It was late at night in Canterlot as Rainbow Dash as her alter-ego Tornado was soaring through the skies of the great city as she went to Manga Tower as she was about to bust a break-in.

"Sheesh," Rainbow said looking at the hole in the wall. "Looks like the glass gotten seared, just like at Kibble Research lab."

She went inside and saw all the tech was burned to a crisp. She walked to the end of the room and see the man was doing< Rainbow picks up a rock and throw it at him grabbing his attention. Rainbow took cover just as the man turn around.

"Working late?" Rainbow asked him.

"Midnight shift," The man replied. "Like you Tornado."

The man fires a laser at Rainbow who avoided it then grabs him and threw out of the building Rainbow landed on the building and the man flying by jetpack was on his back looking down on her.

"Well, you're full of surprises." Rainbow was shocked that he recover in the air.

"I'm Blowtorch," Saying his name. "Get it, 'cause I bring the heat.

Just he was about to fire, three magenta stars came out of nowhere throw his aim off. He then saw Twilight standing right next to Rainbow then liquid-like substance drip out of his blasters.

"Mm-mm-mm." Blowtorch said looking at then aimed at the girls. "You're paid for doing that Cyber Witch."

He looked at the fuel gauge was empty.

"Next time," As Blowtorch flew away.

At the Rainbooms Secert Lair.

"Thanks for having my back," Rainbow thanked her.

"No problem, I guessing that our arsonist," Twilight asked her.

"Yep,' Rainbow responded. "What his deal?"

"Not sure why is he targeting computers?" Twilight wondered. "But he has a jetpack and laser tech like nothing I ever..."

She looks and notices that her hairpin was burned.

"Blowtorch huh?" Twilight coldly said. "I'm calling a night beside and Trevor had to meet up Mayor Tomlin tomorrow."

Later in the morning Twilight and Trevor were at city hall looking at the photo.

"Ha-ha," Tomlin spoke up. "Don't let the photograph fool you. I may be holding that but Trevor's Dad caught it."

"Dad always did subscribe to charity," Trevor mentioned. "Mayor Tomlin."

"Trevor, Twilight it's been too long," Tomlin said while shaking their hands. "But unfortunately I didn't call you two here for a social visit."

"Talon Labs business," Trevor asked.

"I ain't going to sugar coat this," Tomlin pointed out it was bad news. "As both of you know, the city's about award the contract to rebuild and expand to children's daycare."

"Yeah, to Talon Labs," Twilight said.

"The council is leaning toward JackalCorp," Tomlin said.

"What?!" Both Twilight and Trevor gasped.

"Talon Labs and the foundation have supported the daycare from the beginning," Trevor explained. "My dad, Dean Candance, and Twilight's Parents founded it."

"And when does JackalCorp do public service?" Twilight added. "They have a history of allegations, investigation, and resignations. Too many 'ations' for my taste."

"Guys," Tomlin spoke up. "The council isn't concerned with JackalCorp's reputation. They're leery of yours."

"How?" Trevor asked.

"Public Image," He pointed it out. "Well, let's just say it doesn't inspire much confidence. Look, your dad, Twilight's parents, and sister-in-law are close friends of mine. You got the passion but they see you as a..."

"A party boy," Trevor said. "Mayor Tomlin, let and Miss Sparkle let me the case for the Talon Foundation. Give us a chance to convince them. Please."

"The voting of the contract starts tomorrow at 8 a.m, sharp," Tomlin said. "And wear a tie."

"We'll be here and at the top of my game," Trevor said.

At Trevor's house.

"8 in the morning sounds bright and early," Rarity said as she was stunned. "Maybe it's the best idea to get a good night's rest."

"No, not until I have gathered enough ammo regarding JackalCorp's questionable business practices," Trevor said while the information. "This is the company that produced dangerous weapons to take you and the others down and yet they don't see the big picture. The daycare was dad's cause, not to mention, Twilight's family had great memories. I need to be sure that both of us can sway the council's vote."

Then the alarm went off.

"Police alert," Trevor looked at it. "The security system of a law firm's have been trip."

"On the 64th floor," Rarity wondered.

"Blowtorch," Trevor said then his phone buzzed.

"Message from Twilight," Trevor looked at it.

(I got word from Detective Spitfire that Blowtorch is at it again. Both me and Rainbow will handle it.)

With Twilight and Rainbow...

"One thing's for sure," Twilight said examining the window. "Blowtorch's work alright. But a law firm doesn't fit the profile."

"The only question is now is where the bug?" Rainbow asked then a bright flash came by and Blowtorch was right in front of them.

"What do have here," Blowtorch said. "Two Rainbooms that have wings."

"Time for you flickered out," Twilight said then fire a blast of magic at him but Blowtorch dodged it then she and Rainbow took to the skies and followed him.

"Ready to play some chicken," Blowtorch said.

Twilight threw a couple of bombs at him.

"Oh, no," He said as they went off. "Tear gas? I give something to cry about."

He then fires lasers at them who quickly avoided them.

"Horseapples!" Twilight remembered something. "I got to get up early for the meeting with the grand council. Can you handle this?"

"Sure, I have him flying in circles," Rainbow said as Twilight flew away.

"Alright, Blowtorch where are you?" Rainbow called him.

"Right above you," Blowtorch said as hovering over Rainbow then fire a laser beam that send her crashing into a building. "So long Torando."

Hours after the Meeting.

"So, how did it go?" Fluttershy asked them.

"It went bad," Trevor sighed with defeat. "They already cast their vote."

"I already failed twice," Twilight felt guilty. "As Cyber Witch and myself. I tried to do everything and failed to accomplish anything."

"It's not your fault," Sunset reassured. "You two trying to take a position that means a lot to parents."

"And what happened to Rainbow?" Trevor asked then Rainbow came in bang-up.

"My word," Rarity gasped. "What happened?"

"Blowtorch," Rainbow said while clenching her fist. "He pulled a fast one and I ended up crashing into an abandoned building and nothing left but my pride in pieces."

Police are investigating this stream of arsons plaguing Canterlot. The latest is a law firm which many of Canterlot's industrial clients. The firm major bankruptcy cases' as the girls watch the news.

"Well it seems that Blowtorch has busy," Pinkie said then gasped. " Wait a minute those companies were arson victims too."

Pinkie then looks up the most recent news. "Mercury Telecom declares bankruptcy after arson! That's it!"

"What's it?" Applejack asked.

"Think everybody," Pinkie asked. "Who'd profit from these companies being out of business?"

"JackalCorp," Applejack replied. "That's who."

"Of course now I get," Twilight realized. "It was staring me in the face the entire time. Blowtorch doesn't commit arson. He commits corporate sabotage and he's working for Henry Jackal."

"Makes sense," Rarity thought about it. "No wonder why that nasty scoundrel Jackal is so interested in funding for the children's daycare."

"Nothing like a little good PR to keep the nosy public distracted from dirty business," Sunset added.

"The only question is now is how do we stop both Blowtorch and JackalCorp," Fluttershy asked then Trevor and Tyler came in.

"We're going to fight with fire," Tyler said showing them a couple of jetpacks. "These bad boys are going to even the playing field."

"And I think I have a way to draw out our pyromaniac friend," Trevor said being confident.

And in local business, Trevor and Tyler Sanders stepped into the spotlight again this time with breaking news at Talon Labs. as the newscaster for the Canterlot Weekly was speaking.

"Due to the board being concerned about our competition," Tyler said. "We can't go into full detail yet but in the next few days, Talon Labs will unveil a prototype that makes us the premier tech company in Canterlot."

"In fact, it would set the tech world on fire," Trevor added.

Any concerns about competition from Jackal Corp?

"Let's just say I wouldn't be them right now," Trevor mentioned as Blowtorch was watching the TV as the phone started to ring.

Blowtorch answers the phone. "Yeah I'm watching it," Spoke to the person on the phone. "No problem, my usual rate, I understand, like the others. Talon Labs will go down in flames."

...

It was nighttime in the City of Canterlot, and Blowtorch made it to Talon Labs. He blasted right at the wall and made a circle went inside, without knowing that Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash as their alter-egos were quietly following him.

"Hello, Blowtorch," Rarity said as the three stepped into the light standing face to face with the villain.

"Tornado," Blowtorch laughed a bit. "I see you survived you crack up."

"Game's over, we know about JackalCorp." Rarity sternly said.

"What?" Blowtorch asked. "Is that like a rock band or somethin'?"

"For someone who gets his kicks scorching tech companies," Applejack sternly said. "I mighty find hard to believe you've never heard of them."

Blowtorch fired his flamethrower at them but Applejack threw a golden horseshoe at him throwing his aim off.

"Give it up, Blowtorch," Rainbow said. "Your goose is cooked. "

"Says who?" Blowtorch said rocket out of there. "No one touches me in the sky."

The girls press a button on the chest and activate their jetpacks.

"What?" Blowtorch was surprised.

"This time, we brought the heat," Rainbow said with a smirk.

In a brief moment, Rainbow and Applejack punched him then got out there and then fire lasers at the three but they all avoided them swiftly.

"Handles nice," Blowtorch said. "But does it have horsepower?" As he uses the afterburner.

As they were chasing, a man saw them up in the air.

"I'm moving to Manehatthen," The man said.

The three Rainbooms were still Blowtorch through the city, Applejack armed her rope and lasso his legs trying to pull him which allowed Rarity to go from behind and ice his jet pack which caused him to fall down to the top of a building. Then Rainbow came to ground level.

"Last chance, Blowtorch," Rainbow said.

Blowtorch once again fires his lasers but it doesn't work.

"Your tanks on empty." Rainbow pointed out that the Blowtorch's gear has been put on ice. "It's you and me."

Blowtorch ran towards her hoping to land a hit but Rainbow sidesteps and punches his ribs.

"No one touches me..." Blowtorch holding himself together.

"In the sky?" Rainbow asked pointed up then down. "Not anymore."

Blowtorch yelled and ran right at her, then Rainbow kicks him right in the face which cause him to lose his balance, he regained it did multiple punches at her but proved futile due to her speed. Blowtorch lunged a kick at Rainbow who catch his foot then spin it which fell to the ground.

"Face the facts," Rainbow said as Blowtorch saw all seven of them as his mask started to crack. "You've been burned."

Moments later most of CPD along with Detective Spitfire were at JackalCorp saw Blowtorch all tied up and unmasked.

"JackalCorp employee of the month," Spitfire said as she knew The Rainbooms handled this.

At City Hall...

"Well based on recent facts that come to light," Tomlin said reading the newspaper that JackalCorp was behind the events of
the Blowtorch arsons. "I suggest that the council recast their vote in the matter of the daycare as well as all contracts currently held by JackalCorp."

Most of the council had guilty faces that all voted for someone that was willing to eliminate the competition by sabotage.

"Trevor, your dad would be proud if we're here today," Tomin said.

"Thank you, Mayor Tomlin," Trevor thanked him. "I like to think there's more to me than a good-looking tie."

With that not that Blowtorch was behind bars, Henry Jackal will face a lot of lawsuits.

Villain File 01- Miles Blackburn alias Blowtorch

Miles Blackburn was already an expert in and with a thorough knowledge of flammable agents. After he is horribly scarred by a blaze at a chemical factory, Blackburn mechanically engineered an insulated, fireproof to protect himself. This specialized outfit is equipped with an extensive arsenal of fire-creating weapons, including a military-grade Flamethrower, various incendiary devices like grenades, napalm bombs, and a sword-like blade of superheated plasma for close-ranged hand-to-hand combat. A jetpack is also mounted on the back of the armor to allow for high-speed flight. Thus earning the name Blowtorch.

It was a hot night within the waters of Canterlot as a cruise ship was passing by.

"Sweating weather," A man said. We're having tonight."

Inside the captain area, the radar was beeping. The driver looked at something strange.

"Uh, Skipper," The man asked him. "What's our produce in case of an iceberg?"

"An iceberg in Canterlot Bay," The man asked. "In this heat? Pal, I promise you we don't have products for...

Then an iceberg was heading for the boat and crashed into the ship.

"Weather's a bit muggy," A man said as he jumped on the ship. The man look he wears some kind of cryo suit.

"You are not welcome here mister," another man said trying to learn his name.

"I am Glacier," Says his name.

"Mr. Glacier you don't have permission--" The man walked up to him then got frozen solid.

"Aah!" A woman screamed. "What do you want?"

"Ice?" Glacier said darkly.

"I don't understand?" Another woman asked him.

"Think about it," Glacier pulled a burning tip. "Think fast."

He used the burning tip at the ice sculpture and shattered in an instant, the then the women looked at the each other have given him later the icy villain had a whole bag of diamonds.

"Ice doing business," Glacier say froze the water, and walked on the water.

At the Rainbooms Secret Hideout.

"All crimefighting and no-play make Twilight Sparkle a dull girl." Sunset joked while Twilight was on her laptop.

"Come on Sunset you all people I'm not that dull and boring," Twilight said.

"I'm just saying even heroes need to go a holiday once a while," Sunset smiled a bit. "Besides Rarity and Applejack decided to go to the beach resort."

"Sunset," Twilight turned to her. "Like the idea but the last time we went to the beach, Moonstone blocked out the sun, and Twister caused a sandstorm."

"Don't remind me," The fire hair girl crosses her arms. "Which is you and I are going to a ski resort. Think of it as a way of honing your skills. And nice to see snow for change because this heatwave is driving me nuts."

"Let me guess, Principal Celestia made reservations did she?" Twilight asked.

"More or less," Sunset replied.

"Fair enough," Twilight sighed as she upstairs. "Besides maybe I should take a break from the crime-fighting."

Then Rainboom Alarm went off showing the news.

The mind-boggling jewelry theft at Canterlot Harbor has left one man frozen solid and not to mention an actual iceberg in the Canterlot Bay. Little is known about the bizarre perpetrator calling himself Glacier.

"Would look at that," Sunset sighed a bit. "It's a sign that a winter retreats shortly."

With that, both Sunset and Twilight donned costumes and became their alter-egos Phoenix and Cyber Witch.

At the Canterlot Bay, the CPD was already at work.

"Will my husband be alright," the woman asked the Medic.

"He has mind case of hypothermic ma'am," He told her. "He pulls through."

"No thanks to that manic," another man said.

"So how did he do?" An officer asked,

"Not sure, but he appears to be flash-frozen."

"He walked on water?" Dec. Spitfire asked the captain.

"Froze it first," He mentioned.

"Made a path of solid ice straight to the shore."

"Well no sign of that now," Spitfire then two officers came by. "Any luck finding our guy."

"No luck, the trail went cold. So to speak."

"Trail wasn't that cold enough, not in this weather."

Both Twilight and Sunset heard them far from their location.

"Not cold enough to the naked eye," Twilight pulled out her infrared googles. "But in infrared."

The googles show Glacier footprints.

"Glacier trailed is clear as crystal," Twilight finished.

"Looks liked he headed to Delta Diamond Shop," Sunset came in. "Time put the heat on this guy."

Meanwhile at the DDS...

"Mind if I help myself?" Glacier asked the frozen guard. "I didn't think so."

"The choice cuts," Glacier said as he approached the safe. "Must in the icebox."

He froze it then smash it with his tip.

"Ah," He gazed at the diamonds. "The little glaciers."

Most of them than just about exited the shop, Twilight and Sunset came from behind and kick him.

"Cyber Witch and Phoenix," Glacier greeted them. "I thought you or any other Rainbooms would arrive,"

Twilight threw three Sparkle Stars at him but he froze all of them.

"Okay," Twilight shockingly said. "Didn't see that coming."

"I have been forward to our little reunion," Glacier said.

"Reunion?" Both of the girls were dumbstruck.

Glacier did an ice blast and both of them avoided it.

"Exercise will only keep you warm for so long," Glacier mentioned as he froze over the jewelry shop. Both of the girls tried to get close but they started to feel the cold.

"Slowing aren't we," the frosty villain said. "In case your wondering, the would be the hypothermia kicking in. We both know the symptoms. Slowed reaction time, reflexes get sluggish. Then come to the hallucinations, lack of consciousness then the big chill!"

He then did an ice blast at them which both dodged. Twilight used her Sparkle Star and made an ice pillar fall on his face which made him fall back a bit and another Sparkle Star blindsided him allowing Sunset to do a fire blast at him which made him fall which was his mask came off a little as both approach him.

"You keep talking as if we've met before mister," Twilight took a look then gasped when she saw a familiar face.

"What the-," Sunset gasped. "Lenny Buck? But how?"

Realizing they drop their guard he knock Twilight on the ground and most froze Sunset's body.

"If you're asking how I am still alive?" He finished Sunset's thought. "You were the one who ices me."

"I've had a recent makeover since you and I cross paths."

(Five months ago)

I was just Lenny Buck. A typical bank robber. But I hit the big time. Diamonds!

The biggest score of my former life.

The icy hand of fate led me to that cryonics lab,

I was electrocuted.

At the same instant, the blood froze in my veins.

Was I still among the living?

Presumably, the experts will determine that but made it easy for them.

My body had mutated neither living nor dead.

I was a walking cryonic miracle but some might consider me as a monster.

It didn't take much to motivate an expert in the field to build this cold suit so I wouldn't melt.

(Back in the Present)

"Thank you for creating me Phoenix," Glacier armed the burning tip. "And goodbye,"

"Police," Two officers came into the room. "Freeze!"

"As you wish," Glacier said then froze the cops then made his escape. "Until we meet again, ladies."

Glacier broke the window and skated out of the way. Sunset broke free out of ice then collapsed on the ground just as Twilight came around and saw her girlfriend on the ground.

"Don't worry," Twilight levitated her to her car. "I got you."

Twilight took her home and laid her on the couch and went to the lab.

"Alright, let's get to work," Twilight started to make something.

Hours Sunset woke and saw Twilight nowhere to be found.

"Twilight?" Sunset asked then went down to the lair.

"Ah," Twilight saw her. "I see that you have regained your fire have we."

"Glacier took over the Canterlot Park," Sunset mentioned. "And the police have been sidelined."

"Of course," Twilight said. "That's why I made weatherproof armor for when we transformed so that Glacier won't get the freeze on us."

"Nice," Sunset said then The Rainboom went off again.

"Come on, Twi," Sunset said. "Let's melt his unbreakable ice of his."

The girls put on their costumes and headed to Canterlot Park.

They landed their vehicles at the heart of the now-frozen park.

"It's was all too easy," Both turned around and saw Glacier in his new sitting place. "The diamonds. The police. Challenges for a common criminal. It's clear now that I'm destined for more than this. After all, Phoenix you made more than human."

"Sorry, Lenny but let's not flip the script," Sunset glared at him. "You and I both know that you did this to yourself."

"And we're here to bring on the thaw," Twilight chimed in.

"Go on, then," Glacier urged them. "Bring it!"

Both Sunset and Twilight dodged his ice blast and Twilight threw A Dyna-Sparkle Star at him which exploded casing to fall back a bit. Glacier got back up and froze three more Sparkle Stars that Twilight threw.

"Nice look," Glacier commented on their new outfits. "But I won't need to see either pf you when you are buried!"

Glacier did a cold snap and froze the entire park. Sunset came from above and did a swinging kick at his face then did acbro kick to his ribs. Glacier grabbed Sunset threw her into a wall of ice, Twilight threw more Sparke Star at him but he created an ice spike to implode on themselves. Then Twilight used magic and threw Glacier on the other side.

"You two are finished," Glacier threated, "Finished!"

Both of them did a massive blast of Ice and Fire from Twilight's latest gadget the Heatseeker.

"I'm king of the mountain, the emperor of Canterlot! So get used to the weather."

"Not a chance, Glacier," Twilight shot back. "This is my mountain!"

"Cold always triumphs over heat!"

Glacier's ice blast zero out Twilight's Heatseeker.

"Your going more than a heat gun to handle me," Glacier with realizing that Sunset was behind him.

"How about me," Sunset asked in sarcastic tone and did her Volcano Flare.

"Ahhh!" Glacier was impacted by the blast that knocked him out cold sending him over the park walls and into hands of the Canterlot PD.

"Looks at this guy is had just melted over," Spitfire joked as the offices handcuffed the icy criminal as Glacier campaigin of never-ending winter can to an end.

Villain File 02-Lenny Buck alias Glacier

A small robber hit the big leagues by stealing diamonds. Being chased by the Rainbooms Lenny had an accident that made his body immune to the sub-zero environment.

It was another dark and gloomy night in the City of Canterlot. As Spade aka Jonah Shaw was up to his old tricks. The Shaws were once the lords of high society, but the family fortune was lost making the biggest losers of all time and Jonah knew the best way to rebuild the fortune was to train common birds to do high-flying robbery and carry high sacks of money to him.

"Yes my pretties," Spade called his birds. "Show me the money!"

Then Rarity enters the scene as her chilly superhero fashion-forward persona "Ice Breaker." She fired a blast of ice magic to freeze on his birds carrying the money.

"Sorry to rain your parade," Rarity said then draw her Ice daggers. "This isn't yours to steal."

"Heh," Spade laughed armed his swords. "I'm always prepared for all kinds of weather."

Both Rarity and Spade clashed their swords at each other.

"Chop-chop, Ice Breaker," Spade said and then threw one his sword at her then she dodged it.

Spade grab the sack of money then and took it to the skies via his rocket boots. Rarity drop down the building and went to her motorcycle she called it the Ice Cycle, she got in and followed.

Spade grinned then look to see that Rarity was following him with her ride.

"Now that's a cool ride," Spade thought to himself.

Rarity increased her speed on the motorbike and jump off the ramp, and while she grabs his shoes, she freeze them so that he would fall down on a couple of stairs, two signs, and then into a pile of trash.

Spade got up and Rarity drop down from the building.

"It's time back to the cage, brute," Rarity said that he going to prison.

"Not before we rattle yours," Spade said with a smirk.

"I'm sorry, who 'we'," Rarity asked before she got kicked by Spade's robot bodyguards.

Rarity groaned a bit and saw Spade get in the truck and fled the scene.

Meanwhile with Spade...

"For once, I have got to pull a job someplace that Ice Breaker isn't," Spade said. " Or any other Rainboom for that matter."

Then Spade lookout window. "Stop the car!"

She's known by many names. Fashion Designer, Talented Actor on one side, Impressive Singer on the other. But who is the real Rarity?

"You," Spade growled seeing Rarity's face.

Despite a larger-than-life public persona, Rarity has privately managed to remain a mystery? Join me, Jessica Bailey for the first in-depth interview with Canterlot's most eligible bachoerlette... on "A Day in the Life"

In fit of anger, Spade threw a Spade Dart at the TV which then explode.

"If there's anyone I despise more than the Rainbooms, it's Rarity!" Spade growled. "She's got looks and money."

Then Spade grinned a bit. "Yes, money. Rarity's money."

Then morning arrive and Coco Pommel had just arrived at Cauroal Boutique

"Oh, it's about you came Coco," Rarity's sister Sweetie Belle saw her. "The TV people will be here any moment."

"Are you sure that Rarity has to go through with this?" Coco asked.

"Yes," Sweetie Belle replied. "Super Hero Guidelines 101 says any hero with a social life must cultivate their public image."

"But Jessica Bailey has a rep of making private lives a little too public." Coco reminded her. "She could be messing with the wrong people."

"I know, but if Rarity has always been quite the go-getter and complexes her hair, the bottom line is this avoiding the press only just makes them more curious."

"I see your point, how long will this thing last." Then the two heard the doorbell.

"From Dawn to Dusk."

Moments later Rarity had just put on her casual attire and saw a camera in her face.

"You are getting my good side, yes?" She asked.

"We are," Jessica smiled. "I pride myself on catching muy subjects off-guard. After all, I'm here to get to know the real Rarity."

"Nice digs." The cameraman said.

"Wait until to see where I work at," Rarity implied. "I'll show the rest of the boutique after we had dinner."

"To Talon Labs then," Jessica said.

As Rarity took the crew to the lab. Both Coco and Sweetie Belle were hard at work making dinner when they heard the doorbell.

"Well that's strange," Coco said. "Dinner not until 8'o clock."

"I'll check it," Sweetie Belle went to see who it is. "Who... is it?"

The little girl look up and had a worried look on her face.

"Long time no see, Sweetie," Spade greet her.

"Sweet Celestia! 😱" Sweetie Belle exclaimed.

It didn't long for Spade to tied up both Coco and Sweetie Belle from escaping.

"Ooh, it's getting dark," Spade grimly said. "Good thing I brought my evening jacket."

He enters the room with a gentleman's robe that was custom designed by Rarity.

"And since my feather friend cut the phone and power we won't have any interruptions while catching up, lassies."

"Now where is Rarity, kid?" Spade asked Sweetie Belle.

"Rarity is in the city on very important business," Sweetie Belle answered him.

But really Rarity was showing her latest designs via by fashion show.

"You see, bold colors project can bring an aura for confidence," Rarity said.

"Even the fashion designers have a personal stylist," Jessica said.

"Then we await for Rarity's return," Spade mentioned. "We are gonna have some fun."

Spade was having fun as he wrecked the house.

"I must insist that you leave the premises at once," Coco requested him.

"Without settling with her?" Spade asked then threw an orange at a picture of Rarity and her friends. "Bull's eyes!"

"What as Rarity ever done to you!?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Oh, nothing really except own everything that should rightfully be mine!" Spade glared at her. "I am from noble blood! The Shaws were once the toast of society! I am a Shaw!"

Then a timer went off.

"What's cooking?"

Spade left the room, and both Coco and Sweetie tried to break free.

"Now we're talking," As Spade was in the kitchen. "The perfect crime... diner and burglary.

Meanwhile...

"Are how coming along?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Almost there." Coco reached for the house phone. "He made cut the power to her cell phone but not the house phone!"

"Oh, ladies!" Spade called them. "The roast is overcooked but not bad. what you got there!"

Spade grabbed the house phone from her possession.

"Trying to give your gal pal Rarity a call, huh?"

"Good idea,"

Back at Talon Labs...

"At Talon Labs, this amazing industry has over a dozen separate divisions including elections, engineering, biomedical research, all cutting edge as the kids say," Rarity said. "My friends and I work under Trevor and Tyler who have accomplished many great feats!"

