"So? What happened next?" asked Celestia, leaning in uncomfortably towards Rainbow.

Rainbow backed up slowly. "I... I don't really know. Luna did some magic horn thingy and then told me not to worry about Discord."

Celestia sighed. "Obviously."

"So who won tah race?" asked Applejack.

Rainbow gulped. "It... I don't remember." she lied.

Spike ignored most of the post story conversation and looked north of the camp. The city was waking up. Slowly, more and more lights were turned on, and more sounds could be heard. Spike wanted anything to be invisible right now, so he wouldn't have to deal with city ponies.

"It's best we get Rarity before they all wake up." he said.

He didn't wait for a response before grabbing Applejack and lifting her onto his back. Peppers tried Spike's tactic and snatched up Macintosh. The farm ponies weren't happy about it, but they would get over it. Spike was the first to take off, followed by Peppers, and eventually the rest of the group.

----------

When they arrived at the city, Discord and the two dragons decided to simply fly over head and keep watch while the other five searched for Rarity. Celestia took out a large black hood and cloak from her saddle bag and wore it to cover her wings and horn. Seeing the former princess of Equestria in such a large city would surely attract unnecessary attention.

"Where do you think she might be?" asked Fluttershy.

Celestia looked around. All she saw was street vendors and business ponies going about their days. "Not sure."

Applejack spotted a small flier on a street light. Come one, come all! Hoity Toity's winter fashion extravaganza! With appearances by Photo Finish and Fleur De Lis. Applejack smiled and held up her head arrogantly as she showed the flier to the other four. They all nodded and began heading toward the auditorium.

"How lucky was that?" asked Rainbow.

"Ah think yer jumpin' the gun there, sis'. There ain't no way of tellin' if Miss Rarity's even at tha fashion thingy." argued Macintosh.

Applejack kicked the red stallion. "What? Yer already callin' Rainbow yer sister?"

Macintosh flicked his tail in anger. "Eeyup. Sis' in law is still a sis'. Rainbow's part of tha apple family."

Rainbow giggled as Applejack rolled her eyes at the stallion.

----------

Peppers grew uneasy when a crowd gathered on the ground below where the two dragons were flying. All dragons had been placed in power plants in Unicouver, or slaughtered for their scales to make armour. Seeing a free dragon was unbelievable, but two at the same time? That's just scary.

Spike grinned maniacally as an idea came to him. "We should put on a show for them."

"You're insane."

"You have no idea." joked the purple dragon.

Peppers looked at the crowd and shook his head. "We're supposed to be looking out for the others, not performing tricks."

"Please. Celestia is the second most powerful living thing in the empire, she can protect the group fine. We really have nothing else to do, so why not?" pleaded Spike.

"Wait, where's Discord?" asked Peppers.

Spike looked around to see that they were indeed missing their draconnequus companion. He shrugged and chuckled softly. "Probably went to go buy some chocolate milk? I don't know what he does, but he'll be fine I'm sure."

"Mhm..."

The young dragon's grin returned to his visage. "Nose dive parallel, ninety degree turn up at a hundred meters, mirrored circle to meet with crossed flames. Got it?"

The red dragon sighed. "This is a terrible idea."

----------

Two large unicorn stallions approached the group as they were walking. One had a dark gray coat, his cutie mark a saw and hammer. The second unicorn was dark green. He wore a brown trench coat, his cutie mark covered up by it. They walked in front of Macintosh, beckoning him.

"What's a slave pony doing in Manehatten?" asked the gray pony.

His accessory laughed. "Don't know. Maybe we should show him the way out."

Macintosh laughed and pushed the two aside as he walked. "Eenope."

Disgusted, the two unicorns spit at Macintosh and held him up with a magical aura. He wrestled to break free as Applejack delivered a painful kick to the green stallion.

"You uneducated mongrel!" he exclaimed, focusing his magic on Applejack.

Celestia sighed and shook her head. "Please let them go, boys. What would you like? Bits? Gems?"

Rainbow was growling loudly at the ordeal as Fluttershy shivered and hid behind her. Nopony really paid attention to the cyan mare, there wasn't anything she could do in this situation. Celestia had things under control, and if she needed help, she would ask for it. Unlike herself, Dash decided to keep quiet.

"Ha! I don't want to get your filthy money all over me, you probably wear that cloak so nopony has to look at your disgusting self." said the green stallion.

Celestia giggled. "You're not very good at insults. I've heard much better in my time."

