To Equestria And Beyond (Rewrite In Progress)

by NightFurySpeedey8156

Chapter 44: Preparing For The Past

For Fury, things were going quite well lately. He had made alliances with yaks and Snow Shifters, gotten better at controlling his power and even made a new friend in Pyro, even if they had a bad past.

The party he threw a week ago was signs of things looking up for him, ponies and Speed Shifters getting along with good food, tropical drinks and lasting memories. But not all things were hunky dory for him as he was now facing another great issue. His home life and the memories that came with it.

Sitting silently in his room, Night Fury meditated with extreme skill and precision. He rummaged through his mind and forced himself to dig up all of those repressed memories, even if they hurt him to his very core. He knew that he would have to return home soon to solidify a peace deal with both himself and Equestria, but it came with a price. He'd have to face the demons that came with such a trip.

"Ah gee. I never wanted to deal with this. But… things have been peaceful lately. No big things going on. I have no excuse. I want to resolve these issues." Fury said to himself. "But I can do it later. Maybe longer…"

But Fury didn't want to delay this too long. After all it seems the Shadow Shifters have been very active lately. And Fury felt like if Thunder Hollow stood alone, they would fall.

Pyro told him of how even if the current Shadow Shifter chief was quite lazy, there were still influential members in his council who wished to do what Pyro sought to do. To conquer.

"Well as much as I'd hate to admit it, I gotta get to Thunder Hollow. With the Shadow Shifters going all out on expansion after I got Pyro on our side, it'll be no time at all before they get to them." Fury said to himself. He felt a seething anger within him boil up, the faces of everyone who wronged him flashing between recognizable features to bloodied husks of his doing.

He didn't want to admit he wanted to kill a few of them, but what could he do? He was practically stripped of any sort of respect and drowned in a sea of hate. Instead of helping him through his struggles they simply spat in his face.

I have to let the princesses know, this is something I can't do alone.

Fury got up and opened the door to his room, stepping out into the hall and making his way towards Pyro's room. He figured that with her living with him, the least he could do was let her know that he was about to go. Walking up to her door, he knocked softly.

"Come in." Pyro said from the other side. Fury opened the door to see Pyro making her bed and fluffing her pillows. Ever since Pyro moved in, she took the liberty of making her space her own. Posters lined the walls of bands from her youth, a table on one side to write and read like his own, orange curtains to give a certain look to the room. Everything in this room was her own, but she cared for it like the entire house was hers.

"Ah, hello Night Fury. You seem troubled." She said, noticing the anxiety ridden look on his face.

"Yeah uh… Pyro… I think it's time."

"What do you mean?" Pyro asked.

"Time for me to go to the Thunder Hollow and patch things up." Fury said with a look of discomfort. Pyro was surprised. After what she was told, she was certain Night Fury would curse his home to the high heavens. But he was willing to go back and patch things up?

"You're really going to go through with it, huh?"

"Yep." Fury explained to her his thought process. "I don't want to do it but it's gotta be done."

"You do realize what that will mean right? They'll want to know what you've been doing after going awol for a whole year. You'll have to explain everything from your alliance with the ponies to all the drama with Speed Shifters and… also about me." She said with some nervousness.

"Yep. I do know that. In fact the main reason I'm going back is to tell them about how ponies mean us no harm and how they can help us against the looming threat against the Shadow Shifters." Fury explained. "And don't worry about yourself. I won't tell them about you. Your secret's safe with me."

Pyro was still confused about his decision. "Never mind me! Do you realize what kind of trouble you will be by admitting your camaraderie with ponies?! Shadow Shifters and Thunder Hollow Shifters might be different but they can agree ponies are not to be trusted!"

"I know! Just… just let me handle it. Now, can you send a letter to all of the princesses? And I mean all of them. This is something that requires their help. And get my parents on the line as well, have them all meet me at Ponyville train station."

"Okay, but it's your funeral. Don't say I didn't warn you." Pyro said getting a sheet of parchment to begin writing.

"Heh, that's what my friend used to always say to me. And I didn't listen. And I'm still here. I think I can charm my way with them." Fury said confidently.

"If you say so…"

-

A few hours later…

Night Fury was standing near the train platform in wait, watching the skies and the roads around him for any signs of either the princesses or his parents.

Every minute he waited was just more anxiety adding up in his head. Despite seeming confident to his roommate, he knew she had a point. They would not take this news lightly. Not at all.

Finally, after an excruciating amount of time, he heard the sound of the train.

Finally, he could get the help he so longed for.

"Thank the emperor's mane. I don't know how much longer I could have waited."

The train stopped at its destination. It was clearly a luxurious train fit for rulers. Then the doors opened. Out came the guards and trumpeteers. Sounding the royal fanfare, they announced the arrival of their highnesses.

"Presenting Their Highnesses, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna!"

The two walked out, Ponies gasped and fainted as they emerged from their train car and into the foggy cold night. Fury felt it a bit rude that he had to bring them all out in the middle of the night, but he had a good reason for it.

Just as he was about to greet them, another set of sounds emerged from behind him. Flapping wings and the roaring of the unmistakable speed that his kind possessed. Turning around, he saw both his parents, Cadence and Twilight coming towards him, the former using their fast but aging auras to run their way to him while the latter hovered in from up top.

"You picked quite a time to gather us up, son." His father said, yawning. "It must be a pretty big deal."

"I know, but this couldn't wait. It was biting at me all day and I couldn't resist letting you know." Fury said, letting out a sigh that got everyone's attention. Drawn out and somewhat soft, the sound of a troubled mind.

"I… I think tonight's the night. It's time."

"Time… time for what?" His mother asked, though fearing one possibility.

Fury turned to the railway in the direction of his former homeland. The wind blew in his fur. "I think you know that answer already."

He reached into the saddlebags on his back and grabbed something shiny. Tossing it back to his mother, she caught the item and inspected it. Her eyes widened as she realized what it was. Her fears had been all but confirmed.

A decorative pin of the insignia that only one tribe carried. She looked at her son. "Sweetie… Are you sure? D-do you really think it's time for this, even after just getting back from what happened a few days ago?"

Fury nodded. "I think- No. I know it's time. The shadow shifters are growing in strength every day and we need Thunder Hollow to be on our side in whatever conflict we have."

Obsidian also spoke up. "Son, listen, we can still try to fight them off without their help. Think about what could happen to you. How much more honor you may lose from this?"

"But at what cost!? I heard what Pyro told me, they're probably already on the verge of expanding because of what I just did, no doubt hardening their efforts to make us hurt for our general existence. And who cares about fake so-called honor anyway, I've already seen what that does to a creature! Need I remind you what I went through because of how much honor we had!?"

Fury took a breath as he spoke, calming himself down. "All I'm saying is, it's too risky not having Thunder Hollow on our side. We've won at least a few times easily, but who knows who the Shadow Shifters might pull in from across the land just to take us out. Besides, it's about time I faced my demons head on after cowering in the safety of an entirely different world for so long."

Fury looked intently into his parents' eyes. They could detect a sense of conviction in his sparky red eyes.

"This isn't just about all that boring political stuff. It's also me having to prove something. You say I will lose honor? Well, guess what? My honor is already low among them. If I lose more honor, so what? Will I be banished for life? Well I don't need their approval." He said bluntly.

"BUT if I succeed, I will finally, for the first time in a long time, get back my honor and maybe even be considered a hero for the first time among our people. I'm sick of being in a limbo state of just being there. I either get all or nothing. And I'm not afraid of that."

Fury then had a calmer expression. "And besides, I'll have you guys by my side. And even better, you two aren't the only ones coming with me, as you can probably tell. If anything goes left, I'll need someone to help me. And/or to… hold me back if things get hairy. You understand…" Fury said with a chuckle. "So with what I just said, do I have your guys' blessing for this trip?"

His mother was unsure what to do, she looked to her husband who gave a nod. "Be honest dear. If you were in our son's circumstances, you would do the same."

Black Ice thought of it and then she slowly nodded. "I see your strength of might and wisdom. I knew you had them. And you are right. If we work together we can bring my dear son his honor again."

"Thanks mom, I knew you had my back in all of this." Fury said with a smile. "What about you, ladies? Got anything to say?"

The four princesses stood silent for a moment, prepping their response. Thanks to Celestia spending time with him and vice versa, Night Fury could tell what they were thinking just by their stances. Celesia remained in her neutral but inquisitive royal mask, most likely making the political decisions within her mind.

Luna was a different story, she showed mounting levels of emotion and personal thoughts. Anger, sorrow, disappointment, anxiety, she wore all possible emotions. Being his girlfriend, it was no surprise that she would be the most emotional about him returning home to face his past. Especially after seeing it herself in his dreams. At least, that's what Fury thought.

Twilight had a much more trained poker face, but he could still see her emotion. She was looking at this in a strategic way, planning out every possible eventuality to make sure all of this went smoothly.

And lastly, Cadence had a mix of all three. Though she was older than her sister-in-law but younger than her two aunts, she wore both an emotion driven thought process and a logical thought process. Most likely, the princess of love was using both emotions and logic to find her answers, having been the one driving point of rescuing him from a mistake he couldn't come back from most likely being the main point of interest.

The princesses nodded to each other and looked to Fury, with varying expressions but all with a sense of seriousness.

Luna spoke up first. "Fury, this quest of yours. I know how important this is to you. The feelings of dishonor, they can feel worse than death. It would be my utmost honor to go with you on this quest of yours."

While Fury had a feeling his loving Luna would agree to it, it still felt nice to hear her agree.

"And what about you others?" Fury asked. "Are you gonna come along too? Honestly just Luna alone is fine enough for me."

Celesia spoke her peace first. "Night Fury, this trip will be of absolute importance to both you and the rest of Equestria in regards to its political leverage. I also wish to tag along for emotional support. On one hoof, I believe Luna would suffice just as much as all of us combined. But on the other, I see this trip as a taxing experience for you that could raise tension. So I say yes, I will join you."

