Entering a New World

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A/N: Samus and Metroid elements belong to Nintendo. My Little Pony belongs to Hasbro/the Hub. I own nothing but the plot.

Chapter 1: Entering a New World

Samus Aran's Log, entry 001:

Under the suggestion of Adam, my ship's computer, I decided to record important events in my Logbook. He shares a philosophy with the Chozo: "Records of the past may be key in the solutions of the future". This may be of use in the nearby future. At least, I hope so...

OXOXOXO

Samus Aran's Log, entry 002:

The X parasites have been eradicated from existence and are now extinct. Sadly, the Federation held interest in these parasites and blame me for their extinction. I am now charged with treason and complot against the Federation. Running away from the Federation is my best chance of survival. Perhaps an escape to Tallon IV is in order. The Etecoons and Dachoras will like the planet's ecosystem.

OXOXOXO

Samus Aran's Log, entry 003:

I've returned from Tallon IV, and left my animal companions there. I wish them a happy life. Tallon IV's scar is healing slowly. I am amazed at the Chozo culture; they perished in the planet cycles ago, and yet their influence persists. Although childish, the idea of a home planet is welcome. After the destruction of K-2L, Zebes, and now SR338, Tallon IV is the closest I have to a home. I miss my Chozo caretakers greatly.

OXOXOXO

Samus Aran's Log, entry 004:

Adam tells me our resources are dangerously low. We have decided to visit a Zebesian colony nearby; perhaps there are materials we can scavenge. I have a feeling I will find more than just materials, though. I can only hope the Pirates haven't returned.

OXOXOXO

Samus Aran's Log, entry 005:

I have arrived at the Zebesian colony. Scavenging for materials and fuel was successful, and there was no signs of recent Space Pirate activity. Exploring the ruins of the Space Pirates' base and Chozo ruins, I have encountered unexpected allies. Jayden Stark, a Galactic Federation scholar and leader of a small research team, was studying the same Chozo ruins I am in. He and his team have been here for almost two months. They are supportive to my case with the Federation and the X parasites, and so they have agreed to not alert the Federation of my presence here. At last, I can relax a little, if only a little...

OXOXOXO

Samus Aran's Log, entry 006:

I have decided to stay for a while and help with the research. Having better acquainted myself with the research team, I now trust them as they trust me. It feels refreshing to have some human interaction again. Yoshi, the youngest researcher, has told me he is a Chozo enthusiast as well, and has eagerly offered me to show me his findings. To say I benefited with his findings would be a great understatement. He found a data recovery system of Chozo origin that was to be installed into my Power Suit, but ultimately failed to do so. Yoshi, however, has managed to crack its programs. The device is now being installed into my suit.

OXOXOXO

Samus Aran's Log, entry 007:

The installation was a success. The data recovery system has granted me access to every upgrade, weapon, and power-up my suit has ever received, the exception being the Hyper Beam. The P.E.D. systems were recovered, but are unusable without Phazon to power it. It feels good to have all these weapons again. I am now more powerful than ever. No pirate will stand a chance.

OXOXOXO

Samus Aran's Log, entry 008:

The research expedition has reached its end, and now the team has returned home. Jayden, Yoshi, Elton, Graxon, Tetra, Amy... They are the team of which I was briefly part of, and whom I can now call allies. I have stayed behind to pay my respects and gratitude to my deceased Chozo caretakers. With this expedition, I have a better understanding of my Chozo heritage. Chozo have always had a thirst for knowledge and deep respect for all things alive. As I took part in this team and its mission, I remember something I forgot during my life as a bounty-hunter: respect for living things and a desire to know more about them. In retrospect, the power of the Scan Visor now makes much more sense. I will return to my ship and Adam. I feel lucky to have found allies in these dark times.

OXOXOXO

Samus Aran's Log, entry 009:

I have discovered the location of an old Space Pirate base. It was full of Pirate activity. I don't know whether to admire their perseverance, or laugh at their stupidity. For such intelligent creatures, it seems they are unable to learn a lesson. They were still trying to clone Metroids. I thwarted their plan and eliminated every pirate and Metroid on the base. Unfortunately, the Federation also found the base. The fact that I destroyed the Metroids there didn't help my case at all. I am now under attack by the Federation.

OXOXOXO

Samus Aran's Log, entry 010:

The Federation's attempts to capture me have increased in intensity. Losing them has become increasingly difficult. On the bright side, they are hiring other bounty hunters to do their job. While some of them are bothersome, most of the hunters are easily disposed of, and the battle spoils are always welcome, specially the new ship. I managed to recover my Hunter-class Gunship. Transferring Adam to the new ship's computer was fairly easy to do.

OXOXOXO

Samus Aran's Log, entry 011:

I have been contacted by Jayden and his team. Adam has informed me that they are planning on another expedition, this time to Tallon IV, and have requested my assistance. I agreed. It will be nice to return to Tallon IV and to see my allies.

OXOXOXO

Samus Aran's Log, entry 012:

My reunions with Jayden's team was a bittersweet one; I'm happy to finally see them again, and angry that they were being followed by the Federation. Luckily, only one squadron was sent to follow the researchers. They were quickly taken care of.

OXOXOXO

Samus Aran's Log, entry 013:

Uncertainty strikes again. The troopers that followed Jayden's team were on another mission and just followed them because of a mistake on their part. Their real mission was to hunt down Sylux, who is apparently still alive. While this means the Federation likely won't track us down here, it's possible for Sylux to be near. I have to keep my eyes open for any threat; Sylux is an expert in stealth and espionage.

OXOXOXOXOXO

"Well, that just about covers it! Thanks a million again, Samus. Your guidance was key in this investigation, as well as your extensive knowledge on the local fauna and flora. If you ever need any help with anything, feel free to ask me or any of my team. I'm sure they'll be glad to help a valuable friend" said a tall, blond man with a short beard and sharp features. He was wearing a lab coat and black pants, along with square glasses in his eyes. "I'm afraid this is where we say farewell to each other." He said as he gave Samus a friendly hug and a pat on her back.

Samus was without her Power Suit at the moment, so she dressed in her skin-tight full-body blue jumpsuit, or Zero Suit, as she called it. After the hug, she replied "Travel safe, and be on the lookout. I wish you luck."

The man smiled at her as he climbed on to board his ship, where his team awaited him. Waving silhouettes could be seen on the windows as the ship closed its hermetic doors and took off. Samus waved back until the ship was not visible anymore. She sighed, then headed back to her gunship, where Adam, the ship's computer, awaited her arrival.

As she entered her ship, Samus activated her Power Suit, and proceeded pilot the ship to leave the planet she was currently on. Her Hunter-class Gunship was, in all modesty, the best gunship to her tastes. It had the central cockpit, whose front window resembled her suit's visor. on its sides were the pincer-like wings, which carried the ship's missiles and weapons, as well as serving as footstands to support the ship when it was on land. Below the cockpit, a magnetic tracker was installed, which allowed her ship to carry all the big, heavy stuff, she was unable to by her own, using the ship's Grapple Beam. It also had a built-in ammunition microfactory, a medical bay, an energy-recharge station, storage containers, metal windshield shields, an auto-repair function, and most importantly, the most comfortable pilot chair she had ever sat on. And best of all, it was able to be controlled from her suit's Arm Cannon. Yes, she was the proud owner of this particular gunship.

Once she left the planet's atmosphere, she consulted Adam on their course of action. "The elimination of Sylux is our best course of action. A small ship resembling the Delano 7 was detected flying towards Norion. I suggest you follow it." sounded the male voice belonging to Adam.

"Good job, Adam. Set the navigation coordinates to the Kalandor Region. Commence hyperdrive, destination: Norion." Samus ordered.

"Coordinates set. Hyperdrive ready... Incoming message. Message received: 'Travel safe'." This confused Samus.

"Huh?"

"Initiating hyperspace travel in 3... 2... 1..." just at that moment, a strong blast hit the ship on its left wing, causing it to greatly alter its planned course. The last thing Samus saw before her gunship entered hyperdrive to an uncharted part of the universe was Sylux's ship, the Delano 7, with its plasma turrets aiming at her ship. As she was flying through the galaxy, Adam reported the sustained damage "Damage reports indicate a malfunction in the navigating system and control panels. I am unable to quit hyperdrive. Piloting the ship is impossible. We can only hope for the best..."

Undeterred, Samus jumped to the pilot seat and grabbed the steering lever. While it was impossible to pilot the ship, as Adam has just said, she would be able to lightly change the ship's course; a good thing, because she was heading to an asteroid field. Sadly, at the speeds they were traveling, it wouldn't do much help; and the damaged navigation system made it impossible to stop. She loudly cursed Sylux's existence.

By a stroke of luck, while passing through the asteroid field, a stray rock managed to hit one of the boosters, exiting hyperdrive and returning some control of the ship to the bounty huntress. Samus didn't relax, though, because she was still inside the asteroid field. Her years of experience in piloting came useful as she maneuvered around the rocks' random courses.

After some very tense minutes, the asteroid field was left behind; however, she saw the reason this part of the universe wasn't charted: glowing yellow spheres of something, presumably pure energy, were floating freely all around the space of her ship. She tried to fly around them, but one sphere managed to touch her gunship, and as soon as it did, it disappeared, but not without making the ship's controls go haywire again. And once again, Samus was flying on a ship with neither a set course nor controls to pilot it. Needless to say, she cursed Sylux's existence again.

Hours passed, and the Hunter-class gunship continued its unknown course. While many conscious beings would be panicking, fearing for their miserable lives, Samus was seating on her comfy pilot seat, no longer in her Power Suit, with her elbows on her knees, her chin in her hands, and boredom in her face. She was going to update her log and curse Sylux again when Adam informed her they had ran out of fuel. She looked at the panels in her ship, and remembered they were useless thanks to some round, shiny pests. Her sight then went to the ship's windshield. It was pure luck, be it good or bad, she couldn't tell, that she was seeing a small planet. With the ship's momentum, it was inevitable to crash on it. The good part was that at the angle at which her ship would enter the planet's atmosphere, the landing wouldn't completely obliterate her transport, along with her on it. Still, touching ground would hurt. A lot.

She asked Adam for the remaining time before collision. Twelve minutes was her answer. She lost no time in activating her Power Suit and going to the back part of the ship, which she assumed would be damaged the least. Minutes went by, and the only thing she could do on was to close her eyes and wait for the best.

OXOXOXO

In a colossal stadium, with benches full of ponies of all colors and varieties, a show of bravery, skill, and control was being performed by Equestria's top flying squadron: the Wonderbolts. The pegasi, clad in blue spandex, were attempting to awe their audience again by performing the 'Fall of Death', in which they would fly up high, then fall to the ground and pass through rings on fire on both sky and land, grab a flag that was inches from the ground, and return to the podium to place said flag in. With their audience cheering loud for them, the Wonderbolts commenced their trick and gained altitude. However, before starting the dangerous fall, something caught their attention; on the distance they saw a meteor, burning and falling to the earth below. They weren't the only ones, apparently, since the whole pony audience saw it too. After some time passed, they resumed their trick, but not without agreeing on investigating the unusual phenomenon after their show. The audience exploded in cheers once again, the show was still going on, and nothing ever interrupted a show with the Wonderbolts in it.

OXOXOXO

"I will show you, Twilight. You will see..." an azure coated mare said to herself while blasting away targets sets in nearby trees and rocks, her horn glowing with magical energy "Nopony humiliates the Great and Powerful Trixie and gets away with it. Next time we meet, you better be prepared". Trixie destroyed the last target before picking a glass of water with her magic and began drinking from it. After the glass was empty, a brush levitated and started brushing her platinum mane. Once she was done, she picked her dark purple cloak. She was about to leave the forest she was in when something burning in the sky caught her attention. She looked up to see a meteor falling to the ground, surrounded by flames. It looked like it was going to crash near the very same town she was planning on visiting soon: Ponyville. She pondered what to do for a moment. "Well, I think Twilight and her town may have to wait. This meteor has caught Trixie's attention and Trixie wishes to investigate." With a confident smirk, she headed toward the mysterious space object.

OXOXOXO

"Thanks a lot for doing mah part, Big Mac! Ah promise ah'll bring ya some cake. Ya know how Pinkie Pie gets when we don' go to 'er parties. Ya sure ya can handle everythin'?" an orange pony with blonde mane and a cowboy hat waved as she left a big, red pony with orange mane and a yoke on his neck. He had a soft expression on his face and responded with a simple 'Eeyup'. He watched his sister leave the apple farm they were in. When he was alone, he turned to the trees full of apples and continued with his apple bucking.

A couple of hours later, Big Macintosh was bucking the last trees for the day. When the tree was free of apples, he gave a tired sigh raised his sight to see how much time had passed, only to find a meteor crashing near the farm with a loud BOOM. He immediately detached his apple cart from his yoke and sprinted toward the crash site.

OXOXOXO

When Samus saw the ground quickly approaching through the ship's window, she closed her eyes and braced for impact. The ship shook very violently for several moments, sending her flying and bouncing to and from the walls, before coming to a stop. She was sure her ship could handle a rough landing, but a damage report was in order.

After manually opening the ship's hatch/elevator, she went outside to check the damage. Once outside, she took a look to her surroundings. She climbed out of the newly formed crater and saw lots of trees. Not a forest, she could tell, more like the farms she saw on some history reports back on her academy days. An apple farm, one could assume. With no threats on sight, she returned to the crater to inspect her ship. Her scan visor proved useful once again, noting this planet's atmosphere was identical to that of her native planet, K-2L. It was safe to breathe without the aid of her suit. Nonetheless, she proceeded with her suit on.

After a quick scan, Samus concluded that her ship was mostly fine in the outside; only the propulsors were affected by the crash. She consulted Adam on the damage inside, and got disheartening answer. Adam reported that the fission reactor was badly damaged, and without it the ship couldn't initiate its auto-repair functions. She gave a loud, disappointing sigh, and once again, cursed every atom in Sylux's body. With frustration apparent in her face, Samus went inside the ship to collect her toolbox, and then exited it to begin manual repairs.

Oh, how she hated manual repairs.

The bounty huntress deactivated her Power Suit, leaving her in her Zero Suit, to be able to handle her tools; as much as she loved her Arm Cannon, it wasn't particularly useful while handling delicate and precise tools. She began tinkering with the booster, cutting some cables and welding others. After a little while, smoke began erupting from the booster she was working on. When she took notice of this, her eyes widened. "Oh, shi-" she ws cut off as the booster exploded, sending her flying 40 feet in the air.

She landed on a branch of what seemed to be an apple tree. She felt intense pain coming from her left arm when she landed, most likely a fractured bone. The branch she was on snapped and she fell to the hard ground. She saw a red creature with big, green eyes and a sprig on its mouth looking oddly at her. Even stranger that the look it gave her was the green apple tattoo the creature had on its flank. Samus returned the creature's look of wonder with a look of confusion; then, she lost consciousness.

Encounters of the Pony Kind

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A/N: Samus and Metroid elements belong to Nintendo. My Little Pony belongs to Hasbro/the Hub. I own nothing but the plot.

Chapter 2: Encounters of the pony kind

Samus was asleep. Asleep in the sense that she had hit her head pretty bad and had lost consciousness. It was all good, though. She was pretty comfortable in her ship's comfy chair. She was enjoying her sleep when a splash of water on her face mercilessly woke her up. She winced a little at the cold temperature and immediately came to a scary conclusion: she was not lying in her ship's comfy chair. She wasn't even in a chair; she was lying in a bed of hay and paper.

Samus opened her eyes to see the most bizarre scene her eyes had ever seen. And when you are an intergalactic bounty hunter that has saved the galaxy at least thrice, 'bizarre' is a rarely used term. Before her was a small white horse with a horn and a light purple and pink mane, looking at her with curious, pastel green eyes. A unicorn, she presumed (for what else could it be?). Said unicorn was holding an empty bucket in its mouth; most likely the cause of her sudden awakening. The human's eyes then darted around, seeing she was inside some sort of a rustic house; and inside with her were the white unicorn, and a bigger, yellow horse with wings and a wavy pink mane.

Two and a half seconds later, Samus took a sitting position. The scene around her was getting even stranger as she noticed a wet towel fall from her forehead when she rose, as well as her bandaged broken arm. This caused the horses to back a little. Without losing her poker face, Samus took in the rest of the scene.

Again, this was... strange. Samus couldn't think of another word, other than bizarre. The yellow pegasus and small white unicorn weren't her only companions. All staring at her as if she was some sort of monster was: a purple unicorn that just stopped reading a book on a couch, the big red horse she saw before losing consciousness chewing a twig of something, a rainbow-maned pegasus just hovering around, and a blonde orange horse with a cowboy hat, a small yellow horse with red mane and a big pink bow on her head, and a small orange pegasus with purple mane.

Now, Samus though, 'strange' wasn't even close to what lay before her eyes felt. A unicorn reading a book? A freaking horse wearing a freaking cowboy hat? What was worse of all was that apparently she was the injured animal to them, and they were taking care of her. She stood up and tried to contact Adam. Samus touched her pill-sized communicator on her ear, only to realize it wasn't there; she panicked. She reached for her paralyzer on the holster in her leg, but it was gone too, just like her poker face. She did a backflip and distanced herself from the mysterious horses, alert to any attack. After a moment, no attack came so Samus relaxed a little, but not quite trusting the creatures yet.

Seeing her display of fear and confusion, the yellow pegasus approached her with caution and kindness in her eyes. Great, now she was a scared little critter in the pegasus's eyes. Every horse in the room put their attention on her, what threw her off a little was that the book the purple unicorn was reading simply levitated to a small table, where she saw her paralyzer. So there it was! And her communicator too! Before she could attempt to reach for them, a soft neighing caught her attention. She saw the yellow pegasus slowly reaching for her head.

"Stay away!" yelled Samus at the creature before kicking it hard on its front leg and jumping toward the table with her weapon. This reaction put the rest of the creatures on guard. The cowboy pony quickly took the hurt pegasus's side, while red one quickly took his position between Samus and the three smaller ponies, which now she realized must be just foals. Not that it mattered; Samus had her hand on her weapon.

Unfortunately, she made a grave mistake: she forgot about her broken arm. A sharp pain made her drop the Paralyzer and fall to her knees, grabbing her injured limb and gritting her teeth. Before any being could do anything, the yellow pegasus once again approached her, but this time, she had a plate with salad in her mouth. The winged horse offered the salad, along with a friendly smile.

Samus was now in conflict. She was taken care of by creatures she had never met before, creatures that had taken away her means of communication and self-defense. Also, her pride hurt at being the weak, defenseless creature in a room full of strong equines.

Finally, she gave a defeated sigh, released her weapon and began talking "I am deeply sorry. I'm not used to being the one taken care of. Thank you for your help, but I'll be leaving now." All horses looked at her with a confused expression once again, except for the one that offered her the salad, who gave her an understanding nod. With that, it went to the door and opened it for Samus to leave if wanted to. Samus gave the pegasus a smile before placing her communicator back in her ear and her Paralyzer back in her leg's holster.

With a wave of her good arm, she left the barn to contact Adam. Before she left, she saw an old horse sleeping while rocking back and forth in a rocking chair; a sight she quickly dismissed to touch the device in her ear. As she received the location of her ship via her computer assistant, one glanced back revealed the blue pegasus looking at her as if she was crazy. Samus simply shrugged and continued her path. As she began walking, she felt her pride take another beating for some reason.

OXOXO

As all the gathered ponies watched the strange lizard-monkey with blonde mane leave the house, they directed a 'please explain' look to Fluttershy, who waved to the mystery creature as it went back home. When the shy pony saw their gazes, she shrank a little before explaining "What? My special talent is taking care of animals. I'm able to understand what they say, or least the basic message. She was just surprised to see an unfamiliar place."

"Whatever." Twilight answered "But I've never seen anything like that before, not even in my books. This could be the discovery of the century! Rainbow Dash, do you think you could trail it back to its lair? I'm certain that creature is connected somehow with the explosion Big Mac described earlier."

"Sure thing."

"When you find out where it lives, inform us. We'll go investigate tomorrow. It's been a long day, I'm going home." with a yawn, Twilight left the Apple family's house to head to her own. She was followed by everypony not belonging to the Apple family.

OXOXO

After an hour of searching, Samus finally reached her beloved gunship. Her mood lowered when she saw the state it was in. That last explosion destroyed the boosters, and Adam had reminded her that the auto-repair system was offline. Another report from Adam indicated that almost all systems were slightly damaged, but inoperable. The only working things were the computer, its data, and the ammunition factory. She cursed her luck, along with Sylux's existence once again. Without the ship's medical bay, her arm would have to heal by itself! How long would that take? She was no stranger to injuries, but this particular case made her appreciate all the medical achievements a little more. With her arm in the state it was, she would be unable to use her Power Suit.

Hmm... The Power Suit...

With the help of her helmet, she could probably translate everything the horse things were saying, thus providing the communication skills necessary to go around and learn a thing or two about this planet. Her recent activities with Jayden and his team had reawakened her desire to learn, as well as reminding her of her Chozo heritage.

Besides, it's not like she had anything better to do.

So, it was decided; she would fabricate a translator and learn more about the strange horse creatures that had helped her. Samus entered her ship and shared her plan with Adam, who provided useful tips and instructions "I am able to replicate most of the software found in your suit's helmet. Copying should be easy enough. I suggest taking a visual device as well, you may want the scan power your helmet provides. There are some spare visors in the storage. They may prove useful." With her good arm, Samus took a small electronic welder and began working on her translator.

Within the hour, her little contraption was finished; and the small earphone was placed in her ear. If it worked, she would be able to understand and speak the same language as those horses. With the analytical prowess of her suit, this gadget was easy to make. Once again, Samus found herself amazed at the technological wonders the Chozo were able to make. She wondered if her own technological ability was in part thanks to the Chozo DNA in her.

Her musings, however, were interrupted when Adam spoke "Equine life-form detected outside the ship. Threat level: minimal." This caught Samus's attention. Samus peeked outside through the windshield and saw one of the horse things outside. It was the small orange pegasus. It was looking at her ship with wonder and a little fear. Still, it could be called impressive, a horse following her here in that scooter.

Scooter.

A horse riding a scooter. Samus deadpanned; the cowboy horse didn't seem that strange anymore.

Whatever, this was the perfect chance to test out her new little gadget. Samus exited her ship in order to converse with the scooter-riding foal. As soon as she got out, however, the little equine jumped back, frightened. It was no taller than Samus's waist. Samus raised her good hand in signal of peace. A signal that was completely ignored, so she instead kneeled to the horse's eye level. The foal just looked at her with fearful eyes.

"I'm not going to hurt you." Samus began, eager to know if her work had paid off. This seemed to ease the fear in the young pegasus, but now it looked confused.

"W-What are you?" was her response. Samus grinned at her success.

"I'm a human. And what are you?"

"I'm a pony. A pegasus!" answered the pony proudly, puffing its chest and standing a little straighter. This brought a little smile to Samus; she was making progress! The pony continued with her questions "Do you have a name? What is a human? What's that thing in your leg? Is that your house?"

Before Samus could answer, she was tackled to the ground by a stronger and bigger pegasus. She avoided falling on her broken arm, but the impact was still strong. She fell to the ground before seeing the rainbow-maned pony hovering in front of the orange one. "Squirt! What are you doing here? Go back home."

"But Rainbow Dash, it's just..." the smaller one began, but got interrupted.

"NOW!" yelled the grown mare. The filly reluctantly obeyed and rode away in her scooter. The cyan pegasus returned her attention to the bounty huntress, who had reached her Paralyzer and was pointing it to her attacker. "And you! What do you think you're doing? Nopony messes with my friends, unless they want pain." she spat.

Rainbow Dash began to charge again, but received a burst of electrical energy from that weapon. Her muscles all tensed, and she fell to the ground, unable to move. She glanced up, only to see the same weapon aimed at her face. She gulped.

"I was only trying talk to the small pony. I'm not here with hostile intentions, but I won't hesitate in eliminating you if pose a threat." The paralysis had passed, and both creatures were staring at each other's eyes.

After a while, the pegasus finally responded "That spark shooter is really awesome!" That threw Samus completely off, it wasn't what she was expecting from such a tense moment. She lowered her weapon and began her questions.

"What planet are we in?"

"Huh?"

"What planet are we in? ...Do you know what a planet is?" the pegasus looked at her with confusion in its face. Samus sighed "Forget it. I guess you can't help me."

This brought realization to equine's face "Oh, you need help? Why didn't you tell me so? I'm sure my friend Twilight can help you. She's a real nerd, so she may know what you want to know!" Samus's face lightened up with hope. The pegasus continued "But it's late. My friends were coming over tomorrow, anyway, so can you wait until then?"

"Yes. There's no rush. Thank you very much"

The pegasus was about to take off when she stopped "Oh, by the way, I'm Rainbow Dash!"

What a stupid name, Samus though, but whatever "Samus Aran".

"Ok, Samus Aran, see ya tomorrow." and with that, Rainbow Dash flew out of sight.

The pony was right, figured Samus, nighttime was almost here, if the location of this planet's sun was any indication. She returned inside her ship to try and repair any device she could before going to sleep on her comfy pilot seat.

Oh, how she loved that seat!

OXOXO

"Dear Princess Celestia:

I hope you are well. Today, my friend Big Macintosh found a very unusual creature. I find its anatomy difficult to describe, as well as its behavior. I believe that creature is strongly connected to the meteor crash near Ponyville. If this is the case, we may be dealing with something from beyond the stars. An 'alien', if you will. As you may have concluded, I am requesting permission to investigate this matter.

Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle

P.S. Please give Princess Luna my regards."

There! With the Princess informed of her plan, Twilight was ready to start studying the mysterious creature. "Spike! Please send this to the princess. Tomorrow will be a busy day; we will study the creature Big Mac found, but I need to inform the princess first." Spike, the baby dragon, simply took the scroll with the message written and blew a little green ember to make it burn and make its way to the princess in the form of smoke.

"Study it? Didn't you say it was dangerous and that it hurt Fluttershy?" asked the worried assistant.

"Well, yeah. But I'm sure it was a misunderstanding! If what I assume is correct, that thing is an intelligent being. Perhaps it was just the lack of communication skills that made it violent; like a cornered animal. Besides, we could all learn about..." the unicorn continued talking, making the dragon go from worried to annoyed.

"If you say so. I'm going to bed." Spike began his way upstairs, but burped a letter before reaching the stairs. The letter levitated to the librarian's face with her magic. Spike simply continued his quest for sleep."There's your letter. Good night." with a yawn, he left Twilight's company. Twilight didn't even reply; she was too busy reading the written response.

"My faithful student, Twilight Sparkle

I can't force you to stop your studies, so I won't. However, I would like you to avoid unnecessary risks. I have arranged a couple of royal guards to accompany you and your friends to see this creature. They should arrive first thing in the morning. Should any complication arise, don't hesitate to contact me immediately. I wish you the best of luck.

Your mentor, Princess Celestia"

Well, it was settled. Tomorrow was going to be an interesting day, to say the least. With everything in order, Twilight went to bed. She would need to be well rested.

OXOXO

It was nighttime. A beautiful night, Samus noticed. The repairs were going a lot slower than she predicted; but then again, she only had one working arm. She was unsure of how to feel. Crippled in an unknown planet with no real means of defense or offense, and yet she was feeling at peace, as if this world had no problems at all. What she was sure of was the fact that she was very tired. Sleeping was not the same thing as being unconscious, after all. Almost the instant she lay on her favorite chair, she fell asleep. Tomorrow would demand her full attention, and rest was a necessity for that.

OXOXO

Twilight had awakened. It was still early, but she was well rested. She woke Spike up and told him to prepare his things. They needed to get ready for today's expedition. The guards would arrive any minute now, and they needed to be briefed on the plan of action. With a groan, then a stretch, Spike got out of his basket to pack his things and make some breakfast.

Just as everything was packed and ready (books, snacks, a map of the area, and more books), there was knock on the door. When Twilight opened it, she saw Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie standing outside. She welcomed them and invited them inside. The only ones missing were Fluttershy and the Princess's guards.

"So, everypony ready?" asked an excited Twilight. They all nodded. "Come on in. Now where is Fluttershy? It's not like her to come late."

"Oh, she went ahead with the Crusaders." answered Pinkie Pie.

"WHAT?!" Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Applejack yelled in unison.

"Yeah! Didn't you know? I thought you knew, otherwise I would've been like 'Hey, you can't go. You have to ask your sisters.' and stuff. You really need to take better care for your little sisters."

"Don't worry, I'm sure Fluttershy can take care of the Crusaders. You know her." Twilight tried to calm the elder sisters and role model, but was met with skeptic eyes. She gave them a sheepish smile when the door was knocked on again "Great! They're here" without losing any time, the librarian rushed to the door and opened it. Behind it were her brother, Shining Armor, and two other ponies, all clad in golden armor.

"Hey, Twily!" Twilight gave a low 'squee' and rushed to hug her big brother.

A moment later, her friends exited the library as well and they all exchange greetings. After being briefed on the course of action, Shining Armor began talking "So I take everypony is ready? Good! Now, let me introduce you to my comrades. This is Iron Shield..." he indicated to the light gray pegasus behind him, he gave a small bow with his head "...and this is Spearhead." the black earth pony imitated his partner and bowed as well. "They will be coming with us to make sure nopony is hurt. And as the captain of the Royal Guard, I'm here to make sure this creature isn't a threat to Equestria. If everypony is ready, I suggest we depart now." With that, they all followed Rainbow Dash to the crash site with a mix of excitement and nervousness, ready for their new adventure.

OXOXO

Morning finally came, and with it, the orange foal. Samus awoke and flinched when she rolled on her injured arm. Now fully awake thanks to the pain, she saw the scooter pony had returned. Equipping her translator and Paralyzer (you could never be too cautious), as well as a new cast for her arm, Samus exited her ship.

Once outside, she saw the foal was not alone; the white unicorn and yellow horse were with her, both probably the same age as the scooter rider. The yellow pegasus that bandaged her arm was also there. It warned the little ones "Now, now girls. Try not to frighten the poor little thing. It may still be confused about yesterday." Apparently, the big spaceship behind Samus went ignored, and Samus could do nothing but meet the pony's gaze with incredulity in her eyes.

After an awkward moment, the human finally spoke "I apologize for my behavior yesterday; I'm not familiar with this place. I'm grateful to you and your friends." This shocked her visitors, except the orange one.

"You can talk?!" As soon as the shock passed, the bigger pony hid half its face behind its mane and barely whispered "I'm sorry. Um... I didn't know you could, you know, talk. Oh, I feel so ashamed! I'm really sorry!" the shy pony finished as it lowered its head.

"Forgive Fluttershy. She..." began the little pegasus "...is really shy. But how come you didn't speak yesterday if you can talk. You gave us a nasty scare!" Samus simply gave a little chuckle.

"That's because I couldn't. You see this thing?" she pointed to the translator in her ear "It's a translator. It lets me understand what you say, and make what I say sound understandable to you. Now that we understand each other; I'm Samus, Samus Aran." she extended her good arm to offer a handshake. The foal seemed to understand the gesture, as she took it and shook it with her hoof.

"I'm Scoolatoo. And those are Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Fluttershy." Scootaloo said as she pointed to the respective ponies. They all nodded or greeted her. Those had to be the most ridiculous names Samus had ever heard; and she had heard a lot. At least 'Rainbow Dash' made sense. These ponies only furthered the line of what was considered strange. A scooter-riding pony named Scootaloo? Come on!

A few moments of awkward silent followed, Samus being watched with excitement and eagerness by the younger ponies, and with fear and nervousness by the older one. Those moments were broken when Sweetie Belle asked rather randomly "Are you an alien?" Samus could do nothing but raise an eyebrow at the question. When Sweetie Belle got no answer, she repeated the question.

"I... guess you could say that. Where I'm from, the word has lost all meaning." the hunter finally answered. It made sense; when you spend most of your audiences with all kinds of sentient species and leaders, the word 'alien' kind of loses its meaning.

"Ooh!" was the simple reaction from all three foals.

Samus was about to ask about this world they were in, but her attention was caught by a cyan pegasus landing near the ponies. Soon after that, the rest of the group entered her vision; however, she could see something hide behind some bushes, most likely scared of her presence. Another awkward silence ensued.

It was Rainbow Dash who interrupted it this time, as she greeted the alien with enthusiasm "Hi Samus! These are my friends..." Before she could finish, Pinkie Pie was already face to face with Samus, eying her intensely. Samus could only return the pink pony's gaze with her emotionless expression.

A couple of seconds later, Pinkie Pie backed a little, and with a gigantic smile on her face, shouted with force "Welcome to Equestria! We hope your stay is a pleasant one!" while confetti blew up from somewhere. And yet again, the line for strange grew further.

The rest of the mares were introduced by Pinkie Pie. Her energy deeply annoyed Samus, but she said nothing in order to avoid any conflict between the two species. Samus then noticed the armor-wearing stallions, who didn't share the friendliness and energy the mares had. They had a more serious, 'we-are-here-only-for-business' look on their face. Guards, she presumed, if the armor was any indication.

The white unicorn introduced his fellow guards as 'Iron Shield' and 'Spearhead', names even more ridiculous than 'Scootaloo', and that was saying something. However, the cream of the cake was the captain himself; his name was 'Shining Armor'. Shining Armor, a name made even more ridiculous by the fact that he was wearing armor that happened to shine; as well as the stupid phrase 'Prince in shining armor'. So what to do with this level of ridiculousness? The only thing Samus hadn't done in years. She laughed.

Hard.

Samus began laughing so much, her arm began hurting a lot, but did nothing to lessen her laughing. Tears even began rolling down her cheek. Tears! She had probably made a grave mistake, offending the Captain of the Guard and all, but she could bring herself to care at the moment. What was next? Magical princesses? Rainbow factories? A haunted forest? The sheer amount of silliness was too much to bear, even to her. What made the scene even stranger was that the pink pony had joined her laughter, and even Iron Shield gave a chuckle or two. The rest of the ponies just looked at them with annoyance, amusement, or confusion on their faces. Shining Armor just looked at her with all three.

After a few minutes passed, Samus regained her composure, as well as her serious face, and proceeded to apologize "I apologize, I don't know what came into me. I'm not usually like this. Please forgive my offense." Shining Armor had patiently waited for her to stop laughing before returning to the conversation.

"It's all right. No offense taken. I am, however, in the need to investigate your..." he looked behind Samus, at her ship.

"Gunship?" she finished for him.

"Yes, your 'gunship'. We just need to make sure it poses no threat to our land. I hope you understand."

Samus sighed "Let me save you the trouble. It does pose a threat to your land. It was a ship built for combat. It's got all kinds of weaponry and functions. However, the crash has damaged most of my equipment and it is now unable to fly, or do anything really. It's also out of fuel. I don't suppose you have the materials and tools required to repair it. Oh, and it is the only thing I have as a shelter. If you are going to inspect it, go ahead. Just don't break anything more than it already is. I'd hate it if my ship exploded." This made the guards surround her, ready to attack at the lowest threat signal. She simply raised her hands in sign of surrender, her face not showing the least fear, or any emotion for that matter. She may dislike the next moments, but at least she was being honest with all of them.

"Then I'm afraid we'll have to take you with us. Twilight, please call Spike; we need to send a letter to the princess. Now, Samus, we will take you to Princess Celestia; she will know what to do with you."

Great. Samus was going to trial for something she wasn't even sure she did. The rustling of a nearby bush brought her attention, and from it came a small purple dragon.

"Ridley!" Before anypony could react, Samus had leapt across the distance between herself and the dragon. She quickly took her Paralyzer and hit the purple reptile on the head with her weapon, then aimed it at his cowering form. She had a look of pure rage on her features.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw the mares and the guards ready to attack once again; the horns on the unicorns' heads began to glow, and were aimed at her. She then saw her victim again, and realized it was on the ground with its claws covering its head, trembling in fear. The sight made her feel horrible inside. This wasn't a ruthless Pirate Leader; this was a baby cowering in fear, hurt by her loss of control.

She dropped her weapons and fell to her knees, mentally paralyzed; she wouldn't cause another death by her lack of criteria. Her face went from angry to regretful. She apologized to the dragon, and told the guards to tie her up; she would not let her emotions get the better of her. She no longer had the energy to resist any thing they did to her. The guards simply looked at each other, not sure what just happened. Applejack offered her rope, breaking yet another tense silence.

OXOXO

Samus was tied up, her head and spirit down. She was being carried on a wagon, surrounded by three guard stallions, a baby dragon, six mares, and three fillies. They were headed toward a place called Canterlot; the capital, she supposed. The journey was silent for her; she spoke no word. She could see the fillies trying to cheer up the abused dragon, Spike; and failing to do so.

Spike was seated on Twilight's back, casting his attacker occasional hateful glances and rubbing the bump on his head. Fluttershy was flying near the dragon, concern evident in her face. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were discussing something with the captain. Pinkie Pie was unusually cheerful for some reason; she was definitely the oddest one. Rarity was showing concern for the fillies, trying in vain to keep them away from the dangerous human. The other two guards simply kept pulling the wagon she was in. She could escape anytime she wanted; the rope could be easily disposed of, and taking care of the guards would be simple enough. Her life as a bounty hunter made all of that and more possible.

And yet, there she was, charged of being dangerous and a threat to the peace of the land. Rightfully so, after the little scene she had performed with an innocent child. She sighed. How far was this Canterlot, anyway? She just wanted it to end, return home, and carry on with her life.

But did she really wanted her life back?

She had never felt so at peace before she landed in this peaceful land. A fact that made her remember why she couldn't stay. She was a threat, a danger to defenseless creatures, and that was something this land certainly didn't need.

So distracted was she with her thoughts that she failed to notice they had arrived at an enormous castle. She noticed, however, when Shining Armor shook her to gain her attention "We're here. Don't try anything funny; there are at least a couple hundred guards ready to attack if prompted to. You will be taken to the Princess, who will determine your fate." His words were harsh, but she expected no less from a captain.

She was escorted to a big hall, with a tall ceiling and decorated with windows mosaics. At the center of the room was a pony, a winged unicorn at least twice the size of Shining Armor. She was a royal white, a sun tattoo on her flank, and a mane that resembled the sky auroras that were rarely seen in the nights of her native planet of K-2L.

As soon as every pony entered the room, they all knelt to their ruler. Samus didn't; she simply stared at the imposing figure in the center of the room. She saw Twilight signaling her to bow with a move of her head, but Samus simply shook her head. "Sorry, but I don't bow to anyone." Her attitude could cost her dearly, but she had a code to follow. The princess didn't seem offended, though. She simply made a movement to indicate the guards to leave. They reluctantly obeyed, taking the fillies and dragon with them; and left Samus alone with the Princess of the Sun and the six mares that represented the Elements of Harmony.

After a couple of minutes silently studying Samus, Princess Celestia finally spoke "You must be Samus. Welcome to Canterlot Castle. I must say, I was expecting to meet you on different circumstances, but alas, it seems it was not meant to be that way." she looked a little disappointed, but continued nonetheless, "Do you know why you have been brought to me?"

Samus closed her eyes and nodded "Yes. I know why I've been brought to you. I can take anything you throw at me, so don't hesitate to do your worst." Celestia simply gave her a smirk.

"Excellent!"

A Different Perspective

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A/N: Samus and Metroid elements belong to Nintendo. My Little Pony belongs to Hasbro/the Hub. I own nothing but the plot.

Chapter 3: A different perspective

"Excellent!" said the princess "I'm glad to hear you are willing to make up for your crimes. Knives!"

From the back part of the hall, came rushing a dark gray stallion with white mane and two crossed knives as his cutie mark. "Knives at your service, your majesty." he said as he knelt before the alicorn.

"As you can see, we have a guest." the princess motioned her head toward Samus. The gray pony noticed she was tied. "I would like you to prepare the 'Sharp Knives Treatment', please" This request surprised the servant, as well as the incarnation of the Elements of Harmony.

"B-But your highness, isn't that a little too much? I mean..." began Knives, but was cut off by a stern look from the princess "I-I understand. Everything will be ready within the hour." with that he returned to the entrance at the back of the room and disappeared. Samus gulped at hearing this.

Celestia returned her attention to the bounty hunter. She began talking with a voice that could only be described as a mixture of curiosity and amusement. "Now, I would like you to explain why you had to hurt poor little Spike. As far as I know, he did nothing wrong to you. Please tell us, I'm sure everypony here would love to hear your reasons."

"It's complicated. I wouldn't want to bore your with my tales. I'm sure a princess such as yourself is very busy." replied Samus with a calm voice; her face never losing its seriousness. "Just proceed with whatever you were planning to do to me."

"Luckily, today's royal activities are all done; and as you can see, we have one hour before the preparations are complete, so we have time to spare on a little explaining." countered Celestia with her sweet and calm voice; a voice too sweet and calm to be directed to a criminal like Samus, the huntress though. She was finding it hard to read the pony ruler.

"Fine" Samus concluded there really wasn't a reason not to tell her reasons. Still, they didn't need all the details. "I'm an intergalactic bounty hunter. There was this space dragon that caused me... trouble. He was the leader of a group of pirates, and was as ruthless as can be. I was sent on a mission to destroy one of their bases; and after a long and intense fight, I ended his life. However, the Space Pirates found ways to revive him. After a while, I killed him again." she noticed most of the mares flinched when she said the word 'kill' like it was an everyday activity. "But he would not disappear. He kept reviving; whenever there was a mission involving the pirates, he would be present. Then the day came I was sent to a specific Pirate base with the objective to steal their data and blow up the place. In that base, I saw something the filled me with dread and rage: a laboratory with countless stasis tanks, all holding the suspended forms of Ridley's clones. They were at their initial stage of development, a stage that somewhat resembled your little friend. Needless to say, those were not natural. I completed my mission, but at the time of the explosion, I saw several escape pods being launched. Not knowing if those pods were decoys, escaping pirates or if they carried clones, I set to track all the pods. Turns out they were carrying clones, and that they were developing. I managed to eliminate most of them, destroying them before they managed to grow. However, I don't know if I got them all. Uncertainty made me paranoid. It came to the point I attacked anything vaguely resembling him or his undeveloped clones. I can see now that your friend is not one of them. I was... Let's just say I'm mentally unstable; it works for me." Another long silence befell the human and the ponies; the smaller ones not knowing what to say, and the royal one eying the human.

Finally, Princess Celestia spoke again. "Samus, I have lived long enough to know when somepony is not telling the whole truth. You reasons for hurting little Spike are understandable; but from what I can see from you, you are not a fool who would overlook obvious clues just to settle a petty grudge. There is more to your story than you let on, so I would like to ask you to tell us your full story behind this dragon of yours." the last words were said a little harshly.

"That's..." Samus began, then looked away "...none of your business." Celestia simply sighed in disappointment. Twilight was about to say something to Samus, but was cut off by the princess.

"Don't bother." Celestia said "Leave us." The six ponies just looked between each other, then left the room in silence, leaving Samus and Celestia alone.

After they were gone, Celestia walked toward one of the windows. She then turned her head to Samus, who simply looked at her. Celestia closed her eyes and returned her gaze to the window. "Equestria is a land that has had no wars, or any mayor conflict, in more than a thousand years." she began with a solemn voice "We have enjoyed peace for as long as this land has existed. I ask you: Do you know why?"

"No. I don't"

"It's because there has been no need to fight. When all the parties are understanding of each other, making peace is easy. No one likes conflicts, so they do their best to avoid it." Celestia opened her eyes and turned to Samus once again. "Before Equestria was founded, the 3 tribes of ponies lived away from each other. There was conflict between them, and times weren't really peaceful. One day, the leaders of the tribes organized a meeting to discuss their relationships with each other. In that meeting, they ended becoming friends with each other. Thanks to this friendship, the relationships between tribes got better and better, until all 3 decided to found a kingdom where all 3 tribes could live in peace and harmony." Were it not for the seriousness in the princess's voice, Samus would've scoff at the idea. As if on cue, the Sun Princess continued "I know it may be hard for someone with your lifestyle to understand just how powerful real friendship can be, but I just wanted to tell you that all that..." she pointed to the land beyond the window "... came from the trust between 3 leaders and their tribes. Now, I..." She was interrupted by Knives, who came from the entrance at the back of the hall. Once inside the room, he bowed.

