> Power Ponies: The New Heroes
>  by Reddened Chaos
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1: New Heroes
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	It was a normal night in Maretropolis. Or at least what counted for normal here. The airships in flight, the bright lights, the night life. All of this was part of the norm here. One thing that would appear odd, though, even though it happened on a bi-daily basis, was the super villain battles between the power ponies and, more often than not, the Mane-iac. This wasn't the case tonight. True, the power ponies were fighting, but it wasn't against Mane-iac, but rather a new villain who called herself "The Element Empress".

The power ponies were planning to retire...they had to stop this new mare. This would be their final fight. After a long and grueling battle for all of them, when all hope appeared to be lost, and the power ponies were stuck in a corner, looking their end in the face, they were rescued, by an unexpected ally, and a new generation of Power Ponies!

Though this was welcome, one thing they hadn't expected was that their old enemy, the mane-iac, was with the new group.

"You can not stop me, power ponies," Element said, laughing when she was able to bring the power ponies to heel, a feat not even the Mane-iac was able to do without trickery. 

"This city will be mine, and there is nothing you can do to stop me." The Element Empress' outfit was a spandex one-piece with black for the main color, with accents of red, blue, gray, and brown at the wrists and ankles, Her mask was a simple one, as it was the same mask type as Radiant Gem's, the only difference being the color, while the mare herself was a unicorn, whose coat, or at least what could be seen, was a light green, while her mane was a contrasting dark blue.

The Power Ponies were on the floor of the warehouse they were fighting in, their cloths torn, their bodies bloody from the fight, as The Element Empress had the ability to control earth, air, water, and fire. "And why are you so certain of this, Empress," Matterhorn said, "we've beaten other villains, one stronger than you."

She began to laugh "Because I'm better than they are. It doesn't matter who comes to save you. You cannot prolong the inevitable..." She said menacingly.

"Now," she said, grabbing all of the Power Ponies in her magic and lifting them into the air, "you six will die."

A blast of heat hits her, knocking the Power Ponies from her grip and slamming her into a crate inside the warehouse. As one of the new heroes, Solar Flare, stepped forward.

She got up from the wreckage of the crates, with only a few scratches on her, and said, "Who are you to interfere with me?"

"I am Dawn Breaker. Mistress of the radiant power of the Sun!" She said, as her eyes glared. Her costume was simple, a purple jumpsuit that also partly revealed her cleavage, her boots and gloves lined with some frills, but her mask was similar to Radience and The Element Empress, in that it covered her eyes. her coat and horn were pure white, and her wings as well. her mane and tail were long, waving, and were shades of green, pink, purple and blue.

"And you think you can defeat me," Empress said, gesturing to the Power Ponies as she said, "When I easily defeated these six?"

"Who ever said she was alone?" a voice the Power Ponies recognized instantly said.

A  second crate slams into Element, as the familiar figure of the Maneiac, appeared, walking using her mane like she always did.

"What the," Radiance said in surprise.

"Mane-iac," Empress said, venom in her voice, "why are you helping these pathetic heroes. You're their arch-nemesis."

"Because...I'm tired, of the constant cycle, of fighting against them....I want...to make this city a better place now....I've been wanting to do so for a long time...And, now that your here...I can afford to leave the villain business, and do their job." She explained, with a smile given to the Power Ponies.

"So you think that simply saying you will defeat me because you turned over a new leaf will allow it? You two are but rookies, and you will need luck to defeat me."

"Maybe, but they aren't alone either!" A voice sounded as she got blasted by a blue laser beam, and another figure walked in. she was tall in a golden suit, with silver armor sections around her thighs and arms. with purple gloves and boots, and a black mask over her already black fur. her teal eyes looked cat like. "I am Sky Shadow. Defender of the Stars!"

"Well, it would seem you have more surprises than I thought," Element growled. "But are you certain you have enough. It's only two rookies, a wash-out villain who is probably a worse hero, and six mares who are too injured to fight."

"More like Three heroes, a mare who knows how to be a villain, And the six mares who would fight to the bitter end." A final voice said, as a combination of numerous blasts hit her like stars, as the dark blue furred form of Empress Eclipse appears. her suit was also similarly dark blue, with her mask being purple, along with her gloves and boots.

"It doesn't matter," Element said, "None of you can defeat me."

"We'll see about that!" Matterhorn said defiantly as they all stood by the new team, smiling back at Maneiac, as the entire group of 10 attacked Element.

The battle was quick, but harsh, as Element used her powers to be able to fight back against the ten of them, they ganged up on her, as Shadow and Eclipse used their power together, Just when One of the Power ponies were knocked back, Maneiac caught them and sent them right back as a sling shot with her hair. Dawn Breaker was using her own powers of heat and solar rays to attack, with vicious blasts of fire, as the entire lot of them got to be unbearable.

Zap caused a storm, and Shadow joined in with Dawn and Eclipse, as they turned it into a combination of a hailstorm and raining fire as well, Filli-second sped right for Maneiac, to be slingshotted back, at double the speed and momentum for a mach speed punch, sending Element flying, right into Mistress Marevelous, who used her lasso to tie her up and sling her right back, Radiance used her bracelet, to create a bat, which knocked her upwards, before Saddle Rager met her in the air, and pounded her in the ground, hard enough to cause a large crater. To finish the job, Matterhorn joined forces with Eclipse and Shadow, as they froze her in a block of ice, and she was sent off with the police.

As she was sent away, the Power Ponies, walked over to the ones who had saved their lives, which, in the case of Mane-iac, was an ironic twist, but a welcome one nonetheless.

She smiles "Thank you...for showing me that I can truly make a difference, by being good." Maneiac said.

"No, problem Mane-iac, but who are the rest of you?" Matterhorn asked.

They smiled "I'm Dawn Breaker." Said the white mare. "I'm Empress Eclipse" said the blue one. "And I'm Sky Shadow" Said the black one. but they then removed their masks, to allow the Power Ponies to see who they really were. Celestia, Luna, and Nightmare Moon, at the same time, maneiac, returned to her normal state, no tendril mane or tail, infact her mane and tail were short, her mane going down to her shoulders, and was light blue, with her eyes being the same color, and her fur was a light shade of lavender. She smiled "Well. you girls likely already know me but, My name's Luxurious Locks. but those I hold as friends called me Luxi." She said smiling.

"Yeah, uh, I hate to be blunt," Zap said, directing it to Nightmare, Luna, and Celestia, but why are you three here? And how is Nightmare Moon here. Wasn't she, I don't know, beaten by the Elements of Harmony a few years back?"

"Because the elements separated me from Luna, they didn't destroy me." She explained.

"Plus Zappy, it's what the authors decided to do." Said Filli-Second smiling happily.

Filli, you aren't Pinkie or Discord, so no braking the fourth wall, not even to respond to me.

The other Power ponies and Mane-iac looked at her with looks of concern and confusion on their faces, while the three alicorns simply had amused grins.

"Yeah, well," Zap said, "that still doesn't answer my question as to why you three are here when you should be in Canterlot."

"Yes it does Zap. I already told you why, the Authors deemed it so. Ya can't question it!" She said happily.

"No, I can't question you, and I'm not even asking you, I'm asking them. If they stepped down, we would have heard of it by now."

"Actually," Luna said, stopping the two before they came to blows, "we did indeed step down, we simply made sure the public didn't find out so we could move here."

"Oh...Okay then..." She said shrugging. "Guess you guys wanted something a bit more exciting than ruling huh?" Zap said.

"Yep," Luna said. "Princess Cadence and Twilight are taking our places."

Matterhorn shrugged "Fair enough then." She smiled "Cause we're retiring after this fight...it was fun, for one last battle...we were planning on retiring to a quiet place outside town....so...think you four can handle the town for us?" She asked them smiling happily and gratefully that they saved them.

"Of course," Celestia said. "After all, the worst the city has gone against was Luxi, here."

Luxi then spoke up blushing a bit "True...at least, till Element there...But she's frozen today, so we can let it go and watch over the town should anything else pop up."

"Though if history is any indication when it comes to super villains, she'll somehow return with little or no explanation for us."

Luxi huffed, crossing her arms. "What are you trying to say??"

Bringing her hand up in an "I'm just saying" gesture, Nightmare said, "It's simply a super villain cliche I've observed, along with the villain somehow getting the heroes main weakness."

The Power ponies simply began to giggle a bit as Luxi just huffed, pretending to be offended by the remark, given how she was a former enemy of the team before deciding to turn over a new leaf.

"So," Nightmare asked, "where do you plan on going?"

They all shrugged. "Ain't sure. just, go our seperate ways but stay in contact I guess." Saddle Rager said.

"Well, Matterhorn," Celestia said, "perhaps you'd like Ponyville. It's quiet, and you have much in common with Twilight. Plus, her assistant is a large fan of yours."

"Maybe. Not like she'll need the role there taking over for you...though I'm not sure if I want to give her assistant a heartattack...." she said chuckling to herself.

"Maybe, but he would like to meet one of you."

"Well maybe...I might drop by to check out the town." She said smiling to the former princesses.

"Well," Nightmare said, "this has been an interesting day."

Luna and Luxi both nodded in agreement, as the Power ponies began to leave, to begin their retirment.


Three days later


Celestia, Luna, Nightmare, and Luxi were at the city limits with Matterhorn and the others, not in costume, wishing them luck with whatever they do.

"Thanks for your help three days ago. We appreciate it, and we now leave the city in your capable hands. Farewell, we'll be sure to keep in touch." said Matterhorn as they began to leave.

"Good luck," Luxi said, waving to them in goodbye.

"Same to you Luxi." They said, as they soon left, being out of eyeshot, having gone their own ways.

"I hope that they are able to find some place peaceful," Celestia said. "They've earned it."

"Indeed they have, sister," Luna said.

"So," Nightmare said, "where's our hideout going to be?"

Luxi spoke up "We could stay at my apartment. it's large enough for all four of us. I used to use it to come up with plans." She suggested smiling.

"I do not see why not, but we will have to use illusion spells so the press doesn't come after us for being, well, us," Nightmare said.

"Yeah," Luna said, "the announcement, which we were smart enough to prerecord with magic, is supposed to be delivered later today, and I don't want the paparazzi to hound us."

She nodded "Well then, follow me, my friends, and teammates." Luxi said smiling as she walked off to lead the way.

As the three alicorns followed Luxi, they used illusion spells to change their appearance. All three went down to normal pony size, with Celestia removing her wings and making her coat a slightly gray color. Luna kept her wings, and made her coat a cyan blue, while Nightmare became an earth pony with a similar, though slightly lighter, coat and a deep purple mane, in contrast to Celestia's new yellow mane and Luna's new silver mane.

Luxi smiled, leading them to her large apartment.

The apartment was, as far as furniture and decor went, a mini-castle. The sofa and chairs had white cushions with black legs, with the walls having a reddish color. The main hall was thirty feet long, with six doors at regular intervals, three per wall, And all of the decor had white trimmings, the walls having it at the joints between the floor and ceiling.

"Wow, very roomy Luxi" Celestia said as the three begin to look around the apartment.

"Yeah. I got this from the money I, uh, 'earned' before you guys got here. Actually got the entire floor, so we don't need to worry about neighbors," Luxi said sheepishly, rubbing her arm in embarrassment. "But tat was the old me, and if I didn't need any use of it, I'd tell the building manager all but this room are open again. But that's not exactly important. What are you guys going to call yourselves in public, anyway?

They all shrugged, and giggled a bit from Luxi's explanation for how she got the money and the apartment. but they all shrugged "I donno..." Nightmare said. "Nyx maybe? or Violet..." she said as Luna spoke up "Star Dancer for me" She said, as Celestia shrugged. "Sunny Skies I suppose."

"I suppose those names are appropriate," Luxi said. "It's a good thing nopony knows my identity."

They nodded in agreement "Alright...so what will we do then?" Said Nightmare as she went to relax.

"Well," Celestia said, "how about we see the sights"

They nodded, and went to go look around the floor to pick out rooms


A few month later


The group, which had become collectively known as the Royalty, due to many citizens believing that either the wings or horn on the alicorns to be artificial, and the spell that Celestia had made so they wouldn't be recognized by any friends they had made should they see any fights also helped.

Right now, the four of them were dealing with one of the more troublesome gangs in the city that had been small during the Power Ponies time, but had grown as Celestia and the others came in. The gang, called the Reapers, did just about everything bad by Equestria standards. Which was to say murder, drugs, rape slavery, and the occasional bombing of shops that spoke out.

So far, everything was going as it should. they were stopping the foes, and freeing the slaves, and so on.

"Dawn," Luna shouted to Celestia over the magic explosions, "Grim's getting away with ten captives."

Celestia nodded and dashed off to attack Grim, to be able to rescue the captives.

Grim was a slightly taller than average unicorn stallion with a dark gray coat, almost ashen, with an entirely black mane. He wore the usual reaper outfit, which was a black t-shirt with a white skull on it and a pair of blue jeans. The captives he had were a mix of ponies, and Celestia even saw a griffon with them.

"Let them go, Grim!" Celestia yelled.

"Aaahhh, Dawn Breaker...Such a treat...You'll never save them you know...after all, my partners are now going to be taking down your own team now that your alone with me."

He chuckled. "After all, we all know that you're the one that keeps them together. My people have seen your little group in the field, and it's obvious that if you weren't there, Sky Shadow and Empress Eclipse would be at each others throats, literally. And the public still doesn't trust Maneiac, and that puts her at odds with the rest of you, as you three get all the attention. Shadow and Eclipse especially."

"You are lying. We already know that there's no way you could pull these stunts off on your own." She countered.

"Oh. And why not? My gang is the largest in the city. If it wasn't for you four, I'd be the mayor."

"Because your too stupid to pull this off."

"Oh, I am insulted that such a pretty mare would call me stupid," Grim said, his voice becoming deeper, "Tell me, would an idiot be able to run a city wide gang by himself? Or have a sex slave operation going on for years without even your predecessors knowing? I engineered that leak of info to bring all of you here so that we can eliminate you."

It was at this point Celestia noticed there were no other sounds aside from the captives, her, and Grim breathing.

"Bring them here!" Grim yelled.

Celestia turned to look, in shock of what was going on.

She saw Luna and the others, still in their outfits, being held down by ten Reapers each. All three of them looked beaten, with a slight amount of blood coming from Nightmare's nose. "Yeah," Grim said, bringing her attention back to him, "I did have help, but it was all some, shall we say, benefactors giving us some new spells, including my favorite, the fantasy spell." He then lit his horn, which now had a green aura around it, with what he though was a hint of purple, and shoot a beam of magic to a pegasus mare. As soon as it hit, her wings popped out, and she began to moan in pleasure, or at least, that's what Celestia thought it was. "Useful for incapacitating troublesome slaves, though it's obvious we didn't use it on your friends. We simply used a numbing spell, which is even better."

She began to growl in anger, her rage making her mane and tail nearly catch flame.

"Ah, ah," Grim said in a taunting tone, lighting his horn again, "we wouldn't want to hurt your former subjects, Celestia."

"What!? Don't you DARE touch them." she growled in rage.

"Oh, but I can. You're too fearful for their lives to do this," Grim said, his eyes focusing on the same mare he shot earlier. "Ponies die every day. What harm is there in one more." As he said this, Celestia thought she saw a pair of shadows move behind Grim. "And in case your wondering as to how I know who you are, it's simple really. I saw a faint shimmer around you four when I last saw you, which was a month ago during the mayors second speech in which he gave you a key to the city. I am quite skilled in magic, so I cast any anti-spells that applied to illusions I could think of, and it was a few weeks later that I saw the four of you again, this time, without your spell in the way."

"You won't win you know. You won't get away." She said confidently.

"And why not? You won't bother harming me while we have civilians in our grasp, and we both know it. You can't do anything without at least one pony being died. And I can tell you, that isn't going to happen," Grim said as he fired his magic blast. Just before it hit, though, a shadow fell infront of the mare, and the blast hit it, causing a cloud of dust to come up.

Celestia looked in surprise, as the dust began to clear, and she saw someone in a red costume, full body, the red helmet having a black styled visor, and red dots at the top, along with the entire body of the costume, being covered in diamonds from the shoulders to the hands, and hips to boots.

"What the!? Who!?"

"What?" The pony said with a cocky tone. "Didn't your agents tell you that the Royals aren't the only ones helping the city anymore."

"I don't know, L," a second pony said. "I think that's good, as we've tried to keep to the shadows."

A blaster is fired and attacks the mooks holding Nightmare, Luna, and Luxi hostage as a metallic bang begins to ring out. It appears to echoe around everywhere, causing everyone to turn and look for where it's coming from.

What was seen instantly was that the guards fell to the ground, blood pooling around their bodies. "About time," the pony known as L said. "What were you doing, R? Seeing the sights?"

"Mostly the main three I see here." Says the one known as R, as everyone turns to see him standing on top of the nearby building, before he leaps, and lands nearby. His own costume was a shade of red, but seemed to be a bit darker with black gauntlets covering the lower arms, that had a silver line through the middle and silver at the ends of the gauntlets. his boots similarly had a black and silver section at the top. His helmet was black at the front and Red for the rest, and had a stylized triangle with jagged edges on the face of it, along with having a similar jagged triangle emblazened on the chest, with a black background.

"And what," Grim asked, "makes you two pretenders think you can stop me when these four," he gestured to Celestia and the others, "couldn't?"

"Isn't it obvious," L said. "R did just kill thirty of your guards at a speed that is impressive, so what makes you think we won't just do the same?"

"Answer," R said, "there is none."

The same pony spoke up, as he cracked his neck, pointing at Grim. The silver mouth section of his helmet never moving. "I also took out the 100 reinforcements you had coming here to capture them earlier."

Grim flinched in shock but kept his head down to hide the expression.

"So," L said, holding up his gun, which had a red jewel like piece at the area where the hilt joined with the main body. The main body had a metallic crest at the top, while under that was a mouth looking body, with the decal being of teeth. "you feeling lucky, punk."

"L, I am going to smack you for that when we're done here." said R, as he began to check on the other three "Are you girls Okay?" he asked as he began to untie them.

"We're fine, Luxi said, "but who are you two?"

A smirk was hidden behind the emotionless helmet "We'll tell you shortly don't worry." He said as he turned his attention back to Grim.

