Life after the birth of Summer Rain was surprisingly normal. As in normal I mean Bass was still up to her old tricks again. Ha, ha... no. I mean as in Order and her posse hadn't come around in a while. It had already been three days since Rainy's birth, and nopony from her little group had shown up. To tell you the truth, it both kinda bored me... and scared me...

Suddenly, Blitz flew into my room where I was currently playing Super Mareio 3D Land on my Neightendo 3DS.

"Hey Midnight!" greeted my best friend "How're you doing?"

"Gee Blitz; I don't remember giving you permission to enter my room..." I said with a smile.

"But, don't I come into your room without permission all the time?" questioned Blitz before he saw the smile on my face "Oh... of course... you were joking."

"Anyway, what's up?" I asked.

"Well, Rage Quit said he needed somewhere to plan out what should do next" explained the red maned Pegasus "He's been thinking about it, and he says that your castle would be the best idea."

"Oh, okay- Wait, WHAT?!" I yelled "But where would he stay?!"

"Not stay. He just wants to set up our home base here" explained Blitz "This castle is spacious and will do just fine is what he said. He wanted me to talk to you and your mother about it."

"Blitz, I honestly have no say in the matter" I told him "Go talk to my mother or something. Actually, why did he send you here? He could have easily gone and-"

*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*

I heard three loud knocks at the front door of the castle that echoed through the entire castle. My face turned from confused to realization and then finally to crossness. I slowly looked at Blitz with an eyebrow raised. He just gave me a sheepish smile.

"Heh, heh... well, um... that's why..." he said slowly.

"Uh huh..." I said "Well, let's see what my mom and dad have to say about the matter."

XXXXXX

"Rage Quit, I'm really sorry," said my mother "But you can't bring all that stuff in here. You'll have to find another place."

I came down the stairs and into the main hall, where my mom and dad were telling Rage Quit to go somewhere else. Behind said light blue Pegasus, now no longer wearing his black robe as a sign of allegiance to us, was a large, box-like and grey machine of sorts with a few flashing lights here and there and many other assorted things, like levers and screens.

"Miss Sparkle," began Rage Quit "There is no other place for me to put my wares. I need a place to conduct my research on the tome you currently have in your basement."

"Twilight, maybe Rage Quit here's right..." my father suggested "I mean, if he's researching the book, maybe he can find out how to stop those guys trying to kill our son?"

"Indeed" spoke Rage Quit "Thank you, Bookworm."

"Well, alright..." my mother gave a defeated sign "But as soon as this is over, you're leaving and living with Fluttershy, got it?"

"I understand" said the Pegasus "Thank you, Miss Sparkle, for your acceptance" he turned to the stuff behind him "Perhaps I could use some assistance to move this inside?"

"I'll help!" I offered, to which everypony turned to see me standing there.

"Aright" my mom nodded "I'm assuming that you're going to be putting all that stuff downstairs next to the book?"

"Correct" spoke Rage.

"Well, good luck..." said my mother with a mischievous smile, worrying me slightly. She and my father then walked off to complete their royal duties or what not.

"Why did your mother say that like that?" Rage Quit asked me.

"I think she just wants to give us a hard time" I smiled "I mean, how hard could it possibly be to get your giant machine down the stairs?"

XXXXXX

"Sweet mother of Luna this is heavy!" I cried out as I held one side of the machine on my back as my partner and I took the "I never thought this thing would weigh as much as a Saddle Arabian elephant!"

"Actually, it only weighs 400 pounds, where a Saddle Arabian elephant weighs 925 pounds" said Rage Quit who was holding the easier back end of the machine down the stairs.

"Yeah, look who's talking..." I groaned.

As we slowly but surely walked down the stairs, Rage Quit got an idea.

"Wait, why don't we use your magic?" he suggested.

"Yeah, because it won't weigh even more with just me holding it up" I deadpanned "Seriously, out of all the great plans you've come up with, that sound a little out of context..."

"Perhaps I could teach you how to use your Energy Burst" said Rage Quit "That would certainly help you carry it."

"Energy Burst?" I questioned "What's that?"

