> A King Unmatched
>  by Mister Friendly
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Prologue: The Message
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Prologue: The Message


Thunder boomed across the land, echoing through the rain and wind and giving momentary light to the pitch blackness surrounding her.

Were it not for the torch held in her telekinetic grip, she never would’ve found her way through the inky night. The flames guttered dangerously low against the torrential downpour and slashing wind, equaling chilling her to the bone, but she could not afford to attend to it. She could only pray that the fire would last.

The conditions demanded that she move slowly; the trail was hardly wider than she was, worn through the grass and foliage by eons of travel by ponies and animals alike. Roots and loose rocks were plentiful, and oily mud slicked everything. All the deathtrap was missing was a pony’s haste.

Yet, while conditions demanded she proceed with caution, the situation forced her to do just the opposite.

She was running down the familiar trail full tilt, breathing hard from the unexpected exertions she was putting her body through. Twice she almost tripped or twisted her ankle, but she pressed on without a second thought.

Another cacophonous explosion of sound and light overhead illuminated the trees all around her, and a barely visible shape through them that her eyes had been desperately searching for.

“Hurry!” she cried out without turning around. “We’re almost there! There’s still time before He arrives!”

Somepony else was huffing and puffing behind her, squealing on occasion when her hooves nearly betrayed her on the slick road. Had they not been more familiar with that trail than their own bedchambers, they never would’ve made it so far without an accident.

“P-please, slow down, Priestess!” her companion wailed, distressed.

But she took no heed. They were coming around one final bend through the underbrush.

The ground to her right disappeared, the forest vanishing along a towering cliff that dropped away into the darkness, its bottom never to be seen. But she didn’t need to see the floor below to hear the waves crashing against the distant rocks far blow, even over the sound of rain and her own heart pounding in her ears. On their other side, the ground sloped up into crags and worn, smooth stone, like the spine of some great skeleton to be illuminated with every flash of lightning.

And ahead of them, standing where the cliffs made a thrusting point over the abyss below, stood a small, ramshackle building. It was flanked all around by five ovular rocks bound by thick bands of rope near their bases, as if they were anchoring the rundown structure to the ground. Each rock stood nearly as tall as the shack, and when the lightning raced through the stormy heavens again, she could just make out the great runes etched into their surfaces.

Remember…

She skidded to a halt, completely out of breath, her eyes fixed on the small derelict of a structure – her salvation.

“There isn’t much time!” she called out. “The disturbance is getting worse! He will be here very soon! We must prepare while we still have a chance!”

A moment later, her companion staggered to a stop beside her, panting fitfully. “Please, Priestess! How are we to know this will even work? Nothing the Empire has done has stopped Him before! Not even the Sorcerers could!”

“It will work,” She responded fervently. “It has to work…!”

She turned away from the building, towards her companion. She was a little thing; hardly grown out of being a filly by the looks of her. She was wearing fine, flower-pattern silks that were now quite ruined by the muddy road, her soft yellow mane tangled with leaves and soaked with rain.

Her sky-blue eyes were wide and wild, looking around anxiously in an attempt to pierce the foreboding darkness around them. But all there was to see was a pathetically small circle of flickering torch light, rain and mud.

“I hope you’re right, Priestess,” her companion whimpered nervously. “If not…”

Another sound ripped through the night; another loud, explosive bang. Only this time, it didn’t come from the heavens. This time, the light that followed it wasn’t blindingly white; it was fiery red.

Again and again the sound detonated through the air, followed by angry flashes of not lightning, but fire.

Both of them turned, hearts filled with icy dread, to see the source of that violent light, and the terrible spectacle that came with it.

Explosions were flashing through the darkness below, exploding seemingly in midair in the distance… upon something that stood taller than any mountain. Something that voiced its displeasure with a terrific roar.

“He’s here!” cried her companion fearfully. “Already?! But – but…”

Her heart filled with dread… and grim resignation at the sight. That titanic form was growing closer, striding through the surf without difficulty, completely ignorant of the hailstorm of detonations exploding across His seemingly invincible hide. They served only to urge Him on, like a cloud of angry bees might a bear.

One explosive detonated across His back, and through the flash, she could just see the outlines of countless jagged shadows adorning his spine, though they were little more than nebulous darkness in the clouds of smoke and fire exploding all around Him.

He roared again, swinging His girth in the direction of the blast, and for a moment, through the fire and smoke, she could see His maw fall open in wrath, before the fireball engulfing Him extinguished, and He was lost to the dark night once more. There came a terrific, earthshattering boom, and suddenly the explosions ceased, leaving only darkness to burn into the two companions’ eyes.

“He will be here soon,” she said, voice empty. They were out of time, the one thing they direly needed.

“W-what do we do?” her companion whimpered fearfully. “Those are the Emperor’s finest warriors down there, and He’s not even slowing down!”

She had no answers that her young companion would enjoy to hear. She did, however, have answers.

“Imi, I need you to do me a favor.”

Her companion turned back to look at her, anxious. “W-what would you have me do, Priestess?”

“I need you to return to the temple,” she said.

Immediately her companion was objecting, but she put a hoof on her shoulder and spoke over her, raising her voice to be heard around the young pony’s complaining.

“If I don’t succeed, somepony will have to look after everypony in my stead. The Empire will need a Priestess in these dark times, now more than ever.”

“You can’t face Him alone! What if you –”

“This is the only way, Imi!”

“You’re just—”

“I need somepony I can trust to carry out my duties, and to carry out what we discussed should it come to that!”

“B-but, but –”

“This is the only way!” she pressed, desperate for her companion to understand. “Please! This is our only chance to stop Him before there is any more pain and suffering! It must be done, or there won’t be anything left to save!”

Through the rain and wind, she offered a small smile, full of as much reassurance as she could find within herself. “I won’t allow myself to fail. I promise.”

Imi looked like she had a million and one things to say – to object to, to question – but nothing found its way off the tip of her tongue. She just continued to make a strangled sound in the back of her throat.

Before she could find her voice, the ground beneath their hooves quaked with an ominous, reverberating boom…

A flash of lightning cut through the sky… and yet a large swath of it remained dark, casting an immense shadow over the two suddenly petrified companions.

That was when they heard the rumbling; a guttural, quaking grumble, like the fury of the earth personified ripping through a cavernous throat.

She looked up, too scared to do anything else, at the shadow – darker than the blackness of night, moving through the night like a migrating mountain peak. He was following the coast, each stride shaking the earth bad enough to nearly knock the companions to the ground.

But then He paused, and the shadow moved; a gigantic head swung through the darkness, throwing a curtain of rain and sea spray through the lightning-filled air, His sights settling on a tiny, almost unnoticeable point of light. 

She could see nothing of Him but a dark shadow, save for two pinpricks of light atop its colossal summit; the infinitesimally small reflections of a dying touch far, far below.

The shadow loomed over them, inconceivably huge, and yet for its size, the torch she held never reached far enough to touch it. It was so impossibly massive that the wind died, breaking across His broad, powerful back.

“Go.” She ordered Imi, but even her own voice sounded strangled. “Run. Run Imi. Go!”

Her final shout seemed to shock the filly, and suddenly her limbs were milling through the mud as fast as they could. Imi ran like a thing possessed, fleeing for her life with little other thought in her mind. It took her nearly ten strides before the storm hit her full force again, yet it served only to speed her up further.

As her companion vanish beyond the torchlight and into the safety of the darkness behind her, a sigh of relief restrained in her throat, before she turning and staring up at the titanic figure that’d come to loom over the point. Another giant step rocked the ground, nearly tossing her to the mud, and the rain ceased. 

An eerie, gut-wrenching silence took hold, as if the very air around her was holding its breath. Without the wind howling in her ears or the rain pounding against her slight frame, the sudden stillness was like she’d stepped into the eye of a hurricane. But the truth was far worse; she was standing beneath the monster Himself.

She gulped, heart thundering in her chest. She knew what she had to do now… no matter how impossible a task it seemed, and no matter how much she quailed in the face of it.

She sat back on her flank, clapped her hooves together. Focus… Remember…

She closed her eyes. Her horn illuminated, producing a clean, pure white light. Remember…

Her eyes shot open, a declaration on her lips – as the titanic claw fell like a judge’s gavel upon her head.

~~***~~

A shriek cut through a silent cottage, the one responsible sitting bolt upright in bed, clutching her comforter to her front like a scaredy filly.

Nightmares weren’t a new thing for her, true. Nightmares like that however… now that was a whole different story. Even her nightmares were not usually so… dark…

But the more time ticked by, the more the mare settled down, like she always did after such incidents. “J-just a… a bad dream,” she muttered to herself. It always helped to reaffirm out loud, and it did then, too; her pulse slowed, her breathing evened out and her wits steadied.

Her sapphire eyes drifted around the room to take in the familiar sights – another activity to help get over bad dreams.

She took in the pair of knitting needles lying on the rocking chair beside her bed, a blue thread from a nearby ball of yarn still wrapped around one tip, and the half completed muffler resting neatly beside it. A birthday present, she recalled.

Not far off, there were several books, all arranged neatly in two piles; a ‘to read’ pile, and a ‘to return’ pile, both arranged on a nearby dresser next to a series of picture frames.

See? No scary monsters, no dark stormy nights… only your bedroom. Everything’s just fine.

As if to contradict her, a loud bang and squawk echoed through her bedroom door back at her, jarring her fragile nerves.

It seemed that her terrified return to consciousness hadn’t gone unnoticed by the rest of the many occupants of her cottage.

“Oh… my…” whispered the timid pegasus to herself, eyes growing bigger by the second. “Not again…”

~~***~~

It took Fluttershy nearly half an hour to get her many animal friends to calm down again. After many, many soothing words, a few pets and an early, ample breakfast, she finally got the last squirrel to cease panicking.

Oh Fluttershy, you silly filly… you really shouldn’t make everypony so upset. I’ll just have to be more careful in the future.

She bustled about her duties, going from one animal friend’s home to the next, tending to whoever she could. It was simply routine, and soon enough she fell into her usual tempo.

Still, thoughts of her dream plagued her all morning, continuously sending shivers down her spine. And every time she recalled that immense shadow… At one point she dropped Angel’s salad as a result, much to his ire.

But the more she thought about it, the more she started to try to explain the whole thing away as simply an overactive – and maybe slightly vindictive – imagination getting the better of her.

Maybe I shouldn’t have gone with Rainbow Dash to see that movie last week… Oh, but she wanted to see Daring Do and the Temple of Gloom so much, how could I say no? There was a priest in that, too, I think. Oh, I don’t want to think about that one, either!

Fluttershy shook herself. No, it was best not to think about it. The right thing to do for herself was to just forget all about it and go about her day.

It was only once she’d tended to all of her furry friends that she finally paused and decided to tend to her own needs. She showered, made herself some tea, and enjoyed a buttered croissant with jam by the window while watching the sunrise.  It took her some time, but she managed to shuffle the nightmare to the back of her mind, where it would eventually dissipate and leave her in peace.

After such a rocky start to the morning, the rest of her day so far promised to be nothing but peaceful indeed. She was able to preoccupy herself with thoughts about what the day would need getting done – last she checked, she was almost out of birdseed again, and oh! It was Mr. Bluejay’s birthday! She’d have to pick him up something extra special – maybe a few of those worms he loved so much, even if they weren’t wholly good for him anymore. But… maybe one small one wouldn’t hurt.

Fluttershy nodded to herself, finished the last bite of her croissant, and hopped up, ready to tackle the day. She cleaned up, dressed in her best saddlebags, and headed out the door – after leaving Mrs. Goose in charge, of course. She could always be relied on to keep order amongst so many while she was gone.

The sun outside was bright – it truly promised to be a beautiful day without a cloud in the sky to bother it. She even find herself humming a little tune to herself as she trotted down the long, winding road towards Ponyville. Nopony was around – why not?

By the time she was just around the corner from the outskirts of Ponyville, however, what she was doing could no longer be defined as ‘humming’.

“Got the music in… you?” she paused, freezing halfway through a little kick as something caught her eye.

For some reason – a reason that really did elude her – Ponyville seemed to be… glittering. As in, for some reason, the streets that lay ahead of her seemed to be shining like it’d been literally paved with gold. Which was, strangely enough, exactly what seemed to have happened.

The sight of Rainbow milling through the air wildly while clad in a full-sized gala dress only made things weirder.

“Oh… my…”

A crunch of gravel behind her made Fluttershy squeak and whip around, automatically collapsing in on herself defensively… until she saw who was behind her and relaxed.

“Oh… hello Rarity.”

~~***~~

Several hours and one possessed fashionista later… 

Twilight Sparkle was in an absolutely foul mood as she slammed the door to her bedroom shut behind her. “Of all the ways I could’ve spent my day off,” she fumed to herself, ears slicked back and mane a wild mess, “This has got to be the worst way possible. I should’ve made Spike clean all of that stuff up – it was his mess, not mine or Luna’s! Grr, if I ever see gold glitter ever again, I’m going to hurt somepony!”

Spike’s new bout of honesty wasn’t doing him any favors either. Oh, there would be retribution, without a doubt. Maybe she’d go downstairs, shuffle around all of the books in the library while hiding a few before making him reorganize the shelves, just to watch him sweat.

But no, she thought with a sigh, she couldn’t be petty like that. It wasn’t what princesses did, as Cadance would no doubt be quick to point out. But that only meant she’d have to think up a more grown up way to punish him. Like… dungeon time, maybe. Yes, dungeon time sounded good…

Twilight was distracted from her temperamental musings by a sound behind her. It was a familiar sound that she could’ve recognized even from the opposite end of the library, one she didn’t care for at the moment; the sound of a dragon burping.

“Twilight! Letter for you!” called out Spike through the door behind her.

To Anypony else, that would’ve sounded like a very strange followup indeed. No “Excuse me” or “Wow, that was a big one!” like most ponies would expect. Then again, most ponies didn’t have baby dragons, and Twilight had had years to get used to it.

“I’ll get to it later,” Twilight snapped, continuing down the stairs. She was not finished being mad at him yet, princessly behavior be –

“It looks kind of important, though,” Spike added.

“Later!” Twilight shouted back, glowering to herself.

“It says ‘Urgent’, Twilight,” Spike pressed.

For some reason, that made Twilight pause, one hoof hesitating in midair just before the halfway mark down the spiral staircase. “Urgent?” she repeated, brow furrowing as she turned her head to listen for Spike’s response; just, not too much.

“Yeah,” Spike said back. “Come to think of it, didn’t the last time Princess Celestia stamp a letter as urgent, it was because of the Crystal Empire?”

Twilight didn’t respond; she was too busy thinking.

Spike was right; she’d only ever seen the ‘Urgent’ stamp used maybe two or three times before. Celestia usually didn’t feel the need to employ it, because Twilight was always so quick to open them and read the contents within. To label a letter as urgent meant only one thing; it was.

She very much wanted to keep fuming at Spike, but...

It took her only a moment or two to make up her mind, however. Twilight huffed, swallowed her pride, and turned back around to trudge up the stairs. “Alright, I’m coming. But this’d better be good!”

Spike was waiting for her on the landing. He was holding out the rolled up scroll at arm’s length, as if expecting Twilight to bite at him on sight.

The short-tempered alicorn princess tried to ignore his attempt at a peace offering and snatched the letter up in her magical grip.

But she really wasn’t all that vindictive of a pony. She could see Spike sagging his shoulders, holding his head low, and as much as she wanted to pretend like she hadn’t for the sake of staying mad a bit longer, she couldn’t ignore his clearly repentant demeanor.

So, she let out her breath before tugging the baby dragon in for a one-hooved, one-winged hug of appreciation. She didn’t say anything, though, and she kept herself aloof; he hadn’t earned more than what he was getting after the pain and suffering he’d put her through that day.

She ignored his responding hug – more involved than hers was – as she broke the official royal wax seal and let it unravel itself.

However, it wasn’t a particularly long letter, just like the one that’d summoned her to Canterlot over the Crystal Empire. It contained only a few choice lines, quickly yet elegantly scrawled on the parchment, but Twilight knew when her mentor was in a rush. And that rarely ever happened.

Now she had warning bells going off in her head for real, and it only became worse when she beheld the last line on the letter, and grew as still as a statue.

Spike noticed Twilight cease moving, and craned his neck up to see what she was reading. It barely took him any time to get through the sparse letter, but like Twilight, he paused at the final line. Only, in his case, it was due to confusion.

“Uh… Twilight? Why is Celestia writing to you about the eastern ocean?”

Twilight didn’t answer right away. Her eyes, which had suddenly become a million miles away, her brow deeply knotted together.

“I don’t know, Spike,” she muttered. “But… I hope it’s not what I think it is.”

~~***~~

From her balcony, Princess Celestia looked out over the whole of Equestria, watching the last dying rays of sunlight relinquish their hold over the highest mountains in the land.

The sky was still a medley of pinks, purples and deep, unfathomable blues, growing darker the further one’s eyes drifted from the horizon. Stars twinkled above, and while the moon had not yet made its grand appearance on the astral stage, she knew it was but minutes away from doing so.

Yet, it wasn’t her usual evening array of thoughts that occupied her mind. Usually she preoccupied herself just before bed with wondering what kind of nightly spectacle her sister would put on in the heavens; maybe a comet, or meteor shower. It was a good way to unwind from the bureaucracy of the day, one that she’d taken to quite well since her sister’s return. 

But not that night. No, something far less benign had taken root in her thoughts, and refused to let her rest in peace.

Her usual smile and soft expression had hardened into a troubled, pensive scowl that delicately knitted her brows together and drew down the corners of her mouth ever so slightly.

She sat quietly, alone with her thoughts… and an elegant scroll clad in gold, its surface scrawled with a foreign and unusual text.

And in one hoof, she held a metallic insignia of gold and ruby with seven jagged edges.

Whenever she looked at it, her mind became very troubled indeed… 

She received a distraction, however, and in quite the spectacular manner, when her sister, Princess Luna herself, literally dropped out of the sky like a meteor, landing dead on her hooves so hard the walls trembled.

One look, and Celestia could tell that she was not in a particularly good mood. Her ethereal mane, usually sleek and flowing, had developed the oddest kinks and eccentricities, making it look like she’d tried an ill-fated attempt at styling it. Judging by the sour scowl on her face, it was something less humorous.

“We have returned, dear sister,” Princess Luna drawled dourly without even looking at her startled sibling, “Do not ask us where we have been, for we do not wish to discuss it. However, we are very much considering dropping a meteor on our old home. We trust you will not miss it.”

“… Long night?” Celestia asked, trying to seem neutral.

Luna merely glowered. “We do not wish to talk about it,” she reiterated. “Now, if you will excuse us, we hath dire need of a full coffee pot. And a bath.”

As she quickly strode away, making for the door with all-due haste, Celestia suddenly jumped upright, turning in the direction of her sister. “Luna…”

The umbral princess halted, glancing over her shoulder. It had been a while since she’d heard Celestia speak to her like that before.

“Could I… have a moment of your time?” Celestia asked, chancing a smile. “I… must get your opinion on something.”

Even as foul as her mood was, Luna’s eyes flashed, scrutinizing Celestia carefully. “About?”

Then, her eyes drifted down to the ground, momentarily flicking towards a medallion lying on the ground, glittering in the light of a nearby candle. When she saw it, her eyes narrowed.

“We have not seen one of those…” she glanced up towards Celestia carefully, biting back her intended comment, “… in a long time. Is there some reason for you to dig such a relic out of the archives?”

Celestia unexpectedly shook her head. “No, little sister. This did not come from the archives. It, and this letter, were delivered to me early this morning.”

Very few things in the world could’ve gotten Luna to raise her eyebrows, even in an amicable mood. For her to be so testy and still find it to give her sister such a surprised look was something in itself.

“Truly?”

“Truly.”

Luna’s expression settled again, her now mercurial eyes drifting back down to the medallion. She did not say anything further, but the way she pursed her lips squirmed at the inside of Celestia’s chest.

Without asking to do so, Luna’s horn was engulfed in a midnight blue light, and Celestia watched as she tugged the scroll towards her, set it on its side, and started reading, her eyes flashing up and down in rapid movements.

And the further she read, the darker her expression became. “Curious… And most unsettling,” she concluded, her eyes drifting up to scrutinize her sister once again. “Apologies, but our Empirese is a little rusty. Are we to believe that they have broken their silence… for this?”

“I thought mine was out practice as well,” Celestia responded, an understanding smile flicking across her troubled expression. “But there are some names – one in particular, I’m sure you’d imagine – that I’d recognize anywhere.”

Luna’s frown deepened, only now it bore the telltale traces of her troubled mood. “That may be so… But…”

Her brows pulled together even more, her eyes settling upon a short, three character line near the end. She turned the letter this way and that, scrutinizing it with an increasingly perplexed eye.

“Practice or no… I do not recognize this one. Go… rilla… whale? Sister, what manner of word is this?”


Celestia sighed, looking away towards the open sky beyond the balcony. “That… I do not know, dear sister. But I fear what it might be…”

~~***~~

Remember…

She skidded to a halt across the mud and filth, nearly toppling in her exhaustion. She panted, gulping down as much as air she could, but it never felt like it was enough. She was chilled to the bone, her dress nothing more than a sopping wet washrag around her frame.

Stars danced before her eyes, but she struggled to see through them. One of her forelegs was pulverized – she couldn’t tell which through the lancing pain. All she knew for certain was that she couldn’t rely on it.

And ahead of her, through the gloom and rain of the storm, she saw His head swing around to look at her again. He huffed in contempt, a sound like a gale lashing against her ears.

Even from over the edge of the cliff, He towered over her; an impenetrable, immovable mountain indifferent to whatever attempts she made to shift it.

But she had to keep trying. She couldn’t allow herself to give up hope; it was all she had left to rely on.

Every spell she knew, every incantation she’d practiced, every prayer she’d memorized – nothing was so much as giving the beast pause. Why He hadn’t moved on or simply finished her off, she did not know. Was He so entertained by her antics that he’d simply stopped to toy with her like a cat would a mouse?

But she had to keep trying…

With the last of her strength, she summoned up whatever dregs of magic she had left in her, forced it into her horn, and took aim.

She could see the reflection of her spell in His shining eyes, gleaming like the eyes of a predator in the darkness; two points of light atop of a colossal monster. 

He snarled at the sight of her glowing horn, rising up to His full, intimidating height, becoming somehow taller. She could hear His lungs filling to capacity, dragging in more air in one gulp than she’d likely breathed in her entire, short life.

She had to keep trying…

“KREEEEE-OOOOOOONNNNK!”

 
	
> 1: Where the Sun Rises
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 1: Where the Sun Rises


Rain drizzled drearily from the muggy grey clouds that blanketed the heavens. It wasn’t a heavy downpour by any stretch of the imagination, but it was enough to keep most ponies indoors and out of the unseasonably cool weather that’d seen fit to ruin more than a few plans.

Only those who absolutely had to be out trudged through the streets in such weather, keeping themselves as small as possible beneath their umbrellas or else galloping from cover to cover down the street. Or, in the case of six mares, clambered hastily into the warm, dry interior of a train, where the cool, wet nip in the air couldn’t reach them.

“Of all the times it coulda rained,” griped orange, grumpy earth pony, “ya coulda picked a better day for it, RD.”

Next to her, a blue pegasus gave a jaw-popping yawn, which somewhat ruined the glower she tried to throw back. “Hey, it’s not my fault. I had a lousy night’s sleep last night, and it’s not like I’m the only weather pony out here, Applejack!”

Applejack rolled her eyes, but said nothing as she lead the way down the train car. Early morning commuters were looking their way, a few disdainful of the ruckus so early in the morning.

However, the conversation continued on without her.

Fluttershy looked up, worry in her eyes. “Trouble sleeping? Oh, it wasn’t because of nightmares, was it?” she asked worriedly.

Immediately Rainbow was shaking her head, puffing up almost indignantly. “N-no! I don’t get nightmares! Nightmares get me.”

Try as she might, it seemed, Applejack just couldn’t stay out of their conversation. “Sugarcube, that don’t even make any sense,” she pointed out, throwing Rainbow a look.

Before Rainbow could reply, another voice from behind cut her off; this one much less friendly. “Can we please just find our seats? I haven’t even had a chance to drink my coffee yet.”

All three turned around, to look towards an uncharacteristically disheveled looking Rarity, who only met their looks with a scathing, grumpy glare. It was obvious that she’d only just rolled out of bed, even for anypony who didn’t know her. Her mane was a wildly tangled mess, a far cry from what it normally was. There were bags under her eyes, which were conspicuously devoid of their usual tasteful application of makeup, which only made her look even more haggish than she already did.

Now, normally Rarity was a very spritely morning pony, which only made the sight of her even more confusing. Next to Twilight and Applejack, she was usually one of the earliest risers in the group, especially when there was a project nagging at the back of her mind – which there almost always was. She almost never greeted the morning like a hated enemy and instead embraced it with hooves outstretched. Then again, she usually didn’t spend the previous day reinventing the whole of Ponyville under the thrall of an eldritch tome.

“I still have a headache and a hornache from whatever it is I purportedly did yesterday,” she hissed. “And I am expected to be meeting the princesses in a few short hours. So please, if it’s all the same to you, let me wake up before babbling incessantly.”

“Er, sorry, Rarity,” Applejack mumbled, lowering her head apologetically.

Rarity just huffed sourly, then took a big, long sip from a steaming mug of coffee so black just breathing the air around it would be enough to give a pony the jitters.

Rainbow and Applejack looked on, exchanging a quick look before watching their pearly white friend carefully.

Five… four… three… two… one…

Right on schedule, Rarity’s whole demeanor changed like a light switch being thrown. As the caffeine hit her system, she instantaneously stood up taller, her entire demeanor exploding into one of bright cheer.

“There we are!” she said brightly, positively beaming. “Good morning, Applejack! Rainbow! Fluttershy! Lovely day, is it not?”

Both Rainbow and Applejack exchanged a look, stifling their grins as best they could. Yep… we have ignition…

~~***~~

Of all the times the group had gone to Canterlot, that time was perhaps the dreariest. From the start, the rain didn’t let up, streaking the windows with ribbons of water and obscuring all beyond the glass in a fine mist – besides the occasional tree-shaped blur that raced by.

Applejack couldn’t help but watch the rain with a worried frown. “Sure is a lot of rain for the middle of summer. This ain’t gonna be a fun Apple Buck Season, that’s fer sure.”

“Well it isn’t my fault,” Rainbow grouched, still pouting over the earlier accusation. Even if Applejack hadn’t been looking at her, she still bristled as if the comment had been aimed at her anyway.“Ponyville’s my thing, not the whole of Equestria. The higher ups are probably just trying to cool things down or something.”

Applejack turned towards Rainbow, her mouth opening to say something, when another sight caught her attention, drawing her up short.

On the opposite bench, Twilight was digging through her bag, quickly tossing – wonder of wonders – books and tomes out as she hastily searched for something.

Now, Applejack may not be into literature as deeply as some ponies she knew were, but she still knew old books when she saw them, and by her reckoning, it didn’t get much older than the ratty, warped tomes Twilight was feverishly referencing.

“No… no…,” she was muttering to herself. “Not seven-hundred; six hundred… six hundred… I know it’s…”

Applejack wasn’t the only pony watching Twilight’s antics, either. All of her friends – and even the few neighbors they had sharing the train car with them – were looking at her.

It wasn’t unusual for Twilight to pack some reading material, especially when called to Canterlot under the current pretenses. But rarely did Twilight take more than a book or three. Now, she was sorting through whole sacks, digging through leather-bound tomes so old the pages looked practically petrified.

Applejack, Rainbow, Fluttershy and Pinkie continuously exchanged looks. Even Rarity – after rousing properly – couldn’t help but take in her friend’s furtive behavior while she ran a brush through her mane.

Spike sat nervously beside Twilight, biting his lip and ringing his claws. He wanted very much to say something, but he wasn’t yet sure what. He only knew that Twilight had been up all night long digging through the library like her life depended on it, and going through some rather bizarre sections as well. He just couldn’t figure it out; the history section, he could get. But the foal’s section? Twilight was up to something, but as of yet, he hadn’t gotten a word in edgewise to figure out what that might be.

By rights, she should’ve been bouncing off of the train car’s every wall, conducting a play-by-play babble of her thoughts as they struck her and whipped her up more and more into a panic. That would’ve been her typical behavior upon being summoned by the princesses, but now here she was, nose buried as far in a dusty old encyclopedia as it would go, hardly a word leaving her mouth.

Finally, Spike licked his lips, opened his mouth to speak –

BAM!

Twilight slammed down the hefty ledger, making everypony jump in surprise. At the same time, she made a loud, frustrated noise, apparently snapping at long last. “Ugh! This isn’t helping! None of this makes any sense!”

Spike gulped, rubbing his claws together apprehensively. “Uh… what doesn’t?”

“This!” Twilight shouted, flinging her hoof at the open pages in front of her like it was some vile, nasty thing that’d gravely offended her. “Would it kill just one of these authors to write some facts once in a while? Every book I open is just filled with legends and myths! Legends and myths!”

While Twilight huffed and puffed, furious, the rest of her friend sat stock still, looking back and forth between each other through the shocked silence.

Rainbow exchanged a glance with Pinkie, both just as wide-eyed as each other. “Yeah, so… what is this all about, anyway?” the pegasus asked. “You’re acting kinda weird today. Like… eggheadier than normal. What did Princess Celestia write to you about?”

She ignored the chastising glare Rarity shot her, instead focusing on Twilight’s reaction.

Twilight grumbled, the wind going out of her sails. Finally she settled down, flopping back in her seat. “You don’t understand, Rainbow,” she insisted, shaking her head. “It just doesn’t make any sense at all. If only Princess Celestia had provided more information, maybe I could know for sure, but…”

She looked back up, turning apologetic. “I’m sorry, girls. I guess I just… have a really bad feeling about this, that’s all.”

Pinkie eyed her friend, suddenly looking worried. “Like… too much fudge bad feeling or not enough fudge bad feeling?”

Twilight blinked, looking nonplussed. “What? No, that’s not it at all.”

Pinkie’s eyes widened, her breath seizing in welling horror. “Worse than fudgy tummy aches?! But I didn’t even make any chilicherrychanga surprise!”

“Thank Celestia for that,” groaned Rainbow, looking queasy just from the thought it.

Twilight smiled despite herself, a faint chuckle leaving her lips. “No… Sorry, girls. This is something else. Something just doesn’t feel right, that’s all.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow curiously. “So… what is it the Princess wants us ta do, then? Wrangle some critter or somethin’? Cuz we do that almost every other day it feels like.”

Twilight shook her head. “I don’t really know what Princess Celestia wants,” she admitted. “She only mentioned wanting to discuss something about the land across the eastern ocean.”

Now it was Rainbow’s turn to raise her eyebrow. “Wait, what? There’s something out there? But isn’t the eastern oceans supposed to be really dangerous? Nopony sails out that way, like, ever. Now you’re telling me there’s a whole country across the sea?”

Twilight couldn’t help but look at her, confused for a moment. “Wait, how did you –” then she caught herself. “Right. Daring Do…” 

“T-the eastern sea is dangerous?” Fluttershy squeaked, hiding behind her hooves.

“Yep,” Rainbow drawled, ignoring her friend’s panic. “Nopony’s allowed to sail out too far from the coast. Boats going out over deep water never come back. See, Daring Do was looking for a galleon that supposedly had a really valuable heirloom from the Ping Dynasty called the –”

“What does Celestia want us ta do about it, though?” Applejack cut across, earning her a dirty look from Rainbow.

“I wish I knew,” Twilight said, shaking her head. “But whatever it is, she must think that we can help, or else she wouldn’t have sent that letter. But at the same time… I don’t know what all we can do.”

Pinkie suddenly sat forward, clapping her hooves together energetically. “Well then, we’ll just have to be really super helpful, then!”

Twilight’s expression twisted a little bit. “Yeah… and that’s what’s got me worried.”

Rarity glanced over this time, distracted enough from her grooming to eye Twilight. “Whatever do you mean?”

Twilight bit her lip, fidgeting on her seat. “The thing is, there can only be one country across the ocean… and well… I just don’t see why they would ever ask for our help…”

~~***~~

The weather in Canterlot was not much better than it’d been in Ponyville. While the rain had let up, a gusting wind had taken its place, buffeting all those caught out in the open.

Thunder rumbled overhead, though its source went unseen. It was a brooding, ominous sound; distant, yet ever-present, like the fast-moving clouds overhead that bore the storm along. It was a nice relief from the midsummer’s heat, probably the intent in the first place, but at the moment, Twilight just couldn’t appreciate the cooler weather enough to overlook the dreary gloom that’d rolled in as a consequence.

The gilded towers of Canterlot Castle, usually gleaming under the sun like a grand tiara, now looked dull and lifeless under the heavy gloom of the storm clouds above. Even approaching noon, the lights in the castle were still visible from the streets, glimmering faintly against the dull sky.

That was the thing that struck Twilight the most as their taxi trundled up the long road towards the drawbridge. It filled her heart with unease, and a familiar sense of panic that burned in her limbs whenever she saw the pointed silhouette of the castle proper. It was finally starting to sink in that she was on her way to see the princess, under the exact some pretenses as when the Crystal Kingdom had returned… as well as Discord, now that she thought about it.

Whatever was in store for her and her friends, it was not going to be nearly as simple as her tasks had been of late.

Even as she and her friends made their way through the front gates with all due haste, the feeling of unease did not dissipate from Twilight’s chest. Again and again she saw the pages of her history books flashing through her mind, waging war with each other in a desperate attempt to make sense in her head, but to no avail. Only one pony out there could’ve helped her make sense of it all, otherwise she’d never figure it out.

Not even the sight of her long-time mentor alleviated the pressure she felt. 

Celestia waited for them all in the throne room, grim-faced upon her thrown, alone save for a contingent of the usual guards flanking the literal seat of power in Equestria. Only once the six mares came bursting into the extensive hall did her mood seem to lift, a smile rising on her face at the sight of the one leading the galloping herd.

“Princess Celestia!” Called out Twilight. “We got here as soon as we could. What’s happened?”

Always so eager, no matter the circumstances…

Celestia’s smile warmed for a moment, and then she recomposed herself. “Twilight, everypony, it’s good to see you all,” she said. “I am glad you all could make it.”

She rose from her seat in one graceful move, stepping down towards the approaching group as they reached her.

“I’m sorry we couldn’t get here earlier,” Twilight said apologetically, “The train out of Ponyville had to close early yesterday.”

On account of the rails turning to crystal, and all the coal turning to diamonds, she thought, but kept the comment to herself, given present company.

Celestia smiled regardless. “It’s quite alright, Twilight. You are right on time.”

“So what’s the problem this time?” Rainbow spoke up, rising into the air to get a better look at the Princess of the Sun. “Need us to kick some ancient evil’s flank? Or maybe find some long-lost treasure? Just point us to it and we’ll buck it into next Tuesday!”

While Twilight shot Rainbow a look for her tactlessness, Celestia allowed herself a mild chuckle. “I appreciate your enthusiasm, Rainbow Dash. But I’m afraid this situation is a little more… delicate than that.”

She turned away then, overlooking the brash pegasus’ disappoint me, her expression falling into a pensive blankness. “Not long ago, I received a letter through a very old channel, one that I believed would never see use again, but one that I have nevertheless left open, in case I was to be proven wrong,” she explained.

With one flick of her horn, the room was filled with a golden light, forming in midair between Twilight and Celestia. With an audible pop, it faded again, leaving behind a strange, golden cylinder floating in midair.

The cylinder was unlike anything Twilight had ever seen before. It appeared to be made from a cord of gold coiled tightly together, like some kind of snake tightly wrapped around a branch. Each end was capped with a simple, domed plate carved with some kind of snarling beast’s face with emeralds for eyes.

“What is it?” Twilight asked, edging a little closer to the strong object.

“This, Twilight,” Celestia explained, eyeing the strange thing, “is the first letter to cross the eastern ocean in over six hundred years.”

Everypony stared in awe, their eyes shooting open wide in surprise. Even Pinkie grew still and stared, her eyes fixed on the strange golden object.

The only thing that could’ve distracted some of them was a small voice speaking up through the heavy silence. “… I knew it,” said Twilight, and yet she looked even more troubled than ever before, her eyes staying fixed on the mysterious letter. “It’s from Neighpon, isn’t it?”

Rainbow turned to look at her, confused. “From where?”

“Did y’all just say Napalm?” Applejack asked, all the while digging around in one ear with a hoof. “Cuz… Ah’m pretty sure that stuff can’t send letters.”

“She said Neighpon, darling,” Rarity corrected, giving her friend a look. “Honestly, how could you not have heard about it? Didn’t you pay attention in school?”

Applejack puffed up indignantly in response. “Ah paid attention just fine, Rarity, and they ain’t ever talked about no Napping thing, either.”

“Me neither,” Rainbow pointed out, looking peeved herself. 

“Me either,” put in Fluttershy. “But, oh, maybe I… forgot?”

“No, you wouldn’t have,” Twilight responded, giving Fluttershy a reassuring smile. “It’s something they teach unicorns in school, sort of like what they teach pegasi about their history, and earth ponies about there’s.”

“Yes,” Rarity nodded. “Of course, I’d only assumed it was all legends. Neighpon seemed too fantastic to be real. If it wasn’t for them, unicorn magic would be very different today indeed.”

“I know,” mused Twilight. “Telekinetic theory… conjury… it all originated in Neighpon who knows how long ago; before there even was an Equestria, at least… Mother always used to tell me stories about it before bed when I was growing up. Growing up, I never thought it was a real place.”

“I’m afraid,” Celestia put in, regain all of her subjects’ attention, “that it is not a myth. Neighpon is very much real, and at present, it is in danger.”

She turned her gaze back to the letter. When she did so, something crossed her features – something Twilight and company were not used to seeing. Celestia looked almost… troubled. That couldn’t be right… could it?

“Six hundred years ago,” Celestia began, “Neighpon’s greatest sorcerers closed the countries’ borders to the outside world, sealing itself off behind an enchanted fog nopony has ever been able to penetrate. The country has since remained in isolation, its fate not known to anypony – including myself. That is, until just recently.”

After she paused, Celestia’s horn flashed brighter for a moment, and her magic pulled upon the cylinder’s bottom half. To everypony’s surprise, the whole cylinder split with a click, and unrolled into a long length of what appeared to be paper. Only… paper shouldn’t shimmer so much. It was as if it’d been inlaid with an incredibly thin layer of gold filament that shined even under the faintest of lights, making it seem almost laminated.

“I only wish the news was less dire,” she said grimly. “This letter speaks of a great disaster that has struck the far east; a creature unlike anything they have ever encountered before has appeared within their country, destroying whole villages and causing untold mayhem, and they alone cannot overcome it. If this letter is to be believed, if nothing is done, their entire civilization could be at risk of annihilation. The country’s emperor himself has asked for my aid specifically in this matter to see his people safe.”

All six mares looked between each other again, puzzled, and not a little tense. The picture being painted for them was not a very pretty one, that was for sure. A monster so powerful a nation of unicorns could not defeat it? It filled their hearts with dread just thinking about it.

But while her friends reeled over the implications, Twilight herself had caught hold of something Celestia had said, which only served to perplex her more.

“They… asked for your help?” Twilight repeated, frowning. “But if that’s true… why did you call for us? Why would you need our help?”

While the rest of her friends voiced their agreement with her question, Twilight noticed something cross Celestia’s features that she’d never, in her many years of studying under her, seen before.

For a brief moment, Celestia’s expression became… conflicted. That would’ve been enough to worry Twilight, even without the princess’s next words ringing in her ears.

“I… cannot go,” Celestia admitted after a pause. “I would have the six of you go in my stead.”

“What?” Twilight spoke up, taken aback. “But why? Wouldn’t somepony like you be more suited to this kind of thing?”

An understanding smile crossed Celestia’s lips, but she still seemed almost sad. “Perhaps, but I fear that my presence there will only serve to do more harm than good.”

All six ponies looked between themselves, completely at a loss.  Celestia? Doing more harm than good? The concept was downright alien, like a temperamental Pinkie Pie, or an unathletic Rainbow. It just didn’t fit with their image of what the princess was, or how the world was supposed to work in general.

“Uh… why is that”, Twilight asked, taking the diplomatic approach.

Celestia obviously picked up on it, because her sad smile did not come back. “Few ponies know this, but Neighpon is only the name of the region,” she said. “The country itself has another name. In Equestrian, it is known simply as the Empire of the Sun.”

Silence. All six ponies stared back at Celestia, completely at a loss for words. Even Twilight was left dumbfounded, her mouth hanging open. This, as it turned out, was something she had not known, and it left whatever comeback she could’ve said woefully inadequate. 

The regal alicorn gave them all a knowing look. “Do you see my predicament now, my little ponies?” she asked.

“Wait,” Rainbow started, the first to recover her wits. “The Empire…”

“… of the Sun?” Applejack finished, cocking her head. “Does that mean…?”

Celestia flashed them both an understanding smile, having easily predicted where their assumptions would take them. And at the same time, she slowly and deliberately shook her head. “No, Applejack,” she said, fighting to keep her amusement in check. “I have had nothing to do with them, as strange as that might seem.”

“But… how?” Pinkie asked, rubbing her chin in sheer confusion.

Celestia had to fight to keep her bemusement in check. “Contrary to what some ponies might believe, I have not been around since the dawn of time,” she said. “There are some things in this world that are older than even I am.”

Even after hearing Celestia say it, the idea was hard for Twilight to wrap her mind around. But there was one thing that did click in her mind.

“Is… is that why Neighpon… or rather… the Empire of the Sun has never been on very good terms with Equestria?” she asked. “Because… of you?”

Celestia gave her student a sad, weary smile in response, one that twisted Twilight’s chest. “Indeed it is. The Empire of the Sun predates Equestria by many centuries, and back then, it was the duty of unicorns – not myself – to raise and lower the sun in the sky and bring day to the world. Back then, it was a concerted effort to move the sun, involving many, many unicorns working together; not just here, but across the sea as well. Only the strongest, most influential unicorns were called upon to perform the task. For us, it created the noble families of early Equestria, most of which still exist today. For Neighpon, it brought the strongest individuals together, and together, they forged the Empire of the Sun, a kingdom of some of the greatest unicorn minds this world has ever seen, yet it was only in one field hat they truly excelled.”

“Neighpon’s specialty was controlling the world around them,” Twilight explained, addressing her friends. “But instead of having pegasi control the weather and earth ponies harvest the land, they believed only unicorns could fulfill these duties. At least, according to what little historical data I could find. Almost everything we have left is more myth and legend than fact.”

Celestia nodded. But when Twilight looked back at her, she saw that her mentor’s smile had slipped, replaced instead with something darker.

“For all their innovations and contributions, however,” Celestia said, “it was their skill with astronomancy and their stewardship over the sun that was their pride; the very pillar of their civilization.”

She looked up, locking eyes with Twilight. “After Luna and I rose to power… our relationship understandably soured. The ruling party at the time devoted themselves wholly to returning the stewardship of the sun to the ponies of Neighpon. Had they been closer to our borders, and had the eastern sea been less... hostile, a war between our countries would not have been out of the question.”

“But… why?” asked Pinkie. When everypony looked at her, they saw a deeply confused mare, attempting to battle a concept that didn’t agree with her at all. “Why couldn’t everypony work something out? Why fight at all?”

Celestia gave Pinkie a reassuring look, reaching down at the same time to pat the distraught pony’s head. “Sometimes, Pinkie,” she said softly, “differences are not so easily settled, and hurt pride is not so easily mended. Sometimes, it is not harmony that holds sway in a pony’s heart, but hatred that consumes it, blinding those to all other possibilities.”

Celestia took a step back as Applejack and Fluttershy converged on Pinkie, putting their hooves around her as comfortingly as possible.

“But this letter…,” continued Celestia, eying the scroll again. “For them to reach out to us for aid… perhaps it is a sign of change. It would be foolhardy of me to simply overlook it, especially after all this time.”

“Six hundred years is a pretty long time to hold a grudge,” Rainbow remarked. “I bet nopony over there even remembers what they’re supposed to be mad about.”

Twilight nodded. It was a real possibility, if maybe an optimistic one. “Maybe if we go and lend a helping hoof, they’ll realize that we’re not so bad after all.”

Yet not everypony was convinced.

Applejack scowled, pushing her mouth to one side as she thought. “Ah don’t know… After hearin’ nothin’ for centuries, then suddenly they want their sworn enemy’s help? Maybe Ah’m just thinkin’ about this too hard, but somethin’ ain’t addin’ up…”

“Well, obviously they’re past the point where they can depend on their pride,” Rarity pointed out. “Even your ego has its limits, darling, and I can hardly think of a prouder mare in Equestria than you.”

“Well… that’s true,” Applejack mumbled, not sure if she’d been praised or insulted – or both. “Ah just… ain’t convinced, that’s all.”

Twilight looked towards Rarity, a troubled frown knitting her brows together. “Rarity… you do have a point there. Whatever has happened, it must’ve been so bad that they’d swallow their prides and ask for Celestia’s help. And six-hundred years ago, Luna had already become Nightmare Moon; they probably still assume that Equestria is still run by one princess, otherwise they might’ve turned to Luna instead, and sooner.”

Celestia nodded. “The thought did cross my mind as well,” she said. “Whatever calamity has seized them, it is so terrible that they have felt the need to reach out to us, who they have not wished to speak to for centuries. But I feel that I must warn you all; the Empire of the Sun is unlike any place you have been before. Compared to Equestria, it is a hostile land rife with danger; the ponies who live there just as much so. And if it is as bad as the emperor’s letter suggests, you will find only strife and suffering there, and I would not subject anypony to that needlessly.”

Twilight turned to give Celestia an inquisitive look. “Princess Celestia… what are you saying?” she asked.

Celestia turned to give them all a look in turn. “The six of you are the only ponies I trust enough to see this mission through,” she said. “Had I any other option, however, I would not force this upon you. Princess Cadance and Shining Armor have their own kingdom to manage now, and I dare not send a larger force in case of how Neighpon might react. This situation is too delicate to make careless decisions, and only by stopping this creature can we hope to begin mending bridges properly.”

“What about Princess Luna?” Rainbow asked.

Celestia’s expression only became more complicated. “She… is unwilling,” she said, and nothing further on the matter, but Twilight couldn’t help but notice how she didn’t meet anypony’s eye when she said it.

Seeing the regal princess so torn over one issue was not something Twilight was particularly enjoying. It didn’t bode well when Celestia’s confidence was even a little questionable.

But instead of filling her heart with trepidation, Twilight stood up tall, a fire in her chest. “Don’t worry, princess,” she declared. “Just leave it to us. We’ll make sure the Empire is safe.”

“Yeah!” piped up Rainbow fiercely. “We’ll kick that monster’s flank so hard it won’t know what hit it!”

“Or,” Twilight said, fighting back a smile, “we can get Fluttershy to talk to it.”

“Oh… well yeah… I suppose we could do that, too…”

“M-me?” gasped Fluttershy, looking even more nervous than usual, like she always did whenever she suddenly found herself thrust into the spotlight. “B-but what if it’s a really big, really scary monster w-who eats ponies? O-or what if he doesn’t want to talk, or… or…”

Rainbow immediately brightened. “Then we get with the flank-kicking!”

“Yeah!” Pinkie cried out, so loud even the guards by the doors jumped a little. “And then they’ll forget all about hating us for no good reason, too!”

“That’s the idea, sugarcube,” Applejack chuckled, grinning. At least the wind was back in the party pony’s sails. “As long as we got Fluttershy with us, there ain’t no critter that’ll give us trouble.”

“I-I-I hope you’re right,” panicked Fluttershy, nibbling her lip nervously.

Applejack smiled at her, then turned her attention elsewhere, looking towards Twilight instead. “Welp, if we’re goin’ on a trip across the sea, there’s gonna be some preparations that need gettin’ done. Odds are we ain’t gonna be home for a while; best we prepare now while we got the chance.”

“Oh, right,” Twilight said. She hadn’t thought about that until then. The journey to the Crystal Empire had been one thing; an overnight trip by train, cooped up with an excited Pinkie Pie and an unhealthy amount of misgivings . Sailing across the forbidding eastern sea… that would be something else entirely. “We’ll need supplies, whatever material we can get on Neighpon – factual material, mind you – find some petsitters…”

Celestia couldn’t help but smile at the group, already lost in their own little world over what would need to be done for the coming journey. She didn’t realize it, but that was the first truly genuine smile she’d had all morning long.

“Thank you all,” she said. “I will leave this matter in your capable hooves. If there is anything you need, do not hesitate to ask.”

“Uh, question,” spoke up Rainbow all of a sudden, pulling everypony up short.

“Yes?” Celestia asked, curious.

There was a look of uncertainty on the usually brash pegasus’s face as she said, “How exactly are we going to get to Neighpon when nopony is crazy enough to sail out that way anymore?”

It was a good question, she thought; one that hadn’t yet been answered, and one that’d been weighing on her mind since learning about the country’s location. Namely, because she didn’t fancy becoming another casualty of the ever-turbulent eastern sea.

Celestia, thankfully, didn’t seem thrown by her question. “The same way the emperor’s letter reached us,” she said, as if it seemed obvious. “An imperial vessel is docked near the coast of Los Pegasus, and is awaiting my arrival. I will send a missive ahead of you explaining the change in plans. Hopefully they will understand.”

That, however, only made Rainbow more perplexed. “A ship? Is… is it safe to sail across the eastern sea?”

This time, Celestia’s smile was all-too knowing. “It all depends on what kind of sailing one does.”

~~***~~

The rest of the day passed in a whirlwind for the six mares. With so much to do and so little time to do it in, each set about their chores fervently, aided in no small part by Twilight’s organizational prowess.

All six returned to Ponyville in a state of uncommon silence, and once they reached the town, all six went their separate ways with hardly a word spoken to each other. They only agreed to meet back in front of the station in time for the next train bound for Los Pegasus; a delay of nearly two hours. Two hours to set their affairs in order and prepare for what was likely going to be the longest journey of their lives.

While Applejack rushed off to her family farm and Fluttershy soared off to her cottage, Twilight made a bee-line for the library at a steady gallop, Spike on her back.

“So… what are we looking for?” he asked while holding on tightly.

“Anything relating to Neighpon or the Empire of the Sun,” Twilight answered. “There must be something I missed… There’s bound to be a book or two on the Empire I overlooked. But now that I know what to look for, we're bound to find more material worth looking into, and the more we know, the better prepared we'll be, right?”

“I guess,” Spike said, trying to keep up. He wasn’t doing a very good job, however.

“And we should probably grab the first aid kit from the kitchen,” she added. “I hope we won’t need it, but better to be prepared. Oh, and maybe…”

Spike’s attention drifted away from the purple pony’s ramblings, no longer interested in the topic. He knew what his role in this whole ordeal would be; to stay out of Twilight’s way and pitch in where he could.

Instead, he let himself think about other things. While he hadn’t been present for the group’s meeting with the princess – something he was used to by now – he had picked up on the particulars about what’d been discussed.

And out of all of them, something kept worrying at the back of his mind; a little doubt that he shouldn’t have had, and yet one that wouldn’t leave him alone regardless.

It was only when they’d rounded the last corner and the library came into sight that he was finally able to voice the thing that’d been nagging at him.

“Twilight… what if Fluttershy can’t talk some sense into this guy?” he asked. “What are we going to do then?”

Twilight, however, didn’t look all that worried. “Spike, there isn’t an animal out there that won't listen to her. Besides, even if she can be a little…”

“…Fluttershy?” Spike offered.

“… Yes,” Twilight admitted grudgingly. “Even if she can be a little bit… Fluttershy… I know she’ll come through for us in the end, like she always does.”

“Yeah, but…,” Spike mumbled, biting his scaly lip. “What if… she can’t?”

Twilight didn’t respond for a while, not until she’d slowed to a stop at the library’s front door. “Well… we’ll just have to think of something else, then,” she said, pretending all the while like she didn’t, in fact, have a lump in her throat all the while.

~~***~~

Rainbow Dash leaned stiffly against the side of the train station entrance, watching the drizzly road beyond.

Beside her rested a pack, the kind she usually took camping. It was kind of grubby and stained, but at the moment, it was also bulging with all manner of things, making it look lumpy and oddly shaped.

It hadn’t taken her long to pack her things, and already she was regretting that. Standing around for half an hour with nothing to do was a very mentally taxing thing, more so than she ever thought possible. Thoughts of grand adventure, flank kicking and general amazing awesomeness had been flooding her head the whole way back to Ponyville, only to lead up to her hurrying up… and waiting.

Again she repositioned, shuffling over to the other side of the threshold, eyes scanning for any trace of a pink mane, a yellow set of wings, an orange coat, purple profile, whiny voice – anything to tip her off that her friends were on their way. Traffic to and from the station was practically non-existent, and with nothing to do, Rainbow was quickly turning stir-crazy.

Again she checked the clock – ten-til four – and glanced back out, squirming restlessly.

At last – at long last – she spotted somepony.

Applejack came galloping down the main road, totally ignorant of the drizzle; mostly because she seemed to be wearing a bright yellow parka that hung around her like some heavy cloak. She was carrying not only two saddlebags full to the brim with Celestia-knows-what, but also a rucksack across her back that seemed even more bloated with goods.

“Hey Rainbow,” Applejack greeted with a smile. “Been here long?”

“Nah,” Dash bluffed, waving a dismissive hoof. “Not long. Anyway, what took you?”

The laden earth pony moved up beside her. She was a little red in the face and short of breath from running with so much weight, but she hardly looked like she’d warmed up besides. Still, it was an obvious relief when she shrugged the rucksack off her back, producing an unexpectedly loud series of bangs and clatters, like she'd just dropped a kitchen's worth of pots and pans.

“Simple,” Applejack said back, looking unexpectedly grumpy. “Apple Bloom. She’s been makin’ a real pest of herself the moment she learned Ah wouldn’t be comin’ home fer a while. Had ta keep double-checkin’ my bags ta make sure she didn’t try ta stow away in one. That got old real quick.”

She sighed, taking a seat on the ground. “Though… Ah can’t blame her. It’s gonna be tough bein’ away for so long. Big Mac’s gonna have ta handle Apple Buck season all by himself, and there’s no tellin’ what Apple Bloom will get up to. Just thinkin’ about it’s got me more worried than Winona at the vet.”

She then turned to Rainbow, giving her a quizzical look. “What about you, sugarcube?”

“Oh, yeah,” Rainbow chuckled uncomfortably, ruffling her wings. “You know… lots going on at home. Mom and Dad weren’t too thrilled, but they gave in. Not like they can go against Princess Celestia, right?”

Applejack, however, merely crooked an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Yeah!” protested Rainbow. “Why are we talking so much about me, anyway? What about – oh! Hey Fluttershy!”

Applejack looked around, just as a yellow pony touched down lightly in the shadow of the station.

Like her, Fluttershy was clad in rain gear, only hers was the lightest shade of pink Applejack had ever seen. She, too, had bulging saddlebags tucked beneath her parka, though she seemed to have packed the lightest of all three of them.

“How’d it go?” Rainbow asked. “Did you find somepony to look after your cottage while you’re away?”

Fluttershy nodded as she moved into cover. “Oh, yes. Everypony wasn't too happy to hear I was leaving, though, but we won’t be gone too long.”

Then she paused, anxiety crossing her eyes. “…Right?”

Applejack shrugged. “The sooner we deal with whatever this monster is, the sooner we can come back,” she said.

“Yeah, so not long,” Rainbow finished confidently. “Don’t worry, Fluttershy. This’ll be cake.”

“I-if you say so,” Fluttershy mumbled, not sounding very convinced herself.

“Still,” Applejack commented, looking out over the thatched roofs and familiar vistas of Ponyville. “It’s goin’ ta be strange, leavin’ all this behind.”

Rainbow shrugged in response, unbothered. “What’s the big deal? We’ve been going all over Equestria for months now. How’s this going to be any different.”

Applejack gave her an even look in response. “Because we ain’t goin’ ta be in Equestria no more,” she pointed out.

Rainbow just blew her off, waving a hoof. “Pff, I bet we won’t even know the difference.”

Before Applejack or Fluttershy could respond, they were both interrupted by a brilliant flash of violet light, catching them all by surprise.

And out of that light, Twilight popped into existence. She looked panicky and restess, looking around quickly at her surroundings. “I’m not late, am I? I better not be late,” she worried.

Applejack and Rainbow exchanged loaded look. “Yer fine, sugarcube,” Applejack answered patiently, drawing the fretful alicorn’s attention. “… Ya find everything?”

She only found herself asking because Twilight didn’t have one bag with her. She had several, a few of them sporting the telltale jagged lumps of book corners. One was so stuffed it could’ve been hiding a whole other pony inside it.

Spike was clinging to Twilight's back, looking exhausted for reasons none of the assembled ponies had the heart to discover. He didn’t say a word as the one he was riding powered her horn, and magically hefted all of her luggage into the air like they were actually filled with helium.

“Sorry, I didn’t have enough time to sort through everything,” she said, sounding embarrassed. “So, I just grabbed everything I could that had anything to do with the Empire and packed it. Turns out there’s more than I’d expected!”

“She’s not kidding,” Spike grumbled, climbing down off her back.

“I figure I’ll do a little studying on the journey,” Twilight explained. “The more we know about what we’re dealing with, the better.”

“Well, that makes sense, I guess,” Rainbow mumbled. “So, I guess that just leaves…”

“Sorry I’m late!”

Everypony turned around, just as Rarity made her grand entrance onto the scene. She, and her mountain of luggage, courteously carried along with three stallion who were clearly questioning their life choices by that point.

Despite the gloomy weather, Rarity was dressed in her best, widest brimmed sun hat, sunglasses and matching scarf. All in all, she looked more fit for going on holiday, rather than setting out for battle.

“I simply could not think what to bring!” she complained.

“You were late because of clothes?” Rainbow questioned, utterly stunned.

Rarity gave the pegasus a look like she’d offended her. “Why, of course, darling! First impressions are always important, you know! But how am I to make a charming first impression when I don’t even know what kind of styles the Neighponese wear? We are trying to win hearts, darling, not turn stomachs! So,” she went on, turning to gesture grandly at the heaps of suitcases and bags, along with the stallions and their shaking legs, “I decided that I simply had to take as much material with me as possible, and I’ll make more suitable attire once we get there and see for ourselves what we’re dealing with.”

Rainbow could only exchange a wordless conversation with Applejack, one appalled pegasus to another understanding earth pony, before she closed her eyes, rubbed the bridge of her muzzle with a hoof, and muttered something about “frou-frou” to herself like it was a foul expletive.

Twilight eyed the copious amounts of luggage dubiously, but thought better of arguing; they didn’t have time to try to talk Rarity out of it. They’d need more than a hoof-full of minutes to accomplish that endeavor. She would just have to overlook it; there was more pressing matters to deal with first.

“Alright, that just leaves Pinkie Pie, then,” she said, looking around. “Has anypony seen her?”

“Present!”

All five mares jumped in alarm, wheeling around to face not the road, but the train platform itself.

Nopony would ever know how they missed her until then – Rainbow most of all, considering she’d been there for half an hour already and never heard a peep or spotted so much as a single flash of pink. But now it was all they could look at; a pink, rambunctious party pony, sitting merrily on the edge of a gargantuan suitcase, that had – most alarmingly – the muzzle of a cannon sticking out of one end. It looked so absurdly like some fat, squat beast chewing on the stump of a cigar that for a moment Twilight would’ve bet money that that was exactly what it was.

“Good news, everpony!” Pinkie cheered, beaming from ear to ear when she reached down and patted her incredibly oversized suitcase, “I found one that fit!”

Thankfully, the group was spared from trying to come up with a response. Before anyone could even think of what to say, a loud whistle cut through the afternoon air, the sound of a chugging steam engine right behind it.

~~***~~

By some miracle – which involved no small amount of begging, actually – all six mares and their luggage found its way safely onto the train before it departed again, though it was a narrow thing. For reasons that escaped Pinkie, the crew seemed oddly reluctant to help her stow her baggage. But claims of supposed safety issues went unheeded, and eventually everything was squared away, one way or another.

By the time all of them got situated in their seats, the train was starting to come to life.

Excitement buzzed through the group, finding its way out through their lively conversation, as well as their restlessness. It was starting to sink in now; a new adventure awaited them, and it was only one train ride away.

“This is so exciting!” cried out Pinkie, positively vibrating with repressed energy.

“I know!” Twilight delighted, clopping her hooves together eagerly. “We’re going to be the first ponies across the eastern sea in centuries! To think I’m actually going to Neighpon of all places!”

"And we're going to save the day, too!" enthused Spike, bouncing in his seat. "Whatever's making a mess over there won't know what hit 'em!"

“Yeah! This is going to be so awesome!” cried Rainbow. “Empire of the Sun, here we come!”

The six mares were so caught up in their own excitement, heads filled with fantasies of adventure, that none of them thought to look out the window one last time as their home town faded into the distance.

Only Fluttershy thought to turn to the window to catch one last glimpse of home, just a heartbeat before the train rounded a bend. She only saw the briefest glimpse of what she thought might’ve been yellow thatched roofs under a gloomy sky, but before she could find out for sure, it was gone, and they were speeding off to parts unknown, and unbeknownst to them, towards a future that was just as murky.
	
	
> 2: Worlds Apart
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 2: Worlds Apart


The morning air was cool, made all the more-so by the thick bank of fog that creeped over the still land below without a sound. Only the palest of diffused light filtered down to the ground, turning it from an inky, impenetrable blackness to slightly more perceptible murky grey.

Nothing stirred; not in the air, not in the trees… and not upon a fortified wall of stone, or the encampment it encircled.

No torches were lit – none dared to – and yet the battlements were lined with sentries, all standing stalk still, exhausted eyes trying to pierce the impenetrable fog that swallowed everything mere feet out. 

But while their eyes were next to useless in the murk, the sentries had more senses at their disposal, and they were straining them for all they were worth. The faintest noise – be it the clink of metal links in a guard’s uniform or the distant squawk of a gull – never failed to set everypony’s nerves on edge, weary muscles tensing only to relax again a moment later, like they had been doing all night long.

From his place overlooking the reinforced gates, a young stallion did his best to stifle a yawn while staying as motionless as possible. It took a great deal of willpower to keep his hoof down and jaws as tightly clenched as possible, but he somehow managed to muscle through it without his neighbor noticing.

Six hours… six hours of standing on that wall, staring at fog… he’d envisioned many things when he’d been drafted into the Empire’s army, such as glory defending the realm, honor to his family name, and a life of untold adventure, but instead he got… standing motionlessly all night long, with nothing to break up the drudgery, every muscle and every sense taxed to the breaking point and liable to snap at any moment.

And yet, they were all too tense to ever relax into complacency, no matter how much every one of them suffered. They were all on edge, wound so tight they felt liable to snap. Yet, one little sound… one little shift in the formless darkness beyond… and that could be all the warning they received.

The untested sentry composed himself, trying to shake himself without making any sound at all; tricky to do without rattling the iron scales plating his cuirass. The next shift would be coming soon… he was sure of it…

That was when something moved in the shadows.

He tensed, all senses immediately reawakening on a blast of adrenaline. He caught sight of a shadow looming through the darkness on the other side of the wall, too high up to be somepony traversing the road, approaching faster than hooves could carry them. Just as he grabbed his weapon, his voice on the tip of his tongue, the assailant made itself known.

In fact, it alighted nonchalantly on the battlements right in front of him, eying him speculatively in the meantime with one round yellow eye.

A seagull… I’m jumping at birds, now…

Again he relaxed, the grip on his polearm slackening, though this time with a hint of self-loathing.

It’s… been a really long night…

Without meaning to, he sighed. Only, what started as a sigh quickly turned into a big, weary yawn before he could catch it.

“Private Ogata.”

His neighbor had only whispered, and yet his gruff voice cut through the silence like a thunderclap.

Ogata jumped, his armor rattling noisily, which in turn distracted more of his fellow sentries, much to their annoyance. The private turned his head, wincing to himself, to face his accuser.

Beside him stood an old, greying unicorn. His features were weathered and worn like old granite, giving him deep lines that not even the fur on his muzzle could hide. His mane was tied over one shoulder in a thin, whip-like cord, coming to a rest against the jutting, blood-red hilt of a sword slung along his side.

“Y-yes, Nakajima-sensei?” he said back, letting his voice stay as low as it wanted, which was a very quiet whisper indeed.

The old veteran did not bother looking at him. He was too busy surveying the darkness with an intimidating scowl on his worn features. “Keep yourself together. Show the discipline your emperor demands of you.”

Ogata winced, bigger this time, and bowed his head. “Yes, Nakajima-sensei… I won’t let it happen again.”

Nakajima nodded curtly, his attention still on his duties.

Ogata squirmed, watching his superior for a moment longer, before turning back to resume his vigil. He had all the reason in the world to believe that that would be the end of it; Nakajima was not one for small talk, and he never had been. In fact, that was the most he’d heard his superior officer speak at one time; to chew him out for his own weakness.

So when he spoke again, it caused Ogata to jump all over again, earning him more disapproving glares.

“Where are you from, private?” Nakajima asked without inflection.

“O-Odo, sir,” Ogata responded reflexively and without hesitation. “Odo Island.”

“… and how old are you, Private Ogata?”

“Fifteen summers, sir,” Ogata responded right away again. But on the inside, he was starting to wonder where all of these questions were coming from.

Whatever he’d said, however, he got the feeling that it hadn’t been the answer Nakajima had been hoping for. His grim scowl only grew grimmer, his dark green eyes – black in the gloom – drifting down to edge of the battlements thoughtfully.

“Family?”

“Y-yes, sir. A sister.”

“Parents?”

“No, sir…”

Whatever Nakajima thought of that, he kept it to himself. “…A home to return to?”

“… No, sir.”