"So," Grim said, "what are you going to do with me?" As he said this, he slowly reached behind his back and pulled out a cylinder of metal with a lever on the side, which he sent up with his thumb.

They watched him. "Ah crud." R said as he moved to protect the trio beside him. "GRENADE!" He called as L retreated to Celestia

Grim tossed it, and it explodes in a burst of light, blinding them for a few moments as he makes his escape, fleeing the scene.

As their sight returned and L looked around, L said, "Mother-! How did I forget that?"

"Forget what?" Celestia asked.

"That the bastard always ha a flash bang on him," he replied. He looked to R and said "You alright?"

"That's because villains always have backup plans to escape. and Yeah. I'm fine." he said as he looked to the other three "What about you?" he asked.

"Yeah," Luna said. "But just who are you two?"

"Do you mean who we are as a group, or our secret identities, Luna," L asked. He held up a hand and said, "Before you ask, me and R decided some villains may try a mind control or optical illusion thing on us, and I used a spell that would prevent us from being affected."

R nodded. "In terms of what we're called like this. I'm Magnus..." He said striking a quick pose, as most heroes would do when introducing themselves. The four other heroes who just met him could actually see a set of other costumes similar to the one he was wearing but different in other ways. One of them, looked like a slightly more armored version of the one that 'L' was wearing. "If you want to know my Secret Identity...I'll tell you somewhere more private and secure." he said simply.

L just face palmed at R's obviously egotistical behavior while saying, "And the more humble one of the two of us, which is to say me, goes by the name 'Rex', due to my outfit looking like a T-rex. As for collectively, Rangers. As for my secret one, seeing as how we know yours, is Lone Shadow, but you can just call me Lone."

R whacked Rex in the head, for his remark and the line from earlier to Grim. "Seeing as Lone here told you his name, I'll tell you mine...my Real name is Red."

"Egotistical," Lone whispered in sing song, which made the others giggle a bit. Red either didn't hear or decided to get Lone back later for it.

"So," Red said, "what are four beautiful mares doing here?"

"Well," Lone said, "that's good, but you aren't the least bit curious as to why Grim's voice got deeper, how he seemed to be particularly interested in Celestia, like he wanted to kill her, or why he didn't just kill that mare?"

"Element Empress?" Nightmare said to suggest it, believing that to be the reason.

"Possibly," Lone said. "We have a few contacts in the police department, and they said that she had somehow escaped, and we asked them to keep it quiet to prevent panic from civilians."

Celestia nodded "Good call...my sisters and Matterhorn froze her previously...I wonder how she managed to escape..." She said wondering about it.

"Some reports say she just melted free over time. Others that it was a lunatic that liked her, who purposefully sabataged the cooling system for her cell to allow her to be melted free." Magnus said.

"Well, it's been a pleasure meeting you four, but me and Red here need to go to track both of them."

Red looked over "I think we should actually team up with these 4 buddy. Our own resources combined with theirs? We'd be a full team of 6." He explained, suggesting such a team up would prove to be beneficial.

"But how do we know they want to be one too, Red. A single compliment, however good it is, doesn't always ensure you get your way," Lone said.

"Because six heads are better than just two and 5 heads are better than just one, considering that I'm going with them." he said, before looking back at Luna and the group. "If you will allow me too of course."

"Of course," she said.

"Then where are you going to get your gear, and I don't mean what you have on? We both know I'm the more technical side of this."

"Yeah," a new, deep voice said from Lone's left wrist.

"Grimlock," Lone said bringing his wrist up, "what did I say about talking while other are around?"

"I'll get it soon enough deserter." he said to Lone, being clearly quite cold and rude, seeing as how he was ready to simply let Red go ahead on his own with the other 4 'Royalty' team to join them and Lone would go on his own, refusing to join the team.

"I'll get it soon enough deserter." he said to Lone, being clearly quite cold and rude, seeing as how he was ready to simply let Red go ahead on his own with the other 4 'Royalty' team to join them and Lone would go on his own, refusing to join the team.

"I'm joking, hard ass. Do you really think I'd leave you after the shit we've been through?" Lone said. "Besides, I think we can both agree our base is better for our purpose than where ever they live. No offense to you guys, by the way."

"What's your base of Operations then? We've got an entire floor of the apartment where Luxi lived." Explained Celestia.

"We've got a tower." Red explained.

"Which also contains an entire underground base section for more needs to combine with the tower." He added.

"Though, in all honesty," Lone said, "we tend to use the underground part of it, as it allows for better secrecy."

Red nodded "The tower's just for a location AND for us to actually you know, LIVE somewhere." Red said laughing a bit.

"So, should we head there," Lone said.

"How about you go on ahead? I'll follow them back to their base and help them move their things to our base? Assuming of course, they'd like to do that?" he said, looking to Luxi and the others, to see if they'd choose to join up with the Rangers in their own base.

"Right," Lone said, nodding.

Red nodded and left with the Royalty, to be able to help them pack up their things and move them to the new base with the Rangers.
> Chapter 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Red follows the heroes to their home, as he soon returns from his costumed form in a hiding spot. It was now that they could see him. He was a slim, Green pegasus, who had dark green fur, and had a crimson red mane, and blue eyes. His wings also had crimson highlights in the feathers, much like how Cadence had purple highlights in her own pink wings.

"So," he said, "what do you want me to help with?"

Red looked to Luna and the others as they were packing up everything they had "just carrying all this stuff." She explained. Red nodded, and began to help pack everything up.

Outside, Lone was talking with Grimlock, the AI for the Rangers, trying to get one of the vehicles he had invented to get to his location to help with the move.

"Grimlock, I don't care if you don't like it. This isn't for you."

"Well, I still think you should go with the bravo-99 model."

"Why? Even with my space displacement spell, it still moves at a slow speed. The axles aren't even meant to handle the weight of six ponies and whatever they decide to bring. It's supposed to be Red's racer, though why I made it for him is beyond me, as he doesn't use it."

"Oi, both of ya can it. I'll still need to have some help loading everything onto the vehicle."

Another AI who was Red's own one, appeared, named Night Shade. she appeared as a Light blue pegasus, wearing a different colored variant of the Wonderbolt's costume. "Hey both of you come on and calm down. All we need is something that's armored, but also can take the weight of about 6 ponies, AND the cargo."

"Then how about the mark-7 cargo truck. Oh, wait, I already suggested that," Lone said, "but mister plothole here though it was unsightly and inefficient."

"Then how about the mark-7 cargo truck. Oh, wait, I already suggested that," Lone said, "but mister plothole here though it was unsightly and inefficient."

She slaps both of them. "How about you both shut up already?"

"Hey," Lone said, "blame Grimlock. I wanted to bring it, but Grimlock's the one with vehicle access. Kick his plot, not mine."

"Take the Mark 7 Cargo Truck. it can carry everything easy." She said, as it was now two vs one, Grimlock had no choice but to accept.

"Right," he grumbled before disconnecting.

"Remind me to solder his circuits when we get back," Lone said. "I told you we should have put in override codes for the AIs, Red!"

"What is it now ya prick? We're almost done packing up everything? Where are you at?!" He asked calling him still.

"I'm outside. I'd have been up sooner if it wasn't for Grimlock's stupidity and arrogance."

"Okay. Open up the cargo bay and we'll begin to load everything." He told Lone, as he began to take some of the things and load them up at the truck.

"It's not here yet. Me and Night Shade just finished convincing Grimlock to send it. We'll have to wait a few minutes."

"Yeah, I got'cha...just hurry on and get here already." He said waiting to load everything once they were done.

"Well, we got about ten minutes, so unless there's a lot, you can take your time."

"Well, Should take us about that time to finish packing everything." He said, as he was helping Luxi pack everything.

"Right. I'll stay here in case an idiot decides it's a good idea to try to rob the building today."

"Fair enough. Suppose you should also try to prep the tower for the six of us now. If they desire they can all have an entire floor to themselves." Red said with a playful laugh.

Rolling his eyes, Lone activated his communicator and said into it, "Slag, you heard Red. Get rooms prepped."

"You got it, boss," Slag said.

"Hey, I was going to say let them pick what room they want..." He said, as he waited for the truck to arrive.

"You do realize we have manufacturing magic that makes it easy to decorate and redecorate rooms, so does it really matter?"

"Oh whatever, just get about 4 rooms prepped to go."

"You got it, Red," Slag said.

Red continues to wait for the truck as they are closer and closer to finishing.

As the ten minute mark passed, the group heard a deep rumble coming from down the street.

Red smiled "Ah, and there's our ride girls." He said smiling as he went to get some of the boxes to carry them outside.

The vehicle looked like a green and white slope with accents of black in the middle. This was connected to a rectangular box at the back of the main cab. The top of the back had a red, T-like design.

Red smiled, opening the back of the the trailer. "Alright c'mon, load up everything we've got to take in the trailer here." He said to them.

They put all of their luggage into the trailer, the went up to the cab, where Lone was already sitting in the drivers seat. "Buckle up, guys. It may not look like it, but this thing can go very fast, and you will need the seat belts to stop yourselves from being flung out the windshield."

Red smirked, and got in, as Luxi and Luna got beside him, along with Nightmare and Celestia.

"Attention passengers," Lone said, "we realize that you have a large choice of transport when it comes to our great city, and we thank you for choosing Ranger moving and travel services. Keep your entire body inside the cab at all times, unless you wish to lose a limb due to the friction."

They snickered as they were ready to get moving.

"I'm not kidding," Lone said, not looking away from the console. He punched in the coordinates, and the truck began to move.

"We know your not." Red said as the truck was soon on it's way.

About ten minutes later, the truck arrived at the rear of a large skyscraper. Without stopping, it went at it's current speed, about fifty miles an hour, towards a wall. A few feet, meaning ten feet, a part of the ground flipped up, revealing a tunnel that led underground, and to the secret part of their base.

"Welcome home, Lone," a third AI said.

The truck went into the tunnel, the entrance sealing behind it once the last inch of the trailer passed in. The way the tunnel descended was circular, and, as far as the three alicorns and one former villain could tell, made of metal. They went down for another ten minutes before the floor evened out and the truck came to a stop.

"Welcome to the Headquarters of the entire Ranger operation," Lone said as he got out.

Red nodded as he got out, and even helped the other four out as well, allowing them to see the base for themselves. "Take a good luck cause now your stuck here with us!" he said laughing.

"I thought it was just you two that were Rangers," Celestia said.

"We're just the only two that are active here in maretropolis," Lone said, "The building is where the others come when they're on their holidays. In fact, every pony on the building are friends or family that have knowledge of the Rangers, other Rangers, and allies. It's a large operation. Me and Red here are the official unoffical leaders of the group.

Red whacks him on the head for the redundant oxymoron, before rolling his eyes "C'mon, We can let you go look around the tower to go pick out rooms." he said smiling "Even show you my room if you wanna find me or Lone's room if you need him for some reason." he said as he moved to lead them to an elevator.

They got in, though Celestia stayed behind with Lone. "So, Lone," she said, "what do you do?"

"I'm the one who comes up with our tech," he replied. "The truck, our weapons, even our suits. They use nanomachines to build them selves around the user. They're also used to keep the weapons in functioning condition, upkeep of the building, and, if needed, listening devices."

"He also created us," Swoop said over the intercom.

"I even made bodies for those three, as well as one for Night Shade that she can exit or enter at will."

"Who's Night Shade?" she asked, before the voice spoke up.

"I am Night Shade, I'm Red's personal AI partner. don't worry Celestia, we'll meet soon enough it's good to have some new company." She explained smiling.

"Why don't you try to make your inventions public?" Celestia asked.

Lone shrugged, saying, "Because then ponies like Grim will get the weapons, and that would make our job harder. Even without our kits, those guys are hard yo beat. We only kill the bad guys, not the civilians. We don't want any of our gear associated with murder."

"But back at the ware house-"

"It was a bluff. When I said that me and Red are the only active Rangers here, that was a partial truth. We're the only ones here full time. Those in the tower are here for a break, yes, but they'll help if we ask for it. One of the other Rangers was nearby on a roof top that had a sight on him. She would have killed him before he killed anypony there. 

Cleanly too. He would have died on the spot."

"Who's the Ranger who was there?"

"You'll see her eventually. You know her, actually."

She nodded, understanding "I see...Interesting..." She said, smiling lightly.

Meanwhile, inside the main tower, Red was giving them the tour, including the pool, spa and sauna, workout room, and much more! he also shown them to his room, and to the rooms that Slag had fixed up for them, and mentioned about how if it wasn't up to their liking, they can change it to be something more of their style.

It was here that a mare wearing a wonderbolts outfit walked up, though the color scheme, instead of blue and yellow, was black, purple, and yellow.

Red smiled a bit. "Hey there Night Shade." He said smiling at her softly.

"Girls, might I introduce to you, my own AI partner. Night Shade, The Shadowbolt." He said motioning to the mare who smiled, waving. "Hi there!" She happily said.

"Hi," Nightmare said warily before whispering to Luna, "is it just me, or does her perkiness similar to Pinkie's?"

Luna shrugged "I don't know. She seems nice, though also reminds me a bit of you and I...maybe it's the coloring..." She mused, smiling.

Red smiled. "What brings you here, Nighty?" He asked smiling to her.

"Just meeting the others," she said.

"Why is it you look like a shadowbolt?" Nightmare asked, now recognizing the color scheme.

She smiled "Well, Red's the one who designed me..." She explained.

"Really," Nightmare said, an eyebrow raised. "Why, pray tell, did you do that, Red?"

Red didn't say anything, if anything, he flinched a bit, due to the question as he now is hiding his face, as it's blushing horribly.

"Well, it doesn't look like he wants to answer it," Luxi said.

"Indeed," Luna said. "Though I imagine we'll find out eventually," she said grinning, due to her ability to dreamwalk.

And now his entire face was as red as his mane. "ALRIGHT FINE YOU WANT TO KNOW!?" He shouted as his defense and attempts to dodge the question, finally snapped.

"Yes." The three said.

"Fine....c'mon." he said as he took them to the elevator, and took it up to the highest floor, where his room was, before going to his room and leading the way, he opened it up, and revealed to them, various things related to the Night, related to THEM...news clippings of the Maneiac's attacks, and battles, both before and after she became a hero, along with this were various star charts, stories about Luna, and Nightmare, even news clippins of possible sightings of them!

"I had Idolized you two, since I was a little colt....as I grew up I continued to idolize you, hoping I could one day meet you..." he said. "And you, Luxi...I idolized you back when you first shown up as a villain...you were so cool....then, you switched sides, and became a hero a while back...That made you even more cool in my eyes..." he said, as when he switched the settings, the room's walls changed, along with the ceiling and floor, to look as though they were floating in space, around them, the stars, and Moon.

Blushing, Luna said, "Well, I'm certain I speak for the others when I say that we're flattered, we really are."

"Understatement over here," Luxi said.

"But, well, how can I put this?"

"Don't act like a love struck fanboy around us," Nightmare said bluntly.

"I didn't when we met. I won't when we're working together, trust me. I'll keep my lovestruck fanboy moments to myself in private." he said referring to when they left the room, or in his own dreams.

"I'm not sure if that's a good thing," Luxi whispered.

"You and me both," Luna responded.

"It means I won't be distracted from my job due to being star struck at the fact that I'm now working with you three." He said having heard them.

"Not what we meant," they both said.

"Then what did you mean? We're a team now. We shouldn't keep secrets from each other." He said simply.

Raising a fist, Luna said, "Fanboying in private, posters and media related to us, admiration of us for a long time. What do you think?" She raised a finger with each point.

Red didn't seem to follow how she was going about it. "I'm afraid I still don't get what your trying to say so why don't you just say it Luna?" he asked her, looking at her plainly.

"I would, but your apparently too young to understand," Nightmare said.

Red said nothing, and simply walked out of the room, as he went to the elevator alone, and began to descend to the Training room dojo, annoyance clear in his head, at the same time, pain in his heart.

Luxi soke up then. "Did we need to be that harsh?" She asked, as even though they were uncertain, she felt great, knowing that somepony actually idolized her.

"What?" Luna asked, "I was just playing."

"Perhaps it was too much," Nightmare said.

Luxi looked at them. "Perhaps....we should try to apologize?" She suggested, worried.

Red meanwhile had decended, and morphed, and was beginning to train, to get his mind off of the shame that had begun to form, of his embarrassment infront of three mares that not only did he love them, but also he had admired them since he was a colt. it was the stories of them, that lead him to become the strong ranger he was now. He was angry at himself, but also ashamed, due to being embarrassed at what had happened.

Lone and Celestia came into the training room while he was there, Lone noticing how angry Red was. "Red. What's up?"

"Stay out of my way right now. if you REALLY wanna know. ask Night Shade, or Luxi, Luna, or Nightmare." he said as he continued his hard training.

"Best to do what he says, Tia," Lone said. "When he's this pissed, best to stay away from him."

"Right," Celestia said.

Red continues the training, when the other three soon arrive, as Night Shade had lead them there.

"Why do I get the feeling that he won't hear us," Luna said.

"Why don't ya try...he's probably listening, even if he doesn't seem to notice us." said Shade, who went to leave them to do their next work now.

"Wish me luck," Luna said as she stepped over to him and tapped him on the shoulder.

Red instantly stopped his fighting, as he simply moved to stand still, and turned to face them. His helmeted face, and emotionless visor was denying them any look at what was going on in his head.

"What?" he said.

"We want to apologize," Luna said. "We didn't think you'd be this mad. We were just trying to joke around with you."

".......You went a bit too far.....I can handle joking but that was going a bit overboad, Luna.....especially considering the fact that I idolized you, Nightamare, and Luxi since, well, I was a kid, and since Luxi came onto the scene which was when I was in my late teens." he said, as he wasn't that far off from Luxi, in terms of his age. "you really shouldn't have said that...or even made any sort of hint that I might do such an act like that." He said, as his helmet still hid their vision of him.

"How was I supposed to know? It's not like you love me or the others." Red tensed up here, and Luna saw this. "You do, don't you?"

"..........." Red said nothing. but the V shaped black visor on his silver helmet raised up suddenly, and Luna was able to see his head inside. though his mouth was covered by a face plate of sorts, she could clearly see his eyes, and they were clearly showing a hurt heart due to her joking earlier. "All three of you.....if I am completely honest...." He said softly. as he began to look away.

"Red," Swoop said over the intercom, "if you don't tell the truth, it won't be best for any involved."

