Winter made itself be felt in the Enchanted Forest, with torrents of rain and ice. The students of the academy thought that was a bit discouraging, because it limited them to the inside of the building borders, preventing them from walking through the woods or Leafgreen.
The flying derby tournament was near the end, with the Three Great Fairies Preparatory Academy having finally a chance to win in the last few years. Star and Gunter had managed to win race after race, what made everyone to wonder if that would be the year that someone would be able to defeat the Wonderbolt Junior Academy.
That year, the finals would happen at the current champion school, so there were a lot of balloons rising up and landing on Cloudsdale, full of all those who wanted to watch and didn't have wings. Thanks to the fairy headmistress, the students of the Three Great Fairies Preparatory Academy who couldn't fly were able to walk in the clouds.
The flying derby track of the Wonderbolt Junior Academy was filling up with students, not only of the two opposing schools, but also of those who wanted to watch. Twilight and Blue, who had come to support Star, headed the royal tribune when they met with Rainbow Dash and Soarin.
“Rainbow Dash! Soarin! It's so good to see you!" Twilight said.
"Twilight! Glad you could make it" Rainbow Dash said to her friend.
"Well, I wouldn't miss a race where my son is involved" Twilight said.
"Yes, it's just a shame that you came to see him lose" Rainbow Dash replied. "No offense, Twilight, but my team will kick your son and his griffon friend’s asses.
"Rainbow…" Soarin said.
"It's okay, Soarin, I'm already used to it" Twilight said. "After all, I know Rainbow for years and she hasn't changed a bit since then. Although, Rainbow Dash, I should warn you that you shouldn't underestimate Star and Gunter. They make a good team."
"That's true" Blue said. "They are probably the best team that the Three Great Fairies Preparatory Academy has for several years. After all, they are the first team to reach the finals since the last time the academy won."
"At least, they’ll stay with that reputation" Rainbow Dash said. "But it's not going to pass from that. The Wonderbolts Junior Academy won't give up its title of champion so easily."
"I hope not" Twilight said. "A race is only good and exciting when it's close."
"Rainbow, remember that we have to get back to our team" Soarin recalled.
"Oh yeah, I still have to talk to them before the race starts" Rainbow Dash said. "Well, see you later."
And she and Soarin moved away. Twilight and Blue, in their turn, went to the royal tribune, where Gael and Greta were already there, eager to see Gunter’s participation.
In another part of the track, Moonlight and Galena were awaiting the start of the race. However, the former was looking around, smiling to finally be where she should be. Although the first few days after being released from the Lord of Chaos’s influence had been difficult, especially with some of the students of the academy giving her suspicious stares, she managed to adapt very well. It was then that she noticed something that caught her attention.
"Galena, look over there" she said. "Those are not Professor Ebony and Professor Holly?"
Galena looked at where her best friend was pointing and saw that she was telling the truth. It was them. However, it seemed that they were more than friends…
"Wow, what do you know" she said. "I didn't know they..."
"Well, they make a lovely couple" Moonlight said. "Just like you and Gunter do."
Galena, who was eating popcorn, almost choked when Moonlight said that.
"Look, Moonlight, I already said it and I’ll say it again: I don't feel anything for Gunter" Galena declared.
"Come on, my friend, it's obvious that you two have a certain chemistry" Moonlight said. "You know that I know that you acting as cat and dog is just a way to hide what you really feel for each other."
"You know, ever since you came back and started dating Star, you've become a real pain constantly talking about the attraction that exists between me and Gunter" Galena replied.
"I'm just saying what I and everyone at the Academy say."
"So you need to find a new hobby, because you’re starting to imagine things."
However, Moonlight couldn't stop smiling because she knew that the way how Galena was on the defensive just confirmed what she already knew.
Meanwhile, in the Enchanted Forest, an earth stallion was walking near Thicket. It was a bizarre-looking big stallion, wearing a heavily red armor that covered his entire body that, in the back, contained a kind of furnace. The only part of his body that was visible were his hazel eyes.
