I WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR LOVE

Chapter 8: Welcome Back My Friends, to the Show That Never Ends.

Twilight stopped in amazement at the scene of controlled chaos before her. Grand, pavilion tents were being erected by strong, well-muscled earth ponies and two minotaurs. The stevedores pulled ropes through pulleys which sent massive poles upright, their peaks a dizzying height to the unicorn. Several pegasi flew across the park, directing the set up of the carnival. Unicorns under the direction of a cloaked figure of what could only be a griffon assembled a midway of games, food stalls, and a haunted house. Even the lake saw activity as a couple of hippocampi put together a floating tunnel of love.

Nestled in the middle of all this, was Trixie's stagecart. The vehicle's owner stood upon the open stage, directing an earth pony and unicorn couple in the proper workings of her pride and joy. “No, not there! It'll set the curtains on fire if you put it there! Move it five hooves to the left- your other left! There!” She turned to the female unicorn beside her who was holding a crate the size of a small filly in her magic. “Is that it?” she asked excitedly. “There's certainly more than Trixie expected! Please put it in the white box marked flash powder, not the black one- no, no, no, NO!” She walked over to the earth pony stallion and grabbed a curtain rope in her magic. “Like this. Over, under, around three times in a figure eight, then tied off in a sheepshank. Have you really worked backstage before?”

Applejack beside her, nudged Twilight with a hoof. “Hey, yah gonna help, or what? This here wagon ain't exactly light, yah know.” She gestured behind her to the massive wagon hitched to her. At twenty-five hooves long and ten wide, it was the biggest on her farm; and it was absolutely packed to overflowing with twenty-eight barrels of cider and ten bushels of apples.

Shaking her head to clear it, Twilight replied, “Sorry, Applejack. I was... distracted.”

The farmer snickered as Twilight's magic enveloped the wagon again, lightening the load considerably. “Yeah, Ah noticed.” They continued through the park-turned- carnival grounds both nodding towards Trixie (who in turn, blew kisses to a blushing Twilight), until they stopped at a sturdy looking wagon.

The door opened before either of them could knock, and a roan mare walked out as she said to somepony further in, “And make sure there's plenty of room cleared for the apples. I'm sure they'll be here- oh! Speak of the draconequus. We were just talking about you.”

Tipping her hat, Applejack answered, “Mornin' Freaky. Ah figured yah'd be back soon, so we had your order set aside and ready for yah.”

The large mare looked to the wagon and whistled. “Is this the first load?” she asked.

“First two,” Applejack replied. “Thanks to Twilight here pushin', Ah was able to do twice the work.”

Freaky looked to the small unicorn mare appraisingly. “So you're the famous Twilight Sparkle, huh?” She looked her up and down. “Well, I may not be into mares, but it's easy to see why Trixie thinks so highly of you.” Twilight could only blush in response.

“Now, you know that flatterin' mah friends won't get yah a discount, Freaky. As it is, our margin is down to the bone,” Applejack interjected humorously before Twilight passed out from all her blood going to her face instead of where it's needed.

“Can't blame a mare for trying, Applejack,” Freaky replied.

(\ /)
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*(“)(“)

Spitfire tilted her head in confusion.

Five serpentine heads imitated her exactly.

Pulling away from the cage, she looked to the mare beside her. “Am I really seeing this?”

Cheerilee sidled up closer to her until their sides touched; her body shivering at the ten eyes that followed her movement. “I think so. It certainly looks like a real hydra.”

The Wonderbolt arched an eyebrow at the creature. “This can't be leg-”

“Hey! Step back from that cage!” shouted a voice that startled them both, Cheerilee leaping into Spitfire's forelegs with a yelp.

She gave the mare in her forelegs a dry look, who took the hint and climbed down again. Turning to the source of the disturbingly loud voice, Spitfire saw a bone white pegasus mare with a dark red mane and tail dressed in shiny, black clothing and a coil of rope that hung from a special saddle.

“Don't you fool townies know a dangerous creature when you see one?” she asked. The hint of arrogance when she called them “townies” was unmistakable. “What are you doing here anyway? The carnival won't be open for hours.”

Spitfire straightened her posture, allowing her to look down on the other mare. “We're looking for Trixie. The minotaur at the gate told us to go on in.”

The white pegasus blew a raspberry in annoyance. “Pfft. Figures. I told Freaky that you can't trust Steel Nerves as a bouncer. He's too soft on the mares.” She looked at the intruders appraisingly. “Let me guess. You flashed him a smile, batted your eyes, and he let you in, am I right?”

