The bell pinged, the elevator doors opened, and Spike was hauled into the Eye in the Sky room by Twilight Sparkle, Garble, Iron Will and the Shadowbolt Five, the women’s high heeled shoes striding across the dark marble floor.

The number of video monitors had almost doubled. Instead of forty, it was now seventy-two. Twilight hit a key, and Spike’s face stared back at him from all of them. Spike took a step forward. There was a slight whirring sound and the images on the screens shifted imperceptibly, then resumed. His face was staring back at him in real time. Every twitch was his; every bead of sweat tracked times twenty. Smooth three hundred and sixty degrees of controlled rotation. Then they zoomed in so close that they could read the time off a wristwatch.

And it had been outfitted with a Player Tracker. It was an artificial-intelligence security system. It didn’t just think, it reasoned. It read every permutation in every wager in every seat in the entire casino hand by hand. It was wired into floor security cameras that measured pupil dilation and determined if a win was legitimate or expected. It gathered biofeedback, players’ heart rates, and body temperatures. And it measured them on a second-by-second basis whether the standard variations of gaming algorithm were holding or being manipulated. The data itself was analyzed in real time in a field of exabytes.

Simply put, it could not be hacked and it could not be beat.

These were the new high-tech toys that were designed to protect Impossibly Rich’s interests: an entire security system created by an independent surveillance company willing to install it for anyone willing to foot the substantial bill.

Spike froze at what he saw next. Sitting on a couch across the room, was Smolder, Ember, and Dragon Lord Torch, alive and well. They all looked up and stared at Spike. They all had tape around their wrists, but none of them were hurt. Filthy Rich and Diamond Tiara were also bound and sitting with them.

Shining Armor, Fancy Pants, Fleur, Zecora, Lyra and Bon Bon all stood at various points around the room, and Impossibly Rich, clad in a blue sequin gown, stood in front of the two-way mirror looking down at the casino pit, her lips curled in a tentative smirk.

“Imagine a business where people give you money, and you give them back absolutely nothing,” she said.

She turned around to face Spike. He could smell whiskey on her breath and see the glaze of triumph in her eyes.

“Now that’s the real Equestrian Dream,” she added. “Thanks to a few pieces of metal and six of the most beautiful and handsome government agents, I am back on top again. You know, it didn’t have to be like this. It’s too bad. How far you’ve fallen... Like mother, like son.”

She leaned in even closer, so close Spike could almost taste the whiskey.

“It was very kind of you to return my Gates; so very kind,” she went on as she reached into his jacket and took the last three from him. “I’ve finally trapped you, my gallant trespasser. A lamb in the lion’s den—you can’t escape!”

Despite the smile on her face, Spike could hear the anger in Impossibly Rich’s voice. She didn’t like being made to look like an idiot... especially by some kid. Spike opened his mouth, and he chose his words carefully.

“Let me ask you something, and I want the truth,” he said. “Is there any way I can date your granddaughter? Just dinner and a movie, maybe go listen to some jazz... Or invite her for a weekend to New Horseleans. Ramos gin fizzes, oysters Rockefillyer... On second thought, we’ll skip the oysters. I imagine the name Rockefillyer has left a pretty bad taste in her mouth--”

“You’re brave, I’ll give you that,” Impossibly cut him off. “I admire a man with self-confidence. However, in this case, you seem to forget that the odds are always in favor of the house. You play against me, and you’ll lose every time.”

“This game’s not over yet,” Spike told her. “In fact, it’s just getting started.”

“I worked most of my life to acquire those pieces of art your parents helped seize,” she went on. “And then in one fell swoop, it was all taken away from me.”

“They were never yours to begin with!” Spike stated.

“Well, tonight, I intend to be paid in full,” Impossibly Rich said. “I can’t win by regular methods; that would be boring. Boredom leads to stress, and stress is the sworn enemy of beauty.” She looked at Filthy Rich. “Pity that from the beginning our house has always been divided,” she said to him. “Your father walked the path of honest businessmanship. I walked the path of crooked payoffs and seduction. But tonight, I will fulfill my destiny! Five hundred years of history has brought me to this moment! I will see that Rainbow... and I will reap the rewards!”

The curvy woman turned her attention back to Spike.

“Las Pegasus has been my city for 30 years, boy,” she said. “I crawled out of the gutters of Tartarus’s Kitchenette to the top of the Las Pegasus’ underworld. Do you really think you can intimidate me here? I am its ruler, its queen, its goddess!”

“No! You stole everything in this city, including its people! You’re nothing but a coward and a thief, sitting alone on a stolen throne!!”

“You little shit! You dare talk to me like that?”

Spike glared at her, but didn’t respond.

