It was morning. The sun had risen over the roaring jungle. The fog was lifting as the air began to warm up from the blazing sun.
From the Iwi village, a small group of natives were gathered, armed with spears and marked with yellow paint. Kong stood at the wall, watching as the Iwi stared silently, attentive to their king.
"No, I wish for you all to remain here behind these walls. I'll be the one to investigate," said Kong. The Iwi said nothing. Instead, their grips tightened on to their weapons as they stood stoically. Kong gave an annoyed sigh.
"You can't expect them to let you go off on your own," said Ann as she made her way to Kong's side.
"I am no child, Ann. Do you see your king as such?" called Kong, glaring at the natives. "Do you think of me as a child still on the teat? You dishonor me by standing here before me when I've-" Kong was silenced as Ann tapped his shoulder.
"Kong, they just want to help. Why not give them a chance? It's not like you're going after Skull Crawlers," said Ann.
"I can't be too sure," said Kong. Ann gave him a slight frown.
"At least have someone with you to have your back," said Ann.
"You worry too much," said Kong.
"How can I not? It's dangerous out there," said Ann, worry growing on her face. Kong sighed.
"If it will give you peace, then I will. But none of the natives," said Kong as he looked off. He found Angirasu and Junior carrying a log.
"Angirasu!" called Kong. Like a dog, Angirasu perked up and turned to the one who called him. He released the log, leaving Junior to struggle to hold it up.
"Hey!" Junior exclaimed.
"Yes?" Angirasu approached the older mutant.
"I'm off to patrol the area. Ann sees it necessary to bring someone along, so I ask you to join me," said Kong. Ann rolled her eyes, bemused.
"Yeah, you can count on me," smiled Angirasu.
"Hey, wait!" Junior called as he dragged the log along. "You're both leaving? For what?"
"To find out more about our unwanted visitor. They're nothing like we've seen, so it's necessary to find where they come from," said Kong.
"Hey if it's just you, then why don't I come along? Sounds like it'll be dangerous," said Junior.
"No. We'll handle it on our own just fine," deadpanned Kong. Junior slightly narrowed his eyes, growing annoyed. He knew that the two of them had gotten off to a rough start, but he was being reckless to go out there on his own, especially with Aang.
"Actually Kong, I think he'd be helpful out there. He's pretty tough," said Angirasu.
"Brawn is nothing without discipline or wit," said Kong.
"It's gotten me this far," scoffed Junior.
"No, I think it's a good idea. A team of 'Titans' have a better chance out there. Besides, this is a good time for you boys to get to know each other better," said Ann, smiling warmly. Kong grimaced. "Maybe you should ask Rodan to come too. The boys gotta be men, right?"
Kong took a breath and sighed. He narrowed his eyes at Junior.
"You do as I say," said Kong, taking a spear from an Iwi. Junior sent him an annoyed look. But he noticed Ann sending him a smile of encouragement.
"Understood," said Junior.
Later, Junior, Rodan, Angirasu found themselves following Kong through the jungle. They navigated through bushes, tall grass, passed great trees, and buzzing insects.
So far, the patrol has been quiet. No conflict was encountered. All there were was the scampering of smaller animals and the flight of tropical birds. Junior was eyeing the trees warily.
"You OK, man?" asked Rodan.
"Just keeping an eye out for those fuckin' spiders," said Junior.
"I would hate to see your composure with a larger creature," said Kong.
"Hey! This spider was the size of a damn cat! It jumped on my face!" said Junior, indignantly.
"That's nothing. They are easily killed. Unlike the Death Jackals," said Kong.
"I don't even know what that is," said Junior with a sigh.
"Perhaps I'll introduce you to one," said Kong with a smirk.
"Is that a threat?" asked Junior.
"Hold," Kong raised a hand, his expression hardened. The boys stopped, falling silent. Kong made his way further up to a tree. He ducked behind it, taking a peek beyond. He motioned for the boys to follow. The teens crouched as they sneaked over to Kong's position. They caught sight of a familiar humanoid on its knees, feasting on a dead jackalope. Its yellow gnarly teeth tore through fur and flesh, panting as it snarled with every bite.
"Jesus..." Rodan whispered in disturbance. Just the sickly and bony appearance of the creature was sickening enough.
"These abominations have been emerging lately. I've yet to find out what they are or where they come from," whispered Kong as the humanoid continued to feed. Its sunken eyes darted around as it began to twitch. The remains of the horned rabbit fell to the grass. There was a distant blow of a trumpet in the air, which the humanoid seemed to have heard. It held its head and gave an inhumane wail, causing the teens to flinch with a start, as the creature's jaws almost unhinged. The creature suddenly stopped and began to run off from the area, leaving behind the remains of the rabbit. The Transmutants emerged from hiding, making their way to where the creature stood.
"Did you see that? It was like that thing was responding to that trumpet," said Angirasu. Kong nodded in agreement.
"As I feared, there is far more to them then we know," said Kong, furrowing his brows.
"Let's follow it and see where it goes," said Junior.
"I'll take the lead. You follow," said Kong as he began to jog off. The teens followed, passing more bushes and the endless trees that made up this jungle. Along the way, there was no sign of the humanoid, nor any that were like it. Kong had stopped and scanned the tracks left behind along the way. Kong raised his head, finding that the humanoid was scampering further down a dark part of the jungle.
"Let's go!" said Rodan.
"No, hold on!" Kong pulled Rodan back as he attempted to give chase.
"What's the big deal? It's right there," said Junior in confusion.
"No, this area is much too far from the village. It's too dangerous," said Kong as he stood and began to walk off.
"Wha- This entire jungle is dangerous! What's so bad about that area?" asked Junior
"That forest is unnatural. It's not somewhere to be. Come, we should return," said Kong as he continued to leave.
"Seriously? What's in there that would possibly-" Junior was interrupted as Angirasu tapped his shoulder.
"Come on. We should trust him on this," said Angirasu. Junior rolled his eyes.
"Fine."
The Transmutants began to leave the area. From the shadows, a pair of fiery eyes stared. It watched as the group moved away from the dark forest. The eyes blinked briefly, before narrowing.
In the House of Salem, Twilight was sitting at a desk. Her eyes were glued to the pages as she had some coins around her, a quill and ink and parchment. She muttered to herself as she jotted down notes.
In the room with her were Pinkie, Applejack, Rainbow, and Rarity. Rainbow and AJ were playing a game of chess, while Rarity was drawing on some parchment. Pinkie was hovering over her shoulder, watching.
"You can't make that move," said Applejack. Rainbow looked at her in confusion but then placed her piece back. She was about to move, but heard AJ snort.
"You sure you wanna make that move?" asked Applejack. Rainbow grew annoyed. The tomboy scratched her head with a heavy sigh, slouching forward. AJ smirked at her friend's indecisiveness. She had this game in the bag.
"Ah ha!" Rainbow exclaimed, causing Twilight to jump with a start. The book worm groaned in annoyance as she noticed she had left a streak of ink across her paper.
"Your move!" said Rainbow as she moved her piece.
"OK," shrugged Applejack. She moved one of her pieces and smirked.
"Checkmate," said AJ. Rainbow went slack jawed.
"Are you freakin' serious?!" Rainbow groaned in exasperation, causing Twilight to flinch with a start. She turned to glare at the two girls, as AJ chuckled.
"A little strategy wouldn't hurt," said Applejack, as Rainbow fumed.
"Do you mind?" Twilight narrowed her eyes.
"Oh. Sorry, Twi," said Applejack, standing up. Twilight sighed as she turned back to her desk.
