If it weren't on the lower floors, I'd say this is a small penthouse apartment!”

Giving it a shrug, Tyler rolled his eyes in slight amusement.
“Well, what can I say? Celestia knows how to treat newcomers...”

Outside in the corridor Linda was running along, pointing outside the window,
“Mommy! Look! There are so many animals in the garden outside!”

“Careful, sweetie! Don't spook them. I think they belong to the princesses.”

“Can we go outside there and play?

“Maybe later... First we'll need to settle down a bit.”

While more and more people went to their own rooms, a slight murmur went through the corridor. Mike Thorne looked at all these people. Still a bit shaken after the crash, yet back in the safety of civilization, even if it was an equine civilization, gave the people time to recover. Overhearing two of the men, he recognized them as Jake Hunnigan and Richard Henson.
“What do you think, Richard?”

“Well, if it's fine with the others, I'm curious about these Harmony Rangers. If some of us are allowed to bear arms, it will give us more than sticks and stones. They carry gear I never saw. Looks either high tech, high magic or whatever.”

“True... It wouldn't hurt to have a deeper insight to this. They have weapons that look like paintball rifles, yet they fire explosive rounds? That doesn't sum up.”

“How do you know, Jake?” Vasquez asked.

“Former police officer, Charleston Police Department.”

This information made Richard arch his brows.
“You're a cop?”

“I was... Let's just say that I...” He paused for a moment. “I had reasons, OK?”

Raising his hands, Richard stepped back.
“Fine with me. Not for me to judge that story of your life. I can imagine how that song and dance goes, but it's not my business. So you know because you're used to guns. That's fine...”

Jake shot Richard a glance and nodded.
“Yeah... a buddy of mine is in that sport as well, and he showed me his gun, so I recognized that particular magazine for the pellets. But what was fired in that forest had to be some sort of explosive round. Like they shot pellets of nitroglycerin.”

In the next moment, Mike was hit in the shoulder by one of the women.
“Mike!!! Hey! Don't space out!”

“What?!? What is it?”

“Well, there are only ponies in this nation, so the women among us are wondering where to get that extra safety for that time of the month.”

His eyes widened all of a sudden.
“Oh! Oh, yes... Right, right, right... I'll have to ask for some proper replacement then.”

“Yeah, you better do. They don't seem to have that problem around here.” Looking behind Mike, she then pointed at Tyler. “That Jones dude is still there, you go and ask right ahead.

But much to Mike's surprise Tyler turned around and approached him as to already expect him or looking for him for his own reasons.
“Mister Thorne?”

“Yes?”

“One a word, please.” Mike nodded and Tyler went with him along the corridor. Seemingly there was something on his mind as well he wanted to discuss.

Wasting no time, Mike addressed the topic he was asked to bring to the prince at once.
“There are concerns among the women. Frankly these ponies seem nice but there will very soon be a hygiene problem.”

Tyler arched both brows as he looked over to Mike.
“Hygiene problem?”

“Yes... Or do the ponies of this world menstruate?”

Now realization came to Tyler.
“Ah... That problem. Frankly, since we had one woman until today, I left it to her and Luna to handle this. But I see this is an urgent matter, so I will brief Ranger Higgins to meet the women this evening. Princess Luna will address them with the solution.” As they went along the corridor, they then got to a two winged door leading to a balcony. Stepping outside, Tyler then pointed downwards to a small town. “Down there lies Ponyville. And 600 meter into the west begin the White Tail Woods.”

Mike arched a brow.
“So?“

“So I am telling you this because right between them I wish you to establish your settlement.”

Shaking his head, Mike shrugged.
“Why are you telling me this?”

After closing his eyes, Tyler gave it a chuckle. Yes... Why was he telling him all this?
“Call it a gut feeling... I feel that you would make a fine leader for these people.”

Mike Thorne's eyes widened for a moment, before he frowned in confusion.
“Wait! What about you? I think you're the one being the prince. Shouldn't you be the leader?”

“My title has nothing to do with this.” Tyler replied, his eyes still closed. “These people know you, they will follow you. For now, it is good and proper that they have someone of their midst they can trust. I am but a stranger to them, they have no connection to me. At least not yet.”

Mike looked over to Tyler, a slow nod following. This man was a lot of things, but nothing the mass media back home depicted him. And one thing was absolutely certain: He wasn't out for power or control.
“This seems to be quite some vision you are having. A settlement? You mean human housing with human technology?”

Tyler rested his hands on the balcony railing.
“For two years I could only tell these ponies about my world. Then recently a hand full of them were able to witness it firsthand. Some took this in awe, some with concern. But it was quite interesting. While we humans seem to be empowered on this world, that very power seem to fade away on Earth.”

“You mean magic.” Mike replied, a frown growing in his face. “But this is contradiction. We saw what happened in Manhattan.”

Turning to Mike, Tyler shook his head.
“What happened in Manhattan was amplified by rips within our two worlds. The magic bled through and became stronger on our side, what made all this possible. But when we traveled back to Earth, we didn't cause such a rip and the opening was closed behind us. That means that the magic within our bodies was slowly dwindling.”

Answering with a glance of his own, Mike frowned.
“There's another thing: Many people, despite being unharmed otherwise, had severe skin burns after that flashing bright light that reversed everything done to Manhattan. The news were full with this. Skin bubbling up and falling of just to regrow within seconds. What's up with that?”

Hearing this, Tyler came to a complete standstill and stared at Mike, before he turned his head away in thought.
“Cutie marks...”

“What?” Mike then asked, a brow slowly arching.

Closing his eyes, Tyler then let a sigh and looked at Mike again, beginning his explanation.
“If a human comes in contact with the magic energies from this world, chances are high that there will be a cutie mark like the ponies have it. This will be one of the laws I will propose once we are in conference. Unicorns will be forbidden to use magic on humans, except for life saving measures.”

Mike Thorne blinked several times, staring with wide eyes at Tyler, confused.
“I must say I find that mark thing hard to believe.”

A smile formed on Tyler's lips.
“In good time, some of you might see this happening. Now, with the aid of your people, I can finally show the ponies mankind's true capability for good, our ingenuity.”

* * * * *

Later that day, in the late evening, the female survivors gathered together in Gala hall B, which was set as the meeting room for the night. Rachel Higgins was in the center of attention as the one woman who was in Equestria for a longer duration.
“How did you manage to keep things together?”

“These ponies don't jump at women, do they?”

“How did you keep in shape like that?”

“Have you been with a pony as well?”

Rachel had to force herself to smile at some of these question, though inside her eyes narrowed at the stupidity of some of them and the thunder of a thousand facepalms echoed in her mind.
“Actually they stick to their kind most of the time. As for the menstruation thing, Princess Luna was very much of help. I think she will hand to you the same solution. We don't have this sort of industry here, so don't expect thousands of articles thrown your way.”

The door opened and a pair of black high heels stepped through. One by one the women turned around, resulting in one jaw after another falling down. Dressed in a black evening dress, Princess Luna approached the gathering, well groomed and majestic black wings resting on her otherwise human body. Her shoulder-long blue hair had a minimal breeze in it, surely a remnant of her otherwise always moving mane.
“Good evening! I greet thou all and thank thee for coming to this late time in the evening.” Recognizing the many stares she caused, Luna stopped in her tracks. “What? What is it?”

One of the women shook her head.
“Excuse us, but... Princess Luna? If not for those angelic wings...you're a human woman now...”

Holding her hand up to her lips to cover the growing smirk, Luna giggled playfully.
“Thy skills of observation serve thee well. Yes, tis possible for a pony to turn human with magic... If only for one night.”

“And what attractive kind of woman...”

“Why I thank thee. I created the spell for this transformation myself. Normally the wings would go as well, but the spell was originally for earth ponies, unicorns and Pegasi. We alicorns seem a bit too complex for a full transformation.”

Clara eyed Luna for a bit before mumbling a bit under her breath.
“I see now why that Jones feller is so gosh darn attracted to them... She looks like a porn star.”

One of the others shot her a glare.
“Shut it, Clara! She's married to him!”

Luna remained calm on the surface, yet inhaled deep once.
“I will only say this once: Prince Tyler courted me before this spell came to be. I will not allow thee to slander his commitment to me. He loves me for who I am, not what I am!”

Blinking a bit surprised, Clara then looked to the ground.
“It was not my intention to insult you or him... I was obviously mistaken. I'm sorry.”

Giving a brief nod, Luna's smile returned at once.
“Then you are forgiven. Now: My husband has informed me that thou have no supplies to aid thee in thy monthly problem and that thou need the same aid as Ranger Higgins. Now, then... Here's the thing.” Holding up a tampon, Luna gently levitated it above. It was a bit difficult with this limited human body, but she made it work. “Each one of you will get one of these from me.”

“One?” one of the women asked. “Well, I was expecting something more... long term.”

Luna looked over to her and smirked.
“Well then! What's thy name?”

“Emily. Emily Watson.”

“Emily, would thou be a dear and dip this tampon into a glass of red wine?” Luna then asked. When the tampon was levitated to her, Emily grabbed it by the cord and put it into a full glass of red wine which was standing with many glasses standing there for refreshments. But while the wine was sucked in, the tampon was still white as snow.

Leaning in, some of the women couldn't believe their eyes.
“Wha- HOW?!?”

Luna chuckled a bit.
“Please don't think I would simply hand thee a piece of normal cotton to toss away after being used. I laid a spell over this, enchanted it so any fluid going into the cotton is transported directly into the local sewer system, currently the one of Canterlot. This of course means that this tampon, other than thy former ones is not just single use only, but self-cleaning and sustainable. Ranger Higgins is using hers for quite some time now and is satisfied with it.”

Wide eyes looked up from the glass with the tampon.
“This is incredibly useful! Thank you, Princess!”

“Tis nothing but a nice new challenge to solve a new problem we ponies usually don't have. No need to thank me.”

“Your husband must be very happy with so many gorgeous women around him...” someone stated in the background.

Giving a smirk, Luna then looked around.
“It appears I must correct thy view on this: This human form spell is only used on special occasions. It only works at night and at the first ray of sunlight the spell is broken. We normally only use this spell to become receptive to our husband's human seed or to drive him crazy. We as well find great pleasure in our husband and this spell seems to multiply his desire for us.” The one or another grin was had among the women hearing this. “However, I chose this form today out of respect. We are, after all, discussing a very intimate problem among females. And I enjoy talking to others. Other than Ranger Higgins we didn't have other women around, so we're actually curious about thy opinions.”

One of the women approached the princess, a knowing smile upon her face.
“You wish to interact with us so you can be a 'better woman' for your husband, right?”

Heat rose up in Luna's cheeks and she harrumphed as she closed her eyes.
“But of course! What wife doesn't want her husband to see her as best as she can be?”

Warm smiles went among the faces of the one or another women and the one that approached Luna offered her hand to her.
“Sarah Hardigan, nice to make your acquaintance.”

Blinking twice, Luna took her hand for a shake, smiling with a nod.
“Likewise!”

* * * * *

Later that night, the women returned to their rooms while Mike was standing at the doorsill to the royal garden. Taking note of the slight murmur behind, he turned around and nodded over to them.
“And? It went well?”

“Well, the hygiene problem seems fixed for now, we got some extra supplies in case our current ones should be damaged or new arrivals come.” Clara replied. “Oh yeah! And Sarah seems to have made friends with Princess Luna.”

Emily passed by them and sneered.
“Yeah... How nice of them to have so much prepared already with their fancy magic, but not the magic to catch the airplane.”

Mike turned around and shot her a glare.
“Excuse me?!?”

But she simply went her merry way.
“No, I won't. It's the truth and you know it, Thorne!”

Watching her go to her room, Mike's eyes narrowed while Clara approached him.
“Give her a break, she lost two brothers in the crash. She just can't handle the loss.”

Closing his eyes, Mike shook his head.
“I hope it's only that. We don't need a poisonous sentiment in our midst, no scapegoat to blame. Whatever happened, happened. No one did this on purpose.”

“Still, it's a mess.” Turning around, Mike saw an older man approaching them. Greg Dillard was one of the older men among the survivors, approaching his 60s and joined their group as an engineer and metallurgist. In case of broken machinery, Greg would have been their man to make spare parts Now with all machinery broken, he was only a better mechanic.

“Greg...”

“I'm with you on this, Mike. No one did this on purpose, yet the damage is done. All plain wrong if you ask me...” Looking into the direction Emily went, Greg shook his head. “An old guy like me is still alive... And two youngsters, barely over 20, with their entire lives ahead of them, bite the dust... Nothing I'm willing to brag about...”

* * * * *

Two days later, the weather around Ponyville was cloudy, and although rain was planned for this day, the princesses had enforced a rescheduling to postpone the rain until later that day. In Canterlot, Sam, Flynn and Rachel stood near the Canterlot Cemetary in their formal Ranger uniforms, which was currently secured by the Royal Guard.
“Did Tyler say anything about why he wanted every human Harmony Ranger around?”

Sam sighed. Pinkie had stuff to do and Lyra was dealing with some things in the HQ while they attended here.
“Today's the burial. 130 human survivors attend the burial of about 600 dead. We are to attend here as well. The princesses will be there also. But where is Tyler?”

Nodding over to Ponyville, Rachel harrumphed.
“There he is!”

“Where?”

“Down there! He's doing his Superman thing.”

Looking below, Flynn soon spotted a blue beam flying over Sweet Apple Acres, a blue orb at its point. Rachel's eyes had become quite sharp these days, one had to look for it to see it that far away. The beam then flew over Ponyville, where a multicolored beam and a third stripe of smoke and thunder strike joined in. A sight Flynn identified at once.
“There are times when I wish I could fly like him with my girls...”

One by one, Rainbow, Spitfire and Tyler landed with Spitfire turning over to him.
“You've improved since your first few flights, your highness. I see that Rainbows lessons were taken to heart.”

Bowing down a bit, Tyler nodded while shaking her hoof with a gentle smile.
“Thank you, Captain. It's always nice to hear that from experienced flyers. ”

Giving a nod, Spitfire then turned around, gave Flynn a knowing wink and trotted half past him.
“Same time as always, Flynn?”

Tickling her chin, Flynn then chuckled playfully.
“Well, somepony is eager...”

Looking up to him, Spitfire then shot him a sultry look.
“Must be the new uniform.”

Rainbow snickered a bit when looking at Spitfire, then got serious and shot Tyler an angered glare.
“Don't think I didn't notice that you were holding back!”

Looking away with faked innocence, Tyler shrugged.
“I don't know what you mean...”

But Rainbow lifted a hoof and poked his chest with it in accusation.
“Come on, T-Man! We both know you were holding back the speed. And I bet it's to preserve my image. Nice of you, but we both know that without magic, you can't fly, so I'm still the fastest flyer in all of Equestria, even when you could 'move' faster.”

Tyler shot Rainbow a surprised look.
“That's right... Interesting...”

“What?”

“Rainbow, since when were you so precise with terms?”

“Come on, Tyler! Cut it out! You don't fly, you 'move' through the air with that force field of yours. You don't have wings, so that disqualifies you from every flying competition. And magic strong enough and teleportation will always be faster than a Pegasus.”

Folding his arms, Tyler gave her a smirk.
“Now you make me feel like being a cheater.”

“Sure! Because I'm so awesome I can even outfly a cheater.”

Laughing in good fun, Tyler nodded.
“Alright, supermare. Next time I won't go easy on you. You'll have your race.”

This statement brought a grin to her face and she took off to catch up to Spitfire. Shooting Tyler a questioning glance, Rachel shook her head.
“You really think you can fly faster than her?”

Tyler could only shrug.
“Frankly? I don't know. Might be possible, might be impossible. Rainbow grows stronger as well, not just me. Now with the Wonderbolt Academy, she has all the access to better training than she had in Ponyville. I don't know. Also, keep in mind that she really flies, I'm limited to the magic stored in me. Sure! I could outdo her with a vast amount of magic. But once that's depleted, she'll leave me in the dust. Only Flynn here can keep up with her in a longer term. But even he will grow weak and hungry due to his faster metabolism. I strongly doubt no human can ever hope to be as fast as Rainbow in the long run. Not even me.” Passing by them, he then got a serious tone. “But enough of that. We're not here because of me or Rainbow. We have a funeral to attend to...”

Out of respect, Princess Celestia had ordered that speaking roles of ponies, if present at all, were to be reduced to a minimum. The losses were human losses and their grief heavily outweighed any sympathy. Taking the partial blame of being unprepared to the recent catastrophe, she already expected tensions between humans and ponies to rise once humans started accusations and ponies being unwilling to take the blame. If the humans were to blame someone, it had to be her and her alone for leaving the nation unprepared. One by one the humans made their speeches, telling their stories about lost friends or relatives.

Listening closely, she already heard the bitterness in the one or another voiced story. More often than once she noticed herself being watched by Luna as she had rested a wing on her younger sister, fearing for her temper to escalate the situation and speak out. But the escalation never came and Luna bumped her sister's wing away ever so gently with an unseen movement of her own wings. Secretly, Celestia was calmed after this. Luna already understood the importance of this and didn't need to be watched. Looking over to Tyler , she recognized him to be noticeably silent during the whole funeral.

Once the survivors had spoken, the royal herd looked at each other. Tyler was willed to address the humans, but Celestia already stood up. 'If they have to blame someone or somepony... Let it be me!' With closed eyes she approached the podium, looking at the crowd once she had reached it. Already she noticed the one or another glance hitting her like a dagger. Giving a heavy sigh, she then began her speech.
“So many hopes and dreams for a better future... crushed and destroyed in one single moment. One cannot lay witness to this tragedy and not be touched. For me, this was only proof that we are not ready yet. Not ready to establish a stable crossing from Earth to Equis. These deaths showed me that we as a nation were and still are so utterly unprepared for the future that lies ahead of all of us. Yet these deaths will not be in vain! They mustn't be! I will see to it that measures will be installed as soon as possible to ensure that such a tragedy is never to happen again. The eyes of Equestria now look at the 130 survivors in front of me. Some of these eyes look doubtful, some concerned, yet some ever so hopeful that you will enrich this nation, for some know what four of your kind were able to achieve here already. I will support any means to give each one of you the opportunity to show your true potential.”

Once Celestia had ended and was about to sit down once again, Tyler stood up, much to her surprise. They exchanged some glances and it was clear to him that she didn't want him to speak in order to be the only one who would be hated, if at all. But Tyler stood at the podium anyway. His hands were sweaty and a mixture of feelings rose up in him. Anxiety, shame, responsibility and anger. Yet his mind fought these feelings and after a gulp he raised his voice.
“It's not easy standing here... in front of just a fraction of those who wanted to come here... I... I wish there were words to say to ease the pain some here are suffering under, yet there are none great or inspiring enough to look over those lost souls. I remember a once great man saying that a nation chose to go to the moon of Earth. Not because it was an easy undertaking, but because it was hard. Well? Starting to establish a stable and safe connection between our two worlds is hard as well it seems and I will make a vow in front of this assembly with the burden of a body count of 596...”

His fist slammed down to the podium. “... that I will not rest until there is a safe way to cross to Equestria and such a tragedy is stopped from ever happening again. If this is an undertaking that needs to be addressed magically or technically needs to be seen. But see to it I will! I can promise you that!” Applause now rose from the other humans. It wasn't a great applause or standing ovations, yet for the moment, the survivors seem to have taken his word and in his mind Tyler already prayed no further airplane would come that quickly again.

When the crowd slowly dispersed and he stepped down from the podium, he, Celestia and Luna made their way to the carriage back to the castle. Celestia had her eyes closed, seemed a bit grumpy.
“I didn't want you to hold a speech, Tyler...”

“I had to, Sweetie. It would look bad if the only human noble in Equestria wouldn't say something.”

“Maybe, but I think it would have been better if only I-”

They were interrupted in their whispered conversation when several men and a women approached them.
“Um... Prince Tyler?”

Slightly surprised, Tyler turned around.
“Yes? What is it?”

“We heard about the Harmony Rangers and wondered: What exactly are these Rangers doing?”

First exchanging a glance with Celestia, Tyler then nodded at them and smiled.
“Basically? The Harmony Rangers are a group aiding the Royal Guard. Ponies with human knowledge taking on enemies otherwise too strong for the Guard, yet our forces act beyond the borders while the Guard acts inside the borders. We already have recruits from outside of Equestria, of the neighboring kingdoms.” Looking to Rachel, Tyler raised his voice to yell over to her. “Rachel? By any chance, is Ranger Garol around?”

“The Griffin? Sure, he should be around somewhere. Why? Do we need him?” Rachel replied.

Looking down in thought, Carmen Vasquez then suddenly looked up.
“I want to sign up!” Shortly others stepped up as well.

“Me too!”

“Yeah, me as well!”

Perplexed, Tyler looked at them.
“What?!?”

“Yes! I think I can take it.”

Shaking his head, Tyler began explaining them the situation.
“Let me be clear there: Physical observation and a thorough test lie ahead of you, if you want to join now. This new test is tough stuff, 79% of the applicants fail it.”

“Well, we at least have to give it a shot.” Carmen countered.

Looking at them, Tyler could see the determination in their eyes. It wasn't long before he nodded with an assuring smile.
“Alright.”

Celestia glanced over to him.
“Tyler! Are you sure that's right? I mean so soon after such a traumatic event?”

Looking at the applicants, Tyler then began to smirk.
“Oh, I am serious. If they pass PO and the Koba Test, they might be Ranger material. But rest assured, Miss Vasquez, all of you: If you pass and become Harmony Rangers... You don't fucking quit on me! I intend to have a sharp eye for troublemakers...”

* * * * *

Three days later, the physical observation test phase was done and two men and one woman stood in front of Tyler and a unicorn. Giving them an approving nod, Tyler smirked.
“Ten applicants entered... yet only three of you stand here before me. Well, you three passed the PO, so I guess that makes you the first three human recruits since the founding of the HQ to reach the second phase of the recruiting.” Big and sturdy vault doors opened and Tyler turned over to the applicants. “Welcome to the Harmony Ranger Headquarter.”

As they followed him into the clean, almost sterile enviroment, Jake Hunnigan looked around in mild awe.
“How far does this corridor go?”

“Several miles into the mountain with several security stations along the way.” Tyler replied, “But for now none of you will see any of this. The observations will take place on the higher levels, the better stuff is stationed below. If you pass the Koba Test, you will one day have the opportunity to see all of this.”

While Tyler made some notes on a clipboard, the three applicants behind him and his unicorn secretary began conversing with one another.
“Perkins didn't make it.”

Carmen Vasquez rolled her eyes. Among the applicants, she was one of two women, but now after the PO, she was the only one remaining.
“Perkins is a fat porker. I commend him for holding out that long for it really showed his commitment to this, but after all, he's not ready yet if they need some specific physique.”

“And that's where you fit in, I presume... Eh, Vasquez? Like it made a difference to Gregson, who was as strong and fast as you are, yet failed at the visual test.”

Showing Jake Hunnigan the finger, Vasquez expressed her disregard.
“Fuck you, Hunnigan! Don't put me on one level with that fat porker!”

That was when Richard stepped in.
“Easy now, you both have good points...” As he nodded towards Tyler, they noticed that, although they were following him, Tyler didn't turn around to listen to them or attempted any conversation with them. He left them unattended and didn't urge them to keep up. “Seriously, folks... What's with that guy?”

Vasquez arched a brow.
“Don't know... But I'm not here to talk about that guy. I'm here to get this test done!”

But Jake shook his head.
“Richard's right, Vasquez... This Jones guy... There's something about him I can't point out. Something that doesn't feel right with all that magic stuff... Keep your eyes peeled.”

* * * * *

The waiting room was tidied up and among the applicants were several races. Three humans, four Griffins five unicorns, six earth ponies and two pegasi. Looking at each other, the humans gazed in mild wonder at the griffins, before Richard broke the awkward silence.
“So... Does anyone know what this 'Koba Test' is?”

One of the griffins shrugged.
“I've overheard some Rangers talking about this. They said the test must be really hard for some. It's not so much that everyone fails, just some pass but concede their application form right after passing.”

A unicorn stallion nodded and looked around.
“Nothing certain is known about that test. Those who partake in it are forced to avoid speaking about it. I heard that this measure is new and serves as a safety measure for this facility.”

A door opened and a blue unicorn mare stepped into the room. Taking a look at the clipboard she levitated in front of herself, she looked up at the five applicants.
“Richard Henson?”

Richard took a gulp and stood up.
“Here goes...”

Following the mare into a corridor and later into a room with a chair and several seats at tables, he was lead directly to the chair and asked to sit down in it. He could see an Afro-american in the room as well as another unicorn, both nodding at him.
“Keep calm, Richard. Everything will be explained to you. The test will endure for exactly one hour. After that, you will know more about Equestria than you ever thought to know in that time and we will know about you as well.”

Richard gulped once again and nodded, nervous and unknowing what to expect. He was sitting in a comfortable chair, so they obviously didn't expect him to fight. The observational training was hard, yet bearable. However, he noticed a certain lack of instruments in the room. There was nothing to measure him there. Not for brain activities, no lie detector, no machinery whatsoever. Where they about to ask him questions? That made the most sense to him and despite feeling a bit sleepy, he braced himself for uncomfortable, maybe rude or embarrassing questions.

* * * * *

One hour passed and the door opened once again, Richard stepping out of it. Jake and the others looked up and approached him at once.
“And..?”

Richard exchanged some uncertain glances with them, before a smile crept over his face.
“Well, what can I say? I passed!”

The reply caused Jake to pat Richard's shoulder at once.
“Really?!?Awesome! And? How do you feel about it?”

“Was it hard? What did you have to do?” asked another one.

But before Richard could answer, the unicorn mare behind him harrumphed loud, arching a brow.
“Ranger Ensign Henson won't tell any one of you about the test. If anyone will go into the test with foreknowledge, he or she will automatically fail and be escorted outside the facility. Next is Green Petal!” An Earth pony stallion gulped and approached her, following her to the test.

* * * * *

On the following day, the twenty applicants stood in one group, yet only three humans, one griffin, two unicorns, two earth ponies and one Pegasus were wearing Ranger stars.
“Nine out of twenty...” Looking into their faces, Tyler began to smile in satisfaction. “Not bad. Not bloody damn bad. You human Rangers will be posted in Horizon Valley and Ponyville as soon as our posts in these cities are standing. Due to the Koba Test, your results should have given you all the knowledge you need in Equestrian society. The rest of those who passed: You will have your posts given to you within the hour. To those of you who didn't pass... Relax. No one will take this against you. Please continue to support your local community in the best way you can. You taking this test means the will to make a difference and in Equestria, that sometimes means the world.”

* * * * *

Two days later, Richard was escorting Tyler in a balloon going down to Ponyville. Freezing a bit from the chilling winds, Richard looked down to their final destination.
“Why the trip down?”

“To fetch up Princess Twilight and a few dozen scrolls.” Tyler answered, “All in preparation for the appointment with the delegates from Horizon Valley. The princesses want to conference what to propose at that meeting, what would be just, what would be too bold to ask and what could be offered for compromises. In other words: We are to collect some paperwork.”

Rubbing his arms, Richard looked over to Tyler
“Diplomacy, eh? I'm sorry if I'm hearing things not meant for me. Uh, your highness, that is...”

Tyler, however, shot Richard a smile.
“Nonsense! Really, it's alright. You are here with me to hear things like that as well.”

“What?”

“I think it's only good and proper if you human Rangers are telling your folks over at Horizon Valley what you hear the princesses and me discussing or what ponies say. Richard, the princesses and I know that the only way to go into the future with mankind is together. And this means earning the trust of the people by playing with open cards. So whenever you're hearing something outside the Ranger Headquarter, feel free to tell others. But retain information from the inside of the HQ. Your fellow Rangers, human or other species, might depend on your secrecy.” Tyler then shot Richard a glare. “However... Don't call me 'your highness'! The Ponies do that already all the time and I don't like it.”

“If you don't mind me asking,...” Richard thought for a moment, before he continued. “...Sir... Why the Koba Test? What's the meaning behind it?”

“The Koba Test is crisis and observation paired with a crash course on Equestrian way of life.” Tyler replied. “Princess Twilight came up with the idea of the crash course, an idea I deem most useful to prepare recruits new to Equestria. Of course, inhabitants of Equestria won't see it as a crash course since they're already accustomed to that.”

Richard thought for a moment. Sure, experiencing three whole months in a simulated Equestria prepared him for his duties in the real life and all this experience only took him an hour to take in. However, realization quickly occurred and he looked up.
“Wait! Observation?!?” Richard began to blush heavily. “B-but... I was with...!”

A sly grin formed on Tyler's face.
“And you won't be judged for having good taste, Richard. It is a character test, its purpose is to evaluate where your loyalties are. The love interest within the test was only to enhance the situation. If you would have chosen otherwise, you would have failed the test and wouldn't have the privilege to wear that star upon your chest.”

Taking a short glimpse at his Ranger Star, Richard then looked up.
“That test was cruel... There was no positive outcome! And you? Did you performed that test as well?”

Looking down with a sigh, Tyler smiled a bit.
“Yes and no. When I was forced into a similar situation as you were in the Koba Test, I experienced over 70 years of dream.”

Richard's jaw dropped.
“What...” he began before clearing his throat a bit, “What happened?”

Chuckling, Tyler shook his head.
“Well... I blew up the planet.” This only left Richard speechless.

* * * * *

Once in Ponyville, they approached the Golden Oak Library, prompting Richard to look up in awe. “I remember this from the Koba Test... But seeing it in the flesh... Amazing!”

Tyler grinned at this statement.
“Yes... Golden Oak... My first and therefore most beloved sanctuary in all of Equestria.” When they entered, Richard stepped in first, his eyes wide in marvel about each and every detail. Behind him, Tyler looked to the upper floors. “Twilight! I brought a guest from Canterlot!”

Coming down the stairs, Twilight shot both of them a welcoming smile.
“Is that so? In that case: Welcome to Ponyville! My name is-”

“Twilight Sparkle!” Richard interrupted her, pointing at her half dazed in amazment. “Princess of Magic and married to Head Ranger Prince Tyler.”

“Eh... yeah... Well, this is awkward. It seems you know more about me than I know about you.” Looking behind Richard, she eyed to Tyler. “What's this about?”

Closing the door behind him, Tyler then joined in and held his hands up calmingly.
“The Koba Test. Richard knows about your vague whereabouts, Twilight. Nothing more. He knows that you're an Element of Harmony Bearer, an alicorn princess and married to me. Not much more...”

Arching a brow, Twilight then looked up to Richard again.
“OK then, you can imagine the oddity of someone coming in to claim he knows so much of your life.”

Richard chuckled a little nervous.
“Well... I imagine that to be quite cringe-worthy. But no worries: I simply know that you're important to Head Ranger Tyler in more ways than one. I'm just... amazed to actually see you in the flesh.”

Reaching out a hoof, she gave him a smile.
“Good! Let's work hard to really learn to know each other better in the real world, not a simulation of somepony.”

“Agreed!” He replied, taking her hoof for a shake.

Patting on five stacks of paper sheets, Tyler harrumphed.
“And we could start with taking all these sheets of paper into the balloon.”

While Richard carried one stack of papers, Tyler and Twilight each took two stacks and levitated them towards the balloon. This made Richard frown a little.
“Wait... Why not carry all these paper sheets with magic?”

Placing her stacks into place, Twilight looked over to Richard, while Tyler placed his stacks into place as well.
“Because levitated weight still has weight to it. Sure, I could have done that all by myself, I've easily plucked a few hundred apples from Sweet Apple Acres at one time and levitated them, but someone here seemingly thought it would be a nice thing for his new Rangers to get into routine...”

Richard shot Tyler a surprised look and once his stacks were in place, he chuckled and levitated the one Richard was holding out of his hands.
“You got me... Just a little thing to show you around.” Once they've filled the balloon with all needed paperwork, Twilight nodded and they took off. During the flight, Tyler looked over to her. “So, why have you called me for?” This question made Richard look up. Didn't they simply come for some paperwork?

While the balloon was on its ascent, Twilight looked over to him.
“It's about the nobles. They're at it again. This time they are attacking Celestia and Luna directly.”

Tyler's eyes narrowed in slight annoyance as he nodded over to Richard.
“And our most recent plan for them no doubt.”

“They will achieve nothing major. As usual. The ponies follow Celestia because she never led us astray. There is no reason to change this well-oiled leadership.”

Tyler's face darkened further as he uttered his warning.
“Be careful of those who lust for power, Twilight. Such individuals can be the undoing of any civilization.”

Looking towards Canterlot Castle, Twilight sighed.
“Well, Celestia asked us to pay them a visit and put some pressure on them.” As she witnessed Tyler grin over to her while cracking his knuckles, she replied with a chuckle and shook her head. “No, not that kind of pressure. If that would have been the plan, she would have asked Luna to engage in a nice brawl.”

Tyler grinned even wider.
“Didn't she tell us about that one time before Luna turned into Nightmare Moon, when she was so fed up with the nobles, she took Luna's favorite blanket and claimed the nobles wanted to sacrifice it?”

Giving in to a hearty giggle, Twilight again shook her head.
“I think she never laughed so much like on that particular evening she told us that.”

“Oh yes, she did. On the day she did that.” That only made them laugh even harder.

Holding her belly, Twilight then gasped for air.
“Ahhh...No. We need some diplomatic finesse this time No violence, we'll persuade them.”

Tyler smiled and nodded over to Richard once more.
“Then it's good I brought Richard here.”

His eyes darting between the two of them, Richard then listened up even more closely.
“What?”

* * * * *

Once landed in Canterlot, they were already greeted by the royal secretary Raven and several members of the Royal Guard
“Here you go, Raven. I think Princess Celestia will be pleased with all the ideas Princess Twilight will add to the discussion.” Seeing the small mountain of paperwork, Raven's jaw dropped slightly as she turned to Twilight, who grinned with enthusiasm, before the earth pony nodded and several unicorn guards levitated the papers into the castle. Tyler almost slipped to laughter at Raven's glance, which had 'She's not making me list all this for the princess, is she?' all over it. Sometimes Twilight was so gosh darn in love with detail that she forgot about others and it was this what made her cute at times.

A few minutes later they approached the mansion, a well maintained and seemingly luxurious estate with wide gardens. Richard was reminded of Earth's french nobility back in the day. At least this had a similar feeling to it. The floor was expensive looking marble, the wood all around them highly processed and polished as in the castle. As they entered the entrance hall and aimed for the stairs to the next floor, they could already hear a male voice from the noble council meeting.
“This plan of theirs is total folly. A fantasy blinded by the 'principle of friendship'. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna let these people into our nation without questioning how many of them will come after them! This might create a national threat and cultural clashes.”

Upon hearing this, Tyler grinned wide in amusement and shook his head as he recognized the voice.
“Good old Evergreen Leaf...” He had some minor confrontations with the noble pony in the past, but he never took it to a personal level. Baron Evergreen Leaf had his personal political agenda, but he knew he couldn't face Tyler on a personal level in a fight, but he had influence among the nobles. So Tyler had the magical prowess and the princesses behind him while Evergreen had the nobles behind him. It was always a stalemate between them two, a thing that Tyler often took to his amusement.

Another voice became audible, belonging to a mare this time.
“The Horizon Valley plan to create and maintain a proper human settlement within our nation is a good plan. Ever since the arrival of the three other humans, we all knew the day would come that there would come even more. We should showcase that we mean them no harm and are willing to set up an alliance with them.”

Standing in the council meeting, Baron Evergreen Leaf addressed the other nobles, who discussed with the old, cobalt gray stallion with white mane.
“It's true that we knew there would come more, but we are not talking about five more or a dozen more. Now they come in the hundreds! We all know from Prince Tyler himself that they have billions of humans on their world! If their intentions were ill-minded, they could easily send thousands, even hundreds of thousands into our world. The Horizon Valley plan is nothing but the aspiration of fools and dreamers! We-” He then noticed Tyler and Twilight and chuckled a bit. “...We were just talking about you.”

Tyler arched a brow with a smirk.
“That's nice of you for a change, Baron Evergreen Leaf. Usually you're screaming about me.”

While the one or another laugh was had among the nobles, the Baron recognized Richard in the background. Pointing a hoof at him, Evergreen frowned at Tyler.
“Who is that? You know the rules, your highness: This house does not allow visitors while a council meeting is in session!”

Stepping aside, Tyler rested a hand on Richard's shoulder.
“May I present? Harmony Ranger Richard Henson, one of our first recruits who just recently passed a test giving witness to their loyalty to this nation. It is my belief that more recruits might follow once more humans cross over.”

“Speculation!” Evergreen Leaf countered,“You yourself gave Princess Celestia the advice to contain humans upon discovering them. This can only mean that you as well think or at least thought that not all humans mean well!”

Tyler knew all too well what Evergreen Leaf was playing for, but he wouldn't let him succeed.
“Yes, but we are pass the total unknown by now. Mankind knows that Equis exists and how to get here. They will come whether or not you like it. It would be foolish to force them away. Rather let them join us by choice.”

Shaking her head briefly, Twilight took a stance, looked around at all the noble ponies.
“Don't you see the opportunity at hoof? Mankind is curious about us and these few hundred seek to live in our midst. Only a fool would shove them away. We have a rare case where we could forge a powerful alliance, not only with other nations, but a whole world.”

Spreading his arms, Tyler then addressed the nobles.
“When I, who was initially brought into this world against my will, could learn to see this nation as my beloved home and decide to defend it, so can others who came here by choice.”

Several nods were had among the noble ponies now, much to Evergreen's dismay. But it was a certain hoof that stomped to the ground. Turning around, Tyler saw the meanwhile familiar face of Earl Draco von Hoofington. Tyler wondered how the vampony was able to move in Canterlot during the day. 'Maybe he used underground tunnels... Looking at his fellow nobles, von Hoofington nodded over to Tyler.
“He has a point there, the three humans that followed him also became Harmony Rangers and defend Equestria today... I say we let them try for the moment and see what progress these humans make. Maybe their efforts can prove beneficial for all of Equestria.”

Evergreen Leaf gritted his teeth, but swallowed his anger. His opinion didn't have the upper hoof, yet this, of that he was certain, was not the end of it.
“Very well, then... Prince Tyler... It seems the Princess of Friendship and the inhabitants of Castle Ensanglanter are on your side on this. But be aware that every good and bad step the humans do falls back to you! And there will be eyes watching you...”

With that Tyler nodded and both the Princess of Friendship and the Prince of Willpower gave their best regards to the nobles, before they went outside again. Richard, until now only a silent observer, finally spoke up.
“ Reminds me of politics back on Earth. Not a pleasant feller, this Evergreen.”

As they walked along the corridor towards the front door, Tyler had his eyes closed, a slight migraine creeping up. Truly these nobles were a hand full of work sometimes. To think that Celestia endured this for a thousand years without going berserk made him wonder about her self-control not to punch them into the face at some point.
“Don't mind him, Richard. He is my problem, not yours.”

Once outside, they headed towards the balloon again. Looking up to Tyler, Twilight arched both brows.
“Tyler? He asks quite some good questions. What will the newcomers do? Do you think many of the humans that will cross over will work as Harmony Rangers?”

Tyler immediately shook his head.
“Not everyone. They don't come here to be a Ranger, they come here to live here. And even then not everyone applying for Ranger membership will become a Harmony Ranger. We'll filter out those unfit to serve in that kind of work with physical examinations and of course the Koba test. But as of right now it is a prestigious career and humans like being seen in such positions. Maybe the Harmony Rangers will lead by example, forging mankind into a better spiritual and physical state.”

“Like Paladins?” Richard then asked.

“Sort of, but without the religious zeal...” Once at the market near the balloon, Tyler pointed over to the Ranger Headquarter. “Well then, if you would excuse me? Twilight, I leave Richard here with you, I got some things to do in the HQ.”

Frowning a bit, Richard shook his head.
“Wouldn't it be better if I'm coming along?”

“I'll show you around later. You will get some work in Headquarters until your post in Horizon Valley is set. And as you can see...” Holding up a single folder, Tyler then waved it around gently. “I have to go through some papers... I also have to make some talks, it would bore you to death. But, you can assist Princess Twilight here with some errands and later on have a trip over to Horizon Valley and back here to Canterlot to tell your folks about your new home to be.”

Giving a frustrated sigh, Richard's shoulders sank down.
“An escort mission? Really?”

With a knowing smirk, Tyler nodded.
“Yes, I know... The most bothersome mission of all, but I think she can handle having an eye on you.” And with that he teleported away.

While Twilight giggled, Richard shook his head in confusion.
“Wait, what?!?”

* * * * *

In the Ranger Headquarters, several ponies and griffins went along the corridors, carrying objects or papers to their distinctive target destinations. After the battle with the Descendant armada, more and more applicants from all over the world wished to offer their services either as Ranger doing indoor service or external work in the field. Whosoever was capable of handling a rifle was aiming for work in that field while lots of unicorns were also interested in research and development possibilities the HQ offered. Taking note of a unicorn mare standing in the busy corridor, Flynn first frowned, then recognized her.
“I remember you. You are one of the new ensigns that passed this morning. That's the Canterlot division, yes?”

Saluting with eagerness, the white unicorn nodded while her magic levitated a cup of hot chocolate.
“Yes, sir! I wanted to put my magic to work where it could benefit others the most. With the victory over Nagohod, I decided that this career would be most beneficial for Equestria. Ensign Lilly Snow Twinkle, ready for duty!”

Chuckling a bit, Flynn nodded.
“Well, that's the spirit. With that attitude you're going to fit in here nicely.” He then pointed at her cup of hot chocolate and shook his head. “But you shouldn't drink that here in the lively corridors. With that much chaos right now, chances are high you'll bump into someone with that or someone bumps into you.”

Lilly looked down to her white cup. It still steamed and the content was still not drinkable without risking to burn her lips or tongue. Giving it a frown, she looked up to Flynn once more.
“You're right, Ranger Marshall. That chocolate is still a bit too hot to take it in one go. I'll better head back to the mess hall."

But when she turned around, she bumped into someone and gave surprised yelp while the hot chocolate spilled all over the place. Her eyes became big as plates as she recognized who she bumped into. Looking up to Tyler, her ears dropped as all sorts of bad scenarios appeared in her head.
“Oh no! How terrible! I'm sorry, Head Ranger! It really wasn't my intention-”

Grimacing at the brown stain on Tyler's white uniform, Flynn took a sharp breath through his teeth and came to the aid of the ensign.
“All of this is my fault, Tyler.”

Arching a brow, Tyler looked over to Flynn.
“Oh really?”

Levitating a handkerchief, the nervous mare grimaced as she tried to clean the stain, only to make it worse.
“I didn't pay attention. You're full of chocolate!”

Grimacing a bit, Tyler tried his best to maintain the smile on his face.
“Yes, Ensign, you got that right...”

In an instant, the white unicorn stood attention and saluted with shaky legs.
“Y-yes! E-ensign Lilly Snow Twinkle, s-sir!”

Flynn sighed and nodded.
“Ensign Snow Twinkle absolved both screening and Koba Test in our Canterlot bureau.”

“Yes... I was there, Flynn. Imagine that. Canterlot Division then, eh? How interesting...” Looking down to her, Tyler again arched a brow. “Now, Ensign Lilly Snow Twinkle? The easiest solution to this situation would be that I change my uniform.”

While Lilly's eyes darted over the uniform, the many stains and her own handkerchief, unable to undo the damage, Flynn stepped in to aid the speechless mare.
“Head Ranger, I have to take full responsibility for this incident.”

Tyler shot Flynn another glare. It had been one of those glares Flynn deciphered as one of those 'I know what you're trying to do here.' glares. Tyler knew Flynn was coming to Lilly's aid out of camaraderie, yet some extra training sessions would have taught her not to be so careless. Tyler was annoyed and angered by this incident now, despite not showing it, but seemed to let it slip for Flynn.
“Yes, Ranger Marshall, I understand.”

When Tyler left, Lilly looked after him, her ears dropping down.
“Oh dear... Now I've done it. They say the first impression is the most important one.”

Giving a smirk, Flynn nodded at her.
“One thing is certain: The prince isn't going to forget you so easy after that...”

* * * * *

Tyler was boiling a bit, yet the anger lowered with each passing moment. It was an annoyance, nothing more. No harm was intended, just the carelessness of an ensign. As he passed by some windows, Sage turned over to him in the reflection.
“Disciplinary measures should be in place, wouldn't you agree?”

Gritting his teeth, Tyler closed his eyes while going down the corridor.
“You shut it! I won't have that now!”

“What? You were thinking it as well, don't deny it!”

Stopping now, Tyler began to smirk.
“Would you rather discuss this with the girls?”

This was enough to cause Sage's grin to wither away.
“Oh... I get it... We're getting cocky now. But you can't deny that you thought it. Not in front of me!”

“I am in control of this mind! Not you and certainly not Rage!”

“Suuure... Then who of us needs the girls to inhibit me?”

Tyler wanted to turn around and smash the glass, only to notice Discord in front of him. Stopping dead in his motion, Tyler looked at the Draconequis, baffled.
“Discord...?”

Giving Tyler a knowing smirk, Discord leaned at the glass.
“Having a little discussion with yourself, I see?” Laying an arm around Tyler's shoulder, the Draconequis looked at all the stains on the otherwise clean uniform. “Did you play with your meal again?” Waving his hand over the stains, he made them disappear. “There you go. No need to thank me, it's nothing.”

Briefly inspecting his cleaned uniform, Tyler nodded and looked over to Discord.
“Oh I almost forgot to thank you for another thing...”

“What is that?”

Pulling Discord in by his goatee, Tyler pulled him close so he could look him directly into the eyes. A furious blue glow emanated from his own as he gritted his teeth.
“Your plunder seeds almost killed everyone in the Ranger HQ, clogging every air ventilation shaft, making us fight for our very lives!”

Grimacing a bit, Discord chuckled nervously.
“Yes, well, ummm...”

But Tyler didn't listen. He let go of the Draconequis and shook his head.
“Forget about it. Just tell me one thing: Are there any more surprises or leftovers you left lying around? Any other doomsday device that might cause some trouble?”

This stumped the Draconequis a big deal.
“Wait, you're not mad at me?”

Going through his hair with both hands, Tyler took a deep breath before turning around to Discord and pointing at him.
“Oh, I am mad at you... But precautionary measures are my jurisdiction now. So if you have anything left, tell me now so we can take action before it escalates.”

“I can't think of anything more...” Tyler's eyes narrowed, causing Discord to shrug and grin. “Honestly!”

Tyler's face remained hard for a few moments, then he began to smirk.
“If you say so... I'm going to have a talk with Fluttershy about that topic. I'm sure she'll be eager to talk about the Draconequii we battled on Earth.”

This immediately got Discord's attention.
“You what?”

“When we were on Earth, we engaged several of them.” Tyler answered. “Do you know something about this?”

Stroking his goatee, the former Spirit of Chaos hummed in thought.
“Can't be... Other than me, only one other Draconequis knows of opening transdimensional rifts and rips...”

Giving Discord a strict glare, Tyler's right brow twitched ever so slightly.
“Who?”

“My sister, Eris. We've been out of touch since... oooh, for eons! I left the family, if one could call it that. We're all little and big brothers and one sister. Big Brother Discord I was called, Eris, being the second oldest in our bunch, was deemed the Big Sister. I think she sent the Draconequis to find a way towards Earth. And after that nice little impulse you created together with Twilight, they were most able to find you two, no matter in what plane of existence.” Nudging Tyler into the ribs, he then grinned. “I never took you for such an exhibitionist, Tyler.”

Arching back a bit, Tyler blushed a bit.
“W-What?!? But we never did it in the open!”

Shrugging, the Draconequis grinned.
“Physically not, perhaps, but magically, it's just a way to send a message throughout the planes: 'Hey! I'm impregnating an alicorn right now!'

A mixture of shame and understanding went through Tyler's mind.
“That explains this odd pulse right after our climax... So this happens each time an alicorn gets impregnated?”

“What do I know? This is something new to happen in a long, long time. I don't know if Celestia knows of other cases, I for once, do not. Why don't you ask your unicorn friend to speed things up a bit with his wife to get a confirmation?”

“Mind your manners, old boy!” Tyler warned with a raised index finger. “You are talking about my best friend here! And Cadance is not due for alicorn heat for the next 500 years, so that story is over! I'm sure they tried, but she's not pregnant now, so that means it won't happen in his lifetime anymore.”

But the grin on Discord's face didn't falter.
“Ohhh.... But it is you who gave these two the means to enter parenthood anyway.”

“What is that supposed to-” Then realization struck Tyler. “The human transformation spell...”

“Precisely! This means that you did the groundwork for mares to choose a partner they deem fit and then enter pregnancy even outside of heat season. Shining Armor and Princess Cadance seem to undergo this procedure right now.”

“A spell with a 100% chance of impregnation...” Holding his forehead, Tyler closed his eyes as he shook his head. “This needs to remain a secret for now. If word came out about this, everyone would want it! What problems could ascent from that...?”

Folding his arms, the former Spirit of Chaos gave Tyler a concerned glance.
“You can hide that fact from the ponies... But what about the others? There are other things that should concern you, Tyler...”

Tyler shot him a glare.
“Like what?”

A heartily chuckle escaped Discord's throat.
“Oh, please... Don't take me for a fool! It's impossible to fool a Draconequis that's out of its first coat to oversee the minor little details like the side effects of time travel.”

Tyler's jaw simply dropped.
“Who told you about that one? Fluttershy?”

“No, and there is no need to. You see, my senses are way more refined when it comes to these teensy weensy details about time and space. And your body is a few months younger than I think it should be. Or rather: By now you should have been a little bit older.”

“Do you mean you can sense when someone traveled through time?”

Giving it a shrug, Discord rolled his eyes with a chuckle.
“Well... Only if I pay close attention. It's easy to overlook for the amateur eye, no doubt. I don't know what you did in that other time window, but whoever you met there... there is the possibility that they as well will recognize this pulse you've created with Twilight.” Tyler now became very silent all of a sudden, what caused the Draconequis to chuckle a bit and bump his lion paw at him. “Come on! It was just a bit of fun. You didn't face anything serious, right?” When Tyler remained silent, the usual joking tone of Discord withered to a worried one. “Right...?”

Heading towards the R&D department of the HQ, Tyler then waved into the air as if saying goodbye to Discord.
“Thank you for your time and precious information, Discord. That nudge might have been one that came before it was too late.”

Hovering there, the Draconequis was a bit puzzled while Tyler went away.
“What...?”

5 - Hardships of a newborn princess *

Somewhere, in an unknown limbo in the distant future.

Darkness and silence filled the room until a set of female, green glowing eyes opened and several candles were lit, illuminating the otherwise pitchblack room. Within the shine of the green flames, the coat of a dark alicorn mare shimmered ever so slightly as she focused some magic to create a magic orb in front of her, depicting the past of Equestria in the age of the two diarchs. Ponies trotted over the streets of the many cities of Equestria. To see the ponies of the past that untroubled was many things. A look of dissapointment and slight disgust crept over the mare's face as she looked down to the orb.
"Ponykind.... You are an ignorant species. How foolish of you to believe that all is well in times of peace. Know now that it is only due the warfaring species that you didn't perished. Thus these are the species preserved by the crown for generations to come."

A green hologram of a human being appeared on the other side of the orb, floating in midair and slowly rotating. The human in it was buff and had a strong resemblance to Tyler, yet was more like the depiction of the perfectly trained, unreal human body, complete with no ounce of fat and with Tyler's face slapped on to it. Looking up to the hologram, the mare's glance softened like looking at someone or something soothing her anger..
"There was an ancient legend of a superbeing. He was called the Tilerions. A demigod to take throne in the midst of the alicorn race. An ultimate fighter who emerged from a species we know as mankind.

Moving pictures of Tyler now appeared in the orb, showing him in many occations in his adventures. "The Tilerions will appear through the body of a human. And, with his great power, the alicorns will rebuild what was once brought to ruins. With him, we will create an age of true peace and harmony. His time will soon come. And yet, his current mortal shell is yet to wield its full potential as he has yet to fully awaken." More pictures of ponies browsed over the orb, causing the mare to narrow her eyes in disgust. "Ignorant ponies! The truth shall soon be revealed!"

Behind her, another voice emerged from the dark with an entertained chuckle.
"Yes, yes... Tremble in fear, puny mortals! You always overdramatize."

The pupils of these green eyes darted to the right corners. Slightly shifting her head, the mare looked back to the intruder.
"You! You know full well that I don't wish to be disturbed while studying the past. Why are you here?"

Stepping into the light, a violet coated alicorn approached the black mare. Her mane was purple, with two streaks of black, which were also divided by a third streak of blonde. Other than the black mare, whose mane was flowing without a breeze, her mane was stagnant, making her an alicorn not yet at her full power and thus subordinate to the older one.
"To tell you that Queen Celestia wishes to speak with you. That thing you did yesterday with the Doctor didn't come to her liking. She agrees on the secrecy we demand from him, but your methods are questionable. If you ask me, you're in for it. Your constant meddling with the past went overboard this time. She asked of your presence on Origin and she made it very clear that she does not approve of you threatening one of her oldest and most loyal friends."

That name bothered the dark mare, as a frown grew on her face grow the moment she heard it.
"Equis, not Origin! I can't see why we adopt a starpony name for our very own home world."

A sly grin formed on the younger mares lips.
"Out of courtesy, I presume? You remember courtesy, right?"

Gritting her teeth, the older mare now looked back directly, establishing eye contact.
"Hold your bold tongue, princess! You are speaking to a queen here. And don't tell me you have such a clean slate yourself!"

While both mares now faced each other, the younger one kept her sly grin.
"Please... You want to tell me you want to make this an authority thing? Four others are also entitled with that rank. And do I have to remind you that my mother-"

Rolling her eyes in annoyance, the dark mare sighed before she interrupted her unwelcomed guest.
"No, but let's not forget who asked me about that time-traveling spell..."

In an instant, the sly grin on the young mare's face withered away.
"The spell I asked for... is done?"

A dark chuckle escaped the older mare's throat.
"Look who's reminded of her own manners all of a sudden, eh? Take it and leave me be! I have more important things on my mind than you."

A scroll was levitated from one mare to another and the young mare took it into her magic grasp, eying it like she had plans of her own.
"I can never thank you enough for this."

An annoyed roll of her eyes was everything of a reaction the older mare brought forth without looking back.
"Don't thank me. What you are attempting to do is futile. I've analysed it time and time again to see every possible outcome. A timeline is no toy after all! He will never be in love with you. You would do best to forget about this. But you can't. You feel compelled to do this as you yourself are trapped in a historical loop. I hope after all of this you will come to your senses."

"Hmph! I don't know what you're babbling about and I didn't ask for your advice, you old hag."

With that the younger alicorn teleported away, leaving the dark-coated mare behind, alone. Closing her eyes, she shook her head and drawed in a deep breath before releasing it. In front of her the pictures in the orb changed and browsed through pictures of recent history.
"It's been so many untold years since that young fool has had her blind adventure to bring back the Great One. In the past, there has been no report about her, but I can sense her hoofprint in history..." Three red gemstones now appeared in the orb, emanating a bright red light. Shining from below, the red light of the orb illuminated the mare towering over it as her eyes began to glow in a green light themselves and her mane and tail turned into a cloud of thick and dark mist, obscuring all light in the room.
"Everything is proceeding as I have planned... She will attempt to reclaim which was never hers and will strengthen him and the ones around him." A dark chuckle escaped her throat. "My careful changes will bring an earlier coming of the Tilerions!"

* * * * *

Equestria, today

A large double winged door opened and in it, the silhouettes of a human and an alicorn stood there on the brink of the otherwise dark room. An illumination spell was all it took to cast aside the darkness and Tyler and his protege, Princess Shiria entered the room.
"Well then, Shiria... Since your rebirth to this state, I know you had many questions. And while my answer was always that there will be another time, today you shall see these answers for yourself." Turning over to her, he looked down to her with a encouraging smile. "Do you feel ready?"

Shiria took a deep breath, her ears lowered, then nodded, although a bit uncertain. Ever since her rebirth from Changeling Queen back into an alicorn, her mind was in a constant state of confusion. Having no memory at all, she was spoonfed with information to ensure her understanding. A project the other princesses partook in with greatest enthusiasm. Cadance and Twilight had been there whenever they could spare a day or two, otherwise Celestia and Luna were almost omnipresent. Being slightly intimidated at first, Shiria quickly learned to trust the other alicorns and opened up a bit. Today was the day she was about to learn what happened to her former self and her swarm. A step Tyler knew could be hard, but was inevitable at some point.

The door behind them closed and they approached a table, where several stacks of envelopes were placed in an orderly fashion. Tyler patted her back and nodded as he looked down to her.
"You already know you weren't always like this current form. I told you about the Changelings and how they preyed upon love, sometimes imitating whole families and herds..." She nodded, remembered his explanation well. "However, Shiria... Things changed once you were in charge. You were a very unlikely individual for a Changeling Princess and later Queen. We had our encounters and sometimes faced common enemies."

He then patted the stacks of envelopes.
"After your greatest victory, said enemies told me to kill you, fearing your newfound powers would cause destruction beyond measure. But since you're here right now, you can imagine how I obeyed them. These letters have not been opened yet. Not even by me. They are yours. The Changelings in service of your former self wrote them down for you. They gave their lives so you could be here today, so I think it's only good and proper for you to be the first to read these letters meant for you. Once you digested what's in there, we might clearify everything to you. If you need anything, I will be here, taking a seat over there."

He then pointed over to a chair, in which he took seat soon after. Looking down to the envelopes, Shiria then levitated the first one. Ripping it open ever so carefully, she then extracted the letter inside and began reading it.

I am scared... And yet I know that my life was filled with a higher purpose. Does anything make more sense looking at it in hindsight that our entire swarm existed for this one chance to return back to normal what was transformed by this evil king?All the lives given and taken by the swarm... They could have been prevented, if not for this dreaded machine. The queen said that the machine will now self destruct, taking us all with it. I feel... I feel pride in being part of this one particular swarm. Our queen rid the world of a great evil. But it saddens me. It saddens me beyond my understanding that my queen will never remember anything of this once reborn. Your majesty... mother... live on for us!

Confusion struck the young princess. Looking up to Tyler, she shook her head.
"I don't understand... I... I don't recognize anything of what is written in these letters. Machine? King?"

Tyler nodded with a deep sigh.
"Yeah, I know... Your hive gave you its strength as you made your final trip back to alicornhood. If I understand it correctly, they once used that horrible machine to turn your mother into a changeling a very long time ago. But while your mother lost her sanity over the ages, you found this machine and reversed the effect, winning us another alicorn princess. It seemingly only works on Changeling nobility, since drones lack free will once separated from the hive. A thing you changed for your hive once you went through this process. You cocooned in my arms and on the way back, transformed back from a Changeling to an alicorn. You're a bit younger in appearance, my take is the transformation back to alicorn state had to sacrifice some years in order to replenish all cells to former state. Uh... At least that's how I understand it."

Taking in a deep breath, Shiria continued to read. It was much to take in, even more than the lessons the other princesses had taught her so far. The mass of information was not only staggering, it was hard to digest as well.

I am so eternally grateful of being granted individuality. It is an empowering emotion to know that my thoughts are now my own. My Queen, I think you can change so much more if you turn things right. Make them pay for what they did to countless Changelings over the ages!

I am a Changeling Brute. All my live my sole purpose was fighting. Now, that I was given thought and reason, I can see that a force greater than me or the entire swarm created us as an ancient evil. An evil to harm others with. We were forced into an eternal struggle of survival, only to bring misery to others. I will gladly give my life so my Queen lives on. To take the rage of the swarm to those who made us to suffer.

Shiria gasped, hot tears running over her cheeks. If everything in these letters were true then so many who loved her and were loved by her, were now...
"I am nopony! I have no past as it was taken from me, and thus no future..."

Shaking his head, Tyler came to her side.
"No... No! That's not entirely true. You have your past. Your past given by me and all these letters. But what was given to you was this rare chance to start over with a clean slate, to start over from scratch. I am confident that you will make the right choices this time as you did at the end of your old life.”

Her hooves began to tremble.
"So these letters... They are all from..."

Now standing next to her, Tyler rested a hand on her shoulders. He could feel her shaking. He knew it wouldn't be easy to bring her back up to speed, but right now, she looked more fragile than ever. This was even more reason to care for her right now. Fighting the lump in his own throat, he gave his best to speak with a calm and warm voice.
"From your drones, yes. Your children... You gave birth to each one of them, hatched them, cared for them and in good or evil stood with them and felt their pain. You explained it to me so yourself. Each injury and death you felt."

Tears dropped onto the letter in her hooves.
"I... I had family..." Hugging the letters tightly, her weeping silently filled the room while she rocked back and forth in Tyler's arms.

* * * * *

Watching the two of them from a window on the other side of the royal garden, Celestia and Luna had observed the lesson with the letters. Taking in a calm breath, Luna then looked over to her older sister.
"He takes good care of her, mine sister."

"That he does, Luna. I must say it comforts me that he takes special care of her instead of leaving her by herself. By the stars, she needs his aid in these hard lessons" The princess of the Sun looked down in thought.

Her sudden silence made her young sister look over to her, only to see the glum face.
"Thou're thinking of back then, aren't thee?"

A heavy lump formed in Celestia's throat, feeling like it was choking her.
"I must say it reminds me of back then,yes."

Resting a wing on Celestia's back, Luna then looked straight into her face.
"Mine banishment lies in the past. It was just and good. Seeking power and attention, I turned on you, my own sister. But without one another, we both were lost. The two of us inflicted wounds upon another, which had a thousand years to heal. And due to it we were both isolated from another, suffered equally. I have forgiven thee a long time ago, Celestia. Six friends of us showed me the way to be able to do so. Now thou only need to forgive thyself." It was in this moment, when her eyes was shut tight, that the tears welled overwhelmingly in Celestia's eyes as a burden was falling off from her. Warm orbs of relief rolled down her cheeks. Tears that were kissed away in care as Luna's voice sounded in her ears again. "Get some well deserved rest, Tia. I will watch over the night..."

* * * * *

An hour later Tyler entered Twilight's room in Canterlot Castle, finding her there waiting for him. Writing down some notes for a work about the human world, Twilight had waited for him to return, so they could spend the night in Canterlot and return home to Ponyville in the morning. When he entered, Twilight rested down her quill and turned over to him with a smirk.
"Well? How was your first lesson with your pupil?" Her smirk withered away though when she saw his foul mood. "What's wrong?"

Tyler grimaced a bit at the question and she could instantly see it made him uneasy.
"I think I messed up. Maybe she wasn't ready for this yet. Her past I mean. I gave her the letters and... Well, she cried herself to sleep. Can't say that I blame her. She learned that she lost her entire family with the hive... It's like going from having nothing to know you had it all and lost it."

That statement confused Twilight a bit.
"Family? What do you mean by that?"

Taking a seat on the couch, Tyler leaned back to relax a bit while speaking with Twilight.
"Well, they WERE her children, Twilight. Every death, every pain her drones felt, she felt as well. A bond forged by a cruel mind who created this race of living weapons, condemning them to an eternal struggle for survival."

Hearing this, Twilight's eyes widened a bit.
"I must admit I never knew that Changelings were made like that..." Looking down, she remembered her former opinion about the hive. It made her ears drop. "I said some things in the past that I now know to be awfully wrong. That Changelings are nothing but ruthless, heartless... monsters. My experience with them made me biased, seeing only the evil they caused and not the evil done to them. I should have researched more..."

Seeing her dilemma, he immediately sit up straight and stood up.
"Hey... No one knew, Twilight. Don't get mad about that. It just showed what kind of mindset we're dealing with here.”

In the next moment, the door to their room stood open with Luna standing inside of it.
"A twisted mind made them struggle with each passing moment... The mind of a mad king, desperately out to harm the subjects of his greatest adversary, our mother."

Looking at her, Tyler arched both brows.
"Luna? What are you doing here at this hour? Shouldn't you be with... uhm..."

Sharing a hug with first Tyler and then Twilight, Luna then shook her head.
"Night Court was silent, as always. Thus I decided to skip it today for a change of pace. I have a few moments to spare before I get to nightwatch, so I thought I could spend it with thou two. Celestia and I talked a bit about it in the past and we think that after what you told us, Tyler... We theorize that there is no doubt about your report about this machina. The Changelings which we first thought to be a natural parasite were in fact created by our father, King Tacitus in order to be weapons. A weapon system that had a lot of time to ripen since its creation."

Tyler frowned a bit at that.
"But that machine blew up! Right? I mean... the Changelings malfunctioned it and that entire island was blown up."

Closing her eyes, Luna shook her head again.
"I am afraid this is information we can not confirm as of yet. The radiation levels in the ocans surrounding that coast are high enough to be of concern of what awaits on the main land. Maybe it's a living nightmare in the making. If something survived there, it can't be pleasant."

This caused Tyler to nod in understanding.
"I see... This of course is very troubling. Please keep me informed about this."

* * * * *

On the next day, Princess Shiria was leaving her chambers with her very own first task. A task that was meant to bring in some social skills and experience. A task she was determined to perform quite well for Tyler that he would have no other choice but to praise her for it. The task of going shopping in Canterlot. All by herself, she trotted out through the main gate, seeing the lively streets of Canterlor for the first time up close. The escort was optional, as he stated it in the task letter. Maybe a mare of the Royal Guard to accompany her and give her some advice.

But after yesterday, Shiria deemed it unbecoming to be too dependant from others. 'If it's true that so many gave so much that I can stand here, I mustn't disappoint them by remaining small and fragile.' She would do this alone and be stronger than before for sure. Canterlot was so vast, so much bigger than she expected. And the many shops made her gulp a bit. Maresace, Gorgon Armane, some of these brands looked and sounded a bit expensive. Then again, she was a princess and it would be rather proper to shop in those. Taking a deep breath, she bolstered herself and stepped in. Maresace... The layout of this shop was breathtakingly luxurious.

* * * * *

At the same time, Cadance and Shining Armor were shopping in the same shop on a short shopping trip. Unfortunately, Maresace and other brands had no branch office in the Crystal Empire yet, so in order to get something of usual attire, both of them had to do some shopping back in Equestria. Cadance enjoyed these short trips for a day and was conversing with her beloved husband while she browsed through the items.
“Really, Shining. It looked good on you!”

Rolling his eyes playfully, Shining shrugged a bit.
"Well, at least one of us thinks that way..."

Giving his statement a short giggle, Cadance then shook her head.
"Oh... Shiny, are you jealous about your very own human form? I know it's you. That form only changes your stamina, not the stallion I love."

Looking down, Shining's ears now dropped as well as his voice.
"Yeah, but I feel like my stallion form can't compete."

Hearing this made Cadance halt at once and she knew she had to take immediate action. Turning over to him, she raised his chin with her hoof.
"Ok, look. I am sorry if it made you uncomfortable. I wanted us to indulge a little. I mean by default I have a bit more stamina than you being a mare and that alicorn thing, but... Shining, I wanted to bring you on an equal level of stamina. For once, I wanted to be the one to pass out first beneath my husband."

