//------------------------------// // Mission to Manehattan // Story: My Little Sharknado // by Greenback //------------------------------// For almost ten minutes it was dead quiet onboard Canterlot Force One, everypony unable to process what had just happened. Even the normally bubbly Pinkie Pie was somber and worn out. Only the pilots, operating on thousands of hours of training and instinct, were able to function, forced to work overtime to stabilize the engines and keep the craft from crashing and killing them all. Among the passengers, Princess Luna was the first to stir. Having fought evil, and been evil, she could recover faster than the others from the assault of something so far beyond evil it was uber-evil. But no one else had that advantage...especially the one Luna needed now, more than ever. Princess Celestia remained near the door where she had landed after the emergency take off, her face blank and impossible to read. “Sister,” Luna said, “I know you are in shock, but time is short, and I need your help.” Celestia didn't answer. “Sister, I need you.” Celestia began to shake. “Not again...it's happening all over again...” The tears soon turned into frantic sobs as Celestia's mind was pushed to the breaking point. In less than a day, she had gone from a steady, comfortable life of protecting her subjects, promoting friendship, and plotting how best to destroy the Grand Galloping Gala (flamethrowers seemed like a good idea for this year), to seeing her land fall apart, her subjects being gobbled up like candy, and seeing everything she knew and love be destroyed. Granted, that meant she didn't have to endure another stupid gala, but her brain was in danger of self-destructing after seeing the horror of a sharkicane. Realizing the danger, Luna quickly went to the nearest first aid kit and yanked out a banana. “Eat this, dear Sister. It will help you relax.” Celestia reflexively ate the banana. Her sobs continued for several seconds, only to stop as she wobbled and collapsed to the floor. Twilight, having been in her own shocked stupor, was snapped out of it by seeing her beloved princess be fatally poisoned by a rotten banana. “Fear not Twilight,” Luna said. “She just ate a tranquilized banana. The duties of being a princess can drive anyone to having a mental breakdown, so these bananas are kept close at hand.” Celestia snored as two guards came and magically carried her away to her royal bedroom, where she could rest and regain some of her sanity. But without Celestia to lead, the remaining government of Equestria was now under the rule of Princess Luna, and she immediately rose to the occasion by rising dramatically in a dramatic way. “Twilight, gather your friends. If we are to save Equestria from the sharkicane, we must move quickly.” Twilight shook her head. “Princess, we only just escaped with our lives. Can't we take an hour to recuperate?” Luna shook her head. “I wish we could, Twilight. But if we are to survive, we cannot delay.” *** Much like Twilight had guessed, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Spike were emotionally worn out, and in no shape to go on yet another excursion. And as they met Luna in one of Canterlot Force One's conference rooms, they found Princess Cadence and Shining Armor waiting there. And like them, they were also worn out. “Good, everyone's here,” Luna said. Her horn glowed, and duct tape shot out to cover the doorframe, air ducts, and windows. And over that she applied supergule, hardened earwax, quick-drying concrete, dried out oatmeal, and three week old peanut butter. “I apologize for the drastic measures, but we must have absolute privacy for what is about to transpire here, for this is our secret conference room for when we need to have secret conferences.” As everyone took their seats, Luna went to the head of the table. “The loss of the Crystal Empire is a terrible blow, but the damage will get worse unless we act quickly.” “Our most powerful artifact did nothing against the sharknado,” Cadence said. She glanced at the Crystal Heart held tightly in her hooves. “How are we supposed to confront something even more powerful than that?” Luna focused on Twilight's saddlebags. “Twilight, the book.” Intrigued, Twilight took the book and slid it to Luna, who contemplated the worn leather and and the crystal embedded in the cover. “This book, along with the one retrieved from Canterlot, is the key to stopping the sharkicane.” “But how?” Twilight asked. “How are these books going to stop a hurricane made of sharks?” Luna was silent as she contemplated the book, as if looking into the distant past, and to memories long gone. Or she could have been contemplating the silent release of potent flatulence. “Princess?” Luna eyed Twilight, and then the others. “What I am about to say must not leave this room. Is that understood?” Twilight and the others nodded. “When my sister and I first fought a sharknado, we realized that we might not have access to the Elements if another ever arose. Therefore, we created the most powerful weapon our world has ever seen... a friendship nuke.” If Luna had hoped for startled gasps and eager requests for clarification, she was left