"Your majesty, the preparations are complete. You may proceed whenever you like."

"Oh, goodness! So soon? Time flies when you're having fun." was her joyful response. Fun? Samus just raised an eyebrow at that word. "Could you please guide the ponies that brought Samus? Take them to the 'Event Room'. This occasion is something I don't want them to miss."

"Of course." Knives bowed again and left the room to call the other ponies.

"Thank you." Celestia turned to face Samus "We'll finish this conversation later. Right now, we are going to deal with you. You have committed an offense to someone, and you have to take responsibility. Come with me." Celestia began to walk away, the wagon Samus was on followed her on its own. "I can't wait to get started!" Samus got nervous and gulped; she had no idea what they were going to do to her. Whatever it was, though, she was sure she could take it; she was the most feared hunter in the galaxy, after all.

OXOXO

"We're here!" exclaimed an excited Celestia as she opened the gigantic doors of a room and led Samus's wagon inside. Samus could do nothing but widen her eyes in shock. "I hope you are able to handle this. It'd be a shame to let Knives's hard work go to waste."

Not even her years as a legend could prepare Samus for what lay before her eyes. The room she was in was brightly lit. There was a long table in the middle of the room, covered by an elegant tablecloth; and seated at the table were Shining Armor, Spike, the 3 fillies from earlier, and the 6 mares that brought her to the castle; all with confusion on their faces (except Pinkie, who had that silly grin). What shocked her the most was what was on the table. Instead of torture utensils or death devices, there was a buffet. All kinds of fruits and vegetables, artistically cut and decorated; sandwiches made from some sort of flowers, expertly stacked on silver platters; several big bowls of colored beverages; various fritters scattered throughout the table; and at the very center, a massive cake decorated with frosting and some fruits.

"I hope you enjoy the 'Sharp Knives Treatment', my ladies and gentlecolts." said Knives as he bowed and presented his culinary creations with the pride any chef would have. "The best treatment for your tummies are these delectable yummies!"

Any other person would be staggering for words, flabbergasted, but Samus settled with a look of confusion. After gathering her thoughts, she turned to the princess, begging for an explanation. "Wasn't I supposed to be getting punished for my offense or something? I doubt a feast is considered punishment."

Princess Celestia looked at her before releasing a soft laugh. "Oh no, I never said anything like that! I said you had to take responsibility for your offense, and what better way to do it than to ask the one you offended how? I hope you don't mind asking him while we eat; I have been craving Knives's special recipes for quite a while now, and this looked like a good time to ask for it. Shall we?" Celestia offered. When she got no response, she realized something "Oh dear, how silly of me. I forgot to untie you." with the princess's magic, the ropes binding Samus untied and fell to the ground. With that done, the equine ruler took her seat at the head of the table. Samus took a seat between the princess and Shining Armor. "Let's eat!"

With those two simple words, everypony just forgot their worries and began eating. Samus saw no reason not to do the same, and proceeded to join them. She was a little unsure, eating pony food and all, but ultimately gave in and tasted the food; she had nothing to eat since the crash, after all. Not bad, she though, considering it was pony food.

After they finished eating, the night sky could be seen outside the windows. The princess cleared her throat to grab everypony's (and human's) attention. "It has been a delicious dinner, Knives. I congratulate you on your effort." Knives just bowed with a proud smile on his face. "Now, I'm certain Samus here has something she wants to say."

Samus's pride suffered another intense and merciless blow; she was expected to apologize as if she were a little child? Celestia had to be kidding. Samus turned away with an offended face, and then she looked at Celestia. The equine monarch simply lowered her head a little without breaking eye contact with the huntress. Not two seconds later, Samus complied, albeit with great resignation. She turned to Spike, and in a voice seething with anger and humiliation, apologized to the baby dragon.

"I'm sorry I hit you on the head. I should have been more careful when hunting for intergalactic space-dragon murderers." She even went as far as giving the reptile brat a bow. Had she be wearing her Power Suit, she would've unloaded all her missile containers on Celestia's head. The overgrown pony was lucky Samus had a broken arm.

"There! Don't you feel better already?" said the alicorn with a wide smile. Celestia seemed to enjoy humiliating Samus; who simply glared daggers at the princess. "I'm sure now that you apologized, you could all be friends!" If looks could kill, Celestia would've been dead four times already. The deep hatred was interrupted by Spike's voice, who looked at Samus with understanding in his eyes.

"D'aww, I forgive you. You actually look like a nice guy!" that cheered Samus a little "I mean, It's not your fault you're crazy." and that made her angry again. "I just hope you don't hit me again; that hurt!"

"It has been a very enjoyable dinner." Celestia spoke again "Please feel free to relax and do whatever you like. I have arranged rooms where you may stay the night; the guards will take you there in a few minutes." Everyone in the room left, except Samus, Shining Armor, and the princess.

"Your majesty, have you seen Cadance? I would like to explain the current situation. She may be of help." asked Shining Armor.

"Yes. She is waiting for you at her room. She looked rather impatient..." This caused the captain to give the princess a sheepish smile and a nervous laugh, and proceeded to trot away at high speed.

The Sun Princess waved him goodbye, and then turned her attention to Samus. "Would you like to finish our conversation out in the gardens? My sister did a wonderful job with the night; it's always nice to have a walk and chat in the moonlight." Celestia exited the room and Samus followed her; it's not like she had anything better to do.

OXOXO

They reached the garden in silence, just enjoying the peaceful and calm atmosphere as they did. Samus had to agree, it felt nice to just walk and enjoy the night air. While strolling through the royal gardens, she saw several statues and bushes, all beautifully arranged and decorated.

After a while, Celestia retook the unconcluded conversation. "As I was saying before, the land of Equestria came to existence thanks to the bonds of trust and friendship between the 3 tribe leaders. We actively avoid confrontation, as was evidenced by little Spike a while back. You only had to apologize for him to forgive you and give you another chance." Samus pondered at her words. She could've killed the dragon on a whim, and yet a simple 'I'm sorry' was enough for him to forgive. Did they not know of deceit? "Can you see where I'm going with this?"

"I can imagine." Samus answered and Celestia gave her a little smile.

"Trust is the founding of Equestria, and trust is the founding of friendship. You fell from the sky on a world you don't know; and you come from a world we don't know. Your intentions may be good, bad, or simply non-existent. As a ruler of this world, I ask you: Can we trust you?" Her smile disappeared, replaced by a serious expression. Samus just looked at the pony's eyes for a second before answering flatly.

"I have no intention of bringing any harm to your land or its inhabitants."

Celestia kept studying her with her serious expression for a couple more seconds, before replacing it with a pleased smile. "I trust your word." She turned to the starry sky. "It's getting late, I'll leave you now. Feel free to roam the castle grounds as much as you like. When you desire to head to your room, ask the guards and they'll take you. Farewell!" She took off, leaving Samus alone in the moonlit gardens.

Samus walked through the garden, admiring the detailed work on the sculptures decorating the garden. She came to a statue that simply felt different than the others, that of a creature made with the parts of other creatures. It had a look of pure fear in its face, accentuated by the posture it had, as if it was trying to shield itself from something. When she blinked, the terror in the statue's face was replaced by a mocking grin directed at her. The sudden change made Samus rub her eyes to prove she wasn't seeing things. She was, apparently, because when she saw the statue again it had the same expression of fear. It must be lights playing tricks, she though.

Her walk eventually took her to a small hill. She decided to lay down and watch the stars to clear her mind a little. The past days have been... interesting, to put it mildly. Finishing an expedition with Jayden and his team, getting blasted by Sylux (curse the stupid bastard), crashing in a land full of colorful talking ponies and getting schooled by the biggest one; and yet, nothing really seemed important right now. The only things that mattered right now were the stars. No matter where in the galaxy she might be, the stars were always the same, beautiful little dots contrasting in the dark sky. When one travels the stars, one forgets how they look like in a calm night. "Beautiful." she said to herself; she should look at the stars more often.

"It brings me joy to hear someone enjoys my night" Samus quickly rose and span to see another alicorn. This one was a dark blue, and her mane was a nightly mist. "Are you the one Celestia mentioned, who came from beyond the stars?"

"I am. Princess Luna, I presume?" the dark mare nodded "I have to hand it to you. Very few can manage to sneak up on me like that." Samus said with a cocky grin.

"I apologize. It wasn't my intention to sneak on you." her tone was low.

"It's fine." Samus dismissed. She then turned to the sky "I never realized how soothing star-gazing can be."

"Stars are beautiful, more so when you can see them alongside the moon." the last part was said with a nostalgic voice.

Samus eyed Luna, and saw sadness in her eyes. "Care to explain?"

"Due to some actions on my part, my sister was forced to banish me to the moon for a thousand years."

Samus just looked at Luna with incredulity all over her face. "A thousand years? Really? How old are you?"

"I'd rather not answer." At this, a giggle escaped Luna's mouth. "I don't know why, but I like you. I feel we are very similar, you and I. Like we have...something that makes us different from everypony else, but very alike between us. Don't you feel it?"

"I... don't know. I stopped bonding with others a long time ago."

"The world has changed a lot during the millennia I was on the moon." Luna began, ignoring Samus's comment. "Times are different, and I struggle to fit in. My friends... they are gone. And my social skills are... lacking, to say the least."

"Then I guess we really are more alike than I thought." Samus said, causing an akward silence between them. They both laughed a little, before silence reigned again.

"I suggest you go to sleep. Knowing Celestia, she'll give you a big assignment tomorrow. She is like that, making other learns on their own with only a little push from her as a guide." this was said with a loving smile. "I'm really glad you like the stars. I hope to see you again soon and talk some more. Bye." Luna waved and flew away, just like her sister. Samus simply went back to watch the stars.

"Yes, that would be nice." she said to herself, before falling asleep right there.

OXOXO

Deep within the gardens, a sinister laugh echoed through the bushes and statues. A statue depicting a scared draconequus shook lightly, before a single word came from it.

"Soon."

OXOXO

Once the Sun rose, so did Samus's eyelids. She stood up and saw it was already late morning. She stretched, careful of her arm, until she felt her bones pop. Satisfied, she headed to the castle. She planned to announce her departure and head to her ship to see what else could be fixed. On her way to the castle, she saw two guards heading toward her. They appeared to be Spearhead and Iron Shield, but she wasn't sure; all the guards looked the same for some reason.

"The princess has requested that you go see her at your earliest disposition."

"Where is she?"

"We'll take you to her. Follow us."

And so she did. A quick walk later, Samus entered the castle, where 6 mares, 3 fillies, one dragon, and one white princess awaited her. When she arrived, the princess beamed with joy, her face indicated she was planning something fun for herself, not necessarily for Samus as well.

"Welcome, Samus. We have been waiting for you." The princess started "Now that you're here, I'm able to announce a decision I've made. Samus, I have decided that you should live in Ponyville and learn about our way of life. I'm sure Twilight here will be able to help, so I hereby name you Twilight's pupil!"

"WHAT?" yelled both the huntress and the pony scholar; one with indignation and the other with excitement. They both looked at each other, then at the princess.

"Are you crazy? / You mean it?" both said at the same time.

"You can't just make me take pony classes and expect me to like it. / Thank you for this great opportunity, princess!"

All other ponies just looked at them with different expressions. Amusement, nervousness, indignation, and annoyance were some of them.

"I have a ship I need to repair! Watching ponies frolicking is just a waste of time. / I'll do my best to make Samus learn all there is to learn about pony society."

The guards just looked at each other and shrugged. Not all of the princess's decision made sense, but they always found a way to work just fine.

"The worst part is that I think you thrive in my humiliation! / I won't let down, not with this task entrusted to me!"

"SHUT UP!" both turned to see Spike, panting at his sudden outburst. Both obliged.

"Thank you, Spike" Celestia spoke again "As I said, I think learning about our way of life can be an interesting experience for you, Samus. And Twilight... well, I'm sure she is thrilled by the prospect of having her own student. To be honest, I am curious of what you have to show and tell us about your life. I'm sure having the life of a bounty hunter comes with tons of adventures. You could even tell the foals your stories!"

Resistance, Samus noticed, was futile. "Fine. I'll be your student's student. Just don't expect too many details." the princess just giggled a little.

"In that case, I bid you farewell, my little ponies. Have a pleasant travel."

They left the castle grounds and headed to Canterlot. This day was going to be a long one.

OXOXO

Who would've thought a pony-inhabited world would have a train? Samus didn't, that was certain. These ponies sure kept the surprises coming and coming. Samus was now on a seat inside a train car, thinking about her situation and how she had come to that situation. The three fillies bombarding her with questions did little to help her pondering, but what could she do? Did they ever run out of energy?

"Now now, girls. I'm sure miss Samus here has a lot on her mind. Why don't you wait until we arrive at Ponyville to ask her what you want to know?" Rarity saved Samus from further annoyance.

"But, Rarity!"

"Hush now, Sweetie Belle. You can wait a few hours." The Cutie Mark Crusaders looked down and went to their rooms. The fashionista turned to Samus "You have to forgive them. They don't mean ill, but they can be a hoofful."

"It's ok. I just have a lot on my mind, right now."

The rest of the trip was silent, ponies either asleep or reading. Samus checked her arm and was pleased to see it felt better. It'd probably heal entirely in a week; she was a fast healer. Her thoughts went from her arm to the healer that treated it. She saw Fluttershy fast asleep in her seat. She seemed a little too shy for her own good. When the yellow pony discovered Samus wasn't any animal, she went from open and helpful to timid and cowardly. Still she didn't seem that bad. Perhaps with the right methods, she would open up and help Samus with the whole 'learning about ponies' thing.

The huntress then turned her attention to Rarity, the formal mare of the group. She and Fluttershy seemed to be close friends. The white unicorn had an air of elegance and beauty around her; and yet she wasn't as unbearable as the royals Samus had met. She was a royalty wannabe, but the support and love for her friends was evident; something Samus didn't find possible, until now. She would certainly be an interesting study subject, Samus mussed. However, her tendency to 'fix ugliness' would represent an annoyance to the huntress, who didn't really care about appearances.

Samus then looked at Rarity's opposite, Applejack. That was a strong pony, far stronger than her adorable exterior hinted. She seemed to be a very hard worker, and someone who took responsibility very seriously. She never took her hat off, for some reason. She also seemed to go directly to the point, something Samus could relate to. Her help and opinion in the studies would give Samus a lot of data to work with. From what Samus had seen so far, the orange pony was brave and selfless, if a bit stubborn.

Speaking of stubborn, Rainbow Dash struck Samus as odd. She was athletic and fearless, ready to jump herself at a friend's need. However, those good traits were overshadowed by that tremendous ego of hers. That and her obsession with 'awesomeness' and 'coolness' made her clash with Samus, personality wise. The soon-to-be pupil didn't looked forward to spending time with the rainbow mare. Also, she seemed like the prankster type, which took her to the pink one.

Pinkie Pie was a weird one, Samus though. Her happy-go-lucky attitude was unnerving when considering the situations she had seen. She always has a smile on her face; it was hard imagining her without it. She was also crazy. Who in their right minds would join a complete stranger in a laughing fit in front of the Captain of the Guard? And what's with the random songs? The pink pony had sang at least 6 different songs between yesterday and now. Oh, and let's not forget her ability to apparently bend reality; Samus attributed that to the pony magic. Really, what else could explain the fact that sometimes there were two Pinkies in different places at the same time? No, that pony was too lively and hyperactive for Samus's tastes.

The last pony in the group, and apparently now her mentor, was Twilight Sparkle. The lavender unicorn was a nerd, as much as Samus despised the word. She was always reading, always looking for something to learn. It was probably the reason Samus had agreed to become her pupil, because she reminded her of the Chozo. The Chozo were always trying to learn about their surroundings, much like Twilight did with her books. That pony also had great leading skill, whether she was aware of it or not. Her organizational skills, and overall thirst of knowledge, gave Samus the impression that she was the best teacher she could ask for (Not that she asked).

The group of ponies that accompanied her certainly was unique. Were all the ponies just as unique as them, or was this trait reserved to this specific group? That was something that was yet to be seen. Maybe, just maybe, this whole mentor/pupil thing isn't going to be too much of a drag.

"We have arrived at Ponyville station." sounded the voice of the conductor. Samus and her pony companions exited the train and headed to Sweet Apple Acres, from where Samus's ship was nearby. The walk was a quiet one, nopony really said much (Pinkie Pie doesn't count). Along the way, the group began dividing, each to their own home. By the time they reached the farm, only Twilight, Spike, Applejack and Apple Bloom remained.

"Well, ah guess we'll be seein' y'all tomorrow. Come on, Apple Bloom." said Applejack as she turned to her house.

"Bye Twilight! Bye Samus! Bye Spike!" Apple Bloom happily followed her sister.

The unicorn, dragon, and human continued their way to the crash site. Once they reach it, Samus opened the elevator/hatch in the ship and went inside, followed by Twilight and Spike.

"Good afternoon, Samus. How was your audience with this world's monarch?" Adam's voice was heard inside, causing Twilight and Spike to jump in surprise and look around, trying to find the owner of the voice.

"It was interesting, to say the least. The princess was a bitc... she had unorthodox methods."

"You didn't get in any trouble, did you?"

"No. And what's with you? Why so worried?"

"It just happens that without you, the repairs cannot be done."

"Gee, I missed you too."

"Excuse me, but who are you talking to? I thought you were the only one who came from outer space!" The unicorn interrupted the conversation between the huntress and the bodyless voice. Samus chuckled a little.

"Sorry. This is Adam. He is part of my ship's computer." She pointed to a screen with strange characters on it, but then noticed the confusion in Twilight's and Spike's faces. "Imagine this ship has a brain. Adam is that brain. He is not really alive; he just has artificial intelligence, and is able to talk via the speakers in my ship. I'll tell you about him later. First, I want you to tell me what you have planned for our lessons." Twilight's face lit with excitement.

"I don't know! There's so much to teach you that I don't know where to begin!" she practically bounced with joy. "Why don't you let me make a schedule to start your lessons? I'll see you tomorrow morning with the plan ready." Her face beamed again "It's going to be so much fun!"

"Yeah, I'm overjoyed." Her tone betrayed her words. She opened the hatch for her visitors to leave. They did. Samus then turned to her console; the repairs needed to continue. If she was lucky, the Medical Bay would be operational by tonight; and if that was the case, then goodbye arm cast! Filled with hope, Samus got to work.

Lessons Begin

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Disclaimer: Samus and Metroid elements belong to Nintendo. My Little Pony belongs to Hasbro/the Hub. I own nothing but the plot.

Chapter 4: Lessons Begin

Samus Aran's Log, entry 014:

I have crashed in a land filled with magical ponies. Absurd as it sounds, they are intelligent beings. They have treated me with openness and kindness, but taking necessary precautions. I have met their rulers, and they seem to keep their kingdom happy. Such level of respect and devotion from their subjects is something I have never seen before. I have been given the task of recollecting data and information about their way of life. I am now the student of one of the ponies. This assignment promises to be an interesting one.

OXOXO

Samus woke up in her seat. She had no luck in repairing the Medical Bay, or any other system, for that matter. Maybe the boosters could be repaired, but Samus didn't count on it. Without a working fission reactor, the ship could not active its auto-repair system and it would be impossible to fly. She would have to think of another way to fix the systems, or find something that could substitute a fission reactor. The problem was what and where. The good thing was that her arm pained her less and less. She had partial movement of her arm, a feat done by the little healing properties of the Zero Suit, which somewhat accelerated her already fast recovery. She discarded her cast.

"Good morning, Samus. Are you ready to start your days as student?" asked Adam.

"Shut up."

"Just like your academy days."

Samus turned her attention to the windshield and saw Twilight eager to start the day. She opened the hatch and exited her ship.

"Good to see my new student ready to start her day! I hope my new student does a great job learning about us ponies. The best place for my new student to start her assignment is Ponyville. Ready, new student?" Twilight seemed to enjoy every nanosecond of this; unlike Samus, who would rather search for substitute materials for her ship. Twilight was about to say something else, but was cut off.

"Say 'new student' again and I'll break your neck." Samus said in an unnervingly calm voice.

"Gee, I'm sorry. I didn't know you had a temper. Anyways, let's get started. As I said before, we should head to Ponyville and introduce you to everypony so they don't freak out when they see you." It made sense; Samus was yet to be officially introduced to this planet's dominant species. Mass panic would surely hinder her tasks.

"Makes sense, I guess. Shall we?" they both headed to the small town. They were heading to the town square, where an announcement from the mayor would warn all the ponies of Samus's presence. As they walked, they couldn't help but notice every pony stared at Samus, some with surprise and others with fear, but none of them made a big deal about it, except Lily, who fainted after yelling 'THE HORROR!'. Twilight gave sheepish smiles to any pony that saw them. It wasn't until they reached their destination that they met with the Mayor.

"Oh, you must be Samus." the Mayor looked a little nervous, but her voice hid it well. "The princess sent me a letter notifying me about your arrival. I will make the announcement as soon as everypony arrives at the town hall. It is a pleasure to finally meet you officially." she extended her hoof, which Samus gladly shook.

It only took about half an hour for the whole town to be present. The Mayor went up to her podium and everypony went silent, but when Twilight and Samus appeared on stage, murmurs were beginning to be heard from the audience. The Mayor kept her calm demeanor, Samus looked unimpressed, and Twilight grew nervous. The Mayor then cleared her throat.

"Citizens of Ponyville, as the Mayor of this town, I am pleased to announce we have new resident in town. This is Samus; she is a 'human'." Samus took a step forward so all the citizens could get a better look. "As you can see, she is not from around here. She comes from a far away land, and has been asked by Princess Celestia herself to learn about our way of life. I would like to ask of you that you make her feel at home in our friendly, little town. Now, Samus, would you like to say some words?" The Mayor took step to the side to allow Samus on the podium. Samus took up on her offer.

"Thank you, Mayor. As the Mayor said, I am on a mission to learn and report about the life of ponies in this town. I hope this experience is one we can all enjoy." All the ponies began cheering and stomping on the ground with their front hooves. Samus looked at them, not knowing what to do. Twilight approached her and whispered something to her ear.

"Uh... That's how we cheer."

"You mean like an applause?" Samus whispered back.

"A what?"

"Forget it." Samus turned to the audience once again "Thank you, thank you. By the way, do any of you know where I can get a fission reactor?" It didn't hurt to ask. Dead silence was her answer. "I guess not. Thank you for your help and hospitality; I hope not to intrude in your peaceful town." With that, she bowed and left the podium, and the ponies dispersed and returned to their activities. Twilight approached Samus and congratulated her on her little speech. The unicorn then levitated a scroll containing a checklist with her magic.

"Well, that went a lot better than expected." Twilight checked an item on the list. "Now that the ponies of Ponyville know you, it's time for the next thing in our schedule: a tour around town!"

OXOXO

"This is Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack's farm." Twilight began "This is where all the apples and some other food products are harvested. It is Ponyville's main food source. You will find all kind of apple treats here. They makes apple pie, apple fritters, sweet apples, caramel apples, apple juice, apple cider, baked apples, apple jam..."

"I get it! You pony folks like apples. Let's move on." yelled an annoyed Samus.

"Ok, ok. Don't get so angry. Oh, hey! There comes Applejack!" And indeed, the cowgirl pony was heading their way. She was carrying two baskets.

"Howdy Twi, Samus! What brings ya to the farm?"

"Hello, Applejack. I was just taking Samus on a tour around town. Are you finished for the day?"

"Nah, ah just need to buck those trees over there and we're done!"

Applejack then proceeded to place the basket under the tree's branches, and with a powerful double kick from her hind legs, struck the tree. The force of the impact made the apples fall in the baskets, and yet the tree suffered no apparent damage. It was a strange method, but it was effective; not a single apple was left in the tree. Samus watched with mild awe as the orange pony worked her way with the rest of the trees; not a single apple fell outside the baskets.

"Whew! That's done. Jus' let me take these apples to the barn and ah'll give ya a tour of the farm."

"Here, let me help you." offered Samus. She picked a basket with her good arm and used her waist as support.

"Thanks, sugarcube."

The 2 strong girls carried the apples to the nearby barn, where they deposited them. After they were done, Applejack began the little tour. They headed for a hill, which was covered in apples trees for as far as the eye could see.

"These are the apple orchards. We of the Apple family take great pride in our apple growing business. We have been growing apples for as long as we can remember."

"Wow. That must be a lot of work." Samus's fascination only grew.

"Oh, it is. But we love to harvest apples! Ah got mah cutie mark thanks to them!" Applejack showed her flank. Samus raised her eyebrow at this statement.

"Cutie mark?" Samus questioned. Twilight was quick to give a little explanation.

"Yes. We ponies have marks in our flanks that show our special talent. Mine is magic, and Applejack's is growing apples." Samus then noticed that the marks she thought were tattoos. So those were their cutie marks, huh? "I'll teach you about them when we reach the library."

They continued their tour, Applejack showing them the barns, their house, the pigs' pen; until they arrived at the corn fields, where they spotted Big Mac pulling his plow.

"Hey there, Big Mac! You almost done?" greeted Applejack as she waved to her brother. Big Mac turned his attention to them.

"Eeyup." he said simply. He then noticed Samus and his expression went from calm and relaxed to apprehensive and tense. His mere gaze was enough to give the message 'What is she doing here? She may be dangerous'. Apparently, only Samus noticed his slight change.

"That's mah brother, Big Macintosh. We call him 'Big Mac'. He's the farm most hard-working member." introduced Applejack, oblivious to the tension between farmer and huntress. "And this is Samus. She was sent here by the princess to learn about us pony folk. She's a little hotheaded, but a nice girl."

As soon as the hat-wearing pony said this, Big Mac relaxed, and his calm demeanor returned. He bowed his head to Samus, as in acknowledging the introduction. Samus simply waved her hand. The red guy wasn't the biggest talker, that much was obvious, but he seemed nice. He must really trust his sister and the princess, Samus noted. The princess's words echoed in her head; trust really was the base of these ponies' relationships.

The tour concluded and they reached the Apple house, where the same old, green elder sat in her rocking chair. Unlike the red stallion's initial reaction, Granny Smith smiled warmly at Samus when she spotted her.

"And who's that? Another guest? That's nice... that's nice..." she fell asleep on her chair and began snoring.

"That's Granny Smith. She's the most loving pony you'll ever meet; and she's the best apple pie baker in the whole Equestria! But she ain't young no more. She likes to nap a lot." said Applejack as she and her visitors entered the house. "Care for some apple juice?" Samus accepted her offer and Applejack brought a carton with juice. She served them in glasses with straws, and all 3 girls began to drink.

"Oh, wow. This is really good!" Samus praised. When you travel in a spaceship for most of your life, fresh juice is not something you can enjoy every day; and this was just delicious!

"Ah'm glad ya like it!"

"Delicious as always, Applejack." Twilight began "I thank you for your hospitality, but I'm afraid we must go. There's still a lot to show to Samus."

"Sure thing, Twi. Ah'll see you two later."

Twilight and Samus left the farm and headed to town, directly to their next destination.

OXOXO

The next noticeable place in town was the Carousel Boutique, Twilight said, where ponies ordered dresses. Which was kind of stupid, Samus thought, since the only pieces of clothing she had seen on ponies were the armor of the guards, the princesses' crowns, and Applejack's hat. How did ponies wear dresses, anyway? They entered the boutique, and a little bell chimed when they did.

Samus's question was answered when they entered the shop. Looking around, Samus saw several pony-shaped mannequins (ponnequins?) with dresses on them. Some finished and quite pretty, other looked like they were works on progress. While Samus was never a big fashion enthusiast, she couldn't help but admire some of the designs. Little after they arrived, Rarity came from another room.

"Hello. Welcome to the Carou... Oh, Twilight! What a surprise! And Samus, too! Would you like a cup of tea?" Rarity was wearing her red glasses, which made her look a lot more like a true designer.

"I'm fine." Twilight answered "What about you, Samus?"

"I think I'll take your offer. Let's see what tea tastes like here."

"Very well, I shall bring your tea in a minute. Meanwhile, why don't you browse a little and tell me what you like. I may even make a dress for you, Samus! A real challenge." Rarity squealed "And you'll have to let me try something on that hair of yours. Don't take me wrong, but that's probably the dirtiest hair I've ever seen." the comment didn't bother Samus. Gunships weren't precisely known for having showers.

"You don't say. The closest I have to a shower is a sterilizing chamber." Samus commented. That comment, however, brought a look of horror to Rarity's face.

"NO SHOWERS? HOW CAN YOU LIVE LIKE THAT?" Rarity panicked. Then threw away her glasses and began pushing Samus out of her boutique.

"Where are you taking me?" asked a confused Samus.

"And dare you ask where? To the spa, of course! I know you are not a pony, but I'm sure they'll make an excellent job with you. Their baths are simply marvelous." Rarity said as she continued to push an unwilling Samus.

"Sorry, but I can't right now. I'm busy."

"Nonsense. You can never be too busy for a little washing up."

"Wait!" Twilight stopped the fashion pony in her tracks. "We still have a lot to do. Why don't you take her later?"

"Hmm... Well, tomorrow is my weekly meet up with Fluttershy... Fine, I'll let you go. BUT, you have to promise you'll come with us tomorrow. Both of you."

"I don't really think..."

"Promise it!"

"Fine. We'll go to the spa with you tomorrow."

"Oh, great! I'll tell Fluttershy tomorrow. Have a nice day, darlings." Rarity entered her shop, leaving Twilight and Samus to continue their tour.

When they began walking, a shadow began following them. With years of experience in combat and ambushes, Samus quickly span around, but saw nothing following them.

"Are you ok?" asked a confused Twilight.

"Yes. I just thought I saw something... And I didn't drink my tea."

OXOXO

Both students continued their way to Sugarcube Corner, the town's bakery. When they arrived, they were greeted by Pinkie Pie. The energetic pony invited them inside and offered some treats to her guests. Since Samus had nothing to eat for breakfast, she accepted the offer. Pinkie Pie brought a tray with a mountain of cookies. Samus waited for no one and began eating.

"These are good!" said Samus with a full mouth. She swallowed.

"Of course they are good! They're Pinkie Pie's Special Cookies. And I can make a lot more sweets, like cakes, pies, cookies, muffins, cupcakes, candy..." Pinkie Pie began rambling again. She got tuned out by Samus, who continued wolfing down her cookies. After a little while, the cookies were gone. Samus noticed Pinkie Pie grinning at her, which made her a little nervous.

"More?"

"Umm... No thanks."

"Okie dokie! I'm glad you liked them. Feel free to come for more if you want!" Pinkie Pie couldn't stop bouncing.

"Sure..."

"Please, come back later! No, seriously, you need to come at 7:00 pm this afternoon." Samus raised her eyebrow at the weird request. The look on the pink pony's face left no room for negative answers.

"I'll try to be here..." Samus backed away slowly. Twilight saw she had finished her cookies.

"Samus! We still need to finish the tour. Hurry up, we have to go!"

"On it." Samus ran to exit the bakery. Once Samus and Twilight were outside, Pinkie Pie peeked her head.

"7:00 pm., don't forget!" yelled Pinkie at the fleeing girls.

OXOXO

They were heading to the town's hospital. Samus needed to know where to seek medical attention, just in case. As they were walking, Samus couldn't help but express herself.

"Your pink friend is crazy." she said flatly. Twilight sighed.

"Yeah, she is. But you get used to her." she gave a little chuckle "Just wait until you hear about her 'Pinkie Sense'. Random parts of her body act up, like her tail twitching or her ear flopping, and stuff happens, like something falls on you or you find something. It's really weird."

Samus shrugged. "Not really. That kind of makes sense, what with your pony magic and all."

"Oh, Pinkie Pie is an earth pony; she doesn't have any magic." Samus's eye twitched a little.

"She can't use magic?"

"No. Why?"

"No reason." A chill traveled Samus's body.

They eventually reached the hospital, where Nurse Redheart greeted them. The medical pony gave them a tour of the hospital, showing Samus some of the equipment used. While explaining, the nurse grabbed Samu's injured arm to show the X-ray machine. This, of course, caused pain to the huntress; her arm was better, but not entirely healed yet.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry! I didn't know you arm was injured. Here, let me help you." using the same tool she was about to show, Nurse Redheart quickly found what was wrong with the human arm. "It looks like you have some minor fractures in your arm. It seems it has healed somewhat, but not completely. If you heal as fast as us, then it'll be fine in a few days. I suggest no pressure on it and plenty of rest."

"Yeah, I figured." Samus answered; she already knew all of this.

"I'm sorry, but that's my job as nurse: I check injuries, no matter how small. Come back in a few days, I'd like to see how that arm of yours fares. Oh, and I don't know if you can take painkillers..." Samus's eyes lit up; pain wasn't nice.

"Yes, I can."

"Then let me bring you some. I know how frustrating fractured bones can be." the nurse went to fetch some painkillers for the huntress.

When the nurse returned, she handed Samus the pills and continued the tour. Samus made a mental note to come check the equipment more profusely some other time; maybe even compare her equipment with the hospital's. The tour finished, and human and unicorn left the hospital.

Once outside, Samus stopped suddenly. Twilight turned to ask why, but Samus beat her to it.

"We are being followed." Twilight looked around, but saw no one else; they were alone.

"Are you sure?" the unicorn sounded uncertain.

"Yes. It's probably nothing; if their intention was to attack, they've had plenty of chances. I suggest we continue our way. If something hostile jumps out..." she patted her Paralyzer "...I'll deal with it." Twilight nodded her agreement, and both continued their way.

OXOXO

Behind the bushes at the entrance of the hospital, three little forms could be seen hiding from the human's searching eyes. They stood one on top of the other two, mimicking the bush's silhouette.

"Wow! She's good! We'll never get our ninja cutie marks with her around. It's like she can sense us or something!" complimented/complained an impressed Scootaloo.

"Yeah, and you making noise won't help us hide, either." Apple Bloom said.

"I still don't know why can't just go and ask her directly." Sweetie Belle complained.

"You know, I didn't really think of that." That said, the 3 fillies lost their balance and fell on each other. They grunted a little and rubbed their heads. "Hey, look! No tree sap!"

OXOXO

The rest of the tour consisted in visiting other shops and noticeable places in town. Their last stop was Ponyville's library, and Twilight's home. They were greeted by Spike, who was cleaning up Twilight's mess.

"At last! Do you even know how much of a mess you leave every time?" complained Spike. "Oh, you brought Samus!"

"Well, yeah. She is my new student, after all." Twilight beamed with pride. Samus gave an annoyed grunt. "Well, now that we're here, why don't we continue our talk on cutie marks?"

"Yeah, that actually piqued my interest."

"Good. As I said before, a cutie mark is something that is unique in each pony. It's what makes us special and differentiates us from the rest. A cutie mark will appear when a pony has discovered her or his special talent; and said mark will most likely resemble something related to the pony's special talent." Twilight was talking in a teacher-like voice. Samus actually found it interesting, if a bit silly. Twilight continued "As you saw before, 3 apples make Applejack's cutie mark, meaning her talent is related to apples. Mine is a star, or sparkle, which relates to my ability with magic. A flower cutie mark would mean the pony is adept at taking care of flowers, for example. I assume you humans have no such marks?"

"No, we don't. I have to admit having a cutie mark does seem very efficient. You seem proud of them."

"Yes, we are! Until now, there hasn't been a pony that openly dislikes her or his cutie mark. And obtaining it fills you with pride and accomplishment." Twilight had a nostalgic look, which was soon replaced with a serious one. "Spike! Could you bring some books on pony anatomy, please? Samus will need to read a lot of these books if she wants to do a good job learning about us. Now..." she turned to the huntress as the dragon made a salute and went to look for the books "...I'll fetch you some books I want you to read. They will be helpful in your studies."

"I don't think that'll be possible" said Samus, eying a tome in her hand.

"What do you mean?"

"I can't read your books."

"Excuse me?"

"I can't read your books." Samus repeated.

"You don't know how to read?" Twilight panicked. How was that even possible? Samus looked like such a promising student, too.

"I know how to read. But I can't read your books because they aren't written in any language I know. The only reason I can understand you is because of this translator." She pointed to the device in her ear. "But don't worry, give me a couple of days and that won't be a problem anymore. I'll be able to read as soon as my arm is healed."

"How so? You read with your arm?" asked Twilight. Samus grinned and answered with a vague response.

"Not exactly, but I am full of surprises. You'll see."

"Right. Well, in that case..." the unicorn was interrupted by a knock on her door. "Who could that be?" She went to open the door and invite her visitor in. She was surprised to see 3 little fillies waiting at her doorstep.

"Hi, Twilight!" the 3 said in unison. They all had a big grin in their faces.

"Hi, girls. What brings you here?"

"We're here to ask Samus a favor!" answered Sweetie Belle. The ponies entered and saw Samus. "Samus! Could you do us a favor?" Samus looked mildly surprised at their request.

"What kind of favor?"

"To let us take you and show you to our whole classroom! Tomorrow is show-and-tell day and we want to show them an alien!" Scootaloo answered. Her energy and excitement were very noticeable.

"Hey! That's a great idea! Since Samus can't read my books right now, she can go to school with you girls!" Twilight grinned at Samus, who responded with a death glare.

"Oh, hell no!"

"Oh, hay yes. I'm the teacher and you're the student. So, as the student, you will go to school tomorrow. It's part of your task. And since you can't read, you shall learn the same way these little fillies learn: by going to school." Twilight's tone left no room for arguing. Unable to counter that argument, Samus could do nothing but comply to her method.

"Fine, but be warned: I shall seek revenge."

"Revenge will be sought after you attend tomorrow's class at Ponyville's School." Twilight then giggled "Imagine all the things you will learn! I'm sure you will have a lot of fun."

"I'm out. I'll be in my ship if anyone needs me." Samus stormed out of the library, but was being followed by a cream-colored, red maned filly.

"But ya'll go with us tomorrow, right?" Samus turned to see the speaker, and found pleading puppy eyes in an adorably hopeful filly face.

"Yes, I will" She had already said 'yes'; those puppy eyes had nothing to do with her decision. Really.

"Great! Ah'll go get you tomorrow morning. Ya won't regret it!" the filly returned to the library. Samus gave a defeated sigh and returned to her ship. First the princess and now her student; what was with them and humiliating Samus? But they shall see. They will see.

OXOXO

As soon as Samus entered her ship, Adam made himself known.

"You have an appointment at 7:00 pm in Sugarcube Corner. I recommend you assist." Samus had a very surprised look on her face.

"How do you know that?"

"The pink pony, Pinkie Pie, took the trouble to come and inform me about it. She was eager to make sure you would attend."

"HOW DID SHE EVEN GET HERE?" Samus began yelling.

"I'm unable to answer."

"What?"

"There were no security breaches and no alarm went off. She simply materialized before my optical sensors and told me you have an appointment at 7:00 pm in 'Sugarcube Corner'. According to this planets time, it is 6:28:62 pm. I suggest you attend this event. I do not recommend angering the pink mare."

Samus opened the hatch and left, not saying anything. She made her way to the bakery; not once did her face changed from that 'what-the-hell-just-happened' expression. When she arrived, it was approximately 7 pm, she guessed. When she entered the room, everything was dark. Suddenly, the room lit up and a large group of ponies jumped from their various hiding places. There were the mares from before, the fillies, and whole lot of different ponies gathered.

"SURPRISE! WELC..." they all yelled in unison, being led by the crazy pink pony. The sound of glass breaking violently was heard before they could finish screaming their welcoming sentence. They all turned their attention to the broken window; through which Samus could be seen outside, aiming her weapon at the window, breathing heavily, and with a look of fright and surprise in her face.

"Perhaps it was too much of a surprise?" said Pinkie Pie with a sheepish smile.

A Day in Ponyville

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Disclaimer: Samus and Metroid elements belong to Nintendo. My Little Pony belongs to Hasbro/the Hub. I own nothing but the plot.

Chapter 5: A day in Ponyville

Samus Aran's Log, entry 015:

It is a little unnerving just how much these ponies trust complete strangers. I was invited to a party, welcoming me to their town. I was also forced to attend school. While it may seem like a humiliating experience, I am actually quite intrigued. Besides, what better way to learn about this world than in a school? Today's studies will observe a normal day in a pony's life. I can't help but wonder: How different are these ponies' lives than those of humans'?

OXOXO

Today was the day, Samus thought; she will go to school, along with who-knows-how-many foals. Samus scolded herself for feeling nervous; what was she, a little girl scared for her first day at school, full with strangers? Sadly, that was more or less the truth.

NO! She wasn't a helpless little girl. She was a strong and grown woman on a mission to gather intelligence and information regarding the lifestyle of this unknown planet. She was investigating and learning about other life forms, just like her Chozo caretakers and Jayden and his team would do. With newfound resolve, Samus exited her ship and waited for Apple Bloom's arrival.

Since she was going to the spa later today, Samus opted to remove her Zero Suit and wear 'normal clothes', consisting of an orange tank top and blue shorts. If she had to remove any clothing, might as well be something easy to remove; her Zero Suit could be a pain to take off. Not that she had a lot of clothes, bounty hunting didn't require it. Her hair kept the same style, though.

She was early, it seemed; the sun had just began rising. With a little free time before class, Samus checked her arm. It seemed fine; with a little pain only when she did certain movements. If she kept that recovery rate, she'd be completely healed by tomorrow, she calculated. Once her arm was checked, Samus proceeded to do some flexes and acrobatics. This place was peaceful, but she didn't really want to be out of shape if anything bad happened. And knowing her luck, something would, eventually.

But not today, she hoped. Apple Bloom arrived and saw Samus performing a backflip. Her eyes widened at the show, but more at seeing Samus missing some skin.

"What happened to you?" Apple Bloom sounded worried. Samus stopped her little training and turned to her.

"What do you mean?"

"You skin! It's different, and you're wearing clothes!" It took some seconds for Samus to understand what she meant.

"Oh, you mean my Zero Suit? That's not my skin, it's just a suit I wear when piloting my ship."

"So you don't have blue skin?"

"No."

"Oh... Okay, then. Let's go!"

And so they did. I wasn't long before they were joined by Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. The rest of the trip was spent by the fillies asking question, to which Samus would answer with 'Wait until class'. Before long, the school was in sight, and butterflies made themselves known in Samus's stomach. She gulped, but her resolution quickly returned.

"Well, we're here."

She followed the 3 fillies to just outside their classroom, where at least 9 different fillies and colts were seated. In front of the classroom was a large blackboard with what Samus could swear was an equation for quantum physics. The 3 fillies took their seats with their fellow students. Her attention quickly went to the older pony, the teacher. She was a fuchsia pony with a lighter purple mane, and her cutie mark consisted of 3 smiling flowers. When the teacher spotted Samus, a look of surprise found its way to her face, but left just as quickly, replaced by a happy one. She exited the classroom to speak with Samus.

"Miss Samus, was it? I'm glad you showed up. Today's class shall be very interesting. I'm Miss Cheerilee, and I am the teacher." she introduced. "I'm sorry, but we are out of chairs. Would you mind sitting on the floor?"

"No problem."

"Oh, thank goodness. I was told by Twilight Sparkle that you would be attending class for a few days. I can only say 'Welcome to Ponyville's Elementary School!'"

"Thank you."

"Now please, come on in. Class will begin shortly."

When they entered the room, all the little ponies stopped whatever they were doing and looked at Samus with a little fear. The dead silence reigned until Miss Cheerilee spoke to her class.

"Now, class, today is a very special day because Miss Samus here will be joining us. I expect you be in your best behavior." the class was still in silence, but the fear was gone, replaced by curiosity. Cheerilee continued "Since she is new, I'll allow her to tell us something about herself first, and then we shall proceed with class. Today is show-and-tell day, so I hope you all brought something to share!" She went to her desk and sat down, leaving Samus in front of the class.

