It was evening in the land of the rising sun. The sound of crickets chirping filled the air. As a gentle breeze blew, the leaves of trees and bushes rustled. Among the bushes, the glint of a visor was revealed. A soldier was lying prone among the foliage, clad with a scarf-like covering over her around her neck. Her eyes focused through the scope of her rifle, viewing the rough rocky terrain of the land.

The sniper brought a hand to her helmet, the COM crackling.

"This is Inoue. No sign of the tango. You're clear to move in," said the soldier.

Meanwhile, just a mile away, Hayato and Koizumi found themselves standing beside a large boulder. Both were clad in armor that covered them from head to toe. The armor was made up of stronger and heavier materials. steel, titanium ceramic and polyethylene made up the plates of the armor. The design held the likeness of samurai, modernized for a new age for the empire.

While heavier, the armor was powered by a magic based core, assisting with locomotion for the wearers. That included the enhanced movements, exceeding that of an average human. While the armor was an effective tool against the Transmutant threat, their production was severely limited due to the expenses. Hence why the few sets made were fitted to those with the most valued performances on the force.

"Copy that. Keep a lookout, private. We're moving in," said Hayato.

The pair began to move up along the rocky terrain. Weapons were drawn out, aimed for every corner in front of them. Their metallic boots grinded over the pebbles and dirt that were littered beneath their feet.

"You sure we should be moving in without the rest of the platoon?" asked Koizumi.

"Don't tell me you're afraid. But then again, you're trembling," Hayato smirked behind his visor. Koizumi scoffed.

"Hey, this is excitement. I'm eager to wipe this thing out after looking for so long. But I thought we'd have got it done by now if everyone was out."

"They're hanging back for an ambush. By the time the target notices us, it may try to flee," said Hayato.

"Unless we take it down fast and hard." Koizumi remarked, his head turning as he scanned the area in front.

The two soldiers continued along their path. They eventually came across a path, leading higher up along a mountain. Their eyes caught sight of a trail of animalistic foot prints. Hayato crouched down, his HUD scanning the tracks.

"Hmm. These tracks belong to a quadruped. From the looks of it, it's mammalian. Something along the lines of the canidae or the felidae family," said Hayato.

"So like a cat-dog or something? I guess that's the abomination of science we're looking for," said Koizumi.

"Tracks lead uphill. Come on, and keep quiet."

The soldiers continued along their path. Their search was soon to pay off. Their steps were more soft, as they remained low. The Slayers soon found themselves arriving at a surprising sight.

The pair stood at the steps leading up to a temple. It was eroding away after all the centuries it remained uninhabited. The foliage had taken over the structure, having grown around the base and along its sides. A pair of stone Shisa statues stood perched on pedestals at the base of the stairway.

"One hell of a hiding spot." Koizumi cocked his gun.

"Lieutenant, I've lost visual of you, over." Inoue spoke over the COM. Hayato shared a glance at Koizumi.

"Just stand by. Over."

"Getting reckless, aren't we? I like it." Koizumi chuckled.

"Keep an eye on your EMF meter."

The Slayers ascended the stairs. They passed through the entrance, where the doors hung open, as though the temple beckoned them to enter. The two kept their rifles drawn as they cautiously moved through the temple, scanning their surroundings.

The pair heard the sound of familiar clicking. Their eyes fell onto the EMF readings in the bottom corner of the digital HUD in their helmets. It was steadily growing. After sharing a glance, the pair brought their fingers closer to the triggers, standing back to back. Nothing but the decaying ruin was in sight. However, the EMF had gone critical.

"Have you come to pray to the gods?"

Hayato and Koizumi both frantically looked around as a deep, gravelly voice spoke. Still, they were unable to find the source. But, they had a good idea of who it had came from.

"Actually, we're here to bring you down, freak!" Koizumi called.

"You would spill blood on the floors of a sacred place of worship? For shame." The voice spoke in disappointment.

"Where does a monster come off shaming us? You have no place here." said Hayato defiantly. There was a deep chuckle in the air.

Suddenly, orbs of light zipped through the air. The orbs struck the soldiers, knocking their rifles from their hands. As the men scrambled for the weapons, the orbs deteriorated them into particles of light. Soon, they vanished into oblivion.

The sound of growling filled the air. A heavy thump slammed onto the ground, prompting the Slayers to turn to the source. A large beast resided in the shadows. It's ruby-like eyes stared at them, piercing through the darkness. The creature stepped into the moonlight, revealing itself.

The creature appeared as a cross between a lion and a dog. Its body was large, twice the size of a bear. The creature's jaws bore protruding fangs that stuck out from its mouth. A golden crest decorated its head, bearing an emerald in the center. The creature's golden mane covered its head, chest, forelegs and the back of its hind legs. Its tail even resembled that of a lion's. The creature's body was also covered in thick scales, which looked to be made up of bricks.

"I believe I have a place here, much more than either of you." The creature growled.

Hayato and Koizumi immediately recognized the beast. It was something they've seen at old temples and folklore.

"A shisa," said Hayato, awed by the sight of this lion-dog hybrid.

"Can't be. The EMF is going crazy!" exclaimed Koizumi.

"You merely detect my source of life. I am called, Caesar. I am the King of Shisa," said the beast, bowing his head.

"King? But how does..." Koizumi cocked a brow.

"All Shisa that live or have lived descended from me. I am the forerunner to all of the self proclaimed gods. I am Kaiju." Caesar growled.

"Kaiju?" Hayato and Koizumi shared a look. While neither could read the other's expression due to the visors, they both knew what the other was thinking.

"Bogus." Koizumi responded, flatly. Caesar tilted his head, a floppy ear flicked.

"Those things are a myth. Not only that, you're hardly the size of one. They're supposed to be as big as mountains." Koizumi eyed the beast from head to toe.

"Not everything is as they appear to be." Caesar retorted. He then narrowed his eyes at the two soldiers.

"Even your organization is not what it seems," said Caesar.

"What would you know about that?" Asked Hayato.

"I know that it has destroyed the lives of many. It persecutes the chosen and acts as the arm of a malevolent force that dominates the land." Caesar growled.

"The chosen?" asked Hayato.

"You call them, 'Transmutants'." Caesar replied. Hayato furrowed his brows.

"Those are our enemies. We aren't persecuting innocents."

"Now I know you're full of shit. What kind of malevolent force is dominating our land?" scoffed Koizumi.

"The kind that disguises itself as virtue. Promises of unity and peace through tyranny. One empire that rules them all."

"Empire? Wait, are you talking about the GU?" asked Koizumi.

"Yes. It has conquered the land of Neighpon along with other lands. It has become a power that the world has not seen before." Caesar lamented.

"There has been no conquest, Shisa. The Global Union is a coalition that will propel our nations into the brighter future." Hayato argued. Caesar shook his head.

"It seeks to dissolve nations and make slaves of the remnants. Already, they are ruling over you." Caesar countered.

There was a sudden crackle over the COM. Hayato brought a hand to his helmet and listened in.

"What's your status, sir?" asked Inoue. Hayato was silent, his eyes fell on the beast before him. Something told him that they should keep this to themselves for now.

"No signs of tango. We may be at a dead end. We're heading back. Over and out," said Hayato. Koizumi merely glanced at him. As the COM went silent, the soldier sighed.

"Well, it's clear that you aren't what we're looking for. We'll leave you in peace, Shisa," said Hayato.

"And here I was itching to shoot something." Koizumi sighed.

"I warn thee. You are serving dark masters. They will bring ruin," said Caesar. Hayato and Koizumi merely turned and left the temple. The Shisa sat in the dark, watching the pair leave. A few orbs of light suddenly surrounded him.

"Fret not. They'll see the truth eventually." Caesar looked at one of the orbs with a nod.

Later that evening, Hayato and Koizumi found themselves back at an outpost near the region. They were in more casual clothing, while lounging in the mess hall. Koizumi sighed, digging a toothpick into his teeth.

"Well that was a colossal waste of time," said Koizumi.

"Well, we did get to see a true living Shisa. Seeing such a creature is rare," said Hayato.

"Oh yeah. The fucking bullshitter. Excuse me, I meant the alleged Kaiju." Koizumi snorted. He met Hayato with a questioning look.

"So what's with keeping that thing a secret?"

"We're supposed to be hunting for a Transmutant. If the Shisa is what we're actually looking for, then it might be best if we act as though we never found him. I have a feeling that the brass would want him terminated, regardless." Explained Hayato.

"He got into your head, didn't he?" Asked Koizumi.

"No. But, I suppose he's mentioned some strange things," said Hayato.

---

It had only been roughly thirty minutes since the incident. 30 minutes since the Mutant 4 had been exposed and found by MONARCH.

The Transmutants found themselves scrambling through the lair. Mosura muttered to herself as she began to stuff some canned foods into a duffle bag. How she wished that they had more time to store away items for this scenario. This and what they had managed to store away in a bug out bag wasn't going to last them very long.

"We'll just have to make do. Guys, let's hurry it up!" Mosura called.

Rodan came rushing out into the living room, cupping the back of his neck with a wince. While he helped everyone to remove their inhibitor collar, including himself, there was still the stinging pain of the punctures that they leave into the nape of the neck. He set down a medical kit and quickly dug stuff out.

"Mosu, we need to disinfect and patch up!" said Rodan.

"R-Right! Oh gods, I think I'm gonna have a panic attack!" said Mosura. She then rushed to the back entrance of the house, leading deeper into the cold dark cave that made up the rest of the lair.

