"....So after I was done with her spell, I introduced her to my fists. Repeatably. 20% faster than fast! Man, that was cathartic!"

Sitting in her room later that night, a pair of controllers in hand and a active game of Super Mario 3D World ongoing (That last green star had to be somewhere dammit!), the two sisters were going over the fight with the camouflage of jolly jazz soundtracks to not spill the beans to the parental units.

She could understand why some heroes would come clean to their parents, like Jaime Reyes, but Rainbow didn't feel quite ready to do that. The last awkward conversation she had with them had been bad enough, and she still wasn't sure if them 'knowing it already' would help or make it all that much worse.

"That's pretty cool, but... don't you think it's kind of scary?" Scootaloo admitted nervously even as she idly stomped on a few goombas.

"Huh?" Rainbow blinked, Scootaloo's tone bringing her up short a missing star on her score count.

"Well, Sunset's always been kind of scary, even without powers. Now that she has them, well..."

"Please," Rainbow chuckled, patting Scootaloo on the back. "It's not like this is anything to worry about Scoots, Sunset knows that I'm just as powerful, if not more so, than she is."

"Yeah, but the idea that someone like Sunset can do all of that, and take punches from you like they were nothing...It's kind of scary."

Rainbow opened her mouth, ready to tell her that Sunset did not take punches like she could, and froze.

She saw the fight again, clear as day. Her blood was hot, her heartbeat echoing in her own ears. Deep within, she drew on something ephemeral yet immense, constantly under the surface. It resonated, and her skin tingled as her entire body was infused with power.

Opposite her stood Sunset Shimmer, but something was wrong. Before, she had seen Sunset as she always was: a condescending bitch.This time, however Sunset seemed....panicked? Her expression seemed off, yet something primal in her recognized it, and she made frantic motions with a glowing hand. Right before Rainbow's sparking fist hit her with twice the power she'd used to flip the cars, a shimmering blue aura manifested as Rainbow delivered the first true attack of their entire fight.

Sunset's eyes always irritated Rainbow. They were smug, arrogant, always filled with a gleam that said, "I'm better than you, and I always will be. And there's nothing you can do about it." It had always taken enormous restraint on Rainbow's part to not deck Sunset at every opportunity, but there, Sunset's eyes were different. They were tiny cyan pin pricks, fully dilated. Furthermore, Sunset's expression was anything but the confident look she always wore, rather it seemed like it was...

Not the startled "oh that surprised me," or the usual "Oh god that's a spider kill it kill it!", but something Rainbow almost didn't recognize simply because she'd never truly experienced it and only had media as a guide. It was true, mind numbing, blood curdling fear for one's life.

But...why? Sure, Rainbow was going to beat Sunset up, and sure it would leave plenty of bruises (and, if she was honest with herself, she'd overreacted to thinking Sunset was going to kill her, but then again this was Demon Bitch Sunset Shimmer, so who knows), but she'd never intended to kill her. Just beat her up, okay a lot, and sense she was a super too, it made sense to not hold anything back-if movies and games had taught her anything, holding back in this situation never helped. So, why the primal fear? Unless...

Rainbow's heart froze as images flashed through her mind: Sunset's aura shield, made split seconds before the punch, her panic, the fear in her eyes.

Rainbow has assumed Sunset was super durable. After all, why wouldn't she? It only made sense that, if they got their powers at the same time like it seemed, they might have some similarities (granted Sunset lucked out in the power variety department). Besides, it was a standard super power in super heroes and villains all over, so why wouldn't Sunset have it?

Sunset wouldn't have been afraid for her life if she knew she could take the punch. The rest of the fight, she'd been enveloped in the blue aura, but not before.

Rainbow has assumed. She has assumed Sunset could naturally take super powered punches, that her bones wouldn't shatter and organs rupture from one measly little super punch. But, it was obvious now Sunset had to focus, spend time to get her shield up. If that was the case, if she'd been just one second faster...

Scootaloo snapped her out of it after a few moments, at which she realized she was pretty sure she had a power up the last time she checked.

"Oh, sorry 'bout that Scoots. Was just wondering if I had forgotten any homework. Those damn online assignments always get me."

She laughed that last one awkwardly, and tried to drown out her worries with some Mario, but the thoughts still lingered.

Even the other omnipresent worry of 'did I have enough digital only math assignment' didn't manage to overcome it.

With a bit of humming, the DVDs and imported figurines were adjusted back to perfect.

The blue wearing master of performance plopped down on her bedside, ready for the best of late night dubbed anime.

The best kind of anime. No subtitles, little censorship, and all hosted by a C.G.I robot voiced by Steve Blum.

Oh wait, she knew exactly what would make this night even better: she still had to open up her KRate!