"Make yourselves useful and look into our next quests. I'm trying to study a bit on the economics of this country," said Twilight as she turned the page pf her book.
"Ugh. What's the rush? We've been doing nothing but surviving and working! Let's take a load off for the day," said Rainbow.
"Out of the question! We have to make up for the kindness of these people. Not to mention we need to find our friends," said Twilight.
"Twi, I think Rainbow has a point. We should have a day of rest. We can't be effective if we're overworked. Trust me, I live on a farm," said Applejack.
"Fine. Just do a couple of errands today and look into those quests. Tomorrow we can rest," said Twilight with a sigh. Rainbow grinned as she gave AJ a thumbs up.
"We'll get on it. Come on, RD," said Applejack as the two left the room. Pinkie began to walk out the room as well.
"I'm gonna go window shopping! See ya!" said Pinkie. Twilight shook her head. She turned back to find Rarity drawing.
"Rarity, are you doing anything productive?" asked Twilight tiredly.
"Hm? Oh. I was just sketching designs. I've been inspired by this city that I just had to get them drawn. I was thinking that I could put together outfits that we could sell," said Rarity as she drew out a box. "I came across this fine silk that I want to use."
"Where did you get that?" asked Twilight in confusion.
"Someone in the market area gave them to me after I helped him harvest it," said Rarity. "I'm thinking of helping him again."
"Well... as long as you're doing something to help around here," said Twilight, turning back to the desk. She gave a heavy sigh as she removed her glasses, rubbing her eyes.
"Darling?" Rarity got up and made her way to her friend's side.
"I'm fine. Just a little tired. I've been up since dawn studying," said Twilight. Rarity's eyes slightly widened.
"Maybe you should take a break," said Rarity.
"I said I'm fine," said Twilight, returning to her studies. Rarity had an unsure look as she watched Twilight scribble at the parchment.
"I'll see if I can get you some tea. That should perk you up," said Rarity, before leaving. Twilight sighed as she looked through the notes she had.
"80 copper is the equivalent of one silver. 150 silver is the equivalent of one gold..." Twilight muttered to herself as she began to jot down a math equation on a separate parchment. Her eyes began to grow heavy. The girl shook her head and furrowed her brows as she continued to study. But, she began to nod off as her breathing became shallow. She shot up as she snorted. Twilight gave an annoyed sigh.
"Come on, Twilight. We're wasting time," said Twilight to herself, reading her book. But, her body grew more slow, and her eyes grew heavier. She couldn't fight it. Twilight bowed her head into her arms, drifting off to sleep.
The air was cold. Twilight felt her skin crawl from the air as the cold nipped at her. She shivered as she searched for warmth. The area was cold and barren, with no life. Twilight began to roam this wasteland, trembling from both fear and the chills. She scanned this lonely land, her anxiety growing
The wind howled, blowing through Twilight's hair. She gasped as a cloud of sand came rushing towards her. The girl began to flee from the approaching cloud, which crackled with thunder. Everything the storm touched was buried in more sand. The stones and dead trees were all consumed.
Twilight cried out as the sand storm enveloped her. She shielded her face as the sand beat against her clothes and skin. When she thought she was doomed, the winds stopped. The sand fell from her body and the air cleared. Twilight looked around, confused, but everything was still buried. The gloomy grey atmosphere had Twilight's stomach in knots.
Suddenly, Twilight felt her ankle grabbed. She screamed in fright as a hand had grabbed her, attempting to pull her under. The girl began to pull back, pulling along the one that held onto her. As she freed herself, Twilight gasped as the arm thrashed, reaching out for her. It was calling to her for her help. While frightened, Twilight couldn't stand watch. She got on her knees and began to pull on the arm.
Twilight strained as she pulled with all of her might. The sand began to pull her in as well. Twilight wanted to let go to save her own life, but she'd never live down the guilt. So, she gave a cry as she stood to her feet, pulling harder. From the sand, a head and shoulders emerged, coughing.
Twilight gasped. The person that was trapped was Junior. He was wheezing as the sand attempted to pull him back under. Twilight whimpered as she scrambled to pull him out. From the sand, a large spider emerged. A hiss was in the air as its long legs carried it over the sand.
"No! Go away!" Twilight removed a hand from Junior and grabbed a stick. She swung at the spider, which recoiled and raised its front legs. It bared its fangs, dripping venom to the sand. Twilight grunted as she swung at the spider again but missed. The arachnid caught the stick and held it down. Twilight released the stick, whimpering in fright. The spider lunged for the girl and tackled her to her back.
Twilight screamed as the spider clung to her. It was suddenly yanked off of her. Junior had grabbed the spider by its leg, which snapped off. The spider then turned on the boy, lunging for his arm and bit him.
"No!" Twilight screamed. Junior cried out in agony as his arm swelled and decayed from the venom. Twilight looked on in horror as the boy's eyes went cold as the spider dragged him under the sand. The girl cried out to him as she caught his hand, desperately pulling him, but he began to decay further. His hand snapped off, causing Twilight to whimper as it turned to ash in her hands. She attempted to dig him out, but Junior was nowhere to be seen. He was gone. Twilight clutched her head, screaming to the top of her lungs as tears streamed down her face.
Twilight shot up, her eyes wide and alert. She panted as her heart throbbed in her chest. She found herself back at the desk, in the room she was staying in. Twilight was trembling, feeling her cheeks damp. She felt her face, finding fresh tears. Twilight sniffled as she cleaned her face, while seeing a couple of tear stains on her parchment. The door suddenly opened.
"Sorry that took a while. I had a hard time finding the kitchen," said Rarity as she set down a tray, with a tea cup and kettle. She poured Twilight a cup and held it to her. The petite girl shakily took it.
"Th-Thank you..." said Twilight. Rarity noticed her rattled state.
"Did something happen?" asked Rarity.
"I'm fine. Just fine." Twilight took a sip of her hot tea. The drink did little to settle her nerves. She wanted to dismiss that dream. But, it felt real. In fact, it felt like the last nightmare she had. That alone has her shaken.
"I... I think we should talk about a strategy to finish up those quests faster," said Twilight.
"I suppose..." Rarity nodded reluctantly. Twilight took a breath before taking another sip. The sooner they reunite with the others, the more peace of mind she'll have.
The walk to the Iwi village was silent. Junior, Rodan and Angirasu followed Kong through the jungle. The trip felt like a waste of time. After pursuing the creature to its possible origin, Kong decided to pull them back.
"So what's the plan, since we aren't gonna bother with following it?" asked Junior.
"For now, we remain vigilant for more. It may be wise to reinforce the wall," said Kong.
"How much more reinforcement can you guys possibly do for that wall? Unless you have like iron or something," said Rodan.
"I still think we should've followed that thing," said Junior in annoyance.
"Your opinion is duly noted," responded Kong. Junior sighed. "We're almost at the village."
There was a bellow in air. It was almost like a whale's call, but much deeper in tone. Everyone stopped, turning to scan the area. They looked around, tensing. They tightened their grips on their spears. Rodan glanced at Junior.
"You think that thing-"
"Silence," said Kong, his expression hard. The mutants scanned the jungle, which had gone silent. Only the beats of their hearts were heard.
The earth beneath them suddenly burst. The teens yelped as they were knocked back. Kong rolled away, growling.
"Skull Crawler!" exclaimed Rodan in panic. Junior gasped.
"That's not a-"
From the earth, a familiar creature emerged. It was one of the iguana hybrids, specifically the dark marine iguana. The creature shrieked as dirt fell off of its back.
