Maskia staggered, her shoulder landing on the side of a ruined home as she tried to catch her breath. I am lucky that battle ended like it did. If Luna had any more power I would be done for... She thought as she leaned heavily on the dilapidated structure. Maskia struggled to pull herself off the home only to have her midsection boil with pain as she drew in breath. "Got..to find her" Maskia stumbled forward, tripping over some bricks in the road and landing face first in the dirt. Her wounds were far more severe than she had once thought. Even with all the healing spells she used on herself, she was still in terrible shape. Making a mental catalog of her injuries, her rib cage was nearly crushed, she noticed multiple hernias from healing too quickly, at least one hemorrhaged kidney and minor amounts of blood leaking into her body from the earlier lung wound.

*Bzzzrrtt*

"Co-come in general. Do you read?"

Maskia lifted her front leg up to her mouth, a small bent microphone protruded from her bracer.

"I copy. What is the situation...."

"Pardon my frank ma'am but I see the entirety of the Equestrian air armada closing on the shoreline. I suggest you do whatever you came to do and get out of Equestria ASAP."

"Do you not think me capable of killing even thousands of soldiers?" Maskia said angrily into the mic.

"No ma'am! I didn't mean it like that." The solider on the other side replied sheepishly.

Maskia opened her mouth again to berate the solider but realized that she was only blowing hot air in her condition. She knew she couldn't even take a trainee in her feeble condition, let alone a full trained legionnaire. "Never-mind that, how much time do I have before the legion arrives?"

"Ma'am, we have a fix on Celestia's position. One of our spies just reported her above Ponyville. She was flying alongside some large steel cylinder."

Maskia turned her attention to the south. She sensed a deep power, a power deeper than the bottoms of the ocean. "Drat!" she said kicking the dirt. Something else was there, a powerful being but not quite as powerful as Celestia and one more being....one that felt ominously like Princess Luna. "Perfect, I didn't kill the younger one and now I have Celestia to deal with..." Maskia stared at her damaged spear, cutting off her microphone in the process.

Oh great spear...If you grant me enough power to heal myself, I will promise to feed you the souls of a hundred innocent children!

Her spear flickered briefly before enveloping her in a shroud of blue light, healing most of her wounds but leaving terrible scars in their place. Maskia floated to the ground, most of the pain in her body was gone except for a broken rib or two. "This will have to do." Maskia checked her power reserved and oddly she had enough for a few spells, although none of them remotely lethal. "Now, where could she be hiding?" Maskia pulled a small crystal shard on a string from around her neck and set it on the ground.

Maskia's eyes glowed white for a moment and the crystal hovered in the air momentarily before speeding off in the direction of her quarry, leaving a green trail for Maskia to follow. "Foalish granddaughter, you had the opportunity to go where I cannot reach you and yet here you are, hiding in town." Maskia licked her lips, savoring the moment of victory and how good being unstoppable would feel. "I can't wait to know what being immortal is like..."

"This isn't good" said nurse Red Heart as she examined the ultrasound results. "She should of gave birth a hour ago but something is wrong." Fluttershy lay motionless on the bed, her pain medication leaving her barely aware of her own surroundings.

Zecora looked slightly panicked, her breathing fast and short as she nuzzled her mate in concern. "What is exactly wrong with her?"

Nurse Red Heart shook her head. "Nothing too serious but It does complicate things. Here lemme show you what I mean." Red Heart turned on a light in the back of the room and hung a black and white plastic photo onto it. "This is the inside of Fluttershy's uterus, and the thing in the center is your unborn daughter."

Zecora examined the picture for a moment, noting that for some reason there were giant white splotches spread out from the foal's back. "What are those white splotches?"

"Wings, very powerful, near adult like wings. More to the point we are detecting some latent magical ability as well, very unusual; even for unicorn foals."

"What does it mean exactly, shouldn't she have been pushed out already?" Zecora asked while pointing at the picture.

Nurse Red Heart sighed as she took the picture down from the light source. "We warned you when you were conceiving that this was the first time we have dealt with a Zebra hybrid of any kind. The reason the wings are showing up as bright white is because they are finishing up being formed. All that white is magic, finishing off what it started."

Zecora looked nervously at Fluttershy. "Will they both be okay is what I'm asking."

"The wings will finish forming regardless of whether she is born or not. The problem is that Fluttershy cannot have any pain medication when the foal starts to move out. The wings are going to make it a tight fit and we need to know if she feels any amount of pain after the foals back legs come out. If so, I need to perform an emergency caesarian."

Red Heart stared at Fluttershy for a moment. "The other option is to break her hips but I want to avoid that if possible."

Zecora!

Zecora's ears perked up as she looked around to see who called her name.

Zecora, this is Celestia. You need to get yourself and Fluttershy out of the hospital with the utmost haste.

Why? The fighting has died down, surely Maskia's corpse lay at Luna's feet by now. Zecora replied with her thoughts.

No, Maskia won her bout with Luna and I'm told she is possibly headed your way. There is no telling what kind of power she wields if she was capable of beating my sister in single combat.

Celestia's words took a moment or two to sink into Zecora. Zecora turned to Red Heart who was already well aware of the situation.

"I'm sorry Zecora, there is no way to move her safely through the emergency exit tunnel."

It pains me to say this but Zecora, but you need to flee without Fluttershy. Something about her weapon needs your blessing to bring out it's full potential. We can possibly afford to lose the element of kindness but not have a demigod running about the countryside committing genocide.

Zecora gritted her teeth in anger and began to yell instead of think her response. "How dare you tell me to leave the mare I love because you failed at doing your jobs!" Zecora's eyes glowed a vivid, hot green. Her teeth grinding in rage at the mere thought of leaving her beloved and unborn child to die.

"Ze-zecora..." Fluttershy said meekly as she rolled her head to look at her. "Don't be so hard on her. She has to think of every ponies safety, not just ours."

Zecora huffed a few times and slowly began to calm herself down. "Celestia, I have followed your orders and lead during these trying times but this order I refuse to carry out. I would rather die fighting than leave the ones I love to that maniacs mercy. If Maskia finds me I will deal with her then. I may not be a warrior but I am the strongest shaman in my families blood line."

I... understand. I will send what soldiers I can to the hospital and will arrive there shortly after I have sustained Luna's life force. Stay in that bunker, try and be silent. Destroy the lift back up if you have to.

The room went dead silent, the only sounds were of Fluttershy's labored breathing and the occasional ground kick from Big Mac.

"I am going to the top floor and breaking the elevator on my way out."

The room erupted in a flurry of protests.

"You heard what the princess said, iffin ya go up there she will find ya." Big mac protested.