disappointed, for the others just stared at her. “A... what?” Rainbow Dash asked. “A tactical friendship nuke,” Luna explained. “Located inside an asteroid circling the moon, only to be used in the most dire of emergencies. Although it's power is not as great as the Elements, if detonated, it would trigger a massive friendship wave that would destroy everything aligned with chaos.” “Including a sharknado!” Rarity said. “Nay, Rarity. The sharknado, or sharkicane, or whatever form it takes, is above such puny things as good and evil.” She lifted the book. “They contain the spells needed to activate the nuke. By themselves, they only contain fragments, but when brought together, they reveal the complete spell.” In a flash, everything came together for Twilight. “So that's why Celestia was so desperate to get the books!” “Indeed. But even then, the friendship nuke will not be enough to defeat the sharkicane.” Luna pointed to the Crystal Heart. “The Crystal Heart is our ace-in-the-hole, for if it is combined with the Friendship Nuke, it should provide enough power to overcome whatever the sharkicane may evolve into.” Rainbow Dash leapt to her hooves. “Then what are we waiting for?! Let's just head up there and get it!” “We cannot. Not yet. We need three books, and only have two in our possession.” “Then where's the third one?” Twilight asked. Luna sighed. “The Manehattan library.” “That doesn't sound so bad.” “Manehattan is underwater.” Silence fell across the room. “Well, that sucks,” Spike said. “Yes, it does indeed, 'suck.' But there is still hope. The book is located in the Library's Forbidden Section, which is reinforced to protect its treasures from damage. Should the Library still be intact, so will the Forbidden Section.” “So we just have to dive down there and get it,” Twilight said. Luna nodded. “And then we can throw a party!” Pinkie Pie yanked out her party cannon. Luna stuffed a hoof into the barrel as Pinkie Pie hit a button, causing the cannon to implode with a thick burst of smoke and ash. “Nay, save the festivities for when the sharkicane is destroyed, dear Pinkie Pie.” Putting the book down, Luna unsealed the door, which allowed air to flow inside and prevent everyone from suffocating. “Now, all of you get some rest. And remember, do not tell anyone of what we have spoken of. The sharkicane has many spies, and if it were to learn of our plan, all could be lost.” The others nodded and left as soon as the door was open. “Twilight, a moment.” Indicating for Spike to go on with the others, Twilight held back. “Yes, Luna?” “Twilight, while your group rests, I will organize a task force to infiltrate the library and retrieve the book. Of everyone onboard this plane, you have visited the library the most. If you were to go along with the team, their odds of success would be greatly improved.” “Wait, me? Princess, I’ve never been on a military mission before." “You will not have to fight. You only need to reach the Forbidden Section and retrieve the book. Others will go along to ensure your safety.” The thought of going on a military mission didn't do much for Twilight; more than anything, she wanted to rest and gain relief, however fleeting, from the acquatic horror devouring her homeland. But if she could help save Equestria, then she really had no choice... not when she could make a difference. "Then I'm in.” Luna smiled. “Very good, Twilight. Now go and rest. I shall wake you when the time comes for your mission.” Nodding, Twilight left the room, glad that things were turning out all right. Hope was with her once again. *** The next several hours were a whirl of activity as Luna brought the crew out of their shocked stupor by giving them tasks to do. Machines needed to be operated, weapons needed to be readied, and space capsules needed to be readied for their trip into space. There was plenty of work to go around, and everyone was kept busy as Canterlot Force One made its way towards Manehattan, and to the final piece of the puzzle that would save the world. Twilight and her friends spent those hours getting some desperately needed rest within the plane's upper cabins. But they found no peace in sleep, for their dreams were filled with bloodthirsty sharks, razor-sharp teeth, and sea slugs. The nightmares eventually became too much for Twilight, and she awoke under a blanket of sweat. Disoriented, she tried to figure out where she was, for the lights had been dimmed throughout Canterlot Force One as night passed. Only the occasional lightning flash illuminated the dark clouds beyond the rain-streaked windows. Wiping the grime from her eyes, Twilight thought of returning to sleep, but decided against it, not wanting to revisit the horrors of her nightmares. She instead made her way down to the main deck. The plane was eerily quiet, for everyone was in deep slumber once again, leaving the hallways and corridors empty. If Twilight didn't know any better, she would have feared that the plane had been abandoned. “Twilight.” Twilight spun, her heat pounding. “Princess, I was looking for you.” "As was I, Twilight," Luna said. "We are nearing Manehattan. The time has come for 'Operation Save The Book From Killer Sharks Who Want