> The Lightning Seven: The Second Strike *Old story*
>  by Barracuda cyborg
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Rememberance of a forgotten tale
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It all started with a test run on a machine that allowed gateways to other worlds; the Lightning Seven had landed in Equestria. Usually known as a land of peace, magic and harmony, it seemed like any dream could come true. That is until those fools had landed there of course. Equestria had seen better days, but things never stay calm around there for long.

The Lightning Seven weren't an average group of mercenaries. Specializing in maintaining a morally gray perspective on life. They may have tried to save their world, but at the same time let the wheels of progress move despite of the damage it could bring. In a world full of mercenary teams, they were one of the more well known ones due to their unorthodox ways of solving issues despite what the traditional way may think the team wouldn't have it any other way. 

Scalor, quite literally a fish out of water, was the cybernetic leader of the group. Despite being half machine, he had a high respect for nature that was uncommon. Machinery in their world was seen as beneath the organic rulers so having his reputation be as high as it was becomes a matter of identification of being machine or not.

His long-time friend Outlook flew by night and had been the second member to join the team. Using his military training to help in being unseen from the skies. An expert in the cities underground came a roadrunner named Razor was soon to follow, her beak usually was bigger than her bite; though when it came to knives she would carve a bear out of an ice cube and a toothpick.

The overly paranoid technician Circuit Breaker came up next, and he could feel the danger coming from a mile away. His plans were sometimes too complicated, but for the greater good for the protection of the team.

The squad grew as its needs did for sneaking, Dice Shapukatto soon joined when he heard about the teams exploits from the farthest corners of the world. Though blind, his connections to his families ancestry brought him closer to the world around him. 

Finally, Slash and Kooker were recruited simultaneously. Two lizard brothers, they shared an unbreakable brotherly bond and boundless energy that was as inspiring it was useful over distances. Slash brought the power and game changers into battle while Kooker brought the insight to the team as he saw into the spirits of everyone around him.

Together they brought a changing way of ideas of a unthinking and confused world. Scalor and his team might've been a strange bunch, but like a bolt of lightning they struck down and brought a shining light of change.

Equestria was unfortunately the right place at the right time. While traditionally they had traveled their world if it fit their needs or the pay was good, the magical land of ponies decidedly didn't need any help. Which would've been fine if they'd been able to leave. Stranded far from home, they soon were forced to do whatever they could to earn money to find a way back home. Through perilous means and rather insane situations, they found a way and managed to construct a way back, but little did they know something was creeping from behind them.

Jaggor; leader of the mechanical menaces known as the Jagged Nine were one of the most text book  definitions of villain any creature had seen. His ever growing genius and crippling insanity had affected many creatures, including himself within his time as a scientist. Despite all of his knowledge and ingenuity he had always blamed the L7 for his shortcomings whether they were even related to the issue or not. Eventually, he would build his own team to try maintain control over the universe the only way he knew how: ruthless conquest.

The would-be inventor and rival built mechanical beasts specifically to combat the Lightning Seven. Tenta-kill and Freeze Frame were cold machines designed to emulate control. One staying behind to think while his tendrils did all his dirty work and the other slowing time to a crawl to compensate for his slow movement, together they spelt trouble.  Rampage and Destruct were nothing but muscle; the rhino and hippo bots destroyed whatever they were ordered to, obeying orders without question.

Pin-sar and Clam-borg were built for ensnaring unfortunates dumb enough to fall into a hole; though the rolling clam was rather weak and preferred to be in his indestructible shell more. Meanwhile Slicor and Blade Wing chased them down ready to stick their blades into anything and slice it up like warm butter. All in all, the attempt of winning over a single team were crushed as they were reduced to heaping piles of scrap.

As the journey had finally come to a close, the makeshift portal device activated sucking in the players and pieces back to the strange beings home world: Terra-glacies.

Once a refugee planet, it had evolved into a world far beyond most people's comprehension. Full of bustling cities, traveling bazars, unknown and rare species of interdimensional creatures, amongst other various things of the unknown. To any it was still a dumping ground for unneeded, rejects, losers; but to many it was home, a strange one. Now, the mercenaries find themselves back on their own world with seven uninvited guests. They are in the eye of a thunder storm, and it seems here lightning strikes twice in one place.

> Crashing the party.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The collection of fools were walking towards a city known as Whiplash. The hike had been a long one for all of them especially for the ponies since they weren't much used to the high amount of pollution that filled the air. The lowering suns did not make it easier since all three of them shined closely towards each other creating a feeling of permanent heatwave. 

"Are you sure this is the right way to the city?" Twilight asked showing a mixture of tired and annoyed. "We've been walking for... hours!"

"Yes," Razor replied as she pulled out some strange tracker, "Suns crest just over the fifth perpendicular so we're heading the right way."

Twilight looked up, noticing the three hanging orbs shining down on the party. Everything about this world was... wrong. Shaking her head, she picked up the pace again, not much else she could do other than follow.

"Need... bath...." Rarity said. The white unicorn was covered in sweat and grime from the hike. They all were, really but of course she had to be the one to remind all of them.

"One hoof in front of the other, we'll get to wherever it is we're going... I hope," Applejack commented. She adjusted her Stetson, pulling it over her more. What she wouldn't give to be under the shade of an apple tree in Sweet Apple Acres.

Dice unfortunately was having a hard time readjusting himself, so he was completely disorientated, "I'm going the right way, right?"

"Right." the group replied to him only making the sense of direction worse.

The blind platypus picked his head up. "Wait, you mean I'm heading in the right direction or I should turn right?"

"I can fix this," Kooker said; using his tail he tied a leash around Dice's  around his wrist. "There we go, now you can just follow me."

The sightless samurai smiled. "Thanks."

At last, the city came into sight. The road they were walking on leading into a sprawling collection of buildings, some developed and some in development. In fact, the entire town followed this pattern as if the eastern half of the city had been ripped from the future while the western half looked like it was in a state of ruin. 

A large bat swooped down from a perch on a building to the side, diving at the company. But instead of taking a bite out of any of the travelers, he stopped in midair and said, "Hello all and welcome to Whiplash!" the bat said with glee as if he was the world's equivalent of Pinkie Pie. "We don't often get new visitors! I wish I could do something to make it a bit more... festive!" he said enthusiastically after a pause. He was a larger creature, not unlike a bat, but up to the height of Scalor. His lanky frame and hands/ wings went about as he was just blathering on and on about being part of a 'City wide Welcoming committee'. 

"OOooh, you should get a wagon for welcoming people! I have one back home and I use it all the time to-" Pinkie was interrupted when Twilight shoved a hoof in her mouth.

"I'm sure we'll have time for festivities later," The purple pony said. A party was not something they needed when they were all about to collapse.

Rarity crawled along the ground up to the stranger. "Please... shower!"

"We've all been traveling for quite a while," Celestia said. The alicorn's own visage was a tad weathered. "Is there any place we could recuperate?"

The bat thought for a moment. "Well, I'm not really sure. Normally I just hang out at night," he smirked. "Get it? Hang out? Cuz Ima bat!"

An awkward pause fell over the crowd of exhausted travelers. "I get it!" Outlook shouted happily from the back of the formation just to break the silence much to the others dismay of the slow witted owl.

"Please..." Twilight asked. "Is there any place we can stay?"

The bat thought for a moment. "Well, I think the hotel down the street is reopened, I can show you where it is," he offered.

"We would be most grateful if you would," Celestia said. In the grips of three suns, it was even getting a bit difficult for the princess who could move a sun to keep her composure.

"Right! This way!" the bat said dutifully. He lead the group through the mismatched town. A tumbleweed made from gray wires rolled by while a traditional tumbleweed made from tumbleweed rolled in the opposite direction. The equine visitors seemed too confused for their own good; they needed answers to make this trip less confusing as possible.

"Hey Batty," Pinkie asked.

"Batty's actually my mothers name," the bat replied. "My name's Nightbeat."

"Nice to meet ya Nightbeat," Pinkie continued. "Why is your city so... mismatched?"

"Ah, city planning commission only had enough cash to renovate half the town, we didn't know that when we started so... we only made it halfway before we ran out of funds," the bat replied.

"Oh." Pinkie said.

"Yeah," the bat said, sounding regretful, "Turns out, putting most of our money into snail farms lead to... slow investment increases," he replied grinning, almost laughing at his corny pun. Some of the group laughed, but the others were too tired to actually put up with it until they reached the hotel; or at the very least what they knew as the whole building "Well... turns out I was half-right," Nightbeat said.

"Why is that?" Twilight asked, looking at the building past him.

"The renovations I mentioned? It looks like this is where they stopped, right with the only hotel in town within decent walking distance. It's only part remodeled and part unfinished."

The building behind him appeared to be okay. "Well, I'm certain it will suit our needs," Rarity said, stepping forward. She trotted eagerly up to the entrance, the sign 'Inn and Out' hung above the front door. Rarity opened the entrance door to notice something odd behind it: nothing. The others gathered around her to peer through the doorway. Past the entrance was quite literally nothing but the bare foundation of the building, a large, nothing but wood and power tools between the entrance and the vacant foundation of the building.

"The part they remodeled was just the entrance," Nightbeat said, blushingly admitting.

An expression of defeat and disappointment crossed Rarity's face. Slowly, she shut the door.

"You guys can stay at my place though. It's just on the other side of the street, come on!" The over eager bat shouted. Once again, the group turned and followed the bat. Eventually the gang were within a quaint little home; inside of it was filled to the brim with various comedic posters scattered around. "Thank you for your hospitality good sir." Celestia said as she sipped a glass of herbal tea Nightbeat had gave to everyone.

"Well my job to make any one feel welcome in the event someone visits." The bat said as he noticed that the seven other Terra-Glacians infront of him and the poster behind him; it took a while for the wheels to start turning, but they finally churned out a thought, "Wait a second...You guys are the Lightning Seven aren't ya?!"

"Yes we are, but why is that important right now?" Circuit Breaker asked, "What do you need some issue fixed?"