Cheerilee advanced on her, fury in her eyes. “How dare you insinuate that! For your information, Trixie is expecting us to deliver her some supplies.”

The alabaster mare smiled at her. “Ooo... you got a fire in you. I like that.” At that, she leaned forward and kissed the teacher deeply, complete with tongue. Cheerilee was so surprised, she couldn't think to do anything until the kiss was over. When their lips parted, the earth pony punched the pegasus as hard as she could, staggering her back a few steps. “Lots of fire!”

She turned around to leave, a huge bruise forming on her cheek, and her eyes aglitter. She looked back as she trotted away, saying, “If you ever feel like trying out a real mare, come see me. Just ask for Leather Lash.”

Cheerilee started to run after her to administer a more thorough lesson, but was restrained by Spitfire, who had come up behind her and slipped her forelegs under the earth pony's to hold her back bodily. Cheerilee was spitting curses with such vile language at the laughing, retreating mare, that several of the carnies blushed at her. “You fornicating, log of excrement! You filthy piece of distended rectum! Return at once so I can teach the true meaning of pain, you self-involved, Celestia-forsaken, yeasty, onion-eyed, bum-bailey, ruttish, bawdy, ill-nurtured varlot! You reeky swag-bellied codpiece! You-”

Spitfire put an end to the insults with a hoof stuffed into Cheerilee's mouth as she struggled to drag the flailing teacher away. Once around a corner, the earth pony calmed down enough for the pegasus to release her. “You done?" She asked with a smirk.

The earth pony hawked up and spat fiercely on the ground. She wiped her mouth on her foreleg, saying, “Ugh! I hate when ponies do that. Jumped-up, self-important-”

Placing a comforting hoof on the distressed mare's shoulder, Spitfire incredulously asked, “Whoa, that's happened before?”

Cheerilee glared to the side. “A couple of times. I don't like to talk about it.”

“Come on, Cheers. All that venom will only fester if you leave it in there,” Spitfire said, purposely using Twilight's nickname for her.

Sitting down with a sigh, Cheerilee began, “The first time was shortly after I... you know, came out as bi. Coming from a large city like Cloudsdale was probably a lot easier for you, but here in a dinky little town like this? Especially considering the reputation my sister had garnered in her earlier years, it's a wonder it hadn't happened sooner.”

“Your sister?”

“Berry Punch. She has- had a reputation as a party filly. She's worked hard to clean herself up since then, but she still bears the scars; still has responsibilities from back then.” She looked Spitfire in the eye. “I want you to know that I don't blame her for anything. I love my sister with all my heart, but when other ponies heard that I like mares as much as stallions, they assumed I was following in her hoofsteps. One colt decided that fillies 'like me' all want to be taken by strong, virile colts.” She smiled evilly at the memory. “Berry walked in on it, and by the time she was done with him, I doubt he ever touched a filly again.” Cheerilee chuckled. “He's one of the reasons I swore off all colts for life. Too much testosterone, too much swagger, too much... coltishness. Mind you, I still find them attractive. There are certain stallions that I could stare at all day; Swan Contrary, Fell Gibbon-”

"Big Mac..."

Cheerilee gave her an arch look, but smiled. "A mare would have to be made of stone to not feel something when they look at him. I know committed lesbians who wouldn't mind a taste of that."

Spitfire moved her hoof to cover Cheerilee's on the ground. “I've noticed. He is a rather... good example of stallionhood.”

“The second time,” Cheerilee began suddenly, “was in college. There was a younger mare I was pursuing; still in high school, actually, but I was foalish, and went after her anyway.” She sighed as tears came to her eyes. “She rejected me; didn't want that kind of relationship with me. It hurt, but not as bad as her friend telling everypony she met that I... 'made myself available' to anypony looking for a good time.” The teacher sniffed and rubbed the tears from her eyes. “These rumors gave ideas to a mare who made unwanted advances, but I was old enough and wise enough to handle the situation myself.”

Cheerilee smiled wryly and looked to the sky. “Last I heard, Moondancer told her friend off, and neither of us ever heard from her again. As for me,” she continued, closing her eyes and dropping her head again, “I threw myself into my other passion, teaching. That is, until I met Twilight. Oh, sure, there were others before Moondancer, but after her?” The teacher shook her head as her smile became genuine at she thought of the love of her life and mother of her foal. “Twilight's different. Special. There's nothing she can do, that I can't forgive. Not even Moondancer got that from me.” Looking at Spitfire in the eyes again, she said, “I guess that's the big reason I can tolerate having to share her with you and Trixie.”