He walked until something, or someone, bumped his way. It was Grogar. The ram looked to the stallion with a serious look and the latter returned it.
"Well, well, well, look who he is" Grogar said. "I thought I would have to go to your kingdom to find you."
"News travel quickly in the Enchanted Forest" he said. "Mostly the bad ones. The capturing of Four-Tails wasn't exactly discreet."
"That was my associate’s fault" Grogar said. "He doesn't take things too seriously. You, on the other hand, are pretty smart. I have to admit that you're the first Jinchuriki trying to really hide from us, Vapour Fist. Do you know how long it took me to find you?"
"I knew you would come for me, after capturing Black Granite" Vapour Fist said. "After all, I'm Jinchuriki of Five-Tails."
"And that's why I have to capture you" Grogar declared. "I'm sorry for everything that you’ll do to you."
"You don't have to do it, if I get through you first" Vapour Fist replied.
And, having said this, with immense speed, Vapour Fist approached Grogar and raised his hoof to punch. Grogar caught the blow with one of his forelegs, but then he noticed that the furnace on his back began to release steam.
“Erupting Propultion Fist!" Vapour Fist exclaimed.
And then his punch gained an immense force that was able to throw Grogar hard against a tree, knocking him down. Despite the strength of the attack, Grogar was able to resist without suffering too much damage, as he had predicted that Vapour Fist could attack without warning and covered his body with protective magic.
"Impressive" Grogar said, rising up. "You use your vapour nature to raise the temperature of your own energy up to the boiling point, which causes you to release stream that increases the strength of your physical attacks. That’s why you have that Stream Armor of yours."
"So it's true" Vapour Fist said. "You know all about our capabilities."
"How else could we be able to capture four Jinchuriki?" Grogar asked. "Knowing your skills, we were able to find your weak spots. You, for example, use the vapour nature of steam, which combines the fire and water natures. A combination a little unusual. But I think I know how to deal with you."
"That's what we're going to see" Vapour Fist replied.
Somewhere nearby, Golden Paladin and Heartbeat roamed the forest. The Generals had just found out that the Five-Tails’ Jinchūriki was out of his kingdom and that Ulysses and Grogar had been sighted nearby. So, they decided to act and prevent that they captured him. It was then that a lightning bolt directed to them made them stop. Ulysses appeared in front of them and asked:
"Are you going somewhere?"
"I see" Golden Paladin realized. "Grogar left you behind to make sure he wasn't disturbed."
"You guys are pretty smart" Ulysses said. "But I think you’re late... again."
But Heartbeat giggled and said:
"You know that I just have to go through you as if you weren't there at all with my speed, don't you?"
And using her speed, Heartbeat tried to go through Ulysses, but when she barely passed him, she stepped on an electrical current that forced her to withdraw and go back to where she was.
"But what the hell..." she started.
Ulysses giggled and said:
"Grogar predicted that you could try to interfere, so he used a spell that prevents you to pass without defeating me first."
The griffon expected to see a sign of concern in them, but, instead, he only saw smiles appearing on their faces.
"Why are you smiling?" Ulysses asked. "You're in disadvantage."
"You’re wrong, Ulysses" Golden Paladin contradicted. "The truth is that you are the one in disadvantage here, because you're facing the worst opponents that could have crossed your path."
"You guys really like to overestimate yourselves" Ulysses said. "But after I'm done with you, that's going to change."
And he launched lightning to Heartbeat that, using her speed, managed to dodge without any problem and then strike a blow in Ulysses so strong that threw him against the ground.
"We are not overestimating ourselves, Ulysses" Golden Paladin said. "We're only being realistic. Heartbeat can combine the wind and light natures to create the swift nature. It is thanks to it that she can move back and forth almost instantly. Not even your lightning have enough speed to strike her."
Ulysses, rising up a bit, realized that attacking Heartbeat directly was a waste of time, so he concentrated on Golden Paladin and shot. He hit him, but, to his shock, it seemed that he was not being affected at all. Ulysses then noticed that the General of Peace had his body covered by shiny steel. When the electricity dispersed, the steel that covered Golden Paladin disappeared.