Rubbing her hands together in eager anticipation, she opened it with a grand, sufficiently hammy display.

"Yes! Now I have all the important figurines from Code Geass!" Finally, she could use them to act out all of the pairings!

What followed next were mostly minor things: a pen labeled as being property of Honnouji Academy, a 9000+ sticker, a keychain featuring a a flaming skull with sharp shades, a bumper sticker that said 'Awesomeness has been passed my family line for generations (complete with sparkles), and a poster of a short, chubby man in white, frozen in preserved perfection as he gave one of the greatest speeches even spoken by a sinister seeker of being slain in suitably supreme conflict.

But she was satisfied with them, yes very much so. Definately more so than last month, which was entirely themed around Moe titles.

She prepared to get off up the bed and put her new treasures where they belonged, when she noticed the box wasn't yet empty.

A clear crystal, no larger than her T.V remote, and she could not tell what it was made of.

DIamond? Glass? Quartz? Trixie didn't know what it was, or why it was in her KRate?

The flashing the crystal did, a blue glow deep within the crystal: initially erratic but slowly stabilizing as if a heart had been restarted, did not answer her question.

It did, however, alarm the girl to a point she nearly dropped the crystal to the ground.

A sudden urge swept over her, as the anime fan managed to catch the gem before it hit the ground: holding it tight to her chest.

The light within continuing to dimly pulse, like a heart. It flashed like it throughout the Toonami nightly showing.

As Rainbow was not an anime fan herself, or at least not one who'd stay up to midnight to watch it, she was asleep.

"Congratulations Rainbow! Ya' really did something wonderful today." Dream Applejack said, patting her friend-like on her back in a way she hadn't in years.

"It was simply marvelous darling, marvelous! In fact, I feel the need to design an entire fashion ensemble devoted to you for your deed!" Rarity beamed.

"We'll have a party!" Dream Pinkie was about as easy to figure out as her real self had been: i.e requiring context.

"But before that, we'll be having a assembly so all the students can bask in your glory and herald you for your actions on Saturday." Principal Celestia told her, smiling at her as she offered a delicious looking cake. "I've even taken the liberty of passing you for all your classes until you graduate preemptively. B's of course, you need to actually earn an A."

"Oh yeah, I'm totally awesome." Rainbow stated nervously, not entirely sure what was going on, "So, mind reminding me what I did that was so awesome."

"Don't you remember silly? We're going to give you the bestest "Congratulations you're a brutal murderer" party that's ever been had!" Pinkie said jubulantly, hopping in place and throwing red and pink streamers everywhere as she unfurled a massive picture of a blood stained Sunset Shimmer lying in the dump, a gaping hole in her gut and intestines spilled everywhere.

"Why, you killed Sunset Shimmer. You killed her to death." Fluttershy stated simply "Now, give me a big old kiss you killer."

Fluttershy did not say that in a 'you monster' sort of way. No, she said that as if to imply that she wanted to....

Rainbow's eyes shot open as she broke out of the dream, barely avoiding screaming. Her entire body felt cold and sweaty, the dream still haunting her even as she began to really take it in.

She honestly wondered if she'd have preferred to have dreamed she had gotten arrested instead. That dream....

"I never thought I'd say this about Sunset of all people... " Rainbow admitted, her eyes staying wide open without a single hint of sleep to them, "But please, be alive in school on Monday."

She remembered finishing the fight with one big blast.....but now the question was where was she?

Slowly opening her eyes, she found herself not in the dump, nor back in her own little place.

Instead she found herself in what looked like a.....laboratory or something. Computers, beakers, graphs, giant posters of the periodic table (honestly it was impressive humanity had found so many elements) and that Einstein guy on the walls.

Said poster suggested that this wasn't a government or nefarious organization laboratory. Most nefarious laboratories lacked posters, at least in theory.

The sound of a twirling nob got her attention, causing her gaze to slowly turn towards a set of expensive looking microscopes (probably all more advanced than anything found in Equestria and would remain so for at least another three decades if she had to guess), where someone was looking at something.

The someone was dressed as one might assume a scientist was (a white lab coat. Did they have a dress code or something? Could you get them for cheap at crazy science mart?). The human had frazzled hair, the likes of which would probably make Rarity have a conniption. A pair of large glasses were at the side of the telescope, which said human was looking into.

This activity ended as the human turned her way, revealing a teenage girl with dark hair with pink highlights. Briefly squinting at her, she reached for her glasses and placed them back on her face before speaking.

"Oh yes, it's very fascinating. It has a unique appearance when viewed under a microscope. If I had to offer a hypothesis, it is likely because of your powers, barring an unrelated mutation. I saw you land with them active, but I had never suspected it could also affect your hair. It's quite interesting."