"Aang! Gojira! Hurry!" Mosura called.

Meanwhile, deep in the cave, Angirasu was scrambling for whatever he could. He dug through his personal chamber, as he frantically sorted some things. Essentials such as clothes and a toothbrush.

"I can't believe I'm concerned with hygiene right now!" Angirasu stuffed a small duffle bag with the items he gathered. He stopped as he noticed a box to be sitting in the corner of his room. He frowned as he took one long look at the box, holding familiar items. Things that he managed to salvage from Neighpon years ago. This was the last time that he was going to see this stuff. He sighed before leaving the chamber.

"Gojira, let's go!" Angirasu called. He stopped once he noticed the boy to be sitting against the wall. He was dressed in a new pair of spare clothes that had been offered by Angirasu himself. Just a shirt and jeans. Junior's head was buried into his knees, sitting as still as stone. Just by the sight of him, Angirasu could tell that something was wrong. He didn't even have to ask.

"Gojira, come on we can't stay here anymore." Angirasu shook the boy's shoulder, urgency in his tone. Junior brushed him off.

"Leave me alone." Junior muttered.

"Come on, they'll catch us if we stay any longer! We have to get as far away as possible!" Said Angirasu.

"What does it matter? They know that I'm alive now. Here or somewhere else, it doesn't matter. I'm dead anyway." Junior muttered.

Angirasu sighed as he yanked him up from the ground. The boy stood slouched, his eyes cold.

"Hey, get it together! If you can run, then you can survive! If you can survive, then you'll live!" said Angirasu, shoving the duffle bag against the boy's chest. He motioned for Junior to follow, as he rushed out of the main cave.

With a heavy sigh, Junior followed. His pace was slower and sluggish. His life as he knew it was really over. He wanted to just close his eyes and open them, finding himself on his sofa. But, this was no dream. This was his reality.

Soon, the Transmutants left the lair. They walked out the door to the old isolated house. As they ventured into the forest, the group came across an area. Rodan and Angirasu snatched up two shovels that were hidden in a bush. Junior and Mosura moved away branches and leaves, revealing a dark patch of dirt.

Rodan and Angirasu began to dig. Soon, they unearthed a large crate. Junior and Mosura lifted the crate up out of the ground and set it aside. The top was pried open, revealing the stored gear that the boy's had recently gotten. Their so called "camping supplies".

"OK, everyone take a backpack. We'll distribute what supplies are carried by who," said Mosura. Junior sighed heavily as he drew out a backpack, a deep frown on his face.

"I didn't think it'd come to this so soon."

"Where do we head to now?" asked Rodan, packing his own backpack. Mosura drew out a rolled up map.

"The G.U.'s influence is still limited in the western and Middle Eastern part of the world. The next best place for us would be Saddle Arabia," said Mosura.

"I hate the heat." Angirasu sighed.

"Yeah a desert sounds awful." Rodan nodded.

"It's not all desert. The kingdom has a system that delivers fresh water. It's basically a man made oasis. We should be fine aside from the heat," said Mosura. She unfurled the map and showed it to the boys.

"We have to head for Appleloosa to catch a train first. Since we're fugitives, we have to walk there by cutting through the Everfree. Once we're in the town, we can hopefully ride the train with no problem. It'll take us to the coast, where we can take a boat across the South Luna Sea. We'll be able to reach Saddle Arabia that way," said Mosura. Rodan sighed.

"It's gonna be a long-ass march."

"Then we better get moving," said Angirasu. Junior sighed, appearing solemn.

---

The air was heavy from the recent events in Ponyville. Citizens cowardly hid in their homes. MONARCH was standing guard on the Streets of Ponyville. A path of destruction was left behind.

Sunset Shimmer found herself staring off with a blank look on her face. The events of earlier replayed in her mind. She was still struggling to process everything that had transpired.

Someone that she knew years ago was not who she thought he was. The elf couldn't believe what She learned. She didn't want to believe it. If it was the truth, then that made Junior her enemy. Sunset found herself tormented with that thought.

"Shimmer?"

Sunset flinched. Erika was looking at her in concern.

"You OK?"

"I'm fine," said Sunset, looking to the Main 6. The girls were gathered around, appearing melancholic.

"I guess finding out that their friends were Transmutant was quite a shock," said Sunset.

"Yeah." Erika grimaced.

"Come on. Let's go see Ghidorah."

Erika tore her eyes away from the girls. She briskly followed Sunset away from the Main 6, not wanting to be around them any longer. She was able to pick up on their negative vibes, making her feel worse about earlier. The elf and Transmutant made their way down the road, where Ghidorah stood. The man was sitting at the corner of the street, staring at the warped helmet that he had worn. The pair stood at attention, but the agent seemed preoccupied.

"Sir?" Sunset called.

"Do you know how long it took us to find Lucky Dragon, private?" asked Ghidorah.

"Sir?"

"Nine years. Nine long years. The Director's practically going bald just by wondering where the thing went," said Ghidorah, his tone low. Sunset and Erikasaid nothing in response. But, they were able to sense a heavy tension in the air. Erika practically froze once the man looked them dead in the eye.

"You both cost us four Transmutant terrorists. One of them was a long time priority target."

"Respectfully sir, I wasn't aware of any protocols to handle one, Lucky Dragon. In fact, this is the first time I'm hearing about him." Sunset countered.

"Regardless, your hesitation and your incompetence in combat has cost us greatly." Ghidorah glared at Sunset and Erika, respectively.

"Unless you wish to explain to the Director how we lost what brought us here in the first place, I suggest you assist me in their capture and Lucky Dragon's termination." Said Ghidorah, sternly. Sunset remained stoic, while Erika gulped.

"But... Why is termination required for him? For Lucky Dragon?" asked Erika. Ghidorah sighed.

"It's not a him, private. That thing is much more different compared to the others. Much more inhuman." Said Ghidorah.

"How?"

"Trust me. It may appear human. It mimics our mannerisms well. But that thing is a demon wearing someone's flesh. One wrong move, it would've slaughtered you like it's other victims." said Ghidorah.

"A demon?" asked Erika, incredulous. Sunset suppressed the need to snort. Junior never seemed so terrible in the time she knew him. Awkward and weird, sure. But, being some kind of demonic entity seemed like an embellishment, if not a mad interpretation of him. But, she held her tongue.

"It deceives by posing as a human, until it snares you into a trap as its prey. I'm counting on you both to be prepared. You'll be the tip of the spear to bring the enemy down. With any luck, they won't leave this region." said Ghidorah.

"Understood, sir." said Sunset. Erika was silent. Ghidorah stood and walked past the girls. His expression was that of displeasure. Sunset nudged Erika.

"Don't sweat the verbal assault. You get used to it."

Ghidorah made his way to an alley. He looked both ways before drawing out a disk-like object. From the object, a holographic image of Onyx appeared.

"I regret to inform you that we lost the targets, Onyx. Including Lucky Dragon." said Ghidorah.

"You incompetent fool! Do you realize the ramifications this will have?! It's bad enough that you caused collateral damage in the town! You have nothing to show for it!" Said Onyx.

"Look, no civilians were killed. Just a few broken walls and footprints in the streets. It could've been worse," said Ghidorah, nonchalant.

"This operation was supposed to be kept under wraps! We never even informed the princess of this operation!" said Onyx, infuriated. Ghidorah suppressed the need to make an exasperated sigh. The last thing he wanted was to be getting an earful from the old man as if he were a mere child.

"I understand. But, considering what we're dealing with, we may be able to use that to save face. She can't be too pissed if we thwarted an 'attack'."

Onyx let out a long, exasperated sigh.

"Very well. Just find them. And one other thing," said Onyx.

"Yes?"

"The civilians that were with them. Those girls, keep an eye on them. Never know how much they might know."

"And if they know too much?" asked Ghidorah. Onyx remained silent. Ghidorah smirked.

"Say no more."

A day had passed. By now, MONARCH had set up camp around Ponyville. More soldiers were present. Among them were also vehicles. Citizens anxiously watched as LAVs rolled down their streets, and as dark armored soldiers marched. The whole thing felt like an occupation.

Celestia looked on with furrowed brows. This was a displeasing sight. The princess turned to the holographic image of Onyx. Standing inside a tent.

"This entire thing is unacceptable! You're violating the terms that I've set." said Celestia.

"Those terms do not apply during a 'High Alert' state. Considering how close this attack was and how recent, this is a necessity. Discomfort is a small price to pay for protection." said Onyx. Celestia narrowed her eyes.

"I never agreed to allow you to use 'sleepers', as you called them, to infiltrate this town. That still violates my terms. Why was I not informed about them?" demanded Celestia.

"Calm yourself, your Majesty. The agents were tasked to blend into this town. In fact, a number of them are native to your nation. They were meant to monitor Ponyville and not interfere with day to day life." Said Onyx, still maintaining stoicism.

"You're avoiding my question, Director Onyx." Celestia spoke, sternly.

"The fact of the matter is that we couldn't risk letting this information spreading. The beings blend in plain sight. You never know which of those in your circles may be one of them. Forgive me if I seem paranoid," said Onyx.

"I find this all disturbing, Director. I wish to continue this conversation at a later date, with the Committee of the GU," said Celestia.

"Just give me a ring." Onyx replied, nonchalant. His holographic image suddenly faded from sight. The Princess furrowed her brows, before storming off away from the tent. As the Avatar left, Ghidorah eyed her.

