Ponygoyles

by Alphamon_Ouryuken

Chapter 10: Shadows And Secrets (Part 4)

"I still don't trust that guy…" White Knight said as he prepped one of his guns. "If anything, I think we should be on guard in case of a trap or something-"

"Brother, few even know of those creatures…" Spellbinder interrupted while sharpening one of his knives. "...if he did and contacted us, that means they MUST know of our duties."

"...and you don't find it the least bit suspicious that they somehow knew about us?" White Knight asked in an uncertain tone. "Don't get me wrong, I understand how important this is, but something about how this has all been set up feels a little… off…"

"Be that as it may, I highly doubt that we'll ever get a shot like this again…" Night Hawk chimed in as she put on her mask. "Don't you think the risk might be worth it?"

"...I …it will… but I'm still allowed to be worried, aren't I?" He fired back, his voice while dripping with sarcasm.

Spellbinder simply snorted as he finished loading one of the last weapons before pulling his mask down. "Well, all our stuff is loaded. If you want to stop now this is your last chance, brother… and maybe our only chance at taking out two of these monsters." He stated firmly.

White Knight narrowed his eyes before turning his attention back to the screen, which still displayed the image of two captive slumbering Ponygoyles. As much as he hated to admit it, this was too valuable of an opportunity to let pass by. "...fine, but the moment this comes close to being an ambush or a trap, we're pulling out. Got it?"

"Got it." The other two responded as they got in their vehicles. White Knight soon hopped onto his and they all took off into the night sky… though Knight had a gut feeling this was going in a very different way his siblings thought it would...

---

At roughly the same time as the sun began to set, a Police Car pulled up just outside of Manehattan Park.

"...and then Stormbolt runs into the office screaming 'Don't drink the coffee!'." Cadence chuckled as she stepped out of the vehicle. "Let me tell you, it took us a week to clean up the break room."

"Jeez. Shame I missed it!" Her partner Flash chuckled as he got out of his side of the vehicle. "Seriously, how is Storm THAT unlucky?!"

"Oh, it's the riddle of the ages." Cadence said with a smile as they walked into the park. As they approached the lake, the duo came across Twilight's statue, right where they had left her. Still resting... still recovering.

"Good thing no one managed to find her..." Cadence mused to herself.

"I don't think there's much we could do to move her though. She looks heavier than an average statue." Flash said as he felt the statue over. "It'd have to consider the stone's own weight and then the warm body underneath-" He continued, only for Cadence to give him a quizzical look.

"Did you take masonry at some point?" She asked with an arched brow.

"My aunt was a bricklayer, picked up a few key points whenever she came over." Flash elaborated, casually glancing at the package Twilight's statue seemed to be holding close to her chest. '...what could she be holding that's so important?' He thought to himself before turning his attention back to Cadence. "Hey, do you kn-WOAH!"

Before he could ask, several cracks began to form across the statue's body as it started to shake in place, as if something was thrashing within it, trying to escape. After a few seconds, the outer Stone layer shattered to pieces as Twilight let a powerful roar and spread her wings.

"Aaaah… oh, that feels much better." Twilight yawned once her roar died down. She then turned her attention to the two Equines. "You made the right choice trying to resume your normal lives while I was in stone."

"Wait you could see and hear all that?" Flash asked.

"It's a gift unique to those of us who are attuned to Magic." She explained as she observed her reflection in the lake water, picking a few bits and pieces of stone out of her hair. "When we focus our magic just right, we can sense and sometimes hear events that transpire around us while in our stone slumber."

"That's... actually kinda cool." Flash said. "So before I lose my train of thought, what's in the box you got there?" He went to touch the box before Twilight's tail whapped his hand.

"It's called my personal business, so mind yours please." Twilight snapped back defensively.

The Pegasus hissed as he withdrew his hand in slight pain, his ears flattening as he flinched at her abrupt change in tone. Flash narrowed his eyes in and was about to respond… only for Cadence to step in-between them.

"There's no need to get hostile Twilight, he's just curious… especially after what happened last night." The Unicorn explained.

"It's… it's something that I'm supposed to retrieve, and even I don't really know what's within it. Your guess would be as good as mine." She replied in a nervous tone. "I-I need to get back to my clan."

Cadence shared a look with Flash before stepping forward. "Look Twilight, you remember how I said I'd help you get used to this new world? It'll be harder to do that if you don't completely trust us, and with everything that went down last night..."

"I… I understand." Twilight sighed as she put down the box and opened it up. Whatever she was expecting however… it certainly wasn't a rock with a strange six-pointed star carved into it. "What in the… it's… just a rune stone?"

"Hold the phone, do you say rune stone?" Flash of interjected, getting a good look at the orb himself. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't those incredibly rare? How in the world did you get your hands on this thing?"