Spitfire was stunned at this confession. "You... you can really forgive her anything? Even...”

Looking down and patting her belly, Cheerilee replied, “Yeah. I might get mad at her for a while, but she's too...”

“...lovable?” Spitfire ventured. She brushed away some errant drops of water, and looked to the clouds overhead, but there wasn't any further rain, so she shrugged it off and payed attention to Cheerilee who was answering her query.

“Yeah. Lovable. If there's one word to describe her, it's that.” Cheerilee took a deep breath and sighed.

Spitfire surprised her with a chaste kiss on the lips. “Come on. We'd better get going. Trixie's going to need her lunch with all the work she's doing right now; not to mention the show later on.”

Cheerilee looked at her in wonderment and touched a hoof to her lips that now burned with a heat she thought reserved for a certain librarian. She blushed and smiled shyly at the pegasus and nodded silently. With that, the two mares ventured further into the fairgrounds in search of one of their missing foursome.

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*(“)(“)

The minotaur stopped shoveling fish into the manticore's manger and watched the two mares walking away. Working a small stone from under his tongue, he put it between his teeth and bit down. “Ava, this is Brute Strength. Do you hear me?” he whispered.

”I hear you, Brute. What do you have to report?”

“I've got a visual on targets four-A and four-C.” He smiled as he watched them turn a corner out of sight. “I sprinkled them with the tracing potion, so you'll be able to spot them with the goggles I gave you.”

”I'd still like to know just where these things came from. I really hate putting object of unknown origin in my mouth like this.”

Brute Strength chuckled at his partner's distrust of magical objects. “Just know that my sources are beyond reproach. As long as you don't swallow the stone, you'll be fine.” He grinned at her indiscernible grumblings over their telepathic link. “I'm kidding,” he said placatingly. “But seriously, don't swallow it. I don't want to have to listen to your stomach trying to digest it until you pass the stone.”

”How much longer before the distraction arrives?”

The minotaur resumed filling the trough before he was noticed to be slacking. “Within the next few hours. Just don't get caught before the dragons arrive. There's only one griffon here, so you'd stand out right away.”

”I know, I know. Have you decided which one will be easiest to take?”

“Definitely the earth mare. Just be prepared for a fight. She's feisty, that one.” Brute smiled at the memory of her curses and filed them away for future use.

"Please. The day I can't handle a ground pounder- and a namby-pamby pony at that, is the day I hang up my spurs. You just be ready to cover our escape.”

“Understood. Brute out.” He worked the rock back under his tongue and turned to move on to the next cage, but stopped in his tracks.

Before him, stood the wizened old crone of a griffoness, cloak shielding her weak eyes from even the dim glare of the sun on this cloudy day. “Lightning Reflexes, was it?” she asked in her croak of a voice.

Brute Strength nodded to her respectfully. “Yes, Ma'am. Something I can do for you?” he asked in his deep baritone.

“You can start,” she said, “by covering these cages with tarps. I have a feeling that it would be a good idea.”

He looked at her quizzically. “Tarps? Won't that make it hard for the customers to see them?”

Aura shook her head. “It doesn't matter anyway. The beast cages won't be on public view today in any case.” As she walked away, she tossed back over her shoulder, “I'm sure a bull of your brute strength could handle a task such as this.”

The minotaur's look of complete shock was quickly hidden under a mask of work, but it couldn't completely hide his worry.

(\ /)
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As News Flash loaded a new roll of film, she looked to her friend, and rival from a competitor's paper, Buried Lead. “Oh, come on, Bury. Even you have to admit that she's a gold mine! Ah mean, set aside all that yellin' she did at th'two ponies helpin' her, set aside that shot we got o'her with her tail in the air when she tripped ovah the rope somepony left on the stage, Hay, set aside even th'bucket o'water she conjured over herself accident'ly. She's seein' Twilight Sparkle!”

Buried Lead nervously waved a hoof at his friend. “Come on, Newsie,” he said, almost pronouncing the nickname like “nosy”, “We don't know for certain that they're dating. For all we know, she could be a big admirer of Twilight's. Celestia knows she's got plenty of them out there.”

The unicorn mare looked at him pityingly, as one might look upon a child who refused to see that it was time to go to bed. “Oh, please. Yah saw them blowin' kisses and wavin' at each othah. What's it gonna take for yah to admit Ah'm right; them makin' out in front o'yah?”