The grizzled old veteran didn’t say anything after that. He didn’t even seem to react. All Ogata could deduce was that his story was not the first of its kind Nakajima had heard in recent days…

The younger sentry turned to his senior, watching him with apprehension for a moment. There were quite a few like him stationed at the fort with him; older, battle-hardened and weary. Those who weren’t had far more in common with Ogata than he would’ve liked. It did not do well to think on it too much, but whenever he did…

It took some building up of nerve, a little second guessing, and finally a mental slap across the face, but eventually, Ogata worked up the courage to open his mouth for his own question.

“Nakajima-sensei… may I ask you a question?” he asked humbly.

The grim-faced stallion actually glanced his way, but otherwise did not react. “Speak, then.”

“Do you think… do you think she will come as the emperor requested?”

As he’d feared, a dark shadow crossed Nakajima’s face. It was almost customary for anypony to do so whenever mentioning her. But he kept himself, and his tongue, in check. “It is the emperor’s wish that she does. If the emperor orders us to ready for her arrival, then that is what we shall do.”

Ogata looked away, feeling uncertain all over again. Nakajima’s words had only served to make him more uneasy than ever.

“Do… you think she can stop Him?”

Nakajima’s response was as short as it was cold. “I do not.”

Plink.

Ogata blinked, taken aback by the noise, which was quickly followed by another and another; a tapping sound that started a sporadic pitter-patter all around him on the stone battlements, on the wood planks underhoof, on his very armor…

The seagull in front of him looked up, its beady eyes sweeping this way and that as if spooked by the rain.

Ogata couldn’t help it; he tilted his head back and looked up into the grey sky above. Strange… there’s no wind…

Whatever secrets the sky held, they were lost behind blankets of fathomless fog that encircled them.

Wonderful… still more rain. As if things could not possibly get any worse…

But as he stood there, squinting his eyes against the stingingly cold rain spitting in his face, he couldn’t help but let is superior’s words drift through his mind.

The emperor would not summon the Sun Stealer if he thought she would be of no use to us. He must believe that she can help, somehow. I have faith in his wisdom, but… I am not sure how much longer we can last…

Ogata was abruptly pulled back to reality when the seagull perching in front of him squawked, loud and shrill. All of a sudden, it was in the air, wings beating madly through the air as it took off in the opposite direction Ogata was facing, as if its life depended on it.

The bird had hardly taken its first flap when the first rumble of thunder echoed across the heavens.

The young sentry blinked, watching the bird as it vanished quickly into the mists. I pray she gets here soon… before things do find a way to get worse… 

~~***~~

Meanwhile, half a world away, a train was coming to a screeching stop at a crowded platform. To many who looked at it, it was merely another stream engine rolling in from further inland, not too different from the others coming and going on the neighboring tracks lining the expansive station.

But it wasn’t the train that mattered as much as the six mares and baby dragon who stepped off of it. Even then, they were virtually lost to the crowd of finely dressed travelers pushing to make their train or hurrying to get off of it.

“Okay,” said Twilight in her most business-like manner, all the while struggling to be heard over the boisterous activity on the platform. “Here’s the plan. Princess Celestia has arranged for us to meet somepony who will see us to the docks down by the bay. Once we’re there, we’ll get underway as soon as possible, and with any luck, we’ll be in Neighpon in two days.”

Rainbow raised an eyebrow at her. “Two days? Doesn’t that seem kind of… short?”

Twilight shrugged. “That’s what the princess told us to expect. Still, we shouldn’t hang around here any longer than we have to.”

Rarity turned then, looking slightly appalled. “Darling… are you telling me we’ve traveled halfway across Equestria – to Los Pegasus, no less! – and we aren’t even going to spend some time sightseeing?”

“What’s the big deal?” drawled Rainbow, rolling her eyes. “We’ve already been to Manehattan and Canterlot. One big city’s as good as another.”

There were a great many things Rarity wished to say to that, none of which would’ve been pleasant to hear. Her spluttering did, however, buy Twilight the time she needed to speak her response before their conversation got off track.

“I’m sorry, Rarity – maybe on the way back. We need to set sail before the sun sets, or else we’ll never be able to leave today. And I don’t want to keep the Neighponese ponies waiting any longer than we have to make them.”

“I… suppose that is true,” Rarity begrudgingly admitted, but her demeanor made it perfectly clear that she wasn’t about to get over it.

Similarly, Rainbow didn’t seem too thrilled at their future prospects, but for a distinctly different reason. “I’m still not sold on this whole ‘sailing across the super-dangerous murder-sea’ idea,” she pointed out, turning this time to Twilight. “How are we supposed to know that this one boat can do what hundreds of ours couldn’t?”

Twilight, however, didn’t have any more information than Rainbow did. On the other hoof, she seemed to have one thing the brazen pegasus seemed to be lacking; optimism. “If Princess Celestia says it can be done, I’m sure it can. We just have to have faith, Rainbow.”

“Ever hear of ‘famous last words’?”

Twilight just rolled her eyes, deciding not to dignify that with an answer, as she led the way into the bright sunlight outside.

~~***~~

There were many misconceptions about Los Pegasus floating around Equestria. Some said it was a jewel in the desert; a home of debauchery and excess for those rich enough to afford it, or those foolish enough to be tempted by it.

For others, it was the backbone of Equestria’s financial might; an industrial and trade hub without peer in the nation. From entertainment to manufacturing, artisans to aristocracy, Los Pegasus would have it all for anypony who was anypony.

Whatever Los Pegasus was, however, one thing could not be denied; it was extravagant. 

Golden skyscrapers reached towards the sky; towards a theme park crafted of clouds and rainbows visible to anypony anywhere in the city.

Above everypony’s heads, cloud homes and observatories littered the sky, providing some much-appreciated shade from the blistering midsummer sun. Down below, block after block of endless businesses, factories and apartment complexes stretched in every direction like some kind of circuit board made of gold, stone and glass, all neatly organized in their places.

But the first thing Twilight and company saw the moment they stepped out into the sweltering heat was not the grand, almost garish vista of Los Pegasus. It was what lay behind its many skyscrapers, down at the foot of the sloping city.

There, maybe five miles away, was the limitless, peerless expanse of sapphire; the endless, serene ocean, extending without impediment until it vanished around the curvature of the very world itself.

Twilight had seen the ocean before. Her visit to Manehattan along with her friends saw to that. But she couldn’t deny that there was something almost… enchanting about the sea she now laid eyes on, and for a moment, she understood why so many had been willing to risk its dangers, just for a taste of its briny beauty.

But then she was called back to awareness by a voice – one that called her name.

“Princess Twilight! Princess Twilight!”

When she heard that voice calling her name like that, the alicorn princess in question became acutely aware of several things.

Firstly, she noticed what awaited them at the foot of the train station’s steps. On any day, one or two royal guards would’ve been conspicuous. A full platoon in full ceremony attire was leaps and bounds worse.

There must’ve been twelve of them, all waiting in disciplined formation in front of not one, but several carriages manned by still more guards – pegasi, who still somehow found a way to twist themselves in their harnesses far enough to give a respectful bow of the head to the stunned princess.

Secondly, Twilight couldn’t help but notice how, on the mentioning of her title, the entire hustle and bustle coming in and out of the station ground to a complete and total halt. She could practically feel a hundred pairs of eyes turning in unison towards her, as if suddenly realizing just who she was.

One of the bodyguards waiting for them – the one responsible for calling out her name, actually – stepped forward and took a deep bow of respect. “Princess Twilight, Princess Celestia sent word of your arrival not long ago. At her request, we are to accompany you and your friends to your destination in a timely manner.”

Even with an explanation readily given to her, Twilight still found herself floundering for an appropriate response. “I… r-really? There are… more of you than I thought there’d be.”

The stallion didn’t seem fazed by Twilight’s comment. “The princess specifically asked for a sizeable escort.” He then paused, turning his eyes up questioningly towards Twilight. “I… hope that will not be too much of an inconvenience for you, Your Highness.”

Honestly, Twilight was having mixed feelings about the rather sizeable reception. She’d been assuming things would be handled more low-key than this. Already ponies were whispering all around her, the new center of attention on the block.

Whatever Princess Celestia was playing at, however, she didn’t know, and wouldn’t get the chance to ask, either. Because before she could open her mouth to actually say something, she was interrupted by Rarity instead.

“Of course not!” she chided, as if the guard’s concern was ludicrous. “It’s no inconvenience at all! This is all just such a surprise, that’s all.”

Twilight turned to her friend, a little taken aback. “Rarity, what are you…?”

Before she could finish, the fashionista leaned in closer for a private aside. “If Princess Celestia went to the trouble to prepare something like this for us, there has got to be a reason, don’t you think? Best not to trip over the smaller details just yet, darling.”

Admittedly, she had a point. Though, even so, Twilight couldn’t help but find herself looking over the rather large escort, and even with Rarity’s point made, she still felt just a little uneasy.

~~***~~

As one would imagine for the Guard, it took them hardly any time at all to acquire the six mares’ luggage and safely stow it before any of them could get fully situated in their seats. Even Pinkie’s absurdly oversized case made it in a timely manner – even if it had to be strapped to the top of one of the carriages so many times and with so much braided rope that one might’ve thought the Guard feared it might run away of its own accord otherwise.

The group had to split up into groups; one in the front carriage, one in the middle, and the remainder of their detail in the back. While Twilight, Spike, Rarity and Applejack took the middle, Rainbow, Pinkie and Fluttershy claimed the front-most carriage, decided in an ill-advised game of rock-paper-scissors, at the conclusion of which everypony was convinced everypony else had cheated.

Twilight was all-too happy to get underway, especially when she noticed a carriage bearing the logo of a news agency come barreling around a corner down the street and start charging in their direction.

But the paparazzi hardly got more chance than one or two hastily snapped pictures before Twilight, her friends and their extensive security detail were taking to the skies.

Within moments, they were out of range of even the best cameras, all three carriages moving in formation with pegasi escorts on all sides, all of whom keeping a sharp eye out for any particularly cheeky photographer hoping to get the shot of a lifetime.

Most of Twilight’s friends didn’t even seem to notice, however. Rarity stayed plastered to the window, occasionally oohing and awing at the sights as they passed by below. “Oh! I can see Tinseltown from here! And is that… it is! Multiversal Studios! I knew it! Rainbow must be having a cow right now!”

Spike was right there beside her, but whether he was actually involved in the sightseeing or simply pretending to be for Rarity’s benefit, Twilight didn’t have the will to find out.

Speaking of whom, Twilight wasn’t nearly as interested in the scenery below. She had more pressing matters on her mind than spotting some landmark or another.

Across from her, Applejack seemed just as uninclined to look out a window, but for a different reason altogether.

For some reason, she was watching the ceiling of the plush carriage unblinkingly, and with an unusually intense stare, and seemed to be refusing to let her gaze drift down by even the smallest degree. Her shoulders were tense, her jaw taut, her hooves crossed across her body tightly.

“Are you alright, Applejack?” Twilight asked curiously – and worriedly.

Applejack didn’t glance in her direction, but she did huff through her nostrils slightly. “Just fine. Yep. Ain’t got nothin’ ta do with flyin’, so don’t ya even start askin’ about that.”

“But I didn’t say…”

“Good. Cuz it don’t. flyin’ Ah mean. It don’t bother me one bit.”

Now Twilight was getting the distinct impression that Applejack was keeping her eyes away from hers for a new reason.

“O…kay then…”

The tense farmer didn’t feel much like saying anything further, despite the worried look Twilight was giving her. So instead, she turned that concern towards the one sitting next to Applejack; a fully plated royal guard, sitting in stoic, unmoving silence. That is, until he saw Twilight look towards him.

“Sir, will it take us long to reach the docks?” she asked.

“Not long,” the guard responded politely. “A few more minutes at the most.”

“Good…” Twilight sighed.

For a long time, silence ruled for those not currently plastered to a window. Rarity and Spike were in their own little world, and never noticed the rather awkward silence that had come to fill the rest of the carriage.

Twilight used that time to do what she did most and started to think. In the back of her mind, she was beginning to feel a familiar sensation of nerves; a mixture of anxiety and stress that felt like some kind of volatile concoction circulating through her veins.

Something was wrong with this whole situation, even if it seemed like she was the only one paying attention to it. Just why had Celestia called for such a large guard detail? Did she know something Twilight did not?

Possibilities ran like little gremlins through her mind, unsettling her. Even the ridiculous ones seemed worth a second opinion.

She was just going over the possibility of some assassination plot she was unaware of when she felt it; a tickling, bizarre sensation like her insides were trying to levitate inside of her.

While Applejack stifled a yelp and dug her hooves into the bench seat, the guard next to her broke his stoicism just long enough to say. “Looks like we’re coming down. We should be arriving soon.”

Twilight nodded… then noticed how quiet Rarity and Spike had become.

She looked over, confused, to find Rarity still at the same window, hooves pressed against the frame and nose mere millimeters away from the glass. Yet, now she’d fallen completely mute, her body so motionless it was as if time had stopped around her.

“Rarity?” Twilight spoke up, a little apprehensive. “Is… everything okay?”

The pearly unicorn heard her – she could tell, because her snow-white ear spanned around to regard her when she spoke. But otherwise, Rarity did not seem to respond, until…

“…Darling… I think you really need to see this.”

“Like, right now,” Spike added.

Twilight felt a lump forming in her throat. All of her apprehension and worries were suddenly coming screaming back to bother her even more. Even Applejack couldn’t resist but to look over, looking like some mare in a horror movie trying very hard not to look at the monster standing right next to her.

“What… is it?” Twilight asked.

This time, Spike actually tore himself away from the window and turned to look at her, his eyes wide. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

~~***~~

Despite the dark reputation of the eastern sea, the coast off of Los Pegasus was no stranger to ships. So long as they stayed without eyesight of the shore, nopony had anything to fear, and to most, the threat posed by deeper waters never made it into the forefront of their minds.

From the yachts of the rich and famous to massive barges laden with goods coming and going from Van Hoover and Tall Tale or down south to distant shores, the narrow strip of sparkling ocean within eyesight of the coast played host to some of the largest ships ever seen by Equestrian eyes.

But none quite matched the behemoth moored amongst even the largest and burliest of cargo liners.

It stood taller than any of its neighbors, a colossus of dark wood and wrought iron the likes of which had never been seen before on these shores. Either side of the extensive ship’s dark wooden hull was lined with two rows of windowless hatches, the purpose of which were lost on most of the peace-loving ponies that happened upon the gigantic vessel.

Less mysterious was the show’s bow. The entire front of it was plated in armoring thicker than most ponies were long and sported long, wickedly pointed rivets that looked sharp enough to skewer a dragon. The whole bow was angled like a sharp V, enough so that there was no doubt that anything unfortunate enough to get in the vessel’s way would not win the confrontation.

Even more sinister was the long, flanged javelin tip jutting from a hole in the face of the prow; a javelin longer than a hydra’s neck, covered in more barbs and cutting edges than a store full of cutlery. Why anypony would ever need such an oversized implement of destruction was anypony’s guess, but most had the distinct impression it wasn’t for fishing. 

Yet, the most eye-catching feature of the ship wasn’t its bristling armaments. It was the golden figurehead covering the prow, from whose mouth the oversized javelin jutted. It seemed to be some kind of monster, broad of chest and short of snout, with a maw full of slanted back, razor-sharp teeth. Curved, serrated fins lined the upper edges of the prow, looking almost like individual tongues of fire when they glinted wickedly in the sun. With the javelin positioned where it was, it was as if whatever manner of beast the figurehead was supposed to be was breathing fire, its face contorted into a grimace of pure, burning rage.

The opposite end of the ship was covered in a rooster-tail of fin-shaped, dark burgundy sails. Yet, though Twilight was no expert, they seemed to be far too few, and far too small, to sail a vessel as immense as that.

This was one of the many things that struck Twilight as her carriage descended onto the pier, drawing the eye of many of the already gawking sailors.

But more than that, she couldn’t help but eye that figurehead, her gut twisting uncomfortably. Whatever manner of beast that was meant to represent, she certainly didn’t want to find herself on the receiving end of it.

“Is that… a warship?” Spike spoke aloud, his voice filled with equal parts amazement and trepidation.

“I guess so,” Twilight mumbled. “I mean, what else could it be?”

Twilight herself had never seen anything like it. At least, anything not hanging in an art gallery or adorning the wall of some museum. Equestria certainly had no need for battleships; a peaceful country like it would simply have no use for one.

But now here she was, not looking at some piece of an ancient galleon in a display case or an artist’s rendition of a naval battle; she was looking upon the real thing, a ship built for the singular purpose of battle, and nothing else, moored alongside rugged cargo barges.

Beside her, Rarity shifted uncomfortably, a troubled look scrunching her brow together. “I’m starting to think that Princess Celestia was right. The Empire of the Sun is a very… different place.”

Privately, Twilight agreed, though she wished that she didn’t.

As she looked at the imperial warship, however, another thought occurred to her, one that made her feel even worse.

If the ship is like this… what are the sailors like?

With that less-than encouraging thought, the carriage came to a jolting halt, literally knocking her out of her inner workings.

The moment they’d come to a complete halt, Applejack was immediately at the door and pushing it open before anypony was even out of their seats. “Welp, let’s get to it and find out fer ourselves,” she announced, before jumping out onto the ground beyond.

Twilight and Rarity exchanged a look, a shrug, and then made to follow their totally not relieved earth pony friend out into the stifling heat outside.

~~***~~

The guards had parked their convoy in the behemoth vessel’s shadow, providing some shelter from the beating sun in the sky. Of course, that also meant that there was a towering war machine looming over them, dark and foreboding.

Up close, it seemed even bigger, if such a thing were possible, a fortress of wood and metal rivets bobbing just off the pier. Again Twilight found herself questioning how the thing had even managed to reach Equestria under its own power while having only a few meager sails to speak of. Magic, maybe… or maybe some kind of steam engine…

As she stood there, her neck craned almost straight up to look at the towering ship, the rest of her friends sauntered up on either side of her, similarly gazing up at their destination.

Rainbow couldn’t help but whistle slightly, looking impressed. “Okay, I’m starting to feel a little better about this whole sailing thing.”

“It’s everythin’ else that’s startin’ ta worry me,” Applejack concluded, eyeing the tip of the warship’s seemingly impractically large harpoon. “These ponies ain’t strikin’ me as the most friendly of folks.”

“Don’t you think they could’ve chosen a more… diplomatic vessel for the first mission to Equestria is over six hundred years?” Rarity said, looking just as unsure as the rest of her friends. “And would it kill them to throw on a little color at the very least? I’ve seen funerals with more pizazz than this… thing.”

“It’s so… so… big,” mumbled Fluttershy, somehow managing to keep her head down and eyes up at the same time. Mostly, her eyes stayed pinned to that figurehead, a slight tremble running down her spine at the same time.

“Maybe we shouldn’t judge them too harshly,” Twilight tried to mediate, though even she found herself with a fair bit of trepidation, especially considering the evidence they were standing in the shadow of. “I bet they’re not really all that bad.”

“I’m with ya, Twi,” Applejack said, all the while crooking her eyebrow as high up as it could go. “But the Neighponese are makin’ it real hard ta see things that way.”

“I just want to know what they use that for,” Rainbow commented, pointing up at the javelin tip. “You could take down ten dragons with something that big. Er, no offense, Spike.”

“Actually, I was thinking about the same thing,” replied the baby dragon, stroking his chin speculatively. “But you know… if the Empire has weapons like this…”

All six mares turned to look at one another, each expression they turned to looking just as disturbed as the last.

“… Why turn to us in the first place?” Twilight finished. When she looked back up at the imposing war machine, she couldn’t help but feel a twisting sensation in her gut. 

Somehow she knew, even then, that something wasn’t right; that maybe, just maybe, they were up against something none of them were prepared for…

“Your Highness.”

Twilight started, snapping back to reality. She found herself confronted by the same guard that’d ridden in the carriage with them – one virtually identical to his white-coated comrades, save for his striking golden eyes.

He wasn’t alone, either. The rest of his squad had formed up and was standing at attention behind him. When Twilight turned towards him, he bowed respectfully before straightening up.

“Princess Celestia asked that we accompany you in meeting the Imperials,” he said humbly.

Something in his statement caught Twilight’s attention, drawing forth a thoughtful frown. “Did she say why?” she asked.

“She did not,” the guard informed her. “We were only given our assignment, and this.”

As soon as he was finished speaking, he lifted a hoof up to the collar of his armored uniform, fished around for a moment, and then extracted something; a small, slightly bent but otherwise unblemished white envelope bearing the unmistakable wax seal of the Royal Pony Sisters, something Twilight could’ve recognized from the other end of the pier.

Without a word, the guard handed the letter over, releasing it to Twilight’s telekinetic grip. She turned it this way and that, curious, but could find nothing of note.

“What’s in it?” she asked.

“A letter to the captain of this vessel,” the guard responded, “penned by the princess herself. I imagine it is to explain her absence, but I do not presume to know for sure.”

Twilight considered the guard’s words, a pensive look on her face. She eyed the letter again, only this time, there was an idea forming in the back of her mind that began to fill in a lot of the recent holes she’d been running into.

“Is everything alright, darling?” Rarity asked, and judging by her voice, she was starting to get concerned for another reason.

Twilight frowned, then nodded. “Yes, but I think I know what’s going on here…”

~~***~~

Around the other side of the towering warship, Twilight and company located the only means of boarding said towering warship; a long, riveted gangplank.

As they rounded the mighty bow, however, Twilight couldn’t help but keep her gaze trained upwards, eyes peeled for any signs of movement around the edge of the deck and extensive gunwale. But there was none to be had.

Come to think of it, when they’d been coming in for a landing, she hadn’t seen anything moving on the deck at all. It was a little perturbing, and it did nothing to ease her mounting tensions.

She was the first to reach the gangplank, and not by accident. Twilight intentionally put herself there, her friends immediately at her back, the procession of guards at the rear, but far from out of sight. If she’d figured out Celestia’s intentions, that was where they needed to be for this to work.

“Okay, just let me do the talking,” Twilight said, glancing over her shoulder. Her friends didn’t answer in response, but that may have been because they were suddenly very interested at the other end of the walkway; so much so, that both Rarity and Fluttershy missed a step.

Twilight blinked, then turned back around.

And there, standing as if he’d been waiting there the whole time for them, stood an Imperial pony.

At least, Twilight thought it was a pony. The face looking back at her seemed to be that of some kind of snarling beast with a face full of pointed and curved fangs. The strange thing was, however, that its entire face gleamed in the sunlight like it was made from steel; like, Twilight realized, some kind of metal visor. That would explain the large, dark holes where the eyes should be.

The entire front of the creature was adorned with a field of silvery scales and plate. In fact, the only thing visible of the actual pony was his dusky blue ears poking up through slots in his helmet.

He did not make a very inviting figure to approach, not with the wrathful snarl his helmet was giving the world, which made climbing the gangplank all the more challenging for Twilight.

Yet he stood in silence the whole while, watching the procession approach. As they drew nearer, Twilight could’ve sworn she heard voices, whispering at the top of the walkway. About halfway up, she realized that one of the speakers was the very pony standing in front of her, his tinny voice muttering to somepony standing slightly behind him.

Twilight didn’t let herself falter and continued to step closer – until made to do otherwise.

“Stop!” commanded the knight barring their way, and everypony immediately hastened to do just that.

He spoke with a strange accent, one that Twilight had never heard before. It was thick and blunt, making it clear that Equestrian was not the language he usually spoke.

“You! Pony!” he barked, “This is Imperial ship. What bring you here? State your business, now!”

His voice was loud and powerful, like the blows of a hammer at a forge. They came out quick and precise, and try as she might, Twilight couldn’t help but quail for a moment, if only a minute one.

“We’re here under orders of Princess Celestia,” she answered, trying to match the Imperial’s loud volume, but without much success. “We’re here to help save your country.”

The Imperial was silent for a long time, for most of which Twilight felt like she was being sized up. Again she heard an unseen voice from further along the deck speaking in a language she did not recognize, to which the guard responded. Somewhere along his response, Twilight heard a familiar name –“Celestia”. He must’ve been repeating everything she told him to the rest of the crew.

After he was done relaying Twilight’s own words, the Imperial refocused back on her, yet he did not step aside or budge in any way.

“Emperor Kirin make request for Celestia. We wait for her, not kids.”

“Kids?” Rainbow repeated, swelling indignantly. Thankfully, Rarity was quick enough to stuff a hoof in her mouth before she could get too carried away.

“You go now,” the Imperial commanded, thrusting a hoof back the way Twilight and her company had come. “Bring princess. We have no business with you.”

“But we’re here to help!” Pinkie protested. Again, Rarity stuffed her other hoof in the noisy pony’s mouth, though at this rate she was going to run out of them very quickly.

Twilight frowned at the guard. So far things weren’t off to the best start. And yet, they were going exactly like she’d thought they might.

“Well then, you’re in luck,” she said, trying to sound as cheerful as she could, all things considered. “I just so happen to be a princess myself.”

Even if Twilight couldn’t see the Imperial’s face, she could very easily imagine the skeptical look she was getting. So, before he could say anything to the same effect, Twilight abruptly unfurled her wings and raised her head, all the while standing up as tall as she could just to make sure he didn’t miss anything.

She could tell she’d taken the guard by surprise, because he suddenly froze, and then made a quick, hasty comment to somepony behind him, not bothering to keep his voice down this time.

“I may not look like much,” Twilight spoke up, driving the stallion to silence as he listened, “but I am Princess Celestia’s personal student and a newly coroneted princess of Equestria. So, if you’ve been waiting for one, well here I am.”

She then turned around, looking past her slightly awe-struck friends. “Is that correct, Royal Guard?”

And all in unison, all twelve guardsponies barked out, “Yes, Your Highness Princess Twilight!”

The Imperial stared at them all, his helmet turning slightly to take in the scene. Then he redirected his attention back towards Twilight, and gestured with a hoof.

“These… your guards?”

“Escort,” Twilight corrected, “but yes, they are. Only these six will be coming with me, though.” She gestured towards her friends, including Spike, who’d gone almost entirely unnoticed by the Imperial until then.

When he saw Spike, his gaze lingered for a moment, pausing. Then, he looked back towards Twilight again.

“Where is Celestia?”

To that, Twilight levitated over the letter without comment.

The Imperial snatched it up, and in one move, he sliced open the top with one of the jutting fangs on his visor, cutting it open cleaner than a letter-opener.

With that unsettling action finished, he reached in with one hoof and yanked out the small piece of parchment and started to read.

It hardly took him any time at all, since he then glanced up, as if sizing up the mares in front of him. It was a while longer before he snapped out of it, long enough for Twilight to wonder just what Celestia had written.

Then, without warning, he turned around and swept away, shouting something in a foreign tongue that came out like a bark before adding, “You, come! We leave now, before sunset!”

Twilight couldn’t help but feel taken aback. That was it? Just like that? Exactly what had Celestia written in that letter?

She was distracted, however, by a sudden explosion of noise on top of the ship’s deck. All of a sudden, she could hear voices, clattering, the sound of frenetic activity taking place.

And when she stepped up onto the gangplank’s landing, her friends close behind her, she saw why. A dozen ponies were all scrambling across the deck, hastening to their stations and quickly setting about tending to their duties. From stern to bow, it was a scene of hectic activity as a small army of stallions made ready to sail.

“What the hay just happened?” Rainbow asked, having extracted Rarity’s hoof.

“Honestly, Rainbow,” Twilight said with nothing but sincerity, “I haven’t got the faintest clue.”

She then turned, looking past her friends to, instead, the guards standing behind them. Some, she noticed, had broken away, and were now scrambling back towards the carriages – and towards the group’s awaiting luggage.

“Thank you, guards,” Twilight said. “I don’t think this would’ve been that easy if you all hadn’t been here. Somehow, I get the feeling Princess Celestia knew that it might take something extra to convince these guys.”

The guards bowed humbly. “It is our pleasure to serve, Your Highness,” she said.

Twilight tried not to squirm in response, but she couldn’t quite keep her discomfort hidden. It was responses like that one that kept reminding her how unaccustomed to the life of a princess she really was.

“But this is as far as we go with you,” The guard added, sounding noticeably regretful. “Our duties keep us here. Even if…”

He glanced up towards the deck. Though he was in no position to actually see the cause of the ruckus there, he could still hear it, and there was a definite frown on his face because of it. “… I am of the opinion we could be of better use elsewhere. We are duty-bound, nonetheless.”

Twilight gave the guard a reassuring smile, even if she couldn’t help but share some of his concern. “It’s alright, sir. Princess Celestia believes we can handle this mission on our own, and if she believes in us, so do I.”

In response, the guard did something that Twilight had never, in her history of knowing the Royal Guard – with one exception, of course – seen a guard do. The stallion looked at her, and actually smiled. “Then we are of the same mind, Your Highness. I will pray for the safe return of yourself and your friends, and I will wish you good luck on your mission.”

To that, a brash pegasus snorted almost derisively. “Hey, no sweat; when you’ve got someone this awesome on your side, you don’t need luck,” Rainbow said, rising into the air to flap blithely right over Twilight’s head and onto the ship proper.

“Even so,” the guard said, his voice warming in an attempt to stifle what might’ve been a laugh, “I wish you luck even if – as I pray it will be – you won’t need it.”

Twilight smiled back, and was about to say something in response, when another voice cut across from behind.

She turned to find the armored Imperial from before motioning in their direction, his voice sounding irritated. “No more talk! We leave now! No time left!”

Spike, who’d been standing next to Twilight, looked his direction, frowning. “Geez, somepony’s in a hurry.”

Twilight couldn’t necessarily blame him, though. If anypony had a reason to be in a rush, the Imperials definitely did.

“Then we will take our leave,” the guard said, drawing Twilight’s attention back to him. He bowed respectfully. “I will inform the princesses that you are safely on your way.”

“Thank you,” Twilight said. “We should be back in a couple of days, if everything goes well.”

“Then I will look forward to your safe return,” the guard responded. He gave one more bow, and then turned to leave.

Twilight watched him go, as did her friends. They watched as the platoon formed up again on the pier below, but didn’t leave. They merely stood by the carriages, watching the boat from a distance, awaiting their departure.

“C’mon, everypony,” Applejack said softly, nudging Twilight. “We’ll be back before we can miss anythin’.”

“I hope so,” Pinkie said, and to Twilight’s surprise, she actually sounded slightly anxious.

Come to think of it, Pinkie had been unusually quiet for some time now; most unusual for the bubbly mare.

When Twilight turned to look at her, she found Pinkie staring at over Los Pegasus, towards the fiery horizon at its back. The sun was coming down, turning the world a burning orange color as if bathed in the light of a torch.

“Pound and Pumpkin better behave,” she said, as if to herself. “They get cranky sometimes, and I dunno if mister and missus Cake can handle them when they get really fussy.”

Twilight looked up, catching Applejack’s eye, who shrugged helplessly. Then, she put a hoof around the pink pony’s shoulders. “C’mon now, sugarcube, don’t start worryin’ yet. We ain’t even set off yet. Everythin’s goin’ ta be right where ya left it when ya get back.”

Pinkie turned to her, looking uncertain. “Promise?”

“Cross my heart,” Applejack chuckled, squeezing her. She then let her go and stepped away from the gangplank, out onto the deck proper, hoisting her pack a little across her back. “Now come on, everypony. We got a few days of sailin’ ahead of us, so we might as well get comfy while we can.”

Twilight was about to respond to that, when a subtle chuckle caught her attention. She looked around, her eyes settling on a nearby Imperial sailor untying a length of rope from the prow.

“Silly pony,” he chuckled darkly, glancing over at the group. “We no sail. You crazy pony if you think that. We not make it far, I tell you that for sure.”

Applejack hadn’t been so far away that she hadn’t heard his comment. She rounded on him, raising a critical eyebrow at the black-toothed grin she was getting.

He really wasn’t the most handsome of stallions; his coat was matted and scraggly and his mane was tied back helter-skelter in a series of short braids. Dental hygiene didn’t seem to be something he believed in either, considering he hardly had any teeth to speak of, and those that did occupy his mouth were not a pretty sight.

“Beg pardon?” Applejack asked, less bothered by the stallion’s mangy look and more by his comment.

The Imperial cackled again, untying another length of rope, all the while watching Applejack out of the corner of his eye. “Many nasty things in sea. Very big, very hungry. Sail through water, and we never go far.” He cackled again, a sound that was quickly grating upon the ponies’ nerves.

The rest of Applejack’s friends exchanged confused looks, uncomprehending. In the end, it was Rainbow who spoke up first. “Then… how are we supposed to get across the sea?”

No sooner had she asked, however, than the boat lurched unexpectedly, as if struck by a mighty wake. Somepony shouted, a call that was repeated from one end of the boat to the other. 

And as they all stood there, a loud humming reached their ears; a humming that seemed to correspond with an unnatural tingling that tickled up each of their legs.

Again the boat lurched, the back end rising higher than the front. Only… it wasn’t coming back down.

The Imperial sailor leered a black, mostly toothless grin at the shocked looks on all six faces in front of him. “Stupid pony. We not sailing on ocean. We sailing over ocean.”

Applejack stared at him, a look of incomprehension on her face. Yet, the longer she stared at him, the steadier her face got more and more pale.

“Beg… Pardon?”

The sailor never had to answer further. With a great groan from the hull, the mighty battleship rose up into the air. The sails on its aft section fanned out, turning from a rooster tail to more of a peacock’s.

An order was barked by the armored Imperial, which was relayed at least twice more across the deck, and suddenly the ship began to turn.

All the while, the ship was rising. Up, up, higher and higher, until it overshadowed the tallest crane on the pier.

Twilight and her friends watched in amazement as the city – and ocean – fell away far below them.

And as the ship’s snarling nose pointed out over the vast, unending sea and the darkening horizon far beyond, another order was given, which was echoed across the deck again.

Something made a heavy, metallic grinding sound deep within the bowls of the ship, reverberating up towards the deck. And suddenly, they were moving. Not fast at first, but rapidly picking up speed as the ship’s prow pointed still higher into the sky.

Twilight could only stare in wonder as the airship soared through the air, effortless despite its bulk, leaving the land far below. Only the sound of the sailor’s voice drew her back to her surroundings.

“Oh, and you not get introduction, either,” the sailor cackled. He stood up, then made a grand display of a sweeping bow, too grandiose to be genuine. “Welcome, princess, to our Amaterasu.”

He glanced up, grinning wickedly. “I hope you enjoy your stay. You likely not get another, where we going.”

Twilight’s gut twisted uncomfortably. Already, she was very much not liking this pony.

Instead of responding, however, she was distracted instead by the sight beyond him and the ship itself.

Her eyes fell on Los Pegasus, and the coast of Equestria itself – now growing smaller and smaller, fainter and fainter as they raced away over the ocean. Soon, the glitter of glass from the skyscrapers was too distant to properly make out.

It hit her then, like a sledgehammer to the chest. Everything she knew, everypony she knew, was back there. And with each passing second, the distance between them grew larger, the accustomed sights of hills and greenery just a little less distinct.

Where she and her friends were going, there would be no friendly faces. There would be nothing familiar. Where they were going… they’d be on their own.

A feeling of something brushing against her side distracted her, making her jump. Twilight looked, and found Fluttershy standing, quiet as ever, beside her, sapphire eyes similarly trained upon the disappearing sight of home.

On the pegasus’ other side, Rarity watched as well, her expression impassive, giving her a look of supreme indifference.

Something bumped into Twilight’s other side, and she looked around to find Pinkie – not looking out over the edge of the ship, but at her instead, a big smile on her face for the first time since arriving. She didn’t say anything, instead merely grinning without a word.

Beside her stood Rainbow, looking slightly bored, all things considered. Even Applejack was there, her eyes focused rather intensely on the sight of the fading coastline, as if trying to block out the sight of everything else.

And then there was Spike, who startled Twilight by clambering up onto her back to assume his old, familiar perch to watch Equestria disappear over the horizon.

Twilight turned to give each of her friends a look in turn, and with each familiar face she saw, the sense of unease in her heart withdrew.

She and her friends were on their own. But they were on their own together. Already they’d overcome so many obstacles, triumphed over so many trials. Whatever awaited them in Neighpon and the Empire of the Sun, she knew in her heart that they would not fail in their mission.

As long as her friends were with her, there wasn’t anything that could get in their way.

~~***~~

Ogata shivered as subtly as he could, trying desperately to warm up. The rain had been coming down constantly for nearly an hour, growing harder and harder as time trickled by.

Fueled further by the condensation already in the air, each droplet was fat and harsh, striking Ogata’s back, shoulders and head hard enough for him to feel each impact even through the thicker parts of his armor.

The most frustrating thing was that the gate next to him had an arched roof over it, providing merciful shelter for the few sentries lucky enough to be posted in its shadow. He, unfortunately, had not been one of them. It may have only been a few feet to one side, but with Nakajima-sensei not far away, it was a few feet too far. His only saving grace was that he was on the right side of the gate to use it as a shelter from the gusting wind.

Again thunder boomed across the sky, lightning flashing dully through the mist and fog to turn Ogata’s surroundings from dark, murky grey to only slightly less dark and murky.

Still, Ogata was approaching the breaking point; he could feel it. Standing guard all night long, and now for most of the morning as well, in sheeting rain, all the while expected to keep an unwavering vigil for the faintest sign of danger. But aside from his close encounter with a renegade bird, he’d yet to see more than the fog and a few distant treetops.

Oh, what I wouldn’t give for a little excitement… Anything to break up this drudgery…

That was precisely the moment when he heard something rustle in the dark.

He hadn’t been the only one to hear it, either. Ogata heard the sounds of clinking armor as sentries tensed, one readying his spear. Off to his other side, Nakajima straightened up, his horn glimmering faintly in the dark, a sea green aura around the hilt of his sheathed weapon which had yet to be produced.

Already Ogata’s heart was hammering in his chest, his grip on his own weapon tightening as he turned to stare intently into the fog…

In a flash something came screaming out of the dark at him, moving faster than he could react. It veered wildly, avoiding him by inches as it streaked on by, producing a panicked squawk.

Another gull? Ogata thought, but no sooner did he do so than another caw rang through the silence, another white shadow whipping past his head.

Followed by another, and another, and another…

Ogata couldn’t see all of them, not until he looked up, drawn by the sounds overhead. But he could hear them, there was no doubt about that.

Above, he saw an immense shadow moving through the thinner layer of mists; a shadow not made up of a single entity, but hundreds, all flapping, squawking and cawing in utter, mindless terror… and all fleeing in the same direction, en masse.

Another crack of thunder sounded, so loud and so close it shook the stone beneath his feet with the force of it. It seemed to split the heavens, leaving a persistent ringing in Ogata’s ears that lingered long after the cacophonous thunderclap had finished echoing across the sky.

“The storm is getting worse,” called Nakajima, giving Ogata a start. He had to shout to be heard over the most recent gust of wind that pummeled the gatehouse, making its wooden beams creak slightly.

“Should we find shelter, Nakajima-sensei?” asked Ogata, speaking over the howl of wind. “Wait out the storm?”

“No!” his superior snapped back. “Our orders are to watch this wall for any sign of the ship’s return!”

Ogata turned to look at Nakajima, something on the tip of his tongue he hadn’t fully evaluated yet. Perhaps it was the long, arduous night and torturous morning he’d been through that finally snapped him. Perhaps it was something else – something more primal that rattled inside of him like a bird wanting to escape with the gulls flocking overhead. But whatever it was, he found himself on the verge of doing something he never imagined he would do; questioning his superior’s actions.

And he very well would’ve done it to – and likely earned himself the worst reprimand of his entire life, if not worse – if something else hadn’t caught his eye.

Nakajima’s horn wasn’t emitting a steady light like unicorn horns were supposed to. It flickered and guttered like a torch, the light of magic around the handle of his weapon similarly wavering. It came in spurts, dimming and brightening sporadically without rhyme or reason, like the storm winds blustering through all around them.

For some reason, that was distracting enough to completely derail Ogata’s failing patience, replacing it instead with worry.

“Nakajima-sensei, are you alright?” he asked, still watching the old veteran’s horn.

Nakajima glanced at him, looking puzzled, then caught sight of the magic gripping his sword’s hilt. Yet, the look he gave it was just as perplexed as Ogata’s was.

It lasted only a second, however, before he was recomposing himself. “Focus, Private Ogata,” he snapped. “It does not matter. I’m –”

Whatever he was, Ogata never found out. For at that moment, with both stallions look at each other, a new sound cut through the rainy, foggy morning air, one louder and more resounding than any thunderbolt.

It was a low, resounding bellow, like the blowing of a distant war horn that rang out far and wide for all to hear.

Everypony on the wall fell dead silent, motionless now for a whole new reason. The only sound to be heard was the rain pounding the wall in a never ending drawl.

Ogata and Nakajima stared at each other, everything else forgotten. Everything… except the sudden reverberation that ran through the stone beneath their hooves like an earthquake.

Both sentries turned around, turning to face out over the wall again, just as another lightning bolt cracked through the heavens, and outlined a mountain in the fog where there’d never been one before.

Ogata stared at it, his breath catching in his throat. When the flash had passed, all he could see of it was a vast nebulous darkness, black amid dark grey, so big even the fog couldn’t completely hide it.

The wall reverberated again, worse than before, worse enough to cause several of the weary sentries to stagger and the puddles of rainwater around their hooves to jitter and dance. The darkness grew darker, coalescing. It was impossibly large, a titan even among mountains.

Ogata raised his weapon, taking hold of the spear and pointing it instinctively in the direction of that formless danger. He could think of nothing better to do; running was not an option, no matter how unreasonable yet consuming the directive was becoming. He instead chose to stand his ground, and brandished his spear with as much bravery as his quailing heart could muster…

That all changed when a massive, scaled foot swung through the fog right in front of him.

It hit the gate with unimaginable force, crushing it as if it’d been constructed from nothing but loosely packed sand. In one blow, it pulverized masonry and timber alike, scattering it like a child’s building blocks.

Ogata felt the fortified wall beneath his hooves heave violently, and suddenly he was airborne. He milled his legs wildly, instinctively trying to find traction where there was none, until he came back down – hard.

Pain splintered up his back. Lights flashed before his eyes. Somepony shrieked in pain – possibly himself, but he wasn’t sure.

Through the ringing in his ears, he heard more cries, more screams, and the explosion of detonating spells far overhead. Disorienting flashes of lights cut through the air above him, followed a split second later by a bright flash like that of fire, lighting up the darkness for brief periods at a time.

And with every flash, he saw Him, one frozen frame outlined by fire at a time. With the almost surreal flashes of detonating spells exploding all around Him, Ogata never saw the beast in motion; only brief snapshots of His immense form towering over the fortress, unequalled in size by even the tallest of watch towers.

The only thing Ogata could make out for certain was His legs. Each leg was a thick trunk of muscle and scale, wider around than a house, and towered so high that not even Ogata could see where they connected with the rest of the titan through the fog. Everything from there up was lost to shadow, but not lost entirely.

A deafening bellow exploded out across the fortress and surrounding hills as the great beast took another stride, annihilating a barracks with one casual swing of His foot.

Ogata could physically feel the thump of each spell striking the broadside of His immense body, and yet the monstrosity didn’t falter. At times He was completely swallowed by fire and smoke from all the spells impacting across His form, and yet He hardly seemed fazed. If anything, He seemed to find the harsh light and sound more bothersome than the actual impacts themselves. But He never once turned around, or came to a stop.

A sudden rush of air buffeted Ogata as His foot swung directly over him, missing the paralyzed pony by a few scant feet. It took almost a second for the whole sole of His foot to pass over Ogata’s head, and as it did so, something cold and briny hit him in the face – sea water, mixed with mud.

An instant later, He drove His foot down into the earth again, pancaking the blacksmith and quaking the earth bad enough to toss Ogata into the air by an inch or two. The rain stopped, and everything grew darker still.

Ogata found himself looking straight up, lying on his back, gazing up at a creature so vast he couldn’t see where it topped out. Every time it moved, it swirled the fog around it, creating a virtual vortex every time He turned His body.

The untested sentry froze in place, his brain shutting down under the sheer weight of icy cold terror. His heart pounded fearfully in his chest. His breath caught in his lungs. Ogata felt paralyzed, unable to move or even able to process what was happening.

The monster let out another deafening, aggravated bellow as a bolt of magic detonated on the side of His face.

But as the sound faded, another reached Ogata’s ears, one closer to ground level, and off to one side.

He looked around, just as several distant rows of soldiers came marching into view, heavy armor clanking noisily as they approached. They were close enough to be seen through the fog, if only just so.

Each wore an eagle helmet, and every one of them carried a lance – only, a lance with a thick, metal shaft that split the blade on the end in two. Near the grip, there was a strange, metallic cylinder partially exposed around a curling hoof guard.

The platoon’s leader – a stallion with a red crest atop his helmet whipping through the wind, held up his own strange spear, his forces stopping behind him.

They were all looking too far up to ever see Ogata, tangled up as he was in an equally tangled mass of timber and stone.

“Ready!” the commander barked. “Aim!”

Every soldier suddenly turned their spears, aiming them straight at the monster’s exposed leg and tail, yet did nothing further.

“Fire!”

And in response, the tip of each spear, in turn, exploded with a flash of light and a loud bang. Through the gloom, Ogata could see streaks of light flash through the air, moving so fast that they were nothing but glowing blurs before the whole volley impacted on the side of the monster’s leg and tail, producing a loud series of explosions across His scaly flanks.

And to everypony’s immense surprise, He stopped.

Ogata watched Him warily, a deep sense of foreboding welling up inside of him as he stared at the suddenly motionless mountain of ashen scales. The air continued to tremble with a deep, seething growl that Ogata could feel vibrating through the ground all around him.

The spellfire slowed, then ceased. Apparently he hadn’t been the only one to notice His inexplicable hesitation.

Ogata squinted, trying to see the beast’s tallest point, but his eyes just couldn’t do it – not until a bolt of lightning flashed through the sky, outlining the sheer mass looming over him in spectacular fashion.

But to his surprise, he found the monster not even looking in their direction. In fact, He’d turned His head in the complete opposite direction, as if something far off in the distance had caught His eye through the fog.

And then, without rhyme or reason or the slightest warning, He turned His whole body ninety degrees… and simply marched away.

Ogata could only stare in confusion, even as the beast’s immense tail swung over his head, swatting aside a guard tower with the utmost of ease. He heard him kick his way through another wall, but even as his heavy footfalls grew weaker and weaker until only the rain filled the stunned silence, he could only lay there, soaked in a puddle of rain and mud, unable to process what’d just happened.
	
	
	
> 3: Something Terrible
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“Oooooii!”

Again, the bell clanged through the murky air, echoing off of the wall of fog like it was much more solid that it appeared. Still, the stallion cocked his head to one side and listened intently out of his good ear.

He heard the sounds of the waves sloshing against the bow of his humble boat, the pop and groan of the weathered and worn planks as the vessel swayed lazily in the current, the creak of nets laden with fresh seaweed needing to be laid out to dry.

No voice called back. No lantern light giving away his destination. No clang of a responding bell. Was he even on course anymore?

The fisher pony swirled a wad of seaweed in his mouth irritably, his seasoned eyes narrowing. No, he knew this route like the back of his hoof. Could sail it blindfolded, he could. The tide hadn’t been irregular, not since the storm passed, and the wind was likewise calm, almost still. The sails stayed unfurled nonetheless, but it was his work at the rudder that ultimately kept the vessel creeping forward.

His well-trusted gut instinct told him he was on course, and that somewhere in front of him, very nearby, there was a port, or at the very least a shore near said port. And he very much would like to not beach his livelihood on it because of all this blasted fog.

Behind him, thunder rumbled grumpily in the distance, though no flash penetrated the gloomy bank. He heard it even with his bad ear turned that way.

Already he was behind schedule. Waiting out that storm just to get into port was costing him money, and he felt each coin that slipped away from him.

Something moved ahead of him, catching the old fisher’s eye. A young stallion – fit and in the prime of his youth – stood upon the sloping bow of the vessel, the only other living soul in sight. He turned his ochre head to look back towards him, silently asking what to do.

“Again, son,” the veteran barked at him. “Somepony must be out there.”

His son nodded, turned again, and inhaled. “OOOOOOOOIIII!!!” he bellowed at the utmost top of his lungs, loud enough to wake the dead. At the same time, he clanged a small bell furiously, its ringing almost matching him for sheer volume.

They waited, listening intently.

Nothing.

“Are you sure we’re headed the right way?” the fisher pony’s son asked, turning to look at his father.

“I’m sure,” he responded stubbornly. “Been in these waters all my life. I could find that port sailing backwards.”

And yet… Where was it?

Again, thunder rumbled far to their backs. At least the storm was moving away from them and not doubling back on itself.

The fisher turned his head in its direction, eyes narrowing irritably. Bad omen, this weather we’re having. Very bad omen…

“Father!”

The fisher turned around quickly, eyes automatically going to the bow of their boat. But there was nothing to see but a few feet of water ahead of them and a wall of grey.

However, his son was looking at him, suddenly tense. “Did… did you hear that?” he asked.

“No,” the fisher responded. “What was it?”

His son looked back out over the water, suddenly more alert than he’d been for hours. The fisher had to curse his bad ear for the millionth time. What had he missed that would spook somepony like his son?

That was when he heard it. Quiet at first, but growing louder by the second; a sound he would recognize anywhere. 

He couldn’t see its source, but he knew that rumbling sound; like a stampede of wild animals thundering closer and closer across the glassy water. Something nagged at him, something dreadfully important, but he had no time to do anything but act.

“Wave!” he shouted. “Hold on to something!”

Experience took over. The veteran sailor cranked the rudder as hard as he could, swinging the boat’s nose in the direction of the oncoming wave. Better to break it across the bow than to let it clobber their side; this boat had seen him through too much to see her thrown to the bottom of the sea like that.

All the while, warning bells were going off in his head. His gut clenched, and he knew something very, very bad was on its way; knew it like a seagull before a tsunami. What, he could not say. But he knew he didn’t want to be in its way.

The boat had just lurched in the direction of that rumbling sound when the foot of it came into view. It was like the surface of the ocean, once calm and placid, was being rolled up, a gargantuan fold that rose almost as tall as the boat itself, somehow darker than the rest of the sea around it.

White foam roiled across the crest as the wave roared forward, crashing down on itself. It wasn’t so much a wall of water as an oversized ripple, radiating outward in every direction, as if displaced by an impossibly huge stone.

But there was one section that rose taller still; a perfect dome of displaced water and sea spray surging ahead of everything else. There, the fisher found his stone, and the three towering rows of serrated spines that topped it.

The sight alone made the hardened fisher feel like his heart had just come to a complete stop in his chest. For the first time in his life, he was struck dumb, unable to react to something on the water.

It was only when the boat started to heave upward on the slop of the wave that he came back to his senses. The boat protested, wood groaning as everything not nailed down began to shift backwards.

He called out for his son, yelled at him to get back. He was still on the bow, right in front of the oncoming behemoth.

The young stallion didn’t move. Either he was just as petrified as his father had been, or there was something else he was not seeing.

The old fisher looked up, back towards the oncoming wave, just in time to notice something new.

The spines were shrinking. No – descending beneath the waves. Whatever they belonged to, it was diving, and diving with incredible speed.

The first row of spikes missed by feet. The second, inches. The fisher found himself leaning back, willing the force of the wave to carry them back just far enough…

The last row of serrated sword-like spines to threaten them was also the tallest, and they came so close that not even the old skipper would’ve bet against it. He braced, locking his teeth together, a prayer flashing through his mind.

The spine slashed down like a sword… and crashed through the surface of the water, throwing sea spray in every direction, missing the nose of the fishing boat by a hair’s breadth.

When the dull grey length disappeared beneath the water, the fisher couldn’t help but sigh in relief.

Until a tail, wider than two of his boats put together, broke the surface like the hump of a whale.

The wooden vessel skittered backwards so sharply it threw both sailors face first into the deck. Water from the wave gushed in over the edge, hosing both down with icy cold ocean spray.

The fisher stallion clung to whatever he could that felt solid, and for one gut-wrenching moment, he could’ve sworn he felt his beloved boat angling skyward as if knocked clean out of the water…

With a sharp impact, the boat’s bow slammed back into the water, bashing the fisher’s snout against the floorboards.

And then, just as suddenly as it had started… everything went still. The boat creaked, the nets swayed, the water lapped against the hull beneath their hooves. Within moments, even the rocking of the boat ceased, and all was alarmingly quiet once again.

The fisher stayed crumpled on the wet floor, blinking away stars, eyes and senses roving this way and that, waiting for something to happen. Nothing.

Slowly, he built up the nerve to clamber upright again, heart still beating a million miles an hour. His jaw hurt, and it wouldn’t surprise him if he’d chipped another tooth. But somehow – miraculously, almost – he was still there. He was still alive.

The deck of the boat was strewn with tools, rope, loose lengths of seaweed and water. A pair of fish floundered on the deck, perhaps even more shocked by the unexpected turn of events than the sailor was. 

And ten feet back from where he’d been originally, four ochre legs were milling about beneath a collapsed net.

The fisher whipped around, casting his gaze back behind the boat. But besides the wave merging into the surf, there was nothing left to see. The fog simply swallowed whatever evidence there was.

“Father! Father, are you alright?”

“I should be asking you that,” he said back. “Are you hurt?”

“No, I’m fine,” he said back, though he seemed to be having some trouble extracting himself from the net. “Father, what was that?”

The fisher started to open his mouth, then shut it again. Something flashed through his mind, something that made the deafness in his bad ear ring louder than usual…

He glanced backward again, looking almost twice as old, as if the encounter had stolen what precious years he had left.

He opened his mouth to say something, only to fall short as his attention was drawn elsewhere.

“We have to warn the island,” cried out his son, finally struggling upright. “They have to know about this! The Imperial Army will do something, for sure!”

“I think,” replied his father, his voice unexpectedly somber, “it might be too late for that.”

The ochre stallion turned questioningly to his father, confused, when he noticed something; a flickering light just off the side of the boat.

Curious, he stumbled his way over nets, loose rigging and a panicking grouper to investigate… only to have his blood run cold.

Half of a wooden tiled roof floated passed them, shattered wood burning intensely. But it was not alone. Lanterns, planks of all sizes, felled trees, a paper sliding door shredded almost beyond recognition, enough wood to build ten houses over, a small filthy rag doll… All floated passed them silently, a once empty sea now filled to the brim with  wreckage and ruin as silent as a graveyard.

And as the ochre stallion followed the trail of destruction with his eyes, his face growing steadily more ashen as he did so, his eyes fell on what awaited them; an ominous glow of orange burning through the veil of mist, bearing with it the foreboding smell of smoke and heat.

For the first time that night, the young stallion did not curse the fog for hiding something from his eyes. Somehow, he doubted he had the heart to witness whatever laid before them.

Somewhere far behind the lone boat, thunder boomed one final note as if to punctuate the whole, horrific scene.

“What… what could’ve done this?” stammered the fisher pony’s son.

Behind him, manning the rudder, the grizzled fisher rubbed one side of his head with a hoof, pawing his senseless ear. “Something terrible, son. Something terrible.”


~~***~~


Fluttershy jolted awake yet again. What had caused it, she couldn’t say; the unfamiliar groan and creak of the wooden hull battling turbulence, the turbulence itself, or maybe some other the multitudes of unfamiliar noise.

Unlike Rainbow Dash, who could power nap just about anywhere, Fluttershy was a little bit more finicky with her sleeping arrangements. Even when asleep, even the faintest of unusual sounds could yank her back to awareness. And given where she was, she was better off trying to list sounds and smells that were familiar.

She’d been trying to sleep for hours – she knew she had to be well rested for the journey ahead. But… it simply wasn’t working, and that was starting to make her uncharacteristically irritated.

“Oh… oh,” Fluttershy mumbled, feeling fit to burst, “Oh… phooey.”

She then looked around quickly, to make sure no pony had overheard her outrageous outburst.

The room she was in was unlit, the lantern Applejack had packed long-since snuffed. But she could still make out the shapes of her friends scattered about the cramped space, sleeping wherever they could.

Rainbow Dash was easy enough to find, curled up on top of a crate suspended in a net cache from several beams overhead. Her tail swayed across Fluttershy’s vision, blocking out one of the only places that wasn’t pitch black – a small porthole that let in only lighter darkness than what the rest of the room was drowned in.

The rest of her friends, Fluttershy had to find by sound. Judging by the occasional mumble and groan beneath her, Applejack was still asleep beneath her, kicking slightly in her sleeping bag the way she’d been doing for hours, her hoof lightly thumping the floorboards. Yet, she stayed asleep, likely the exhaustion of the previous sleepless night catching up to her.

Spike was a little trickier to find. He didn’t snore, and wasn’t particularly close at hoof. But, odds are he was still curled up inside an empty barrel that’d been set on its side. Perhaps the cave-like shape of it appealed to him; Fluttershy didn’t know.

Pinkie, on the other hoof, was easy to find; her snoring was evident enough, not terrifically loud but certainly unmistakable. She must have still been laid out over the thick coils of rope that sat in the far corner of the room like some oversized boa constrictor.

Fluttershy didn’t have to search far for Rarity, either, simply because she could feel her. The two were lying back to back on the only bed the Imperials had thought to provide them with. Obviously they hadn’t prepared anything more than was necessary for Princess Celestia and Princess Celestia alone.

But the more she scanned with her senses, the more she started to realize that she was one friend short. After all, she’d been sharing the bed with two of her friends, not just one.

Twilight wasn’t by the window, and she certainly wasn’t quiet enough to sneak around the room without Fluttershy noticing. When you live in a household with several families of mice, one developed a particularly sharp sense of hearing for minute sounds. But there weren’t any to be had – aside from the creak of the ship and the dull sound of wind through the far wall.

For a very long time, Fluttershy waffled on what to do. She wanted to make sure Twilight was alright and that something terrible hadn’t happened to her. But at the same time… those Imperial ponies were scary… But if something had happened to Twilight… but if she ran into an Imperial…

It took her nearly five minutes to make up her mind, and then a further five to work up the nerve to follow through with it. As quiet as a mouse, she eased herself out of bed. A part of her hoped rather childishly that her movement would rouse Rarity, and that maybe she could be talked into going instead. No such luck, however; the pearly unicorn was very much sound asleep, and anything short of physically shaking her likely wouldn’t have even the slightest effect. 

With no other choice, Fluttershy silently slunk towards the door, squeaked when she bumped her nose against it, then eased it open and crept into the cramped hallway beyond.


~~***~~


The Amaterasu was almost unnervingly quiet at night, barring those unfamiliar sounds that’d been keeping Fluttershy awake. The beams and struts in the walls were constantly popping and groaning as the ship listed lazily from side to side. She’d gotten used to the swaying over the course of the previous day, but the sounds… It was like being in a really old house in a windstorm, and it constantly had her checking over her shoulder.

Not a soul stirred through its narrow halls or its multiple decks. A few low-burning lanterns lit her way, but the dim light – a marked improvement – was still hardly pacifying. The wooden boards that’d been used to construct the flying ship were so dark they seemed to consume the light, making the lamps borderline ineffectual.

Up two decks she went, creeping along practically on her belly, ears listening for hoofsteps, rustling, anything.

Halfway down the galley, she thought she heard snoring from one of the neighboring doors. She promptly gave it as wide a berth as possible before hastily rushing on.

Voices in the next doorway, on the other side of the hall, muttering in a language she did not understand.

The door was open a crack, spilling flickering candlelight across the unpainted dark wood of the walls. Curiosity getting the better of her, Fluttershy eased closer, and pressed her eye up against the sliver-thin opening.

Four ponies sat around a table, grumbling darkly to each other. One of them sat next to a heavy metal helmet fashioned like a snarling beast, but all Fluttershy could see of its owner was a severely shorn salt and pepper mane sticking around the other side of a different stallion.

Whatever they were talking about, it couldn’t have been about fun things.

Fluttershy backed away, careful not to make so much as a peep, then shuffled away. But something about that door, and the four grim-faced occupants inside, kept drawing her eyes back the way she’d come, a deeply perturbed feeling weighing heavy in her chest.


~~***~~


Fluttershy was just starting to seriously consider going back the way she’d come and go back to bed when she rounded a corner and stumbled headlong into a wall of humid, salty air.

She turned in its direction, raising her head, and found one last stairway leading up to a landing bathed in the dull gloom of night.

Curiously – and very apprehensively – she moved forward, step by step, until she could peek her nose over the landing.

There was no door at the top, which instead simply opened up onto a vast expanse of wooden deck, rigging, and open night air.

And there, standing with her hooves up on the side railing, was Twilight. She stood underneath a small island of light cast by a flickering lantern, so there was no mistaking her.

But what could she be looking at?

Fluttershy carefully stepped closer, peering around the frame of the entryway in the direction Twilight was looking – off the port-side bow. Nothing of interest immediately caught her eye; only starless night and the occasional ghostly wisps of mist that drew too close to the lanterns lining the ship.

To Fluttershy’s surprise, the air barely stirred atop the airship, though she could hear it above and around, like the mighty golden prow was literally splitting the air currents around it. To feel only the faintest trace of a breeze… for some reason, that didn’t feel as pleasant as it should’ve.

“Um… Twilight?” she spoke up once she’d drawn closer.

Twilight jumped, startled out of private musings, before turning to look at her. “Oh! Fluttershy, why aren’t you sleeping?”

“Oh, um…” Fluttershy mumbled, casting about for a good excuse. “I’m… not really sleepy.”

Twilight accepted the fib, at least. Her expression turned grim, whatever she’d been thinking about returning in force. “Yeah… I know the feeling,” she said quietly.

Fluttershy paused, then stepped up to join her friend by the side of the boat.

It was something of an unnerving sight that greeted her. Beyond the edge of the ship was utter darkness in every direction. Any details that there might be were hidden by the lantern’s glare. How high up they were, Fluttershy couldn’t say, nor how fast they were traveling. It was an uneasy feeling, one that made her wonder how Twilight could stand it.

“Is… is everything okay?” Fluttershy ventured. “Why, um… are you out here? That is, if you don’t mind telling me.”

Twilight turned and gave her an appreciative smile. “It’s alright. I’m just… thinking.”

She sighed, going back to her daydreaming. “I keep wondering what we’re about to get ourselves into. It’d be nice if the Imperials would actually tell us, but they barely speak any Equestrian at all.”

She suddenly straightened up, her expression screwing up. “You wait,” she drawled in a poor imitation of the Imperial’s clipped manner. “You speak to Emperor. Me no tell you nothing, like big dumb… dumb-dumb.”

She huffed, slumping down in a grumpy pout. “How am I supposed to help when I don’t even know how or what I’m supposed to be helping with ahead of time? It’s so frustrating!”

Fluttershy let her friend vent at her, but even she was mildly surprised by Twilight’s outburst. She’d suspected that Twilight wouldn’t take the silence of the crew very well, but she’d been apparently handling it all right so far. They’d already been at sea a full day, and she hadn’t shown any signs of being this temperamental.

Twilight continued on. “I’ve been trying to work on a translation spell to bridge the gap. I have a few books on Neighpon language and grammar I was hoping to cross-reference, but they’re at least six-hundred years out of date. Six hundred! Thanks to that, all I’ve been able to do is translate the Neighpon language into a different language I don’t understand!”

“Oh my,” squeaked Fluttershy. Twilight definitely wasn’t as composed as she’d thought. She should’ve noticed sooner.

Twilight let out a long, frustrated groan, looking sour. “I just… I know we have to know as much as we can before we get there, but that window is dwindling fast. Whatever is waiting for us in the Empire of the Sun, we have to be ready, and I’d like to have some info to go on before coming up with a plan. Even the smallest detail could make or break us.”

Fluttershy looked at her friend for a bit, not sure what to say. Then, “Well… if the princesses think you can do it, I do, too.” It was lame, but it was the most honest thing she could think to say in the moment.

Twilight gave her a smile. “Thanks Fluttershy. I appreciate it.”

Fluttershy smiled back. For a while, they stood in silence, just watching the darkness slip by, occasionally carrying a wisp of cloud fluff through the light of the lantern.

Nothing else stirred. The ship swayed lightly from side to side on air currents. The scent of sea salt tickled her nose. Fluttershy’s hooves on the railing suddenly felt so comfortable under her chin…

A noise jolted her from the brink, snapping her senses back to full alert.

At first, she couldn’t tell where the sound came from, just like always. It irritated her, and she felt another shameful outburst coming on…

When it happened again. This time, she did not miss it.

A high, melodic note drifted up towards her from far below. It was like a mournful note from a violin echoing in the deep darkness.

Beside her, Twilight was just as alert as her – she wasn’t imagining things. The purple alicorn was leaning as far over the railing as she dared, squinting hard to pierce the darkness of what lay down below.

“What is that?” Twilight asked aloud, curious and wary all at once.

Fluttershy, too, felt almost compelled to peek over at the deep dark empty space beneath the airship. Even though she couldn’t see anything, she kept trying. Something was trying to jog her memory. Could it be…?

The sound happened again, clear and musical, and suddenly Fluttershy realized what it was. “Whales!” she gasped, excitement taking hold. “Oh, I’ve never seen whales before. Can you see them, Twilight? Are they as cute as the picture books?”

Twilight only gave Fluttershy a momentary look of incredulity before looking down below again. “I can’t see anything down there. We have to be at least several hundred feet above the ocean right now.”

Something about what Twilight had just said struck her. A warning bell starting going off in the alicorn's head, though she wasn’t sure why.

It was in her moment of confusion that she noticed sounds behind her – stealthy ones. Hooves silently brushing against wood, voices low and urgent, furtive moments no pony would hear without knowing what to listen for.

She turned her head, and about jumped out of her skin when she was greeted by the snarling face of the Imperial officer’s gleaming helmet.

“Light out, now,” he ordered urgently.

While Fluttershy squealed and whirled around in alarm, Twilight did as she was told and snuffed the lantern with a flick of her horn.

