"Good-Morning." the brown unicorn approached Phoenix's bed. He was smiling, though anxiety was readable in his green eyes. "How was the night? Were you having pleasant dreams?"

Phoenix yawned. His blue eyes slowly opened and focused his friend in front of him.

"What's the time?" he asked sleepily.

"Last I checked, it was quarter past eight." Volts then turned to the windows with the yellow walleyes in front of them. "The sun is high in the sky and the birds are singing their second songs. Phoenix, are you feeling alright now?"

The yellow unicorn sat on his luxurious bed and looked at the wooden floor. His red straight mane fell to his right side of his face, though he quickly pulled it back. His friend quietly came close to him and placed his left hoof on his shoulder.

"I'm all ears." his voice was comforting and showed compassion.

"Thanks, Volts. Huh, where do I begin... This night was the weirdest I've ever had." he looked confusingly at his mate. "First, there was pain, then the nightmares took over. It felt like a torture. There were voices in my head that whispered ancient spells, which only made my suffering a lot worse. Suddenly the darkness was pierced by a bright light and there he was, my savior. A white pegasus with cyan feathers on the ends of his wings. He stood in front of me like a titan. I couldn't understand why he was smiling at me. Then he reached out and I unwittingly grabbed his hoof. In a flash, the fogs disappeared and I found myself surrounded by green fields. Everything was peaceful and beautiful. It was a simple image but it seemed like paradise after the nightmares."

"I'm happy that your dream had a good ending."

"It's more than that. I actually feel very relaxed. As if somepony charged me with enough energy to stay awake for a week. I haven't felt like this for a very long time." Phoenix looked at the red crystal on the short table. "I guess... all I needed was a good sleep."

Phoenix stood up from his seat and turned his back to Volts.

"I'm going to take a shower and help you with the last preparations." then he looked back at his friend. His eyes sparkled. "We have a big night ahead of us and I'd like it to be perfect. Just like the one I dreamed of, when I was small."

Volts was little surprised to see his friend in this new light. The mustached pony nodded and turned away. He was still having worries about him. At least he seemed a lot better than yesterday. When the brown unicorn was in the corridor, Phoenix took the red crystal and stared in its structure. There was something hidden in its ordinary look. He could feel it with his guts. The mystic around it interested the yellow unicorn to the level of obsession.

"Tonight I will have my shinning moment and you will be alongside me." Phoenix whispered before placing the locket on his neck. It matched his mane color just perfectly and gave him a more elegant look. Then the unicorn took his blue towel and left the bedroom.

"Hey, are you alright?" the little purple pony asked.

"Argg, for how long I've been unconscious?"

Metal Eye painfully opened his pink eyes and barely could make a thing from the hazy picture. His legs were chained to the bricked wall. He still felt hurt in the black spots, where the mad unicorn electrified him. His body was numb and it was very hard to breath.

"Will it hurt, if tell you that today is the big day?"

Metal quickly turned his head to his little partner. He couldn't believe it. His eyes were afraid because of the consequences that would follow after their failure.

"We have to find a way to get out of this place. We need to worn the others about this madpony! Argg..." he tried to move his body but the pain and the chains didn't let him.

"You are too hurt, Metal. You should preserve your strength for the right moment." the filly looked down at the floor. His grey eyes were scared but he felt no regret of accepting this mission. His cutie mark was a spyglass, it was in his blood to become a spy. However, he didn't feel like playing one, when being imprisoned in this silver cage. He felt like an animal that was captured and that completely demolished his moral. "We are not going to make it alive from here."

"Hey, hey! Look at me, Spy Filly. Don't you give up now! We'll get out, you'll see." the pegasus's words didn't have the desired impact on the colt but at least they stopped him falling further into the trap of the depression. "If only I had my lucky charm..."

The Spy Filly looked up to his comrade and quietly asked:

"What is it?"

"It's who." Metal smiled though it hurt a lot even to move his lips. "We are going to leave this place. I promise you."

Above the streets of Manehatten...

A pony in a red-purple suit was secretly walking on the roofs of the tall buildings. He skillfully jumped from one platform to another, without giving his presence. However, there was one thing that saw his every move. The sun was shining in the blue sky and was steadily climbing the invisible ladder.