To Eat Us All So We Can Dance With Bunnies In The Sunshine All Day Long' to commence. Or, "Operation STBFKSWWTEUASWCDWBITSADL' for short." Twilight nodded. “I'm ready.” “Are you sure? This will be a dangerous mission. If you wish, you can give instructions and guidance over the radio.” Twilight considered the idea, but decided against it. She was a princess, and as a princess she had a duty to help protect all the ponies of the land. She couldn't just sit around all day in pink castles having her hair done and talk about stallions over tea parties while others screamed and were eaten. Besides, if her going along would help protect her parents, Shining Armor, Cadence, and all her friends, then that alone would be worth it. “I'm sure, Luna.” Pleased, Luna turned. "Come. Time is short, and we must move quickly if we are to succeed.“ Luna guided Twilight to the stairs leading down into the plane's belly. They emerged into a cargo bay that had been converted into a locker room for tactical operatives; shelves held armor, weapons, and equipment suited for any type of military operation. Well over a dozen ponies were already pulling on wetsuits, their hooves moving with quick, well-practiced moves. “Princess, who are these ponies?” “The finest commandos Equestria has to offer,” Luna said, beaming with pride. “All of them have been trained in the arts of subterfuge, combat, and stealth, skills honed over years of practice. Furthermore, they have taken a fifteen minute online course in how to combat sharks, making them the best of the best.” Twilight looked the operatives over. She was surprised to see Bulk Biceps among their number. While he was still as strong as ever, she never would have thought him to be a military operative. But the biggest surprise was in who would be leading the mission. “Iron Will?” Iron Will was equally as surprised to see Twilight. “Twilight Sparkle! Iron Will is glad to see that you have survived! And Iron Will is even more surprised that you’re joining us!” “But you're a motivational speaker! I didn't know you had military training.” Iron Will chuckled. “Minotaurs need no training. We are born ready for battle!” "I see." Figuring that she had best prepare for battle as well, Twilight went to a shelf and pulled out a thick wetsuit. Putting it on, she attached a combat vest filled with all the gear one would need to survive while on a mission: tactical field knives, tactical flashlights, tactical first-aid kits, tactical chapstick, tactical laser pointers, and tactical band-aids for boo-boos acquired in the field. Once her gear was zipped up and attached, Twilight joined the others as they stood in formation before Luna, who beamed at seeing so many well-armed commandos before her. “Members of Special Task Force One, your country calls upon you this day for perhaps the most important mission of your lives: Operation STBFKSWWTEUASWCDWBITSADL. We are currently en-route to Manehattan, where you must retrieve a very important book from the city's library.” While the commandos would never back down from any challenge, one of them was puzzled. “A book?” “Yes. For security reasons, I cannot tell you exactly what it does, but rest assured that it will save us all.” A picture of the book was projected onto the wall behind Luna. It was identical to the others Twilight had retrieved, but it had a green gem in the cover. “You will perform a HALO jump to enter the city. Once there, you will have to swim into the Manehattan Library." Luna indicated Twilight. “Princess Twilight Sparkle will guide you to the library’s Forbidden Section, where she will retrieve the book. The rest of you are to protect her while she does so. After the book is retrieved, you will all proceed to the extraction zone for pickup. Do you have any questions?” Iron Will raised his hand. “Yes?” “Iron Will is ready for any challenge... but if Manehattan is submerged, we’ll be going up against hundreds of sharks. Not even Iron Will can take on that many.” Luna nodded. “There is a chance that you will encounter sharks. But our intelligence tells us that the vast majority are within the sharkicane, which is currently three hundred miles southwest of our current position. We’ll be monitoring it, and will come in for emergency retrieval should it head towards Manehattan." Eying every pony in the room, Luna softened her tone. “Operation STBFKSWWTEUASWCDWBITSADL will be dangerous. There is a chance that none of you will come back. But if you succeed, all of Equestria will be saved from certain destruction. Are you ready?” Bulk Biceps thrust his hoof into the air. “Yeah!” The other commandos did the same, their stoic faces momentarily flush with excitement and anticipation of an easy victory. “Very good then. Gather your weapons and report to the cargo bay.” *** The commandos were good, Twilight had to admit. They gathered their individual weapons in record time, and were sprinting down into the cargo hold. It took Twilight everything she had just to keep up. “Never been on a military mission before?” Iron Will asked. “Can't say that I have.” “Don't worry! Iron Will will protect you! Iron Will looks out for the weak and the helpless!” Twilight thought of