All across the deck, sailors were hastily putting out lanterns, moving so fast and so precise as if their lives depended on it.

“What’s going on,” Twilight asked nervously.

Even in the gloom, she could see the shape of the stallion standing before her. He only motioned at her with a hoof, indicating she keep her voice down. “Quiet.”

Twilight turned and found Fluttershy – or at least the glints off of her huge, terrified eyes at around knee height.

She was about to speak up again when the echoing, eerie whale song reached their ears again. From hundreds of feet below them. No… something is definitely wrong about that…

Twilight turned back to the edge of the deck and looked down, far far below.

Without the lantern glare interfering, she just thought she could make out the uneven, rough surface of the ocean, tiny white specks of foam… and something else far below.

There was a faint light down there; an eerie blue source too indistinct to identify, but far from insubstantial. Was it below the surface of the water? That had to be it.

Hooves on the deck behind her caught Twilight’s attention again. The sailors were quickly – and stealthily – scurrying across the deck towards the port-side railing, and in the darkness, Twilight could’ve sworn she saw many of them leaning over the railing as well.

They were speaking in hushed tones, whispering to each other urgently and secretively. Twilight could only make out what the closest two were saying – a deckhand and the officer himself.

Though she had no idea what they were talking anxiously about, one phrase kept coming back, again and again, enough to not only catch Twilight’s attention, but also Fluttershy’s.

“Um, T-Twilight,” she breathed fearfully. “Would you happen to know, um, what ‘kaiju’ means?”

“N…No, I don’t,” Twilight whispered back, a clear note of uneasiness in her voice. “It wasn’t in the textbooks at all.”

Twilight craned her neck still further, in a vain attempt to bring whatever was beneath them into focus. Whatever it was, it was matching their speed. If anything, it could’ve been a reflection from some light source underneath the airship, but something about the shimmering quality of it didn’t fit right with that explanation.

She glanced to the imperial officer, who was peering over the side next to her. “Excuse me,” she whispered.

The stallion didn’t say anything, and in the dark it was difficult to tell if he’d acknowledged her voice at all. But as close as they were together, there was little chance that he hadn’t heard her. So, Twilight decided to pretend like he was listening and continued on.

“You’re crew keeps saying ‘kaiju’. What is that?”

This time, she knew she’d gotten a response. His armor links clinked together, the shadow of his head changing shape as it turned in her direction. She knew he was looking at her, even if she couldn’t see it.

He just stared at her for a few moments in the darkness, the eerie melody filling the silence. A part of Twilight wanted to know what kind of look she was getting, but at the same time, she was fairly sure she wouldn’t want to know anyway.

Then, all of a sudden, he turned the other way and quickly exchanged a few words with the sailor on his other side. Just as quickly, he turned back, and this time Twilight didn’t need to see his face to know she was being sized up. 

“You want me show you?” he asked, his voice so low it was almost menacing.

Even though Fluttershy was positively shriveling on the spot, Twilight didn’t back down. She wanted to, but she didn’t.

“I do,” she said – practically forced herself to say. “Show me.”

Again, she got the impression that the officer was sizing her up, but whether what he saw impressed or disappointed, she would never know.

The imperial suddenly whipped around and hissed out a command to the pony next to him. No verbal response was given, but Twilight could hear activity; bumping and rustling, the sounds of somepony climbing up onto the railing and clambering with something further overhead.

Then, out of the gloom, a faint light bloomed. It was the lantern, she realized, now unhooked from the rigging over her head. It hissed louder as the stallion turned some knob, causing it to brighten still further, until it practically filled the whole deck with light – a miniature sun trapped within wrought iron and glass.

Twilight could feel something radiating from the lantern – not heat or fumes. Something magical in nature, intense. Something that made her horn prickle in a way she hadn’t felt before.

But before she could determine anything further, the stallion holding the lantern suddenly pivoted on his footing, twisted over the side of the deck, and let the lantern go.

It dropped like a stone, now a shooting star streaking to earth.

Twilight was lost. She didn’t understand what in the world this was supposed to prove… until the ocean heaved.

For one terrifying moment, she thought they were dropping out of the sky, so vast was the volume of water suddenly being thrust upwards.

And then she saw it. A mouth, easily a hundred feet across and more so in the other direction, erupted from the ocean, jaws spread wide enough to swallow their entire vessel whole in one monstrous gulp.

The gaping, basket-like mouth was attached to something jet black, with teeth bigger than castle gates, oversized even for it's gaping maw. A long, whip-like lure hung from the monster’s nose, its end shining like a lighthouse beacon without the ocean to obscure it. The once melodic, mournful symphonic exploded from the creature’s throat like a thousand hooves upon chalk boards, shrieking like a million-score host of damned souls, loud enough to leave Twilight’s ears ringing.

Up and up it came on a long, serpentine body clad in armored scales and plates thicker than any fortress wall. And as the tumbling lantern drew nearer, Twilight saw the thing that would haunt her dreams for days to come; eyes, huge and lidless, perfectly round and wider than the ground floor of her library home. Impossibly big, dead eyes that stared with the sightless, haunted gaze of a madpony.

With an explosive thunderclap of bone-on-bone, the kaiju’s jaws slammed shut, and the light of the lantern vanished. Only a crazy zigzag of light issued through the cracks in the monster’s teeth.

All at once, everything was dark again. The kaiju’s lure blinked out. The bioluminescence dotting its body vanished. But Twilight still heard the deafening crash of the creature slamming into the ocean’s surface again. She even jumped when a fleck of sea-spray struck her cheek.

Then, all was deafeningly quiet once again, save for the imperial officer’s voice in her ear.

“That, princess, is kaiju.”


~~***~~


Three slumbering ponies were startled awake when the door to their room flew open and banged against the wall.

Rainbow yelped and fell off her perch. Applejack shot almost a foot in the air. Rarity sat bolt upright in bed, her head whipping this way and that, as if she’d forgotten about the sleeping mask she wore. Spike jolted upright, started to grumble, and promptly hit himself on the head with the roof of the barrel.

Pinkie continued to snore blissfully.

While all of this was happening, the light of a lantern filled the room as three more occupants stormed in – two being pushed by a third.

“No more wandering at night!” barked the Imperial officer as he forcefully pushed both Twilight and Fluttershy into the room with one ironclad hoof. “Not safe at night. You stay here, safe.”

But Twilight wasn’t going quietly. As soon as she’d regained her balance, she whipped around, and even though she was a full head shorter than the intimidating soldier, she stepped right up on him, glaring. “You can’t just ignore us after something like that!” she shot. “We need answers, buddy, now! What the hay was that thing? Is that why the sea around here is so dangerous? What are you getting us into?!”

The stallion gave her a look that made it clear only a fraction of what she’d just said actually meant anything to him. But he’d understood her tone and body language loud and clear. "That small fry; only swim, no danger. They get worse. Always listening. Always hungry. No problem if we careful."

Twilight was still breathing hard, her heart hammering intensely in her chest. "If they're not a threat to you, why are we here?" she asked.

Again, she could only detect partial comprehension, but this time she got the feeling that the bulk of her question got through.

“You wait,” he ordered, his voice flat and hard as iron. “You talk to –”

“That’s not good enough!” shouted Twilight.

Her outburst caught everyony present off guard. Even the imperial seemed frozen in place, his voice cutting off.

Applejack, Rainbow, Rarity and Spike looked on, too taken aback to say anything. They knew it took a lot to make Twilight lose her temper, more now than before she’d gotten her wings. The only other pony they could turn to for answers, however, was currently curled up on the floor, looking catatonic, like she’d just received the scare of her life.

Fluttershy didn’t make so much as a peep – as soon as the imperial stopped pushing her, she flopped over sideways in a dead faint. There she'd stayed, looking petrified and in no mood to contribute anything to the conversation.

“Whaz goin’ on?” Rainbow mumbled, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

Twilight heard her voice, and it seemed to distract her from her anger. She glanced over her shoulder, as if only then realizing whose company she was in. But it didn’t stop her entirely.

She turned back to the officer, fixing him with a look that could’ve humbled even the most petulant of foals.

“Look here, mister. You came to us. You asked for our help. But we can not help you if we don’t know what we are up against.” She said it all slowly, emphasizing each word. “If we are going to help save Neighpon, We. Need. Answers.”

The officer stared at her, his face hidden behind his helmet. He kept his attention down on her, eye glints unwavering behind the snarling visor. Most of what she was saying couldn’t have been registering, but Twilight prayed that at least the important parts would make it through.

Twilight stepped closer. She could practically feel the stallion before her tense, as if bracing for combat. “I can help,” she pressed. “Just give us a chance.”

The rest of her friends looked between Twilight and the officer. They had no idea what had happened, but it didn’t take them long to pick up on what the situation was now.

The stallion glanced at them, his nebulous gaze trailing from one to the other in sequence, once side of the room to the next. Then, he glanced back down to the purple alicorn almost bumping noses with him.

Then, he raised one hoof, and pushed her further into the cabin. “You wait.” He stated bluntly, turned, and left, his tail latching the door shut behind him in Twilight's face.

Twilight just stared, slack-jawed in pure shock as the silence in the room turned unnerving.

“So, uh...,” mumbled Rainbow, grinning nervously, “We miss something, or what?”

“Sugarcube?” Applejack spoke up while Rarity – now freed from her sleeping mask – gave Rainbow a reprimanding look. “Is everythin’ alright?”

Twilight remained silent, which wasn’t a good thing. Usually silences like this resolved with something exploding in the most violent way possible, and considering how high in the sky they were, that may not be in all of their best interests.

“How can he just…,” she hissed to herself. “Of all the…”

She was recovering now, and judging by the rising flush in her face, she was absolutely livid.

Before Applejack could quickly try to put together an evacuation procedure for the burning wreck they’d be trying to escape from in the next few seconds, Twilight bristled and let out a noise somewhere between a snarl and scream.

“Oh, this is not over,” she growled. “One way or another, you… you… I’m going to get my answers! I’m going to help the Tartarus out of you whether you want it or not!”

“Should… should we stop her?” Rainbow squeaked. “Before, you know, she kills us all? I know Daring Do makes trans-dimensional vortices sound cool, but I'd rather not get sucked into one. ”

Applejack merely gestured towards the irate alicorn, as if to say “be my guest”.

Meanwhile, Twilight stomped towards the door, reached out for the handle – and was nearly bowled over when that very same door flew open again.

There stood the armored stallion. Only this time, he was holding something in one hoof, which he promptly threw at Twilight’s hooves. It skidded across the floorboards and came to a rest only an inch away, cover-side-up.

“You have two hour,” the stallion said, and in the next instant, the door slammed shut again.

Twilight blinked. Going from furious to stunned was something of a system shock, and before she could quite recover her burning rage, she looked down.

There, right before her hooves, was a small, dark green book devoid of title or embellishment of any kind. It could have been a regular old diary for how plain it looked.

Curiously, Twilight flipped over the cover and let the pages fall open where they may. It only took her two lines, however, to suddenly comprehend what she'd been given, and gasp.

The rest of her friends noticed how motionless she’d become. “Uh, Twilight?” spoke up Rainbow, edging a little closer. “Is… is everything alright?”

“What did he give you,” inquired Rarity carefully, coming up on Twilight’s other side.

Twilight didn’t answer right away. Instead, she lit her horn and pulled the book up into the air on a veil of purple magic, levitating it up to eye level.

Instead of the up-to-down columns of text she’d grown used to associating with Neighponese, this book was filled with more familiar left-to-right lines and paragraphs. Not only that, but familiar letters, words – even if the grammar was somewhat archaic.

It’d only taken her a few moments to realize what she’d been given, but the truth of it still surprised her.

“It’s a dictionary,” she said.

…

“… That it?” said Rainbow, sounding incredulous.

“No, it’s more than that,” Twilight said, her voice decidedly more awed than her friend’s. “It’s a modern Neighpon dictionary.”

“Aaand… that means… what exactly?” Rainbow asked.

“It means,” Twilight said, flipping through a few pages, “I can finish that translation spell.”

She snapped the book shut, her eyes falling on the door. “And we can finally have a real talk with our friends here.”

Applejack and Rarity exchanged looks between them. Rainbow continued to try to not feel disappointed. Pinkie kept sleeping soundly, belly up, hind-leg kicking lazily as she giggle-snored.

“That stallion said y’all got two hours, though,” Applejack pointed out, sounding worried. “That gonna be enough time?”

Twilight looked back at her book. “I only need one.”


~~***~~


The spell was simple – nothing extravagant. No time for that. It consisted of two layers – one over the ears, one over the mouth. There would be nothing visible, of course, and there may be some mismatched mouth movements to what came out, but after some time verifying she’d copied the linguistic algorithms right from her books, Twilight was confident. And hay, she still had time to spare.

Of course, when she tried explaining all of that, most of it went in one ear and out the other of her friends, but it helped fill the silence while she wove magic like a seamstress until everything was as good as she could make it.

After rousing Pinkie – which had been a lot easier than they’d been anticipating, considering how soundly she’d appear to be asleep – each of Twilight’s friends took their turn underneath her horn, enduring her early attempts and then her later successes.

And of course, the moment Twilight finished her grand explanation, Rainbow found a way to dumb it down almost brutally.

“So… you’re dubbing over us,” she grunted bluntly.

Twilight hesitated, missing a step, before turning to look at Rainbow. “I… What?”

“C’mon, egghead, I’ve seen enough martial arts movies; I know what’s going on. It’s like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, but in real life.”

“I saw that movie once,” mumbled Fluttershy. “It wasn’t what I was expecting… There wasn't a tiger in it at all.”

“Oh,” Twilight said, genuinely stumped by the simplicity of the response. “I… I guess that’s pretty accurate. Huh… I didn’t even think about that.”

“So long as Rainbow doesn’t start tryin’ ta pull them silly fightin’ moves again,” Applejack drawled, “we should be fine. How long is this goin’ ta last?”

“Can’t say for sure,” Twilight muttered. “I hope for a while. It might be a problem if I have to recast it all the time.”

“Perhaps I can be of some assistance there?” Rarity offered. “I may not be as gifted as you, darling, but I know my way around a spellbook or two. With the two of us, it shouldn't be a problem at all.”

Twilight gave her unicorn friend an appreciative smile. “Thanks, Rarity. I’ll show you how to cast it once we’re done questioning that imperial guy.”

Then Rainbow raised a pertinent question. “Uh, I don't mean to rain on your parade, Twi’, but… how do we even know it’s working? You know, besides the ear-tickling and tongue-tingling.”

Twilight was just about to answer that when the door behind them suddenly swung open. Their time was up.

The armored stallion surveyed the group, looking them up and down. Then…

“I take it you made use of the book?” he asked tersely, in perfect Equestrian.

Nopony needed to see his mouth moving to know that something was slightly… off, however. The voice that played in their ears was oddly blunted and unnatural, like they all had a little translator perched on their earlobes reciting what was being said while imitating the speaker's voice. Most of the stallion's inflection was missing entirely, and it had a rather tinny quality to it, unnatural and artificial, but it was words, and they could understand it.

Then Twilight tested the other aspect of the spell by speaking, herself. “We did. Thank you for letting us use it,” she said before offering the book back.

The stallion gave her a prolonged look. To the group, Twilight had sounded perfectly natural, though there was an odd overlay to her voice, like she was speaking through something covering her mouth.

After a few seconds, Twilight started to feel nervous. “Um… do I sound strange?” she asked. “I’ve never performed a spell like this before.”

The stallion blinked. Something had clicked in his head. “Ah, a spell. I see. You speak… passably, Princess Sparkle. But do not be surprised at a few strange looks.”

Even so, Twilight beamed internally. For an unfamiliar spell cobbled together over half an hour, she’d call it a resounding success. There’d be time enough for refinement later.

But then she quickly recomposed herself. “Alright, now… Let’s talk.”

The stallion nodded. “Very well. Follow me.”

He turned and trotted away, armor clinking noisily.

While Twilight climbed to her hooves, the rest of her friends gave the back of the stallion an uncertain look. “Not ta be ‘that pony’,” Applejack said, “but how do we know he’ll even tell us a darn thing? He ain’t been nothin’ but uncooperative since we got on this dang contraption.”

“He’ll talk,” Twilight said, and her confidence surprised the apple farmer. “I’m sure of it.”

“How can you be so sure?” Rainbow asked dubiously. “I’m with Applejack; the guy’s been nothing but trouble.”

“Because,” Twilight said simply, “Didn’t you girls see? That book he gave us was hoof-written.”

All five mares exchanged a look of surprise. They hadn’t even noticed, though considering Twilight had been hogging it, that wasn’t surprising.

“Come on, girls,” Twilight said with a grin as she headed for the door. “It’s time we got to work.”

With affirmative noises, all five jumped up and trotted, flapped, and bounced out of the room, totally focused on the task at hoof.

They were all too focused to notice a grumpy baby dragon curled up on the bed. “Mares…” Spike mumbled, curled up, and promptly went back to sleep.
	
> 4: Into the Mists
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	It was a very somber group that gathered around an oblong table of exquisite craftsmanship. Intricate designs were carved along the whole perimeter and inlaid with gold filaments that glittered and danced in the light of the slowly swinging lantern overhead.

Even the walls glimmered. Great tapestries covered in golden-flecked paints seemed to shimmer in the trembling firelight. They remained just barely out of sight, though; unintelligible shadows of color and glitter that looked disturbing like eyes watching the room at large.

But nopony was there to admire the work of Neighpon artisans.

Twilight, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity and a still-yawning Pinkie Pie shuffled in as confidently as they could behind the silent Imperial stallion who had yet to say a single thing.

Inside, Twilight’s mind was abuzz with possibilities and probabilities, but even she had to admit that she had little to no idea what to expect the stoic officer would tell them. After witnessing the monstrous sea creature – the Kaiju – she fully suspected that most of the assumptions she’d made were about to come unraveled.

The officer didn’t motion towards the table, but the group of friends assembled around it anyway, unbidden, while the officer himself moved to the other end.

For a moment, Twilight glanced around the room, taking in the otherworldly glittering tapestries that lined the walls, and tried very hard not to believe the snarling faces she saw were genuine.

Behind the officer was what looked like a cabinet of some sort, yet it was perhaps the most auspicious thing in the room. Even in shadows, it drew Twilight’s eye. It looked like some kind of tiny house, with a steepled roof, two large doors on the front, and some manner of thick cord wrapped around the whole thing.

She was drawn back to reality when the stallion stopped and faced them squarely in her line of sight.

“I want to make myself perfectly clear,” he stated, his voice sounding unnaturally flat to the group’s ears. “I have orders that it will be the venerable Emperor himself that will explain the situation to you once we arrive. When I say this conversation is over, it is over, and you shall not receive anything more from me. Understood?”

Twilight tried not the grimace. Some of her other friends, Rainbow in particular, were not so diplomatic. “But –”

“However,” the officer continued, speaking right over her. He turned to look at her, eyes nothing more than glints behind his fearsome helmet. “It is my sworn duty, above all else, to protect the Emperor and the Empire. And the longer this… monster roams my homeland unchecked, the more I fail in my duty.”

Twilight didn’t need to hear the true inflection of the stallion’s voice to know the weight with which he spoke his words. His whole body moved with the emphasis he piled on each word, even if it didn’t align with what they were hearing. It was the first time, Twilight noted, he’d ever shown any more emotion than icy disdain.

“I love my homeland, Princess Sparkle,” he said, eyes locked on her. “It has been my honor to serve her. And I will do what needs to be done to preserve her and her honor. So…”

With a grunt, he sat. “Ask your questions.”

Twilight glanced at her friends, sharing a looks in kind. For a moment, they said nothing, simply because they hadn’t yet thought of what to say. But it didn’t take Twilight long to come up with something.

“Well… First, I’d like to know your name,” she said simply. Hopefully the translation spell sounded just as monotone to him as he did to them, because she didn’t much cherish the pathetically anti-climactic way she said it.

The stallion looked at her. Either he stunned by her gall or honestly taken aback.

“… Tezuka,” he said simply. “You may call me Tezuka.”

Twilight nodded, trying to be polite. “I will. Thank you, Tezuka. Now then…”

She leaned forward across the table, her full attention coming to rest on the armored stallion. “What can you tell us about this creature? Not the one from before, but the one you wrote Princess Celestia about?”

Another pause. Twilight was starting to think that maybe it wasn’t surprise that was stalling Tezuka, but possibly something else entirely. It was a full four seconds before he even moved again, as if only then formulating what to say.

“In a way,” he said gruffly, “they are very similar.”

Twilight tried not to be rocked by that. The idea that what they were going up against could be just as terrifying as that Kaiju – or worse – was a pill she’d rather not swallow.

“How?” she asked. “It’s hard to imagine anything scarier than that Kaiju we just saw.”

Twilight felt the questioning eyes of all but one of her friends turn to her, but she didn’t have the time to recount their encounter with the monstrous sea creature.

Tezuka thought for a moment. Was he trying to choose his words carefully now? Honestly, he was so hard to read with the visor of his helmet down.

“We believe the creature that is besieging us is a Kaiju, similar to the beast you saw for yourself,” he said. “It is the first one seen inside the Empire in over sixty years. But this one… We have never seen it’s like before.”

Twilight gulped, her worst fears confirmed. It was going to be as bad as she thought. “What kind of defense does the Empire have against Kaijus?” She asked. “If you’ve encountered them before, surely you have some way of fighting back.”

Tezuka just looked at her, like she’d just spouted the most asinine thing he’d ever heard. “We are used to dealing with Kaiju on occasion,” he answered. “This ship was pulled from the hunting fleet responsible for eliminating their kind wherever they turn up.”

Across the table, Fluttershy paled, her eyes shooting open wide. “E-eliminate…?” she squeaked.

Tezuka continued like he hadn’t heard her tremulous voice – which he likely hadn’t. “However, the Empire hasn’t seen a Kaiju for over sixty years. Without an objective, the fleet grew smaller and smaller. We… were not ready for an attack of this magnitude.”

Twilight frowned to herself. Sixty years was an awfully long time… what had changed? It wasn’t much, but she’d had worse leads to work with. For the moment, she filed it away in her head, to be pondered over later.

“So far,” Tezuka went on, “nothing has been able to stop it. Many good ponies have paid great sacrifices to ensure others can get to safety. But this is not a war we can sustain. Whatever forces the Emperor has left have been withdrawn to defend the Imperial City.”

Twilight felt a jolt run through her. “But… what about everypony outside of the city?” she asked, yet somehow she knew the answer.

It was a good thing Tezuka still wore his helmet. Somehow, Twilight knew she wouldn’t have liked the look he was giving. “If I had to guess,” he said, “That is why he chose to call on Equestria for aid. We do not have the resources to be everywhere… not anymore. We… have few other options.”

Silence permeated the cabin. Six mares glanced between one another, exchanging apprehensive looks. Fluttershy, especially, looked like she’d been slapped in the face.

Twilight kept her head forward. She was quickly processing the information she was getting as fast as she could. She had suspected it would be grim news, but she was starting to realize that it was perhaps worse than she’d feared. But even if it wasn’t particularly good information, she still needed it. Even a small piece could solve a larger puzzle.

“You mentioned that it is unlike anything your country has ever faced before,” she said. “Do you know where it came from?”

Tezuka shook his head. “I do not. Nopony does. Kaiju used to appear without warning inside our borders. Usually the first we ever know of their presence is when an island is attacked.”

Twilight frowned to herself, but she didn’t say anything. But surely there could have been some safety measure they could have introduced. Still… it was Best to avoid argument for the time being, so she held her tongue.

“Some think they have a way to penetrate our barrier from the outside world,” Tezuka went on, “I say they have been here all along. Nothing makes it through the barrier without the Empire’s say-so. And then sixty years ago, the Kaiju stopped appearing altogether. We thought they were all extinct, but… This latest one proves we were wrong.”

He leaned onto the table with an elbow, not quite meeting Twilight’s gaze for the first time, as if lost in thought. “At first, we thought it was a Big Wave. One of our villages on the fringe of the Empire was hit… hard. But then it happened again, and again… Until we had a confirmed sighting of a massive Kaiju moving from island to island, using the cover of storms to mask its approach and leaving a path of destruction behind it. The Emperor dispatched the hunting fleet to deal with the threat, but we were… unsuccessful.”

Twilight mulled that over for a moment. “And… where is the rest of the hunting fleet now?”

Tezuka looked at her square in the face, then raised a hoof and gestured around. “You’re looking at it.”

All of the color bled out of Twilight’s face. “W…What?”

Tezuka set his hoof back down, slowly, as if worn out. “Whatever ships survived were conscripted by the Empire to defend the capital. The rest of us were charged to hunt down this threat… or die trying.”

“That’s…” Twilight gagged, unable to process it. A single, lone ship was expected to accomplish what an entire fleet could not? “And you… are okay with that?”

Twilight didn’t need to see Tezuka’s expression to know he was glaring at her. The atmosphere around him was enough.

“I would want it no other way,” he said.

The room when quiet. This time, the tension was almost palpable, and slow to abate.

Luckily, Rarity was quick to recover. “Then it seems like we will have our work cut out for us,” she said.

Tezuka glanced at her. “Indeed. I only hope your princess was not over-exaggerating your abilities.”

Twilight nodded. “She’s not somepony who boasts,” she said quietly. “And even if she did, we’re here, now. We won’t give up until Neighpon is safe. You have our word.”

Tezuka looked at her, mercurial as ever behind his helmet. He just stared for a few seconds, as if trying to size her up.

“We will see,” he said. “I have already gambled with the lives of my men far too much, and seen too little become of it. What you will be up against has laid waste to whole armies, destroyed whole cities, and the best we have ever been able to do is slow it down. So you will pardon me if my faith in the abilities of six children is… lacking.”

Twilight wanted to be indignant at that. A part of her was. But the part listening to Tezuka’s words couldn’t help but quail under the implications of what he was saying. Armies had been of no use. The kingdom responsible for some of the greatest innovations in magical theory… all but helpless against the threat it faced. Even in the most optimistic of situations, none of that sounded good.

If only they still had the Elements of Harmony…

But even as she was wavering inside, a familiar scoff cut the silence like a knife.

“Pff, no sweat,” Rainbow boasted. “We’ve been through plenty of tight spots already.”

“Don’t let our appearances fool you, sir,” Rarity said, lifting her noise. “Despite how we may look, we’ve been known to dabble in world-saving from time to time. It’s become something of a hobby, honestly.”

“We may look as delicate as a wildflower to you folks,” Applejack put in, “but y’all would be hard pressed to find anypony more qualified than us. Just point us to ‘em and we’ll have this critter hogtied before lunch.”

It was about the moment Applejack said ‘lunch’ that Pinkie suddenly snapped to full awareness faster than a lightbulb turning on. “Hay fries and a daffodil sandwich for me!” she cried.

Everypony blinked at her, the room falling silent. While Rainbow mouthed the word “random” at Twilight, the alicorn turned back towards Tezuka, who was just recovering himself. She pushed aside a question about how exactly ‘daffodil sandwich’ would translate into a language that couldn’t have had words for either, and assumed her most orderly demeanor.

“They’re right,” she said. “We’ve had plenty of experience dealing with some pretty nasty enemies in the past. I promise, we’ll do everything we can to save your homeland, Tezuka, even if nopony else has faith that we can.”

Tezuka looked at her for a very long time indeed, motionless. Then, ever so slightly, his shoulders relaxed. “Be sure that you do, Princess Sparkle.”

Twilight smiled slightly. It wasn’t much, but perhaps there still was hope to bridge centuries of animosity. 

Tezuka paused, as if catching his breath, then straightened up, all business once more. “Once we cross into the Empire, we will be stopping at a place called Odo Island – the first island to be attacked. We will see how good your word is afterwards.”

Twilight did her best to quell the sense of unease crawling around in her chest. “Do you hope to find something there?” she asked.

“You might,” Tezuka answered. “The villagers there have long worshipped a deity that they say guards their island. Perhaps their personal experience can aid you in some way.”

“Fat lot of help that did them, by the sounds of it,” Rainbow grumbled, her expression uneasy, even nervous.

Tezuka looked at her, candlelight flashing across his gleaming visor. “Indeed, especially since they believe it was that very same deity that attacked them.”

Twilight’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. “Wait, so… ponies believe what’s attacking you… is a god?”

Tezuka nodded stiffly. “Indeed. A god of vengeance, balance and authority. The shrine is small, like most for patron island deities. Normally I wouldn’t bother with their kind, but we must stop for resupply before we travel to the capital. And it might prove useful for you to see what this creature is capable of first-hoof before you encounter it.”

Something caught Twilight’s attention, making her fight back a frown. Their kind?

“Do you think we will find anything there?” she asked.

Tezuka was silent for an even longer time than usual. He looked down, eying the table as he thought.

“The folks there have… a story,” he said. He spoke slowly, carefully, as if uncertain about each word that left his mouth. “An old story held by the shrine that resides there. Then again, it could all be legend. At this point, I’m willing to resort to anything.”

Twilight couldn’t help but feel confused by Tezuka’s remark. She was just opening her mouth to question further, when a new sound broke its way into the quiet room.

A bell was ringing through the ship, distant and tinny, but audible. It was the first sound most of them had heard all night, and instantly it had ears perking up.

Tezuka looked up sharply towards the door behind the six mares, his gaze intensifying. “It looks like this discussion is over, Princess Sparkle,” he said.

“What? Why?” Twilight asked, doing a double take between Tezuka and the door.

Tezuka was already rising. “Because we’re here.”


~~***~~


The first thing that ran through Twilight’s mind as she sprinted up onto the ship’s deck was confusion, multiplied five times over for the mares clambering behind her.

“Uh… all I see is fog,” Rainbow mentioned, looking around.

Her words were very literal. The entire ship was wreathed in thick, choking mists so dense they seemed virtually solid mass, impregnable even by the relit lanterns lining the railing.

The mass was splitting around the fierce golden figurehead of the ship and rolling over it just high enough to leave a small, claustrophobic pocket over the deck where ponies could still see uninhibited from one end of the deck to the other. 

But there was nothing to see, not even remotely. Yet, while Twilight’s sight was of no use, her other senses were plenty keen. She had to steady herself as the ship beneath her began to slow so quickly it nearly threw her and her friends over.

Sailors clambered around the deck hastily, carrying out their duties as fast as equinely possible; tying down rigging, shoring up the sails, all manner of things that Twilight couldn’t describe.

She turned towards Tezuka, who was watching without comment while the rest of his crew worked at a feverish pace. “Tezuka, what’s going on?”

“We’ve arrived,” he said again, turning to face straight forward. “This is the boundary between Neighpon and the rest of the world. Now, no more questions, all of you. If you wish to watch, do so quietly and from someplace that’s out of our way.”

With that, he moved off, barking orders to the crew.

“And just when Ah thought he was startin’ to lighten up,” Applejack grumbled.

“Yeah, what’s his deal?” Rainbow griped.

“If I had to guess,” Twilight mumbled, “about six hundred years of prejudice.”

Obviously Rainbow didn’t like that response, but she said nothing further. The six mares shuffled off to one side, out of the way of more crewponies clambering up on deck, rubbing sleep from their eyes.

They all watched in silence. More than once, their eyes drifted up towards the wall of fog splitting around them. How could they even know where they were going? Were they even on course anymore?

There was something very unnatural about the thick banks of fog. Twilight could feel it. She may have been very new to the concepts of pegasus magic, but she at least knew how to read the winds and detect abnormalities in the air. Her senses were not tuned beyond tingles running up her spine and down her wings, but it was still identifiable.

Now… there was nothing. No sense of anything at all. It wasn’t like the mass of grey, wet air was an illusion; it was like it simply denied any attempts to scrutinize it. Like, beyond the railing, reality itself simply… ended.

“Is everything alright, darling?”

Twilight snapped her head around in Rarity’s direction. But she wasn’t looking at Twilight; rather, she was just as intent on the clouds billowing around them, an uneasy frown on her face.

“I… don’t know,” Twilight said back quietly. “I’ve… never felt ether like this before…”

“Felt what?” Rainbow said, looking thoroughly confused.

“Ambient magic,” Twilight said, waving a hoof dismissively. “The kind that’s sort of everywhere. Ambient magic is kind of a mouthful, so scholars just call it ‘ether’.”

“Well… I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Rainbow admitted, shrugging, “All I know is… these clouds feel weird…”

“U-uh-huh,” Fluttershy mumbled, peeking up through her mane. “I’ve never felt clouds like these before. Um… they are clouds, right?”

“What else could they be?” Rainbow asked, quirking her head to one side.

Applejack looked up, her eyes narrowing. “Ah don’t know about all that, but Ah ain’t ever seen fog this thick. Somethin’ awful weird is goin’ on around here, and Ah got a sneaking suspicion these Neighpon ponies have somethin’ to do with it.”

Worry flashed through Twilight’s mind, but she had to force herself to trust in the Neighponese’ navigation skills. Surely they knew something she didn’t.

That was when she heard a commotion.

All six of them turned, just as a sailor came clambering up from below and jogged straight towards Tezuka. “She’s on her way up. Won’t be long now.”

“’She’?” Rarity echoed. “Who in the world are they talking about? I haven’t seen any mares aboard besides us. Who in their right minds would? No offense to our hosts, but they lack a certain… feminine touch.”

A few feet away, a sailor hocked a loogie overboard. 

“… To put it lightly,” Rarity finished, wrinkling her nose.

Rarity did have a point. Considering the entire crew seemed to be made up of nothing but stallions, a mare should have stood out like a draconequus. Then again, none of them had been allowed to wander the ship, nor had they felt the desire to explore and stuck to the parts of the ship they knew. Not that they felt too scared to, but… the Neighponese were a rather intimidating bunch.

Now, Twilight was starting to feel like that had been a poor choice on her part. Was Tezuka keeping something else from them? Twilight wanted very much to ask, but knew better of it. If the imperial said questioning was over, she knew it was over.

Further commotion reached them from below deck, and every crew member abruptly scampered for the side railings, clearing the deck. All six mares listened and watched keenly as a figure glided into view.

Instantaneously, Twilight knew this was no rough, uncouth sailor. Sailors didn’t tend to have clean, immaculate hooves and unblemished white fur, nor did they dress in breathtaking silken robes or wore elaborate fineries of pure gold.

All six mares watched, transfixed, as this slender pony moved at an even pace across the deck, two mares close behind. 

Both mares were holding a length of thin, pure white cord that vanished underneath the silken veils hiding their faces. Each cord met in the middle – on a finely crafted, thickset box painted red and gold and covered in exquisite, serpentine carvings – two along the lid’s seam, a third over the top, with all three golden dragon-like heads meeting in the middle.

Nothing of the lead mares’ bodies were visible, save for the tips of hooves, and a long, slender horn of the lead figure, which was almost absurdly decorated with golden hoops, baubles, and tipped right on the end by a cap adorned with radial spokes, like the first rays of sunrise across the heavens. 

“Not exactly subtle attire, I dare say,” Rarity murmured in a private aside to Twilight.

The entire deck went dead quiet. When Twilight looked around, she witnessed sailors averting their gazes, declining their heads almost reverently, as if merely looking upon the trio would be disrespectful. One or two even swept the grubby hats from their heads. Even Tezuka was bowing.

Everypony was standing off to the sides, none even close to being in the figure’s way as it made its way regally from one end of the deck to the other, never once showing any interest in those around it.

“Who is that?” Rainbow hissed in an undertone to Twilight. She was looking between the newcomers and Tezuka, the sight of the once intimidating stallion now taking a humble knee obviously throwing her for a loop.

“If Ah had ta guess,” Applejack whispered back, “she’s the one in charge ‘round here.”

Twilight was looking the figure up and down, putting the pieces together, mentally referencing every Neighponese book she’d committed to memory. And the more she thought, the more an image started to form in her head, bit by bit.

“I think,” she said in the smallest of whispers, “that is an Imperial Sorceress. The top echelon in Neighpon. I’ve heard stories, but… I never thought I’d actually see one. All the stories said they were extremely reclusive. Even Princess Celestia rarely saw them when she visited a long time ago.”

All six turned back to watch the regal pony and her maids-in-waiting proceed down the length of the ship in almost ceremonial fashion.

“If she’s so high and mighty,” Applejack hissed to Twilight, “How come we were never introduced, or even knew she was on board? That don’t sound like somethin’ Tezuka woulda just glossed over.”

To that, Twilight didn’t have a good answer. “I don’t know. Maybe… the social divides are a lot bigger here than in Equestria.”

“Still don’t seem right,” Applejack said.

“You’re telling me,” Twilight agreed. 

The rest of the group watched in silence as the sorceress reached the bow of the ship. Standing in the shadow of the fierce yet ornate golden spines of the figurehead, she looked as small as a filly standing in a corner of a fortress courtyard.

In one graceful movement, she turned around to face her maids. All three exchanged a polite bow, bending at the knee but not uttering a word.

Then, the sorceress’ horn started to glow with a fiery orange light so reminiscent of a sunrise.

To Twilight’s surprise, the box being carried by the two maids then started to click and clank. She couldn’t make out what was going on, but she thought she could just make out some kind of motion, as if some kind of mechanism was being unlocked.

Then, with a loud ka-chick, the lid flipped open. And out floated…

“… A rock?” Rainbow muttered, completely at a loss for words. “You’re… you’re seeing that too, right? Or… am I seeing things?”

“No,” Rarity responded, deadpan. “No, that’s definitely a rock.”

“Sure looks like a rock ta me,” Applejack put in.

“Maybe it’s… um… a special rock,” Fluttershy offered, but even she looked confused.

“Ooo, ooo!” Pinkie enthused, bouncing in place excitedly, “I should know this, I should know this!”

She bounced two or three more times… then came a complete stop, looking thoroughly confused. “Wow… How does Maudie do it?”

Admittedly, it was rather unexpectedly plain looking. The object the mare had so reverently and ceremoniously extracted was, to the naked eye, nothing more than an oval-shaped lump of grey stone, unremarkable in any other way.

But Twilight was frowning. None of her friends noticed, as caught up as they were in their confusion. Something didn’t feel right; something in the air, as atmospheric as a feeling, but more tangible than that. But what could it be…?

Meanwhile, the two maids bowed to the sorceress, then silently stepped five precise steps away from her, heads down, taking the box with them.

Even for such simple actions, it was like a dance, or ritual, Twilight realized. Everything she was witnessing was being carefully choreographed, as if practiced for hours and hours on end by every pony involved.

“What is she doing?” Rainbow hissed, but Rarity and Twilight both merely shushed her. They didn’t have answers, anyway.

Then, without forewarning, the sorceress suddenly stood up on her hind legs. The folds of her dress furled open wide, flung open like great wings as she extended her hooves to either side.

“Oh great spirits!” she cried, loud enough for everypony on deck to hear her perfectly. “Lend me your aid as I open the way to our sacred homeland!”

Now Twilight was truly intrigued. Despite the anxiety worrying at the back of her head, she still found it in her to realize that she could be one of the first Equestrians to bear witness to a Neighponese tradition in centuries. Now she really wished she had a quill and paper to right on.

Still, she couldn’t help but feel confused. Open the way? Just what kind of barrier did the Neighponese put up?

Just as she started to wonder that, a new light bloomed into being, catching her attention. It was like the first rays of the sun peeking over the horizon, except the source was the gilded horn atop the sorceress’s head.

And then, through squinting eyes, Twilight saw the sorceress lower her head, and point her horn straight at the ordinary chunk of rock floating in front of her. 

That was when Twilight felt it. The air started to hum. Something shocked through the air, putting the hairs on the back of her neck on end. It was a sensation Twilight had never felt before, but it felt to her very much like she’d just hit every funny bone in her body at once.

“Goodness,” hissed Rarity, shivering as if she’d just jarred a nerve as well. “What in the world was that?”

Before Twilight could say anything, the light began to grow brighter still. Golden rays of unicorn magic turned so blinding it was almost impossible to look directly into… and something else, something Twilight had never felt before. Wild, agitated, hyperactive in a very bad way…

“I don’t know, but I’m starting to get a really bad feeling about this,” said Twilight, edging back slightly. “Something doesn’t feel right about this… Just what is that stone?”

Nopony had an answer. At the same time, the Sorceress was saying something – a chant, or hymn of some sort, but it was lost over the distance between them all.

“Dog, feeling, kettle, my, rice…”

“Uh… is it just me, or is she saying complete nonsense?” Rainbow pointed out while tapping her ear.

“There’s too much interference for the translation spell to work properly,” Twilight answered, rubbing one of her temples.

“Interference?” Rainbow echoed, giving her a startled look. “From where?”

Twilight pointed while squinting through the burning light. “That rock.”

All six mares shielded their eyes, but even without them, Twilight could sense what was going on.

A spell was taking shape, one so intricate and so broad it stunned her. It anchored itself into the very air, the very magic circulating through the world around them, seized it like a thousand fishing hooks sinking into an immense beast. All around them, ripples of magic were coursing through the air, unseen, but not unfelt by Twilight. It was as if the very foundations of reality were protesting against the force being exerted on it.

More and more tethers snaked out, connecting to unseen forces here, there, everywhere all around them.

And then, to Twilight’s horror, they wrenched. Not inward, not outward, but from side to side, a thousand-thousand claws digging into the very fabric of reality and tearing it open wide.

Twilight wanted to shout out a warning, to try to undo the damage the sorceress had surely done. She’d read about the effects of inter-dimensional fissures, seen some of the effects in some of Celestia’s grimmest lessons – had nightmares about it for months afterwards even.

But just as she was starting to run forward in a futile attempt to save as many ponies as she could, she felt the most peculiar, most unexpected snapping sensation in the air around them all.

And suddenly, the fog ripped itself open. No… not a fog, she realized. An enchantment, one so powerful and so ancient she hadn’t even sensed it for what it was. Now, however, she did.

It was as if the whole world beyond the ship’s decks sprang back to life. Magic, raw and unfettered, ripped out of the gaping hole in the fog bank, washing over everypony and everything. Even the earth ponies felt it, if Pinkie’s sudden squeal hinted at anything.

Twilight suddenly felt herself swaying backwards; the ship was surging forward, rushing to take advantage of the opening.

Twilight could feel the powerful enchantment rebounding, like displaced water rushing to fill in a void. Suddenly, the sorceress’s spell wasn’t comprised of countless tethers, but became countless pillars instead, rigid and unbending against the imploding gap.

But again, as Twilight cast her senses out, inspecting the many anchors the sorceress had forged, she came across that same alien force – energy, but not quite magic. She’d never encountered anything like it before, and it puzzled her greatly.

No… not magic… but it’s reacting to it. Where is this reaction coming from…?

She was still curiously analyzing the mysterious energy… when something else caught her attention.

And it announced itself with a thunderous rumble.

Twilight’s eyes snapped open, a gasp on her lips. The sorceress’s spell was still as blinding as ever, but just beyond the blinding light, through the gap being ripped in the fog, something darker was pressing its way in – a black mass that buzzed and popped, filling the air with the smell of ozone.

All of a sudden, Rainbow was on high alert, her wings snapping open. “Whoa! Major thunderstorm, twelve-o-clock!”

“What are ya –” Applejack started to say, still blinded by the light of the unicorn’s horn.

That was when a lance of lightning as wide as a pony exploded through the air over their heads, filling the sky above them with burning white light. Instantaneously it arced straight to the tops of the sails in the rear of the ship. It happened so fast that nopony noticed until the deafening bang of a mast exploding into fiery shrapnel rent the air.

The explosive thunderclap made everypony on deck jump in alarm – including the sorceress.

Suddenly, the thunder wasn’t alone. Lightning arced through the air, magic coalescing in a deadly spectacle of light and sound. Cracks and booms echoed all around as magic collided and discharged, sending ripples of superheated energies buffeting across the deck.

The sorceress’s spell was starting to buckle under the sheer might of the enchanted fog bearing down in it. Pillars of concentrated magic bent and warped, shrinking as they were disintegrated under the stronger surge they were trying to hold back.

The sorceress strained, gathering what power she could, but Twilight could feel her spell diminishing.

The walls were coming in, spitting unnatural lightning and booming thunder and blowing hot arcane winds in their faces.

Twilight reached out, trying to sense how far they had left to go to get out. Too far. 

With an otherworldly boom, a pillar shattered. It wasn’t sound, but repercussion of sheer magical force that pounded through Twilight’s body.

“What the hay is going on?!” cried out Rainbow Dash. Her voice drew Twilight back to reality, and suddenly she realized how loud things had gotten.

The distorted winds lashed across the deck, howling and screaming like some enraged animal. Sailors, once bowing humbly, were cowering as low to the ground as they could, some with their hooves around anchored objects.

The ship was pitching and shuddering wildly, buffeted to and fro uncontrollably. They were pushing forward, but it felt like the sheer force being exerted on it was going to shake the mighty vessel to pieces.

A blinding flash of light, and suddenly a line of wood across the deck simply… vanished. No fire, no smoke – it’d simply been erased in totality. The discharges were getting worse.

Twilight knew then that they weren’t going to make it. The sorceress’s spell, for all its might, was buckling too fast. She alone could not keep the way opened.

She had no choice. She had to act.

“Twilight! Where are you going?” shouted somepony behind her. She’d never know who, for at that moment, she was galloping across the deck as fast as she could.

A loud keening sound reached her ears, and she looked back just in time to see the tops of the fin-like sails vaporizing, reconstituted into base energies right before her eyes.

She turned back around – no time to dwell on that. If she did nothing, the entire ship was going to be devoured, and they’d all be nothing more than arcane particles trapped in a fold of reality.

Twilight sprinted forward, heedless of the lashing winds, dodging rigging, rampant magical ejections and panicking sailors, her eyes locked on the sorceress.

The closer she got, the more she started to make the sorceress out. Instead of standing tall and erect like before, she’d buckled virtually to her knees, her forelegs slumping as if weighed down by the weight of the world.

A million possible solutions flashed through Twilight’s mind, but she rejected each in turn. A barrier spell couldn’t stop this sheer level of destructive force. She had no hope of teleporting the entire vessel anywhere more than a few feet in any direction, not with the sheer mass of it and everypony on board and without any trajectory in her head, and that wouldn’t solve anything at all. And they weren’t going to make it very far without the ship, not in a sea of Kaiju. 

She could not hope to duplicate the sorceress’s spell – it was too complex. Maybe if she had a few hours to trial test it, but as things were looking, she’d be lucky to have minutes, if not seconds.

There was, however, one solution, but it had her biting her lip nervously. It was either going to work… or it was going to hurt very much. Or both.

Twilight skidded to a stop, rounding to the front of the sorceress at the same time.

The sheer light her horn was giving off was diminishing, crushed beneath the terrible etheric backlash threatening them all. But it was still too bright to look directly at.

Still, Twilight could hear the mare moaning and whimpering, her poster faltering little by little.

“I… can’t…!” she whimpered.

“Yes you can!” Twilight shouted over the howling magic.

The mare looked up, just as Twilight ran up to her. “Wh-who… who are…?”

Twilight didn’t say anything. She leaned forward, aimed her horn at the mare’s own decorated horn, and after an embarrassed second of hesitation, pressed the two tips together.

Immediately, Twilight regretted it. Now she was connected to the spell, and subjected to every crushing ounce of power from the energies trying to stamp it out of existence. She had no control – if anything, she’d accomplished the equivalent of hooking in a new battery. But that had been the idea all along, as insane as that sounded.

Every ounce of magic came rushing out of her with all the suddenness of a megaton bomb detonating. Torrents of magic poured out of her, overshadowing the sorceress’s completely. What had once been golden sunlight morphed into lavender dusk, shining forth ten times brighter than before with a soundless boom.

The buckling columns straightened and pushed back. The crumbling opening was thrown open even wider than before. But it wouldn’t stay that way for long, not with Twilight’s raw strength of will alone.

“I don’t know what to do,” Twilight said to the stunned mare. “It’s up to you now!”

The sorceress said nothing. Twilight’s eyes were screwed tightly together in concentration, but soon, she felt the sorceress begin to respond.

Magic, not her own, interweaved hers, pushing it and directing it where it needed to go. Replacement braces were forged from their melded magic. Weakened ones were strengthened and recovered.

Finally, the winds died down enough for Twilight to hear the voices of five mares cheering in the distance… and a whole lot of stunned silence from the crew itself.

Oh, if only she could see the look on Tezuka’s face now…


~~***~~


Finally, after what felt like a small eternity, Twilight felt the sorceress’s magic start to wind down and untangle itself from her own.

She couldn’t help but sigh with relief. That had been a lot more taxing than she’d hoped, and she knew she was going to have the worst headache ever in a few minutes.

The sorceress finally let the last of the magical struts collapse safely behind the ship, and with a cacophonous crash of sound and magic, the wall of impenetrable fog slammed shut behind them, and all was deafeningly quiet.

At last, Twilight cracked open her eyes. She felt liable to fall to the ground out of sheer exhaustion, and she felt like she wouldn’t even be able to levitate a feather at that point… but she’d done it. They were all safe.

When she opened her eyes, however, she found the sorceress staring straight at her through a white veil, frozen in place.

“Are you okay?” Twilight asked. Surely she wasn’t the only one to be dog tired after all that.

For some reason, however, the sorceress just stared at her, unspeaking, her face hidden behind her clean white veil. Then, rather abruptly, she spun around and dashed away as fast as her flowing silken gown would allow her. She was practically tripping over herself in her haste.

She made it halfway across the deck when, just as suddenly, she came to a stop as if she just remembered something, spun around… and gave Twilight the most unexpected bow. “P-please take care of me!” she said, oddly flustered, before spinning back around and racing away, her two maids scrambling to catch up.

Everypony on deck just looked around, completely at a loss… save for one.

Tezuka stared straight at Twilight for so long that she had to look away. She just felt too uncomfortable. Instead, she turned to meet her friends, right as they came sprinting up the length of the ship towards her.

“That was amazing, Twilight!” enthused Rainbow. “I mean, I wasn’t really scared or anything, but the way you just jumped in like that –! So awesome!”

“Way ta think on yer hooves,” Applejack praised, clapping her on the back and very nearly throwing her to the deck. “Keep that up and we’ll be off this dang flyin’ contraption before ya know it.”

Twilight endured all of their praise – not just Applejack and Rainbow, but Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie as well – with a sheepish expression and flush of color in her cheeks.

“It wasn’t that big of a deal, really. And now that we’re through…”

Crash!

With a deafening roar of sound, rain fell upon them all at once – a deluge so heavy it was like an entire ocean had upended itself over their heads.

Spluttering and squealing in alarm, all six ponies looked up… into the underbelly of a black stormcloud seething with lightning. Rain, cold and pounding, assaulted them and the boat, drowning out all other sounds. Within seconds, all six of them were soaked right down to the bone.

It was no small storm system, either. As far as they could see through the lingering fog, there was nothing but dark purple and black clouds bearing down over their heads.

“First the deplorable sleeping arrangements, then nearly getting vaporized, now this,” Rarity whined. “This trip simply cannot get any worse!”

Applejack rolled her eyes, then turned to Rainbow. “Sugarcube, would ya mind?”

“On it!” Rainbow shouted, just as she jetted off into the sky overhead.

Twilight watched her go. The whole time, something was nagging at the back of her mind taxed mind, something elusive but important. Storms….

She was just starting to turn around when all of a sudden vertigo decided to blindside her out of nowhere. Dizziness overcame her, but just as she started to totter, somepony caught her.

“Whoa there,” Applejack grunted, concern in her voice. “You alright, Twilight?”

“Sorry,” she apologized on reflex. “Just… a little lightheaded, that’s all.”

“I should think so, after all that,” Rarity put in, appearing out of nowhere. Suddenly, her soaked mane was the least of her concerns. “Come along, darling; you need to rest.”

Twilight got halfway through her nod… when something caught her attention.

Ponies were shouting behind her, their voices just barely audible over the pounding rain. “Get that rigging tied down! I want everypony not doing that to get to assessing the damage!”

It was Tezuka, shouting at the top of his lungs. To hear him, one would think the entire ship was going down.

“What’s going on?” Twilight asked, looking around somewhat blearily.

None of her friends answered. They didn’t have to, because at that moment, gravity decided it didn’t need them anymore.

Applejack yelped. Rarity squealed. Fluttershy automatically caught herself with he wings. Pinkie just giggled from the tickling sensation. None of their hooves actually left the deck, but nopony mistook the sign for what it was.

The Amaterasu actually was going down.

“Can’t a pony catch a break,” sighed Applejack in exasperation.

“You six!” Tezuka shouted, caught himself, then barked, “where is the rainbow one?”

“Dealing with the storm,” hollered Twilight. “What’s going on?”

“We’re making an emergency landing,” came Tezuka’s voice. That whole time, Twilight had no idea where he even was, so thick was the rainfall. But after some looking around, she finally spotted the faintest profile through the downpour.

“Get below deck, now! We’ll be sailing the rest of the way to Odo Island while my crew inspects the engine.”

“I believe that answers your question,” Rarity said in a private aside to Applejack, “and it seems the answer would be a ‘no’.”


~~***~~


The Amaterasu’s landing was not a gentle one. With its engines seizing, it practically plummeted out of the sky in a controlled fall, and hit the ocean belly-first so hard it threw Twilight and her four other friends down onto the ground in their quarters, no matter how hard they were holding on.

With an agonized groan, the ship bobbed back up, throwing ocean spray high into the rainy air, then slammed its belly into the rolling waves one last time, almost burying its nose into a mountain of water as it surged upon them.

“And now we’re sailing,” Applejack sighed, eyes to the sky. “Landsakes, this trip really does keep gettin’ better and better.”

“You call this sailing?” Rarity shot as everything in the room shifted with a rasp of wood on wood.

“Sure beats dyin’, now don’t it,” Applejack replied smoothly.

Rarity just gave her a dirty look.

“W-we just have to wait until Rainbow takes care of the storm,” Fluttershy said, all the while maintaining her death grip on a crossbeam overhead.

“Well, she’s takin’ her sweet time,” Applejack complained, eyeing the porthole. “There ain’t goin’ ta be a lot of repairin’ goin’ on if the waves keep up like this.”


~~***~~


Rainbow was not having a grand old time, herself.

The storm was huge – way too huge for a single pegasus to handle even under the best of conditions. It was simply too big to break up – it would just form back together behind her before she could get a proper break going.

Of course, most pegasi weren’t Rainbow Dash.

Again she flung herself hoof-first into the underbelly of the cloud, and again it caved, ripping apart satisfactorily like wool fluff. She had to keep going for nearly a hundred feet straight up before she even cracked the surface again, and then she was diving back down without catching her breath.

She had to work fast and precise, fast and precise. She could handle a storm this size solo – had done it before. Most ponies didn’t let her anymore, because they said her bragging was insufferable.

But this storm… this was something else. It was like it was actively trying to resist her, reforming faster than she’d ever seen before.

Finally she breached the underbelly again, and looked up, picking a new target, trying to feel where the storm was weakest.

To her dismay, the hole she’d just punched upwards was already as small around as a foal’s leg, and shrinking by the second.

Ionization tingled in her nostrils, and Rainbow instinctively threw herself up, just as a bolt of lightning tore through the sky, missing her by inches.

“Okay, you wanna do this the hard way?” She shouted, rolling her shoulders one at a time. The storm grumbled contemptuously back.

“Okay, one order of ‘hard way’, coming right up!” she bellowed, tensed to strike. She wound up for a kick, and lunged.

She almost didn’t see the rock coming.

At first it was only a shadow, darker than the pitch black storm itself. But primal instinct took over as she saw it coming – a vast shadow, as big around as a house. Without even thinking, she tossed herself to the side, narrowly evading the projectile as it screamed passed her.

“What the hay?!” she cried, watching it go. She watched it as it tumbled end over end, one end pointed, the other jagged and cracked as if it’d been smashed by some tremendous force. Then, with an explosive crash, it hit the water, ejecting a plume of foam and sea spray high into the air.

“Where in the…?” Rainbow mumbled, hastily looking around. Every muscle in her body was keyed, pounding with adrenaline. She could tell something was terribly wrong… that she wasn’t alone.

Then she heard it; a distant thud – a cracking sound so cacophonous it echoed through the pounding rain and found her ears.

Another mountain-sized slab of stone came soaring through the air, bigger than the last, trailing ocean spray as it spun, end over end, through the air.

This one wasn’t even close, missing Rainbow by a country mile, but she still felt the gust of air off it as it passed, disappearing the same way as the first.

“Okay,” Rainbow said to herself nervously, “this is getting kinda spooky. What’s…”

…OOOOOOOOONNNNKKKK….

Rainbow’s blood ran cold. Only her wings kept moving as that resounding thunderclap of a sound reverberated across the sky.

Now, every fiber of her being was screaming at her to run. To climb as high in the sky as she could, or to get as close to the horizon as she could before her wings gave out. To run and run, and get away from whatever had made that sound.

Rainbow’s eyes slowly drifted downwards, into the cold dark of the gloom below her, and the roiling whitecaps far below. She had to be at least five hundred feet up, if not a thousand. And yet those slabs of shoal had almost nailed her twice already.

And if she strained her ears, she just thought she could make something out… a distant thumping, thudding, crashing…

Rainbow glanced over her shoulder, back in the direction of the others. By now they’d probably moved off a good ways. If she didn’t go find them now, she might not be able to later. It totally wasn’t running away – it just made sense!

But then she looked back down in front of her. Then again… she couldn’t just leave whatever Mister Rockthrower was down there, unchecked. What if it came after the ship, and the girls?

Rainbow gulped, unable to make up her mind. That was when the third, and largest object came soaring up at her.

Instinctively she dodged without even looking at it, only registering that it darkened the sky next to her as it passed.

Now, indignation was rising to her defense. Did this thing really mean to kill a bird with one stone? Oh hay no!

She didn’t even bother watching the third object plummet back to sea. Seen one rock, seen ‘em all. Besides, she was keenly focused now. She angled herself downwards, and shot down at a steep angle, catching rain as it fell. She was so getting to the bottom of this.

A few seconds of hard dive later, she fanned out her wings and braked, her eyes flashing around quickly.

Rain. Lots and lots of rain. That was all she saw at first as she drifted forward. It’d be smarter to stay moving.

“Okay, tough guy,” Rainbow growled. “Where are you?”

She turned her head – and almost jumped out of her skin. A towering, rain-beaten spire of stone jutted up out of the water nearly two hundred feet like some worn rib bone. She looked it up and down, and as she did so, she noticed the rather flat top it had – most unusual.

Guess that would explain where the rocks were coming from…

As she looked around, she found more such spires – the remains of an island, perhaps, worn down and eroded until all that was left were shoals and needle-like spires.

The biggest of the lot loomed a short ways away – an absolute mountain, probably the sturdiest thing around.

And the most animate.

At first, Rainbow thought her eyes were playing tricks on her – the rain making her see things. Until the whole summit of the mountain turned, and He took one massive, muffled step forward.

All around Him were the remains of rocky outcroppings – shattered and obliterated, little more than shards protruding out of the shallow sea.

Rainbow stared, horrified and transfixed all at once, paralyzed by shock.

Even buried up to its shins in ocean currents, He towered over her. His other leg surged forward, creating a fresh wave for the pounding storm.

Rainbow watched, unable to move, as He came to a stop, leaned forward, and then fell into the waves with a tremendous crash of thousands of tons of scales and muscle on ocean water. By the time the water fell back to the surface, He was long gone. All that was left was a surge of water rolling away over the sea for a few hundred yards, further north. Deeper into Neighpon.
	
> 5: Destruction's Wake
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The rain was something else.

Even as Rainbow pounded her wings through the sky, urging every last bit of speed out of her burning muscles, she couldn’t help but take notice of the downpour lashing against her face and body.

Wind buffeted her to and fro, as if intent on knocking her to the rolling sea below. Her face was numb from the constant bombardment of icy lashes, and exertion was taking its toll.

She kept trying to get a feel for the gusts as they came and went. Normally that wasn’t a problem; The wind under a pegasus’ wings was never unfavorable, no matter how cold the air or how turbulent. Twilight would explain it as something fancy and eggheady involving a lot of really big egghead words, but Rainbow knew it in simpler terms; pegasus magic was awesome.

But this storm was breaking all the rules.

Again she was nearly knocked right out of the sky when a hurricane-force lashing wind smashed into her broadside, taking her completely by surprise. She recovered, but not before losing nearly a hundred feet of altitude.

She just didn’t get it, and not getting something – especially something in the sky – frustrated her to no end. She should be able to handle even the most ferocious of windstorms; her body should be reacting to incoming gusts before she consciously could. It was just something pegasi did, not get blindsided by every arrant breeze a storm put out. It just didn’t make sense! The storm wasn’t even that strong!

First a storm that refuses to be put out, now winds that don’t play by the rules. It’s the Everfree all over again…

Rainbow didn’t have time to distract herself with the petulant storm, however. She had far more pressing things to deal with, and she forced herself to focus. She’d just have to live with being buffeted around a bit.

She pushed herself onward, her eyes scouring the curtains of rain and gloomy, towering waves below for any signs of a massive battleship. So far, however, all she’d found was one mountain of water and sea spray after another, creating a vast, ever-shifting range of peaks and valleys far below, complete with white caps. But there was not gigantic ship to be seen.

Rainbow knew she was headed in the right direction – at least according to where she’d seen the ship last. The screwy weather couldn’t throw off her internal compass that much. She’d always had a good sense of direction in the air, which was the only reason she wasn’t panicking at the moment. Otherwise, the sight of endlessly rolling waves would have been much more insurmountable in appearance.

She strained her eyes, looking this way and that. Her heart thundered in her chest, and for reasons far exceeding simple fatigue. She had to find the others, now. She had to warn them…

Something caught her eye far off in the distance, through the sheeting rain and murky gloom of the storm. Just barely visible on the horizon, there was a flash of light. A purple flash of light.

Twilight…

Rainbow gnashed her teeth in a vicious smile. Atta girl…

With that, Rainbow trimmed her wings and dove, building up speed. The wind protested, lashing at her with such ferocity that she almost lost control entirely. She just barely managed to keep steady just before she hit the crest of a monstrous wave and shot off around it.

Tsunami-sized breakers rolled all around her, black and glassy, and higher than any building back home. They rose and fell, collapsing only to surge high again. Rainbow had never seen waves like these before, and she couldn’t help but stare in awe every time one pitched upwards in her line of sight.

At least down here, the wind wasn’t so terrible. The rain still found her, biting and stinging her face with icy cold drops, but compared to the unpredictable turbulence overhead, she could manage.

The wind still found her now and then, whenever the waves broke apart at just the wrong moment, but at least here the most she was dealing with was the predictable motion of titanic ocean currents.

She could try to climb, get above the storm. But how much time would that take? Too much, her mind spat out. And she could very easily become even more lost than she already was, or completely overshoot her target. So she doggedly pushed herself on.

Thunder boomed overhead, a lance of lightning cracking the heavens in two.

And through the darkness, Rainbow made it out once more; a wave that did not collapse into the surf, one that defied all in its straight path across the stormy sea.

A wave crested by three rows of serrated spines as tall as a galleon’s masts.

It was there only for a moment; a snapshot burnt into Rainbow’s mind before darkness closed in again. But it was all she needed to see.

Even flying seriously, it was still in front of her. Just how fast was this thing?

Rainbow’s eyes dwelled on the darkness that now hid the thing between her and her friends. Another flash of light far off in the distance caught her attention, and her growled to herself. It was headed straight for them just as certainly as she was.

“Okay, big guy,” she snarled through clenched teeth. “You want to do this? Let’s do this!”

She reached down deep inside herself, coiling like a spring. She had never, ever lost a race – the Running of the Leaves didn’t count! – and she wasn’t about to now!

Rainbow forced herself forward, her wings screaming in protest. She ignored it and just kept going. The air was starting to fight against her, like a rubber band trying to hold her back.

She veered in a lazy zigzag – all she could manage at speed without bleeding off too much. But for the first time, the storm was cooperating with her. The waves were predictable, save for the one separating her from her friends.

Sound was starting to bleed away. She felt the air around her bending, right on the verge of snapping.

She was gaining on it now, surely. Just a little more…

Out of nowhere, a wave rose in front of her – one topped with something wide and strangely familiar. Almost like a –

Sail!

Instinctively Rainbow slammed on the brakes, veering wildly to avoid the obstacle.

But it was too late.

Another powerful blast of wind slammed into her from above. She yelped, veering wildly in the wrong direction. 

The barrier of wind and turbulence fighting back against her countered. Like a springboard, it hit her full in the face, rebounding with the force of a body-slamming dragon.

Rainbow’s yelp turn to a cry of panic as up became left, right became backwards – every direction skewing wildly as she tailspinned out of control through darkness. Her internal compass spun, gyroscope flipping wildly. All she saw was gloom, rain, another flash of light, rain, sky, water, sky, water, rain, something black spitting foam in every direction… then nothing.

~~***~~

Twilight clung to the railing of the ship, worry eating away at her. She clung on for dear life as the ship pitched and heaved wildly in the raging sea, but her eyes stayed up, keen for any trace of a rainbow streak through the rain.

Nothing.

Again she lifted her head, pointing straight up. She ignited her horn, and with a grunt of effort, fired off a purple bolt of light. It flew fifty feet over the highest sail, then exploded with a deafening bang, filling the sky with blinding light.

Again, she waited, eyes scanning the heavens through the twinkling lights popping in front of her eyes.

“Come on, Rainbow… Where are you?”

“Twilight!”

She snapped her head around – not to the sky, but towards the deck behind her.

Rarity was carefully working her way across the deck, shielding herself from the rain as best she could with a flower-print umbrella that looked in danger of snapping. At least it kept the worse of the storm off of her, and that was all she could hope for at the moment.

Her legs were splayed unusually wide in an effort to keep her balance on the rolling floor. Even so, she appeared to be trying to tiptoe as best she could to avoid the greasy dock sloshing with ocean water and one or two panic-stricken fish.

“You really should be resting, darling,” she said, shouting a little over the drawl of the rain.

