https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYME1QBrXw4

The entire massive form of the Plesiozord (Rangers inside) soon found itself, via Cadance’s magic on the Animarium, along with the Princess of Love herself. As soon as the job was done, she fell forwards, completely exhausted and on the brink of total magical collapse.

“Someone…” Cadance whispered, panting. “Someone, please help.”

Then, she heard a low growl, and saw a lupine shadow overlooking her, before the Princess of Love looked up to see the Wolf Zord’s red eyes looking down at her, before it tilted it’s head to the moonlit skies and let out a long howl that reached the ears of Princess Shayla in the main temple.

As soon as she heard it, she sat up from her basket weaving, and ran towards the source of the howl. Not long after Merrick’s death, the Wolf Zord had sworn -Along with Zen-Aku himself- to take up the role of the Princess’s loyal protector alongside the Deer Zord.

“Milady, hurry faster!” the Wolf Zord barked in Shayla’s head. Right now, he was seeing Vapor stagger out of the Plesiozord, holding up Sunburst who was limping, leg bound in a magically constructed splint of light yellow energy.

Lightning staggered out of the Zord, before falling forwards face first into the grass, body covered in cuts from the Drago Sword and leaking blood. When Shayla eventually arrived on the scene, her eyes widened in shock as she helped Lightning up.

“Ugh, I’ll be fine…” Lightning said. “It’s Robert and Sunset who need the most help. Go, I’ll live!” Lightning barked. Shayla nodded and rushed inside only to see Robert laying bleeding out on the floor, while Galaxy tried to shock Sunset’s heart back into beating with a nearby defibrillation machine. Evidently, the Plesio Zord kept medical equipment on board.

“What… What happened?” Shayla whispered as she quickly began setting to work on Robert, trying to stem the flow of blood.

“Retinax’s new White Ranger, that’s what happened,” Galaxy replied. “Took us all down without even batting an eye. Near as I can tell, -And I was unconscious myself for a good part of it mind you- shocked Sunset enough to stop her heartbeat. Now shut up, and give me a hand here!” he barked, before muttering: “Come on Princess, don’t you die on me now…”

He then gave Sunset another shock with the defibrillators, pushing more electricity through her body. “Come on! Fucking come on!” Galaxy roared, and finally he was able to breathe a sigh of relief as Sunset’s eyes slowly opened.

“W-What happened?” Sunset murmured. “Where’s Trix…” she sighed, before lapsing into unconsciousness. Not that Galaxy hadn’t caught what she was about to say. His eyes widened. That was Trixie under that helmet?

“Oh Mystic Mother above…” Galaxy thought, closing his eyes. “Sunburst, I’m so very sorry love.”

He then turned to Shayla, nodding at her to say Sunset was stable. For the time being at least. He sighed in relief, as much as he would have loved some extra help from Sunset, she was too close to Robert to be of much help, more liable to panic than actually contribute.

“Go, help the others, see what you can do for their wounds,” Shayla said to Galaxy with the thestral starting at her in shock, before she barked out: “Now!” and Galaxy took the hint and rushed off to go see what he could do.

“Right, wounds… Which ones, mental or physical?” He muttered to himself as he grabbed some bandages and began helping Lightning. To his surprise, she didn’t object. Nearby, as some of her strength returned, Cadance rushed off to help Shayla with Robert’s condition.

“Okay, aside from the obvious hole in the chest, near the lung, got two broken arms. Those will heal in time on their own, but it’s the puncture wound I’m more worried about,” Cadance informed. “If we don’t work fast, air or blood’s going to fill that space between the lungs and then we’ll have some real trouble, to say the least.”

“How did…?” Shayla asked.

“Shard of crystal, almost went clean through and through from what little I saw.”

“What little you saw!?!” Shayla shouted at her. “And you didn’t help why?”

“Kinda busy being tied up to my own throne at the time,” Cadance snapped back. “Now, are we going to do something about this, or watch one of your chosen Rangers bleed to death in front of us while we argue?”

“Sorry, I’m just... “ Shayla whispered.

“Yeah, I know. Panic. Truth be told, I’m panicking as well,” Cadance replied. “But I’m also keeping in mind that if I don’t do something, there’s going to be a death on my hooves here, so I can’t let it get to me.”

“Your husband alright? I’m presuming this attack took place in the Crystal Empire, judging from that fact that you’re here, and you said Robert was stabbed with a shard of crystal,” Shayla surmised.

