Many weeks had passed since Captain Shadow Coat was revived from being frozen, and helped everyone to realize the quest for map fragments and legendary items.

He was also granted magical surgery to conform his body into humanoid to help adapt to the world around him. It felt strange at first and hard to get used to, but once he got the hang of it, Shadow thought it magnificent. He even felt several years younger for a pony his age.

Of course… apart from Celestia and Celesto, there weren’t exactly any ponies his age at all. A-thousand years was a long time to be frozen, and naturally as was talked about, he was having a hard time fitting in with the world as it existed.

He was too old to join the knight guild, especially considering how advanced and high tech it was now, and there was no place he could go in the world as it was now, until he was fully re-educated and adjusted.

It was a very long process however, and during the past weeks he had been privately tutored and subjected to small study periods in the royal library. Though he knew the lessons were meant to be helpful learning all that had changed, all the histories, all the technologies and laws as they were now… it was very hard for him to absorb and understand so much.

Meanwhile, Sienna was working on a new project with one of her own Jemma-Nites. “Just look at it Mako.” she said “Rather than create whole new Jemma-Nites, your idea inspired me to power up the ones we already have with bits of alloy from the ship’s hull. Perhaps it will serve us just as well.”

Mako loved watching the Jemma-Nites being upgraded-- all the flashing lights and the transformations-- “By the way…” he asked “Any leads on who sabotaged us the last time?”

“Nothing, yet… but we were definitely sabotaged.” replied Sienna. Then she called out, “SLASH… OMNISHA…!!”

Her crewmates entered the creation-chamber almost at once. “Captain.” said Slash.

“My newest Jemma-Nite is nearly ready. We’re all going to mount an attack on New Canterlot.”

Omnisha’s features stiffened, “Attack New Canterlot? Pardon my questioning, Captain, but we’ve had so much difficulties attack that place than any other.”

Sienna ignored her concerns, “I’m well aware of that, but this time it’s going to be different. We’re all going to attack this time.” She glanced down at Mako implying she wished for him to join the attack again.

Mako was delighted, and jumped for joy, “Wee! I’m going on another hunt!”

“Oh, joy.” Slash grumbled, but Sienna noticed his disapproval. “Is there a problem, Slash?”

Slash decided to let it out, “Forgive me, Captain, but your brother is young and inexperienced. If we are to raid New Canterlot successfully, we cannot be held back.”

Mako felt angry, “Are you saying that’s all I am to you; just dead-weight, a third-wheel?”

“A true treasure hunter has strength and stealth, but these only come in time with experience!”

Before Mako could protest, Sienna cut in, “Mako is coming, and that is final! What finer way for him to gain the experience by actually doing it! Besides, with all of us together and the new Jemma-Nite, we should be able to force the ponies to hand over the treasures.

I can’t wait forever to get those Elements of Chaos!!” she stopped and panted heavily after throwing her voice like that, almost frightening Mako. “Sorry about that, but I am getting a little impatient.”

Mako was still growing concerned. Sienna had been showing bad signs of desperately wanting the Elements ever since their arrival, leading almost to an obsession!

“Please excuse me a moment.” said Sienna, and she went off to cool her head, “Wait up, Sis.” Mako called and he hurried on after her.

Slash clenched his sword angrily.

“What, going to try to humiliate him again?” Omnisha taunted “I wouldn’t be surprised if, by now, Sienna knew of your treachery to get at Mako.”

“I fear no one.” Slash sneered “And keep your voice down, you want maybe someone to overhear you.”

“Then why are you shouting as well?”

Slash growled, and then he and Omnisha left the chamber… unaware, that a Raider that had been maintaining the computer systems overheard what they had said…!

Meanwhile, Lightning and Starla arrived at the palace, with Shining Light, as they couldn’t find anyone to babysit on short-notice. Krysta had transported them as she was invited to the conference as well.

“Oh, Starla, he’s so adorable.” Celestia said as she gazed the baby.

Shining reached up and grabbed her finger in his tiny hands.

Grand Ruler held Castor and Leliani up to look at the baby, “You see, Children; this is what you two used to look like.”

“He’s so cute.” said Castor.

“Can we play with him?” asked Leliani.

“Not just yet.” said Starla “He needs to have his nap first.”

