Excitement ran thought Twilights veins, but only temperaroy. All this time had passed since she escaped from the lab that held her in her unfufilling past, and only now, did she get a lead to where one of her main freinds was being held. What made matters worse, was that the one lead she had, was Kludgetown, the place where they were almost sold into slavery, the place where twilight got the idea of not to trust anypony outside of Equestria, and now she had to go back. Considering how bad she saw the state of Equestria currently, espicaly the changeling hive, Kludgetown was the last place she wanted to be right now.

"Klugetown? Is that realy where we have to go?" Shining Armor looked at Twilight.

"I'm afraid so. But considering that you've been there before, I'm sure you won't have any problems." Shining had no idea.

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The Bone dry desert... Where there was nothing but miles of sand, or at least that's what it was like when Twillight first ventured through here. Now several mechanical oil drills dotted the landscape. If Twilight had to guess, they were what harvested the resource known as Kludgeoil, that strange purple substance. It was still hard to belive that the residents of Kludgetown didn't discover many uses for the substance.

The auto carriage then came into view of the settlement looking much more industrial than the last time she visited. The auto carriage then slowed to a halt, with a blinking E showing up on the dashboard.

"It looks like we are empty. Sorry Twily, looks like you'll have to walk the rest of the way."

Twilight was a bit annoyed that she had to continue the rest of the journey on hoof, but she was at least grateful that she didn't have to walk the entire way like last time. She put on her mask, and setted off.

As twilight arrived in Kludgetown, the common shadyness of the town remained, but it was also accompanied by a sense of dread. She made sure not to get herself detected, yet that seamed alot easier than it should have. Most of the towns residents were no where to be seen, making the place feel like a ghost town. Birds flew freely through the skies giving off loud gawks as they passed. What was going on here?

Twilight then heard metal legs approaching her position, and down the street, a large walker patroled the area, similar to the ones she saw at Appleosa. Only this one had guns attached to it's arms, indicating it was a police vehicle, and on it's back, a tank of purple oil. Nearly every vehicle in New Equestria ran on the stuff, and if Twilight was going to get Shinings auto carriage back to the hideout, she had to get some. She made her way across the rooftops, which was thankfully very easy due to the structure of the town, and looked for any unused canisters.

Twilight also noticed that the puddles of kludgeoil that were prevelant upon her first visit were all but gone. Guess they didn't want anycreature to get ahold of any unmarked containers. She made her way to the center of town, but slipped and fell down a series of cloth overhangs into an alley. Once she hit the ground, she could see a large figure that reselmbed one of the kludgetown residents. He turned around and saw Twilight.

"Ah..! Please don't hurt me! I don't have any oil! I swear!"

He then turned around and ran away. That was odd, kludgetown residnets would usually never run at the sight of anycreature, let alone a pony. Maybe the shadow striker outfit was too intimidating for them? Or was it something else? Reguardless, Twilight got back up and continued on her way.

Eventually, she got to the middle of town and understood why that resident fled in fear. Kludgetown was under NEM occupation. Several guards patroled the streets along with those walkers she saw eariler. In one part of the town she saw something she thought that she would never see. It was a NEM guard being down on a storm creature.

"See! That's how it feels!" The guard yelled at the blue yeti like being.

"You think you're so tough? Well you're not!"

His anger built up as he punched and kicked the creature who was now begging for mercy. Twilight could also make out several other storm creatures being forced carry barrels of oil thier destination. Wherever that was. Oh how the tables have turned, first the storm creatures enslaved the ponies, now the ponies enslaved them. As Twilight was looking at the landscape ahead of her, she was hit on the side of her head by what felt like a paper airplane.

"These are still made?" Twilight asked herself.

She opened up the paper device, and there was a note scribbled on it.

"To the Shadow striker,

I've heard about your little crusade to bring down the rign of lord Neighsay. Such a goal is not easily obtained hwoeverr, as you are going to need all the help you can get. Meet me on the ledge of the central tower, where the old windmill used to be. Come alone.
A friend."

This must have been the contact that Shining Armor told her about, and now she knew where to find him, or her.

