A few hours later...
Twilight, Rarity and Applejack sat at a table in the second Rainboom hideout in Manehattan. There, they began debating on what to do next.
“Ah should have known this would happen...” said Applejack as she gave disgruntled look at Twilight. “Just when you say we can finally stop thieving, this happens!”
“This situation is still under control Applejack.” said Twilight with a slight scowl. “Trixie Lulamoon and Sunset Shimmer are both knocked out and tied up in the other room. We can still do a work around with this situation. I even soundproofed the room, if they wake up, they won't be able to hear us.”
“Oh that's just nice and fancy Twi...except for one simple thing sugarcube...WE GOT CAUGHT!”
“Calm down darling.” said Rarity as she sipped a cup of coffee. “We won't get anywhere if you keep overreacting.”
“Can it Rarity! This is between me and Twi!” yelled Applejack as she turned her head to Twilight. “So tell me, what do we do now?!”
“I already told you this Applejack, we'll keep them here and I'll go and get us pardons with Celestia.”
“That's fine and dandy and all, except the fact they saw who Rainbow is! Didn't you say that would put both her and Scootaloo in danger?!”
“I did, that doesn't mean that we have to throw in the towel though.”
“Ugh...you have got to be kidding me...” said Applejack as slumped down in her chair, facehoofing at the same time.
“Listen Applejack, everything will work out fine. Don't worry, before you know it you can go back to your job of bucking apples, okay?”
“No...it's not okay Twi...”
Twilight then turned around, looking at a desk she had set up in the room. There, a computer sat, observing the room Sunset and Trixie were. Twilight go up and began to use the equipment, making sure they could see the whole room.
“Looks like Sunset Shimmer is about to wake up...” said Twilight as she stared at the computer.
“What should we do darling? Should we just let her stir for a while or go wake her up?”
“Hmm...let's let her stir for a while...I still need time to think out our next move Rarity...”
“Oh great...more thinking...What a fat load of apples that will do!”
“Stop that Applejack! You know this situation is not Twilight's fault yet you keep blaming her!”
“Who else am I supposed to blame?! Isn't she the one that turned us into thieves in the first place?!”
“No, she's not. You know that this was your choice in the end, Applejack. Just like the rest of us.”
“Yeah...dumbest choice ah ever made...”
“Would you say that if that didn't happen to Rainbow? If we didn't get caught?”
“...Ah don't know...maybe...”
Rarity's face turned from calm to anger, “Applejack! How dare you!”
“What?! What was ah supposed to say?!”
“Oh I don't know, maybe no?! Seriously, what is wrong with you darling?!”
“Ah...put an apple in it, Rarity...”
“Good grief darling, just stop blaming Twilight for everything.”
“Ugh...what should we do Twilight?”
“I'm still thinking.”
“Yeah...thinking...great...”
Twilight then turned to Applejack with a scowl on her face. “Well, what else am supposed to do Applejack?! Huh?!”
“Oh, ah don't know, maybe have some spirit and figure out how to fix this!” yelled Applejack as steam fled from her nostrils. “Because the way it looks right now, I say we're as doomed as a harvest with no apple trees!”
“Just give me a minute Applejack! This isn't easy!”
Applejack then got off her seat and walked over to Twilight, her head in front of hers. “No! Ah ain't giving you a minute! Yer Twilight! The Twilight ah know wouldn't be afraid in this situation, she would find a solution and show me a face filled with confidence!”
“That's what I'm trying to do!”
“No ya ain't. The Twilight ah know wouldn't be scared all the time like you've been!”
“I am not scared!”
Rarity then spoke up, “I have to agree with Applejack there darling. You have changed over the past few months.”
“What...” said Twilight as she slowly slumped in her chair. “What...do you mean?”
“It all started-”
“Calm down Applejack darling, let me talk to her.”
“Oh please Rarity, she needs a good talking to!”
“Not with your attitude, she doesn't. Go sit down Applejack.”
“Ugh...fine...”