"Uh... Hello, my name is Samus. I was given the assignment of studying the pony lifestyle by Celestia..." this caused some murmurs like 'she's important', and 'she didn't say princess'. Still, she carried on "I'm a human, a creature I don't think exists here. I was flying my spaceship when something malfunctioned and I crashed here." This time the students 'ooh'-ed. "So, yeah. Nice to meet you all." That said, Samus went to the corner of the classroom and leaned on the wall.

All the little foals began bombarding Samus with questions and more questions. But, before she could answer any of them (or give any kind of response), Miss Cheerilee silenced them to start the class.

The class today would consist on the different types of ponies. Cheerilee explained the different types of ponies there was. Pegasi, who were identifiable for their wings, could fly and control the clouds and the weather; and were the only ponies that could stand on clouds without the aid of spells or tools. Unicorns were able to use their magical horns to do magic that somehow related to their special talents and jobs. Most of them had developed telekinesis, so they rarely used their hooves or mouth to manipulate things. Earth ponies had neither wings nor magic, but they had more physical strength and endurance than their winged or horned counterparts. Also, they seemed to do a lot better at growing plants than either Pegasi or Unicorns for some reason; Cheerilee mentioned something about them being closer to the earth, hence the term. She also mentioned Alicorns, who shared all the previous' traits: they were bigger then most ponies, and had both horn and wings. They also had a lot more magic than the average Unicorn, and their wing were more powerful than the normal Pegasus. However, they were extremely rare; so far only three Alicorns were known, although Cheerilee said she was sure there were more.

The class then proceeded to the show-and-tell part. Most foals showed a toy or drawing they did, and explain why that made them happy, or how that was their family's pride. One of the fillies, Diamond Tiara or something, who was a lilac-and-white-maned, pink filly, showed off some gems, which her 'daddy' bought for her. Samus could quickly identify her as a 'daddy's girl' kind of filly. After all the little ones showed their stuff, it was the 3 fillies' turn. They didn't hesitate to grab and pull Samus to the front of the class again. Scootaloo was the first to speak.

"Behold the unique and mysterious human! We found her when her flying spaceship crashed on our fair land..."

"Actually, mah brother found 'er" interrupted Apple Bloom.

"Yeah, but we helped him carry her to the barn!" Samus rolled her eyes at the orange filly's story. "It was there that she woke up and tried to eat us! But Rainbow Dash was able to subdue her!"

"It was Fluttershy." this time Sweetie Belle interjected "And she didn't try to eat us."

"Yeah, but Rainbow Dash was there!"

"I suspect there's admiration for the rainbow egomaniac?" Samus asked the other crusaders. They nodded.

"Hey! She's not... whatever it is you said. She is the coolest pony ever!"

"Yeah, so cool I outmaneuvered her with a broken arm." Samus said in a cocky tone. All the class gasped. Scootaloo gasped harder, her idol's reputation was in danger.

"You did not!"

"Ask her. See what she tells you." Scootaloo hesitated for a bit, before shaking her head and continuing.

"Whatever! The point is the Cutie Mark Crusaders, that's us..." she said to Samus while pointing at Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and herself. "...befriended an alien monster from space!"

"..."

"It makes sense, doesn't it? That the blank flank outcasts befriend an alien outcast." said one of the fillies. Samus noted it was the rich brat, Diamond Tiara.

"Wow, and I thought Admiral Dane had a sharp mouth." began Samus, talking to the tiara-wearing filly. "You know, kid, you really shouldn't talk like that to strangers, much less sentient creatures you don't know. You never know when said creatures might want to eat you for making them mad." Samus said. She licked her lips, as if expecting a feast, and then gave the filly a feral grin, which made Diamond Tiara cower in fear.

"Now now, kids. Miss Samus is just joking; no need to alarm. But she's right, Diamond Tiara. It's not nice saying rude things to other ponies, or creatures... Apologize now." intervened Cheerilee.

"But, Miss Cheerilee!" whined the pink filly.

"No buts. Apologize to our guest. Now." her tone was firm.

"Yes Miss Cheerilee." Diamond Tiara turned to the huntress, but her tone was filled with spite "I'm sorry I was being rude. It won't happen again."

"Whatever..." Samus shrugged, and quickly dismissed Diamond Tiara. She was glared venom by the spoiled brat.

Soon after, the bell rang, indicating class was over, and everypony (and human) went outside. All foals went to play with their friends or toward their homes, and Samus went to a nearby tree and sat down to relax a bit. She was interrupted by the Cutie Mark Crusaders, more specifically, Scootaloo.

"What do you think you're doing? We're going to find Rainbow Dash and ask her if you really beat her."

"Can't you do it yourself?" Samus was visibly annoyed by the filly.

"Scared?" Scootaloo said with a taunting tone. It failed.

"Not really, just not in the mood." sighed Samus. She wasn't lying, she was a bit tired.

"Oh, come on! I want to see some action" Scootaloo said while making some boxing motions.

"Sorry." Samus rose and left "Maybe later, if I feel like it."

"Hey! Come back!" yelled Scootaloo, but her words fell on deaf ears; Samus was gone."I'll show you. Nopony ridicules Rainbow Dash."

OXOXO

Samus found herself relaxing in a big tub with hot water. She was accompanied by Rarity, Fluttershy, and Twilight, who had decided to join her in her spa treatment and hoping to have a 'girls talk' with her. Sadly, said 'talk' was very awkward because Samus wasn't the chatty type. The fact that Fluttershy was cowering behind her mane and whispering instead of talking didn't help. So far, the bath consisted on Rarity and Twilight asking Samus's life and getting vague, if somewhat satisfying, answers, and Fluttershy giving Samus curious glances at Samus's breasts and quickly turning away. Samus took notice of this, but had remained quiet. That is, until the 15th or 16th time.

"Is there something on my chest, or do you have something you want to ask?" Samus asked the shy mare. Fluttershy cowered behind her mane again, blushing. This little question brought Twilight's and Rarity's attention.

"Say..." began Twilight, as if reading Fluttershy's mind "...you are a girl, right?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Well, I was just wondering, are those your mammary glands? Why are they so big? Are you expecting or something?" Samus looked at her with a neutral expression, before answering her.

"No. That's just human anatomy." Her tone requested a change of topic.

"Oh, well, that's very interesting." began Rarity "But have you ever..." she was interrupted when Rainbow Dash entered the spa, ignoring the employees' protest. She seemed to be looking for something. When she spotted Samus, she flew right to her face.

"Hey! I heard you wanted to fight 'the Dash'. Well, here I am. You think you can beat me? Then you're up for... a..." began the rainbow pony, until she gave a better looks at her surroundings. "What are you doing in the spa? I thought you were a tough bounty hunter, not a sissy little princess!" she then proceeded fall to the ground and laugh. Samus sighed and leaned her head back and closed her eyes, intent on returning to her relaxation. Said relaxation didn't come when Rarity spoke again.

"Rainbow Dash! That's rude behavior. Why don't you join us instead? It feels wonderful, I tell you. I'm sure a nice, hot bath will do wonders on those tense muscles of yours." Rainbow Dash stopped laughing and looked at Rarity as if she had grown two heads.

"WHAT?! Me? In a lame spa bath? Sorry, got better things to do. Besides, I came to challenge Samus. I have a reputation to keep. My fans are eager to see me kick flank."

"Tough luck." said Samus without interrupting her relaxed posture.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm not in the mood to fight right now."

"Scared? Come on! Let's go at it! Right here, right now!"

Samus groaned loudly "Tomorrow. I'll let you prepare for tomorrow. I suggest you do, because I have no mercy in fights." Samus looked deep into Rainbow Dash's eyes, intimidating the mare a little. "Meet me in outside my ship at 8 a.m." she leaned her head back again "Feel free to bring an audience."

"We have a date, then. I'll look forward to it." Rainbow Dash recovered her enthusiasm and courage. "Just don't be sore loser." And she went away.

"Why are you two so intent on fighting? That's barbaric, if you ask me." complained Rarity. Twilight and Fluttershy showed their agreement by nodding. Samus simply gave a little smirk before answering.

"In my line of work you see many things. Each creature has a way of defending and attacking. To be honest, I'm curious to see what kind of fighter Rainbow Dash is."

"I understand your curiosity, but please don't underestimate Rainbow. She's a natural athlete, and probably the best flyer in Equestria. She even stood up to a dragon! She know how to handle herself." Twilight warned, seeing how confident Samus was on her abilities.

"Don't worry, I never underestimate my opponents."

OXOXO

The next morning, Samus was warming up outside her ship, waiting for her opponent to arrive. Yesterday's hot bath had worked wonders on her muscles; she couldn't remember the last time her body felt so relaxed, and her muscles were no longer tense. Her arm had completely healed by now, so she could equip her Power Suit any time she wanted. She decided against it, however, because this was a friendly match; besides, it had been ages since she last fought hand-to-hand combat (or hand-to-hoof, in this case), what with her enemies using plasma rifles and whatnot, and she kind of missed it.

Everything was calm around her; the skies were clear of clouds, a gentle breeze was blowing, and the grass rustled along with it. Samus took a deep breath and prepared for her upcoming fight. Not much later, ponies started coming. One by one, the Elements of Harmony and Cutie Mark Crusaders arrived, along with Big Mac, who looked calm and indifferent. They all took their place near Samus's ship, some eager, others not-so-much, to watch the match. The last to come was the challenger: Rainbow Dash.

The pony and the human stood across each other, silently evaluating their opponent. Finally, after some tense minutes, Rainbow Dash spoke.

"Let's see what a pirate hunter can do against Equestria's best flyer." Rainbow Dash had a confident grin on her face; she was sure this fight was hers. Samus, on the other hand, stood silently, waiting for her foe to make the first move; she first had to see what Rainbow Dash was capable of.

Pinkie Pie got between the two of them and started talking through a megaphone. "Fillies and gentlecolts, welcome to Ponyville's first, and probably only, friendly fight between two of its residents! Or is it one resident and one guest? Come to think of it, doesn't Rainbow live in Cloudsdale? Does that make it two guests? Hmm... Well, these two fighters will fight to determine who is the fightiest of fighty fighters! Medical attention will be given to any injury after the fight by our veterinarian Fluttershy." At this Fluttershy shrank a little. "Are the combatants ready? FIGHT!" Pinkie Pie gave a small jump while moving her foreleg in a chopping motion, then got away as quickly as possible, taking her spot between Applejack and Fluttershy and materializing a bag of popcorn.

The speed at which Rainbow Dash rushed to Samus was, to put it mildly, astonishing. Samus, used to dodging bullets, barely had time to jump to her side to avoid the powerful tackle; the pony was a lot faster than she appeared. With a quick roll, Samus was back on her feet, but again had to jump out of the way. Apparently, not only was Rainbow Dash fast as lightning, but extremely agile as well.

Rainbow Dash changed tactics some seconds after missing for the fourth time; she had to admit Samus's reflexes were even better than her own. Tackling wasn't working, so she instead opted for a double back kick. She dashed toward Samus, only to stop inches before her to turn around and attack; the change of attack would certainly catch Samus off guard.

It didn't. As soon as Rainbow turned to kick Samus, the huntress did a front somersault, going over Rainbow Dash, and punched her on the left side of her head. The punch stunned the pegasus long enough for Samus to land and quickly deliver a strong roundhouse to her side. The force threw Rainbow to the ground, but didn't knock her out. Samus attempted to stomp Rainbow, but she quickly jumped out of the way and up to the skies.

Rainbow Dash hovered out of Samus's reach, trying to determine the best course of action. And what else would that be if not to charge recklessly at the human? She dashed toward Samus at breakneck speed to punch (kick?) her with her forelegs, but the huntress was more agile than she seemed; she dodged her again. Another try was proven futile, as Samus not only dodged the attack, but threw herself back to the ground and kicked Rainbow Dash in the stomach. The kick knocked the air out of the pony, but she still managed to get to the air. So far, none of her attack had connected, and she had been hit more than twice!

Rainbow Dash was, Samus concluded, a lousy fighter. She had all the speed and power to pose a threat, but she was too reckless. Her attacks were easy to follow once she adjusted to her speed, and she also left herself open to counterattacks. When the flying mare dived for her again, Samus simply sidestepped and punched her in the gut hard. The blow messed Dash's coordination and she crashed to the ground. She attempted to get up, but Samus did a front somersault to perform a powered up axe kick, which Rainbow dash couldn't avoid.

Seeing her opponent down, Samus approached the fallen mare to deliver the final blow. She raised her fist and was about to bring it down when she felt a sharp pain in the top of her head. The pain was followed by a rock falling from Samus's head. She looked up to see what hit her, but she lost all focus and only managed to see a green blur, then she saw black and passed out.

OXOXO

With a groan, Samus opened her eyes. She was reclined on a tree, and she was surrounded by the ponies that helped her earlier. The first thing she saw was an apologetic-looking tortoise on her lap; it even offered her an apple (she refused). As she looked around, she saw the six mares that took care of her, the three fillies, the big red stallion, and the baby dragon.

"Oh, she's coming around! Thank goodness." Fluttershy seemed to taking care of her. Again. Rainbow Dash wasted no time to get in front of Samus to start explaining.

"I guess I need to apologize. Tank can get a little overprotective of me sometimes." she motioned to the tortoise; who, Samus noticed, had pilot goggles on his head and a propeller attached to his shell. The tortoise simply bowed his head slowly, as in to apologize again. "I wasn't expecting him to drop a rock on you. Heh, but that's why I love him so much!" Rainbow Dash grabbed Tank and cuddled him before realizing they were not alone. She quickly put him on the ground and continued talking. "Um, yeah... But whatever! You were the one that blacked out first, so that makes me the winner."

"Whoa, there, nelly. Wasn't it supposed to be one-on-one? You got lucky Tank came to your rescue." intervened Applejack. "Besides, you were getting your flank kicked all over." she added with a mocking grin.

"What!? No way! Besides, we never said we couldn't receive help." countered Rainbow Dash. She was obviously desperate to be called the winner.

"Yeah!" Scootaloo added.

"They're right." conceded Samus. "We never specified the rules. And it was my mistake; I should've been able to tell I was being attacked from above." She wasn't lying; if that would've been a real battle, she could be dead, all because she wasn't careful enough.

"That's the attitude of a veteran fighter. I have to say I'm impressed." said a new voice. Everypony, human, and dragon turned to see who was talking. It was none other than Iron Shield, one of the guards that escorted Samus to see the princess. "I saw the whole thing. Your reflexes are the best I've seen; not everypony can keep up with Rainbow Dash."

"What are you doing here?" Samus asked a bit rudely.

"Straight to the point, eh? I've been sent by the princess to watch over you. I'll be staying in Ponyville, if you ever need me"

"Watch over me, or make sure I don't hurt anyone?"

"Watch over you. I know how difficult it can be to adapt to a new lifestyle, especially to you, considering your circumstances. The princess just wants to make sure everything is fine, and to tell you that if you ever need help, I am here to assist you."

"Well, thank you. For now, I'll head back to my ship. There are repairs to be done." that said, Samus left to her ship. Soon after, everypony left to their respective homes.

OXOXO

Iron Shield entered a dark room. He was walking when a voice was heard. "So? How did it go? You do think she'll be useful to our cause?"

Iron Shield frowned. "I'm not sure. She's an excellent battler, but I can't confirm her usefulness. I need to see what else she's capable of. As far as I can see, Samus can't do magic, nor can she fly. She's strong, and her reflexes are the best I've seen, but I doubt that alone can be of help in our situation."

"Hmm... Perhaps more observation is required." the voice proposed.

"Yes. I suggest we keep an eye on her. Who knows, maybe she'll surprise us."

"Very well. You are dismissed, Lieutenant Iron Shield. Return to Ponyville and report to me if you see anything else."

"As you wish, your highness." Iron Shield kneeled before he exited the room. The voice was left talking alone.

"Samus... I believe you have a lot more to show us than what you let on."

The Power Suit

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Disclaimer: Samus and Metroid elements belong to Nintendo. My Little Pony belongs to Hasbro/the Hub. I own nothing but the plot.

A/N: Yeah, it turns out the correct name is Apple Bloom, not Applebloom. No big deal.

Chapter 6: The Power Suit

Samus Aran's Log, entry 016:

I fought one of the ponies. While it is clear their kind avoids conflict, I am under the impression that they know how to defend themselves. I also need to be on the look-out; I suspect something is amiss with Iron Shield's presence, something that somehow involves me. I have no reason to distrust him, but I can never be too careful.

OXOXO

Saturday, the best day of the week. There was no school to go to, and you could stay up as long as you want (without getting caught). It also meant getting up as late as you wanted. Not that Apple Bloom did; she was up early in the morning to help with farm chores. Today she had worked extra hard and extra fast, just so she could go and do what she had planned to do: invite Samus to an Apple Family-brand apple-based breakfast!

Apple Bloom had just finished her duties and was on her way to the crash site, where Samus was no doubt working on her ship. As she kept on walking, she could identify the transport/home of the alien huntress. She could hear the sound of tinkering coming from the back of the ship, so she decided to go investigate what it was. She was about to ask if Samus was there, but a big piece of machinery fell from the ship. It would've squashed Apple Bloom like a bug if it were not for the fact that she jumped out of the way on time. She looked up to see what happened, and she saw an orange metal monster destroying Samus's ship!

"Hey! Watch it, pal. You wouldn't like to face the owner of this ship if she saw you destroying her property." yelled the small filly at the offender, who apparently hadn't noticed her presence until then. It then jumped from its perch on the ship and landed in front of Apple Bloom.

The being seemed to be made of a orange, yellow, and red metal with one thin glowing green line along each of the legs and arms. The shoulders were large and rounded with three ridges along the top. It's lower right arm just after where the elbow ended, was longer and thicker than the left, and was a shade of greyish green. Instead of a hand though, the right arm ended in some kind cannon like shape. It's head was a red dome with a single green eye that seemed to glow, it also seemed to be missing a mouth, ears, and a nose. It had two tubes coming out from where its mouth was supposed to be that went to the back of its head.

The monster turned to see her. The filly could see her reflection on the monster's eye, which was intimidating. And then, it spoke. But instead of a deep and scary voice, it was a slightly echoed and distorted voice that resembled Samus's.

"Good morning. Sorry I didn't notice you, I was busy with repairs (at least that's what I tried to do). What brings you here?"

In a bright flash, all the metal and glass eyes disappeared, leaving behind a Zero-Suit-wearing female human.

"Samus?" asked the filly. She was surprised to see such a scary monster was actually her human friend. "I thought that monster was destroying your ship! I didn't know you could transform into a robot!"

"That was my Power Suit. I always wear it in my missions and exploration."

"Wow! That's amazing!" the filly beamed, then frowned in confusion "Why didn't you wear it when you fought Rainbow Dash?"

"I didn't want to hurt her too bad. The suit is extremely powerful."

"Well, it's good to know you know restraint. Anyway, Ah came to invite you for breakfast. Have you eaten yet?"

"No. I think I'll accept that offer."

"That's great! Follow me; the farm isn't too far away." The filly happily trotted on her way to the farm; it was easy to see she was excited. Samus just followed her with a small smile on her face.

OXOXO

*BURP*

"Sorry, but I haven't eaten that well since... I can't remember" said Samus as she patted her somewhat bloated belly. Anything that could be made with or from apples was served at the table. Samus had a feast like she never had; and who was she to reject such hospitality? "It was delicious. I thank you for your hospitality."

"Ah'm glad yah liked it, honey." said a proud Granny Smith, the main cook.

"No problem! An Apple never holds back at breakfast, so we expect the same from ahr guests!" Applejack responded.

"Ah told yah Granny Smith's cooking was the best!" added the energetic Apple Bloom.

"Eeyup."

"Thank you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go to Twilight's. Study and all that stuff." said Samus.

"No problem. Say 'hi' to the bookworm for me, will yah?"

"Sure thing." Samus lifted herself from the table. When she opened the door to leave, she spotted a giant three-headed black dog running toward Ponyville; it didn't look too happy. She returned inside and asked calmly. "Are giant three-headed dogs a normal sight here?"

"Uh, no. Wait! Three-headed dog? As in Cerberus? What in tarnation is he doing here? Come on, we hafta get to town!" without losing any more time, Applejack rushed past Samus. The huntress followed without hesitation.

"Stay here." Big Mac said to his youngest sister. "They got this."

"Aww. Ah wanna go too..."

OXOXO

Both Samus and Applejack ran to Povyville, where the giant beast was headed, as fast as they could. Samus noticed that for a town with a giant dog running loose, the villagers were not as panicky as she would expect; in fact, the seemed almost oblivious to the looming threat. Suddenly, Pinkie Pie materialized between Samus and Applejack.

"Oh hi! Did you come here to pet Cerberus? Too bad, he only lets Fluttershy pet him. Ooh! You should come see her; it's like watching a shy pony petting a monster. Oh, silly me, that's because it is a shy pony petting a monster. Anyways, you should come!" and disappeared just as fast as she appeared. Samus and Applejack looked at each other and shrugged, then proceeded to the town's square, where dog noises were coming from.

True to Pinkie's word, the scene was a bit bizarre to Samus, who wasn't overly familiar with Fluttershy's ways: the shy pegasus was rubbing the monstrous dog's belly while said dog wiggled its foot on the ground in delight. Twilight was nearby, but she didn't seem as relaxed as the other ponies; in fact, she looked quite distressed. Samus approached the lavender unicorn.

"I'm new here. Care to explain why there is a giant, three-headed dog acting like a happy puppy in the middle of town?"

"That's what I'm trying to find out! This is bad! Really bad! Cerberus is supposed to be guarding the Gates of Tartarus! Why is he here?" Twilight continued to walk in circles, trying to think. Samus decided to ask Fluttershy.

"Fluttershy, what's going on? Isn't the dog supposed to be guarding something?" Samus asked the yellow pegasus with an annoyed voice.

"Oh, um that's because..." she stopped to think a bit and then turned to Cerberus "Not that I mind, but, um, why are you here?" The pleasant expression on all three heads changes to that of anger. He stood up on all four legs and began to bark. Fluttershy hovered in front of the heads.

"Mhmm. Yes. Continue. Oh my!" Fluttershy turned to Twilight. "Cerberus says that two evil creature escaped Tartarus. He tracked one of them here." Upon realizing what that meant, all ponies within hearing distance panicked. Only Twilight, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack remained calm (as calm can be for Twilight).

"Oh no. This is terrible! What kind of creature escaped? We need a plan to prepare for an attack! I should probably call the princess. SPIKE!"

While Twilight planned a strategy, two skeletal talons slowly rose from Cerberus's shadow without anyone noticing. When they were positioned one beside each left and right head, the talons grabbed their respective head and forcefully slammed them with the center head. The triple headbutt was enough for the guardian dog to fall unconscious. Everyone turned their attention to the boney limbs coming from the shadow. Samus noticed the shadow was unnatural. Then, a big figure rose from that same shadow. As the mysterious body rose, the shadow shrank; it was logical to assume the creature was the shadow. When the shadow was no more, Samus saw that the creature floated in the air, as it apparently lacked legs. It was a tall being, covered with a dusty black robe and hood that hid its head, arms and torso, revealing only the long skeletal talons it had for hands. The robe that covered it ended in a smoky black cloud, as if was made of smoke.

Without a second to waste, orange, yellow and red armor covered Samus in a flash. Everypony who saw her stood catatonic. "Whoa, nelly..." That is, until the spectral being let out an ear-piercing screech. Twilight recovered her movements and began yelling orders.

"Pinkie Pie, I need you to go fetch Rarity and Rainbow Dash, and... Where is Fluttershy? Spike, you send a letter to the princess immediately, there's no time to lose. Applejack and Samus, you two distract it while I go to the library to find out about what that creature is." Twilight and Spike rushed toward the library, while Pinkie Pie galloped toward town. Samus and Applejack stood where they were, ready to fight. Or at least, that's what Applejack thought.

"Stand back." ordered Samus.

"What?! You think ah'll stand aside and let that monster destroy Ponyville?" replied Applejack, offended by the assumption.

"Yes. I have a lot of experience with big creatures. Now stand back."

"The nerve..." the hat-wearing pony got shoved aside by Samus, and noticed the creature had attempted to crush her with its massive talons.

"I told you to go. Help protect the villagers if thing get out of hand." Applejack simply nodded and left.

Samus distanced herself and activated her Scan Visor. It took a few seconds of dodging claws and swipes to scan the creature; and when it did, the results weren't too encouraging.

"Shadow Reaper: A creature able to merge with and transform into shadow. Life signs were unable to be read, but it seems to live on life energy it sucks from prey it finds worthy."

Upon reading the scan results, Samus charged her Arm Cannon, aimed, and fired. The shot connected, and the Reaper recoiled from the force of the shot, but seemed otherwise unharmed. Its attention, however, focused on the bounty hunter. It lunged toward Samus, swiping with its sharp skeletal talons. Samus saw this coming and dodged. She fired a few more shots, all ineffective.

While the hunter and specter fought, Applejack went around town to help ponies escape the violent confrontation. Her herding skill came in handy to round the ponies up and lead them to safety. Once she saw no more ponies in danger, Applejack rushed to the fight scene once again.

After dodging another swipe, Samus changed her Power Beam for the Wave Beam and shot twice. The creature tried to avoid the electrical projectiles, but it didn't count on their homing properties, receiving both shots on the chest. They seemed to do nothing, since the beast seemed unfazed by the Wave Beam. Samus opted for the Plasma Beam, so with a quick change in her Arm Cannon, she fired again. The creature saw this, and quickly rushed to the ground, where it became an unnatural shadow. The shadow moved erratically on the ground, trying to confuse Samus. It briefly worked; the huntress lost sight of it and saw no more shadows.

Instinct, however, took control over Samus, who jumped sideways just as a bony fist crashed where she had just been. She quickly spun around and aimed, but the Reaper was already going for the shadows again. This tactic gave Samus an idea: if the creature used shadows, light-based weaponry may be most effective against it. Needless to say, her cannon was set for the Light Beam.

The Shadow Reaper moved its shadow until it was below Samus's. She saw this and attempted to jump out of the way, but a talon grabbed her foot, keeping her in place. With the other talon, the shade dweller forcefully punched the hunter. The blow sent her flying onto a house, where she left an indentation on the wall. Shaking the cobwebs from her mind, Samus raised her vision in time to see and avoid an incoming fist.

Acting quickly, Samus got out of the way, aimed, and fired her Light Beam several times on the cloaked creature. The damage done was visible; the Reaper caught on white fire and thrashed about, trying to extinguish the light-based flames. After a while, the fire had consumed the cloak, and the creature was revealed: a big skeleton that resembled an anthropomorphic antelope, but it had two rows of sharp teeth and lacked the back legs. It also had spikes on it back, and black smoke came from its empty eye sockets.

The creature rose to the air, steaming with the afterburn of the beam. It gave a loud screech, obviously furious, and charged at Samus at high speed. She rolled to the side and fired at it again. The Reaper dodged and spun so fast it gave Samus no time to react at the backslap she received. The attack threw her to the ground; she was down, but not out.

The floating skeleton prepared to charge again, but was stopped when an apple hit it hard on the head. It turned to see its attacker and found an orange pony with a hat, ready to buck more apples from a pile. "Come get some, yah ugly vermin'." It roared and charged at the pony. This gave Samus enough time to charge her Light Beam.

The creature swiped at Applejack, but she barely managed to duck and avoid the sharp claws. She gulped when the creature slammed its fists on her apples, destroying her projectiles. The skeleton raised its arms to attack again, but Samus jumped and landed on its back. Before the creature could react, Samus unleashed the Sunburst at point-blank range. The damage caused was great; the creature fell to the ground while still burning white. It tried to rise, but a large blob of very dark purple energy forcefully slammed it back to the ground, from where it no longer moved.

"Zank you. I'll take it from here." said a male, echoed voice. Samus and Applejack turned to see another skeleton, except this one was that of an alicorn. He was tall as Celestia, with a long, boney horn, and he lacked any kind of flesh. He only had two small pink dots of magical energy serving as pupils in his otherwise empty eye sockets. He was wearing black pieces of armor on his chest, forelegs, wings, and a Roman helmet on his head, not unlike those of the Royal Guards. "I appreciate ze help. I'm Bonez, gatekeeper of Tartarus. Pleazure to make your acquaintance." Bonez bowed to the two blonde girls. Samus aimed her cannon at him, but she was paralyzed with the same dark purple energy that took the Shadow Reaper down.

"Relax, girl. I'm on your zide. A couple of beasts escaped Tartarus and I'm here to return zem, but you zeem to have everyzing under control. Zank you for doing my job. I vill zimply return zis pest back to Tartarus and be on my way." His magical grip on Samus began weakening, so he released her. "My,my, you are an interesting one. No wonder you attracted zis parasite; Shadow Reapers hunt for strong prey because zose are ze ones viz more energy to steal. Now, if you'll excuze me..." Bonez was interrupted when Twilight arrived with Spike on her back, as well as the rest of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony.

"What just happened here?!" yelled Twilight when she saw the scene before her.

"Ah! You must be ze Elements of Harmony! It'z an honor to officially meet you all. My name iz Bonez, Gatekeeper of Tartarus, and Cerberus's mazter; vich reminds me..." Bonez walked toward the unconscious form of Cerberus and began poking him with his horn. The Elemets just looked at each other, confused. "Wake up, you lazy bag of flesh. Ve ztill have a job to do." said pet rose up groggily, until all three heads saw Bonez, then Fluttershy. He immediately turned on its back and prompted Fluttershy to come near.

Fluttershy obliged with a smile and began rubbing his belly again. "Who's a good boy? Who's a good boy?" she said with her baby voice. Cerberus just relished the loving gesture.

"Vould you look at that. Big and scary Cerberus iz actually big softy. I have to zay I'm imprezzed, mizz. Azide from me and my brozer, nopony haz been able to tame Cerberus. I hope he vasn't a nuisance to your fair town." Bonez complimented the shy mare. She squeaked and hid behind her mane.

"Forgive her, she's shy. And what are you, anyway?" asked Rainbow Dash, eying the talking pony skeleton. Bonez was about to answer, but was interrupted by Twilight.

"Look! Princess Celestia is coming!" yelled Twilight. And indeed it was Princess Celestia who came flying and landed beside Twilight.

"Twilight, I came as soon as I got your letter. What happened here?" Princess Celestia watched the scene with anxiety, until she saw the pony skeleton. "Bonez?"

"A pleazure to zee you again, Celestia."

"Bonez! What a pleasant surprise! It's been ages! Trouble with the gates, I presume?"

"Literally ages. Ha ha. Yah, zomezing made ze creatures in Tartarus uneasy. And as you can see, a couple of zem escaped. Vorry not, zese ponies made my job already, and Skullz is tracking down ze ozer one."

"That's a relief. We can't have ancient evils running around." Celestia said with an unnerving calm. She turned to the Elements. "I would like you to meet Bonez."

"Already have! Ha ha. Vell, it's been a pleazure meeting you all, but zis troublemaker haz to go back to Tartarus." Bonez said pointing at the Shadow Reaper. "Farewell." Bonez lit his horn with dark energy and a black portal opened on the ground below the unmoving Reaper, swallowing it. Cerberus and Bonez stood on it and disappeared along with the monster.

After they disappeared and the portal closed, every one present stood silent. A few moments passed before the silence was broken.

"What was that all about?" Twilight asked.

"That was Bonez. He's an old friend of mine. It's his duty to guard Tartarus and capture any evil creature that escapes; though it is extremely rare for that to happen. He has a brother named Skullz that helps him with that job. Now..." she turned to Samus, who was still wearing her Power Suit. Everypony followed their gaze at the human. "I think I have to thank you for saving Ponyville from a dangerous creature. I'm also impressed, not everypony can survive an encounter with a Shadow Reaper, much less defeat it. Care to explain how you manage to defeat one of the most dangerous creatures in existence?"

"Who are you?" Rainbow Dash asked the armored warrior.

"Oh silly, that's Samus! " answered Pinkie Pie.

"WHAT?! Wasn't she supposed to be smaller and not metallic?"

"Well duh! She's just wearing a suit!"

"True." said Samus. She deactivated her Power Suit, revealing her human form. This calmed the nerves on all the present.

"Cool!" commented Rainbow Dash.

"I knew it was you. It seems you really are a veteran warrior." Princess Celestia said. "Is there any way to repay you for what you've done?"

"I want money." Samus answered. All ponies and dragon, with the exception of Celestia, gasped loudly. "What? As a bounty hunter, my services aren't free. They're quite expensive, actually."

"I see. Name your price and you shall be rewarded."

"Give me enough for a week worth of food and some other small luxuries. I'm still not familiar with this place's currency."

"A fine deal. You shall get your money before sundown."

"But Princess!" interjected Twilight.

"Hush now, Twilight. It's only fair. Besides, a few bits are nothing compared to the well-being of my subjects."

"Yes, princess. Sorry."

"Good. Now, Samus, I'll have Iron Shield deliver your payment this afternoon."

"Excellent. But I have a question. Not that I needed any more help, but where was he? Isn't he a guard, supposed to serve and protect?" Samus inquired. It was a valid question, the town folks were in danger and he was nowhere to be seen.

"He was called to Canterlot. There were urgent matters and he was needed there. Don't worry about him." answered the sun princess.

"Right." was Samus's only answer. She knew Celestia was hiding something, but prying with her subjects present would only cause trouble. She opted to let thing go their course; she needed more information before acting.

"Now, if there are no more matters to discuss, I'll take my leave. They need me in Canterlot." with that, the princess took off.

"Well, everything seems fine, so I'm out." said Rainbow Dash before dashing off to some cloud.

"And ah'm gonna fetch the townsfolk. Their homes are safe an' sound." Applejack exited the scene as well. So did Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity, leaving Samus with Twilight and Spike.

"Now that's everything's in order again, we can continue with our studies. Follow me." Twilight led Samus to the library. Samus sighed and followed.

"Wait for me!" Spike ran after them.

OXOXO

"I told you to read those books, not just give them a peek and throw them aside!" Twilight complained to the armored woman sitting in the library's reading table, which was full of books of all sorts. "And why are you still wearing that armor?"

Samus gave an audible sigh before answering; it was obvious she was annoyed. "I keep telling you that I did read them. And without the armor, I wouldn't be able to read at all; I need the suit's translator to do it. Maybe if you listened instead of reading the same book over and over again, you'd understand what I'm saying."

"I'm not reading it over and over! I just take my time to read."

"It's been four hours! Four hours and you haven't even finished half of it?!"

"Well sorry for not being able to read 4000 words per minute. Besides, this piece requires deep detail attention..."

"It's 4200 words per minute. And you said it was a sappy romance novel. How much 'deep detail attention' could that require?" Twilight blushed at the question.

"It has a deep and complex setting! And stop arguing; you're supposed to be reading about ponies!"

"And how do you expect me to do that if you KEEP ARGUING?!"

"I'm going out." informed a very annoyed Spike said with a very annoyed expression. He was completely ignored. "Girls: crazy on their own, crazier with company..." He exited the library, leaving behind the two arguing females.

"NOW SHUT UP AND CONTINUE READING!"

"I WILL WHEN YOU SHUT UP!"

OXOXO

A pink explosion boomed in a forest somewhere, leaving behind a cloud of smoke. The smoke slowly began dissipating, revealing the broken and battered form of a snow-white bird, with a curved sharp beak, four wings, and a long flowing tail; the bird would look regal, were it not for the fact that it was badly burnt. It was a Frostwing, a bird roughly the size of an average pony, whose feathers are made of ice. Tales say these evil birds would swoop down and snatch ponies, and proceed to freeze them with the chilly winds they produced with their frozen wings to eat them.

This particular Frostwing had just escaped the dreaded depths of Tartarus, but had the bad luck of encountering one of the most magical unicorns in Equestria. This unicorn was an azure coated mare, with platinum mane and tail, a horn, and a triumphant smile. Trixie stood nearby, panting, but a victorious grin plastered on her sweaty face. The dark forest gave her face a sinister expression.

"Hah! You have faced defeat. You were certainly powerful, but not powerful enough to hope to best Trixie. Trixie is yet to be defeated by the likes of you. Trixie would pity you, but it is clear you didn't come in friendly terms. Trixie hopes you have learned your lesson." boasted the showmare, garbed in a dark purple cloak on her back.

"I hope zo too. Zis bastard has been giving me trouble zince its escape." said a tall pony with horn and wings, or rather, the skeleton of a pony. "I zank you, ma'am, for your trouble and help."

Trixie turned to see who spoke, and yelped when she saw a living skeleton wearing dark red armor approaching her. It had small, green orbs of light for irises where its eyes should be. All in all, it was the armor-wearing skeleton of an alicorn. "W-who are you? What business do you have with Trixie?"

"Pleaze, forgive me for my rudenezz. My name iz Skullz, guardian of the Gates of Tartarus. Zurely you've heard of Tartarus?" inquired Skullz.

"Of course. Trixie likes to think she is well read." said the mare, eyeing the skeletal being.

"Zen you vill know zat Tartarus holds ze most dangerouz and evil creaturez in Equestria prisonerz. It iz vit no zmall amount of awe zat I tell you I'm imprezzed. Even I have difficulty keeping zome of zem under control, yet you battle a Frostwing and not only live to tell ze ztory, but end victorious in zaid battle. You have my respect, ma'am." Skullz bowed to Trixie. "Now, I have to take zis bastard back from vhere it came. I bid you farewell."

"Wait. You say this bird escaped. How, exactly, did that happen? Trixie feels a great amount of power coming from you, so she assumes you are a most powerful magician. How could somepony as powerful as you let a petty bird escape?"

"I humbly appreciate your complimentz, ma'am." Skullz bowed again "Yah. My brozer and I, az vell az our partner Cerberus, pride ourselvez in our abilitiez and zkills az guardianz, az vell az our vatchful eyez... zo to zpeak. Ze reazon zis bastard escaped vas becauze of a disturbance. A Shadow Reaper uzed zis opportunity to escape, and vhile busy with it, ze Frostwing also ezcaped."

"A Sh-shadow Reaper?!" panicked Trixie.

"Pleaze vorry not. My brozer is vith Cerberus hunting it down. Zey should be enough to return it to Tartarus. Just like I should vith zis one." he said, pointing at the unmoving Frostwing. "I shall take my leave. It vas nice talking to you. Farevell." And just like his brother, he summoned a black portal that took swallowed him and the fallen beast. Trixie was left alone when the portal closed.

"Trixie shall be on her way, then." she said to nopony in particular. She walked to where she left her saddlebags, from where she took out a map and read it. "That way." she continued her quest for the meteor.

OXOXO

"Your highness, I bring news." said Iron Shield as he galloped with hurry into a dark room. There was a hawk perched on his back. "There has been another incident. I'm afraid we can't stall for much longer; we must make our move soon!"

"I am well aware of that, Lieutenant." answered the voice. There was a brief silence, but it was broken by the voice again. "What about Samus, have you managed to gather any new information on her?"

"Yes, my lady. According to Looker..." the hawk cawed "...she was able to defeat a Shadow Reaper without much difficulty."

"A Shadow Reaper?! How did a Shadow Reaper get to Ponyville?"

"It appears it escaped when her ship crashed. But there is no need to worry about that. It has been returned to Tartarus. It was, after all, defeated by the hunter."

"That's good to hear. Another threat of that level is the least we need now." there was another brief silence "It appears Samus is a lot more powerful then she first let on. Do you happen to know how she managed to best the shadowy fiend?"

"Looker reports that she is able to summon some sort of magic armor. This armor has powerful weapons, which she used to overpower the fiend. He also said she has instincts and reflexes of the like we have never seen. She is very quick-minded, cunning, and clever. I also have the regret of informing she suspects something; she may be onto us soon."

"Hmm... I do think that was inevitable. She does seem to distrust everypony. Do you have any more news for me?"

"Yes, your majesty. I will return to Ponyville. Princess Celestia has ordered me to deliver a payment. It was requested by the hunter."

"Well, she's not shy. Thank you for your help, Lieutenant. You may leave. I shall call for you if I require your assistance."

"Yes, your highness. I shall take my leave." Iron Shield bowed again and left the room.

"You're proving to be quite the spectacle, Samus." the voice said to no one in particular. "I'm curious to see that armor in action."

The Use for a Bounty Hunter

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Disclaimer: Samus and Metroid elements belong to Nintendo. My Little Pony belongs to Hasbro/the Hub. I own nothing but the plot (as in story).

Chapter 7: The use for a bounty hunter

Samus Aran's Log, entry 017:

Studies are coming along nicely. Twilight may not be too agreeable, but her knowledge is undeniable. She reminds me of the Chozo, always looking for things to learn about. I hope things continue to go well.

OXOXO

Samus rose from her chair and deactivated her suit. She stretched and flexed a bit, popping her bones back in place (or at least that's what she felt). The study session had been long. Very long. She arrived at midday; it was now dark outside. Samus thanked Twilight and left for her ship. The trip back was uneventful, so she made it in little time.

Once Samus reached her destination, she realized she wasn't as tired as she thought. She climbed on top of her ship, where she lied down on her back and began gazing at the stars. Her mind came to one of Twilight's books. 'Starswirl the Bearded'... That was a funny name.

Her thoughts went from books to society. Samus knew little about ancient human history, but what she did know could be reflected on pony society. Some customs and traditions were simply ponyfied versions of their human counterparts. Hearts and Hooves Day replaced St. Valentine's Day, Hearth Warming's Eve could be called ponies' Christmas; and Nightmare Night was Halloween with ponies.

Nightmare Night.

Nightmare Night made Samus think of Luna. She was a nice mare, someone she could identify herself with; at least somewhat from her little interaction with her. She also thought how she was imprisoned and why. What she read about Nightmare Moon did seem a bit farfetched. But then again, she read it; it means the information on the book was from a panicked or probably misinformed commoner. Samus decided she would ask Luna for her part of the story if she ever saw her again.

She guessed they really were alike, now that she thought about it; they both had their inner (or outer) demons. Dark Samus was one of the few enemies that actually filled Samus with dread; and while it could be considered another being, Samus knew it was born from her own suit and DNA. To fight yourself, your corrupted self... It was horrible. More so for Luna, Samus thought, because Luna and Nightmare Moon were one and the same. She couldn't imagine the struggle she must've fought.

"You seem to really enjoy the stars." Samus turned to see Luna flying toward her. Speak of the devil. "May I join you?"

"Sure." Samus shrugged. She actually kind of wanted to see Luna.

The moon princess landed beside Samus and sat down. There was brief moment of silence, the two looking up to the stars. Luna spoke first. "I heard you saved Ponyville from a Shadow Reaper. I imagine it was a difficult battle?"

"I've faced worse." said Samus while looking at the stars.

"I imagine you've had a difficult life." Luna didn't look at Samus either.

Samus shrugged, then turned to face Luna "What about you? Turning to Nightmare Moon, being banished, trying to adapt again... "

"How do you know this?"

"Twilight. She made me read."

"Oh... Right."

After another moment of silence, Samus decided to ask. "How do you do it?"

Luna sighed and closed her eyes; she knew what Samus meant. "One step at a time. I remember everything being Nightmare Moon, all the horrible things I did. But, you need to forgive yourself before you expect to be forgiven by anypony else. It wasn't easy; guilt made the ordeal even harder. It was thanks to Celestia that I eventually forgave myself. After that, I just tried to come to terms that things had changed, that the way to treat our subjects changed. Equestria was very different a thousand years ago, but I see it changed for the better."

"That's good to hear, I guess."

"Thank you." Luna said gratefully, before her tone changed to apologetic. "By the way, I have to apologize."

Samus raised her eyebrow. "What for?"

"Spying on you. Iron Shield has kept his watchful eye on you under my orders." Luna seemed genuinely ashamed. Samus showed no emotion at all.

"I understand. Why trust a complete stranger, right?" Luna gave a little giggle at her response.

"That's not it. Celestia said she trusted you, and so do I. The reason we were spying on you was to see if you could help us. We... need your assistance."

"Hmm?"