“Yeah, it did. Shining’s going to be fine, he’s survived a love sucking leech brainwashing him and nearly draining him dry, so he can survive being thrown into a building,” Cadance replied. “Now, what we need for this specific type of situation would be a tube thoracostomy. Basically, we’d need some sort of tube in between the ribs, to suck the air out.”

“Sounds… pleasant.” Shayla commented, looking rather sick. “Where exactly did you learn this sort of thing?”

“Well, I was foal sitting so I could pay my bills to go to medical school. Thought there weren’t enough mares in hospitals, and too many Princesses. Had to do a bit of reading. Anyways…” Cadance sighed, before summoning what little magic she had left and brought up a list of Robert’s injuries. Both arms broken, that much she knew. But it’s what she saw next that made her really worry, with the area around the right lung filling with air. “Can’t bet he’ll survive another teleportation, not that I’d be even able to manage it anyways,” she muttered to herself. “So, we’ll have to operate here, I guess. Shayla, that’s your name, right? Grab a vine.”

“Dare I ask what we’re doing?” Shayla asked, as she ripped off a vine from a nearby tree, and watched as Cadance filed a hole into it to turn it into a makeshift tube. Carefully, Cadance pulled out a knife and made one incision in the skin, and another through the muscle between the ribs. Then, Shayla carefully inserted the tube, and watched as Cadance carefully used whatever was left of her magic -Shayla knew she had to be pushing into the danger zone usage wise- to draw the air from the pleural cavity AKA the space between the lungs. Finally, after several long moments that seemed like an eternity, the air was finally cleared, and placed into a bottle and the wounds were closed.

“Now… Now what?” Shayla asked, and Cadance, barely holding herself up sighed.

“I haven't had to actually use these spells in a long time. It'll probably still take weeks for him to recover since I daren’t accelerate the healing in case something goes wrong with that spell. Granted, there may be something on this island that could help like one of those Wild Zords, but I don’t know. For now, just watch him.” Cadance said, before fainting into Shayla’s arms out of pure exhaustion.

Daybreak came, and after a long, largely restless night filled with images of the White Ranger, (And in Sunset’s case, the mare behind the mask) they finally awoke. Sunset, as she walked through the main temple, she could see it. The fear in their eyes, them carefully looking right and left to the darkest corners of the temple grounds to see if the White Ranger would pop up out of the shadows and come to strike them down.

Truth be told, Sunset herself found her eyes darting to those very same spaces, for the exact same reason. She knew she wouldn’t be able to face the White Ranger in battle anytime soon, none of them would. Galaxy was right, it wouldn’t be just physical wounds the Rangers would suffer. They were terrified of Retinax’s new lieutenant, even if not all of them knew it yet.

“Mystic Mother…” Sunset thought to herself as she ran a hand through her mane. “What do I tell Sunburst? I mean, that’s his own sister under that helmet! And he’s scared to death of her already as it is. Him knowing that’s her… Who knows what that’ll do to him?”

For a brief moment, she thought of Sunburst not knowing, but almost as soon as that thought came, she brushed it aside. No, he had to know who the White Ranger was. There could be no secrets between team members, even big ones like this. If Sunburst found out during a future battle, and learned that Sunset had known about this, the damage would be irreparable.

Sunset sniffled. Mystic Mother above, she longed for the simple days when everything was all black and white, and it was just Ranger against monster, destroy it and blow it up even when it got giant-sized.

“Sunburst?” Sunset asked quietly, walking over to him, where he rested on a hammock between two trees. “Can… Can I talk to you for a moment? It’s important.”

“Sure.” Sunburst said, as he climbed out of the hammock, splint still around his broken leg. Sunset lay a hand on his chest.

“No, not here. This is something you really should know in private. I’ll tell the others, in time, but for now I figure it best you hear it from me first,” She said seriously. Sunburst looked at her quizzically for a moment, before he followed her into a secluded part of the temple, out of earshot. “It’s about the White Ranger. I know who she is. During the battle… I… I, well I caught a glimpse of who it was under the helmet. I’m sorry Sunburst, but there’s no lying to you about this. It’s your sister.”

“No… No, it can’t be!” Sunburst whispered in disbelief, wanting to deny that psychotic mare was his sister. “I-It just can’t be!”

