Sunset and Ribbons woke from the shared dream back in their cell. Aiko smiled. “How did it go?” she asked.
“We found Megan Williams in her dream and relayed our message,” confirmed Sunset. “She’s going to talk to the older ponies in Dream Valley and see if there’s some way to bridge the gap between us.”
“That’s good. At least they know where their foals are and can keep the rest from getting caught,” agreed Aiko. “So any idea when they might come for us?”
“I think we’re going to have to figure out how to get to them,” Sunset sighed in exasperation. “Megan Williams can’t be much past a foal herself. I don’t know her species but she clearly wasn’t an adult, despite her willingness to help. Which was kind of a surprise. In the stories she seemed older.”
“We work with what we got. So what next?” asked Aiko.
“We wake the foals and get out of here,” said Sunset. “We need to find this young Miss Williams and we aren't going to get much done here. I’ll go wake our little herd.” Sunset closed her eyes and returned to their shared dream.
She popped into the clouded dreamscape where Ribbons filling in the other foals on their visit with Megan Williams.
“... and she was dancing in a field! The stars were out and the moon, and I kept trying to talk with her but she couldn’t hear me!” explained Buttons. “Then she picked me up and held and snuggled me up!”
She noticed Sunset was back. “Then Sunset came over and put her hoof on me and Megan could hear me! I told her about how I winked and the dragon things caught me, and how we were all in prison now! And that Sunset and her sister were going to help us!” she finished proudly. She looked over at Sunset who grinned at her.
“Well…” added Buttons sheepishly, “Sunset explained some of it. But we got to tell Megan where we were and how we needed her to come get us! And she will too! She’s coming, she promised!” Buttons exclaimed.
“Yes she is, Buttons. She’s going to find a way to come get us,” smiled Sunset at the enthusiastic filly. “But we can’t stay here. If she is going to find us we have to go meet her. She can’t barge into Grogar’s castle to rescue us from his dungeon, so we’re escaping now while it’s nighttime and most of the guards are asleep. Are you foals up for a little nighttime adventure?” she asked.
“Yeah! Let’s go home!” exclaimed Buttons excitedly bouncing up and down. The other foals joined her in celebrating.
“Here's the plan. Everypony wake up! Then Aiko and I will help you escape. Let’s go find Megan!” she laughed as she popped out of the shared dream.
Opening her eyes she watched the foals wake, smiling and rubbing the sleep from their eyes. She removed their chains and bindings. As they were freed the foals danced and celebrated around them. One of the colts started to celebrate a little too loudly.
“Shh! Silly foal, do you want to get caught?” laughed Aiko. “If you wake the guards we won’t be able to escape. We have to be quiet!” she whispered loudly.
“Oh!” grinned the foal. “We’re gonna be sneaky! Okay!” He grinned, crouching down to the ground.
Aiko rolled her eyes and smirked. Sunset laughed as she finished removing the last of the bindings.
“Okay listen up, here’s the plan! First, Aiko and I will bring everypony out of the cell. It’s going to feel weird, probably a bit like your winking, but without landing in that void. You all need to stay absolutely close, no wandering off and no getting distracted,” directed Sunset.
“Can we wink now?” asked one of the fillies, feeling the ring on her horn with a hoof.
“No! And please don't try either,” explained Sunset. “If you did wink you would just be caught again. And you can’t anyways until we get those rings off. Don’t worry, once we get to Megan we will help you all get those off.”
Everypony now free of the bindings and somewhat settled down, Sunset and Aiko led them to the doorway. Aiko popped through the door with two of the foals then Sunset followed her taking two more. Leaving the foals in the hallway with Aiko she returned, making several more trips until all the foals were out in the hallway.
Sunset whispered to the foals. “Okay follow me! Aiko will stay behind us while I lead you out of this dungeon.”
She led them down the hallway then into the central chamber with the stairs. Seeing the stairs one of the foals ran to them and started climbing. Scowling, Sunset wrapped him in her magic and levitated the surprised colt back to the group.