“And speaking of naps…” Celestia said as she eyed her own children.

“Oh, no…!” groaned Castor.

“We don’t want to take a nap!” whined Leliani.

“Too bad.” their father said “You two get awfully cranky in the day when you don’t have your naps.”

The children sighed as they father carried them along. Lightning couldn’t help but chuckle, “Those kids, and to think little Shining will be their age one day.”

As soon as they were gone, Captain Shadow came into the now empty throne room, having just taken yet another walk around the palace, by himself, and feeling rather bored.

Goldwin, whom was looking out the window at the clouds with his telescope, looked up and saw him, “Hi, Captain Shadow.”

“Oh, hello, Mr. Goldwin…”

“It’s just “Goldwin” sir.”

Shadow approached the window, “Cloud gazing again?”

“Yes. It’s one of my favorite pastimes when I don’t have any chores or duties to do.”

Shadow nodded rather softly, “In my day, we always had our chores to keep us busy. One after another, and back then we didn’t have all these remarkable bits of equipment to get it all done fast for us.”

“Gee…” Goldwin said “That must’ve been hard; having nothing to do but work all day.”

“Oh, we were used to it.” said Shadow “Some of us even loved our work so much, we were too busy to complain.”

Goldwin suddenly began to feel a bit sweaty under his mask, and while carefully reached his fingers underneath to wipe a little of sweat away, Shadow turned round to face him, accidentally bumping the telescope, spinning in into Goldwin’s arm, startling him and making him jump, which made him accidentally jerk his mask off…

ZAP!! He turned back into a statue again.

“Oh!” cried Shadow, having been told about Goldwin and his mask, “Oh, I’m so sorry.” and he reached down and picked the mask up and placed it back on Goldwin’s face. “Now then, what was that magic spell to bring him back to life…?”

Sadly, he couldn’t remember, “Oh, blast it! Why can’t I do anything right around here?!” he groaned. He saw Sapphire walking by the room. “Cadet Sapphire!” he called. Sapphire stopped and entered the room, “Yes?”

“I accidentally turned Goldwin into a statue and I don’t remember the words to make him real again.” Shadow admitted.

Sapphire grinned, “Don’t worry I know.

Powers of life, now begin

awaken the magic from within!”

…And Goldwin came back to life. “Woah.. thanks Sapphire.”

“Your welcome.”

Shadow still felt ashamed. “Sorry about that.” he said.

“It’s alright Shadow.” Sapphire reassured but Shadow was still very unsure. Sapphire followed her to the conference room and the second Lightning opened the door there was Shadow Coat and Sapphire. Shadow Coat was just about to knock at the door. “Oh…” he said.

“Um… can we help you?” asked Starla.

Shadow hesitated, “I… I thought maybe if you needed any help with the conference, regarding the treasures…”

“The conference has ended, Shadow.” said Celestia.

“Oh…” said Shadow. There was a slight hint of grimace in his voice “Well… if anyone needs any help with anything…?”

The others all thought it over, “No, not that we can think of.” said Lightning.

Shadow felt more depressed than ever deep down, but did his best not to let it show, “Well, never mind then.” he said kindly, and then walked off.

The others watched as he walked down the hall and disappeared around a corner. “Poor guy,” said Starla “He’s really not having a good day, is he?”

Grand Ruler sighed, “He’s just not fitting in too well with us. Remember, he’s not from out of town or another planet, but another time all together, but I know what he must be feeling.”

Celestia felt pity for Shadow. “I’ll go after him.” Sapphire said and she ran off to catch Shadow.

As Shadow walked along the corridors, listening to nothing but the sound of his own footsteps, Castor and Leilani had woken from their nap, and peeked outside their bedroom door at him.

Normally, they weren’t supposed to leave their room from their nap until their parents or Aunt Luna came to get them, as it wasn’t always a good thing for them to wander around the palace, being so young…

…But they saw how lonely Shadow looked. So they leapt out of their room and chased after him.

“Hey…” Castor called “Captain Shadow Coat, wait up.”

“Oh, hello, Your-Highnesses…”

“You can just call us by our names.” said Leilani. Both she and her brother smiled sweetly up at him.

“You looked a little lonely.” said Castor, “Oh, just a little.” replied Shadow “It seems everywhere I go I can’t help out, and everyone’s bored with hearing my stories.”

