Neon Lights, Jet Set, Royal Pin, Upper Crust, Fleur De Lis, and Suri Polomare all took a seat at one of their favorite hangout places, a coffee shop named the Hot Kettle Cafe, for the time being until they had to return back to CPA. They never set foot in Sugarcube Corner since CHS students always came to that place.

They all grabbed their regular drinks, and took a seat at their usual table. None of them were looking particularly happy, especially since they all got heavy amounts of repercussions since hard evidence of their bullying was shown to their principal. They’d all gotten various, severe punishments from their parents, but now it was all over for them.

“So guys, what’s new?” Suri asked sipping her coffee.

“Other than the most popular girls in Crystal Prep are now attending Canterlot High?” Royal complained.

“Wait a minute,” Suri said, “Are you talking about–”

“Sugarcoat, Sunny Flare, Sour Sweet, Lemon Zest, and Indigo Zap. Yes, that’s exactly who we’re talking about.” Jet Set said, taking a sip of his tea, while snuggling with his girlfriend, Upper Crust.

“This is terrible news,” Fleur sneered. “What ever made them decide to go to that inferior school?”

“Apparently they beat up Toxigo more than we ever had and wanted to attend just to satisfy his ‘final wish’ or something.” Neon replied. He felt sick just saying that.

“What do you think they’ll learn from there? Maybe learn a little more how not to be a well mannered lady like that Sunset Shimmer is?” Upper Crust asked.

The group giggled slightly at Crust’s comment. Making fun of how awful Canterlot was one of their afterschool time things to do, other than just hang out, have a little fun, maybe prank a CHS student or faculty, and even meet up together to work on schoolwork.

“What do you think allows them to use the magic?” Suri asked.

This got all five of them in silence all pausing to think about it. They had never knew how they were able to use magic, and during the times they saw it being used, they really wanted to use some of it against them.

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to--”

“No, it's alright Suri. You didn’t start anything. That’s just… we kind of stopped talking about it since we don’t really have any idea on how it works. And if we don’t have any equipment on how it works, then we have no way of getting back at them.” Royal replied.

What they didn’t know was that someone in a hood had been eavesdropping on their entire conversation.

And now they had just the information she needed…

Back at Canterlot High, the students attended their classes as usual, and live their normal lives. Well, it would be normal, but considering all the magical encounters they’ve dealt with over the past three years, nothing would be normal anymore.

In the science lab, Twilight, Sunset, and the only other thing left behind by Toxigo, their android friend Echo Dash (in her Rainbow Dash skin), were dissembling the light cannons they used back in Equestria to fight the changelings. They had no use since they weren’t engaging in any war, and if any of their enemies got ahold of the weaponry, a world war would start in the blink of an eye.

“I still can’t believe he managed to build these things. Is there anything he isn’t good at?” Twilight asked.

“I have an answer for that, but you’re not gonna want to hear it.” Echo replied.

“I’m sure it’s not that bad,” Twilight said. “What isn’t he good at?”

“That would be aiming at a target since he only had one eye, staying calm in dire situations, fixing cars, playing musical instruments, science experiments, trying to punch down the people who hurt him in the past–”

“Echo,” Sunset interrupted. “We don’t need to hear everything.”

At that moment, the door opened, and two people entered. It was Coppermane and Pinkie Pie.

“Pinkie told me to come along and–” Coppermane’s eyes were locked onto the weapon they were taking apart. “Whoa… what is that?”

“It's a light cannon.” Pinkie said, smiling.

“A… what?” Coppermane asked, clearly perplexed.

“They were weapons made for us to use to combat the magic in Equestria,” Twilight said. “Tox built these things right here in the lab.”

“But why are you taking them apart?”

“Now that the war is over, we don’t have a need for these things. And if they fall into enemy hands… Oh, I don’t want another war started again.” Sunset’s hand fell on her face just thinking about the war they engaged in back in Equestria.