"Well my washer is on the fritz, but that's besides the point!" Nightbeat said as he pulled out a flyer, "Mayor Clucks wants to throw you guys a party at the Criminology Museum for the help against the rivaling cities you helped him with." 

"Wait you guys are heroes?!" Twilight asked surprised.

"Not really, I mean in the Mercenary community on this rock maybe..." Scalor thought, "We only helped because he offered some political favors we couldn't refuse. We may do good things, but we are far from heroes."

"Scalor's right." Slash added, "We take jobs that seem good for us, half of the time they praise us but we cant fully accept it."

"But why don't you indulge in your popularity." Rarity said as she started to think about the fame and fortune the squad could've accumulated over their years of working, "I mean if I was in your...line of work I'd try to have some fun with my popularity."

"The farthest we go is the checks they write out and then we head back home." Razor confessed, "Like we really have time to deal with parties, and other things"

"What?!" Pinkie shouted in disbelief, "How could you guys just ignore something like a party?" Suddenly a thought came through her head, "Come one everyone, we got a wrong to right!" She soon zipped out of the door not knowing where she was going, "Uh...where exactly is that museum?" She asked coming back to the door.


Eventually at the party


The party was in fact a huge blowout as it seemed many of the cities most upper class was there. Nightbeat was greeting the guests as they came in with an ever so growing grin. The L7 and ponies were the only ones not dressed as fancy as the other party goers; sure they may not have had any means to getting clothes as nice as them but no one seemed to care.

The museum was filled with statues and holograms of Terra-Glacies most infamous inhabitants such as the large electrical bird Thunder Blast; others such as the gelatinous bioweapon Proto-gel, the walking virus spreader Corrupter, and even the leader of the Sidewinder Desperadoes Diamond Fang. They were all posed to show the threat that they were, oddly there were plaques showing their status of whether they were incarcerated or still roaming free. 

Mayor Clucks  was seen talking to many of his supporters until he saw Scalor, he ran over to thank him for what they've done for him personally, "Thanks Mayor Clucks." Scalor said accepting the praise, "Though is this really the best place you could think of throwing a party, couldn't we just do it in a park?"

"Nonsense, only the finest for the best mercenary team that helped me keep me in office for a few more years." The rooster said, as he soon grabbed a pile of index cards, "Excuse me I need to start my speech." The mayor said as he headed towards the podium on the stage. "My fellow citizens I have a special announcement to make on behalf on the special team before us here." As the speech was going the skylight above the building had collapsed in showing a large hawk with electrical sparks flowing around her landing near the mayor only to literally kick him off his pedestal.

Kooker knew this bird all to well right down to her deep blue eyes, "Thunder Blast!?"

"Why yes my dear little lizard its me, like fleas on a dog I just keep coming back!" Thunder Blast said as she just causing panic by her presence alone.

"Why are you here? I thought you were stuck in the frozen wastelands" Slash said knowing they had not have seen her for years.

"You fools just left me to freeze!" The hawk yelled causing more sparks to fly, "For fives years I was alone in that over grown freezer! Despite all that I missed you all so much I organized this little gathering to be like a birthday party." The hawk said in a disturbingly sweet like voice.

"Ooooooh I just love parties!" Pinkie said with joy.

"Except this one is the exact opposite." Thunder Blast quickly added, "Let's skip all the formalities and start handing out the gifts." she said as she flew up and began to shoot electric bolts from her very wings.

"Everyone run!" Outlook shouted causing everyone in the building to run off from the danger. Pretty soon the ponies ran for cover by hiding under a table, Celestia casted a shield spell protecting them for the oncoming assault. The team dodged the bolts with a few striking them down causing their fur and feathers to stand on end.

Slash began to think of a way to send the bird down, "Kooker, Outlook, Paddleball routine!" The three began to form a crude rendition of a paddleball; Slash was the ball, Kooker the rubber band and Outlook holding the whole attack together. The only downside was they may be more vulnerable since they were in the air. After swinging and rebounding across the room they landed a hit on Thunder Blast sending her crashing down.

"That's it!" Thunder shouted, "I didn't think I would have to pull this trick out, but who knew stealing a robot be useful; So Scalor meet your brand new hydraulically operated twin brother... Mecha-Barracuda!" With that a fifty foot robot crashed through the walls landing before the group and giving off a growl that could send even the bravest man to cry for help.

"Cool paint job on him but I'm not really crazy on his design." Scalor sasid a he looked at his so called 'brother'. The robot started to swing his weapons as the cyborg ran towards the robot trying to find a weak spot and the chainsaw and missile launcher fired on all cylinders. He suddenly remembered an idea he saw in a movie and began to run towards the legs tying a tow cable onto him, "Just one more...pass around!" Scalor said as his running had confused the robot. The rope then went towards the other side of the area causing the momentum and science to take over and cause the mechanical menace to fall down.

Thunder Blast knew her options were running low so the next best choice was to retreat, "You've might've won this time, but I'll be back sooner than you know Lightnings!" The hawk shouted as she flew off leaving the museum in shambles.

An evening meaning to bring praise only lead to more of an unwanted fight that no one ever wanted. Scalor looked amongst the wreckage and saw everyone was evacuated, "Guys...let's just head home." He said in a defeated tone, "We got something to fix."
> The problem with portals
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The walk back towards the Lightning's base of operations was more than awkward. The team refused to talk only leaving the ponies to think about all that had happened. The fight, the reveal of how the world worked, and well...everything else in this insane asylum of a planet. 

"Does that sort of thing happen to you guys?" Rainbow asked the team, hoping to break the silence.

"No." Slash flatly said, "Though honestly we don't really know how many of those punks actually have a vendetta against us."

"Why are you guys taking us to your place anyways?" Pinkie asked as she bounced up and down, "You gonna give us special tour of the stars homes?"

"We're gonna send you guys home." Circuit replied, "We think it's for the best."

"What?! Why?" Pinkie asked, her mane drooping down. 

"Because this place is too dangerous for any of you." Dice said, "This planet can be harsh, and well... I'm sure you're missing your home."

"Well he has a point we were useless in the fight with that Thunder bird..." Celestia said knowing that she and the ponies were useless in the fight.

"I could've taken him out." Dash said as she practiced boxing moves. The group collectively rolled their eyes as they knew Rainbow wasn't going to be subtle in how she could take on whoever was going to mess with her or her friends.


Later deep within the Lightning's lab


The ponies were in awe seeing a better version of the teleportation device they saw within Equestria. The machine was a large circular machine with lightbulbs flashing around it; the sleek design was better than the one held together with wood glue and rubber bands. "Behold the dimension hopper the gateway towards infinite worlds, between this one and the mud ball called Earth, lies your world." Circuit Breaker said as he grabbed a remote to turn on the device.

"Oh my, this machine is rather impressive, what exactly is the plan?" Rarity asked looking at the machine.

"By using this device we can type up any possible world and go to it. We'll be using this send you guys home." Circuit sighed, "Not only will we fully have access to explore other places, but we can visit you guys whenever." Suddenly there was something that sent the moles face down south, "There's just one problem..."

"What is it?" Applejack asked, knowing that there was going to be serious complications.

"We need a rare power source to properly have the device not bounce you to any random world, but it's completely drained." C.B. said as he counted the various colored gems within the power chamber. 

"Why didn't you try that battery idea, it would've been cheaper to get!!!" Scalor shouted as his fins clasped his head, knowing the power source was ineffective due to the rarity of it.

"Yeah...I tried an electro shock to jumpstart it back up but nothing happened, those Orichalcium generators are too picky with their use." A voice sounded soon revealing the villain the team had just fought somehow in their base and eating their food.

The entire group looked as if they were ready to tackle the red hawk as she was nonchalantly eating. "Wait how the heck did you get here?" Scalor angrily asked as he started at potential target practice. 

"Hey take it easy fish face, I was still angered by the brawl at the museum I wanted to try and trash this place, but I decided to eat something before I actually did." Thunder said as she placed the bowl on a table, "But besides that I need a group of your... skill sets to help me."

"With what?" Slash asked.

"The company that I worked for just kicked me to the curb, so I need your help." The falcon said feeling like a failure in life. She always failed with every time she tried to beat the Lightning squad, but with being fired, burnt, and penniless she felt more of a loser than she ever did.

"So now you need us to help your sorry self take down this 'company' while kicking ass and taking names?" Scalor asked thinking that she could really mean she wanted help from them.

"Yes, so what do you guys say with my electric powers and you guys combined strength, smarts, and vacuous stupidity we shall become an unbeatable." Thunder said thinking she could be with an unstoppable team.

"Well okay." Scalor said knowing he could get a good thrill from blasting stuff and going commando on people. He was the most blood thirsty out of the team. No matter what the situation was he always brought his 'A' game.

What do ya say guys ready for adventure?" Scalor asked the ponies if they were willing to be involved in a journey. Even though most of them were used to going on a quest some of them were having second thoughts on the trip.

"Yes." Twilight said enthusiastically.

"I'm not sure." Fluttershy said scared about what could possibly happen.

"Of course." Celestia said knowing that the group would do their best to help and protect them.

"Now to follow this overgrown turkey." Razor said still making fun of Thunder even though ther was more to be made fun of herself. With her being short, and hot tempered she always mocked those who made fun of her.

"Quick to my plane we can get there quicker." Thunder said as she started to call her plane 'The screaming caw'. Eventually the group boarded the jet black plane with yellow trimming. a few moments later they were in the air taking a look at the land below them.

"Oh my, this is quite a strange planet." Rarity said as she saw mostly jungles, swamps, and barren ice field.

"Trust me this place can be a death trap if you don't pay attention to what's going around you." Outlook said as he flew the plane over a city that was about 267 miles from Whiplash city. All of a sudden a the right wings engine stopped working and everyone felt the plane going down towards the city.

"Quick where are the parachutes?!?" Outlook shouted scarred out of his brain.

"I don't have any I just fly when this sort of thing happens." Thunder buster shouted as she panicked.

"Well lets put our heads between our legs and kiss our bums goodbye." Dice said as he put his stubby head between his webbed feet.