Celestia made her way through Ponyville, appearing steamed. She was flanked by a pair of her royal guards, who appeared tense. She didn't blame them. This town had changed quickly since the attack of Transmutants.

The Avatar eventually found herself approaching Junior's residence. She asked her guards to remain outside on the road, so that she may have some privacy with the boy. She made her way to the door, but had the feeling of something digging into her shoulder. Celestia turned and looked over her shoulder, her eyes scanning the area. Nothing but nature was in sight. The Princess returned her attention to the house and knocked on the door. No answer came.

Celestia spent the next minute knocking and calling to the boy. But, he never answered once. Anxious, Celestia used her magic to teleport herself inside of the house. While it was unbecoming of her to barge in like this, it was important. She had to make sure that he was OK. Though, her suspicions were confirmed as she searched the house. The boy was nowhere in sight.

"Where could you be?" Celestia muttered, plopping her rear onto the boy's bed. She began to ponder where the boy may possibly be. She began to fear the worst. But, she realized that maybe one of his friends had seen him. Maybe he was with one of them. She decided to see Twilight first.

Before Celestia could leave the room, the Avatar noticed an open journal resting on the boy's desk. Curious, the princess approached it. Her eyes scanned over the first couple of paragraphs. Celestia tore her eyes away. She couldn't violate the boy's privacy like that. It was a breach of trust.

However, Celestia's eyes kept getting drawn to the journal. Something kept her attention. It was the pen drawn image of an eye. She saw that there were frantic scribbles around the eye. 'I see you' was crudely drawn. Celestia couldn't help but feel unnerved by the illustration. She felt like it was actually staring at her, with how detailed it was drawn on the page. But what disturbed her more was the scribbled words all around it. Celestia turned her eyes to the top of the page, where there was more coherent writing present. But as the words went on, they began to grow more rough, making it harder to read.

'Every night, I keep seeing it. It haunts me. I'm starting to have a hard time looking people in the eye because of it, out of fear of that thing looking at me. No matter how much I try to put my focus into something else, no matter how much I try to ignore it, it pops into my mind. I'm starting t-'

The writing was cut off abruptly. The drawing filled the rest of the page. Celestia felt her stomach in knots. It wasn't normal for Junior. Instinctively, she began to turn to the beginning of the journal. She just had a feeling of dread, believing that Junior's state of mind may be distressed.

As the princess read the beginning, she found Junior's earlier writing. His handwriting was a bit more crude compared to his handwriting today. Celestia recognized it as the handwriting from when the boy was learning to write in Equish. The content of the earlier passages were Junior describing his thoughts and experiences in his life in Canterlot. As she read, she felt like the boy was pouring his thoughts onto her himself.

There were things that described the boy's awe and fascination of Equestria. He even marveled Celestia herself for her kindness and her radiant beauty. The Avatar smiled softly to herself as she read on, as the boy's writings detailed some cherished memories in their past. One of them being the time that he worked hard to make her a gift for her birthday. Reading this filled Celestia with nostalgia.

Then, there was a turn in tone in the writing. As Junior's handwriting, his spelling and grammar improved, the mood grew more gloomy. The boy lamented not feeling like he fit in with his peers in school. He felt guilt for burdening the princess with his needs and his temper. There were even some strange references to nightmares. At certain points in the journal, the boy would write long entries describing his nightmares. Even claiming that these nightmares were starting to affect his physical being.

Celestia slightly jumped as she turned a page, finding a rough sketch of a dragon-like creature, with jagged spines, long fangs, and a pair of demon-like horns. A small description was written on the side of the drawing. Junior had referred to this nightmarish apparition as 'The Beast'.

The princess recalled the boy having night terrors as a child. They became less frequent, but this journal made it seem like he was keeping any that occurred a secret. He never wanted to discuss his nightmares with her. Seeing this sent the woman's stomach into knots. She wondered how long he could have been suffering alone to these dreams. What was the cause of them, she wondered. But what she wondered most was why he never confided in her.

As Celestia read on, she began to notice that the boy was pondering the reasoning for these dreams. Thanks to researching dreams, he was convinced that it was the result of traumas in his past. The Princess furrowed her brows, her mind racing. She may have found a lead. Celestia continued to read, finding the boy delving into his trauma. After reading the next couple of sentences, she froze.

"What?" Celestia's eyes darted through the remaining paragraph's of the entry. She found descriptions of dark invaders, a sterilized room, syringe needles, a concrete cell with a steel door, and darkness. Celestia suddenly cupped her mouth, suppressing a gasp. She felt sick to her stomach, the world seemed to be spinning. The woman suddenly slammed the journal shut, before hurling it across the room.

"No! No, it can't be true!" Celestia cried, burying her face into her hands.

The more that Celestia denied what she read, the more her conscience nagged her to accept what she had read as truth. She couldn't believe what was written. The reality of it was too horrible. But she kept recalling everything, from the boy's writings, his unusual strength from even a young age and even the state she saw him after Nightmare Moon was reformed back to Luna. He should've been killed in that fight, or even injured much more severely. The fact of the matter was that Junior was a Transmutant. In fact, he was one of the first, as revealed in his journal.

Celestia held her head, gritting her teeth as the truth began to finally sink in. She was overwhelmed with feelings of horror and guilt. All of this time, Junior had kept a side of him hidden from her. That side was deemed as a threat by the GU, with MONARCH tasked to wage a war against them. And Celestia herself had allied with them when they started to attack those on her land. Whether she intended to or not, she indirectly made an enemy out of the boy. The Princess couldn't imagine what it must have been like for him to be around her, knowing that she had ties with an organization that was looking for his destruction, along with others like him.

It was all starting to make sense now. This was why he left Canterlot. He didn't feel safe around her anymore. She drove him away. Celestia was the cause of this. He couldn't trust her with his secret, so he fled to get away from her to save his own life. This made Celestia distraught, as she fell to her knees, breaking down to tears. She had the right mind to believe that Junior may have been one of the Transmutants sighted. But, he couldn't have attacked Ponyville. He would never do such a thing. But what was certain was that he may have been in more danger than before.

Meanwhile, Ghidorah stood outside of the house, peering through the window. He smiled darkly as he began to leave the side of the house, moving out to the road.

"This day has just gotten juicy," said Ghidorah.

---

Fluttershy found herself doing her usual chores for the day. While she was usually enthused to provide for her animal friends, the girl lacked heart at this time around. Her movements were sluggish, and her expression was solemn. All she could think of was the events from the previous day.

Fluttershy eventually found herself lying on her sofa in a fetal position. Her eyes were cold, as she suppressed the feelings that welled up inside. But alas, tears began to flow through her eyes. The reality of before had finally sunk in. Junior, Angirasu, Rodan and Mosura were Transmutants. Now, they are gone as well.

The girl had a mix of feelings. Confusion, fear and guilt. She recalled the horrible creature that Junior had changed into. How strong and formidable he was. The frightening shrieks were stuck in her head. That was truly a monster if she ever saw one.

However, that monster was someone that she came to trust. Someone who protected others, herself included. How could she call herself his friend If she thought such horrible things about him? That included Angirasu, Rodan and Mosura.

Fluttershy was supposed to be the Element of Kindness. It was time that she stopped crying and lived up to that role for those who needed it most now.

Fluttershy sniffled as she wiped her tear stained face. The valkyrie bolted out of her cottage and took to the air. She had an idea where to look, but she'd be foolish to go off to search for them alone. She was going to need help. The girl only hoped that they were willing.

Fluttershy made it to her first destination. She found Applejack to be carrying a basket full of apples. The blonde noticed the valkyrie.

"Oh. Howdy, Fluttershy. What brings ya down to the farm?" asked Applejack.

"I want you to go to the Everfree forest with me!" said Fluttershy, quickly. Applejack was taken aback. She thought that she might have misheard her friend. But, the timid girl stood firm.

"Why in Sam Hill would you want to go there?!" Applejack exclaimed.

"To find Gojira and the others," said Fluttershy. The blonde grimaced.

"Why would you want to do that?"

"Because they're our friends."

"Sugar cube, you know that... I mean, you saw..." Applejack hesitated to finish her sentence.

"Being what they are doesn't change that for me." Fluttershy countered.

"How can you trust them? They kept that secret from us," argued Applejack.

"What would you have done if you were in their shoes? I'm sure that you wouldn't be so trusting or honest if you were in their position." Fluttershy furrowed her brows. Applejack did the same. The valkyrie sighed.

"Has Gojira ever shown himself to be untrustworthy in the time we've known him? Doesn't that count for something?" asked Fluttershy. Applejack's expression, recalling her time with the boy. A melancholic look grew on her face. She recalled the time that they had with the boy in question. While rough around the edges, Junior showed himself to be someone that could be depended on. Whether it was working on the family farm, or facing the meanest bad guys that set their sights on Equestria.

"I won't force you to see it my way. And if you rather have nothing to do with them, then I understand."

With that, Fluttershy turned to leave. Applejack watched in silence, as she continued to ponder the valkyrie's points. All the while, the blonde kept thinking about Junior, as well as the rest.

"Fluttershy, wait. Gimme a minute to store things," Applejack sighed.

---

The roar of engines filled the air. An LAV rolled along the streets at a constant pace, patrolling the town of Ponyville. Rarity exclaimed as she retreated back away from the vehicle's path. The girl made an indignant huff, glaring at the moving vehicle.