"Also, did you know your blood is Type K. Was that the case pre or post empowering....or were you born with powers?" the girl was starting to get more and more exited as the questions began to build up.

"I'm...not sure." Blood drives were something that had not been invented in Equestria yet, and blood transfusions were not done. Supposedly. (Sunset recalled a positively fascinating book in the forbidden section at the archives that that promised power if one "blended" one's blood with that of a powerful soul, and brought it back into the body. Of course, Sunset discarded it instantly, because blood is icky).

"Your molars are unusually strong, while your canine and incisor teeth are unusually weak and dull at their tips." the girl was now starting to invade her personal space. "Also, I noticed your teeth were unusually new looking for a teenager.....do you possess shark like qualities to regrow teeth?"

"Can we not talk about my teeth for a moment...." she noticed the girl was about to speak again "or my blood, or my toenails, or anything else."

"Oh. Well, this is Canterlot City, my basement. I could tell you the street number, it's relative location with major landmarks, or it's latitude and longitudinal coordinates, but you aren't really in any position to move right now." And there's the pain she's been expecting, oh oh yes, that's, that's definitely heavy bruising. "My name is Twilight Sparkle."

So, did she not respond to the nut's question, or did she? On one hand, nothing good could come of revealing her identity. On the other hand, she was in massive pain and locked in this girl's basement and at her mercy. The answer was obvious.

"So, how long have you had your abilities? Were you born with them, or did you recently suffer a genetic mutation? If you did suffer a mutation, what sort of activity were you exposed to? I have maps of every area in Canterlot with possible industrial contamination, each path and trip of radioactive material through here....."

Sunset wasn't sure how to respond to her questions as she kept asking them without seemingly a need to breath. After all, not only was she talking faster than a caffine high Pinkie Pie (why did she think that was a good idea?), but she was also asking questions with a lot of complicated answers.

After all, would it really be a good idea to tell this girl she was an alien? She liked her organs inside her body, thank you very much.

".....Have you experienced any unusual behavior, like suddenly bursting into song, flames, or...."

"Singing while on fire? No, I've pretty much kept quite good there." Sunset interrupted her before she could continue,avoiding the question of how long she had her powers.

After all, she wasn't sure if she had gained new magics, or just got her magic back after a hiatus.

"Really?" Twilight stated, not looking quite convinced "Your injuries are severe enough that I cannot see how you got them unless you...."

"Believe me, you're never going to meet someone like me." The best lies were the ones that were true, from a certain point of view. After all, how many other Equestrians in human form were up and about?

Looking absently around the lab, she noticed a poster for something called 'Griffin Rock University'. Noting her eyes, Twilight's eyes beamed.

"Oh, you know about GRU. It is only the best college in the world, leading the world in so many advanced sciences, and they're already looking my way! The best and brightest all went there: Ezra Greene, Emmet Benton, Issac Sumdac, Lucy Suzuki, Anna Baranova...."

All names Sunset did not know, or frankly cared for. One thing she had noticed about humans is that there were two distinct naming patterns they seemed to use. Names that sounded like pony names, and those that didn't.

She vaguely recalled history classes mentioning something about why that was. Something about a movement against 'sinful names and names that rob from the glory of God and His Chosen'.....but she really didn't care. It didn't show up on the test, so it just slipped away.

Also, given that Trucker Celestia was going there, she wanted nothing to do with Griffin Rock, human faith movements or no human faith movements.

".....I know that Principal Cinch wants me to do Everton and the colleges that fund it, but Griffin Rock has always been my dream. You understand my conundrum, right?"

Celestia preachy lesson number 9. She was pretty sure no human had ever said anything like that.

Continuing to gaze around the room, Sunset's eyes eventually rested on something quite unexpected.

It was a locket, much like the one she took from Rarity, and the one that she tried to take from Rainbow. However, given that she hadn't brought Generosity with her.....

"Oh, that." Twilight caught her gaze and noted the device with some interest, "Yeah, that is a little conundrum there. Found that after a odd meteorological phenomenon some time ago, my dog Spike brought it to me from a bush: Pokeweed I think. It has a strange energy signature....but for the life of me I have yet to figure it out."

The immediate response in Sunset's mind was to get up and grab it, however bar the bruises there was another issues at hand.

The fact that the last time she had grabbed one of those things, it had hurt. A lot.

Why did that happen? Rarity's hadn't hurt. The locket didn't hurt Rainbow when she had it, and this girl wasn't looking at it like it was a pain device.

They certainly didn't have a one person per use lock: if that was the case she'd have Rarity's trio of diamonds burned into her skin just like Rainbow's little logo (she hoped that faded away).

