//------------------------------//
// The Fourth Voyager 
// Story: Of Laurels & Lace 
// by WritingSpirit 
//------------------------------//

	"What say you, my Lord Palgiot?"

Tantrum Palgiot just grumbled, placing his imperial hat down onto the stool. He had just finished trying out his favorite commander's uniform for a Celestia-be-damned photo shoot for his portrait, yet that was the least of his problems now.
He was in his grand, palatial of his bedroom, along with his butler (he never bothered to know the lowly folks' names) and his brother, Harrow. They were all preparing for the town's celebration of his ascension, which was actually a week ago.

He always scowled at the thought of it. Why would those peasants bother celebrating when they're in such a destitute state anyway?

"Lord Palgiot?"

"Yes, my humble friend?"
That was the best he could come up with. He'd still rather stick with 'my mud-faced swine' for any servant though, but the... colt was a big help to him, and is one of the few servants he truly respected.

"The Mayor is requesting for your appearance at the opening of the new Avenue today."
The stallion certainly knows his place, judging from his bow of veneration. If he could only remember his name...

"So?" Harrow stepped forward, giving his brother a quizzical look.
"The Mayor's still waiting outside, Trumpster."

"Don't call me that, Harry," he replied with a chuckle, trying to hide his annoyance.
"We're not foals now, remember that."
He turned to the butler, giving the suited colt a smile.
"Tell him I would consider about his offer. Maybe after the photo shoot perhaps?"

"Of course, sir."

The colt excused himself, stepping out of the room. Tantrum nodded to a stallion at the corner, who was still busy fumbling with the camera in his hooves.
"What is that old colt's name again, Harrow?"

"Stellar. Remember?"
His younger brother just shook his head cheekily, before continuing:
"Uncle Epsilon used to call a Mr Lionheart to help out. That's him!"

Tantrum turned back to the door, despite the butler already slipping out. He just sighed, before trotting forwards, holding his head high elegantly with his imperial hat tucked between his hooves.
"Well, it's not like I can remember every single pony in the palace."

Harrow just rolled his eyes, only making the Patriarch smile modestly. He's just so naive.
"Well," he answered, "he's a pony that you have to remember. After all, he outlived Dad and Grandpa, didn't he?"

The older stallion just grimaced at the thought of it. What's the chance that the aging servant of a colt would outlive him as well? He shuddered, not wanting to know the answer.
"Alright!" the camera pony said, giving him a hooves up.

"Smile, my Patriarch!"

*SNAP*

Stellar sighed, looking at the picture hanging on the wall.
It has been years since anypony had entered here, knowing how the room's deceased owner would forbid anypony to just simply walk through the doors. The butler wrinkled his snout at the mustiness of the room, his hooves as if sinking in a knee deep pool of dust scattered around the floor.

He glanced at the small picture again. Tantrum's eyes always seemed to stare soullessly through every pony that passes through, his lips straight like a ruler.
Even the giant paintings hanging about the corridors outside show him with no trace of emotion, the most being irritation.

"Sir Tantrum's gone, Stellar," the butler told himself. There were more dire matters to attend to now.

He's expecting Winter to return any moment now. The stallion had already passed his own deadline, prompting Stellar to warn Doctor Brineheart and Chief Griffonhooves about it.
Then for the case of Sovereign. She's still in dispute of Winter's situation, having somehow known of his coming return. And her stubbornness to even bother about Mirror Mare...

"You can do it, Stellar."
He breathed deeply, trying to calm his tension down. The task he was given to by the Princess was really getting into his head. To perform it in time...
"Have faith in yourself," he muttered again, looking back up at Tantrum's picture, who still looked down complacently at him, his imperial uniform royally brushed in a narcissistic fashion.

"You can do it."

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"Macintosh!"

"Fluttershy~?" Sweetie Belle shouted in a singsong voice, looking around the woods. She, Applejack and Apple Bloom were trying to find the two lovebirds, who had not been seen since yesterday afternoon. Sweetie Belle volunteered to help, despite The Cakes' disapproval at such.
Since Fluttershy's breakdown, she had been living with the Cakes, usually tending to Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake while they both work downstairs furiously at the orders, baking dessert after dessert for the whole of Equestria.

"Fluttershy?" Apple Bloom called out, looking beneath a few rocks and bushes.
"Where did they go?"

"Probably some secret place ya brother doesn't want us t'a know about." Applejack replied, crossing her hooves.
"He really needs to get his mind straight! Makin' us worry like that!"

