Equestria Girls: Secrets Beyond the Stars

by GoldenGoomba900

The Crusaders Do Something

Inapan stared at the portal in the Canterlot statue, unaware she was being spied on.

"Is she doing anything?" Sweetie Belle asked, Applebloom shaking her head.

"Nothing, she's just poking at that statue!"

"Not so loud, do you want her to hear?" Scootaloo asked, unhappy. "Haven't you guys spied before?"

"Well, once, but I don't like to think about it..." Apple Bloom shuttered, remembering why she didn't talk to Big Mac much anymore.

"Wait, something's happening!" Sweetie Belle pointed out, the other two joining her. Inapan got up and took out a strange device, sticking it through the portal. It looked like a plumber's snake with a view-screen, mostly because that's what it was... you know, except more alien and futuristic, with those weird floating rings on it. As Inapan poked and prodded, the three children had passing ideas.

"We could push her in right now, she'll never know it was us." Scootaloo suggested.

"You really are accepting of this whole "portal" thing, ain'cha?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Says the girl whose sister is half-horse." Scootaloo shook her head. "I say we try it. It'll save them a lot of grief."

"What about whatever's on the other side?" Sweetie Belle asked. "It might be dangerous."

"Who cares, she probably has a gun or something." Scootaloo said.

"I don't think she's worried about Inapan." Apple Bloom mumbled as she watched the alien work her device.

"What if we just... talk to her? Like, annoy her so she leaves?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Isn't that just delaying the inevitable?" Scootaloo asked.

"I'm shocked you even know what that word means." Sweetie Belle commented. "Besides, everything we do is delaying the inevitable regardless."

"That's weirdly philosophical." Apple Bloom pointed out.

"I saw it in a movie." Sweetie Belle said as Scootaloo took the lead, moving out of the hiding spot and approaching Inapan.

"Be careful..." Apple Bloom warned.

"Oxygen levels normal, gravity slightly lighter than Earth's, but nothing too harmful... No signs of life." Inapan mumbled, taking notes as Scootaloo came from behind and tapped on her shoulder, reaching only because she was kneeling down. As the destroyer of worlds turned around to look at Scootaloo she saw no real threat or presence from the child. "What, what do you want?" Scootaloo blanked, realizing she hadn't thought up anything to discuss.

"Uh, I was uh... Your belt!" She pointed to Princess's belt, the item of unimaginable (to the human mind) power that was also really tacky. "I was wondering uh..."

"I like your belt!" Sweetie Belle said, coming from her hiding spot to assist. "Where'd you get it?"

"...This?" Inapan asked, taking it off and revealing her large, glowing, translucent wings to the girl's amazement. "I suppose I shouldn't expect you creatures to know what these are, given your bare-bones technology. It's a power inhibitor. It keeps my powers in a normal, balanced position as to not meddle with the rules of society... but given what's transpired, I suppose it's only purpose now is to make me look pretty for my darling Flash." Her tone was condescending, yet playful. She didn't notice Apple Bloom sneak behind her and investigate the portal herself, as well as take the pad Inapan typed her notes upon.

"Well, it looks really nice. Does it come in pink?" Sweetie asked.

"Or orange?" Scootaloo chimed in.

"Pah, the gems come in 97 Trillion colors perceivable perceivable by my kind. Celendrial, Stenian, and Abnorma are but some of which you will never see."

"It looks red to me." Sweetie Belle points out.

"Maybe I just happen to like the color you call red."

"So, wait, we're kinda skipping the whole wings thing." Scootaloo pointed out as Apple Bloom motioned for the two to keep her busy. "You can fly, right?"

"Pfft, flying. Such a childish name for it, but yes." She flapped her butterfly-like wings and levitated about a foot in the air, looking down upon the two. "I don't see why you're so excited, my sister tells me members of your kind know of flight as well."

"I suppose, in a manner of speaking." Sweetie Belle said as Apple Bloom returned, carrying a tablet from the library and setting it in place of Inapan's.