As Applejack sat down, Twilight walked over to the table and sat down as well. Then Rarity began to speak. “Look darling...ever since the...Element of Harmony thing you did in the Everfree Forest, you've been a very different pony.”
“What do you mean?”
“Remember when we stole from the Shining Diamond Bank?”
“Yeah...why?”
“When I watched you hack the computer at the bank, I saw a very different Twilight. I saw a Twilight as she furiously hacked the computer.”
“What's wrong with that?”
“What I mean darling, is that all the other jobs we had done...you were always confident and daring. Here, you looked like you were desperate and uncomfortable in the situation.”
“I did?”
“Yes. You looked like...well...it was like the heists we did there and after that were just there to distract you Twilight. In fact, I was very surprised when you said you were going to see your family.”
“What do you mean? Was it bad that I went and saw my family?”
“Well...no. It's just, we all knew you had problems with your family. Even more so when you had that incident in Canterlot.”
“Yeah...I just...I just wanted to make amends with them.”
“Twilight darling...listen...you just...how do I put this...you just seem scared all the time recently. It's like you don't know what to do with yourself anymore and I think that really scares you.”
Twilight's head slowly drooped down as she said, “Yeah...you may be right...ever since the Nightmare Moon incident and almost dying from it...well...I just...I don't know...I thought I could change things, yet...in the end, I'm still just a selfish brat...”
“You are not a selfish brat darling. You're just lost right now and you won't ask your friends to help you find your way.”
“I...”
Applejack's mouth opened as she sat in her chair with a face of disgust. “She's saying you've suddenly become weak Twi!”
“Well...I...”
“The Twi ah know wouldn't be scared of some stupid magic mumbo jumbo saying she has to save Equestria or whatever. She would stand there and say no and...ah don't know...make sure she didn't have to do it!”
“That's enough Applejack. Yelling at her isn't going to help.”
“Tch...whatever...”
Twilight looked at the computer again, seeing that Sunset Shimmer had fully woken up. She scratched her head as she said, “...Look girls...I'm sorry about what's happened to me recently...”
“You don't have to apologize darling.”
“I know...it's just...when I inherited Harmony and beat Nightmare Moon...I thought everything would be great when I made the Element of Darkness so Celestia would stop following me...I thought...I thought that with making that element, everything would be able to reset back to normal...”
“I hate to say it darling but that isn't happening darling.”
“I know...thank you Rarity...I needed that talk.”
“Of course darling.” said Rarity as she drank some more coffee, glaring at the Applejack who just sat there pouting. “Darling...if you ever have a problem, just tell us.”
“I know...thanks.”
“Now that we had are oh so great therapy talk, what are ya going to do now Twi?” said Applejack as she gritted her teeth.
“I...” said Twilight as she suddenly put her hoof over her eye in pain, “Ugh...”
“Harmony still calling you darling?”
“Yeah...it feels like something is coming...I think Harmony is telling me its almost here...”
“Does that mean that magic mumbo is about to attack us?! What do we do now?!”
“Well...instead of worrying, I'm going to start handling the current situation.” said Twilight as she got up and went over to the desk, “I'm going to put on a disguise ring and talk to Sunset Shimmer.”
“Are you sure that's a good idea?”
“Well...we need them to understand the current situation. Besides, as long as I don't use the Dazzling Bubble disguise, she hopefully won't recognize me.”
“If you say so darling. Should I try and contact Pinkie?”
“No...let her stay and help Fluttershy and Scootaloo at the hideout. They'll need help caring for Rainbow considering what happened to her...that being said...hopefully I can resolve this situation and get the pardon so I can worry about whatever threat is about attack Equestria soon...”
“Well, I'll at least agree with you there sugarcube...”
Twilight equipped and disguise ring and began to think. 'Let's see...this color scheme is different...now what is one the names I haven't used...Ah! Shimmering Paper! That will do!'
Twilight then opened the door to where the two ponies were tied up. There she walked in and sat down in a chair, staring at Sunset.
“Greetings Sunset Shimmer, it's nice to finally meet you face to face.”
