The ship had landed near the island who was supposed to hold the first piece of the mystery.
“My crew, said Celeano, Take care of the ship while i am gone, okay?”
“Aye Aye, Captain!!” said the pirates all at once.
“What are we waiting for? Asked Sunlight. If you are ready, let’s go then.”
The 4 creatures started exploring the island.
“That place is beautiful, said Sunset. Look at all the vegetation!!!”
“I have to admit, said Sunlight. This island indeed look nice. But we are not here for tourism...”
“Bummer, said Sunset. Wait, do we at least know what we are supposed to find?”
“Of course!! Answered Sunlight. We are looking for...for...”
“You don’t know what to look for, don’t you?” Said Capper.
Sunlight used his power of the earth to sense if there was not any inhabitual constructs on the big island.
“What is he doing?” asked Celeano.
“My brother is a magic caster, an Elemental magic caster, answered Sunset. He must be using his power over the earth to search for any unusual constructions.”
“There is an underground temple at the East, approximatively 3 kilometers from our location, said Sunlight. Let’s go!”
“Impressive, said Celeano. Simple curiosity, could you also use this power of yours to locate, by example, large amount of gold or precious gemstones hidden in the ground?”
“Yes, answered Sunlight. By the way, i sensed a treasure on this island, a pretty large one. It is located at appromatively 5 kilometers at the North of your location.”
Sunlight turned in their direction and saw that Capper and her were already gone.
“That should keep them distracted for a while, he said. Let’s go, sis.”
“Right, she said. I’ll be right behind you!”
They walked for sometime before Sunlight stopped Sunset.
“We are arrived” said Sunlight.
“But, there is nothing there!” said Sunset.
Sunlight used his earth magic and revealed a hallway leading to the underground temple, under the impressed look of Sunset.
“Let’s go” said Sunlight, making a ball of light with his horn.
They entered the hallway and Sunlight opened the door leading who revealed a tunnel. After wandering for a couple of minutes, the duo were arrived at the entrance of the temple.
Meanwhile, in the human world, at the Headquarter of the Shadow Legion, Sombra and tirek were playing video games.
“Hum, have you noticed Stygian had been acting kinda...Strange, today?” asked Sombra to Tirek. He seems, like, preoccupied.”
“Not that you’re bringing this, he answered, i told him one of my famous jokes earlier and didn’t even smile. My jokes usually get a laugh out of him, or at least a chuckle.”
“Let’s go to his room, said Sombra. He might be in his books”
The two of them arrived in front of his chamber and saw a message on the door. Tirek took it and started reading it.
“I’m, sorry, guys, said Stygian in his letter. I know you probably noticed my strange behavior those last couple of days. The truth is that i started regretting my choice of joining this team. I am not a bad person and i don’t want to ruin my life figthing a bunch of people that did nothing wrong to me. Don’t worry, i won’t join their side neither. I just want to live a normal life. I had fun with you two, but the live of supervillain is not for me. I wish you good luck, guys, your nerdy friend, Stygian.”
“I see, said Sombra. Farewell, my friend, might you be lucky as well.”
“Do you also think about leaving the team, Sombra?” asked Tirek
“To be honest, i kinda like being a villain, he answered. But i also think we should live a normal life too. Sunlight and his friends have a life outside of the superhero work, so why not us?”
“What kind of work are you thinking about?” asked Tirek
“I heard that C.H.S was looking for a new sport teacher and a new art teacher, he answered. I think we should postulate for those posts”
“There is a problem, thought, said Tirek. All the town probably know who we are by now, we won’t be able to pass unseen once we go in public.”
“Just you, said Sombra. Me and Stygian were smart enough to fight them away from the crowd. But still, i think nobody will recognize you if you, hum, muscled down a little. After all, people have only seen you in your jacked up form.”
“Should we tell Moonlight?” asked Triek.
“Later” answered Sombra.
“Okay, maybe the students won’t recognize us, said Tirek. But what about the girls we fought?”
“What will they do about it anyway? Said Sombra. The answer is nothing. They have no authority at the school.”
“Right, said Tirek. But by now, those girls should have already graduated from high school, so why are they still students is strange to me”
“It’s obvious, said Sombra. It’s called the Status Quo.”
“Status what?” asked Tirek.
“A term to describe a state of normality, said Sombra. By example, it is the base of the plot of which a series or a movie revolve around. By example, take superhero movies or series. The villain break out, the hero stop him, the day is saved, then the villain break out again, like nothing happened, and the hero have stop him again and rince and repeat. That is called a status quo.”
Tirek was confused by the explanation. Sombra facepalmed himself.
“Nevermind, let’s prepare the papers” he said.
At the Canterlot Cafe, Twilight and her friends were talking about their days. Stygian entered the cafe and ordered.
“A large coffee, dark, no sugar” he said with a weak voice.
He walked toward the girls.
“Can i sit with you?” he asked, revealing his face.
“St...Stygian?! Asked Chrysalis. What are you doing here?”
“Wait, Stygian? Asked Rainbow Dash, the guy that trapped us in this shadow prison during our battle against Moonlight?”