"I agree and as your doctor I must try to talk you out of suicidal actions." Nurse Red Heart added. "Besides weren't you going to ignore Celestia's orders?

"N-no, If Zecora has to go then she means she has to go." Fluttershy said softly, much to the surprise of the other two.

"What do you mean Fluttershy? Going out there to fight that maniac is suicide." Nurse Red Heart said with a disapproving voice.

"Eeeyup."

"Zecora may be hot headed at times but she's never reckless. Hun...care to explain to these two why you must go?"

"Maskia can scry the positions of family members as well as creatures of considerable power. I am both to her location crystal. I may as well hang a neon sign outside the hospital for all the good hiding will do." Zecora walked up and nuzzled Fluttershy, the mare returning her gesture affectionately. "As much as I hate to admit it, Celestia was dead on in her assertion, me being here endangers everypony."

"Promise me you will be safe. I know that a fight might be inevitable but I don't want to be a single mother if I can help it."

Zecora had an idea. "If she can track me, I can track her. I'm not one for cat and mouse but..." Zecora pulled one of her gold leg-rings off and set if on the ground. "Family is vile, let me avoid their bile. Lead me away so I can hide for awhile." Zecora's eyes glowed green and the ring floated into the air. In the center was a matrix of blue lines and circles, with a yellow dot in the middle. On the far edge is a red dot followed by a close by green dot. The ring floated in front of Zecora as she scratched her chin, examining closely.

"Maskia is close to the edge of town. That isn't good, there is nothing but open fields between this hospital and Ponyville. I will have to move quickly if I am to outrun her." Zecora hugged Fluttershy one more time before making her way out to the hall, where she pressed the button to wait on the elevator up. As Zecora waited she noticed that Maskia stopped moving, someone or something was keeping her at bay. "She is either waiting for me, or the guards arrived...I hope it's the latter."

"Drat!" Maskia shouted under her breath as she dodged behind a stump to avoid being spotted by a nearby unicorn guard. "This Is Celestia's doing, I just know it." Maskia's crystal shard was wrapped around her neck but glowing and pointing toward the nearby hospital. She is in there but there are at least a dozen or so guards blocking my path... Maskia hoof counted what she had to deal with, at least six unicorns, two earth ponies and four Pegasi were patrolling around the perimeter of the structure.

"How to best deal with them..." The two earth ponies were guarding the front door while the unicorns were lighting up the brush around the building as well as some of the closer homes. The Pegasi above made getting through the gaps in the defenses near impossible without being spotted. "I can use a cloaking spell but the light from the unicorns would give me away if any of them got near me." Maskia remembered quite well the limitations of the cloaking spell, good eyes can see the distortion field it makes as you move and any light that passes in a beam through it focuses into a lens, giving the caster away. "Maybe..." Maskia closed her eyes and focused on her breathing. Moments later an exact replica of herself started to split from her body, landing in a heap on the ground beside her.

"Get up you lazy bum, you have work to do!" Maskia whispered. The copy slowly stood up, her eyes pale and pupil-less, as if she was blind. Maskia examined the copy closely, she wasn't exactly like her, far more black stripes than white and lacking her battle scars. "Not enough to fool them, but maybe a few more additions." Maskia looked around, nearby was a line of clothes hanging up, a red cloak among them. "That will have to do." Maskia closed her eyes and levitated the cloak over to her, strapping it around the copies shoulders. "Now to complete the set." Maskia pulled at the bottom of her spear, creating a replica spear and a strap that she hung around the copies backside.

Maskia looked over the stump, watching the route the Pegasus were taking around the hospital. Noting their trajectory and speed, they would come around full circle again in just twenty seconds. "Listen carefully other me, I'm going to point you in a random direction, even though you can't see I want you to run as fast as you can, is that understood?"

"Yes, master." The copy replied in a robotic voice.

A pair of Pegasi flew overhead. "And...go!" The copy of Maskia took off running though the open field and into a bush, tripping over it. "Get up you foal and keep going!" The copy got back on her hooves and ran right by a unicorn guard, tripping him up as he turned to see what was making all the noise.

"Intruder spotted, It's Maskia. Get her!" The Pegasus dived in from the sky in formation, each missing a tackle on the copy.
"You two earth ponies stand guard, I'll notify reinforcements of her position." The two guards saluted in unison as the unicorn guard ran off right toward where the real Maskia was hiding.

"Uh-oh." Maskia ducked behind the stump as the sound from the guards gallop got ever closer. He will find me if he runs though the bush in front of this stump, being this coloration doesn't exactly help me blend...in?" Maskia had an idea, something she should have thought of before. "I Hope their minds are not warded against hypnosis..." The guard got closer, Maskia felt his front hooves collide with the remains of the roots as he broke through the bush in front of the stump concealing her.

Only one way to find out. Maskia popped out from behind the stump, her eyes a swirling blue as she stared into the eyes of unicorn guard. "Time you must bide as my magic seeps though your hide. Soon you will see the truth is only me and everything else is a travesty." The guard staggered back, his eyes completely focused on Maskia's.

Maskia on the other hoof was breathing harder than she would have liked, the stallions mind was rigid, full of tough barriers from all the years of military training. "Through the sands of time you will follow my rhyme, leaving all your worries and cares behind. Soon you will find I will bind you mind with the terrible power that is my rhyme."

The stallion staggered his head following the rhythm of Maskia's eyes. Only one more barrier to break. "I must sway, there is no other way for now I must say, Obey! Obey!" The stallion staggered again, resisting with all of his might. It's not enough...wait. Maskia cast a spell on herself and the next few words from her mouth sounded oddly like princess Celestia's. "Please, obey."

The guard sat down on his haunches, a dumbfounded look on his face. "Yes your highness, I am yours to command." Maskia collapsed on the ground, sweating profusely from the strain of mentally dominating a single guard. "Guard, lower your horn, please. "Maskia said with the sweetest of voices.

"As you wish." The guard lowered his horn and Maskia touched the tip of her spear to it, draining away magic from the solider and into her self.

"Best leave him enough to do basic spells." Maskia pulled the spear tip away from the guards horn just as he began to pant heavily.

"My liege, I feel tired but I am ready to do your will." The guard said wearily.

"Good, I want you to run up to the guards and tell them I ordered you back to help chase down the criminal Maskia.Tell them that we I will send a brigade to help post haste." The guard saluted to Maskia and jumped out of the bushes, running up to his earth pony comrades guarding the door to the hospital. Maskia peeked over the stump, hear ears at attention as she watched and listened.

"Celestia has ordered all troops after the war criminal Maskia. Follow me!"

"Wait, how did you get back here so fast? You were barely gone a minute or two." One of the earth ponies inquired.