“That blue mare blew the kisses. Twilight just waved and blushed as she walked past. You're really reading too much into this, Newsie.” Buried Lead waved off her “evidence” with a hoof.

News Flash gave a grunt of annoyance. “An, you're not readin' enough. S'like our journalism teachahs said back in college: If'n yah cain't find a story, yah ain't lookin' hard enough.” She turned back to watching Trixie onstage, who was turning a bouquet of flowers into a swarm of butterflies. “S'almost like yah don't want to print juicy stories.” She looked again at her friend, sadness in her eyes. “Ah declah, yah was born in the wrong age, Bury.”

“Sometimes, I think so too, Newsie,” Buried Lead said as he snapped a picture of the stevedores pulling the big top erect.

(\ /)
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“But Your Highness, the situation is becoming far too dangerous!” Plain Sight said in a pleading tone. “It's bad enough that some of the dragons flying past might land with all the excitement going on down here, but we have a confirmed report from the Griffo-Minos! They captured a cell of these 'United Creature Liberation Front' maniacs. There were plans and a list of potential foalnapping targets with the the Princesses and the Elements at the top!” She ran a hoof through her frazzled mane, letting her flatcap fall back into place. “My team and what few guards you brought with you are woefully inadequate to handle the impending roada- disaster! Your Highness, please reconsider.”

Celestia nuzzled the distraught mare, immediately bringing her to a calm state. “If it will make you feel any better, I shall send for the captain of my guard and another squad of my personal retinue as well as a squad of my sister's night guard. Will that suffice?”

The gray mare scrubbed her face with her hooves and sighed as she dragged them down, deforming her face. “Not really, Your Highness, but I suppose it's the best I'll get out of you.”

Chuckling lightly with her silver bell-like laugh, Celestia smiled down at her master spy. “I can always tell when you're upset with me. You get so formal.” The earth pony blushed and drew her cap down over her eyes. The Princess tilted her head up with a hoof until their gazes met again. “Consider it a sign of trust in your abilities that I am so reluctant to call forth more of the guard or return early. Whereas my guards have my personal safety as their paramount concern, I know that I can safely leave the Elements of Harmony, especially Twilight, in your capable hooves.”

Plain Sight's blush redoubled as she stammered a reply. “I-I-I'm just doing my duty, Your Highness. I'd do the same for anypony whose safety you put into my hooves.”

Celestia smiled sadly at her. “Of course you would. You'd best be about your work then. I have a message to send to Canterlot.” She nodded as the earth pony bowed and left the library through the back. Such a shame you lack the courage. You could do much worse than Twilight's herd. She sighed as she pulled a quill and parchment from thin air to begin her request for more security. She put the quill to her lips in thought before writing. I suppose you choose to remain distant so that you might perform your duty without letting your feelings interfere. I am proud of you, yet saddened for what could have been.

She quickly jotted down the request, and with a flash of light, it was gone, sent on the aether to her chamberlain. She was surprised when Luna walked in, Fluttershy close behind. “Sister, there is talk on the wind that the dragon's migration shall be diverted this way. What say you?” Luna asked without preamble.

Celestia beheld the two of them, and was suddenly reminded of another time, another place, ages past, though not far from this very library. She turned away suddenly and closed her eyes to the tears forming, her melancholic thoughts jumping to the memory easily. Luna stepped forward and placed a hoof on her sister's shoulder. “ 'Tia?” she whispered in a shaky voice.

Wiping a tear away that had leaked past, the alabaster mare straightened up. “Sorry. I... Just an... old memory.” She took a deep, cleansing breath and let it out again. “You were asking about the dragons, Lulu?”

Fluttershy giggled gaily at Celestia's use of the pet name, causing the alicorns to send a smile her way. “Aye,” Luna replied. “dost thou thinkest they wouldst be churlish enow as to disturb the festivities?”

“Oh, I shouldn't think so,” Celestia answered. “At least, not on purpose. One or two of the smaller ones might land to take in the sights and sounds, but if anything, it will add to the spectacle.”

“Um, if it's all the same to you, Luna, I'd like to stay near you if the dragons do come,” Fluttershy said in a small voice. “That is, if you don't mind...”

Luna nuzzled the pegasus with a joyful smile. “Verily, t'would be our pleasure and honor, dear Fluttershy to be thy escort.”