Shining shook his head with a sly grin.
"Cady, you have one dirty mind. It's not that I'm mad. It's just... Well, maybe I haven't given all this parent thing as much thought as you did."

Turning on her bedroom eyes, Cadance then licked over her lips, knowing all too well about the signals she was giving Shining with this.
“Us two turning human for a night is my only chance to become the mother of your foal. And it's either that or preserving you in most uncomfortable means until I enter heat in 500 years again." It caused him to chuckle a bit nervous, but her lips, locked on to his made him forget all worries within split seconds. Once the kiss ended, she continued giving him the bedroom eyes look. "I want your foal, Shining. I can't think of any better testimony of our love than having your child. Endure it a little longer for my sake. I will make it worthwhile for you..." Her sly grin while stroking his chest while saying this made him chuckle dirty and he finally nodded. She then turned around and pointed over to some shelves. "I'll go look over there, why don't you go look for some shirts matching the stuff we already bought?"

Strolling around, he then at some point bumped into another mare while trotting backwards. The female voice sounded nervous and uncertain.
“Oh! Excuse me!”

“No problem. Nothing happened.” Recognizing her horn and wings, Shining knew in an instant who was standing in front of him. It had one good thing about alicorn mares: They were rare enough to know each of them by name. And then a new one was easy to learn.

Sadly, not the same was to be said about unicorn stallions. But Shiria seemed slightly puzzled about his appearance.
"Hey... Don't I know you?" A wild idea came up in Shining's mind. Was she recognizing him from the time as a Changeling? The other princesses gave her lessons, but he never asked Cadance about it, kept his distance from the subject for not messing up important things. Pinching her eyes together, she inspected his face a bit closer. "Something about that chin..." Her eyes suddenly widened as she recognized who stood before her. "Now I know! You're Shining Armor, the former Captain of the Royal Equestrian Guard! Yes, they have a portrait of you in the castle." Shining rolled his eyes with a smile. That was actually quite some time ago and he was only helping out in the Guard in case of a nationwide emergency. But it sure was nice to be recognized once in a while for not being alicorn royalty. Sometimes he wondered it Twilight ever had problems with ponies recognizing her as a princess all the time. What he didn't expect was the young princess in front of him to approach him all of a sudden. Leaning slightly against him, Shiria began to grin a bit while batting her eyes.
"And from what I see, all alone here..."

In his mind, all alarm sirens began to rang. With how young she looked, she could be deemed a very young mare, surely several years younger than him. Not to mention that he was happily married to a wife that demanded his presence in the bedroom more than enough. However, the mane on his neck began to stand up as he heard a sudden harsh harrumph behind himself, and a voice that he knew all too well.
"Can I help you, Shining?"

Approaching both Shining and Shiria, Cadance had her eyes locked on her husband's eyes. Reading Shining Armor was easy in those situations. As usual, he underwent his usual three stages to react to the situation.

Step One: Realization. In that stage he realized that a mare had come a bit too close and that he hadn't told her to keep her distance in time before Cadance caught him.

Step Two: Emergency Plan Panic. While Cadance approached the two of them, he looked at each one of them in turn, thinking of what to say.

Step Three, and this was the part she loved so much about Shining: Sudden Surrender: Attempting to say something, maybe stammering a bit, before remaining silent and looking down in defeat. It was so cute, she sometimes had to fight the urge to grin at it. In fact, it was fun getting new maids not entirely instructed to the royal Who is Who to approach him, so that Cadance could catch him with this. Recognizing she was treating on claimed territory, Shiria took her distance from Shining at once.
"Cadance? Uh-oh... Enter the jealous girlfriend..."

Stepping next to her husband, Cadance eyed Shining from the corner of her eye, a knowing smirk on her lips.
"Close... Enter the wife."

Taking back yet another step after hearing this, Shiria looked down in embarrassment.
"Oh, uh... Then I didn't say a thing! No offense?"

Touching her chest with her own hoof, paired with a deep inhale, all it took was one exhale for Cadance to get calm again. A technique developed, refined and perfected, to now aid her in this situation. Shiria was young and spotted a handsome stallion. And like any healthy young mare she took her chances. Obviously she missed the information of Shining Armor being married.
"None taken... He IS quite a catch... One of the many, many reasons I'm married to him. So then, young Princess Shiria... I guess Prince Tyler let you out for today?"

Looking up again, Shiria beamed with vigor.
"Yeah! He said I need to go under ponies for a change... This means I'm going shopping today. Not that I'm that thrilled for this. It's my first time out of the castle on my own without anypony. And Canterlot is so much bigger than I thought! But it feels great to explore a bit."

Smiling a bit with closed eyes, Cadance then looked over to her husband.
"Wonderful to hear that! Shining? Why don't we come back later and aid her a bit once we're done? It would be nice to help her out a bit.

Shining, still a bit nervous, merely nodded, while drops of sweat ran down his temples.
“Whatever you say, honey...” Cadance bumped her flank into his with a short giggle, signalling him that she was holding no grudge and after both princesses nodded at each other, Shiria went her own, separate way while the happy couple headed for the exit. And pretty soon the young princess levitated up the dress that caught her attention.

Little did Shiria know that behind her, a small green portal opened for a brief moment and a small orb passed through before the portal closed again with a mischievous chuckle. Soon after that, Shiria's ears peaked at the sound of whispered gossip. Not knowing about the magical orb nearby, she mistook the voices for regular ponies.
“Isn't that...?”

“Yes, that's her. The new princess.”

“I heard Prince Tyler saved her. She's a former Changeling.”

“What? You mean she's the same Shiria like THE infamous Shiria from the conflict in the Amasian Enclave?”

“The same...”

“Well I hope they have an eye on her. Until I'm not told that she's harmless by Princess Celestia herself, I won't trust her.”

Inside, Shiria was boiling. She knew what her former self had done and she knew it was wrong. But this was in the past, she was different now. Taking a deep breath, she then relaxed and trotted over to the checkout. Taking a short glimpse at the way she heard those mares, she wrinkled her nose and shook her head.
“Geeze... Have one dark spot in your past and they point at it for eternity...” Levitating the dress she was buying onto the desk along with the bits to buy it, she looked at the mare in front of her. “I mean, yeah, I did some foul things in the past but that's over! I'm a better pony now. That's what truly matters, right?”

The mare nodded and gave her a smile as she took the bits for it.
“Why... Yes! The best example for that would be Princess Luna. She is a well respected mare now and beloved among the children.” Turning away, she stowed the bits away, but as she turned back to dismantle the article surveillance device from the dress, Shiria was already trotting towards the exit.

Lost in her own world, the princess mused a bit.
“Right! If Princess Luna could do it and everypony loves her nowadays as an equal to Princess Celestia, I can surely-” Her thoughts came to a sudden halt when a shrilling alarm went of at the entrance of the shop. “HEY! What gives?!?”

Coming right at her, a stallion in shop detective uniform rose his voice.
“Your highness? Would you come back to the-”

“That's my dress! I paid for it!”

Trying to calm the enraged princess down, the shop detective tried to explain.
“Why yes, but you need to let us-”

Not listening, she held dear to her dress and charged her horn.
“It's a frame-up! You won't put me into the dungeon like I'm a Changeling again!”

“Changeling? Your highness, what are youaahhh!” Being levitated away from her, he was then catapulted out of the window, which broke under the sudden impact and fell to the street.

Landing in front of Shining and Cadance, the guard was knocked out for sure, prompting the two of them to gasp. While Cadance looked up to him, Shining Armor trotted back into the shop.
“Cady? Wait outside... I'll handle this.” Shining didn't know what to expect, but with Cadance out of harms way, he could focus more on the situation at hoof.

Hurrying back into the shop, he quickly looked around before he spotted the clerk pointing her hoof into a specific direction.
“She galloped in there...”

Giving a short nod, Shining prayed in the back of his mind that things would not turn out bad now. 'Let's just hope there aren't any relapses on the Changeling Queen to alicorn thing. Then again, who could say for sure?' Stepping near the changing cubicles, he then took a gulp. If she was to hide anywhere, it had to be here. Knocking at the door of one cubicle, Shining took a deep breath and wore a fake smile as a shield for his own uncertainty.
“Princess Shiria? I don't know what happened just now, but I want you to know that nopony is mad at you? Shiria?” He frowned at the fact that there was no reply. Was she even in there? But his next thought of entering the cubicle was not to become a reality.

When Shiria blasted open the doors, Shining was knocked back and landed on his haunches. Holding his head, he looked back up, seeing Shiria in the dress she bought, yet only it had a ton of holes in it, giving it a look of a Changeling. Her face was fuming in rage.
"I tried to play by their rules, but NO!!! With my past, they wouldn't let me go straight? They want to frame me for stealing, taking away something from me?!? FINE!!! Society is to blame! They don't know what it feels like to lose everything!" When Shining raised a hoof to protest, she pointed her horn at him. "Back off, Prince Charming! My horn is armed!"

Just as the guard outside sat up and came back to his senses, Shiria jumped through the window and her front hooves landed on his head, sending it back to the ground, knocking him out a second time Giving it another shocked gasp, Cadance witnessed as the young princess jumped into the carriage and pointed her charged horn at her. "You're coming with me, doll!" Shooting a glare of death towards the two stallions in front of the carriage, Shiria again charged her horn. "If you know what's good for you, gallop!"

Not planning to argue with an alicorn, the two stallions made haste as if a pack of Timberwolves were after them.
“You think she'll kill us if we try to escape?”

“Hay if I know, but would you want to risk it?”

“You think she'll let us live if we bring her to where she wants?”

“You see me at a loss once more!”

Seeing that her demands were met and that the carriage was moving, Shiria then turned over to Cadance, her tone now rather soft than harsh.
“So... You're planning to become a mother, huh? I guess at one point I knew what that was like...”

Perplexed of how casual Shiria was all of a sudden, Cadance shook her head in disbelief.
“Please just stop the carriage, Shiria. Don't make things worse than they already are!”

But hearing this caused Shiria's right eye to twitch in a mixture of anger and madness.
“Worse? WORSE?!? Do you even know what I lost? My entire life! The ones I loved! Even myself! And now these goons back there try to frame me? How could this become ANY worse than this?!?”

Things became more confusing now for Cadance. Was Shiria wronged? Could this be the reason for this incident? If so, it was best to intervene at once.
“Frame you? There must have been a misunderstanding somewhere! I'm sure we could-”

Before Cadance could end, Shiria waved her thought away.
“Forget it, Caddy! A girl like me will never be seen like you! Not an ex-changeling!"

The statement didn't come to Cadance's liking. From the day Shiria was reborn, she was always a good filly and behaved properly. She was not as mischievous as her former self.
“I don't think you're as bad as a Changeling.” That sentence felt good in Shiria's ears. It made maintaining a determined and angered face difficult.

* * * * *

Meanwhile, back in Canterlot Castle, Tyler was having a business conversation with Filthy Rich. It was actually his first business meeting as an equestrian prince and it was pleasantly enough someone he was experienced enough with. An evening spent with Granny Smith was all it took to learn about the quirks of this clever stallion.
"Phil, I am certain that with these contracts with Rich's Barnyard Bargains you will have a good foothold in supplying the Canterlot facility with enough provisions. And, if everything turns out alright and your supply lines hold what you promise, I can imagine recommending your company as a long time contractor which will multiply your profits as you will supply more facilities in Equestria and beyond."

This brought a smile on Filthy Rich's face. Getting such a contract was a great advantage for his company and having an eye of the human goods that would start to roll out once the town of Horizon Valley would have been established. While they were discussing the details, a guards pony entered the room and approached Tyler, speaking up with a soft voice, not to interrupt the conversation too harshly.
"Your highness, there is a situation in the streets of Canterlot that demands your immediate attention."

Diverting his eyes from the conversation, Tyler turned his head away just a few degrees. 'What could be so urgent to interrupt a business meeting?' Whispering a low "I'm in the middle of something here, what is it?" he returned his eyes to Filthy. The guard now whispered something inaudible into his ears, what prompted Tyler's eyes to widen, if only for a second. Taking a breath, he then shook his head slowly.
"I see... This truly is something urgent." Standing up, Tyler looked over to Filthy Rich. "Phil... My friend, I must ask a favor of you to interrupt this meeting for a while. An emergency situation has emerged here in Canterlot and it seems two alicorn princesses are in distress. In several ways. I have to see this through."

Following him with his eyes, Filthy gave it an understanding nod.
"A minor dispute you have to clear?"

Tyler rolled his eyes and tried to smile. Right now he had to feign it to be something serious, but not a major catastrophy.
"If only it would be that unimportant. But then again, I wouldn't interrupt our meeting for such a trivial thing. Why don't you take a seat in the visitor room in the west wing at the end of the corridor while you wait for my return? I had them re-purpose the room to my very own private den."

This formed a smirk on Filthy's lips.
"Alright, if you make it that tempting of an offer, I'll see that den of yours."

On their way to the door, Tyler gave the business pony a wave and a smile.
“There's also a bar there. I think after two or three good glasses of Las Pegasus Whiskey I should be back to fetch you from there.”

* * * * *

A few minutes later Tyler was high up in the sky and set up his earpiece as his magical sphere went to a descend to the upper floors of the canterlot City buildings. Once set, he concentrated on the traffic ahead while speaking into said ear piece.
"Captain Dusk Aegis! Report!"

In the communication room of the Royal Guard, the stallion approached the crystal microphone and saluted as if reporting normally.
“Sir! Two of my squads are currently advancing to her position the others have sealed off dangerous no-go-zones that might lead to sudden death dead ends, should they pass there. The princesses may be able to fly, these poor two stallions in front of them, however, can't."

Tyler nodded, it was one less worry to have.
"Good! Dusk, how did that happen in the first place?"

"It appears someone mentioned the words Changeling a bit too often around her and then there was the thing with her newly bought dress. She paid for it, but in her haste and inexperience didn't wait until the accountant could extract the article surveillance device. As a result, the alarm went off and she was claiming that the detective was setting her up. She overwhelmed him and ran back into the changing cubicle. Out came a princess dressed up looking much more like a Changeling."

Tyler felt his forehead, this was so utterly stupid of a misunderstanding that in hindsight he wished he would have sent someone with her.
"Did nopony try to reason with her?"

Now another voice spoke into the microphone. It was Shining Armor.
"I did. But the filly was furious, Tyler. She thinks society still fears her for being an ex-changeling and wants to rid itself of her."

The headdache Tyler experienced was getting stronger now. How could this happen in the first place?
"Sorry to hear that, Shining. I'll get the two of them back, don't worry."

"Oh, I don't worry... We are talking about Cadance here. I reckon she is enjoying this little bit of action."

* * * * *

Meanwhile, in the back of her head, Princess Cadance was screaming like a little filly. With gritted teeth she levitated every pony out of harms way as the carriage rushed down the streets. Several other carriages, ponies of all ages. It was madness. Turning to Shiria, she shook the young princess to snap her out of it.
"Shiria! Get a hold of yourself! Ponies will come to harm if this goes on!"

For a few seconds, the face of the dark alicorn wasn't about to budge. First it was only a twitch in her right eye, Cadance witnessed. But this twitch turned quickly into a face of rage and tears.
"I tried to be good. I really did! Everyone in the castle told me how good my progress was. But if that's not good enough for the common ponies on the streets... Fine!!! Let's get back to basics!"

Cadance's jaw dropped a bit from hearing that. Continuing to shake Shiria's shoulder, she continued to reason with her.
"But Shiria! You DID already made such good progress! Your former self wanted to be something better!"

This prompted Shiria to laugh.
"Ha! She wanted to be something better, but pony society gives a damn about that! And just what do you know about Changelings? What do you know about my former self?"

In her mind, Cadance began to grin. That was an easy question for her.
"Your mother once tried to invade Canterlot on my wedding day, where she tried to impersonate me and after that failed, invaded an enclave in the southwest, where she took my husband hostage. You tried to seduce one of my best friends, who happens to be human, time and time again and from what he told me, there was something between you two. Something that goes beyond a male and a female, even beyond love. You gave all this up. Just for the sake of your current form having it instead of your former. I know that your former self went her own way and it wasn't always for evil. And for what it's worth, I believe that you have an even higher capacity for good."

Tears welled in Shiria's eyes that were quickly carried away by the wind.
"Cadance... you really mean that?"

Giving her a nod, Cadance began to smile.
"That I do."

Shiria responded with a smile of her own, before her face sobered and she turned to the two stallions in front of them.
"You may stop now!" The carriage came to a halt in the middle of the street as the two earth pony stallions were unable to take another step and collapsed wheezing. Shiria stepped off, gazing down into the air. "Go... Go back to them, Caddy. I don't want you near me right now... I don't know this feeling... And I don't know if I want it, yet.”

Confusion got hold of the Princess of Love. Wasn't she coming with her?
"But-"

Turning around, Shiria's horn and eyes were glowing green, her face still showing anger.
"Leave!!!"

Taking a short look at her, then into the air above, Cadance gulped. 'Changeling Memorial Museum' stood there, with a banner beneath it. 'This month: Exhibit – What we know and what not'
"Oh, ponyfeathers..." While Shiria was going up the stairs to the building they both were in front of, Cadance levitated both stallions into the carriage and levitated this with the ease as others levitated a basket. Moments later she spotted Tyler in a search flight pattern over the city and waved up to him. “Tyler! Down here!” Yet her voice didn't reach him. Frowning a bit, she then charged her horn and projected her cutie mark into the sky.

Taking note of her sign, Tyler then turned around and approached her.
"Cadance!" Landing at her side, he gave her a short inspection. "I saw the signal. Are you alright? Where is she?"

Just as he tried to touch her, she took a step back.
"I'm alright, really. But she's in turmoil. She thinks pony society rejects her due to her past as a Changeling."

"That sounds bad, but that's silly!"

"Worse than you think." Cadance retorted while pointing at the building behind her, "She's inside the Changeling Memorial Museum that recently opened."

Cringing a bit, Tyler looked up to the sign before looking at Cadance again.
“Does this mean she does remember? But I thought... Her former self back then explained to me the transformation would wipe everything." Shaking his head, he looked to the ground. “I should have accompanied her today. I could have intervened...”

Shaking her head, Cadance smiled a bit tired after the events of the evening.
"No, I think leaving her to explore a bit on herself was a good choice. Nopony could have known somepony would escalate things like this. You made the right decision. Maybe you didn't make it at the right time, but you made the right decision. And I don't think she truly remembers anything again... I think what happens right now is that her mind is undergoing a final cleaning process. It rejects anything Changeling right now. We're losing the last remnants of Queen Shiria, making way for the princess you saved."

Tyler looked over to the entrance, determination in his eyes.
"Cadance? You go and tell Shining Armor you're alright. He's worried sick for you. And if you can, please forget what Shiria did today in her confusion.

Rolling her eyes, Cadance began to smirk.
"Oh, alright. But only because you said please." Slapping his butt with her wing, she then went along. "Now get inside and help her out!"

* * * * *

The doorknob was slightly in his hand when it loosened from the rest of the door and said door fell off the hinges towards the floor. Tyler gave the doorknob, which was still in his hand, a glance, before he let go of it.
"Efficient..." he mumbled under his breath while taking slow and careful steps inside. "Shiria? Sound off!"

In the darkness, Tyler could hear the yelling upstairs already.
"WHY IS YOUR PAST HAUNTING ME LIKE THIS?!?" Just as he wanted to ask, what she meant by that, light became visible through some wood boarding before a beam of magic burned through it, missing Tyler for just a few inches and caused him to jump into safety.

Coming up behind some display cases, Tyler saw Sage's reflection in the glass.
"Careful, boy! She's highly volatile right now."

Shooting his personal phantom a short glare, Tyler then eyed his surroundings.
"Do you think she attacked us?" But not long after that other magic shots were fired in different directions.

Sage, looking a bit into the direction the shots came from, shrugged.
"I'd say you're not the target. Unless you're a Changeling..." Tyler looked around and found the evidence to Sage's claim. Lifesized Changeling puppets were torn to pieces either by hoof and ripped apart or burned to piles of ashes. Making his way upstairs, he climbed over several obstacles or crouched beneath them when it was more convenient. All the time worrying about Shiria's state of mind.

The young princess was in a lust for murder. These phantoms, these beasts of which she was being accused of being a part of... She would face them. These were not her children, these were beings that were the very reason she wasn't accepted in society. She had to take a stand and make sure she was a pony now. So many had sacrificed themselves so that she could be here today in this state as an alicorn pony. She had to fight for them as well. It was her duty and her burden. Shot after shot her magic burned the images and puppets of the Changelings until she spotted her. The lifesized puppet of a Changeling Queen. It was only a doll, made to spook colts and fillies, but in this moment, it was the embodiment of all her misery. Tears of hatred welled in her eyes as she gritted her teeth. Her horn charged and the beam melted the glass and set the doll ablaze. "DIE!!! DIE, YOU ABOMINATION!!! YOU... You miserabl-" Shiria began choking on her own words. Every beam and every kick onto the cold ash was not enough to still this thirst for revenge, to destroy this phantom out of existence. Unable to speak through all the sobbing and wraith in her mind, her eyes shut as she trampled on the ashes in blind rage. "You're the reason... I... I..." Her horn still glowing, she then felt Tyler's hand resting on her shoulder, prompting her to stop in her motion. Looking up to him, she only saw him shaking his head with closed eyes before her sight became blurry and she began to sob. "I'm not like her anymore... No one will punish me for what she did!"

Nodding in silence, Tyler knelt down to her to greet her welcome in his embrace.
"I know... Let's go home..." Resting in his arms, it didn't took long for her to finally slump down unconscious. By the time he carried her outside to his meanwhile arrived carriage, the Royal Guard had already stormed and surrounded the building. Fires were put out and damages noted and repaired.

* * * * *

Once back from all the trouble in her room in the castle, Tyler took care that Shiria was lying in her bed, sleeping tight to replenish some strength. While he was closing the windows, Luna watched him in silence. Once the door was closed behind her, the Princess of the Night spoke up softly.
"How do we explain this to the public, beloved? After I stood up early to fetch you from your den, I stumble over a mildly drunken business pony and some guards informing me about the situation. I mean, she dressed up in an attire awfully resembling to a Changeling, took Cadance hostage, went on a small rampage through the back alleys of Canterlot and caused a major search and secure operation for the Royal guard."

Looking up, Tyler replied in an evenly soft voice, careful not to wake the filly.
"Tell them... the young princess had to sort out some final issues with her past. Or tell them nothing. Doesn't really matter, for it will never happen again. Besides, a hostage situation requires demands. Cadance was only part of an involuntary trip through the streets of Canterlot."

Tipping his chest twice, Luna gave him a stern look
“Well, thou are lucky that Shining Armor and Cadance have decided to demand no reparation from either thee or Shiria. But if thou ask me:” She then gave a sigh and shook her head with closed eyes. “Thou have a soft spot for that filly."

This caused Tyler to grin a bit.
"Do I? Or is it just a soft spot for alicorn mares? I tend to run into them most of the time. Don't be envious of her, Mooncake." He looked over to her and smirked as he gently tickled her chin. A gesture Luna answered with a chuckle before they both looked down to the young mare. "She is like the teenage daughter I didn't had yet. Yet... Even in the past, when she was just a Changeling, there was already a bond between us."

"Love?" Luna asked.

"No, nothing specific like that. She would have feed off from this. No... Compassion would be more precise. What I felt for Shiria was more paternal. After the death of her mother, I think something changed my mind on these creatures. Changelings were the children of a once alicorn filly called Chrysalia, nowadays only known as Queen Chrysalis... An entire race of bioweapons, created only to feast on the goodness of love..." He gently stroke over Shiria's coat. "There had to be more for them than only this misery of survival as parasites. Shiria came back to us; now she's a treasure to be cherished, to be strengthened. Today, the last remnants of her Changeling past tried to tempt her, but she prevailed. Now with me as someone to give her support and emotional shelter, she can truly begin to rebuild from scratch."

"Today she came back... What makes thou think she will do that the next time?"

Tyler shook his head with confidence.
"There will be no next time! The last remnants of her Changeling past have been purged from her mind. Like a spectre that finally went back into the shadows where it belongs. All Changelings of her hive died on that damn island with the destruction of that Machina Infernum. I don't know what horrors still linger on that island, but this I know: Princess Shiria, at last, is at peace." Bowing down to her, he placed a gentle kiss on the filly's cheek before they silently left the room. Luna nodded at him when their eyes met. In her eyes, he would make a good father for alicorn ponies. The way he handled Shiria already gave insight to that.

And it made Luna's heart race in anticipation.

* * * * *

Meanwhile. In the far reaches of the southeast, the nation of Amasia was in the painful process of rebuilding. Their king dead, the young prince was on his own. Though the aid flotillas from Equestria helped out as best as they could, the diplomats had their hooves full to re-establish the once good relations. Shadowponies distrusted them, gave them partial blame on the current situation for not being there in time to avert the catastrophe. The high casualty numbers in the battle against Nagohod soothed the tensions to some degree, but the bitterness was still present in many conversations like a sour aftertaste.

But little did they know that at the edge of their nation, at the coastline to the now forbidden neighboring island of Aresios, a lone Changeling craft of the old hive was stranded. The Changelings in it, big and small, were all in their last moments, starving to death, incapable of fighting or hunting anything. The big plates of a Changeling Brute ascended and descended in a slowing pace of its final breaths, when two little shadows crawled away. Sitting down, a small Changeling filly looked all around, sadness in the eyes. As she began to whimper a bit, a young Shadow Pony colt took notice of that and hugged her tight to comfort her. As time passed, the young Changeling became better, seemingly able to feed off the love of the colt, what caused it to laugh a bit again. Now hugging one another, both looked around and began exploring a bit as they crawled up the beach. Unbeknown to the both of them, a dark fog creeped from the sea towards the mainland. Coming from the island of Aresios, the black fog slowly crawled along the coastline, like an animal, alive and intelligent.

Author's Note

Not proofread yet, any notification about typos is welcome.

6 - Alumno *

23:17 – 2 hours and 20 minutes into the mission.

The streets of Manehattan were dark and and eery in the dirty alleyway. Only the squishing sounds of flesh being torn apart and exoskeleton plates being stripped from the body were audible. Grinko was gutting out a Changeling, ripping out the spinal cord as he separated the head from the body. With precision his claws seem to fiddle with the exoskeleton, trying to find the joints, its weak-points. When two dark humanoid figures ran pass him in haste, a third one shortly followed in pursuit, this time human.
“No time for trophies, kitty!”

Taking aim on the main street, Jake Hunnigan shot a short burst, but missed the escapees. Clenching his teeth in anger, he briefly shook his head.
"Aw shit!!!" After that, Grinko passed by and began hunting after the figures on all fours, prompting Hunnigan to nod before he made haste as well. “Go! GO!!!” Looking ahead, Jake narrowed his eyes, knowing who was already there. While running, his eyes darted down for half a second, as he remembered his headset of communication crystal, the closest thing on Equis being a walkie-talkie. “O'Donnell! Cut them off!”

"On it, Newbie!" Placing several blood charges on the ground near a carriage, Sam then activated them and the red orb in it began to emit a dangerous glow and a red ray of light similar to a laser. "Ahehehe... Boom...”

Still in pursuit, Hunnigan then looked up while giving further orders.
“Higgins! Take them out!” Running over the roofs, Rachel followed the targets with her eyes, giving several shots from the hips. She then came to a halt, took precision aim and landed a hit on the leg on one of them, prompting the figure being hit to fall down while the other ran into Sam's bombs, blowing up into bloody green pieces in the process. Chunks of green and yellow flesh were sprinkled around and landed all over the place.

Getting on her knees, the remaining figure looked up at the burning rests of her companion, before a fierce roar from the right got its attention. Diving to safety, the figure barely escaped Grinko's attack leaping at it with a quick jump to the front, causing the Masar to crash into the wooden wagon that stood behind it. While Grinko's claws were stuck in some watermelons, the dark plated figure got up, quickly limping into a dark alleyway leading into an underground garage for all the chariots. Giving haste to pursuit, the Harmony Rangers regrouped and gave chase as one re-united unit. Grinko growled after sniffing twice.
“I smell a lot of blood in here...”

Flashlights were switched on in total darkness and the ground showed a trail of green blood sprinkled over the ground. Jake Hunningan nodded, satisfaction in his eyes.
“Higgins, you got this one good. But if he keeps bleeding like that, he's down before we even got him for questioning."

But Rachel shot Jake a quick glare before she stared back into the darkness all around them.
“Quiet! I hear him...” In front of them was pitch black darkness, but as soon as the flashlights illuminated the area before them, several noises were audible. The flashlight cones wandered through the dark until the heads of a few dozen Changelings popped into the open, who aggressively hissed at them. Almost instantly the firefight broke loose and the guns were blazing. The Changelings storming right at them from all sides despite dozens of them being perforated each second.

That's when the order came.
“Full stop!" In an instant, all Changelings froze in motion and disappeared one by one. Lights were activating and the Rangers looked up to the vanishing buildings and streets. Holding only training dummies in their hands, Jake had to admit he was surprised at the depth of this illusion. When Tyler approached them on a balcony, he was looking up to the ceiling of a larger training hall. “Time?”

A voice from above came with the reply.
“Two hours, twenty five minutes.”

Shaking his head, Tyler closed his eyes,
“That took way too long. If another humanoid Changeling appears, there is no point in saying what damage he could cause with that much time."

Hunnigan shook his head.
“Why are we training like this? I thought you said all Changelings are dead?”

Coming to his side, Rachel shrugged.
"That's what we thought when we killed the first humanoid Changeling. We blew him to bite-sized pieces and still the Darkness Sisters managed to bring him back to life.” Looking up to Tyler, her mood got a bit foul. “Anyway, this stuff here better has some meaning, Tyler! With Flynn we would have taken them within seconds..."

Giving a shrug, Tyler opened his arms.
"True, but Flynn isn't always there. We can't rely on one specific Ranger alone to get a job done. For now get some rest and refreshments. I will debrief you in one hour."

Right after Tyler was out of sight, Grinko hustled Jake one step away, pointing one of his razor sharp claws at him.
“I have a name... If you want me to respect you in any way, I strongly suggest you start using it. If you call me 'kitty' one more time, you'll end up at the painful end of these claws.” He then left for the exit, only stopping one last time at Rachel's side. “Rachel? Until the debriefing, I'm back to the surface. I don't want to spend any more time in this place than I have to...”

As soon as Grinko was leaving, Sam looked after him as he came to Rachel's side.
“He's still uncomfortable with underground places?”

“Yeah... He only came to the simulation since there was an open sky in it. It's almost phobic. He doesn't have problems with closed quarters though, it's no claustrophobia. Otherwise he would have been of little help in Nagohod. But as of now, he attends when his presence is requested. Jones seems to be OK with that.” Leaning over to Jake, Rachel shook her head. “Word of advice: He's serious. I know him not as long as the Head Ranger, but these Masar? They're not the type of people to make promises and threats in vain.”

Jake grumbled under his breath.
“I just forgot his name, OK? There are so many new names here among these ponies and not one of them is something regular like John or Bob. No, instead we have Pinkie Pie, Roseluck, Firebrand, Ink Rose and what not. I mean I was used to REAL names, not cutie stuff all the time.”

In the living quarters the human rangers conversed on with Carmen Vasquez, who was sitting already sitting there. Richard shook his head while sitting down and looking in slight wonder at the artificial landscape that was depicted behind a sheet of glass. Sometimes it showed a white sand beach, sometimes lush grasslands and yellow corn fields. Whoever thought of recreation down here would be a freaking genius. It all looked real.
“You'll get used to all these weird names, Jake. We all will.”

Opening a bottle of mineral water, Carmen took a gulp and grinned over to Jake
“That's not it, Richard. You see: Some here made it through the Koba Test with humans or ponies as love interest. Jake here had a Masar girl...”

This earned Jake a few odd looks.
“You're a furry?”

“Hey! It's not like that! I- I...” he tried to explain himself, stuttering.

But Vasquez only waved the thought away.
“So what if he would be? They probably have stuff like that on this world one way or another, if you ask me. Just one look at that Grinko guy should be enough. The Koba Test is interactive and simulates what you find appealing one way or another.”

“You certainly know a lot about that all of a sudden, Carmen. You had an audience with Princess Luna?”

“Yes, being there each time for each applicant taking the test together with the Head Ranger, I reckoned the test is performed by her. Like a controlled test dream simulation or whatever. Heck if I know this weird magic stuff. I had to ask Ranger Rachel to set me up and later that same day, in the early hours of evening, I actually got confirmation that the princess was about to see me. She's very pleasant despite that odd shakepearean talk. Seems to me she doesn't get much 'night court' as she called it. Most citizens seem to go to her sister with that. Anyway, after a short conversation, she confirmed that everyone gets the partner he or she seems fitting for him- or herself.”

Jake harrumphed a bit, prompting Carmen to grin anew.
“So that stuff we're currently training to hunt...”

“Changings, right?” Carmen now asked. “Richard and I have to run that simulation also. We are due for that either later today or tomorrow. Richie! Get yourself some rest before that, I don't want our team to look like total amateurs.”

“I got better scores at the shooting range than you.” Richard stated with a frown. “Rumor has it these Changelings went extinct and everyone on the street is happy about it. But if the higher ups don't trust that peace yet, fine with me. If we learn to fight the monsters here, we can fight them once we're stationed in Horizon Valley.”

“Oh yes! Any news from that?”

“Thorne said something about the area's being marked already as construction site. We'll be able to see the first few buildings there soon.”

Jake nodded and leaned back.
“I overheard Jones saying something to the others about a ceremony being held when the first buildings are being started. And O'Donnell seems to have stuff ready from Engineering. They're up to something. Hopefully it's something good.” Looking at the clock, he then got up in a hurry. “Aw, shit! The debriefing is almost starting!”

Giving him another grin, Carmen waved after him.
“Make sure to greet Grinko from us!” This only earned her a frustrated grumble from Jake.

* * * * *

A few moments later, the team that was running the simulation training an hour ago was sitting in the debriefing room. Standing in front of them behind a podium, Tyler had a whiteboard behind him where he pointed several mistakes as well as things that went smoothly.
“Well you managed to get one of two targets and you began to exterminate a smaller hideout before I stopped you, so the mission was not a total failure. However, we are talking about a Changeling here, so due to that shot you managed to land, Rachel... we only have a limited time frame to look for a human that appears to limp like being shot or has an injury at the shot leg that was treated. Remember! Healing magic can, varying from the dosage, heal a wound within seconds, minutes, hours at best. If he or she slips through our security net during that time, the Changeling can regenerate and goes into hiding. Maybe even indefinitely.” Turning over to Grinko, Tyler leaned forward to the podium. “Grinko? What compelled you to gut this one Changeling?”

Harrumphing a bit, the Masar sat up in his chair.
“First, it is prey I need to examine. While I had one encounter with them, it happened so fast I was barely able to get a better look at their weak points. Now that I have seen them, I no longer need to hold back. Second and that is more important: I will not fight them head on while you guys are firing at them in pursuit.”

Jake grimaced a bit.
“Yes... that was on me. I got a bit trigger-happy.”

Shaking his head, Tyler closed his eyes.
“Well, we can't expect our close combat specialist to engage the enemy with the rest of us shooting into the fight. Coordinate your troop more! You gave orders, yes. But you still think too much in conventional ways. Remember that your fellow squad members can be unicorns, Pegasi or earth ponies as well, maybe even Griffins or Masar. They all have different ways and means to engage an enemy. If you want to lead the squad, you have to utilize everyone's strengths, not just the ones you are expertly familiar with.”

Going through some notes, Tyler pointed at some of them on his clipboard while still talking with Jake.
“I see here that you were in border patrol service on Earth for a couple of years. Tough job?”

Jake answered with a mere shrug.
“It can get boring and thrilling sometimes. That I can tell you. But one does learn to wield an SMG properly.”

“Good. Maybe you and Ranger Higgins can teach new recruits how to operate such weapons. Some recruits have problems with that. Speaking of weapons... Sam? Although the kill for the humanoid Changeling goes to you, remember that we are trying to save lives, not endanger them. This time you caught a Changeling with these explosives. But it could have been an innocent bystander as well.”

Sam closed his eyes and nodded.
“Noted. The design will get a makeover. Maybe we can alter the sensor spell only to detonate with Changelings.”

Clapping his hands together, Tyler then nodded at each of them.
“We do not go out there to fail in any way, folks. You will run the simulation again next week. And I wish to see things go smoother this time around by everyone of you. Take the weekend, think about our tactics and how you could improve your part in it . Dismissed.”

While the others went back into the direction of the living quarters and elevator, Rachel followed Tyler deeper into the facility.
“Head Ranger? On a word, please.”

Taking note of her, Tyler continued to walk down the corridor in a steady, yet calm pace.
“What is it, Rachel? Are you grumpy because I gave Hunnigan the squad lead and not you?”

“No, that's not it,” she answered truthfully. “It was a training simulation, I know that. We know each other well enough now to see each others military potential. Probably I'll get my own squad if it comes to that.”

“Well, then? What is it?”

Her eyes narrowed.
“Oh, you know exactly what I mean... Training sessions military style, drills, Sam told me that Engineering got a shitload of funds and materials. More than he could process in a lifetime. You are preparing something! Don't deny it! Do you expect Earth to invade or something?”

Tyler stopped walking and looked at the floor, before he looked around. Making sure no one else was around, his eyes narrowed down before he looked at her.
“Remember when we were on Paretoka?”

It took Rachel blinking twice before she processed his question.
“Our trip into the future? Yes, I think I'll never forget that in my entire life! I think that's a story even my grandchildren will hear. IF I ever get myself some brats that is...”

Nodding briefly, Tyler looked straight into her face.
“Remember when we were inside that large space station and in this... this junkyard of sorts?”

Thinking for a bit, Rachel then nodded.
“These three citadels that looked like Descendant stuff? Yeah, sure, but...” Slowly realization crept its way into her mind. “Now hold it! Do you mean that this...

A silent sigh escaped Tyler's lips.
“What we saw back then were only the remnants!”

“The remnants of what?” Rachel retorted, her forehead more and more frowning.

“An all out invasion strike force!”

Stepping in front of him, Rachel grabbed Tyler by the shoulders.
“Tyler... Do you mean that you think that these things-” Holding his index finger in front of his lips, he hushed her down with a sharp noise through his clenched feet.

Looking around, he went with her into a corner and lowered his voice.
“It's just a hunch. We do know that these things will come to be in our lifetime since this thing remembered us. It clearly noticed us. I don't know if this comes to be within the next hour or if I'm sixty, but it will come. That's the very reason I'm speeding things up a notch or two. Can I count on you with this? Can you remain silent while I prepare Equestria for the worst?”

Now Rachel's eyes had grown grim.
“Tyler... You know as well as I do that... If you want to speed things up to a speed proper, you'll not be able to avoid going back to Earth again.”

Giving a nod, he looked to the ground
“I know. I'm afraid we will have to think of something. A couple of trips, a couple of connections... I already have some folks in mind. The thing is: I have to discuss things with Celestia first. We can't speed up Equestria's technological standards all of a sudden without doing this civilization harm. Then again, what good will be done if harm is avoided by us, but done by others tenfold? Which means that we need to discuss things thoroughly. But that will have to wait for later. Right now I have an appointment in Canterlot.”

This last sentence brought a brief frown of confusion on Rachel's forehead.
“Canterlot? What for?”

This time, however, Tyler could give an answer with a smile.
“Therapy session with Twilight...”

* * * * *

One hour later, in her chambers in Canterlot Castle, Twilight Sparkle was having a rather mediocre time. Preparing for the task at hoof was something of a challenge, since nothing she had read about psychology could have prepared her for an independent satellite personality like Sage. Tyler wasn't a case of a split personality, Sage was something completely new added to Tyler as was Rage. But where the hulking brute had little to none personality, Sage seemed almost an enigma of its own. Then again, Sage was not a demonic being that had possessed Tyler. He was too alike, too similar. The only possible way this was making any sense at all was that Sage and Rage were always dormant in Tyler, yet were set free or awoken by the Elements of Harmony or the Heart of Darkness.

But in the next moment Twilight halted and remembered Sage telling her that he was aware of his surroundings at even further points in the past. Way back when they returned from the future. When Tyler heard of Celestia being taken by the Descendants. Sometime during their journey with the Doctor something must have happened to him. Something around the time he was alone with Derpy. Twilight shook her head to shake these thoughts off. All these theories wouldn't help right now. Trotting over to the appointed room, Twilight knocked and peeked in before she entered.
“Am I too late?”

In the middle of the room, Tyler was floating in the air, obviously Sage had taken control as per to the agreement of the therapy. While floating, he was slowly spinning around. However, much to Twilight's surprise, Sage was very civilized and gentle in his tone of speaking.
“You are right on schedule, Twilight. Shall we or are you not in the mood for this?”

Frowning a bit, Twilight let out a small grumble.
“Well, it's better than some assignments I was on in my life.”

Now looking over to her, Sage arched a brow.
“What's the matter? Unhappy because I am no Nightmare Moon or Discord you could simply blast away? I thought you would welcome a challenge for your intellect.”

Grumbling a bit, Twilight closed the door behind her and trotted over to him.
“Unlike before, the man I love is at stake.”

Giving her a smirk, he nodded. A gesture that let Twilight think of another male troublemaker she wasn't on best terms with.
“Ah! Yes! The thing with Tyler and you. Well the feeling was mutual. I must admit I was first appalled by the idea of facing therapy. But now that it already underwent several hours with you princesses, I begin to see things clearer than before, the focus of things gains contrast, the vision sharpens...”

Blinking twice, Twilight settled down on a sitting pillow. This was new. She wasn't sure if this was good or bad, but it certainly was new.
“And what do you see in this vision of yours, Sage?”

“Magic, Twilight... Pure, raw and unprocessed magic. I can feel it all around me as it fills the very air around us. I can identify my very special talent as what it is now...

“And what is that? “

“Alteration of magic energy. Deconstruction and reconstruction to create something new.”

Frowning for just a second, Twilight then looked up with arched brows.
“Like I did with Starswirl's spell?”

But Sage simply shook his head.
“No, I don't even compare to you. You completed it, repaired a broken spell, created a new one from it without deconstruction of the old spell. And yet, you and I are very alike, Twilight. Of all the individuals in Equestria, I deem spending my time with you most worthwhile. Luna, Cadance and Celestia come after that, followed by Applejack and Appleseed. Not because I don't love them as much as I love you, but with you I can relate almost perfectly.”

Twilight looked to the side. The way he kept staring at her with these wide open eyes was odd enough, but the spinning in place while always facing her made this whole thing creepy. It looked like the devices Grinko had drawn for her while describing the means to roast a large chunk of meat. A grill he called it. And the thought of Tyler being on a spit and roasted over a fire brought her discomfort.
“Would you please sit down while talking to me? You slowly spinning around kind of gives me the creeps.”

Halting in movement, Sage then levitated Tyler's body down to the ground, where he sat down.
“Yes, I can do that.”

This really relaxed her and brought a genuine smile to her lips.
“Thank you. Does this mean that you're capable of creating more complex spells the more spells you are being charged?”

Nodding at her, he also gave a genuine smile of his own.
“That is correct. I deconstruct the spells currently not needed and create stronger or weaker spells out of that. Thus I can work far more precise with the spells I have. Nothing too strong or too weak, I can constantly use it just right. For Tyler, this had been a huge advantage as of now. No longer does he have to rely on more powerful unicorns or alicorns injecting stronger spells. With me, even the weakest potential could give us the right spell, given a larger amount of time to recharge. I can also absorb some amounts of active magic from things like levitated objects without actually harming the user of said levitation magic.”

Looking up to the ceiling in thought, Twilight nodded.
“Yes, I can see the use of that for the both of you. Seems you are making yourself useful and are slowly getting-”

Raising his hand, Sage prompted her to halt in midsentence.
“'Reformed'? I would rather stick with the term 'cleansed'. The darkness slowly rubs off thanks to all that therapy. But I think black suited me better than gray, don't you think? But, in fairness: I think white would also be a good color for me.” That last statement brought a thought to the young princess. If Sage was evil coming out fresh from the Heart of Darkness, would he be a force solely for wisdom and good once thoroughly cleansed? Taking some notes, she kept that thought for herself for now.

* * * * *

In the meantime, Princess Celestia had canceled all appointments for today. Having conversations with foreign rulers made it mandatory for her to give them the full attention they desired. After a few hours of conversation with Queen Sheeris in her conference room over a holographic communication spell, a spell that turned quite useful if matters demanded a conversation but didn't allow for a personal visit, she was now having a conversation with King Gifford. After exchanging the usual pleasantries, the Griffin king went straight down to business.
“I must say, Princess, certain generals of my staff are growing uneasy with the extent these humans are falling out of the skies. I told them to wait for our little chat to come to pass. There is nothing to be concerned about in your country, is there?”

Celestia smiled. For quite some time she didn't had a new topic to discuss with foreign leaders. Now, with the arrival of more humans, her country was the center of attention and the humans, although harmless for the most part, brought great interest to them and Equestria. In the back of her head she already took note that this probably would be the price to pay if one has a connection from another world leading into the heart of a nation.
“I can understand your worries, King Gifford, but rest assured: These people have no military background. They are civilians who try to live here beyond their usual boundaries. A dream they already paid a hefty price for.”

Gifford huffed a bit.
“It's somewhat comforting that their military strength is limited here by natural means. If the stories are true, then there are billions of them on the other side of this crossing.” Recognizing her arched brow, he immediately disregarded any thoughts of impiety with the shake of his head. “Of course these few people have my sympathy and thus the sympathy of the entire Griffin Empire for what happened to them, but I must admit that I sleep a bit better knowing that their bigger machines are unable to reach us, so that we don't have to worry about an invasion anytime soon. It would also be nice being introduced to some. Maybe some diplomatic get-together so my subjects and generals calm down a notch.”

“Speaking of diplomacy... I've heard your son volunteered for our joint project?”

Looking down for a moment, the griffin king sighed.
“Griffith wants to prove himself in my eyes. Normally I would refuse to listen at the proposal of him representing us in such a place, but a certain General gave some advice I couldn't ignore.”

Giving a sly grin, Celestia leaned slightly forward.
“Yes. Isn't it wonderful that we are on such good terms?”

King Gifford chuckled with close eyes, before he looked up to her again.
“You are perky as always, my dear. I got it. No need to hold a grudge. I will never again utter such an order. In fact, the applicants of the Griffin Empire should have arrived already.”

With a nod, Celestia beamed while holding up a list.
“Indeed they did. And after our screening, a satisfying amount of them passed the tests and will soon return back to you as Harmony Rangers.”

Giving a smile on his own, Gifford seemed pleased to hear this.
“That's interesting news. I am eager to hear what the humans can teach our troops. Marek said they have technology beyond our imagination.” He paused for a bit. “Do you think this project of ours will take fruition? It is, after all not the greatest island. Sheeris and I agreed to it for the sake of our sons and to further cement our peace treaty.”

Leaning back again, Celestia rolled her eyes with a smile.
“Believe me: I had the exact same discussion with her an hour ago. She showed the same concerns as you. But your people have fought each other for so long, the challenge of making such an island a blooming trade outpost Griffins, Ponies and Masar can utilize together in peace and harmony is another step towards lasting peace. There are other things that should be of greater concern.”

Pointing a talon at her, Gifford now smirked.
“Such as the ring around your horn, my dear? I apologize again for not attending in person and I hope my gift made it to you.”

Giving a short giggle, the alicorn nodded.
“He loved the sword and admired its craftsmanship. But for now, there are no sons to pass it over to.”

Crossing his arms, Gifford nodded as his smirk widened.
“Well then... That's where his wives come into play, now that you and your sister are close of becoming queens, I recon your nation will soon be blessed with some heirs to the thrones.”

Putting up a good face on the matter, Celestia closed her eyes.
"There are things we have to sort out first, though." After saying goodbye in all formal manner, the hologram seized when she ended the spell maintaining the connection. A sigh escaped her throat for she knew what would come now was something she could have avoided, but didn't. Out of reward for Tyler, out of selfishness, she did it anyway. Now she had to reap what she had sown.

It stung a bit. The guilt she and Luna had burdened themselves with was getting obnoxious. But the most damning thing about it was to keep it a secret until now. But the secret was about to be revealed, more so due to the fact that Sage already knew what happened to Tyler. The fact that he did not tell until now showed only that there was some good in him. But despite that, the time was running out. It was better to tell them before Tyler confronted Sage and learned it from him. That evening Celestia and Luna had summoned Tyler and Twilight to tell them. Both arrived at the same time, coming from different directions.

Tyler gave them a tired smile.
"Here we are... Well, let's hope we can have that over quickly. I have an 18 hour shift after me. My shower and my bed are waiting. Not sure about the order, though."

Luna bit her lower lip, glancing over to Celestia, deep concern in her eyes.
"Can't it wait? I mean..." she whispered, barely audible.

Celestia sighed.
"No, Luna... We have to tell them one way or another. Tyler? Twilight? You two better sit down..."

While Twilight sat down to her haunches, Tyler remained standing.
"Nah, I'm fine standing."

Taking a step towards him, Luna looked up into his face.
"Tyler... Beloved, please..."

Giving a sigh, he sat down, crossing his arms.
"Fine... So it's gonna be one of those talks, huh? I wonder what is so important or terrible that I have to sit down." Both mares looked at each other and sighed, before they began to explain. A good hour passed and when they ended, Tyler looked at them emotionless while Twilight's jaw had simply dropped down.
"Immortality..." Tyler deadpanned.

Both princesses nodded, showing remorse in their faces.
"Nigh immortality, yes Such as we do possess it, not dying of age, eternal youth, all of this."

When Twilight looked up to her husband, Tyler's eyes narrowed and his hands clenched into fists.
"And you did so without our consent- No! Even without our knowledge!" both mares nodded in silence, prompting Tyler to shake his head. "Quite a story! Eh, Twilight?"

Twilight slowly shook her head while processing the information she just got.
"Celestia... why?"

When Celestia looked into her former student and now fellow princess, her eyes showed great concern.
"Hundreds of thousands I saw come and go, Twilight. Complete lives passing by us as we outlived them countless times. I saw foals grow to young fillies, making first wobbly steps towards becoming mares, standing in their prime for a brief moment before withering away to dust. Yet I vowed to Clover the Clever, the one mare that had spent her time and life with raising us, being a second mother to us, that I would find ponies that outshine the rest of their generation. You do not know how special, how dear you are to me, my little pony. After oh so many thousands of years since the pre-classical era, I am so lucky to have found you, a one in a million." Tears rolled down Celestia's cheeks, a sight that made Twilight forget her anger, since Celestia was about to break open to her completely. "I couldn't bear to witness you crumble to dust like all of the others, Twilight! I love you too much for that!" Bowing her head down, the Princess of the Sun silently wept in the otherwise totally silent room. This prolonged until Twilight approached her and nuzzled her in comfort.

Carefully approaching Tyler, Luna eyed him cautiously.
"Tyler... I- I hope thy love for us wasn't... wasn't laid to ruin, I-"

"Will you shut up?"His harsh command made Luna tear up as well. Fearing for her love, she didn't dare to look up to Tyler. He on the other hand went through his hair with his left hand. "I don't believe how selfish you two had been with this. Knowing full well how immortality will always be a curse, if spent among mortals. You dragged the two of us into this. A part of me wants to slap the shit out of each of you..."

Bracing herself for the incoming violence, Luna positioned and braced herself.
"Then proceed. We certainly deserv-"

But instead his hand raised her chin and his lips locked on to hers, silencing her with this.
"The other part just wants to kiss these tears away. When the last champions of Equestria die of old age, who will mourn their passing? Will you? Will anypony? Can anyone fully grasp or understand this heartache, this sorrow and loneliness? This unbearable pain that made you two do these despicable acts..." His lips crawled over Luna's drenched left cheek, drying her warm tears with every kiss.

Getting her hopes up, Celestia began to smile
"Tyler? Does that mean that thou forgive us?"

Much to her dismay, he shook his head.
"No. I will not forgive you. At least not in the near future. For there will be one more pain to come. We will remain young, while one in our midst will grow old and grey. I mean, this would have happened anyhow, but I imagined myself being fifty or sixty by that time, an old feller myself. Not a young, still good looking man. I will see my children with her grow old and their children's children. No father should ever bury his child. A father should BE buried BY his child. You have turned me into something unnatural. Despite my love to you, this is a thing I can not forgive and it is a shame you will bear for the rest of existence. Like this scar..." Luna gulped as she saw the scar she once inflicted to Tyler. The one mark he explicitly forbade them to remove since it represented the fact that they wronged him once. Now, this mark gained a lot more weight.

Kissing Celestia's cheeks dry as well, Tyler caressed the back of her head.
"Spending an eternity with you... There could truly be worse fates, yet let's do our best to make things interesting, yes?" But this only prompted a new batch of tears running down Celestia's cheeks and she wept into his chest while Tyler gently stroked and patted her neck. "Ssshhh... It's alright, sugar lips... I don't know how long you two longed for a companion at your side, but I'm willing to give it a try. And if I'm really immortal now except for this alicorn horn to the heart thing, I still have you girls to send me on my last journey."

The statement caused Celestia's eyes first to widen in shock, then to narrow down in anger.
"No! Stop saying that! Don't talk like you've lived thousands of years!"

Cocking his head, Tyler arched a brow.
"Where you two are experts in, right?"

Celestia's tone got a bit more irritated.
"You don't know how this is. It's like living on borrowed time. Learn to know somepony and the next moment, he or she is gone! We grew accustomed to this and simply avoided being with somepony because it only causes us pain. And to demand from us to actually kill you if your will to live expires..."

Tyler's index finger now rested on Celestia's nose.
"That's why immortality is a curse in my eyes. One does have to endure what others only have to endure a certain number of times over and over again with each passing generation. That's why I deem you so selfish. That's why I'm angry at you two right now. You wanted the joy and happiness others have without the inevitability of death, planned to cheat on the Grim Reaper. And while I can try to learn to live like that, only in the recluse life of a single herd could we ever hope to live in total happiness. But we care too much for others to be that selfish. You decided this tremendous decision for me like I'm a child incapable of making the right decision or you wouldn't accept a no from me regarding this. That's the reason I'm mad. Luna? I hereby forbid you to come into my dreams."

Aghast, Luna took a step back.
"What?!? But... Forever?"

Seeing into her face, Tyler saw her tearing up, what made this that much more harder.
"No... But until I say otherwise." With that he stood up. "I need some fresh air... Twilight? Let's go."

Twilight gave the two sisters a last uncertain glance, then looked back to Tyler and followed suit. Once the door was closed behind the two of them, Celestia sighed and closed her eyes.
"You think we made a mistake in telling them, Lulu?"

Looking to the side, Luna got her tears under control again. Her punishment was swift and decisive and she accepted it.
"Nay... One could argue that we made the mistake of making them immortal in the first place. But... Whatever happened, could only happen this way."

Looking over to her sister, Celestia arched a brow.
"What makes you think so?"

Closing her eyes, Luna shook her head.
"Because Tyler is still wearing his wedding rings. He still loves us. As does Twilight. However, there is still Shining Armor who needs to have this talk with Cadance. He and Tyler are alike. And yet I have a... Let's call it a feeling. I feel that Shining would not accept that." Celestia looked down. Cadance would be utterly ruined for some time losing Shining. Yet so did she in the past and life went on. It always somehow did. Her train of thought was interrupted when Luna looked over to her. "Celestia? We should consider giving Tyler not such a hard time in the future. We sometimes request much from him by accepting our way of life. Living in a herd or being with ponies was fine since he was the first and last from his kind in Equestria Now there are humans in Equestria in larger quantities. Human women as well. If we..."

Celestia looked over to her younger sister, gently shaking her head.
"I know what is is you're thinking, Luna, but I disagree at some of your points. It is true that he did much and accepted many things of our society. But I doubt that he would abandon us for a human woman."

Now Luna cocked her head, arching a brow.
"And what, pray tell, makes thee believe in such hubris?"

"Because why choose one single human woman, when you could have four to five mares offering both their mind and body for otherwise frowned upon and perverted debaucheries?" Celestia retorted. "We ask much of him, yes. But in the bedroom..."Her flanks began to eagerly quake. "...We simply love to please him, sometimes even whorship him. It's not so much that we get all the advantages and he gets to sacrifice and serve all day. I am happy to grant him every single little wish he has to see him happy. I'm sure you, Applejack and Twilight think and do the same."

Luna then looked down.
"If that's the case, we did a whole lot of asking with this. It would be only fair of us to do a whole lot of serving next."

Resting a wing on her sister's shoulder, Celestia smiled and placed a kiss on her forehead. Luna's love for Tyler was still growing stronger and her fear of losing him loomed heavily over her. Comoforting her now was the best, if not the only thing to do here
"Have faith, Lulu... have faith."

* * * * *

While the two regal sisters were in their chambers, Twilight and Tyler were in his. With Tyler sitting on the edge of the bed, Twilight was sitting behind him, carefully massaging his shoulders.
"Tyler, you've been dangerously quiet the last hour... What's on your mind?"

Looking straight ahead, Tyler's voice panned out bare of any emotion.
"Sorry, Twilight... I'm still processing this. Currently I'm happy to have nothing on my mind at all."

Resting her head on his left shoulder, she looked into his face.
"I can understand you. I'm in the same position with my family. And the thing with Applejack and Appleseed will cause us a similar pain. But I'm certain that they will be there for you as they are there for your child now. Speaking of which... Do you think Nova and Appleseed will get along nicely?"

Looking over to her from the corner of his eyes, Tyler frowned a bit in thought.
"Why shouldn't they? Because one is an earth pony and one will in all likelihood be an alicorn? Nonsense! If Nova will turn out that way, I will correct her attitude. Being an alicorn means a lot. Especially a born alicorn. You transcended into alicornhood, earned it. She will have the luxury to be born that way. According to Celestia, others worked their entire life to not even get close to that. I will make sure that young lady will be grateful for that birthright, make no mistake about that."

Rising up again, Twilight arched a brow, began to smirk.
"You sound very strict already.

"I think I have to. I never was a father for an alicorn before. I mean Applejack's not complaining with Appleseed now and I spend as much time as I see fit. Even if some nobles are unfortunate to get their meeting rescheduled ever so often. Frankly? Sometimes I have no idea if I do the right amount. But when I hear that laughter of hers? Man, I so wish I could spend so much more time with her."

Resting her head on his other shoulder now, she gently nibbled on his earlobe. She was trying to ease his anger and they both knew it.
"Promise me not to be too mad at Celestia and Luna in the long run..."

Raising his hand to gently caress her ear, Tyler's smirk turned into a mischievous grin.
"Well I should be. And you should, too. For this immortality stunt, I will slowly roast these two."

Twilight's jaw dropped and she was close to break out in laughter.
"Oh! You devious fiend! You just want to make them wiggle and squirm! I never thought you would do that to us!"

She issued some pressure on his back in order to shake him a bit with the weight of her hooves, what only caused him to grin.
"That's partially payback for what you girls did to me with that white room! I already left this scar of mine as a reminder. If I'm really immortal now, then this reminder will at one time remind them that they wronged me, but I forgave them and stayed at their side. Because I love them." Looking up to Twilight, he smiled into her face. "If I wouldn't love you girls the way I did, things would be different by now. Of that I'm certain. Oh yes... What was it about the Elements you wanted to talk about?"

"That might have to wait for your next vacation. When do you have time for a trip to Ponyville?"

Thinking for a bit, he then nodded.
"That could be tomorrow already. The others might also enjoy some vacation days. God knows they'll need it the way I stress them with training these last few days."

This brought a smile on Twilight's face.
"Perfect! Then hand them some free days. You could spend some time with Appleseed as well."

He nodded, giving a smile on his own.
"Yeah... Sounds like a mighty good idea..."

* * * * *

On the next day, the human survivors were taking a trip down from Canterlot to Ponyville in order to familiarize with the neighbors to come and for the ceremony at the Horizon Valley grounds later that day. Sitting on his seat on the train, Greg Dillard looked up from the plans in his hands to Mike Thorne.
"These floor plans are looking good. I mean my cousin back on Earth had was in the building industry a few years ago, from him I got some pieces of experience with that. These plans here look proper. I have to give them that."

Mike looked up to him as well and gave the plans a glance.
"How big are the houses they are planning?"

Turning the plans around, Greg showed them to him.
"About two floors each. Some with a cellar, some with an attic on a third floor. All big enough to house a couple and a child, but there are no overwhelmingly spacious rooms."

Mike grimaced a bit, shook his head.
"That's alright. We don't need dining halls. A place to call home for oneself and a private sanctuary is what each of us wants. Some of us are getting impatient, unsatisfied. We didn't came here to be guests in a castle, we want to live our lives in real houses. Some already stated they want work, real work. But our working habits are a bit different then theirs."

Giving a short frown, Greg narrowed his eyes.
"What do you mean?

"Come on, Greg! Think!" Mike retorted, "I mean we had a spaceprogram in the states, that alone gave our entire organization of things an overhaul. We do things different."

Greg relaxed a bit again.
"Ah... Yes, I see your point. Well, I see no reason why that should be a disadvantage for us. Quite the contrary, it would make us that much more valuable for them."

* * * * *

Once the train got to a halt in Ponyville, several dozens of humans left the train, among them the ensigns fresh from the HQ
"Why exactly do we have some free days?"

Carmen looked around and noticed several ponies waving at them. Gestures she repaid in courtesy.
"Don't know, don't care. It gives us some time to get ourselves accustomed to the real pony folk, not just some illusion. And I welcome the chance to get out of that underground base.."

Taking a look at the tour guide, jake scratched his head.
"What is this place called again?"

But that statement made Richard roll his eyes.
"Ponyville. Didn't you pay attention?"

"Ponyville, Pony... P, p, p..." Browsing through the guide, he then pointed it out. "Aha! Here! Founded by earth ponies and today home to all three major tribes of ponies. Sightseeing spots... Well the city hall can wait. This sounds interesting. Sugarcube Corner..."

Standing in front of the bakery, Carmen looked over to Jake.
"You know? At least one can say you think with your stomach instead of your dick, but that's not that much of an improvement." The group chuckled and entered the bakery, where the scent of spices and baked goodness was in the air. As they entered, a unicorn stallion left the shop, levitating a small box in front of him.

Making way for him, the rangers overheard a female voice from the counter.
"Thank you for your purchase!" The pink mare then turned her attention to them and gasped a bit. "Newcomers! Oh, and I have to stay at the counter... What a shame... Come in! Welcome to Sugarcube Corner! I am Pinkie Pie and if I wouldn't fill in for Mrs. Cake right now, I would have welcomed you earlier!"

First taking glances at each other, the group then looked back to Pinkie, genuine smiles on their faces.
"Now that's service..." Jake stated. "Umm... We are only here for some sightseeing and the ceremony later, could we have something for the road?"

Spreading her hooves wide, Pinkie pointed at all the different shelves.
"Oh, sure! We have sugar canes and bonbons and lollipos and muffins and all sorts of different stuff you don't need a table for."

Jake held up his hands, trying to calm her a bit down.
"I think we'll just browse. If we have any questions or have made a decision, we will come to you, alright?"

"Oki-doki-loki!" was the brief reply from the beaming mare. While they browsed through the shelves, they could hear Pinkie talk with someone else. "Oh! Hi, Mrs. Cake! No, the shop is alright. We have some Harmony Rangers buying stuff here."

The door to the shop opened. A pair of boots and four aquamarine hooves approached the counter of Sugarcube Corner. And once Pinkie took notice of who was coming, a dreamy smile came over her face. A warm, male voice spoke up in the shop.
"Well if it isn't my favourite pie of them all..."

Giggling playfully, Pinkie rested her head on a hoof and looked up to her herd mate.
"Hey there, handsome... What sweets can I hand over to you?"

Tickling Pinkie's chin with a finger, Sam leaned in and looked deep into her dreamy eyes.
"Oh, with that smile and those eyes... I'd say you already give me plenty..."

Shaking her head with a smile, Mrs. Cake then turned over to Lyra.
"My, these two lovebirds are at each other..."

Overhearing Pinkie's giggle, Lyra gave the situation a chuckle.
"Sam and I are almost always together while in the Ranger HQ and we don't have vacation ever so often. That's why we love to spend each free moment here in Ponyville with Pinkie, so he can spend his free time giving her his full attention."

Giving a motherly warm laugh, Mrs. Cake gave a nod.
"Well then, what can I do for you?"

"We're set with a batch of chocolate muffins. And if you could spare Pinkie Pie for the rest of the day...?"

"Don't worry. Before she starts daydreaming about her lover, I'll hand her over to you. But I guess that smitten smile of hers will stay for some days?"

Lyra chuckled a bit.
Well, both have some stamina, it might get steamy.

Sam meanwhile whispered into Pinkie's ear.
"You heard that? Sounds like we got some free time to spend with each other, Sugar Plum."

Carmen Vasquez gently shook her head as Sam carried Pinkie out of Sugarcube Corner.
"I'm still puzzled about how easy pony mares have it to accept a partner from an entirely different species. Not to speak of him being so... casual about it."

Coming to her side, Lyra looked up to her.
"Part of it stems from the fact that we have several species that are sentient equally to ponies and humans. Equis is a world of numerous people, many intelligent species. I always pity humans for having a homeworld where you are the only species intelligent enough to that degree. Seeing that three human men already have herds, one of them being the Head Ranger, human men have become some sort of insider tip among mares."

Leaning a bit back, Carman looked down to Lyra, surprised.
"You mean...?"

A short confident nod was the beginning of the answer.
"A human man equals sexual liberation for a mare, yes. I mean humans have stamina for hours!"

"Now I don't know how it was until now, but there are men and women around now, so don't expect us to bond with any of you like the ones that came before us. I mean Ranger Marshal and O'Donnel were two guys having one woman with Ranger Higgins, but now our population-"

Raising a hoof, Lyra interrrupted her.
"Why humans always make a big deal in the mere possible existence of interspecies bonding is still beyond me. We are all social beings capable of critical thinking, are we not? And with two cases of procreation already, our two species can have both recreational and procreational intercourse. Maybe my advanced studies of your kind will reveal the aspects of this purism behind all this. I mean no one is forcing this, it just happens."

The three humans now placed their items onto the counter while Lyra left the bakery and Mrs Cake looked up to Carmen.
"Well, what can I do for you, love?"

Looking at the jar she took out of the shelf, Carmen pointed at the content.
"I... I think these are sour drops, right?"

"That they are. The entire jar or just a portion of it?

"No, just a small bit. I don't want to ruin my teeth." Carmen answered

Putting some of the sour drops into a paper bag, Mrs. Cake took it on a set of scales and named a price. Bits were exchanged and Carmen placed the jar back into the shelf. Richard pointed at the shelf behind Mrs. Cake at some chocolate cookies and smiled.
"I'd like to have a small box of that."