"Such rudeness! Can't a lady make a quick run for supplies without the fear of being killed? Some 'Protection Force'." Rarity scoffed. She sighed as she continued on her journey. She never imagined that MONARCH would have such an effect on Ponyville's atmosphere.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing here?!" A gruff voice demanded. Rarity turned and gasped once she saw Pinkie Pie cornered down the street by a soldier. The elf dropped everything and bolted onto the scene.

"I asked you a question, kid!" The soldier barked, his grip tightening on his rifle.

"I-I was just..." Pinkie stuttered, trembling fearfully. Her inability to form a response only infuriated the soldier. Before he could do anything else, Rarity arrived on the scene.

"Oh, dearest me! There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you!" said Rarity, drawing the attention of the two. Pinkie had a confused look, while the soldier glared at the elf.

"Hey! Did you not see the sign? This area is closed off!" The soldier snapped, pointing to a large sign that blocked the street. "Restricted" was printed in bold on the sign.

"Oh, silly me! I was looking for my dear friend here that I failed to notice. She has a habit of wandering off. I hope there's no harm done." Rarity batted her eyelashes, flirtatiously. The soldier kept a stern look, but his posture seemed more relaxed.

"Vacate the premises immediately. I better not catch either of you wandering into restricted areas again."

"Of course, sir! You won't see us here again. Come along, Pinkie." Rarity motioned for the Earthbound to follow. The pair found themselves leaving the area. Rarity sighed in relief.

"These soldiers are more intimidating than the Royal guard." The armored vehicles, the roaming soldiers, and the 'Restricted Areas' made Rarity feel more unease than a Transmutant would

"And more mean." Pinkie pouted. Rarity held a hand on her hip, giving the girl a disapproving look.

"Darling, what in Equestria were you thinking? You ought to know better than to act so careless. Especially at a time like this." Rarity scolded. Pinkie frowned.

"I just needed to find something."

"What?"

Pinkie held out a heap of torn leather. But after a moment of analyzing it, Rarity recognized it. It was what was left of Junior's birthday gift. The jacket that she had made him.

"I heard that magic could be used to find someone you've lost as long as you had something belonging to them. I didn't want them to find this." said Pinkie, her tone small. Rarity's brows raised.

"You weren't going to use this to find him yourself?" Asked Rarity. Pinkie shook her head.

"When people run away, they usually don't wanna be found. Goji... He's been trying to tell us. All this time, he wanted to be alone. I never understood why." Pinkie deeply frowned.

"Now I get it. It's not that he wanted to be alone. It was because he was afraid to get close to anyone. He really was lonely." Pinkie sniffled, her eyes welled up with tears. Rarity felt her lip quiver. She maintained her composure and approached the Earthbound, pulling her into an embrace.

"There, there, darling." Rarity whispered, stroking Pinkie's head.

"Ugh. You're crying over him?"

Rarity and Pinkie turned to find Rainbow Dash to be standing nearby. A displeased look was on the tomboy's face.

"No point in crying over a two faced monster. Just be thankful we got out with our lives." Rainbow spoke harshly.

"Rainbow Dash " Rarity's eyes widened. Through her tears, Pinkie glared at the Valkyrie's callousness.

"H-He just wanted to live a normal life like us!"

"Horse feathers! He was one of them! In fact, I bet he and the others were on a plan to invade Ponyville or something!" Spat Rainbow. Pinkie pouted her lip, her sadness turning to anger.

"How could you say that?!"

"How could YOU be so damn delusional as to think that a dirty liar like him was actually our friend?!" Rainbow demanded as she snatched the torn jacket from the Earthbound.

"You think he actually cared about us?! Or even the things we did for-"

Suddenly, Rarity snatched the torn jacket from Rainbow. The elf held it tightly like a security blanket. A stern look was in her eyes.

"Say whatever you want, Rainbow Dash. But never claim that he never cared for anyone nor the things we did for him." said Rarity, her tone low. The valkyrie furrowed her brows.

"I know that you don't mean the things that you're saying. You're hurting. We all are."

"Am not!" Rainbow scoffed.

"Who do you think you're kidding, darling? You two may not have always got along, but anyone could see the bond of friendship between you. As for Rodan-"

"Don't you dare bring him up!" Rainbow snapped. Rarity fell silent as Rainbow glared at her. Through her glare the elf could see the pain hidden beneath.

"Now I'm certain. Even you can't deny that you and Rodan shared a close bond. You can't tell me that it was all a sham." Rarity met Rainbow with a sad smile. The Valkyrie clenched his teeth and fists. Her eyes stung as she looked away.

"It's not fair. Why did he have to be one of them?" muttered Rainbow. Rarity sighed.

"Darling, I understand. Even I'm... shocked." Rarity looked at the torn jacket, her heart heavy. All she could think of was the time that she and the rest expressed their fear and disdain for the Transmutants. Only for them to find out that he was one all along. The thought of that made her stomach into knots.

Even though at the time, she wasn't very close to Junior, she still felt horrible. Rarity knew that the ones she heard about were real, but she never imagined that there could have been some out there that were much like everyday people. How could Junior even stand to be around her, Rarity wondered.

"But, that doesn't change the fact that they were our friends. In fact, I still consider them my friends." Rarity spoke firmly. Rainbow met her eyes with a guilt ridden expression. Pinkie sniffled, a small smile directed at the elf.

"It would be wrong to walk away from that because of this. We saw who they were as people," said Rarity. She turned to Pinkie with a small smile.

"Darling, care to accompany me to the library?" asked Rarity. Pinkie had an odd look, but brightly smiled, seemingly catching onto something.

"Yes, milady!" Pinkie playfully bowed. The pair began to make their way down the road, leaving Rainbow behind. The valkyrie took a heavy breath, her eyes downcast. All she could think of was Rodan.

"That lying jerk." Rainbow muttered to herself.

---

The Golden Oaks Library was as quiet as ever. Twilight was organizing the books, as was the case every day when renting out books to people. But, she took no joy in her usual daily routine. As of late, her tasks felt more like a chore than it normally would, for someone who enjoys organizing things.

Twilight was tempted to stop and plop herself into a bed. Anything to ignore the gloomy feeling inside. The elf sighed heavily, leaning against the bookshelf.

There was a sudden knock. The elf made her way to the door, while masking her expression
With stoicism. As she opened the door, she jumped back, before kneeling, head bowed.

"Your Majesty!"

Celestial stood outside of the library, a soft smile on her face.

"Twilight Sparkle. May I come in?"

"O-Of course! Please, make yourself comfortable. Is there anything I can get you?" Twilight stepped aside, allowing the Avatar to enter.

"No, thank you. I've actually come to speak with you, dear," said Celestia, holding her usually mother-like tone.

"Oh. What about?"

Twilight felt some anxiety well up. She was certain that the princess was not aware of Junior. The elf felt compelled to bring it up, but wasn't sure how. How would the princess even react, she wondered.

"It's about Junior." Celestia answered. Twilight's heart sank. The elf looked away.

"About that... Princess, I should tell you that he-"

"He's a Transmutant, I know." Celestia answered. The elf bore an incredulous look.

"You Kn- How long have you known?" asked Twilight, shocked.

"I've just found out myself. I'm still processing it." Celestia answered. She paced about in the library, while Twilight remained still and silent. She rarely saw the princess this deep in thought. She appeared to even be suppressing distress. The Avatar suddenly looked to Twilight, who stiffened.

"Twilight, what are your feelings on this matter?" asked Celestia, slight caution in her voice.

"My feelings?" Twilight tilted her in confusion.

"I mean how do you feel about Junior, knowing what he is? As someone who knows him as a friend."

Twilight scratched at her head, pondering. She let out a small sigh.

"Well I... I'm shocked, to say the least. But... It would explain a couple things about him. I'd be lying if I said that what I saw wasn't terrifying." Twilight recalled the moment that the boy had transformed. The way his body grew and morphed into such inhuman shapes. The fear that he brought with his imposing form, his claws and carnivorous teeth. Even the sounds that came from his throat were frightening. However, Twilight began to recall the boy before witnessing such things.

"However... I know that he's a good man despite that. He's still someone that's very dear to me." Twilight's face reddened. Celestia did a double take, having noticed the elf's blush. She smiled warmly.

"Then I can trust you with something." Celestia placed her hands on Twilight's shoulders and knelt in front of her.

"Gojira had recorded directions to where the other Transmutants were hiding. The Everfree Forest."

"You mean Mosura and the others?" Asked Twilight.

"Yes. He recorded the location of their dwelling in a journal that he kept." Celestia handed the elf the journal, pointing to a page.

"MONARCH intends to find them. I doubt they can stay hidden forever. If you're willing, I ask that you get to them first and meet me at a secure location."

"What do you plan to do?" asked Twilight, incredulous.

"I intend to protect him, as I always have. Even the other three. I'll make sure that MONARCH will never find them." Celestia took a breath.

"I'd like to make it clear that I'm not ordering you. I'm pleading to you." Celestia spoke softly. Twilight nodded firmly.

"I'll find him, princess. I'll make sure he comes back safely." Twilight declared.

"Count us in!"

Twilight and Celestia turned to find the rest of the Main 6 to have been entering the library.

"Girls!" Twilight exclaimed.

"If you're headin' down the Everfree, you'll need back up!" Said Applejack.

"We're with you all the way!" Rarity smiled in determination. Fluttershy nodded in agreement. Rainbow sighed.

"It wouldn't be cool of me to sit this out. So I got your back."