“What are you doing?” she whispered sternly. “I told you to follow me. You can’t just run off or you’ll get us all caught.”
“But the stairs are right there,” pouted the colt. “That’s how you get out of a dungeon. You take the stairs,” he explained.
Sunset facehooved. Suspended in her magic, the colt looked bewildered. She turned to the colt. “No. If we take the stairs we’ll end up in the castle where there are hundreds of guards running around. We would get caught. We aren’t taking the stairs,” she explained.
“We’re not?” asked the colt, still perplexed.
“We are not. I’m taking you out through caves I’ve found that run under the city. We’re going to sneak out. Remember, sneaky?” she asked the colt.
“Oh yeah! Sneaky!” he exclaimed happily.
She looked down at a white with pink maned filly who was tapping her leg expectantly. “What is it, little one?” she asked.
“Uh, I’m Seesee. I know you told us to all stay together, but while you were talking Galaxy ran that way!” she pointed towards one of the archways.
Sunset groaned. “Like herding cats, I swear,” she grumbled. Aiko laughed. Sunset turned to Aiko. “Can you lead these hoodlums to the caves while I gather our little escapee? I’ll join you in a minute,” she asked.
“I got this,” grinned Aiko. Loping to the head of the herd, she whispered to the foals. “Okay everypony! Line up with me! Follow me and I’ll lead you all out while Sunset fetches Galaxy. Let’s go!” She led them into one of the open archways, their little herd of foals following behind including the colt as Sunset placed him back on the floor. Crouching low, he scurried quickly after the rest of the group.
“Foals,” smirked Sunset, rolling her eyes. She trotted into the alcove where Galaxy had wandered off.
She found her staring up at a large bell hung from the ceiling. Sunset could feel dark power radiating from it, the same power she felt from the bell around Grogar’s neck.
“Galaxy! You need to stay with the herd,” Sunset admonished the little foal.
“What’s that?” Galaxy asked, staring up at the large bell.
“It’s a magic bell,” said Sunset. “It’s good you found it, but you really need to stay with the herd while we're trying to escape. No more wandering off, okay?”
The filly nodded. “Okay!” she agreed. She turned and followed Sunset back to the rest of their little herd of escapees. Catching up, Sunset joined Aiko in leading them.
“The little filly Galaxy found a magic bell,” explained Sunset. “I sensed a tremendous amount of magic from it. I note it might be useful if we end up needing to fight Grogar and his army, but now let’s get our little herd back to Megan.”
“That’s a tall enough order,” agreed Aiko. “And there go two more. One second.” Aiko popped away, returning with the two foals each under a foreleg. Setting them down, she whispered, “Don’t do that again! Stay with the herd.”
Reaching the wall at the end of the hall Sunset pushed one of the bricks, opening a door into the caves beyond. “That’ll work,” she grinned, leading them into the caves. Once again taking her sweep position, Aiko shepherded the foals through the door then shut it behind them.
Using a touch of magic, Sunset set her mane glowing, giving the group some light as she led them through the caves.
The unicorn filly Seesee trotted up beside her at the head of the herd. “Hey, um… how are you able to make your mane glow? You have a ring on your horn just like us. So how are you able to do any magic?” she asked.
“I’m a mage, it’s what we do,” Sunset smirked. The filly looked confused. “Don’t worry about it. It’s not something any unicorn can do unless they're a mage. Maybe someday you will be a mage too and learn all sorts of magical secrets. There’s much you don’t know.”
The filly scowled. “I want to be a mage then. Can you teach me?”
“Not now sweetie. We have to get back to Megan first. Ask me then, okay?” Sunset smiled.
The filly nodded, falling back into line. Sunset noticed her cutie mark as she turned back into the line.
“She totally reminds me of someone we know,” Sunset grinned to Aiko.
A half hour later they arrived at the opening into the town's sewers. The fillies raised their muzzles in disgust at the fetid water flowing through the channel running down the middle of the sewer.
