It was a bright and sunny day in the land of Equestria, and everything was calm and peaceful. Suddenly a loud explosion was heard from a distance, and many crystal ponies flying or riding on flying machines with a giant sea creature called the Hydra, and a huge tidal wave following them. "You fool! You've destroyed us all!" An crystal earth pony said to a crystal unicorn pony in Old Equestrian. As the huge tidal wave got closer to the crystal ponies, and the Hydra, one of the crystal pegasai ponies said in Old Equestrian "The wave is gaining! We have to warn the Crystal Empire!" "Too late!" Another crystal earth pony said in Old Equestrian as the crystal ponies screamed when the huge tidal wave crashed down on the Hydra. The crystal went through twists and turns, went up a hill, and flew over to the Cyrstal Empire where they had a crystal heart which glowed red, and was shooting down red spotlights floating above the empire as the sky grew darker with each passing minute.

As the ponies flew in, a crystal unicorn pony named Top Notch looked forward, and his eyes widened at what he saw. He went over to the megaphone, and said in Old Equestrian "Everypony to the shelters! Everypony to the shelters" Two strong crystal unicorn ponies rang the bell as the crystal ponies screamed in terror, and ran for their lives. Near the crystal palace were two crystal alicorn ponies named Prince Solaris and Princess Celestia. Near them was their crystal unicorn filly daughter named Twilight Sparkle who was holding her doll named Smarty Pants with her magic. A cyrstal unicorn pony guard turned to the rulers, and said in Old Equestrian "This way your highness. Quickly!" Princess Celestia picked Twilight Sparkle who dropped Smart Pants with her magic, and said in Old Equestrian "Twilight, come on!" As they ran, Twilight Sparkle tried reaching for her Smarty Pants doll while a red spotlight followed them.

Princess Celestia put her daughter down, and looked at her as he said in Old Equestrian "Twilight! Just leave it! There's no time!" Suddenly, the red spotlight shined down on Princess Celestia, and she looked up as it, and her eyes and her horn glowed blue when her crystal heart necklace that she wore like every other crystal pony did rose into the air. Prince Solaris looked back, and his eyes widened at what he saw. As the crystal ponies ran, all the blue spotlight merged together, and became one when the light from the crystal heart necklace exploded. As Princess Celestia rose into the sky while taking a blue bracelet her daughter wore with her, Twilight Sparkle was in awe at the blue light. When she saw her mother floating up in the air, she cried out in Old Equestrian "Mother!" As Princess Celestia merge with the crystal heart which it, and the giant floating stones with faces on it spun faster, Twilight Sparkle tripped, and called out in Old Equestrian "Mother!" As the crystal ponies ran, giant pony statues came to life and created a barrier. Some crystal ponies made it, others didn't make it.

The huge tidal wave came closer, and destroyed some buildings. "Mother!" Twilight Sparkle cried out in Old Equestrian as she tried reaching for her mother. Prince Solaris then held onto his daughter, and said in Old Equestrian "Close your eyes, Twilight! Look away!" Twilight Sparkle obeyed as the crystal heart, and the giant floating spun faster, and created a bigger barrier. Then the Crystal Empire began to sink as the huge tidal wave came down and crashed down on the blue barrrier, and it became an ocean. And just like that, the Crystal Empire was no more. Or so they were led to believe.

-1,000 years later-

In the Canterlot Museum where all the ponies were enjoying themselves, looking at paintings, sculptures, fossils, and artifacts, a unicorn with a moderate sapphire blue mane with a moderate violet, and a brilliant rose streak on it, moderate violet eyes, and a brilliant rose star with five white stars, three of them on one side and two of them on the other side for his cutie mark named Dusk Shine was in the basement, giving a lecture to some pony mannequins dressed in suits. "Good afternoon, gentlecolts." Dusk Shine said. "First off, I'd like to thank this board for taking the time to hear my proposal. Now we all heard the legend of the Crystal Empire, a continent somewhere in the ocean that was home to an advanced civilization, possesing technology far beyond our own." He looked at the figurine of Star Swirled The Bearded, and said "That according to our friend Star-Swirled The Bearded here, was suddenly struck by some cataclysmic event that sank it beneath the sea." As Dusk Shine prepared a slide show, he said "Now, some of you may ask, why Crystal Empire? It's just a myth, isn't it? Pure fantasy. Well, that is where you'd be wrong."

As Dusk Shine started the slide show, he said "1,000 years before Ponyville was founded, the Crystal Empire had electricity, advanced medicne, even the power of flight. Impossible, you say? Well, no. No, not for them. Numerous ancient cultures all over Equestria agree that the Crystal Empire possessed a power source of some kind. More powerful than steam, than...than coal. More powerful than our modern internal combustion engines. Gentlecolts, I propose that we find the Crystal Empire, find that power source, and bring it back to the surface." Dusk Shine pressed the button, and the screen showed a picture of a page of a book appeared as he said "Now this is a page from an illuminated text that describes a book called the Crystal Journal said to have been a first-hoof account of the Crystal Empire, and its exact wherabouts." He walked over to a chalkboard that had Coast Of Appleloosa written on it, and said "Now based on a centuries-old translation of an Old Equestrian text, historians have believed the journal resides in Appleloosa." He then took out an ancient shield with Old Equestrian lettering on it, and said "But after comparing the text to the runes on this ancient shield, I found that it actually had been mistranslated." He erased Appleloosa and replaced it with Fillydelphia as he said "So, by changing the name, and inserting the correct one, we find that the Crystal Journal, the key to the Crystal Empire lies not in Appleloosa, gentlecolts, but in Flillydelphia."

Dusk Shine took a deep breath, and muttered "Pause for effect." He put the ancient shield away, and said "Gentlecolts, I'll take your questions now." Suddenly the telephone started to ring. "Uh, would you gentlecolts please excuse me for a moment?" He climbed up, and leaned on the calkboard. He picked up the telephone, and said "Cartography and Linguistics, Dusk Shine speaking." He heard angry ranting that said something about the boiler being broken. "Yeah. Uh, just...just a second." He put the telephone down, and turned on the light in the room. He removed one of the pony mannequins, and said "Pardon me, Mr. Hickenbottom." He twisted the knobs, and hit the boiler with the wrench to make it work. Once the boiler started working, he got back on the phone, and said "How's that? Is that better?" He just heard more angry ranting, and he said "Uh-huh. Yeah. You're welcome." "And don't let it happen again!" The angry voice said. "All right. Bye." Dusk Shine said as he got off the chalkboard. "Now, as you can see by this..." Dusk Shine tried to say, but he realized that he accidently erased some parts of the map when he climbed on the chalkboard. He fixed it with his magic, and said "Now as you can see by this map that I've drawn, I plotted the route that will take myself, and a crew to southern coast of Fillydelphia to retrieve the journal."