He stopped behind a chimney and slowly poked his head to look at the ponies below. Some were sitting in the near restaurant, drinking the morning tea, others were only passing by with mindful looks on their faces. His grey eyes moved from the bottom to the top. The other beautiful buildings stood like giants. On the other side of the street, next to a red painted apartment building, a large structure took his attention. It had statues on the roof that looked mighty in their marble armors. Its facade was a lot different than the surrounding ones and gave him the feeling of authority. Just above the two big wooden doors, a shield was placed on the wall, which had the Equastrian flag painted on it smooth surface. The two princess, who were doing a circle around the moon and the sun on a cyan background and surrounded by white stars. Even the ninja was intrigued by the details of the picture.

"This must be the city's garrison. I should stay as far as possible from it. I have to find the inventors' house. It should be near a big stadium or something. Though how does a stadium look like? Blasted! If only I had the city map, though it's too late for it. It's probably laying under tons of mud and rubble."

Suddenly he felt a pain in his shoulder. The red ninja leaned on the chimney and tried to endure the hurt without giving any sounds.

"I need to find the inventors immediately."

He glimpsed back at the street before continuing his search again. He turned his back to the Office and went to the other side of the roof. The assassin just missed to see two ponies, that appeared behind the corner, one of which he knew by her real name.

"Foxy, why you thanked me the way you did?" Lucky precariously asked his dark partner. The spot on his right cheek was turning from red to blue and it didn't hurt him at all, though the touch of her lips was still present and didn't go away.

"Can't a mare kiss a stallion?" her cheeks blushed. Thankfully her mask completely concealed her embarrassment.

"In your case you'll kill him first and then maybe kiss him for one last Good-bye." Lucky looked away because he felt that his heartbeat was rising and that meant blowzy face. Only the thought of it created waves of feelings. "What you did was a little unexpected."

She stopped him in the middle of the street and turned him around. He couldn't hide his face from her. The other ponies continued on their paths without making any signs that they were interested in the two.

"Am I a monster in your dead eyes?" she asked coldly. "I could have used my full strength and killed you right on the spot."

"It's not what I meant!" Lucky was honest but inside the ninja rage began igniting the engines of destruction.

She whispered in his left ear:

"But you said it. You know a lot about my dark past and the demon inside me. How could anypony see me as a normal pony?"  

"Nice job, smarty!" Lucky thought. "Brought myself in a very complex situation and I can sense that Foxy is hurt. Shouldn't have mention it... Crap!"

"I-I don't think of you as a monster." Lucky drooped and continued with a quiet but sincere voice: "You have your edges and sometimes you are very rough but that doesn't sway me from thinking of you as my friend."

"Prove it! Not with words but by actions. We'll fight here and now. If you win, then you've proven your feelings and if you loose, you'll never see me again."

Lucky looked a little surprised.

"Kind of unfair, don't you think?" he sounded serious. "How can a blind pony defeat a warrior, who is enhanced with unimaginable strength and can actually see the world around her? Oh and the stake is too damn high!"

"I'll not use my eyes, I promise. However, I will not hold my full power."

"Yeah, as if the chances rose significantly... One hit and I have to kiss this world good-bye. Come on, we have more important things to do."  

Foxy grabbed him on the shoulders, immobilizing him completely. Her warrior eyes stared at his dead ones.  

"You've been challenged for a duel. Walking away from it, means utter defeat." she sound fairly threatening. "You better prepare yourself. You don't wanna loose to a low-life thief, eh?"

"Alright. Try me." he sounded fearless. There was no other way to deal with this situation and he really didn't want to lose her. He had to fully commit to it, if he wanted to win.

"That's why I like you more than a week ago."

"Talk about change. You too weren't a fragrant flower, when I met you for the first time." he smirked.

She closed her eyes. They stood in the middle of the street like paralyzed, waiting for the other one to make the first move. Some ponies looked at the two and wondered what they were doing. Little did they know about their little duel that would be showed in the tomorrow's newspapers.