“That stinks!” one little filly exclaimed, staying as far from the channel as she possibly could while avoiding the slime covered sewer walls.
Sunset laughed. “You’re not wrong. Everypony! Try not to step in the channel, it’s deep enough you would get a dunking. But don’t be too prissy either! I don’t think any of us will get through here without needing a good bath,” she grinned.
They continued their journey through the sewers maze. Aiko kept her watch at the end of their column, herding any stragglers or strays. Mercifully, nopony wanted to stray with the fetid stench of the sewer.
Through gratings along the top of the sewer they saw it was still dark outside. As they trotted the ground shook, almost knocking one of the colts into the sewage filled channel, who was saved from the ignominy only by dropping to his barrel in horror before he fell in. The shaking stopped, then cloudy sunlight filtered through the gratings. Day had broken.
Sunset stopped as Aiko joined her under one of the gratings.
“That was a magical quake. We need to get out of here and up onto the streets, then to the city walls,” she explained. Rising up on her hindlegs she peered through the grating seeing an alley, several trash containers, and more importantly no sign of any guards or other creatures. She dropped back down.
She called out to the foals. “Okay little one’s, it’s time to leave the sewers and hit the streets. Same rules! No wandering off, stay close, and don’t get lost. If you want Megan to find you, stay with the herd! One moment and I’ll get us out of here.” Rising back up she pushed the grating, working it loose from the wall. With a bit of effort it popped free and she gently set it down in the alley. Aiko sprang up through the opening. Turning, she reached down to Sunset.
One at a time Sunset lifted the foals up to her and she placed them in the alley. Once all the foals were up with Aiko, Sunset sprang up, catching her sister’s outstretched paw as Aiko pulled her through the opening. Sunset lifted the grate back into place then turned to face her little herd.
“Okay, listen up! Like I said below, stay together. No wandering off, no getting distracted, and stay between Aiko and I at all times. Ready?” she instructed.
The foals nodded, so she led them down the alleyway, Aiko once again behind sweeping for any stragglers.
As they neared the end of the alley there was another earthquake. The foals squealed in terror while Sunset and Aiko tried to contain and comfort them. Three of the foals shot past Sunset in a group, racing into and down the street at a dead run.
“Galaxy! You… other two… gah!” called out Sunset.
“That was Galaxy, Magic Star, and Heart Throb,” said Seesee again tugging on her leg. “Are you gonna go get them?”
The ground stopped shaking as the mists overhead cleared. “Crab nuggets!” Sunset swore. “Aiko, bring them to the alleyway where we first appeared, I’ll grab these two and catch up with you there!”
She sprinted after the still fleeing foals.
Several blocks later Sunset caught up to the still running but slowing foals. Sscooping them up in her magic she ducked into a nearby alleyway. The mists overhead cleared, showing more of the guards moving through the streets on their way to the city gates. Sunset pulled the three foals close to her.
“Galaxy, what did I say about wandering off! You too Magic Star and Heart Throb. Stay close!” she admonished not letting them go.
Chastised, they sat sadly around her. “I’m sorry but it was very scary!” said Galaxy. “I thought the ground was going to open up and bury us!”
“That’s part of the reason we got out of the sewer,” admitted Sunset. “But we’re safe up here if we stay together and don’t get caught. Now stay with me! We’re going to rejoin Aiko and your friends. Then we’re going to find Megan and get you all home! Come on.”
She looked back out of the alley but now the street was filled with guards headed to the city gates. “It looks like we’ll have to take another route. Through the alleys foals, let’s go.” Sunset led them back into the alley behind the buildings picking out paths that lead back to where she and Aiko first appeared. The three foals stayed very close, none of them wanting to be lost again.
Waking from her dream Megan ran from her room and down the hall to knock on Paradise’s door. The adult pegasus pony opened the door with a yawn. “What is it Megan? It’s really late, did you need something?” she asked in concern.