Or would it do something else? If she took a Element Harmony from Twilight Sparkle, could it do something other than burn like dark magic?

And here she had someone who had touched that thing safely, was intelligent, and most of all was probably not at her level in cunning and wile.

Raw brain power....Twilight was probably be as close as any human to her, but there was more to life than just smarts. It was how you could apply them.

"Say, I actually found one just like that one the other day." Found, took from a fashionista wannabe, same thing.

"You did." Twilight sounded just as interested as she had been when discussing her various odd body parts.

"Yes. Now, what about this: when I'm able to move I can bring it here and you and I can try and figure it out." Given that Twilight had more resources than she did, while she actually had a semi idea of what these were.

"That's great! We can unlock something incredible. Just imagine it......we could solve the energy crisis! You and me, killers of Big Oil!"

"So, deal partner?" Sunset grinned momentarily before pain returned, even as Twilight eagerly shook her hand in affirmation.

Sunday found a dark figure crouching on the roofs of Canterlot, occasionally leaping between buildings in a search for justice.

At least, that is how it would look on the surface. In reality, Rainbow Dash, dark dressed mystery woman, was in contemplation.

'Even if it was Sunset Shimmer, she was still a person. It's not my place to pass that judgement'.

A sudden image of her punching a car, causing the inside of it to explode in fiery death rang through her mind like a tsunami.

The orange blur came by, and Rainbow realized she could not make out the car's model, or it's license plate.

She tensed, ready to move as the blur came to a stop in an alleyway just below her, coming into focus in the form of a black and orange suited person. The suit, which was spandex and looked more comicbook than she did, covered all but the lower face, which revealed a very large, pointy chin. Purple tinted goggles protected the person's eyes, making it impossible for Rainbow to see what this guy had for hair color.

"Huh huh huh...suckers. Left old Shining Armpit all the way back at that Walmart." chuckling to himself, the man reached into his spandex and pulled out a large wad of cash.

"I don't know who designed this suit with an interior pouch, but the fact I don't have to spend any of this cash on ointment is wonderful."

"Plus, I hardly think that anyone is going to object to Wal-Mart losing a few Benjamin Franklins, don't you think? "he said while looking up right at her.

Annoyed she jumped down from above, landing with a good wumph in front of the orange speedster, though this was no Barry, Wally, Bart, or Jay.

"Well, I heard some talk in the bars between this little town and that pay-for-prisoner prison I was stuck in until now about some superhero. I thought it was a bit farfetched, even with the new tricks..."

"So, now that I know that you aren't just some urban legend...is it the same with you?" he asked as she frowned behind her cowl.

"Well I wasn't always this fast." the criminal stated, before darting off and returning to her with a ice cream sandwich. Rainbow scowled as she heard a child begin to cry In the distance.

"Yeah, one day I was being transferred from one private prison to another, a merger or something I really don't follow that stuff...and I got knocked out. I woke up and I had this neat, surprisingly stain proof suit..." he sped off and returned again, this time with a Newspaper he flipped through.

Mr. Spandex was quiet for a moment. "Buddy, are you in for a shock once someone actually shows you. Just stay away from Tumblr, you are too old to hashtag," he called out.

"Anyway, as I was saying, this speed, and an open door. So tell me, you the same?"

"What? No. I am not a criminal and I've never been to prison!" though this did raise a lot of questions. She'd try and remember them and write it all down later.

"Hey, I'm only a lowly Detroit pickpocket! I'm not a real criminal, though I suppose now I have to change that. Hardly going to get back to college after this....but who cares? I'm too fast for college! Plus, I think with this new me, I need a new name. What about.....Nanosecond?! Yeah....that's the stuff..."

"That's it, buddy, steal my child's ice cream one more time, and see what happens!" a very pissed off mother called out, followed by the pumping of what sounded suspiciously like a shotgun shotgun.

Rainbow and Nanosecond stopped for a second. While much of his face was concealed, Rainbow couldn't help but delight in his moderately worried look. She also had a sudden, if mild burst of fear about this neighborhood if the average mother had a shotgun on hand.

She'd think about this quite possibly Young Justice shit later. First, she'd grab this guy.

Darting forward suddenly, she reached for Mr. Sandwich, ready to grab him and make him pay for his crimes....

The comments she gave to Sunset shortly before she started hitting her flashed through her mind, even as she felt herself slow down mid lunge.

Nanosecond saw this, and rapidly backpedaled out into the streets, even as she crashed into the nearby wall.

"Whoa! Well, I'll say this: you are fastest thing I've had attack me since I started moving! Well, maybe not as fast as those Cheetah I stole, well not stole really because when some legit criminal guy has two in a cage I doubt they were legal and I'm sure that Zoo that has them now happy and healthy is going to give them back, but still decently fast. But not enough to catch Nanosecond!"