"I'd like to know the exact same thing..." Cadence added as she inspected the artifact. "Twilight, what exactly did you and your sisters do last night?"

---

Meanwhile at the castle, the others all began to awaken as well. From the entrance to the balcony, Spike watched as they started cracking through their own stone skins with yawns so fierce that it was akin to a roar.

"OOOOH YEAH! That was a good rest!" Pinkie said with a smile.

"Agreed." Her Azure sibling sighed as she flared her wings and started stretching. "I can only hope Twilight and the others found a safe place to rest..."

Fluttershy noticed the discomfort in her sister's voice and gave her a gentle hug from behind. "I'm sure they're safe, the city is a big place after all. There's plenty of areas they could've hidden..."

"But what if they're in danger? What if they're somewhere that could-" Rarity started, getting herself wrapped up in a ton of possible scenarios before Spike places a hand on her shoulder.

"Rarity, you… you can't constantly worry like that…" He said in a reassuring tone. "We'll find them I promise."

"Actually, my boss may have a solution to your query." A familiar voice chimed in, the group turned to see John exiting the hall.

"But we don't have any queries!" Pinkie chimed in… right before whispering to Rarity. "What's a query?"

"It's a question or something you're pondering." Rarity said before turning towards John. "Well if he does, we'd like to know what it is. We've been worried about our sisters since we came back."

"Of course. This way." John motioned behind him.

---

A few seconds later, the group had once more gathered in Fancy's personal office. The Unicorn in question was typing on his computer, his expression much more distressed and aggravated. "This isn't right, how could they have moved so quickly?" He grumbled to himself as a few of the screens behind him turned on, earning several gasps from the group once they all saw what was on the screens…

...their sisters, caged and trapped!

"NO NO NO NO NO!" Fluttershy gasped as she saw the videos. "Wh-when did… how did… Fancy what's going on?!"

"I'm sorry you have to see this, but apparently the Hunters are a lot more versatile in their efforts than I gave them credit for." Fancy explained in a solemn tone as he turned his attention to the screen. "While you were resting, I received this image from an anonymous source. However, I have no doubt that it was the Hunters trying to send us a message..."

"You mean... those vicious brutes are behind all this?!" Rarity growled, clenching her fist as her eyes glowed.

"Indeed. However if this is the case then you need to be careful. Flying into this headfirst could get you all killed. You need to play this smart-" Fancy said before Spike slammed his fist into a nearby wall.

"They have our friends!" He snarled in fury, smoke erupting from his nostrils. "They think they can just screw with our family this and you want us to just sit this out?!"

"What he's saying Spike…" The Azure sister interjected. "...is that we can't simply let our emotions drive our decisions. Least we end up in the same position as our brethren…"

"...w-where's Twilight?" Pinkie Pie asked, her normally poofy mane now looking somewhat deflated. "She… she isn't there… but she didn't make it back last night either…"

"She should be fine. There's… no need to assume she was captured as well." The Azure sister attempted to reassure her, although her tone betrayed her own worries.

"But either way, we have to come up with a plan that doesn't just boil down to us charging in." Fancy interjected. "We have to play this smart. Starting with figuring out where they are."

"And how, pray-tell, are we supposed to do that?" Rarity asked, her eyes still locked onto the screen.

In response, Fancy pressed a few buttons on his desk, resulting in a small door on the right side of the room opening up, revealing the artifact they had retrieved stored in some sort of cylinder. "The artifacts I had you retrieve have a unique magical signature," He explained as he got up from his desk and approached the cylinder. "...and when used properly, my devices can properly scan for the similar signatures throughout the area."

The group could only watch as a smaller hatch then opened right next to the cylinder, revealing a flat green screen. Fancy placed his hand against the screen causing it to glow for a few seconds as it scanned him. The artifact within the cylinder then gave off a bright yellow glow, resulting in the screen displaying their captured friends quickly shifting to an aerial map of the city.

And soon it began to zip towards a specific spot. "There, they seem to be located by the docks." Fancy smiled.

"Then we have to get there as quickly as possible." Rarity said without even a sense of hesitation. "We'll show them that they can't intimidate us with such a cheap scare tactic."

The Azure sister was about to respond, however, just then a second signal immediately showed up on the monitor as the alarm started going off. The map on display immediately shifted its focus to a deep purple orb… that was heading straight for the tower itself…

"What the-oh no, are they taking the fight to us?!" Fluttershy shivered nervously and she took a step back while Spike exhaled more smoke from his nostrils.

However at that very moment, Pinkie Pie's wings started to twitch, and her worried expression was replaced with a bright smile. "No, I think I know exactly who that is…"

---

"Okay… so where are your sisters gonna show up?" Flash asked with a hint of nervousness as they waited atop a nearby building.

"Stay calm Flash," Cadence stated as she stared at the castle atop the tower. "As long as you're on good terms with me and Twilight, her sisters shouldn't give you too much trouble.