pointing out that Alicorn princesses were more then capable of defending themselves, but decided against it. No need to dampen Iron Will's spirits. Emerging into the plane's cargo hold, the commandos headed to the loading hatch in the back. Iron Will went to a handle on the wall. “All right, are we ready to go?!" “Yeah!” Bulk Biceps yelled. “That’s what Iron Will likes to hear!” Pulling her facemask and goggles on, Twilight breathed deeply as Iron Will yanked the handle down. The lights snapped out; red ones took their place. Twilight's headpiece came to life. “As soon as you jump, we'll be heading off to begin our diversionary mission," Luna said. "Good luck.” “Princess?” “Yes, Twilight?” “Does Shining Armor and Spike know I'm going on this mission?” “No.” Twilight sighed. They wouldn't be happy upon learning that she was going on a dangerous mission that might end in lots of boo-boos or death. “Tell them I'm coming back.” “Alive?” “Yes.” “I will.” Gears whirred as the hatch opened wide, allowing rain and wind to shoot into the cargo hold. “Let’s go!” Iron Will shouted. “Move it, move it, move it!” The commandos did so, hurling themselves into the abyss. Twilight leapt out after Bulk Biceps, who was followed by Iron Will himself. Taking a deep breath from her mask, Twilight tucked her limbs close to her body, gaining speed as she followed the others into the storm. *** “Commandos are away.” From inside the plane’s command center, Luna nodded. From here on out, Twilight and the commandos' fate was out of her hooves. Just as she had her part to play in this war, now they had their part to play in the great circle of life. All Luna could do now was make sure that they wouldn't be eaten by the sharkicane, and she was in the perfect place to do so: the plane’s command center had all the technology, consoles, and equipment needed to coordinate Equestria’s armed forces and any branch of the government. Already those consoles were manned with her remaining generals, lieutenants, and janitors. “What’s the status on the sharkicane?” “The sharkicane is growing larger by the hour,” the janitor said. “If we keep our distance, we should be safe.” Luna nodded, pleased. The doors hissed open as Rarity and the other Bearers came inside, still groggy from sleep. “Your highness...” Rarity yawned. “What’s going on? Where’s Twilight?” Luna could have lied, but decided that honesty was the best policy. “Twilight has gone on a secret mission. I wish I could tell you more, but for security reasons I cannot.” “A secret mission?!” Rainbow Dash said. “Without us?!” “She... she left without me?” Spike asked, his little heart pounding. “But she... she needs me! She can’t go on a mission alone!” Luna put a hoof beneath Spike’s chin and spoke in her most calming, soothing voice. “Fear not, little Spike. You will see her again, whether she be alive, or a skeleton from which all the flesh has been removed and devoured for substance by evil, nasty creatures who delight in tormenting their prey as much as possible before they’re taken by death’s sweet embrace.” A nearby console beeped. “The space capsule is almost ready, your highness,” a lieutenant said. “Excellent! How much longer until it can be launched?” The lieutenant studied his console. “About two hours.” “Very good. Keep me informed.” “But why'd Twilight leave without us?” Pinkie Pie asked. “I don't understand.” “Because this is a mission that only she can complete,” Luna said. “And we cannot risk losing any more of you.” A beep came from one of the terminals. The general inspected it. “Your Highness, you have a coded message on the priority channel. It appears to be a conference call.” Luna frowned. The only conference calls she would get would come from Equestria's other dignitaries, but they hadn't been on speaking terms with each other after storming out of the Crystal Empire. Having them reconcile so quickly seemed unfathomable. Perhaps they had come to their senses and realized that the only way they'd survive was to work together. “Transfer it to the conference room.” The general nodded and pressing the corresponding buttons to fulfill Luna’s request. The princess left, motioning for Rarity, Spike, and Pinkie Pie to follow her. They went to one of the plane’s conference rooms, and once the door was closed and locked, a screen descended from the ceiling. “We’re ready, your Highness.” “Patch it through, General.” The screen came to life, revealing darkness because the projector cap hadn’t been removed. Luna slipped it off, and was rewarded with a collage of faces. Biggest of them all was Queen Chrysalis. She looked pleased with herself. “Queen Chrysalis,” Luna said, remembering that the only way to make friends with the queen wasn’t by insulting or blasting her for what she had done in the past. “I’m pleased to see that you’re safe, and not devoured by some horrible monster who eats his victims slowly while laughing at their screams and pleas for mercy while it-” “Save it, Princess of the Night.” Chrysalis chuckled. “I am not here to speak with you. I demand to speak with Princess Celestia!” Luna contemplated her delima: Should she reveal that Celestia was temporarily incapacitated? To disclose