But try as he might, he knew Sunset would never lie to him about something like this. If she saw Trixie’s face during the battle, she probably saw Trixie’s face. And as much as he hated to admit it, he hadn’t heard from his sister in almost a month now. As he let out a small sob, he felt a sudden warmth and the smell of jasmine fill his nostrils as Sunset pulled him into a hug.

“When was the last time you saw her, before she got brainwashed somehow?” Sunset asked softly, as she let Sunburst sob into her shoulder. Eventually, his tears were spent, and he was let free. He swallowed deeply, and explained.

“A month ago, when she took me to see my mother back home…” he began, flashing back.

Sire’s Hollow: One Month Prior:

“Cannot believe you talked me into this Trix…” Sunburst muttered as the Ponyville Express pulled up outside the small town that he once called home decades ago. The train pulled to a halt, brakes hissing and steam rising up from the boiler of the train. Sire’s Hollow was one of those little towns that was tucked away in the middle of nowhere, mostly going unnoticed unless you actually cared about looking for it. “I mean, mom’s going to be pissed. I haven’t said a word to her in what… at least two decades? I mean, you inherited her temper, and Mystic Mother knows how you reacted.” he commented as he and his sister stepped off the train. “A-Are you sure we can’t just get back on the train, and rethink this through a little?” he asked nervously, adjusting his glasses.

Trixie sighed to herself, and pretty much had to push Sunburst out of the station platform, all the while carrying both of their suitcases full of luggage. “Oh no, we’ve come this far, and we, or should I say you are not backing down from this. Not now!” Trixie reprimanded. “Now march, brother of mine!”

“She’s going to hate me, she’s going to hate me…” Sunburst muttered as the two walked towards the great big wrought iron gates that served as the entrance to the town.

“Welcome to Sire’s Hollow~!” a disembodied voice -One Sunburst would recognize anywhere- greeted as Trixie pushed open the town gate.

“Okay, seriously don’t remember that…” Sunburst muttered. “Was that here last time you visited here?” he asked his sister.

“About a year ago,” Trixie responded, paying the gate no mind. “Mom had been ‘modernizing’ the town. She’s been butting heads with Firelight, who decided to mark half the town as historical sites.”

“Now, I’m one for history, but sounds like if you ask me, kinda overboard,” Sunburst remarked. “How’s Starlight doing by the way?” he asked before slapping himself in the face as a wave of guilt hit him. He couldn’t believe he had lost touch with his childhood friend of all ponies! “She still in that emo, broody phase of hers?” he asked nervously, and Trixie could tell he was trying to veer away from the subject of his mother as much as possible.

Trixie stopped in her tracks, glancing back at him. “Starlight ran away after you got into Celestia’s school. Nopony has seen her since.”

“...Oh Mystic Mother above,” Sunburst muttered. “Can’t… Can’t believe it, I should have stayed here, not went off to school and just stayed with her! Or at the very least, came back directly after I flunked, a-and go off to try and find her!” he stammered out. “S-She could be lost, somewhere out in the Badlands; stuck in some Changeling hive, or worse, dead!” he squeaked out, millions of horrific possibilities running through his head in a panic. Sunburst began hyperventilating, and Trixie pulled out a brown paper bag and handed it to him.

“Here, deep breaths. She’ll be fine, Starlight can handle herself,” Trixie told him sternly, before her tone changed to a more sympathetic one. “She’ll be fine, if she’s any relation of Firelight’s -Who, if you may remember as Trixie certainly does- is no squanderer of magic.”

“I… I don’t know about that, she’s never been one to be able to handle her magic well. Not like me. I’m not good at magic, but I have control over it…” Sunburst sighed in worry, with Trixie putting a hand on his shoulder.

“Well then, why don’t you go looking for her after our visit, hm? You can take your friends along too, should be too hard for you to find a single pony.”

“Yeah, if you say so…” Sunburst muttered. “I mean, Equestria’s a big place, and that’s even taking in the thought that she’s even in the country! Could be off somewhere like Saddle Arabia or New Roam for all I know!” he continued. “She always hated this town, said she wanted to get as far away from it as possible. Guess she finally got her chance…” he joked weakly, with a trace of bitterness in his tone. For a moment, he wondered, what if? What if he hadn’t fallen in love with Galaxy, what if he wasn’t gay? What if he met up with Starlight again, could their childhood friendship have become something more? “You know, I miss that feeling of connection. Knowing she’s out there somewhere thinking about me, while at the same time I’m thinking about her…”

“You’ll think of something,” Trixie cut in, flicking her hair back. “I can’t imagine she’d have gone all that far. She’s probably off living in a cave or something, like a hermit,” She brought her hand to her chin. “Though she did mutter something to herself about hating cutie marks...”