“I will,” Twilight promised, then glanced back up. “Once Rainbow gets back.”

Rarity gave her worried friend a look, then turned to survey the stormy sky above. “Twilight, darling, she’s a grown mare. She can look after herself. If she was here right now, what do you suppose she would say?”

Twilight shook her head. “It’s been too long, Rarity. This storm should have been broken up by now. Something’s happened, and… and… and I’m afraid of what that may be.”

Rarity returned her gaze to Twilight, sympathetic. 

It wasn’t like she was alone in her concern. The pegasus should have been back half an hour ago; this, everypony knew. The last she’d seen of Applejack, she’d been pacing their room, muttering to herself. Fluttershy had done her best to offer her positive outlook, but admittedly, a scenario involving Rainbow stopping to help a floundering family of ducks was pushing into delusion territory.

Pinkie was, of course, striving to keep spirits up, but Rarity was keeping an eye on the state of her mane, just in case.

“Twilight, you’re exhausted,” Rarity pointed out. “You need to rest before you overwork yourself!”

Twilight hardly gave off the air of being cooperative, until Rarity put a hoof on her shoulder. When Twilight turned searchingly, Rarity gave her a kind smile – the best she could muster. “I will handle Rainbow,” she stated. Her voice was full of finality – it was not up for discussion. “You’ll do nopony any favors in your current state.”

Twilight gave her a nervous look. “Are… are you sure?”

“Positive, darling,” Rarity beamed. “Now shoo. I’ll be just fine. But I will be expecting a warm bath afterwards. All this sea salt is simply murder on my coat and mane.”

Twilight smiled, though her heart was only partially in it. “Alright…”

Rarity’s expression softened. She patted Twilight’s shoulder, earning her an appreciative… grimace, at least. “She’s fine, Twilight. You’ll see.”

It took only a little further convincing for the exhausted alicorn princess to finally relent. She was feeling practically dead on her hooves. Even though Rainbow was still lost, she couldn’t deny that she was practically running on fumes.

At last, Rarity watched as Twilight turned and slowly shambled her way back to the lower decks, wobbling and weaving as the boat pitched wildly in the surf. Rarity made sure her friend had properly disappeared below deck before she turned her own sights up towards pouring heavens before firing off her own beacon while multitasking her grip on her umbrella.

“Where are you, Rainbow?” she muttered to herself. “You’re starting to really push being fashionably late…”

Rarity kept her eyes turned up to the sky. It was the only reason she caught sight of a strange, sputtering blue light out of her peripheral vision.

Her confusion only grew stronger when she realized the light was coming from, of all things, her own horn.

For some reason, the aura surrounding it was flickering, wavering like a guttering candle. She frowned at her horn, rather at a loss for why it was doing that.

Rarity would never see the titanic shadow overtaking them from below; a shadow that, by comparison, made the warship look like a dingy. Over the pounding of rain and wind, it didn’t make a single sound. The enormous volume of water it displaced wasn’t even felt as being out of the ordinary.

All Rarity noticed was when the flickering stopped, passing as quickly as it had come. When she looked down again, all she saw was black waters and sea spray stretching off into infinite.

~~***~~

Rainbow awoke to a salty mouth, soaked fur and an excruciating body that ached in all the familiar ways. Do enough headers into the ground from a couple hundred feet up and you grow accustomed to the aftereffects. 

That still didn’t stop her from whining out a pained, “Ooooow…”

Two things clicked for Rainbow in belated but sequential order. Firstly, the ocean was a lot harder than she remembered it being. Secondly, she wasn’t floundering in said ocean.

Curious, she cracked open an eye, squinting slightly.

Wooden boards met her eyes first, confirming her earlier conclusion; she was not, in fact, in the water.

Rain lashed the floor in great sheets. Rainbow could feel herself rolling this way and that as waves moved by underneath. Thunder boomed overhead. Yes, these were all familiar.

The solid deck beneath her? That wasn’t expected.

Rubbing her aching head, she finally managed to right herself and push up onto her flanks. Looking around for clues, however, only made things more confusing.

She’d landed, it seemed, on a small boat that was currently being tossed about in the churning sea like a foal’s plaything. Every wave to come and go was like a roller coaster, taking it up and down at least fifty feet every time. Off the nose of the boat, Rainbow would see nothing but sky, and then nothing but ocean.

But as she sat there, rubbing her head and trying to make sense of her surroundings, a shadow moved beneath a small shelter in front of her.

Rainbow tensed, alarm bells fighting through dizzy disorientation to rouse her to alert status.

All she needed to see were the twin sets of glints set into a shadowy face to realize she wasn’t alone.

If it had gasped, the sound was lost in the howling wind and drawling rain. The form did jump, though.

“T-Teacher!” it squealed, its tone of alarm oddly dull and unauthentic. Until Rainbow remembered; Twilight’s spell.

A second figure stirred, its head turning first to the one beside it, then to the intruder currently sitting, half-dazed, behind them.

Bleary-eyed and blinking copious amounts of rain water out of her eyes, Rainbow struggled to focus. A bright orange light made her wince as the boat was illuminated by a small, flickering flame – revealing a brown, weathered face staring critically in her direction.

Rainbow lolled from side to side, fighting to stay awake.

“Meant to do that,” she warbled, staggering upright… just before keeling over backwards.

The last thing she saw; two narrow, blue eyes looking back at her. Everything after that was darkness.

~~***~~

Twilight’s sleep was a troubled one. Her dreams came and went, each one worse than the last.

The kaiju soaring up out of the ocean, massive jaws flung open wide… Tezuka’s armored helmet gnashing its teeth savagely at her, puffing smoke… a titanic shape surging towards her, like the shadow of a storm cloud…

At least, her subconscious calmed down, as if it’d exhausted itself by then.

Instead, a strange scene materialized in front of her.

She stood in the middle of a circular room that was lavishly decorated. Columns lined the walls made of pure jade, each entwined by a snarling golden dragon’s head.

Around her, on an elevated tier, a dozen screens stood erected at even intervals. Lanterns on the walls revealed shadows behind those screens; equine shapes sitting on plush cushions, all eyes turned towards her.

“We did not ask you about your misgivings,” one of them said, his voice weasely and shrewd. “What we must know is whether it can be done or not.”

“With all due respect, your excellency,” Twilight heard herself say. Only… it wasn’t her voice. For one thing, she didn’t speak with such a deep masculine tone. “To ignore the risks will only invite disaster.”

“It is your job to minimize those risks, is it not?” Another hidden individual inquired. “That is what you were charged with. The emperor himself has laid this task before you, scholar, because he knows you are capable of seeing his vision through to its conclusion. Or would you rather live in shame for failing to answer His Excellence’s call to service?”

Twilight turned her head, her eyes sweeping the many mysterious figures looming over her. She could have sworn there were more now; at least eighteen, maybe twenty. Had that second row always been there?

“You do not understand,” she heard herself say again in a stallion’s voice. “A spell of this magnitude… Nopony has ever attempted something like this before.”

“Which is precisely why the Emperor demands it be done,” another noble interrupted. “It is our duty – our privilege and right – to push the very limits of magic into new territory, is it not?”

“At what cost?” the voice speaking from Twilight’s mouth asked. “If even the smallest thing goes wrong, we could be looking at the destruction of the entire kingdom.”

“The matter is not open for debate, Serizawa,” one of the figured stated with absolute finality. “It never has been. Either you complete the Golden Age, or we will find somepony else with the ambition to realize His Excellence’s vision.”

Twilight looked down, a barely repressed sound cutting through her lips. “You have no idea what forces we are playing with,” she muttered. “Nature will always find a way to balance itself, no matter how tightly we hold onto it. This, I promise you.”

~~***~~

Twilight jolted awake with a gasp, momentarily disoriented. Where had the glittering, beautifully decorated hall gone? It had been there a split second ago, but within a single blink it was gone, replaced instead of dark rafters over her head. She wasn’t even standing anymore; she was lying down… just like she’d been when she’d closed her eyes.

Slowly at first, reality started to exert itself again, and she recalled – if only in bits and pieces – where she really was.

“R…Rainbow…?” she mumbled.

She blinked, then again, trying to clear the sleep from her eyes. somepony was standing over her, and as her eyes began to focus, she realized it was not the rambunctious pegasus. It wasn’t even a pegasus at all, or any of her friends, for that matter.

Waking up to find a stranger looming uncomfortably close did wonders for clearing her grogginess at the very least.

Twilight yelped and jolted back into a more defensible sitting position while she clutched her blankets to her instinctively. Yet, the unexpected guest hadn’t even react beside to track Twilight’s rapid retreat against the headboard.

“My most sincere apologies,” came a smooth, monotone voice. “I did not mean to startle you, my lady.”

Her pulse jackhammering, Twilight stared through the dark room at the intruder, only then taking her appearance in. And just as quickly, Twilight couldn’t help but feel some sort of recognition at the sight of her.

For one thing, it was a mare. That right there gave away who she might be, considering the distinctly masculine crew.

Unlike the last time Twilight had seen anypony like her, however, this mare was not covered from head to hoof in clothing. No, her face was clearly exposed, revealing soft almond-shaped eyes set into a pearly white demure face and a cascade of rosy pink mane. She wore an elegant dress, but nothing similar to the ceremonial attire she’d worn earlier.

However, exactly who she might be escaped Twilight. All three mares had been, after all, completely and totally covered up save for horn tips and hooves.

The mare moved slowly and gracefully, conveying a sense of serenity Twilight was in no state to match. She politely bowed low, humbly averting her eyes.

“Please do not be alarmed. I was tasked by my lady to aid in your recovery. I trust you are feeling well?”

To Twilight’s surprise, she was. Magic of the order of magnitude she’d performed earlier should have left her with a crippling hornache from all the residual magic lingering in her horn. She was no stranger to them, having grown accustomed to their persistent pain over the course of her magically intensive life. 

By rights, expending a good portion of her magic trying to hold open a pocket dimension would have rendered a lesser pony comatose, and should have laid her out for a few days at least. But now there she sat, feeling reasonably – and very unexpectedly – refreshed. No terrific pain between her eyes, no sensation of burning electricity in her horn… nothing.

“I… am,” Twilight said back, sounding just as surprised as she felt.

She reached up idly and touched her forehead. That was when she realized something was plastered around her horn; something that felt warm and damp, like a wet cloth. She crossed her eyes, trying to get a good look at it, but all she could see was something dark green, like some kind of leaf.

She pulled at it, and the thing came unraveled in one long strip. It was a leaf of some kind, she realized; a long, slightly wilted thing steeped in some kind of strong-smelling bitter liquid.

“I’m pleased to hear that,” responded the mare, though she sounded too dull for her sentence to hold much weight. “My lady has been eagerly awaiting your recovering so that –”

Both mares jumped when the door banged open.

“Twilight!”

“Spike…?” She said, focusing on the shape standing in the doorway.

“Sorry to wake you up, Twilight,” he said. “But something’s going on.”

Right away Twilight picked up on the urgency in Spike’s voice. Spike focused on her intently, until he suddenly became aware of the other pony sharing the room with her.

“Uh… Am I… interrupting anything?” he asked.

Twilight glanced towards the mare, and to her surprise she found her looking the other way, hiding her face from Spike.

Her horn came to life with a pale white light, and out of thin air a thin white veil appeared. It settled upon her head, obscuring her face and features from sight. Only then did she turn even slightly in Spike’s direction.

“I shall take my leave,” she said calmly, and stood up. “My lady will be most eager to hear of your recovery. Please, when you get the time, she would very much like you to visit.”

And without further ado, she turned around and glided across the room, neatly sidestepped around Spike, and swept out of side.

Spike watched her go, confusion and surprise still warring on his face. “Uh… who was that?”

Twilight glanced after the retreating mare. “If I had to guess, one of the sorceress’ maids-in-waiting.”

Spike processed that for a moment, then asked the more important question. “And… why was she here?”

“Frankly, I have no idea,” Twilight admitted. But she kept rubbing her ache-free horn absently, lost in thought. “Um… maybe she was trying to repay me for helping her? I don’t know.”

Spike watched her, gauging her behavior carefully. He knew what he should expect to see in Twilight after she overexerted herself magically… but now the signs just weren’t there. No softly spoken words, no squinted eyes, and definitely no short temper or dull moaning.

Spike watched her carefully, swaying slightly with the pitching of the ship. “Um… are you okay? Did you sleep okay?”

Twilight shook her head. Right… she been dreaming about something… something about… golden dragons around pillars and… screens?

She tried in vain to get her head to work, but it was like trying to grasp at running water. “I… had a really strange dream. Something about a spell…”

Spike rolled his eyes. “Why does that not surprise me?”

Twilight rolled her eyes. She only held it for a moment before relaxing with a sigh. “It… probably wasn’t important.”

As she looked around, Twilight couldn’t help but notice how empty the cabin was. Now that the maiden was gone, she could actually appreciate it; only Spike and herself remained in the slightly disorganized space lit only by a small lamp clutched in Spike’s claws.

“Where is everypony?” she asked curiously.

“No idea,” Spike said, trotting further into the room. “They ran out after they heard the crew running outside the door. It sounded like something was going on, but they haven’t been back yet.”

Twilight frowned, glancing towards the shut door. Beyond, only silence reached her ears.

Then, she looked towards the porthole window, and jolted with surprise. Instead of dull, stormy grey gloom, she was confronted with a pitch black, glassy window that gave away only the reflection from Spike’s lamp. Just how long had she been asleep?

She could still hear the waves slapping harshly against the hull, corresponding with the rhythmic rocking of the ship itself. How she had managed to sleep at all was beyond her, not with that much noise.

“Any sign of Rainbow yet?” she asked.

“Afraid not,” Spike said back, his voice low.

Twilight bit her lip. Worry plagued her, worse than before. It must have been hours by now… where was she?

Spike’s face was a mirror of her apprehension. “Maybe she’s just waiting out the storm somewhere. I bet she’s getting pretty grumpy right about now.”

Twilight couldn’t help but crack a weak smile. It wasn’t much… but it was a possibility, one she clung to. As long as she kept thinking that Rainbow was alright, she could turn her attention to other things.

“Maybe they’re close to getting the flight engines fixed,” Twilight offered hopefully. “Maybe that’s what all the commotion is about.”

“I hope so,” Spike muttered. He was watching the window as well, all the while ringing his claws. “The sooner we get out of this weird storm, the better.”

Right on cue, a crack of thunder boomed overhead. The window turned brightest white, causing both of them to flinch back a step. For a moment, Twilight saw an endless plane of wave crests stretching into the horizon, each wave a mountain in its own right. Then, faster than a blink, it was gone again as the darkness closed in again.

Twilight was just turning to address Spike again when suddenly her ears picked up the sound of thumping hooves on the floorboards outside. Both turned in unison as another pony came skidding into view, and in came an utterly drenched orange earth pony.

She was sopping wet, as if she’d been standing in a shower for hours on end. And yet, in classic form, Applejack couldn’t have paid any less attention if she tried.

“Spike, maybe we shouldn’t bother Twi’ –” Applejack started to say, but immediately cut herself off when she noticed Twilight sitting up in bed. “Oh, uh, howdy, sugarcube. Sorry ta disturb ya.”

“Is everything alright?” Twilight asked, frowning. Why was Applejack soaked?

Applejack tilted her head to one side, looking back the way she’d come without turning around. “Well, besides Rainbow still bein’ lost and Tezuka havin’ a cow… yep, everythin’s hunky-dory.”

Twilight blinked at her, slowly. “Uh… Tezuka’s upset? About what?”

“Everythin’ under the sun, Ah’d wager,” Applejack grunted sourly while ringing out her Stetson right there on the floor. “But right now? Ain’t got a clue. He just started orderin’ all hooves on deck a little while ago. Rarity said y’all needed yer rest, but it didn’t feel right just leavin’ ya out while somethin’ was goin’ on.”

Now Twilight was frowning. That was not the sort of news she wanted to hear. They needed to find Rainbow, not get saddled with some other calamity…

“If Ah had ta guess,” Applejack went on, “we’re gettin’ close ta that Odo Island place Tezuka mentioned earlier. But… Ah don’t know, somethin’s got them all riled up.”

Twilight glanced up, seemingly not hearing Applejack speak. Instead, she turned her attention towards the window.

She still couldn’t see anything, but the storm’s ferocity was hardly mute.

“Well,” she said, turning around to look at Applejack while simultaneously swinging her legs over the side of the bed, “we better go find out what’s going on.”

~~***~~

It didn’t take Twilight long to find out that something was indeed wrong.

The waves, while slightly diminished, still played with the impressive battleship like a bathtub toy. The storm was losing strength, but it clearly still had some fury pent up in it. At the very least, the rain had subsided, but there was so much sea spray in the air that it hardly seemed to make an impact.

The only real difference now was the utter darkness that now blanketed the world. It wasn’t just the gloom of the storm anymore; only night could bring a darkness so complete.

It raised a brief question in Twilight’s mind about how long she’d been asleep. It really had felt like mere moments.

Lanterns lined the rigging around the deck, giving light to the sailors working at a feverish pace, heads bowed against the ferocious sea gushing over the sides and pounding their shoulders.

“Get those ropes tied down!”

Twilight jumped and turned around towards the rear of the ship.

Above her on the aft deck, Tezuka was gesturing around the ship, belting out orders at maximum volume. Twilight couldn’t help but note the oddity of his position, considering up until then he’d walked amongst his crew while dishing out orders.

From the aftcastle, he had a commanding view of every square inch of the Amaterasu, and he was currently making the most of it.

“Bring us back up to high alert, NOW!” he bellowed, then turned to issue orders to somepony standing behind him, swiftly disappearing from sight.

“Wonder what’s going on?” Twilight wondered aloud.

“No idea,” Applejack said back, casting her eyes around. The rocking of the ship hardly seemed to faze her, far less than it did Twilight. It was all the studious mare could do to keep from toppling over with each wave. “He’s been like this fer a couple minutes now. But whatever’s happened, if it’s got Tezuka worked up like this, odds are it ain’t anythin’ good.”

Twilight couldn’t help but agree. Just one look at the pace of the sailors going about their duties, and she could have come to that conclusion herself. Certainly, the uproar wasn’t over the engines, that was for sure.

As she scanned around the deck, her eyes fell on a familiar splash of yellow, pink and white at the far end of the ship, right in the shadow of the golden figurehead.

Rarity must have spotted her at the same time, because all of a sudden she was rushing over with Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie right behind her – as quickly as she could, anyway, considering the rolling, slick deck she had to contend with.

“Twilight, whatever are you doing out here?” She asked, sounding concerned. “You really should be resting still.”

“I’m fine, Rarity,” Twilight dismissed. Sleep was the furthest thing from her mind right now. “Do you know what’s going on?”

As Rarity approached, Twilight couldn’t help but be impressed by her appearance. Even with hundreds of gallons of ocean gushing over the sides of the ship, Rarity’s mane remained perfectly coifed and maintained, even if it was rather damp. It was all thanks to her strategic utilization of a remarkably sturdy umbrella and yellow poncho. When she’d acquired the latter, Twilight would never know.

“I can’t say that I do,” Rarity admitted. Her eyes flicked up towards the last place Twilight had seen Tezuka before she returned her attention to her friend. “I was out here when all of a sudden the crew came storming out onto the deck. Somepony mentioned something about a message, but frankly I’m just as lost as you are. They certainly didn’t stop to answer any of my questions,” she added with an indignant huff.

Seated on Twilight’s back, Spike turned around to look upwards, squinting through the rain. As he did so, Tezuka reappeared at the railing.

“Is the main gun primed yet?” the Imperial officer shouted over the storm.

“Not yet,” somepony called back from the other side of the ship. “But it won’t be long.”

“Do it fast,” Tezuka ordered. “We may need it.”

Something caught his eye then and he looked down towards a lantern that hadn’t been there before – straight towards Twilight, Applejack, Spike and Rarity. He paused, gave them all a look, then he swept away, vanishing from sight.

“What was all that about?” Spike asked.

“If Ah had ta guess,” Applejack said, her eyes narrowing, “it ain’t the storm we gotta worry about right now.”

Twilight was just opening her mouth to speak as well when she heard hooves stomping on the wood behind her. She turned, just as Tezuka descended the final few steps onto the same level as the rest of them.

“What’s going on?” Twilight asked without waiting for Tezuka to say anything.

Tezuka paused, as if weighing whether he wanted to answer or not. He glanced around, his snarling helmet crying fat droplets of seawater. With the lantern so close to his face, Twilight could clearly make out his thin grey eyes sweeping the deck, going from crewpony to crewpony, before snapping around towards her.

“Her Excellence the sorceress picked up a distress signal from our outpost on Odo Island,” he said, his voice low so that only those immediately around him were present. “The island is under attack.”

All three mares gasped in shock. Twilight’s heart thudded painfully in her chest if she’d just been punched in the ribs.

“I-is it…?” Twilight tried to ask, but she trailed off before she could finish.

Tezuka just looked at her, a grim set to his eyes. “We will be reaching Odo soon. Then we will know for sure. But… if I were you, I would prepare yourselves all the same.”

As Tezuka turned to leave, Twilight directed her gaze towards the front of the ship, apprehension crashing over her like a tremendous wave as the ship pitched in the turbulent sea.

“Well, guess this is it,” Applejack said somberly, squaring her hat on her head.

“Guess so,” said Twilight, not looking back. 

Rarity huffed indignantly. “Well, at the very least we won’t be getting down to business in the rain.”

Applejack cast an untrusting glare up at the black storm clouds overhead. “We’ll see how long that lasts.”

Rarity gave her an admonishing look. “Try to appreciate the silver linings, darling.”

“Well pardon me if Ah’m a tad cynical right now,” Applejack countered heatedly, “but until this weird storm goes away and Rainbow turns up again, Ah ain’t gonna be in the mood for much hopeful wishin’.”

As if right on cue and much to everypony’s surprise, something happened that none of them were expecting.








All at once, without any warning whatsoever, A shaft of moonlight sliced through the dense blanket overhead, creating a slanted pillar of ghostly pale light right across the ship’s bow.

The wind went from a terrific gale to a petulant, blustery breeze. The waves remained gigantic, but almost right away everypony on board could feel them diminishing.

“Uh…,” Applejack muttered, blinking in pure surprise as another shaft of moonlight pierced through the heavens above. “Well… how do ya like that…”

Of course, she in no way got anywhere near meeting the look she knew she was getting from Rarity.

“See, darling? Positive thinking.”

While Applejack grumbled petulantly to herself, Twilight stared up in wonder and confusion as holes began opening up in the sky above, letting gentle rays of a full moon light the darkness. Then, she turned her attention downward – towards the ponies who lived here. 

They were muttering to one another, exchanging superstitious and anxious looks with one another. Mutters went every which way; murmurs of ill omens and bad luck abounded, passed along like the fearful whispering of frightened foals.

They knew what this was… and they did not like it one bit. But why?

Twilight frowned, then turned her eyes back up towards the disintegrating thunderstorm giving way to a clear, star-filled sky. What, exactly, was going on?

“Maybe Rainbow finally managed to break up the storm?” she offered. ‘After hours of trying?’ shot a voice in the back of her mind. But what else could it have been?

Tezuka’s voice was like a thunderclap through the suddenly still air. “Back to work, all of you! We have a monster to face!”

Immediately the activity on deck restarted, picking up even faster than before due to the surer footing of a stable deck.

Twilight’s eyes descended from the sky overhead, directing instead out over the golden bow of the ship.

There, under a pool of light cast by the full moon, she thought she could just make out a pair of tall spires jutting up out of the ocean on the horizon, one larger than the other. But of much greater concern, she soon realized, was the ominous low-hanging column of blackness that rose off of it, somehow darker than the remaining clouds in the sky.

Odo Island was burning.

~~***~~

Twilight watched by the railing as the ship chugged laboriously closer and closer to the island. She was unable to tear herself away from the sight of distant fires in a bowl between two mountain peaks, sending a trail of smoke and ash miles into the air. In the dark of the night, the plume was only a black shadow clashing against the full moon’s silvery light, but Twilight never would have missed it.

Applejack and Pinkie Pie had quickly descended into the lower decks of the ship to fetch their things. Rarity and Fluttershy remained by Twilight’s side, unable to look away any more than she was as the ship bore them towards the frightful scene.

As they crossed into the shadow of the smoke trail, the smell of char and ash filled the air, burning in their nostrils and eliciting a few restrained coughs.

Twilight noticed the crew falling quiet all around them. She turned to find dozens of sailors peering up, unable to contain their own senses of dread, their tasks forgotten.

Something banged up against the side of the Amaterasu, making Twilight jump. Quickly she wheeled around and gazed intently over the side of the boat.

The roof of a house bobbed past, bumping and clattering against the side of the boat as it forced its way through murky waters. It was almost entirely intact, like someone had merely picked it up and deposited it into the surf.

A screen door followed soon after, waterlogged and covered in palm tree fronds. Right behind it, a silken dress covered in mud and torn to tatters moved like a ghost across the rippling surface of the black ocean.

But there was more. Much more. Twilight realized this as her leaned back, her eyes taking in the many, many shadows bobbing in the bay.

Chunks of wood littered the sea, as varied as they were unidentifiable. Some were large enough to be some kind of structural component. Others, as thin as strips of paper. All of it was inexorably being drawn out to sea; a procession of grim fragments marching into the great dark beyond.

The entire sight made Twilight sick to her stomach. By just a rough estimate, she could tell that there was enough timber and building material floating around her to refurbish half of Ponyville and still have a nice bonfire afterwards.


Worse, she fully expected this to only be a prelude to what they would soon be facing, but it still struck her hard as she watched, helpless to act.

Sailors were whispering all around them; anxious whispers filled with fear and apprehension.

“Didn’t we receive the alert only a few minutes ago? How could it be over already?”

“There were at least two hundred soldiers waiting for us here… How could they let something like this happen?”

“What are we supposed to do against something that can do this? What can six little fillies do against such power?”

Twilight started to look over her shoulder, but she caught herself. Somehow, she knew she didn’t have the heart to look these despairing ponies in the eye right now.

Instead, she met Rarity’s gaze; one filled with deep, almost agonizing worry, undoubtedly just like her own. Her pearly white features were momentarily thrown into clearer relief as the burning hulk of a smashed ship drifted by – A ship currently lying twenty feet above the sea on a windswept outcropping of rocks.

“This is so… horrible…,” Fluttershy whispered, quieter than even her usual mumble, her eyes on the raging flames gushing from the broken ship.

“What could have done this…?” Twilight breathed, eyes similarly transfixed.

They watched it go, flames roaring and crackling hungrily across the burning vessel, when a new sound caught their attention.

Off in the distance, almost too far to be clearly heard, was a distinct clanging sound; a bell.

Twilight leaned out over the side of the ship, far enough to see around the reinforced bow.

Far ahead, through a wall of fire and smoky pillars of ash and cinders, there was a structure still standing amid a flattened valley of jutting timber and pulverized masonry. Well, it was mostly still standing; judging by the unnatural jut of its ragged top level, part of it had been lopped clean off. And yet, that was where the sound was coming from.

Somepony was still alive in that hellish ruin, and when Twilight listened hard, she just thought she could make out a voice in the still air.

~~***~~

Ogata had seen the ship approaching. There was no way he could have missed the glitter of moonlight across it’s striking prow; a hunter ship. But why wasn’t it airborne?

He’d set such questions aside quickly, however. Even covered in bandages and struggling through the agony of a few cracked ribs, he’d hauled himself up the broken watchtower by the shore. By the time he’d made it, the ship had crossed into the debris field clogging the bay; the remains of a village, now little more than flotsam in the currents.

He’d scaled up as high as he dared, braving twisted lumber and crumbling stairs until he raised his head into open air once more. 

What had once been the midway point in the watch tower was now its new roof. Pillars still stood, shattered and splintered, as the only evidence that there had been anything above where he now stood. The rest of the tower now lay on its side some fifty feet below, half submerged in a pile of broken timber in the general area of where the pier had once stood.

Somepony had recovered the warning gong sometime the previous day. Once upon a time it had stood at the pinnacle of that very tower, ready to guide in ships lost in the dense fog that often blanketed the bay towards the safety of the docks. Now, the golden disk had been split roughly, a crack nearly bifurcating it right down the middle. It was horribly bent, one corner arching in the wrong direction, and the once magnificent etchings across its front were now almost indistinguishable underneath the myriad scratches and lacerations covering it.

But it would serve its purpose. 

Ogata took hold of the heavy rod, miraculously untouched by the tower’s decimation, and wheeled back with all the strength he possessed.

The note produced by the gong was pitiful, more thud than clang. But he kept at it. 

Ringing the gong had been a sacred duty, entitled only to a select few. A part of his brain registered that, and knew that if Nakajima-sensei knew what he was doing, he’d be lucky to get off with a lashing.

But, at the moment, tradition was the furthest thing from his mind. Survival, on the other hoof, was center stage, and unless somepony else wanted to point him to the nearest, loudest signal that wasn’t tangled in sacred taboos, he would just have to make do with what he had. After the night he’d had, tradition could shove off.

~~***~~

Twilight watched in anticipation as the boat drew closer and closer to land. Without a dock, the best that could be done was to edge up as close to shore as possible without running aground, which took at least a dozen sailors watching over the sides of the boat, dropping weighted lengths of rope into the shallow surf to gauge the depth, and a whole lot of nerve.

Every bump and scrape on the boat’s belly was met with a wince from Tezuka and the navigator – a weathered and seasoned stallion who was putting every second of his many years behind the helm to use in that one moment to ensure they all weren’t dashed against the rocks.

It was slow, methodical work, and at the moment, Twilight couldn’t stand slow. She very much wanted to just take off and survey the situation herself, but she couldn’t just leave her friends. She’d already lost one too many that night…

So she stayed glued to the railing, keenly watching for any movement on the nearby, debris-strewn shore.

It really was a mess, like an entire lumberyard’s worth of construction material had been upended and strewn across the wide, gently sloping beach. And, for good measure, somepony had lit parts of it on fire.

Only a few fragments of structures remained upright, but Twilight would never be able to tell what they’d ever been while they were in one piece – an absolute travesty that made the scholar in her faint.

But it was because she was watching so forlornly that she spotted the stallion stumbling his way down the hill beyond the beach, fell once, but picked himself back up and forced himself onwards.

He was shouting, occasionally waving a hoof to get their attention. Twilight couldn’t make out much of him, but what she could see… in short, he looked like he’d been through a very, very long night.

“Somepony’s down there,” she called out over her shoulder. “There’s somepony alive down there!”

Half of the sailors completely abandoned their posts, much to Tezuka’s consternation, and rushed towards Twilight’s position by the corner of the reinforced bow plating.

“She’s right!” a grimy sailor shouted. “It looks like an Imperial sentry! By the sun, there might be survivors down there!”

A single spark of hope; that’s all it took for the sailors to pick themselves up by the bootstraps and throw themselves into their work. They weren’t headed for a place of ash and bones; hidden amongst the rubble, there were lives in need of saving.

All of a sudden, the boat jolted to an abrupt halt with a shriek of metal-on-stone. The impressive beak nose on the Amaterasu’s bow had just hit something solid that didn’t yield, nearly throwing them all over.

“Crewponies, get below deck and assess the damage,” Tezuka barked without missing a stride. “Keep this ship on high alert. I want to depart at a moment’s notice! You and you! Prepare a landing ship. We’re going ashore.”

Twilight tore her eyes off the sight of the approaching stallion so she could turn around, just as Tezuka began to cross the deck towards where she, Rarity and Fluttershy were standing.

“You and your friends,” Tezuka snapped, “you’re all coming with me. This is something you all need to see.”

~~***~~

All five mares, one baby dragon, two pilots and a surly officer crammed onto the sturdy dingy as soon as it was produced. Then they had to endure the long, arduous wait as the boat was slowly lowered over the side and into the treacherous waters beneath.

The oars were used less to propel the boat forward and more to push away obstacles jutting up like bones from the shallow surf. At one point a wave nearly threw them all on top of a wooden beam, but a last-second adjustment by one of the seasoned navigators tossed the nose of the dingy to the side just in time. When they steadied next, all nine of them felt sand scraping across the belly of the boat as they came to a sudden halt.

Twilight was the first out of the boat, and she was nearly tossed over as a wave rolled onto the beach. But she kept her footing in the icy surf and quickly clambered towards drier territory.

Even with a hill between her and the village, Twilight could still smell the smoke. She could feel the heat from charred boards still glowing with embers scattered about the beach. Sparks flittered through the smoke-choked air, blowing out over the ocean and out of sight.

As she looked around, waiting for the rest of her friends to disembark – Rarity was putting up a bit of a fuss over the soot-covered sand – Twilight spotted that same stallion hobbling towards them doggedly.

He wore a scale-mail set of armor that caught the light of the fires he passed. One look, and Twilight could tell it had taken a savage beating; most of the scales around his chest, particularly the skirts around his sides, had fallen out, and the plates on one of his shoulders had been ripped off completely. His half-helmet was dented and cracked and covered in black ash.

More telling, however, were the thick coils of gauze wound around his middle and hind legs, as well as a portion of his head. He looked like he’d taken a truly brutal beating, and yet he was still persistently carrying out his duties even if he had to limp.

He just kept his eyes locked on the strange purple mare with the big, wide eyes standing in front of him. He stayed bullheadedly focused on her, up until he noticed the glint of armor striding up behind her.

“Sentry!” barked Tezuka, “who are you? Where is the rest of your division?”

The stallion stalled, very nearly falling face first into the ashy sand. “O-Ogata, sir,” he responded. “The name’s Ogata.”

Ogata turned back towards Twilight. He looked slightly dazed and disoriented, blinking slowly. “Is… is this her?” he asked nervously. “She’s… smaller than the stories say.”

Twilight had to fight to keep her indignation at bay. This would have been about the point where Rainbow started snickering… if she had been present. The silence, as it were, was much more disconcerting than it ever should have been.

Tezuka glanced towards Twilight, saying nothing, then turned back towards Ogata. “Where is your commanding officer?” He asked. His voice had lost some of its usual authoritative bite, Twilight noticed. Even her translation spell could pick up on it. “Is there anypony else still alive?”

Ogata turned towards him, then nodded. “Yes, sir. Most of the villagers fled to the monastery after… after…” some of his composure slipped, his eyes turning down. “He… He came out of nowhere. Just walked through us like we were –”

“Take it easy, soldier,” Tezuka placated. Actually placated, much to five mares’ amazement. “You kept the villagers safe. You and your comrades performed honorably. Now… Where is your commanding officer?”

Ogata gulped, took a deep breath, and steadied himself. He looked so young, Twilight realized; underneath the soot and mud, armor and bandages, he could have been only a few years older than herself. There was no way he was a soldier, not at his age…

“At the monastery as well,” he reported. “I volunteered to stay behind and keep an eye out.”

Tezuka had been tilting his head up, eyeing higher up along one of the towering mountains flanking the village. When Ogata said that last line, he snapped his attention back down. “In your state? You shouldn’t be anywhere but in the infirmary, soldier.”

Ogata winced in response. “I know, sir, but… well, somepony had to.”

That was not a very promising statement at all.

Whatever face Tezuka made in response was hidden inside his helmet. He tilted his head to one side, held still for a moment, then turned back. “We need to speak to the one in charge,” he said. “My men will cover the beach. Take us to your commanding officer, then get some rest. Am I clear, soldier?”

Ogata hesitated, trying to process what he was being told with the severe tone he was being told it with. Then, he gave a hesitant solute. “Y… Y-yes, sir.”

“Good,” Tezuka said tersely. “Let’s go.”

As Ogata turned around and Tezuka fell into step behind him, Twilight and her friends couldn’t help but stare at the back of the armored stallion’s head.

“Correct me if Ah’m wrong,” Applejack muttered, “But just now… did it sound like he was bein’… normal… ta anypony else?”

“That’s what I heard,” Pinkie chirped, managing a small smile. “Maybe he’s not such a grouchy meanie-pants after all. Once you get past all that grouchy meanie-pantsness.”

“One can hope,” Rarity said, moving to catch up with the pair of stallions.

Everypony fell into step behind her soon enough – except for Twilight. She stood in place, watching Tezuka go with a thoughtful look in her eyes.

…I love my homeland, Princess Sparkle. It has been my honor to serve her. And I will do what needs to be done to preserve her and her honor…

“Twilight?”

She jumped slightly and looked down. There stood Spike, who was giving her a careful look. “You feeling okay?”

She blinked, then nodded. “Yes. Just… thinking.”

With that, and a reflexive flick of her horn, she placed the baby dragon on her back and started off after the rest of the group as they headed into the path of destruction.

~~***~~

It wasn’t the level of destruction that stunned Twilight as they moved through the destroyed village. It wasn’t even the scope of it. It was the sheer totality of it.

The group passed foundations without a single scrap of a structure still standing atop it. Entire rows of houses, huts, retaining walls – everything and anything had been utterly flattened, as if decimated by a tornado.

As they proceeded uphill, following the barren trail up into the foothills, Ogata finally found his voice again.

“The villagers were lucky,” he said. “The creature appeared on the northeast side of the island. Came right to us first. They heard the sounds of the battle and fled for higher ground.”

He shook his head. “We threw everything we had at it. Demolition spells, pain hexes, cannon shells… Nothing slowed it down. Then it just… left. By the time we’d regrouped and gave chase, it’d already reach the ocean.”

Twilight turned around, looking back down the hillside at the ruined village.

Now that she had something of an elevated viewpoint, she thought she could see something about the devastation that unnerved her.

The houses and huts that were up on the hillsides flanking the bay were almost entirely intact. They were the source of the fires, which were spreading uncontrollably from one wooden structure to the next, throwing up billowing clouds of acrid black smoke. But most importantly, Twilight realized, they had not been flattened, or smashed in any way.

The same could not be said for the houses and buildings that had once stood in the bowl between the mountains, going all the way down to the bay. It was as if, Twilight realized with a jolt, something had plowed its way through the relatively flat valley basin with utter disregard for everything underfoot, dragging with it the bulk of an entire village back out to sea.

But it would take something of incomprehensible size… No, such a thing could not be done by a creature. Nothing could be that massive…

“Watch your step,” Ogata suddenly warned from up ahead.

Automatically Twilight turned around to spot the danger… and came to a complete standstill.

Something had been punched into the earth, cratering it as deep as she was tall. Trees, bushes, everything had been pancaked against the ground, right down to the slivers of wood from collapsed tree trunks.

It was huge, wider across than any depression she had ever seen before; wider than the foundation for a house. And on one end, gouged deep into the earth, were four protruding craters; the impressions of four gigantic clawed toes, all pointing downhill towards the ocean.

It was huge… too huge. Twilight simply couldn’t wrap her head around it. She numbly searching for the footprint’s counterpart. For that’s what it was; it was the only thing it could be.

But in the dark, she never found it. Only the one sitting right under her nose, partially filled as it was by rain water. And right about then, Twilight started to understand just why the Neighponese were so afraid of this Gojira.

~~***~~

A sailor aboard the Amaterasu yawned, watching lazily as the procession of lanterns started up the far side of the village and out of sight.

It had been a long night. A very long night, in fact, what with repairs to the flight engine still being underway. And now this…

Neighponese were tough ponies. It was something they prided themselves on. But even a tough old goat like himself would start to wear down eventually.

He yawned again, not even bothering to stifle it. He put his head down on the side railing of the ship, eyes turned towards the village. What was the harm of a little shut-eye? All of the excitement was already over, by the looks of it. It wasn’t like he’d miss anything…

His eyes were just starting to drift closed… when a strange sound caught his attention.

Somewhere to his right and behind, there was a strange burbling, frothing sound. And also a very peculiar hissing sound, like pressurized steam.

Confused, he lifted his head and shambled over to the other railing and leaned over.

Just as the burning hulk of a ship sank beneath the waves, along with the disturbed thing it had been resting upon.
	
> 6: Symptoms of Calamity
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Waking up with a body full of aches was not entirely unusual for Rainbow. Neither was rousing from a dreamless unconsciousness without any memory of falling asleep.

Finding herself in a strange bed? With the amount of times she’d been taken to the hospital over the years, it probably wasn’t as initially alarming to her as it would be for other ponies.

But as her senses slowly booted up, some things about her surroundings didn’t quick click with what she expected.

The biggest was the rock and sway of the bed underneath her. She was fairly certain that wasn’t her moving around. But if it wasn’t her, what else could it be?

Second, the sounds weren’t right. Hospitals didn’t creak and pop like an old house in a windstorm. The smells weren’t right, either; a hospital had a clean, sanitized odor, like bleach and chemicals. Wherever she was, it reeked of sea salt, some kind of scented smoke like incense, and a whole host of other aromas she simply couldn’t identify individually, all making a medley of scents that pointed to one thing; Either the Ponyville clinic was trying some very unorthodox treatment plans, or she wasn’t actually in the Ponyville clinic.

Either way, she found that mildly distressing. Not seriously, of course; Rainbow was too cool to panic so easily. She just… had to get her bearings, that’s all.

Slowly, she cracked open one eye and stealthily swept it around her surroundings. For stealth reasons, of course; didn’t want to spook anypony with any unexpected bouts of awesome. Right away, she discovered two things; One, that there was nopony around to spook anyway, and two, unless the clinic had undergone some major renovations, she was most certainly not in a hospital.

She found herself in a small room made of wood – the walls were wood, the floor was wood beneath a rug, the roof was wood, and pretty much every fixture that wasn’t bolts and screws was, unsurprisingly, made out of wood. The last time she’d checked, hospitals didn’t go for the whole cabin-in-the-woods aesthetic.

Overhead, a small, low-burning lamp casting swaying shadows as it swung from side to side overhead. Each wall was lined with simple wooden shelves piled high with books, scrolls, and all manner of odds and ends beyond Rainbow’s understanding, as well as a cobweb or two.

There was a hammock in one corner, but Rainbow found herself lying in a lumpy bed, covered up with a scratchy blanket; most certainly not standard issue hospital fineries.

All of these things equated to one great big conclusion; Rainbow had no idea where she was. But awesome ponies didn’t give in to panic! No sir!

… A little panic didn’t count. She only sat bolt upright so fast because she was fast! Why else would she do that?

Having accomplished that, and without meeting any sort of opposition, Rainbow continued looking around, fighting down her nerves all the while. “Okay… okay, Rainbow, be cool… be cool…,” she murmured to herself. “You got this. You’re just… um… lost in some stranger’s place. Big whoop!”

She continued looking around, craning her neck round and round as she took in her surroundings. As she did so, she started to become keenly aware of something tight around her right ear. Come to think of it, everything on the right side of her sure seemed quieter than her left, regardless of which way she turned.

Rainbow reached up, confused. Her hoof came into contact with some sort of cloth fabric that had been wound tightly around her ear and – as she moved her hoof further down – much of the side of her head.

Well, that at least explained why she couldn’t remember how she’d gotten here. But it still didn’t clear up where she was in the first place.

Rain… thunder… crashing waves… a moving mountain covered in serrated spines…

Every muscle tensed in her body as she suddenly remembered at least key details from before. A giant monster, headed towards… Everypony! Have to warn…!

“Are you sure?”

Rainbow jolted at the unexpected voice. Immediately she dove for cover behind the most solid cover she could find; the bed. All in all, it wasn’t her most graceful maneuver.

“I am sure,” responded another voice. It was slightly muffled, Rainbow realized, just like the first one was. By the sounds of it, they weren’t even in the same room as her.

W-which was good. She didn’t want to have to beat them to a pulp before she got answers, after all!

Peeking up over the edge of the bed, she managed to locate the source of that voice; a section of wall made of thin paper covered with a wooden lattice. Strangely, one part of the screen was pried away from where it met the other wall, leaving a thin gap filled with flickering light from the adjacent room. Was it a sliding door? It must’ve been…

“There has not been a pegasus in Neighpon for hundreds of years,” continued the second speaker. “She cannot be here by coincidence, not after everything that is happening.”

Something was strange about his voice, Rainbow realized. It didn’t sound quite like the sailors or Tezuka had, but she couldn’t quite put her hoof on why…

“Do you think… Do you think there will be others?” asked the other – a mare. Again, something about her voice was off, noticeably so. “Do you think Celestia herself…?”

That was when Rainbow realized it. Their voices were accented, heavily so. But, the ponies aboard the Amaterasu… when they spoke, Twilight’s spell had them sounding like normal Equestrian ponies. A little monotone, yes, like they were a bunch of bad actors doing a movie scene, but all in all it had been passable.

But these ponies were speaking nothing like them. Why? Was Twilight’s spell starting to fade? That could be a problem…

“I do not think so,” responded the second pony; a stallion by the sounds of him. “But… somepony from the outside has breached the fog.”

Rainbow heard the rustling of papers in the other room. “This cannot be a coincidence,” the stallion went on. “She must be here because of Gojira.”

A pregnant pause followed, until the mare in the other room burst out slightly, “They were sent here to combat Gojira?” She sounded incredulous as well as astonished, like she simply couldn’t wrap her head around a completely ludicrous idea. 

But the stallion remained calm and collected. “Only an Imperial sorcerer could open the way for anypony from the outside world. The only reason Equestrians would be here is if the Emperor called them here. I can think of no other reason for him to turn to Equestria for aid.”

“Would he really be that desperate?” asked the mare.

The stallion was silent for a very long time. Only the creak of wood and the slosh of waves filled the silence.

“… Sensei?”

Rainbow cocked her head. Okay, what had that been? Twilight’s spell really must be wearing off, which was going to make talking her way out of here a very complicated ordeal.	

But then she heard a responding rustle from the other room, then a grunt. “We should stay focused on our mission, Emiko,” said the stallion, his tone firm, authoritative. “The sooner we solve the reason for Gojira’s appearance, the better. And the more we distance ourselves from Emperor Kirin’s plotting, the more productive we can be.”

“R-right,” mumbled the one named Emiko. “What will our next move be?”

Another pause as the stallion pondered. “The storm has faded. If our predictions are correct, Gojira will be resting, gathering His strength. In the meantime, we should wait for our guest to recover. She might be able to tell us more.”

Rainbow bit her lip, uncertainty warring inside of her. On the one hoof, these were strangers in a strange land. So far her experiences with Neighponese being anything other than grumpy jerks was pretty much nil. The chance of these two being cooperative with her at all was, therefore, pretty low.

On the other hoof, they were talking about that creature; Godzilla, or whatever. And they seemed to know some things about it. While she wanted nothing more than to get out of there and find her friends, she couldn’t help but see an opportunity when it presented itself. Twilight would undoubtedly be chomping at the bit to talk to these two.

But her friends were in danger right now. There was no telling how long she’d been out, but judging by the matured aching in her muscles, it had been a few hours at least. A few hours! Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie, Fluttershy, AJ; they all could be in the fight of their lives right now! They needed to know what they were dealing with, or at the very least they needed her help.

But what did she know? Well, aside from its size, strength and speed. That was good enough for her. Still… No; she could think herself in a circle for hours longer, or she could actually do something about it!

Rainbow jolted upright as fast as she could – and immediately felt the room spin. Too late she remembered she had just been in a pretty bad crash.

By the time the room stopped twirling like a top, she found herself on her side, head flopped against the hard wooden floor – as the screen on the far side of the room swished open like a sliding door.

A pink mare with the softest peach mane Rainbow had ever seen stood in the doorway, her eyes first going to the empty bed, then to the rainbow-maned head sticking out from behind the back corner.

The next thing she knew, she was being helped upright into a sitting position while her brain continued to work to find traction after the hard impact on the equally unyielding floor.

“Are you okay?” the mare asked. Her voice clicked in Rainbow’s head as it rebooted. This was the one that had been called Emiko.

“N-never been better,” Rainbow bluffed, though her statement was somewhat ruined by her constant wobbling.

Emiko looked her up and down with clear worry. She hoped she wasn’t being literal. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah… happens all the time… It takes a lot more than one measly little crash to keep me down.”

Emiko looked hardly convinced.

As she helped Rainbow back onto the bed, Rainbow couldn’t help but look her over. She was young, beautiful even, with slender features and a demur face like a porcelain doll. The strangest thing about her to Rainbow was her narrow, almond-shaped eyes. The Neighponese sailors looked more like they’d had some kind of allergic reaction to something that was swelling their eyes shut, or like they were perpetually staring into the sun, but this mare made it look elegant.

She was wearing a long dress of some sort that was held together at the waist by an unusually wide sash of some kind that had been tied in the back in a large bow. Rarity would have had a fit over it, no doubt about it.

“You hit your head very hard earlier,” Emiko was insisting. “Please do not overexert yourself.”

With the mare so close to Rainbow, something in Emiko’s voice struck her as very odd again. There was something in her tone of voice that was… natural. That was when it clicked for her.

“Wait, wait…,” Rainbow mumbled, focusing on the foreign mare who was looking at her anxiously. “Are you, uh… speaking Equestrian right now?”

Emiko hesitated, looking unsure about how to answer – or if she even should, considering her guest’s condition. But then, after a few moments of pondering, she nodded. “Yes, I am. Please forgive me if my speech is not perfect; nopony in Neighpon has spoken Equestrian as a first language for many, many lifetimes. But it is useful for… a few reasons.”

Rainbow was still wrapping her head around the fact that she was actually speaking to a Neighponese without some magical translator bridging the gap between them.

“You must rest,” Emiko insisted, pushing her down onto the bed out of the blue and snapping her out of it. “You are not well.”

But Rainbow resisted, pushing back. “No time. I can’t just lie around,” she grunted, trying to sit up. “There’s… there’s something big out there. I need to find my friends before…”

“Your friends are safe for the moment,” Emiko pressed, her voice soothing as a warm blanket. “Please, you will only bring them worry in your current condition.”

But Rainbow would not be placated. She pushed back, finally managing to maintain a sitting position at least. “I can’t. The longer they’re out there without knowing what they’re up against, the more likely they’re gonna run into it.”

Emiko, at least, knew a futile endeavor when she saw one. She stopped trying to force Rainbow to lie down, but she didn’t back away. “Miss pegasus –”

“Rainbow Dash.”

Emiko blinked. “Excuse me?”

“The name’s Rainbow Dash,” she said, rubbing one aching shoulder. It wasn’t exactly the best introduction she’d ever done, but Emiko had been right about one thing; she wasn’t in any condition to be pulling off a loop-de-loop, let alone half of her introductory pageantry. So, she had no choice but to give her the short and lame edition. “Fastest flier in Equestria, generally awesome pony, and go-to flank-kicker when the manure hits the fan. And, giant monster hunter now.”

Emiko blinked, then her eyes widened. “Monster… don’t tell me you’re here to fight Gojira?” The level of astonishment in her voice was almost insulting, but Rainbow ignored it.

“Why else would I be here?” Rainbow grumbled. “It’s not exactly easy getting in, you know.”

She was distracted by the sound of a rattling. Both mares looked up as the screen door was pushed open a little wider to admit an older stallion.

If Rainbow had to guess, he was in his late fifties just by looking at him. Wrinkles were forming all across his brown face that his fur couldn’t hide, mainly around his eyes. His mane was thin and balding; most of it had turned white and brittle, but some traces of its original black coloration could still be seen, mainly behind his unicorn horn.

One look, and she could tell he was a serious sort. His mouth was thin and his brow seemed perpetually furrowed into a scowl. There were wrinkles on his face, but little to none were actually laugh lines. And currently, he was giving her a very intense look.

“Pardon my intrusion,” the stallion said. Of the two, his voice was the least accented, but it was still strong in every word he spoke. “You said you are here to battle Gojira?”

“That’s the idea,” Rainbow said back.

“And how many are with you?” he inquired, stepping forward quickly. “Is your Celestia with you? Do you have an… an army of some kind?”

“Er,” Rainbow mumbled, hesitating under the assault of questions. “Uh… we don’t exactly have… any… of those things…  But we do have a princess with us. And hey, the six of us working together totally counts as an army.”

That, clearly had not been the answer the stallion was hoping to hear. His frown deepened with worry and uncertainty. It was to the point that Rainbow felt like she was somehow coming up subpar. And she didn’t do subpar. 

“Hey, our princess is pretty darn awesome, too, you know,” she said huffily. “Twilight Sparkle is about the eggheadiest egghead there is!”

The stallion blinked, slowly. For a moment, the image of a tall, winged unicorn much like the depictions of Celestia flashed through his mind, only one whose head was covered in yolk and egg whites. Clearly, he was missing something, so he waited quietly for the strange foreign pony to go on.

“There isn’t a problem out there Twilight can’t solve,” Rainbow went on without noticing. “Trust me; we’ve been through way worse things than this, and she’s always pulled through.”

Emiko glanced towards the stallion, a blank look on her face. Was there a level worse than Neighpon’s crisis? She couldn’t even wrap her head around the idea. The best she could do was suspect the boastful mare was not being entirely factual at the moment, or else she had no idea what kind of a situation she’d stumbled into.

The stallion’s scowl turned thoughtful, a hoof coming up to stroke his small goatee. “I see… I am not familiar with this Twilight Sparkle,” he said. “But, if Celestia is not really here in Neighpon, perhaps some good will come of it.”

Rainbow nodded, “Yeah, so I hear. Anyway, I really need to find Twilight and the rest of my friends. Thanks for patching me up and all, but I really need to get going.”

Emiko suddenly jolted, looking horrified. “You can’t leave! What will happen if you get dizzy and fall into the ocean?”

Before Rainbow could object, Emiko was all over her again, pushing her forcefully down onto the bed. “Rest, rest! You will only hurt yourself out there! Then what good will you have done?”

“I can’t just—!”

“Rest!”

“But—!”

“I understand your haste, Rainbow Dash-san,” the stallion interrupted, calm despite the wrestling match taking place on the other side of the room. “But I believe we can learn a great deal from one another if we cooperate. We will find your friends once you have recovered; I give my word.”

Rainbow tried to speak several different times, but everything she could have said kept falling apart. At last, with a grumpy grumble, she fell back against the pillows on the bed, much to Emiko’s relief.

“And what if Godzilla finds them before that?” she challenged. “What then?”

But the duo was unmoved, much to her annoyance. “Gojira will not be making any moves for a while,” he said with absolute certainty.

Rainbow raised an eyebrow, thoroughly unconvinced. “Yeah? What makes you say that, huh?”

“The storm,” Emiko responded simply.

Now Rainbow was looking at her, her expression turning slightly baffled. “What about it?”

“So far,” Emiko explained, “Gojira has only ever appeared during storms.”

“Uh, why?” Rainbow asked, baffled.

Her response from Emiko was a helpless shake of the head. “We… do not know. There’s so much about Him that we do not understand… But there are some things that we have figured out.”

“Since the storm has faded,” The stallion added in, “it is unlikely that He will make any appearances around here. Your friends are safe for the time being.”

Rainbow sized up Emiko, then glanced curiously back and forth between her and her male companion.

“You guys sure do know a lot about him,” Rainbow noted, a faint tone of suspicion in her voice, “Just who are you guys?”

He regarded her for a moment, correcting a small pair of spectacles Rainbow hadn’t even noticed before. “My apologies. We do not usually receive visitors. My name is Serizawa. This is my assistant, Emiko.”

The mare responsible for forcing Rainbow back into a lying position gave a polite bow and a smile. “I am pleased to meet you, Rainbow Dash-san of Equestria.”

Rainbow continued to look the strange pony up and down speculatively. “Er… likewise,” she said, trying to be polite at least. Then, she glanced back towards the stallion. “Okay, Serizawa… Why were you in that storm? And how do you know so much about this thing?”

Serizawa took off his glasses and wiped them on his shoulder – to no great effect. “Emiko and I have been studying the great daikaiju of Neighpon for many years,” he explained. “In particular, the one known as Gojira has been the focus of our attention for a very long time.”

Rainbow blinked, confused. “Wait… I thought Godzilla had only been in Neighpon for a few weeks, tops.”

Emiko glanced over her shoulder at Serizawa, who’s eyes glimmered darkly in the light of the swaying lamp overhead. “As do many others,” he said, he voice almost sad for unknown reasons.

Rainbow’s brow furrowed at that. “Uh… what?”

Emiko exchanged a silent look with Serizawa, who only nodded slowly. “Come with me,” he said. “There is something I must show you.”

~~***~~

Through the darkness of night, a single lamp moved up a steep mountain trail. It was the only given light for a small group of ponies – two stallions, five mares and one baby dragon. Most of the world around them was little more than hectic dark profiles superimposed over the light of distant fires, but whatever the lantern’s orange glow did touch revealed a land that had only recently been freed of torrential rain.

Unfamiliar plants and narrow fronds were still dripping and glistened with moisture. The trail was slick with mud, forcing the group to go at a slow, even pace as the path only grew steeper.

Amid the group, Twilight had a vague sense of the direction they were going. It seemed like they had followed the valley up towards the rise between the mountains dominating Odo Island’s interior. Now, if she had guessed correctly, they were following a ridge up one of the towering pillars of stone that stood like monoliths on either side of the island.

It was only a minor distraction, one that she kept resorting to. Because whenever she wasn’t pondering over ultimately asinine things, her mind would immediately turn towards the things she’d witnessed. The trail of destruction that could be measured in hundreds of yards across, not length-wise… a massive footprint big enough to serve as a public swimming pool for Canterlot…

And Ogata was not helping. He seemed unable to help himself, like if he remained quiet and didn’t share what he knew, the knowledge would burn him up from the inside out.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” he kept muttered, shaking his head. “One minute there was nothing but rain… the next, it was all over us. It just walked through us like we weren’t even there…”

Tezuka, at the very least, was trying to find some way to make the most of Ogata’s nervous babbling.

“Can you think of any reason why He would attack when He did?” he asked critically.

Ogata shook his head from the front of the line. “None, sir. We’d turned off all lights, nopony was using magic… I got the feeling it was just as surprised to see us as we were to see it.”

“Was there any strange activity before that?” Tezuka asked without missing a step.

Again, Ogata shook his head. “Nothing out of the ordinary. But it was raining very hard; we could barely see anything to begin with.”

Tezuka fell silent after that, thinking. The procession continued on in silence. Twilight kept her eyes on the backs of Rarity’s galoshes as she walked ahead of her, but she wasn’t really seeing them.

Fluttershy timidly crept along beside her, her head on a swivel as she regarded every shadow, every trembling leaf and frond, as if expecting something to lunge out and attack her.

Applejack brought up the rear, but her eyes kept glancing off to one side – towards the distant glow of the burning village, and in the general direction of the ocean far below.

Even Pinkie was subdued; her normally happy bounce was more of a halfhearted hop now.

Tezuka walked only a few steps behind Ogata, as unreadable as ever. But something told Twilight that his stony façade wasn’t entirely genuine anymore.

“Wait,” Ogata spoke up abruptly, catching all of their attention. “There was something. Just before the attack, Officer Nakajima’s horn started glowing strangely.”

Twilight’s eyes flicked up at the same time as Tezuka looked around. “What do you mean?” he asked.

Ogata floundered for a moment, trying to think of something to say. “Well… it was flickering like a candle. It was very strange.”

Rarity suddenly jolted, a slight gasp slipping past her lips. “Oh! I had something of the sort happen to me earlier, as well.”

And just like that, all eyes were on her.

“Really?” Twilight questioned, suddenly very intrigued. “When? Where? What did it feel like?”

Rarity had to lean back away from Twilight’s intense gaze. “W-well… To be honest, it didn’t feel like anything out of the ordinary to me. It happened shortly after you went to lay down, back on the boat. I do apologize; it just slipped my mind.”

Now it was Tezuka’s turn to sudden be in her face, which alarmed her far more. “Did you see anything? Was there any sign of Gojira? Any at all?”

“N-no, none,” Rarity replied, flustered now. “Do you really think I would have kept something like that to myself? It passed just as quickly as it came, and I didn’t see or feel anything that could have caused it. So I would very much appreciate it if you would stop treating me like a suspect.”

Tezuka remained unconvinced. “He must have been nearby…”

The chill that ran through the group was almost palpable. For Rarity, it didn’t seem to sink in that she’d come that close to something so terrible and never once noticed a thing.

But Twilight was frowning, rubbing her chin. A flickering horn… no discernable irregularity… Where had she heard that before…? A book somewhere, yes… Magical Maladies… 

She was distracted away from remembering by an unexpected sound in the distance.

Something rumbled, deep and grumpy, across the whole breadth of the sky. The group paused, heads snapping around in the same direction.

For a few moments, all they saw was a moonlit island, columns of smoke still rising from the destroyed village… and there, far off towards the horizon, a flash of blinding white light. Lightning.

“More rain,” Ogata sighed. “As if our luck wasn’t rotten enough…”

But as the group started to move again, slightly disheartened at the prospect of more bad weather, Twilight remained in place.

The gears of her brain were working. Something had clicked; somewhere in her mind, a hunch was taking shape.

Spontaneous and violent weather formations… strange horn phenomena… Urgh, I know this… What was it…?

A memory floated to the surface, taking shape before her mind’s eye.

She and Princess Celestia had been comfortably arranged in a nest of cushions beside a crackling fire, like so many of their lessons that had turned towards more… conceptual subjects. She’d been telling Twilight something… Something she knew was important…

… It connects us all, even though we never see it, and rarely feel it. But when we do feel it, havoc is sure to follow…

But what was it!?

“Twilight? Somethin’ botherin’ ya?”

She jumped and glanced over her shoulder. Applejack was waiting patiently for her to continue up the trail while the rest of their group had already trudged several yards ahead.

She was looking directly at Twilight, and judging by the look on her face, she’d picked up on the knowledgeable mare’s pensiveness.

Twilight hesitated, glancing back towards the distant storm as it continued to flash and flicker with strident arcs of lightning. “I… I don’t know,” she mumbled. “I just… I’m getting the feeling that there’s something very wrong going on here that we don’t know about.”

Applejack arched an eyebrow, waiting for further explanations. But Twilight didn’t have any to give – not really. Anything she could have said would have been theoretical, baseless. Without further proof, any explanation she could conjure up would be no more authentic than a rumor. And if Twilight’s hunch was correct, this was no rumor she’d want to start arbitrarily…

“Come on,” Twilight said, nodding her head in the direction of their friends. “If I think of something, I’ll let you know.”

Applejack continued to look at her with an uncertain frown, but she relented. She knew fairly well by now how her cantankerous friend worked. Hunches and gut feelings just weren’t good enough for her most of the time, even if half the time her suspicions proved right.

“Well alright,” she said. “If you say so, Twi’.”

Twilight flashed a smile, but as she turned to continue up the path, she shot the building storm on the horizon one more worried look.

Please don’t be what I think it is…

~~***~~

Onwards the group trekked, progressing further and further up the sloping ridgeline towards the summit of the grander of the two mountains on Odo Island.

Twilight was still pondering over the strange events that had been brought to her attention, when she suddenly became aware of passing under a bright orange light. As it was far brighter than the lantern Tezuka was holding, she couldn’t help but pause and look up. That was when she discovered the high, roughly hewn stone steps shining with rain water right in front of her.

Twilight looked up higher, and couldn’t help but feel her eyes widen in awe.

She was standing underneath a tall, square archway made of bright crimson wood. Two poles held up a gently curving center piece, with its edges swooping over the posts that held it up. Hanging from its underside was a simple ovular lantern bearing some kind of calligraphy; one that Twilight felt she knew, but could not place off the top of her head. If only she’d thought to bring one of her reference books…

To her surprise, however, the arch was not the only one. Every so often, another stood tall and regal over the winding staircase as it went up… up… up towards a towering shape looming atop the mountain’s summit; a tower that looked like it was lined with serrated edges against the night sky.

Windows gave off a warm, inviting glow, And even from there, Twilight just thought she could hear activity of some kind. The flickering light of lanterns lit up the lowest levels of the tower, revealing sweeping eaves stacked one on top of the other, and walls lined with gold.

This time, Twilight immediately recognized it from her cramming sessions on the flight into Neighpon. A temple; a pagoda.

The inquisitive filly in her reared its curious head at the sight. Now she was only too eager to clamber up the many, many steep steps. She was even immune to Rarity’s whining over her aching hooves.

The closer they got, the louder the volume of activity became, until they’d rounded the final curve of the stairs and found the last archway towering over them.

Right on the landing stood two guards outfitted much the same way as Ogata, though in much better condition; they each wore cuirasses covered in scaled plates, making them look like they were half fish. Each wore a half helmet and carried a long spear topped by three blades instead of one, making a sort of upside-down T on the ends of the spear’s shafts.

The moment they spotted the group approaching, the duo stiffened and reflexively lowered their spears until they saw the pair leading the approaching group. They didn’t relax easily, however.

“Oi, Ogata,” one of them shot warily. “Who’re these ponies? More survivors?”

“No,” Ogata responded breathlessly. Twilight couldn’t help but notice the side of his face was tense, as if he was trying to hide a pained expression. In his condition, it was miracle he’d made it all the way up the mountain at all. “They just arrived by boat. They’re from the ship we were told to expect.”

Both of the guards looked at each other in surprise. It seemed to click in their heads then, and immediately they withdrew their spears. “Our apologies, sir,” one of the guards said to Tezuka, adding a respectful bow. “We were told to expect you.”

Tezuka looked at each in turn. “Where is your commanding officer? I wish to speak to him.”

Right away, one of the guards stepped to one side, motioning further along. “Please, this way,” he said.

Tezuka glanced towards the ponies behind them, motioning with his head to follow.

As they passed, Twilight couldn’t help but notice the other of the two guards staring at them as they stepped around him. Not normal staring, either; gawking, like he’d never, ever seen anything like them before.

Twilight had endured similar looks immediately after her coronation. But these were… different. It wasn’t just awe and amazement in those eyes. There was something that looked unnervingly like suspicion.

She tried to brush it off, particularly the look she was getting, and instead rushed to catch up with Tezuka.

“Excuse me,” she said tentatively. Tezuka only turned his head towards her, but said nothing without slowing down.

“What are you think you’ll learn here?” Twilight inquired.

Tezuka glanced forward – towards a set of heavy gates set into a long, winding wall that sat in their way. “It’s not what I will learn, but what you will,” he said.