"Do you remember when we fought Oberon side by side the last time we were here?" asked Rage Quit, in which I responded with a nod "Well, I used what's called an Energy Burst before we began the battle. When activated, they can increase your power by exceptional levels. When a Pegasus activates them, their speed and strength increase. When a Unicorn uses them, their magic and strength increase. When an Earth Pony uses them, only their strength increases, but double the power of what it would be normally. They're useful, but they wear off after a short amount of time."

"And how do you know all this?" I asked.

"I read it in the tome for the past three nights" explained Rage Quit "Plus, I'm 2000 years old."

"How did... you know what, never mind" I sighed "Just tell me how to use them..."

"Very well..." said Rage Quit as he let the machine fall out of his front hooves, putting more strain on my back. I glared at him with an unhappy look on my face.

"Oh... my apologies" Rage Quit said with a straight face. Sometimes, I really wish he wasn't a total robot all the time. At least he's getting slightly better.

XXXXXX

After getting the machine off my back, Rage Quit began his lesson.

"To activate an Energy Burst is actually not that difficult" he explained "Now, I know this will sound slightly corny but all you need to do is think about using an Energy Burst in your mind and focusing on that thought until the burst happens. Be warned, however. Energy Bursts have a long history of changing your personality."

"Alright, let's try it!" I said.

I closed my eyes and thought only about activating an Energy Burst. I held that thought until I began feeling an interesting feeling inside me. It wasn't pain or pleasure, just... interesting, like that tingly feeling you get when someone brushes your mane. Suddenly, I felt power flowing through my mind, and then my whole body until the sudden burst died down. I still felt the immense amounts of power in my body though. I opened my eyes, all the while wondering what my new personality would be like.

"I feel..." I started "I feel... quite peculiar actually..." I began speaking in a light British accent, much like Ribbon and Thread.

"Do you understand what I mean?" asked Rage Quit.

"Yes, quite..." I said as I looked up to see my hair was glowing white "Hmm... intriguing... if my mane glows white, does that mean I have achieved activation of an Energy Burst?"

"Indeed" said Rage Quit simply.

"Well, then I suppose I should begin to carry this large object placed in front of me, yes?" I said.

"Quite" Rage Quit said simply again.

"Very well..."

XXXXXX

Well, one thing's for sure; we made it down the stairs faster than it would've taken us. Finally, we reached the tome room's door. I gently placed the machine down on the ground.

"Well, it does indeed appear we've reached the room" I pointed out "Now, how do you deactivate an Energy Burst?"

"Like mentioned before, they usually go away shortly after a few minutes" explained Rage Quit. As soon as he said that, I felt all the power completely vanish from my body with an anticlimactic popping noise.

"Well, that was certainly something..." I said once again talking in my normal and much more preferred voice "Okay, so you want to set up base in the tome room?"

"That is correct" confirmed my partner "I figure that if I conduct my studies on the tome in its natural environment, I may be able to collect a few more answers about it."

"Hey, that's cool and all, but what is this giant machine going to do to help you?" I asked, curious as to what Rage Quit's answer was going to be.

"This machine will help me record all of the tomes activities and powers" he explained "It's basically a giant electronic notebook."

"But why not just use a notebook?" I asked.

"Because notebooks cannot alert me of any unnatural occurrences that transpire within the tome with a ding noise" explained Rage Quit as he kicked his back left leg lightly on the machine, which then made a ding noise.

"Oh..." I said.

"Well, let's enter, shall we?"

"Right!" I said "Hold on, let me get the door..."

As I opened the large door with my magic, we heard rustling coming from inside the room. Rage Quit readied himself and I opened the door all the way. There stood a Pegasus mare clothed in a black robe. A hood was over her head, but her orange coat and the slight revealing of her purple mane told me exactly who she was.

"Scootaloo?" I asked "What are you doing here?"

"Hmm? Oh, hey you two. I was just reading the tome" she answered as she took off her hood "I was hoping that I could help in some way, and not just be an outcast for the rest of my life. I want to make it up to all the ponies who lost everything in my rampage, even if they'll never forgive me..."

