"Oh my head!" said Crescent
"Owe my head." said Charger rubbing his head
"Well, that's what happens when you use your head all the time."
"I thought that was a good thing?" said Charger standing up
"That means to think! Not literally!" said Crescent
"Why didn't anypony ever tell me!?" asked Charger
"Because nopony thought you'd take it seriously!" said Crescent
Charger rubbed his head and cracked his jaw: "Man, whoever that was could buck!"
"I think my helmet is dented!" said Crescent, "Well, whoever that was, they're lost and long gone now. Who knows how long we've been out."
"Storm is still raging." said Charger as lightning flashed, "Couldn't have been that long."
"Well who knows how big that storm is. Come on, let's go report in to the first patrol we can find."
The two stood up and walked through the eerily silent halls. They figured by now the whole palace would be on alert and searching for the killer of their Sergeant, but maybe they had moved on from the palace. Either way, there would still be a patrol or two they would run into at least a duo of Guards around. As they passed corridor after corridor, nothing. Yet, even with this, they couldn't shake the feeling something wasn't right. Something was off, and their nerves were on edge as each door they passed creaked open only to reveal nothing where they could swear there was something there waiting for them. It was then they heard what sounded like a howling behind them betting closer and closer. They froze for a split second as it got closer and closer before their training took over and they readied for the attack.
"You feel that?" asked Charger
"I taste that!" said Crescent
The howling got closer and closer before they screwed their instincts and took off running.
----
"Khan!" yelled the Unicorn Guard, "Where is that antidote! I can't hold this door much longer!"
"How do you think I feel?" asked Starlight
Both were using their magic to hold in a brace on the door to Khan's astrology lab and keep the door shut as Khan worked at his chemistry set. He went back and forth between the book and the test tubes as he lit a burner to boil it.
"Sorry! It's been a while since I made this!"
"Well hurry up!" said Starlight! I can't hold this much longer!"
"Sorry! I got to boil this for three minutes! Just a little longer!" said Khan
"Awe no! They're getting in!"
The doors cracked under the pressure before bursting open and the turned Guards walked in, holding their spears up ready to turn them as well.
"Doctor!" said the Unicorn
"INCOMING!" yelled Charger
They burst through the door, toppling the turned Guards as well before a small dragon burst in as well.
"A dragon!? what is going on?" yelled Khan
The dragon wasn't that old, adolescence if anything, but still imposing. It thrashed around a bit before Crescent took one of the dropped spears and stabbed it into its nostril. it screamed in pain before running off crying.
"That's a dragon for ya." said Charger, "Kick it off its high horse and it's a big cry baby. Nice shot there Crescent."
"Thanks!" said Crescent, "so what's going on?"
Four Unicorn Guards and Corporal Flower eyed them with the intent to kill as the fourth one took a spear out of its thigh, the wound healing right up as it did.
"Uh, Flower, what's going on here?" asked Charger
"No time to explain!" said Khan as he dropped next to them, "Here, drink this!"
They didn't have time to respond as Khan forced the green liquid down their throats.
"Blech, what was that?" asked Charger
"I know it tastes bad but come on! We got to move!"
Starlight was right behind him before she was stabbed in the flank as well. She screamed in horror and looked as the spear was removed and her wound healed up.
"What is going on here!?" yelled Crescent
Starlight shivered in fear, but nothing happened. The turned Guards looked on confused as Khan cheered.
"HAHA! I did it! I knew I could still do it!" he cried, "Oh dear!"
He ducked his head as the spear was driven into the wall beside him. The potion may have negated the mind control of the spears, but a stab to the head would most likely kill him.
"RUN!" yelled Starlight
The four took off down the halls with the turned Guard chasing after them.
"Okay! Explain! Right now!" said Charger
"Whoever is attacking the palace is using some weird old world potion to control the minds of the Guard!"
"You mean that dragon?" asked Crescent
"No, but that dragon must be working with them." said Khan
"How'd he even get in the palace?" asked Charger
"The sewer entrance was taken out! They must've used the storm to sneak in and moved in that way!" said Khan
"Doctor Khan, sir," said Starlight, "How'd you know the potion would work?"
"Not the first time I made it after I discovered what that potion could do! David and I drunk it a few years back before he was even in the Guard!"
"That explains why David was killed!" said Charger
"What?" asked Crescent
"He couldn't be hypnotized, so they killed him outright to keep their cover!"
"We need to alert the rest! Quick! before it's too late!" said Khan
They rounded a corner to see Captain Shadow standing their with two Lunar guard pegasi looking at them.
"Captain Shadow!" said Charger, "Are we sure glad we found you!"
"The Guard are being mind controlled by somepony or something!" said Starlight
"I managed to concoct a potion that can break the spell.Myself and these Guards have taken it, but we need to act fast." said Khan
"Also," said Crescent, "There is a dragon loose in the Palace if that's any news."
The Lunar Guard didn't move, but Shadow drew in a breath.
"I know." she said in a monotone that was unlike her
"Perfect!" said Khan, "Wait, how?"
"Lieutenant!" yelled Shadow
Behind them Lieutenant Spirit, Flower, and the four turned Unicorn Guards walked up with newly acquired spears, and crossbows.
"Right, you guys were caught. Just great!" said Charger, "Yep! I give up. We surrender!"
"Since when?" asked Crescent
"Since I'm usually the leader, and I outrank Starlight."
"Ahem?" asked Khan
"You're a civilian." said Charger
"Hard to argue with that logic." said Starlight
"Send them to the dungeon until Lord Rex can figure out what to do." said Shadow
"Yes Ma'am." said Spirit as if in a trance
The four were lead off to wait out for their fate as Shadow and her group walked off to capture as many Guards as they could.