Pain? No. Pain wasn't the right word. It was hard to place her hoof on just what it was, or even what had happened. The last thing Pinkie remembered was being pulled quickly by her hooves across the ground, which was actually quite fun. Then she passed out - it was odd, like she was... falling... but she wasn't. She had remained perfectly still for what seemed like an eternity, but it felt like she was falling and couldn't catch herself. Even though that had been fun as well, it now made Pinkie sick to her stomach. The pony struggled to piece together what was happening, fighting to stay conscious. She thought of everything she could. Was she dead? Pinkie didn't think that she could still be thinking and feeling like this if she was. She racked her brain for any idea that could help her.

There was a sudden flash, he muscles tightened. She was right, what she felt earlier wasn't pain - this was. Pinkie's vision blurred. Her senses heightened as she fell faster. She let out a small scream as everything went black.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Gates dropped to the ground. He stared up at the spot where the portal had disappeared from. He looked back at his friends - they just stood and stared. Tears filled Fluttershy's eyes as she leaned against Rainbow Dash. Gates tried to reach for something to say, but words couldn't express what had happened. They had lost. Gates has lost. Not only did he allow an element to be taken, he had let down another one of his friends, it was a feeling that was becoming all too familiar to the silver pony.

“P-pinkie Pie?” Twilight finally spoke up after what seemed like an eternity of silence. ”Is she-she...” Twilight barely managed get the words out. She knew what herself and everypony else was thinking, but she couldn't bring herself to even say it.

“Is she... gone?” Rainbow forced the words out. Gates wished he could assure them that somehow Pinkie would be okay, but the evidence wasn't exactly on their side.

“I don't know,” Gates answered. ”We just have to hope for the best.” It was barely reassurance, but it was all they had now, hope. He still couldn't help but feel responsible for the loss of their friend. It was his job to protect them, protect the elements. He let them down, and he knew it.

“So, what shall we do now?” Rarity stepped forward. ”We simply can't just give up, we must at least find out what happened to Pinkie.”

“And Spike...” Twilight interrupted, still shaken by the loss of her life-long friend.

“Granny Smith... Big Macintosh...” Applejack muttered. Gates looked at the five ponies. They had already lost so much. He couldn't possibly ask them to risk more, to risk each other. Without the elements there wasn't much they could do anyway, it would be too risky for them to keep fighting like this.

“I'm sorry...” Gates began, barely able to speak, ”I let you down, I couldn't protect you. Without the elements all together now, it's just not worth the risk. I can't have you risk your-”

Applejack stopped him, practically shoving her hoof down his throat. “Oh no ya don't,” she began. ”We ain't goin' nowhere, especially now. We're gonna find out what these ponies did with Pinkie Pie and the rest of our friends.”

“Elements or no elements,” Rainbow Dash added, ”we're in this together to the end.”

Gates hung his head “To the end” was probably exactly where it would bring them. Without the Elements of Harmony, this was a suicide mission. Hell, maybe that was what Gates needed.

“I can't ask you to risk yourselves again,” Gates was pleading with them at this point. ”I can't protect you, I think we've already proven that much.”.

“Gates...” Twilight said as he began to turn and leave.

“No...” Fluttershy said in a near whisper. ”No!” She flew in front of Gates, blocking his path. “You...you can't go... we need you. You can't go...please,” Fluttershy barely managed to speak as more tears filled her eyes.

“Fluttershy, I can't...” Gates looked at his new-found friends, staring right back at him. He shook his head. How could he have left them behind? They needed him, and there was a chance he needed them even more. “Okay... we stay together - to the end of that's what it takes - but we have to-”

Gates froze.

A small shape moved quickly in the corner of his as he instinctively charged his staff. The grey pony turned and charged his staff. The six ponies turned and saw Hazel standing up on a nearby roof. Gates recognized him immediately - Gyro's precious lapdog came through Canterlot frequently to discuss things with the princess on Gyro's behalf. Hazel grinned slightly as he jumped down, away from the six friends and sped off.

