"So, what am I going to do now?" Sunset wondered, looking around the grounds of the mansion. "There's an army of Changelings holed up somewhere, my mother's being held hostage in a place I can't find, my brother's injured, and there's a film crew I have to foal-sit so they can finish their stupid movie."
Suddenly, there was a thunderous shake, and a loud hiss like the piston of an engine.
"What the heck?" Sunset Shimmer looked around, frantically. "I hope that's not what I think it is! Not here! Not now!"
Then there was another shake, which took Sunset a while to recognize as a heavy footfall. Then two more that were close together. There was a noise like raspy breathing coming from under the shadow of the nearby trees. Sunset was on-edge when she saw the heavy dark shape billowing through the tree-line, and the two luminous points of ghastly light at the front. Slowly but surely, the bestial, truck-sized armored form of Long Rim came into clear view. The creature shuffled its large metal claws as it went forth, turning its head left and right like a ravenous predator. After a few more seconds, Sunset was able to decipher the noises it was making:
"Rim...Rim...Rim...Rim..." revved Long Rim, before pausing to face Sunset Shimmer straight on. "Long-long-long-long!"
"Oh, boy." muttered Sunset, whose horn was now glowing.
The beast then charged at the unicorn like a crazed bull, but Sunset was able to teleport away in time, re-materializing right behind Long Rim. The creature, having missed his target, skidded to a halt, and boomed out a horn-like call that echoed throughout the grounds of Daystar Manor. Birds perched high up on the surrounding treetops were all flying away in a panic, cawing restlessly.
"I'm over here, big boy!" said Sunset, loudly.
Long Rim slowly turned around to face the unicorn again. It made various abstract gestures with its head and front claws, and snorted loudly. It seemed to be challenging Sunset, who was already prepared for him. She fired a series of bluish-green blast waves from her horn, which knocked the beast onto its back.
The front doors of the manor swung open, and Radiant Dawn came charging out to investigate the source of the loud noise. He stopped in his tracks when he saw the creature laying in front of his sister.
"Wow..." he said, astonished. "I remember that thing. That's...that's..."
"Red, stay back!" said Sunset. "This thing's too dangerous for somepony in your condition to fight."
"Rim...Rim! Rim-rim-rim!" Long Rim blared hastily as it tried to get back up. "Long! LLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOONNNNNNGGGG!"
"What are you doing here?" asked Sunset. "Why are you lurking around my home? Did you come to kill us? Where is Umbriel's lair?"
"There's no point, Sunny." said Radiant Dawn. "I don't think that thing even knows how to speak."
"It doesn't need to." said Sunset Shimmer. "I have a way of making this overgrown Pocket Monster listen to me."
Sunset's horn and eyes glowed, and she spoke with a distorted voice.
"Long Rim, hear my words!" boomed Sunset. "Take us to the lair of Lord Umbriel, or you will perish!"
Long Rim slowly rolled over, and stood up with a hesitant stretch. The creature lowered itself for the two unicorns to climb onto its back. It promptly charged into the forest, even as the front doors to the mansion opened up, and members of Quick Shot's crew saw Long Rim disappear into the darkness. After a while, Long Rim stopped, and grunted for the Sun Siblings to climb off. Sunset Shimmer was able to climb off almost immediately, but it took some effort for Radiant to get off, since he was still sore from yesterday.
"Okay, why in Tartarus did you stop here?" demanded the elder sibling, as he looked around.
Then there was a loud buzzing noise in the treetops. A noise that was painfully familiar to both of the unicorns. Sunset looked up, and saw at least thirty Changelings hovering above.
"Oy, now...look 'oo we 'ave ovah he'!" said Sigma, who dropped to the ground first. "Looks like a certain pair o' unicorns are looking for their mummy! Good boy, Long Rim, bringing 'em ovah to us!"
"Yes, good for them." said Canopy, in a deadpan tone.
"Great...just great." growled Radiant in a frustrated tone.
"Red, no." dismissed Sunset. "You're in no condition to fight. Just trust me on this."
"Okay, Sunny." said Radiant, who then turned to Sigma and Canopy. "I'll surrender...for now."
"Ditto here." added Sunset Shimmer. "Just take us to your lair."
"Well, that won't be a problem." said Sigma. "Canopy, could ya do that spell on 'em?"
"Right away." said Canopy, whose horn was glowing.
Radiant felt his eyes black out, and gradually fell asleep. His sister followed suit. Eventually, they both woke up in a dark cell in an even darker cavernous complex. They were Changelings standing guard outside the door, both pointing their glowing horns threateningly at Radiant and Sunset.
"Don't worry, Red." whispered Sunset. "I got this covered."
Sunset's horn glowed and she teleported out of the room, right behind the Changeling jailors. She made a break away from them, and turned the corner just before they could see where she went. She galloped swiftly through the hallways, looking through every cell door she found. It was an even worse experience than the chases she had in Princess Cadence's crystal palace. At least there, she had some sense of where she was going, she wouldn't have been punished as badly if she were caught, and she didn't have to stop every ten seconds to search for what she wanted, further risking being caught by guards.
After looking into what seemed to be the twentieth cell, Sunset Shimmer suddenly found herself colliding with a large figure. A figure that was making loud sucking noises with a device attached to his mouth and jaw.
"So, you've finally found your way here." said General Synthe, in a dull drone.