"Fluttershy!" Sweetie Belle shouted again, stomping her hooves in frustration.
"What do you think they're doing?"

"Ah don't know," her friend said with a shrug.
"Whatcha think they have in mind?"

"Rarity talks about it sometimes. When two ponies meet..."
She then imitates a few smooching sounds, making Apple Bloom giggle.

"Hahaha, alright!" Applejack cut in with a nervous laugh.
"Can y'all stick to the plan here?"

"Come on, sis!" the yellow filly said, tugging at her mane.
"Aren't ya curious about what they do at night?"

There was an evident blush on the older mare's face, making the two fillies giggle, before Applejack wave her hoof dismissively, letting out a small groan.
"Enough of this, Apple Bloom. We gotta find your brother now, remember?"
She walked ahead of them, but had to shoot her sister another glare when she heard a few more smooching noises behind her back, the fillies trying their best to hold in their laugh.

"Silly fillies..."

The sky was exceptionally grey today, filled with clouds and few drips of rain. It looked like a full fledged storm in the making, which only made Applejack wonder if the pegasi team was doing their job.
"There ain't anythin' natural about today's weather," she said, looking worriedly at the swirling mass of grey.

"Ver Vanotreyxkaiv Siksta"

The three of them stopped in their tracks, looking up at the sky again.
"What in the hay was that?"

"Ekess J'Hesi Gevalam"

A loud roar shattered the silence, the unknown voice now being joined by a chorus of deep chants.
Applejack turned around, looking at the reddening sky, before gasping in horror.

"Jirai Isthashyeth... K'epla vihk aryte!!"

Heading straight towards them, soaring effortlessly in the sky, were dragons. Not one or two, but a massive platoon of them. Their mouths wisp with hellfire, their tongue flicking with spite as they ravaged down towards them.
Applejack slowly backed away, her eyes frozen to their sudden invasion. Their flames started to burn across the meadow, and they seemed to be getting closer, and closer...

"Everypony RUN!!"

The three of them galloped into the woods, the razing fires chasing up behind them. They just darted forwards, not knowing where to go.
"Apple Bloom!" the orange pony called out to her sister, who was aimlessly and fearfully galloping. She then looked over at Sweetie Belle, the filly's skin already flushed with terror.
"Come on!" she rallied, charging towards a few bushes with the two fillies quickly following behind.

They've soon started galloping in the open field, a barrage of fireballs blasting right behind them. The dragons were all over the skies now, the populace much bigger than that of the Dragon Migration they've seen a year ago.
Apple Bloom yelped as an explosion blasted right behind her, narrowly missing her tail.
"Applejack!" she called to her sister.

"Stay calm!" the orange mare shouted over the loud whizz of flames and deafening cascades of explosions.
"We must all stick toge-"

She skidded to a halt, the two fillies immediately doing the same as one of the dragons swooped down from above, landing right in front of her. Applejack looked up at its scaly, crimson face, gulping nervously at the creature.

"Pony. Have no fear," his voice boomed with magnificence.
"We've come not to bring harm."

"Ya sure about that?" Applejack scoffed questionably, flames erupting all around them.

"I would be careful with those words, pony," the dragon scowled, smoke rising from its nostrils.
"You've probably not know who I am."

"I am the great Kanov'hin. The powerful, the mighty leader of the Conclave of The Free. To vanquish our weak, rotten monarchs from their feeble thrones, and set up a new government. A new system!"
He stooped up with great pride in his words, before continuing:
"Your leaders and I have come to a disagreement: a ludicrous mistake, I must say."

"W-Well... the Princesses can stop ya!" Apple Bloom blurted out before her sister could silence her.

The dragon suddenly sprung towards the filly, making her scurry towards Applejack.
"You're a brave soul, young one," he said with waning patience. He turned to Sweetie Belle, who was now cowering in fear right behind Applejack as well.
"But bravery often comes with a price."

Kanov'hin, as he was known to them, suddenly flapped its wings, blowing each of their manes. He had a glinting smile on his face, his sharp fangs gleaming threateningly at them as he shouted:
"I had intended my kin to spare you, but it seems the child's folly had changed my mind."

Applejack turned to the two fillies, horror scratching at the core of her heart.
"Y-Ya ready?"

"Be swift!" the dragon shouted overhead them as the three ponies started galloping across the burning meadow.
Applejack could hear a few roars as some of them dived down, shooting out a jet of flames from their mouth.

