Leisure stumbled over some rubble of a nearby collapsed building; Leisure’s lungs burned every time he took in the air around him. The oxygen was filled with ash and dust; all around him fires raged and he could still hear the roars coming from the monster in the distance. For the past hour Leisure hasn’t seen a single soul. The ground around him was littered with debris and the crushed corpses of the unlucky.

The sight of the corpses made a tinge of guilt build up inside of him along with anger. Why didn’t they evacuate the city earlier before the monster came? Leisure thought, Celestia knew it was out there; she knew it was somewhere in the ocean waiting to come out at any point and attack. This was no animal acting on instinct; Blossom was wrong! This is some type of monster that wants to take over Equestria.

Leisure continued on his path looking for Captain Heart and the rest of the guard. Hoping that he could find her, so he could somehow contact the Princesses, and what’s this about the Doctor wanting to study it!? Is he mad he’s going to get himself kil-

“Help… Me…”

Leisure stopped dead in his tracks; the female voice causing him to spin around faster than he ever has before. His eyes darted left and right searching amongst the ruins; clearing his throat he called out to the pony who was asking for his assistance, “Hello? Anypony there,” His own voice dry and ragged due to the stale air, once again Leisure could hear the pain filled moans coming from the victim. Leisure looked amongst the rubble hoping he could fine the mare before it was too late. Making his way towards a large pile of rubble Leisure lifted a large brick out of pile of debris of what use to be the old Manehatten night club. He tossed it aside and turned his gaze back down to the pile; Leisure gasped at the sight of the wounded unicorn mare in front of him.

Her once white coat was charred and blood stained, she wore a pair of shattered sun glasses just over her eyes. When she tilted her head up the right lenses shattered revealing her purple iris, her eye was blood shot and faded. The poor mare looked to be barely alive, “Oh my, miss, hold on for a second I’ll get you out of there.”

Quickly Leisure began to dig the poor mare out of her tomb, after a few hard earned minutes Leisure lifted the last piece of debris off the unicorn’s back hind legs. Leisure bent his head down and helped the mare back up onto her feet. Despite the situation they were in Leisure just couldn’t help himself but ask, “So what has you in area of town like this?”

The mare coughed and wheezed her once crushed lungs were now open and the stale oxygen was spilling into them. “I… I work here, well I use to,” She said finally being able to catch her breath, “I’m a D.J. Vinyl, Vinyl Scratch.” The mare took a step back and stuck out her right hoof.

Leisure smiled reaching out with his own hoof the two shook, “My name is Leisure.”

Vinyl grinned, “Nice to meet you Leisure, and thanks for saving me, I…” Vinyl shivered, “I didn’t know how long I had left under there.”

On the other side of the remaining buildings, Leisure could hear the sounds of explosions. Leisure could feel a knot forming in the pit of his stomach; he turned to face Vinyl Scratch, “Eh… Vinyl yeah, I got to get going; are you going to be able to travel on your own?”

Vinyl glanced at Leisure then at her own leg, “I dunno I when the building came down my legs were the first to go.” Vinyl stretched her right foreleg out taking her first step she crumpled to the ground crying out in pain.

Leisure ran straight to her side, “Sweet Celestia, are you okay!?”

Vinyl gritted her teeth and shot Leisure an irritated glare, “Do I look like I’m okay?”

“Here let me see your leg.” He said, Leisure reached out wrapping his hooves around Vinyl’s leg he lifted it off the ground to get a better look.

Vinyl clenched one of her eyes shut do to the pain, “Agh! Easy will ya!”

“S-sorry, I’m just a little nervous and…” Leisure trailed off into silence, his eyes growing wide in horror. Right away he felt the need to vomit his dinner onto the cobblestone road.

“W-what is it? Is something wrong?” Vinyl asked too afraid to look.