"That thing is still alive?!" exclaimed Angirasu. The iguana then turned its head, glaring at Junior.
"H-Hey, what the hell are you staring at?" Junior stumbled back. The hybrid screeched and began to run towards the boy.
"Fuck! Fuck me! Fuck me silly!" cried Junior as he turned and ran.
"Gojira!" cried Angirasu as he , Rodan and Kong gave chase.
"Oh Jesus! Sweet Christmas baby Jesus, help!" cried Junior as the iguana chased him through the jungle.
"Fight him, you coward!" shouted Kong as he began to pick up speed.
"Fuck you, man! I don't have enough time to change form!" exclaimed Junior as the creature snapped its jaws at him.
"Just stab him or something!" said Angirasu.
"That's easy for you to say!" said Junior. He glared at the lizard. "Ah the hell with it!"
Junior quickly turned and jabbed his spear. The iguana snarled as it skidded to a halt. It swiped its paw at the boy, who staggered back. Junior stepped forward, jabbing his spear.
"Fuck off! Fuck off, lizard!" shouted Junior. The creature caught his spear with its jaws and yanked it away. Junior gave a nervous chuckle. The creature snarled as it tackled Junior to the ground.
"Oh fuck! FUCK ME IN THE DI-!!" junior screamed as the lizard bit down on his reptilian arm, shaking him furiously along the ground. Junior began to beat his fist against its head. The creature was suddenly struck by a magic bolt. It screeched as it released Junior and staggered back. Junior found Sunset standing with her arms raised, as Fluttershy, Mosura and the Dazzlings stood with her.
"I hoped we wouldn't see any of those things again!" said Sunset. Mosura and Fluttershy rushed to Junior, who stood holding his bleeding arm.
"Not as bad as I thought it'd be," winced Junior. The iguana snarled as it found the rest of the male Transmutants surrounding it. Fluttershy watched as the creature began to dart its head and eyes.
"Wait, don't attack it!" said Fluttershy.
"Are you crazy?! That thing just attacked Gojira!" said Aria.
"Yeah, me specifically for some reason!" said Junior with a wince. Fluttershy looked at him in confusion. And then back to the hybrid.
"It's still an animal. Maybe I can..." Fluttershy began to carefully make her way towards the iguana. It growled as she approached.
"Shy, get away from it!" said Junior.
"It's OK..." Fluttershy said calmly, raising her hands. The creature panted, baring its teeth at the girl. Its fiery eyes glared at her as she came closer.
"Give it space! You're stressing it!" said Fluttershy. Kong furrowed his brows, but noticed Rodan and Angirasu beginning to back away. He looked at them incredulously.
"Just do it," said Angirasu. Kong grunted as he stepped back, but still tense at the sight of this unknown creature.
"It's OK. No one's gonna hurt you," said Fluttershy, softly. Everyone tensed as she came closer to the hybrid, its breaths heavy. Fluttershy shushed the creature as she came closer, just standing a few feet away.
Fluttershy gave a warm smile as she held out a hand. The hybrid's nostrils flared as its breathing began to settle. Its sights fell on her hand, as it raised to meet its snout. The iguana's eyes then took notice of Junior standing, with the help of Mosura. The creature snarled, startling Fluttershy. She stumbled to the side as the creature lunged towards Junior and Mosura.
"Shit!" Junior exclaimed as Mosura yelped in alarm. The lizard stopped a few feet away, bellowing at the two.
"Now can we kill it?!" asked Aria.
"No, wait! Goji, he's challenging you!" said Fluttershy.
"Challenging me? Why?!" asked Junior in confusion. The lizard pawed at the ground, swishing its long tail with a hiss.
"Something about 'asserting dominance as the Alpha Male'! It's kind of how you were acting in your other form!" said Fluttershy.
"Asserting dominance?! We're not even the same species! Tell him to beat it!" said Junior, glaring at the hybrid.
"I think he associates you with being the closest to his kind! You have to assert dominance!" cried Fluttershy.
"What the hell do I do?! Beat him on the snout with a rolled up newspaper?!" Junior recoiled as the hybrid snarled. Mosura stood by his side, narrowing her eyes.
"Now's not the time to start taming animals!" said Mosura.
"No, this is an opportunity!" called Kong, drawing Junior's attention. "Now's the time to change form and master your gift!"
"I can't control it!" said Junior as the lizard began to tense as its pupils dilated.
"You can do it, Gojira!" cried Angirasu. Junior grunted as he strained, his veins popping from beneath his skin.
"Am I the only one who thinks we should just kill this thing?!" yelled Aria in exasperation. The lizard suddenly made a mad dash for Junior. It rammed its head against Mosura, sending her rolling across the ground. It then tackled Junior to the ground.
"Gojira!!" Adagio cried. Sunset grunted as she raised her hands, as a ball of energy began to form. Before anyone could intervene, Junior grunted as he clamped the hybrid's jaws shut. He snarled as his eyes became more reptilian. His bones popped as he grew. He quickly began to dwarf the hybrid as he changed form. His hands quickly grew to the point of covering most of the iguana's head.
"Watch out!" cried Rodan, as Junior rolled over with the hybrid in his hold. The others quickly retreated, giving the transformed mutant space. Junior snarled as he swung the hybrid, slamming it against a tree. The tree rocked as bark flew off from the impact. It collapsed to the earth, as the hybrid stood, shaking off its disorientation. It then lunged for Junior, slashing its claws against his leg. Junior grunted as he raised a foot and began to stomp, but missed the hybrid. Junior snarled in frustration as he failed to trample the iguana, which slipped under him and scratched its dorsal plates against his inner thighs. Junior groaned as he stumbled. He turned to find the iguana suddenly lunging to him.
"Shouldn't we help?!" asked Sonata.
"Hey if you want to be a pancake, then be my guest!" said Sunset as the two reptiles fought for dominance.
Junior groaned as the iguana clung to his chest, its long claws digging into his scales. Junior held the creature back as it attempted to snap its jaws at his neck. The Transmutant then began to charge towards another tree, a smirk-like expression on his muzzle. The iguana turned its head back and shrieked in alarm, realizing that it was being forced to the large tree. Junior slammed into the tree, causing the iguana to release him and to fall along with the tree. The hybrid groaned in pain as it lied on its back. It attempted to stand, but Junior had planted his foot onto its chest. The lizard whimpered as it attempted to stand, thrashing under the biped's weight. Junior lowered himself and gave a shriek at the lizard, which caused it to clench its eyes. Junior panted as his chest bled, while the lizard was breathing heavily. He stepped off of the hybrid, allowing it to roll back onto its belly. The creature panted as it craned its head up to look at Junior, its eyes hard.
Junior narrowed his eyes and bared his teeth. His low growl rumbled the air around him. The hybrid softly groaned as it lowered its head, bringing itself lower to the ground in submission. Fluttershy sighed in relief. She knew it was stupid to try and tame this creature, given a previous encounter, but she was able to tell that it was going after Junior specifically. It had to have known that the two were linked in some way. Otherwise it would have just attacked everyone, indiscriminately.
"Gojira! Do you have control?" called Angirasu. Junior suddenly turned, his head tilted in confusion.
"Guess not," said Angirasu in dismay. Junior turned back to the iguana, as it raised itself up, appearing more docile.
Applejack and Rainbow Dash were strolling through the city streets. The two passed the countless denizens that filled the area, making their way around.
"Man, I'm so bored," said Rainbow.