"Working at a place like this must be honor and privilege," Jessica then Rarity's phone ringed.

"Oh, excuse me, darling," Rarity said. "Hello?"

She heard Spade's laughter over the phone.

"Guess who?"

"It's Mable?"

"No, it's Spade. Is this the right number?"

"Of course, I remember. I never forgot a voice that pretty."

"I'm home with your sister and Miss Pommel and they wanted me to tell you dinner getting cold."

"For you my good sir, I'd drop anything."

"And no Police, and they get it? Understand?

Then Spade ends the call.

"Can we call it a rap?" Rarity requested. "I have a friend in need."

"No problem," Jessica said. "The camera loves drama."

"Sorry, but where I going, no cameras are strictly off-limits."

"Now what?"

With Rarity. she harnessed her geode and became Ice Breaker and got on her Ice Cycle and called Applejack.

Meanwhile, at Sweet Apple Acers, Applejack was snoring in her room just as the phone went off.

"Who is it?" Applejack groggily answers.

"It's me," Rarity's voice was on the phone. "We have a situation, Spade is at my house and he is holding both Sweetie and Coco hostage, meet me at the boutique as soon you can.

"Don't worry partner I'll be there," Applejack then became the heavy lifter, Rock Roller.

...

"Top floor, ugly furniture, tacky artwork, bad Feng Shui," Spade made bad comments on decor. "Time to redesign the bachelor pad."

Then a golden horseshoe caught Spade by surprise.

"What on earth?" Spade was puzzled then turn around.

"I say," Sweetie Belle act surprised knowing her sister and Applejack's secret identity. "It's Rock Roller and Ice Breaker!"

"What? How did you find me!?"

"It's what we do," Applejack said knowing Spade's pattern.

Then Jessica and the cameraman enter the boutique.

"Hello, any home?" She asked then both of them heard clanging.

Both of them went upstairs. and saw Rarity and Applejack were fighting him, Applejack threw her golden horseshoe at him but he dodged It then lunged forward at Applejack but Rarity did a spin kick.

"Forget, A Day in the life with Rarity," Jessica sees the two heroines.

"Please," Applejack requested. "Go before you get hurt!"

Spade threw his Spade chain at the girls and knock them out and slammed them on the ground.

"Oh, horseapples," Coco said in concern.

"Well, what do we have here?" Spade looked at the TV Crew.

Both made a run for it both stopped by his robot guards.

"Don't harm us, Mr. Spade." Jessica pleaded.

"Oh. you're that reporter from TV," Spade knew them. "So, where's Rarity?"

"I'm beginning to wonder myself," Jessica added.

"Forget her, I'm your new star! I'll give you an exclusive over here."

Spade picks Rarity up.

"The true identity Ice Breaker."

Sweetie Belle, Coco Pommel, and Applejack gasped upon hearing this.

"Get ready for close up," Spade said. "Glacier couldn't bring the heat against Cyber Witch and Phoenix, Black Falcon and Blowtorch were flying in circles against Tornado, and not even that screw-lose Trickster could pull off what I'm about to do."

"Time to break the ice," Spade said as got hold of Rarity's mask.

Just as he was about to pull it off Sweetie tackled him. "That's for ruining the roast."

Then she was cornered by Spade's robot guards.

"Oh, you're going to regret that, little brat," Spade glared at her then Applejack cleared her to grab his attention to see that both of them were free due to Applejack's strength.

"Ready for a rematch," Applejack said.

"Round two then," Spade smiled. "Break those blockheads!"

The robots lunged forward and the Applejack kick them into the cameraman and the film got out.

"The tape," Jessica exclaimed.

"I've got it," Sweetie Belle said then accidentally kick it. "Oopsy."

The tape went into the fire destroying it!

"Sorry, I'm a bit of a klutz," Sweetie Belle sheepishly said.

Meanwhile, Spade knocked both of them into a wall and then bring most of the house on them hoping that would finish them but they were safe as Rarity summon her gem shield.

"I can't get a break here," Spade groans a bit then went to the top of the roof prompting both of them to follow him.

Applejack threw a horseshoe that exploded knocking him back but did a backflip kick at Applejack. Rarity fired a blast of ice magic at him but it missed him. Spade armed his Spade Chain and fling his sword at the end of it. Rarity froze the sword part and Applejack grabbed the chain along with him then hold him in the air.

"You should learn to play nice, Spade," Applejack said then punch his lights out. "And now your down for the count."

"Well played," Rarity liked it and then both of them left.

"Did you get all that?" Jessica asked the cameraman.

"I'd hope so," he replied as then Rarity and Applejack walked up to them as themselves.

"Jessica?" Rarity asked. "What are you... What's going on here?"

"It was one of those Rainbooms show up," Jessica said then gave Rarity and Applejack a sudden look.

"What?"

"Funny how you and that Ice Breaker have never been in the same place at the same time tonight,"

"Look it's them!" The cameraman pointed up seeing Ice Breaker and Rockroller on top of the building then saw them on the Ice Cycle and headed back into the city.

A few hours later, Detective Spitfire and the CPD escorted Spade and put him in the armored car.

"Well that's enough excitement for one day," Rarity said. "Shall we finish the interview?"

"Thanks but I'm on a different subject," Jessica said. "There's more to Spade than meet the eye!"

"Looks I stole one thing from you after all," Spaded proudly said. "The spotlight!"

The police, the TV Crew all left the Ice Cycle came back with Ice Breaker and Rock Roller.

"Nice show, you two," Rarity praised both of them.

They took off their mask and revealed Sweetie Belle and Coco posing as them.

"Thanks," Sweetie replied turned to Coco. "And you were right, about flirting with disaster."

"In more ways than one, she was right," Applejack said knowing that publicity and superheroes don't end well.

"

Next up is the Chaos Theory Story Arc!

Dear Princess Twilight,

The school year is winding down and we're all pretty excited for summer break. However, we're a little nervous too. This is our last semester together at the same school.

Rarity was accepted into a prestigious design school in our Manehatten. She’ll be learning tips and techniques from some of the most famous designers in the world. She's also expressed an interest in meeting with your Rarity to talk shop.

Rainbow Dash managed to get a scholarship to the Northern District Soccer academy, but she still has a lot of work to do if she wants to be on the starting lineup of any of their teams. She's chomping at the bit to get going.

The rest of us will be attending Canterlot University. Sunshine’s been accepted on a science educational fellowship based on her accolades. As for myself, I’ve been awarded a creative writing grant based on a letter of recommendation from my soon-to-be mother-in-law. Both programs are going to be pretty tough, but I’m confident we’ll make it through.

Pinkie and Fluttershy are taking basic courses with us and Applejack has agreed to take some basic business management courses in preparation to take over the farm after Big Mac, who announced that he wasn’t interested in anything but digging and planting until he was dug in and planted himself. Pinkie is also splitting her time between culinary and management classes herself. While Adagio has declined to join us, Aria got into the music department and Sonata is heading up a hospitality course to help Pinkie in their quest to open up their own catering service.

Our graduation is three weeks away, and three days from now is the combined bridal shower for Cadence, Sunshine and myself. I’m nervous about this, more than anything else I’ve ever been nervous for before. Even letting the girls be my friends after the Fall Formal all those years ago. What if I mess something up during the ceremony? I don’t know anything about being married! At the risk of sounding like you, you wouldn’t happen to have any books on that, would you?

Oh, speaking of books, I haven’t had a response from any of my last few messages. I know being a Princess probably keeps you busy – what with those friendship missions and all – so when you get a moment, I’d love to know if you and the girls will be able to make it to the ceremony. Our band will be playing and I know Rainbow will get a kick out of that if nothing else.

Your Friend,

Sunset Shimmer.

I closed the book, running my finger along with the sunburst symbol on the cover. I returned it to the cabinet shelf that we had designated for it in our new apartment, next to the ones made for my sisters by the Princess. Twilight and I both had taken to writing to the Princess, but this strange silence the last few weeks was starting to bother me. I hadn't heard from her or my sisters.

Add that to the fact that the emanations from the portal had only increased since we’ve started measuring them. Not knowing what was coming, we had all taken to wearing our pendants constantly. This made things awkward for me since unwanted contact would give me insight into a person’s surface memories or emotions.

Thankfully, the bond that I and Twilight shared gave her a degree of immunity to my geode. However, there were times it leaked through, usually when she was in an emotionally vulnerable state or we were being intimate.

What I really had to watch out for was Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, the two more huggy members of my friend group. I had already enjoyed three trips into Pinkie's mine and the insanity which occupied it. Fluttershy, on the other hand, was occupied with fluffy and cute things, though there were shadows lingering on the edge that alarmed me.

But the worst part so far was this strange creepy sense of being watched that had started to sneak up on my consciousness.

It came and went, but when I felt it my skin crawled and I grew nauseous. Twilight had felt some of the same symptoms, but nowhere near the degree, I did.

One positive note to emerge in recent weeks was discovering why I and Twilight were so connected, and why she was so subtly different from her counterpart. The first time she siphoned magic from me was also through the portal. Something about the way it had happened had connected us through our magic, and the increased outpouring of energy from the portal had only strengthened that bond.

I felt arms slide around me, one over my shoulder and another around my waist. I leaned back slightly into the embrace and felt a kiss land upon my bare shoulder.

“I thought we talked about drifting off into la-la land like that, Sunny,” Twilight said, resting her chin on my shoulder.

I smiled and tugged my tank top down a little from where her grasp had bunched it up.

“Sorry, honey,” I said, turning slightly to give her a peck on the cheek. “Lots of changes coming up, and a lot of things to think about.”

She nuzzled me, reminding me of how many ponies gestures for affection she had adopted in our time together. It came naturally to both of us now, and it was more comforting to me than she realized. I may have decided to remain in this world, but that didn’t mean that parts of me didn't miss Equestria. I owned my old home there and Twilight and I had planned on spending part of our honeymoon there, as well as a short trip to one of the resorts on the beaches in the Equestrian equivalent of Jamaneca.

“Surely you can ponder those thoughts in the morning?” she whispered in my ear, her intentions flooding through me and causing a warm glow to ignite.

I took one of her hands and kissed the wrist before nuzzling it.

“You go ahead and get ready for bed, sweetheart,” she whispered. “I’ll clean up and be there in a minute.”

I lingered for just a moment, looking at my love’s shape in the dim light of her namesake’s time of day. Something about her was beguiling to me, beyond her looks, beyond her mind. Nothing could compare to how I felt about her, not even my love of magic. She stopped after a few steps, glancing back at me over her shoulder and catching me in the act. She smiled sexily.

“Bed, Sunset.” Her voice turned husky. “Unless you plan on playing hard to get, that is.”

“Too late for that, Twilight,” I said as I got up and headed for our bedroom.

“I caught you almost a year ago.” I teased as I pulled my tank top off and dropped it to the floor. I winked at her and with a giggle, she hurried off to lock the door, start the dishwasher, and check on Spike’s food and water dishes.

Too bad I was going to be in my pajamas before she finished her chores.

I’m not sure what was more foreboding, the gloomy sky and rain or that Rarity and Fluttershy had planned this party with input from Pinkie. As such, I wound up sitting on a chair in Cadence’s living room, wearing a dress that was a little tighter in the shoulders than I would’ve liked. It forced me to sit up just to avoid the bunching.

Rarity was starting to pass out the gifts that had been stacked neatly by the table.

This is the last time I let Rarity set a dress code for anything.

Twilight sat next to me, sitting just as proper, wearing an outfit similar to her Crystal Prep uniform but with a longer skirt. It was like looking back in time to the Friendship Games when we didn’t know each other. I wonder what I would have said if someone had told me back then that we’d be getting married in a year or so.

I barely believed it myself right now.

“Now, Twilight,” Rarity said, her hand on Fluttershy’s thigh. “This is from Rainbow Dash and Applejack. They apologize they were unable to attend.”

She handed my bride-to-be a wrapped gift about the size of a stepping stone.

Twilight lifted the gift, testing its weight and tilting an ear towards it.

“Twily, sweetheart,” Cadence said. “Part of the fun of a shower is the surprise of the gifts. Think of it like an extra Christmas.”

“Actually,” I said, clearing my throat. “I’m with her on the caution here. Last time Dash sent us a gift, it triggered Pinkie’s magic. If it weren’t for AJ, I’d never would have gotten my security deposit back.”

Cadence sat up, looking over at where Pinkie had just skipped into the kitchen to help Sonata finish.

“Like I said,” she continued. “Take your time.”

Twilight set the gift in her lap and slowly unwrapped the gift to find four placemats inside. Along the border were a series of symbols with a special meaning to us all - what would have been our cutie marks in Equestria. I saw AJ’s, Pinkie’s, and Fluttershy’s across the top, and Rarity’s, Dash’s, and Sonata’s across the bottom. Our individual marks held court on the sides and were in the center, merged overtop each other. Two had mine as the dominant mark, the other half had Twilight’s star as the primary one.

“These are so cute,” Twilight said as she flipped through them. “Where did she get them made?”

“She didn’t specify,” Fluttershy said. “But I remember her saying that her Dad has a deal with a local print shop.”

I looked at the Fluttershy. Ever since the cruise, she had become more confident. She still spoke quietly, but she hardly ever mumbled anymore. I wanted to chalk that up to the fashionista next to her.

Rarity, as the host of the shower, handed the next gift to Cadence. “From Night Light and Twilight Velvet.”

Cadence opened the box to reveal a baby album. She giggled and opened the book to find a folded piece of paper with handwriting on it.

“Cadence,” she read. “While I’m sure this may be premature, we both know how long it took Shining Armor to get the nerve to ask you out. Hopefully, when you decide the time is right for starting a family, this will help him remember to string words into coherent sentences this time. With love, Velvet.” She put the note back down, a grin tugging at her mouth.

“Sounds like Shiny, all right,” Twilight said, the bow from the first package draped across her neck as she toyed with the ends.

Lemon Zest leaned in, headphones down around her neck, a strange juxtaposition against the classy dress she was wearing. She held out a wrapped package about the size of a box of checks.

“We all chipped in on this, Twilight,” she said as my fiancé took the small box. “Figured it would be nice to give you a good send off. Ya done good, kid.”

She smiled and was about to tilt her chair back until she caught Rarity’s glare. She sat up straight instead.

I had never understood Twilight’s desire to connect with some of her Crystal Prep classmates that had stayed in town after graduation. Lemon Zest, Sugarcoat, and Sunny Flare were all present and much more likable than the last time I’d seen them almost two years ago. It still bothered me knowing how poorly they’d treated my love while they were classmates, though.

Twilight opened the package and pulled out four airline vouchers. She frowned and glanced at her former classmates.

“We weren’t sure where you were going for your honeymoon,” Sunny Flare said. “So we just bought vouchers. They should be good for practically any destination in the country.”

Lemon grinned. “I would recommend Las Pegasus, myself.”

I rolled my eyes and stifled a chuckle.

If they only knew… I thought.

Behave, Sunny, came a thought back through our bond, tinged with laughter. They’re doing their best.

I looked at Twilight and caught her wink at our silent exchange. This was a fairly new development in our magic and it made for some interesting memories. The last Pictionary night at the Sparkle house had been a complete landslide victory for us. I think Cadence is catching on, though. She was starting to give us the same sly grin she had leading up to us trying to tell her folks about me being a Unicorn last winter. She seemed to have a knack for knowing.

The rest of the gifts were a blur to me. Some glassware, silverware and a set of cake knives, for the big day, were sitting next to the plane tickets and placemats, along with a couple of gift certificates for Cadence and a set of bathing suits that had set Twilight's face aflame.

Fluttershy pulled back from my hug and smiled. “I’m sorry Dash and AJ couldn’t make it.”

I shrugged it off. “Dash is in the runnings for a spot on the academy's premier team. I’d rather hope she makes it then complain that she isn’t here. And AJ is right where she needs to be, on the sidelines.”

Twilight slid her arm through mine. “Sonata said the food is almost done,” she said, tilting up on tiptoes to peck me on the cheek.

“Who would’ve thought that Sonata and Pinkie would manage to get the funds to open up a catering business of their own?” Rarity said as we all sat down.

“Well, between the two of them, I’m sure it will be a rousing success,” Cadence said.

Twilight was still messing with the ribbon from earlier, this time tying it up in a bow where her scarf would’ve been. She looked at me and I grinned.

Is that a present I get to unwrap later?

She blushed furiously and looked around to see if anyone noticed. Before I could press on, our hosts came in with several trays of food. It was a full feast, including a vegetarian dishes for myself. I smiled with thanks at Pinkie who winked back before going to get drink refills.

“Everybody,” Sonata said, her business casual outfit so jarringly different from her usual punkish style she had worn leading up to the Battle of the Bands. “I hope you enjoy your meal. And to the brides,” she continued, lifting her glass. “Best wishes and good luck.”

A round of agreement came from everyone, and Twilight, Cadence, and myself raised our glasses as well.

Just as we took a sip, I noticed a flicker of something from the corner of my eye and my skin crawled for a second. I shivered and looked around but as I did, the strange sensation was gone.

I rubbed my bare arm, the chill dissipating.

“Sunny?” Cadence said, looking at me. “You ok?”

“Yeah,” I said, smiling.

No sense ruining the party on something that was likely my imagination.

“Just a chill. I’ll be fine.”

I tucked the last of the breakfast dishes into the dishwasher, pushed the door closed, and wiped my hands on a dishtowel. I could hear Twilight humming in the next room, likely working through a checklist for today’s activities.

I smiled as I went in and nuzzled the back of her neck, seeing the legal pad on the table in front of her with her quick handwritten notes across it. She sighed and leaned back a little, reaching back to slide her hand across the back of my head.

“You plan entirely too much,” I whispered into her ear, rubbing my hands on her shoulders.

“I’ve been a part of some of your impromptu outings,” she said back. “That trip to Equestria to talk to Glory and Dew, for example.”

I flinched slightly. We had to fill my sisters in on the truth as to where I’ve been the last few years if we had wanted them at the wedding.

“It turned out alright,” I replied. “No damage done.”

“I wonder if Dew will share that assessment,” Twilight said, turning towards me and adjusting her new glasses. “She seemed rather worried about her foal.”

“And according to the doctor it’s perfectly fine,” I replied defensively I reached out to pick up the legal pad.

Twilight snatched it away and darted around the table, a playful grin on her face.

“Ah ah ah, Sunny,” she purred. “This trip is going to go according to plan, and you don’t get to see what’s going on until it happens.”

I frowned at her. “It’s just a campus tour, Twilight,” I crossed my arms. “Just how out of control do you think those things get?”

She tucked the legal pad into the hobo bag she had taken to carrying on these outings. I knew inside she had her wallet, keys, and other things that we all carry in our purses, but also had her old glasses in a case, a compact first aid kit, and a tablet that she had kept all our portal data on when not at home.

I had suggested a backpack when she had decided to get a bag, but for whatever reason, she had picked this. I liked it, though. It seemed to fit the new look she was going for: smaller frames to her glasses, less baggy clothing, and more often than not testing out new outfits made by Rarity. They were still all simple and girl-next-door fashions, but still strangely Twilight.

I smiled, and she caught it.

“Care to share?” she sang, stalking up to me slowly.

“Just thinking of how much we’ve changed in the last few years,” I murmured as I took her in my arms. “Though I’m also still curious about what started this whole new fashion trend you’re trying out.”

She pinked in the face slightly, glancing down. “I been in a school that had a dress code for most of my educational career, and outside of that I don’t have much that’s particularly nice for daily wear.” She looked up at me and smiled. “I want to be able to look good for you on occasion. Rarity just…”

“Went overboard,” I finished.

She nodded. “And I don’t want to seem ungrateful, so I figured I’d wear it all at least once.” Her expression softened a little. “You like them, right?”

“Twilight,” I said, taking her face in my hands. “As long as you’re comfortable with them, I’m ok with them. I love you, not your clothes.”

She smiled, kissing me on the cheek. “Just what I hoped you'd say,” she whispered, then flicked at the baggy sleep pants I was wearing. “Now hurry and get ready. We’re due to meet AJ and Fluttershy at Sugarcube Corner in an hour!”

“Twilight, you tricked me,” I said as the confetti and streamers drifted down to the floor of Sugarcube Corner. All of our friends were here, including a few new additions from the Crystal Prep gang. I was less than pleased to see Fluttershy's brother here, though to be fair he did focus on Rainbow more than he ever had on me. I wondered if he had found out about her and AJ yet.

“Well, only a little. I had to get you here somehow,” she said, reaching up and putting the party hat on my head as Pinkie bounded forward from behind her party cannon.

“How did you even know it was my birthday?” I queried the love of my life. “I don’t remember telling you.”

“Your sisters told me,” she said. “Starlight and Twilight helped me do the math to figure out the equivalent to Equestrian months. It’s still not precise, but it’s better than nothing.”

I looked at her and frowned and was rewarded with a grin and a tongue directed at me.

“C’mon, Sunny!” Pinkie said, grabbing my wrists and pulling me forward, smiling. “It’s your birthday. Make a wish!” She reached out and pulled a giant cake out.

I rolled my eyes, long since used to Pinkie breaking the laws of physics. Sonata came out from an adjoining room bearing a tray laden with drinks, Aria behind her with a second tray.

Thankfully, there were no gifts, just well wishes and good food. I went to refill my drink and bumped into a dark complected man by the soda stand.

"I'm so sorry," I said. "I must not have been paying attention."

"No harm done," he said as he picked up his cup and tossed it into the waste bin.

“Many happy returns, Seer,” he said in a low voice as he passed me.

My skin suddenly began to crawl and I felt like I was standing in an arctic gale and I had a flash of a avian face. I turned to catch a glimpse of the man who had called me seer, but there was no one there that matched his description. It was as if he had never existed.

“You ok?” Sonata asked as she stepped up next to me. “You look like you saw a ghost.”

I swallowed, rubbing my arms vigorously.

“I think I might have,” I said, frowning at the sour taste in my mouth.

“You don't look so good,” the siren said in concern, a hand on my elbow, guiding me to a chair. “You should sit down.”

The memories of a dream I had received flashed through my mind. Being called Seer was too specific to be random. I saw Twilight looking towards me, her eyes creased with worry as she picked up on my uneasiness.

I didn’t like the implications of this voice being here in the waking world. The full message flooded back to the forefront of my mind.

You can’t save them all this time, Seer.

I became aware that the three former sirens were all standing around me, looking down.

"We need to talk," Adagio said.

"So let me get this straight," I said, rubbing my temples. "Somehow the portal not only freed you of your hunger but restored your song and now you want me to ask the Princess for access to part of her library to research your history?"

Sonata glanced down at her hands, twisting them slightly in sudden awkwardness, reminding me of the old Fluttershy. Aria refused to meet my gaze, and Adagio had her eyes closed.

"I know you all have had a hard time," I said. "And I can appreciate that more than you think, but I'm not going to ask the Princess for that without some sort of proof."

Adagio opened her eyes, locking onto mine. She started to hum a melody, her voice pristine and clear, not the raspy remnants at the end of the Battle of the Band.

Her sisters joined in one by one, the harmonized melody causing their chokers to glow. Then Aria drew a small knife and sliced it across her fingertip.

Celestia, I thought in shock.

Then I saw a silver mist gather around the wound and saw it knit together in front of me, the blood that had flowed being reabsorbed into the skin. They stopped singing.

"I'd say that works," I said. "I'll see what I can come up with. Anything you need in particular?"

"Yes," Adagio said, glancing at her sisters.

"Anything she can get on Sirens and our history," Sonata said, touching her gemstone.

"And Harpies," Aria said.

“No,” Twilight said simply. "Out of the question. You told me the Sirens were bad news."

“Hear me out,” I said, folding one corner of the blanket back and sitting on the side of the bed for a moment before sliding my feet under the blanket. “They're on the up and up. I verified it through Sonata's memories, and Fluttershy and Pinkie both vouch for them. I believe the Sirens have reformed. Even their new Song can't control people. At the least Sonata makes Pinkie happy. Happier, I should say. Even Aria isn't as surly as she normally is.”

Twilight puffed up her cheeks for a moment as she took off her glasses and set them on the nightstand. “I don’t like it,” she said. “How do we know they aren’t behind the dreams you’ve been having?”

“I think visions would be more accurate,” I said. “But I saw someone at the party that no one else remembers seeing, and after a few words, he was gone without a trace. And he called me ‘seer,’ just like my dream.” I locked eyes with her. “Like it or not, we have to at least see what we can find out. We can even censor what we send along if it's dangerous.”

“What about that book Shining Armor got me for Christmas?”

I raised an eyebrow at her. “The one that says unicorns are attracted to virgins, bearing cloven hooves and the tail of a boar?”

She flushed a little bit. “True,” she said. She slid under the blanket alongside me, wrapping her arms around mine and lacing our fingers together. “I’ll go with you tomorrow,” she said. “While you and Twilight research, I’ll get some practice in with Starlight.”

I squeezed her hand. “Just remember, she’s just as strong as Twilight is, so no magical shoving matches,” I smiled. “Anything you’re interested in?”

“Teleportation, transfiguration, kinetic barriers, stop me anytime,” she said.

Laughing I rolled over slightly and touched foreheads with her.

“Point taken, my ray of sunshine,” I said. “You want to know it all.”

She smiled, and we eased into the linked lucid dream we could share, and I started to show her the basics of the spells.

She kept putting wings on me, and I don’t know why they bother me. It wasn’t like they felt wrong. On the contrary, they felt great, wonderful. I just couldn’t help but be reminded of what I had said to Celestia that one afternoon.

While my guilt may have faded, even torn with Twilight’s love and my friends' support, it hadn’t disappeared completely. It would take more than two years to wipe away three times that of bad behavior.

I was about to start showing Twilight how to power her horn to hold a spell until ready to release it, something that could be useful at times when dark clouds started to roll into the grasslands we used as our dreamscape.

“That’s odd,” I said, depowering my horn and looking at the clouds, trying to will them away. “You bring them in, Twi?”

She shook her head, the sapphire glow vanishing from her horn. Suddenly, she was blown backward, reverting to her human form as she landed. “What…”

I spread my wings, beginning to fly to her when I suddenly slammed into the ground hard, the wind getting driven from my lungs. Gasping, I realized that I was still in my unicorn form, but my wings had been removed.