“...” said Sunset as she glared at Twilight. Her face showed a sour expression, not wanting to show any happiness or kindness whatsoever. Sunset's mouth then slowly opened up, “You...you're the leader, aren't you? The leader of the Rainbooms...”
Twilight didn't flinch. She knew Sunset was in some way connected with Celestia so she knew she wasn't dumb. “Yes...I am. Tell me Sunset Shimmer...are you a student of Princess Celestia?”
“...Yes...I am her head student. How did you know?”
“Well...I expected as much...it's my job to know all sorts of things.”
“You figured that out because of our fight on the train to Saddle Arabia a few months ago, isn't it?”
“Yes...I did...”
“Hmph...I expected as much...”
“Well...let me tell you this Sunset Shimmer, we are not going to harm you in anyway.”
“Oh really? Wouldn't it be better for you to kill us? Then nopony knows that there's pegasus with rainbow-colored hair on your team.” said Sunset in the most sarcastic voice possible.
“Do you want us to harm you?” said Twilight as she raised one of her eyebrows.
“...No.”
“Good.”
“So...can I ask you simple question Rainboom?”
“Sure, what would you like to ask?”
“What's your name?”
“My name is Shimmering Paper.”
“Is that your disguise name? Because I already know what those rings do. You made them, didn't you?”
“Yes...yes I did.”
“Then I want to ask you only one more question Shimmering Paper.”
“And what would that be?”
“Could you take the ring off and talk to me directly? You know, as Twilight Sparkle?!”
Meanwhile in another part of Manehattan...
“You called for me Smoking Brick?”
“Yeah, come on in Shady Wheel. I got something real good to show you.” said Smoking Brick as he signaled his men to get ready to jump Shady Wheel. Shady Wheel slowly entered the office, casually looking around. As he entered, one of the ponies closed the door behind him. “I hope you brought the bits because look what I got!” said Smoking Brick with a huge grin.
“Ah...the Crystal of the Dawn...” said Shady Wheel as a small smile appeared on his face. “At last...”
“That's right! Now give me the bits Shady Wheel!”
“Heh heh heh...no...I believe our partnership ends here Smoking Brick.” said Shady Wheel as continued to chuckle.
“What did you just say?!” said Smoking Brick as he face flooded with anger.
“I said...” said Shady Wheel as the Crystal of the Dawn began to levitate into the air, out of Smoking Brick's hooves. “Our partnership is over.”
“What the...how did you...you're not a unicorn!” yelled Smoking Brick as saw the crystal fly through the air. “You...aren't you an earth pony?!”
“Ah yes...I forgot about that...” said Shady Wheel as he put his hoof on top of his head. He then removed it and it showed a horn. “It's a very simple illusion spell, just to hide my horn.”
“Your horn...its blood red...”
“Yes...” said Shady Wheel as he opened his bag he brought with him and showed the Ruby of the Inferno and the Stone of the Clouds. As the three jewels began to levitate in the air, Shady Wheel said, “At last...I made these so long ago...”
“You...made them?”
“Yes...I did.” said Shady as the Crystal of the Dawn and the Ruby of the Inferno attach to the Stone of the Clouds. Then the three jewels exploded in a huge stream of magic. Smoking Brick and his men then saw the magic then be absorbed into Shady Wheel's horn. Shady Wheel then gave a huge malicious grin and fire immediately flew out of his horn, blasting Smoking Brick's men.
BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!
“Augh!” “It burns!” “Help!”
“What...what are you...” said Smoking as he saw magic flow all over Shady Wheel, changing his appearance. His skin turned from blue to gray as his hair turned jet black and smoke fumed from his eyes. Shady Wheel then slowly said, “Well...since I am about to kill you Smoking Brick and you have helped me tremendously...I think I'll tell you who I am.”
Smoking Brick trembled as he saw the unicorn approach him. “Who...who are you?”
“I...am King Sombra...and I have returned to reclaim what is rightfully mine, the Crystal Empire!”