Several leaders from around the world entered the council office where President Raiko was waiting. The people who entered were Fire Lord Izumi, Chief Tonraq, Chiefs Eska and Desna, Tenzin, and War Chief Pakku.
"Hey, cuz." Pakku greeted Tenzin. "How's the family?"
"Fine, Pakku." Tenzin said rubbing his fingers on the sides of his head. "Honestly, I don't know who I want more; you or Bumi."
"That's my cousin, ladies and gentlemen." Pakku said.
"Hello, everyone." Raiko said.
"I hope there's a good reason you called an emergency meeting, Raiko." Eska said.
"Yeah." Desna agreed. "I was brooding when we got the message."
"Everyone, I called this meeting to discuss a dire matter," Raiko explained, "The return of the Red Lotus."
Everyone couldn't believe what they heard. Only Tenzin appeared unsurprised.
"But I thought the Red Lotus was through when we imprisoned Zaheer." Tonraq said.
"As we learned, there's more where that came from." Tenzin said. "They are lead by a madman calling himself the Red Eye and we don't know who he really is. And already, he's gathered allies from another world. Luckily, so have we."
"I don't understand." Izumi said.
Raiko and Tenzin took turns explaining everything they knew about Equestria, Discord, the Mane 6, and the Red Eye's magic. They even talked about Miles being a bi-bender.
"That's trippy." Pakku said. "What about the Avatar herself?"
"It's all right." Tenzin said. "She and the others are already on their way to Zaofu being escorted by Varrick."
Suddenly, the door slammed open. Crem-Sun ran in with plenty of papers in his arms. He called for the president until a piece of paper fell under his foot and he tripped over. Raiko smacked his palm on his face.
"Crem-Sun, what are you doing here?" Raiko asked with irritation in his voice.
"President Raiko, sir." Crem-Sun said. "Remember that warehouse where the Avatar almost arrested the Red Eye, but let him go 'cause you said so."
"I didn't say..." Raiko growled. He breathed in and out. "Yes, I remember. What about it?"
"Well, the search team gave me this stuff to show you." Crem-Sun said. "It seems to be some kind of weapon plans."
Crem-Sun spread out the papers. The world leaders observed them.
"Hey," Pakku said, "I've seen this stuff before."
"In the bodyguard's arms?" Izumi asked rolling her eyes.
"No, Miss Shut-Up." Pakku said. "On the arm of Kuvira's giant mech, only bigger."
"What?" Raiko asked. He took another look and saw that Pakku was right. "Look. It looks exactly like it, but it seems to be... hand-held. It's even powered by spirit vines.
"How do they know how to build them?" Tonraq asked. "Very few people know."
"Varrick knows." Raiko growled. "I should have known..."
"Varrick?" Pakku asked. "Don't be silly. I know him, and if he's the Red Eye, I'm Princess Yue."
"It's just a theory." Raiko said. "The way I see it, we need someone who knows the full extent of its power. Someone like..." He widened his eyes before taking a deep breath. The other leaders leaned in. "Well, desperate times call for desperate measures."
In Varrick's train, Iris and Lok were tied up and lit by a bright lamp over their heads. Team Avatar, the Mane 6 and the Power Ponies stood over them. Filli-Second raised her hoof and smacked Lok across his beak.
"Filli, you're supposed to ask him a question first." the Masked Matterhorn said.
"Oh, right." Filli-Second said. She turned back at the bird. "Quick! What color is my underwear?" *SMACK*
"Let me handle this." Korra said. "All right, Iris, you better talk or..."
"Or what?" Iris asked. "You'll cut your hair some more? I'd never sell out my grandfather."
"Yeah." Lok agreed. "Nothing you do or say will make us talk."
Discord materialized a business suit and spoke in an Italian accent. "We will make you an offer you can't refuse."
"If you won't listen to us," the Masked Matterhorn said, "You'll listen to Saddle Rager. Devastator was her friend that your red goons kidnapped. I bet she'd get mad enough to stomp you both."
"You're talking about the costumed pipsqueak, right?" Lok asked. "Do I look like I was hatched yesterday?"