“Great, another failure of mine. First I fail Magic School, then I fail my friend. Who am I going to fail next, you?” Sunburst asked, not really wanting to know.

Trixie let out a long sigh, turning to face him. “Will you please stop? I’d rather not spend the whole trip listening to your self-pity and whining,” She sunk her shoulders, throwing her head back. “Oh, woe is me! I took a life opportunity and left my hometown. It’s totally, completely, one hundred percent my fault that a foalhood friend ran off because they couldn’t handle it like a normal pony!”

“You’re a real beacon of sympathy, you know that right sis?” Sunburst asked, giving Trixie a flat look. She slapped him over the back of the head and gave her brother a dirty look.

“Listen, you need to stop being so melodramatic about things, not everything in your life is your fault! Get that through your head okay?” Trixie asked, flicking her brother in the forehead.

“Okay, I’ll try…” Sunburst murmured. “Now, which house is mom’s? I barely recognize this place!”

“This way!” Trixie turned back, making with purpose through the town. “And don’t dilly dally, shilly-shally! We’re expected!”

“Okay, okay!” Sunburst replied. “I’m coming, I’m coming! ...Not as young as I used to be, you know!” he protested, picking up his suitcase and racing after Trixie.

“Then, perhaps you should have that princess friend of yours cast an age spell on you?” Trixie suggested, stifling a giggle. “I for one, would love to be the older sibling for a change.”

“Don’t give Twilight ideas, the last thing we need is her turning into a mad scientist like that Gemn doppelganger of hers she met up with back when Drakkon invaded Ponyville.”

“Aw, but seeing baby Sunburst would be adorable!” Trixie whined, coming to a stop in front of a rather nice modern styled house. “I know for a fact mom would love to have her widdle Sunny back~” she singsonged.

“...Please tell me she’s still not calling me that in her letters to you, as I know she’s probably been sending you some.” Sunburst asked nervously, eyes widened in abject horror. “She is, isn’t she?” he asked. His terror was really rather comical, and somewhat endearing really. “Trixie, please tell me she’s not!” he pleaded.

“You’ll just have to find out for yourself,” Trixie spoke, knocking on the door. “You can ask her when she answers.”

Sunburst took a deep breath, and mustered up all of his courage when a familiar pony answered the door. She shared his orange coat color, and even his red mane, (With hints of gray hairs starting to come in) this one being tied into a bun. Stellar Flare, as she was called, wore a nice blue pantsuit, and hid a pair of critical eyes behind a pair of spectacles.

“Hi… M-Mom.” Sunburst stammered out nervously. “Y-You’ve gotten older.”

He slapped himself mentally. Really, that was the first thing he said upon seeing a mother he hadn’t talked to in decades? He quickly set about correcting himself. “T-That is, I mean, you look nice for a mare of your age! Really nice, I mean!”

“That’s how you greet your mother?” Stellar asked, leaning into his face. “You’re one to talk. You dress like a slob,” Lighting her horn, she levitated over a pair of scissors. “Now stay still, I’ll fix you up.”

Trixie had to bite her tongue to keep herself from laughing as Sunburst tried to squirm away from his mother’s scissors. “Mom, stop! I like my goatee the way it is, thank you very much!” Sunburst protested. “I-I think it makes me look perfectly handsome!”

Stellar paused, said goatee held firmly in her hand. “I suppose it does.” Releasing him, she smoothed out a few creases in her suit. “Now, come inside and tell your mother what you’ve been doing with your time.”

Sunburst took a deep swallow as he stepped inside his house, familiar sights and scents greeting him. It seemed some things never changed. He stifled a chuckle when he saw that giant camera tripod/lamp that Firelight had given his mother as a gag gift that one Hearth's Warming a few years back. He’d intended it to be an insult of some sort, Sunburst supposed, but his mother evidently had taken the thing as a compliment, calling it rather unique. Of course, his jaw dropped when he saw his fiancee, in the kitchen pouring himself a glass of wine. Galaxy gave him a little wave, before going back to what he was doing.

Sunburst’s head whirled around to face his sister. “How much did you tell her?” he hissed out at Trixie.