"Same for me. I want to help you with all your struggles too." Cadence said. "Besides, I'm kinda curious to see this 'Thunder Hollow' and what it's like. I've honestly seen enough snow and crystals."

Fury smiled at her enthusiasm, he found it sweet that she wanted to see his home for what it was despite the potential issues. Then came Twilight, her mouth curling into an uncomfortable frown as she felt a bit nervous with her statement.

"Twilight, what about you?" Cadence asked.

Twilight spoke up. "Well, I will admit it would be very fun to see all the new animal species in this area and all the ruins as well as all the cultural artifacts-." She said, trying to delay her true opinion.

"But?" Fury asked.

"But, I feel conflicted over having to both discuss and experience what you may find agonizing to your mental health. I may be the Princess Of Friendship, but every now and then, something regarding a friend just… burns you to have to witness. Especially when such an event almost caused the loss of a life out of depression and guilt." The purple alicorn explained, almost straining to get it out.

"Twilight Sparkle, you should be more helpful." Luna said. "He has gone through things you could not even imagine!"

Fury then stepped in. "Hey, hey, I appreciate your help but let's not get hostile here." Fury turned to Twilight. "I get it. My life's pretty rife with complicated stuff. Honestly, I'm not entirely sure if I want to go either. But something tells me I have to do this. I understand the feeling of having to see someone you care for suffer for their unfair past, it can be brutal. But sometimes you just have to take a kick at it and let it kick back, or else you'll just be constantly tensed up for a punch that may as well never come."

Twilight thought about this. "You're right, Fury. I just hope I will be a pillar of strength for you this time. I just hope I won't fail you. Sometimes I said things I regret to you."

"Oh I know em… Dangerous Creature, lazy bones, loud mouth, slick whiskers, black hole belly…"

"Y-yeah, all of that." Twilight said.

"Yeah, you did say that stuff and it hurt. A lot. But guess what? That was all in the past. And at least you actually apologized for them. Better than those guys at the village for sure. I can trust you Twi. You've been there to help me with my problems. And yeah, you can be really pedantic and bossy and a goody two shoes and a-"

"Okay, I get it!" Twilight interjected, blushing a bright red.

"But you're also a smart friend who without you I would be stuck in so many problems. Like my temper. So you're as good of a friend as the other three."

Twilight now felt a sense of relief. "I'm glad you still can still trust me. I'm with you on this trip!"

"Good to hear! And by the way, you're not the only one who has nicknames, Hayburger buns." Fury said, zipping behind her and using his tail to emphasize his point.

"Eeep! Fury!!!" Twilight yelled, her wings popped out at her sides.

"He does have a point, my former student. You do love those hayburgers for sure." Celestia said with a light chuckle.

"Oh they're just too delicious!" Twilight cried out.

"I don't see the big deal with them personally." Fury said.

It seemed like the tension disappeared. Everyone was a bit more at ease.

"Anywho, we should probably get going. It's about midnight, so the ride home should land us at about 9am on the edge of the valley. So yes, you can catch up on that girly 'Beauty Sleep' you oh so proper ladies need."

"That I shall." Cadence said. "Stress does do stuff to hair after all."

Twilight was now confident. "Alright, don't stay up late. We'll need all the energy possible to make this journey. Be ready."

"Yeah, I'll need as much as possible for tomorrow. But don't you dare act like you don't pull frequent all-nighters, Twilight. The amount of times I've seen Spike sleeping on the balcony because of your oh so important experiments to nurse Equestria into a new age…" Fury said.

"Okay okay! I'm just trying to train Spike to be hard working…"

"Yeah, that's what my dad's cousin and mom always say. But it never works." Fury said amused. "Anyways I gotta crash see ya!" He said before Twilight could reply back.

And so everyone went into the train and everyone dozed off into sleep. The train left Ponyville station with a quiet hiss as it took off into the night, heading down the track that led to a place Night Fury and his parents hadn't been to in years. Speed Valley.

–

The Next Morning…

The train had finally reached its destination. A small outpost right at the border of Equestria. Beyond the train was a thick jungle. Fury recognized it all too well from his childhood, remembering all the memories he had of his home.

Stepping off the train car, the engine took off behind the group that was now standing over the forest within the valley as the wind blew along the hillside.

"Princesses of Equestria and beyond, welcome to Speed Valley." Fury said, gesturing at the valley that sat in front of them with miles of greenery.

The others were awestruck at the sight ahead of them. Not for any large monuments like in the Canterlot. But for the unconquered jungle ahead of them, it was a remarkable force of nature, especially with its large crevice.

"Wow, I've never seen so much greenery. Even the Everfree Forest was still small in comparison to how many trees are here." Twilight said impressed.

Cadence nodded. "Yeah, and speaking of which, how is anyone supposed to navigate this place? It looks so… dense."

"That's one of the perks that comes with growing up wild, you get a feeling for stuff like this." Fury said. "Us in the Moonlight Tribe know this place like the backs of our paws. Every trail, mud wallow, tree stump and water slide is mapped on paper and in our minds. But we mostly run in packs through the forest, dipping and dodging everything in our way as we rip through it."

Just then, a strong wind blew in from behind them. The breeze blew over their heads, down the hill and into the forest.

"Ahh, there goes the vortex winds." Obsidian said.

"Vortex winds?" Twilight asked.

"That special breeze flows down this hill and into the forest, allowing all of the new little ones who are learning to use their speed to find their way to town. We call them Vortex winds because of how this valley used to be a natural breeding ground for Tornadoes back in the day." Black Ice explained.

Luna looked worried. "So am I to assume another of those vortexes are being birthed as we speak?"

Obsidian shrugged. "Yeah, but it's in the far distance and besides If you know what you're doing you can use the winds to your advantage. It's actually pretty fun sometimes, right, son?"

"Yeah, those were good times. Maybe I'll do another one." Fury said.

Twilight didn't like the idea too much though. "Well, as fun as that sounds, I don't think I'm ready for those stunts. We have to keep going anyway."

"Okay, okay. Let's get going. Follow me and my parents." He sighed. "It'd be way funner than going back to my village for sure." He whispered the last part.

As they walked on, the ponies were amazed by the lush beauty of the jungle. If only Fluttershy could see this. Batches of flowers and tall trees lined the path, giving the walk to the village a calm ambiance. But that calm wouldn't be maintained for long as a rustling noise came out from a bush.

"Hold it." Fury whispered sharply, his ears twitching. "Something's up, and it doesn't seem nice."

After a few seconds of silence and the whistling of the wind, a Speed Shifter popped out of the bushes. Whoever it was wasn't familiar, but didn't seem outright threatening.

"Hey, who are you?" The Shifter asked. The feline in question was wearing armor made of silver and had a spear on their side.

"I could ask you the same thing considering you were stocked up in a bush." Fury said, sticking close to the group.

"Well, you don't look like you're from around here, especially those four. So I'll ask again, who are you?" The Shifter repeated, sounding more agitated. Black Ice felt nervous about the situation and decided to try and defuse it.

"Listen, sir, we're just trying to get home. So how about we step back and talk abou-" Before she could finish, she was met with the sharp end of a spear aimed at her chest.

"Stay back, you!"

"Hey, stay away from her!" Fury called out. Instincts kicked in and he got just a little lower.

"You would do well to take my son's advice." Obsidian said firmly.

"Or what? You're the intruders here, and I have a village to protect by the order of the chief! And you, step back!" The guard said, getting a little closer.

"Please, we just wish to pass by! Why are we being aggressively interrogated!?" Black Ice asked frantically.

"Because unknowns don't get the good treatment. I'm sure you know of our policy of no intruders." The guard proceeded to bump Black Ice back onto her side and stand over her menacingly. This is what pushes Fury over the edge.

Instead of going forward to attack, he just stood up straight again. Lowering his head, he made it seem like he was defeated.

"Yeah, that's right. You know your place, so stay in it! And as for you…" Just before the guard laid a hit on Night Fury's mother, he was frozen in a ring of red energy. Symbols and inscriptions of the ancients swirled on the ground, surrounding the single guard before treating him to the most painful shock he could have been subjected to.

With a single flash, red lightning struck his armor in a rapid stint of coursing energy. The electric power melted the armor and burned the feline within as the molten metal singed and burned his skin. Along with that, the electricity sparking around him entered his body and attacked his nerves, causing him to wail and roar in pain.

All the while, Fury stood still, emotionless and unmoving as he tortured the guard from afar with his head down.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!!! Let me go!!! It burns!!!"

Fury showed no sympathy though. "Well that's what happens when you mess with folks minding their own business. By the way, you look tired. So how about a little JOLT!"

He struck his neck with bolts of electricity.

"Ahhhhhhhhhh!!! You can't do this to me! I'm a guardian!!!"

"By my count, that'll be over in about 10 seconds." Fury snarled maliciously. All the while, the Princesses had to bear witness the brutality and ruthlessness of their feline friend. Thankfully, a shining light came in from the forest's tree line.

"Hey! Don't kill him!" A voice commanded. Soon enough, the princesses, Obsidian and Black Ice were treated to a group of Speed Shifters in the same armor the lone wolf was, followed by what could only be described as the group's captain.

"Hey hey hey, take it easy! Leave him be!" The captain shouted. Within an instant, Night Fury recognized the voice without even looking up.

Jade? Could that really be him?

Not wanting to run the risk of his best friend seeing him kill someone, he disengaged the snare trap. The lightning instantly stopped and the ancient ruins vanished, leaving only a fragile guard covered in burns from the molten metal of his armor and internal damage from the nerve attack.

One sky blue Shifter, bearing a red cross on her armor and a pair of bags went to the downed soldier to assess the damage. Using her bright blue aura, she scanned him externally and internally.