"I didn't think unicorns could run that fast" the other added.

"I...uh..."

Maskia slapped her face with her hoof. "You teleported you twit!"

"I teleported!"

The two earth ponies eyed the hypnotized unicorn suspiciously. "Class D unicorn soldiers are not trained in teleportation."

Either they are giving me a hard time or they can somehow see though the ruse.

"I been practicing for my rank exam, it's why I was well off my mark and had to run the rest of the way. Can we just go after the criminal already?"

The two earth ponies looked at each other. "Just making sure you ain't no illusion Iron Chin, we heard all about your test preparations. Just making sure it was you."

The two guards moved up to Iron Chin, patting him on the back. "You should stay here, maybe nick some food from the hospital kitchen. You look terrible." The two guards galloped off into the field in the direction the fake Maskia ran, leaving the dumbfounded real Maskia undiscovered in the bushes.

"I can't believe that actually worked..." Maskia slowly walked out from behind the stump when she noticed something in the woods behind the hospital. A shadow of some kind being followed by a floating golden ring. Maskia's crystal shot up and pointed at the hospital but then changed direction and pointed at the shadow in the Forrest. "Is it confused? No matter, I already know my target." Maskia galloped up the hypnotized guard and barked an order in the nicest voice she could muster. "If your comrades return, attack them. I just found out they are trying to overthrow Equestria!"

The guard saluted at Maskia as she followed her crystal into the woods, it occasionally getting confused and pointing backwards at the hospital. "I need to find a way to cut her off, she's headed toward that barrier they put up to the north of the town..."

"Ow, ow,ow! Whose hoof is that?"

*Mhhmmhm pfft* I dunno Dashie but your feathers taste weird."

"Who touched me there! I will find you, you barbaric cur!"

"Oh settle down Rarity, it's not like my nose hasn't been there before."

"Maybe we should turn on a light down here, I can't even see myself think."

"Okie dokie loki!" Pinkie Pie grabbed onto a tail with her teeth. Tasting the foul aftertaste of expensive shampoo she pulled on the tail lightly.

"Ow!" Rarities horn illuminated the small passage, the other ponies untangling themselves from the pileup near the entrance. "Oh, I see. Turning a lady on like a lamp, cute." Rarity said haughtily.

"Well seein as you have the light, I guess that means you are on point Rarity." Applejack said.

"As if, I don't have the agility to dodge things in case we get into trouble." Rarity floated a ball of light over to Pinkie Pie and it landed on top of her puffy hairdo. "Be a darling and lead the way if you would Pinkie?"

Pinkie stared at the light on top of her head for a brief moment before realizing what Rarity had done. "Rarity, you're the element of generosity, right?"

"Yes."

"Then why are you giving me the most dangerous job of leading the group into an evacuation tunnel that could be crawling with all kinds of spooky things? That seems more like.."

"Pinkie, darling..." Rarity interrupted shifting here eyes onto Applejack then back to Pinkie nervously.

"Ohhh...I'll leave you two alone then. C'mon Dashie let's allow these two some breathing room."

"But I wanna listen in" Rainbow Dash protested as she followed behind Pinkie.

Rarity waited until the light Pinkie was carrying started to fade in the distance before turning her attention to Applejack. "Are you out of your mind? That experience was supposed to stay a secret."

"What do ya mean?"

"You nearly revealed you had your face buried in my lady parts to all our friends. That me and you..well, went all the way, did the horizontal monster mash, the Appleloosa tango." Rarity finished, blushing.

"And you think they would care? I mean the only one of us that is shy and reserved about those kinds of things is Twilight. Shucks even Fluttershy is all open mouthed and cavalier about her experiences." Applejack said confidently.

"Still, if word got out that I well...like that kind of thing, my business could be ruined. Especially with how quickly rumors spread around Canterlot."

"And it's not like I don't know already, silly nilly."

Rarity went stiff. "Who is there!?!"

"It's me silly" Pinkie Pie walked into the sputtering glow of Rarity's light.

"How inconsiderate you are to be listening in on private discussions and how could you have possibly known about ...well what I have yet to reveal."

Pinkie giggled to herself. "You bought five class a bondage shipments from a store called "bound together" in Canterlot right?"

"Have you been going though my mail Pinkie?" Rarity accused.

"Nope, 'bound together' is run by my cousin Flakie Pie, she wanted to avoid shipping so she sub-contracted the shipment to my store." Pinkie said smiling.

Rarity didn't seem too chipper on the idea of Pinkie Pie handling such sensitive information. "You...didn't tell anypony about this did you? I mean, all business transactions in that store are private right?"

"Oh, well no. Only I know and possibly Rainbow Dash since she was the one delivering packages that day for me."

Rarity went pale in the face, which was difficult to discern from her already white/blue coat. "Great, I have the top two motor mouths in town with knowledge of my secret. I'm ruined! Ruined I say!" Rarity teleported a pillow in front of her and dived into it, crying. "This is just the worst ...possible...thing."

Rainbow Dash suddenly walked into the conversation carrying the other light from earlier. "What's the holdup, we got a friend to rescue."

"Rarity is being a drama llama over nothin." Applejack said pointing at the sobbing white unicorn in the pillow.

Rarity raised her head out of the pillow, huffing indignantly. "It is not nothing that the two loudest loudmouths in Ponyville know my secret and that the mare I trusted most betrayed my trust right in front of me."

"Rarity...sweetie-pie, you told all of Ponyville already." Applejack said, bending her hat over her eyes.

"Preposterous! I would never say such a thing."

Rainbow Dash and Pinkie were giggling together. "Rarity, walk with us, you're about to discover something about yourself that you didn't know." Rainbow Dash pointed down the tunnel, Rarity begrudgingly following her.

"I still don't know what you meant back there Rainbow." Rarity complained.

"Do you remember Zecora's and Fluttershy's wedding?"

"Bits and pieces, my dear. I was a little bit tipsy that night."

"Tipsy? You drank six bottles of whine, ya killed an entire keg of cider on yer own ta boot." Applejack said.

"Was it six? Well, one does not let good Apple Chardonnay go to waste. Besides I was probably out like a light after that many."

Pinkie bounced up along side Rarity. "Have you ever heard the expression 'drunk body, sober thoughts' by chance?"

Rarity shook her head.

"Well, while me and Dashie knew of your bondage fetish from the earlier delivery, you ...kind of said some things while plastered to the entire town."

Rarity stopped, her mane in disarray. "What kind of things?" Rarity asked sheepishly.

