Jumba's Mobile Laboratory
During the ending of Six Two Six Two
Outside Galactic Federation Airspace
Coordinates: CLASSIFIED
Floating seamlessly against the infinite black void of space was a small ship, barely bigger than your average transport shuttle. It would have been difficult, yet not impossible, to fit six or seven humans inside it. Two aliens and an entire mobile laboratory were another matter entirely.
"Would you stop with the pacing, Pleakley! You are rocking entire ship!" The larger one barked impatiently.
"Well it's not my fault we have to be up here doing things we probably shouldn't be doing in a container hardly bigger than a cantaloupe! How am I supposed to breathe in here, Jumba?"
"Same way you usually do, I imagine," Jumba replied. "Seeing as the Council has not yet allowed me back into my laboratory, must make do with more primitive one."
"And you're still not going to tell me what we're doing up here?"
"Something very evil and bad," Jumba said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
"I knew it!" Pleakley announced. "Which is what, exactly?"
"We are guarding this," Jumba said, patting a nearby pedestal with what appeared to be an even smaller capsule carefully positioned on top of it.
"I thought you gave all six hundred and twenty five of those to Lilo," Pleakley said, sounding vaguely concerned.
"I did," Jumba said.
"Then why does that look like an experiment?"
"Because it is!"
"But you said-"
"I am knowing what I am saying!" Jumba declared. "I make new one." He cackled. "Is beautiful, yes? I give Lilo six hundred and twenty five, I never said nothing about six hundred twenty seven!"
"You what?!" Pleakley began to pace back and forth even faster than usual. "Oh, Jumba, if the Council finds out about this..."
"Council does not need to be knowing," Jumba said.
"You can't make more of those things! You promised!"
Jumba rolled his eyes, a feat which always made Pleakley slightly dizzy. "I am evil genius. I break promises," he said. "Besides, is best one yet! Not even Lilo can fix this one! Is guaranteed to be completely and unbreakably evil!"
Pleakley stared at him. "I'm not entirely sure you know what 'best' means."
Their argument at this point was interrupted by a large burst of static from one of the overhanging video monitors. This got their attention rather quickly, and both immediately looked up at it as the screen flared to life. Neither of them were particularly pleased to see what appeared to be an empty backdrop.
"What are we looking at?" Pleakley asked.
"Appears to be wall," Jumba said.
"Up, up, you idiots!" The screen shouted, and a surprisingly fluffy character climbed into view.
"Hipsterviel!" Jumba said, sounding pleased. "You never write anymore. Is very rude."
"Hamsterviel, you buffoon! It's not that difficult!"
"He was a hamster before it was cool," Pleakley muttered, to which Jumba started snickering.
"It still does not excuse your rudeness," Jumba said.
"Shut up, both of you! My sources tell me you have a new experiment. Why was I not informed?!"
"Because I didn't tell you," Jumba said. "Is mine, not yours. Why was I not informed that hacking into secure channels counts as having sources now?"
"Well, well, mister smart alec, you know what IS mine? The giant fleet which SURROUNDS YOUR LOCATION!" Hamsterviel started laughing. "You will hand this new experiment over to me, or you will perish! And don't think you can call the little girl this time, she is busy."
"Very well, I will release it to you," Jumba said.
"What?!" Pleakley gasped. "You can't!"
"You fool!" Hamsterviel shouted. "How dare you! Your denial to my demands will incur the wrath of- oh. Very wise, Jumba! Very wise! Release it to me at once!"
Jumba shrugged. "Release Unit 627," he said. On a nearby control panel, a red light flicked to green. The small experiment capsule fell downwards into its holding receptacle, and promptly disappeared.
Hamsterviel rubbed his paws together greedily like an old timey villain. "Well, where is it?!"
"I released it," Jumba said simply.
"Released it where?!" Hamsterviel sounded horrified.
"Outside," he said. "You are welcome to be fetching it!"
Hamsterviel turned red and jumped up and down with anger. "You can't just drop things like that into space! Do you know what you are parked over?!"
"A wormhole," Jumba said. "There are lots of them. They go to all sorts of places! But here is evil part, organic matter cannot get through! Would tear you to bits. Like cheese." He laughed. "But capsule is dehydrated, my creation is safe."
Hamsterviel glared furiously at him. "But you cannot get it back then, either!"
"Is better than you having it."
The small villain's eye twitched. "Get me my experiment, Jumba! Don't think you've heard the last of this!" The video screen then blinked to blackness.
"He really needs a vacation," Pleakley said, and looked out the window into the black expanse. "Where do you think it went?"
"I will track it," Jumba said. "But it will take a day or two to find the frequency. In meantime, wherever it lands, I hope is prepared for evil and mass destruction!" He laughed.
"You worry me sometimes," Pleakley said. "Wherever it is... heaven help them."
Following the departure of Stitch's last adventure, nopony ever noticed the small flash of light that occurred as a small round object of some sort burst into existence and flew into the Library, bouncing off various walls before flying through the open window. It landed on a small ridge and rolled underneath the tree, never seen and quickly forgotten.
Barely visible on the small object was a set of numbers.
627.
---
Ponyville - Several months after the events of Six Two Six Two
Stitch had come and gone twice now. The rift which Celestia had allowed open remained sturdy and functional, although it was guarded night and day, with sentry posts monitoring anything that went in and out of it. Although it was somewhat of a thankless job, as nothing ever did. During that time, as fortune would have it, a coronation had taken place, and Twilight had found herself busier than ever.
Unfortunately, this also meant that rain was no longer scheduled over Twilight's Library. At least temporarily. She was set to meet with multiple dignitaries and high ranking officials, and none of them wanted to get wet or have their visit detained by murky weather. So while the pegasi weather teams worked around the Library, the plants and flowers were watered manually, and by manually, of course, meant that Spike had to do everything.
It was nearing the end of the day, and both residents of the Library were absolutely exhausted.
"I don't know about this whole princess thing, Spike," Twilight confided. "Princess Celestia really seems to think I can handle it, and I'll do everything in my power to meet her expectations. But what if I can't do it? What if I mess up?"
"Don't worry about it, Twilight," Spike said. "Everypony messes up now and then. Even Princess Celestia. What's important is that when you do mess up, you learn from it."
Twilight smiled at him. "That's very good advice, Spike. Wherever did you learn something like that?"
Spike rolled his eyes. "I don't know, Twilight. It's not like I'm constantly surrounded by books I can read or constantly asked to write friendship reports or anything like that. It's a mystery." He crossed his arms, his tone not at all something that Twilight was amused with.
Twilight's smile faded. "Alright, you're starting to get cranky. Put the watering can down, and get ready for bed. I'll finish up. And tomorrow you can have the day off."
Spike's eyes widened. "Really? You mean it?"
"Sure. You earned it. I... maybe work you a little too hard sometimes. You're just such a good assistant, I forget you're just a little dragon."
"Alright! Thanks Twilight!" Suddenly in a much better mood, Spike threw the watering can to the ground, racing inside and up the stairs.
Although the watering can had been mostly empty, there still remained enough inside it to spill out over the center opening. The pools of liquid trickled down the front area of the Library, disappearing down below.
"Spike, you can't just leave things out like that! Somepony might trip and get hurt!" Twilight scolded, picking up the watering can and carrying inside, shortly after closing the door.
Neither were present to see the bright surges of light coming from underneath the Library. And neither heard the wild cackling laughter that followed moments later. Nor the dark red claws that burst out of the ground and clawed at the surface.