"Damaged nerves, third degree burns, rapid heartbeat… he's been thrashed, Captain." The medic said. Then, the rest of the group stepped forward and formed a protective barrier around their downed comrade.

"We're ready to attack, sir! Just give us the word and we'll-" Jade held up a paw, silencing the female soldier. The captain stepped forward and met Black Ice's eyes, holding out a paw to the downed mother.

"It's been a long time, Black Ice. It's good to see you're alive and well." Jade said softly. Black Ice smiled and took his paw, heaving herself back onto her paws.

"It's good to see you, Jade. I hope we didn't cause too much of a disturbance in your patrol."

"Not at all, we're still as ripe and ready as ever." Jade said, looking over to the group behind her. He laid eyes on Obsidian first.

"Hey Obsidian, still kicking up a storm?" The captain asked. The father chuckled.

"Not as much as I used to, squirt. Gotta accept that I'm not as young as I used to be." Obsidian said, laughing a bit. Jade returned the laugh and went back to observing the group. He took notice of the four ponies standing around something. Or as he could tell, someone.

"Hey, old pal. Come on out and let me see ya." Jade came in flanked by other Shifters. Fury obliged his friend's request and revealed himself from in-between his royal squad.

Fury could tell that what he was looking at was his friend, but something was different. He wore the armor that a captain would wear, a blue and silver helmet with silver paw covers and chest plate. Had he been gone for so long that Jade had gotten into the defense force of their village?

"Long time no see, Jade." Fury said, walking up to his friend and catching his paw to pull in for a hug.

"Let me guess, someone from my squad got on your bad side?"

"Decided to try and enforce their version of our laws without identifying us first, punt my mom into the dirt and stand over her like she was a rump roast. You know what I had to do…" Fury said, getting an understanding nod from Jade.

"Yep. I understand. It seems some people forget the most basic rule of our tribe. To never dishonor the harmless, especially a mother. Trust me, he won't be in my squad for much longer after this." He looked to the injured guard and grimaced, shaking his head in shame of the unjustified actions he took. He then looked back at his long lost friend.

"We can handle that later. For now, I want to figure out who your friends are." Jade said, gesturing to the princesses behind Fury.

"Glad you asked. We got Princess Lovebutt, Princess Sunbutt, Princess Egghead and of course the best of them all Princess Luna, Princess of the Night." Fury said, winking at Luna.

"Fury…" Black Ice moaned "Do I have to force some manners back into you?"

"Okay, jokes aside we got the Princess of Love, Cadence. The Princess of the sun, Celestia and the Princess of Friendship, Twilight Sparkle. Yes, I know that sounds dumb but bear with me."

Jade laughed. "I'm surprised you haven't been beheaded for your compliments. It looks like the whole nickname thing has not grown out of you."

"Nope, not in the slightest. And besides, this one would have a fit if anyone dared even glare at me too sharply, let alone suggest being beheaded." Fury said.

Luna, with a stone cold face, nodded to that. "It would be most painful if something did happen."

"I see she's a fan of yours. Did she sign an autograph from you?" He joked a bit.

"Well, I guess you can say she left a mark on something of mine." Fury said. He then proceeded to close in on Luna and kiss her, the lunar princess returning the gesture before separating.

"And yes, this is the princess I said in my letter was my girlfriend. You believe me now?"

Jade was a little shocked. "I guess I have to. I thought you were just telling another of your tall tales. But I guess this one was right. I'm a little surprised honestly. But I guess there's a girl for everyone, even you." He said impressed, but trying to hide it with typical teasing.

"I'm going to ignore that passive aggressive shot at my love life and just move on instead of roasting you on how great your love life was. For now." Fury said mischievously to Jade's nervousness. "Anywho, it feels good to be back home. You guys wouldn't mind leading us back to Thunder Hollow, would ya? Got some business to take care of. Both political and… personal."

Jade's face turned from casual to serious. "Wait. Y-you want to go back to Thunder Hollow?"

"No, I want to go to the moon. What do you think I mean?" Fury snapped.

"Fury, listen to me. I think it's all fine and dandy you're back home, but what would the rest of the town think when they see you with them following you?" Jade returned, pointing to the princesses.

"Then they can try and do something about it. But if they do, they'll get to see all the new tricks I picked up after being casted out. And besides, I have to try and make things better. Especially since the Shadow Shifters are expanding their forces now."

This caught Jade off guard, he had no idea he had seen or heard of that group. "How do you know about the Shadow Shifters?"

"Call it an inside eye. But anyway, I'm determined to head home and set things straight. Whether it be by negotiating or brute force, it's going to happen. Not to mention a certain Speed Shifter with a purple aura has a whirlwind of retribution coming at her."

"Well, I do hope you know what you're doing, Fury. But if you're going to see them, I'm coming with you. I will help you as best as I can."

"Well the more the merrier." Fury said. "And while we're here I would like to ask, how is Thunder Hollow so far and is that old chief still barking out orders as usual?"

Jade lightly laughed. "Yep! That old Thunder Claws is still as bossy as ever. He hasn't changed too much. Well actually, he kind of has, in the fact that he's grown even more fearful these days. He's still good at managing the village, don't get me wrong. But he really is not in a hospitable mood. Whenever I eat at one of his banquets, there's a certain dread he'll throw his goblet of bad wine at my face if I say the wrong thing."

"Well, what do you expect from a Shifter older than my folks and responsible for the lingering paranoia of other creatures invading?" Fury said casually. "Hey, you think you can send a message ahead to him so that me rolling up to town with these four isn't a complete surprise? And let's take the back route to the secret door behind the building, just to be safe. Ya know, the 'Tunnel to Fun'."

Jade understood his friend's wishes to limit any suspicion of his whereabouts and intentions, nodding silently and looking over to his squad who had tended to their wounded comrade and set him on a medical board for transport. He also knew to take them on the old path they went to as kids so as to not get caught.

"Bluebell, Rocksteady, run up ahead to the chief and let him know we have some returning members coming. Also, we have some special visitors arriving. Make absolutely sure he knows it's royalty and who's coming." Jade commanded strongly.

"Yes, sir!" They saluted and went about their way, dragging the miserable wounded guard too.

"Okay, now that that's done… The rest of you, we're taking the old route, the 'Tunnel Of Fun' if you've been briefed about it. These four princesses are precious cargo as of now, regardless of species. You will treat them with respect and assist in any of their needs when they ask. I don't care if the chief says otherwise, we have a job to do. If you treat them otherwise… Well, you don't want to end up like that other guard." He added.

"In other news, the All Powerful Speed Shifter is within our presence. You shall address him accordingly to how we address higher ups in our ranks, treating him especially with the utmost respect and honor. His ranking in not only our society, but in our entire lives supersedes even mine. So if he addresses you and asks you to do something, you do it. Am I understood?"

"Sir, yes, sir!" They said before turning to their cargo. "Don't worry. We'll keep you safe, rest assured."

Obsidian smiled. "Heh, it's nice to see there are still disciplined guards since I last disappeared."

Jade smiled. "I trained them as best as I could. Even if one of them was a disappointment, the others still will guard you with their lives."

"Glad to see you've gotten somewhere in life, Jade. Now c'mon, let's move out!" Fury called out. The other guards saluted and formed a protective barrier around the princesses and his parents while he and Jade took the front. Night Fury felt satisfied knowing that some things were the same from when he had left, it gave him a sense of hope that this may not be all that bad. But deep down, he knew that the fight wasn't over. He knew he had to push a little harder to get things done. But right now, he was just glad to be home.

–

Meanwhile, Closer to Thunder Hollow…

Bluebell and Rocksteady were racing through the forest to get back to town, carrying their wounded comrade on their backs with as much care as they could possibly muster with the rough terrain.

"I can't believe that squirt is the All Powerful Speed Shifter. After all this time, after being cast out by us for screwing up, he finally got his due justice." Bluebell said, thinking back to when Night Fury first got called out for that failed attack on that Cragodile.

"As much as I would like to spout off about how the kid screwed up, I can't for the life of me go as far as to say he shouldn't have been born like the rest of the tribe. I honestly feel sorry he had to deal with that, and even worse, watch the same parents he was told didn't want him get dragged off into the wild and lost to him for years." Rocksteady replied.

"Well, we can make it right by going to the Chief. He might not want to hear the news, but we're gonna make it happen." She said.

"Yep. Especially since I don't want to have to face a mad Night Fury at this stage of his power." He said with a chuckle.

Soon enough, the two soldiers arrived at the gates of Thunder Hollow's border. The two guards at either side allowed them entry and they walked inside the town's limits. Within Thunder Hollow was a large and prosperous town, trees sprouting up between paths that led to each part of the village. Speed Shifters shot left and right going from place to place during the day, both adults and cubs. Shops lined the streets with things to sell to the town. Sausage, Beef, Chicken, Cloth, Glass Figurines, it was all that a Speed Shifter could ask for. At least for a smaller town.

After dropping off their wounded comrade at the infirmary, they approached the large central hut that the Chief and many other significant figures within their society gathered to in order to speak their peace. Entering the doors, the two soldiers were greeted to the familiar sight of brick and stone walls with glass windows forged from the hottest of materials. Red carpet with golden accents lined the floors they walked on as they made turn after turn until they made it to the meeting room.

Bluebell gulped at the sight of the double doors. "I'm starting to feel kinda nervous about this. You've seen how the chief has been lately, what if he explodes in return after hearing our news?"

"Oh calm down, Thunder Claws has been on a calm streak for a while now. And besides, he'll be thrilled to hear that some of his kidnapped subjects have been rescued and are returning to their home." Rocksteady said happily, but that glee soon turned to concern.

"But, it may be more of an issue to explain that a certain Speed Shifter who was cast out is on his way back to the village. He may not have been officially exiled, but it'll be a jarring thing to hear once we explain what he did to our friend for getting a little too rough with his mom."

