House Of The Crystal Sun

by Bluecatcinema

Tartarus On Your Doorstep

Back in Canterlot, mere days after the attack, Mist, now nine months pregnant, was pacing erratically through the main hall. Her fiancée Blue was accompanying her, ever more concerned about their foal.

"Mist, would you please calm down?" Blue tried to sooth her.

"How can I, Blue? Shine and the others should had been back by now! We hadn't heard anything back at the empire for days! Something is wrong, I just know it!" Mist fretted.

"Please, Mist, all this worrying isn't good for the foal." Blue got up to stop her pacing, "I'm sure everything is fine."

"Don't give me that." Mist glared. "Everything isn't fine."

"Well, you stressing about it isn't going to help." Blue countered.

"I guess you're right." Mist sighed. "I just hate not knowing."

Suddenly, a loud horn blared throughout the castle.

"What the-? What's going on?!" Mist asked.

"Um, Mist…" Blue looked out the windows. "You might want to look at this."

Mist joined Blue at the windows, and her jaw dropped as a cloud of darkness approached the city of Canterlot quickly. Shadow ponies surged across the street, attacking random ponies. Luxury was one of the unlucky ones, thrown against a café table by one of the aggressors.

Soon, the shadows breached the castle walls. Iron Hooves and the guards fought bravely, but the shadows were relentless, breaking through their every defence.

"Oh, boy." Blue Blazes cringed. "First the silence at the Empire, and now this."

"Something tells me it's no coincidence." Mist said grimly.

"Your highness." Iron Hooves, badly bruised from battle, entered the room. "The shadow ponies are breaking through our ranks. As the only member of the royal family here, you are in charge. What should we do?"

"We should fight." Mist declared.

"Mist, no!" Blue gasped. "You're nine months pregnant! We should leave, now!"

"But it's like Iron Hooves said: I'm the only one of the royal family here." Mist reminded him. "If I ran, what kind of message would that send to my subjects?"

"Well said, your highness." Iron nodded. "Celestia herself couldn't have put it better."

The doors to the hall began shuddering like crazy.

"Here they come…" Blue gulped.

The doors were blasted open, and the shadow ponies came storming in, surrounding the three ponies. Iron Hooves stood ready to fight, while Blue was ready to protect Mist.

The shadow ponies charged up their horns, and fired... at each other. The beams intersected, and formed an image of Red Eclipse.

"Hello?" Red glanced around, tapping his horn. "Is this thing on?" He glanced down at the three with a devilish glee. "Ah, good. I'm still trying to figure out this thing."

"Who are you?" Mist asked. "And why are your forces attacking us?"

Red looked at Mist, eyes narrowing.

"Why, I've simply sent them on a little errand." He said simply. "I'm Red Eclipse, and my employees are here for the shard of the Crystal Sun located in your vault."

"Crystal what?" Blue frowned.

"I'm afraid I do not know what it is you speak of." Mist glared, "But if you think we are just going to give it to some guy talking through a projection, then you are sorely mistaken!"

"Wow, you've got spunk, kid." Red smirked. "I like that... but my shadow ponies might not share that sentiment. In fact, they might lash out on this here city and it's people... heck, I bet they would love to play tug-o-war with that captain of yours."

"Just try it." Iron snarled.

"And I'm sure your family here at the Empire will want you to do as I say… not just for your sake but theirs… and what of your foal?" Red asked.

Mist stifled a growl as she felt her distended belly.

"What do you mean?! What have you done to Mist's family?!" Blue roared.

"Oh, I've done nothing… yet." Red chuckled darkly. "But the choice is yours, princess." Red declared. "Either give me what I want, or everypony else will suffer for it…what do you do?"

Mist shared unsure glances with both Iron and Blue, and then looked at her unborn foal, before she let out a sigh.

"...Fine." Mist sighed.

"Mist! I don't know what this 'Crystal Sun' is, but you can't just give it to him!" Blue protested.

"I have no choice." Mist declared. "As princess, I must put my subjects first."

"Well said, kid." Red smiled.