"Holy crap we're all gonna die!" Scalor said as he hugged Celestia for comfort and security.

As the plane got closer and closer towards the ground everyone started to hug each other just to feel safe from the impact. Then everything went black as the plane finally crashed.
> The resistance  
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The plane had crashed and everything looked bleak for our fourteen heroes. Nothing has been more worse for them except for the museum fiasco. "Oh me, where am I?" Celestia asked as she rose from a bed surrounded by x-rays and medical equipment.

"You're in a medical tent." A knight in white amour with gold trim and green orbs embedded within his gauntlets said polishing his black sword with a red handle.

"Wait where's Twilight and the others?" the princess of the sun said acting frantic. 

"To be honest, they're were waiting for you to wake up. Please let me help you up." The knight said as he grabbed Celestia's right front hoof and helped her from the bed.

"Yeeeehaaaw hog tied ya. TIME!" A skeletal bird in a cowboy get up said as he tied Applejack in a quick game of 'Catch the varmit'.

"Hey Hawk Eye, you hit 34.6 seconds." a robot made of vehicle parts said as his visor said the time it took the cowboy to finish the game.

"Yeah new record!" The cowboy said as he jumped for joy.

"Wait, what's going on here?" Celestia asked wondering why her subjects were being tied up for silly games.

"Don't worry princess some of us were getting tired of waiting so we were trying to waste some time." Slash said explaining the situation.

"Good thing too because these guys gave me some new upgrades like hook shot arms and these knife accessories." Scalor said as two large machetes came out of his arms. 

"Oh, wouldn't youre new friends like to introduce themselves." Celestia said as she now wondered about the group that she saw before her.

"Oh terribly sorry ma'am my name is Sir Slicer former leader of the disbanded duck knights. Now I'm  the leader of the MOLLUSK industry rebellion."

"Rebellion?" Twilight asked as she trotted past Slash.

"Yeah, that's the organization is the one I was fired from." Thunder Buster said joining the conversation.

"They want to turn everyone on this world into a robot. Not only that but they might go farther throughout the universe." Sir Slicer said as he clenched his fists in anger.

"Oh my." Celestia said not knowing how horrid the Lighting squads world could be.

"Indeed that is why I have my fellow friends" the knight said as he eased up and started to introduce his team mates.

"The names Hawk Eye a lone rider and a fine sharp shooter." The skele-bone said as he removed his hat revealing he truly was a skeleton with a hawk skull and three fingers on each arm.

"Greetings I'm Buzzer the cyber bug." The tall wasp android with wings resembling microchips, and stinger protruding from his lower abdomen said as he got to the ponies eye level revealing his single red visor.

"I'm Jumpstart the transforming robot." The robot said showing his red, green, and white paint job said as he lowered his blue visor covering his solid yellow eyes.

"Lighting scales the name and electrical short outs are my game." A blue and orange lizard with spikes upon his back and two horns coming into an upside down omega symbol on the sides of his head said as he performed a somersault.

"I'm Charger the forester and this little guy is my pet sugar glider Gildo." The large bull moose in checkered red shirt in black overalls said showing Glido who was wearing a light blue aviators cap showing his love of flight.   

"Wait who is that one?" Celestia asked looking at a tall figure with pure white skin, razor sharp teeth, and a black tuxedo with a red tie completing his look. 

"That's Tarlok the wanderer." Jumpstart said telling the princes about the mysterious figure.

"Why hello Tarlok." Celestia said greeting the dark one but all she got for a response was nothing. "Why isn't he saying anything?" Celestia asked wondering why Tarlok was silent. 

"He never talks." Jumpstart said explaining the reason.

"Them Lightin' squad fellas told us about yer thunder birds worries and we want to join ya." Hawk Eye said as he was aching to finally put a stop to the ever growing menace. 

"Fine you may join us in our quest but I need to see your skills." Twilight said knowing that most of the group did not want to carry dead weight around. 

"See these revolvers, I have special bullets in them that can corrode, enflame, or explode anything they hit." Hawk Eye said pulling out three multi-colored bullets.

"My obsidian sword cuts pretty nicely." Sir Slicer said as he pulled out a 3ft black sword with a silver handle.

"I have poison armed within my stinger."  Buzzer said pointing towards his stinger.

"Lets see I have these energy canons and a small energy sword." Jumpstart said as his hands transformed into large energy canons. He soon revealed his light blue crystal like sword strapped to his back.

"I can shoot lighting from my mouth." Lightning Scale said as an electrical charge started to build up on his side horns.

"I'm a living battering ram and Tarlok can devour souls." Charger said as he started to run in place while Tarlok just waved his hand.

"Well are we good enough?" Jumpstart asked wanting to join a group on a journey.

"More than qualified, now come on everyone lets get going!" Dash said starting to become impatient from not moving for hours.

"Yes, but we must be cautious for once we leave this place murder will be in the air." Slicer said as he felt a chill run up his spine. 

"Acknowledged, lets go already." Circuit Breaker said as he and the others started their journey.
> Blueblood's scheme (Edited)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Meanwhile back in Equestria



We see the arrogant and pompous jerk Prince Blueblood angrily pacing about his chambers. "Gah!! I must get my revenge on those fools that stumbled on me two months ago," he shouted in anger. Ever since Celestia so called 'forced' him to stop messing with the Lighting Squad, he secretly vowed his vengeance on the mercenaries. 

"Of course, sir," Blueblood's yes man agreed.

The prince placed a hoof on his forehead, thinking. "I shall dispense righteous fury on them at once... somehow!"

"Naturally, sir," the yes man agreed. Blueblood in fact had no less than two-hundred ready and able servants to cater to his every want and need at any given moment. But there was something special about Alf Firm, his personal yes man, that made him so pleasant to be around. Agreeable, one might say. And although this was simply because the prince had instructed him specifically to never disagree with him, Blueblood still enjoyed Alf's company even more so than his other servants.

"I heard that auntie Celestia was visiting those freaks to see some teleporting device to send them home," Blueblood rubbed his hooves together menacingly. "This may give me the perfect opportunity to eradicate them."

"Sir, must you really kill them?" The servant asked. "They have so many other uses they've demonstrated. I think they're clearly capable mercenaries-"

"Silence! I don't pay you to think!" Blueblood shouted.

"You don't pay me at all..."

"Irregardless! I'll pay you less if you speak out of turn again! I must find a way to deliver my revenge upon their backsides at once!" Blueblood declared, storming out. "And give me back the money I paid you last time before I return!"

Meanwhile, in another corner of Equestria a pony named Burning Sword was plotting his own revenge.

"Soon," Sword assured himself. He looked at his punching bag, designed to be shaped just like Prince Blueblood. He socked the bag in the face, then in the gut. "Soon..."

A few hours later, one of our would-be revengers was nearing their destination.

Galloping across the plains, Blueblood found the site where the Lightnings' teleporter was located. But none of the squad, nor anypony else was anywhere around that he could see.

"Where are those foolish cretins?" the angry prince asked no one in particular. "Hmm, perhaps I shall just nonchalantly enter the teleporter's proximity, thereby ensuring I am warped to whatever coordinates it links to in the event it is activated by accident."

The pony prince meandered his way over, casually admiring the landscape and skies above as he approached the obviously out-of-place mechanical contraption breaking the verdant plain.

"Hmm, this device does have quite a few buttons... and they're quite shiny." Curiosity got the better of the prince; he touched a button.

"Oh dear! What have I done inadvertently?" In a flash, the teleporter activated, sending the prince into another dimension.

> Oculus and Lookouts castle (edited)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Meanwhile on another part of Terra-glacies


Our heroes are walking through out the frozen wasteland of the world as they tried to make small talk. "Mother of me it's so cold." Celestia said as her teeth clattered constantly.

"Eh you get used to it." Charger said as Glido hid inside of his shirt trying to stay warm.

"How? You all have nothing but light jackets and some of you don't even have clothes on!"  Dash furiously said knowing that she and her pony pals were practically freezing their flanks off.

"Trust me when your in the wilderness with nutin' but dual pistols with a back stabbin' rattlesnake desperado chasing ya you learn to deal with this sort of thing." Hawk Eye said as he got up close and personal in her face. She then started to see the anger in his empty sockets, she soon started to back off and hid behind Fluttershy who soon walked away from the two.

"Whoa slow yer roll skully." Applejack said trying to calm down the skeletal bronco buster.

"Sorry sometimes my anger issues get the best of me." Hawk Eye said in a apologetic tone as he lowered his head in shame. Eventually Hawk Eye and RD made up and he gave her his lucky jacket. 

"Hey guys look at this." Outlook said looking towards a large castle. It was a towering structure colored pitch black with various spikes protruding from every corner and ominous clouds surrounding it. The whole gang felt both frightened yet intrigued at the exact same time.

"Whoa that is some castle." Jumpstart said scanning the building.

"I simply just adore gothic architecture, it is truly spectacular." Rarity said complementing the place.

"Hello, is anyone home?" Twilight asked as she opened the door

"Velcome, come in and enjoy yourself my friends." A bat in a butlers outfit said in a mix of German and Transylvanian accent as he waved his wing to let the gang into the castle.

"Ha." Scalor said laughing at a possibly dirty joke that no one else in the group got. 

When the group entered the main foyer they felt a eerie feeling as they progressed throughout the castle. A cold gust of air passed through the halls even though all the windows were all shut. They all franticly searched around them selves until Tarlok heard Fluttershy yelping as she saw a slender, pure white ghost with piercing red eyes. He had a blade for his right hand as his left hand carried a chain with a double bladed knife at the end of it. Tarlok soon got in front of her to protect her from the potential threat.

"Why hello." The ghost said with an eerie tone in his voice.

"AHH A GHOST!" Twilight said as she started to charge up a spell to destroy the spook. 

"WHOA, hold it I'm not gonna hurt you. I'm just saying hi." The ghost said as he hid behind a statue.

"Sorry for the prejudgments sir. Would you please like to tell us your name." Dice said as he bowed to pay respects toward the ghost.