A large shard of glass was gouged in the back of Vinyl’s leg, along with other smaller pieces. The only reason Leisure could guess on why she didn’t notice before was because of the amount of adrenaline pumping through her veins to keep her going. “Oh… No, no, this ain’t good at all,” Leisure closed his eyes not wanting to look at it any longer, “there’s no way you’ll be able to move without any help.”

Vinyl looked at Leisure, “What’s wrong with my leg!?” She asked scared out of her mind. Taking a peek Vinyl gasped her heart began to race and a wave nausea washed over her, “C-can we t-take it out.”

Leisure shook his head, “I don’t know, and I don’t want to try. We need to get you to doctor; matter of fact we need to get you out of the city.”

“Well I can’t really move in a state like this!” Vinyl panicked she couldn’t take her sight off her wounded leg. Her legs began to tremble and the more her heart raced the more blood would begin to seep out of her leg.

Leisure placed his left foreleg on Vinyl’s shoulder, “Hey, Vinyl, look at me,” Vinyl stayed staring at her leg. Her pupils were small pinpricks, “Hey, Vinyl, I need you to look at me.” Giving her a light shake on the shoulder, Vinyl snapped out of her shocked state and stared into Leisure’s eyes. “I need you to remain calm,”

“How can I remain calm when there’s a large fu-”

Leisure raised a hoof to silence the mare, “I know you’re scared, but I’ll get you out of here.” Even though Leisure needed to find Captain Heart and send a message out to Celestia, he couldn’t just leave this poor mare here to die. “Do you understand me?” He asked, Vinyl nodded her head and quiet quickly too. “Alright, you’re going to have to help me out here.” Leisure bent down and lifted Vinyl’s right foreleg and draped it around his neck. Despite Vinyl’s pain filled whines Leisure lifted her up off the ground. “Alright do you know where the closest bridge is out of here?” He asked,

Vinyl nodded, “The Bucklynn bridge is an about a ten or so blocks away that way.” Vinyl said, using her left foreleg to point in the direction of the bridge. Which was also in the same direction that Gojira was heading in; instantly Leisure felt his heart sink in his chest.

“Aw… Buck.”

“Please, Luna, I implore you not to go, it’s too dangerous.” Celestia trailed behind her sister while they made their way through the guard’s barracks.

Luna shook her head in objection, “We already told you, Tia, the longer We wait the more destruction this beast can cause.”

Celestia sighed, “I understand what you’re saying, little sister, but you seen the amount of destruction this thing can cause.” Celestia reached out with her hoof to stop Luna. Turning her around so that she was looking her sister in the eye she said, “I’m not asking you not to go because I do not care for my subjects. Because I do, with every growing second I’m kicking myself in the flank because I cannot do anything to stop this monster. But I am asking you not go because I love you… And I do not want anything to happen to you.” Celestia said taking her eyes off her sister and looking to floor.
Luna smiled stretching her forelegs out she wrapped them around Celestia and pulled her into a hug. “We love you too, Tia, but somepony must do something to stop this monster.”

Celestia released a shaky breath, after she finally came to terms with that she will not be able to convince her sister otherwise she said, “Whatever happens out there, Luna, do not be afraid to order a retreat. Whatever happens you bring yourself and our subjects back here as fast as possible.”

Luna nodded her head slowly, “Do not worry our dear sister.” With that Luna broke the hug, with one last smile she turned towards the door at the end of the hallway and left.

Celestia sighed, turning in the opposite direction she began heading back to the throne room to notify Equestria’s neighboring nations.

Luna placed her helmet over heard; using her magic she applied her metal shoulder plates. After she finished fastening her chest plate she turned to look at herself in the mirror, the armor she wore was similar to the one Nightmare Moon wore. Yet there were few slight changes and modifications most of the changes though consisted of it not being a spiky and intimidating. The corners were smooth and the surface wasn’t so rough, the designs on the shoes weren’t as fancy as Nightmare Moons. They were mostly just the standard armor horse shoes that the guards wore. Except for the fact that Luna’s armor was silver not gold like Celestia’s day guards, or black as her Night Guards.

