//------------------------------// // Wherein Machines Get Busted // Story: Filly Fantasy VI - The Return of Magic // by The Wyld Stallynz //------------------------------// Twilight Sparkle’s mouth hung open as she stared up at the imposing mountain before her. “We... have to climb... that?” “Sure as sugar, we do,” Applejack confirmed, stretching out her legs and cracking her neck. “If I remember correctly, it’s a good hike up and over so we’ll take breaks when we get tired.” Rainbow Dash groaned. “This is going to take all day, isn’t it?” “Now don’t be that way, sugarcube. Just take it easy for once and enjoy the scenery.” “Whatever. Let’s just get going.” The party moved on, the plains of South Fillygaro gradually receding into more rocky terrain. The hoofing became trickier, making the ponies watch their steps to avoid rolling a hoof. Stardust had no such trouble, his talons adjusting to each step and his wings fluttered whenever he needed to maintain his balance. Rainbow, on the other hoof, simply flew over the ground, growing more and more bored waiting for the others to catch up with her. An hour later, she had had enough. “You know, I could just fly over, get in contact with the Returners and they could meet us halfway.” “Oh?” Spike replied. “Then you’re just going to let us deal with them on our own?” Rainbow blinked and followed the claw that Spike pointed towards the path ahead of them. Two long-haired, brown mammoth-like creatures appeared around a rock outcropping. The pair were engaged in a test of strength, their large white tusks locked together as each tried to push the other away. The very mountain seemed to tremble as the two monsters snorted with effort and crashed each other into boulders. “What are they doing?” Twilight asked, cringing each time one of the tuskers slammed into the other with the power of a magitek armor buck. “I don’t rightly know,” Applejack answered. “Though I think it’s best we wait—Dash! Come back here!” Rainbow had flown towards the struggling tuskers, hovering above them. “I’m not waiting for these two to knock themselves out!” Rainbow called back. She pulled out her knife and dove down, the point of her blade aimed for the back of the closet monster. The knife sank deep into the tusker’s hairy hide, causing the creature to rear up and roar in pain. It bucked viciously, forcing Rainbow to grasp onto the buried knife harder to keep from being dislodged. Without warning, the second tusker opened its mouth, aiming for the pegasus. A blast of cold air escaped from its maw and struck Rainbow Dash head on. Caught completely unprepared, Rainbow lost her grip on the knife and sailed off the back of the struggling tusker, landing in a heap on the ground. Tiny ice crystals hung from her wings, mane and vest, testament to the power of the tusker’s blizzard breath. The injured tusker continued its rampage and charged at the downed and shivering pegasus. “Aurabolt!” A beam of white energy suddenly impacted the side of the tusker, picking it up and slamming it against the mountainside. It fell to its side, its hide smoking from a circular burn and remained still. The second tusker turned towards the new threat, roaring at Applejack as she galloped towards it. It lowered its tusks, intent on goring its enemy, only for the pony to launch into the air and land on its back. Before it could react, Applejack reared and kicked it hard in the back of its head. The tusker gave a pained moan and collapsed to the ground. Applejack quickly leaped off the tusker’s back and rushed up to Rainbow Dash. The thief was curled up in a tight ball and shivering uncontrollably. “C-c-cold-d-d-d.” “Hang on there, Dash,” Applejack said. “We’ll get ya fixed up.” She turned towards the others and motioned for them to come closer. “Hey, Twi. Can you use that fancy magic of yours to warm her up?” “I-I’m not sure,” Twilight replied. “I’ve never tried something like that.” “Well, then I guess we better find some blankets or sumthin’ to cover her up.” “Wait. Let me try this.” Twilight stepped next to Rainbow and closed her eyes. A gentle chant escaped her lips, followed by a string of pearl orbs floating out of her horn, looping around and flowing back into her forehead. Briefly, Rainbow’s form was covered in a pale green light, fading away as quickly as it came. Moments later, the pegasus’ convulsions ceased. Rainbow Dash blinked her eyes and stood up on shaky legs. The bitter cold enveloping her body was gone and she felt relaxed and refreshed as though waking from a satisfying nap. “Whoa. What was that?” “I... I think it’s called a cure spell,” Twilight answered, as though unsure herself. “Really? Since when have you been able to do that?” Twilight looked away and bit her lip. “I think I’ve always been able to do it. It just feels... natural to me.” “Well, thanks anyways. I felt like a popsicle back there. OW!” Applejack lowered her hoof from cuffing Rainbow upside the head. “Ya wouldn’t have been in that there state if ya’d just waited for us. You could have gotten killed trying to ride that buckin’ bronco.” “Yeah, yeah,” Rainbow said and pulled her knife from the tusker’s carcase. She quirked an eyebrow at the injury in the beast’s side. “Hey, what happened to this thing? Did I do that?” “Hardly. I had to use one of my secret techniques. It’s called Aurabolt and it uses my very own spirit as a weapon. No magic involved, just plain ol’ earth pony guts! “Now let’s get a move on