The cuckoo clock chimed in four times as Dusk Shine dusted the chalk off him, and said "Ah, showtime." He gathered his stuff, and said "Well, this is it! I am finally getting out of the dungeon." Dusk Shine looked at a picture of his grandfather named Apple Strudel who was an archaeologist before he died sometime ago, and smiled. He used to try on his grandfather's hat that never fitted him. He opened the cabinet, and took out the hat. He put it in his head, and it still didn't fit him, but he made it fit. Then a message came down the tube. He opened it and the letter said:

Dear Mr. Shine

This is to inform you that your meeting today has been moved up from 4:30 PM to 3:30 PM.

Dusk Shine looked at the clock to see that it was already four o'clock, and said "What?!" Then another message came down the tube. He opened it, and this time, the letter said:

Dear Mr. Shine

Due to your absence, the board has voted to reject your proposal. Have a nice weekend.

Mr. Fancy Pants's Office

"THEY CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!" Dusk Shine cried out in dismay.

In the museum hallway, Fancy Pants, and the other members of the board named Jet Set, Claude, Fashion Plate, and Trenderhoof had stepped out of the confrence room. "I swear, that young Dusk Shine gets crazier every year!" Claude said talking about Dusk Shine. "If I ever hear the words Crystal Empire again, I'll step in front of a carriage!" Jet Set said. Claude laughed, pushed him, and said "I'll push you!" The members of the board laughed, and they heard a voice that said "Mr. Fancy Pants!" They looked at the end of the hallway in horror to see Dusk Shine running towards them while carrying his material with his magic. "Good lord, there he is!" Trenderhoof said in horror. "Members of the board, uh, wait!" Dusk Shine called out as he ran towards them. "How did you find us?! Fancy Pants asked as he and the other members of the board ran for their lives. "Mr. Fancy Pants, wait!" Dusk Shine called out. "Head for the hills!" Fashion Plate said as he ran to a room, and locked the door. "Where is a guard when you need him?!" Claude wondered as he ran to a room, and locked the door. As Jet Set and Trenderhoof ran to their rooms and locked the doors, Dusk Shine said "Mr. Fancy Pants, you got to listen to me sir!" Fancy Pants hid behind a plant as Dusk Shine approached him, and said "Uh, sir?" When he removed the plant, Fancy Pants faked a smile, and used his umbrella to push him away. He then began to run off with Dusk Shine chasing him.

As they ran to the exit, Dusk Shine said "Wait! Mr. Fancy Pants! Sir, I-I have new evidence that.." Fancy Pants got into the carriage that was waiting for him as Dusk Shine said "Please, Mr. Fancy Pants! Stop!" He gave Fancy Pants his material as he said "Sir, if you...could you hold...thank you very much." He held up one of his scrolls, and said "Look at..." Fancy Pants gave Dusk Shine his material back as he said "This museum funds scientific expeditions based on facts! Not legends and folklore! Besides, we need you here. We depend on you." "You do?" Dusk Shine asked as he smiled. Fancy Pants nodded, and said "Yes. What with winter coming, that boiler's going to need a lot of attention." "Boiler?!" Dusk Shine asked in dismay. "Onward, driver!" Fancy Pants said as the driver began to drive away. Dusk Shine ran to catch up the carriage as he showed the map of Flillydelphia to Fancy Pants, and said "But there-there's a journal! It's in Flillydelphia! I'm sure of it this time! Fancy Pants just ignored him, and pulled the window curtain. Suddenly, Dusk Shine jumped on the carriage, took out his letter of resignation he made earlier, and said "Sir, I really hoped it wouldn't have come to this, but this is a letter of resignation. If you reject my proposal, I'll-whoa!" Th driver swayed, and threw Dusk Shine off the carriage. He got up, and said "I'll quit!"

When the driver heard him, he backed up to where Dusk Shine was standing. Fancy Pants looked at Dusk Shine who started to say "I mean it, sir. If you refuse to fund my proposal-." "You'll what?" Fancy Pants asked stopping Dusk Shine from talking. "Flush your career down the toilet just like your grandfather? You have a lot of potential, Dusk Shine. Don't throw it all away chasing fairy tales." "But I can prove that the Crystal Empire exists!" Dusk Shine said. Fancy Pants tossed him a bit as he said "You want to go on an expedition? Here, Take the train to Ponyville, and jump in a lake. Maybe the cold water will clear your head." He closed the window curtain, and said "Driver!" The driver drove away, splashing water in Dusk Shine's face and mane. He coughed and sneezed from the water. Later that day, Dusk Shine made it to his apartment as it started to rain outside. He went inside as he said "I'm home!" He started calling for his cat named Opalescence as he said "Opal? Here kitty. He tried to turn on the light, but the light wouldn't come on. He looked over to see a unicorn pony with a moderate purple mane with a lighter purple and pale light grayish aquamarine streaks, moderate persian blue eyes, and a purple and whtie star with a teal and light teal tail on it for her cutie mark named Starlight Glimmer standing there with a sly smile on her face. "Dusk Shine?" Starlight Glimmer asked hoping she found the stallion she was looking for. Dusk Shine looked at her in shock and said "Who are you, and how did you get in here?!"

Starllight Glimmer sat down on a chair, and said "I came down the chimney. Ho, ho, ho. My name is Starlight Glimmer. I'm acting on behalf of my employer who has a most intriguing proposition for you. Are you interested?" "That depends." Dusk Shine said. "On what?" Starlight Glimmer asked. "On who your employer is." Dusk Shine said. "So who's your employer?" "If you want to know, then you'll come with me." Starlight Glimmer said as she got up from her seat and walked to the door. Dusk Shine followed her to her carriage. They got in, and they took off to the place where Starlight Glimmer's employer lives.

