(Emmit’s POV)

“WHAT?!” we all said practically at the same time. I, however, had the bright idea of sitting up quickly because of the surprising news. “OW,” came my sudden realization that it probably wasn’t a good idea. All eyes turned on me once more as pain shot through me at the sudden movement. Rarity and Pinkie helped me back down with me complaining, “Ok, that wasn’t such a good idea.”

“Please, darling don’t move too quickly,” Rarity kissed my cheek after I was back down again.

“But how Fluttershy?” Twilight eagerly questioned as she got off the chair to trot over to her.

“Well,” Fluttershy began, “Princess Celestia, Princess Luna and I talked for a long while, probably a couple of hours at least, before I must have fallen asleep. Because the next thing I knew both of them were captured by shadow ponies. They were being taken away as one of them told me to tell you.”

“Tell us what?” I asked, looking over to her.

“That if you wanted to see the princesses ever again,” she spoke nervously with sadness in her voice, “then Emmit has to come to their headquarters within a few hours.” All eyes went to me once more. Fluttershy’s ears splayed back against her head as she looked at me with worry in her eyes, “And surrender to them.”

Nothing, but shocked silence as we looked to Fluttershy then to each other. “Well that’s it then isn’t it?” my voice held finality in it as I groaned heavily trying to get up.

“Emmit,” Rarity protested or started to before I cut her off gently.

“No Rarity,” my voice was gentle but firm and felt Pinkie help me up to a sitting position. I shook my head before putting a hand to her cheek, “No choice this time.” Then looked between the girls, “Somepony get the nurse and doctor please.”

“I got it,” AJ spoke up quickly and left rather quickly to my amusement.

“Fluttershy? Where did they say for me to go?”

“Um,” she looked at me with sad eyes, “They said to go into the Ghastly Gorge. After they described it to me, it sounded like where Rainbow started her pet race.”

“What about the eels living there?” Twilight wondered aloud while looking over at me.

“They said not to worry about the eels. They wouldn’t be a bother.”

“Here they are,” AJ called out as she entered the room first before a nurse and mare doctor. Both dressed up in usual nurse and doctor’s scrubs respectively. Both looked between all the girls and then up to me.

“You requested us Mister Knight?” the doctor asked curiously, but with a subdued voice as she felt the mood of the room.

“Yes,” I nodded to her solemnly, “What can you do for me right now as far as healing and pain? What’s broken?”

“As far as broken,” she looked at me stoically, “You have three broken ribs, which we could stitch together with magic. However, it’s best for them to heal on their own and not recommended due to how close they are to vital organs. And there is something we can do for the pain.”

The girls were silent, but all their eyes were locked onto me when I told the doctor, “Then go ahead and stitch the ribs together and do all you can for the pain. I have to leave.”

The doctor gave me an incredulous look like I just went mad. “Mister Knight that is-”

“Unavoidable doctor,” I interrupted firmly and looked at her just as intently, “I don’t have a choice. Don’t tell anypony else this, but the princesses have been ponynapped by the Shadow Organization and unless I surrender to them in a few hours they’ll be killed. How they got in here and how they’ll do it, I don’t know but I can’t take the chance on their lives.” I paused as the realization behind my words sunk in.

“I understand,” she said sadly with a nod, then turned to the nurse, “Nurse Stitch? Help me with his ribs, then we’ll concentrate on the pain.” She looked up at me as both of their horns started glowing, “Now you’ll need to hold still during this. And no talking.” She added the last part when a couple of the girls looked like they were fixing to say something.

I stood still while the doctor and nurse used their magic on me. It felt weird actually. To actually feel the bones in my chest being stitched. Then came the pain while they were doing it. I shut my eyes against it while groaning softly. Pinkie and Rarity comforted me with their hooves as the rest looked on with sad faces.

It took a few minutes, but they got done though both were a little worn out afterward. “Done,” the doctor nodded to me, “How do you feel?”

After testing my limbs and patting my chest I nodded back to her, “Fine, just a little sore. At least I’ll be able to morph now.”

“Yeah about that,” her voice was tired as she looked up at me, “You can yes, however, the longer you wait the better it will be for you.”

“Understood, doctor thank you,” with a smile I dismissed her and the nurse.

“Emmit?” Rarity moved almost in front of me as she looked at me with concern.

“I do have a plan girls,” I told them putting a hand on Rarity’s back before looking over to Twilight, “Twilight I need you to look up the mind link spell that Luna used on Nightmare Night and an invisibility spell. The best ones you can find and use them on all of you.”

“Emmit...” she hesitated in saying, “...I’m...”

I held up a hand, “Twilight, there’s no time. I know you’re sorry, and we can talk about it later, but right now there're two princesses to save. After you find them, come back here.” If I survive that is.

“Alright,” she agreed, “I can find what I need in the restricted section.” Then with one last sad look over at me, she left the room.

Next was Rarity. “Rarity, I need you to go and get Mister Fancy Pants and bring him here.”

She blinked up at me, “Why? Not that I’m refusing, but why would you need to speak with him?”

“Because when the sun doesn’t rise on schedule,” I explained while scratching behind one of her ears, “They’ll need to be reassured that somepony is in charge. Too bad Cadence and Shining Armor went back to the Crystal Empire or I could put them in charge.” After a sigh, I shook my head, “So, it has to be the council.” Then my eyes went to AJ, “However, I’ll need to speak with the Captain of both the Solar and Lunar Guards at the same time as well. So, AJ could you take care of that please?”

“On it,” She nodded and was out the door without question. Though her voice held the same somber mood as the rest of the girls.