"Eh it's alright, the name's Spectral slicer, to be honest I thought you were the pizza delivery people." he said as his hand rubbed the back of his head.

"The only reason we're spooked is because we heard this blaring noise as soon as you arrived." Buzzer said explaining the mishap.

"Ooh that's just Oculus practicing his organ, he's up in the library." Spectral Slicer said explaining the commotion going on.

"A thousand thanks transparent one." Dice said as he bowed once again to the ghost

"Okay see ya later." Spectral Slicer said as he phased through the floor of the hallway.

The gang once again walked through the castle until they came to a large observatory like library with shelves filled with books. They saw a large jet black and gold trimmed  sentient suit of armor with skull shoulder pads sitting upon a crimson red recliner. He was reading 'The Art of War' as he moved his cape behind the recliner. "Uh, Mr. Oculus?" Fluttershy asked assuming the suit could respond.

"GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!" The suit grunted as he saw the creatures. 

"Am I the only one that needs subtitles for everything?"  Razor yelled not knowing what the suit was saying.

"Oh sorry sweat heart I was putting in my contact lens." a feminine voice soon to be revealed as a large eyeball with bat wings protruding from the optical nerves said as she flew in to the library. "Oh, I didn't noticed we had company." the eye said as her iris dilated like crazy to simulate mouth movements.

"A giant flying eyeball, well that was unexpected even for me." Pinkie said amazed at what she was seeing. 

"Yes my name is Lookout, I'm Oculus's translator." The eye said as she moved her optic nerves to simulate a hand performing various gestures.

"Grah boooklars gatuuum?" Oculus grunted towards Lookout to translate for the group to understand.

"He asked 'Why are you all here?'" Lookout said translating for the large behemoths gibberish.

"We're seeking the location of MOLLUSK industries." Lighting Scale said towards Oculus hoping he could understand English.

"Blarg blo globin tabrokoo." Oculus said once again toward his translator.

"He says 'Yes it is just beyond the swamp lands, but to be wary of the Dingodiles that live within them for they are savage creatures'. Lookout said as she pointed towards a window that in the distance showed various trees.

"Thank you sir now we must be off." Sir Slicer said as he and the rest of the gang.

Wait don't you want to be part of our musical performance?" Lookout asked.

"Yes, yes, a thousand times yes" pinkie said in glee. As soon as she said yes a large group of various creatures popped up behind Oculus and started to sing.

Watch yourself 
 Don't fall off of lifes shelf 
 You must be the new guys in town. 

 What's that sound? 
 Is someone movin' round? 

 Sit down for a spell 
You don't look so well. 

 Wait a minute, I feel great 
 You just leave yourself to fate 
You might as well just hang around 

 It's too late 
We've got to operate 

 Just try to relax 
 It's a house of wax! 

 Oh, I remember Frankenstein 
 Shivers up my spine, wo-oh 

 I'm for getting out of here 

No need to shout, my dear, no-oh 

 Who will go to the cellar down below? 
 Trouble is a-bubblin' in the brew 
 And while you're down there Oculus 
 Will give you good advice 
 He'll know what to do 
 You just tell him "Boo!" 
 He will put the voodoo in the stew 
I'm telling you! 

 It's like a movie 
 It's a B-movie show 
 It's like a movie 
 It's a B-movie show 

This is weird 

 It's way worse than I feared 

 I'll close my eyes and make it disappear 

Yes, they're strange 

 It ain't home on the range 

 You just tell me 
 That you got cold feet 

 There goes the suns 
 Here comes the night 
 Somebody turn on the light 
 Somebody tell us that fate has been kind 

 You can't go out 
 You are out of your mind! 

 It's like a movie 
 It's a B-movie show 
 It's like a movie 
 It's a B-movie show 

"Whew, that was weird." Dash said as she was flying back slowly out of the door. She, Razor, and Buzzer all ran towards the main entrance. Pretty soon the others followed not wanting to spend the rest of the day in a wacky castle.
> The Dingodile swamps
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Our heroes have finally reached the Dingodile swamplands, the entire area reeked of decaying carcasses and gasoline. The faint sound of a didgeridoo playing was heard over the calls of birds flying over the trees. "I have a bad feeling about this everyone, a really bad feeling." Fluttershy said as she started to shake in fear. 

"If you want you can hide behind me." Charger said trying to act brave, but deep down inside his gut was saying 'RUN LIKE THE SCARED COWARD YOU TRULY ARE!'. 

Tarlok soon just picked her up like a cat, he soon started to stroke her mane which she did not mind at all. "Thank you for picking me up mister Tarlok." Fluttershy said as Tarlok's cheeks blushed cherry red. With his pure white complexion it was obvious to see whenever he was blushing. The only thing that killed the sweet moment was when he smiled showing his razor sharp teeth, Fluttershy's eye pupils soon shrank seeing the freaky smile so much that Tarlok quickly closed his mouth. 

"So what do you guys know of this place?" Twilight asked Buzzer thinking he would have an answer.

"Nope, nothing at all." Buzzer replied.

"Why not, I thought y'all knew yer own planet?" Applejack asked thinking that the gang would know their own home world like the back of their hands.

"We know nothing because anyone who isn't a dingodile that enters here becomes food to the beasts." Lighting Scale said as he treaded through the murky waters. Even though the smell made him absolutely sick to his stomach he enjoyed being within mud.

"They must be some dangerous beings then." Celestia said as she treaded the crumbling patches of dirt ever so lightly.

"You don't know the half of it." Thunder Buster said trying to prove a point. A few moments later they heard rustling grass. Everyone had chills running up their spine.

"What was that?" Rarity asked as she froze in place sensing the danger.

"Oi I found us something to snack on." A dingodile said as it rose out of the grass. It was a wolf like creature that stood on its hind legs with a green , it wielded a large silver flamethrower with various flashing lights surrounding it. 

"Its not just that Snaggletooth, its an all you can eat buffet!" Another Dingodile said as he played a war horn signaling more and more of the strange creatures towards the group. "Mates get your furry hides here and look what I found." the other Dingodile said as he took the glory away from Snaggletooth.

"Oh crap." Scalor said knowing that the group was going to be in very big trouble.
__________________________________________________________________________________
"Uncle we got food." Snaggletooth said as he brought the gang tied up in rope. He soon knelt in respect for the ruler.

"Well that's ripper good we got food for months!" King Crocos said a she leapt out of his skeletal throne. The king was had dark brown fur, various burn marks on his face, and an emerald green tail. He wore tan khakis and a gold crown made out of a deer's skull. "Lets see we have fish and lizard stew Monday, pony roast the rest of the week, and then we can have a Russian food roulette the rest of the month. And for the metal on we can just scrap him for forks." The king said as he though of the ways to eat the gang.

"Let us go you over grown geckos." Rarity said as she was disgusted at the creatures before her.

"well we got us some feisty ones fire up the pot boys." King Crocos said as he made  his own mouth water. Pretty soon all the other dingodiles started to shout with joy at the meal they would eventually get.

"Is there nothing we could do to talk you out of this." Fluttershy asked in fear knowing she did not want to be someone's leftovers. Pretty soon the rest of the gang was trembling in fear thinking there was no way to escape the situation. 

"Besides me shooting you in the face." Scalor said as his robot eye turned into bright red as he aimed for King Crocos head.

"Well I am a sadistic king, so what the hell, if three of your best fighters best me in the ring you get to go free." Crocos said as he cut the gang free of their ropes and gave the  groups their options for survival.

"Well that sounds easy enough." Twilight said as she fixed her wings.

"There's one thing though...I haven't lost a battle yet." King Crocos said leaning in towards the ponies to show that he was an absolute cold blooded gladiator in spirit.

"Any other prizes besides freedom?" Thunder Buster asked thinking there would possibly be a catch to the fight.

"you can have my nephew Snaggletooth to join you on your journey." Crocos said pointing towards the dingodile next to him.  Snaggletooth had a light brown top with a lime green tail and red spikes sticking out of it. He wore blue jean pants and had a medium sized flamethrower tank.

"Well alrighty then we got a fight to train for." Slash said as he cracked his knuckles.

"This will be quite an adversary worth great battling." Sir Slicer said as he adjusted his gauntlets.

"Yay!"  Pinkie said in excitement "I have been saving this song for this type of situation. Get ready to train. she said as she pulled out a jukebox and placed a cassette tape in and played the song.

"I don't get." Scalor said in utter confusion.
> Break out the butter 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

We see our group talking towards one another within one chamber of the gladiatorial arena. "Your work out tape did nothing pink one, we are still going to be their take out order," Buzzer said as he knew their doom was going to be sealed.

"Well excuuuuuuuuse me waspinator, but it was the only think I could think of." Pinkie retaliated

"Everyone STOP!" Celestia said raising her voice to a volume that could have rivaled Luna's royal voice. After all the stuff she had faced she had to speak her mind on the current situation.

"Gah, the yelling is scratching the inner chalk board of my mind!" Outlook said as he held his head in pain.

"Alright, alright lets figure out who's gonna fight that over blown plush toy." Hawk eye said in a determined voice knowing he did not want to become bone soup by the end of the day.

"So who's going?" Razor asked nervously thinking she would become roast chicken for a group of savages

"I have pets to take care of," Fluttershy said cowering behind Tarlok.

"I have dress orders to fill," Rarity said as she hid behind Fluttershy.

"I'll go," Scalor said standing up as if he was a brave warrior.

"Don't do it your our only half robot," Lighting Scale said knowing Scalor would become a fried fillet with fries on the side.

"Well I'm mostly heat resistant so this should be a swim in the pond for me," Scalor said thinking the fight should be easy for him.

"Atta boy fish n' chips!" Razor said as she hit Scalors leg.

"I'm going too, Fluttershy if anything happens take care of Glido," Charger said as he gave his sugar glider to Fluttershy. Glider soon climbed up and hid within her mane.

"If we must fight then I shall go," Celestia said as she knew she had to protect her subjects.

"Celestia you can't," Twilight objected thinking her mentor could possibly die from the fight.