"Don't make fun." Spike said. "See, the Power Ponies are from a superhero universe. Saddle Rager's super power allows her to grow to a monstrous size filled with limitless rage. All she has to do is get angry enough. In fact, she has a secret that allows her to control it, but no one can figure it out."
"The point is, she can go all monster on you if you don't cooperate." the Masked Matterhorn said.
"You're bluffing." Iris called out.
"Try us." the Masked Matterhorn said.
"Uh, Twilight," Mako whispered, "Is it true about Saddle Rager and the monster-size thing?"
"Yeah." Twilight said. "It's all true."
"That's not exactly a good thing right now." Mako said. "We're on a speeding train and a growing pony might break some walls and blow us all out."
"OKAY!" Lok shouted. "OKAY, WE'LL TALK!"
"LOK, DON'T BE STUPID!" Iris shouted.
"All right, Tweety." Anar D said holding the bird up. "Time to sing."
"What do you want to know?" Lok asked in panic.
"Who is the Red Eye?" Korra asked.
"I don't know his real name." Lok confessed. "Neither does Iris. We were supposed to learn when he gets his artifact."
"Artifact?" Asami asked. "I thought you wanted three artifacts."
"Don't say anything!" Iris shouted.
"Those three artifacts are actually pieces to one." Lok said. "The Red Eye's after them all and he's always going to be one step ahead of all of you."
"How does he know what we can do?" Mako asked.
"How can he not?" Lok replied. "He's called the Red Eye for a reason. He's keeping a close watch on each and every one of you. It's how he knew that Discord turned good. He knows everything that happened to you... except where Korra has been for half of the year."
"What the june bugs is he talking about, Korra?" Applejack asked.
Korra hesitated on confessing. "Remember when I told you that Zaheer's poison put me out of commission for a few years. There's more to it. Somehow, the poison reached into my inner turmoil and I kept living my worst fears. I was supposed to return to Republic City after I could walk again, but my fears still haunted me, so I spent the next 6 months trying to conquer them. One thing lead to another, and... Well, the rest is history."
"That's it?" Lok asked. "That's what the Red Eye missed?"
"Enough about me." Korra said. "Tell me more about the Red Eye. How did he get his diplomatic immunity?"
"I don't know." Lok confessed in a panic. "I just know he got it the day before he broke you and the firebender up!" Lok realized what he just said and quickly covered his beak with his wings. The crowd fell silent while Korra and Mako were the most surprised.
"You're dead." Iris told her parrot.
"What do you mean he broke me and Mako up?" Korra asked.
Lok shifted his eyes looking for an escape, but each hero blocked his way out. He sighed. "The Red Eye didn't want so many friends with you when you were captured, so he thought you wouldn't have so much if you and he split up."
"How?" Mako asked demandingly. "How did he split us up?!"
"He said he put a simple thought in your head that it was your job before all else. He then secretly cast a spell that turned your thought into a belief and influenced him to reveal your secrets. Once the Avatar learned that her boyfriend sold her out, the relationship would be over."
Korra fell silent as she sat down on a chair. She had shock flowing through her eyes and she tried to believe it wasn't true, but she knew it was. The ponies approached her.
"Korra, are you..." Fluttershy asked.
"No, I'm not." Korra said. "I... I need some air." She walked to the back of the train.
"I suppose now's not the best time to ask the bird where the Red Eye got his scarf, is it?" Discord asked.
In an unknown location, the Red Eye raised his red scarf over his nose. "Bring them in."
The door across the room from him opened and some Red Lotus guards pushed in the Mighty Machines tied up in chains.
"I demand a lawyer!" Masque shouted. "If I can't afford a lawyer, one has to be provided for me. And no one told me I had the right to remain silent!"
"Masque, you HAVE the right to remain silent." Rodan said. "What you lack is the capacity."
"Don't bother trying to escape." the Red Eye said. "You see, those chains are made of platinum, so you can't break out. And I placed a spell on them that prohibit your powers."
"If you think you can hold us hostage so you can take back Pandora's Box, you're looking for a fight." the Shadow Blot said.
"Now, now." the Red Eye said. "Let's not blow this out of proportion. I already have one hostage. What use do I have for 6 others?"
"What?" Timberwolf asked. "I don't understand."
"You should put that on a shirt." the Red Eye said. "Look up."