Before Sunset could react, Synthe seized her neck with impressive speed, and put her in a stranglehold.
"Tell me, my little pony." he said, with an irritated tone in his voice. "Tell me why I haven't snapped your neck yet?"
"Be-because..." choked Sunset. "I'm probably the only hope you have of full recovery, right?"
"Wrong." said Synthe. "I have many alternatives. You're just one option."
"But Umbriel won't let you go out and find an alternative, now will he?" retorted Sunset.
This comment angered Synthe, whose hooves tightened around the unicorn's neck.
"Do you really want to make that risk, though..." gasped Sunset, breathlessly. "...Craw?"
The Changeling general began to cough loudly. He was taken by complete surprise, and even dropped Sunset Shimmer to the ground again. He took a second to look around for any other Changelings that might overhear them, and bent his long neck down to whisper.
"How do you know my real name? Nopony's supposed to know!" he demanded, in a quiet baritone voice.
Sunset Shimmer kept silent, but grinned at Synthe. The voice that Synthe had just spoken with was almost identical to the human Craw's, albeit slightly distorted and deepened.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" questioned General Synthe.
He couldn't help but shudder slightly. This unicorn that he attempted to strangle moments ago was now looking at him as though she had just...
"No, that can't be the case." thought Synthe. "She's just smirking at me, that smug little--"
"Don't worry, Synthe." said Sunset, who slowly approached the Changeling general. "Your secret's safe with me."
Since Sunset Shimmer appeared to have an honest look in her eyes, Synthe decided to attempt speaking to her in a friendlier manner.
"Why is it with you...at all?" questioned Synthe.
"I'll explain later." said Sunset. "I'll surrender to you now. But only if you promise to do two things for me."
Though he truly didn't care either way, Synthe decided to at least humor what this unicorn would say.
"Very well, Miss Shimmer." he said, grinning through his scars. "What would you like?"
"First, I would like to see my mother sometime." said Sunset. "I know she's here."
"And what is the other?" questioned Synthe.
"I'd like to spend some...quality time with you." said Sunset, with another grin on her face. "I know that you're just aching to ask me some questions."
"Captain, you have no idea how important it is that I am the one that finds Sunset Shimmer." said Sergeant Craw, pacing around the vice principal's office.
"Then tell me why it is important, sergeant." said Captain Umbriel.
"I shouldn't even have to!" said Craw. "I shouldn't even be having this conversation with you! I should be having it with the supreme commander. She's the one that gave me the mission to begin with, not you!"
"And yet, here I am." said Umbriel, flatly. "Because your mission was compromised by your recklessness."
"How...dare you?!" growled Sergeant Craw, whose mask emitted static from the feedback.
"Oh, do not attempt to deny it, sergeant." said the captain. "You and I both know that you wouldn't have needed me and the Umbriel Corps. to be here if you carried out your mission as intended."
"But...I did!" said Craw, hesitantly.
"If I remember correctly, Corporal Ghost told me you wanted to kill Sunset Shimmer, after you received a message from one of my men about her...equine genetics."
"I can certainly say I overreacted." nodded Craw.
"...Even though the mission my sister gave to you was to ensure that Sunset Shimmer was kept alive and unharmed until she gave you the information we needed regarding the Fall Formal incident. And did you get all of the information you required?"
"Well..."
"No, you didn't!" Captain Umbriel suddenly shouted out. "If you did, you would have already been back with us as soon as your mission was accomplished. And if it was accomplished properly, you would've been done long before you even got that call from us! But no, you had to pace yourself so that you could have your little play-dates with that horse!"
"If by properly, you mean drug and/or interrogate her..." said Sergeant Craw. "Listen to me, captain. You don't know what she was like! She was going through serious depression when I met her! I wanted to go easy on her, and it worked! I practically had her eating out of the palm of my hands when--"
"Sergeant, you are a moron." said Captain Umbriel. "First, you go in too deep and practically go native with this town, then when we send you legitimate intel, you blow your own cover, and have Corporal Ghost--"
"Oh, stop talking about your little teacher's pet!" snapped Sergeant Craw. "If anything, that psychopath nearly blew our cover! He was on the verge of murdering Sunset Shimmer in front of three police officers, who he then proceeded to pick a fight with! I wouldn't have really done that! I wouldn't have done anything like that! I was just in the middle of a freak-out, but still wanted to stay true to the mission. Why did you even assign that maniac as my partner, anyway? He didn't even follow my orders not to harm Sunset, and just beat her to a pulp! Why couldn't you have had Sigma or Canopy be my partner, instead of that no-good jackwagon?! At least they would know better than to do anything that would send the cops after them!"
"I have my reasons, Craw." said Umbriel, dully. "Lieutenant Sigma and Major Canopy are valuable soldiers that I cannot just let go to waste in some backwater town like Canterbury, unless I were leading the operation, myself."
"I didn't even want you to come here at all!" said Craw. "When I called for back-up, I wanted Supreme Commander Chrysalis to send soldiers from the lesser divisions here! Nothing big! Nothing serious! Just some people that could cover more ground here in town! And yet, you and your friggin' Umbriel Corps. charge in here like a S.W.A.T. team, and..."
There was a knock on the door, and Corporal Ghost hastily rushed inside to give a salute to Captain Umbriel.
"Sir, I just discovered something very, very interesting." he said, grinning wickedly under his skull-like ballistic mask.