Rarity didn’t move but held my gaze when I looked over to her. “Go on Rarity.” She started to protest, but I put a finger against her lips, “I’ll be here when you get back.”

She just leaned up and kissed my lips lightly, “Alright then darling.” And she left. Which left only one more task.

Poor Fluttershy “eeped” a little when I smiled over to her, “Fluttershy, I need you to go up to Celestia’s room and get my pants please.”

“Um, ok,” her voice was as quiet as ever and nervous at what I asked her to do, “But why do you need them?”

I chuckled, “Well, I can’t walk around in my human form naked can I?”

She giggled with a deep blush and hid behind her mane cutely, “No, probably not. Alright, I’ll go get them.” And then she too was gone shutting the door behind her. Leaving me with Pinkie and Rainbow. Not that I had anything for them to do. And because of that, I just laid back down again.

“Um...” Rainbow flew up and landed on my right side, opposite from Pinkie, “Anything for us to do?”

They both looked down at me expectantly, but I shook my head, “No, I don’t think so. Everything that I can think of, pertaining to what I have planned, has been taken care of.” When I looked up to them, each had the same sad look in their eyes.

But it was Pinkie that spoke up. Her voice was unnaturally quiet and was almost a whisper, “You’re not coming back...are you?”

“What?” Rainbow cut in suddenly with the quiet protest before her eyes looked at me beginning to water.

“Honestly,” I told them while looking between them, “I’m not expecting to. I’ll do all I can, of course, but this could be a one-way trip.”

“But...” Rainbow whimpered as a tear fell from an eye, “Emmit...you...y-you helped me believe in myself. Helped me believe and trust in my friends. You have to come back.”

To see Rainbow like that, nearly ripped my heart from my chest. My hand reached up and wiped the tear away. Her head tilted into my hand as she closed her eyes as I smiled up to her. “You are an awesome mare Rainbow Dash. I’m glad that I am a part of all of your lives. Never in my wildest dreams had I ever thought I could be here and do the stuff I did with all of you.” Rainbow sniffed before opening her eyes and looking down at me with a sad smile.

“Actually...” Pinkie interrupted softly with a mischievous voice. And there was definitely some mischievousness in her eyes, but mostly she looked down at me with eyes all females are known for. She put a hoof against my cheek and leaned down. The kiss she gave me was soft and slow. She kinda tasted like peppermint actually. When she broke the kiss she put her lips to my ear, “I didn’t get to finish my lollipop.”

My eyes widened at what she meant and it seemed that Rainbow had caught on because her mood changed. Her own bedroom eyes looked down at me with mischievousness in them as well. And when Pinkie moved and started kissing down my chest, Rainbow leaned down putting her forehead against mine and closed her eyes. “From us to you, stud,” her voice was quiet and filled with emotion as she spoke. Then she kissed me at the same time Pinkie started on her lollipop again. Both of them started soft and gentle before getting more intense and needy.

^_^

(AJ’s POV)

The Captains would be at the barracks near the castle. It was a bit of a walk and would take some time to get there. I guess that was good because it gave me time to think. My mind went back to when I first saw him. It was the bugbear incident at the wedding in Ponyville. We all attacked him thinking that he was a dangerous predator. And even though he is, and I guess always will be, to us he’s something different.

My opinion of him has really changed since he’s been here. And he is an honest feller, though he makes mistakes like all of us. I guess my only regret with Emmit was not spending more time with him. And now that I think about it, I’m the only one that he hasn’t bathed. Tarnation, now I’m thinking about it. Thank my apples that it’s too dark to see the blush I’m carrying right now. Is he really that good? You know there’s a chance I might not ever find out now? Thank my apples that it’s too dark to see me cry too. I’d never hear the end of it if Big Mac or Apple Bloom found out I was crying. Not that I would care right now. My heart was breaking in my chest. And it felt like it would never heal. Only in Equestria can a creature like him mean so much to us, and to me, in such a short time.

“Ma’am?”

The question brought me out of my thoughts as I suddenly found myself at the barracks. Rather it was the front gate to the barracks. Time sure flies when you're deep in thought. At this point, I didn’t care and took a sniff wiping my eyes with a hoof. Then straightened up to the stallion guard, “I need to see the Captains right away.”

“Oh really?” He looked down at me as if I was a sightseer or something, “Look, ma’am, tours are during the day-”

My hoof struck the ground so hard it cracked the pavement, “Now you listen here. I’m Applejack, the Element of Honesty, and right now Emmit, who is the princesses consort and future king requests the Captains presence in his room at the hospital. So, you either let me inside right this instant or so help me I’ll use you to knock down that gate.” My voice was rising while speaking to him, but darn it if I didn’t care that I was screaming in his face at the end.

The gate opened less than a second later. And marched in while the guard was curled up in a corner inside the guardhouse afraid out of his mind. While on my way to the headquarters, word must have gotten around because I was practically being escorted to it.

So, a short time later I knocked on the Captain’s door.

“Enter,” came a mare’s voice. The Lunar Guard Captain was a thestral mare. Bat type wings, dark coat with an equally dark mane and tail with bright blue dragon-like eyes. Tarnation those eyes really pierce ya, don’t they? She wasn’t wearing armor at the moment. “Can I help you Miss Applejack?” Well, she knows me so this should be easy compared to the guard at the gate.

“Um yes,” I tried making my voice steady but it didn’t quite work, “Emmit needs ya and the day Captain at his room in the hospital right away.”

She raised an eyebrow at me, “Did he say why?”

I looked around first before speaking softly to her, “It has to do with the ponynappin’ of the princesses.”

