“Rat Tak-Tak wakes…”

The mare found herself in a cell. All of her belongings were stripped from her and shackles lay across her feet.

Everything was covered in dark but she could make out the thin out line of the bars. Moving her legs around Rat could feel that they were chained. With nothing to do Rat Tak-Tak sits on her hunches.

After a spand of about thirty minutes a door opens up. The sudden change in the light caused Rat Tak-Tak to cover her face with her hoof. As her eyes adjusted a figure of a stallion walks into the room. Rat Tak-Tak recognized who it was.

“Mareseir?” She said shocked. But her surprise didn’t last long. “You bastards finally did it. How you catch me!” Rat Tak-Tak shouted pulling on her chains.

Mareseir steps aside to show Mousecakes. She looked ashamed and about to cry.

“Sister?” Rat Tak-Tak’s heart skips a beat, “What happened? The last thing I remember is stopping at the Church of the Sky outpost the one ran by Arkis and Echidnas.

“I used my orb to put you all asleep before we approached the city,” Mousecakes said not looking her sister in the eye.

“Why? why you?” Rat Tak-Tak asked crying.

“The goddesses of the sky has returned,” Mousecakes answered.

“Puddinghead and Smart Cookie hoped to bring the princesses to their side,” Mareseir explained. “With their isolationist views we couldn’t afford to allow them more power among the people.”

“So you did a cue,” Rat Tak-Tak snarled.

“I would have rather not put you in a cell but I didn’t think I could keep you restrained,” Mousecakes points out.

“Damn, straight,” Rat Tak-Tak snaps.

“Yes, your too strong of a warrior to allow you to go to the other side at this point,” Mareseir adds.

“And what about the others?” Rat Tak-Tak asks.

Mareseir turns his flank to the mare. “They are around.”

“Elsewhere…”

Claymari awakes to find a pair of young filly eyes looking at her. It took the mare a moment to realize that it was Luna. This revelation made Claymari jump.

“Luna!” Claymari franticly looks around the room. She appeared to be in Puddinghead’s personal chambers in the Earth Capital castle palace. It also appeared that the room no longer belonged to him.

“Hello Claymari,” Luna said like a polite little filly.

“Luna what are you doing here?” Claymari asked as she looked around for her sword.

“Enlightening the Earth Pony silly,” Luna smiled.

“Yes, because thats what they need,” Claymari remarks, “Where is my sword?”

“I have it on me,” Celestia said as she walked into the room. The teenage princess had on royal knight barding with a sword on her saddle belt. The sword was Crimson Bond.

“Give me that!” Claymari lashes out.

Celestia steps out of the way and Claymari slides across the floor. Quickly shifted herself, Claymari sending her body slamming into Celestia’s side.

“Stop fighting!” Luna cried dashing between the two mares.

Claymari’s eyes shot daggers at the filly and raised her hoof to smack her but thought better of it lowering her foreleg.

“Blackstone said you would react this way and that I should hold your weapon until you woke,” Celestia smiles.

“Okay, I’m an impulsive bitch,” Claymari grumbles, “Can I have my sword?”

Luna gaps, “You said a naughty word.”

Claymari gives Luna a glare that made the young filly’s ears flatten and tail tuck between her legs.

“Wait you said Blackstone?” Claymari raised an eye as she took her sword from Celestia.

Luna was about to say something but she was feeling so disinjected by Claymari that she stopped herself. Celestia answers in her stay. “He’s the leader of the Church of the sky and recently over through the evil ruling party who wanted to use me and my sister.”

“They were immoral not evil,” Claymari rolls her eyes.

“What’s the difference?” Celestia remarks.

“You know as much of a front you try to put on don’t pretend you’re not as naive as your sister,” Claymari snaps.

Celestia just glares and grumbles as she turns away from Claymari.

Claymari was looking around the room. She noticed Ferngully snuggled up on the bed.

“Bat Pony get up!” Claymari shoves the yellow pony with her hoof.

“What?” Ferngully gets up and looks blurried eyed at the two goddesses. After rubbing them clean with her hooves, the Bat Pony jumps up and cheers. “My goddess!”