"Just so long as your shadow ponies leave the people alone once I hand it over." Mist snarled.

"Of course." Red nodded. "You have my word."

"Iron." Mist gestured.

Iron gave a grunt as he quickly went to the vault and retrieved the shard, which looked like a quarter of a sphere, sky blue in color, shining in the light. With hesitance, Iron gave the shard to the head shadow pony.

"Pleasure doing business with you." Red smiled.

"Now, all of you leave." Mist ordered.

"Actually... I think I'll have my shadow ponies stay here for a while..." Red chuckled darkly.

"What?!" Mist gasped. "But you promised-"

"That the shadow ponies would leave your people alone. I didn't say that they would leave Canterlot." Red elaborated. "As of now, Canterlot is now occupied and a part of the new world order for the foreseeable future."

"You son of a-GAH!" Blue was about to attack, before being knocked down by a blast of dark magic from a shadow pony.

"Blue!" Mist gasped.

"I wouldn't do that." Red smirked. "I promised that they would leave you alone... but if you happen to get in their way, I can't guarantee your safety. Good day."

The screen vanished, as the shadow ponies left.

"Are you alright, Blue?!" Mist fretted.

"Yeah, that freak got you good." Iron helped Blue up to his hooves.

"I'll be fine." Blue grunted, as he glared at where Red's projection stood, "But just who is that guy?!"

"I don't know." Mist frowned. "But I got the strangest feeling that he... knew me."

Elsewhere, in the Changeling Territory, Sazh and Wizel were in a similar position to Mist and Blue... with Sazh worrying like crazy, and Wizel trying to calm him down.

"This is bad, this is bad..." Sazh paced, wearing a hole in the floor.

"Sazh, you are over-thinking things." Wizel rolled his eyes.

"Am I, Wizel? Sleight and Chrysalis left for the Empire three days ago, and Sleight usually sends a letter telling me how things are going... with a little humor to take the edge off." Sazh muttered, before lighting up in horror. "You don't think the Crystal Ponies are still peeved about the whole invasion thing, are you?"

"I'm sure everything is fine, Sazh." Wizel patted his shoulder. "They just must be busy with the summit. Or with each other, if you know what I mean..."

"Hehehe…" Sazh gave a half-hearted chuckle, before frowning. "I don't get it."

Then, in a sense of déjà vu, a high pitched buzzing sound went off.

"What the buck?!" Sazh gasped. "Is today emergency drill day and nopony told me?"

"I don't know think so." Wizel muttered ominously.

They ran outside of the tower, and saw shadow ponies terrorizing the Changelings; Pushing them around, pulling them out of the air, ETC.

"My word..." Sazh gaped.

"What is this?" Wizel asked, dumbfounded.

Glinda came running over to Sazh and Wizel.

"Sazh! Wizel!" She yelled. "We're under attack!"

"We can see that, little one." Sazh declared.

"But under attack from what?" Wizel asked. "That is the question."

"They're monsters." Glinda trembled. "They're attacking us for no reason."

"If only Sleight and Chrysalis were here." Sazh cringed. "They'd know what to do."

"Don't be so sure." Wizel declared. "I doubt anypony has seen anything like this before..."

As it was in Canterlot, the shadow ponies swarmed over in front of the group, and as before, the projection of Red appeared.

"Hello, worms..." Red declared.

"You!" Wizel growled.

"Me." Red nodded.

"So you're behind this craven attack." Sazh snarled. "Seeking to harm our kind again, eh?"

"Not quite." Red admitted. "It's just a pleasant side-effect."

"But how…" Wizel muttered, "How did you…"

"Escape your 'friends'?" Red turned to Wizel. "Oh, dumb luck…" He then pointed to his horn. "And lots of dark magic. You should be more choosy of who you have take care of your messes."

"'Friends'? Who is he talking about, Mr. Wizel?" Glinda asked.

"Yeah, what is he talking about?" Sazh turned to Wizel.

"What do you want?!" Wizel demanded, ignoring the questions. "Are you here to finish what you started?!"