“I had a dream! I saw Ribbons in it and she was with an adult unicorn pony. She said they were taken to Tambelon and are prisoners of Grogar. Paradise, do you know what Tambelon is? And how can we get there? And who is Grogar?” asked Megan.
Rubbing her eyes Paradise stepped through the door then headed down the hall. “Come with me. I’ll make us some tea and tell you what I know,” she explained.
Megan followed her into the kitchen where Paradise put a pot of water on to boil. She sat down at the table with Megan and began.
“Five hundred years ago, a powerful Necromancer, a Ram named Grogar, tried to take over all of Ponyland to become the ruler of all ponies. He was defeated, and he and his kingdom of Tambelon were banished. As he was banished he cursed out that he would return to reclaim our kingdom and banish all ponies.”
“How was he defeated? And how was he going to come back?” asked Megan.
“It happened so long ago I don’t think anypony remembers,” admitted Paradise. The water was boiling so Paradise rose and dropped in the tea leaves, taking the pot off the stove to steep. “All I recall from the old stories is that Tambelon is the kingdom ruled by Grogar, a Ram wizard.”
Pouring out two cups of the tea, Paradise stirred in some honey. Balancing the cups on her wings, she bought them over to the table. Megan thanked her, taking her tea while Paradise placed her cup at her spot. Taking her seat, she looked at Megan.
“If the unicorn foals really were taken to Tambelon, I wonder if that means Grogar’s curse is finally here. Maybe he’s back, and captured them as part of his plan to remove all the ponies from Dream Valley and Ponyland,” mused Paradise. “So Ribbons was with another unicorn? An adult pony?”
Sipping her tea, Megan nodded. “Yes! She said she was a mage, a student of Princess Celestia, the ruler of Equestria. I’ve never heard of Celestia or that place, have you?”
Paradise shook her head. “I don’t know anypony named Celestia,” she stated.
“The mage said she was protecting all the kidnapped foals with her sister Aiko, and they needed us to meet them so the foals could get back to Dream Valley. I’ve no idea how to find Tambelon, so I needed your help,” Megan finished explaining.
“I’ll ask the other ponies. Maybe somepony else will recall more. In the meantime it sounds like we need to get out there and start looking again. If Tambelon is close enough to kidnap our unicorn foals when they wink, they can’t be too far off,” Paradise observed.
Megan nodded in agreement. “I’ll go wake Danny and Molly and we'll join you searching for the foals again.” Finishing her tea she placed her cup in the sink then hurried back to wake her brother and sister.
Megan, Danny, Molly, and the other ponies gathered in the woods around the campfire Paradise had prepared. Everypony was preparing for another chance to find the missing foals. Even the bushwoolies and other forest creatures had come to help.
“We’ve looked everywhere. There’s no sign of the missing foals,” said one of the bushwoolies sadly.
The ground broke open at their hooves, and several troll-like creatures piled out. “We look too! Not under ground are they! Nope nope!”
“And we’ve flown everywhere,” sighed an exasperated Paradise. “We just have to keep looking. I know they can’t be far away! They will turn up!”
Megan gently hugged Paradise. “They will! And in the meantime the two mages will keep them safe.”
While they talked the sunrise broke over them filling the sky with its golden glow. As the sky brightened there was a rumble and the ground began to shake.
“Earthquake!” yelled Danny, grabbing hold of Molly.
Megan kept her hand on Paradise. “That’s not an earthquake!” she called out in alarm. “Look!”
She pointed to billowing clouds settling down over the forests outside of Paradise Valley. Billowing and blowing, they expanded downward towards the forest below, shapes and colors forming in the flashes of lightning and roiling clouds. When the clouds settled the lightning stopped, the silhouette of a city showing through the mist. There was shouting and the sound of gates crashing open.
From the clearing mists an army of draconic creature charged out, their staffs raised before them, flashing out sickly blasts of magic that sent anypony or creature they hit into spasms of agony as they fell locked in rictus to the ground where they were quickly overrun by the creatures. As they were caught they were bound then tossed onto the back of large carts, waiting to be hauled back into the city.