"You're bored?" asked Applejack in confusion.
"Yeah, aren't you? There's nothing to do around here and we have the day off tomorrow," said Rainbow in exasperation. "We're just stuck doing menial tasks and small time quests! I want some adventure!"
"Dash, we've had nothing but adventure!" said Applejack. "What do ya call surviving a jungle full of monsters and fighting guards to an empire?"
"Yeah, but I want more! Like I wanna fight some more bad guys! Or maybe go after bigger baddies instead of these small time thugs! Maybe even rescue some folks in peril!" said Rainbow as she hopped onto the rail of a stone bridge and walked along it.
"I admit, that does sound exciting. But it's better that we don't have to," said Applejack. The less trouble the better. Rainbow dropped back down onto the bridge with a sigh.
"Why are we even here if we're not gonna find the danger? Didn't the king say that there were threats within his kingdom aside from the war? We should look into more of that. Not running dumb deliveries or squishing roaches," said Rainbow.
"They're part of the quests given to us, RD. Besides, they provide income for us. We'll need supplies to get back to our friends," said Applejack. Rainbow moaned.
"I just want something exciting to happen, that's all. I thought us being here would be a lot different. We have powers and we have no one to show off our heroics to," said Rainbow. Applejack looked at her in disapproval.
"Lookie here, miss. This ain't about glory hogging. It's about doing the right thing," said Applejack. Rainbow shrugged.
"Can't we do the right thing while getting glory?" asked Rainbow. Applejack gave a frustrated sigh as she shook her head. She began to walk on ahead.
"Hey, all I'm asking is a bit of acknowledgement and appreciation! That's all!" said Rainbow as she jogged after the blonde. "There's no need to be a girl scout about it."
"Maybe being in the girl scouts would do you some good," deadpanned Applejack.
"Please, this girl ain't into the frilly crap. I'm all about the outdoors and pants! Man, guys have it easy," said Rainbow with a pout. She then noticed a frightened scream. Rainbow and Applejack turned to find a woman screaming as a man clutched his chest, his robes soaked with blood. He suddenly collapsed to the ground, as people grew frantic.
"What happened?!" exclaimed a citizen.
"This man was stabbed by a thief! Where's the assailant?!" demanded a guard as he interrogated the crowd. Rainbow took notice of a skittish man, pushing through the crowd and away from the crime scene. The girl took notice of one of his hands stained with blood, which he tried to conceal in his sleeve.
"Hey, you!" called Rainbow, giving chase.
"RD, wait for me!" called Applejack, following the tomboy. The two pushed through the crowds, as the man began to flee. The girls kept losing sight of him due to the people getting in their paths and lines of sight. Once they got through, the man was nowhere in sight. Rainbow cursed under her breath as she looked around.
"Alright, I'll try to cut him off from side! You keep going!" said Rainbow as she ran off. Applejack sighed as she looked around. But, she noticed a figure to be climbing up a building. She smirked as she began to run off.
Applejack made her way over to crates that stood at the side of small building. Once she climbed, she began to scale up the side of the building, as the perp got onto the roof. Once she got on, Applejack began to pursue.
"Stop!" called Applejack. The man briefly looked back at her in alarm. The girl was quickly gaining on him. The two began to hop from rooftop to rooftop. Each building was taller than the last. The man jumped for another ledge but failed to make it over. He cried out as he caught the roof, but from his side fell a sack. Applejack skidded to a halt as she watched as the man cursed, as he climbed back up and began to flee.
"Shoot!" Applejack looked down below, finding the sack on the street below. She began to climb down from where she was, dropping down to the ground. She knelt and picked up the sack, feeling a weight. She opened the sack and found that it was filled with gems. She gave a whistle.
"You! Halt!" shouted an authoritative voice. Applejack shot up, finding a few guards rushing her way.
"Oh good, you're here! I just-" Applejack fell silent as a guard drew his sword on her.
"Hand it over, thief!" said the guard.
"Wha- No, the thief got away! I was just-" Applejack stumbled back in shock.
"Please come with us. Do not resist," said a guard firmly. Applejack sighed as she held out the sack, which the guard took.
Applejack sat in a cell with a bored look. She had her hands propping her chin up over her knees, as she slouched. She blew the few strands of hair in her face away. She stood up and made her way over to the cell, finding a man in a breast plate, and cape, sitting at a desk just down the hall of the dungeon. Applejack gripped the bars of the cell.
"Excuse me, but when can I leave? I already told ya'll that I was innocent!" said Applejack in frustration.
"You were seen with the stolen gems. As far as I'm concerned, that makes you guilty," said the man as he began to write on a parchment.
"But I didn't do it! The man that did is running free right now!" said Applejack.
"Be silent! You'll stand trial by tomorrow," said the man in annoyance. Applejack gasped.
"Trial?" Applejack fell onto her rear back on the bed in the cell. She buried her face into her hands, unable to process her situation. It wasn't right. She had nothing to do with the thief. The fact that she was locked up and was being treated as a suspect without evidence was horrifying. It was here that she began to realize that Junior may have felt like this when he was in a similar situation.
The dungeon door suddenly opened. Applejack perked up once she saw Salem entering. He gasped once he saw the girl in the cell.
"Lord Salem!" cried Applejack with joy.
"What is the meaning of this?!" demanded Salem.
"My Lord. I have no idea what you mean," said the man, recoiling. He quickly stood as the rest of the girls entered, with Rainbow hauling over an unconscious man.
"We've been looking for this young woman all afternoon! Why is she locked away?!" demanded Salem.
"Sh-She was caught with stolen gems! And I was told that the owner was murdered," said the man.
"That was this asshole, right here!" said Rainbow as she threw the unconscious man near the desk.
"We have the owner's widowed wife testimony to confirm it was him! Now I demand that you release the girl!" ordered Salem. The man quickly got up with a ring of keys and made his way to the cell. He frantically unlocked it, allowing the girl to walk out.
"Oh thank goodness! I was worried for a second," said Applejack, holding her chest in relief.
"I hope this doesn't reflect on any future job interviews!" giggled Pinkie with a snort.
"M-My apologies," said the man, sheepishly, as Salem led the girls out of the dungeon.
"I can't believe that happened," said Applejack.
"I apologize, Lady Applejack. We were fortunate to have found you, along with the true culprit," said Salem. Rainbow smirked.
"Yeah, you can thank me for that," said Rainbow.
"Well, thank ya kindly, Dash. Though be a little humble," deadpanned Applejack.
"Is crime like that common?" asked Twilight.
"No, which is why the guards are wound up tight in this city, but they are efficient," said Salem.
"Then why would you need us here? You seem to have your city under control without us," said Twilight.
"While there are a few threats that could compromise Sacramentonian territory, I believe that the King is concerned with keeping the peace for cities more vulnerable to attacks. The war isn't going in our favor. King Gareth feels that the image of heroes would help keep morale up at home for the people," said Salem. "What better way for that than for remarkable girls helping the people on his behalf?"
"Wait, do people know who we are?" asked Rarity in confusion.
"Not yet. But word of your heroics in Salera is spreading through the land. Especially the recent defeat of those bandits," said Salem with a smile.
"Ah. So we're just Propaganda pieces?" asked Twilight with a grimace.
"Well... Yes. But King Gareth really thinks that you can help our nation without actually fighting in the war. He wants to inspire hope," said Salem. Twilight furrowed her brows as she bore a reluctant look.
"It would've been nice if he told us himself," said Twilight.
"Come on, Twi. It's not the worse thing. Nothing's really changed," said Rainbow with a shrug.