"Yeah! Let's go get our friends back!" Pinkie bounced, excitedly. Twilight met the girls with a bright smile. She turned back to Celestia with a nod.

"Correction. We'll bring him back."

Meanwhile, Ghidorah found himself perched onto the roof of a building. He held a device, pointing its dish at the Golden Oaks Library. A recorder documented every sound and voice that the device managed to pick up. He let out a long sigh.

"Onyx is not gonna like this."

---

The Main 6 found themselves wandering the Everfree Forest. The dense foliage that made this forbidden place up cast an eternal shadow over the path that they walked. Along the way, they were of course tormented by their fears of the unknown of this place.

"Everyone stick close. We're heading deep into the forest." Twilight made a quick glance at the journal. There was a crude illustration of a map to their destination drawn inside of Junior's journal. Fortunately, there were some written details that would prove to be helpful.

I suppose if you want to hide, this ghastly place is perfect." Rarity lamented.

As the girls continued their journey, they noticed a sound. The bushes were rustling, causing the group to freeze up. They remained still as the rustling grew violent, dreading what lied on the other side. From the bush, a bleating goat emerged. The horned animal scampered in the path of the girls. They sighed in relief.

"Oh, it's just a go-" Twilight was interrupted as the goat was suddenly tackled by a larger form. It gave a high pitched bark as it bared its sharp fangs at the goat. The creature was a quadruped and had a cat-like upper body covered in navy blue fur and green eyes with a reptilian lower body. Long and sharp spikes ran along its back. The reptilian lower body and tail were covered in purple scales with a green underbelly. The girls exclaimed in unison.

"WHAT IN CELESTIA'S NAME IS THAT THING?!" cried Rarity. The creature had sunken its sharp fangs into the goat's neck, feeding off of its fluid. The goat cried as it squirmed, attempting to escape, but the predator remained on top.

"That... Is a Chupacabra." Fluttershy answered, a grimace on her face as the beast fed.

"That is messed up." Said Rainbow, wide eyes. Fluttershy shrugged, smiling weakly.

"Well, nature's as ugly as it's beautiful."

"That thing's not gonna eat us too, will it?" Applejack glanced at the valkyrie in worry.

"It shouldn't. They tend to prey on goats. But they do become aggressive if they feel threatened. Pinkie Pie, stop looking into his eyes. That's a sign of aggression to them."

"But he's looking at me!" whined Pinkie.

"Pinkie!" Twilight scolded. The Earthbound immediately covered her eyes.

"Follow my lead." Fluttershy began to step off of the path, making her way around the feeding Chupacabra. She avoided eye contact at all times, while maintaining a distance of 12 feet. One by one, the rest of the girls followed. As they walked on, Pinkie peeked through her fingers at the beast.

The Chupacabra removed its bloody snout from the dead goat and hissed. Pinkie yelped as she shoved passed her friends, taking the lead.

"I warned you." Fluttershy deadpanned.

The Main 6 resumed their journey in the Everfree. They passed through a particular area, which was much darker compared to the rest of the forest. There was a sense of gloom in the air, which chilled their very skin. Applejack rubbed her arms with a shiver.

"Is it me or did it just get a bit colder?"

As they walked, Rarity and Pinkie found themselves at the back of the group. Rarity suddenly felt something brush against her back. She looked to Pinkie, finding her hop with a smile on her face.

"Was that you?" questioned Rarity. Pinkie stopped bouncing as she gave Rarity a quizzical expression.

"Was what me?" asked Pinkie.

"Did you touch my back?" asked Rarity with an annoyed expression.

"No." Pinkie answered, an eyebrow raised. Rarity looked at her suspiciously then refocused her attention to the path in front of her. But, she suddenly felt something brush against the back of her neck this time. The elf gave a small, high pitched cry, causing her to quickly turn.

"Pinkie Pie, cut that out! It's not funny!" Rarity glared at Pinkie.

"But I didn't-"

"Really? Then who else could it BEEEEE?!!" Rarity screamed as vines suddenly wrapped around her waist and legs, lifting her off of the ground. Pinkie gasped as she saw a large tree beginning to shake. The side of the tree suddenly began to split open, revealing a gaping mouth with serrated wood. The tree gave an ominous moan as its vines brought Rarity close.

The elf let out an ear piercing scream as she squirmed in place, attempting to free herself from the monster's grasp. Twilight and the others turned and were shocked to find a tree about to devour their friend. Twilight shot her arms forward, her hands engulfed in an aura and fired a beam toward the vines that restrained Rarity.

As the vines were burned, Rarity fell to the ground with a yelp. Applejack rushed back and caught her before she could hit the ground. The tree let loose a haunting wail as it shook violently. Its branches suddenly began to move, being used to swing at the girls. The Main 6 were brushed away and knocked to the ground.

Rainbow took off into the air as she flew towards the animated tree. Her leg was suddenly caught by something, forcing her to crash to the ground. She grunted in frustration as she looked behind herself, only to find the culprit that stopped her. Vines had wrapped around her leg, being traced back to another tree in the area. She gasped as she saw the open maw on this tree as well. She felt herself being dragged by the tree, causing her heart to race as she clawed at the dirt to prevent herself from being pulled into the tree's gaping mouth.

"Help!" cried Rainbow. Fluttershy turned to find Rainbow in a dire predicament. She dove for Rainbow's hands, attempting to pull her back. She grunted as she mustered what strength she had. The tree began to pull harder, forcing Fluttershy to be dragged along the earth with Rainbow's hands in her grip. The tree moaned as sap leaked out of its mouth. Fluttershy flapped her wings as hard as she could to force herself and Rainbow away from the man eating tree.

A third tree began to shake and revealed an open maw. Pinkie rushed over to and grabbed Fluttershy, who was pulled along as well.

Meanwhile, Twilight screamed as she found her body wrapped in vines by the third tree. The elf struggled as she tried to free herself, as she was dragged to the tree’s maw.

"Put her down!" shouted Applejack as she sprinted toward the tree and sent a powerful kick to the base of it. The tree groaned as it attempted to swipe at the farm girl. Applejack rolled out of the tree's reach, the dirt staining her skin and clothes.

The Main 6 were at the mercy of these moving trees. The demonic, haunting wails of them filled the air. Sap stained the bark surface as they ensnared them to devour. At this rate, they were doomed.

There was the sudden roar of thunder, and the flash of lightning. Thunderbolts shot through the air, scorching through the vines that ensnared the girls. They took cover as the lightning began to strike the trees, causing them to burst from the impact. Soon, the trees were reduced to nothing but smoking trunks.

"What was-" Twilight gasped as she saw an approaching figure. It was a sight that was not pleasing to behold.

Ghidorah approached, sparks running along his hand. He moved at a calm and steady pace towards the Main 6, who rose to their feet.

"What the hay are you doing here?" Rainbow narrowed her eyes. Ghidorah scoffed.

"That's my line, insolent girl. Get on your knees, all of you!" Barked Ghidorah.

"Must we? The ground is dirty, and that's no good for my tights." Rarity whined. The soldier suddenly drew out a pistol, which hummed. The elf tittered as she quickly got on the ground.

"Then again, it's just a little dirt."

"Y'all sure like to wave those things around at people." Applejack remarked as she and the rest got on the ground, hands raised.

"What's the trouble, soldier? Are we under arrest?" asked Twilight, nonchalant.

"You're trespassing into a restricted area." Ghidorah answered.

"Restricted? No one ever said the Everfree was restricted." Pinkie tilted her head in confusion.

"Order just came down today. No one gets in or out of Ponyville until further notice. Coming here violates that order." Ghidorah paced about, glaring at the girls.

"Like she said, we were never told about that." Rainbow dryly retorted.

"Now you know. Because of this, I'm required to interrogate you all. Answer my questions clearly and honestly, and we all get to go home." Ghidorah sneered. Twilight narrowed her eyes. She had a bad feeling about this. She had to wonder how this creep was given authority.

"1st question, what are you doing out here?" asked Ghidorah.

"Sight seeing." Twilight answered dryly.

"Uh huh. 2nd, what's your relationship with the four Transmutants that were sighted?" Asked Ghidorah.

"No idea what you're talking about." Twilight looked away, as did the other girls.

"Don't play stupid. I've gathered enough Intel to know that you all have a 'special' relationship with these criminals. Friendship, I believe it's called." Ghidorah scratched his head in mock curiosity. Twilight narrowed her eyes.

"What's it to you?" asked Twilight.

"I'm the one asking questions, child. It matters because it may imply that you are compromising the security of Ponyville and its citizens," said Ghidorah.

"Ha! Says the barbarian who went on a rampage!" Rarity scoffed.

"If your intel is so reliable, then you might already know the answer." Rainbow glared at the blonde elf. Ghidorah chuckled.

"Yes, but I suppose that I wanted to give you all a chance to come clean. But, that's not necessary. I'm just stalling for time." Ghidorah knelt down and reached at Twilight's side, yanking the journal.

"Hey! Give that back!" Twilight demanded. Ghidorah began to skim through the journal. He chuckled.

"Have you read this? You have terrible taste in men," said Ghidorah. Twilight gritted her teeth, glaring at the elf as her face grew hot.

"Oh my. This would give psychiatrists a field day." Ghidorah eyed one of the illustrated pages.

"Put that down!" yelled Twilight. Ghidorah merely met her with a blank look, before tossing the journal into the air. He shot his hand forward, launching a bolt of lightning, causing the girls to cry out in fright from the boom it created. The journal was engulfed in the bolt, having been vaporized. The girls looked on in shock and horror as the journal's ashes fell to the ground before them.