I scrambled to my hooves, trying to get to Twilight and see if she was all right. This shouldn’t be happening, we had never had an issue like this occur ever before.

Before I could get halfway to my fiancé, a billowing cloud of black mist started to filter up from the ground, the grass around it shriveling and blackening in an expanding circle.

I slid to a stop as the cloud began to coalesce into a vaguely humanoid form. The birdlike head fixed its gaze on me, smiling. I shivered at the expression, feeling razors of ice slicing into me as the gaze roved my form.

“So,” it said. “This is your true self, Seer,” it said in a cold voice. “I must admit, I did not expect you to have remained on this side of the aperture for so long.” It turned its gaze onto Twilight. “You do not concern me,” it growled. “Leave us.”

“Sunset!” she cried, reaching out before her image burst into particles and blowing away like a sand sculpture in a high wind.

“No!” I screamed and raced at the wraith, horn charging with an attack spell. It turned to me with an amused expression as the silver beam of magic ripped through its form, the body turning to mist for a moment before reforming.

“Useless,” it hissed, flicking a hand at me in a dismissal. I saw my bolt of magic arc back and turn red. The shock paralyzed me as the bolt slammed into me, throwing me back to the ground and sending pain radiating through my body. I leaned my head up and saw a raw, red wound in my flank, blood flowing down my leg.

“What are you?” I gritted through the pain.

The form drifted over me, the grass withering in its path. When the radius passed over my body, I was wracked with pain.

“Acerak,” it whispered, seemingly taking joy in my pain. It reached down and ran taloned fingers across my face, leaving deathly cold in their wake. “That is all you need to know, Seer. Soon all that will be mine.” He looked as though he were in ecstasy as he reached down to the wound in my flank and pressed on it, forcing a scream from my throat.

“Until we meet again, Seer,” Acerak said before bursting into a slowly dissipating mist.

I laid on the ground, writhing in pain and trying to end the dream.

“Sunset! Sunset!”

I heard voices, but I couldn’t see anyone. My vision started to waver, the edges going dark.

“Twilight,” I whispered as the darkness closed in.

I opened my eyes to see Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie clustered around the bed, all ponied up and holding hands. Twilight had a hand to my face, and Fluttershy had my hand in hers, completing the circle. Twilight had her eyes closed, tears running down her face.

“Hey,” I said weakly. “I hope those aren’t for me.”

She opened her eyes and gasped out a sob. “You’re ok,” she said, grabbing me in a hug, repeating those words like an incantation.

“Twilight,” I gasped. “Air.”

She relaxed her grip on me but didn’t let me go.

“What was that?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” I said, moving to sit up only to wince in pain. I slid the blanket down and saw a red mark like a sunburn on my upper thigh.

“That don’t look too good, sugarcube,” Applejack said. “How long have you had it?”

I looked at the farmer. “I got this in the dream,” I said. “But nothing received in the dreamscape should follow over to the waking world.”

Fluttershy knelt and looked at it. “It looks like a bullet wound, almost,” she said.

“In the dream, I attacked whatever it was,” I said. “And it turned my magic against me, turning what was supposed to be a stun spell into something lethal.”

Pinkie paled. “Freaky deaky,” she said.

“Ah suppose we might be in over our heads here,” she said, wiping her brow nervously.

I slid out from the bed, wincing as I put weight on the ‘wounded’ leg, feeling the pain ease as I walked, the red welt fading as I did. I stalked out to the living room and pulled Twilight’s book from the cabinet, slamming it down and angrily scribing out a note.

“Sunny,” Twilight said. “Are you sure you’re ok?”

“It attacked us in our dream, Twilight,” I said. “Our dream. I don’t care what time it is in Equestria, I want answers.” I stalked back into the bedroom and started pulling clothes out.

“Sunset, calm down,” Fluttershy said, speaking louder than I had ever heard her before. “You don’t know what kind of effect this had on you.”

“Fluttershy’s right,” AJ said. “Ya need a clear head here, and…”

“It. Attacked. Twilight,” I growled. “And it’s been stalking me for almost a month now. I haven’t had a decent nights sleep since we got this place and I’m tired in more ways than one.”

The other four girls exchanged looks, then backed away as I pulled a pair of short boots from the closet.

“The answers to this are in Equestria,” I said. “And I’m going to get them.”

I walked up to the mirror in the courtyard of CHS, my jacket flapping in the wind. Not even waiting for Twilight to catch up with me, I stepped through the portal, emerging in the Castle of Friendship.

I looked around, not seeing anyone around. I rolled my shoulders, an odd itch in my back forming just behind my shoulder blades. Sunshine slid through just a moment later, flipping her bangs out of her face.

We were greeted suddenly with a flash of white light, a long serpentine body appearing before us. Its mismatched body parts looked out of place on its draconic body.

“Oooh,” it cooed in a smooth voice. “You must be the crown stealer I’ve heard so much about.”

“And since you’re a Draconequus,” I said with a cold tone, “you must be Discord.”

“Oh, my reputation proceeds me, I see,” he said, dropping to the ground. “But my, what a frosty reception.” He shivered as ice formed on him and snow drifted down around us all.

I shook my mane free of the snow and glared at the spirit of Chaos. “Not now, Loki,” I spat. “I’m quite put out.”

He shook himself, the ice and snow vanishing as he suddenly sported a tropical shirt. “Well,” he said. “Obviously you aren’t here for a vacation.” He hopped backward and landed in a summoned hammock. “The Princess is in the throne room.” He looked at me with a grin. “I think you’ll find her concerns scintillating.” He vanished.

We started walking towards the throne room when suddenly my flank started to twitch. I ignored it until Sunshine spoke up just outside the throne room.

“Your cutie mark is flashing,” she whispered.

I glanced back and saw it flashing in time with the twitch. “What in…”

“That’s something I’d like to know,” I heard the voice of the Princess of Friendship call, the doors to the throne room opening in her lambent glow.

“Apparently, you’re now recognized by the map,” she said, looking over the said artifice, my cutie mark circling the castle on the map.

“But I’m not a bearer of any element,” I said. “And there are only six, so…”

“I’m not convinced of that,” Twilight returned. “There may be six primary ones, but you apparently hold a seventh. My research into your magic turned up conflicting reports as to the true number of elements, mentioning the Element of Empathy in a very obscure text.”

“Empathy,” Sunshine said. “Her empathic abilities?”

“Indeed,” She said. “And she’s been showing up on the map several times of late, always circling the castle.”

I watched the small replica of my cutie mark circle. “What is going on?” I whispered.

“I don’t know,” Twilight Sparkle said.

“And that scares me.”

“Last time we were here,” Sunshine said with a frown. “You said only those that had carried the Elements were called by this table.”

“Yes, that’s right,” the princess replied. “And while Sunset did carry my crown for a short while, I didn’t think it was long enough to imbue her, and the table hadn’t been created until after her reformation.”

“I’m right here, you know,” I teased, tossing my mane back.

They both looked over at me sheepishly, their ears folding back along their heads. “Sorry, honey,” Sunshine said. “It’s just a habit.”

I softened my look with a wink at her.

“What if the recent events at the camp and the games opened up the elemental equivalents for that world?” I said, moving the conversation along.

“But there shouldn’t be Element equivalences across the mirror,” Twilight said. “They come from the Tree of Harmony and were only taken in a last ditch effort by the Two Sisters.”

“Everything else has a rough equivalent in my world,” Sunshine said. “What if the sudden infusion of magic caused them to manifest. Magic does still have some properties that follow Newtonian laws.”

“Newtonian….”

“Newton theorized that every action has an equal and opposite reaction,” I explained. “When we use magic, it draws from our mana, and if we try to push against something we’re not strong enough to move, it doesn’t move or it reflects our efforts.”

“Latent magic?” Twilight mused. “It’s possible…”

“But it’s just a theory,” Sunshine said.

“And I have no clue what I’m supposed to do,” I said. “The flashing cutie mark is gone, but it’s still circling the castle.”

“Is there a friendship problem here involving you?” Twilight said.

“Not that I can think of,” I said.

“Tell her,” Sunshine said.

Twilight looked confused as I sighed and took a deep breath. “We came through this time because of something happening on our side of the portal.”

Her face turned horrified as I related the dream attack, the request from the Sirens, all the nightmares and sensations we had been getting since the last time she had come over.

“And through all of it, we can’t even communicate with you.”

“I haven’t gotten a message from you since my last visit,” Twilight said, levitating the message book over and opening it to the last page, showing the message I had sent regarding returning with my sisters.

“Then why…” I began, bewildered.

“Some sort of interdimensional interference?” Sunshine proposed. “Like the celestial conjunction you had here a few weeks ago?”

Twilight shook her head. “It’d have to be on your side,” she said, levitating out some loosely bundled pages with handwritten notes on it. “But according to these notes we took that night nothing like that is even close to occurring.”

I frowned and rubbed my head with my hoof. “We’ll figure it out when we go back,” I said. “Right now, let's figure out why I’m suddenly getting summoned by the table and get the research Adagio asked for and see what we can find about Acerak.”

Twilight and Sunshine were already pulling books from the shelves.

The stacks of notes kept getting taller, each of us jotting down anything we found about Sirens, Harpies, the portal, and the Tree of Harmony. The last stack was pitifully small. We had been at it for hours, and Starlight had joined in shortly after Celestia raised the Sun.

“We’ve confirmed that once upon a time the Sirens were plentiful, and they weren’t always evil,” Sunshine said, returning another book to its spot on the shelf and pulled the next down. “We also found what their Song and gems used to do; store power from emotions to be redirected later.”

“They probably turned it against negative emotions because they’re easy to stir up, but they don’t last long,” Starlight said. “That might be why they got twisted and addicted like you said.”

“Not much on Harpies,” Twilight said. “They apparently have been extinct for almost a thousand years, before Starswirl banished the Sirens. I did find that they feed on the same type of energy, Harpies preferring the agony and chaos of madness. The more they can twist their victims, the more they can feed.”

I felt sick to my stomach. “How did they go extinct?”

“It doesn’t say,” she replied, closing her book. “But given the way they and Sirens feed, I can easily see them being natural enemies, competing for food. The Siren’s Song probably overrode the insanity Harpies can cause.”

I sighed. “I didn't find out much about the portal,” I said. “Not even a why it was built in the first place.” I pushed the book closed and rested my head on the table, closing my eyes in fatigue.”

“What about the Elements?” Sunshine asked.

“Everything about them is sketchy at best,” Starlight said, nudging her notes. “There’s so much myth and hearsay about them that Twilight is probably the foremost expert on them. I don’t know why Sunset would suddenly be attuned to the table.”

“I guess there’s only one thing to do then,” I said. “Go to the tree itself.”

“Ah, Sunset,” Twilight said. “The tree is deep inside the EverFree Forest. It’s not exactly a picnic spot, you know.”

“And you all venture in there all the time,” I replied. “I heard the stories Dash would tell, and even editing them for her exaggeration I’m sure it’s not as bad as you make it out to be.”

Twilight rubbed the bridge of her nose before scratching at her muzzle. “I still don’t know,” she said. “You don’t know the way, and I have to be in Canterlot today for a summit.”

“You don’t have to guide me, you know,” I said. “I could ask Fluttershy.”

“She’s out preparing the next Breezie migration,” Twilight said. “And before you go down the list, Dash is out on tour with the Wonderbolts, AJ is in Appleloosa on a friendship mission, and Rarity is in Manehattan seeing about expanding her boutique.”

“What about Pinkie?” Sunshine said.

“I’m getting ready to head out for the big bake-off in Las Pegasus with the Cakes,” the pony said, appearing out of nowhere.

I blinked. “Pinkie,” I said. “Where did you come from?”

“My parent’s rock farm,” she said simply. “Where else, silly!”

None of us even groaned. Pinkie was Pinkie, and that brought specific risks along.

“We’d never find it going in there ourselves,” I said. “What about a map?”

“If you truly wish to see the Tree,” a deep voice said from the doorway. “Then the guide you wish for would be me.”

We turned, and I saw a zebra mare standing in the doorway, a small pack on her withers.

“Zecora!” Twilight said. “You don’t usually come by the castle, what brings you here?”

“The herbs that you asked for blossomed today,” she replied. “Dropping them off is not out of my way.”

I looked at her, dipping my head in respect. “You would guide me to the tree?”

“The path I know well, but it is a tangled way,” she said. “We should reach it by midday.”

Sunshine stood. “Then what are we waiting for?” she asked. Starlight stood as well.

“Starlight?”

“Might as well go with you,” she said. “If nothing else, it’ll be another horn in event of danger.”

I shrugged. “Sure,” I turned to Zecora. “Lead the way.”

“This is the Tree of Harmony?” Sunshine asked as we gazed upon the crystalline tree.

I shook my head. “It’s loud,” I said.

Starlight looked at me. “I don’t hear anything,” she said.

“Nor do I,” Sunshine said.

“The ears of Sunset Shimmer may hear what we do not,” Zecora said. “But what it is, I know not what.”

“You can’t hear that?” I asked. “It’s like a ringing sound.” I took a step forward. “It sounds like it’s coming from the Tree itself.”

A flash of light blinded me for a second, and I felt myself being lifted into the air.

“Sunset!” Sunshine rushed forward, her horn charging.

“No!” Starlight said, blocking her path. “Look at the tree!”

Even through the glow that surrounded me, I could see a branch glowing and a faint mark appearing in the bark, a two-toned sun.

The light intensified and I heard the sound of chimes even louder. I tossed my head back, trying to pull free from whatever had me in its grip, but I barely budged. For a second, the itching in my back returned and increased slightly and my horn started to feel like it was being grabbed. I felt a cry of pain slip from my mouth.

“Sunny!” Sunshine pushed past Starlight, rushing to me and was swept up in a lambent glow of her own. I couldn’t see what was happening, but I heard her own cries of discomfort.

I dropped to the ground, gasping. It was a moment or two before I realized I had a solid weight around my neck. I heard Sunshine hit the ground too, and I looked over to see that she had a gold collar around her neck, the outline of a six-pointed star stamped into it.

“Sunset, Sunshine!” Starlight called. “Are you ok?”

“I, I think so,” I said, looking down at my chest. A golden collar surrounded my neck as well, but where Sunshine had a symbol stamped into hers, mine held a gleaming stone of cat’s eye agate, shaped like my cutie mark..

Starlight gasped. “The Elements,” she breathed. I followed her gaze and saw five more collars drift down to the ground, each with easily recognizable symbols in them.

Generosity. Laughter. Honesty. Loyalty. Kindness.

“This is unprecedented,” Starlight said. “Twilight returned the Elements to the tree before the events with Tirek.” She picked one collar up with her magic, examining each of them in turn. “They have bezels but no gems.”

“Why wasn’t this one pulled before?” I asked. “Why did Celestia only pull out six elements?”

“I don’t know,” Starlight said.

More chiming sounds rang in my ears, and I felt a twitch in my flanks again. Looking back, I saw my cutie mark flashing again.

“Looks like you did whatever you were required to do,” Starlight said.

I got ready to respond when there was a surge of magic in the cavern, raising the fur on my back. I saw the other three mares shiver a bit.

“Let’s get back,” I said. “I have a feeling that something else just happened.”

There was a thick tome on the map table when we got back, solid runes embossed into the spine.

“What does it say?” Sunshine asked.

“I don’t know,” I said, glancing at Starlight, who was shaking her head.

“I don’t recognize it,” she said. “It may take a while to decipher it.”

“If you have to, send someone through the portal,” I said. “I’m not trusting the books right now.”

Sunshine glanced at the window. “Sun’s going down,” she said. “We might want to get back.”

“In the morning,” I said. “We might actually get a good night’s sleep here.”

“Heading to Canterlot, then?” she asked.

“For the night, yes,” I said. “I also wouldn’t mind checking up on Dew while we’re there.” I lit up my horn and used my magic to scratch at the irritation on my back, the itching unbearable for a moment.

“You ok?” Starlight asked.

“Just an itch,” I said. “Nothing serious.”

“You have no idea how amazing you look, Dew,” I said as I hugged my sister.

“Lies will not be tolerated in my house,” she laughed, nuzzling me back. “How are the two of you?”

“Oh, we’ll survive,” Sunshine said, going up to nuzzle my eldest sister. “If I can learn to sleep through her snores, I can do anything.”

They shared a laugh at the jest. I merely rolled my eyes and scoffed.

“It’s not that bad,” I muttered under my breath.

“So, what brings you two mares to see me today?” Dew said, leaning back into her cushions, taking the weight off her hooves. “Surely you aren’t going to be inviting me back to your place for tea.”

“We were actually in Ponyville for research on the portal yesterday, and time got away from us,” I said. “We thought we’d just swing by and see how you were while we were here.”

“Happily on maternity leave, I should say,” she said, levitating a small pitcher over and refilling her glass of flavored water. “Glory has offered to take over any commissions that require traveling for the time being.”

“I thought she focused on restoration?” Sunshine said.

“It’s actually harder to do restoration of famous murals than new ones, in our experience,” Dew said. “You can’t just touch up the color, you have to match it to the style and exact execution of the brush strokes.”

“Glory may be a bit of a gossip hound and as excitable as Pinkie,” I said. “But she is unmatched in restoration. But that leaves one question.” I looked pointedly at a hat and coat hanging from a peg next to the door that were too large for my sister. “Where is Hue, I wonder.”

Dew tittered. “He just ran to the store to get a few things and to pick up the mail from my office,” she smiled. “He’ll be back before too long if you want to stay for dinner.”

“We’d love to,” I said with a sorrowful note. “But we’ve got to get back. Somebody planned a campus visit for later today, complete with a list of questions to ask.”

Sunshine blushed, glancing down for a second. “I like to be prepared, ok?”

We all laughed.

“Oh, before I forget,” my sister said, looking over to the side, horn lighting up. A package levitated out in her jade aura, her precise wrapping job evident. She set it down in front of me. “Happy Birthday, little sister. Glory and I put these together when we realized we would be seeing you more often. I thought you’d like them.”

I tore the wrapping paper and lifted the flap of the box it covered and gasped softly.

Inside were photos, at least a dozen or so. Each one was of my family, portraits taken at various ages, pictures of the three of us playing.

Photos of Mom and Dad holding each of us as foals. A tear slipped down my face. Mom, Dad... I saw now where I got my mane and coat colors. I apparently took after Dad a lot, and I saw features on him that I could recognize on my sisters and myself.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

"Mom had stored away the pictures of Dad shortly after he died," Dew said softly. "Too painful. But you never really got to know him, and Glory and I both feel a little guilty for that. It's not much, but it's something, at least."

I hugged my sister. "You have no idea," I said to her.

“I haven’t found anything in our records that match the runes on the book,” Starlight said as we walked towards the library. “But I haven’t scratched the surface of our resources.”

“There are at least twenty more books on runic and ancient languages here,” Spike offered. “And a wing at the Royal Library in Canterlot.”

“If you find anything useful at all, and don’t hear back from us after sending information through the book, you might be just as well off sending someone through to tell us.”

“Twilight said she’d look into the communication breakdown when she gets back from the summit,” Spike offered.

Sunshine glanced at the young dragon. “Why aren’t you there?”

He patted the satchel at his side. “She forgot some items and sent me back for them.”

I eyed him closely, narrowing my eyes.

“And there were dragon sneeze trees at the reception.” He twiddled his claws in embarrassment.

“Alright,” I said. “Time to go.” Hugs were exchanged and we hefted the bag with the collars in them and the box of photos and stepped through the portal.

The transition seemed to take longer this time, and the bag of collars became lighter as we finished the trip. I glanced inside out of curiosity and saw that they had shrunk down to fit around a human’s neck. A check of the photos showed that once again, they had retained the original picture taken. The loose bundle of notes we had made about Sirens was also unaffected.

“That was weird,” I whispered, walking away from the portal as the resonance started to build behind my eyes.

Twilight brought out her phone and texted the girls. “I’m having them meet us at the park,” she said, sliding her phone back into her back pocket and reaching out for my free hand, the ring I had given her glinting slightly in the sunlight.

We each held the collars in our hands, some tracing the lines of stamped metal. Rarity was the first to speak.

“I’m certain that these are the height of fashion in Equestria,” she said turning hers over in her hands. “But they’re a little heavy for modern tastes.”

“I’m sure the Tree considered fashion sense before giving them to us,” I said wryly. “I think the designs were meant to be armor in Equestria and this is the closest analog the portal gave them.”

“I think it’s cool,” Rainbow Dash said, sliding her collar on. “It’s kinda metal. It’ll make the Rainbooms seem twenty percent more badass.”

“Ah don’t think it’d be a good idea t’ wear those on stage, Dashie," AJ said. “Same as we don’t wear the pendants onstage.”

Pinkie’s phone pinged at her causing her to dig it out of her hair. “Nata wants to know if you found anything of any use.”

“Yeah,” I said. “Invite them over and we’ll just talk about it here.”

“Ooh,” Rarity cooed. “An impromptu picnic!”

Fluttershy put her hand on Rarity’s arm with a soft smile while I facepalmed.

“So basically,” Adagio said. “Our Song was meant as a soothing method?”

“Something like that,” Twilight said, pushing her glasses up slightly. “Basically, by channeling positive emotions you were not only sustained magically, you were able to do magic by using some of that energy. But by the time you three came along, the Sirens had turned to feeding on negative emotions. Those emotions, being naturally entropic in nature, they weren't as sustaining, so whatever catalytic response you would have stored was burned in sustaining you.”

The three sisters looked at my love with blank looks.

She sighed, hand on her forehead. “Good feelings let you cast magic, bad feelings make you addicts,” she said.

“We understood you the first time,” Aria said. “I can’t believe we can cast magic.”

“It only works if you have stored energy, so it’s more like channeling,” Twilight continued. “And it only works if you use your Song in a calm manner.”

A rustling in the bushes caught our attention, and Fluttershy got up to go see what kind of critter was making the noise.

“We also found out that you and Harpies feed on emotional energy,” I said. “Harpies like to cause havoc and pain, feeding off the madness. You all seem to be able to reverse the damage or prevent it.” I gave a wry smile. “The texts weren’t overly specific.”

Fluttershy gave out a cry of surprised joy and stood up with a small bunny in her arms. She turned back to return to the group and I returned my attention to the Sirens to continue speaking when an arctic gale razored through my senses. I froze and spun around, seeing a coiling tendril of black mist forming behind her.

“Fluttershy!” I cried. “Look out!”

She spun, taking in the view of the forming man in time to take a backhanded slap from the taloned hand. We all leaped to our feet in shock, Rarity rushing to Fluttershy’s side.

“Ah, everyone all together,” it said with a chuckle. “Good. That will make this easier.”

The three Sirens stood, glaring coldly.

“And the last of the Sirens,” Acerak continued. “Excellent.” He lifted and arm and casually flicked his hand. Dark clouds rolled in and the wind picked up, ruffling our hair and clothes. "All of you at once, then."

Acerak advanced slightly, grass withering beneath the spectral form of his feet. “Nascent bearers and adolescent Sirens,” he tsked. “I should have hoped this to be more challenging, but what should I expect after so many millennia?"

“How is Fluttershy?” I asked, not taking my eyes off the advancing wraith for more than a second.

Rarity looked up, tears and rage streaking down her face. She held up a hand, displaying blood on her fingers.

Rage spiked through me and I ponied up, red armor blossoming as I glared at the Harpy. I felt the tug of magic as the rest of my friends powered up as well. Rarity threw up a shield around Fluttershy.

Adagio leaped out ahead of me, showing a quickness that was astonishing. Her sisters also bounded out, each of them radiating a rage that I could feel without touching them. They let out a harmonized scream as they raced in, and I was astonished to see Acerak stumble backward. When they stopped to take a breath, he lashed out, catching Aria across the head and Adagio in the arm. Sonata ducked his backhand and unleashed another scream, lacking in power without her sisters.

I felt the impacts, and I found myself focusing on Aria, feeling the pain from her blow fading. I felt a slight discomfort in my head but it faded. I saw Adagio stumble and fall, her arm coated in blood.

Acerak howled, and the wind turned into a gale-force wind, branches and loose debris starting to fly about. I saw some of the lighter tables and benches start to stir in his rage.

Rarity was trying to staunch whatever wound Fluttershy had. I focused on her and found I could feel her pain, radiating from my cheek down through my shoulder. She needed help and fast.

"Dash, get her out of here!" I shouted.

Dash hesitated glancing over at AJ. The blonde girl waved angrily as she hefted a picnic bench.

"Git her an' go!" she shouted over the gale. "Ah'll be fine!"

The rainbow-hued streak left in her absence faded after a moment, bearing the slight girl out of the fray. Rarity picked herself up, her jeans and formal blouse being covered by our powered up clothing as she glared at the Harpy. He began to laugh at us as he lifted himself into the air, wings of ebony smoke forming behind him.

"How dare you hurt Fluttershy," she gritted. "How. Dare. You!" She hurled a shield fragment at the laughing man. Much like my bolt in the dream from the other night, it passed through him without effect.

Pinkie snatched up a handful of pebbles from the walkway and started throwing them at Acerak, each of the tiny explosions distracting him as I dived to the fallen Siren. Sonata reached her first, pulling off her sweater and pressing it tightly to Adagio's arm, staunching the blood flow.

I reached her side and tried to pull some of her pain like I had Aria, but I couldn't touch her emotions. Sonata looked at me with panic in her eyes.

"I can't focus!” she said. “She's bleeding really bad! I can't use my Song to heal her wound!"

"Deep breaths, Sonata," I said, laying my hands on her sister. I felt her pain and the edge of unconsciousness she was on. I was about to try again when I saw her eyes flicker open, then fly wide. "Sunset!" she wheezed.

I was grabbed by the throat and lifted up, finding myself facing the Harpy as he lifted me into the air. I beat at the arm holding me, but it was like pounding on steel. The unamused face of Acerak glared at me, the gaze feeling like shards of frozen glass in my soul at this range.

"I have had quite enough of you, Seer," he hissed, raising his other hand.

I screamed as he shoved it through my face, the feel of talons ripping at something in my soul. I was cast aside like a dirty rag as a combined assault of diamond shields and exploding stones shot up. I felt someone grab me as I fell, seeing purple through the haze of pain.