“This is a night people will talk about as long as there’s a Las Pegasus!” she shouted. “And when they’re talking about it, they’ll either be talking about you or they won’t!!”

“She’s headed for the top floor,” Twilight interrupted.

Impossibly Rich looked at one of the monitors and saw her daughter-in-law, Spoiled Rich, riding the elevator up to the Flimflam Brothers’ old office.

“What does she think she’s doing? I tell you, it is impossible to find anyone that is trustworthy and loyal,” Impossibly said. “Wouldn’t you agree, Spike?”

She typed several keys on a nearby keyboard and all 72 security monitors zeroed in on all of Spike’s friends, and not just Discord, Chrysalis, Soarin, Sunburst, Zephyr Breeze, Feather Bangs and the girls. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Sweetie Bot, Sassy Saddles, Coco Pommel, Countess Coloratura, Big Mac, Sugar Belle, Octavia Melody, Adagio, Aria, Sonata, Dear Darling, Fond Feather, Swoon Song, Trapeze Star, Firelight, Stellar Flare, Jack Pot, Tempest Shadow, Rain Shine, and Celestia all appeared on the screens.

Impossibly Rich had seen right through all of their disguises!

Despite his confident statements, Spike knew the situation before him. It was an extremely unpleasant picture. For the first time since his capture, fear came to Spike and crawled up his spine. He hated himself for having entered the Towers, to come here amid these women and attempt to finally defeat them. His idea of aggravating Impossibly Rich with such a plan didn’t offer him comfort any longer. Now he decided that it was an ill-conceived and stupid idea from the beginning. This thought was driven home with a vengeance as Impossibly Rich shifted her attention back to him.

“You and your pets have a lot of nerve to come back here,” she went on.

“They’ve already won 30 percent of our assets,” Abacus Cinch told her.

“Regardless, you can’t possibly intend to buy this place back with those winnings,” Impossibly Rich directed at Spike. “I’m going to make sure you never show yourselves around here again.”

“Shall we call the police?” Iron Will asked.

“There’s no reason to make a fuss over a common rat,” Impossibly Rich replied. “Kill them. Kill them all.”

Spike was stunned, his sense of bravado entirely gone.

“In this town, your luck can change just that quickly. Nothing is absolute in the casino world,” Impossibly Rich told him. “Your friends have had their fun, and now they’re going to die... as will you. And now that I have all thirteen Gates, I will finally see my rainbow! At last, all my dreams will come true! Everything will finally be mine!”

She walked past Spike, grinning. When she reached the door, she looked back over her shoulder.

“Twilight,” she said. “Have fun.”

The door swung shut behind her. Twilight reached into her vest, pulled out a knife, and held the blade to Spike’s cheek, ready to cut him.

“When I’m done with you, you will be begging me to kill you,” she smiled.

“You don’t scare me,” he replied.

“Which will make killing you all the more gratifying!” she spat.

“Hit me with your best shot, bitch!”

“I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long, long time!”

Spike braced himself for the worst, but nothing could have prepared him or what came next: Shining Armor and Fancy Pants drew guns from their jackets, and Fleur, Zecora, Lyra and Bon Bon all pulled guns from the garters tucked beneath their dresses. Fancy Pants pointed a LeMat Revolver at Iron Will, Fleur pointed her small, highly polished Smith & Wesson .38 Revolver at Abacus Cinch, Zecora pointed a .357 Magnum at Garble, Lyra pointed a Colt .45 at Twilight, and Bon Bon pointed her Glock 9 at Twilight as well. But Spike was most astonished when he saw Shining Armor point his Beretta .45 at his own sister.

“Don’t move!” Shining Armor stated. “Equestria Secret Service, you’re all under arrest!”

While Twilight was distracted, Spike kicked the knife out of her hand. Then Twilight kicked Shining Armor’s gun out of his hand. Pretty soon, all the guns went flying. Spike wrestled himself away from Iron Will and Indigo Zap, Lemon Zest, Sugarcoat, Sour Sweet and Sunny Flare all latched on to Iron Will—Indigo leapt onto his back while Sugarcoat and Sunny Flare each grabbed an arm, and Sour Sweet and Lemon Zest onto his legs—and he tried to shake them off. Bon Bon, her blood singing with the battle, dived for the ground and for the gun at Twilight’s feet. She snagged her fallen Glock and Twilight tried to choke her. The two women fought like animals as they grappled for control of the gun.

Twilight kicked the Glock out of Bon Bon’s hand, and then Twilight kicked a hole into one of the cabinets above the minibar. Bon Bon kicked at Twilight, who pulled her leg free of the cabinet, and the women locked high heels with each other for three seconds. Bon Bon forced her weight down upon Twilight through her leg, but Twilight spiraled and kicked herself free again.

