And You Thought it was Over

Crystal Tower Vault and Computer Room

10:15 PM

Theo was not one to panic. To be as good with computers as he was, you needed to have a calm level head, even in the worst of situations.

But when shit starts exploding, you are allowed to freak out a little.

“Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!” Theo said to himself as he furiously tapped away at the keys of the computer interface, the room around him filling with smoke.

With a sudden and loud crash, the monitor of the computer he was working on exploded in a shower of crystal shards. Theo yelped as the shards pelted his coat, more than a few pricking him sharply.

The unicorn dove away from the crystal data banks on the off chance more were going to explode and landed less than gracefully near his equipment. He began hurriedly shoving the things he had brought with him into a black duffle bag, throwing in a few sizable gems from the vault for good measure.

He slung the bag over his shoulder as he picked up his radio.

“Juno, where are you?” he said into the device. “Juno?” he said again, cautiously.

Suddenly a loud beeping came from his bag. Cursing, Theo dropped the bag and shuffled around the contents until he found the source of the beeping.

Had Theo been one to wear pants, he would have likely shit them.

********

Crystal Tower Rooftop

Robinsson groaned as he was lowered to the roof’s surface.

“Watch it, will you,” he complained to Chrysalis, who had been using her magic to carry him. “I kind of took a bullet to the everything back there.”

“And you’re not dead, so quit complaining.” Chrysalis retorted.

Robinsson rolled his eyes. “Hey, I saved the captain back there. I would like to be at least handled by a mare with a softer touch.” he glanced hopefully at Cadance.

“Nope.” Shining said as he walked past Robinsson.

The pegasus sighed. “Very well, sir.”

Shining pulled the radio he had taken off the pony Robinsson had killed and was about to click it on when a voice crackled out from the speaker.

“Juno! Juno, talk to me!” the voice said frantically.

“That’s their tech.” Truth said.

Shining nodded and clicked on the radio. “Listen-” Shining glanced at Truth.

“Theo.” she said.

“-Theo, Juno is dead. You are now talking to Captain Shining Armor and if you have any interest in continuing to breathe you’ll cooperate.”

There was a pause. “O-okay then.” Theo said.

“Now, what’s so important?”

“Well, it’s, uh… It’s the fire bombs.”

“Fire bombs?”

“It was Juno’s getaway plan. After we had gotten all the data and such, we were to quietly pull back and then burn the building. No pony would know we had gotten away.”

“And this is important now because…?”

“The bombs are on a three minute timer. Somepony just activated it.”

“Who?”

“I’m not sure!” Theo said frantically. “Only Juno and I had detonators and I certainly didn’t press it!”

Rueben, who had been munching on a sandwich, looked thoughtful. “Then who-”

“Me.” growled a voice.

They all turned to see a changeling hauling himself up onto the platform. He was bleeding and his disguise was flickering, making him appear to be a pony for brief flashes.

“And who are you?” Chrysalis demanded.

The changeling grinned. “I’m Conicer. Artist extraordinaire.”

Reuben snorted. “You’re a loony.”

“I’m also the one with the detonator.” he held up a little black box. “So, either you start doing exactly as I say, or-”

He was cut off as Shining, Chrysalis, and Cadance all pulled guns out and shot him off the platform. The detonator clattered to the ground. Cadance pulled it to her hoof with her magic.

“Theo, how do I stop the countdown?” Shining asked into the radio.

“Uh, well, I could shut it down from here. If the computer hadn’t, er, exploded.”

Shining sighed. “Well buck.” he clicked the radio to another channel. “Sunshine, you there?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Okay, I’ve got a bunch of fire bombs that are going to fry the building set to go off in about two minutes. Get everypony away from the building, we’re going to go down the express elevator.”

“The elevators are all down. We’ve been evacuating ponies down the stairs.”

“Shit.”

“Captain, we still have the Boat.”

“The what?”

“It’s an airship.” Robinsson said. “But it was crippled in the attempt to breech.”

“It’s been repaired. Well, it’s been fixed…. Well, it can fly.” Sunshine said.

“Just get it up here now.” Shining said.

“Right away.

Shining clicked back to Theo. “Okay Theo, if you want to not die get your ass to the roof now.”

“Yes ma’am, er, sir!”

Shining rolled his eyes.

************

Base of Crystal Tower

“Let’s go! Let’s go! Let’s go!” Sunshine shouted to the numerous ponies as they scrambled away from the Tower. She then ran to the Boat, which looked no better than when it had crashed earlier. But the thing was in the air, which was something.