She gave me an incredulous look for about a split second before recovering quickly. The call button she used almost didn’t survive her hoof, “Corporal, inside now!” The door quickly opened with a young thestral stallion standing there giving her a sharp salute. “I need you to go wake up the Solar Captain,” she said sharply, “And tell him to meet Emmit at his room in Canterlot Hospital. And snap to it, this is a priority.”

“Aye Captain,” he said and quickly disappeared down the hallway.

Then the Captain relaxed in her chair with a long sigh, “It’s embarrassing to say that the princesses got ponynapped right under our noses.” She hit the desk in frustration, “But by the moon above that’s exactly what happened.”

“Could it be because of that dark shadow magic of there’s?” I asked.

She nodded slowly, “Could be yes,” then got up, “But that’s neither here nor there now. Let’s get back to the hospital.”

^_^

(Rarity’s POV)

I tried my best to fix myself before knocking on Fancy’s door, but at this point, it would do little good.

“My word,” came Fancy’s shocked voice with a look to match as he looked me over, “Why Lady Rarity, what are you doing out so late and in such a state?” Moving to the side he motioned me in, “Come in please.”

With a sniff, I walked in and heard the door shut behind me. “I’m...sorry to disturb you-”

“Now now my dear,” he chastised gently, “No need to worry about that. What has gotten you so bothered?”

My tearful eyes finally met his, “Emmit needs to see you at the hospital immediately.”

“Hospital?” he questioned with a concerned look, “Has the lad gotten into trouble again?”

With a nod, I told him, “The shadow ponies took the princesses and if he doesn’t surrender to them within hours...then...” Gently he pulled me into a hug and let me cry against his chest. “I’m...sorry...”

He shushed me, “There now, nothing to be sorry about. I wouldn’t worry about him, the lad can take care of himself.”

I pulled back, now looking at him, “This is...different.” After another sniff, I continued between sobs, “After he...surrenders...to them...there’s a chance...that they’ll...they’ll...” My heart felt like it was being twisted and crushed as the possibility went through my mind. Just the thought of not seeing him again. “I love him so much, Fancy.” He pulled me into a hug again, “I don’t want to lose him.”

^_^

(Fluttershy’s POV)

“Here’s the room ma’am,” the guard told me as he opened up the door to let me in.

“Oh thank you,” he nodded after I thanked him and waited by the door for me. I normally don’t like to go out after dark, but if Emmit needs something then I’ll do it. My whole house could probably fit inside Celestia’s room. Her room is soo big. I don’t know how I could ever find…

“Oh, there they are,” I said softly to myself spotting Emmit’s bag of clothes next to the bed. “Now let’s see,” I muttered after opening the bag to look through it, “He said just the pants.” It took me a minute, but I found them. Long white pants that Rarity made for him shortly after he arrived. After holding them up to take a look at them in order to make sure they were fine, I started to think about him. About when he first arrived. How nopony trusted him at first, including the Princesses. When I thought of how he protected the animals from the Timberwolves I smiled at the good memory. Then giggled when all the little chicks decided to play in his furry tails afterward. Oh my, it was soo cute. I knew he didn’t want them to but he didn’t have to heart to tell them no either. What I’ll always remember is the way he washed me.

Now, why would I think of it like that?

Because there’s a chance that he won’t come back.

Then it struck me. He just might not come back. What will they do to him after he surrenders? Oh dear. I held the pants to me. Oh, Emmit.

^_^

(Twilight’s POV)

“It was my own STUPID FAULT!” I made sure to buck the wall and not any of the bookshelves that were in the restricted section. The sound of my hooves against the stone wall echoed through the whole library. Not to mention the shout I just made. It didn’t take me long to find the spells I needed, but after learning them my mind just couldn’t concentrate. Pacing, and sometimes bucking the wall, was the only thing my fuddled brain wanted to do. “Stupid STUPID TWILIGHT,” I didn’t care if the whole castle heard me or even if my hooves went through a wall. My anger was directed in only one direction.

Myself.

“If you hadn’t told them,” my back and forth pacing echoed the state my mind was in, “then none of this would have happened. If you hadn’t told them, then Luna wouldn’t have gotten mad, then Emmit wouldn’t have gotten hurt, and he would have been able to save them from getting PONYNAPPED!” My hooves slammed into the wall again. “STUPID,” my hooves slammed the wall again, “STUPID,” and again, “STUpid,” again, but not soo hard, “stupid,” I just stood there looking toward the floor as tears fell. My back hooves were throbbing at the amount of abuse I’ve given them in such short of time. But I didn’t care.

It was because of how stupid I was that...that Emmit will have to…

I shook my head violently.

No, don’t think about that. There’s no guarantee what will happen after he surrenders. After we rescue everypony, especially the princesses, then we’ll just rescue him. Yeah, that’s it. Think positive. After the princesses rescue, they can rescue him after we rescue the foals. Sure, everything will be fine. “You’ll see Twilight, everything will be fine after the princesses are rescued. Now let’s head back to his room.” And as soon as I took a few steps my hooves were already complaining.

^_^

(Emmit’s POV)

About an hour after the girls left the room I was using Pinkie’s belly as the pillow for my head. Upon Pinkie’s insistence that is. While Pinkie was humming away while using a hoof to gently rub my head. Rainbow meanwhile, was laying on top of me with her head on my chest. After the girls left Pinkie and Rainbow spent the next thirty or so minutes taking turns at pleasuring not only me but themselves. And if I survive this, then that gave me some wonderful ideas for Celestia, Luna, and I. If they’ll have me that is.

“Rainbow you might want to fix yourself up,” Pinkie suggested with a giggle, “I think they are almost back.”

“Huh?” Rainbow looked up and for a second she was clueless until it clicked for her, “Oh yeah.” She jumped off to go clean herself up in the bathroom.