"Whoops." Ghidorah shrugged. Twilight whimpered, growing distraught. Ghidorah chuckled darkly.

"The look of helplessness in human beings is a wonderful sight. The more expressive a creature is, the more satisfying it is to cause pain," said Ghidorah.

"You're such a big fat meanie!" yelled Pinkie. Ghidorah gave a mock look of hurt.

"Oh my. Well, we can't have that." Ghidorah suddenly raised his gun, aiming at the girls. They all recoiled.

"W-What are you doing?!" Fluttershy whimpered.

"The fact of the matter is that you all know too much. MONARCH can't afford people knowing of its involvement in the creation of Alpha and Lucky Dragon. This would endanger legitimacy of the Global Union and Equestria's trust. I have orders to plug any leaks about them and the Transmutants," said Ghidorah.

"Y-You can't do that! You're with MONARCH! When Princess Celestia finds out, you'll be-" said Rainbow.

"No one will even know. Your bodies will never be found in this place. As for you Princess, I'll have to silence her as well. She's the reason for this anyway. I'll just catch her when she least expects it and blame it on the Transmutants," said Ghidorah as he pulled the hammer back on his pistol.

"It wouldn't be the first time I've performed a false flag operation involving them." Ghidorah smirked.

The girls all whimpered as they remained on the ground, trembling. Fluttershy was on the verge of tears, Rarity was hyperventilating, Pinkie was clenching her eyes shut, AJ and Rainbow struggled to maintain a brave look. Twilight gritted her teeth. She gasped once she noticed something above Ghidorah's head.

From the branches, a large hive made up of webs and wood hung. On the hive were small spider-like creatures, with the wings of flies. It was a fly-der nest. Twilight smirked as held a hand behind her back, as it illuminated with a magic aura. With a wave of her hand, she caused the hive to drop from the branches, crashing down onto Ghidorah's head. He gave muffled cries as he began to pull at the hive, his hands getting stuck to the silk covering.

"Let's go!" Twilight cried, before bolting to her feet. The Main 6 followed, as the fly-ders swarmed around Ghidorah, their fangs stung his flesh with their venom. The girls cried out as he began to shoot his gun wildly around.

"He was actually going to kill us! What do we do?!" cried Rainbow.

"The only thing we can do! We need to inform the princess!" Twilight answered.

After running the whole way, the Main 6 eventually returned to the Golden Oaks Library. The girls shut and locked the door, windows, and even went as far to barricade the door with furniture. Meanwhile, Twilight frantically scribbled away at parchment.

"What the hay's going on here?!" Spike cried, coming down the stairs.

"Spike, get down here! I need you to send a letter!" cried Twilight. The dragon waddled down the steps, while the rest of the girls continued to barricade the door.

"We're gonna die! We're gonna die!" cried Pinkie.

"Not if I can help it!" Twilight rolled up the parchment and tossed it to spike. The dragon spewed his flames, causing the letter to disperse, disappearing from sight.

"How long until she gets here?" asked Rainbow.

Suddenly, a bright flash of light filled the library, causing every to exclaim in fright and pain as they covered their eyes. From the light, Celestia emerged. Her expression was stern.

"Where is he?" questioned Celestia.

"Uh... He's down the street." Pinkie whimpered, peering through the window.

"Stay here." Celestia ordered, much like a stern parent would. Everyone remained still as the princess levitated the furniture from the doorway and stepped out of the library, storming down the street. Ghidorah stopped, his brows furrowing. The Main 6 and Spike watched from the safety of the library.

"She is gonna kick his ass." Rainbow grinned.

Celestia soon stood face to face with Ghidorah. Both were virtually matching in height. The Avatar glared at the giant Elf, while Ghidorah maintained stoicism.

"I want you and your soldiers out of my sight. MONARCH is no longer welcome here on Equestrian soil. In fact, I'm reconsidering our place in the Global Union entirely. Leave, or face my wrath," said Celestia, raising a closed, glowing fist. Ghidorah kept his neutral expression.

"Very well. I'll be sure to pass it on to my superiors." Ghidorah turned to leave.

Celestia resisted the urge to unleash her magic fury upon this man. She was filled with much rage after she received Twilight's letter. Truthfully, she was already considering informing MONARCH of her desire to leave her land. But this incident only accelerated that. She was no longer asking. She was demanding it. She refused to kneel to bullies who sought harm against her own subjects.

This man being spared of her wrath was a show of goodwill to the GU. But had anything happened to her subjects, Celestia doubted she would be able to restrain herself. She knew there might be some pushback for this, but Celestia was not willing to continue this sham of an alliance any further.

---

The sun was beaming its scorching hot rays down upon a desert land. Cacti and tumbleweeds could be seen as far as the eye could see. There were the decaying remains of beasts that perished from the desert heat. Stone mountains and pillars made up the desert land.

The Mutant 4 roamed the vast land. They were sweating as they lugged their heavy bags, under the blazing sun. Junior sighed as he looked at the sun with a wince.

"How much further?" asked Rodan.

"We still got a long way to go. Let's stop at that shady spot for a break." Mosura pointed to a great boulder that lay ahead, casting a large shadow.

The Transmutants picked up their pace and made it to the shadow. They sat down and put their bags aside, while digging for their water canteens.

"So far, this sucks." Rodan groaned.

"I know, but we have to bear with it," said Mosura, slightly frowning.

"Are those train tracks? Wouldn't it be convenient if one were to come by for us to hitch ride on?" asked Angirasu.

"Please. Life's not that convenient." Junior spat.

There was the sudden sound of a loud train whistle blowing in the air. The Transmutants turned to find that a steam engine was just a mile or so away, making its way through the land. The Transmutants all shared a look.

"COME ON, GET OFF YOUR ASSES!" Junior shouted, as he quickly picked up his things. The rest followed in suit and bolted towards the tracks, where the train was rapidly approaching.

The mutant 4 made it to the tracks, just as the train was passing. Rodan ran on ahead, grabbing onto the railing of the last train car. He climbed onto the back of the train and set his bag down.

"Come on!" Rodan called, holding his hand out. One by one, the remaining Transmutants sprinted after the train. Rodan helped Angirasu onto the car, allowing him to settle. The two helped Mosura on, then Junior. The four sighed in relief, as they sat on the back of the car, watching the land pass by much faster.

"Thank the gods!" Angirasu panted.

"You can say that again." Junior sighed.

"Thank the gods!" cried Angirasu. Junior sent him a deadpan stare.

"What? You said I could." Angirasu shrugged.

It was now early evening. The train soon came to a stop at a settlement in the middle of this desert. The Transmutants quickly got off and rushed from the train, while passengers emerged from the cars.

The Mutant 4 beheld the settlement before them. Appleloosa, a town that was reminiscent of that of the Old West. There were few structures in the town, with the largest being a red clock tower. Outside of the wooden town was a vast apple orchard.

The group began to make their way into town, where they passed the Earthbounds that roamed about. The men were clad in denim or leather, wearing stetsons that protected them from the hot sun. The women wore conservative dresses, or denim clothes, stetsons, and bonnets. They roamed about the town, finishing up their tasks for the day. Some lights in the structures began to shut off for the night.

"Man, country girls are gorgeous." Rodan blushed.

"Keep it in your pants, Rodan." Angirasu narrowed his eyes on the boy. Mosura gasped.

"Oh my gosh, look how pretty that girl's outfit is!" said Mosura, admiring one of the locals.

"I'll get you one if we hurry up and find an inn." Junior moved forward with a tired sigh.

"Heh. You'd like that, wouldn't you, Mosu?" asked Rodan. The girl glared at him, her cheeks crimson.

"S-Shut up!"

The four eventually found themselves inside of a room at an inn. They managed to get a room for all of them for one night. With the limited funds, they needed to spare as much as they could to actually purchase tickets for their journey across the South Luna Sea. As for the train to get to the port there, they would have to hitch another ride like earlier. Unfortunately, the train won't be leaving there until tomorrow morning.

"Let's get some rest guys. We have a long journey ahead of us still." Mosura tucked herself into one of the beds.

"Way ahead of you." Rodan sighed as he lay down.

The Transmutants began to lie into their beds, all in silence. But, none were asleep. Angirasu sighed heavily.

"You know, I really thought that we could make it work. In Ponyville, I mean." Angirasu frowned. He looked over to Mosura.

"I guess you could say that you told us so."

"I don't take pleasure in this, guys. I just... Yeah." Mosura sighed. She looked over at Junior, who was lying in bed on his side. His back was turned to everyone. He stared at the wall, melancholy on his face. In the span of a day, his life came crashing down.

He lost his friends, his life posing as an ordinary human, and he found that an old friendship turned out to be a lie. Even more so, that so-called friend chose MONARCH over him. All of this left Junior with a heavy heart. The boy closed his eyes, wishing that he would wake up from this nightmare.

Meanwhile, just some miles outside of Appleloosa, MONARCH soldiers were camped by their ground vehicles. Among them were of course Sunset and Erika Shiragami. The soldiers were going over a map that was laid out in front of them.

"It's likely that they're attempting to leave the country. I have a hunch that they'll be trying to make their way to Saddle Arabia. The GU's influence is limited there as it was here in Equestria. They'll likely take advantage of that to hide out," said Sunset, pointing to the map. She traced her finger along the map.

"They'll likely take the train to reach the port and travel across the ocean to reach their destination."