"And you may be more miserable than you are now," Slag added.

"They're right," Grimlock said in a rare moment of helpful insight.

"I loved all three of you.....I felt it as I grew up...I loved you all..." Red said. "I was your biggest supporter Luxi...and to you as well, Luna, Nightmare." He said, being genuinely honest.

"Why didn't you tell us," Luna asked.

"Tch, You would have only laughed...not taken me seriously at all..." He said as he went to look away from the trio.


Meanwhile-unknown location


Grim was standing around a table in a bare warehouse with other gang leaders. Those represented were the Reapers, obviously, the Kings, an all male gang that wanted to make slaves of all mares, including the princesses, and wore anything the steryotypical stallion would wear, the Heralds, a religious focused gang that dressed like priests, and the one with the most notoriety, the Rebels, who wanted to just remove the city government and cause chaos. They wore civilian clothing with weapons strapped to their backs or thighs.

"So," he said, "anyone know why we're here?"

"To serve me." Called one female voice, revealed to be Element Empress, back to take over.

"You," the King representative said, "why is a lowly mare here?"

"I'm here," Element said, "to give all of you morons leadership. All of your plans have been beaten by the Royals. I'm here to help you."

"And, if I may ask," the Herald representative asked, "why you called all of us here? We aren't the leader of our groups, with the exception of Mister Grim here."

"Because, you ARE the leaders of your groups now." She said smirking deviously.

"And how is that possible," the Rebel representative said.

"I killed all of the other leaders and, with you all being the second in commands, that now falls to you," Element said. "As for why I called all of you here, it was to have you and your gangs join me."

The King spoke up. "Why would my gang, join you? and be lead by a lowly mare?" he said, showing his clear annoyance at this fact.

Element simply glared at him before her horn lit up, and the stallion who spoke began to cough from strangulation. "Because," Element said, "I can easily kill the lot of you without raising my hands."

He growled a bit through his coughing as he choked "Okay Okay Okay!!!"

"Good," she said before crushing his windpipe. "But I can't have anypony questioning me, now can I?"

"Of course not! Of course not!!" He said coughing more hoping to survive.

"Good," she said. "But, I must have an example so only the stupid may try." She steadily increased the pressure with each word. The other gang leaders were looking in shock, except for Grim, who simply raised an eyebrow.

Impressive, he thought to himself.

"Now," Element said in a completely casual voice, "die." She completely crushed his windpipe, killing him. "That is the fate of any who question me. Make sure you don't make the same mistake."

They all were scared of her, horribly afraid.

"What would you have us do," the Herald leader asked.

"Do what you normally do for now. Should I need you, which will be soon, I shall send for you. Do not let any outside of your gangs membership know, not even the sluts you use. I have another purpose in mind for them."

They all nod "Yes Ma'am we understand." 

She let out a small smile before walking away, saying in a pleased tone, "Good. Now, go back to your gangs, and await for my word."

As they all left, with Element still there, she said to herself, "Now, how to take care of those Rangers?"
> Chapter 3: Introductions
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


With the Rangers and the Power Ponies


"Tch, You would have only laughed...not taken me seriously at all..." Red said as he went to look away from the trio, as he remained in his silver suit, which held a gold Y figure in the torso, a gold belt, gold shoulderpads, white gloves and boots with a gold band at the ends of the gloves and boots, and gold accents on the helmet which had a V shaped visor, which was currently up, allowing them to see inside, where they could see his eyes, showing clear pain at what they did, but the rest of his face was blocked by a face mask of some form.

"No, we wouldn't have," Nightmare said, "we did just meet you, after all."

Red stayed somewhat silent. "You mean that? Do you honestly mean that?" He asked, not even looking at them.

"Of course," Luxi said. "And besides, you're a great stallion."

Red blinked, and just stayed there, before looking at them again, and in a flash of light, he changed back to normal, and they saw a clearly happy smile on his face. "...Thank you....that means so much to me coming from you girls."

"Well, isn't that just touching," a voice said from behind the three mares. They turned around and saw who it was.

"You!" Luna said angrily.

"Me," Chrysalis said with a small, sly smile on her face.

"Oh Hey Chryssie." He said smirking at her. "Spying as always to get a little snack eh?" He said, with a knowing smirk.

"Red, what is she doing here," Luna nearly yelled, attracting the attention of Lone and Celestia, the former saying, "Crap."

"She's one of us...Remember when Lone mentioned another ranger who was keeping watch on all of us earlier? Well, Meet the Chameleon." he said motioning to Chrysalis.

"Ugh, I told you guys, I hate that name."

"Can you think of something better?" Lone said as he and Celestia, who, understandably, had a look of surprise and anger on her face, even though she heard Red, walked up.

"Yeah," Chrysalis said. "Infiltrator."

"That does actually work better," Lone said.

"I would have gone with 'parasite'." Luna said.

"Predator?" Red himself suggested along with Luxi at the same time, who, out of the Royal team, didn't see the problem. "I do like that one Infiltrator though Chryssie, that's a good one..."

"Thank you, Luxi," Chrysalis said.

"How is it you two trust her," Celestia said.

"Because," Lone said,"she's helped us out ever since she became a Ranger in training a few months ago. In case your wondering about why she's with us and not the other changelings, it's because she left the throne shortly after the Canterlot incident, and lived here in the city in disguise until Red and I found her as a slave to the Kings and freed her, which was when she revealed herself to us, thanked us, and asked if she could join us, which we obviously agreed with."

"The Kings?" Nightmare said.

"An all male gang in the city that believe that mares such as yourselves, no matter how powerful or how high up in status they are, should bow down as their slaves. The Kings gang wouldn't dare follow a mares orders at all, not so long as they had their way." He said. "They wouldn't care if your a Princess or their own sister. They want you to obey them like a lowly slave or begger..." Red explained, showing clear enragement in his voice.

"It sounds personal for you," Luna said.

"It is," Lone said. "His sister was taken by them, and sold, though we don't know to who, and we've been trying to find out since then, which, by the way, was five years ago."

Red stayed silent as he looked out at the training deck "It was all my fault too....I should have done something...anything to protect her...but I wasn't strong enough...Now...I've got the power to...to actually DO something..." He said as he began to tear up, thinking of his beloved sister Fleur.

"Don't worry, Red," Chrysalis said, surprising the alicorns at how supportive she was of anypony, "We'll find her, and I'll personally make sure that whoever bought her will pay if they didn't free her."

Red nodded and just hugged Chrysalis, as his tears began to flow "I miss her so much...I've been trying to track her down...I don't even know if she remembers me..." He said softly..."But I swear..." he said as he steps away from her. "I will make those Kings Pay for what they did to us..." He said.

"Just remember, Red," Lone said, putting his hand on Red's shoulder, "you aren't in this alone. We're a team. We're there for you when it's time."

"And us as well," Celestia said, "even if I still have issues with Chrysalis."

Red nodded "Thank you..." He said smiling to all of them.

"Now, Celestia, Luna, Nightmare, Chrysalis," Lone said, "I think it's time you talked, seeing as how you're going to be working together."

Red nodded as he began to walk off to let them do so, and to resume his neverending search for his sister.

"Luxi," Lone said, "come on. It's between those four. You didn't have anything to do with it. Besides, the tower has a spa I know you're going to like."

Red smiled offering his hand "So do I...mind if I escort you? Honestly I could use a break to relax from my current neverending work to find my sister..." He said smiling to Luxi.

"Of course, Red," she said, taking his hand, leaving Lone in the training room with the ex-royalty. He sighed, then used his magic to turn himself invisible, then sat down near the four mares, should things get violent.

Red smiled leaving, leading Luxi to the elevator, and up to the spa on another floor.

The girls did nothing until Lone actually left. They knew he was still in the room.

"I'm not leaving you four in here," he said, still invisible. "We just got some new equipment, and I don't want blood on it. So you either talk it out with me in here to stop it should it get that far, or not, and compromise any teamwork in the future."

"Get out. This is for us to talk over, and you to leave to our privacy." Chrysalis said being very serious.

"Okay, but I'm staying just outside to be safe," Lone said, turning visible again and going to the door. "And that isn't debatable."

"Whatever." They all said as they began to chat when he left the room.

He was outside the room for half an hour before Celestia walked out. "I'm going to guess from the lack of yelling everything went well," Lone said.

"As much as possible given what happened in Canterlot," the alicorn said.

"It's a start," Lone said.

"That it is, Lone," Celestia replied.

After a few seconds of silence, Lone said, "So, Celestia. Would you mind going out for a night on the town tomorrow?"

Celestia flushed red "Uh...Sure!"

Luna smiled "Aww look you've got her embarrassed! heheheheh I wonder if Red would like to..."

"Then why don't you ask him, Luna," Lone said. "He would say yes."

Nightmare looked over "Which one of us should? Luxi's already spending a spa day with him now..." She said smiling.

"Why not flip a coin," Lone said. "Or at least something with a fifty-fifty chance so you aren't stuck there forever."

"Well we play rock paper scissors? Winner gets first date? Loser gets the second one?" Nightmare suggested.

"So it's you and Luna who want to date him?" When Nightmare nodded, Lone said, "Then why not the two of you at the same time. Red's  said multiple times that he's interested in having a herd."

"True...and we aren't including Luxi if only because he's already having the spa day with her...so it figures she's already with him...." Nightmare said before smiling "how about this Luna, You get to date him first, then I'll go out with him?"

"Did you not hear me? 'Same'. 'Time'. You could go out with him at the same time, so that you both would be able to spend time with him."

Tia pats his head hard enough to shut him up "Enough meddling boy. c'mon and show me to this spa." She said pushing Lone along to let the lunar sisters decide on doing it at the same time or  not.

"Just trying to help them. And don't call me 'boy'. I have more experience in the superhero business than you, and that does get enough respect. I don't care if it's playful ribbing or flirting, that's one thing I won't stand for," Lone said as he led Celestia to the spa.

"Maybe, but I'm older" She said smirking playfully as they enter it when Red and Luxi are leaving.

"I say experience beats age, Tia," Lone said as they arrived at an elevator and got in. "The reason? You can be as old as possible, but if you haven't done anything, then no pony's going to miss you. You wouldn't have some kind of impact, even if you don't take credit for it."

"Hmm. Nice philosophy my friend." She said smiling.

"So, what does the spa have in terms of service," Celestia asked after a few seconds of silence.

"Just about anything you can think of, really," Lone replied as the elevator doors opened and the two stepped out into the spa, a it was the entire floor.

"So this is what you're using to find your sister?" Luxi asked.

"The web, yes...Kinda like how I have pictures and clippings from each of you girls appearing, because of my admiration wanting me to you know, collect such things...in the case of my sister, I'm collecting every single scrap I can...if I so much as found a lock of her mane I'd take it and keep hold of it as another clue in my search...this device here, No, it's not what I'm using to find her...it's something I'm making FOR her..." He explained.

"Uh, Red," Luna said from behind the two.

He stops his work for the moment, turning around to face them. "Hmm? Yeah Luna? Nightmare?"

Awkwardly, Luna asked, "Red, we were wondering if you. . . that is. . . would you. . . we were wondering if we, meaning me and Nightmare could take you out on a date?"

Red smiled beginning to chuckle "Definitely. I'd be honored to go out with you both." He said as he hugged them both. "When will we leave?" He asked smiling at them both.

We were hoping tomorrow afternoon," Nightmare said. "We do still want to meet other Rangers."

"If you insist." He said smiling as he stood up. "Shall I take you two on the tour to meet them?" He asked smiling.

"Of course," Luna said.

Red gently took their arms and lead them on now.

"So, who first," Luna asked.

Red smiled as he took them to the first room.

He knocked on the door and they heard a female voice say, "Coming."

The door opened, and they saw a griffon with a leopard like body and a hawk head. She was wearing a leather jacket over a light red t-shirt and jeans. "Red," she said. She then noticed Luna and Nightmare. "New recriuits?"

"You could say that Greta. These two are members of the Royals team...you know, that new power pony team we've been watching over and assisting? Now they are joining us. so I'm taking them to meet you and all the other rangers that live here...infact, if you'd be so kind...perhaps you can show them your own ranger power?"

"Sure. I don't see why not," she said, shrugging.

She brought her left wrist up like she was going to look at a watch, then pressed two buttons on the device n said wrist. The top opened and a steel gray, liquid like material spread over her body. When it was fully settled, she had a yellow cape that went to her knees. In fact, most of her outfit was yellow, with accents of black on the legs down the center and down her torso, lining up with the stripes on her legs, and had a piece of fabric that wouldn't look out of place on a wizard of old, with black on the edge. Her helmet had the design of a bird with the wings looking like lightning. On her waist was a golden belt with a strange looking 'M' at the center. Her boots were mostly yellow, with black and gold accents at the top.

"In case your wondering, my ranger name's 'Thunder Bird'," she said, removing her helmet and bringing it down to her waist.

They both nodded "Nice to meet you Greta, thanks" They said as they went to leave with Red to the next room, to meet someone else, as Red knocked they heard a male voice this time.

"Coming!" He said as he opened the door, revealing a thestral stallion. "Oh Hey there. Name's Orion" He said smiling at the two mares. "Nice to meet ya." He said waving at them.

"And I know what your thinking. He's got a power related to the Night right? he's a thestral. NOPE!" he said with a laugh as he took out a small object, and clicked a card like a ticket puncher, as he began to transform in a shining light, as golden armor with a black stylized M similar to the ones on Greta's costume appeared along his body, looking like a thick suit of blue and gold armor, the visor infact was set up to look like an M. he had a styled S on the top with a quiff bit with a long flowing cape as well. it was gold on the outside but on the inside it was Red, with a black end at the bottom. He also seemed to wear a royal blue body suit under the armor, and the helmet was royal blue with golden accents. "I am the Solaris Knight!" He said dramtically as he produced a blaster that looks similar to a Genie lamp.

"Are you always that drmatic?" Nightmare asked.

"Just with allies for first meetings," he said.

Red laughed "Plus the cape kinda...you know, forces such an action..." He joked, to which Orion laughed happily changing back.

"Well, I'll see you three later. Swoop wants me down in the lab to help him out with something," Orion said as he went to the elevator.

"So," Nightmare said, "where to next?"

Red smiled "Hmm....Let me think..."

Red smiled turning to her "Hey there Rush. How's it going? And yes it is." He said "Luna, Nightmare, meet Sugar Rush, nicknamed Rush. infact she also uses it as her hero name" he explains as he motions for her to morph to show them. The White mare nodded as she brushed aside her green mane and then, she smiled and brought up her left wrist showing a special device that unfolded a bar similar to a motorcycle. She grabbed and revved it with her right hand as she began to shine and a white suit began to appear along her body, before the light exploded as she wore a white and blue suit, where the entire left arm was blue down to the elbow, the left side was blue past a symbol on the chest where the line went down to her knee high boots the symbol on the chest looked like the roman numeral VI, with the entire side past the I being blue, going down the leg up to the boot, and the arm down to the elbow where it met her white gauntlets. the VI itself was gold, the cuffs lining the boots and gloves were gold, and accents on her helmet was golden with the back of the helmet being blue.she also had a blue neck collar, and the rest of the suit was a white color "Nice to meet you both!" she said striking her own pose happily as the red lights on the sides of the helmet flashed like sirens.

"And what exactly are your powers?" Nightmare asked.

"Well," Rush said, "I can attack, and only attack, at high speeds, and I can turn into an orb of light for travel through tight corridors and such. It's actually fun."

Red chuckled "Her morpher actually contains numerous power ups and abilities, including stat boosts, strength boosts, high speed mode, and more." He said simply.

"Well, I'll see you guys later. I need to run track right now," Rush said.

Red nodded and let her leave. As they continued on "Believe it or not, Night Shade is also a ranger." He explained.

"Really," Nightmare said.

Red nodded "Yeah, and technically, I'm about 8 rangers in one. You guys just saw only 2 forms." He explained in his case, as he moved to lead them to Night Shade to allow them to see her own ranger form.

Night Shade was in the server room. Her physical body, anyway. Her AI could be anywhere in the tower, or the world, for that matter, due to Ranger morphers being able to contain a single AI. "Hey, Red," she said as the aforementioned stallion walked in with the alicorns of the night.

"Hey Nighty. How's it going? What'cha up to now anyway?" he asked smiling as he hugged her.

"Just going over police reports," she said as she hugged him back, as the download into her physical body took less then a second. "There's been reports of a pony resembling Lone's sister being sighted, though I can't tell for certain. I've already told him."

"I see...tell me this, are there any reports of my sister Fleur being spotted?" He asked as he smiled, motioning to her morpher for Luna and Nightmare, and secretly asking Night Shade to show them her own ranger form

"No, not specifically, but our cameras near the Fish Tank have caught glimpses of a mare with pink hair and a white coat, it might be her. I'll make sure t's her before you move in."

Red nods "I can't thank you enough for this Nighty....well, would you be so kind as to show them your Ranger form?"

She nodded "Sure." She said as they all stood back, she pushed a button on her morpher and transformed, into a white figure, with accents of Silver "Names Shadowbolt."

Red nods "I can't thank you enough for this Nighty....well, would you be so kind as to show them your Ranger form?"

She nodded "Sure." She said as they all stood back, she pushed a few buttons on her morpher and transformed, as she turned into a white suited ranger, a large stylized M creating armor over her chest and shoulders, and black cuffs on her boots and gloves She had gold accents over the suit and silver accents as well in a few places. a stylized snowflake was on the helmet as she smiled, manifesting a long staff with a snowflake at the top, it was a perfect look for her. "Names Shadowbolt."

"Impressive," Luna said as they heard hoofsteps from behind them. "Hey, Red."

The three of them turned, and it was Luna who said, "Sergeant Nightengale? Your a Ranger?"

Nightengale was a gun gray unicorn with a black mane. He wore the fatigues Lunar guards wore when they were off duty. "Hello, Luna," he said. "Yes, I'm a Ranger. Been one since just before I became a guard, actually. Leader of the Canterlot branch, actually."

"So," Nightmare said, "what's your ranger power?"

He smiled as he pushed a  button on his own morpher, and the violet black suit began to melt out over his body, coating him in the suit as the entirety was black, but the boot and glove cuffs were chrome, he had a white section on the center of the torso and inner legs, and there was cearly a vehicle styled idea to it's helmet, and made him look somewhat of an explorer. "I've got telescopic vision, And can cause small quakes with my hammer here." he said as he brought the hammer to bear, holding it around his shoulder, it looked as though it was made from some vehicle axle..

