Dan's Comments
DISCLAIMER: My Little Pony is the property of Hasbro, Inc., Harry Dresden is the property of Jim Butcher, Carl Kolchak is the property of ABC/Universal Television, Ranma Saotome is the property of Rumiko Takahashi, Sailor Jupiter is the property of Naoko Takeuchi.

Ranma prided himself on his ability to read people's body language, usually to defeat them in combat, but it often applied in other instances. While most people would interpret Patrick's two, quick, behind-the-back waves as 'shoo, go away', Ranma correctly interpreted the man's statement as 'if you try to `save me` from Makoto, I will rip out your balls with my teeth, ram one up your ass and the other down your throat, and tie in knots whichever organ they meet in.'

Ranma took the most reasonable course of action in this regard: grabbing the cart bearing the bound and now sniveling holey, bug pony and left the room at best speed.

The guards stationed outside accepted his bursting into their midst, and subsequent slamming of the door with some aplomb. He gestured at Chrysalis. One of the unicorn guards created a set of bar around her. Ranma nodded, satisfied himself these were not more infiltrators and left the ponies to deal with her, it, while Ranma scared up the others.

This isn't going to be as easy as Makoto thinks, Ranma considered, It's not like they're going to just jump out at me.

A force bubble formed around Ranma and dragged him into a broom closet.

On the other hand, er, hoof? he thought as two maids transformed into bug ponies. Although, these didn't seem as holey as Chrysalis was.

Through a series of pictures, they displayed that there were in fact two factions in the city. One was Chrysalis', and were bad guys, the other were nominally working for Celestia, doing what Ranma was doing, poking around in all the dark corners looking for baddies.

Ranma felt the beginnings of a headache and deja vu coming on as he realized he was back where you really couldn't tell friend from foe, until they tried to hit you.

"Great, Makoto takes over and this place becomes Nerima instantly."
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Twilight walked up to Cadence and Luna as they watched Celestia trounce Applejack and Rainbow at volleyball, despite not using her wings or magic.

"Best seven out of eleven?" Rainbow asked.

"Seven out of thirteen," Applejack replied, "Does anypony else wanna play?"

Rarity was off getting a massage with Fluttershy. Pinkie was drooling over the desert menu provided, and thus not attached to the real world anymore. Twilight missed Spike, but he was likely minding the library.

"Your Highnesses," Twilight said.

"Excellencies," Luna replied, "Contessas are Excellencies, not Highnesses. As for your question, Celestia realized that we, nine, are the enemies' real targets. Not our ponies. To move us out of reach immediately after a devastating counterblow against the bronicorn invasion will throw the enemy into panic and during that panic, someone better placed, and more ruthless, will be in a superb position to move against our enemies. All in all, a brilliant strategy. We will of course rest, build our strength, lighten the burden on our hearts and souls for the return. A return which will likely be into battle and chaos."

"They wouldn't have returned Discord would they?" Cadence asked before Twilight could.

"Unlikely they even know of Discord," Luna said and waved a hoof dismissing the idea, "Nightmare would not desire the competition."

"How do you know all that?" Twilight said.

"I am who and what I am," Luna replied.

"Best eight out of fifteen?" Rainbow said as she lay panting on the sand.

"No, the three of us call dibs!" Cadence said as she stood and passed a grateful Applejack dragging the limp pegasus off the court.
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" 'Don't panic Spike, your princess is in another castle,'" Harry read the lower part of the note Spike, presumably the small dragon, had belched out a few moments before.

"Well it calmed him down, what about us?" Carl asked as he read the note, the top full of odd sigils, the bottom in clear print.

"We keep doing what we were doing," Harry said, "I just wish we could hear back from the others. 'Hold the fort' doesn't give us a lot of options."

Harry had been trying to contact the ways, any of his allies, or anything that would give him a gauge to where he was and how to get back home.

"So do we charge up there, or keep an eye out for problems here?" Carl asked.

"How much do you trust Makoto and Patrick?" Harry asked.

Carl scoffed and set his hat forward.

"Right," Harry said, "But do we trust them in with this, or do we charge up to check on them?"

"Simple answer," Carl said, "What do you mean 'we'?"

Harry nodded. "Go."

Carl tipped his hat and headed over towards Spike, who seemed to take being abandoned with a good deal of aplomb, or at least well-concealed disappointment. Carl indicated the path to Canterlot. Spike got a bit nervous, but went to a bookshelf, removed the books, opened the cubbyhole behind, and brought out a paper. He handed it to Carl as if he were handing over state secrets at gun point under orders. Spike then explained through pantomime that it was a rail pass, free passage to anywhere under the authority of Princess Celestia.

Carl took the pass and headed out.

Harry watched the dragon work at reorganizing the library and wondered if Spike was like Bob, bound to his 'owner' by some geas.
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"Ow," Makoto commented as she tried to crawl out of the bed. Her arms worked, below the ribs to above the knees, not so good. It was a dull ache rather than a screaming pain, but there were enough twinges to indicate she'd really be feeling it in a few hours.

"Then hold still," Patrick said, and began running his hand up her inner thigh.

"Stop that, it's what caused the problem in the . . . first place," she trailed off as the pulled muscles, bruises and little aches faded, feeling cool to almost cold then a delightful warmth filled in right after. She put her head down and luxuriated in the end of the discomfort and the pleasant heat that was left behind. "You're going to put me to sleep, and ravish me in my - ah, sleep."