“We like your stories.” said Leilani.

“Really…?” Shadow said with a slight smile on his face “Well, that’s nice… I suppose. Ah, but still, it doesn’t help me all that much. I just don’t think I can really make it here.”

“You have it easy.” said Castor “Just look at us; we’re so little. We can’t go many places; we can’t even do magic or fly yet.”

Shadow couldn’t stand to see two little children being hard on themselves. “I used to think that way when I was your age, but I was always told never to feel like I was completely useless. You’ll soon discover that there’s more that you can do… all in due time.”

The children smiled thankfully for that boost of confidence… but suddenly there was a small roar. “Huh? What’s that?” Shadow asked. Then, appearing in the hall was a large dragon. It was 66 feet long with a 42 feet long wingspan. It was blue-hued green base color with darker splotches over its body and wings. It had a yellow nasal horn and blue leaf-like spines on its necks and back.

“Woah.. what’s that?” Castor asked.

“I never seen anything like that before.” Shadow said.

Lightning and their majesties suddenly appeared. “Woah, what the heck is it?!” Lightning exclaimed.

“Oooh, a Titan Wing Zippleback!” Sapphire gasped. “Incredible!”

“A Titan What?” Celestia asked.

“A Titan Wing Zippleback. A part of the Fear Class of Dragons. Zipplebacks are fast and agile and fiercely loyal to their riders.” Sapphire explained. The TW Zippleback saw the children and approached them. “Castor! Leilani!” their majesties cried. They were about to dash over when, “Wait!” Sapphire called.

Their majestie gawked at her, “Trust me.” she reassured.

The TWZ lowered it’s two heads at the children and licked their faces. “Hehehe.” Castor and Leilani laughed and petted the TWZ on it’s head. “Amazing.” Lightning gasped.

“Mommy, Daddy, can we keep him?” Castor and Leilani asked in unison. “Pleeeesse.”

Their majesties looked at each other, “Alright children, you can keep him.” Grand Ruler said.

“YEAH!” the children cheered.

Suddenly, the alarms sounded and there was an announcement over the palace intercom. “Warning: Alien attack in progress! All hands report to Level-One Battle stations!”

Hearing this, everyone dashed off, except for Shadow, the children and the TWZ.

While down below, by the foot of the palace, Sienna and her team had already landed with a swarm of Raiders and were frightening the citizens all away.

“That’s right, run!” shouted Mako and he began to fire his ray-gun at random places, making small explosions and showers of sparks, frightening the civilians even more.

“Easy now, Mako; don’t get carried away.” said Sienna “Remember, we’re only trying to get Starfleet’s attention.”

“Here they come!” cried Slash, and surely enough royal knights rushed to the front gate while others took their places on the battlements, while the Starfleet sentries dashed in from around corners and dropped in from the sky. Finally, Lightning and Starla dropped down at the head of the army with Krysta and Sapphire by them.

“Like moths to the flame.” hissed Omnisha.

“What do you want here?” Lightning demanded “...Not that we already don’t know anyway…” added Starla.

“If you already know,” said Sienna “Then hand over the treasures fast, or else!”

“We choose “Else!” sneered Krysta.

“Wrong answer!” snarled Mako, and suddenly there was a large glow of light in the sky.

“What’s that?” wondered Lightning as he and everyone looked up and saw a spell-caster looking Jemma-Nite, dressed much like a wizard. Coated with not too much of the special armor, but glowing brightly and wearing two beautiful enchantment-rings on its fingers

“Behold,” said Sienna “…The Jemma-Nite- Transferation!”

Lightning tried to scan it with his visor, but the armor still blocked him off. What concerned him more was the fact that the creature was just floating in midair, hardly moving or even preparing to fight. It was just floating!

“Careful!” he instructed to the army “We don’t know what that monster is capable of.”

The soldiers all agreed, while the villains snickered, “Attack!” Sienna shouted, and the Raiders all growled and charged forth with their weapons ready.

“Go!” shouted Lightning, and the sentries all rushed forth to attack the swarm.

At first the battle seemed to go find for Starfleet, as Lightning, Starla and the sentries knocked those evil creeps to the ground.

“We’ve got ‘em on the ropes!” hollered Lightning.

