//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: Taken in from the Shadows // Story: Stay Together, No Matter What // by Mister E-Nonymous //------------------------------// Chapter 7: Taken in from the Shadows (Cody's Point of View) Things have been getting quite interesting since the letter from this Solar Eclipse showed up. Danny has been a little edgy since then, but I'm sure he'll get over it. I tried calming him down, but he replied to me, "I've been taken by those two before. I don't want that to happen again." He was freaking out. Two days ago, Rainbow Dash had to leave to perform at a Wonderbolts performance, and Pinkie Pie had to help deliver some pastries to Canterlot, so Danny and Alex are staying with me, Mom and Sweetie Belle until they got back. Danny was staying in my room while Alex stayed with Sweetie Belle. This morning, Sweetie Belle left a little while ago to do some Crusading and Mom was cooking breakfast for all of us. Pancakes, scrambled eggs and some pieces of lettuce. There was also some apple juice. "Now," Mom said, "is there anything you three are wanting to do?" "Not really, mom," I said. "What are you planning on doing today?" "Oh, nothing much," said Mom. "Although, I am scheduled for an ultrasound at the hospital, today. So, we'll have a chance to see your sister before she's born." "Well that's good news," said Alex. "You'll be a big brother again. Isn't that good news?" "Yeah, I guess," said Cody. "I just hope she won't be as much as a bother at first as she was after she was born before." "Oh, I heard that, Cody," said Rarity. "Pinkie Pie had a bit of a problem like that when watching Pound and Pumpkin. I know, it's going to be hard for me, but we'll just have to bare with it." "I guess so," I said. We then continued our breakfast, and we decided to head off to the hospital. I looked over at Danny, and he was looking around. He was afraid that he was being watched. "Hey, mom? Something's bothering Danny." Mom looked back at Danny and she told him, "Don't worry, Danny. Those ruffians will never have you ever again." "I hope you're right," said Danny. We then continued to the hospital. Hopefully nothing bad would happen. (Third Person Point of View) Right after that moment, peeking their heads from an alley, as ponies, Natasha and Reginald saw Danny with some friends and Rarity heading over towards the hospital. "Boy," said Reginald. "That one let herself go." "She's not fat, Reginald," said Natasha. "She's pregnant." She then smiled evilly. "I have a much better idea. We'll not only take Danny. But those two friends of his, and that mare. And when that mare's baby is born, we'll kill the mother." Reginald chuckled and said, "Not a bad idea. Let's wait until the four of them get out of the hospital." Natasha nodded and they headed towards the hospital, keeping out of sight from Rarity and the three young human turned ponies as they were heading there. Earth... Memphis, Tennessee In an apartment, Solar Eclipse, as Geoffrey Merlin, was on the phone with someone. He was coming into the apartment at the time. "No problem, Leigh Anne," said Solar Eclipse on the phone. "It was nice to help you out with your son, Michael, out of trouble in that situation. Your son is basically one of the best left-tackle in the NFL. Sure. I'd love to come over for Thanksgiving. Okay. See you then. Maybe sooner. Bye." He then hung up. He walked over to the desk in his apartment, and started up his computer. He then started typing up something until there was a knocking on his door. He was confused at that. "Who's out there?" asked Solar Eclipse. "Geoffrey Merlin?" asked the man outside the room. "Yeah? Who's asking?" asked Solar Eclipse. He was surprised when the door was burst open by a battering ram. "Hey! What was that for?!" "Geoffrey Merlin, you're under arrest!" came the man, who turned out to be a police officer. "On what charge?!" asked Solar Eclipse. "Kidnapping... Insanity... and bank robbery!" said the police officer. "WHAT?!" Solar Eclipse shouted. "No! I didn't do any of that! I'm not a kidnapper, bank robber or even insane!" He was then pushed down on his desk and the cops put handcuffs on him. "You have the right to remain silent!" said the police man. "Sorry, but you get no court. You're going to an asylum." "What?! No! I can't...!" Solar Eclipse said, but then he was knocked out. He was then taken out of the apartment, and into a truck that was a transport to an asylum. Back in Equestria, Ponyville Hospital... (Rarity's Point of View) I was in the hospital, waiting for the doctor to come in. Cody, Danny and Alex were waiting patiently for the doctor to come in. Then the doctor came in. "Hello, Miss Rarity," said Doctor Horse. "Are you ready to see your foal?" "I am," I told him. "Alright," said Doctor Horse. "Just roll to your right, and we'll start off your ultrasound." Then some more doctors brought in a machine for the ultrasound. The doctor rubbed some cream on my stomach, and then the wand connected to