Taking a wooden ladder, Mrs. Cake nodded.
"Certainly!" Getting the cookie jar down from the shelf, she then placed several in an orderly fashion into a small box. However, her face had lost its smile."

Richard cocked his head a bit.
"Is something the matter?"

Harrumphing a bit, the mare nodded.
"Young man, I am not mad at you, since you are here for the first time. However: I do not wish to see your rifles in here a second time again! It frightens the other customers and we have foals in this house."

Quickly recognizing that they still had their service weapon on their backs, the three Rangers quickly grimaced. Carmen was the first to find her words.
"Oh, that- I am SO sorry! We should have left one of us outside with them! I... Please don't think that we were trying to-"

But the earth pony raised her hoof and shook her head.
"Such things can happen, but think of it next time, dear. You represent the Rangers. I think nothing I can do would compare to what Prince Tyler would do to you, if you would misbehave."

While Jake still remained in the bakery for a batch of muffins, Richard and Carmen left the building with Jake's rifle. Shaking his head, Richard kicked the dirt.
"Damn it! Not a very good first impression."

Carmen nodded in agreement.
"We need to organize ourselves a bit better." Meeting up with several of the other survivors, the rangers had to answer some questions about their whereabouts the last few days.

Mike Thorne grimaced a bit.
"Not a great idea to run into a shop with a rifle, even if only on your back. I agree with you there."

Richard looked down.
"Well, we've had some training in the HQ, I don't think they hand us firearms if they don't expect us to actually need it. Just not against ponies."

In the next moment, several scrolls of the construction plans fell to the ground and Greg Dillard pointed into a specific direction.
"Well, that's not a pony up there!"

Spotting the object in question high over Ponyville, Richard saw it descending to the streets. Raising his rifle, he then shouted over to his fellow Ranger.
"Carmen!!! One of these things! One of those who attacked Manhattan!" Noticing Discord, the civilians among the humans evaded the Draconequis, women carried the children away in a haste while several of the men looked for something to defend themselves with.

Aiming at Discord as well, Carmen Vasquez gritted her teeth.
"Hold it right there buster! One more move and we'll show you how to deal with troublemakers!"

But much to their surprise, the Draconequis, upon noticing them, simply smirked and leaned back in a Hawaii shirt, enjoying an icy cold drink.
"Oh, I doubt that...

Coming to the site of commotion, Jake Hunnigan rested his hands on the rifle barrels of his two fellow rangers, lowering them.
"Only a fool would argue with firepower. Explain yourself right this instant why we shouldn't take you down!"

Giving a shrug, Discord leaned in to them.
"Because I am reformed! Here, I also have the pardon letter signed by nopony less than Princess Celestia." In the next second, he was holding said letter in his eagle talon.

Carefully taking the letter, Jake read through it.
"What do you know...? It's true!"

But Richard only skimmed over it, reading only 'Former Spirit of Chaos'
"Alright... But you are the same as those things that attacked Manhattan! So if you're an evil spirit, I want your name."

Feigning shyness, Discord then put one talon on his mouth.
"Aw, how sweet..."

Nodding, Richard then continued.
“If you know the name of a spirit, you can control it...”

“Is that so?”

Giving it a shrug, the fresh Ranger kept eye-contact with the Draconequis.
“That's what some books say...”

Shaking his head, Discord then leaned forward to Richard, still floating and gently tipping his talon claw at the Ranger's chest.
“Well, there is only one problem: It is written that no human tongue can pronounce a Draconequis name...”

“Try me!” Richard retorted.

Landing in front of the humans, the former Spirit of Chaos bowed in introduction.
“If you wish so: My name is.... Discord...”

“Discord!” Richard repeated with confidence, a smile growing on his lips.

Leaning back aghast, Discord glared at Richard with wide eyes.
“But... Impossible! Ho- How did..?.” Now leaning forward, he pointed his talon claw at Richard's chest again. “You... You must be the One! The One the Prophecy of Arkatum spoke of!”

Blinking twice in surprise, Richard's eyes widened as his smile withered.
“Really? What else does this Prophecy of Arkatum say?”

Discord's began to grin wider and wider as he opened his arms.
“Well, that... That the One will also believe any crap-damn idiot thing you make up on the spot!”

While Discord teleported away in a bright flash and roaring laughter, Richard's right eye twitched in anger, realizing he'd been had.
“Oh, you floating motherfucker...”

In this moment Tyler arrived on the scene, silently watching with a grin on his face.
“I see you made acquaintance with Discord already.”

Teleporting back in with another flash, Discord was leaning against Tyler, still chuckling.
"Oh, Tyler... I am having such a blast with them..."

Letting him lean against his shoulder, Tylr smirked a bit.
"I figured. But for now: Behave, Discord. These people are not accustomed to your kind of humor yet. They've been attacked by your kind in the past, so it's only understandable if they point their guns at you. Take it slowly and maybe some of them will appreciate you for your insight." Coming to the rangers, he lowered his voice. "Put these rifles away, you make fools out of yourself."

Carmen Vasquez quickly secured her rifle.
"Sorry, we... We thought..."

Giving a sigh, Tyler nodded.
"Yes I know. He's looking like one of the Manhattan attackers and wasn't part of the Koba Test. You weren't briefed on him, but you are now. An oversight on my part. So away with the rifles. Poking them into ones nose is considered rude. Instead, tell the others that Discord is a friendly being unlike those who attacked Manhattan."

Suddenly an all too familiar voice came from above.
"Well! If it isn't my motherbucking T-Man!"

Looking up, Tyler spotted Rainbow Dash gliding down from a cloud.
"Rainbow! How's it going, girl?"

Landing right in front of him, she pointed at some of the other humans.
"I need your help here! Tell them about what we Pegasi are doing. They find it hard to believe."

Taking note that Tyler was approaching them together with Rainbow, Mike Thorne stepped in front of the group of humans.
"There he is... This mare here claims to be here for schedule business. But our meeting was with you. Can you clearify this, please?"

Shaking her head, Rainbow tried to show her best manners for now.
"There's nothing to clearify! Tyler asked me to get some Pegasi over from Cloudsdale"

"That is correct." Tyler flatly stated in confirmation. "I asked Rainbow to get some contacts from Cloudsdale and skipping her usual nap at noon, she did what I asked of her."

Standing tall, Rainbow pressed her chest out in pride.
"Well I wouldn't be the Element of Loyalty if I leave you hanging there for a selfish nap, T-Man!"

Frowning a bit, Mike looked over to Tyler.
"Element...?"

"Oh, uh... Important stuff here in Equestria. Bottom line: Rainbow and a few others are national heroes here." Tyler replied.

Right in this moment, another Pegasus mare of brown mane and coat landed on Rainbow's left side, what prompted Mike to arch a brow at her. Several earrings were in her ears, another unusual thing for ponies as he knew it.
"And who might you be?"

"Wild Spice, Weather Pony Division for Horizon Valley." she answered.

Looking at Tyler, the confusion of these two men grew visibly.
"Weather ponies?"

"Of course!" Rainbow replied, "All weather in Equestria is managed by us Pegasi. Each city gets a division of weather managers and their teams take out the schedule. Horizon Valley will be no exception in that. May it be sunshine, rain, storm or snow: The weatherponies are your address to go to."

Giving a nod, Mike then bowed slightly down and held his hand up.
"Well then... My pleasure. Mike Thorne."

Shoving a rogue strand of mane out of her face, Wild smiled up to Mike, resting a hoof in his palm for a brief shake.
"You're lovely, Mr. Thorne. I will enjoy working with you and your folks."

While Wild Spice was now talking with Rainbow Dash, Mike glanced over to Tyler from the corner of his eye.
"Are they all that flirtatious?"

The question caused Tyler to chuckle a bit.
"Just wait until heat season and then you will learn flirtatious..."

"What?"

The smirk on Tyler's face now grew a bit.
"I can tell. I've set standards. Since the wedding, a human man is quite the highly desired partner I guess."

In that moment, Greg Dillard began to laugh heartily.
"Mike, you should see the look on your face. I can tell that she will bring some good mood into our little community."

While Wild Spice flew off to tend some other things, Mike turned over to Greg.
"Greg? Do you really find a liking in a pony?"

"Why not?" Greg retorted, "I mean they have characters we can like, why shouldn't they have characters to fall in love to? Don't be shy, Mike! That Wild Spice? She seems to be one saucy bird!"

Halting in her movement, Rainbow overheard that and turned around at once.
"What was that?" She already flew over to Greg before her hindleg was grabbed and Tyler pulled her in to whisper something into her ear, prompting Rainbow to listen. "What...? Really? Uh-huh... So it isn't meant bad?" Tyler shook his head, what made the mare point her hoof at his chest. "But you know that this can be interpreted as a bad thing, right?"

Spreading his arms, Tyler looked up to her.
"Come on, RD... They're new here! I'm around for two years, they are here a few weeks. It didn't occur until now."

Snorting in frustration, Rainbow then nodded, calm enough to let it go.
"Well, OK... But only because they are newcomers!"

Once Tyler nodded and had a few other words, he returned back to Mike and Greg, who frowned a bit, not understanding the situation.
"What was that all about?"

Giving a sigh, Tyler shook his head as he began his explanation
"A foreseeable incident... The workshops for integration were not in place as of yet, otherwise you would have been informed about this. Rainbow doesn't take a liking with your phrase 'saucy bird' for Wild Spice. And it's not so much the saucy, but the bird part that got her slightly angered. You see, there were times of racism among ponies and since then it is mostly frowned upon to compare a Pegasus or Griffin with a bird, just because they have wings. Same thing goes with terms like featherbrain. If Pegasi, batponies or Griffins do that among one another, it's deemed a light jab, but if anyone without wings says something in the like, they can take offense."

Greg and Mike exchanged some glances and nodded at each other before looking to Tyler.
"It seems we will have to render an apology to Miss Dash and Miss Spice."

And while Tyler left the two men alone with Rainbow, a few seconds later Rachel crossed his way.
"What's up, almighty leader? You don't look so thrilled today."

Tyler held his temples shaking head head.
"Rachel, this has been a busy day and a bumpy ride so far. Our recruits went into Sugarcube Corner with their rifles, they point them at Discord a few minutes later and the others almost offended the weather ponies. This was about vacation and already I'm cleaning up after them..."

Looking for the ensigns, Rachel narrowed her eyes.
"Do you want me to have a word with them?"

Exhaling silently, Tyler only shook his head.
"No, it seems this was just an oversight. If it happens again, then you can beat them up with their own legs." Them being on their way to Sweet Apple Acres, the two of them noticed a commotion coming from the schoolhouse. At some point, Cheerilee left the building and got some distance from it, holding her head with one hoof. Both Tyler and Rachel looked at each other before looking over to her again. "Cheerilee! Good to see you. How are the school kids doing?"

But Cheerilee only rolled her eyes in annoyance.
"They are doing fine. I wish I could say the same about the parents of the human children. They seem to have a couple of problems. We've been over this a few times now." The door behind her opened again and a small group of women came out as well.

Tyler frowned at that last statement when the women all came out.
"What's the matter? What is going on here?"

Sarah Hardigan shook her head as she stepped forth, seemingly trying to mediate between the upset women and the single mare.
"Well, some mothers have concerns of letting their boys being tought by someone who is..."

Tyler leaned in, paying full attention.
"Yes? A pony?"

"Nude." she retorted flatly.

At first he wanted to say something, but Tyler then held back the thought and instead turned to Cheerilee.
"From a human perspective, that is an understandable issue. We wear clothes all the time. Would you mind wearing proper attire covering your private parts, Cheerilee?"

Arching a brow at first, Cheerilee then nodded and looked at the women in front of her.
"It is unconventional, but I could do it if it really has to be. I-"

"There's another thing!" one of the other women interrupted.

Tyler looked over to her, arching a brow for her rude interruption.
"Yes? What is it now?"

"The educational standard. I don't want to be that mother, but what higher degree of education can we expect here?"

Tyler and Cheerilee glanced at each other before he tried to explain.
"Well, from what I know so far, this school teaches enough material to cover all of the elementary school... And I hope I don't mess this up, but in american standards, the very basics of the junior high."

"And that's it?"

Pointing towards Canterlot with his thumb, Tyler nodded over to the worried mother.
"Well as far as Ponyville is concerned. I'm quite sure the more sophisticated ponies up there in Canterlot with their universities can offer more."

"Yes, but that's an educational system designed for ponies!"

Cheerilee raised a hoof to protest.
"Well, yes but-"

Tyler's hand now rested on Cheerilee's shoulder.
"Don't sweat it, Cheerilee. I can understand the argument and it is not without point. Educational material for a Pegasus pony is of no to little use for a human. A syllabus designed for humans needs to be set up at once. It will be noted and worked on as fast as possible."

"And that is all what you'll do about it?" was the next outraged question.

Tyler then looked over to the angry mother and arched a brow. He understood they wanted things to go normal again, but this went far enough now.
"What else is there I can do now? I didn't come here to fix every problem at once, Madam! What do you expect me to do? Pulling a complete educational system out of the hat? Despite all that magic I can't work miracles. Everything solved at once would be impossible. A human syllabus demands a human teacher with experience in this field. But I am no teacher. I am here in Ponyville to see and spend some quality time with my daughter. But before that, I have one final appointment for the day until I have a few precious hours with her before the ceremony is this evening. Your problems are noted and will be worked on. Either by my wives or by me in person once my vacation is over. Good day."

With that, he left the building and teleported away. Looking at each other, the women lowered their voices a bit. Among them, Sarah Hardigan looked at the direction Tyler went before he teleported away..
"He has a daughter with one of them?"

Rachel stood at Cheerilee's side and folded her arms
"A daughter which he cares for that is... Now... If anyone here wants to give Miss Cheerilee a hard time for doing the best she can, come right at me..."

But Sarah only shook her head. Trouble was not what these women came here for.
"I think I'm slowly beginning to understand what it is what the princesses are seeing in this guy..."

* * * * *

A few minutes later Tyler and Twilight landed in the middle of the Everfree after a short flight. Twilight, already knowing the way took point. With Tyler around, she doubted that anything in the Everfree would be a threat to the two of them.
"I heard you were over at the school helping Cheerilee. You chose some harsh words on them, Tyler. Do you think that was correct?"

A sigh escaped him and he looked down to Twilight. News really spread out like a wildfire in Ponyville.
"On Earth, people get silenced too often just because they are politically correct, Twilight. I will speak my mind. If one can't cope with that, they can cry me a river. Sometimes, humans need a bit of harshness to be put back in their rightful place. I may be the Prince of Willpower and due to that more bound to etiquette, but I am not willing to shut up because me speaking my mind in all honesty might hurt someone's feelings. I might tone it down a bit for my friends, but even you girls will hear something from me if I don't agree. She wanted all her problem solved right this instant. And I told her that is impossible. End of story. I'm not a bad guy for not pampering her. So... What was it you wanted to show me?"

"This here..." Looking down, Tyler spotted the massive tree in the cave even from the cliff they were standing on. While they approached it, Twilight explained. "The Tree of Harmony. Back when Equestria was attacked by Discord's Plunder Seeds, we learned about its existence. The Elements of Harmony came from this tree. So, in order to save the tree and defeat these Plunder Seeds, I had to sacrifice the Elements of Harmony."

Slowly approaching the extraordinary tree, Tyler took a deep breath in.
"Well, I'll be honest, Twilight. That tree sure is something you don't see each day." Resting a hand on the trunk, he looked up to the Tree of Harmony, spotting the Elements inside of it. "Seems to me that you returned what was taken from it a long time ago."

Twilight looked down with a sigh.
"But it left us vulnerable. We have lost the Elements of Harmony. Only the box that I placed in the library was given to us after the Elements were gone."

Tyler looked over to her.
"Another mystery, eh? But there's still another thing to ask."

"What?"

A wide grin came over his lips.
"Can I lockpick it?"

Twilight's eyes widened a bit before she narrowed them again.
"No!"

"Aww, come on!"

"No and that's final! You might damage the locks and we'll never be able to open it." Looking at the trunk of the tree, Twilight shook her head. "So what do you think?"

"Hmmmm... Well, Twilight... It is a tree. A tree doesn't pop into existence. Someone planted it here either with magic or with a natural means: A seed." Turning over to her, he arched a brow. "So was this the only seed?"

"What? I don't know. I didn't look that far into the past with Zecora's potion. It looks the same as it did a thousand years ago. Maybe it is even older than anything in Equestria."

Looking back up to the tree, Tyler arched a brow in wonder.
"Hmmm... Well there is no rush to look into this for now. Maybe one potion alone is not enough to look that far back. It would be interesting to know about its whereabouts though." Patting the trunk a final time, Tyler then left. "Alright. Enough work for today! I'm off to Sweet Apple Acres!"

* * * * *

Lifting Appleseed up from her crib, Tyler smiled content as he saw her stretching up her little hooves to him, already so strong.
"Come here you little bundle of joy!" Laughing heartily, the young foal wrapped her hooves around her father's face for a daughter's embrace. Tyler didn't object since she wasn't strong enough nor were her hooves hard enough to hurt him. "Who's Daddy's cutest little girl for now?"Her babbling response brought a wide smile to his face

Standing in the door, Applejack watched the two of them for some time before correcting her Stetson.
"She sure is missin' ya at times, Sugarcube."

Gently carrying Appleseed in his arms, Tyler caressed her little belly and each laugh of her filled him with peace and joy. All the horrors that spooked in his mind were forgotten in this moment like she was able to tame the raging beast inside of him.
"And I miss her. But sometimes the Ranger HQ is no place for a foal. You hear, sunshine? Daddy has to be in dangerous places he can't take you with."

While he placed her back into the crib, Applejack came a bit closer and looked at him.
"Ah still think we should have a word with Celestia and Luna. Yer her Pa, goshdarnit! She needs yer presence here before she gets the crazy idea that Big MacInstosh is her Pa." Looking down, Applejack frowned a bit. "It ain't fair! Yer the Prince of Willpower, but yer also a father! Ah may sound selfish taking our daughter before all of Equestria, but Ah only do so because Appleseed can't demand her time with you already."

Taking her cheeks into his palms, Tyler nodded and gave her a long and passionate kiss.
"After the ceremony tomorrow, we will have a word with the two of them. I'm suppposed to have time for Nova once she is born, it is only fair and proper Appleseed gets that as well. Tomorrow, OK?"

Looking to the side with a blush, AJ nodded.
"Ah guess Ah waited so long that Ah can wait until tomorrow..."

In this moment, the voice of Granny Smith became audible from the door, prompting the two of them to look at the old mare.
"Aren't ya two just such a lovely couple...Reminds me of Applejack's parents back in the day. Her Pa always knew how to get her Ma agreein'." Leaning in to Tyler, the old mare held a hoof in front of her mouth and began to whisper. "The barn is ready, if ya two want to make use of it, mah boy."

While Tyler chuckled, Applejack's face explored further shades of red.
"G-granny!"

But the old earth pony shook her head with a wide grin.
"Ha! Don't tell me ya would mind, girl."

Recollecting herself, Applejack then harrumphed.
"Tyler's not here for a rodeo in the barn, Granny! He's here to see our daughter. And tomorrow after the ceremony, we'll have a word with the princesses to get him more time to see Appleseed more often."Looking up to him, she smiled. "He promised."

Coming into the room, Granny looked at them both.
"Good to see ya demand him a bit more, Applejack. It's never good to forget about the family over all the work. But Ah must say it's excitin' to see a new town rise, mah boy. Ya young folks really keep life interesting. And so close to Ponyville as well.”

The statement prompted Tyler to nod a bit.
“Oh yes, AJ once stated that you were among the first settlers for Ponyville. So, if you would do me the honor, I'd like to invite you to the founding ceremony of the settlement this evening.”

Winking up to him, the old mare gave it a chuckle.
“Ya bet Ah'm comin' to somethin' like that, mah boy! And the rest of Sweet Apple Acres will come as well. A town being stomped out of the ground is somethin' that sticks in the memory. These young ones are sure in for something important in their life to happen. And Ah don't mean ya and yer friends riskin' life an' limb to save Equestria, Applejack!”

Rolling her eyes, AJ then smiled.
"Alright, alright, Granny... Ah would be there anyway because Ah was invited as well. Every Element Bearer will be present this evening." Looking over to Tyler, she witnessed with a smile how Appleseed was playing with him. "But for now, Ah guess it's time for the family..."

* * * * *

On that evening, the human survivors were gathered at the site that was meant to be their new home in a couple of weeks and months. The place was full with humans and ponies. Some kept to themselves, others conversed a bit with each other. Pony nobility was present as well, but a bit more resistant to approach the humans directly. At one point the princesses arrived on the scene and were greeted by their husband. Conversations about building plans and possible business proposals were had and while a majority of the nobles gathered near Celestia, the humans, especially the women gathered around Luna and Twilight.

At some point, however, several rows of chairs were prepared and set up in front of a podium. While everyone took a seat in orderly fashion, Tyler, the princesses and some of the Harmony Ranger senior staff were still talking to each other, before Tyler walked towards the podium and the others took their seats as well.
“Good evening! A momentous evening this is. With the acclimatization of our newest citizens, more challenges await. And with them come new possibilities. Humans and ponies living together means learning from another without disregarding the way of life of the other. Humans, coming from a world of tools and grand machines they surround themselves with are now thrown into a world where magic can do in some departments, what we take granted to be handled by machines. But adapting is what humans do and as we begin this first project of one joint community of humans and ponies, we will lay the foundation not only for a human settlement but also a friendship between two species working side by side for a common goal to achieve. The layouts for the settlement are set, there are building crews from Manehattan that we hired to aid you to build this up as fast as possible. Ladies and Gentlemen... Let us all work hard to make this settlement of Horizon Valley a huge success.”

While the applause was in the air, Mike Thorne noticed someone missing. Leaning to his side, he asked one of the others with lowered voice.
"Isn't Nick coming? Everyone else is here, taking the trip from Canterlot."

Sarah Hardigan simply shrugged after glancing over to him.
"He said he wasn't feeling well. No reason in forcing him to attend, is there?"

Mike grumbled a bit.
"No, of course not. I doubt they will put it against us if one is missing. Nick isn't a key figure today. But if he would be, feeling under the weather or not: If he would be able to stand and talk into the microphone, I would drag him out here to hold the speech he's about to hold." Looking through the crowd, he noticed ponioes of far finer attire than those of Ponyville. "I think even their nobility is present here today." Following his glance, Greg looked over to the ponies as well and nodded in thought.

Meanwhile Tyler's speech continued.
"We choose to establish a peaceful co-existence between our two worlds and our different ways of life. Not because this is easy, but because it is hard! Because the future can only belong to us if we share it equally with our combined energies and skills. To do that, we need to establish a police force of some sort, able to work in any kind of situation. Not just in Equestria, but in every peace loving nation of Equis. The humanoid changeling scenario is one that occurred already and ended with a 60 feet monstrosity attacking a human metropolis on Earth. Given, this was due to some extra threat of alicorn magnitude, but we should be able to form teams able to take on these creatures before they become that big.”

Jake Hunnigan leaned over to Richard Henson.
“So that's the reason why he lets us train that much... He still deems this a possible thing...” Richard's response was a brief nod.

“The countries that contribute shall receive the safety, training and technological expertise to counter such threats accordingly,” Tyler continued. “We are not talking about weapon technology, but an increase in mobility, enabling Ranger forces in these nations to go in at once if the situation so commands. Always remember that expansion is achieved through diplomacy, not by the military. The Harmony Ranger mission is to preserve peace. Our agents are encouraged not to start conflicts, but to end them. We attack only as a last resort. It is because of this that I unveil our latest and until now most ambitious project to secure our joint efforts for a brighter future for all peace-loving species living in Equestria and its allies, enhancing the mobility of our troops. Ladies and Gentlemen, for your consideration: Skyranger!”

Unveiling a large project board, where several project images of a flying shuttle were depicted, as well as seveveral showcases with models, the presentation earned an astounded murmur as well as some applause. Mike Thorne nodded in thought.
"Seemingly he's losing no time merging their technology with ours to counter this threat. But I wonder how they want to propel that vehicle... I don't see any refineries in Equestria to produce fuel."

Richard frowned a bit. It was true. They weren't told about these things.
"Maybe they don't know about fossil fuels yet? We'll ask him about that. Maybe he can tell us more."

"Possible, but how likely is that? It seems to me that these Rangers he's leading are withholding technical data from the public as would every organization that has some militaristic use. He would be a fool to publish everything. See? Little models and pictures to gain the interest of the investors. No detail in how they function. Not even to you folks who are actual full-fledged Harmony Rangers. Clever dog, this Jones."

Now arching a brow, Richard shook his head.
"Maybe not. Maybe they already learned from some instances to safeguard their secrets. We are, after all, new in the ranks."

"Well, either I am paranoid or you are naive." Mike countered, "Luckily there's no reason to worry for our small community. We don't mean anyone here harm and as far as we saw it, he was always supportive towards us. Still... Do me a favor and keep your eyes and ears open. I don't want you to spill technological secrets, but if something horrible comes down our way, make sure to give us a warning." Carmen Vasquez, Jake Hunnigan and Richard Henson looked at each other, before they nodded one by one. They had sworn an oath to keep the secrets in the HQ safe, but this didn't interfere with the promise to warn the human civil population about things going the wrong way.

* * * * *

At the same time, the curtains in Nick Hopkins' room in Canterlot were all closed and the door was locked tight. His second metal briefcase was resting on the wooden table, now finally open. The light of he laptop shined brightly into his face as he was typing with the keyboard.

Situation Report Five, Project Origin, Day 23

After assessing the situation, it is safe to say that we are not dealing with an alien invasion within the boundaries of our own solar system. This place has mass and oxygen like a habitable planet has, yet defies the laws of our known physics. A world where the sun can be manipulated by a single being and this being is ruling the land I and the rest of the survivors are residing in, is far from anything I expected to find on the other side of Crossing One. Further data needs to be collected by personnel more expertised in their respective fields. It is yet uncertain where Crossing Two is placed on this world or if the locals even know about this. Recommendation at the moment: Sending search groups to look for specific locations standing out.

Transporting the equipment within a Faraday cage was sufficient to shield it from the electromagnetic forces within the crossing. Sadly, not everyone of the utilized cover group made it out alive. Predator hazards residing in the dense woods mentioned earlier in Situation Report One are Called Timber Wolves and are feared by the locals. Said locals are pleasant natured on first sight, but I suggest -

A sudden noise made Nick listen up and from the other side of the door he heard steps coming closer and going away again. A pony seemingly passed his door. Giving a sigh, Nick then continued to type his report. He couldn't possibly know that someone who shouldn't be there in the first place was passing by.
"I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream..." The gentle female voice was coming and going like a whisper as it sang Tyler's lullaby for his children.

Author's Note

Not proofread yet, notify me of anything you see, so I can vanquish these typos.

7 - Threats foreign and domnestic *

Neftus Island, south of Equestria, Island of Peace

Neftus Island was always a barren island, void of most the riches one would expect from an island such as this. The meager vegetation was barely held together and there was no mountain that could give fresh drinking water from a spring. The island was at the mercy of the natural weather occurring to it. At its coast in the north, a lone hut was standing there with a single figure.

The old Masar was sitting at the pier of wooden planks, some of them were already worn and rotten. Slowly the tide was rising and more and more fish started to bite. They weren't big at all. In fact, they were actually barely big enough to sate him. After an hour of fishing, the old feline brought the majority of the fish back to the hut.

As he stepped in front of his hut, he growled at the scent of meat in the air. It was prey and it was still alive and kicking. The scent of a pony filled his nostrils despite all the sand and dust in the air. With another growl he made haste to the backside of his hut, where he could see the little equine approaching his hut from a dune. Coming to a halt, the hooded pony shouted over to the Masar with a female voice.
"I thought they banished weapons for the sake of peace on this island?"

Revealing his razorsharp claws, the Masar growled aggressively.
"I don't need a weapon to rip you to shreds!"

Taking a look at the fishing rods at the pier and the small fishes around them, the pony shook its head.
"Oh, I'm quite sure that you won't harm a pony to protect such meager fish. Especially if I don't eat fish anyway." the mare retorted.

"It's everything I have. Now move it!"

Slowly, a tension grew inside the Masar's body. A force was running through the back of his head as the pupils of the mare gently began to glow up to him.
"There's a reason you are on this island."

Still defiant, the Masar growled louder now, willing to strike at her at any time. For now she kept her distance, which kept him calm.
"My reasons are none of your concerns, pony! "

As the magic force on the Masar grew, she could see his eyes moisten. In her mind, she saw the terrible things he saw. Him kneeling before the queen, begging to be spared. The punishment he had lived through in the torture chambers. His flood of emotions washed over and through her. The pain, the shame, the embarrassment, the isolation.
"Masar are a proud and fierce race. Let me see into you. Let us reveal what burdened you to flee here and free you of the shadow of your past. Let me free you of this burden." Falling to his knees, the Masar gave in and began to weep into the mare's shoulder, who now patted the mighty back of the large feline. "There, there... Don't let it poison you any longer."

Calming down, the giant feline wiped the tears from his eyes and looked into her face, which was still obscured by the hood she was wearing.
"What power do you possess to look so deep into me?"

A smile formed on her obscured face and she turned away from him to leave again.
"This power, my friend, was solely fueled by you. I only unlocked the gate. It was you who opened it for us to take a peek inside."

Rising up, the Masar made haste to follow the mare.
"Wait! I am honorbound! I was rude to you before, even more reason for me to repay you for lifting this burden from me, stranger! I am Gorex, former citizen of Moranji."

Looking back to him over her shoulder, the mare stopped. His sudden change in behavior was expected and brought a smirk to her face. He could be a useful, loyal ally to her.
"Then join me in my quest."

Coming to her side, he looked down to her, slightly puzzled.
"Well, what is your quest?"

Now turning to him again, she approached him a second time.
"The same as yours. The same as everyones. To choose my own destiny, despite what others dictate." Looking at the open sea, she sighed a bit. "But to reach it, we need a ship to leave this island."

Following her hoof pointing out to the open sea, the Masar cocked his head, not fully understanding.
"A ship? There are no ships on Neftus Island."

"Maybe I have a way to bring one here." the mare countered, a sly smirk slightly showing under her hood.

"But how?!?"

Lowering her hood, the red and yellow striped mane shined brightly in contrast to the surrounding brown of the dust around them. Giving a sassy smirk, the yellow unicorn mare looked up to the Masar.
"Have faith, my furry, big friend. I'm not the only one of my kind and you're not the only one banished from your homeland."

Now the surprise was all over the Masar's face as his eyes widened.
"You are a unicorn..." Nodding in confirmation, her grin only widened and while the Masar began to chuckle a bit, the mare laughed while looking to the north, where Equestria was headed.

* * * * *

In the evening hours, the groups of children of both ponies and humans wandered through the streets of Ponyville. Among the adults, Tyler Jones and Mike Thorne walked down the street conversing.
"Are you treated well, Mike? Or are there any complaints I have to look at?

"Well, most of the time the ponies behave the same as humans do, excluding their habit of breaking into a song at certain times..."

Rolling his eyes in good fun, Tyler began to grin.
"Yeah, they have a habit to do that. Life sure is like a musical in here at some times."

Taking a look at the streets of Ponyville, Mike enjoyed the late evening fair taking place.
"I must say, though: This Nightmare Night is a nice equivalent of Halloween on Earth. At least the children don't mind who they are getting sweets from." A group of children ran by them, including boys, colts, fillies and girls. The fact that they were all pursuing to collect sweets made them forget that they were different in shape and form. A fact that made Mike smile a bit. "The girls are all thrilled with all the young ponies around them. The fact that they can talk makes this that much more exciting for them."

Frowning a bit, Tyler looked over to Mike.
"Well, Equestria is not every girl's dream of a free pony coming true. They are beings like you and me and demand their dignity as well."

"You're right. Sometimes the kids are a little too carried away and the grownups have to reel them in again."

"Through me, and later the others, they already know a few things about Earth," Tyler began his explanation, "Among that is the domnestication of equines as animals useful for us to ride, but also to take care of. I think, or rather... I hope for the mares and stallions having sympathy with these innocent attempts to make them the child's best friend. It could be misunderstood, but they also know that children are children. Hopefully parental instincts kick in."

Tyler saw a human girl embracing a young red mare around the neck, obviously surprising the mare a bit. But once she saw the girl meaning her no harm and looking up to her with big, starry eyes, she smiled a bit. Not long after that, her parents came to her side and gently pulled the girl away, with the father apologizing. But the mare slowly shook her head and smiled over to the girl. A few words were exchanged, the girl nodded a few times and when the small family left again, the girl waved back to the mare, who replied with a beaming smile and a wave of her hooves as well. "Then again... Maybe we worry too much about it. Things might sort out themselves."

As they went along the streets, Tyler turned over to Mike Thorne once more.
"Mike, there's something I wanted to ask of you. How did you folks all end up in the same machine by the way? I mean several families from seemingly all kinds of social standing in one airbus crossing over to a foreign world... What devil rode you to make that trip?"

"They said they were in contact with the other side. That there would be someone to greet us. They told us that there was this selection program of pioneers who volunteered to build up infrastructure on the other side. That the selection program had to remain confidential for maintaining national security."

Tyler stopped dead in his tracks and held Mike back at the shoulder. Both men exchanged glances.
"Mike... Since Manhattan, you guys were the first humans to come over. There was no further contact."

Visibly surprised, Mike took a step backwards.
"What?!? But, the crew of the New Jersey! The media told us that..."

Tyler shook his head.
"We've send these people home, Mike. Because they wanted to go home. We have the ability to open a random portal back to Earth, which is one-way only. Beside the crossing over the Everfree, we know of no way back than these portals. The ship was damaged beyond repair and a portal for a battleship exceeds our capabilities. We've send these men home to their families, that's all."

Looking to the ground aghast, Mike Thorne tried to find an explanation for himself.
"But why? Why lie to us to get us here?" Looking up to Tyler, he briefly shook his head. "You said it yourself, there are conflicts on this world. Why would they send us here on false claims?"

Holding Mike's right shoulder in comraderie, Tyler shook his head as the glances of both men met.
"That I don't know. But I do know that you folks are here now and can see this world for what it truly is.No matter what was: You folks are safe now. And Celestia, Luna and I will hand you the tools to decide your own future here." He then lowered his voice a bit. "And for the safety of the others, it would be wise to keep that knowledge for yourself, if only for the moment. Once we know more, I will inform you and the others."

* * * * *

Escorting a few of the kids through the night, Sam and Flynn lead them to Fluttershy's cottage, when Flynn spoke up to the children.
"Kids? Kids! Now... The following pony is very easy to startle. She doesn't like to be spooked, but is very kind, especially to children. Now behave with the best of your little monster manners and don't scare her too much, OK?"

"Why? Isn't that the purpose of this holiday?" one of the girls asked.

Answering with a nod and a smirk, Sam raised a finger.
"Well, let me put it this way. She's also good with a lot of animals, so if any one of you plans to get a pet in the near future..." Standing in an orderly line side by side in almost an instant, the children nodded. Giving a chuckle, Sam knocked at the door. "Fluttershy! It's me, Sam. I'm bringing some little human monsters for you. Maybe you can tame them with some sugar."

But instead of the promised timid little mare slowly opening the door, the door opened suddenly and Grinko's growling and bloody face lurked outside. His fangs shined ever so brightly in the moonlight, causing some of the kids to shriek in fear and hide behind Flynn, who immediately reassured them.
"It's OK! It's OK... He's a friend. Looking good today, Grinko."

While the children backed away in fear, Sam leaned in with a strict tone.
"Now, now, Grinko... Don't scare the little ones..." Lowering his voice a bit, Sam nodded back to the kids. "Jeez, man! If I wouldn't know that it would be you, I would have pissed myself. And I bet some of these kids almost had an accident. Tone it down a bit."

Seeing that Grinko looked over to Sam and obeyed
"I thought that this was the whole idea? But as you wish..." Looking at the children once again, Grinko nodded and stepped into the light. "You have nothing to fear from me, little ones. My fangs and claws may be sharp, but they will not do you any harm." The girls among the children were still unsettled by Grinko's fierce appearance, but among the boys some seemed to warm up to him, becoming intrigued.

And as the braver ones among the kids were inspecting the Masar a little closer, some of them even daring enough to feel his fur, Flynn pointed at all the red on Grinko's face.
"Is that...?"

Looking directly at Flynn, the large feline smirked.
"It is fake, of course. Fluttershy made it out of tomato juice."

"Yeah, I doubt that she would ever allow you to spill real blood all over yourself. Where is she, by the way?"

Recognizing the grasp of young hands around his strong paws, Grinko lifted his left arm, and by doing so, one boy, who was laughing about this.
"She said she was going to have some 'fun' with the others tonight."

Flynn and Sam exchanged some concerned glances.
"Fluttershy and fun at Nightmare Night? Now that are two things not fitting together in one coherent sentence."

* * * * *

The low bass guitar was humming on the Ponyville marketplace as the Nightmare Night festival band was having a pause for the humans to play a bit. Electric guitars, drums and synthesizer were present, much to the surprise of the humans, who deemed the ponies unable to have technology like that. The familiar instruments were manned almost in an instant and after a few moments, a fitting song was found. Standing at the microphone, Rachel was the singer this evening.

While strolling along the groups of ponies and humans, conversing among another, Tyler noticed a rather bored looking young teenage boy, leaning against a wall. Coming to the side of the boy, Tyler leaned against the same wall with a bit of distance, causing the teenager to inspect him briefly.
"So you're that prince guy, huh?"

"Yeah, I'm the prince guy." After taking glances left and right, he leaned in to the boy and lowered his voice. "I'm letting you in on a secret: I freaking hate it when they bow to me."

The boy frowned a bit and inspected Tyler a bit more thorough now.
"You don't behave like a prince."

"Oh really? How's that?"

"Well, you don't behave like you have a stick up your ass."

"Oh, the princesses don't have that either. What's your name?"

"Roger. Bane of my mom."

Taking Roger's hand for a shake, Tyler nodded.
"Tyler Jones. Wanted on Earth, beloved Prince in Equestria."

Both exchanged a chuckle.
"Now that's an introduction."

"You look rather bored here, Roger."

Taking a good look at their surroundings, the boy shrugged.
"It's the same stuff as Halloween... Only cuter with ponies. Lame..."

Placing a hand on Roger's shoulder, Tyler went a bit for a walk with him. A nice talk might be enough to lift the boy's spirit and warm up a bit to the ponies.
"Oh... is that so? But Nightmare Night is different than Halloween, for their reason to celebrate is still alive and kicking."

Looking up in disbelief, Roger arched a brow.
"What? Are you kidding me?"

"Hehehe... Roger, in a a world of magic, evil is vanquished with a lot more effort. And the evil of Nightmare Moon looms over this night."

Shaking off Tyler's hand from his shoulder, Roger rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, right... It's just another stupid story. Sorry! But maybe you can tell the others such crap. I'm not a baby anymore believing this bullshit!"

Looking after the boy, Tyler arched a brow.
"If you think that, you have a lot to learn about the absolute ruler and mistress of the night."

"And how do you know so much about her?"

Tyler began to smirk. Leaning in, he looked Roger into the eyes as his own eyes began to flash up in a bright blue tone for a brief second.
"How I know? I am her husband..." Roger took a step back. First in surprise, then another one due to an uncertain feeling Tyler's smirk now turned into a wide mischievous grin. "You look nervous. Having second thoughts? Don't worry... If you are right, you have nothing to fear. Then again, if you're not right..."

At this point the teenager recognized the fog quickly creeping through the dark woods. He wasn't a weather expert, but this was no ordinary fog. Not long after that a certain weight was lying on his left shoulder. A short glimpse to his left revealed an eye, a cat-like pupil staring at his face. A voice spoke up, like a thousand needles in his heart.
"Ah... A nonbeliever..." Roger gulped. Her coat was cold, almost freezing. Not daring to move a muscle, his eye looked at her through the corner of his eye. The cat-like pupil stared right at him and the teeth... those sharp, unnatural teeth. "I must say, I never have tasteth the flesh of a human boy."

With a suprised yell, Roger fell to the ground on his butt, crawling backwards in fear. Tyler harrumphed a bit as to get the boy's attention.
"May I introduce?" His arm rose and presented the mare at his side. "Nightmare Moon, Dark Warmaiden of the Night."

Standing right next to Tyler, the pitchblack mare looked down to the boy, the eyes glowing white and her hoof rose up to point at Roger.
"Charmed..."

Crawling away, Roger soon jumped up and made haste back to the center of town. Giving the situation a brief chuckle, Tyler now shook his head.
"I think you overdid it a bit, Luna. If you wanted to terrorize him, you could have simply put a knife at his throat."

Looking after Roger, the warmaiden leaned her neck a bit to the side, causing it to crack a bit.
"But I would never do that, beloved... This night is for being spooky, not endangering a young lad with something that could put him into a real danger. I think I have to approach the boy later in his dream to calm things a bit. Or maybe even in the waking world..." Taking her normal, harmonic form again, Luna looked up to Tyler. "Arest thou still mad at Celestia and me?"

His smile withered a bit and he glanced over to her.
"Yes, I am still a bit mad at you two...

Her ears dropped and she looked down upon hearing that.
"Oh... And here I was hoping I could ease thy anger...

Tyler sighed. Seeing her like that already calmed his anger, for seeing her sad wasn't easy, even when to punish her.
"You are making this hard for me on purpose, right?"

Looking up to him, he saw her eyes glittering a bit. Tiny diamonds, not yet full grown tears.
"Maybe? Thou are my dark companion. I don't wish thy anger to prolong for such a long duration. Thy suffering is also my suffering.Thou are so dear to me, I can no longer imagine being without thee again... Ever."

Slowly caressing her cheeks, he was tempted to give in. Her leaning in to his hand, enjoying this simple touch, the closeness, the bond between them.
"You two really dissapointed me with this. I think I'll need some more time to digest all this, Luna. The natural thing is to be angry, so please let me be angry for now to have the chance to let off some steam."

"And our nightly escapades in the dreamworld? I would make it worth thy time...

Tyler rolled his eyes with a smile. She really tried everything to convince him to forgive her sooner than later.
"No, that is cancelled until I say otherwise." Gently grasping her chin and jaw with the right hand, he tipped her nose with his left index finger. "It's supposed to be punishment, remember? Given, I'll have to pass on some quality dreams for now..."

"Dreams of debauchery... With things to do others would condemn in the waking world."

"Yes... There are few fantasies you deny me there as long as you are part of it. Sexual practices and scenarios otherwise forbidden. Our lucid adventures in the dreamworld are beyond measure and I'm sure you love to indulge yourself in it... As do I... I love sating your desires as well as you enjoy pleasing me, Luna... You may be the same age as Celestia, but I always had the feeling that despite seeing these kind of things countless times in so many wet dreams, you are yet to experience this for the first time. Your heart beats faster, your glance at me is one of innocence sometimes. A teenager caged into the body of an adult. Or rather... An adult with the experience of a teenager in some fields. But for now, I have to deny you these joys we otherwise exchange so willingly." Thinking for a bit, he then smirked and leaned down to her. "Tell Celestia, that I still love you two, but right now I'm mad. And here... You can give her that in my name as well." The gentle touch of his lips made her legs quake in joy and she whimpered into the kiss.

* * * * *

Back at the market place, Roger came back running towards the others, causing the children both human and pony to shriek in fear about another sighting of Nightmare Moon. Soon Luna returned in her harmonic form to set things straight with Roger and took care to ease his fear for her.

Meeting up with the other Harmony Rangers, Tyler spoke to a few other of the humans before he recognized Twilight and the others strolling across the street.
"Hey folks! How are you?"

Taking a look left and right, Twilight nodded up to him, when she and Applejack approached him.
"Great! We had some quality time so far."

Looking over to Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash smirked.
"Yeah! Fluttershy had something amazing prepared for tonight."

Looking over to Fluttershy, dressed as a vampony made the humans arch a brow or two.
"Oh? How peculiar..."

Looking down a bit embarassed, the timid Pegasus shyly kicked the ground.
"Well... Umm... It's not that I'm going to do that so quick again... I went overboard."

Looking over to Sam, Tyler shook his head with a chuckle.
"Always the silent ones... "

Flynn leaned in and smirked a bit at Pinkie Pie.
What's with you, Pinkie? A cheerleader or something? How is that scary?"

"So?" Rainbow intervened, "Most of our costumes aren't that spooky. This isn't a competition, you know... But come to think of it..."

Landing in front of Applejack in her lion costume, Rainbow smirked, what caused Applejack to arch a brow.
"Is that a challenge for next year, sugarcube?"

"Call it whatever you want, AJ! My costume will be way spookier than yours"

While both of them booped their noses at each other, Pinkie beamed in glee.
"Oh, I have an even spookier costume, but I decided that it would be a little over the top and I didn't want to outshine Fluttershy. But now that we're through with her stuff..." As to present it, Pinkie reached to her forehead and a zip fastener was undone over her face and torso, and her current outfit and body fell off as if just another Pinkie Pie costume peeled off from her. When seeing this, the eyes of the others widened in surprise. What stepped outside this Pinkie costume was another Pinkie Pie, dressed in a black leather outfit and a gasmask. The pink glass of the mask obscured the view at Pinkie's eyes.

While Rachel was at a loss for words and tried to find an explanation with Sam, Flynn leaned in and grinned.
"Oh really? I doubt that, Pinkie. The way you change your costumes is way spookier."

Looking up to Flynn, the gasmask Pinkie was wearing now slightly booped Flynn's nose.
"And who are you to doubt me? Are you my mommy?"

"I guess not..."

"Hehe, see? Don't think that I am a mere Earth Pony, Flynn. I have pinkiekinetic powers with this costume!"

This earned her some doubting smirks from the others.
"Leather outfit and gasmask? That gives you special powers? I don't think so." Rachel retorted.

"You doubt me, too? I will have to prove it to you then!" Standing up to her hind legs, Pinkie was instantly able to stand stable, not wobbling like any other pony would. This especially astounded Lyra, who had to undergo immense training to achieve this. But the friends jumped in surprise when Pinkie then began to float in midair and her hooves were inches above the ground. Pointing at them, the party pony now chuckled. "Ha! That's right! This is no trick. It's true power! Pinkiekinetic power!"

Rachel giggled silently, pointing at Pinkie's tail, which was somehow strong and stable enough to stem her up, making it look like she was floating in midair.
"No trick, huh?"

“You still don't believe me? It seems I will have to show you the full extent of my pinkiekinetic power! Lean yourself back into your chair, make yourself comfortable. Now I will move your right hand and fingers by the power of my will alone!”

The friends didn't know how to react on this while looking at each other. It wasn't before long before Flynn spoke up.
"Ummmm... Pinkie? Nothing is happening. And our fingers didn't move."

Looking over to him like only recognizing him now, Pinkie shook her head in confusion.
"Oh, you think I was talking to you?"

Glancing over to Rachel, Flynn shook his head, dumbfounded, puzzled what this was all about. Rachel on the other hand only rolled her eyes.
"You DO know who you're questioning, yes?"

Just when Flynn wanted to change the topic, a loud thunder became audible. No few seconds later another thunder roared through the skies, its direction clear for everyone as they looked towards the woods.
"The Everfree... Could it be, that...?"

Tyler's eyes narrowed down with determination. If there were to be another plane crash to happen, he would make haste to catch the plane in midair with levitation spells, slowing the crash down to a non-lethal speed.
"There are about fifty unicorn Rangers stationed around the Everfree as of this moment. Each one of them instructed to catch things in midair."

As he left everything behind, the others followed him. A feeling of alarm was growing among them.
"Fifty? Why so many? Do you expect a fight?"

"No, I expect another crash," Tyler responded. "Could happen anytime, you know? However, fifty is a relatively small number if you think about the space they have to cover. We don't know if direction or flight vector is of any relevance, which means we don't know if a plane would still fly eastwards after crossing flying eastwards or if there is a specific vector the plane is turned by the crossing. As of this moment, we can only soften the crash, not completely stop it from happening. But if it can save human and pony lives..."

Now the thunder and lightning strikes over the Everfree grew in number and Rachel pointed into the clouds.
"There! Somethings coming!"

A series of flashes and thunderstrikes occured over the Everfree before it materialized in a final flash. The object was flying over Ponyville, making the ponies look up in mild confusion. The noisy machine was different from anything they knew. However, the shape and form were somehow familiar to the humans. It had wings and a body as well as some engines. But the size was far too small for an airbus or passenger plane. The engines soon sputtered and came to a halt, prompting the object to glide down. Crashing down a few hundred yards east of Ponyville station, itplowed a bit through the soft soil.

Once arriving on the scene, the friends approached with some caution. While the ponies were clueless about the whereabouts, the humans eyed each other for a moment. Tyler briefly shook his head.
"Well, I'll be damned... Sam! Get on the radio! Tell HQ we need a salvage team here. I want this thing in HQ until noon."

Narrowing down her eyes, Rainbow tipped the wreckage of the drone with her hoof in distrust, only to take some distance from it after the clank.
"What is it? It certainly is not as big as the last plane you guys used to come here. Not even as big as the Betty. Is there a single human inside that?"

Inspecting the payload of the aircraft, Flynn shook his head.
"No weapons, no cameras or sensors for surveilance. Just the usual cameras to normally steer the thing. I don't get it, Tyler! Why are they sending a drone after they've send people over here?

Looking over to Flynn, Rainbow narrowed her eyes.
"Is that of any importance?"

"It sure is, RD." Tyler answered. "Normally, if we humans want to examine something we are uncertain of the surroundings or if it would be a journey without way back, we are sending remote controlled machines first. In our own solar system, we've send probes and rovers to the planet Mars to collect the first samples of scientific data, because no human can survive on Mars. Normally, the procedure making the most sense would be to send drones and probes that are remote-controlled, then once we are sure we have the technology to send people there that can make it back again, we start a mission and once all that is done, we would send colonists."

Rainbow nodded in thought. She never really fully understood how things worked in the human world, but from what she grasped was that the universe they came from had the planet going around the sun instead of the opposite. At the first time she heard it, it confused her big time, but Flynn explained it with some forces of falling and moving at the same time, calling it orbit. It made sense enough. Now, resting a hoof on the drone, she shook her head.
"So you're telling me that this thing here should have actually been here before there would be more humans? Then why the hay were there so many humans in the plane that crashed recently?"

Flynn looked up to her and Tyler and nodded with a grim expression.
"That, Rainbow... That's actually a very good question."

* * * * *

Several hours and a trip back to Canterlot later, the Harmony Rangers as well as the princesses were present when the blackbox of the drone was extracted and brought for analysis into the HQ Command Center. There, the Crystal Ponies attempted to read the information out that was stored on the Blackbox. Hours passed, only showing useless data masses flashing over the screens, before Rachel groaned in frustration.
"What's taking them so long?"

Sitting beside her and filling out some crossword puzzles while Celestia and Luna were served some tea in the meantime, Tyler replied without looking up.
"Well, these ponies lack the information how to interpret the data. I gave them some info of our binary code, but as of right now, they can't decipher larger quantities of data."

"Well, maybe it's good these crystal ponies don't run on Windows 10... But we've been sitting here for the last four hours waiting for them to make anything out of this mess!" When the screens shut down completely, Rachel threw her arms into the air. "Great! Now that as well!"

But to their surprise, Sage appeared as reflection on the black screen and nodded over to Tyler.
"Tyler? I might give them a boost, if you would connect to them for a while."

Cocking his head slightly to the side, Tyler narrowed his eyes in distrust.
"Only if they agree with that. I am having difficulties with you two in my brain, I don't know if they would want that."

"We understand, Headranger. We are OK with the risk."

Tyler came over to them and Luna took the chance to lean over to Celestia.
"Sage is different than before, my sister... Did you see his clothes being different?"

The white mare beamed happily in reply.
"Yes! The therapy is a success. Sage more and more comes back into the light and begins to use his powers for aiding instead of harming others

A flood of data rushed into Tyler's mind and a sharp sting caused him to grimace, before the pain went down pulse after pulse. Sage made him arch a brow and gently shook his head before he closed his eyes.
"A lot of data indeed... I never saw it like that before... I think I can restructure this and bring it to order."

Moments passed. Both crystal ponies frowned a bit at first, then nodded and began to smile.
"I see. Yes, I think we could interpret it like that. Then this comes here and this here, here and here."

The connection with Tyler ceased and Sage gave the command of the body back to Tyler, who held his forehead. Rachel looked at him, while keeping an eye on the main monitor, which was slowly forming a picture.
"What did you two do?"

"I can't say for sure, but I think he taught the ponies some programming skills, which in turn helped them decipher the data we got."

Sam arched both brows before looking over to Lyra.
"Crystal Pony OS! Could be something."

They exchanged a chuckle as one of the Crystal Ponies arched a brow.
"Headranger? We think we are on to something. Several packages that seem to belong together."

While Tyler headed over to them, Luna looked around.
"I must say that I are finding an interest in these Ranger procedures... I would likest to learn more about these facilities."

Leaning over to her younger sister, Celestia smirked a bit.
"I can give you their full report about activities, procedures, safety regulations in detail..." When Luna looked over to her, she then began to grin. "...that is, if you want to read through the entire report with its 400 pages. Or you could ask your big sister about it."

Stretching her tongue out in good fun, Luna then turned to the front again.
"Or I will ask him about it..."

Coming over to the trio of one unicorn and two Crytal Ponies, Tyler leaned in and narrowed his eyes as the twisted and distorted symbols and fragments flashed over the screen in front of them.
"These must be the data files of the hard drive. Can you try to depict them?"

"We will try. The first one is a rather large one and... From the looks of it, we can make out moving pictures and sound."

Tyler looked over to Celestia.
"A video. Someone made all this effort to send a message here."

Celestia looked at him in surprise, then over to the monitor.
"A message this urgent must be vital for us."

The video feed began to build up slowly. The feed was totally distorted in the beginning, but more and more the fragments came to order and the picture became clear. Once the video started, a black screen was shown, filled with a bright light in the upper center, several computer screens in the background and a human with a darkened face sitting in front of them. The face darkened, the human figure was impossible to be identified. The light in the background was too bright for that, the shadows too dark.
"Hello, Mr. Jones."

Recognizing the spokesman, Tyler's eyes widened.
"You..."

Celestia looked over to him.
"Do you know him?

Tyler shook his head.
"No one knows him in person, but I recognize that voice from my time in the deep web. He goes by the name of Bain..."

But regardless of them speaking, Bain continued with his introduction.
"The Earth you once knew is no more. Its nations, their leaders and spokesmen are all uniting behind a so called AEGIS organization..."Spreading his arms, a number of screens with members of Crime.net and other organizations Tyler recognized from the deep web showed up behind Bain's darkened silhouette. "...with just a few exceptions. It was good to see you again, though. In the days since your departure from our group, I have done all I can to have an everwatchful eye on Washington, formerly to find you again, but after Manhattan to find more about your current whereabouts. It had been these investigations that provided us the informations I hope we can now hand over to you. This message is to be understood as a warning. As of now, Crime.net is delivering you with some sparse, yet troubling information gathered from around the world. If our network of organizations is to succeed to unveil the truth about AEGIS, some of our members might need to use your world as a safe haven. I hope our operatives will behave on your side once we are able to send them over to you. Research teams from all over the world are pressing the issue to send an expedition team over to your world. But sadly this is not all that is going on."

A number of files were projected into the video. Walls of text and diagrams
"What you are seeing are classified reports from AEGIS contractor corporations from across the world. Their stockmarket values are skyrocketing. We suspect that vast amounts of funding is pumped into AEGIS and thus into these corporations, though their respective projects remain unknown."

The humans exchanged some glances; these were indeed troubling news no matter what. But Bain was not finished yet.
"Furthermore we were informed by inside sources, that an airbus was funded and already deployed to cross over into your current position, with at least one AEGIS agent and at least two other secret agents on board. Yet the media had a complete blackout over the missing machine. Time seems short, Mr. Jones. I'm afraid you'll need to show Earth that on the other side of Bermuda lies a world that is not as hostile as AEGIS depicts it. Establish diplomatic measures and silence every voice calling for conflict. I will try to deliver you with whatever intelligence I can gather with my fellow organization members as often as we can. If you can aid us in these matters, I am sure that we could come to an agreement of mutual advantage. We suspect you have your own fights on your world, but rest assured that whatever brought your conflict over to Earth startled humanity and there is only so much we can do without your help. The clock is ticking against us. Good luck, Mr. Jones."

When the video ended, Tyler was being very silent and thoughtful. With the elbows on the table and his hands put together, he rested his nose and upper lip on his hands as he closed his eyes.
"At this point, it is absolutely imperative that I return to Earth."

The others gasped at the statement, Celestia and Luna exchanged concerned looks, while Rachel stood up from her chair.
"You want us to side with criminals? Thieves, bank robbers, murderers and smugglers? Crime.net is a criminal cancer in Washington!"

Tyler was surprisingly calm and collected about this, even began to smirk.
"Odd... I always thought that corrupt lobbying politicians were the criminal cancer of Washington..."

Now Sam and Flynn entered the discussion. Both shook their heads at Tyler.
"Tyler... Rachel does have a point."

"Yeah! We can't simply allow these people in here. They would cause trouble!"

"And yet, as of right now, they are the only ones reaching out for us," Tyler retorted. "That's the way things seem to roll now on Earth. If Bain is right, every step we take on Earth will be highly monitored, each country on Earth will have the authorities working with AEGIS, an organization that seems to deem the planet Equis as a possible threat. That means that I will have to make a few calls on Earth before I can gather some individuals together I know. People I know I can trust. In America, in Japan, maybe even one from Russia."

Looking over to Tyler, Celestia arched a brow while uttering her question.
"And these individuals, are they criminals as well?"

Facing her, Tyler grimaced a bit.
"Well... Ex-criminals, to be precise. At least the ones I want to recruit. They are trying to live normal lives now. I wish to have them on board as security personnel. In their daily life, they might be like the usual human being, eat, drink and sleep as much as every normal guy. But if they get into combat, one is best advised to pray. I want them to be of help in case the senior ranger staff is not present to help Equestria out, should need be. They desire to turn their backs on all the criminal activity."

This visibly pleased the Princess of the Sun and she closed her eyes with a content smile.
"That is good to hear. If they truly wish to live a normal life, I am sure this can be arranged. They might be interesting personalities as well."

Flynn frowned in thought.
"Wait a freaking second! Do I get this Bain right? AEGIS had send an entire airbus here to actually send three agents to this planet? Couldn't they, I don't know, just send another Cessna like the Betty? Wouldn't that be better?

"No... Actually it wouldn't be," Tyler countered, "They are or were hiding between all these people. If it would have been just three guys, we would have searched them, found out their secrets and would have send them home. But with entire families? With children and women? We were too caught up by the tragedy unfolding at the plane to even waste a thought about possible infiltrators." Tyler began to grin in a dark manner. "Clever. Very clever... But not clever enough. Luna!" Looking over to the dark alicorn, Tyler smirked. "My love, I think I want you to feel the one or another tooth for me. They can lie to each one of us in the waking world, but the dream world is where you reign surpreme. See for yourself who is dishonest and who is who he or she claims to be. And once you are finished, report back to us. We will take over then."

Making some notes, Rachel shook her head.
"However... What if I'm right? What if these people from Crime.net come here to cause trouble?

"Oh, I am counting on that..."

Looking up to Tyler from her notes, Rachel's jaw simply dropped
"What?!?"

"If they misbehave, I'll have every reason to have them by the balls. I once hacked within the speed of my fingers. Now, with magic, I hack within the speed of my thoughts. I may not be able to unmask Bain, but I could harm his lifework big time."

There was a certain silence in the conference room as the humans and ponies stared at Tyler, their jaws dropped. Taking a nice warm gulp of her tea, Celestia took a deep breath and looked over to her husband.
"You are agreeing to this, hoping for them to misbehave so you could squeeze some extra demands out of them. That's sly of you, honey..."

A smile forced itself on Tyler's face as he looked at the members in the conference room.
"It sure is, Sugarlips. Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. And until we know these folks better, they are people with a common enemy. Time will tell if they are an enemy as well. AEGIS seems to be up to no good. Taking out their spies will reveal their intentions bit by bit. We will make some friends for now. Time will tell if they are true friends or just using us for their own benefit."

* * * * *

After the meeting, Celestia, Luna and Cadance left the Ranger HQ and met up again with Twilight. At this point, the princesses did what they did anytime a crisis was slowly forming on the horizon. Counseling while being together in the throne room. Within a short moment of information exchange with Cadance via the touch of the horns, Twilight was brought up to speed and Luna looked over to her older sister.
"What do thou think, Celestia?"

When Celestia looked high up to the ceiling while pacing back and forth, her face showed determination, worry, but also something Luna didn't often see: Anger. She was thinking of many things at this point.
"I think he begins to make decisions on his own. It can be deemed good. Do what he asked of you and feel several teeth in the dreamworld. I am angry at this! They sacrifized their own citizens in order to deceive us. But, in fairness, these criminals seem to see in us an ally. Given, they're doing it to survive with their shady business, but unlike the rulers of their world, they have approached us in conversation, not with agents of infiltration. I am for tolerating them as far as they behave. If they don't I will let Tyler do with them as he sees fit."

Twilight looked to the ground, seemingly troubled.
"I feel a bit excluded. Why wasn't I down there with you? I'm a princess as well and we three are part of one herd."

Coming to a halt, Celestia nodded and gave Twilight her full attention by turning to her.
"Twilight, you are the Princess of Friendship. As such, I want to keep you away from this mean and ugly business right now. It includes secrecy, fighting and plotting. Due to his past and skills, Tyler is fit for dealing with this. You, due to your past and skills, are not... yet. A fact that I am very happy about."

"I fought for the friendship with my friends once." Twilight countered, "We fought the Changeling hordes here in Canterlot. Don't tell me I can't stand up for what I believe in! I mean it was I who got Cadance out of that trouble."

Cadance nodded in confirmation.
"I can tell. She was so out to beat up Chrysalis that she almost attacked me while thinking that I was the imposter."

"Yes. You had a hard fight and all of you girls showed time and time again that you are capable of taking care of yourself, but the fights Tyler is facing are far more brutal and deceiving. One day you will be at that point, Twilight. You will fight others for the sake of the many. But for the moment, I want to keep you away from that ugly business. Fighting is not what you should take lightly. Too many came and went again that were corrupted by the urge to fight. Ponies are not meant to fight like this for a prolonged time. It causes Windigoes to be born into existence. Which also makes it so important that we have Tyler and the humans in our midst. The human species is a young species, but it also is one that battle-hardened itself since its beginnings. Since their first generations they tried to best each other, kill one another over the sparse ressources on their world. And now... Now humankind is capabale to withstand the trials of fighting for the fate of Equestria we ponies may be unfit for on our own."

When Celestia returned to trotting around thinking, Twilight followed her.
"But shouldn't we show them the way towards harmony so they don't have to fight anymore?"

Her former mentor's reply was brief and precise.
"No."

Shaking her head once in confusion, Twilight dug deeper.
"Why not?"

"Because their world belongs to them, Twilight. And who are we to lead them?"

This confused Twilight to some degree. She couldn't make perfect sense out of it.
"I don't fully understand. We are not supposed to lead them, but Tyler and the Harmony Rangers are leading ponies, teaching them how to fight. Isn't that the same thing?"

Now coming to a halt once again, Celestia looked down to Twilight.
"What Tyler is doing with the Harmony Rangers is unifying several nations into one united force. Cooperation instead of competition. By doing so, the thought for peace and cooperation is spread through the whole of Equis. For centuries Equestria was without war. And with good reason. Ponies of this generation have yet to re-learn how to fight. A thing I thought we would never need again, since the threat of Windigoes is still present. Now with Asira and Lamira, I can see how foolish I was to let this knowledge die among my little ponies. Yes, the Harmony Rangers do stand up in arms against common threats and fight them, but they are not fighting one another over ressources. There is no infighting. There is protection of the weak, those who can not or do not want to fight. But we can only do so on our world, not on the human world. It belongs solely to them. Likewise, they have no right to tell us what to do here."

"Ah... Now I see. A joint Royal Guard for Eqis, if one will. Well that certainly ish..." All of a sudden, Twilight began to sway on her hooves, causing alarmed glances from the others. "That shertainlee... Ooohh I, don' feel so..." And when she collapsed, the other princesses hurried over to her, yelling her name.

* * * * *

The tranquil and silence of Canterlot hospital was harshly interrupted when the two regal sisters teleported into the main lobby and Celestia's Royal Canterlot Voice boomed through the hallways.
"I AM IN NEED OF MEDICAL ASSISTANCE!!!" Within seconds, a medical bed was brought and Twilight placed on to it, as to stabilize her. Hurried commands were shouted while the bed was rolled towards the operation room and Twilight received several injections Always at Twilight's side the two sisters. The glow from inside the inside of her body became obvious to the both of them.

"What is happening to her, Celestia?" Luna asked.

Taking a short glance at the slightly glowing, swollen belly of the young mother, Celestia quickly came to a conclusion.
"The foal inside her is posing a magic health hazard."

Now Luna's eyes slowly widened.
"Thou meanest...?"

"Yes! If we don't make haste, we might lose them both!" In the operation room, everything was prepared to allow an immediate treatment. But what would follow would be too much for any mortal pony. Turning over to the doctor, Celestia's face was sober and determined. "Doctor Ninkleton! If we don't extract the child right this instant, both the mother and foal will not survive this day. But extracting it will pose a problem none of you can face. All of you: Leave the room and evacuate the building! Everypony here is in grave danger until this foal is contained!"

Doctor Ninkleton's eyes widened in surprise before he shook his head.
"Your Highness! As a doctor I can not advise you to perform an untrained medical procedure on a pregnant mare!"

"Your protest is firmly noted, Doctor. But as a princess I can tell you that if you will face the hazard we are unleashing into this room within a few moments, you will definetly perish within seconds." This was enough to shut the doctor up and made him yield.

While the medical staff made haste to leave the room, Celestia and Luna put on some medical attire when Luna looked over to her older sister. The operation room provided all the instruments they could require, but to her knowledge none of them were trained in these kind of procedures.
"What are thou trying to do?"

"The foal poisons her womb with magic and the dosage has already reached harmful amounts. We will get it out with an abdominal delivery. If the foal is out and contained, they can treat her properly without any danger. Quick! Get us something to contain vast amounts of magic energies." Taking a few hasty glances around, Luna then went out of the operation room and into another, where she stopped and levitated the entire inventory of that room. Metal, plastic and glass was fused together, resulting in a small container able to contain a foal. A few magic enhancement were made before she trotted back into the other operation room, where she put the container down and continued her enchantments. From the looks of it, she was confident the container would suffice as a containment unit.

