Queen Chrysalis, Lord Umbriel, and a squad of royal bodyguards were standing at the collapsed secret entrance to Umbriel's Vanhoover stronghold.
"Brother, you do know this was bound to happen sooner or later, correct?" questioned Chrysalis in an unamused tone.
"Of course, sister." said Umbriel. "But let's salvage what we can from this little embarassment, shall we?"
"Ugh! If only he was still in our world! We could surely be able to finish off Craw for good!" muttered Chrysalis, frustrated. "But since those ponies don't have the Elements of Harmony anymore, maybe I could try summoning him again, and I'll be able to keep him around in case this happens yet again."
Umbriel knew, of course, that Chrysalis was referring to the alien general that she had brought into their world to fight King Craw the first time he rebelled against her. But when she initially summoned him to Equestria, the amount of power it required nearly killed her. And Umbriel knew this well enough; it had taken twenty minutes for Prince Embryo to resuscitate his unconscious sister after she first cast the spell, and she remained in a semi-catatonic state for the six-and-a-half hours that followed.
It angered him so, how the peril that Craw had put their family in was so terrible, that Chrysalis nearly got herself killed trying to bring forth the ultimate champion to defeat her former captain. But now that Prince Embryo had become the tremendously imposing Lord Umbriel, he now had a chance to prove how effective a protector he was, in addition to being the part-time consultant to his beloved elder sister. He was not willing to see anything of that sort happen again.
"Sister, you should not risk it." said Umbriel. "It is too dangerous to try it again. Please, let me assist you. I am here at your side, as I always have been, and always shall."
"How I love it when you flatter me, little brother." said Queen Chrysalis. "But I am being serious."
"So am I, big sister." said Lord Umbriel, flatly. "I won't let you be harmed. Not even by yourself. I've done the impossible to prove this to you. I saved you from that prison you were trapped in, didn't I? And I was able to get you out to safety when Craw overthrew you. And I provided you with soldiers to aid in quelling Craw's revolution. And I plan to do even more in the future."
Chrysalis turned her head at Umbriel, and blinked her large, bright green eyes as she looked at him. Ever since they were young, Chrysalis had been something of a mother-like figure to her brother, and often treated him as if he were her own son. But as they matured, their own personalities began to deviate by a significant amount. Chrysalis often let her brother do as he wished, even if his actions differed from her own.
But now that she was a queen, Chrysalis knew that she had to keep her brother in line every once in a while, to ensure that he didn't do anything that may embarrass the royal family, and by extension, the Changeling Empire. Normally, she didn't have to worry about this, but she had remembered her truce with the denizens of Equestria, and had decided to renew it...this time.
"Brother, I have been thinking..." she said, slowly.
"Yes, sister?" asked Umbriel.
"I think you and I will still need assistance with subduing Craw." she said. "I don't doubt you or either of our soldiers, but there's still another option available to us, that won't require me to cast that space-warping spell again."
"I'm all ears, Chryssi." said Umbriel, intelligently.
Sergeant Craw was sitting against the base of the statue outside of Canterlot High, in the exact same spot where Sunset Shimmer was when he first met her. He was reflecting once more on his previous relationship with Sunset Shimmer, when Corporal Ghost approached him.
"What's the matter?" said the corporal in a cold tone. "Still miss your 'girlfriend'?"
"Why does it matter if I do?" Craw questioned, sternly.
"It really doesn't." said Ghost, flatly.
Craw stood himself up quickly.
"Listen, corporal." he said. "I want to know what the heck your problem is with Sunset Shimmer, anyway. What do you have against ponies?"
"I don't hate ponies at all." said Ghost. "At least, unless they start talking back to me."
Craw scowled at Ghost, though his helmet made it impossible to see this.
"Ghost, how often do you come across a talking pony?"
"Never, or at least that's how it should be." said Ghost. "And the ones on TV don't count, since they're all fictional, and they're not actually talking to me."
"Well, your behavior has been extremely ridiculous." said Craw. "For crying out loud, you almost attacked two students from this school because of this stupid anti-pony regiment you seem to be running."
"How different am I from how you were talking to Sunset on the phone, when we last encountered her?"
"Because I was still freaked-out from when I found out that she was actually a pony." said Craw. "I was in a bad mood, so it really doesn't count that much."
Ghost just seemed skeptical.
"But you know what?!" Craw suddenly snapped. "Why don't you tell me why you had such a problem with her to begin with?"
Then Ghost removed the skull-like headgear from his face, and sighed.
"You know, I really don't know myself." he said, flatly. "It just seems like I've really been letting my anger get the best of me lately."
Craw took his own helmet off.
"Oh, you think?" he snarked.
"But for almost two months, something's been driving me insane. Burning me up from the inside." said Ghost. "Like a ravenous hunger."
"Really." said Craw, simply.
"That's right." said Ghost. "I think it all started before I even joined the Syndicate. You see, I used to be a radio deejay on this station in San Palamino. I got harassed by prank callers all the time. Usually, I found them somewhat amusing, but one night, I just snapped. I had a very loud and profane mental breakdown on the air, and I had to quit my job."
"So you hate ponies because of a bunch of stupid prank callers?" questioned Sgt. Craw.
"No, it wasn't them." said Ghost. "It was something else. This strange sensation came over me from out of nowhere. And it's still there. And here's something else: Every night, I have nightmares."
"Really?" said Craw. "What kind of nightmares."
"Like me being harassed by this red winged demon thing with flaming hair." said Ghost. "It sounded an awful lot like Sunset Shimmer, too."
"Funny, that seems to be the same description of the creature mentioned in the scout's report for this town." said Craw. "The report that brought me to this town to begin with."