While all of that was going on, Shining Armor, Fancy Pants, Fleur and Zecora, helped Torch, Ember, Smolder, Filthy Rich and Diamond Tiara out of the Eye in the Sky room. Suddenly, Garble lunged forward. Spike met the drive and smashed down hard on the traitor’s shoulders as they crashed through the Eye in the Sky room’s picture windows and fell into the casino below. Spike landed hard, but he quickly got to his feet, balancing upon the balls of his feet while Garble charged him. He dodged, letting Garble use his own force to slam hard against a Roulette table.

Caramel and Lucky Clover, who had made their way over to Discord’s table, had no time to react when Discord gave a thick grunt and swung his box full of casino chips, which he was just about to cash out, hitting the two security guards in their jaws and knocking them to the floor in a shower of chips.

“I’m sorry, did that hurt?” he asked them, not feeling sorry at all. “Because it looked like it hurt.”

As he was surrounded by bouncers, Discord discarded his fake moustache, and opened his coat to reveal one hundred fireworks shaped like rockets strapped inside... and the fuses were all lit!

Then all Tartarus broke loose. Shouts filled the air, and the casino was quickly filled with the sounds of screams and cries of pain. Men began to curse violently as Discord’s rockets went flying, and Feather Bangs jumped onto the stage, cradled a microphone, and started singing “Stand My Ground” as the deadly scene played out.

Garble’s henchmen rushed Spike. Fume soared through the air with a flurry of bicycle kicks. Spike threw him to the ground and kicked Clump into a statue, which shattered. Backdraft grabbed a poleaxe from one of the statues on the stairs and leapt the railing, but Spike broke the weapon with a roundhouse kick. Spike then performed a sequence of flips, dodging more weapon blades, and kicked away two more adversaries.

Meanwhile, Applejack parried a flailing left hook with a wrist chop that must have numbed her assailant’s arm for a week, then came in under the following right and buried her own right fist deep in the man’s belly. She heard a belching groan, felt her immediate antagonist crumple and bend and turned to the next one. This one had a split of soda in his hand and as it whistled through the air at Applejack, she came in close and came up butting. Her head and the bottle swinger’s chin made resounding contact.

Charcoal swung a spiked mace at Spike, who punched him before tussling with Fizzle. As Charcoal swung again, Spike ducked and the mace lodged in Fizzle’s head! As Spike finished off more combatants, Maar lunged at him with a pair of Kama-yari fighting picks. Spike kicked her away and stopped a sword with his bare hand. Then Spike delivered a roundhouse kick, knocking Cinders into the statue she had taken the sword from. Spike looked at the hand he had used to block the blade with, but it wasn’t bleeding. There wasn’t even a scratch.

“Impossible,” Cinders said. “He’s not human.”

As Backdraft, Clump and Fume attacked Spike from different sides, he did a backflip high into the air. Landing, Spike grabbed a pair of Sais from one of the statues. He twirled them until one blade faced up, the other down. Spike quickly neutralized Backdraft, then flipped away from a trident strike from Clump. He deftly parried his enemies’ attacks with the Sais. Fume attacked him with a saber and shield, but Spike pinned him to the wall with his Sais.

As Backdraft struck from above, Spike cartwheeled over the swinging sword. Spike threw Backdraft back with an open handed hit to the chest before he grabbed a sword from another statue. Spike kicked his fat adversary, then fought sword to trident with Clump, knocking him against a wall. Without pause, Spike whirled around and reengaged Backdraft.

Soarin twisted to protect his stomach as Skyline Shores’ head hit him in the ribs and the two fists crashed into his body. His breath whistled through his teeth with the pain, but he kept his focus on Skyline’s head and, with a twist that put all his shoulder behind his hand, he whipped in a hard left, and, as Skyline’s head came up, he lashed out with his right to the chin.

The impact of the two blows straightened Skyline and rocked him back on his feet. Soarin was on him like a falcon, crowding him and raining in blows until the thug began to sag. Soarin grabbed at one weaving wrist, dove for an ankle, and yanked it away from the floor. Then he put out all his strength, made almost a full turn to gather momentum, and slung the body sideways across the room.

“Next?” Soarin asked.

Across the casino, Spike blocked a punch from Backdraft as Whip grabbed a spiked club and joined the fray. As Spike ducked, the club smashed through a column. Backdraft attacked again, his arms moving rapidly, but Spike easily blocked each attempt. Still fighting, the pair stepped onto one of the Blackjack tables. Spike leaned back as Backdraft swung, his fists narrowly missing Spike’s face. Facing each other, both men sprung into the air. As Spike blocked a kick, they landed on another gaming table. Spike ducked under a roundhouse kick, and then spun in a series of kicks, but Backdraft dodged each blow. As Backdraft grabbed Spike, Spike cartwheeled out of the hold, before slamming his palm against Backdrafts’s chest. Both men deftly blocked each other’s punches before Spike delivered a succession of quick kicks.

