1:27pm…

Equestrian Shoreline…

The harbor once filled with life, noise, and hustle and bustle, was now empty of any equestrian made vessel, dock worker, or civilian. It made the usually busy work place seem eerily quiet and desolate. Guards moved about the place in groups of two, keeping the place secure, and unbelievable quiet. Though the place was empty, besides the guards, the princess could still hear talking. But instead of normal ponies, it was coming from her own soldiers. They talked about how this extreme caution was unnecessary, others disagreed with them saying it was perfectly reasonable.

The princess, in her mind wasn't taking any chances. She wasn't sure what these beings were capable of. She had a fighting force on land, plus air surveillance, and the civilians had been evacuated from the area. She had everything ready for them, now it was all about waiting.

Waiting and seeing what they do.

A few more minutes passed her by as she watched the Un changing shoreline, looking out for the gigantic grey hulking mass. She was about to call her chariot and search for it when from behind her a voice called out. The voice seemed distant as if what she heard was an echo. It came from above her, so as she turned around she looked up to see one of her guards pointing out toward the distance.

Without hesitation she pumped her wings and took off towards the guard to see what she sees. Feeling the air rush past her felt much better than just sitting on the hard concrete for what seemed like forever. Reaching the guards height, Celestia recognized the guard pony it was Sergeant Aurora Dust.

She was one of the air patrol ponies for the second tier of the castle. She was one of the guards that kept tabs on the princess the most, besides shining armour. Celestia liked her, she was the first rise for morning roll call, and the last to retire to her bed.

Aurora handed her a telescope. It was black with a brown leather strap. It looked almost new, still having all the original grooves.

"Look over the treetops at one o'clock." The Aurora instructed. Doing as she said Celestia positioned herself so that she was facing twelve and looked out over at one. With a little of focusing and adjusting she found what the she saw. The scope was a little hard to focus but it was easy to make out objects, and what she saw made her do a double take, she didn't believe what she saw, she wasn't sure if it was the humans, or something else.

It was a gigantic grey dragonfly that was moving as fast as a Pegasus. For right now she couldn't hear it, but she could tell by the way it flew over the treetops, it had a mighty force behind it.

"Celestia, we could strike that thing down right now, just give me the word and me and my squadron will act immediately." She turned to see Aurora saluting as her wings kept her up straight. Celestia thought for a moment, then she shook her head no.

"No don't engage, but here's what we're going to do instead. Gather your fireteam, and come back to me, i'll send you out when I see fit. You're going to tail that thing, and follow it.” As Celestia said this she began to catch a small sliver of the noise coming from the machine, it sounded like something she had never heard before, she watched as the trees parted ways as it flew over them. But, just as she saw it, it stopped coming towards them. Instead it began to fly parallel to the docks for a moment or two, then began to turn back to the way it came. Celestia turned back to the guard, and hurried her off.

About five minutes later she returned, this time with three others Celestia told them to make contact with the ships, or whoever, then report back to her about their findings.

1:18pm…

Over the ocean…

“This is Blade one, radio check over.” Called the pilot over his radio on board the helicopter. The Hawk was about ten minutes out and was making great time. On board along with the pilot was a team of SAR’s and a co pilot. They had followed the shoreline and watched the sand from the banks below them fade away, and watched as trees took their place. They were traveling inland more they could tell from the beaches all but disappearing and being replaced by forest. Soon, they were flying over the trees.

“This is command, Blade one we copy you, radio connection sounds good, we’re gonna go ahead and acquire a target for you guys to hunt down, over.” Came the radio back,

“Copy that command, standing by.” They echoed back as the sound from the chopper became the only thing they heard for a while. The sound was deafening as they continued into uncharted land.

“Blade one we got and ID for you to find, over.” The radio came after a long silence.

“Copy that HQ, send info now, over.”

“Okay, what your gonna be looking for is a bright white winged unicorn with a flowing rainbow mane, got that Blade one.” The radio called back. The pilot and copilot looked at each other, through their visors gave each other this look of disbelief.