Time slowed down. Everypony around them barely moved. Lucky could count his own beats of his heart. Foxy breath deeply and stayed focused. Despite she couldn't use her sight, the ninja was still very dangerous and accurate to cause extreme body damages.

Out of a sudden, Tail attempted to grab him but he quickly jumped forward. She tried to counter his movement by hitting him with her rear legs but Tail missed. Lucky spread his wings, so to make as much distance from her and less noise on the landing. He stood like a statue again, trying to hear his opponent's movement. Foxy stealthily walked in his general direction. She used all of her other senses to locate his current position but it was hard with the noise around her. Some ponies stopped to see what's going on. They were equally confused and curious.

Lucky knew that Foxy was approaching him, though he couldn't hear her. He needed a plan of attack and his scout instincts kicked in. The pegasus made a virtual map in his head and analyzed the situation via it.

Suddenly a purple unicorn bumped into him from the right side. Lucky thought it was her and he immediately turn to the left and was about to kick him in the face, when the magical pony apologized:

"Excuse me, I didn't watch where I was going."

Foxy turned her attention to the source of the voice and silently went at his direction. Lucky felt her presence very near him. Actually she was just a hoof away from him, though faced the opposite side of the street. Tail sensed him near too but couldn't tell where exactly he was.

"Huh, maybe if I use my tracking magic, though it won't be fair. I have a better idea!" Tail thought.

"Strange, I recall that Foxy has some sort of a spider sense. Why she can't find me or is she just playing with me?" Lucky frowned.

"Hey, do you know where a white pegasus is?" Foxy asked the pony in front of her.

"Of course, he is right next to you." the unicorn answered.

Foxy immediately kicked to the right, hitting a brown earth pony, who was not aware of the duel. She send him directly at the sitting ponies in the near restaurant. There was a loud sound of the crash with the tables. Plates and cups fell on the ground, some of which broke into many pieces on impact. Everypony was astonished by this act and quickly the crowd around the two duelists began to grow.

Lucky saw his chance to inflict good damage on the ninja. He almost instantly turned to Tail and jumped on her before she could realize what was happening. He managed to knock her down on the paved street. The pegasus was on top of her. Without wasting much time, he began hitting her face. After the second blow she put he hooves in front of her and protected herself from further attacks. The public was shocked to see them fighting like that in the middle of the cultural city.

"Uh-oh, it's time to bail!" Lucky spread his wings and jumped in the air before she could grab him. She only needed one powerful punch to win. "Hit 'n run is the name of the game!"

He quickly gained a good altitude and stayed in one place. Lucky was not yet confident in his ability to navigate in the air without some help, which made him a very slow flying target. Foxy jumped on her hooves and tried to locate him again. She knew that he was in the air, though that didn't mean he was safe. Tail was very well aware of his weakness. The ninja concentrated. The only sound of wings was coming somewhere above her.

Foxy grabbed the nearest pony, who happened to be the purple unicorn, and lifted him up in the air.

"Hey, what are you doing?" he sounded a little scared.

"Making you a star!"

Then she hurled him at the pegasus, who was not able to dodge the heavy projectile. They collided in each other and together fell hard on the ground.

"Why are they fighting?"

"Stay back everypony! They are dangerous!"

"I give ten bits on the black pony."

"Make that twelve on the pegasus. Always bet on the flying ones. He-he."

"Fighting in front of the Royal Guards Office. Don't they have some shame?"

"Guards, guards! Ha, where are the authorities, when you need them!"

The public was mixed about the fight but one thing was sure: more and more ponies came to watch the fight.

Foxy quickly came to them. Lucky had to get out of there fast. He pushed aside the unicorn, when he felt her powerful grab. She lifted him on the level of her head. Before Foxy could knock him out, he used his wing to tickle her with a great effect. The ninja was unable to do anything and released him. Then the pegasus aimed at the sky and began to fly upwards. However, he wasn't quick enough and an unwanted passenger hopped on his back.

Lucky immediately began shaking and barrel rolling but it wasn't enough. Tail touched a point on his back, which unleashed tremendous pain. He screamed out of hurt. His body was almost paralyzed. They quickly fell down on their backs. The pegasus tried to get up but his legs won't let him. He rolled, now facing the dusty ground and painfully waving his wings but without luck. He was a laying meat, that could not escape the butcher's knife.