I just sat up, grabbed the bed sheet, and pulled it up to my stomach and relaxed against Pinkie again. As Pinkie started rubbing my head again I thought of how it would be a good idea to really talk to all the girls during the train ride to Ghastly Gorge. Especially Twilight. If I know her at all she probably blames herself for this whole situation.

“What’re you thinking about?” Pinkie asked softly.

“That I should talk to Twilight during the train ride to Ghastly Gorge,” I muttered before hearing Rainbow trot back out of the bathroom. She was still damp after shaking herself. Not that she cared that much.

“You know she really blames herself,” Pinkie said softly as Rainbow fluttered up to lay down next to me.

“Yeah,” Rainbow agreed while she took a stretch on the bed, “If we know our egghead then she must be beating herself up right now. When she gets like that it’s better to talk to her before she does something stupid.”

“Before who does something stupid?” Fluttershy asked as she stepped into the room with my pants over her back.

“Hey Flutters,” Rainbow greeted with a wing wave.

“Welcome back Fluttershy,” Pinkie waved from under my head.

I waved with a smile and sat up while Fluttershy flew up to land next to Rainbow. “We were talking about how I should talk to Twilight about how bad she must feel right now,” I told her and took my pants from her then holding them up to look at them.

“Oh yes,” Fluttershy agreed, “That is a good idea. She must feel awful about what happened.”

After inspecting them, I pushed away from the bed sheet and rolled away from the girls to stand between the bed and the wall. “You girls will help me with her right?” I asked while putting my pants on.

“Yeppers.”

“Of course,” Fluttershy agreed.

“Duh.”

“Thanks,” I smiled to them after tying my pants then winked to them because they were watching. Pinkie giggled, Fluttershy blushed, and Rainbow just stuck her tongue out at me.

Then came the sound of hooves trotting down the hallway. We all turned to see the door open with Rarity and Fancy walking in. With Rarity looking like she’d been crying. It tugged at my heart to see her cry as much as it did Rainbow or any one of the other girls. “Fancy,” my voice was cordial as I walked around the bed to greet him, “Thank you for coming.” When I reached him one hand reached out for him to shake as the other gently rested on Rarity’s back.

“Of course my good lad,” he smiled shaking my hand and a look on his muzzle that told me Rarity had explained some of the situation to him. “Lady Rarity was good enough to explain some.”

After he said that I knelt down beside Rarity to sideways hug her and whisper, “We’ll talk more on the train alright?” She nodded against my chest before pulling back giving me a sad smile up at me. After smiling back to her I stood up again to sit back down on the edge of the bed, “I’ll explain in full once the Captains get here.”

“Then what?”

“Then, I’ll tell you what will happen after we leave,” I told him, “AJ should be back shortly with the Captains and that would only leave-”

“I’m back,” Twilight popped into the room right in front of me startling everypony in the room. If she noticed she didn’t acknowledge it. And she looked like a mess too. Her mane and tail were a mess as if she stuck her hoof into a light socket. “I got everything I need,” she said to me, even jumping up to put her front hooves on my knees to get close to my face, “Even things I might not need. I got it. So don’t worry, I’m well-prepared.”

Oh yeah, we’ve got to talk Twilight. It was evident with every strand of hair and hitch in her voice that she was putting up a brave front. And that needed to come down. Especially she needed to stop punishing herself. She needed release...bad. However, for right this second though. I smiled to her and pulled her in for a hug wrapping my arms around her, “Thanks Twilight.” At first, she stiffened, but then put her hooves around me hugging me back, though I could feel the proverbial wall still up. “Your my friend Twilight,” I whispered into her ear, “And I love you alright?”

Her head nodded stiffly and slowly against my neck. And I thought I felt a tear against my skin as well. And when she pulled back there was a crack in that wall she put up. And with a light sniff, she sat down on the floor in front of the bed in front of me

And another set of hooves later came both Captains and AJ trotting into the room. “Thanks, AJ,” I said to her with a smile. As Fancy and the Captains greeted each other AJ went over to stand next to Rarity. One look at AJ told me that she was emotional as well, though she’d never admit it though. She’s like Rainbow in that regard. After taking a deep breath I looked between Fancy and the Captains. “Alright,” I began, “I’m sure that you three know that the princesses have been ponynapped by the Shadow Organization.” They all nodded and I could tell that the Captains weren’t happy about it either. “How it happened is neither here nor there at this point. The girls and I will be going to Ghastly Gorge to get the princesses back. However, in the meantime, it’s almost time for the sun to rise and when it doesn’t I’m afraid that ponies might start to panic.”

“If not wondering what’s going on at least,” the Solar Captain nodded.

“Exactly, that’s where you three come in,” I explained. “After we’re gone I want Fancy to be in temporary charge of the council until the princesses return. However, before that, there need to be some arrests on the ones from the council that cooperated and helped the Shadow Organization.”

“That’s where we come in,” the Lunar Captain nodded to me.

“Bingo.”

The Solar Captain put a hoof to his chin, “Well I think we know all of them by now. Yeah, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Good, so then Fancy? Couldn’t you call the council together? And then once inside the guards can take the ponies in question into custody?”

“Yes, I could call them,” Fancy nodded then looked to the guards.

Which looked at each other then nodded in silent agreement. “Once assembled it will be our pleasure to take those ponies into custody. But what to do with them?”

I waved at hand, “Just hold them until the princesses return. Which, if all goes as planned then the sun should rise again in about...” I paused to think it through, “Four or so hours? Give or take? That’ll let everypony know that the princesses are alright.” The guards agreed with a nod. “Good,” I stood up and offered my hand to each, “In that case Captains and Councilpony Fancy, we’ll leave Canterlot in your capable hooves. We have an emergency train to catch to Ghastly Gorge.” After I shook my hand with them and they left, the girls and I left the hospital for the train station.