"Are you kidding? I'm going to have to do the same to myself, I'm transferring the injuries, not curing them yet," he said, then slapped her bottom, "Not that I'm complaining, you naughty girl."

The knock on the door brought fear and embarrassment as she tried to find her fuku, and cover herself at the same time.

"You're evil, remember, who cares what they see," Patrick teased, and opened the door by magic. He pulled the covers away and began massaging her bare legs, `accidently` keeping her from sitting up.

Shiney and the blonde unicorn from the song entered, and Shiney back-kicked the door closed.

"Prince Blueblood, at your service," he said, and bowed, wincing slightly as he did, "And at Equestria's, as I understand it." While he phrased it as a statement, his ears straining forward made it a question.

Makoto settled in the bed, and briefly considered.

"The room is secure," Patrick said. Implying they could talk freely.

"The enemies' targets, enemies, plural, were the princesses. The Elfqueen's were aimed at Princess Celestia, Princess Luna and the Bearer. Chrysalis decided to take advantage and slip Princess Cadenza out of the way. So, with Chrysalis' army massing to attack in a few days, I send the targets away to rest and recuperate." She gave them a very toothy smile. "And do what we were summoned to do, deal with the enemies efficiently. With the court, the ponies, and thus their plans in chaos, we can move among the maelstroms and strike not the foot soldiers but the leaders. Once they are located and dealt with, Celestia can return in triumph, depose me and continue ruling her blissful kingdom, and the massacre of the enemies falls on my head not hers." She looked over her shoulder at Patrick. "Fine, be impressed, just keep working." As he continued to massage the aches and tension from her legs, she turned back to the ponies. "So, the disadvantage of having Mightnare - Nightmare as a roommate, aside from her screaming at me where no one can hear, is that I tend to be impulsive, you're the shock absorber, I command, you transmit. Oh, and play up the insanity, say, I'm planning to mount Canterlot on pontoons and sailing around on the oceans stealing ships and cargoes, besieging other cities, and such. Anyone who gives you trouble remind them I need rowers and they'll need to be trained and fighting fit before we take to sea. Give Shiney -"

"Shining Armor," Blueblood said.

"Do you eat knights?" Makoto asked, earning a snort from Patrick, "Give Shining Armor the useful ones, we'll need all the troops we can lay our hooves on to defend the city when Chrysalis' army attacks."

"Other than making you seem crazier than you already are, and moderating your actual craziness," Blueblood said, "What are my other duties?"

"That's up to Shining Armor," Makoto said, "He's putting together a resistance, so he'll need warm bodies. Chancellors and Viziers are supposed to plot against their masters, so that'll be perfect."

Blueblood looked like he wanted to say something, but just bowed.

"Oh, there is a major diplomatic dinner, tomorrow night," Blueblood asked, "Should it be canceled? Celestia wanted to break the ice with, ahem, a rather warlike tribe. I would advise against canceling, and that you and your fellows be your own combative and barbarous selves."

"That sound rather like an insult," Makoto said.

"Just critiquing the true flower of humanity," Patrick said.

Shining and Blueblood nodded.

"Anything else?" Makoto said.

"Nothing that the bureaucracy can't misfile and present when Celestia is back," Blueblood said, "There are the people requesting a royal redress of grievances, I'll pick out those few with legitimate calls on your time, teach them to be appropriately terrified, that should reduce them to a few from a few dozen."

"I'll be there in an hour," Makoto said.

Blueblood stared over her at Patrick. "I'll also order a new bed, that one appears to have been badly damaged."

Makoto had thought running the bed over with a train would hurt the train more, then she got Blueblood's point. She nodded as the stallions left.

"Congratulations, your reign of terror is going swimmingly," Patrick said.

"Are you up to hunting down any lose elves running around?" she asked.

"Of course," he replied, and kissed her butt.

"Fine, let's see if there's a tub in this place, I want a soak and a shampoo."
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Carl watched Ranma move through the palace, accompanied by a pair of ponies in armor. Despite his best efforts to remain hidden, Ranma looked right at him and waved him forward.

"The place has been invaded," Ranma told him, "Makoto decided to become Nabiki and throw a bunch of stones in the pond. The ripples will make the infiltrators incautious. Unfortunately, I've already discovered that Celestia, that's the big, white alicorn's name, had a spy network of her own to keep an eye on things. So they're panicking too which just muddies the waters."

"Sounds like it wasn't well thought out," Carl said.

Ranma shrugged. "Plans are just frameworks on which to make changes," he said, "So part of the spy network are helping me search out other spies, who aren't part of the network. But then there are elves who are behind the alicorn invasion."

"That makes three," Carl said, "How do they avoid tripping over each other?"

"I think Makoto decided to grease the floor and let me, Bruce and Patrick deal with them," Ranma said, "I get the idea that with elves around, Mister Dresden isn't on the vetted list, so he's back in Ponyville."

Carl had been taking notes. "How'd you learn all these names?" Carl asked.

"Evidently, one of the local villains tried to overwhelm Makoto's brain, and got eaten instead. So now she can do the alien alicorn thing where she talks and everyone understands her, except she can do it for a whole room full of people."

Carl snorted at that. "Not a very good villain."

"Kolchak-san, those are the best kind. Oh, we also met another who decided we were too much trouble." He pointed to a group of ponies moving a statue that would have put Picasso's 'The Chicago' to shame for weird.

"They normally turn troublemakers to stone?" Carl asked.

"It's what they had planned for us," Ranma told him.

Carl nodded and headed off deeper into the palace.