"Yeah, just think of it as comedians making people smile and laugh, indirectly improving their mood!" said Pinkie. Twilight sighed.
"I guess," said Twilight.
Later that evening, Twilight was seated at the desk in the room that she and the gang were staying in. She sighed as she looked through the quests, as her friends were all washed and dressed for bed. Twilight grimaced as she read on with the quests.
"I'm starting to have second thoughts," said Twilight. The girls looked at her in confusion.
"On what?" asked Rainbow.
"On us taking these quests. I mean, you heard Salem. We're just poster girls for the war," said Twilight.
"So?" shrugged Rainbow.
"Is that really what you want to do?" asked Twilight incredulously.
"It's not like we're actually fighting in the war. We're just helping out around town," said Pinkie.
"Yeah but some of these quests... They're like simple errands that would lead to us using our abilities. Deliveries would lead to Rainbow using her speed, which I'm sure has gotten attention through the city," said Twilight. She looked to another quest.
"There was the bandits, the incident today with the thief, the infestation, and now I'm seeing how these next quests are similar," said Twilight. She scratched her head.
"It doesn't make sense as to why they'd just have us do these tasks that any of those guards could handle, especially when there's a war that they keep saying isn't going well. Wouldn't they try to convince us to join their military or even pay us to help them fight?" said Twilight.
"Twilight, maybe you're just being paranoid. What if there isn't an ulterior motive?" asked Rainbow.
"It just doesn't add up. Besides, we haven't received any quests that are as threatening as Salem claimed," said Twilight with a sigh.
"Hey, I understand where you're coming from, Twi. But we don't really have any other options right now. Besides, even if it seems small or even unnecessary for us to be the ones, it don't matter. We can do a lot of good for these people. Isn't that what Amber's been tryin' to get us to do?" asked Applejack. Twilight raised her head. She took a breath as she smiled to the blonde.
"Yeah... You're right." Twilight nodded.
Fluttershy was kneeling as she scratched the head of the iguana hybrid. The creature's mouth hung open as it gave a throaty growl as it closed its eyes. The girl giggled as she continued to rub its head. Meanwhile, the Dazzlings, Sunset and Transmutants stood at a distance.
"Is this a good idea?" asked Sunset warily.
"Well, Fluttershy seems to think so," said Mosura, as the shy girl planted kisses on the monster's head.
"Wasn't there another similar one?" asked Adagio.
"It probably died. I wouldn't be surprised considering the stuff we've seen out here," said Rodan. Junior cleared his throat as he cautiously made his way over to Fluttershy.
"So... How's this going?" asked Junior. The creature noticed his approach and then lowered its head to the ground. Its eyes avoided eye contact with the boy.
"Hmm. Seems well. He isn't attacking anyone. Plus, he's being submissive," said Fluttershy.
"I don't understand how that all happened. Everything about this is just weird," said Junior. He gave a heavy sigh. He still didn't know what Kong planned to do about those humanoids that he's been on about. They just chickened out of following one into that forest, so they have nothing to show.
"So, what are you gonna name him?" asked Fluttershy.
"I'm sorry?" asked Junior in confusion.
"Well, he's going to be sticking with us. We might as well call him something," smiled Fluttershy.
"Shy, this isn't some stray dog that we can just name and take home. This is a killer lab experiment gone wrong," said Junior.
"Hey, he's just as alive and with feelings as any other animal," said Flluttershy in disapproval. Junior sighed.
"Well then you name him," said Junior, crossing his arms. Fluttershy hummed as she pondered.
"How about..."
"Call it, Jira!" said Sonata. Everyone looked at her in confusion.
"Huh?" asked Fluttershy.
"Jira! It's The last few letters in Goji's name! They also looked alike! It's the perfect name!" said Sonata.
"Sonata, that is so dumb," said Aria as she rolled her eyes.
"Actually, I kind of like it," said Fluttershy, a smile growing on her face. Junior looked at her in disbelief.
"You're not serious, are you?" asked Junior.
"Yeah, I'll call him Jira! Who's a good boy?" cooed Fluttershy, prompting the creature to nuzzle her. Junior noticed the other teens snickering behind his back. He gave an annoyed and heavy sigh.
"Whatever. I'm going to bed," said Junior.
The next day, Twilight found herself back at the desk. She was still studying up the value of the currency of the land. Meanwhile, Rainbow stood with a giddy look. She was eager to start her break. Applejack was currently separating the savings by their metal by stacking silver with silver, copper with copper, and gold with gold. As she counted them off, Rarity was in the process of setting up a mannequin. She hummed as she looked over a sketch she had done. She began to wrap some silk cloths over the figure, slightly sticking her tongue out as she squinted.
Pinkie sighed with a bored look. She kicked her legs as she sat on the bed. The girl began to make popping sounds with her mouth. Twilight sighed.
"Pinkie." Twilight turned to the hyperactive girl.
"Sorry. I'm just bored," said Pinkie.
"Well, why not go exploring or something? You don't have to stay in the room," said Twilight.
"Oh OK." Pinkie hopped off the bed. She waved to her friends as she left the room. Pinkie began to make her way out of the House of Salem. She sighed as she held her arms behind her head, kicking a pebble along the way.
"I wonder what people do for fun out here," said Pinkie as she watched as the citizens went about their business. She heard the sounds of children giggling. She turned and found kids to be gathered around a man that was sporting a bright blue and black tunic, and leggings. He bore a hat that bore bells at the three tips that hung from the crown, and pointed shoes. Citizens, young and old had gathered in the market to see this jester.
"Hoo! Hoo! You're a wonderful audience! I haven't seen a crowd this big since I was surrounded by a mob of Dogomites in Paltoon!" said the jester with a grin. The audience began to laugh in amusement.
"Now I know the war is a bit of a touchy subject. Especially for us Sacramentonians. Recently, a fleet was traveling to flank the enemy in their ships from the seaside. A dangerous task, considering the region they were in is home to terrible sea monsters," said the jester as he paced about, taking on a mock serious tone.
"I'm sure that you heard how a fleet of was brought down by the Dogomites. It's a shame really. Because the Dogomites didn't have the guts to jump into the waters like our brave soldiers did!" said the jester. The citizens laughed in amusement.
"Oh, nothing like laughter to relieve some tragedy," said a man from the crowd, wiping a tear. Pinkie hummed as she joined the crowd, listening in.
"Speaking of the Dogomites, I hear that Empress is quite a beauty," said the jester with a pur. A few men in the crowd hooted in agreement.
"Oh yes. I tell you, I'd switch sides in a heart beat," said the jester. He was met with a few gasps and boos from the audience.
"Now hold on! I'd switch sides, if not for one problem. She lacks something that our good King has. A sense of humor! Hoo! Hoo!" The jester twirled his baton. The audience began to laugh. Pinkie gave a small giggle in response. Whoever this empress was, she must have been a bummer.
"If I strolled through those gates, she'd immediately ordered for my head to roll!" said the jester as he drew out a skull and rolled it along the ground. The skull began to quickly chatter its teeth as a wind up key spun from its temple. The audience continued to laugh, while Pinkie grinned.
"Now those Dogomites worship spiders, which is already strange in itself. I mean, they're creepy and gross! The empress is such a soiled dove that she even has creepy crawlies under her skirt, if you know what I mean," said the jester, holding his hand near his cheek as though he was sharing a secret. The audience burst into a roar of laughter.
"Father, what does that mean?" asked a boy in confusion.