"Come on!" she shouted, the three of them galloping down the endless field.

The dragon watched from afar, chuckling with amusement as his comrades chased them off, spewing out flames from their mouths.

"Or be set ablaze."

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She's surely going to love this.

Winter chuckled, proud at the gift that he got for his dating anniversary: a cloudy diamond and polished onyx encrusted brooch, fitting for the mare of his life.
"Harmony, Harmony," he muttered, quickly wrapping it up. She would come into the room anytime now.

It's been only a year and a half since they met, but they've already loved each other since the day they met. Winter was just trotting around town, awaiting for Gypsum's visit, only to see her among the group of friends that she had invited.
Harmony Peridot... the mare of his dreams.

He thought long and hard for this. About proposing.
Maybe in front of the fountain, where they first laid eyes on each other? Or at the terrace: it always seemed to look romantic at nights such at this.

Then there's the question of when he would do it. Next week? Tomorrow maybe?
He sighed, reserving the thoughts for later. He has a dinner date to impress.

The door suddenly slammed open, making Winter jump in his seat. The stallion turned around, just in time to see a pale cerise mare stomp inside angrily, tears flowing endlessly down her cheeks.
"Harmony?" he called her name, which somewhat only seemed to anger her even more.
"Harmony, what is it?"

"SHUT UP, WINTER!!" she screamed, which made Winter stop to blink.
"DON'T ACT AS IF YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING, MISTER!"

"Harmony?" he could only say. He had no idea what was happening, seeing his marefriend scream at him like that.
"I have no idea what are you talking about-"

"Oh really? Really?!"
The mare raised her hoof, preparing to strike him, before she withheld it, reducing to despair.
"Bucking idiot... shouldn't have trusted you... Shouldn't have!"

"What are you talking about, Harmony?"
He watched as the mare turned her back towards him, sobbing loudly behind her curled mane.
"Look. First of all, I don't know what made you barge in like that. But I have literally no clue at all about whatever's been going on-"

"Winter Palgiot, you bucking liar!"
Harmony shot a glare towards the unicorn, who was now backing away from her.
"Tell me then!!"

"About what?!"

"What you've been doing behind my back, of course!"

Winter just stood there, stunned at her rage.
"What in the world are you talking about?!"

"I've seen it, Winter," she said, pointing her hoof accusingly at the stallion.
"You were with another mare, weren't you?"

A look of realization flowed across the Patriarch's face, his mind finally stumbling upon the answer.
"Harmony, I can explain-"

"Were you?!"

The stallion sighed, remembering the events that happened five months ago. She was depressed, on the verge of suicide! What else can he think of doing?
"Look, Harmony. She was broken, okay? I had to do it-"

"By KISSING her?!"

"It was the only way I can think of!"
Winter groaned, kicking the chair away. The couple stood there silently, before he began:
"Whatever the heck happened to you? You used to understand me! To make me feel better!"

Harmony just scoffed, only infuriating the Patriarch as she replied coldly:
"What about you, huh?! You think that just because you're the all-amazing Winter Palgiot means that you can find everypony to just buck with in bed?!"

"What did you say?!" he shouted, marching towards the mare, who still looked away in contempt.

Harmony just held back her tears, immediately striding towards the door as she shouted:
"That's it, Winter! I can't trust you anymore, you sick, pretentious fox! Trust me when I say the Celestia-be-damned truth to your bucking face!"
She held her breath, her eyes starting to leak with tears, shouting at the top of her lungs before she slammed the door:

"It's OVER!"


* * * * * * *


"Call me a liar.... look who's the real liar..."

Winter paced around the train, which was now plunged into total darkness as it traveled into the caves, illuminated only by a few oil lamps bolted against the walls.
Dredges Deniers... Charter Freewings... Gypsum Palgiot, his cousin...

Harmony Peridot... the mare of his life...

He felt so betrayed, so enraged at himself for trusting them.
"Foolish idiot you are, Winter Palgiot..."

With a cry, he slammed the tables, clenching his hooves tightly. "Wretched, filthy..."

"Winter?"

Pinkie stepped into the room, a worried expression plastered all over her face.
"I heard banging from inside."

"Nothing to worry about, Diane."
The Patriarch chuckled as Pinkie flinched a little with a pout, affectionately knowing how much she hates being called by her middle name.
"Just... some bad dreams."

"A nightmare, huh?"
The pink mare settled down next to him on the velvet-laden seat, looking at the assortments scattered about the table before them.
"Is it that bad?"