such a fact would give the impression that the pony race was falling apart, a fact Chrysalis would no doubt twist to her advantage. “My sister is taking a brief rest,” Luna said. “You will speak with me.” Chrysalis eyed her. “Really? Tell me, is that rest due to exhaustion, or the crushing guilt that worms its way through her mind?” “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “Oh, yes you do, Princess of the Night! For I have proof that Princess Celestia isn’t as forthcoming and honest as she appears to be!” “What? What is this proof? I demand that you reveal it at once!” Chryaslis chuckled once again. “Patience, Princess Luna. I will first reveal it to my fellow monarchs, and then to you and Celestia in one hour!” She laughed, the sound echoing out of the speakers. “Proof?” Rarity said. “What in heaven’s name is she talking about?” Queen Chrysalis kept laughing. “It has to be a trick!” Spike said. “Perhaps,” Luna said. “But we can’t focus on it now. We have to focus on the sharkicane.” She started out of the room, leaving the queen to continue laughing. “Oh come on!” Rainbow Dash said. “Your Highness, we can’t just ignore this! I mean, we all know Princess Celestia isn’t the type to keep secrets. This could seriously damage her reputation!” “I am aware of that, Rainbow Dash. But we must stay focused on our priorities. Now, come, we must continue to prepare for our mission to space.” But even as she started back towards the command room, Luna 's calm, collected face betrayed none of her doubt and fear. Just what was this so-called “evidence”? And more importantly, would the other monarchs believe it? Back inside the conference room, Queen Chrysalis kept laughing before launching into a coughing fit. *** A hundred miles away, Twilight and the other commandos continued their plunge, which had lasted almost half an hour. “How big is this storm?!" one of the commandos asked. His question was answered as they finally emerged high above the flooded remains of Manehattan. Only a few towers emerged from the turbulent seas, giving no hint of the massive metropolis hidden beneath the waves. “All right, everyone!” Iron Will said. “Prepare for landing! Goggles on!” Twilight pressed a button, and her high-tech goggles snapped into place. Electronic displays popped up, giving her information on where they were, the location of fellow soldiers, the time and date, rapidly scrolling zeroes and ones that served no purpose at all, the weather forecast, her daily astrological profile, the latest reports on the stock markets, Facescroll and Bitter, her daily amusing cat picture, and the daily recipe from Equestrian Cooking magazine. “I can’t see a thing!” “Press the button on the side of your headset!” Iron Will said. Doing so, Twilight was relieved to see most of the information vanishing, leaving only the electronic outlines of her teammates as they fell around her. Already they were getting into formation, so that it would be easy to find one another when they splashed down. “Release parachutes!” Everyone yanked on their harnesses, and the parachutes shot off their backs, vanishing into the storm, never to be seen again. “No! Iron Will meant to open them! Not get rid of them!” With a thunderous splash, the commandos plunged into the ocean, surfacing moments later to yell at how freakin' cold the water was. If it could talk, the ocean would laugh at their puny efforts to stay warm, hoping that their tactical wetsuits would provide sufficient insulation, which they did not. “All r...r...right, helmet seals on!” Iron Will stammered into his microphone. “T...T...Twilight, you know where the library is. You t...t...take it from here!” Taking a deep breath, Twilight kicked her suit’s tactical flippers into place and dove under the surface. “Everypony follow me, and stay close!” “You heard the l...l...lady!” Iron Will said. “Move it, move it, move it, move it, move it!” With the others following her, Twilight swam downwards into a world of wet darkness, for almost no light made it further then a few feet, making it impossible to see anything. “Switching to night vision.” With a flick of a switch, Twilight’s vision went bright green, illuminating the submerged towers of Manehattan. She looked them over, trying to recognize even a single one, which would orient her...there! The theater where Rarity had shown off her dresses during Fashion Week, and been betrayed by her old friend, Suri Polomare. But the Universe had not forgotten the most unforgivable of crimes, and Suri had been punished by being gobbled up whole by a Goblin shark when Manehattan had been hit by a tidal wave. All while being eaten, she had shrieked at how she had been so foolish as to take advantage of another pony’s generosity, and promising to be better. But the Universe had laughed at her foolishness, and was delighted to see her vanish into the shark's gullet. Thus, justice had been done, and the Universe was satisfied. Unaware of Suri’s fate, Twilight and the commandos swam deeper into the darkened depths of the sunken city, eyes constantly going over the towers around them. Only a few days ago, they had been filled with ponies conducting business, attending luncheons, and