"That reminds me…" Twilight began as she turned to face the Unicorn. "We actually managed to reunite with another one of our brethren, she's a little sterner, but she-OOFF!!" The lavender Ponygoyle was immediately cut off as a pink blur tackled her to the floor.

"TWI! OH THANK THE STARS YOU'RE OKAY! WE THOUGHT WE LOST YOU AND NOW-" Pinkie gasped as she turned her attention to Flash. "YOU MADE A NEW FRIEND?! WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SO?!"

"N-new friend?" A timid voice asked from behind the Pegasus, startling Flash who jumped upon hearing her. Looking over his shoulder he was greeted by the sight of a very light yellow Ponygoyle, though this one had feathered wings. "H-hi... I'm Fluttershy."

"Uh… hi?" He replied awkwardly, slowly approaching her. "The name's Fl-"

"That's close enough, Equine."

Sadly his words, and path, were cut off as the Azure sister quickly dropped down in front of him and spread her wings protectively, prompting him to take a few steps back.

"And who exactly are you two?" He heard a deeper voice ask in a more stern tone. Flash turned around to see, much to his shock, a grown Dragon land before them, his eyes narrowing as he glared at both Flash and Cadence.

'What the heck is a Dragon doing in this part of Equestria?' He thought, taking a nervous step back… only for Twilight to step between the two.

"I should be asking you the same thing!" Twilight fired back in a harsh tone, her eyes glowing menacingly.

To her surprise however, the Dragon looked… hurt? "T-Twilight?" The Dragon asked as instead of retreating from her glare... he reached forward. "Twi i-it's... it's me."

"Um… what do y-" Twilight started before her brain started putting the pieces together… the purple scales, the green spines, the docile emerald eyes, and the same kinda protective attitude of a guard dog. "Y-YOU?!"

"YEAH! This is Spike!" Pinkie cheered as she gave the Dragon an affectionate pat on the back. "The same Dragon from Castle Horseshoe!"

"I'm assuming you two have some sort of history?" Cadence casually asked, arching a brow as she watched Twilight slowly approach the Dragon.

"He… he was part of our clan years ago…" Twilight explained, her expression softening as she gently placed her hands on his shoulders. "But… how… when…?"

"I-I can tell ya later! Just…just let me have this." Spike said as he brought her in for another hug. "I've missed you so much… I wish I could've found you sooner."

"As heartwarming as this is…" The Azure sister interrupted. "What exactly are these two Equines doing here?" She snapped, gesturing to Flash and Cadence. Both of whom scowled at her dismissive attitude.

"We have names you know." Cadence fired back while crossing her arms, earning a glare from the Azure Ponygoyle.

"Sister please, this isn't what it looks like!" Twilight said as she quickly tried to diffuse the situation. "I invited them here to help us!

"You... brought them here?" The Azure sister said slowly, as if trying to process what she just heard. "You WILLINGLY brought them here and endangered our sisters without-"

"ENOUGH! For your information, these two saved my life!" Twilight fired back as she flared her wings, silencing her sister. "After that incident last night, I was too weak to get back home and… I was attacked by some masked assailant…"

"Wait, assailant?" Rarity chimed in as she approached Twilight. "Did you by any chance get a good look at them?"

"No, I was too far away. But they defended me and gave me enough time to find a place to recover." Twilight explained, giving the two of them a look of gratitude, to which they simply smiled back.

"Well, we DO thank you for defending our sister." Rarity said with a weak smile. "We needed a win today after what happened to Rainbow and Applejack."

"Wait... something happened to them? Where are they?! Are they hurt?!" Twilight asked with fear growing in her voice. "I should've tried to come back earlier, oh I'm so sorry!"

"We were heading to where they're captured right now. You can come with us... if you've got time that is." The Azure sister said with a sneer at the two officers.

"These people who abducted your sisters…" Cadence began as she stepped forward, not the least bit bothered by her piercing gaze. "...did they happen to wear a mask with three claw marks on it?"

Everyone went dead silent upon hearing this description as they started at the two.

"I'mma take that as a 'yes'..." Flash sighed. "That assailant we had the 'pleasure' of dealing with? Same mask, so I'd say we have a mutual enemy."

"The Hunter… you… saved her from them?" Spike asked, a bit shocked to hear that. "But, why? She-"

"Hey I'm not about to let some psycho with a gun hurt an innocent person for someone else's fault or for the crime of being born." Flash explained in a serious tone.

"And besides, Twilight helped me. It was only fair I helped her. And even if that wasn't the case, she's a nice girl." Cadence added, giving Twilight a coy smirk.

The rest of the group had varying expressions upon hearing the full details.

Pinkie Pie naturally had the most welcoming expression, her bright smile pretty much sending an unspoken message to Flash: "You're now my friend for life."