"We have a... mission, if you will. Details will be given in Canterlot, if you choose to accept. Do you?"

Samus considered her response for a few seconds before answering. "Yes. Just don't forget my payment."

"Oh, thank you so much." Luna said happily. She then turned to gaze at the stars again, and so did Samus. Silence reigned yet again.

Luna glanced at Samus briefly, and her smile disappeared when she saw the solemn expression on Samus's face. She considered something to say to cheer her up but ultimately failed, so she decided to ask what was on her mind. "Do you miss your home?"

Samus was a bit taken aback by the question, but she quickly composed herself. "We are sitting on my home." she answered somberly.

"Oh..."

"I'm going to sleep. Good night." without giving a chance for a response, Samus leapt from her perch to the ground and entered her ship; Luna was left alone. Feeling sorry for the hunter, the moon princess returned home.

Home...

OXOXO

Samus woke up early. She wasted no time in equipping her Power Suit and exited the ship. She ordered Adam to inform any visitor that she was going to Canterlot for a mission on the princesses' request. Once outside, she began running, and before long she activated her Speed Booster.

Not fully confident in her knowledge of the geography of the lands, she followed the train tracks. It took her a while, but she eventually neared the capital city. Wanting to avoid the city, Samus reached Canterlot Castle via the city outskirts once the city was on sight.

She was greeted by Iron Shield at the gates. "Samus, I presume. That armor makes you look menacing." He turned and motioned for her to follow. They entered the castle. "I was expecting you to arrive later. Did you not sleep?" Samus didn't answer. "Right... This way please. The princesses weren't expecting you until later, so they don't have the counseling room ready yet." They kept walking through the castle. "I'll go and inform the princesses of your arrival."

"That won't be necessary, Lieutenant." said Princess Celestia, who just entered the hall they were walking on. "Please come, my sister and I are ready to discuss your mission. You should also come, Lieutenant." Iron Shield bowed, and he and Samus followed the princess.

They arrived at the counseling room. The room was brightly lit and it had a big round table, two big cushions for the princesses, and several small chairs surrounding the table. One of the cushions was occupied by Luna, and Celestia quickly took the other one. Sitting on the chair around the table were Shining Armor and Spearhead, who looked unimpressed at the armored woman. Samus and Iron Shield also took a seat to begin the meeting.

"You already know Captain Shining Armor and Lieutenants Iron Shield and Spearhead, I presume. And you met my sister already, if I'm not mistaken" Celestia began, her tone was businesslike. Samus nodded. "We have asked you to come because we have a problem in our hooves. A problem you seem more than qualified to help solve."

"If I may, your majesty, I still don't see why we need her help. My guards and I are more than ready to move out." said Shining Armor with a hint of discomfort in his voice. Spearhead nodded in approval.

"Need I remind you of our last attempt, captain? Your guards simply aren't trained for this kind of situation. Miss Aran, on the other hoof, appears to be more experienced for this mission. And if Iron Shield's report is anything to go by, she will prove to be a valuable asset to your team."

"I... I understand, your highness. I'm sorry for the interruption." Shining Armor bowed.

"Good. Now Samus, since you're here you'll receive your promised payment after your complete this request. Needless to say, it will include your reward for both this mission and your fight in Ponyville." Celestia stopped to look at Samus. Seeing no response, she continued. "There have been numerous pony disappearances; we believe they have been abducted. While we lack any real proof, we suspect it is the Changeling's doing. You will be part of a five-member squad, commanded by Lieutenant Spearhead, and your mission is to bring these ponies back to Canterlot safely if possible. In case you confirm their..." Celestia looked hesitant "...deaths, you will inform me. You will be given a list of the missing ponies. Do you accept this mission?"

Celestia looked expectantly at Samus, who simply nodded her head.

"You shall leave tomorrow before sunrise." Luna spoke this time. "You will be given information regarding changelings and what you may expect. Remember, though, that this is all speculation; we have not confirmed the involvement of changelings, but there have been sightings of them. Your squad will investigate the Everfree Forest. We have sent other teams to search in other places, but we've had nothing so far. I warn you, the Everfree Forest is a very dangerous place."

"Please don't worry about us, princess. We have taken the more than the required precautions." said Spearhead. He looked a bit nervous, but had a strong and brave front.

"I'm sure you have, Lieutenant, but I can't help but worry." She turned to Samus again. "Now, follow me please, Samus. You need to meet your other teammates." Luna rose from her seat. Before exiting the room, she turned to Celestia. "You have done enough, sister. I'll take care of the rest." She exited and Samus followed.

They walked outside, toward the training grounds, where Samus noticed several guards doing some exercises. The guards stopped what they were doing and bowed to the princess, and she responded with a nod; Samus paid them no heed. They kept walking until they reached a small arena. Some guards were fighting there, probably training. When they noticed Luna, they immediately bowed.

"Greetings, royal guards. I have come here to ask you to inform miss Samus here about our current problems. I also need you to start knowing each other, because tomorrow some of you will be accompanying her on her mission." Luna spoke out loud. All guards present responded with a 'Yes, your majesty' and a bow. "Good. I'll leave her in your hooves." Luna left, leaving Samus with the guards.

One of the guards that were fighting approached her, and in a cocky tone, said "We will be going on an important mission tomorrow, so we don't want you slowing us down. Do you have what it takes?"

Samus looked around and spotted a large rock. She shot a missile and blew it to smithereens. Then she looked back at the guard, who was left flabbergasted. "Just make sure you don't slow me down."

The guards began gathering around Samus when they saw her display of power, but before long, a voice caught their attention. "All right, stallions, the gal has power, get over it." Spearhead approached the group of guards and human. He had a saddlebag on his back. "Here. These are the pictures of the missing ponies, as well as all the data we have on changelings." he took some papers from the saddlebag and gave them to Samus. "I suggest you give a look to those. I also suggest you acquaint yourself with the ponies that will accompany us on our mission. Those would be those three over there." He pointed toward another arena, where three armored stallions stood on hold. "They will come with us to the forest. Don't be too cocky or stupid, and they won't have a problem with you. That will be all. We'll arrive at your ship tomorrow at 0600 hours and depart to the forest from there. Be ready."

Samus watched Spearhead leave the grounds and decided to meet the ponies he talked about. As she walked toward the arena, the rest of the guards resumed their training. When she got there, the three armored guards saluted her.

"I've been told you will be my teammates." Samus said flatly.

"Yes, ma'am. Hope to be of service." said one of them, a light gray earth pony. "I am Land Scout".

"Boomer" said the same-colored unicorn.

"Cloud Zapper" the white pegasus introduced himself.

"Samus." said the hunter. "See you tomorrow."

She turned to leave, but was stopped by Cloud Zapper. "That's it? 'I'm Samus. Bye'?"

"I need to prepare. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yes ma'am..." sarcastically replied the pegasus.

The stallions saluted and trotted away. Samus watched them go while she walked toward the exit. She began scanning the papers Spearhead gave her as she walked. True to his word, the pictures and names of 16 different ponies were on the document, which Samus noticed half were male and half were female. There was also the information regarding the changelings. They could adapt the form of whatever they saw, feed on love, and look like a cross between insect and pony. It was suspected they could inherit the abilities of the form they took, albeit it wasn't confirmed.

Samus kept walking. She decided to return to her ship and see what could be of help; or make some more repairs if nothing else. As she walked, she began wondering how working with the pony guards would be. Would they be good? Bad? Useless? Worthy partners? She would see tomorrow.

Yes, this was definitely an interesting mission.

OXOXO

Some repairs were made yesterday at the afternoon; a few more tweaks here and there and her ship will be able to fly, but as long as the fission reactor was still damaged, the ship wouldn't have enough power to fly past the atmosphere. Still, she would be able to travel between Ponyville and Canterlot soon.

But that was for later. Now, she had a mission to complete. Double checking that missiles and ammo were at full capacity, and that she had all of her prepared equipment on her, Samus deactivated her suit and exited her ship. She did some flexes while she waited for the guards that would become her teammates in this mission. Again, she asked for Adam to inform any visitors of her absence.

Over the distance, Samus could see a flying chariot being pulled by armored pegasi. The chariot was carrying other stallions, which Samus assumed were her teammates. Once it landed, the four stallions got off, each carrying a wooden chest. The pegasi left with the chariot when their passengers were safely on land. However, Samus noticed these ponies were of a different color than the ones she met yesterday; only Spearhead was familiar. The earth pony was dust-colored with darker mane and a compass with a red arrow pointing northeast for a cutie mark, the unicorn had a dark brown coat with dark gray mane and an explosion cutie mark, and the pegasus was an electric yellow with blue mane and his cutie was a thundercloud.

Spearhead approached Samus and introduced the guards. "Greetings, Samus. Good to see you ready. As we told you yesterday, these stallions will be part of our team. This guy is Land Scout, this is Boomer, and this is Cloud Zapper." He pointed to each stallion, and each responded with a salute.

"Mind telling me why they are colored differently?" asked Samus, pointing at the unarmored stallions.

"The royal armor changes a guard's fur color for either white or light gray for the Celestial Guard, or a dark gray for the Lunar Guard. Higher ranking guards are given special armor that keeps the original color." explained Spearhead.

"I don't see the point to that." Samus replied. "It seems stupid."

"Meh. The only ones that see the point are the princesses themselves. Now enough chitchat; these guys are the ones you met earlier, so let's get ready and get going already. We shall introduce ourselves more thoroughly on the way." responded an eager-sounding Spearhead as he placed his chest on the floor. His subordinate did the same with theirs.

They all opened their chest, which were full with miscellaneous gear and tools. The Lieutenant pony took out his armor and clad himself in it; he also took out a pair of spears, which he fastened on his back. Land Scout took out a helmet with binoculars and a saddlebag with papers, books and some other things in them, as well as a small dagger. Boomer just grabbed a heavy-looking metal vest and put it on; the vest had two compartments containing something. Finally, Cloud Zapper took a lighter armor (it wasn't the royal armor) and his own spear, as well as a bag filled with provisions. Samus simply activated her Power Suit.

Once they were all ready, Spearhead commanded his team to follow him. The team began their trek to the haunted forest, determination on their faces, to complete their mission.

On the way to the forest, Spearhead began speaking. True to his word, he talked about himself. "Time to know each other better. I'll begin, if you don't mind. With the exception of Land Scout, you may not know me very well. I am the Royal Guard Lieutenant in charge of the earth pony faction. My cutie mark is that of two crossed spears, meaning I am quite skilled at handling spears and other weapons. That talent, along with being a decent strategist, earned me my rank as lieutenant. In this expedition, I will be serving as the group's leader. I will also contribute with my ability to fight and plan." He turned to Land Scout. "Your turn."

"Yes." began Land Scout "I am an explorer. I'm actually one of the guys that helped graph a fairly decent map of the Everfree Forest. I love to explore and record my findings; that's how I got my cutie mark, actually. I'm proud of my speed and agility. During one of the expeditions, I helped in chasing away a manticore that attacked us. The leader of the team recommended me to the Royal Guard, so I accepted and here I am. In today's mission, I will be serving as a scout and gather intelligence and warn of possible dangers for the team; I will be in front of the group and guide it through the forest. I also carry useful information about the forest and some of the creatures that lurk in it. I also volunteered to this mission because I want to learn more about the forest; I will record any findings."

"I think it's my turn." said Boomer "I am a demolition pony. I love explosives! It was thanks to the 'booms' that I got my cutie mark. I also love to make fireworks in my free time. Sadly, there isn't a lot that needs to be destroyed in Equestria, so that means I had much free time. I decided to join the Royal Guard to see if my talents could be useful. There is not much on the 'boom' department, but I'm happy serving the princess. My role in this mission is to eliminate any and all obstacles obstructing our way. I am also in charge of setting traps when we camp, monsters are said to be more active at night. Finally, I will provide first aid to any injury we may suffer; I'm no doctor, but I'll make sure you last until we see one."

"I am Cloud Zapper." the pegasus introduced himself "I used to be part of the weather crew in Canterlot, but opted to abandon it and become a Royal Guard when I heard of Princess Luna's return. It took some time, but I finally managed to get accepted. I work in the day guard, but I really aim to become a night guard. They say it's a lot harder to become a night guard, but that's what I want. I got nothing against Princess Celestia, but the princess I want to serve is Luna; that's my dream. I chose to accept this mission because they say the Everfree Forest is always dark, and I think I could use the practice for night guarding. Speaking of which, I will be assisting in this mission by providing an air watch, I'll keep the group under vigilance and warn of any threat that comes near. It is also my duty to carry the equipment and provisions. I provide support in combat with my spear; I'm not as good as the lieutenant, but I can hold my own. And that's about it. What about you Samus?"

"I am a bounty hunter; I hunt down people with a bounty on their head. My job is delivering that person, dead or alive, to my employer. I receive my payment after the job is done. I am also hired to do certain jobs. After some... issues with my last employers, I had to run. In one of my escapades, I crashed here. My role, according to Lieutenant Spearhead's information, is to provide heavy firepower and try to keep all of you safe. If something attacks, I kill it."

"That sound about right." Spearhead spoke "We're here."

Before the guards and human stood the entrance to the most dangerous forest known to ponykind: The Everfree Forest. With a nervous gulp from each equine, the group pressed forward and entered the woods.

As they were entering the haunted forest, Samus couldn't resist asking "What's so scary about this forest, anyway? I keep hearing bits, but nothing really makes sense."

"That's exactly it." answered Boomer with a creepy voice "Nopony knows what may lurk in it. They also say that the plants grow on their own, animals care of themselves, and clouds move without pony intervention."

Samus had to resist the urge to facepalm.

OXOXO

Once inside the haunted woods, Samus had at least admitted the forest was spooky. While she wasn't scared, she did notice it was incredibly dark. The sun burned brightly in the sky, and yet it appeared to be nighttime inside the forest.

A few hours had passed since the group ventured into the dark woods. Nothing too noteworthy had happened; just a couple of attacks from Timberwolves, which were unsurprisingly flammable, and a giant spider of sorts. Samus's efficiency in getting rid of monsters greatly raised the spirit of the team; they no longer seem nervous.

Soon, the group came to a stop to rest to grab a bite. Cloud Zapper picked various fruits from the saddlebag he was carrying and gave one to each member. Samus refused, saying she didn't need to eat when in her suit.

During the break, Land Scout decided to go and explore a bit. Leaving the group behind, he went to see what else he could find. A few minutes later, Land Scout returned with fear in his face and almost all color drained from him.

"Guys, I think you may want to take a look at this." He barely said. The group quickly packed and followed the terrified stallion into another clearing. He just pointed at what was in front of them. "Please tell me that's not what I think it is."

The sight was shocking, even for Samus. Before them stood a skull, a skull the size of a building. The dead remains of a gigantic bear were in front of them, and they could do nothing but look awed at it. It was easily over 200 feet long, and a big stalactite could be seen protruding from the dead creature's skull.

"An Ursa Major." Spearhead whispered to himself. "What could possibly kill an Ursa Major?!"

Samus, quickly recovering from the mild shock, scanned the body. It seemed it had been dead for a while now. Someone or something killed this giant by forcefully slamming the massive stalactite into its head. Zooming on the distance with her visor, Samus spotted a cave, most likely the Ursa's home.

After reporting her scans and theory to Spearhead, the group decided to go investigate the cave. Without any real leads, it was as good a place as any to start looking for the missing ponies. When they reached the cave, the first thing they noticed was a discarded water tower lying near the entrance. The rust on it indicated it had been there for a while. Looking around, they found the base of the broken stalactite on the ceiling. It appeared that it didn't fall naturally, further contributing to Samus's theory on the Ursa's demise.

Other than that, the cave was empty. Seeing they would find no more clues, the group left. Once outside, they noticed night was coming. Deciding on camping by the cave, Cloud Zapper and Land Scout began setting up camp, while Boomer went to set the traps in case of nocturnal monster attacks. Spearhead and Samus began discussing the route they would take in the morning, trying to narrow down the possible locations for the missing ponies.

"There's a lake south from here." said Spearhead while looking at the map. "If we search near the lake, we may have greater chances of finding something. If changelings are hiding in this forest, they will need a water source, so they'll most likely be near the lake. That is, of course, if there are any changelings."

As they continued their plan, Boomer returned with big grin on his face. "Hey, fellas, look what I found! Zap apples!" In his telekinetic grip were several rainbow-colored apples. "I heard these things were very rare. I never had one before."

Finishing setting up camp, they all shared the colorful fruits; even Samus took off her helmet to try them. They were nothing special, save for the electrical tingling left on her mouth after she took a bite. The rest of her squad seemed to agree with her.

After everyone had dinner, Samus volunteered to watch over for the night. Again, her suit made sleep unnecessary. They required no effort in accepting her offer. Soon, every pony was asleep. Samus took this time read some of Land Scout's books; not without keeping an eye on her teammates.

The hours passed as Samus flipped the pages. Nothing really noteworthy could be found in the books; mostly information regarding the 'unusual phenomenons' of the forest. Things Samus already knew, having dealt with countless forest environments during her adventures.

Eventually, morning came and the sun began peeking from the horizon, not that it was overly visible in the forest. The guards began waking up, and soon they were up and ready. After neutralizing the traps and eating breakfast, they continued their trek.

Not long after they resumed their travels, the group heard a faint clucking sound. As they kept walking, the sound got louder and louder, until they could point its origin in a nearby bush. Ever the eager one, Cloud Zapper approached the bush to investigate. Land Scout's expression, however, instantly went from confused to fearful, and before he could warn his teammate of the danger, Cloud Zapper looked through the bush. In it was a chicken, a chicken with the tail of a snake. As he looked at the strange creature in the eyes, he felt unable to move. Cloud Zapper's teammates could only watch in horror as all armor, fur and skin in him was replaced by stone. Instead of a brave pegasus, there stood a statue of said pegasus.

Samus wasted no time in blowing the cockatrice's head with a plasma shot. Once she confirmed its death, she turned to Land Scout, clearly shaken by what she just witnessed.

"What the hell was that?!"

"That was a cockatrice. It turns you to stone if you look at it in the eyes."

"Just by looking at it? Now I understand your fear for this place. Is it reversible?"

"Only a cockatrice can reverse their petrifying power. Even if you hadn't blown up its head, there really wasn't any way we could force it to undo it, so don't feel bad."

"So what now?" Boomer asked the leader.

Spearhead looked conflicted for a moment, before his head turned away from the pony statue. "We leave him. We still have a mission to complete. Once we do that, we will return for him and take him to the castle; hopefully the princesses can do something. I also heard there was a zebra living in the forest with some experience with this sort of thing. She should be near Ponyville, I think. Boomer, place a tracking spell so we can return later." Once Boomer was done with the spell, Spearhead resumed his trek and the others followed; regret was evident in his face.

Hours later, they arrived at the lake. Before they would show themselves in the clearing near the lake, Land Scout was sent to scout the area. The others waited for his report, which came half an hour later. Just as Spearhead predicted, there was a group of four changelings camping on the other side of the lake.

"At last! At last we find some clues!" Spearhead exclaimed "Here's the plan: Land Scout and I will attack from the front, while they are distracted, Boomer and Samus will provide firepower from their back. Once we overwhelm them, we will capture and interroga-" he was cut off as a green flaming object rammed into him. Both slid on the ground a few feet, before they rose.

"Horseapples! They must've followed me here!" Samus heard Land Scout curse loudly.

Samus was about to shoot the offending attacker, but froze once she saw two Spearheads glaring at each other. She didn't even begin thinking when three more projectiles attempted to strike her. Samus avoided them on pure reflex, but noticed there were now two Boomers, two Land Scouts, and another Samus. The fake Samus, however, lacked the complete armor of the Power Suit, and was left instead with what resembled the Fusion Suit (a blue-and-yellow, less bulky version of the Power Suit) without the arm cannon and helmet, leaving the head and the right arm uncovered. The failed copy only had chance to look at itself in panic before three green shots exploded on it. Samus watch as the Battlehammer brought an end to the faker, flaring a flash of green flame before revealing its real shape. A few more shots from the heavy-duty weaponry left a now dead changeling lying on the floor of the forest.

Turning to the other pairs, she noticed each fighting their own copy. Samus switched her combat visor to the X-ray visor, but it proved futile; the changeling's disguises were perfect. She tried with her other visors, but none could notice the difference between changeling and pony.

This revelation made two things clear: changelings could morph into perfect copies of their targets, unless said targets were mechanical or robotic in nature; the fake Samus could only transform into her human body and the biological parts of the suit, but the other copies were able to mimic equipment worn by her teammates. Also, the changelings fought with the same style as the original ponies, so it was safe to assume they also mimicked abilities and skills.

Sadly, this information proved useless at trying to distinguish friend from foe. Samus struggled to find a way to help the guards without risking for friendly fire. Finally, she opted to immobilize both parties. She switched from the Battlehammer to the Ice Beam and began charging. A couple of seconds later, Samus fired the Ice Spreader at the nearest pair: the Land Scouts.

As the shot reached the ground, a thick layer of ice began spreading through the ground, catching pony and copy to stop their fight as their legs froze. Both looked in terror at their legs for a moment, but only one turned fear into realization. That Land Scout turned to Samus and gave her a knowing smile. This was all the confirmation she needed, though, so she charged a plasma shot and fired at the panicking stallion. The shot went right through him, killing him and reverting its body back to a changeling's.

Samus was about to help Spearhead when she saw their leader impale his clone with one of his spears. The defeated stallion groaned in pain, flashed green, and turned into the mimicking creature it was. All that was left was to help Boomer, and that was what they were about to do before the remaining changeling notice it was alone. The faux unicorn threw a smokescreen spell and morphed back into his bug-pony form and flew away.

Samus quickly inserted something in her arm cannon and took aim. A few seconds later she cursed and removed the object, opting to switch to the Imperialist as her weapon grew longer with red linings on it. While Samus preferred direct combat, she was a fairly decent sniper. She zoomed her combat visor and once again took aim. After a few tense moments, the guards watched as a red laser was fired from the huntress's arm, leaving a trail of light; the laser continued its trajectory until it hit the fleeing enemy. Ponies and human saw the black dot in the distance fall to its death.

The commotion finished, Samus activated the suit's plasma welder and thawed Land Scout from his icy bindings. Spearhead, instead, turned his attention to the injured changeling. Any attempt to question it, however, became useless, for the changeling died a little after Land Scout was freed. Spearhead cursed then retrieved his spear from the black body.

"Looks like we're back to square one. Any ideas?" asked a not-hopeful Spearhead to his team.

"Keep looking." answered Samus. Land Scout and Boomer nodded in agreement.

"Of course..." And so the squad continued their trek through the Everfree. They searched around the lake to see if they could spot any more clues, but so far their search was fruitless.

Sundown was nearing, so they decided to set up camp. With their provisions turned to stone thanks to a certain chicken-snake hybrid, Spearhead joined Land Scout in looking for something to eat while Samus and Boomer set camp. Not long after, the earth ponies returned with some berries and leaves. The lake provided enough water for all, so they drank and filled their respective canteen.

After a short but tasty meal, the ponies were about to turn in when they heard a scream. The voice was somewhat deep and a bit raspy, and it was increasing in volume. Whatever it was, it was approaching the camp fast. Spearhead and Samus stood on guard, not sure what to expect. After several second of tension, a panicked changeling came rushing out from some bushes.

"RUN! Run for your lives!" It yelled in panic as soon as it saw the guards and the human.

The changeling kept running, until Spearhead threw one of his spears. The spear soared until it embedded itself in the ground just in front of the fleeing changeling. The surprise made it yelp and stop, at least long enough to allow Spearhead to pounce on it. Spearhead succeeded in trapping the bug pony under his front hooves, but before he could demand anything the changeling yelled at him.

"What are you doing?! Run, you fool!" The changeling looked with panic at the spot it came from. Spearhead was about to ask what was going on, when at least three roars were heard from the place the changeling was glancing at. From the same bushes came three manticores, all looking for the black shape shifter. This was enough to let Spearhead forget about the changeling and spring to action.

Samus was already charging her Arm Cannon and taking aim. As soon as the charge was complete, she let loose a barrage of missiles at the winged lions' direction. The missiles all struck home, but did little more than singe and stun the beasts. Spearhead provided some support when a spear pierced one manticore's shoulder. A glowing red sphere, coming from Boomer's horn, struck another manticore, producing an explosion a bit stronger than the missiles. Now each manticore was focused on one member of the search squad. Land Scout took Boomer's side in fighting the beast.

The first to attack was Spearhead. Grabbing his other spear, he began slashing at the beast's face and front paws. While not dealing too much damage, it succeeded in keeping creature at the defensive. Every now and then, the guard pony would strike the spear already latched in the defender's shoulder, evoking a roar of pain. The strategy was working well, until the manticore struck Spearhead with its tail. Taking advantage of the pause in attacks, the manticore snapped the spear in its shoulder, and took the point out with its paw. Free from the weapon, the manticore switched from defending to attacking; Spearhead barely avoided a set of claws aim at his head. Avoiding a vertical swing of the paw, Spearhead stabbed the creature in the front paw and bucked it the face. Recovering quickly, the manticore bit Spearhead in the shoulder. Fortunately, his armor absorbed most of the damage. With a headbutt, the royal guard freed himself from the creature's maw, and continued his fight with the winged lion.

Samus was faring a lot better; she kept the beast at bay with power shots. Once at a safe distance, Samus fired an ice missile. The projectile struck and froze the manticore's back legs. Switching to the Ice Beam, Samus kept firing until her opponent was completely frozen. Once that was done, she fired one Super Missile at it; the blast was strong enough to shatter the frozen statue, effectively killing the creature.

Boomer, on the other hand, was hard pressed trying to avoid the destructive paw swing aimed at him. Since he wasn't very fast, he was being hit quite a few times; only his metal vest kept him from being killed. Avoiding the attacks also meant he couldn't concentrate on any spells, rendering his magic virtually useless. Land Scout could only do so much with a dagger the beast didn't even seem to feel. They were about to give up when another manticore appeared and began fighting with their opponent. Boomer dumbly watched the two manticores fight each other for a moment, before recovering his focus and charged his magic into his horn. Red energy coursed from the base of the horn to the tip, where it began growing a sphere. Finally, one of the manticores struck the other with an uppercut, sending it flying backwards. The moment the losing winged lion hit the ground, it flashed with green fire for half a second before revealing the same changeling, battered and covered in wounds. Boomer took noticed and fired at the remaining manticore. The blast was powerful enough to send it flying several yards in the air.

Watching Spearhead struggling with his opponent, Samus switched back to the Power Beam and charged her weapon again. Running toward the fighting pair, she leapt at the manticore. Grabbing the beast's neck, she brought it down to the ground with her momentum and placed her cannon inside the manticore's maw. Releasing the shot she was charging inside the beast was enough to end the fight permanently.

Once the group was free from attacking monsters, they turned their attention to the changeling that had just saved Boomer and Land Scout from death. They noticed it was missing half its left wing, and that it was wearing a silver necklace with an aquamarine gemstone. As it was about to stand up, Spearhead pushed it back to the ground.

"Who are you? And what were you doing in this forest?" asked the lieutenant at the changeling. The changeling struggled a bit before answering.

"You can call me Darkly. I was following some changelings. I got separated from the swarm sometime back. I was going alone, but I sensed some changelings nearby, so I went looking for them. I wanted to return to the swarm with them, maybe they know where the queen is; sadly, I lost them before I could reach them, and I can't sense them anymore." Darkly's tone was becoming more and more sad the more he talked. Spearhead's expression, however, never varied from stern.

"We were attacked by changeling earlier today. We had no choice but to eliminate them." said Spearhead with a mostly neutral tone, with just a bit of regret and condolence.

"Oh... I'm sorry to hear that." The changeling's tone went from sad to disappoint. "I was looking for them because I was going back to the swarm. There's something I need to discuss with the queen."

"You know where the changeling swarm is?" Spearhead asked a little too eagerly.

"Um... I think so, yes." was Darkly's shy reply.

"You will take us there. As from now on, you are under arrest in the name of Celestia and Luna. I recommend a complying behavior, else we will use force on you." recited Spearhead. He looked at the changeling with an angry expression.

"I don't want trouble, but I'm afraid I can't take you to the swarm. They-" he was cut short with a shot from Samus's cannon on his back leg. Though it hurt, it didn't really do any real damage. "Ow! What was that for? And what the hay are you, anyway?" He asked angrily at Samus.

"Sorry, I thought you were resisting arrest. I'm a human." The armored huntress answered without any emotion in her voice. "Would you happen to know anything about pony disappearances?"

"No. Not that I'm aware of." Responded an annoyed Darkly.

"Why did you save us?" This time Boomer asked. "You could've escaped, but you went and risked your neck to save us. Why?"

"Well... I saw you losing the fight, and I couldn't just stand there and do nothing about it. I was taught to always help those that need it."

Samus looked at him from behind her visor, a plan formulating in her mind. "Good enough for me. Spearhead, unbind him." Samus ordered Spearhead. The pony leader didn't move.

"Are you serious? I didn't take you for a joker, Samus." responded the pony leader with annoyance in his voice.

"I'm serious. Let him go. He is of no use to us if you keep him restrained. Besides, he said he couldn't guide us to the changeling swarm." With a leer, Spearhead complied. Samus returned her attention to the changeling prisoner. "Go on. Return to your hive. Just inform us if you learn anything about the disappearances, ok?" Darkly nodded.

As the changeling turned to leave, Spearhead called out "Wait! I didn't say he could go. He's coming with us to Canterlot." But before he could stop Darkly, Samus stepped in front of him and blocked his path with an outstretched arm. "Move!"

"It's all right. Trust me." Samus tried to calm her leader. The changeling looked unsure, so he stopped moving.

"I. Said. MOVE!" Spearhead would have none of it; they finally had a lead, and he wasn't going to let it go. "I'm warning you."

After some tense seconds, Samus complied. "As you wish." The huntress stepped aside and allowed Spearhead to approach the changeling. Boomer and Land Scout looked at each other in confusion before turning back to their leader. Spearhead motioned for Boomer to chain their prisoner. Reluctantly, the unicorn obeyed.

"Sorry, got to follow orders." said Boomer as he procured a pair of hoofcuffs from his vest's compartment. The changeling didn't resist being chained, but it was evident he wasn't enjoying it. Once the restraints were placed, Boomer took a step back. "Done."

"Good." replied Spearhead "We will camp here. I want Land Scout to guard this time. Make sure nothing surprises us and that out black friend doesn't escape." Land Scout saluted in understanding.

"I told you I'll comply; I don't want any trouble." Darkly was ignored.

"I need to talk to you." Spearhead told Samus "In private." Spearhead looked at his two pony subordinates before motioning to the huntress to follow. He and Samus got away from the camp, leaving Land Scout and Boomer to take care of Darkly.

"So, uh... nice necklace." commented an awkward-feeling Land Scout, seeing the necklace on Darkly's neck.

"Thanks. It was a gift." the moment was too awkward for both ponies and changeling "Nice, uh... helmet..."

OXOXO

Meanwhile, in Ponyville.

"Arrgghh! The nerve of that woman. Here I am, trying my best to provide a comprehensible amount of learning material and she just flees at the first chance. Does she have no concern about me, her teacher? Was I too hard on her?" Twilight ranted while pacing in circles inside her library. Spike busied himself cleaning and dusting the bookshelves.

"Well, Adam said she was on a mission in Canterlot. Something about the princesses?" Spike dared to explain Samus's absence.

"But why didn't she notify me first? Was it too hard to leave a note saying when she would come back? Arrgghh! The nerve of that woman!" Not only was Samus late for her lessons, she didn't even come! The nerve! Deciding to calm herself a little, Twilight went to the kitchen to prepare some tea.

"Maybe it was urgent? Give her a break, Twilight; it's not like she'll never come back. Besides, she did better than you expected; she even reads faster than you!"

"Shush! Thanks to her absence, I have to reschedule my schedule to schedule my schedules! You know how off-schedule she made my schedules?" Twilight yelled from the kitchen. After a few minutes, she emerged from the kitchen carrying her steaming cup of tea. She took a sip and visibly relaxed. "Anyways, now that we know she's not coming, we have some free time. Anything interesting happened?"

"Dunno." said Spike. He gave Twilight a newspaper and continued his cleaning duties. "I'm not too fond of reading, so you check."

Twilight levitated the paper to eye level and began reading. "Looks like the mysterious 'Silvermane' saved another town. It says here she saved Marelin from some teen dragon vandals." She continued reading. "Let's see... A storm almost got out of control in Manehattan, but was ultimately stopped. Stalliongrad is holding a skating tournament. Oh! 'Dexter strikes again: Weeping Mare stolen from Canterlot Museum'. Looks like Dexter stole yet another painting. It says here that she stole 'The Weeping Mare', but returned the ancient vase she stole last time. That's the ninth time she steals something and returns what she stole before, always with the drawing of a heart with glasses. Kind of weird, if you ask me."

"I don't get it. Why steal something if she's going to return it later anyway, and with a free drawing to boot?"

"I don't know. Maybe she just gets bored with the stuff she steals? Or she just wants to annoy stuck-up ponies; she always goes for 'important art'. Who knows? There sure are a lot of interesting ponies out there."

"Whatever. I'm done, so I'm going to bed. Good night." said the baby dragon as he climbed the stairs.

"Good night, Spike." said Twilight as she gave her tea another sip and continued reading. Then something in the paper caught her eye and she giggled "'Orange robot spotted in Ponyville. Is the end near?' I wonder how Samus is doing..."

OXOXO

"Explain. You must have a reason for wanting to free the changeling," said Spearhead. "...because from what I can see, you're not the trusting type."

"I placed a tracker in his leg. I want him to go to his hive without him looking over his back. He must think no one is following him so he doesn't mislead me." Spearhead just raised an eyebrow "Look, I have technology. Tracking spells, from what I can understand, can be found and undone. I don't think the same can be said for technology."

"So you expect us to invade their hive when they least expect it."

"I was actually going to say I will infiltrate their hive. I have more than enough firepower to deal with an army. Also, I won't take partners; none of my visors could differentiate pony from changeling. If I go alone, I won't have to worry about friendly fire."

Spearhead looked like he considered, but ultimately rejected the idea. "I think it's too risky. Sorry, but I can't allow it."

"That may be our only chance." Samus pressed. It didn't work.

"I know, but I won't lose another pony subordinate." Spearhead looked like he failed. And in his eyes, he did. "We'll take the changeling to the princesses and they'll get some information from him." He looked at Samus with fierce determination in his face.

"Fine." Samus conceded. "Whatever the leader says."

"Good to hear you understand. Now let's go back to camp." Both guard and bounty hunter walked back to their camp, where two more guards and a changeling awaited them. "We're back!"

"...and said it matches my eyes. I just don't get pony fashion." Darkly chatted with the two guards. He seemed pretty friendly for a tied prisoner.

"I get you. I still don't know how mares have such a critical eye. I mean, what's the difference between salmon and peach color?" commented Boomer. He was about to continue his talk when he noticed his companions' return. He stood up and saluted his leader.

"At ease." Spearhead commanded. "Tomorrow we will return to Canterlot and present our findings to the princesses. Now rest up." He turned to Land Scout. "Forget watch tonight. Samus will take care of it again." Land Scout only saluted and turned to lie down. Shortly after, Spearhead and Boomer joined him.

That left Samus in charge of the changeling. She watched the changeling trying to get comfortable in his bindings until he succeeded. She took a moment to scan the prisoner; and just as she expected, the scan provided some tips and facts. It turns out they can mimic clothes and accessories, but nothing too complex. They retain the abilities of their target, albeit on a lower level. This reminded her of when the pirates tried to copy her beams. They were weaker, but were still quite powerful. The fact that changelings could fool all her visors was a bit discouraging though.

Spearhead's plan wasn't actually bad, but she was doubtful of Darkly's usefulness in this mission if he was brought to Celestia and Luna. If he guided them to the swarm, however, they were more likely to find the missing ponies, given they were taken by the changelings. Samus waited until all her companions were asleep before she proceeded with her plan. She approached the sleeping Darkly, careful not to wake the ponies, and shook him awake. The changeling awoke with a low groan; Samus wasted no time in signaling for silence. She looked back to her teammates and found them still sleeping. Good.

Her arm cannon produced four small, short metal rods that sparked a small flame. Before Darkly could make any noise in his sudden panic, Samus told him it was okay. Using her plasma welder, Samus cut the hoofcuffs binding Darkly, and freed him. "Go. Now! Return to your swarm, I'll cover for you." Samus said in a low whisper.

"Why are you doing this?" asked a grateful, but confused, Darkly. "You are disobeying your orders!"

"True, but I won't keep you from your family. Besides, you are of no use if you stay with us" Technically not a lie.

"Thank you! I'll let you know if I find something about the ponies you seek." He seemed honest enough, though it was hard to tell. "Again, thank you so much!"

Samus watched as the changeling ran away, heading for his family. A quick check made sure the tracker was in place and working. She would give Darkly a couple of days to reach his destination before resuming her mission. She looked back at the sleeping Spearhead; it was going to be a pain explaining what she just did.

Then again, there's a reason she was a bounty hunter: the law was no obstacle in her missions; she was given an objective and a price, everything else were just minor details.

OXOXO

Samus Aran's Log, entry 018:

Not a week in this planet and I already have a mission: Find and rescue missing ponies. An interesting species has piqued my interest. They are named 'changelings', and as their names suggests they are shape-shifters; their morphing abilities are able to fool all my visors. While I consider their shape-shifting to be less impressive than Gandrayda's, they make up for it with the ability to use magic and fly. I think I will start studying these creatures as well, given the opportunity.

OXOXO

Samus watched, only with little amusement, how Spearhead woke up and went through several emotions in a few seconds when he saw their changeling prisoner missing. He decided to settle with intense anger and direct it toward Samus. "WHERE, IN CELESTIA'S NAME, IS THAT CHANGELING?!" His outburst immediately woke up Land Scout and Boomer, who looked around before glaring at Samus like Spearhead.

"I let him go. He's on his way to the swarm." was Samus's simple reply. She noticed Spearhead tense in order to attack, so she did the same.

Her surprise came from the ground beneath her. It briefly glowed red, giving way and firmly trapping her legs. She tried to raise her arm cannon, but found it glowing the same red as the ground and Boomer's horn. "Got her!" was the unicorn's only inform.

Spearhead nodded in confirmation and turned to the human again. "What possessed you to go against my orders? That was our only lead." He said with a misleadingly calm voice. "Your defiance may have cost us the lives of several ponies." He then tilted his head forward a little while raising an eyebrow, signaling for Samus to explain.

"My hirers were Luna and Celestia, not you. I will complete my mission on my terms. If you have a problem with that, then talk to the princesses." Samus intoned defiantly.

Boomer seemed to struggle to keep his binding magic on the huntress's weapon. Samus noticed her energy levels, which were not full due to some minor damage received earlier, were slowly rising. "She's draining my magic!" accused Boomer. This brought a spear and a dagger close to her helmet's visor.

"It's not me." she quickly defended.

"Yes it is. I can feel it." Boomer pressed.

"I'm not doing it on purpose. Stop using magic on me."

"Nice try." said Spearhead "You're not going anywhere until you answer some questions."

"Then Boomer will continue getting drained." countered Samus. Her response once again angered the pony leader. "I said I can't control it. It may be one of my suit's functions; I don't know." This piece of news actually surprised Samus. Further investigation would be required.

Spearhead just regarded her for a few moments before he turned to Boomer and motioned to Samus with his head. Boomer nodded in understanding and freed Samus from her bindings. His horn, however, didn't stop glowing, and by the time Samus noticed this something round, flat and bright red was attached to her back. "Done."

"Good." said Spearhead. He turned to Samus again. "I won't be taking any more chances with you. You are more trouble than you are worth, so I decided to put a little restrain on you. I really don't like doing this, but leave me no other viable choice. That thing on your back is a powerful explosive; cause any more trouble and, as Boomer likes to say, you go 'boom'. We are going back to Canterlot to inform the princesses. Pray they see things in your favor, because if not, well..." he left the sentence hanging.

Land Scout took out a map and traced the shortest route to Canterlot. "The route is set, sir. If everything goes smoothly, we should be able to pick up Cloud Zapper and return to Canterlot by tomorrow morning." informed the scout.

"The bomb is set. If I don't reset the magic timer every now and then, it'll explode. The same goes for voluntary detonation. And before you get any ideas, that's a controlled explosion; its range is just your back, so don't think of taking us with you if it explodes." Boomer said referring to the explosive attached on Samus's back.

"Excellent. I hope miss Samus is ready because we leave now." Spearhead ordered and the group followed. "Onward to Cloud Zapper, then Canterlot Castle."

That bomb may present a problem for Samus, for now she needed Boomer alive and conscious, lest she wanted to figure out just how powerful that explosive was.

Not that her suit couldn't take it. Probably.

Still, it would be in everyone's interest for her to follow orders for a little while longer. Considering the circumstances, she wasn't really concerned; she has been in tighter situations.

The Changeling Queen

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Disclaimer: Samus and Metroid elements belong to Nintendo. My Little Pony belongs to Hasbro/the Hub. I own nothing but the plot (as in story).
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Chapter 8: The Changeling Queen

Samus was walking. Samus was walking while tuning out a voice. Samus was walking while tuning out a voice belonging to an extremely annoying lieutenant ranting about strategy and plans. Samus lost interest rather quickly, thus the reason the voice was tuned out. Had the pony guard not repeated the same idea for the Nth time, Samus would probably still be paying attention to said pony guard.

But alas, such was not the case.

On the bright side, nothing that could hinder progress happened. They were even faster than expected, picking up Cloud Zapper's statue (which Samus was ordered to carry) and reaching Canterlot Castle around midnight. Samus had to give it to Land Scout, the guy was good with maps and routes. It was extremely rare for Samus to have things actually go better than expected. Of course, it'd be nice if Samus didn't have a bomb ready to explode on her back, but she'd take what she got.

Samus and the guards arrived at the throne room. Being a little past midnight, they were greeted by Princess Luna. The Night Princess sat on the throne while Celestia was nowhere in sight; probably sleeping. Upon seeing the bomb in Samus's back and a statue resembling Cloud Zapper, Luna's welcoming smile turned into a frown. "What happened?"

"Your majesty, Samus has sabotaged our expedition and Cloud Zapper got turned into stone." Spearhead responded with a neutrality and force expected from any military agent. "And a shocking discovery was made: Samus is a magic leech."

"That's news to me too." interrupted Samus. "I'm planning to do a little investigation about this."

Luna had mixed feelings with this revelation. Before she could decide on anything, however, she would need to hear both sides of the story first. With a long, tired sigh, she began talking."I would like it if both were to tell me the event of what has transpired the last couple of days. Keep in mind, Samus, that we do not tolerate treason, so choose your words very carefully. Now, if you please, lieutenant." she finished motioning for Spearhead to talk.

"*ahem* Of course, your majesty." Spearhead began "We were doing fine in our trek, until we got attacked by a cockatrice. As you can see, Cloud Zapper fell victim to its gaze. Afterwards, we were attacked by a group of changelings, though they were taken care of. That night, when we were preparing camp, we found another changeling. This changeling, however, turned out to be compliant and avoided trouble. The plan was to bring it here and let you interrogate it for further information about our missing ponies. But as you may have already guessed, Samus went against my orders and freed the changeling. We also discovered she has the ability to drain magic, although according to Boomer, it is when in contact with it and only in small amounts. We have brought her here so you could deal with her."

Luna regarded the earth pony for a while, before nodding her understanding. "I see. Let us hear Samus's version of the story before we make our decision." She then turned to Samus with a glance both disappointed and curious.

Taking Luna's glance as her cue to talk, Samus began. "The reason I'm a bounty hunter and not part of the military is because I have more freedom. They hire us is because some issues can't be solved 'legally'. My mission was to find and rescue the missing ponies or inform you of their deaths. I'll do whatever it takes to complete my mission, even going against your guard's orders."

"But freeing the changeling was a step back, not forward, in your objective." interrupted Luna. "Mind explaining that?"