^_^

The walk to the train station felt like a dead man walking scene. And the girls knew it too. Each one of them. So, there wasn’t any talking. Just walking. We were ushered into the train without a word, but I did give the conductor instructions to stop the train on the bridge over the Gorge and wait for the girls and the princesses. And because this was the emergency train there was only the engine and one car. One car just for us. But hey, at least the seats were the size of queen size beds.

After we got in the girls took a spot on the sofas and laid down. Fluttershy, Rainbow, Rarity, Pinkie, and AJ all took one look at me. And then to Twilight. Yeah, we needed to help Twilight first.

As the train got underway, I moved from my spot by the door to the other end of the car. Where Twilight was laying down and staring out the window. She had gone almost stoic on the walk to the station. And that wasn’t good. She was laying there, alone and a little bit away from everypony as if to distance herself. Maybe not from them, but from me and the situation.

She flinched, just slightly, when she felt my hand upon her head. And when she looked up at me, she wasn’t all that stoic. Some of her was seeping through the crack I made before. I looked her in her eyes when I sat down and cupped her head in my hands. “Twilight-”

“You need to talk?” she interrupted quietly, “What about? I mean we all know what to-”

A finger to her lips stopped her. “Twilight,” I said gently, “You need to stop punishing yourself.” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Fluttershy walk over taking a look at Twilight’s bruised rear hooves.

"But I'm not punishing myself," she protested.

“Um yes you are Twilight,” she said softly.

After looking at them myself I saw that she was right. With a patient sigh, my arms went around Twilight pulling her into a hug. She silently accepted it and even put her front hooves around me.

“Literally,” Fluttershy whispered as AJ walked over to inspect Twilight’s hooves.

“Yep,” AJ agreed, “That’s a sure sign of constant buckin’.”

“Twilight,” I whispered into her ear, “You made a mistake ok? And if you need to hear it, then I forgive you alright Twilight?” That’s when I heard a quiet sniff from her and a drop of a tear against my neck.

“But I’m...” she sniffed again now hugging me tightly, “such a stupid mare.”

I shook my head gently against hers, “Twilight you’re not a stupid mare. You just made a mistake.”

“One that could…,” I felt a few more tears against my skin and a hitch in her trembling voice, “...doom Equestria.”

“Now Twilight Darling-”

“No,” Twilight shook her head beginning to weep, “If I hadn’t told her, then she wouldn’t have gotten mad at you, and wouldn’t have hurt you, and maybe you could have stopped the shadow ponies from taking the princesses, and Luna wouldn’t hate you-”

She was going on and on one word after another without hardly taking a breath. Like Pinkie does when she word rambles quickly. So I stopped her by pulling back and giving her a deep kiss.

“They don’t hate him Twilight,” Fluttershy said while I was still kissing Twilight, “they still love him. Both Celestia and Luna. They told me before I fell asleep. And they won’t blame you for anything.”

My hands were still holding her head when we broke our kiss. Her eyes were locked onto mine filled with tears complete with quiet sobs and lip quivering. The rest of the girls made their way over then climbing onto the sofa seat around us. “Let it go and stop punishing yourself Twilight,” I told her gently.

And the wall she put up finally broke. “I’m sorry,” she whispered before closing her eyes tightly and crying. Wailing was more like it. My arms wrapped around her again pulling her into a hug as the rest of the girls hugged us both in a group hug. Twilight let it all out with the girls reassuring her of their love and friendship encouraging her that everything will be alright.

And finally after about fifteen minutes of constant crying. Twilight cried herself to sleep in my arms. With a smile, I laid her down on the sofa whispering for some of the girls to stay with her. I had a need to get up and walk around. Not that there was anywhere to walk other than the car itself. After getting up, Pinkie, Rainbow, and Fluttershy laid down either against or near Twilight.

I went to the other side and sat down staring out of the window at the passing scenery. Just a bunch of trees and rolling land mostly. After feeling a hoof against my back I turned around sitting down against the back of the sofa seat underneath the window. Rarity and AJ were on either side of me with sad smiles. They weren’t expecting me to pull them into a hug so quickly.

Rarity giggled a little before hugging me back and rubbing her head against my chest.

AJ grumbled but just settled down with a slight blush on her cheeks.

I think Rarity sensed that AJ wanted to talk because she raised her head and kissed my neck. “I love you, Emmit,” she whispered into my ear before turning to look me in my eyes, “and always will.” Then kissing me. It was a slow and lazy kiss but filled with all her heart. My own heart and feelings were in the return kiss. Then she slowly got down to lay down around Twilight.

AJ still had a slight blush on her cheeks and didn’t say anything until the rest of the girls fell asleep. Or at least looked like they were asleep. And I knew that AJ was blushing because of the moonlight that was shining through the windows and onto her face. Her eyes told me that she was more together than the rest of the girls but still had sadness and regret in them. She didn’t pull back or complain when my hand was rubbing her head and then up and down her back either.

“Remember when I told ya to keep your fingers away from me?” she whispered while looking up to me from my chest.

I nodded with a smirk whispering back, “And I told you that I like a challenge.”

She smirked back up at me and with her blush deepening she rubbed a hoof against my chest. “Yeah, well I regret sayin’ that,” she whispered with some embarrassment in her voice.

“Oh?” I encouraged with a wide smile.

She only nodded against my chest. One hand gently rubbed her head and scratched behind her ears. With the other one slowly rubbing up and down her back. AJ closed her eyes before moving into my lap fully straddling it. Moving my butt away from the wall helped her body relax onto mine and I continued my ministrations.