Fluttershy had lowered her wings ever so slightly while peering out from behind her Azure sister. While part of her face was still hidden behind her wings and mane, Cadence could see a small smile on her face.

In contrast to that however, said Azure sister was still giving them the stink eye. While her expression had softened ever-so-slightly, she still refused to stop glaring at the two… although she seemed the most focused on Flash in particular, as if she were holding an unspoken grudge against the Pegasus.

Rarity also still seemed slightly uneasy, but gave them a reassuring smile all the same, simply glad to have more than one equine on their side at the moment, yet instinctively remaining closer to Spike.

The Dragon in question seemed to have the most conflicted expression at the time, his eyes occasionally darting between Twilight and the Azure sister…

'This is going to be a long night…' Twilight mentally sighed.

---

"Uuugh... my aching head..." Rainbow Dash groaned as she regained consciousness. Looking around, she found herself in some sort of iron room.

"Where are w-"

*ZZZAP*

"-OW!" She winced in pain as she felt an electric shock go through her body. It was only then that she noticed that there seemed to be some sort of shield surrounding her. "What in Tartarus!?"

"K-keep it down please." She heard a familiar voice groan from another cage right next to hers, a voice that belonged to only one Ponygoyle she knew.

"APPLEJACK?! AJ ARE YOU THERE?!"

"Ah said keep it-!" Applejack began as she got up, before she saw Rainbow and her similar cage. "Rainbow?! The sam hill is goin' on?!"

"Heck if I know!" Rainbow replied, groaning in pain as she sat back down, rubbing her bruised shoulder. "All I remember is that weird living armor that attacked us, we fought it and then... I think I blacked out…"

As Applejack looked around, she noticed that there seemed to be very no windows whatever they were, which no sunlight could get in whatsoever. 'That explains why we haven't recovered from our injuries during our stone slumber…' She thought to herself. 'Whoever's captured us, they know how we work…'

"Look, we're gonna find a way out of this… we're not just gonna stay trapped in here forever." Rainbow said but that seemed to be more for herself than for Applejack. "Our sisters are coming and that law-keeping girl, they'll come and save us… they can do it!"

"I hope yer right…" Applejack sighed as she nursed her bruised right wing. "But at the same time, that's what kind of worries me."

Her sister glanced at her with confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Think about it, they captured us, made sure we can't heal ourselves, and kept us in an enclosed space instead of killing us?" Applejack pointed out. "Something tells me this is all a trap. And we're the bait..."

"That means… crap, is there any way to get free?! We have to warn them!" Rainbow shouted as she went for her cage again, only to get shocked even harder!

"Now WHY would you do that KNOWING ya'd just get shocked again idjit?!" Applejack replied with a groan.

"I… I've… been sh-shocked before…" Rainbow grunted as she struggled to get back up, biting her lip as she staggered to her feet. "And… w-we... d-don't have... m-much time…" She gasped, refusing to let the pain stop her. They had to escape, before whoever abducted them got the upper hand on their sisters…

---

With the pleasantries out of the way the group became focused on their current mission; Rescue their captured sisters and fully reunite their clan. Twilight had asked for Cadence and Flash to follow since if there's any chance they could capture or expose who these "Hunters" were then it's possible that the two Detectives could bring them in accordance to modern laws and justice. After they returned to their vehicle Twi soon took off and followed her sisters and Spike, their car not that far away.

"You know, I don't fully trust those two." The Azure sister said with a glare. "They seem too… eager to be allies. Eager allies make for quickly made enemies."

"Sister, I know you have your… grievances regarding the Equines, but this is a different time than what you're used to." Twilight explained in a reassuring tone as they continued to fly. "...and given there are so few of us left, we'll need all the allies we can trust."

"Besides, Fancypants is the reason we're free and he's an Equine!" Pinkie Pie chimed in, gliding up to the right of her Azure sister.

"That is true, but I'd still try and be careful." She replied. "You never know if they're being honest or just using you to get close."

Twilight couldn't help but notice her dismissive tone when she said this. "Sister, is there something-"

---

"-bothering you?" Rarity asked as she flew next to Spike, the Dragon focusing on the screen on his watch which displayed an aerial view of the city… and the exact location of their brethren. "It's just, since we left you've been quiet… quieter than Fluttershy, and that's saying a lot…" The White Ponygoyle continued before glancing at her sister. "...no offense dear."

"None taken." She shrugged.

"I.... no it's fine... I'm just worried about Twi being too trusting a bit ya know?" Spike said with a light chuckle.

Rarity however, could tell that something was off about Spike… VERY off. He seemed more tense and scared, as if he knew something really bad.

"Spike, whatever is bothering you… you can tell us." Fluttershy said in a more calming tone. "I know it's been well… a while, but we're still part of a Clan remember?"

Spike felt a pang of guilt upon hearing that, but couldn't bring himself to say anything.