Twilight had just clibed onto the ledge of the old windmill. The fan that it once had was now gone, and Twilight still remembered what happened to it when she and her friends were fleeing Tempest shadow. It seamed not too long ago, but still so far away, as this town was now a much more different, and a much more dangerous place. Twilight turned her head, and she saw an anthropormophic cat wearing a shady cloack, and pointing a rifle at her.

"Did you come alone?" the figure asked. Twilight already had a good idea as to who this was.

"I did."

"Good. Follow me" Twilight followed the figure up a ladder further in the tower, and entered a familiar room. Once inside, the figure removed his hood, and revealed his identity.

"Capper... How did you find out about me?" Twilight asked. "You made quite a scene at the changeling hive. The NEM is searching relentlessly for you now." Twilight was well aware of that.

"Oh and you don't have to keep that mask on, I already know who you are, Twilight Sparkle."

While Twilight was a bit disturbed that Capper knew her secret idenity, she was glad that it was Capper who knew, rather than somecreature that was likely her enemy. She removed the mask and wiped her forehead.

"I suppose you're the contact my brother told me about?"

"He's your brother? I figured you were just a band of refugees, not nessecarrly family." Capper had a lot to learn indeed.

The safe house that the two were in looked very different from the last time they met. There was a large amount of machinary and devices that Twilight didn't reconize placed against the walls. If she had to guess, a good fraction of them were some sort of communication devices, which also meant that Shining had some back at the hideout. The purple alicorn was certainly a science expert, yet all of this new technology was still so foreign to her.

"Capper, I was told that you knew where Rainbow dash is being held, is any of that true?" Capper looked over to Twilight and nodded.

"A while back, this Neighsay guy had an off-shore platform constructed just north of Mount Aries. I then saw a heavily guarded airship fly out there. Once it arrived, I managed to spot a couple of guards unload a stretcher with what looked like your rainbow maned friend strapped down to it. Strangely enough, she wasn't fighting. That probably means she's either unconsious, or dead."

Twilight was set on believing that she was alive. If they kept her alive, then certainly they would have a good enough reason to keep dash alive as well.

"Well where is this base?"

Capper pointed out the window. The purple alicorn peaked out, and saw a metal platform with what appeared to be a tower sticking out from it. However there wasn't much on the surface level of the faclity, which meant that the majority of the compound had to be underwater.

To the platforms right stood Mount Aries, and much like Kludgetown, it had a series of those grey metal buildings built into the mountainside. Twilight didn't want to know what the NEM were doing to the Hippogriffs, espically if the sights from the Changeling Hive is anything to go by.

"I need to get inside. Do you know of a way in?" Twilight asked.

"I'm afraid I don't know. Sorry."

Even though there was no secret way in, (At least not to either of thier knoledge) Twilight did have some ideas as to how to get in. The first was to directly fly over the sea onto the platform. This was probably the worst idea, as it would leave her open to attack from several angles, including what appeared to be a artilery cannon that pointed at the facility from Mount Aries. The second way in was quite possibly underwater, which meant that Twilight had to get a shard of Queen novos pearl, which were most likely seized by the NEM, and Twilight wasn't about to risk a mission to Mount Aries to get something that probably wasn't even there. Regardless, Twilight had to find a way in. Suddenly, the anouncement sound was heard all throughout Kludgetown, with a following announcement.

"Attention New Equestria Citizens. Be on the lookout for a mysterious mare wearing a cloak and mask. She was last seen at the Changeling Hive, and has murdered several NEM soldiers in cold blood. In addition, many changelings have recently escaped custody, including thier Leader, Thorax. If you see anyone you might suspect to be a changeling, do not aprehand them! Notify an inquisitor immediately."

As the closing sound played, Twilight felt rage building up inside her. The changelings that she rescued were in no way a threat to anypony. After moments had passed, she bucked a nearby table in frustration.

"Hey take it easy." Capper had apparently noticed Twilights rage.

"I'm sorry.... It's just... what I saw in the changling hive were horrific things that no creature should ever have to experiance. And that anouncer just stated that the changelings are a threat...."

Twilight stopped for a few seconds before continuing.

"This just shows how heartless Neighsays followers truely are...."