Sienna snickered, and gazed up at her Jemma-Nite, signaling the monster to do its thing. Transferator’s eyes then glowed brightly, and the Raiders began to glow as well.

“Huh?” cried Starla as her visor gave off warning that the Raiders’ strength was suddenly increasing.

POW!! She got punched hard and rolled along the ground.

“Starla!” cried Lightning.

“Are you alright?” asked Krysta.

“They’re getting stronger!” said Starla, and she was proven right as the Raiders were starting to fight more ruthlessly than ever, actually striking the sentries back hard, and causing some damage.

“Surprise, Starfleet!” hissed Sienna “Tranferator’s special ability; its two rings allow it to harness the energy around it and give that power to me and my forces, making us strong than ever.”

Sienna and her team began to glow as well.

Slash snickered and he leapt up high, “Take this!” and he fired many magical blasts form his sword making big explosions everywhere, knocking many fighters off their feet.

“My turn!” sneered Omnisha, and she fired magical blasts from her crystal-ball.

“Oh, no you don’t!” hollered Krysta and she waved her wand to conjure her reversal portals to absorb the blasts and send them right back at the villains, knocking out more the Raiders.

Sienna didn’t seem too worried, and called up to her monster, “More power, Transferator!”

The monster complied and transferred more energy to the villains. “Whoa! This is incredible!” said Mako “I feel like I could lift a whole mountain.”

Sienna nodded at her brother and then drew her sword, “Let’s get ‘em!”

The villains all hollered as they rushed forth, plowing their way through the sentries.

“Ha!” shouted Slash as he struck a sentry hard injuring his arm.

“Here!” snapped Omnisha as she fired a magical blast that Krysta couldn’t absorb in time “Look out!” she shouted, but the blast already hit and there was a huge explosion knocking more of the sentries around and injuring them.

The villains were now getting closer to the palace.

“Stop them!” shouted Lightning, “Don’t let them in!” added Starla.

The knights all stood their ground as the villains approached.

Sienna fired her ray gun, but the unicorn and alicorn knights conjured small barriers to block the shots.

“Here I come!” shouted Slash as he leapt up the trees to jump his way over the walls, only for Lightning to intercept him; tackling him hard. “You’re not getting in there!” he growled.

As the two continued to fall, Slash elbowed Lightning hard in the chest and then swiftly turned and slashed at him with his sword making sparks fly.

“Lightning!” cried Starla, and Krysta rushed over to help him, only for Omnisha to fire her blasts all around them “You should focus more on the present than the future, or rather worry about it anyway… since you won’t be here in future!”

Starla bolted onto her feet, while Krysta slipped off to help Lightning herself.

“Uh-Uh-Uhn…!” Mako called as he fired his cannon at her, just missing her “Rats! I missed!”

“Just keep trying, Mako. You’ll get it.” said Sienna, and she called up to the monster to give more power, which it did making the villains even stronger than ever.

The Raiders were really getting rough, and the sentries and knights were pouring on all they had to keep them out of the palace.

From a lone window, Shadow Coat saw everything. Much as seeing the battle took him back to his glory days, he couldn’t believe this was all happening-- enemies of such power and cunning!

“What I give to go out there and lend my services!” he said to himself, but he knew he was too old for combat, as well as being out of practice with his magic and such.

Still, he felt just awful just standing at the window and doing nothing to help! What could he do?

Sienna’s forces were getting closer and closer to getting into the palace. Almost all the Raiders were beaten but just barely, and Sienna and her crew were battling more fiercely than ever.

Lightning and Slash both swung strong punches, hitting one another hard and knocking each other away.

“Take this!” shouted Omnisha, and she unleashed more blasts at Starla.

“PULSAR LASER”Starla intercepted the blasts with her own power, blowing them out.

Sienna and Mako stood side-by-side, “Just like a showed you…” said Sienna “Ready…?”

“Ready!”

“FIRE…!!” They fired their ray guns like crazy hitting many of the fighters hard and even frightening some of the guards on the battlements, but they still remained at their posts to defend.

“Ugh!!” groaned Lightning as he held his aching arm, and then he realized, “We have to destroy that Jemma-Nite and stop it giving these creeps more power!”

“Right…!” Starla agreed, and she armed her bow to shoot the monster out of the air.

