The following takes place between 1:00am and 2:00am

Already thirteen hours have past. Sect has gone into deep water. Phi wondered how they'll deliver the hoof cannons. He knew they were just a ploy, keeping from any pony of Equestria, figuring out their real intent. Chi, a changeling disguised as a pony, believes him. How did Jack and Pinkie, find the crate in the middle of Ponyville baffled them. It's like some pony put it there on purpose.

Chi changed back to his original form. All of Ponyville is pretty much in bed. It's unknown if any of them had difficulty in sleeping, especially after that assault on Celestia.

"For the first time in a millennium, we've been had," Chi sighed.

Phi gave a snarky remark. "And the first time a human is causing our calamity."

They don't know why some pony would leave a crate in the open. An innocent citizen could have opened it, gave them away for bits and gems, kill a loved one, or injure unsuspecting bystander. The hoof cannons weren't used to hurt anybody.

"Wonder if the ponies at the robbery could help us," thought Chi. "With one of them being a unicorn, could recreate the portal that brought the human here, and use both world to our whim."

"ESCT probably has control over the police. They could have tightened up security in every prison."

Options were already running scarce. Whenever a new one's brought up, it's countered by a complication. All that's left is to continue with the scheme. Preparing for whoever's trying to get in their way, is another thing to focus.

1:09am

Brave Lance and Dark Spear had to arrange an interrogation with the robbers. Each of them will take turns observing.

A unicorn came in with cuts on his legs. He picked fights with the prisoners. He didn't look at Brave Lance. He had a black eye one and a cut on the other. They're so badly injured, they didn't give him proper vision. He couldn't open his eyes fully.

"You better cooperate, or you won't be seeing anything for a long time," Brave told the prisoner.

"It's not my eyes I'm worried. I'm concerned if we live another day," he responded.

Brave Lance's surprised. The prisoner must have known about Sect's masterplan. He had to learn more. "Is the robbery a ploy by Sect? Or did you just came up with on your own?"

"We received a letter regarding the crate of hoof cannons. It couldn't be made by Princess Celestia's army or Luna's. They had no crest, so it couldn't be from the royal guards. It explained we should rob Sugarcube Corner. It didn't explain why, we just did our job."

"And that portal in the sky?"

"It was me. I wasn't thinking straight when we got arrested. I was a grad student in that School for Gifted Unicorns."

"I had no idea they have grad students."

"It was a suggestion by Princess Luna. She's getting praise and forgiveness. She comes around every year for Nightmare Night."

Brave Lance wanted to get back on the subject. He went down memory lane and quickly shifted. "Who gave you the weapons?"

The unicorn blew back from Brave's voice. He wasn't trying to distract him. He too was remembering Nightmare Night. "We didn't get a name. The crate just dropped in front of us, with a letter telling us to use them. We were flat broke so we used them to rob ponies."

"Did you learn how to open portals to other dimensions in school?"

He found it odd for Brave Lance, to jump on the topic of portals. "Mainly for transportation."

"How about accessing other worlds?"

"Unlikely."

"Do not even try to fool me." Brave Lance

Dark Spear saw the guard next to him, looking embarrassed. He didn't care, he liked the guard's reaction.

The unicorn fell back. Before he hit the floor, he used his magic to break the fall. Mocking him wasn't his original idea. Interrogating via torture could be worse than fights in prison. Although, he can avoid injury in fights, he can't escape torture by some pony of high authority.

"Fooling you, is not my strong suite. I'm not the jokey type," he said.

Brave Lance refrained from his attempted outburst. "Do any of your "friends" know who gave you the weapons?"

"How can they? They're just as puzzled as I was."

The hoof cannons couldn't be property of the royal guard. The unicorn's too inexperienced to use them. That's probably why they didn't use them during the robbery.

"You didn't pull the trigger, not even once?"

"We loaded them, though we didn't know how to use them. There weren't any instructions. It's almost as though, they presumed we know how to use them. I didn't think why."

Dark Spear grew worried, after learning that the robbery's a ruse by Sect.

1:20am

In the cottage Jack slept in, Twilight grew suspicious. "This must be a threat."

"Well Sect is made up of rogue changelings," confirmed Applejack.

Jack disagreed with Twilight. He knew Celestia meeting Chrysalis, made her choose to become queen. "It's not a threat. Celestia should become queen of Equestria."

"You're siding with queen of the mean, green, changing machines?" remarked Rainbow Dash.

"I'm not taking sides. In most monarchs, the eldest sibling must become king or queen, after the passing of their parents."

"Where did you get this stuff?" asked Twilight.

Jack felt embarrassed to explain. "I used to read bedtime stories to my daughter when she's a child."

None of them laughed.

"Why didn't Celestia become queen of Equestria?" Rarity asked.

"At least Luna can still be a princess once Celestia takes the throne," said Fluttershy.

"Wait, Luna is Celestia's younger sister? I thought they're twins." Jack's baffled by this information.

"What made you think they're twins?" Twilight asked.

"Let's just say I read different mythologies in high school." Jack couldn't get any more embarrassed for revealing more of his past.

"I think Celestia becoming queen is a good thing," said Pinkie.

The others didn't know why, so Pinkie explained. "Every pony will look up to her and appreciate her more."

"Pinkie Pie giving a motivational speech? This will be interesting." Rainbow Dash sat and watched Pinkie's showcase.

Pinkie stood at a podium, which came out of nowhere. She leaned into a microphone. "It's time we see our glorified leader take a stand. We've been through difficult times: fighting the changeling swarm, restoring the Crystal Empire, turning Discord back into a statue… and then free him so he can change his ways with Fluttershy."

Jack didn't show a positive reaction to the spectacle. "Nice Pinkie, though it's something Princess Celestia must handle."

A door suddenly opened and closed. One of the royal guards arrived, he stared at Jack. "Are you Jack Bauer?"

"Who's asking?" Jack asked.

"We need you to come with us."

"Why do you want him?" Rarity asked.

"He's not a member of the royal guard." Jack drew his gun, cocked it and pushed it against his head.

All the ponies watched Jack put the soldier in a headlock. He leaned against the pony's ear. "Who are you? Are you with Sect?"

"Fast thinker," he smirked.

"How did you know he's a changeling?" Twilight asked.

Jack turned to show a cut on the pony's leg. Instead of red, his blood is green. The changeling transformed back to its original state. He has the Greek letter Pi as a cutie mark. Pi wiggled his head to avoid strangulation, and so he can speak properly. "Princess Celestia wants to see Jack privately."

"What have done with her?" Twilight threatened to use magic.

"Nothing. She told me to tell you, to meet her outside Ponyville, near Froggy Bottom Bogg. Alone."

Jack released him and give him a warning. "Pull a stunt like this again, and you'll end up like the changeling I killed."

Pi engulfed in green fire and disappears. Jack decides to leave. Applejack grew suspicious. "It might be a trap."

"Might as well risk it."

1:33am

He approached Froggy Bottom Bogg. He found it head-scratching for a rendezvous. He found Celestia near the bog. He had to ensure she's alright. "You want to speak to me."

"I couldn't let any pony see me near Canterlot. I thought this place will be less suspicious."

Jack noticed something's off. "You're not the princess, you're the changeling queen."

She engulfed in green flames, revealing Queen Chrysalis. "I was hoping we can talk."

Jack stood and listened. He didn't see her as a threat.