Rainbow Dash smiled as Pinkie nodded at her for confirmation. "Ahem 'Applejack whipped me so good I could have sworn I came a dozen times over. Then she used that strap out and pounded the life out of me for hours on end. By the time it was all over I was a heaping, unladylike, drooling mess on the floor' "Rainbow dash coughed for a moment, hacking a little harder at the difficulty of imitating Rarity's voice.

"Wait, so you mean the entire town knows?" Rarity said, blushing.

"What she means sugarcube is no pony cares." Applejack said as walked alongside rarity, embracing her in a warm hug.

"She's right you know" said a deep voice from behind them. "Also didn't I order you mares to evacuate?"

Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash turned their heads slowly, watching a light blue light slowly approached them from behind. As the light flickered Shining Armor came into the light Rarity was putting off.

"Well, what do you have to say for yourselves?" Shining barked.

"That you can shove your military rank where Celestia's sun doesn't hrrmmp" Rainbow Dash was interrupted by a hoof in the mouth from Applejack.

"What she means is we can't let our friends be out there alone and were going whether ya'll be liking it or not." Applejack said, keeping her hoof in Rainbow Dash's mouth.

A few more equestrian soldiers came up behind Shining armor. "Shall we remove these civilians to a safe location commander?"

Shining armor stood there staring at each of the elements of harmony. "No, they can tag along IF they stay behind us and obey any order to escape, Is that understood?" The other ponies nodded in agreement, sans Rainbow Dash who crossed her forelegs defiantly, Applejack's hoof still firmly in her mouth.

"Droo roo rhind Ahh Jay" Rainbow Dash said as she tried to removed Applejack's hoof from her mouth.

Applejack removed her hoof from Rainbow Dash's mouth and whispered in her ear. "We don't have to like it sugarcube but dem guards mean business. If we get the chance to get Fluttershy, Zecora and my brother out of there faster than they can, then we will okay?"

"What are you two whispering about?" Shining armor demanded as he walked up on the pair.

"Nothing concerning you. It's rude to listen in on ladies to begin with." Rarity aggressively stepped in front of Applejack and Rainbow Dash, making Shining Armor pull at his collar in embarrassment. "Now if you Don't mind I would have you escort us to the hospital."

"Y-you heard the lady, in formation!" The solider ponies formed a double pair line in front of the others and marched forward.

"How did you get him off our case Rarity?" Rainbow asked.

"Yeah, how did you get Mr. solider to blush like that?" Pinkie added.

"Darlings, I'm a lady and he is a married stallion. You all know the saying, in a relationship the mare is always right. I must thank Cadence for training him so well these last few years." Rarity walked pridefully behind the other soldiers as Applejack, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash stared at one another.

"Don't even look at me you two, Rarity will be Rarity. C'mon let's catch up with them." The three followed Applejack into the darkness, Rarity's horn guiding them to her as they galloped to catch up.

"Rarity, about earlier. I'm sorry I kinda revealed too much info but, you know, the rest of the town already knows." Applejack said, taking her stetson off apologetically.

Rarity sighed. "No, If the whole town already knows then I already ruined my chances in Canterlot."

"I wouldn't say that." Pinkie Pie said cheerfully as she bounced ahead. "Merely from a philosophy standpoint this war has swayed the hearts and minds of those that have been perpetrators of discrimination based on things such as economic standing, sexual preference or social status. What used to be an overwhelming mass of snobbery from the upper echelons of Canterlot society has been replaced with feelings of companionship, fair play and understanding. If the war were to continue I can foresee the entire social structure breaking down entirely until it becomes nothing more than ponies helping ponies. A veritable bubble of respect and understanding for all."

The entire entourage of ponies stopped and stared back at Pinkie Pie.

"Pinkie, that was the most amazing thing I have ever heard you say. Have you been taking classes from Twilight? I mean, that was brilliant, worthy of a prize even." Rarity said, nearly swooning in delight.

"Whose brilliant? Is that a kind of cake? I like cake and cotton candy and smores and..."

"And that is the end of that." Rainbow Dash said while giggling to herself.

"Ladies, we have a problem." Shining armor pointed to a cave in further-ahead of the group. "Lieutenant. See if we can dig around or teleport through it." A gray maned unicorn began to probe the fallen debris when Pinkie Pie intervened.

"This situation shall not be remedied by an amateur." Pinkie pushed the gray maned unicorn aside and began to inspect the debris.

"Ms. Diane Pie, what do you think you are doing pulling rank on my soldiers when you don't even have a rank." Shining Armor said while huffing.

"Is any of your group an accomplished geologist? Or worked with stone before?"

"Well, no but Sea Wave, the mare you pushed aside was a miner once."

The mare in question beamed proudly only to have her ego quickly deflated by a determined Pinkie Pie. "Not so much as even an associates degree among you? Disgraceful!"

"Hey now, I will not be talked down like that, especially by some random, no name, baker civilian." Sea Wave said as she pushed her nose up against the calm and collected Pinkie.

"I'll have you know I worked on a rock farm and have two masters degrees in mineralogy and geology from the university of Fillydelphia. Allow me to show you exactly what will happen if you try and teleport though that geological strata." Pinkie Pie walked up and licked one of the rocks, much to the amusement (or in rarities case, disgust) of her friends.

"Hmmm" Pinkie Said as she tasted the dirt and stared at the pile in front of her. "Iron, iron ferrite, lead, quartz fragments and something...nastier." Pinkie swirled the dirt around in her mouth again before spitting it out. Yep, just as I thought, uranium two thirty-five and two thirty-eight. Heavily depleted but enough to cause problems."

The soldiers stared at Pinkie pie dumbfounded, not exactly keen on what to make of her assertions. "What does that mean exactly?"

Pinkie pie grabbed one of the small loose rocks from the edge of the pile of debris and set it on the ground between her and Shining Armor. "I want you to try and teleport to me, over this rock."

Shining armor stepped forward, not knowing what to make of Pinkie Pies simplistic challenge. "I can do that in my sleep!" Shining armor stood tall, his horn glowing brightly as he disappeared with a pop only to miss his mark entirely and end up with his horn stuck on the ground. "Whoa...so dizzy, what happened?" Shining armor pulled his horn out of the ground only to find burns on the tip of it.

"The uranium is messing with the distance calculations of your spell. The radio activity on top of the large quantity of iron ferrite and quarts can misplace your teleport, prevent the teleport or even splinch you if you try to go through it."

The other ponies face were that of fear and disgust. "Captain, as much as my wife says I need to work on my skills I would much rather not go home as half of a stallion."

"Then we dig a hole though it!" Shining Armor bent over, aiming his horn at the pile of rocks when Pinkie Pie put her hoof on his horn.

"No can do, Shiny. Look closely." Pinkie Pie pointed to several small cracks running the length of the tunnel ceiling. "Does anyone have a jawbreaker, or something round?"