"Oh no, that's for another day." Red sneered. "For now, I want the Crystal Sun shard your queen's been hiding." Red declared. "Give it to me, or I'll have my troops raze your settlement to the ground. And this time, your wizard won't save you."

"Sleight…" Sazh gasped, "What have you done to him and Chrysalis?!"

"Nothing too bad... but that could change, especially for Queenie. I would hate to make most of you filthy insects mother-less and without a queen…" Red threatened.

"No, please..." Glinda sniffed. "Not our mother..."

"I won't let that happen! We'll send a scout to the old territory to retrieve it." Sazh declared. "But what guarantee do we you have you'll leave us alone afterwards?"

"I guarantee I will end you all right now if I don't get I want!" Red roared. "Send somepony to fetch that shard, and I'll let you and your queen all live. Is that guarantee enough for you?"

"Like we have a choice." Wizel sighed. "Very well. We will send our swiftest scout."

"He'd better be quick." Red growled. "I have a schedule to keep, you know."

The scout was indeed fast. Within a couple of hours, he had raced to the old territory, found the shard, and returned.

"There, you have what you want." Sazh gave the shard to a shadow pony. "Now leave us alone. And don't let the quick-stick slime grab you on the way out!"

"Oh, I don't think so." Red smirked.

"But you said-!" Wizel barked.

"I said I'd let you live." Red reminded him. "And live you shall... as a part of my new empire. Now, my shadow ponies... stick these bugs back in their nests."

"No!" Sazh yelled.

"You can't do this!" Wizel added.

"Stop it!" Glinda cried.

"Stop?" Red chuckled, as his image faded. "I've only just begun..."

While the shadow ponies forced the Changelings into their homes, down in the dungeons, the disgraced soldier Char listened to the ruckus.

"What calamity hazzz befallen my brethren thizzz time?" He wondered.

Meanwhile, the train Shine and the others had hidden in had just reached Dodge Junction. They slipped out as quietly as they could. Miracle had recovered enough to work.

"Follow me." Shine urged. "It's not far now!"

"Right behind-whoa!" Caboose suddenly thrust forward.

"Shh!" Sleight hissed. "Try not to draw attention to us."

"Sorry!" Caboose shrugged. "I can't help it."

"At this rate, we'll get there by sundown." Miracle smiled.

The sun suddenly dipped downwards.

"What the...?" Shine gaped.

The sun jumped back up, then left and right.

"How is thi-" Sleight stopped when he realized Caboose's horn was glowing. "Caboose? You're doing this?"

"I am?" Caboose asked. The sun moved as his head twitched. "Hey, I am!"

"I though only mom could move the sun." Miracle noted.

"You're right." Shine declared. "Somehow, her powers must have been transferred to Caboose."

"Wait, so I now have the power to control the sun, the very star that helps keep this planet alive? ...Cool." Caboose chuckled.

"Why him?" Sleight asked.

"It may have been an accident." Shine mused. "Celestia was pretty... swamped at the time. Anyway, let's keep on moving."

"You got it." Caboose nodded. A spark from his horn hit Sleight in the hoof.

"Yeowch!" Sleight cringed.

"Sorry." Caboose apologized.

They made their way to Big Red and Cherry Jubilee's ranch, and knocked on the door.

"Shine?" Big Red asked, as he opened the door.

"What's with the surprise visit?" Cherry inquired.

"It's bad, Cherry." Shine declared, "Real bad."

"Say no more." Big Red gestured in, "Come on in."

Shine and the others entered the house as they sat in the living room. Big Red took note of Sleight.

"And who is this feller?" Big Red asked.

"Oh, this is Sleight Gambit. King of the changelings and probably the best card magician in the world." Shine explained.

"Charmed." Sleight nodded, as he shook hooves with Big Red.

"Changelings, huh?" Big Red asked, "Never heard of a pony leading a completely different species before."

"Heh, it's not half bad... once you get used to the fact that your wife is a grouch come egg-laying season and you learn how to speak buzzing sounds." Sleight shrugged.