And with a deliberate sound effect to mimic a certain cartoon roadrunner, he sped off. Leaving Rainbow in a hole in the wall, hurt in both pride, and various bruises.

Rainbow pushed herself out of the wall with a groan. After a moment, she reached into her costume and took her phone. She jumped as far as she could go from the exposed streets to the protected rooftops. Once she was suitably isolated, she removed her mask and answered the call.

"So, I see you are having some trouble Rainbow Dash." An unknown voice spoke from the other end of the line, sounding somewhat off. Not drunk or mad or anything, but something about how this person talked just set her off.

"Who is this?!" Rainbow questioned, "Did mom set me up with some phone tutoring service again?"

"If you need help in astronomy or mechanics perhaps I can be of some help, but I am no tutor. I am merely an observer who has noted your first encounter with the one called Nanosecond."

Did someone already know her secret identity!? Man, she sucked as a hero is that was true.

"Look, I don't know who you are, so why should I listen to you?" she questioned the voice.

So, a strange person named Stoplight wasn't a part of some strange organization with street themed naming huh? Odd....

Rainbow noticed that she was close to that odd stoplight Scootaloo told her about a while back. The one said to be used as a monitoring device by someone.

"Now, my code name aside, I have some interesting data for you that you may find useful." Stoplight the mysterious voice began to explain, "Your powers, for example, are generated from a interior energy core that was formed from an exposure to alien energies of unknown origin that my group has detected in this city for years."

"Aliens huh...." Rainbow honestly wasn't surprised. That was a logical explanation for what had happened to her.

"You sound more convinced than the people on the History Channel, and I don't know if I should call that good or not," The Stoplight deadpanned, "Anyway, based upon the analysis by those a lot smarter than I am...." great, so Stoplight had friends, "...your powers have a few quirks. I could explain how it is tied into your metabolism, but really minus a onset of something like anorexia it won't be a problem for your health. However, your emotional state does impact how you perform."

"Um, that is normal you know. I've always performed worse when I am not at my best in the heart." the fact that after everything with her former friends went to hell she was off her game for a month was proof of that.

"You did the part where you lost speed and power mid attack against Nanosecond because of something in your head, right?" Stoplight deadpanned as Rainbow pinched her lips.

"Your powers won't flow right if you are dwelling on negatives. If you want to be effective, you have to be positive. You have a highly evolved mammalian brain, use it. When you are positive, your powers will do what you need them to. The City is interested in the potential of people like you Rainbow Dash, so why don't you show us the same person people see on the sports field?"

Okay, so he was part of some vaguely sinister sounding organization, the City, that had her on their radar. Good to know....

"Nanosecond is 10 blocks up robbing up some offices. I'd go and stop him, after all you are the only human who can." with that Stoplight hung up on her.

"Sure....because our local alien is taking an nap and the local sewer ninjas are on a pizza run." Rainbow snarked, before she ran for the side of the roof.

She then, with a great grin, leaped across from one roof to another. Because she could.

No matter who Stoplight was, he did have a point. She was the only one who could stop Nanosecond.

"Man, these offices sure have a ton of these things." Nanosecond quipped as he kicked a empty plastic water jug through a glass window.

"Do they have camels working in the cubicles?" His snark unappreciated, the speedster entered the office and looked at the various culturally diverse knives hanging on the wall.

"...Camels in the cubicles, and apparently Steven Seagel in the head honchos chair...." Nanosecond spoke in a tone that made him sound vaguely uncomfortable, "...where are these things even from? Oman? Slovenia? Kyrgyzstan?"

"My name isn't Stan...." Nanosecond replied in reflex, only to be struck in the face by the dark dressed superhero from earlier, "Also, that was a fist."

"Punchistan isn't nearly as quippy." Rainbow snapped back, even as she looked at her fist.

The last time she had hit someone like that, it had been a lot messier. But this time....

He looked hurt, but he didn't look like she had put him in a hospital. It was only a brawl level bruise.

"Okay there girly, you are a bit faster than you were just before? Let me guess, you stretched this time? No matter...." darting forward, he punched her in the face and sent her flying back out of the head office and into the regular one, pushing up dust from the carpet as she flew.

"I can still hit you faster!" he was above her in seconds, a empty office water cooler in hand with the aim to whack her with.

"Debatable!" she blocked the water container with her head, shattering the plastic and continuing her headbutt attack right at him.

His evasion was high though, so her momentum only caused her to stumble awkwardly momentarily as she retook her balance.