Sea Wave rummaged through her backpack and pulled out a ration pack. "I think I have a potato in this one." Sea Wave pulled back the seal on the container and pulled out a small potato. "Here, I want it back though, we don't get baked potatoes in our ration packs too often." Pinkie grabbed the potato and walked some distance away and set it on the ground.

Seconds later the potato began to roll toward the pile of debris, slowly at first but quickly picking up speed until it bumped into the pile. "Theory confirmed I guess. Shiny, we can't dig though this either."

"And why is that?" Shining armor said with some irritation in his voice.

"Oh not much, just the entire tunnel will collapse on us." Pinkie pointed to the cracks along the ceiling, "The entire tunnel is buckling at the center. Some pony was either lazy, careless or stupid enough not to remove the uranium above. It's been heating up rainwater above this tunnel, causing massive stress on the entire structure." Pinkie Pie finished by pointing out small streams of warm water running along the edges of the cracks.

"Can we dig around it? Or maybe melt a tunnel through it?" Shining armor asked.

"I'll need time to conduct a geological survey of the area." Pinkie Pie replied.

"Time that we don't have. I have a terrible feeling you gals..." Applejack was shaking at the knees. "Somethin really bad is about to happen, I can just feel it."

Zecora dodged behind a tree, her makeshift radar showing Maskia quickly closing in on her location. "Hush you before I turn you into scrap metal." The device kept moving around the air, flashing bright red and making quite a bit of noise. "Sit!" Maskia shot a glare at the device, which calmed down and set itself in the bush beside her. "Good, now to find a way to ambush her..."

"Ambush who now?" said a familiar voice from behind her.

Zecora rolled out of the bush, kicking dirt into Maskia's eyes and galloping into the nearby woods. "How did she sneak up on me?"

"What you should be asking yourself is how I managed to sneak up on you twice."

Zecora turned her head only to receive a head butt in her side, knocking her into a nearby tree. Zecora's eyes flared up into a hot yellow and fired a beam of electric yellow; striking Maskia in the remains of her chest-plate and throwing her some distance away.

Even with proper shielding against shaman spells her attacks still smart. Maskia rolled back onto her feet and put up a barrier just in time to block another beam of light from Zecora. As the light from the beam faded Maskia lost sight of Zecora. Looking at her crystal around her neck didn't help matters, it was going crazy, spinning in place as if Zecora was everywhere at once. I don't have time for this nonsense.

"Zecora, you come out and speak with me mare to mare or I order the guard I have mind controlled to kill your companions in the hospital."

Zecora slowly walked out of the bushes, her eyes aglow, ready to fight if need be. "And If I kill you before you make that order then the guard hypnosis will break. I know you barely made it out of the fight with Luna alive, the deep scars on your body are a testament to that."

"I have come to make a deal, I already know I am in no condition to fight you head on. In terms of power you are the foremost, just like my daughter was." Maskia stabbed the Spear Of Sealing into the ground. "Only the foremost shaman in the family can release the seal on this weapon. Cooperate and I will leave you, your friends and this pitiful backwoods village alone."

"You must have hit your head hard during your fight with Luna if you think I would ever allow you to unlock the full power of that dreadful weapon. If I stop you here and now, then no pony will ever suffer at by your hoof again." Zecora pawed at the ground with her hoof, kicking grass and dirt behind her as her eyes flared up into a bright yellow glow. "En garde!"

Zecora charged forward, her front hoofs kicking the Spear Of Sealing out of Maskia's grasp and then following up with a shot from her eyes into Maskia's exposed chest. Zecora leaped forward after Maskia staggered back and landed a head butt on Maskia, followed up by a quick turn around and kick to the chest. Why isn't she fighting back? Zecora pushed the advantage further and fired another volley of beams into Maskia, all of which connected but seemed to do no visible damage.

I do not understand, she should be at least injured by now... Zecora thought as she hit Maskia in the chest with another shot. Why isn't she going down? Zecora kicked Maskia away from her on a failed charge only to have something tackle her to the ground. Opening her eyes after the impact Zecora saw not one, but at least three Maskia copies piled up on her. The phantom spell, but how so many? Zecora flung the copies off of herself with a mighty blast of power only to have chains of pure light wrap around her neck and back legs.

Zecora managed to kick off one of the chains only to have three more wrap around her legs, torso and neck.

"Enough, that should hold her." Maskia walked from in between a couple of her copies and ran a hoof up Zecora's neck. Are you ready to help me or do I have to beat the obedience out of you?" Maskia swiftly pulled her hoof away, leaving a small cut across Zecora's chin.

"How did you manage all of this?" Zecora said as she kicked and bit at one of the chains.

"I remember a couple years ago a certain disobedient granddaughter of mine making a foal out of me in front of the entire tribe at the astral springs." Maskia walked along side Zecora, forming a long whip like object on her hoof as she did. "It took many months for the other shaman under my command to come up with a way to absorb spells from other shaman but it was worth it in the end." Maskia walked in front of Zecora, brandishing a rather horrific looking spiked whip made of light. "You either grant me my request and take the generous deal I offered you or I beat you until life becomes so meaningless that you will beg me to kill you." Maskia cracked the whip on Zecora's flank, eliciting a scream of agony from the mare.

"What will it be, granddaughter? My offer or torture?"

Zecora panted heavily, the whip felt as if it ripped up all of her flesh and then set it back down on her body, but on fire. Zecora lifted her restrained hoof, motioning Maskia forward.

Maskia leaned forward, her ear up to Zecora's face.

"Blow it out your wrinkly old ass." Zecora said with a grin on her face.

"Impudent little!" Maskia lashed Zecora's body with all of her might, the screams of agony echoing throughout the night sky. "I will make you beg for death!"

Zecora could feel nothing but pain, her body convoluted and shook with each agonizing impact. Maskia wrapped the entirely of the whip around her body and pulled. The feeling of every inch of her body being ripped from her was too much and with a scream she blacked out and lay still on the grass.

"Stupid arrogant wret-" Maskia lifted her hoof to take another swing when she felt something in the air. "Celestia is out and about. Do you others sense that?" Maskia's copies all nodded their heads.

"Master, she is attempting to triangulate our position. I estimate we have maybe twenty minutes at the most before she finds us." One of Maskia's copies said in a robotic voice.

"Very well, wake Zecora. I will get what I want the hard way." The copies picked the unconscious mare off the ground and unceremoniously shook her awake.

Zecora slowly opened her eyes, her body feeling tender and her eyelids heavy. "Didn't I tell you to blow it out your ass? You have my answer, I will not help you destroy the lives of others. Even if it means my end." Zecora felt a sharp pain on her muzzle, Maskia had slapped her hard across the face.