"So, what do you mean by bad exactly, Shine?" Cherry asked.

"The summit was attacked." Miracle told them.

"Say what now?" Big Red gaped.

"My word." Cherry gasped.

"Everypony but us was captured by some psycho named Red Eclipse." Shine added, "The four of us barely escaped with our lives." He glanced at Miracle's wounds.

"Wait, who was the guy?" Big Red asked.

"Red Eclipse... he's the pony who is doing all this." Shine declared.

"Pony?" Sleight snorted. "Try 'monster'."

"Or 'meany-weany-bo-feany'!" Caboose added, "Or as Slot could call him, a ~@#%!"

"Huh?" Shine asked.

"Sorry, had to censor it for the readers." Caboose explained. "This ain't no 'mature' story."

"Caboose, could we not deal with your oddities right now?!" Sleight glared.

"This Red Eclipse... is he a big red Earth Pony like me, shaggy fetlocks, and a lunar eclipse with a red eye for a Cutie Mark?" Big Red described.

The four were astonished.

"Uh, yeah..." Shine nodded.

"How the buck did you know?" Sleight frowned.

"By Faust…can you read our minds?" Caboose gaped.

"Red... it's him..." Cherry gasped.

"Ah can't believe it..." Big Red muttered. "After all these years..."

"What are you talking about?" Shine asked. "Both of you know this stallion?"

"You could say that..." Big Red admitted. "In fact, you could even say that we grew up with him... him and your father."

"My father?" Shine frowned. "Wait, what does my father have to do with Red Eclipse?"

"Quite a lot actually... he an' Red were real close back in the days... in fact... they were brothers." Big Red revealed.

The four gaped.

"Brothers?!" Shine gasped.

"My grandpa had a brother?" Miracle asked.

"And he's Red Eclipse?!" Caboose spluttered. "Wait, if he's Shine's dad's brother... that would make him Shine's..."

"Uncle..." Shine finished.

"Hold the phone!" Sleight declared. "There's no way that war-monger could be related to Shine! He's an Earth Pony, and his coat color greatly contrasts with his father!"

"Trust me, when Ah first met those two, Ah was thinkin' the same thing..." Big Red recalled, "But yes, Red Eclipse is your uncle, Shine…"

"So you mean to tell me that my wife is probably in dire peril... because of your genocidal uncle?!" Sleight glared viciously at Shine.

"Hey, none of that!" Big Red barked, prompting Sleight to wince. "This ain't Shine's fault…though I never thought that he would…would come back…"

"What do you mean?" Shine asked. "Pa never told me that he had a brother…"

"…It was something that White didn't want to linger on." Cherry frowned. "The memories were just too painful for him."

"Well, could you mind fillin' us in? We aren't going anywhere anytime soon." Sleight lounged back, still a bit peeved at the revelation.

"Ooh, major backstory time!" Caboose instantly pulled up a popcorn bag out of nowhere. "This is gonna be good."

"Tell us everything you know, Big Red." Shine requested.

"Okay…" Big Red sighed, as he went up to the mantle of the fireplace and pull out a box. He quickly opened it and pulled out a photo, and showing it to the four. In the picture was a young Pegasus, which was evidently White Knight, and next to him, with his hoof around his shoulder, a slightly taller and bigger Earth Pony that was nearly a spitting image of Red Eclipse, albeit with a black mane and two good eyes.

"To start off, his real name is Black Knight Paladin. Red Eclipse wuz just a nickname that me, Cherry, and White gave him when we were just kids…" Big Red muttered.

"Well, that explains why Lars didn't find anything on him back in Canterlot." Caboose noted, before the others glanced at him. "It's a long story."

"Him, White, and Ah went way back, ta when we were just colts." Big Red sighed, as he began to reminisce. "Both he an' White were like brothers to me. But Black... Black was like the cool kid on the block... and dependable too. Everpony looked up to him, includin' me an' Cherry. But nopony idolized him like yer father did, Shine. Your grandparents, Ivory Templar and White Dove passed away from illnesses when they were young, and Black was all that White had left in the world. There ain't a pony that White loved other than your mother than he did your uncle…"

"But that doesn't explain how Red-I mean, Black was an Earth Pony and White was a Pegasus." Sleight snorted.