"And why is it your in both the guard and the Rangers," Luna asked.

"So I can be near one of the princesses should something happen. The standard guard is completely incompetent, after all."

"Not to mention they tend to be stupid." Red said smirking a bit. "Alright Luna, Nightmare, C'mon we've got one more to see." He said smiling as he led them away to another floor.

They came to one last room and he knocked on the door. a male voice answered "Coming!" He opened up for them to find a Pegasus! "Name's Vortex How can I Help you girls?" he asked as Red smiled and explained the situation.

Vortex had green eyes, and had a black coat with a green mane. "Well Luna, Nightmare, I'd be happy to show you." he said as he pushed a gem on his wrist's morpher, as he transformed, black zigzag lines appeared over his legs, and arms, right where his boots and gloves would end, and squeezed in, as white gloves and boots appeared, before they stretched out a green coating of color up, covering his body up to the torso, whigh glown white, before another black zig zag line appeared over the front of his lower torso, just above the waist. with a green ring and his white neck collar, a green helmet appeared over his head, streatching around. he had a detailing on the front that looked similar to a condor, before the visor closed down and red eyes on the helmet flashed finishing the transformation, he ended up drawing the sword he carried on his hip, which housed a gem shaped like a condor's head on the hilt. "I can control powerful wind magic." he explained.

"For some reason," Nightmare said, "that's not very impressive, you being a pegasus and all."

"I'm also a top notch Mechanic." He said folding his arms.

"Why would they need it, seeing as how you have AIs that can just tell the others how to repair it," Luna said.

"Because repairs need a pony touch for them to be actual repairs," Vortex said.

"He's also to bashful to mention that in his wind magic includes things such as tornadoes, hurricanes,  and Typhoons..." He explained which were very powerful wind spells, that no one pegasus could do on their own.

"That's impressive," Luna said.

He gave a big grin when he changed back. "That, is more like it." He said happily grinning as he let them go on to leave, as meanwhile, Lone and Celestia were exiting the spa.

"I haven't had a relaxing spa day like that since I visited Ponyville a month before we moved here," Celestia said.

"And that was the first time I went to a spa willingly to any degree," Lone said.

"Really?" Celestia said.

"Yep," the stallion said.

"Interesting. Well, how about you tell me about yourself Lone?" She asked smiling.

"Well, I'm the youngest of two siblings from a middle class family that lived in Manehattan. My sisters name was Adept Skill, and she was a natural at magic. I looked up to her. She always looked out for me. One day, though, she just disappeared. I took it the hardest, and my parents. They acted like they didn't even notice she was missing, instead trying to cheer me up. I was only six, but I understood they weren't upset about it, didn't even notice it. I lived at their house until I was eighteen, then I left for here. I lived a quiet life until the gangs showed up. I was mugged and nearly kidnapped by the Reapers, but I was able to get away due to my ingenuity with magic. I met Red soon after, and we decided to start the Rangers. I made the tech we use, while he recruited some others, I recruited others, and some just asked to join us after we helped them. We've been going for a few years, not even the power ponies knowing of us."

"Didn't Red say he also made some of the Tech?"

"Some, but I made all of the starting tech, and we do help each other with most of what we make now."

"I see...fair enough...I suppose Red helped save you...and He understands how you feel since he's been searching for his own sister....Red certainly feels she's alright....what do you believe? About both your and his sister...?" 

"Actually, I got away on my own, and met Red a few weeks after at work, which is to say the police force, and it turned out that we were bot kidnapped, but got away, and we decided to start the Rangers and leave the police force. My parents didn't like that, and they came to talk me out of it."

"What did you do?" Celestia asked.

"I met with them in a public restaurant, listened to them, then, I said, and this is exactly what I said, 'If your such great parents as you think of yourselves, they why the buck weren't you upset when Adept disappeared. If you were good parents, you would have tried to find her. You didn't. I left your house to get away from you, something I had wanted to do since I was seven because of that. So, as far as I'm concerned. You can go jump into Tarutrus with acid on your bodies, and I won't shed a damn tear'. Their response to Adept? They said they kicked her out because, and I shit you not, she wasn't as good at magic as me, and they only allowed the best in their house. I then walked away from them, and haven't seen them since then, nor do I want to. If all they care about is having children that win, then I don't want anything to do with them."

"I see....I wonder how Red took it for his own parents and his sister's kidnapping." She thought aloud.

"He nearly killed himself. His parents were already dead, and his sister, Fleur, was the only one left."

"Fleur?" Celestia asked.

"Yeah. Why?"

"She's a model that lives in Canterlot, or at least when I was princess."

"He knows..." Said Red who began to approach them, alone as Luna and Nightmare went to relax. "I was her biggest supporter back when she started....Infact I would collect basically all her magazines she was featured in modeling for...and she used to always send me some when she went off for a trip when I couldn't get ahold of tickets.." He explained. "I'm so worried for her right now....Not a day goes by that I try to reach her...find her..." He explained.

"So, how'd the tour go," Lone asked

"Pretty good. Introduced them to some of the others, and they saw their ranger powers too so that's all great." He explained with a smile. "I know she lived in Canterlot...and as far as I can tell...she still does....I just...don't know where...infact some of the pictures of her I got, are actually sent from her as she's reaching out to me..."

"Maybe," Lone said, "but it could also be her kidnappers trying to bait you so they'll have two ponies to ransom off."

"Either way, I won't stop looking for her till I'm dead, or till I've got her back in my arms....My little sister...I'm so worried....I wish I could talk to her again..." He said softly.

"Red, you aren't the only one here who lost a sister," Lone said. "I lost Adept when I was six, but knowing how she was during that time, I doubt she's gotten into anything she couldn't handle, and we both know that Fleur's a tough mare."

Red nodded "Yeah, I know. Just can't help be worried for her ya know."

Putting a hand on Red's shoulder, Lone said, "We'll find her. Nightengale has the entire Canterlot branch trying to find leads, and they're the best investigators we have. They'll find something."

Red nodded smiling "Yeah, I know. I got'cha..." He said happily. "So....What next hmm..." He said as he walked off, to try and think about where he'd go for the date with Luna and Nightmare.

"So, Lone," Celestia said, "would you mind going put to a nice restaurant tommorow?"

"Of course," Lone said.

"Why not make it a double date? I'm taking out Luna and Nightmare." Red suggested.

"I don't see why not," Celestia said. "Plus, I'll be able to see Lulu make a fool of herself."

"Excuse me?" Red said looking at her.

"I know how she acts when she's in love and the results are something any sister would laugh at in good nature."

"Hmph! And you are meant to be any better?" Red asked looking at her playfully.

"That's why I think the double date is a good idea. So Lulu can laugh at me as well!"

"True enough, Tia." he said smiling "Well I just need to decide on where to take them..." He said happily.

"Well, where ever it is, just remember to tell us," Lone said.

"Right right, I know." He said waving it off as he walked off.

"So, what do you think they're going to decide, Tia?" Lone asked.

"What do you mean? About where to go?" She asked.

"Yeah. Seeing as how we're going a double date, and Red's going with two mares, I figured he should be the one to chose where we go to."

"Hmm...fair enough then." She smiled "I think he might try that new restaurant, Eclipse Cafe." She said.

"Only if they want to go there, Celestia," Lone said. "And no using magic to influence the decision, I'll know if you try, seeing as how I put a spell on everyone that prevents mental manipulation."

"Do you really think I'd do that to my own sisters!?" She asked looking at him seriously.

"Just saying," Lone said. "Me and Red are like brothers, and we look out for one another. I imagine you and Luna are the same?"

"Yes."

"Then you see my point."

"Yeah I know, sheesh. I wouldnt do that."

"Then come on. It's about time I introduced you to some of the others," Lone said, and he went around, introducing Celestia to the same ponies and griffon Red had introduced Luna and Nightmare to.

A few hours after they were done and Lone went to his room, Celestia said, "Lone, do you mind if I sleep with you yonight?"

"Not at all. We are dating after all, aren't we?"

"Heheheh. Indeed we are." She said as she hugged him.

"Then come on," he said, with Celestia holding his hand as they went to the stallion's room.


Meanwhile- Unknown location; Manehattan


Element was looking at the reports of the various Ranger incursions in each city that had a cell of one of the four gangs she controlled when Grim walked. "Still looking over months old reports?"

"Yes I am, Grim. Or should I say Sombra," Element said with a sly grin.

"How did you know?" Sombra said, venom in his voice and his eyes now having a purple mist coming from them."

"Simple. There's your sudden appearance a few weeks after the Crystal Empire's return, as well as an obvious hatred towards Celestia and Luna, who I also know are Dawn Breaker and Empress Eclipse, and that Nightmare Moon is Sky Shadow."

"What about those...Rangers...?" Sombra asked. "I'm willing to bet that they are going to help those Royals" Sombra explained.

"They already have," Element said with a small smile. "They have made all four of them aware of their organization, and are most likely planning on making them members as well," It was here a stallion walked in, holding a very familiar mare with a pink mane and white coat wearing a fashionable red and blue, knee length dress by a leash walked in. Hello, Fancy Pants. I see you brought little Fleur with you."

Fleur was still being very fussy, pulling against her leash "Grr. When my brother finds you...you will pay..."

"Hmph. That's IF he even finds you..." Fancy said darkly. "Much less, My pathetic son." He said.

"Indeed, Fancy," Element said, slight hatred in her voice, though only Sombra noticed. He didn't know why though. "I'd still prepare your home in Canterlot to be safe."

"I'll be fine, Now, not to be rude miss Element, but me and little Fleur here, have a dinner date...at that new cafe that opened. what was it called again...Oh yes, the Eclipse Cafe."

"Of course, Fancy. Good day," Element said. I hope Fleur's brother finds you and ends your life as painfully as possible, Father. You didn't even recognize my voice, she thought to her self.

He nodded and left, tugging on Fleur's leash, who was dragged along whilst still occasionally pulling out from him.
> Chapter 4: Reunion
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	It's been a day since Celestia and the rest of the Royals had become unofficial members of the Rangers, and Lone was finishing up something for the four of them.

They had no idea. Nightmare and Luna stayed on the same floor as Red, but not in the same room. Luxi however was snoozing with him, because she wanted to be close to the one who had supported her so, both since she was a villain, and since turning good.

Celestia was, once again, in the spa, this time getting ready for her date. She was as happy as a filly that just got an entire bag of her favorite candy.

Luna and Nightmare also were, being pampered in excitement, as Red and Luxi woke up, with Red beginning to go back to work on something for his sister, when he found her.

"So, are you two looking foreward to going to Eclipse Cafe?" the solar alicorn asked.

"Indeed we are, Celestia," Nightmare said.

"I won't. I was thinking of the vegetarian pizza."

"Hmph! Vegetarian? Ha! Some of us need to have the good stuff." Nightmare said smiling.

"You have more predator like teeth, Sister," Luna said to Nightmare, as she and Celestia had found out a few days before they came to Maretropolis that she shared Luna's blood and was their sister. "We only have teeth suited for plants."

"An easy fix with magic, and you know it," Nightmare said.

"Plus it's just as good we know..." Luna explained.

"At least try it this one night. I heard Red and Lone say they were going to order steak for themselves. I imagine they used magic to allow for that." Nightmare said

"Red doesn't suit me a steak man...he seems more like a burger guy or pizza guy..." Celestia said.

Luna spoke up nodding "Very well. I'll try it for tonight for our dear lover."

"I suppose I will as well, but only for Lone," Celestia said.

"Good, Who knows, Maybe you'll keep it that way!" Nightmare said smiling at both happily.

"Though, I wonder why they decided to become omnivores," Luna said.

"You know," Celestia said, "one thing I noticed while Lone introduced me to other Rangers, I saw they all had the same teeth as Lone and Red, so it might a team wide 
decision so the carnivores don't feel like they're in the minority."

"Hey your right....that's true...maybe that's the case." Said Nightmare, smiling a bit.

Meanwhile, Lone was on his way to the spa to give the alicorns when he ran into Red and Luxi, both of which were on the way to the spa. "Hey, you two," Lone said.

"Hey buddy how's it going?" He asked smiling with Luxi as they were on the way to the spa.

"Just heading to the spa to give Celestia and the others a present. Which reminds me, Luxi," he said bringing out a morpher with her outfits color scheme on it and handing it to her, "this is for you. It's a morpher that has your current outfit programmed into the nano-machines. What are you two doing?"

"We were heading to the spa to get ready." Red said as Luxi smiled and put it on. Red held out his hand. "How about you give me Luna and Nightmare's? I'll give it to them." He explained.

"No, the colors on them are too similar, and we both know I'm the only one who can tell the difference between the two, but by all means," he said gesturing for them to go on ahead, "lead on."

"They are my lovers....I should give it to them." Red said grumbling as he went to the elevator.

"Fine," Lone said, tossing him Luna's, which Red caught in his left hand, then tossed him Nightmare's, which Red caught in his right. "Keep the seperate, and remember which hand they're in."

"That's better." he said smiling as he looked at both of them along with his own, on his left wrist, before they went down to the spa floor and began to go through to find the trio.

They bumped into the three just as they left. "Oh, hello, Lone" Celestia said. "What brings you here?"

Shrugging, Lone said, "Nothing, except that I have something for you," he said as he gave Celestia her morpher. "It has two suits in it, unlike others. The first is your current one. The second is one I personally designed for you. Call it a 'welcome to the team' present."

Red smiled, and gave the left one to Luna and the right one to Nightmare "Both of these are the same as the one TIa gave, with differences suited to your own styles." He explained smiliing at each of them as Luna and Nightmare took them putting them on, before smiling and kissing his cheeks.

"Well," Luna said, putting hers on, "they're definitely stylish."

"That they are," Nightmare said as she put on hers, while Celestia just admired hers like it was a ring.

"And very functional as well." Red explained smiling

"So," Celestia said, "when shall we be leaving."

"Now, if you wish," Lone said, bowing lightly, causing Celestia to blush.

"There's something we need to take care of first, though," Luna said."

"What would that be Luna?" Red asked curious.

Without giving an answer, Luna lit up her horn, and a magical aura surrounded her mouth for three seconds. When it faded, she gave Red a toothy smile, revealing that her teeth were now those of an omnivore. Celestia then did the same, and embraced Lone, kissing him as she did so, making sure he felt her new teeth.

"So," Luna said, "you like?"

Red smirked flashing the fangs in his mouth "Yes, I like a lot~" He said laughing as he hugged her and Nightmare both.

"I know I like them," Lone said.

"Then come on, you," Celestia said. "We need to get there soon," she said as she changed her appearance to that of Sunny Skies, a smaller mare, with just pegasus wings and a blue mane and white coat, while Nightmare did the same as she turned into Nyx a smaller mare with normal teal eyes, a horn, and a slightly lighter coat and mane, while Luna became Star Dancer, a mare with a black coat and a white mane.

Red happily smiled as he went to lead them on to go off to eat with them at the Eclipse Cafe, having Luna and Nightmare on his arms, as Luxi would wait for her own chance later...Lone and Celestia went as well.

They arrived, and the place was packed. They had to wait ten minutes just to get a seat, and another five before they got their drinks, which consisted of tea for Celestia, water for the two disguised alicorns of the night, and non-alcoholic apple cider. Once hey ad ordered their food, which consited of a burger for Red, a steak for Nightmare, Lone, and Celestia, who discovered she liked it almost as much as cakes, and chicken tenders for Luna.

Halfway through their meal, Red got up to use the restroom. When he was leaving and heading back to table, he caught a glimpse of a pink mane he would know anywhere.

Red blinked, and gasped. That pink mane, he white skunk stripe in the mane...there's only one pony who has that style... "FLEUR!" He called spotting her as he began to walk to the pink maned mare, who was no doubt his sister, infact he actually began to run to get close to her.

She turned, a look of surprise on her face. She then saw Red, and a look of hope appeared on her face. She raised her arm and was about to say his name when, quite noticeably, she was yanked by her neck, quite violently, and was pulled out of his sight. He was both relieved to see his sister alive, but was furious that somepony would prevent her from seeing somepony she knew. He rushed back to his table, where the others were at.

"Red, what's wrong," Lone asked.

"I've found her....And darn it all she just got yanked away from me again..." He said as he sat down holding his head trying to figure out who it was, where she was at, before he would go nuts now.

Lone understood instantly, and brought his morpher up. "Swoop, we found her, but we don't know where she is specifically. Get every one involved in tracking her."

"Got it, Lone. I'll let the others know. Chrysalis is already near, and en route."

Red looked to all four of them. "I'm sorry to cut the date short but I've gotta go after her...after I get her back...we can ALL go out to eat here for real...how about that?" he asked as he began to stand up to go out and chase after his beloved sister.

The others nodded, and got up and chased after him, intending to help. "Greta's got a sight on her," Swoop said over comms. "Travelling south on 54th. Has a single unicorn in front, though no positive identification can be made. All Rangers, move in and encircle. Lethal means are prohibited. Repeat: lethal means are prohibited until Fleur De Lis has been acquired."

Red called out over the comms "Attention all Rangers, the one who has Fleur is Mine and mine alone. Is that understood? Somepony get an ID on the unicorn in front, he's likely the one that is holding Fleur captive." He said as he was racing after them, taking a shortcut to cut off the route.

"Already on it," Rush said. She was able to turn invisible on occasion as well, and she was able to get near enough to get a look at his face, but she didn't recognoze his face, so she sent it to the other Rangers. Lone was the one who identified him.

He brought his morpher up as he ran, but stopped as he saw the face. "Red, leave some of the bastard for me. I got some father issues I want to beat out of me."

"It's your father huh? Then he's all mine...I'll make him pay for everything he did to you...AND TO FLEUR!" He called as they chased him down, Red was determined to catch the stallion, and get his sister back.

Starting back up again, Lone said, "I need to do this Red, if only to get the point across that he shouldn't have done anything to me or my sister. You know what he put me through, and it's something only I can take care of by beating the crap out of him."

"Hmph. Then Leave the final blow for me....or perhaps, we both leave the final blow, for Fleur herself...I'm sure my sister would love to kill him herself." He said as they chased him to a mansion.