before any more of those critters show up. I don’t rightly want to spend all my time fighting when we still have a ways to go.” No arguments were made over that. The group continued up the path, watching for monsters the entire time, and a few minutes later, they found a cave entrance behind a formation of rocks. “Blah, more caves,” Rainbow Dash complained. “This is sooooooo not helping my sty—hey, birdie, watch it!” Stardust rushed past her, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. He entered the cave without a second look and beelined to a glittering green gem stuck in some loose dirt next to a rock wall. Beams of light trickled in from holes in the ceiling, with one such beam striking directly against the gem, creating a rainbow of light to shine pleasantly against the walls. When the others caught up to him, Stardust was furiously pecking away at the dirt around the gem, slowly uncovering more of it. “Hey, birdbrain!” Rainbow Dash said, flying up next to the chocobo. “Stop running off like that! What are you, some kind of Repo Pony or something?” “It’s... a... gem!” Stardust replied in between pecks. As though that explained everything, Stardust continued his work. “Seriously, you’ve got to be a klepto or something. Now, I know how it is to find treasure and all, but rule number one is to check these things out before digging in like you’re doing. What if there are traps?” However, the chocobo ignored her. Finally, the gem became exposed enough for Stardust to reach down and grab it in his beak. With a sharp tug, he wrenched it out of the ground and held it up proudly for all to see. The next instant, the ground underneath him gave away. Stardust managed to give a surprised squawk, throwing his prize away in the process, before disappearing into the floor. “Stardust!” Without hesitation, Rainbow Dash jumped into the exposed sinkhole after him. “Rainbow!” Twilight cried out and made to follow but Applejack stopped her with an outstretched hoof. “You’ll just fall in like them!” the farmer pointed out. “Let’s get some rope and we can pull ‘em out!” Suddenly, several figures landed outside the cave entrance and more appeared from deeper in the cave. They were earth and pegasus stallions, dressed in red gis and their hooves covered in red wrappings. The ponies quickly circled around the mares and dragon, cutting off all escape. “Heh, been a while since somepony fell for that trap,” one of the ponies said. “Yeah, and look at what we got,” said another. “Should get a good stack of gil for two beauts like them.” “Don’t forget the two below.” “We’ll get to them later. We got plenty to keep us busy here.” Applejack tensed, ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice. “I swear, you fellers should just turn around now and ferget you ever saw us.” “You came into our home, lady,” a pegasus responded. “And the Iron Hoof collects from those that trespass.” “We’ve had enough trouble already with those weirdos from South Fillygaro,” said an earth pony. He stepped forward and reached for Twilight. “You on the other hoof will be easy pickings.” He stopped short when a spear was thrust towards his head, forcing him to back away. “That’s what you think,” Spike intoned darkly. The pack of ponies eyed the surrounded trio warily, before a wordless cry signaled the attack. .o.O.o. Beneath the growing violence, another battle was taking place, though of a much less physical nature. “You featherhead! This is why you check for traps!” “Sorry...” “You better be sorry! Rule number two is to never split up. Your friends could get in trouble while you wander off.” “But you were going to fly away outside—” “Rule number three: I’m awesome enough to break the rules!” Stardust scratched his head with a wing. “I don’t get it. How does being awesome work like that?” Rainbow Dash smirked and tapped him lightly on the chest. “Don’t worry. I’ll teach ya everything you need to know. Stick with me, bud, and you’ll go places.” She lost her grin when she looked up at the ceiling and the opening they had fallen through. “Speaking of going places, we need to get back up there.” Stardust followed her gaze and grimaced. “That’s too high for me to jump.” He looked around and spotted a passage leading deeper into the mountain. “Why don’t we head down that way and meet up with the others on the other side?” “Uh, yeah. No. You just sit tight and I’ll fly up there and get the others to help.” Judging by the expression on Stardust’s face, this was not the answer he wanted. “You’re going to leave me here? Alone?!” “Whoa, whoa there, fella!” Rainbow held up her hooves in a placating manner. “I’ll be gone for just a few seconds. Ten tops!” “But what if monsters come and get me?!” His head whipped back and forth as if convinced that one was waiting just beyond the shadows. “C’mon, nothing’s going to get you. Stop being such a foal.” However, Stardust continued to panic, his breathing becoming erratic and his gaze wide with fright. “... You’re really scared arencha?” “I’m not scared!” Stardust yelled. “Just... cautious...” Rainbow Dash sighed. “Alright, alright,” she said. “I’ll stick with ya. I promise I won’t leave your side.” The chocobo stopped his fidgeting and regarded Rainbow with hope in his eyes. “Really?” “Yeah. We’ll go down that way, okay? No need to get your feathers ruffled.” She gestured a hoof towards the passage. “After you. You’ve got that freaky good eyesight so you can lead the way. But don’t