"...for the last time, no." They all heard the Azure sister retort as she flew past them with Twilight and Pinkie.

"But I need to call you something! 'Sister' is getting a little redundant." Pinkie explained as they caught up. "I know! How about Moondancer?"

"No."

"Starlight Glimmer?"

"Definitely not."

"Dusk Shine?"

"That sounds like a male name."

"Sunset Shimmer!"

"That doesn't even REMOTELY fit!"

"OH! OH! What about Trixie?! Cause you always loved doing those neat illusion tricks back at the castle!" Pinkie exclaimed with a ton of excitement in her voice. "C'mon! Trixie's a good name!"

The Azure sister rolled her eyes and groaned in annoyance. "Pinkie, for the love of-"

"Just let her have this sister." Twilight chimed in, trying to surpass a giggle. "Besides me and... Spike, she's named all of us so far..."

"I... fine, Trixie can work." The newly christened "Trixie" said, though her tone carried a hint of embarrassment in it. "We should be getting close anyways so please TRY and be serious for a brief bit?" She retorted to them before flying forward.

"Aw, we're growing on her!" Pinkie giggled, playfully nudging Twilight as they continued to fly.

"Y-Yeah, I'm sure we are…" The lavender Ponygoyle chuckled before turning her attention to the car far below them. 'I just hope they're ready for what's to come…'

Ahead of them, Spike couldn't help but snicker. "'Trixie', really?"

"NOT. A. WORD."

---

"Okay, so you agree something about this stinks right?" Flash asked Cadence as she followed the Ponygoyles and their Dragon companion. "Like hear me out, their sibling. Who didn't get frozen or whatever at the same time as them… just happens to appear?"

"That Dragon rubs me the wrong way too." Cadence agreed as she made another turn, keeping up with them as best as she could. "He seemed fairly quick to avoid actually explaining how he found them… and you caught that look he gave the blue one right?"

"Not going to lie, I thought I was just being paranoid at that point…" Flash confessed, glancing out the window. "...but now that you mention it…"

"I think we need to keep an eye on those two, they definitely know something we don't." Cadence said with a stern look. "And if that's the case then it's possible we might be looking at a set-up."

"Love the kind you can't tell until it's too late." Flash mumbled sarcastically.

"They never make it too obvious, that's why you need to look for the minor details and read between the lines…" Cadence stated as she made another turn. "...I'll keep an eye on those two, but for the time being you focus on the Hunters, got it?"

"You got it. They're not gonna get by me." Flash said with a confident smirk. "Sides I need to pay the mare back for last time."

---

"Alright… we've arrived at the LZ." Night Hawk said as their ship started to hover over the location. "We should start scouting the area for any traps."

"Agreed. Spellbinder? You're going to stay in the hovercraft. Night Hawk? You're with me. We're going to make sure this place isn't rigged to blow or something possibly worse." White Knight said with a firm voice that dared Spellbinder to argue with him.

The two simply nodded in agreement as Night Hawk activated the vehicle's cloaking device. The two Hunters quickly leaped down towards the upper level of the warehouse with their weapons at the ready, just in case.

"Let's see... out-of-the-way Warehouse, late night, barely any security? Yeah, this totally doesn't scream 'setup' now does it?" White Knight grumbled in a sarcastic tone as Spellbinder carefully picked the lock.

"I'm concentrating right now Knight. Could you please be quiet for a few seconds?" Spellbinder grumbled before finishing the lock. "There. Now. All we have to do now is just wait."

"After we make sure this place isn't laced with booby traps." White Knight snapped at him. "Spellbinder, at this point your hate's going to get one of us killed."

"Last I checked, that's what kept our lineage going for so many years." Spellbinder scoffed as the door slid open. "Especially when dealing with her…"

White Knight flinched at this. "She… she is a different case, and even then, we can't let our hatred eclipse rational thought." He stated as Spellbinder started scanning the area with his goggles, making sure none of the security systems were active.

"Alright, scans are clear. Outside of two life forms and their electrified cages, there's nothing else in here." Spellbinder exclaimed… though White Knight did notice the hint of uncertainty in his voice. "Ok brother, you might be right… something about this seems-"

"Too easy?" He interrupted in an all-too-familiar i-told-you-so voice.

"Yes… I get it." Spellbinder groaned. "But the thing is, I don't think this place is a trap for us-"

[Boys? We've got trouble!] Night Hawk's voice interrupted him. [I just spotted five Ponygoyles headed towards the warehouse!]

Their eyes widened under their mask as the two stallions shared a look before rushing back to the exit. "Do you think she's leading them?" Spellbinder asked.

[I don't have to 'think', I see HER as clear as day brothers.] Night Hawk replied, pure rage evident in her voice.

"So the other four and the monster is leading them, something still feels off. Keep on guard Night Hawk." White Knight replied to her.