Sunshine spread her wings and flew up onto the Boat, landing on the deck. There were still a few mechanics there, furiously working.

“Are we good?” Sunshine asked one of the mechanics.

“Should be.” she replied. “But we’re going to stay here and make sure.”

“Don’t drop on me.” Sunshine said, not sure if she was talking to the mechanic or the airship.

The airship climbed rapidly, sailing up until it was level with the rooftop. Sunshine peered over the gunwale of the airship and quickly spotted Shining and the others.

“There!” she shouted at the pilot.

The pony nodded and steered the airship as close to the roof edge as he dared.

“Captain!” Sunshine shouted into her microphone. When she saw she had gotten his attention, she pointed down at the opening ramp.

Shining nodded and gestured to the others. They made a beeline for the airship, halting at the edge of the roof. Cadance went across first, wings spread to ensure a safe landing, Lovebug clutched in her forelegs. Chrysalis followed, leaping the short distance easily. Truth followed closely behind.

Shining was about to follow when a voice spoke up.

“Hey, I can’t walk!” Robinsson shouted. “What am I supposed to do!?”

Shining rolled his eyes and looked to the brown earth pony. “Reuben, was it?” Shining asked.

He nodded.

“Help me with the war hero.”

Reuben grinned and nodded. The two stallions lifted Robinsson up and began swinging him back and forth, much to the pegasus’s displeasure.

“Hey! What the-!” he began before Shining and Reuben threw him over the gap and onto the ramp with a jarring thud.

“Ow!” Robinsson shouted with displeasure.

Shining and Reuben chuckled. Shining then nodded to Reuben.

“You next.”

The earth pony nodded and took a running leap onto the ramp. Shining was about to follow when a cry reached his ears.

“Wait! Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!” Theo cried as he galloped as fast as he could across the roof.

Shining sighed and caught the hysterical unicorn. Using his momentum, Shining threw him across the gap and onto the ramp.

“Come on!” Cadance shouted at him.

Shining rolled his eyes and bit back the retort until he had made it on the airship. He took a few steps back and came at the airship running. He pushed off the edge of the roof, flying through the air to land safely on the ramp.

But he wasn’t alone.

On his heels was Conicer. The changeling slammed into Shining, sending them both tumbling to the surface of the ramp.

“Shining!” Cadance shouted as Conicer wrapped a limb around the unicorn’s throat.

“A little busy here!” Shining growled through clenched teeth and he struggled to throw the changeling off.

Meanwhile, Sunshine ordered the airship crew to pull back from the Tower. She then heard a shout. Running, she made her way through the airship to the ramp, where she nearly crashed into a hysterical Cadance.

“Shoot him!” Cadance shouted to Sunshine as the pegasus arrived on the ramp.

The Night-Guard looked in confusion at the fight on the ramp. She saw two Shining Armors grappling with each other.

“Which one?”

They all just looked worried. Sunshine groaned in annoyance and ran back into the airship.

The fight on the ramp was brutal. Each Shining was pulling no punches and both were using every dirty trick they could think of. They punched, kicked, bit, and tried hitting each other with magical blasts.

Suddenly, one Shining tackled the other to the surface of the ramp. His hooves were pressed to the other’s throat, choking him.

“You think you can beat me?” the Shining on top growled. “I’m not going to lose to a whelp like you. I win, you lose.”

A shot rang out and the Shining on top was thrown off, rolling to the edge of the ramp.

Shining rubbed his throat and looked to Cadance holding a smoking pistol in her grasp.

“How did you know?” he asked.

“Your one-liners are better.”

Shining smirked. He got to his hooves and walked over to where Conicer was reverting to his true form. The changeling looked up at him and spat.

“You think you’re so special.” Conicer growled. “You’re pathetic. You have everything and yet you’re unhappy.”

“Don’t pretend to know me.” Shining growled. “Now, surrender.”

Conicer spat again, this time blood. “You know what? Fine.” he staggered to his feet.

Shining nodded and turned away from the changeling. In the half second before it happened, Shining slapped himself.

Conicer’s kick was surprisingly strong and sent Shining tumbling across the ramp, back into the airship itself. He reached behind his back for something when Sunshine landed in front of him and shoved a shotgun into his stomach.

Their eyes met.

“Seriously?” Conicer asked.