worry, I’ve got your back.” Stardust remained silent for a time before slowly nodding and walked down the passageway, a more confident motion to his stride. Rainbow Dash followed after him, muttering how birds without flight were pathetic. .o.O.o. “And that makes ten!” Applejack declared as she placed the last of the martial arts ponies in a pile of groaning bodies. “Who says my brother got all the brains in the family?” Off to the side, Spike willed his spear away with a puff of fire and dusted his claws. “That’s the second group of ponies that I’ve run into that have tried to rob me. What’s with you guys, anyway?” “Now Spike, don’t let a few bad apples ruin the bushel for ya,” Applejack said. “Some ponies are the way they are and ain’t nothin’ going to change them.” She turned her gaze to the other pony in the cavern still conscious. “You okay over there, Twilight?” The unicorn stood in a corner, her ears drooped as she swept her eyes over the ponies that had tried to subdue her. She closed her eyes and lowered her head as a soft sigh escaped past her lips. “I... I’m fine. I’m sorry I wasn’t much help.” “Don’t say that Twilight,” Spike said. He came up to her and laid a claw on her back. “Your cure spell really helped keeping us going. You did great!” Twilight managed a thin smile. “I suppose so.” Applejack came up to her and offered her own hoof to Twilight’s backside. “You might still need some work on being a fighter, but you sure do know how to back us up. Especially since Stardust has all our healin’ stuff.” Her eyes widened in sudden realization. “Consarnit! I plum forgot all about him! And Dash!” Applejack rushed over to the hole in the floor that had claimed the pair and peered down. “Rainbow Dash! You okay down there? Dash? Stardust? Anypony?” The only answer she received was the returning echo of her voice. “Anything?” Spike asked. He too looked down the hole but saw nothing but blackness. “Do we jump down?” “Hold up. Twi, could you come over here for a sec?” Twilight trotted over, a curious expression on her muzzle. “Could you shine your horn down there? Maybe a little light will show them.” The unicorn nodded and concentrated. Soon, a soft magenta glow surrounded her horn. Twilight bent down and held her head over the hole while Applejack and Spike looked down. Far below, a rocky floor could be seen but there was no sight of Stardust and Rainbow Dash. “You don’t think they were captured, do you?” Spike asked. Applejack shook her head. “Naw. Dash would never let that happen. I figure they found another way and are headin’ to the other side of the mountain. We better get goin’ too.” “We’re not going to look for them?” “Don’t you be worrying, now. My gut tells me they’re fine and we should get a move on.” Twilight gave the farmer a quizzical look. “How can your intestines tell that?” “... It’s just a figure of speech,” Applejack drawled. A sudden shout from Spike startled the two ponies. They whirled around to face him, one ready to fight while the other readied to support. They blinked in unison as the young dragon held up the gem that had triggered the start of the ambush. “Check this baby out!” Spike exclaimed. “I have to give it to those ponies. They have good tastes.” Twilight came forward and inspected the gem that had Spike so excited. “I don’t get it. What’s so special about it? Is it valuable?” “You bet it is! This is an peridot. I can use this to breathe air attacks instead of fire. And it’s delicious too!” He gazed at the gem lovingly for a moment longer before placing it away with a puff of fire. “I’ll save this guy for later.” Applejack chuckled and headed towards the cavern leading deeper into the mountain. “Come on. If I know Dash, she’s already waiting for us on the other side.” Twilight and Spike followed, the former puzzling over how one’s insides could know something so intangible and the mysterious properties of gems while the latter smirked at the unicorn’s cluelessness. None of them saw the shadowy figures watching them from the cave entrance. .o.O.o. Stardust was quickly becoming Rainbow Dash’s new best friend... and the biggest pain in the flank she had ever met. “I found another one!” Stardust cried and darted over to a cluster of rocks. “Hold it, bud!” Rainbow warned her excitable friend. “It’s great and all that you want to find all this treasure, but remember what I told you.” “Right, right,” Stardust replied. He backed off and let Rainbow Dash inspect his find: a few discarded gil lay in a pile behind the rocks. A quick glance revealed nothing suspicious so with a gesture of her hoof, Stardust quickly gathered them up. “Jeez, and Applejack calls me impatient,” Rainbow muttered. The two continued on, Stardust keeping his eyes peeled for anything shining while Rainbow Dash listened for anything that didn’t sound friendly. A few minutes later, a light from an opening in the mountain wall came into view. “Oh, sweet!” Rainbow said. “A way out!” With a rush of displaced wind, Rainbow flew out the opening and drank in the sweet, open sky. “Ah, now that’s more like it.” Stardust ran up besides her and breathed in the mountain air. He looked around, taking in the view offered from being so high up. Below them stretched a boxed-in valley with green plains and sparkling rivers. The setting sun cast the valley in a sheen of golden light. Even though he preferred the deep forests back home, Stardust had to admit that the sight was beautiful. Movement from