"You'll understand when you're older," said the father with a chuckle.
"Alright, I think that's enough political commentary for today. But if that didn't satisfy ya, I have something for everyone!" said the jester as he took the skull and drew out a couple of balls. He began to juggle the skull and balls into the air. The audience watched eagerly as he effortlessly juggled. He began to snatch up a couple of stray objects during his juggle. An empty can, a rock, and a small dog. Audience gasped in alarm or excitement. Pinkie watched, both eager and afraid as the dog yipped in alarm as it was juggled.
"Sorry, little dog! I didn't see ya!" said the jester. Once he caught the dog, he quickly sat it down and continued to juggle. He tossed the empty can over to a disposable barrel, and then caught the skull. He opened the jaws and allowed the balls to fall in, trapping them inside. He then caught the rock and dropped it. The crowd, including Pinkie, cheered and applauded this man. The jester chuckled as he removed his hat and bowed.
"Thank you! Thank you! You're too kind!" said the jester as he placed on his hat. He then took notice of Pinkie in the crowd.
"You there! My dear, you seem familiar," said jester as he scratched his head with his baton. The crowd parted, looking to the girl curiously.
"Me? No I'm new!" said Pinkie with a smile. The jester hummed as he looked her over.
"Ah! Now I know! You're one of those strange new maidens that arrived! I heard some fascinating tales about you!" said the jester. The crowd grew curious.
"I heard how a girl with the hair of rainbows, and a lady with hair as bright as the sun rescued a family from the tyranny of the Dogomites!" said the jester. The crowd murmured among themselves in confusion.
"Those are my friends, Rainbow Dash and Applejack!" said Pinkie with a grin.
"Peculiar! I hear that you also have been serving our fair city. Like getting rid of infestation and defeating troublesome bandits! Such bravery for a young girl as yourself!" said the jester in approval. Pinkie smiled bashfully.
"Aw shucks! You're making me blush! We were just doing what we thought was right," said Pinkie with a sweet smile.
"Humility! How it is a pleasure to see you in person! Why not show us your feat on how you defeated those bandits?" The jester stepped aside. It was here that Pinkie began to realize how odd her situation was currently. This jester had suddenly started addressing her and was now trying to get her to show off her power. She didn't know if he genuinely heard of her and wanted to see her abilities, or if this was somehow a publicity stunt. After learning more about the role of her friends and herself, she didn't put it passed Salem to set this up somehow. But in the end, it didn't matter. All eyes were on her and she already said too much. Besides, she and her friends were supposed to help out the city by boosting morale.
"Alright! Do you have something I can throw that you won't miss? Maybe bring me that barrel too," said Pinkie. A man brought over the empty barrel near the girl. The jester handed Pinkie one of the balls he juggled. Pinkie took a breath.
"Stand back! I'm still getting a feel for this," said Pinkie, as the crowd backed away. Some curious, eager, or uninterested. Pinkie gripped the ball tightly. The energy from her hand transferred to the ball, causing it to hum as it began to glow.
Pinkie threw the ball to the barrel. It whizzed to the barrel and exploded on impact. The explosion was small and merely burst a similar sized hole through the barrel. The crowd gasped in shock and awe.
"I can make explosions by throwing any object! The bigger the object, the more energy I transfer, the more destructive! I used that to trap the bad guys in ditches that I made this way," said Pinkie as she drew out jar of dirt.
"I can even make smoke!" said Pinkie as she took a handful of dirt. She tossed it to the ground, resulting in a crackle and pop, and plume of pink smoke to rise. The crowd gave 'oohs' of fascination as they applaud. Pinkie began to toss more dirt to the ground, causing more firework-like pops. She even tossed some into the air, which burst. The crowd applauded the spectacle, as the sparkling pops and crackles appeared, leaving colored smoke.
"Why, that is amazing!" said the jester with a grin. Pinkie grinned as well from the approval of the crowd. She supposed it didn't matter whether this was all a public stunt or not. It made people happy, and that's what mattered.
Salera...
The village was at a standstill. The denizens watched as a group of Dogomites entered their town. Malicia's Enforcers, comprising of the nymphomaniac Sigyn, and the aggressive gun totting Kenra. The women rode on the back of horses, along with a third rider. This rider was a man, clad in a thick dark trench coat and a hat. His breathing was rough as he inhaled and exhaled. He gave muffled giggles as a mask clung to his mouth.
As the trio made their way through town, they stopped near the house of lord Grunge. The three stepped off their horses and entered the building. They entered the man's luxurious office. They found him sitting at a desk, looking through documents as he held a glass of wine in his hand.
"Ahem," Kenra crossed her arms. Grunge raised his head, a look of disinterest on his face.
"Ah. I didn't hear you come in," said Grunge as he went back to reading. Kenra was about to step forward and berate this man for his insolence. Sigyn raised a hand, motioning her to be still.
"You know why we're here. Her majesty wouldn't have sent for us if she wasn't concerned," said Sigyn.
"Concerned? She has our land under her thumb. We give our share of taxes and tributes to appease her. What has she to be concerned about?" scoffed Grunge.
"Let's cut to the chase. The collectors told Malicia about a girl with rainbow hair. We know you obviously didn't take the time to imprison or execute them. So why not just tell us where they went and we'll be on our way," said Kenra, growing impatient.
"Sorry, but I have no idea what you're talking about. I was here setting up my share of coin for the collectors when it all happened," said Grunge with a shrug. Kenra's brow twitched.
"OK. So you wanna play dumb, huh?" asked Kenra as she motioned for the man next to her. The covered man made his way to the doors and closed them, while Sigyn closed the blinds. Grunge found Kenra drawing out a baton from her belt.
"Then allow us to educate you," said Kenra as she pressed the button on the baton, causing it to spark and buzz.
Elsinore...
Twilight sighed as she closed the book she was reading. She strained as she leaned back in her seat and began to stretch. The girl gave a relieved sigh as she slouched.
"I take it that your studies are going well," said Rarity as she ran a needle through the silk fabrics she had.
"Yep. I'm getting a pretty good understanding on the currency," said Twilight. Applejack sighed as she lied on the bed in the room.
"I gotta tell ya, it's nice to laze about once in a while," said Applejack. "What's on the agenda tomorrow by the way?"
"Well-" Twilight was interrupted as the door was suddenly opened.
"Guys! I just saw this awesome jester! I didn't get some of the political jokes but his tricks are neat! You should've seen him!" said Pinkie, shaking Twilight.
"Good to see you had fun," said Twilight in a daze.
"You bet! I'm so pumped that I can do like 10 quests! What's the first thing we're doing?!" asked Pinkie, eager.
"We-" Twilight was interrupted as Rainbow entered the room.
"Sup?" greeted Rainbow, closing the door.
"Ah. Well since we're all here, let's talk about our next quests," said Twilight as she pulled away from Pinkie. She picked up a quest and cleared her throat.
"One of them is fairly simple. There is someone in the city that claims to be strongest man around. The objective is that one of us has to defeat him, as no one can," said Twilight.
"Is he causing trouble?" asked Rarity.
"No, I think it's another stunt for propaganda," said Twilight with an annoyed look.
"Well in that case, I can take him on. I'm sure that I can give em' a show," said Applejack, rotating her arm.
"Oh! Oh! Let me do it!" said Pinkie, raising her hand. Everyone looked at her incredulously.
"Uh... No offense, Pinkie. But do you even no how to fight? Like physically?" asked Rainbow.
"I have my powers!" said Pinkie.