Moments later, Dusk Shine and Starlight Glimmer arrived at the manor where her employer lives. After they parked the carriage, they got off, and went inside the manor. After they dried off, Starlight Glimmer said "This way, please. And don't drip on the caravaggio." They walked towards the elevator as Starlight Glimmer said "Step lively. Mr. Donkey does not like to be kept waiting." They went in the elevator, and as they went down, Starlight Glimmer said "You will address him as Mr. Donkey or sir. You will stand unless asked to be seated. Keep your sentences short, and to the point. Are we clear?" Dusk Shine nodded as he gulped. They reached the ground floor where the private room is. As Dusk Shine stepped out of the elevator, Starlight Glimmer said "And relax, he doesn't bite. Often." She closed the elevator door, and went back up. Dusk Shine looked around the private room, and he looked up the fireplace to see a picture of the donkey named Cranky Doodle Donkey, and Apple Strudel. "Grandpa?" Dusk Shine said as he looked at the picture more closely. "Finest explorer I ever met." Crank Doodle said as Dusk Shine turned to look at him. "Cranky Doodle Donkey. Pleasure to meet you Dusk Shine." They shook hooves, and Cranky Doodle Donkey said "Join me in a little yoga?" "Uh, no. No. Thank you." Dusk Shine said as Cranky Doodle Donkey continued on with his yoga. "Did you really know my grandfather?"

Cranky Doodle Donkey nodded, and said "Oh, yeah. Met old Apple Strudel back in Trottingham. Class of 66. We stayed close friends till the end of his days. Even dragged me along on some of his danged fool expeditions. Apple Strudel was crazy as a fruit bat he was. He spoke of you often." "Funny. He-He never mentioned you." Dusk Shine said. "Oh, he wouldn't." Cranky Doodle said as he stretched his body. "He knew how much I liked my privacy. I keep a low profile." "Mr. Donkey, should I be wondering why I'm here?" Dusk Shine asked. "Look on that table." Cranky Doodle said pointed to a table with a book-shaped package on it. "It's for you." Dusk Shine picked the package that said 'To Dusk Shine. With Love, Apple Strudel' with his magic, and said "It's-It's from my grandfather?" "He brought that package to me years ago." Cranky Doodle said. "He said if anything were to happen to him, I should give it to you when you were ready. Whatever that means." When Dusk Shine opened the package, he gasped in shock. It was a navy blue book with light blue lines, and a light blue crystal heart on the cover. The spine was covered with pink cyrstals, and on the side of the book was a heart shaped lock. "It-It can't be!" Dusk Shine said. "It's the Crystal Journal. Mr. Donkey, this journal is the key to find the lost continent of the Crystal Empire!"

Cranky Doodle Donkey laughed, and said "The Crystal Empire. I wasn't born yesterday, son." "No, no, no." Dusk Shine said. "Look-Look at this. Coordinates, clues, it's all right here." "Yeah, looks like gibberish to me." Cranky Doodle said. "That's because it's written in a dialect that no longer exists." Dusk Shine said. "So, it's useless." Cranky Doodle said. "No, no, just difficult." Dusk Shine said. "I've spent my whole life studying dead languages. It's not gibberish to me." "Ah, it's probably a fake." Cranky Doodle said. Dusk Shine then closed the book, and said "Mr. Donkey, my grandfather would have known of this were a fake. I would know. I will stake everything I own. Everything that I believe in that is the genuine Crystal Journal!" "All right, all right." Cranky Doodle said. "So what do you want to do with it?" Well, I'll-I'll-I'll get funding." Dusk Shine said. "I mean I'll-. The museum." "They'll never believe you." Cranky Doodle said. "I'll show them!" Dusk Shine said. "I will make them believe." "Like you did today?" Cranky Doodle asked. "Yes!" Dusk Shine said. "Well, no. How did you-? Forget about them, ok?! Never mind! I will find the Crystal Empire on my own! I mean, even if I have to rent a rowboat!" Cranky Doodle Donkey smiled, and said "Congratulations, Dusk Shine. This is exactly what I wanted to hear. But forget the rowboat son. We'll travel in style." He pressed the button on the table, and a model of the submarine appeared on the table. As Dusk Shine stared at the model in awe, Cranky Doodle Donkey said "It's all been arranged. The whole ball of wax." "Why?" Dusk Shine asked. "For years, your granddad bent my ear with stories about that old book." Cranky Doodle said. "I didn't buy it for a minute. So finally, I got fed up, and made a bet with the old coot."

Cranky Doodle Donkey showed Dusk Shine a picture of Apple Strudel and Cranky Doodle Donkey being disgusted by a kiss as he said "I said: Apple Strudel, if you ever find that so called journal, not only will I finance the expedition, but I'll kiss you full on the mouth." Imagine my embarrassment when he found the darn thing." As he put the picture on a small table, he said "Now I know your grandfather's gone, Dusk Shine. Celestia rest his soul." He walked up to the picture of himself and Apple Strudel above the fireplace, looked up at it, and said "But Cranky Doodle Donkey is a donkey who keeps his word. You hear that, Apple Strudel? I'm going to the afterlife with a clear conscience by thunder!" He chuckled, and sighed sadly. As Dusk Shine looked at the donkey in concern, Cranky Doodle Donkey said "Your grandpa was a great stallion. You probably don't realize how great. Those buffoons at the museum dragged him down, made a laughingstock of him. He died a broken stallion. If I could bring back just one shred of proof, that'd be enough for me. Ah, Dusk Shine." He looked at Dusk Shine, and said "What are we standing around for? We got work to do." As they walked to the table, Dusk Shine said "But Mr. Donkey, you know, in order to do what you're proposing, you're gonna need a crew." "Taken care of." Cranky Doodle said as he took out a stack of paper from a folder. "You'll need engineers, and-and geologists." Dusk Shine said. "Got'em all!" Cranky Doodle said as he spreaded the stack of paper on the table. "The best of the best. Bubble Berry, geology and excavation. The stallion has a nose for dirt. Cheese Sandwich, demolitionist. Busted him out of Manehatten prison. Rainbow Dash, don't let her age fool you. She's forgotten more engines, than you or I will ever know. They're the same crew that brought the journal back."

"Where was it?" Dusk Shine asked. Cranky Doodle Donkey placed a picture of Apple Strudel with the crew that brought the Crystal Journal back, and said "Fillydelphia." Dusk Shine smiled, and said "Yeah, I knew it! I knew it!" "All we need now is an expert in gibberish." Cranky Doodle said. "So it's decision time. You can build on the foundation your grandfather left you, or you can go back to your boiler room." Dusk Shine looked at the picture of the crew that brought the Crystal Journal back in awe, and said "This is for real." "Now you're catching on." Cranky Doodle said smiling. Dusk Shine nodded, and said "All right. Ok. I-I-I'll have to quit my job." "It's done." Cranky Doodle said. "You resigned this afternoon." "I did?" Dusk Shine asked. "Yep. Don't like to leave loose ends." Cranky Doodle said. "Um, my apartment." Dusk Shine said. "I'll have to give notice." "Taken care of." Cranky Doodle said. "My stuff?" Dusk Shine asked. "Packed." Cranky Doodle said. "My books?" Dusk Shine asked. "In storage." Cranky Doodle said. "My cat?" Dusk Shine asked. He heard a meow, and he looked to see Opalescence rubbing against his hooves. He patted her on the head, and said "My gosh." As Opalesence walked away, Cranky Doodle Donkey said "Your granddad had a saying. Our lives are remembered by the gifts we leave our foals. This journal is his gift to you, Dusk Shine." Dusk Shine looked at his journal as Cranky Doodle Donkey held up a green jacket, and said "The Crystal Empire is waiting. What do you say?" Dusk Shine smiled, put the jacket on himself, and said "I'm your stallion, Mr. Donkey. You will not regret this. Boy, I am so excited, I-I-I-I can't even hold it in."