"I'm sure you have." added the gray unicorn. His comment was followed by laughter from him and his friend.

The cloaked alicorn shook her head in disappointment. "I would suggest you release the two and stop what you're doing, I would despise having to intervene."

The green unicorn laughed. "Stop doing what? This?" he focused his magic around Applejack's neck, choking her. She squirmed and tried to escape his grasp, but could not.

"AJ!" exclaimed Macintosh, who was then quickly muffled by a similar spell.

The gray unicorn snorted. "Disgusting earth ponies, you're all worthless trash. Your little friend isn't going to do anything. I'll see you in hell."

Sharp pain shot through Celestia's chest. Horrible memories that she had fought so hard to repress were now returning. The alicorn's eyes grew burning white as Twilight's voice rang through her head.

Why didn't you save me, mom? You just left me there to die alone... I thought you loved me...

The alicorn snapped open her wings, sending her cloak flying off of her. A spinning white aura surrounded Celestia as she rose from the ground. The two unicorn stallions instantly dropped their targets and fled in fear, in disbelief of what they had just seen. Coming back into reality, Celestia fell to her knees and relinquished her powerful magic. She didn't care who had seen her, the only thing on her mind was what she had just heard.

I'm sorry...

----------

"Why are we doing this!?" screamed Peppers as he prepared himself to turn upwards.

Spike laughed. "Don't know!"

The red dragon gulped. "Ready?"

"Now!"

Just missing a tower, the two dragons skillfully shot forward and then turned in opposite directions. After a few seconds of fast flight, they met where they had started and shot two jets of flame directly above the others head. It formed a massive, flaming, rainbow cross in the sky. As they finished their performance, the two dragons looked at the silent crowd, waiting for someone to shriek in fear. They were pleasantly mistaken.

Everypony cheered. Loudly. The only words either of them could make out in the complimentary shouting were "Encore!" and "Spectacular!". Spike and Peppers bowed mid air to the spectators below, and smiled at each other. Spike looked down at the mesmerized ponies and didn't believe what he saw at first.

A white unicorn with a violet mane in the center of the crowd was waving them down. Spike's heart pounded as he quickly identified the mare as Rarity. Without warning Peppers, he flew down and landed in the street. Rarity ran to the front of the crowd to greet the dragon.

"That was amazing!" complimented Rarity.

The purple dragon smiled. "Thanks."

"I can't believe you're really here!" she exclaimed. "I haven't seen you in thirty years, Spike!"

Spike chuckled. "I know. I had to leave, but I'm here now."

Rarity smiled warmly as she hugged the adult dragon's neck. "You've gotten so big..."

"Haven't I?" he asked, flattered.

"You look magnificent. You really grew up well, how have you been?" she asked.

Spike cringed as he thought of a way to correctly answer that without worrying his friend. "As good as I'm ever going to get... But anyways, I actually am in Manehatten with a purpose." said Spike in monotone.

Rarity's excited expression faded slightly. "What would that be?"

Spike explained the recent events within the group and plans that he and Celestia had made. Rarity nodded slowly as he went along, trying to comprehend everything he was telling her. When he was finished, she lowered her head in thought. Joining Spike would be a huge trial and responsibility, but it was necessary to ensure the future of Equestria.

"Count me in." she said.

"I knew you would agree, now let's go find the others."

An odd feeling of Deja Vu ticked in the back of Spike's mind. He didn't quite understand it at first, until he looked up past Rarity. The cheering crowd was no longer behind her, only a dirt covered and cracked road, very different from the one he was just standing on.

"It looks like it's been abandoned for years..." said Discord.

Spike was startled by the voice out of nowhere. He turned around quickly to see the entire group behind him. There were no business ponies, no street vendors, no nothing. The entire city was empty, vines growing on most of the structures.

"I wonder what happened here." said Fluttershy.

"So do I." agreed Rainbow.

Celestia sighed. "Guess you were wrong about Manehatten, Spike. There's no way that Rarity is here, I don't think that anypony is still here..."

Spike went slack jawed. "What are you talking about Tia? Rarity is right he-"

He stopped mid statement as he looked back in front of him. Rarity was gone, and there was absolutely nothing whatsoever. Just empty streets, dirt, and dust. He backed up and fell to his knees, frantically whipping his head around in an attempt to locate the white mare. His heart pounded faster then it ever had when he realized that everyone except the group was gone.

Twitch.