"Horrible," was the one thing he could only think of saying, which made Pinkie giggle.

"Well... it could be worse..."
Pinkie absentmindedly leafed through the photos, twirling her mane with her other hoof. Winter just stared dreamily at her, a smile starting to develop across his lips.

"Yeah.... worse..."

The pink pony suddenly stopped, looking at a bunch of photos. Her jaw hung agape with horror, her eyes glistening with it as well at the photos before her.
Winter immediately turned to look, which only made his heart drop.

"Diane, I-"

"No!" she began to shout, before quieting down.
"I.... I j-just...I can't believe..."

Without hesitation, she quickly took off before Winter could stop her. He looked back at the photos, which only made him more frustrated than ever.
"Damn it, Winter..." he scolded himself, tossing the photos across the ground.
He sighed, rubbing his temple as he tried to clear his mind. Everything was falling apart around him. He needed time to think. Just think...

"What am I going to do?"

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"To pour the seams of life~
A mettle of cold passion, a jazz of qualms in proportions;
To silence the demons at the end of the knife~
Of waning patience, for the dying revelation..."


Jovern had longed for a small flight around the mountains. They were cooling, refreshing for his tired lungs in the autumn air. He had never felt so young in years.
The midnight wings skimmed smoothly, feeling the wind brushing across his scales. The power of flight... something he would cherish for a long time.


"Pilots of the approaching days, beware!
The fiddles of treason play strong;
Let the epochs collide, a love affair,
To return what's right from wrong."


Another loop, before the dragon let out a hearty chuckle. He kicked with his claws like a swimmer of the clouds, his belly facing the sun.
He then flipped backwards to gander at the world. The town and palace seemed so miniature below him, its inhabitants not noticing the massive shadow of a beast he was floating over the buildings.

Out on the balcony, he saw it. The adolescent dragon.
He couldn't help but worry at the sight of him. Spike's head was hanging low, an evident frown on his dejection-filled face.

Without hesitation, he swooped down majestically, plunging down a spiral of clouds towards the palace.
"Spike, my young one!"

The dragon in question immediately turned, snapping out of his daydream. He then raised his paws with a wave, prompting the black dragon to land.
His claws gripped onto the surface, scratching and chipping a little bit of the marble as Jovern skidded to a halt.
"Hey, Jovern," Spike said with a smile.

"A great afternoon it is," Jovern retorted with a laugh, before turning to him.
"You seemed bothered by something."

"Oh! That!"
Spike just waved his claw dismissively, although deep within the both of them they knew better.
"It's just that I'm thinking over all the stuff that's happening lately..."

His voice faltered into a sigh, before he began again:
"Rarity... I don't know how to help her, you know?"
Spike then settled himself down, slumping against the doors back into the palace.

"It's so unfair sometimes, you know? Watching the friends you love suffer and knowing you can't do anything about it."

Jovern just sighed. He still has so much to learn...
"Life is throwing you rocks, but you fear to toss them back."

Spike just chuckled with sarcasm.
"Rocks?"

"You can't expect it to always throw candy at you, can't it?" the older dragon replied with a laugh.
"It is these hard times that gives a memorable scar in our lives. Painful, yet a lesson we all have to learn."

Jovern watched as the younger dragon sighed, looking down at the town before them. Despite the bright afternoon sun, a thick, layered fog had encircled the town, which only mesmerised both dragons.
"Sometimes," Spike suddenly spoke up, "I wonder how you know all this things."

"If you had been living for nearly ten centuries, young one," Jovern retorted.
"You would learn many lessons of life as well."

"Yeah, I guess."
The two dragons stretched their claws, clinking it against the marble balcony. They stood there in silence for a moment, before Spike asked:

"Is it painful?"

Jovern blinked his eyes, a little surprised at his question.
"What is?"

"When she... passed on?"

Spike bit his lip as the older dragon looked down.
"I'm sorry..." he began, "I didn't mean to pry..."

"No matter. You might experience it anyway."
The black dragon held his breath, wiping a fresh tear off his eye as Spike shuddered at the thought of his words.
"I had no idea what to do with the rest of my life back then. It was depressing, those moments were."

"How did you cope with it?"

"I didn't really care at first, but the more I think about her..."
There was an aura of despair wavering around the black dragon. Spike could feel it like tendrils freezing into his heart, as Jovern continued his sentence with a sniffle.
"The more I desire to join her."