"No, I have decided to make you my slave. The seal only needs your unique energy signature to break it." Maskia lifted Zecora's head to meet up with her eyes. "Now stare into my eyes, know that the sooner you help me the sooner you can help yourself."

Zecora struggled in her restraints and managed to bite Maskia on the nose, drawing a little blood.

Maskia stepped back, rubbing her snore snout. "Fine. Copies, get the whips out. We whip her until she can no longer resist my gaze." The copies began striking Zecora with the same ferocity as the real thing, Zecora's body jerked and quaked in pain as she did everything she could to brace herself.

They...will, have to kill me before I help ....her. My...only regret...is I will...never see you again....my love.

Zecora blacked out again in the midst of a flurry of pain and regret.

"C'mon Fluttershy, push, she's about half way." Nurse Red heart said while looking under medical sheets.

"W-wouldn't this be easier if I was standing up instead of on my back?" Fluttershy said as she strained to push the foal out.

"Maybe if you were some kind of cave-pony or wanted your foal to fall on its head then sure." Red Heart replied sarcastically. "Big Mac, I need a towel and my medical scissors."

Big Mac nodded and rummaged around the medical cabinet, pulling out a towel and handing it to Red Heart. "Scissors too if you don't mind."

Big Mac peered into the cabinet but shook his head as he closed it. "Nnnnope."

"Check the emergency cabinet in the hall and bring me some germ spray while you're at it. This emergency delivery room is filthy." Big Mac did what he was told and ran out into the hall.

"Okay, Fluttershy, breathe deeply and push at the end of each breath."

Fluttershy breathed in and with a couple more pushes she could feel the back hooves of her foal finally slip out the back end of her body.

"Just a bit more." Slowly the foal started to come out of Fluttershy's body. First the back-end and then the midsection, mysteriously the wings were folded in. "That's odd, it tucked its wings in, just like a newborn Pegasus instinctively do. I didn't expect that, not from a dominantly Zebra foal."

With one last mighty push the head of the foal finally slid out the end just as Big Mac arrived with the surgical supplies. "Scissors please." As Red Heart fiddled with removing the umbilical cord, Big Mac busied himself with cleaning off the foal and the afterbirth.

Red Heart cleaned up the foal and slowly wrapped him in a towel. As she handed the foal over to the nearly dead tired Fluttershy, the foal slowly opened her eyes.

"Wret, wret, wret" the foal made her first sounds as she nuzzled up against her mother, licking at her moms muzzle affectionately.

"Oh, she has my eyes and nose." Fluttershy held her newborn tightly, examining her every attribute in detail. "I can feel her wings under the towel, they feel really strong, bigger than even adult Pegasi wings." Fluttershy's eyes wandered over her daughters mane. Instead of typical white and black stripes the mane was black and pink, although the rest of the foals body was dominantly Zebra in structure. "Look, she has some of my hair color too."

"Iffin ya don't mind me sayin Fluttershy, she almost looks like some kinda city punk rocker."

Fluttershy giggled as she ran a hoof though her daughters bright mane.

Red Heart turned to Fluttershy as she was cleaning up the area. "I found that really odd, nothing like that was in the last ultrasound we performed. I guess hybrids are still a medical mystery in some ways." Fluttershy absentmindedly caressed her newborn when she felt something off when she adjusted her in her forelegs.

"Red Heart, I feel something warm by her bottom. Is it supposed to be like that?"

Red heart shot up from cleaning her tools with a surprised expression on her face. "No, it's not. I'll need to inspect her though. Pre- cutie mark infant infections are rare but do occur." Red Heart Approached the infant and put a hoof up to her flank, the sensation was almost tingling, almost as if unicorn magic was involved somehow. "I'll have to move the towel." Red Heart slowly peeled back the towel to reveal something glowing on the foals backside, around where her cutie-mark would appear.

"Wheres that glow coming from?" Fluttershy said apprehensively, trying to get a better view of what was going on.

The glow slowly began to fade and in its place a cutie-mark in the shape of a swirl and lines on the outside appeared. "I...I think it's a cutie mark but...I have never heard of a cutie-mark on a newborn before." Red Heart set the towel back over the cutie mark with care and trotted over to her medical kit, pulling out a book on Zebra biology lent to her from Zecora. "Lemme see here." Red Heart flipped though the pages until she managed to find the section on Zebra cutie marks.

"Anything yet?" Fluttershy said while eyeing her foal nervously.

"Nothing, wait." nurse Red Heart did the smallest of double takes. "For information on foal cutie-marks please turn to page two hundred and forty." Red Heart turned the recommended page and began to read aloud.

"In very rare circumstances a foal with a cutie-mark is born. This oddity is indicative of a strong natural talent for shamanism and is nearly a one hundred percent chance that the foal in question will have natural magical powers. This has only been known to occur with any frequency in the Dredgar, Bluehoof, Zeideir, Bental council families of the major three ruling tribes. It is noted that exceptions such as the Windrunner and Galv Tribe's have produced exceptional shaman in the past and present. This affliction is known as 'pre-destiny' syndrome. "

Red Heart looked over the book at Fluttershy. "Isn't Zecora's surname 'of the Wind Runners?' "

"She mentioned our child may inherit her tribes shamanism powers but I never heard mention of being born that way. Her grandmother and herself had to train hard to bring out those talents." Fluttershy ran her hoof though her foals mane. "Don't you worry, you can be whatever you want to be when you grow up, mommy won't let no silly pre-destiny syndrome get in the way of that."

"There's more written here." Red Heart slowly followed the lines of print before reaching an interesting segment; a list of all the known foals born with the affliction. "Hmmm, there's only one instance of this happening in the Wind Runner tribe and it was a mare by the name of 'Imani' daughter of...Maskia."

"Zecora's mom?" Fluttershy said, surprised. "She never mentioned that to me about her."

"As predicting the emergence of this affliction is difficult before birth the sages have listed a set of criteria that both parents must meet before this can occur-"

Red Heart, are you there? Has Fluttershy finished delivery yet? Is she okay to move though the emergency tunnel?

"Yes, she gave birth to a healthy foal but she-"

No buts, I have received word that Shining Armor is on an intercept course in the tunnel. Maskia has been spotted in the area near the hospital but Celestia has yet to triangulate her position.

Fluttershy gasped as she put a hoof over her mouth. "But, but... Zecora is out there somewhere."

We haven't been able to contact her, something is interfering with our communications.I don't like to be the bearer of bad news but there is a very real chance she was either captured or died fighting. I'm truly sorry, Fluttershy.

