Big Macintosh sighed as he continued into town, hauling a crate of apple jams and jellies behind him.
“It’s been a day, and still nothin’.” He muttered to himself as he passed Bonbon and a pegasus stallion
“You said something, Mac?”, Bonbon frowned.
“It’s nothin’.”
“How’s Rhapsody?” the stallion cut Bonbon’s response off, “Heard from the kids that she’s sick.”
“Getting’ better. It’s takin’ a bit longer than we’d like,” the Farmpony shrugged.
“You ought to call Nurse Redheart or one of th-”
“No!” Big Macintosh cut off Bonbon’s responses with a yell. The other two ponies took a step backwards, startled by his outburst.
“…I mean that’s mighty nice of you to suggest, but we got it under control.”
“…Just remember what I said.”
“I will, Ren, have a good one.”
Big Macintosh continued on his way, stopping by Sugarcube Corner. Setting the cart down, Big Macintosh knocked on the back door of the shop. The door popped open, and a young unicorn mare stuck her head out.
“Oh, Hi Mister Macintosh. Mom and Dad are busy, so I guess we’ll have to help unload.”
“That would be mighty helpful, Pumpkin.”
“Uh-huh.” Pumpkin Cake turned her head back into the bakery, “HEY! GET OVER HERE AND HELP!”
The mare turned back to Big Macintosh with an apologetic half-smile, “Pound’s lazy today.”
“I reckon so,” Big Macintosh chuckled, “It ain’t easy bein’ the oldest.”
Pumpkin’s response was cut off, as a woozy Pound Cake staggered out of the door and smacked into the cart. The mare rolled her eyes.
“He was up late reading Daring Do again.”
Before Big Macintosh could respond, he found himself engulfed in a golden aura. Lyra quickly skidded to a stop in front of Pumpkin.
“Notimetoexplain,gottago,letApplebloomorRumbleknowtopickupthecart!” Lyra spat before taking off again.
Pound Cake shook his head and watched as Lyra ran off, dragging Big Macintosh behind her.
“…What just happened?”
“I have no idea,” Pumpkin shook her head, “Let’s start unloading this thing.”
Lyra skidded to another stop in front of the clock store. Her magical aura vanished, dropping Big Macintosh onto the road. The stallion scrambled back to his hooves, furious.
“What’s wrong with you?”
“Stoptalking,it’stimeto-”
Mac grabbed Lyra, bringing the frantic mare to his face.
“Lyra. Calm. Down. Tell. Me. What. Is. Going. On.”
Lyra calmed down, taking deep breaths.
“I got a message from Time Turner.”
“…Shit, we better get in there.”
===
Golden Gem, Bellona, Temporal and Oscura sat around one of the tables at Sugarcube Corner, staring at their breakfast. On another table, Stratos watched as Rhapsody stared at a muffin.
“I want to eat it, but I’m not hungry,” the filly grumbled.
“Miss Dizzy does bake good muffins,” Stratos chuckled, “I wonder if the Dizzy Twister back in my universe does.”
“…So they spent all last night talking, and now they’re talking more,” Gem’s head thunked against the table, “we’re never getting out of here.”
“I know,” another voice cut off Temporal’s response. The group turned their heads to the kitchen as Mr. Cake walked out. A knowing smile crept onto his face, as Golden Gem’s blood turned to ice.
“…Oh Shit.”
===
“Really, you need to stop breaking down my door,” Time Turner grumbled as he led the couple into the back room, “Whatever happened to just knocking and then, ‘Oh hello Time Turner, We heard you-”
“When Slide Rule goes out on her own multiversal adventure, don’t come crying to me,” Lyra snapped back.
“…No tact.” Time Turner shrugged as he took his seat in front of the monitors, “Anyway, as I said last time, I made an effort to contact somepony else. As you probably figured out by now… A.R.M.O.R doesn’t reach through the entire multiverse.”
“Are you saying she could be somewhere that you have no access to?”
“…Technically, she could be,” Time Turner shrugged, “We however have certain contacts from other individuals who also scour the mulitverse… like him.”
The stallion flicked a switch, causing a face to appear on one of the screens.