inflating balloon animals for children's birthday parties. But now those buildings were filled only with water, floating stacks of paper, and sad looking balloon animals who had drowned. “Bulk Biceps,” Twilight said into her microphone, “check the sonar. Are we clear?” Bulk Biceps checked his handheld sonar. “Yeah!” “Good.” Swimming above a massive field of destroyed carriages, Twilight finally saw it: Emerging from the darkness was a squat, yet massive building. Being the oldest in the city, the Manehattan library had been built when Manehattan first rose. It had endured the passage of time, remaining the same while the city around it changed, and would likely be there until the bitter end, when all of Manehattan was destroyed by sea slugs. “Stay close everyone,” Twilight said. “It's going to be cramped inside.” The commandos fell into formation behind her, weapons at the ready. Heading to the massive oak doors, Twilight shoved them open, and was momentarily taken back by how dark it was inside. Even with her night vision goggles, she could barely make out anything around her. Such darkness gave her pause, and awakened the ancient instinct present within all ponies: the fear of the dark, which more often than not contained malevolent sea slugs. Moving through her fear, Twilight turned on her tactical flashlight, and breathed a sigh of relief at seeing that everything seemed to be intact. At least they wouldn’t risk being crushed by falling beams. “Iron Will will drop flares to mark our way!" Iron Will said. And as Twilight swam inside the building, he did exactly that, tossing red flares down to mark the path back to the entrance. Having been in the building so many times, Twilight could have found the way back with her eyes closed, but the others would need direction to avoid becoming lost within the building’s many halls. Heading deeper inside, Twilight soon reached the main lobby, which was filled with hundreds of books and scrolls floating about, ink hanging motionless within the water, thus depriving countless future generations of the timeless and magical words to be found in tabloid magazines talking about celebrities who were dying, engaged, losing weight, gaining weight, or getting involved in expensive divorces. Pushing on, Twilight soon came to a door behind the lobby. Though still sealed shut, a few taps revealed that it was flooded on the other side. With a burst of Alicorn magic, Twilight opened it, revealing a long hallway descending into the building’s basement. She swam into it, heading past torch-holders before coming to a stop before a thick set of wooden doors engraved with gargoyles and magical symbols. “Iron Will," Twilight said, “I need you all to cover the entrance to the forbidden section." “Iron Will will make it happen!" As commandos swarmed around the entrance, Twilight tapped the wooden doors, and was relieved to hear a hollow echo. She sent out one of her most powerful spells and created a force-field around the doors. Dropping to the now-dry floor, she went to the door and spoke the sacred Alicorn password that would allow her access to the scrolls and books within. “Ecky bazoogo pepperoni.” The doors swung open, the smell of must and dried pages assailing Twilight's nose. Lighting her horn, Twilight entered the chamber, looking over shelves packed with ancient scrolls and books, searching for the one book they needed more than anything else. “Anything happening out there?” she asked over the microphone. “Everything's quiet,” Iron Will said. “Bulk Biceps, is the sonar clear?" “Yeah!" Twilight continued her search. “I just need a few more minutes.” At least, Twilight hoped that was the case. Despite being such a small room, there were hundreds of items packed inside. Searching through all of them could take longer than she had- Wait. There it was! Unlike the other two books, the third friendship nuke spell book was sitting in the middle of a shelf. It was as if fate, taking pity on Twilight, had allowed her to get this final book without difficulty. “I got it!” Taking the book, Twilight quickly encased it within a magic bubble, which would prevent water damage. “Now let's get out of here!” “Iron Will agrees!” Leaving the room, Twilight closed the doors and spoke the magical Alicorn words to seal it up, reciting them as they had been recited from generation to generation. “Phooey Kablooy Gakagooey.” With an audible click, the doors locked shut. Twilight stepped through the forcefield and back into the freezing water. “All right, let’s get out of here!” “You heard the lady!” Iron Will said. “Let’s go! Move it, move it, move it, move it, move it, move it, move it, move it, move it!” With Twilight leading the way, the commandos swam away from the forbidden section and into the lobby, where they followed the flares back towards the entrance. “Princess Luna, come in!” “Yes, Twilight?” “We’ve got the book! We’re on our way to the extraction point!” “Excellent, Twilight! Our chances of success in the space mission have been doubled! We’re on our way to meet you.” Twilight grinned as she clutched the book to her chest. They were going to make it! And no sea slugs could stop them! A ping went through