But Celestia was slightly nervous. Although she was familiar with the concept of the procedure, it was one she never did before. Normally she would have given this to unicorn doctors, but this foal was anything but normal. Levitating the scalpel to Twilight's belly, She took a gulp and a deep breath with closed eyes before she opened her eyes and let the scalpel glide through the skin and flesh. The cut was swift and careful and once the womb was opened, a constant amount of bright magic streamed outside and right into Celestia's face, prompting her to narrow her eyes. This sure was something she never witnessed. Her magic mane lost its usual soft movement and seemed to flow in a strong, gushing wind. Spinning around, Luna gasped in shock at the sight of the spectacle.
"Celestia!"

The ground began to quake and little by little, the wall behind Celestia began to crumble apart. Looking up to Luna just for a brief second, Celestia smirked.
"I'm alright. For now at least. Alicorn skin and all that... How is the container?"

Looking at her black container, Luna strengthened its enchantments to withstand magic even more, fearing the former ones wouldn't suffice.
"Only one way to be sure."

Within a few moments, the almost blinding glow between the two sisters was encapsuled and contained within the golden glass of the incubator and several tubes provided oxygen and warmth to the precious, yet dangerous content inside. The room was slightly singed and the fire alarm had began to ring, but both sisters looked into the incubator, where the little foal was resting in, still emanating a mild glow, which was, as they both knew, only dimmed so very much by the dark toned incubator. Not losing any time, Celestia cleared the content of Twilight's womb of any harmful magic residue and closed what was cut open. Utilizing the spell to see somepony's life deep within, Celestia could see that Twilight's flame was weak, but grew in strength already. A sight that brought relief to Celestia. The young mother would not perish over this. Looking over to the foal, however, was impossible. The light was just too bright. Just like herself and Luna, the foal was already fully immortal, a state Twilight and Tyler had only achieved half-way. The neverending flame had so much strength in it, it could have illuminated the night similar to the sun. Both sisters looked at each other with worried glances. This foal was a small powerhouse and was able to cause a lot of trouble.

* * * * *

Darkness. Warm, cozy darkness and an all too familiar voice made Twilight forget about her nightmare of Tyler wandering through icy cold wastelands towards a crystal fortress.
"...ight. Twilight! Concentrate on my voice..."

Her eyes hurt. Opening them for just a bit, Twilight made out Princess Celestia standing right next to her. Slowly her vision took shape, the dancing colors and figures took form and mass.
"What happened...? Am I dead?"

Leaning over to her with the warm, gentle smile of a mother, Celestia shook her head.
"Far from it. But Nova surely brought you close to that event."

Hearing her daughter's name prompted Twilight to come to her senses even faster and her ears peaked up.
"Nova! Is she born? Where is she?"

Taking a seat, Celestia levitated some fresh flowers into a vase and placed it alongside some cards, obviously from her friends, who already visited, but only met her while she was unconscious. The cake and the balloons were testiment that at least Pinkie was present. Another short glance showed several wet tissues in a bin. How worried had everypony been?
"She is alive and well..." Celestia continued, "...for the moment. As of now, she is lying in an incubator Luna and I constructed on the fly. Due to the grave circumstances, we had to perform an abdominal delivery. Twilight, listen very carefully now. Your daughter almost caused necrosis in your womb by flooding it with lethal amounts of magic. Normally that's a very rare complication in pregnancies among alicorn mares and I only heard about it in my early youth. You were lucky we were around. That little horn of hers might have killed you from the inside without even stabbing you.

"Why do I smell smoke?"

"That must be something your clothes caught up. Once extracted, Nova's magical outburst caused some fires in several parts of the hospital. But don't worry! Nopony came to harm."

Carefully touching the stitches on her belly, Twilight gulped.
"Will I... still be able to have further children?"

With a gasp, Celestia hesitated a bit to answer.
"I don't know yet, Twilight. We are lucky to have you both alive for now and we still have to keep an eye on Nova. She was still due a few months, so it will need a few days or weeks, depending on her strength. Her magic prowess on the other hoof... Twilight, that little foal is already stronger than you are."

Twilight's eyes widened.
"She's WHAT?!? But how...?"

When Twilight attempted to stand up, Celestia intervened and stopped her herd mate by resting a hoof at her chest, gently pushing her back down.
"Easy there, young princess... You still need some rest and observation. The operation got you a scar that first needs to heal up. A healing spell was already placed on it, but only so much to boost the natural healing process, not completely heal it. You got enough magic today other's don't get in two lifetimes. Which means we will let you heal up the old fashioned way."

"I didn't know that alicorns could have such hazardous pregnancies...

"I almost forgot it." Celestia replied, "Good thing I didn't or we might have lost somepony very precious. It might have something to do with the father as well..."

"Tyler? How so?"

"Well he is the one human with the largest magic capabilities. Mixing this together with your capabilities procreates a child which has inherently large capabilities. I think the name was chosen accordingly already. Nova Sparkle. Your daughter has vast amounts of magic at her disposal, Twilight. The incubator we created had to be hardened and enhanced to withstand her powers. Until we are able to limit her a bit and she calms down, this incubator is our best way to contain her powers. It seems she can utilize and channel more magic than any other magical being. But like a wall of fire she lacks control of it. One day she will become an alicorn that might even surpass Luna and myself, but for now her immense power must be contained until she learned to control it properly."

Looking to her side, Twilight looked at the wall, glum.
"I don't know if that's something I want for my daughter..."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, the whole power overload and all. I'm happy that she will be well again, but I wonder if it wouldn't be better if she would be just a normal pony."

Now giving Twilight a motherly smile, Celestia shook her head.
"Being an alicorn has nothing to do with the way you behave around others."

"What? What makes you think that?"

A kiss was placed on Twilight's forehead.
"You do, Twilight. Despite being an alicorn, you still love being around your books or any other books for that matter. When I saw you being reduced to tears of relief after finding a book you deemed destroyed for a week after that small incident with Spike's hiccup, it was hard not to giggle. I find it most pleasing to see that despite being grown so much in both body and mind, there is still the little filly in you that was overjoyed of becoming my personal student and earning her cutie mark." Placing another kiss on Twilight's head, Celestia then looked down to her. "Have faith, Twilight. As a herd, we will take care of Nova and make sure she will grow up a healthy, well behaved young mare. Rest now, you are going to need it. Leave everything to us." Twilight visibly calmed down. The thought of her daughter being on the constant watch of other alicorns brought peace to her mind. Nova was cared for.

Leaving the room and closing the door behind them, Celestia sighed deeply.
"This leaves only one talk left to have."

Coming to her side, Luna nodded
"Captain Dusk Aegis is already on his way to inform him. He should hear the news anytime now."

And truly, mere seconds after Luna had said that, Dusk Aegis had reported the incident about Twilight to Tyler.
"Twilight is WHAT?!?" Right the next second, a strong teleportation spell was cast and a stench lingered in the air.

Turning away in disgust, Rachel took exception to this.
"I wish he would stop performing high grade spells in close proximity to us. The static smells odd and I always get a small discharge that spooks me upon touching something metallic."

Sam waved a bit through the air, disliking the smell as well.
"Well, he just learned that his girl and his daughter barely made it through childbirth. I wouldn't be caring about anything else either."

Re-appearing in front of Celestia and Luna in the throne room, Tyler approached them at once, his voice hectic and alerted.
"I came as soon as I heard it! Where is she? Is she alright? Is Nova alright??"

Raising a hoof in order to calm him down, Celestia nodded.
"Both of them are on their way to get better. Tyler, listen. There is something about Nova you should know..."

For the next hour, Celestia explained to Tyler in detail the whereabouts of Nova's birth and the complications it brought with it. Upon hearing it, Tyler prepared a drink and drank it in one go shortly before sitting down.
"I can't believe it... So you're saying that our daughter is so powerful that she almost killed Twilight from inside just from unleashing her power?"

"I'm afraid that this is the case. The tremors shook the hospital, the heat emitted from her caused several fires. Twilight's alicorn body saved her and probably all of Canterlot from literally exploding. Nova's state is extraordinary. And I think you and Twilight are to blame for that genetically..."

"Our strong magic capabilities you mean... But how is that possible? I thought that was trained ability, not genetically embedded. I mean, yeah, my blood and all that, but I didn't think this would be such a potent mixture." His quick deducing of the situation surprised Celestia a bit, but she was sure that Sage was also having a say in the matter and that Tyler's fast understanding was based on that as well. But before she was able to answer, he jumped up and headed for the door. "Alright. I know what to do."

When he passed her, Celestia looked after him.
"You do?"

"Yes. Unfortunately, until we have a way to contain the immense powers deep within Nova, I will see to it that she is transferred into the Ranger HQ."

Standing up, Celestia gave him a stern glance.
"You can't determine that just by yourself!"

Looking down to her, Tyler bowed a bit, so their noses booped one another.
"I can't? I am her father! You just try to stop me, Celestia. I would deliver the spanking of your life to your flanks! I won't allow my daughter to be exiled into a petri dish. We will build a larger version of this containment unit. Something far more suitable for a foal!"

Celestia grumbled a bit when he took his distance once again. They both had good points, but she also had to consider the well-being of a newborn alicorn foal. Nova's childhood should be a better one, if she could help it.
"The ruler in me wants to protest to that procedure. She IS a magical hazard nonetheless... but the mare and herd mate in me can only agree. She deserves a bigger playground and a soft warm bed. But these things will have to be made specifically to withstand her immense powers." Coming to his side, she looked into his eyes. "Just promise me to take the neccessary precautions..."

"That I will. For Nova's sake and for Equestria."

* * * * *

A week later the Harmony Ranger were monitoring the last moments of the transfer of the young foal into a containment room. The purple crystal was spanning throughout the entire room like some sort of cage and had only a black screen window and a large vault door. Two earth pony stallions conversed a bit, glancing distrustful at the containment room While Tyler and Rachel conversed a bit over the specifics.
"There are so many things that could go wrong with this..."

"Why is the screen so dark?"

"Because apparently the light that the foal emits is blindingly bright. Only the princesses and Prince Tyler are able to look at it and not lose their eyesight."

"We are also the only ones able to stand in this light and live."

Recognizing the voice than no other than that of Princess Cadance, both of them whirled around and stood attention.
"Your Highness!"

Cadance simply dismissed the worries of the two of them with a wink and a smile.
"At ease... Tyler? My team just informed me: The containment room is ready and so is little Nova here."

Levitating the containment unit to the front, she handed it over to Tyler, who took it with a nod and a smile.
"Thank you, Cadance. Was it hard to look after her?"

"Only at night. Aunt Luna helped me to look after her. Changing diapers in the upper stratosphere at three in the morning is nothing that's easily done. But it's the only way to do it without putting somepony or some place at risk. Come to think of it... Nova is a little miracle. Her body is too weak to sustain itself in our enviroment, yet she is so strong to withstand all this magic stress and power..."

"Once this room is set up, her diapers can be changed inside of that. She will have so much more space in there. Hey... Listen, Cadance... I really appreciate your help in all this. I know it is asked much from-"

But Cadance simply shook her head.
"Nonsense! It is not asked too much. I learned to love the little one already. And she enjoys being with others."

Then, without further ado, Tyler took Nova into the containment room and put the containment unit to the floor. The sound of the vault door made the others take notice that Tyler was up to get serious with testing the device they had created.
"Wait! What's he doing now? Don't take her out of there! The room doesn't seem to be working yet!" But as soon as she had said that, The screen brightened up and a warm golden glow was shining out of the small containment unit, filling the entire containment room. Almost at once the stress caused the room to quake and the walls of the containment room began to moan.

Looking at the screen and thus outside, Tyler attempted to yell into his transmitter, but almost only static reahed the outside.
"****o NOT ente****is room****art ******e or Cadance,****ne of you ******d survive her prese****!" Putting the small incubation chamber lid aside, Tyler lifted Nova out of there. But upon doing this, the magic energies streamed against him and all walls of the room. In an instant, the whole base was quaking and trembling.

Taking her own communicator, Rachel stood in front of the screen and looked at Tyler.
"The containment chamber is ripping itself apart! Teleport her out of here, before she destroys the whole HQ and tears the mountain into pieces!!! TYLER!!!"

Seemingly unable or unwilling to hear her, Rachel then headed for the control terminals. Now the Princess of Love stood up in protest, looking over to Rachel.
"No! Give it a moment!"

Looking at Cadance aghast, Rachel pointed at the quaking chamber.
"But-"

Stomping her hoof down, Cadance shook her head, determination in her eyes.
"Ranger Rachel! Trust me!"

Rachel was at a loss for words until the chamber started to hum in a steady tone. Growing in volume, the humming caused the tremors to calm.
"What's it doing now?!?"

Coming to Rachel's side, Cadance sighed in relief.
"Finally... The Containment Chamber... it's taking in her energy surge." More and more the quake ceased to be and the energy stored inside the chamber seemed to flow down below in energy pulses. Looking up to Rachel, Cadance began to explain. "The room needed a few moments to get accustomed to her. Her powers prompted it to vibrate, but the immense amount of magic is now flushed away.

Like on cue, several red alarm lights were turned off and switched over to yellow, green and finally blue. The Crystal Ponies in the room seemed relieved about that.
"Your Highness! The blood crystals are transferring the magic energy to our reservoir. The system is fully operational."

Leaving a sigh of relief, Rachel shook her head, while a smile worked itself onto her face.
"Tyler! The tremors have seized throughout the base."

Hearing the message over the speaker inside of the room, Tyler was bathed in light. Caressing his little baby girl, he made her giggle and grab his index finger with her tiny hooves.
"See, sweety? Daddy won't let you live in a jar."

A few moments later, the sounds coming from the containment room already announced Tyler's return from it. Stepping outside, his steps and stance were stiff and his body was slightly glowing. His face showcased that he was in pain.
"Don't. Touch. Me."

Coming to his side, Cadance and the rangers gasped in shock upon seeing him.
"He's almost at the level of overcharge. If not for Sage and Rage and this coat manifesting magic power and influence into woven fabric... He would have blown up." Cadance realized.

Grimacing at this, Rachel inspected him.
"He still can! Tyler!" Nodding briefly, Tyler teleported away. The stench of static in the air was staggering, causing the others to turn away. "Ugh... Again! That smell... He does that on purpose!" High up in the air above Canterlot, Tyler saw Equestria far below. The air was growing thin in this altitude. He wouldn't have much time, so he made haste. A bright and quick sequence of pulses of sheer magic emanated from him, dissipating quickly. Just weak enough not to cause too much wind for the Pegasi to handle.

* * * * *

Later that day, Tyler had invited Cadance over to a cup of tea and some cake in order to thank her for her work with the containment room and taking care of Nova. Taking a sip from the tea, the Princess of Love had her eyes closed, savouring the aroma.
"That was risky."

Resting the fork down for a bit after shoving a bite of cake into his mouth, Tyler nodded.
"It sure was, Cadance. But it would have never worked without that blood crystal you brought us from the Crystal Empire. Was it hard to crystallize my blood?"

Levitating the cup back to its right place on the table, Cadance opened her eyes with a smirk.
"No comment on that. This is a well guarded secret of our empire and I must say that I find it calming to know that you are dependent on me to get more blood crystal. Besides: Blood magic has some ugly incidents in the past."

"So you won't tell me about it so that I don't misuse it, you mean."

"Not only you, Tyler... But anypony or anybody knowing about your blood. In the past there were incidents about blood alchemy. Unicorns killing one another to refine magic out of the blood, concentrating it in potions and performing dark arts. Not to mention the entire thing with the vamponies and their own blood magic, which goes a few levels further. I'm sure von Hoofington could literally detonate a pony with his vampony magic. Nothing Equestria is proud of... However: As of right now, these blood crystal lines lead directly into several bags of holding Discord handed over to us. They transfer all that magic into the space in there and it can leak back over time. I dare not to think of the horrors we would face if we would store all this energy in containers full of your blood. It could end in Equestria being turned into one giant crater, since we would sit on a time bomb."

Tyler nodded.
"It sure is good to have this alternative. However, this blood crystal is a godsend to our plans for Sam's tank and Skyranger transferring magic energies like electricity is really helping us in creating the systems we need." Looking forward for a while, Tyler crossed his arms before he nodded and looked back to Cadance. "Damn! The crystal pony computers, the blood conserved in crystal form... I'm afraid I'll soon begin to owe you big time, Cadance."

"Oh, don't worry. You'll soon have enough opportunity to repay me."

Looking over to her in confusion, Tyler's eyebrows narrowed down.
"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, with Shining and me having some fun in human form at night, it was simply a matter of few attempts for me to catch up with Twilight... And I'd like to have you as... What do you humans call it? A Godfather...?"

A low chuckle escaped his throat.
"So he finally chased you through the bed long enough, huh?

"Chasing?" Cadance mused with an arched brow. "Rather I rode him so long and hard he was unable to stand up the next day." While Tyler looked over to her, jaw dropping in slight concern, Cadance bit her bottom lip with a grin and nodded. "I think I've never let Shiny cum that hard before." Hurrying over to him, she rested a hoof on Tyler's leg, pleadingly."B-but don't tell Twilight about this! We want to surprise her with the good news."

Patting her hoof, he simpy shook his head with a smile.
"I shall remain silent like a grave with this. Well... For Shining's sake I hope that you have enough for now."

"Well, I'm the Princess of Love. As such, I can have quite the unquenchable libido. I admit that. But this foal? That will let it calm down. Maybe 500 to 1000 years before I want another child. Until then? It's just sex for fun and love." While Tyler chuckled, Cadance giggled a bit, before harrumphing and getting serious once again. "Listen, Tyler... Speaking of which... I talked with aunt Celestia and Luna... And..."

Tyler rolled his eyes in annoyance.
"Save it, Cadance! Let me stop you right there! I am mad at them for taking this choice away from me. It was mine to make and they took that."

"I'm not saying you weren't wronged, but Tyler, please! Consider: My aunts never were so lively and playful than being around you. For thousands of years I have searched for a way to find a proper stallion to match their desires. And each attempt made it worse. Each time they wither away and either one of them has to let it go, this romance not meant to endure. Now, with you being immortal, they could finally find the romance they yearn for. And believe me, they will make it worth your while."

Tyler reply came with a dead panned face.
"We can continue this conversation, once we have Shining with us. I think he would love to hear that as well."

Sighing in frustration, Cadance shook her head.
"You're right. Maybe it is a bit selfish of us to force you into this. But it is a guilt we are willing to take. I'd rather spent the rest of eternity with Shining holding a mild grudge for immortality that I will repay him for the rest of time than to lose him. I cannot imagine living without him.

Tyler glanced over to Cadance, nodded in thought.
"Well for your sake I hope that Shining agrees, then. Seems to me that if he declines that offer, you are in for the pain of your immortal life if something happens to him."

She looked at Tyler, this time rather serious.
"He's dear to you as well, so don't talk like you wouldn't care."

A brief shake of his head underlined Tyler's reply.
"I'm not. Not only is he my brother-in-law, he is also a brother in arms and my best friend. We've been through shit together. This binds us together in comraderie. I would give an arm for him as he would give a hoof for me. That's what pisses me off as well. I will remain young now, while Shining will grow old and grey, if you can't persuade him. That's the unnatural thing."

Cadance looked down. He was right about that. If Shining wouldn't choose immortality with her, they would have some happy years together. Then, more and more, age would separate them as the old stallion would have difficulties mounting her or playing with the children. Her eyes grew wide in terror at the mere thought of a bed-ridden Shining Armor, too old to leave the bed, being fed by her, until the day finally came, when the last breath was exhaled and he would have withered away from her with only dust to remain. Cadance closed her eyes and shook her head fiercly in an attempt to ban these thoughts away.
"Shining Armor is the love of my life. I would fight to preserve our love."

Tyler nodded and rested a hand on her shoulder.
"I expected nothing less of you, Cadance. But with all that love of yours, don't forget that he has a will of his own. If he says no, he says no. You above all should know that love can not be forced. And that you can't demand him to be used to immortality as you were until now. It would only bring him misery." It was in this moment, that Cadance slowly began to understood the dilemma alicorn mares face over the ages. With no alicorn stallion around they were forced to endure this misery each time they allowed themselves to fall in love. They could live out debaucheries of all kinds with willing servants, but true love was hard to find, especially the immortal kind. She had to persuade Shining at all costs. There were still enough of years ahead of them, but right now Shining Armor was in his prime. Or, maybe, she was overthinking this.

* * * * *

Meanwhile, on Neftus Island, the late evening hours were about to come. Walking up a dune, the old Masar came to the side of the young mare, who looked down the dune and towards a city near the coast. The nearby harbor was void of sail ships and only a few caravans were on their way to make it into the city before nightfall.
"Gorex! My friend, look! Down there is the city of Patash..."

Looking at the city, Gorex nodded in thought, growling a bit.
"They say the ambassadors of Equestria, Moranji and the Griffin Empire reside in that city. I suspect several guards around them."

The face of the mare grew in determination, her already fiery mane glittering in the last rays of the sun, the celestial object her former mentor so proudly moved in the skies.
"Good. Patash may be a cesspool, but on the whole of Neftus Island it has one advantage: Nowhere else on Equis do we have the three of them closer together than here. I pray for them to see the light. Perform your given orders and remember: Don't kill anyone! This is important! Take prisoners whereever you go; we will win them for our cause." Once her order was given, her band of rogues stormed up the dune and down towards the city. Ponies, Masar and Griffins headed to the small town of Patash in an assault of a few dozens. And as the last rays of light of the sunset shimmered on the open sea near the city, the sounds of combat became audible.

Author's Note

Not yet proofread, every note about typos is welcomed. :twilightsmile:

8 - Defcon Nova

The four men were approaching the cabin on the clearing at the edge of the Everfree. A fireplace was already burning and a large metal drum was standing there, obviously to collect rainwater and later cook it in one of the pots over the fireplace. So close to the edge there was still the threat of Timber Wolves, but the Rangers had assured the newcomer that they were able to fend off a larger sized pack of them if need be.

Sitting down inside behind a desktop, Tyler opened up a folder.
"So, Mr. Hopkins... I'm certain you are wondering yourself why we have you here today."

Sitting down on a chair while Flynn and Sam remained standing and watched outside the windows, Nick Hopkins took some glances around.
"The thought occurred to me, yes... A cabin in the woods... That's... certainly unusual for a simple talk among men."

Going through some notes, Tyler nodded in thought.
"I don't want to make it a bigger deal than it actually is. People gossip. And if we're not finding today what we're looking for, it only brings questions of why we were having a conversation in the first place. As much as it concerns the others, we are on a hunting trip." Tyler then went through his notes. "You're coming from the U.S., Virginia, right?"

Making himself comfortable, Nick now looked over to Tyler, paid more attention. That sort of question was obviously only one of many.
"That is correct, sir."

Leaning back, Tyler smiled over to Nick while let the folder rest on the desktop.
"So... How is Langley this part of the year?"

Right now Sam and Flynn looked over to them, only to look at each other.
"What?!? Is he serious?" Sam asked.

"Seems that way..." Flynn retorted

The smile on Nick Hopkin's face withered and his facial expression was completely sober, void of any emotion.
"That's a bold claim there, Prince Tyler..."

Giving a chuckle, Tyler closed his eyes and shook his head.
"Being bold becomes natural after a while in my kind of business here in Equestria. But with solid evidence there's only so much you can deny..." Looking Nick into the eyes, Tyler then got serious. "We've found the laptop. It is password secured, but in working order, while everything else on the airbus was fried. A shielded case secured this laptop. Not many individuals know how to aquire such an expensive or exclusive item... So... Can we cut the bullshit now?"

There was a certain moment of silence when Nick and Tyler were looking into each other's eyes before Nick jumped up and stormed in direction of the door. But only three steps outside, Flynn went after him and a kick sent Nick Hopkins flying to the forest floor. Getting up, he only witnessed black hands grabbing for his collar and belt before he was tossed back to the cabin and rolled over the floor before he was grabbed and held in place. "Let go off me!" he demanded as he struggled against the other two men. Meanwhile Tyler had placed the drum near the fireplace, causing Nick's hair to stand up on his neck. "Wait! What are you up to?"

"I will tell you what we will do... See this drum here?" Tyler answered. Pointing at an empty metal drum, Tyler nodded at Flynn and Sam, who took Nick by the shoulders and wrapped his arms around it, putting on handcuffs on his wrists and ankles, so he was bound tightly to the drum, forcing him to sit down right next to it.

Looking up to Tyler, Nick arched a brow in wonder. A smirk was growing on his face.
"And what is this supposed to do? An inconvenience, nothing more!"

"Oh, it will get far more inconvenient for you, Mr. Hopkins. The extent of the inconvenience depends on yourself and your cooperation, though..." Going to the fireplace, Tyler levitated a piece of hot glowing coal out of it.

And when he looked back to Nick, Nick's smirk withered away instantly.
"He-hey! Don't be too hasty there!"

Tyler shook his head, slowly coming to Nick and the drum.
"Hasty? No, no, no... We will do this slowly enough for you... Don't you worry, this is not here to burn you directly... But tell me, Mr. Hopkins: Are you familiar with thermodynamics in metalurgy?" The piece of coal was dropped into the drum now, causing Nick to twitch away. "How long will it need for this metal drum to heat up to an inconvenient degree for you to be injured?"

"You're crazy!" Nick shouted.

Levitating another piece of hot coal, Tyler looked back to Nick.
"No, I am sober and the master of my own mind. It would be in your best interest to cooperate with us. This will only go as far as you want it to go."

Looking over to Sam and Flynn, Nick got louder.
"You two there! Aren't you gonna do something?"

Sam leaned against the cabin wall, folding his arms.
"592 graves... We buried 592 men, women and children, so that some people could sneak into Equestria to spy around. Families, burned to a crisp. No, I'm with the Head Ranger here. You will stand answer to this!"

The hot coal was emitting enough light to bathe Tyler's face in a hellish red glow as he leaned in to Nick now. It was enough to overshine the weak red glow in his eyes.
"I will personally arrange your trip home to Earth, Mr. Hopkins. It is up to you to decide if you go there with your data or if you go there as a coal briquet."

Clenching his teeth, Nick shook his head slowly.
"You're bluffing! You wouldn't do that!" The hot glowing piece of coal dropped into the drum with a loud noise, prompting Nick to rattle his cuffs. "H-HEY!!!"

Leaning in at the upper end of the drum, Tyler looked down into his eyes.
"I hate to break it to you, Mr. Hopkins, but international law by Earth terms means shit over here! Here, you and I answer to Equestrian law. And they don't have laws for interrogations of secret agents from another world, yet. So... About those 592 dead people... How many did they die for? We got intelligence that agents from the U.S. NSA and AEGIS were among the passengers. You got firearms through airport security by some miracle and have the only piece of working electrical equipment of all survivors! You are one of these agents. There is no point in denial!" Watching Hopkins grit his teeth, Tyler shook his head and dropped another piece of coal. "Come on, buddy. Don't prolong this unneccessary. How many of you survived the crash? Or do you want me to speed things up a bit?" The heat emanating from the drum was rising, Nick could feel it already at his wrists. Soon it would become unbearable and begin to harm his skin until it would fry him alive.

It wasn't until Tyler levitated another ten pieces of coal at once before Nick spilled it in a panic.
"Just me!" His tone changed from panic to a frustrated, defeated one. "Only I survived..."

Arching a brow, Tyler rested the fingertip of his right index finger on Nick's forehead.
"You know I could scan your mind for you lying to us?"

Nick looked up, defiant.
"It wouldn't matter! I would still be the only one alive of the team. Carl Smithson was closer to the front of the airplane, the part which was almost obliterated in the crash and soon devoured by the flames. Marcus Pritchard was sitting somewhere behind me on the left side of the plane. He was impaled by some debris."

Tyler looked over to Sam and Flynn and Sam nodded in confirmation.
"After the flames were put out and the remaining fuel retrieved from the site, we were able to salvage several hundred corpses. One report truly states an impaled corpse among the dead. Mike Thorne was the one reporting this. He came to be after the crash right beside that poor guy."

"Alright. There's that. So, with this out of the way... Who gave the order?

"What?"

"You heard me! There's always a fatass sitting in a chair giving folks like you the order to start operations like this! So... How far does it go? The NSA Headquarter? The CIA Headquarter? The Oval Office?"

"The Eagle was not informed."

Tyler stared at Nick for a brief moment with wide eyes, not believing what he just heard. Then, almost in an instant, his expression darkened.
"You're shitting me! You want to tell me that this was done without his knowledge?"

"It is like I said... The American Administration of President Meyer is not authorized to hold AEGIS accountable like a state army. AEGIS is a multinational institution.

Grabbing Nick by the collar, Tyler gritted his teeth.
"Then who is to be held accountable?"

"I... I don't know."

The light sof the sun flickered and went dark for a moment and all of a sudden, Nick Hopkins was lying on concrete floor, unharmed except the mild pain he felt from falling off the chair. Looking around in confusion, he stood up and looked into the faces of the three men in front of him. He was inside, not out in the woods. There was no more heat of a metal drum, only the cold air of the room.
"What?!? This is no cabin of sorts?"

Shaking his head slowly, Tyler began to smirk.
"You've been had, buddy. Illusion magic, there was no hot coal nor drum... This is an official Equestrian interrogation room in the Ranger HQ. Did you really think my wives would let me do that stuff to a foreign agent?" Nick looked around, the concrete walls, floor and ceiling were confirming it and that mirror on the wall also gave the impression of an interrogation room.

In a reflection of a near mirrored window, Sage moved on his own and nodded over to Tyler.
"He seems honest about what he told us. But do you really trust him, Tyler?"

Upon recognizing that Tyler's reflection was able to move on its own, Nick's eyes widened.
"What is this?!?"

Tyler waved the comment of his reflection away.
"Oh, don't mind him... Just my personal baggage to carry around..."

But Sage narrowed his eyes in response to that with an annoyed look.
"I heard that!"

Still confused, Nick was looking back and forth between Tyler and Sage.
"What is the meaning of this?"

Undoing the handcuffs, Tyler grabbed Hopkins at the collar once more and pinned him at a nearby wall, his eyes glowing red.
"It means, Mr. Hopkins... That I am a man you don't fuck with. Or I will fuck your entire existence so hard you will curse the day you were born. You think hot coal is torture? Oh, I got worse things in my repertoir. Things you wouldn't believe possible! Believe me, you don't want me to get started... Nothing of it is abolished by Equestrian law yet." Letting go of him, Tyler then brought Nick's clothes back to order and patted Nick's chest. "Well, with your arrival, you have send a message to the inhabitants of this world, Mr. Hopkins... It seems only fair that you will go home unharmed to deliver a message from us."

* * * * *

One and a half hour later, Nick Hopkins was brought to Princess Celestia. The Royal Guard was in high alert due to the nature of this incident. Going through some reports, Celestia glanced up to Nick, her voice calm and collected.
"So you are an agent of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency?"

Nick sighed, but nodded.
"I am." He then pointed at Tyler. "And that man squeezed information out of me!"

Celestia shot Tyler a strict glare, but he simply nodded, not denying the accusation.
"Prince Tyler answers to Equestrian laws. I won't have it any other way. But, if he was a bit too harsh to you while questioning you, it means that these laws don't cover everything yet. Rest assured that I myself will see to it that these loop holes will be fixed." Looking back to Nick, her expression softened again. "You are a foreign agent. Was your intention to harm our subjects?"

"No, I... We were send to gather first information."

Celestia stood up from her throne and trotted down to Nick, leaving everyone in the room wondering what she was up to. Standing right in front of him, she gently shook her head.
"Did it never occur to you that you could have simply asked for that information? If only you would have approached me in private. How many lives could have been saved with this... You humans really are so very, very young. You behave like frightened children. Nick Hopkins, I will allow you safe passage home to Earth. Go to your superiors and tell them the following from me: Not everypony is as ill-intended as my half sisters Lamira and Asira. I can understand that you were frightened out of your mind when they appeared over one of your major cities with the remains of their armada, but that armada was destroyed, their followers were scattered. Now leaderless, the remains of their followers will never be the same threat again. Come and meet us on better terms. I am reaching out for you, but if you decline this offered friendship and come as conquerors, I am sad to inform you that you will face the full might of this planet upon arrival."

Nick listened closely and nodded in thought as the doors to the throne room swung open. Mike Thorne and five others from the survivors entered the throne room, prompting Tyler to open his arms with a smile.
"Mr. Thorne? I see you brought the ones who wish to leave this world."

Mike nodded, shrugging.
"Yeah, well... If they don't like it here... Can't force people."

Shaking his head, Tyler looked over to the ones who decided to return to Earth.
"No need to apologize. It is their choice and we respect that. The catastrophe shook up the one or another. And I take it not everything here is as some expected it to be. We can only offer you a portal into your world. Like before, it will send you back, hopefully into a place where you are close to one of your cities."

Looking over to Nick, Mike arched a brow.
"Nick? What's with you? You want to leave as well?"

Following Mike's glance over to Nick, Tyler shook his head.
"No, Mr. Hopkins is leaving us because he overstayed his welcome as a foreign agent. It turned out this airbus was just a ruse to get three of them into Equestria. Nick was the only survivor of the three."

Mike Thorne inspected Nick Hopkins from head to toe, before a punch was swiftly placed right into Nick's face, prompting him to sway back. The guards already readied their weapons when Celestia summoned a force field between Mike and Nick.
"Enough!!! No more violence!"

Shaking his aching hand, Mike looked up to Celestia, arching a brow.
"Violence? That's no violence... Just a little parting gift from our community. And don't you dare to tell me that's not deserved!"

While the portal link to Earth was established by Rarity, Twilight and Lyra, Tyler came over to Nick.
"Mr. Hopkins!"

Looking over to Tyler nervous, Nick took a step back.
"What is it?"

Raising his hands to calm Nick down, Tyler shook his head.
"Easy... You have nothing more to fear from me anymore. Besides... Even if I would think of trying something, my wife here would intervene, kicking my butt in ways you can not imagine."

Looking over to her husband and herd mate, Celestia gave Tyler a knowing smirk.
"I would kick you somewhere..."

Nick's stance now eased up and he calmed down. Tyler rested his hand on Nick's shoulder while giving him something. "I thought of a valuable information I can allow you to bring home to Earth. One that belongs to me personally."

Looking down into his hand, Nick frowned a bit. It was a medical vial filled with a red substance. Slightly sparkling in the light it was hard to identify this.
"What is this? Some glittering chemical?"

Patting Nick's shoulder, Tyler shook his head.
"A little something I prepared for you. The labcoats over there on Earth might go crazy. I myself had to check the results five times to actually believe it." Walking over to Mike, Tyler then said his goodbyes to the other humans.

It was then when Celestia addressed Nick for a last time.
"Nick Hopkins?"

"Yeah?"

Giving him a nod she levitated his briefcase to him.
"Please remember: Even though my husband was harsh to you... When you're returning as a friend and not a spy, you will always be welcome to me and all the peace loving ponies of Equestria." One by one the humans passed through the portal. Once everyone was through, the portal was closed and Mike left the throne room along with Twilight, Rarity and Lyra. Once alone, Celestia's eyes darted over to Tyler. "How harsh were you?"

He sighed and grimaced a bit.
"I barely started with some more extreme measures. No hitting, but an illusion about a metal drum barrel, some handcuffs, some burning coal to heat up the barrel."

Celestia closed her eyes and snorted in disapproval.
"I can understand your anger regarding this. Nearly 600 people died in that crash to get these men here for espionage. But would you add yet another casualty to the list to keep them from sending spies?"

"This first one we caught? No... He is far too valuable as a foreign spy to be killed. Alive and kicking he can do so much more for us."

"Like sending a warning to Earth?" she asked, "That's what you wanted him to do, I can see what you are trying to achieve with giving them that blood sample of yours."

Tyler sighed. He knew what she was playing at, but he had good reasons to do all this.
"In the halls of Paretoka and in its orbit I learned that the Doctor came to the rescue of Equestria and so many other worlds. But the Doctor is dead now. He won't come to our aid if someone from a foreign world, Earth in this case, will send aggressors our way. As of right now, we are on our own and I intend to fight anyone who wants to mess with us."

Celestia's eyes narrowed, revealing she was not convinced.
"The Doctor had a harsh way to go, Tyler... Are you sure you want to go down a similar path? I must say that if you intent to do so, I am worried for you. Your blood is different now. We know that since the incident in Dragon Mountain. Ever since then it changed more and more such as you have grown. Showing them this will make them so afraid."

Tyler closed his eyes and sighed once again. He knew what she was up to.
"If you would have asked me this a few years back, the answer would probably been different. But Equestria is my home now and I will fight to protect it. To protect the things I cherish and the ponies I learned to love." Gently taking her jaw into his grasp, he looked into her eyes. "Since I stand little to no chance to be respected by the leaders of Earth, fear will hold them back for now, giving us time to reach out to them. But I will stand against anyone who wants to harm you girls, our subjects or allies."

Now smirking a bit, Celestia glanced up into his eyes.
"Spoken like a real king. You do have some perks that would make you a great one, you know?"

Tyler let go of her chin and replied with a smirk on his own.
"I am no king. Kings tend to sit on their asses on the throne while others do the fighting."

Her smirk grew wider into a grin now.
"How flattering..."

With a grin Tyler now headed for the door, and was on his way to leave
"What? You know how much I love your butt, sugar lips. And you decimated the Descendant armada quite well on your own... Makes you better than any human king in human history in my eyes. But some day you and I should have a little talk about the spell you've used. I never expected you to utilize this sort of weaponry."

But stepping in front of him, Celestia made eye-contact with him once more.
"Let me be clear about this: The next time you interrogate someone from Earth, I will be present. No exceptions! If you truly went overboard, then this is nothing I will tolerate in Equestria! Do I make myself clear?" When he looked at her in mild confusion over her sudden determination, her eyes narrowed down. "Do I make myself clear, Prince Tyler Jones?!?"

Tyler began to smile and gently took her chin into his grasp again while he nodded once, placed a kiss on her nose and after this, his forehead on hers.
"You did, my love. But humans of that caliber don't need the velvet, but an iron glove to cooperate sometimes. They are trained to endure pain and agony. A certain degree of fear factor is needed to break their will to withstand. Like Sun Tzu, I have to tell you that there are things I have to do as Head Ranger in order to defend Equestria and its allies, that you may disagree with, maybe even straight find unforgiving or condemning. I will do that, my love. I will go down that path. Not you. You are the one to reel me back into the light. To keep me in check if I become too cruel."

Celestia nodded. He had put some thought into this. She was an Alicorn of Light. As such, she was not meant for doing cruel acts. It would be against her nature and would corrupt her once and for all. But he was able to be turned good and evil, a perk humans had. They were able to live on both sides of the same coin. And if he would do all these things, her powers would be a control mechanism in order for him to not get overboard and remain in the light. A decent plan she could agree to. Speaking up, her determination was audible.
"Oh believe me, I will..."

* * * * *

An hour later, Tyler walked through a corridor of Canterlot Castle, the last rays of the evening sun shining gently at him, making his reflection in the clear windows of the West wing of the castle good to see.
"That was too easy..." he mused.

Walking in the reflections of the windows at the right side of Tyler, Sage shook his head while keeping up with him. His coat had changed color once again, and had turned to a light grey, almost white. The harsh and unforgiving look in his eyes had vanished due to the therapy taking fruition.
"It may seem so to you, but you are used to normal infiltration work on Earth terms. Here, it is harder to be concealed all the time. When even your own dreams become weapons against you, things go up a notch."

Tyler's eyes narrowed. If not for the message they would have never suspected anyone. What exactly AEGIS plans were, he had no doubt they were not for the better.
"I still don't like it. If we take such advantages for granted, we grow complacent! We can't throw our trust blindly at humans it seems."

"When could you ever do that? Tribalism is at work here, boy! It's us against them. Well, mostly AEGIS and their spies for now. The citizen on the street seems to see us in a more neutral light. We should work on that. We both know there are worse things than a false feeling of security...

Tyler rolled his eyes in annoyance. Yet all of a sudden, he was hearing something. It was melodious, luring. There was a certain silhouette in the shadows, but he couldn't make out who or what that was. But that soft humming... It was slowly reeling him in, drawing him closer towards an uncertain final destination. Stepping away from the bright windows, he slowly walked into a poorly lit corridor as his eyes slowly went empty, his face void of expression. When Sage recognized this, he was looking after him, still glued to the window.
"Come on, it was just a joke. Tyler? Hey!" Then he heard humming turning into a singing tune.

I know you
I walked with you once upon a dream.
I know you
That look in your eyes is so familiar a gleam...

Seeing a mare at the steps of some stairs, having wings and horn wearing a necklace of three brightly glowing ruby stones and her eyes glowing as well, all of Sage's inner alarm bells were ringing.
"Oh no, you don't..." In an instant he was disappearing to get help.

* * * * *

The tranquil and peace of the Canterlot library was something Twilight was so used to, it felt like a second home to Ponyville. This peace, however, was suddenly interrupted as Sage popped out in a window right beside her.
"Twilight! Quickly! This is an emergency! Another alicorn has taken control of Tyler in the West Wing!"

Looking up in alarm due to his sudden appearance, Twilight stood up, completely forgetting her usual behavior of silencing the intruder for being in a library.
"Another alicorn? But who- Lamira or Asira?"

"No... I'm afraid it's far worse than that!"

"Worse than that?!? Explain this to me right this instant, buster!"

"Later! Please!!! She's taking advantage of him as we speak." And without further ado, he vanished.

A few minutes later, the other Element Bearers and human rangers were alarmed as well, running and galloping towards the West Wing while Twilight was already on her way. Applejack looked over to the windows, where Sage was running as a reflection.
"Sage, why can't ya turn her magic against her like ya could against Lamira and Asira?"

"Because it isn't alicorn or unicorn magic. Before I could even understand the situation, I was locked out of Tyler. I never saw such magic."

Once they'd reached the West Wing, the others spread out while Sage turned around. This caused Sam to arch a brow.
"Sage? Aren't you coming?"

"No, I'll have to alarm everyone. As of right now, Tyler is knocked out for good. I can't take control over his mind if he's unconcious. We need everyone on this!"

* * * * *

Tyler was gently pushed onto the bed, the melodious humming still clouding his mind.
"I've waited thousands of years to have this again. You have no idea..."

Licking over his neck, the mare indulged herself in his scent, her breath rising in pace as it sent chills down her spine. "Your chest is even more muscular in this form than the other." While sitting on the bed, Tyler was gently pushed to lie down. Undoing the button of his pants, the mare licked her lips. "Now... Let me have a taste of that sweet nectar again... This time your rod must be even bigger..."

But just as she unzipped his pants and wanted to lean down, the door detonated and Twilight stood in it, fuming in rage. There she stood over him, smirking, his eyes empty as under mind control, broken. For the first time Twilight had the wish to do harm upon somepony for the sake of simply hurting somepony.
"Get away from him, YOU BITCH!!!" A bright beam of energy was shot through the room. The beam passed over the mare without doing any harm as a force field blocked the incoming attack close to her body. Thus, the only effect the attack had was pushing the mare away from Tyler.

Behind her, hurried steps hasted up the stairs.
"That came from upstairs! Hurry!"

Noticing this as well, the mare raised a force field, dividing the room into two.
"So you weakling want to battle over him? In our time you may have the power to limit me... in THIS time I am the one in charge. We both know how weakened you are right now!"

Now recognizing who stood in front of her, Twilight's pupils shrinked to dots. This coat, this mane, this face so similar to herself. There was no mistake in it.
"N-Nova...? But how?!?"

When the others heard Twilight, Sam pointed at the alicorn mare in front of them all.
"Do I get this right? That's the adult version of the little foal that's kept inside the Ranger HQ?"

Flynn shook his head.
"How isn't she obliterating the entire castle with her sheer might like the little one would?"

Rachel pointed at her.
"That ring upon her horn..."

A dark chuckle escaped Nova's throat.
"Oh, aren't you a clever little one? Yes! This ring is a mobile containment ring. Or simply an inhibitor With it, my powers are limited to that of a normal alicorn. Well... Normal in the 2400th century... Without it, I would end all life in Equestria."

Rachel's eyes narrowed down.
"Alright, we get it, bitch! You're powerful! What do you want?"

Looking up to the rangers, Twilight pointed at the adult version of her foal.
"She wants to have her way with Tyler! I tried to stop her, but to no avail. If only I wasn't so weakened by the birth right now..."

A diabolical grin formed on Nova's lips as her tongue licked over them.
"But you are. And this means you all can do is nothing more than to simply watch as I steal him from you. Normally I don't want audience, but it will add so much to it..."

Slamming his fist against the force field, Sam looked for some kind of weakness in it.
"Damn it! Where is Sage? He's an asshole, but he would know what to do!"

"He said he wanted to alert everyone." Flynn answered.

"Wait! Everyone?!?"

"Yes, that includes-" Suddenly it occured to him. "Oh shit!"

All of a sudden, a certain voice was audible in the distance, getting louder by the second, paired with several crushing sounds.
"Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine!! Mine!!!..."

Hearing up, Rarity looked at the others, frowning.
"Does anypony else hear that?"

"Yeah and it's getting closer..."

A frightful realisation got to Twilight as her eyes widened. She took one step back and her wings gently pushed everyone behind her towards the door.
"And it sounds an awful lot like..."

In the very next moment, Luna broke through the brick wall on the other side of the force field and kicked the adult Nova away from Tyler, causing her to crush through the opposite wall. Towering in full battle armor over Tyler's still lying body, Luna's wings shielded him from harm and her eyes narrowed down while glaring into the direction the adult Nova was slammed into.
"Mine!"

On the other side of the hole, Nova had breached through three further walls. Standing up like merely slapped on the cheek, she then trotted back in a casual pace.
"Oh yes, I almost forgot... Aunt Luna. Protecting her first love from a mare who is now stronger than her."

Looking down to Tyler for a moment, Luna then looked up again, her eyes narrowing while she levitated Tyler into the safety of the group.
"What trickery is this? This is no pony magic working on him! He would have absorbed that! Who are thou?!?"

"Magic? No, I'm not stupid." Nova stated, "This is no targeted magic... I know he would simply absorb that. Just a little something I aquired from three troublemakers before they could mature and turn evil. Enchants my voice quite nicely, so no male can withstand it. Luring him in was easy as pie."

In the next moment, Lyra performed a spell and Flynn and Sam were frowning all of a sudden.
"He-hey! I can't hear anymore!"

"Folks? Why can't I hear shit?!?"

Applejack nodded over to the unicorn.
"Good thinkin', Lyra! Now she can't use the two of them against us."

Narrowing her eyes, Rachel noticed something peculiar about Nova
"These three shining rubies on her necklace... These aren't actual rubies, are they? These must be magical gemstones!"

Glaring at Nova, Luna snorted in anger.
"I don't know what theft thou commited to fetch these, but now this will-"

Coming to his senses, Tyler pulled his pants on and looked up. Seeing the future version of his daughter and the others attempting to fight her, he was compelled to stand up.
"No!"

Noticing Tyler getting up behind her and closing the buttons on his pants, Twilight looked at him as if he proclaimed madness.
"What?!? Tyler! That may be Nova, but she's not the Nova you know! She tried to take advantage of you!"

"That wasn't her!" he yelled while being held back by the others, "I refuse to believe that my daughter will be raised a rapist!" Facing his future daughter, Tyler gritted his teeth, pleading to her. "Nova! Nova Sparkle! I know you are in there somewhere, baby! Nova, you have to fight it! Do you hear me? You have to fight against these gems!"

Shaking her head with a smirk, Nova closed her eyes, stiffling a chuckle.
"I hate to break it to you, father... But you are sadly mistaken."

"What?"

A dark and taunting giggle escaped her throat. It was clear that she had to control herself not to burst out in cruel laughter.
"I am not controlled by these gems..." Opening her eyes again, she glared up to him."It's the other way around!"

Taking a step back, Tyler looked at her, shocked as the sadistic grin of his daughter's future version grew wider. Despair was in his voice now.
"No..."

By now Twilight's facial expression darkened.
"What poor creatures did you hurt to get those?

"That's none of your bucking business!" Nova then replied before leaning her head towards a mirror. "Event Surfer! Are you there? You were right..."

What stepped inside that mirror was a nightmarish version of this adult Nova. Pitchblack coat, black mane with only the eyes purple and not void of any coloration
"Mhmhmhmhmhm... Little Nova... I told you they would object to this. They wouldn't let you express your love in our time. What made you think they would do here in this time?"

Looking at the mirror, Rachel's eyes widened.
"She has her own version of Sage!"

Taking a step back, Tyler gulped.
"That reflection... Luna!"

Luna gritted her teeth, this was the same thing as before. She knew first hand what was going on here.
"Yes... I see it. Just my dark alter ego..."

Tyler's eyes narrowed down.
"If gushing out immense amount of magic energy like a supernova is Nova's usual special talent, then I have a very good and grim idea what this 'Event Surfer' will do..."

Gritting her teeth, Twilight went into fighting stance.
"A magic black hole... She would absorb all magic on this planet within a minute! But that might kill countless lifeforms! Not to talk of us ponies! Pegasi would plummet from the skies, unicorns would collapse and cease and even Earth ponies would die of starvation.

Taking stance against this adult version of Nova, Tyler clenched his fists.
"Yeah... Nothing I want to happen on my watch. So if you even dare to begin a transformation into that, I am going to pummel you through Canterlot mountain and back again!"

Infuriated, Nova herself now went into fighting stance.
"And do you think that this is what I want for happiness in life? A life in the midst of fragile mortal shells? None of them able to love me honestly? Always afraid of my immense powers? They didn't tried and failed to love me... They tried and died!!!" Not realizing how her voice got harder and unkinder by the second, Nova began to sob. "I won't wait another thousand millenium for a mortal to step forth, just to die when I open up completely to him! No! I will have my lover right here and now! The only one who can stand and live in my unleashed presence." A sadistic grin formed on her lips. "Now... If I remember your old campfire stories correctly: It was immense anger that unleashed the beasts?"

Her horn lit up, but instead of a magic beam a magic circle formed beneath Tyler, much to everyone's surprise.
"Well, that's new!" Tyler stated, before his body was emitting immense light. Screaming in pain while he was pulled out of the safety of the group, his body bend down as if to cope with the agony. But all of a sudden the pain ceased with a division. Right out of Tyler, Rage and Sage left his body, but not as spectres. Two different real bodies now stood beside Tyler

With a roar, Rage reared up and looked around, seeking his next mate or victim, while Sage stretched a bit.
"Woah, what a kick..."

Behind the friends, Shining and Cadance arrived on the scene.
"What the hay is going on here? Sage told us that Tyler... What?!?

Jumping away from Rage, Tyler returned to the safety of the group.
"Careful! Somehow she had set the two of them free! Each one of them has a body of his own! Brace yourselves!"

Just as Rage stormed against them, Shining raised a shield just in time, resulting in Rage slamming his fists against it with thundering noise. However, Twilight arched a brow.
"Odd... I remember him being much stronger. This unicorn shield should have been no match for him..."

Shining gave his little sister a short grumpy look.
"Well it's all I can contribute for now..."

Laughing in triumph, Nova pointed at the little group standing up to her before looking at Sage and Rage.
"Right you are! And now let's see how you'll fare against the might of Tilerions! You two! Get rid of these pests while I'm having some fun with-"

But Sage only turned back to Nova and shrugged before she could end her sentence.
"Yeah? How about no?"

Dumbfounded, Nova resiled, not understanding the resistance.
"What? But how?!? How can you withstand my order?"

"You are my daughter? Hard to believe my offspring would be such a pathetic moron!

"What?!?"

First tapping against his temple with the index and middle finger of his right hand, Sage then pointed over to Rage with the thumb of his left hand.

"Come on, stupid! This mind of mine is temper-proof! And his mind is too simple to be tempered! We three are one joint package. On his own, Tyler lacks my genius and Rage's might. But without his body, neither Rage nor myself could do any serious damage. Cut a force in three and you're losing valuable power. What a foolish amateur move for you to do... And it will cost you dearly now. Without us, he won't withstand within your presence for long! He would just overcharge and detonate."

Shining now lost his patience and pushed forward, despite Tyler trying to hold him back.
"Enough of this! I won't stand idly by while others risk their hides. Alicorn or not, this ends now!"

Upon recognizing Shining, Nova backed away, fear spreading all over her face.
"You... I don't have the right to do you any harm now. Temporal laws and all that. So despite I could splatter you all over the others, I won't. I'll need you later..."

"What?!? So you want to try your uncle next???"

Rolling her eyes in annoyance, Nova sighed and took flight in the room.
"Yeah, as if... But there's one thing I can do..." in the next moment, Shining was teleported away. "I can return you and all of your noise to your nosy wife's country."

Upon seeing her husband vanishing, Cadance snapped.
"Alright... If anything happened to Shining Armor, I will end you!!!"

But Tyler rolled up his sleeves.
"Shining was right about one thing: Enough! You're in for quite some spanking, young lady! Get down here right this instant! "

Getting into combat stance, Nova faced Tyler.
"No! I won't accept this! You will be mine!"

"On a cold day in hell, young lady!" And without hesitation, he took off and grabbed Nova, crashed out of the window with her for a fierce battle over Canterlot.

At this point, Sam tapped Lyra's flank, prompting her to look up.
"Yes?"

"Lyra, swetie?" he asked in a melodious tone.

"Yes?"

"I don't hear shit!"

This prompted her to grimace a bit.
"Uh... Right! I'm on it!"

Looking up to the two combatants in the sky, Sage shook his head.
"He's only buying time. Without Rage and myself, he can only stand so long against an alicorn mare out to get him."

Seeing the two of them fighting, Twilight shook her head in worry.
"Even if there's a timelimit... They are both powerful! With that kind of battle, they could level Equestria!"

A broad smirk came onto Sage's face.
"Oh, I doubt that..."

"What do you mean by that?" Twilight asked.

"It's easy, really." he said with a smirk. "Temporal law is at work here. Nova went out to change the past. But Tyler on the other hand is out to change the future."

Twilight couldn't follow completely.
"Which means?"

"I thought it was obvious... Come on, Twilight! Think! No matter how powerful she is or could become, his determination not to let her version of herself come to be is stronger. We are talking about our daughter here. And while Tyler would never allow her to become evil, I despise the idea of her being such a stupid little villain. Mind control for the selfish desire to sate incestuous wishes? How dare you to think that I would let my daughter fall that low..."

Arching a brow, Twilight cocked her head in wonder.
"You think she is your daughter?"It was hard for Twilight to see Sage as anything but a loner, since he never showed any signs of actual affection towards the mares in Tyler's herd, even after stating that he loved them as much as Tyler did. He was just going his own way, doing his own things and only intellectual conversations were able to find his interest. Then again, Rage and Sage were sharing the same body with Tyler, were parts of him. Only that these parts had, if one could say so, their own personalities.

"Nova has three fathers and one mother." Sage explained. "She's a very special alicorn due to the very special circumstance of her father's state upon the moment she was conceived. You as her mother should know that above everyone else. So if Tyler's truly determined to not let her become like this, she will fade away and in a few moments this whole ordeal will never happen in the first place."

"You're wrong! Look!" Pointing upward, Rachel showed them that Tyler more and more was inferior in fighting Nova. More and more punches left him gasping for air, holding his rips.

Sage grimaced at that.
"This means that she became that way without him having a say in this"

Slowly a very frightening realization came to Twilight's mind.
"You mean...?"

"Yes! Something that's out of our decision-making made her like that. Now we are in trouble."

Kicking Tyler down to the ground, Nova then spat to the ground in disgust.
"I've had enough! You are all in my way to get him? Fine! I can fix that..."

Seeing her reach for the ring on her horn, Celestia's eyes widened in an instant and she pointed her hoof at Nova as she shouted her command:
"Seize her!!! Don't let her take off that ring!"

When Nova noticed the Royal Guard approaching her from all sides, her horn lid up once more.
"Stand back, you fools!" Just when the first guards had reached her, a pressure wave swatted them away, leaving them groggy among the ones in the second row. Only seconds later the Wonderbolts jetted in, but swift and decisive kicks brought them out of formation, leaving them no other choice but to take evasive actions. Nova laughed maniacly. Mere inches stood between them all and total annihilation. But just as the ring was about to finally get off and all her destructive might was about to get unleashed, a hand suddenly grabbed it and held it tight in place around her horn. When looking up, Nova could see her father levitating right next to her with a determined expression.
"Wha-?"

Tyler uttered only two words:
"No more!" In the very next moment, the two of them vanished with a thundering boom.

"Where are they? Could anypony-?" Looking up to her herd mates, Twilight could see both Celestia and Luna looking up to the moon. Following their look, Twilight saw a large impact on the moon taking place. "Oh my goodness!" A bright detonation occured in the epicenter of said impact crater.

When the others noticed their glances high up into the sky, most of them were silent in amazement.
"All this raw might... Good thing he warped her right into the moon!" Sam flatly added.

Twilight's voice became hysterical at the sight of the silent spectacle.
"Tyler!" She was quite aware that he was without Rage and Sage and was much more vulnerable. But another glimpse sparkled in the sky, growing larger rapidly and seconds later, Tyler's force field crashed into the pavement, creating a moderate crater.

Once the others stormed over to him, they could see him gasping for air like he was out of it for minutes. His clothes were torn at the upper torso and his skin was partially burned.
"What the freaking hell happened up there?" Flynn asked.

While Luna shot a healing spell into Tyler, his breath more and more normalized.
"After the impact... She took it off. I... I managed to put it back on and reshaped it tight so she can't get it off without external help, but...

"But what?!?"

He shook his head.
"The inhibitor ring on her horn got damaged in the process. She's too strong now. If I would face her in another such stunt without Rage and Sage, I would overcharge and die. I barely made it back before the vacuum got the best of me."

Celestia turned over to to her fellow alicorns.
"Twilight and Tyler are out of the way. Luna! Cadance! Now it's up to us other alicorns to protect Equestria from her."

Tyler raised an arm to bring a shaky protest.
"I only need a minute!"

Twilight shook him to come to his senses
"No! You're at your limit! You can barely stand. Before you can go on, you need to heal! Rage and Sage must merge with you again. Only then can we hope to-"

She was cut of in midsentence as another object slammed down into a building not far away from them. Out of the ruins of the collapsing building, Nova's voice became audible.
"Stop it! STOP IT!! ALL OF YOU!!! YOU WON'T TAKE HIM AWAY FROM ME AGAIN!!!" A sphere of might was projected by Nova as she flung herself into the air, her horn shining brightly. The ground shook as a shining light was emitting from beneath Canterlot.. Yelling down to them, Nova began to sneer in impending victory. "Here's something with best regards from the 2400th century!"

Flying over the buildings of Canterlot, Rainbow Dash pointed down into the valley.
"Look!" When the friends looked down into the valley between Canterlot and Ponyville from their positions, a magic circle of epic proportions activated beneath them and the light illuminated the entire valley. A summoning so powerful the very air was trembling took place as something huge ascended from the circle.

Noticing Sage right beside him, Tyler grabbed him by the shoulder.
"Sage! What are we to do?!?"

"Now that's more like our daughter. Eh, Tyler?"

Not believing his ears, Tyler shook his head.
"How can you be amazed in a moment like this?!?"

Sage laughed out loud.
"How could one not?!? Finally she's using her head for someone calling herself our daughter! Stay here, I'll go for the solution!"

When he ran off, Tyler looked after him.
"Sage!!! Where are you going? We need you here!" He was off in the direction of the Ranger HQ. But what he wanted there was beyond Tyler.

By now the being that was summoned was towering over the towers of Canterlot. Upon seeing it, Luna's ears dropped as she resiled in midair.
"A Titan of Metal... Celestia! I didn't expect to counter a Megaspell today..."

Giving a brief nod, Celestia then turned towards the Element Bearers.
"Hurry, girls! Go fetch the Elements of Harmony! Cadance, Luna and I will try to distract this titan."

While the ponies in Canterlot ran for their lives, the two sisters tried to fire their magic at the titan, yet the shiny metal simply bounced off their magic beams. Holding their fire, the three alicorns had to reconsider.
"Aunt Celestia! With firing at that being we'll only harm Canterlot."

Right when the Mane Six were on their way to the Everfree Forest to claim the Elements of Harmony again from their tree, Tyler flew up to the titan.
"If magic won't work, then physical damage has to do it!"

But despite the gargantuan form, the metal titan seemed to be swift and agile as well. With only one move Tyler was captured by the large hand, engulfing his entire body as if it were an action figure. Looking down to him, Nova shook her head.
"Why don't you love me? It could be all over, if you simply give in..." It was at this point that Twilight looked over to the girls and shook her head. With Tyler being held by the titan, there was the threat of harming him as well. Thus, for now, they couldn't fire at the titan

Struggling in the titan's grasp, Tyler gritted his teeth.
"Hard to love anyone who's forcing herself on me!"

It was in this moment, when Sage's voice became audible again.
"You can't reason with her, Tyler... She needs help. And right now there is only one thing that can truly stop her.

High on the tallest towers of Canterlot, Celestia spotted him, wearing a silver protection suit similar like a coat.
"Sage! With that amount of power concentration, this must be..."

"Little Nova!!!" Cadance shouted, spotted the foal in her containment unit, which was half open. "How can he withstand her? He should be overcharging as well without Tyler and Rage!"

Looking closer, Celestia noticed his protection wear.
"No, that protective suit he's wearing. It's blocking enough of her magic so he can endure the magical stress."

Luna's eyes narrowed down
"That suit of his... Not only does it protect him from her... Somehow the knave slowly feeds from little Nova's endless supply of magic with it, enhancing his own powers through her!"

"Feeding off my child?!?" Twilight shouted in terror.

Celestia shook her head.
"Her powers are too vast to be exhausted by the small amount he seems to take. He's using her as a substitute to Tyler to sustain himself and contribute here."

Despite Celestia's reassurance, Twilight wasn't finding a liking to that at all. Flying up high, she confronted the now independent spectre.
"Sage! Explain yourself right this instant! What are you doing with my foal?!?

Looking at the adult Nova, Sage grinned sadistically, the blue glow in his eyes intensifying as his power grew.
"Battling fire with fire." A collected "What?!?" came from the others, causing his grin to grow even broader. "Have faith and witness true genius at work!" His silver coat grew a millionfold and formed itself like a liquid. Like a spear this mass impaled the metal titan by the chest under Sage's laughter, immobilising the gargantuan creature. The silver liquid wrapped around the Titan's chest and limbs, fixing the arms and legs in place. Vapor arose as if the liquid was eating at the metal titan like acid. At the neck of the titan Sage broke out of the liquid again, the crying foal still in his arms, facing future Nova as they both were unharmed. Pointing at her, he challenged her. "Even the mightiest mountains erode, given enough time! It's over! Hand over Tyler or face an opponent you can never hope to defeat!"

Roaring laughter was future Nova's reply as she looked over to Sage.
"My own younger self? I can't believe I was such a whiny little brat. And you could never kill your own child!"

Seeing little Nova carried in Sage's arms, Tyler feared for his little foal as well.
"Sage, what are you doing with my foal? I won't let you endaaangeeaaaAARGH!"

Squeezed by the mighty fingers of the titan, Tyler was shut up, the future Nova glaring down to him.
"Unless you are about to confess your love to me, you are to shut the buck up!"

Sage's eyes narrowed down, before he looked down to the crying foal in his arms
"Well then, young Nova... Someone is making your Papa suffer. What is your response to this?" Celestia, Luna, Cadance and Twilight glared angrily at Sage. To utilize a foal as a weapon was nothing they would ever approve of. But the outcome that followed to his gamble surprised even Sage.

The foal stopped crying and looked up to her future self, holding her father prison in the tight grasp of her metal titan. It didn't took long for her cute little face to darken into an angry one, her eyes and tiny horn glowing brightly. The next moment, the ground in the valley began to quake and shook before it teared and broke open. Six enormous worms leaped at the metal titan and entangled him, choked his throat so the sound of screeching and bending metal filled the air in Equestria. During the fight, several towers and buildings were damaged.

Cadance yelped up in surprise.
"Tatzlworms! But those beasts only live on the farthest borders of the equestrian wastelands! Why are they here all of a sudden?"

Celestia and Luna exchanged weary glances.
"No! By the stars, she summoned them to battle the titan!"

Twilight on the other end couldn't believe her ears.
"WHAT?!? At that age?!? Not even we can do that!"

Ducking into cover from falling debris and rubble, Sam looked over to Rachel, shaking his head.
"Well, one thing is certain: Alicorn foals seem to be totally overpowered. Please nerf!"

Shooting him a glare, Rachel grit her teeth.
"How delightful that you can joke about this in this kind of situation, idiot!" Looking back to Nova, she grimaced. "Well we have her past here. Killing young Nova would get rid of adult Nova. But there has to be another way..."

Sam nodded and looked up to Sage.
"Well, Sage is already using young Nova as a weapon against her future self. If any one of us has enough destructive power to harm her, it's that little power bundle."

Releasing Tyler from his grip, the titan struggled and fought against the Tatzlworms. Not losing any time, Rainbow and Flynn sped up and caught Tyler, jumped and caught him in midair before he could hit the ground.
"Gotcha!" Bringing Tyler to safety, they then looked over and nodded at Sage.

Now the adult Nova took flight and went after Flynn carrying Tyler, only to be blocked by Sage holding her younger self like a weapon already charged up for another blast. What followed was a fierce detonation wave as the two highly energetic magic beams collided. Looking down to her younger self and Sage, the Nova from the future roared in rage.
"Move it or I will go through you!"

This was the moment Sage was waiting for. With a smirk, he looked up to her and shook his head.
"Through me? Yes. Through her? I highly doubt that. She is your past. You kill her now, you seize to exist. Or create a time paradox that will destroy the entire universe including your father." Nova gasped in realization. The one flaw in her plan had been played against her. The thing she desired the most was beyond reach, both in the future and in the past. Tears began to glitter in her eyes. Closing her eyes, her horn ceased the magic, resulting in little Nova's magic to blast her future self, the Tatzlworms and the metal titan. In a fierce explosion the titan was destroyed at the edge of Dragon Mt. Crater. Silence returned and Sage flew with the containment unit back to the alicorns, handing Cadance the unit. "Here! Bring her back to safety!"

Sam looked up from behind cover.
"What? This still isn't over?"

Sage looked down to the others as he descended to Tyler.
"Over? No, this isn't over. Alicorns can take quite a beating. Equestria would perish a thousand times before alicorns would die from fighting like this."

This prompted Rachel to fold her arms.
"So she's not dead... Is she at least suffering? I mean she took quite a punch there. Looked like taking a bunkerbuster to the face."

However, Sage was only shaking his head.
"Suffering? Only from broken heart..."

Tyler looked down to the crater, where the massive destroyed body of the titan lied
"I'd had enough of this nonsense! Rage! Sage! To me!" While Sage happily obliged with a "Finally something reasonable today...", Rage growled unhappily. But Tyler wasn't in the mood for any more problems today, so he underlined his command with a stricter tone. "Rage! Come on! You know it has to be!" That was enough for the beast to join in as well and the three of them merged together into one person.