===
“Really now, we have agents all over the multiverse,” Carrot Cake chuckled, “What made you so sure there wasn’t one here?”
“I expected…”
“Someone more likely?” Carrot Cake cut off Bellona’s response. After she nodded in confirmation, the stallion continued on, “Really, the entire point is for us all to fit in seamlessly and go unnoticed. And who would expect the owner of this little shop to be an agent of something greater?”
Oscura and Temporal exchanged a quick glance, before quietly going for their weapons.
“I wouldn’t try that.” The stallion warned, “I know I don’t look like much, but…well, you know.”
“…This is the part where a bunch of black suited ponies break in and arrest us or something, isn’t it?” Stratos pushed Rhapsody behind him.
“Not quite,” Carrot Cake pulled up a chair and took a seat.
“I want to know what you’re planning.”
===
Lyra and Big Macintosh stared at the pony on the screen: a yellow stallion with a messy, spiked orange mane, his eyes hidden by aviator specs.
“…Turner if this is some kind of joke…” Lyra started.
“I assure you it’s not,” Time Turner rolled his eyes, “Spitfire is part of the…shall we say that there are some organizations that are a bit more… involved with the multiverse.”
“…What do you mean by ‘involved’?”
“We step in and take care of threats,” the pony on the screen responded, “Unlike A.R.M.O.R. we are actively involved with dealing with multiversal abnormalities.”
Time Turner groaned and rolled his eyes, “We take care of our own problems.”
“Which is exactly why you’re contacting me,” Spitfire shot back.
“You know what, we dealt with the whole Sweetie Belle thing, even though that was all your jurisdiction,” Time Turner responded.
“Hell, It isn’t my fault Ivory let that one slip th-”
“ENOUGH!” Big Macintosh stomped a hoof, cutting off Spitfire and Time Turner’s argument, “Now, Mr. Spitfire, we want to know exactly why Turner here contacted you, and how you can help us.”
“…Tell me exactly what happened.”
===
“…And that’s all.”
“…You’re playing a very dangerous game, Golden Gem.” Carrot Cake rubbed his chin, “Even my organization isn’t sure about every member of the multiverse.”
“I’m aware of it, that’s why I need them,”
“It explains why you picked Oscura and Bellona,” Stratos interrupted, “Doesn’t explain me or Golden Sweet though.”
“Or the child.” Carrot Cake added.
“Stratos, you’re here because I like you. Golden Sweet…Golden Sweet’s strong. Stronger than me, that’s for sure, and she always said what she was thinking.”
“Can’t really argue with that.” Carrot Cake chuckled.
“And as for Rhapsody…I-”
===
Spitfire groaned as he placed his head in his hooves.
“You A.R.M.O.R. agents really are idiots.” He groaned.
“You have just as many failures as we have had,” Time Turner grumbled.
“Boys, pay attention,” Lyra snarked, “What are you going to do?”
“…I need to talk to a few ponies, get an agent whose dimension is closer to their destination, and go from there. It’ll take a day or two.”
“No! Do it now.” Lyra responded.
“…Not feasible. Will contact this idiot soon.”
With that, Spitfire reached over to something, and the screen cut to black.
“…Well that went well.”
===
“…Alright, here’s what I’m going to do,” Carrot Cake rubbed his temples, “I’m still telling them you were here and what you are doing.”
Golden Gem’s eyes widened in horror, as Oscura and Temporal once again reached for their weapons.
“…But you get a headstart. By the time my message is transferred, you will be in the next universe for whomever you selected to be on your team,” Carrot Cake finished, “they won’t be able to reach your destination before you get there.”
Before any of the ponies could say something, the door to Sugarcube Corner opened. Golden Sweet stepped in, saddlebags on.
“Mom doesn’t like it, but you’ve got yourself another Earth Pony.”
“Then we leave now.” Gem smiled.
Golden Sweet quickly joined the group and with a flash, they vanished from the shop. Smiling, Carrot Cake tipped his head forward, letting his hat fall onto the table. Reaching into it, he withdrew a small mechanical device.
“…Did you get all that?” the baker spoke into the device, “They’re heading to Universe twenty-seven.
Cut them off if you can, see if you can figure out where they’re heading after that.”
“Got it.”