"Well, we're going to have to tell him if we're gonna get anywhere from this. So we might as well bite the bolt." Bluebell said, getting a nod from her partner before opening the doors to the meeting room.

Within its walls sat a long table with multiple chairs, six of them being filled already. At the table sat the chief himself, Golden Eyes, Solar Flare, Soundwave, Sweet Silver and Bluebell's mother, Ocean Blue. In an instant, Ocean Blue noticed her daughter at the door.

"Bluebell, sweetie, it's good to see you!" The dark blue Speed Shifter said gleefully. "I hope you've been alright."

"Hi mom. It's nice to see you, but now's not the time for family time. Me and Rocksteady have some news for the chief." Bluebell said, getting the Chief's attention. Chief ThunderClaws was a large but old Shifter, having lived for longer than some of the others in the council had even been alive. The purple Speed Shifter stood up and showed his full form, his yellow eyes staring calm but stern daggers into the two soldiers. He wore a golden armor and a headpiece of the same color, purple feathers sticking out of it.

"What news have you brought to my attention?" Chief ThunderClaws asked, his voice low and gravely.

BlueBell was not normally intimidated but somehow seeing those deep eyes of his made it feel like she was staring into a ferocious flame.

"Did you hear him, young lady? Go on, say it. We don't have all day." Golden Eyes said in his usual snooty tone.

"Sorry. Captain Jade requested this. It's about…"

"It's about our defenses!" Rocksteady interrupted. Bluebell was confused but she realized he was trying to make a case before revealing the more controversial news.

Bluebell continued. "Yes, the captain mentioned how our defenses against the Shadow Shifters are lacking. He was mentioning how they are gathering in strength. Even as we speak. We have to do something."

"Oh those pieces of trash." Solar Flare said bitterly. "I remember them. Made away with many of our people. Those fanatics."

"Oh that is true. Horrible monsters, indeed. But we have been safe from them for a while." Sweet Silver said. "We've made sure everything is quite alright. Nothing to worry about."

"I wouldn't count your blessings, ma'am. We've just received a tip that they're expanding their troops after a loss in a separate kingdom." Rocksteady said. The council began to show concern on their faces, the chief being the highest of them all.

"What kingdom have they suffered defeat in?" Chief ThunderClaws asked.

"A place called Equestria, a land ruled by two pony sisters who had to fend off the Shadow Shifters after another tribe from the north was on the verge of being invaded." Blue bell recalled.

"Ponies you say?" Ocean Blue asked her daughter in a now professional tone. "You mean the ones ruled by the Two Royal Sisters that we haven't made contact with in decades?" She asked, a bit shocked.

"Yes mom, they have had run-ins with the Shadow Shifters before. But they aren't the only ones they've met." This statement made the council question themselves. Had there been Shifters before that had migrated and met the Royal Sisters?

"Whom have they also interacted with besides the Shadow Shifters?" Solar Flare asked.

"This may sound like a silly story to you all, but… Black Ice and Obsidian… they're alive."

There was silence in the room. Everyone had an expression of shock except for the expressionless chief, though Bell and Rocksteady noticed his eyes grew more focused.

Golden Eyes spoke up first. "Is this true? Is Captain Jade absolutely sure of this? I find it rather unlikely personally."

Soundwave nodded. "Yeah, as much as I hate to disagree with Mr Partypooper here, you have to admit it seems just as likely to happen with them being dragged off into the unknown."

"But that's not all. They weren't the first to interact with the sisters either. Because the first to interact with them in recent years… was their son." Blue Bell interjected.

"Night Fury?!" Solar Flare asked. "You mean that little rascal?"

"My goodness, so he's still present as well as his parents…"

Golden Eyes, ever the skeptic, butted in. "That sounds good and all but I think we need some more proof. It might be that Captain Jade is a bit over excited over his friend and role model Obsidian, and perhaps is suffering from delus-"

Then came a slam on the table.

"Silence!" Boomed Chief ThunderClaws. "If we are hearing that the two we lost to those wretched raiders are still alive along with their son, we must give these rumors credit. Especially from Jade, a reputable young Shifter. Never dismiss him as delusional again. Do you understand?" He scolded him.

"Y-yes, sir." Golden said, quivering at the sound of the chief's furious voice.

The chief then turned to the Blue Belle and Rocksteady. "So tell me, where are they now?"

"On their way back to town as we speak, but they do not travel alone." Rocksteady said. "Along with the rest of our patrol group, they bring The Royal Sisters and two more princesses. A supposed 'Princess Of Friendship' and a princess from the Crystal Empire."

Upon hearing the mention of the ancient crystal city, the chief's ears peaked ever so slightly. "The Crystal Empire? But that city was lost to that despicable King Sombra. How could it stand again after so many moons?"

"Apparently, the son of our returned Shifters assisted the four princesses and a few other acquainted friends in his early days of leaving us with restoring the city to its former glory by ultimately killing the king and using an artifact called 'The Crystal Heart' to restore the city's magic and protection." Rocksteady relayed the rest of the information to the council with the help of BlueBell, including the rough first encounter that led to the injury of their comrade.

"Oh my. He did not try to harm you dear, did he?!" Her mother asked pointedly.

"No mom, he did not-"

"But this Fury still could have!" Her mother roared with hostility. "I will make him pay if he goes near you again!"

"He engaged one of our own with anger, yes. But within reason. He approached the group without properly identifying them, unjustifiably forced Black Ice to the ground in an attempt at intimidation and forced him to act as he thought his mother was on the verge of being harmed. Defying one of the most sacred rules of our ancient code." Rocksteady replied, releasing the tension in the room.

"He did?" Ocean Blue asked more softly.

"Yes, we were lucky the captain had recognized his long lost friend and calmed him down before he killed our fellow soldier out of anger. I have no tolerance for such a thing, as you would know, mother. After he had suffered seeing his parents dragged away, I was not surprised with the result of our comrade's careless actions." BlueBell said.

"He truly seemed to act in disgrace." Solar Flare admitted. "Shameful behavior for sure for this guard. In my day, I would have done the same."

"Indeed. I believe that the captain will have a few choice words for him once he recovers." Chief ThunderClaws said with distaste. "Now, when will they be arriving?"

"A few minutes, chief. They're taking the eastern back route towards the village."

"The Tunnel Of Fun." The chief recalled, chuckling a bit. "I remember. Jade and Night Fury used to race down that path more times than I could count. Always kicking up mud and making a mess, especially when they knew Golden Eyes was around."

"Those two miscreants, always making a fuss and doing such outlandish nonsense!"

"Oh calm down, Golden. They were just kids, I'm sure you had a few good memories of the great outdoors?" Ocean Blue wondered aloud.

"None of my family would ever associate with the disgusting rot that is mud and dirt. When I was but a cub, I was eating Filet Mignon and relaxing at our indoor spa." Golden said.

"No wonder he's such a buzz kill, he has no buzz at all!" Soundwave laughed, much to Golden Eyes' unamusement.

The chief getting back on topic. "So I suppose we will be meeting Fury then. I will admit, I understand Fury's perspective on these things. But I would like to hear it from his own words."

"Trust me when I say this, chief… he's gonna have a few things to say about his time. Before and after he left." BlueBell said, whispering the last part under her breath.

–

"So that's what you've been doing for a whole year!?" Jade asked. The group of Speed Shifters and ponies were getting close to the town and had spent the better part of it explaining where Night Fury had been and what he'd been doing.

"Pretty much. After the whole thing with King Sombra, my popularity skyrocketed! But not all of it was good with what I told you about that pea-brained prince…" Fury moaned. "He makes Golden Eyes seem cool. He got jealous of my popularity and tried to bring me down whether through lies or just trying to blow me up. Didn't work though. He's now just a rogue agent working for the Shadow Shifters now. Still don't know where he is."

"Yeesh! I've heard of going green eyed with jealousy but straight up bloodthirsty? Boy, I'm just glad your All Powerful genes kicked in by then."

"Yeah, I had to get some shrapnel ripped out of me and stay in the castle with the walking blueberry over here watching over me with a death glare to the outside world, but I made it through." Fury said, snickering quietly as Luna gave him a snort of half distaste to his crude nickname.

"A true gentlecolt as always." Luna said, attempting to hide the smirk growing on her muzzle.

"I'm surprised you got a girl who tolerates your kind of humor. I know my girlfriend would slash my neck if I said that." Jade said.

"Wait a second, you and Sweet Heat are still a thing? I'm surprised after that fish bag prank that you guys didn't snap the ropes because of me." Fury said, a little surprised.

"Well, it took a lot of begging and waiting outside her house in the rain but she finally forgave me. As a matter of fact, she wants to meet you personally."

"Oh I see. Hmmm, maybe she wants to get my autograph. I wouldn't blame her. I think I've earned it." Fury said, chuckling.

"We'll see. But I'll say that your way of speaking is a good way of becoming an amputee. Just saying..."

"Eh, I've gotten worse from the constantly boiling volcano that is my mother." Fury joked, Black Ice turning her attention to him.

"Would you like to repeat that, you little-"

"Oh look, there's the edge of town!" Fury quickly interrupted.

They finally made it to their destination. While nowhere near as large as Canterlor or even Snow Henge, it was still larger than Ponyville. It seemed to have a wooden palisade around it with guards patrolling it.

"Yep, even more guarded than before. Tension is high right now as of late." Jade said.

"Well it's a good thing we chose the back route, it leads straight to the main central hut that the council is held without any eyes on us." Obsidian said.

"I'm just glad we're home, it's been too long since I've felt the familiar ground of Thunder Hollow under my paws." Black Ice sighed, feeling happy to be back where she belongs.

"We can sightsee later, mom. First, let's get inside and meet with the chief."

Everyone proceeded to go through said path. It consisted of a dense area filled with foliage and a secret tunnel to go into the village and get to the back door into the main central hut.