Twilight frowned at the unexpected answer as a cry went out atop the wall, and the gates began to swing open.

“Stay close to me,” Tezuka instructed. “And don’t talk to anypony – for your own good.”

Twilight was about to ask why when she heard the voices of countless ponies beyond the temple’s gates.

~~***~~

As the temple gates slowly swung open for the latest arrivals, two pairs of eyes watched intently from high, high above.

“Do you think it’s them?” one asked the other.

“It must be,” responded the other to the first.

“Then the Priestess was right.”

The other nodded slightly.

“What do you think will become of this?” asked the first, curious… and a little frightened.

Her companion looked upon the group as they passed through the outer walls with the same expression of deep-set worry. “An end, I suppose… one way or another.”

“What should we do?”

“Inform the Priestess. Her prayers have been answered.”

~~***~~

The temple grounds were packed with ponies. Whole gardens, meditation areas, and much more were swarming with weary, downtrodden souls. The yard inside the walls was plenty spacious, but it couldn’t have been designed with over two hundred refugees in mind.

Shelters had been erected from whatever the refugees had thought to bring with them, be them blankets, furniture, or even clothing for the truly desperate. In more than one place, Twilight spied a tent made of a dress or robe propped up by two sticks and held down with kitchen utensils impaled into the lawn.

Some ponies sat huddled around fires and torches, trying to keep warm. Those that couldn’t find room near the sources of heat sat or lay curled up in their refuges, quiet and motionless.

“There are so many,” Fluttershy whispered as she looked around.

"It's a sight better than only a hoof-full," Applejack mentioned dryly. Nopony argued her point.

“Have they been out here since the attack?” asked Twilight quietly.

Tezuka didn’t answer, nor did Ogata. Somehow, Twilight thought she knew the answer, anyway.

A few ponies looked up as the group passed, their eyes lingering particularly upon Twilight and, to her confusion, Fluttershy, who quailed under the attention and quickly turned away from any gaze she caught sight of.

“Where are the priests?” Twilight inquired.

This time, Ogata responded. “Inside, tending to the injured.”

As the group approached the pagoda, Twilight noticed the guards standing on all sides of it, creating a fence of bodies and wicked spears. In front of them, miserable ponies just trying to get through the night. Behind, however… nothing but closed doors and windows. None of the guards were putting so much as a hoof in the shadow of the towering pagoda, either, as if some kind of force field was keeping all of them at bay.

“Wouldn’t it be better for everypony if they could be inside, at least,” Fluttershy asked tentatively.

Ogata and Tezuka both turned to look at her like she’d just spouted nonsense, which immediately had the timid mare shying away.

Tezuka spared her one more look as they approached the front steps to the temple. With a clang, spears crossed in front of them to bar their path, making Twilight and her friends jump in alarm.

“State your business,” one of the gruff guards growled. “If you have injured, you will have to wait while the priestesses—”

“Enough,” Tezuka snapped. The irritation in his voice made it even sharper than usual; even the detached guards flinched at the sound of it and take him in properly. “Where is the one in charge? I must speak with him.”

The guards exchanged looks. On either side, other soldiers were glancing curiously in their direction, whispering amongst themselves. Even the refugees were paying curious attention to the group now.

“I’m sorry, sir,” the guard said back, “but Officer Nakajima is convening with the head priestess right now.”

“Then go get him,” Tezuka growled through barely parted lips.

Even the burly guard looked uneasy now. “I’m sorry,” he repeated, “but nopony is allowed onto temple grounds unless invited by –”

The rattle of the temple’s front doors silenced him instantly.

Every pair of eyes near and far looked up, up the elegant stairs, towards the grand edifice of the temple’s front, as two heavy panels of engraved wood slid open.

And standing in the doorway were two tiny fillies dressed in exquisite silk dresses, looking so disproportionately small next to the wide entryway.

They couldn’t have been older than eight each, perhaps younger, and yet there was something about the way they carried themselves that unnerved Twilight. It was like they were far wiser than anypony their age – or even twice their age – should be. They were so small, and yet the expressions they wore were unlike anything Twilight had ever seen in somepony as young as them.

After the doors had been pulled fully apart, both fillies bowed gracefully in unison. “Please, come inside,” they both said in perfect harmony. “The Priestess has been expecting you all.”

Everypony in the group exchanged bewildered looks, taken aback. The only one who didn’t was Tezuka, who instead gave the two strange fillies a weary look. “Of course,” he muttered.

The two guards blocking their way uncrossed their spears, and the group slowly shambled up the stairs and through the awaiting entrance.

~~***~~

The inside of the Odo Island temple was a sight Twilight would not forget soon.

The pagoda was almost entirely hollowed out, turning the interior into one gigantic open space with many, many balconies lining the walls and doors off-shooting into more private sectors. An entire tower from Canterlot Castle could have easily fit inside the cavernous space, and there still would have been room to spare.

As Twilight looked around, she couldn’t help but notice several figures drifting around the higher levels; ponies in long white robes trimmed in red. They were going from room to room, bustling about hurriedly with tubs of water, rolls of cloth, and many other things.

Compared to the dreary night outside, the inside of the temple was well lit with warm, inviting light. Elaborate paintings and carvings lined the walls, turning paper screens into tapestries of swooping birds and cascading water, and covering support columns with etchings of swirling winds.

And everywhere Twilight looked – left and right, high and low – she found pinwheels.

They hung from overhead, sat affixed to railings, protruded from the sides of pillars and columns like needles in a pin cushion, and sat clustered in little pots scattered all around like flowerpots filled with little multicolored paper flowers.

As Twilight moved to pass one jutting from a pillar, she couldn’t help but notice that they were all made of two layers. The front only had four points, while the back had twice that.

They had to symbolize something, but Twilight found herself at a total loss. That is, until they approached the center of the pagoda.

There, right in the middle of the temple, was a primly manicured garden of tiny bushes, two winding trees… and a massive ovular stone made of granite easily the size of a house. Engraved across its front was a cross-shaped star surrounded by a circular perimeter radiating a further eight more points, like a point of light superimposed over the sun.

Scattered all about the stone’s base were candles, incense sticks in bowls, copious amounts of flowers and even more of those strange pinwheels.

It was here that the group found a single pony; a weathered and beaten stallion, his head bowed solemnly before the monolithic stone, hooves together.

The twins led the group up to him, and their approach drew his attention. He looked up, eyes going first from the twins to Tezuka, quickly over the group, and then coming to a rest on Ogata.

“Private Ogata,” the stallion said, composing himself as he stood up. “Who are these ponies?”

While Ogata explained, the group looked around anxiously. There was so much space, so much to see. Which, of course, begged the question; why weren’t the refugees allowed inside?

Twilight idly inspected the rune carved into the stone, cocking her head slightly in fascination. It must have some sort of significance, but its meaning totally escaped her. Spike sat on her back, curiously eying the many pinwheels that blanketed the temple like wildflowers.

Rarity was keeping herself under control, but her eyes were racking over the twin fillies’ dresses with a critical, appraising look and utter fascination. Social convention bid her keep 	quiet, but it was everything she could do not to hound the two with questions.

Pinkie kept glancing back at the front doors, biting her lip. So many unhappy faces outside, just sitting around glumly…

Applejack was the least enthralled of the group. She stared about, frowning deeply at all the open, unused space that could be put to use by the less fortunate outside. Surely these folks didn’t intend to keep them outside when it started to rain again. Such callousness was almost unfathomable to her.

Fluttershy brought up the rear of the group, too nervous to be anywhere near that grim stallion at the head of the pack. She looked around curiously; her curiosity centered the most on the foliage growing in the center of the temple.

Most of the plants growing in the middle of the temple were unfamiliar to her, and those that were recognizable were only barely so. The bushes were so small and so trimmed back, like tiny little trees. The trees were long and winding, as if they were trying to be vines. But vines didn’t have such huge bushels of long, slender fronds.

But as she looked around, something caught her attention of the corner of her eye, causing her to turn around.

“Oh! Why hello there, little guy…”

~~***~~

“I see,” grunted the veteran stallion, Nakajima, frowning deeply to himself. “So, these are the ones Celestia sent in her stead?”

"It would seem that way, sir," Ogata reported without inflection.

"Hmm," was the only response he got from the old veteran, who remained quiet for the longest time. Then, abruptly, he glanced up in Ogata's direction, then jerked his head. "You've done well, Private Ogata. Go see the priestesses; they'll get you patched up."

Ogata frowned, forcing himself to straighten up. "I can still..."

"That," cut across hi superior sharply, "was an order. Go."

Ogata gave his superior a conflicted look. He glanced towards Tezuka, who merely watch him without input to offer. Then, with a sigh, he gave a polite bow. "I'll take my leave, then," he muttered, and then he shambled away, heading towards a distant set of stairs.

Nakajima watched him go, as did Tezuka. "He's strong-willed," Tezuka noted approvingly.

Nakajima shot him a look. "He's fresh," he said back. "They all are. There isn't a seasoned hoof to be had in these parts. It's no wonder Gojira trampled us."

Then he scoffed, shooting a stealthy eye over one shoulder towards the group of five brightly colored mares that were politely giving them some space. "But at least I'm not foalsitting a bunch of children."

Tezuka didn’t say anything in response to that. “Sir,” he said, “I was under the impression that you were meeting with the head priestess.”

Nakajima scoffed, glancing towards the massive sacred stone. “Yes, I would be. If she was around.”

Tezuka paused at that. “What?”

Nakajima shook his head, frowning irritably. “The head priestess has kept me waiting for hours. The ponies here won’t evacuate the island unless I have her blessing, but I can’t get her support if she refuses to convene with me on the matter. Superstitious bunch, the lot of them...”

Tezuka glanced up towards the ceiling far, far overhead, frowning to himself. “Have you spoken to her at all?” he asked.

“Not since we led the first bunch of refugees here,” Nakajima replied sourly. “After that, she disappeared. She’s probably up on her tower, conversing with the gods or some such nonsense.”

Tezuka restrained a sigh. “Then it seems our hooves are tied for the moment.”

Nakajima glanced at him, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. “What business does the Empire have with this lot, anyway?” he asked, gesturing around at the pagoda.

He only got a cool look in response. “That is private,” he responded. “As soon as we’re finished here, I’m to escort these mares to Janjira to meet with the Emperor.”

Nakajima raised an eyebrow, but did not inquire further. He’d been in the Imperial Army long enough to know his place. Still, he couldn’t help but think how out of the way someplace like Odo Island was for him.

But whatever reasoning Tezuka had, he wasn’t in the mood to share it. Hidden behind his snarling helmet, only his eyes could have given anything away, and they were cold and stony.

“How is the rest of the country fairing?” Tezuka asked, though he knew he wouldn't like what he heard.

Sure enough, Nakajima sighed, turning back towards the sacred stone. “Badly. Communications are falling apart. Odo was first hit days ago, but you’re the first to respond to our distress signal. I haven’t heard anything from the inner islands for days now… Ogasawara went silent just after we were told to expect you. So, four days ago. We’re stretched thin and we’re getting thinner by the day.”

Tezuka frowned. Ogasawara… that wasn’t too far away. Only a few hours by ferry.

“Anything from the old channels?” Tezuka asked, but Nakajima was shaking his head, having anticipated that question ahead of time.

“No, nothing. No sorcerer in their right mind would bother coming out this close to the border, and they’re the only ones who can use them.”

He looked around then, holding Tezuka’s gaze. “Tell me honestly. Do you believe those children can actually do something about this creature?”

Tezuka glanced up towards the prayer stone, frowning at it minutely. “I believe they will try. There is sincerity in their hearts, but… we will see if they have more to offer.”

Nakajima gave Tezuka a sour look, but ultimately looked away. “You have more faith in them than I do. A bunch of fillies, of all things… Sunstealer’s sense of humor is as cruel as the stories say.”

Tezuka didn’t feel like telling him about the city he’d seen in his brief time in Equestria; the spires of glass and gold, paved streets as far as the eye could see… wealth and prosperity so hearty it made him sick to his stomach. No matter how cunning and sly Celestia was, there was no doubt that she was very successful in what she did. Whatever ploy the trickster was engaging in, he already feared that he was too late to stop it…

~~***~~

Twilight sat a few yards from the conversing soldiers, politely giving them their space. The bench she’d found was too inviting for her sore hooves to pass up, anyway.

By her side, Spike was idly kicking his feet over the edge of the bench, taking in the sights as he waited patiently. 

She, too, was casting her eyes about, drinking in the sights of the temple, committing as much of it to memory as she could. Oh, the scholars back in Canterlot were going to throw a fit over all this, for sure…

“Excuse me.”

Twilight jumped and snapped her head around. To her surprise, she found those strange fillies sitting on either side of her like they’d been there all along.

Even the way they sat was unusually proper, so totally unlike what she’d expect from children their age. They seemed so very mature, like little miniature adults with worldly knowledge to spare.

They were both sitting on one side of her opposite Spike, both giving her identical looks of modest curiosity with twin sets of striking golden eyes.

“Whoa, that’s creepy,” Spike intoned, peeking around Twilight at the strange duo opposite him.

“Oh, H-hello,” Twilight greeted shakily, a little unnerved by their sudden appearance. “I… don’t think I caught your names before.”

The two fillies blinked, the one after the other, they bowed. “My name is Emi,” the closest filly said.

“My name is Yumi,” the second filly responded.

“It’s nice to meet you two,” Twilight said with a smile that was only slightly forced. “My name is –”

“You can’t stay here,” both fillies interrupted in unison.

Twilight blinked, her mouth still open for a moment before she shut it again. “Uh… what?”

Emi and Yumi both exchanged cryptic looks. “The Emperor is not your ally,” Emi whispered. “If you want to find out the truth,” put in Yumi quietly, “you and your friends cannot stay with his pawns,” they both finished in unison.

Twilight glanced up, looking in Tezuka’s direction. He was still lost in conversation with the other stallion and was paying her no mind.

“What are you saying?” Twilight whispered back to the two fillies.

Their gazes were intense – too intense for ponies so small. “Something terrible has happened in Neighpon, something the Emperor is lying to everypony about.”

Both turned towards Tezuka and Nakajima, looking awfully pitying. “These ponies follow their emperor’s word without question. They are loyal, but they are also blind. They do not understand that force of arms will only incite His wrath further. But without the ability to question, they will never find a lasting solution.”

Both turned towards Twilight, and their eyes were almost too piercing to look directly at. “Gojira is here for a reason. If you want to stop Him, you and your friends have to find that reason. Confronting Him head-on will not gain you anything.”

Spike scoffed, rolling his eyes. “I kind of picked up on that last part,” he said, recalling the destruction in the village down below.

Twilight frowned at the little fillies. “What are you suggesting we do, then? There could be hundreds of reasons to explain Godzilla’s behavior, and by the sounds of it we don’t have time to go chasing down every one of them.”

Emi raised one slim white hoof and pointed it at Twilight’s midriff. “Trust what your instincts are telling you. Follow the signs.”

Twilight’s eyes widened. “Are… are you saying it’s…?”

The twins didn’t answer. They just looked at Twilight with the solemnness of adults, their eyes all-too knowing. “Look for the pony named Serizawa. He can help you,” they said.

“O-okay,” Twilight muttered shakily. She was still trying to process what she’d been told – or at least, what she thought she’d been told.

She glanced stealthily towards Tezuka and Nakajima, who were still oblivious to what she was up to.

“Uh, anything else we should know?” Spike asked.

“Yes,” Yumi responded. “You should go find her, too,” Emi finished.

Twilight blinked. “Uh… find who—”

“Twi’!”

Twilight jumped and spun around, just as Applejack and Rarity came sprinting up to her.

“Terribly sorry to interrupt, darling,” Rarity whispered, keeping her voice down after a glance towards the soldiers. “But, we, ah… may have a slight–”

“Fluttershy’s missin’,” Applejack hissed over Rarity, much to her chagrin. “So is Pinkie.”

If Twilight’s eyes weren’t wide before, they certainly were now.

Spike leaned in a little closer. “Yeah… definitely creepy.”

~~***~~

“Wait, come back little guy,” Fluttershy called, trotting quickly after the little flitting shape she’d spotted.

After several days stuck inside a boat without so much as a termite to talk to, seeing a potential animal friend was just too much temptation for her to bear. Even if, technically speaking, it wasn’t her usual kind of animal friend.

The object of her would-be affection flapped just a few feet in front of her on large, multi-colored wings as it bounced hither and thither through the air, always just out of reach. It wasn’t big, but it was definitely the largest of its kind Fluttershy had ever seen.

“I just want to talk,” Fluttershy insisted, trying to catch up. “I don’t think I’ve ever talked to a butterfly like you before.” Then she paused. “Or… are you a moth? Oh please slow down.”

To her immense relief, the butterfly-moth creature finally alighted on a pinwheel to rest.

Fluttershy slowly moved up closer, smiling widely. “Aren’t you just the most adorable thing,” she cooed.

The moth looked back at her with big compound eyes in what Fluttershy could only assume was an inquisitive and friendly sort of way.

“So, what’s your name?” she asked politely.

…

Fluttershy waited patiently for her fuzzy little friend to respond… but it never did. It just looked at her, toyed with its feathery antennae a little, and batted the air with its wings.

After a moment, her smile slipped slightly. “Um… maybe I didn’t speak loud enough…” She moved closer. “What is your name?”

…

Fluttershy blinked, confused. The little moth just stared right back, silent and reserved like no other creature ever had been in her presence.

“You… don’t want to tell me your name?” Fluttershy asked, a little hurt.

The moth just stared back. Then, it pivoted itself around on the pinwheel ninety degrees and took flight once more.

Fluttershy blinked, but she would not be deterred. “W-wait!”

It was flying towards a window! Soon it would be gone without ever saying hello to her, and that really would have been terrible and mean and confusing and –

Without thinking, Fluttershy unfurled her wings and darted up after the anomalous insect, heading straight for the shape of the full moon and starry sky outside.

All she had to do was sit it down and show that she wasn’t a threat. It must just be scared, and that was definitely something she could relate to. After everything Odo Island had gone through, it was no wonder.

She was only a few inches behind it as it fluttered out into the cool night air, just barely out of reach when—

“Hey! Whatcha doin’?” inquired Pinkie from right in front of her.

The squeal that burst out of Fluttershy was only matched by the loud thud of two ponies hitting the ground outside.

Fluttershy moaned, head spinning. It took her several seconds to realize that she was lying in the damp earth, the cool night breeze playing with her feathers.

Pinkie lay on top of her, eyes wheeling round and round in her head. “I… shoulda seen that coming…”

Fluttershy groaned again, trying to sit up. “P-Pinkie Pie… Are you alright…?”

Pinkie hopped up, managing it with barely a wobble. “Yup! I didn’t mean to startle you, you were just going a lot faster than I thought you were.”

“I-it’s alright,” Fluttershy mumbled, getting up as well. “I wasn’t paying attention. I was trying to –”

And then she remembered.

She gasped, whirling around so suddenly she made Pinkie jump back a step. “Oh no!” she panicked, looking around quickly. “W-where’s…?”

Five feet away, the brightly colored moth had settled down on a damp leaf, as if patiently waiting for her. It batted its wings, as if beckoning her over.

“There you are,” sighed Fluttershy, stepping closer. “Thank goodness. I thought I’d lost you.”

Pinkie blinked, cocking her head to one side. “You were following a moth?”

“Oh, not just any moth,” Fluttershy said back, “I’ve never seen one like this before. They’re usually really shy, but this one doesn’t seem to want to talk to me at all.”

“Really?” Pinkie said, cocking her head in utter confusion.

“Uh-huh,” Fluttershy said, carefully creeping up closer so as not to alarm the poor thing any further. “He’s probably just scared. This island’s been through a lot, after all.”

Pinkie continued to give the strangely silent creature a perplexed look. No animal had ever not talked to Fluttershy before. Or, maybe they had and Fluttershy hadn’t told any of them about it. Or maybe it was mute!

Meanwhile, Fluttershy approached carefully, whispering reassuring words to the little creature. “It’s okay, little guy… or girl… I won’t hurt you, I promise.”

The moth turned to look at her again, big blue eyes gleaming in the light cast by the open window behind them. Then, once again, it spread its wings and flittered into the air.

“Wait, don’t go!” Fluttershy begged, but it was already flapping down a little moonlit pathway, one that led away from the pagoda and into dense underbrush. That was when Fluttershy realized that the wall of the temple didn’t go all the way around it. Part of the grounds were left open, allowing thick foliage to encroach rather close to the pagoda’s backside. But there was a path; a thin, winding one that cut a narrow gap through the thick overgrowth.

For a moment, she balked at the sight of all that darkness. But her new friend was headed that way. She couldn’t just let him wander off into someplace dangerous! What would she do with herself if something happened to him!

Without even thinking, she gave pursuit – just as a sliding door swept open, revealing an orange earth pony to the night air.

“Wha—Hey! Where ya goin’ Fluttershy?” Applejack called, but it was too late; the yellow pegasus was already darting away into the darkness.

Pinkie glanced back at Applejack just as Rarity, Twilight and Spike all stepped out into the moonlight. “Where is she going?” Twilight asked, worried.

“Whatever it is, it must be important enough for her not to notice how dark it is,” Rarity noted.

“It’s a moth,” said Pinkie plainly.

…

“A moth,” Rarity deadpanned. “Fluttershy is racing devil-may-care through a dark forest in the middle of the night because of… a moth.”

“Sounds about right ta me,” Applejack said, jumping off the step and moving quickly towards the brush. “Well? Y’all comin’ or what?”

~~***~~

Fluttershy darted along the path, finding her way by moonlight alone. The moth was always just slightly ahead of her, occasionally sending glittering flashes of moonlight off of its wings.

“C-can you please wait?” she pleaded. “I just want to be your friend!”

Still the moth stubbornly ignored her.

Fluttershy almost tripped, momentarily distracting her away from her pursuit and towards the many jutting rocks and exposed roots underhoof. Whatever wasn’t trying to trip her up was covered in a greasy layer of mud ready to sweep her legs out from under her.

Pounding rain, the light of a torch, labored breathing in her ears as she rushed forward…

Fluttershy hesitated, confusion warring with her.

Why… why do I get the feeling I know this place…?

She looked up, peering through the dappled moonlight illuminating her path. It wound side to side like a serpent, narrow and littered with so many obstacles just waiting to twist an ankle or bring down an unwary pony.

“Hurry! We’re almost there! There’s still time before He arrives!”

I… I do know this place, She realized.

She was just starting to take a step forward… when the brush rustled behind her.

“There ya are,” Applejack barked in exasperation at the sight of her. “What in tarnation are ya doin’ all the way out here?”

Right behind her, Fluttershy saw the faces of Rarity and Twilight, all crowding together on the narrow path to get a good look at her.

“Fluttershy!” Twilight cried, looking worried, “What are you doing all the way out here? Aren’t you scared?”

“What do you…?” Fluttershy started to ask as she began to glance around. Darkness, pressing darkness on all sides with innumerable shadows dancing and twitching all around.

It took her only half a second to compress into a tiny little ball of terrified pony and fall onto the ground.

“Well that answers that question,” Applejack said dryly. “Come on, sugarcube. Let’s get on back to the temple before Tezuka has a cow.”

“W-wait a minute,” squeaked Fluttershy, taking them all by surprise. “U-um, just… just a second… please…”

Applejack cocked an eyebrow curiously. “What for?”

Fluttershy forced herself to straighten up, picking herself up off of the ground. “I… I know this is going to sound just an itsy bitsy bit crazy, but…”

“But what?” Applejack said, starting to lose her patience.

“I-I think I’ve seen this trail before,” Fluttershy squeaked out quickly. “I-in a dream or… or something.”

Applejack paused, tilting her head to one side. “… Yep, that does sound crazy.”

“Hang on…”

Applejack paused, then glanced over her shoulder. Now Twilight was frowning to herself, glancing around. “I’m kind of getting the same feeling, myself. But…”

“Shouldn’t it be raining?” Rarity inquired, scowling as well.

“And windy?” Put in Spike.

“And giant monstery?” Pinkie added.

Everypony glanced at her. Now they were all perplexed. “You guys, too?” Twilight asked, astonished.

“I… suppose so,” Rarity responded, looking a little unnerved. Then she glanced towards Applejack. “What about you?”

Applejack opened her mouth, then closed it. Opened it, then closed it.

“All of us?” Twilight said, completely astonished. “We all had the same dream?”

“Ah don’t know,” Applejack shot defensively. “Does that sort of thing happen?”

Twilight frowned, hoof on her chin. “Not without somepony making it happen…” she mumbled.

She paused for a moment, thinking. The twins… for some reason, the twins drifted back to the forefront of her mind. Them and their unnerving awareness…

“Should we see for sure?” Spike offered.

Twilight glanced back at him, paused, then nodded. “Well it… it couldn’t hurt.”

As the others mumbled uncertain agreements, Twilight carefully maneuvered around Fluttershy and took the lead, forging ahead even as their anxiety built.

~~***~~ 

On the group went, carefully following the light cast by Rarity’s and Twilight’s horns. They were keenly aware of every little detail around them. Every time they came across something that stood out, they immediately tried to link it to whatever shadowing bit of memory they still maintained of their shared dream.

After first, it was all dubious… until the forest abruptly stopped on one side of them. Twilight glanced in that direction instinctively, and found herself gazing out over the whole of Odo Island.

Hundreds of feet down, she could just see a rocky beach. Waves gleaming with moonlight crashed against the side of the cliff, audible even from so high up. Further along, way out in the distance, she could see the silvery band of sandy beaches ringing around the perimeter of the island, penning in lush jungle wilderness.

Fierce explosion, flashes of fire and smoke… a massive form bellowing its rage…

The beaches were empty, pristine save for the occasional bit of driftwood… and a long-forgotten boat hull half-buried in the sand like a forgotten whale carcass.

“Okay, this is startin’ ta get spooky,” Applejack murmured, gazing around.

Twilight then turned. A part of her expected to find that small shack surrounded on all sides by towering stones tied together with rope.

What she saw, however, was a totally different scene.

Only one engraved stone stood, bindings still wrapped around its base. But where the other four rocks and the small shack stood, there was only a sudden drop-off, as if a large portion of the cliff had broken away from the mountain. Or, as a dark voice in the back of Twilight’s mind suggested, the cliff had been struck by some horrific force, gouging tons of stone and earth out of the rock face.

She pushed that thought away instinctively, shuddering.

“Well, this doesn’t look right,” spoke up Pinkie, sounding confused. “Where’s the little house?”

“At least somepony noticed that,” Applejack muttered.

Fluttershy started to speak – when all of a sudden, something fluttered passed her nose.

She gasped, flinching backwards, as the moth that had started it all bobbed through the air rhythmically as if dancing, fluttering further head. Right towards a slumped figure sitting in front of the sole remaining stone.

She was clothed entirely in white, and even if she’d been adorned in anything else, the bleaching moonlight turned it all uniformly silver anyway. The pony wasn’t facing them at all, and seemed to be utterly oblivious to their presence.

One by one, the rest of Fluttershy’s friends noticed the bowed figure in front of them. “Uh… who’s that?” Applejack whispered.

Fluttershy watched as the little moth flitted over towards the pony and, to her surprise, alighted on its shoulder.

A head turned, a mumbling voice rising ever so slightly. “Hmm? Really? You don’t say…”

Then, with great effort, the pony picked herself up off of the ground before turning stiffly towards her uninvited guests.

As soon as the moonlight touched her face, Everypony knew she was ancient. Her face was covered in sagging folds of skin, making her look like a wax figure that had been sitting too close to an open flame. Her knees were nobly and her legs stiff. Of her eyes, nopony could see; the layers of wrinkles around them were so heavy that only a faint glint could be detected.

“My, my,” the old mare wheezed. “What have we here? Foreigners, I presume?”

“Um… yes,” Twilight answered, stepping forward. “We’re from—”

“Equestria,” interrupted the mare. “I know. You are here because of the threat posed by Gojira, correct?”

“Uh… yes, ma’am,” Twilight responded. “That’s correct.”

She nodded to herself, her sagging face pulling up in an even saggier smile. “Good, good, that is what I thought. Then, my efforts came at just the right time.”

“Efforts?” Twilight echoed. “What efforts?”

Then it hit her. “Wait… were you the one that made us have those dreams?”

“Indeed I am,” the mare said, sounding rather pleased with herself. “I must admit, I am pleased that you managed to figure it out for yourselves so quickly.”

“Figure what out?” Applejack spoke up. “All we know is we saw somethin’ terrifyin’.”

"Yeah!" piped up Pinkie. "Like, running through rain, gunfire, giant monster terrifying!"

For some reason, the old pony frowned at that. “That… that is all?”

“More or less,” Twilight muttered.

That only made the mare even more crestfallen. “Oh… bother. Then, I wasn’t as effective with my spell as I thought.”

Twilight looked the old mare up and down several times, confusion rising inside of her. “I beg your pardon, but… who are you? The only two ponies in that dream were, er… young.”

“Ah, I apologize,” the pony chuckled. “Where are my manners? How about this; why don’t I answer both your questions with one response?”

Twilight blinked. “Uh… okay?”

The mare smiled, and then brought her forehooves together and gave a deep bow. “My name is Imi. Head Priestess of the Odo Island Temple.”

Twilight blinked again as slowly, oh so slowly, the pieces started to fall into place in her mind.

Imi…

“…Go.” She ordered Imi, but even her own voice sounded strangled. “Run. Run Imi. Go…!”

“You’re…” she started slowly, “You’re… the same pony. From the dreams.”

Applejack stared at Imi, her eyes looking like they were about to pop out of her head. “Now just one minute here! That Imi was just a filly!”

The head priestess nodded understandingly. “Yes, yes I was. But you can see what sixty years can do to somepony.”

Now, everypony just stared.

“Sixty…” breathed Twilight.

“…Years?” finished Spike.

Imi, ancient old Imi, just smiled and nodded, as if all of that should have made perfect sense.

Which it most certainly did not.

“How does that make any sense?” Twilight burst out, waving a hoof. “Godzilla’s only been here in Neighpon for a few weeks, not sixty years!”

“But in our dreams,” Rarity pointed out, “there was a giant monster.”

“Yes!” Twilight cried, making Rarity flinch. “There was! How does that work?!”

Imi just patiently waited for her to finish her tirade, smiling all the while. Oh, how she’d waited all these long years to see how these ponies, whoever they might’ve been, would react to the truth.

“Perhaps, some clarification is needed,” Imi said. “Gojira has been attacking Neighpon for these past long weeks… but He has been with us for much, much longer. And judging by the looks on your faces,” she added bemusedly, “I can assume that your Imperial envoy has neglected to tell you that particular detail.”

Imi sat down with a grunt, slouching slightly in her old age. “I knew that, when He reappeared, the time had come to reach for outside help. But, it seems like our dear emperor had the same idea as well. So, I was forced to try to intercede on whatever scheme he was unfolding.”

Imi glanced up towards the group, taking in their myriad looks of confusion. “What I showed to you... broadcast across Equestria, really… was a memory, not a figment of your imagination. Only a hoof-full of ponies were to pick up on it – there was no way I could reach everypony at once. Only those with strong enough magic would detect it and make sense of it. The memory you saw belonged to the previous head priestess, kept safe by me when I succeeded her.”

“So then,” Applejack started, sounding amazed. “It really was… er… real.”

Imi nodded. “It was. But… it seems I have failed. The spell I used to get it to you all wasn’t enough to keep the memory intact. It seems that much of what I was trying to send was lost along the way. I am sorry…”

All five ponies exchanged looks, some uncertain, some still grappling with what they had been told.

“…Well,” Applejack started tentatively. “We’re here now. Why don’t ya tell us yourself?”

The rest of her friends voiced their agreement. After all, it seemed like such a logical choice. But Imi bowed her head, looking pained. “I’m afraid,” she said grimly, “that there is no time to do that.”

Twilight frowned, exchanging looks with her friends, then asked, “Why not?”

And in response, the sky rumbled with wrathful thunder.

Twilight looked up instinctively, and jolted in surprise. The storm cloud was fast approaching, way too fast to be natural.

“It is too late,” Imi said sadly. “He is coming.”

~~***~~

Rainbow stood on the absolute edge of the boat’s prow, leaning forward as if willing the ship to go faster.

“Can’t this thing go any faster?” she shot over her shoulder in frustration. The sails billowed, straining against their rigging. But to Rainbow, it just didn’t feel like they were going anywhere at all.

“We’re going as fast as we can,” responded Emiko from behind her. Serizawa was at her side, manning the wheel as he battled the rolling waves.

All the while she kept an eye on a series of strange dials and gauges built into a box the size of a dresser.

Even from several dozen feet away, Rainbow could hear the shrill whistle of an alarm coming from whatever machine Emiko was pouring over. She didn’t need to know what it did to know that that wasn’t a good sound.

“The disturbance is getting stronger!” Emiko reported, her voice filled with dread. “I-I’ve never seen it build this fast before! Something’s not right!”

Thunder boomed overhead. Rainbow tilted her head back, turning towards the sky – just as clouds began to overtake them, throwing the starry night sky into utter blackness.

She stared in astonishment as the storm literally formed right before her eyes, swallowing the entire sky whole as it billowed outward in every direction faster than any storm she’d ever seen before. Already she could feel the wind, and some gut sense told her that rain wasn’t far behind.

“He is done resting,” Serizawa said grimly from the helm.

Rainbow whirled around, horrorstruck. “What, already?! That can’t be right! It hasn't even been a few hours, right?”

“I’m afraid so,” Serizawa responded. “Something must have caught His attention.”

Rainbow pulled a face, tightly clenching her teeth. They had to hurry…!

Far away – much too far away for her liking – loomed an island adorned by two twin mountain spires, along with the smoke of a still-burning ruin.

Please… everypony be okay…!

~~***~~

Ponies in the temple grounds were panicking. All eyes were up to the sky as the storm rampaged across it, throwing the world into inky blackness.

They had seen this all before, days ago. They knew the omen. 

Thunder boomed across the sky as fat raindrops started to plummet to earth, urged on by lashing winds.

Terrified ponies dove for their shelters, huddling with loved ones in what many believed to be their last living moments in this world.

Inside the temple, pinwheels spun frantically as the wind began to pick up. The twins watched them whirl apprehensively, each gripping the other’s hoof tightly.

The only ones not milling about in sheer panic were the soldiers.

Nakajima and Tezuka both burst from the temple, and were immediately assaulted by the swelling rain.

“What’s gotten into them?” Tezuka asked, looking around.

Nakajima didn’t have time to respond. Already soldiers were rushing up to him. “Sir! We have confirmed reports of something approaching the island from the southeast,” one of them reported. “Something big.”

“Southern watch is reporting the same,” another soldier chimed off.

“Eastern watch reports the same,” rattled off another. “It’s fast approaching, too fast to be a ship.”

Nakajima cursed aloud. “Blast it all… We don’t have the numbers or equipment to contend with Him right now.”

The soldiers looked between each other nervously, but did their best to keep their composure. “Sir, what are our orders?” one asked. “Should we start the evacuation?”

Tezuka turned towards Nakajima as he frowned at the ground for a moment. Then, he straightened up. “Yes, we will. I don’t care if you have to knock these peasants out or break some bones to do it, I want them all off this island right now. The head priestess will just have to take up grievances afterwards.”

The soldiers didn’t raise any concerns. “Yes sir!” they all barked, then immediately dashed off to carry out their orders.

Nakajima then turned towards Tezuka. “Major Tezuka, your ship is the only weapon we have that can hope to do anything to Him,” Nakajima said. “We need to buy time to get these ponies loaded into the boats and shipped out of harm’s way before He can cause any more harm. I need you to get back to it and prepare for combat. Where is it moored?”

Tezuka was slow to respond. He was gazing off towards the clouds when he slowly turned to meet Nakajima’s gaze. 

“Near the southeastern village.”

~~***~~

Shiragami sat in her room quietly, trying to clear her mind, as she’d been doing for the past many hours.

She had to calm herself and concentrate – particularly on anything that wasn’t that terrifying purple unicorn with all of that terrifying power… and what they’d done. No, no, she could not think about that. She had to calm herself…

“Sorceress?”

Shiragami jumped, scolded herself for doing so, and then smoothed out her dress and straightened up. “What is it?”

“May we come in?” one of her maids asked.

“You may.”

The door clicked open, and in walked both of her maids, both looking apprehensive.

“Is… everything alright?” one asked her. “You seem… distracted.”

“Everything is fine,” Shiragami responded curtly. “I appreciate your concern, but there is nothing to worry about.”

The maids exchanged a look. “Then, about the Equestrian princess…”

Shiragami flinched, and she knew both of her maids had seen it. “I-it’s not of your concern,” she said quickly, too quickly. “I will deal with it in a manner I deem fit!... Would you happen to know where she is right now, by any chance?”

Another look was exchanged.

“Major Tezuka took her and her entourage to the monastery some time ago. It seemed to be of the utmost importance.”

Shiragami frowned to herself – on the inside, as she was taught to do. Never let anything nasty show; that was the tenant she’d had drilled into her from a young age.

“And did they say when they would return?” she asked politely.

“No, my lady,” one responded.

Well, that did pose a dilemma… She couldn’t very well be expected to walk out there and find her herself, not amongst the common folk. It wasn’t allowed.

“Then, I suppose we’ll just have to…,” started Shiragami… only to be interrupted by the most peculiar rattling sound. It lasted for a few moments, then abated. So, she tried again. “I suppose we’ll just…”

There it was again – a rattling of wood on wood, louder this time. It had been loud enough that even the maids were glancing about curiously.

Shiragami looked around, until her eyes fell upon an ornate box placed on a shelf, one whose lid was locked by three golden dragon heads. That box, for whatever reason, was rattling fitfully. A faint, ghostly blue light was seeping through the crack of the lid, perplexing Shiragami still further. Why would it be doing that?

That was when the ship shook violently.

All three mares screamed in alarm as they fell over. Dressers, expensive furniture and cabinets toppled over, one nearly landing heavily on Shiragami’s head. She just barely managed to roll out of the way in time.

“What’s going on?” one of the maids cried fearfully.

“M-maybe we broke free of the rocks?” the other replied hopefully.

Shiragami was just straightening up again when she heard something reverberate through the wood of the ship – a low, quaking rumble. Thunder.

She looked up towards the ceiling, confusion warring inside of her. Another storm already? No, that can’t be right… unless…

Her eyes drifted downwards from the roof, down towards the rattling ceremonial box that had tumbled to the floor, and the ghostly light leaking from it.

It couldn’t be…

~~***~~

The deck of the Amaterasu was in chaos.

Ponies rushed to and fro in a frenzy of activity. An alarm bell was clanging noisily, echoing over every deck as ponies galloped in every direction.

“What the hay was that?!” one shouted to another, peering into the darkness over the side.

Others were hastily unfurling the sails, and a deck down, hatches were flying open, revealing the steely mouths of cannons as they were thrust into firing positions.

Ammunition was passed out; faintly humming spellfire shells, each packing enough of a punch to level a two story house.

Gunners took their positions, pressing their eyes to the crosshair sights facing out into black oblivion beyond the ship’s walls. Loaders stood half a step behind them, crouched by cannon breaches, ready to slam in a fresh munition.

“Get us airborne already!” somepony shouted at the navigator, who was working a number of cranks in the wheelhouse. 

“She’s still dead in the water,” barked the navigator between spat curses. “Ain’t nothin’ doing!”

He futilely yanked a level again and again, but the ship only produced an agonized clanking sound deep in her belly.

“Get us off the beach and I’ll see what I can do,” he snapped, still doing every he could to engage the flight engines. “Until then, everypony get to battle stations!”

The sailor was just starting to say something angry back, when something caught his attention off the side of the ship.

Fifty yards from the ship, the ocean was boiling. And as the sailor stepped closer, squinting curiously at the spot, it began to heave.

~~***~~

Twilight was staring out over a darkened Odo Island right as the cannonfire reached her ears.

Her head snapped around as the reports echoed off of the mountain peaks, again and again.

“He is here,” Imi said solemnly, her smile long gone. “So… it has come to this.”

“Listen ta all that,” Applejack breathed, horrified and awed at the same time by the sound of the cannons pounding in the distance. “That’s gotta be the Amaterasu!”

“What are we supposed to do?” Twilight thought aloud.

Imi looked up at her, the glints of her eyes flashing in the light of their horns. “Run.”

“Run?” Rarity echoed, astonished. “We certainly can’t just leave you all here to fend for yourselves.”

“Rarity’s right,” Twilight said. “We can’t just abandon everypony. We were brought here to do something about this creature, and that’s just what we’re going to have to do!”

Imi cracked a humorous smile at them. “Lively… I like that. But the way you are now, you won’t stand a chance. You cannot face Gojira head on.”

“Maybe so,” Twilight argued, “but at the very least we can buy some time for these ponies to get to safety.”

Imi nodded. “Well, I’m sure those innocent souls would appreciate it. But I must ask you not to put yourselves in harm’s way needlessly.”

She looked at Twilight, really looked at her, holding her gaze. “There is no shame in running away to fight another day. You’ll do well to remember that.”

Twilight paused, then nodded awkwardly. “I’ll… I’ll try to keep that in mind. But don’t worry; we’ll be just fine.”

She turned to the rest of her friends then. “Come on. We’ve got some ponies to save!”

As they turned and bolted into the jungle, Imi smiled after them – a sad, pitying smile. “Make sure that you do, little ones.”

~~***~~

Through the jungle they ran, throwing caution to the winds a little too much. But they persevered; even Rarity didn’t pay much attention to the scratch she got on her foreleg.

“Alright, Twi’,” Applejack said from behind her, “What’s the plan?”

“Well,” Twilight huffed, unused to running and talking at the same time, “The original plan was to have Fluttershy talk to it while Rainbow ran interference. You know, get its attention and get Fluttershy out of there in case anything went wrong.”

“Well obviously we can’t do that,” Applejack said back. All over again, she was very aware of the ornery pegasus’ absence. “So what’s plan B?”

Twilight paused for a moment, working it over in her head. By the time she spoke again, they’d burst out of the underbrush into the back yard of the temple once more.

“Fluttershy’s still our best chance,” she said.

“I-I am?” squeaked Fluttershy anxiously.

“Yes,” Twilight said certainly. “If we can at least figure out what it’s so angry about, maybe we can learn how to fix it. At the very least, we should try to get it away from the villagers, maybe calm it down.”

Rarity was the next to speak up. “And just for the sake of argument, what if that doesn’t work?” Rarity asked. She didn’t ask because she lacked faith in her yellow friend; she did so more out of morbid curiosity, and because somehow she knew Twilight would have a backup plan, just in case.

Twilight frowned to herself. “Well… I believe Imi is right about one thing; we can’t take on something this powerful head-on. If Fluttershy can’t calm it down, we’ll have to buy the other ponies time to get to safety. We may not be able to fight it, but we can at least harass it long enough for them to get away.”

As if on cue, the group came galloping into the main court yard and bore witness to the panic seizing the grounds.

“Out! Everypony out!” soldiers were shouting, pointing towards the gate as a horde of ponies filed forward. “Make for the northern village! Move!”

Ponies were screaming in terror. Some clung together, refusing to let go of one another no matter what.

“Get to the northern village!” soldiers kept repeating, pointing the way, but otherwise remaining in place, even as the rain came crashing down around their heads. The storm was getting worse – much worse.

“We would have a showdown in the rain,” Rarity lamented.

“Now ain’t the time for that, Rarity,” Applejack shot as they approached the gates.

Thunder boomed overhead, causing some ponies to shriek even louder in fright. The group continued on, pushing through the clogged front gate through the crush of terrified ponies trying to escape to safety.

For a time, they were split up by the mass. Twilight stayed focused on forging ahead, trusting the rest of her friends would be on the other side. 

Spike clung hard to her mane, his eyes turned up towards the storm, unblinking. Something didn’t feel right…

Finally, Twilight broke through the throng. Applejack was ahead of her now, but only but a step or two. Rarity pulled herself free soon enough, and Pinkie bounced into view like she’s just melted through the terrified mass without difficulty. Fluttershy had merely floated over all of their heads, avoiding the crush of ponies altogether.

All of the villagers were headed down a path that sloped down one side of the ridge they’d followed up, heading in the opposite direction of the destroyed village. Twilight and her friends didn’t need to think about where they needed to go; they just followed the sounds of the cannon blasts. They ignored the guards shouting at their backs and pushed on through the darkness.

“Okay, Fluttershy,” Twilight started again. “Rarity and I will work on getting its attention. Once it stops moving, that’s your cue to get in there and do your thing. Alright?”

“I-I-I’ll try,” squeaked Fluttershy.

“Pinkie, Applejack, you’re on interference,” Twilight said quickly. “If this thing gets angry, I’ll need you to watch our backs.”

“Gotcha.”

“Okie dokie lokie!”

Twilight nodded to herself. It was far from perfect, but her plan would have to do. “Just keep your distance and we should be fine.”

The group proceeded quickly down the flights of stairs, taking two at a time in some cases. Rain pounded down. Thunder boomed across the sky.

But only thunder did.

Twilight paused, confused as she picked up one ear to listen.

The cannons had ceased. 

She stopped in her tracks, turning towards the village. The rest of the group ground to a stop behind her, very nearly falling over in the process.

“Twilight, what’s…?” Applejack started, but was shushed into silence.

The quiet drawl of the rain pressed down on Twilight’s ears, deafening. Her eyes strained through the darkness, squinting against the downpour and black of night.

The burning houses were starting to go out. There was nothing to see down below but shadows. Until…

A shadow moved. It was little more than motion suddenly shooting up high overhead. Twilight couldn’t see it for what it was – until the shape came screaming down upon their heads.

On pure instinct, she ignited her horn, grabbed all six of them, and in a wink of light, vanished from sight – just as the twisted wreckage of the Amaterasu thundered to the ground right where they had been standing.

It hit prow-first, gashing the earth and flipping end over end. Wood and metal was ejected in every direction as it ripped itself to pieces, flipping and whirling in a savage blur of motion before it came to a stop against a rock outcropping.

Twilight and her friends only got to witness the tail end of the ship’s destruction as they rematerialized several yards downhill.

Debris lay strewn across the ground for hundreds of yards in every direction, twisted and shattered beyond recognition. The ship itself was barely even recognizeable, like it had almost been snapped in half, only to be crunched together like an accordion. Nothing stirred in the darkness; not a single solitary sign of life from the destroyed war vessel.

“Dear sweet Celestia,” Applejack breathed, horrorstruck.

Nopony else could even think of anything to say to that effect.

Twilight took one step forward, unable to stop herself, right as she heard groaning behind her. All five mares whirled around with a gasp, horns pointing beams of light towards the source.

There! Twenty feet behind them, there were three figures lying in the mud, whimpering fitfully.

All five rushed forward without thinking. “Hey!” Twilight called out. “Are you guys alright?”

It was a stupid question at best. All three were lying crumpled on the ground, clutching limbs and moaning to themselves. But as Twilight drew closer, she recognized the regal attire each was wearing.

It was the sorceress and her two maidens, each so covered in grime and filth that they were almost unrecognizable. 

“How did they get outta that?” Applejack asked as they rushed closer.

“No idea,” Twilight replied quickly. She bent down, carefully putting a hoof under the sorceress’s head.

The mare was blinking fitfully, as if trying to clear her sight. She didn’t seem to realize that rain was pelting her face, not until she noticed the one propping her up. “Y-you…”

“Just take it easy,” Twilight said quickly. “We’re going to get you out of here.”

But the mare was only looking at her with huge, terrified eyes. “N-no… no, you need to… to run…”

“It’s okay,” Twilight insisted, but the mare was only shaking her head.

That was when she realized the sorceress wasn’t even looking at her.

“R-run,” she whimpered, her breath frozen in her lungs out of sheer terror.

A split second later, the rain stopped.

Twilight glanced up, confused… as all around her, the curtains of rain receded. For twenty feet in every direction, not a single drop fell to earth.

BOOM

The impact threw everypony off of their hooves as something heavy crashed to earth directly behind them.

Even as Twilight stiffly started to turn around, she heard the quaking rumble of a growl ripping through the air and reverberating through the soil. She turned, heart pounding in her ears, towards the massive trunk of a leg behind her, and the immense black shadow it was attached to that loomed directly overhead.

Thunder boomed, lightning illuminating His towering profile for a split second. It was huge, terrifyingly huge, impossibly huge; thousands upon thousands of tons of muscle, ashen scale and bone standing tall enough to dwarf any skyscraper back home.

For a moment, He stood in place, head turned upwards. And then, with a suddenness of the wind changing, He brought down His gaze, turning it down instead towards two miniscule specks of purple and sapphire light far, far below.

Twilight, her friends, the sorceress and her two maidens stared up, frozen in sheer terror as Godzilla growled His contempt to the wretched night air and the poor, poor creatures caught in His path.
	
> 7: King of Monsters
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The morning mists felt cold and bitter upon Tezuka as he and a select group of soldiers moved noiselessly up a mountain path. Even through his gleaming armor, the damp tendrils chilled his hide.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the grey world slipped into view as they moved forward. They were all tense, keyed for action at a moment’s notice. But the chilled air was as silent as the grave, betraying nothing but the occasional palm tree and bush.

Tezuka knew they were drawing close. He’d heard the sounds of battle the previous night; anypony could have. The explosions, the crashes… the terrifying roars… And then, all at once, nothing. He’d waited as long as he could, until the last barge had set sail from Odo Island’s only other surviving fishing village. Then he’d waited, expecting at any moment to find an unstoppable titan bearing down on them all, offering nothing but fury.

He’d waited… and waited… until the black night gave way. After the last raindrop fell and the dense morning fog was illuminated by the ghostly grey dawn, he held his ground with what few soldiers remained fit for battle, bracing… always bracing…

But the beast never came.

At last, unable to take it anymore, he’d rounded up the few bravest souls left in an already diminished cohort and set out up the path, feeling more a foolish stallion than a courageous one.

The island now felt abandoned. It was too quiet, too still. Even the birds in the trees had fled. After the frenzy and panic of the night before, the catatonic stillness was eerie and unsettling.

But Tezuka couldn’t contain himself any longer. He had to find out what had happened.

He did not know what fate had fallen his ship… but he had a good enough idea. So, when he came upon the shattered golden figurehead lying twisted and mangled upon a mound of upturned earth, he only felt a grim sense of closure.

The Amaterasu laid destroyed upon the crest of the ridge interlocking the two mountains of Odo Island. Only bits and pieces remained, scattered across hundreds of yards downhill. The plated, reinforced bow remained mostly intact, scarred and disfigured as it was. Behind that, only chunks were left.

At the heart of it all was a crater; a gouge in the earth, scooped out as if by some huge spoon and dispersed across the whole hillside. Here, the ground was charred black, and yet oddly smooth to the touch, as if its surface had been turned to glass.

He surveyed the scene from afar, the acrid burn of smoke choking his nostrils. He knew his crew had done everything they could. Their actions would be remembered, their honor preserved. It was… the least he could do.

But now, he had other things to deal with. There were other questions to answer – particularly, six foreign ones.

“Any signs of them?” he shouted. His voice echoed in the fog off of twisted beams of wood and metal struts.

“Nothing yet, sir,” called back an unseen soldier, hidden by the fog. “I don’t know if they were even here.”

“They were,” Tezuka said with absolute certainty. He’d seen that princess’s head moving through the crowds fleeing the temple. Since neither she nor any of her friends turned up in the village, he had a feeling he knew exactly which way they’d decided to charge off. “Find them! We cannot fail the Emperor!”

For many long minutes, the group of soldiers sifted through the wreckage. The torrential rains the night before had scoured the mud of any tracks… well, most of them. It would take a flood of epic proportions to erase the gargantuan craters scarring the earth here and there. Just the sight of them sent a chill down Tezuka’s spine.

Tezuka soon discovered that not all of the wood littering the slope came from his battleship. He kept coming across twisted tree limbs still bearing leaves, whole uprooted trees lying sideways in piles, shattered stumps, and so many more little bits and pieces of wooden slivers than Tezuka would ever be able to identify.

Those fools… Did they actually try to fight Him? Surely they had more sense in them than that…

But the ravaged landscape was making it hard to find any other explanations. The entire hillside was virtually unrecognizable now, and that cemented an uneasy feeling deep in his gut.

The Equestrian princess, Twilight Sparkle… she’d struck him as somepony with more sense than this. For all her faults and obliviousness, she had a good head on her shoulders at least, though he’d never admit to as much. She was clever, at least cleverer than this hours-old demonstration hinted at.

Had he assumed incorrectly? He quailed at the thought. No, something must have gone wrong beyond anypony’s control.

The question now was what…

“Sir?”

Tezuka snapped around towards the speaker, hoping for some kind of good news. The face of the one he saw, however, pulled him up short.

Private Ogata stood at attention, looking like a half-beaten dog wrapped in gauze while wearing the tatters of a military uniform.

“Private,” Tezuka said, “What are you still doing here? You should be with the rest of your company.”

Ogata winced. He was well aware of what he should do, but the fire in his belly would not accept it. “Forgive the insubordination, sir, but I’m not at my limit yet. I can still be of some use.”

Tezuka sighed. He admired the young stallion’s tenacity, at least. “Very well. Do you have anything to report?”

“Yessir,” Ogata replied immediately, straightening up. “The last ship is ready to disembark at your command.”

Tezuka hesitated, then swept his eyes across the desolation he could see through the swirling fog. It didn’t feel right to just give up on the search, not yet. But where could they have gone?

“Sir, if I may ask a question.”

Tezuka turned back towards Ogata, who had a careful look on his face. He almost declined the request, but caught himself. “Very well. What is it?”

“… What do we do if we can’t find them?” Ogata asked carefully.

Several soldiers lifted their heads, looking towards Tezuka without a word. On their faces was the same question – the same looming desperation. The last hope they’d had at saving their home… If it truly was snuffed out…

Tezuka took a moment to choose his words. He was a military pony, through and through. Getting caught up in the heat of the moment was something he’d tried very hard to avoid all his life. So when it came to this dreadful uncertainty, he approached it as best he could by focusing on what needed to be done.

“We regroup with Nakajima’s forces on Ogasawara Island,” Tezuka said. “We focus on getting the refugees to safety, first and foremost.”

Ogata didn’t look so confident, but he nodded regardless. “Y-yes sir.”

He about jumped out of his skin with Tezuka clapped a hoof on his shoulder as he made to walk by. “One step at a time, Private,” he muttered to him. “Stay focused. We will persevere. We will see the Empire through this, or die trying.”

Ogata’s jaw tightened, his responding nod a little more fervent. “Yes sir. I know we will.”

Tezuka nodded sharply, then continued on by. Despite what he might say, however, dread ate at his heart. Was Celestia’s chosen agent really so easily cast down? Had the last hope of Neighpon really been stamped out so swiftly?

A chill ran down his spine. Wherever those five mares were… whatever had become of them… he could only pray that everything was not as dire as it appeared.


~~***~~

Several hours earlier…

~~***~~


Fluttershy stood ankle-deep in mud, feeling chilled to her very core.

But it wasn’t caused by the icy rain water soaking her coat and mane. It wasn’t the cold wind gusts blustering about through the dark night.

It was caused by the pair of gigantic legs towering on either side of her and the rest of her friends, barely illuminated by an ethereal purple glow. They were great columns of ashen scales bulging with muscles and brimming with untold strength. But even for their gargantuan proportions, each trunk of a leg was only a distraction compared to the hulking form they were attached to – the same form that was looming directly over them.

Artificial rain dribbled off of its titanic profile, falling to earth in cascades laced with salty sea spray that stung any eye they fell into. It was the only downpour that reached the group; not even the wind made it around His frame. For the five ponies standing below, it was like standing in the eye of a terrible storm.

Fluttershy could only look straight up through the darkness at the towering monster as it looked down the length of its broad chest right back at her from an incomprehensibly lofty vantage point. It was like being stared down by a skyscraper – a skyscraper that was producing an ominous, reverberating growl she could feel thrumming through the ground underneath her.

He stood almost directly over them, but even then all she could see of Him were his muscle-bound ashen grey legs and stubby claws the size of trolley cars. Not even Twilight’s magical light had enough throw to reach higher than halfway up His broad chest, and that fact alone was alarming. But even with His head in shadows, Fluttershy could still see the twin gleams of light far overhead staring down at them. Though, a part of her wished she couldn’t. Because it was those pinpricks that gave the towering creature life to her.

Lightning exploded across the heavens, making her jump, and for a moment she could see Him; his broad shoulders and thick torso, powerful forearms rolling back in burly shoulders as He reared up to His full, impressive height.

And then, in the time it took everypony to flinch from the thunderclap, He was nothing but a monolithic shadow once more.

From beside her, Fluttershy heard Applejack whisper, “Whoa nelly…” in the smallest voice she’d ever heard the confident pony use.

The rest of her friends were all just as motionless as her. Pinkie and Applejack were both at the sides of the sorceress’s maids, who were doing their very best to strangle their agonized voices around their hooves while writhing in anguish in the mud.

Twilight sat hunched several feet ahead of her, cradling the injured sorceress to her chest. Neither was moving an inch, but over the pounding rain, Fluttershy thought she could hear one of them hyperventilating.

Or maybe that was her. She was a little too distracted to think to double check.

Fear pounded through Fluttershy’s veins. She’d known the creature would be big, but this was far, far larger than she’d ever imagined. It made a fully grown dragon look like a petite kitten by comparison. Next to Him, she and all of her friends were hardly bigger than motes of dust – and likely half as threatening.

And yet, Godzilla wasn’t taking their presence lightly.

The terrible creature stared down at them, motionless, uttering its warning. It was like He was waiting to see what the little points of light far below would do; would the puny dust bunnies be foolish enough to challenge Him?

Fluttershy could see the signs in what little of His body language she could perceive. He was bristling in response to a threat while rising to his full height. But why? How He was even aware of their presence, let alone considered them dangerous, was truly baffling – and very worrying.

It was Twilight that made the connection.

“Rarity,” she breathed, her voice strangled.

Fluttershy automatically glanced to her side, and found the pearly unicorn standing rigidly beside her, head turned as far upwards as it would go. Her eyes were huge and her mouth was slightly agape.

“R-Rarity,” Twilight called again, louder this time.

She heard her friend squeak in surprise that time. “Y-yes?”

“Turn off your horn,” Twilight said slowly, levelly.

Everypony turned to look at her with varying degrees of alarm. “D-do what?”

"T-Twilight?" spoke up Spike nervously from her back. "Is... is that a good idea?"

Internally, Fluttershy panicked, but she was too scared externally to make a sound. If there was one thing worse than a giant, angry monster, it was a giant angry monster lost in total darkness. Rarity’s and Twilight’s horns were the only light sources they had; without them, they literally would be going in blind.

She was distracted when Godzilla uttered a snarl. He was backing off, not ceding ground to them, but moving into a better position to bring all of His formidable might to bear. One thunderous step hit the slope like a bomb, nearly throwing them all over again.

It was then that Fluttershy realized what the problem was. Godzilla wasn’t reacting to any of them. He must be reacting to the sight of their magic.

If there was one thing Fluttershy knew about animals, it was that they were quick to associate something as being good or bad. Raise a hoof to strike a dog enough, and they learn what to expect every time somepony does something similar. But some animals react to such threats with violence of their own instead of tolerating the abuse.

If Godzilla’s only experience with magic had been through the Neighponese military’s attempts to kill Him, then there was no doubt in her mind that His perception of the two twinkling lights far below was that of hostility in the making. But that still didn’t explain how He’d noticed such small points of light in the first place…

“Turn off,” Twilight said again, speaking as clearly and firmly as she could without turning away from the bristling monster, “your horn.”

This time, Rarity did not object. She hesitated, fear of the pitch black, sightless night eating at her, but after a moment, her horn darkened.

Fluttershy braced, hugging herself tightly with her wings as, after too short a pause, Twilight’s horn went out like a snuffed candle.

Darkness. Total, complete darkness instantly wrapped around them all. Fluttershy couldn’t even see the tip of her own muzzle. The only light at all was a faint reddish glow far off to her left; the embers of the burning village, now too weak to provide any illumination at all. All it did was remind Fluttershy what this creature was capable of.

She started breathing faster, her heart racing out of control. They were all alone with a monster the size of a mountain without any way of knowing what it was doing. All they could do was wait, cross their hooves, and pray…

Even if she couldn’t see it, she could hear it. Somehow, that was worse. The rumble that cut through the air, a loud rattling chatter that pounded in her ears… The creak of massive bones, joints popping like little muffled explosions in their sockets as the creature shifted its incredible weight. The grating scrape of a massive tail grinding across the earth, scouring it of all features. Heavy, billowing breaths like tiny windstorms ushered into being with every exhale…

Every sound Fluttershy heard frayed her timid nerves more and more. Why was it just standing there? What could it be doing?

The drawl of the rain, fitful breathing, and blindness were all her senses told her. Fluttershy felt like she was about to black out, but well… it was hard to say for sure when everything was already black to begin with.

And then, from far overhead, she heard Him snort. 

Something whirled over Fluttershy’s head, passing so close over her and her friends that she could have sworn she felt something brush harshly passed her hair.

Screams of fright burst out through the night – hers included – as the thing passed over them all, going further, further, until with a resounding crash, Godzilla drove His foot down into the earth, heaving the soil and tossing the tiny creatures below right off their hooves.

This time, Fluttershy was positive she’d nearly passed out. She didn’t need her eyes to feel the sudden onset of lightheadedness. The only thing that kept her from dropping in a dead faint was when, all at once, the icy downpour found her again and proceeded to beat a hypothermic tattoo into her back. Yes, that did wonders for rousing her. 

Her senses back on track and plenty frazzled regardless, Fluttershy nervously rose to all fours and turned blindly in the direction of the rumbling now coming from behind them all.

He was on the move again, headed inland. Headed north, her internal compass told her. Fluttershy wasn’t much of a pegasus, but she was a pegasus, and her sense of direction had never failed her.

But the only thing that was to the north was… was the villagers…

Oh no…

Godzilla was undoubtedly headed straight for them, and if the soldiers tried to fend Him off with more magic, she had no doubt how He would react.

Twilight must have come to the same conclusion at the same time, because a heartbeat later she was speaking.

“Is… i-is everypony alright?” she called through the roaring rain.

"Uh-huh," responded Spike unevenly.

“A part from feelin’ like Ah lost a couple of years off my life,” Applejack responded shakily off to Fluttershy’s left. “Ah’m fine.”

“I will be,” Rarity said from a few feet to Fluttershy’s right.

“C-can we not do that again?” Pinkie inquired nervously, also on her right. “That was not fun at all…”

Fluttershy was only capable of an incoherent squeak-squeal, but hopefully the others could extrapolate her agreement.

It was comforting, at least, to know that her friends were still right there with her, so far uninjured. It helped to quell the terror rising inside her, but not after Twilight’s next words.

“I’m afraid we have to,” Twilight said seriously. “We can’t let that thing get to the other village.”

“Ah don’t mean ta gripe, but how are we supposed ta corral somethin’ that big?” Applejack inquired incredulously. 

“We aren’t,” Twilight responded. “All we have to do is distract it until Tezuka can get everypony evacuated, or else get it to change course. It’s… well, it’s about all we can do, but I think we can manage it. Fluttershy?”

The mere mention of her own name sent her shrinking to the floor. Maybe if she just didn’t say anything Twilight would forget she was there and move on to somepony else.

No such luck. Regardless of not receiving an answer – Though frankly speaking, Twilight would’ve been surprised to get one in the first place – Twilight went on with her strategy. “We need you to be brave right now, Fluttershy. You’re the only one who can stop Godzilla before it reaches all of those ponies headed for the north.”

“C-could you need me to be scared instead?” Fluttershy squeaked shrilly, hiding behind her hooves. “I think I can do that much, much better right now!”

“Fluttershy, if y’all don’t go talk ta that thing and soon,” Applejack pressed, “there’s no tellin’ what it’ll do ta all those innocent ponies! Well… actually there is, but Ah’d rather not think about it right now.”

“Applejack’s right, darling,” Rarity said, sounding more on the encouraging side at least. “Think of all those ponies who might get hurt!”

“We’ll get its attention, just like we planned,” Twilight reassured. “All you have to do is get up there and try to calm it down.”

“Easy peasy cheesy squeazy!” Pinkie cheered in a brave attempt at her normal manner. “You do that all the time!”

“Pinkie’s right,” Applejack put in supportively. “There ain’t a critter in Equestria that won’t warm up ta ya. Don’t see no reason why it can’t be the same way over here, too.”

Fluttershy whined through the darkness. Her failure to communicate with that cute moth was still fresh in her mind, and now she was expected to console – or even scorn – something incalculably larger, something that had just smashed a Neighponese battleship to splinters without breaking stride.

But if she didn’t, and all of those poor, innocent ponies got hurt because of her cowardice…

Fluttershy picked herself up off the cold, slick ground in resignation. There was only one thing to do. 

“Okay… I’ll do it…”

She turned in the direction of the monster. Perhaps it was just her eyes playing tricks on her, but she just thought she could make out the barest profile against the sky. But there was no way the creature had been that big.

“It’ll be okay, Fluttershy,” Twilight insisted. She sounded so convincing too, like she always did. Fluttershy found herself believing her, even if only a little bit. “We’ll be watching you, just in case anything goes wrong. AJ, Pinkie, Spike, get the sorceress and her maids to a safe distance. Rarity, you and I are going to get its attention. Just… be ready to run, juuuust in case.”

“It won’t come to that, darling,” Rarity said through the darkness. The shakiness of her voice somewhat ruined it, however. “I’m sure Fluttershy will do just fine.”

Fluttershy gulped. “I-I’ll do my best…”

She forced open her wings, testing the air weakly. She could do this… her friends believed in her. She flapped once. She could do this…

Lightning exploded overhead, momentarily turning the world stark white. The concussive boom of the thunderclap startled Fluttershy so much that, without meaning to, she shot into the air with a frightened squeal, wings working as hard as they could through empty darkness.