"And I own the steel nature, a gift from the Lord of Order when I became General" Golden Paladin continued. "With it, among many other capabilities, I can cover my body with steel which is a metal that is not a good electric conductor. I can't undo all the effects of your electricity, but can't do enough to be able to tolerate it. As you can see, Ulysses, who is in disadvantage here it’s you."
Seeing that his attacks would not have great effect on Heartbeat and Golden Paladin, Ulysses began to get nervous.
"Let's see how long you can hold against us" Heartbeat said.
Meanwhile, Grogar continued his fight against Vapour Fist. It seemed that things were in favour of the Jinchuriki who could use his vapour nature to increase the power of his physical attacks, forcing the evil ram to sidestep and keep his distance.
"Are you going to keep running away from me?" Vapour Fist asked. "You're not going to beat me if you don't fight seriously."
"I was trying to work things out without causing too much damage, but it looks like that's what you want, isn't it?" Grogar said.
And, having said this, Grogar touched his bell and so he freed sonic waves that caused great pain in Vapour Fist’s head, forcing him to kneel and take the hooves to the head.
"What did you do?" Vapour Fist asked.
"I expanded the sonic waves of my bell to cause pain and immobilize you" Grogar replied. "Now be quiet and I promisse that you will die in a painless way when we extract your Tailed Beast."
Grogar approached Vapour Fist, but it was then that he freed a lot of steam. Being involved ny it, Grogar began to feel his skin burning. While looking around, he realized that the steam was burning everything that was in the neighborhood. So he could also use a steam like that… However, he would not let himself be intimidated, as he had promised to his master he would capture the Jinchuriki of Five-Tails and that's what he would do.
He played his bell again and he freed sonic waves that began to cause a drastic cooling in the surroundings. This caused the steam to disappear and Vapour Fist, after being exposed to Grogar’s supersonic attack, followed by rapid cooling, was immensely exhausted, while the cold started to work on it.
"It… can't… be" he said.
And he passed out. Grogar canceled the spell that had launched and approached Vapour Fist.
"And Five-Tails was captured with success" he said.
At that moment, he heard a noise and Ulysses came flying, falling near him.
"Amazing, can't you stand sentry without failing?" Grogar asked.
And then Golden Paladin and Heartbeat appeared, getting shocked when they saw Grogar had managed to defeat Vapour Fist.
"Now I see…" he said. "You faced the Generals of Peace and Affection. I think I was too hard on you, Ulysses."
"You can stop right there" Ulysses, gasping as he rose up. "I don't need your condescension."
"Please, Captain Star Shield, don't do this" Golden Paladin said, trying to appeal to the little light that could still exist in Grogar. "You're not like that. Don't let the Lord of Chaos dictate your fate."
Listening Golden Paladin calling Grogar by another name, Ulysses turned to his partner and asked:
"What is he talking about?"
"None of your business" Grogar answered coldly, turning then to Golden. "I suggest you to stop appealing to that name. Star Shield is dead, he no longer exists. Now, there's only Grogar, an eternal servant of the Lord of Chaos."
That response confirmed Golden Paladin’suspicions about Grogar having been too long under the influence of the Lord of Chaos’ darkness to come back by himself.
"If that's the case, then you don't give us reason to be lenient while we take that Jinchuriki from your mercy" Heartbeat replied.
"That's not going to happen, little General" Grogar told her. "Because, unlike the others, I'm always prepared for any eventuality."
And before Heartbeat could access her speed, Grogar his bell again and it freed an intense light that blinded the two Generals and, when it cleared, it was revealed that it served to hide the escape of the two villains with Vapour Fist.
"Damn it!" Heartbeat exclaimed.
"This is not good" Golden Paladin said. "We must inform Princess Twilight about this."
Heartbeat nodded, agreeing with him.