“Rainbow!” Gates yelled, ”don't let him get away!” Gates fired a bolt that missed just left of the fleeing pegasus. “Twilight - you, Rarity and Fluttershy take the elements back to the library. Applejack, come with me!” The ponies split up as they chased after Hazel.

This was the only chance they had at uncovering the rest of this. Anything that could have helped them in Ponyville was gone, pulled into the portal. Gates knew this was their last shot.

He and Applejack rounded the corner, hot on Hazel's tail. Rainbow was able to speed ahead of Hazel with relative ease, and was able to force him lower to the ground. Hazel countered quickly knocking Rainbow into a nearby wall. Gates caught up enough to fire a bolt at the tan pegasus, Hazel. It connected in the center of the center of his back. Hazel crashed to the ground but got back on his hooves quickly. He galloped to a nearby alley, nearing the edge of the town. He turned into the alley and kicked a stack of crates into the path.

Gates and Applejack clambered onto the crates, Applejack stumbled and fell back, however Gates cleared them and came to a dead end in the alley. He turned as Hazel drove his front hoof into his jaw. The blow barely phased Gates as he countered, hitting Hazel in the side. Hazel hopped up and bucked Gates in the side as he flew out of the alley. The blow threw Gates off balance forcing him to tuck and roll before climbing back over the boxes. He fired a shot at Hazel, now far off in the sky. It was useless, Hazel was gone.

“Buck me...” Gates muttered.

“Well, Ah reckon we get back to the library, not much we can do now,” Applejack offered as her and Rainbow Dash began to walk back towards the library.

Applejack and Rainbow actually managed to strike a conversation - the commotion had clearly helped take their mind off of what happened to Pinkie Pie; all the while Gates plodded behind, glowering. He had failed, there wasn't a single lead they could follow. There was no telling where Hazel had gone. He had let Pinkie Pie be captured. One more name to his lost of ponies he had let down, it was getting larger and larger these days.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Many Years Ago...

“Did you hear that?” Lucy asked with a sudden fear in her voice.

“I'm sure it's nothing,” Rampart assured,” we've been out here a long time, I'm sure it's just getting to you.”

Rampart was right, Gates thought - they had been out there for a long time, a fact that was starting to get to Gates himself, although he would never admit it. But, Rampart was right, he had to be.

“Don't be such a scaredy-pony Lucy,” Gates said, adding, ”If Trixie can spend a whole night alone in the forest, there can't be that much to be scared of.”

Just the day before the blue unicorn had boasted of how she had spent an entire night in the Everfree Forest alone. He didn't even hesitate when Trixie had challenged them to go in. Lucy, however, had questioned the story to no end. How Rampart ever convinced her to come along, Gates had no idea. He was glad they came though, he had never left Colt Lake City, and was more scared than he would ever admit. But hay, if he was going to go with anypony, it would be Rampart and Lucy.

“Seriously, guys, listen,” Lucy pleaded, ”there's something out here - we need to go back.” Lucy was jumpier than Gates had ever seen her, she was always so cool and collected. That alone was throwing Gates off, on top of the fact that they were in a place not even technically part of Equestria anymore thanks to its dangers.

“Lucy, I promise,” Rampart soothed,” nothing will happen, we'll be fine.” Gates trusted Rampart more than anypony in the world. He was always knew what was best. Gates didn't know where he'd be without him. The three walked into forest, Gates saw Lucy freeze as he kept going for a few steps. He stopped cold when he heard Rampart's voice, “GATES!”

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Present day...

The sound rang through Gates mind as they walked into the library. Rampart's voice stayed with him to this day. He looked up at his friends, one thin. Gates swore a thousand times that it wouldn't, but it was happening again.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Walking through the fortress, Dauphin thought just how easy it was to accommodate all of the new prisoners. It had been too easy to convert the ancient castle of the royal pony sisters into the stronghold it now was, holding all of the prisoners captured during the turn of power. It was a temporary fix - sooner or later, the civilians who were captured would be released, and the castle would serve solely as a prison for guards and rebels still loyal to the royal pony sisters.