"Trust me Twilight, I am ready to die for my subjects if necessary." Celestia explained to the purple mare.

"Before ya go I need to give ya some advice," Snaggletooth said as he emerged from a dark door.

"Snaggletooth why help us and not your uncle?" Twilight asked in utter confusion thinking he should've been helping his own family and not the enemy.

"That overblown gecko needs a ripper good kick In his aft for makin' me his lackey!" Snaggletooth said in anger knowing he would like to see his uncles butt being kicked.

"Well who am I to refuse advice, lay it on us buddy." Slash said knowing his pals were going to need all the help they needed.

"Alright, he's a slow bugger both physically and mentally." Snaggletooth said explaining some weaknesses of King Crocos.

"So a giant simpleton," Charger said flatly.

"Mostly, but he's also a scaredy cat so freak him out somehow."

"Got it, thanks."

"One more thing, good luck," Snaggletooth said as he stayed behind with the rest of the group. Our three fighters walked out as the groups cage closed as the three left.

"Well here goes nothing," Scalor said as they walked into the battle arena.


Battle arena


"Ladies and gentlecrocs welcome to the Fight For The Right To Feed Battle Royale!" A dingodile dressed in a tuxedo said as he held a microphone within the large swampy battle field. "Tonight we see if three choice courses will survive our ruler King Crocos. In this corner is the main course." He said as he pointed toward the right as the three fighters. "And in this is King Crocos," he said again pointing toward the left towards the large ruler. "Let the battle begin!"

"I'll toast ya!" Crocos said as he aimed his flamethrower towards the trio. The three scrambled as Crocos set his weapon toward 'fire wall' and started to twirl in a circle hoping to burn them.

Scalor tried one of the tips that Snaggletooth gave him. "Wanna see my head come off!?" He said as he grabbed his head and pulled it off, but instead of blood, oil and wiring were exposed causing Crocos to scream and run away like a little girl.

While Crocos was cowering Celestia fired a bolt of magic towards the behemoth. Charger was prying stones out of the wall and chucked them as well. Which made the crossbreed ruler very agitated.

"That's it, let the water flow!" Crocos shouted as two dingodiles in the seats turned on some valves which released gallons upon gallons of water. turning the arena into a pool. Pretty soon the trio were soaked as Crocos swimmed around.

"Charger get Celestia out of the water!" Scalor said with concern.

"Why?" Charger asked as he tried to place Celestia upon his antlers.

"I got a plan." With that Scalor dived into the water. King Crocos soon gave chase with the cyborg as they both swam with great speed. "Time for an electrical DISCHARGE!" Scalor yelled as his hook shot arm grabbed Crocos and jammed an electrical bomb within his mouth. The bomb exploded within him and he floated to the top smoking.

"The challengers win???" The announcer said in confusion. The three waved as the crowd booed and jeered.

"Ya thrashed me ya wankers, but no worries, you'll face much worse later on," Crocos said in disgust hoping the group would all burn to the ground.

"Come on guys lets take Snaggletooth and get out of here." Charger said as they swam out of the arena. They soon got back and were smothered with hugs from their friends thankful they weren't a fried snack. Glido was the most happy as he hugged Chargers leg. They soon got out of the swamps and went back into the frozen wastelands.
> Rat Hole Casino (fixed)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Our team was walking through the ice once more as they soon came across a giant building shaped like a giant wedge of cheese.

"Great, of all the times not to bring a box of crackers," Scalor said, knowing he was hungry from the various perils they had encountered already.

"Well, we're all hungry, maybe this place will have food," Slash said as he jogged in with hunger evident on his face.

"Welcome to the Rat Hole casino, where the times are so great, you'll never want to leave," A light blue-green squid dressed in a fancy tuxedo said with little-to-no enthusiasm.  

"Thanks squiddy!" Pinkie said with joy. 

"That was my cousin's nickname." the greeter retorted.

As soon as the group entered the casino everyone went on their own little ventures. "Oh, hey, All you can eat buffet!" Slash said as he ran with great enthusiasm.

"Sweet, a bar! Wanna get 'Berry Punched'?" Dash said as she challenged Applejack to a drinking contest.

"Yer on!" Applejack replied as they both raced towards a table in the bar.

_______________________________________________________________________

"Come on!" Twilight said in rage.

"Hiya Twilight, whacha' doin'?" Pinkie asked as she hopped towards Twilight.

"Trying to hit the jackpot, but none of these machines work," Twilight said trying to recollect herself.

"Oh really? Cuz I won five hundred on the machine behind ya," the party mare said as she held up a large bucket, full of casino tokens

"How is that possible?" Twilight asked in confusion.

"It just happened," Pinkie said, unable to explain her luck.

"Pinkie, I need you to be my luck charm," Twilight pleaded in desperation.

"Okay, what's the catch?" Pinkie asked.

"I need you need to follow me wherever I go," Twilight answered.

"Okay so what's the catch?" Pinkie asked once more.

_______________________________________________________________________

"I have to say, the place may not have great music, but looks simply divine with all the artwork surrounding us, it is as if the pictures are starting at us," Rarity said, admiring the casinos look.

"Um, yeah, staring... heh heh," Fluttershy said nervously as she saw cameras everywhere.

"Oh Fluttershy, I see a karaoke bar, we simply have to sing," Rarity said with enthusiasm.

"Oh, I'm not the kind for singing," Fluttershy said as she thought she would be an embarrassment to herself.

"Nonsense, lets go," Rarity exclaimed as she grabbed Fluttershy's hoof and ran towards the stage.

_______________________________________________________________________

As Dash's and Aj's drinking contest went on they got into a drunken conversation. 

"Why can't you accept that I'm better?" Dash slurred as she knocked a couple shot glasses onto the floor.

"Why cant you accept that hard work goes farther than your type of working?!" AJ asked as she was chugged down a bottle of alcohol down her throat.

"Wha- My life is so to hard! I wake up, punch my toaster, and maintain the weather, and try to be the president of the Ponyville branch of the Daring Do fan club, all while trying to hang out with my friends!" Dash said, as she was offended that Applejack thought she was a lazy good for nothing.

"Well I'm a gonna not go and not buck my uncle." AJ said as she soon went on to complete, incoherent babbling, and fell down to the floor.

_______________________________________________________________________

"What's this card do?" Pinkie asked as she looked at Twilight's cards at the black jack's table.

"That's an 8 of hearts, its worth 8 points," Twilight explained.

"What's this card do?" Pinkie asked again.

"That's a 3 of spades, it's worth 3 points, and brings our total to 11 points," Twilight said as she was adding up her total.

"What's this card do?" Pinkie asked as she held up a round red cardboard disk.

"Pinkie, that's not a card, that's a coaster," Twilight said as she looked at the thing pinkie was holding up.

"So how much is it worth?" Pinkie asked, still thinking the coaster was a playing card.

"And............. 21, congrats ma'am, you've won again," The dealer said as he gave a 10 of hearts to Twilight.

"Yes I win again!" Twilight exclaimed.

"I don't get Twilight, I don't anyone named Jack, and why is it called 'black' jack, why cant it be yellow jack? Or red jack? Or apple jack? Or honey jack? Or even--" Pinkie asked, thinking the game was oddly named. Her thinking was soon cut off by Twilight.

"It's called 'black' because of the jack of spades or clubs, and there's no one named Jack," Twilight said, explaining the name of the game.

"My name is Jack," the dealer said, joining the conversation.

"Can we play the game with the potato chips?" Pinkie asked, pointing at another game.

"If you mean roulette, then yes," Twilight said, as she was getting bored of the card game.

"But you have so much to live for!" Pinkie said. She was thinking that Twilight was going to kill herself.

"That's a different roulette, and besides, I can't even hold a gun," Twilight said flatly, knowing Pinkie was being a doofus.

_______________________________________________________________________

Rarity and Fluttershy were singing at the bar and to everyone's surprise Fluttershy was an amazing singer.

"And I will always love you."

"I will always love you."

"I will always love you."

"I will always love you."

"Wow, Fluttershy, I didn't know you could sing like that," Rarity said as she and her friend finished the song.

"Neither did I..." Fluttershy said as she blushed nervously

_______________________________________________________________________

"What are these?" Pinkie asked looking at the multi-colored chips.

"Those are chips, you use these you make bets." Twilight said as she place some chips towards another wager. Pinkie tried to chomp down on a $100 chip, and spat it out in disgust.

"These aren't very tasty..."

"Pinkie! you can't eat them, you can only bet with them," Twilight was getting more and more frustrated the more she attempted to teach Pinkie Pie the rules of the game.

"Then why do they call them 'chips'?...that doesn't make a lot of sense. I mean how would you measure the worth of chips? Would you measure them by crunchiness, or by size? And why chips. why not muffins? I mean muffins are more easily accountable for this, but would you think blueberry will be worth more, or less?" Pinkie started to ramble on about the game, pretty soon Twilight just groaned and cashed her chips in.

_______________________________________________________________________

"Hey Tarlok whatcha doin." Hawk Eye asked as he saw his skinny pal behind a bar.

"......" 

"Someone pulled ya in cuz of ya suit didn't they?" Hawk Eye asked trying to think of the reason Tarlok was behind the counter.

Tarlok simply nodded.

"While we're here, lets can ya get me a Bloody Mary?" Hawk Eye said feeling thirsty.

"Make mine a brain hemorrhage, mate." Snaggletooth said as he joined the group. Tarlok feeling annoyed, he nevertheless started to make the drinks for his pals.

_______________________________________________________________________

"Thunder Buster, what are you doing?" Celestia asked as she saw Thunder Buster shocking a slot machine to get money.

"Trying to get easy money," Thunder Buster said smirking.

"But using your powers is cheating," Celestia said firmly, trying to get the bird to stop abusing his electrical abilities.

"If you don't say anything, I'll split the winnings with you," Thunder Buster said, trying to weasel out of the conversation.

"... Fine" Celestia said eventually, giving in to the offer.
> Rat Hole Casino pt.2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	During Slash's buffet catastrophe, he was kicked out of the restaurant. "Hmp 'All you can eat' my scaly butt!" the alligator said in anger as he walked away knowing the buffet was supposed to be never ending, but it eventually ran out in the first ten minutes. 