The screams rose, injured men fell from the fray, crashing upon tables falling to the floor, and Feather Bangs sang on; his voice carried over the crowd.

“Drop your weapon!” one of Cinch’s henchmen shouted as they surrounded Pinkie Pie.

“This weapon?” she asked, motioning to the miniature cannon that she was holding. She stomped her foot and an old fashioned Gatling gun suddenly popped out of the floor. “Or this weapon?”

Pinkie squeezed the trigger, swinging the gun from side to side, shredding through the floor to the walls, bullet casing and links raining down from the gun. She only stopped when she ran out of ammunition. The rotating barrel of the gun spun to a stop and Pinkie stared at the carnage. She got one in the leg, one in the ass, one in the crotch, and another once right over his heart, once on the left elbow (when he was on the run) and behind his left ear.

Sassy Saddles’ high good humor soared as she plunged into the battle, using a Craps stick to bat away the other dealers, with Midnight Radiance at her side. Fume speared Backdraft through the stomach and the henchman crashed through a Poker table! As he plummeted to the floor, Midnight Radiance jumped after him with a spear. Three more henchmen quickly followed and Whip cut Midnight Radiance’s spear in half. As the others attacked from either side, Midnight deflected their weapons with the two halves. Pivoting back and forth, he pummeled Clump and Fume. Fume accidently impaled Clump then got knocked out by Whip’s spiked club. Spike smacked the club into the air, kicked Whip onto his back, and caught it. Spike swung the club’s spikey end downward, killing Whip.

Sheer pandemonium gripped the casino as a gunshot came from the Eye in the Sky Room. Twilight, Lyra and Bon Bon were still fighting for control of the latter’s weapon.

Spike saw red. Somewhere in the fierce struggle, he had lost almost all sense of humanity. His temper split and flew, and he saw the red of all the blood that Impossibly Rich had shed and of the fury that threatened to blind him.

Garble locked eyes with Spike again. Spike knew a lot about Garble; none of it was good. He was big, he was crazy, and he was fast.

Then Garble did the stupidest thing he did in his life.

He tried to kick Spike martial-arts style, which is the dumbest thing anyone can do in a street fight. As soon as one foot was off the ground, Garble was off-balance and vulnerable. He came at Spike fast with his body turned sideways like some kung-fu idiot on television. His foot was way up in the air and he led with it, heel first, with his toe parallel to the ground. Spike rocked backward and caught the foot in both hands and heaved it upward. He put every ounce of strength into jerking Garble off the ground, and dropped Garble on his head.

Then Spike finished him.

He kicked Garble in the face as hard as he could and blood spurted as he rolled away. Then Spike stood up straight and turned towards a waiter passing with a cart of food. He picked up a skewer that was holding flaming pieces of meat and aimed it at Garble, who had gotten up and was reaching for a gun.

“Oh, shish,” Garble said.

Spike threw the long kabob at Garble like a spear, impaling him as Garble’s gun went off, and Garble sagged to the floor, the long flaming shish kabob buried up to its hilt in his stomach, its dripping point poking out through his back.

Spike continued to fight blindly with a bloodlust all his own, until he and Shining Armor ended up back-to-back.

“Arrest everybody in sight!” Shining shouted into his radio.

Spike punched Caramel, knocking him to the floor, before glaring at Lucky Clover. Then Caramel pulled a gun and fired at Applejack, causing Fluttershy to duck and cover her ears as AJ pulled out the Glock that Soarin had given her earlier and returned fire. Sunset Shimmer flipped a table, spilling drinks. AJ’s bullets ignited the spilled liquor, which spread to Caramel. AJ shot Caramel in the head and his burning body dropped. Chrysalis slammed Lucky Clover down to the floor and landed on top of him. Again and again she drove her fist into Lucky Clover’s face. People scattered in panic as Starlight Glimmer sprinted towards the commotion. Rainbow Dash took cover behind the bar as a bullet ripped through a small cask on the counter. She drank some of the liquor as it fell from the cask before she clubbed Cold Forecast over the head with an empty whiskey bottle.

Suddenly, Iron Will grabbed Spike from behind, causing his Fire Ruby to fly from his jacket. Then it was kicked away. Spike kicked and punched Iron Will’s belly, and the towering motivational speaker stared down at him, completely unaffected. Spike pummeled Iron Will’s face before Iron Will grabbed Spike and slammed his head onto the bar. Lucky Clover, who quickly recovered from the beating Chrysalis had given him, struck a match, spilled a bottle of liquor onto the bar, and set it on fire. The flames raced toward Spike at the other end as he looked at Rainbow Dash.