"Wow, you guys hung lamps in here while I was gone?" Fury asked.

"Yep, a good way to light up the place for any undesirables. And also a good way to make this place look good. One of your mom's better ideas is that councilor Ocean Blue took influence. And as much as I would hate to admit, Golden Eyes also helped place those lamps."

"A rare few I've heard. Say, what happened to Blue Bell? Heard she was doing well for herself in the academy before I left." Fury asked curiously. He knew Blue Bell was one of the academy's best students both academically specializing in lore and physically she was quite speedy like him but more graceful. She was clearly one of the popular students at her academy.

Jade reminisced of her. "Ah Blue Bell, she's a bright star alright. She kept up with the rest of the grid like it was nothing but a stroll in the woods. Some of the other recruits were calling her 'Amethyst's Second Coming'. Well, I wouldn't say she's as bad as her but she does expect you to do a lot."

"Oh great." Fury said. "I always thought she was a sweet girl who was actually friendly despite her parents being hoity toity."

"Oh she still is, off-duty, which is more than I can say for Amethyst. But she just also has a bossy side to her. And wants to honor her family's name. She also expects everyone to name all the chieftains of Thunder Hollow, even the ones no one cares about or make a trap no one has thought of before." Jade said. "Thank goodness I'm not under her."

Fury laughed. "To think I used to have a crush on her. Oh boy, she would have driven me crazy. Besides, she's got nothing on my moonpie."

Luna smiled at that. "Always the charmer."

"Okay everyone, we're coming up to the rear entrance. This is it." Jade said. On the end of the tunnel was a set of double doors, wood and gold metal being its chosen materials.

"So this is the place." Fury said.

"It is quite impressive." Celestia said.

"Yep. I remember those days being in there arguing. Good times." Obsidian said.

Jade turned to Fury. "Now remember. When you go in you've got to bow to him and be very careful what you say. He also might throw his goblet or headdress sometimes, so be sure to duck if that happens."

"That won't be necessary, dear." Black Ice jumped in. "They know about the secret that we kept since Fury's birth and respect his position as if he was one of them. How do you think we managed to keep it so radio silent about his destiny for so long?"

Jade nodded. "Fair point. Well, whatever happens just keep calm and be sure to let them know how important this alliance is. And of your feats that helped Speed Shifters."

"Don't worry. I'll get right down to it." Fury taking a deep breath. "Well, here goes nothing."

Fury nodded to Jade and he did the honors, unlocking the doors that led into the central hut. As they walked inside, they were treated to the most elegant decorations and furniture. It was almost as grand as Canterlot Castle, minus the size.

But everyone was silent. They were after all about to negotiate what could be perhaps the most important alliance in all of equine and Shifter history. For the ponies, they could not even imagine what the chief would look like except that he was a grand figure.

They marched on to the doors. Jade knocked on it slowly but firmly.

A slit in the door opened, revealing an elite guard. "Speak your business."

"We come bearing an alliance proposal from lands beyond this one. Also, we wish to speak with the chief on the matters of three returning Shifters that were thought lost for years." Jade proclaimed.

"Ah so you're the one the chief said to wait for. Very well. Proceed."

They heard the sound of doors being unlocked and the giant doors revealed the hallway.

"At least they're expecting us." Obsidian said.

Everyone marched on to the room accompanied by the guards.

"Presenting Captain Jade, the missing Speed Shifters and the pony princesses!"

The chief and the councilors finally saw them. They had faces of shock seeing guests, both old and new. It was truly a shock. Even the skeptical Golden Eyes had to acknowledge that they indeed returned.

However Thunderclaws still wore a face of a rocky exterior.

"Is it… is it really you?" Ocean Blue asked. "After all these years, Obsidian, Black Ice. We thought you were dead."

Obsidian smiled. "Unless I'm a ghost, then I think you know the answer." He walked up. "Because of my son's rescue, me and my wife have tasted freedom. We were impressed by forced labor for years but then he helped us."

"Have you been injured in a substantial way?" The Chief asked.

"No sir." Black Ice said. "Well, we have had scars from whips but overall, we're still in one piece."

"Your son really did all that?" Golden Eyes asked a bit surprised Fury of all shifters could rescue them.

"Yes, Golden Eyes, yes he did." Obsidian said, staring into his eyes.

"Yes, I have returned. Hope you guys didn't think I was dead." Fury huffed.

Ocean Blue said "Well you have been gone for a while. You didn't even bother to tell us what you have been doing."

Fury looked at her now. "Well, with all due respect, I think I'm entitled to make my own choices of where to go. What I do is my business. Although to be honest, I do wonder how many Shifters actually cared about me going awol."

"Well, of course we care. No subject of mine goes unnoticed." The chief said proudly. "I figured you had your own things to do, so I let you go. I might be old, but my eyes and ears are still as young as ever."

"Heh, really?" Fury said. "Is that what you think? So all the time I have been in this village. All the things others said to me, you surely noticed that?"

"What are you implying, boy? That I'm a liar?" The chief asked.

Fury shook his head. "No, just that you might not have caught onto as many things as you say you have."

Golden Eyes spoke up. "Look. I know we've had grievances with you, but others saying things about you? I've never noticed that. To be honest, I thought you were forgotten by the public."

At that statement, Fury showed a bit of shock. "Wait… you do know what happened to me after that Cragodile attack all those years ago, don't you?"

The council looked at each other, looking for some sort of answer. But nothing came as they all shook their heads to the surprise of Jade, Fury, His parents and the princesses.

Sweet Silver spoke up. "It was all in the past. Everyone moved on from it, dear. We had bigger issues to worry about."

"Not everyone…" Fury then pulled out his Memory Sealer from his saddlebags. Pressing the button on the front, he slid the golden seed shaped device into the middle of the table where it activated the ruby in the center and began to display the desired memories from that day.

–

Go away, Fury. I don't want to hang out with you anymore.

You're even more of a disappointment than I thought.

Coward, I hope you do get eaten by a cragodile!

Stay away from my son. I don't want your cowardice rubbing off on him.

–

"I was convinced I changed. All the work with Amethyst, all the sweat from work. It didn't matter. Every month, they just kept calling me a failure. Even Amethyst herself made it worse."

–

Not only are you immature, you're also a terrible warrior! I don't know why I bother training you! You're lucky I'm just doing this for your dad, pipsqueak.

Mistakes are not forgiven. And you are no exception.

Why don't just leave and spare us your sight?

I'm surprised your mother had the guts to even keep you after you were born.

–

"I was already unpopular before. Everyone thought I was the class clown. But then everyone made that my identity after that incident. I guess they always disliked me, and they had their justification with that incident. They didn't even care about my new abilities, I was just someone the village used as an example of how not to act. That's why I left. So I could possibly find a rescue from my already depressing life and keep myself away from making the mistake I couldn't come back from before I could do what mattered." Fury explained, hanging his head with Jade at his side, comforting him.

"I was not sure what these ponies would be like, but I figured it was my chance to make a new future for myself. With creatures who didn't know about the incident and by creatures who didn't judge me on and on. That's why I left without telling you, if you are so curious."

"B-but how?!" Golden Eyes asked, confused and shocked. "No one talked about this."

"Indeed. Why have I not heard of these discussions?" Ocean Blue asked.

"By my guess, they knew at least some of you would come to my defense and 'Save me' from being shamed for my lack of courage and skill. They knew that I'd have you to vouch for me on top of probably Jade and my parents, so they kept it from reaching your ears as a way to make sure they had the biggest effect on me. And… they almost won." Fury explained.

The counselors discussed this amongst themselves. Did this knowledge really get past them, and how did the entire village keep this so tight and undercover?

Ocean Blue, being a mother herself, decided to speak first. "Fury… I have no idea what you have been suffering through all year, but I do know that you must have had quite the debate over returning home after that. You must be trying to keep yourself together for the sake of what honor you have left standing in front of us, trying to make sure you don't seem like a coward by crying or sniffing as you force yourself to recollect those deeply upsetting memories."

After Ocean Blue said that, a small but shaky breath escaped from Fury's mouth. A rolling tear followed as he hid his face from the room in an attempt to salvage what dignity he still had at the moment.

"It… was tough for me to get through this all. For a while, I lived by myself, avoiding any contact from others. I felt like no one would accept me back. For a while, I never wanted to come back again…." Fury said with a hard heart.

All the councilors were silent, even the normally whiny Golden Eyes. Same for his parents and his pony companions.

"It's okay, sweetie. You've done well in facing your fears. You have no worry over judgment here." Sweet Silver said.

"Well, maybe all but Golden Eyes. Can't expect him to be sympathetic for you." Soundwave huffed.

"Well, I-I…" Goldeneye sighed. "I guess what happened to you was unjust. And I underestimated how strong and worthy you were. Someone like you can endure all of that… That is quite a strength." He said reluctantly but truthfully. He covered his face in embarrassment in having to admit his faults.

The Chief stood up. "Night Fury, I am sorry you had to deal with all this. I should have been more supportive of you. For all you have done. I've heard about how you freed many of those captives. It is not every day that captives make it out free. I'm surprised you were able to still stay strong after all the shame you recieved."

"Well, it wasn't easy." Fury said. "But, I remembered what my parents told me to not give up." He said smiling to his parents. "And I remembered those who still were my friends." He looked to Jade. "But the ones who really made me seek to be something more were these hoofed creatures. I never thought I could get so far. But they made me remember."

"We're here for you, son. No matter what." Obsidian said, holding him close.

"As am I." Black Ice followed.

"As do I, my Lightning Bug." Luna said as she hugged him followed by the others.