"Slash I need your help." Scalor said as he ran towards his gator friend desperately.

"With what?" Slash asked in concerned.

"I don't now Slash some random stuff happened, first Dice and C.B became pinball wizards, Razor is a showgirl, and your brother became a directory!" Scalor said listing the random shenanigans that their friends have gotten into.

"What about Outlook?" Slash asked wondering what happened to their flying friend. 

"He's still with me." Scalor said as his Outlook flew in joining the conversation.

"Ok what do you want me to do?" Slash asked.

"We want you to help us find everyone." Outlook said as he waved his wings sporadically.

"Why? I'm pretty sure everyone is having a good time here." Slash said thinking everyone was enjoying their time in the casino.

"You know why I'm worried?" Scalor asked Slash in a concerned tone.

"No why?" Slash asked.

"Because Celestia is missing, and since Luna is still mad at us for what happened at the waffle hut who knows what could happen!" Scalor shouted knowing Luna was still sore at them from the time he and his pals stuffed her in the freezer of the teams short lived waffle restaurant.

"Like what?" Slash asked concerned about his spaz of a friend. 

"Here is what I theorized." Scalor said as he changed his eye to his 'hologram projector' mode and showed an image of Princess Luna sipping tea while the rear ends of the Lightning Seven hung over a fire place.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!" the trio screamed as they held their butts in fear.

"Wait all we gotta do is find everyone quickly and get outta here so Luna won't find out." Slash said as he figured out a plan that would help their sorry selves out of the grave they had dug themselves in.

"But the greeter said..." Scalor tried to quote the greeter they saw in the entrance but was soon cut off by Slash.

"Forget what the greeter said, everyone has a special place." Slash said trying to think of places the princess could possibly be in.
________________________________________________________________

"Find her?" Scalor asked hoping to find Celestia.

"Nope." Outlook said as he hulled up a drunken Applejack and Rainbow Dash.
_________________________________________________________________

"Find her?" Scalor asked once more.

"Nada." Slash said as he pulled Pinkie away from a Black Jack table trying to eat a coaster.
__________________________________________________________________

Pretty soon the group had grabbed pretty much everyone that they had lost in the casino "We cant find her!" Scalor shouted in fear.

"Wait Scalor, we're not cave men, we have technology." Slash said as he pointed towards a directory machine and started to punch it like a mad man until it was broken.

"Nothing." Razor said flatly knowing the idea was horridly thought up.

"Well crud, we need to find her quickly." Scalor said knowing he loved his mechanical butt so dearly.

"I think I saw her and Thunder buster being carried off by some rats in suits." Pinkie said trying to remember what happened to the princess of the sun.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Scalor said in anger knowing the information the pink mare gave them would've been useful earlier.

"I wanted to see this joke run for a bit." Pinkie said smiling nervously.

The team soon got up to a door with two buff guards in black pinstripe tuxedoes "Ya here to see the boss?" one of the guards asked.

"Yeah sure." Scalor said flatly, and the gangster let them in.

"Hello the names Bucktooth Bertallio, how can I help you?" A grey mouse dressed in a orange pinstripe suit and green tie asked as he looked at the group as they sat upon the chairs and couches within the room.

"We're here to find a pony and bird about six feet, feathers..." Twilight said describing the two friends that were missing.

"One was white and the other was brown?" Bertallio added towards the description.

"Yes!" The group said hoping he would have seen the two.

"Yeah, but it'll cost ya." Bertallio said waving a pickle jar full of cash towards the group.

"Ya seen them or not!?" Scalor shouted in irritation

"Yes, but you'll have to beat me to get them" The mobster said as he pulled out a Tommy Gun.

"Take cover!" Slash said as he hid behind a turned over one of the couches. The rat fired the gun sporadically and laughed maniacally as the bullets shredded through the furniture like warm cheese.

"Great now what do we do?" Twilight said knowing they were going to be living Swiss cheese.

"Yous gonna be some 'holey' fools once I'm done with yas." Bertallio said as he reloaded and fired once again.  The gun soon  jammed up and Bertallio was trying his best to fix the problem when Circuit Breaker started to run towards the rat and whacked him with his wrench. Scalor saw the opportunity, grabbed Bertallio and slapped him around like a ragdoll. The gangster was soon bleeding tremendously from the nose as he was slammed against the floor and tossed towards a window.

"Enough games tell me everything you know Chuck-e-Cheese!" Scalor said annoyed with all the red tap him and his pals had to cut through

"All right I'll sing, look somebody that looks like High-ho-silver over there paid me to give those two to him while I turn you guys into cheese." Bertallio said as he spat out some teeth and blood as he pointed towards Rarity.

"Wait, was he pompous, arrogant and looked like a pure snob?" Rarity asked thinking she knew who the mysterious payer was.

"Yes." Bertallio said flinching hoping he wouldn't get his face punched more 

"Blueblood." Rarity said in a dreaded tone knowing that he was possibly behind it all.

"I knew he was a jerk but jeez." Slash said as he cracked his knuckles knowing he really wasn't on the same page ever since the Lightning Sevens first encounter with him.

"Come on men we need to find this bad horse and brand him." Hawk Eye said narrowing his eyes.

"He doesn't wear a hat though." Pinkie said, but Hawk Eye just ignored her and walked out of the room.
> Confrontation
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“So where are we anyway?” Twilight asked in confusion as she saw pools of green goo around large spires of crystals surrounding the barren fields.

“We’re in the Corrosive crystal fields,” Hawk Eye said as he walked carefully around the pits of slime knowing he would be dissolved if he stepped in them.

"Hold on guys, I need to rest," Dash said exhausted as she landed on the ground.

"Alright, hold on." Slash said as he grabbed Rainbow Dash and cradled her like a newborn baby.

"No, I mean I need to rest my wings," Dash said climbing away from Slash. After about thirty minutes of walking, the group soon the group saw both Celestia and Thunder Buster tied in rope as rain clouds started to form around the area.

“Ah, there you are you poor excuses for heroes,” Blueblood said as he stared blankly into the remaining members of the group with an insane look in his eyes.  

“Blueblood this madness must stop now!” Celestia roared at the maddened Prince as worry and fury in her eyes showed like stars in the night sky.

Twilight walks up to the Prince and stands her ground, “Blueblood why do you do this to our beloved leader!?"

“Isn't it obvious? When those Lightning losers showed up and ruined my day Auntie Celestia pardoned their rebellious manner! They obviously must have corrupted her mind! I am doing this for the greater good for our land!”

“All this due to our mishap when we first met, don't you think this is a tad extreme?” Scalor asked as his scales were being rehydrated due to the now pouring rain.

“Shut it you freak of nature, I had enough of you since the first time I meet your commoner face!”

“Please we can try to work this out, we don't need to result to murder!” Slash said knowing he did not want any trouble, especially since the little incident he and his pals had with him the first time they were in Equestria.

“You and your little collection of common filth will be next once I'm done with this pathetic low life here,” Blueblood said as he trotted towards Fluttershy who was cowering in fear.

“Fluttershy is a better pony then you could ever be! She's kind, gentle and knows how to treat a lady! Unlike you, you brutish beast.” Rarity said as her mane became wet from the down pour, but she didn't care her friend was being bullied.

“Oh, trust me she is just my example towards the rest of you all,” Blueblood said as he grabbed the yellow mare viciously with his magic.

Twilight grabbed Prince Blueblood with her magic and threw him away from Fluttershy, and yelled “No matter who you are you will not touch my friends Blueblood! I'm just as noble as you are!”

“See what I mean they corrupted you all, You all gone mad! You need to be cleansed by the cold steel of a sharpened blade!” Blueblood said as he pulled out a large hunting knife from a satchel he was carrying with him.

“No please, I'm sorry if I'm what you think I'll try not to be,” Fluttershy said as tears rolled down her eyes, her voice changed volume and her heart raced ferociously as Blueblood wielded the knife with his magic.

“But you are my dear and that is something I'm gonna fix very soon,” Blueblood said as he moved the knife across Fluttershy’s face causing a small trail of blood to form which caused her to cry uncontrollably.

Twilight forms an magical blade contract and knocks Prince Blueblood back. “You have no right to hurt my friends!”

“This doesn't concern you, higher filth!” Blueblood said as he swatted Twilight away with the back of his hoof which forced her to become covered in mud and crystal shrapnel. 

He soon picked Fluttershy up again and said “This is what you all get whenever you become impure by Equestrian standards all of this is both yours and your freakish friends,” He said as he aimed the knife towards Fluttershy’s neck ready to end her life. Fluttershy closed her eyes knowing her fate was sealed knowing she would never see Angle or any of her animals ever again.

“ENOUGH!” Tarlok yelled as he walked towards Blueblood with his claws reaching towards him.

“What are you going to do you overgrown albino beanstalk?” Blueblood said insulting the incoming beast, who soon grabbed him causing the arrogant prince to squirm like a frog.

“If you ever harm the yellow one ever again, I shall haunt your dreams every night until the end of your days. Return to your world and never come back,” Tarlok said as he revealed his eyes. They were pitch black with two red dots staring right into his soul as his mouth revealed his yellowed fang like teeth.

“Okay, I won't harm her anymore just stop with that face!” Blueblood shreiked in fear as he hit the ground and ran away from the group, most likely back to the transporter.

"Mr. Tarlok I don't know what to say, but thank you for saving my life," Fluttershy said being very grateful for what Tarlok had done for her.

"You are welcome Fluttershy, for the first moment I saw you back at the base camp you reminded me of my little sister. She was just like you, but then MOLLUSK had gotten to her and due to that I never talked since," Tarlok said as he started to sob as the rain pelted his clothing knowing he was unable to help her sister that day. He though seeing Fluttershy was possibly a second chance for him, and to see her nearly killed sent him off the deep end.

"It's okay, you'll have me to be with you always." Fluttershy calmly said not caring if the rain was making her mane stick to her body as she hugged the slender beast in front of her.