At the gray ship in the middle of the ocean, the sickened Dusk Shine leaned on the rail, and threw up. He groaned in pain, and said "Carrots. Why is there always carrots? I didn't even eat carrots." As he nearly puked again, an elderly voice talked into the microphone that went through the speakers, and said "Attention. All hooves to the launch bay. To whoever took the L from the Motor Pool sign, haha, we're all very amused." Dusk Shine walked around, and spotted a familar pony. He went up to her, and said "Excuse me? I need to, uh, report in?" The familar pony turned around and said "Yes, Mr. Shine?" Dusk Shine yelped when he saw Starlight Glimmer, and said "It's you!" A truck filled with food was being lowered down, and an earth pony with a pale, light grayish olive mane, moderate sap green eyes, light freckles on the cheeks, and three red apples for his cutie mark named Applejack glared at Starlight Glimmer, and said "Starlight, Ah got a bone to pick with ya'll!" "Hold that thought." Starlight Glimmer said to Dusk Shine as she walked to Applejack. "What is it this time, Applejack?" "Ya'll done stuffed my wagon full of bustin with non-essentials!" Applejack said showing the stuff to Starlight Glimmer. "Look at all of this! Cinnamon, oregano, cilantro. What in tarnation is cilantro?!" She looked down to see a head of lettuce, picked it up, and said "And what is this?"

"That would be lettuce." Starlight Glimmer said. "Lettuce?!" Applejack asked in shock. "Lettuce?!" "It's a vegetable, Applejack." Starlight Glimmer said. "The stallions need the four basic food groups." "Ah got your four basic food groups." Applejack said. "Beans, apples, cider, and lard!" Suddenly, the alarm went off, and Starlight Glimmer shoved the head of lettuce into Applejack as she said "All right, cowgirl. Pack it up, and move it out!" As Dusk Shine went in the elevator with the other ponies, the elderly voice again talked into the microphone that went through the speakers, and said "Attention. All hooves to the launch bay. Final loading in progress." The elevator started, and it lowered down to the launch bay where the same submarine as the model that Cranky Doodle Donkey had. Dusk Shine stepped out of the elevator, and began to walk towards the submarine. Suddenly, an earth pony named Cheese Sandwich who was pushing a cart full of dynamite, bumped into him, and said "Hey, Junior. If you're looking for the foal rides, they're back there." He dropped the stick of dynamite, and Dusk Shine picked it up with his magic as he said "Excuse me. Excuse me? You dropped your dy-dy-dy-dynamite." He chuckled nervously, and said "What else have you, uh, got in there?" As Cheese Sandwich took the dynamite from Dusk Shine, he said "Oh, eh, gunpowder, nitroglycerin, notepads, fuses, wicks, glue, and...paperclips. Big ones. You know, just, uh, office supplies."

As Cheese Sandwich walked away with the cart full of dynamite, Cranky Doodle Donkey approached Dusk Shine while being followed by a unicorn with a vivid crimson mane with brilliant yellow streaks on it, moderate cyan eyes, and a sun that is colored red, yellow, and orange for his cutie mark named Sunset Glare. "Dusk Shine! Where have you been? I want you to meet Commander Sunset Glare. He led the Fillydelphia team that brought the journal back." Dusk Shine and Sunset Glare did a brohoof as the commander said "Dusk Shine. Pleasure to meet the grandson of old Apple Strudel." He looked at Dusk Shine's journal, and said "I see you got your journal. Nice pictures, but I prefer a good western, myself." Cranky Doodle Donkey nudged Dusk Shine, and said "Pretty impressive, eh?" Dusk Shine smiled, and said "Boy when you settle a bet, y-you settle a bet." "Well, your granddad always believed you couldn't put a price on the pursuit of knowledge." Cranky Doodle said as they walked to the ramp of the submarine. "Well, uh, believe mem this'll be a small change compared to the value of what we're gonna learn on this trip." Dusk Shine said. Sunset Glare smiled, and said "Yes, this should be enriching for all of us." They made it to the ramp as the elderly voice talked into the microphone that went through the speakers, and said "Attention, all personal. Launch will commence in fifteen minutes." Sunset Glare looked at Cranky Doodle Donkey, and said "Mr. Donkey." "Glare." Cranky Doodle said as he nodded. As Sunset Glare walked to the inside of the submarine, he said "It's time." Dusk Shine rushed to the follow Sunset Glare, he said "Bye, Mr. Donkey!" "Make us proud, young stallion!" Cranky Doodle said as the entrance to the submarine closed on him.

Once everypony got on the submarine with the supplies loaded onto it, they all got ready to go underwater as the pony diving officer said "Rig ship for dive!" The pony chief of the watch nodded, and said "Aye, sir! Rig ship for dive!" At the bridge, Sunset Glare looked at Starlight Glimmer, and said "Lieutenant, take her down." Starlight Glimmer nodded, and looked at the pony diving officer as she said "Diving officer, submerge the ship. Make the depth 1-5-0 feet." The pony diving officer nodded as he said "Make the depth 1-5-0 feet." Then the intercom said "Dive, dive! Five degrees down bubble." As they prepared to get the submarine moving, the pony diving officer said "Take us down!" The warning alarm buzzed, and the submarine got unhook as it started to submerge into the water. Once the submarine got deep enough into the water, Dusk Shine went into his cabin, and put his stuff, and his jacket away as the elderly voice talked into the microphone, and said "Attention. Tonight's supper will be baked beans. Musical program to follow." As the Dusk Shine sat down on his bunk bed to settle down for a nap, the elderly voice talked into the microphone, and said "Who wrote this?" Dusk Shine then settled down for his nap, and an earth pony named Bubble Berry looked down on him with his goggles. He then got a better look as he turned on the light on his goggles, making Dusk Shine wake up, and hit his head on the bunk ceiling.