The Mighty Machines saw a cage hanging from the ceiling above them. They saw a woman inside of it. She had a pair of glasses above the gag covering her mouth.
"Who's that?" Dusk asked.
"That..." the Red Eye answered, "Is Zhu Li."
"Zhu Li?" the Shadow Blot gasped. "Varrick's wife? But, that means..."
"Varrick is leading the Avatar into a trap if he wants to see his wife again." the Red Eye finished.
"That's insane." Devastator said. "But... what do you want with us, then?"
"Just this." the Red Eye said pointing his hand towards the Machines. "Aday, tijla, wumunes!"
Suddenly, a red flash of lightning blasted out of his fingers and hit the Mighty Machines. They shouted in pain like something was being pulled out of them. After a couple of minutes of this torture, the pain stopped.
"HA!" Masque shouted trying to go through the pain. "Your spell didn't work."
"Didn't it?" the Red Eye asked.
The Mighty Machines looked and gasped. There was a pile of wirewolf machines next to them. They then looked at each other and screamed when they saw not wirewolves, but stallions.
"PONIES!" Timberwolf shouted. "WE'RE PONIES AGAIN!"
"You're welcome." the Red Eye said.
"Wait." Dusk said. "Devastator! He wasn't a pony before! He was a..."
They looked and saw a white dog with a surprised face. It tried to speak, but it only barked.
"This is nuts!" Ricky said. "Why did you do this?!"
"Our engineers are quite curious to see how it works." the Red Eye said. "And I'm sure I can find some use based on what we learn. I'm sure we can find something to benefit my master."
"You can't take away our wirewolf forms for your master's gain." Terry protested. "Who do you think you are?"
"I can do whatever I want." the Red Eye said. "No one tells me what to do! Not anymore!
"I guarantee
That you will all see
When you learn what I've learned
You will all soon agree
The system is corrupt
And abruptly
So full of greed
I... will compleeeeeeeete
My one... greatest feeeeeeaaaaaat
The future I'll create
And would you really hate
No chaaaaaaaaaaance
Now, would you spite my gain
And would you give bane
TO MY PLAAAAAAAAAAANS
WHY CAN'T... YOU UNDERSTAAAAAAAAAAAAND"
Suddenly, the lights at the end of the room flickered on revealing five stables and a pet-carrier. The Red Eye forcefully pushed in each of the former Mighty Machines in before throwing Devastator in the carrier. The cages closed and locked. The ponies and dog were frightened while the Red Eye finished his song.
"I'VE LEARNED ALL THESE YEARS
THAT I HAVE NO PEERS
SOME LIVES WILL BE LOST
BUT I WILL NOT SHED TEEEEEEEAAAAAAARS
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAA"
Back at the train, Korra was leaning herself at the railroad railings thinking about what Lok confessed. She didn't turn her head to the door, even when it opened. Somehow, she knew who the two joining her were.
"Are you all right?" Twilight Sparkle said.
"We were worried." Mako added.
"It's just..." Korra said, "Unthinkable. Three years ago, before we even knew the Red Lotus existed, they still got themselves involved in my life, and they changed it. They manipulated my heart."
"I have a question," Twilight said, "Are you upset because the Red Eye played with your emotions, or because you just realized you and Mako broke up for the wrong reason."
"I..." Korra was nearly at a loss for words. "When that parrot said that the Red Eye broke me and Mako up, I felt so, so guilty."
"Of what?" Mako asked.
"Of still having my feelings." Korra said. "I forgot about them in my 3-year absence. But at the wedding reception, when you told me that you'd be at my side no matter what, my feelings came back into balance. That's why I had to take a vacation; to clear my head and try to decide where to go from there. Now, a bigger problem pops up unexpectedly and..."
"That's okay." Mako said. "Really, I understand. But Korra, no matter where you go or what you do, I'll keep true to my word."
"Thanks, Mako." Korra said. She turned to the princess next to her. "And thank you, Twilight. Sorry I would have a hard time listening to you lately."
"It's okay, Korra." Twilight said. "It makes sense. I mean, we're completely different. But my friends and I, we're completely different to each other as well, and still, we managed to become the best of friends in the end. We're even friends with Discord, who is exactly different from the six of us combined. And I'm sure the Power Ponies feel the same way."