A knock came from Luna’s chamber door, turning she used her magic to open it. In came a large stallion that was fitted in purple armor, “Your Majesty our troops are prepped and ready for the march.” His voice was low and scruff, yet it also had a touch of softness to it.

Luna turned to face the guard; she nodded her head and said, “Tell them We’ll begin the march in a few minutes.” Luna sighed and looked out the window to her left.

“If you do not mind me asking your Majesty, but is something bothering you? If you are having second thoughts, we can call of the march at any-”

“We are not having any second thoughts, Captain; I just have this feeling deep inside me, a dark one if that.” The guard nodded his head; Luna gazed over the city she watched as Celestia began to raise the sun in the distance. She watched as ponies began to wake up and leave there homes and proceed on with their ordinary lives. Stallions leaving to go to work, wives coming out to tend to their gardens, she could hear the whistles and the shunting of the morning trains. The chirping of birds and the laughter of children, everything seemed so… Peaceful and tranquil.

Shaking herself out of her dreamlike state she turned to face the Captain, “Get ready Captain, the march starts when I reach the courtyard.”

Doctor Whooves crumpled up yet another one his papers and tossed it aside, which landed into a small trash bin that was filled to the brim with other crumpled up papers. Groaning in frustration he planted his forehead on the edge of his desk and began frustratingly running his hooves through his mane.

“I take it you still can’t figure anything out,” Asked Dr. Chimes who was taking quiet sips from his cup of coffee.

Doctor Whooves groaned, ever since he returned back to home in Ponyville. He hasn’t been able to sleep; he’s been surviving off sugar cubes and coffee. “N-n-no,no,no. Dr. Chimes, I haven’t been able to figure out a DARNED thing!” The Doctor trembled all over, the amount of sugar and caffeine pumping through his veins caused his muscles to spasm at random moments. His right eye twitched occasionally, his mane was frazzled and messy parts of his coat wouldn’t stay down.

Dr. Chimes stepped back, covering his nose with his free hoof he gagged, “Mr. Whooves when was the last time you bathed?” He asked while trying to wave the horrid smell away.

“F-f-four d-d-days ago… B-but th-that’s not the p-problem.” The Doctor made his way over towards the other side of his study. Which was a small room with a desk sitting in the middle and the rest of the walls were mostly lined with book shelves and filing cabinets.

The Doctor pulled down a nearby map from the wall which was lined with red tacks and string, making his way back to his desk. He slammed it down, which caused Chimes to jump back; Doctor Whooves pointed to a small tack which was placed right next to where Gojira was resurrected. “Y-you s-s-see, D-Dr. Chimes, t-this is where, this Gojira was r-resurrected.”

Chimes raised a curious eyebrow, “Okay I know that already; where are you getting at with this?” He asked.

The Doctor then began to trace the red string which was connected to the next tack, Manesville, “A-an-and t-this is where t-the real f-first attack t-took place.” Chimes again nodded his head. Following the next string which led to the Fillydelphian bay, “Th-this i-is where th-the fishing vessels gone missing.”

“What are you trying to get at,” Chimes took a sip of his coffee, “We are already know about all of this.”

“I-I know, D-Dr. Chimes. But the r-reason w-why is the q-q-question.” The Doctor said when he took the map in his teeth. He approached the wall to place the map back up.

“Well do you have an answer?” Chimes asked.

After the Doctor finished placing his map back up on the wall, he turned to face Chimes. “I-I d-do not have a-a-an actual answer, b-b-but I do have a theory. Y-you s-s-see, Dr. Chimes, the b-beast never a-actually g-goes passed the red l-line. S-so in theory I b-believe that it’s forming its territory…” The Doctor trailed off into silence.

“Well that’s good to know,” Chimes said, “All we have to do is evacuate the area,” Doctor Whooves crumpled to the floor. Chime’s eyes widened in horror, “Sweet Celestia, Doc, are you okay!?”

Author's Notes:

Hurray for Exposition! And Cliffhangers!