"He's right. I was always told that the Paladin bloodline was purely Pegasus." Shine explained, before turning to Miracle. "Before you, of course, sunbeam."

"That is weird, isn't it?" Miracle frowned.

"That... Ah can't really explain." Big Red shook his head. "There's bin all sorts a' rumors over the years about Black. One said that White Dove cheated on Ivory with an Earth Pony. Another said that Black was a bad omen. The town's crazy guy, Mort, says he was Devil's Incarnate."

"Having met the guy, I can believe that." Sleight deadpanned.

"But there wuz no denyin' that Black wuz... different." Big Red frowned. "While White and Black loved each other very much, their relationship wuz real rocky at times, and Black wuz never really happy to be the only Earth Pony in a Pegasus family. One might say that he wuz jealous of White."

"Jealous?" Miracle gaped. "Really?"

"Well, I can understand the feeling." Caboose nodded. "Dusty always felt lonely being the only Earth Pony in our little Unicorn famigla."

"Caboose…" Sleight glared.

"Hey, I said I understand. I don't approve of world takeovers." Caboose snapped.

"As the years passed by, Ah had a feelin' somethin' wuz off about Black. Ah wuzn't sure what it was or anything, but he did some pretty questionable things over the years..." Big Red continued. "Sneaking off at night ta do who knows what, talkin' with some bad-lookin' ponies... heck, this one time, he beat the feathers off a griffin that had bin bullying me back then. He woulda killed him had White not stopped him. I never really thought it wuz somethin' ta be worried about..."

"Then what happened?" Shine asked.

"Well, war broke out in Saddle Arabia, and they were lookin' for soldiers. White and Black, being the Paladins they are, both enlisted and shipped off to Saddle Arabia." Big Red recalled. "Went up the ranks pretty fast, too. Before long, Black wuz made captain of this small platoon and White his second-in-command. For five years, Ah had only received a few letters from the both of them, but then, about five years since the day they left, Ah opened the door to find White Knight, plum hysterical."

"What was wrong with him?" Miracle asked.

"White wasn't all that clear about what had exactly happened in Saddle Arabia... but all he said was that Black had the platoon and him do something awful... something about razing this village that housed Changelings. In fact, they were one of the first ponies to create peace with them." Big Red proceeded with the story.

"What?! Why would he do such a thing?!" Shine gaped.

"Ah wished Ah knew. White and the others were completely unaware of what they were doin', thinking that the village was a depot for weapons, till it wuz too late. Everypony lay dead... and one of their own, a kid named Rookie Blue, got caught in the crossfire. Poor White wuz horrified when Black told him the truth." Big Red frowned.

"What did he do?" Sleight asked.

"What could he do?" Big Red rebutted. "Black had him and the platoon murder an entire village under his command, and a good pony got killed fer it. White wuz put in a bad spot. Black already made the rest sworn to silence, and if anypony could bring him down, it wuz White. It was just a question of who he wuz more loyal to... the brother who was the only family he had left... or the country and the ponies he swore to serve."

"Wow, this is getting good." Caboose took another hoof-ful of popcorn.

"Eventually, his duty to his country won out, and White came before Celestia herself, telling her of Black's crimes." Big Red continued. "Black was tried, and eventually found guilty, stripping him of everything and earning him a one-way ticket to a jail-cell. Black really hated White for that…"

"Wait, Celestia knew my father?" Shine asked, "I mentioned him so many times... and not once did she mention him..."

"She probably didn't want to upset you." Miracle offered.

"Anywho, things really got worse when Black swiftly broke out when they were moving him to the prison, and he lead a one-stallion charge to kill Celestia." Big Red said grimly.

"No way!" Miracle gasped.

"One stallion? Was Black that strong?" Shine asked.