“Champagne,” he said weakly.

Dash handed Spike a bottle. He grabbed it by the neck and smashed it over Iron Will’s head, causing them to both fall back just before the fire reached them.

Spike felt like a lumberjack confronting a redwood tree without an ax or a chainsaw. Where to start? Iron Will was a lot bigger than Garble. He was big, heavy and strong, very strong. He outweighed Spike by two hundred pounds, maybe more. If he hit Spike, Spike would go down; and if Spike went down, he would never get up again.

Spike decided to kick him in the kidney. It was the kind of kick that would have sent a football out of the stadium and into the parking lot. It would have put most guys in the hospital all by itself. It had as much effect on Iron Will as a polite tap on the shoulder. No sign of reaction, he didn’t even make a noise. It was like Spike hadn’t touched him at all.

Iron Will exploded, launching his right arm around in a giant roundhouse strike. Spike side-stepped, ducked under the arm, and bounced up again and spun around. He came at Spike again, same move. Spike ducked, and then punched Iron Will. Spike evaded another attack and struck him again. Spike crashed an elbow into Iron Will’s side and he spun under the big man’s arm again. Spike dodged away again and felt the breeze as Iron Will’s giant fist passed an inch above his head. Iron Will was breathing a little heavier than Spike and Spike began to feel that he had a chance.

He was actually a very poor fighter. A lot of very big guys are. Either their sheer size is so intimidating it stops fights from ever starting, or it lets them win every one directly after their first punch lands. Either way, they didn’t get much practice and they didn’t develop much finesse. Spike put everything he had into his next attack, and his elbow crashed Iron Will’s face. He staggered back and Spike followed up with a colossal right to his jaw. Then he danced back to see what damage he’d done.

None.

Spike’s punches had been the hardest he’d ever thrown in his life and Iron Will was sporting a wide grin. That’s when Spike realized that Iron Will was going to take his sweet time. He was really going to enjoy himself. Spike raised his fists, and then kicked Iron Will, who caught the following punch, then jabbed Spike in the face, giving him a bloody lip. As Spike prepared to strike again, Iron Will punched him. Spike took another hit before repeatedly punching Iron Will’s face, giving the big guy a bloody nose and mouth.

Iron Will’s mouth was hanging open when Spike let go with an uppercut. It should have broken his neck as well as his jaw, but the blow did nothing at all. Absolutely nothing; just rocked him back an inch. He shook his head once and hit Spike in the face. Spike saw it coming and did all the right things: he whipped his head back and opened his mouth wide so that he wouldn’t lose teeth from both parts of his jaw.

Iron Will had blood on his face, but other than that he looked completely normal. His tie was still neat, he still had his suit coat on, and he was still smiling. Spike danced around Iron Will as he swung a huge left hook. Spike knocked it aside and landed a short left on the man’s broken nose. Then Spike kneed him in the groin. His head snapped forward and Spike snapped it back when he elbowed Iron Will in the throat. Then he stabbed his thumbs into Iron Will’s eyes.

Spike landed several more strikes until he finally knocked Iron Will to the floor. Then Applejack smashed a table over the big man’s head. He went down hard and the lights dimmed around him. He didn’t get back up.

Rarity chased after the Fire Ruby as it slid across the casino floor while people fled. She rushed for the necklace, trying to grab it, only for someone to kick it away again. Tirek and Grogar frantically collected their winnings from the table as Sombra grappled with the dealer. With chips stuffed into his suit jacket, Sombra scrambled to his feet and ran off. Suri Polomare aimed a gun at Rarity from the bar and Rarity flinched as a gun fired. But it wasn’t Suri’s. Then Rarity watched as blood dribbled from Suri’s mouth, and she fell dead, revealing Coco aiming a gun from behind her. Discord took a slamming punch upside the head. Disoriented, he struck out blindly and made contact with Copper Plume’s nose.

Two of Spoiled Rich’s bodyguards threw Spike onto a serving cart, which crashed into the band. Crawling on the floor, Rarity tried to grab the Fire Ruby, but a screaming woman kicked it away. Spike dove for the Fire Ruby as Rarity tried to grab it again. Sweat glistening on his face, Spike spotted several more armed bouncers enter the casino. They threw knives at Spike, which stuck into the statue behind him. Spike grabbed a drum cymbal, threw it like a Frisbee, and it hit one of the knife-throwers in the face, knocking him back into two ice buckets.

“Sweetie Bot, sharpshooter mode!” Sweetie Belle shouted.