above caught his eye. He snapped his head up and spied something ducking behind a overhanging ledge. Rainbow took notice and followed his gaze. “What is it? Monsters?” “I’m not sure,” Stardust replied. “It moved too quickly for me to get a good look.” “I’ll check it out. Stay put.” Before the chocobo could protest, Rainbow Dash took off like an arrow. Seconds later she reached the ledge but spotted nothing out of the ordinary. A few quick laps around the area didn’t reveal anything either. She turned to head back down when something laying on the ground caught the few remaining rays of the sun. She flew over to it and picked it up with a hoof, revealing it to be a small gear. “Now where did you come from?” Pocketing it for now, Rainbow dropped down to where Stardust was waiting for her. A look of relief passed over him briefly before firming up his features and giving Rainbow a flat stare. “What took ya?” “Nice to see you too,” Rainbow shot back. She pulled out the gear and held it out before her. “This is all I found.” Stardust stared at the gear for a moment. “What’s something like that doing here?” “Good question, but let’s worry about that later. It’s getting dark and I want to be off this mountain before monsters start crawling all over this place.” She placed the gear in one of Stardust’s packs and headed for the cliff side. Peering down, there appeared to be no obvious hoofholds but she had a suspicion that it wouldn’t be a problem. “Can you make it down here?” Stardust looked down himself and smirked. “No problem. In fact, I—” A yelp of surprise burst past his beak as he slipped and tumbled down the mountain side. One bumpy and painful ride later, he landed in a heap on a ledge further down. Stardust groaned in pain and slowly began to twitch his appendages for anything broken. “What’s with you and falling today?” came an amused voice above him. “Bite me...” “Sorry, but dirty silver feathers don’t look really tasty,” Rainbow chortled. She landed next to him and offered a hoof. “Need any help?” “No,” Stardust said and attempted to lift himself back up. A sharp ache in his side stopped him and he fell back down. “Maybe...” The pegasus smirked, braced herself beneath him and heaved. With her help, Stardust shakily made it to his talons, wobbling a bit before managing to straighten himself. “Thanks—OW!” Rainbow looked up at him, a concerned look in her eyes. “What? What? Is something broken?” Stardust didn’t answer. He lifted his left wing and reached under it with his head. He grasped hold of something and gave it a sharp tug, producing a comical pop. When he turned back, a golden bracer was held between his beak. He spit it onto the ground where the two looked at it in confusion. “Must have gotten it stuck when I fell,” Stardust commented. “What is it?” “Dunno,” Rainbow Dash replied and picked it up between her forehooves. The bracer was covered in dirt and grime, though Rainbow could tell there were some markings carved into it. She spit on a hoof and rubbed off as much filth as she could, revealing a carving of a pony holding up the world on its back. Coming to a quick decision, she slipped the bracer onto her right hoof. Immediately, a sense of strength coursed through her, like a jolt of lightning from a rain cloud. “Awww, yeah!” Rainbow cried and thrust the hoof wearing the bracer into the air. “What? What is it?” Stardust asked, hopping up and down in excitement. “This, my good pal, is a relic!” She suddenly shot into the air, performing an intricate series of loop-de-loops and mid-air tumbles. “This is so cool! I’ve only heard rumors of these things! Whoda thunk one was hiding away on this mountain all this time?!” She completed one final loop before landing back next to Stardust. “Thanks bud! I can’t wait to show this off to the others!” “Um... you’re welcome? But, what’s a relic?” “Oh, they’re these little doohickeys that were said to have been made during the war one thousand years ago. They’re supposed to grant totally radical powers when worn! I think this one makes me stronger. I guess we’ll find out soon enough!” Rainbow whirled, thrust her hoof in the air as though posing for an audience and said, “Now let’s find the others and get off this rock! “Just don’t fall down again, okay? It’ll ruin the moment.” Stardust slapped a wing to his face and groaned. .o.O.o. In a separate area of Mt. Colt, two mares and one dragon walked through the darkening tunnels of the mountain, the light from Twilight’s horn the only illumination available to them. Monsters were becoming more bold in their attacks with the oncoming night, making progress slow and dangerous. Yet, Applejack pressed them on, unwilling to find a place to stay for the night. The quicker they left the mountain, the safer they would be. “C’mon, y'all,” Applejack said to bolster the others’ resolve. “Just a little longer now. I think we’re getting close to the end.” “I hope so,” Spike grumbled. “We’ve been wandering around, like, forever! “How you holding up, Twi?” The unicorn didn’t immediately respond. Twilight continued to move forward, focusing on keeping her horn lit and placing one hoof in front of the other. Her breath came out in short, wheezing gasps. Her eyelids drooped occasionally, threatening to close completely, before she snapped them open again to stare at the path ahead. “Twilight?” “Huh? What?” Twilight asked, startled at hearing her name. “I think we need to stop for a bit, Applejack,” Spike