"Eventually, the Princess had to keep me under control. I was constrained in a room for a month, to drive out my intentions of reuniting with her."

"But you still missed her, don't you?"

"She's still deep in my heart, of course."
The black dragon closed his eyes with a tremble, before looking up at the sky.
"You have a long way on this journey, however."

"Yeah..."
Spike tried not to think about it, eliminating the faint possibilities of it out of his mind.
"I... I don't think I can let her go..."

"The future might not say the same story, young one."
Jovern flapped his wings a little, giving the purple dragon a grin.
"Just be prepared for anything to happen."

"I... I hope I will be..."

Both dragons suddenly looked up, their noses twitching slightly. Spike hastily turned to the black dragon, who only grimaced at the scent. 
Jovern know that smell. He would remember it anywhere.

The smell of primal rage.

"Kanov'hin..."

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"Quickly!"

Applejack's hooves were aching painfully, sweat pouring down her body. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were already panting, about to collapse onto the floor.
Their muscles immediately tensed at the catalyst of the roaring overhead them, laughing fanatically at their misery.

"Apple Bloom!" Sweetie Belle cried out as the yellow filly fell again. Both of them quickly raced towards her, as she suddenly broke down in a fit of sobs.

"Ah can't do this anymore!" she cried, flailing her hooves wildly.

"Don't say that, Apple Bloom!"
Applejack quickly helped her up, ignoring the soot on their hooves.
"We gotta find some shelter!"

A loud crackle made all three of them jump, a burning tree immediately crashing down towards the ground.
The ponies panted, gasping for air. Applejack looked around at the burning woodland, trying to heave herself up.

"Come now, Sweetie Belle," she said, watching the unicorn dragging her hooves.
She turned to her sister, who was still whimpering beneath her frazzled, red mane.
"Apple Bloom. Come on. We gotta go."

Another explosion blasted behind them, making all three turn around instantly.
"They're catching up!" Sweetie Belle cried.

"Then let's not waste any time!"

Summoning the last of their energy, they galloped deeper into the forest, the burning hail of fire quickly catching up towards them.
"Where to now?!" Apple Bloom shouted as they reached the face of a tall cliff.

"That way!"

It wasn't long before they met another tall cliff, which looked steeper than the previous one.
"Is there any other place to go?" Sweetie Belle asked the orange pony.

Applejack's mind worked feverishly, digging into the depths to come up with answer.
"Ah'm not really sure..." was her conclusion.

"In here!"

The three of them turned, before gasping with exhilaration and relief.
There, peering out from a gaping cavern, was Big Mac!

"Macintosh!"
Apple Bloom immediately rushed to her brother, who chuckled heartily as he nuzzled his little sister.

"Boy, am Ah glad to see you." Applejack said, trotting towards him with Sweetie Belle at her side, each wearing big smiles on their faces.

"Quickly, now!"

The four of them hastily galloped into the cavern, barely avoiding the grand torrent of fire raining down outside. Applejack gazed around in the darkness, before spotting a flicker of light in the distance.
As they got closer, she could see somepony else was there. The pair of yellow wings, the strikingly straight pink mane...

"Fluttershy!"

The pony in question gave them a welcoming smile, her worries all diminishing immediately as she rushed up to them.
"Applejack! Apple Bloom! Sweetie Belle! I'm glad that... um.. you're all...you know... safe."

The three mares chuckled, settling down in front of a warm fire.
"Finally," Sweetie Belle joked.
"Something that doesn't burn our manes off."

Everypony laughed a little, before Applejack turned to her brother, a questioning look on her face.
"What the hay's goin' on outside?"

"Some sort of dragon invasion."
Big Mac looked warily at the ceiling as the cave rumbled a little, feeling the ground shake with the fusillade of explosions blasting right outside the mountain.
"Ah ain't sure how we're going to get out, though."

"We probably have to stay... um, here for awhile," Fluttershy continued meekly, wiping the soot off of Sweetie Belle's face which made the filly giggle.

"Then what about Ponyville?" Apple Bloom asked, which only made them all stop short.
"What about everypony else there?"

"Ah... Ah don't know..."
Applejack bit her lip. Sweet Apple Acres... Granny Smith... their home... all being razed to the ground.
She shook it off her mind. It was too horrific for her to imagine.

"Ah just hope everything's alright."

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"We're almost there."

Winter stood at the platform of the train, his mane ruffling about as it traveled through the rocky canals, swerving up and down the tracks. He gripped tightly on his oil lamp, trying to see his way through the dark tunnel.
"Get everything ready."