"Good." Korra said. "Let's just relax on our way to Zaofu."
"There's one thing I don't understand." Twilight said. "How did the Red Eye get close enough to cast that influence spell on Mako?"
"Hold on." Mako said widening his eyes. "I was talking to someone who told me my job was more important than anything else, someone who wouldn't want things not to go his way, someone who was close enough to cast the spell on me: President Raiko."
"I knew it!" Korra shouted angrily. "When I get my hands on him, I'll..."
Suddenly, a loud sound echoed from the top of the mountain they were just passing. A rock-slide fell from the top and hit the area in front of the train. Varrick was forced to pull the emergency brake and the train suddenly stopped knocking everyone off balance.
"WHAT'S GOING ON?!" Bolin shouted.
Suddenly, a group of red claws tore through the ceiling and ripped it open. Tirek's red face appeared with a devilish grin.
"If you wanted a sunroof, you could've asked!" Varrick shouted.
"Hello, again!" the centaur growled.
"Whoa!" Discord shouted. "Not even a mother could love that face!"
"I know the feeling." Anar D said.
"Hey, are you two related," Tirek asked, "Because I definitely see a resemblance."
Korra, Mako, and Twilight Sparkle arrived with their friends and shared their surprised expression.
"You're taking a big risk coming here alone, Tirek!" Twilight shouted.
"Who said I'm alone?" Tirek asked.
Tirek grabbed the train cart and threw it to its side. Everyone rolled out and into the dirt below. They regained their senses while Hum Drum widened his eyes.
"Uh, Korra, who are they?"
Korra, Mako, Bolin, Asami, Miles, Varrick, Iris, and Lok were surprised to see a group of people wearing green outfits and masks that looked like exterminators. Some were riding on motorcycles and some were swinging around bolas. At the front, the lieutenant carried a pair of metal sticks that sparked electricity at their ends.
"Equalists!" Korra shouted. "What are you doing?!"
"Ridding the world of you." the lieutenant replied. "We have a new method for ridding the world of bending: Tirek."
"Should we ask who these guys are?" Rarity asked.
"No, I'm pretty sure I got the idea when that guy said they were going to get rid of the benders." Rainbow Dash said.
"Equalists, take the stone box!" Tirek commanded
Suddenly, the Equalists readied their weapons and charged at the ponies and their friends. During the battle, Iris carried Lok to Tirek.
"Tirek!" Iris screamed. "It's great to see you again! Brilliant plan to free us and take the box from the Avatar and the princess!"
"I... did not realize you'd be here." Tirek said.
"Well, now that you're here, I suppose you'd want to free me so we can take the box together." Iris continued. "I have a personal score to settle with the Avatar after this."
"Actually, I can't let the Equalists know I'm working with a bender like you." Tirek said. "They need to know I support their beliefs."
"That's... That's not fair!" Iris protested. "What about Zaheer?"
"What about him?" Tirek asked. "We just can't have the Equalists meet your father. Now then..." He turned to the Equalists. "Equalists! This airbender is attempting to attack me!"
A trio of Equalists jumped toward Iris and surrounded her.
"This is not going to go well." Lok gulped.
But before the Equalists could attack, a fire-ball hit the ground next to one of them. The Equalists looked and saw Miles heading for them. He opened a bottle at his side and bent all the water in it. He covered an Equalists with it and quickly turned it to ice, weighing the attacker to the ground.
The remaining attackers threw their bolas toward Miles, but he dodged them and countered with fire strikes. One strike knocked an Equalist back and the other one threw a chi-punch at Miles, but he grabbed his arm and flipped him over. Miles then jumped toward Iris.
"Some friend, huh?" Miles asked mockingly.
Meanwhile, Equalists on motorcycles circled Derpy. Suddenly, Anar D appeared and wrapped his tail around each of the Equalists. He tossed them aside as he observed Derpy.
"Oh, no!" Anar D gasped. "They confused the pegasus! That's a little redundant. Guess it's not a bad day for you, is it?"
"Mind if I cut in?" a familiar voice asked. The Doctor stood behind Anar D.
"Doc!" Anar D cheered. "We need the help."