“STARLIGHT ARROW”The arrow shot straight at the monster, only to explode softly before making contact. “What?” snapped Starla.

Sienna laughed “Silly pony! Transferator not only use energy to give to us, but also to shield itself. The shield protects it from any possible attacks and gives it more power to give to us!”

Surely enough, the monster glowed and transferred more power for the villains, making them stronger than ever. “Whoa!” cried Lightning as he scanned their strengths with his visor “The levels are going crazy!”

“Hmph. Two can play that game!” Sapphire exclaimed. Sapphire glowed and changed into a male lion. She roared and charged Transferator. Transferator aimed a punched for Sapphire but she bit the shield, her teeth piercing the armor. Sapphire then threw the shield away from Transferator. “That’s it!” Lightning cheered.

The villains growled angrily.

Suddenly, their majesties landed on the ground, “But that doesn’t mean we won’t help.” said Grand Ruler “We’ll hold these creeps back, while you try and shut out that monster.”

Lightning nodded, and he Starla and Krysta flew up at the monster.

“Stop them!” shouted Sienna.

Her crew and the remaining Raiders aimed to attack, but their majesties, aided by the knights and sentries fired magical blasts, hitting them all and distracting them.

Mako dropped his ray gun that skidded way over into the shrubs. “My gun…! I’ve got to get it!” and he just ran off.

“Mako!” called his sister, but Mako had already jumped into the shrubs. She would have rushed in after him, but was ambushed by the sentries and forced to defend herself. “Slash! Go help Mako!”

Much as Slash resented the task, he complied and attacked his way through the swarm of fighters. “Kid… come here!”

“I’ve gotta get my gun!”

“GET OVER HERE!!”

But Mako refused, and whole load of fighters suddenly surrounded Slash and he had no choice but to fight. “More Power, Transferator!”

The Jemma-Nite complied and gave him and his comrades another boost.

“Stand back!” Grand Ruler called to the knight and sentries. As soon as they backed off from the remaining Raiders, Celestia then used her magic to bind them all together, and her husband gave a huge blast from his horns blowing them all into ash. “So much for them!” said Grand Ruler.

Still many of the knights and sentries were hurt and needed help. “I’ve got to help them!” said Celestia. “Right, I’ll keep you covered.” said Grand Ruler.

Omnisha prepared to blast the sentries and Celestia helping the invalids.

While Lightning, Starla and Krysta were already preparing to attack Transferer’s barrier. Lightning was able to scan it with his visor, “It’s not too lethal to touch. Maybe we can attack it physically.”

“I’ll try first…” said Krysta, and she used her magic to levitate a huge boulder off the ground and dropped it right onto the barrier. The boulder shattered into gravel. “No good. It’s still too powerful!” groaned Krysta.

“Can’t you try teleporting the monster out of here?” asked Starla.

“Not a chance.” replied Lightning. He was scanning the properties of the barrier, “It’s resistant to all teleportation.”

Transferer’s eyes opened wide as it saw the fighters near it, and prepared to fire energy blasts at them all. “Look out!” shouted Starla.

The monster fired its beams, and the fighters all swerved and dodged about.

A few of the shots headed right for the palace, but the unicorn knights conjured up more barrier sheets to deflect them.

Sienna fought against Grand Ruler and his troops. “I’ll get you yet, Sienna!!” Grand Ruler shouted as he fought mercilessly.

“Not… if I… get you… first!” thundered Sienna. She swung her sword, but Grand Ruler actually caught it in his hand without getting hurt, and he kicked her hard in the gut, knocking her down.

“Sentries, seize her!”

The sentries all threw powerful chains, and magical binds around her, holding her in place.

“Captain!” cried Slash, but in his distraction, more sentries jumped on him, tackling him to the ground, ensnaring him too.

“Hold on…!” cried Omnisha as she raced to help her comrades, but she herself was ambushed by the royal knights.

Mako peeked up from the bushes, unnoticed by all “SIS!!” he cried. The soldiers and sentries were too busy to notice him, or hear him over all the noises.

“Transferer…!” shouted Sienna “More power!”

The monster began to transfer more power to the villains, but all three of them were bound down by the army, and it wasn’t enough to help them break free. “You’re not escaping; not this time!” sneered Grand Ruler.

