Sunset Shimmer had a massive wicked grin on her face as she took a step toward the creature. Her cheek gave a twitch as she stared up at it, her green eyes wide. Bracing herself, the mare's horn started to glow a luminescent green as she started to collect her magic. The aura grew larger as power built up, sparks starting to fly off with a faint popping sound as the spell started to form.
A rose colored dome encompassed the mare. The sudden action caught her off guard, causing her to break her concentration. Keeping a hold of the magic she had, she shifted the spell to fire a blast of energy at the dome. The impact rapidly faded, but seemed to have no effect on it.
"What's going on?" Sunset Shimmer asked, snarling as she looked around. Her head turned to look around, catching sight of Shining Armor and his own horn glowing. "What are you doing?" She narrowed her eyes at him. "Let. Me! OUT!"
"First," Shining Armor answered, "it's not an Ursa Major, it's an Ursa Minor. A baby. Second, I'm not going to just let you kill it."
"Oh?" Shimmer tilted her head, raising an eyebrow. "And how are you going to stop it."
"I'm not." He turned to look at it. "I'm just going to hold it. Dash," he turned toward the pegasus, "go get Fluttershy. We need her expertise. Fast as you can."
"Right," Rainbow Dash said with a salute before taking off.
Shining Armor turned to face the Ursa Minor. Slowly the stallion took a deep breath and let it out. Closing his eyes, he began to concentrate as well.
The aura around his horn grew larger and brighter as he focused. Layers of energy built one on top of the other as. With it, a bolt of pain pulsed through the stallion's head.
A massive second dome appeared, encompassing the Ursa in a shield large enough to actually contain it. The creature let out a roar as it noticed the strange thing around it. Lifting one massive paw, it swung to hit the inside of the shield. There was a massive echoing boom from the impact, but the surface did not shift or shimmer, holding strong.
"That," Applejack said slowly, "is a mighty big shield."
"Pinkie, dear," Rarity said, "don't touch him. I am fairly certain such a large spell requires a lot of energy and concentration."
"Is he okay?" Pinkie asked. She pulled her hoof back but turned her head side to side as he looked at him.
"The size isn't a problem," Shining answered, startling the Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Sunset Shimmer. "It's taking a lot of energy, but I can handle it." He gave his head a shake. "Bigger problem is having to maintain two shields at once."
"Anything we can do to help?" Rarity asked.
"Just let me concentrate."
The three friends of him looked from Shining Armor to each other, then to the trapped forms. Each one shifted as they stood there, wanting to help but unsure how.
Nearly five minutes passed in silence before Rainbow Dash returned, carrying Fluttershy with her.
"Oh dear," the yellow pegasus mare said as she caught sight of the Ursa Minor in the shield. "What's going on?"
"That," Applejack pointed at the Ursa Minor, "was rampaging through the town."
"And Miss Meanie Maniac," Pinkie Pie said as she motioned toward Sunset Shimmer, "wanted to burn it."
"Shining Armor," Rarity continued, "said that it was a baby and sent for you."
"It's cranky," Shining said with a groan, "because someone woke it up."
"A cranky baby?" Rainbow Dash asked, "I guess I can see why he wanted you."
"What do you expect me to do?" Fluttershy asked, looking around as she rubbed a hoof in the dirt of the road.
"Same thing you would to calm any other cranky baby, I would suppose," Rarity answered.
Fluttershy looked from the four other mares to the stallion, then up at the Ursa Minor. The buttery yellow pegasus crouched down pulling into herself.
"I..' she stammered. "I don't know. What... what makes you think-"
"Fluttershy," Shining groaned, "Please. We don't have time. You're our best chance. Just do what you do best."
Fluttershy looked around again, hiding behind her hair. All of her friends, save Shining Armor who had his eyes closed, were watching her. Looking away from them, she looked around as she thought. Closing her eyes, she let out a sigh. The mare then straightened back up and looked at her friends again.
"Pinkie Pie," the mare stated, in a voice that was surprisingly firm, "I'm going to need some music. Something for a lullaby."
"I got just the thing," the pink pony squealed before bouncing off.
"Shining Armor, can you keep lift the water tower and empty it?"
"I'd have to drop one of the shields to do it," he answered.
Fluttershy turned to Sunset Shimmer.
"Do you promise not to try and hurt the poor baby?"
"Fine," Shimmer said with a roll of her eyes.
"Good," Fluttershy continued. "Applejack, Rainbow Dash, once the tank is empty, I need the cows milked and the milk put into it."
"We're on it," Applejack said as she started running toward the barn.
"Rarity?" The pegasus turned to the unicorn. "Do you have anything we can use as a giant blanket?"
"I believe I might have something," Rarity answered before turning to head quickly toward the boutique.
Fluttershy let out a sigh of relief. She was not done, but she would have to wait a while for some of the other things to be finished before she could do her next part.
The shield dropped from around Sunset Shimmer as Shining Armor's magic took a hold of the massive water tower. The dome shaped top pulled away from the major portion of the container, which then tipped over to pour out the water. Applejack was in the barn, milking cow after cow. Each time she filled a pail with milk, Rainbow Dash would take a hold of it and fly it to the tower to dump it in before going back for the next one. While not the fastest method, the two were rapidly filling the tank.
Pinkie Pie was the first to return. With her was three additional ponies, all carrying a different instrument: a cello, a violin, and a flute.
"Here you go," the pink pony said with a grin, "three ponies with the perfect instruments to play a lullaby. Ready when you need them."
"You got actual musicians?" Fluttershy asked. "Not just instruments for you to play."
"Don't be silly," Pinkie Pie replied. "My music would be way too happy and exciting to put anything to sleep."
"...I guess that makes sense. Well... for you, anyways."
"Just tell me what you need them to play and Aunt Pinkie Pie will take care of it."
Fluttershy rolled her eyes at "Aunt Pinkie Pie." As she had pointed out before, the yellow pegasus was older than the hyper pink pony. Still, instead of commenting, Fluttershy explained what song she needed.
As she talked, Rarity returned with a very large piece of fabric, folded as small as she could get it, floating behind her as she carried it in her magic. Shortly, Applejack and Rainbow Dash joined as well, having finished with the milking. The explanation for the music soon became a full explanation of the plan and what certain ponies (pretty much Shining Armor and Rarity) would need to do. With that done, Applejack and Rainbow Dash moved to keep out of the way while Pinkie Pie and Rarity got into position.