“See, some pony here knows how to properly treat a lady,” Celestia boasts. But to her shock Ferngully had rushed over to Luna. She lifts up the Alicorn filly’s hoof and kissed it. Luna began to blush red.

“C-could you please stop?” Luna asked nervously.

“And she’s adorable,” Ferngully cheered, “I’ve been told that you have had returned but it was too unbelievable to believe.”

“Yes they are high goddesses,” Claymari rolls her eyes.

“You are not amazed by them?” Ferngully asked.

“And you are?” Claymari answers.

“You’ve seen gods more impressive,” Claymari points out.

Ferngully pauses for a moment. “True I have to say, But I think that had to do with their size mostly.”

“Oh, Celestia in her true form would level this city,” Luna points out.

“Luna,” Celestia snaps.

Luna flattened her ears and took a submissive pose again.

“Oh, dear sister I’m sorry,” Celestia states after seeing how her sister reacted. “We shouldn’t give these mortals any idea of our true power. It’s bad enough that they seem to know more about us then we know about us.”

“Not all of it is true,” Ferngully points out. “Many people don’t believe the goddess Lauren is your true mother for example. Yeah it’s the most common foke tale but it doesn’t mean it's true.”

“I’ll try to keep that in mind,” Celestia replied.

A large satin black stallion in a blue dress walks into the room with Winkz. The two ponies appeared to be engaged in a conversation. The stallion turns to Claymari and Ferngully, “I see you’re awake,”

“Blackstone!” Claymari snaps, “Why have you taken us prisoner!”

Blackstone glares at Claymari. “Do you look like you are prisoners?”

“Let me explain please,” Winkz interjects raising her hoof between the two. She turns to Claymari “We had to be separated from the others.” She explains, “This was due to our alliances or lack thereof to the former regime.”

“You’re saying there was a cue,” Claymari said coldly.

“A cue?” Ferngully remarks, “Man, you either have the worst luck Claymari or bad timing. Then again it could be me.”

“We have no ties to this nations government and there for not a threat,” Claymari continued.

“Exactly,” Blackstone said, “The others are unharmed for the moment. Whirly Pop and Pot Shell did nothing to be executed for and will make great bargaining chips. The soldiers will be given a fair chance to choose their sides. This works out for you because your pardon has been extended indefinitely. You no longer have to worry about what you did to the Oranges.”

Claymari broken a sweat as she got up pit in her stomach. “What makes you think I wanted a pardon?”

Blackstone smiles, “I see, you’re making a penitence.”

“Just what did she do to these Oranges?” Luna asked cheerfully.

“Luna!” Celestia reprimanded.

“It’s okay,” Claymari answered, “Basically, the Orange family are the ones that executed my family.”

“I thought your family was killed by Zebra?” Ferngully points out.

“Yes, they were killed by Zebra, but the Zebra were working with the Orange family, hired by them,” Claymari told her, “After I escaped the Zebra, I came back to Earth Nation with Philia and I found out what the Orange family did. Which makes sense because they were the lords that were at the time protecting the county we lived in.”

“And what did you do?” Luna asked.

Claymari sighs and closed her eyes then she speaks. “I killed them, I killed more of them then needed. My vengeance became a legend and Philia saw more than she needed to.”

“Thinks to that incident the branch of the Apple family that Puddinghead and Smart Cookie were part of got enough power to get elected into their positions,” Blackstone said.

Celestia pulls Luna away from Claymari and gives the mare an angry glare.

“Don’t act so high and mighty,” Claymari snaps as Luna was pulled away from her. “If half the stories are true having new bodies and clean minds would not abolish you of your sins. Because as they say those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.”

Celestia looks down at Luna. The filly looks back up at her wide eyed. “No,” Celestia looks back at Claymari. “Perhaps you should leave.”

Claymari, Blackstone, Ferngully and Winkz all leave the chambers. The Alicorns shut the door behind them.

“Come and follow me and I’ll escort you to your rooms,” Blackstone says as he starts to walk down the hall. The other mares follow him.

“So where is Philia, Zero, and Petty Kitty?” Claymari asked.

Blackstone shakes his head. “We lost them in the chaos.”

Claymari slams Blackstone into the wall and puts her muzzle into his face. “You’re going to tell me, me of all people, that you started a war and my daughter is missing because of said war?” Claymari growled.