As the monster continued to transfer more power to villains, despite the ineffectiveness, Starla noticed, “It’s not shooting at us.”

“It obviously can’t transfer power and defend itself at the same time.” said Krysta.

Lightning nodded, “Right, and I think I know how we can disarm the barrier. If we can’t break through it ourselves, we’ll overload it!

Attack it as hard as you can!”

Mako couldn’t believe this was happening, but suddenly he spotted his ray gun near the bottom of the bush he was hiding. “Ah, ha!” he chirped, but as he picked it up. The gun had been damaged when it was knocked into the bush, and began to spark and jolt, “Oh, no…!!” cried Mako.

His ray gun was powered by miniature atomic-capsules installed within the gun to make it work. Despite being small, those capsules, when exposed or the gun was damaged, had enough compacted energy for a real blast!

“Whoa!” Mako yelped, just tossing the gun away right into the open, spilling the jolting capsules out!

“What?” snapped Grand Ruler, and he took one split look at those jolting capsules, “LOOK OOOOOOOOOUT!!!”

KAPOW!! The capsules exploded in great big bursts!

The force of the explosions sent Grand Ruler and all the ponies flying off in many directions. Many hit the walls and passed out, while others were sent soaring through their air, clear across the hills. Sapphire’s element glowed a produced a shield around her, protecting her from the blast.

Lightning, Starla, Krysta, and even the monster were knocked out of the sky-- crashed hard to the ground.

Inside the palace, the resulting tremor shook everything, and everyone fell off their feet, even Celestia who was helping to tend to the invalids, and even Shadow Coat fell over from his spot at the window.

In the midst of the chaos, Sienna and the villains were released, and hit the ground avoiding the blasts, “MAKO…!!” cried Sienna, but she could see her brother hanging on for dear life to the brambles of the bushes and the explosive force was blowing hard at him like a strong gale.

“SIENNA…!!” Mako called to her, and finally he lost his grip and was thrown high into the air and carried away, clear across the planet.

Slash and Omnisha were completely shocked.

Sienna was frozen stiff in shock for a few moments, and finally… “NOOOOOO------!!” she screamed! Tears fell out from her mask “Mako…!” she sobbed, falling to her knees in despair “Mako…!”

“Captain…!” cried Omnisha as she and Slash rushed over to comfort her. “We better get her back to the ship.” said Slash.

The villains vanished and were gone, just as all the ponies began to come to after the explosions.

“Galloping Galaxies…! What a bang!” said Lightning. He helped Starla up gently, and Krysta shook the dirt off of herself. Sapphire’s shield disbanded.

“Oh… my stars…!” Grand Ruler groaned while he rubbed his head.

All the rest of the sentries and knights came to as well. Some were hurt and needed serious medical attention, but they were very lucky that they would live.

“Hey…! Where’d the villains go?” cried Krysta.

Starla grunted, “Ugh! They must’ve fled during the explosions.”

Lightning felt most upset. They actually had them that time and they gave them the slip, again!

Suddenly, there was a soft glow that appeared from within the settling dust. It was Transferator, still alive after the crash, and still glowing in its barrier, but not as brightly.

“The barrier’s weaker now.” said Starla.

“Now’s our chance.” said Lightning “If we blast at it, we can overload it…”

“I’m with you!” said Grand Ruler as he joined them.

Lightning’s golden horn glowed, so did Grand Ruler’s three horns. Starla got out her bow and charged up her finisher, and Krysta’s wand was glowing brightly.

“UNIFORCE”

“TEN-FOLD… UNIFORCE”

“GALACTIC PROJECTILE”

Krysta didn’t have to yell out her attack, so she just when “HIYA!!” as she fired a huge beam from her wand. Sapphire blasted a beam from her horn.

The four strong attacks struck the barrier hard. The barrier was already unstable from the crash, and those powerful attacked completely shattered it in a huge explosion that nearly knocked all four fighters back.

Shadow Coat saw everything from the window, “Oh, my... such power!” he cried. He had never seen anything like it before, especially the Uniforce.

He had been taught about his own Golden horn and how it meant he had the power, but unlike Lightning or Grand Ruler, he had never used the power before, not even in his own days, and he couldn’t tap into it at will.