[Understood... don't know what kinda game they're playing at… yet.]

---

As the clan landed atop a construction site just outside the enclosed port, Twilight wrapped her wings around herself. To say that she was feeling uneasy about the upcoming conflict would be an understatement. 'It's bad enough that we're dealing with a group dedicated to hunting us to extinction, but they even have that strange living armor as well...' She thought to herself.

"So, this is the place?" Rarity asked as she gazed down at the warehouse with a concerned look. "It… doesn't seem like the best place to hold them, I mean-"

"It's about being out of the way." Spike quickly pointed out. "I mean, it's ugly and decrepit… so naturally nobody would think to look there, would they?"

"A fair point…" Rarity nodded as Pinkie started cracking her knuckles. "However, if they're expecting us, I don't think the direct approach would be the best option…"

"Aww, but that's the fun option!" Pinkie protested with a small pout. "Besides, I'm looking to pay them back for when they blindsided me last time!"

"As much as it... irks me, Rarity has a point." Fluttershy said with a flustered look. "So does anyone have an idea how to get in?"

"Well I'm shocked that Rarity seems to have forgotten her trap sensory spell... or has the years dulled your senses as well?" Trixie said with a playful smirk.

The White Ponygoyle blinked upon hearing this remark and immediately looked away, hoping to hide reddening cheeks. "I-I didn't forget! I was… just saving my magic just in case." She quickly protested, ignoring Pinkie's snickering. Narrowing her eyes, she carefully had her claws engulfed in a light blue aura as her eyes began to glow.

"Well?" Trixie asked.

"The warehouse is safe-ish, outside what I'm sensing as an electric field around our sisters, there are no other traps in there. It's like they were-what's the phrase-'gift wrapped for us'?" She said nervously. "Why do all this just to leave them with no other protection?"

"Because they want to lure us in before utilizing their more powerful devices," Twilight stated, getting everyone else's attention as she unfurled her wings. "Think about it, why would they waste their most powerful spells and tools to keep just two of our sisters imprisoned instead of all of us at once?"

"But Twilight I'm literally sensing nothing else in the Warehouse or outside of it... it's just them. I think I would've been able to detect a trap door or something equally dangerous." Rarity said, though now she was feeling unsure of her own magic.

"Maybe they've gotten overconfident," Spike interjected, stroking his chin. "They've already captured two of our brethren, it's possible they think we'll go down just as easily..."

Pinkie narrowed her eyes at this as she extended her claws. "Well then, let's prove them wrong, shall we?" She snarled before spreading her wings and quickly flying towards the warehouse.

"For the love of-PINKIE WAIT!" Twilight yelled as they all swiftly flew after her.

Pinkie busted the doors of the warehouse open, her eyes glowing with a white-hot rage. "Where are ya, you giant meanies?! C'mon, just gimme back my sisters and I won't hurt ya too bad!"

Twilight bit her lips as she landed next to her, glancing around nervously at the massive iron crates and containers that filled up the warehouse. 'I don't get it... where are they...?'

"We can't waste any more time." Trixie whispered, getting everyone's attention. "Twilight, Rarity, and I will free our sisters. The rest of you, find the Hunters and bring them down!"

"But we came here for our sisters, that's what's more important." Fluttershy meekly interjected. "I mean, I know we might have to fight, but we should focus on just getting them freed first."

"Ugh! If we don't take care of The Hunters then they'll just haunt us day in and day out! This is our chance!" Trixie retorted sternly. "Trust me Fluttershy, ponies like these don't quit!"

"What do you mean-" Twilight was suddenly cut off as she winced, holding her hand up to her ear right before her eyes widened. "Everyone stay close to me!" She shouted, immediately summoning a dome-shaped shield before several knives engulfed in magic auras rained down upon them.

"HEY, THOSE KNIVES NEARLY GOT ME AND THE OTHERS LAST TIME!" Pinkie shouted as the knives bounced off the dome shield.

"That means the Hunters are here! Sisters, be ready to tear them apart!" The Azure sister snarled with a barely contained fury.

As Spike and the rest of her sisters prepared to fight, Twilight subtly held a finger up to her right ear, pressing it against a small communicator obscured by her hair. "Thanks for the warning Cadence." She whispered.

---

"No problem Twilight," Cadence smirked as she put away her night-vision goggles before getting out of her car alongside Flash. "Just keep them busy for as long as possible, we'll get to your sisters."

"So what's our role in this? Just sit idly by with nothing else to do? Jeez, I'm so glad that I can be a part of a rescue op like this." Flash jokingly said, earning an eye roll from Cadence.

"Save your jokes for when we're off-duty." She sighed as the two rushed towards the opposite end of the warehouse.

"Gotta make this quick..." She mumbled as her horn started to glow, the lock and doorknob were quickly engulfed in a light blue aura before a single *click* was heard, unlocking the door.