At the Wonderbolts Junior Academy, the final race was about to begin. Jonagold and Bramble had joined Moonlight and Galena after having gone to wish good luck to their best friends.
Both teams entered, along with their respective coaches, while the public acclaimed them. Coach Gideon began to give some last-minute advice to Star and Gunter, while Rainbow Dash did the same with her team. After this, the four participants went to the starting line. When the race was started, both teams took flight.
It was a bad start for Star and Gunter, who had been overcome by the Wonderbolts Junior Academy team. Most of the audience applauded the favourite team, however the Three Great Fairies Preparatory Academy students kept encouraging their fliers and this gave encouragement to Star and Gunter to not give up.
They tried to overcome their opponents, but they were prepared for any attempt to pass them, courtesy of their coach. While one of them remained in the front, the other would back off a little and blocked the path of the opponents. But the duo flyers from the Three Great Fairies Preparatory Academy wouldn't let this strategy to stop them from trying to get the lead. Star backed down a bit and tried to give a wing blast to Gunter, but despite having increased his griffon friend’s speed, it was not enough to overcome the Wonderbolts Junior Academy team.
When the two teams were approaching the finishing line, it looked like the Wonderbolts Junior Academy would win again. It was then that Star had an idea and communicated it to Gunter. Although he was a little apprehensive, Gunter eventually agreed. After that, Gunter grabbed Star’s front hooves with his talons and began to rotate him. Everyone who was watching gasped with such move.
When they were at maximum speed of rotation, Gunter waited for the right time and launched Star, who began flying at high speed, managing to overcome the opposing team without major problems. With this, the race was decided, as Star crossed the finishing line in first place, thus giving the Three Great Fairies Preparatory Academy the victory on flying derby for the first time in years. Twilight, Blue, Gael and Greta exclaimed in contentment, and t Moonlight, Galena, Jonagold and Bramble were doing the same.
The winning team came to the podium where they received the flying derby trophy delivered by Rainbow Dash. Despite being disappointed because her team lost, she had become very impressed by how Star and Gunter had won, feeling honored to congratulate them. The three fairies were so happy that their school had won that they gave to everyone a great fireworks display, what astonished all those who were watching.
While watching, Twilight and Blue received a telepathic message from Golden Paladin to meet outside the track. Despite not wanting to leave Star after his victory, Golden’s message left them quite worried and so they left.
"What's wrong?" Twilight asked while she and Blue arrived at the edge of Golden Paladin and Heartbeat. "Your message seemed serious."
"It's because it's fairly serious, your Highness" Golden Paladin replied.
"The Lord of Chaos now possesses five Tailed Beast."
"What?!" Twilight and Blue asked at the same time.
"How did this happen?" Blue asked. "I thought you had gone to pick the Jinchuriki after we get to know he was out of his kingdom."
"But we weren't the only ones to take advantage of this moment" Heartbeat said.
"Who was it this time?" Twilight asked.
The two Generals exchanged a nervous look before Golden reply:
"It was Grogar."
That answer left Twilight a little upset as Grogar was her great-grandfather.
"Twily..." Blue said, worried about his wife.
"I'm fine, really" she assured him, turning then to Golden Paladin and Heartbeat. "How did he...?"
"Grogar was pretty cunning" Golden Paladin replied. "He made Ulysses to try to slow us down, while he fought and beat the Jinchuriki."
"Yes, although, despite the results in their favor, Ulysses has done a lousy job to stop us" Heartbeat said. "We hit him as much as he deserved. Believe me, if it weren't for the fact that Grogar was able to defeat the Jinchuriki and take him and Ulysses with him after blinding us, we would have one more villain to make company to Cerberus in Tartarus."
"Well, I think we can consider Ulysses’ wounded as a consolation prize" Blue said. "But even so, things are getting worse for our side."
"The Lord of Chaos already has more than half of Tailed Beasts" Twilight saind. "Counting with Star, there are four more Jinchuriki that have not yet been captured. If he can take them all, so it looks like it will be the end for the Pony Reality as we know it."