Rain stung her face as she gained elevation. Her alarm helped urge her on; there was no turning back now, anyway. The black night pressed down on her eyes worse than ever. She couldn’t see her own hooves stretched out in front of her, couldn’t even make out the shape of her own muzzle.

But the creature was not a very quiet one. Over the howl of the wind rushing around her ears and her own thundering heartbeat, she could hear His grumpy rumbling from dead ahead.

Up, up, up she went through the blacked out sky. Higher… higher… how high up did she have to go? Was she too high? It felt like she’d climbed half a mile at least by now, probably more, and she was swiftly gaining more altitude with every passing second. She didn’t want to completely overshoot her target, so she hesitated, slowing a modicum.

That was when a light bloomed in the darkness.

From far below, Twilight’s horn burst to life, burning brighter than a bonfire. Before Fluttershy could be distracted into turning around, the light gushing from her horn coalesced into an orb the size of a volley ball, perched for a moment upon the tip of her horn, and with a loud bang, fired high into the sky.

It passed Fluttershy within a heartbeat, sailing so high she felt like it would pass into the clouds and out of sight.

Almost a thousand feet in the air, the orb slowed, reached the top of its arc, and exploded into a luminescent shower of lavender sparks, bathing the world below in eerie purple light.

Fluttershy never thought to look around, however. Because as soon as the magical flare burst overhead, she caught sight of Him.

She was flying only twenty some feet from His immense side – a wall of ashen scales and rippling bands of muscle the size of blue whales each that flexed with every motion. It was like flying alongside a cliff face of granite, only this one was moving.

With a horrified jolt, she realized she hadn’t even reached His elbow yet. For all the distance she’d covered, she wasn’t even passed the halfway point. She realized this when one powerful arm suddenly turned to intercept her, forcing her to shoot straight up to avoid smacking into it.

But Godzilla wasn’t interested in her. No, He hadn’t even realized she was there.

As Fluttershy angled her nose straight up in a steep climb, she saw a massive, blocky shadow twist around over her as a head turned in the direction of the explosion of light. The sheer size of it was intimidating; there were multi-million-bit mansions back in Equestria that had less square footage. 

A screeching bellow ripped passed His teeth, battering her eardrums. It was almost enough to pin her wings to her side out of fright and send her plummeting to earth, but she persevered – that very same fear that would undo her forcing her muscles to go even faster.

She was almost there now. Her wings were burning from the exertion as she shot up over His shoulder and alongside a broad, burly neck. He was standing in place, scrutinizing the shower of glowing sparks with hateful suspicion.

Godzilla’s head loomed ahead of her, monolithic in size. His teeth were bared in a threatening snarl, and even though each was relatively small in comparison to the rest of His body, a single tooth was much larger than Fluttershy – or a cart, for that matter. 

His eyes were hidden under low brows, but Fluttershy could still see the violet reflections off of them, gleaming in the otherworldly light. For one terrifying moment, Fluttershy thought she’d blundered into His line of sight, but the monster didn’t once turn in her direction or give any indication of being aware of her presence. All the same, she flitted just a few feet closer to the wall of rough hide beside her.

Finally, she reached Godzilla’s jaw line. Fluttershy forced herself not to look at the savage teeth lining His maw, and instead concentrated on her breathing as she pulled to a stop.

“U-um… excuse me, mister Godzilla… sir?” she spoke up.

Godzilla didn’t react.

To her confusion, He continued staring up into the sky warily. At no point did He show any signs of having heard her, or anything unusual.

Was He ignoring her, too? How could that be?

M-maybe I’m not close enough…

With a nervous gulp, Fluttershy edged just a little closer in the direction of His ear. Or, where she hoped an ear was. “U-um,” she spoke up, as loud as she could manage – which wasn’t spectacular by anypony else’s standards –, “Excuse me.”

Godzilla snorted again, emptying a lungful of billowing steam to the night air. But before Fluttershy could get her hopes up, he simply turned back around and continued walking away.

Fluttershy hovered in place, completely taken aback. He was ignoring her! Panic welled up inside of her as her brain scrambled for explanations. But she couldn’t think of anything. No animal had ever just ignored her before. Once in a great while she’d be told to go away, or even threatened to keep her distance by some of the rowdier denizens of the Everfree, at least until they got to know her better.

But never before had she simply been ignored. That was so… so… troubling.

So, Fluttershy tried a different tactic.

Putting on a burst of speed, she accelerated to overtake the perplexing beast. She came to a stop directly in His path, right where he’d definitely see her at the very least.

“Um, pardon me,” she persisted.

Godzilla kept coming. Another thunderous footfall shook the countryside far below. He was almost at the Amaterasu now, and he showed no signs of stopping.

And still he showed no reaction to her presence. The light from Twilight’s flare was starting to fade, but as the shadows grew softer across His face, Fluttershy thought she could just see a set of burning eyes glaring off into the horizon, right around her. She was in his line of sight, and yet He didn’t even seem distracted by her. Was she so insignificant in His eyes that she didn’t warrant the least bit of attention?

But Fluttershy held her ground. Maybe if she was a little firmer…

“Excu—”

Whack!

Scales slammed into her as Godzilla collided with her, but for all the reaction He gave, Fluttershy might as well have been a bit of string floating in the wind.

She found herself smacked right in between His eyes, smashed up against feverishly warm scales. Rain hissed and spat all around her, vaporizing against His hot hide within moments of making contact. The scales were like cobblestone pavement underneath her, albeit ones warmed in a sauna.

Fluttershy jolted back, so completely at a loss that for a moment her brain just stalled. Had He really just walked into her without once noticing her?

Godzilla jolted unexpectedly, and for a moment Fluttershy thought the jig was up, right up until she was nearly thrown clean off His head when Godzilla turned in the direction of a sapphire nova in the night sky.

A rattling quake ran through Him, shaking Fluttershy so bad she saw double. But whether it was two bursts of magic or twelve that were lighting up the rainy night sky, Rarity’s spell reminded her of her friends. She couldn’t just sit here doing nothing.

But what else could she do?

Tentatively, she leaned back. “Um… There, there?” she tried, stroking the rough scales gently. “It’s okay. Can you, um… please calm down now?

Again, no response. The scales under her hooves were so thick it was unlikely He felt anything she did, even if she put all her weight into it.

Something was wrong, terribly wrong, but Fluttershy was at a loss about what it might be. Panic welled up inside of her; the entire plan hinged on her being able to converse with the terrible creature, something which she was failing miserably to do, and she couldn’t figure out how or why. It was as if Godzilla was so single-mindedly focused on whatever mission He was on that He simply couldn’t spare such a tiny creature like her a second look. It was either that, or somehow Godzilla couldn’t understand a word she was saying. That was a terrifying prospect, one she fearfully refused to consider.

Another earthshattering step reminded her that she didn’t have time to be asking all of these questions. Godzilla was still very much on the move, and He was threatening to crest the ridge between the two mountains completely.

Somepony was hollering far below, trying desperately to get His attention. But it did no good.

There had to be something Fluttershy could do. Well… there was one option. And it wouldn’t require words, either.

Another flare exploded overhead, but this time Godzilla hardly glanced in its direction, giving it only a token snarl without missing a step.

But the light was just the thing Fluttershy needed. Mustering up as much courage as she could, she breathed in deep, held it, and jumped back into the air. She darted ahead of the goliath by a few cart lengths until she was right on the edge of His nose. 

There, she turned around, braced herself, and gave Godzilla the Stare.

This time, she got an immediate reaction.

With a tremendous bellow, Godzilla reared back so suddenly Fluttershy was nearly thrown out of the air by the draft. His eyes snapped shut as He recoiled back a full step, letting out a roar of surprise, confusion and alarm.

But all too soon, a new tone filled His voice. He stood up tall, bristling with furious indignation. And when His maw fell open this time, the sound it produced was that of pure fury.

SKREEEEEEEEEE-OOOOOOONNNNKKK!

It was about that point that it truly sank in that she’d made a big mistake.

Now His eyes didn’t look passed her. Whatever insignificance He’d placed on Fluttershy was reevaluated. Now, she had Godzilla’s undivided attention.

So, step one accomplished. Step two, however, was going to be considerably more difficult.

Fluttershy felt the blood rush out of her face when she saw those giant jaws swing open, revealing an expansive tongue and a cavernous throat as big as a train tunnel.

Some peripheral part of her brain heard screams far off in the distance; familiar voices trying to get her attention, to tell her something important. But she was paralyzed in place.

His jaws opened wider and wider, all savage teeth, pink flesh and saliva.

The only thing to pass through her stalled mind was a confused question; where had she gone wrong?

She couldn’t think or move around the binding terror engulfing her as that monstrous maw lunged in a sudden burst of speed, coming straight at her.

A sudden impact, but not from the direction she was expecting. Fluttershy watched as if trapped in a surreal dream as, out of nowhere, she shot off to her right, just as twin jaws snapped together with a loud clap, missing her by feet which felt more like inches.

Somepony said something in her ear, something that she missed. Fluttershy blinked, however. That voice was familiar…

“Hey! You okay, Fluttershy?”

She blinked again, and turned. It was about then that she realized somepony was hanging onto her while flying and dizzying speeds. Somepony with a bright chromatic mane that had been dyed many different shades of blue and purple in the light of Rarity’s and Twilight’s flares.

“R…Rainbow?” Fluttershy managed to squeak.

Rainbow Dash flashed a grin. “Didja miss me?”

Fluttershy didn’t answer. She fainted before she could.

Rainbow blinked at her, then chuckled. “Yeah, you missed me.”

An angry howl behind her caught her attention. She looked over one shoulder, and immediately veered as a massive claw came hurtling down from above. It just barely fell short all the same, but not by much.

Rainbow pulled to a stop midair, an unconscious Fluttershy clutched tightly to one side. “Okay, big guy. You wanna do this? Let’s do this.”

~~***~~

Twilight watched helplessly from below, horrified as a distant rainbow-hued speck bobbed and weaved around the immense creature’s head.

“Is that who I think it is?” Rarity inquired from her side.

Twilight gulped. “Know any other rainbow-maned ponies that crazy?”

“Point taken.”

The joy of seeing her friend alive and well was almost entirely eclipsed by the sight of her milling tauntingly around the titan’s head, goading Him on still further. 

Godzilla roared again and again, pursuing the duo no matter where they went. Rainbow was so busy avoiding jaws the size of airship hangars and even lashing forearms that sent curtains of rain water arcing through the air with every vicious swing that she just couldn’t open up the distance. Not that she seemed in any rush to.

To Twilight’s horror, she watched Rainbow suddenly veer in closer, so close that she must have struck Him right on the nose. Considering He didn’t react in the slightest, it hadn’t been a very successful endeavor.

Rainbow was doing everything she could to pummel the beast, but He only needed to get lucky once.

“We have to do something!” Rarity cried out. “She’s only going to get herself and Fluttershy hurt at this rate!”

But what could she do? With Rainbow so close, she couldn’t risk any large spells. And if it did draw His attention, the odds of her getting out of the way in time weren’t much better than Rainbow’s. 

Again Godzilla lunged, and again Rainbow veered in a wide arc around His gigantic maw, this time shooting off past His cheek. Almost immediately she was shooting off in the other direction as a sprawling tail came flying up from below, missing her by the skin of her teeth.

The beast roared in frustration and whirled around faster than Twilight would have believed possible. His tail flew over her head with such force that the gale nearly toppled her. It collided with a stand of trees, flattening a huge swath of the jungle in the blink of an eye with horrifying ease, easier than if they’d all been made of dried twigs.

Twilight heard a crash to her right and snapped her head around just in time to see a shattered tree trunk flying through the air at her. All she could think to do was hit the deck and pray she was small enough.

She was not expecting the loud thud of wood-on-hoof.

Twilight looked up and found Applejack standing over her. Her hind legs were braced against the side of the broad hunk of wood, muscles flexing for all they were worth. She’d nevertheless skidded a good five feet through the mud as she took the full force of the impact, leaving twin gouges in the earth from her forelegs.

As she came to a stop, the log fell harmlessly to the ground with a heavy thud, and Applejack straightened up with a huff. “You alright, sugarcube?” she asked.

Twilight blinked, then remembered to pick her jaw up off the floor. “Should I be asking you the same thing?”

Applejack cocked half a grin at that.

“Where’s the sorceress?” Twilight inquired, looking around. “And Pinkie, for that matter?”

“We got ‘em a good distance towards the village,” Applejack said. “Pinkie and Spike are lookin’ after ‘em. Ah figured the safest place ta be right now is behind that brute. Then Ah heard this big fella raisin’ a ruckus, and here Ah am.”

Twilight winced. “Well… thanks.”

Applejack flashed another grin, but was distracted by a terrific bellow overhead. She and Twilight both turned in time to see Godzilla straightening up again after another failed attempt to catch the prismatic streak still fleeing through the air.

Now it seemed like Rainbow was intent on opening up the distance to give herself some room to breathe, but the sheer scale of her adversary meant that it took very little effort on His part to close the gap again. The ease at which He wielded His immense girth was unnerving; bursts of speed came seemingly out of nowhere, propelling claws and jaws forward so fast they whistled through the air. And the angrier He got, the more accurate He was becoming. His heavy feet thundered across the ground, dispelling any illusions of a slow, lumbering brute.

“Landsakes,” Applejack gasped, “is that who Ah think it is?”

Twilight nodded. “Well, on the bright side, we found Rainbow.”

Applejack was anything but relieved. “That dang featherbrained, good-fer-nothin’… What in tarnation is she doin’?!”

“If I had to hazard a guess,” said Rarity as she came trotting up, sounding slightly nauseous, “she’s invoked plan B of ‘keeping him distracted’.”

Applejack’s horror redoubled. “By puttin’ her own life on the line?!”

“I didn’t say I agreed with it,” snapped Rarity. “But what can we do? It’d take a miracle for us to draw that monstrosity’s attention.”

“Rarity’s right,” Twilight said, scared. “Whatever Fluttershy did to get it so angry, it’s going to take something worse to get its attention off of them. And… I really don’t think that’s going to improve anything in the long run.”

Applejack looked around quickly, weighing her options. She was strong, yes, but at best she’d only be able to make one of His toes mildly uncomfortable. She’d do more damage to her own legs by kicking Him, more than likely.

Rarity’s arsenal of spells hardly extended beyond the everyday life of a fashion designer, so unless Godzilla was only angry because his look was so last season, she would be of little help in actually subduing the beast. 

Twilight had the best chance of the lot, but something told Applejack that if she had some trick up her sleeve for dealing with humongous monsters that weighed more than some islands, she would have broken it out by now.

But as Applejack looked around, her eyes fell on something lying not far away. what’re the chances…?

But she didn’t have a whole lot of other options. Overhead, Rainbow let out a cry as she lost nearly two hundred feet of altitude, having been knocked out of the sky from the turbulence of one of His massive forearms that had come way too close for comfort. It was that sight that made up her mind for her.

“Or maybe it’ll take a battleship,” she said.

Rarity turned, a confused “what…?” on her lips, only to see Applejack’s backside as she sprinted away through the rain. 

“Applejack!”

~~***~~

Applejack sprinted through the rain, eyes set on the upended wreck of the Amaterasu. Of all the hair-brained ideas she’d ever come up with, she was certain that this would be one of the worst. But she had to do something to draw the heat off of Rainbow and Fluttershy before one of them got hurt.

Her idea was simple; find a working gun or weapon of some kind, and hope the sound would at least draw His wrath for the time being. The trick was going to be getting out of the way when He retaliated.

Guided by the light of Twilight’s and Rarity’s flares, she could see that a safe escape might not be the only thing she had to wish for.

The ship really was demolished. It’d been crumpled like a tin can, entire decks smashed together in a snarl of jutting wooden planks. How anything could still be intact was beyond her. But she had to keep hoping.

Another ear-splitting bellow caught her attention. She turned and found the monstrous creature turning around, away from the rainbow contrail that had resumed its harassment. Apparently chasing her around had worn on His patience. He would not be delayed any longer.

Applejack swore under her breath and put on an extra burst of speed. As big as that thing was, it’d only take it one or two strides to completely pass them all by, and then there’d be no stopping it. The northern village would burn, just like the one behind her.

What few options she’d had just became more limited, her chances more-so, but at least trying to do something wouldn’t keep her up at night afterwards. And if those cannon muzzles protruding from the side of the ship were any indication, her best bet at protecting her friends was in there.

Instead of trying to pass through a door or window, Applejack crawled through one of the many gaping wounds in the battleship’s hull. Inside the ship, she found herself in a topsy-turvy chaos of wrecked upside-down halls interspersed with fallen support struts and full of treacherous footing.

The light of the twin sapphire and purple flares bled in from the countless openings in the ship’s body, filling the damaged passageway with just enough light for her to find her way.

She had no idea where she was going, but she couldn’t let that slow her down. Ducking and weaving in and out of the debris littering the hall, she pushed ahead, located a door on her right that wasn’t filled with rubble, and poked her head inside.

Something steely gleamed back at her through the pervasive darkness. A vast series of metal coils, rods and pistons all connected to some kind of casement that ran tens of feet left and right along the ship’s interior.

A light was glowing near one end; a gemstone of some sort that emitted a potent blue light. It was flickering unsettlingly and the glass case surrounding it was badly cracked, but Applejack was willing to bet her life on it… somewhat.

Applejack sighted down one length of the machine, then the other, and with a jolt, she noticed the opening at the far end, out of which a massive javelin was thrust.

The main gun…

What was more, through that narrow gap where the reinforced bow had been pulled away slightly, she could just see something moving through the night; a humongous leg, coming her way.

She had no idea how this machine worked, or even if it still did work. After the beating the ship had taken, it’d be a miracle if it didn’t blow up in her face the moment she pulled the trigger, let alone function in any capacity.

All in all, she’d had better odds. Of course, she’d also had worse ones.

“Welp,” Applejack mumbled nervously. “Here goes nothin’.”

Applejack darted forward, quickly scanning the complex machinery. All of it was an alien amalgamation of tubing, gears, pistons and cranks unlike anything she’d ever seen before. The outer casement was badly dented and ruptured here and there, and she was pretty sure there were supposed to be a symmetrical number of pistons on top of it, but she was no expert.

But she wasn’t here to survey the damage. She was looking for one thing in particular; some way to fire the dang thing. 

She pulled on something that looked like a lever, only for it to snap off with a weak clink. Hopefully that hadn’t been important.

The ship shook, raining debris from above as another footstep quaked the earth.

Applejack shielded her eyes, narrowly avoiding a chunk of floor paneling as it came crashing down from above.

above…

Of course! The ship was upside down, meaning…

She looked up, rapidly whipping her head this way and that. After only a few moments, she spotted something promising.

A few feet away was a huge, partially snapped off lever. Gold engravings still gleamed in the uneven light, which was the only reason Applejack spotted it in the first place.

If she could just get up there…

Instead of casting her eyes up, she turned them down, searching through the clutter around her hooves. If she could just find something good and heavy…

Another quake. He couldn’t be far away now.

Applejack was forced to settle for the heaviest bit of lumber she could heft with one hoof; it’d have to do. Winding back, she stuck the tip of her tongue out of one corner of her mouth as she carefully took aim, tensed, and threw her projectile with all the force she could muster.

She heard it clang against something long before she was able to get her eyes back up to see what had happened. She looked up, but the lever remained only slightly out of place.

Quickly she hefted a larger hunk of wood, lifted it over her head, and flung it with a bellow of effort. It missed, barely grazing the lever and knocking it another inch or in the right direction.

She was running out of time. Without even paying attention to what she was grabbing, Applejack grabbed one last projectile; a solid length of metal that looked like chunk of a bulkhead. Adrenaline thundering in her veins, she heaved it back like a spear, aimed down one foreleg, and threw.

The heavy metal shard arced through the air and barely clipped the lever on its way back down. But it was enough. The lever had flipped positions, and as it did, the whole inside of the Amaterasu began to shudder to life.

Gears began to spin with a building whine. Machinery began to hum and rattle, building in pitch with every second. The massive spring coil wrapped around the weapon began to compress with unsettling pops and groans as it was wound tighter and tighter.

Applejack couldn’t help but smile, suppressing a whoop. That is, until something banged.

Something shot out of the machinery – a gear, a shaft, who knew – and sailed through the nearby wall, punching a new hole.

Lose wires began to spit with renewed life, firing first sparks, then whole bolts of power into the surrounding environment. Within moments, fires were breaking out all around.

The smile wilted on Applejack’s face as the firing mechanism began to produce a horrible screeching whistle of pent up pressure. Jets of steam tore through the casement, whole pipes rupturing.

Pistons whirred, faster and faster, regardless of how many tore themselves out of their housings. Rivets tore themselves out, firing like bullets in every direction. Loose debris in the ceiling came crashing down as a consequence of the weapon’s worsening shaking.

The stone powering it all burned brighter and brighter, pumping out more and more power without restraint. Burning bolts surged across the metal encasement, front to back, as the inner workings of the great machine began to glow an ominous red.

It was about that point that Applejack knew it was time to go. With the whole weapon shaking itself apart and fires beginning to spread uncontrollably, Applejack whipped around and bolted for the door just a split second in time.

~~***~~

Rainbow was panting heavily. Her wings were seizing up from her exertions as she banked hard and fast around a powerful tail. The sheer force of it whipping through the air was almost enough to toss her to the ground; only her flight experience kept her from doing just that.

She flapped once, flipped end over end, and touched down on the ground in a long backwards skid, wings flared to slow her down. This thing was a tough nut to crack, she’d give Him that. But He had to be wearing down by now.

She still clutched Fluttershy to her side, but she had to admit that continuing to put her in harm’s way wasn’t the best course of action.

“Come on, Fluttershy,” she complained, poking her friend in the side, “Wake up already. It’s just a giant monster trying to kill us all; what’s the big deal?”

No response. Fluttershy was just as out cold as before.

As she set the catatonic mare down gingerly, lightning lashed through the rain-filled skies as Godzilla moved away, His broad back the only thing she could see. Only… He’d paused.

She paused as well, confused, as Godzilla turned, snarling all over again, towards – of all things – the demolished battleship.

Only… something was happening to it.

With a shriek of complaining gears, the upside-down figurehead facing towards them was grinding open, flipping down towards the soggy earth as a savage point was thrust further into the night air. And it was spinning.

Godzilla saw it, and His eyes were narrowing. He turned to face the destroyed vessel fully, squaring board shoulders and throwing out His chest with a challenging bellow.

The javelin spun faster, faster, sending sparks flying in every direction. It shuddered and bounced wildly in its housing quite alarmingly, unnerving everypony that looked at it.

And then, after a moment longer, something audibly snapped deep inside the vessel. In the next instant, the javelin came screaming out at full speed, a blur of deadly motion like an out of control train.

Right past Godzilla’s hip.

He turned a fraction of a second too late, watching the fast-moving object go. It sailed through the air, arching as it lost momentum, before colliding with a distant stand of trees.

The moment it hit the ground, the night was filled with a resounding explosion the likes of which none of the six mares had ever seen before. The incredible concussive force slammed into Rainbow, throwing her and Fluttershy back as the blast wave hit them both like stampeding bulls. They were flung helplessly several yards backwards, sailing through the blistering hot air filled with raining debris.

Trees were flattened. Boulders upheaved and flung like little pebbles through the air.

A short ways away, Rarity clung to the ground, as a rush of hot wind surged passed them, drowning out her scream.

Godzilla stood completely unaffected, breaking the blast and dust-filled winds across His chest like it were little more than a gentle breeze. He stared at the devastation for a moment… before rounding on the thing that would dare challenge Him.

On the ground, Twilight felt it long before she saw it.

It was like a burning, feverish sensation sweeping through the air; a fiery power totally unlike magic. Frenetic, uncontrollable… For some reason, it reminded her of the sorceress and that unsettling energy she’d tapped into. But this… this was several orders of magnitude more intense.

And it was building.

That was when His spines began to crackle.

One by one, they began to hum deafeningly, filling the air with a horrible thrumming sound that only got louder and louder.

Twilight watched as, starting from His powerful tail, each spine began to superheat an intense ghostly blue light. The burning light swept up His back, surging brighter and brighter as ragged spine after ragged spine glowed with an alien power that burned against Twilight’s mind, like fire without a flame. She had no words to describe it, other than fury personified.

Twilight didn’t know what was going on, but her primal instincts were screaming alarms at her as the great kaiju stood up tall.

Godzilla reared up, His maw falling open as He inhaled deeply. And the next thing Twilight knew, the night was dyed a blinding, burning white. Something roared as it tore out of His throat; a pillar of light and power burning as intensely as the heart of a star. 

What remained of the Amaterasu never stood a chance. The intense surge of raw power tore through it like a white-hot scalpel, vaporizing wood and metal like ice in a blast furnace.

The ship succumbed to the intense unnatural fire as every point of magic within its heart detonated with a mute boom. Twilight could feel it happening, aghast as the fires consumed it all, burning every mote of magic away like scraps of paper and intensifying somehow more. It wasn’t the intense torrent of hellish flame that scoured the Amaterasu off the face of Neighpon, but the terrible explosion that followed as ammunition, magical power sources – all of it detonated with a force that shook all of Odo Island.

Without warning, the burning light disappeared as Godzilla closed His maw. He didn’t even seem fazed by the raining rubble peppering His great head as He surveyed the final verdict laid down upon the would-be challenger.

Fire, ruin, and scorched earth were all that met His gaze; a burning expanse of superheated glass and melting rock, metal and the burning vestiges of a once-proud vessel, blasted to dust in a hot wind.

Satisfied with the result, He tilted back His head and belted out a cacophonous roar to the night sky that would be heard for miles in every direction, shaking the very skies above.

~~***~~

Rainbow blinked blearily up at the rainy sky, blinking as fat droplets pelted her face. With a groan, she flipped over onto her belly, dislodging a small mound of dirt that had come to rest upon her.

The air burned with an intense heat, like she’d just stuck herself into an oven. Fires raged across the hillside, whole trees engulfed in a wall of crimson flames that shot dozens of feet into the sky. She shielded her eyes from the glare with one hoof while she continued to blink, trying to focus her eyes.

Rubble was everywhere, some of it still crashing to the ground all around her. Wood, metal, rocks and all manner of unidentifiable debris covered the land in a tangle of wreckage like some kind of demented obstacle course.

Groaning again, she forced herself to rise. She staggered, but stayed upright at least. The whole world just kept spinning…

Not far away, a board flipped over, catching her attention.

Twilight stood over Rarity and Fluttershy, her horn sputtering as the shielding spell waned. She nearly collapsed on top of her friends, but she caught herself.

“Are you guys alright?” Rainbow shouted over the roaring fire and pounding rain.

Without warning, Fluttershy popped up into a sitting position, wide-eyed with alarm. “Oh my, um… Um, did I miss anything?” she inquired, scanning the devastated environment slowly.

“A few weeks-worth of nightmares,” Rarity answered.

Twilight shook her head, as if trying to clear it. “Ugh… I think we’re all in one piece. Are you okay?”

Rainbow blinked, then looked herself up and down. “Yeah, I’m good.”

It was Fluttershy who brought the group to a standstill. “Um… Where’s Applejack?”

The drone of the rain was the only response she got as three friends stared wide-eyed and ashen faced at one another.

“She… she couldn’t have still been in there… could she?” Rarity breathed, her eyes turning towards the smoldering crater where the Amaterasu had been. The scorched earth still glowed fiery red, steam rising in great curtains off of the blistered land.

“No… no, she got out,” Rainbow said. “She had to… right?”

Twilight’s mouth moved, but nothing came out. Horror was taking hold, and it was proving very difficult to speak around it. Just as the thought truly started to sink in, something caught her attention.

Not far away, on the other side of a skid mark created by a chunk of the ship the size of a house, somepony was moaning.

None of them had rushed forward faster in their lives. All four ran full tilt towards the sound, shouting Applejack’s name.

Around the other side of the wreckage, they found a heap of smoldering ruin – and a single orange hoof protruding from a gap. It was moving, but only barely so.

With a flash of lavender and sapphire light, the many boards and blackened logs were flung away with reckless abandon, revealing a battered orange pony lying in the dirt.

Applejack was a mess, but she was moving. Her body was covered in cuts and burns, and there was a particularly unsettling splash of dark red running down one side of her face.

“Applejack!” shouted all four as they rushed closer, but it was one in particular that the wounded pony focused on.

“Ru…Rainbow? That you?”

The pegasus skidded to a halt beside her. She bent down, propping Applejack up with a hoof. “Yeah, I’m here.”

Applejack blinked, slowly. And then, with the suddenness of a snake strike, she thwacked Rainbow on the forehead.

“OW! What the hay was that for?!” Rainbow complained.

“That was fer worryin’ us ta death, ya dang lousy good-for-noth…nothi…” she trailed off with a groan, pinching her eyes closed weakly. “Landsakes… Any… Anypony else taste metal? Or… ‘sthat just me…?”

Rainbow looked over her shoulder towards her other three, equally apprehensive friends. “We need to get her out of here,” she said urgently. “I know a place. We just have to—”

BOOM…

The heavy footfall drove them all into silence. Rarity, Fluttershy, Twilight and Rainbow all turned, slowly, fear pumping in their veins as their eyes turned up towards the sky.

Godzilla stared back contemptuously, His body wreathed in raging fire and billowing smoke. He snarled, standing tall over them all, unbowed. For all they had done, for all that had happened, there was not as much as a cut upon His burly frame or a dent in his immaculate armor. But His patience had officially run out.

“Whas goin’ on…?” Applejack mumbled, blinking in an effort to get all the yellow, white, blue and purple ponies into focus. “Did… d'we win?”

The four mares tensed, bracing for the oncoming behemoth. He was advancing again, as unstoppable as a tidal wave. 

“No,” Twilight gulped. “We… we didn’t.”

One foot heaved into the air, swinging in their direction. All four flinched into one another, closing their eyes, bracing…

BOOM!

All four, Applejack included this time, yelped and shrieked as a massive foot struck the earth mere feet from where they were, colliding with such force that the rush of air alone blasted them over backwards like stray leaves on the wind.

All four scrambled upright, Applejack failing in her attempt to do so, hearts hammering in their chests.

But whatever was supposed to come next, didn’t. To their confusion, Godzilla stood towering over them, suddenly motionless.

Everypony exchanged fearful, apprehensive looks, breathing fitfully. He was so close, so very close… Each of them could hear the rain plinking hollowly against His scales. They could hear the way the ground cracked underneath His colossal weight. But He just stood there, fury forgotten.

Then, with a rumble deep in His throat, He turned His head – not down towards the group of friends, but up towards the sky.

Twilight blinked, confused, as He surveyed the heavens with an intense scrutiny. Confused, she followed His gaze, but only found blackness overhead. But after a moment, something started to catch her attention, something that confused her even more.

The rain was stopping.

What was once a deluge had devolved into a light drizzle, and even that was starting to peter out. The wind had gone from ferocious gusts to a lazy breeze far too fast. Thunder continued to rumble in the distance, but overhead, the sky was dark and silent.

Godzilla let out a terrible sound, His head slowly turning towards the west. Meanwhile, four ponies stood petrified in His shadow, too afraid to move.

“Wh…what’s he doing?” Rainbow whispered. “What’s going on?”

“I-I don’t know,” Twilight hissed back. “Something must’ve caught his attention.”

“No duh,” shot Rainbow. “But what?”

To that, Twilight had no reply.

All five watched intently as the colossus surveyed the skies, then turned back towards them. They jumped, tensing all over again.

Godzilla stared at them, glaring an accusation. Then, without any further notice, He suddenly turned. His tail lashed over them, pinning the group of friends to the ground by the windstorm it created.

When Twilight, Rainbow, Fluttershy, Rarity and a bleary-eyed Applejack looked up again, all they saw was the retreating back of a migrating mountain as it lumbered away, passing into the blackness of the night once more until only the tremors of His footfalls remained. Soon, even those faded, leaving only the roar of a wildfire in the five mares’ ears.

All five just stood there, paralyzed, as the first rays of moonlight cut through the vaporizing clouds overhead. It was Rainbow who eventually broke the silence. “What… just happened? Why did he just… just… leave?”

“I… don’t know,” breathed Twilight. She tilted her head up, looking towards the sky. The storm clouds were receding, fading into the west. “But I have a very bad feeling about all of this.”

~~***~~

Serizawa watched from the stern of the boat. His eyes weren’t turned towards the devastated village or the burning hillside, but instead he watched the sky, his brow furrowed.

“Emiko,” he called over his shoulder. “Did you get that?”

“Yes, sensei,” Emiko responded from behind. Back under the ship’s canopy, Emiko looked up from the many gemstone-laced devices and glowing nodes pulsating with magic. “We recorded everything.”

Serizawa nodded, eyes still studying the dark heavens.

“Serizawa,” Emiko started meekly, “These readings… We've seen them before, but... they’re not connected to Gojira, are they?”

Serizawa took a moment before answering. He pulled off his grimy glasses and wiped them carefully on his chest before replacing them again. “No… I don’t believe they are. Not anymore.”

“Then… what does that mean?” Emiko asked, fear in her voice – fear of the unknown, among others.

“It means,” Serizawa said, his shoulders sagging slightly, “that we were right. Gojira isn’t creating these storms. He is following them.”

“Why?” Emiko asked. “What does it mean?”

Serizawa glanced down, turning towards the far off shapes of several ponies rapidly approaching. In the lead, a rainbow contrail headed straight for them.

“That Gojira is only a symptom of a greater problem,” he said finally. “One, I fear, we may not be able to fix after all.”

He turned towards Emiko, meeting her frightened look. “Let us hope that Rainbow Dash-san’s friends are even greater than she says. With any luck, they may just be the miracle we need.”

~~***~~

Imi sat beside the prayer stone outside the monastery, casting her eyes out over the darkened ocean. She was soaked to the bone, but there she remained, as did the brightly colored moth on her shoulder.

“Hmm… So, the gods have set things in motion without my help anyway,” she cackled. “They found their way to the one they needed to find most. Hmhm… finally, a little good fortune.”

On her shoulder, the moth batted its wings dolefully.

“No,” Imi sighed aloud. “I suppose nothing is for certain yet. But a chance yet remains, don’t you think?”

Another lethargic bat of the little insect’s wings.

Imi beamed to herself, nodding privately. “Yes indeed. There is always hope.”

She picked herself up off the ground with a little effort, knobby knees quivering as she stiffly shuffled in the direction of the temple. “I will say a prayer for them, old friend. The next time they meet face-to-face very well could be their last.”
	
> 8: A New Direction
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	
Emiko carefully lowered the imperial sorceress onto the bed, taking great pains not to jostle her. Despite her care, the battered mare still whimpered through tightly clenched lips, her eyes screwed shut.

One of her legs was in a sorry state, and Emiko fully suspected that there was something hurt in her chest, considering the reactions she got every time she so much as touched her left side.

The two mares that accompanied her were only in moderately better shape. Nothing seemed to be broken, but they all were covered in nasty bruises that were clear as day.

“You should rest,” Emiko instructed the sorceress as she turned to examine the cache of medical supplies she and Serizawa had built up over the years. It was still woefully inadequate; ointments for rashes, bandages for cuts and dried herbs for fever did little good against bone fractures and internal injuries, but she made due. At least her patients wouldn’t run the risk of catching an infection.

She pulled out a small hollowed gourd and popped out the cork with a flick of her horn. Inside, she could just smell the syrupy, sickly sweet concoction that, frankly speaking, she was in danger of completely burning through from tonight alone.

Emiko moved back towards the sorceress, a small clay cup in one hoof as she poured out a generous dose of the medicine. “This will help you sleep,” she explained. “It will ease the pain.”

She blinked, however, when the sorceress kept her head turned stubbornly the other way. The maids had been the same way; they refused to so much as look her in the eye, somehow haughty even in agony.

The first time it’d happened, it had been distressing. The second time, mildly irritating. This time, she was in no mood to put up with their superior social statuses.

The sorceress yelped when her head was roughly yanked around in the other direction by a telekinetic force, her mouth tugged open wide. Any objection she might have voiced – and she had a few – was cut off when Emiko upturned the cup into the injured mare’s mouth, then clamped her jaws shut until she’d swallowed. All the while, Emiko smiled a most unsettling, most unauthentic smile.

“Good girl,” she patronized, patted her head, then started putting her medical supplies away. By the time she’d safely stored away her various bandages and tonics, the sorceress was sound asleep, snoring like a babe.

Emiko’s attitude softened. She knew she shouldn't blame them for the way they behaved. After all, a pony only knows what they've been raised to believe. It'd been no small wonder that the mares hadn't verbally refused her 'peasant remedies' outright. Then again, maybe they'd simply been in too much pain to make the most of their disdain. Still, she'd have a few hours worth of peace and quiet out of them at the very least.

She rearranged the blankets around her slumbering patient, and with a flick of her horn, brought the lamp hanging overhead to a dim, guttering spark before carefully making her way out of the packed bedchamber.

In the other room, she found the fourth patient sitting tolerantly as a yellow pegasus worked over her. She was bleary-eyed still and kept blinking and wobbling a little, but she reacted quick enough when Emiko slipped into the room.

“How are they?” Applejack asked.

Emiko flash a small smile. “We can’t take care of most of their injuries, but we can make them comfortable until we find somepony who can.”

Privately, she included the concussed pony in front of her among them. A few cuts and bruises weren’t a problem to tend to. But a serious concussion was a different matter, and she was definitely behaving like she’d hit her head very, very hard.

Still, she couldn’t help but marvel at the earth pony’s resilience. She must have been hurting all over, and yet she barely displayed any discomfort at all.

“Well that’s somethin’,” she mumbled, nodding to herself. Then she winced as Fluttershy cinched a length of gauze tight around her barrel.

“Oh, I'm sorry,” the pegasus fretted. 

Applejack made a dismissive noise in response, then turned her attention back to Emiko. “Mighty kind of ya ta take us in,” she said, smiling. “Don’t know what we woulda done if y’all hadn’t been there when ya were.”

Emiko took a moment to parse through the mare’s strange dialect, processing what she could. Equestrian – actual Equestrian, not the stuff written in books like from what she’d learned – was strange enough to listen to as it was, but the unusual twang in Applejack’s words, not to mention some of the words themselves, made it particularly difficult to make sense of what she was saying. She considered herself fairly well versed in the language, but that accent was throwing her off.

She quickly decided that Applejack was thanking her for something, and so she gave a kind smile and a bow in response. “We are happy to help,” she said. “I will go see if we have something for you to lie down on.”

Applejack bobbed her head in appreciation. “That… sure sounds nice right about now,” she said, blinking slowly.

So Emiko excused herself, all the while musing over Applejack’s strange manner of speaking. Equestria sure seemed different than she’d envisioned…

She walked out into a small corridor that ran the whole length of the ship, front to back. She’d walked this corridor every day for… how many years now? Many, too many to keep track of. This ship was her home, her observatory, her school… her world. And suddenly, it was feeling like a very, very small world, indeed… 

Emiko snapped back to her senses when she reached one of the last doors near the rear of the ship and automatically slid it open. Inside, she found the room occupied by far more ponies than she was accustomed to seeing.

Serizawa, Rainbow Dash, and four of her friends all sat around the dinner table, sitting on cushions on the floor.

They were deep in discussion when Emiko trotted in, and hardly anypony looked up towards her, save for the strange, bipedal purple lizard that most certainly was no pony. He blinked up at her questioningly, seemingly just as perplexed by her staring as she was of his existence.

The moment she clacked the door shut behind her, the conversation stopped. All eyes turned towards her, looks of worry and anxiety on three mares’ faces.

“How’s Applejack?” Rainbow asked quickly.

“And the sorceress and her maids,” Twilight added.

“Yeah, them, too. But how’s Applejack?”

Rarity and Twilight rolled their eyes.

Emiko did her best to look reassuring. “Your friend Fluttershy-san and I have done the best we can. Their lives are not in danger, but we do not have the supplies to heal them fully. I can mend injured bones, but I fear Applejack-san might have hurt her head very badly, and I do not know how to heal that.”

The group of mares looked disheartened, but relieved all the same. “Thanks for doing what you could,” Twilight said with a small, but meaningful smile. “It means a lot.”

Emiko smiled back, until a shrill whistling interrupted them. Everypony watched as she bustled over to a single burner housing a spark of magical flame and quickly lifted a kettle into the air.

“Once we reach land,” Serizawa spoke up, drawing the group’s attention, “we will see about getting your friends medical attention. I know a few ponies on Ogasawara Island who will help; it won’t take us long to reach it.”

“Sounds good to me,” Rainbow said right away, earning her a look from Twilight.

The group was silent as Emiko placed a cup in front of each of them and poured them all piping hot tea. Then, with a wordless bow, she excused herself, disappearing the way she’d come.

Serizawa watched her go, his eyes unreadable, until Twilight spoke up.

“So, mister Serizawa,” she said, “you said you were following Godzilla?”

Serizawa glanced back towards her, and then nodded. “Yes, that is correct. More specifically, I have been studying the disturbances He causes… or at least, what I thought He caused.”

“I don’t really get it,” Rainbow said, turning towards Twilight, “but it sounds like he’s been studying Godzilla to try to find a way to beat it.”

“No, not to defeat it,” Serizawa corrected. “But we need a way to subdue Him without resorting to violence. I believe that the answer to that lies in the disturbances He has been chasing all this time.”

“Disturbances,” Rarity repeated, frowning. “Do you perhaps mean the storms?”

Serizawa nodded. “The storms are just a manifestation of these disturbances.”

Twilight’s eyes widened in a look of shock. “Wait, wait… are you talking about etheric disturbances? Please tell me you’re not.”

Serizawa nodded grimly. “I’m afraid I am.”

Twilight grew very pale after that.

Rainbow, Rarity and Pinkie Pie all exchanged confused looks, a few shrugs and an unknowing shake of the head or two, before Pinkie looked up and said, “Huh?”

But Twilight wasn’t listening. “So I was right,” she muttered to herself, looking edgy. “The auroral manifestations while casting spells, the sudden atmospheric destabilizations… it’s all caused by an etheric imbalance!”

Serizawa nodded, looking rather impressed.

“Okay, time out,” Rainbow butted in, making the appropriate gesture with her hooves. “To quote Pinkie here… ahem… Huh?”

“What she said I said,” Pinkie agreed, pointing at her and nodding vigorously.

Even Rarity frowned lightly, looking confused.

Only Spike didn’t. He turned towards Twilight, wringing his claws. “Um… isn’t that supposed to be really, really bad?”

“Yes, Spike,” Twilight said quietly, looking deeply concerned, “that’s really, really bad.”

Twilight looked up, meeting the confused – and rather demanding – looks from her friends. “Remember how I said ether is sort of like ambient magic?” she said. “Well, that’s just the broadest definition. Ether is used to conduct magical forces in the –”

“In Equestrian, egghead,” Rainbow interrupted.

Twilight glared at her, but relented with a sigh. “Okay, how do I put this… Ether is like… Okay, let me put it this way. It’s because of ether that magic can manifest at all. Without it, pegasi can’t affect the weather, unicorns can’t create spells, and earth ponies can’t grow crops, not to mention the many, many other things that wouldn’t be able to use magic at all. It’s like lightning; when it strikes something metal, it conducts through that something, right? It’s the same idea; ether is the metal doing the conducting, and magic is the lightning bolt. Without a conductor, magic just… doesn’t go anywhere.

“On the other hoof, too much ether causes magic to go completely out of control. A spark of magic can level cities. A flap of a wing can generate category five hurricanes, or who knows what else. A crop of corn germinates into flesh-eating mutants. It’s happened before in history, and well… the results are never, ever good.”

Serizawa nodded again, now thoroughly impressed. “That is correct. Normally, ether balances itself naturally. But if that balance is destabilized – for example, because of an incredible surge of magic at one point – it causes feedback.”

“Like these storms,” Twilight added, waving a hoof. “But it can get so, so much worse…”

Serizawa nodded. “Some places have a stronger concentration of ether than others. Neighpon is one of these places.”

“Which is why it was chosen by the Empire of the Sun,” Twilight went on. “The potency of magic here was roughly two-point-eight-nine units higher than anywhere else, even Equestria.”

“Two-point-eight-nine-four, to be exact,” Serizawa said.

“Right,” Twilight said distractedly. “Etheric feedback here would be so much worse than anywhere else in the world.”

“I am so lost,” Rainbow deadpanned, but she was ignored.

“It means,” Twilight went on, in full lecture mode now, “A destabilization here would be catastrophic.”

“Just how catastrophic, exactly?” Rarity asked out of sheer morbid curiosity.

Twilight gave her a queasy look. “Very. Catastrophic. Right now we’re only dealing with freak storms, but if things continue to get worse, we could see a complete breakdown of the natural order, and the end of Neighpon as we know it!”

Serizawa nodded grimly. “Yes, it would. And I believe Gojira can detect that imbalance, and it has drawn Him out of hiding. He is looking for the source.”

Twilight sat back on her cushion, tapping her chin. “So the question now is what caused it, and how can we stop it?”

Rarity and Pinkie exchanged confused – and slightly uncomprehending – looks. Spike stared around uncertainly. But while Twilight pondered carefully, she didn’t notice the way Rainbow Dash caught Serizawa’s eye meaningfully.

“I,” Serizawa started reluctantly, “may be able to help.”

Twilight perked up. “Huh? How?”

Serizawa’s expression, however, had darkened. He stared down into his cup, now half empty. It was Rainbow who ended up speaking next.

“So… apparently this isn’t the first time Godzilla’s been on the rampage,” she mentioned in as casual a way possible. What she wasn’t expecting was the bland reaction she got.

Twilight turned to her, frowning thoughtfully while Rarity and Pinkie just gave her questioning looks. No shock, no dismissals… it was all really boring.

“Yeah, we heard something like that,” she said.

“You… did?” Rainbow said back. Now she was the one taken aback, her big reveal moment turned against her. “How?”

Twilight retold their encounter with Imi, just before the storm had closed in on Odo Island. While she spoke, Serizawa listened mutely, inscrutable. When she was finished, Serizawa set his cup down, a thoughtful look on his face.

“Is that about right?” Twilight asked then. She was turned towards him quizzically. “Has Godzilla attacked Neighpon before?”

The old Neighponese pony was quiet for a long time, regarding the table. Then, he looked up towards her. “I believe so, yes.”

Twilight blinked. “You believe so?” she repeated.

Serizawa nodded, glancing away.

“Sixty years ago,” he began, “the then-emperor of Neighpon ordered the commissioning of a spell that he proclaimed would return the Empire to its former glory.”

“Well that’s not ominous,” Spike mumbled.

"It happens more than you might think," Serizawa said to him. "The reign of every emperor since the sun was taken from us has been marked by many attempts to seize a greater power."

He glanced around the table, as if to make sure everypony present was paying attention, which they undoubtedly were.“My father was one of the many ordered to create the spell,” he went on. “The court of nobles and all of the best minds in Neighpon were brought into the project, but it was my father who led the team designing the spell.”

Twilight looked – and felt – uneasy. “What kind of spell was it?” she asked.

Serizawa looked up towards her. “It was a spell that would give the emperor control over nature itself,” he said.

Several ponies blinked in bewilderment. “Uh,” Rainbow spoke up, “don’t we kinda already do that?”

“No,” Twilight said. She was pale all over again. “No we don’t. Pegasi can control the weather, yes, but you can’t control when the seasons change. Ponies are supposed to work in harmony with nature, not try to force it to bend to our will. Whenever somepony does, bad things happen. Enchanting a place to recreate eternal spring is one thing; actually making it eternal spring is completely different. Sooner or later, nature forces itself back into order, and the recoil can be really, really violent, like a dam bursting.”

Serizawa nodded. “My father told the emperor the same thing,” he said. “The emperor… did not like that. He was not accustomed to being told 'no'.”

For a brief moment, there was pain in his eyes, but it passed so quickly that Twilight thought she’d imagined it.

“The Empire of the Sun has long searched for a way to take back the sun from Celestia,” he went on. “When that failed, it turned its desperation to other pursuits. The Golden Age spell was just the culmination of this… madness. My father protested, but it could not be stopped. The spell was completed without him.”

Serizawa forward, resting his elbows on the table, his eyes dark. “Sixty years ago, the greatest sorcerers and sorceresses in the Empire gathered in the capital, Janjira. Hundreds of casters were called into service, including an entire years-worth of reagents, and a spell circle a square mile across.” 

Even Rainbow’s eyes grew wide at that. She may know next to nothing about magic, but she knew that that sounded like an undertaking of epic proportions worthy of any Daring Do novel.

“Everything seemed to go according to plan. But when they cast the spell, something went wrong. Instead of a neverending spring, as the emperor promised... they awakened something.”

He looked up at the group, straightening up. “The eternal spring the emperor had promised never came. Instead, storms began appearing all across Neighpon. Tsunamis and typhoons destroyed many villages… killed many more. At least, that is what the Empire told everypony.”

Twilight gulped. “You… you think it was Godzilla,” she said in a small voice.

Serizawa looked up at her. “Yes… I do,” he said. “So did my father. Because only islands on the edge of the Empire were attacked, few believed it was anything more than a spell gone wrong. Those who witnessed the creature were dismissed as superstitious ravings or the imaginings of insane ponies. 

“But my father believed otherwise. He believed the spell had disturbed a great monster – a daikaiju, legendary beings worshipped as gods all across Neighpon. The priests and priestesses of the many shrines across Neighpon agreed with him, but the Emperor refused to listen to his warnings, or those from the priests.”

Something even darker flashed across Serizawa’s face then – a flare of anger, bubbling to the surface before it was quickly bottled up again.

When next he spoke, Twilight couldn’t help but get the feeling that he was glossing over a great many details.

“After a few weeks, the disturbances faded. When they did, so did Gojira. But when the storms returned, so too did He."

Twilight’s frown grew troubled. Ether disturbances recurring weren’t unheard of, but a delay of sixty years was very peculiar. 

“The chances of this being feedback from the same incident seems really unlikely,” she commented, but there was uncertainty in her expression. She had to admit that studies into ether was still a very theoretical science, and she herself wasn't an expert on the subject. Nopony actually knew what the stuff was capable of, not completely.

“Do you have any idea what might have caused another event like before?” Twilight asked Serizawa, her eyes flashing up towards him. “Emperor Kirin attempting another spell, maybe?”

Unfortunately, Serizawa shook his head. “I cannot say for sure," he said with a heavy sigh. "The Emperor keeps most of his affairs private, and few are allowed into the grand city at Janjira anymore. I have kept my distance from him and his agendas, considering his… opinion… of my work. But I would not discount another attempt at the Golden Age spell, or something worse.”

Twilight grimaced at the prospect, but managed to keep as positive an outlook as possible. “Well, recent magical damage on the ether currents would be easier to rectify than an old one.”

Still, something seemed off to her. There was a nagging question in the back of her mind, half-formed but foreboding all the same…

She was interrupted when Serizawa spoke up. “I would like to help you, Sparkle-san, in whatever way I can. I do not have many resources available to me, but I still have made a number of useful finds over the years.”

For some reason that wasn’t immediately apparent, Rainbow suddenly sat up straighter, a glint in her eyes. “Oh yeah! I forgot about that!”

Everypony turned towards her questioningly. “Forgot what?” Pinkie asked.

Serizawa looked at her for a moment, then picked himself up. “Follow me,” he said. “There is something you should see.”


~~***~~


The group followed Serizawa as he exited the kitchen and made his way down the hall. Spike brought up the rear, nervously trotting along as best he could. The whole time, he couldn’t help but glance around, particularly at every doorway they passed.

There was something about the pot-bellied ship that set him on edge, but he couldn’t put his claw on it. Ever since they’d gotten on board, he’d had the same feeling, but he’d attributed it, understandably, to recent events still ringing through his nervous system. But the sensation never abated. Something about the ship just… wasn’t right. 

It bothered him the whole way down the hall. Emiko and Serizawa had been nothing but kind, even if they stared a little too much. So, if it wasn’t them, what could it be?

He caught sight of Fluttershy and Applejack through a door left ajar, which momentarily distracted him, but not for long. Applejack was sitting propped up on a mound of cushions, still looking rather concussed.

Just what was this sensation…?

At the end of the hall, Serizawa came to a halt. At first, nopony could figure out why he’d come this far; there were no doors on either side of the hallway, just uniform wood boards.

Just before anypony could raise the obvious question, Serizawa lifted his hoof, and pressed it to a knothole on one of the boards. To everypony’s surprise, it offered a click in response.

With a rasp of wood-on-wood, a section of the wall depressed, then swiftly swept to one side, exposing a small landing and narrow ladder that went straight down into darkness.

“Please excuse the small space,” Serizawa said as he moved towards the ladder. “We had to modify this part of the ship ourselves.”

Twilight gave him an apprehensive look as he slowly clambered down the ladder. She about jumped a foot in the air when Rainbow suddenly darted up beside her.

“Secret doorways! How awesome is this?!” she gushed before quickly darting after Serizawa.

Twilight frowned, then followed her friend down the cramped hole that had been roughly carved out of the ship as if by a jigsaw, rather than built purposefully into it.

Homemade hatches, secret doors… All of this secrecy was starting to build up Twilight’s curiosity. She descended the ladder carefully, not completely liking the dark, tight packed space. There was barely enough room to cram the ladder in, and not much more for a mare of Twilight’s size to climb down it. Somepony like Big Macintosh would undoubtedly run the risk of getting stuck in the tiny space.

The darkness was what got to her the most. Light was filtering up from below, but not much made it past Rainbow, and even less made it past her own flank. So, just for a little peace of mind, she lit her horn to give herself some light.

That was when her horn started to flicker.

Twilight paused, her eyes rising up as far as they could go on her forehead. She couldn’t see her horn, not exactly, but she could see that sputtering light, like a candle flame. But she couldn’t feel anything out of the ordinary. Her magic was telling her everything was okay, but something in the atmosphere was most certainly not.

Immediately she was uneasy. Thoughts of the terrible creature looming over her flooded back, making her tremble.

“Twilight?” called Rarity from above. “Is everything alright?”

She glanced up quickly, noticing the pearly hooves a rung or two above her.

“Uh… y-yeah,” Twilight lied. It wouldn’t do to worry them right now. All the same, her senses were on high alert as she carefully descended the last few steps and into the belly of Serizawa’s ship.

Down here was a wide open space that ran the whole length of the ship, interspersed by support beams. Water sloshed in the bilge just beneath her hooves while waves slapped high up along the walls, near the roof. But those things were of little concern compared to what the hollowed out space contained.

Serizawa was lighting a series of small lamps hanging from the support beams. Their light slowly brought into focus the thing lying in the center of the room; a massive glass case, walls rising floor to ceiling. Inside lay something huge, so huge it almost dominated the space front to back. It was triangular in shape, pearly white like bleached bone… and covered in wavy serrations.

It took Twilight a second to realize what she was looking at. Lying on its side in front of her was a sail-like spine, exactly like the ones adorning Godzilla’s back.

Only… not quite, she realized. The bone was weathered and cracked and the edges were worn to dull nubs; it looked ancient, far too ancient to be a cast-off from the Godzilla she’d encountered. At least, she hoped so.

On top of that, it was noticeably smaller in size. At best it could have come from His tail, maybe His lower back. Compared to the towering array squarely on Godzilla’s upper back, this was hardly noteworthy. But to be confronted face to face with it was still a system shock all in itself.

“Whoa,” Twilight couldn’t help but murmur.

“I know, right?” Rainbow said gleefully. Here was the reaction she’d been waiting for.

One by one, the rest of their friends descended the ladder, and one by one they beheld the massive bone with varying degrees of shock. But the most profound reaction came from Spike.

He was still two rungs from the bottom when all of a sudden he stiffened. Every scale on the back of his neck stood up. It felt like he’d just stepped into a concentrated pool of that same bad feeling he’d gotten before. Down here, it wasn’t like an uneasiness he couldn’t place. It was a full blown sensation of dread, burning against his skin and cutting him right down to the bone like nothing before it had.

There was something in the air – something tangible and real, not just a feeling. There was something like magic, but… not. Something that burned like a fever, something he instinctively knew was bad.

It took some effort, but he managed to descend the last two steps and turn around. Immediately, his eyes fell on the massive bone, and from then on, they would turn to nothing else.

That was the source. He knew it, but he didn’t understand why. Instinct… it was instinct, he realized. Fight or flight kicking in, ignorant of things like logic and reasoning. In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to be gone from that place and never, ever come back.

But something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. Rarity. She was right there, too close to the glass for his liking.

The group of ponies was totally unaware of the stressed dragonling standing rigidly at the foot of the ladder behind them. They, too, were looking at the ancient plate, but with wonder instead of terror. 

Serizawa walked around the thick glass chamber to stand next to the group, eyes on his prize. “We found it while on an excavation on a remote island on the other side of Neighpon,” he explained. “It, and a whole skeleton of a long deceased daikaiju, deep in a coal mine. Miners said the mine was cursed with angry spirits who left anypony who went too deep terribly sick.”

He glanced towards the others. “Anypony touched by the spirits died a… horrible death.”

Everypony turned pale at that.

“We found the source to be this skeleton,” he went on. “Not spirits. It was fused to the rock, like it had melted to it, which made removing it impossible. This was the largest piece we could separate from the rest of the creature.”

He gestured towards glass pane. “We built this containment chamber to keep us safe from whatever power the creature’s bones hold while we study it. It was risky, placing this thing on the boat, but it was a risk we had to take.”

Twilight glanced at him. “Why's that?”

Serizawa’s scowl worsened. “Shortly after the discovery, the empire arrived to secure the mine for Emperor Kirin. I do not know why, but they have refused anypony entrance ever since.”

Twilight studied Serizawa for a moment. His narrow eyes swept over the ancient bone, taking in its every detail.

“But with this piece alone, we have learned much,” he said. “Whatever power this creature had, Gojira possesses it as well. We do not fully understand it yet, but we know that it reacts strongly with magic.”

Twilight nodded. She remembered that horrible power Godzilla had manifested seemingly out of nowhere, a power that consumed every bit of magic it touched like a ravenous fire, growing in strength the more it consumed.

“This is why I believed Gojira was the cause of the ether imbalance,” Serizawa went on. “When His power and magic come into contact, both burn each other away to release large amounts of energy beyond anything we have ever seen before. But even His strength is not enough to cause the level of instability we are seeing across the country.”

“That’s hard to believe,” Rainbow commented dryly.

“Gojira normally conserves His strength,” Serizawa explained. “He only manifests His power in bursts, like He did tonight, and when He feels challenged. Before tonight, He has only unleashed the full scope of His strength a hoof-full of times, all with similar results as tonight.”

“Do you have any idea what it could be?” Twilight asked.

Serizawa shook his head. “I do not. Whatever it is, it is not divine; of that I am certain. But the amount of energy it unleashes is unlike anything we have ever encountered before.”

“That would explain why magic hasn’t been effective in injuring Godzilla, too,” Twilight commented, to which Serizawa nodded in agreement. "Most of it burns away before it even touches him. If he can sense that reaction, it might also explain why he noticed us tonight at all."

He regarded the fossil again with a look bordering on… reverence? Unease? It was hard to say.

“The previous emperor hoped to harness a power no one pony could ever hope to control. In so doing, he has unleashed something terrible on us all. I fear that Emperor Kirin may have done the same. But what, I cannot say.”

Twilight shook her head. “All because he wanted to outdo Princess Celestia. But to actually try to take control of nature itself…”

Serizawa continued to regard the ancient remains, lost in thought as he said, seemingly to nopony in particular, “the arrogance of our kind of thinking that nature is in our control… and not the other way around. Nature will always find a way to balance itself, no matter how much we work against it.”

He turned then, refocusing on Twilight and her friends. “I believe that Gojira is that balance. He has come to restore order, and He will not leave us in peace until it has been restored.” 

All eyes turned towards the fossil laid out on the floor in front of them all. It just lay there, motionless, apparently lifeless. To the eyes of the ponies, it looked like little more than a worn husk.

Without thinking, Rarity took a step closer to get a better look. It had been an innocent enough action hardly of note. So she about jumped out of her skin when there came a cry behind her, followed quickly by something pushing hard against her chest, hard enough to actually scoot her back a step.

She looked down in surprise, eyes wide, only for them to go wider when she saw the one responsible.

“Spike?” she spoke up, confused.

Her confusion mounted even further when the baby dragon did something he’d never, ever done before. He ignored her.

Spike had both claws on her front, but his eyes were glaring over his shoulder, directly at the innocuous bone. His eyes, normally big and bright, had constricted to slits, and his tiny teeth were visible behind curled lips.

“Spike?” Twilight said, as concerned as she was frightened. She’d never seen him react like this before.

“What’s gotten into him?” Rainbow questioned, watching as Spike continued to shove Rarity away from the display case while never once removing his scathing glare from it.

“Wish I knew,” Rarity squeaked, her voice an octave or two higher. “Darling – ow, would you please mind the claws!”

It was her yelp that snapped him out of it.

All of a sudden Spike’s head whipped back around. His pupils dilated again as a look of worry took hold. “I-I’m sorry, Rarity! I didn’t mean to! Are you okay?”

Rarity blinked at him, taken aback, but recovered quickly. “Y-yes, of course, darling. But… are you alright?”

Spike blinked, apparently at a loss. “I… think so. Wh—”

Everypony saw him flinch. Every muscle in his body tensed in response to some unseen force.

“W-we need to get out of here,” he said urgently. “There’s something really, really wrong about that thing over there.”

Twilight blinked, a look of shock flitting cross her face. “Spike, calm down. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“Yes there is!” Spike insisted. He was once more glaring at the glass case, like he didn’t dare turn his back on it for any length of time. “Can’t you guys feel that?”

Everypony frowned, now quite concerned. Even Serizawa regarded the little dragon with keen interest while remaining pensively silent.

“I don’t feel anything,” Pinkie commented. Then, she suddenly tensed, eyes going big. “Wait! I think I feel it, too!”

Twilight gave her a very dubious look. “You do?”

In response, Pinkie’s stomach gave a hearty growl that made even Serizawa look at her. “Wait, that’s just my stomach,” Pinkie said with a grin.

Spike groaned audibly. “It’s not a stomach ache! It isn’t safe to be down here!” With that, returned to pushing and shoving Rarity to safety, much to her confusion and mild chagrin.

By now, Twilight was getting a good sense that this wasn’t just some arbitrary reaction on Spike’s part.

“Spike, listen to me,” she said, taking a careful step forward. He glanced towards her, but only momentarily. Words weren’t going to just make this go away, she realized. Her only other option was to glance up towards Rarity, and meaningfully jerk her head towards the ladder.

Rarity glanced at her, down to Spike, back again, and then understood. “Spikey-wikey,” she cooed in a slightly uneven voice. “Why don’t we go and… um… do… something… together?”

Her uncertainty and hesitation must have made her sound like one of the unconvincing ponies in the world, if Twilight’s and Rainbow’s winces were anything to go by. And yet, they forgot who they were dealing with.

Right away, Spike whipped around. “Really?” he asked hopefully.

Rarity tried to hide her grimace, but she kept her smile as straight as possible. “Of course! We could go put together an early breakfast for everypony. Why, I’m positively starving.”

“Me, too!” Pinkie chimed in like it was some big revelation.

And then it hit her. Some part of her brain reengaged after the terror of the past hour had shut it down. But now it was working in overdrive, and in that one glorious moment, it was screaming a single, inescapable idea into Pinkie’s head.

And when it hit, it was like a firework going off.

“We… could have…,” she started, winding up like a pressure valve about to blow.

“Don’t tell me,” Rainbow mumbled, just as Pinkie screamed at the top of her lungs.

“PAAAARTYYYY!”

In one hoof, she had Spike. In the other, she had Rarity. How she got up the ladder with only her hind legs, nopony would know – nor witness, for she moved so fast that only a trail of dust remained. Blink, and you’d miss her.

Serizawa could only stare in dumbfounded silence. Rainbow and Twilight exchanged a look, a nervous giggle, then Twilight turned to Serizawa. “Don’t worry. She does this all the time.”

Serizawa didn’t look very relieved.

“Still,” mumbled Rainbow darkly, “the hay was up with Spike?”

Twilight shook her head. “I don’t know. I’ve never seen him react like that before. It’s totally unlike him.”

Serizawa glanced at her, then towards the ladder, lost in thought. “I have been wanting to ask you about your pet,” he said.

Twilight pulled a face. “He’s not a pet, actually. He’s my assistant.”

“I’m guessing you guys don’t see many dragons around here,” Rainbow commented.

Serizawa frowned thoughtfully. “A doragon…? No, we do not. I assumed he was some kind of adolescent kaiju.”

Twilight blinked, completely taken aback, then she giggled at the implication. Spike was so far removed from both kaiju she’d encountered it was laughable.

“No, no, dragons are nothing like those things,” she reassured.

Serizawa looked at her for a moment, unmoved by her tittering. “Are you sure?”

Twilight blinked at him, her smile faltering. “Yes. Why?”

Serizawa pursed his lips, brow furrowing deeper. “That behavior just now… what he said… Your friend, Spike-san, he was behaving instinctively just now.”

“So?” Rainbow said.

But Serizawa wasn’t looking at her. He was meeting Twilight’s gaze, which had turned rather uncomfortable. “So,” she started, somewhat reluctantly, “he was reacting to something in this room. Something that dragons, as a whole, have been conditioned to know is bad.”

Her eyes turned then towards the fossilized remains of an ancient kaiju that merely lay there, motionless and still without any sign of activity. And yet, just the sight of it filled her now with a nagging sense of unease.

A great many troubling thoughts started to swirl through her head then. Implications, mostly. A force terrible enough to send even a dragon running for the hills… Yes, the implications were very troubling indeed. 

“Twilight?”

She jumped and looked around. Rainbow was eying her, looking slightly edgy.