Sighs of relief overcame Twilight and the others.
"Thank goodness. They're one person again..."

Regenerating way faster than he was capable of without Sage and Rage, Tyler got back into shape quickly. Broken ribs and bones were healing and sore muscles became better almost in an instant. Taking flight high over Canterlot, he approached Dragon Mt. Crater before he spotted Nova's adult version.
"This ends here and now... I'm sick and tired of being messed with."

Coming to her senses, she raised her head, seemingly still groggy from the blast she had to endure.
"Tyler?"

"That's either Dad, Pa, father or Mr. Jones to you! You and I are going to have a serious talk about things now, young lady! I don't know from when you came from but I will-" Just when Tyler almost reached Nova while cracking his knuckles, a white orb of energy blasted into existence, followed by a strong wave of energy emitting from it.

Lowering her ears, Nova slowly shook her head once she noticed the time portal that manifested beside them both. That was when a strong and bronze male voice called out from the light, uttering a demand.
"Princess Nova! Show yourself!"

The order was enough for the adult Nova to stand up and step forth. But despite her stance depicting a mare of confidence, it was visible that she was shivering in fear.
"Here I am." Tyler glanced over to her before looking at the portal again. 'Her attitude flipped almost 180 degrees backwards...' Behind them, the others appeared either by landing there coming via flight or teleportation spell. The four princesses Cadance, Celestia Luna and Twilight kept their distance, mostly to keep the youngest alicorn, little Nova safe.

The other human Rangers stood a few meters away with the Element bearers. Sam folded his arms and shook his head.
"Typical! Once everything's over, the cavalry arrives..."

The voice in the time portal continued. It was calming, soothing, yet spoke with authority.
"Nova! I can't remember ordering you to travel into the past to disrupt it. None of us did. Explain to me why we find you here in this timeframe!"

Kicking the ground, Nova looked down as if ashamed.
"I... Umm..."

Stepping in front of Nova, Tyler looked into the bright light.
"As the father of this alicorn, I demand an explanation as well! But from you! How is it possible that you guys in the future have the ability to timetravel and don't have someone to police this? What the freaking FUCK happened in the future that my own daughter has the hots for me and wants to have more than just fatherly love from me? Attempting to rape me?!?"

It took those on the other side some seconds of silent murmur and gasps before the response came, possibly to grasp the extent of things that had happened.
"What is this? Nova! This again? You endangered the entire past for your own selfish desires? And now you don't even have the courage to take responsibility?"

But before Nova could answer, Tyler cut her off.
"You haven't answered my question!"

Looking over to Celestia and Luna, Twilight arched a brow.
"Do you have any idea who's that on the other side?"

Narrowing their eyes, both mares had to shake their heads.
"I can't tell, Twilight... This level of magic power... It's so bright even we can't identify it just by a mere glimpse."

The voice on the other side of the portal continued to deny Tyler an appropriate answer.
"Your concerns for the security of the timeline are of no matter, mortal... This is our jurisdiction, not yours. Nova, your sister will come and escort you home. And for your own sake you will cooperate!"

Tyler was fuming. He was disregarded as someone not essential here despite Nova coming to the past was because of only him. But at the mention of the word 'sister' his anger was replaced with surprise. Appleseed was a mortal earth pony. She wouldn't live that long. The silhouette of the mare coming now was growing and soon the form was solid enough to recognize a shape. At the sight of this new alicorn mare, Luna couldn't but gasp. It was Crescent. She was the spitting image of Tyler's dream of his daughter with her. Once approaching Tyler and Nova, Tyler shook his head in disbelief, still not fully able to grasp this.
"Crescent... It's been a long time since I saw you and at that point it was only an illusion."

His hand carefully approached her, hesitated for a bit to touch her, but then felt the warmth and silk touch of her coat. She didn't object to this, but looked up to him with a gentle smile on her face.
"It was your wish for me to exist to make that illusion a reality. Let me undo some things she did..." The very next moment, Shining reappeared next to Cadance with two tickets Crystal Empire to Canterlot., resulting in Cadance embracing her husband.

Now trotting over to her older sister, Crescent looked down to her, a deep sigh escaping her. Nova, still weeping, looked up to her and shook her head.
"Why isn't it possible, Cescent? Why can't I win his heart?"

Sighing in frustration, Crescent shook her head.
"Because his heart was not meant for you to win. We went through this time and time again! When will you accept this simple fact? You two are father and daughter and no matter what was, it was a mistake. A cruel joke fate pulled on you two."

Pointing at Tyler, Nova's voice now rose up.
"So? I mean even Flurry had something with him!"

In the very next moment, Cadance and Shining Armor shot Tyler a glare, prompting him to raise his hands in defense.
"Now hold a second! You two know EXACTLY I would NEVER...!"

Crescent's voice now became louder itself.
"Flurry was on her fifth heat cycle without stallion and was about to get into a freaking frenzy! So Aunt Cadance decided it would be best to ease her urges that one time!"

In this moment, Cadance whirled around.
"WHAT?!?"

Behind her, Shining's voice was calm, yet audibly trying not to yell.
"Cadie...? Do you have something that you want to tell me?"

"Oh, come on, Shiny! You know I would NEVER...!!!"

Yet still Crescent went on.
"Nova, you know exactly that auntie legitimized it with that it would be less of a scandal since father is not blood related to her, she doesn't hunt down the Royal Guards that could impregnate her in this state and that she could only benefit from father's massive experience with mares at this time. You know, the ones that got hooked up to him by the Queen of Love." Several proverbial stabs into her back and several gloomey glances from Shining and Twilight as well as strict looks from Celestia and Luna had Cadance become silent.

Twilight however, arched a brow in curiosity.
"Wait a second... Who is Flurry?"

"Not now, Twily!" Shining Armor said, his voice filled to the brim with anger. In surprise, Twilight looked over to him. Obviously this Flurry was a mare Shining Armor and Cadance knew and expected Tyler to cheat on Twilight, what would explain them being mad at him. And it being the idea of Cadance made Shining Armor mad at her. That and the fact that Cadance hooked Tyler up with several mares made Shining mad that Cadance helped Tyler cheat several times. It had to be something like this."

Yet while the others almost shouted at one another, Luna remained calm and simply nodded.
"'Tis true, I can confirm that. A thousand years on the moon can take their toll, but 2500 years without any way to let off some steam... 'Tis torture to the mind of a mare.

Tyler turned over to Luna,
"Wait... An alicorn of 2500 years... I'm afraid to ask, but how old is that? A filly?"

"No... It would be a little younger and smaller than Cadance now. Maybe the size Twilight has. At that point, alicorn mares tend to age and grow a little slower. A young mare having her first cycles. If it's the case Crescent is describing, you did it with her in her young adult form."

A sigh of relief escaped Tyler.
"Good Lord... For a moment I was afraid that-"

"It is only I who will grant you this forbidden pleasure, Tyler." Luna replied with a strict face. "And we both know this is a transformation. If I ever catch you dreaming about such things with a young filly, you will never find a good night sleep ever again!"

Throwing a glance at Tyler, Crescent shook her head, seeing his alarm over all this.
"Father... Let me reassure you: You always loved her in the way a father should love his daughter. That is... Until the time you didn't know she was your daughter."

"What?!?" Tyler shouted in surprise, "Does that mean that at some point in time I was too drunk to recognize my own child?"

Looking at him surprised, Crescent briefly shook her head in surprise with a chuckle as if the mere thought was ridiculous.
"Drunk? By the stars, NO!!! You are a strict anti-alcoholic in the future I know. You didn't do anything to yourself to forget that she was your daughter. Something else did."

Leaning in, Tyler's voice now bebecame very threatening and intimidating. He was calm and collected.
"What? What or who made me do this? I want to snap its neck before this happens!"

Despite taking a step back in order to keep her distance, Crescent showed no sign of intimidation. Giving a smile she shook her head to dismiss Tyler.
"I'm sure you want to, but I already said enough for damage control. As of now... Spoilers..."

By now Tyler's voice became louder, more infuriated and he grabbed the young alicorn mare by the neck in order to get an answer.
"This is BULLSHIT! All of it! You can't just waltz in here, telling me that I'll have something with my daughter and then dance away! I-"

With a swift and decisive movement, Crescent's hoof was buried in Tyler's stomach, robbing him of his breath, forcing him to bend forward. In her next move she swept his feet away while getting hold of one of his arms, nailing him down to the ground. Bending over to him, her voice remained calm and collected.
"Father, I can understand your anger and confusion, but please: Ask no questions! The timeline was altered enough already. You can't be told any more." Reluctantly, Tyler let go, closed his eyes and wept in silence while shaking his head. Fighting against Nova was one thing for self-defense and the defense of Equestria. Yet Crescent simply denied him an answer. Maybe he would be able to stand against her, but he wouldn't risk the newly achieved peace and tranquil for yet another battle. Recognizing Luna's movement approaching the two of them, Crescent smiled and came over to her for a few seconds. "I bet you have oh so many questions now, mother."

"I... thou..." Giving a sigh, Luna shed a tear of joy. "By the stars... Crescent, thou are so beautiful."

Letting go of Tyler after making sure he remained pacified, the daughter came over to Luna and nuzzled her mother's chest.
"Not so much as the serene and caring mother I always had." The statement caused Luna to choke a bit until the mare looked up to her again. "I know you want to get so many answers out of me in order to ease his confusion, but we have to go now. The years of happiness are not to be told by me, but to be experienced by all of you. I only want to say this: Thank you! For all these years of being there for us, protecting us. And sorry we didn't notice this incident today before it escalated. Even in our time the world has still some flaws. But you will see that once the time comes."

Standing up now, Tyler shook his head in disapproval.
"Total bullshit..." he whispered. It was clear that he still demanded an explanation to all of this, but wouldn't press for it.

Crescent looked over to him in sympathy.
"He's still angered by all of this. I won't blame him for feeling like that. Frankly, it's a whole new kind of mess we're dealing with here. Even for us in the future The responsible individuals will be held accountable. That's the only promise we can make to you." Trotting over to her big sister, Crescent then looked down to her. "It is time we head back home into our own time. Nova? Let's go..."

"No! I can't go on like this! I can't endure this anymore!" With terror in her eyes, Nova looked around to each individual present. "You don't know how that feels! To be so powerful that no one dares to approach you for fearing you could burn them to a crisp!" Crawling over to Tyler, she looked up to him, her eyes and voice pleading to have her will. "You... You don't have to be the submissive one! I could be your slut! I coul-"

*WAM*

She was unable to end her sentence as a loud, almost thundering slap to the face with the full combined power of his Trinity with Sage and Rage forced her to move her head to the side. This unexpected move caused all alicorn mares except Crescent to gasp in surprise. Now at full power, Tyler meant business again. Nova's eyes wide, she was shocked. Tyler was shivering in anger, his left eye shining blue, the other one fiercely red.
"Never! And don't you ever dare to ask me that again!"

Nova looked up to Tyler, her eyes still wide, yet for the first time, with signs of fear and respect for him. Her hoof shook as she lifted it to her hurting cheek where he slapped her hard enough to hurt, even for an alicorn. In a moment of clarity, her lower lip began to tremble and tears welled in her eyes.
"D-... Dad? Daddy? Dad, I- I'm so sorry!" Lowering her head into his chest, she began to wail and a dam broke loose. "Dad, I'm so sorry! I almost raped you, was so mean and you hit me and... and..."

As she broke into uncontrollable sobbing, Tyler rested a hand on her back, kneeling down to comfort her. Finally it seemed she woke out of this craze of hers. Recognizing this only meant one thing to him: She was denied the love of a lover, but he would not deny her the love of a father.
"Shhh it's okay now. You didn't succeed in that."

"But that one time with you was so wonderful that I wanted it again after so long and nobody else was able to withstand me. Everypony was either afraid of or cold to me."

Getting hold of her cheeks, Tyler looked into her face.
"OK, now... Nova? Look at me! You hear me?"

"Yeah..."

"I love you, sweetie. But as a daughter. I can't give you any other form of love. I won't hold it against you that you attempted what you did. I don't understand the situation as of right now, but I forgive you. Now you have to go with Crescent and get some professional help, sweetie." Nova nodded, stood up and turned to Crescent, only for Tyler to harrumph. "Didn't you forget something?!?"

"Huh?"

"The gemstones..." he insisted, "Hand them over, young lady! You took them from someone by force as you tried to take me by force. With you returning to your time, I will clean up after you this one time." Nova looked down to the amulet on her neck, then took it off. After levitating it to Tyler, she looked up to him and he smiled in return. "Feels good to do the right things, hm?"

"A little..."

"Maybe it will become better if you continue to do the right things... See you in the future..." As the time portal closed behind the future versions of his daughters, Tyler's shoulders were hanging down and he looked to the ground. Going through his hair with both hands, he levitated himself up and flew away, heading towards Canterlot Castle.

Twilight wanted to fly after him, but a pink wall of feathers stopped her from doing that. Looking down to her, Cadance shook her head.
"No! Give him some time... All of you. And for what it's worth: Let me have a talk with him first."

* * * * *

The late evening hours...

Cadance stood in the door, silently closing it with her magic and locking the door as she trotted over to Tyler, hearing him weep in heartache at the table, sitting on a chair. Standing beside him, she let him weep for some before she rested a wing on his back.
"Tyler? Is there anything I can do to help?"

Calming down for a bit, he sat upright in his chair. When he looked up to her, his eyes were fiercely glowing in their red and blue coloration. It appeared that not only Tyler was affected by this, but Rage and Sage as well.
"Oh, Cadance... What am I to do? As of this morning, she, like Appleseed, was the joy in my life, a bundle of love I never wanted to let go. Sure, she's powerful and I have to take care with handling her, but she's my daughter and I wouldn't have it any other way. But now... how can I even be near her again?"

The Princess of Love lowered her ears, seeing his consternation. A loving and caring father was told that one day in the future, he would cross a line no father should ever cross. Now doubting his own love, he desperately looked for any straw of guidance. And that nearly broke her heart. Pulling him in ever so gently, she rested her head on his, patting his back.
"Love her day by day, Tyler. I will have a watchful eye on you two. And if your love should ever go astray, I will be there for you..."

"Promise me one thing, Cadance..." he began his demand, "Promise me to show no mercy in hindering me from touching her like this."

Getting hold of his head with her hooves, she looked into his face with a determined look.
"I swear to you, by the stars: If I ever catch you looking at your daughter with the fire of lust in your eyes, I will ram you to the ground with a piledriver of apocalyptic proportions! No warning, no hesitation."

"A piledriver?" he asked, seemingly surprised by that.

"I may not look like it, but you can ask Shining that I can make it clear in close quarter combat."

Slowly shaking his head, he took a step back.
"What in the world is happening in your bedroom?" Realizing his question, Tyler immediately raised his hand. "On second thought: DON'T tell me!"

* * * * *

Half an hour later Cadance was meeting with the other members of Tyler's herd and Twilight shot the first question on her mind.
"How is he?

Sighing, Cadance closed her eyes.
"Well... he wept. And that he did a lot. It comes to no surprise at this amount of heartache. So I let him. He's uncertain in his capabilities as a father. But who wouldn't be if someone from the future would come and tell you that you'll cross the one line no family member should ever cross."

"And what did you tell him?" Celestia asked next.

Giving another sigh, the Princess of Love elaborated her advice given to Tyler.
"I told him to just be a father. If he holds her in his arms, he shouldn't doubt himself as a father. But, uh... There's another thing."

"What is it?" the others asked.

"He cried, yes..." Cadance continues, "...but only because the alternative would be running amok. I didn't cast any mind spells on him, since he would recognize that, but the tension around him is palpable. He's venting it through crying because I'm afraid, if he wouldn't do, he could level Canterlot in his rage."

Celestia nodded in silence before responding.
"Yes... Tyler is a force to be reckoned with. If he loses control, there are casualties. I'm just hoping it doesn't come to that while he's in Equestria..."

"As long as nobody fucks with my head I'm fine." Standing in he door, Tyler looked at the mares assembled in front of him, his eyes narrowed down in anger in their red and blue glow, his cheeks still wet from the emotional outburst he had. His glowing eyes only meant that Rage and Sage were still active within him. "Somebody or somepony is trying to fuck with my mind... I don't know why... I don't know how. But if I'll ever find out, I'm going to find that individual and break its fucking will, spine and horn if present. No fucking nobody weaponizes my children in order to bring me down."

While Celestia's eyes narrowed down in silent disapproval, Luna trotted over to him, her head held high.
"Tyler!"

Looking over to her, Tyler arched a brow, the expression on his face softening again.
"Yes?"

"Thou will not fail! Thou will be a great father to our children. I am certain of that!"

This took him by surprise and the grim expression on his face was blown away, replaced with a dumbfounded look.
"I..."

Celestia approached him, a spark of strictness in her voice. He was off balance now, time to go for the harmony blow and put his anger down for good.
"You showed that you would oppose your very own daughter in order to avoid further damage. For a loving father, this is the hardest thing to do. I don't know what will happen in the future, why or when it will happen. But for now, this day is far away and don't you dare to become cold to your daughter just because you are afraid of that day. You can't be judged for something that you didn't did yet. And even then the whereabouts of this are so blurry, you could as well be under mind control." Resting a hoof on his chest, she looked up to him, her head shaking. "You are the man that will sire our children..." A slight shiver went over her as she slightly blushed and continued. "...my children, too. And I know that until that dreadful day, you will be a wonderful father."

"Thanks, I guess..."

Seeing the glow in his eyes fading, a smile slowly grew on Celestia's lips. Once more, with their combined efforts, they were able to undo most of the damage and preserve Tyler's kind spirit, even if his anger was justified. Placing a short peck on his cheek, Celestia then turned over to Twilight.
"Twilight?"

"Yes?"

Nodding over to Tyler, Celestia now addressed her former student with a more advising tone.
"You are our herd's Alpha. But I'm telling you: Don't let this change anything. Someone aided Nova in order to change the past. And we shouldn't give them that victory that this incident disturbs our love as a herd."

Twilight looked down. It was obvious that something was on her mind and not wasting any time, her head rose again and she looked up to her former mentor.
"But what about the many mares the Crescent from the future mentioned?"

Celestia's eyebrows arched a bit, and taking a glance over to Tyler was enough for him to raise his arms in defense and shaking his head as to signal that he would never do that. Celestia's eyes narrowed down as if to search Tyler for any signs of adultery, but couldn't find any. That's when her glance normalized and a wide smirk crept on her face.
"Well, I can imagine them to be a treat for Tyler."

This caught both Tyler and Twilight off guard.
"Wait! What?"

"You mean...?"

Bumping her back into Tyler, Celestia couldn't but giggle.
"Sure! If Tyler becomes our equal and not every one of us is available... I can imagine handing him a concubine in my stead."

"Are you serious?!?"

"Tis a proper exception to the rule, Twilight Sparkle." Luna intervened, "Even if the practice is a bit archaic. We don't know how far our influence as rulers of Equestria will grow. A concubine loyal to a female herd member would serve as a viceroy for said princess or queen. There are even spells to witness the act of intercourse from the mare's point of view, so she could become a vessel of long range intercourse between the male and female herd mates. Nowadays ponies have not so much royalty anymore, so the practice was forgotten.

"There are spells for that?!?"

Celestia and Luna exchanged some glances and now both began to smirk.
"Not officially..."

Tyler harrumphed loud now and shook his head.
"Let's make this a conversation topic for the future... The far, far future..."

Giving it a chuckle, Twilight looked up to him.
"Speaking of the future, I thought about some of the things happening: They confirms Sage's theory. At some point something happened to you that left you open for this thing with Nova. This has to be big! Something that's even beyond his capabilities of mental defense..."

Tyler listened closely, before suddenly looked up in shock.
"Well shit!"

"What is it, Sugarcube?" Applejack then asked with an arched brow, "Ya just got confirmation that the incestous relationship ya'll have will not be because yer a depraved pervert lechering for his own flesh and blood. What could possibly upset ya now?"

Nodding in confirmation, Tyler patted her back.
"Yes, that's comforting. Sure. Yet Crescent said I'd be a strict anti-alcoholic! But I love my Foster beer!"

"You can't possibly call such piss beer..."

Noticing her leaning in the door, the others looked over to the voice of the newcomer.
"Rachel!"

"Yeah, I'm here again. Someone had to come back to you guys and report that Nova is in the Ranger HQ. Well, baby Nova... Geez, what a day... If Romeo here is occupied I need one of you ladies to come with me and get her out of the containment unit back to her containment room. None of us lowly mortals would survive this."

Cadance nodded, not hiding a slight snicker
"On my way!" Turning over to Tyler one last time, she smiled. "You stay strong there, you hear?"

As they went out of the room, Rachel shot Tyler a last shot.
"Don't worry. He just single handedly warped to the moon and back. If any guy has the will to go on, it's that stubborn asshole." Once the door was closed behind them, her voice was still audible. "Hey... was that guy so angry he cried? Guess he's mighty pissed..."

Twilight shook her head at hearing this with a gentle smile. Even if she denied it, Rachel cared. But then her focus shifted back to Tyler.
"Is she right? You're still mad?"

A brief nod was the beginning of his reply.
"I am. But thanks to you girls I can finally think straight. If what we heard today is correct... If someone is messing with us on purpose, then I want to know more."

A voice from the other side of the room became audule now. In a mirror, Tyler's reflection began moving on its own.
"Oh... Would something like memory loss resulting in a memory gap qualify as such?"

Looking over to the mirror, he saw Sage stepping out of the mirror again, becoming a holographic image once again.
"Sage... But there IS no memory gap in my mind."

Cocking his head, Sage shook his head with a mild chuckle.
"Oh yes, there is! Remember on Paretoka? You... or rather we fell unconcious for a while and you didn't know what happened..."

Tyler's eyes widened in realization.
"Holy shit, you're right!"

Her head turning over to Tyler, Twilight glanced at him in worry.
"You were unconscious on Paretoka?"

"That wasn't in thy report, beloved..." Luna stated with an arched brow.

Inhaling a breath through his teeth grimaced a bit.
"I... may not be THAT precise in my reports when it comes to timetravel. Nothing major since nothing happened. At some point I was standing in one moment and waking up on the ground in the next with no knowledge of what happened in the meantime."

Folding his arms, Sage leaned against the air, a feat maybe only possible because he had no body of his own.
"Yeah, the event that took place in the missing meantime resulted in me coming to be. But there is one thing I have to correct you about. Something did happen."

Now all eyes turned to the hologram.
"Sage?"

"What are you saying?"

Tipping at his left temple with his left index finger three times, Sage began to smirk over to Celestia.
"Emotion dumpster, remember? Our boy here was unable to withstand all that magic prowess unlocked inside of him, so he instinctively stowed it away in the back of his head. Inside me. Creating me in the process."

"So you know what happened in this timespan?"

"I sure do."

Narrowing her eyes, Twilight stomped on the ground with her left front hoof.
"Well then, go ahead and show it! Tell us!"

"Ah-ah-ah! What's with the ordering tone there, Starbutt? Do I look like I'm a pushover taking orders?"

"S-Starbutt?!?" The comment caused Twilight to resile a bit in surprise and Tyler to fight against the urge to laugh, before harrumphing a bit. Seeing Twilight brought out of context was funny, but now they really had to go after this. She was right.

Celestia, however, approached Sage and shared a genuine smile.
"How does Goldenrod Tea, lemon cake and an enlightening conversation about Equian solar physics sound to you in exchange for your willingness to share this with us?"

His eyes darting over to Celestia, Sage's then narrowed his eyes down, emitting a soft blue glow.
"I prefer Earl Grey... But otherwise it sounds acceptible. Deal. Please make some room, so I can show it with a hologram."

While Twilight was still fuming a bit, her mood ceased to be so sour once Celestia rested a wing on her back.
"It's not always demanding, Twilight. Even a princess has to give something to get something at some times. That's politics. If done correctly, it's a constant give and take. If done wrong, it's only taking, never giving. Tyrants do that and that isn't our way. Now come. Let's help out a bit." More and more tha area was widely free of any furniture

Once everything was out of the way, Sage nodded and the illusion around them was starting. The very corridors of Paretoka , destroyed and old with only one room on the entire planet preserved to be found exactly like it was left. And the busts standing there were still waiting. Tyler's eyes widened.
"I remember this place... These busts were intact at one time and burnt in the next." In the next moment, Tyler was surprised that another version of himself stepped right through him, followed by a version of Derpy. Tyler remembered this part. It was when they were chased by the weeping Pegasi and they were on the run while he found this perfectly preserved part of an otherwise ransacked and ruined, planetary library. The memory version of Tyler stepped forward and unrolled a scroll, reading it out loud. "Malice will fall once Willpower awakens." Tyler remembered only experiencing a white flash at this point, but now the gap was closed.

For now the room came to life as if Tyler would have said an activation password. Upon him speaking these words, the busts opened their eyes and became alive as the lights began to work.
"Welcome, Tyler Jones."

Tyler's memory stepped back in surprise.
"You know me?"

Giving a smile and a nod, one of the busts replied, shortly followed by the others.
"Of course we know you."

"You are the man who first installed us here."

"Although from your point of view..."

"...this happened in a long, long, distant future."

"And what a colorful future that is."

Narrowing his eyes, Tyler looked at them, distrustful. They spoke almost seamlessly one after another as if lead by one mind, completed one another. But at the same time, their voices were all different, their faces and even their tones differed from one another.
"What do you mean with that? More time travel with the Doctor in the future?"

"You are a man with a long and dangerous past..."

"But your future is infinitely more terrifying."

"Yet the Descendants of Tacitus want one aspect of it to happen at all costs."

Arching a brow, Tyler's memory slowly shook his head, not fully understanding.
"What's so dangerous about my future that these bozos want to make something from it to happen?"

One of the busts, a female one, spoke up with a gentle tone.
"On the Fields of Golden Shadow, at the return of the royal seeds to the royal family, when the shadows descent from the stars, a spell will be requested from you. A spell that must never ever be repeated or undone. You can't run away from this."

In the memory, Tyler's eyes narrowed down.
"I never ran away, so why do you think I would start now?"

"Because the entire universe may be at stake. The Descendants are determined to undo the one spell that banished their master so many countless eons ago. For that the Prince of Willpower must bow to their will."

Now the depicted Tyler was stumped.
"I don't understand. Prince of Willpower? What does this have to do with me?"

"The mightiest alicorn spell in existence!" the busts continued, "The spell that must never be known again! The greatest atrocity and miracle at the same time hidden in plain sight at night. The secret you will defend all your life."

Shaking his head, Tyler was looking like his patience was tried.
"Yes, but what is the spell?"

"It's the spell that was named after the name of your home world in alicorn tongue."

"What goddamn name? Equis?" Tyler's memory yelled at the busts, resulting in their eyes to shine brightly, as if charging up something big.

"Abarasion!"

More and more energy accumulated in the busts while Tyler held his temple in agony, trying to withstand whatever powers were trying to overcome him. Derpy, looking up to him in worry, tried to help him keep his balance.
"What is happening, Mr. Jones?" All of a sudden, the entire energy from the busts was transferred to Tyler in one single flash. The energy burst caused the busts to fry and first Derpy collapsed and shortly after that, Tyler himself. That was when the memory ended and Tyler, Sage, AJ and the alicorns were left in the room.

Applejack corrected her Stetson, shaking her head in wild wonder.
"Oohhh boy! That sure was somethin'!"

Tyler, who had stood still up to this point, arched a brow and tried to make sense of it.
"So Sage... You mean to tell me that these busts unlocked my potential?"

"It appears so..." the holographic figure answered, "A revelation too powerful at this point for you. I don't know how or why, but I think we are part of some sort of time loop. We were part of this time window, so it is possible that someone placed the busts there in order to find them and complete the cycle. But only after the Elements of Harmony brought your mind closer to harmony with this potential of yours, Rage and I could be unleashed."

Contemplating in deep thought, Tyler hummed for a few seconds.
"Come to think of it... I wonder what would have happened if I didn't have both you and Rage... Maybe Nagohod would have been an early grave to at least some of us." His head shot up again. "No matter! Things happened the way they did and you tried to make me hard and unkind before I was in the Heart of Darkness. So that makes your story about being the tainted wise guy a bit thin..."

"Hey! Celestia was kidnapped and you were mad as hell." Sage countered, "Rage was triggered by that and I was just waking up, hearing that she was taken! I told you we three feel the same things. I wasn't tainted, I admit that. But I wasn't as balanced as I am now burdened with all that power clouding my mind."

Taking a step back each, Luna and Celestia looked at each other, shocked.
"Abarasion... Celestia!" the older alicorn nodded in confirmation, thought the same.

Tyler on the other hand looked at each mare present.
"If you ask me, I only get so much out of it. Before he died, the Doctor also mentioned the Abarasion spell and that the Daleks would see it as the ultimate prize. Seems like a very important spell if a time traveller looks all over the universe for it to keep it away from the bad guys. What does Abarasion actually means? Earth?"

"It actually means foundation in ancient alicorn tongue." Luna answered on the spot. "Another meaning is earth, ground. Something to build on. Or to build with. If it is like we fear, mother committed the greatest theft in recorded history. Ever."

"Come again? I can't follow you there. Theft?" Tyler stated with a frown.

"No single alicorn,..." Celestia continued, "...no matter how powerful has the magical prowess to create an entire universe all by him- or herself. Mother didn't create the universe, but seemingly started the process, resulting in all alicorns to turn into stars. But even that would be too much for one single alicorn. Not so much the transformation, but the transmission. These stars had to be send away trough the void over astronomous distances. For that she had to take magic from somewhere else. If I'm correct, mother took the magic to create this entire universe of ours... from Earth. Or maybe even from your entire universe."

Tyler's eyes widened in realization.
"That would BE the greatest theft ever. And it explains the human capacity for cutie marks to some extent. Our basic elements are reacting to the energy that is rightfully ours or something like that. Come to think of it, it never made sense until now. The magic of friendship was only one kind of magic. Then there are so many forms of magic in Equestria. Pegasi flying in spite of the laws of physics, earth ponies having a strong connection to the ground in several different ways, unicorns utilizing any sort of magic and still finding new ones... Heck, even Discord's chaos magic and Changeling magic are present."

"Royal seeds..."

Noticing her outspoken thought, Tyler looked over to her.
"Celestia? Does that ring a bell to you?"

Looking up again, Celestia shook her head in uncertainty.
"I don't know. I was very young myself when the Alicorn war raged. I don't know about each and every project back in these days... But the term 'royal seeds'... It sounds so familiar to me. I will need to look into my own memory a bit closer. That will take some time."

Tyler nodded, tired of the events of the day.
"You do that... In the meantime, I'm having a nap. Today was a day that felt like a week." And without further ado, he headed over to his chambers.

Author's Note

Not proofread yet, any notification about typos or mistakes are welcome.

Also, the new posting system is weird. I had to remove about 300 paragraphs by hand.

9 - Friends and Enemies in the highest places

The all too familiar, heavy mechanical noise of the TARDIS made the mare look up from her books, her eyes widening for a moment in recognition and deciphering the meaning of said noise. Turning around, she witnessed the TARDIS appearing in this time and space, what brought a smile upon her face. A happiness that was only brief, for she knew that if he was ever to come back to her to pay a visit, it would not be for a simple visit.

No, the Doctor was always doing things with a purpose in mind.

Turning around as she heard the door opening, Queen Faust smiled upon the visitor.
"Hello, Young One."

Upon seeing her, the Doctor bowed down. A sight Derpy saw for the first time. Usually, no matter the title or standing, the Doctor bowed to no one. This mare was somepony unique. Upon recognizing Derpy noticing his behavior, the Doctor harrumphed briefly.
"Brace yourself, Derpy... May I introduce? Her majesty, Queen Faust, mother to Princess Celestia and Luna. Creator of the known universe."

Derpy's eyes widened in realization.
"T-the the queen..." Without further hesitation, she bowed down to the mare in front of her.

As golden horseshoes stepped in front of her, Derpy could hear that melodious voice again.
"My, what a nice companion you got yourself this time... So well mannered."

She was helped up and looked into the queen's face. The aura Derpy felt was overwhelming, prompting her to be at a loss for words.
"I'm... Uhhh..."

But nothing but a smile formed on the queen's lips as she bend down and placed a gentle kiss on Derpy's head
"Don't be afraid, child... Traveling with him means seeing places and ponies of importance." Gently shoving aside Derpy's wild mane, the queen then noticed Derpy's cross-eyed glance, prompting her to embrace the gray mare gently. "And becoming a pony of importance. Your eye... A temporal violation took place. I am so sorry, my dear, that you had to learn to know him like that." The queen leaned in a bit and Derpy was feeling inspected in a way. That feeling got confirmed when the queen suddenly turned to the Doctor. "She's with foal! My dear Young One! Have you lied to me when we spoke about your kind?"

"No." The Doctor replied on the spot. "Someone caused this to happen. I'm looking into that one as well."

Looking back to Derpy, the queen's hoof gently caressed over the Pegasus' cheek.
"Don't you worry. If my prized pupil is onto it, the culprit will be found quickly." Trotting over to the balcony, the queen looked into the distance. "You risk much coming to me in this day and age, my old friend. The face may be a different one, but I still see the young stallion that got stranded here a few years back. Seeing you coming out of your new blue box must mean that you continued your travel just in time."

The Doctor now approached the queen with a stern look on his face.
"Yes... And currently I'm searching for answers. Answers to the most difficult questions. Riddle me this: How can somepony alter time and space to a degree that several fixed points in time dissapear? And all that without time and space to crumble in the process."

Entering the room once again, the queen frowned in thought.
"A difficult riddle, indeed. But have you looked at all possible ways to do this?"

"What do you mean?" The Doctor retorted.

"I mean that you are only thinking of changing, erasing or replacing one part of the timeline with another outcome."

"What...?"

"Remember your studies while you were in my halls, Young One. Surely you know that there isn't just creation, destruction and replacement. If you think about it, the answer will emerge to you. And this you can consider my only help in this regard."

The Doctor nodded, seemingly having the answer to this riddle of his being yet another riddle. Glancing back to the horizon, Derpy cocked her head in confusion.
"What's that fiery storm at the horizon?"

Coming to her side, the Doctor looked towards the horizon.
"Derpy... That's not a natural caused storm. What you are seeing there are the mere outskirts of the conflict known as the Alicorn War. The first, greatest and bloodiest war planet Equis has ever seen and will ever see for a long, long time."

"A war that will soon come to an end." The queen commented on that, her voice void of all emotion.

Both the Doctor and Derpy looked back to Queen Faust before the Doctor sighed.
"But not to the outcome you wanted to."

Closing her eyes, the queen fought against the tears. A struggle she got all too familiar with since the beginning of this dreaded war.
"Oh... You have no idea, Young One."

"I am starting to get one, but the picture is still too vague! No alicorn alone has the power to perform such a spell on his or her own! Not even you!"

Looking over to the Doctor, Queen Faust had a minor glimpse of pride in her eyes. He surely paid close attention while studying under her guidance.
"A proper assessment, my young student. Yes, I will take the magic from someplace else. A place having little need for it. For it only houses primitive eating machines the size of houses. But this is not the reason why I'm unhappy with this outcome."

"No? Then perhaps the time dilation between the other universe and ours meaning that on their end 65 million years will pass and 1 million here until both universes run in about the same speed? Or the massive detonation on their counterpart world? One does not punch transdimensional holes without leaving a mark, you know."

By now her voice became frail and Derpy wondered in silent horror what this queen could be planning to be so fearful about it herself.
"No! No, no... Doctor, you don't understand the extent of the crime I'm about to commit. I will end this war in the only way I can. I will banish all adult alicorns, creating stars with them."

Shrugging it off, the Doctor went on.
"I know. And this will spark so many populated worlds... You could never comprehend. You will bring the entire race of alicorns to the brink of extinction and extinct several species on the world you're punching a hole to in order to cast this spell."

"But what you don't comprehend is what I'm about to create along with this." the queen countered. "Not only an entire universe, but also something far worse!"

Now the Doctor was stumped. What could it been that he overlooked in this entire scheme?
"What do you mean?"

"I will create an opportunity with the Abarasion spell."

This prompted Derpy to frown in thought.
"Doctor? Why is that a bad thing?"

Looking over to his assistant, the Doctor made an elaborating hoof gesture.
"Derpy, an opportunity is a very powerful thing when it comes to time and space. Imagine an opportunity to get rid of all of my enemies at once. But creating such an opportunity would mean drastic measures." Looking back to his former teacher, the Doctor's face was very strict. "What opportunity did you create? Or will you create for that matter?"

Yet when the queen glanced over to the Doctor, he saw open fear in her eyes.
"An opportunity for a war morale destroyer. I will create the opportunity for an anti-alicorn fighter. He will stop the senseless fighting even if it means for him to battle future generations to come. He will make use of utmost brutality and force to strike down his enemies and demoralize them so they never dare to rise against him again." After a minor pause, she looked down and shook her head. "I created the very chance for the legendary Tilerions to come to be in the first place.

Arching both brows, the Doctor looked at her amazed. This was a whole new viewpoint on the entire thing. Then his eyes narrowed down and he nodded.
"It makes sense. You can only create, never destroy... So you created the ultimate morale destroyer, able to destroy with such precision, that fear would force its way alongside him. Of all the things you alicorns have done, of all the atrocities of the alicorn war... this is the most horrific. You will tear the fabrics of time and space between the universes wide open, causing the crossing to widen and siphon all magic from one universe to the other. And due to that, the evolution of life on planet Earth will skyrocket due to all that energy flowing through the planet." While the queen looked down in shame, Derpy came to her side and rested a hoof on her shoulder.

The Doctor however closed his eyes and shook his head as he spoke with a calm, strict voice. "There are no laws to punish this properly. Not even among time ponies or alicorns. What you are about to do will forever be condemned as the biggest and final sin of the alicorn war."The silent weeping of the queen caused Derpy to look up to the Doctor, who looked down to the two mares. His voice became warmer. "But also its biggest wonder. Anypony else I would urge to find another way, to think of any possible solution. You were a queen when it was made impossible to make the right choice. A situation I myself faced long ago. But unlike you, my unfortune to share the fate I crafted for others meant I could guard over the rest of the universe. Your final solution means the end for some, but the beginning for oh, so many more."

Hearing these words, the queen calmed down again and wiped the tears out of her eyes.
"Yes, our fates are alike, my friend. Thank you for these words of comfort. Yet my only hope is that our other project will come to fruition."

Frowning upon this, the Doctor briefly shook his head, no clue what she was referring to.
"Excuse me? Other project?"

Him having no clue prompted the queen to go into a low level panic mode, audible in her frantic voice.
"Young One? The seeds? Have you not seen the Seeds of Royalty sprout in the future?" Upon hearing this, the Doctor gasped and showed some interest as if he had been around these seeds at least once. This relaxed her a bit again.

Glancing between the queen and the Doctor, Derpy's eyes narrowed down.
"Seeds of Royalty? What are those?"

Turning over to her, the Doctor began to explain the situation for Derpy.
"The alicorns of old had started many wondrous projects, Derpy. Six seeds of royal trees, to be planted hidden around the world, ripening until found, unified and utilized." Glancing over to the queen, the Doctor arched a brow. "By Tilerions, I presume. Your created surpreme being, the ultimate warrior, created to keep future generations of alicorns in check after the war, once the world has recovered from it. That young lad isn't even aware of this potential. You bestowed the task of being a hero and failsafe upon him, despite of his kind being so very young, so very easily corrupted.

"So what about the trees, Doctor?" Derpy then asked.

"Oh! Yes, I digressed. Uh... The Tree of Harmony is one of these six trees. At least this one sprouted in the future. Yet I don't know where the other trees are."

With a nod, the queen continued to explain.
"Together they should produce what can only be described as the Light of Creation, a power able to bring life to the furthest reaches of the world... Or, in your time, the universe. But if the agents of darkness should destroy them or kill Tilerions before he reaches his full potential... This could mean the beginning of the reversal of the Abarasion Spell. Either in the short or long run."

"Then what...?" Derpy asked, not sure what the result could possibly be.

Closing her eyes, the queen's voice became hard and almost bitter
"Then light turns to dark, life to death. Forever. The Alicorns banished into stars will return to Equis, leaving the rest of the universe in utter darkness without the life giving warmth of the stars and the Alicorn War will ignite on Equis once again, ending all life on it. And what was given to this universe will be taken away again. So even we alicorns, should we survive this war one way or another, will perish as the magic will cease to be." Now looking over to the two of them, her voice took a commanding tone. "Doctor! It is of utmost importance that my daughters are told of this and use the powers of these trees for the sake of Equis!"

Replying with a nod, the Doctor gave a smirk.
"They have already started to do so. They have utilized the elements from the Tree of Harmony. I myself have aided them in finding the tree."

Leaning forward, the queen glared at the Doctor.
"In that case, somepony must tell them that there are more trees like that and how to properly use them. The power within them is vast and could be abused. Taking the elements out is not a good thing to do in the long run."

"I'll be right on it." Trotting over to his TARDIS, the Doctor looked back to the queen over his shoulder as he stopped at the doorsill of his blue box. "But first I'll need one last question answered..."

Blinking twice, the queen then cocked her head.
"Well, what is it?"

Leaning at the doorsill, the Doctor looked up to the ceiling
"These Rings of Regnancy... You got any idea what they are? I was tasked to find them by Lord Aranax. But I have no clue what or where they are."

"Aranax..." The queen looked down in thought. Aranax was the alicorn noble she had ordered to house the Doctor. "Could he be right?" Looking up again, the queen's face showed uncertainty. "Young One, there are those of us, like me, that believe that Tilerions, the anti-alicorn fighter will be someone to keep us in check, indifferent to us. Someone to be feared for breaking through the restraints of normal pony magic. However, Aranax and several others are believing in the theory that Tilerions will be a benevolent being, willing to enrich pony society and to protect it."

Derpy and the Doctor exchanged some glances, both smirking before addressing the queen once more.
"Well, you see..."

"It appears both theories are partially right." Seeing the queen's confusion, the Doctor continued. "You see, he battled two Alicorns of Darkness, but he showed romantic interest to several pony mares, among them your daughters."

The queen whirled around, her crimson mane waving in the motion and shot the Doctor a glare.
"Is that for certain?"

Yet while Derpy backed away a little, the Doctor showed no sign of intimidation.
"The last time I checked, your daughters were in a relationship with him and he was crowned a prince."

The queen sighed in frustration, closing her eyes.
"Girls, what are you doing? Aren't there any alicorn colts in this time that you'll have to undertake such drastic measures to repopulate?" Looking down to the Doctor again, Queen Faust then nodded, her face softening again. "In that case, you will have to look around this young man, Young One. In Aranax's theory the Rings of Regnancy will mark the deepest bond between Tilerions and his mare or mares. But only if the bond is the absolute strongest will such a ring appear. If the bond is broken, the ring will perish until the bond is renewed once more. The theory rumors of ten rings. Five for the mares and five for him."

The Doctor's eyes widened before he went backwards to the TARDIS.
"Thank you! That was most helpful!" The being they've met in Golden Milennia... He had the power of five alicorns. Meaning that there had to be five rings from five mares he was with.

"Farewell, Young One. May your path be easy once in a while..." The queen uttered while the Doctor made haste to his TARDIS. Upon standing in the door, he shot her a last wide grin while Derpy entered the TARDIS and they both were leaving. The light of dusk lit up the balcony as the TARDIS vanished from existence and the queen of the Alicorns of Light looked at the horizon with the uncertainty she had for several days now. To commit such a grave and irrevocable action like the Abarasion Spell. To banish all adult alicorns into stars. But the Doctor had given her hope merely by existing. If his people, the time ponies, came to be, then more people would be born out there in the void she would fill with her spell. She then shook her head in conflict with her doubts. These sacrifices would not be in vain. A thought that made it that much easier. 'It has to be done' It was then when the sound of clopping hooves reached the queen's ears. Little Celestia was still up and the young princess with her pink mane approached her mother,
"Mommy...?"

* * * * *

Back in the TARDIS, Derpy glanced over to the Doctor.
"Doctor, how do you know about the Seeds of Royalty?"

Ever watchful of the displays, levers and buttons of the command console, the Doctor shot Derpy a short glance.
"When I first landed on Equis in my travels, I stranded here. That was in the ancient days of alicorns. One of them, Lord Aranax, took me under his wing and taught me many things even a time pony could still learn. He gave me a new TARDIS as well. The understanding of the alicorns was divine in elder days. Like Gallopfrey, their fall was such a waste. Such a great civilization lost forever..."

Kicking the ground, Derpy was partially out in thought.
"If not for their fall, the universe would have not existed in the first place, Doctor. You would have never existed. And we would have never met." Looking up again, she realized that the Doctor wasn't paying attention to her. "Doctor!"

Yet the time pony seemed to be lost in his own thoughts as well.
"Not creation, not destruction, not replacement... I don't get it! What sort of answer does she expect me to emerrrr...." Suddenly it occured to him. "MERGE!!! To merge! Oh, brilliant! The timelines of Earth and Equis weren't exchanged with one another! They were merged!"

Narrowing her eyes, Derpy tried to follow, yet had difficulties doing so.
"What does that mean?"

By now the Doctor was growing excited.
"It means that the fixed points can also be on the other side of the crossing! One alien species evolved in Earth universe instead of ours and vice versa! Obviously not all events since most of history had been preserved, but it explains why some fixed points are out of reach: They are taking place in another universe-" He halted in a moment of shock. "Stranding all timeponies currently in them on the other side. In a universe they don't know. Mapping one galaxy alone takes time enough for a timepony regeneration... And we already learned how vast the other universe is." Looking down, the Doctor shook his head. "No... It's no use... By now they should be dead. The percentage levels are just too low."

All of a sudden, the TARDIS was shaking fiercely, making it hard to stand for the two of them. Taking flight, Derpy looked over to the Doctor.
"What's wrong? What is happening?"

While Derpy had no problems being in the air as a Pegasus, the Doctor struggled to keep on his hooves.
"Something's ripping her out of the time vortex. She doesn't like it one teensy bit! Hang on!"

All around them the sparks were flying and several parts of the TARDIS were set ablaze. The spectacle was enough for Derpy to make herself tiny even when in midair.
"Whatever this is, Doctor... I don't like it."

"I know what you mean, Derpy. There's one thing calling for me, another trying to get my attention... But pulling me out of the time vortex just like that is something only someone with very rude manners would do. Or no manners at all." Then, all of a sudden, there was a sudden stop to all the ruckus and the Doctor looked up from the command console. "She landed. Some place, some time... All sensors have been jammed. Whosoever or whatsoever is out there, it surely knows a thing or two about the TARDIS." Opening the door of the TARDIS, they both looked into pitch black darkness with only the floor partially illuminated by inner lights of the TARDIS. Then, all of a sudden, a path was illuminated by a series of small lamps at the sides of the path. Looking over to Derpy, the Doctor beamed widely. "Well then, this looks inviting."

Gulping down a heavy lump in her throat, Derpy didn't trust this all too much.
"Yes, but why all the manners all of a sudden?"

Looking determined at the path ahead, the Doctor nodded.
"Precisely. Don't walk astray, Derpy. Stay at my side." They went a few meters away from the TARDIS, when the ground gave in and the Doctor's precious box descended quickly into the ground. Whirling around, the stallion grumbled a bit frustrated. "All this effort to steal a TARDIS? And not having the decency to show yourself to brag about it? Now come on now! This time pony doesn't bite. Show yourself!"

"As you wish..." a female voice exclaimed in the darkness. And all of a sudden, the darkness made way to a throne room of cut stone. The hall seemed made entirely out of magic, at least the Doctor could see no signs of craftsmanship and even the sonic screwdriver couldn't find any residue of energy forms. That was until they spotted their host. There she sat down on a mere stone chair, almost looking like a humble throne. Eying the two newcomers, the black alicorn nodded over to them with a genuine, yet somehow cold smile.
"Come closer, you two. I won't bite either." Both the Doctor and Derpy glanced at one another, before they complied and approached this dark mare, who, upon their arrival, arched a brow. "Surprised to see me again so soon, Doctor?"

Eying the mare closely, the Doctor nodded. It was getting colder in the room, one could feel the chill creeping up the hooves.
"A little bit, yes... I kept my word, as promised."

"I know... You are a stallion of your word, you have my respect for that. Certainly a trait getting lost in the future..."

Leaning in to the Doctor, Derpy tried to whisper as silent as possible not to be heard by the mare, yet heard by him.
"Doctor, who is that?"

Harrumphing a bit, the Doctor nodded at their host as a sign of paying respect.
"Derpy? That is her majesty, the Queen of Change, Shiria."

Noticing his passive aggressive tone, Derpy knew that the time pony wasn't at the best terms with this queen. It wasn't fear for his life, nor was it anger. The Doctor wasn't intimidated that easily. It seemed more like some sort of an unwelcomed reunion. Looking again at the queen, she recognized the green eyes of hers. Derpy's eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed down as she went into fighting stance, both her eyes fixing on the queen. She had seen these eyes once before.
"You! You were the one who killed the Doctor's clone above Paretoka!"

Not showing any signs of alarm for Derpy's hostility, Shiria glanced over to the Doctor.
"You have quite a sharp assistant this time around, Doctor. She's far brighter than the last one... Yes, I killed the Doctor's double and forbid him to tell Tyler Jones."

This now stumped Derpy and her hostile behavior made way for confusion.
"But why?!? Why make him or anypony believe the Doctor would be dead?"

"So Tyler Jones wouldn't get the idea of counting on the Doctor's help." Shiria flatly replied.

Looking up to the Doctor, Derpy arched a brow.
"Does this make sense to you?"

Taking in a deep breath, the stallion cocked his head.
"Yes, I just can't see the justification."

Looking down the queen began to elaborate.
"Tyler Jones became the Prince of Willpower. That was the natural way of things since his arrival in this universe. Ponykind and humankind learned to coexist and prospered in Equestria. He became their protector and the Harmony Rangers, Wonderbolts as well as the Royal Guard became arms for him to stretch out and brought law and order to those who didn't have it. Then, centuries later, when harsher threats approached our world, his growth of strength couldn't cope with the pace they came and oh so many died because of that. So I changed the timeline with careful study and selective alterations. Some changes to expand his strength, some alterations for increasing his mental capabilities..."

The Doctor's eyes narrowed down.
"You mean altering him into Tilerions!"

Looking up to him, the queen nodded.
"Yes. Altered to become Ponykinds mightiest and most frightening warrior, but altered also to feel compassion for our subjects. You see: We didn't desire a mindless and expendable puppet we could throw at the enemy. We wanted to preserve his essence as a living being, able to love and differ between right and wrong and to be a loving father in times of peace. We wanted a king, not a weapon."

By now the Doctor's right eye began to twitch.
"You convinced him to see things your way..." Derpy gulped down nervous. The Doctor's voice became hard and unkind. Hearing all this angered him audibly. And if there was one rule in the universe, it was that no one, pony or otherwise, should ever dare to make the Doctor angry.

Yet a dark smirk came onto Shiria's face.
"Not just him..."

Another sharp breath was inhaled by the Doctor.
"Even the royal herd... So it's not enough that you altered him after his coronation and coming to power?"

Shiria's face sobered up and she made an explaining hoof gesture.
"That's his role in our universe."

Narrowing his eyes, the face of the Doctor grew grim.
"To be your accessory to murder against those who oppose harmony?"

A heavy sigh escaped Shiria and she nodded in confirmation.
"Yes... Whosoever opposes harmony must be penalized, including us. It is the only way we, the remaining alicorns can coexist with the rest of the universe. He is the one force to oppose us, to keep us in check. A neccessary evil since our numbers are growing again. Three fillies and one colt are the basis for a repopulation effort. And the colt already got somepony among the star ponies, pressing the issue further."

Derpy couldn't stand idly by saying nothing to all of this anymore. Stomping her hoof down, she shook her head.
"Did you not consider the morale cost of what you were doing? Tyler Jones was always nice to the ponies of Equestria! He's a good friend!"

"I'm quite sure he is..." Shiria retorted, "...but this goes beyond him being nice. He needs to be able to fight for those who rely on him."

"He saved you from the existence as a Changeling!" Derpy countered. Shiria now stood up with an angered glare on her face, yet the Pegasus stood her ground."I Just can't understand how you can talk about him with such indifference?"

"We all paid our price for the things we did, didn't we, Derpy Hooves?" Passing her, the pegasus mare could see that one wing of the queen had been crippled, denying her the ability to fly in battle. Derpy looked at the ground for a moment, realizing the meaning of these words. It was true, she had paid her price with the alteration of her eye by the grey stallions for helping the Doctor and in the process, became the Eye of Time and thus was a target now for those who wish to harm the Doctor. But how was this mare any better than her?

Whirling around, Derpy now gritted her teeth. "An injury? Is that all? I've been through more with the Doctor! What do you know about sacrifice?" Stopping in her motion, Shiria stood perfectly still and for a moment while her horn charged up, Derpy feared she would have crossed a line.

Shiria's horn charged up and in the very next moment, the dark scenery of the cave they were in before vanished and made way for a brightly lit throne room, bathed in an almost divine golden light. A bright figure stood in front of a throne, surrounded by the alicorn mares Celestia, Luna, Cadance and Twilight. Looking down to Shiria, this figure pointed a finger at her. Five precious looking rings rested on the fingers, including the thumb. Each of the mares had a ring resting at the base of her horn, each one different from the others, yet complementing her respective tiara.
"Shiria! By our own laws we are strictly forbidden to interfere with the progress of the mortal ponies. Especially within the frail fabrics of time! Yet in aiding Nova with her misguided plans, you have done so! Brazenly!"

Facing the others, Shiria pointed back at Tilerions.
"All I am guilty of, Tilerions, is not accepting the millions dead over the ages. Millions we could have saved! I utilized the princess, yes! But I did so to bring change for the better into the past, while you all were hiding behind the comfort of Golden Millenia!"

There came a certain uproar of hostile arguments among the queens before Tilerions himself rose from the throne.
"Silence!!!" Leaping down to Shiria, the bright figure took her throat into a tight grasp. "I've had enough of your transgressions, endangering all of our sacrifices and hard work along the ages. Too long I've watched you, doing nothing to stop you! Time to correct your attitude... Do not believe I have forgotten what was taken from the rest of this herd! Now things are becoming clear for me..." Upon uttering these words, a spear of pure light formed into the other hand of the bright figure. But before the spear came to a use, Shiria had kicked herself free and performed a somersault to get to some distance. Glares were exchanged within the herd.

Lowering her horn to combat height, Shiria showed clearly that she was willing to utilize it if need be.
"Even with all our might at your disposal you can not alter my stance on this, beloved! None of you can! I am Change itself! We were meant for more than this. To protect and guide those under our divine rule. As many of them as we possibly can! But if our foolish laws bind you to choose standstill and inaction over me, then I will no longer stand as one of your queens..."

Taking a step back in shock, Derpy gasped as the vision blurred for a moment.
"You chose... to deny them your strength and love... weakening him!"

One of the king's five rings dissolved around his finger and its particles returned to the alicorn mare.
"No! Our bond is breaking! What have you done?!?"

Trotting away from the herd, Shiria shook her head as she left, never to look back.
"What was long overdue, beloved..."

Once the vision had ended, the queen's teary eyes closed with her head shaking.
"Yes, I chose to oppose the king, my husband. Thus I left the royal herd and weakened the protector of the realm. Willingly. Possibly causing the downfall of Golden Millenia. Because change is the only constant I am willing to accept in this, our universe."

But the Doctor wasn't so easily persuaded.
"So you are forcing one man through cruelty and pain to forge him into something he should be earlier in your eyes?"

Shiria deeply sighed and approached a pool of water, her voice calm and peaceful
"Doctor, who are you to question one million years of peaceful rule...? I crafted these alterations so very carefully, researched and tried so many, many times to create this peace... Can you showcase a similar success?"

Stomping his hoof down, the Doctor shook his head, his voice now becoming louder.
"This is peace based on a perversion of every temporal law I know!"

In the next moment, the Doctor was in the tight grasp of her alicorn magic and pulled directly to her. Glaring into his face, she gritted her teeth, her voice suddenly cold as liquid nitrogen.
"And what is time travel?!? But your pathetic attempt to have a say in the worlds around you, Doctor! Your puny little attempt to flee from your own sordid past! Do you really think I don't know what you have done, Oncoming Storm? I have studied your path deeper than anyone else in the entire universe. All its cruelty... all its cowardice... The Royal Herd had access to your nightmares... Your dreams! You're a timepony stallion haunted by the two most terrifying words..." Looking deep into his eyes, Shiria then softened her voice, the words flowing out of her lips like sweet poison. "What... if...? What if Gallopfrey would have never been destroyed? What if you would have destroyed the Daleks in their wake on Skaro?"

Next another scene became visible in front of them. Not the marble halls of Canterlot or any other throne room. It was a garden. Green and bountiful. Approaching the scene, the Doctor heard something that made his two hearts almost skipped a beat or two. It was the laughter of children. Stepping closer, he saw Derpy surrounded by three of them. A filly, almost a young mare, a colt and another, younger filly. These were their children. Taking notice of him, the colt called over to him.
"Daddy! Daddy! Come play with us!" Looking over to Derpy, the Doctor saw her returning the glance. A glance full of joy and happiness. Not of worry, not of fear of any of the terrors they always faced. A feeling of satisfaction filled him as he saw that smile of hers.

Shiria's voice became audible in his mind, warm and motherly.
"A peaceful life with the mare you love, watching your foals grow up... A life full of happiness and joy for the both of you..." Now the illusion about them turned dark blue and finally dark red as countless of planets were depicted burning. Her voice was now as cold as liquid nitrogen. "But if you would... Oh, how the universe would suffer. Your happiness would make you deaf for the screams of agony on millions of worlds. Septillions who call out for you as your enemies devour them alive!"

When Derpy awoke from this illusion, tears had run down her cheeks. Tears of joy, now followed by hot tears of sheer hatred. Yet still, Shiria continued. "The both of you can never have what you crave for the most... for the price would be unbearable." Looking over to the Doctor, Derpy saw tears running down his cheeks as well, his teeth clenched together. She knew that face. He was furious.
"The unhappiness of the few for the sake of the universe... Doctor. Who, if not you can I expect to understand this?"

Shivering, the Doctor closed his eyes and took a deep breath in.
"This explains your motivation... but it doesn't justify the means. And you keep creating new problems..." By now he was pointing at Derpy.

"W-what?" Uncertain what the Doctor meant, the Pegasus shrank a little in fear. Was something not right with her?

Queen Shiria, however, waved the thought away as to feign knowing nothing about the accusations brought up against her.
"I did nothing... And I have no idea what you are talking about, Doctor."

Giving her a sneer, the Doctor briefly shook his head.
"Oh, yes you do have! Normally time ponies are barren! Normally there would be no way Derpy could have get pregnant from me, except someone altered me. Even a time pony has to sleep at some point. So someone... or somepony with the special talent for 'changing' things... had every opportunity to alter me without me noticing anything. And Derpy was still thinking that I was barren. Quite a scheme you've laid out there, your highness..."

Derpy's eyes widened and her heart skipped a beat as she glanced over to the queen.
"Is that true?"

Arching her brows, the queen smirked as if she wasn't expecting this outcome.
"Magnificent... I wasn't sure if she would go for it. But the fact that it worked made her that much more important."

Now stepping between Derpy and the queen, the Doctor's eyes narrowed down to a hostile degree.
"I wasn't mad at her. She was just giving in to her feelings. And normally this would have resulted in nothing. But the result is neither her fault nor mine... It is yours! You've done enough damage already... If you continue to mess with Derpy or our foal, you can believe that I myself will become a problem for Golden Millenia and your aspirations! You don't want that to happen..."

Eying the Doctor with caution, the queen then nodded.
"Alright... Alright! The mare is of no importance to me if meddling with her from now on turns you into an enemy. You're a greater asset as an ally than as an enemy." Nodding behind them, Shiria then charged her horn. "However, you two have overstayed your welcome. You've had your answers, Doctor... I suggest you take them and leave this time." The TARDIS was lifted up into sight again and its open doors lured the timetravelers back. "Leave this time and never come back. Forget about Tilerions. His timeline is too important, even for you."

Lowering her voice, Derpy briefly shook her head while glancing over to the Doctor.
"Doctor, we can't just let her bring so much misery to Tyler Jones."

Looking to the front at his TARDIS, he nodded.
"I know, Derpy..." Stopping at the doorsill to the TARDIS, the Doctor then halted. Turning his head around, he gave the queen a final glance. "What guarantee do I have that you won't bother us again?"

"I'm afraid that there is no guarantee I can give you, Doctor..." Coming closer, the queen stepped towards them. "You travel trough time and space, I alter time from a stationary point in time... Our methods may be different, but in the end we both want a brighter future..." Now standing in between the two of them, the queen gave them a genuine smile. A smile they both couldn't reply to wholeheartedly. "Even without time machines like your TARDIS we're all time travelers in a way, aren't we? The time machines bringing us back into the past are memories. And those bringing us into the future are dreams..."

The Doctor closed his eyes. She was way too powerful and even attempting to bring her down was bound to be fruitless. But if not able to bring her down, he should be able to stall her until the royal herd would come to their senses. A smirk formed on his lips.
"You forgot one thing..."

Arching a brow in wonder, Shiria cocked her head, puzzled what could have slipped her mind.
"Hm?"

Looking up, a fat grin was on the Doctor's face.
"What if?" And as on cue, Derpy and the Doctor gave the queen a forceful push into the TARDIS, causing her to roll over the ground. Slamming the door shut behind them, the Doctor galloped over to the control console. With a swift movement, the TARDIS was started and sped up through time and space.
"Did you really think that I as a time pony could allow you to do all that to this man? To change time to that degree?"

Stemming herself up, the queen growled in anger, facing the two time travelers.
"You little fools! These changes? It is absolutely NECCESSARY that they happen!!! Millions will be saved!!!" Lifting the Doctor up with her own hoof, Queen Shiria gritted her teeth. "And I won't let you undo this! I'd rather get rid of you!"

PAFF!

The first punch made Derpy gasp in shock. Her Doctor had hit a mare. An evil mare, but still a mare. That the situation was so dire and dangerous made the gray mare gulp in silence. And even the queen's eyes were wide in surprise. That changed, however, when the Doctor punched her a second time, bringing a dark smirk onto her face. No harm could ever be done to her by him, her being an alicorn.

Tossed by her through the TARDIS, the Doctor slid over the ground, Derpy coming to his aid, calling out for him in worry. But the stallion shoved her behind himself to shield her from the Alicorn of Darkness in front of them. Slowly approaching them as the TARDIS fell through the time vortex, Shiria's eyes and horn began to glow. The flickering lights of the control room flashed up every now and then as her horn charged up.

"I've swatted away so many obstacles to change the future for the better... The Cyberponies, the weeping Pegasi, the Daleks... For thousands of years I scared off the spacefaring species in order for Equis to develop undisturbed. I even left the royal herd, abandoning the man I love! Do you really think I would hesitate to swat you two aside if you dare to stand in my way?"

Raising his sonic screwdriver, the Doctor switched it to maximum just in time when her magic was shot at them, causing the small utility to screech loudly as the destructive magic now shot at them was converted into pressure, pressing both him and Derpy into one of the walls of the TARDIS.
"Since you know of our impact in time? Certainly!" His shivering hoof made the Doctor realize that they couldn't withstand this for much longer. The sonic screwdriver could never hope to pose a proper defense against an alicorn that was fighting seriously. But it was so much longer than it should normally be, her levels of power considered. She could easily utilize more magic, even in her wounded state. An amount of magic that would turn them into a bloody pulp on the TARDIS wall. "You're able to do much more! You could kill us on the spot! So why don't you do it?" But when he saw her grinning face, his jaw dropped and his eyes widened. "No... Derpy, she's stalling us!"

Throwing her head back in roaring laughter, the Qeen of Change shook her head, her victory already certain, the magic attack ceased now.
"Right you are, Doctor! The worst change is yet to occur! Ahh... and don't you get your hopes up you could stop that. I arranged it moments before you two arrived. And the resulting death and misery will change him into the king he needs to be. Decades before the natural chain of events. I saw the result, which settles it. The Rebirth is now unavoidable! Even for somepony like you, Doctor!"

Suddenly, a distressed beeping came from the command console, causing Derpy to shoot a glance at it. And what she saw alarmed her.
"Doctor! It says we're about to crash into a timelocked timeframe!"

Turning around, the Queen shot a glance at the console.
"WHAT?!?" Turning to the Doctor again, her horn supercharged this time, readying herself for the killing blow. "Why you little... What are you trying to pull-" But before she could recognize what was happening, the Doctor had pointed the sonic screwdriver towards the exit door and opened it via remote, causing Shiria, standing right next to it to be sucked out into the vacuum near the moon of Equis.

A second later, the door closed and the doctor let out a sigh of relief.
"You out of my TARDIS..."

Peeking up behind the Doctor's shoulder, Derpy looked to the door.
"Is she dead?"

Helping Derpy up, the Doctor inspected her for injuries. While he found none on the surface, he waved his sonic screwdriver over her belly to see if the foal was alright. Another sigh of relief escaped him when he saw that nothing worrying had occured.
"No... She's floating towards the moon of Equis. There, she will stand before the king to be trialed for her temporal crimes. Hopefully. Still, we lost a lot of time with her. We attempted to stall her, but in the end, it was the other way around. She planned and executed an assassination attempt! But on who I am not certain yet. But we will find out sooner or later."

Just as he attempted to return to the command console, Derpy glanced after him.
"Wait a second! I mean... She said she did this to save millions. Doctor... Maybe she had-"

Yet the timepony stallion shook his head.
"No! Derpy, don't be fooled!"

"But what if she really had the best-"

Now the Doctor's voice became very strict.
"Let me tell you a thing about 'best intentions', Derpy! The ugliest things in pony and human history were done in 'best intentions'..." Suddenly the Doctor became quite silent. "I ended the timewar with 'best intentions'. And what did it bring? The rest of the universe lived on, but 2.47 billion children were left to die on Gallopfrey. That's what my best intentions meant for all these colts and fillies. For the survival of the universe I had to commit genocide on two species. Maybe several quintillion lives of the rest of the universe beg to differ, but from what I know? I'm the sole survivor getting away with murder."

Derpy looked down, glum. The Doctor never liked talking about the time war. She knew he could be angry, outright furious. Some even dared to call the Doctor an agent of destruction, but she never believed in that. For somepony regretting all these terrible things to the extent the Doctor regrets them could never be evil to the core. She knew the Doctor remembered these days of peace and tranquil on his homeplanet Gallopfrey. Even a stallion torn by so much misery and adventure had to long for something.
"The things she showed us... That illusion... Doctor... Do you really feel that way?

"I... er..."