"You have disturbed the dirt." Bubble Berry said in a low voice. Dusk Shine tilted his head in confusion, and said "Uh, pardon me?" Bubble Berry got off of his bunk bed as Dusk Shine got up from his bunk bed. "You have disturbed the dirt!" Bubble Berry said pulling the bed sheet to reveal piles of dirt. "Dirt from around Equestria, spanning the centuries!" He gasped as he tried to straighten the piles of dirt that got merged together, and said "What have you done?! Ponyville must never merge with Appleloosa!" "What's it doing in my bed?!" Dusk Shine asked in shock and dismay. Bubble Berry then got in Dusk Shine's face as he said "You ask too many questions. Who are you? Who sent you? Speak up!" Dusk Shine gulped, and said "Me? I'm, uh..." Bubble Berry interrupted him, and said "Bah! I will know soon enough." He grabbed Dusk Shine by the mane. As Dusk Shine struggled to get away, he said "Hey, hey, hey! Let go!" "Do not be such a crybaby, and hold still!" Bubble Berry said as he took out a small piece of Dusk Shine's mane. He smiled at the piece, and used his goggles like a microscope as he said "Aha! There you are. Now, tell me your story, my little friend." As he looked at the tiny objects in the piece of Dusk Shine's mane, he said "Parchment fiber from the nile circa 500 B.C. Lead pencil, number 2. Paint flecks of a type used in goverment buildings. You have a cat, short-haired persian. Two years old. Third in a litter of seven."

Bubble Berry looked up at Dusk Shine, and said "These are all the microscopic hoofprints of the mapmaker." He licked the piece of Dusk Shine's mane and said "And linguist." "Hey, how did you-." Dusk Shine tried to say, but Bubble Berry got angry as he shoved his stuff, and jacket into the unicorn, and said "This is an outrage! You must leave at once! Out, out, out, out, out!" Bubble Berry tried to shove Dusk Shine out of the cabin, but somepony was blocking them. Dusk Shine looked up to see an earth pony with a brilliant orange mane, moderate sap green eyes, light yellowish gray hooves, and a big green apple for his cutie mark named Big Macintosh or Big Mac for short looking down on him. "Uh-oh. Sat in the dirt, didn't you?" Big Mac asked. He looked at Bubble Berry, and said "Bubble Berry, now what have Ah told you about playing nice with the other ponies?!" Before Bubble Berry could protest, Big Mac took out a bar of soap, and said "Get back, Ah've got soap, and Ah'm not afraid to use it!" Bubble Berry hissed in disgust, and he climbed back into his bunk bed as Big Mac hit him with a long cloth, and said "Back, foul creature! Back to the pit from which you came. He looked at Dusk Shine, and they did a brohoof as he said "The name's Mac. Big Mac. Medical officer." "Yeah." Dusk Shine said. "I'm Dusk Shine."

"Dusk Shine." Big Mac said as he put his doctor coat on. "You're my 3:00." He took out a saw as he said "Well, no time like the present." Dusk Shine gulped, and said "Oh boy." "Nice, isn't it?" Big Mac asked. "The catalog says that this little beauty can saw through a femur in twenty-eight seconds. Ah'm betting Ah can cut that time in half." He put the saw in his medical bag, and took out a tongue presser as he said "Now, stick out your tongue, and say Ahh." "Oh no, really, I have a-." Dusk Shine tried to say, but Big Mac placed his tongue presser on the tongue, and said "So, where are you from?" Dusk Shine grunted as he tried to say that he was from Canterlot. "Really?" Big Mac asked as he placed a thermometer in Dusk Shine's mouth, and used a stethoscope to listen to his heart. "Ah have family up that way. Beautiful country up there, Do you do any fishing?" Dusk Shine grunted as he tried to say that sometimes he does, and asked him if he does some fishing. "Me?" Big Mac asked as he took out a watch to look at the time. "I hate fishing. I hate fish, and the smell of them." He took out some measuring cups, and said "Here, Ah'm gonna need you to fill these up." Dusk Shine spitted the thermometer out, and said "With what?!" "Will Dusk Shine please report to the bridge?" The elderly voice said on the microphone. Dusk Shine then sighed with relief, and said "Thank you." He then straightened himself out, and said "I mean, uh, uh, nice meeting you." He took off running as Big Mac said "Eeyup. Nice meeting ya'll, too." Bubble Berry got off of his bunk bed, and looked on in confusion.

In the communication area, the elderly earth pony who was talking on the microphone earlier named Granny Smith was talking to another elderly earth pony with her headset. "So Ah says to him, 'what's wrong with mah apple pie?'" Granny Smith said. "And he says to me-." She was interrupted by a loud buzzer, and she turned it off as she said "Oh, hold on a second, Margie, Ah got another call." She looked at Sunset Glare, and said "Sir, we're approaching coordinates!" She turned on her headset, and said "Hello, Margie? Yeah, so anyway, he says." As Dusk Shine approached the bridge, Sunset Glare said "All right, let's have a look around." "Aye, sir." Starlight Glimmer said. She looked at the pony sailors, and said "Set course to 2-4-0 fifteen degrees on the bow planes. Come right 2-4-0." Dusk Shine walked up the stairs, and reached the bridge as Sunset Glare said "Welcome to the bridge, Mr. Shine. Ok, everypony, I want you to give Mr. Shine your undivided attention." Dusk Shine walked up to the projector, gulped nervously, and said "Good afternoon. Can-Can everypony hear me ok?" There was no response, but a pegasai pony with a rainbow colored mane, moderate cerise eyes, and a rainbow bolt with cloud at the end for her cutie mark named Rainbow Dash chewed on her bubble gum, blew a bubble, and popped it.

Dusk Shine chuckled a little, and said "Ok, uh...how-how about some slides? The-The first slide is a depiction of a creature. A creature so frightening that pony sailors were said to be driven mad from the mere sight of it." He put a slide in a projector, and it show the image. He thought it was the slide of Hydra, but instead it was his embarrassing summer vacation slide. Everypony snickered, and Granny Smith said "Hubba, hubba." Dusk Shine immediately took the slide out of the projector, chuckled nervously, and said "Uh, I'm sorry. That's...wrong." Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, and said "Geez, I used to take lunch bits from stallions like this." Cheese Sandwich snickered at that statement. Dusk Shine found the slide he was looking for, placed it in the projector, and it showed the image of Hydra as he said "Anyway, this, uh...ok. This is an illustration of the Hydra, the creature guarding the entrance to the Crystal Empire." "With something like that, I would have apple cider." Cheese Sandwich said. "I think." It's a mythical sea serpent." Dusk Shine said. "He's described it in the Book of Job. The-The bible says 'Out of his mouth, go burning lights, sparks of fire shoot out.' But more likely, it's a carving or a sculpture to frighten the superstitious."