Sweetie Bot nodded and clenched her right fist. When she unclenched it, her five fingers collapsed and transformed into gun barrels. She held out her changed hand and fired! Another riot broke out. Other customers had joined in by this time and the musicians deserted their mistreated instruments to lend Spike’s crew a hand. The air became filled with shouts, curses, the sounds of splintering wood and breaking glass. The brawl was getting sticky: everybody was jammed so closely together that it was hard to get a full swing at a target, much less defend against potshots from the flanks.

Eight more shots fired from Bon Bon’s gun and people reacted instinctively. Women screamed and everyone started stampeding for the exits, turning over blackjack tables as different-colored chips flew everywhere, piles of them strewn across the floor. Their fear was contagious, and the rest took flight with them. Some people started grabbing the chips but Shining Armor ordered them to drop them and head for the exits. He and Fancy Pants, with the help of Thorax, Pharynx, Soarin, Zephyr Breeze and Feather Bangs, quickly evacuated the building.

“I’ve got multiple shots fired at Rich Towers!” he shouted into his radio. “Get S.W.A.T. teams, fire crews and paramedics down here now!”

Twilight tore the gun from Bon Bon’s hands and shot her in the back. Then she bolted from the Eye in the Sky Room as the crowds vanished.

After what seemed like an eternity of listening to the frightened voices and screams of panic from the women, of having his body battered and tossed with each hit from another person, silence erupted like a bell in Spike’s ears.

The entire place was empty.

Amidst the diminishing crescendo of echoes, he lay in the center of the casino floor, his legs braced with the last effort and the breath rasping in his throat. Slowly, he lifted one hand and ran it through his dripping hair. Finally, when his harem helped him to his feet, he did so.

“Torch is still alive,” he said. “We have to get to the Brothers’ office.”

He ran for the elevator bank, but halfway up the carpet, the girls stopped and Spike turned to see what was holding them up.

It was Twilight. Her eyes were red and angry, and Applejack, Sunset Shimmer, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Starlight Glimmer, Trixie, Indigo Zap, Sugarcoat, Sunny Flare, Sour Sweet, Lemon Zest, Fleur de Lis, Sassy Saddles, Moon Dancer, Vinyl Scratch, Coco Pommel, Countess Coloratura, Adagio Dazzle, Aria Blaze, Sonata Dusk, Stellar Flare, Tempest Shadow, Smolder, Ember, Rain Shine, Chrysalis, Celestia and Discord all turned to face her.

“Spike, go after Impossibly Rich, we’ve got this,” Discord said.

Spike didn’t move. He didn’t want to leave them with her.

“Don’t worry, we’ve got this!” Disocrd reassured him.

Applejack hauled Spike in for a kiss on the lips, so did Sunset, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie, Rarity, Moon Dancer, Trixie, Coco, Fleur, Coloratura, Tempest, Rain Shine, Chrysalis, and finally Celestia.

“Now go,” Celestia told him.

Spike nodded, then turned and ran off toward the elevators.

He had just gotten to the floor where the Eye in the Sky Room was when the doors opened to reveal Lyra and Bon Bon. He looked at Bon Bon, who had a bloody bullet wound in her side.

“You’re bleeding!” he exclaimed.

“I’m fine!” she gritted through her teeth.

“You need help!” Spike said. He glanced down, shaking his head. “I didn’t know which side you were on,” he added in honesty.

“Well, now you do,” Bon Bon smiled in reply.

“Don’t worry,” Lyra told Spike as she helped her girlfriend to the stairs. “I’ll make sure she gets out safely.”

Meanwhile, on the casino floor, Discord and the bulk of Spike’s harem faced off against Twilight.

“We’re not going to hold back on you this time,” Rainbow Dash told her. “We are gonna kick your ass, and then we’re gonna take your ass to jail.”

Twilight balled her left hand into a fist, used it to wipe some blood away from her lips, and whipped out a pair of white ivory chopsticks. She held them menacingly before using them to carefully tie her hair back into a tight bun on top of her head. Then she cast off her jacket and took a sword from one of the statues.

Discord, Applejack and Sunset each saw a sword from three of the now broken statues that were lying on the floor by their feet. They stomped on the handles, the blades twirled into the air, and they caught them by the handles.

“Now, let’s settle this,” Discord stated.

Twilight flinched. “Why are you still getting in my way?” she demanded. “You are always doing this! Acting all high-and-mighty, like some bigshot! Taking everything that was rightfully mine!”

“Twilight!” Applejack shouted. “In a way, I get where you’re coming from; I lost to the Richs, too. And then I had to work with them. But whatever happened, I never wanted to be them... unlike you!”

“Damn you!” Twilight cursed. “Faust, damn you!!”