the device. As the doctor put the wand on my stomach, I jumped a little. "Oh," I said as I jumped. "That's cold." "Sorry," said the doctor. "But this isn't the first time that ponies jumped when this happened." He then looked at the image coming from the ultra sound. "Hm. That's interesting." "What? What is it?" I asked. "According to this, the foal almost looks like it's about ready to come out," said Doctor Horse. "What?" I asked. "You've been pregnant for about eight months now," said Doctor Horse. "But usually, a foal would be born after 11 months. Your looks like it's been generating for 10 months. How is that?" "Actually," said Cody, "I think I can answer that. Flora and I were both born human. And a human woman is pregnant for 9 months at least." "Oh," said Doctor Horse. "That makes sense. Guess it's regenerating as fast as a human baby would. So, I guess your baby would be coming out sooner than you think." "I'm not sure how my friends are going to react to this," I told him. I then looked over at the young human turned foals and said, "Alright, you three. Let's get out of here." They nodded and we headed out. Thankfully, the doctor gave us a photo of the ultrasound. We were on our way towards Twilight's castle, but then we stopped when we heard a ruckus coming from an alley. We stopped and looked at it. "What's going on?" Alex asked. "I don't know, darling," said Rarity. "But we shouldn't dilly dally. Let's keep going." "Uh, guys," said Cody. "Something's not right from under our hooves." We all looked down and saw part of the ground was dug up a little and then a net came up and scooped up the four of us, making all of us shout. "What in heavens!" I shouted. Then coming in from the alley were two figures. Both earth ponies. One green stallion with black and dark brown mane and a cutie mark of three dollar signs, and a red mare with a black mane and her cutie mark was of a profit chart. Danny gasped and said, "No! Not them! Not again!" "Hello, Daniel," said the mare. I recognized that voice. It was the voice of Danny's horrible aunt, Natasha. Which means the stallion is his just as bad uncle, Reginald. "It's time to go back to where you belong." "I don't belong to you anymore!" said Danny. "All you two ever did was keep my locked up, do your housework and kept me away from school!" "And that's how it should be," said Reginald. "But now, you won't be alone. Those two friends of yours, and that soon to be born child, will all be sharing what's going to happen." "NO!" shouted Cody. "You can't treat people this way! And no way I'm going to let my baby sister be a slave to you!" "Sorry, kid," said Natasha. "But that is not your choice. You don't get choices... anymore." Then she pulled out a strange locket. It was a dark blue with silver outlines and wires, making a crescent moon in the middle. "This locket will take all of us to where we have to go. You all are coming with us." Then she pointed to me and said, "And as soon as that baby is born, let's just say that your life will end when that baby's begins." That made me gasp, twice. I then snapped at her, "Who made you the boss of what happens?! You don't decide what happens to ponies, or in your case, people who want to choose their own paths! You can't treat any creature this way!" "Well, get used to it!" said Natasha. "Once that baby is out of you... say goodbye to your family." Then she opened the locket and a huge flash went off, blinding all of us. Then we all got knocked out. (Third Person Point of View) Little do they know, that before the flash of light, there were a couple of watchers. Sweetie Belle and Diamond Tiara. They were passing by when they heard the commotion. They were surprised to see Rarity, Cody, Danny and Alex disappearing with Danny's evil aunt and uncle. "What... just... happened?!" Diamond Tiara asked. "Those two ponies... were Danny's evil aunt and uncle," said Sweetie Belle. "We gotta tell Twilight and the others." "Good idea," said Diamond Tiara. "To the castle!" Then the two of them ran towards the Castle of Friendship. As soon as Twilight was told about what happened, she alerted Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and the Princesses. They all came in and were all worried about what was going to happen. "This is a grave misfortune," said Princess Celestia. "It would seem that Danny's old aunt and uncle are up to their old tricks. But this time, they added some changes." "And I heard them talking," said Sweetie Belle. "As soon as the baby is born, they're going to kill Rarity!" "WHAT?!" shouted all of them, except for Diamond Tiara. "That means we have to work fast!" said Twilight. "If Natasha and Reginald are going to kill Rarity after Cody's sister is reborn, then we have to save them before Rarity's water breaks." "Indeed," said Princess Luna. "And it would seem that you are all going to need the assistance of Solar Eclipse once again." "He is the only pony who can help out while you're there," said Princess Celestia. "I told Danny if