"Well, that's fine and all but..." I began "How the hay did you get into this place? And where did you get that robe?"

"This drafty old thing?" she questioned as she fluffed the robe on her back "I found it strewn on a nearby bush. Some numb-nut just left it there for anyone to take. I decided the only way to conceal myself was to wear it. As for getting in... well, I accidentally stepped on a secret panel on the backside of the castle. It led me here, but I didn't know what to do. So I began reading this book in the centre of the room."

"A secret panel?" I asked "Ugh... never mind. Well you're here now. Might as well let you join the team..."

"Thank you, Midnight..." Scootaloo smiled.

"Miss Scootaloo, may I ask what part of the book you read?" wondered Rage Quit.

"What part?" she asked, in which Rage Quit responded by nodding his head "Well, I was reading this one part about a mare that lives in the forest, and how she may be able to help you guys on your little quest to stop Order."

"Zecora?" I questioned, remembering the old Zebra who never feared the Everfree forest.

"Maybe..." wondered Scootaloo "But the book said she was an Alicorn."

"An Alicorn?" I thought out loud "How? Princess Celestia and Princess Luna don't have children. At least none that I'm aware of..."

"The book also said she wasn't a part of the royal family" explained Scootaloo "But that's it. It doesn't say where she lives or how she got there in the first place."

"Hmm... perhaps it would be wise to seek out this Alicorn" suggested Rage Quit "I have high hopes that she will be invaluable to our mission."

"Right!" Scootaloo said "You stay here and do science-y stuff while Midnight and I track her down, okay?"

"Miss Scootaloo, I don't think it would be wise to do such a-" Rage Quit began before I interrupted him.

"Rage Quit, bro," I patted him on his back "Scootaloo hasn't seen how much Equestria has changed. Plus she can go completely unnoticed with that robe of hers."

Rage Quit thought long and hard about what he was going to say next before saying "Very well, but Scootaloo goes around Ponyville, just for extra precaution."

"Understood!" I said, saluting "C'mon Scooty, you heard the stallion!"

"Scooty?" she deadpanned with an eyebrow raised.

"Yeah, maybe we aren't exactly at the nickname stage yet..." I chuckled lightly as I rubbed the back of my head.

"Apple Bloom and Scootaloo used to call me Scoots" Scootaloo informed me "If you want, you can call me that."

"Scoots, eh?" I questioned "Man, why are Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle better nicknamers than me? Anyway, sure; I can call you Scoots. It'll sure as hay be a lot simpler than Scootaloo."

XXXXXX

"Well, here we are!" I said "The Everfree Forest; Equestria's scariest place to be. Where the plants grow on their own, and the animals take care of themselves... Though honestly, I don't find this place that terrifying."

"I remember never liking this place when I was younger..." Scootaloo said "Now, it just looks like any other old forest."

"The forest has aged since then, so says my mother" I said with a sigh "Whelp, let's get this over with..." I said as I began to enter the forest, Scootaloo close behind me. The forest was dark as usual, but since I usually go here to talk with Zecora, I was used to all the noises and critters roaming around here.

"Well, it certainly hasn't changed much..." spoke Scootaloo "It's still the creepy old place Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and I used to go into to meet up with Zecora."

"Speaking of which, look!" I pointed out "There's her hut!"

Her hut had seen better days from the pictures I've seen, but was still sturdy enough to be called a home. Some of the masks around it had been sold to museums all across Equestria, due to most Zebras not exactly wanting to give away their sacred objects, and Zecora perfectly willing to help with whatever her friendly neighbours needed.

"Hmm... perhaps she knows where the Alicorn is?" wondered Scootaloo.

"Knowing her, she probably knows what the Princesses are doing at this very moment!" I joked "Although, I don't think that would be too far from the truth actually..."

"C'mon, let's go ask her!" said Scootaloo as she walked toward the hut built into the hollow of the tree.

XXXXXX

We knocked at Zecora's door, only to have her open it up seconds later. Scootaloo had already put her hood down, hoping Zecora wouldn't recognize her.