"That doesn't count, Pinkie. It's hardly fair to use your explosion ability on a guy that likely uses his fists," deadpanned Rainbow.
"Well, then I'll learn how to fight! Goji does it all the time! How hard can it be?" asked Pinkie. Her friends grimaced as they looked to each other, reluctant.
"If you really want to. The guy apparently runs a fighting class. Maybe we can squeeze some training for you from a professional," said Twilight as she looked to the quest.
"Or I can just take on the quest," said Applejack, shrugging.
"No. I gotta pull my weight too. As a matter of fact, let's go sign up now! I feel like starting this one right now!" said Pinkie with a determined smile.
Later, the girls found themselves walking the streets of Elsinore. Twilight looked through a local map as she led the gang to their destination. She hummed as she muttered to herself. She smiled as she found the destination. It was a small building that stood among tall stone pillars, which bore sculptures of muscle bounded men on their tops. They made their way to the building, admiring the area.
"Lovely," said Rarity, admiring the sculptures.
"Damn this place is just oozing 'Manliness'." Rainbow took notice of a tall, muscle bounded man passing by. The girls entered through a pair of wooden doors, where they found a room with a mat in the center. Several men sat on the ground, stoic and silent. The gang made their way in and awkwardly took a seat. They noticed that the men snuck glances at them. Most of the men were large and bounded with muscle. The raw masculinity of the room made the girls feel quite small.
"A bit small, aren't they?" whispered one of the men.
"Maybe this was a bad idea," said Twilight with a grimace.
"Attention!" shouted one of the men. In unison, the men gave a shout as they shot up to their feet, standing at attention. The girls scrambled up to the their feet as they stood up straight and tall. They heard foot steps approaching. Twilight's eyes glanced to the side as she began to sweat. Who knew what the toughest man in the city was like. Her imagination ran wild as she pictured a hulking figure that could barely fit his clothes. Then her eyes widened as she saw a man that stood to be at least a foot shorter than she was. The man sported a tunic and hide slacks. He looked to be rotund, rather than muscled like the men in the room. He stopped in the center of the room and greeted his students with a bow, as they did the same.
"Wait a minute. This is the toughest man in the city?" asked Twilight incredulously.
"Huh. I imagined he'd be a lot bigger. That's a shame," said Rainbow in mild disappointment.
"Hold your tongue! You know nothing about Sedgewick!" said a student, glaring at the two.
"At ease, my student. I see that we have guests here. Might you be here to deliver those towels we ordered?" asked the short man.
"No. We're uh... Here to train," said Twilight. There was a pregnant pause. The students all began to laugh hysterically.
"You?! Are you mad?" laughed one of the students.
"You're all so wee and skinny that you'd snap like twigs!" laughed another student.
"Except for this one. She looks like a working woman," said a student, pointing to Applejack. The blonde smirked.
"Why thank ya kindly. Want a demonstration?" asked Applejack. The student chuckled as he popped his knuckles.
"Very well, but I won't go easy on you," said the student.
"I'd be insulted if you did," said Applejack, removing her hat and placing it on Twilight's head.
The student rushed towards Applejack and sent a punch. The blonde caught his fist and held it in place, barely moving in inch. The student bore a confused look but found himself grabbed and thrown to the ground. The student lied on his back, stunned while the rest looked on in shock. Applejack turned to the men with a smile.
"Anyone else wanna go?" asked Applejack.
"No, we're good!" said the men in unison. Sedgewick hummed.
"Impressive. I shall take you," said Sedgewick, loosening himself up. Applejack smirked.
"Fine by me," said Applejack.
"Hey! I thought I-" Pinkie pouted in disappointment.
"I know but we can finish this quest in a flash and move on!" said AJ. Pinkie huffed as she crossed her arms.
"Be careful, AJ. Something's weird about this guy. No one like that just gets called 'the toughest man around'." said Twilight. Applejack scoffed.
"Ah what's he gonna do?" asked Applejack as he approached Sedgewick.
"Very well! The fat one first!" said Sedgewick. Applejack gasped.
"I ain't fat! This is muscle!" said Applejack, her face growing red with anger.
"Or as the internet would say, she's 'Thicc'!" said Pinkie.
"Yes, yes! The fat one first!" said Sedgewick.
"Why you-" Applejack jabbed a finger at the short man. He suddenly grabbed her wrist and swung her over head. Applejack slammed onto the ground on her back. She was repeatedly lifted up by her arm and was slammed over and over like a rag doll. The girls winced as their friend was flung around. Applejack was then thrown across the room, collapsing a table as she landed on it. The blonde staggered to her feet in a daze. She growled as she made a mad dash for her opponent. Sedgewick stepped to the side and tripped her with his leg. Applejack lied on her belly, then felt her wrist grabbed again.
"Wha- What is this?" asked Rainbow, her shoulders slumping as AJ was slammed about onto the ground.
"Wow! I've never seen Goji do something like that! You're a great fighter!" said Pinkie with a grin.
"Yes! I have learned on my long travels to far away lands in the realm! Would you like to give it a go?" asked Sedgewick.
"You bet!" said Pinkie, as her friends looked at her in shock.
"It is easy! All it takes is for you to use your opponent's own strength against them! The stronger your enemy is, the better it is for you!" said Sedgewick as he threw Applejack over to the other side of the room. Applejack's head spun as she lied slumped against the floor.
"Did I win?" asked Applejack.
"Ah you only say it's easy because you're strong," said Pinkie.
"By my honor, it is true! Take my hand!" said Sedgewick, holding out his hand. Pinkie took it. "Now put your foot on my stomach and heave me up!"
Pinkie grunted as she placed her foot on Sedgewick's belly and then began to heave him up, while holding her leg up. She grunted as she slightly struggled to hold him up.
"That's good! Now up and over!" said Sedgewick.
"Like this?" Pinkie grunted as she built up more momentum and swung Sedgewick over her shoulder.
"Yes! Very good!" said Sedgewick as Pinkie began to swing him back and forth, over and over. Her friends just stared in disbelief. "Yes! Yes! Perfection! Very good! That's it!"
"Was I really good?" asked Pinkie with a grin.
"Yes, but it's still a bit soft. When I'm on the ground, you have to stomp and stand on my gut. Pinkie suddenly jumped and stomped onto Sedgewick's gut, causing him to grunt.
"Good. Good!" grunted Sedgewick. "Now-"
Pinkie suddenly began to stomp on his gut and chest, giggling. The man gave grunts and yelps of pain.
"By the way, I challenge you to a battle!" said Pinkie as she continued to hop.
"Oh! You- Ow! You cheeky-! Oof! I accept!" cried Sedgewick as he attempted to stand, but Pinkie kept dropping onto him. The girl then hoped off of him and quickly grabbed his wrist. She began to swing him over her shoulder. She laughed as she began to swing him about with the old rag doll technique. After almost a dozen swings, she left Sedgewick on his back, in a daze.
"The tragic irony. Defeated by newest student," said Sedgewick before passing out. Pinkie turned to her friends, who stared slack jawed. The students stood in utter disbelief. They all knelt on the ground.
"Hail our honorable new master! Hail..." one of the students looked to the girl with a questioning look.
"Pinkie Pie," answered Pinkie.
"Hail Pinkie Pie! The strongest woman around!" shouted the students in unison. Pinkie giggled with a bashful look.
"Aw shucks! It was nothing," said Pinkie.
"Are you pullin' my leg here?!" said Applejack in exasperation.
"Well, looks like this quest's done. Spread the word boys," said Twilight, rolling up the sheet she had.