those good for nothing crooks ever tried coming after him again, I would kick their flanks!" said Rainbow Dash. "And today, that's the day I'll make that promise happen!" "And no way some Meany McMeaner Pants are going to take away my child just for their own pleasure!" said Pinkie Pie. "Let's go!" "Indeed, Pinkie," said Twilight. "Princess, take us to where Solar Eclipse lives." "Uh, Twilight?" asked Spike. "Yes, Spike?" Twilight asked. "You once said that the world where Danny, Alex and Cody were from were similar to the world on the other side of that mirror, right?" asked Spike. "Yes, I did," said Twilight. "Why do you ask?" "I... kinda made a call to someone who has experience in a world similar," said Spike. He then walked towards the door and opened it up. On the other side of the door... was Sunset Shimmer. "Hello, everypony," said Sunset Shimmer. "Sunset Shimmer!" Twilight said, excitedly. Sunset then saw her old mentor, Princess Celestia. She smiled nervously at her. Princess Celestia slowly walked up to her and said in a stern voice, "Sunset Shimmer." Sunset Shimmer lowered her head in shame. She nervously spoke, "H-hello Princess." With a wing, Princess Celestia moved Sunset's chin upward to make her look at her old mentor, face to face. Princess Celestia's stern face became softer and she said, "It's good to see you again." Sunset Shimmer smiled truthfully and came in for a hug with her old mentor. After they broke the hug, and walked towards Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. "Alright," said Princess Celestia. "I will be sending you all to Solar Eclipse's apartment on Earth. Good luck on getting them all back safe and sound." "We will, Princess," said Twilight. And then with a flash of light, Twilight, Sunset, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Fluttershy were all transported to Earth. Twilight and her friends woke up in an apartment building. All of them were human. They were curious about where they were. "That's... odd," said Twilight. "What is it, Twi?" asked Rainbow Dash. "Where's Solar Eclipse?" asked Twilight. "He should've been taking us to where Rarity and the kids are." "Yer right about that, sugarcube," said Applejack. "We should've been on our way there." "But why aren't we?!" Pinkie Pie shouted. "Perhaps we should head out and find out some clues," said Sunset Shimmer. "Good idea, Sunset," said Twilight. "Let's head out." Then the six of them headed out of the apartment building. As soon as they got outside, they recognized the place. "Memphis, Tennessee," said Rainbow Dash. "I remember this place." Then someone in a suit passed them and threw a newspaper he was reading into a trashcan. "Heh," said Twilight. "If Rarity was with us right now, she would've said, 'That's not where you put a newspaper. It should go in the recycling.'" "That does sound like something Rarity would say," said Sunset. Twilight then grabbed the newspaper and looked at the front page. On the front page, she was surprised. The front page read: GEOFFREY MERLIN COMMITTED Local Attorney Declared Legally Insane "WHAT?!" shouted Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Applejack. "'Geoffrey Merlin, the best Attorney in Tennessee, was decreed a madman'," Twilight read. "'He has been taken in to an insane asylum for multiple charges of things an insane man would say. Including kidnapping and bank robbery.' No way Solar Eclipse would do that." "Does it say where he's been taken?" asked Sunset. "It says here that he's been taken to the Nashville Asylum of the Insane," said Twilight. "But we don't know where that is." "Would this help?" Pinkie Pie asked, holding out a cell phone, and car keys. "Is that Solar Eclipse's cell phone and car keys?" asked Twilight. "Yep," said Pinkie Pie. "Now, let's go find his car." Sunset then took the car keys out of Pinkie's hand. "Hey." "I'll drive," said Sunset. "I took Driver's Ed at Canterlot High." "Of course you did," said Twilight. Twilight thought for a second and then she said, "Sunset... what are you gonna do once you graduate from Canterlot High?" Sunset thought about that. She then said, "I never thought of that. Perhaps... perhaps I should come back to Equestria and stay. I'm sure that my family missed me when I went through that mirror. My parents and my little brother." "I didn't know you had a brother," said Twilight. "What's his name?" "Sunburst," said Sunset Shimmer. "Wait wait wait!" said Rainbow Dash. "Sunburst... the current crystaller in the Crystal Empire... is your little brother?" "You all met him?" asked Sunset. "Well, he was there when we needed him when the Crystal Heart broke," said Twilight. "My niece, Flurry Heart, who was also the first naturally born Alicorn, cried with the Royal Canterlot Voice, and cracked the Crystal Heart." "Yeesh," said Sunset. "How about we skip this and head there? We're going to need Solar Eclipse's help, right?" "Right," said Twilight. "Let's go." Then all of them headed into the parking garage underneath the building.