"Of course." Samus sighed "I placed a tracker in the changeling. Right now, he must heading toward the hive, where your ponies are most like being held. By letting him go, I made him show us its location. I'll monitor his movement for a few days, and when I determine their position I'll intrude on the hive and free the ponies."

"Hmm..." Luna seemed to consider this option. "It looks like a good plan. But why wait a few days? The sooner we end this operation the better."

"It's a common tactic to send squadrons away from the base of operations to misguide spies. The changelings we encountered in the Everfree were probably there to cause a diversion and focus attention in the forest, not the hive's location. By having an accurate position, I can launch an attack without them expecting me."

"But what about the ponies?" asked Spearhead this time "What you suggest is to leave them in their grasp. That's too dangerous to even consider!"

"From what you've told me, they went missing several days ago and not a single message was sent from the changelings requesting anything in exchange." Samus countered "By my experience, your ponies are either dead, or the changelings need them for something, meaning they won't kill them. Either way, a few days won't change a thing for them, but will give me enough time to pinpoint their location, plan a sneak attack and rescue the ponies."

"Give you enough time?" asked Luna with a raised eyebrow. "Surely, you don't mean..."

"I'm going alone." Samus said with finality. "I've had experience with shape-shifters. Besides, I work alone." True, Samus loathed having to keep others on her watch beside herself.

"I can't allow such a risky tactic. Please, let me..." Luna was cut off yet again by Samus.

"Look, I've done this before; I know how this works." Samus looked at Luna and saw concern. "I don't want to risk friendly fire. Prepare a rescue squad; if I clear the place, the guards can come and help escort the ponies. I'll let you know when it is safe."

Luna looked pensive for a moment, and then made her decision with a knowing smile. "I concede. BUT, once you leave for the hive, you have 24 hours to return. If your time runs out, I'm sending the Royal Guards. 24 hours, no more." Her tone left no room for arguing.

"But your highness, she can't be trusted!" Interjected Spearhead. "I am sure we can come with something else."

"Lieutenant..." Luna spoke with a strong but gentle tone "As of right now, Samus has proposed the best course of action. Her experience and equipment also make her the best option. Celestia trusts her, and so do I." Spearhead recoiled a little at the statement, while Samus grinned behind her helmet. "You may leave for your ship, Samus. Prepare for your mission, and please find out about this magic-draining power of yours."

Samus didn't move, however. A quick glance was all it took for Princess Luna to see why, then her gaze turned to Boomer. It took the demolition pony a few seconds to understand what the princess wanted of him. "Oh, right! Sorry." With a quick red glow from his horn, the bomb on Samus's back was gone. Free from her hazard, Samus gave a swift wave of her hand with two fingers outstretched, signaling her depart, and began to walk away.

Before she could entirely exit the room, though, Luna stopped Samus one last time. "Oh, and Samus? Please tell Twilight to contact Zecora; we may need her help with Cloud Zapper's situation." Samus simply nodded before disappearing from sight.

Once the bounty hunter was gone, Luna released a heavy sigh. "Lieutenant, contact Iron Shield and tell him to report everything about Samus's actions. Trust is important, but a little extra precaution wouldn't be a bad idea."

"At once, your majesty." Spearhead bowed.

"Good. You may all leave and take the day off. Thank you for your services." Luna said. Land Scout, Boomer and Spearhead all expressed their gratitude and left.

Luna stood still for a few moments, before a knock came from the same door from which the guards left the room. "Come in." was Luna's simple command. The doors opened and Land Scout emerged from them.

"How is thy majesty faring?" Land Scout exaggeratedly bowed with a smile on his face. "Dost thy highness find this night full of beauty and peace?"

The Night Princess giggled a bit before answering. "Oh stop it you! I no longer talk ancient Equestrian ...Mostly." Luna giggled again before continuing talking. "You always know what to say to make me feel better."

"Well, that's because that's my second special talent." Land Scout responded by making another mock-bow. He straightened himself before his face turned serious at seeing the sad-looking blue alicorn. "Is something on your mind, Luna?"

Princess Luna gave a loud sigh and looked at his present friend in the eye. "Land Scout, what is your opinion of Samus? What can you tell me about her?"

The question didn't surprise Land Scout. Ever since the mistress of the night had her first contact the alien bounty hunter, she had been frequently spacing out. The pony scout figured Samus must be the reason behind it. Still, he was going to be honest. "She's hard to read, and her suit doesn't help with that. She has a lot of experience with military affairs, as far as I can see; and very efficient at dealing with ambushes. Likes to do thing her way, and-"

"No." Luna interrupted "I mean what do you think of her as a sentient being? If she were a pony, what kind of pony would she be?"

"I don't know. She didn't say much during our expedition. She avoided all personal questions and didn't even tell how or why she crashed here. Whatever happened to her in the past, I can only assume is a touchy subject. I'd guess she's the type that prefers to be alone and rejects social interaction. Almost like..." his eyes opened in realization "Almost like you, when you finally returned to us."

"I thank you for your honest opinion." Luna said with a slightly happier tone. "Anything interesting on your trip to the forest?"

"Oh, right! I forgot to mention, but we found a dead Ursa Major in the forest."

"Major? Are you certain it was not Minor?"

"I'm sure. It was way too big to be a Minor; besides, the skull had well-developed teeth and fangs, so it was a mature specimen. And judging by the discarded water tower, I'd say it was the mother of the Ursa that attacked Ponyville a while back."

The news made Luna's eyes widen and her ears stand in anticipation. "Do you think that...?"

"A stalactite imbedded in its skull suggests that it was killed by a magic user; probably a powerful unicorn. I'm not really sure; I'm no expert in magic" Land Scout answered, knowing well what Luna was asking. "The Ursa seems to have died some time ago. I suspect that whoever killed it is a long way from it. It's very unlikely, but it's possible it was our elusive mare's work."

"That doesn't help our case much. Anything else on that matter?"

"I just read today's paper. It say she was last spotted in Marelin; says she chased some teen dragons out of town. Not a lot of details."

"Thank you, Land Scout. Why don't you go get some sleep? The day after tomorrow I'll send you to assist Samus in any way you can. After that, I'd like you to continue looking for Silvermane. For now, go get some sleep."

"Of course. Good night, Luna" he said before he exited the room and left the princess alone. Luna watched him go and gave another tired sigh.

OXOXO

Samus exited the castle grounds, escorted by two pegasus stallions on Spearhead's orders. They walked in silence until they reached the Canterlot outskirts, where they separated. The guards returned to the castle, while Samus took the scenic route to Ponyville, which meant she walked.

Samus decided to deactivate her Power Suit and enjoy the fresh night air. During her stroll toward her ship, Samus pondered about her newly-discovered magic draining power. The Power Suit seemed to be the likely cause, so a little investigation was in order. Of course, it would have to wait until she reached her gunship; right now, she was replaying the events of the last few days in her head. They have been weird, even by her standards.

As of right now, Samus had no idea what the future would bring for her; and she wasn't really bothered by that. On one hand, if she could repair her ship and leave, she'd be returning to her usual life. It wasn't an easy life, but it that's what she knew. On the other hand, if she were to stay in this land, well... Who knows? Maybe she could adapt to Equestria and spend the rest of her life here; no more hunting, no more space pirates, no more Ridley.

Maybe, just maybe, her past wouldn't catch up with her.

Samus continued her walk toward Ponyville. Judging by the maps she saw, and her ship's locator, she'd arrive at around midday. It was a long walk, but right now Samus was enjoying her moments of peace. The trek back home was uneventful, to which Samus wondered if that was going to be the case during the rest of her stay in Equestria.

OXOXO

As Samus approached her beloved gunship, she noticed Spike in the distance. It looked like he was heading for her ship in a hurry, which promptly piqued her curiosity. A few seconds later, both met just in front of the ship. Spike quickly hugged Samus's leg.

"Oh, sweet Celestia! You're back! You're finally back!" Samus flinched at the sudden show of affection, but before she could ask what the hell was happening, Spike spoke again. "Quick! You have to hide me! Anywhere is fine, just hurry! Just don't let them see me!"

"You owe me." was all Samus said before grabbing the little dragon's tail and flinging him toward her ship hatch. The hatch retracted into the ship as soon as Spike landed on it.

Not three seconds later, the Cutie Mark Crusaders arrived at the scene. They were wearing kitchenware as an armor of sorts, and all three fillies had toy swords in their mouths. After a few moments of looking around, the three crusaders took notice of Samus looking at them with a raised eyebrow.

"Hawr yoo shin shpak?" Scootaloo asked. Seeing Samus's expression unchanged, she spit her sword and asked again. "Have you seen Spike? We need his help with something."

"I may have." answered Samus.

"Great! We need him to help us get our cutie marks."

"CUTIE MARKS CRUSADERS DRAGON FIGHTERS. YEAH!" all three fillies yelled in unison, making Samus cringe at the sudden outburst.

"So, where is he?"

"He went back to Ponyville."

The three fillies looked at each other, then at Samus, then at each other again. Without any warning, Scootaloo picked her sword and they all bolted back to the village while shouting a 'Thank you!' on their way. Samus just stood there, watching the fillies get smaller in the distance, before turning around and entering her ship via elevator hatch.

Inside, Samus saw Spike curiously looking and inspecting all the button and levers in the cockpit, thankfully not touching anything. The sound of the hatch retracting alerted Spike of Samus's arrival, and he turned to her with hopeful eyes. "Are they gone?"

"Yeah. May I ask why you are not with Twilight?" inquired Samus. "I thought you two always stuck together."

"Nah. I stay in the library cleaning Twilight's messes whenever she stays up late studying, which is almost every night. She was going to practice a spell today, and she's going to a picnic with her friends later, so she gave me the day off." said Spike nonchalantly. "I was on my way to Rarity's, but a certain trio of fillies thought fighting dragons was going to earn them a cutie mark." Samus nodded in understanding. "Stupid newspaper with stupid mare fighting stupid teenage dragons giving stupid ideas..." He muttered under his breath.

An idea came to Samus, and she wasted no time in voicing it. "You know, I just saved your skin, so you kind of owe me. Do you know any place where I can get something good to eat?"

"Well, I know a place, but I was going to make my special emerald pasta today. Why don't you come eat with me?"

"Emerald pasta? As in..."

"Pasta with emerald pieces in it. Not to brag, but you won't find a better emerald pasta than mine." he voiced in pride.

"Emeralds... I think I'll pass."

"Oh, come on! I'll make you some without emeralds, if you want." Spike encouraged the human to accept. His eyes were big with eagerness.

Samus pondered for a moment, but ultimately gave in. Maybe it was Spike's adorably expectant face or maybe it was hunger; either way, she had accepted the dragon's invitation. "I accept your invitation." She then remembered something. "I also need to get some maps of the land. Do you have any?"

"I think so. Just meet me in the library in one hour. I'll have the food done and the maps ready." happily answered Spike.

Their plans for the day set, Spike returned to Ponyville and Samus entered her ship. She equipped her Power Suit for a routine check-up. Once energy tanks and ammo capacity were checked and confirmed (both almost at full capacity), she unequipped her armor and made a damage report on her ship. As expected, it was mostly fine, but she noticed the gunship was running on reserve power; she'd need to recharge the energy cell of her ship for it to function properly and avoid any problems later.

But that could wait for a while. For now, she smiled at the amusing thought that passed through her mind: she had a date with a baby dragon.

OXOXO

"...so I said 'Not likely, but possible!'. She later explained why zombies couldn't possibly invade Equestria and eat brains." laughed Spike, holding a fork with spaghetti and small emeralds. He was eating at the library's table, and across the table sat Samus, who also had a plate of pasta. She was wearing the same clothes she wore on her first (and only) day in school: orange tank top and blue shorts.

Samus chuckled a little at the dragon's anecdote. "I get you. Fighting zombies is a little unnerving at first. But then you get used to it and start blasting them like everything else."

"W-W-What? You mean zombies are real?!" Spike almost choked on his bite.

"Oh, yes. I had encounters with zombies before." Samus commented. Upon seeing the building fear on the dragon's face, she continued. "But don't worry, the parasites responsible for that are extinct."

"Oh, that's good to hear." Spike sighed in relief. He then ate the last mouthful of pasta from his plate. Samus did the same with her emerald-free dish.

Once both finished their food, Spike picked the plates and took them to the kitchen and Samus helped him with the glasses. After depositing the silverware in the sink, Spike and Samus went to the living room, where Spike had left some maps. Samus took a look at them while Spike began picking and organizing books that were on the floor.

Spike continued his work until he noticed Samus looking at him with a smile while resting her chin in her hand, elbow in the table. He tried to ignore the awkward feeling he was getting and got back to work. His plan worked for about six seconds, before he looked again and saw Samus in the exact same way. "Um... May I help you?"

"Don't mind me; I was just thinking on our little date. Thank you for inviting me, now I have something to brag to Rarity about." Samus said in a playful tone.

"W-what? N-n-no! You got it all wrong! I just invited you because I had nothing better to do. Rarity will think... But, I'm not really... You just..." Spike panicked. What would the mare of his dreams say if she saw him having dinner with Samus? Of all the things that could have happened. This was the WORST. POSSI-

Samus laughed at the flustered baby dragon. "Aww! The baby got nervous." She said while ruffled Spike's spines. "Don't worry; I'm just messing with you. It's hard not to notice how you go all lovey-dovey when you think of her."

"Uh... huh?"

"Anyway, I have to go. Thanks again for everything. I'll come back tomorrow to return the maps. Tell Twilight I need to talk with her." Samus fetched the scrolls with the maps and headed towards the door. Before she exited, though, she turned to the baby dragon again. "And sorry for hitting you in the head the other day." She ruffled his spines again and exited the library. "Bye."

"Bye!" waved Spike before closing the door.

It was still early in the night when Samus left the baby dragon's company, but she decided to go to sleep as soon as she got to her ship. It had been a nice time with Spike, relaxing and quite welcome after her little quest to the forest. Who knew messing with the little dragon could be so much fun? Given that she was going to stay in Equestria for a while, Samus was glad she found a new little hobby to pass the time.

OXOXO

The morning sunlight filtered through a hunter-class gunship's green windows, waking the owner of that gunship. Samus awoke with a low groan and stood up. Today was going to be busy: planning an infiltration, investigating her new magic-leeching abilities, making some repairs, and finding a way to recharge an energy cell.

Samus picked the maps given to her by Spike and unfurled them. She equipped her Power Suit and began scanning, making sure to digitalize the maps and uploading the information to her ship's computer. She then proceeded to pinpoint the location of the changeling she was tracking on the ship's screen and her visor. Sure enough, a signal was coming from northwest, not too far from Ponyville or Canterlot. The dot on her map seemed to move, indicating the changeling had yet to reach the swarm.

Once the maps had been scanned, Samus unequipped her armor, picked the maps, and exited her ship. Next on her schedule was visiting Twilight and return the maps, so she headed towards the library. The walk there was uneventful, and Samus reached her destination in 20 minutes. Samus knocked once and Spike opened the door to let her in.

"Thank you for the maps. As promised..." Samus handed the maps to the baby dragon, who put them away.

As Samus looked around, she noticed a lavender unicorn mare asleep on a table full of books. She gave Spike a questioning look, to which he just shrugged. Apparently, it was common for the studious mare to fall asleep reading. Sadly for Twilight, Samus needed her awake, and being the master of tactful approaches, she flicked her finger on Twilight's horn. The maneuver worked and Twilight awoke with a yelp.

"Wha- How- Huh?" Twilight looked around for her sudden awakening. Upon noticing the huntress, her confusion turned to anger. "What the hay is wrong with you?!"

"I need your help with something." Samus said unfazed "I was also told to ask for a zebra named Zecora. We need her help too."

"What? Zecora? What for?" asked Twilight, now a little calmer "Hold on, let me get a mug of coffee first." She went to the kitchen and returned some minutes later with a steaming mug on her magical grasp.

"A guard was turned to stone by a cockatrice. They mentioned she may be able to help with that."

"What?! How did that happen?" Twilight began worrying. "Is everypony else ok? How many more-"

"Just him." interrupted Samus "It happened in a reconnaissance mission in the forest."

The news seemed to calm the studious mare a little, but she was still distressed. "Well, I don't know about Zecora, but you can ask Fluttershy to tell the cockatrice turning him back." said Twilight as she took a sip of coffee. However, Samus's response almost made her spit it.

"Yeah... I blew its head up with a missile." Twilight almost choked on her coffee.

"Oh... I guess I'll go ask her later. Where's the guard?"

"Back in Canterlot; though I wouldn't be surprised to see a chariot bringing the statue here." Samus shrugged, and then remembered something else. "I also need your help investigating a certain development." This piqued Twilight's interest. "It seems I'm a magic leech. I want to find out how or why. I ask you because you're the expert on magic."

"Hmm... Interesting...You wouldn't mind coming down to the lab to run some tests, would you?" Twilight asked as her eyes sparkled with eagerness and excitement.

"Maybe later. I still have things to do. But you may come to my ship later today. " Samus said. She got up and left the library, leaving a disappointed Twilight behind. "Later."

Samus walked until she reached her ship and entered. Picking up some tools and materials, she put herself to dismantle part of the ship. Equipping her armor again, she proceeded to check on the fission reactor. Upon running a more throughout scan, she saw what had happened with it. She unplugged all wires and tubes connected to the reactor, and let it cool for a bit. She returned to the ship's computer and ran an energy distribution analysis to check her theory.

Surely enough, the reason the reactor was busted was because it overloaded when giving the kinetic shock absorbers for the ship enough energy to withstand the 'landing'; the crash was far more violent than she initially thought. The energy cell almost drained just keeping the reactor from exploding. It was no wonder her ship suffered a lot less than it should have. However, the boosters were still damaged, as was the Medical Bay. With so little power left in the energy cell, it was only a matter of time before the Ammunition Factory became unusable too.

Things weren't looking too good for the hunter-class gunship.

And yet here she was, picking tools and material to try to repair the main boosters of her ship. After disassembling both boosters, she began to weld the damaged parts that were still usable. She was surprised to see so little to be useless; enough scrap metal would work wonders in repairing the missing parts of the boosters. As Samus worked on her ship, she occasionally checked the target in her visor's map to see if the changeling stopped moving or not.

A few hours later, Land Scout, Iron Shield and Cloud Zapper arrived at the crash site. Land Scout walked with normalcy, while Cloud Zapper had an expression of embarrassment plastered on his face. Samus, just finished with boosters repairs, unequipped her Power Suit and jumped from her perch to greet the guards.

"Hello, Samus. Are you busy?" asked Land Scout.

"No, I just finished for today."

"Good. I went to town and talked with Twilight. As you can see, Cloud Zapper is fine, and we got the recipe to cure petrification from Zecora."

"Man, I can't believe I got bested by a chicken." Cloud Zapper said with his hoof over his eyes "A chicken!"

"We all have our moments." Iron Shield said, trying to cheer his fellow pegasus "At least you didn't get bested by a turtle." this earned him a glare from Samus. "Anyway, we just came to inform Samus about your wellbeing, so let's go back to Canterlot, kid."

"Yeah..." both pegasus took off, leaving the earth pony and the human alone.

"Lt. Iron Shield was informed of our mission. He has faith in you, but would still like to get you some assistance." Land Scout said after a moment of awkward silence. "I was also ordered to assist you in any way I can. I brought some of my maps, if it is any help." Land Scout took out several furled maps from his saddlebag and offered them to Samus.

Samus equipped her armor again, and took the maps to scan them. Since the maps had a better detailing of the land, as well as some notes written on them by Land Scout, they proved to be a lot better than the ones at the library. She updated her information, now with the names of the places she would travel.

"Thanks. These will help a lot." said Samus as she returned the maps.

"Glad to help. You'll need all the help you can get if you are going to infiltrate the changelings hive. At the very least-"

"WHAT?!" a blue blur landed just on front of Samus. It was Rainbow Dash. "You're going to fight the changelings?"

"Not exactly, she's-" Land Scout tried to explain, but was interrupted again.

"WHAT?!" this time it was Twilight, who was just arriving at the scene and had heard Rainbow's outburst. Spike was just behind her. "Why would you do that?"

"As I was trying to-"

"Yeah, that's what he said." Rainbow Dash pointed at Land Scout.

Twilight turned to the accused stallion. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Silence!" yelled Samus. Everyone complied. "I'm on a rescue mission. I'll be avoiding fights."

"Ooh! Ooh! Are you going to use your spark shooter?" asked an excited Rainbow Dash "You said it was to paralyze enemies, right? I mean, I don't think you have anything tame in that suit, do you?"

Samus opened her mouth to answer, but realized the pegasus tomboy was right. "Hmm..." She then began fidgeting with the cannon's buttons. Four small rods came from the cannon and ignited an orange flame. After a bit more tinkering, the flame died and gave place to a purple ball of electricity. Samus then approached Rainbow Dash and gave her a little jab with the ball in her cannon's muzzle. The mare fell to the ground and convulsed for a couple of seconds before losing consciousness, twitching every now and then. She scanned for life signs, and was unsurprised to see Dash was fine. "Wave Taser is a success." The other two ponies and dragon just looked at her with incredulity.

"What the hay did you just did?" asked an increasingly angry Twilight.

"Just trying out her suggestion. This suit does lack any immobilizing tools. Be sure to give her my thanks when she wakes up." Upon seeing Twilight still seething with anger, she added. "She'll be fine. It's just a little electricity; human police forces use that all the time!"

Knowing her friends was going to be okay, Twilight calmed a little. "You could still have asked first. That could've been dangerous!"

"It wasn't. And consider us even; her turtle dropped a rock on me."

Twilight was about to argue, but ultimately decided against it. "Ugh, fine!"

Land Scout cleared his throat to remind everyone present of his presence. "Good to see you having some semblance of restraint. As I was saying, I came to assist you in any way possible. As you may have noticed, I'm not entirely comfortable letting you go to the changeling swarm alone. I can provide additional information about your surroundings, you know."

"Let's say you go with me. We find a changeling and it charges at you. During the struggle, it transforms into you. I have no way of telling who is who. How do you suggest we proceed?"

"I wou-"

"I risk shooting you, and I fail. You're dead. I could leave you to your luck, but then the changeling alerts the others if it escapes. Or if you defeat it and follow me, how would I know it's the real you?"

"..."

"That's why I insist on going alone. But don't fret, I'll be coming to you later. There is something I'll need your help with."

"...I understand." Land Scout said dejectedly "But don't hesitate to ask for any more help. I'll be hanging around Ponyville for a while with Iron Shield, once he comes back." Samus nodded in understanding. Land Scout turned around and began walking away. "Later, Samus. Later Twilight. Later, Spike."

"Bye." both dragon and mare said at the guard. Once he was gone, Twilight turned to Samus. "Now, you said something about magic leeching?"

"Yes. I seemed to absorb magic whenever they use it on me. Could you try levitating me? Tell me whenever you feel something."

"Well, okay." Twilight's horn began glowing, and that same glow surrounded Samus. A few seconds later, Twilight gasped. "There! I can feel how you start absorbing my magic!"

Indeed, the moment Twilight noticed her energy being leeched, Samus's energy tanks began filling slowly. The magical grasp ended and Samus landed on the ground. She then unequipped the Power Suit and told Twilight to repeat the process. After a few seconds, Twilight felt another tug on her magic. This time, however, she got different results.

"Hmm... I felt the same tug on my magic, but it lasted less than a second. It seems you need your suit to keep leeching magic." Twilight informed. She put a hoof on her chin and began thinking.

"So... you're like a magic vampire? You suck magic?" asked a confused Spike.

"Looks like it." answered the huntress "Just like a met..." Samus's eyes went wide with realization. "Just like a metroid..." she whispered.

Twilight and Spike looked at each other, then at Samus. "A what?"

"Nothing. I'll tell you after I've confirmed my theory." Twilight was about to speak, but Samus beat her to it. "I need to borrow your books for a bit." Samus rushed towards the library, leaving Twilight and Spike behind.

"What's up with her?" Spike asked. Twilight simply shrugged. "Anyway, what are we going to do with her?" said Spike while pointing at the unconscious Rainbow Dash.

OXOXO

Twilight and Spike reached the library, a knocked out blue pegasus mare in the former's back. The sight that welcomed them was that of a studious armored woman reading with several books piled on the library table. Upon closer inspection, they could see all books were about magic.

"Twilight." Samus said, catching the attention of both unicorn and dragon. "Am I correct in assuming the magic you use is your own life force?"

"Oh! Yes, my magic comes from within me. It's part of who I am. All creatures posses magic, but it is unicorns, with the aid of their horn, the ones that can directly manipulate it. Basically, we control our own energy just like we would another appendage." explained Twilight in her 'lecture' tone.

"That's what I thought." Samus said while nodding.

"Um... I have a question, if you don't mind." Spike began "You said you were going to a rescue mission, right?" Samus nodded. "Who are you rescuing?"

"A group of ponies. We think it's the changeling's doing. We were sent to investigate the forest and were attacked by them. My mission is to go to their hive and rescue the prisoners."

"Changelings?" worried Twilight "And you have to rescue several ponies? How do you plan to do that?"

"Easy. I clear the coast, and the guards escort the prisoners. I was going to ask Applejack to help with the escort. Herding skills and all that."

"I see you have this all planned."

"Of course."

A groan brought the attention of all conscious beings; Rainbow Dash was coming around. She took a seating position and rubbed her head. "What happened? Why do I feel so numb?" Twilight gave Samus a disapproving glare.

"I zapped you." Samus answered. She couldn't avoid smirking at that comment; maybe she did have some hard feelings for the turtle thing. Good thing she had her helmet on.

"Huh?" was Rainbow Dash's intellectual reply.

OXOXO

Samus found herself walking around Ponyville, looking for Land Scout. The walk would've been a pleasant one if her tag-along wasn't a hyperactive stunt flyer. Rainbow Dash couldn't be still for more than a few seconds, and it was starting to grate the huntress's already low patience. Why, oh why did Twilight have to mention her mission? Now the hero-wannabe wouldn't stop pestering her.

As if to counter her companion's annoying presence, Samus found Land Scout buying some apples from Applejack's stand in the market, the two ponies she was looking for.

"Oh, hello, Samus" greeted Land Scout "How may I help you?"

"I'd like to sit down and talk with you. And you, too." Samus said, pointing at Applejack "I think I'll take on your offer of help."
"Of course, sugarcube. Just let me close an' ah'll be with you in a jiffy." replied the farm pony, moving to close her stand for the day. Once finished, she followed Samus, Rainbow Dash and Land Scout to a small café, where they could talk. "Now, what you need help with?"

"We believe a group of ponies has been foalnapped by changelings." answered Land Scout. This brought a serious expression to the farmer's face.

"Right." commented Samus "Here's the plan: I'll go check if my information is correct. In case it is and there are captive ponies, I'll go and clear the coast from any dangers. Once I consider the place to be safe, I'll send a signal. That's the cue for you to go and round the ponies and return them to safety. I ask you because Land Scout is an excellent guide, and Applejack has a lot of experience with herding large groups. Those skills will come in handy."

Applejack nodded twice, as if processing the information she just received. "That's a mighty good plan, I reckon. I'll ask Big Mac to cover for me. One question, though. Why is Rainbow Dash here?"

Samus gave a defeated sigh. "She heard about the mission and wants to tag along. She'll be your problem during the mission." She turned to the blue mare. "Listen well. I will go alone. You just wait for the signal and help with the escort."

"But-"

"Numbers are dangerous when dealing with shape-shifters. If I see you, I'll blast you to pieces." Rainbow Dash gulped.

"Good to see you understand."

"So I take it you're ready, then?" asked the guard.

"Yes. The tracker indicates the changeling has stopped near Whitetail Woods, according to Land Scout's map. I've yet to determine if the swarm is there or he's just taking a rest. Either way, we depart tomorrow at 7:00 a.m. to follow his trail. There is a small town called Marelin nearby. That's where you'll wait for my signal." explained Samus.

"Hoo wee! It's been a while since I last visited Marelin." commented Applejack. "We can settle in my cousin Golden Delicious's home for the time. Ah'm sure he won't mind."

"Excellent. Now, Land Scout, I need you to send a message to Luna and Celestia. Tell them to send a small squad of guards to Marelin and stand by. As Celestia said, we need to keep this mission from public ears, so the squad will have to avoid attention." Land Scout nodded at the huntress's orders. "Good. Meet me at my ship tomorrow at 6:45 a.m. Until then..." Samus waved two fingers and left the group.

OXOXO

Samus was sitting in a lotus position with her chin resting in her palm, pondering about the dilemma in front of her. A broken fission reactor and an almost empty energy cell rested in front of her. The fission reactor was still extremely hot, and it would take a lot more time just for it to cool down. On the plus side, losing temperature meant it no longer risked blowing up, taking half of Ponyville with it.

The issue was the energy cell. Was it better to compromise her suit's energy to charge it up and let the generator do the rest, leaving her suit with very little energy for the mission? Or should she opt for conserving energy and risk emptying the cell completely, making it useless? The obvious choice for her the former, but just how much energy would the cell require?

Her ship had an interesting way of functioning. It had an energy cell that powered her ship and all electronic systems and appliances within it, a generator used to keep the cell from depleting, and a fission reactor for when she needed extra power. The generator required a lot of energy, almost a full energy cell, to start working, but once it did it could refill the energy cell whenever it started to deplete. The generator/energy cell combo was enough to power her ship and keeping it working forever, if need be; they used the energy recycle principle. The problem came when the ship needed extra energy for auto-repairs and shielding. If they took too much energy, the cell would deplete faster than the generator would fill it, leaving it empty; and without the required energy input, the generator would eventually stop working too. This is the problem she now faced: the generator was offline and the energy cell lacked enough energy to power the generator.

The reason ships carried a fission reactor, which were powered and sustained with afloraltite, was for the energy spikes that would, normally, instantly deplete the energy cell for when the hyperdrive was initiated. It also provided back-up power for shielding and repairing. They were essentially useless if one didn't plan in space travel and if the ship didn't suffer colossal damage.

Sadly, those were both Samus's cases. The ship used a lot more energy than the cell could have provided in the crash, and so it switched the power incomes; and she would also eventually need to activate hyperdrive if she were to reach any planet before she died of old-age in her travels.

To summarize her situation, she needed to give the energy cell enough energy to power the generator, then repair the reactor once it was cold enough, and finally find enough afloraltite (or a good-enough substitute) to start it up.

Repairing the reactor was easy; she'd done so before numerous times before. The problem was the energy cell. She was sure her suit had enough energy to charge the cell to meet the generator's demand; her ship would start working properly as long as she didn't use too much energy. If she did that, however, she didn't know how much energy would remain on her suit; by tomorrow morning the ship would still not have enough power to recharge her suit.

After a long meditation, she decided to go with it. Solve a problem before it becomes unsolvable, the Chozo used to say. The cons could be ignored if she put extra attention to her surroundings and avoid any unnecessary damage. Besides, she had ammo to spare, and she hasn't yet encountered anything that could deal extensive damage.

Acting on her decision, Samus stood up and activated her Power Suit. From the round jewel on her left hand, a whip composed of purple electromagnetic energy was swung toward the energy cell and latched onto it. Using the Grapple Voltage feature in her Grapple Beam, Samus began draining her own energy tanks and began energizing her ship's energy cell.

After a few minutes, Samus retracted the beam. She opted to give the energy cell a bit more than necessary to start the generator. This had cost her more energy than she initially thought, leaving her with little less than one tank and a half worth of energy left.

She picked the cell and took it to the hatch. Since the ship had no power because the cell was not in place, the elevator/hatch was going to be used manually. Samus unequipped her suit and grabbed the top of the hatch. With all her strength, she pulled herself, along with the hatch inside the ship. Once inside, she proceeded to plug the energy cell and start the generator. If her calculations were correct, it would require a little more than two days for her ship to start functioning properly and be able to start the auto-repair functions.

Done for today, Samus decided to do some more repairs to the Medical Bay. She grabbed her tools and began working. She had nothing better to do, so why not accelerate the process a bit? She worked until sundown, when she decided it was enough and went to sleep.

OXOXO

6:38 a.m.

Samus was making some flexes, awaiting the arrival of the ponies in charge of escorting rescued ponies to safety. She had checked her tracker twice, and both times gave the same result. It appeared the changeling had reached the swarm. When she felt she was ready, she equipped her Power Suit for one last check-up. 148 energy units, 204 missiles, and 224 ammo; she'd need to be careful, that couldn't be stressed enough.

A few minutes later, two earth ponies, one wearing a Stetson and the other full-body royal armor, arrived at the meeting point. After exchanging greetings, the huntress asked for the rainbow-maned pegasus.

"If ah know her well enough, she'll be late and will come rushing at us." answered the cowpony.

"I said 'meet me at my ship at 6:45 a.m.', if she doesn't arrive by 6:55, we leave without her." sternly said the huntress "Are you two ready and prepared?"

"Of course!" Applejack answered by taking out a rope and swing it rodeo style.

"I am." answered Land Scout, also making some last-minute check-up on his armor, maps, saddlebags, and dagger.

"Excellent. We are all ready. Now, I'll be showing you what the signal will look like." Samus aimed her cannon at a nearby tree and fired an ice missile. Upon impact the missile exploded, but instead of a wrecked tree, there stood a frozen one. "This is an ice missile. When they are charged with the diffusion missiles, they create a large explosion of ice. Once I have secured the prisoners, I'll fire one of these at the sky. Wherever you see the blast, that's where we'll be. Be on the lookout for the explosion."

"So you clear the place and fire when ready. We take the squad waiting for us in Marelin to where the blast was seen. Got it." confirmed Land Scout.

"Good. We'll leave in three minutes; if Rainbow Dash doesn't arrive, she's out." Both ponies nodded in understanding, though Applejack looked a bit worried.

And so the three minutes passed. Seeing no sign of the pegasus, Samus began walking west, where Whitetail Woods awaited. With one last glance back, both earth ponies followed. They began their trek through the fields. Several minutes later, a yell could be heard.

"Waaaaaaait!" Rainbow Dash, just like Applejack said, rushed towards them. "Phew! I made it. Ready, everypony?"

"You're late." was Samus's harsh reply.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I had stuff to do."

"Yeah, like sleeping." Applejack snickered. Rainbow Dash just gave her a menacing look.

"Whatever. Now that you're here, we might as well continue." Samus turned back to her intended destination, always keeping an eye at the tracker signal.

OXOXO

Several hours later, the group arrived at the entrance of Marelin, welcoming new travelers with a colorful sign. Or at least it would be welcoming if two stallions weren't currently washing some ugly graffiti off it.

Not wanting to draw any more attention than necessary, Samus decided to leave the group here and continue on her way. She was about to tell the ponies to stay here when a loud cheering was heard. All four rescuers turned their attention to a somewhat large group of ponies, all cheering for the blue mare bowing on a makeshift stage. Among the crowd, four armored ponies could be seen enjoying the show.

The mare in the stage was wearing a black top hat and magician's vest, along with a red bowtie. She had a strand of bluish silver hair coming from beneath the hat. Her cutie mark, which was also drawn on the two pole flags on each side of the stage, was that of a wand leaving a trail of magic dust. "Thank you! Thank you, my beautiful audience! You are too kind. But save your energy for the grand finale! Wanda's Magic Show is sure to knock you off your hooves!" The mare said in a stage-voice with a wide grin, apparently oblivious to the four newcomers.

"Wanda's magic Show?" Rainbow Dash questioned when she took a better look at the magician.

"Hey, isn't that-?" Applejack was about to ask.

"It's Trixie!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash "What's she doing here?"

"You know her?" asked Samus.

"Yup. She showed up in town a while back, boasting and causing trouble. She was eventually showed up by Twilight." answered Applejack.

"I see."

"I think I'll leave you two for now. I have spotted the guards and will proceed to inform them of the plan. Excuse me." Land Scout said while he walked toward the other guards.

"Two?" both Samus and Applejack asked and looked around. Indeed, the rainbow pegasus was not with them.

"Where the hell is Rainbow Dash?" asked an increasingly annoyed Samus. Applejack eyes went wide, and she pointed a hoof at the stage. Samus turned to look and saw Rainbow Dash pushing a small storm cloud over the stage.

"Now, if any volunteers would like to come to stage to grace Wanda's Magic Show with their presence, it would be-" 'Wanda' stopped speaking when she noticed the shadow of a cloud on the floor. When she looked up to see what was happening, a small lightning struck her flank, making her yelp and jump in shock. As soon as her hooves touched the ground, the cloud unleashed a downpour just on her. All the ponies in the audience went silent.

"How's that for payback?" mocked Rainbow Dash. "Ponyville says 'hi', oh 'Great and Powerful Trixie'." She then proceeded to lie on the cloud in a fit of laughter.

Trixie just stood there and began hyperventilating for a moment, before her breaths started to steady to deep, tranquilizing breaths. After a few moments, she calmed herself, though a few ticks were visible in her forelegs. She did her best to ignore the mocking laughter of the pegasus and addressed her beloved audience.

With a slightly shaky voice, Trixie began speaking. "I-I'm really sorry, everypony. Please forgive my weakness, because I'm unable to perform when some ponies are intent on ruining my show. I apologize to those who were eager to see the grand finale." That said, she used her magic to start picking the parts of the stage and putting them in some boxes in a small pulling wagon. The crowd started to protest, but she ignored them. Once everything was stored and packed, Trixie pulled the small wagon and began walking toward the village proper.

Rainbow Dash, meanwhile, almost doubled her laughter. She stopped laughing when a pebble hit her in the head. She turned to see that the crowd was not booing at Trixie, but at her! In fact, she could see some foals trying, and failing, to convince 'Wanda' to resume her show.

"What a jerk!/What's her problem?/Get out of Marelin, you bully!/How could you be so cruel?" Rainbow Dash heard all types of negative comments directed at her. The worst part of all was not once did Trixie acknowledged her. She just packed and left, leaving her with an angry mob of ponies. With nothing left to do, she went back to Samus and Applejack. Since all the angry ponies were following her, she practically led them to where Samus was. The villagers, at the sight of the huntress, began to panic.

"It's one of them! They're back!" yelled one of the villagers.

"Protect the foals!/Why are they back?/You won't harm this village any more, you fiend!"

"CALM YOURSELVES, PONIES OF MARELIN" ordered one of the royal guards present. It was a unicorn, and he was apparently using magic to enhance his voice. The villagers all stopped their panic at sight and voice of the royal guard.

"Thank you." Samus recognized Land Scout as the speaker this time. "Please, there is no reason to be afraid. Samus..." he pointed at the person in question "...is not here to cause any harm. Now, may I ask what got you all so riled up?"

"It was a group of teenage dragons." A tan colored earth pony stallion spoke up. His mane was black and his cutie mark was three yellow apples. "They came and began vandalizing the town. Fortunately some mare called 'Silvermane' drove them away. We are still recovering from the damage they made." Land Scout nodded in understanding.

"Cousin Golden!" exclaimed Applejack. "Howdy!"

The stallion turned to see the new speaker, and instantly lit his features. "Cousin Applejack! What a surprise!" While the two cousins talked, Land Scout and the rest of the guards sorted thing with the villagers.

Once order was restored, each pony returned to their business and Applejack returned to Samus. As soon as they were left alone, Samus forcefully brought her fist down on Rainbow Dash's head.

"OW! What gives?"

"You idiot!" fumed the huntress "What did I tell you about avoiding attention?"

"But it was Trixie, and she-"

"I couldn't possibly care less about your history with that mare. Your reckless actions could have cost us the mission. We are very lucky to have Land Scout and the guards intervene for me, because I wasn't planning on blasting my way through a mob of angry villagers. Your mere presence is a danger here, thanks to that little stunt of yours, so I want you... No, I order you to go back to Ponyville. You will only hinder progress if you stay. "

"What? You can't do that!" argued Rainbow Dash.

"Don't even think of disobeying, because if you do, I swear losing a wing will be the least of your worries. That recklessness will get you or someone else killed someday." threatened a furious Samus. Rainbow Dash turned to Applejack for support, but got nothing.

"Sorry, sugarcube, but I hafta agree with Samus here. That act you made was just plain rude. As much as I hate to admit, Trixie's little show was bringing a bright smile to a lot of ponies. After what the town has been through, taking away their cheerful entertainment will only get you scowls from these townsfolk."

"Go. NOW!" barked Samus. Rainbow Dash just looked at the two of them, before letting out an angry growl and dashing away back to Ponyville.

"Mighty sorry about that. Dash can be a little reckless at times." The apple farmer apologized.

After a few deep breaths, Samus responded. "Make sure this to help this town however you can, but keep an eye on the skies for my signal. I'm leaving. Be sure to report to Land Scout every now and then. Later." Samus waved two fingers and left for the woods.

"You can count on me!"

OXOXO

An hour had passed since Samus left Marelin. Had she more energy in her tanks, she would have opted for the less bulky Fusion Suit to aid her sneakiness, but that was not the case. Her progress was slower than usual, as her low energy levels made Samus take more precautions than usual. Since the tracker signal hadn't moved much, that didn't present a problem. In fact, she was about to reach the point that her map indicated the changeling was.

With another extensive look around her surroundings, Samus carefully made her way through some trees, putting extra attention to her stealth. After a few more steps, she started hearing voices. She hid behind a tree and cautiously took a glance towards the direction of the voices.

Samus cursed silently when she saw the changeling she was tracking, identified thanks to the blue gemstone in its silver necklace, talking to 3 other changelings. Specifically, he was talking to two changelings similar to him and one changeling twice his size. The bigger one had more developed wings and a long twisted black horn, as well as a long flowing teal hair. Its most distinctive features were its eyes; whether other changelings had insect-like blue eyes, this one had green eyes with big pupils. What looked like a small black crown with blue orbs rested on its head, though it was hard to tell if it really was a crown or it was just part of its anatomy.

"...a foolish ideal!" Samus heard the big one speaking and assumed it was female, most likely a queen. "I can't risk the swarm trying to negotiate. Our species is almost gone as it is."

"But my queen, I've been shown compassion and kindness from their kind. Not all will accept us as quickly as they did with me, but they will eventually." Darkly responded. "I believe that a peaceful coexistence is possible. Many changelings have found a happy life living with the ponies."

"You mean hiding among the ponies. How many of them can walk freely without a disguise?"

"But I walked along them without any disguise! They will learn to accept us!"

The Queen then gave a defeated sigh. "Please understand that I'm doing this with the hive's well-being in mind. Ponies are not as understanding as you think."

"I know, my queen. But I beg you, please reconsider. Think about the princess!"

"Keep her out of this. She shares your innocent hopes, but that's it. Maybe in the future..." She gave another sigh. "It seems you won't understand. Fine, then. You will be locked with the ponies and see if any of them gives you a chance." The queen motioned for her two escorts to lock the rebel changeling, who didn't look afraid.

This piqued the huntress's interest; it seemed the missing ponies were nearby. The queen whispered something to the other two changelings, but Samus was unable to her what. That done, the queen turned to leave, and the smaller changelings walked toward a small mountain that was nearby. Needless to say, Samus followed the trio.

The walk was not a long one, though Samus had to keep hidden from the bug ponies. They eventually arrived at a relatively large cave, which entrance had bars locking the ponies inside. Again, Samus could see half were male and half were female, and they all had a pony embraced. By her observations, it could be assumed the changeling only abducted couples.

While one changeling charged its horn with green fire to keep the ponies from escaping, the other one opened the cell's door, pushed Darkly inside and quickly closed it. Their new prisoner secured, one changeling flew away, probably towards the swarm, while the other simply walked away from the locked ponies' sight. It didn't walk too far, as if to be able to reach the cell quickly if any trouble arises.

Her first target was identified.

Still, Samus decided to observe the situation a little more thoroughly. The situation was an interesting one, to say the least. She watched as all ponies gave the changeling dirty looks and hateful gazes. Darkly simply walked, albeit nervously, to one side of the cell. Some ponies took comfort in their loved ones, while others looked ready to attack the changeling. It was only a matter of time before an attempt was made on Darkly. Samus could hear how Darkly was attempting to calm the ponies with civility and how he only wanted peace for both species. She didn't count on the ponies listening to him, though, and she really didn't care.