Now coming to his side, it was her turn to be strict with him. Tapping his chest with her hoof twice, she shot an angered glare up his face.
"It's too late to push me away in order to protect me from the monsters, Doctor. She may have altered you, but this means that this foal growing inside me is yours as well. So spill the beans, buster! You owe me at least that!"

Hanging his head in defeat, the Doctor then finally nodded.
"Truth is... What point was there to pursuit a relationship when no foal could result of it? I couldn't use you like that, you know that." Looking up to the ceiling, he hummed in thought. "Although I must say that this barren state always protected me from the consequences of this heat state. It's been a long time since I had one. I hope it's not endangering anything...

With a playful chuckle, Derpy then turned her back to him, a shy glance over the shoulder following a slight blush and a wink.
"Oh, you have somepony quite capable and eager to assist you with that problem, should it come across..."

Whirling around, the Doctor stammered for the right words.
"Derpy, I-"

But with a swift move she had lifted the tip of her hoof to his lips.
"No! Hush! Don't ruin it! It may not be a perfect or safe place to be pregnant at your side, but nothing makes my heart race even faster. Where would a timepony foal be safer than inside this TARDIS of yours? And you? You will fight even harder for a universe at peace with a child of your own on the line." The Doctor grumbled a bit, much to Derpy's delight. Couldn't argue against that.

* * * * *

Borderstation AEGIS Research Facility, Florida

The helicopter landed on the helipad and General Julius Livingston stepped outside. He was in a fowl mood, for he was tasked to run an errand. The extraction team that brought Agent Hopkins in from a crossing portal at the edge of Death Valley near Shoshone had brought the CIA agent back to civilization and his report and recovered data were transferred to AEGIS. Now, copies of said report files as well as some data sheets were transferred to the biggest member nations supporting AEGIS in order to stay on record. Great efforts were undertaken to ensure that this information was completely safe. It was deemed too valuable for email- or sattelite communication, nothing to intercept the information of this report, it was deemed too important to go out to the public in any shape or form.

That was that his plane was escorted by two fighter jets and his helicopter by two gunships. Livingston understood the justification for the need for all that. This time it wasn't just labcoat talk he was always tempted to roll his eyes at when someone tried to explain to him that dry crap no normal mortal could understand. Theories were already widespread inside the AEGIS organization and reached from wormholes to alternative dimensions, not to forget the string tunneling. Each theory with so much math a normal person would go dizzy after five minutes.

But this was different. It was the actual report from someone who went to the other side. A field report from another world. An exciting and at the same time frightening thing for him. Bronson was a general like him, yet from the United Kingdom. They both knew each other on a first name basis due to some joint operations and the occasional meeting on some conferences. After exchanging pleasantries, Bronson cut right to the chase.
"Were you already briefed on the report?"

"No, not yet. All details of the report are on a need to know basis." Livingston answered, "As far as I know, I am here to to collect these reports, study them after being shown other several important issues and bring them home so that the Commander-in-Chief can get the right picture. With this househould there is no room for wasted finances."

Bronson nodded and remembered some of the facts given in the report.
"I heard they got your man found out rather quickly.

Livingston nodded as well, but his facial expression darkened. It was unusual to have a cover blown so quickly.
"I was told the same thing, but this doesn't make sense. They find out about our agent and send him back to Earth? No accusations, no threats, no nothing?"

"Well, maybe they have their hands full with whatever happens over there, already. So they send him home, yes. After interrogation of course. Word is some parts of his report were altered, some notified as deleted. Your man stated that they found out about him due to... his dreams."

Livingston looked over to him again, doubt in his eyes.
"What?"

Yet Bronson shook his head with a smile.
"I kid you not, Julius. He claims that one of them has the ability to monitor dreams."

"If that is true, then this poses a new difficulty level to espionage as we know it."

"Yes, Makes you wish you could go against the soviets again instead of this." Both men chuckled and exchanged some nods before entering a room with two further men.

Livingston only knew one of them well. Meier, a general from Germany was talking to another general, who was from Russia. Livingston didn't know much about him, only his name. Stanislav Gerzenko. Upon stepping closer, Gerzenko took notice of them and nodded with a smirk.
"Ah, the colleagues from America and the United Kingdom. Quite extraordinary that we four are meeting here today. Don't you think?"

Livingston arched a brow, but remained calm.
"I am not here to discuss policies, Gerzenko. I'm only here to play errand boy."

"Of course," Gerzenko countered, a heavy georgic accent in his voice, "that's what I am here for as well. However, I dare to say that I find it most refreshing that our nations are actually preparing Earth's defenses side by side and not fighting over minor disputes.Especially considering the clashes our nations were having with one another in the past."

Meier nodded in agreement.
"It should have been like that all the time. The world used to be whole. Unfortunately, men like us were always on different sides of the board in this game we call warfare. It often divided us from one another. But with this alien threat, it's actually strange in a way to see mankind so united all of a sudden."

Bronson took a look around.
"We lacked a common enemy. Someone no single nation could stand up against. I hear you, it's quite odd to see the world as whole as it is today instead of divided into several nations. But men like us have always known that peace can only last until the next war. Now, this war may come from a place we can't simply drop some bombs onto."

Another voice now sounded off, causing the four men to look toward the two newcomers, a bald, old man and a middle aged woman in labcoats.
"Or maybe we'll forget the whole bomb thing and focus on other means to strike back."

Livingston harrumphed as he inspected the both of them.
"You must be our AEGIS contacts who will hand over the reports and showcase the data not mentioned yet in said report."

The old man grinned widely while holding out his hand, presenting the reports on a nearby table.
"Guilty as charged. The reports are right here. But first: I am Doctor Eduard van Stetten and this here is my American colleague, Doctor Andrea Borielli. She's in charge for the biology R&D department in our small facility here while I'm responsible for the engineering R&D department."

Hands were shaken and Bronson nodded over to Borielli.
"Doctor Borielli, Doctor van Stetten, my pleasure. Doctor Borielli, I've read your previous reports on the subjects and samples from these insectoid creatures. Most interesting read."

After shaking hands, Borielli took out her lighter to light herself a smoke.
"Sure thing, just do me a favor? Don't be these generic stiff-ass military guys around us. It might hurt your neck or brain with all the amazing stuff we deal around here."

"Doctor Borielli is always eager to get right into it," van Stetten intervened, "I sometimes have to slow her down a nodge for her own good."

Waving the thought away, Borielli blew a heavy load of smoke into van Stetten's face, prompting him to cough.
"Eh, Eduard... If I had a containment facility, I could research living subjects. Behavior patterns or the capacity for speech would bring us so much further that cutting these things open. I'm quite certain these gentlemen would prefer means for interrogations, resulting in way more information."

A chuckle was had among the men at her bluntness and Livingston nodded with a wide, genuine smile while grabbing his report from the table.
"Right to the point. I like that." now the other generals also took their report.

Taking note of him, Borielli shot him an indifferent glare and pointed her cigarette at him.
"Yeah, right... You're the one from America, you better watch it. What your secret agent dork brought over will knock you right out of your socks, general. That's how on point it is."

This was when van Stetten stepped in to shake his head.
"Andrea... Please!"

"Alright, alright... They'll see it for themselves." Approaching a big and heavy blast door, both scientists slided their keycards through the electric locks and two sets of lights changed from red to green with an audible cue. Upon entering the lab, Borielli spread out her arms. "Welcome to our humble little lab. Nothing compared to the laboratories in the core facilities back at headquarters, but surely a huge step forward from what I'm used to work with a few months ago. Grabbing a remote control, she switched on a computer monitor.

The monitor showed a live feed from the nearby microscope. Inside the fluid, several blood cells floated around. Yet they were not completely round, but had bumps making them a bit triangular. Every now and then, tiny lightning strikes were exchanged between the blood cells. Going through their reports, the generals each arched a brow and a low murmur went through the group.
"Well, the report says something about a blood sample from Tyler Jones. I'm no expert, but this isn't text book human blood. So before we all die stupid: What is this, Doctor?"

Doctor Borielli took another glimpse through the microscope, a wide grin forming on her face.
"It's... remarkable! If I wouldn't see it with my own eyes... This man has cells with three nuclei instead of one nucleus. Even his blood cells seem to be affected by this! He seemed to have developed this... this sort of evolutionary jump that goes through every cell of his body and can store vast amounts of energy in each cell. Like a benign superman-cancer."

Meier frowned at this as he understood the implication, but couldn't believe the extent of this.
"Nuclei... You mean cell core? Does this mean that each of his cells..."

"...carries three times the DNA as any other human, yes." Borielli answered.

Looking at each other, the generals shook their heads in disbelief.
"What kind of freak...?"

Doctor van Stetten shook his head while activating another screen with diagrams.
"Not a freak show, a very useful advantage. My team analyzed the data recovered from the CIA agent. If these data files are correct, it would rewrite what we know about biology or at least add several chapters. Seemingly that man, Jones, can defy the gravity of the planet the crossing leads to. And our thesis is that this ability stems from... guess what? This blood! According to the information gathered by your agent, General Livingston, this blood is also able to store enough of this 'magic' power to do all sorts of things, empowering him to store magic in his body for later use. So if the Equestrians find a way to preserve his blood for a prolonged time and utilize this in a machine of any kind, they will, even if they are behind us right now with technology by several decades, outrun us in the long term. Each of these unicorns is able to generate this 'magic' power. DARPA sure is interested in this field of research to power machinery. Their exoskeleton research would surely benefit from this."

Going to another screen, Doctor Borielli smirked while raising her left index finger.
"My team on the other hand is more interested in the genetic altering of these Rangers. We've got report files of one of them go faster than a fighter jet, one has superhuman strength and in case of Mr. Jones, we have enough power to engulf all of Manhattan in a magic force field or weapon of sorts. If we send troops to Equestria, chances are that some of them will return as super-soldiers, their capabilities enhanced in one way or another. Enhanced senses, speed, strength... In short: enhanced combat abilities. However, whatever process triggers this evolutionary jump is what we have yet to learn. Even with the tens of thousands of civilian reports of open wounds that close in an instant while coming in contact with these energies we had from Manhattan, we can only assume that even if it can be triggered here on Earth, the capabilities in the human body, whatever they can be, are maybe only active on their world. We lack too much data to safely confirm anything."

Livingston frowned in thought. Whatever it was that caused these wounds in the civilian population, it was contained as long as no further 'magic energy' was in the area and the preservation of magic power within human blood only meant some weak points to target. A blood tank or something similar. It sounded acceptable enough to prompt him to nod.
"So all this magic hocuspocus doesn't seem to last long on Earth if there are no dimensional rips to their world. The higher-ups will have to decide what would be most beneficial of these informations. Is there anything you agree on? "

Taking a clipboard to make a short notice, Borielli glanced onto it before looking to the generals again.
"Based on the facts that the contact with some form of energy from their world enriched these once human Rangers and helped them to step outside of natural human boundaries that would take millions, maybe even billions of years of evolution to overcome within seconds, we agreed to a not scientific term..."

She looked over to van Stetten and the old man nodded before facing the generals.
"Transcendants."

* * * * *

Washington DC, 9AM, the following day

Frowning while reading, the president worked his way through the report. At the end of it, his eyes had widened.
"Is this report authentic? I mean..."

"Yes, Mr. President. I am afraid that this is indeed the case. Agent Hopkins was sober and all drug tests have turned out negative. He didn't make this story up."

The old man's face darkened a bit. Magical wolves made out of wood, magic usage, beings able to move entire moons and stars, a human with superhuman magic capabilities... Paired with the knowledge that these 'alicorns' were capable of stopping nuclear weaponry, his list of options grew thin, especially now that the world had joined forces under the banner of AEGIS. However, he had a few final trump cards he could play.
"Alright, this is enough. Do it!"

"Sir? Do you think this is wise? The sea blockade around the imminent crossing area will be established in about a week. That was already our agreed part in the AEGIS project since the Bermuda Triangle is right in front of Florida. But sir, do you think no one might ask unpleasant questions if word comes out that we send soldiers over there?"

"I thought I had capable people making sure no word comes out?" The presidents advisor cocked his head and folded his arms. The sudden silence made it clear that he deemed the last sentence a low blow. " Sorry, Jim... I know you guys work hard out there. It's just the current and constant flak I'm under. Letting off some steam. We've agreed to partake in the AEGIS project, yes. But I want to know first hand what happens on the other side. We need to establish a foothold and some grade of communications. If more of these flying fortresses appear, we need to be ready for a swift strike. If they attempt to cross over, it would be best if there would be some sort of welcoming party on our end of the crossing standing ready. No one can blame us for attempting to establish communications. Even if it's temporarily only in one direction." Glancing over to Jim, the old man nodded at him. "Make preparations and gather some volunteers. I hereby give 'Operation Daedalus' green light."

* * * * *

The SUV was driving silently over the New York highway. On the backseats, two men were discussing things together. One of them, Neil Braxton, was wearing a business suit and a tie. Beside him, Barkster looked outside the window for a moment, when Braxton spoke up.
"Your appointment to AEGIS should be finalised within the week, Mr. 'Barkster'. I've already discussed the matter with the governor."

Barkster nodded silently. There was way too much effort to recruit one single man specifically for AEGIS. He knew he was there for only one reason: His past with Tyler Jones. He was a means to an end for these people and they only wanted him to get rid of one individual they deemed an even greater obstacle. For him, it was of no importance what their beef with Jones was. Only his own unfinished business with Tyler 'Magic' Jones mattered. If a chance for that meant being their lap dog for some time, it was just playing along.
"I take it he was agreeable?"

A smirk grew on Braxton's lips.
"He didn't really have a choice..."

"Isn't this year a re-election year for him?" Barkster asked.

An amused chuckle now escaped Braxton, causing Barkster to arch a brow.
"Oh yes, indeed. When I mentioned that we could support his campaign with our black project funds, he was so willing to arrange the wiping of your criminal records, it was almost pathetic."

While listening carefully, Barkster studied the reports made available to him already. AEGIS was growing fast, very fast. But it was without saying that such growth would not come without growing pain. Despite their growing numbers and finances, the incidents in Antarctica were stacking up with few weekly reinforcements.
"These reports stating that these creatures crossing over in Antarctica... Their appearances are speeding up to a degree that our current forces may not be able to contain them."

The smirk on Braxton's lips now became sadistic.
"Why contain them? Let them spill over to civilized areas with schools and churches, let the bodies pile up in the streets. In the end, the people will beg us to save them and throw any amount of money at us we require to battle the invaders."

Taking a glance at the reports, Barkster slowly shook his head.
"Hmmm... I would not underestimate 'Magic' there. If news spread over to their world, he will try to stop these things from crossing over. He has a habit to toss wrenches into well running clockworks."

Yet Braxton waved the thought away.
"A rogue hacker by himself is not a threat when contained in a world of talking ponies. The Americans have sent a group of spies over and the first reports were transferred to us already. Unconventional and highly unstable forms of government trying to run their world. Our research capabilities outshine theirs greatly. And their ethical inflexibility will result in us leaving them in the dust. Xenocell is already making progress on the samples of entity B001. We already have developed new concepts for alloys, medical eqipment, body armor... Developments hidden from the public in order to preserve international security."

Now Barkster was certain. This man, Braxton, was certainly underestimating Tyler Jones. A mistake he made only once in his life, costing him several years in prison.
"These developments of ours and their exotic 'magical' powers should be understood and utilized soon. I have no doubt that Jones is advancing their efforts to bolster their defenses as we speak. He knows how we think; is a very cunning and dangerous opponent. He will stand in our way."

Braxton looked up to Barkster and for a moment seemed to recontemplate the situation.
"I see. Thank you for this advice, Mr. 'Barkster'. In that case you will get your projects funded to the fullest degree. This new world is a big chance for us, but only if we are swift and decisive. There are still many obstacles in our way, but soon there will be order to this messy chaos again. A new age! Once Tyler Jones is captured, we can finally study his powers, learn to harness them for ourselves. Then, on this world, we will be crowned its kings. No, better than kings... Gods!"

Author's Note

Not proofread yet. Notify me if you see something. Thank you! :scootangel:

10 - When the student is ready...

Nagohod: The Fall of the Darkness Sisters

Heavy and fierce explosions along with destructive magic rays demolished the gigantic war citadel high up in the sky, until one intense red beam was shot from the fortress. The beam was shooting into the southeast, far beyond the horizon and shot into the sea near the continent of Aresios.

Down below, thousands of meters beneath sea-level, the beam struck a long dormant receptor. Vast sleeping, advanced machinery far beyond anything stirred and metallic caverns came to life. In the deep, beyond the sight of ever watchful Harmony Rangers or all seeing alicorn eyes, another terror began preparing itself for its ascend to the surface of a mostly unexpecting and undefended world as their injured mistresses recover in stasis.

Seeking victims for warped experiments, raiding the seas for valuable minerals and precious resources, this new threat soon begins to set its mechanic eyes above the waves. Finding prey in lone exploration ships in the southeast, this new force attacks. In this time, only a handful of few individuals can imagine the terror awaiting...

For they had experienced it once in a far and distant future.

* * * * *

Earth, Marine Corps Air Station,

Beaufort, South Carolina: Today

A certain commotion was going on in the barracks of the 12th rifle platoon. An operation was being started and the marines were told to be ready for briefing. In the briefing room more and more of them were sitting down early and started to speak with one another.
"Does anyone know what's going on?"

"So far we only know two things: Our operation is 'Operation Daedalus' and we are team 'Icarus'. Other than that, we know nothing solid."

"Which by itself sounds like a suicide mission to me but let's hear the old man out."

Captain Hiller, nicknamed the 'old man' by the marines entered the briefing hall and nodded at the marines, before he began the briefing. A map of Bermuda was depicted, showing the estimated area to trigger a 'crossing event'.
"Gentlemen, you are being send in by a Halo Jump. I realize not all of you had hands on experience. Frankly, none of us have ever faced a situation quite like this one before." Uncertain glances were exchanged between the marines before the 'old man' continued. "You will approach the target area in a Boeing C-17 and will make the jump alongside certain transponder cargo. I would not be asking any one of you to take this leap if I had not complete faith in your ability to succeed. Your courage will never be more needed than it is in this mission. Should you miss the crossing event area, the USS Nimitz will be in the area to answer to certain distress signals. However, due to the crossing risk, the Nimitz can't enter the immediate area, you will have to swim. Once on the other side, you are to secure the equipment, bring it to a safe AO and establish a communication post that will hopefully lead us to further clues where the crossing on the other side is located. During the operation, Lieutenant Pearce will be in command. If you-" He halted for a moment when he saw an arm being raised. "Yes?, What is it, Private?"

The marine looked around before he shook his head.
"Excuse me, sir. But what if there is no crossing home? Are we stuck in that case?"

Hiller looked over to Pearce and Pearce nodded. It was a good question, yet it was up to Hiller to classify it as a need to know information.
"We do know that the crew of the USS New Jersey was brought back safe and sound, even if the ship was lost. So even if the crossing on the other side should be out of reach or nonexistant, there will be at least a way home." That visibly calmed down the one or another face. "If you have to work with the indigenous lifeforms to establish contact with us, do so. There is only one word of advice we want to give to you: Don't get too close to the sun. That is all, folks. Everything else will be briefed to you on the plane. Dismissed!"

Back in the barracks, one of the marines shook his head while he started packing.
"What the flying fuck, man... They're sending an entire rifle platoon over there? I mean wasn't there this airbus that already flew over?What do they need us for?"

"Don't believe every shit from these conspiracy theory sites, Wilde."

Private Dwayne Wilde wrinkled his nose at the statement.
"Hey, I wouldn't mind if there would be other humans on the other side. Imagine being on a different planet, surrounded by multicolored, talking ponies! Ugh! I would go crazy with no human but me around!"

While most of the others shook their heads at Wilde, some simply ignored him. One of them looked over to another marine.
"Hey, Mispowsky! What does the Captain mean with that? 'Don't get too close to the sun.'"

Corporal Vitali Mispowsky looked up from the backpack he was packing while giving the question a thought.
"It's an analogy no doubt. Icarus was warned by his father Daedalus not to fly too close to the sun, when he got wings out of wax and feathers from his father. But he didn't listen and flew high up into the sky in his excitement. So the sun melted his wings and Icarus fell into the sea."

"So what's the sun in this case?"

"We'll probably find out once we're over there. Until then we have an objective to follow, people. So move it! Drake, I want these crates checked! Monroe! In thirteen hours our flight is taking off, make sure that the equipment is checked and safely secured! It might be possible that we're over there for quite some time and won't have any reinforcements. Last thing we need is our stuff breaking down over there."

Holding up a compass, Wilde spread his arms and shrugged in annoyance.
"Hey, Sarge... Do we really need to rely on these old things? I mean we have GPS-systems."

Seargent Prowe rolled his eyes in annoyance.
"Yeah we have GPS-systems... on Earth, you dumbass! But we'll be on another freaking planet! I highly doubt that they'll have satellites around their world as well. So get your shit together, Wilde!"

"Who knows? Maybe they have a magical spacestation or something."

"Stop talking bullshit and concentrate on your work!"

* * * * *

Equestria, the next day

Coming out of the Containment chamber, Tyler held Nova in his arms. But despite her immense power, there was no bright light burning everyone to ashes, but a mild shimmer from the small ring that rested upon her small horn. Looking over to Shining Armor, who stood inbetween the maintenance crew of the Containment hall, Tyler showed concern as he stepped outside.
"I don't know, Shining... That thing really works permanently? It won't shatter? I mean she has so much power in her young body... Once that ring is off she could level probably the entire mountain we're in."

A smirk crept on Shining's lips for a second before he became serious in both expression and tone.
"Just like her father once leveled a mountain. Relax... Cadance took precautions and assured me that Princess Celestia and Luna aided her with that ring for it to be temper-proof. Ancient alicorn secrets and all that, you know?" Little Nova was whimpering a bit, gaining Shining's attention at once. "Something not right with her?"

Looking down to Nova, Tyler gently rocked her back and forth in his arms.
"She's used to be bathed in light. This entire thing here is quite dark for her as of now. So many more colors than the brightest tones of her father's clothing and skin." Gently caressing her cheek, Tyler smiled down to his little girl. "But she feels safe and comfortable with Daddy..." A few minutes later they were inside his office in the HQ, where a little foal playground was established for Nova. As he saw her playing with some building blocks, Shining arched a brow and rose a shield onto the surfaces of the room., The walls, the window panels, the furniture, even Shining himself. Tyler frowned, not fully understanding before a giggle arose from the playground and a projectile in form of a cubic building block bounced off the shield several times while Nova was laughing. Once the block was resting on the desktop in front of Tyler, he arched a brow, surpressing a smile. "The precautions of a soon to be father yourself?"

Shining shrugged and rolled his eyes.
"Cadance came up with that idea. Just in case our foal is to inherit her alicorn powers fully or even partially, it would be best to come up with something to preserve the furniture. I first doubted her, but now after seeing Nova's potential, I see the reason behind it."

Looking over to his daughter, Tyler shook his head, closing his eyes.
"I tried my best to be the best father imaginable for Nova. And yet she comes from the future, telling me that we shared something sexual. I could never do something like that to her..."

Taking a seat, Shining frowned upon this.
"And you probably never will. At least willingly. We know you, Tyler. Nopony that knows you would ever deem you capable of being or getting into incest. I think what frightens you is the mere fact that this is actually possible.You thought you couldn't make mistakes. But the choices you'll make in the future could get yourself and everypony under your command killed." Tyler looked over to Shining, who replied the glance with a smile. "But I believe in you, Tyler. You got your wake-up-call. Now it is time for you to make the right choices." Coming over to Nova and Tyler, Shining Armor bumped into Tyler's hip. "What say you for a nice family meeting once Cadance and I have our little surprise ready? Nova could have a somepony to play with."

Lifting Nova up and levitating her around himself in a close orbit before she landed back into his arms, Tyler expressed a gentle smile to her.
"Would you like that, sweetie? Someone your age?"

A sudden female voice brought them out of their focus.
"Someone who's age?"

Turning around, they spotted Twilight entering the room, what prompted both siblings to exchange smiles and greet each other.
"Twily!"

"Shining Armor..." Exchanging hugs with her older brother, Twilight then looked up to him. "Someone who's age?"

While Twilight trotted over to Nova and Tyler, Shining shook his head with a distressed grimace, prompting Tyler to chuckle.
"The Cakes! Shining Armor advised me to take Nova to Ponyville and maybe make some friends with the children of the Cakes. Foals among themselves, you know?"

Gasping a bit in surprise, Twilight whirled around to her brother again.
"That's a great idea, Shining Armor! Now that Cadance's ring for her grants her the freedom to crawl around, I only have to make sure nopony can take off that ring."

Visibly relieved that the secret and surprise remained, Shining smirked.
"I... just have my moments now and then... But I wouldn't worry about this ring. Cadance told me that nopony but an alicorn or one of the highest grade unicorns like Starswhirl the Bearded could undo the security spells on that thing. Tyler and I were also talking about a little family vacation once things are going a bit more smoothly here in Equestria. And it would mean Nova could see a bit more of the world." Spotting the saddlebags on Twilight, Shining arched a brow. "What are you doing here?"

Turning over to Tyler, Twilight rolled her eyes. "Well, feeding my daughter? I can't let Tyler do it all the time. He's able to withstand her presence in the long run in her containment room, but has to vent out vast amounts of magic afterward. Me? As an alicorn, her presence doesn't affect me from the outside. That and I'm her mother. It's my duty to care for her. Before Tyler hogs her all over."

Handing over Nova, Tyler then raised his hands to calm his wife down a nodge.
"Oh, uh... I- I would never..."

Snickering as he was already on the defense, Twilight smirked up to him, before her smirk withered as other thoughts crossed her mind.
"And now, thanks to Cadance and the ring she had send us, Nova can be taken out into the public, even though it means a lot of danger if somepony wanted to take off that ring. Maybe a thief... Or a Diamond Dog! Or-"

Tyler rested a hand on Twilight's back and calmed her down.
"Easy there, honey! Don't overworry, you'll just stress out over nothing. You heard Shining: Cadance made sure Nova's ring is in the best security measures ever..." While Twilight visibly calmed down with a sigh, Tyler looked at Shining with an expression of confusion on his face. His lips formed the words "What the hell's a Diamond Dog?" yet didn't speak them out loudly.

* * * * *

Half an hour later, in Nova's containment chamber

A sigh of relief escaped Twilight. Relaxing in this lying position on the soft carpet, nurturing Nova, it felt like a second nature. Even though her daughter was shiningly bright and emanated a warm feeling on her alicorn coat, now that the ring around her little horn was taken off, Twilight was at peace now, breastfeeding her daughter. Nova was a very special foal and plans for her to fit in were already made. Looking at her using a vision protection spell, she could see her as if the chamber was illuminated normally. No amount of danger would deter her from loving Nova as best as she could, even with so many barriers inbetween them. The window to the outside was dark, yet even if she could see through, the cover she placed over the containment chamber would prevent outside glances to the inside. This was a moment between her and her daughter and she didn't want anypony to monitor her in this intimate maternal moment.

An hour later Nova was lying in her new crib with the ring back in place while Twilight and Tyler laid together in Tyler's bed in his quarters in the HQ, Twilight resting on her back, him lying beside her, caressing her belly with gentle rubs. However, as much as she enjoyed the moment, she saw that there was something on his mind. Looking into the eyes made him spill the beans rather quickly.
"Twilight... Since my fight in Nagohod I've blocked you girls out of my mind. Worried sick that Sage or Rage could do one of you harm. You girls reeled Sage in, that's one problem down. But after the incident recently... Twilight, honey... I can not go on like this." Both exchanged uncertain glances. "I see it in your eyes... The mystery of what will happen in the future between me and our daughter. Twilight, I will open myself to you again. We can't go on like this. I need to make certain that the thought of starting something with Nova never once crossed my mind."

"You mean like the connection you, Celestia and Luna had before Nagohod?" He nodded in confirmation and Twilight sighed. "I, too, see that as a good way to go. This incident really troubled all of us. And I of all ponies am unwilling to resent my foal for what she might do in the future."

Tyler closed his eyes and his hand stopped moving as his glance went directly to her eyes.
"You're not just our herd's Alpha, Twilight... You are my wife and my special girl. If I can't call you mine, I have no need for this crown."

"I know... Even before Nagohod in that penthouse I knew. It may have been Rage trying to take control, but right there I knew that I was going to have your child. Something you did only to AJ first, but to no alicorn mare before." The blush on her nose grew steadily. "I know that you have some kinks that you live out with Celestia and Luna, but you chose AJ and me first to be the mothers of your children. That means a lot to me."

"Well, Celestia is still too afraid to do or allow that to Luna. But Celestia wasn't in that penthouse..." he countered with a smirk. They then exchanged nods and Tyler lowered his forehead just as Twilight pointed her horn towards his forehead. The touch of her horn was gentle, but the sudden spark made Twilight gasp in surprise. A flood of emotions gushed over and through her while the world seemed to have been halted, she was surrounded by colorful pictures. His mind was so different from hers, required of being used to it. At first it was pure chaos as she was unfamiliar with the order of all these memories and emotions. But more and more the pictures became less blurry and chaotic and she could grasp an understanding of his mind in its entire quantity. His feelings for his friends and most importantly, his feelings for his wives and their daughters.

In an epiphany Twilight could see that he felt much regret for the recent incident and that he only felt the love of a father for Appleseed and Nova. Gently touching his cheek with her hoof, Twilight looked deep into his eyes.
"I see... so much pain inside your heart. Are you certain that you're OK?"

As he closed his eyes and took the hoof at his cheek into his grasp, Twilight could already feel his emotions. There was turmoil, yet her touch took so much from it. This new bond with him clearly was something else and needed further adjusting to it.
"No, I'm not OK, Twilight... But if I can count on you girls to have my back, I can slowly get better."

A smile came over her lips and she gently shook her head while ceasing the connection between them. It would take time to process all information, but she understood the majority of it.
"Of course you can count on us, Tyler... All of us! Oh! While we're at it, AJ was a bit grumpy as I mentioned you."

Grimacing a bit, Tyler looked to the side, avoiding direct eye contact now as he recalled the very reason for that.
"Well... You see..."

* * * * *

Sweet Apple Acres, the day before

Standing in front of an apple tree, Applejack shot an angered glare up to Tyler, who was sitting on one of the many branches, holding a polaroid picture in his hand.
"Now don't ya force mah hoof there, Sugar Cube! Come down this instant or Celestia be mah witness: Ah'll buckle ya out of that tree!"

Arching a brow, Tyler shook his head.
"Come on, sweetie. We both know you would never-"

A brief hard buck to the tree was all it took on which he sat to crack the branch and Tyler to fall down. Just above the ground he levitated himself, not to land hard, but Applejack turned around and pinned him against the tree.
"Hand it over, big boy!"

Taking off her Stetson, Tyler placed a long kiss on her muzzle.
"Never! It will always be with me..."

Trying to take it away, AJ reached for the picture, but Tyler held it just outside her reach.
"Tyler! Ah ain't joking!

"Neither am I... You never told me you could be hot in such a way. Not that the usual way would be any worse..." A hoof slamming onto the tree right next to his face was enough to wipe that smug grin of his away. "Oh, alright... So much for my hopes of having a little Applejewel back in my office."

While Applejack took the picture and hid it inside her Stetson, Tyler lied down on the ground below the tree.
"Ya'll have to visit me for the real Applejewel, big boy! Spendin' some time with yer family instead of working in that dark and eerie mountain. If Ah would allow ya to do this, then maybe ya'll try and look for a nice young tight mare sooner or later. Ya know... Ah guess we both know such a thing will happen one day, Sugar Cube... Yer lifespan is longer than that of a normal pony. Ya will outlive me anyway. Ah guess Ah can consider mahself lucky... Being the one farm mare to ever go into places that high... Woah Nelly... Ah bet Rarity would give a hoof for being in mah place."

Sitting upright, Tyler looked into her eyes and shook his head with a smirk.
"No one could replace you, AJ."

Replying with a smirk of her own, she bumped her flank into his body.
"Maybe... but one day one will succeed me. Hey! Do me a favor until then?"

"Sure thing. What do you want?"

"Plant some more Apples until that time comes, OK?"

Tyler contemplated about her request for a bit, then stood up and bowed down to meet her face to face, placing a kiss onto her nose.

"If that is your wish, I will grant it to you. This farm sure could need a few more of them."

"Good. But no more sleezy pictures! Ah don't want ya distracted by pictures."

A sly grin formed on his face as he took off her Stetson and placed it on his head.
"Oh... So that's the reason you don't want me to have it! You're afraid it could replace you in those lonely nights and once we see each other again, there is less for you."

Noticing him not only taking her Stetson but also the picture inside it infuriated AJ once again.
"Hand it back, Sugar Cube!"

"No... It will always remind me of the mother of my firstborn daughter in all her glory."

"Flattery ain't gonna help ya here, buster!"

* * * * *

Tyler smirked a bit as he remembered the scene.
"Let's just say we had a minor dispute and even if I did convince her to have something to think of her if she's not around, she didn't agree on what it was." Frowning a bit, he looked to the side. "I'll have to make up for it with a more proper token once opportunity presents itself."

Twilight arched a brow in wonder.
"Token? To think of her?" A knowing smirk came over her lips. "You got your hands on some sleezy pictures of her, didn't you?"

Evading her glance, Tyler tried to shrug it off.
I, well... Just to, you know... Remain faithful."

Twilight's smirk became a wide grin by now.
"You did a fine job so far remaining faithful. I don't think you'll need a picture like that when there are mares here in Equestria waiting for you. And should you build up some stress, we will relief you of it." Grabbing his face with her hooves, she looked into his eyes. "Which reminds me: Take longer vacations and grant your rangers a bit more as well! You rangers are down here all the time, the work underground must be exhausting for the mind."

He looked around in the room with artificial lighting and panorama window with view to an artificial outside world, prompting him to agree.
"You're right. I really miss these kind of things at times. Spending time with you girls. Sometimes I think spending all this time underground gets me into a paddy. But then I'll look into your big purple eyes and all the stress is gone."

Enjoying the belly rubs she was getting and his hand gently stroking over the coat of her chest, Twilight was halfway gone, purring in bliss. But it only needed one soft boop on her cute muzzle to made her look up to him again and returned to focus.
"Tyler, do you think that anywhere in Equestria two ponies are together right now like we two are?"

Smiling down to her, he nodded.
"I guess so. If not, what would be the point of defending Equestria so fiercely?" He leaned down to place a kiss on her lips, but mere inches before he reached her, the alarm went off and he stopped in motion, sighing in defeat. "I'll have to gmm-"

Pulling him in with her hooves, Twilight persisted on the kiss and looked up to him with a mild blush.
"Good luck with defending to the both of us." Vanishing with a teleportation spell, he expected Twilight to return to her quarters in Canterlot before making haste down to Ponyville to see if things were right there. Still, seeing her lying there at one moment and gone in the next was dissapointing.

* * * * *

A few minutes later, after returning Nova back to the containment chamber, he arrived dressed and ready at the headquarter control room.
"Alright, alright! Shut down that alarm already, we got the point!"

The door which closed behind him opened up a second later as the alarm went silent and another voice sounded off.
"Something amiss down here, Headranger?"

Upon hearing her voice, several heads turned towards her and while most of the present pony rangers bowed their heads to her, Rachel stood up from her terminal.
"Princess Celestia? What are you doing here?"

"There was an alarm going on," Celestia replied with a giggle, "...so I took the time to come by and actually have a 'personal inspection'. At least, that's what I told the nobles."

Coming over to Celestia, Tyler lowered his voice as he spoke to her.
"The nobles pestering you again, honey?"

Rolling her eyes Celestia gave the question a smirk of good will.
"You have no idea how tempting the thought of banishment to the moon can be at times, Tyler. This alarm comes with the right timing. I would have given anything to get out of the throne room today... Could I have some refreshments?"

"Certainly..." Giving brief commands to a unicorn mare, Tyler send her to her way to get Celestia something.

Not long after that, the mare returned with a slice of cake and some tea.
"Y-your slice of cake and a cup of tea, your highness..."

Glancing over to her, Celestia gently smiled at her.
"Thank you, Winter Leaf. That looks delicious."

Looking at the plain porcelain, Winter Leaf frowned a bit.
"S-sorry that we only had the plain set from the canteen, b-but if you want to, I could gallop up to the castle and get you a better one."

Shaking her head, Celestia's smile did not wither.
"No, it's alright. The tea and cake will taste the same on every dish. Thank you for your effort, Winter Leaf." Turning over to Tyler, Celestia watched the meanwhile routined Harmony Rangers doing their job in silence.

Tyler was approaching one of the many crystal pony terminals in the control room and leaned in to its crew.
"So what's the big deal here?"

"Sir, we were receiving a distress signal."

"It's running on our standard communication crystal frequencies, that's why we're already at it. Otherwise it might be overlooked until the monthly signal sweep would be in order the coming weekend."

Tyler nodded at this. Seemingly someone who got a communication crystal from the Crystal Empire was in a dire situation.
"Can we pinpoint the location of it?"

"Calling for assistance in triangulation from our outposts near Manehattan, Las Pegasus, Appleloosa and Cloudsdale." The crystal ponies calculated large quantities of data, making their bodies glitter ever so slightly. A world map of Equis was depicted on a larger screen, visualizing the locations of the outposts with emanating circles coming and growing from them. More and more the location pinpoint got closer until it hit one of the islands south of Equestria.

Tyler squinted his eyes, trying to see the name and pointed at the island.
"Magnify that section!"

The island was magnified and the the name of Neftus was written down below it. Rachel glanced over to Tyler and Celestia.
"Neftus Island? Have we been there lately?"

Shaking his head, Tyler smirked as he waved the thought away.
"No, but I got the data regarding that island from some prospectors. Since Masar and Griffins now have peaceful relations, I thought a joint project for them to live and work together would turn out beneficial for their efforts. There are Masar, Griffins and ponies working together. According to the prospect report handed to me, the island is without mountain, but the earth ponies and Pegasi should be able to make enough soil ready to work with. The island can sustain itself, but there is certainly no luxury nor abundance. Prince Griffith from the Griffin Empire also joined in as an ambassador, a gesture that was received well by both Masar and Griffins. Grinko would have gone as well, but then his relationship with Fluttershy would have suffered, so he stayed. If there is trouble on that island, I want to know what the freaking hell is going on out there." Coming down to Rachel's terminal, Tyler looked at the screen, patting one of the crystal ponies on the shoulder. "There's a spoken message from them, I see. Let's hear it."

After a brief nod, the crystal ponies began to concentrate and a voice became audible from the static. A voice that Tyler immediately identified as that of Prince Griffith.
"...a short time ago we willingly surrendered ourselves to the forces to the Planetary Army of Light. At this moment we are in protective custody. Their leader assures us that we will be treated with respect and dignity as long as you cooperate with her demands. I believe her sincerity. She requests that you send a ship as exchange for our release at once. Be assured that we are in good health and we would appreciate your immediate response."

Leaning over to Rachel, Tyler lowered his voice.
"At least we know that there are hostages, even when the hostages are not in acute danger. I think we shou-"

He was abruptly interrupted as another, female voice began to speak, this time not so calm, the tone more demanding.
"I deeply regret this desperate act, but these are desperate times! We have no desire to harm these innocents but do not put us to the test! I implore you! I implore you to respond immediately!"

A sudden clatter of porcelain made Tyler and the other rangers in the room look over to Celestia. The cup and plate had fallen to the ground, breaking in the process while Celestia stared at the speakers, aghast and terrified. Spilled cake and tea were of no importance to her now. This response was troubling, so Tyler came over to her and spoke with a low, almost inaudible voice.
"Celestia? You look like you've just heard about the death of a loved one."

Blinking twice, the alicorn took a bit to regain her otherwise unshakable composure.
"Perhaps I did, Tyler. Perhaps I just did..." Taking a napkin, she cleaned her mouth and headed for the exit. "Please excuse me."

While she left, every other Ranger exchanged glances with Tyler. Noticing this, he gave them a nod before he went after her. About the time they came to his office, he catched up with her.
"Celestia, what is it? Did you recognize this voice?"

Celestia's glances were dancing over the floor as if to make sense of this new revelation.
"I'm not absolutely certain." Entering his office, she sat down.

Leaning at the doorframe for a second, he then closed the door and sat down on a chair next to her.
"But it does sound familiar?"

Closing her eyes, Celestia gently shook her head as her ears dropped. It was obvious that the alicorn regretted whatever happened to a painful degree.
"There was a young student, exceptionally gifted, possessing a great intelligence... I once assumed that one day she would take her place among the greatest minds of Equestria." Looking up to Tyler, Celestia gave him a stern glance. "But she was a revolutionary."

Narrowing his eyes, Tyler tried to understand.
"How so?"

"The knowledge and experience she sought were forbidden by the laws Luna and I once established."

Hearing this stumped Tyler. Not much was forbidden by equestrian law that wasn't already a crime by common sense.
"Forbidden?!?"

"She was under the impression that the way to harmony lied in the depths of the mind and not in friendship."

"What...?"

A hologram of a brain appeared between them both and Celestia was looking down to it.
"She believed that mental conditioning and hardening could make others 'see the light'." Looking up to Tyler, Celestia once more shook her head in determination. "But Luna and I would never allow mental invasion or conditioning as tools for anything, neither for harmony nor punishment. When she in her misguided zeal overstepped the line and harmed others with her telepathy spell experiments, I had no other choice but to banish her, never to return."

Tyler's hand went through his hair as he closed his eyes and stood up.
"Yet another sad story... Equestria sure gets a habit for these kind of things." Celestia looked after him and attempted to say something, but Tyler beat her to it. "This is my project, Celestia! My first attempt to have a political impact. I was the one who brought it up to the others. Grinko persuaded his mother into agreeing to this and Prince Griffith was so convinced he actually became the Griffin ambassador on that island. I won't stay idly by while a good friend of mine is in danger. Whoever this student is, she's in for a spanking!"

Celestia glanced over to him, her eyes analyzing him as if she were calculating chances. Then, a smirk formed on her lips and her horn began to glow.
"In this case hold out your hands." As he did what she asked of him, she summoned a sword in midair and levitated it into his grasp. "This sword shall lead you to the one you seek."

Recognizing the sword, Tyler held it a bit higher.
"Hey! That's my old sword! I mean, it's the one I used to strike down the void dragon a few years ago." Gently inspecting it, Tyler turned it around a bit. "The spectral shimmer from the Elements of Harmony is still on it. But I see you've embedded a jewel on the blade." Looking up to her, he arched a brow. "Wait a second... Celestia, you would never hand me a sword to strike someone down with it! You're not for executions without trial or executions at all!"

Closing her eyes, Celestia began to smile. He truly began to learn quickly.
"No, I don't want you to strike anypony with it. I want you to pass it over to somepony with a very special destiny. One who couldn't find it under my guidance and who is on that island as well."

Lowering the sword, he arched a brow looking at her.
"Yet another pony? You think this pony is also on Neftus Island? Just like this former student?"

"Yes. And if all goes well, this pony might help you out a great deal."

"So you have some agent on that island as well. You magnificent little thing..." Looking over the map in the command center, Tyler hummed in thought. "Well... That makes three objectives. Finding this pony, securing the hostages and arrest this ringleader to crush the insurrection. Pretty vague." Shooting Celestia another glance, he arched a brow. "And you're sure you can't tell me anything more about this voice? Or what your agent is supposed to do with this sword or looks like? Anything to help me out?"

Her reply was accompanied with a brief shake of her head.
"Tyler, please... Ask no more questions! Until you meet these very ponies, I can say nothing but this: The fate of all of Equestria might depend on you finding what you seek.

He grumbled a bit while looking down, going into such a situation blind didn't come to his liking. But when he looked up to her again, he nodded with a smirk and gently took her chin into his grasp before placing a kiss onto her lips.
"Very well... You and your little secrets..."

Looking down now herself, she thought for a moment, but deemed it the right choice for now to let him go like that.
"Sorry for that. Will you go at once?"

Fetching some stuff together before making some notes, Tyler shook his head before standing up and accompanying her to the door.
"In thirteen hours. I'll have to make preparations and notify some ponies and people... and get some sleep first. Five hours of sleep are better than no sleep at all." Once outside his office, he looked over to her again while locking up his office door. "I will send a ranger over to inform you how many I'll take with me. That decision isn't made yet either. I don't know..."

Cocking her head, the Princess of the Sun arched a brow.
"You're not thinking of taking an army to Neftus Island, are you?"

Tyler shrugged to that question.
"Like I said: I don't know..." Gently booping her nose with his index finger, he looked deep into her eyes, he gave her a tired smile. "All I know is that I need some damn rest before I fall down like a cut tree." They said their good-byes and while Celestia returned to the surface, Tyler headed to his quarters.

Entering his room, Tyler lowered the lights to a degree when he could still see enough to move freely around, but it wouldn't keep him awake. He would decide how many Rangers to take with him after this more than needed rest. Thinking things through required some rest, for he was so tired that he could hardly concentrate right now. Undoing his belt and taking off his shoes, he then let his upper body fall backwards onto the bed. He would have to take off his other clothes, but the warm and soft bed sheets tempted him to simply close his eyes, before sleep took him before he knew it.

* * * * *

All of this changed, however, when a voice called out to him.
"The fabrics of chaos are calling to you, Prince of Willpower..."

"What the...?" When Tyler opened his eyes, he stood on a valley of dry grass and infertile, dried out land of mostly sand and rock. This was Discord's voice, the former Spirit of Chaos surely was messing with him. "That's not funny, you jerk!"

But despite Tyler's protests, Discord's voice continued.
"The mistakes of the past scar a distant island, which is besieged by famine and conflict." In the distance, Tyler could make out the sound of war drums and a uncertain thunder as of many feets or hooves running. Masar and their warcraft stormed down into the valley, filled the horizon as a few Griffins and pegasi flew high up into the sky. But what was their goal? What were they running at?

Turning around to the other edge of the valley,Tyler saw himself, Grinko and the other human Rangers walking up a large rock, just as Discord's voice spoke up again. "Champions of Harmony arise to challenge the threat to secure the safety of their loved ones." Just as Tyler saw the Headranger stretch out his arm, first up, then towards the enemy with the order to attack, thousands of Harmony Rangers consisting of Griffins, Masar, humans and ponies, rushed down the valley left and right of him, roaring while shots were fired at the enemy. Artillery strikes rose high into the sky, raining down fire magic onto the enemy army.
"As mortal armies rush blindly against each other, the true enemy arises to consume us all." The ground of the valley between the two armies shook violently before it cracked open and something massive ascended into the air. A flashing light consumed everything before Tyler was engulfed in darkness once again.

A crackling lightning strike, accompanied with thunder placed Tyler onto a slaughtered battlefield. But there was no time to admire the scenery as Discord hovered right in front of him in the midst of the raging thunderstorm while the heavy rain poured down onto them both. When he turned around, his facial expression was rather serious.
"You must withstand the temptation to throw everything at Neftus Island and rally your Rangers for the security of Equestria!"

Tyler was waking up with a gasp, beads of sweat on his forehead. After closing his eyes, his mind came to order more and more again. A brief glance was shot to the clock, revealing that he had slept for five hours. What a nightmare... And a hint that could only be sensed by yet another, Luna... Why she didn't interfere, he was not sure of, but he couldn't expect her to monitor his dreams specifically. Seemingly Discord sensed something in the imminent conflict on Neftus Island. A hidden force that would overwhelm the Harmony Rangers, if it would take them by surprise. And he expected the worst thing to happen. A concern Tyler could understand and thought about as he got changed for the mission ahead. That's when Sage stepped in and leaned against the frame of the mirror.
"So... Another player on Neftus Island besides ponies, Griffins and Masar?

"It seems that way, yes." Looking up to Sage, Tyler arched a brow. "Do you think that this is some sort of elaborate prank of Discord?"

Sage looked down in thought about it, then shook his head.
"Not exactly his style to prank like this. He seems genuinely concerned about it. And consider: He may love chaos and disharmony, but not to the degree that everything goes down the drain completely, which is exactly what he's afraid to happen on Neftus Island."

Tyler remained silent for a good minute, staring into the void, before he looked up to Sage again.
"If it is what I'm afraid it is, I'm not certain that we are ready, but we have made preparations for this day. Preparations the public doesn't know about."

"I know what you know." He took a deep breath before he continued, "God knows it must suffice until we find a solution to the problem IF it occurs. But until then, let's focus on the mission ahead. Any concern regarding this must remain our concern, not that of the individual ranger out there.

* * * * *

An hour later, the senior staff of the Harmony Rangers were assembled in the conference room again with Tyler announcing his decision.
"I've decided: I will only take a small team to Neftus Island. The rest of you will remain here and secure Equestria in my absence."

Slowly nodding, Rachel leaned back a bit
"Is there a particular reason to this decision?"

Sitting down, Tyler looked over to her.
"Marching in with a large army will announce us way earlier than we would like to. A smaller team will have the best chances to infiltrate the island while the rest of you can be of use here. And should things go south, I'd like Rachel and Flynn to remain present here in order to unleash our secret projects if we need one of it. Sam, Lyra and Grinko will come with me as well as a few hand picked pony Rangers." He didn't see any reason to trouble their minds with this dream of his.

"Makes sense... Infiltration is more like you anyway." Rachel countered. Both smirked at this light jab against him.

Arching a brow, Lyra leaned in, looking over to Tyler
"Is that the reason why there were work shifts overtime except on the weekends for the last months? It's obviously about something after Nagohod. I mean: Secret projects? Were we working on something for such an incident? Pony Rangers are beginning to bring up theories..."

Tyler exchanged glances with everyone, before he nodded.
"These shifts were the reason Sam was working overtime, yes. Lyra, don't give him a hard time over that. Once these projects are done, the both of you will have a longer and paid vacation to make up for it."

Leaning back again, Lyra folded her hooves.
"Alright, that sooths me again. Pinkie and I were preparing so many things, only to reschedule over and over again..."

"As for the reason why there are construction projects down in Dry Bay – 01..." Tyler continued, "...Let's just say that we're developing the one or another trump card. If things go south, we'll play them. That would be all folks." While everyone was leaving the room, Tyler waved at Sam. "Sam? On a word, please."

While Lyra waited outside, Sam then approached Tyler.
"What is it?"

Once everyone was out but them both, Tyler spoke with a low, almost inaudible voice.
"Sam, all I want to know is: If that thing is needed, will 'she' be ready?"

Sam sighed and seemed to calculate numbers and percentages inside his head.
"Well, we salvaged her, tore her apart, reshaped her, built and tested the new larger hover modules successfully, assembled the new chassis with the modules inside and made the first test runs. The armor plating alone used up the last steel reserves we had in the workshops..."

"And...?"

"Oh she can fly, Tyler. That's for certain. Even without me, the ponies will have the blueprints to follow. But we had to call 73% of all unicorn Rangers to reserve in order to lift that thing up and even then she only has a skeleton crew. If that thing enters the battlefield, it should be over fast before the unicorns have to descend it to either the ground or sea. However, due to her mass, I can clearly say that this is a one timer. She will not have a twin sister."

The answer was good enough for Tyler.
"Fair enough. It means a hefty dent in the defensive capabilities of the fleet of airships, though. Can you build more blood crystal engines like in your tank?"

Now Sam shook his head.
"No, we depleted our resources for now. And even with all the resources we needed, it would take time to build all that. It took three weeks to come up with the idea and development of the first, now it still requires about a week to build such an engine. Nothing they can put together in a matter of days."

Tyler huffed in frustration. If things would go south, all preparations seemed to be too little too late for a battle without any serious casualties.
"I guess it can't be helped, then. Just make sure that they'll have her ready."

When Tyler headed for the exit, Sam looked after him.
"You don't think about using that big thing for that island, are you?"

Closing his eyes, Tyler let out a sigh,
"No. But if anything, I want to make sure that if we Ranger's don't make it all out of it alive, Equestria does. It may be a bit premature for her to be revealed, but we didn't salvage and refit the damn thing just to let her collect dust now. If we need some more muscle, Flynn will be in command of it, being the only pilot. Rachel will help him out with the firepower. But that's only in the worst case scenario. I want some of us folks to stay behind and secure Equestria, should something bad happen. We'll have a higher chance of success with an undercover operation than a full fledge frontal assault. Keep in mind that there'll be hostages on the island."

Just as he was about to leave the room for good, Sam turned around again.
"Oh, before I forget: Princess Cadance wants to talk about our usage of blood crystal. She wants to have a word with you." Tyler looked back over his shoulder and Sam shrugged. "She seemed rather concerned about this and demands an explanation. What am I supposed to tell her?"

"Tell her that it's used for a mobile defense fortress that could one day serve to protect her country as well and that we are grateful for all her hard efforts and contributions. What's actually the truth." Yet just as he wanted to leave the conference room himself, Shiria approached him. Not expecting her at this time, he nonetheless shot her a smile. "Speaking of princesses..."

"Do you still need me, Tyler?" Sam now asked.

"No, but make sure you and Lyra are ready to go in the next few hours." While Sam left the both of them, Tyler then turned his attention to the young alicorn princess. "What can I do for you, Shiria?"

"I heard that you're leaving." She mentioned with a bit of worry in her voice.

Tyler sighed and crouched down to be face to face with her.
"I actually don't want to, but I have responsibilities to take. The ponies and Griffins that are in that situation are in it because of me. It is only good and proper that I clean up this mess."

"Why can't I come with you?"

"It simply is too dangerous." Tyler retorted, "I don't know what awaits us there. I can not fight with all my might if I have to worry about the ones I want to protect. Shiria, you still need to be brought up to speed with pony society. The Ranger HQ is your best chance to do so since every single kind of pony is represented here." Patting her shoulders, he knelt down in front of her. "Have patience. Your efforts were commendable so far and it would be highly unwise to throw the results into the trash can. Sometimes even waiting requires bravery."

Looking down in thought, she frowned displeased.
"But how can I ever apply the things I've learned if not going out sometimes?"

Seeing her dismay, he nodded and once the idea struck his mind, Tyler began to smirk.
"Good point. Ok, I think you deserve a chance. Once I'm back from this assignment, there will be a ball for you in the castle with the other princesses as well. Everyone will help you out if need be."

Looking up to him, her wide eyes showed a twinkle of anticipation paired with a wide smile.
"You promise?"

While his hand went through some movement over his heart, he bent over and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.
"Cross my heart and hope to die. Be a good girl in my absence and work together with Ranger Rachel."

She nuzzled him briefly, gave him an eager nod after looking up one last time before galloping down the corridor. That's when he heard a rough voice behind him speaking up. A voice he rarely heard down in the HQ.
"Tyler! I will accompany you as well."

Hearing the Masar behind him, Tyler couldn't but chuckle. News really spread out in this HQ. So it was of no surprise that the one Harmony Ranger, that was otherwise absent, came down from the surface in order to have a part in this assignment.
"That is correct. I want you to come with us." Turning over to Grinko, Tyler gave him a knowing nod and a smirk before approaching him. "Griffith is our mutual friend. It would be wrong to hold you back now. You deserve to fight for him as I do."

When Tyler stood in front of him, Grinko nodded in gratitude, at least Tyler took it for that. Living alongside this species of bipedal humanoid felines, Tyler thought to figure out a high value for honor and respect, even more so than humans valued these things usually. The strong paw of his friend now rested on his shoulder, while Grinko's eyes closed halfway.
"Thank you, Tyler."

This was, as far as Tyler knew, the closest thing to a Masar smile. Patting the strong paw on his shoulder, he closed his eyes and shook his head with a smile.
"Not for this. This situation is partially my fault, so I have to go. But having someone that could tell us how to deal with problematic Masar on that island might come in handy."

Giving a nod to the thought, Grinko stroke over his chin.
"I see... Then it will be my honor to aid you as a guide in your quest for preserving your own honor."

* * * * *

Manehattan harbor, four hours later

Going down the street to the harbor, the Harmony Rangers pulled some wagons of equipment down to the piers. While doing so, Grinko looked over to Tyler.
"I must say I can not understand how you all can endure to stay down there all this time. But I think it must steel your nerves. Whatever doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger, eh?"

"Close, Grinko. Whatever doesn't kill me, it better runs." Tyler replied with a smirk on his lips.

This prompted the Masar to laugh. It was a sound of laughing and growling at the same time that visibly unnerved some of the ponies. Yet since he was a Ranger as well and a personal friend of Prince Tyler, he was trusted enough to tolerate him.
"Ha! Well spoken! I for one am looking forward to go out into open waters again. So... This ship of ours... Which is it?" Pointing at a certain ship, Rachel, Flynn and Lyra recognized the name at once: Alisia. That's when certain smirks and chuckles were had, paired with fond memories of the friendly crew of batponies.

However, inside the captain's cabin, Captain Lily was arguing with her second in command, First Commander Will. At this point, the argument had become quite heated.
"But why shore leave? I sure as hay am capable of filling this role."

"I don't doubt your abilities to fulfill your duties as my first commander, Will. I'm just saying that if we're considering making trade runs from Equestria to Moranji, I don't want you to be on board for such trips."

"Why?!? I am as capable of fighting as anypony else of the crew if it has to be!"

Looking out the window, Lily shook her head, regaining some calm again.
"That is not the point!"

Behind her, Will's hoof slammed onto her desk.
"Oh, yes it is! It doesn't matter to a Masar if he eats me or one of the crew!"

Whirling around to face him, Captain Lily raised her voice in anger.
"Well, it matters to me!!!" All of a sudden, both were silenced and looked at each other with wide eyes. A few seconds later, she turned back to the window as if ashamed of her own words.

Blinking twice, Will finally understood and all hostile behavior melted from one second to the other,
“Oh, Liliana..."

Looking back to him, a blush had formed over her nose.
“Oh William..."

More and more both came closer to each other, one nickname at the time.
“Love doubloon!"

“Sugarfang!"

"Honey Pumpkin!"

"Plunderbatty!"

Taking her hoof into his, Will took a deep glance into her eyes.
“Marry me!

Her nose began blushing in an instant and Lily's eyes widened as she yelped her response.
“No!”

Dumbfounded, Will was not to give her up that easily though. His face grew determined and he leaned in with a frown.
“What? Why not?”

Turning her head away to evade his oh so enchanting emerald eyes, the blush over her nose intensified.
“We can't! Think of the crew!”

Rolling his eyes, he couldn't help but to chuckle.
“Lilly, I guess the girls would understand.”

Biting her bottom lip, her mind was in overdrive.
“But I... I wouldn't feel good being the only mare on board having a stud for my personal pleasure.” She was grasping for straws not to finally tie the knot. And it was all too obvious.

A sudden noise coming from the door made them both hear up. Female voices whispered on the other side of the door.
“Are they kissing yet?”

“Well, if you would be quiet, I could actually hear a thing!”

“Did she really call him Plunderbatty?”

“Aw, that's so cute!”

“You think she'll screw it up?”

“Well, she better not! I've bet two bits that she'll finally get him into her treasure chest.”

“Yeah, me too... Turning this ship into a love cruiser on a course to Fillyji would be like shore leave for months!

Lily's face was glowing in a fierce tone of red by now. But just as she wanted to scream at the door, Will took her cheeks into his hooves, grasped her face and pressed his lips onto hers. Moments passed in silence while her eyes were wide open in surprise. After a while her eyes closed halfway and she allowed herself to indulge a little. But after some time, her hoof was raised and a strong slap hit Will's face, prompting him to turn the head away from her.
“You are overstepping a boundary there, Will... Don't forget who's your Captain! As for your offer...” Trotting pass him, her tail gently rose and caressed over his chin. “I'll consider it.”

“L-Liliana!”

“That's Captain Liliana to you, William.” Taking a glance at her, he saw her grinning while gently biting her bottom lip.

"You tease..." he uttered, a smirk growing on his lips.

Taking the knob of the door into her grasp, she looked back to him while opening the door.
"Ahehe... Now, let's set these girls straight for attempting to slack oompf-!"

Bumping into something hard while turning towards the deck, Lily shook her head in confusion and carefully rubbed her muzzle while trying to identify the obstacle in her way. It was a pair of trousers, what opened her eyes in alarm. Said trousers were connected to some boots and looking up connected to a uniform, all going together with the face of Tyler, who smirked down to her.
"Captain Black Lily!"

"Prince Tyler Jones!" Her head immediately darted first to Will, then to her crew. "Why is he on board without my knowledge?"

While Will shrugged at the question, Tyler looked down to her.
“Captain, I need your ship for a personal transport.”

Trotting past him with closed eyes, her brow twitched slightly angered.
“Tsk! So what's the news?”

“Yes, I am aware that your ship gets chosen by me a lot. But that's your own fault.”

Turning around to face him, she almost snapped at Tyler.
“My own fault?”

“Sure!” Tyler retorted with spread arms,“With such a capable and reliable crew and the will for adventure and good payment, your ship makes quite a good choice.”

“And that always brings this crew and this ship into a lot of trouble!”

Crossing his arms, Tylershook his head.
“I don't know what you're talking about. Surely the payment for your last mission was more than generous! The Ranger equipment ensured the safety of your ship.”

“Yes. But only after we got out of that firestorm again. After that the charge was gone and with it the shield protection. Do you know what a ride through some Draconequus induced jelly, followed by some ice cream mountain can do to a ship? The repair costs for the dry dock maintenance of the Alisia consumed most of your payment!”

“Oh, don't be like that, Captain! Surely not all of your missions will bring you or your crew or ship into the heart of peril. Your next mission for example would be only a fast transport of passengers and Equipment to Neftus Island, bring us to shore in the middle of the night and await further orders. Nothing dangerous, nothing hazardous.”

“Except Neftus Island itself!” Lily spat out in anger. “Every sailor knows that the inhabitants want to get off that rock and they would even resort to piracy!”

Hearing this surprised Tyler.
“What?!?”

“Yeah... You seemingly were not informed about the rumors of the sailors, I guess. In the few recent months, shortly after the founding of that colony of yours, there were arguments between the inhabitants, resulting in segregation of ponies, Masar and Griffins. No mountain on the island means no natural territory for Griffins and the Masar reserved the coastline for their kind to have at least fish, leaving the rest of the island for ponies and Griffins with barely enough ground to find measly prey and abysmal farming land.”

“I was told that this island was green and would do well as such a colony. The report I got from these two stallions showed the most promising island down there.” Tyler replied in confusion

Lily's eye twitched in slight anger.
“And these two stallions... Did they came by the names of Flim and Flam?”

This left Tyler stumped.
“Well... Yes, how...? How do you know?”

Rolling her eyes in annoyance, Lily shook her head.
“You've been had, Prince Tyler. You fell for some con artists that told you what you wanted to hear in order to get a nice paycheck for that forged prospector report. These two guys tried to sell us ship cannons out of something they call aluminum. Made the cannons light, yes, but one shot and these things were trash. Will and I were wise enough to demand a test run.”

Hearing this, Tyler's eyes flickered red as Rage wanted to break out, but closing his eyes, he then inhaled and exhaled deeply once. Now leaning in to her, his eyes glowed fiercely red.
“Captain! With this new information it is imperative that I get to Neftus Island and tell these folks that they are to be evacuated. The price will be doubled now. My mission now is to crush the insurrection on the island, secure the ringleader and her followers and evacuate. You can either be paid handsomely by the princesses or you play it tough and I'm going to impound your ship to use it without you.”

Sighing in defeat, Lily glanced over to er first commander.
“And there go our plans for a trip to Moranji, Will... The prince got himself a crew...”

Hearing this calmed Tyler down again and he regained a calm smile.
“Thank you, Captain.”

But Lily wasn't hearing any of this. Flying up to Tyler with a brief jump, she flapped her wings in full span while tipping her hoof at Tyler's chest.

“Now listen up, buster! For your sake I hope that this handsome payment is as handsome as I think it is or this will be the last time you got us for hire!” Facing her crew, she harrumphed for a moment. “And don't think I forgot about you, slackers! Get their equipment on board! We are leaving in two hours!” The sudden harsh tone spooked the batpony mares up enough to get back into their duties.

However, just as the Alisia was over the horizon a few hours later, a thundering noise echoed from the Everfree Forest once again. Alarmed, Celestia left the throne room and stepped outside to the balcony. Over the Everfree, clouds had once more formed. But something was different. This time no plane came crashing down. Yet there was movement inside these clouds. Tiny objects fell from the sky, leaving trails of red smoke as they descended down. Losing no time, the Princess of the Sun summoned a looking glass to herself and took a closer look. These were humans falling from the sky. Realizing this, she gasped and lowered her looking glass in shock. Humans were not meant nor made for flight of their own. Without help, they would fall to their death.

Yet just as she wanted to raise her voice to call for help, these tiny objects came to a halt as parachutes opened, slowing their descent into the Everfree to a far safer speed to land. Blinking in awe, Celestia's mind was racing. But it didn't need long for her to come up with a plan. Maybe on the other side, Earth became aware of the problem of sending machines to Equis and tried to send people over that could survive the journey safe and sound. However, they would be utterly unprepared for the perils of the Everfree. Thus, the Royal Guard and a small squad of Harmony Rangers could be send on a brief rescue mission. Trotting inside, she then turned immediately to her secretary.

“Raven? Please make several preparations: First somepony has to wake up Luna. Be considerate to send somepony who can take her mood swings accordingly. Second: Send a guard to the Harmony Ranger Headquarters and request the service of at least two human Rangers and a squad of theirs. And last, but not least: Assemble two squads of the Royal Guard for a rescue operation in the Everfree Forest. I have the very distinct feeling that in the absence of Prince Tyler, these new humans will make life in Equestria even more turbulent.”

Author's Note

Not proofread yet, if you find grammar errors, report them to me. I will correct them then.

11 - Of Soldiers, Rangers and Monsters *

Equestria, several years ago...

A loud commotion went on in the Canterlot throne room, when the news of a unicorn stallion lying in the hospital in a catatonic state was brought to the princess. The alicorn’s furious voice boomed through the throne room.
“Do you realize what you did? What you did to this stallion? That poor soul is in mental care. NOW!!!”

“I was so close to perfect the spell! If your guards haven’t interfered, I would have succeeded!" Sunset countered, not showing any signs of fear for her mentor.

“You failed with one pony! You think you can succeed with the entire nation? I won’t let that happen!”

“I failed this time. The next time I won’t!”

“That’s pride and vanity talking, not friendship! You’ve forgotten everything I’ve taught you? About friendship not needing mind altering to begin with? This is not about harmony nor helping others.”

“My experiments could benefit the population in ridding them of vices like selfishness, hate and envy!”

“You really think I am not seeing the possible abuse in this? Others tried and failed before you in doing so! More powerful than you! More ambitious than you! If you would truly care about your fellow pony, you would listen to reason and see the history of failure in this! You are a vain, power hungry, cruel girl!”

"And you are an old hag and a fool!" Sunset snapped back at her.