There was no sexual tension here, just me showing her that I cared for her as a beloved friend.

“I can see why the others enjoy those fingers o’ yours so much,” she mumbled against my chest quietly. An amused chuckle escaped from me when she said it.

“Maybe you can ask them to let me bathe you then after this,” leaned down to whisper into her ear then lightly kiss her nose.

She turned her head to look up to me with saddened eyes. “If you get out of this then...” her whole face blushed, “I will and you better come by for dinners or I’ll hog-tie ya and drag ya over.”

I chuckled with a nod.

“And if...” her voice hitched, “If ya don’t...then...I love ya, Emmit. You’re like family.” Then her hooves wrapped around me in a tight hug as she rubbed her head against my chest. My arms went around her as well and held her to me.

“I love you too AJ,” I whispered, “Never in my life did I expect to be here, much less have you and the girls as friends.”

^_^

AJ finally found sleep after about ten minutes of my hand ministrations. Which left me to sit there and think for about an hour while holding her. I couldn’t sleep because I slept at the hospital. While laying there my mind, for some reason, kept going back to the song “Far Over the Misty Mountains Cold” in “The Hobbit” movie. I guess I must have been humming it because Fluttershy walked up.

“That’s a beautiful tune,” she whispered up to me smiling.

I was looking out the window so her speaking up was unexpected. With a hand, I reached up gently scratching behind her ears smiling to her. “Thanks,” I whispered back, “It’s from a play back home. About an evil being wanting to rule the known world. And a small group on a mission to destroy a single object that holds all his power.”

She hummed softly, closing her eyes and tilts her head into my hand, “Sounds like what we’re doing.”

I smirked to her thinking how cute she is, “Yeah it does, doesn’t it?” I decided to sing softly a couple of lines. “Far over the misty mountains cold,” I sang softly just above a whisper, “to dungeons deep and caverns old.” I shrugged when done, “It seemed to fit.”

She hummed in agreement just enjoying my rubbing. My other hand was still lightly rubbing AJ’s back so it wasn’t free. “I’m glad I met you, Emmit,” she whispered now looking up to me with a sad smile, “We all love you.” Then hugged me, being careful of AJ. I hugged her back.

“I’m glad the Tree brought me too,” I whispered back hugging her.

The door between the engine and the car opened with the engineer walking in and up to me. “Ten minutes to the Ghastly Gorge bridge sir,” he whispered. I dismissed him with a nod where he then returned to the engine.

After the engineer left I guess it was then that it really hit Fluttershy what was really happening. She looked up to me with a tear in her eye, then lifted herself up putting her front legs on the back of the sofa so she could lean in. She kissed my lips softly and tenderly, “I love you Emmit and glad you’re my friend.” Then she rubbed her cheek against mine with a soft whimper.

“Me too Fluttershy,” my head rubbed hers as well, “me too.” “Now then,” I whispered while giving her a sad smile after she pulled back, “Go wake up the girls. I need to tell them about my plan. It’s time.”

^_^

About twenty, or so give or take, minutes later I was walking up to the organization’s entrance in my fox form. Twilight went above and beyond and not only made them invisible but completely silent as well. There was no indication at all they were even there, except for the mind link we had with each other. My tails and head stood proudly defiant as I approached the two shadow guards at the end of the Gorge guarding the single stone carved entrance. Twilight, Rainbow, and Fluttershy were hovering above me while the other three were behind me. I didn’t say anything, just stopped at the entrance.

Without saying a word the two unicorn shadow ponies turned and put their horns through two holes in the solid rock face.

That’s not a normal spell is it Twilight? I heard Rarity asked through the link as two marks on the wall glowed.

No they’re not Rarity. Those are ancient runes carved into the stone wall. There was an invisible shield of some sort that glowed brightly before lowering. Nothing was said as the guards motioned me forward and into the stone hallways leading inside. They were used for creating one-way shields way before the joining of the races. In this configuration, you can get out, just not in. Only those that know how to manipulate the runes can lower the shield long enough to let something in.

Thanks Twilight, I told her through the link, Keep an eye out and tell me everything you see. The more I know the better.

Alright Emmit.

My pace was a normal walking pace, but it wasn’t long before another guard began escorting me. I’m assuming that I’ll be taken right to Blackheart herself, so be prepared to activate the Elements when I say so.

Ok.

The hallways were wide enough for five ponies side by side with a high arched ceiling. Magical stone torches lined the hallway giving off an eerie light red glow to everything. And quiet as death save for my paws and the guard’s hooves against the stone floor. It wasn’t long before we walked into a large cavernous room. High arched ceiling with the same torches lining the wall. And filled with stone cells.

We were walking directly through the middle of it. On each side all around us were cells. The guard didn’t complain when I stopped to look around surprisingly enough. He just stopped and waited. What was odd though is the cells had no bars or magic walls to enclose them. And I saw why. Each foal was chained to the wall and the unicorns had suppressor rings on their horns.

There they are, Rainbow announced excitedly through the link, I’ll take a look. Celestia and Luna were lying unconscious in the cell across the room from me. Both had three suppressor rings on their horns and both chained to the wall with thick massive chains. They’re just knocked out with those rings on their horns. And chained to the walls.

I think they were drugged unconscious, Fluttershy mused through the link.

I didn't want to jinx it, but it would appear that getting the princesses, and the foals out, would be easier than expected.

Good, then you know where to come after you use the Elements then. Let’s go. The walk continued from the room down another hallway again. It went on and on seemingly without end. Until I realized that we were walking downward. Deep down into the ground.