“It’s… nothing,” Twilight dismissed with a forced smile. “Come on; we better see what Pinkie’s up to.”


~~***~~


It did not take them long to discover what their hyperactive pink friend had accomplished in the short time she’d been gone. But it only raised more questions than it answered.

For instance, where she’d found all the streamers. And a music box.

Following the sounds of an upbeat ditty, Twilight immediately homed in on the kitchen, where she found Pinkie slaving over an oven while juggling – in one case literally – mixing bowls filled with fresh batter.

All Rarity and Spike could do was stay out of her way, and both were waiting patiently – and a little apprehensively – at the table.

Undoubtedly drawn by the commotion, Fluttershy was also present. She was looking around at the many streamers strung along the ceiling, throwing bright festive colors all across the room.

Emiko was there as well. She stood in one corner, looking completely at a loss for what was happening in front of her eyes. The moment she spotted Serizawa, she immediately rushed over to him, her eyes wild.

“S-sensei! I-I don’t know what happened. One minute everything’s calm, the next… this… all of this!” she waved her hooved, somewhere between confused and terrified. “What is going on? How did she…?”

Twilight gave her a sympathetic look. “It’s best not to question it too much. Believe me.”


~~***~~


To those who had experienced one of Pinkie’s trademark bashes, what followed was a brave attempt at her usual brand of party. But it wasn’t quite of the same caliber.

Pinkie pulled out all the stops, at least as much as she could manage, but the truth of the matter was that few ponies were in the mood for celebration. Applejack was absent completely, something that weighed heavily on their minds. And then there was the terror they’d encountered still fresh as well.

But while it was hardly a resounding success, Pinkie still accomplished what she’d set out to do. Spirits rose, and pretty soon even grumpy old Serizawa looked more at ease than he had so far.

Of course, for Emiko and Serizawa themselves, the event was more than a little jarring. It took Emiko a long time to get over her system shock and move at all, but one slice of cake was all it took to get her hooked.

Meanwhile, Serizawa took a seat and did his best to stay out of the way while observing the antics of his foreign guests. All he was missing was a quill and something to take notes on.

Serizawa was distracted away from the sight of Pinkie showing Emiko how to dance along to the cheery music when he felt a presence beside him.

He turned and found Twilight plopped down on a cushion next to him, a cup of tea in her hooves.

“This all must be pretty overwhelming, huh?” Twilight commented, giving him an apologetic look. “I thought so, too, the first time Pinkie threw a party for me. But I promise Pinkie’s heart is in a good place. She’s just trying to make everypony feel better. After everything that's happened, everypony could use a little cheering up.”

Serizawa took that into consideration as he glanced back towards Emiko. It’d been a very long time since he’d seen her smile that big, or laugh that much even as she fumbled through the steps of some kind of conga line. So however weird this whole event was, at least there was some good to come of it.

The two sat in silence for a long time, watching as Emiko apologized profusely for trampling Pinkie’s tail again.

“I never asked her to come with me, you know,” Serizawa commented.

Twilight looked at him, then followed his gaze towards Emiko, then back again. Serizawa looked almost melancholic, though it was difficult to tell. He could simply be sleepy. “When I set out to continue my father’s work, she demanded that I took her along. She… never told me why, and I never asked.”

Serizawa glanced towards Twilight, catching her eye. “If she asks you about the outside world… could you answer her questions for me?”

Twilight paused for a moment, then nodded. “I’d be happy to.”

Serizawa nodded, and for just a moment, she thought she could see the ghost of a smile on his weathered face. Of course, it could have just been a trick of the light.

The two sat in silence together for a while longer while the party carried on without them, each happy to be alone with their thoughts for the time being. The each had much to think over, after all.

After a while, Twilight’s eyes came to a rest on Spike, who was playing DJ for the small, slightly battered music box Pinkie had set up on the floor. He showed no signs of his earlier behavior, nothing visible anyway. He was even smiling and occasionally snickering whenever Emiko stumbled.

Still, Twilight frowned. Worry ate at her, worry she was not used to feeling. She was not accustomed to fretting over Spike’s behavior, not to this degree. There had been times he’d scared her, true, but this most recent display had unnerved something deep inside of her. Serizawa’s comment hadn’t helped.

Spike… like a kaiju? There’s no way. Dragons and kaiju are totally different… right?

She shook her head. All of this worry wasn’t healthy, she knew that. But still…

Twilight needed something else to distract herself. Some other question, something she could pick at. There had been one other thing nagging at her, something she felt needed to be voiced.

“Serizawa,” she spoke up privately, drawing his attention. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course,” he responded.

Twilight frowned to herself, hesitated, then asked the other issue that had been nagging at her. “If this all happened sixty years ago – the disturbances, Godzilla, all of it – and then it faded… why is it picking back up again? Why now?”

Serizawa met her gaze. “I have asked myself that question many times, Sparkle-san,” he said. “More importantly, by now the disturbances should be weakening.”

“But they’re only getting stronger,” Twilight surmised. 

Serizawa nodded. “Yes… they are. I am afraid a runaway event is inevitable this time. If that happens, Neighpon and everypony in it will not survive."

A grim silence fell between them. Even Pinkie’s lively party seemed less vibrant to Twilight’s eyes. “Well,” began Twilight in a brave attempt to pick up the mood. “Now that we know Godzilla isn’t the cause of the problem, maybe we can do something to fix it before he hurts anypony else.”

Serizawa gave her a questioning look, but said nothing.

Twilight went on. “I hate to admit it, but the six of us don’t really stand a chance against Godzilla if it came down to that. I know that now. But if it’s an unrelated matter, we may have a shot at fixing it. At the very least, it beats trying to defeat a god.”

Serizawa looked them all over pensively, taking in Twilight, each of her friends in turn, then returning to the pony princess. “That may not be an easy task,” he said. “It takes a great amount of energy to affect ether. There is no telling what will happen if we do accomplish that; we may make things worse.”

“Or,” put in Twilight, “It might make things better. And maybe making things better sounds a lot better than doing nothing and definitely letting things get worse.”

Serizawa couldn’t help but admire Twilight’s optimism. That, and he knew she had a point. At the moment, they were the only ones who could potentially make a difference and save millions of lives – if not the whole world. Six foreigners, two pariah researchers and one elite sorceress and her maids… Not exactly his idea of a winning formula. But stranger things had happened.

He turned more towards Twilight, giving her a speculative look. “Do you have an idea?” he asked curiously.

Twilight nodded with conviction. “I know where we can start at least, so… it’s something. If I can get to the heart of one of those disturbances, I might be able to find out more about them, maybe even find the point of origin.”

Serizawa paused at that. “We have readings,” he offered, but Twilight shook her head politely.

“I know, but there are some things instruments can’t pick up from long range. Trust me; the best data is right at the heart of the disturbance. It’ll be risky, but I think it’s a risk we have to take. Of course,” Twilight added, her elevated mood reigned in abruptly, “actually catching up to one could be a problem. Not to mention we’ll definitely have to come face-to-face with you-know-who again…”

She quailed at the idea. They’d gotten lucky last time, and even that amount of luck had seen one of her best friends seriously hurt. Next time, things might be so much worse…

“It will have to wait, regardless,” Serizawa spoke up, snapping her out of it. “First, we must get your friends medical care.”

“Yes, of course,” Twilight said quickly, recalling Applejack’s and the sorceress’ situations.

Serizawa paused thoughtfully, taking another sip from his tea. “We should reach Ogasawara Island by tomorrow morning. I suggest you and your friends try to rest before we get there."

Twilight nodded, and for a time they fell quiet again. The music and laughter of the party filled the gap, but it only seemed to ring hollow in Twilight’s ears.

For some reason, she still felt like she was missing something; an important question that had gone unanswered. The more she thought about it as time went on, the more it bothered her.

Something was weighing on the back of her mind like a distant thunderstorm. Bits and pieces had been given to her here and there, and only now that she’d relaxed did she spend time pondering it.

Serizawa’s father… Godzilla… Serizawa’s father… daikaiju… Godzilla… ether…

“Serizawa,” Twilight started slowly.

“Yes?” he responded.

“I was wondering… Your father thought that the emperor’s spell disturbed Godzilla, right? And now you think Godzilla is chasing these disturbances because he can sense them somehow, right?”

“Yes,” Serizawa said, frowning questioningly. Just where was she going with this?

Twilight scowled, a queasy look on her face. “According to you, Godzilla is just one of these… daikaiju. So… why has only he surfaced and not… um… others?”

Serizawa took a long time to think about that. But judging by the look on his face, he was just as unsettled by the implications as she was. “I do not know,” he responded after a lengthy pause. “But for the sake of everypony, let us pray it remains that way. Neighpon has its hooves full with one rampaging god.”


~~***~~


“Hurry up!” barked a black stallion over the din of clattering picks and hammers banging against claustrophobic stone walls. “Fill those carts so we can get out of here!”

Ponies worked at a panicked pace, slamming their tools with all of their strength against black stone walls, biting deep into the rock with each stroke. Others worked hastily to scoop up the shrapnel in baskets, heedless of whatever they were loading before rushing up the passageway and towards blessed safety.

The rest remained in those dark tunnels, racing to finish one last shipment as they were all duty-bound to do. But as they worked, another tremor quaked through the stone, rumbling like an earthquake. Here and there, the ceiling cracked and rained bits of coal down upon their heads.

Less courageous ponies bolted with cries of terror, never to be seen again. Those with integrity and pride – and and more genuine fear of the taskmaster’s lash – stayed paralyzed at their stations, racing the clock.

“Hurry up!” cried the black stallion again, but this time his voice rang with a tinge of fear.

Far down one tunnel, deep beneath the earth, a stallion wound back one last time, his exhausted arms straining for one last burst of strength as he brought his dull pickax down with all the might he could. One strike, and to his astonishment, a three foot section of wall collapsed with an explosive clatter of crumbling rocks.

The stallion skittered back, shielding his face against the dust. Miners all around him coughed and hacked while the dust settled. They all peered through the mirk, hoping beyond hope to see nothing but useless grey stone and not more coal.

What they saw confused them. Right behind where the sheet of coal had been was an impossibly smooth, black surface that gleamed like glass in the light of a nearby lantern's magical flame.

The stallions blinked, squinting in confusion as they took a step closer. “What is it?” one asked.

“I… I don’t know,” muttered another, eying the strange glassy surface with apprehension.

“Obsidian?” another inquired.

It seemed unlikely. No obsidian they’d ever seen was this smooth and flawless. Curious, one miner hefted a lantern off its hook on the wall and stepped closer, peering intently at the wall.

Not only was it devoid of imperfection, but it seemed oddly clear, almost like ice. The miner just thought he could make something out far within its depths; another surface, like the opposite wall or… something. It was too far back to tell. It was like some kind of gemstone, only of epic proportions.

Confused, he stepped closer, raising the lantern more. Was it just his imagination, or was it… moving?

Another step closer… and the tunnel shook with unprecedented violence.

A portion of the ceiling came crashing down, nearly flattening a miner. Two fell clean off their hooves as tremors rumbled through the mine, rocking it to its very core. Stallions cried out in panic, fleeing for their lives as support beams started to buckle. The miner holding the lantern started to follow suit… but paused.

The strange black surface was changing. From either side, fields of yellow were squeezing in, shrinking the black surface down.

That was when it sank in to him what he was looking at, just before the gigantic eye blinked coldly back at him, a pair of eyelids smashing the bedrock to powder as they closed.

The tunnel started tearing itself apart, rock sundering from rock as something massive stirred. The miner didn’t wait any longer. Out of sheer, mindless terror, he turned and bolted up the disintegrating tunnel. He dodged and weaved as chunks of the ceiling crashed down all around him, support beams buckling and splintering as he raced passed them. Behind him, he could hear the thunder of millions of tons of rocks squashing the puny pony-made tunnel out of existence, urging him on faster.

As he ran, something caught his attention. A light was skittering across the tunnel wall beside him – a golden light that hummed with ozone. All of a sudden, his lantern exploded, causing him to cry out in alarm. He paused only for a moment, then he was fleeing again. As he ran, lantern after lantern exploded in a shower of magical sparks just feet in front of him, raining burning hot arcane embers on his coat.

At last, he flew out into the main chamber and started racing up the winding ramp that wound all the way back up towards the surface. He never looked back, not even as a deafening, shrieking roar reverberated through the mine’s walls.
	
> 9: Ogasawara Island
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Morning broke anew over Neighpon. For the first time since arrival, Twilight found herself waking up without incident, rather than some world-shattering calamity. It was a nice change of pace, all things considered.

She groaned petulantly and rolled over, not ready to greet the new day just yet. If the world wasn’t in imminent danger of blowing up, a few extra minutes of sleep wouldn't hurt anypony.

Twilight was distracted, however, when she bumped into a fuzzy back lying on her other side. That was not something she’d been expecting, not in her half-asleep state of mind. Curiously, she lifted her head and cracked open an eye.

Rarity lay beside her on a futon that had been laid out for them the night before. On the other side of her, two lumps lay curled up underneath a similar blanket on a neighboring futon, a splash of rainbow mane eclipsing a cloud of pink curls.

Rarity’s breathing was slow and even; Twilight’s slight nudge hadn’t disturbed her in the least. For such an early riser to still be sleeping like the dead, she must have been very exhausted indeed.

For Twilight, the previous day had passed in a flash, thanks to the copious notes on Serizawa’s research that he’d gladly provided her with. She’d stayed shut up in a quiet room – which she would eventually learn was Serizawa’s study – and kept her nose buried in the intriguing information laid out in front of her. By the time she looked up again, Emiko was announcing dinner.

Of course, her friends had kept plenty busy in the meantime, but whatever they’d gotten up to in order to fill the day, Twilight had been deaf to it.

According to her friends, as recounted over a boiling pot of savory noodles unlike anything she’d ever had before, Fluttershy had stayed mostly with the injured ponies, namely Applejack, who was languishing under a sleep ban. Thankfully, her condition hadn’t worsened, but she was still noticeably out of sorts, and in a very grumpy mood.

Rainbow had spent most of the day stretching her wings, or else lazing about above deck, much to the fascination of Serizawa. Apparently, seeing ponies napping on a sail boom was worthy of scientific documentation in a book curiously labelled "Pegasi Study Reference".

Pinkie Pie had generally done her best to keep everypony lively and upbeat. She’d put on an extra dose of bubbliness all for the sake of Applejack, too, which had helped keep her from getting too dour. When the sun came out for a sparse few hours, she’d dragged Rarity above deck for a little sunbathing, which was right up the fashionista’s alley.

Whenever Rarity hadn’t been catching some rays, she’d been interrogating Emiko with an unwavering persistence. The dress she wore – apparently called a kimono – was the subject of endless fascination for Rarity, and once her fashion sense was kicked on, it would not be kicked off. Everything from how one moved with fabric sheathing one’s hind legs, to the style of stitches in the seams was gone over in explicit detail, whether Emiko wanted to or not. Even at dinner, Twilight could see the creative cogs whirling in Rarity’s head, but with a lack of supplies to carry out whatever visions plagued her, she was left to sketch her visions on a scroll of paper, all the while looking dissatisfied and listless.

All in all, it had apparently been an eventful and cathartic day for everypony, just what they’d needed after their encounter with Godzilla. Even Twilight felt more invigorated than she had in the last few days since setting out on this quest. Things still weighed on her mind, true, but at least it didn’t feel like she was being crushed by them anymore.

Twilight stretched her legs luxuriously, then carefully extracted herself from the blankets wrapped around herself and Rarity. Accomplishing that, she headed for the door, quietly pushed it open, and slipped out into the hallway beyond.

She walked to the end of the hall, then up the small flight of stairs, up onto the ship’s deck and into the fresh morning air. She barely even noticed the saltiness of it anymore.

The first thing she did upon stepping into the open air was cast her eyes warily to the sky. The morning was still young, but the steely grey overhead was not promising regardless. If Twilight squinted, she just thought she could actually make out blue skies far overhead, but a thin veil of mists made it hard to tell.

It was just another day in Neighpon, it seemed.

It wasn’t truly fog, not really. Wisps of greyness hung in the air, clinging to the gently rolling surface of the water, hanging motionlessly all around as the boat sailed ever onward through the uneven banks. Sometimes, Twilight could see out over fifty yards across the calm waters. Sometimes, the clouds would move in, and she could barely see the edge of the boat.

Nothing made a sound, save for the creaking of the ship as it rocked in the waves, and the slap of water against the bow. Twilight was growing so used to the sound by now it was almost background noise.

“Good morning, Sparkle-san,” spoke Serizawa from behind her.

Twilight hadn’t even seen him sitting near the rear of the ship, a cup of tea in one hoof. Behind him, the rudder moved and swayed in an unnaturally controller manner, as if manned by an invisible sailor.

“G-good morning,” Twilight stammered, recovering from her surprise. “Sorry, I didn’t think anypony else was up yet.”

Serizawa actually smiled at that. It was small, almost imperceptible, but Twilight still caught it nevertheless, and frankly it surprised her a lot more than it should have.

“It is difficult for me to rest with so much on my mind,” Serizawa mentioned.

Twilight nodded, completely understanding. “Yeah… I know the feeling.”

Serizawa gave her a look, then motioned towards the floor beside him. Taking the invitation, Twilight stepped closer and took a seat next to him. She accepted a cup when it was offered, and for a time the two of them fell into silence.

Twilight continued to look around through the swirling mists choking the air, until she chuckled humorlessly. “Does Neighpon ever have good weather?”

Serizawa huffed – a sound that came dangerously close to an actual laugh. “Occasionally.”

Any further comments were interrupted by a distinct and rapid clicking sound that cut through the air, causing Twilight to look around quickly.

On Serizawa’s other side sat a plain wooden box that had obviously been built around something. Nodes protruded through cut holes. Two rods jutted up into the air at slightly angled directions, each glowing with a weak field of iridescent magical light. On the box’s front was a simple readout not unlike a radio – a long ruler-like bar marked with varyingly sized marks, with a single red needle moving lengthwise up and down the meter.

Currently, the needle was spasming wildly around the sixth to eighth marker. Then, as Twilight watched, the clicking sound died down, and the needle drifted down towards one end, settling lazily between the second and third markers from the end, but never actually bottomed out.

Twilight turned towards Serizawa for an explanation, only to find him gauging the sky overhead critically, eyes narrowed. Once the abrasive sound stopped, he relaxed again and looked down.

“What was that?” Twilight questioned.

Serizawa glanced at her, then moved slightly so as he could indicate the strange device. “This is something I built myself,” he explained. “It detects ether levels around it and it triggers an alarm whenever it detects feedback.”

Twilight glanced at it, then up at the sky. “So… that just now…?”

Serizawa nodded grimly. “A small disturbance. They have been happening regularly for the past two hours.”

Twilight turned nervously towards Serizawa. “Is it anything we should be worried about?” she asked.

He glanced down at the instrument’s front, looking speculative. “I hope not. The epicenter appears to be many miles from here. These disturbances are only echoes of that event, but it is difficult to know where it is headed. For the time being, we are safe. Still, this disturbance has been manifested for a long time.”

Twilight looked at him, worry etched into her face. “Is… is that normal?”

Serizawa shook his head slightly. “It is… new.” He then glanced up towards the sky, scrutinizing it carefully.

For some reason, Twilight got a sense of why Serizawa was actually up while everypony else slept. He wasn’t enjoying the early morning peace at all. He was keeping watch, tracking the disturbance as it progressed in case it headed in their direction.

For a time, they fell quiet again. Twilight’s mind slowly shifted back towards the problems that surrounded them, and the insurmountable task of fixing them. Just thinking about it made her feel less rested than before.

“Did you sleep well?” Serizawa asked, breaking the silence.

Twilight jolted and looked up at him. She recovered quickly and jumped at the change of topic. “Yes. Thank you for all of the hospitality.”

Serizawa smiled, completely out of the blue. It was small, but it still took Twilight by surprise, and it was gone just as quick.

“There is no need to thank me,” he said. “It is the least I could do. After all, you and your friends have travelled a long way to help us. Perhaps I should be thanking you.”

Twilight smiled sheepishly, suppressing nervous laughter. “Well, it might be a little too early for that. We still have a long way to go before we save the day this time, and so far we’re not exactly off to a great start.”

“You’ve done better than most that have tried,” Serizawa said grimly, “Oh, did my notes help you at all?”

Twilight nodded. “I think so. It took me a little bit to familiarize myself with the language, but I think I’ve got the hang of it by now. I wasn’t expecting so much detail, either – I-I mean, considering what you have on hoof to work with.”

Serizawa nodded understandingly. He wasn’t exactly in possession of cutting edge instruments; most of his tools he’d either salvaged or cobbled together himself. Still, for Twilight to familiarize herself with a foreign writing system in such a short time span was astonishing.

Twilight leaned back, frowning into her cup. “But… I don’t know, something is still bothering me. I feel like we’re overlooking something, but I don’t know what.”

She looked up towards the sky, lost in thought now. “I’ve only dabbled in ether studies from time to time,” she admitted. “I’m not very familiar with the field. I actually learned a lot more yesterday than I have from any of the books back in Equestria. Most of those were just magical theory, hypotheses, things like that. Your notes are really the first actual data I’ve ever gotten my hooves on. But… I don’t know. As I was going through the data yesterday, something kept nagging at me.”

Serizawa remained silent while she spoke, though his features arranged themselves into a thoughtful frown. “What?”

Twilight caught his eye, then waved her hooves. “Well, the thing I remember most about ether destabilizations is that once they occur, there is no predicting when or where they will occur within the affected area. At least, no reliable way. It’s like trying to predict where ionization would manifest a lightning bolt.”

As if to prove her point, Serizawa’s ether detector went off again, chattering noisily as the needle shot up towards the sixth and seventh marker. A moment later, it drifted back down towards the neutral second and third.

Twilight just gestured at it without saying a word, her expression meaningful.

Serizawa nodded. “Yes, that is correct.”

His answer only seemed to make Twilight all the more confused. “Then how is Godzilla always where they are occurring? How is he predicting where a disturbance will form ahead of time and intercept it?”

Serizawa frowned even deeper at that. The revelation that Godzilla wasn’t the catalyst for the storms was still somewhat fresh in his mind; he hadn’t yet wrapped his head completely around the implications and adapted his way of thinking. Instead, he’d focused on what they might do to stop it.

Twilight, on the other hoof, hadn’t been as set in her way of thinking on the subject. She was raising a very good question, and now that she’d voiced it, he couldn’t help but ponder over it himself.

“There must be some reason,” Serizawa said after a moment. “Maybe Gojira is feeling something we cannot? A… pattern of some sort?”

Twilight nodded. “That’s what I was thinking,” she said. “If the storms are forming in such a way that he can predict them, then there must be some principle system of symmetry underlying every event, otherwise Godzilla would never be able to keep up with them.”

She looked away, out over the morning mists surrounding them. “If Godzilla can predict these disturbances, maybe that means there’s something directly causing them. If there is a cause, then there must be a source.”

“And if there is a source,” Serizawa put in, “does that mean we might be able to fix it?”

Twilight smiled slightly. “Yes, and more importantly, there might be a way to track it. That is what I think. The trick is going to be finding this source. And, you know, reversing whatever damage there might be. But if I can get my hooves on it – metaphorically speaking – I think I can do it.”

Serizawa gave her a speculative look. “Are you always this optimistic?”

Twilight’s smile grew wider. “Spend a couple days with Pinkie and you will be, too. That, or she’ll drive you insane. Whichever comes first.”

This time, Serizawa’s laughter was clear as could be. The two were even almost able to pretend they didn’t hear another chattering alarm ringing through the air. Almost.


~~***~~


Spike tossed and turned fitfully in his little nest of blankets. He grunted, rolled over, kicked a little, rolled over…

All at once, he was awake.

With a startled yelp, he shot into the air, hit the ground sprinting, and tore out of the room at top speed, leaving five bleary-eyed and dazed mares blinking after him in confusion.

“Whaz gotten into him?” Rainbow mumble.

“Nature calls, ‘spose,” yawned Rarity, already halfway asleep again.

With that little mystery solved, Rainbow, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rarity and Emiko all plopped their heads back down and were out like a light moments later.

Only, the mystery was anything but solved.

Spike sprinted down the long hall towards the top deck, heart hammering in his chest. As he passed, a confused Applejack pried open her door, watching him go with no small amount of worry.

“Bad, bad… this is bad,” Spike hissed to himself the whole way. On he sprinted, taking two steps at a time, until he flew out into the open air – much to Twilight’s surprise.

“Spike?” she gasped, taken aback. “What’s the matter?”

“Bad… trouble… feel… it!” Spike wheeze.

“What?” Twilight asked, now looking very worried.

That was when the alarm went off again, louder and more grating than ever before.

Twilight look around, eyes snapping onto Serizawa's device as the needle pegged on the opposite end of the readout from where it had been – all the way up to the twenty-fifth marker. Over twenty five magic units, beyond eight times normal ether levels.

“Uh oh,” she squeaked as the wind began to howl.

“You two,” Serizawa ordered sharply, “get below deck.”

The wind was already picking up, waves slapping louder on the side of the ship. Off to Twilight’s right, darkness was swelling through the mists as some great shadow moved to swallow the morning light.

“What about you?” Twilight asked quickly.

“I will stay,” he said quickly. “We should almost be to Ogasawara. If we are lucky, we can get into the cove before the storm hits.”

Thunder cracked through the sky. A bolt of blinding light slashed through the heavens, the report only a split second behind.

“If we are lucky,” he repeated.

Twilight didn’t like those odds. She’d seen how swift the storm had formed last time; far too fast to outrun. Serizawa’s and Emiko’s ship was stout, but its fitness for high seas was questionable. They’d need a small miracle to make it there before the storm overtook them.

“Hey! What’s going on?”

Twilight spun around, just as Rainbow Dash poked her head up into the open air and took one bleary look around. Right behind her came Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rarity and even Applejack, who had deep bags under her eyes.

The only one missing was Emiko, possibly because she’d picked up on the hints of what was happening.

Twilight looked at them all, all the while trying to keep her balance as the ship’s pitching grew worse.

“It’s happening again, isn’t it?” Fluttershy whimpered.

A deafening thunderclap was the answer she got.

Twilight turned her eyes upwards, nervously chewing her lip. The sky had turned dark and moody, and each second saw it grow darker still, the worst of it overtaking them from the west.

“Serizawa,” she spoke up, “how much further to Ogasawara Island?”

“A few miles,” Serizawa responded. He’d set aside his tea and had jumped up to put a hoof on the rudder.

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed,” Rainbow thought to point out, “but we don’t have ‘a few miles’.”

A wave hit the side of the boat, a big one, one big enough to slosh ice cold sea water over the side and douse them all – much to Rarity’s horror. The ship rolled with a groan, nearly tossing the lot of them over as it pitched back the other way.

“I have to change course,” Serizawa said. “Those waves will capsize us if I don’t turn into them!”

“But we’re almost there!” Twilight said anxiously. “Who knows how long this disturbance will last, and how far off course it’ll push us.”

“We don’t have a choice, Sparkle-san,” Serizawa said, already throwing the rudder as hard to one side as he could. “The storm is too powerful.”

Twilight looked around, out towards the bow of the ship. To her surprise, she found Spike there. He was leaning forward, body tensed, head tilted up towards the sky, his eyes intense.

“Spike!” she shouted at him as another wave crashed over the side, “What are you doing?”

The young dragon didn’t turn around, or show any immediate sign of having heard her. He just stared up, eyes huge, as if transfixed by something far overhead, something worse than the storm.

“Can’t you feel that?” he shouted.

Twilight turned to follow his gaze, up into the storm clouds overhead, at the exact moment when the rain came down in one big sheet. She recoiled from the cold droplets – too cold, as if they’d passed through a freezer on the way down. Instinctively she ducked back into the shelter over the entrance to the lower decks, her eyes flashing back towards Spike, who was still on the bow.

She was about to ignite her horn and snatch him up when, all of a sudden, Spike snapped his head to one side, his attention falling to sea level.


“Wait!” he shouted. “Stop turning!”

Serizawa didn’t have time to react. All a sudden, a wave broke across the rear of the ship, bashing into them hard enough to stagger them all.

“Where did that come from?” Rainbow complained.

But it wasn’t just the waves, Twilight realized. The wind had changed direction. The storm wasn’t blowing in from the west anymore. It’d changed nearly ninety degrees, slamming at them from behind so hard the sails were going taut, ropes and rigging straining audibly.

Twilight turned back towards Spike, who was still keenly focused on the sky above. Moreover, how had he noticed it first?

“Hey! Hey, I see something out there!” cried out Pinkie unexpectedly. Somehow, she’d managed to scale one of the swept back, angular sails and was perched as high up as she could go. How she could see anything through the torrential rain was anypony’s guess, but nevertheless she was pointing at something dead ahead.

Twilight glanced at her, then followed her indicating hoof. She narrowed her eyes, trying her best to pierce the mists and obscuring downpour…

The beach came out of nowhere.

One second there was nothing but heaving, roiling waves and their white, foamy crests. The next, white sand covered in driftwood and flotsam – and lots of pointy, jagged rocks.

Before anypony could do anything more than take a deep breath and brace their hooves, boat met solid ground, and it was not a peaceful meeting. Everypony was thrown over as the keel dug into soft sand, scraping and grinding jarringly across the sea bottom. It only lasted a second or two before the ship came to a complete stop, nose pitched high into the air with a purple dragon hanging on for dear life.

“Land-HO!” Pinkie cheered, waving a hoof merrily through the air.

“Thanks, Pinkie,” Rainbow growled from the floor.

Meanwhile, Twilight had turned to give Serizawa a look, which the older stallion was trying to avoid. “It appears,” he grunted, “that my calculations were a little off.”


~~***~~


Thunder boomed across the sky as Twilight, Serizawa and her friends hit the rain-soaked sands of the beach. Waves sloshed around Twilight’s hooves, chilling her to the bone, but she ignored it. Instead, she cast her eyes up and down the shore, squinting through the curtains of falling rain.

Palm trees stood in a line a few dozen feet away, standing like swaying sentinels in the turbulent wind. Through the haze of falling rain, Twilight just thought she could make out a shape beyond them; a large, low dome, like that of a squat hill.

“Where are we?” Twilight said over the pelting rain and crashing waves.

“Ogasawara Island, I think” Serizawa reported. “It is the only island close to Odo that is this large.”

Lightning lanced across the sky, booming out loud enough to leave Twilight’s ears ringing.

“Well we made good time,” Rainbow commented, “Now how about we find that healer pony and fix up Applejack? You know, before this weather gets any crazier?”

That was when it started to snow.

“Oh come on!” Rainbow screamed furiously at the black sky as the pounding rain gave way to fat, blustery clusters of white cottony coldness.

The temperature was dropping fast enough for them all to feel the change. It was like getting hit by a blast from an open refrigerator door situated above their heads. And the colder it got, the windier it got.

“Welp, least we ain’t gettin’ rained on,” Applejack commented wryly from behind.

“I hardly see how this is an improvement,” Rarity snapped as she shivered like a naked lamb in the harsh wind.

“Snowball fight!” cheered Pinkie as she dove for the first of the forming drifts. Fortunately for all, only a thin dusting had stuck to the sand, but it was getting thicker by the second.

Twilight observed all of this with more than a little trepidation. “I’m going to assume this is new, too?” Twilight muttered to Serizawa, who was craning his neck back to stare at this more recent phenomenon.

“Yes. Very new,” he responded. “And very bad.”

He swiftly redirected his attention towards Twilight, urgency in the set of his eyes. “We should not stay here long. Whatever this new development is cannot be good, but more importantly, Gojira will not be far behind us, not after a disturbance this big.”

Twilight nodded, her heart stuttering tremulously. She’d come to that particular conclusion some time ago. There was no way they were ready for another encounter with that monster, so they would have to make the most of their time.

Quickly she turned back around, and met the expectant looks from all of her friends, all waiting for her orders.

“Serizawa, do you know anypony on this island who could help us?”

He nodded. “I do.”

Twilight nodded in response, then turned towards the others. “Okay. Fluttershy, Rarity and Applejack, go with Serizawa and find doctors,” she ordered. Applejack gave a sour look, but she made no comment. There was still a disoriented dullness in her eyes, though that could have been from a lack of sleep.

“Rainbow? Pinkie? You two see if you can get this boat dislodged before they get back. We might have to get out of here really fast if Godzilla shows up.”

Rainbow bristled, puffing up as much as she could. “If I see that overgrown lizard anywhere near us, I’ll kick ‘em so hard his mother’ll feel it! Nopony hurts my friends and gets away with it!”

“Rainbow,” Twilight said with an edge of exasperation. Applejack cracked an appreciative smile, but was in no mood to encourage the temperamental mare.

Rainbow just threw up her hooves. “I know, I know. I’ll get the stupid ship unstuck. But don’t think I’m gonna go running with my tail between my legs every time Tall-Dark-and-Spiny turns up.”

Twilight really tried not to entertain that thought. If Godzilla really did make landfall here, at a time like this… That was a scenario she just couldn’t put herself through, not yet. Because she knew it wouldn’t be pretty.

“Um… what about you, Twilight?” Fluttershy asked, voicing the million bit question on everypony’s minds.

Twilight frowned, and turned her eyes up towards the boiling storm clouds overhead. “I’m going to get to the bottom of this,” she said determinedly. “The sooner we figure out what’s causing these storms, the better. And in order to do that, I’ll need to find the heart of this storm. Spike!”

She aimed her last word up at the prow, were a baby dragon was still clinging on. He looked down at her, anxious and stressed. “Uh… yeah?”

“You’re coming with me,” Twilight said. “I don’t know how you’re doing it, but you can feel these things coming better than I can.”

Twilight jumped into the air, lit her horn, and dropped Spike onto her back – much to his unease. “I don’t know about this, Twilight,” he mumbled uncertainly. “I’m getting a really, really bad feeling from this storm.”

But Twilight was unmoved. She was focused now, and nothing would change her mind once she’d decided upon a course of action. “It’ll be fine, I promise. We’re just going to find the center of the disturbance, take a few readings, and come back. Nothing to it!”

A great peal of thunder rang across the heavens, loud enough to rattle the teeth in their mouths.

“… Probably.”

Spike, meanwhile, had turned very, very white. “N-nothing to it. S-sure…”

Twilight flapped her wings a couple times, then threw herself forward, working herself hard to get elevation in the icy, turbulent winds. The rest of her friends watched them go, trepidation weighing on them all. “You sure she’s gonna be alright?” Applejack asked.

“We don’t have much of a choice,” Serizawa said grimly. “This may be our only opportunity to study a disturbance up close. It is dangerous, but doing nothing would be even more dangerous.”

Rarity turned to watch the purple shape overhead as it disappeared beyond the streaming curtains of snow now descending from on high. It was only getting worse; soon, they’d be wading through knee-deep drifts at this rate. And she hadn’t thought to pack galoshes… Not that they’d be of much use, she reminded herself bitterly, considering their luggage had all been aboard the Amaterasu.

“We should hurry,” Serizawa said, apparently sensing the urgency in the air. “Before the storm grows any worse.”


~~***~~


Emiko watched from the bow of the beached ship as the group split up to carry out who-knows-what. If Serizawa was involved, however, there must be some kind of plan in the works. She’d just have to have faith.

She nervously bit her lip, shifting apprehensively from hoof to hoof as her eyes turned up towards the island that lay splayed out in front of them, slowly but surely turning bleached white underneath the first snowstorm it’d likely ever experienced.

She shivered again under another blast of arctic wind, and decided then that standing around doing nothing wasn’t helping. A part of her wanted to follow the retreating form of Serizawa as it vanished into the underbrush, headed deeper into the island… but she thought better of it. Somepony had to stay to look after the sorceress and her maids, after all.

It wasn’t much, but it was something.

Please hurry, Serizawa-sensei, Twilight-san…


~~***~~


The snow had only grown thicker while Serizawa led three mares down a narrow, winding trail that snaked through a dense jungle of fan-shaped fronds and towering palm trees. It was a tropical paradise filled with bright, vibrant flowers and choked with more greenery than seemed possible, all slowly being buried beneath smothering blankets of bitter cold snow.

Fluttershy kept glancing up at the dark, dark skies and the treetops thrashing in the cruel wind. All around, flowers were already closing, retreating as best they could from the lethal cold. But if the snow didn’t let up soon…

Behind her, somepony groaned.

She looked around, as did Rarity and Serizawa, as Applejack wobbled. Her face was pale, eyes unfocused, a queasy look on her face. 

In an instant, her friends were at her side. “Applejack,” Rarity said worriedly, “maybe you should stay back with the ship. You shouldn’t overexert yourself in your condition.”

“’M fine,” Applejack mumbled, shaking her head from side to side. “Just… just got a little lightheaded, that’s all.”

Fluttershy bit her lip. “Head injuries are really serious, Applejack,” she mumbled. “You need to rest.”

Applejack huffed. “All Ah’ve been doin’ is restin’. Look, y’all are goin’ ta find a doctor, right? Ah can either wait around like a useless lump for them ta get here or Ah can go with ya ta find ‘em. Either way works, right? So let’s just… get this over with.”

She squared her shoulders, forced herself to stand up straighter, and forged ahead, avoiding all looks as she caught up to Serizawa.

“Honestly, that mare,” Rarity sighed, but she knew it was futile. Applejack was not one to simply wait around for something to happen, and considering she’d been doing nothing but lie in bed for the past day, her restlessness was understandable. But really, she could pick the worst times to be stubborn.

“W-what should we do?” Fluttershy mumbled, turning towards Rarity apprehensively.

“About the only thing we can do, darling,” Rarity sighed. “We’ll just have to keep an eye on her, and if she passes out, never let her live it down.”

Fluttershy didn’t look too thrilled about that plan, but she kept it to herself. Still, worry over Applejack ate at her. She really was in no condition to be walking around like this…

She and Rarity fell into step behind Applejack and Serizawa. All the while, they kept their attention squarely on their bullheaded friend, acutely aware of every little stumble or grunt she made.


~~***~~


Pinkie stared over the nose of the boat, down at a grunting and cursing Rainbow, who was currently throwing her shoulder against the prow of the ship in an effort to get it dislodged from the beach.

As far as they could tell, only the front end was stuck, likely lodged deep in the soft mud. But there was a whole lot of ship in need of shifting, and right now it didn’t feel up for it.

“Come on… just a little…!” Rainbow growled from below. Her wings worked hard, beating the air with a small hurricane of their own. Snowflakes swirled and danced on the turbulence, and the boat gave an inch… but that was all she accomplished. And the moment she let off the throttle, it rocked forward into the silt again.

Finally, wheezing and panting, Rainbow floated back, tongue lolling from exhaustion. “Almost… almost got it… just a little more…”

“You can do it, Dashie!” Pinkie cheered. She waved and whooped, doing her level best to be a one-pony cheerleader squad. It was about the only thing she could do; the ship was lodged too far off shore for her to lend a hoof, not with the tide coming in.

Rainbow wiped her forehead of non-existent sweat, slinging off accumulating slushy snow instead. She frowned at it, then up at the clouds overhead. What she wouldn’t give for some decent weather right now…

Rainbow frowned to herself, returning her attention to the boat. She couldn’t just sit around here doing nothing; all of her friends were out there, doing their best. So she would, too!

“Alright, one more time,” Rainbow growled in pure determination. “I got this… Just one… more… push!” She marked each word by backing up, building up for her lunge.

Out of nowhere, a wall of wind slammed into her.

It hit broadside without any warning, crashing over her and the ship like a howling, rampaging beast. Even the stuck boat groaned and lolled to one side under the sheer force of it slamming into her sails.

Rainbow yelped in surprise as she tumbled, falling all the way down to the churning, icy surf below. Pinkie squealed and skidded five whole feet on her tummy across the boat. Trees bowed in surrender to the tumult, flexible trunks groaning and leafy fronds whipping wildly.

Within a heartbeat, the gust was gone, leaving the air eerily still in the aftermath. 

Rainbow gasped as she darted up out of the icy ankle-deep water below. She didn’t know water could hurt, but that water below her was so cold it felt like fire on her skin.

“Pinkie! You alright?” Rainbow shouted.

“Uh-huh,” Pinkie called back, hanging half on, half off the side. With a little scrabble from her hind legs, she clambered back up onto the boat, then turned and beamed at Rainbow.

Rainbow shook herself, flinging clawing sea spray in every direction. “Celestia, that was cold… Where’d that even come from?”

Together, she and Pinkie both looked up towards the sky, shooting an accusation.

The undersides of the clouds were churning oddly, roiling and swirling. That gave Rainbow pause, confusion scrunching up her brow. She’d never seen clouds do that. It was as if something had just blown through it, something bigger than a mere gust of wind…


~~***~~


For the second time in just under a minute, Twilight shrieked as she tumbled, the baby dragon on her back clinging on for dear life.

She’d thought the wind had been bad on the ground. Up here, though, it was in a league of its own. They came and went without so much as a warning, smashing into her from every angle again and again as if actively trying to thwart her attempts to move through the storm clouds.

Twilight was an adequate flyer, but the storm was putting her skills of flight to the test. She gritted her teeth and steadied herself, doing what Rainbow had taught her to keep from spinning out of control. As long as she didn’t nose down, she would be fine… she hoped.

After recovering from the latest attempt to toss her from the skies, Twilight clenched her teeth tight, then brought her horn to life.

A small purple sphere wrapped around her, giving her just enough room to flap her wings. All at once the wind died around her, thought she could still hear it and, in a way, feel it bashing against her protective bubble of magic.

“There,” she grunted. “That should do the trick.”

“Next time,” Spike groaned, looking nauseous, “can we do that first?”

Twilight gave him an apologetic look over her shoulder, then started working her wings as hard as she could. She steadily started gaining altitude, but even with her barrier in place, she still felt herself shifting and wobbling in the air as the unstoppable force of the wind met the immoveable object of her magic.

“Sorry, Spike. I would have, but the less magical interference I have, the easier it’ll be to pick up any anomalies in this disturbance. Once we find the epicenter, I’m going to have to drop the shield again, or else I might not be able to pick anything up.”

Spike looked less than thrill by that prospect. His apprehension only got worse when Twilight glanced at him again.

“Alright, Spike. Which way is it?” she asked. “Do you feel anything?”

“Yeah,” Spike mumbled, almost too low to hear over the howling, furious wind doing everything in its power to get at them. He glanced to his right, a look of pure unease on his face. “There’s something over that way. Something really bad… Twilight, I really don’t think…”

“Right, that way,” Twilight said with a nod, and without waiting for Spike to finish his protest, she darted off, deeper into the dark heart of the storm.


~~***~~


The snow was coming down thick and heavy when Serizawa, Rarity, Fluttershy and Applejack all rounded a bend in the jungle and found themselves presented with the first actual evidence of civilization.

Ahead of them stood an archway, not unlike the ones that’d lead the way to the Odo Island shrine. Only this one had been completely stripped of paint, leaving its bleached and warped wood cracking and white. Snow was already piled three inches deep atop it, and the beginning of a fringe of icicles was forming under its eaves.

“This should be it,” Serizawa said, stepping forward. The three mares following him hastened to keep up, though each continued to cast an eye up at the dilapidated archway as they passed underneath it and out of the jungle.

Just beyond it were shacks and thatched roof huts, all standing in neat, orderly rows along a valley floor. An eerie silence hung in the air, marred only by the crunch of snow beneath the four ponies’ hooves as they stepped further into the village.

All four turned this way and that, glancing at the many squat huts as they passed. No lights were on. No voices were on the wind, or the sound of pattering hooves or activity of any kind. Every window they passed was dark and lifeless, like the empty sockets of a skull’s eyes.

The streets were all empty. There wasn’t a soul in sight.

“Is it just me,” Applejack commented, “or does this place feel abandoned?”

Fluttershy shifted nervously as she glanced around. A rustling curtain spanning the entrance to a doorway caught her attention as it moved in the wind. It was the only thing showing any signs of life. “M-maybe they’re all… um… sleeping in?”

Serizawa’s eyes narrowed as he looked around. “No. Something is wrong here.”

Rarity edged a little closer to her friends, eyeing the empty houses all the while. “Do you think they evacuated after the storm hit?” she speculated aloud.

Serizawa frowned to himself. That was the logical answer, but… for an entire village to be evacuated in such a short amount of time… No, something wasn’t adding up. There would still be ponies in the streets, some stragglers, something. If this was caused by the storm’s appearance, it’d happened far too fast.

But if it wasn’t the storm, what could be the cause? And, more importantly, where did everypony go?

As he swept his surroundings with a critical eye, something caught Serizawa’s attention in the distance. Far off, just visible through the sheets of white cascading from the sky, there was a black cloud gushing skyward, too black to be a part of the storm.

“There,” he said, pointing in its direction.

All three mares stopped and turned, blinking at the smoke in the distance. “What is that?” Applejack asked.

“The refinery,” Serizawa answered. “There is a mine not far from here. That is where they bring what the miners dig up and have it processed for shipment.”

“The villagers must’ve taken shelter there after the storm hit,” Fluttershy deduced. “It must be nice and warm in there.”

That made sense, Serizawa reasoned. Yet still, the timeframe was all wrong…

Rarity, on the other hoof, looked crestfallen. “Do we really have to go to such a dirty place? It will take me weeks to get all the soot out…”

“Beats standin’ out here in the snow,” Applejack grunted, and already she was headed in the direction of the billowing smoke of the refinery. Even so, Rarity waffled on what she despised more; ash or ice.

Serizawa lead the way, but on the inside, his mind was working frantically. Something wasn’t right here…


~~***~~


The Ogasawara Refinery was an old thing that was more patchwork repair jobs and additions than whatever it’d been before. At its heart was a towering smoke stack that belched great volumes of pitch black smoke that stank of burning coal. Grates all along its impressive length occasionally burst with angry red fire, creating roaring and popping sounds that were disconcerting to hear.

The entire exterior was made up of mismatched plates of iron all bolted, welded, or riveted together with no clear pattern of any kind. In other places, wooden beams and pylons stood in a haphazard framework of splint-like supports just to keep parts of the refinery from collapsing altogether, or else to outline yet another undergoing renovations. The result resembled an uneven, eccentric upturned bathtub with a towering chimney stack fuming worse than a volcano.

As the group approached, their noses wrinkled from the stench of burning soot and acrid fumes, Fluttershy couldn’t help but notice the dual set of railroad tracks trailing out from behind the refinery and winding up into the foothills surrounding the village.

They’d just stepped out into the clearing surrounding the refinery when Serizawa pulled to a halt and turned to face the mares behind him. “You girls should wait out here,” he said.

Applejack cocked an eyebrow. “Why’s that?”

Serizawa’s eyes briefly drifted towards Fluttershy, namely her wings, before coming back to Applejack. “Three Equestrian mares could cause a scene right now. Let me talk to them first, and I will come get you.”

Rarity, Fluttershy and Applejack exchanged looks, then all three glanced towards Fluttershy’s wings with some confusion. When they looked up again, Serizawa was already trudging away.

“Does he really expect us to stand out in the cold in the meantime?” Rarity said, looking appalled by the thought. Her horn began to glow, and a veil of sapphire light appeared above her; at the very least, she’d keep the bitterly cold snow off of her, but it did little against the frigid air slowly choking the life out of the land.

“Serizawa seems ta know what he’s doin’,” Applejack grunted, watching the stallion in question go.

“He’s probably just trying to be careful,” Fluttershy offered. “If these ponies are scared, making them more scared won’t help at all.”

Rarity frowned at that. She turned her gaze towards the refinery, scrutinizing it from afar. It must just be her imagination, but seeing how thick those steel plates on the structure were, some nagging voice in her head couldn’t help but wonder if the villagers had fled here for some other reason besides it’s warmth.

She glanced to the side, and noticed Applejack staring at the armor-plated structure with a small crease on her brow as well. They both exchanged a loaded look before turning to survey their silent, still surroundings with an all new apprehension.


~~***~~


The refinery was filthy. In its interior, soot and slag piles stood to the ceiling in places amidst massive boilers and furnaces that fumed with intense fire. Overhead, a conveyor belt was in motion, moving huge pots full of glowing molten soap to and from the great forges on one end of the refinery floor. They produced an awful racket from protesting hinges and squeaky gears as each cauldron moved along above Serizawa’s head.

Somewhere far away, in another chamber, he could hear the explosive hiss of superheated metal striking ice cold water with a reaction no less violent than a warhead going off. He could just see all of this taking place through the gaps in the machinery to his right; a procession of great glowing sheets as thick as his foreleg and as wide as a galleon sliding down a large shoot and into an artificial lake of half-frozen water. Each sheet threw up a cloud of angry steam that shrieked and grated against Serizawa’s ears.

And the heat of the place… compared to the frigid air outside, the wall of smothering humidity was a complete system shock. It was so intense and heavy, like a sauna that never let up.

Serizawa forged ahead, glancing around carefully as he made his way further and further into the loud, hot interior.

At first, there was nothing except automated machinery humming with magical life. Serizawa couldn’t help but entertain the thought that nopony actually was here; that the refinery was operating purely under its own power, regardless of whether ponies were around to monitor it or not.

Had the villagers fled in such a hurry that they’d left everything on? That was a disquieting thought, one he very much didn’t want to muse over.

“Hello?” He shouted over the clatter and squeak of moving machinery. The only response he got was a furnace venting an intense blast of fiery air out of a hatch on its top, scorching the roof high overhead even more.

Then Serizawa rounded a corner – and came face to face with five burly stallions, who all looked just as surprised to see him as he was to see them.

If he had to guess, he’d say they were all miners; each was solidly built and bristling with well-toned muscles. Every one of them was covered in black soot, making it impossible to tell what their actual coat colors were. Even their manes were filled with the stuff. Only their eyes showed any uniqueness, and they were all currently looking straight at him with wide-eyed surprise.

Two were in the process of throwing huge shovelfuls of coal into the hellish burners beneath a furnace. Blistering heat poured from the open grates, and Serizawa immediately felt himself start to sweat.

Behind them was a crowd of ponies; twenty, maybe thirty, with more peaking around the smelting equipment further along the rows. Young and old alike craned their necks to peer at the newcomer that’d stumbled into their midst.

One of the miners regarded Serizawa for a moment, then turned to face him. He planted his shovel on the ground with a firm, threatening clack.

“Who are you?” he asked. “Where did you come from?”

Serizawa bowed respectfully. “My apologies for the intrusion,” he said humbly, hoping to diffuse the situation. “My name is Serizawa. I was hoping I could speak with Naoko, a friend of mine.”

The burly stallion eyed him with some suspicion and did not budge. “Serizawa, eh? Never heard of you. How do you know Naoko? And you still haven’t told me where you came from. You better start talking, or else.”

“Give it a rest, Goro.”

The five miners jumped as if they’d been shot at, quickly swiveled their heads around, and adopted very diminutive poses indeed.

Beyond them, looking more than a little irritated, stood a glaring mare. She was short and thin, her body lean and muscular from years of toil. Her black mane was long, wild and unkempt, and had a bad habit of falling in thick locks around her muzzle and eyes, partially obscuring her intense, fiery eyes.

But it wasn’t her rough, untamed appearance that was the first thing most ponies noticed about her. What most saw first was the fact that she was walking on only three legs. An empty sleeve hung from her right shoulder like a banner, limp and disconcerting.

The mare sidled up passed the five miners without giving them a second look. Her gaze stayed riveted on Serizawa, her eyes as sharp as her scowl. She moved with only a faint limp, her one and only foreleg having to work a little extra hard to keep her trotting.

“Well, well, well,” the mare said, cracking a toothy grin. “If it isn’t the prodigal son. Been a while since I’ve seen you on my island, Serizawa. Come to enjoy this fine weather we’re having?”

Serizawa inclined his head respectfully. “Lady Naoko. It’s been a while.”

“Oh spare me the formalities,” Naoko scoffed. “What, still walking on eggshells around me? Here I thought we were friends. You’re starting to make me think you’re trying to call in a favor.”

There was a piercing look in her eyes now, like she could see straight through Serizawa. Naoko wasn’t dumb, and Serizawa knew it; she was as sharp as a sickle. Somepony like her had to be to stay at the top on such an island as Ogasawara, where if you weren’t a miner, a fisher or a cook, you were dead.

“There are four ponies with me in urgent need of medical attention,” Serizawa stated. “I need to borrow a doctor.”

Naoko raised an eyebrow. “You make that sound like it’s no big deal,” she said, her smile gone now. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but we’re in something of a crisis right now.”

“I have,” Serizawa answered. 

Naoko’s eyebrow rose even higher at that. “Oh?”

The five miners glanced between their boss and the newcomer, confused as to what was going on.

For several seconds, the two just stared each other down, as if waiting to see if one would back off. Then, abruptly, Naoko huffed.

“Oi, you idiots. Go get Kano.”

The five miners looked at each other with mixtures of shock and uncertainty. “L-Lady Naoko, Kano is the only doctor we have. The miners will surely die without her here.”

Naoko craned her neck around to give the big stallion a look that could’ve melted a glacier. “Hah?! That wasn’t a question. Now shut up and get to work before you run your mouth anymore!”

“Y-yes ma’am!” The group of big, beefy stallions yelped like school fillies, turned, and scampered away at full speed, nearly bowling over curious onlookers and each other in their frantic haste.

“Honestly,” Naoko growled at their retreating backs. “You’d think they’d know to just shut up and follow orders by now.”

Serizawa looked at her searchingly, his own scowl deepening. “Did something happen?” he asked.

Naoko sighed without turning around. “Yeah. There was some kind of accident in the mine; a collapse I think. Dang Imperials didn’t tell me squat, of course, but we felt the earthquakes, and of course we’re picking up the pieces of their mess, as per usual.”

Serizawa raised his eyebrows in surprise. “The Imperials? I don’t remember them being involved here.”

“They weren’t,” Naoko spat. “But about six months ago they just moved in like they owned the place. Took over the mine without telling us why. They send us shipments to process and that’s it; ain’t got the foggiest clue what they’re doing in my mine, but I can tell you one thing. We’re not getting nearly the number of raw ore compared to what they’re shipping out themselves. Seems like a whole lot of hassle if you ask me, but whatever they’re digging up, they don’t want us upstanding common folk anywhere near it.”

Serizawa frowned even deeper, if such a thing were possible. Another mine, gobbled up by the Empire…

“Tell me; what kind of injuries did the miners get?”

Naoko scratched her head, balancing herself only on her hind legs. “A couple scrapes and bruises, a broken bone or two, but… half of them are really sick. Really sick. Some of them look like they’ve been burned by something, but they ain’t any burn marks I’ve ever seen before. The Imperials are telling us nothing, of course, but… They’ll be lucky to survive ‘till nightfall, with or without Kano’s help.”

Serizawa’s expression momentarily turned stricken. Then, he composed himself. “Is that why you’re letting me borrow your doctor?”

“No,” Naoko said. Now turning to face Serizawa, she fixed him with a hard, piercing gaze. “I’m doing it because I want you off my island A.S.A.P.. You and the Emperor’s lackies don’t mix, and the sooner you’re gone the better off the rest of us will be. I won’t get my ponies wrapped up in whatever hissy fit you and the Emperor are throwing. If you and your crew need any supplies, help yourself, but don't dawdle.”

She took a step forward, eying Serizawa critically. “I don’t know what you have planned, Serizawa, but I know you well enough to know you’ve got something up your sleeve, and that it’s no coincidence that you’re here during this freak storm. So whatever it is you’re going to do, get it done and make tracks. You hear me?”

Serizawa nodded sincerely. “I do, Lady Naoko.”

Naoko glared worse than ever. “I told you not to call me that.”

“One last question,” Serizawa interjected.

Naoko sighed. “What is it now?”

“This sickness the miners have come down with… what is it?”

To that, Naoko gave him a grim look. “You know exactly what it is.”

Serizawa closed his eyes, pinching them tight as the sound of hoof steps approached.

“You’d better get a move on,” Naoko pointed out as the five stallions – plus one nervous looking middle-aged mare – came bustling around the corner and back into sight. “Oh, and do me a favor, since I know how you get. Stay away from my mine, Serizawa. As soon as the earthquakes hit, those Empire thugs cleared out. If something was bad enough to get those dimwits to bolt, you’re better off not poking your nose in it, either. Whatever is down there, it may just bite it off.”


~~***~~


“Are you sure this is the right direction?” Twilight said over her shoulder.

Spike gave her an irritated look in response. “Look, Twilight, instincts don’t lie, especially dragon ones. And right now they’re telling me there is something really bad over there that we really, really should get away from.” He pointed out over Twilight’s side, far off to her left. “As in, right now. Now would be good.”

That only made Twilight frown. “Well then it’s a good thing I’m the one who’s flying. But are you positive? It feels like we’ve been going in circles.”

Spike glared at the back of her head. “Hey, I’m not a radar dish! There’s a bad feeling up here, but I can’t pinpoint it.”

Twilight tried not to growl in frustration. The heart of the storm was constantly shifting location as it swept over Ogasawara Island. She should have expected as much, but in practice it was a lot more frustrating than she’d been banking on.

And even with her shield up, the wind was buffeting them around like a balloon in a jet-stream, throwing them this way and that through the air. At least Twilight could keep herself stable in the air, but she was starting to wear down.

She was getting close, however. The disturbance was turning more violent the further in she went. The clouds had turned as black as smoke, and snow circulated all around her on turbulent, hurricane force winds no pony could ever hope to weather without some assistance. Even her barrier was warping and bowing under the terrific gales slamming into it, which only heightened her sense of urgency; something in the air was eating at her shield, something that was making it harder and harder for her magic to coalesce. Only ether could do such a thing. She was getting close.

Twilight turned to follow the direction Spike had indicated. One way or another, she was going to figure out what this was all about.

“Alright. We’re almost there, Spike. Just a little bit –”

Twilight felt it long before she saw it. 

Her barrier shrieked – literally shrieked, like nails on a chalkboard. She whipped her head around with a gasp in the direction of the noise, her body tensing. Her shield was dissolving like it was made of sand in the intense wind, eroding away right before her eyes.

She heard Spike shouting in her ear, panic in his voice. She saw his claw out of the corner of her eye pointing in the direction she was looking, just as something blew past her.

It was barely a shadow, hardly more substantial than the darkness engulfing her. But when it passed, the clouds were torn open by a blast of wind, tearing whole cloud banks asunder and scattering them like wisps of vapor. All of a sudden she was in a vast gorge made of shredded clouds and swollen thunderheads almost half a mile wide, the cold sun beating down far overhead.

But what Twilight felt most of all was when something much more solid than wind clipped the corner of her shield and tore it open. She’d never know what it’d been; all she registered was the sharp impact on her magic for the barest instant, the glass-like shattering sound of it shearing open like tinfoil, and then the punch of wind slamming into her body as, at long last, the violent tempest found her and pummeled her and Spike for all it was worth.

Her shield shattered into a thousand shards of magic, and the next thing Twilight knew, she was falling back into the oppressive dark storm. The wind was simply too powerful to harness; it wasted no time in sending her whirling through the sky like a dead leaf, tumbling and flipping and spinning out of control.

Spike clung on for dear life, his claws digging into her neck and shoulders. Her call for him to hang on, therefore, was wholly unneeded, but it came out anyway. 

Twilight knew she had to act fast. In seconds, she’d be on the ground again in the worst possible way. But every time she extended her wings, another blast of wind struck them so hard they felt like they’d snap, and she’d be sent tumbling all over again.

Out of sheer desperation, she ignited her horn and threw another wall of condensed magic in front of her. It absorbed the shock of the wind, and finally she was able to get her wings open and hold them taut. She extended the barrier, forming a dome in front of her that shielded her from the worst of the storm’s fury.

Finally she leveled out, straining her muscles to their utmost degree. She’d built up so much speed in the fall that it was physically painful, but she managed, somehow.

“Spike!” she shouted over the howl of the wind. “Are you alright?”

“M-minus one lunch, but I’m fine,” he shouted back. “What the hay was that? Did ether do that?”

“No,” Twilight said back. “That was something a lot worse.”

Spike paled, his eyes growing huge. “Y-you mean…”

Twilight nodded. “We’re not alone up here.”

She slackened her wings slightly, dumping air from beneath them as she dropped altitude. “We’re getting out of here. Hang on, Spike!”

Twilight clipped her wings, nosed down, and dove. She was leaving the disturbance behind, she knew that, but it wasn’t something she was willing to risk her and Spike’s lives over. There would be more to analyze. Spike and her only had one life, by comparison.

“Twilight!” Spike yelped over the howling wind, his claws clenching even tighter. “Behind us!”

Twilight threw a glance over her shoulder, and promptly felt her heart stall. A shadow – a humongous shadow – was surging through the dark clouds behind them, throwing them into turmoil with the force of its draft alone. She could barely see it, but she could see enough to gauge its incredible size. That, and the fact that it was diving on them, a titanic condor on the world’s smallest mice.

It was gaining on her with frightening speed. And if she looked hard enough, she just thought she could make out a cavernous maw opening wide behind her. And if she could see that, she knew she was way too close.

“Hold on tight, Spike!” Twilight shouted, and veered. She’d built up enough speed in the dive to go rocketing in a tight arc across the sky, blowing through cloud banks as she went.

A terrible sound reached her ears; a shrieking cry so grating and harrowing it sent a chill up her spine. It was less of a roar and more of a blood-curdling scream.

She glanced over her shoulder, but all she saw was masses of uniform grey and the hole she’d bored through the storm. No giant monster.

“Where’d it go?” she shouted. “Spike, do you see it?”

“No,” Spike hollered back. “But I think it's off to our left. I… I think it’s circling around!”

“We’re not sticking around to find out,” Twilight said back. She started to angle down, preparing to dive once again – when Spike was suddenly yanking on her mane.

“Two-o-clock, two-o-clock!”

Twilight was just starting to turn around, utterly bewildered and a little panicked by Spike’s strange proclamation of the time – when she saw the darkness off to her right coalescing into something big.

Out of pure instinct she pitched to her side, just as the clouds were blown open wide, parting around an immense shape. It blew passed her like a freight train, narrowly missing her and Spike as it tore apart the sky, blasting away clouds as it went. It was like just barely missing a whole castle by mere inches. That was the sense Twilight got; of avoiding something of epic proportions by a scant few feet that might as well have been millimeters.

Twilight glanced at it as it passed, but all she registered was a blur of motion and a howl of wind. And perhaps it was her imagination, but she could have sworn she spotted something that glittered in the darkness…

In an instant, it was passed her. The sheer force of its tailwind hit her barrier so hard it flattened to a disk, smashing Twilight in the face.

“I thought you said it was on our left!” Twilight snapped.

“It was!” Spike said, his voice an octave or two higher.

Twilight glanced behind her – around Spike, and into the unfathomable clouds beyond. If she squinted, she just thought she could see something; flashes in the darkness, like distant lightning bolts slashing through the storm far behind them. Yet, there was no ozone in the air.

In the next instant, she was in the open air beneath the clouds. Without even realizing it, she’d punched all the way through the storm, and found herself surrounded by the tumultuous downpour of blinding snow. Far below, the white shape of a winter-locked island stretched out beneath her.

Twilight wasn’t feeling picky; she didn’t care where she landed, as long as she got out of the sky. She pinned her wings and legs to her body and shot like a rocket towards the ground.

Far below, she could just make out a hillside sheathed in ice and snow. Even with all the speed she’d built up, it felt so far away.

Behind her, she could hear the thunder of powerful wings as something pursued her down. She didn’t dare turn to look; she was going too fast. Any lapse in concentration would spell the end for her. Nevertheless, she could still feel the way Spike was urgently tugging on her mane, his voice urging her to go faster.

Just a little further… a little more…!

Somewhere just behind her, she felt a pair of jaws slam shut just short of her tail. The sound of clashing gums and teeth was terrifying enough to spur her on faster.

Four hundred feet… Three hundred feet.

“Twilight!” Spike cried out, terror in his voice.

She didn’t need to turn around to look. She could practically feel the jaws spreading above and below her, ready to snap her right out of the air.

Two hundred feet…

NOW!

Twilight’s horn ignited with a blinding surge of light, throwing sparks in every direction with her urgency. In an instant, violet light wrapped around her, and with a pop, she vanished from sight. The mountainside, however, did not.

Traveling as fast as it was, the gargantuan creature could only shriek in surprise and try in vain to pull up before it plowed head-first into the frozen earth at terminal velocity.


~~***~~


Serizawa felt the quake hit, as did the four mares behind him. They all shrieked and yelped as the whole island quivered. Trees shook off their blankets of freezing snow, dumping some on an unsuspecting Fluttershy below and burying her with a startled squeak. All five heard the explosive impact echo across the sky with the sound of a bomb going off.

“What in tarnation was that?” Applejack cried out as the tremors died down.

“An earthquake?” Rarity speculated.

Kano trembled in fear on the ground, her hooves over her head as she babbled in Neighponese – a prayer of some sort, by the sounds of it.

But Serizawa’s eyes narrowed. A chill ran down his spine that had nothing to do with the cold weather. “No. That was something else.”


~~***~~


Rainbow looked up as rumbling reached her ears, as did Pinkie. “What was that?” Pinkie asked, cocking her head to one side.

Rainbow frowned. Unease was building inside her worse than ever, a terrible premonition in the back of her mind.

… Where’s Applejack…?

The same feeling from when she’d heard those two words was stealing through her again; a nasty sinking, crushing sensation. And no matter how hard she tried, she could not throw off that feeling now.

“Pinkie, stay here,” Rainbow instructed. “I’ll go check it out.”

Pinkie snapped her head around, eyes wide with alarm, but already Rainbow had taken off. “Wait! Dash, wait!”

But she was already gone.


~~***~~


Twilight hovered in midair, panting. Orchestrating a teleportation spell while moving that fast had not been easy. The velocity involved was almost too much to compensate for.

But she’d done it; she and Spike had rematerialized just beneath the cloud cover, giving her plenty of space to slow back down before she crashed as well. She’d reappeared just in time to see the humongous cloud of dirt and snow that had been thrown into the air from the meteoric impact that’d occurred below her.