“Did they do it?” he wondered.

The fighters were all exhausted, from the battle, being hit by the force of the explosion, and using huge bursts of their power; Grand Ruler especially from having given a large portion of his own energy to all the fighters.

He was panting heavily, but was he looked up “What?” He couldn’t believe his eyes; the monster was still standing. A little battered and roughed up from the attack, but not defeated!

“I don’t believe it!” said Lightning.

“We need to hit him again!” added Starla.

Alas, all of them were very weak now, and the other sentries and knights were all tending to the invalids, and they, too, were just as exhausted.

Shadow Coat saw his friends were in trouble, sparking his old knightly courage and determination. “No, they can’t lose… they won’t… I won’t let it!” he thundered…! The TWZ Zippleback roared behind him and he stared at it. Shadow smirked. “Alright big boy, let’s see how good you can fight.” Shadow mounted the right neck and the TWZ flew out the window. The TWZ blasted the monster with it’s fire blast hitting the Jemma-Nite hard, and destroying in an explosion.

“He did it!” cried Krysta.

The others were all proud and astonished, The TWZ landed near Grand Ruler and Shadow dismounted. “Woah...never did that before.” he gasped. The TWZ nuzzled him.

Meanwhile, Sienna furiously shouted out “SLASH…!!”

Slash came onto the bridge in a heartbeat, “You called, Captain?” but he could already tell that Sienna was furious as she glared at him gnashing her teeth. “You were supposed to watch over Mako, weren’t you?!!”

“Yes, I was, but the fighters--”

“I don’t want to hear excuses!” snapped Sienna “Because of you, my little brother is lost out there somewhere! He may be hurt…! HE MAY EVEN HAVE BEEN DESTROYED!!”

The Raiders all shuddered fearfully by her shouting.

Slash would not keep it inside any longer, “Your brother is inexperienced, and it was you who decided to bring him along. The fault cannot all be with me, and forgive my saying this, but I shall not keep it any longer to myself…

You spend far too much time spoiling that child, that you neglect your leading duties of us!”

Sienna looked ready to explode, “So… this is why you sabotaged our last attack? Because Mako made you feel insecure?!”

“What…?! I would never do such a thing!” protested Slash, but one of the Raider stood by Sienna, “He heard everything you said, Slash. I know now it was YOU that made our Orgoth go berserk in attempt to get Mako to fail…

...Nearly destroying me and my brother as well!”

Omnisha was actually shaking in her robes, “Ooh, this isn’t going to end good!”

Slash nervously tried to stand up for himself, “But Captain, I--”

“I’M THROUGH WITH YOU SLASH!!!” growled Sienna and she swiftly turned and slashed at him with her sword, destroying his com-link with the ship and knocking him hard into the wall.

Then she threateningly pointed her ray gun at him, “GET OFF MY SHIP, AND DON’T EVER COME BACK!!!”

Slash felt horrified and tried to beg for forgiveness, but The Raiders scooped him up and carried him off, and before he knew it… he was placed in a hollow missile, and ejected from the ship right back down to the planet!

Sienna was still infuriated, and Omnisha was most concerned, “Forgive me, Captain, but don’t you think you were a little hard on him?”

Sienna glared at her angrily, “Be thankful that I still require SOME help here, Omnisha, or I’d have stuffed you into that missile with him for not having not telling me of this in the first place!”

Omnisha gulped softly, “Y-Y-Yes, Captain. You have every right to be enraged.”

Sienna nodded and sat down in her chair, ordering everyone out of the bridge so she could be alone awhile and try to get herself together.

Omnisha and all the Raiders cleared out.

Sienna felt so hot after her outburst that she removed her mask, placing it on the arm of her chair, he back was facing the view… she couldn’t hold it in anymore. She bowed her head, burying her face in her gloves, and wept softly.

All she could think of was her dear brother, and think of all the time they had, all the games they played, working hard to travel the galaxy and steal riches, and how she would hug him warmly and keep him safe with her.

Down below, Mako had crashed into New Everfree Forest. The force of the explosion had sent him very far, and carried him a great distance on the wind.

He looked in a very bad way as he just lay flat on the ground. He was bruised and bleeding a little, and he was all alone, unarmed, with no way of contacting the ship.