"Seriously? They didn't even spring for magic-proof locks?" Flash whispered as they entered the warehouse, carefully navigating the maze of iron crates and containers. "Either these guys are extremely overconfident or they wanted someone to break in..." That last part made him stop in his tracks as something slowly came into focus. "...Cadence, what if this is EXACTLY what someone wanted?"

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"Think about it. The warehouse is easily broken in? At most just ONE trap to catch them off guard? Something doesn't smell right here and I think it spells out set up." Flash said with a serious tone. "...we have to warn Twilight-"

*CLANK*

The duo froze in place.

"You heard that, right?" Cadence whispered, quietly drawing her gun.

*CLANK*

"Y-Yeah…" Flash nodded nervously as he followed suit. "Is it too much to hope that Twilight and her clan are winning?"

*CLANK*

"No such luck…" Cadence replied as they quickly got back to back, ready to open fire on whatever was making that sound. "Whatever's making that noise… it's big…"

*CLANK, CLANK, CLANK*

The sounds got faster and heavier, until the two of them witnessed a massive iron fist tear through a nearby container…

"WHAT THE?!"

"TAKE IT DOWN NOW!" Cadence ordered as she began firing her gun at the metal hand... right until she realized that her bullets were bouncing off of it! The fist soon tore open the container completely revealing a mechanical red-painted Ponygoyle that had the coldest looking glare.

"Okay, I think it's safe to assume that is NOT friendly!" Flash yelped as he aimed at its eyes. But before they could respond its right arm aimed at them both and there's a blue flash!

---

From afar, Night Hawk prepared her sniper rifle as her allies proceeded to engage the Ponygoyles. "You freaks aren't getting away this time." She mumbled to herself, remembering her previous encounter with the lavender one. "You may have had those two officers fooled with your 'innocent victim' act, but not me!"

However as she was prepping up a shot, a very loud *BANG* went off, preceded by a blue flash of light! 'What in the… what was that?' She thought to herself as she holstered her rifle, soon another bang and bright blue flash... with the shape of a Ponygoyle MUCH bigger than the others silhouetted against it.

'So there's another one of them in the back… wait, that's exactly where-' She narrowed her eyes as she quickly turned on her communicator. "Guys, I just spotted another one near the back of the warehouse, it might be trying to free the others and prepare an ambush. Keep the rest of them busy, I'm going in!"

[WHAT?! Night Hawk, don't you dare-!] Spellbinder started before she headed off, leaving her brothers to contend with their prey inside.

"You're not going to get away... not this time." Night Hawk growled to herself as she headed toward the area where she saw the blast coming from. "I won't... I won't be blind to my mission again."

---

"Of all the-WOAH!" Spellbinder yelped, leaping out of the way just as a green fireball struck the steel bar he was perched upon. Just as he landed atop one of the crates however, he was quickly tackled by Pinkie Pie.

"Hey buddy! Remember me?! Cause I REALLY made sure I'd remember you!" She said with a fanged smile and pure anger dripping in her tone. "How about I repay you for our last little encounter?!"

The Hunter smirked before setting off a smoke bomb and quickly slipping out of her grasp. "By all means… let's finish what we started!" He shouted as he summoned another array of knives before hurling them at her… only for a shield resembling a diamond to appear in their path.

"WHAT?!" Spellbinder yelled before a roundhouse kick to the head sent him flying backwards!

"YOU STAY AWAY FROM MY SISTER YOU! YOU! YOU UNCULTURED BRUTE!" Rarity shouted as she growled at him. "WE WON'T BE SEPARATED AGAIN! NOT BY ANYONE'S HANDS!"

Spellbinder simply smirked behind his mask before pulling out two curved blades, each of them engulfed in his magic aura. "Well then, if you two truly wish to try your luck against me, I'm more than Z to send you both to the grave!" He boldly stated as the two Ponygoyles circled him menacingly.

Meanwhile, Fluttershy carefully peeked from behind one of the crates as her sisters prepared to face off against the Hunter, she then turned her attention towards the back of the warehouse and narrowed her eyes.

Rarity and Pinkie had things covered here, and Twilight, Trixie, & Spike we're handling the other Hunter…

She had to free RD & AJ…

---

"SPIKE WATCH OUT!" Twilight shouted as she yanked the dragon out of the way, a knife swing that almost took his head off.

"Thanks!" Spike gulped before snarling at the hunter. "You got some nerve, you know that?! Taking our sisters and using them as bait!"

"We didn't take them. They were already here by the time we arrived." White Knight shot back as he quickdrew his blaster pistol and fired it at them! Twilight's shield only coming up just in time. "You know I'll say this… at least THIS group seems to value defending each other rather than caring only about themselves." He snarled… though Twilight noticed that line was seemingly aimed at her Azure sister.