Capper didn't disagree there. He had seen how the NEM have treated the storm creatures, and while he wasn't a huge fan of the storm kings once loyal followers, he couldn't help but feel bad for them.

"How did Neighsay take over so easily? I'm sure the storm creatures here would never back down that easily." The cat-like creature looked out the window with sorrow on his face.

"It all started when an army of ponies in red armor marched twoards Kludgetown. Neighsay then ordered the town to surrender and be annexed into "New Equestria" as he calls it. Verko then came right up to Neighsay and said that he had no buisness in asserting control over his community. After that, Neighsay grabbed Verko, and stabbed him numerous times. While Verko was bleeding out on the floor, all the NEM soldiers drew thier weapons and pointed them at the citizens. Immidately they all surrendered. I saw all of this from this very window...."

"Well.... At least you don't have to worry about your debt." Capper didn't seam to feel any better from Twilights joke.

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Shinning Armor had just finished pushing the Auto carriage into a concealed place. Twilight had been gone for quite a while now, and he started to worry if she was going to come back. But Shining knew that such an assumption was nonsence. Twilight has experiance in doing these dangerous missions, and if anypony could pull them off, it was her. However one of Shinings main concerns was getting a resupply of Kludgeoil for the vehicle he had spent the past half hour pushing. How was Twilight going to smugle oil out of the town without drawing attention? Shining came to the conclusion that if he was going to refil the tank of the auto carriage, he would have to do it himself.

He saw what appeared to be a fuel depot nearby, as well as a couple of storm creatures carrying some barrels of the substance. Shining Armor headed twoard the compound, and readied his rifle. If he could get the storm creatures to start a riot, it could give him enough time to properly get away with a barrel of the substance. This was not going to be an easy feat however, as the storm creatures all looked as if thier morale was destroyed. But if the invasion of Canterlot during the friendship festival is anything to go by, they were certainly more than capable of doing damage.

The white unicorn reached a loading bay where two storm creatures loaded barrels of oil onto a carriage with some sort of flatbed. Shining snuck under the vehicle, hoping that some guards wouldn't look under it. Even though Shining had a proper weapon unlike her sister, he was not as sleek or acrobatic as her, though that was probably due to the fact that she was an alicorn. As Shining tried to come up for a plan, the Carriage started. As much as shining wanted to hijack the auto carriage loaded with oil and drive it away, doing that would attact too much attention. He came out from under, and slipped into the door to the compund as it was closing.

Before Shinings eyes were colums of shelves filled with barrels of oil. All of this was being used to fuel vehicles, that were most likely being used to oppress people. As the white stalion made his way down the eisles, he noticed a lone NEM offical standing against the wall. Shining snuck up on him, and pointed his rifle to the gurads head.

"Disarm yourself. Now!"

The NEM officer dropped his weapon, and Shining tossed it across the room.

"You are way in over your head Shining.... Don't think I don't know about what happened at the Changeling hive..."

Shining wasn't going to let this one pony intimidate him.

"I know about the Atocities that happened at the hive. Don't tell me that what the Shadow Striker did was wrong!"

The guard just chuckled.

"That's who this pony is called? The Shadow Striker...?"

The guard turned to face shining.

"So this one pony.... Who managed to get in and out of the hive, thinks that he can bring down everything we've built..."

"If by building you mean enslaving and torturing all non ponies, then I would love to see it all go down."

The guard just gave Shining a dirty look.

"My oh my Shining.... You truely are pathetic.... Just like the rest of the Royal Guard...."

Shining was tempted to just pull the trigger, but feared that others might here and come for him.

"We gave you an offer Shining, to join our ranks, to rise to new heights! And what did you do? You threw that chance away....."

Rage was building inside Shining Armor.

"I just don't get it... The changelings imprisioned your wife and nearly elslaved you to be nothing more than a thrall for thier queen, yet you refuse to join the very group that stands a chance at defeating them? Dross!"

Shining wasn't sure how much longer he could hold his cool for.

"So, did Thorax try to use fake tears to make you feel guilty? I guess his begging was so convincing, that you just had to show him mercy when his minions would show none. Hell, I have the feeling that the Shadow Striker is really you!"