But soon their attention was drawn to the sound of pain as Echo Dash backed off after getting zapped in the face.

“Echo, are you okay?” Twilight asked.

“System check… No damage detected.”

Echo looked up and gave a smile, but a little bit of skin tore off just from around her left eye, which gave Coppermane quite a shock at the sight of the bronze titanium skin exposed.

“Dah! Wait… is…? what is…? Who…?”

Pinkie giggled at his stuttering. “She’s the android that helped rescue us in Equestria.”

Echo extended an arm out to shake hands with Coppermane.

“I am Echo. Built to protect those, who cannot protect themselves. Identify yourself”

“Um… Coppermane. Nice to meet you Echo.”

“Registering databanks… Coppermane now registered in memory databanks. Classified as FRIEND.”

Coppermane smiled after being confirmed as a friend to the automaton. But he then turned his attention onto the light cannons taking a look at them.

“Whoa… These are fantastic. I never seen this kind of weaponry before. How did he make these things?” Coppermane asked.

“He combined Equestrian magic with titanium alloy, and lots of parts from other machine guns, car batteries, and computers.” Twilight replied.

“I almost wish I was there to help. I would have loved to try and use these things against those bugs.”

“Well maybe you can!” Pinkie grinned.

“Wait… what?” Coppermane said.

“We always take these things out into the fields for target practice. We make a game out of it.” Pinkie said with a big smile.

“I’d love to try and use these things. But are you sure it’s… you know… legal?” Coppermane asked.

“Of course! We just go out into the fields where they can’t hurt anyone. They don’t really shoot that far, anyway. And we had to sign some papers by Principal Celestia on the authority of where and when we’d use them.”

Little did any of them know that someone had been watching through a small crack in the door. Someone with a teal colored eye who found their conversation… interesting.

“And we always take them apart every time we’re–”

“Scanning… Scanning…” Echo interrupted.

“Um… Echo?” Sunset asked. “Why are you…?”

“Threat detected. Threat detected. Engaging defense mode.” Echo then stood in a fighting position, facing the door.

“What is she talking about?” Twilight asked.

Without saying another world, Echo charged right at the door, bashing it open. Apparently someone was on the other side, because the next sound was a pained grunt.

“OW! Agh…”

Echo made a ninja roll into the hallway looking at the person in the hood. Her eyes were locked onto the person she smacked the door into. Everyone stepped out to see who it was. The hooded girl decided to make a run for it, and Echo and Pinkie gave chase after her.

They ran a left down the hall, and kept on running after her. Soon, Pinkie made a leap and tackled the hooded girl to the ground and she gave out another grunt, and her hood fell off. She got herself up, which gave Pinkie and Echo a look at her red and yellow colored hair.

Pinkie gasped so loud, she gave the girl a scare. She slipped her hood back on, and started running again, leaving them behind. Soon Twilight, Coppermane, and Sunset came to their direction check on them.

“Who was that?” Coppermane asked.

“I think that was the same girl who ran from me last night. Were any of you able to see who it was?”

“Threat identified as… Sunset Shimmer.”

“What?” Sunset asked.

“Threat was identified as Sunset Shimmer.
Species: Human.
Gender: Female.
Affiliations: Unknown.
Strengths: Unknown.
Directive: Unknown.”

Everyone looked at each other. Their faces communicated mutual concern and confusion. Another Sunset Shimmer?

If this Sunset Shimmer had been spying on them here, and on the night before, there could be a chance she heard their entire conversation on the weaponry, and she could have come across all of the magical anomalies at Canterlot High: The Fall Formal, The Battle of the Bands, Coppermane’s speech while standing up to Hoops and Score, the Friendship Games, and possibly every time Tox had used his magic against some of the CPA kids or even the Dazzlings.

The very thought of this being exposed terrified them. One thing was for certain. They had to find out more about what this… other Sunset could be planning, and keep her from gaining an understanding on their magic. It would be bad for everyone if she discovered the mechanics of their magic.