What Sunset didn't expect, however, was the reaction Celestia now showed. Instead of continuing to argue with Sunset, she got very quiet all of a sudden, hurt even. This unprecedented event made Sunset worry to a larger degree than anything else that could have happened.
"Yes... I was a fool to think you were willing to listen to reason. To think that you would return to a healthy course of actions."

The Captain of the Royal Guard came to the princesses side.
"Your highness..."

"SILENCE!!!" Celestia snapped back at him, making him wince and take two steps back before she glanced back at Sunset, her glare now strict and unforgiving, her voice void of all her usual warmth and care. All what was left was strictness and disappointment. "Sunset Shimmer, student of mine... You have betrayed the explicit command of your princess to stop these dangerous arts. Through your arrogance and stupidity you have harmed the peaceful citizens of Equestria with your unstable experiments even though you were forbidden to continue them!" The princess’ left hoof slammed down to the ground with a thundering boom. Trotting over to her, Celestia’s magic slapped away Sunsets notes and scrolls and ripped her saddlebags apart, making her research books fall all over the place. For the very first time in all these years her mentor became physical. An unexpected fact that scared Sunset now. "You are unworthy of these friendship studies! You are unworthy of the title of being my student! YOU ARE UNWORTHY!!!" The student now looked up to her teacher in fear, backing away, tears in her eyes. Celestia's face showed anger and disappointment, but most of all pain and sadness. "...of the love, trust and faith bestowed upon you, which you so willingly tossed aside. My greatest student… How did I fail you…" Closing her eyes, Celestia turned away, trotted back to the throne, before turning around again, her horn glowing, her wings spread wide to posture as big as she could. But all that wasn’t able to mask the tears welling in Celestia’s eyes. "I will now do what I hoped never to be doing again. In the name of Friendship, Harmony and the peace loving ponies of my nation, I, Princess Celestia of Equestria, CAST YOU OUT!!!" And when the magic shot hit Sunset, she was forcefully teleported away from Equestria.

With a distressed yelp, Sunset woke up in her bed, sweating and panting. Coming to terms that was nothing more than a dream, she closed her eyes and her breath normalized again
“Unworthy… Yeah, right.”.

* * * * *

Neftus Island, in the morning hours.
Entering the bar of Patash, Sunset Shimmer levitated a glass and a bottle onto the worn counter and poured herself a drink into a glass. With a grumble, she emptied it with one go. Before her group took the city, this probably was a place of commotion and conflict, with drunken souls either attempting to drown their sorrows with alcohol or exchanging the one or another punch in a bloody beating. Now it was an empty and quiet place void of any commotion. The settlers, now no longer burdened with their sorrows, had no need to drown them with alcohol any longer. But the cool shadow and the ventilation were a welcomed change from the hot and dry air outside. Seconds after her drink was downed, Gorex entered the bar as well, a displeased look on his face. With a growl, the Masar approached her.
“You think this was wise? This distress signal may have been a mistake.What if they attempt to rescue the 'hostages'? What if they send armed forces?”

Rolling her eyes in a mixture of amusal and annoyance, Sunset shook her head while pouring in another drink and gulping it down.
“Please...We got these communication crystals from the equestrian colonists, did we not? They claim it was an invention from a ‘Crystal Empire’ brought to Equestria. So whosoever will hear that distress signal and our attached message, will come from Equestria or whatever place this Crystal Empire is. I sure do know of no such place as a Crystal Empire. And one thing I do know for sure: Princess Celestia is far too soft and timid as to risk the well-being of her subjects. She would never send armies to free them or representatives from other nations. And as far as I know, there is not a single decent infiltration unit in the Equestrian Royal Forces.” An amused chuckle erupted from her throat while she trotted behind some curtains to change her outfit. “Your worries are pointless, my dear Gorex…”

Yet it was a chuckle Gorex could not share so easily. Attempting to follow her, he then halted when he saw that she was undressing. Averting his eyes a few degrees, he then continued.
“Yes, maybe... But what about the other nations? You are aware that we have Griffins and Masar here as well? If the Griffin Empire of the Queendom of Moranji will find out, your guarantees are null and void!” Trotting back from the curtains towards the mirror, the mare smirked at her own reflection, what only infuriated him. “Sunset! Would you listen to me?!?”

An annoyed sigh escaped her throat while she rolled her eyes. Then, while correcting minor details of the black leather jacket she was wearing, she looked into the mirror to face his reflection. Her voice became slightly reverberant.
“Gorex... I understand your concerns. Really, I do. But after uniting these folks out there in the camp, a band of rogues who always refused to work together... Do you seriously think that I couldn't persuade others just as easy?”

Fighting against her spell, he growled a bit. She was showcasing her powers of dominating others to him although he was with her. He remembered how she utilized this reverberant voice to calm down and persuaded even the more strong willed among the colonists to see things her way. Within a few hours every colonist had been converted to her retinue, and she was deemed the leader of the group. In fact, leader of the entire island. All of this without any bloodshed. A feat one could have been proud of.
“Yes, you persuaded us. But as of right now I'm starting to have my doubts about you. I let it slide because I know that the only thing that will bring us away from here is sticking together. If that includes ignoring your means of persuasion, I can do that. Yet against someone not from this island? I’m concerned you won’t have it similarly easy as you had it with persuading us. Because you'll first have to trick them into coming close enough and fall into the range of your spells. Your spell worked fine on the rest of us. But the people here only want to leave here, we're desperate! How good will you fare against someone not so desperate? Someone your equal?”

Arching a brow, Sunset looked at his reflection in the mirror. An equal. If it came to mind magic, she was the only one making an effort in this field, since it was straight outlawed in all of Equestria and all these mindless puppets of Celestia would not, unlike her, do anything that could break the law decreed by the Princess of the Sun. Thus a chuckle arose from her throat. The very idea was ridiculous.
“If there is someone being my equal, I have yet to meet such a wonderboy. Or, well… girl. And from my experience in Equestria before my banishment a couple of years ago, there is no such thing there. I've perfected these spells. And what do you know? Once united under me, we are finally within reach of getting off this rock! Taking down the burdens of the poor souls outside is simply a bonus.”

Baring both his fangs and claws, Gorex now growled highly aggressive, readying himself for his impending attack.
“You dirty little-”

Turning around on the spot, her horn lit up and the command was uttered in a harsh and loud voice. Her voice, only mildly reverberant before, was now an almost distorted voice, each syllable repeated a dozen times.
“Stop right there!” In an instant, his legs obeyed her as the command echoed in his mind. 'Stop... right... there...' Gorex growled in rebellion, his fangs gritted in wild rage, and yet, his own muscles only shook as he tried to move them. Trotting over ever so nonchalantly, she shook her head. “You want to leave this island as well as I do, don't you, Gorex?” Kicking his leg from behind, she caused him to fall to his knees and looked him into the eyes face to face. “I took mental burden and pain from you, helped you out in your darkest hours and am organizing our way off this island... And this is how you repay me? I took you for a more honorable Masar...”

His growl now grew in volume as he yelled at her.
“I won't let you play with our lives so frivolously!”

Hearing this caused her to look at him in surprise, then a mischievous giggle escaped her throat.
“Playing? My dear Gorex, be assured: You guys here are not pawns for me, simply a last test run. No, the true game starts once I reach the mainland. The guys that come after this ordeal on this island, THOSE will be pawns.”

Looking at her in defiance, his growl didn’t lose any volume.
“What in the name of all prey are you plotting, Sunset Shimmer?”

Correcting her leather jacket, Sunset couldn’t but chuckle into the mirror.
“My mentor once told me that the only way she and her now banished sister would ever step down would be, if the ponies of Equestria demanded it with all their heart. If the wish for that would be so strong that they would have no choice but to give in.”

Now his rage made way for first surprise, then astonishment. His eyes grew as he shook his head.
“You want to overthrow the Royal Sisters by starting an insurrection... Are you out of your little pony mind?!?”

Looking into the mirror, she looked back to him over her shoulder.
“On the contrary. I am quite sure I can pull it off. Besides: Who in Tartarus could stop me?”

* * * * *

One hour later, in Equestria, Canterlot, the doors to the throne room swung open and Queen Sheeris approached the throne, where Princess Celestia sat and signed several papers, her royal secretary Raven at her side. One of the royal guards raised his voice.
“Her royal highness, Queen Sheeris!”

Looking up, Celestia’s quill rested down as she stood up with a welcoming smile on her face.
“Queen Sheeris! What a pleasant surprise to see you these days.” Coming over to greet her, both exchanged a hug before Celestia shook her head. “I must beg your pardon: I wasn't expecting you, so there is no prepared meal this time around.”

Waving the thought away, the Masar Queen shook her head with a smile.
“That is of no concern, Princess Celestia…I didn’t notify you of my visit after all.” Now her smile withered away and her face became more serious. “I come here today with a warning.”

Cocking her head slightly to the side, Celestia’s smile withered away as well. This wasn’t uttered in a threatening manner, yet her interest was piqued and she wanted to take every outside threat seriously.
“A warning? And what do you want me to warn about, Queen Sheeris? Wouldn’t a messenger or a diplomat suffice for this?”

The queen’s left brow twitched up and a rather annoyed expression came over her face.
“The matter is a bit more peculiar… Too peculiar for a messenger or diplomat.” Looking around, she eyed the guards with suspicion. “Are they reliable?”

Princess Celestia nodded in confirmation.
“The guards know better than to gossip about state affairs. They were told what I would do to them, in person, if they would dare to do so.”

Seeing the one or another guardspony wince at these remarks, the queen nodded in satisfaction.
“I’ll take your word onto it.” Looking back at Celestia, Queen Sheeris then gave it a knowing smirk. “It was brought to my attention that our joint project was attacked by a group of rogues that are currently running an incursion on Neftus Island.”

Celestia let out a longer sigh, but nodded in the end.
“This is correct. Prince Tyler and your son are already on their way to see things through.”

“And that the island was a poor choice to begin with...” Both the queen and Celestia exchanged glances and Sheeris' glance got a bit cold. “It is good that your husband is already on his way to correct the poor choices he made. It saves me the time to kick his behind into motion. He made a mistake and goes to right it at once. This honours him. I won't deny him that. He's a good influence on Grinko. But due to these new circumstances, I as well had decided to send someone to look into these things. However, things took a turn for the worse when the current leader of the Tartaric Raiders decided to heed my call.”

Celestia arched a brow in wonder while trotting back to the throne.
“This leader... Who is he?”

“Lord Commander Thrakkath... Thrakkath, the Bloodthirsty.” Upon hearing that name, Celestia showed the queen a concerned glance, which was replied by the queen with a nod. “Yes, exactly the kind of volunteer that's not known for his diplomatic attempts. Even among us Masar, he’s deemed extreme. His ship will no doubt bombard the island if the incursion is not done by then. Don't get me wrong: In times of war the Tartaric Raiders are the clan first on the battlefield, feared by our enemies, revered by my Masar clans for their thirst for blood and their utmost brutality. But now? In times of peace? They are the biggest threat to all efforts that do not include violence.”

Sitting down on the throne, Princess Celestia closed her eyes; partially in worry, partially in understanding. The situation was getting worse as it already was.
“I see... Well, I think the Harmony Rangers are a bit wary right now with my husband being the Head Ranger gone to this expedition. I think something’s being prepared behind the scenes as some sort of emergency contingency plan. Even if we would request to establish a communication link, it would need some time. We can’t know if he is currently sneaking through enemy lines.”

Giving this explanation a nod, Queen Sheeris looked to the ground.
“Understandable... What a shame. I was made aware that Lord Commander Thrakkath has some personal beef with him. I would have liked to give Prince Tyler a fair warning just in case...” Right in this moment, the queen looked up to Celestia, noticing something. “You look tired, princess. Is something the matter?”

“Oh, don’t be alarmed… Just a… a minor internal incident. Nothing to worry about.”

Cocking her head slightly to the side, Sheeris began to grin.
“And yet, this minor incident was important enough to rob you of some valuable sleep.”

Giving a sigh, Celestia shook her head.
“It must truly drain me if I can’t mask my worries, doesn’t it? A dangerous prisoner escaped and although I have sent out individuals to deal with the situation, I am still worried for the safety of my subjects.” Looking up, she glanced directly into the eyes of the queen. These golden-brown eyes of hers were slightly opening. That’s when Celestia’s face grew harder. “Do not attempt to glance at me with the full might of your stare, your highness! The sight might blind you.”

Surprised, Queen Sheeris, took a step backwards, only to look down again and closing her eyes completely for a moment.
“Still on your guard, I see. You caught me red-handed. You have my apologies for that attempt. However, if this incident troubles you so, then I shall not remain any longer in this realm of yours. If I were to come to harm in Equestria, surely my clans would deem this as an act of war and act accordingly. Mahaji Ghandu, Princess Celestia.”

Both then bowed to each other in a gesture of mutual respect and friendship.
“A good journey to you as well, Queen Sheeris.”

On their way out to the street, one of the queen’s advisors stepped closer to her.
“What are we to think of this, my queen?”

While continuing to walk, Sheeris looked straight forward while talking to her advisor.
“Until this ‘prison-incident’ of hers is isolated and resolved, we will check every strange naval movements coming from Equestria. I don’t like that it troubles her so much, whatever it is… Yet the fact that she still has her guard up shows me that she still has the strength and will to deal with it accordingly. Maybe things will solve themselves...” ’And I hope Thrakkath doesn’t mess things up too badly.’

* * * * *

Meanwhile, somewhere in the open sea

A lone black ship was sailing the seas, passing the south-west coast of Equestria. With its dual-bodied hull in the water, connected over a large bridge at the stern of the ship, one would have normally classified this ship as a trimaran. However, due to the sheer size of this ship, the five large artillery cannons pointing forward, the rows of cannons to the sides as well as the 32 rudders in constant motion, this ship seemed more of a mixture of galleon, galley and trimaran. It was the Blood Claw, one of the prototype ships the Masar navy had developed after the encounter with Nagohod to make up for their losses in battle. On its bridge, a Masar officer approached another Masar of pitch black fur, four scars were carved into the focused face looking down on a map.
“Lord Commander Thrakkath, the raiders are at a good pace and have great amounts of stamina. If there won’t be any interference, we will arrive at Neftus Island in about two days.”

Slamming his mighty paw onto the map, the black coated Masar drove out his claws and clawed right into the wooden table beneath it.
“Here! Exactly here we will take position at Neftus Island and send in a scout in order to clarify the situation. If the situation can't be resolved with a clear extraction, we will not dishonor our brethren with a fate as captives.”

His advisor, a Masar raider of dark brown fur, named Nefrath, looked at the map, growling in anticipation as his yellow eyes darted over the details. His hand gently stroke the fur on his own chin as he studied the details
“Our artillery will make short work out of this incursion.” His eyes now peeked up to Thrakkath. “But word has it that the Equestrian human prince arranged this project. He will no doubt attempt to resolve the situation before we do. If our informants are correct, he will arrive one day before we do.”

Hearing this, Thrakkath's claws carved through the map on the table, ripping it apart, while an unsatisfied growl erupted from his throat.
“That one prey that got away... The one ship we had to let escape for another ship of ponies was between us as this fog bank cleared. It seems I'll get another chance to meet whosoever escaped me in such an elusive way.”

Nefrath hummed in thought.
“Do you think this is wise? Prince Tyler saved Prince Grinko in the Brakal Desert days after he escaped us. The Queen was very grateful. He is not mere prey.”

“So these 'humans' can be honorable predators as we are as well.” Baring his teeth, Thrakkath chuckled. “Good. Quite good! Hunting down a predator like that to determine who is the apex predator...” Taking in a deep breath, he exhaled with closed eyes. “The threat only sweetens the anticipation.”

“That’s not the only problem, Lord Commander. Both princes have bond in friendship. If Prince Grinko is on Neftus Island as well, our artillery will be forbidden to fire on the island. If the queen is to learn that we fired on the position of her son, we are in dire need of explanation.”

Now another officer overheard the two and leaned in.
“Neftus Island? Weren’t there reports of long range fisherman ships gone missing in these waters?”

Looking down on the torn map, Thrakkath shook his head, raising his voice.
“Seemingly these waters hold predators of their own… Keep your eyes and ears open and watchful! If you spot something out to attack the ship, we will be ready to face it!” Thrakkath lowered his voice, murmuring to himself. “No mere sea-serpent will stop me from this second chance. I’ll blow it right out of the water, if need be…”

* * * * *

At the same time in Equestria, the Everfree Forest
A couple of parachutes were cut loose from the soldiers, causing them to drop down the last few feet to the forest floor. With readied weapons, they scouted the immediate area and made themselves aware of each other. Slowly, but surely, the soldiers regrouped and gathered around Lieutenant Pearce, who at one point raised his voice.
“Alright, Marines! Sound off!!!” A group of 15 marines each replied with a brief “Here!”. Pearce nodded and took a look on a vague map of the valley beneath Canterlot. Information about the area of operation was scarce and there had been no means of scouting ahead. But from the vague map and his orientation during the halo jump, Pearce was able to conclude the direction they needed to go.
“Seems to me we secured the landing zone on the spot.”

“Some of the equipment crates were dented during the landing and retrieval from the trees.”

Looking up, Pearce took a short glimpse at the many backpacks they were carrying and the two crates they were taking with them.
“ Is the equipment still intact?”

“Yes, sir! A short check seems that all systems inside are good.”

Mispowsky looked at the crates, shaking his head.
“Pity we had to land in this forest, though. Now we’ll have to drag that stupid, heavy shit to civilization…”

Wilde chuckled at this remark.
“It could be worse, Mispowsky.”

In the next moment a howl went through the forest and Mispowsky looked over to Wilde.
“It IS worse… You and your big mouth! You jinxed it!”

While the marines readied their assault rifles, Pearce undid the safety on his own. His voice remained calm and collected as he tried his best to spot something in the dark of the forest.
“Alright… No need to panic, marines… We came here to assess the situation, we came here prepared and we came here to take some. We know that those things out there are no mere wolves, so don’t take them lightly. But remember that there are other lifeforms out there. Ponies and at least four humans. So identify your target befo-”

All of a sudden, a certain yelling behind the troop broke out.
“CAREFUL, WILDE!!! BEHIND YOU!!!” Monroe’s call surprised the running wolf a bit, letting it hesitate for just a second, yet this was all it needed. Turning around, Wilde could already see the storming wolf jump at him. Instinct got the best of him and he let himself fall, rolled back and utilized the wolf’s momentum to shake the beast off, all while his rifle roared and unloaded several shots right into the belly of the beast. Crashing to the ground a few meters away from the marines, the wolf got back up as Wilde and Monroe shot right at it, snarling and barking at their weapon fire. “THAT FUCKING THING ISN’T SUCCUMBING TO BULLETS!!!”

“THIS IS BULLSHIT!!!” Monroe barked in outrage as he unleashed several bursts into the Timber Wolf, only holding it in place. “THESE ARE ASSAULT RIFLES!!!” At this rate, their magazines would run out of bullets before this creature would go down for good and there was no doubt that this wolf would not wait for them to reload.

“Fuck this shit…” Next, a fragmentation grenade was tossed by Wilde right into the wooden snout of the Timber Wolf. In an attempt to chew on it, the wolf shook its head violently, thinking the grenade prey, while the marines were already jumping to safety. However, that thought of prey was the last the beast was able to muster as its head detonated in a fierce explosion. Once the chunks of wood, splinters and leaves came to rest, Wilde stepped closer to the remains. “Sit, boy! Good doggy…”

While he chuckled to this, Monroe stepped out of the bushes behind him.
“ARE YOU CRAZY?!? USING NADES IN SUCH CLOSE PROXIMITY?!? YOU WANT TO KILL US?!?

Wilde looked up to him.
“Would you prefer to be wolf-chow?”

“FUCK, NO!”

Mispowsky looked down at the bullet hole ridden chunks of wood in disgust and spat on them.
“Son of a bitch! You know… I really thought we would fare better with caliber 5.56mm. Almost reduces our rifles to mere clubs against such enemies…”

Rolling his eyes in annoyance, Pearce took out a compass and pointed into a direction.
“Enough already! We have a job to do here and we wasted enough time! The edge of the forest is about 2 klicks in that way to the east, I expect you guys to get your equipment ready and-”

He was interrupted by Mispowsky, who was pointing at the remains of the Timberwolf slowly reassembling themselves.
“You gotta be fuckin’ kiddin’...”

Taking a glance at the remains, Lieutenant Pearce gulped once as a bead of sweat ran down his temple. They were briefed on this kind of thing, yet the reports stated only usage of 9mm rounds used in handguns. He as well had hoped that 5.56mm assault rifle ammunition would cause more permanent harm to these kind of creatures. Obviously they had to adapt to a more explosive approach. And even that would give them only a small respite. Taking a gulp, he leaned his head slightly to the side.
“Sergeant! How many grenades do we have left?”

“Twelve 40mm fragmentation rounds for the grenade launcher, sir… That and the hand grenades.”

In the next moment, another howl became audible in the distance, followed by a whole wolf pack howling, causing Prowe to clench his teeth together. A short glance was exchanged between Prowe and Pearce and both men nodded.
“Shit… That won’t suffice. Alright, marines! We go! Now! On the double!”

* * * * *

At the same time on the edge of the Everfree, the Harmony Rangers were already storming right into the woods, where they could already hear the sounds of gunfire and explosions in the distance. Slamming himself against a tree, Jake Hunnigan gritted his teeth while hardening the grip on his rifle.
“Shit! Not only taking caution of not running into some Everfree predators or some blue fields of magic flower power, now we’re also forced to take care of not running into third party fire AND detonations. This assignment is getting worse by the minute!”

Another ranger, a unicorn mare named Wood Blossom, looked up to him while erecting a magic shield in front of her.
“Sorry we can’t erect shields large enough to cover two squad members yet. It would certainly help out winning precious ground in time.”

Yet, after a short glance down to her, Hunnigan shook his head. Wood Blossom was one of the many recruits over from Manehattan, assigned to be his partner today.
“It can’t be helped, Woody. Just promise me to keep your head low anyway. I don’t want to hold these shields to the test.”

Straightening up her ears, Wood Blossom looked over to him, a slight blush and a wide grin on her face.
“My… Jake, how bold of you… Shall I bend down as well and raise my rump into the air?”

Jake rolled his eyes at the playfulness of his partner in this kind of situation, before he looked into the woods again..
“That’s not the proper time for fooling around, Woody…”

Now he could finally spot humans and more so hear their targets in the dark shades of the woods. One human was struggling to get deeper into the woods while another held him back, pulling him away.
“Mispowsky! MISPOWSKY!!!”

“Forget it, Drake! He’s turned to stone!!!” the other one barked back at him, slamming him against a tree, possibly trying to save another life, being unable to save the former one. “Nothing you can do!!!”

Wood Blossom looked up to Jake and shook her head.
“They are in danger! We got to help them!”

Hearing her voice caused the soldiers to aim at her position and gunfire rose anew.
“Over there! Shoot it!” Wood Blossom cowered behind her shield, screaming in terror at the bullets hitting her one and only defense, before an arm was put around her and pulled her into the safety of the tree trunk.

Her back now resting to his chest, Jake pulled her in ever so closely to not reveal anything of her to the gunfire. Yet in doing so, he and Wood Blossom were pressed together quite tightly, her head resting against the tree trunk besides his, his hand holding her throat in place so she couldn’t jump up and leave the cover of the tree. Slowly calming down, the mare assessed the situation and position she was in.
“So much for not fooling around, huh?” she remarked with a sly grin.

Jake looked up to her, not understanding, but the mere act of her wiggling her ample haunches ever so gently, made him realize that her haunches were pressed into his lap.
“Stupid girl! Just don’t leave the cover of this tree, you hear?!?”

Bullets zipped through the air, prompting the remaining Rangers to jump from cover to cover. Running to a tree, Richard Henson slammed himself against the trunk, using it for cover as well, just before bullets hit some trees to his side. The impact holes of these hits showcased the effect of a larger caliber round being used. If not for these thick and heavy trees, the Harmony Rangers would have to crouch through miles of mud and wet earth in order to keep safe.
“This is madness!”

Jake Hunnigan looked over to him from a tree a few meters further, nodded and shouted into the direction of the shooting.
“He..Hey!!! Is anyone sane over there?”

Although the shooting in their direction seized, rifle aims were corrected at Jake’s precise location while somewhere behind this line other soldiers were still shooting at something into the Everfree.
“Who are you? Identify yourself!”

“We are the human response team of the Harmony Rangers send here to aid you getting to safety. Don’t shoot!”

Suddenly, the marines looked up to Pearce, who stepped next to the already aiming soldiers..
“Humans…?” Pearce laid his hands on two of the barrel runs of his marines and lowered them, causing them all to lower their weapons. “Well I’ll be damned… Seemingly this shitty day got a whole lot better. Marines! Grab our stuff and get a move on!” Upon hearing this, the Rangers stepped out of cover. Yet just when both parties relaxed, another Timber wolf jumped out of the woodwork to their side and readied itself to pounce at the marines, who spinned around to face the magical beast, but a burst of the Ranger weaponry was enough to rip it to pieces in a cloud of explosions. Spinning around once more, the marines faced the rangers again.
“Drop it!!!”

Sticking her head out of the bush she was hiding in, Wood Blossom shot the marines a glare.
“WHAT?!? We just made short work of that beast and saved your lives and you want us to drop it?”

The barrel runs suddenly all pointed at her, causing the soldiers to blink in disbelief for a moment. They saw it on the news, on the internet, were briefed on it, but seeing and hearing a talking pony in the flesh was something new to all of them. Being the first to regain composure, Prowe harrumphed and looked at Pearce.
“Sir, they took that thing down with a single burst. I don’t know what they were firing, but it turned out far more efficient than our conventional weapons. They could give us excellent cover from these things out there. There are still some of these wolves around.”

Nodding, Pearce eyes grew grim when eying the Harmony Rangers.
“Noted… But I don’t completely trust these guys yet. Drake, Wilde! Assist them and have an eye on them as well while we get the equipment out of this damn forest. Once we’re out, we can discuss things out. Now move it, people!”

Watching him and the marines carrying stuff past them, Wood Blossom’s right eye twitched in anger.
“Are these guys for real? If we had the intent to steal from them, we could have let the wolves take care of them and then dispose of the wolves afterward!”

Shaking his head, Richard Henson gave it a smile.
“They’re just cautious, Woody. Don’t take it against them. They don’t know who to trust here. We’re just armed strangers to them.”

Wood Blossom calmed down a bit and took a deep breath before shaking her head in disapproval.
“I can understand that, Richie. Yet… We came here to help, did we not?”

Richard sighed in frustration. He could understand her, but playing the blame game didn’t help out much.
“Give them time, Woody…”

Coming to Richard’s side as the marines and rangers spread out a bit into a larger group, Drake looked back into the woods and spoke into his walkie talkie.
“Sir, what about Mispowsky? We’re not going to leave him there, are we?”

Pearce’s voice blurred out of the speaker.
“Well, we can’t do anything for him as of right now. We’ll get the equipment out first. If there is a cure for this state of his, we’ll come back and get him to his treatment.” Pearce then approached Hunnigan, eyeing him briefly before offering his hand for a shake.
“I think we met on the wrong foot and that we should start this over. Lieutenant Ben Pearce, United States Marines. I take it you guys are the ones who will get us to civilisation?”

Jake glanced down to the offered hand, then up into Pearce’s face and nodded before he took his hand in his own in greeting.
“That’s correct. Lieutenant Jake Hunnigan, Equestria Harmony Ranger. We’re here to search and assist.”

Taking a glance at the ranger service rifle, Pearce arched a brow, pointing at it.
“Are those… paintball guns?”

Giving it a chuckle, Jake held the rifle a bit higher in order to demonstrate it
“Only in the gun mechanics. These rounds are live and able to do lethal harm. As you could see on that Timberwolf.”

Looking back into the deeper forest, Pearce grimaced a bit.
“Lieutenant, I got a corporal back in that forest that was turned to stone after an encounter with what can only be described as some sort of reptilian chicken. Is there a cure?”

Arching a brow, Jake nodded
“A cockatrice, yes… We were briefed on these creatures, yet I never saw one myself. There is a cure for that state. We will extract your man with a larger team later. Timberwolves do not attack statues. For now, let’s get you and your equipment to some place safer.”

* * * * *

Half an hour later, the marines got their crates all together on the edge of Sweet Apple Acres and were testing the equipment for damage. Drake approached Wood Blossom, who eyed him with suspicion.
“I’m sorry if this comes off rude, but are you male or female?”

Wood Blossom arched a brow, when a smirk grew on her lips.
“I’m a mare as one could conclude from my voice alone. Hello? The lights are on in the upper apartments yet nobody’s home? They’ve send the big guns, not someone with a big brain, huh? Also, speaking of big guns… Does it look like I have something dangling between my hind legs?”

Folding his arms together, Drake nodded down to her.
“There’s no reason to be rude here.”

“Yeah, says a member of the group who greeted us with a salvo of bullets...” Wood Blossom retorted, passing him while slapping her tail close to his face.

Coming to her side, Jake rested a hand on her shoulders.
“Cut it down, Woody! We asked you to be nice.”

Grumbling a bit, Wood Blossom trotted away. Frowning a bit, Drake looked at Jake in surprise.
“What? Don’t tell me, you and her...”

But Jake glared him in the face.
“No. She wants to, but for me she’s just a fellow Ranger. Now, if we could tone down the questions about culture or personal relationships among colleagues for a bit longer? If you got any questions, the princesses will answer them for you soon enough.”

Pearce came over to the crates where the radio equipment was set up and Prowe attempted to contact the other side.
“Papa Base! Papa Base! Come in, Papa Base! Do you copy?”

One of the other Marines shook his head at the speech coming from the speaker, underlined with minor static. “...don’t know if you get this: We receive your signal down in Antarctica, yet what reaches us is mostly unintelligible static. We recommend you look for a better position to boost your signal. I repeat: I don’t know if you get this: We-”

“Forget it, Prowe.” he said, patting Prowe’s shoulder. “We can hear them, but they can’t hear us.” The radio was then turned off and the voice inside went silent.

“This shit gets weirder all the time now…” Prowe uttered under his breath before reporting to Pearce “Sir! The radio still gets a strong signal from Earth. They can talk to us, but claim that, despite receiving a faint signal from the AEGIS outpost in Antarctica, the signal we are sending out is just too weak to understand our gibberish. As of now, they know they can’t hear us and believe we don’t hear them either.”

Pearce frowned at this. This message only meant more recon work.
“Seems to me this one crossing here is a one way street for both matter and signal. But there is another one out of our current reach. It only means that we are having to reposition our equipment to send a message to Earth. However, for better measure, place a transceiver beacon at the edge of the forest in order to boost Earth’s signal to our future camp! As of right now, we should get to visit this princess of theirs. Might be helpful.”

“Sir, shouldn’t we follow security protocols?” Drake asked.

But Pearce shook his head and pointed over to Wood Blossom.
“In any other situation I would agree, Marine. However… You think that is the face of someone who wants to kill you in your sleep?” Drake looked over to Wood Blossom, who gave her best smile and battered her eyelashes in innocence.

Looking back at Pearce, Drake arched a brow.
“Maybe…?”

“Well you’ll get along with her anyway while I have a talk with that princesses of theirs. I’ll take Prowe and two others of you with me on that trip. Might make this trip that much more easier and shorter, if the locals are happy to cooperate. Besides: There’s no reason not to be civilised as guests in their nation, is there?” Turning to Jake, Pearce nodded. “Let’s head out.”

* * * * *

At the same time, on the open sea, the Alisia was sailing with full sails. Time was of the essence and Tyler wanted to lose as little of it as possible. That was when Lyra approached Sam slightly hesitant. Jumping up to the railing, she then leaned on it with her front hooves. Shooting him an uncertain glance from the corner of her eye, Lyra then forced herself to look straight forward.
“Who was that human girl you were talking to before we left for the harbor?”

Leaning on the starboard railing, Sam looked out to the open see.
“Cadet Wilkinson? She’s having a management internship in our Engineering Department. From what I’m hearing, she’s doing a good job.”

Lyra looked down, seemingly glum as she rested her front hooves on the railing as well.
“Oh… I see…”

Sam looked down to her and by the look in her eyes to the waves near the ship hull, he saw that she was highly insecure about it.
"Uh-uh! Stop right there, babe!" Walking behind her, he grabbed her shoulders and turned her around, making her lean against the railing with her back.

Yet doing so earned him even more uncertain glances.
“Sam, what are you-”

Her sentence was disrupted has he pressed his lips onto hers. When their lips parted, his dark brown eyes met hers in a deep gaze.
"No woman could replace you or Pinkie, you hear?"

Gently pushing against his strong chest with her left hoof, she tried in vain to shove him away.
"It's just... You're spending a lot of time with them. I…” Looking down, she let out a depressed sigh. “...I just don't know if I can compete."

Taking her chin into a soft grasp between index finger and thumb, he raised her chin up, so she had to look him into the eyes again.
"Lyra, honey... You don't have to 'compete' here for anything. You're my girl as is Pinkie Pie..." Noticing her eyes avoiding him, he followed her eyes, tried to maintain eye contact. "You're truly afraid I would choose a human woman over you girls?"

Closing her eyes, Lyra shook her head
"Well, their breasts are quite bigger than our teats and they have an appeal you’re used to, being of the same species and all..."

"So could yours if you would ask Princess Luna. Which I already did by the way."

All of a sudden her eyes shot open wide and she glanced up to him
"You spoke with her? Why?"

"Therapy session about the thing with Queen Shiria. She said that no matter what, I should face you in human form again to slowly process the matter." Gently shaking the unicorn by the shoulders, he shook his head. "Hey, babe... No woman could ever compete with your golden shiny eyes..." Hearing this prompted her ears to stand up and to look up to him, gasping audibly. "Yeah, I mean it, you little dummy. With you and Pinkie at my side, I'm actually quite happy. And I would surely not risk it for any human booty, if my girls could transform into even hotter booty for the night.”

“You mean…?”

Gently pulling her in, his hands slid over her belly.
“I might try that spell with you once this crap is all over…”

A grin grew on her face.
“You mean… I’ll finally get some real hands of my own?”

A chuckle escaped Sam and he shook his head gently.
“Not just that, baby… You know what Tyler said about that spell and what it means for the fertility of mares.” The caring strokes over her belly made her gasp ever so slightly and she looked up to him. Him replying with a nod, made her close her eyes to half, recognizing his intent. And all of a sudden, Cadet Wilkinson was all forgotten.

A few meters further, Captain Black Lily approached the railing, where Tyler leaned against and glanced out to the horizon. Taking note of her, he gave her a welcoming nod.
“The night is clear and calm, Captain. That’s good for our journey.”

“In nights like these, one should see it clearly.” Lily replied, searching for something on the firmament.

Dumbfounded, Tyler looked at her again with a frown.
“Captain? What are you-”

“There!” she proclaimed, pointing her hoof at a very bright star. “The Star of Deriabah.”

Looking into the direction she was pointing, Tyler now took note of the star and looked at it in wonder. “Deriabah... What’s this?”

Landing between the both of them, Commander Will looked at the star and shook his head.
“Nothing. Just a new bat ponytale. Mares tell it to their fillies so they sleep better.”

Lily rewarded that comment with a chuckle.
“Will does not believe in it. But it is said that there is an island that you can find following this one particular star. A star rumored to be blessed by Princess Luna herself. Deriabah… The legendary treasure island under the star. Rumor also has it that this island leads to the greatest treasure the alicorns of old held.”

“Oh, I thought that the alicorns of old vanished a damn long time ago?” Tyler replied, his face lightening up to a smile.

“True… Only shows that they hid their treasures so good no mere idiot of a treasure hunter could find them. It would need the very best and even then it would need the very best crew and ship to find this island. Which is only the first stepping stone in that journey. One day I want to travel that route…”

Tyler’s smile grew in size at this goal of hers. Treasure hunting would truly be a nice change of pace… That was when he started to hear something. It was silent first, but as the ship sailed on, it came closer and became louder. Like a subliminal singsong that somehow gained his immediate attention. All of a sudden, he became very calm about the journey.
“Hey… You folks hear that...?”

Sam listened up as did Grinko.
“Yes… There is something in the air… Like… a lullaby…”

Noticing the strange calm sing-song in the air, Lily listened up before the call came from the lookout.
“Captain! Sirens! Three of them!”

Whirling around, Lily took off and gained height to get a better look
“Just what made this trip that much more unpleasant!”

Will, visibly calming down by the second, glanced down to the three objects under the waves.
“Such beautiful creatures... if not for their murderous… sweet intent…”

Lily looked over to her first commander down below, only to read the intent in his eyes. His wings were flapping and his hooves were climbing over the railing.
“Hold him back! He is under their spell!” Three crew members jumped at Will, pulling him back, just in time as the golden siren leaped up from the waves, powerful jaws attempting to snap at the stallion’s throat, no doubt to pull him down to his bloody demise.

As the commotion arose on one side of the ship, Lyra suddenly was shoved aside and Sam approached the railing
“Hey, Lyra... I bet you I can swim way faster than them... Wanna try?”

“Sam? What are you up to?” Noticing him making an effort to climb on top of the railing, Lyra held him back, terror in her eyes. “Have you lost your mind?!? Stop!!!”

In the very next moment, a lasso was wrapped around Sam’s upper body and arms with a fierce yank, he was pulled off balance and away from the railing. Flying over the crew, Lily shouted her commands at the mares of her crew.
“Hold the male crewmembers back! Don’t let the sirens lure them into the sea!”

Five mares attempted to hold Grinko back, but he plucked them off from himself like a mere nuisance. “How are we supposed to get this big guy down?”

“He’s too strong for us!”

Landing in front of Grinko, Lily aimed and gritted her teeth.
“You gotta aim for the right parts to cut this tree!” One decisive kick later Grinko howled in pain and fell to his knees, giving the mares the upper hand to subdue him.

Seeing Tyler standing still on deck, Lyra galloped over to him in a panic. If he was able to withstand these sirens, surely he could fight them as well.
“Tyler!”

Not moving a muscle, Tyler didn’t look down to her, but raised his voice in response.
“Yes, he wants to jump at them as well…”

Him speaking of himself in the third person made Lyra realize who she was really talking to at once.
“Sage! You seem fine, give us a hand here!”

Briefly shaking his head, Tyler closed his eyes.
“I’m afraid we can't help you out with this, Lyra. It takes all of our will just to withstand them and stand still in place. That’s the best level of defence I got for this kind of magic yet. You're on your own! Chains! Chain us guys together at the mast! It only affects the male members of the crew!”

Lily looked up to her bat pony crew and gave the mares a nod.
“You heard the prince! Tie them up and take the heaviest chains and ropes we got!” Brief nods were given and within mere minutes the command was executed.

Holding Sam’s head with her hooves as he struggled against the bat ponies binding him to the mast, Lyra didn’t notice how the hot tears ran down her cheeks. Once more a magic force attempted to steal her special someone from her.
“Sam! You have to fight this! Focus on my voice!”

That’s when one of the crewmembers pointed into the water and began to yell towards the others.
“Captain! They’re wounded! They’re wounded!!!”

Turning around, Lily arched both brows. This stood out of the ordinary.
“They have wounds, you say?”

“Yes! Each one of them has a wound like something took a bite out of their chests.”

Hearing this, Sage looked up.
“That must be it! That must be why they are doing all of this!

Looking over to him, Lyra still held Sam’s head in her hooves as he still struggled against the chains holding him in place.
“You think that these wounds might be the reason they attack us, Sage?”

Sage’s face was still emotionless, yet his eyes had begun to glow blue with a ferocious intensity.
“They're desperate, Lyra! If I'm correct, Nova traveled into the past and took their normal means to nourish themselves through these gems and the magic within them by force. These gemstones have song magic within them. And Nova ripped them out of their chests. So now, robbed of their usual way to nourish themselves, they'll do anything just to stay alive. If that means the consumption of meat from drowned sailors…”

Shaking her head, Lyra came over to him, confusion all over her face.
“I don’t understand… So the future version of little Nova came into the past and took their usual source of power? Then what can we do?”

Looking over to the stairs leading down below deck, Sage nodded in that direction, the blue glow in his eyes intensifying.
“Tyler took the gemstones with him for further study in more calm evening times on my request. To see what magic hides inside. They are in my cabin. My backpack. Show them that we carry them with us… It might cause them to halt. They can’t risk losing the gems a second time.”

Turning on the spot, Lyra galloped towards the stairs to the lower decks, jumped down a few of them and hurried towards the door that lead to Tyler’s cabin. Kicking it open with a determined kick, she entered and lit up her horn to bring illumination to the moody lit cabin. There it was. His backpack. opening it with her magic, she hurried to search it, only to pull out a slim wooden case. Upon opening it, her levitation spell took a piece of cloth outside with three glittering, crimson gemstones, each glowing on its own in a dim shine. ‘To think that these three stones are the cause for so much trouble...’ Not wasting any time, she put the gemstones back into the piece of cloth and case and galloped back upstairs, only to head towards the railing. Her levitation spell got the three gems out once more, putting them on full display.
“We brought what is yours! Seize your song and we will hand them over to you!”

Overhearing this, Lily turned her head towards Lyra.
“What?!? Are you crazy???”

Yet just as she tried to trot over to Lyra, Sage raised his voice again.
“Captain! Let this happen. It is the only way to appease them for now.” Lily gritted her teeth, not believing this theory for a second. But despite that, once the sirens spotted the red glow of their gems, their song came to a sudden stop and the moment the song ended, it was like a veil was lifted from Sam, Grinko, Will and Tyler. While standing up, Tyler briefly shook his head. “Phew… That’s actually some magic that can’t be absorbed that easily…Sage, work on that.” In his head, there was a brief response from Sage himself. ‘On it...’

Grinko growled in pain and held his groin.
“Somepony kicked me in my… well you know where…” When he looked over to the bat pony mares, they avoided his glare, some whistling in innocence, others seemingly doing their usual chores.

A longboat was lowered down into the water and Tyler slowly approached the three sirens until he stopped a mere meter away from them. Holding up his hands, he tried to move as slow and careful as possible in order to gain their trust. "I'm not going to hurt you..." Distrustful snarls were given and powerful bites snapped at his hands to keep them at bay. It didn't took long for Tyler to see the actual reason for this. On their chests were deep, bloody wounds, which, despite not bleeding right now, looked rather painful. Looking up into the eyes of the golden siren, Tyler's eyes revealed that he emphasized with these creatures. When his hand started to reach into his pocket, the other two sirens bared their teeth in fierce growls. But Tyler maintained eye contact with the golden one. "I know who did this to you and I brought back what is rightfully yours. If you promise me to stop ambushing ships in these waters, I will try my best to undo the damage." The siren looked at the gemstones in his hand, then up to him, before jumping into the longboat. There, she presented her entire body and made herself big, a gesture Tyler took as a matter of personal pride. She deemed herself beautiful and he would better be thankful to even see her in her full glory. Putting out her chest to present her wound, she then glanced over to Tyler, arching a single brow, like being impatient already. Tyler nodded in reply, gulped and tried the gemstones to fit, careful not to poke around in the wound.

Once the right gem was embedded into the wound, it fit perfectly and Tyler began to cast healing magic onto it. Looking up from the wound, the golden siren still growled a bit when Tyler looked up, but was surprised when he spoke up. “Sssshhh… I know it hurts. But it should be OK any second now.” Once he lifted his hand, the wound was closed and cleaned and he nodded in approval. “That looks better to me, precious.”

Still watching him while he did the same to the other two sirens who now filled the longboat to full extent, the golden one then nodded. Tyler didn’t know if it was out of approval or gratitude, but her suddenly speaking up brought clarification.
“The removal of the gems had diminished our ability to utilize our vocal cords to utter proper words. But now that they are back, our voices have regained a large portion of their former strength." Taking a sniff at Tyler, she growled a bit. "Your scent truly is similar to that of the one who did this to us. You speak the truth. We sirens do not forget. We will not forget her deed and we will not forget your deed today."

He glanced to the side, remembering the adult Nova returning to her own time to face her punishment for attempting to alter the timeline..
“Her deed was already punished harshly. As for us: I take it you'll let us be?”

But already the purple siren grew visibly impatient behind Tyler.
“Come on, Adiago! Hurry this up! We finally got these back. I want a meal that doesn’t twitch with each bite!”

Adiago nodded at her, obviously also eager to sate her hunger as well. Turning to Tyler once again, she continued.
“You returned what was forcefully taken and with this gave us the means to nourish ourselves normally again. These years of barbarism are finally over. As a sign of our gratitude, we swear never to lay harm upon all of you. We will remember your face and the faces of your companions. Thanks to you, we have regained the means to fight threats with sonic magic. But when there will be others, we will not include them into this oath and nourish us with them, if we so see fit. Now excuse us, we wish to move on.” Her eyes wandered off into the distance. “These waters are treacherous these days.”

Not losing any time, the three jumped back into the water, causing the longboat to shake violently before calming down again, their shimmering bodies glittering in the daylight as they swam towards the horizon. Once Tyler was back on the ship, Lily confronted him immediately.
“That was unwise! Now they're even stronger and able to do more harm!”

“They gave their word not to harm us now and won’t do so in the future..” Tyler retorted, dismissing her disapproval.”You should be thankful, Captain. At least your crew won’t be bothered by them any more.”

But Lily wouldn’t hear any of it.
“It means nothing but trouble every time a siren opens her mouth! Maybe they'll go right for the next ship or harbor!”

Tyler looked out to the horizon, where he could see the three sirens swimming.
”Maybe... Maybe each time they open their mouth, they spill gloom and doom at others, but if they cause more trouble, I will come for them again. And then as a hunter, not a good-willed samaritan. As for now, they will no longer hinder us and will never again pester this ship or its crew ever again. Good enough for me. And for today? It should be good enough for you as well, Captain...”

Lily grumbled at this. The situation was resolved, yet not to her liking. While she trotted away, Lyra looked up to Sam.
What kind of threat could a magical apex predator like a siren fear?

Thinking for a moment, Sam hummed while rubbing his chin.
"That's actually a very good question. Sea serpents maybe?"

But his thought was immediately dismissed by Will, who had recovered from the song magic now as well.
"Don't be ridiculous! Sea serpents in these warm waters? They prefer colder temperatures. Much more like sharks do."

Tyler looked back at the direction the sirens were swimming to, his eyes narrowing down. ‘What are you three beauties avoiding that you didn’t told us about...?’

* * * * *

In the meantime, Lieutenant Pearce, Jake Hunnigan as well as Prowe and two of the other marines all stepped outside the Canterlot train station. For Pearce, the pleasant nature of the Equestrians only meant faster assessment of the threats on this side of the crossing. Once they left the train station, however, they stopped in their tracks at the sight of dozens of ponies lying in the streets, powerless. Readying their weapons, the humans looked around, trying to make out targets. Pearce grit his teeth as he cocked his head talking over to Jake.
“Lieutenant? Is this normal in this part of town?”

Jake slowly shook his head.
“That’s a clear negative. That’s new even to me.”

As the four men formed a circle to secure a perimeter in each direction, suddenly Flynn stood in the middle of said circle, resulting in a harsh breeze.
“Hunnigan, we have trouble!”

“What the…?!?” Whirling around, the marines took aim at Flynn, only for him to evade out of it in an instant, what further perplexed them. The way he moved was faster than any human could ever hope to move. Prowe shook his head in confusion “Wha- Wasn’t he just… right between us?”

Ignoring the weapons once more pointed at him, Flynn nodded down the street.
“Get ready!”

The sound of stomping hooves sounded off behind the marines now, prompting them to turn around once more. A large centaur with black and red fur, stepped around the corner. Already this brutish appearance towered over the humans with a size of 20 feet. In its hands, two ponies struggled to get free. A pegasus mare and a unicorn stallion. Taking a deep inhale at the mare, some sort of energy was seemingly ripped out of her body, causing her to lose all color and she was tossed aside to the ground. The same happened to the stallion, before that monstrous centaur looked up and took notice of the four humans in front of him.
“And what is this? Some creatures walking upright?” The humans exchanged wary glances. This thing was a clear threat to the ponies. However, Jake noticed that Flynn was nowhere to be seen again. Looking around, the Senior Ranger had vanished again. Tipping the chest of a marine, the centaur eyed him like thinking of something. “Pretty skinny for your size, eh? You sure are no minotaurs...” After a deep inhale, what almost prompted the marines to draw their weapons, the centaur frowned and took another deep inhale, seemingly with the same fruitless result. All of a sudden, the amused look on that creatures face turned into a bored one. “And no magic whatsoever? What a waste of my time…”

Deeming them not any longer worthy of his time, the large centaur turned away and stomped down the street, causing one of the marines to take offense to that. That thing was dismissing them like lesser beings.
“So… You’re going to leave just like that?”

But immediately Prowe glanced over to him.
“Shut your pie-hole, man! Don’t challenge that thing!”

Turning around, the centaur now glared at them.
“What? Are you complaining about lack of manners? Take it as a courtesy that I won’t do anything to you. It doesn’t happen every day that Lord Tirek is merciful. If you would have magic, things would be different. But right now I have a bigger fish to fry…”

As he continued to stomp away, the marine took aim, truly enraged.
“That son of a…”

At once Pearce took a hold of his gun and pushed the barrel down.
“Hold your fire, moron! Right! Now!” As soon as the centaur teleported away, Pearce let out a sigh of relief before turning to his men. “No need to provoke that thing, is there? Seemingly it deems only those with magic prey. Fortunately humans have no magic whatsoever…”

This caused Flynn to shake his head and he stepped forth out of his hiding a second time.
“Not entirely true. Some of us have superhuman capabilities due to contact with magic. I for one am able to move at tremendous speed as you could clearly see a few moments ago.”

“Oh yeah? Then why didn’t you use it on the big guy?” Pearce countered.

“Because big guy is obviously too much for me alone. That would need another league of-”

Flynn was all of a sudden interrupted by a loud yelling nearby the city of Canterlot

“PRINCESS TWILIGHT!!!
YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT BELONGS TO ME!!!”

“...of royal magnitude…” Flynn now ended, “We better get into cover. With alicorn magic around there is no say in what kind of destruction they could yield.” The sound of a detonation took place in the distance and Flynn looked up, heavily alarmed. “That came from the direction of Ponyville…” Making haste, he ran to a better viewing spot before he noticed it. The place the Golden Oak Library once stood was reduced to a charred tree stump. Smoke rose into the sky while several small fires littered the streets of Ponyville. “Oh fuck…” But already a large multicolored beam of bright light was aimed at a place outside of Ponyville, causing Flynn to run back to the others. “The princess is fighting the thing from before.”

Jake arched a brow in wonder.
“Shouldn’t we… I don’t know… help her as best as we can?”

“We already do...”, Flynn retorted, wincing at the sounds of further detonations in the distance. “...by staying out of this. The powers at work here are way out of our league. Golden Oak Library was obliterated.”

That statement caused Jake to gulp nervously.
“If the head ranger learns of this…”

Flynn replied with a brief nod.
“He won’t be glad that someone took out the very place he used to live in since his arrival here in Equestria. That’s a given…”

* * * * *

It was dawn when the Harmony Rangers made landfall with three longboats. Tyler, Sam, Lyra, and Grinko as well as a dozen ponies made haste to secure and conceal the boats to prevent them to be spotted from curious eyes. Tyler took a glance to the ship, where Captain Black Lily was set to encircle the island in a radius wide enough to evade incoming incursion forces with ease. However, once Tyler’s glance was turned towards the island itself, he shook his head. Barren hills and mountains were the picture in front of him.
“I was told this was a lush paradise of an island…” Turning to the others, his face showed a grim determination. “This is not just a mission to pacify an incursion! This is also a mission to prepare for an all out evacuation. I hope this is understood by everyone. We are not here to crush down the people here. We are here to make them come to their senses. I fucked up, now I need them to calm down so we can organize their departure.”

Sam nodded in agreement.
“So I take it the ringleader of this incursion and her followers are all to be arrested?”

“For the time being.” Tyler replied, “They are to be detained and brought to Equestria to stand in trial. We won’t just toss with cotton swabs, we will reply to force with force. Anyone having a gun or hostile intent is to be pacified.” Looking over to Grinko, he smirked. “That won’t pose a problem, will it?”

Grinko simply shrugged casually.
“My take is there will be the one or another incursion member being a Masar. Allow me to use my claws on these traitors and I’m fine. I won’t kill them, but hand out a beating they won’t forget that fast.”

Tyler grumbled a bit, not liking this completely.
“Well I trust you not to overdo it.”

After half an hour of barren wasteland, the Rangers crouched up a hill, lying down on top and monitored the settlement in front of them. “There we have it…” Sam said, “Patash…”

Tyler looked through his binoculars
“Doesn’t look like much of a settlement… A couple of shacks, a few bigger buildings, a wall around the settlement made from makeshift metal plates...” Rolling to his back, he looked up and nodded at his Rangers. “Listen up, people! We will go at this with a straight non-lethal approach! No one gets killed, for we don’t know who is an insurgent or not. It’s cloudy enough to shed some shade on our current position.”

Lyra arched a brow, looking over to Tyler
“Pretty sure they won’t open the door for us if we politely knock.”

“Actually, they will. If someone from the right species will ask for entrance.” Looking over to Grinko, Tyler nodded. “It will come to our advantage that this is an island with Masar, Griffins and ponies living together. So we have one Masar with a pretty strong and commanding voice demanding the doors to be opened, what could go wrong?”

This earned him a grin from Sam.
“The trojan approach, eh? Nice plan, if not for this tiny detail they don’t know humans and there are none living on this island either. Tyler, you and me stand out like polka dotted dogs!”

“A fair point.” Pulling something fluffy out of his backpack, Tyler threw it over to Sam. “Here! Two for you as well, Sam.”

Giving the fluffy sleeves a short glance, Sam arched a brow.
“Fur sleeves? You want to use that as a Masar disguise?”

“Crude, but should be enough for the fleeting eye. I got Rarity working on it the night before we left. It was the best she could come up with on such short notice. And you have no idea how long I had to persuade her not to beautify it up.”

Ten minutes later, the Rangers were approaching the main gate of Pakash, wrapped in torn and dirty rags to cover their equipment and the two human forms. Under his hood, Sam looked nervously around, the hood pulled deep into his face so it was concealed from prying eyes.
“I have a bad feeling about this, Tyler…”

But Tyler grumbled in reply.
“Our window of opportunity is now. No chance but to see it through now.”

A Griffin stood guard at the main gate. The sight of ponies, Griffins and Masar wearing clothes to shield themselves from the dust storms on the island had become the norm by now. But as of now the island was expecting intruders. It was reason enough to be extra cautious, even with normal things. And when he recognized that these settlers paid a little much attention no one saw their faces, it was time to take a step forward to confront them.
“Hey! You there! Why are you hiding your face?!?” His talon reached out to Sam, surely to rip the hood from his head, revealing him to everyone.

But just as he wanted to take hold of Sam’s hood, Grinko’s mighty paw had taken his talon into its grasp. He lowered his hood, facing the Griffin now face to face.
“Hold it! These two are banished outcasts for a reason. They are sick, losing their fur, shedding their skin, their flesh rotting… You want to transmit that over to yourself? Feel free to touch them.”

With an expression of disgust, the Griffin then took two steps back and waved them through.
“Alright! Alright! You can pass! But the tavern and the shops are off limits to them! Can’t have that stuff spreading! Make your trades and leave already!”

Briefly nodding his head, Grinko shoved the two ‘outcasts’ further through the gate.
“You are most kind, sir!” Inside, they went for the next shady place and Grinko lowered his voice. “We are in luck.”

“Why?” Sam asked.

“Because that Griffin was so gullible. Now, Tyler… What is your next idea?”

Looking up from under his hood, Tyler nodded and glanced over to his fellow Rangers.
“Alright, people… Full force forward!”

In the next moment the folks in the bar heard a loud detonation outside. Storming outside, the settlers found the Griffin guard unconscious on the ground and the front gate blasted wide open. Another griffin was attacked by magic as a unicorn Ranger held her in place with a non-lethal attack spell, pinning the Griffin down.
“For Equestria! Attack!”

Struggling within the magic grasp, the Griffin turned over to a Masar fighter.
“Kathra! Argh! Help me!”

The Masar fighter turned over to the Ranger with a low growl, before storming at him with a fierce roar, spooking the unicorn.
“Oh, Celestia! No!” Teleporting out of the Masar’s way, the feline warrior failed to get hold of the Ranger, what caused him to get a bit cocky. “Ha! Missed me!”

But the Griffin from before was now behind him and swept his hooves away, causing the Ranger to smash hard onto the floor. His throat was taken into her tight grasp and her talons dug deep enough to shed a few drops of blood. She had him in place and was hauling off with her other talon to knock him out.
“You're finished now, Imperial!!"

Seeing his Harmony Rangers outnumbered several times, Tyler turned over to Grinko, Sam and Lyra. The situation got out of hand pretty quick and they had to adapt their methods in order to keep the upper hand.
“Alright, playtime’s over. There are more of them as I initially thought. Time we get serious with our punches.”

Grinko nodded with a impatient growl.
“Finally! You just leave these Masar to me… This is going to be very entertaining!”

Coming out onto a balcony, lured out by the sudden commotion Sunset was standing over the defeated ponies of the Harmony Rangers and sneered at her latest victory. She expected the equestrian Forces, yet didn’t think her own forces could handle them that easily.
“Well! That takes care of the equestrian attackers.”

But her sneer turned into a surprised look once they heard Tyler’s voice.
“Not all of us, I can assure you. This party is about to get crushed right now.”

This announcement got the insurgent’s immediate attention, spotting the remaining Rangers coming out of a side alley. Not recognizing the human species, mild confusion was on their faces.
"Who… what are these guys?"

"Another set of Celestia's lapdogs no doubt,” Sunset retorted,“but my attack spells will deal with them!" Firing a magic bolt at Tyler, Sunset gasped in shock when he swatted it away, bouncing it off the back of his hand. At once her head turned to her followers. “Kathra! Avra!” At Sunset’s command the Masar and Griffin from before nodded and began to attack.

The Masar attempted to jump at Tyler, yet Grinko countered her attack, tackled the female attacker against a wall before she even reached Tyler. Her eyes went wide in terror when she recognized who opposed her now.
“Prince Grinko!”

Now standing face to face with the Masar female, Grinko didn’t hide his contempt for her and drew his claws and fangs out.
“You would side with these traitors? Then you’re a traitor to my mother’s crown yourself!” And with that, his fists started to go down at her.

In the meantime, the Griffin faced Sam.
“I’ll stop you, muscle guy!”

Trying to swipe at him with her talons, Sam grabbed them and pulled the female Griffin in closer.
“That’s not very ladylike.” Wrestling with the female Griffin who was now screeching at him, Sam grimaced. “Then again, you’re not much of a lady anyway…” When she tried to snap at him with her beak, Sam began to whirl around with her, using centrifugal forces to keep her away. Throwing her away, he smashed her into a nearby cart, which came down crashing, causing her to hold her head in pain.

Tyler went for a bunch of ponies coming out of a warehouse, when a Masar stepped into his way with a coat as black as a leopard, getting into fighting stance. Recognizing this, Tyler faced the opponent and went into fighting stance as well. What he didn’t expect was the Masar to all of a sudden levitate and float over the ground. A sight he had seen before and realization kicked in. In front of him stood a shaman. That’s when he felt it. His muscles stopped obeying his thoughts and cramped down, causing him to stand still and struggle for balance, before he fell to the ground as if his legs were robbed of all strength. Trying to stem himself up cramped up his arms. The pain was only growing the more he resisted, causing Tyler to growl in anger.
“Anytime now, you two...”

“We’re working! We’re working!” was the only hasty reply he heard inside his mind.

Coming out of an alley, Lyra witnessed Tyler being in distress. Somehow that Masar was doing to Tyler, what the shaman Threythos was doing to Sam during the tournament. A wide grin grew as he bared his fangs.
“If this is the best Equestria has to offer, we will have a feast with these defeated ponies for sure…”

Aiming her horn at the Masar, Lyra charged up her horn to the fullest degree possible. This was no tournament and she would intervene for her fellow Ranger.
“Eat magic, kitty cat!” The shot, hit the shoulder and distracted the Masar, who then looked over to Lyra holding his singed fur in a fierce howl. But while doing so, his concentration on Tyler ceased to exist for a moment, giving Tyler the second he needed to attack. A strong pressure wave blasted away from him and swept the Masar off his feet, smashing him hard enough against the next wall to slump down unconscious..

Coming to the full extent of his senses, Tyler looked up to Lyra with a smirk.
“Thank you, Lyra. Seems like this expedition teaches me a whole new set of magic for which I need to find new ways to deal with.”

“Always happy to be of service.” Lyra replied with a wink and a smile“You take care of their ringleader, Tyler! Grinko, Sam and I will help our ranger friends.”

Nodding in approval of her plan, Tyler gave her a smile.
"That's a deal!"

The very next moment, Tyler was hit by another magic bolt, this time in the back. Seeing her shot hit this time, Sunset grew new confidence. These strange creatures were obviously only able to bounce magic with their paws it seemed. If she teleported to a blind spot and got a shot, she would have a fighting chance.
"Stand where you are, imperial scum!" What she didn't expect was Tyler actually standing up instead of writhing in pain. Even when his clothes were scorched at the spot she hit him! Turning around, he pointed his fingers at her and fired the same magic bolt back at her, missing her in a warning shot. An unexpected shot that obviously spooked her. "Oh, you got to be bucking kidding me!" Turning on the spot, she gallopped back into the inn, Tyler in pursuit of her. Recognizing her voice, he knew her to be the leader of this entire incident. Levitating a sword from a nearby weapon rack, Sunset now turned to him and went into fighting stance as he tossed a table out of his way. "Stay away from me, you brute!"

Drawing the sword he got from Celestia, Tyler went into fighting stance as well and faced Sunset. Striking out at Tyler, her blade missed as he barely evaded her attack, which cut his clothing. But when he struck at her blade in return, her mere metal blade was no match for the enchanted sword he was wielding and shattered to pieces. With her blade being broken, Tyler pointed his sword at Sunset, claiming victory for himself.
"This incursion is over, young lady!" But when his sword came close to the mare, it began to emanate a shining light. In confusion, Tyler looked down at the shimmering blade, wondering about the reason of the sudden shine. "What...?" Deep from the jewel on the blade, a picture of Sunset appeared. Looking up to her once again, Tyler's eyes narrowed while he lowered the sword, understanding the true goal of this mission, yet not noticing the tall shadow growing behind him. "Why you... You're the one I came to find!"

Taking a step back, Sunset Shimmer began to smirk victoriously.
"Is that so...?" In the next moment Tyler was knocked out from behind and Gorex towered over him. Coming over to her now unconscious prisoner, Sunset looked down at him and this strange sword that stopped him from doing her harm. Magic had no effect on his kind, but brute force was still a way to overcome him. If won to her cause, he could make the perfect ally against Celestia. Levitating the sword up, she looked at the prismatic blade. "You are mine now, stranger... You and this curious sword."

* * * * *

Meanwhile in Equestria, after a certain light show in the sky, a Harmony Ranger Pegasus landed in front of Flynn, Jake, Lieutenant Pearce and the marines. Saluting in front of Flynn, the mare stood attention in military manner, what brought visible reactions to the marines. Jake wasn’t sure if it was bemusement, amusement or plain confusion, but they remained silent to this.
“Scout Whisper Hoof reporting from scouting mission, sir!”

Pearce looked over to Flynn, who nodded down at Whisperhoof.
“Report!”

“Sir, after the battle of Princess Twilight with Lord Tirek it seems the Element Bearers unleashed a powerful magic attack, restoring every bit of magic in this nation formerly stolen from Lord Tirek, including Pegasus flight and Earth pony magic. A new castle had been summoned at the edge of Ponyville as a byproduct.”

“That’s an interesting turn of events for sure. Are there any traces of this centaur, I mean from Lord Tirek, left behind?” Flynn then asked.

Shaking her head, Whisper Hoof continued.
“We already got confirmation from the castle: Lord Tirek is banished in Tartarus once again. We also informed the princesses of the presence of these new visitors and they made clear that they wish to speak with them as soon as possible.”

Giving the report a nod, Flynn then smirked.
“That would be all, Whisper Hoof. Good work. Dismissed!” While she took off, he headed straight to the castle, the others following him.

Coming to his side, Pearce arched a brow.
“Um…. Where are we going?”

Pointing ahead, Flynn began to grin.
“Why, Canterlot Castle, of course.”

“You mean we can simply walk right in? No appointment or something?”

Flynn was now fighting not to chuckle.
“Yeah…? The princesses enjoy a little chat with humans once in a while. Especially with personal friends.”

“Just like that? Like nothing happened? There was a huge centaur out there out to get everyone with magic and the next minute it’s business as usual?”

The smile on Flynn’s face grew wider.
“Yeah! These ponies forget hard times quite fast and live mostly from day to day since the princesses take care of the country. Which basically means that alicorns… Uh, that’s what their pony sub species is called… ponies with horn and wings... That alicorns are closest to human thinking in terms of conversation. They have a memory that is almost frighteningly good.”

“How good?” Pearce asked, arching a brow.

“Well, you see… I had a conversation with Princess Luna once and she told me about a blind filly that lived about a thousand years ago. She told the story like it happened a few years back. So what I’m saying: Be careful not to step on their wrong side. They will not forget this anytime soon.” As they entered the castle’s inner halls, an all too familiar face approached them as a white unicorn stallion trotted over to them. “Prince Shining Armor? It is good to see you.”

Shining greeted the group with a smile.
“You as well, Flynn. I see you brought some guests?”

“Yeah… A new situation had occurred, complicating things a bit. Seemingly Earth had sent some soldiers assessing the situation here. They wish to speak with the princesses as they wish to see them as well.”

Frowning in mild confusion, Prowe hummed a bit in thought.
“Only a horn, no wings. Isn’t royalty reserved for alicorns?”

A short glance over to Flynn with an arched brow was enough for Shining to see that these people were new to Equestria. A smirk grew on his face.
“No, since I am married to one of them. I was on a visit here when things took a turn south with Lord Tirek. As former Captain of the Royal Guard, I took it as my duty to see things through.”

Prowe then nodded.
“I see. There is seemingly much to learn here. I was just confused for a moment.”

Nodding over to the main gate to the throne room, Shining then looked over to Flynn.
“If you gentlemen will go in? I take it you are expected.”

As they passed him and went through another gate, one of the guards approached him.
“Sire, aren’t we a bit too trustful? I mean have you seen their weapons? These could tear a pony to shreds.

Shining smirked as he glanced through the gate the soldiers went through.
“Yes, but that’s not the only thing I noticed. Look up!” When the guard did so, he took note of several Pegasi flying silently at the ceiling unnoticed by everyone, heavily armored and armed with rifles of their own. When he glanced back at Shining, the Prince nodded. “Prince Tyler’s Tellyhawks are watching them ever so closely, now that they are that close to the Princesses. They may have failed like the rest of us against Tirek, but they will make short work out of these soldiers should they have hostile intent.” Now the gate to the throne room opened.