The pain started to fade, and I saw Twilight holding me, worry on her face. I couldn't form enough coherent thought to speak and I could see my wide, glazed eyes reflected in her glasses.

Applejack hurled the bench, and it sailed through the wraith, useless as all our attacks had been so far. He loomed over us, holding some sort of glowing mass in his hand. He looked at it for a moment, as though inspecting a fruit at a market stand. Then he crushed it in his hand, and fresh pain flooded through me.

Rarity threw up a shield as I fell to the ground, clutching my head in agony. I saw the vambrace on my forearm crack, spiderweb and then disintegrate, grains of dust blowing away in the dark wind. He then charged Applejack, fist landing solidly on her stomach, sending her stumbling away, another glowing orb in his hand. He made a ripping motion and AJ screamed and she was suddenly back in her street clothes.

He turned his attacks on the fashionista protecting Twilight and myself, sanity slowly coming back to me. Rarity cried out and her shield collapsed, her armor being dissolved back into regular clothes just as mine and Applejack’s had as Acerak pulled another mass of energy from us.

Twilight reached me, using her telekinesis to form a makeshift barrier with the nearby picnic tables against the maelstrom before us, but they were thrown aside like kindling. Aria and Sonata let loose another scream just as Pinkie launched another handful of charged stones. The combined attack actually seemed to harm him. He made another grasping motion, and Pinkie slumped, arms wrapped around her midsection, eyes wide.

“We will meet again,” Acerak said before vanishing in a dark cloud and the winds died.

I sat up slowly, my head pounding. I realized that not only had he dispelled my powered up form, he had also de-ponified me, Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie. Sonata and Aria were helping Adagio, a soft song harmonizing between them and a silver mist flowing around Adagio’s arm.

“Are you ok, Sunny?” Twilight asked.

I tried to reassure her through our bond, but I couldn’t find it. I reached inside to find any trace of magic, to pony up, anything. I realized that Twilight was touching my bare arm with her hand and I couldn’t feel her emotions or see her thoughts, despite wearing my pendant.

No…

“Sunny?” she said, worry starting to spread across her face.

“My magic,” I whispered, my voice breaking and tears streaming down my face.

“I can’t feel my magic,” I said, panicking. “Twilight, he took my magic. He took my magic.”

Twilight held me as I broke down and cried, crying softly herself.

I haven’t felt pain like this since my mother died, and I felt violated, a piece ripped from my soul.

I don’t really remember the next hour or so. Everything I heard sounded muffled, everything I saw was out of focus, and I couldn’t even feel it when Twilight would hold me. The pain had faded, but the sense of violation had not faded in the least. Acerak had taken a part of me, ripped an integral component of my being and destroyed it. I shivered as I remembered the feel of his hands rummaging around in my soul.

Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie had also had their magic stolen, but they didn’t feel as numb as I did, it seemed. It made sense, I suppose. They hadn’t grown up with magic, felt it infuse them for most of their adolescence, the joy of having it develop again, the sense of wonderment as it flows through your horn. It was like losing the ability to see color; you could still see, but the beauty of life was lost.

“How’s Fluttershy?” I whispered.

“Rainbow got her to a hospital pretty quick,” Twilight said, stroking my back. “The wounds weren’t deep and the doctor said there won’t even be a scar. Adagio said they’d poke their heads in, see if they could speed up the process.”

I nodded numbly, just staring ahead.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash came over, sitting down on the bench across the table from me.

“You alright, sugarcube?” AJ asked, voice soft and gentle.

“No,” I replied. “I have this giant hole inside me, and all I can think about is how something I had for decades is gone. I feel like less than a person.”

“You aren’t, Sunny,” Twilight said. “Just because you lost your magic doesn’t mean I love you any less.”

“I know that, Twilight!” I said, emotion finally breaking through my numbness. “I know I’m no different than I was. I know I spent years without magic, and I know all my friends still feel the same for me!” I ran my hands through my hair, letting it fall down to hide my face. “I don’t even know if I will get it back.”

“We could go ask Princess Twilight,” Dash said. “She’ll know all about things like this.”

Twilight rubbed her hand along my shoulders, trying to perk me up again. “If nothing else, we could see if Starlight has deciphered that book yet.”

I nodded, and we all rose, heading to the school. Twilight swung the bag containing the collars we had brought back over her shoulder, lacing our fingers together. It bothered me that I couldn't feel her emotions, but the Princess could solve it.

Between the three of us, we could solve anything.

We reached the portal and Twilight slid right through. I walked up behind her, took a deep breath…

And rebounded off the glass. I stared for a second, then placed my hands against the glass, not even seeing a ripple. I started to pound against it, hoping to force it open.

“No,” I whispered, still pounding my fists against it. “No, no, no, NO!”

Applejack came up and grabbed me by the wrists, trying to pull me back from the mirror, saying something but the words didn't register. I struggled, but even without her magic AJ was stronger than I was. The distance between me and the portal increased. I slumped as the realization hit me that I couldn’t even return to the land I was born in, and I felt my world sink again. She was holding me up when Twilight returned, looking confused.

“Sunny,” she started, but I whirled away, running down the street before my tears could start flowing again.

I slumped against the wall, sliding into a seated position, knees against my chest. I was back in the abandoned house I had stayed in when I had first stepped through the mirror. Rotten floorboards, cracked walls, the smell of mold and thick dust filled all my senses. My phone had been going off for the last ten minutes, texts and calls. I ignored it, just letting it ring.

I was worthless. I had helped against three great threats in the last two years, and now I couldn't even stop myself from being tossed aside like garbage. Even the portal had rejected me, condemning me. It seemed fitting that I returned to the place where it all had started.

Where I had started to bully those that were weaker than I was. Indiscriminately destroying anything that I viewed as a threat, anyone that stood in my way. Tearing Rarity down to scale the popularity ladder, tricking Dash and AJ into thinking the dates had been changed on each other, making Pinkie think no one would help her decorate for functions.

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to keep the memories from surfacing. Which, of course, only made them surge forth faster.

And it all comes back to this, a voice murmured. Returning to your old habits, running away from your problems.

"No," I said to the darkness.

I told you it was pointless, the voice whispered, sounding more like myself with each word. You weren't enough to cut it at the school in Equestria, and you can't keep your friends safe here. Acerak will take you each one by one.

"Shut up," I whispered. "I don't have to listen to this."

But it's true, the voice countered. Otherwise you'd still have your magic. And poor Fluttershy wouldn't have been hurt.

"But that isn't my fault," I said, leaning my head against my knees.

Isn't it? If you hadn't stolen Twilight's crown, magic would never have blossomed here. And if magic had never bloomed, none of the evil you caused would have happened.

"But that means I would have never met my friends," I said, voice getting stronger. "Or Twilight."

Yes, Twilight. What a delightful way to treat someone you claim to love.

I screamed, grabbing a bit of rubble as I stood and hurling it across the room. My anger and rage built, and I started to unleash my frustration on the dilapidated structure. I punched a cracked bit of drywall and winced as I felt something slice my hand. I pulled it out and cradled it to my chest. Blood flowed from a cut between my knuckles, covering my hand quickly.

"Is that all you have to say?" I yelled, feeling better though I knew I was mostly yelling at myself. My anger vented for the time being and the pain in my hand caused me to look at it, the crimson color triggering a memory.

Rarity's hand, coated in blood, Fluttershy's face turning pale as it leaked from her.

"Fluttershy," I whispered, turning. I wanted to see her, to apologize for getting her into this. I headed towards the hospital, stopping to rinse my hand off in a public drinking fountain along the way.

I stepped through the door, hearing a soft harmonization. As I came into the room proper, I saw the Sirens sitting around Fluttershy, the mist that signaled their magic was fading, leaving some rapidly healing claw marks on the shy girl.

They saw me and smiled. My returned smile felt hollow.

“Hey,” Fluttershy said softly. “Is everyone ok?”

I hesitated. “Yeah, we’re ok,” I lied. Adagio narrowed her eyes as the words came out, seeing the slowly healing cut on my hand.

Fluttershy smiled. “That’s good,” she said. “But you don’t have to lie to me.”

I smiled. “What do you mean?”

Fluttershy sat up, spearing me with a firm look. “Out of all my friends, you’re the one that has spent more time hiding your feelings than anyone else. And, out of all my friends, you’re the worst at it. I remember that look on your face because I saw it all the time after the Fall Formal when someone would reference what you did, and you would just shrug it off.” She gave me a small smile. “What happened?”

I sat down, and I started to fidget. “After Dash took you out of the park, things went a little pear-shaped,” I said. “Out of all of us, you, Dash, and Twilight are the only ones that still have your magic.” I blinked as my vision blurred. “We’re physically ok, but we can’t touch any magic at all. I can’t even pass through the portal. The books aren’t working, and we’re facing something that we can’t even hurt.” I looked at the floor. “I can’t help but think that maybe we’re not going to win this one.”

She looked at me, then glanced at the sisters. “Could you give us a minute, please?”

Adagio put her hand on my shoulder as they walked by, and I caught sight of the bandage on her arm. She smiled at me and gave me a little squeeze.

“You’re being foolish,” Fluttershy said as soon as the door shut.

“How so?”

She held up her phone. “Twilight called me the moment you ran off. Asking me to tell her if you came here,” she narrowed her gaze, and I felt suddenly uncomfortable. “You have them all worried about you, especially Twilight. We all love you, Sunset, Twilight loves you. But you’re pushing us away again.” Her eyes softened. “Why?”

“Because I got you hurt!" I said, a tear slipping free. "Because of me, you've been put into the hospital, Aria and Adagio were hurt badly, and most of us have been stripped of something that has helped people, something that was special to me." I ran my hand through my hair. "You all don’t know what it’s like to grow up with magic,” I said. “When I came here, I lost it and it took a lot to get over it. Then we get our own magic and it felt like I was at home again, everything normal. If I could only touch it when we're together it would be one thing, or even if we could touch it only through the geodes, I’d still be fine.” I wiped some tears away. “But he reached inside and tore it away from me, for no reason than I annoyed him. And he enjoyed it, 'Shy. I could feel his glee while he violated me, while he..." My voice hitched. "While he raped me in my soul.”

I looked at her, no longer trying to hide from her the pain I was feeling, a few more tears leaking free. “And I feel cut off...like nothing is real. I can’t contact Princess Twilight, I can’t pass through to Equestria. It scares me, 'Shy. It scares me to feel like this, to feel hollow, weak.”

A hand touched my shoulder before arms folded around me. "You aren't weak, Sunny," a familiar voice said into my ear. “You just need time to heal and I can help you with that if you let me."

I turned to look at my fiancé. She had a few tear tracks on her face but she smiled that smile I loved. She reached down and pulled out the collar that held Element, holding it out towards me.

“You earned this the hard way,” she said as I traced the shape the gem was cut into. “Don't throw it away because of one setback.”

I took the collar from her and immediately felt a tingling sensation. The gem flashed and began to glow.

“What in…”

The gem pulled free of the collar and began to float slowly the other collars pulling free from Twilights’ bag, all of them circling the crystal representation of my cutie mark. As we watched, the Elements of Honesty, Generosity, Laughter, and Empathy began to glow as Kindness, Magic, and Loyalty drifted back down. A bright shaft of light shot from the gem, pointing to the east before returning to my collar and all of them dropping to the ground.

East of the hospital was the highway leading towards the mountains. Towards Camp Everfree.

“What do you think it means?” Fluttershy asked.

“I don’t know,” I said.

“The Elements in Equestria came from the Tree of Harmony,” Twilight said. “It was in the Everfree forest. If the geographical constants are the same, the crystal cave where we found the geodes is the same cave the Tree was in.”

“Only one way to find out,” I said, picking my collar up. For a moment, I thought I felt a pulsing along its golden band.

“I guess we’re going camping,” Twilight said.

I insisted on driving. Keeping an eye on traffic, exits, and offshoots kept my attention off the still aching hole inside.

I was wearing my collar, and I was sure there was a thrum in the metal now, quickening slowly as we moved further east. Twilight, Fluttershy, and Applejack also had donned theirs. Rarity, Pinkie, and Rainbow were following us in Rarity’s car.

Twilight tucked her phone away in her back pocket. “Timber said he’d have the gate open for us,” she said with a shy smile.

“Ya sure, you’ll be ok seein’ him again, Twi?” AJ asked.

“Yeah,” she said, a little more certain. “I’m happy where I am now and the past is what made me so.” She reached over and squeezed my thigh affectionally.

I clicked on my blinker before merging into the exit lane. I’m sure that I’m not the only one that had made the correlation in the car between road rage and signal lights. I’m sure every car has them. I even helped install new one’s on AJ’s truck when the original ones finally died. It’s right there on the steering column, for Celestia’s sake!

“So I’m still the only one feeling anything from the elements?” I asked.

“I’m starting to feel something, but it could just be vibration from the car,” Fluttershy said. She still had her hospital bracelet on under the sleeve of the sweater Rarity had lent her in place of her bloody and shredded blouse from earlier. “Should we be?”

“I’m not sure,” I admitted. “It may be because I have a gem and it’s the gem that’s resonating, but I’m not sure.” I frowned. “But I’m cut off from magic, so I shouldn’t be able to feel anything.”

“Maybe yer magic’s comin’ back,” AJ offered.

I reached inside, but I didn’t feel the warm glow I usually did this close to Twilight. I shook my head. “No, it doesn’t feel like it,” I said. “Anything from yours, AJ?”

She shook her head. “Ah tried t’ pony up while ‘Shy was getting ready,” she sighed. “Nothin’ happened.”

I turned off onto a forested road, gravel crunching under my tires. I saw the large sign for the camp up ahead. Memories drifted through my mind, including the giant wall of thorns that sealed the camp during Gloriosa’s rampage. The final moment where Twilight had finally cast off her fears of Midnight Sparkle.

“I never did hear what happened between you and Timber,” Fluttershy said. “If you don’t mind, that is.”

“Oh, I don’t mind,” she said. “He just wasn’t as ready to leave the camp as he thought he was, and I found out later I was a bit more interested in someone else.”

I felt a bit of heat rise to my face.

“It still hurt a bit,” she admitted. “But I have some good friends. You may even know them.” She turned at that sentence and winked.

I pulled into the parking area for the camp and saw a battered old SUV with its back hatch open. Timber came into view soon after we had all piled out of the car, a duffel bag in his hands.

“Hey, ladies,” Timber said. His voice had lost none of the good humor since the last time we saw each other.

“Hey Timber,” Twilight said. “Going someplace?”

“Yeah,” he said as he shut the hatch of the SUV. “One of our cousins is graduating from college later this week and Gloriosa and I are heading out for the ceremony.” He dusted off his hands. “I left the lock open, so when you guys are done, just lock up the gate behind you, ok?”

“You aren’t going to stay until we’re done?” I asked. The vibration in my element was impossible to ignore now.

“Look, after what you guys did last year, I think I’d be more worried about things happening to me than you all,” he said. “Just don’t burn anything down and I think I’ll be ok with leaving you all to…” he waved his hands vaguely. “Whatever you’re looking for.”

He climbed into the driver’s seat of the SUV and the engine rumbled to life. He waved as he pulled away, leaving us seven to find out what it was my element had signaled about.

The cave loomed in front of us.

“Is it just me,” Rainbow said. “Or is the entrance bigger than the last time we were here?”

I agreed. The boulders still sat where Twilight had shoved them, offering a comparison to the cavern opening. It was bigger, and visibly so.

“It doesn't make any sense,” Twilight said. “There’s no debris showing a recent seismological event that would have increased the size of the opening. This is completely contradictory to any speleomorphology I’ve ever heard.” Her eyes flashed for a second. “Though if magic had a hand in the speleogenesis, then I suppose I can’t rule anything out. I wonder…”

I reached over and booped her on the nose. “Explore first,” I said. “Theorize later.”

She rubbed the end of her nose. “You know that tickles, right?”

“Yes,” I said, stepping forward to lead into the cave.

I dimly heard behind me an exasperated sigh and smiled. I flicked on the flashlight I had and panned it around, its beam being joined by several others. We stopped at the impromptu stage we had played on and found a small fissure in the wall.

AJ played her beam across it. “That wasn’t there last time,” she said, leaning in and staring down the shaft. “There’s somethin’ glowin’ in there,” she remarked.

I stepped up and looked down, seeing a faint lambent glow. I also heard a faint chiming, like bells. It was familiar, and I slipped through the crack to the corridor beyond.

“Sunset, wait!” Twilight said. “It may not be stable!”

I ignored the shout and turned a corner, following the glow and the chiming. My collar began to tremble around my neck, almost starting to pull against me. I came to another corner, and when I turned past it, I stopped.

It wasn’t anywhere near as large, barely more than a sapling, but it was obvious as to its identity. The crystal limbs and jeweled branches were twins of the Tree of Harmony. I heard Twilight and the gang catch up to me, their awe causing them to slow and stare.

“It’s lovely!” Rarity said, her voice a little distant.

“The Tree of Harmony?” Twilight pondered. “How are there two?”

“How are there two of all of us?” Fluttershy countered.

“Magic,” Pinkie chirped. “It’s simple, really. Anything of direct power would influence the development of morphological entities in direct correlation to its spatial counterpart. The amount of change would depend on the interval between the two points - being defined as the square root of the sum of the squares of the separation between the points along three spatial dimensions - but it still allows for a great deal of identical growth.”

We all blinked.

“What?” she asked. “Do I have something in my teeth?” she started to run her tongue along her teeth, pulling a small mirror out of her pocket.

Sometimes I’m convinced she only pretends to be as innocent as she seems.

I took a step closer, and I felt my collar fly off my neck, hovering before the tree. A golden light began to link the two, and the tree began to grow, branches spreading, six in particular. I heard gasps as the girls were relieved of their collars as well, and I felt my geode pull free of the chain it was suspended from. I saw several other colored spheres fly forward, circling the tree. The golden glow began to increase, obscuring the activity and causing my eyes to water. The chiming was growing louder in my ears.

“What’s happening?” Fluttershy squeaked.

“I wish I knew,” I said.

The glow died down, and hovering in the air were our seven collars, now each embedded with a gem. They floated over to each of us, fastening around our necks. I felt a surge as the clasp sealed, a feeling like a warm blanket washing over me.

Turning to the girls, I saw we had all ponied up. Faint light came from each gem, the geodes evident inside each of my friends' new accessories.

“Actual Elements?” Applejack breathed. “Land’s sake!”

“The geodes must have just been protoform magic,” Twilight said, pulling her’s in front of her enough to look at it. “The tree hadn’t grown enough to provide power to energize it until we brought magic from Equestria’s tree to revitalize it.”

“Protoform magic still needs something to stem from, Twilight,” I said. “It doesn’t just happen in a vacuum.” I rolled my shoulders, feeling some tension in the muscles.

I saw they were all staring at me.

“What?”

“Um, Sunset,” Twilight said, pointing.

I turned around, but as I did, I felt something tug at my back. My eyes widened. "Oh, horseapples," I spat.

“You, uh, appear to have wings, darling.” Rarity said.

They were small, barely visible from my peripheral sight, but they were certainly there. I also felt a bit of pressure grow in my head, centered above and between my eyes. Twilight and Rarity started to rub the same spot, and I saw spectral horns appear just as I had a few months ago.

Then the tree pulsed with another strong chime, and I stumbled, feeling magic wash through me. When I regained my footing, I looked around, seeing that the magic had affected us all.

Rainbow and Fluttershy’s wings were a little larger and sleeker, their feathers having taken on an additional bit of color. AJ and Pinkie were visibly more stocky, AJ’s muscle tone even more evident. Twilight, Rarity, and I all had horns growing from our hairlines, and the wings Twilight and I had were laced with iridescent feathers.

I looked at each of us, seeing that our hair had also taken some complimentary colors. I reached up and felt my horn, feeling the dim tactile sensation I was used to in pony form.

“Ok,” I said, feeling my wings furl slightly. “This is officially beyond anything I can even explain.”

We had powered down after removing our collars, and the first thing I did was reach inside for the bond I had with Twilight. It was there, as weak as it had been in the days following my mother’s funeral, but it was there. Relief flooded me, and it was then I felt a shift in the collar, it turning from a thick metal band into a heavy chain with a thicker looking version of the gem in a gold bezel. A quick visual check confirmed that everyone’s element had transformed in that manner.

“Well, now what?” Rainbow asked.

“We should check on the Sirens,” Rarity said. “That nasty fellow certainly would like to eliminate them, since their song apparently hurts him.”

“We should also see about communicating with Equestria, get more information about harpies and how to deal with them,” Twilight offered.

“I’ll handle that,” I said, trepidation in my voice.

“I’ll go too,” Twilight immediately said.

“No,” I said. “I want you to help keep an eye on the Sirens.” When she got ready to argue, I put a finger over her lips.

“You are one of the only ones that wasn’t drained, and I can tell I’m not up to full strength yet,” I looked into her eyes. “I want you to be on this side in case something happens to the portal while I’m across, if I can cross now, that is.”

Defiance flashed in her eyes for a second and battled logic. Logic won, and she nodded before pulling me in and touching foreheads. I felt a flash of love and smiled.

“RD,” I said, turning around. “You, Twi, and Fluttershy are the only ones at full strength. Keep everyone together and keep an eye out. If he shows up again, run.”

“You can’t be serious!” the athlete immediately countered. “I’m not going to run from this guy again.”

I slid my element on, triggering a pony form. I walked forward and put my hand on her shoulder, causing her to meet my eyes. I had a hunch about something, and I pushed my thoughts outward…

Inside the abandoned house, screaming and throwing bits of debris.

My inner demons taunting me.

Running away from the portal, shame, and weakness in my heart.

The feel of Acerak ripping my magic out of me.

I stepped back, reaching up to remove my element as I saw the horror in Rainbow's eyes be overcome with understanding.

“Keep them safe, Rainbow,” I said quietly. “If he realizes we still have magic, he’ll try again.”

She nodded, determination in her eyes. I looked over to AJ and saw her nod as well.

Twilight did insist on walking me up to the portal. We stood at the glass barrier, the magic resonance already pounding at my senses, though not as strongly as before. Twilight’s eyes were quickly becoming bloodshot, however.

“Still as strong as our last reading?” I asked.

She shook her head. “Stronger by an order of magnitude,” she said, rubbing her temples.

I frowned. “Better hurry and go, then,” I said, turning to take a step forward.

She grabbed me by my coat lapels and pulled me down into a fierce kiss.

“Come back to me,” she whispered.

“Always,” I said.

And crossed the threshold.

Twilight smiled as I stepped through. “Sunset, I’ve been trying to…what in Celestia’s name?”

I smiled wanly at Twilight’s surprise. To tell the truth, I was surprised myself when I saw the wings tucked into my sides.

“It’s a long story,” I said. “And it’s one that should be discussed with as many advisors present as possible.”

“I’ll get the girls,” Twilight said, turning.

“Not just the girls,” I said, stopping her. “Celestia and Luna should be in as well.”

Twilight quirked an eyebrow. I charged up my horn and showed her an image of Acerak attacking us.

“This is beyond us,” I said.

I sat in the throne room of Canterlot, surrounded by the four princesses, Starlight, Sunburst, and the five counterparts of my friends back home. After the initial shock of seeing me with wings, Celestia had asked me to recount my tale.

I started with us leaving from the last time I had stepped through all the way through us discovering the infant Tree of Harmony and the partial restoration of my magic.

“The Siren’s song seemed to hurt him or weaken him,” I said, depowering my horn and letting the illusion that had accompanied my recounting to fade. “It was the only time we were able to do any damage.”

“This is a grave tale you bring us, Sunset,” Celestia said. “I have no knowledge of this creature, though I know of somepony who might.”

I looked around and realized there was a pair of eyes blinking in one of the murals.

“Discord, stop hiding,” I said.

The draconequus oozed out of the mural, looking disgusted.

“I thought they were all destroyed,” he hissed. I blinked and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Fluttershy sit up in shock.

“What do you mean, destroyed?” Twilight asked.

“They were born of Chaos magic, magic that ran wild in the early days,” he said. “Long before you two were around,” he indicated the Royal Sisters. “That bearded wizard had disposed of them long ago, or so I thought.”

“Starswirl fought this thing?” I asked.

“Oh yes,” Discord said. “But there were more than just the one.”

I paled.

“How many?” Starlight asked.

“Thirty,” he said. “And if memory serves me, their leader was named…” he paused to think dramatically.

“Acerak,” I whispered.

“That’s it!” Discord said, as though he had just remembered it.

“What did he do?” I demanded to the air. “Just chuck whatever into the portal and let it be somepony else’s problem?”

“Hey, he was doing the best he could!” Twilight interjected. “He was a great wizard, and…”

“I’m afraid Sunset may have a point,” Celestia said. “He was a great wizard, but sometimes he had an ‘Out of sight’ mentality.” She sighed and turned towards Starlight.

“Has there been any headway in translating that book?” she asked.

Starlight shook her head. “Sunburst and I have personally searched every book on languages both here and in Twilight’s castle and we can’t find a single similar lithograph or character reference.” She sighed. “I’m not sure where else to turn.”

Cadence levitated the book over, skimming it for a second. “This looks familiar, somehow,” she whispered.

Twilight, sitting next to her, leaned over and glanced at the runes herself.

“I saw those in the Crystal Empire,” she said. “When we were looking for something to repair the Crystal Heart!”

“Are you sure?” Sunburst asked.

Everyone around the table laughed.

“If anypony could recall something that obscure, it’d be Twilight,” Rainbow Dash said.

The Alicorn blushed.

“We’ll head there immediately,” Sunburst said, gathering up his notes.

“Now, if you all will excuse us, my little ponies,” Celestia said, standing up. “I believe it is time for Sunset and the princesses to have a talk in private.”

Everypony rose and bowed, turning to leave. I kept my head bowed. I heard the hoofbeats as they moved away, the palace doors booming closed behind them.

“This is...unexpected,” Celestia said, her gaze levied on me. “This is the first time I can recall an ascension without an instigating spell from another Alicorn.”

“If there is a way to reverse it, I would,” I said, still looking at the ground.

“Why?” asked Luna. “You once lusted after those with a fierce desire.”