"Anar D?" the Doctor asked. "What are you doing in this world?"
"What do you mean?" Anar D asked. "You brought me and my friends here?"
"I did?" the Doctor asked. "Oh, you must be talking about my future self. Well, after you're safe here, I'll retrieve them and..."
"DOCY!" Derpy shouted jumping and hugging the Doctor. "IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!"
"You again?" the Doctor asked. "Look, Derpy, I know that..." He widened his eyes when he saw the lieutenant running towards them. "LOOK OUT!"
The lieutenant thrust his stick, but the Doctor pushed Derpy off just in time. Suddenly, the electric end of the stick struck the Doctor's leg and he screamed in pain. The pain stopped and Tirek followed the scream. The centaur widened his eyes when he saw what happened.
"Oh, no." Tirek gasped. "EQUALISTS, GET DOWN!"
Everyone was confused, but they followed anyway. Everyone fell to the ground, especially Tirek, and covered their heads. The heroes were confused.
"What's going on?" Miles asked.
"I don't know." Iris said. "The Red Eye never told me anything about that Doctor guy."
Suddenly, everyone was surprised to see the train start to fade. The train and the tracks disappeared slowly until they were completely gone.
"I... What just happened?" Applejack asked.
"I don't know." Rarity said. "First, it was there. And now, it's not."
"Would someone care to explain what happened to my train?" Varrick asked.
"Only the train disappeared?" Tirek asked. "Good. Now, we can..." He was surprised to see Discord above his face wearing a sailor's suit and carrying a harpoon.
"I SEE THE WHALE!" Discord shouted in a sailor's accent.
Suddenly, winds started to blow. Everyone looked and saw 3 dark-green airships hovering above them.
"We're outnumbered!" the lieutenant shouted. "What are your orders, Tirek?"
"Retreat!" Tirek growled loudly.
The Equalists threw canisters to the ground and they all sprayed an unclear smoke around the field. Korra blew the smoke away, but neither Tirek nor the Equalists were seen.
"What happened?" Twilight asked. "Who are those people up there?"
One airship landed and the hanger door opened up. A woman was revealed that scared the humans.
"It's you!" Korra gasped.
"No way!" Mako gasped.
"It... can't be!" Bolin gasped.
"Uh, oh!" Varrick gasped.
"What are you doing here?" Asami asked.
"I'm yelling words!" Pinkie Pie shouted.
"Uh, Korra, who is that?" Twilight asked.
"Someone I didn't think I'd see again anytime soon." Korra said. "That's... Kuvira."
"Hello again, Avatar." the former Great Uniter said.
Kuvira gestured everyone inside her ship.
The inside of the ship looked like Kuvira's office in her old train. Everyone sat in different chairs. She looked at Iris and Lok.
"Take them to the brig." Kuvira commanded.
"Cool, she has a brig." Discord said.
"Here." Kuvira said offering a hot beverage to Korra. "As a gesture of good will."
"Is it poisoned?" Asami asked.
"Yes, Asami." Kuvira answered sarcastically. "I traveled half-way across the country after getting out of prison, fly over an Equalist ambush to rescue you... so I could then poison you."
"Korra, we can't trust her." Asami whispered. "This woman is a snake."
"She willingly surrendered and took full responsibility for what she did." Korra said. "Plus, she saved us from Tirek. We owe her thanks at least."
"Hold on." Rainbow Dash said. "So this is the woman who tore apart half of Republic City?"
"I admit, I've done some bad things," Kuvira said, "But don't forget, I too am an enemy of the Red Lotus. And right now, they're getting more powerful. The council has learned that they're building hand-held versions of the spirit cannon."
"What?" Korra gasped.
"Yes." Kuvira said. "And when Raiko learned about it, he released me because I'm the only one who knows how strong the cannon can be."
"Raiko sent you?" Mako asked. "Kuvira, there's something you need to know."
"We've learned that Raiko and the Red Eye are one and the same." Twilight added.
"That's insane." Kuvira said. "Sure, Raiko isn't in his right mind sometimes, but he certainly can't be a terrorist leader."
"Things are not what they appear." the Doctor said getting up.
"Doctor, you're all right." Derpy said hugging him.