By the time she’d spiraled her way back down to hover at skyscraper height above the ruined hillside, clots of earth and slush were still tumbling through the air. A thick column of dust hung in the sky, brown in a grey and white world.

“D-did you get it?” Spike asked tentatively, peering around Twilight’s shoulder.

“As big as that thing was, and as fast as it was going,” Twilight panted, “there’s no way it could’ve survived a crash at that velocity. We… we should be good.”

“I sure hope so,” Spike muttered, clinging to the back of her head. “Cuz I still feel on edge.”

Twilight was slowly descending now. “Don’t worry, Spike, I’m sure it’s over,” she said.

The sound of shifting, grinding rock said otherwise.

Twilight’s eyes widened in disbelief as an immense shadow righted itself with an angry, indignant growl. Up… up… higher and higher it rose into the sky. Twilight was still more than three hundred feet from the ground, and still she found herself tilting her head upwards as the great shadow loomed over her.

A cry rent the air then; a bone-chilling, cackling sound that rang in Twilight’s ears. It sounded taunting, maniacal, and to Twilight, it was absolutely terrifying.

“T-Twilight,” squeaked Spike. “I-I don’t think it’s dead.”

Twilight opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. In front of her, the dust cloud was billowing. Something huge was leaning forward, towards her.

And through that shroud of dust came a massive golden head.

It was like finding herself suddenly in the path of an oncoming cruise liner. Its eyes alone were larger than she was, and they were currently glaring irritably at her.

The head was adorned with a swept back crown of golden horns that glinted in the gloomy daylight. Its long, golden snout was curled up around the lips, bearing an arsenal of ship-crushing teeth more than capable of ending a puny pony’s existence.

It stared Twilight down with a hateful accusation, a snarl ripping through its long, powerful neck.

“Twilight,” Spike whispered. “I think now is the time to get out of here.”

Twilight gulped – as the dust on either side of her bulged outward. She turned stiffly, heart skipping a beat.

For a moment, she thought she was seeing things. The kaiju’s head was in front of her. So… why were there two more to her left and right?

The answer was as simple as it was terrifying. The creature had three heads.

Twilight hung in midair, her eyes huge as all three heads of the gold-plated daikaiju inhaled, then shrieked their fury for all to hear.


~~***~~


Pinkie stood propped up on the guard railing on the edge of Serizawa’s ship, a deep look of worry on her face. She, along with everypony else on the island, had heard that terrific cackling roar. Pinkie considered herself an expert on all things laugh related – from chortles to snickers to guffaws and so on – but that… that had most definitely not been laughter of any sort.

She stared off deeper into the island, fidgeting restlessly as she tried to figure out what to do.

Pinkie was so distracted that she didn’t feel the way the ship started to sink deeper into the mud as the high tide began to recede all up and down the steadily growing beach.
	
> 10: Clash of Kings
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	
Shiragami awoke to the same world of pain she’d left only hours ago. The same cuts and bruises and splinted bones that screamed mercilessly were all quick to remind her of the state she was in.

She cracked open her eyes with a groan and looked around. For a moment, she didn’t recognize her surroundings in the slightest, which only heaped panic on top of pain. Her senses were foggy, hazy, but she had enough of them to piece some things together.

As her senses roused, things about the wooden room clicked, and when she saw the pale peach mare appear over her, she remembered.

The barks of the cannons, ponies screaming and shouting – first with urgency, then with terror… the deafening roaring…

Something had hit the Amaterasu, but she couldn’t recall what. She remembered nothing but chaos, a maelstrom of whirling projectiles that bashed and smashed against her. She’d been tumbling, end over end, tossed around like a ragdoll. Somehow she’d gotten ahold of her maids, charged her horn…

The rest was a blur. Rain, pain, darkness… a familiar purple face… then sheer, heart-stopping terror… An immense shadow, blacker than night…

All of this came back to Shiragami in an instant, striking her like a cold wave of water that chilled her to her core. In the next instant, a gentle hoof was being placed on her forehead.

It was the pale peach mare – the rude, uncultured thing with no grasp of proper manners that’d forced her to drink that foul folk remedy. She was looking at Shiragami with clear worry, her brows knitted together.

“Take it easy,” she insisted. “Don’t move around too much. You will only hurt yourself.”

Shiragami winced. For a moment, her eyes unfocused, but through sheer willpower she forced them to focus again.

For a moment, she couldn’t help but notice how steady everything was. The ground beneath her was not swaying or pitching at all, something that brought confusion to her mind.

“Wh… where are we?” she inquired blearily, looking around again. She was definitely still in that boat cabin, of this there was no doubt. So why couldn’t she feel any waves?

The mare opened her mouth to say something, but fell quiet, her head turning. At first, Shiragami couldn’t understand why she’d act like that, unless she was simply the most rude creature she’d ever encountered. She hadn’t ruled that possibility out.

But this time, Shiragami discovered that she had a reason. A moment later, the sliding door on the opposite end of the room rattled open, and in came a group of huffing and puffing ponies who were, bizarrely, covered in a dusting of what looked like powdered sugar. No… no, it was snow, she realized.

Three of them she recognized. The orange earth pony, the white unicorn and the strange yellow winged pony were familiar… in the loosest definition.

The older stallion leading the pack, however, was not, and neither was the middle-aged mare accompanying them all.

Shiragami could only sit there as a hasty conversation was held between her caretaker, the three mares, and the stallion, all speaking in a strange, blunt language she’d never heard before. Whatever they were talking about, however, it was making the pale peach mare more and more distressed.

While they talked, Shiragami couldn’t help but look the group over. There were too few of them, she realized. The pink hyperactive one was missing, as was the bright blue, crazy-maned winged pony. And…

Shiragami looked around with building unease. The purple mare… Twilight Sparkle… she was not there. Was that why her caretaker was so upset? Was that why her associates looked so uneasy, even scared?

Pain splintered up her foreleg as Shiragami forced herself to sit up. Little lights popped in front of her eyes, but she ignored it. “Lady… Lady Sparkle,” she managed to force out through clenched teeth.

The room went dead quiet, all eyes turning towards her. Even the pale peach mare seemed too taken aback to manhandle her further.

“Where is… Lady Sparkle?” Shiragami asked.

Everypony looked at one another. Even the three mares looked her over. One of them – the earth pony – asked something Shiragami didn’t understand, except for the inclusion of Twilight’s name.

She didn’t understand her, further exasperating her. But as she opened her mouth to demand an answer, the walls of the cabin trembled fitfully. Dust and a pair of books tumbled to the ground as the tremor ran throughout the ship. Wood popped and groaned eerily throughout the hull, much to the alarm of everypony on board.

Two of the foreign mares shrieked and clung together. The third braced as best she could, gritting her teeth against the shaking. The pale peach mare tumbled over completely with a yelp while the stallion steadied himself against a nearby desk.

The middle-aged mare that’d followed them in, however, had promptly fallen to the ground. She didn’t topple over, but rather she threw herself down as if prostrating herself. Her hooves were clasped around something hanging from her neck – a golden pendant of some kind. She began to frantically whisper to herself, blubbering out a prayer of some kind. Shiragami didn’t catch most of it, but there was one thing she picked up on; a pair of words whispered over and over again. To hear it only filled Shiragami with her own sense of dread.

She turned towards the group again. This time, she caught the stallion’s eye and held it. “Where is Lady Twilight Sparkle?” she demanded again.


~~***~~


Twilight puffed out great clouds of steam as she struggled to catch her breath. She peered around the trunk of a thick palm tree, through curtains of cascading snow flurries and dull, steel grey gloom.

She was not normally one for hiding. Then again, she also wasn’t one for picking fights with monsters the size of mountains. And yet here she was.

The stifling, empty stillness of the jungle was at the same time both unnerving and ideal. Twilight could cast her senses out without the constant drone of insects or birds to hamper her attempts to locate what she was searching for, but without the background ambience of a living environment, she was constantly aware of the jackhammering in her chest and the raggedness of her breathing, not to mention the burning ache in her wings.

It was all almost a moot point anyway. Given the size of the thing hunting her, no amount of noise could have hidden it.

She found that out when a thick leg drove down into the ground with enough force to level a grove of palms as effortlessly as her hooves did blades of grass. The impact alone almost threw her off her hooves and caused the jungle trees to dance as if desperate to uproot themselves and flee.

Through the trees, Twilight could just barely see the glint of golden scales glimmering in the cold overcast sky above her. It was like catching sight of a mighty tower, only this one was moving with three undulating shadows that swept and swung over the land below.

Twilight could just make out its enormous wings – huge even for its proportions – irritably batting at the air and producing enough gale-force winds to strip nearby trees of their leaves, leaving them standing as skeletons.

“I don’t know what we did to get this guy so angry,” Spike whispered from Twilight’s back. “I mean, apart from making him crash land head first into the ground.”

Twilight didn’t seem to hear him. She was too busy staring at the gigantic monster, her heart panicking in her chest.

Another one… another kaiju… and somehow, this one seemed even bigger than Godzilla. The implications by themselves were staggering; she couldn’t even wrap her mind around the idea. The only thing that numbed the impact was the even bigger scare of once again finding herself right in a raging monster’s warpath. In terms of priority, shock would have to wait.

Another thunderous footstep rocked the ground, dumping snow from the treetops onto her head. The monster was getting closer, slowly. It was taking the time to look for her, patient and calculating as a stalking bobcat tracking a frightened shrew.

Twilight was thinking fast all the while. Spike had been right; she’d done something to get this creature’s attention, but as long as she laid low, perhaps it would eventually lose interest. It wasn’t like she had many options anyway; the kaiju was far, far too big to take on her own. And if Godzilla had been a lesson, she was way out of her league right now.

A whole slew of questions whirled through her mind, but at the forefront was just a single, easy to grasp prerogative: staying alive. 

“As long as we stay quiet and hidden, we should be fine,” Twilight whispered, her eyes still cast upwards. She flinched when another giant neck cast its shadow over her, gold flashing between the fronds overhead.

Spike didn’t respond. Whether he agreed or not wasn’t much of a factor; they both knew their choices were limited.

The great beast let out another shrieking cry, eyes ever watchful on the forest below. Its wings beat irritably, uprooting whole trees from its immediate vicinity and bowling them over flat to the ground.

Twilight clung to her own cover against the powerful gale, but she was starting to have second thoughts about her choice of hiding place.

The monster fell quiet and stood motionless. It growled a rumbling, hissing growl, but it did not move.

With a horrible jolt, Twilight realized it was trying to flush her out. It knew she was down here, and it was just waiting for her to lose her nerve.

Apparently, it’d taken much greater offense to taking a nose-dive than she’d thought. Or… was something else at play here? Was there some other factor that she didn’t know about? Considering how this trip had been going so far, she couldn’t rule it out.

Twilight pushed the thought to the back of her mind for perusing later. Right now, she had to focus on the immediate situation.

She knew that the moment she lit up her horn, she would have seconds to react. If this kaiju was anything like Godzilla, it’d pick up her concentrating magic immediately, and it’d be all over her in a heartbeat. But she couldn’t stay here, not in the path of that monster. She had to time her move just right…

… Why do I smell ozone?

It was faint at first, but rapidly the scent of ionization began to build in the air, enough to distract her from her planning. Spike started tugging at her shoulder, a whine in his throat, his eyes growing bigger and bigger. “Twilight,” he hissed, “I think we’d better move…!”

Twilight had just glanced to him when she caught sight of something golden flash out of her peripheral vision, and a stand of tall palm trees to her right exploded.

Deadly electric buzzing howled through the air all around her as another flash lit up the gloomy jungle, followed by a streak of fire that erupted right before Twilights eyes. 

Lightning bolts – golden lightning bolts – were carving up the land, strafing the jungle to devastating effect. The earth split open in front of her, sliced apart as cleanly as a scalpel stroke. Fire burst high into the sky, trees igniting under a sudden intense heat that burned against Twilight’s skin. Snow vaporized instantly near the points of impact, throwing up great plumes of steam that mingled with the acrid smoke and flying chunks of shredded plant matter and clods of earth.

She didn’t know what was happening, but it kept happening; again and again and again, powerful arcs of intense light slashed the jungle to ribbons with unrivaled savagery in a relentless barrage.

Twilight found herself cowering on the ground, clutching Spike to her front protectively. She was surrounded by fire and splintered trees by the time it finally relented. When she raised her head, all she found was smoke, shattered tree stumps, and a riotous orange blaze. 

Twilight herself was half-buried under shrapnel and chunks of earth. The tree she’d been hiding behind groaned, then half of it toppled. Connected only by a few stubborn fibers, the trunk did not fall flat to the ground, but it did give Twilight the scare of her life when it fell short and came to a stop just shy of her head by inches.

Over the ringing in Twilight’s ears, she heard the distant harrowing shriek of the monster as it waited for her to flee in terror from the choking smoke filling the air or attempt to escape it in some way. It did not move a step, but Twilight knew it would be watching, three pairs of eyes scanning the ruined jungle.

Fiery embers danced through the air around her. Twilight had to restrain a hacking cough as hot smoke swirled all around her and burned in her nostrils.

Snow was smelting all around her, dripping from trees and striking her head as the heat rose. Flames flickered in the muddled clouds of steam and smoke, tenaciously clinging to life even in a half frozen, half drenched landscape.

Now she really was in a bind. If she stayed, she could suffocate under the building smog. If she tried to flee, the monster would be on her in seconds. But as the heat of the incinerating jungle foliage started to draw beads of sweat from her, Twilight was forced to make up her mind.

“Spike,” she coughed.

“Yeah?” he responded, unfazed by the ash and smoke.

“Hang on. I’m about to do something really stupid.”

He did as instructed and clung to Twilight for dear life, just as she raised her head and set her horn aglow.

The reaction was instant.

The monster let out another cry as all three heads lunged around towards the hiding place of two tiny creatures. Twilight could smell ozone again. She could hear the building crackle and buzz, and just as it was brought to a deafening roar again, she and Spike popped out of existence. For a few moments, at least.

When Twilight rematerialized, she was no longer on the ground. She’d thrown herself in the only direction she knew she could safely throw herself through space and time; high into the air. It was the only destination she could pick on short notice that wouldn’t run the risk of popping her and Spike into something… uncomfortable.

Twilight only registered her bearings for a heartbeat, and then she was working her wings for all they were worth, just as a golden titan rounded on her from behind, three sets of predatory eyes glittering in the gloom.


~~***~~


Rainbow beat her wings vigorously against the harsh winds, fighting freak turbulence and unpredictable air currents. It was still disorienting, but by now Rainbow had started to grow accustomed to it. She still couldn’t anticipate the gusts, but her reactions to them were getting better.

She squinted through the dense curtains of snow, peering through the blinding gloom for any sign of her friend. The wind was ferocious, and howled like a raging animal, but… some of that howling sounded disturbingly like something else…

A flash in the distance caught Rainbow’s eye. She slowed down and shielded her eyes with a hoof, frowning to herself. Had that been Twilight? Or…

Movement out of the corner of her eye. Rainbow snapped her head around, instinctively locking on to it, just as Twilight and Spike sailed passed her at full speed, missing her by thirty feet. With the wind at her back, Twilight raced by in a blur, there and gone again before Rainbow could fully grasp what she’d just seen. Rainbow just caught what sounded like Spike’s voice on the wind, but for the life of her she couldn’t figure out what he was saying.

Rainbow scratched her head, perplexed… when a terrific bellow echoed across the sky. She turned, the color draining from her face, just as the sound of powerful wings beating the air reached her ears.

A shadow – a ridiculously big shadow – whirled over her head, carrying with it a gale-force tailwind that nearly slammed her right out of the sky.

She recovered only a foot about a nastily pointed tree top, and without giving it another thought, she tore after her friend, and the titan that was hot on her tail.

Here we go again..., she thought dourly to herself. Things can’t possibly get any worse.


~~***~~


Amidst the silent snow and moaning wind, Pinkie stood on the prow of Serizawa’s ship, forelegs balanced on the guard rail, worried eyes cast up towards the grumpy skies that had once showed her where Rainbow had gone. Now they were only grey, speckled with lots of white, and nothing else.

Normally, snow made Pinkie very happy. She loved snow days! Making forts with her friends, having snowball fights with her friends, building the biggest snowpony ever with her friends; there were all sorts of really great things to do in the snow! Plus, snow meant hot cocoa with little marshmallows! Indeed, snow was supposed to be a wonderful, amazing thing.

But this snow… this snow was bad snow. She didn’t know why, or how to put it, but there was something about the snow and the storm that made Twilight super worried. And Pinkie could tell, even if she couldn’t follow everything Twilight and Serizawa had been talking about, that this was very, very bad snow…

And that was when her stomach gurgled.

For a moment, Pinkie paused, confused. That hadn’t been a growl, like when she was hungry, or a grumble, like when she’d had too much to eat or something bad that her stomach didn’t agree with. That had almost been like…

Floppy ear, twitchy tail, belly gurgle…

Pinkie stood stalk still as the spasms passed, an utterly baffled look twisting up her features. “Huh. That’s new,” she commented to herself, nonplussed. “I wonder what that one means?”

It happened again, only more insistent. 

Pinkie frowned, at a total loss. She sat down, reached into her mane, and whipped out an overstuffed three-ring binder covered in glitter and confetti. She then started flipping through the pages, frowning at each one in turn.

“Imminent water balloon strike… no… Leaky bathtub? No, not that either… Deus ex…? What does that even mean?”

Completely at a loss now, she stuffed the massive binder back into its storage space in the unknowable depths of her mane and crossed her hooves in front of her. “Well… I’m confused and baffled. Confaffled? Bafused? Ooh! Bafused! I like that—”

The boat started to groan, bringing an end to Pinkie’s contemplation.

Without warning, Serizawa’s boat was beginning to list to one side. What was more, the bow was hiking up higher into the air. No… not higher. The rear end was sinking lower.

Pinkie looked around, eyes big. Then, she looked down over the edge of the ship. But what she saw only raised more questions.

Where once the surf had been lapping against the shore several feet in front of the ship, now all Pinkie found was waterlogged sand, bits of driftwood, and a few startled fish panicking in the mud. No waves, no water… just sand.

Pinkie slowly turned, her eyes traveling further and further away from the ever-lengthening coastline, out towards where the ocean was supposed to be.

The shoreline was almost two ship lengths behind them, and it was only drawing back further the longer Pinkie stared at it. That confused her greatly. What was going on? Could this be what her ‘Sense was trying to tell her about? She didn’t even know the ocean could leave.

But then… if it was leaving, where was it going?

And that was precisely the moment the rumbling reached her ears.

Pinkie leaned over the edge of the boat to get a better look at what lay behind it. But what she saw still made no sense. Now, however, that confusion was starting to morph into unease.

The horizon was rising. It darkened into a thickening black band that seemed to gain height the longer she looked at it.

It was at about that point when Pinkie realized where the ocean had gone, seconds before the towering wave came hurtling fully into view.

Oh! Oh. Ooooooh… Uh-oh.

It had to have been over sixty feet tall; a solid wall of icy black water and raging foam rising higher and higher the closer to shore it got. It stretched as far in either direction as Pinkie could see around the island. It dwarfed the headland as it approached, rising up like a great frothing ridgeline in the ocean’s surface. And it moved with terrifying swiftness, barreling forward faster than anything could hope to run.

With a terrific crash, it slammed at full speed into a peninsula just up the beach from Pinkie and swallowed it whole amid a shower of spray and white foam unlike anything she’d ever seen before. Trees vanished under a crush of raging sea water, their tops thrashing downward towards the ground for just an instant before they vanished beneath millions of gallons of smothering, unstoppable tide. And it just kept coming, stampeding onwards as it rolled over Ogasawara Island, flattening all in its path.

The sound of roaring, crashing water growing louder by the second snapped Pinkie out of her stunned state. With a frantic scrabble of hooves, she dove for the entrance behind her, threw herself onto the other side, and slammed the hatch shut.

A moment later, the tsunami wave reached the ship.

Ponies in her belly shrieked in surprise and alarm as the whole boat was wrenched out of the muck without offering any resistance as the wave overtook it and began thundering inland.

The ship and all her passengers bobbed and twirled like a foal’s plaything in a bath. Jarring bangs and thuds echoed from her belly as whole trees, boulders, and all manner of submerged projectiles slammed into her again and again, threatening to punch a hole straight through her wooden frame.

Only the gods of luck would know how the boat was not flipped over or capsized in her wild ride inland. But the journey was short-lived.

Everypony felt the impact when the prow struck a rocky outcropping, turned sideways, and was pinned length-wise across two jutting stones that had once been atop a small hill. Now it was just a pair of stones sticking up over a torrent of surging ocean.

The boat groaned and complained as millions of gallons of sea water slammed into her side, pummeling and beating her in the tidal wave’s attempt to either dislodge her or smash her to tinder.

But somehow, she held. The boat endured, a few sprung leaks notwithstanding, as the wave’s ferocity began to leave it behind. In its wake, the wave left a landscape of glassy, fast-moving water coursing between higher hilltops. Bits of trees, wood, foliage and flotsam drifted by in a slurry, jutting up into the air like half exposed bones in a shallow grave. But the ship stayed pinned.

Inside, Serizawa raised his head and cast a look around. “Is… is everypony alright?” he asked.

“I’ve… been worse… I suppose,” Rarity grumbled. She was lying upended against a wall, rear end high in the air and head on the floor, eyes spinning in their sockets.

“I-I’m okay,” Fluttershy mumbled as she straightened up. She’d thrown herself over the unconscious maidens, who were all starting to moan again as they roused.

“What in tarnation was that?” Applejack grunted, struggling to right herself while replacing her hat.

That was when a small, toppled box started chattering. All eyes swiveled onto it as the chattering grew louder and more ferocious. The needle on a dial was pegged firmly on the far side of its readout.

Then, a new sound cut the air. A high pitched whistling that soon evolved into a loud, two-tone whine. And on the surface of the box, a small light had just flicked on – one that glowed a bright, fiery green.

Serizawa exchanged a loaded look with Emiko, who was chewing her lip. Not far away, the middle-aged mare was praying worse than ever, her voice rising to a terrified shriek as she rocked on her haunches. “I’m afraid,” Serizawa said grimly, “We may have stayed too long.”

Meanwhile, a deck above them, a hatch was cranked open, and out tumbled a discombobulated pink earth pony, who fell in a heap onto the sea-soaked deck that now stank of sea salt.

“That was not fun at all,” Pinkie whined miserably, her eyes rolling. In the next instant, she was clutching both hooves to her mouth. This time, the grumbling in her tummy was definitely something she understood right away.

One mad dash to the side and one purge later, Pinkie leaned back, looking and feeling nauseous. “I… didn’t know the ocean could overflow,” Pinkie mumbled. “That was a really, really bad surprise…”

That was when the sound of rapid clicking caught her attention, emanating from a machine set into the boat’s deckhouse. Pinkie turned her head towards it, baffled. It’s clicking was brought up to a panicky buzz, and then a shrill two-tone alarm that grated on her nerves.

That confusion froze inside of her when she heard the most terrific splash she’d ever heard in her life, so much like the roar of a waterfall. She turned back around, eyes huge, as a ridge of jagged, ashen spines split the ocean and rose skyward. Her heart jackhammered in her chest as a migrating island of ashen scales took to its feet and rose from the surf.


~~***~~


The icy sting of snow lashed at Twilight’s face as she urged every bit of speed out of her wings. She was not an amazing flyer, nor was she delusional enough to think she was. But right now, she was sorely wishing she’d read up more extensively on advanced aerial maneuvering.

The hateful, angry shrieking behind her reminded her that speed alone was not going to get her out of trouble. She could hear the powerful wingbeats howling through the air, propelling the three-headed giant after her. And it was closing. She didn’t see how fast or by how much, but Spike’s frantic tugging on her mane was a fairly good indication.

One would think that, given how small she was compared to it, she’d be able to shake it. Considering how heavily it was snowing, it shouldn’t have been hard to slip away. Where the kaiju’s single-minded determination was coming from, she would never know.

“Right!” Spike cried out.

Twilight did as instructed and banked hard right, just as one pair of jaws slammed shut inches shy of her tail, followed by another set, which overshot her by a few feet.

Twilight saw the great golden head appear right in front of her, moving perpendicular to her now. It was like flying head on into the side of a speeding freight train.

With a yelp, she threw herself down in a dive. It was still a harrowingly close call; Spike could feel something just scrape one of his head crests, shaving years off his life as he and Twilight dodged a collision by a hair’s breadth.

Twilight tried to twist herself around, instinctively resorting back to what she’d do on her hooves in such a situation. But before she could, the slipstream billowing around the titan’s frame caught her first.

The wall of air didn’t slam into her, but suddenly she found a lot more lift under one wing than the other. Instead of spinning around a hundred and eighty degrees like she’d been trying to do, her right wing was wrenched up painfully in its socket, tossing her onto her side. This was all she knew to have happened; everything else was utter chaos as she suddenly found herself spinning wildly through the air, gravity all too eager to take the reins from her. 

She yelped, wings flailing in panic as she tried to get some wind under them, but it was no use. She just spun like a top, bound for the hard, frozen earth at least a hundred feet below.

At least, that was how it seemed, until a pair of hooves caught her midair.

“Whoa there,” Rainbow said into her ear. “I got you.”

Twilight’s sense of relief was somewhat compounded by her shock at seeing first the blue pair of hooves holding her by the shoulders, then the rapidly beating set of blue wings that’d wrestled her to a standstill, then to the cocked grin being leveled at her.

“Rainbow!” she gasped, mouth hanging open in shock. “What are you doing here? I thought you were staying with the ship!”

“Well, I was,” Rainbow said with a pointed tone, “but something was up, so I came to check on you girls. Speaking of, have you seen the others? They were supposed to be out here, too, but I haven’t seen any sign of them. Oh, and I just thought I’d ask, no big deal or anything, but, where the flying ponyfeathers did you find THAT!?”

She gestured towards some point far off to Twilight’s left, where a distant cackling shriek echoed back at her. The clouds where still swirling in the massive daikaiju’s wake, snow whipping about in spirals through the air. She could even hear the great wingbeats of the monster, and she could tell it was circling back around.

Twilight shook her head. Unwanted memories resurfaced of the devastation wrought by the beast; countless acres of land razed by golden lightning in mere seconds… She prayed that Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy and Serizawa had been nowhere near that. She prayed, but there was always that little voice in the back of her head that had to explore that macabre possibility…

“I-I’m sure they’re fine,” Twilight said quickly, throwing the horrible thoughts from her head. “As for the kaiju…”

“We kinda sorta made it crash into the ground,” Spike spoke up.

Rainbow winced. “Youch… Okay, as somepony with a few crashes under her belt, not cool.”

Twilight puffed up indignantly. “Hey, it started it! Besides, something that big shouldn’t be in any shape to keep going after a landing like that. Hay, it shouldn’t be able to fly with all that body mass!”

“Yeah, well, it sort of is,” Rainbow pointed out with a raised eyebrow. “And I don’t know if you noticed, but you’re not exactly outrunning it, either. That thing’ll just chase us no matter where we go, even if we get Serizawa’s boat free.”

Twilight could see what she was getting at, but it only made her edgier. “Rainbow, we are not fighting it.”

“Oh come on!” Rainbow groused. “We have to do something, and so far all you’ve managed to do by flying around is tick it off even more. Besides, I thought we came all this way to fight these things, not kinda just annoy them! We have to do something!”

Twilight opened her mouth to say… something – that was about as far as she’d made it – when a terrific blast of wind slammed into them from above, very nearly tossing all three of them to the ground.

Both turned in the direction of the gust, just as a great golden titan set itself down on the ground with a quaking crash that shook trees for miles around. It stood up tall, golden necks arching as they rose to their full height. Gigantic wings unfurled to their full extension, casting aside curtains of snow and momentarily banishing the stormy veil from around it.

It stood as wide as the mightiest castle citadel and rose even taller. Each neck was a monster unto itself; a great expanse of flashing gold scales, curved regal horns and snarling draconic maws lined with teeth fit for crushing even the mightiest of defenses. Two puny ponies and a baby dragon wouldn’t offer even the slightest competition.

Each of the golden kaiju’s heads belted out a series of cackling, shrieking roars that rang in Twilight’s, Rainbow’s and Spike’s ears. Twin golden tails pummeled the land, beating it like a war drum.

It glared out across its kingdom with savage disdain, and curled its lip. Whatever it saw, it found it wanting.

Then, it snorted, and all three heads swung down at the three nuisances, such tiny creatures that would otherwise escape its gaze as easily as a gnat would be beneath the notice of ponies.

It spread its wings wide and threw out its chest, teeth bared. The scent of ozone began to fill the air.

Golden light started to emanate through the gaps between its mighty scales. Sparks popped and cracked as arcs of light danced into the air. The light was working its way up each neck, and it was growing brighter with each foot traveled. Humming soon turned to buzzing as the fulminating power ramped up. Three pairs of jaws started to part, throats issuing a sinister golden glow.

The feel of alien power burning against Twilight’s senses brought a whole new sense of dread to her. Both Rainbow and herself braced, ready to bolt in a split second.

And that was when a resounding bellow echoed across the sky.

A deadly hush fell over the world. Even the wind seemed to slow to a moaning halt after that terrific, harrowing sound rolled through the air like distant thunder.

The golden kaiju paused, its heads flicking up to some point behind Twilight. The golden sparks faded into the gloom as the golden kaiju bristled, hissing and spitting as it turned its attention towards some point far, far over Twilight’s, Rainbow’s and Spike’s heads. It shrieked a warning, rising to its full height and brandishing its wings like deadly weapons.

In response, the whole world around Twilight quaked seemingly in fear of what was coming. She looked down, mesmerized by the shaking of the trees as they wobbled back and forth, marking each successful step of something’s approach.

To her confusion, she bore witness to a sheet of water rolling across the jungle floor, drowning the underbrush and leaving only the trees standing tall.

The next sound she heard came from her friend floating beside her. “T-Twilight,” Rainbow hissed, her voice an octave or two higher than normal.

Twilight turned stiffly towards her, only to realize Rainbow wasn’t even looking at her. No, she was staring at something behind them – something far above.

Boom…

The jungled quaked again as Twilight forced herself to turn, eyes turning seemingly of their own accord.

Through the snow descending from the sky, a monolithic shadow loomed. At first, it wasn’t easy to spot through the snow, but with each passing second, it grew clearer and clearer as it drew closer, materializing like a phantom in the darkness.

A black shadow of a head rolled on its shoulders, gaze falling on the gigantic golden kaiju standing off to its right. It snarled at it, the vast shadow seemingly swelling to even larger proportions as it straightened up and snapped its jaws. The air rang with the thunderclap of bone-on-bone.

The golden kaiju answered with another warning shriek, posturing and beating the air with its gigantic wings.

To that, He had only one response, and He belted it out from cavernous lungs.

The sound of His roar forced Twilight and Rainbow to clap their hooves to their ears, wincing against the sheer volume that was bordering on physical force bearing down on them. Twilight’s ears were still left ringing something fierce, worse even than having a flugelhorn blasted point blank into one.

But for the moment, she barely noticed. Twilight paid much more attention to the huge expanse of black scales swinging in front of her face; a massive leg lunging forward, carrying a titan obliviously passed three onlookers and onto a collision course with a golden challenger.

She was close enough that she could see the tendrils of steam rising off of each plated scale. She could hear the hiss and spit of snow vaporizing on contact, and most of all, she could feel the sweltering heat beating against her, a heat mingled with that same strange, annihilating force from before that burned against her mind. Not magic, but something more primal, and infinitely more destructive.

Rainbow took one look at the pair of monsters squaring up to each other and knew, without a shred of doubt, that that was not something she wanted to be in the middle of. Well, she didn’t want Twilight and Spike to be in the middle of it. Yeah, that was it.

“Twilight, we need to get out of here!” she shouted, struggling to hear herself over her own deafened ears. She took hold of Twilight’s foreleg and tugged.

To her surprise, however, Twilight held firm. When Rainbow looked back at her in exasperation, she found her friend staring not at the roaring beasts sizing each other up, but instead casting her gaze straight up into the sky. She had that look on her face, the look she got whenever she was about to do something crazy. It’d been there when they’d faced Discord, it’d been there when they made their mad dash for the Elements amid a changeling invasion, and it was there when they’d charged into the Everfree Forest as it slowly buried Ponyville under thick black vines.

Rainbow’s eyes followed hers, but ultimately found nothing of interest; just more swirling storms, black as bruises, dispensing more snow than Ponyville saw all winter.

She was about to shout at her friend again when Twilight turned on her and said something – something her ringing ears translated as, “Go-hine-theether. I-be-I-ak.”

So, either her friend had suddenly started speaking in tongues, or Rainbow’s ears were ringing way worse than she’d figured.

Seeing the blank look on Rainbow’s face, Twilight tried again, this time screaming her words at the top of her lungs.

“Go find the others! I’ll be right back!”

Rainbow’s eyes got huge, but her protest came too late. Before she could do anything, Twilight twisted free of her grip and sped off into the sky, scowl bent in determination as she raced off towards the heart of the storm.

Rainbow raised a hoof, calling after her friend – just as a golden bolt of lightning lanced through the air between them.

She jolted back instinctively as another bolt slashed in a diagonal arc, cutting through the forest before finding it’s intended target – Godzilla’s chest.

A sound issued from the titan then, one Rainbow had never heard before. It was a shriek of pain, and to her surprise, she watched as Godzilla actually staggered back a step.

Again and again, bolts of golden energy rained down across the snow-encrusted jungle, doing as much damage to Him as it did to the woodlands themselves.

Snow gave way to raging fires and scorched earth, smoke already thick in the air from the devastation. Trees were blasted to splinters, bits and pieces flying in a hailstorm of burning shrapnel through the air, some of which pelted Rainbow with stinging bites.

By the time the onslaught paused, Twilight was long gone, leaving Rainbow the sole spectator between two clashing kings.

The golden kaiju reared up and shrieked triumphantly while raising its heads high into the air.

Godzilla stood at the heart of the blackened forest, shrouded in smoke and fire. His front was scorched black from numerous lashing burn marks. To Rainbow, He looked halfway doubled over, as if He’d had the wind knocked out of Him.

Then, His head tilted up, fiery eyes falling on the brazen aggressor, and He huffed in contempt.

The black smoke was stained a bright, ominous blue.

Rainbow knew exactly what was coming, and she dove for the cover of the treetops as, one by one, massive spines hummed like living dynamos kicking on, buzzing with unmatched power.

She aimed for the ground, but stopped when she found the base of the trees flooded with torrential waters. She paused, baffled, just as the sky above her was filled with blue fire.

The bright lance of superheated energy struck the golden kaiju square in the chest with such force that every last ton of it was thrown over backwards. A shriek of surprise and pain colored the air amidst the deafening explosion of the impact. Scouring flames bent around its massive form, torching still more of the land before Godzilla let up. The golden kaiju hit the ground, hard, hard enough to cause the water beneath Rainbow to leap and dance.

Rainbow peeked her head up into the air above her tree, just as He stormed passed, barreling forward far faster than she would have thought possible for something His size. It didn’t look like He was charging, for the amount of effort He demonstrated, but the length of each step achieved a speed no pony could ever hope to hold a candle to. Within an instant He was passed her, parting the descending snow around His monstrous barrel chest.

Already the golden kaiju had righted itself, rage coloring its shrieking roars. Its chest was still smoldering; cracked and split scales sloughed off and fell to earth like little comets. But it was far from weakened, and it demonstrated this by meeting its charging adversary, colliding with Him like two battleships plowing into one another at full speed. Rainbow didn’t just hear the impact; she felt its percussion as the two daikaiju rammed one another with all the considerable weight they possessed.


~~***~~


Twilight worked her tired wings as hard as she could, throwing herself up and up as fast as she could force herself to go. Her breathing was already turning ragged, but she couldn’t stop to catch her breath.

Godzilla… Godzilla had arrived. She’d been bracing for it, true, but somehow she’d convinced herself that they’d be long gone before that terrible monster caught up with them. But the way he’d just appeared, and right after they’d found themselves faced with a second kaiju of epic proportions… If she didn’t know any better, she’d think they were on the bad side of some supreme god that felt like taking out its frustration on them.

But as horrible as this situation was – as many lives were at stake now – Twilight had spotted the opportunity when it’d shown itself. The arrival of not one, but two kaiju proved to her that if the disturbances weren’t abated, the situation was only going to get worse. If they didn’t act, and soon, there was no telling how many more giant living apocalypses would rouse. And if only one had been enough to cripple Neighpon…

But with the pair distracted, at least for the moment, she had the opening she needed.

“Twilight, where are we going?” Spike shouted. “The village is in the other direction!”

“We’re finding the heart of this disturbance, Spike,” Twilight shouted back at him without turning around. “If we can get this one to break up, maybe Godzilla and that other kaiju will go away. If those two fight here, there’s no telling how many will get hurt, or worse! It’s a longshot, but if there’s a chance, we have to take it!”

She had a point, Spike noted. Ogasawara was big, but for two creatures the size of mountains, it’d hardly be bigger than a boxing ring. The longer those creatures fought, the greater the chance of collateral damage. Any option that involved saving lives, no matter how unlikely, was worth trying. That was probably Twilight’s view, anyway.

Spike turned his head up towards the sky, apprehension weighing on him. But at the same time, he knew something had to be done, and it was up to Twilight and him to do it. And at times like this, it was time to prove his ‘number one assistant’ credentials.

“There’s something off to the right,” he told her. “Whatever it is, I really don’t want to go that way. So… guess that means that’s where we’re going.”

Twilight threw him a sympathetic look. She knew this wasn’t easy for him, going against his instincts, but so far he’d done a better job than she ever could’ve hoped for.

Then, she angled to the right, battling the wind and turbulence as best she could, all the while counting the seconds.


~~***~~


Rainbow darted through the air low over the trees, trying desperately to keep her distance from the brawling kaiju.

Godzilla and His adversary were locked, chest to chest, in a savage pushing match, matching physical strength with raw physical strength. The sound of steely scales grinding together was one Rainbow would never forget, not for as long as she lived. Claws bit into the earth, dredging up huge mounds of mud and dislodged trees as each strove to find the purchase they needed to throw the other over.

The golden kaiju was throwing itself against Him in equal measure, only it went the extra mile. Instead of letting Godzilla push it back, one of its maws lunged, fangs sinking deep into His shoulder.

Godzilla roared and nearly lost His footing as pointed fangs struck home again and again, piercing His thick scales and drawing blood.

It didn’t take long for Him to have enough of it. As the next head lunged down to take another bite, Godzilla twisted around, and caught the offending beast by the jugular. His own jaws clamped down hard enough to crumple a warship like a tin can, muscles knotting.

The golden kaiju shrieked and attempted to pull away. When Godzilla yanked back, Rainbow could actually see the great golden beast’s center of gravity shift. She watched as the titan began to lean forward, wings beating desperately to maintain balance.

Then, at the last possible second, it beat its wings hard enough to flatten the forest beneath it. The golden kaiju picked itself up off the ground, and as Rainbow watched, it planted its powerful legs squarely against Godzilla’s chest, and shoved.

With a grunt, He let go, staggering back a step in the process. The Golden kaiju let out a furious shriek, wings whipping the winds into gale force gusts. Then it turned and peeled off into the sky.

Godzilla watched, oddly motionless. Only His head turned, tracking the airborne monster’s every move.

The golden kaiju was circling overhead. Its wings tore at the clouds, swirling them into an artificial eye of a hurricane. Then, after gaining an incredible amount of momentum, it angled inward.

Rainbow watched, her breath catching, as the airborne titan trimmed its wings and dove, picking up even more velocity.

Godzilla saw it coming, yet He didn’t move. He watched as the golden kaiju swooped down from the heavens, powerful legs aiming straight at His chest. With only a few hundred meters left between them, Godzilla casually turned, as if about to leave… and swatted the golden kaiju clean out of the sky with His tail.

Rainbow didn’t even see it coming, but she heard it. The impact was like an explosion going off as hundreds of tons of mass were swept through the air. It would have been like getting hit by a baseball bat the size and weight of a skyscraper.

Earth and foliage were jettisoned at least a hundred feet into the air. The whole island shuddered yet again under the force of the golden kaiju slamming to earth at full speed. Trees swayed and shivered beneath Rainbow for as far as she could see. A mountainside vanished altogether, as did much of a plateau. Only a long, jagged crater remained.

Godzilla belted out His fury, then began to advance again, one thundering step at a time.

Rainbow couldn’t help but watch their battle in awe. The scope of the power bring brought to bear by both combatants was in a league totally beyond anything she’d seen before. Even their most casual of blows was reshaping the land, one fresh valley and hill at a time, and yet they were taking some absolutely ferocious hits and still managing to get back up for more.

Even as she sat there, dumbfounded, renewed shrieking rang through the air. The golden kaiju somehow had survived that monstrous impact, and it was picking itself back up for more.

For the first time, she could see why the Neighponese would worship these creatures as gods, and similarly, stand no chance against them. It did beg the question of how they would fare any better.

A flash ran through her mind then. The wreck of the Amaterasu, fire… a hoof protruding from under the rubble… Applejack. Her friends. They could still be out here. Out in this chaos, this destruction.

It was that realization that finally got her back in gear. She had to find her friends, make sure they were all alright. That thought took hold inside of her, and stirred her back to activity. 

It took some effort, but she tore her eyes away from Godzilla’s mighty frame looming in the distance and began casting her gaze across the snow-filled land. Where had they said they were going? A village?

There, in the distance. A trail of smoke, something burning far from the chaos wrought by Godzilla and his adversary. She just made it out as the curtains of snow parted, blown open by golden wings. That had to be it.

Rainbow didn’t stay idle a moment longer. The moment she identified the black plume in the distance, she set her sights on it and beat her wings against the uncooperative winds as hard as she could, and shot off towards Ogasawara Village, all the while praying her friends were alright.

She was so focused now that she only partly paid attention to the loud rumbling and crashing going on behind her. But the roars… the roars chased her through the sky, and urged her to go faster still.


~~***~~


Naoko regarded the blustery skies with a cold, detached stare. She watched the smothering snow as it blanketed the land under thick, heavy drifts, and yet somewhere in the distance, smoke was darkening the sky. It colored the air with its bitter scent, faint for now, but growing stronger with each passing minute.

The renewed earthquakes, the worsening weather… At times like this, a mare might start thinking it really was the end of the world.

Another tremor ran through the yard, causing the ground beneath her hooves to sway and the foundry behind her to rattle. From the open door behind her, mothers and foals shrieked in alarm. Naoko tried to tune them out, but it was difficult. It was immensely more difficult knowing there was nothing she could do to stop what was happening.

In the distance, the golden light was flashing again. Not magic – there was no way it could be – but something worse. Naoko sniffed, but she only caught a hint of cloying smoke on the wind.

Naoko frowned to herself, deeper this time. Serizawa, you idiot, hurry up. At this rate, there’s going to be nothing left of my island to save, and I’m going to hold you accountable…

“Uh… Boss?”

Naoko roused and looked over her shoulder critically. One of the burly miners stood there, easily twice her size if not more, yet nervously shuffling his hooves and averting his gaze to the floor like some misbehaving filly.

“What?” she asked in a clipped tone.

The miner took a moment, then spoke up again. “Maybe… maybe we really should evacuate the island. A-at least, the young ones, until the storm passes,” he added quickly, seeing the deadly look Naoko was leveling at him.

Naoko gave him a measured look, but inside she was in a less diplomatic mood. Her family had never abandoned Ogasawara Island, not since it was first settled. Civil war, famine, disease, kaiju and natural disasters had all just rolled off their collective backs. Come hell or high water, the foundry would stay open. That was her family’s motto. It was her duty.

Not many of those old families remained now, she mused. Not much of anything remained, actually. The old stories about the great observatory at the top of Mount Yama to the north that lured a healthy flow of scholars and astronomers, the bazaar that brought travelers from all across Neighpon just to see their luxury wares, the roaming Sorcerers and their apprentices in their eternal quest for knowledge… All just fairy tales now. The observatory was nothing more than crumbling walls, corroded metal and malfunctioning magical fields fit to rip a pony apart between dimensional apertures and leave nothing but motes of light behind. The bazaar, an empty square in the village whose only banners now were tattered rags whipping about through the wind like funeral shrouds. The Sorcerers, long pent up in the capital, nothing more than myths to the rest of the world.

But Ogasawara… Ogasawara would always stand, no matter what, even if she was the last unfortunate soul left to toil in the mine and kindle the furnaces, left to rot under a couple of sticks and rags for shelter. On that, she was resolute.

Naoko opened her mouth, ready to say all of this to this big idiot’s big idiot face, when something distracted her. Something bitterly cold lapped against her sole remaining forehoof, catching her off guard. 

She looked down critically, as a thin sheet of water that stank of brine and the ocean drifted across her work yard. It washed away the snow, but in its place came blackened fronds, splintered wood, and coagulated soot.

Naoko looked up, tracing the curious sight back to its source; towards the distant clouds of smoke… and the brilliant ghostly blue light that suddenly stained it.

Naoko and her henchman watched with wide eyes as a pillar of intense fire rolled across the sky, sweeping like a searchlight, left to right, before vanishing again. For just a moment, hot rain fell upon her head and rattled across the Refinery. Then, it was gone again, but it was a few seconds more before snow resumed cascading from the heavens.

Naoko stared, her eyes huge, mouth falling open ever so slightly.

“What was that?” the miner questioned, sounding ten times as scared as before.

Naoko knew. Oh she knew alright. Spend any amount of time around a stallion like Serizawa and anypony would, too. There was a feeling in the air, an intense, foreboding feeling that made Naoko’s empty shoulder itch in an old, disturbing way…

She knew what that fire meant, who it heralded. He was here.

“Get everypony to the western village,” Naoko instructed in a quick, clipped manner.

“B-Boss?”

“Get them there and keep them safe no matter what.”

“What about those Imperials holed up there?”

“Them, too.”

The miner paused, then apprehensively nodded. He turned back to the open doors and the many faces peering back towards him from further in. “Alright, everypony!” he shouted. “Gather everything you can! We’re leaving!”

Naoko didn’t turned around, but a bitter look crossed her stern expression. Get your rear in gear, Serizawa. Hurry! The longer that monster stays here, the worse off we all are.


~~***~~


Twilight beat her stiff, burning wings hard against the savage wind shear slamming into her conjured barrier. Her breaths came in a ragged pant. Her muscles screamed and protested, begging for rest.

But she forced herself on. She was getting close, she knew it. Her horn danced and flickered with an unnatural aurora, brighter and brighter as she drew closer to the black heart of the storm. Even her shield shimmered now, which only made watching where she was going all the harder.

“Almost there,” Spike shouted apprehensively in her ear. “It’s gotta be just up ahead.”

“Al… alright,” Twilight panted.

As she pushed herself further into the storm, she started to notice something in the air; an unnatural whistling sound, high and eerie. After having the wind blowing in her ears pretty much non-stop for so long, the sound stood out. What was even stranger was the fact that it reached her over the howling gale of the storm, as if unaffected by its cacophonous volume.

Twilight was suddenly distracted by the harrowing sensation of what felt like millions of ants skittering across her skin. Her fur stood on end, and the very air around her tensed like a spring. Instinctively she dropped a hundred feet, and just in time.

A split second later, a fan of bright light lanced out towards and around her, skittering through clouds and snow as it spanned outward, forming and growing at the speed of light. With an explosive boom, the newly born lightning bolt let itself be known to the world. How it missed Twilight, she’d never know, but it gave her the scare of her life.

The wind was getting worse. Each gust was like a miniature hurricane bent on swatting her down. It flung snowflakes so hard that they stung painfully against Twilight’s hide and physically warped her barrier when they struck it, creating little dimples. And the howling… the howling was incredible. Deafening in volume, to the point that she could barely even hear herself think.

And yet, she could still make out that eerie whistling, clear as day. It sounded almost musical, like some kind of out of tune instrument screeching and grating against some kind of cosmic cord. It was that sound, more than anything, that told her she was almost there. And so, she pressed on into the undiminished fury of the storm.

The sky was growing darker and darker, until she was surrounded by inky blackness no brighter than moonlit midnight.

The temperature plummeted with each wingbeat, until it felt like she was pressing on through an arctic storm. It was so bitterly cold, and only getting colder the further she went. In the back of her mind, some diabolical voice couldn’t help but wonder if the disturbance had achieved some kind of superconductor status, and that its heart – the very place she needed to go – was now currently sitting at absolute zero. Not exactly conducive to a healthy working environment. Or… health, for that matter.

The cynic in her was promptly disbarred from any further theorizing on what awaited them. It was not helping. 

Twilight banked slightly, rolling with another updraft, when she unexpectedly found herself bursting through the dull, black haze of the cloud, and into a swirling chasm between storm layers. It was a pocket in the storm system, she realized, only one that was nearly half a mile across. In front of her, a wall of surging, whipping clouds the color of bruises churned restlessly, howling and spitting lightning across the sky.

She quickly found out what had created the gap. The wind here was truly monstrous; the sheer force of it stole her breath away, even from behind her taxed barrier. She didn’t dare gawk for long, not with the scouring gale literally chipping away at the edges of her shield.

“Almost… there,” Twilight grunted. She pressed forward, working her wings to their limit. Her shield cracked, right down the middle, causing her to jump. Quickly she tried to fix it, but another blast of icy wind caused another fracture to form. She couldn’t keep up.

As her shield was slowly blown to pieces, bit by bit, she threw herself with renewed urgency. Spike hung on for dear life, but if he said anything, Twilight didn’t catch it. She was dead set on the wall of clouds in front of her.

A whole section of her barrier warped, and with a delicate tinkling sound, vaporized. 

One hundred feet to go.

Another hurricane-force wall of air slammed into her barrier at full force. The shield split right down the middle, but somehow held. Twilight panted, her horn fizzling and spitting sparks.

Fifty feet…

The whole barrier was starting to turn transparent as the magic holding it together slowly eroded away. It warped and undulated, less like a plate of glass now and more like a sheet of cloth. The edges were starting to shed motes of light as it disintegrated completely.

Twenty feet…

With a popping sound, a section blew out. Twilight gasped sharply as the whole barrier unraveled in a shower of light.

The wind was not merciful. It slammed into her full force, intent on blowing her right out of the sky.

Both she and Spike cried out as they were tossed along with the gale, helpless to resist the sheer force behind the tempest. Twilight tried to conjure back another barrier, but it simply couldn’t form fast enough.

“Hang on!” she shouted at the top of her lungs, all the while trying desperately to keep some semblance of control. Through the spinning and whirling, something caught Twilight’s eye.

A wall of black clouds, darker than any other was right in front of her, just feet away. She threw herself with every ounce of strength she had left, through howling tumult, lashing snow, bellowing thunder… and into total silence.

The moment she breached that inner layer, her ears deadened. Every single light went out. Nothing but total blackness surrounded her. No flash of lightning, no roaring wind, no… nothing. She sailed, completely disoriented and nonplussed, through inky stillness.

So she was not expecting to land. Or, more accurately, crash.

Twilight yelped when her body collided with something solid, bounced, then tumbled end over end across a hard, unyielding surface. She skidded on her chest for what felt like a mile, before finally she came to a stop.

It took Twilight some time to really comprehend what’d happened, and then another minute or so to really put the pieces together.

The first thing that really hit her was how utterly quiet it now was. There was no trace of the howling, shrieking storm, or any sound at all. Twilight’s fatigued breathing was the loudest thing in her vicinity, apart from the terrible ringing in her ears. So, she hadn’t mysteriously gone deaf, at least.

The other thing she noticed was that it was pitch black, without any trace of light… and very cold. The surface she was lying sprawled across was like ice.

And finally, Twilight realized that the little claws that’d been painfully clutching at her shoulders was gone, as was the accompanying weight.

Twilight groaned as she righted herself. Her equilibrium almost tossed her over backwards, which was her first real indication that the thing she’d crashed into wasn’t level. “Spike?” she called to the darkness.

Her voice echoed eerily back at her from all around. A second later, another groan reverberated its way back to her from several feet away. She heard a scraping, rustling sound as Spike righted himself. “Ugh… what happened? Where are we?” he asked, before adding in a slightly louder voice. “Twilight? Where are you?”

“I’m right here, Spike,” Twilight said with relief. Spike didn’t sound hurt. “Hang on. I’ll give us some light.”

Twilight straightened up, and after raising her head, lit her horn.

Instantly, she knew she’d made a terrible mistake. Instead of a small trickle of magic, like she’d been expecting, the magic emanating from her horn exploded outward like the backdraft of an oxygen-starved fire. The light – meant to be barely brighter than a candle – instead erupted out as a blinding nova of light so intense both of them clamped their eyes shut against it.

The instant Twilight realized what was happening, she extinguished her horn. And yet, inexplicably, sparks remained.

She looked on in wonder as little arcs of purple electricity danced through the air, following little haphazard trails like slow motion lightning bolts skittering outward in every direction. She was so distracted by the shimmering display fanning out in every direction that she didn’t even think to take stock of her surroundings.

A sudden weight on her back snapped her back to reality. She glanced over a shoulder to find Spike once again securely situated just behind her wings. He was looking around with curious – and very apprehensive – eyes. “What is this?” he inquired.

Twilight didn’t have to think too hard. “It must be caused by a high concentration of ether,” she speculated. “Even residual magic is enough to cause visual phenomena.”

“Uh… in Equestrian?”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “There’s so much ether here that even a tiny spark can cause magic to go wild.”

“Okay,” Spike said slowly, “but that doesn’t explain what that is.”

Twilight glanced at his extended claw, followed it… and paused. He wasn’t pointing at the residual magic still expanding outward around them. No, he was pointing at what the light of the purple sparks revealed.

Twilight and Spike were standing on a black, curved yet flat structure suspended over nothingness. It was weathered and rigid, like charred bone covered in little dimples and divots. And of course, there was the fact that it appeared to be floating hundreds of feet off the ground, supported by nothing at all.

Whatever it was, it kept going far beyond what little light the magical feedback was providing, and Twilight didn’t dare light her horn again.

Twilight looked down at where her hooves were touching the strange formation. The texture of it was… strange. Rough, porous, and unusually cold. Whatever it was, if it had been made by somepony, she had never seen such a material before in her life.

“Well this is… unexpected,” Twilight muttered to herself, frowning.

“And I’m guessing ‘unexpected’ isn’t a good thing,” Spike quipped.

“No. It’s not.”

Twilight started to pace as she thought. “Okay, okay… this has to be the heart of the disturbance,” she thought aloud. “What else would this place be? But that doesn’t explain what this thing is.”

She tapped her hoof against their unexpected platform.

Again, she squinted her eyes and looked around, trying in vain to see something, anything that might shed some light on what this strange thing was. But it was no use.

She didn’t like it. Whatever this thing was, it was an unknown variable, and something about it was giving her the creeps.

Spike toyed with his claws as he looked around. He had one of the most intense feelings of foreboding he’d ever felt before in his life warring inside of him. It was like an intense, irrevocable phobia and just as devoid of reason. Something in this quiet dead zone was bad, terribly bad, and no matter how much he tried to think around it, the intense need to run for his life kept tugging at him.

One thing was for sure; this was definitely the place. Whether it was the right place, or as wrong a place as it felt… that remained to be seen.

Finally, Twilight came to a halt, drawing Spike’s attention. The light had almost completely gone out again, leaving only a thin, almost useless trace of filament-like embers lazily drifting through the air.

“Ugh, we don’t have time to figure this out,” Twilight said in a huff. “Whatever this thing is, we’ll just have to deal with it later.”

Spike looked at the back of her head. In the dwindling light, he could only barely make out the profile of her head, and it was within claw’s reach. “Do you think it might be what’s causing the disturbance?” he asked.

“I don’t know how, but… it’s probably related,” Twilight admitted. “But we’ll have time to figure it out later. Right now, our friends are still in danger down there, not to mention anypony else on Ogasawara.”

Spike nodded. “Okay. So… what are you going to do?” He had no doubt in his mind that Twilight Sparkle, the smartest pony he knew and the most magically gifted mare ever – in his experience – would have come up with an intricate, complex solution to all of their worries. This was Twilight, after all, planner extraordinaire!

Twilight straightened up, and with all the certainty she possessed, stated, “I’m gonna blow it up.”

…

“Uh… come again?”

“Ether and magic counterbalance one another,” Twilight explained, as if she were giving a lecture in a classroom, not standing in what was about to become ground zero. “With as much ether as there is here, a spell of moderate potency should be enough to cause it to ignite. The force of the resulting expansion should disperse this concentration of ether, thus breaking up the disturbance! Or…”

“…Or?” Spike inquired nervously.

“… Or it’ll go supernova and wipe out everything in a really big radius around Ogasawara. Including… Ogasawara itself. And… half of Neighpon, too, probably.”

“… Oh.”

“But we don’t really have much of a choice,” Twilight admitted. “With Godzilla here already, we don’t have time to anything more delicate. Besides, the chances of it exploding that bad aren’t that great.”

Spike raised an eyebrow, and wondered very hard why she would even bring it up in the first place, then. “Okay, then… how are we getting out of here?”

“Like I said, Spike,” Twilight said, and he could feel her shoulders tensing as she braced herself. “All it’ll take is a moderate spell.”

Spike braced, bit his lip, as he watched the first glow of Twilight’s magic appear on her horn. And to her credit, Twilight had been right.

All it took was a moderate spell.


~~***~~


Even in her haste, Rainbow paused when she heard the quavering boom in the sky. She turned her head upward, and her eyes shot open wide.

The storm above her head was swelling. Whole cloud banks boiled and shivered, grew and shrunk, all right before her eyes. It spasmed like a wounded thing writhing in agony, and strangest of all, it was glowing deep within itself. Shafts of fiery light cut through the clouds, as if on the verge of breaking up at long last.

Rainbow knew that could mean only one thing. She rolled over in the air in order to pump a hoof over her head and whoop triumphantly. “Alright, Twilight! You show that storm who’s bo—”

A huge, golden wing nearly ended her mid-sentence. Rainbow never saw it come or go, but she felt the incredible slipstream that followed it. The surge of air plowed into her, sending her spinning a few times through the air.

By the time she righted herself, the kaiju was gone again. Only a glint off of its golden scales gave it away through the snow.

“R-right,” Rainbow said, her voice cracking for a moment. Then, she sped off again, all sense of victory gone.

In the distance behind her, a mighty beast stood amid the ruined, reshaped carnage of a kaiju battlefield.

Godzilla turned both eyes skyward and let out a low snarl. He watched the storm going through its death throws, motionless and carefully observant.

Not far away, His tenacious adversary set down upon a mountain, crushing its summit in the process. All three golden heads turned to suspiciously eye the fiery light in the sky.

At the same time, a group of ponies on a landlocked ship gazed up in wonder at the expanding storm clouds. Across the whole island, eyes turned heavenward, some with fear, some with wonder.

All watched as the storm began circulating around itself, spiraling like a galaxy around a singular point. The heart of the storm grew brighter and brighter, until it hurt to look directly at.

With a bang and flash of light, Twilight Sparkle reappeared two hundred feet off the ground, Spike hanging on to dear life. The teleportation spell that had triggered everything had been near instantaneous, a product of considerable practice on Twilight’s part. Yet he could still taste superheated air in his mouth.

Twilight snapped open her exhausted wings, much to their discomfort. She aimed down towards the ground, and then glanced over her shoulder.

The pocket of ether had expanded to the size of a city overhead, and it burned like a small sun. It grew, and grew, howling with an otherworldly keen. And then, without any warning and as quick as a flash… it imploded.

One second it was there. The next, it was gone. There was no audible sound, no telltale flash. All anypony would have seen was a sudden puckering of the clouds as they were sucked inward towards some central point.

The resulting blast wave, however, was not nearly as subtle. It crashed down at supersonic speeds, hammering the island hard enough to flatten tree groves to the ground directly beneath the epicenter and shatter earth. Even Godzilla Himself, who’d been standing almost directly underneath it, buckled with a surprised snort.

Twilight was far enough away that she saw, for a split second, the moment the shockwave hammered the ground. An instant later, too fast for her to react, she heard the loudest, most spectacular explosion of sound she’d ever heard before in her life, right before everything went black.


~~***~~


“…ight… Twi…”

Twilight’s senses swam in and out of focus. For a moment, she could feel every acute pain and ache her body had to report to her. In the next, she was numb and blissfully drowsy. But the longer she wavered in and out, the more she started to rouse, bit by bit.

“Twilight…!”

The call sounded distant, but urgent. It sounded familiar, too…

She blinked, trying to make sense of her surroundings. A purple thing was in front of her eyes… and a blue thing… it was amazingly hard to focus.

The slap across the cheek helped, though.

“Snap out of it!” Spike shouted in a panic at her.

Twilight blinked again. This time, she was able to make out more of her surroundings. Firstly, she discovered that she was lying on her back in a heap of slushy snow and muddy earth. She was staring up towards the tops of many towering trees that, for some reason, had been totally stripped of all of their foliage, and now stood like skeletons.

Spike was standing over her. He had her by the shoulders, looking absolutely beside himself. And right beside him, looking just as concerned, was Rainbow Dash.

“Ugh…,” Twilight groaned, then winced. Now she felt what a crash landing from above the tree line felt like. She didn’t really know what broken bones felt like, but she was starting to think that maybe she couldn’t say that anymore. “Ow…”

“Twilight!” Spike gasped. “Are you alright? Quick, how many claws am I holding up?”

Twilight squinted. “Ugh… three?”

Spike breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh man… you scared me.”

“Gotta admit,” Rainbow chimed in, “as far as crash landings go, that was a pretty spectacular one.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” Twilight whined.

“Uh… maybe?”

Spike shot her a look, to which she just shrugged helplessly. Bedside manner wasn’t one of her strong suits.

But at the moment, Twilight wasn’t paying attention. “Did… did it work?” she coughed.

“I think so,” Spike responded, then turned to look upward. “At least it stopped snowing.”

All three of them turned their eyes skyward, hopeful.

A dark, overcast sky glared back down at them. At the sight of it, Twilight’s heart fell. “But… but I was sure that I…”

A ringing bellow cut her off.

All three stiffened as turned in the other direction. Twilight had to crane her neck from her lying position.

Just visible through the trees, almost a mile away, Godzilla stood. His eyes were still trained on the heavens, unblinking. Then, to Twilight’s dismay, His head began to turn, as if tracking something far, far overhead.

The disturbance was on the move again. She hadn’t stopped it after all.

Another echoing cry rang through the air. This time, when all three of them snapped around towards it, they found themselves confronted by the sight of the mighty golden daikaiju, still roosting atop a cracked and crumbling mountain.

All three of its heads were aimed toward the sky. All three moves in unison, tracking something as it moved towards the northeast.

For a moment, three sets of eyes broke away to look down, towards its adversary. Both beaten and bloodied titans reviewed each other contemptuously from afar, shooting daggers back and forth.

And then, in unison, both monolithic creatures turned towards the northeast. One spread its vast wings, and with one beat, took to the sky. The other raised one powerful leg and set off, carving His own path of destruction straight across Ogasawara Island, regardless of what got in His way.

Twilight watched all of this with a terrible chill in her heart. Now there wasn’t just one monster on the loose in Neighpon. There were two.


~~***~~


The journey to Ogasawara Village wasn’t a long one, but it was almost too much for Twilight to handle. By the time Rainbow carried her to the outskirts, she’d turned chalk white, and was periodically letting out pained whining noises through her teeth.

Quickly she set down in the small village’s square and set Twilight down. Immediately she collapsed to the floor with a pain hiss.

“Sh-shoulder,” she whimpered, tearing up. “Think I… I think I broke my shoulder…”

Spike was, understandably, in a panic. The moment they touched down, he started running in circles, trying to find some way to help.

Internally, Rainbow was relieved. Twilight was in rough shape, yes, but a quick inspection proved that her wings had somehow avoided any serious injury, a few bent pinions notwithstanding. Honestly, from how high up she’d seen Twilight fall, only one broken bone was a miracle.

“Just stay put, Twilight,” Rainbow instructed, “I’ll go find somepony and we’ll get you patched up. Spike! Get over here and make sure she doesn’t move. I’ll be right back, I promise.”

“Wait,” Spike cried out, “what if something happens? What if she needs CPR, or the Haymlich Maneuver, mouth-to-mouth, or—”

“Geez, calm down,” Rainbow said back. “I’m pretty sure she’s not going to need any of those things. We just need to find somepony and get her looked at. She’ll be fine.”

“But—”

“Just keep her still,” Rainbow ordered, turned, and started to crouch for takeoff.

A commotion made her hesitate.

She, along with Spike and Twilight, both turned towards the far end of the street, just as several ponies came trotting into view. Most were taking stock of their surroundings; the state of their homes and belongings. Most quickly bolted inside houses to make sure everything was where it was supposed to be.

At the head of the group, two burly stallions flanked a much more diminutive mare who hobbled towards the three friends on only three legs.

Naoko didn’t see them immediately. Her attention was focused on assessing her village. But it didn’t take her long to spot the trio in the middle of the road.

At the sight of her, Rainbow broke in a broad grin. “There we go,” she said. “See? Help. It’s just smooth sailing from here.”

Twilight glanced at her, then back to Naoko. She was a rather scary-looking mare, Twilight admitted, but honestly, after what she’d gone through, she was one of the friendliest faces she’d seen all day. So, for a moment, Twilight couldn’t help but share Rainbow’s optimism.

Naoko paused as she looked the three of them over with a sharp, critical eye. Then, with a scowl, she reluctantly stepped to one side, out of the way of another.

Rainbow’s smile vanished the moment she laid eyes on the armor-clad stallion. Twilight felt a real pang of unease at the sight of the platoon of armed soldiers marching in formation behind him.

All three watched with mounting trepidation as Tezuka came to a stop in front of them, and in that moment, all three felt very small indeed.