said. “I don’t think Twilight’s going to make it much farther.” “No! No!” Twilight spoke up, straightening her posture and stepping with more energy. “I’m fine! I can keep going! I’m just... not used to all this *yawn* traveling.” Applejack and Spike shared a look. Sighing, the farmer quickened her pace to catch up with Twilight. “Hon, I think it’s time for a re—” “Look!” Twilight interrupted, pointing her hoof ahead of her. “Moonlight! Finally, a way out!” Further ahead, silvery light could be seen spilling in from an opening. With a burst of speed, Twilight rushed ahead forcing Applejack and Spike to run to catch up. By the time they reached her, Twilight had stopped and was staring down at a small valley below them. The light seen from inside the mountain was not moonlight, but several spotlights shining down on what appeared to be a small camp. A tent was set up and surrounding it were several mechanical constructs in the shape of wolves, bears, and other animals, many of them seemingly incomplete from all the disconnected legs and heads strewn around them. Pieces of metal and parchment littered the ground giving the impression of a junkyard rather than a campsite. “I don’t believe it,” Applejack said, barely above a whisper. She gave a loud neigh of delight and galloped down the slope leading to the camp yelling, “Big Mac!” over and over again. Once she reached the tent, she looked in expecting to find a red stallion but discovered that it was empty besides a few discarded cans of baked beans. By the time she pulled her head out of the tent flaps, Twilight and Spike had caught up to her. “He ain’t here...” “Who, Applejack?” Twilight asked. “My big brother. I thought for certain I’d find him here. Maybe he went off to find some food or sumthin’. Let’s wait awhile. He can’t be gone long. It’ll give you a chance to rest a bit, Twi.” Twilight opened her mouth to argue that she wasn’t tired, only for a long, drawn out yawn to escape instead. “Ugh, maybe a quick nap wouldn’t hurt...” “Right. I’ll take a look around for a bit and keep watch. You just take it easy, sugarcube.” “Sure.” The unicorn entered the tent without any preamble, found a cot set on the ground and plopped down on it. She was asleep within seconds. .o.O.o. She awoke with a start. The sound of running machinery and yelling quickly brought her out of her drowsy state and she rushed out of the tent. Her jaw dropped at the scene that greeted her. Applejack and Spike dodged, weaved and counterattacked against their assailants: two mechanical bears. The constructs were twice the height of a pony and both took advantage of their bulk to charge at Applejack and Spike in attempts to pin them down. Steam escaped from their metallic ears with each swipe of their razor sharp claws while their eyes, comprised of gleaming red gems, followed their prey’s every movement. Despite the size of the bears and the exposed network of complex gears whirring to move them, they moved deceptively fast, keeping Applejack and Spike from being able to form a strategy to effectively deal with them. Twilight could only stare, rooted in place at such a sight. This type of situation was the last thing she expected to see and it left her mind empty of any way to deal with it. Her catatonic state finally ended at the sounds of laughter rising above the din of battle. She looked further up the hill that she had descended to reach the camp and spotted two yellow unicorns wearing striped blue and white vests and cackling with undisguised glee. “Looks like our inventions are a success, right Flim?” the mustachioed one of the duo asked. “That they are, Flam!” the other answered. “Looks like that donkey had a few good ideas after all.” “Donkey?” Twilight repeated numbly. Neither of them seemed to hear her, intent on watching their bears attack the invaders to their camp. Flam gave a loud cheer when the bear focused on Applejack managed to trip her up with a swipe of its claw, making the earth pony stumble and fall to the ground. The killer machine raised its paw and brought it down for a decisive blow. “Applejack!” Twilight cried and rushed towards the battle, her horn aglow with magical power. All at once, Applejack expertly flipped to her forehooves and kicked her hind legs up at the bear in a blur of movement. The speed and power of her hooves shattered the metallic paw in a shower of crumpled iron bits. With its balance disrupted from the failed attack, the bear continued to fall forwards and right into a final, powerful buck. With a shriek of torn metal, the head flew off the main body, arching through the air to land at the hooves of two very dumbstruck unicorns. “Ha! Pummeled you but good!” Applejack crowed. Her good cheer ended when the headless mechanical bear suddenly lunged forward with its remaining paw, catching her completely off guard and slamming her into the ground. Applejack lay prone and unmoving, even as the damaged but still dangerous machine moved to deliver the final blow. The sound of furiously beating wings filled the air, followed by a screech of metal striking against metal. The next moment, a cleanly severed paw fell to the ground, followed by a blue pegasus. “By the sun, I’m awesome,” Rainbow Dash said through the dagger clenched in her teeth. “I leave you guys alone for just a little while and what do you do? You try to hog all the fun.” Behind her, she heard Stardust running up and tending to Applejack’s wounds, allowing Rainbow