After a long hug, they let go. Fury looked at them. "Thanks everyone, I appreciate it. Well, that settles that. So, how about we get to the real juicy part. The alliance proposal. Celesia, if you would…"

Celestia smiled. "With pleasure." She looked at the chief. "I know you used to distrust other creatures like us ponies. I can understand why, with how you wish to protect your people. But if you really wish, we can help you through it. As we know now, the Shadow Shifters are expanding their forces to possibly make another attack. Separate, we would last for a while but soon falter. But if we were to make a deal between our races, we could bolster our defenses and keep both of our best interests safe."

The chief was silent. Celestia and Fury could see he was contemplating something he thought unimaginable. After all, wasn't he the one who distrusted other races? Was he really going to trust them so easily?

Fury spoke up. "After helping me and even Cadence risking her life to save my parents and all those other captives, do you still think they are not to be trusted? By our honor code, we at least owe them a debt to their services."

The chief thought about it. He turned to Cadence. "Was it true you helped all those Shifters? And did you do it out of selfless notion?"

Cadence bowed to him. "Yes I did. And I would do it all over again. As well as any of these three." She said pointing to the nodding princesses.

"Very well," the chief said. "Scribe! Write what I say down. For what I am about to say will change our village's history forever."

"Princess Celestia, you and your people have proven yourselves with your helping Fury in his quest. It is for this we should be grateful. By the traditions of our ancestors, as Fury said, anyone so worthy deserves our trust and our allegiance. We are indebted to you. And for what you have done to protect other Shifters from the threats of the Shadow Shifters, I say we can trust you."

Celestia nodded. "I do appreciate your kind words. And not just for today, but I hope for future generations we may know friendship and harmony. May both our peoples join together."

"Well said, Celestia. But we all know that spoken words don't make deals. I believe a contract is in order to solidify this transaction." Fury said.

"Exactly." The chief stood up. He approached Celestia. "Let us seal this alliance once and for all."

The emperor revealed a small elaborate jeweled knife in his paws. He looked to Celestia. "To truly seal our nations' friendship we shall seal it in blood itself." He said, slitting his paw slightly.

Twilight and Cadence were a bit shocked at this.

"Your highness, surely there has to be a cleaner way to sign the agreement-"

"It's alright Twilight. I accept." Celestia took the knife from the Chief, gave a small cut to herself and shook his paw.

"May we forever become allies for all time. Supporting each other and defending each other. Our blood is the marking of the end." The chief recited.

"Agreed. In the name of Equestria, I declare our alliance to begin now!"

The drops of blood fell onto a small vase in which some servants sealed it up and would store it for safe keeping as an artifact not soon to be forgotten.

"Wow, I… didn't know alicorns could actually bleed." Fury said, surprised.

"It's hard to do so with our power, but it just takes a lot of power." Celestia said. "This knife for instance."

"Or my claws if you get on my bad side. Even if you two are strong." Fury reminded the two.

"Oh Fury, your power has changed but your sense of humor sure hasn't." Ocean Blue said with a sigh.

Thunder Claws looked at the princesses. He had a face that now seemed at ease, at least for his standards.

"Now that you are our new guests, I think it is appropriate that we know more about each other. And since you are already in our town, I ask that you explore it and see what grand wonders we have." He turned to Fury. "Fury! I demand that you show our new guests the pride of our town. We may not have elaborate monuments like that of our ancestors but there are many other wonders that we have. Go forth and see to it."

Fury smiled. "You got it, old chief! I'll show them the best spots in town. It will be something they won't soon forget. Come on princesses, let's go forth!"

And so, with a few final words and a bow of respect, the group left to explore the village.

–

Later on, in Thunder Hollow…

Most of the paths around town were secluded, so there was minimal risk of any disturbance in the initial walk from the central hut. But as they reached the shopping square, they all saw more Speed Shifters running around and buying things. And loud merchants determined to sell their precious wares. It seemed as if a shifter's energy was used just as much in business as well as running.

"Ladies, welcome to Speed Shifter's shopping center! All around here, we buy all we need to keep ourselves going. Furniture, Deeds to land… But my personal favorite is the food we have." Fury said, licking his lips.

"Of course it is, ya foodie." Jade chuckled. "Now be warned, some of the food we have is… well…"

"So weird and off-putting that you'd wonder why we don't have clogged arteries and look like blubber balls." Fury said bluntly.

"Oh don't exaggerate, it can't be that bad." Luna said. "I've seen my sister through the worst. I know what horror is." Luna said with her sister giving her the stink eye.

"Oh really? Ya ever seen a deep fried cheese tower?" Fury asked, pointing to a yellow Speed Shifter setting up towers of cheese, dipping them in batter and frying them to the ends of the earth.

"Come on folks! Get your Cheese Sandwich here! Don't be late!" said the Speed Shifter cook.

The princesses all dropped their jaws. Even Celestia.

Twilight spoke up first. "Um, is that just a way to test out how good their ovens are? They won't eat it. Yeah that would be crazy. Ha ha ha. Right?"

Fury laughed almost like an evil villain.

"WRONG!!!" Fury announced proudly. "That, Twily, is the stuff we actually eat. But we don't have a problem with it thanks to our monstrous motabolisms. And besides, our super speed lets us burn off anything we pack onto us anyway."

"Wow, that must be a lot of energy that running burns off." Cadence says.

"Yep. In fact, if we went with that low fat hay sandwich junk, we'd be skinny feeble creatures. We gotta build it up somehow. But enough talk. Let's go in for the treat."

Fury bought some. And he and Jade looked eagerly at it like little cubs. They both joyfully dug in. The cheese came pouring out of the baked powder. Molten cheese was all over their mouths.

Fury looked like he was going to cry. "It's been so long! I've missed you, sweet tower of cheese!"

Celestia commented first. "Well, it certainly is a treat even my people could never have conceived of."

"Except perhaps as a secret assassination attempt." Luna said.

"Well, I wouldn't go that far. But it definitely will not agree with my diet." Cadence said.

"Ugh, you guys are such prudes." Fury moaned. "Ya know what? How about you guys try this since you're so high up on the ladder. You talk so much and don't hold it up, so I think you should shut your traps and take the dive."

The princesses looked with awe. What would this exotic phenomenon even be like? How could they process it?

"I don't know, Fury." Jade said, a little smugly at the ponies. "Maybe these princesses just don't have what it takes for our food."

"No, I'm putting my paw down. I'm not letting them off so easily. You four have been so up in the clouds with your 'Weight Trainers' and your 'High End Diets'. I think it's about time you guys started doing things that are unprincess like. So suck it up!"

Fury grabbed one of them. "Look at this! You say you can resist, but can you really? Can you really resist?"

They all smelled it. It smelled so delicious.

"I have to admit, it does smell good." Twilight said skeptically.

"As much as I don't like food this greasy, it does make me wonder what it tastes like." Cadence added.

"I have traveled to dreams like those of Fury's. I can understand his feelings of desire from them…" Luna said in awe.

"Could it be… even better than a cake?" Celestia said with less restraint than the others.

"Looks like my prey has smelled the bait." Fury said with a smirk. "Now step 2: Operation Snag The Suckers." He whispered.

"So… you guys gonna try it or what? It isn't as good if it isn't fresh out of the oil." He said temptingly.

"No, I can't fall victim..." Twilight said, trying to resist.

"My personal trainer will drag me to the Badlands and back if I do this." Cadence whimpered.

"You will not manipulate me, Night Fury. I will not be tricked by-"

"LET ME HAVE IT!!!" Celestia spoke. "I demand you give me the cheese tower right now. Do you hear me?!" Celestia was utterly in love with the cheese sandwich.

"Oh wow. I guess I shouldn't be surprised you would be the first to crack. Here you go, Princess. Feast on!" Fury said, throwing the cheese sandwich to her.

Fury threw the cheese tower in the air. Everyone thought he was crazy for doing that. But Celestia did not think so. She leaped up into the air like a dog and grabbed it with her mouth.

When she dropped down she was slowly taking in the fried goodness, licking her lips and tongue of all the cheese.

"This is one of the greatest things I have ever had in my entire life." Celestia said. "I feel like I have been blessed with this treat of supreme taste. Well besides cakes of course, but this is a close second place."

Jade smiled. "Well at least she appreciates our fine delicacies."

Fury nodded. "See what did I tell ya, Sunbutt? This cheese stuff is just like another form of cake! All fluffy but with the taste of aged milk."

"I have to agree, this is a very exquisite taste. Though it may not be the healthiest of the foods I've had, it is delicious." Celesia complimented, Night Fury giving himself a fist pump for his success at persuading at least one of his equine friends.

"Looks like I've converted Celestia to the awesome side." Fury said. "How about you ladies? Will you join her?"

Fury then walked to Twilight, "I think your large brain can understand how much taste is packed into this cheesy juicy bite."

Twilight tried to look away. "No, I can't fall for it. I can't fall for it."

Fury figured he would need an extra layer of persuasion. He saw Twilight's package and had an idea.

He went into one of the pockets and grabbed a hayburger.

"What happens when you combine the dry crunchy taste of hay with cheese?" Fury said as he gave the burger to the cook and within seconds revealed a cheese covered hayburger.

"Now, what do you think? Will you resist your own loyal food now? Will you-" Fury asked.

"Give me my hayburger back!" Twilight grabbed her cheesy hayburger and gobbled it up.

"2 down, two to go." Fury whispered to himself, laying eyes on Cadence.

"Cadence, everyone knows how much you adore chocolate. But what if we combined sweet with savory?" Fury wondered aloud, pulling out a strawberry and a skewer.

"Sweets and cheese?" Cadence gagged at the idea. "What kind of unholy abomination would that be like? I don't want to know!"

Fury smiled. "Well, you'll know now!" Fury took the strawberry, dipped it into the molten cheese and out came a cheesy baked strawberry.

"At least with the other two, they already liked the food you had. As well as a bad level of food discipline." Cadence whispered the last part. "But I find the whole idea of baked cheese and fruits an abomination. I ought to outlaw it!"