Celestia smiled outwardly at the scene, but felt her heart ache on the inside.

(\ /)
( . .)
*(“)(“)

Trixie was back in her element. That was the only way to describe it. The butterflies that always made their appearance before a show were there, the audience was in place (small though it was), and she had her new routine down pat. She peeked around the curtain again and felt the butterflies settle down as her eyes landed on Twilight, who sat in the front row. There were other ponies with her that she was talking to, but they may as well have been background foliage for all the attention Trixie paid them. Her eyes were for Twilight, alone.

She pulled out a pocket watch from her hat and noted the time. At five seconds to three, she nodded and put it away again. Counting out five breaths, she used her magic to activate the flash powder set up in the floor of the stage and stepped out, hooves upraised in triumph, and a smile as big as all outdoors. “Welcome one and all, to the Great and Powerful Trixie's Storytime Show!” Oh, YES! This is what had been missing in my life!

Gone were the fears. Gone were the doubts. Gone were the hard times upon which she had fallen since her last show in Ponyville. There was only the now. Now, and the applause of the audience, no matter how sparse it was. It didn't matter to Trixie if there was so little clapping that she could easily pick out Twilight's whistles. Just the fact that Twilight was there and enjoying the show was enough for her.

“Today, Trixie will regale you with a new tale, one never before told by her!” She paced the length of the stage, meeting the eyes of everypony she could. She was surprised to see Luna seated between Celestia and Fluttershy, but was far too professional to let that trip her up. “Today,” she stage whispered conspiratorially with a hoof to her mouth as if telling a secret, “Trixie will tell you... how the Amazing and Stupendous Twilight Sparkle saved Ponyville from the dreaded Ursa Minor!”

Roaman candles shot balls of colored lights into the air as sparklers and pinwheels brought oohs and aahs from the fillies and colts in the audience. With a wave of her hoof, she painted an illusory scene through her magic. It started simply enough with a brash unicorn mare coming into a small town, intent on entertaining, but let her hubris get the better of her. With a cruel smirk, she belittled several townsponies with arrogant displays of her magic.

It wasn't until an Ursa, drawn to the noise and flashes that the mare showed her true powerlessness. Nothing she did was able to stop the enormous ursine creature. No trick, no distraction, not even her best “pick a card” routine could help her. As she stood, waiting for the final blow to land, the one that would surely end her; the Ursa stopped, head cocked sideways, listening to music carried upon the wind.

From behind a building, stepped a grand and imposing unicorn mare. From her manner of dress, as well as the staff of power she carried, one wouldn't be wrong in assuming she was a powerful sorceress.

The giant star bear swayed on it's feet until it fell over. Such a large creature would surely have crushed many ponies and buildings, had the purple unicorn not caught it in her telekinetic grasp. The Ursa mewled in comfort as it snuggled into the caressing comfort of the magic.

The unicorn's eyes glowed white as she concentrated further, and a giant bottle of milk, as large as a water tower, appeared. The bear gladly accepted the bottle and suckled as the unicorn gently floated the bear over the horizon where it was never heard from again.

The boastful unicorn looked to the powerful one and bowed her head in shame, for she knew that not only had she been beaten, the victor saw no need to brag about it. Trixie walked forward from behind the illusion, hat in hoof. “I have come here today for two purposes. First is to apologize for my actions on my first visit to your fair town. And second, to beg for the forgiveness of everypony here.” She turned the hat in her hooves as if trying to find the front of it. “Trix- I am not used to either of those things, but I hope you'll find it in your hearts to accept them.”

Thunderous applause met her astonishment. She looked up to see that almost, if not every pony in Ponyville, alongside many of the carnies, were here and clapping or stomping their hooves for her. The showmare's jaw dropped as she looked towards Twilight and saw tears of joy wetting her blindfold, and a grin that almost showed all her teeth.

Trixie's eyes too, began to water and she threw her forelegs up in triumph once more as more fireworks went off behind her, and a flight of dragons rocketed over them.

(\ /)
( . .)
*(“)(“)

Brute Strength smiled as the first dragons flew overhead. He began trying to unlock the manticore's cage, but his huge, blunt fingers were unable to manipulate the fine workings of the lock with his picks.

“What are you doing?”

The croaky old voice froze him in his steps. Turning his head slightly, he saw the old griffon Aura with a large minotaur standing next to her. Brute took the padlock in his massive hand and smiled. “This!” With tremendous strength, he ripped the padlock from the cage, using his momentum to sock the other minotaur in the jaw, laying him out on the ground, unconscious. Opening his hand, he let the mangled lock fall to the ground next to the minotaur.