Until it opened up into another large cavern. Three times as large as the cell cavern. Shadow ponies filled the room as was as varied in race and color as the ponies of Ponyville. And each eye was cast upon me. If I had to guess then it appeared to be around one hundred at least.

And then I saw her. Sarah Blackheart. A dark coated dark mane and tailed anthropomorphic unicorn pony. Standing tall at the base of an altar of sorts.

Sweet Celestia, Twilight told us, I know that altar. It’s an ancient altar used in dark magic summoning of the dead. It uses ancient runes to gather the souls of the dead into a recently deceased pony. It was rumored to bring the dead back to life or to cheat death by taking over another pony.

It was recently carved too. Grew up on a rock farm remember?

My eyes met Sarah’s as I walked between the two seas of ponies. “So we finally meet then?” she asked me. I just nodded to her while wondering just how much of my mother was really in there.

How do we destroy it to keep them from doing it again?

I’m afraid we can’t AJ, not with the protection runes carved into the stone. We can’t destroy the runes themselves because of the protection runes while at the same time they also protect the stone. If the stone gets broken up then it will reform again.

“They tell me that your name is Emmit. Is that right?” she asked me, but I heard a slight hitch in her voice when she said my name.

I decided to test that by morphing into my human form again. Without my pants and standing tall and proud I said my name while taking a few steps toward her. “My name is Emmit Knight,” I told her proudly while watching her reactions very carefully, “And my mother’s name was Sarah.” There was a slight twitch in one eye, then a single tear fell. “Sarah Knight. And I’ve come to set you free, mother.” Thanks for the information girls, I told them firmly, Now get ready to use the elements on her. After that’s done your only job is to collapse the hallways behind you when you leave this room. Free Celestia, Luna, and the foals then collapse the hallway leading to the outside understood?

But-

No buts Twilight, I said to her while watching another tear fall from Sarah Blackheart, No arguments girls. Just...please...do what I say.

“You were in my dreams,” she muttered softly as she stepped down from her stone dais and strolled up to me. She wasn’t wearing anything, but looked to be my mother’s age, height and build. Just with a pony’s head, feet and lower legs. Her fur coat covered everything. “I don’t understand,” her head shook with my mother’s eyes looking up at me as this abomination stepped up to me, “How could you be in my dreams? And also be the one that’s trying to stop me?” She had four fingers instead of five and all of it covered with fur. She raised a shaking hand up to my cheek rubbing it lightly, then used the other to wipe a tear away. “And why am I crying? Why am I sad and happy? I’m so confused. Why?”

My own heart was being twisted in my heart with my throat feeling like it had just closed up. My own tears streaming from my eyes. I wrapped my shaking arms around her and pulled her in close to me. She didn’t hesitate or resist. But was just as confused. “I missed...you so much,” my voice shook as did my hands as I hugged her, “Ever since that day we lost you.” It was when I felt her hug back that it was time to end this.

Girls! Now!

I felt their power rise as the Elements started charging. When Sarah started to pull back, I hesitated but pulled back just enough to look down. And what I saw in my eyes tore at my heart.

My mother was staring back. Not a mix of the two, but somehow, someway, it was my mother. The recognition was in her eyes. “Emmit?”

“I’m here Mom,” I whispered as her face blurred through tears, “And I’m here to save you.” She didn’t know what I was talking about as we got hit by the rainbow. From my perspective, I had to close my eyes due to the sudden bright light. Then I heard two female screams one in shock and the other in terror.

Then silence.

Until…

“YOU STUPID BITCH YOU RUINED EVERYTHING,” came from a very angry and irate sounding female that I couldn’t place. And when I opened my eyes again there was nothing but white all around me. One dark colored unicorn off to my right in front of me about three or so yards away. She was screaming all kinds of profanities while flailing like mad while being pulled away by an unseen force.

And to my left in front of me stood…

“Mom?”

She was smiling at me and completely ignoring the pony that was quickly fading from view. She nodded, “I’m so proud of you.” Then she wasn’t alone. She suddenly appeared. Bright white coat, red mane and tale, and also smiling to me. Celestia and Luna’s mother.

“There will be time to talk later,” she said while standing next to my mother, “For now, you know what to do.”

I did and it was time to make sure that it doesn’t happen ever again.

^_^

(Celestia’s POV)

My head hurt. It was one of the worst headaches I’ve had. Apparently, I didn’t sleep too well last night if I woke up with this bad of a headache. Actually, now that I think about it, I really haven’t had one in years. Wait...am I being moved?

“I think she’s waking up,” a familiar voice came to me as well as consciousness. “Put her down for a moment,” the same voice requested and felt my body lower to...a stone floor?

When my eyes opened the scenery focused to show Twilight and her friends minus Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. “Twilight?” my voice was a little slurred because I was still a little groggy, “Where am I? What happened?” There was also a deep rumbling sound like many stones rolling down a hill. And why is it a little warm?

“Long story short Princess,” Applejack stepped into view from my right side, “You were ponynapped by the Shadow Organization where they demanded that Emmit show up in order to free you. He had a plan to sneak us in and use the Elements on Blackheart. It worked, she’s gone, we’re getting you, Princess Luna, and the foals out of here while he destroys the place.” Blinking up at them was the only thing that came to mind. That was a lot to take in at once. “And right now we need to get out of here before this place collapses on top of us.”

“Can you stand?” Twilight asked with her and Applejack moving to each side of me helping me up.

“I think so,” I wasn’t all that steady, but I was able to stand again. Ahead of us was Luna being carried by Rarity and Rainbow Dash which were still moving toward a light at the end of this tunnel.

“Alright then Princess let’s go,” Applejack said firmly while staying on one side of me for support.