"I see...you are fast and tough and can hit like a city bus. You might even be able to fly." Nanosecond mused in a lull in the action inaccurately. She could not fly, she'd tried. "however, I can still move faster than you. It doesn't if you can move fast, I'm faster! If it takes you 2 minutes to run over and get actual Chinese food, I'd have already been there for 30 seconds!"

However, there was more to a race than speed. Yeah, that had thrown her off when she had found that out back when.

"Now I could continue to fight, but that's not going to accomplish so much so......later!" he sped towards the door, ready to vanish into the wind. Or to Detroit, whatever was more poetic.

She spotted another of those corporate water dispensers (seriously, why were so many empty ones here?).

She briefly considered kicking it right at him, but it was probably safer not to hit him directly.

As Nanosecond darted towards the door, the dispenser bottle flew over him and landed right in front of him. Too close to react, Nanosecond tripped over the container and skidded right out the door.

She was quick to follow, with one of her crime fighting essentials she had on hand.

"Hey!" He struggled as she pinned him on the ground, his face in the carpet, as she bound his limbs. His feet and hands were now restrained, and this knot would hold.

"Let me tell ya' somethin', this knot can hold ev'n a buckin' bull!" she heard Applejack drawl in her ear as she finished off the apple family favored knot.

"Can it hold your bull though?" she whispered to herself as she stood over the struggling speedster.

"Well, I'd stay and chat, but you've got a date with the justice system, and actual handcuffs. Sadly they aren't in my budget. Goodbye!" she ran off towards the back of the building, leaving the struggling Nanosecond behind.

"Damn it! Let me go you....this isn't funny! I am not some animal to be abused by some circus! I hate the circus, it's filled with clowns!"

For ever since Nanosecond had began to speed around, he had been followed discretely by a stealth drone. It observed his every move and sound with HD visuals, and while it had not gotten any images of his opponent when Nanosecond wasn't speeding about she had gotten quite a lot of shots.

So, the field test of the first commercially available superhuman, Speedster 1, is a success I'd say. Certainly a longer active time would have been nice, but you can't argue with what he accomplished.

And look at that other one, Model Unknown. Who made her, America? Do you want to be left out in the new age of war?

Look what happened to those without horses? Guns? Blitzkrieg?

So, whose interested in obtaining the Speedster 1 powerset? Ship a expendable soldier to a to be revealed location and get back a superhuman? The price starts of 17 million.

King A. F, King of Kings: I have money for such a soldier. I can afford dozens.

Attinger: Hmmm, impressive. I'll be following the production line, though I must admit I'd prefer something more suited for industrial actions.

F. Rich: I must agree. A speedster is an effective soldier, but not an investment I am willing to make as a businessman.

A highway deep in the American Interior had a blue car pulled off at a rest area.

It was one of many cars in America today, and it was a typical blue no one would bat an eye at. However, the conversation inside was nothing so typical.

Nor was the government issue laptop currently watching the business dealings that had sprung up as the attack ended. And how, from F. Rich, more and more names kept coming up.

"......Yeah, I just managed to get up here to Yellowstone country from the border. It's the same here as it was down there, well except for a few things, and not counting what you and I are seeing down in the dark net."

"Elaborate." a powerful voice came out of a blue tooth device clipped to the car interior.

"Well up here I had to spent far too much time convincing 3 different ranchers that their unexplained and now classified cattle killings were not the work of wolves, though why they think wolves are capable of projecting Bond-level lasers is beyond me, I feel that whoever is responsible for this is not the same as whoever was using some kind of Force power to throw border crossers into the Grande. Both actions are extreme, but it's more of a crazy left thing to kill rancher cattle to protect wolves. It's a crazy right thing to chuck people over the border."

"No Sir. I am pretty sure both incidents are lone wolves, if you'll forgive the pun. The both of us are seeing the aftermath of the Nanosecond presentation, or Speedster 1 as they are dehumanizing him as, and if you count his challenger we now know of 4 very definite cases of empowered people running around the country, and you know what sir? I very much doubt that they are the only ones."

There was a noted silence in the car for a few moments, as the man at the other end thought about it a bit.

"So far, we have only gotten reports domestically from the Lower 48 states, but I would not be surprised if we start to see Canadians and Mexicans affected. Who knows how long until this super empowering spreads worldwide, particularly the ones who aren't being made by our mysterious organization currently testing interest in despots and big business. The President and I agreed that there are countries and organizations who will certainly take advantage of these people, and that was before we saw Kim Jong decide that he wants more than firecrackers."

"I'd bet my star-spangled shorts that Russia will soon follow. I'm honest to god shocked that no V. Putins or Bear Wrestler P's are on this talk page of nightmares."