“That’s just it!” I said, raising my gaze. “That desire, that ambition led to me desecrating everything Celestia had taught me. I may have been forgiven and forgiven myself, but I doubt that alone makes me worthy.”

“I’ve seen you prove your worthiness, Sunset,” Twilight said. “And from what your Twilight and friends have told me of the events at the Friendship Games and at the camp, you’ve more than proved worthy.”

“Not to mention the Tree released the Seventh Element for you,” Cadence weighed in.

Celestia's gaze still weighed on me, and it made me uncomfortable.

“I never asked for this,” I said. “I just want to settle down, get married, and live a quiet life.”

“Destiny seldom lets us choose, Sunset,” Celestia said, her gaze crinkling slightly as she smiled, the wisdom and age showing.

“But if the Tree of Harmony deemed you worthy of the wings of an Alicorn, it must have had a reason.” She stepped forward and draped a wing across me. “And we will always welcome you as an equal.”

I giggled nervously, looking at her. “But I’ll never be your better,” I said with a smile.

She smiled back, and I knew then that we had truly reached back to the way it was before.

And it felt good.

The train ride to the Crystal Empire was filled with tension. After testing to find the books we're working again, I had hurriedly written to Sunshine and found that the Sirens and my friends had all holed up in my apartment, utilizing the Internet and any books they could find that involved harpies. I filled her in on what I had found out and gave her the lowdown on my plan.

I lowered my head to the seat again as the events replayed in my head.

“Not even Star Swirl was able to beat him,” I whispered to myself.

“Maybe he just went to seal them until he could deal with them,” Twilight said. “After all, he didn’t show up until recently.”

“So what happened to let him loose?” I asked.

“Well, there was that celestial alignment recently that caused some trouble with the portal on our end,” the Princess of Friendship suggested. “Maybe it weakened whatever chain he had around him.”

“That doesn't explain the inability to communicate with each other at times, or the increasing magical resonance at our end of the portal,” I said, shaking my head. “Something major is happening, Twilight, I can feel it in my horn.”

“What happened to the other one's Discord mentioned?” Twilight mused. “Why weren’t they released as well?”

I felt my stomach drop out.

“Can this train move any faster?” I asked.

“No, not really,” she replied. “It has to follow the tracks and they take quite a few curves through the northern mountains.”

I bolted for one of the doors.

“He’s trying to release them, Twilight,” I said as she caught up to me as I stepped into the space between cars, hoping onto the roof with a flap of my wings.

“We don’t have time to wait for the train.”

“Are you crazy?” she called. “I might be able to fly there quickly, but you’ve only had your wings for a day!”

“In the waking world, yeah!” I responded, taking a quick look around to get my bearings. “But Twilight keeps sticking them on me when we go in for magic practice.”

I gave my former rival a fierce grin. “I’ve been at this for months,” I said before taking off, heading towards the glittering crystal of our destination like an arrow released from a bow.

Twilight launched after me, shaking her head.

“This is insane,” I heard her say over the rush of the wind.

“Artifacts and Ancient lore,” Twilight said. “I’m almost certain that was the title.”

“You start upstairs and I’ll start down here,” I said, heading over towards a shelf, levitating books down and checking the titles. We had been at it for about an hour when Sunburst and Starlight galloped in, the heavy tome being levitated onto a reading stand.

“Anything yet?” the pink mare called over as she caught her breath.

“Not yet,” I said, dumping another book back onto the shelf and moving on to the next.

“Who organized this place?” I heard Twilight shout as she flew over to the next section.

“I’ve only managed to get through the lower stacks,” Sunburst said apologetically.

“Is there a reference chart?” I asked.

“A what?” the orange stallion stammered.

“A reference chart,” I repeated. “A catalog or map of subjects. Anything like that?”

“It’s not very accurate,” he said, levitating over a sheet of parchment with hurried notes scrawled on it. I scanned it and took off to the upper stacks, frantically scanning book spines until I found the one I was looking for.

“Gotcha!” I said, swinging back down and plopping the book onto one of the desks.

I fought back a yawn, draining what seemed like my tenth cup of tea since this translation effort had taken place.

“We know that it was written by Star Swirl,” Twilight said. “That much is obvious from what we’ve managed to translate thus far.”

“And again, he couldn’t have written it in plain Equestrian?” I said wearily. “I know you kind of idolize him, Twilight, but he’s starting to become a royal pain in the flank!”

Twilight huffed a bit, looking ready to launch into some sort of speech.

“Don’t,” I said, rubbing my eyes. “It’s just been a long day and we’re moving so slowly.”

Twilight’s eyes registered comprehension. “And your friends are on your mind,” she said.

I nodded. “I’m worried he could attack at any moment,” I admitted. “I may not be able to do much, but at least I could help. Somehow.”

Twilight tapped her hoof thoughtfully. “You said you had your horn in that other form, yes?”

I nodded. “It was different from any other time I’ve ponied up,” I said. "I never sprouted a horn before.”

Twilight hummed in thought. “Did you try any spells?”

“I was too astounded by the…” my mind rewound. “I did share memories with Rainbow Dash. Not hers, mine.”

“That could be an offshoot of your Empathic abilities,” Twilight murmured. “How does that work, exactly?”

“I touch somepony and I see their surface thoughts and emotions,” I said. “And I apparently can send my thoughts to another.”

“Sunset, what was it he called you?” Starlight suddenly asked.

“Seer,” I said. “Why?

“You’re mentioned,” she said, pointing at the book.

“Apparently, Starswirl lacked the power to destroy the central matrix of the magic that had given birth to the Harpies, so he bound them into a spell matrix that would hold them, but he knew it wouldn’t hold forever,” Starlight read. “But he set up precautions.”

“He banished the Sirens,” Twilight said suddenly. “But he didn’t remove their Song.”

A realization came to me as well. “He knew that they had a way to overcome the gaseous form they hold when under attack,” I said.

“And that’s why the portal restored their songs,” Twilight said excitedly. “It never meant for them to be barred permanently, they were the failsafe.”

Another flash hit me. “The vision I saw in the winter, just before Sunshine and I resolved into those forms you saw,” I said. “It wasn’t him sealing away the Sirens, it was him sealing the Harpies in!”

“Then you need to hear this,” Starlight said, double-checking a few words against their translation rubric.

“According to this, 'The Seer is the one that can permanently seal them in, using magic that I have never been able to master,'” she read.

“Friendship,” Twilight said. “His final spell was only completed with my understanding of friendship.”

“Which is the final test you went through to get your wings,” I remarked. “That’s a relief, at least I know what to use.”

Starlight looked up.

“There is more,” she said, a worried look on her face. “The Seer must fuse something called the Grey Gates to permanently banish them. And he states that the cost is higher than he ever imagined.”

“Ok,” I said. “Way to be cryptic, guy.”

“He’s not,” Twilight said. “The Grey Gates was the title of his last written treatise. It was the last experiment he was working on when he died.”

She leveled her gaze on me. “It was what killed him, Sunset."

I flipped the pages in the small, spiral-bound notebook, reading the notes written within.

“Is it just me,” I asked out loud. “Or does half of this book consist of Star Swirl’s rambling? It’s like reading one of Pinkie’s recipes after she’s copied it down for someone.”

Twilight fiddled for a second. “He was a little absent-minded,” she said. “But his published works are quite concise.”

“It’s called editors, Twilight,” I said, stretching my neck and feeling the wings behind me rustle in response. “Do these ever not get annoying?” I asked as one refused to return to rest.

Twilight smiled. “Eventually,” she said with a glance back at her own lilac wings. “But everything relevant to the Gates is in that notebook.”

I sighed. “Half of the last page wondered if penguins would enjoy living on icebergs and if he could fit any more bells on his hat.” I closed the book as the train slid to a stop in Ponyville. “How exactly is he the foremost expert on anything with a mind that wanders that much?”

We trotted off, heading for the castle. Twilight tilted her head up slightly.

“I may have a condensed version in my library,” she said. “If you don’t mind waiting while we look for it.”

I shook my head. “I’ll just muddle through this notebook,” I said with a smile. “Condensed copies may cut out something important. With things this dangerous, you don’t want to miss a step.”

“That makes sense,” Twilight said, opening the doors to the castle. I missed whatever she was going to say next when I was bowled over by a sky-blue blur.

“This is so awesome!” Rainbow Dash cried. “A new flying buddy! How fast can you go? Have you managed any tricks yet?”

“Ow…" was all I could manage.

“Rainbow, let her up,” Twilight said with a giggle. “She can’t stick around just to fly with you.”

“Aw, harsh, Twi,” she said, climbing off me and offering a hoof. “We know how tough she is!”

“I think I broke something,” I wheezed as I took the hoof and stood, running a mental checklist. Everything seemed to be ok, but I still moved gingerly for the first few steps.

“As soon as this is through,” Rainbow said, draping a wing over my back. “You and me, race you out at Sweet Apple Acres.”

“Deal,” I said. Regardless of which universe you referred to, Rainbow’s confidence was uplifting.

We turned to walk back into the castle, and on a hunch I stepped to the side just in time to see a pink blur fly by, tumbling into Dash and sending them both into a sprawling pile just past the steps.

Twilight blinked. “How did you know she was coming?”

“I showed up with wings, Twilight,” I said, trotting into the halls. “Can you really expect Pinkie to not throw a party?”

“How’d you know?” Pinkie said, hopping up between us and bouncing. “I tried really hard to keep it a secret.”

“It’s what you do, Pinks,” I said, patting her on the shoulder as we walked. “It’s what you do.”

“If I’m reading this right, these Grey Gates are the lynchpins of the interdimensional transitway,” I said later. “The very thing that hooks the two ends of the portal together.”

“What does that have to do with the Harpies?” Twilight asked, finishing off the piece of cake in front of her.

“Remember, I’m translating out the magical theory from his rambling,” I reminded her. “It seems he tied them into the fabric of the portal. That’s why it ages us down, I think. Their existence as beings of pure chaos tampers with the relatively simple planar transportation magic. If you can call plane hopping magic simply.”

“Why did he tie them into the portal? I don’t think that would be the best option to deal with something that dangerous.”

“I don’t think he meant for the portal to be used for a regular commute like we have been doing it,” I said, re-reading a section. “Sometime between the Fall Formal and last winter, something happened and loosened the pathway and Acerak slipped free.” I glanced up. “He’s behind the increase of magic pouring from the portal. He’s feeding on it, using it to slide between corporeal and non. That’s what has caused the problems with the books and the issues with the portal, not any celestial event.”

“Then how is he going to free the rest?”

“That I don’t know,” I said, closing the book. “And that’s the last relevant page. He finished this notebook out with a comment about quesadillas and wondering if he could fit any more cheese in."

Twilight's eye twitched.

A thumping sound drew our attention. I stood and moved towards the sound and found the communication book on the ground, flashing and vibrating sporadically.

Twilight levitated it over to us, opening it to the last page. “That’s odd,” she said before her eyes widened.

“What?” I asked, moving to read over her shoulder.

She slammed the book shut, a nervous grin on her face. “Oh, nothing,” she said with a forced giggle. “It’s just a spell glitch, some interference from the portal!”

“Twilight, you are my friend,” I said. “And as such, I feel it is my duty to tell you that you suck at lying.” I reached out with my magic and started to open the book. “How bad can it be?”

The book vanished in a flash similar to a teleportation effect. I turned to stare at the younger Alicorn. “Twilight, this isn’t funny,” I said when I saw it levitating behind her.

“I’m not laughing,” she said. “And you don’t want to read this,” She said.

I grabbed the book in my grip again, only to have Twilight and the book vanish in a flash. I followed her, her teleportation easily tracked in her haste. I appeared in the orchard at Sweet Apple Acres, a startled Applejack staring.

“You too, Sunset?” she said, glancing off towards a fast vanishing purple blur.

I took off, taking advantage of the air as Twilight galloped beneath the canopy of the trees. I dove down, grabbing the book and teleporting back to the castle, dimly hearing her shocked exclamation before the orchard was traded for the castle interior. I opened the book just as Twilight appeared.

“Sunset, no!”

The words inside were jumbled, sentences incomplete or filled with nonsense. But I easily picked out the message, panic gripping my heart as I flung the book back towards the mirror.

Acerak had attacked Twilight when she slipped out to get food. She was hurt and drained.

Twilight appeared between me and the mirror, her wings spread wide.

“Get out of my way, Twilight,” I said through gritted teeth. Anger and fear fought for control in my heart.

“It could be a trap,” She said. “He knows that you’re part of the only way he can be beaten, and he’s luring you out!”

I charged up my horn. “Move!”

“No, I won’t,” she said. “We don’t even know how to defeat him yet!”

My horn blazed with power as I took a threatening step forward. “Damn it, Twilight! Move!”

She stared at me in shock as I clamped my hooves over my mouth, the echoes of my shout reverberating through the room and hallway.

“What was that?” I asked, keeping my voice soft.

“The Royal Canterlot Voice,” she breathed. “But how?”

“Magic and intent, mixed with speech,” a voice said from behind us. We turned to see Cadence strolling in slowly.

“It’s the only way to make sure you’re heard when addressing an entire plaza’s worth of subjects,” she said. She looked at me intently. “Sunset, going back before we know the entire situation would be dangerous.”

“Twilight is hurt,” I said. “I have to get to her.” My heart was hammering in my chest, and I was afraid it would punch a hole out with its ferocity.

Cadence smiled sadly. “I know you care for her,” she said softly. “Believe me, no one knows better, and if Shining Armour or Flurry Heart where in the same situation I'd be just as worried. But you don’t have any sort of plan or idea of how to proceed.”

“I know,” I said. “But there isn’t any more of the notes about the Gates, and he didn’t have any sort of mention of how to reseal Acerak.”

"But Sunburst and Starlight are still working on the translation!" Twilight said. "They might find something!"

"Might, not will," I spat. "I can't sit around while my friends are in danger!"

The Princess of Love met my eyes, reading my intent and sighed. “Twilight,” Cadence said gently. “Move aside for her. We can’t stop her from returning, and I’d rather you two not fight it out.”

The Alicorn moved away reluctantly and I stepped forward. I was about to pass through when a loud popping sound echoed through the room, ruffling everyone's mane. I turned to see an exhausted Starlight appear, her coat lathered, eyes unfocused and the pack she carried was beginning to become soaked with her sweat.

"Princess," she whispered laboriously. "We finished..."

She collapsed. Twilight was the first to her, and I hesitated for a second out of concern.

"Did she teleport all the way from the Crystal Empire?" I asked.

"Impossible," Cadence said. "I can't even do that."

"She is a strong Unicorn, though," I took a step towards her. "Whatever caused her to do it must have been important."

Starlight stirred weakly. "My head," she groaned. "My horn feels like it's in a vice."

"Well, you did just teleport the equivalent of two days' train ride," Twilight said. "That's bound to cause some burnout and exhaustion. It'll take a day for your strength to recover."

"Sunset!" she said suddenly, sitting up, then wincing. "Did I get back in time to stop her?"

I stepped around into view. "Just barely," I said. The concern for my love warred with the curiosity of what had caused such a rapid trip.

"The translation," she said. "In the back plate of the book was a note scratched out in regular Equestrian, just above this." Her horn threw sparks as she tried to cast something. She stopped, gasping. "It's in my pack, a ruby."

Twilight dug out the gem, it's multifaceted sides reflecting the light of her aura. "What is it?" she asked. "It almost looks like..."

"It's a spell matrix amplifier," Starlight whispered. "It is designed to match the matrix of whatever magic it's being used with." She paused to catch her breath. "It's the only way I managed to teleport so far. But it exacts a heavy toll, it would seem."

She locked eyes on me. "The note referred to it as a key, or the key," she said. "For whatever reason, Star Swirl wrote it very quickly and very abstractly. It may have been one of his final acts prior to him sealing away the book and his passing."

I took the gem from Twilight, momentarily surprised by how heavy it felt. "Did he say how to use it?"

The pink unicorn shook her head, wincing again from the movement. "No, sadly," she said. "Everything that we uncovered just indicated that the Grey Gates were imperfect and that the cycle of thirty moons was meant to recharge the barrier between worlds."

Twilight paled. "This is my fault?" she whispered.

"No," I said quickly. "You did not cause this."

"But I'm the one that overrode the natural cycle! I'm the one that kept opening the portal, I figured out how to keep it open..."

"And I'm the one that asked you for help, and I have come through it more times than you have just because I wanted to," I countered, squaring off to her. "It's no one's fault, Twilight. But to be safe, close off the portal once I've gone through. It's not a wise idea to have it open more than it needs to be right now."

"How?" Starlight asked.

I rapped a rear hoof against one of the contraptions attached to the mirror. "Disconnect it from the apparatus she made," I said. "Buck it apart if you have to."

I was about to hop through the mirror again when a lilac wing snapped out to bar my way.

I looked at her and saw the same concern that I saw on my Twilight’s face just before I left the other day.

“Be careful,” she said.

I smiled and nodded.

“Of course,” I returned as she pulled her wing back. “If you don’t hear from me in a few days, come pick up the pieces.” I swallowed. "And if necessary, destroy the mirror."

I stepped through the portal, feeling my anger and worry return and increase as I rushed towards my apartment.

At the time, I didn’t notice the gem that I shoved into my jacket pocket had started to glow in time with my heartbeat.

My boots thudded against the pavement as I ran. Momentarily, I spared a thought thanking the foresight to have worn flat-soled boots today. My apartment building loomed insight and I slowed only long enough to put my key in the lock and throw the door open to…

Everyone sitting around the table with take-out Chinese cartons, staring at me.

I blinked in confusion. “Twilight,” I began. “Is everything ok?”

She nodded and I felt confusion bubble up through the slowly strengthening bond. “Why wouldn't it be?”

I frowned. “Not even an hour ago I got a message from you saying that you had been attacked and hurt,” I said.

“Well, as you can see, darling,” Rarity said. “We’re all well and good. Perhaps the book is malfunctioning again?”

“It would make sense, I mean, you’ve only been gone seventy-two hours,” Twilight said, taking another bite of her rice.

“Twilight, I’ve been gone five days, not three.”

Twilight pointed at the clock on the wall, which showed the date as well as time. “I’m pretty sure I know how to read a clock, Sunny,” she said with a giggle.

I stared at the clock. “This doesn’t make sense,” I murmured.

“We’ve always suspected the portal played with time,” Adagio said. “Maybe it’s just warped a bit more?”

I sat down and ran my hands through my hair. “This has been a confusing five days,” I said.

I started to recount what I had found out, but just before I got to the events surrounding my hurried departure, I felt a cold chill start to creep up my back. I spun, looking towards the door as it was ripped free from its frame, Acerak striding in, looking much more solid and human.

He glanced around. “I must admit, this is a nice place,” he said, running a finger across the bookshelf that housed our communication books, then looked at it, tsking. “Could stand a good dusting, though.”

“We’ve been a little busy,” I said, hearing chairs scrape against the floor.

“So it seems,” he smiled, returning his icy gaze to us. “So good to see you all healed up. I’d hate it if you were hurt permanently.” His toothy smile was anything but human, all sharp points and dull shine.

“I’d hardly say we’re healed up,” I said, rage building. “You violated me in a way that I have never thought possible and stole from me something precious,” I tilted my head forward, nudging some magic into the bond I had with Twilight. “I will never forgive you for that.”

Acerak gave off a trilling laugh, sounding eerily like evil birdsong. “And what do you intend to do about it?” he gloated. “I’ve stripped more than half of you of your magic, and by the time you recover enough mana to be a threat it won’t matter anymore.”

“Because you’ll have freed your brothers? Twilight said, taking a few steps forward to be just behind my right shoulder.

“Children would be a more accurate term,” he said. “But good for you, you’ve done your research. I guess I’ll just have to block the portal a little better for the immediate future.”

“So you are involved in the trouble we’ve been having,” Rainbow shouted, and I saw her just inside my peripheral vision.

Please, I thought. Don’t fly off the handle just yet Dash.

“Not just that,” I said. “He’s been siphoning off the magic of the portal. That’s why we can’t hurt him.”

The Harpy clapped his hands in appreciation. “Very good,” he said. “But I wouldn’t mind answering any questions you might have.”

“Why?" Fluttershy asked. Her tone was angry, but only those that knew her would recognize that.

“Honestly?” Acerak said, face losing its humorous look. “That’s your question? Look around you,” he gestured widely. “In the entirety of this world, you ten are the only ones that could cause any sort of problems, and I could crush you with ease.” He locked his eyes on me. “And you were the first to work on.”

I paled. “What?” I whispered.

He smiled a predatory grin. “Celestia doesn't trust you at all. She probably told the guards to bar your entry after you left. You did tend to flaunt her authority in the past,” he said, his voice modulating as he spoke to fit that of the demon. My friends all gasped behind me. He tilted his head slightly, speaking again, only this time his voice matched mine. “I told you it was pointless, you weren't enough to cut it at the school in Equestria, and you can't keep your friends safe here. Acerak will take you each one by one.”

I stared in horror, my mind numb. “It was you the entire time,” I whispered, my rage starting to rise again to wash through my fear. I felt some of it bounce off Twilight’s emotions as her hatred rose in tandem with mine.

Acerak started laughing again. “And it was so simple,” he said, waving his hand at me. “Your self-doubt already existed and gave me an in! The perfect way to destroy someone is to let them do it themselves.” He gave a short bow.

“Now,” I whispered.

Acerak began to rise from his bow and froze in mid-motion. “What…” he spat.

Twilight held her hands forward, focusing her telekinetic grip. “You didn’t hit all of us,” she growled. “Rather sloppy, actually.”

I reached down inside and grabbed the faint strand of magic that had regrown inside and ponied up, feeling a strain as my body struggled to shift for a second, then a wash of power flowed forward and I felt my wings grow and horn begin to sprout. They weren’t fully formed, but I saw Acerak’s eyes grow wide in surprise.

“Ascension?” he spat. “You?! The standards must be getting lower.”

“Or maybe I’m stronger than you thought,” I said, holding my hands out to either side, my friends stepping forward, the sapphires on the Siren’s neck glowing. I started to charge my horn while Rarity set a series of shields around him. They were a little paler than usual, but she had no problem raising them.

Adagio started to sing a note, her sisters joining in and I felt my pocket twitch. As the song grew louder and Acerak began to fight aginst the bonds, the gem I had brought with me floated from my pocket and began to glow in time with the song. I stared at it for a second, having forgotten about it.

And that was when Acerak managed to break free, reaching out with one hand and clenching his fist. Twilight gasped and doubled over, her control over her telekinetic grip wavering even more. A sphere of pale yellow light began to grow in his hand.

“Your control,” he said, standing straight again. “Is found wanting.” He raised the sphere of magic up and bit into it, causing a scream to rip from Twilight’s throat as she collapsed.

“Twilight!” I said, moving to her side. But before I could reach out to touch her, she flew through the air and was grabbed by Acerak, Rarity’s shield shattering. Her glasses fell to the ground between us.

“Let her go,” I said, my anger rising.

“Oh, but I like her,” he purred in response. “She’s feisty, like you.” He started to back through the door slowly. “I think we’ll take some time to get to know one another.”

Twilight whimpered as he ran a talon along her cheek.

“You hurt her and I swear to Celestia you’ll regret it.” I snarled.

“A gripping tale, I’m sure,” he said as he moved up the stairs. “But something I remember from my time in Equestria; even Alicorns are worthless in a fight.” He started to grow indistinct, Twilight’s form following fashion.

“Twilight!” I said, rushing forward just in time for the cloud of smoke to blow away in the air.

My magic flared alongside my anger, and I heard a scraping sound from behind me. I looked over my shoulder around in time for my element to fly forward and fasten itself around my neck, throwing my pony form into full bloom. I spread my wings in reflex.

And that was when the ruby flew over to me and fused with my element, taking the shape of Twilight’s emblem.

And a blaze of light erupted as I felt magic rush through my veins. I felt my horn grow more and my wings turned into blazing light. I started to float up into the sky when I heard a voice call out.

“Sunset,” Adagio said. “What are you going to do?”

I looked down at her, the radiance of my Daydream form causing her to squint.

“I’m going to kill the son of a bitch,” I said, turning and flying off, searching inwardly for the bond I shared with Twilight.

I was floating in a black wasteland. Bones littered the ground and the vegetation was brown and sharp.

“Sunset?” I called out. “Fluttershy?”

My voice defied physics and echoed in the open plain. I turned around nervously. “Anyone?”

“My, my,” a voice said, causing my blood to freeze. “It has been a while.”

I turned slowly to see Midnight Sparkle sitting on a throne-like chair, legs crossed and wings gently folded behind her. She rose and slowly walked to me, a slow, seductive walk that I shied away from, her wings spreading slightly.

“Oh, come now, Twilight,” she cooed as she reached me and reached out a single finger to tuck under my chin. “No warm hug to greet me? No kind words?” She grinned. "No kiss?"

I shuddered at the touch. “I banished you,” I said in a trembling voice.

“No,” she purred. “Not quite. I’m a part of you, Twilight darling, and you will never fully be rid of me.” She began to pace around me. “Every dark nightmare, every shadowy thought, every angry outburst will be me.” She stopped in front of me again. “And each time I’ll be making another foothold back into you.”

I shook my head. “I know who I am,” I said, trying to feel the bond I shared with Sunset. “You won’t get back in control.”

Midnight chuckled throatily, wiping a tear from her eye. “Oh, I forgot how sweet you are,” she said before grabbing me firmly by the chin. “They can’t find you here, despite the bond you share.” She narrowed her eyes, the halo of light around them flared for a second. “You are at my mercy, Twilight Sparkle.” She shoved me backward.

I landed hard onto a concrete floor, the air rushing out of me in an explosion. I dimly heard the mocking laugh of Midnight Sparkle as I scooted up against a wall, trying to see in the darkness, everything blurry.

“Sunny,” I said, feeling an aching hole inside. “Please hurry.”

The only answer was the dim memory of laughter of the side of me I thought I had banished long ago.

I landed on the roof to Crystal Prep Academy, closing my eyes and willing the Daydream form away. This was the closest thing to the center of town that I could land on that wouldn’t have security details coming up to check on me. What I was about to do required a lot of focus.