"So we'll just have to cut them off before then." A soldier smirked.

"They're most likely heading for Appleloosa now, unless they caught the train on the way over. We'll have to catch them before the next train takes off," said Sunset, drawing a circle over the settlement depicted.

"We can't afford any fuck ups this time, got it? Lucky Dragon gets taken out on sight," said Sunset. Erika grimaced as she listened.

---

Morning had come. The blazing sun rose above the horizon, casting its light over the desert. Citizens of Appleloosa were up since dawn, bright and early. They went about their daily tasks. The train at the station was being prepared for its departure. The conductor worked to ensure that the coal was tossed into the chamber of the engine to ensure the train's successful run.

The Transmutants were rushing through town, approaching the train from the far back. They kept low to avoid being sighted by the citizens. They tossed their things into the back of the train, as it began to blow its loud whistle.

"OK, that should be everything." Mosura sighed in relief.

"What's taking Goji so long? We're about to leave!" said Rodan.

"I warned him not to eat that much chili," sighed Angirasu, shaking his head. Mosura grimaced in worry, looking back to the town. But, she heard the roar of engines in the air. The girl gasped, as she saw a squad of armored Humvees driving just a mile away. The technology and the dark coloration of the vehicles clued her in immediately.

"Oh, no. They're here." Mosura muttered in dread.

"How'd they find us?!" exclaimed Rodan. Angirasu quickly looked around for an escape. But, they were out in the open. Eventually, they might get caught. They could only buy themselves time and hope that they could hide out long enough for the soldiers to lose interest.

"Quick! Into the car!" Angirasu grabbed the door knob and snapped its lock with a strong twist. The doorknob hung lazily from its place, while the Transmutants rushed inside with their things. They found themselves in an empty car. They tossed their things beneath the seats and tucked themselves into cover, out of sight.

"Oh fuck, the door!" Rodan's eyes widened as he noticed the doorknob.

"You broke the doorknob?!" exclaimed Mosura, incredulous. Angirasu shrugged defensively.

"Wh-What was I supposed to do?! It was locked!" said Angirasu.

"Everyone quiet! Maybe they won't notice!" hissed Rodan.

Meanwhile, the MONARCH vehicles came rolling to a stop near the edge of town, near the train tracks. The soldiers stepped out of the humvees. Sunset looked to the town, brows furrowed.

"This better be worth coming out here, private. No idea why the agent would put you in charge of all people," said a soldier, annoyed.

"Hmph. Maybe he acknowledges my superior skills as a soldier in spite of my rank." Sunset retorted, snobbishly. She then pointed to the town.

"Now get moving! I want this town searched inside and out! Shiragami, Cedar with me!" barked Sunset. Erika nodded with a gulp as she and another soldier followed the elf to the train. The rest of the soldiers began to make their way to town. Sunset's trio made their way to the front of the train, where the conductor lied.

"Hey! We're with MONARCH! Until further notice, you're not authorized to leave this station!" Sunset called. The conductor peered out of the window, appearing puzzled.

"But I have passengers that need some place to be! This train can't be late!" said the conductor.

"Tough shit! We're looking for highly dangerous fugitives! If you leave this station, or if anyone leaves this train, they will be detained under suspicion of harboring or being said fugitives! Is that understood?"

The conductor nodded sheepishly before ducking back into his seat. Erika looked at Sunset, incredulous.

"Isn't that a bit extreme?" asked Erika.

"It's just standard procedure. This train's the only fast way out of this dump. If our targets are here, than we need to keep this train occupied until we sniff them out," said Sunset, as she began to make her way to one of the cars.

"Search the cars. They could be hiding inside one."

"Understood." Erika and Cedar began to make their way to one of the cars, where they entered. Sunset's eyes scanned the town, her brows furrowed as the sunlight shined on her face. She was relying on her instincts for this one. There was a 50-50 chance that she was dead wrong. But, it was worth a shot to find them.

She was entrusted by Ghiodrah to go beyond Ponyville to search. Of course, she had to think like a fugitive. That led to the conclusion that they'd try to flee the country, while hopping to remote areas to get to some place where MONARCH has no jurisdiction. The closest nation that fit that description was Saddle Arabia. If she can pull this off, she could rise higher quickly. This could be the break she needed.

"Guess I better start searching too."

Sunset began to travel along the train cars, eyeing the windows. She saw passengers peering from behind the glass, confusion and worry on their faces. No doubt this would alert the targets if they're in the train. Best thing to do now was try and cut them off at the back. The elf picked up her pace, heading to the very last car.

Meanwhile, Junior sighed as he emerged from an outhouse. He made his way over to a metallic pipe that stuck out of the ground, where a faucet lied.

"Shouldn't have eaten that much chili." Junior rinsed his hands. But, he stiffened once he noticed a group of soldiers to be moving into the town. The boy cursed under his breath as he shut the faucet off and rushed to the corner of a building, taking cover. He began to move along the wall, as the soldiers passed.

"Think we'll get some action?" asked a soldier.

"I'd like to get some action from Shimmer, know what I mean?" One of the soldiers laughed.

Junior narrowed his eyes as he continued to move away from the area. He found that the train had stopped. He saw Sunset making her way to the back of the train.

The Transmutant began to run from cover, rushing to the train. He stopped once he was close enough to have a good view at the vehicles. Junior was about to use his atomic breath, but realized that may be overkill. He'd waste valuable energy, with no access to an energy source. He couldn't afford to be reckless.

The boy noticed a large pipeline to be next to the parked Humvees. With a smirk, Junior rushed to the pipeline. He climbed on top and began to pull on the metallic covering. He groaned as he pulled. The water pressure built up, sending the bolts to shoot off. The sound of creaking metal and shooting water caught Sunset's attention. Before she could react, gallons of water shot out of the pipe, striking the Humvees.

The pressure and the sudden impact of the water burst through their windows. They were flooded from the inside. Those closest to the pipeline had their engines flooded. The water soaked into the ground, spreading further. The pressure died down, but the water continued to flow.

"What the-" Sunset turned to find Junior hopping off of the pipe, glaring at her. Sunset narrowed her eyes, a smirk growing on her face.

"Looks like I was right."

"Sunset, I'm gonna give you a chance. Just look the other way, let this train go and don't follow us. Otherwise, this is gonna get ugly." Junior warned. Sunset chuckled.

"You always were a bit of a lunkhead. You don't scare me."

"Sunset, last chance. I really don't want to fight you." Said Junior, his glare faltering.

"Cute. You're still afraid to hit a girl." Sunset cooed. She then raised her hands as they glowed with her magic.

"Nothing personal, Gojira. I've got my orders."

Sunset grunted as she hurled balls of magic at Junior. They bounced off of the desert ground, racing towards the boy before exploding. Junior grunted as he leapt back, as debris was sent his way. He then bolted after the elf. Sunset began to hurl more magic orbs towards the boy, this time they moved through the air swiftly, having been pitched.

Junior slid beneath the orbs and scooped up a heap of scrap metal from the ground. He shot to his feet and raised the scrap, blocking a beam of magic. The boy grunted as he pushed through the force of the magic, approaching Sunset. The girl grunted as she kept her feet planted, while mustering more of her magic for the attack.

Soon, Junior was just a few feet away from her. With a shout, he swung the scrap at Sunset, who rolled away. The girl side stepped as he swung for her again.

"Whoo! You actually tried to hit me! You finally got balls, Goji. I'll give ya that." Sunset's fists glowed brightly. She sent a few quick jabs to the boy's chest and gut, before ending her strikes with a single uppercut. Junior grunted as he stumbled back. The magic enhanced punches allowed her to deliver painful blows to his durable body without injuring herself..

Junior snarled as he sent his own fist forward, but Sunset countered the punch. She stepped closer, not giving his arm room to strike her. The elf met him with a palm to face. Delivering a blast of magic. The boy staggered as smoke engulfed his face. He suddenly thrust his head down, headbutting Sunset. If not for the helmet, her skull might have shattered and left her with a concussion. But, she did feel the blow.

"Ow! You son of a-" Sunset found herself lifted up off of her feet and was thrown aside. Sunset grunted as she used her magic to teleport. She warped and appeared behind Junior, still with the momentum of being thrown carrying her towards him. The elf raised a leg and kicked Junior in the back of his head, causing him to stumble. She began to warp from place to place, appearing all around Junior. Every time she appeared, she delivered a quick strike onto his person.

Junior shouted in rage as he began to swing wildly into the air in a vain attempt to hit his opponent. All he could see was Sunset's mocking smile, her giggles were distorted and ominous as she instantly moved through space.

Junior suddenly spewed forth his atomic breath. Sunset exclaimed as she narrowly dodged the ray, before warping out of sight. Junior spun around, dragging the atomic breath along the earth around him. The earth was scorched and reduced to glass. Junior ceased his attack and painted.

"You're full of yourself, Sunset! You're not as tough as you think! No one's tougher than me!" shouted Junior. He grunted as bolts of magic came racing towards him. He turned to find the soldiers racing for him, firing their guns. He even noticed Erika Shiragami and another soldier to have stepped off of one of the train cars. Junior rushed to the soaking heap of flooded Humvees, taking cover as the soldiers shot at him.

Sunset reappeared alongside her comrades. She drew out her shotgun that hung from her shoulder and began to fire as well. They advanced towards Junior as they kept him pinned behind cover. The boy grunted as a bolt nearly struck his head, instead impacted against the metal of the vehicle's surface.