"So we find this masterpiece." Sunset Glare said. "Then what?" "When do we dig?" Bubble Berry asked. Dusk Shine then turned off the projector, and said "Actually, we don't have to dig." He then drew on the whiteboard as he said "You see, according to the journal, the path to the Crystal Empire will take us down to a tunnel at the bottom of the ocean, and we'll come up a curve into an air pocket right here where we'll find the remnants of an ancient highway that will lead us to the Crystal Empire. Kind of like the grease trap in your sink." "Cartographer, linguist, plumber." Starlight Glimmer said. "Hard to believe he's still single." Bubble Berry then pulled on Starlight Glimmer's tail as he said "You said there'd be digging!" "Go away, Bubble Berry!" Starlight Glimmer said as she moved away from Bubble Berry. The pony sailor steering the helm looked at Sunset Glare, and said "Captain, you'd better come look at this, sir." "Ok, class dismissed." Sunset Glare said as he, Starlight Glimmer, and Dusk Shine reached the level where the pony sailor was. "Give me exterior lights." The exterior lights was turned on, and their lights shone on the ruins of sailing ships for each era in Equestria. "Look at that." Starlight Glimmer said in amazement. "There are ships here from every era in Equestria." Dusk Shine said. The submarine continued its way, completely unaware of the Hydra following it in stealth mode.

In the communication area, Granny Smith was listening to the radio when she heard a noise. She tuned it up, and said "Commander, Ah think you should hear this." On the bridge, Dusk Shine was reading the page from his Crystal Journal in Old Equestrian to Sunset Glare as Granny Smith tried to get his attention. "Enter the lair of the Hydra. There, you will find the path to the gateway." "Commander?" Granny Smith asked finally getting her commander's attention. "Yes, Granny Smith. What is it?" Sunset Glare asked. "Ah'm picking up something on the hydrophone Ah think you should hear." "Put it on speakers." Sunset Glare said. Granny Smith obeyed, and everypony could hear groaning and whooshing sounds. Sunset Glare and Starlight Glimmer joined Granny Smith in the communication area as Sunset Glare said "What is it? A pod of whales?" Granny Smith shook her head, and said "Uh-uh. Bigger." "It sound metallic." Starlight Glimmer said as she tuned up the noise a little. "Could be an echo off on of the rocks." "Do ya'll want to do mah job?" Granny Smith asked as she glared at Starlight Glimmer. "Be mah guest." "Is it just me, or is that getting louder?" Dusk Shine asked. The noise then finally died down, and Starlight Glimmer said "Well, whatever it was, it's gone now."

Sunset Glare looked at the helmspony, and said "Helmspony! Bring us about. Tighten our search pattern, and slow us to-." He was suddenly interrupted when the Hydra crashed into the submarine, and the alarm bell started ringing. Rainbow Dash flew through the deck halls as she said "Out of the way!" She looked down at the crew running around in a mass panic. As they recovered from the assult, Sunset Glare looked at Starlight Glimmer, and said "Tell Applejack to melt the butter, and break out the bibs! I want this seafood special served up on a silver platter!" "Load the torpedo bays!" Starlight Glimmer said to the crew. "Subpod crews, battle stations!" The Hydra crashed into the submarine again, and Starlight Glimmer gasped as she fell. Cheese Sandwich and Bubble Berry got into their subpod as some of the crew got into their subpods as the pony ensign said "Battle stations!" "Steady, everypony." Sunset Glare said on the radio as the crew in their subpods got ready. "Don't panic." The Hydra grabbed the submarine with it's claws, and Dusk Shine screamed as he fell from the bridge, and onto the window. He looked at the creature in the eye, and said "Holy sweet Celestia! It's a machine!" The alarm bell rang as Rainbow Dash flew to the door, and turned the knob as some of the crew said "Wait, wait! Uhh!" When the door was closed, only two unicorns named Flim and Flam made it.

"Launch subpods!" Sunset Glare said. The pony ensign launched the subpods as he said "Subpods away!" The subpods then turned around, and made their way towards the Hydra as Sunset Glare said on the radio "Fire!" They fired the torpedos at the Hydra, and it became distracted as he let the submarine go. Sunset Glare looked at the two sailor ponies as he said "We're free! All ahead full." They obeyed as the Hydra destroyed two subpods. When Sunset Glare saw the Hydra coming towards them, he said "Fire torpedos!" "Fire torpedoes!" The pony ensign said as four of the ponies fired the torpedoes at the Hydra. The machine creature got so mad that it fired it's crystal blue lazer beam at the submarine, creating a big hole in the engineering area. The bolts on the door became loose, and bounced all over the walls. Rainbow Dash dodged the bolts, and made her way to the upper level. As Flim closed the lid-door with his magic, Rainbow Dash said "Get me the bridge!" On the bridge, as Granny Smith read her apple magazine, she said "Sir, it's engineering on four." Sunset Glare turned on the intercom, and cringed when Rainbow Dash's loud voice rang out "GLARE! We took a big hit down here, and we're taking on water fast! I don't want to be around when it hits the boilers." "How much time do we have?" Sunset Glare asked. "Twenty minutes if the bulkhead holds." Rainbow Dash said. She then heard the sound of the bulkhead breaking, and she said "You better make that five."

Sunset Glare turned of the intercom, and said "You heard the mare. Let's move!" "Move where?! Movie where?" Dusk Shine asked as one of the pony sailors pushed him in a different direction. "Granny Smith, sound the alarm!" Starlight Glimmer said looking at Granny Smith who was busy talking to Margie. "He took his suitcase?" She asked. "Marge, honey, Ah don't think he's coming back." Starlight Glimmer got a little angry as she said "GRANNY SMITH!" "Ah have to call you back." Granny Smith as she finally paying attention. "No, no, Ah'll call you." As Dusk Shine, Rainbow Dash, and Big Mac ran for their lives, Granny Smith said on the intercom "All hooves! Abandon ship." As they went down a hole that led them to a smaller submarine, Starlight Glimmer said "Move it, ponies! Sometime today would be nice!" Dusk Shine, Rainbow Dash, and Big Mac sat in their seats, and buckled in as Starlight Glimmer said "Come on! Everypony grab a seat, and buckle in. She joined Sunset Glare in the cockpit as the commander said "Lieutenant, get us out of here!" As the submarine started to go down, the Hydra spotted it, and Sunset Glare said "Lieutenant!" "I'm working on it!" Starlight Glimmer said as she pushed on the lever. The Hydra roared, and fired it's crystal blue lazer at the submarine as Starlight Glimmer pushed on the lever hard, releasing three more smaller submarines. "Hang on!" She said as she began driving. The smaller submarines got away as the bigger submarine exploded into a million pieces.