“As much as I needed to,” Trixie admitted. “Besides, I figured him being here would be a calming presence, and that way, you wouldn’t have to introduce him to mom at the wedding, whenever the Hell that may be. Kill two Golden Snidgets with one stone, you know?”

“So… uh,” Sunburst began weakly, still trying to comprehend the fact that his mother and Galaxy had already met. “I've seen you’ve already met Galaxy.”

“Yes, fine man. And a Captain of the Night Guard too at that!” Stellar exclaimed. “Honestly, if this is why you've chosen not to speak with me then I must say you're being rather silly! Sure, I was hoping you’d and up with Starlight in the end but… I don't mind the fact you ended up with a guy! Is that what you were so worried about?” she inquired, and Sunburst felt at least one great weight being lifted off his chest. His mother was accepting him for who he was, so there was that at least.

“Ooh!” Galaxy suddenly cried out in delight as he searched through the cabinets. “Is this a Blood Orange? Haven't had one of these in ages! Bet you five and some leus I can whip up a mean sorbet!”

“But… But what about his reputation?” Sunburst had to ask. “I mean, surely you've heard it!”

“Hey,” Galaxy’s voice called from the kitchen once more, this time in an admonishing tone. “Rather rude to talk about someone behind their backs!”

Sunburst had the decency to flush at that, and Stellar took notice.

“So which one of you is the uke and which is the seme in this relationship?” she inquired in a teasing tone. As Sunburst stammered and sputtered, Galaxy cackled and Trixie groaned. She really didn't need to hear that. “Guess that answers my question, doesn't it?” Stellar remarked.

“...Okay, suppose I deserve that.” Sunburst admitted.

“Or,” Stellar leaned in close, narrowing her eyes. “Were you worried about me knowing you flunked out?”

Sunburst’s expression said it all. “How… How’d you know?” he asked, voice dripping in shame, casting his gaze at the floor.

“They sent me a letter, Sunburst.” Stellar tsked, her tone full of admonishment. “I’m hurt, Sunburst. Did you think I’d think lesser of you? You’ve been lying to me for two decades; out of what? Fear I’d disown you?”

Sunburst choked back a sob, and nodded. “Yeah, you always… you always have my life planned out for me, every last step, and… and I-I figured me passing Magic school would factor into that.” he murmured. He then chuckled bitterly. “Guess I certainly screwed things over for your plans for you to have the perfect little son, huh?”

Stellar sighed, her shoulders sagging a little. “Sunburst, I want you to be happy. Yes, I want you to make something out of yourself, but that’s meaningless if you’re not enjoying it.”

Sunburst laughed bitterly again. “Hah, that’s a joke! Fine time for you to grow a sense of humor mom!” he scoffed. “This coming from the woman who, if I remember correctly, wanted and planned for me to marry into the right family, take the right jobs and all that shit!” Sunburst snapped at his mother, surprising even himself with his boldness. With that, he finally broke down, years of built-up emotions and things not said finally let loose. He was pulled into a hug by Galaxy, -wine forgotten- who wrapped his leathery wings around him, and gave Stellar a nasty look.

“Fine excuse for a mother you are,” he commented, every inch of his voice dripping with disgust and derision. “And here I was just starting to like you….”

Trixie stepped forward, slapping Galaxy across the face. “Don’t you dare talk to my mother like that. My mother has never made Sunburst do anything he’s never wanted to do. Sure, she can be a bit of a busybody but all she has ever done is wanted the best for us. Just because my brother can’t handle ponies expectations does not mean she’s a terrible mother.”

Galaxy gave her a stern look. “You know, if you were anyone besides Sunburst’s sister, I would be arresting you here on the spot for assaulting a guard,” he growled out. “Point is, Sunburst should be allowed to make these choices for himself, not have somepony else plan out every little bit of his life for him!” he snarled, sounding almost as if he was speaking from experience.

“And he always has!” Trixie snapped back, getting in his face. “You don’t think she planned stuff for me? As soon as I found my path, mother supported me a hundred percent. This isn’t about what she did, this is about Sunburst thinking he’s a failure!”

Galaxy grumbled something in Romanian, and sighed to himself. “I have to ask, Trixie, what did Mrs. Flare here plan out for you?”

“That I would become an Archmage,” Trixie responded, putting her hands on her hips. “My magic is nowhere near that, and I much prefer the applauding crowd over dusty old tomes.”

“...Fair enough,” Galaxy admitted, after taking a long sigh. “Really can’t imagine you stuck in the Royal Canterlot Library or anywhere like that creating new spells and researching old ones. Sunburst, maybe, but not you.”