"Assuming she can, Stockholm syndrome and all," Lone said as he caught up with the mares.

"In which case, we take him alive so she can do it later, and make him pay even more," Red said.

"And just who is your father, Lone," Celestia said.

"Fancy Pants."

"But I though he was a noble, and married to Fleur," Luna said.

"There is no way in hell Fleur married that monster." Red said darkly as he prepared to knock down the door himself.

"Just hold on Fleur...Big Brother's coming..." He said softly

"Better watch out, Bucker. I'm coming back, and I'm going to make sure you pay me in full, and that's going to be nearly impossible, even for the princesses," Lone said as he and the mares turned on the street Rush was on as Slag came over the radio.

"Targets have entered a town house. All Rangers, converge, and breach together to ensure the target doesn't get away. Red, this means you."

"Fancy...I'm coming for you...you're gonna pay for taking my sister from me for all this time." He said as his hands began to twitch as he moved to bring up his morpher and transform, as he stayed in position to break in and take his sister back.

The others arrived soon after, Lone telling them where to breach. "Rush, Greta, Vortex, Orion: Take the side door. Nightengale, Night Shade, the back door. The rest of us will take the front door," Lone said before he morphed, as well as Celestia and the others did as well, becoming their Royal personas. "Grimlock, can we get a view inside the house?"

"Three life signs inside: Two mares, one stallion, all of them are unicorns. Can I eat the second mare?"

"That'll depend on if we let her live," Lone said.

Red also pushed a button to morph, as he began to erupt in a burning figure, as a wolf howl seemed to echo from around them as it dashed around, before chomping down over Red covering him in flames, before they subsided, revealing him in a red and silver armored suit, wielding a large red shield and sword, and silver pauldrons with wolf heads. the visor appearing to be similar to a stylized W.

Once Red was done morphing, Lone walked up to the door and knocked.

He then said, "KNOCK KNOCK, MOTHERBUCKER!" Lone yelled as he kicked the door hard enough it flew off it's hinges and shattered as it hit the wall. This was the signal for the other groups to enter.

Fear could clearly be felt in Fancy's eyes and his heart as he heard the familiar voice ringing loud and clear, as hope began to fill Fleur's heart.

Lone and Red were the first to reach the living room where the three were, with both of their helmets off. "Hello, Jackass," they both said to Fancy.

"Fleur!" Red said as he smiled at her, and with a quick swing of his blade, he cut her leash, allowing her to run free into his always welcoming arms.

Lone walked up to Fancy, who had fear in his eyes, and punched him in the face. "That's for abandoning my sister." A punch to the gut. "That's for calling her worthless." A kick to the crotch. "That's for taking a mare as a slave."  A second kick. "Just because." A third kick. "For calling me worthless when I told you I didn't want anything to do with you." Fancy fell down to the floor, and Lone kicked him once in the face. "That's for getting involved in my business," he said before walking away.

"Lone..." said the second mare, whom was actually his mother.

Red held Fleur close to him, giving her head a gentle kiss as he took off the collar that was around her neck "Are you alright my sister? I've been so worried about you, looking all over for you" He said as he held her in his strong arms, her holding him as well, and crying in joy that she was now back with her big brother. Red offered Fleur his sword "Fleur...I know this stallion has tormented you for a long time...from since you were kidnapped to now....We intend to kill him...would you like to do the honors yourself?" He asked her as he glared down at Fancy.

"Of course," she said. "I think I'm lucky he didn't rape me."

"We could feed his corpse to Grimlock," Lone said. "He'd probably like the taste of jackass."

"EIther that or we keep it preserved and let you use it as a punching bag." Red said darkly as he handed Fleur his sword as Gem began to approach Lone. "Lone...my son...you...You've come back!" She said clearly in shock at what had happened.

"And why do you care?" Lone said. "You didn't do anything to stop him from throwing out Adept, or from disowning me."

In tears and falling down to her knees, Alluring Gem said, "Because I couldn't. He made me his slave  just a year before your sister was born. I was the reason he kept her as long as he did. If it wasn't for how much you loved her, he would have outright killed her. I wanted to find her, but he wouldn't let me."

"Stop talking, you slut," Fancy said as he got up and lunged at her, his arm out stretched. Lone caught it, hatred in his eyes, and twisted it behind his fathers back.

"I don't care if you're a bucking god," he said in a calm anger, "if you hurt another mare, even one I'm not sure if I hate or not, or even one I do hate, I will bring you back from the dead and shoot up your kneecaps as many times as possible before I have to revive you as many times as I like," before he tossed him to Red, who punched him in the face, causing the stallion to fall on his back with a thud.

"I think you guys should go ahead and leave the house cause I'm about to.......unwind..." he said with a dark laugh as he put his helmet back on and went back at Fancy, before kicking him in the crotch, sending him into the wall, which he rebounded off of a little bit, before Red caught him with his shield, performing a shield charge, bashing them both through the wall into another room, Red even attacks him with a fireball spell he fires off from his shield, which opened up to reveal a glowing eye hidden inside it.

All or the others except Fleur left the house, though they could still hear what was going on inside. After about five minutes of this, Red gave Fleur his sword.

"He's all yours, Sister..." Red said, as he had Fancy battered and bruised, even burnt in some places, He walked beside Fleur and gave her a smile, for her to finish this fight, and end the life of their shared enemy, the same stallion who had taken her from her beloved older brother all that time ago.

She raised the blade, and, without mercy, brought it down on his neck.

Red smiled as he took the blade, and sheathed it, changing back to normal, as he held his sister close "It's finally over...and now your back with me my sister..." he said happily as he held her.

Meanwhile, outside, Lone was with the others, as well as his mother. Alluring Gem had once been a beautiful mare, with a luscious red mane, and a wonerous black coat. Now, though, she was anything but beautiful, Her mane looked disheveled, even torn in some places. She had bruises on her face, arms and legs. She wore only a rough burlap sack, and that had holes in it, nowhere near the female exclusive organs, fortunately for her. On her ankles and wrists were marks that looked like they were from shackles.

Red and Fleur soon exited, with Fancy's head in a bag, and his corpse in a duffle bag.

Gem walked to her son, her eyes still red. "What do you want, Mom," Lone said.

"I-I-I just want to apologoze for what your father-"

"He's not my father. As far as I'm concerned, I have no father," Lone interrupted.

"I just want to apologize for what Fancy did to you and your sister. He always was a perfectionist, and he always thought that mares were meant to be slaves to stallions. Sure, he treats them nicely at first, but then he wants to have them as a slave. I suppose it's fortunate that he only two he ever got was that mare, Fleur, and I."

"Why should I believe you? You didn't do anything to help me or Adept when he decided to disown me or my sister."

"Because she's telling you the honest truth....she treated me nicely and was talking to me...." Fleur explained. "She loved you and your sister...she didn't want him to get rid of either of you...." Fleur said hoping to help.

Lone looked to his mother, and saw sorrow in her eyes, but also happiness and hope. "Fine," he said, "but I won't forgive and forget right off the bat. Others would, but not me. You'll have to prove to me, and the others, that you truly are sorry, Gem."

She was upset that Lone hadn't wanted to mend the relationship, but Gem couldn't blame him. He had gone through eighteen years of Tartarus, and that wasn't including the sorrow he felt with Adept being thrown away by his father like trash.

"But I am glad somepony else cared for me in that house hold."

Gem began to cry and she went to him and just held him in a small hug, she knew that he likely didn't want it, but she wanted to if only for herself. She could only hope that he let her have it.

To her surprise though, he brought his arms around her, and embraced her in a tight hug. "I'm glad your back, Lone."

"Me, too, Gem."


Unknown location- Meanwhile


Element, or, as her birth name was, Adept Skill, was having mixed emotions right now. On the one hand, she was happy her jackass of a father was dead, and that her brother was alive. On the other, she had just lost another lapdog, as well as leverage over the Rangers, but on the first, she was glad that a family had been reunited.

"Do you want to do something, Element," Sombra said.

"Yes...but I'm unsure of what to do at the moment..." She said back in response, looking away from him.

"Might I suggest we leak this to the princesses? I imagine one of them will want to investigate personally. We then kidnap them to hold for ransom against the Rangers."

"Hmm....Perhaps...yes....that sounds like an interesting idea." She explained.

"I will see to it," Sombra said before leaving.

She nodded letting him leave. "Lone, my brother.....if only you knew who it was you fight now..." She said to herself.
> Chapter 5: Training
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Red smiled returning to the base with Fleur, his sister, as Lone did with Gem, and the others in tow. "C'mon Fleur, I've got something for you." He said as he got in the elevator with her, to go up to his room.

"What is it," she asked, glad to be back with her brother.

"You'll see..." he said as he held her close happily, as they got to his room and he lead her inside. "Alright, here." He said as he picked up the device he had been working on. "Here...for you...I've been making it." he said as he offered it to her, and shown her his own morpher on his left wrist, to tell her that it was one for her.

"My own. . . does that mean?" she asked in disbelief.

Red nodded "Yes it does. I've been making it. How about we give it a test? I can train you."

Fleur took the morpher in her hand and hugged here brother saying, "I'm glad you came for me."

Red smiled and helped her put it on her left wrist kissing her head "You can count on it Fleur. I'd always come for you." He said holding her, as they left going into the elevator to the training floor.

Meanwhile, Lone and Celestia were helping Gem movi into her room, just a few floors below Lone's, but next to Celestia's.

Celestia opened the door to the room to show it to Gem, saying, "And this'll be your room while you stay here, Gem."

"Thank you, your Highness," Gem said as she looked at her room in awe.

"Please, it's just Celestia now."

She nodded "Of course, Celestia. Thanks again." She said as she soon entered and tore off the burlap sack that had been covering her as she goes to shower.

Outside her room, Celestia said to Lone, "You should at least talk to her. She needs someone."

"I know, and I will," Lone said, "once I get used to the fact the stallion who ruined my sisters life and mine is dead."

"I'm pretty sure that won't be too hard." She said smirking considering he wanted Fancy dead for some time.

"Maybe, but I still have to get used to that. My hate for the guy was one of the driving factors of me becoming a Ranger. Now, that would include finding my sister, protecting the planet, and you, Tia," Lone said.

Celestia smiled blushing a bit "Awww..."

"Now, if you'll excuse me," Lone said, "I'm going to serve Grimlock up a new meal. I call it  "Jackass steak", or at least I will once Gem gets out, if only so she can meet Grimlock. Fleur too, seeing as how she probably wants to see him go down a robotic gut, to then be dissolved by acid."

"Hmm...I believe Fleur is with her brother on the training floor." She said

"Then both of them," Lone said. "I know for a fact Red wants to see the body destroyed."

"Aren't you wooried about Twilight and Cadence finding out?"

"Already have a cover story. Home invasion. Fancy and his, ahem, 'Wife' were kidnapped, no evidence as to who took them, and multiple valuables stolen. By associates of ours that handle clean-up with these situations, I'd like to point out," Lone said. "If we were sloppy, we'd have already been discovered by the power ponies."

"Okay then..." Celestia said, still a bit worried.

In the Training Floor. Red smiled standing infront of Fleur both unmorphed "Alright Fleur, let's see you morph, I wanna make sure it works just like it should." He said smiling at his sister.

Fleur nodded, and activated her morpher. When the nano-machines began to come out of the morpher and engulf her, she began to freak out, until she saw Red completely relaxed, meaning this was supposed to happen, and she calmed down. She let them completely engulf her. When they stopped moving and took on shape and color, the end result was an outfit similar to Greta's, but the main color was pink, and the symbol on the helmet was a butterfly.

Red nodded and gave her a thumbs up "Nicely done." He said smiling. "Alright then. I suppose it's my turn huh?" He asked smirking, as he moved to morph himself.

Red smiled and pushed his own Morpher's button, and began to morph, as the Nano machines spread out, and turned into a black outfit, that held gold spots along the side, similar to Lone's costume as Rex. the Helmet was a little different and it had shoulder armor on it as well.

"Alright Sis...next up, is to see how you fight..." He said smiling behind the helmet.

"Before that, though," the two heard Lone say, to which they turned, "I thought you guys might want to see something. Plus, it's time you meet our AIs, Fleur."

Both nodded and changed back, to follow him.

Once out of the training room, they saw Gem as well, now wearing a short sleeved, white shirt with knee length, gray shorts and her mane cut short. "What's Gem doing here," Fleur said.

"Because this is something I've wanted to see for a while," she said cryptically, though the two of them could now easily guess what was going on.

"Death to that jackass." Red said with a dark smirk as he looked around.

"Follow me then," Lone said, leading them to the elevator and pressing the button for the lowest floor it could reach, which was even lower then the garage they had entered with Royal their first night. Once the elevator stopped, the doors opened, and the four of them walked into a large room. They saw what appeared to be three large, mechanical animals that had an angular appearance t them. They all had a steel gray body with red and gold highlights. Lone lit his horn, and a two familiar bags, both zipped up, appeared. "Grimlock! Got something for you!"

Red actually takes the smaller bag back, as it contained his head "Actually this is my trophy." Red said smirking a bit, still darkly.

"Okay," Lone said, a little creeped out. "Come on, Grimlock. "I know your watching."

"Your no fun," Grimlock growled before one of the bodies moved.

"Oh cmon. Your creeped out? You probably wanted his head on a pike for years." Red said.

"I wanted him dead. I don't want his head mounted on a pike," Lone said. "We may be considered monsters by others for killing, but I won't become one because of that. We're doing the wrong things for the right reasons. What you want to do is just plain savage, both in the means and the reason."

"Hmm. Fair enough then." he said smirking "Hey Grimlock, go long!" he said as he moved to toss the smaller bag.

"PULL!!" Lone yelled, to which Red through the small bag, which Grimlock caught before it was even a quarter of the was across the room.

"Let me guess," he said. "Head of a jackass?"

"Bingo," Lone said. "But before I give you the rest, I want to introduce you to a few ponies," he said gesturing to Fleur and Gem, both of whom had looks of fear and awe on their faces. "The one on the right's Red's sister, Fleur." Said mare rose her hand slowly in greeting, to which Lone rolled his eyes. "He won't attack you for just saying hi, Fleur. The other mare is my mother, Alluring Gem. And no, you can't eat her."

The large Metallic T Rex hung his head "Aww, I was hoping I could due to how you were angry at them earlier. but it's good to know you've seemed to make amends with her at least." He said as a small smile crossed his lips.

"I'm giving her a chance. At this point, the fact she at least talked with Fleur is enough to stop that," Lone said. "For now," he added in a whisper.

"Well...still is a good thing. Now where's the rest of the jackass?" Grimlock asked.

"Impatient as always," Lone said before using his magic to toss the second bag, which Grimlock roasted, then caught and ate.

"Mmmm..." He said as he munched it down.

"I still don't fully understand him," Lone said, "and I'm the one who made him."

"Why's that," Gem said.

"He asked for his robot body to be able to digest stuff. Why, I don't know, but he did."

"Who knows. Probably to feel a bit more organic maybe?" Red suggested.

"Maybe, but the others didn't," Lone said.

"Night Shade did, and I'm the one who made HER..." Red corrected.

"I was referring to the other two dino-bots. I know Nightshade did, but you have to keep in mind that she's more pony looking than them."

"Speaking of which, girls, meet Slag and Swoop." Red said as he motioned to the other two as they stepped out, Slag looking like a Tricera tops, with his shield around his head and three horns, along with gold head, and mainly gray body, and Swoop flying, hovering in the air on his wings looking like a Pterodactyl, that had silver feet, blue body, and a gold beak with a crimson head.

Slag walked up to the two mares, and said, "Hello, you two."

Both clearly seemed a bit frightened, but smiled and waved back.

"Do not worry. I will not eat you, nor will Grimlock or Swoop," Slag said, reassuring the two mares.

"Oh....Okay..." They began to smile, calming down a bit, quickly warming up, as Fleur instinctively held onto Red's arm as her protector.

Just then, Rush came running in. "Lone, Red. You need to see this," she said, holding out a newspaper. Lone took it, and saw that the headline said, "Visiting Noble from Canterlot and wife missing, presumed dead. Princess Cadence says she will be visiting to check to see if her aunts, former princesses Luna and Celestia, are okay. Due to arrive day after tomorrow."

"How did this get to the press this quickly," Lone asked, as Rush worked at the news department when ever she was in Maretropolis.

"Anonymous tip," Rush said. "Greta and Nightengale are looking into it on the streets, while Orion, Vortex, and Night Shade are using our tech connected to the camera we set up for it. I'm heading back to the newspaper to make sure nothing else comes out."

"Right," Lone said.

"I doubt it," Gem said. "It was probably the Kings, another gang that Fany used to be in. They hated mares, and thought the only things we're good for is being arm candy and giving birth. They might be doing this for revenge, and to get a princess as a slave, maybe even recruit her husband so they'll have a prince with them so the can come closer to the world they want."

"We know he was with the kings but, even then, how could they have found out this fast, much less, got the news out this fast...either way, I think we should tell Cadence the truth....on top of that, we need to be protecting her from *Snap of fingers* The moment she shows up here to protect her from just that."

"Well," Lone said, "we got a few days, so, Fleur, welcome to Ranger training."

"What about me," Gem said.

Lone and Red looked to one another. Red nodded, and Lone sighed before reaching to his pockets and taking out a morpher that looked like a profile of Slag's head and tossed it to Gem. "You too."

Red smiled "Lone, I'll let you train Gem...she's your mom...I'll train Fleur. deal?" He said smiling as he hooked an arm around Fleur.

"That's what I was planning on," Lone said.

Red smirked as he took Fleur and went to go back to the elevator to train her properly now.

"Come on, Gem," Lone said, going to the elevator as well. "Your training is going into overdrive if we're going to get you ready for day after tomorrow."

"Okay, Gem," Lone said. "First thing first: morph. Now."

"How?"

"There's two buttons on the side of the morpher, one ecah. Press them, and the nano-machines in the morpher will take care of the rest."

"Why not use magic? It'd be simpler."

"Because then any lucky unicorn could have our powers. We keep this tech to ourselves so that it isn't an issue. Believe me," Lone said, "once we get it to the point where it's hard to obtain morphers except for military and police, we'll patent everything we use, except the tech that went into the bodies for Grimlock and the others."

"Right," Fleur said before activating her morpher, her outfit being the same color, but having a shield as the visor, and white highlights on the chest coming from over the shoulders and just above her belt.