I sat down and crossed my legs so I was in the lotus position. Closing my eyes, I powered up my horn, pouring all of my mana into it. Then I released it slowly, inwardly, pouring it all into the bond I shared with Twilight. This tracking spell was something that I was creating on the fly, extrapolating from a spell used to find minor items.

You have no idea how many times it had helped me find my keys before I left Equestria.

I kept my breathing slow, magic seeking the other end of the mental link. I knew she had to be nearby because Acerak’s source of power was the portal, it was what filled him with all his massive power. Twilight couldn’t be far.

My mana slowly drained into the link, reaching out, grasping, finding…

Nothing. I stood, looking out over the city. From here I should be able to be sense Twilight at least dimly. That meant either he had found a way to block the link, had hidden her beyond my range, or…

No. I wouldn’t go down that route. She was ok, I was certain I would have felt it if something had happened to her.

I stared hard towards the slowly sinking moon, wishing that I would suddenly get a flash of insight as to where my love was hidden.

The moon vanished, seemingly mocking my desires.

I still couldn’t see. Despite the fact that my eyes had adjusted to the dim lighting of the building I was in, my astigmatism rendered me mostly helpless. I closed my eyes, listening. I could hear the hiss of tires on wet asphalt. The highway, I was near the highway.

I stood, squinting. I made my way over to a rectangular shaped spot of light, slowly. I stumbled over a few items that were too small for my handicapped sight to spot, but there were no major obstacles. I stepped through the door, finding myself standing in the field of tall grass, the highway in the distance. I started taking slow steps towards the highway, hoping that from there I would be to pinpoint my location.

“Twilight!” I heard someone cry. I turned, my heart leaping when I heard that alto voice.

“Sunny!” I cried, seeing the yellow streaked blur that topped my fiancé’s head. As she got closer, I could make out her features perfectly, her green eyes flashing as they passed under one of the highway lamps. The relief was evident on her face as she rushed up to me.

Wait…

I had astigmatism, but everything about Sunset was in sharp focus. I then realized none of the minor imperfections we all had were evident, the small scar on the base of her neck from a spell gone wrong as a filly, the slightly larger left earlobe. Not even the streak of blonde in her copper tresses held the right shade.

She moved to hug me, and I stepped back.

“Who are you?” I asked, holding a hand out to block her advance.

“Twilight, it’s me!” Sunset said, a confused look on her face.

“What is my nickname?” I said, matching each move she made with a mirrored step.

“Twilight, this is silly,” she said. “You know it’s me.”

“What,” I said, trying to inject some steel into my voice. “Did you call me when we were at your sisters’ for Christmas?”

The Sunset in front of me smiled but was not the sweet smile I knew. It was filled with malice and madness. The landscape around me snapped into focus as she started to laugh, the voice slowly morphing away from Sunset’s voice.

“Ah, I should have known you wouldn’t fall for that," she said as the area around her eyes lit up, Sunset’s image fading to reveal Midnight Sparkle. The landscape returned to the disaster-ridden planescape it had been when I last had seen my alter ego.

“You are more perceptive than he gives you credit for, I’ll admit,” she continued, strutting around me. “But then, no one knows you as I do.” She smiled at me again, and I shivered at the predatory look on the face that was identical to mine. “But he offered to let me rule your body, and that was tempting enough to accept.” She reached out and trailed a sharp nail down my cheek.

I shivered. “I won’t let you do that,” I said. “I beat you once, I’ll do it again.”

Her laugh only made the pit in my stomach colder. I forced what magic I had into the bond, sending out a single thought.

Sunset, hurry up already!.

I stopped on my way back to my apartment, a momentary glimmer stabbing into my mind.

Sunset…

I tried to focus on the source, but nothing more came and the flash was gone before I could determine a location.

I hovered in the air for a moment, then started back on my trek to my apartment. I landed and saw that AJ had started repairing the door.

“Did ya find her?” she asked as she fastened the door back to the hinges.

I shook my head, reaching up to remove my Element, the sudden rush of exhaustion hitting me. The ruby that had fused to the front of my pendant detached itself, falling to the ground. I picked it up and set it on the table.

Adagio came over and picked it up, turning it over in her hands.

“It’s so familiar,” she whispered. “It’s like staring at an image of a dimly remembered past, a power barely remembered.”

“Adagio?” Fluttershy whispered.

The Siren closed her eyes and set the gemstone down. “It’s ok,” she said, reaching up to touch her choker. “I don’t need anything like that anymore.”

Rarity set a cup of tea down in front of me, gentle steam wafting from it. I sipped it, still staring into space silently.

“Sunset, dear,” the fashionista said quietly. “Are you going to be ok?”

The room grew silent after the question.

“No, I’m not,” I said finally, dully. “I couldn’t find Twilight. As far as my magic can tell, she’s not anywhere in town.”

Fluttershy set a hand on my shoulder. “Maybe she’s being jammed,” she said.

I looked up at her. “What do you mean?”

“Well, that is,” she stuttered for a second. “Acerak has managed to infiltrate your dreams and your mind. What’s stopping him from blocking her magic from being detected?”

“Possibly,” I said. A buzzing and thumping from my cabinet drew my attention to the communication books. Specifically, the one that connected me with Twilight. I stood and pulled it out, setting it on the table to read the message.

It was a little fuzzy but understandable. Twilight wanted to know if there had been any breakthroughs. I closed my eyes and went to pick up a pen to reply.

But no words came to my mind. I couldn’t think of anything to say.

Applejack took the pen from my hand. “It’s ok, sugarcube,” she said. “We’ll fill the princess in. You go ’n get some rest.”

The walk to the bedroom was robotic, as though I wasn’t guiding myself. I didn’t even bother undressing, just laying on top of the blanket in the dark.

I don’t know when the tears started falling, but I do remember sobbing suddenly, my pillow already soaked.

Twilight…

“Enough!” I shouted, blasting another phantasm of one of my friends away with my magic. My clothes were ratty and torn from my captivity. I had become accustomed to the blurry world that had become my life, and the continued inundation that had been Midnight Sparkle’s attempts to lure me into a false sense of security had slowly gotten more and more subtle.

I spun around as the landscape returned. “Haven’t you had enough?” I screamed to the void. “How many more times are you going to fail until you realize you can’t win?”

A chuckle slowly filtered through the air, but it wasn’t Midnight’s. Acerak slowly formed, his mist-like form floating forward.

“You are a strong one,” he said. “However, even a brick will shatter if beaten enough.” He sighed. “But this pitiful display bores me.”

A sphere of yellow light formed in his hand. He gazed at it for a moment, then pressed it against my forehead, the light slowly sinking in.

I felt my magic return, not quite fully, but I recognized it’s warm glow.

Acerak smiled. “Next time,” he said. “Give it your all.” He started to fade back into a mist.

“If you don’t,” the voice said. “I’ll have no further use for you.”

I sank to the ground, sniffling as I fought off sleep. For a second, I thought I heard Sunset’s voice sob out my name, but after weeks of such tricks, I ignored it.

Sunset, where are you? I thought as I fell asleep.

I sat up suddenly as I heard Twilight’s voice, knowing it was her’s from the way it filtered through the bond.

“Twilight,” I breathed, leaping from the bed and rushing out the door.

The girls looked at me as I came out, not caring about the streaks of dried tears or puffy eyes.

“I think I know where she is, now,” I said. “We’re going to go get her.”

“We?” said Adagio.

“I’m not going alone,” I said. “And there are some preparations to make first.”

I spread the Elements out on the table, looking at each of them in turn.

“I’m not sure,” I said. “But I’m fairly sure she’s somewhere in the warehouse district. It’s out of the way and past the point I could reach with my scrying. We’ll head that way, and we’ll keep the Elements at hand.” I picked up the gem that I had received from Starlight.

“Adagio, I want you to hold onto this,” I said. “It amplifies magic, and we saw it reacts to your Song.” I looked the girl in the eye. “It may just do more than annoy him this time.”

The Siren smiled, taking the ruby and tucking it into a pocket.

I took a deep breath, clearing my thoughts. “I’m going to be the only one he should see,” I said, slipping on my Element and feeling the increased magic flow through my veins.

“Now hold on just a cotton pickin’ minute,” Applejack said. “We ain't about to let ya go alone.”

As my horn finished manifesting, I smiled at the farmer.

“I said I’d be the only one he’d see,” I smirked. “Not the only one he’d face.”

Pinkie grinned as she grasped the idea. “So we’re going to be like a sneak attack!”

“Bingo,” I said, charging up my horn and beginning to cast the spell I had in mind.

I stared at the darkness, my mind numb. I had long since lost track of time, the building I was in barely let in light, and the constant assault on my senses by Midnight Sparkle had warped my sense of time even further.

I wondered just how it was that they hadn’t found me yet. Was I beyond where they could search? Was I in another dimension?

“They’re most likely dead,” a smooth voice purred.

I didn’t even react, as my alter ego’s appearance was so commonplace now that I almost felt comforted by it.

“Ridiculous,” I spat. “I’d know.”

“Through that bond you’re so fond of?” she oozed back. “If you would have felt that, why haven’t they found you yet?” She leaned close enough for me to see the separation in the feathers on her hooked wings. “Maybe it isn't as strong as you think.”

I reached out and grabbed the edge of her outfit, dragging her close to me.

“I’d know,” I growled in her face.

She laughed as she pulled away. “True, I can’t deny that,” she chuckled. “But you know, you’re wasting your time fighting me. I’m not your enemy here.”

“I told you you’d never be in control again, demon.”

“Ah, but with my power, you could crush Acerak easily,” she cooed. “Avenge your friends.”

“They’re not dead,” I said, but even as I said the words they tasted like ash in my mouth.

“You shan’t find out in this captivity,” Midnight pointed out. “I may visit you, but he’s the one that truly keeps you caged, trapped in this maddening loop of time.”

I hated to admit it, but she was starting to make sense.

“Next time he tests you,” my dark half whispered. “Let me help.”

I pulled off the road, shutting off the car and stepping out. I pulled my Element on and began to walk forward towards the chain-link fence that sealed off the ramshackle warehouses. My wings spread and I flew over the top, easily infiltrating the complex. As I walked forward, I heard a slight jingle of metal from the fence but I ignored it.

I closed my eyes for a moment, stilling my thoughts. I caught a flash from the bond, and I knew Twilight was near, but there was something off about it, something dark beyond the sense of nearness.

I didn’t like it, it felt wrong. There was something familiar about the darkness, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.

Hold on, Sunshine, I thought. I’m coming.

I looked up as the thought pinged through my head.

Hold on, Sunshine, I’m coming.

“Sunny,” I breathed, knowing her voice anywhere. But suspicion pooled immediately, It wasn’t the first time I had heard her voice and nothing happen.

Then, she was there, but she didn’t look quite right. Her skin was pale, almost waxy. Her hair held none of the shine and her eyes were glassy. Acerak appeared behind her, putting a hand on her shoulder like a proud parent.

“Now, this is what I like,” he said. “Nice, docile little lambs. She was a delightful meal, I assure you. Not quite as much flavor as the pink one, but a delicacy none the less.”

Rage flooded me. “You didn’t. I don’t believe you!”

Acerak gestured as Sunset. “I brought you proof,” he said. “The reason behind your months of captivity was to break her will, not yours. To make her pliable, and to get rid of her as a threat.” He chuckled. “I really didn’t expect it to be so simple, actually.”

I didn’t believe him, and I reached out with my bond to confirm another simulacrum. I felt it resonate off Sunset, and the mindless shell in front of me seemed to react.

“Twi…light?” it rasped.

I felt a wall inside me snap, and white flooded my vision. I felt wings spread from my back and power wash through me. I glared at him as light flared around my eyes and I held up a clawed hand, magic pooling into it.

“You’ll pay for this,” I hissed, feathered wings holding me aloft as I attacked with all the power I could muster.

I was looking around, trying to get a better fix when one of the smaller buildings simply exploded, bits of wood and metal being flung in every direction. I ducked down in surprise, and when I raised my head again, I stared in shock.

Midnight Sparkle was floating in the air, hooked wings spreading out to hold her aloft. A dark, inky aura surrounded her, adding to the intimidating sight. She looked like she was catching her breath when she spotted me.

“Twilight!” I called. “It’s me!”

I realized as she fixed her gaze on me she wasn’t seeing me. Something was wrong.

“Enough running!” she screamed, hurling a blast of magic at me.

I rolled out of the way, the bolt of energy gouging a hole in the ground as it landed. I looked up, seeing in her eyes anger, madness, and desperation.

“Twilight Sparkle!” I screamed. “It’s me! Sunset! Your fiancé!”

She seemed to recognize me. “Sunny?” she whispered.

“Yes!” I called out. “It’s Sunny!”

Her look hardened. “Another trick,” she spat. “Is this all you can do?” Another spear of magic came lancing after me. "Puppets on a string!?"

I danced backward, pulling a kinetic shield in front of me. “Sunshine!” I screamed. “It’s me!”

My answer was a scream followed by another blast of magic, my shield barely ablating it. She wasn’t seeing the world as it was, I realized. Something was altering her vision.

I leaped into the air, letting my magic pull forth my Daydream form. The next bolt of magic aimed at me was batted aside with my own.

“Twilight,” I said calmly, holding out my hand. “It’s time to go home. Take my hand.” I felt a tear slide down my cheek. “Please still be there, Twilight.”

Midnight seemed to hesitate, uncertainty crossing her face. “But he drained you,” she whispered, her dark aura fading slightly.

“I’m right here, Sunshine,” I said, drifting slightly closer. “I’m alright, I’m not hurt.”

The aura returned to its original hue. “Months,” she gritted. “He held me captive for months and you didn’t come looking!” She sent out another blast of magic, stronger than before.

“It’s only been a day, Sunshine,” I called as I blocked her beam. “I never stopped looking.”

“Lies,” she spat, her wings lifting her higher. “I recognize the area, we’re still in Canterlot. It shouldn’t have taken you months to find me.”

“Sunshine,” I said, my heart breaking. “It hasn’t been months, it’s been hours.” I dodged another attack. “Please, listen to me!” Magic energy crackled by me, almost shearing off the edge of my left wing.

“She can’t hear you,” a voice said from nowhere. “She’s fully trapped in a nightmare of her own creation.” Acerak appeared in midair, smirking as his spectral wings slowly flapped. “Madness has crept into her mind, and there’s not much left that you can do.”

That was when a glittering diamond construct flew up and ripped his wings off.

“What!?” he growled.

Rarity smiled as she flung another full powered construct at him, her full-powered pony form glowing in the dim light. Her horn began to glow with a cornflower aura as she began weaving a fence around Twilight.

“So you brought a friend,” he smirked. “No matter, she’s easily dealt with!”

He flew towards Rarity, talons spreading and reaching for her.

“Now!” I called.

And even from above I felt the magic slamming into me as the Sirens launched into song, the invisibility glamor I had placed over everybody fading to reveal all of us, Dash racing forward to pull Rarity out of the way of Acerak’s now unguided plummet.

AJ rushed forward and slammed her fist into him, sending him careening off the construct that the Fashionista formed behind him. The Siren’s kept singing, the gem hovering in front of them keeping the aura going even when they paused for air.

Pinkie threw a handful of stones into the air, the explosions catching the eye of Midnight Sparkle.

“Twilight!” she called. “We’re here to rescue you!”

I blocked the magical barrage, staring at the twisted form of my love. I heard another solid hit from below and the aura around Midnight wavered. She suddenly blinked, the glowing aura around her eyes vanishing for a moment.

“Pinkie?” she whispered. Before I could say anything, the darkness around her recovered and she scowled at me.

I dashed forward, slamming into her and bringing my power to the fore.

“Twilight Sparkle, wake up!"

The power from the Royal Voice slammed into her, and the echoes followed through the bond, blasting away the residual darkness from around her. We were suddenly alone in the air, our wings holding us aloft. Her’s had shifted, the hooked joint smoothing out and her horn filling in.

“Sunset?” she whispered, reaching out as though afraid I would vanish.

I nodded, tears on my face. “It’s me, Sunshine.”

Her fingers hesitantly touched my face, then she grabbed me in a fierce hug.

“Oh, Sunny,” she sobbed. “You found me. You finally found me.”

“You’ve only been missing for a day, Twi,” I said, stroking her hair.

“It was so much longer, so much…” her eyes flew open. “He tricked me,” she said and I felt anger flowing through the bond.

And she fell into the fray, screaming like Nemesis descending. I followed, taking a slightly different angle of attack.

Acerak didn’t look smug anymore. The Siren’s song kept him from just phasing into mist to avoid our attacks, and he was becoming more and more bestial as he fought. He caught Dash with a claw, but her speed carried her past his attack. She skidded to a stop, holding her arm as some blood began to trickle down from the armor plates.

“Hey!” she said, balling up her fist and charging him. I held off my attack until I saw him grin.

“Dash, no!” I shouted.

In slow motion, I saw her strike him in the face, the speed of her hit lifting him from the ground and flinging him back through the air.

He came crashing down to the ground between the Sirens, using his momentum to slash his talons across Adagio’s abdomen, blood spurting from the wound. The song faltered and died, Adagio’s shriek cutting through the night.

I blasted magic at him, forcing him to focus on dodging. Between Twilight and I, we managed to herd him away from the sisters, but I could tell the song’s effect was wearing off.

“Can’t say it wasn’t fun,” he said, smiling as he became indistinct.

“Not this time!” I shouted, dashing towards him as Twilight pulled up and made a grabbing motion with her hands. Acerak was pulled forward, stumbling slightly as I bore into him fully, magic charging and sending angry fire into his being.

He screamed, and I felt pain flare in my stomach. I looked down and saw his talon buried in my side, blood seeping out.

“I should have just finished you months ago,” he hissed, face showing the blistered results of my spell.

I spat in his face, the bloody spittle catching him in the eye. “A missed opportunity,” I whispered.

He shoved me back, my wings catching me as I tumbled. I hovered there, sending another blast of magic into him, a hand clamping at my side to stem the blood flowing. Twilight swooped in and took over as I drifted over to the Sirens.

Adagio was pale, but her sisters were already singing their healing song. She looked up at me and smiled.

“Don’t let him get away,” she said, handing me the gem. It had her blood spattered on it. I took it with a grim look.

“I won’t,” I said, turning and glaring at the Harpy as he batted Twilight aside.

I mustered my magic and sent it through the gem, resonating it against the magic trace of the Siren’s song. I heard Adagio behind me start harmonizing with the gem, and I hit the harmonizing note of the other two.

The Harpy held his hands to his head and flew to the side as AJ hit him again. He regained his footing only to stagger when several exploding stones took him in a broadside. He scrambled to his feet, his wings sprouting again and he took to the air, barely being missed by another of Rarity’s constructs.

“Oh, no you don’t,” I whispered, taking off after him.

I looked around, seeing my friends powered up and saw that Adagio was still hurt. I drifted down, wings furling behind me.

“Are you alright?” I asked.

She looked down at her belly, swirling silver mist permeating it. “I’ll live,” she said. “You?”

“I’ll be fine once he’s taken care of,” I said, turning to see how things were going.

Only he was gone, and the girls were staring off in the air.

I followed their gaze and saw the slowly fading wings of Sunset.

Then I saw the blood on the ground near where she had body slammed into him.

“Sunny,” I whispered, opening my senses to the bond and feeling anger, determination, and pain flowing through.

“Go,” Fluttershy said. She had stayed out most of the fight, having no active combat ability. A small owl flew down and landed on her outstretched arm. “He’ll help you find them.”

The owl hooted at me, his wise eyes blinking.

“Lead on,” I said, spreading my wings and taking off after my closest friend.

I streaked after the fleeing Harpy, my wings leaving a slight contrail in the wake of my passing. I could tell he was still feeling the effects of our attack, his flight was erratic and he would drop in altitude on occasion. Despite his difficulty staying aloft, though, his destination was clear.

He was headed for Canterlot High.

I gave a fresh thrust to my wings, giving me a bit of an added boost, and then tucked them in close, streamlining my shape to cut down on wind resistance. I knew from study and experience that magic played just as big a role in Pegasi flight as their wings did.

I saw Acerak slow, almost stop in the air, looking like he was turning to look behind him. I saw the look of surprise as I closed in quickly, horn lighting with magic fueled by rage and pain.

“You can't just give up, can you?” he hissed as he charged me as well. However, his attack was slower than the others, and I dodged it easily before sending another gout of flame into him.

“I don’t like to leave a job unfinished,” I said, pulling up a shield to block off his next attack. “If you don’t make it to the curb, did you really take the garbage out?”

He righted himself in the air and made a grasping motion, his talons curling in and I felt a tug in my mind.

I shoved my awareness out into him, filling him with every piece of pain I had ever felt. He started to scream, but he didn’t stop trying to rip my magic away again.

Don’t like it, do you? I thought. It isn’t quite the same when the agony is in your mind.

I severed the link when I felt his concentration falter and cast a spell that I had only heard of in passing, one that had once stymied an Alicorn bookworm. Acerak looked around as the transparent cube formed around him, hovering in mid-air. Our momentum had carried us over the football field of CHS, and I drifted over to the containment spell.

“I wonder if you’ll survive this,” I mused as I kicked the cube, causing it to start tumbling down towards the ground. I watched as he was thrown around inside, but as he neared the ground, the spell shattered and he managed to spread his wings and land safely.

I swooped down and tried to roast him again, but he easily batted the flame away.

“I can feel the portal, Seer,” he purred, his burns starting to heal over. “This close, I can draw on it all I want.”

The ruby in my hand started to pulse, and I recognized it as my own rapid heartbeat. I raised it to my choker and it melded with my element again, and I set my feet. The pain from the gash in my side seemed to fade.

“That just means I get to kick you around a bit more,” I said, gathering my magic, tip of my horn beginning to light.

I was flying as fast as I could as I followed the owl, who kept stopping from time to time to land on a branch and look around. I had already figured out what he was looking for.

Sunset’s blood. She had been hurt in the fight and was flying quickly without binding the wound. If she wasn’t careful she could pass out from the blood loss, and if that happened while she was airborne….

I took off quickly, the owl barely able to keep up. The general direction of the blood trail was heading towards the school.

And the portal.

Hold on, Sunny, I thought as a tear slipped free.

I panted as we stared at each other. I had blasted him with magic constantly and the only remaining sign of our fight was the scorched landscape.

The groundskeepers are going to hate me in the morning, I thought grimly. I could feel my heartbeat in my ears, and my magic pulsed in time with it. I should have started feeling tired, but I felt like I could go on without stopping. My vision, however, was starting to blur.

“Seems you are tiring, Seer,” Acerak chuckled, brushing some ash from his shoulder. “Your aim is getting a bit spotty.”

I pushed more mana into my horn, but instead of firing, I sent it through the jewel, causing it to start singing out its resonance again, a memory sparking in my mind. This close to the portal, it fed off the emanating magic just as easily as Acerak did.

I started to sing a loud note, and I heard harmonizing as three ghostly figures began to form between myself and the Harpy. I kept my note going as they resolved into the same shapes the Siren’s had attacked us with at the Battle of the Bands. I continued pouring mana into the illusion spell until they were solid, singing the same angry attack that had defeated the Rainbooms while I had stood back in the wings.

Acerak put his hands to his head, trying to block the Song from his mind, to concentrate, but his physical form started to waver, his edges becoming blurred.

I charged him, using my magic to wrap the spectral being in ghostly chains. “You won’t get away that easy,” I said, gritting my teeth and trying to keep a grip on him.

Pain flooded through my mind. I saw the angry look on Acerak’s face before I realized what had happened. His taloned hand had become lodged in my abdomen, and I felt my concentration falter slightly.

“Why won’t you just die?” he snarled, twisting his claws.

“You…first,” I gasped, grabbing his shoulders tightly. I shoved him back toward the portal, the gateway powering up and suddenly forcing the Harpy to maintain his physical form. He ripped his talons from my stomach and scrabbled against the marble of the statue, trying to fight back. His human guise was failing, his avian nature showing through again. He tried to peck at me with his beak, but the portal was starting to pull him in. I shoved an arm up under his chin to keep his head back.

My glowing wings beat a steady pulse, giving me the leverage to hold the violently thrashing Harpy in place as I reached up and pulled the ruby Adagio had handed me free from my Element. It glowed and pulsed with power, it’s angry red glow even brighter this close to the Harpy that had drawn her blood. I had an idea now, a glimmer of how it worked, and reached out and tapped it against the stone of the statue, and it started to sing like a crystal, the note filled with overtones. The illusory Sirens faded and the gem began to grow louder.

Acerak saw it and panic filled his eyes.

I love you, Twilight, I thought, tears leaking from the corners of my eyes as I shoved power through my horn and into the gem, watching as it’s angry glow increased to blinding radiance. I shoved it into Acerak’s chest and smiled grimly as it passed through his body. He stiffened, eyes going wide. Then the gem and my hand reached through him, coming out his back and touched the portal…

And then it exploded, and white light filled my vision.

I love you, Twilight, the voice vibrated through the bond, stronger than it had ever been. Something in the voice made me push myself even faster, the spire of the school coming into my vision

I reached the school just in time to see Sunset shove her hand into Acerak. I was thrilled to see her win, but a violent explosion blinded me for a moment and the shock wave buffeted myself and my owl guide. After the flash faded, a cracked marble podium was all that was left of the Wondercolt statue and the portal. I landed before the portal, my wings folding behind me and I raced to it…

And rebounded off. It was closed, and when I regained my bearings I saw that there were cracks in what appeared to be plain glass. I saw the form I had taken, its dark beauty now balanced with the good as opposed to the evil. Tears were streaking down my face.

I reached out and touched the portal, my hands feeling only cold glass, not the warmth of the magic gateway.

“No,” I sobbed. “Sunny, no,” I collapsed before the place we had met, the Midnight Sparkle form fading, leaving just my ponied up form.

Leaving just a broken me, mourning the loss of half of myself.

The grief continued to build, and I screamed out in rage and pain.

“NO!”

Glass shattered all around me, the windows of the school falling in crystal tears all around.

White light and swirling mist surrounded me. I felt no pain from my midsection. Where am I? Is this the afterlife?

“Not quite,” a voice said.