Blackstone shrugged, “Be thankful for the freedom to look for her.”

Claymari grits her teeth and lets Blackstone go.

Ferngully looks out the window as she walked. She sees La Dawn’s tower with what appeared to be a bunch of archers and gunponies surrounding it.

“What’s going on over there?” Ferngully asks pointing with her forehoof.

“La Dawn is held up in there,” Blackstone answered, “When the rest of the old regime evacuated the city he stayed behind in his tower.”

“Why would he do that?” Winkz remarks, “He could easily fly away?”

“We don’t know why,” Blackstone replied, “But the tower is sealed so he’s pretty well fortified in there. So in the meantime to handle him we have ponies posted. He’d have to run out of foods and water sooner or later.”

Winkz backs away from Blackstone as they walked putting herself closer to Claymari. “I wonder about Ponyville?” She whispers.

“That strange Pegasus you told me about?” Claymari said back in a hushed tone.

“Yes,” Winkz answered, “She was supposed be staying with La Dawn but I don’t know if she would’ve been still there when this cue happened.”

“I’m not going out of my way to tell him if he doesn’t know,” Claymari replied, “I have a good idea where Philia and the others are at or to better put it who they are with.”

“Really?” Winkz asked.

“If they were being taken care of by the old regime, then they would have evacuated with the old regime,” Claymari answered.

“Claymari!” Blackstone spoke up, “Your father has requested to speak with you.”

“As I’ve always said,” Claymari gritted her teeth, “I do not want to talk to him.”

Blackstone opens the door to Claymari's quarters. “He’s already waiting for you.”

Claymari glares angrily at Blackstone.

“Things have changed for us Dore we no longer have to hide in the shadows,” Blackstone smirks.

Claymari walks into the room.

“Whirly Pop awoke to find her face pressed against a pane of glass…”

She felt like she was standing upright on her hindlegs. The glass surface was pressed against her cheek and Whirly Pop found herself staring at her hoof. The hoof taps against the glass making a hollow clopping sound. The mare turns her head to look out the pane. The glass was blurry but she could see some pony shapes.

Whirly Pop tries to move Inspiration, but it just won’t react to her mental commands. It wasn’t just the lack of telepathy but she felt like the magic of the sword was neutralized in the chamber that she was in.

A blue pony slams a piece of paper against the glass. On the piece of paper were words. “Sorry sis.”

Pot Shell sighs and removes the paper. He turns to Generous Thread. “She’s awake now what?”

Generous Thread looked emotionally sick with guilt. So Velvet Rope steps forward to speak for her. “We find a way to subtract the blade from the mare and give it to its real master.” Velvet Rope took a glance at Generous Thread.

Both Pot Shell and Generous Thread turns to look at Leo.

“Perhaps the best option is to simply ask for it?” Leo suggests uneasily, “If this Holic is the blade’s true master as you say then it should stay with her.”

“And if it doesn’t?” Velvet Rope asks.

“It certainly can’t reconnect itself to Whirly Pop while she’s in the case,” Leo points out.

“Well that was a stunning piece of insight,” Velvet Rope sighs, “Made keeping you around worthwhile.”

Pot Shell leans closer to Generous Thread. “I can tell you don’t want to do this.”

Generous Thread swallows before speaking. “Having the blade is my destiny, it was what I was made for.”

Velvet Rope turns and smiles at Generous Thread. “Yes, you have dallied at our mission long enough.”

“Things were much simpler when we were just supposed to watch them,” Generous Thread mutters, “I can’t believe these are Starswirl’s orders.”

“You made the mistake of falling in love with that Nutcracker,” Velvet Rope snaps, “Then he refused to use its power and let the Gryphus things kill him.”

“Nutcracker was an honorable pony!” Generous Thread shouts at Velvet Rope.

“Left you a sobbing mess when I found you,” Velvet Rope smirked.

Generous Thread starts sobbing into her hooves. Pot shell consoles the mare with a hug.

“Your a monster abusing your friend like this and making such a nice pony do all of this!” He snaps at Velvet Rope.

“It’s what I was made for,” Velvet Rope said coldly.