Get on!” called out Paradise. She slid under Megan then leapt into flight. “We have to get you out of here!”
Two other pegasus slid under Danny and Molly, lifting off into the air and away from the advancing hoard. Several other pegasus joined them in fleeing into the depths of the forest.
“No! No no! We can’t run away! Go back, Paradise! Go back!” cried Megan.
Paradise looked back at Megan, briefly stopping in the branches of a tree. “Megan, we can’t go back. I have to keep you and the other children safe! I can’t let you be taken like the foals!”
“Paradise, that’s Tambelon! It has to be! Here’s our chance to rescue the foals! We have to go back and find them!” demanded Megan, climbing off of Paradise and into the tree. “If you can’t take me I have to go back alone! I can’t let the foals down! I have to go!”
Lofty flew over to Megan. “I’ll take you, Megan! I’ll go with you. We can look for the foals together!” Thanking her, Megan climbed onto her back, holding tightly to her mane.
Peach Blossom flew with them. “I’m going with you too!” the Flutter pony declared. “We can cover more ground that way!” Megan thanked her as well.
Paradise nodded. “And the rest of us will gather everypony and creature we can and hide in the woods with Danny and Molly. We’ll be in the gathering place waiting. You can meet us there when you find the mages and the foals!”
Megan agreed with a resolute nod. Lofty, Megan and Peach Blossom flew off towards the city while Paradise and the rest of the pegasus ponies flew deeper into the woods with Danny and Molly.
Racing through the edge of the woods below the treeline, Loft, Megan, and Peach Blossom skirted the advancing hoard. Megan watched in horror as the stunned and insensate residents of Dream Valley were carted off into the City of Tambelon. Even the Sea Ponies weren’t spared. The creatures used their magic to stun the creeks' water, where the Sea Ponies' insensate, spasmed bodies floated up to the surface. They were quickly gathered by waiting guards, trussed up, then stacked on carts with the others to be brought back to Grogar’s dungeons.
“Never again,” growled Megan, watching as her dear friends' still twitching forms were hauled away. “I swear by Harmony! I’ll learn magic myself and use the Rainbow of light on all of them! No one will ever hurt my friends again!”
“You're scaring me, Megan,” cowed Lofty. “I’ve never heard you so angry.”
“Look at that! Look. At. That!” she spat. “How could I not be angry! How could I not want to stop them anyway I can!”
Lofty shuddered beneath her, shooting across a clearing then over the city wall. They landed in a nearby alley with Peach Blossom landing beside them.
Megan addressed them both. “We’ll circle around staying in the alleyways. I don’t want to get caught by those guards. I’m not sure I could withstand those sticks they’re using. I bet if I got shot I’d be down on the ground twitching like a dying fish too.”
Megan still balanced on her withers, Lofty flew back up over the shop roof. Together with Peach Blossom they flew over the alleyways looking for the lost foals.
Grogar sat on his throne. The bag in his cloven hoof held the piece of stone he had been examining in his workshop. The vixen had surprised him and made off with the rest of the stones, but somehow she missed this one in her escape. He could feel it tugging at his power even untouched in the bag. He grinned. He was looking forward to finding uses for these new artifacts, if only he still had the rest of the stones. One piece of stone is an oddity. Hundreds of them? A potentially useful new weapon.
Several guards came running into the throne room, prostrating themselves before him. “Speak!” he commanded, not looking up from his musings.
“Your greatness! You instructed us to look for anything magical and bring it to you! Several guards found this as we raced through the city preparing for our attack. See what we have found, oh Great One!” One of them rose. Running to the throne, he dropped a saddlebag at his feet then returned to his companions still groveling before the throne.
Bending down, Grogar picked up the sack and opened it. There in the bag were piles of black rocks all pulling at him, demanding his magic, his essence.
Grogar smiled. Today was going to be a very good day.