Fury nodded. "Yeah. Maybe you have a point. Maybe they should go away forever. For eternity."

Cadence nodded. "See you get now-"

"Psyche!" Fury said, taking five of his strawberries into Cadence's mouth. Cadence was about to spit them out but somehow she couldn't because of the flavor. Was this mix she once condemned really as horrible as she thought?

She swallowed it. And looked stunned.

"Th-that was actually good?! But how?! It makes no sense." Cadence cried out. "Also my trainer is going to kill if he finds out about this."

Fury grinned. "You'll find out a lot of things about us Shifters don't make sense. That's the fun of it. And don't worry about the trainer. It's our little secret. Heh, maybe I'll get him some real food someday."

Meanwhile Luna looked blankly at the others. She was not as shocked by the idea as Twilight and Cadence were. But she still felt like it would be beneath her to be tempted by this otherworldly food. Even if he were her lover.

"You may have tempted the others. But my mind is stronger than the others. I won't fall prey to your wiles. Your cheese will not claim me." Luna said with confidence.

But Fury as usual took this not as an obstacle but as a game. "Heh heh heh… Luna, Luna, Luna… do you take me for a weakling? I have many ways of persuasion." Fury chuckled.

"See, your mom made it a bullet point to show me the past of her esteemed daughters. One such memory was your deep desire for doughnuts, specifically Pony Joe's. So, what better way to show you the truth than to make a doughnut of fried cheesy goodness. Madam, show my lover your works and you'll get a handsome tip." Fury said, jingling a fat sack of bits.

"You got it! Nothing like getting some extra cash!" She took some tongs and dipped the doughnut into the concoction. She got it out revealing the cheesy donut. But that wasn't all. As a bonus, she also applied a sort of fruit jam on it and rebaked it. It was a delightful mix of sweet and savory.

"There we go! I love when creativity and baking are mixed." Fury turned to Luna. "Now can you really deny this goodness, combining pony and shifter food?"

"My mother was lying! I do not like Donut Joes!" Luna said desperately. "She was just joking! I do not and never will like that. You can't make me."

"Oh I can…" He whispered maliciously. "Hey look, Sapphire Shores' latest album!"

"By the gods, really!?" Luna gasped, looking over to where Fury directed her vision. With one smooth move, he threw the doughnut like a disk and scored a direct hit into Luna's mouth.

"Gooooooooal!" He said with his arms out.

Luna had an angry look at being duped by her naughty coltfriend. But before she could give him the Royal Canterlot Voice, her tongue noticed the cheese taste.

She dared to bite in. And when she did so, her eyes opened wide. She chewed and tasted the mixture of sugar and cheese. It seemed so wrong yet so right.

She finally swallowed. "Is this what true dreams are made of? Is this how those happy ponies in dreams feel? For I feel like I am in paradise!"

Fury nodded and spoke like a wise sage. "Ah yes, my young pupil, you know now the ways to inner peace. Not through meditation, not through chanting but through the power of baked cheese lathered in butter." Then Fury went back to normal. "And don't think I forgot about that hefty tip, sweetheart. Here ya go."

"Thanks kid! It's nice to know folks still can't resist my goods!" She said.

Cadence turned to him. "Well it looks like you won. You conquered us with your cheese."

"I guess that's one thing ponies and Shifters have in common." Twilight remarked.

"We won't get fat from this, will we?" Cadence asked.

Fury snickered. "Oh you silly ladies. It's just a little bit. Believe me, you haven't seen the biggest of them all. Bacon wrapped around the towers. Yum. But to get back to the point, just run it off and tell your trainer you ate hay or something."

"You really are a sneaky bad influence on us." Twilight said giggling.

"Yeah, that's what my mom says." Jade said. "I wouldn't have done all those pranks without his influence."

Fury smiled smugly. "You're welcome, folks. Happy to bring you to enlightenment. But enough of that. Let's keep moving. There are more sites to see." He said continuing to walk along to the next location of their tour.

Moving along from the bustling shopping center, they walked along the path to a large steel building with smoke stacks.

"This one is our weapons forge, Dad's old job. I remember the first time he took me here for 'Take your son to work' day. Ringing any bells, pop?" Fury asked.

"Sure is, champ." Obsidian sighed, marveling at his old work place. "I remember this place like a second home. The molten metal, the baking hot interior of the crucible, the good memories with friends… Ahh, good times."

"Well maybe you can catch up on these memories. C'mon, let me and dad show you how we make our defensive weapons. And later, we'll show you the big guns!" Fury said excitedly.

"Shining Armor will be so jealous." Twilight admitted.

When they opened the doors, they saw Shifters doing all the usual activities of a blacksmith such as dipping a hot blade in water or beating a hot piece of metal. But they also saw blacksmiths chant incantations and carve patterns into the metal.

Obsidian was very eager to show them his work. "One of my favorite weapons is the claw gauntlet. A sort of metal glove with metal claws. It increases the strength of your swipes. In fact I believe Fury still has the ones I made for him."

Fury nodded. "Yep! I use them whenever I'm in imminent danger like against Tirek or Sombra."

"Yep. And we also have armor like helmets or chest pieces. I even make amulets and jewelry though that's a bit separate from blacksmithing." Obsidian said, walking further into the building.

"But we don't do it alone. It takes tons of us to get it right the first time, we can't just wish things were easier. We have to work for it! But in working for it, we find ourselves engaging in moments and forming bonds over our labor."

"Speaking of which, is it just me or does that guy look like your old friend Lava Mold?" Fury asked.

He saw a bulky Speed Shifter with a massive scar by one of his eyes. He was indeed very strong.

"He sort of does now that I think about it. He has that rough and tough look to him." Obsidian said.

"Hey, Lava! Is that you?" The bulky Shifter turned around and removed his face protector, taking in the sight of the long lost friend he knew so long ago.

"Obsidian!? Is it really you, old chap?" He asked in a posh accent.

"Yep, you know it!" Obsidian said, greeting him with a firm pawshake.

"You son of a gun. You truly are something else! You've gone for ages and yet somehow I knew, by the Emperor's Mane, you would manage to make it out! Tell me, how have things been?" Asked Magma, another of Obsidian's colleagues.

The princesses were quite surprised to see this strong tough looking shifter have such eloquence in his speech. But they figured it came from years of experience.

"It's been a while, but I made it. And it's all thanks to this glorious offspring of mine!"

Fury walked up to see him.

"Oh, well if it isn't Night Fury himself. Grew quite a bit from his measly self back in the day." Magma said, patting Fury roughly. "So you were able to free those captives from Shadow Shifters?"

Fury gave a confident smile. "You bet I did! It took some transformation and some stealth but I got through it. And I taught those shadow guys not to mess with Thunder Hollow. Ripped the head and spine right out of the chief!"

"You did?" Magma said. "Ha, are you sure you're not just making a fib?"

"Ask the pink pony behind me, she saw the whole thing." Fury then pointed to Cadence who shuffled a little at the brutal and dark moment she saw Fury enact.

"Believe me, I sure did…" Cadence squeaked uncomfortably.

"Ah I see," Magma said. "Well, did you give him some good cuts with the claws me and your father made?"

"You betcha! Right in his chest! Oh and a bit of his face. No big deal." Fury said with a smirk.

"Well done, boy! Your father really did raise a true warrior!"

"I sure did." Obsidian said with pride. "He even gave him the old headdress skull technique I taught him." He said pressing his paw into the ground.

The three laughed leaving the princesses a little confused as to how to relate to these four warrior shifters. Obsidian gave Fury a glance at the princesses and Fury, noticing their discomfort, decided to change the subject.

"Anyway, how about you guys show my royal friends here some of our work? I'm giving them a tour while the chief talks their alliance proposal over." Fury asked.

"Oh, that would be some jolly old fun. I was looking forward to showing the techniques my ancestors taught me. Follow me." Magma said, leading them to an anvil along with all the requisite tools for making weapons.

"For your own viewing pleasure, I will make a seemingly innocent device. A hidden blade." Magma said. "A perfect tool for assassins or diplomats who want to find alternative negotiations."

He showed them a mechanism with a retractable blade that with the press of a button, extended or retracted.

"This blade is perfect for any stealth expert wanting to take care of guards and high society targets alike. Though, the button does give it the risk of slicing your own appendages off with its hair trigger." Lava Mold said. Night Fury's brain ignited in a flurry of theories and hypothetical questions, it almost felt weird to him. Then, he came up with an idea.

"Hey, what if instead of a button, it was a paddle? And not below the blade but on top of the wrist? Here, let me see." Lava reluctantly passed the gadget over and Fury went to one of the work benches, followed by his group. Lighting the lantern, he got to work on the hidden blade. He used a screwdriver to remove the bottom and take out the button mechanism, gutting the interior.

Next, he unlatched the top part and maneuvered the blade over the guts of the mechanism that he put below where the blade sat. He passively reached over to the side with his tail and snatched a flat piece of metal from a parts barrel to fit on top. Moving over to the table saw, he turned it on and began cutting a hole in the front, sending sparks flying.

Once done, he slid the paddle inside the hole and attached the small trigger to it before closing it up and screwing in the top.

"There! So now that the trigger is a paddle on top of the wrist, all you have to do is flick your wrist up and…"

Shing!

"...the blade comes right out without chopping off your little piggies." Fury said with an impressed Magma and Lava Mold nodding.

"Very impressive, lad. This is definitely easier to use than my original device. A poor sap will never see it coming." Lava Mold said.

"I'm sure they won't. Now how about we move on to the next spot? I think Mom is about to melt into a black and white puddle." Fury giggled. Everyone looked over to her and saw the struggling mother sweating like she was on the sun its

"Thank goodness! I can't stand this heat again!" Black Ice said.

They all went to another room. Much cooler this time. And more rustic. There was a lot of wood carved.

"What is this place?" Luna asked.