"Thank you, that has moved my heart drastically" Tarlok said smiling uncontrollably.

"Come on lets get moving, the more we don't do anything the more MOLLUSK attacks our world," Sir Slicer said pulling out his sword.

"Agreed, let's get moving," Dice said as he cut the ropes that were binding the two bounded team members. They all soon walked more and more towards their destination.
> MOLLUSK Industries
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Our heroes have finally walked into the large facility called MOLLUSK Industries. The entire facility looked like any old office work place would look like. It had cubicles, supply closets, break rooms, it even a mail room. "Crikey for a diabolical corporation bent on turning everyone into a robot they have some ripper good health insurance." Snaggletooth said as he read a pamphlet he got from the opening of the facility.

"Well all we need to find the head honcho here and take him out." Tarlok said cracking his knuckles preparing to  fight.

"Hey there's a TV." Charger said as Glido was frantically pointing towards the direction of the television set.

"Cool I wanna see if they have All my feathers" Outlook said as he rushed towards it hoping to see his favorite soap opera, but instead he got a video from the company.

"Welcome to MOLLUSK industries, here we give you the most important thing we want, and that's domination. Here we suck they very life out of you and turn you into our robotic slaves to follow our every whim. Now if your looking for the companies boss he is located near the snack room just follow the yellow line. If you are already an employee then remember casual clothes day is tomorrow. MOLLUSK Industries-where our slow pace brings quality machines." The robot on the TV said in a weirdly happy voice as it described what the place did on a daily basis.

Rarity was just dumbstruck at what the company was doing and could only try saying something, "well that was a tad..."

"Unsettling." Slash said completing the white unicorns sentence.

"Lets face it guys were never gonna beat this guy, we're failures." Circuit Breaker said curling up into a fetal position as tears started to roll down his face.

"I can live with that." Lightning Scale said as he got on top of the mole reading a news paper he pulled out from the same place Snaggletooth got the pamphlet. 

"Lets change our names to why and bother." Circuit said as he just gave up on crying himself to sanity.

"But I like being Pinkie." Pinkie Pie said as she held up a nametag with her name on it.

"Trust me my friend we can and we will defeat this menace!" Sir Slicer said motivated as he slammed his sword against his armor 

"Agreed we should move on." Twilight said moving from the large group.

"I want my revenge!" Thunder Buster said as her wings balled in fists in anger.

"Oh there it is." Scalor said as he saw a door  labeled 'Boss HQ' next to a snack machine.  

The group soon walked through the door and through a large series of corridors filled with pictures of old employees eventually coming up  to a large empty room "Whoa." they exclaimed as they saw a large snail like robot suspended  from the roof with two eyes waving up and down as it noticed the group in its chambers.

"Oh its you, its been a long time." The large robot said in a flat monotone synthesized voiced that shook fear into some of the groups members.

"Die you monstrosity you do not belong here!" Sir Slicer said as his sword slashed the air towards the robots direction.

"It wasn't my fault I was given my position, I was created by creatures like you wishing to pay tribute to the true company founder." The machine said in a low tone.

"Tribute? You steal innocent creatures and turn them into your robotic slaves!" Tarlok said as he gripped his hands in anger remembering what the company did to his sister.

"Perhaps that can be said about time and advancement it self. In all due time organics shall fall and robotics shall rise from the ashes and dominate the world. It is the order of all life to succumb to." The robot said knowing that the resistances tries were futile as he knew that the robotic age was coming soon and he was just helping advance the progress. 

"Your worlds are as empty as your artificial soul, our kind ill need something like you." Celestia said knowing the machine was trying to demoralize them into just surrendering.

"What is a organic?! A miserable pile of questions, but enough of this have at you!" The machine yelled as hundreds of robots dropped in. They had singular red optical lenses and a subsonic plasma repeater on their left arm. 

Scalor soon saw the large army before them and soon started to think they were out numbered. "Wait there's twenty three of us and... ninety-eight, ninety-nine." he started to count the robots just to see if the odds were really stacked against them.

"Did you count that one?" Pinkie asked thinking that the cybernetic fish miscounted.

"Would some of you wear a hat or something, it's so frustrating! I think I counted one of you twice." Scalor yelled now thinking that a large group of identical robots was incredibly irritating to count.

"As soon as the copy-bots are done with you, this hit the streets" The robot said as a large robotic suit walked in the room to strike fear into the group more than what the robot had already did.

"Statement: interesting designs, I hope you do not mind if I imitate it." The robot said as it began to be engulfed in a red light slowly showing its transformation into Twilight.  Pretty soon all the robots started to turn into clones of the rest of the group.

"They kinda remind me of changelings" Rainbow said as she saw more robots turn into her and her friends.

"Change-what?!" Jumpstart asked as he prepared his guns.

"Bug creatures from our world that can change form." Rarity said giving her robotic friend a little food for thought.

"Enough talk may the fight commence!" Thunder Buster yelled as she flew towards the army of robotic clones.
> System Overload
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	A small group of robots started to fire at Thunder Buster. She dodged quickly and unleashed an electrical blast that shorted out the robots. Soon, the rest of the group joined in as the robotic clones charged towards them. 

"This is why I suggested the hat idea," Scalor said. He charged up one of his eye lasers and hit Applejack thinking she was a robot.

"Ow! Hey!" Enraged, AJ rushed towards Scalor, spun and brought both her back legs into his face. The cyborg's head went flying off revealing that it had actually been a robot.

"How did you know that was a robot?" Scalor asked confused.

"Well uh, ah didn't," she said flatly galloping towards Charger to give him a helping hoof. Scalor looked at the robot and gulped thanking that wasn't him.

"Things are really starting to heat up!" Razor shouted as her talons and wings cut through the heads of many Circuit Breaker and Twilight clones. Bits of wires and synthetic mane flew everywhere as she flew by.

"I think it's just the little spark we needed!" Lightning Scale grinned, starting one of his patented electric charge attacks. He put his tail into his mouth, spun around like a certain blue hedgehog of a certain franchise and dashed through a large group of robots in a huge burst of electricity. Charred parts of the robots were left in his wake. "And I did all that without a single ring!"

A robotic Celestia lowered its horn, preparing to blast Slash. "Any last words overgrown gecko?"

The reptile snarled at the insult. "No one calls me a gecko, Ima ALIGATOR!" Slash dodged the ray she unleashed Matrix-style, bending down and touching the floor at the last second as the beam flew over him. Pushing with both of his legs, he turned the motion into a spinning leap and decapitated the phony pony in a single swipe. Headless, the robot's neck sparked before slowly falling over in a heap and exploding. He then turned his attention to a group of Razor-bots Sir Slicer, Snaggletooth, and the real Celestia were fighting off.

"We're surrounded," Fluttershy said as she and Dice cowered behind Tarlok.

"Not for long," the lankly being quietly remarked. He sprung from behind Fluttershy and his claws skewered the robots, deactivating most of them. The ones that were still activated had to deal with Tarloks blood curdling screams. Their heads exploded before they could fully process the sound that was being made.

"I think I'm kinda happy to be blind right now," Dice said, shivering as something wet hit his bill.

"Time to take this fight into my own feelers," Mollusk said, moving around, loosing himself from his ceiling prison. As he fell, he managed to latch his wires into the robot walker. The gang soon saw the commotion going on as the metallic behemoth standing before them rose up. "Prepare for permanent deactivation!" Mollusk shouted as he slowly marched towards the group of heroes.

"Hey guys?!" Scalor asked the group, the robot walker approaching.

"Yeah?" they asked in unison.

"If it seems like I'm getting visibly smaller, don't worry. It's just because I'm leaving," Scalor said as he bolted for the door.

"GET BACK HERE COWARD!" Razor shouted in disgust, seeing her leader act like a chicken rather than the large, cybernetically enhanced walking barracuda that he was.

"Forget it Razor, we got bigger things to deal with," Twilight said looking up at the giant menace.

"What's the plan?" Slash asked Twilight.

"Uh..." Twilight thought, trying to think up some kind of strategy. And then logic followed Scalor out of the room. "HIT IT WITH EVERYTHING YOU GOT!"

The group bombarded the walker with literally everything they had. The ponies and mercenaries bucked and beat the machine, Celestia Twilight, Lightning Scale and Thunder Buster zapped it with their respective powers. Fluttershy and Dice threw random things that were just laying around, both with little accuracy- Fluttershy because she was timid, Dice because he couldn't detect anything with all the noise.

Mollusk smirked. Finally, the upper hand, hoof, feeler, whatever, was his. For all their combined efforts, all their little "teamwork" and "togetherness/unity" lovey nonsense, nothing really compared to just a good ole' fashion humongous war machine. Complete with carbon fiber reinforced carbon fiber armor, dynamic dispersing PS2 dual shock dampeners, power push-and-pull lift servos, and temperature-controlled cup holders for both hot and cold beverages, the villain thought about using the cockpit phone to call his mother in Skokie and telling her if she could only see him now.

Tear in his eye, a smile spread across his face while a barrage of force was unleashed by his mortal enemies. Safely surrounded in an egg-shaped dome encapsulating the cockpit, he engaged the robot's twin arms and spun the machine's torso. The heroes close by were thrown into the ones firing from a distance, Fluttershy and Dice being the only ones who dodged.

"This guy's tougher than he looks!" Kooker said as he climbed on top of his brother's shoulder.

"And he looked really tough to begin with," Buzzer said as he tried readjusting his antennas.

"Give it up! I am the controller of this world! I AM THE MOLLUSK! None of you are truly heroes, rulers or even real! You are all just playthings, toys for the amusement of your true king! Plankton in the current!" Mollusk said, approaching the group on the floor. "Now prepare for me to end you slowly giving the scene ample time for literally anybody to just jump in at the last second and say-"

"Hold it right there you overgrown slug!" A familiar voice rang as a giant robot dropped in from the ceiling.

"Scalor, you're back!" most of the group shouted in joy to see their friend back in action. Dice applauded, though was facing the opposite direction.