"Oh yeah. Even more than me back in the days." Big Red shuddered, "Black wuz more than determined to see his vendetta to an end, and it soon came to a point when the only thing that came between him and Celestia... wuz White. Your father tried to reason with him, but Black wouldn't hear of it... in fact, he actually disowned him right there and then. Despite this, White fought his hardest and against his moral fiber, he... he killed him... threw him out a window and off the side of the mountain the castle stood on."

"Well, he obviously didn't do a good job of killing him if he's causing all this right now." Caboose snorted.

"Well, as far as Equestria knew, Black wuz dead." Big Red shrugged. "White just wuzn't the same since that day. Just days after, he retired from the army, bringing us back to that night he came ta mah doorstep. White never forgave himself for doing what he did to his brother…"

"But it was the right thing to do." Sleight reasoned. "Red-Black-whatever was a bad pony, and he needed to be stopped."

"Oh, Sleight, when you come ta be mah age, you'll learn that not all things are black an' white." Big Red shook his head. "Black Knight was really a good pony back then... Cherry and I didn't want to believe that he would do such a thing... but there was no changing facts."

"But that doesn't explain why he didn't tell me." Shine muttered.

"He wanted to protect you, darling." Cherry gave a sad smile. "He didn't want you to grow up knowing what kind of uncle you used to have."

"Yeah... to tell ya the truth, White also believed that Black was still alive, and he was afraid that he would come and bring harm upon you, Mist, or Silver." Big Red added. "That fear followed him to his grave... and now, Black is doing all a' this…"

Silence greeted the room.

"I just don't believe this." Shine frowned. "All this time, I had an uncle..."

"And a psycho uncle at that." Sleight added.

"And I thought my family tree was twisted." Caboose deadpanned, as he emptied out the last of his popcorn.

"Talk about having a black sheep in the family..." Miracle sighed.

"Still, that doesn't change the fact that as of now, all of us are in danger." Sleight declared. "And we need somewhere to hole up."

"Well, you came to the right place." Big Red smiled, "Ain't no safer place than your own hometown in your own home."

"Are you sure?" Miracle muttered. "If you do this, you'll be risking your lives for us."

"Oh hush now, dear." Cherry hugged Miracle. "We're family, and what family wouldn't defend their own against those who seek to harm them."

"Words well spoken, Juby." Big Red smiled.

"Juby?" Caboose asked.

"Long story." Big Red said abruptly.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Cherry rose to get it.

"Wait." Shine stopped her. He peeked through the curtains, spotting a group of shadow ponies. "Oh, no.... it's them."

"What?! You said they wouldn't look for us here!" Sleight barked.

"I don't know…Black must have figured out where we were heading and had them come here." Shine muttered.

"What do we do?" Caboose asked, his horn sparking a bit with Alicorn magic. "Those guys don't look so happy."

"Maybe we can hide in the barn." Shine suggested. "Big Red, Cherry, can you buy us some time?"

"Yew got it." Big Red nodded.

As Shine and the others snuck out the back way, Big Red opened the door.

"We... seek... prince Shine...and… his daughter..." The lead shadow pony hissed. "Have you... seen them?"

"Nah, can't say that Ah have." Big Red shrugged.

"We... sensed... Alicorn... magic..." The shadow pony growled. "Near... here..."

"Well, I'm afraid we can't help you there." Cherry smiled. "No Alicorns around here."

"Yeah, Ah mean, sure, Ah have an Alicorn granddaughter. Her name's Miracle by the way. And an Alicorn daughter-in-law named Celestia…" Big Red ranted on.

"Perhaps you've heard of her?" Cherry asked.

"Yes... we have...." The shadow pony growled.

"We got us some nice family photos, if' ya wanna see 'em..." Big Red offered.

"No... thanks..." The Shadow Pony hissed irritably.

"How about some nice cherry tea?" Cherry asked.

"I... don't... think... so..." The shadow pony growled, getting more annoyed.

"Cherrychimichanga?" Big Red asked.

"No!" The shadow pony snapped.