With her target on sight, and she out of her target's sight, Samus made her move. She cautiously approached the unsuspected changeling making guard. Her arm cannon produces four tiny rods and activated her newly developed Wave Taser. Once she was close enough, she leapt at the changeling guards and zapped it to unconsciousness.

After making sure the guard was out, she took the keys it had and proceeded to the cage. As she expected, some ponies were about to leap at the poor bug pony. Everyone stopped in their tracks when they spotted her. All ponies and changeling looked at her with a mix of fear and confusion. Finally, it was Darkly who spoke first. "What are you doing here?"

"I have come to rescue the missing ponies. I was sent by Celestia." She answered. All the ponies' faces instantly lit up with the news of their rescue.

Samus unlocked the cell and was about to open it when instinct took over and she leapt to her side. A fraction of a second later, a green bolt impacted on the place she was just on. Samus turned to see the changeling queen, horn glowing, hovering a few feet from the ground. Dozens of smaller changeling were flying along with her.

"I hope this little time was enlightening, my young changeling." The queen said to the locked Darkly. "Took Celestia long enough to find us. I see she couldn't trust her own guards with a rescue mission." The queen lowered herself and landed on the ground. "I wonder what kind of creature you are. Darkly mentioned something about a 'human'. Is that what you are?"

Samus remained silent.

"Fine, then. Changelings! Prepare to attack!" The queen ordered. All around her, changelings briefly burst into green flames and took the huntress's form.

Or at least they tried. Just like the one before them, the copies lacked the orange bulk of her suit, as well as the helmet and the arm cannon. All the fakes, and the queen, looked panicked at their sudden failure. Whatever that orange thing was, part of it was not alive. The queen was the first to recover and told her troops to be wary.

That was all the time Samus needed to switch from Wave Beam to Battlehammer. She let loose a barrage of heavy-duty exploding shells from her cannon. A few changelings that were hit fell to the ground and stopped moving. The ponies inside the cage, as well as the changelings on the queen's side, all looked in horror and awe at the sheer firepower the human possessed.

The queen looked in despair around her, seeing her beloved changelings drop one-by-one. She erected a magic shield around her drones and ordered them to stop the attack and retreat. Most conscious changelings obeyed and retreated, leaving only the queen and the human to face each other. There were some that lingered to see the fight and take any chance to help their queen or fallen comrades.

The queen's horn began glowing green again. The several changelings lying on the floor were levitated toward the rest. "Take them away and treat the injured." She turned to Samus. "If it's a fight you want, a fight you'll get." Samus responded by aiming her arm cannon at her opponent.

"I have no quarrel with you. Just let me take the ponies and no one else gets hurt." Samus offered.

"Those ponies are our source of nourishment. I'm afraid I can't let them go, for what would we feed on?" countered the queen as she fired another bolt.

"Farming love, I see. Can't say it's a bad idea. You even seem to keep them in good-enough conditions." remarked Samus while dodging the bolt and firing her own weapon.

"Enough!" yelled the queen after barely avoiding the blasts. She took to the air and fired again. "My first priority is to keep my young ones from starving. The ponies' well-being is a distant second."

Samus leapt to the side and said nothing; she was done talking. Focusing on the queen, the Hunter let loose a volley of missiles, all homing in on the insectoid ruler. Said ruler's eyes widen when she saw the projectiles following her. Five blasts hit the queen and she fell to the ground, smoking from the explosions. Samus kept her weapon aimed at the downed changeling.

The queen slowly stood up. Her horn was glowing with an almost blinding green. With murderous intent, she unleashed a bolt of green fire at Samus, who attempted to dodge the attack. She was somewhat successful, for she avoided the blast, but not the double kick with flaming hooves the queen delivered following her shot. Samus was sent flying to a nearby tree with enough force to crack the wood and making splinters fly.

As the huntress began to stand up, another concentrated beam from the queen's horn struck her. The attack was a lot stronger than it looked, making Samus fly through the damaged tree. Her energy levels were dangerously low now; she wouldn't survive another attack, physical or otherwise.

The queen fired one last bolt at the human, who instead of standing up as she expected, turned into a ball and rolled out of harm's way. The sudden tactic threw the queen long enough for said ball to glow orange and slam on her side with dangerous velocity and force. On the exact place where the ball impacted on her, a blue glowing orb was left. Before the queen could question what t was, it detonated with a small but powerful explosion.

Samus was already out of Morph Ball mode and switching weapons again. She needed to end this fight quickly, so she switched to one of her most powerful beam weapons: the Annihilator. Her arm cannon elongated and its linings were colored gray. A matter-antimatter black ball with a white glow began forming in the barrel of the cannon, ready to shoot. Using 5 missiles and 60 ammo, Samus unleashed the Sonic Boom.

The queen didn't have time to react; the instant Samus released the shot it struck home. The queen was surrounded with what could only be described as a distortion in the fabric of time and space; the air looked like a cracked glass pane, ripples in reality were visible, and high pitched sound was heard. All this lasted for about three seconds.

Once the reality-distorting energy subsided, the queen became visible once again. She stood, immobile, for what seemed like an eternity to every being watching. Locked ponies, hiding changeling, and battle-ready human all waited for any signal or movement from the changeling ruler. After what seemed like hours, the queen's body fell limp on the ground.

"Queen Chrysalis..." whispered Darkly to himself, as if not believing what he was seeing. Silence ruled all around.

Samus won the fight. She was about to turn to the cage and free the ponies, when she heard the sound of something that would haunt her for a long time: a youngling crying in despair for its mother.

"MOMMY! NOOOOOO!!!"

Downfall

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Disclaimer: Samus and Metroid elements belong to Nintendo. My Little Pony belongs to Hasbro/the Hub. I own nothing but the plot.
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Chapter 9: Downfall

"MOMMY! NOOOOOO!!!" a loud, high-pitched voice cried with utmost despair.

Samus turned to see a small changeling that looked like a miniature version of the queen, except her hair and horn were a lot shorter. She struggled for a bit, fighting the restrain other changelings had on her, when she freed herself and flew toward the fallen queen. Other changelings looked hesitant to go aid her, for the huntress was still there.

The changeling princess wept over her unmoving mother. Samus could only stand there and watch as haunting memories resurfaced in her mind. The small princess then turned to look at Samus with the same green eyes of her mother, eyes that burned with anger and confusion at the current events. Those eyes triggered something in Samus, something far worse that anything she ever experienced. Those eyes, Samus thought, were the same as hers. Samus took a step back in shock.

Visions of her mother being cut in half and then being blasted by a monster flashed in Samus's eyes. She saw her father die in an explosion to save the rest of his human companions, only to fail as the massacre around her continued. She saw a proud Chozo, trying his hardest to ensure his brethren's survival, being impaled by a shadowy creature. These memories, however, were not quite those she remembered, for there was a key distinction: instead of a demonic space dragon, she saw a female human grinning evilly. A tall human with blue eyes, a flowing blonde hair tied in a ponytail, and a blue jumpsuit on her body.

She saw herself.

All the anger, the hatred she felt for Ridley was being directed at her with those green eyes. And she, too, was feeling the same for her own person. She had essentially become the same thing she swore to destroy. She became a Ridley in this young princess's eyes.

Not being able to stand the sight before her, Samus looked around. All around her she could see hateful glances belonging to the changelings that had just lost their beloved queen. They all showed intense hatred for her, and yet none of them affected her like their princess did. Samus looked back at the little creature hugging her unmoving mother. She saw how the innocence that once undoubtedly shone in those eyes shattered, never to be recovered. She saw a younger version of herself reflected on those green eyes.

Darkly had gotten out of the cage and was approaching the mourning princess. He barely got near her when she embraced him, crying in his chest and asking why. He started stroking her head, trying to soothe her emotional pain. He glanced at Samus not with hatred, but with disappointment. 'Why did you do this?' asked his mere expression.

His glance brought Samus out of her thoughts and into the present. As hard as this was to take, she still had a mission to complete. As routine dictated, she scanned the changeling queen for any life signs. She was surprised to see her defeated opponent still alive, though just barely.

"Your queen is still alive. Take her away and don't interfere anymore." Samus told the changelings. Her voice was void of any emotion.

All the changelings' faces lit with hope, except the small princess. She turned to Samus again and was about to say something, but Darkly beat her to it. "Thank you." Before the princess could say anything else, he turned to her. "Please be strong, Princess Anis. The hive still needs someone to guide them. There is still hope; maybe something good will come from this."

"But..." she sniffed.

"Never lose hope, princess. No matter what, never lose hope." insisted the older changeling.

She stood still for a few moments, before she sniffed loudly and filled her face with resolve. "Ok." She gave Samus one last rancorous glance, before turning to her fellow changeling. "We can't risk losing any more of us, so we'll leave these ponies." She turned to Samus again. "Go. And don't come back!"

Samus simply nodded her agreement. She opened the cell and ordered the ponies to follow her. They began walking toward Marelin's direction when they heard Darkly speak. "Wait! I'll go with you." This surprised everyone present.

"You can't go!" cried the young princess.

"I have to. I'll make sure to discuss things with the pony princesses. We'll come to an agreement."

"Let me go with you." begged Anis.

"No. You have to stay by the queen's side. I'll come back, I promise."

Princess Anis looked at him with fear, but ultimately nodded her understanding. "You better."

Darkly turned to Samus. "Let's go." And they did.

Samus led the group east, where Marelin was located. She had ordered and threatened anypony to leave Darkly alone; any sign of aggression toward the changeling, no matter how small, would earn a broken leg; after what they saw, no pony dared defy her. After 30 minutes of walking, the group stopped. Samus began charging her Arm Cannon and shot an ice missile skywards, a process she would repeat every hour. The missile flew high in the sky, until it exploded in a big cloud of ice crystals that began raining down, not doing any damage to the life below.

The signal was sent; all they had to do was to wait for the royal escort. Samus told the group of ponies to wait for the guards, and that she was going to look around. She also made sure the threat about Darkly and broken legs was still active.

After a few minutes of walking around, Samus looked around to see if she was alone. Since it appeared so, she deactivated her suit, walked toward one of the many trees, and let loose a shout of pure ire. That shout was accompanied by a punch to the nearest tree. The punch was strong enough that the wood bent and cracked. Several punches followed, punishing the innocent tree with Samus's anger release.

Why? Why was this affecting her so much? She had eradicated countless lives, she had brought extinction to at least 4 different species, she blew up several planets; and none of those events had bothered her nearly as much as this. So, why? Why did one simple insectoid queen, which wasn't even dead yet, cause her so much emotional distress?

It was because of those eyes. Those big, green, innocent eyes that belonged to the changeling princess. The same eyes she had when she witnessed the brutal deaths of her parents, so many years back.

Samus turned around and rested her back on the breaking tree. She let herself slide down until she was slumped on the ground. She stood still like that for who-knows-how long, just thinking and trying to calm herself. After she had calmed herself a bit, she activated her armor and returned to the group of ponies.

The group didn't cause any trouble, thankfully. Ponies and changeling were avoiding interactions between species, which worked fine for Samus. The time was spent in silence, except for the missile launched every hour, until the guards and Applejack finally arrived.

Upon watching the four armored stallions arrive at the scene, Samus told them that the changeling was requesting an audience with the princesses. She also made sure to warn the guards of any violence directed at said changeling; if she knew the changeling was harmed, she would personally make sure none of those guards would be able to walk for the rest of their lives. While the guards didn't really believe her threat, they still made sure to follow her command.

Seeing the guards had everything under control, Samus left the crowd and headed for Canterlot. Applejack was going to follow her, but was ordered by Samus to oversee the escort and made sure the changeling remained unharmed.

In truth, Samus wanted to be alone. The huntress continued her way, engaging the Speed Booster to arrive as soon as possible; the sooner she finished her mission the better.

OXOXO

Samus was being escorted to the throne room, where Celestia currently awaited Samus's arrival. Upon entering the room, the princess asked the guards to leave them. "Welcome back, Samus. Your report?"

"Mission accomplished. Your ponies are now being escorted by the guards I requested, with Applejack as their leader. I've confirmed the identity of every stallion and mare, and they match those in the list given to me. A changeling is also being brought here, as he requested an audience with you." Said the Hunter in the most emotionless voice Celestia had heard her speak since her arrival. "I expect my pay near my ship by tomorrow morning." That said, Samus turned around and proceeded to leave.

"Is everything ok? You look troubled." asked a concerned Celestia. Even if Samus was covered with her armor and helmet, the sun princess could see something was amiss. Samus stopped for a moment, but then continued her way, ignoring any further prying from the white alicorn.

Following the advice Celestia gave her when she first visited the castle, Samus deactivated her Power Suit and went for a stroll in the castle gardens. She still had a lot of stuff to think, and maybe a little walk could help her with that.

She reached the statue garden, just like on her chat with Celestia. As she walked, Samus's thoughts went back to the small changeling princess. If she were to follow the ponies' way of acting and go apologize, what would happen? Would she even have the chance to apologize? Her musings lasted for a while, and she didn't stop walking.

After some time, Samus arrived at the same statue that had played tricks in her mind: the one of the mishmash of different animal parts. For the briefest of moments, she heard the echo of a laugh. Samus looked around, seeing no one.

Deciding that she was going mad, she sat on the ground and adopted a lotus position. Just as her late Chozo caretakers taught her, Samus began to meditate. 'One must train body, mind, and soul to overcome.' Gray Voice used to tell her whenever she blundered in her training.

Sadly, her meditation was backfiring, for her mind returned to horrible memories, new and old. She was going to keep trying when she heard a voice; a voice that she instantly recognized to belong to a self-absorbed snob. She opened her eyes and saw a white unicorn stallion, dressed in a fancy blue vest, walking with two visibly annoyed mares and an even-more-annoyed royal guard. He seemed to pay no mind to his subordinates' discomfort.

"Ugh. What is that horrible creature doing in the royal gardens?" The stuck-up pony asked.

"I believe she is Samus, Prince Blueblood. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna asked for her help with the case of the foalnapped ponies." answered the guard. The mares that were accompanying them stopped looking annoyed and started looking curious when they saw Samus.

"Well, tell her that her job is done and that she may stop ruining this beautiful garden's sight with her presence." ordered the prince.

Before any other pony could say something, Samus stood up and spoke. "Listen, you little snob, I'm really not in the mood to deal with the likes of you, so shut the hell up and fuck off."

"My, what vulgarity. Do you not know who I am? I'm Princess Celestia's beloved nephew, Prince Blueblood. Show some respect, you measly peasant."

Samus tightened her fists. Collecting herself, she breathed deeply and exhaled, somewhat calming herself. Samus turned around and started walking. "You're not worth my time."

Feeling insulted, Blueblood indignantly replied. "You will show the respect I deserve. I'm royalty and should be treated as such." Seeing the human completely ignoring him, he pressed on. "Well, I'll be! What a brutish savage you are. Didn't your parents teach you any manners? I'm certainly not surprised, given how they're most likely even worse than you are."

Samus stopped walking. Slowly, very slowly, she turned her head to face the prince. Her eyes alone were enough to scare off the two mares that had come with the prince.

OXOXO

A few hours earlier...

"Go. NOW!" barked Samus. Rainbow Dash just looked at the two of them, before letting out an angry growl and dashing away back to Ponyville.

"Mighty sorry about that. Dash can be a little reckless at times." The apple farmer apologized.

"You can count on me!" responded Applejack. She saw Samus leave without another word. "Now let's see what these townsfolk need help with."

Applejack trotted back to Marelin, where some ponies could be seen making some cleaning up or some repairs. A fading rainbow trail, however, caught her attention. Instead of going to Ponyville, the trail led to inner Marelin. This soured the farmer's mood, for it could only mean one thing: Rainbow Dash wasn't heading for Ponyville.

Applejack followed Rainbow Dash into the town. By the way Rainbow Dash was continuously turning her head, Applejack deduced she was looking for something. And knowing Rainbow Dash, it was Trixie.

After some time, Applejack could see Rainbow Dash head for the ground behind a building. She followed her flying friend to the landing point. As she turned the corner, she saw Trixie humoring a couple of fillies with a simple magic trick, wagon on the side. Rainbow Dash began walking with angry steps toward the unicorn. The farm pony decided to stay by the sidelines to see what would happen, ready to jump at the scene if necessary.

"All right, Trixie. What are you up to now?" asked an enraged Rainbow Dash.

Trixie, upon seeing Rainbow Dash, excused herself to the fillies and asked them to go home. Once they had done so, she turned to the rainbow-maned mare behind her. "That's Beatrix to you. What do you want?"

"You may have fooled this entire town, but not me. I know you're up to something." accused Rainbow Dash. Suddenly, her neck glowed magenta and she was pulled down, her face touching the ground. Seeing this act of violence, Applejack prepared to act, but stopped when Trixie began talking.

"Listen well, you little saboteur. I was just performing a show, bothering no pony as far as the audience let me know. You just suddenly come and ruin everypony's fun." Trixie walked closer to the pinned mare. "You mentioned payback. I can only assume you are one of the hecklers from Ponyville that is still bitter about losing. As far as I can remember, I challenged the audience, and you accepted the challenge. Well, let me tell you something: you won't win every challenge; sometimes, you'll lose. Now go; I have had enough of your despicable town and its insufferable residents. Your kind has already done enough damage." Trixie levitated Rainbow Dash and threw her toward Applejack, as if she knew the farmer was there. "I'll deal with your town soon enough. Now go! And don't bother me again, because next time, I won't be nearly as merciful with you."

Rainbow Dash landed in front of Applejack with the grace of a rock. Both mares gave Trixie hateful glances, which the showmare promptly ignored. She simply continued walking away.

"How dare she?"

"That's enough, sugarcube. We best not deal with her kind." Applejack scoffed "An' here Ah thought she had turned a new leaf and start clean. By the way..." the farmer turned to the winged mare "Why didn't you follow Samus's orders?"

"Are you kidding me? I wasn't going to let this chance go to waste."

"Well, Ah suggest you go now. Townsfolk are not looking kindly at you." Indeed, they were receiving ugly glares from some ponies.

"Fine." The pegasus said before flying off.

Applejack decided to spend a bit more time with her cousin Golden Delicious. She looked for him. After she did, they went to a nearby café to catch up.

After some time had passed, Golden excused himself and left Applejack; he had to go back to his farm. With nothing better to do, she decided to go and see if any pony needed help with something. As she walked, she began feeling curious about the whole Trixie incident. Wanting to find out more about the ordeal, she asked the first pony she saw why everyone was defending her so much.

"She was bringing enjoyment to this town. We were all eager to see that great finale to Wanda's Magic Show, but your friend had to ruin that for us." was her answer.

"Mighty sorry 'bout that. But Ah'm sure you've heard about the 'Great and Powerful Trixie' incident a while back. Sorry to say, but 'Wanda' just played the lot of you." replied the farmer in a solemn tone.

"What do you take us for? The whole town knows Wanda is that same infamous Trixie. So what? She was giving us a fun show. What more is there to it? I don't know how you Ponyville ponies handle things, but here in Marelin, we at least give ponies the benefit of doubt. The gal was just offering a show, and she delivered. Or at least she was until that rainbow bully came and ruined it. Now if you'll excuse me..." The pony said in an almost rude voice and left Applejack.

"Well, shoot." said the apple farmer. She glanced at the western woods long enough for her to see an explosion far away in the sky. The explosion turned to a cloud of icy wind and a shower of frozen crystals. That was Samus's signal. She wasted no time in informing the guards and heading that way.

OXOXO

Samus was dragging the beaten body of what could be called a pony. Prince Blueblood's limp body had a battered and ripped vest, two broken legs, a cracked horn, black eyes, a bloody snout, and several missing teeth. The two mares from before were helping her carrying the knocked out guard, who sported nothing more than a bump on his head. They had agreed to help after a short explanation from Samus. They headed for the castle nursery, where the mares gently deposited the guard on one of the beds. Samus unceremoniously dropped the prince on the floor, causing him to whimper.

A nurse entered the nursery and gasped when she saw the prince. "What happened?"

"He caught me in a bad mood. Lucky for him I held back."

"Held back? Just look at him! How is that holding back?" asked the crossed nurse.

"Not all of his bones are broken, that's how." Without another word, Samus exited the nursery. She headed for the castle's exit. Equipping her Power Suit and engaging her Speed Booster, she set her destination to Ponyville. More specifically, her ship.

As expected, it only took minutes to reach her ship. Given that it was dysfunctional at the moment (and would continue to be until the next day), Samus wasn't able to enter it. Checking that everything was in order so far, she instead opted to unequip her suit and head to Ponyville. Deciding to kill some time and do some research, she headed for Golden Oak Library.

Samus arrived at the giant hollow tree and entered. For some reason, seeing Spike put her in a better mood, albeit not for much. As always, he was cleaning the library and doing other chores. Twilight was also there, though she was reading a book and barely aware of her surroundings. At the sound of the door closing, Spike noticed the huntress had come to visit.

"Hey, Samus! How you've been?" asked the dragon jovially.

Upon hearing Spike's greeting, Twilight looked up from her book to see that, indeed, Samus had just entered the library. "Hello! So how was the mission?"

"Completed." Samus answered.

Both Spike and Twilight noticed the complete lack of emotion in her voice. Twilight dismissed it as Samus's personality, but Spike didn't. Having spent an afternoon talking with the human, he knew she wasn't as emotionless as she presented herself.

"Is something wrong? You seem upset." asked Spike.

Samus sighed. "It's nothing you can help me with." She was a bit surprised at the baby dragon for reading her so easily. Either she has been losing her touch, or the recent event had affected her more than she thought. "Anyways, I need all the info on changelings you have available."

"Changelings?" questioned Twilight "Were they the ones responsible? Did you encounter them?"

"Yes and yes. I need to do a little research on them, if you don't mind." Samus was starting to sound impatient.

"I'll help you." offered Spike. He and Samus began looking at the books that might hold some information on the subject.
After half an hour, Samus had a pile of 12 books that mentioned the changelings in the indexes. Of those 12, only 4 had real information about them. It was early evening, so Samus decided to stay and read the books; besides, her ship still needed another day to fully recharge. With a plan in mind, her helmet materialized on her head and she began reading.

OXOXO

Morning came, and with it, the last pages of the last book Samus was reading. While she was not surprised at her findings, she was still disappointed. Out of the four books she read, three had basically classified the changeling as 'evil parasites that fed on love'. The other book did go a little deeper, mentioning several theories about their nourishment and the possibility of coexistence with them. It was interesting to see how they need not 'leech' the feeling if it was given to them voluntarily, according to one of the author's theories. Samus recalled Darkly saying something along those lines, though she wasn't sure.

Samus finished reading the book and reported her findings on her research logbook. Her helmet vanished, and she went outside. Twilight and Spike had both went to sleep late at night, so they were still asleep. Samus saw it was early in the morning, so she decided to walk around town and see if anything interesting happened.

Since it was still early, few ponies were up, but Samus spotted Big Mac walking around town, pulling a wagon with a couple of barrels. She waved a hand in acknowledgement, and the stallion did the same with his hoof. Neither said anything and continued with their day.

Given that the town was still pretty much asleep, and it was still a few hours before her ship became usable, the huntress had a little change of plan and started exploring Ponyville. She still wasn't all that familiar with its layout, and she wanted to see if something caught her attention; something that didn't interest Twilight enough to consider on her tour through Ponyville.

As she walked by, she spotted a shop that sold quills and sofas. It was unusual, but nothing too interesting. The next shop, a clock shop, wasn't unusual at all, but somehow caught Samus's attention. She went in, glad that it was open at that hour. She looked around, taking in the peculiar style of some of the pieces there. Most clock were what anyone would expect, but others were made from recycled materials and made for some unique designs.

While clocks were simple machines, Samus had always had a certain fascination with the inner workings of machines; cogs and gears and all that. The style that dominated most clocks in the shop made her remember Sky Town in Elysia.

Sadly, memories quickly went toward Ghor, and how she had to kill him. Same for Rundas and Gandrayda. That last was especially horrible, seeing her extend her arm in help just to die not two seconds later with her face contorted in fear.

"May I help you?" The voice interrupted her train of thought, and Samus turned to see a brown earth pony with spiky backwards mane and an hourglass cutie mark. "Oh, you're that... What was it?... Human! You're the human the mayor introduced the other day! Sams, or something. So, anything caught your fancy?"

"Samus." she corrected "I was just browsing. Did you build these?"

"Yes I did. I sometimes go to Ponyville's junkyard and look for some pieces that I can use in my clocks. It makes for the most exotic pieces, doesn't it?"

"Yeah... May I ask where this junkyard is? I think I'll look for some pieces myself." asked an interested Samus.

"Of course. It is a mile and a half northeast from Ponyville. It is not overly big, mind you. You'll only find some scrap metal and wood. Maybe some old building materials"

"That's okay. I'll see what I can find."

"Most excellent. Maybe we'll see each other! My name is Time Turner, by the way." the stallion offered a smile.

"Samus Aran." said the huntress. They gave each other a hand/hoof shake. "I think I'll be leaving. Thank you for your help."

"Come back anytime!" Samus exited the clock shop and decided to go explore the junkyard. Who knows what she could find there?

As always, her walk was uneventful. She arrived at the junkyard, which was a bit bigger than what she would expect from a village like Ponyville. She wandered through the junkyard, picking up something and examining it every now and them. There were some pieces she could use in case her ship lacked the materials to fully repair the boosters, as well as enough metal to build a small robot (she had wanted to build her own Tinbot ever since she first visited Elysia). This place definitely deserved a second visit.

After spending enough time in the scrap-filled place, Samus decided to go check if her payment had arrived. She walked while thinking on how to build her robot and trying to forget yesterday's events. Once she arrived at the crash site, she spotted a couple of chests decorated with the royal insignia. She opened them and verified they were full of golden coins.

Payment received and secured, Samus returned to Ponyville to find something to eat. She found the café she visited while briefing Land Scout and Applejack of the mission. She made a mental note to visit Applejack tomorrow to make sure everything was fine.

She ordered some fries and a strawberry smoothie. After almost choking on her fries, Samus asked if the hay could be replaced with potatoes. The waiter reluctantly took her order. This strange suggestion earned her some weird glances from other customers, which she promptly ignored. Samus liked potatoes.

After she finished eating and paid for her food, Samus headed for the library. Her ship would finish recharging after a few hours, which would be spent in her studies. When she reached the library and told Twilight of her plan, the purple mare wasted no time in gathering books and handing them to Samus. Twilight also warned Samus that she will make some tests for Samus to answer. The huntress didn't complain, actually grateful for the distractions; she wanted to forget the events with the changelings.

OXOXO

"And the 'Come to Life' spell was mostly designed by...?" asked Twilight.

"Starswirl the Bearded. Just like the past 8 answers have been 'Starswirl the Bearded'." deadpanned Samus.

"Oh... Really? I haven't noticed."

"I'm done. My ship finished charging an hour ago. If you need anything, and try not to, look for me in my ship." Samus stood up and left, ignoring any comment from Twilight's part. Spike had gone over to help Rarity with gem hunting, so he wasn't present.

After arriving at her home and mode of transport, Samus opened the hatch and entered her ship. The first thing she did was check the systems. Everything was in order, so she went to the next thing, damage report: not as good as she hoped, but not as bad as she expected. The Medical Bay still needed some more minor repairs, as did the boosters. The Ammo Factory was in top shape, at least.

Check-up done, Samus reloaded all missiles and ammo to top capacity. She instructed the ship to commence the Auto-Repair functions, which should be finished before sundown. She gave the Medical Bay top priority. After that, Adam made himself known.

"Welcome back, lady."

"How long until the Medical Bay is functional? The suit took a beating and needs to refill its energy tanks."

"It should take 51 minutes to become usable again. Damages aren't that severe, and the repairs you made helped accelerating the process."

"Good. I'll go outside. Call me when it's ready."

"Roger."

Samus went outside. Things were finally looking up for her ship. Sadly, the same couldn't be said for her psyche; the look the little changeling princess gave her was almost enough to shatter her spirit.

OXOXO

Samus Aran's Log, entry 019:

The mission was a success, but it came at a terrible price. The possible death of the changeling queen brought a lot of distress for the young princess. Princess Anis -I think that's how Darkly called her- made quite an impression in me. From what I could see, she is a strong character with a lot of love for her people, and yet she is still a child. A child that may or may not have seen her mother killed in front of her. The eyes she looked at me with were the same eyes I had when Ridley murdered my entire colony.

I have become what I swore to destroy, and I honestly fear how this will affect me in the future. I wonder... What would Gray Voice do in my situation?

OXOXO

Samus sat, once again, in the lotus position. Meditation was a technique she rarely used, and yet she had attempted it twice in two days. The legendary Hunter was at a loss of what to do. Should she try and get over it? Should she try going to apologize to the changeling princess?

That last question brought on other questions. Just how forgiving were the changelings? The queen mentioned something about their species being almost gone; were the changelings on the verge of extinction? How will they cope with the loss of their queen? Has Samus eradicated yet another species?

As she continued with her inner debate, Adam's voice sounded in her ear. "The Medical Bay is ready. You may use it whenever you wish, lady."

"Thanks, Adam. Prepare it immediately; I'm going in now."

"Roger."

Samus stood up and entered her ship. She equipped her armor and entered the Medical Bay. The energy tanks in her suit were being quickly filled. Once her suit was in optimal conditions again, she exited the bay and deactivated her Power Suit. All that was left was for her ship to finish repairing the boosters and she would be able to do some flying tests.

It was still early, but Samus was both physically and emotionally drained, so she decided to go to sleep. Tomorrow she would visit Applejack and ask about the rescued ponies. Hopefully, everything went well. She would also go to Canterlot to visit Darkly and maybe even sort this whole event.

OXOXO

Samus awoke with a jump, breathing heavily. She had a horrible nightmare, but with the exception of a pair of misty green eyes, she couldn't remember what it was. Whatever it was, though, it was dreadful enough to wake the Hunter. Looking outside the ship's window, she deduced it was early morning.

"Oh good, you're awake. Welcome to the waking world, [hunter name here]. It is [time and date here]. I wish you had a restful and sleepful sleep. Should we begin testing the ship?" Adam's voice sounded wrong. Instead of the masculine voice her A.I. companion had, this voice sounded like a female instructor of sorts. Somehow, Samus could detect a slight psychopathic tint in the ship's new voice.

"I'm going out." The Hunter declared with a confused frown.

"Fantastic. Have fun with your testing. Do try the cake. It's moist and delicious."

Samus exited the ship, still confused over what just happened. As she planned yesterday, her first destination was Sweet Apple Acres. She took the road to the apple orchard, which wasn't far from her ship. As she neared the farm, Samus could hear the frustrated and angry voice of Applejack.

"AH, FOR PETE'S SAKE. WHAT IN TARNATION IS GOING ON HERE?!"

Samus quickened her step, ready to help the farmer. She when arrived, she had to pause and make a double take at the sight that awaited her. Instead of an apple orchard, as she expected, Samus came to what could only be called a cucumber orchard; every apple the trees were supposed to have had been replaced with cucumbers. And as far as Samus knew, cucumbers weren't supposed to grow on trees.

"What happened here?" asked the dumbfounded huntress.

"That's what Ah wanna know. My precious apples..." mourned the apple farmer.

Before any of the blondes could comment further, a rainbow-maned pegasus fell just in front of where they were.

"Oof. What the hay?" murmured Rainbow Dash as she picked herself up. Samus noticed one of her eyes was starting to swell.

"What happened to you? Did you crash in a building?" asked Applejack.

"Not quite. More like crashed with a cloud. A cloud made of lead."

"wut?"

"Yeah! I was going to clear this cloud, but it was made of lead. It then started to rain bolts and screws."

"You guys are not making any sense." commented Samus.

Just then, Twilight materialized beside them. "Girls, it's an emergency! Princess Celestia needs us in Canterlot as soon as possible. Pinkie Pie, Rarity and Fluttershy are already on their way to the train. You should come too, Samus."

"Hold up, sugarcube. What's happening?" asked an increasingly worrying Applejack, as if she already knew the answer.

"It's... It's..." struggled Twilight.

"Yes?"

"It's Discord. He's back."

Samus tensed a little when she saw the color all but drained from both Applejack and Rainbow Dash.

OXOXO

A Hunter-class gunship flew toward Canterlot. Having been briefed by the ponies about this Discord character, Samus wasted no time in ordering Twilight and Rainbow to summon the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony to her ship. All six ponies and human were now riding the gunship and heading toward Canterlot Castle, where Celestia awaited. The ship was now a bit crowded, but Samus was glad the repairs had ended in optimal results.

As the ship neared the castle, a group of guards gathered to face the new threat. It wasn't until Spearhead arrived that he recognized the ship and ordered the guards to stand by. The ship landed, and one by one, the ponies exited via the hatch. Once all six mares and one armored human were out, Spearhead motioned for them to follow.

They wasted no time in reaching the throne room, where Celestia was anxiously pacing around. Once she saw her heroes, she calmed a bit and greeted them. Spearhead left the room on the princess's orders.

"I have terrible news." the Sun Goddess started "I'm afraid Discord has been freed once again. I summoned you here to ask for your help. Equestria needs you to wield the Elements yet again. Please follow me, there's no time." Celestia walked out of one of the doors, quickly followed by six mares and one human.

Their destination was Canterlot Tower, home of the Elements of Harmony. They walked along a corridor, which was decorated with majestic windows and fancy pillars. At the end of the corridor was a double door with a slot in the middle.

As they walked, Samus noticed the stained glass windows and how they portrayed some of the legends she read in her studies. The one that caught her attention was one where crude pictures of Celestia and Luna circled a weird creature, a creature that seemed familiar to her.

"We're here." said Celestia "The Elements are just behind this door. I'll open it for-"

"Honey! I'm home!" a bodyless male voice interrupted the Sun Princess. Every pony present in the room jumped in surprise at the voice. Samus began looking around, searching for the source and ready to blast anything remotely resembling a threat.

"Discord!" Celestia was the first to recover. She rushed to the doors and attempted to insert her horn in the slot. Her attempt failed when something obstructed her magical bone. The princess looked to see what was happening, and barely contained her anger at seeing her attempts stopped by a simple, non-magical, ordinary cork lodged in the slot. Any further attempts were forgotten once that same voice laughed at her expense.

"Ahahahahaha! Oh, the look on your face was priceless!" The voice said again. From nowhere, a mismatched creature materialized; the same creature depicted in the statue that unnerved Samus. "Really, Celestia, only you pull off some of those- GREAT GLIDING GRIFFONS! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?!" Discord yelled in an alarmed voice. This brought confusion and even more anxiety to everyone present... at least until the spirit of chaos continued speaking. "Your flank has gotten wider, like twice as wide. Slacking off more now that little Luna is here to help, huh?"

Celestia's face turned redder and redder with each word Discord said. "I will not let you run free once again!" The embarrassment and anger the Sun Princess felt became too much, and she blasted the draconequus; or tried to, before Discord winked out of existence and reappeared beside Samus.

"Ohohoho. Really Cele-" Discord was interrupted by his head freezing. He lifted his eagle talon and lion paw to feel his frozen head when a missile exploded on it, shattering it and sending frozen head fragments everywhere. Discord's limp body fell to the ground.

It wasn't long before the headless body sprang back to its feet. The eagle talon reached for its neck and grasped something. With a 'pop', the talon pulled another head, identical to the one before. He snapped his fingers and all the frozen bits turned to marshmallows, which he ate.

"Ahh... That's why I like you, my little chaotic woman. Such ferocious power hidden behind such a calm and stoic face. Such raging maelstrom of emotion perfectly disguised as cold and calculating calm. Such subtle form of turmoil. How could I not feel attracted to you?"

Samus fired her Power Beam at the spirit of chaos as response. He simply floated to his side and avoided the shots.

"Relax." said Discord, suddenly teleporting beside Samus. She leapt backwards and landed with her cannon aimed at the creature. "You need to be more laid back. All that stress is going to tense your neck stiff. I should know, I was trapped in stone for who knows how. Now..." he bowed to Samus "...to thank my beautiful Discordette! I am grateful, my dear, for your hand in my freedom. Seeing you beating that posh unicorn was very fun! Seriously Celestia, how come you still keep that annoying nephew of yours walk in the palace? His voice is so bleck."

All ponies now gasped at the news. They all looked at her with betrayal in their faces; even Celestia seemed confused at the statement. Samus, still aiming her cannon at Discord, didn't move a muscle.

"Samus, explain." ordered Celestia.

"I did beat some stuck-up unicorn, but that's it. I've never met this thing before. You explain." said the Hunter, looking at Discord.

"But of course, my lady." Discord said with a bow. He then turned to Celestia. "Please try to control your jealousy, Celestia. This lovely woman here has sparked that -" he got cut off again when he noticed a black orb with a purple glow slowly moving toward him. He curiously touched it and it quickly expanded, swallowing the spirit of chaos. The black portal lasted another three seconds before collapsing on itself, leaving no trace of the draconequus.

A few seconds passed in which not a dust particle moved. Then, being the first to recover from the bizarre event that had just happened, Celestia asked Samus what she had done. Samus lowered her Arm Cannon and faced the ruler of the day.

"I sent him to a dark dimension. He won't be able to bother us anymore." answered Samus as she took off her helmet.

"Was that dark magic?" asked a somewhat dumbfounded princess.

"No. That was Luminoth technology."

"Did you really beat up my nephew?"

"Yes, he caught me in a bad mood. And instead of going away like I suggested, he said the wrong words. Now, may I ask why you have a statue of your worst enemy in your garden?" Samus had an almost accusing frown in her face.

"That would be because I was that statue." Discord's voice answered before Celestia could. Again, Samus frantically looked around trying to spot the fiend. This would be the first time anything returned from the dark dimension of the Darkburst.

A zipper appeared out of nowhere, and with a zipping noise, it opened a hole in the fabric of reality, from where Discord emerged before closing the tear in the air and eating the zipper. He was now wearing some shades, a cap, and a blue shirt with palm trees printed on it.

"Ahh! I needed that vacation. I met this delightful guy with different personalities; he was so crazy! We would've hit it off if he weren't trying to kill me. Will you ever stop surprising me?" said Discord as he pinched Samus's cheek and patted her head. She batted the offending paw away and opened fire again. He blinked out of existence and reappeared some distance away from the huntress. "I forgot to tell you! I met some friends of yours, Samus. They came to say 'hello'." said Discord as several mechanoids materialized behind him.

One of the mechanoid consisted in three metallic orbs floating in the air with several holographic panels surrounding the bigger orb. Another was a robotic gorilla with wrecking balls serving as its fists; it also had a cannon mounted on its back. The last two were four-legged mechanical spiders with a central body and a head mounted in a long sleek neck; their legs also consisted on sharp-looking spikes. Samus cursed as she now faced a Rezbit, an Ingsmasher, and two Quads; all looking ready to destroy the famous bounty hunter. She wasted no time in replacing her helmet on her head.

"Now, my dear, catch up with your friends while I discuss our future with princess grumpy." Discord told Samus. He turned his attention back to Celestia while the Rezbit and two Quads menacingly approached the huntress.

"Stand back! These things are deadly." yelled Samus when she noticed the ponies trying to get near her and help.

The Ingsmasher, on the other hand, put its attention on Celestia and the door guarding the elements. Following some of its original programming, it stood in front of the door to guard it against anything that came near.

"We need the Elements!" yelled Twilight as she and the rest of the bearers rushed toward the princess and villain. Celestia and Discord had met in combat. Or more accurately, Discord would mock Celestia while she tried to trap him in a magic bubble and failed at it. Twilight and Rarity would provide magic support, while Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Pinkie Pie provided melee combat. Fluttershy could only provide moral support from behind one of the columns. "Princess! We'll distract him; go get the Elements!"

"Genius, Twilight. Yell your plan at the enemy." sarcastically commented Discord. He dashed to Celestia, hoping to cut her off, but stopped to avoid getting blasted in the face by one of Twilight's magic bolts. He then smiled when he saw the Ingsmasher send Celestia flying to the other side of the room. "Ooh, that bouncer does pack a punch."

Celestia recovered in midair, shaking her head to clear her vision. Her eyes widened and she barely avoided the energy bursts that the Ingsmasher fired at her from its cannon. She then fired her own beam at the robot, only for it to raise a white-glowing arm and deflect the attack.

Samus, meanwhile, was charging her Power Beam. She took aim and fired a Super Missile at the Rezbit. Being able to infect her suit with a powerful computer virus made it the biggest threat of the four mechanoids. The fact that they could also fire devastating lasers didn't help. The missile hit just before the Rezbit could create a barrier. Samus then leapt to her side, avoiding a swipe from the Quad's leg, and switched to the Dark Beam. As soon as she saw the barrier protecting the Rezbit disappear, she shot frenetically. The Rezbit didn't last long after that. Her victory, however, couldn't be celebrated yet, for the Quads still presented a problem.

Samus fired an ice missile and trapped one of the Quads. Her Arm Cannon switched to the Magmaul and she fired several shots at the trapped mechanoid. The explosion, albeit powerful, barely did any damage to the Quad's body, but it Head Module didn't survive. She quickly entered Morph Ball mode and slammed against the cooling device the main body extended when it overheated. The destruction of the device brought the destruction of the mechanoid.

As soon as she exited the Morph Ball, the other Quad struck her. The robot pressed its advantage, not giving the Hunter much room for a counterattack. As she evaded another swipe, Samus took noticed that Discord, the Ingsmasher, and all the ponies were distracted fighting each other. She gave a back jump to get some distance.

The Quad started spinning on the tips of its legs and rushed towards Samus, who once again entered Morph Ball and collided with her enemy. As every time before, the Quad lost balance and stopped spinning, revealing its cooling device. Samus slammed against it and destroyed the body. She returned to normal as fast as she could, switched to the Annihilator Beam, and blasted the Head Module.

Discord was kept busy with the six ponies while Celestia took the defensive against the Ingsmasher. So focused on their own fight were all of them that none of them noticed neither the powerful explosive projectile heading for the door guarding the Elements nor the dark alicorn arriving at the scene.

The explosion did a good job at catching the attention of everyone present. The dark bolt of magic striking Discord also contributed to it. The door was destroyed, revealing the box that contained the Elements of Harmony. Princess Luna wasted no time in trapping Discord in a magic bubble, with Celestia quickly joining her.

Twilight and the other bearers quickly donned their respective element and began gathering magic. Finally, Samus tackled the Ingsmasher before it got on the way of the ponies; she then spared no ammo in shooting down the robot.

Discord, instead of cowering like the time before, actually laughed at them. "This time was even shorter than last time. Oh well, better not break up the new pose." he said while adapting the same pose he was in before being petrified.

Samus watched the spectacle with mild interest. It wasn't until the rainbow-colored wave of magic surged forward to the draconequus that she gasped at the sight. Some painful memories flashed again in her mind. The 'Harmony Beam', as she decided to call it, looked awfully similar to the Hyper Beam the baby metroid gave her when it died protecting her. The screech it gave just before dying vividly sounding in her ears. Samus fell on her knees, too stunned to move.

Suddenly, it was all over.

Where Discord was now stood the same statue she saw before. All ponies were on the ground, sighing and collapsing in exhaustion. Princesses Celestia and Luna stood tall and proud at their victory. Samus deactivated her suit and lied on the floor for a few moments, before standing up and making her way toward Luna and Celestia.

"Is it over?" she asked.

"It is." answered the lunar alicorn "Sorry for the delay."

"It is fine, my sister. We were victorious in the end." Celestia said. "For now, we should all rest."

They all agreed. Well, almost.

"That was a little anticlimactic..." commented Pinkie Pie.

OXOXO

After having a small meal and a good rest, Samus had a handful trying to deal with Pinkie Pie. Turning into a ball while within the pink mare's sight might have been a bad idea. "You have to teach me how to turn into a ball! That's, like, the most awesome superpower ever!" Eeyup, definitely a bad idea.