Surely he would have died right there on the ground, or worse eaten by some wild animals… had someone not come along through the forest, found the poor boy and carried him off.

Later that night, at New Canterlot Palace, all the invalids were doing much better after a long rest and treatment.

Shadow Coat himself had had a good long rest himself after saving everyone by helping to destroy the Jemma-Nite.

…But he was nowhere to be found in the hospital, having left after awakening.

Even though he was proud having helped out, he still felt a little down inside and missing his own era, and there was only one place he felt he could go to hopefully ease his woes.

The Virtual Chamber: A room in the palace where anyone could enter a fantasy world programmed into the database. It would almost feel like being in exactly that place and actually able to touch it as if it were really there.

He stopped before the computer console by the big doors, “Now, let me see if I know how to do this.” he said to himself.

As unfamiliar as he was with most of the modern tech, he was able to work the computer and programmed his location…

“Equestria… 1,000 years ago.”that was as clear as he could put it, and the program was accepted.

The big doors to the chamber opened wide and there before his very eyes…!

It was just as he remembered it. Plain lands, with tiny villages, no fancy technologies and gizmos, and he stepped right through standing on the battlements of an old-fashioned stone castle that once belonged to Queen Galaxia.

He could actually feel the rocks, still hard to believe that it was all computerized… but it looked so real and felt the same to him.

There were no pony images around him as he didn’t program any, but everywhere he looked brought back so many memories.

He felt a good sense of relief, but at the same time more disheartened than ever.

He then looked up at the central tower of the castle, and remembered where Galaxia used to stand there and give her speeches when addressing the knights and her subjects.

How he could still hear her voice now. “Blessed art thou, Galaxia.” he said to no one in particular.

Grand Ruler then entered the scene through the doors, “I hope I’m not interrupting.”

“Not at all…” said Shadow “I could actually do with some company.”

Grand Ruler proudly stepped forth, “I wanted to thank you personally… for what you did today.”

Shadow smiled with pride, “It was a knightly thing to do, and I must say… the dragon certainly is incredible. I never dreamed I could ride it.”

His majesty admired the sights and feelings as well, “I remember this all too well myself. This is where you served your knighthood?”

“One of them…” replied Shadow “I originally dwelled on the East of Equestria. That’s where I was born and raised, and after some time I was transferred to Galaxia’s personal regiment. That’s the one I think of most and could never forget. Many long decades of many battles fought all for queen, country, and fellow countrymen and women.”

Grand Ruler nodded, “I’ll never when I became captain of Celestia’s royal-guard. It wasn’t just an honor; it was a gift, that she saw much within me and gave me the kindness and friendship that I craved. I would work hard, and train the knights well. Of course the lack of technologies did make it a little harder to get through the basic days. In every measurable sense my Starfleet is far superior, but, much as I don’t really regret how things turned out that much, there are times when I can’t help but stop and wish to relive my glory days, and return here to recapture what I lost.”

Shadow smiled warmly, “You can’t deny what’s in your heart, and what you long for most but can never have again. And look at me…! I’m just hiding in it like some cowardly old codger!”

He got up and marched for the big doors to leave the chamber, “Well, no more of this. It’s time I acted my age and accepted my place.”

Celestia came up to the chamber doors, and he bowed to her as he passed. Then he was gone and Celesita walked into the chamber, “Sounds like you two had quite a chat.”

Her husband nodded, and then she joined him by his side to enjoy the virtual view around them, remembering all of Equestria of old herself. Suddenly, the simulation gave Celestia a grand idea, “I think I know just how Shadow Coat can fit in now.”

Grand Ruler was most curious.

A couple of days later, Shadow Coat was teaching the royal knights in their educational classes about Equestria of Old and the kind of Knighthood he and his old comrades used to have. The cadets all seemed very intrigued, and Shadow Coat looked as happy as he had ever been.

“Well what do you know.” said Lightning “Guess he’s found a way to fit in after all without having to change himself all that much.”

“Queen Celestia sure comes up with great ideas for everyone.” agreed Starla.

Soon the class was dismissed, and many of the cadets couldn’t wait to hear more stories and histories about the olden days. Some of them even took notes of everything Shadow has said to help them improve in their own knight training.

Shadow smiled proudly, to no one in particular as he gazed round the empty room.