Pot Shell gives Velvet Rope an angry glare and turns back to the sobbing Generous Thread. “Sorry about what happened to Nutcracker, even after his death he wasn’t allowed to rest. At least until my sister put down the monster that he became.”

“And she forever has my thanks for that,” Generous Thread told him. She looks at the case with Whirly Pop in it. “If I had my say I would have treated her better than this.”

A series of taps came from the case that Whirly Pop was being held in.

“Oh what now?” Velvet Rope raised an eyebrow.

“I think that’s hoof code,” Leo answered unsurely.

“Yeah, me and my sister used to talk a lot to each other in hoof code,” Pot Shell said excitingly.

“Well, what does it say?” Velvet Rope asks.

“Give me a minute,” Pot Shell said as he kept a stiff ear. “She’s asking what’s going on?”

Pot Shell walks up to the glass case and starts tapping a reply. When he was done Whirly Pop tapped back. Soon they were tapping furiously at each other.

“Wait! Wait!” Velvet Rope starts shouting, “What’s that you’re saying to her!”

Velvet Rope pulls Pot Shell away from the case. “That’s enough of that!”

“Let go of me!” Pot Shell shouted.

“I can’t just have you saying what ever you wan to her at the moment,” Velvet Rope told him.

Whirly Pop begins tapping again.

“What is she saying now?” Velvet Rope asks.

“It’s a surrender,” Pot Shell said sadly.

“Sorry,” Generous Thread says to Pot Shell, “It was inedible that we would reach this point.”

“I know,” Pot Shell sighs.

Velvet Rope puts her hoof on her chin. “So how are we supposed to subtract that thing without her going equine on us?”

“Well, I do have some animal restraints,” Leo says hesitantly, “We can open the case, hold her back with them and take Inspiration from her.”

“Okay, boy write her a letter telling her not to move,” Velvet Rope orders.

Pot Shell starts writing on a piece of paper as Leo passes out restraints to Generous Thread and Velvet Rope. Pot Shell puts the piece of paper against the case’s glass pane so that Whirly Pop could read it. After a moment he pulls back and Velvet Rope opens the case with her magic. Leo, Generous Thread and Velvet Rope quickly jumps in and quickly restrains Whirly Pop’s neck and forelegs.

“We are going to attempt to take Inspiration from you,” Velvet Rope said slowly, “Do not attempt to move from that spot. Once we have Inspiration we will close that case again and depending on what happens we may experiment on opening it and letting you out.”

Whirly Pop silently nods her head.

“Good,” Velvet Rope smiles. She turns to Pot Shell. “Please remove that from your sister.”

Pot Shell did as he was told and took Inspiration in his muzzle. He had to quickly leap out of the way as they closed and locked the case again.

A smile lights up on Generous Thread’s face as she inches closer to Inspiration. “It feels good to be near it again,” She said.

Generous Thread takes Inspiration into her hooves. It glows brightly as she touched it with a light that consumed the object. When the light dissipated it had separated itself back into the rapier and orichalcum bow.

Generous Thread frowns, “This thing never liked me, I was made to love it, but it doesn’t like the fact that it can’t manipulate me like the beings of flesh.” With a glow Generous Thread takes Inspiration into her body. “Hugh?”

“Is something the matter?” Velvet Rope asks.

“No, nothing you should concern yourself about,” Generous Thread shook her head. “Perhaps we should try to release the girl now?”

“Are you sure?” Velvet Rope asks.

“Yes, you do it,” Generous Thread demands.

“Okay,” Velvet Rope said unsurely.

The unicorn opens the case again with her magic. She takes a step back as she allows Whirly Pop to put her hooves down. Having been stuck in such an awkward position for so long, the white mare instantly collapses landing on her stomach.

“Whirly!” Pot Shell cried.

“I’ll be fine,” Whirly Pop said as Pot Shell helps her to her feet. She turns and glares at the other ponies in the room. “I would like to know what the heck is going on?”

“We took inspiration it’s as simple as that,” Velvet Rope smirked.

“How about a little wider scope in your explanation?” Whirly Pop suggests.