Stellar cleared her throat, getting the groups attention. “I freely admit that I plan, it helps me cope with stress. It’s how I deal with the world. Sunny, I never intended to make you follow any of them, I just wanted you to be the best you could. Though, I can’t believe you took that marriage thing seriously. If you recall, that was just a joke your father made when that Meadow filly called you cute.”

Sunburst, still in Galaxy’s arms, flushed. “...Okay, that I do remember,” he admitted.

Galaxy booped him on the nose. “Well, whoever that Meadow filly was, she wasn’t wrong… Bet you were as cute as a button even way back then!” he laughed, the laughter only increasing with Sunburst’s cheeks turning a deep red. Galaxy then turned to Stellar. “Please tell me you have baby pictures of him stored away in some dusty old attic somewhere.”

Sunburst looked at his mother with a pleading look, mouthing: “Please tell me you burned them!”

Stellar grinned, pepping up. “Of course I do! Trixie, be a dear and get the photo albums. I’ll start lunch!”

Sunburst hung his head and in a tone of someone who had resigned themselves to being walked to the gallows of untold embarrassment, muttered: “I’m doomed, aren’t I?”

Eventually, a considerably much dustier looking Trixie returned with a very old photo album as everypony else sat down for lunch, Stellar having made some simple hay sandwiches.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie is not some retriever dog!” Trixie remarked as she sat the photo album down on the table. “That is, unless it leads to some way for potentially embarrassing her older brother.”

She sighed as she looked at her cloak. Oh, she was going to be getting the dust out of this for days on end, she just knew it! Removing it via the clasp, Trixie placed the cloak on a nearby coat rack as she pulled up a chair and sat down.

Eventually, after quite a few flustered looks from Sunburst, and laughter from both Trixie and Galaxy, Stellar finally saw it fit to free her son from that and shut the album.

“Anyways, on another subject, you never exactly did tell me what you’re doing with your life, have you son?” Stellar asked, and Sunburst mumbled something under his breath. “Well, out with it. It’s rude to mumble!”

“I… I’m a high-school science teacher.” Sunburst muttered, waiting for the inevitable reaction from his mom.

“Teaching is a very respectable profession.” Stellar smiled, reaching over to take his hand. “Though if you ask me, teachers don’t get the respect they deserve.”

“Tell me about it!” Sunburst exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air. “You try teaching paleontology to a bunch of hormonal teenagers! It’s futile, I tell you! They can’t tell the difference between a Kentrosaurus and a Dimetrodon! Oh, and don’t get me started on their constant texting in class to their friends!”

“Been holding that in much?” Trixie asked, patting her brother on the shoulder. He flushed.

“...Maybe a little.” He admitted.

“Can’t, I can’t believe that was the last conversation I shared with my sister before… before…” Sunburst whispered, before he let out a small sob. “Why’d… Why’d it have to be her?”

“I don’t know Sunny,” Sunset said, pulling him into a hug. “But I swear, when I, no when we find Retinax, we’ll go ahead and ask him,” she growled, reaching for her Crystal Saber.

“Where… where’d she get that much power? Not even Ranger Powers should grant her that much strength, the only way she’d get ahold of that much power, and go that insane is with…” Sunburst trailed off as soon as he realized. “Oh no.”

Sunset was soon to follow, and her eyes narrowed. “The Alicorn Amulet,” she growled out, before shouting: “Dammit Twilight! I told you we should have destroyed that thing when we had the chance!”

As the two formulated a plan to try and get Trixie back to her senses, from the bushes two familiar figures watched and listened.

“Man, this sucks…” Jindrax muttered. “Can’t believe I’m feeling sorry for a pony, or anything besides an Org for that matter, but really, nobody should have to go through that.”

“Yeah, and that’s why we’re going to, at least while the Rangers are out of action, help hold off Trixie when she attacks again. Not if, but when.” Toxica nodded.

Jindrax looked at his best friend as if she’d completely taken leave of all of her senses.

“Have you lost it Toxica?” he exclaimed. “That mare, she completely trashed the Rangers. Let me repeat that, she completely trashed the Power Rangers! So how well do you think we’d do, huh?” he asked.