to concentrate on the amputated bear in front of her. Without its limbs or head, the machine could only flail helplessly on the ground. Rainbow kept her distance regardless since one lucky roll could crush her under its weight. Just as she began to plan a avenue of attack, a stream of fire struck the remains of the bear, burning through the outside panels and melting its sensitive inner parts within seconds. The machine gave a few more twitches before finally remaining still. Rainbow Dash looked over to the source of the blaze to see Twilight Sparkle’s horn dim as the unicorn herself let out a small sigh. “At least it wasn’t something living.” She turned to Rainbow and gave her a delighted smile. “Rainbow! I’m so glad you’re—” A hurled dragon collided with Twilight, sending her and Spike into a heap of bodies in the middle of the campsite. Twilight and Spike groaned in pain and disorientation, with Spike slowly pointing a claw towards the other end of the camp. “I hate to... break up the... reunion, but there’s still one left!” The other bear, seemingly unharmed with its fight with Spike, stomped towards the fallen pony and dragon. “Kill them!” Flam roared from his position up the hill. “Make sure none of them get away!” “Let’s hope it comes back in one piece, brother of mine,” Flim said. “The Empire won’t give us two slim gil if we don’t bring back a working prototype.” “So that’s what you two dunderheads were up to.” Flim and Flam jerked in surprise and slowly turned their heads to look behind them. A middle aged donkey stood before them with large backpack strapped to his back. He shook his head at the two, a frown of disappointment on his face. “I shoulda known you would sell me out. Should have kicked you to the curb the moment I saw you.” “Cranky!” The twins exclaimed and held up their hooves. “We can explain!” “I’m not interested in hearing your excuses. But, there is one thing I’d like you to do for me.” “Anything! You just name it!” Cranky Doodle Donkey lowered a black visor that had been perched on his head over his eyes. A compartment from his backpack opened and a steel rod with a light bulb attached at the end extended upwards. “Say cheese.” A flash brighter than the sun flared from the bulb, illuminating the entire valley as though it were daytime. Flim and Flam recoiled as though physically struck, screaming in pain as they held their hooves to their burning eyes. “Do it now, Big Mac!” Within the camp, the remaining mechanical bear was busy trying to knock Rainbow Dash out of the sky with powerful swipes of its claws. The pegasus had quickly moved to engage it before it could attack her fallen companions and had settled into a game of keep away, waiting for her chance to strike back. Just a few more moves and... A sound that could only be described as a drunken gigatoad trying to hit the high note of “Aria Di Mezzo Carattere” filled the area. Every being within a two mile radius cried out in anguish and covered their ears with whatever appendages were available to them. The robot bear itself wasn’t unaffected. It swayed from side to side as if intoxicated and its head twitched sporadically. “Get down!” Despite being half-deaf and feeling the insides of her head rattling like gil in a purse, Rainbow Dash heard the command and flattened herself to the ground. The moment she did, a stream of arrows shot out from across the valley and impacted the bear in multiple spots. The arrows slipped through openings all over the bear’s metal shell, hitting vital components and clogging up gears. The bear staggered as it tried to regain its balance, only for a second wave of arrows to strike it again. One of the darts dug deep within the construct, impacting against a large red gem located in the center of the beast and shattered it instantly. The mechanical ursa lurched one final time before collapsing to the ground. Slowly, the group made their way to a standing position, groaning from the pains of battle—which now included headaches. It wasn’t until Applejack shook her head to clear it of any lingering grogginess that she noticed the new figure heading their way, a crossbow and speaker system strapped to his back. “Big brother!” That was the only warning before Applejack sprang forward and engulfed the large, red stallion in a hug. Her smile stretched from ear to ear and somehow grew larger when a hoof from the stallion reached around and returned the hug. “Nice seeing ya again, AJ.” The two remained that way for several moments and none present had the will to interrupt them. Finally, the two parted and looked over each other approvingly. “You’ve gotten bigger, Big Macintosh.” “Eeyup.” Applejack inclined her head, showing off the Stetson adorning it. Big Macintosh smirked. "Ya grew into it." "I sure did." A sniffle off to the side alerted them that they had an audience. Applejack turned and smirked as Rainbow Dash hastily rubbed at her eyes. “I’m not crying! I’m not crying!” Applejack fought hard to keep from laughing... for about two seconds. Soon, everyone joined in, their pains and worries all washing away to enjoy the moment. Their merriment came to an abrupt end from two angry voices. “This isn’t the end, Big Mac!” “We’ll be back!” With that, Flim and Flam rushed off, stumbling over their hooves from being half-blind and in a hurry to get away. Cranky briefly watched them go before shaking his head and heading towards the others. “Good for nothing slackers,” he grumbled. When