“I am a Holic created by Starswirl the Bearded,” Generous Thread explains, “One of five, each one of us assigned to one of the great magic swords. At first we were just suppose to observe and keep track of the blades only interfering if needed or ordered. Each one of us goes about this our own way. Some of us never see or make physical contact with our target. But I on the other hoof fell in love with mine and his name was Nutcracker.

“I heard he had a wife that disappeared after he died,” Whirly Pop noted.

Generous Thread blushes, “I kept his blade with his body in Burning Cage and guarded it.”

“About a year ago Starswirl thought his Holics were losing their focus, somewhere even attacked over the years, So he decided that they needed some help,” Velvet Rope adds, “I convinced Generous Thread here to let the Earth Nation take Inspiration. Unfortunately he underestimated the magics of ponies.”

“They took Inspiration and used it to make the Paladins,” Whirly Pop points out.

“What’s even worse they locked Inspiration away so that it would not find a wielder,” Velvet Rope spat, “He decided such power didn’t belong in the hooves of ponies.”

“In theory, since the Holics that he created were made from the same energy that the swords were made from we could wield them ourselves,” Generous Thread tells them.

“Things gets worse for us,” Pot Shell adds.

“How could they possibly be worse?” Whirly Pop snaps.

“Aunt Smart Cookie and uncle Puddinghead are gone,” Pot Shell explains, “Apparently there was a cue.”

Whirly Pop felt like she had the wind knocked out of her. She turns to look at Leo.

“I was captured,” he explains.

“Yes, we aligned ourselves with the Church of the Sky,” Velvet Rope nods her head, “But when they made the move and I came to capture the blade it unfortunately went someplace else.” The unicorn pulls out some letters and tosses them on the floor. “Thankfully the good soldiers that came with your group made reports to their nonexisting government explaining what happened.”

“So what’s going to happen to us now?” Whirly Pop asks.

“I don’t know nor care,” Velvet Rope shrugs, “We have what we want and it’s up to the church to decide what to do with you.”

Velvet Rope walks up to the doorway and calls for the guards. Within moments Pot Shell, Whirly Pop and Leo were escorted out of the room.

“Honey Mead wakes up in her own bed… Metalance wakes up next to her…”

Honey Mead scanned the room, everything seemed fine but she felt everything wasn't fine especially the fact she didn’t remember returning home.

“Meta,” Honey Mead said shaking the green pony.

“What?” Metalance groggily woke up. She looks around the room. “When did we get home?”

“I was wondering the same thing,” Honey Mead answered.

Weedie and Caramel came running into the room crying. “Meta, Honey you’re awake!” They shouted.

“What’s the matter sweeties?” Metalance asks padding Weedie on the head with her hoof.

“You’re not going to be bad ponies are you?” Caramel asks.

“What? No, what are you talking about?” Metalance said confused.

“Butterfree said that when you wake up you might be bad ponies,” Caramel told her.

“So Butterfree is around?” Honey Mead asks looking around the room.

“She’s downstairs,” Weedie told them, “She told us that we should greet you first that way you may not become bad ponies?”

“She told you that we would become bad ponies!” Honey Mead said angrily.

This caused the two yearlings to flatten their ears and tuck their tails.

“Did we say something wrong?” Weedie said sobbing, “You’re not going to be bad ponies are you?”

“Oh, no sweetheart you did nothing wrong,” Metalance comforted the filly. She turns to Honey Mead. “Why would Butterfree tell them something so cruel?”

“I don’t know but I’ll have some words to say to her,” Honey Mead gritted her teeth.

“So mama Butterfree did something wrong?” Weedie asked.

“No, we’re not going to play that game,” Metalance told the foals, “Now you two stay up here and we will go downstairs and talked to mama Butterfree.”

“Is there anyone else down there with her?” Honey Mead asks.

“No,” Weedie shook her head.

“Were are the others?” Honey Mead questioned.

“Catfish is off working,” Caramel answers, “Mama Blaster is at the castle.”

“What is she doing at the castle?” Metalance wonders.

“She’s going to shoot Mr. La Dawn,” Weedie said cheerfully.

“Okay,” Metalance nods her head trying to hold back the smirk on her lips.

Metalance and Honey Mead slowly walked downstairs. They found Butterfree in the living room waiting for them.

“I trust you spoke to the children,” Butterfree said with a smile on her face.