Megan, Lofty and Peach Blossom raced through the alleys looking for any sign of the foals or the mages. Racing past an adjoining alleyway Megan caught a flash of color, quickly turning to spy the tail end of a little pony ducking down an adjoining alley.
“Stop! I saw somepony! That way!” Megan called out quietly, pointing back to where she saw the pony run. They wheeled and flew down the alley, turning where the foal had fled.
Up ahead they spied an adult unicorn, her horn sparkling with jewels, leading three little fillies. “That’s the mage!” called out Megan excitedly. “And look, she’s with Galaxy, Magic Star, and Heart Throb!” They raced ahead, landing before the Unicorns who stopped short.
“Megan!” called out the mage. “You came! Thank Harmony!”
“You’re the mage from my dream! Sunset Shimmer, right?” asked Megan, reaching down to pull Galaxy up into a hug. “How have you been, fillies? Is everypony alright? Where are the rest of the foals?”
“We got separated. Some of the foals panicked at the earthquake and bolted,” Sunset scowled at Galaxy, who burrowed into Megan’s embrace in embarrassment. “I had to chase after them before they were caught by the guards. We’re heading back to meet up with my sister and the rest now.”
“So they’re with the other mage then?” asked Lofty.
“Yes. Sorry, I’m Sunset Shimmer, Equestrian battle mage and student of Princess Celestia. Who might you be?” Sunset asked, bowing to Lofty.
“I’m Lofty, and this is Megan and Peach Blossom,” replied Lofty, nodding in return.
“A pleasure to meet you Lofty and Peach Blossom,” nodded Sunset. She turned to Megan. “It’s nice to finally meet you again Megan, this time in the flesh as it were,” she smiled, holding her hoof out to Megan. Making a fist, Megan bumped her hoof with a grin.
“Likewise, Sunset Shimmer. Though I’ve never heard of Princess Celestia or Equestria. Where is that?” she asked.
“That’s a long story, one best left for after we’ve settled all this. I do promise I’ll tell you all about it then,” replied Sunset, trotting ahead. “Come on. Follow me and we’ll join the rest of your missing friends.”
Together they resumed their travels to rejoin the rest of their little herd.
In the alley where the portal had tossed them, Aiko rode herd over her little… well, herd … of foals. They were bored of waiting and were once again acting their ages.
“I’m hungry!” the rotund stallion complained. “They never fed us! I’m gonna starve soon if we don’t get something to eat.”
Seesee rolled her eyes. “Cuddles, we have more important things to worry about than you eating. Besides, it wouldn’t hurt you to skip a meal or two,” she noted primly. Cuddles teared up at the rebuke.
“Hey hey hey, none of that!” responded Aiko, gently scolding the filly. “Seesee, don’t be mean. He’s just trying to cope like the rest of us,” she said as she cuddled the whimpering foal. “We just need to wait patiently. I’m sure your Megan will find us soon.” The foal stopped crying, falling asleep cuddled up in Aiko’s hug.
“He’s always whining about being hungry,” groused the unicorn filly. “I’m sick of everypony complaining. Why can’t they just suck it up and get through it like the rest of us?”
“I hate to burst your bubble, little one, but you haven’t been sucking it up as well as you think,” corrected Aiko. “Complaining about everypony else and putting on airs isn’t helping. Your companions need your friendship, not your correction,” she pointed out.
“Humph!” pouted Seesee. Aiko pulled her into a hug too, gently rubbing her mane.
“You’ll see. Friends and friendship are our greatest strength. It’s what makes Equestria strong and keeps us safe. A lesson you would do well to learn, little one. No pony, nor any other creature, was made to go it alone. Friendship is the magic that guides us and takes us safely and happily through life.” She snuggled the filly, who settled smiling into the hug.
The rest of the foals gathered around them, settling down to wait.
Sunset led Megan and the ponies back to the alley where Aiko waited. They stuck to the rooftops and alleys, always staying hidden from the ever present guards. Arriving at the alleyway they dropped down before Aiko and the waiting foals.