Salera...
Kenra bore a scowl as she smacked her baton over her palm. She let out a sharp exhale through her nostrils as she fumed.
"We can do this all day, old man," said Kenra. The dark clothed figure stepped over to Grunge, who sat tied to a chair. He was bruised and bloody.
"You better listen, friend. We old timer's can't take the same kind of punishment that we used to," said the figure as he spoke in a slight rasp and with some giggles. His bloodshot and sunken eyes almost smiled wickedly at the lord. Grunge spat a glob of blood onto the carpet.
"I told you. I don't know anything," said Grunge with a pant. Kenra groaned.
"Ugh! This is pointless! I thought by now he'd crack!" said Kenra. Sigyn smiled.
"Don't you worry your pretty head," said Sigyn as she bent over to meet Grunge's eyes.
"Now, Lord Grunge. You owe your allegiance to her majesty. She doesn't take kindly to disloyal people," said Sigyn as she waved a glowing hand, moving the curtains that hid the windows.
"You see that out there, dear? That's your town. Now, we are in our right to do whatever we deem necessary to preserve order. And I mean anything," said Sigyn, her tone growing dark. Grunge kept a stoic look.
"You would bring harm to a town of farmers and hunters, who gave up much for the Empress's trust, all over little girls? May Providence have mercy on you," said Grunge, shaking his head solemnly.
"Your god isn't here to save you, Grunge. Now spill the beans," said Kenra, narrowing her eyes.
"You've already taken good men to join your army, you've taken our wealth, our identity, and our crops. There's nothing more you can do to us that you already haven't," said Grunge. Kenra clenched her teeth. As she was about to raise her fist, Sigyn grabbed her hand.
"Fine. Maximilian, untie him," said Sigyn. The dark clothed man looked at her in confusion. Seeing her stoic expression prompted him to sigh. Once Grunge was untied, the Enforcers began to leave.
"Thank you for your time, Lord Grunge," said Sigyn as she closed the doors. Grunge kept a firm look as he rubbed his bruised face.
Meanwhile, Malicia's Enforcers had made their way back to their horses. Kenra was cursing to herself.
"Unbelievable! She's gonna have a fucking cow when we tell her!" said Kenra.
"Calm down. I'll handle it," said Sigyn in annoyance as she drew out a crystal ball. It began to glow in her palms.
"Report." Malicia's voice echoed from the ball as it flashed.
"Interrogation has failed, your majesty. He isn't willing to budge," said Sigyn. There was silence on the other end. It was unnerving, considering that Sigyn couldn't see Malicia's face.
"I see," said Malicia, her tone calm.
"What will you have us do, mistress?" asked Sigyn.
"Inform the captain to withdraw all troops from the town. If Grunge thinks he's strong enough to defy me, then he'll have no problem fending for the town without our presence," said Malicia.
"Understood," said Sigyn as the crystal ball stopped glowing.
"That's it? I thought she'd have us kill a few people or something to make a point," said Kenra.
"You think too small, Kenra," interjected Maximilian with a giggle. Kenra glared at him.
"Watch it, Max!" said Kenra.
"Hey, I'm only saying that the empress is playing the long game. She knows that if she were to have us suddenly kill more of these people, it'd create more resistance. We don't have to hurt them to get their loyalty. They only have to do it to themselves, which will force them to be loyal," said Max. He began to giggle a bit more, which escalated into chuckles.
"I don't get it," shrugged Kenra.
"You'll see, my dear. Come, we must inform the captain," said Sigyn.
Twilight and the gang found themselves in the dining hall with Salem and his wife, Mary. Salem bore an approving look as the girls ate their dinner.
"You've all been completing these quests with such flying colors," said Salem.
"Yeah, but I still want something more exciting," said Rainbow in disappointment.
"Perhaps a day in the battlefield will suffice," said Mary as she sipped from a chalice of wine.
"Heh. Well, you know Twi. She thinks it's better we don't get into political matters we don't understand," said Rainbow with a forced chuckle.
"Hmph. Then she is more ignorant than I thought," said Mary. There was a brief moment of silence.
"Mary..." Salem said, his eyes narrowing.
"I-I'm sorry?" asked Twilight.
"This war isn't over politics or any show of strength. It’s a war on survival. Only the strongest will win," said Mary.
"Survival? Why?" asked Rarity in confusion.
"Let's not concern ourselves with that. Perhaps we could talk about-" Salem was interrupted by an exasperated sigh.
"Why avoid the topic? With the way it's going, the king will have no choice but to ask for their help," said Mary "They might as well start learning war tactics."
Salem hardened his expression. He slowly stood up from his seat. The girls felt a growing tension.
"Mary, might I speak with you for a moment?" asked Salem, his tone calm. Mary shrugged nonchalantly as she got up and followed her husband out of the dining hall. The doors closed. The group could make out some muffled argument from outside.
"Geez. Those two sound like they have a bunch of issues," said Pinkie. Twilight grimaced. While she fully intended to stick to her guns, she wondered just how exactly this war was going. Or even how it started.
"Do you girls really think it's going as bad as they say it is?" asked Twilight.
"Who knows. It's not like we're there. You said it yourself. It’s not our business to get involved," said Rarity.
"Yeah but Mary might have a point. What if it's bad enough that the king might end up asking us to fight? We should think about our response," said Rainbow.
"Our response is gonna be what we told them before. We ain't interested in fighting their war," said Applejack. Rainbow sighed.
"Yeah, but I feel like we could be doing more," said Rainbow as she slouched in her seat.
"Oh please. You just want an excuse for more, thrills," scoffed Rarity. Rainbow sent her a glare.
"So what? I can't help and enjoy myself at the same time?" asked Rainbow indignantly.
"Dash, I don't think you fully comprehend the situation. We've bounced between kingdoms at war. From what we learned, it doesn't seem like the Dogomites are keen on making peace," said Twilight.
"Look, I get it. I'll admit that I've been too eager for danger, but this war talk is starting to bother me. All day I heard people talking about how they lost a fleet of ships," said Rainbow.
"Well, look at it this way, Dashie. We may not help the people going out there, but we can at least do good here. Sure it's not as exciting as we thought, but it's needed," said Pinkie. Though as she said that, her mind was stuck on Rainbow's earlier comment. She herself remember hearing something about these ships.
"Ugh! I think this world is doing something to you, because you're freaking me out from being serious!" said Rainbow.
"She's right though," interjected Applejack. The doors suddenly opened. Salem stepped back in with a sigh.
"Apologies," said Salem as he took a seat.
"What happened to Mary?" asked Rainbow, but was nudged by AJ.
"She's turning in for the night. Sorry about her comments. In any case, I have a special quest for you. It's a little different from the usual ones," said Salem as he handed Twilight a parchment. The teen did a quick skim. Her eyes widened.
"You want us to put together a theater performance?" asked Twilight. The rest of the girls bore confused and shocked looks.
"What does that have to do with propaganda for the war?" asked Twilight.
"It's more on morale at home. In any case, theater has been lacking lately in its story telling that it's depressing citizens. I believe new ideas are needed to bring interest," said Salem. Rarity gasped.
"Twilight, we have to do this! I could finally have an excuse to make creative outfits!" said Rarity with a grin.
"Ooh! A play sounds fun!" said Pinkie.
"It does sound like a nice change of pace," said Applejack. Twilight nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, I think this may be an interesting one," said Twilight.
"Ugh. Unless I get a cool part, I'll pass," said Rainbow.
"I think I have a few ideas," said Twilight to herself.