“Steel Nerves!” the griffoness shouted as she fell to his side and cradled his head.

Brute strength smiled down at her. “I suggest you run. It won't take long for the rest of the creatures to be freed from your tyrannical rule; and when they do, you will long for the days when a few steel bars stood between you.” With that, he swung open the gate and ran off towards another cage where Great Fortitude was already finagling open the mimic's cage (which was currently imitating a desk), forgoing all subtlety in favor of speed.

Aura looked up as the manticore slowly prowled out, as if testing whether or not the cage still restricted it. Their eyes met as the leonine creature lashed its scorpion-like tail, and gave a low, throaty growl.

(\ /)
( . .)
*(“)(“)

Cheerilee stood in front of Big Mac's kiosk in the midway, was agog. An entire flight of titanic dragons flew overhead, some low enough for her to make out individual scales on their bellies. Her apple strudel lay in her hoof, all but forgotten as she stared at the creatures.

Her wonderment was cut short however, as she was roughly picked up bodily, and was taken into the air, strudel falling to the ground uneaten. “What the-”

“Shut up, you stupid pony!” a gruff voice above her said.

The teacher looked up to see a griffon wearing strange goggles that dimly glowed green in the cloudy afternoon sun. “Put me down this instant!” she said as she began to struggle free of her grasp.

Ava however, was having none of that, and squeezed, cruelly piercing her skin, and putting terrific pressure on the mare's belly.

Cheerilee cried out, but more out of fear for her foal, than agony. “Aaauuuggghhh! Why are you doing this?”

“I said quiet! You don't need to know anything!” Ava turned her attention forward again as she began climbing above the clouds.

(\ /)
( . .)
*(“)(“)

It hadn't even taken half a second for Big Mac to leap into action when he saw Cheerilee being snatched away. He vaulted up onto the kiosk and with a great “Oof!” bounded over to the roof of a shooting range stall. Galloping along the edge, he leaped up in an attempt to grab onto the fleeing griffon, but missed by the skin of his teeth, and landed in a haystack.

He watched as the griffoness escaped with his friend through the clouds, and narrowed his eyes. This was definitely beyond his abilities, but he knew just whom he should bring into this. And she was not going to be happy. Eenope.

(\ /)
( . .)
*(“)(“)

All the ponies in the audience were having a hard time splitting their attention between what Trixie was doing onstage, and the dragons flying overhead. As predicted, several of the smaller ones flew down to see what all the ruckus down here was. Although many ponies were steering clear of them, they weren't causing any trouble, so were left alone.

Twilight had been explaining to Celestia how Trixie was performing her deeds, when she was called away by Spitfire, and was now sharing a wheat shake with her at the back of the audience, where she could keep an eye on her favorite showmare and provide moral support.

The sound of somepony screaming pulled everyone's attention away from Trixie's spectacle, and as one, they turned to face behind them. Several loud roars drowned out everypony's screams of terror, but only temporarily. Ponies started rushing forward, followed closely by a hydra as big as a house.

From the shadows between to carnival stalls, a lance flew out with deadly accuracy towards Celestia. Before it could even get close to her, a white unicorn leapt in front of her, taking the projectile in his shoulder. Twilight's eyes flew to him as he shouted “Assassin!” and recognized her brother dressed as a civilian tourist.

Shining Armor's hoof went to his throat, and with a flash, he, along with both Princesses disappeared.

The librarian ran towards the spot they once occupied, but was stopped by a large hoof. She turned to see Big Mac, who looked at her in worry. “Miss Twilight!” he drawled. “Yah gotta come quick! Some griffon jus' stole Miss Cheerilee!”

Author's Notes:

Hoo-Wee! Man did I have a lot to keep track of, this chappie! Still, it was worth it when I hit the action and it all started coming out like an open floodgate! Hold on to your butts because the ride's just started. This (and the next chapter) are unusual in that I had their names before I ever wrote a single word for either of them, so there was no agonizing over that decision. And just wait until you see how I start next chappie! Let's just say that horseapple storm Plain Sight was fearing will hit an all new category.

The usual disclaimers go here. Everything but the arrangement of the words, Ava, Aura, Brute Strength, Great Fortitude, News Flash, Buried Lead, Leather Lash, Freaky McFreakerson, and Plain Sight belong to Hasbro and Lauren Faust. All else is mine.