“Well, someone’s got to stop her, and right now we’re one of the only few beings on this planet with enough power to stand up to her!” Toxica argued. “We’re Duke Orgs, remember? So unless you have any better ideas…”

“Well, maybe you might have the power, with all your magical ability, but all I can do is use swords and daggers, and maybe put on a circus act!” Jindrax snapped back. Loath as he was to admit it, but Taylor’s assessment of him as just a clown all those years ago wasn’t that far from the truth. His personal team with his brother was called Team Carnival for a reason after all.

Toxica reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. “Listen, you’re more powerful than you realize Jindrax. Hey, you figured out how to bring me back to life after Onikage killed me, right?”

“Yeah,” Jindrax murmured, sitting down on a rock and shaking his head. “But that was pure brains, nothing else. Didn’t involve me getting my hands dirty so to speak.”

“Hey, don’t sell yourself short. Cunning, maybe that it’s own kind of strength right?” Toxica asked.

“Yeah…” Jindrax commented, in a far more confident tone regaining some of his old fire. “Hey, yeah, maybe you’re right! Fat load of good it’d do me against someone who can put Zen-Aku to shame. ...Yeesh, now there’s a fight I wouldn’t want to be anywhere near if worse came to worst.”

“Hey, now that you mention it,” Toxica mused as a realization came to her. “Where is that old wolf anyhow? Haven’t seen him for a long while.”

“What, you actually want to see him?” Jindrax asked in surprise, shuddering at the thought of meeting up with the Wolf of the Night again. “You’ve got to be joking!”

“Never said anything about wanting to see him again,” Toxica mused. “I’m just saying, it’s a bit worrying that he isn’t around for all of this. I mean, if what I’ve heard from the Princess is correct, he does seem to have a certain fondness for Vapor…” she thought.

“...How fond?” Jindrax asked with more than a hint of nervousness. A bit of curiosity as well, if you listened closely enough.

“Probably about almost as fond as you are of me,” Toxica answered. “One would think, he’d go absolutely ballistic once he heard about this.”

Jindrax shuddered at the thought.

“M-Maybe news hasn’t reached him yet,” he stuttered out. “I-I mean, the guy likes to keep to himself, so chances are he wasn’t in the same general area as the Rangers when all of this went down. Might explain why we haven’t seen him in a while as well!” Jindrax remarked, though he wasn’t entirely sure if he believed that. Even Zen-Aku, for all his love of solitude and his general dislike of ponies popped in on the Animarium every once in a while just so he could see either the Princess or Vapor. One would almost think he was in love with… Nah, that couldn’t be. Jindrax brushed away the thought as soon as it occurred to him. It was absolutely, positively ridiculous! “So, what do we do?” he asked, after a long silence.

Toxica gripped her staff and sighed. “Can’t believe I’m saying this, but we help the Power Rangers in holding off Trixie, and if we can, help them find a way to remove this Alicorn Amulet thing from her.”

“...Wow, and I thought the words help the Power Rangers sounded wrong coming from my mouth back when I said it,” Jindrax remarked. “But still! Surely you’re not serious in us taking on her all by ourselves!”

“We may have to,” Toxica replied. “Who knows when Trixie will attack again? I don’t know if this has crossed your mind, but Princess Celestia’s nor Shining Armor’s response time isn’t instantaneous, and as far as we know there aren’t any other Rangers out there.”

“Yeah, as far as we know. Remember, we’re spending most of our time up here on the Animarium as not to freak ponies out, per Princess Shayla’s orders.”

“Orders we’re about to break,” Toxica replied. “Might I just add that?”

“Fair enough,” Jindrax admitted. “And I did notice something. The Rangers, they came in on this giant purple sea serpent-like thing, so that sorta implies…” he trailed off, with Toxica quickly catching on.

“There’s at least one more Ranger out there that we don’t know about.” she smiled.

Author's Notes:

Well, that's that. Not really sure what to say about this chapter, aside from thanking Shagohad for co-writing the flashback scene with Sunburst, Trixie and their mother. Actually, aside from the thank yous to Seriff Pilcrow and Voldine for explaining and walking me through the tube thoracostomy as it's called -With me not trying to hurl the entire time- I do actually have a comment to make. Two, actually. Firstly, Sunset, yes, she does know about the operation, and two, this was why it took so long for us to finally meet Sunburst's parents in-fic, I wanted to wait till the Parent Map officially aired so I can see them for myself and know what Stellar was like. Also, yes like Big Jim I think it was tweeted, Jack Pot from Grannies Gone Wild is Trixie's father, and she's the product of a one night stand.