"Ah, my dear Midnight!" the now older Zebra said "How may I help you in this daylight? And who is this mare with you? Is she somepony new?"

"Zecora, this is... uh, Sunny Day!" I lied to keep Scootaloo's identity safe "She's a friend of mine that-"

"I see... and who exactly is she really?" asked Zecora with a somewhat cross face, as if she saw through my lie like a piece of glass.

"I... um, well, you see I-"

Then, Scootaloo did the unthinkable. She took off her hood to reveal herself.

"Zecora, it's me..." she said "It's Scootaloo..."

"Ah, dearest Scootaloo, how are you?" Zecora asked, not at all fazed by the fact a mass murderer was standing in front of her, as if she already knew what was going on "You should never lie to me, you two..."

"Alright Zecora..." we lowered our heads in slight shame "But Scootaloo did some pretty bad things in the past, and we were worried that you'd cast her away. What else was I supposed to do?!"

"Actually, Zecora, why aren't you not fazed that I'm here?" asked Scootaloo "I mean, I did almost burn down all of Ponyville..."

"While I'm not happy with your choice," began Zecora "I can sense change in your voice."

"Look Zecora, we need to ask you a question" I suddenly said "We're looking for an Alicorn that may live in these woods. Do you know where she is?"

"Hmm... I have seen an Alicorn prance around here" stated Zecora "Here she lives, that much is clear. However, I have never met her, see, so I do not know where she could be..."

"Well, thanks anyway Zecora" I said "I guess this means we're on our own..."

We waved goodbye to Zecora and went on our merry way, looking for the Alicorn in this forest.

XXXXXX

"Ugh... still nothing..." stated Scootaloo as I heard her voice slowly get more and more tired "I can't believe that we haven't found her yet... maybe it was all just a legend?"

"No... Zecora said she saw her around here" I said "She does live here; we just haven't found her yet. I dunno, maybe she's shy or something?"

"Maybe..."

Suddenly, we heard a rustling sound coming from a bush. We both turned to see two eyes watching us. They weren't animal eyes though. They were more watchful and shy than anything else. As soon as the eyes realized we were watching them, we heard a young feminine gasp before the eyes and whatever they were attached to began to run away.

"Quick! Catch her!" I shouted.

"Right!" Scootaloo nodded before we both rushed after her. She was quick, but her silhouette was clear as day. We chased her until I caught up to her and grabbed her.

"AH!" cried out whatever we were chasing, which I identified as a mare.

"Gotcha!" I said as I held the mare down with my front hooves "Scootaloo! I got her!" I shouted before turning back to the struggling mare "Hey, hey, it's okay. We're not here to hurt you."

"Great" said Scootaloo after she found me and came up to me holding the mare down.

"Hold on, let me cast an illumination spell..." I said as my horn began to light up. As it did, we saw the mare I was holding onto. Her coat was ash grey and her mane long and red-orange. Her cutie mark was a pink ribbon in a bow, and her species was an Alicorn.

"Well, looks like we found her alright..." said Scootaloo.

Whimpering was all the Alicorn could do. I must've been right; she was shyer than Fluttershy meeting somepony new.

"Hello" I greeted "I'm sorry about this, but we need your help. My name is Midnight, and this is my partner Scootaloo." I accidentally said, facehoofing myself in my head. However, the Alicorn didn't seem to know who Scootaloo was, much to my relief.

"What's your name?" asked Scootaloo.

The Alicorn kinda just looked at us for a minute, like she had never met anypony in her life in a long time.

"Um, hello?" impatiently asked my partner.

"Don't rush her, Scoots" I said before turning my attention back to the Alicorn.

"...m-my name?" finally spoke the Alicorn "My name is... U-Unity Cross..."

Author's Notes:

Bad Nintendo pun is bad!! LOL XD

So yes, meet Unity Cross, an OC that a good friend of mine wanted me to put in this story. So, her being the suck up she is, I put it in there for her and tried my best to experiment with her. She'll have a more prominent role in the future.

Be sure to comment, like, thumbs up and follow, and until then, I'll see ya later Scraggsters!