“You don’t look great, said Rarity, you seem so...grim...”
“You are not here to spy on us, right?” asked Twilight.
“No, answered the grim-looking villain. If this was the case, do you think i would have showed up in front of you?”
“You have a point, said Twilight. Why are you there, then?”
“I want to tell you that i left Moonlight’s team, said Stygian. I am no longer doing evil stuff.”
“Why? Asked Fluttershy. Did you have a change of heart?”
Stygian sighed.
“Your Rainbow Laser removed a huge part of the shadows lying inside me when it hit me. That darkness was clouding my judgement and rid of it, i started to realize i had no reason for being a villain. I have a life, a future, i won’t ruin it for an hopeless cause.”
“Let me guess, you want us to teach you the magic of friendship?” asked Twilight.
“Are you here because you want to join us? Asked Pinkie Pie. Our doors are always opened to ex-villains!”
“That’s a nice offer, said Stygian. But i see myself forced to decline your proposition. I just came here to apolologize for what i’ve done while working for Moonlight.”
“I see, said Chrysalis. You did tell me you were going to an University when we first met.”
“You are going to an university? Asked Twilight. How it is?”
“Horrible, said Stygian. From my perspective, at least.”
“Being bullied, aren’t you? Said Chrysalis. I don’t need psychic powers to see that your life at school is not easy. I can understand how easy it is to give in to darkness when your life sucks”
“Not anymore, he said. Seeing the power of your friendship has given me faith. Well, i’ll probably go now...Oh, i almost forgot, i have one last thing i need to tell you before leaving Canterlot. I heard that Sombra and Tirek were planning in working at your school.”
“What?! Said Twilight. Why?!”
“They are probably bored to do nothing until Moonlight’s next offensive, said Stygian. Don’t worry, they won’t cause you trouble on school grounds. But i count on you to not cause them trouble while they are teaching. Maybe you could even teach them a thing or two about friendship...Oh well, i have to go now. Until we meet again, girls!!”
On those words, Stygian left.
“That is bad, said Applejack, very bad. But at least, we know that there are only 2 post to occupy at the moment at C.H.S.”
“Celestia is looking for a new sport coach, said Rainbow Dash. Since the previous one, Iron Will, got fired for criminal behavior. I am pretty sure Tirek is going to be our new coach.”
“From the informations i gathered at his subject, said Twilight. He is a runaway convict. He was held at Phillydelphia’s Max Security prison.”
“This is the most secure prison in all the country, said Applejack. His crime must have been pretty grave for him to be sent here.”
“Apparently, he was charged for being one of the minds behind the heist of Las Pegasus’ Royal Heart Casino” said Twilight.
“This is one the most famous casino in the world, said Rarity. And the most famous in this country.”
“Tirek claimed he had nothing to do with the heist and was falsely accused. But the jury didn’t believed him and sentenced him to 50 years of jail without liberation conditions.”
“There is no way Celestia is going to engage him” said Fluttershy.
“Except if he goes under another identity” said Pinkie Pie.
“I wouldn’t mind having Sombra as our drama teacher, said Rarity. He is very charming...He he he”
Her friends looked at her with a deadpan expression. Meanwhile in Equestria, Sunlight and Sunset had found their way into the temple without much problems. They arrived in a large room with a pillar. On the pillar was a message that Sunlight read.
“Congrats for making it there, Sunlight, and Sunset, if she is with you, said Sunlight, out loud. I guess it is time to tell you where to find your mother. I hide the 4 parts of a relic that will reveal your mother’s location once you’ll get the four of them. The first piece is located in a place where pleasure, luxury and vice is king. Good luck to both of you”
“A place where pleasure, luxury and vice are king, said Sunset. Hum...Could it be Las Pegasus?”
“Would make sense, said Sunlight. Las Pegasus is known for it’s many casinos, flashy and luxurious buildings and for it’s many bars and nightclubs. And i am not forgetting about all the strip clubs...”
“This world have strip clubs too? Asked Sunset. Why? Are ponies not already naked?”
“You have a point, said Sunlight. But sex is a lucrative business that is present in any universe, magical or not.”
They left the temple and saw Celeano, exhausted and irritated.
“You bastard, you lied to us!! Said Celeano, there was no treasure!!”
“If you wanted us to stay behind, you just had to tell us” said Capper.
“I know and i apologize for tricking you” said Sunlight.
He took a pile of rock and used his magic to turn it into gemstones.
“There is the treasure” he said.
“Very well, you are forgiven, said Celeano. Come to mama, my precious gemstones.”
Capper grabbed a dozen of jewels and put it in his purse. Celeano put the rest in a bag and carried it on her back.
“Where are we going next?” asked Celeano.
“Las Pegasus, answered Sunlight. Do you think you two can handle it?”
“Oh, this is gonna be sooooo fun, said Capper. The perfect place to hustle and rob unsuspecting wealthy ponies...”
“No, said Sunlight. No robbery, no hustle and no schemes. Now, let’s go, Las Pegasus await us.”