As we walked my mind was still trying to wrap itself around what happened. “So this is the Shadow Organization?” I asked looking down to Twilight as she too let me use her as support.

“Yes Princess,” she explained as we walked with the rumbling getting louder, “We found you, Luna and the foals in a large cavern in a cell behind us. Suppressor rings on your horn and bound with heavy chains to the wall. We didn’t have time to get the rings off your horn, sorry.”

“That explains why I feel so weak, but why is it so hot?”

That’s when I saw a deep sadness pass through Twilight’s eyes. And through Applejack’s eyes as well when I looked down at her. “Deep underground,” she started explaining with sadness, “is where the ritual took place to create Sara Blackheart. They used ancient runes carved into a stone altar.”

“I think I know what you are referring to,” I mused now feeling a little better and not leaning on them for support, “Ancient runes were used to bring back souls into another pony.”

“Yes,” Twilight confirmed, “Only these were protected by runes also carved onto the same stone which I told him can’t be destroyed.”

I shook my head in agreement, “You’re right they can’t.” Then it hit me. I stopped dead in my tracks. My eyes going wide as it clicked what Emmit was doing. “Unless you melt the stones!” my voice was a whisper as my heart twisted in my chest.

“Princess?” Applejack asked as they stopped to look back at me.

My eyes met Twilight’s, “Twilight I know what he’s doing and we need to get out of here now. We need to get as far from here as we can.” Lowering my horn to her, “Help get the rings off quickly.” Both Twilight and Applejack went to work pulling the rings off.

“How is he going...” Twilight grunted with the first ring, “to destroy those runes?”

“By melting the stones they are carved upon,” I told them as Applejack took off the second one, “As long as you melt the stones then the protection runes are useless. But once those runes are destroyed there will be a magical explosion.”

“Tarnation,” Applejack commented as Twilight got the third one off. With my magic rushing back into me it gave me a dizzy spell for a second. “Careful there.”

“Thank you Miss Applejack,” I thanked her with a smile after steadying myself and ushering them forward, “Now run. Go.” They took off with me right behind them. My heart ached inside for what Emmit had to do. Tears were already falling but I didn’t care. The foals and the safety of my sister, Twilight, and her friends were the priority. I could lose it later.

I was the last one out into the open. The foals were being corralled by Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and now Applejack. While I walked up to my sister and Twilight, Rarity, and Rainbow. “Thank you,” I told them with a smile and used my magic to lift my sister up, “Now to help the foals.”

“We came by train at the other end,” Twilight said then turned around following after her friends. Somehow there were two guards here but they were now unconscious on the ground. After laying my sister on my back I picked them up in my magic then tossed them down the entrance, “Buck you.” Then without a second look took off after Twilight, her friends and the foals.

“Sister?” my running must have woken her up.

“Yes Lulu,” I told her while running and only using my magic to hold her in place on my back, “We’re safe for the moment.”

“What happened? Where are we? Why are we running? And why am I so weak?”

“I know you have a lot of questions,” a loud rumbling came from behind me and it didn’t stop but kept building. “We were just rescued by the Elements from the Shadow Organization. They were in the Gorge and used ancient runes carved into a stone altar to summon Blackheart. We have the foals and we need to get away before it explodes.”

She seemed to accept that but for one part she didn’t get, “I see, but it’s hard to destroy runes in stone isn’t it?”

“Yes Lulu, especially with protection runes,” I yelled back at her because of the rising rumbling coming from behind me. The runes were close to exploding. And I knew after I explained this then Luna wouldn’t take it well. But she has a right to know. “There’s only one way to destroy them. And Emmit is taking care of that as we speak.”

She went silent. “Oh. But the only way to destroy them is...to...” I felt it in her body when she realized just what Emmit’s doing. “NO, NO, he can’t...” she started squirming on my back as the runes started to overload, “he promised...”

I didn’t say anything but kept holding onto my sister while she started to flail in any attempt to go back. “NOT AGAIN...not again PLEASE. I can’t lose him...I can’t handle losing another one...” I had to use my magic around her waist in order to save enough to put up a barrier behind us. “Let me go,” she kept flailing in the air behind me. My own tears streaming down my face as I ran behind everypony else down the Gorge to safety. I wasn’t quite up to strength yet, so using magic to not only hold my sister and a strong enough barrier to protect us would be a little straining.

“It can’t be helped Lulu,” I yelled back to her putting up the barrier, “there’s no time.”

“I don’t care,” she was straining all she could against my magic holding her. Her heart was shattering in her. Like mine was. “I don’t care, I’d rather die with him. Let me go let me-”

Then it happened.

For a split-second, everything went quiet. No rumbling or anything. Then came the explosion that rocked us off our hooves. The sound was muffled because it came from underground, but it was loud enough to push our ears back onto our heads knocking us to the ground. Even though I fell to the ground losing hold of my sister as we tumbled, the barrier was still up. The barrier was paramount.

I took a quick glance making sure the foals were alright. Twilight and her friends had them protected with a barrier or their own. The girls were around the foals protecting them.

Luna was just recovering from the fall and was getting up when my barrier started getting battered by debris.

“NO,” Luna yelled running up to the barrier pounding on it with her hooves, “NO DON’T LEAVE ME. I LOVE YOU EMMIT. YOU HEAR ME? I LOVE YOU, YOU STUPID FOX, I LOVE YOU!”

I love you

My own heart broke in my chest as we heard Emmit’s voice through Luna’s mind link. Luna cried out while I refocused on the barrier.

“EMMIT!”

Next Chapter: Chapter Eighteen: Emmit Estimated time remaining: 3 Hours, 54 Minutes