Then they—Applejack, Sunset Shimmer, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Starlight Glimmer, Trixie, Indigo Zap, Sugarcoat, Sunny Flare, Sour Sweet, Lemon Zest, Fleur de Lis, Sassy Saddles, Moon Dancer, Vinyl Scratch, Coco Pommel, Countess Coloratura, Adagio Dazzle, Aria Blaze, Sonata Dusk, Stellar Flare, Tempest Shadow, Smolder, Ember, Rain Shine, Chrysalis, Celestia and Discord—all attacked her!

With one high sweep of her leg, Twilight knocked Sunset and Starlight away. Rainbow and Indigo tried to grab her from both sides and she locked her arms around theirs. As she kicked her feet up, clipping Sunny Flare and Rarity’s chins, Twilight backflipped free of Dash and Zap. She warded off blows from Ember, Smolder, Pinkie and Lemon Zest, knocking them down. As Sour Sweet attacked from behind, Twilight threw her into Sugarcoat and Vinyl. Spike’s harem kept attacking, some two at a time, but Twilight easily punched them away.

A punch from Tempest sent Twilight stumbling back into Adagio. Twilight grabbed Adagio’s hair and flipped her over. Adagio tumbled through the air and bowled over Aria and Sonata. Twilight leapt six feet straight up and kicked Sunset in the chin. Springing back into a handstand, Twilight kicked Fluttershy. As she came forward on her feet, she punched Pinkie before Rainbow and Indigo rushed her from each side. Leaping up, Twilight kicked them away and then drop-kicked Trixie. Twilight lunged at Applejack, who cut Twilight’s left cheek with her sword before throwing her across the casino and into a Blackjack felt, which crashed under her weight.

“It hurts, doesn’t it?” AJ asked. “But it’s nothing like the pain you made Spike feel! Not even close!!”

Getting to her feet, Twilight disarmed Applejack and continued to defend herself against the endless barrage of women.

“How could you do this to us?” Sunset demanded before she cut Twilight’s right elbow. “Spike trusted you and you tried to kill him!”

After grabbing her from behind, Pinkie sniffed Twilight’s neck, and said, rather genuinely, “You smell good.”

Twilight kicked Pinkie, leg over her shoulder, forcing her to let go, before Twilight decapitated one of the statues. Then Twilight did a forward handsprint, sending Coco flying into Rain Shine and Stellar Flare. Twilight kept dropping one woman after another until she charged Applejack, who had grabbed one of the platinum Roulette wheels and started using it as a shield.

A punch to the face from Chrysalis sent Twilight flying ten yards back and over another Blackjack felt. She sprung to her feet and fought off Indigo, Sour Sweet, Sunny Flare, Sugarcoat and Lemon Zest before the others rejoined the fray. As Tempest and Fleur punched Twilight simultaneously, she flipped through the air and landed her feet against a wall. Pushing off, she flew head-first into the Dazzlings. As the harem kept coming, Twilight flung herself into a series of midair somersaults and landed 40 feet away from the pack. They all converged on her!

Spinning to her feet, Twilight ran at Applejack again, kicked the Roulette wheel away from her, and AJ picked up a chair for defense. Twilight turned her body forward, back and sideways, knocking several women away with each flip. Using Rarity for leverage, Twilight fanned out her legs and kicked Starlight, Trixie, Stellar Flare, and Discord down. Pushing off of Vinyl’s chest, Twilight soared, face up, across the casino until Rainbow Dash flew through the air and tackled her to the ground.

Twilight got to her feet again and faced the swarm of women. As she leapt into the air, she kicked Indigo in the chest, swung her leg around, and kicked Sour Sweet in the face. A powerful punch from Applejack sent Twilight into a wall, which crumbled upon impact. Applejack then kicked Twilight back against a column, and Twilight ducked as AJ shattered the cement with two heavy blows. Then Tempest landed a roundhouse kick against Twilight’s face. Twilight scowled at Tempest and Applejack as she removed her glasses, one of the lenses broken. Grabbing a cue stick from one of the billiard tables, Twilight swung the wooden staff, slamming it against Starlight. The others stopped dead in their tracks.

Twilight twirled the five-foot wooden pole, and then rested it on her shoulder in a ready stance. Gritting their teeth, Spike’s harem advanced on her. Twilight held the cue stick out in front of her and spun like a top 15 feet in the air. Landing, she batted Sunset across the casino, and then slammed down on Vinyl. Twilight crouched amid a circle of women. Spinning, she wiped them out with one swipe of the staff. As more moved in, she batted Pinkie away before sending Rainbow Dash 50 feet straight up. Indigo flew at Twilight from behind, but she swatted her away. Moon Dancer charged and Twilight swung, driving her into a Blackjack felt. Sour Sweet and Lemon Zest grabbed each end of the horizontal cue stick. Twilight swung from its center, kicking Sunny Flare and Sugarcoat. She punched Sour Sweet and Lemon Zest, causing them to drop it. As Twilight warded off Rain Shine and Chrysalis, the others charged, forming a circle around her.