Aiko grinned. “Took you long enough! Did you do a little sightseeing on the way? And who are your new friends?”
Sunset laughed, giving her friend a hug being careful to avoid waking the two foals in her lap. “I ran into a few new friends on the way.” She turned. “Megan, Lofty, Peach Blossom, I’d like you to meet my sister Aiko. Aiko, this is Megan and her friends Lofty and Peach Blossom,” she pointed to each in turn.
“Ah, so you’re the Megan I’ve heard so much about,” smiled Aiko, bumping her paw against Megan’s outstretched fist. She smiled. “The foals won’t stop talking about you. They certainly hold you in high esteem.” She greeted Lofty and Peach Blossom with paw bumps as well.
“Well they do certainly enjoy my visits,” acknowledged Megan, smiling. “I do enjoy their company. They’re a lively lot.”
“So, any plans on getting us all out of here?” Aiko asked.
“Just sneaking back out the way we came,” acknowledged Megan. “Though that’s always an adventure with this lot,” she smiled as she looked over the foals.
“So I’ve noticed,” grinned Sunset, joining the conversation. “Any troubles with the rest of the herd while I was gone fetching our runaways?”
“Just boredom and hunger, the bane of foals everywhere,” smirked Aiko. “So are we heading out now?”
“Yeah, no time like the present,” agreed Sunset. Aiko woke her two sleeping charges, getting them settled on their hooves. The rest of the foals all gathered around Megan delightedly clamoring for her attention .
“I knew you would come for us! I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!” bounced the excited foals. Megan crouched down ruffling their manes and hugging them in turn. Hearing Sunset, she stood and addressed her little friends.
“Okay, you heard Sunset. Time for us to head out and get back home!” She smiled, turning to Sunset. “Lead on, oh mage.”
Sunset laughed. “Okay! Let’s head out!” She trotted to the end of the alleyway, looking out at the street. “It looks safe. Let’s go quickly before more of those guards show up.” She led them out into the street and towards the city’s wall.
They had crossed through three intersections, almost to the wall when their luck ran out. A platoon of the guards entered the street from an alleyway behind them immediately spotting them. They grabbed two of the foals at the end of the line, frying Aiko with their lances when she tried to rescue the foals. Rolling to the ground, she shook off the paralysis from the blasts then shepherded the rest of the foals over next to Sunset and Megan.
“Unhand those foals!” both Megan and Sunset demanded in unison. They turned to each other, nodded then turned back to the guards.
“No, you will submit to us and come peaceably, or we will kill them!” demanded the head guard.
He turned to the guards holding the foals. “Shock them again! I don’t think they believe us!” The guards lanced them, blinding bolts of magic raced into both of the foals who screamed out in agony, crying abjectly afterwards. Megan and Sunset both looked enraged.
Sunset turned to Megan. “I don’t think he’s playing, I’ve seen what they're capable of. They’re more than willing to kill anyone who opposes them. What do you want to do? There’s no way I can keep them all safe and save those two before they kill them.”
“It makes me sick to see this,” growled Megan. “This is Ponyland for pity's sake! This kind of garbage isn’t supposed to happen here.” She sighed. “I think then it’s best if we do as he says. We can figure out a way to escape again later like you did before. It’s our best bet, I can’t let them hurt my friends.”
“Okay. That’s the plan then,” Sunset agreed. She called out to the guards. “Fine! We’ll do things your way. But I promise you this! If you harm one hair on the manes of any of my friends, Tartarus itself won’t be able to protect you from my wrath! I will hunt you down and send every one of your miserable souls into a screaming hell.”
She trotted forward, laying down before them. The guards rushed up to her stunning her repeatedly until she was completely insensate. They then bound her, Megan, and the rest of the foals up and took them away.
Peach Blossom watched from the rooftop she had bolted to at the first sign of the guards. Flitting quickly from rooftop to rooftop she flew over the wall then towards the encampment to find Danny, Molly, and the other ponies.