Before the soldiers could move any closer, they were blown off of their feet. Mosura had used her telekinesis and knocked them off of their feet. She lunged from the train car and landed near the soldiers. She moved swiftly, delivering quick and easy hits against the soldiers. Before they could shoot, she knocked their weapon out of their hands and struck a powerful blow that dropped them to the ground.

Mosura suddenly found herself bound by vines. She found Erika's arms having changed form into flora. The vines tightened around the girl, causing a pained cry to escape her. Junior suddenly leapt from cover with a piece of scrap. With a swift slash, he used the scrap to hack off the vine tendrils that Erika had. The soldier cried out in pain, as Mosura was freed from her grasp.

"Looks like MONARCH's got their super soldier." Mosura removed the vines that still clung to her body.

"We need this train to get moving." Junior growled, glaring at the recovering soldiers.

"Don't worry. The boys are on it." Mosura smiled.

Meanwhile, at the front of the train, the conductor looked on from the window. His eyes were wide in alarm, having witnessed fire, destruction, and battle. This was certainly a bad day.

"Reach for the sky, pilgrim!" A voice barked. The conductor turned to find two young men clad with stetsons and scarves covering their faces to be standing by. They held what looked to be guns, wielded by those soldiers. Although the guns were obscured by paper bags. Unbeknownst to him, these were actually fresh bananas covered by paper bags to give the illusion of pistols.

"Is this a stick up?" asked the conductor, raising his hands. Rodan and Angirasu shared a look.

"More like a get away. Get this train rolling, pilgrim!" Ordered Rodan, speaking in a mock southern accent.

The train whistle suddenly blew. The gears creeped as the engine began to roll along the tracks, pulling the cars along. Mosura and Junior noticed the locomotion, prompting them to bolt back to the train car.

"Stop them!" shouted Sunset as she fired her weapon. Junior ran behind Mosura and gave cover with the scrap metal he held. He stumbled as he felt the force of bolts that erupted from the gun. The train was picking up speed, but the Transmutants managed to climb aboard. The train was gaining speed, leaving as the soldiers continued firing.

"Come on! We can't lose them!" Sunset shouted as she rushed to one of the numbers. The soldiers climbed into the Humvees. Engines roared to life, while they drove off. However, a couple of Humvees suddenly stalled. The drivers attempted to get the vehicles to move, but the engines made pitiful pops and clangs.

"Damn it!" A driver cursed.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Humvees roared as they pursued the train.

The gunners turned their sights onto the train car and began to fire. The bolts pelted the interior of the car, rapidly shredding through every surface.

"Get down!" Junior tackled Mosura to the ground. He shielded her head as glass from the shattered windows fell over them. The gunners continued their assault on the car.

"Cease fire! Get us close!" Said Sunset as she climbed out of the vehicle in motion. The Humvee began to drive up to the car, allowing Sunset to leap on. She caught the railing and hoisted herself over. Erika and another soldier followed after.

Junior and Mosura rose to their feet. Glass and debris caused by the guns fell from their clothes. They noticed the soldiers had burst into the train car, weapons raised. Junior hurled the scrap metal he had carried. Sunset warped out of danger, while Erika caught the object, tossing it aside.

Sunset suddenly appeared behind Junior, magic tendrils extended from her palm. The girl latched herself onto his shoulders and pulled back. Junior grunted as he used his hands to hold the tendrils back from his throat. Sunset growled as she pulled with all of her might. The thin wire-like magic tendril began to break Junior's skin, causing his hands to bleed.

Meanwhile, Mosura found herself trading blows with Erika. The two moved faster than the average human eye could follow. However, Mosura was faster. Delivering quick and precise strikes at Erika's body. The soldier grunted as she felt herself losing feeling in her arms. Her movements were beginning to feel a bit more sluggish.

"They obviously cut corners with you!" said Mosura, before delivering a kick, sending Erika crashing into one of the seats.

One of the remaining soldiers raised his rifle and aimed. Mosura exclaimed before dropping to the ground, avoiding the shots that were fired. The bolts whizzed through the car, passed Junior and Sunset's head. The elf gasped, her expression turning to anger.

"Watch it, dumbass!" With Sunset distracted, her grip loosened. Junior grunted as he slammed his back and Sunset against a wall.

"Get off my back!" Junior then threw Sunset off over his shoulders, slamming her to the ground. He was about to stomp on her, but was met with several shots to the chest by the third soldier.

"NO!!" Mosura screamed in horror as the boy fell back. The soldier approached Junior, who held his wounds with a wheeze.

"Say goodnight, freak." The soldier took aim at the incapacitated Transmutant. Junior suddenly spewed his atomic breath at the soldier. The man gave distorted screams, as his vocals and the entirety of his body was vaporized. The atomic breath had blasted a large gaping hole at the back of the car.

Junior painted as he lied down, staring at where the soldier once stood. He was lost in shock, having realized what he had just done. He had just taken a life. There was nothing left behind to confirm it, but the soldier's distorted scream was etched into his mind.

Sunset looked on in shock as she had witnessed. She growled as she glared at Junior. Perhaps Ghidorah was right after all.

Taking advantage of Junior's stunned state, the elf shot off of a seat with a pistol drawn. But, she froze in place. She grunted as she found herself restrained by an invisible force. Mosura stood with her hand raised, glaring at the elf. Erika shouted as she lunged for her as well, but was caught in Mosura's telekinetic grasp.

"Don't come back!" Mosura shouted, before hurling Sunset and Erika off of the train, through the car's gaping hole. The elf tucked herself in before using her magic to levitate herself and Erika above ground to avoid a rough impact. The Humvees screeched to a halt for them.

Junior was breathing heavily as he gazed through the scorched, gaping hole left behind. His wounds brought his mind back to the world around him. He groaned as he lied down, clutching his chest. Mosura rushed to him, distraught.

"Y-You're OK! You're gonna be OK!" Mosura quickly rushed to the packed bags that she and the other boys hid in this car. She frantically dug for the medical supplies before rushing back to Junior, who was violently shaking.

Meanwhile, Sunset grunted as she and Erika rose up from the dirt. The elf growled in frustration as she found the Humvees and the rest of the soldiers present.

"What are you idiots doing?! Go after them!" yelled Sunset.

There was a sudden crackle. The radio on one of the Humvees was going off. Sunset groaned as she approached, grabbing the microphone.

"This is Private Shimmer."

"Private, this is Agent Ghidorah. Word's come down from up top. MONARCH Is to clear out of Equestria. Under Onyx's orders, we are to abandon our current mission."

"Abandon the mission?! But we have the targets in our sights! We need back up, we've sustained heavy losses!" cried Sunset.

"Princess Celestia demands that we clear out. No exceptions. Over and out," said Ghidorah. Sunset gasped, her eyes wide. She gritted her teeth, her face growing red. Her blood began to boil as that name stuck in her mind.

"FUCK! Not again!" Sunset slammed the microphone back onto the dashboard. Her breathing was heavy, her brow twitched. Meanwhile, Erika and the other soldiers watched anxiously.

---

The feeling of a rocking motion caused Junior to stir. His eyes strained to open, now feeling the motion being more prominent. The feeling of soft, warm hands on his head could be felt. Junior found Mosura's face to be above, a solemn look on her face. Her expression suddenly lit up once she realized the boy was awake.

"H-How do you feel?" asked Mosura, worry in her voice. Junior's cheeks slightly warmed up at the girl's concern. The feeling of her hands on him made his heart throb. He even felt something soft beneath his head. He had only realized that he was using her lap as a pillow.

"Warm." Junior muttered, looking away. Mosura smiled sweetly, her cheeks growing a tinge of red. The boy attempted to sit up, but grunted in pain.

"Careful! You're in bad shape!" Mosura gently lowered Junior's head back down onto her lap. Junior looked down at his chest, finding that his shirt was gone. His chest was wrapped in bandages that had grown a tinge of pink.

"You were shot by one of the soldiers," said Mosura. Junior winced.

"Yeah, I remember." The boy sighed heavily.

"Where are Rodan and Angirasu?"

"Over there, resting." Mosura pointed to the side. Junior found that the two boys were lying on separate seats in the train car, sleeping. Junior had just realized that it was evening, now that his tired mind began to wake. Mosura softly chuckled.

"I gotta admit, that was quite the adventure. You held your own pretty well," said Mosura.

"Same to you. Thanks," said Junior.

"It's no problem. But, it was pretty scary."

"Yeah." Junior sighed. The boy could only recall the last scream of the life he had taken. It wasn't something he wanted to do. His body just reacted on its own once He realized the danger that his life was in. He suddenly felt something wet drop onto his brow. Confused, the boy looked up, finding that the girl's smile had faltered. Tears were starting to stream down her face.

"Mosu?" Junior called, worriedly. The girl sniffled as she began to wipe her tears, only for more to replace them.

"I'm sorry. I just... I'm just so relieved. I thought they... And you were..." Mosura began to weep. She leaned down and held Junior tightly, burying her face into his shoulder. Junior's expression softened as she broke down.

"I was so scared! I thought I was going to lose everyone that I loved again!" Mosura muttered.

Junior painfully brought a hand to Mosura, rubbing her back in comfort. He allowed the girl to pour out the feelings she's managed to conceal all day. This was just a taste of what the rest of their lives held. Junior knew that he was going to have to be strong if he wanted to protect his friends.

"I won't let that happen. I promise."

Next Chapter: Anthology: Exodus Estimated time remaining: 16 Minutes