Tears welled up in Fluttershy's eyes as she whimpered. "No, she wouldn't die. She's not a reckless pony, she would never..."

"Fluttershy, I'm sure she is okay but if Maskia finds you in here you won't be. It will still be a little bit before your foal can walk on her own. In the meantime We need to get you in a carrying harness." Red Heart removed a foal harness from a nearby wall and handed it off to Big Mac. "Can you walk yet?"

"I think so, my bag legs are a bit sore still but I'll manage." Fluttershy replied.

"Good. We're out of wheelchairs. Big Mac, if you would." Big Mac held the foal as Fluttershy got into her harness.

"A'rent we the cutest little thing, eyyup you are."

"Wret, wret" The foal replied affectionately, her eyes just barely open.

"Okay Big Mac, Now slowly lower the foal into the pouch on the harness." Red Heart said as she pointed to the under-sling pouch Fluttershy had just finished putting on.

Big Mac nodded and slowly lowered the foal into the pouch, being careful of her abnormally sized wings as he positioned her.

"Wret, wret, wret" the foal said affectionately as she nuzzled up against her mothers face above.

The group made their way into the emergency corridor and into a large waiting room filled with medical supplies, emergency rations and a generator with copious amounts of nearby fuel. Red Heart opened up a large steel door at one end of the room and flipped a nearby switch. Nothing happened. Red Heart stood there flipping the switch a couple times before finally taking the metal case off the nearby breaker box. As she peered into the box, the problem became obvious. Various wires were burnt to a crisp and the antiquated metal fuses were snapped in half.

"Great, the entire circuit is toast."

"Can ya fix it?" Big Mac asked.

"Dammit Mac, I'm a doctor, not an electrician!" Red Heart paused for a second, her hoof scratching her mane absentmindedly. "Where have I heard that line before?"

"Are there any other lights around?" Fluttershy asked while looking though some of the supplies.

"There should be a couple emergency lanterns in the far cabinet." Red Heart said while pointing at a steel cabinet on the far end of the room.

Big Mac walked up to the steel cabinet and after a few moments of rummaging around pulled his head out of the cabinet, a freshly lit lantern hanging from a rope in his mouth.

"Good, Mac you're on point. This tunnel comes up in an open field north of town, there should be a military detachment guarding it."

Fluttershy stared at Red Heart with tears in her eyes.

"What's wrong Fluttershy?" Asked Red Heart.

"Can you carry my foal to safety. I want to go looking for Zecora."

Red Heart and Big Mac stared at Fluttershy as if she had lost her marbles entirely.

"Fluttershy...I understand your dilemma. I had a special somepony as well but...he died during the war. A victim of supply problem and ambush by Maskia's forces. I know how much it hurts to think of the possibility of your mate being hurt or worse but..." Red Heart paused to wipe a tear from her face. "But that daughter of yours needs you more than ever. If Zecora has fallen then she died protecting those she loved, you and your daughter must survive. It is what she would have wanted."

Fluttershy kicked the ground. Deep inside she knew what needed to be done, but every part of her felt helpless, as if yearning to do something to help.

"Wret?"

Fluttershy looked down at her foal. The young Zebra didn't yet know how to speak but could somehow understand her mother being in emotional distress. "Don't worry." Fluttershy said before licking the foals mane like a cat would her kittens. "Everything will be fine." Fluttershy nodded at Big Mac to proceed and with a brief nod back Big Mac pushed forward with the lantern still in his mouth, the other ponies close behind.

Beads of sweat rolled down her face, her teeth gritting in rage as she pushed with all of her might to break into her targets mind. Just as she thought she managed to get a wedge in she was pushed back as if trying to take down a brick wall with a stick.

"Guh" Maskia said as she collapsed, sweating on the ground. "Even when knocking on deaths door you still resist me." Maskia stood up, panting heavily. "How much time do I have before my location is known?"

"Less than eight minutes." One of the copies replied stoically.

"Beat her again, I want a hole in her mental defenses, beat her within an inch of her life if you need to."

One of the copies stepped forward to lash Zecora with a whip of light when another one stopped her.

"I believe we are going about this the wrong way. We can all try to break into her mind at once."

Maskia rubbed her scarred chin. "Yes, that could work." Maskia had the two copies pull on Zecora's chains tightly, pulling the injured mare to her feet. Four other copies joined Maskia at her side, eyes glowing along with their masters as they stared Zecora down.

Zecora immediately went into defensive mode in her mind, drawing vast mazes, riddles and locks along the way to her inner most thoughts. Even if Maskia could break though the maze and riddles, her copies were nowhere near as clever. This would still leave her alone to make it through the final door, a task she failed at multiple times before. I only have to hold out until Celestia can locate me. I just wish I was able to get a message to her. To be certain Zecora had tried to get a mental message via shaman telepathy to anypony but kept finding her messages breaking apart on something nearby before reaching their intended target.

Zecora braced herself as she felt five separate entities enter her mind, each setting off in a different direction as they entered her maze defense. Immediately one of the copies failed a riddle at the crossing of the sphinx and was forcefully ejected from her mind. Another one got lost and ended up in the pit of snakes, removing herself from Zecora's mind, lest she be destroyed. A couple minutes passed and only Maskia remained, the other two copies falling into pits or nearly being incinerated by the pillars of truth.

Zecora laughed to herself, possibly echoing though her mind at the lone Maskia, standing at the giant doors to the center of her mind, Alone.

"Not so high and mighty now are we Maskia? In a few minutes Celestia will find us and give you what you deserve."

Maskia set a small object on the ground. "What I deserve is to rule this land with an iron hoof. What I deserve is order and a purge of all things impure from this world. I give you one more chance to open your mind to me willfully. If you do I will promise to make your death after you bless my weapon as swift as possible."

"How did you ever sway anypony will such terrible one sided deals?" Zecora thought. "Honestly, being a politician is about give and take but the only thing you ever give is lies. I wonder how you ever swayed the council into cleaning the outhouse, let alone a full scale war."

Maskia grinned maniacally. "Have it your way, when I am done getting what I will sentence you and your companions to death by living dismemberment. I will enjoy their hours of agonizing pain." Maskia bent down and pressed the glowing object.

Zecora felt the same four intruders from before enter her mind again but this time they all glided over her maze defenses and landed next to Maskia.

"How-"

"A beacon of sorts. Now to break down the last defense." Zecora felt the first strike of magic collide in her mind. The annoying pinprick of Maskia's earlier attempts was quickly replaced with what she could only assume was a torrent of battering rams. Every agonizing second took more and more of her willpower to keep them out. She even managed to injure one of the copies but the strikes kept coming. Each one reverberating in her mind much louder than the next. Each strike fracturing her psyche.