Doing her best to ignore the hyperactive party pony, Samus was heading toward the throne room, where the princesses were supposed to be. Sure enough, Celestia sat on her throne, relaxing with a cup of steaming tea. Two Royal Guards stood on both sides of the throne. "You wanted to talk with me?" asked the Sun Princess when she noticed Samus and Pinkie Pie enter the room.

"Yes. I request to speak with Darkly, the changeling I entrusted your guards with." Samus answered. Pinkie Pie gasped loudly at this.

"You brought a changeling? Those things that eat love? Why?" Pinkie Pie asked. She was ignored.

"Of course. My sister has gone to talk to him to the dungeons. Princess Cadance has joined her." answered Celestia. Her response infuriated Samus.

"What do you mean dungeons? I specifically ordered your guards that he would NOT be harmed." said the Hunter in a misleadingly calm voice. Pinkie Pie just looked back and forth at the human and the alicorn.

"He was not. You would do well to remember the Royal Guard serve Luna and myself, not you. And until I've confirmed the changeling poses no threat, he shall stay in the dungeons. If you wish to speak to him, go ahead. But he will not be released until I consider it wise to do so." said Celestia sternly.

Samus stood still and quiet for a moment, before speaking again. "I will check up on him. Pray he is well." She turned to leave, but was interrupted by the Sun Princess.

"Samus, did something happen during your mission? You have been acting rather aggressively ever since you came back."

"I may have damned an innocent child with the same curse I have." was Samus's simple response.

"What do you mean by curse?"

"That's none of your business." With that, Samus left for the dungeons. Princess Celestia looked curiously at Pinkie Pie, but only got a shrug as a response.

The walk was a short one. Samus, however, felt like it took ages. She was anxious. Afraid, even, of the reaction she would cause on Darkly. When she reached the cells, two alicorns could be seen. Samus noticed Luna deep in conversation with Darkly. Judging by her expression, Luna did not openly dislike the changeling; she even gave a small laugh. The other alicorn, however, looked a lot more contemptuous at the prisoner. This was Princess Cadance, Samus supposed. A deep frown adorned her features, and the hate she felt for the creature was almost palpable.

"Stop talking to it so casually, Princess Luna. He is a danger to ponies and should be-" Princess Cadance stopped talking when she noticed the human approach them. "Who are you?"

"I'm Samus Aran. Princess Cadance, I presume?"

"Princess Mi Amore Cadenza... Yes, Cadance is fine. What are you doing here, Samus Aran?" asked the pink alicorn.

"I came to make sure Darkly was fine. Judging by your attitude towards him, I would think you may present a threat to him. Before you say anything else, I promised to break the legs of whoever harms him in any way."

Princess Cadance was taken aback from the sheer... rudeness this character addressed her with. While not really a fan of formalities, Cadance had yet to meet someone talk to her so boldly. In the back, Luna was just as surprised at the Hunter's outburst and threat.

"Don't worry, I'm fine. Princess Luna is actually a lot nicer than I thought." Darkly said from behind bars.

"He can't be trusted. Something that feeds on love can't be good." insisted Cadance.

"I don't care. Anyway, I see Darkly is well. I trust you will do a good job, Luna." Samus said, giving a nod to the Moon Princess. She turned back to Cadance. "Remember: harm him and I'll beat the shit out of you."

"As the Princess of Love, I can't allow changelings to roam free! Don't you understand?"

"Princess of love... ugh. Look, I understand. Really, I do. But I'm a very selfish person, so whatever your reasons may be, I'll still brutalize you if you lay a single strand of you mane on him."

Princess Mi Amore Cadenza just stood there, gawking, as she tried to process what was just said to her. Finally, she erupted. "THE CHANGELINGS RUINED MY WEDDING! THEY LAUNCHED AN INVASION ON CANTERLOT THE SAME DAY I WAS TO WED! I WAS HELD PRISONER WHILE THEY ALMOST STOLE MY HUSBAND FROM ME! CANTERLOT ALMOST FELL WITH THEIR ATTACK! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT MEANS?!"

"You'll do what you must for your subjects. They say the road to hell in paved with good intentions." Samus sighed "As far as I know, you are happily married to Shining Armor, bless his naïve heart. This means your wedding ultimately was a success, right?"

"Yes."

"Tell me, have you ever witnessed the ones you love and hold dear murdered right before your eyes?"

"No..."

"Then shut up." Samus turned back to Darkly "I'll be seeing you." Darkly just looked at her with a mix of hate and gratefulness. Princess Cadance just barely contained the anger this human made her feel.

Samus left the dungeon, intent on returning to her ship and back to Ponyville and eager to leave this day behind.

OXOXO

Samus's ship landed gracefully in the same clearing it crashed in. Adam's voice had returned to normal after Discord's defeat. Judging by what the ponies said about the draconequus, it was safe to assume Adam had been affected by his chaotic influence.

They arrived at Ponyville almost at dusk. The ponies had insisted on staying to visit Canterlot, given that they were already there. Samus joined them, but spent the entire time thinking about her situation. To say she disliked the new 'princess' would be an understatement, same with the imbecile that called himself Blueblood (even if she acted out of line, she didn't regret beating the bloody idiot). And Celestia was not far behind them; who the hell leaves the petrified form of their enemies in the garden for all to see when all it takes is a little fight to free them?

Anyway, they were landing now. One by one, the ponies exited the ship, saying their 'goodnights' and going home. Once she was left alone, Samus made one last check-up on her ship.

As expected, the ship was now in top condition. Samus opted to refill her ammo and missiles, as well as her suit's energy tanks. That done, she lay on her comfy chair in her Zero Suit. Not long after that, she fell asleep.

OXOXO

Darkness.

All around her, darkness.

Suddenly, the black gave way to a grassy field. Human architecture was visible in the field. More and more buildings became visible. Samus recognized this place as the colony of K2L, her home planet. Samus was still floating while looking at her former home. The landscape was just as she remembered it. But something was amiss; there was something missing.

Ah, it was empty. That was it. There were buildings, but not a single living creature was within sight. She briefly wondered if this was going to be another nightmare regarding the worst and most traumatic day of her life, until she remembered they always started with her in her mother's embrace.

So if this wasn't a dream, or nightmare, what was it?

"Hello." a voice said behind her. Samus turned around. She didn't startle nor jumped into action, as she would normally do; and she took notice of that. Whoever or whatever spoke did it with a voice she never heard before, but radiated familiarity nonetheless.

Her shape, however, did not.

Before Samus stood a pony. She was a strong pink and had a purple mane with white streaks in some parts of it. On her flank was her cutie mark, which consisted of a baseball and a screw. She was wearing a yellow and white beanie with a green propeller. But her most distinctive features were her eyes. Instead of the normal pupils she had seen on other ponies, this one had purple irises, but spirals instead of corneas. Somehow, it seemed to look good on the mare.

"Who are you?" asked the human.

"I'm you. Or part of your. Or part of your mind. I guess this is kinda confusing... I know! You can call me Screwball."

Stray Thoughts

View Online

Chapter 10: Stray Thoughts

"Screwball?" asked a rather mild Samus.

"Yep! Screwball!" answered the mysterious mare with a cheerful tone.

"Why are you here?"

"As I said, I'm part of your mind."

"How come this is the first time I see you?"

Screwball opened her mouth to answer, but realized she had no answer. She shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe it has something to do with ponies. And fun! I love fun!"

"...Pinkie Pie?" asked a now dumbfounded human after a pause.

"Nope! But she's my favorite. She really knows how to have fun! She is obviously the best vessel for the Element of Laughter, for obvious reasons." commented Screwball. "You should try to have more fun, like her."

"I don't have time for 'fun'. I need to go back. I still have a duty to fulfill."

"You're planning on going back without one of the greatest powers you know?"

"What do you mean?"

"The Elements of Harmony, of course! It doesn't take a genius to figure out you are interested in them. You think their power will help you with your goal, right? Besides, from what I can tell, power is not the only thing that caught your attention. What else did you see?" Screwball's voice began sounding less cheerful and more serious.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Samus answered, which made Screwball sigh.

"Trying to fool me is trying to fool yourself. What did you see in the Elements?" By now, the mare's voice was devoid of any cheerfulness.

Something triggered in Samus's mind at the question. Visions of a cyclopean brain floating inside a thick glass canister, roaring and cursing at its defeat, came to her head. She remembered that same brain break free from its confinements, now sporting a towering saurus-like body glaring at her with all the intent of killing her. The brain shot several beams at her, none too effective; at least until it fired a multi-colored one. Mother Brain blasted Samus with the Brain Laser, its power so great Samus just barely survived, even with all the protective capabilities of her suit.

And then, salvation in the form of a metroid; a metroid that not long ago was but a baby, a baby that despite all around it at the time of its birth formed a bond with Samus that no other creature had before. The baby latched itself on Mother Brain's head and began leeching all the energy its body could hold as its victim cried in agony. Before long, Mother Brain dried up, apparently not having any more energy in her body.

The metroid then attached itself to Samus, but instead of robbing her of her remaining energy, the energy tanks in her suit rapidly began refilling. The life energy the metroid leeched from Mother Brain was being pumped into Samus.

But Mother Brain was not dead. And while the metroid stripped her of her most powerful attack, she still had enough power to blast her attacker. And blast it she did.

With a laser shot from her eye, Mother Brain's attack pierced the metroid. It screeched loudly at the hole in its body before exploding in a messy gelatinous substance, which splashed on Samus. The Hunter stood there, time apparently unmoving, watching how the metroid, her metroid, lost its life trying to save her.

Needless to say, she got angry. Very angry. With the remains of the baby on her, the Power Suit assimilated its energy and granted Samus with the Hyper Beam. Fueled by rage, Samus opened fire at the monster brain.

The power of the Hyper Beam made short work of Mother Brain; the multi-colored blasts doing massive damage to the cerebral entity. Before long, Mother Brain was dead. But Samus didn't stop; with a growl, she kept firing at the cadaver until a voice sounded throughout the base and alerted her of the incoming planetary explosion. She gave one last hateful glance at Mother Brain's dead body before bolting out of there and escaping to safety.

The Hyper Beam was by no means identical to the rainbow fired from the Elements of Harmony, but the similarities between them were apparent. Both were extremely powerful in their own right, and both had rainbow-colored hues, as Samus noted. Also, the Hyper Beam was the only upgrade the Data Recovery System, given to her by Jayden's team, was unable to recover; just like her suit had failed to properly scan the 'Harmony Beam'.

"So that's what happened." said Screwball, drawing Samus back from her musings. "No wonder you want the Elements; they remind you of your baby."

Samus said nothing. She just looked away, ashamed.

"You must get them!" exclaimed Screwball, once again with that cheerful voice. "You must get the Elements of Harmony!"

"What!?" yelled Samus "Why would I do that?"

"Because you want to. Deep down, you know you want the Elements." Samus stiffened at this at the glare Screwball was giving her. "You know I'm right."

"..." Samus looked defeated, but slowly nodded her head.

"Excellent!" the mare said in a cheerful voice, once again "Time to wake up!"

"What?"

Before Samus could do anything, Screwball, with a wide grin, punched Samus in the face and everything went black again.

OXOXO

Samus awoke with a startle. Looking around, she found herself inside her ship, lying on her comfy seat. Her mind was fuzzy, and she couldn't remember what she dreamed. She did, however, have one particular thought: She had to obtain the Elements of Harmony. She also felt an unusual melancholy regarding the baby metroid. Her baby metroid.

She got up from her seat and looked outside the window. It was a bit late, but not quite midday yet. Samus decided to take off her Zero Suit and instead wear her casual clothes. She also donned a necklace that was very special to her. The piece of jewelry was simple in design, consisting of a thin but sturdy chain and a small orange crystal for the pendant. The orange crystal was made of afloraltite, a volatile mineral used to power the start engines of ships; and also the reason the Space Pirates attacked her home. This necklace served as a reminder not only of her tragedies, but also of her power to overcome and destroy her enemies.

Exiting her ship, the huntress decided to have some lunch. After grabbing a handful of coins from the chests outside the gunship, Samus proceeded to Ponyville. She looked around, looking for any place nice enough to have lunch. Afterwards, she'd go for a long walk alone, away from town.

"Hiya, Samus!" greeted an overly cheerful voice. Samus turned to see Pinkie Pie bouncing her way, balloons attached to her tail for some reason. "How was your talk with Mr. Changeling? Was all good? Did you meet Cadance? Can you teach me how to turn into a ball? What are you doing now?"

"Bad. No. Yes, and I hate her. No. And I want to be left alone for today." Samus answered. Pinkie was about to say something but Samus beat her to it. "Alone." she repeated. This killed any joy in Pinkie Pie.

But being Pinkie Pie, that joy revived half a second later. "Okie dokie! See you tomorrow then!" And the pink mare bounced away. Samus ignored her and continued her trip to look for someplace to eat, someplace that didn't involve hyperactive pink ponies.

'Laughter. How easy would it be to send her into despair?' Samus shook her thoughts away. Those weren't doing any good. She continued her search around town.

Eventually, she passed by the spa. As she passed by, Rarity and Fluttershy emerged from the spa's doors. Samus groaned internally, for she knew what was about to happen.

"Samus, darling! What a surprise to see you here!"

"Hi, Samus."

"Hello." was Samus's greeting. "I'm not here for the spa. I'm looking to have some lunch."

"Oh, what a coincidence! We were just about to get some lunch ourselves. Would you like to join us?" offered Rarity.

"No thanks."

"But darling..."

"I'm not in the mood for company. Just continue on your business. Maybe we'll talk later."

"Fine, then. Come on Fluttershy."

"Oh, ok. Bye Samus." said the shy pegasus.

"Later." waved the Hunter. She continued on her way.

"Bye." said Rarity before she left.

'Kindness and generosity. Enough cruelty would probably break them.' Again, Samus shook her head. "Stupid thoughts."

After a few minutes looking around, she arrived at the same café she visited before. It would probably become her standard eating place, she mused. She entered and ordered her food. Her lunch consisted in a simple salad and some lime soda. She took a seat in the café's patio.

After eating her lunch, Samus decided she liked the place. She gulped down the rest of her drink and wiped her lips with a tissue. Just as she was about to pay, an orange mare with a cowboy hat sat across her in her table.

"Howdy, partner?" greeted Applajack "How are ya?"

"Fine." answered the huntress. "You?"

"Just dandy. Ah'm taking a break from the stand. Thought Ah'd stop by and say 'hi'." Applejack's joyful demeanor quickly turned sad. "You repaired your spaceship, I reckon. Guess you will leave Equestria pretty soon, huh?"

"Not yet. I still have to find a suitable energy source for the Hyperdrive. Without it, I can't leave this place." answered Samus.

'The Elements of Harmony are powerful enough. Why not use them?' the thought came to the Hunter's mind. She quickly shook it away.

"Well, guess we can't help it, then." Applejack said, trying and failing to continue sounding sad. "Wish ya luck with that. Ah have to get back to the stand. See ya later!"

Samus watched the mare leave and waved. She then grabbed some coins, paid for the food, and headed for the town outskirts. With a somewhat content sigh, she began her walk.

She gave like six steps before spotting Spike. The little dragon was rushing back to the library. He was carrying a bag of groceries, mostly snacks. He was probably running errands for Twilight. It was then when it hit her: Twilight hatched Spike; at least that's what she was told. Perhaps a chat with the librarian was in order, to maybe bring some order to the chaos that was her mind today. Maybe she could help her sort out the strange thoughts about the baby metroid that have been plaguing her this so much today.

Samus called for Spike and he stopped. Upon seeing the human, his face brightened. "Hey, Samus! What's up?"

"Not much. I was wondering if I could talk to Twilight. There's something I need to ask her." answered the huntress.

The dragon's demeanor lost a little cheerfulness. "Uh, I don't think that will be possible today. You see, there's going to be a meteor shower tonight, and she wants to go see it."

"And what's the problem?" Samus asked.

"Oh, you have no idea. Whenever she looks forward to something, she gets all bossy and crazy. She wants everything to go so smoothly she makes checklists to make checklists to make preparations. And she checks them four times! And of course I have to be there to help her." judging by his expression, he wasn't joking. His cheerfulness quickly returned, though. "Hey, you can come along if you want. We'll be in that hill at 9 tonight, if you're interested." Spike said while he pointed to a hill north of Ponyville.

"Thanks. I'll drop by if I get the chance." replied Samus.

"Great! Well, gotta go! See you later." the dragon said before continuing his trek back to the library. Samus waved him goodbye.

Now stargazing sounded like a good plan. Samus would most likely meet Spike and Twilight. After her walk, that is. Samus headed towards the town outskirts to begin her meditational walk.

"Hey, Samus!" Rainbow Dash landed beside Samus. The huntress groaned in annoyance.

OXOXO

It was a peaceful day, and every resident in Ponyville would agree. But all that peace was just an appearance, or at least that was the case for Samus. Her calm expression belied the chaotic thoughts coursing through her mind; most of them relating to the Elements of Harmony or her baby metroid. More often than not, they were about both. What troubled Samus was that most of those thoughts were too ridiculous to even consider, and yet she did consider them. Her mind was a mess, and she was aware of it.

'The Elements will bring me closer to my baby.'

'The Elements are powerful. They will prove to be a valuable asset.'

'My enemies will stand no chance against the Elements.'

'Getting the elements should be easy. Nothing a little planning can't do.'

'The Elements can revive the metroid.'

That last one was the worst of them all. She knew it was impossible. She saw firsthand that there was nothing left to revive. And yet she hoped it would work; that it would let her see the baby again.

Her meditative walk had almost completed half a lap around Ponyville before she took notice of the time. It was late afternoon, almost sundown. She was still in the outskirts, but decided not to return to the town yet. She was about to resume her walk when she noticed an azure pony in the distance, away from town. Her curiosity got the better of her, and Samus went to see who that was.

The pony is question was a mare nervously walking on a small red carpet. She was wearing a dark green cape with a loose hood. She hadn't noticed Samus approach because she was busy talking to herself.

"Come on, Trixie. It's not hard to do; you just go and perform the 'Wandering Lulamoon' act, get some bits, and then demand to see Twilight. Nothing difficult. After that you cou- AAAAHHH!" Trixie yelled when she spotted the human looking at her. "W-What are you? Trixie has never seen anything like you." She switched to a calmer, curious look, narrowing her eyes in an examining gaze. "You look like a naked bear... with clothes and pretty hair."

"I'm a human. I'm... not from around here." said Samus.

"You can talk?" Trixie raised her eyebrow. "Interesting."

"And I can also understand what you say..." deadpanned Samus. Trixie flinched a bit.

"Of course... Sorry about that. Introductions may be in order, then. I'm Trixie, traveling performer." said the mare with a wave of her hoof and a wide confident grin.

"Samus Aran, bounty hunter."

Trixie's eyes widened a bit in apprehension and her smile faltered. "Are you on the job at the moment?" she asked.

Samus noticed her reaction. "No." She leaned a little closer "Why? Are you a wanted pony?"

"Not to Trixie's knowledge, though she wouldn't be surprised if she was." answered the azure mare. Samus raised her eyebrow in interest. "Got to say that's not a common profession in Equestria. Trixie has only met one bounty hunter before, and she was quite the interesting character. Perhaps you have heard of the 'Sledgehammer'?"

"Can't say I have."

"Oh... Well, no wonder. She's mostly just a rumor."

"Didn't you just said you knew her?" questioned a somewhat skeptic Samus.

Trixie then gave her a knowing smug grin. "That's why Trixie said 'mostly'. Anyways, Trixie was on her way to Ponyville. There's a certain mare I need to see, and Trixie would prefer to finish her visit before nightfall; there's going to be a meteor shower tonight, and Trixie wants to see it. Oh! And speaking of meteors, you wouldn't know anything about the meteorite that crashed a few days ago, would you? It caught Trixie's attention and she wants to investigate."

"Would you believe me if I told you that was me?"

"As a matter of fact, Trixie would, if she was given a bit more explaining; you don't look big or resilient enough to survive that kind of fall. Then again, looks can be deceiving." Trixie gave a mildly sinister smile at that phrase. "But anyways, back on track. While Trixie assures you she finds your character to be quite interesting, Trixie really needs to meet up with this mare. After Trixie's business with her are over, she'll look for you."

"Twilight will be unavailable today. Maybe you'll have some luck tomorrow." said Samus, face stoic.

"How do you know Trixie is looking for Twilight?" asked a rather suspicious Trixie.

"You said it when you were talking to yourself."

"Oh... Right..." Trixie said with a little embarrassment. She quickly regained her confident air, though. "You seem to know Twilight. Lavender coat and purple mane, unicorn, quite powerful. That Twilight?"

"The same." nodded Samus.

Trixie narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "Are you from Ponyville?" she asked, her voice carrying a tint of anger.

"No. I'm just living near it for the time being." answered the huntress. Trixie still looked a little angry for a moment, before calming down and giving another confident grin.

"Ok, then. Would you tell Trixie why Twilight will be unavailable?" asked the performer. "This is kind of important to Trixie."

"She is preparing for the meteor shower as well. She tends to get overboard when planning, I've been told." said Samus with just a tiny hint of amusement in her voice.

"Horseapples..." cursed Trixie.

"Sorry." Samus's voice gave no way to know if she was being sarcastic or not.

"Not your fault." quickly dismissed Trixie with a wave of her hoof. "Oh, well. She better be ready tomorrow. Maybe you can come along and enjoy the duel. It will be quite the show, Trixie guarantees." said the azure unicorn, giving Samus a smug smirk.

"Duel?" Samus asked. She was about to ask further, but was interrupted.

"Well, it was nice meeting you, Samus Aran. Please forgive Trixie, but she must go. Preparations and all that, as you should know. We'll meet again, Trixie promises. Au revoir!" Trixie said with a wide wave of her hoof. With a pink flash from her horn, she burst into pink flames, burning her cloak and carpet along with her until there was no sign of her ever being there; not even ashes.

Out in the corner of her eye, Samus spotted the mare galloping to the opposite direction of town, towards the forest. The huntress gave a small chuckle to herself. "Crazy mare." She had a feeling it wasn't the last she would see of the travelling performer. With her spirits somewhat raised, Samus resumed her walk.

Unfortunately, almost as soon as she continued her walk, the weird thoughts returned. Again, all related to either the Elements or the baby metroid. And for the briefest of moments, she saw a pink mare with a propeller beanie in front of her looking at her with an encouraging smile. As quickly as she saw it, the mare vanished. Samus placed her hand on her face and let out a tired sigh. She felt she was going insane.

OXOXO

Nighttime, a little past 9.

Samus was heading towards the hill Spike mentioned. She had decided to buy a pair of binoculars, if only so she could enjoy the meteor shower as well. Her walk hardly proved fruitful, and instead left her even more confused than before. As she got to the top of the hill, she spotted Twilight and Spike, who were making final adjustments to a telescope and a picnic set, respectively.

As soon as the baby dragon finished with his task and looked up, he beamed. "Hey, you made it!"

Hearing Spike greet the human, Twilight turned. "Why hello, Samus! Spike said you might show up. I usually come to stargaze on my own, but company is always welcome." she said with a welcoming smile.

"Thanks. I actually came to talk with you, if it's not too much trouble." replied Samus, looking just a little bit apprehensive and doubtful.

"Sure! You can tell me anything." replied the unicorn.

Samus seemed to think about something, and then sighed. "I guess it can wait until after the meteor shower." She gave Spike a side glance. "I need time to order my thoughts."

"That's ok. It won't start for another few minutes, if my calculations are correct."

"Thank you." Samus said in a grateful voice. She was about to say something else, but a far-away pink flash caught her attention. She grabbed her binoculars and gazed through them. Down the distance stood a blue mare with a bluish silver mane, bowing to an audience she didn't know was watching. What caught Samus's attention were the two pink fiery snakes that were bowing with her, one at each side.

"Is that Trixie?" Samus heard Twilight ask. The lavender mare was gazing through her telescope. Samus ignored her and continued to watch.

Trixie got up, the two fiery snakes doing the same. She then made a small leap, landing on her left foreleg and right back leg, leaving her other legs in the air, and lowered her head. Quickly she stood on her two forelegs and made a twirl. The snakes danced along her as she continued her intricate movements, all three bodies moving with perfect synchrony.

Twirls, leaps, slides, and spins; the azure mare moved with such grace it was almost alluring. Samus found it hard to not keep watching. A quick glance to her right showed Twilight watching through her telescope, entranced by the dance of the travelling performer down the hill; a small trickle of drool even began falling from the corner of her mouth. "I didn't know she could move like that." Twilight said absent-mindedly.

"What are you girls looking at?" a baby dragon asked, breaking Twilight out of her trance.

"Oh! Nothing. Nothing whatsoever! Eh he he..." the mare quickly said, a bit too nervous.

"A mare named Trixie is dancing downhill." Samus took a little amusement at seeing Twilight's face when she said that.

"What?! What is she doing here?" angrily asked the dragon to no one in particular as he walked toward the telescope and peeked through it, ignoring Twilight's gestures. "Oh, wow! I didn't know she could move like that."

Choosing to ignore the librarian and assistant, Samus looked through her binoculars again. Trixie was still dancing her interesting piece, and the fire snakes never broke their synchronized movements with the azure mare.

After a while, the dance increased its intensity. The twin snakes rose and coiled around each other, merging into a single, bigger snake. The bigger snake flew around Trixie as she continued her intense yet graceful movements, complimenting the dance flawlessly.

And then, the finale. The snake rose to the air again, only to lunge downwards once it reached the desired altitude. Trixie galloped a few paces, and then jumped backwards, just into where the snake was going to strike. Trixie landed on her back legs and spread her forelegs, as if daring to snake to attack her. Samus heard Twilight and Spike gasp as they all saw Trixie engulfed in the pink fire as the snake with which it was made of reached the ground, jaws wide open. They soon gave relieved sighs as the fire snake dissipated and they saw Trixie bowing again, completely unharmed.

Trixie stood like that for a few seconds, as if absorbing the nonexistent applause of an nonexistent audience, completely oblivious to her three observers up the hill. She rose, and a canteen was levitated over to her, from where she gladly drank. Once she finished drinking, she said something Samus couldn't hear and summoned a blanket from her nearby wagon. She deposited the canteen in her wagon and sat down on the blanket to look at the sky.

"I think it's going to begin now." Samus said as she, too, looked up to the sky. Twilight and Spike followed suit.

The first meteor passed, leaving behind a trail of light. Then the second one came. And soon, the whole sky was filled with beautiful shooting stars, awing any pony who decided to look up to this night sky.

OXOXO

"That was beautiful." said Twilight. The night's spectacle had ended a few minutes ago, and both mare and human were relaxing atop the hill. The baby dragon that was accompanying them had fallen asleep not long after the shooting stars began falling.

Twilight looked up to see Samus, but frowned a little when she saw the Hunter's troubled expression. "What's wrong?" she asked.

Samus remained silent for a few moments before acknowledging the mare. "I was just thinking... What is your relationship with Spike?"

"My relationship? Well, he's my number one assistant; he helps me with chores and is a-"

"No." Samus interrupted "I mean, how do you see him?"

"I... I haven't really thought about it. He is kinda always there. I never needed to think beyond that." said Twilight with a pensive expression.

"From what I have been told, you hatched him when you were a filly. You have spent the rest of your life at his side, and he has spent his life at yours. From all that, you could very well be considered his mother."

"I guess you could see like that... In a way, maybe I am. However, I don't think it that's quite the case. While it's true I hatched him, I was very young when I did it. I didn't have the maturity to see Spike as my son. If I were to classify my relationship with him, I would tell you I see him as my little brother. We played and talked and just did things together, just like I did with Shining Armor."

"I see..." Samus had that same troubled expression from earlier.

"May I ask... Why are you interested in him? What made you ask me this?" asked a rather concerned Twilight.

"I don't know. It's just..." Samus sighed "Just how far would you go for him? If he were to suddenly disappear from your life, how far would you go to get him back?"

Without hesitating and sporting a very determinate face, Twilight gave her answer. "I would do anything, no matter what. If it meant getting Spike back, I'd go to Tartarus itself if I had to. If there was only a miniscule chance of me getting him back, I'd take it." She turned to see the sleeping baby dragon. "Whatever the price, I'd gladly pay it to make sure Spike stood by my side, safe and sound."

Upon hearing those words, something in Samus's minds just clicked. "I understand. You would do what you had to do, no matter what. No matter how miniscule the chance of succeeding..." she said in an unnervingly low voice. "Thank you for your time."

With that, the Hunter left a confused Twilight and a sleeping Spike. She headed towards her ship, where she would make a few preparations. It was going to be a big day tomorrow.

The Hunt (part 1)

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Chapter 11: The Hunt (part 1)

6:22 a.m. Canterlot Castle

The sun had just finished rising, and the majestic castle radiated a special type of beauty because of it. Beauty that was promptly ignored by a certain bounty hunter. Samus, clad in her Power Suit, walked to the gates of the castle, where two pegasi guards were on watch. Samus attempted to simply walk past the armored ponies. It didn't work.

"Halt!" exclaimed one of the guards as he raised one of his wings to cut Samus's entry. "State your identity and your business."

"Samus Aran. I'd figure the whole guard corps would know who I am by now." replied the Hunter.

"Protocol, ma'am. Now state your business."

Samus gave a loud, annoyed sigh. She switched from the standard Power Beam to the Wave Beam and charged her taser. Before any of the guards could react, she gripped a guard's neck with her left arm and jabbed the second one with her taser. The guard fell unconscious as he was shocked with the electricity while Samus charged her taser once again. The guard she was holding was about to say something, but Samus tased him before he could. Both guards taken care of, Samus proceeded to the castle proper.

She found no further resistance on her way to Canterlot Tower, resting place of the Elements of Harmony. Any guard she encountered would nod in acknowledgement or simply ignore her. Along the way, she noticed crude repairs done after her little skirmish with Discord and the Luminoth mechanoids. The scrap metals that were the mechanoids were piled in a corner, and a low beeping noise came from one of the spheres of what remained of the Rezbit. A closer look made it look like it was trying to connect with the rest of its body. Of course, the body was destroyed, so it didn't actually work. Since the sound was getting annoying, she stomped on the black orb, breaking the piece even further.

She eventually reached the chamber where the Elements were located, and noticed a thick metal door had been placed on it. The door stood no chance against one of her Super Missiles. The explosion rocketed the building, but she paid it no mind, and instead focused her attention on the blue-and-golden box inside the chamber. She reached for it and opened it to check its contents. And there they were: five golden necklaces and one tiara, all decorated with the crystallized version of their bearer's cutie mark.

"What happened here?" Spearhead, along with a couple of guards, had come to check what the explosion was. "Samus! What are you doing?!"

Samus turned to them. "What does it look like?" She grabbed the Elements and de-materialized them to store them inside her suit. She then set her cannon to the Volt Driver and shot the guards.

The guards just barely managed to dodge the incoming electrical balls, and stood on the defensive. Spearhead wasted no time to give orders. "Inform the princess of the situation at once!"

"The princess left for Manehattan, sir. She left in a carriage as soon as she finished raising the Sun." informed one of the guards.

"What about Princess Luna?"

"We haven't seen her, sir."

"Horseapples!" cursed Spearhead. "Then inform Shining Armor of the situation. Tell him to prepare the whole Royal Guard if necessary. Contact the fastest flyer we have and tell him to inform the princess. We'll keep Samus busy. GO!"

The guard nodded in understanding and bolted out of the room. Samus locked on and fired her cannon again. Right before the yellow ball of electricity reached the running guard, another guard jumped in the way and received the shot. He screamed as electricity coursed through his body and armor, before falling limp to the ground.

"This weapon, the Volt Driver, draws its power from the planetary electromagnetic field. It uses electricity to cause damage." Samus began saying, ignoring the glare Spearhead was giving her. "You're lucky this planet's electromagnetic field is very weak; otherwise, this weapon would have done a lot more damage, and he would most likely have not survived. Though your metal armor helps in spreading the damage throughout the body. It's like attacking you with lightning, except not as deadly. This makes it the perfect non-lethal weapon to use against a royal guard; the power it wields is just the right amount. I suggest you offer no more resistance, because if I run out of ammo, I'll have to resort to more potent weaponry. I don't think you want casualties in your guard."

"The Royal Guard's duty is to protect Equestria, no matter whom or what the enemy is. You stealing the Elements is putting Equestria in danger. I'm not about to let that happen." Spearhead responded.

"I was trying to give you a chance. Suit yourself." she said before she sprinted into action. Spearhead drew one of his spears and rushed toward the human.

Samus sidestepped as Spearhead swiped with his spear. He spun his weapon and attempted to strike Samus with the pole. She responded by ducking and tried to sweep kick his leg. Spearhead jumped over her leg and managed to kick her while in the air. Samus winced at the strike and gave a step back.

"You're better than expected. Not that I expected much." said the huntress as she got close again.

She attempted a hook punch, which Spearhead dodged. Samus used the momentum of her punch to spin and deliver a reverse roundhouse kick. It struck home. Spearhead was sent flying a small distance away, but he quickly recovered. He got up and lunged at the Hunter with his spear. Samus turned her body to dodge the tip of the weapon and quickly grabbed the spear. Another kick to Spearhead made him release his weapon, which Samus effortlessly snapped in half with a thrust of her knee. A slam of her cannon brought the lieutenant back to the ground.

Spearhead looked up to the human with rage in his features. Samus ignored his hateful gaze and shot him. One shot of the Volt Driver was enough to take him out. "Amateur."

Samus began to walk out of the room. On her way out, she noticed it was eerily quiet, considering the current situation. Once she got outside the tower, she realized why: no less than a hundred guards stood in the gardens outside Canterlot Tower, all under the command of Shining Armor, who was standing at the front of the lines.

"You are surrounded, and there is no escape." began saying the captain of the Royal Guard. "Surrender now and you will face less severe consequences for your crimes against Equestria. Resist and you will face the power of the Royal Guard."

Samus looked around. "It hardly seems fair." she said. Shining Armor gave a small confident smirk, which died when Samus continued. "You'll need more guards if you want to stand a chance." She then shot a missile at the white stallion. The missile didn't hit him directly and instead hit the ground in front of him, but the force of the blast was still strong enough to send him flying.

As soon as Shining Armor fell on the ground, Samus sprinted to face the small army. Her cannon, set to the Volt Driver, fired round after round at the armored ponies. Her first targets were the unicorns; as they would represent the biggest threat by having access to magic. Any pony that got less than three meters from the Hunter would get shot as well.

One by one, the guards fell. Shining Armor lifted himself up, and stood aghast as he witnessed the alien warrior take on his guards so effortlessly. Not even five minutes after the battle began, half the guards were down. He also noticed he was the only unicorn left standing. Quickly getting over his shock, he joined the fray.

As was the case with others before him, Samus fired a shot in his direction the moment he got within three meters of the huntress. Quick reflexes allowed him to lift a barrier and deflect the shot. Unfortunately, the shot ricocheted towards another guard, rendering him unconscious. With less than 10 guards remaining standing, the situation called for a revise of strategy.

"STOP!" Shining Armor ordered. "FALL BACK!"

The remaining guards all kept their distance from the human as they were ordered. What they didn't count on was on Samus taking this as an opportunity to rush toward the captain. She was suddenly stopped as a semi-transparent magenta bubble materialized around her. She shot the bubble with several beams, but none proved effective. A look around confirmed that the caster of the barrier was Shining Armor.

"I severely underestimated you, Samus." the captain said. "And I also misjudged you. I would've never thought that you would betray us like this. I really don't like doing this, but you gave me no choice. You are under arrest for the attempt of stealing the Eleme-" He was interrupted when Samus fired a purple beam from her cannon that bypassed the bubble and hit him in the chest. Shining Armor was stunned by the attack, but the beam wasn't enough to take him out. With his concentration gone however, the magic bubble burst and freed Samus.

"Your shield is useless against the Wave Beam." was all the Hunter said before she sprang into action once again. By the time Shining Armor recovered, Samus was already on her next move. He wasted no time and moved away from the electric orbs fired his way. A small barrier protected him from the next volley of attacks, after which he fired his own magic beams.

Samus noted Shining Armor preferred to be on the defensive and counterattack when possible. That suited her just fine, as she preferred the offensive herself. A couple of guards braved an attack to her back, to which she responded with well-placed kicks. The guards were sent flying before they could cause any damage, but their distraction proved enough to let Shining Armor hit her with one of his magic bolts.

The attack did no heavy damage, however. She was back on her feet almost instantly. The captain pressed his little advantage and fired another bolt. Samus easily evaded it and fired her own. Shining Armor quickly erected a shield that stopped the shot.

Seeing he was hopelessly outmatched in ranged combat, Shining Armor opted to risk hoof-to-hoof fighting. His horn lit up, and with a battle cry he charged at the armored human. Samus quickly made him see his mistake as she didn't bother evading the attack. The Hunter instead opted to grab the captain's horn with her left hand just before it connected with her chest.

Shining Armor was stronger than the average unicorn, thanks to his training as a guard. But even he proved no match for Samus's massive strength, strength that was augmented by her Power Suit. With a grunt of effort, Samus lifted the white stallion by his horn with a single arm. She quickly helped gravity with her own strength in bringing the captain crashing down on the hard ground. The attack forced all the air out of Shining Armor's lungs.

Samus, however, didn't waste another movement. She let go and swung her left arm, producing a purple electromagnetic whip that attached itself to Shining Armor's horn. Shining Armor attempted to fight back with his magic, but found it futile. The Grapple Voltage drained any energy that was directed to the stallion's horn while filling up any energy tanks that weren't already full. He was trapped and helpless.

Seeing their captain in trouble, the rest of the present guard prepared to attack. "Come closer and he dies." said Samus, raising her cannon to the captain's head when she noticed the few remaining stallions getting ready to attack. This prompted the guards to stay motionless. Samus then fired an ice missile at his hostage, freezing him on the spot. All the guards turned to her with anger. "I'd be careful if I were you. He's still alive, but any blunt force strong enough could shatter him. I suggest you let me leave, or I'll be forced to end him." The guards begrudgingly complied.

Out of nowhere, Celestia and the previous pegasus landed in the gardens, blocking Samus's way out. "What's happening here?" asked Celestia. She took in her surroundings, and then directed a severe look at Samus. "What is the meaning of this?" the Sun Princess asked with anger in her voice.

Samus, unfazed, responded. "I just came for the Elements. I require their massive amount of power."

"And you had to take out half the Royal Guard for it?" said Celestia as she looked around at her fallen ponies. "You are aware of the consequences of this act of yours, don't you?"

"I can imagine what they are. Oh, I suggest giving your captain some medical attention. Frostbite can be dangerous. The others aren't in any immediate danger; they were just given a nasty shock. Nothing serious." said the Hunter in a casual voice. A voice that irked the Sun Princess.

Celestia breathed deeply, trying to keep her anger under control. After a few moments, she relaxed enough to keep thinking straight. She then ordered the rest of the guards to help the injured back the infirmary.

When the ponies started taking their fallen comrades out of the scene, Celestia turned back to Samus, who stood still. "I hope you are also aware that the Elements are of no use to you. You can't harness their power because you lack the necessary traits to do so."

Samus grinned behind her helmet. "I had hoped you would say something like that. It's been a while since I had a good hunt. I enjoy hunting for my targets, you see."

"What do you mean?" asked Celestia, fearing the Hunter's response.

"As far as I understand it, the Elements are simple locks. And for any lock to be useful, you need its respective key. Six keys, in this case. I will simply hunt down the six keys."

Celestia's eyes widen in fear as the meaning in Samus's words came clear. Fear quickly turned to anger as her horn glowed a bright golden. "I won't let you harm any of my little ponies. I really didn't want to do this, but you leave me no choice."

Samus was unfazed by the alicorn, and instead simply put her hand on her cannon and pressed some buttons. "I'm not planning on fighting you. Now I suggest you relax, unless you want Ponyville wiped off the map."

"Explain yourself."

"I left my ship on standby. I'm a button away from sending it to bomb the entirety of Ponyville. So unless you can teleport to Ponyville and erect a barrier big and strong enough in less than three seconds, I suggest you butt out of this."

"You're bluffing."

"Want to risk it?" Samus nonchalantly said. Celestia stopped moving, contemplating her options. After a few seconds, and with great resignation, her horn stopped glowing. Samus continued speaking. "Don't think of interfering; any sign of you or your guards and you'll lose an entire town, instead of just six ponies."

"That's a very cowardly tactic." was Celestia's sole reply.

"There's more." said Samus, ignoring Celestia's comment. "I want you to contact Twilight in an hour and explain the situation. Tell her the Elements will be waiting for her and her friends at the door of her library. Tell them to be ready."

"That makes no sense! Why bother taking the Elements if you're just going to give them to their rightful owners? What is your goal?!" Celestia practically begged for the answer.

"As I said, I enjoy a good hunt. What fun is there if my prey doesn't know I'm after them? I want them to prepare and make this more interesting. They will guard their respective element, and I'll take it back from them. Simple. Oh, and I'd avoid mass panic; that would only cause unnecessary 'distractions'."

"You're insane."

"I've been told." said Samus. "Anyway, you don't really have a choice, do you? Lose six ponies, or lose a town besides the six ponies. Those are your options. So what will it be?" She hadn't taken her hand from the Arm Cannon.

Celestia, with tears of impotence in her eyes, just turned and walked toward the castle. "You won't get away with this."

"We'll see."

"I just have one more question." Celestia stopped walking, but didn't look back at the hunter. "Why didn't you attack the guards with full force? It would've been easier on you."

"Didn't feel like it." shrugged Samus.

"I see." Celestia continued her leave, paying the Hunter no more attention.

"Farewell." said Samus before running to the direction of Ponyville and engaging the Speed Booster. There were a few things she had to do before she could start her hunt for the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony. Her next stop was the Ponyville junkyard.

OXOXO

It was early afternoon, and Twilight was making some lunch. Or rather she had Spike making some lunch. Tulip sandwiches and apple juice, nothing fancy. The baby dragon had just finished preparing the table when he burped up a letter from Princess Celestia. He picked up the scroll and began reading. His face changing from joyful to distressed and hurt as he read the mail. He read it again just to be sure he misread the first time.

"Hey, Twilight?" he asked the purple mare, who was just outside kitchen, preparing her study material for the day.

"Yes, Spike?"

"Princess Celestia likes to make pranks by mail, doesn't she?" he asked with a broken voice. "I mean, she's known for making harmless pranks from time to time, right?

"What do you mean by that?" asked the mare, getting worried when she saw how pale Spike looked. She noticed the scroll in his claw and took it in her magic grip to read it. As her eyes scanned the document, her face sank more and more.

"Please tell me it's just a joke." begged Spike.

"I'm sure this is just a misunderstanding." started Twilight. "I mean, there no way tha-" She got interrupted by a knock on her door. "I-I'll go check who it is."

Twilight walked to her door and opened it. She let out a huge sigh of relief when she saw it was just Ditzy Doo, the local mailmare. Everypony called her 'Derpy Hooves' for some reason.

"Mail!" the gray pegasus exclaimed cheerfully.

"Oh, thank goodness it's just you! I thought it was somepony else." said Twilight with relief in her voice.

"Nope! Just me!" replied the mailmare.

"Um, isn't it a little too late to be delivering mail?"

"I came to deliver the new volume of 'The Legend of Epona' you ordered! You asked for it to be treated as priority mail, so here it is!" said Derpy, offering the new book. Twilight's face lit up at the news.

"Great! I've been waiting for it for months!"

"Just sign here." Derpy produced a clipboard from her saddlebag and presented it to the lavender mare.

"Of course." said Twilight as she levitated a quill and signed the clipboard. "Is that all?"

"Yup! Oh, wait. Someone left this at your doorstep." added the mailmare as she picked up a blue and golden box and handed it to the librarian.

Twilight's joy instantly died when she saw the box. She checked its contents and her heart sank even further; inside the box were the Elements of Harmony.

"Thank you for your service, Derpy." Twilight said with fake cheerfulness. "I'll see you later."