Red smiled, and morphed as well, taking on a form that looked near identical to hers, except it was Red in color, and the Shield looked more like a firemans, whilst hers was more for a medic. "Okay, nicely done. Gem? It's that simple."

"Right," Gem said, a little cautious.

Lone helped her out by morphing as well. Once it was done, he said, "It may be a little scary at first, but you get used to it. Anypony could tell you that. It isn't hard."

Gem nodded, and pressed the two buttons on her morpher, causing the top to open, and a flood of nano-machines to engulf her.

They all watch as she changes into a blue version of Lones costume, with a triceratops motif for the helmet.

"Wow," Fleur said as she saw the outfit.

"Enough gawking!" Lone  yelled. "Gem, give me one. Thousand push-ups. Now."

"WHAT?! You can't expect me to do THAT MANY!!!" She said surprised at how many he demanded of her.

"Don't worry, the nanos in your suit will allow you to be able to take the punishment. These suits don't make us invincible, only allow us to take more physical punishment, so go on, it'll be a breeze with these suits." Red exlained, as he smiled at Fleur, drawing his blaster, before switching it to baton mode. "So, Fleur, shall we...Dance, as it were?" he said, clearly a joyful and playful tone in his voice.

"Of course," she said as she drew her sword, which had a dulled edge for training, and Gem began her push-ups. 

Red smiled behind the helmet watching Gem get to work as he turned his focus to Fleur.

Brother and sister circled one another, each looking for an opening to use to start the fight.

"Alright, sis, let's do it!" Red said as both of them charged in, clashing their blades, as they fought. "Remember Fleur, We've got more than just our blades." He explained, as both jumped back, switching to blaster mode, and fired, their shots exploding in mid air as they met, before Red switched to a different, pole like weapon, that seemed similar to a Lance, as Fleur did the same, infact she appeared to get the upper hand here. "Oohhh...My sister did a little secret training eh? I'm impressed." He said laughing.

"Unfortunately, one thing the Kings did was put me and other mares into an arena," Fleur said. "Had to learn quickly to survive." They began to circle one another again.

"Hmph. The Kings will suffer for this then...but it seems to me you prefer the lance to a blade....Interesting." He said as they resumed their training bout.

This went on for a few minutes. Ten, to be precise. Gem finished her push-ups in this time, and went on to her weapon training.

Red and Fleur are taking a break now, to rest and watch as Gem manifests her weapon, a large blue shield, shaped similar to Slag's head.

The weapon Lone had was a staff with alternating red and white stripes, with a gold spike at the bottom, and a small head resembling that of Grimlock's at the other end. He twirled it around like a master, then slammed the spiked end on the ground.

Red and Fleur smiled at each other, as they watched "This will be interesting..." He mused.

"Never has a fight between Mother and Son been so serious." Fleur said in response giggling a bit.

The two went at each other instantly, and without mercy. When ever Lone swiped with the staff, Gem blocked it with her shield, and vice versa when Gem attacked. It was this way until a few minutes into the fight, when, while his staff was locked on Gem's shield, Lone drew his sword, which also had a dulled edge. He pushed with his staff, causing Gem to stumble back. He then brought his staff and sword into an 'X', formation, Gem's neck being just at the outer angle of it.

"Given the fact this is your first time against me," Lone said, "pretty good." He then had the nano-machines in the weapons dismantle themselves and place them in the morpher.

Red smirked, and changed his ranger state to the black suit he shown earlier, and drew his pistol, which was a crimson version of the one wielded by Gem and Lone, and fired at Lone, a smirk hidden behind the helmet. He was effectively challenging him to a duel now.

Lone dodged the blast and said, "After we make sure the princess is safe, Red. We both know how worked up the both of us can be when we lose."

"You said yourself." He said as he stood, switching it to it's sword mode, in his left hand, and drawing another sword, which was silver, and had gold accents, and the back of it looked like a brachiosaurus's head and neck. "We have time to help them get trained, so why don't we have a little fun to show them how it's done eh?"

"No," Lone said. "I won't duel you because you feel like it, Red. You give into impulse to easily when it comes to fighting. Only a fool wants to duel to show off their skills when a problem is coming up."

"Hmph. No need to be rude about it Lone. Least we can do is keep ourselves trained just as much as we train them." He said referring to Fleur and Gem. "But if you don't want to do this, then hand over your morpher. I've got something for you." He said, as he transformed back to normal.

"True, but we both know that when we duel, both of us are out of commission for a few days," Lone said, taking off his morpher and handing it to Red.

Red took it, and began to work, on modifying the Nano machines in it's system, to add in two forms for Lone "I'm giving you both a new form, and a power up." He explained.

After a few minutes, Red handed the morpher back to Lone. Once it was back on his wrist, Lone activated the display button to show the new forms.

According to the display, it reads that the Triassic Powers are unlocked, along with another form, which was a dark red in color, with black pants, a gold belt, gold armor over the knee, silver mesh over the collar, and arms, dark red torso, gloves, and boots, with gold shoulder armor, and a dark red helmet with a gold portion around the black visor, which contained a small section sticking up similar to beetle horns. It also appeared that there was another form or two as well.

"New outfits?" Lone asked. "Couldn't this have waited until after?"

"The situation is changing. We could use more powers." He said smirking.

"Fine, but I decide when to train in them. With Gem and Fleur, we don't have time to train ourselves."

The other outfit he had gotten, looked like a blue version of Nightengale's outfit, with a handheld turbine weapon.

"Now then," Lone said, "come on Gem. You aren't getting off easy because I got new powers."

Red smirked and went back to Fleur, changing back to the red costume that was like hers. "C'mon Fleur, it's time to train you with our vehicles. specificially, Motorcycles."

"Right," she said, following Red out of the training room.

"As for us," Lone said to Gem, "I want you to practice with  your shield."

"How?"

Instead of answering with words, Lone used his horn to create ten orbs of magic. "Block these."

She nodded and began to work to do so.

She had some trouble to start off with, which was expected, but, with the nano-machines giving her feedback via her helmet, she was able to improve quickly.

Soon, Gem was actually reflecting them back rather than simply blocking or deflecting them.

Whenever one was reflected, Lone brought his own shield to do the same. His shield was an odd looking one, as it had a color scheme of red for a primary, and gold and black as secondary. It had eight crests along it's sides, four on each. The first two were at the top of the shield, and they went down from there. In the very center of it, starting in what looked like a face of another dinosaur, was a streak of silver that became a sword when the user needed it. The entire thing became a game of pong.

Whilst Mother and Son played Pong, Brother and Sister were training on the Motorcycles on another floor down. "Looks like you're getting the hang of it Sis...how about a little fun...wanna race?"

"Who's going to be the one who's going to hold the flags, though," Fleur asked her brother.

"I wouldn't mind doing so," Chrysalis said as she walked next to them, as she was coming here so she could challenge Rush to a race.

Red smirked "Sounds good Chrissie. Rush, you've got good eyes for high speed movement..I want YOU to be watching for when we cross the finish line, to be able to call which one of us wins if it isn't obvious. So Sis, what will the loser do? After all, everything's a bit more fun when there's a bet to win." He said laughing to make it a friendly wager.

"When I win," Fleur said, "you have to wear a short skirt for an entire week. In public, including dates."

"Better more embarrassing idea. Same time frame, but loser has to wear a tribal outfit for a week? you know, like in your case, a tribal bra and loincloth and me being just the loin cloth?" He suggested, as that would be far more embarrassing.

"No, dear brother. At least then, you can bend over to pick stuff up. Besides, you can do that on your own time. Now, what will I have to do if you win?"

"Hmph. Well, I don't know. I was originally gonna suggest something like you know, loser buys winner dinner wherever they want...but if you're wanting to do that, I'd say you wear a sexy maid costume and you've gotta clean my room for the week." He said shrugging.

Smirking under her helmet, Fleur said, "Deal. Oh, and you have to go commando for that week."

"Now that's just too far Sis. I ain't doing that. Besides. You said Deal before you added it, SO it is nulled!"

"Okay then," she said. "On three?"

"On Three..."

"ONE. TWO...THREE!" He counted as the moment he said three, both of them peeled out racing to Chrysalis's location on the track, as Rush waited to watch for the victor.

Red and Fleur crossed the finish line so close in time to one another, Rush had to come in to say who won.

"Even though it was close," she said, "Red won the race, guys."

"YES!" Red said victoriously, as he hugged Chrysalis.

"So, when do I start," Fleur asked, demorphing. She wore a white, short sleeved shirt with her cutie mark on the shoulders, over where they would be normally, and a pair of jeans.

"After the current situation with Cadence is finished." He said hugging her as he also demorphed.

"Fair enough," Fleur said.

"Uh, Red," Chrysalis said, as Red was still hugging her.

"What, your cuddly. Besides, don't you like the affection?" He asked smiling as he let her go.

"It not because of that," he said.

"It's because of us," Luna and Nightmare said.

"Oh...Hello loves. How can I help you?" He said smiling as he went to approach them. It was very obvious that he loved them very much, both of them, and Luxi are whom he loved far more than any, save for possibly his sister. He was somewhat nervous at the moment, as he was worried of what they would think now.

"We came to tell you two, Rush, and Chrysalis, that it looks like Lone and Gem unintentionally started a new competition, and we came to see if you wanted in," Nightmare said before eyeing Chrysalis. "Trying to add a new member to our herd?"

Red began to snicker "No, I'm fine with you two and Luxi...but I might be game. What's the competition?" He asked as he went to walk with them.

"It's actually multiple ones, and it includes one they came up with by accident. That one is basically ping-pong, but using orbs of magic that shock you when they touch you, and you have to use a shield to reflect it to the other player," Luna said.

"Okay, what about the others?" Red asked smiling at Luna.

"Mostly, they're just other sports, like running, wight lifting, and trivia."

"Okay...Huh...guess I may as well ask him then..." Red said.

Red and the others then made their way to the elevator so they could get entered in the contest.


Meanwhile- unknown location


Sombra smiled happily "Well, as we planned, the story was leaked to Canterlot, and Cadence is coming down to make a visit and perhaps investigate herself...Shall I have the Kings go ahead to take her? Perhaps also Recruit her husband to keep his wife as his own pet, but also to be able to have a man in the Crystal Empire?" He asked Element.

"No, not yet. Wait until they arrive," Element responded. "I imagine the Rangers will come after us if they learned the two were taken while on their way here. We wait."

"The Rangers are likely planning now for our attack...they likely know of the news story and planned for us to attack them..." He said "But as you wish. We will wait for now...Infact....I suggest we let the Rangers go to her first...as they will likely go to her to explain what happened...assuming she doesn't believe them...we let the Kings move in?" He said.

"Agreed," Element said. "Do you have any spell to make sure Shining Armor answers to us?"

"Yes," the dark unicorn said. After all, he thought, I need a general for when I take over the Empire again, as well as this pitiful world.

"Then cast it upon him once he's here."

"Of course, Element," he said before leaving the small room they were in. Once he was certain he was far enough away, he lit his horn and sent out tendrils of dark magic, each searching for his lieutenants so they would come, as well as the other gang leaders, so that they would be loyal, yes, but not to Element, but to him.

Element had believed him but she planned on if he would betray her. She's too good for that, so she already has ideas on what to do when he does.

Soon after Sombra left, she got up and left the room as well, and went to training room so she could continue to work on her abilities.


Ranger tower


Red arrives with the others and laughs, entertained by the partial Pong game going on.

The current score was tied, both for the current game, and overall, as this was the tiebreaker. "They sure got here quickly," Fleur said.

"No kidding...that's an interesting game...wonder what else there is other than simple competitons..." Red mused standing by his sister, and the two lovers who were the former princesses of the Night.

"I heard the winner gets what ever they want from a place of their choosing, and the loser has to pay." Chrysalis said.

"Nice...very nice..." Red said eagerly.

"It's a shame that registering is over with," Luna said.

"Agreed," the other night alicorn said.

"Making what up," Luna said.

"That registration's closed. They just started it didn't they?" he asked looking at Luna.

"And yet they're on the tiebreaker event. They got through the other events quickly."

"That," Rush said, "would be because those were being held at the same time, only finished earlier."

"Well now that's just not fair to us now is it?" He asked as Luxi nodded in agreement.

"It can't exactly be helped," Nightengale said

"Still is not fair to us." Red said, still annoyed by this.

"Next time," Greta said.

"Better be a next time..." He grumbled.

"I'm certain there will be", Orion said.

"There has to be, given the fact just about everybody's here," Vortex added.

"Yeah yeah, still. freaking better be." Red said.

They continued to watch until Night Shade and the other AIs stopped the event, and declared it a tie, which would normally mean no reward, but, seeing as how both of them had scored over five hundred, both of them would get a half-a-day doing whatever they wanted, and also get to travel in a few months to a place of their choosing.

"Ha, nicely done." Red said in approval.

Celestia walked up to Lone and gave him a full kiss for a few seconds and said, "Good try there, Lone."

"Thanks, Tia," he said.

"So this is the mare that got your heart," Gem said with crossed arms."

"Yeah. So?"

"Nothing," she said as she walked up to Celestia and gave her a small hug and peck on the cheek. "Welcome to the family, Celestia," she said.

Celestia blushed "Aww, thanks..." She said smiling, as she also hugged Lone.

"I just hope Cadence is okay with this," Celestia said.

"Us too," Luna said as she, Nightmare, Luxi, and Red walked up to them.

"I'm sure Cadence will be fine with it my dears..." Red said hugging both Luna and Nightmare. "After all...she's the Princess of Love...she can't deny where love blossoms."

"We meant us being in the Rangers," Nightmare said.

"She can't fault you on what you choose to do. Plus, she can't exactly tell you what you can or can't do anyway, she may be top princess now but you all are well...older than her..." Red said hoping to make them feel better.

"Not that we're with you, but because it was the Rangers that killed Fancy, and killing is looked down upon in the extreme by the general populace," Celestia said.

"Even we're still getting used to to fact all of you are willing to kill," Luna said.

Red shrugged and replied, "There's a saying I like. 'One sword keeps another in it's sheath.' Sometimes the threat of violence alone is deterrent. Sometimes, by taking a life, others can be preserved."

"To be honest Luna, I don't want to kill anypony...there are just, a certain few...like Fancy, that I wanted to kill because of what he did..." He said looking to her.

"Plus," Lone said, "it did save Fleur and Gem."

"Exactly." Red said nodding, though Luna could tell he obviously still kinda regretted killing Fancy, even if he knew it was the best option.

"Red," Lone said, trying to cheer up Red, "we both know things would have gotten worse if we hadn't killed him He only would have gotten another mare. If Gem and Fleur had been poor and homeless, I'd still be pissed at him, but at least there, their lives would have been better. They already had good lives, and it got worse when they became his slaves."

"Agreed." He said, smiling a little.

"Now," Lone said, "BACK TO YOUR TRAINING, GEM. YOU TOO, FLEUR!"

Red and Fleur promptly Morph as Red begins to put her through the ringer now.
> Chapter 6
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The next day, Celestia and Luna, in their civilian disguises, were at the city's train station, waiting for Cadence and Shining. Lone and Red were with them, the former holding Celestia's hand, and the same being true for Red and Luna.

Red smiled at Luna as he waited with the others, he kissed Luna's cheek.

"So, how do you think they'll react to everything, Tia," Lone asked his mare friend.

"Hopefully, they'll take it well, but I doubt it."

Red snickered "I'm willing to bet Twilight's gonna freak out completely."

"She isn't coming, Remember," Lone said. "It's just Cadence and Shining." After a second he added, "Probably, though."

"Exactly my point." he said chuckling.

A few minutes later, they heard the train arrive. Once it had stopped, the doors opened, and, Cadence and Shining walked out.

Cadence wore an elegant, sleeveless pink dress that went to her knees, and had royal purple highlights, her cutie mark evident on her shoulder.

Shining wore the guard vest his uncle had given him and jeans.

Red smiled, as did Luna and the others "Cadence~ Shining Armor!"

"Hey, auntie, Luna," Cadence said as she hugged Luna. Celestia and Luna had sent the two of them a letter that had a picture of their civilian disguises, so they knew what the two would look like. "Hey, auntie Celestia."

"Hello, Cadence," Celestia said, hugging her neice. "How are you?"

Cadence smiled "I'm doing fine, though perhaps we should talk elsewhere?" she suggested smiling.

"About what?" Lone asked.

"In other words stupid, c'mon let's get some food~" she said giggling as they walked off.

"Right," Lone said. As they walked away, Lone and Red looked at each other, concern hidden behind seriousness.

A few minutes later, the six of them were at a cafe near the train station. They took their seats, and got their menus.

Red smiled as they all sat down together.

"So, what's on your mind Cadence?" Luna asked.

"Well, you did hear about that murder, right? Of Fancy and the foalnapping of his wife, Fleur?" Cadence asked, concerned.

Damn it, how did it get out so quickly, to the Empire of all places? Lone thought to himself.

Red grips his menu a little tighter. "She wasn't....his wife..." He said, thinking back to it, because he knew Fleur was his sister, whom he had been searching for for ages.

Before Lone could stop it, Cadence asked, "What do you mean?"

"What he means is," Lone said, hoping to divert the coming storm, "is that she was feeling more like a friend then a wife to him, and was planning on divorcing him. Before you think she killed him, though, the four of us can attest that she was with us then. Right?" Celestia, Luna, and Red nodded.

"She was my sister..." Red said. "She was never his wife." he said softly.

"I didn't know she had a brother," Cadence said. "She never even mentioned having one."

Probably out of fear of retaliation by my father, Lone thought.

"So, Cadence, how are you and Shining," Luna said.

She smiled looking at her husband. "Can't complain. Everything at the empire's doing wonderfully." She said.

"Well, that's good," Lone said.

"So, Lone" Shining said. "What do you do for a living? Must be good if you got Celestia's eye."

Lone shrugged. "I just work at a research firm that works on new technologies. I can give you a tour of it. Red works there too." Fortunately, the nano-machines in the "research firm" were quite capable of changing the layout of the building, not even harming the residents. Really, they had a monthly exercise for it.

Red nodded "Aye. Lone works on making them, I work on Testing and breaking them in." He explained confirming it.

"Auntie, I didn't know you liked braniacs," Cadence said to Celestia.

