Chasing Treasures

by Yukito

25 - Ponyville

Sunset recognised the forest below as the Everfree, and she knew roughly where she was from there. "Of course the Everfree is connected to a portal between worlds."

"This is strange…" Shining said, staring at his hand as he kept the helicopter steady in the air. "We didn't transform into ponies this time."

"Yeah. It must be that this portal works differently…"

"Wait," Bon Bon said, "You guys usually turn into ponies when you go through a portal?"

Sunset nodded. "Yeah, just like how I became a human when I crossed over to your world. Why?"

"… How were you planning to fly the chopper with hooves?"

Sunset and Shining exchanged silent glances to each other, their faces paling as they realised how quick they had come to their demise. "Yikes!" Shining shouted. "Dodged a bullet on that one!"

Sunset raised a pair of binoculars to her eyes and followed the forest to its exit. She found several vehicles travelling along the road. "Looks like he's heading to a small town just outside of the forest… Wait, that's Ponyville."

"Ponyville, Ponyville… Why does that name sound familiar?" Shining asked himself.

"That's where your sister is! Er, this world's your sister."

Shining's eyes widened, and he leaned the helicopter forward, picking up speed. "No way! He's not getting my sister!"

"It's only a small group," Bon Bon reported as she followed the convoy through a telescope. "Tirek's at the front. This must be the first team, which means they haven't done any damage yet. Can we catch up to them before they reach the town?"

"I doubt it," Shining said, seeing the town appear over the horizon. "It'll be close, and even if we ambush them, I don't know if we can wipe them out before they take us down with a rocket or a sniper."

"We should go to Celestia and alert her to what's going on," Sunset suggested.

"While they're heading for Ponyville?! No way!" Shining protested. "We have to get Twi out of there before he-" The helicopter hit some turbulence, shaking everybody a little before Shining got it under control. "We can't give him the time he needs to form a line of defence."

"Then how about Sunset and I go?" Bon Bon suggested. "She can use magic, which gives her an advantage here. They also won't be expecting such a small team to be chasing them, so we have the element of surprise."

Sunset thought about it for a moment, and then nodded her head. "She's right. We can go in there and evacuate the ponies. You go to Canterlot and alert Celestia."

Shining grunted, but nodded. "Fine. Just don't go getting caught before we can get there."

Sunset and Bon Bon grabbed parachutes, and as soon as the forest below was behind them, they jumped.

---

After landing some distance away, atop a hill that overlooked the small village ahead of them, Bon Bon took out her rifle and looked down the scope, observing the town. "Guards at the front, and I bet we can expect more around the sides. Looks like they're rounding up ponies, but… they're not resisting. Wait, is that Lyra?! Get your hands off my… er, friend!"

"Calm down," Sunset said, unable to fight the smile forming on her face. "Twilight's been to our world and I showed her some of our action films. She knows what our guns can do so she probably told everypony not to resist."

Bon Bon raised an eyebrow. "You sure seem confident of that."

Sunset shrugged. "It's what I'd do, and Twilight's kinder than me." A moment of silence passed. "You can argue if you want to."

"Demon form?"

"… One time, Sweetie Drops." Sunset looked through her binoculars. "I can't see Tirek."

"Must be further in town. The good news is that they're not killing anyone, just throwing them into cages. The bad news is that I don't see a way in. I don't suppose there's a sewer system we can use to infiltrate?"

"Maybe, but heck if I know where it is. I've only ever been here once and, funnily enough, sewage was not on my mind at that point."

"Well we have to get in somehow. Can your spell sneak us in?"

"It's harder to cast when I'm moving myself. If it was just me, then yeah, I'd be able to sneak past these goons. But two of us?"

Bon Bon hummed, and looked around the outskirts of the town. She spotted a large tower, and lowered her rifle. "… Okay, you go in. I'll head to that tower and provide you support from afar."

Sunset reached into her backpack and pulled out a small radio. She gave it to Bon Bon. "I'll try to get Tirek into a position where you can hit him. Use this to signal if you need help."

Bon Bon nodded, taking the radio and rising to her feet. "Well then, wish me luck," she said, before running off in a crouch towards the clock tower.

Sunset gripped the jewel hanging around her neck and faced the town. "Right, here goes nothing…" She cast her spell, and turned invisible.