"Just a bit more girls." With one more mighty strike Zecora could feel her defenses shatter. The mind control magic quickly flooded in to her mind like a dam breaking. After a few brief moments all Zecora could see or feel was a vast dark, murky emptiness. The only things she could feel or hear was a few stray commands from outside her body.

Maskia slowly moved her head away from Zecora. The mare was standing attentively, her eyes were listless and her ears dropping.

"Master, how may I serve you?"

Maskia had a grin on her face so broad that if she smiled any harder it would dislocate her jaw. "Remove the chains, she will need full movement of her body to work. Mind slave, I want you to give me your magical blessing onto this weapon." Maskia stabbed the Spear Of Sealing into the ground in front of Zecora.

Zecora looked over the spear for a moment and then closed her eyes and began to chant. The spear rose into the air and began to hum, sparks flew from the ends and shaft of the weapon as it was slowly engulfed in bright light.

"Yes! Yes!" Maskia said with a grin on her face.

*tink*...*tink*tink*tink*

Maskia looked down at the crystal shard tied around her neck. The object was pointing to the ground behind her but when she turned away there was nothing to be found. "Bah, piece of junk. Still going off from whatever trick Zecora planted earlier."

The spear began to spin like a drill and as the light from Zecora's body made contact with the blade it suddenly stopped and fell to the ground with a thud.

"What? Was that it?" Maskia leaned over to pick the spear off the ground when a surge of power flowed through her body only to quickly disappear almost as quickly as it came. "I don't get it, I should be a god by now."

*Tink* Tink*

"Blasted thing, why does it..." Maskia stared at the ground where the shard was pointing. "No, it couldn't be..." Maskia muttered some words under her breath, her eyes glowing blue -white as she stared at the ground. "A tunnel It would seem." Maskia scanned the tunnel to find outlines of inhabitants. "A cave in on one side. A battalion of royal army soldiers...and four elements of harmony." Maskia panned along the ground to the other side. "A nurse, a stallion, a Pegasus...and something I can't quite make out."

Maskia motioned for her copies to line up along the tunnel. "On my mark I want the roof peeled off, something is down there. Something I can't get a good look at."

When the copies finished lining up Maskia took a deep breath. "Now!" The ground churned and buckled, the grass setting on fire from the stress and nearby trees uprooting from the telekinetic force being exerted.

Below, the targets of Maskia's landscaping technique were panicking.

"Oh no, the tunnel. We'll be crushed alive!" Nurse Red Heart said as Big Mac covered her and Fluttershy with his body.

On the other side of the blocked tunnel, ponies were hard at work digging and alternate route though the shaking was keeping them on edge.

"Pinke! Why is the tunnel destabilizing!?"

Pinkie was hard at work examining the stress on the rocks toward the top of the cave in. "I don't understand, from the angle the rocks are not falling down, but shifting up."

"Plate tectonics maybe?" Rarity said.

"No, the closes plate collision is hundred upon hundreds of miles south, in the dragon wastes. This is something entirely different."

Up above Maskia's efforts were beginning to show fruition, the top of the tunnel was slowly being peeled back like a giant can of sardines until the ball it was making sheered off and was tossed some distance away. The smoke slowly cleared and Maskia peered into the newly made ditch in the ground. She could make out a large red and blond stallion covering two mares with his body.

"Wret!" the foal was squirming and frightened.

"What was that...did my ears deceive me?"

"Wret, Wret!"

"Calm down, everything is fine." Fluttershy whispered.

"No, not everything is fine!" Maskia yelled angrily.

Fluttershy looked up as saw a pair of glowing blue eyes, as the smoke cleared she saw a group of Zebra above her and a particularly menacing looking one in shattered silver armor glaring down at her. Maskia turned around and back-hoofed Zecora hard in the face.

"You miserable wretch! You had an abomination of a foal and what's worse is she is a foremost! Maskia gritted her teeth in anger. "Your blessing is worthless to me! The child must die! I must have your position restored. I will fulfill my destiny!"

Maskia turned around only to fire a pair of red legs connecting with her face, sending her tumbling head over hooves into a nearby tree. Big Mac stood in front of her, huffing angrily. "No pony will lay a hoof on an innocent foal, not while this farm pony still draws breath."

Below the surface the squadron led by Shining Armor dug furiously to reach the other side around the contaminated cave in. "I want triple time on that tunnel! Get the other elements back behind the shield. Move those flanks!" The other elements of Harmony protested as they were urged backwards by a couple of the soldiers.

"Seize him!" the copies all tackled Big mac at once while Maskia grabbed her spear and headed for the ditch that Fluttershy was trying to climb.

"I can't do it! I can't fly out, the foals too heavy!"

Nurse Red Heart keeled down, allowing Fluttershy to climb up her back and out of the ditch. "Get out of here, it's your foal she wants!"

"What about you and Mac!" Fluttershy said as she reached a hoof down into the ditch.

"We can handle ourselves. Just Go!"

Fluttershy turned around. Only to find Maskia blocking her path. "Going somewhere?" Maskia slowly walked up to Fluttershy, her tail swishing back and fourth angrily.

Fluttershy was frozen in fear, running seemed pointless, her own daughter would slow her down. There was only one way. She either had to beg or fight. "Please, don't do this, it's your own great granddaughter. She's your family."

"Be that as it may, she is an abomination. Born from the sinful mating of a mutt Pegasus mare and my granddaughter. Hybrids are strictly forbidden within the Wind Runners and normally we would just socially ostracize the outcast but this... creature was born of sin. Lay the foal down and I will spare your life."

"You got me bent if you think I would ever abandon my own foal!" Fluttershy's wings puffed up. "I would rather go down fighting!"

I'll bait her into a lunge and then run as fast as I can toward town. I really wish more time had passed, just another hour and my daughter could fly away...

"Wret?" The foal looked up into her mothers eyes, as if trying to contemplate what was going on.

"So be it! A two for one is fine with me!" Maskia charged at Fluttershy. The yellow Pegasus tried to dodge but was too inexperienced in combat to properly read Maskia's movements. Maskia thrust with her spear directly at Fluttershy's face.

Fluttershy tried to dodge but something got in her way. A blur of black and white ran in front of her, its body colliding with the tip of Maskia's spear. Fluttershy looked up, tears falling from her eyes at what she knew what she was going to find.

"YOU!"

"Yes, me." Zecora said stoutly.

The spear began to shake violently, sparks flew off the shaft and the entire weapon hummed. With a flash of light, Zecora felt her entire essence being pulled into the weapon, the only thing she saw as her body was sucked into the weapon was her crying mate...and for some reason copious amounts of grey.