Celestia giggled "Aw, what? You thought I'd be into strong, brutes? No, that's Luna's style." She said.

Luna glanced at Tia "Hey!" she said as she hugged Red's arm. "I like my strong pony thank you...and he can be smarter than he looks" She said blushing.

This got a laugh out of Lone, Red, and the others. "To be fair," Lone said, "Red's come up with some stuff too."

"Like what," Cadence asked.

"Well...I'd be happy to show ya, when we got done if you like" he said smiling.

"Definitely," Shining said.

Red smiled and kissed Luna "Then it's settled!"

The six ordered their food and drinks and, half an hour later after finishing off their food, paid for it and left, Red and Lone leading them towards their headquarters, which was in the process of being changed into a research firm building on the inside as we speak.

Red smiled walkin with Luna, as they lead the way, kissing her cheek.

Within an hour, the group of them reached the tower and entered, being greeted by Nightengale, wearing the stereotypical scientist outfit minus the glasses.

"Hey, guys," he said before noticing the royal couple and bowing. "Hello, your Majesties."

Red smiled "Hey Nightengale. We're gonna show the Royal guests here, some of the things I've made here." He explained.

"Right," Nightengale said, "I'll clear you guys for the archives. Oh, that reminds me: Project Dice is waiting to be tested."

Red smiled "Wonderful. Come along please, Project Dice, is actually the one I've been working on." he said as he went to walk along.

Red led them to the testing room for the project, a thirty minute journey. When they arrived and the door opened, the only thing in the room was a blade and it's sheath, and what looked like some kind of launcher on the far end.

Red smiled "I suggest you all stand back." he said. "Whilst I go to work." He explained as he stepped over to the sheathed blade, and began to unsheathe it, they could see that the blade's surface, seemed to be lined with Electricity! as though lightning itself was imbued into the blade, and was sparking along it's blade.

He got into a ready stance. Once he nodded to Lone he was ready, Lone flipped a nearby switch, and, shooting out of the other end of the wall, came a flurry of watermelons.

Red smiled "Watch and learn." He cooed softly to the ones watching, as he began to slash, and each watermelon he hit, was sliced clean in half! infact, the last one, he had sliced into half numerous times, so that there was enough pieces for their whole group. "Anypony want Watermelon for dessert?" he asked holding one for himself, and offering a slice to Luna.

"Thank you, Red," Luna said.

"I don't get it," Shining said. "What makes it different than a normal sword?"

Red and Lone looked at each other with smiles on their faces. "Test M-1?" Lone said, his hand hovering over a button.

"Fire away." He said. "I'll explain what makes it special when We finish this next test." He explained getting into a ready stance.

With that, Lone pressed the button, and missiles began to streak towards Red. Just as the first one was about to reach him, he sliced it in half, the missile not even exploding. He did the same for each of the other missiles before they were all in at least halves.

Cadence, Shining, Celestia, and Luna nodded their heads.

"WELL. What I've been doing, is trying to put this sword through something called a High Frequency treatment, that basically makes all the atoms that make up this blade, vibrate really really fast. hence why you see what appears to be electricity sparking along the blade. Now then, what it does is that it allows me to basically shunt apart the atoms of the target, say, this missile, or god forbid, one of you, apart, so that I can cut through them, like a hot knife through butter." he said, as he walked to one of the halves of the missiles, and sliced it apart again to demonstrate. "What I'm calling this officially, is a High Frequency Blade. To explain on a deeper level, it is a sword reinforced by a powerful alternating current and resonates at extremely high frequencies. This oscillation weakens the molecular bonds of anything it cuts, thereby increasing its cutting ability." He explained. "The only things this thing probably couldn't cut through, would be something that's reinforced to counter against it, such as another HF weapon."

"And it's sheath, which also gets the same treatment. We're even working on armor to protect beings from them," Lone said.

"That, project, though, isn't in the testing stages yet," Lone said. "But, what it's supposed to do is be a very able tracking system so police can find criminals that fled a scene, which would be all of them."

Red smiled "Basically...the one I'm working on is like an eye patch. has binocular vision, Night Vision, infared/thermal, and gives me data readout on anyone observed by it. to be a bit perverted if You'll forgive my saying this, I could use it to, for example, find out what size your and Luna's Breasts are Cadence. Or how big Celestia's rear is." He said, giving a playful chuckle, just mentioning what it could do. "Are we sure that my version isn't ready to test? I know your variation isn't..."

Lone rolled his eyes as the three mares blushed. "Yes, Red, I'm sure. And Rush says I'm impatient."

"Rush," Cadence asked.

"Co-worker and friend," Lone said.

Red smiled. "Well, that's just what I've been working on." he said.

"Yeah. Everyone who works here has made something, even if it isn't available to the public yet. Now, if I may ask, how long do you two plan on staying in town, because the top floors can offer housing."

Red nodded "Yes. Infact, Fleur stays here, and helps us out as well." He said. "She was never foalnapped. She just decided to move in here with us so that she could have a place to go to when she divorced from Fancy" He said.

"She's invented something?" Cadence asked.

"No," Lone said. "We're just giving her a place to live right now."

Red nodded "Yeah. My sis is pretty smart, so for all we know she may surprise us with something later down the road. But for now, she's staying here after I vouched for her to stay here." He said smiling.

"That was nice of you," Cadence said. "And we were able to clear our entire schedule this week, and Twilight and her friends are taking care of the stuff that's important stuff, so we should be able to stay for the entire week."

Red nodded "Very well. We are honored to have you both" He said. "If you'll follow me I can take you to the top floors which have the housing. we also have an entire floor dedicated to being a spa for us, and the other workers here."

"Why thank you, Red," Cadence said, and she, Red, Luna, and Shining left the room, leaving Lone and Celestia alone.

"This makes things a little difficult," Lone said once the door closed.

"Yes...but I trust Cadence. I'm sure it'll be fine..." Celestia said giving him a hug.

"Not that," Lone said. "We won't be able to guard them for an entire week. Who knows what the gangs might do. We both know they've gotten bolder in the past month, and that's just the reapers. Who know what other gangs are out there?"

"Lone, relax," Celestia said, walking up to him and giving him a light kiss on the lips. "I'm sure everything will work out," she said as she pulled out of the kiss but remained in Lone's embrace.

"I know, but it's a part of the job to worry."

"I didn't think scientists were paid to worry."

Lone laughed as he squeezed Celestia's ass. "Can't help it. Occupational hazard with my night job."

Tia squeaked, and she spanked him playfully

"So, he said, "want to head to our room?"

"Oh," she said in a slightly naughty tone. "What are we going to do?"

"What ever you want to," Lone replied, and the two made their way to the elevator, and, from their, their shared room.

Red smiled as he lead the Royal couple to a nearby room. "Here we are! And if you want the spa, it is at the moment, Floor Number Fifty" He explained.

"At the moment," Cadence asked.

"The main one's currently being remodeled, and that is the current one," Luna said.

Red nodded "I think Fleur suggested that we actually put in three total spas..one at floor twenty five, one at fifty, and one at seventy five didn't she?" He asked smiling or was twenty five or seventy five to be a workout gym?" he asked smiling at his beloved Luna.

"One at twenty five, and seventy five to be a gym."

"Thank you darling" he cooed kissing her. Well there you go. There's two spas, One at Fifty, and a Gym at Seventy Five. There is also a Spa on twenty five, but as that's the main one, it's likely being remodled now, so at current Fifty's the working one." He explained with a happy smile, and gave them his floor number, if they ever had any questions, they could find him and Luna up there, even Fleur.

Red smiled nodding as he and Luna rode it back up to his floor.

"That went better then I had feared," Luna said.

"Agreed my darling, but now the biggest part, is keeping Moony out of sight. Luxi might be able to have a pass, being in her normal earth pony form, but Nightmare is obvious." he said as he kissed her lovingly.

"Yes, but what I meant was them getting suspicious of you and the others."

"That too, but, this will be very hard to protect them during the week." He explained.

"Which is why I worry about that new group. 'The kings'."

"They'd be the worst threat here...considering that they'll likely try to get Shining into their ranks, as a possible spy in the empire, and Two, basically turn Cadence into a love slave."

"Can't we put the others on protection detail?"

"No, Afraid not...They headed back to their homes, remember, they made the excuse of 'Business Trip' to explain?" He said, explaining.

"Ah, yes. I had forgotten. It's a shame no one will be able to watch them."

It was then Grimlock came on over the intercom. "You two do realize you're forgetting someling, right?"

"Chrysalis, Cadence, and Shining Armor have a.....Complicated history." He said.

"She can disguise herself," Luna said.

Red smiled softly as he began to remove Luna's clothing to her panties and bra as he explained kissing her. "Darling, when they first met, Chrysalis had originally disguised herself AS Cadence, and had been feeding off of Shining Armor's love to empower herself." He explained.

"Who's to say she couldn't disguise herself as another," she said as she removed Red's shirt.

Red stretched, as they moved to bed "Probably because Shining Armor is a bit paranoid about Changelings now, to the point he's likely got a field around him to keep changelings from being disguised." He said.

"I suppose you are right, there," Luna said as they laid down on the bed and she removed her bra.

Red nodded "Exactly" he cooed, as he kissed her breast, moving to play with it too. Luna moaned at his touch, both of the kiss, and of his fondling as her large breast began to jiggle from his fondling. His hands were warm and soft to touch her body as he began to let them glide along her belly, toned, and near muscular, as it was rubbed, causing her bliss, as he moved to her waist, caressing her hips, kissing her neck the entire time. Soon she rolled over, kissing him ful on, and caressing his wings causing him to moan. She kisses at his wings, especially the joints, as he moves to grope her lovely plump hips, and rear end, stroking her thighs as his dick began to harden, as he got very aroused. He was making her tits be slightly squished into his chest, as she kissed at his wings, and he licks at her horn now, causing her to close her eyes, arch her bac and moan in pure bliss. He kisses it as well, as he began to lick at her own royal blue wings, kissing them, and even preening them with his teeth, as she did the same for his. Soon enough, both were ready, as She opens her legs, spreading them, and he thrusts into her entrance, claiming her virginity for himself, as he gave her his own.

"Oh Luna~" He cooed in bliss.

"Oh Red~" She cooed right back.

Red began to rock his hips in time as she began to do the same, as he thrusted into her, the couple finally making love together, something they had dreampt of doing for a while since they met. They continued to rock their hips in time with each other, moaning as they made love to each other, kissing as well, looking amoursly into each other's eyes. Before long they could feel that particularly blissful pleasure building up, until Red exploded in his climax, releasing a load of his love seed into her, to possibly be made pregnant with his foal, as she has her first orgasm, moaning in utter bliss and screaming in pleasure at the same time as he released, as he rode it out, they rolled over, as he pulled out, kissing her

"Oh Luna....that was wonderful~" he coos, breathless, and sweaty.

"Oh yes my love....it's something I have dreamt of for years, making love to my chosen mate....and you are that pony now and forever more~" she cooed kissing him again as they began to drift off to sleep, wrapped in each other's embrace.

Celestia kissed Lone as they entered their own room, as she began to remove her clothes, down to her golden colored bra and panties.

"You're smaller then most think, Tia," Lone said as he continued to kiss her.

As they moved towards the bed, Celestia broke the kiss, but didn't pull back, and said, "No bed, Lone. That's too boring." She removed his shirt, and began t okiss him with much more zeal. "And besides," she said, getting down on her knees and unzipped his pants. "Just how big are you?" As the last syllable left her mouth, she removed his pants and underwear, revealing his long, thick, cock.

"You like," he said.

"Very," Celestia whispered as she took his dick in her mouth, causing her lover to moan in pleasure. She started jerking her head back and forth slowly, each one causing a moan of pleasure from both, and slowly picked up speed.

"Ohhhhh, Tia," Lone said. "Faster."

Celestia didn't respond beyond quickening her pace, causing more moans from the both of them.

After a minute, Celestia pulled back, letting the cock he just sucked come out, her tongue hanging limp.

"You sure are a dirty mare, Tia," Lone said as his lover removed her bra, revealing her plump, but not too large, boobs.

"You haven't seen anything yet, Lone," she said as she placed his cock in between her breasts, and began to move back and forth.

After three minutes filled with moans of pleasure on both parts, Lone said, "I think it's time we get to the fun part."

"Agreed," Celestia said in a school filly like giggle as she stood up and slowly removed her panties and came into kiss her lover. Once she had fully stood up and removed her panties, she kicked them aside and moved to the bed and bent down over it, revealing her mare hood to her lover's erect dick. "come on, put it in me like the whore I am."

"Of course, princess," he said, which got a small laugh from the both of them from the irony of it. He walked over to her and, slowly, as if teasing her, and eventually entered her.

"Ahh," she cried out in pleasure. "Yes, give it to me," she said.

Lone began to move back and forth slowly. "Ah, yes," she said in pleasure. "Faster, Lone, faster." Lone quickened his pace, but not in the extreme.

"My, Celestia, I doubt anypony thought you were like this," Lone said.

"Lone, just shut up and RUT ME LIKE THE WHORE I AM!!" she yelled.

Lone merely grunted, his mind lost in ectasy and sped up, to the point each thrust made Celesta gasp.

"Oh *gasp* my word *gasp* Lone, if I had, ahh, known you were like this, mmmph, I would have had you, ah, buck me right in that ware house."

"Celestia," Lone said, reaching down to fondle her tits, "just shut up so we can enjoy this."

"Of course, master," Celestia said before she cried out as her first orgasm hit. "AHHHH, YES, RIGHT THERE!! "

"Celestia, I'm about to cum," Lone said as he instinctively picked up his pace even more.

"PUT IT RIGHT IN ME. I WANT YOUR CHILDREN LONE, AND I WANT THEM NOW!!"

Just as the last word left her mouth, both Lone and Celestia cried out in pleasure as his seed shot into her. They both fell to the floor, panting. "Thank you, Lone," Celestia said as she gasped in the last throes of pleasure.

"No problem, Tia," Lone said. "Though, what did you mean by 'master'?

"Easy," she said, smiling at him. "It means that next time, and each time after, I'm your bitch."

"Well, we'll have to wait," Lone said as he moved to cuddle Celestia on the floor.


THE NEXT DAY


Cadence and Shining were out in the city, with Chrysalis, unknown to the couple, following them in disguise. It seemed Shining was stupid enough to not have any changeling protection against changelings.

Red is working on Project Vision, whilst waiting for information on what Cadence and Shining Armor are doing.

Lone walked in, as he was the one that would be testing part of the project. "So, I hear Chrysalis is tailing Cadence and Shining. I didn't ask her to. You?"

"No...either she's tailing them on her own, or Lulu might have asked her.....either that or Grimlock did it." He said as he was working on it, hard at work.

"Well, either way, I'm not stopping her," Lone said. "So, how did your night go," he asked, though he and Celestia had head it on the way to their room.

"Really good...let's just say Luna Might be sitting out some missions..." he said, worried considering she could be pregnant.

"Same with Tia," Lone said, as he wasn't the bed bragging type of asshole.

"Well, seems like we both got lucky...can't wait to become an Uncle then to your kid." Red said laughing a bit as he worked hard on the project. He and Lone, though argued alot, they were close, like brothers, and if they ended up marrying their partners, Luna and Celestia, They would be brothers by law anyway, Red would have Celestia as his sister in law, and Lone as a brother in law by extension and Lone would have Luna and Red as the same relation.

"Yeah. Let's be glad the more, ahem, horny members of the rangers aren't here, then, huh?"

"Yeah. Though I think Moony's gonna be mad at me for playing with Luna first," he said snickering "but chances are, Chryssie got a nice feast off of both our escapades last night."

Lone shrugged. "Probably. Let's not tell Luna or Tia about that. They'll probably get pissed."

"They probably already know about Chryssie feeding off of the emotions....she does it all the time. besides, she hides out in the floor we're on so that she can constantly feed on us remember?" he said.

"Then it's good, for her, I mean, that you guys are a floor above us, huh?"

"Ultimately yes, considering she can feed right off of both of us from those floors down." He said.

As they continued to talk, Chrysalis, looking like a gray earth pony with a black mane and tali wearing a short sleeved green shirt and matching shorts, was continuing to tail the royal couple, and she could over hear their current conversation.

"Cadence," she heard Shining say, "I still don't see why you think Red and Lone are suspicious."

"They won the hearts of my aunts....and I don't know...they just seem to be hiding something....especially that one known as Red..." She explained.

"What do you mean," Shining asked.

"I don't know," his wife said. "I just have a feeling from him and Lone. Just think at how quickly he and auntie Luna stepped in those two times. You and Twilight always told me to trust my instincts."

"You're also kinda sounding like me after the wedding incident..." He mused with a small chuckle.

"You know I'm right, Shiny. I've seen the looks you gave Lone," Cadence said as she and Shining entered a rather large crowd.

He looks around. "I don't know what you're talking about." He said.

Chrysalis lost sight f them here, saying, "Damn crowd," in a near whisper before hearing something that sounded like fighting.

"GET AWAY FROM HER," she barely heard Shining scream through the sheer size of the crowd. It was here she decided to just not give a shit as to the public's thought of her and dropped her disguise, flying into the air as she did so.

"CHANGELING," she heard from below, and she saw the royal couple, surrounded by ponies, all stallions in tight, bulky sports related outfits, one holding Cadence, turn to her, which earned Shining a punch to the back of the head. Before he could fall, he was caught by a unicorn stallion and the group of ten stallions rushed off, Chrysalis in pursuit.

She quickly gets out her radio. "Red, Lone, we have a problem." She explained.


At the base


"Darn it." Red called "I knew this was gonna happen. We've gotta go save them NOW, before the gang that got them can try anything." He said to Lone.

Lone nodded. "Right, Grimlock, if Celestia or Luna ask where we are, tell them we're getting them something special, and get Luxi and Nightmare. Now!" Lone said as the two rushed out of the room and morphed, with Lone teleporting them to the streets with an invisibility spell active.

Red headed on, as though he was invisible, Lone could see him. He wore a metallic blue suit, with armor along the lower legs, and the lower arms, and chest, with horns like ears along the helmet. infact, His outfit was similar to that of Rush's suit, in that his had a stylized 100 on the chest's armor, And he had what looked like siren lights on the sides of the helmet. he had a sword in a holster on his hip ready to use shortly.