he reached the group his eyes looked over Applejack and nodded his head. “Been a while since I’ve last seen you, lass. You’ve grown.” “Shouldn’t we be after them?” Big Macintosh asked, tilting his head towards where Flim and Flam had run off to. “Nah, let them go. They won’t be a problem for anypony anymore.” “How so?” Rainbow Dash spoke up. “Big Mac and I were looking for those jokers’ base. Now that we have we can destroy it and end their experiments. Speakin’ of which, we better get a move on.” “Eeyup,” Big Macintosh agreed. “Can we help?” Applejack asked. “Sure, kid,” Cranky said, placing down his pack and rummaging around until he pulled out a half-dozen metallic red cylinders. “Set these up over next to those generators then hide behind those rocks up there. Got it?” “Yes sir!” Within minutes, all the cylinders were in place and when the ponies, dragon, and chocobo were safe behind the boulders, Cranky attached a string connected to a plunger to each cylinder before hiding behind his own rock. With a cry of, “Fire in the hole!” he shoved the plunger down. A series of explosions rocked the camp, obliterating everything and sending shrapnel flying in every direction. The spotlights used to illuminate the area snuffed out, leaving the moon above the sole source of light. Once the rain of deadly projectiles stopped falling, everyone came out of the protective spots and gaped at the destruction. All that was left of the camp were a few pieces of twisted scrap metal and potholes with everything else having been blown to bits. Spike whistled appreciatively. “Wow! What was that stuff you used?” “Dynamite,” Cranky said as he started packing up his equipment. “Got a nice kick to it, don’t it?” He finished putting his things away and turned towards the group. “Gotta thank ya for helping with those two. I doubt we’ll be seeing those nincompoops anytime soon. “If you’re headed to that Returners hideout, just follow the path over there and it’ll take you out of the mountain. Head north and you’ll be there in time for breakfast.” Applejack tipped her hat to him. “Much obliged, Mr. Doodle.” “Cranky’s fine.” “Cranky then. Thanks for your help.” She looked up at Big Macintosh standing next to her, a longing in her eyes. “Big Mac. I’m so happy I could see you again and that you’re doin’ well. Didja find anything `bout our parents?” Big Macintosh frowned and shook his head. “Nope.” “Well, shoot. So, what are you gonna do now? It-it would be nice... if ya could... you know... come with us...” The stallion blinked. “You... want me to come with you?” “Yes!” Applejack reached up and grabbed Big Macintosh by the shoulders, staring him directly in the eyes. “Big Mac, we could really use your help. Fillygaro Orchard was just attacked by the Empire and... and I missed you...” Big Macintosh gently lowered Applejack back to the ground and looked away. “Well, to be honest, I have been thinking of comin’ back, but...” Cranky held up a hoof to forestall any further awkwardness. “Mac, you go on with them. There really isn’t anymore for me to teach you. Hay, the auto-crossbow and the noise blaster were your ideas to begin with. And you’ve been antsy these past few weeks which is very unlike you. There’s no sense in wasting time with an old fogey like me when you’ve got the know-how to make a difference.” The stallion thought over Cranky’s words. Finally, he said all that he needed to say. “Eeyup.” Cranky nodded and gave a small smile. “Now you kids get a move on. I’ve got to get back to Matilda before she gets all worried about me again.” With that, the donkey trudged up the path towards the nearest cave entrance. “Wait!” Rainbow Dash called out to him. “Don’t you need help getting back?” “Don’t worry, kiddo,” Cranky said. He tapped the pack strapped to his back. “I’ve got enough firepower stashed away here to blow a path straight to Fillygaro if I have to. Give those Impies a black eye for me, Mac!” A few steps more and he disappeared through the mountain entrance. “Welp,” Applejack said at length. “I guess that’s that. C’mon y'all! Let’s say we get off this here mountain and get to that base!” A chorus of eager agreements met that statement. Gathering their supplies, the ponies, dragon, and chocobo continued on with their journey. .o.O.o. “Okay, can we seriously stop to sleep yet?” Stardust asked, his head and wings drooping, his steps slow and heavy. “But we’re only a few hours away! Besides, I’m not tired,” Twilight protested. “Yeah, because you got to sleep for awhile, ‘member?” Applejack yawned, struggling to keep her eyes open. “Sides, not to pick on ya, but ya didn’t have to fight as long or hard as we did ‘cause of your magic.” “All in favor of stopping to sleep?