“Yeah, what the hell was up with that?” Honey Mead snaps.

“ I just need to remind you two what you’ll be losing,” Butterfree told them as she pops the cork off a whiskey bottle and pours the two mares a shot glass each. She sighs, “I do miss drinking these things but my condition makes it such a bad idea.” Butterfree points at her belly.

Honey Mead took the drink but Metalance pushes her’s away.

“Why did you tell the foals that we are bad ponies!” Metalance demanded.

“I didn’t tell them that you are bad ponies, I told them that you might be bad ponies,” Butterfree corrected.

“I think my issue still stands,” Metalance told her.

Butterfree sighs, “I suppose you’re right. I should start by telling you the government that you work for no longer exists. At least in this city.”

“But that’s-“ Honey Mead starts to say.

Butterfree raised her hoof,” The Church of the Sky took over.”

“But why?” Honey Mead said shocked.

“Our glorious goddess lords Celestia and Luna has been discovered,” Butterfree said.

“That fact alone gives you more power than the lordships,” Metalance notes.

“Correct,” Butterfree cheered.

“And this leads us in a very sticky situation,” Metalance points out.

“Yes it does,” Butterfree said coldly, “I am a psychiatrist that works for the church, Blaster is a musketeer that works for the church, Catfish is a cleric trained by them.”

“So we are voted out of the herd than?” Honey Mead glares at Butterfree.

“No, not necessarily,” Butterfree told them, “If you promise to lay down arms and not cause trouble than we can remain a happy family.”

Honey Mead felt the rage building up in her. What followed shocked her because Metalance struck before she did. The pregnant pony flipped over on her back as she hits the ground.

“How dare you corrupt our family and use our-my child against me in this way!” Metalance screamed.

A loud pop made all the mares stopped cold. Honey Mead and Metalance suddenly found their hooves covered in a slimy substance.

“Shit, you had to break her water,” Honey Mead said to Metalance as her mouth went dry.

“Claymari stands face to face with King Mars… Both equines ready for a fight…”

Mars sighs, I suppose I will be the first that will have to speak since you are even more stubborn than I. You disappoint me daughter.”

“And you’re a piece of shit,” Claymari snaps.

“Yes, I suppose the first sin is mine,” Mars said somberly, “But I have broke the madness that gripped me so many years ago.”

“Really? Because I’ve noticed that the madness gets stronger when you get older,” Claymari smirks.

The two ponies charged at each other. When they came in range they reared up and started hitting each other with their hooves. Mars gets under Claymari and flips her over his body and onto the bed. The bed breaks from the impact.

Claymari quickly gets to her feet and grabs Mars by his neck with her foreleg. She repeatedly hits him in the face with her hoof as she slams him into a dresser. Mars roles and slams his body onto Claymari.

“From outside the room they hear the commotion of fighting…”

“Should we do something?” Ferngully asked.

Winkz shivers, “Errr, I’m not going in there.”

The two mares then looks at Blackstone. “Don’t worry, Dore thing just let them work it out.” Blackstone walks down the hall.

“Where are you going?” Ferngully asked.

“I have places to be,” Blackstone said as he turned around the hall.

“Back in the room…”

Blood runs down the foreleg of Mars. As Claymari came in for an attack, the blood suddenly turns into a scythe. The blade hooks around Claymari’s neck. But the mare slips out of the weapon and pulls out Crimson Bond.

“So you finally mastered the Blood Blade Technique,” Claymari smirked.

“I had to keep up with you daughter,” Mars smiles back.

The two ponies clashed blades. Claymari got more leverage into Mars and flips him onto his back.

“I always thought about doing this since the day I left,” Claymari aims her blade to her father’s groin. Then she gasped in shock.

Mars made a devilish smile. “I had it done about a year after your family died. A symbol to show I gave up on those mad dreams.”

Claymari blushed, “Wow, I never thought you would mutilate yourself for me. Although that is still pretty freaking crazy.”

Both ponies laughed.

“Do you want to finish this at the bar?” Mars asks as he gets up with a grunt.

“I’m always up for a drink,” Claymari smirks.