I turned and realized suddenly that I was in my Alicorn form. Before me in the mist-strewn landscape was a wizened old unicorn, a long beard trailing from his chin.

“Star Swirl?” I asked in shock.

“Yes,” he said sheepishly. “And I’m afraid I have to apologize to you, Seer.”

“Please,” I said, raising a hoof. “Don’t call me that.”

“Alright,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “What is your name, by the way?”

“Sunset,” I said. “And if you don’t mind my asking, where exactly are we?”

He smiled and lit his horn, the mist slowly clearing away to reveal a towering pair of doors, seemingly hewn from granite, their rough forms covered with Equestrian script and the same runes that had covered the book.

“I give you the Grey Gates,” he said. His horn stayed lit, and he brought the gem out before my eyes. “I must admit, I never thought about the whole using this like a magic grenade, but hey, when in Roam.”

“I kinda did that on the fly,” I admitted. Then memory flooded me. “Where’s Acerak?”

“All around us,” the wizard said. “Inside the portal, he has no physical form, his essence bound into the matrix of the planes.”

“Then how did he get out?”

“I suspect that he somehow hooked onto you when you passed through in the recent past,” he said, eyeing me critically. “Have you been through the portal while in the grip of physical or psychic pain? Perhaps when possessing someone? OH! Or when being possessed?”

I blinked. “Last fall,” I said. “My mother had passed, and I returned to Equestria for the memorial.”

“Oh dear,” he said. “Returned? Oh, that’s not good at all.”

“Why?” I said as he started to pace. “Why isn’t that good?”

“Well, magic tries to keep a balance, you see,” he said, his pacing slowing. “If you were on the other side of the portal than your origin, a small thread would keep the portal open and it would allow a slight magic seepage.”

“We kind of gathered that much for ourselves,” I said.

“Oh?” he said, honestly looking surprised to see me there still. “Oh, yes, right. Right!” he said. “Then the only thing left to do is to seal the Gate and return you home.”

“How do I do that?” I asked.

Star Swirl gestured at the monolithic gates. “Shut them, and put the gem in the center. That should take care of things.”

I powered up my horn, and the gates slowly swung shut. They were heavy, ponderous, and when they finally slammed shut, the feeling reverberated through my being. I stepped up and took the gem, covered still in my and Adagio’s drying blood, and pressed it into the socket. I loud click sounded, and a glowing red line spread out, fusing the two sides of the Gate closed.

Then the entire area started to shake and I heard a voice screaming, a voice I recognized.

“Twilight,” I whispered.

The scream grew in pitch, and Star Swirl looked confused.

“The Royal Voice,” He breathed. “But from the other side of the portal? That doesn’t make any sense!”

“Twilight tends not to sometimes,” I said offhandedly as I fought to hold my footing. Then I saw cracks start to form in the Gate. “What?”

The Gate shattered and began to crumble to the ground. I looked at the wizard with concern.

His face held no worry. “It’s just the edifice,” he said calmly as the scream died away. “The seal is still in place.” he pointed with his horn, and I saw that the gem was still hovering in place, spectral doors to either side of it.

“And now, my little pony,” he said. “It's time for you to go home and me to finally get some rest. Give my regards to my pupils. Oh, and one last thing.”

“Yes?”

“Did anyone ever figure out if penguins liked living on icebergs?”

White light filled my vision again before I could answer. I found myself stretched out on a cold surface, and a voice filled my ears.

“Sunset?”

“Twilight,” I said, pushing myself up before freezing.

I still had hooves, and as my eyes focused, I realized I was standing on a crystal floor. A scroll rolled away from me as I stood.

I looked around, seeing the Princess and Starlight standing there, the pieces of the apparatus strewn about. I whirled to the mirror and reached out to it.

And it was sealed.

“The book,” I said, whirling around. “Where’s the book?”

Twilight levitated it over to me, a frown on her face.

“Just what is going on?”

I ignored her while I scribbled out a message in the book hurriedly. “I’ll tell you in a moment, but first,” I followed the quill as it danced over the page. “I have to let someone know it’s ok.”

I entered the apartment slowly, not even bothering to turn on the lights. I could hear Spike snoring in the bedroom, but tears covered my vision. I saw my glasses sitting on the table, but I didn’t want to see the empty apartment. I collapsed on the couch, tears still streaking down my face. I had long since sobbed my voice out, but that didn’t stop my tear ducts from doing their job. The fact that the pillow I grabbed as I sat still smelled of Sunset didn’t help.

That’s when I realized a soft glow and a thumping sound was coming from the bookcase.

And the spine of the book glowing held a two-toned sunburst.

I watched as Twilight moved various pieces over to the mirror, making delicate connections. I was itching with impatience, despite having heard back from Sunshine about everyone being ok. I fought down the blush as I remembered how she had closed it out.

Keep your promise, Come back to me.

“There,” Twilight said, stepping back from the mirror. “That’s all I can do for now.”

“What do you mean, ‘for now’?” I stood, the bandage around my midsection protesting the motion.

Twilight patted the air with a hoof. “Relax, Sunset,” she said. “I’m waiting for a piece from Canterlot. One of the components had fused and we had to buck it off to disconnect the portal.”

I fidgeted in place. “How long?”

“Starlight should be back before dark,” she said. Her horn lit up and brought out a scroll. “This is all that remains to deal with.”

I recognized the scroll that had somehow exited the portal with me after sealing the Gates. “What’s it say?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “It’s sealed with a locking spell. The sigil is your cutie mark, though, so…”

I took it in my magic grip, and as soon as the teal aura covered it, the seal lit up and the scroll opened. There were just a few glyphs inside.

“Well, that was anti-climatic,” I said.

Then the glyphs blazed with light, and a ghostly image of Star Swirl appeared.

“To the ponies that hear this,” he intoned. “I am Star Swirl the Bearded. Reports of my death were somewhat premature. But then, my body did pass away, I suppose, so it's natural for you to think I had died. I hope I had a good funeral. Hopefully, Celie and Lu didn’t cry too much. I hate it when they cry.”

“Was he really that scatterbrained?” Twilight asked as the recorded image rambled for a bit about funeral hopes.

“Looks like,” I replied. “Hero worship sucks, don’t it?”

She nodded, a slightly glum look on her face.

Star Swirl shook his head. “That’s beside the point,” he said, standing straight again.

“In my research of the Gates, I discovered that I lacked the needed power to permanently seal the Harpies behind them. Part of that was my age, and part was my nature. I was too calm and too disconnected from their depredations to be able to effectively counter their magic. After sealing them into the rift that became the trans-dimensional portal matrix, I realized it wouldn’t hold them indefinitely. I knew from texts that Sirens could neutralize their abilities, but the only remaining ones were mere children and were set on wreaking their own havoc.

“It was then that I set about to prepare the final locks. I began by banishing the Sirens beyond the portal, hoping that eventually they would stop feeding on negative energy and return to their roots. I also sealed the book of the portal magic away with the Tree, trusting it would hold it until needed. I then sealed my spirit into the matrix to hold the balance and to recharge the Siren’s magic when they came to understand their purpose.”

He smiled. “So if you’re seeing this, then I finally got to go on to rest and the Harpies are sealed beyond the gate. Thank you, whoever it happened to be.” The recording faded and ended, the scroll burning away with a slow glow of blue fire, revealing a key with Star Swirl’s cutie mark on the shield.

Twilight eyed the key, a look of hunger that I recognized. “Have at, Twi,” I said. “I’m done with magic and mysteries for a time.”

“Then I presume you are not too busy for an audience,” a voice came from behind Twilight and I.

I turned and saw Princess Celestia standing in the doorway, her hair drifting slowly in the dim light. I immediately bowed, but her trilling laugh made me look up.

“We’re now equals, Sunset,” she said. “And in private, so the bowing is not needed.”

I grinned sheepishly. “Sorry,” I said. “Habits I thought I had lost.”

The ruler of Equestria nodded. “We have not finished discussing the issue of your ascendance,” she said, a serious look crossing her face.

“If you’re here to take the wings, feel free,” I said, feeling a small tinge of regret that I forced down. “I’m ready.”

Celestia smiled. “I’m not here to remove the wings, my darling student,” she said softly. “I’m here to ask if you wish it to be confirmed through a coronation.”

I blinked. “A coronation?” I parroted numbly.

“You have earned the right to wear the crown of a princess by the self-sacrifice you were willing to make,” she said. She tilted her head towards Twilight. "I have discussed it with the other princesses, and we are in agreement.”

I looked at Twilight, who was studiously avoiding my eyes. “You are, are you?” I said wryly.

Celestia giggled slightly. “Yes,” she said. “We know that you will not remain here, but we have agreed to give you the title, rights, and authorities as Princess Sunset Shimmer, Princess of Compassion.”

I felt tears in my eyes.

“And I charge you to defend the other world, as it is given unto your care,” she said, her smile turning into the maternal look she had held during my tutelage. “With the advent of magic blossoming there, someone has to keep an eye on it, my little pony.”

She levitated a small tiara out and set it upon my head. It fit perfectly, but for some reason, it felt uncomfortable. Twilight seemed to sense my discomfort.

“You get used to it, eventually,” she said, walking over and hugging me. “It just takes some time.”

“Looks like I missed the coronation,” Starlight said as she walked in, a set of tubing hovering behind her in her telekinesis. “Congratulations, Princess.”

I flushed at hearing someone refer to me like that. “I’m still Sunset to you, got it?”

She smiled and shot me a wink.

I stepped through the portal, seeing the devastation left in the aftermath of my fight with Acerak. I wondered briefly if the shattered windows had come from the gem exploding. I started to reach into my pack to pull out the scroll Twilight had given me when suddenly I was bowled over by an enthusiastic young girl.

“You came back,” Twilight sobbed, kissing me repeatedly.

“Promised you, didn’t I” I said, smiling and laughing past the pain in my abdomen.

She helped me to my feet, and I looked at the damage. “I made a mess of the place, though,” I said self-deprecatingly. “Didn’t I?”

She twiddled her fingers. “The glass was my fault,” she said softly.

“You?”

She turned a bright red and nodded.

I laughed. “No worries, Sunshine,” I said. “Twilight and Starlight loaned me a scroll that has a repair spell on it. Should take care of it in no time.”

She looked at the scroll as I unrolled it and then ponied up, spreading my wings and lifting myself high enough to see the entirety of the destruction. I channeled magic into the scroll, and the shards of glass began to lift themselves back into their frames, windows reforming. The scorched gouges in the football field filled in and regrew green, and the statue of the Wondercolt slowly floated back onto the pedestal. When the spell finished, I lowered myself to the ground and closed my eyes for a moment.

I sensed no extra magic from the portal, and through the bond, I could feel Twilight’s exuberance radiating out, filled with love and relief.

“Let’s go home,” I said, releasing my pony form and smiling at my fiancé. “I’m beat.”

She slid her arm around my waist.

“Whatever you say, Princess,” she whispered in my ear before kissing my neck.

I looked at her.

“Who told?”

I started the first song, pick flowing across my guitar for the simple intro. Twilight and I had written it, based off of thoughts we had had prior to the Friendship Games.

Everyone here likes who I am

And it’s not from a magic spell’s command,whoa-oh

We look past the things we’ve done

And remember all those quests

Mythic creatures, magic tests

This was great, but’s it’s

Not who I am anymore

We had a different dynamic now, having a few extra members on stage playing with us. As I ended the first verse, not only did the rest of the band join in, but so did Octavia and the string quartet of hers, adding a different slant to our music. Twilight stepped forward to continue the song.

We’ve walked these halls before,

Been in and out of every door, whoa-oh.

Theres no part of this school I don’t know

Every class, you try your best

Try to pass on every test,

And now it seems it’s time for us to go

I know there's more that's out there,

And I just haven't found it yet.

I know there's more that's out there.

Another me I haven't met.

We all joined in on the second part of the chorus, including the Sirens, standing behind the stands since they hadn’t worked on forgiveness from the school yet.

And I know there’s more that’s out there

Maybe folks that we can help

I know there’s more that’s out there

Because we’ve seen it for ourselves

There’s only so much this town can offer

And I’m not saying that’s so bad

But I know there’s more that’s out there

Cause it’s the life that I once had

Rainbow slid into a slow solo, the notes sounding both plaintive and hopeful at the same time. I looked out at the audience, seeing the seven girls sitting near the back with looks of awe on their faces, one, in particular, grinning madly as the solo ramped up near the end.

The door is open our path is set

But that doesn’t mean we’re ready to move on yet.

Yet sometimes staying safe

can make you feel out of place

And I know there’s more that’s out there

Another world to explore.

And I know there’s more that’s out there,

Are we wrong for seeing more?

And I can't wait for it to happen;

And what it is I cannot say.

I just know there's more that's out

there, and it's calling out my name.

And we’re searching for the answer,

And you’ve all shown us the way.

We may not know what's really out

there, but we'll find out someday!

I waited for Rainbow’s bent note to end before Twilight and I finished the song.

"We'll find out someday..."

The assembled students and adults exploded into applause, and none were as fast to clap than the seven in the back. We all bowed and stepped off the stage to take our place among the other capped and gowned students.

I don’t remember a lot of the speeches given by the principal or the guest speaker Sapphire Shores outside of some brief compliments thrown the band’s way. All I do remember clearly is the look of pride Celestia had as she shook my hand while handing me the diploma.

My apartment was packed with all of us girls and two dogs all the glamors dropped. We all were enjoying the small mountain of sweet baked goods that the Pinkies were churning out as though they were racing, despite there only being the one oven. Sadly, Starlight had a show with Trixie that night so she had returned early. The Applejack from Equestria came back up from outside, a small crate of rainbow-hued apples in her hands.

“Now Ah’ve saved these here for a special occasion like this,” she said, setting it down on my dining room table. “From what ya’lls AJ says, this world doesn’t have anything like it, so Ah suspect it’ll be a treat.”

I picked up one of the apples, my mouth watering in memory. “It’s been years since I had a zap apple,” I said, biting into it and savoring the unique taste, somewhat tart and sweet at the same time.

My AJ bit into one and chewed thoughtfully for a moment. “Why don’t you have a bigger trade in these?” she asked as the apples were sampled by everyone.

“You can only pick them one day of the year and they spoil quick,” Applejack replied. “Fortunately, it looks as though the portal preserves them for a bit.”

Between the apples and the baking going on, I had a feeling that the place was going to smell like a pastry shop for a while after tonight.

And that was just fine with me.

“Hey Sunset!” my Rainbow Dash called from the doorway. “It’s here!”

I hopped outside to watch as a box truck pulled up. A single young man climbed out of the cab and came to me, holding a clipboard.

“Sunset Shimmer?” he asked.

“That’s me,” I said.

He handed the clipboard out for me to sign. “Anyplace special you want it?” he asked.

I jerked my thumb at the building’s awning as I passed the clipboard back. “Under there, if you please.”

Sunshine came out with a puzzled look on her face. “I didn’t know we were expecting anything,” she said.

“It’s something I ordered after we finished with Acerak,” I said, watching the delivery man roll my order up to the spot I had indicated. “Something to occupy my time over the summer and something that I’ve been a little afraid to do.”

“What are you going to do with your car?”

“Share it with you, as usual,” I said, walking over to the battered chassis of an older cruiser style motorcycle. “Can’t ride this in the heavy rain anyway.”

“Looks rather worn in,” she said, eyeing it critically.

“Oh, it’s a fixer-upper for sure,” I said. “But nothing worth it is without effort.”

She kept her gaze on the scarred metal of the bike, eyes distant. I could tell through the bond she was remembering her captivity. She knew now that it hadn’t been months, but the acts that she had been forced to do, including repeatedly destroying illusions of her friends, had taken a toll on her. I reached out and put a hand on her shoulder.

“And you are more than worth the effort,” I said, sending as much love and warmth through the bond as I could.

She reached up and gripped my hand.

“I do hate to interrupt,” Rarity said. “But I was going to go show my counterpart my shop and get some pointers.” She adjusted a bracelet on her wrist. “When are we expected to be back so they can return?”

I shrugged. “Twilight said they weren’t staying the night, but I’m sure it wouldn’t matter if the two of you stick together late.” I subconsciously put a hand on my side, where I still had an angry red scar from Acerak’s talons that not even the Siren’s Song could heal. “It’s not like the portal is dangerous anymore.”

She squealed in delight and dashed in to grab her purse, the twin fashionistas’ hurrying to the convertible to go obsess over designs in Rarity's private studio.

I sighed. “You feel any different?” I asked.

“From what?” Twilight asked.

“Being a High School graduate,” I said. “This time last year we were facing off against each other in the Games. Now we’re adults in the eyes of the world.”

She slid in and slipped an arm around my waist, careful to not touch my scar.

“C’mon, Princess,” she said, teasing me with my title. “Let's go enjoy the party. There's time enough to be adults in the morning.”

We went back inside and proceeded to enjoy celebrating with friends from both sides of the mirror.

That for this story arc next time Arctic Ace and Sirens fend off from Crocovile

It was a brisk night in Canterlot City, as three bank robbers had to pull off a heist.

"Pedro, Langley, the coast is clear," One of them gave the clear unaware that someone was watching from the shadows.

"So what's next Conway?" Langley asked,

"We lay low until the heat's off," Conway said. "Then we move the rocks, clear?"

"Clear," Pedro nodded.

"Um, guys we got company," Langley pointed to someone.

"Shoot! It the Rainbooms?" Pedro exclaimed the figure step into the stoplight.

"Gentleman, I'm a whole different breed of animal," The figure said.

"And one butt-ugly hood ornament," Conway said as he the jewels.

"Looks like you had a busy night, that's good." The figure said. "Cause now your working for me."

"Yeah right. boys, let's show the walking freakshow thing or two," Conway said as all ran toward him.

The figure growled and slammed all three of them into a wall and pick one of them up.

"You city boys need to learn some manners," The figure said.

"Who are you?" Conway asked.

"The name Crocovile but you call me boss,"

…

It is now morning as head over to the Dazzlings' house.

"Ugh, remind me again, why are we doing this?" Aria asked whiled groaning.

"For obvious reasons, we want to on the Rainbooms good side after compete chaos was brought here," Adagio reminded her. "And Sonata got herself a boyfriend who also masked vigilante."

"Got it, but still I never thought that you of all people would help humans,"

"Believe me, it still stings but sometimes we have to do things that no ever do,"

Meanwhile with Arctic and Sonata

"This is insane, there have been nine heists that are unrelated with stolen goods from explosives to jet skis,' Arctic Ace confirmed.

"You thinking that there is a pattern?" Sonata Dusk asked.

"Yeah, but what is the connection?" Arctic Ace said. "I got it, the connection is water!"

"Water?"

"That is the connection, a half dozen within spitting of a canal and three on Canterlot Bay," Arctic Ace said.

A few hours later, Arctic Ace and the Dazzlings were staking out Canterlot Bay in the Arctic Surfer.

"How much longer will this take?" Aria asked. "I'm bored."

"You don't have to worry," Arctic Ace said. "We got trouble."

"Well let's do this," Arai exclaimed as an unregistered boast has arrived.

Meanwhile

"Boss wants this swag loaded,Pronto!" Conway said as Langely used the crane without realizing that the four were on there.

"Hello boys," Adagio said in a playful tone.

"Crud!" Langely exclaimed.

"If it's not trouble, we would like to have a word with this boss you guys mentioned,"

Conway armed his knives and the others joined them.

"Okay, ladies and man, your move," Conway mentioned.

"You asked for it," Arctic smirked a bit. "Sonata would do the honors."

"Glady," Sonata smiled while charging her hands. "Three dudes, extra crispy coming up!"

Sonata zapped them with her lighting bolt making all of them unconscious.

"Not so tough now are you?!" Aria mentioned. "Anybody else wants some?"

"I'll take that offer," Crocovile said in the shadows.

"Who said that?" Adagio asked. "Come out and show yourself."

Crocovile steps out of the Shadows and faces them.

"My dad used to say you want something done right you do it yourself,"

Crocvile send a hydro tank at them only to Arctic Ace to freeze it solid.

"Didn't expect that," Crocovile said.

"Underestimating us was your first mistake tough guy!" Aria exclaimed. "Your about to be another one to our list of busting jerks."

"Your welcome to try," Crocovile exclaimed.

Aria growled and lunged a kick at him only for him to dodge it. Both of them trade punches and kicks until Aria did a cartwheel kick to his gut knocking him back.

"Not bad," Crocovile said holding himself together. "But I'm afraid we have to this dance later."

Crocovile jumped off the boat and landed on his boat with three lackeys and vanish.

"Darn it!" Aria screamed as the bad guys got away.

Five hours later...

"The Boss definitely does not have both oars in the water," Langely said.

"Yeah, he calls this slime pit headquarters," Pedro agreed.

"Well, maybe you two should mention that to him, I like my teeth just they are," Conway added.

"Whatever, first chance I get, it's after a while, crocodile." Then Crocovile was right behind.

"Sure do hate to my boys so unhappy," Crocovile mentioned.

"But not me boss, I'm happy as a clam!"

"Good, because this time tomorrow tops of skyscrapers will be our lily pads. And downtown Canerlot will be our oyster."

Back at the Dazzlings house...

"I let my anger get the best of me and he got away," Aria slammed her fist.

"It's okay, next time we make sure he won't get away," Sonata reassured. "And if he decides to go underwater our powers allow us to breathe underwater."

"Well, that going to wait, look at this," Arctic Ace said as he turn on the TV.

This was the scene moments ago as Canterlot's financial distract was hit by the largest flood in history. Emergency crews are now arriving on this scene to assist with the evacuation of local residents. The cause of the flood is still unknown.

"Holy Mackerel! How's that even possible?" Sonata asked.

"I give you one guess who did it?"

"Crocovile," Adadgio chimed in. "And look like he's on the move on Canterlot's waterlogged district."

...

"Water, water everywhere!" Crocovile exclaimed as he and his goons robbed the bank.

"Not so fast, croc!" Sonata shouted as she and others were on jet skis.

Crocovile motioned the others to split.

"How about a game of chicken? Cajun's style."

Crocovile rammed his jet ski over Arctic's then Arctic followed him. As they chasing, Conway came from behind and ram his to icy hero which allowed Crocvile to knock off his jetski!

"Mind your cowl now," Crocovile said. "Cover me!"

"You got it!" Conway nodded then prepared to run him down, but not before Aria was airborne and kick him at the face.

Moments later Conway came around then saw the Dazzlings and Arctic Ace looking at him.

"Alright tough guy, Croc's story spill," Adagio said.

"New guy in town, and he's got big plans," Conway said.

"Bigger than robbing banks?" Arctic Ace asked.

"Boss said today's food was just a dry run."

"If I wanted to do some big city Crocovile hunting where would I go?"

"No flipping way! He's cold-blooded, man. I talk, I wind up fish food!"

"Don't take this the wrong way, pal," Aria said before she punches him. "Don't, and we all windup fish food."

...

"Well this is the place," Adagio mentioned as the guys founded Crocovile's Lair.

"Not too shabby," Aria said looking at the loots. "Even Rarity would lose her mind."

"What you got there?" Sonata asked her boyfriend.

"Schematics of Canterlot's canals," Arctic Ace said.

"You lot of bloodhound in ya'," Crocovile said as entered the room.

"What do you think? A dry place spot to my breath catches my breaths between heists."

"And right beside the overflow pumps for Canterlot's canal system."

"They were designed to drain the canals into the bay in case of flooding. But I gave some thought, what would happen if you were to reverse the pumps?"

"They draw water in from the bay filling the canals until submerge any part of Canterlotsiutated below sea level."

"Just about all of downtown where the good shopping is."

"Tens of thousands of lives could be lost."

"I shed a crocodile tear for each one."

Crocovile slams his tail and two crocodiles appeared.

"Of course, the crocodile man has crocodiles for pets," Aria grumbled.

"And speaking of that my pets haven't had a decent bit since we arrived. Now if you'll pardon me, I got more pumps to reverse."

"I handle the critters," Arctic said. "You three got the big one."

"Done," As the three chases after him.

...

"Nothing like good old elbow grease," Crocovile exclaimed then water kunai catch him off guard.

"You're peskier than a fly..." Crocovile got gut-punched by Aria.

The goons came right them Sonata shocked them with a thunderbolt causing them to collapse.

"Catch of the day," Adagio exclaimed. "I got him, you two try and stop the flow!"

"You and the rest of posse are beginning to stick in my craw," Crocovile said then grabbed Adagio into the sea.

"Look like your gal pal is done for," Pedro said.

"Don't be so sure, this our sister your talking about," Sonata said knowing her sister.

In the water, Crocovile slams her into a couple of pipes but Adagio did a Hydro Vortex at him sending him back. Then she created a water grapple and hoisted his tail. Crocovile struggled to get free of Adagio's grasp. Then few moments passed as Adagio came up with Crocovile on her back then drop him.

"Crocs may like water, but they're not fish," Adagio said. "So do you boys want to give scales here mouth-to-mouth."

Both of them shook their heads.

"Thought so,"

...

"This ain't over," Crocovile shrieked as he and the guys were being tied up. "Canterlot will be my backyard bayou!"

"I won't hold my breath," Arctic Ace mentioned then he and the Dazzlings left.

At the Rainbooms Secret Hideout...

"Guess who made the front page?" Rainbow exclaimed as she got the Canterlot Weekly.

"Big bad Croc dude gets dried up," Twilight read the headline. "Sources that the Siren Squad handle Crocovile and his plan to submerge Canterlot. I didn't know the Dazzlings did this."

"Hard to believe but it is true," Rainbow confirmed. "And I got this from Sonata Dusk."

Rainbow showed her Crocovile's tooth.

"I got to study this tooth!" Twilight said as she grabbed it.

It was another dark and gloomy night at Blackgate, Cantetlot's prison for the worst of the worst. And the one medic was heading into Trickster's cell.

"Alright, Trickster," The Medic open his cell. "Time for your medicine."

"But my dear flunky, you left the meds outside," Trickster mentioned.

"Not the kind of medicine I had in mind!" The Medic was really Slimer.

"Either I'm crazy, or you're melting!"

"It's payback time, Trickster, you're going to suffer for making me what I am!"

"I'll take what I deserve but do I know you?"