However, his opponent was a little lost. Foxy couldn't tell where the blind one was. She searched the area around her with no success.

"Ms, you should stop the thing you are doing and talk with your friend." said a violet gentlepony. She didn't listen to him and continued searching for Lucky. Then Foxy was stopped by the unicorn in the smart suit. He was bigger than her, though barely as strong as the mutated ninja. "Come on, now. Be a good lady and forgive this pony. He may have made mistakes but he is just a lad with a young heart."

"You better move out of my way!" she said coldly.

"I'm not your enemy, this you must know. However, a lot of good ponies are late for their morning meetings because of you two. Isn't that right, dear sirs and ladies?"

The public looked at each other and kind of agreed with his statement.

"There is noting to see here ponies. Only a couple with some issues. Come on, move along."

Then the crowd magically began to scatter and soon the street was all normal again. Although a few individuals remained on their places in anticipation of another fight.  

"Now, would you tell me what was this all about?"

"I give you one last warning not-so-smart-pony: remove your hoofs of me or you won't be able to sit on your plot for the rest of your life."

"Please, call me Mr Lunar Light. I'm a doctor and I'll gladly help you and your mate." he sat on the paved street and took off his green top hat. "Would you tell me why you two were fighting with closed eyes? Does it have a symbolic meaning?"

"What is this nonsense?!" Foxy opened her orange eyes and stared at the annoying unicorn. He had silver curly mane. His red eyes were beautiful and warm. "Do you wish a death sentence?"

"No, I do not. Actually, I'm very interested in your little conflict." the unicorn pulled out a notepad and a pencil. The later, he took it with his mouth and began writing something.

"Please, answer my questions." he asked calmly through gritted teeth.

Foxy had enough of this pony and attempted to strike him. However, her legs didn't obey her commands. She quickly looked at them and saw a purple aura around them. The source of this magic was just in front of her. Tail wasn't exactly happy about it.

"Release me." her eyes went deep in his, although there was no effect from her trick.

"Hm, trying to use some kind of a mind trick. You don't look the type of pony to be using magic, unless you are enchanted with magic." he thought out loud. He moved the pencil to the right side of his mouth and looked thoughtfully at her. "Yep, you are. There is also something you try to hide. Your eyes may be threatening but they are just a curtain that hides pain."

Foxy looked away from him and tried to make a barrier between them. He was going too deep in her and she would never allow it. Suddenly, her eyes caught a movement. It was Lucky, who had overcame the paralysis and was ready for another round.

"Hey, mister! Don't you dare hurt my friend!" Lucky was running at them. However, his attempt was a futile one. Just like the ninja's, his legs were caught by the unicorn's spell, which nailed him down in one place.

"Good! Now that I have your attentions, I'd like to begin your therapy." Lunar Light happily smiled. "So, let's begin from the start. What happened between you too?"

"Therapy?" Lucky exclaimed. "Release us in this instant!"

"Hm, why are you still with closed eyes? Oh, silly me. You are unable to see, so that's why you two fought like that. Equal footing, right? So, the next question is why?" he looked at Foxy, who did her best not to show any weaknesses.

"Why should we tell you?"

"Because we are just in front of the Office and I might leave you two in the hoofs of the Guardians. I want to help you but if you don't leave me any choice, then I'll have to turn you in." he moved the pencil from the right to the left side.

"Alright, you win." Foxy looked at Lucky, who was giving her secret signs to play along. "We kind of crossed our blades and began the duel. Whoever won, is the one who was right."

"Ah, so it was something important in the sense of one of you leaving the other one?"

"How did you..." Lucky made a surprised expression.

"Well, if a mare wants to kick the plot of a stallion like this, then it's pretty obvious. Also I'm a doctor." Lunar coughed and turned to the ninja. "What was the source of your aggression?"

"He offended me."

"Aha. Well what ever this good pegasus said, he didn't really mean it. I can sense it in his heart."

"What else can you sense?" she sounded a bit provocative.