"Appropriate," Lone commented as the two reached where Chrysalis was, in a back alley, and she hadn't morphed.

"I lost them right around here," she said.

"Then we need to pick up the trail." said Red, as he began to scan the area, and look around for clues.

"Question is, though," Lone said as he crouched on the ground next to Chrysalis, "how?"

"This is what Project Vision was meant to do." He said as he looks around "Hmm...where....where could they have gone." He said as he looked, kneeling down to inspect the area.

"Uh, guys," Slag said over the comms, "our stealth drones just got a sighting on a group of ten stallions carrying to bags big enough for ponies on fifty second, and I have them tracking them."

"Damn, they're fast," Chrysalis said. The trail puts them here just five minutes ago, and that's ten minutes away.

"Just got a second group with that same makeup. Look's like they know you're hunting them, Grimlock said. "Should we have Swoop send out dome mini drones to identify which one actually has them?"

"Yes. Use Heat sensors to be able to scan inside the bags they are carrying." Red explained, as he moved to go and follow them now himself.

"Right, and Nightmare and Mane-iac are en route to you guys now, and drones are out. Picking up three more groups."

"Decoys...Clever boys....it'd be best if we split up to follow them..." He explained, as he moved to sync up with the drone's readings, as they waited for Nightmare and Maneiac.

"Agreed," Lone said. "Slag, tell Nightmare and Mane-iac that they're going after one of the decoy groups."

"You're counting to little...that's five groups total..." Red corrected. "I'd hate to spread us this thin but we may each have to investigate one group." He said.

"We've all had enough training for this, Red," Lone said. "Now come on, we need to find which one's got Cadence and Shining."

"I know." He said as he ran off to investigate one of the groups.

Lone and Chrysalis did the same, with the former disguising her self as a pegasus version of her last disguise so she could fly with out suspicion.

'To all of you. Be careful in your mission to investigate the groups looking for Cadence and Shining Armor. if you find them, report. if you don't find them report and break away to help the others.' Red told them as an order.

"Right," they all said. Ten minutes later, running along the rooftops with the aid of his magic, Lone was the first to find one of the groups. "Swoop?"

"Two heat signatures in the bags, along with heart beats. Even if it isn't Cadence and Shining Armor, they got live captives."

"Then to tartarus with Red's order, he'd do the same," Lone said as he jumped off the building, using his magic to slow his fall and land directly in front of the group. "Hello, idiots," he said as he delivered a roundhouse kick to the lead one.

They began to attack him, as the bags were trying to be moved passed him.

As one came to tackle him, Lone just bent forward, caught the stallion in the waist, and used his momentum to fling said attacker into a nearby buuildng, up side down. He dodged a punch thrown by the third, and caught the arm, and brought it down over his shoulder, a loud snap being heard as the arm broke. Lone then elbowed the stallion in the face, knocking him out. He let him drop to the ground, and turned to face the other seven, who had hints of fear on their face.

"Who's next?"

The ones with the bags moved to try and escape.

Lone held his hands out, and his staff was made. He threw it with one hand, causing it to spin and break apart, being held together by a rope. It hit the legs of the two stallions, tying their legs together and causing them to fall to the ground face first and drop the bags, which Lone caught in his magic and lowered to the ground.

The bags moved pleading for him to let them out.

"Don't worry," he said. "Just need to take care of these last five," he said as he grabbed the sword hilt on his belt and drew it, the nano-machines creating the blade. When it was fully out, he flourished it to make sure it was aerodynamic enough, and pointed it at the last five. "If you value your lives," he said, "run, and leave the bags and whoever's in them."

They all fled, as none of them truly wanted to die.

"Smart move," he said as he sheathed the sword, the nano-machines disassembling the blade. He then went over to where the bags were, and untied the tops.

Out of one came a unicorn stallion, his skin a dark red, his mane and tail the same color streaked with blue. He wore a white shirt and jeans, his cutie mark hidden by his sleeves.

From the second one came a pegasus mare with coral(shade of orange) colored skin and a cyan mane and tail. She wore a sleeveless work out shirt, her cutie mark looking like a raincloud, and work out pants.

"You two okay?" Lone asked.

Straight Arrow, the stallion nodded "Yeah, we're fine. Thanks for helping us sir, whomever you are." He said happily.

"It's just my job," Lone replied. He looked at the pegasus. "And what about you, Ma'am?"

Flawless Aura, the Pegasus nodded "Yeah, Thanks alot." She said.

"No problem," Lone said before activating his communicator. "Swoop, let the others know what happened, and I'l be escorting these two home."

"You got it!" He said as he radio'd the others, and Red encounters his own group, which he moves to attack, by grabbing the leader, tossing him into the air and catching him, breaking his side over his shoulders, before tossing him up and giving him a backbreaker over his knee, and tossing him aside, now that he was down. "I suggest you leave the bags. if you don't want to die." He said drawing his sword which seemed to burn with a shadowy flame, before the styled dog head opened up as the blade shined as though it was new.

Intelligently, the remaining nine fled for their lives, leaving the two bags on the ground. "Heart beats detected," Swoop said.

Red approaches, and gently begins to unzip them to open them up.

Red is horrified by what he finds...a Thestral girl, young, infact, her mane in taters, as are her clothes, which looks like she was taken right from the streets....and another one, who reminds him of his dear love, Luna, in terms of being royal blue, with a purple mane, and light blue eyes, she was a pegasus, and she wore a dark green shirt and shorts. She wore a necklace with stars on them.

"Who are you both?"

"I'm...chestnut sir..." said the batpony.

"I'm Starry Night...' Said the little pegasus.

"I'll help you both..." he said as he scooped them out. "Do you have any parents?" he asked.

"No," they both said.

"Those stallions just picked us off the street while we were looking in the dumpsters for food to eat," Rose said

"Not any more you will." he said to Star, as he held them both, before he radioed in. "Swoop? Tell the others I'm heading back to base...with two little girls..." he said, as he looked to them. "Would you like to be adopted by me?" he asked as he began to rush back.

"Not at all, Red," the AI said just as Chrysalis got to her group.

Red smiled behind the helmet as he carried the girls to base "Well? Would you like it if I adopted you two?" He asked them smiling.

"Yeah," they both said nervously.

Red smiled, as he runs back home. "Thanks..." he cooed smiling behind the helmet. "I'll introduce myself when we get home then." He said.

Chrysalis attacks, tripping them up with a whip she manifests, as she moves to get the bags.

"I'd ask for your surrender," she said, "but it's been to long since I've had fun. Don't worry, I won't kill you," she said with a grin, but these stallions were either crazier, stupider, or braver, as they didn't run away, but towards her.

Infact, they began to charge her, running to attack Chrysalis, and possibly to capture her.

She simply used her whip to grab the ankles of one and flip him, then slam him into one of his allies.

They are knocked down like bowling pins as they continue to attack her.

Chrysalis began to walk over to the bags, only for Swoop to say, "No heartbeat, Chrysalis. Nothing indicating any thing living is in there."

She leaves, to go help Nightmare or Maneiac with their own fight.

Just as she left, Nightmare caught her own group, and she wore her old outfit, the one she had met Red and Lone in.

They are trembling in fear at her very presence.

"You all truly are cowards," she said. "Tell me which gang you work for, and I might let you live."

"The kings ya black bitch!" One said getting a pair of balls.

He then took balls of magic to the face. "Incompetent oaf. Does he not know who he faces," Nightmare said with a cocky grin as the one she hit was on the ground.

"And who might that be," another stallion said.

She began to laugh darkly as lightning began to strike around them, zapping a few of them, as she began to walk to the bags, the one she hit first, she stomped on his dick. "YOU FACE NIGHTMARE MOON!"

"I have two heart beats," Swoop said as Nightmare opened the bags and two mares fell out. One had white skin like Celestia's, but had an electric blue mane and wore a business suit and pants. The second had gray skin with a mane and tail similar to Luna's when she had first been freed from Nightmare, and wore a similarly colored short sleeved shirt and a pair of jeans.

The two sisters looked up in awe at Nightmare "Did...did you save us?"

"Indeed I did," Nightmare said. "What are your names?"

"I'm Joy" One said. "And I'm Light" the other said.

"What happened to you two?"

"Well," Joy said, "I was at Light's place, we're sisters, getting ready for work, when those stallions broke in and stuffed us in those bags about ten minutes ago, and, well, you know the rest. Why'd you save us, anyway?"

"Yeah," Light said. "Aren't you supposed to be evil or something?"

"I was once...not any more since I met the stallion who stole my heart" She said simply smiling.

"Well, thanks anyway," Joy said as she and Light stood up. "See you later, hopefully," she added as the two walked off.

Mane-iac caught up with her group last.

They have the largest group, and their bags are struggling most.

"Step aside, mare," the leader said, "and we'll let you live!"

Maneiac began to laugh as she struck him with her tendrils. "Oh please. put down the bags and I'll let YOU live." She said.

"You're bluffing," the stallion said. "Mare's couldn't hurt a fly. It's why Equestria is so weak, because it has pathetic princesses!"

"I suggest you take that back," Lone said as he came out of an alley, his staff across his shoulder. "After all, it's under them we're here to kick your plots."

Meanwhile at the base, Red arrived and had powered down revealing himself to his new adopted daughters smiling as he took them inside when the elevator opens up and two ponies walk out...ONE is Fleur de lis, tied up and gagged.

"MMMMP! MMMPHHH!!" she yelled as the stallion holding her grabbed her hair and pulled.

"Shut it!" he growled.

"How'd you get in here!? Let my sister go!" He demanded getting ready to fight as he had Chestnut and Star move aside to hide for the moment.

"No chance," the stallion said as he brought a knife to Fluers throat. "Let me pass or she dies."

"YOU. SHALL NOT....PASS!!!" he shouted as he booted the stallion back into the elevator with a spartan styled kick, letting Fleur free, as he caused the stallion to dent the back of the Elevator, before he jumped right in, charging up and getting right to attacking. He pummeled the stallion, as he tossed him around the elevator walls, denting the side walls, even smashing him against the wall with the window breaking it with his face, soon they reached the top floor and Red tossed him back out, before he grabbed his neck and held him against a wall. "NOW. How did you get in here?"

"Heh, what makes you think I'll tell you?"

"Because if you don't, I'll shove your dick into the elevator, and send it on the express trip down to the basement." he said as he knees him in the crotch for emphasis.

"Even if I told you," the stallion said in pain, "I'm dead. The Kings'll kill me when they find out I betrayed them."

"Look," Red said as he pressed the stallion against a nearby window pane, making a spider web of cracks appear. "Do you really want to know what happens when you hit the ground at high speeds. I wonder if you'll hear your body break when you hit before you die."

"You're dead either way. So why not spill the beans boy. Then you'll die with no regrets whether you're dead before you hit the ground, or if you die after doing so." Red said darkly.

"Okay, okay, just. . . let me live. I have a family in Ponyville that needs the money I get from this. I swear I'll stop and get a real job," he said in a panic. "You want to know how I got in?" Red nodded. "One of my higher-ups, I have no idea as to who, somehow got a way into this place yesterday with out the residents knowing, and told me to come after Fleur. It's nothing personal, I swear!"

"Hmmm..." Red said listening. "Thanks for telling.....so you do have a family? Then get the hell out of here and go back to them...and don't you dare come back here, or treat them like dirt like the kings gang do...if you show back up here and try to hurt my family I'll kick your ass to the moon and back. Got it?"

"Thank you, thank you, I won't come back, I swear," the stallion said as he, amazingly enough, jumped out the window and spread his wings, flying off in the direction of Ponyville.

He was suspicious, but chose to let him go, as he went back down and ungagged, and untied his sister. "Fleur, you okay?" he asked as he hugged her.

"Yes, just a little shaken," she said. "How'd he get in?"

"That's what I'm gonna find out." He said "Swoop, give me camera footage from the past few hours, I wanna know how that stallion got in here to take Fleur." He said, before he went to Chestnut and Starry Night to introduce them to his sister, Fleur.


Meanwhile with Lone and the others.


This group of Kings was the toughest, and even with Chrysalis and Nightmare, the four of them were having trouble. "Why do you let them lead you," the leader of the group asked Lone, still in his ranger outfit. "Stallions should be the ones in charge!"

"Because whilst some of us Stallions are good at being smart, the mares are smarter than most of us." Lone said countering the attacks.

"Maybe you should get a wife."

"TRAITOR!" a voice from the bag called out, muffled, but was Cadence!

"Hold on, your highness, we'll get you and your husband out of the bags!" Lone yelled as he charged the leader.

"HE IS MY HUSBAND. HE SET IT UP!!!"

"What," Lone said, stopping just feet away.

"You damn bitch you don't know when to SHUT UP do ya!?" he shouted at the bag, as he removed his disguise, revealing himself, as Shining Armor.

"Lone, it's Red!" Red said over the comms. "You wouldn't believe what I just found out! Shining's-"

"A king, I know. I'm about to kill him," Lone said. "Who's in the other bag, Shining?!" He said, getting his staff in a combat position.

"Save some for me. He tried to take my sister. I'm already on my way over." Red said on the comms as he's rushing along.

"Pfft, why should I tell you? Who would bow to a Woman?" he asks smirking.

"Some one who knows when to do said bowing," Lone said, dropping his staff and cracking his knuckles and neck, "and not be a jackass."

Shining nodded with his neck, as another King member stepped up with him and they prepared to fight, as Red arrived on the scene.

"Red, before you go rushing in," Lone whispered over comms, "I used my HUD's enhanced mode, and picked up traces of mental magic on Shining. He's being controlled, or his personality was changed. We can't kill him."

"yeah yeah, I gotcha" Red said, as he cracked his knuckles, getting into a dueling stance.

"I got Shining," Lone said. "You can handle the other one. Swoop, how about some music?"

"On it, Lone."



Red and Lone rushed at the two stallions. When Lone came close to Shining, he launched off the ground as Shining threw a punch and flipped in the air, doing a twist as well. He landed on the ground, and continued the spin to the ground, resulting in Shining losing his balance as his legs were kicked out from behind him. He countered though by landing on his palms and hopping back up.

"Impressive," he said, turning to face Lone, both getting into a fighting pose. "But not good enough," he said as he and Lone both threw a punch. Lone was able to move his head to where Shining's punch grazed the helmet, while Shining took a faceful of fist and was knocked back. He landed on his back and skid for a few feet before getting back up.

"You sure about that," Lone said as he went for Shining again, both of them landing punches this time, but Lone's suit gave him more endurance than Shining, and he eventually finished the melee with a roundhouse kick, but Shining was able to right himself in the air before landing, and fired off streams of magic at Lone, who either used his own shield spells or simple agility to avoid getting hit.

"WHY WON'T YOU DIE?!" Shining screamed as he fired a particularly large bema of magic at Lone. The beam hit where Lone's feet were, and a cloud of dust was kicked up. "Heh, try surviving that!"

"With Pleasure," Lone said, materializing from the shadows behind Shining. Before the white unicorn could turn, Lone delivered a judo chop to his neck, knocking him out. "I thought the last captain of the guard would be a challenge."



The entire time Lone was fighting Shining Armor, Red was fighting Onyx, clearly enjoying his own fight, as he sent blow after blow to the robed stallion. Onyx was definitely well built, seeming to be as tough as stone, as he was able to dish out hard hits against the one known as Red as he fights just as hard as Lone did, fighting back, as they seemed to be evenly matched, even using their swords, dueling evenly, blade versus blade.

"You're good..." Onyx growled, as he pushed him back with a kick.

"Say goodnight." He growled, as he dashed forward, slashing down as Red dodged by slipping below him, with a slide, before he performed a vorpal strike, by dashing in and thrusting at him, but barely missing. Onyx caught the blade, and not only knocked it away but slashed Red, causing sparks to fly out from his armor, as he was pushed back.

Onyx dashes in and thrusts his blade, but misses as Red disappears in a shadow, before striking him from the head with a Lunarsault having appeared above him, landing nearby behind him, the strike did damage, but still wasn't enough to kill him, before Red dashed back a few feat and sets up for his final strike. "Blade of the Emperor Dragon." He said softly, as he got into a stance, charging up the power in his sword.

He waited as Onyx charged forward and went to attack before Red launched his counter attack, and used the technique, performing rapid slashes, so fast, that Lone and the others would claim they saw afterimages of Red attacking him all at once, mutiplying the hits of the attack by an unknown amount, before he was launched into the air, and Red dashed after him, performing numerous air dashes striking him as he seemed to float in the center due to the rapid attacks, before Red came up behind him, and went flying up, using the wings of his natural form to fly them higher, and higher, until he dropped them both, beginning to spin as he went right down "IZUNA DROP!" He shouted as he piledrived Onyx into the ground causing a nice little crater in the ground, with Red launching himself off, and landing nearby on his feet skidding to a stop, giving them a place to bury the now dead Onyx.

The other members of the group fled dropping the bags, as they were opened by Chrysalis and Nightmare Moon, revealing Cadence, and Twilight Sparkle respectively!

"You've got to be kidding me," Lone said. "I know he was being controlled or something, but his own sister! What the buck!?"

"They're still alive, but unconscious, most likely oxygen related," Slag said. "Prepping three medical beds back at the tower."

"On it," Lone and Chrysalis said, picking up Twilight and Shining respectively. "Grimlock, see if you can find Twilight's friends," Lone said.

"You got it." He said as he was already working.

"Night Shade, help him out." Red ordered leading the group as Shining was kept restrained by Chrysalis as she carried him.

"On it. Swoop and Slag are helping too," she said. "Wow. Did not expect that."

"Hehehahaha. I'd imagine you shouldn't get used to it." He said laughing as he continued along carrying Cadence.

"No, who we found."

"What do you mean Shade?" Red asked.

"Matterhorn," was all she said.

"I'll get a message to her," Night Shade said. "Wish me luck," she said as the group reached the tower.

"Tell her that it's the base of the New power Ponies, she'll know by then who we're referring to I'm sure...please try not to get into a fight with her."

"On it," Night Shade said.

Red, Lone, and Chrysalis, each carrying their respective charges, made their way to the medical area on the ground floor.

Red gently tucks Cadence into one of the beds.

Lone and Chrysalis did the same for Twilight and Shining, respectively, with Lone and Chrysalis putting double restraint spells on Shining to make sure he doesn't harm anyone, and the three sat down and waited for Twilight's friends to arrive.