the water. Twilight‘s grin vanished. “What was that?” Bulk Biceps looked to his sonar, and his face dropped. “Is that what Iron Will thinks it is?” Iron Will asked, grabbing his weapons. “Yeah!” Bulk Biceps yelled, terrified as the pings got louder and louder. Iron Will grabbed the sonar and gasped at seeing the readout. “We've got sharks incoming! They've surrounded the building!” The horrifying truth struck Twilight like a sledgehammer crushing an ice cream cone. This had been far too easy. Sharks were among nature's most sensitive predators, able to detect prey from far away. A group of ponies swimming through a flooded city would have been easy to detect, and to assault...unless they wanted them to come this far. “It's a trap!” Twilight yelled. “Everyone, protect that book at all costs!” Iron Will yelled. It was too late, for Twilight, Iron Will, Bulk Biceps, and the commandos had made a tactical error of the highest degree: having gone without seeing sharks for several minutes, they had relaxed their guard, confident that they were safe. It was a fatal mistake. In seconds, sharks burst into the lobby, smashing through the windows and dashing towards the commandos like a kamikaze attack group. Such a move would have caused normal ponies to panic and flee, but the commandos were not ordinary ponies. They were highly-trained military ponies who had gone to boot camp for years, and survived tests to prove that they were the best of the best: ponies who could stare death in the face and laugh. Thus, they lasted five seconds before panicking and trying to flee. And in doing so, their retreat turned into a chaotic mess. The sharks closed in. Through their fear and panic, the commandos realized that if they were going to go down, they would at least go down fighting, and turned to attack the sharks. And so it began...the epic battle of commando ponies vs killer sharks, a battle that would be told and retold throughout the centuries in both book and song as a grand battle in which the ponies had their asses kicked. In hoof-to-fin combat, the sharks triumphed every time, easily clobbering the commandos and gulping them down whole until few remained. Iron Will grabbed Twilight. “Let’s go! Move it, move it, move it, move it, move it, move it, move it, move it, move it, move it, move it, move it!” “Yeah!” Bulk Biceps yelled, joining the two in swimming for their lives. The sharks gave chase after gobbling up the last of the commandos, but were slowed by Twilight's magic blasts, giving the three enough time to shoot out of the library and back onto the streets. From there, their escape plan was easy: all they had to do was swim upwards, and they did. “Canterlot Force One!” Twilight yelled into her microphone. “Come in! We need pickup now! We're under attack!” Luna's voice answered her. “We're on our way. ETA ten minutes!” A shark shot towards Twilight, only to be knocked aside as Iron Will punched it. “We don't have ten minutes!” “Well, how long do you have?” “What?!” “How long do you have?” “I...I don't know! Uhhh...a minute!?” “Twilight, there's no way a multi-ton jet can possibly cross hundreds of miles to reach Manehattan in less than a minute! We need to calculate our exact speed to determine the maximum fuel efficiency in order to both reach your location and have enough fuel left to keep us in the air-” “JUST GET HERE!” Twilight screamed. Three more sharks shot towards Twilight. Bulk Biceps took care of one, while Iron Will wrestled with the other two. Another shark darted past Twilight's protectors and headed for her. Catching sight of it at the last second, Twilight was forced to hurl herself aside to avoid being turned into shark chow, but in the process the book slipped from her hooves and drifted down towards the streets. “The book!” Twilight shouted, firing a spell at the shark. “Get the book!” Having knocked his shark senseless, Bulk Biceps swam after it, grabbing hold before it got lost between the wrecked carriages. “Yeah!” Turning back towards Twilight, he swam towards her as fast as he could. Millions of hours at the gym finally paid off, allowing him to effortlessly kick away every shark that swarmed down on him. “Oh yeah!” Then, as suddenly as they had appeared, the sharks broke off the attack, swimming back into the darkness, apparently demoralized by Bulk Biceps' and Iron Will's relentless assaults. Now free to swim without coming under attack, Bulk Biceps headed towards Twilight, holding the book before him. Twilight, baffled at the shark's sudden retreat, didn't waste time wondering about this latest turn of events, instead swimming towards Bulk Biceps as fast as she could. That book was all that mattered. The mission had gone disastrously wrong, and had already cost the lives of the commandos, but if they got that book and escaped, they could still salvage the mission. All she had to do was grab that book. And as she and Bulk Biceps closed the distance between them, it looked like she would get it. She never got the chance. Bulk Biceps, so gleeful at defeating all his attackers, never saw the form coming up behind him. Even if he had, there was nothing he could have done; the shark that emerged from the darkness