As the Hydra pursued the smaller submarines, and the subpods, Sunset Glare looked at Dusk Shine, and said "Where to, Mr. Shine?!" "We're looking for a big crevice of some kind." Dusk Shine as he looked in his Crystal Journal. Sunset Glare spotted it, and said "There! Up ahead!" Starlight Glimmer turned on the microphone, and said "All craft, make your mark twenty degrees down angle!" "Roger! Twenty degrees down angle!" An earth pony named Buried Lede said. "Right behind you!" Bubble Berry said. The Hydra then destroyed on of the smaller submarines as Bubble Berry said "OH MY GOSH!" "We're getting killed out here!" One of the sailor ponies said. They went down the crevice as they Hydra tried to attack them despite the fact that couldn't fit in the small space, and fired it's lazer, destroying a subpod. "Look out!" Flim said. "Turn, turn!" Flam said. They suddenly crashed, and got killed. Dusk Shine began to panic as he said "It's only a grease trap. It's just like a sink. It's only a grease trap! It's just like a sink!" They went through a large tunnel, and they reached the surface of the water. When they settled down, they poked their heads out, and turned on the large light. They looked around, and they stared in awe as they looked at the stone-carved fish.

After they arrived at the shore, Big Mac lit a candle in a small bowl, and sent it floating on the water. "Seven hours ago, we started this expedition with two hundred of the finest stallions and mares I've ever known." Sunset Glare said. "We're all that's left. I won't sugarcoat it, gentlecolts. We have a crisis on our hooves. But, we've been up this particular creek before, and we've always come through, paddle or no paddle. I see no reason to change that policy now. From here on in, everypony pulls double duty. Everypony drives, everypony works." They all looked at Dusk Shine as Sunset Glare said "Looks like all our chances for survival rest with you, Mr. Shine. You, and that little book." "We're all gonna die." Granny Smith said. As they split up to their assigned vehicles, Sunset Glare said "Ok, everypony, saddle up. Lieutenant, I want this convoy moving five minutes ago." "Bubble Berry, you're on point." Starlight Glimmer said. "No, Cheese Sandwich! Rainbow Dash is taking the oiler. You know the rules. I want you fifty yards behind that truck at all times. And Granny Smith, put out that cigarette." Sunset Glare then heard a honking sound, and turned to see Dusk Shine honking the horn on a truck." He got annoyed, and ripped the horn away from him as he said "Are you sure you're checked out on this class of vehicle?"

Dusk Shine became confused as he said "Uhh..." "Can you drive a truck?" Sunset Glare asked. Dusk Shine scoffed as he chuckled a little, got in the truck, and said "Of course I can drive a truck. I mean, sure, you got your steering, and your gas, and your brake, and of course, this metal, uh looking...thing." Susnet Glare raised an eyebrow, and Dusk Shine said "Ok, so it was a bumper car at Las Pegasus, but it's same basic principle!" Sunset Glare sighed. Later on, Dusk Shine tried to drive the truck, but he kept stopping, much to the anger of the other ponies as one of them said "Come on!" "Sorry abou-Sorry about that!" Dusk Shine said. "Come on, civilian!" Another pony said. Later, they moved Bubble Berry's digger vehicle in front of them., and they tied Dusk Shine's truck to the back of the digger. They then took off on the journey to the Crystal Empire. Soon, they came up two tunnels that almost looked like eyes. Dusk Shine looked in his Crystal Journal, and pointed to the left. They went to the left tunnel, but they were blocked by a huge bug. Dusk Shine took another look at the Crystal Journal, and nervously pointed at the right tunnel as the crew glared at him. Then, they continued on their way, unaware of three crystal ponies running past them.

Eventually, they stopped to take a break. Dusk Shine drank some water from a small water jug. Cheese Sandwich went up to him as he said "You didn't just drink that did you?" Dusk Shine nodded as he said "Mm-hmm." "That's not good." Cheese Sandwich said. "That's nitroglycerin!" Dusk Shine froze in fear, and as he leaned down to put the water jug in the truck full of dynamite, Cheese Sandwich said "Don't move, don't breathe. Don't do anything. except pray maybe." Suddenly, Bubble Berry snuck up on Dusk Shine from behind, and said "BOOM!" Dusk Shine screamed as he jumped up in the air. Bubble Berry and Cheese Sandwich laughed hysterically as Dusk Shine sighed in exasperation.

The crew continued on with their journey while Dusk Shine studied the Crystal Journal. They then came across a cliff, and they climbed up on it, but no pony bothered to help Dusk Shine up. So, he just shrugged, and used his magic to teleport himself to the top of the cliff. Eventually, they stopped to make camp, and Dusk Shine didn't have dinner with his crewmates. Instead, he had his own space to eat his dinner, and study the Crystal Journal in. The next morning, the crew continued their journey. They were then were blocked by a rather large pillar. As Cheese Sandwich began setting up the dynamite all around the pillar, Dusk Shine stared in awe, and said "Good night! Will you look at the size of this! It's gonna be half a mile high at least. It-It must have taken hundred...no, pfft, thousands of years to carve this thing." Then Cheese Sandwich moved Dusk Shine away from the pillar, and ignited the dynamite. The pillar fell over, and formed a bridge as Cheese Sandwich said "Hey, look. I made a bridge! It only took me like what? Ten seconds. Eleven tops." The crew made their way across the pillar-like bridge, unaware of the crystal ponies running past them. One of them stopped running, and looked at them in curiosity. The crew came across a field of snow, and Dusk Shine pointed at the direction he wanted them to go.

Eventually, they stopped at a roadblock, and Sunset Glare said "Looks like we have a little roadblock. Cheese Sandwich, what do you think?" Cheese Sandwich took out his bag full of dynamite as he said "I could unroadblock that if I had about two hundred of these. Problem is, I only got about ten. Plus, you know, five of my own, and a couple of cherry bombs. A road flare. Hey, too bad we don't have some nitroglycerin, eh, Dusk Shine?" Dusk Shine glared at Cheese Sandwich at that remark, and Bubble Berry laughed hysterically. Sunset Glare looked at Bubble Berry as he said "Looks like we're gonna have to dig." Bubble Berry gasped in delight, and said "It will be my pleasure." Once everypony got out of the way, Bubble Berry started the digger up, and started digging a hole in the wall. But then the engine blew a fuse, and the digger stopped working. He coughed from the smoke, and banged his head against the steering wheel as he said "Oh! Stupid! You are stupid!"