“Uh, command, you wanna send that by again, our connection might not be as good as we though over.” The pilot called.

Almost instantly, they answered back. “No, connection’s fine, you heard me right, a white winged unicorn with a flowing rainbow mane, this is coming from the captain of the Boston, that's what he saw, so that’s what you got to find, you copy over?” The pilot shook his head, and the SAR team was looking at each other now.

“Understood, we’ll keep an eye out for that, anything else this, “great” captain told us to find?” They radioed back.

“Affirmative, also be on the lookout for a large city, Intel says, it’s called Manehattan, over.” The radio called. The pilot rolled his eyes, and the SARs looked back outside.

“Yeah, okay copy that, Blade one out.” They called re focusing on the land in front of them.

Though doubt and confusion swept the minds of the Choppers crew about the legitimacy of the second captain, they did have a mission to do so they continued on, without talking to each other, trying not to usher forth a conversation.

1:24pm…

“I got something on my scope,” came a SAR on the right side of the Hawk. “It looks like a city, it’s huge, I think that’s the one.” A Sailor next to him looked through his and agreed.

“He’s right, it kind of looks like a old version of New York.” He came over the radio.

“Copy that, radioing back now, and changing course.” Said the pilot. The chopper swung to the right and turned so that the city was in view of the pilots.

“Command, the is Blade one, we got a large city here, looks like the target, continuing with the HTV, the horse thing, over.” The co-pilot said over the radio.

“Copy that Blade one, are we heading the right way, over?” The pilots looked at each other then outside their windows. the pilot saw the sea off in the distance, and then an empty port at the foot of the city. With a little calculating, and remembering he called back on the radio.

“Affirmative, you are heading the correct way, just keep following the shore, you’ll find it behind the forest, over.”

“Copy that, focus on the HVT now, command out.” Said the radio before silence again. this time the co-pilot turned around to the SAR’s and talked to them over the radio.

“Keep an eye out for any white unicorns guys.” He said almost as if he were joking. But upon him saying this, one of the SARs looked out of his scope and pointed quickly.

“Their I got it at two o'clock over the trees!” The one next to him spotted it too, and confirmed.

“The co-pilot looked too, and in disbelief, he watched as the being watched them. He turned back quickly to the radio and called command.

“Command, the is Blade one, we got the HVT in our sights, and can confirm this, awaiting further orders.” He said.

“Copy that Blade one, you can come on home, just follow the shore back, Command out.” The radio called back back. With a swift motion the Hawk began to turn quickly, first to the right a bit, the all the way to the left as it went into a 180 degree turn back towards the ships. The SARs shut the doors and sat back in their seats and locked the doors.

“Good hunting boys, we’re heading back, I guess that captain ain’t crazy after all.” Called the pilot. One of the SAR’s called back to him after fastening his belt,

“Maybe it’s not him that crazy, maybe we're all insane.” He said as the rest of the SAR’s began to laugh nervously.

The rest of the ride back was quiet, besides the sound of the rotors above them.

1:27pm…

Equestrian Shoreline…

“Okay the Dragon, is turning back, Aurora, go now, and remember do not be detected, fly low and far behind them.” Celestia said as the ponies saluted her and took off into the distance. after they we’re out of earshot Celestia began to think against this decision, what if they’re attacked, and she isn’t there to help them, what would be her public opinion in the minds of her subjects. She floated back to the ground, next to Shining Armour as he saluted her. Upon landing on the ground she went up to him bowed and sat next to him. She asked him a question as a cloud of despair surrounded them both.

“Shining, did I do the right thing?” She asked as he joined her on the concrete. With a little thought he nodded.

“Yes, I would believe so, I saw it too, and as you said, no pony has seen that thing before, for all we know, it could be plotting against us right now.” He said matter of factly. With this reassuring voice in her head now, Celestia calmed down a bit and recollected herself.

“Right okay, Shinning, if those guards don’t return I want you to scramble the rest of her squad and get them out their to find them, understand?” He saluted.
“Good.”