"What disappeared?" the Doctor asked.
"That's a weird question to ask during a hug." Derpy said.
"It's my train." Varrick said. "That horse-man and the Equalists hit the deck and my train faded like it was nothing."
"That's because it is nothing." the Doctor said. "At least, now it is."
"I... don't understand." Miles said.
"It's like this." the Doctor said. "It's me. When time was first created, I became the living embodiment. And whenever I am injured, there's a disruption in the space-time continuum and something becomes erased from existence."
"The living embodiment of time... is a pony?" Mako asked.
"Actually, I have many forms." the Doctor said. "I can be a human, a pony, a dragon, or even a koala bear. I'm just in this form now because it's necessary right now. But whatever I am, I still have my duty: to maintain the time-stream and make sure everything that's supposed to happen actually happen."
"Then... could you bring back my train?" Varrick asked. "We have an appointment to Zaofu and..."
"No!" the Doctor said. "You have to head east to the village of Heong-Hua. Someone's going to be there who'll need your help."
"This doesn't make any sense." Kuvira said. "I'm meant to transport them safely to Zaofu to study the spirit gun plans. I can't just change my plans."
"You don't know what you're messing with, Kuvira." the Doctor said. "The last time somebody messed with the time-stream, friendship nearly didn't exist!"
Everyone suddenly fell silent.
"What?" Twilight asked. "What do you mean by that?"
The Doctor sighed. "It started millennia ago, before friendship existed. There was a very, very thin number of timelines in existence. In one timeline, there was a kingdom of pure darkness and no light at all. It was called Tambelon. It was ruled by a dark king with a special form of magic. He could summon any force of nature, no matter how powerful. He stole my powers and stored them in his Bell of Darkness. He attempted to expand his kingdom through all of history. Suddenly, a new force of nature known as the Bird of Paradise rose up and destroyed his bell. At that wave, friendship was created and countless of other timelines were created on the foundation of that. You see, every detail in time has a part to play and without it, a great future can't exist. That's why you must continue on: to create that future."
"THAT IS THE BEST BEDTIME STORY EVER!" Filli-Second shouted.
"I see." the Masked Matterhorn said. "And what will you be doing while we're rescuing whoever needs our help?"
"Well, since the time-stream says I have you bring the Power Ponies and the Mighty Machines in this world," the Doctor said rubbing his bruised leg, "I'll just travel to the past and pick them up."
"Good luck, I guess." Korra said.
The Doctor closed his eyes and disappeared. Derpy then cried.
"HE'S GONE AGAAAAIIIIIN!" Derpy cried with tears.
"Well... I guess we go to Heong-Hua." Asami said.
"Hold on." Kuvira said. "None of this makes any sense. What does Heong-Hua have to do with the Red Lotus? And if Raiko is the Red Eye, why would he wait until now to return?"
"Phew." Pinkie Pie said placing a piece of paper at the table. "Look what I found. It's some kind of message."
"Pinkie, where did you get this?" Zapp said.
"I guess it must have been in the Red Eye's bag I rummaged through the other day." Pinkie Pie said. "I guess I accidentally swallowed it. You wouldn't believe what I went through to get it out."
"I think I do." Rarity said levitating a pencil and scooting the paper away from her.
"What's it say?" Mistress Marevelous asked.
Mako looked at it and read it out loud. "'Glad to hear you escaped. Now, the situation has changed. Your objective is to kill the Avatar now. Apprehend her and more instructions will come your way. Signed, the Red Eye, aka..."
"What?" Radiance asked. "What else?"
"It... It's obscured." Mako said. "There's some kind of frosting stain."
"I'll fix that." Discord said. "Bippiti-boppiti-boo!" He zapped the paper and several letters appeared above it being scrambled.
"Discord, you're making this in Equestrian language." Twilight said. "These humans have a different writing style."
"Relax, I made this universal." Discord said. "What reads as our language to us, it's their's to them."
Suddenly, a few letters were revealed. When it was done, everyone was surprised and shaking their heads. They couldn't believe the name they're seeing.
"The plot thickens." Anar D said.
The name is crystal clear in both languages to everyone. They knew that out of everything that happened that day, this was truly unthinkable.
"Xai Bau"