"I can sense that you hold a demon inside you." Foxy raised an eyebrow and began to fear this unicorn. Was he more than what he appeared to be. "Every mare holds one. That is why they have such an unpredictable nature and of course are the sole bane of many stallions. Don't get offended, darling. This is all proved by science and magic."

"Yeah." she felt a little relief, though was still on edge. "Would you release us now. I'm not going to attack my partner."

"I think so too." his horn flashed and the magical chains disappeared. "Although on the first sign of trouble, I'll put you in chains again."

"Understood."

This was a major error on the unicorn's part. Foxy didn't have the intentions of listening to him anymore. In a blink of an eye, she knocked him out, sending him at the three ponies, who were still waiting to see some action. The demonic pony turned her eyes at Lucky, who was slowly trying to distance himself from her.

"Uh-oh, Foxy, the duel has ended. No pony won. He-he."

Without warning she knocked him down on the ground. He tried to escape but Tail lay down on him. Her weight was too high for him to move a muscle.

"You do remember not to speak of my name, while others listen?" she whispered in his ear.

"Look it's over. The duel was interrupted, so it wont count as your win." Lucky had a little trouble breathing.

"It's over, when one of us can't stand up anymore!" she reminded him.

"Well technically I can't escape from this, so it's over. No more fighting. I'd like my face to be intact for tonight."

"Then I win." she said proudly.

"No, please. Don't leave me hanging. Without you, I won't be able to save my friend. You are the closest pony, to whom I can turn for help."

An invisible smiled appeared on her face. For some reason she liked to see him beg, when all options failed. Foxy stroke his green mane. Lucky was not sure what to think of this, though he was certain it was not going to end well. Her touch, though pleasant, it also generated some sad feelings in him. Was this how she said good-bye?

"So, where will you go now?"

"Nowhere. I never said that I'll leave you. You are stuck with me, partner."  

"But-but... Oh, I see what you did there." he sighed with relief. "Then why we fought? What was the purpose of this masquerade?"

"I was in a mood for fighting and of course, you thought that I'm only a killer."

Lucky looked a bit saddened. Then her strict sight became softer and her voice milder. "However, I'd never leave you alone in the darkness."

"I'll never think of you as a beast." then he whispered. "You are dragon and I'm proud of being friends with one."

They smiled.

"I think that's enough of languishing feelings. We've got work to do."

"Yes. Also you are really violating my personal space and you are squishing me."

"Oh."

She quickly stood up and helped him to get on his hoofs. Tail looked at the unicorn, who was just waking up from the powerful blow. Three ponies were helping him to get up and soon he was in control of his body once again. He was a little upset from what happened.

"I'm sorry." she apologized without any feelings.

"That was my fault, my dear. I shouldn't have removed the spell from you." Lunar rubbed his cheek. "Who would expect you can punch like that. I'd pity the poor soul, who would challenge your wrath. Hm, it looks like you two have it covered, if I'm not mistaken."

"Yeah... thanks for your help." Lucky smiled unconvincingly.

"At least it was worth it. I'm glad that I've saved another couple from a utter chaos." he got his green hat and put it on. "Now, if you excuse me, I have some things to attend to. Have a nice day."

"Same to you."

The unicorn picked his pencil and notepad and carried on. With him the last remaining ponies from the crowd left with dissatisfaction.

"So who actually won?"

"Don't know but I bet it was the black one."

"Nha, the pegasus had everything under control. He'd totally kick her plot."

Foxy and Lucky continued on their path and when they were in front of the front door, she turned to him.

"We, a couple?" she sounded a little surprised.

"I guess his head was too full of his science and magic that he can't see the difference between partners and a pair."

"I guess so..." she pushed the tall door and went inside followed by Lucky. The massive wooden gate closed, concealing all secrets in the building. However, it was not able to hide what was inside their hearts.

Both were lying to each other, desperately trying to hide the connection between them. On conscious level they were only friends but on a little deeper level it was a whole other story. Their tortured souls we made for each other and there was noting in the universe that could deny this fact. It was a matter of time, when their feeling would explode like a supernova and create a new beautiful world.

Next Chapter: Chapter 22: The Survivor Estimated time remaining: 9 Hours, 2 Minutes