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Please!” “Sure as sugar, Dashie.” After a moment of silence, Twilight grinned, pointing out victoriously, “I guess we keep going then, since Big Mac and Spike didn’t say anything—” *Snore* Twilight stopped, looking at her back to see a sleeping reptile, somehow curled up. “... Traitor.” “Great! Time to sleep,” Stardust moaned, collapsing on a nearby patch of grass, fluffing his feathers as he fell asleep. “Mind taking watch, Big Mac?” Applejack pleaded. “Nope.” A tired smile found its way onto Applejack’s face as she hugged her brother goodnight with a simple, “Thanks.” “Eeyup.” The farm pony stepped away, offering a one last grateful smile, and trotted off to find a comfy spot to sleep. Big Macintosh watched her go until she had settled down, then turned to face the night and the creatures that lay within the darkness. “Um, ah... mind if I... talk to you for a while?” The stallion glanced down, seeing Twilight nervously paw at the ground while shooting him furtive glances. “Nope.” “Oh... good,” Twilight said, her face brightening. “I’m not that sleepy so I... wanted to ask you a few things.” She paused, as though waiting for a response. Several seconds passed. “So... those things you used back there. Are they your inventions?” “Eeyup.” “That’s nice! They really helped us out back there. Well, that noise machine really wasn’t very nice to listen to. Oh! Sorry! I didn’t mean to say it wasn’t helpful! It was!” She abruptly stopped herself and looked away. “…You’re not mad, are you?” “Nope.” Twilight breathed a sigh of relief. “Sorry. I just really thought those tools you have are really neat. Like that crossbow. I saw all those arrows stuck in that big bear thing when we were getting ready to blow the camp up. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many fired before. Of course, I may have... but I may have forgotten it too...” She trailed off, frowning at remembering her faulty memory. A moment later she shook her head, banishing her gloomy thoughts. “Anyway, did that donkey teach you how to make those things?” “Eeyup.” “Have you made anything else?” Big Macintosh didn’t answer, continuing his stoic gaze over the darkened fields. He stood stock still, with no hint of him readying an answer to Twilight’s question. The unicorn swallowed and lowered her head. “I’m annoying you, aren't I? Sorry... I... I’ll just get some rest.” She turned away from the stallion and headed towards where the others were laying. “Wait.” Twilight halted mid-step, glancing sidelong at Big Macintosh. “Pardon me, miss. I’m not much for words. I was listening, swear I was.” He sighed and plucked a piece of grass from the ground and placed it between his teeth. The piece dangled from his mouth as he chewed on it absently. Despite the oddity, Twilight found that the action seemed to suit him. “If ya want, I’d like to ask you a few things, myself.” “Really?” Twilight said. She sat back down besides him and gave him searching look. “You want to ask me stuff?” “Sure do. You mind?” “N-no! Please! Ask away!” “Well, I was a might curious how you got those flames to shoot out like ya did. Never seen anythin’ like it. How’d you do it? Gasoline and a nozzle?” Twilight giggled softly. “Oh, no. Nothing like that. It’s just magic.” Big Macintosh scrunched up his features. “Don’t recall seein’ any unicorn do that type of magic.” “Well, I’m not sure how to explain it. I can just... do it. Like this.” Twilight held out a hoof and quickly chanted a few words that Big Macintosh didn’t recognize. Her horn glowed red for a second before a small flicker of flame appeared on the tip of Twilight’s outstretched hoof. “See? No tools necessary.” “By crickety...” Big Macintosh breathed out. He reached for the flame with a hoof but quickly drew it back when the heat became too much. “That’s some weird hocus-pocus right there. Huh. Wonder if’in I could pull somethin’ together to match it.” “Maybe,” Twilight replied and extinguished the flame. “I’m sure you could figure something out.” “Have to think about it for a time.” Big Macintosh smiled as the possibilities ran through his head. It would require further thinking but for now he resumed his vigil. “Thanks for showing me, Miss Twilight. You’re somethin’ special indeed.” Twilight thanked her lucky stars that the darkness of the night hid the blush forming on her muzzle. “Th-thank you.” The pair fell into a companionable silence, with only the night bugs and cries of distant animals interrupting the tranquil quiet. A few minutes passed before Big Macintosh checked on his companion and smirked to find Twilight soundly asleep next to him. He carefully readjusted her cape over her exposed body, accidentally pulling too much and revealing her flank. He made to fix the position but stopped at seeing a starburst pattern adorning Twilight’s rump. He raised an eyebrow at the sight, but shrugged and covered it up. “Hafta ask about that later,” he reasoned. With a few more things to ponder, he continued his nightlong watch. .o.O.o. The sun rose into the eastern sky and its light shone down the group of determined travelers making their way through the valley beyond Mt. Colt. The night’s sleep had done them all good, and the beautiful scenery of rolling plains and sparkling rivers kept their spirits high. Monsters steered clear of a such a large party of adventurers and those that mustered the courage to attack them were quickly taken down thanks to Big Macintosh’s machinery. Apparently, as long as they stood behind the stallion’s noise blaster, then their heads remained pleasantly unscrambled. An hour past sunrise, the party finally came upon a lake with a grand waterfall pouring into it. Rainbow Dash trotted ahead and prepared her wings for takeoff. “You guys stay here for bit. I’ll be right back.” Before the others could ask what she was talking about, the pegasus flew straight for the waterfall and dove through the cascading water. Several minutes passed. Then, from out behind the waterfall, a pair of pegasi flew out and headed for them. The pair stopped just before Applejack and saluted. “Applejack. We’re glad that you could make it. Welcome to the Returners’ hideout.”