When Celestia scanned the soldier’s appearance from head to toe, a sudden smirk came onto her lips. Their weapons looked even more intimidating than the ranger weapons Tyler had once demonstrated to her and Luna.
“How ironic. That a peaceful nation such as our modest Equestria with no ambition to wage war shall out of the clear sky find itself suddenly besieged by a small team of human soldiers. All grimly determined to see if there are threats endangering their own home world.”

Luna glanced down to the soldiers, her brow twitching once.
“And what formidable weapons they wield for coming into our peaceful nation...

Taking a deep breath, Pearce folded his arms together.
“I am sorry, your highness if we aren’t welcome here, but we have our orders.”

Closing her eyes, Celestia shook her head with a smile before looking at them again.
“No, good sir. You are welcome here. Your weapons, however, are not. Please…” Pointing over to the table at the side of the throne room with her left hoof, Celestia then continued. “There is no reason for weapons in these halls as of right now while having a conversation. You are safe and among allies, if your intentions are peaceful in nature. Rest your weapons on that table, so we can converse like civilized beings.”

Giving the table a short glance, Pearce nodded and turned over to the table, laying down his pistol and assault rifle as well as his battle knife. Prowe, however, hesitated a second, lowering his voice.
“Sir, do you think this is wise?”

“It’s a bit late for that, now that we are inside their castle filled with their guards, isn’t it? Lay down your weapons. Let’s see what we can learn here without using weapons.” Pearce countered. Grumbling a bit, Prowe and the others complied.

When they returned to the front of the throne, Celestia’s face relaxed a bit and she nodded in kind.
“Thank you for that simple gesture of cooperation.”

Pearce replied with a nod of his own.
“There is no reason we can’t be civilized, is there? I am Lieutenant Ben Pearce, United States Marines, leading the group of marines currently in your country. I take it you’re the two ladies in charge here?”

Celestia nodded, yet also raised her hoof in order to present Luna at her side.
“That we are. I am Princess Celestia of Equestria and I rule this realm together with my sister Luna… However, we must apologize for the inconvenience during your arrival…Recently there was this incident with Lord Tirek...

“That big centaur dude? Not a nice feller. We saw what he did to the ponies.” Prowe interrupted.

Pearce then shook his head as he continued.
“My men wanted to start a fight with him, but I held them back. We didn’t know anything about the lifeforms on this world and if our weapons would have had any effect on him at that time.”

Celestia closed her eyes, and nodded as if she understood the situation they had been in.
“Maybe that course of action was the wisest choice of yours until now.”

Luna nodded before she continued.
“Do not be alarmed by him. Without bodily contact with equestrian magic, humans have no magic to speak of, so he is no threat to thy kind. And now since he is back in Tartarus in his containment, he poses no more threat to thee.”

Pearce relaxed a bit hearing that such a big creature was already captured and contained.
“Yeah, we already figured out so much. He tried and failed to rob us of our ‘magic’, as he claimed, yet only sucked void.”

“That was most fortunate for you.” Celestia intervened, “Tirek didn’t know that humans can store equestrian magic within their bodies. If he would, certainly he would have pursuited you and the humans in Horizon Valley as well to see if anyone of you would have any magic for him to steal.”

This caused Pearce to cock his head.
“So there are more humans living here? More than these two rangers? How many exactly?”

That’s when Jake spoke up again.
“What do you mean? I mean the government types told us that they knew about this place.”

“Well, from what we know you must have been misinformed” Prowe interfered. Jake’s facial expression darkened. Either these soldiers were lying or the passengers of the airbus were lied to in the first place. Both options didn’t came to his liking.

Raising a hoof, Celestia shook her head briefly
“Gentlemen, please… There will be time to discuss these matters thoroughly. But right now I am interested in aiding these soldiers here.” Giving a sigh, Celestia closed her eyes and shook her head.”I am sorry for what our half-sisters have done on your planet… Again, I can only assure you that not everypony on this world wishes to do your world harm. I hope that cooperation with you will persuade you of our intentions.”

“Well, we are here for threat assessment and to report back to Earth.” Pearce replied. “We can get a clear signal from here coming from Earth, but can’t get a message to Earth. They can get a signal, but it’s so ripped apart and full of static that they can’t hear us.

“We know of the Crossing over the Everfree Forest and we know it already to be a one way street. However we do not know where a second or further crossing could be placed.” Pearce nodded and thought for a moment. Recognizing this, Celestia arched a brow. “What is on your mind?”

That’s when Luna chimed in.
“He knows something. Something he hasn’t told us yet and is considering the pros and cons of telling us.” When Pearce looked at her in shock, she closed her eyes and forced a smile. “Oh don’t worry thy pretty little head. I wasn’t reading thy mind, only thy facial expressions. I didn’t know I was this well spot on.”

Pearce cleared his throat and nodded.
“Your highness is indeed right. I can not tell you everything I was briefed on, but I can tell you this: Earth has found a second crossing coming from your world. it goes way south from the first crossing in Bermuda. I can’t disclose the very position of this crossing though due to my orders…”

“Very well…” If your crossing is more to the south, then the best course of action would be to establish a relay station here in Equestria to aid you in receiving your homeworld’s signal while also going south in order to get a better signal. I will see to it that the Royal Guard will aid you in this. We will have you at the southern border of Equestria within the hour, if you so wish.”

Prowe now leaned in to pearce and whispered something into his ear, causing him to arch both brows as if he remembered something very important.
“Oh yes! At our arrival, one of our comrades was… turned to stone by some sort of weird chicken thing. We heard there was a cure for that state. So if we could have your assistance to help out with that…”

Both princesses glanced at each other, before Celestia replied with a nod and a smile.
“A simple case of cockatrice petrification? We will see to it. A squad of the Royal Guard and the Harmony Rangers will retrieve the statue and bring it to us. Your comrade will soon be OK again.”

This brought genuine smiles on the soldiers’ faces.
“Thank you, your highness.” But when Celestia and Luna stood up to leave the throne room, the marines grew pale at the sight of the cutie mark of Princess Celestia.

Prowe leaned over to Pearce, lowering his voice.
“Sir, isn’t this...?”

Pearce simply nodded.
“Don’t get too close to the sun.”

* * * * *

Blurry darkness slowly formed into the world for Lyra Heartstrings, who slowly regained consciousness. She and the others were bound with rope and either sitting or kneeling on the ground. Looking over her body, Sam smirked a bit as he leaned in to her.
“Lyra, babe… Pretty kinky, but shouldn’t be just one of us be tied up?”

“Saaammm?”

Growling in annoyance, Grinko rolled his eyes.
“Would you two cut it out? Tyler! Wake up, damn it!

Regaining consciousness himself, Tyler looked around in an attempt to orientate himself
“Wha…? What happened?”

Sam looked over to Tyler, arching a brow.
“Finally awake? Once they knocked you out, they encircled and overwhelmed us. There were too many of them.”

A deep growl emitted from Grinko’s throat as he looked around, aiming to find a weak spot in the room.
“Someone misinformed us. These people here, they are not just a few rogue elements. Seems to me that the entire island is gathered in this city.”

Tyler looked up to the wall in front of him and shook his head.
“She had send me to bring the incursion leader back, not to be arrested, but to be reformed. I should have known something was fishy when she told me to deliver the sword to a pony who couldn't find her destiny under her guidance, when she just told me about a banished student!" He closed his eyes in silent anger. "God, I must have been so blind!"

The door swung open and Sunset as well as several of her followers came in. Shortly after, Captain Lily was brought inside the room and was tossed to the ground. Her being captured made the Rangers fear for the worst.
“We found the bat pony mare outside the city limits. How many of you are on this island?”

Sam glanced over to Lily and tried to spot a sign of life.
“You OK?”

Lily turned her head and nodded.
“Don’t worry! I was alone at the time they got me. The ship is secure. Guess I’m better at naval duties than infiltration...”

This caused Tyler to stand up. If Lily’s ship was still safe out there and the crew still in control, things weren’t so dire as they first seemed. Now standing in front of Sunset and her followers, he showed no sign of intimidation.
“I am Head Ranger Tyler Jones, Prince of Willpower in Equestria! And you, whoever you are... You are under arrest for several violations of equestrian diplomatic treaties! As of now, there are several fleets moving towards this island. Surrender now and you will get a fair trial.”

The claim caused the crowd in front of him to break into laughter. A reaction Tyler expected for his bluff. Sam now stood up as well and leaned in.
“I don't think they understood you correctly, Tyler.”

Sunset Shimmer shook her head and stepped in front of Tyler, a wide smirk on her face. While she talked, her followers nodded and looked at Tyler, assured of themselves. The one or another smile was visible.
“I'm sorry, we can't surrender now, your ‘highness’. We’re not done violating Equestrian treaties... In fact we’re just getting started. And as for the next violation, I'm intending to commit a theft. A grand theft, if you please. I must have your ship.”

Upon hearing this, Lily's ears twitched and her eyes got wide.
"You staged all this to get your hooves on my ship?"

Looking over to her, Sunset arched a brow.
"And who might you be?"

"Captain Black Lily!" the bat pony barked back.

“Uh-huh…” Turning away from Lily, Sunset showed that she didn’t had any interest in lily itself, what prompted the bat pony mare to lay her ears back like a cat in combat mode. Sunset turned back to Tyler. “That sword you got here got me fascinated, brute. It feels like this fine blade was made just for me.”

This caused Tyler to scoff.
“Yeah, you wish! I was supposed to hand it over to someone serving harmony, not a rogue terrorist!”

“Terrorist? Me? I was the one being banished for attempting to help others! Did Celestia spread those lies?”

"You can't call that helping! These folks out there are brainwashed! Griffins and Masar are natural rivals. They would rather segregate and keep to their own. They may have made peace, but change that fast is not possible without some manipulation."

Now it was Sunset’s turn to scoff.
“Pah! They are not brainwashed. In fact they all have their own free will. I only took them to their darkest hour in their life and gave them mental support in overcoming that what is burdening them the most. It's no witchcraft or mental conditioning that they showcase a great deal of gratitude for being freed of said burden…”

By that time, Grinko rolled his eyes in major annoyance, his voice growling aggressive.
“Tyler, you are strong enough to blast every single one of them to smithereens. Why are they still standing?”

Tyler still maintaining a calm and collected voice glanced over to his Masar friend.
“No, Grinko. Because I would also hit innocent bystanders. If I would really cut loose, Rage might not stop that easily. I could kill half their male incursion members or rape half their females. Not something I want to explain to Celestia back home…”

Sunset then turned to Grinko herself.
“So… You are Prince Grinko. A royal Masar, who would have thought that I would face royals again? A certain Griffin prince on this island told me about you. He should arrive in about half an hour.”

Hearing this truly enraged the Masar and his growl became a fierce roar as he fought against the chains holding him.
“What have you done to Griffith, you little-”

But just as he wanted to jump at her, her voice became reverberant and took control over his body like she already did so often with the others.
“Stop right there!!!”

Like the others before him, Grinko was unable to move and his legs shook violently. But what Sunset didn’t expected was him inhaling sharp and roaring so loud and fierce at her that it broke her concentration, completely undoing her spell. When she shook her head in order to become clear again, she noticed that her followers had all stepped away from Grinko by a large portion. Not only was his roar loud and scary by itself, its intimidating effect was multiplied by his heritage in the royal family. However, the mind control attempt had taken its toll on him and he held his head as if he had a headache.
“Mind games and other mumbo-jumbo won't help you with me, you perverted witch!”

Arching a brow with a victorious smirk, Sunset’s voice once again became reverberant while her horn began to glow.
“Mindgames? Oh we’re not playing any games in this important time here…”

All of a sudden, the other Rangers and Captain Lily noticed that their bonds around their wrists or hooves had been undone. Looking at each other, they noticed that they were alone in the darkness with Grinko and Sunset. Coming to Grinko’s side, Tyler just wanted to ask, when the screams of pain of a Masar female sounded off in another corner of the room. But this wasn’t the room they were before. These were the highly decorated room of a palace in another country. Recognizing the Masar as a much younger version of Queen Sheeris, surrounded by her royal midwives, Tyler turned over to his Masar friend.
“Grinko? What are we...”

Cocking his head, the Masar analyzed the situation.
“I'm guessing we are witnessing some of my oldest memories... Birth…”

Holding up the crying newborn, the midwife presented it to the queen.
"Queen Sheeris? Your son!" A certain expression of pride and fondness now grew on Grinko’s face as he witnessed the young baby being held up to his mother.

But upon laying her eyes on the newborn, the queen’s expression of relief turned into one of disappointment.
“I had hoped for a daughter…”

Tyler looked over to Grinko. These six words seemed to have the same effect as the devastating blow of a sledgehammer to his face.
"Grinko?" He tried to step closer to his Masar friend, yet Grinko stepped away with a shake of his head and a hurt expression on his face. Seemingly the memory being unearthed caused him emotional pain; pain he did not want to show to the outside. A silent rage built up in Tyler and he turned over to Sunset Shimmer once again, his voice, although calm and quiet, was shaking with anger. Breaking through her mind control, he was remembering that his wrists were bound together. “What have you done to my friend?”

Sunset arched a brow, remaining calm, not showing any signs of fear.
"Me? Nothing! This is his true self. Weren't you aware of that?"

A feeling of guilt crept up Tyler's mind as he came to a realization. He never asked Grinko much about his former life in Moranji. About his feelings, about his origins. Seemingly there was a deep pain where he feared of not being sufficient due to being a male heir in a matriarchy.
"No... I wasn't aware of that..."

Sunset’s left front hoof now stomped to the ground as she came over to Tyler a wide grin on her face. He was the biggest threat of them all, winning him over to her side would force the others to comply automatically.
“Now... Let's have a look into you as well.”

Taking one step away from Sunset, Tyler’s tone got more aggressive.
"If you know what’s good for you, you stay the fuck away from me, bitch!"

Considering his threat, Sunset closed her eyes with a chuckle.
“Hold him in place!”

Strong Masar arms and paws held Tyler down, his head on the height of Sunset’s face. Tyler tried his best to fight against that hold, but the strong grasp held his head in place was enforced by the claws drawn out to make sure that any attempt to struggle would result in discomfort, pain and injury.
“The more you struggle, the greater the pain,” one of the Masar warned him.

Gritting his teeth, Tyler still tried to avoid her horn as best as possible.
“Hnnngg… You’re going to regret that…”

“Now, now… It will all be done in just a second...” At the touch of her horn to his forehead, the world went dark for both Sunset Shimmer and Tyler.

* * * * *

Finding himself again at the foot of the ruins of the gothic cathedral, Tyler gasped, knowing his very own mind limbo well. It had been quite long since he last got here. Ever since he learned to stand up to Sage with the help of the girls he had forsaken this place in hopes never to come back here again. His heart skipped a beat when the cathedral bell rang as to alarm the other two inhabitants of his mind-limbo. There was an intruder in this mind.
"Oh no..." Spinning around, he spotted Sunset Shimmer at the lower steps to the Cathedral. "You! You shouldn't have done this! You shouldn't be in this place!" The sound of rattling chains echoed in the distance. A sound that let Tyler's blood freeze in his veins. Loose, rattling chains could mean only one thing: The mindless bloodhound was set free of them to hunt down the intruder. Making haste down the stairs, he hurried to Sunset. "I thought I destroyed this place for good. You have to leave! Now! Before they find you!"

Turning around, her eyes became wide at the sight of the gargantuan cathedral, her face showed total confusion.
"What is the meaning of this? Why don’t you have memories in your mind like all the others?"

Stepping into existence behind Tyler, Sage and Rage came forth into sight. While Rage had nothing but a low growl for the unicorn, Sage on the other hand had a smug grin on his face.
"Because we are not like all the others, sweetie." Tyler froze in motion as they appeared behind him, their presence leaving him barely able to draw a breath. "Tyler...? There is an intruder in our limbo."

Trotting backwards, Sunset now began to shake her head in confusion, not understanding what she was witnessing.
"What is this? Why are there three of you?"

Following her slowly but steadily with his eyes, Sage's pupils began to glow in a fierce blue coloration as Rage’s did in a similar red glow.
"Why are you backing away? A keymaster to the minds of others is surely rare. But if one ever is found by the gatekeepers, things tend to go for the worse..."

Sunset gritted her teeth. 'Of course. Celestia wouldn't send just any average guy on the street. There HAD to be something special about him.' Of all beings in Equestria, she had to find the one person least affected by mind spells, for whosoever wished to interact with this mind had to face these two guardians. One of them an animal in appearance, raw muscular might and savage behavior... The other, a strange entity hard to assess. His powers were enormous, one could feel the magic ooze and emit from him. Facing his two alter egos, Tyler gave them a stern look, taking stance against them.
"Hands off of her! Whatever nasty thing it is you two are plotting, it won't happen! Not even to the likes of her!" This, once more, surprised Sunset. He was protecting her from what exactly? And what for? Surely she was somepony he would gladly get rid of. Why protecting her from himself?

Sage, however, continued to smirk at Tyler.
"Oh? Whatever do you mean, boy?"

Pointing over to Rage, Tyler eyed Sage with a grim expression
"He is eying her a bit too much, Sage."

"You tell me... He wants to rape her into submission, wants to make her squeal until she finds her place beneath him." At that remark, Sunset's mane and coat at the neck began to stand up. She was in trouble, exposed to a threat she couldn't figure out, yet. Recognizing her uncertain glances, Sage arched a brow and he tipped his temples while looking back to Tyler. "Fortunately for her, I'm not thrilled to see that disgusting scene, so I'm holding him back. Normally I would let him have his way with an intruder, but it is not greed that brought her here."

Tyler frowned at this and his glance jumped back and forth between Sage and Sunset.
"It isn't?"

“No... It is desire. Curiosity beyond imagination. An unquenchable thirst for knowledge and meaning to her own decisions. I can see why Celestia thought that this mare wasn’t a total loss, yet. Such an unstable path she’s walking...” A shiver crept over Sunset's spine, making her shake ever so slightly. That glance Sage was giving her with these blue shining eyes. He was now entering her mind, she could clearly feel him slowly overcoming her mental defenses one by one. "It is like this, isn't it? The one species determining its own destiny and still being able to do the things ponies can do. Wielding magic among other things.”

Sunset backed away more and more. As of now, even her voice shivered. It wasn't exactly fear that shook her like this. It was a mixture of uncertainty, fear of the unknown and pure excitement. She had been in so many minds, yet not one of them came close to this one.
"P-please don't harm me..."

Seeing her eyes slowly welling up, Sage looked down at her in minor disgust.
"Oh, please! No tears... It is a waste of good suffering!" Drawing her head closer to him, Sage glanced deep into her eyes, his blue eyes shining brightly into her face. "Total freedom, paired with unstoppable might... Yes, we could show you that. But you're barely worthy of the effort. I mean a single unicorn mare? A wanna-be mistress of the minds? Hardly worthy of the powers we could unleash..." Tyler rose a brow at these words. What was Sage hiding in this limbo?

In the real world, Sunset was breathing rapidly while the connection between her and Tyler was maintained. With her shivering and sweating body, she got Lyra to think that this connection with Tyler either took the most out of Sunset Shimmer, or that what she found scared her beyond measure. Then, the glow on Tyler changed coloration and caused a magical feedback into Sunset's horn.

Inside the limbo, this caused Sunset to gasp in surprise, looking around in haste and confusion. But just as on cue, Sage’s smug grin begin to widen.
“Trying to get out of this mind now, girl? Not going to happen that easily.”

“Stop! Just cease the connection, Sage! We don't need to hurt her.” Tyler interfered.

“Why not? If she's curious, let her lay witness to some of our power.”

“It could harm her! Even in here. I don't want to be responsible for her real brain to fry in the process!”

Shaking his head, Sage shrugged Tyler’s concerns away. Getting a hold on Sunset’s neck, his magic grip on her throat became firm in an instant
“What do I care? She's not permitted in here. And you know what they say about those who play with fire... So you want a taste of the vastness of this mind? Here! Maybe this will help! This cathedral, this 'Monastery of Sanity' is only the beginning." The dark and heavy mist around the cathedral was casted aside and revealed a bridge leaving away from the cathedral. Choking Sunset within his grasp, Sage lifted her body up and began floating. Slamming her hooves against the arm threatening to suffocate her, her defiant face seized when they began moving and she was lifted over the edge of the bridge, revealing a terrifying view down below. Terror grew in her eyes at what was beneath them. This entire cathedral was surrounded by a stone trench cut down into the depths several miles down to a seemingly endless pit, was standing on a gargantuan plateau like someone cut down a cylinder shaped hole into the stone, placed a massive stone pillar into it and built the cathedral on top of it all. Clouds of mist were still lingering down there, lightning strikes cracked in the depths. Looking into Sage’s face again, the icy cold blue of his eyes shined into her face as these eyes began glowing with a fierce light as if this light wanted to stab into her like two sapphire daggers. "This cathedral already frightens you? And you deem yourself worthy? The real knowledge of this mind begins where you left off. Wonders and terrors defying any attempt of description, secrets that are mine alone..."

Sage's eyes darted to Tyler, narrowing down as the two men looked at each other. In this moment, Tyler knew that Sage was proclaiming his right to exist. And the thought that Sage deemed him dangerous enough for this to be required troubled him. More and more a wavering energy of magic built up on Sage’s body. This was not supercharging, this was actual magic energy fluctuating around him as it was focused just barely enough to be visible.
"A knowledge so vast that it could endanger those dearest to me; a power which is still solely mine! Enough secrets of might and magic to lift pony- and humankind from the depths of Tartarus and into heaven... or destroy them." Levitating Sunset back into the middle of the bridge, Sage sneered down at her shivering body while she was coughing for air. "Look at you, girl. Shivering at the mere thought about a mind so vast and deep. Unable to cope with the reality of it. If you would have known that entities like me exist, you would run back from whence you came and would hide under a rock instead of leading an incursion with mentally enslaved individuals!"

Coming to her side, Tyler glimpsed down to Sunset before he looked up to Sage.
“You never told me about this. I mean... How far down does this shaft go? How many basement floors does this cathedral have? One can not see the ground.”

Giving Tyler a sober glare, Sage inhaled deep before he closed his eyes and shook his head.
“Do you think I simply play with my thumbs while you woo the girls or mess around in the real world? No! I devote my precious time to theoretical research. That's why you're the one loved by the ladies and I am the brain you should actually listen to!”

Arching a brow, Tyler knelt down besides Sunset and rested a hand on her shoulder to calm her down. In this place, he would protect her, even when he was her prisoner right now in the real world.
"You have a point there... But still: Would you think the girls would approve of such methods? I will not let that happen! Neither with Rage nor you! We didn’t come here to break a mind! To rescue? Yes. To punish? Perhaps. But not to mentally mutilate.” This caused Sunset to look up at Tyler in amazement. ‘Is he actually standing up for me against himself? Why?!?’

“Now you have a point there as well, Tyler..." Looking down to Sunset, Sage's facial expression darkened. "Be grateful! He might have just saved your pretty little mind from me. The barrier holding you in here is lifted from this limbo. Now… leave..."

Once Sunset had vanished from the mind limbo, Tyler stepped closer to Sage.
“I don’t want you to believe that you’re not appreciated. You’re making yourself useful. I-”

Sage’s reply came on the spot with a harsh, cold tone.
“I know that you actually thought of the both of us to be parasites or a mental sickness, Tyler. Don’t pretend that it wasn’t so.”

“I’m not. Whatever the fuck happened to me, it caused both of you to appear. If you’re willing to work with me, make yourselves useful? I’m happy to make use of your talents along the ride. I’m surprised about this, however. I thought you would only re-utilize magic. I mean, just studying what is possible and then applying it with the spells taken in. Now I learn that you do actual research.”

“Some of this stuff could be deemed miraculous, if it works, other things are more of a nightmarish concept. If you want to, we could talk about it after we’re done here.”

Tyler was looking into Sage’s eyes for a moment, not sure what to make of that glance. Was it hope? Was it indifference? He couldn’t clearly say, but he put on a smile while nodding.
“Sure thing. If you want to, we could also invite one or several of the girls. I take it one particular mare of our herd would just love to participate.”

This put a smile on Sage’s face that felt genuine.
“That sounds good to me…” However, the limbo became dark as Tyler returned to the waking world.

* * * * *

While coming to his senses,Tyler heard Lyra’s frantic yelling.
“Tyler! Tyler, wake up! You have to wake up!!!”

Shaking his head in order to become clear, Tyler blinked several times.
“What is going on?” Outside was a commotion and the guards that surrounded them before had at least halved.

“A few minutes ago the ground began shaking” Sam replied.

“An earthquake?”

“Shit if I know! There was a horn like from a War Citadel in the distance We shouldn’t be inside a building if something like that goes down on the island.”

At once every single alarm bell in Tyler’s mind began ringing and he teleported out of the building, much to the guards’ surprise.
“What the...?!?

“Where did he go?!?”

High up in the sky, Tyler materialized and the magic sphere held him on that altitude. There it was, cracking out of the island’s surface, certain drills on its sides as if needed to dig through massive stone. The war citadel wasn’t even remotely as huge as Nagohod, yet it looked as if three citadels were fused together, resulting in several towers and spires. Water shot out of the hole it rose up like it dug a tunnel into the island. Once the citadel began floating, Tyler noticed a certain familiarity of the appearance to this particular citadel. This one wasn’t cut out of stone, but was pure metal. Large chunks of technology like sensor arrays and beam weapons were visible upon a closer look. Something he saw a few months ago while being way ahead in the future. Giving the sight a gulp, he took a deep breath and teleported again. Reappearing in the room the others were held, he glanced over to Sam.
“Alright… This has gone far enough. Sam!” Giving a nod Sam broke free of his bonds with a short flex of his muscle while Tyler undid his with magic.

The eyes of one Griffin went wide in surprise.
“Wait! These two could have done so the entire time?”

A Masar growled low at the realization.
“Which means they could had caused quite a ruckus, if there was a true hostile intent… We were lied to!”

Suspicious glances met Sunset, who now stomped her hoof down while the Rangers left the building.
“You can not go!”

But Tyler didn’t look over to her as he undid Grinko’s and Captain Lily’s bonds while Sam undid the bonds of Lyra and the other Rangers.
“You remember the two of them in the back of my head? They were able to get quite nasty in there, things could get really ugly, if you force me to let them out in the real world. And then I might not be so willingly to call them back, since you stabbed into my back… But enough of this! Captain Lily! I need you to prepare your ship at once! There is a war citadel out there possibly holding cyber ponies... We-”

“You have no authority here, brute!” Sunset interrupted him. “This was not a request! She will go nowhere-” Tyler rolled his eyes in annoyance and waved his fingers, teleporting Lily away from the city, prompting Sunset to take a step back, aghast before her expression grew hostile. “...until we had our say… You damn dirty brute!”

Seeing her back away, the crowd looked back and forth between her and Tyler before stepping into the rangers path out of town, blocking it. Slowly the crowd began a chant of its own.
“We want freedom promised to us! We want freedom promised to us! We want freedom promised to us! We want freedom promised to us! We want freedom promised to us!”

Looking around, Sunset gritted her teeth as the chant grew in volume. The situation threatened to slip out of her hooves. She was losing control over these people, who stopped seeing her as their leader. Facing the crowd, she began to yell at them.
“What's this? What is this?!? WHAT IS THIS?!? Do you think that I don't remember my promise to each one of you?!? Wasn't it me who united each and every one of you?!? And I say that this crowd is united like a family in our goal to leave this place. And this brute is the only thing that stands between us and our freedom! Either all of us go or no one goes!”

Lyra shook her head in disapproval. Other matters were more pressing right now.
“What is freedom to all of you, when there is nowhere else to go anymore?!? That citadel needs to be stopped or there won't be any place left to go! As we speak, they get closer to their own goal. They want to attack Equestria!”

“What does the fate of Celestia's little playground matter to us?”

The shout was enough for Tyler to raise his own voice with a holographic image cyber ponies.
“Because these cyber ponies won't stop there. They will turn the population of Equestria into more cyber ponies, then the Crystal Empire, Zebrica, Amasia... Until all equine life is consumed and bolstering their ranks. And then... they will come for the other species of Equis...." Looking around, Tyler saw faces of several species, some of them troubled, others worried and still others determined to come free. "I am the Prince of Willpower. What I see before me is a crowd others would deem as criminals. Outcasts banished for several reasons... But that's not all I see. I see a crowd of folks that want to get out of this misery. I was betrayed, I am guilty of misleading you here. I can't promise you much right now, but know this: You will get my help to get off this island and into greener realms. A place you can and will call your own, a place you'll call home. I will make use of all of my power and influence to get you folks away from here. But first I'll have to make sure this citadel goes down. If you don't stand for these ponies in Equestria, there soon won't be anyone left to stand for you once it's your turn."

“And who would vouch for you, a species only a few of us know?” One in the crowd asked.

"I would!" Much to the surprise of the others around, Grinko stepped in, eying them with a stern glance. "I stand with this human prince, for several times in the past he stood with me! You have beef with him? Then you have beef with me as well!"

Upon recognizing him, the others stepped back.
"It's Prince Grinko!"

"He stands with this creature?"

"And he is not the only one!" More uproar emitted from the crowd when a young griffin stepped out of the crowd.

“Prince Griffith!”

Coming from the settlement’s main gate, the griffin prince came closer. Bowing down to both Grinko and Tyler, Griffith shook his head in guilt.
“I must ask the both of you for forgiveness… I should have warned you about all this. But...”

Looking over to Sunset, Tyler’s face hardened.
"We have seen what she's capable of, Griffith."

Patting Griffith’s shoulder, Grinko shook his head.
"There is nothing to forgive, my dear friend."

Pointing over to the three princes with his thumb, Sam looked over to the crowd.
"And this is what we in Equestria are calling friendship for life!"

The settlers looked at each other, seemingly lost with the situation.
“Then... What are we to do now?”

Taking a look at them, Griffith nodded.
“Well… We’ve waited for so long to get off this rock… What’s a day more to harm? We two here can vouch for this man here. If he says he will get us off this rock, he will do so. You have our word for-”

Right in this moment, the horn of the war citadel was sounding of and the mechanical colossus flew right over the settlement in a slow pace. While the settlers gave concerned murmurs, Tyler’s face darkened. He had to do something.
"Shit! We’re running out of time. Seems like I need to stall these fuckers up there. I need some magic for this. Every unicorn: Charge me with what you are willing to or can give!" While the unicorn rangers stepped in at once and charged Tyler, the unicorn settlers hesitated and came only one by one, unsure of their reputation among the other settlers. "You!" Once Sunset's and Tyler's eyes met, he gave her a stern glare. "You are going to accompany me into that citadel!"

This earned him a few questioning glances from his fellow Rangers and Sam spoke up.
“You think that's wise, Tyler? She might stab you in the back.”

Tyler’s glare at Sunset hardened.
“No, she won't. It's wiser than leaving her here, where she could incite more trouble. Besides... Up there she and I will either learn to stick together or perish both." Pulling her in, Tyler gave her a wide, sadistic grin. "Fun times ahead, Sunset Shimmer! You and me against a legion of Cyber Ponies. Sounds like a great saturday night!"

One of the other rangers now approached Tyler, a communication crystal levitated in midair.
“Head Ranger! We got a line to Ranger Scratch over at HQ!”

Grabbing the crystal, Tyler spoke right into it.
“Yes, Vinyl?”

“Head ranger, this is a request for a status update. The princesses want to know what’s the situation over there at Neftus Island.”

Tyler looked over to the settlers.
“Well the situation in the settlement itself is about to be resolved. However, the situation got a whole lot more complicated. Just when things took a turn for the worse, a war citadel showed up. Now I think we made it clear to the settlers that we have to deal with that threat first before we can evacuate the island.”

“Excuse me, head ranger… Did you say war citadel?”

“Yes, Vinyl… I said a war citadel! It’s a new type, bigger and bulkier than the ones before and is heading towards Equestria as we speak. It’s a slow pace as of now, but once its engines have turned on to full speed, I’m sure it will be over there in a matter of hours as it will accelerate.”

While Vinyl was continuing her dialogue with Tyler, the silent red alarm was triggered in the Ranger Headquarter and a messenger was sent to the princesses.
“Head Ranger? I want to inform you that we have a joint fleet of Royal Guard and Harmony Rangers Sir, it is my pleasure to inform you that 129 airships have been altered by the Harmony Rangers. As we speak, they are being deployed and with our latest weapon technology, 2964 rangers will throw everything we have at whatever is coming from the south. The Wonderbolts and Tellyhawks are aiding us as well.”

Tyler looked up to the mechanical menace that flew into the north. If truly manned with cyber ponies, the threat would even exceed the current capabilities of this joint fleet. At least with this technological disadvantage.
“I'm not sure if this will be enough.”

“Prince Tyler! We are your Harmony Rangers. Order us to hold the southern line of Equestria's borders and Celestia be my witness: Our forces will hold it until we draw our last breath.”

Tyler looked over to the others, his eyes pleading for advice. But from all of them, Sam came next to him, rested a hand on his shoulders and nodded silently. Closing his eyes, Tyler then raised the crystal to his mouth once more.
"Then proceed… But also tell Ranger Flynn and Higgins to prepare accordingly."

In the headquarters, Vinyl gulped as she understood the situation now.
“That bad, huh? Understood, Head Ranger. I volunteered to be in that project as well, so I know what you’re up to. It will be done. Good luck to us all.”

The hand with the crystal in it dropped and Tyler looked to the ground, but Sam shook his head.
"There are civilians on the line this time, Tyler. Innocent bystanders. You think you've signed their death sentence... Yes, you have. But their sacrifice might save Equestria.”

Lyra stomped her hoof to the ground in protest.
"Sam!"

Looking back at Lyra, Sam shook his head with an determined glance.
“They knew what they signed up for. Everyone of us did. Defending Equestria and possibly dying a gruesome death while doing so.”

A bolt of magic energy was shot into the ground between them. causing both Sam and Lyra to look over to Tyler
“Shut it! And that goes for the both of you! Sam is right… It may not come to my liking, but this is their part in this battle. While I’m taking on the Cyber Ponies inside, the other equestrian forces will stall their citadel in the meantime. This means the Royal Guard, the Harmony Rangers, my Tellyhawks and the little surprise Flynn and Rachel are delivering.”

Both Rangers glanced at each other in surprise before Lyra spoke up first.
“You mean...? The black project we were to remain silent about?”

Sam’s face grew grim.
“Project Concordia… You think things will go so bad, Tyler?”

Tyler took a deep breath and nodded.
“I don’t know for certain, but it sure looks that way.”

* * * * *

At the same time, Flynn was entering the Wonderbolt barracks in Canterlot. A pony officer tried to stop him as he was heading towards the Captain’s quarters.
“Excuse me, sir? Sir! You can’t enter here! The captain is busy at the mom-”

Flynn glared down to her as he continued to come right at the door.
“She will make time for me. Now stand aside!”

But the mare stood her ground. Taking stance, she opposed the human in front of her.
“The Captain is changing right now! You cannot enter!”

Rolling his eyes in annoyance, Flynn shoved her aside.
“She’s courting me to get into my herd, so she can bear me seeing her without clothing.”

And when he entered. Spitfire was looking at him, halfway dressed in her Wonderbolt uniform. Eyeing him with bedroom eyes, a smirk grew on her face. “Here for some sugar, Ranger?”

The mare behind him peeked over to her, shaking her head.
“Sorry, Captain! He just persisted to see you.”

“I can take it from here, girl. Dismissed.” Spitfire replied. The mare nodded and closed the door behind her. Spitfire leaned onto her desk, wiggling her flanks ever so gently, raising her tail for Flynn. “Well? Here to say properly goodbye before I go on my next mission?”

But Flynn wasn’t in the mood for any of this.
“No. I am actually here to tell you that I don’t want you to go on this joint fleet mission. And I don’t want to see Rainbow involved in this either”

“Flynn, I am the Wonderbolt Captain! I am expected to go. And Rainbow is one of the best flyers we have. It would be foolish not to take her with me.”

Flynn came to her side and crouched down to be on the same height with her.
“Spitty… Babe, I don’t have a very good feeling about this mission. I don’t want you two to be involved in this.”

Spitfire sighed and she raised a hoof to his cheek.
“Flynn… Look… Dash and I are probably among the best of the Wonderbolt crew. We have to be there. There will be 129 airships against a single war citadel. We will make short work out of this thing. We Wonderbolts are only there to take care that nopony or other creature falls to their death. That’s all. And of course, we are trained to face environmental hazards.”

Flynn shook his head.
“Flak fire is not an environmental hazard. Promise me not to play heroes! Do not take unnecessary risks!”

Spitfire glanced into his eyes, unsure of what to make of his demand.
“Flynn… You sound like you know what is waiting for us will be too much for us anyway. Do you know anything we don’t?”

“Enough to ask you to stay away. We’re not dealing with a regular citadel this time.”

But this only emboldened the mare in her belief.
“In that case, this is even more reason to send the best onto the field to counter the threat. What Wonderbolt Captain would I be if I were to shy away from danger?”

“Spitfire! Please! I-”

But she continued to get dressed and finally stood in front of him in her uniform.
“You wear that star, I wear this uniform. I don’t know all you know, but my take is you have a backup plan to counter this threat. I will make sure we will buy you enough time. And I will watch for Rainbow Dash as well.” When he looked to the side, she gave him a smile and caressed his cheek with her hoof. “And after that? Who knows? I might take a longer vacation… A year or two should be enough to take care of a foal, don’t you think?” He looked back to her in a mixture of shock and surprise, yet she pressed her lips onto his before whispering into his ear. “If I’m risking my life, I want to have something to look forward to. So just agree and accept your duty to knock me up once I bring Dash and the others home safely.”

Flynn chuckled and stroke over her flank, only to give it a playful spank.
“Hmph… You’re not the herd’s alpha, Spitty… And Elise surely will object to this. But I guess Dashie will not object to you being the first to have a foal, since she wants to focus on her career. It might teach her how to handle things once it’s her turn…” However, he got serious for a moment. “Be it as it may… Spitfire!” Both now glanced into each other’s eyes. “Be careful, Babe! Come back to me with the rest of the Bolts in one piece, you hear?”

Her bedroom eyes intensified and a knowing smirk grew on her lips.
“Deal! I’m motivated now…”

* * * * *

In the meantime Tyler and Sunset Shimmer stood face to face, her being visibly uncomfortable.
“Is it too late to point out that I don’t like the idea?”

“You don’t like to rely on others, do you?”

Sunset grumbled a bit.
“Not in this case, no. I mean you want to fly up there. I have no wings. Any mistake of yours and I’ll fall, possibly to my death.”

Tyler gave the thought a chuckle.
“Come on, Sunnybun! Where is your faith in others? Have a little trust in me. After all…” Levitating her to himself, he took her into his arms carrying her while levitating her body. “...I’m holding you dear.”

Hearing the one or another snicker behind her caused Sunset to blush a little.
“Sunnybun?”

Tyler turned around to face Sam, Lyra and Grinko. “I’m leaving the situation here on the island in your capable hands, paws and hooves. Prepare the evacuation!” The others gave him a nod and after a sudden surge of magic, the sphere was cast around him and Sunset. All of a sudden, the levitation was stable and Sunset was surprised about the sudden gush of magic wind being exchanged to this low hum of force field around the two of them.

But she was truly startled by the sudden acceleration of the sphere as it blasted into the air. Holding on to Tyler for dear life, she gritted her teeth while looking down. The island and the ocean around it were gaining distance.
“I don’t like this. I don’t like this at all!”

Tyler’s eyes were fixed on the war citadel before him. Quickly catching up, the sphere was able to hold position at the outer hull. Checking for structural weaknesses, Tyler scanned the surface. Once he found a spot, he nodded and tightened his grasp on Sunset.
“Hold on! This is going to get a bumpy entrance!”

Sunset closed her eyes and clenched her teeth and muscles. There was the sound of magic beams, force, groaning metal being dented and metal bubbling. The stench of molten metal was in the air. But after a minute of these awful sounds and the sound of gushing winds, the sound a bulkhead opening was audible and once this bulkhead was shut, the silence around her was a blessing, causing her to open her eyes again.
“Is it over? Are we inside?”

They were not on the outer hull anymore and Tyler lowered her to the ground so she could stand on her own hooves again.
“We’re inside the citadel now. Seems like a maintenance corridor of low importance.”

Sunset looked around. The lighting was moody, the corridors metal and unpleasant. It didn’t look inviting or comfortable to her at all.
“And what do you want us to do in here? In this… war citadel?”

“More about that in a moment. First things first: Now that we’re alone, tell me one thing, Sunnybun…”

Looking over to him in surprise, Sunset arched a brow.
“Hm?”

“How can a face so pretty wear so many burdens?”

This statement took Sunset by surprise. He was a non-equine brute, messed up more than any creature she ever encountered. What would he understand from equine beauty standards? And what would this mere beast know about her burdens? Rolling her eyes, she avoided his glance.
“I should have known that she would send a sweet talker…”

Knowing what she meant by that, Tyler gave it a grin and took a step closer.
“Yes, but I can also listen. Some say that the path from inner turmoil begins with a friendly ear. My ear is open, if you care to tell me your side of the story.”

Whirling around, Sunset glared up to him, anger in her eyes.
“Is that some idiocy Celestia spat out?”

“No… That’s what a wise old rat taught me a long time ago…”

Still eying him with suspicion, Sunset grimaced at his statement, which didn’t make sense to her in the slightest.
“Hmph! If you say so…”

“What is your problem with Princess Celestia?”

Giving it a sigh, Sunset rolled her eyes. This question again. She doubted that any living being would ever fully understand her point of view.
“Well, if you have to know… ‘Princess’ Celestia doesn’t understand that I could truly master something with what I did! I tried to present my findings to her, but she wasn’t going to hear any of it. She wants to keep me down! Wants to keep me small!”

Leaning in, Tyler tried to catch a better glimpse at Sunset.
“Have you ever tried to understand her point of view? Maybe she didn’t listen because she wanted to stop you from hurting others? Mental altering and mind control are not to be taken lightly. That she refuses to let you go on down this path because she cared about your inner peace?

Closing her eyes, Sunset violently shook her head and turned away, pain in her voice.
“Celestia couldn't care less about me!”

First glancing at her in slight shock, Tyler then looked down, shaking his head.
“I doubt that is true…”

Sunset returned her eyes to him to glare at him again. “Why?” she spat out in defiance.

“Because of her reaction to your voice back home… She was shocked to find out you were behind all this. She send me here to help you out. She gave me that sword in order to hand it over to a pony with a very special destiny. One who was not on her right way yet. Something in her still cares about and believes in you. She just does not believe in the path you are currently going…

“And what path would that be? My own?”

Folding his arms, Tyler leaned against the wall behind him.
“Oh, I’m not sure… You were the one taking hostages and attempted to take from others… Why don’t YOU tell me? I do believe now that she send me as she wants to meet you on another path. A path on which you can be happy.”

“And what do you know about the relationship between teacher and student, you stupid brute?” Yet just as she wanted to laugh in mockery about him, her laughter died in her throat before even coming out when he touched the silver star on his uniform. It was the crest of his organisation, these harmony rangers as he called them.

Now looking down in thought, his fingertips gently slid over the metal of his ranger star.
“All good teachers care for their students…” Sunset remembered how upset he was to send his rangers into battle. He sent them to face an enemy far stronger than they are and possibly signed their death warrant. Somewhere, deep within, a bad feeling crept up her stomach. A feeling she pushed away for a long time. It was doubt. Could she be mistaken all that time? Failed to see the obvious? This guy was able to withstand her. Was he right? Wasn’t mental conditioning the true way to inner strength? But that couldn’t be the end of it! Her followers were all miserable until she came along. There had to be some merit to her theories! Or was his own mental conditioning just better than hers?

Her thoughts were interrupted as Tyler looked up at the sudden sound of metal steps in the distance. Signalling Sunset to be silent, he took hold of her and activated a gravitation spell, letting him remain on the ceiling, holding Sunset. An invisibility spell took care of the rest. As the metal steps came closer, he braced himself for the worst. And then, they entered the corridor they were in. Shiny, metal pony forms of cyber ponies.
“Units 10-6-6 and 10-8-7 reporting: Breach found. Access door to breached corridor welded shut.”

Both cyber ponies approached a monitor and activated it, prompting it to depict a mechanical eye. An eye Tyler knew too well from the future.
“Yes?”

“Units 10-6-6 and 10-8-7 will investigate the surrounding areas. Intruders will be found, upgraded or deleted.”

The eye looked around as if to search the corridor for the intruder, when the corridor speakers activated.
“Given to the spells used to breach the outer and inner plating of this citadel, only one individual is capable of doing so with such ease. Isn’t that right, Head Ranger? Now… You insignificant insects won’t stop me from accomplishing my objective. If you would kindly wait where you are? My cyber ponies will come and find you and bring you to the next upgrade station.”

* * * * *

Meanwhile in Equestria, Vinyl Scratch, Flynn Marshall and Rachel Higgins stood on a platform elevator sliding down diagonally Rachel was studying a set of notes while Vinyl looked up to Flynn.
“Remember the New Jersey?”

“Yeah, after the fight with Nagohod, we were forced to evacuate the former crew. Those brave old guys saluted one last time to that beached wreckage we left on the southern coast of Equestria.”

Rachel looked up from the notes.
“Vinyl, every senior staff Ranger was informed that the wreckage was salvaged. However, we were informed to variant degrees of what was done with it. I know the wreckage was brought here and that a black project was started to have a trump card up our sleeve.”

The elevator came to a halt at a balcony in a large hall. It was as if they were surrounded by blackness as only the balcony was lit. Vinyl stepped to the center of the balcony and nodded.
“Well, Sam and Lyra were informed to a larger degree as they were working on it. We didn’t just scrap the wreckage. No, we rebuild this thing into something entirely new.” Levitating a remote control, she pressed a button and in the distance spotlights activated audibly. More and more the refitted Battleship came into sight

Upon seeing this, Flynn’s jaw dropped.
“Hoooooly shit! They’ve build that out of all this junk? That’s not the old battleship turned into a museum like we remember...”

Rachel gave a smile to this as she folded her arms.
I heard Tyler had his inner phantoms work the design. This Sage guy sure has a thing for blueprints. Look at the size of that beauty. These cannons! So that’s where all the funding went into. All these deliveries of steel from the Griffin Empire and the crystal compounds of the Crystal Empire…” Clenching her fists, Rachel gave the ship an angered glare. “Once we’re having our next Ranger meeting, I mean if we all survive this and all… Remind me to kick Jones in the ass for keeping this a secret from all of us…”

“Sam and Lyra knew about it.” Flynn retorted flatly without looking over to her.

Brushing through her hair with her right hand, Rachel shook her head and took a deep breath.
“Yeah, I should kick their asses as well.”

Now looking at her, Flynn first gave her a frown, before he took her by the shoulder and gently shook said shoulder.
“Come on, Rachel! We got a chance now. With this thing here, we can make short work of that citadel!”

Replying with a glare, Rachel looked him in the eyes and pointed at the ship with her thumb.
“If we ever get that thing in motion and onto the battlefield that is…”

This got Flynn by surprise and a nervous chuckle escaped his throat.
“Oh, uh… Ahehe...yeah... We got to take her out, first…”

Vinyl nodded and turned to the others, giving a smile.
“Most Harmony Rangers are out up there with the joint fleet. It’s a good thing the Prince got us a skeleton crew of unicorns and Pegasi to man this thing, right?”

* * * * *

At the same time, Princess Celestia was monitoring the departure of the joint fleet of both the Harmony Rangers and her Royal Guard. When the warning about another war citadel had been brought to her attention, her approval came in a mixture of worries for her brave Guards and Rangers and assurance that the Rangers would stop at nothing to stop this menace to reach Equestria. In the last few months, she was shown blueprints of shield generators which could be charged with shield magic and could endure for quite longer than a unicorn caster. Tyler had made sure that his blood was made good use to with crystal pony procedures. Now, the Harmony Rangers were once more brought to the test, yet far more advanced.

She had reservations first, but Tyler assured her that she would decide which one of these technical advancements would make it to pony society, for the last thing he wanted was to disturb ponykind’s natural development. At that point in time, she agreed, although she had secretly hoped that it would never come to this. But now, the time she dreaded was here and the Rangers had to unleash all these new weapons and technology in order to protect Equestria. When the shadows of the airships ascended into the sky and blocked the sun several times while passing her, she gave the sight a sigh.

That’s when she finally noticed the approaching hoofsteps behind her
“Celestia…” Luna came to her side and glanced at the fleet in the same worry as Celestia. Her serious face made clear that she was aware of the impact of the situation, but somehow, deep within, Celestia could see a twinkle of envy in these eyes of her sister. She wanted to step onto the field of battle once more. “Quite a commendable fleet that they put together. But pray tell: Do thou think this will suffice? If the report is true, they will face an enemy far worse than the Descendants. An enemy getting stronger with every prisoner they take. I already took measures into my own hooves and ordered my Night Guard to have five airships ready for the unfortunate event that the Guard and Rangers utterly fail to defeat the enemy. It won’t be enough to save everypony, but it will be enough for our realm to continue.”

Celestia looked down, now showing the full extent of her worries. Continuation of the nation was this sort of plan she thought she would never have to make.
“I know Luna. It's been a long time since we faced them with the good Doctor. And this time he won't be able to come and save us.” Yet when looking up to the fleet, her face showed determination and courage. “I think this is fate. Without the Doctor, who would be far more suited to face cyber ponies than an infiltrator able to hack?”

“Thou meanest...?”

In her mind, Celestia already depicted Tyler as the infiltrator hacking code panels and doors and guiding Sunset through the dark corridors with the help of Sage and disposing careless cyber ponies with swift blows, empowered by Rage.
“I believe that deep within the depths of this monstrosity Tyler is already searching for a way to bring them down. If she really was on that island and is now with Tyler, then maybe she will be there for him in our place. And still Sunset Shimmer will have no clue that the man married to her former mentor would be the mentor she so desperately desired all these years under my wing.”

Luna’s brow now twitched as her interest was piqued.
“Tyler? A mentor? Isn't he still learning himself?”

“True... His power as the Prince of Willpower has yet to come to full bloom. And yet I can't imagine a better mentor for someone looking for self-determination.”

“What about Twilight Sparkle and her friends?”

“Twilight would be another helpful addition, but Sunset is out to find her own place, not just the magic of friendship. What she wants most right now is to determine her own stand in life. The magic of friendship will come after that. Sort of like advanced studies.”

Looking over to Celestia, Luna now smirked knowingly.
“Thou're doing it again, Tia.”

“Hm?”

Giving her older sister a challenging grin, Luna leaned in to her.
“Oh, thou knowest what I mean, thou old hag. Don't deny it! Thou are scheming for the both of them!”

Celestia replied the notion with a stretched out tongue in good fun. Luna wasn’t even remotely aware of the entirety of her scheme for this. Tyler had found her former student and, knowing him, he wouldn’t let her be alone to cause further trouble. However, the situation was dire with cyber ponies now involved. The stakes went higher than she first anticipated. Everything now depended on Sunset and Tyler.
“I don’t know what you mean…”

Her mood, however suddenly changed, when they noticed a certain squadron of Pegasi passing by. Luna arched a brow, noticing the emblems on their uniforms.
“The Tellyhawks? I wasn’t aware that Tyler gave out orders to his elite guard other than to watch over us.”

Celestia’s eyes went wide at the sight of what remotely looked like launcher systems for missiles, carried by two Pegasi at once.
“That little scoundrel is developing weapon systems! I was agreeing to rifles, I was agreeing to shields! But this?” Her eyes grew grim, when four Tellyhawks carried a launching system twice the size of the others, no doubt a payload significantly larger than the blood beads she was used to. “Oh, let him come home… He is in for a spanking!”

* * * * *

While Tyler and Sunset sneaked through the many corridors, they avoided a myriad of cameras, shot them down, if necessary and lockpicked dozens of doors. The one or another patrolling cyber pony was quickly dispatched with a brief, hard-hitting blow to the head, crushing the brain and thus destroying the vyber pony at once. But each time Tyler did that, they had to evade further cyber pony search parties minutes later. All while the certain mechanical voice of MADOS spoke to them over the speakers in the corridor.
“Where are you, you insignificant insects? I can sense your vague movements as you stumble through my citadel and open the doors through my corridors. A disgusting feeling. I have reshaped these ponies into efficient tools. I will find you! My eyes are everywhere. Submit to me and you will become one of my many cybernetic subjects. Resist me and you will be destroyed by them!”

Tyler was huffing and sweating as he looked up to the ceiling, where the speakers seemed to be. He was currently in control of several spells, dampening their steps and warning him of biological entities. Even though this spell had less efficiency with cyber ponies. Their brains were biological, but the signal they gave was so weak Tyler had to focus in order to sense them.
“Man, that thing is full of it…”

A drop of sweat ran down Sunset’s forehead. All of this was a living nightmare. If she knew that coming to this cursed island would have led to this, she would have went into another direction. Once they passed through yet another door, the sounds of heavy machines and the screams of ponies were audible in the distance. As Tyler and Sunset lied down on the ground to watch over the edge of the walkway they were standing on, they could spot the source of these terrible sounds. Sunset looked over to Tyler as she couldn’t identify what she was seeing.
“What are those things?”

Tyler looked down into the rows of machines, where cyber ponies guided normal ponies into chambers. His eyes showed utter disgust and hatred as he saw it for the first time in person. Flynn’s report on it was terrifying enough, but seeing it for himself was a whole different level.
“These are cyber ponies.”

“What are they doing to all these ponies? What is this?!?”

Tyler pointed to the chambers the ponies were led into.
“Cyber-pony conversion chambers. With industrialized efficiency ponies are processed and ‘upgraded’...”

“Upgraded?!? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“These Cyber ponies? They disembody a pony brain and put it in a suit of armor as processing unit. Implants are embedded into the brain, inhibiting any emotion, pain or feeling. All that’s left is barren logic. A mechanical nightmare… So basically, they are robbing ponies of their bodies and free will and make them their slaves…”

Hearing this and the agonizing screams below caused Sunset to shake her head in terror.
“How terrible…”

Tyler gave it a chuckle.
“And that from someone who wanted to force her will onto others…”

Sunset looked over to Tyler, aghast.
“But not like this! This is wrong! I would never take over the control of…” It was in this moment that Sunset remembered Gorex and how she controlled him to stand still. “Oh…”

Looking over to her, Tyler now began to smirk.
“Ah… Seems you are having your Aha moment right about now… Having a change of heart?”

Sunset gave him a furious look.
“Well, but I wouldn’t disembody anypony! Now what are we going to do?!? This citadel will reach Equestria soon! We can’t let that happen!”

Now Tyler’s face sobered down a bit.
“I am well aware of that. We've prepared a few hundred airships, but I can't say that this will suffice. Hopefully they will buy enough time…”

“Enough time for what?!?”

“To blow its engines out of the hull. If it comes crashing down into the ocean, even the cyber ponies have a problem. This metal hulk will sink faster than a stone. and the resulting water pressure will hopefully crush them. We need to get to a place that has a map or something alike. Come on, let’s go!”

* * * * *

Half an hour later Tyler peeked over into a large hall with several cyber ponies standing on different terminals several dozen meters across. He spotted one, two, three cameras a the corners of the room in the reflection of his blade. Making eye contact with Sunset, he gestured her to get ready. She looked at him and nodded with a gulp, before he showed her five fingers, then four, three… Her body went into fighting stance. Two, one… Both stormed into the room and while Tyler shot the heads of the cyber ponies clean off their shoulders, Sunset took immediate care of the cameras.

But one of the cyber pony heads was only cut off, not destroyed at once and
“Alert! Intruder alerrrgh-” Tyler recognized the mechanical voice at once and another magic blow detonated the head, destroying the brain. But it was already too late as the alert was set off with the voice command.

Looking up to the red flashing lights and the speakers, Tyler gritted his teeth.
“Shit! Not fast enough. Sunset! See if you can persuade them that all is fine. Stall them while I try to get something useful out of these.”

Standing in front of the terminal, Sunset felt a bit overwhelmed at the sight of all these buttons. But one of them blinked ferociously, so she decided to press it. and spoke into a microphone on the terminal.
“Uhhh… Everything’s under control! Situation normal again.”

“Unit seven-nine-ten, give your status report.”

Looking at the smoking cameras and destroyed cyber ponies on the ground, Sunset took a gulp and a breath and went for half the truth.
“There was a weapon malfunction. But everything's perfectly alright now. We're fine.”

“There was an irregularity in your energy usage, but too large for a weapon malfunction. the security cameras are malfunctioning as well. There will be a squad aiding you as reinforcement.”

Grimacing a bit, Sunset thought of a reason to stop them from coming.
“Uh... uh... Negative! Negative, we have uh, a reactor leak here. Give us a few minutes to lock it down. Large and very dangerous.”

“You are not unit seven-nine-ten. State your identification!” the voice in the speaker barked at her.

Losing her patience, she aimed her horn at the terminal and blasted it to bits.
"Boring conversation anyway..." Whirling around, she yelled at Tyler, who was still busy at the terminal down the hall. "BRUTE!!! WE'RE GETTING CYBER PONY COMPANY!!!"

Tyler looked up to her, gritting his teeth as he heard her.
“What? Already? You’re not very good at stalling, aren’t you!” Once she was beside him, he found something of use. “Aha! A map of the citadel. Not a very detailed one, mind you, but it should be enough. At least now I can tell where we are and where we need to be. Come on, let’s move out!” Grabbing her by the torso, he teleported the both of them out of the room. Shortly after, they appeared in another room, seemingly far closer to the outer hull of the citadel as the winds outside were gently humming against the hull. One large and two smaller bulkheads were the access points to this room, only one of them connected to the corridors, the others meant for the air ducts. Not wasting time, he welded the bulkhead to the corridors shut, blocking any instant surprises. Tyler looked at the outer hull as he pulled out his communication crystal out of his pocket. A long range communication was possible, but this was a very strong signal. If he would broadcast this inside the citadel right now, it would be very easy to pinpoint its location. But the Rangers deserved to know what they were up against, what would await them. He had to risk it to prepare them for the worst.

With a heavy heart he lifted the crystal to his mouth. “This is Tyler Jones and if you hear me, then you are part of the last hope of all equine life. For months I tried to prepare us for this very day. In haste I prepared you, bolstered your ranks, giving you weapons and defenses. I don’t know if it will be enough. I know things might look bleak out there as the enemy we will now face seems all-powerful. An enemy that wants to strengthen his own ranks with the defeated comrades of ours. All emotions and feelings eliminated, the mind enslaved. A fate worse than death. Look at your comrades.” Tyler looked down for a moment, trying to picture all the 3000 Harmony Rangers on these 129 airships. “Without being among you, I know I'd see ponies, Masar and Griffins alike.” His voice continued to sound from every speaker, as hundreds of airships ascended into the heavens and filled the skies of Equestria as the Harmony Rangers headed south. All hopes and dreams of all of Equestria went with them. Standing in the Ranger HQ control room the royal sisters stood and monitored the valiant heroes flying into the battle, their husband leading them through the oncoming storm, becoming a greater leader than he himself ever thought to be.

“Today we will once again be fighting for our freedom. Not from tyranny, oppression or persecution, but from total annihilation. This enemy wants to end us. All of us. But should we win the day, the nation of Equestria will no longer be known as a nation of only fearful ponies…” Ponies, Griffins and Masar glanced at each other, standing united on the decks of the airships heading south.“...but as the nation uniting the people of Equis into one unified force of heroes declaring under one determined banner: 'We will not go quietly into the night! Our friendships across this world will not be destroyed without a fierce fight! Our sacrifices are going to be remembered! If there's one breath left in us, we will spit it into the face of our enemies! Today we stand united as Harmony Rangers!”

When Tyler lowered his communication crystal, Sunset gazed at him, her jaw dropped down, before she shook her head and found her focus again.
“Wow… That was something. Do you give speeches often?”

Rolling his eyes in annoyance, Tyler shook his head.
“Shut up! They will soon face this citadel from the outside, but we don’t have any knowledge of the capabilities of this citadel in combat. The citadels from the Descendants of Tacitus were manned with unicorns, this one here is automated for the most part.”

That was the moment they were hearing cyber pony voices from the other side of the larger bulkhead. Sparks were flying as the cyber ponies welded the blocked bulkhead open.
“They must be in that next section.”

Tyler took a swift glance to the two bulkheads next to him, before he opened one of it.
“Well, only one thing left to do…”

Being shoved inside, Sunset protested to this treatment.
“Wait! What are you doing?”

Tyler only shook his head. If he ever was to take this fight to the cyber ponies, he had to make sure Sunset was alright and safe and had some distance to him.
“I can’t fight to full extend and in good conscience with you around. I might hurt you while doing so. If they catch you, you’ll be transformed into a cyber pony. I can’t let all that attitude go to waste. You’re too sassy for that.” Giving her a wink and a smile, he forcefully closed the bulkhead and welded it shut. Sunset lifted her hoof in order to protest, but only brought out a gulp once she heard cyberpony voices on the other side. That’s when she took the sword and crawled further into the tunnel as the bulkhead was quickly welded shut behind her.

But trying as she might, there was one word that she couldn’t forget. Sassy… That and his wink towards her. He preserved her by stalling them.
“Good luck to you as well…”

Not wasting any time, Tyler also welded down the other two bulkheads, if only to get Sunset these extra seconds. Standing and protecting in front of the wrong bulkhead might lead the cyber ponies onto a false track. And just when he was done, the bulkhead to the room was then pried open. Now facing the incoming cyber ponies, Tyler clapped his hands together and went into fighting stance.
“Gentlemen! Welcome to Fight Club! Shall I end you now?”

The cyber ponies were seemingly not impressed by that threat as they raised their hooves with their weapon systems.
“You will not.”

Arching a brow, Tyler leaned in a bit
“Oh really? Why is that? What should hinder me to blow this citadel out of the skies right now?”

“The mare behind that bulk door. And the ponies left inside this citadel.” Tyler halted in his movements. They were calling his bluff. One of the cyber ponies cocked its head. “You are proof.”

“Of what?”

“That emotions are a weakness.”

Tyler scoffed at this.
“Is that so? Well by the end of the day, I will prove you wrong!”

“You will not. You are now our prisoner. And the mare is fleeing. Fear for her own life will keep her away. But rest assured: She will be found and upgraded.” And with that, Tyler was taken away by force. For the sake of the remaining ponies he couldn’t go all nuclear on this citadel, even though it would have been so very easy right now to cut this thing in half piece by piece. They were in the open sea and they were Earth ponies and unicorns. Surely there were also pegasi as well, but not enough to carry every pony back to an island or the main land. As much as he hated it, the cyber ponies had the advantage now. If he did something, all ponies would die, if he did nothing, the ponies would die as well. The situation was desperate.

He was escorted to a prison block with several glass chambers. There were unicorn corpses in the other chambers, looking mummified. As if all water had been extracted by them. He was placed in the last remaining chamber and a blue shimmer was erected over his skin before the door was slammed shut and locked. This small chamber was seemingly supposed to be his prison cell. Unfortunately the chamber was not even remotely large enough to haul out and break the glass, if this was glass.

“Sage? What’s your take on this thing here?”

“Since only unicorns are in the other chambers? They were experimenting on these poor ponies. Experimenting how to rip magic out of them by force.” A hatchet opened above Tyler and strange crystals were revealed. It hurt the eyes just to look at them.

Sage suddenly disappeared as a monitor was lifted to the chamber. Once activated, the yellow colored ring of MADOS shined at Tyler, only to be doubled and creating the image of a pony head, connected with dozens, maybe even hundreds of wires and green glowing circuit connections.
“Head Ranger, I warned you that I would find you. An inefficient life form such as organic life can not possibly hope to overcome my cyber ponies in the long run.”

Tyler arched a brow in amazement.
“What’s with the pony head? I remember you being that robot thing with only one eye. There must be some liking you must find in the pony form if you depict yourself in that image.”

“The body given to me is… limited. I currently lack the means to alter it. Once I will have access to your engineering capabilities of the Ranger HQ, I will be able to make the changes to my body as I see fit.”

“Yeah, not gonna happen, asshole. my Rangers will stop you before this citadel reaches Equestrian soil.”

“Do not underestimate me, Head Ranger. I know that there are large quantities of technology down there. Technology that will elevate me out of the control of the alicorns. I know of your feeble attempts to stall this citadel with a small fleet of yours. They were packing some machinery. I assume shields and weaponry. Good. Quite good. My own weapon systems need field tests and fine tuning. We will see how much firepower will be needed to toss them aside. Rest assured that this citadel here came with far more equipment, weapon platforms and features than the average war citadel. Not to mention that I am constantly evolving and advancing myself. The chamber you are in is a nice example to this.”

Tyler forced a smile.
“Let me guess! Drowning me? Or overcharging me just to toss me at Equestria once I am ready?”

Still, the face on the monitor was unphased.
“Your choice to go for humor in a time like that is most curious… No. Charging you would mean feeding you the means to escape and fight. That blue shimmer you see is just a force field disrupting any magical use above magic level three. You can’t use any harmful magic as of now, not even teleportation.”

The smile on Tyler’s face became a massive grin.
“I just love a challenge.”

The face in front of him cocked its head.
“Let’s see how funny you will find it that I have studied the blueprints of the Machina Infernum.” Tyler’s grin withered almost in an instant. “I see you are familiar with the term.The alicorns of old used special crystals to extract the magic out of their blood samples. Energy then used to transform their own kind into weapons. But I will not use it on blood alone, Head Ranger. I will use it on your entire body. The resulting energy will power this citadel for the battle ahead. And you will cease to function as an organism.”

The monitor deactivated and was lowered again, seemingly MADOS wasn’t going to monitor the procedure. Sage’s reflection reappeared on the glass again.
“Clever! That thing knows that magic is our one strength to play in battle. If this extracted magic is really utilized somehow, I do not know how it’s converted. This situation is most troubling. Well, I have erected a level three shield around us that can withstand this effect for some time. An hour. Maybe even just a few minutes. I don’t know. Level three is so limited... But after that? We’re done for. Then we’re becoming human jerky.”

Tyler looked at the other chambers, where the unicorn corpses rested in positions as if they had desperately attempted to flee their chambers.
“She’ll help us. She has to.”

“I wish I would have your optimism in her character. Face it, Tyler! She’s only out there to care for herself. She was banished for breaking the rules and now she only sees us as a means to an end. And Celestia bargains with our life in order to get that mare back to alignment!”

Tyler folded his arms and arched a brow at Sage.
“I have faith in Celestia. If she thinks that girl will come for us, she will come for us.”

“Hmph! Be it as it may… Sunset is on a timer now with this machine around us. And if she doesn’t come in time, the strength of the Prince of Willpower will be used against the Harmony Rangers.”

Author's Note

Not proofread yet. Any notes of typos are welcome.