"And that creature was Sunset Shimmer." said Ghost. "I knew it! That pony-witch put a curse on me!"
"Ghost, you had that curse on you before you were ever even in the same state as Sunset!" said Craw.
"Either way, it's still that pony's fault that I'm a mental train-wreck." said Ghost.
Vice Principal Luna was in her office, with Captain Umbriel sitting across from her. He had his helmet off, but wore sunglasses over his eyes. Without his headgear, he was revealed to have a hard, muscular face with a squarish jaw, and thin lips that were bent into a sinister grin. He also had cerulean hair in a short, curly hairstyle that, when combined with his facial features, vaguely made him look like an actor from an old boxing film that Luna had seen when she was a teenager.
"So, for what occasion do you ask me to speak with you, Vice Principal Luna?" asked Umbriel, whose voice sounded clearer and smoother without his helmet distorting it, and only slightly less deep.
"I want to know something, Captain Umbriel." said Luna. "Just what do you and your men intend to do once you cross over through this portal?"
"None of your concern." said Umbriel, simply.
"Well, you're bringing my school into this mess by bringing all these soldiers and weapons and so forth over here. If you really don't intend to harm Sunset Shimmer, then why bring all of this dangerous military equipment--which I highly doubt is even remotely legal."
"I must confess something." said Captain Umbriel. "I frankly don't care either way what happens to Sunset Shimmer. At least, not until her purpose has been exceeded."
"Her purpose?" asked Vice Principal Luna. "So is your organization under the impression that Sunset Shimmer is a tool or weapon?"
"No." said Umbriel. "But she personally doesn't mean anything to me, alive or dead. The supreme commander calls the shots, and she only wanted Sunset alive so that she could give us information that could benefit the Syndicate."
"That could benefit terrorists, you mean." said Luna, flatly.
"Now, why make such an extreme comment like that?" said Umbriel. "We aren't holding anyone hostage! We aren't planning to blow up this school! We're a paramilitary organization, and nothing more."
"Then you are of a very overzealous and trigger-happy one, apparently." said Luna.
"Perhaps, but not if we can help it." Umbriel waved a muscular arm. "But really, why do you care so much about Sunset Shimmer, anyway? I think it's perfectly clear, from all the information we've acquired about her, that she was a troublemaker from the moment she came into our world."
"I am not certain." frowned Luna. "I always thought it was because she was a student at this school, but I think there may be something much deeper, regarding the two worlds."
"And I know much about Equestria, already." said Captain Umbriel. "But how much do you know?"
"Not too much; Sunset never really summarized just what her world was like, except that it had magic and talking ponies."
But Umbriel took off his sunglasses, revealing his green eyes, which had horizontal red slits for pupils. The vice principal couldn't help but gasp when she saw this.
"How in the world--?" she gawked.
"Are my eyes like this?" finished Umbriel. "It's a rather unfortunate side-effect of the super-soldier project that made my body as strong as it is right now. But this is beside the point. I can tell you are holding something back, Ms. Luna. Don't bother denying it."
Luna hesitated, then took a deep breath.
"Very well, captain." she spoke, reluctantly. "A couple of weeks ago, shortly after Sunset Shimmer disappeared from Canterbury, I had this...dream."
"And what happened in this dream?" asked Umbriel.
"Well at first, nothing odd really happened in it, until a pony version of myself appeared before me, and spoke to me about Sunset Shimmer and her whereabouts."
"Your counterpart in Equestria, no doubt." stated Captain Umbriel. "Yes, it would seem that Equestria is inhabited by pony versions of many people living in this world. I have already spoken with my own counterpart, and so has Corporal Ghost with his. I wonder, what is your counterpart like?"
"She was a winged unicorn, and a very beautiful one, I might add." recalled Vice Principal Luna. "Apparently, she is also a princess, as is my sister Celestia's counterpart."
"Interesting. Very interesting, indeed." said Umbriel. "And my counterpart just so happens to be a prince who became a warlord, but he is of a different society from the one your counterpart rules over with your sister's."
"But your counterpart isn't the ruler of his?"
"Not necessarily, but my sister's counterpart in that world is a queen."
"You have a sister?" asked Luna.
"That is correct, Ms. Luna." confirmed Umbriel. "And she happens to be the leader and namesake of the Chrysalis Syndicate. You didn't think that I was the leader, did you? No, I am simply the top field leader and second-in-command, just like my counterpart is to my sister's."
"So based on what I can put together from this information, would that mean that in this other world..." deduced Vice Principal Luna. "You and I are rivals?"
"It would certainly seem that way." nodded Captain Umbriel. "But I hardly think you would pose much of a threat to me in this world, since I'm a super-soldier and you are just...a schoolteacher. No offense, mind you."
Luna frowned, and bowed her head. She felt Captain Umbriel's armored hand tug ever so slightly on her fingers, even as they drummed against the desk.
"But really, I actually contain quite a bit of respect for you, Ms. Luna." said Umbriel. "You are a beautiful, intelligent woman. I admire women like you. Don't worry, I wouldn't even try to harm you. And I'm not saying this because my sister said not to let any harm come to your school; My feelings are genuine."
"And what feelings would those be?" asked Luna, monotonously.
"Here's a hint." said Umbriel, raising Luna's hand and setting it to his sneering lips.
He kissed the back of her hand, and then slowly let go. Blushing, Vice Principal looked up at Captain Umbriel, who winked at her and curled his lips back into his signature grin.
"Well, I've got another appointment to attend to with Sergeant Craw." said Umbriel, casually. "I will see you again later, vice principal."
He put his mask back on, and then marched out of the office. Ms. Luna just sat in her seat, her face frozen in a confused and nervous expression as she reflected on the exchange of information she just had, and worried about what might happen next.