The fuse went out, and Shining threw a heavy punch right at the officers face, knocking him out instantly. He had let this one offical torment him, but he at least didn't fully lose his temper, and did something that he would regret. He took what appeared to be a key from the guards body, and continued into the compound.

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"This is the main terminal that I have been using to communicate with your brohter. It can be used to connect to other terminals in a specific range and allow the users of the two to communicate effectively."

Twilight was amazed, who knew that such technology was possible?

"That's.. pretty amazing! I guess that means we have one back in the hideout as well!"

Suddenly, the device emitted a sound that seamed to indicate an incomming transmission. Shining Armor then appeared on screen.

"Capper? Are you there? Has Twilight arrived?"

"Shining Armor! I've made it just fine." Shining smiled.

"Great job Twily, does he know where Rainbow dash is being held?"

Capper then moved himself into Shinings view.

"Yes, on an off shore platform just north of Mount Areis. I've hacked into thier networks and it reveals that one pegasus is being contained in a room there. Scans show that she's in some sort of sleep state."

Just as Twilight Predicted, Rainbow dash was trapped in some sort of simulated reality, probably one that was pure mental torture.

"Well I just sweeped this facility and secured thier network center. I also managed to free some of the storm creatures who hopefully...."

Suddenly there was a loud bang outside one of Cappers Windows. He took a telescope and saw several storm creatures tossing crates and other objects around, while NEM guards began to shoot them with thier rifles. The riots, have already begun.

"Right on time to!" Shining stated.

"Soon the whole town will be up in arms, which means that reinforcements will be on thier way to stop the uprising. Twlight, you better get out of Kludgetown now!"

"I've seen a type of fast flying vehicle down by the airship docks, you can take that." The purple alicorn was already readying her gear.

"Don't worry about me Twily. I'll get out of the area with a good supply of Kludgeoil, you just worry about finding Rainbow dash. Good luck!"

With that said, the screen went blank, and both Capper and Twilight were out the door.

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The cat-like creature and the purple Alicorn ran across the rooftops twoards the airship docks. Most of the bridges that linked them together had been destroyed by the windmill that spun out of control during Twilights first visit, so they had to take alternate routes. Lucky Capper knew the area very well, and lead the way.

Fights had broken out below the two on the streets. Kludgetown residents threw whatever they had at the NEM, and all they did was fire thier crystal weapons at them. An airship flew into view, which sent panic through Twilight. Not only because there was a change that it could spot them, but also becasue of how it looked. It was a massive black steel vessel, with the NEM insigna on its sides. Fortunately it seamed to fire at the ground, and not at them.

After several parkour manuvers, they arrived at the docks, where more storm creatures and NEM soldiers duked it out. Capper lead Twilight to the vehicle, which had the appreance of one of those strange flying machines that she saw in the world that Sunset shimmer fled to. Wings were jetting out of the body to the left and right, and a rocket was sticking out of the back.

"Capper wait! This thing can only hold one pony! How will you get out?"

Capper just looked at her and smiled.

"I'm not, someone needs to lead the fight against the NEM here. And that someone is me."

Before Twilight could say anything, Capper put her inside the drivers seat, pushed a button on the dashboard, and closed the cockpit window. He stepped back and waved, before Twilight was thrusted at full speed in the direction of the ocean.

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The speed of the vehicle was more than Twilight was used to. She had just recently got into an approprite sitting position after a couple seconds of struggling. Was this how fast Rainbow dash flew? Maybe this vehicle was created to not only give non pegasus ponies the ablity to fly, but also to match the speed of an elite flyer.

The purple alicorn then heard a fast beeping sound as the words "Lock on" flashed on the dash board. The plane was then hit with what felt like a missile.

"That can't be good!"

The beeping only for faster, thus prompting Twilight to bail from the vehicle. Once she did, the plane flew away from her emiting a trail of smoke followed by another missile. *Boom* *Splash* Twilight hit the water, and swam up, coughing as she surfaced.

"That was way too close! There is no way I am flying in one of those things again!"

As she regained her vision, she looked around, and saw big metal pipes sticking out of the water, with a metal platform perched on top. The offshore rig. Twilight had reached her distination, and it was time to save a friend.