"Well, you don't have to get snippy." Cherry smirked.

Meanwhile, Shine and the others slipped into the barn.

"Okay, now we just wait them out." Shine whispered.

"Yeah, as long as we remain silent, we should be okay." Sleight nodded.

"I just hope grampa and grandma'll be okay..." Miracle worried.

"Sure they will." Caboose smiled. "They're tough as old boots, I'll bet."

Just then, Caboose's horn lit up.

"Gah!" Sleight covers his eye. "Caboose, put that light out! We'll be spotted!"

"I'm trying!" Caboose snapped, as he concentrated on his horn, but instead, it began to pulse erratically. "Uh-oh." He cringed.

"Uh-oh? What's uh-oh?!" Shine gasped.

"I'm getting a really bad feeling!" Caboose whimpered, as the pulsing was getting faster.

"Hold it in, Caboose!" Sleight urged.

"I can't!" Caboose groaned. His horn began to shake violently. "Oh sh-"

Outside, Big Red was trying to talk the shadow ponies away.

"I assure you, there ain't no royalty hidin' on this here proper-" He was interrupted by the barn exploding.

As the smoke cleared, everypony glared at Caboose.

"Hehe, oops?" Caboose said awkwardly.

"Get... them!" The lead shadow yelled.

Big Red tackled all three of them.

"Run!" He told the others.

Shine and the others started running. The shadow ponies threw Big Red off with ease, and ensnared him and Cherry in strands of dark magic.

"GRANDMA! GRAMPA!" Miracle screamed.

"Keep running, don't look back!" Big Red shouted after them, before his mouth got muffled by the shadowy tendrils.

"Miracle, we have to go!" Shine urged.

"But..." Miracle whimpered.

"Your dad's right, kid." Sleight agreed. "There's nothing we can do for them now."

"In other words, let's skedaddle!" Caboose declared.

The shadow ponies gave chase to the quartet. Shine led the group as they ran back to the train station, the shadow ponies in hot pursuit.

"They're getting closer!" Miracle looked back.

"Shine, you and Miracle go on ahead!" Sleight declared. "I'll hold them off!"

"Me too!" Caboose nodded.

"We can't just leave you!" Shine protested.

"We gotta stick together!" Miracle added.

"It's no good all of us getting captured." Sleight countered. "As long as even one of us remains, there's hope. Now get moving."

"You're right." Shine nodded. "Let's go, Miracle."

"...Okay." Miracle sighed.

As Shine and Miracle raced to the train station, Sleight and Caboose turned to the oncoming shadow ponies.

"Guess this is it." Caboose smiled, "The end of the road…"

"Yep." Sleight grinned. "For one of us, at least."

Sleight flung one of his cards at Caboose, trapping him within.

"Whmmmt rrr yu do'n?" Caboose yelped, his voice muffled.

"Sorry, pal." He apologized. "It wouldn't be a good idea to let Eclipse get his hooves on all this power... Well that, and I'm not in the mood for another one of those surges causing me grief."

With a flick of his horn, Sleight teleported the card away.

"Nnnnn!" Caboose yelled. "Nnnn! Nnnnnn....!"

"Good luck, pal." Sleight said solemnly.

He then turned to the shadow ponies with a glare, as he pulled out two decks of cards from his jacket.

"You want a piece of me?! Then prepare to be amazed... by SLEIGHT THE MYSTIFYING AND EXTRAORDINARY!" Sleight roared, as he charged at the shadow ponies.

He threw everything he had at them, be they powerful blasts of magic or the sharp edges of razor-like cards. Ultimately though, he was beaten and captured.

Meanwhile, Shine and Miracle were riding the train to safety.

"Where do we go now, dad?" Miracle asked. "Where can we hide where they won't find us?"

"I know one place they won't likely think to look." Shine smiled. "The castle of the Royal Pony Sisters."

"In the Everfree Forest?" Miracle gasped.

"That's the place." Shine nodded. "If it can't hide us, nowhere can..."

Comments

[danick]

I bleive Char will return to the action