Rainbow Dash opened the back of the digger as she said "I don't understand it! I just tuned this thing up this morning." She looked around in the back of the digger as Dusk Shine said "Um..." "It looks like the rotor's shot!" Rainbow Dash said as she got out of the back of the digger. "I'm gonna have to pull a spare from one of the trucks." "Can I-?" Dusk Shine tried to ask, but Rainbow Dash interrupted him as she said "Don't even think about it! I'll be right back." When she walked away, Dusk Shine twisted the knobs, and hit the engine with a wrench to make it work. When the engine started working again, Bubble Berry said "She lives!" "Hey, what did you do?!" Rainbow Dash asked as she walked up to Dusk Shine. "Well, you know, the boiler in this baby is a humac model P54/813." Dusk Shine said. "Now, we got the 814 back at the Canterlot Museum. The heating cores on the whole humac line have always been a little, you know, tempermental. So sometimes you gotta...boom! Persuade them a little." Rainbow Dash pushed Dusk Shine away from the digger as she said "Yeah, yeah, thank you very much. Shut up." She closed the back of the digger, and prepared to punch Dusk Shine who flinched. "Two for flinching!" Rainbow Dash said as she punched Dusk Shine in the hoof. Bubble Berry laughed as Dusk Shine rubbed the hoof to soothe the pain. The crew then continued on with the journey as the digger kept on digging that hole. When the reached the other side, they found themselves in a clearing with a glowing hive above them. Dusk Shine looked at the hive in the Cyrstal Journal as he said "This is it. It's gotta be." "All right, we'll make camp here." Sunset Glare said. "Why is it glowing?" Rainbow Dash asked. Bubble Berry scoffed, and said "It is a natural phosphorescence." "That thing is going to keep me up all night. I know it." Cheese Sandwich said.

Later that night, the ponies had already finished making camp. Then, Applejack banged on the triangle as she said "Come and get it!" She pushed a big pot full of grease, and places some of them on Big Mac's tray as she said "For the appetizer, caesar salad." She placed some grease on Rainbow Dash's tray as she said "Hay burger." She placed some grease on Bubble Berry's tray as she said "And your apple fries." Rainbow Dash groaned in disgust as Bubble Berry said "Aw! I wanted the hay burger!" They traded trays as Rainbow Dash said "Knock yourself out." Once she placed the grease on Cheese Sandwich and Granny Smith's trays, she went over to Dusk Shine, and gave him a tray as she said "There you go, Dusk. Put some food on your bones." She placed the grease on Dusk Shine's tray, and he said "Thanks, Applejack. That looks greasier than usual." "You like it?" Applejack asked as she poured the grease into Dusk Shine's tray. "Well have some more. Ya'll are so skinny, if you turned sideways, and stuck out your tounge, you'd look like a zipper." As they began eating their meal, Big Mac said "You know, we've been pretty tough on the colt. What do you say we cut him some slack?" Rainbow Dash thought for a minute, and said "Yeah, you're right." She looked at Dusk Shine who was studying the Crystal Journal while eating, and said "Hey, Dusk Shine! Why don't you come sit with us?"

"Really?" Dusk Shine asked as he began to walk over to the group. "You don't mind?" "Nah. Park it here." Rainbow Dash said as she pointed at a rock between herself and Big Mac. "Gee, this is great." Dusk Shine said. "I mean, you know, it's an honor to be included in your-." He was interrupted when he tried to sit on the rock, only to sit on a whoopie cushion that Bubble Berry placed on the rock. He laughed himself silly as Big Mac, Rainbow Dash, Cheese Sandwich, and Granny Smith glared at him as they said "Bubble Berry!" Bubble Berry finally stopped laughing as he said "Ah, forgive me. I could not resist." "Hey, Dusk Shine." Rainbow Dash said as she looked at Dusk Shine who was studying the Crystal Journal. "Don't you ever close that book?" "Eeyup." Big Mac said. "You must've read it a dozen times by now." "I know, but this-this doesn't make any sense." Dusk Shine said. "See, in this passage here, Star Swirled The Bearded seems to be leading up to something. He calls it the Heart of the Crystal Empire. It could be the power source the legends refer to." He turned the page to see that a page was missing from the journal as he said "But then it just...it cuts off. It's almost like there's a missing page."

"Colt, relax." Cheese Sandwich said. "We don't get paid overtime." "I know. I know." Dusk Shine said. "Sometimes I get a little carried away. But, hey, you know, that's what this is all about, right? I mean discovery, teamwork, adventure. Unless, maybe...you're just in it for the bits." "Bits" Rainbow Dash said. "Bits." Granny Smith said. "Bits." Big Mac said. "Bits." Bubble Berry said. "I'm gonna say...bits." Cheese Sandwich said. As he rubbed his neck with his hoof, Dusk Shine sighed, and said "Well, I guess I set myself up for that one." He grunted as Big Mac went up to him from behind, and said "What, is something wrong with your neck?" "Oh yeah." Dusk Shine said. "I must have hurt it when-." He suddenly yelped in pain when Big Mac grabbed his neck, and twisted it from side to side. "Better?" Big Mac asked. "Yeah." Dusk Shine said as he rubbed his neck. "Hey, how'd you learn how to do that?" "A Arapaho medicine pony." Big Mac said. "Get outta here." Dusk Shine in disbelief. "Born and raised with them." Big Mac said as he showed Dusk Shine a picture of him as a baby foal with his parents. "My father was an army medic. He settled down in the Appleloosa territory after he met my mother." "No kidding." Dusk Shine said. "Nope." Big Mac said as he showed Dusk Shine his necklace. "Ah got a sheepskin from Howard U. And a bearskin from old Iron Cloud. Halfway throught medical school, Ah was drafted. One day, Ah'm studying gross anatomy in the classroom, the next Ah'm sewing up rough riders San Apple Hill." Then Applejack went up to them as she said "Main course!" "I couldn't eat another bite." Cheese Sandwich said. Big Mac, Dusk Shine, Bubble Berry, and Granny Smith shook their heads no as Rainbow Dash said "Thanks anyway, but I'm watching my weight." As Applejack walked away, she said "Hahaha. Don't you worry, sugarcubes. It'll keep and keep and keep." "Thank Celestia Ah lost mah sense of taste years ago." Granny Smith said as she and her friends dumped their food into the cylinder, and put the fire out.