"Just thought I'd drop in for some es cargot!" Scalor said over his own robot's microphone system, " Now to crack some shell," he said lunging towards Mollusk, getting into the most climatic fights in history.

Mollusk held up a feeler. "Actually, the mollusk is a member of-" Scalor's robot cut him off, slamming against him chassis-against-chassis. "So that's how you want to play, fishy?"

"You destroy everything you touch Mollusk!" Scalor yelled, grappling at the controls of his robot, forcing Mollusk's machine down.

"Because everything I touch is food! Different forms maybe but it's all food for my power!"

"We're not your toys!"

Mollusk pushed Scalor off of him, cursing the fact that he built a duplicate identical giant robot AND had left the keys in the ignition. Why did this always seem to happen at times like this?

"Foolish fish!" Mollusk shouted, raising his arm cannon at Scalor. "This world is ruled by the hungriest, the one with the most drive, the most ambition! The rule of one is the only one that works! My hunger rules, therefore I rule!"

Scalor glared at him. "I'm gonna make you lose your appetite." His robot dodged a deadly blast that scorched the floor by jumping up to the ceiling. Grabbing a scaffholding and swinging, Scalor jumped down and was on top of Mollusk once again.

"Almost cyborg trash, but almost wont finish the job! You can't stop me!" Mollusk pushed himself off the ground and the mechs grappled, hooked to one another by the arms.

"You're old Mollusk, yesterdays model and ready for the scrap heap."

"We'll see who's ready for the scrap heap."

"Junk that's what you are: JUNK!"

"SILENCE! When I 'm through with you there wont be enough of you for recycling!"

Scalor's robot backed up, nearly slipping. Mollusk used that one instance to push him to one knee, claws interlocking as the villain's mech gained the upper hand. Claw. Whatever. Scalor's teeth were gritted, gripping his controls he couldn't find anything in his own cockpit that could possibly get him out of this contest of pure strength he was losing.

"Face it, Scalor," Mollusk grinned triumphantly. "I'm just the better design." He pushed Scalor to the floor.

Squinting, in that last second as gears grinded and metal bent, Scalor noticed something. "Better designed, maybe," he let his claw loose of the other robot's claw and raised it towards the mech's head. "But also designed with an ejector seat!"

The villain's eyes went wide. He watched as Scalor reached out with a claw and pressed a small red button on the side of his robot's chassis. And that was when Mollusk realized the price of overthinking.

The dome on his robot retracted and the ejector seat underneath him fired. In a second, the tyrannical slug was launched to the ceiling and smashed against the roof by his own rocket chair. The villainous invertebrate crashed through the ceiling and rocketing to the sky, soon becoming a twinkle in the distance.

"Critical damage sustained. Self-destruct sequence activated."

"It's about to self-destruct!" Twilight yelled. The group backed away from the two hooked robots.

The remaining robots began flashing, tons of clones all about to explode.

The Lightning Seven began blasting them, shorting out each before they could blow up. But the mechanized legions kept coming.

"Go! Get out of here!" Scalor yelled, blasting a group of bots with his laser.

"Scalor," Applejack yelled, "We can't leave y'all!" Cut off from the group, the ponies could only watch as the robots swarmed towards the Seven perched atop the two robots.

"We can get you out!" Celestia yelled at their friends.

Scalor smiled. "We're mercs, your majesty. We leave when the job's finished."

The ponies nodded. There were many destinies on many different worlds. The Mane Six had their own and the Lightning Seven had theirs. It was something no amount of technology or magic or creatures from another dimension could change. While the robots were focused on the Lightning Seven, the ponies ran for the exit.

They turned around the moment they cleared the facility. But they only turned around in time to see the factory turn into a ball of fire. Explosions rocked the building's foundations, throwing debris everywhere. The Mollusk Industries sign was set on fire and blasted out, soaring over the group along with the Days Without An Accident plaque underneath it. The entire facility exploded, leaving behind nothing but ash and rubble.

The heroic ponies looked through the smoke to see any sign of their friends. There was none. Applejack held her Stetson over her heart in reverence, Fluttershy broke down and sobbed. A single tear rolled down Twilight's face, a shimmering reminder of those she'd just lost.

They had all learned so much lately. So many strange, new things had happened. It was hard at times to find a stable spot, a point where it all made sense. Those moments were fleeting and tend to come and go before they were ready. Yet in all the randomness and confusion, the ponies were all sure of one thing: they had made new friends.

Scalor and the Lightning Seven were gone; their last mission accomplished. Twilight and her friends would be the only ones left to tell the tale and they knew that. So they would. The purple mare knew that when she returned home, she'd have a new job to do. She would begin cataloguing the tales of a group of heroes not unlike her own friends from Equestria- individuals not necessarily with a rhyme or a reason but with a purpose. A mission that they made themselves not because they were the right ones for the job but because they were the ones that wanted to do what was right.
> A break in the storm
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Nothing seemed the same after the Mollusk Industries collapsed; sure the robotic menace was stopped and the world save, but at what cost of seven dear friends. The ponies and resistance had given the Lightning Seven a memorial service for their bravery in battle and their sacrifice towards their friends. "I cant believe their gone." Pinkie said as her mane drooped down from its usual puffy cheerful look.

"It's a thing you get used to." Jumpstart said in a monotone voice as he started to move towards the direction of Whiplash. 

"How can you just say that? Some of our best friends just died!" Rainbow yelled furiously appalled as most of the resistance just walked off towards the Lightnings old home town.

"We've all lost something, but we had to let go of our past so we could look at a future of freedom." Charger said clenching his fore hoof in pain.

"They're right." Celestia said joining the conversation. "We have to let go of our past, but we must let the memories of our friends live on in our hearts." She said with from experience as she had to deal with losing her beloved sister for a thousand years.

"All in all I think we should head towards the Lightnings home to pay our final respects." Twilight said as she started to charge up a teleportation spell. Within a blink of an eye the group was teleported into their old friends home. In there the two groups split up to see all of the mementos the L7 had gathered through out their adventures.

Rarity looked at all of the pictures of the team throughout their various wacky adventures. "They did so much and this...." She tried to complete her sentence but inedibility just broke down in tears. Fluttershy comforted her to the best of her abilities, but to no avail.

"They were the best team of mercenaries I have ever known." Sir Slicer said as he bowed his head in anguish knowing he had only known the Lightning seven for only a few days but knew they were a magnificent team.

Pinkies tail began to move sporadically making a kind of  twitching noise. "Hhm my tails acting up." Pinkie said finally noticing her tail was twitching.

"Wait, a twitching tail could only mean one thing." Twilight said as she looked up towards the houses ceiling.

"LOOK OUT!" Applejack yelled as a large metallic pod came crashing down into the house. The weird thing about the pod is that it had a broken gear insignia on it.

"Oh no, it's Lord Jaggor!" Pinkie said as she held her head in panic thinking that the Lightning Sevens old enemy was back to settle the score, but instead of him there was something different.

"That's the last time we're flying coach." A cybernetic voice said as a shadowy figure rose out from the pod.

"Yeah, and the inflight movie wasn't making it any better." A snarky voice replied as a small pointy shadow moved its beak.

Suddenly more and more figures came out of the pod mumbling, only to be stopped by a group of ponies tackling them. "Lightnings! We thought we lost you."

"Eh, we've been through worse than that." Outlook said as he Ruffled his wing feathers as he got comfortable being back in his home once again.

"How did you survive though, we couldn't find you in the wreckage!?" Twilight said thinking the teams survival though glorious shouldn't be possible.

"Well the machine I was running during the fight was made by Jaggor; that guy may be stupid, but he makes quality defense mechanisms." Scalor said explaining what happened, "When the place began to fall apart the rest of the team climbed into the robot with me. When the robot was finally down it activated it's ejector seat activated and we were free."

"But you guys been gone for hours?" Jumpstart said jumping into the conversation.

"Yeah, the pods usually stay up in the air for a while." Circuit Breaker explained.

"And it was long enough for a crummy movie." Kooker added in knowing that even he hated the movie.

"Well, we're all still glad you're alright." Celestia said with tears of joy in her eyes.

"Well lets fire up the machine so we can finally get you guys home." Circuit Breaker said readjusting his glasses.

"Wait? What about the gems we needed to fuel that thing?" Thunder Buster asked coming in from the kitchen eating more of the Lightning Sevens food.

"That's the funny thing." Razor said climbing back into the pod, "Jaggor was stupid enough to put 10 stinking gems in here!" Razor said as she pulled out a box full of gems.

"Well it seems it is time to say our goodbyes." Buzzer said in a sorrowful tone. He and the others knew this wouldn't be easy for them but they knew they had to eventually say goodbye to their otherworldly friends.


Later on in the Lightning Sevens garage
 

Circuit Breaker was inserting the gems into the machine to activated it; while this was going on most of the group was giving their final farewells.

"I wish we had more time to get to know each other more Fluttershy." Tarlok said as he hugged the nature loving pony.

"It's been good being with a pony that I can relate to." Charger said as Glido shook Applejacks hoof rapidly.

"Yeah, you sheilas really know how to get the job done." Snaggletooth said as he jumped into the farewell.

"Well, you guys may be some of the strangest things Ah ever met but you sure do know how to fight." The farm pony said as she tilted her Stetson towards the two.

"Well your majesties it has been an honor fighting along by your side" Sir Slicer said kneeling towards Celestia and Twilight.

"Well we're all glad we could help you in your time of need, even if we were unexpected for your group." Twilight said as she blushed a little.

As the group was finishing up the machine started to whir as if it was beginning to start up. "It's fixed!" Circuit Breaker said triumphantly as the machines portal gave off a pinkish glow.

"I believe it is our time to leave." Celestia said as the other ponies gather towards the portal with her, "Lightning Seven, Mollusk resistance; it has been an honor being with you all."

"You're welcome, may our paths cross again someday." Scalor said as they began to walk into the portal. With them gone they had not only new friends, but they had a tale or two to tell everypony back home. The lightning Seven had dealt with their greatest mission in their lives and now they had a group of friends from both worlds that will always be with them.