“Mousecakes thought somberly as she walked down the hall…”

“Mousecakes!” Catfish shouted as she walked up to the mare. “Are you going to the binding ritual?”

“Oh, yeah guess I am,” Mousecakes said as her thoughts straightened.

“It looks like something else is on your mind though,” Catfish remarks.

“Is it that obvious,” Mousecakes said blushing.

“I’ve seen that look a lot lately on many faces,” Catfish remarks, “Mine too when I look in the mirror.”

“I just feel so bad for my sister,” Mousecakes mutters, “I know it’s for the best, this feels like such a betrayal.”

“I feel the same thing about Honey Mead and Metalance,” Catfish sighs.

“So I heard this ritual is supposed to allow us to team up with some kind of spirit creature or something like that,” Mousecakes points out.

Catfish takes out her orb. She rubs it with her hoof and the thing glows red. A red mist comes from the orb and it forms into a pony.

“This is Strawberry Breeze,” Catfish told Mousecakes, “She’s a Biollante, a plant spirit.”

“I didn’t see it but we met one of these in Burning Cage,” Mousecakes points out.

“Can I please return? I was a little busy?” Strawberry Breeze asks.

“Sorry,” Catfish rubs her orb and the Biollante disappears.

The two mares walk into a chamber. Blackstone and Mareseir were waiting for them. Blackstone was conveying with what appeared to be a gold coated Alicorn with an orange mane. The mane had a green streak going through it. Her cutie mark was of a bee with sparkles trailing behind it.

Mousecakes and Catfish bows to the Alicorn as they walked into the room.

“Is she a new one sir?” Catfish asked.

“Yes, this is Summer Harvest one of the four Biollante lords,” Blackstone tells the Cat Pony, “I just made a contract with her so she’ll be my personal summons.”

“Biollante lords?” Mousecakes questions.

“There are four of us that looks like Alicorn’s,” Summer Harvest explains, “We act as the linchpins of our people. We find lost souls and give them energy so they can live. Making deals with mortals like this helps us gather energy.”

“Yes, when you make a contract with a spirit like that, you give it energy to keep it living,” Mareseir adds, “This was a technique I borrowed from an Elfen tribe.”

“I suppose we should get started than,” Blackstone remarks as he summons Summer Harvest away.

“You’re not going to use Summer Harvest for this?” Catfish questioned.

“No, she needs some time to prepare before we start doing that with her,” Blackstone said.

Mareseir summons a black Alicorn Biollante. “This is Black Rose,” He introduced.

Black Rose gives a curtsy to the mares. “It’s nice to meet you again Catfish and who’s the new mare?” She asked.

“I am Mousecakes,” Mousecakes introduced herself.

“Present to me your orb,” Black Rose commands.

Mousecakes holds out her orb. Black Rose puts her hoof on the orb and the orb takes on a weird violet glow. Mousecakes gets a weird feeling in her chest and she starts breathing hard.

“Focus on that feeling,” Black Rose tells her, “Swallow it inside into the orb.”

It took Mousecakes a minute to succeed at doing what she was told to do. A violet mist came from the orb. The mist forms into a pony. A yellow green thing with a purple mane.

“Where am I?” The Biollante asked confused by her sudden appearance.

“Violet,” Black Rose spoke in a gentle tone. “You made a summoning contract remember?”

“Oh, Black Rose yes I do,” Violet Eyes nods her head.

“This pony here,” Black Rose points at Mousecakes, “Her name is Mousecakes and she will be your partner unless you have an issue with her?”

Violet Eyes nervously looks Mousecakes up and down. “All right,” she replied weekly.

“Is that it?” Mousecakes asks.

“ Pretty much,” Black Rose answered, “If you want to get rid of her use the same feeling you used to summon her. But I suggest you two start talking and get to know each other better.” Black Rose gives a gentle smile.

“Why don’t we go out for lunch?” Catfish suggests, “It will give you two a chance to talk.”

“That does sound good,” Mousecakes replied the mentioning of food made her stomach rumble.

Violet Eyes just nodded her head.

“Butterfree screams out in pain…”

“What are we going to do she’s going into labor.” Honey Mead cried.

“Caramel honey go to your room and pack your bags!” Metalance shouts up the stairs

“Mommy what's going on?” Caramel cries out.