Dauphin wasn't completely happy with the way it had all happened though.

He has betrayed his friends, led them knowingly to defeat. He could only pray that they could forgive him when it was all over. They had to see that this was what was best for Equestria - Celestia and Luna were more powerful than anypony. But they wasted it. The fact that it had been so easy to take over proves that. He just hoped his friends would see it the same way.

Dauphin’s thoughts were interrupted by one of his lieutenants trotting up to him: “Sir, we have something. You'll want to see this.” The large white unicorn followed the guard to the center of the base, nearly in full gallop.

The two came to a massive archway standing in the center of the large room, magical energy glowing in a massive orb above it. Spark had designed the device himself - it was the sole thing that channeled all of the magical energy through everyone in the Triumvirate, it was what powered the portals. It was the single most impressive thing that Dauphin has ever seen. The power behind it was unfathomable; he didn't even want to know where Spark had found a source of such energy, he was just glad it was on his side.

“So what are we looking at soldier?” Dauphin asked impatiently. The guard pointed a hoof at a pink earth pony stumbling to her hooves, surrounded by guards. “I don't see why I should be so-”

Dauphin's eyes widened as his eyes fell upon the necklace wrapped around Pinkie Pie's neck. He recognized it immediately - the element of laughter. Dauphin trotted up to the pony, and yanked the necklace off.

Dauphin grinned. “So, this is it. This is what we've been looking for,” he turned and handed the element to his lieutenant. “Take this to my quarters and place four guards outside the door - I have to have a word with someone.”

“Yes sir,” the officer said sharply. ”Umm, what do you want us to with the pony?”

“Lock her up,” Dauphin ordered, ”she's useless to us now.” Dauphin trotted through the base. This was it - they won.

Hazel rushed up out of nowhere, panting wildly.

“Ah Hazel, I don't think I'll be needing your report, I’m well aware of Sterling’s successful mission in Ponyville,” Dauphin said, content. ”She got exactly what she was looking for, I really underestimated her.”

“Success?” Hazel asked. ”Sir, she was defeated by the elements of harmony, I saw the whole thing with my own eyes...”

“So Sterling is gone...” Dauphin paused for a moment. ”That’s unfortunate, she will be missed.” That wasn't completely honest - while both Gyro and Spark held Sterling in very high esteem, he had always thought of her as dead weight. But, it wasn't Dauphin's job to decide who was fit to lead Equestria, only to lead the army until power shifted over to the Triumvirate completely. Dauphin turned his thoughts back to the task at hand, “Well, she obviously went down swinging, considering she recovered one of the Elements of Harmony.”

“She did?!” Hazel exclaimed,” I had no idea! What does this mean for us?”

“It means we're one big step closer to ending this thing,” Dauphin remarked,” Now, give Gyro and Spark your report and mine, I have something to attend to.”

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

The pony leaned up against the bars of the cell door. She sighed as she thought about her friends, still out there. Were they okay? Did they all suffer the same fate she had? It was a painful question, especially when there was nothing she could do. Even if they were okay, even if they were still alive, she was locked up. Any traces of hope began to flee from her mind.

She heard shouting down the corridor. It had become white noise by now - nobody wanted to be locked up like this. She didn't even move as she listened, needing something to do help pass the time.

“You can't do this!” A pony from behind her yelled. She grunted - it was odd how they all thought their captors couldn't get away with this. They could, and they would continue to. She sat listening, apathetically, as the cell door behind her opened, then slammed shut again.

“You just WAIT!” the pony yelled sharply from behind. Wait for what? Wait for the cavalry to come rushing in? The already had the cavalry locked away.

“Gates is gonna come and get me! You'll be sorry!” the pony yelled.

Firefly shot up, “Did she just say...” she whispered to herself, ”Gates?” Firefly spun around to see Pinkie Pie standing on her back legs, poking her muzzle out from behind the bars.

Next Chapter: Chapter Thirteen - A Shot in the Dark Estimated time remaining: 2 Hours, 9 Minutes