Sunshine grinned. “You know, I’ve always wanted to say this.” she pumped the shotgun. “Get off my Boat.”

The shotgun roared and flung Conicer back off the ramp and into the air. At that same moment, the firebombs went off. The massive fireball grew out of the middle of the building, shooting out of windows and lighting up the night sky. Conicer was swallowed up by the fireball as the airship sped away, its occupants cheering.

And, just before Conicer’s life ended, the changeling had time for one last thought.

I was going to retire after this.

********

Base of Crystal Tower

Shining, Sunshine, Cadance and Lovebug, Chrysalis, Truth, Reuben, and Robinsson walked down the ramp of the airship, smirking and laughing at their good fortune of not being dead. Well, Reuben was carrying Robinsson, but he drew the short stick.

Theo followed, escorted by a pair of mechanics, loudly complaining. “Hey, hey! I helped you guys! Cut me some slack here!”

Shining laughed as he watched Theo be taken away. Cadance smiled and handed Lovebug off to Truth before sidling up next to Shining. On his other side, Chrysalis did them same.

“I’m sorry.” Cadance said as she nuzzled Shining’s side.

“She’s sorry.” Chrysalis said as she nuzzled Shining’s other side.

Shining laughed suddenly and slipped away from the two. “Excuse me?”

Cadance tilted her head. “What?”

“You’re sorry? After all that’s happened today, you’re sorry?”

Cadance sputtered. “W-what do you mean?”

“You do realize that even before this whole terrorist thing happened you kicked me out of the house.”

“Hey! I was drugged at the time!”

“Yeah, and that’s an excuse?”

“Shining, what do you want from me?”

“What do I want?”

Chrysalis looked uneasy. “H-hey, I think Truth needs to talk to me.” she tried to edge away.

“Oh no you don’t.” Shining grabbed the changeling and pulled her close.

“Shining!” Chrysalis said in alarm.

The unicorn just grinned and pulled the changeling into a deep, teeth clicking, tongue probing kiss. Chrysalis’s eyes widened and she gave a muffled sound of protest. She struggled for a moment before melting into the kiss, pressing herself to Shining.

Cadance watched with her mouth hung open and her wings flared behind her.

Shining broke the kiss and Chrysalis nearly fell over when he released her, a giddy expression plastered over her face.

“Wha- mmph!” Cadance ended up mimicking Chrysalis and Shining kissed her as well. This kiss lasted longer, eliciting a wolf whistle from Sunshine, who had wandered over to the scene.

Shining released Cadance and smiled at Sunshine.

The pegasus smiled back. “If you try to kiss me, I’ll break your nose.”

Shining chuckled. “Fair enough.”

“Shining,” Cadance asked, looking at him with the best puppy-dog eyes she could manage. “What does this mean?”

Shining smiled and pulled the alicorn close, using his magic to pull Chrysalis into his other foreleg. “It means that I think I can finally deal with the crazy thing my life has become. Because no matter what, I know you know me. I know you love me. And I know Chrysalis is pretty hot. So there’s that.”

Cadance and Chrysalis laughed.

A reporter suddenly appeared from seemingly nowhere. The mare forced herself close to Shining, Cadance, and Chrysalis and turned to her camera-pony.

“This is Breaking News here to bring you the latest on the terrorist crisis here in the Crystal Empire. We were kept in the dark before, mares and gentle-colts, but your intrepid reporter has gotten in to bring you the latest.”

She turned to Shining. “Captain Armor, what is your comment on the incompetence of the Guard forces.”

Shining looked irritated and opened his mouth to speak when Truth suddenly popped up and punched Breaking News in the jaw.

“They're having a moment!” the changeling shouted at the mare. She pushed the mare and her camera-pony away, shouting the many things she was going to do to them should they loiter.

Shining, Cadance, and Chrysalis laughed as they watched the reporter leave. Sunshine then tapped Cadance on the shoulder.

“I believe this one is yours.” she said, handing Lovebug over.

Candace accepted the foal and smiled as Chrysalis and Shining. “She’s all of ours.”

“Aw.” Sunshine said almost mockingly as she walked away.

“So Shining,” Chrysalis asked as she nuzzled the unicorn. “What are you going to do now?”

Shining smiled. “What I always do after a long night of killing bad guys and saving wenches. I’m going to have some Celestia-damned corndogs.”

Reuben popped up offering a corn dog. “Captain?”

Shining squealed like a school filly.

Author's Notes:

And we are done!

Bonus Chapters to follow!