"I'm honestly more worried about a terrorist organization than an actual state. No one needs a IRA or Boko Haram Superman. For that reason, I've begun discussion with the President and all other necessary individuals...."

"...That was highly implied, for the creation of a task force meant to be an official response unit to superhuman actions. I've already begun looking for skilled military men to form the back bone of the operation as a basic structure; I'm looking to tap an old friend of yours for the job: Duke I believe you called him out in the field."

"That he is. However normal men are not whom the focus on this team should be on. For that, I'm changing your assignment slightly Fowler; keep investigating reported superhumans, but your no longer just reporting it back to me and the president. If you believe the superhuman in question is recruitable, I task you to do so."

"Correct. In fact, once you have recruited a few and gotten them in working order I'd prefer you go after both of them. No priority of course: starting a secret government team of superhumans is problematic enough without adding political bias to it."

"Got it sir.....so got any ideas where I might find some sane super-people? I'm a little bit away from Canterlot after all, and you are going to do something about that, right."

"I've already sent a message to the commissioner of Canterlot to hold Nanosecond and not blow up about it. It helps I doubt any officer can prove what happened and be seen as sane. I've already sent Duke to up Nanosecond from them, perhaps we can recruit him. In the likely chance he thumbs his nose at the offer, I do have a lead about a possible superhuman in the mountain town of Griffonstone for you to investigate......"

She glared at the phone momentarily, briefly considering breaking it, but she was pretty sure that would violate her phone plan

So she grabbed it, and prepared for the inevitable frustration when she found out that Snails wanted someone to team up in Overwatch, and she'd once again have to remind him she didn't care for Overwatch's gameplay and to go bother someone else

I am Pleased. The long delayed age has begun at last.

U.t.W

What was with her days recently? Early Monday she had a bizarre person text her, Sunday she had a legit supervillian and secret agent Stoplight, and Saturday she and Sunset....

A cold shiver ran down her spine, like the one one felt when you realized a test was today.

Or at least, it was many hours before she'd see it anyway, but that only made her dread the clock more.

....

'Please let Sunset be alive, please let Sunset be alive....' Rainbow chanted in her mind as she walked into school many restless hours later, scanning the school uneasily for any sign of the infamous bacon haired monster.

Rainbow looked up, hoping that she had bumped into old leather jacket and be relieved, but she found another large ego before her instead.

"Trixie knows that her mere presence is blinding to lesser beings, but if you could be so kind as to watch where you going?" Trixie drawled, looking much as she ever did, bar the new necklace.

A clear crystal with a faint blue center was it's main feature. Rainbow wasn't a certain obsessed former friend of hers, so she had no idea what it was supposed to be, probably some anime thing.

"Do you dare look at Trixie's stunning new necklace!?" Trixie demanded as Rainbow shook her head.

"Good. This is Trixie's crystal." As Rainbow could have sworn the crystal's center beat like a heart at the last declaration the girl huffed off, probably aiming to go and improve her 3rd person in front of a mirror or something.

As she left, Rainbow saw a familiar bacon haired foe staring at her from across the hall.

Noticing a slight err in Sunset's stance she had seen in many sports injuries a feeling of shame washed through her. Though seeing her not look at her best also made part of Rainbow's self soar with great joy.

The feelings were contradictory, and if they persisted in equal methods Rainbow may require a shrink.

However before that became necessary a familiar interruption appeared in front of her, blocking Sunset from sight.

Rainbow liked to think she had not given any indication she and Sunset had been in an all holds bared fight, so she didn't know why the Principal had searched her out. Principal Celestia did not look amused, though she didn't look angry either. That was a good thing...probably.

"No. Why?" She hadn't seen Sugar Rush Princess anywhere recently. Her ears had appreciated it.

"Because she's been missing since she finished her shift at work after school on Friday." Pricipal Celestia stated in a tone that was now filled with concern.

"Now, I know that you and her used to be friends with Pinkie: is she at your home? I know she and her family are very....different, but I cannot say I have ever see any signs that it was a problem..."

"She's not at my house." Rainbow stated bluntly. Like she'd let that traitor stay with her.

The moment that thought finished another replaced it: the image of a crying, beaten Pinkie Pie at her door, looking like she had just escaped from hell and wanting somewhere safe to be, eyes glistening in desperation and fear.

That..was not an easy image to push aside. So, maybe she would let that traitor stay with her, if she looked like that.

"Sorry to bother you then. If you have any information, do tell me and I'll bring it to the police's attention. I can only hope she'd alright."

Celestia promptly peered down the hall, where an infamous stetson was perched upon a head of lies, probably to see if she knew where Pinkie had gotten to.

'Hope you'll alright Pinkie' Rainbow thought to herself, unsure of how worried she should be of her former friend.