"This is our ranged weapons forge. Since we don't have magic like your lovely self, we make our own ways of reaching far out and eliminating our enemies." Fury said, getting a blush from his girlfriend.

"Oh you little sweetheart…" She giggled. As they walked over to one of the work benches, they saw a red Speed Shifter with yellow eyes working on something.

"Hey Longshot, long time no see!" Fury greeted.

"Fury, good to see ya, mate!" Longshot said in an Austrotlian accent. "Glad to see you and your folks are alive! Of course Blue Bell already told me about it. But still nice to see ya."

"Eh, it just took a little effort, but we got through it. But that's another story. So, how about you show my royal compadres here what you're working on?"

Longshot looked at his new spectators. "Ah how convenient. Was just about to start my new crossbow."

"Crossbow? I've never heard of such a contraption. Pray tell, what is this crossbow?" Luna asked.

The red Speed Shifter turned to his work bench and pulled out his crafted weapon. The frame was a light carbon fiber, many wheels and wires running from the back of the primer to the flared bow at the front.

"This is a crossbow. It's like a more modern bow and arrow. Compact frame, lightweight materials, hair trigger… this beaut will shoot bolts farther than any bow could." Longshot said, marveling at his work.

"Bolts? Don't you mean arrows?" Twilight asked.

Night Fury explained to the princesses. "Nah, we call 'em bolts. You see, arrows are more flimsy because of their wooden frame and they fly looser with their fins being made out of thin sheets of wood or even feathers in some cases. But bolts, they're more rigid." He said, reaching for a barrel filled with the black ammunition.

"You see the material this and the crossbow are made out of? This is Carbon Fiber, a lightweight multi-weave of plastic that allows bolts to fly more rigidly through the air but makes it light enough so that it doesn't sink." Fury further clarified.

"Right you are, mate! You do know your weapons, even the ones you hardly ever use!" Then he turned to the princesses. "Now I bet yer wondering, why go through all this effort for these glorified bows and arrows? Can't I just make normal bows?"

Twilight was curious. "Well I suppose it does confuse me."

The veteran shifter smiled widely. "Easy peasy. For one, bows are a lot easier to break and snap. A crossbow made of carbon fiber is tough and built to last. Two, it saves on natural resources we could be using for infrastructure. Thirdly, it's much easier to line up a target and pull a trigger than to have to pull a string, hold the arrow steady, keep yourself steady and fire. And lastly… Well, it's funner to show you then jabber about it."

Night Fury took the crossbow from Longshot and went over to one of the shooting aisles. On one end sat a sandbag dummy with armor around it. The armor was the usual scale armor popular with Shifters but exotic to ponies. Twilight already knew how strong the armor was. What were they planning to do with it?

Night Fury got up on his hind legs and let his body rest against the flat prepping surface below his body, bracing the stock of the crossbow on his shoulder. Taking his first bolt, he loaded it into the fine divot in the middle and pulled back the primer. The wires grew more strained as the wheels on the flared end allowed them to move freely and click into place as Fury fully primed the weapon. Looking at the target, he took a deep breath, flicked his tail and squeezed.

Click! Fwoom!

The bolt soared far down the shooting isle, whistling through the air as it went farther and farther until…

Crack!

The bolt made impact with the dummy and to the princess's shock, easily pierced through the armor like it was nothing.

"But-but-but that armor looked so strong! I've seen back in Snow Henge how that armor can be!" Twilight said. "And from just an arrow too."

"That's another thing about the bolts. Since they have such a lightweight to begin with, it allows them to put more force behind the shot and pierce the armor! Oh and did I forget to mention that thanks to such a lightweight, we were able to fit a metal tip on the end for better armor penetration? Good luck doing that with an average joe arrow." Fury boasted.

The princesses were amazed. Such revolutionary war technology coming from a civilization with no mines or extraction machines to farm resources, and at such a minimal effort.

"Now, you guys know about tipped arrows, right?" Fury asked.

Twilight responded. "I mean you have metal on an arrow for more damage? But I don't see what's so special about that."

"Wow, these four really are some downers." Longshot commented.

"Pfft, please. You have no idea. Throw an idea at the purple one and she'll explain it away like your worst math teacher."

Twilight pouted at that. "I'm just confused about what it means."

"Well if you used your imagination, my dear Twilight, then you would be able to see what crazy tricks one might be able to do. How about explosions? Take out a whole lot of bad guys with one blast. Kaboom! Or maybe you're in a cave and you don't wanna be ambushed so just take one of those flashbangs, put it on a bolt and bang! They won't see squat. Do you see what we would be able to do with them if we had them?" Fury asked.

"Huh, I never thought of it that way. But you speak of them as if they are just theories not reality."

"Well, they technically are real. But we just haven't figured out how to make them work. Longshot…?"

Longshot sighed. "Those little buggers always caused problems. You see, adding dynamite for explosive bolts is just too heavy. And the flashbangs are just too hard to get right. They both suffer from the issue of timing the detonation, and the bulkiness of the suggested mechanisms would be too complicated to fit on the crossbow. I've tried and tried but I just can't find out the trick. Maybe better materials? I dunno."

Twilight pondered. She remembered her brother using some magic to time his workout. Could the same apply to a bolt?

"Hmm… How about adding a timing spell to the bolt and reconfiguring the design of the bolts? Do you have any blueprints of these tipped bolts lying around?" Twilight asked. Longshot was surprised that this pony princess was willing to try and craft something better of his work, but he let it slide.

Moving over to his bench, he opened a drawer that revealed a ton of crossed out prototype blueprints that showed many unusual and admittedly, creative ways to shoot tipped bolts. An explosive powder feeding tube, bulbs of bioluminescent fluid strapped on all sides of the bolts, a suction cup with a mini box of fireworks strapped to the inside… A bolt with glue and a dynamite stick stuck to the side standing right side up?

Longshot explained further. "Yep, those are the plans I wrote at one point but all just ideas. No material we Shifters have can make these work."

Twilight explained. "I myself might not be too well versed in military procedures compared to my brother, but he has shown some spells and different potions that might be effective. In fact, these blueprints could work with some ingredients I like to carry around constantly."

Twilight took out a pouch she was carrying. She took a bowl and opened it revealing some blue and purple powder.

"This powder is used for many potions, especially ones needed to conduct heat, it's very volatile and if you shake it too much, it can give an explosion."

"Oh… I like the sound of that. What if we got a bunch of that dust and shoved it in that bulb, I bet something special could happen. What do you say, Longshot?" Fury asked.

"Oy, worth a shot if you ask me." Longshot admitted. And with that, the three got to work. Twilight held the powder off to the side while Longshot and Night Fury unscrewed the sharp end of the bolt and replaced it with the cylindrical compartment. Slowly but surely, Twilight poured the volatile powder into the compartment and slowly closed the lid.

"There we go, an explosive tip! Now to give this thing a shot!" Fury said with enthusiasm. Carefully carrying the powder filled bolt over to the shooting aisle, Fury lined up his shot. Pulling the primer, he took aim for the head of the dummy. Then, he pulled the trigger and let it fly.

Zooming through the air, the bolt took a higher ark with the added weight of the capsule. But as it hit the target, the capsule cracked and went explosive.

Thoom!

The blast was a blue/purple mixture, crackling with energy and blowing the dummy's head right off of its shoulders.

"Wahoo!" Both Fury and Longshot cried out. "We finally did it! We made it happen."

Longshot looked at the princesses. "That powder is one strong formula. I could use some more of it."

Celestia nodded. "That may be done. But there is another thing to be done. Have you ever heard of Solar Powder?"

"I don't believe I have." Fury said. "I'm guessing it's a sort of replacement for the bioluminescent fluid we gather from Glow Beatles for our flashbangs?"

"Yes. It glows intensely. It used to be used by earth ponies and pegasi to go into dark caverns since they lacked unicorn magic. Nowadays, fashion designers use it for glitter sequins and airfields use it as an alternative to light bulbs for runways. But, much like your explosive tipped bolts, the powder explodes when under intense pressure. Perhaps you could use it as an alternative as well." Celesia suggested.

"Sounds good to me. Twi, get one of those capsules ready. We're about to make a flash bolt."

They got another bolt and placed the powder in.

When they got ready, to test the success of the flash bolt, one of them had to volunteer for who would be blinded temporarily by the flash and that volunteer was Luna.

"Okay sweetheart, just stand still and let the bolt do its thing!" Fury called from afar, Luna returning a nod. Fury got low and primed the weapon, holding steady before pulling the trigger and letting it loose.

The flash bolt flew just as the explosive tip did, a high arc with a fast rate of movement. Soon enough, the bolt made contact with Luna's chest piece and collapsed the capsule.

Pew!

Everyone on the safe end covered their eyes for safety, keeping the bright flash away from their vision. Luna however, let the flash hit her. The blast left her ears ringing, nothing but white filling her vision as the powder did its dirty work. Thankfully, after a few seconds, the ringing and blindness wore off with ease, allowing the moon princess to regain her composure and return to the group.

"So, how'd you fare, your highness?" Longshot asked. Luna rubbed her eyes a bit and gave a few blinks for good measure before speaking.

"I have seen my sister all my life and I can say even she was not as annoyingly bright as that flashbang."

Fury laughed and felt joy. "Wow, you know this flashbang is really intense then!"

"Yes!" Longshot said, paw raised up. "It took me years but finally the bloody weapons work. Let's see those Shadow Shifters fight us now."

Twilight smiled. "We are happy to help. But I have to give it to you for already being so advanced militarily. These weapons like crossbows can really help us. Is it possible for us ponies to use these for our weaponry?"

Longshot responded. "You'll have to ask the chief. But if you are so helpful like now, I'm sure he can work it out."

"Awesome! Well, we'll be on our way! Thanks for the test fire, Longshot!" Fury said.

All of them came away with a sense of accomplishment. Fury so far was adapting well.