of the ocean looked like a Great White, but was something out of a nightmare. Whereas a normal shark was only six feet in length, this one was easily a hundred feet long, making it the largest shark any pony had ever seen. The largest set of jaws in all of Equestria slammed shut around Bulk Biceps, swallowing both him, and the book, whole. “NO!” Twilight screamed. The mammoth shark turned to Twilight, opening its mouth to devour her as well. Twilight would have summoned a spell to try and stop it, but the sight of such a monster shark was too much for her to handle, and she was frozen in place, immobile before the wet maw before her. Then Iron Will was tackling Twilight, knocking her away as he grabbed onto the shark's massive snout as the jaws slammed shut. “Go Twilight!” Iron Will slammed his fists into the shark's snout. “Iron Will will distract it!” He hammered the snout again and again, trying to stun the beast. And while the trick would have worked wonders on a normal creature of the sea, the monster snapped its head back and forth, the strength of the assault nearly knocking Iron Will off. He had to struggle to hold on, shocked at a strength that was far greater than his own. But even against such a superior foe, he refused to back down, hitting the shark again and again. “Iron Will!” “Go!” “You can't stop that thing!” “But Iron Will can buy you time to escape!” Twilight almost swam in to help Iron Will, but cold logic dictated that it was a futile endeavor. This was a new foe she knew nothing about, including whether her magic spells would be effective against it. And in trying to attack it, other sharks would be arriving; already she could hear them on the sonar. There was nothing she could do. “Go!” Iron Will shouted. How she found the strength to swim away, Twilight didn’t know. She focused on each stroke, trying to get as far away as she could, fighting the urge to turn back, or even to look. Iron Will was beyond her help, still punching the shark as it slammed into Manehattan’s sunken towers in an effort to knock him off. By some miracle, Twilight reached the surface. She broke free of the ocean’s cold embrace and took to the skies with a fast beat of her wings, trying to gain as much height as possible, lest the monster shark somehow leap after her or - heaven help her - reveal that it could fly. “Iron Will, come in!” And as she hoped, he answered. But even though the microphone, his voice was weak and ragged. “Twilight...Iron Will can’t escape...too many sharks! You must live! Never give up! Never surrender! Where there’s a will, there’s...a way!” “Iron Will!” Twilight sobbed. “A powerful will can overcome any obstacle! That which does not kill you makes you...stronger! The greatest pearls are those battered by the ocean! The wet bird does not fly south during the winter! To infinity and beyond! Be sure to drink your Ovalt-” The thunderous clash of teeth slamming shut ended Iron Will’s speeches, thus ending any chance of any pony ever obtaining any of his motivational speeches ever again (though his pre-recorded programs were still readily available for the low, low price of $19.95 plus postage and handling, with check or money orders to be sent to Iron Will Motivational Speeches, P.O. Box 1356, Manehattan, Equestria). Sobbing, Twilight flew away, knowing that there was nothing she could do for Iron Will now...or for Bulk Biceps, or any of the commandos who had fallen fighting for her, and their cause. And now she was the only survivor, and with nothing to show for their efforts. *** As Twilight flew into the storm, she almost missed hearing the roar of Canterlot Force One approaching. It wasn’t until she heard Luna’s voice in her headset that she realized that help had finally arrived. With a burst of speed she exited the storm and found the plane circling overhead. Approaching it, she headed for the cargo hatch, and then flew inside once it opened to greet her. Luna, Spike, Rarity, and all the others were waiting for her, shocked at seeing only her. “Twilight, where are the others?” Luna asked. Twilight shook her head. The others grimaced. And yet there was still hope within them. Their faces were bright and full of eager anticipation. For while the loss of the strike team was a terrible blow, their sacrifice would not be in vain if they had the third book. “The book, Twilight,” Luna said, eager to proceed on the next phase of their mission to save the planet. “Where is it?” Twilight looked at everyone’s joyous faces, which were expecting hope and salvation. She tried to find the words that would crush hope without crushing their spirits, but found none. It took everything she had to simply avoid bursting into tears. Gradually, the others realized that there was only one reason why Twilight wouldn’t answer them...and why there were no book-sized bulges within the pockets of her vest. And in that moment, a great and terrible despair fell over them all, one so deep and aching that they would all have preferred to be eaten by sea slugs than to feel it, and the realization that it bought. The last book, and the only way to activate the friendship nuke, was lost. Operation STBFKSWWTEUASWCDWBITSADL had failed.