“Do it now we’re leaving!” Metalance shouts as she starts to walk up the stairs.

“Meta? Think about this?” Honey Mead stops Metalance by putting her hoof on her shoulder.

“You’re seriously, contemplating staying here!” Metalance shouts, “Our family betrayed us! Try using our foals against us, my son against me!”

“Sorry,” Butterfree said between contractions. “It was going to happen, as a family it’s the duty of each one of us to try to keep that family together.”

“Well it’s too late for that,” Metalance said coldly. “Honey are you going to help me or not?”

Honey Mead looks back at Butterfree. “You can do what you want, but I’m staying here.”

“Well suit yourself then,” Metalance shrugs.

“Meta, please reconsider,” Butterfree begged.

Metalance punches Butterfree in the face knocking her out.

“Stop that!” Honey Mead shouted, “Hitting a pregnant mare is what started this mess!”

“Yeah but at least we don’t have to deal with her for the moment,” Metalance smirks.

“But she’s giving birth!” Honey Mead exclaims.

“I’m sure she’ll wake up before it’s all done, if not? well it’s an automatic biological function that foal is coming out no matter what,” Metalance points out as she went up the stairs.

Metalance enters the foal’s room. She sees both Caramel and Weedie packing saddle bags.

“I’m almost ready,” Weedie tells Metalance.

“Weedie you are staying here,” Metalance orders the filly.

“But why?” Weedie asked.

Metalance kneels to Weedie’s level. “You remember how Caramel came out of my tummy?”

“Yes,” Weedie nods her head.

“I’m leaving the herd, because he came from my tummy I’m taking him with me,” Metalance explains, “You didn’t come from my tummy so you stay here with your other mommies.” Metalance wipes the tears from her eyes.

“No!” Weedie screamed clutching onto Metalance. “I want to come with you! Want to come with Caramel!”

“Get off of me,” Metalance said sternly.

“No! No! No!” Weedie shouts.

“I said get off!” Metalance snaps striking the filly so hard to send her flying into the wall. Weedie squeaks and whimpers from the pain as Metalance grabs Caramel and his saddle bag.

“Meta!” Honey Mead shouted rushing to the injured filly.

The mare and colt hurries downstairs. Weedie kicks away from Honey Mead and rushes after them well limping on one of her forehooves. She catches up to them as they walked out the door.

“Metalance!” Weedie shouts grabbing Metalance's hind leg just after she and Caramel steps outside.

“Weedie please don’t do this,” Metalance cries out.

A bow pony raises his crossbow and aims at the green pony. Just as he fires Honey Mead jumps out of the building and tackles Metalance. The bolt misses its intended target of the green pony and hits the yellow one.

“Run!” Metalance shouts. She grabs Caramel and gallops down the road. Weedie runs after them.

“Shit! Shit! Shit!” The bow pony shouts as he ran out into the street. He takes aim but couldn’t fire because the foal’s were in the way.

Metalance finds a moment to calm down, she takes a breath as she leans against a wall. Caramel was crying and Weedie was breathing heavy from her exertion.

“Mommy Honey was shot?” Weedie said in shock.

Metalance looks at Weedie and groans. “Oh no, they might’ve let me leave with Caramel because he was mine. Now that you’re with me this turned into a full kidnapping.” She mutters.

“I’m sorry,” Weedie backs away.

“Come here sweetie,” Metalance waves Weedie over with her hoof. “Now that your with me I’m not going to leave you.”

“Watching the tower…”

Blaster had been on her shift for a few hours now and was feeling stiff. There had been little movement from the tower. They were starting to think that what little movement they have seen was meant to show them that La Dawn was still in the tower, him and the other Pegasus.

“Here,” A cleric gives Blaster a cup of hot soup as part of her rounds.”

“Thanks,” Blaster tells the mare giving her a toothy smile.

The mare had a deep diamond blue coat with a silver mane. Her cutie mark was six diamonds of different sizes.

“Diamond Luck…”

A swiftly moving shadow from overhead caused both mares to drop their exchange and look up. They for a quick moment they saw what looked to be a giant Griffon going into some clouds.

“Gryphus here?” Blaster said picking up her laser rifle.