Twilight sprung into the air as Sassy lunged her. Pinning the pit boss to the ground with the cue stick, Twilight vaulted over it. Twilight held the pole upright and spun around it horizontally. Pumping her feet, she ran on the chests and faces of the women circling in on her. As Twilight spun the cue stick in a low circle, Spike’s harem leaned all the way back. As Tempest attacked, Twilight lost the cue stick. She continued to fight them off, and then leapt into the air and ran surefooted across their shoulders and heads. As Twilight slung Rainbow Dash off (after Dash had lunged at her again), more sprung up and toppled Twilight to the carpet. They tried to pile over her, but Twilight exploded out from under them, scattering them in every direction. Twilight held Dash across her shoulder and spun around. Taking Dash by the ankle, Twilight slung her into the pack and they fell in a heap like bowling pins. Dash coughed blood. As Twilight charged her, Celestia lifted herself on one arm and kicked Twilight in the chest. Celestia punched Twilight in the chest, then Twilight grabbed Celestia’s arms and head butted her. Celestia wedged her knee between them and freed herself. Twilight grabbed Celestia’s arm, then kicked her in the face. Celestia ran at Twilight, but Twilight dodged, landing a blow to Celestia’s chest.

Celestia looked up at Twilight, who sneered, then pushed herself to her feet. Twilight’s face dropped as Celestia swung her arms into a Kung Fu stance. She took a deep breath then waved Twilight toward her. Twilight swatted Celestia’s hand away, only for Celestia to jump into the air and kick Twilight in the head. She landed and threw a punch, but Twilight caught it inches from her chin. Celestia extended her fingers, poking Twilight in the throat. Celestia slugged Twilight in the side of the head then kicked, but Twilight grabbed her leg and threw her aside.

Twilight black flipped again before battling Discord. He slowly blocked Twilight’s attacks, staring blankly at her hands, then turned to the side and defended himself with one arm. He caught Twilight’s arm, then kicked her away. Twilight looked up, stunned. She grabbed two more swords from another statue. Using new swords from other warrior statues, Discord and Applejack reengaged Twilight and she met their charge, swinging desperately. As Twilight’s blade slashed through another one of the statues, Applejack and Discord knocked her down. She leapt at Discord and Applejack, and stabbed them in their chests.

They both screamed and fell back against a table with Applejack clutching her left breast, Discord his torso. Twilight windmill kicked a statue on top of Discord, but the double-bladed halberd in its stone hand ricocheted back and pieced Twilight through the shoulder. With blood dribbling from her mouth, Twilight dropped to her knees, staring at Discord and Applejack in disbelief. Then Sunset walked toward Twilight, considered her options, and kicked Twilight in the head, knocking her out.

“When are you ever going to learn?” she asked. “Never mess with Sunset Shimmer’s friends!”

Sunset turned to look at Discord as he lay sprawled out on the floor, his head in Fluttershy’s lap. The women all rushed to his side.

“Discord!” Fluttershy cried. “Please, wake up! Please, wake up...”

“I think I’m done for,” he said quietly. “Everything’s getting dark. Girls, will you hear my last wish?”

“What?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Fluttershy, be kind; Applejack, stay honest; Rarity, keep being generous; Rainbow Dash, never stop being loyal; Pinkie, continue to bring laughter wherever you go,” he said. “And all of you... tell Spike that I did my best... and please forgive me...”

His head drooped back and Fluttershy wept.

“Just kidding!” Discord laughed. “I’m okay! I live to die another day!”

He was faking.

“You son of a--!” Dash exclaimed.

Discord reached into his jacket and Applejack reached through the slice in her dress. Instead of their hands covered in blood, they came out with thick wads of cash. The large stacks of counterfeit bills they had pocketed from Impossibly Rich’s truck as evidence kept the swords from stabbing them.

“Thank you, Neighsay,” he told the faces on the bills. “Thank you.”

The girls helped him to his feet and Discord stood over Twilight’s body.

“We could have been great together! We could have been somebody! People were going to ship us! They were going to call us as ‘Dislight’, or ‘Tricord’!” Discord shouted. “No, definitely ‘Dislight’... But you are one crazy-ass bitch!”

The group stumbled away, grimacing, and jogged toward the elevators.

Stay tuned! Spike's final showdown with Impossibly Rich is about to begin!