Twilight was sweeping all her stuff in. She had been taking notes about everything she had seen back in Fenderville, excluding all the gory details. Rainbow and Soarin' had to help her out, stacking the papers neatly as they tended to their own belongings as well.
Pinkie was unusually grim again, as the three ponies have noticed, recalling her sudden outburst to Winter this afternoon, although the both of them assured that nothing happened.

Nothing happened. If only that were the case...

"Pinkie?" Twilight called to the pink mare, who was busy petting Gummy's head.
"You okay? You seem a little down in the dumps again."

"I'm fine," she replied soberly, although the cracks the unicorn could see in her smile proved otherwise.

"Everypony ready?" the Patriarch asked, receiving a couple of nods as a response.
He looked at Pinkie, who was now sulking sullenly in the corner, with Gummy chewing at her mane yet again. He could only sigh, remembering of the photos she had seen.

"Just think, RD!" Soarin' whispered to the pegasus, nudging her wings.
"Sooner or later, we're going to step out into Pendant Lakes! One of the top romantic, honeymoon destinations in the whole of Equestria."

Rainbow Dash just rolled her eyes, making the stallion chuckle.
"Is that all you can think about? Love, love and, wait for it! Love~!"

Twilight laughed from in front of them, swinging her back to her side.
"Who knows, Rainbow? You might be thinking of the same thing as well!"

Winter laughed quietly, his gaze affixed to the dark tunnels in front as the ponies all chatted and laughed behind him.
He turned to Pinkie again, who suddenly turned away from him.

"Diane..."

It wasn't long before the Patriarch saw light, marking the end of their journey. Winter placed his lamp aside, a wide smile on his face.
"This is it!" he shouted to the group behind, the ponies immediately clambering up to the front.

As they got closer, Winter stopped, examining the scene before him with suspicion.
Instead of the warm smile on his butler's face, there were a row of guards, a stern expression on all of their faces with machine guns all ready on their hooves.

"Ready!"

Winter racked his brains as the train got closer and closer. He turned to Pinkie, who gave him a horrified expression.
The train started to slow down, the brakes screeching against the track as it quickly approached the station. The guards all loaded their guns, which only confirmed his fears.

"Aim!"

Something must've gone wrong. Winter racked his brains, drawing all the possible lines that might connect all the perplexing dots together.
Then his face lit up with realization, before he quickly shouted:

"GET DOWN!!"

"FIRE!

Winter quickly pushed all three of them down, just in time as a storm of bullets hailed through the windows, shattering them apart. All of them clenched their eyes shut, hearing the shells ricocheting as they riddle the brass walls of the train.
The Patriarch looked up, seeing Pinkie hugging Gummy tight, curling up under the velvet seats. Glass fell all over them, with some of the oil lamps crashing towards the floor.

The volley of bullets were endless: as soon as one wave was over, another one sprung up abruptly, not giving them a chance to breathe.
It wasn't long before they heard a few yelps from outside, as well as gunshots among each other. The hail of gunfire immediately stopped, prompting Winter to peer outside.

"Master Winter!"
Stellar was there, kicking a few ponies in their hooves. He spotted Doctor Brineheart as well, for the first time using his revolver.
"Quickly, Caduceus!"

Another bang rang out, before the butler quickly rushed to the train, opening the doors with a slam.
"It's safe now!"

"What the hay just happened?"
Twilight brushed her mane aside, looking up in horror at the blood-stained station right before her.
Rainbow and Soarin' brushed the glass off their wings, Pinkie doing the same with her puffy mane.

"Apparently," Doctor Brineheart turned to the Patriarch, who was slightly shaken with the gunfire still freshly ringing in his ears.
"Your mother had prepared some sort of a 'welcome home' party."

"Where's Rarity?" Pinkie asked the doctor, who flinched a little at her presence.
Twilight and Rainbow immediately turned to him as well, being reminded of their friend.

"She's safe."

The three mares sighed in relief, helping themselves up from the glass-filled floor. Winter scurried to help Pinkie up, but the mare just brushed his hoof away.
"Don't touch me."

Stellar quickly led them out of the train, ushering them to the station.
"Hurry! We don't want the guards to spot you!"

Pinkie held her breath, watching as the stairs up to the corridors of the palace came into view. Doctor Brineheart ushered her forward, the mare quickly making him smile as she spoke:

"It's good to be back."