"Enough talk! Just end him!" Spike snarled, inhaling deeply and expelling another fireball before the Hunter could retort. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Twilight immediately slammed both of her hands together and fired another burst of energy at him.

The White Knight quickly summoned a dome-shaped shield around himself before the fireball made contact… only for a nasty crack to spread across its surface as Twilight's attack hit it at the same time. "Maybe I was wrong about you! I thought you weren't like the others! But if you're willing to work with that Azure murderer then so be it!" He snarled as he dropped his shield as Spike leaped forward at him and slammed him down.

"The only murderer here is you, now BURN!!" The Dragon snarled as he exhaled a torrent of flames upon him point-blank… only to find nothing in his grasp the moment his flames died down. "What the-"

'So he can teleport…' Twilight thought as she started looking around as she prepared for a sneak attack.

"Nice try, jalapeno breath." They heard the Hunter taunt them from the shadows. Just then, several red lights appeared around the group attached to various crates, containers, and even the ground… right before a powerful burst of electricity struck them from all angles, forcing them to their knees as they screamed in pain. "But you've chosen your fate by siding with her, now it's about time we bought this to an end..."

---

"We should be out there!" Rainbow snarled as she nearly charged at the cage again, only stopping because her instincts forced her to. "I can't stand being cooped up in this thing any longer!"

"Sugar we don't have much of a choice! They're out there fightin' what sounds like a small war!" Applejack retorted before sighing. "We don't got much else we can do unless someone-"

*KRRNG*

*KRRRNCH*

*KRRRRRIP*

The sound of the front doors of their prison being ripped open were heard as Fluttershy soon made herself known. "R-RAINBOW! APPLEJACK!"

"FLUTTERSHY!" The imprisoned Ponygoyles exclaimed with joy as their sister quickly rushed towards them.

"Well you sure are a sight for sore eyes!" Applejack smiled. "How'd yah know where tah find us?"

"Truth be told, I just tried to listen for Rainbow trying to bash herself free." Fluttershy said with a blush. "Now where's a lever to free you?"

*CHHK-CHHK*

A gun was cocked behind Fluttershy as she turned around and saw Night Hawk aiming her plasma rifle at her, now compressed into an assault rifle state. "Well, I think a trigger will do just fine as well don't you? I can't believe my luck… three of you beasts for the price of one."

"If you so much as harm a HAIR on her head, I'll make sure there's not enough left for you to bury!" Rainbow snapped. However, Fluttershy seemed remarkably calm despite their situation.

"...why?"

Night Hawk blinked. "...excuse me?"

"Why… why do you hate us…? She asked once more in a surprisingly stern tone. "...you don't seem to be truly capable of evil, we heard about the cops… you could've killed them-"

"I-I don't do that!" The Hunter interrupted, tightening her grip on her weapon and taking a step back. "I hunt and kill monsters like… shut up! You're trying to distract me!"

"Who hurt you?" Fluttershy asked, giving her a look of both sympathy… and pity.

"YOUR PEOPLE! ESPECIALLY THAT AZURE COLORED MONSTER YOU STAND BESIDE SO WILLINGLY!" Night Hawk shouted in rage, much to everyone's confusion.

"You mean Trixie…?" Fluttershy asked in confusion. "...I'm sorry, but that can't be right. She's only just woken up, like the rest of us-"

*CRASH*

Whatever she was about to say next was immediately cut off by the sound of one of the crates being torn open. Everyone present turned their attention to the direction of the noise to see none other than Cadence and Flash rushing out from the maze of cargo with panicked looks on their faces.

"YOU TWO?!" Night Hawk shouted incredulously. "WHAT ARE YOU-?!"

[NEW THREATS DETECTED.] A mechanical voice spoke with a hollow tone. [SCANNING… SCANNING… SCAN COMPLETE... TARGET IDENTIFIED AS A 'HUNTER' TYPE ENEMY.]

"What… in the name of Tartarus… is that thing?!" Night Hawk could only get out as she could almost feel the fear rising up within her.

"Y-you mean that thing... doesn't serve you?" Fluttershy stammered as she took a nervous step back. "Then who-"

[ALL INDIVIDUALS CLASSIFIED AS PRIORITY ONE TARGETS.] The iron Ponygoyle's eyes began to glow. [COMMENCING ATTACK.]

Author's Note:

Hope you guys liked this chapter! Part 5 will be the climactic battle of this arc! If you wanna see how the development of said chapter is going, Click here!

As always, be sure leave to leave a review. I appreciate your time, patience, and most importantly, your support.

Stay healthy eveyone.

Comments

[Kamen Rider Hyrule]

Great to see another chapter!

[RainbowRaptorDash1]

Keep Going!!! I LOVE IT!!!

[Nitro19]

Good story, would like to know if or when it gets finished though.

[Alphamon_Ouryuken]

11615184

Working on it alongside my other stories.