She was erratic, but this was odd even for her. Just up and vanishing was more out of character for her than Fluttershy swearing.

A city built upon history and the future at the same, what had once been founded by Puritans had since been forged into a great city of the modern age: familiar with the past but embracing the future with arms wide open.

On the lower level history sparkled; buildings older than the nation itself long preserved and respected. A place of tourists, school groups, and rather good beer.

But look up, and the brick becomes shining steel. Rings of progress standing above it, glittering with the glow of the modern era and housing sky piercing buildings and great highways where the machines of man move faster than the pigeons who fluttered below.

In a few places flags flew. Some bore the mark of red socks, others of a guided B. But a few flags were most notable: a light blue flag with a large central star, orbited by smaller ones.

The stars looked akin to those who often came with stripes, though such a flag flew no more. It was long dead.

The death was long enough ago that few remembered it, and those who do said good riddance. In such a time where that had flown cultures clashed and brought pain and suffering to all. This city had been the heart of a people who had their foot on the gas pedal, and the others ones who had it on the break.

Now the opposing culture was not bound to them. It was an enemy, and they could move towards their own viewpoints free of it. But perhaps they had forgotten how to use the brake since then, or saw it as wrong entirely.

"Attention Citizens. Attention Citizens. A Class Cadance news announcement is about to be aired in 2 minutes. Please access or gain viewing of a public news outlet, or a private one with streaming capabilities." a voice announced seemingly everywhere.

At the mention of the word Cadance, many began to murmur in terror. At least one Duck boat braked so suddenly a young child's ice cream lobbed into the head of an old man, and the old man complained not.

Another duck was in an accident when a jogger rapidly stopped in shock at the announcement, and tripped on a mallard.

Duck related issues aside, many hundreds of thousands of Bostonians dashed for any place with a T.V, a streamable device, or a computer: all looking on in dread.

For such a name to them, was a name that heralded the greatest loss of life the nation had ever experienced. A veteran of world conflicts that had long since gotten too numerous, yet a single name brought upon a sense of fear and hatred that it would be hard to find even during the hay day of Balkan Brutalities before the First World War.

As the two minutes came to a close, every device found itself with a grim looking newscaster on it. In Boston, she was a aging blond.

In the heavily reinforced Potomac Militarized Zone he was a grim faced General without his left hand.

Regardless of where or who spoke it, with what specific words or tones, the message was much the same at it's heart.

"The Benevolence Society has recently discovered and attempted to handle a unprecedented incursion by the enemies of humanity into the New England Federation. These two, representing the forces currently committing unspeakable crimes against humanity in Europe, broke into New York and caused millions in damages and put several Benevolence Society in the hospital. For reasons unknown they damaged a sewer tunnel with a large blasted hole and strange crystals of unknown origins and toxic incarnation radiation, nearly destroyed precious Bosnian, Slovenian, and Hungarian artifacts at the Memorial Museum of Europe, severely damaged 3 streets, and attempted to link up with underground Purification for Earthly Renewal terrorists, all of whom were promptly faith-stripped and arrested. However, the initial intruders of our security remain at large and are no longer within New York city limits."

"One of the New York intruders is none other than the infamous Pinkie Pie," each news giver now had an image of a poofy haired girl with wild and confused eyes on screen, "It is unknown how she has managed it, but she has changed her appearance to try and be a facsimile of a regular teenage girl. She may seem harmless, but she has developed a psuedo-incarnate ability to teleport herself, others, and even her limbs by an unknown method. Yes, we are not kidding: Pinkie Pie can now appear behind you at any time and...."

What the news announcers were describing across the land were drowned out by terrified screams of many: parents, lovers, benevolent bosses, and others. Many others expressed the fear of this revelation in other ways: the newscasters all looked like they could see Pinkie Pie committing the unthinkable to their loved ones and were visibly shaking, while the general grabbed where his hand had once been as if he could see it happening again

"With her is an unknown individual on whom data is still limited," the news continued, with some like the pointy eared Detroit newscaster requiring a few more seconds to recompose themselves, before showing an image of another, older woman, "This individual has been dubbed a class 0 Incarnate type, possessing a power level rare among all lifeforms. She defeated Thomas Thumb the Trainman in one on one combat and displayed unaltered magic levels not seen in New England since Cadence."

That made many, especially those in the city where said fiend was defeated, New York, tremble in fear.

"Why she has not appeared before now is unknown, but we do have a name for this individual: Sunset Shimmer. If you encounter these two, do not engage. Alert the Benevolence Society immediately, and run. Run for your life."

Equestria Girls: The Empowered World

by KrspaceT

Menace of the Mind and Nanosecond