Slimer screams and forms two Spike Balls slammed them at Trickster but he dodges it.

"Help!" Trickster screamed so loud that it was Pinkie, Rarity, and Fluttershy in disguise then became their alter-egos.

Back in the cell Slime cornered him and formed a drill and lunged right him, but Fluttershy form a leaf shield blocking it.

"Out of the way, Vine!" Slimer warned her. "Trickster had this coming for a long time."

"I understand your frustration, but we are not here to help him we're here to help you," Fluttershy said then from behind Rarity threw a Freeze Bomb at him only for him to absorb it.

"Seriously, Ice Breaker is that the best you got," Slimer mocked her.

"Wait for it," Pinkie smirked then Slimer was frozen in place.

"It pains me to use brute force," Rarity mentioned. "You're gonna get the help you need. As for you, Trickster, consider yourself..."

Rarity turned around saw that Trickster was gone.

"...Lucky."

"Clown about town!" Trickster said as he was escaping.

Morning came as Slimer was on trial.

"Court is back in session," Judge Caleb said as he sat down. "Mr. Recks you may call your first witness."

"Your honor, the defense calls Detective Spitfire," Recks said.

Spitfire was on the stand.

"Detective, your former partner stands accused of resisting arrest and aggravated assault of Chief Damon Andrews. Shouldn't Greg Galloway be held responsible for these crimes?"

"It isn't that cut and dry, Mr. Recks. Detective Galloway was also kidnapped by Trickster and Melvin. He was subjected to intense psychological torment then exposed to unstable chemicals which mutated his body and mind."

"Objection, this witness is not qualified to testify to Slimer's state of mind!"

"Your honor, I object to the use of the media term 'Slimer.' My client has a name. It is Greg Galloway."

"Both are sustained."

Then the new keeper of Blackgate, Arthur Black was the stand.

"Please state your name and occupation for the record."

"Black. Professor Arthur Black. I'm a senior resident at Blackgate for the criminally insane. Mr. Galloway was psychologically traumatized. by our former patient, Trickster, and by his own transformation."

"Traumas he suffered in the line of duty?"

"Precisely, temporarily insanity if you will. I've since had many sessions with Greg. I cannot speak for the body but I am conceived he is now a completely sound mind."

"I'm Dr. Mark Desmond head of BioMed at Talon Labs. My team has run a battery of tests over the last three months. Though tissues samples were extracted we've been unable to develop a cure for Mr. Galloway's affliction. However, we've learned that each time Galloways uses his morphic abilities his mutated genes self replicate. But those mutating cells quickly fell into remission from lack of use since his capture. We at Talon Labs believe that Mr. Galloway's human side can remain stable as long exercise mind over matter."

Then Trevor was on the stand.

"I've known Greg since high school. He's a good man and a best friend."

"And do you trust him, Mr. Sanders, even now?"

"Of course, I'm prepared to offer Greg a job today as head of security for Talon Labs."

"Greg Galloway, I'm placing you on probation. You're to continue your therapy and refrain at all times from the use of your so-called morphic abilities. You will also be subject to regular chemical testing to ensure that you are obeying the conditions of your probation."

Moments Later at Talon Labs.

"First day, Greg," Rainbow brought up as they were on an elevator. "Nervous?"

"I was a cop for six years, Rainbow, I think I can handle staring at a monitor," Greg replied.

"Whoa," he saw the monitor room.

"Make that 350 monitors."

"Trust, Trevor and Tyler safeguard. top-secret data, research materials."

"Not to mention millions of dollars worth of modern art,"

"Greg, this is Weber the data shift, supervisor, and residents art critic, he reports to you."

"Great to have you aboard sir," Weber said.

"Thanks, and it's Greg,"

"Well, I'll leave you to it then," Rainbow then left.

...

"I suppose they've assigned you a new partner by now," Greg said as he and Spitfire were at Sugarcube Corner.

"Well not exactly," Spitfire said.

"I going miss it all."

'Don't glamorize it, the job took its toll on you."

"I know but it was my identity. who I am."

...

"Looks like I'm a little short," Greg as he got some groceries. "Do you think I can owe you 50 cents?"

"No problem at all,' The cashier said then Damon came up.

...

"Idiot! You wanna end up back in the cell?" Greg said to himself in the mirror. "All that work, all those months?"

"Ditching Andrews as kind cool."

"Gotta hold it together. That's it. Gotta keep buys. Gotta remember who I am." He turns on the TV.

A daring high-rise gold robbery committed by Trickster.

I don't know how that clown got in here and I'm not sure where he went. He just stepped of the balcony and disappeared.

This Is like the beginning of yet another Trickster crime spree. The question is will the crazy crime clown be stopped before someone gets hurt?

The Next Morning

"Galloway, you're here early," Weber said.

"Happy to be working," Greg replied.

The elevator opened up showing Mark.

"Mr. Galloway, I found you,"

"Time for your court-orderd test, sir,"

"Right with you doc."

...

"Whoo, fools' gold!" Trickster said stole something from the observsroty.

"Your through, Trickster." Greg said as slam him until a wall.

"Ah! Detective. Or should I say night watchman?"

"Oh, so you remember me now?"

"I never forget a face I've tormented."

"Speaking of happy days..."

Trickster grabs him and jumps off the bulling the actived his slits.

"... Don't me these aren't sptiffy clodhoppers!"

"Listen,"

"To sound of you going splat? Great Idea!"

He drops then heard a splat.

"Wowza! That's a splat!"

"Trickster!" Now Slimer was in control.

"Dectetive Galloway, you're Slimer?"

"You turned me into slime!"

"Funny. I was trying to turn you into dust!"

"I'm gonna chop down to size!" Slimer form a axe swing it at him.

"Who you are calling tall?" Trickster fired a boxing spring at him that he dodges then harden his fist but misses.

"TTFN. Ta-ta for now!" Trickster escaped through a manhole.

"No!" Slimer scream then Rainbow and Sunset grabbed him drop him on top of a building.

"What are you two doing here? I almost had him."

"Yeah right," Rainbow snorted a bit. "Who almost had Trickster."

"Aren't you taking a risk here, Galloway?"Sunset asked him.

"It's not how it looks, Slimer didn't track down Trickster. Greg Galloway did. Slimer just--"

"Rear it's ugly head?" Rainbow implied.

"Something like that, point is I'm not headed for a meltdown. This isn't about revenge. It's about making sure Trickster did to me never happens to anyone else. Can either of you understand that?"

"We both do. But for your sake please go home, and him to the rest of us."

...

"Okay, I'll get straight to the point, Greg," Trevor said. "Docotr Desomnd show us the test results."

"There's some indication that you been morphing again," Tyler told him.

"Is he going to bust my parole?"

"The results were inclusive and and I convinced him not to be hasty. But Greg, your cells are active. If you keep this up you could pass the point of no--"

"Guys, It slipped for only a second. it won't happen again."

"We're not speaking you as bosses. We're speaking as your friends. Us and the girls seen the news. Trickster's out there."

"Yeah,I know."

Later that night, Greg was overlooking the montiers unware that Trickster was already on the scene.

"I can't belive I have to the night shift duty," Weber exclaimed then saw Trickster.

"The nighty-night shift," He use the boxing spring and knock him out.

"Don't know what it is, but I know what Il like!"

"There gold in them there hills!"

Trickster proceeded to head to the elevator.

"Going up!"

Weber sounded the alarm that prompted Pinkie and Fluttershy to intervene.

Meanwhile

"Trickster!" Slimer called him.

"Slimer! Just the do gooder I was hoping to see." Trickster grinned.

"I'll be the last do gooder you'll ever see!"

Both of them stare down each other.

"Let's dance drippy."

"Sorry, boys," They heard Pinkie's voice. "We're crashing this party!"

"Sparkplug, Vine and Slimer. So much for my gold spree."

"Having problems with your personal demons again, Galloway?" Fluttershy asked.

"Not this time, Vine."

"This is the only spot in Talon Labs without secruty cameras, thought I might just get away with it."

"Just didn't count on you or any other Rainbooms getting here quite so fast, and I thought Torando would show up."

"My. you are good."

"I'll just be going." Trickster said as he hightail out of here.

"I think so!" Pinkie fired a thunderbolt and Slimer fired some sluge at him.

"No fair, three on one?"

"We make a good team? Eh, ladies."

"Please give it up, Galloway." Fluttershy pleaded.

"In your case, doing good is act of self-destrution."

"Call it that you would take the high road, Vine."

"Guss it's time to settle our differences,"

"We're not your enemies,"

"You or other any Rainboom are the only ones I see standing between me and my freedom."

"You got options,"

"Like prison or Blackgate? I go with eliminating witnesses!"

"That's the slime talking!"

"How do you know where Galloway ends and Slimer begins!"

Slimer form two hammers swung at Fluttershy but missed then Pinkie threw an Ice Glitter Bomb at him but he harden his body before it made impact.

"Saw that coming, Guess you'll have to learn a new trick, huh, Sparky?"

He sliced the coupling of the elevator that Fluttershy and Pinike were on casung it to drop.

"Ah, chip off the old block," Trickster mentioned.

Both got off the elevator only for Slimer to grab both of them only for them to be crush by an another elevator.

"Go on kiddo, take off some steam,"

"Kiddo?"

"I made you who you are. You said it yourself."

"And from I'm dangle, you fair better as a villain than vigilante."

"Besdies, crime pays more." Trickster showed his the gold he got. "Join Team Trickster!"

"Tempting." Slimer let both Fluttershy and Pinkie. "But I work alone!"

He grabs the gold that Trickster had.

"Hey, what about the my cut?"

Slimer pry opened the elevator doors and left.

"Oh, they grow up so fast," Trckster said then Pinkie electrocuted him.

...

"Hold it!" Spitfire stop him while holding her pistol.

"Wait a minute, Spits you wouldn't shoot your old partner would you?" Greg asked.

"Didn't know you collect modern art?"

"What do you plan to do with it?"

"Melt it down. You know to jump-start my new life."

"My good sir, please stop this madness before it too late," Rarity said as she and the others readied themselves.

"Isn't it, Ice Breaker?"

"Look, here's the problem as I see it, being Greg Galloway is really hard. Being Slimer is cake. Say your goodbyes This is the last time you'll ever see him."

Greg transforms back to Slimer.

"Now step aside or I'll mash every last one of you, mash anyone who gets in way!"

"Good to know," Spitfire said as she secretly pulls out a Freeze Sparkle Star. "You made this a whole lot easier."

She threw as his body then Slimer backs away.

"Didn't expect that from you, Spifire," Slimer said as turning solid. "I guess you do have some new partners."

With that, Slimer was comperltely solid.

At Blackgate...

"I guess we really lost him, haven't we, girls?" Said a defeated Apple Bloom.

"Yeah," Both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo agreed.

"Greg's past the point of no return," Trevor said while Slimer glares at them.

"Now... Only Slimer remains," Tylerr added.

At Sunset's apartment.

"Everyone, although we stop him from pulling off the heist," Sunset told the others. "Slimer is now at point of doing something bad and will hurt people."

"Don't worry," Twilight and others hugs her. "We'll stop him together."

"Yeah we show that silme ball what's what!" Rainbow exclaimed.

"We'll make sure no one have theirsmiles upside down." Pinkie added while Fluttershy, Rairty and Applejack nods.

"Yeah, I'm so glad to have friends like you!" Sunset said as she wiped her tears from her face.

That does for this episode next time the epic finale. It will knock your socks off!

Like, Review, and Follow

A few weeks after Slimer's arrest, Trickster was soaring through the skies in his Blimp along with his goons and his heavy hitters Brick and Smash.

"Okay, boys let's brighten up the brownstone with Trickster White," Trickster said as his minions handed him his paint spray and covered most of the city in white.

"Tweet, tweet," Trickster heard Spade as he on his rockets boots.

"Coming through."

He used spray painted black and white on the east side.

"Black and White, the colors of Spade,"

"This my turf, card shark!"

"The east side belongs to me, Trickster, and you're violating my air space!"

He tears right through the blimp causing it to fall.

"You've derailed my dirigible!" Trickster growled then put on his springs.

"Spring forward, fall back!"

Trickster kicks him causing him to lose control of his jets and crash. Then his goons ran only stop by his robots.

"I proclaim, this street Rictus Rule!"

"It's my hood and it's Shawville!"

Then out of nowhere a flag bearing a red castle and the building revealed two blue swords that were crossed with tiger claws marks appeared along with two individuals.

"I prefer the ring of Trident Avenue."

"In my opinion, Regel Valley."

"And who are you two?"

"The name's Danu."

"I'm Cozy Glow."

"Cozy Glow and Danu, eh?"

"What I suppose afraid of a little kid?!"

"What yourself pal," Cozy confronted him then slam him against a wall. "I'm a lot tougher than I look!"

"Kid's got spunk," Spade snickers. "But Canterlot ain't big enough two of us, skinny let alone four!"

"Exactly, which I propose we settle this with a wager," Danu suggested.

"What's the game?" Trickster asked.

"Any of us who manages to capture and unmasked our greatest foes shall hand the victor their part of Canterlot without question."

"But no matter..." Trickster started

"...who wins..." Cozy Glow continued

"... the losers will be the Rainbooms!" Spade finished realizing the only people who can stop them are the Rainbooms.

By first light already the Canterlot News and Police Department were on scene.

A turf war continues to plague our city as Trickster, Spade, Cozy, and even Danu clash to become Canterlot's premier crime boss. Canterlot PD has of yet been unable to restore order. Chief Andrews, are you expecting The Rainbooms to get involved?

The way I see it, The Rainbooms are the root of the problem. Canterlot never had lunatics like these until they showed up! Mark my words, we're taking down these villains and the Rainbooms.

Upon hearing that Rarity muted her TV.

"You know Rarity," Sweetie Belle spoke up. "I hope to see the day that you and others no longer have run away from the long arm of the law."

"Appreciate your opinion, Sweetie," Rainbow chimed in. "But I don't think that Canterlot PD is deputizing any of us, anytime soon."

"Why is Chief Andrews think we are the problem?" Fluttershy asked. "All we doing is trying to help."

"In his case, having heroes means that super-villains came as they please but he doesn't know without you or the others the city will be in chaos," Twilight answered.

"But there are some of Department who would be pleased to have us," Pinkie added then unmute the TV.

Canterlot's new commissioner of police had this to say.

"Canterlot is in midst of a serious crime wave," Clay Morrington the new commissioner was having a press conference. "And with criminals like these,' it may be time for Canterlot PD to start thinking outside the box."

"Well it seems Mr. Morrington has open mind us," Applejack said.

"Maybe, it's time for us to think outside the box and go public with his support," Sunset suggested.

...

At Canterlot Precinct

"We're going show the commish what Canterlot PD is made of," Andrews declared. "And that means not standing by while the Rainbooms nails these crazies for us, Not this time!"

"I want every last one of you to step up efforts to find Trickster, Spade, Cozy, and Danu because finding them you'll find the Rainbooms!"

As Andrews was talking, Spitfire was heading making the chief suspect.

Outside Spitfire is called the Rainboom Wave.

"Detective Spitfire," Rainbow answer it flying through the city. "What's new?"

"Chief's pulling out all stops. You and the others need to low." Spitfire addressed the situation.

"Not when four of Canterlot's Most Wanted running lose."

"Then we need to strategize," Spitfire suggested.

"Meet me and the others at the abandoned cannery on Tekken Street."

"Sure, Give me an hour."

"Well, that explains a lot!" Spitfire turned a saw Andrews was behind her.

"I was wondering why you're always sneaking away?" He grabs the Rainboom Wave and smashes it. "You won't need this anymore, don't worry about it, your little powwow will go right as planned but first your badge."

...

One hour later the Rainbooms were there.

"Okay this is the place," Sunset said. "Any word on Dect. Spitfire, Rainbow?"

"Not sure, she turned off the Rainboom Wave as soon I got off with her," Rainbow responded.

"Both of my shoulder and back are starting to feel sore," Pinkie addressed as her Pinkie Sense was going off.

"Meaning?" Applejack asked her.

"Were walking straight into a trap."

"Oh dear," Fluttershy shudder a bit.

"Trap or not, we can't take a risk it," Rarity exclaimed.

"Your right," Rainbow agreed. "We can do this!"

All seven of them went inside without knowing that the villains were watching them with Danu watching via video screen.

"Detective Spitfire?" Twilight called for her. "Are you there?"

"Don't move!" Andrews said then several lock-on lasers were on them and police officers surrounded them and lights came and he steps into the light.

"Nice work, Spitfire," Andrews said on setting the trap then Sunset took a step forward then a shot was fired.

"Stay put, ladies," Andrews said holding his pistol. "That unless you want the shock of a lifetime."

Outside several police cars surround the exit.

"Canterlot PD beat us to the punch!" Trickster exclaimed.

"How did that happen?" Spade asked.

"So that means nobody wins this contest?" Cozy wondered.

"Until those, the masks come off the game is on," Danu said it ain't over.

Back inside...

"Radio the commish. Let him know Chief Damon Andrews is about the meet the ladies behind the Boom."

"Well, Rainbooms you gonna remove the masks, or do I have to come over there and do it one by one?"

"Take a wild guess," Rainbow mocked him.

"Stun them!"

Then the lights went off.

"Somebody get the light!"

"Huh?!"

"What's going on?" Fluttershy asked.

"Who knows, Rainbow grab the Detective and head to the roof," Sunset called.

"Got it," Rainbow nodded.

"Get those lights on! Now!" Andrews shouted.

Rainbow grabbed Spitfire and heard to the top of the building.

"Did Cyber Witch do this?" Spitfire asked.

"Nope," Rainbow shakes her head in denial.

Up top of the building both Applejack and Rarity barricaded the door down.

"Uh, I just want you to know that I didn't have anything to do with..." Spitfire pleaded.

"We know," Sunset said then melted the cuffs. "Andrews will do anything to get us even using you as bait."

"The whole city's got dark. Not that I'm complaining."

A couple of Danu's Gang symbols appeared on the buildings.

"Danu," Twilight said grimly. "He must hack into Canterlot's central grid."

The door opened and Andrews and two officers appeared.

"Stop them!"

"Any ideas?"

"Sure do, be readied to jump,"

All of them jumped off the building and landed in Sunset's Car 'The Dragon Dasher' and zoomed out of there with the police cars, Trickster, Spade, and Cozy in their vehicles as well.

"So much for my career in law enforcement is over with," Spitfire said.

"Don't bet on it," Sunset said as she activated the radar. "Twilight, any luck on finding Danu?"

"Got his signal he's at a broken-down warehouse, "Twilight reconfigured the map.

"Never thought I'd I'd be on this end of a police chase," Spitfire admitted the Sunset initiated the turbo boost.

Meanwhile, Danu was typing on his computer making sure that he ends the victor and created serval obstacles for Cozy, Trickster, and Spade.

"Why is Danu so interested in being our guardian angel?"

"Danu doesn't want to share any of us with Canterlot PD or anyone else for that matter," Rainbow replied as Cozy, Trickster, and Spade were following them.

Danu turned on the bridge as soon the Rainbooms got off.

Trickster took out a pogo-stick while Cozy Glow's Car turned into a jet.

"Mind the gap, Spades! Ha-ha!"

"Mind your yap, screw-loose!" Spade turned on his jet boots.

"Hasta la vista, suckers!" Cozy exclaimed.

...

"Are you sure this is the place?" Rainbow asked Twilight.

"Yeah," Twilight asked. "He should be right here, "

"Then what's this?" Rarity picked up something and then handed it to Twilight.

"Is this the source of the blackout?" Fluttershy asked.

"No, it's a transmitter, Danu routed a signal to lead to us here," Twilight said then the transmitter popped a screen.

"Welcome, I've been expecting to see you again," Danu said.

"Where are you, jerk?" Rainbow asked him.

"You'll find out very soon. Let's say cops and robbers don't mix and where I sit neither do two things."

"Danu Smellu!" Spade called him out. "The game belongs to Spade!"

"Back off tubby, they're mine!" Trickster exclaimed.

"Ladies first, boys!" Cozy grinned.

"You need to find us, first!" Pinkie created an explosion concealing themselves.

"Oh no, you don't!" Trickster said as the three ran in there.

Danu pressed a button and a capturing device was sprung and the device flew out of there and headed to Danu's location.

"And the game moves to a swift finish... Danu's favor."

...

Danu's crew hoisted the device on dry land and surrounded it.

"Careful. The Rainbooms and their helper are sure to be in a foul mood."

It opened and revealed to be Cozy, Trickster and Spade.

"Boys, eliminate the competition."

The goons armed their weapons and close in.

"Something tells me we are about to receive some special guests."

Meanwhile, The Rainbooms and Dect. Spitfire was on the water in Rainbow Surfer.

"Danu hacked into Canterlot's power grid through the transatlantic fiber-optic cable," Twilight explained.

"But how'd he splice in?" Spitfire asked. "The cable runs along the ocean floor.

"Remember Danu's riddle," Sunset brought up.

"Yeah, he sits near two things that don't mix. Whatever that means?" Rainbow asked.

"The answer is water and oil," Applejack replied.

"So we're on the water..." Fluttershy started.

"...And heading to an offshore oil platform." Twilight finish it.

"We have our Rainbooms," Andrews said overlooking his binoculars.

"Let's move, people! I want these boats ready to launch now!"

"You're busy man, chief," Morrington said.

"First, I receive the word you're unmasking the Rainbooms then poof. You're on the docks sending half our force to sea."

"Commissioner, we sighted the Rainbooms heading east in an unlicensed watercraft. They have a fugitive in tow!"

"So could be The Rainbooms on the lam or maybe they got something about this pickle we're in."

"You're not saying you want a couple of vigilantes to do police work?"

"I'm saying we need to be smart about this, If we stop them now we may never find out where they are headed."

At the lower deck of the oil rig.

"Plan?" Spitfire asked.

"You keep a lookout," Rainbow said.

"I thought we were partners."

"But you're not our sidekick."

Meanwhile...

"You're a lousy host," Trickster mentioned.

"And you three are lousy competition," Danu shot back then snapped his fingers to motion them.

"You know guys, maybe there is enough in Canterlot for three to share," Spade grinned the Cozy and Trickster grinned right back and easily took care of Danu's men.

"Now, what was that you were saying..."

"About the quality of the competition," Cozy Glow brought up.

Spade, Trickster, and Cozy back Danu into a wall.

"Hey losers!" Rainbow called them out making them turned her and the others.

"No more playing games," Applejack said. "You want us..."

"Here we are."

Spade stared down Rarity and Applejack, Rainbow, and Fluttershy prepared themselves at Cozy. Trickster and Pinkie did a starting contest, and Danu look at Sunset and Twilight.

Spade, Rarity, and Applejack engaged in a fist-off, and Rainbow and Fluttershy battle Cozy in the air. and Trickster and Pinkie did their to out prank each other.

"What kind of bird packs a punch?" Danu asked. "A crane."

He presses a button on his gauntlet that activated a crane and slammed the hook at Sunset and Twilight both of which dodged it.

"There's nowhere you can go that I can't reach!"

Both dodged the incoming hook as Spitfire climbed up.

"In my book, keeping a lookout also means watching your back," Spitfire said as she head to Danu's control box.

Rarity, Applejack, and Spade jumped to the signal tower and the three flyers were right behind them. Fluttershy created a root and grabbed Cozy's leg and threw her right into him and both crashed into a couple of pipes then Applejack tie both of the up with her rope.

"No fair!" Cozy complained.

"Danu's remote control system," Spitfire saw the control pannel.

"Bye-bye!" Trickster lunged a kick at Pinkie only for her to do a backflip kick at him.

Trickster pulled out an exploding rubber chicken and threw it at her only to roll out of their way, then Trickster tackles right into her, and then Pinkie did a lighting kick at him send him then fired her party cannon knocking him out. The crane got closer to Sunset and Twilight until it stopped.

"What!?" Danu exclaimed as he pressed buttons and nothing worked.

"Lights out, Danu," As Spitfire ripped the control.

"Give it up while still can," Sunset suggested.

"I'm the last man standing! The game belongs to me!"

Danu swung his staff at them which they dodged, then Twilight used her magic and tried to hoist away but Danu held on but Sunset did a flaming karate chop and broke it in the hall. The Twilight did a quick punch to his gut making him fall to his knees then both of them punch his lights out then Twilight dropped the other half. Both of them saw Spade and Cozy trying to get free and Trickster being dazed from Pinkie's cannon. All seven of them saw the building change Danu's gang symbol to the Rainboom symbol of crossed guitars with a rainbow lightning bolt having two wings on each side then Spitfire walked toward them.

"I thought you guys some good press."

On a boat, Andrews rolled his eyes, and Commissioner Morringtion smiled.

"Yeah!" The Crusaders hive-five each other.

...
...

Both Morringtion and Andrews made it to the top and saw the four villains all tied up along with Spitfire.

"I surrender," Spitfire said while having her arms out.

"I promise to save a cell for them right next to yours," Andrews said as held the handcuffs.

"I'm not sure this is a good idea, Cheif Andrews," Morringtion intervenes.

"Detective Spitfire aided and abetted known criminals and resisted arrest and fled police custody!"

"That's one way to look at it. Here's another way."

"Detective Spitfire helped to bring in four of Canterlot's Most Wanted."

"It seems to me that the department's had its share of bad press lately."

"Do you really think it's wise to arrest a hero?"

Andrews said nothing and walk away but Morringtion stop him.

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

Andrews hands Spitfire back her badge and then walks away.

"Nice work, detective."

"Thank you, Commissioner."

A few days later, Morringtion was reading the Canterlot weekly then Sunset showed up as Phoenix.

"Dect. Spitfire informs me the pager you supplied to her is on the blink," Morrington told her.

"What's on your mind commissioner?" Sunset asked him.

"You know, I feel chasing you or others is counterproductive not to mention a waste of police resources."

"Thanks to you and the others Rainbooms, the time is finally right to take our alliance to the next step."

"Commissioner?"

"Good press sometimes goes beyond the law."

"The hearts and minds of Canterlot are behind all of you."

"But we do our best work from the shadows."

"That won't need change. All I ask is that every last one of you guys helps me make the city a safe place for everyone."

"I understand."

And Sunset left leaving a fiery trail into the night