"Well, it was nice talking and all but we have cleaning to do." Scootaloo took Sweetie by the arm and pulled her away as Apple Bloom made haste.

"Pfft, humans." She shook her head. "Hard to believe they have almost all the same genomes as my husband." She picked up the tablet and blinked as the tale of The Divine Comedy was set out in front of her. She backed up and choose another section, stumbling upon Night of the Living Dummy. The process repeated once more, and as she found herself face to face with The Pokey Little Puppy she realized what had just happened.

The crusaders wisely hid themselves in one of the school's bathrooms, looking over the thing they'd stolen.

"So we have this thing now... and she doesn't." Scootaloo said, trying to figure out the confusing language displayed on it. "What do you think it is?"

"Well it's obviously a phone." Sweetie Belle said, taking it from her and skimming through what she hoped was a bunch of programs. Before she got much further, a message in the alien language popped on screen.

"Uh..." Apple Bloom tried to make heads or tails of the strange language. "Hit ignore."

"How do I do that?"

From inside the saucer, the source of the text was unhappily waiting for a response. Tested paced the halls, waiting for her sister to answer so the two could ambush Twilight and Fluttershy, who were currently holed up in the archives. "The one time I message you and you aren't answering! Why in the heavens a-" She received a response that was complete gibberish in any language (except on Surveillance Asteroid 3359, where it would be code for "excecute the prissoner"(sic)). Not knowing that code, she sent her sister a worried "is everything OK?"

"Another one!" Sweetie Belle said, annoyed.

"You're not doing it right, give it here." Scootaloo took the machine and picked a few choice letters at random, resulting in more gibberish.

Getting the idea that Inapan had either sat on her pad or was in trouble, Tested weighed the options between capturing two of the eight thorns in her side or going to make sure her sister was safe. Her decision was... actually, her decision took her several minutes to contemplate; the allure of capturing two unusual specimens meant more clones and more energy to be researched and investigated. On the other hand, her sister, the one friend she had as a child was possibly in grave danger, and if she died it was heavily unlikely humans would have the equipment to revive her. Stomping her foot, Tested left Fluttershy and Twilight behind to go do the right thing.

---

As the furious Inapan stomped her way through the school, the Crusaders exit their closet.

"OK, the coast is clear." Apple Bloom tells the other two as they come out of hiding. "We should probably tell our sisters about this..."

"About what?" came the voice of Time Turner.

"Oh, hi Doctor Turner!" Sweetie Belle greets cheerily. Before the others could give an excuse, she continued. "We took this thing from the aliens and we dunno what it is."

"Sweetie Belle!" he gasped. "That's not like you three at all! Stealing from people, I- wait, the alien?"

"Good job blabbermouth, now I get to hear the "don't be a thief" speech for the third time this semester." Scootaloo shook her head, trying to give Turner the pad. The key word is "trying" as he pushed it back to her.

"Ooooh no no no no!" He said, backing away as the girls stepped forwards. "I already fought my fair share of aliens for this week, you girls are in GREAT danger! She didn't see you take it, did she?"

"Well, she didn't see Apple Bloom, does that count?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"You girls are going to be in a LOT of trouble if she finds you, potentially lethal trouble, do you understand?"

"Should we give it back?" Apple Bloom asked.

"No! Oh no no no! You are in enough danger as is. Just... go hide away, try to find somewhere safe. I'll tell the other staff about this."

"Wow, thanks Mister Turner!" Sweetie Belle smiles.

"Yeah, we should steal things more often." Scootaloo announced as the girls began leaving, single file, carrying their prize as Doctor Turner realizes he might have sent some mixed messages.

"We should probably tell our sisters," Sweetie said, beginning to text Rarity. "They might be interested in this." As they continued away from the scene of the crime, Tested rushed passed, missing them by mere seconds as she went to investigate her Sister's lack of response.