"Okay! Bye." said Derpy before leaving to deliver the rest of the mail.

Twilight got inside and threw her new book to the table. She desperately looked for Spike. "Spike, gather the girls. We have a situation in our hooves." Spike's eyes grew teary as he understood what that meant. He let the letter fall from his grasp.

"To my faithful student, Twilight Sparkle

I'm afraid I send this letter with terrible news: Samus has betrayed us. She came to Canterlot to steal the Elements of Harmony. I regret to inform you that she succeeded exceptionally well; not even a hundred guards were able to stop her.

What I regret even more is putting you and your friends in danger. In my attempt to persuade her into returning the Elements, I told her she couldn't harness their power if she didn't posses the necessary traits. This caused her to turn her attention to you and your friends. I will be unable to give you anymore assistance since she has threatened to destroy all of Ponyville if I got involved.

She told me to warn you and to ask you to prepare. She also said she would be taking the Elements from you, since that's that whole point of her hunt. She suggested keeping the public in the dark, since panic would only cause harm to both sides. I know not what she is planning to do, but please be careful. I don't need to remind you, but Samus is extremely dangerous, and she won't hesitate to use deadly force. Be on the lookout.

Regardless of the situation, I have complete faith in you.

Your mentor and friend, Princess Celestia"

OXOXO

The library's door opened, and from it emerged five pony mares. Some felt sad and some felt angry, but they all felt betrayed. Even Pinkie Pie's usual bouncing was reduced to a sluggish walk. The mares were now donning a golden necklace, each with their respective cutie mark serving as the necklaces' pendants. They had all decided to head to their respective homes.

The news they had received earlier had been worse than they expected, and some of them took it worse than others. Pinkie Pie, self-proclaimed friend to every pony in Ponyville, unsurprisingly took it worse than her friends. Her hair had lost her puffiness and was now straight, as was the case when she felt very sad or frustrated.

And so there she was slowly walking towards Sugarcube Corner. It was getting late, so the bakery wouldn't have too many customers. That was good, because she was in those extremely rare moods in which she wished to be alone. It was when she was entering her room that she saw a picture. The picture showed the Cakes, smiling proudly at her, during the National Dessert Competition. She remembered that day well, for it was when she learned a very important lesson about not jumping to conclusions so easily.

It was right there that hope blossomed in her once again. Maybe they all just jumped to conclusions! Maybe this was all a misunderstanding! She decided she had to clarify everything, and to do that she would need to talk to Samus. Maybe even throw her a party, if only to get to talk to the human. Samus didn't look completely miserable in her last party, so that had to count as something good, right?

Pinkie Pie nodded her head to herself. It was decided: she would throw a party at Samus to get her in a good mood, and then she would find out what really happened, patch things up, and continue being the best of friends. It was the perfect plan! The mere idea returned her mane to its natural puffy state, and Pinkie Pie cheerfully bounced to the kitchen to prepare. One quick glance at her Element of Laughter was all it took reassure herself, and so she began baking with a hopeful smile.

Flour, eggs, milk, sugar. All the ingredients were mixed in bowls, producing the batter that would later become a sweet pastry. Said batter would be placed inside an oven until it became a spongy cake that would be decorated with delicious frosting.

When she was done with the cakes, she proceeded to prepare the materials to decorate the place in the morning, when the party would take place. She put some previously made invitations (just in case) that would be delivered tomorrow, just after decorations were done.

Pinkie Pie worked tirelessly well into the night, all the while smiling and hoping for everything to be ok in the end. Once she was done, she quietly went to her room. On the way, she whispered a 'Good night' and a 'Thank you' to the Cakes, who were already asleep with their foals in their bedroom.

Pinkie Pie opened the door to her room and turned the light. She gasped when she saw the Hunter clad in a Power Suit standing by her bed, casually looking at some pictures she had of her friends. Without looking at the pink mare, Samus began speaking.

"I didn't expect for you to come and work so late. I was beginning to get bored, waiting for you." Samus then raised her head and looked at Pinkie Pie, who stood unusually still. "You have something I want."

Pinkie Pie lost all her hopes again. She looked crestfallen at the huntress. "So it really was you who stole the Elements and delivered them to Twilight."

"Yes."

"But why? Why not just keep them?" Tears began forming in Pinkie's eyes. "Why go and give them up, just to look for them again? Why do you want to hunt us?"

"Because it's fun." was Samus's cold reply. Pinkie's heart sank an all new low. The last thing Pinkie Pie saw was her former human friend lift her cannon and fire. There was a bright flash, and then darkness.

'Don't kill her. Dead ponies are no fun.' said a voice in Samus's head. Samus ignored it and proceeded to pick up Pinkie Pie and exit the room quietly. "One down, five to go."

OXOXO

Early morning, Ponyville.

Fluttershy awoke abruptly in her bed. She had trouble sleeping that night because she couldn't stop thinking about the letter that Princess Celestia had sent. Had Samus really turned on them? Fluttershy was not a pony known for her courage; she would be the first to admit it. She was terrified of Samus, and with good reason. Who else... what else could defeat a creature from Tartarus itself so easily? To think that same being was out there, looking for her as a hunter would look for prey, was not easy to take.

Seeing as she wouldn't get any more sleep, she decided to go drink a glass of water. She exited her bedroom and walked down the stairs. As she walked down the stairs leading to the living room, Harry the Bear came crashing through her front door and landed a little ways from the yellow mare. The bear quickly got up and tried to hide behind Fluttershy, as if cowering from something. She looked at the scared bear, and then looked at what remained of her door. The timid mare shrank and began shaking from fear. From the wreckage Samus emerged, armor gleaming and cannon ready to fire.

"Should've guessed the bear was with you." said Samus. The bear whimpered loudly when the armored human cast him a glance. "Anyway, I'll be taking both your Element and yourself." All animals in Fluttershy's cottage came out of their homes and gave menacing glares at the Hunter when she said that; nothing hurt their pony caretaker and got away with it. Samus took notice of this. "Who would've guessed you had an army of critters?"

Samus simply raised her cannon and let loose a stream of fire. All courage the animals showed vanished, and they scurried trying to get away from the flamethrower. Fortunately, none of the critters got hit by the fire and they all escaped unharmed. The same could not be said for the cottage; parts of the wall caught on fire and began burning. The bear rushed out of the now burning cottage, as did the rest of the animals. All except a white bunny. It picked up a piece of wood and threw it at Samus. Samus turned to the furry annoyance and aimed her cannon.

"STOP! Please stop! I'll go with you, just stop this. Please, don't hurt him." cried Fluttershy. Trembling, she got near Samus. She cast one last comforting glance at Angel, who began to tear up. He understood the message and joined the other animals in getting away from the Hunter. Samus ignored him, put her cannon on the mare's head, and pushed her.

"Move." she said. Fluttershy complied.

They exited the burning home. They didn't walk far before Samus stopped. She looked like she was having an internal debate, but it only lasted a few seconds. She turned to the growing inferno, charged up her Ice Beam, and fired the Ice Spreader inside Fluttershy's home. The cold projectile hit home, and it quickly spread a thin sheet of ice on every surface inside the living room, where the fires were burning. The flames died down when the place froze.

"What did you do?" asked the yellow pegasus.

"No need to cause any more collateral damage." Samus turned back to her prisoner. "Now shut up and walk. The junkyard is a bit far."

"We're going to the junkyard?"

"Yes." Samus pushed Fluttershy's head with her cannon again. Fluttershy simply walked and said nothing, not wanting to anger the huntress any further. She looked back at her still-standing home and gave a sigh, then she continued walking. This whole situation had proven to be quite confusing.

As they walked by the edge of the forest, a zebra emerged from the foliage. Zecora looked at the two walkers and smiled. "Is that you, Fluttershy dear?" Her smile faltered when she gave a closer look to the pegasus and human. "Just what is happening here?"

"I suggest you go away and forget you saw anything today." Samus told the zebra.

Zecora quickly put two and two together. She tensed her body, ready to jump at the first chance to help Fluttershy. "To your actions I'll put an end. I suggest you release my friend."

Samus gave a tired sigh. "Why must you all be so difficult?" She quickly leapt at the zebra and charged her Wave Taser. Zecora only had time to widen her eyes in surprise before she was electrocuted into unconsciousness.

"ZECORA!!!" screamed Fluttershy, alarmed.

Samus saw the expression in the mare's face. "She's not dead. Now continue walking." That seemed to somewhat calm the yellow pegasus, so she obeyed.

Fluttershy was still terrified; the only thing that kept her going was the worry of Samus doing something horrible if she didn't comply. With newly-shed tears, she continued walking toward the junkyard, where Samus had prepared something. What, she couldn't know, but she hoped beyond hope that it wouldn't cause any more misery.

Not long after, they reached the junkyard, where a crude-looking cage awaited them. The cage had been built using old materials, but it still looked sturdy enough to hold even a strong pony like Applejack. A single electronic lock had been placed in the door, activated only by Samus's scan visor. What made Fluttershy gasp was not the cage itself, but what was inside. Or more accurately, who was inside.

Pinkie Pie was sitting inside the cage; she was wearing her Element in her neck. Her mane had all straightened, and she had a crazy look in her eyes. She was talking to a pebble and an empty can, not paying attention to the two new arrivals.

"W-What happened to her?" asked an anxious Fluttershy.

"Who knows? I just locked her up after I tased her." answered Samus. "Anyway, in you go."

Samus activated the lock with her visor and the door opened a little. She quickly blocked it in case the crazy mare thing was all an act from the pink mare. As Fluttershy got near, Samus kicked her with enough force to make her go in the cage, but not enough to cause any serious injury. As soon as the pegasus was inside, she closed the door and activated the lock again, securing the ponies inside.

"Two down, four to go." said Samus as she turned to Ponyville's direction and started walking

Inside the cage, Fluttershy hugged Pinkie Pie. "Oh what did she do to you?"

The gesture seemed to snap the earth pony out of her insanity. She looked up to see the shy pegasus hugging her and whispering soothing words. Pinkie Pie quickly teared up and hugged Fluttershy, crying and sobbing uncontrollably. Fluttershy just brushed the pink pony's mane with her hoof in an effort to calm her down and comfort her.

"Shh. Shh. Everything is going to be fine." She turned to the direction Samus had gone. "At least, I hope so."

The Hunt (part 2)

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Chapter 12: The Hunt (part 2)

Applejack and Rarity waved as they saw their little sisters enter the school's classroom. They both wore smiles that hid their true feelings, as well as golden necklaces that housed their own Element of Harmony. As soon as the fillies were out of their vision, their smiles turned to sad frowns.

"So how've you been?" asked the apple farmer.

"Marvelous, dear. Just marvelous..." Seeing the unconvinced face of Applejack, Rarity sighed. "Horrible. I barely got any sleep. To say I was shocked by the letter would be an understatement."

"Ah know." Applejack said. "She never struck me as a traitor. Though looking back, she never looked like a gal that came to make friends, either."

"I just hope this whole ordeal is over quickly. I can't imagine where this is heading."

Just then, a worried-looking Rainbow Dash landed beside them. "Guys, I can't find Pinkie or Fluttershy anywhere."

"What do you mean you can't find them?!" yelled Applejack, fearing the answer.

"I went to Sugarcube Corner and asked for Pinkie, but the Cakes said she didn't show up to work. Then I went to see if Fluttershy was ok, but her front door was destroyed and part of her house seemed burned and frozen."

Rarity gasped. "Samus couldn't have got them already, could she?"

"Looks like it." answered Applejack. "We'll need to split up and look for 'em. If Samus needs the Elements, then she'll need us alive. Rare, you go look for them around town. Rainbow, you go look from the sky. Ah'll go fetch Twi so she can help us. Let's meet at mah farm in an hour, no matter if you found something or not. We need to keep in touch. Now let's get movin', we ain't got much time."

"Right!" both Rainbow Dash and Rarity said at the same time. Applejack and Rarity galloped to their respective location while Rainbow Dash took off to the air.

OXOXO

"Hi, Sweetie Belle. Hi, Scootaloo." Apple Bloom greeted her friends as she entered the classroom. She lacked her usual energy and instead looked a little pensive.

"Hi, Apple Bloom." Sweetie Belle greeted back. "What's wrong? You seem down today."

"Yeah, what happened?" asked Scootaloo.

"It's Applejack. She has been acting weird since yesterday. Ah'm worried about her."

"Now that you mentioned it, Rarity was also acting weird. Ever since she came from Twilight's, yesterday afternoon, she's been messing up her work. She even cried when she saw her newest design." commented Sweetie Belle. "Do you think it's something related to Applejack?"

"Probably." answered the yellow filly. "What about you Scootaloo? Did Rainbow Dash seem off yesterday?"

The pegasus in question shrank a little. "I dunno. I was kinda looking for Samus yesterday. I didn't see Rainbow Dash all day. Nor Samus. And her ship disappeared, too."

"It looks like we have two mysteries to be solved. Wanna go investigate now?" asked Apple Bloom.

"Yeah! Let's go!" exclaimed Scootaloo.

"Now? But we have class! What about miss Cheerilee?" asked the white unicorn filly.

"Come on, Sweetie Belle!" urged her friends.

"I don't know, guys. I have a bad feeling about all this." said Sweetie Belle. Upon seeing Apple Bloom's and Scootaloo's face, she changed her mind (although not her mood). "I guess if it's for Rarity and Applejack, then it's more important than school."

The three fillies came to an agreement and left the school before class started. They rushed across the playground, on to Ponyville's direction. They had a mystery to solve, and nothing would get in their way.

"Okay, class. Let's get started." said miss Cheerilee when she arrived at the classroom. "Huh? Has anyone seen Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, or Apple Bloom?" Hearing no response, she sighed."So they skipped school... Again. Oh, well. They'll have to deal with extra homework tomorrow." She turned around and began the day's lecture.

OXOXO

Rarity was walking around town, asking ponies if they had seen Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, or Samus. So far, all the answers she received were negative. Paranoia and fear had taken a toll on the white mare's psyche. She kept looking and asking for a while, until her search took her to Carousel Boutique. Deciding to get some relaxing tea, she got inside.

The doors opened and a bell chimed as Rarity entered her home/boutique. She went to the kitchen and began preparing her tea. She heated the water and prepared the leaves. A kettle was filled and she put it on a tray, along with a cup and sugar. She levitated the tray and went to the living room, where her sofa awaited.

"I was looking for you." Rarity gasped, and almost let the tray fall from her magic grasp. Casually sitting across from her was Samus, clad in her signature armor.

The unicorn took a moment to recover her bearings and levitated another cup from the kitchen. Her face looked almost defeated. She set both cup on her middle table and poured water on both. A few moments later, the leaves were added.

"Would I be right in assuming you have come for my Element?" asked a rather calm Rarity as she levitated one of the cups over to Samus, who took off her suit and grabbed the cup. She gave it a tentative sip.

"Yes." said Samus. She also gave her tea a sip. "I do believe we can wait until our tea is over. This is pretty good."

"Thank you." Rarity's voice was devoid of any emotion. "May I ask why you would hunt us down to get our Elements?"

"The Elements have proven to be quite powerful, but I can't harness it without their bearers. I want their power for personal reasons."

"What kind of personal reasons?"

"None of your business." Samus calmly took another sip of tea. "Anyway, I'll be taking you, along with your Element. Let's see how well you can protect it."

"I was hoping this wouldn't be the case." Rarity finished her tea, as did Samus. "If, by any chance, you were to be defeated... What would happen?"

"I'd tell you where to find your friends and how to free them." Samus reactivated her Power Suit. "Of course, that's a big 'if'."

Rarity began to panic. She nervously looked around the room, and spotted a chest filled with gems. An idea quickly sprung to mind. Despite it being not very lady-like, she couldn't think of anything better. Her horn lit up and all the gems were suddenly levitated and thrown to Samus. The Hunter jumped to her side to avoid the incoming barrage, but the sheer amount of projectiles made it impossible. Samus was pelted by gems and thrown back. Rarity pressed her advance as much as she could. As Samus was beginning to stand up, she threw another volley of gems at her.

Samus groaned and got into the Morph Ball. She rolled out of most of the attack and boosted onto Rarity, who took the full force of the slam. Samus quickly got out the Morph Ball and grabbed the unicorn's horn. "We can't have you using this." she said as she began tightening her grip.

Rarity began screaming as Samus increased the force applied to her horn. Not long after, a crack was heard, and the unicorn screamed louder than ever. Samus had fractured Rarity's horn with her hand.

"MY HORN! YOU BROKE MY HORN!!!" wailed the fashionista.

"A minor fracture to keep you from using magic. It should heal in a week or so." said Samus, but Rarity's panic and screams made it hard to tell if she was heard. She quickly lost patience and shocked the mare with her taser.

As Rarity fell to the ground, another scream was heard. This one was more high-pitched than the fashionista's, and Samus looked around to find the source. A glance to the window revealed the source as Sweetie Bell, flanked on each side by her friends. She could see Apple Bloom hastily putting her hoof on Sweetie Belle's mouth to try and shut her up. They all looked at Samus with dread and, with the exception of Scootaloo, tears of terror. Samus turned her body to take a better look, but they all bolted out in horror.

Samus paid them no mind and began looking for something. After a few minutes she found what she was looking for and began to work. A few moments later, she finished her task. She turned to the knocked out mare and hoisted her up.

"Three down, three to go." Samus said to herself as she exited the boutique. A piece of paper was left on the table just in plain sight. She put Rarity on her shoulder and began her trek back to the junkyard. Thankfully, the building was just on the outskirts of town, so it wouldn't be difficult to avoid the townsfolk.

OXOXO

"Where is she?!" asked an impatient Rainbow Dash as she paced around the barn. She was accompanied by Applejack and Twilight Sparkle.

"Calm down, sugarcube." said Applejack, thought she was having a hard time trying to remain calm herself. "We said an hour. You know how Rarity likes to be 'fashionably late', right?"

"Calm DOWN?!" fumed the blue pegasus. "Applejack, SAMUS IS OUT THERE TO GET US! We can't just hide forever. We need to take her head-on if we want this to end."

"I have to agree with Rainbow Dash on this one, Applejack." said Twilight. "We should stick together. We don't know when Samus will strike."

"What do you propose we do then, Twi?" asked the farmer in a pleading voice. Twilight seemed to think for a moment.

"I suggest we wait for Rarity another ten minutes, just in case she shows up. If she doesn't, then we'll look for her. Together."

"Sounds like a mighty fine plan." nodded Applejack. Rainbow Dash groaned at the answer. "Take it easy, Dash. We can't just tackle the bull, here. This situation calls for more caution."

"I know! It's just that..." Rainbow Dash left her sentence hanging, and instead sighed.

"You're worried." concluded the earth pony. "Ah know. We all are. Trust me on that, sugarcube. But as Twili suggested, we can't just rush head first. You've seen firsthoof just what kinda fighter Samus is. Not to mention all those fancy weapons of 'er."

The doors of the barn suddenly shot open. The three mares jumped in fright at the sudden intrusion, but relaxed when they saw it was only the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

"Apple Bloom! Why aren't you in school?" Applejack scolded her younger sister.

Apple Bloom ignored her and rushed to hug her. Sweetie Belle did the same, almost knocking the mare over. Scootaloo showed a little more restrain, though her face clearly showed she was afraid. The mares' fears quickly returned when they saw the fillies were hysterically crying and trying to speak. Sweetie Belle was especially shaken.

"Girls? What happened?" asked Twilight. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle tried to calm down and speak, but found it impossible. The task fell to Scootaloo, who seemed to be less shocked than her friends, but nonetheless pretty scared.

"Samus killed Rarity!" the orange filly yelled, before she threw herself at Rainbow Dash and started crying as well. Rainbow Dash awkwardly hugged the filly and looked at Applejack for support.

"WHAT?!" asked all the grown mares.

"We saw her kill Rarity at her shop!" yelled Sweetie Belle.

"Calm down. I think you misunderstood something." Twilight tried to calm the fillies, though she was finding it hard to keep calm herself. "We need you to tell us exactly what you saw."

Once again, Scootaloo proved strong by releasing her idol and facing Twilight. She calmed a little and began speaking, although with the occasional sob. "We were passing by Rarity's shop when we (sniffle) heard her scream. We got close to a window to see what was happening when we (sniffle) saw Samus. She was holding Rarity down, and then Rarity screamed very loud. (sniffle) A little later, Samus punched Rarity with her weapon and Rarity fell on the floor."

"Hmm..." Twilight thought for a moment. "Did you happen to see anything on the tip of Samus's cannon?" she asked hopeful.
Scootaloo slowly nodded. "Yeah. There was a purple ball on the tip of her arm."

"Oh, thank goodness." sighed Twilight in relief.

"How is that good?" asked a confused filly.

"Samus just shocked her; Rarity is still alive!"

"You mean my sister is not dead?" asked Sweetie Belle, who seemed to calm down after listening to Twilight. "I can still see her?"

"That's it; I will deal with Samus now." declared Rainbow Dash. Before any pony could object, she shot straight for the barn's door and flew away.

"Consarnit, that fool!" yelled Applejack. "Can't she think things through for once?!"

"Applejack, stay here and take care of the girls. I will look for Rainbow Dash and bring her here. After that, we will begin making our plan of attack." ordered the librarian.

"Plan of attack? Twilight..."

"I'm afraid it's come to this. We better deal with Samus while there are still three of us. She can't beat us if we stick together!"

"Hate to break to ya, Twi, but she took out half the Royal Guard. What could we possibly do against her?" Applejack sounded desperate.

"I don't know..." answered Twilight. Applejack was about to speak, but the unicorn continued. "Just like I didn't know what to do when Nightmare Moon attacked. Don't forget that when we are together, we can do anything."

Applejack gave a small smile. "Ah reckon ye'r right. Let's get the rodeo started, then! Go bring the rainbow fool so we can start!"

"On it." Twilight exited the barn in haste.

"Good luck." said the farmer when she saw her friend go. She turned to see the three fillies. "We'll need it."

OXOXO

Samus walked into the junkyard with her burden over her shoulder. Thankfully, the white mare had been inert the whole way; though her taser had something to do with it. Regardless, she had arrived at the cage without a problem. Her two captives watched as she opened the lock and dropped Rarity inside without much care, but said nothing. They did tend to the unicorn once she was safe inside with them.

Samus gave a glance to the town. She turned back to the cage and produced a thick disk of metal with a small orb in the center from one of the piles of junk. With a leap, she got on top of the cage, where she welded the new piece into the roof of the cage.

"What is that? What are you doing?" asked Fluttershy.

"A custom-made grapple point for my ship." answered the Hunter while she continued her work. "I think this place has been compromised, so we are changing location."

"How are you going to carry us? You are super strong, but not that super strong." inquired Pinkie Pie.

"I'm not." Samus pressed some buttons on her cannon.

Soon after, her ship landed beside the cage. Samus got in and the ship hovered above the cage. From below the ship, a thick electrical wire lowered and attached itself to the new piece of the cage. The ship hovered a little higher, lifting the cage with it. Fluttershy squeaked in fright, while Pinkie Pie actually seemed to enjoy it.

The ship flew at a low altitude, just high enough for the cage to not touch the ground, but low enough to avoid the prying eyes of anypony who happened to look skywards. The mares inside could see their destination seemed to be the Everfree Forest, and fear soon began to creep inside them. To their relief, the cage was lowered on the outskirts of the forest, not quite inside it

The ship's Grapple Beam detached from the cage and retracted back to the ship. The hatch opened below the ship and Samus exited it, jumping and landing beside the cage. A few more button presses on her cannon and the ship flew away, cloaking itself on the way, and returning to its previous bombing position in standby. Samus watched it go before turning to the lock in the cage. In her scan visor, she activated another feature.

"I've activated an electrical defense. Anything touching the cage's bars will get electrocuted, so don't do it." Samus said.

"Why? It's not like we can break free." asked Rarity, who seemed to have woken up.

"It's not to keep you in; it's to keep others out." Samus explained as she motioned toward the forest with her head. The mares understood the reason. "Anyway, next stop: Sweet Apple Acres."

OXOXO

Rainbow Dash barreled through the Carousel Boutique's front door with anger in her features. She looked around, looking for any signs of her friends or her enemy. She found none.

"Wait up!" exclaimed Twlight Sparkle as she cough up with her flying friend.

"Ponyfeathers! We're late!" fumed the pegasus.

"It doesn't look like there was much struggle. Aside from those gems, that is." Twilight commented as she looked at the good conditions they found the boutique in. With the exception of all the gems on the floor, the place looked quite organized and clean. "What do you think happened?"

"Rarity wanted to avoid fighting. She was easy prey." answered Rainbow as she walked toward the table and looked at the piece of paper on it. Twilight approached her friends to see what she was talking about, and gasped when she saw the paper.

"It can't be." murmured the unicorn. Depicted on the paper were crude drawings of the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony. The pictures representing Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rarity had been crossed out, leaving Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight.

"She got Pinkie and Fluttershy, too." said Rainbow Dash as she crumpled the paper. "And we're next."

Twilight put her foreleg on Dash's shoulder. "Come on, Dash. We need to go back to the barn and regroup with Applejack."

OXOXO

Samus sprinted toward the apple farm. Applejack had proven to be a level-headed pony with a lot more strength than her shape would suggest; if her encounter with the farmer were any indication. She would prove a bit tricky to capture, but Samus was nonetheless excited to fight the orange mare.

The Hunter stopped for a moment. Excited? She shook her head. She was on a personal mission, not a friendly spar. With her thoughts in order (somewhat), Samus continued toward her destination. After a few minutes of running, the barn of the Apples was visible. Samus proceeded to walk the rest of the way.

Samus was about to pass the barn and head for the orchards to search for Applejack, but her target's voice was heard from within the barn. This suited the huntress just fine.

"All right, Big Mac. Ah'll leave them in your hooves. Ah'll come back as soon as I find those two. Thanks for yer help." said Applejack with a small smile as she exited the barn with Big Mac and the three Cutie Mark Crusaders. Her smile transformed into a scowl when she noticed the armored human standing outside the barn. "YOU!"

"Greetings." was Samus's sarcastic reply.

"BIG MAC! TAKE THE GIRLS AND GET OUTTA HERE! NOW!!!" frenetically yelled Applejack. As soon as she noticed the stallion move towards the fillies, she lunged at Samus with a deadly intent. The huntress had to jump backwards to avoid the stomp.

"Go!" Big Macintosh ordered the fillies, who didn't need to be told twice. Without looking back, they jumped on their wagon, Scootaloo pulling it with her scooter, and got as far from the human as possible. They went into the orchards, out of sight.

"What are you doing?!" asked Applejack when she saw her brother stay by her side. "Go with them!"

"They'll be fine." said the stallion in his usual calmness, though anger could be heard in his voice. "She's here for you."

"True." said Samus.

"Go find your friends." Big Mac took a step and positioned himself between the huntress and his sister.

"Oh no, you don-"

"Now." the red stallion gave a look that left room for no arguments.

"I come for her. No reason to get involved." said Samus. Big Mac responded by kicking the ground with his foreleg in preparation for a tackle. "Suit yourself."

Big Mac galloped with the intent of trampling the Hunter. Samus opted to charge her taser and immobilize her obstacle. As they got closer, Samus jabbed the stallion with her taser. That done, she proceeded to calmly walk toward her original target. Samus gave a couple of steps before a strong impact hit her in the back and was sent flying several yards to the air.

Samus crashed with a loud thump on the ground. She got on her knees to see the red stallion standing strong, looking down at her with anger in his otherwise stoic gaze. She was very surprised to see the stallion move like he did after being tased, as if he were shock-proof. Before the huntress could stand up properly, another tackle sent her flying the way she came from. This time it was Applejack who attacked her. Big Mac gave Applejack a disapproving gaze, but the mare ignored it and put her attention on the Hunter. The stallion shrugged and did the same. Samus got up and saw brother and sister ready for a fight. She smirked under her helmet at the current development; this was going to be interesting.

Without waiting another moment, both Apples dashed at Samus. Samus leapt over both ponies and fired a missile at them. It exploded just in the space between the ponies, dividing the damage between them. Samus landed and immediately followed with several shots of her Power Beam, which the siblings barely avoided.

Applejack quickly recovered and ran toward Samus. The huntress responded with an uppercut, followed by one-two, and finally a roundhouse. She moved to press her advantage, but Big Mac cut her off with a back kick, which Samus barely dodged by turning into the Morph Ball. Samus rolled away and reverted to normal, further studying her opponents.

"I don't have time for this." said the Hunter. She charged and fired an Ice Diffusion Missile at Applejack. The mare tried to dodge, but the diffusion of the ice made it impossible, and she was frozen solid.

Samus wasted no time and rushed at Big Macintosh the moment the missile left her cannon. With momentum on her side, Samus tried to shoulder slam the stallion, but was surprised to see him stop her, rivaling her own strength. The two stood there for several moments, trying to overpower the other. After several seconds, Samus switched tactics and quickly put both her arms around the stallion's neck. With servos whirling loudly in her suit, Samus lifted and supplexed the red pony.

Big Mac attempted to stand up, but Samus kicked his midsection with brutal force. The kick forced the air out of the stallion's lungs, and he fell again. Not taking any more chances, Samus proceeded to brutalize the stallion while he was on the ground with fierce kicks and punches. Any limb that would look like it moved would be kicked, and his face was bombarded with heavy punches. The finisher was a leap, a spin in the air, and a powerful drop kick on the stallion's head. He stopped moving after that.

Samus turned her attention to Applejack's frozen statue. Cracks began to appear all around the farmer's ice prison. Soon, the ice broke and an enraged-looking Applejack stood. She even blew steam from her nostrils.

"You're dead meat." With a guttural growl, the mare lunged at Samus. Samus stopped the furious pony with her arms, but had a hard time avoiding the wild lashes Applejack gave with her forelegs.

Having had enough, Samus threw the mare to her side. She quickly switched from Power Beam to Battlehammer and shot the ground beneath Applejack. The explosive blast was enough to send her flying a short distance. Samus approached the mare and stomped on one of her back legs with great force. Applejack let out a scream as she felt intense pain course through her leg and writhed in her suffering; surely that injury would take some time to recover.

With her target incapacitated, Samus gave her a strong punch on the side of her head and Applejack stopped moving. Samus gave a tired sigh. She regarded the Element of Honesty for a moment before she picked her up and returned to the edge of the forest, where the other Elements awaited.

'We can't have dead ponies.' said a voice inside Samus's head. She stopped and looked at the beaten form of Big Mac. After confirming he was not dead with her scan visor, she continued her way. A certain giddiness was starting to from deep within her; she was close to her goal.

"Four down, two to go."

OXOXO

Rainbow Dash was flying toward Sweet Apple Acres, Twilight galloping close behind her. The unicorn mare was getting tired.

"Wait up, Dash! I can't run as fast as you fly!" said Twilight, panting.

"Hurry up, Twi! We don't have time to waste."

"I know. But we..." Twilight stopped talking when she spotted a zebra running towards them. "Wait, is that Zecora?"
Both Rainbow and Twilight stopped to meet with Zecora. After giving her a moment to regain her breath, the zebra started talking.

"It's nice to see the face of a friend. I'm afraid something terrible has happened."

"What happened?" asked Twilight.

"I saw that Fluttershy has been taken. We cannot let her be forsaken."

"Samus has already taken Pinkie Pie and Rarity, too. We must hurry to Applejack!" said Rainbow Dash.

"Just thinking about that monster makes my hooves itch." fumed the zebra. "I really want to teach a lesson to that b-"

"Not now, Zecora. We must hurry to Sweet Apple Acres. We can't let Applejack face this alone." said Twilight.

"We have lost enough time. Let's move!" said Rainbow Dash before she flew off to the farm. Twilight and Zecora looked at each other for a moment, before rushing off to follow their pegasus friend.

They arrived at the farm not long after. The first thing they noticed was the beaten form of Big Mac lying near the barn. The second thing they noticed was a distinct lack of Applejack. That second thing is what told them what had happened here.

"Damn it!" cursed Rainbow Dash as she slammed her forelegs on the ground. "We're too late."

Twilight and Zecora had joined the fillies in tending the unconscious stallion. "It looks like his wounds are not fatal. Still, we should take him to the hospital."

"I agree." said Twilight. "Rainbow, could you-"

"You and Zecora take him to the hospital. I'm going to find Samus and finish this now." Tears of fury were running down Rainbow Dash's cheeks.

"But Rainbow Dash!"

"Save it, Twilight. I'm going and that's it." Rainbow Dash took to the skies before the lavender mare could reply. Twilight watched her go with doubt in her face.

"You know where her loyalty lies. Have more faith in your allies" said Zecora as she approached the unicorn.

"I guess you're right. If someone can beat Samus, it's Rainbow Dash." Twilight looked at Zecora for a moment. "Come one. Let's get Big Mac to the hospital."

Between the two of them, they carried the red stallion to Ponyville, where he could receive medical attention. Neither of them noticed the three fillies hiding behind a nearby tree.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders had witnessed everything from behind their hiding spot. Sweetie Belle has hugging Apple Bloom, who was crying after seeing Samus hurt her siblings. Scootaloo, partly at seeing her friends hurting and partly at seeing the determination in her idol's face before leaving, had decided to do something.

"We must help Rainbow Dash!" she declared.

Apple Bloom looked at her with fear. "She took down mah brother and sister! What could we do?"

"I don't know, but anything's better than sitting around doing nothing. I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to help. I'm tired of being a chicken."

"I'll go too." said Sweetie Belle. "If we find Samus, we can find Rarity and the others."

Apple Bloom sniffled. "Ah guess yer right. Count me in." she said as sadness gave way to determination.

"Great! Now, let's go." said Scootaloo. The fillies got on the wagon, which Scootaloo began pulling with her scooter. Soon, they were following the direction the saw Rainbow Dash fly to.

OXOXO

Samus had returned, dragging Applejack with her. The three ponies inside the cage noticed a little blood trickling from the corner of Applejack's muzzle. As was done before, the mare was carelessly thrown into the cage once the lock was undone. She closed the door and locked it again. No one said anything.

Samus regarded her prisoners before walking near the edge of the forest, away from them. She walked for a while, making enough distance from the cage to avoid any collateral damage her next fight could cause. She looked to the sky in search of her next target. Sure enough, a rainbow trail was visible. Samus just needed to catch her attention; and she knew exactly what to do.

The huntress looked around. There was nothing alive nearby. Good. She entered Morph Ball mode and laid a Power Bomb. The massive explosion destroyed everything it reached, with the exception of Samus herself. She returned to normal and in the dirt drew an arrow pointing toward the nearby forest. With her message set, she proceeded to follow the arrow and wait for the polychromatic pegasus.

OXOXO

Rainbow Dash was flying around in a mad frenzy. That was not to say she wasn't paying attention to the ground below, for there was where she would find the object of her ire. She reached the edge of town and was about to turn around to scout the town again when a weird sound caught her attention. She looked down, near the edge of the Everfree Forest, and noticed an expansive explosion. She wasted no time and landed on the crater that the blast left behind. There, she noticed an arrow drawn in the dirt. She understood the message and rushed toward the forest.

As she flew past trees and bushed, an orange fist appeared out of nowhere and collided with her snout. The punch was strong enough to send her out of control and crash on the ground and bounce to a tree. She shook the cobwebs out of her head and leered at her attacker.

"Rash as always." said Samus as she approached. "Ready for a rematch?"

"GRAAAAHHH!!!" Rainbow Dash growled as she charged at the huntress. Samus just barely managed to dodge the attack.
"I WILL END YOU!"

Samus shot her Wave Beam at the pegasus. Rainbow Dash moved too fast for it, though; not even its homing feature proved useful. But just like last time, her attacks were easy to read. Samus toyed with Rainbow Dash for a moment, evading all her attack and barely making an effort to counterattack.

Rainbow Dash had had enough. She began flying in a tight circle, picking up wind and starting a tornado. Samus was surprised at the sudden change of tactic, but responded accordingly. She fired a couple of Magmaul rounds at the twister. The molten magma orbs were picked by the wind, and they detonated three seconds later. The powerful blasts disrupted the tornado and inflicted some burns on the blue pegasus.

Rainbow Dash fell to the ground with one wing sporting a black scorch mark. Samus walked over to her and placed her foot on the mare's back. "I was expecting a bit more from you."

"Let me go!"

"Remember when I said that your recklessness would get you or someone else killed?" asked Samus in a sinister voice. She grabbed one of Rainbow Dash's wings and began pulling. For the first time, Rainbow Dash seemed afraid of the Hunter.

Out of nowhere, a speeding object made its way toward Samus in an attempt to run her over. She couldn't see what it was because of the sheer speed at which it moved. Samus only had time to shoot her Power Beam at the attacking object once. The shot struck home and an orange thing was knocked out from the object, but it still struck Samus with all the momentum it had. The impact made Samus lose her footing, and Rainbow Dash took the opportunity to buck Samus out of the way. The Hunter crashed against a tree. She panicked when she heard Rainbow Dash's voice.

"Scootaloo! Speak to me!" Samus raised her head and saw Rainbow Dash hold an unmoving filly with her forelegs. Tears were now streaming down from the mare's face. Upon closer inspection, a scorch mark was visible in the Scootaloo's chest.

'I told you that you should NOT kill ponies. What have you done?!' screamed a voice inside the huntress's head.

"DAMN!" cursed Samus. She rushed over to where the two pegasus were.

"Get away from her!" yelled Dash, trying to protect the filly.

"Shut up." Samus delivered a roundhouse strong enough to send the mare flying several yards away. "THIS is what happens when you mindlessly rush onto things! This is your doing!" Samus lashed.

Rainbow Dash looked broken as Samus's words entered her mind. She froze and lost her focus. "My fault?" she whispered to herself.

"You're useless." said Samus. She quickly kneeled down and began inspecting the orange filly. She let out a massive sigh of relief when her Scan Visor picked up a faint heartbeat. It looks like the filly was not dead.

A loud, high-pitched scream quickly filled the area. Samus turned to the object that had crashed on her and realized it was a wagon attached to a scooter. Both Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom had joined Scootaloo, it seemed, because they were still in the wagon, giving her gazes full of fear. She quickly figured out why they screamed.

"Listen up, you two. Your friend doesn't have much time. You have to take her to the hospital right away." Samus almost yelled at the fillies. They seemed to be paralyzed with fear. "NOW!!!" barked Samus when she saw neither of them moved.

The two fillies quickly regained their bearing after Samus exploded at them and followed the instructions. They picked up their fallen friend and rushed out of the woods and into town. Samus watched them go as they ran with all the speed they could muster. She turned to the shocked Rainbow Dash lamenting not far from her. Part of her reminded she still had a job to finish. She got up to her and tased the mare again. Rainbow Dash fell to the ground when she lost consciousness.

Samus deactivated her Power Suit and let herself fall on the ground. She brought both her hands to her face and exhaled loudly. "What am I doing?" she asked to no one in particular. Her hands moved to her forehead. Already she could feel a maelstrom of conflicting thoughts raging inside her head.

'I would do anything, no matter what. If it meant getting ___ back, I'd go to Tartarus itself if I had to. If there was only a miniscule chance of me getting him back, I'd take it. Whatever the price, I'd gladly pay it to make sure ___ stood by my side, safe and sound.' Twilight's words echoed through her mind above the rest of her thoughts.

"Whatever the price." Samus repeated softly. Her will quickly returned, and she grabbed the downed pegasus she just electrocuted and began to drag her as she returned to the cage's location. "Five down, only one more to go."

OXOXO

Twilight and Zecora were waiting for Doctor Stable's conclusion on Big Mac's condition. They were sitting in the hospital's lobby, trying not to die from anxiety. When the doctor entered the lobby, both mares went to him immediately.

"How is he?" asked a worried Twilight.

"All his injuries are from blunt trauma. Whatever attacked him was relentless, and it possessed monstrous strength. Thankfully, he is quite sturdy; he is not in any mortal danger. A blow on the head is what made him lose consciousness. All his injuries will heal in due time, so don't worry too much about him."

"Oh, thank goodness." Twilight sighed in relief. At least not all was bad news, she thought.

Her relief was short-lived. Rushing to the front doors were two fillies and a baby dragon, all carrying another filly. Twilight's color drained from her face when she saw Scootaloo wasn't moving.

"Doc, we need help NOW!" yelled Spike. "I don't think she's breathing."

Doctor Stable quickly yelled for a nurse. He was by the filly's side in an instant and checked for vitals. "She doesn't have much time. We have to stabilize her immediately!"

Doctor Stable took the filly and rushed to one of the rooms. A mask was put on the young pegasus's head and several machine were quickly connected. Her heartbeat was weak, as was shown by one of the machines. Nurse Redheart quickly joined the doctor in applying her medical knowledge.

"What happened?" Twilight asked the other two fillies and baby dragon when she saw Scootaloo was being treated.

"I don't know. I just found them rushing over to the hospital and decided to follow them. When I asked what was happening, they said there was no time." Spike answered through heavy breaths. He was just as shaken as the rest of the ponies and zebra present in the hospital lobby.

"Samus shot her." said Apple Bloom. She swallowed a lump in her throat and continued. "We followed Samus to find out where mah sister and Rarity were. We saw Samus and Rainbow Dash fight, so Scootaloo panicked and went faster to crash on Samus. She saw us and shot at us, but she only got Scootaloo."

"What was weird was that it looked like she didn't mean to." interjected Sweetie Belle. "When Samus saw what happened, she ordered us to bring Scootaloo here as soon as possible. Even under her armor, she looked concerned. I... I don't know what's going on anymore."

"Thank you for telling me this, girls." Twilight said with utmost seriousness. "Go home and rest. You have gone through a lot today. I'll take it from here."

"And I'm going with you." added Spike.

"Absolutely not. It’s too dangerous." said Twilight.

"If what Sweetie Belle says is true, then Samus is not fully evil. Please Twilight, let me go with you. I know there's more to this situation, and I want to find out what." Spike's determination left no room for arguments.

"You win. But if things get ugly, I want you to run as fast as you can and not look back. Do you promise me?" Twilight almost had tears in her eyes.

"Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." Spike made the motions of the Pinkie Promise.

"Good." Twilight hugged Spike. "I'm so proud of you."

"I'll join too, if it's okay with you." rhymed Zecora.

"Fine by me." said Twilight, her voice filling with determination. "It's time put an end to this."

The unicorn, the zebra, and the baby dragon made their way to the hospital's exit. Upon their exit, the first thing the trio noticed was five explosions above the edges of Whitetail Woods. It didn't take long for them to realize it was Samus. She was giving the librarian her location. Twilight was glad to attend the call.

Hunted Hunter

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Chapter 13: Hunted Hunter

Twilight, Spike, and Zecora were galloping away from the library, where the Element of Magic was located before Twilight picked it up. The golden tiara was now resting on the mare's head. They were now heading toward the road to Whitetail Woods, where apparently Samus awaited. They almost reached the town outskirts when a voice suddenly spoke and stopped them.

"Hold it right there!" an azure unicorn mare exclaimed. "Trixie has finally found you, Twilight."

"Trixie?" asked Twilight. "What are you doing here?"

"Trixie has come to challenge you to a duel." declared Trixie. Twilight frowned and attempted to rush past Trixie, but a magical tug on her tail stopped her. "Trixie will not take 'no' for an answer."

"I don't have time for this. Whatever you want, it'll have to wait." said Twilight in an almost angry tone.

"Go away, Trixie. This is more important than some stupid grudge of yours," angrily shouted Spike. He threw a dirty glance at the showmare. Zecora simply frowned at Trixie's actions.

"Ha! What could be so important that you have to make Trixie wait? Surely it can't-" Trixie was interrupted by Twilight, who put her face just an inch away from showmare's. Twilight wore a scowl on her features that made Trixie stop talking as she moved her head back a little, taken aback by the sudden intensity of Twilight's glare.

"My friends have been captured by someone with devastating power and unknown intentions. If I don't face her and defeat her, she'll probably do unspeakable things to my friends; and that's assuming they're still alive." She shoved a hoof at Trixie's chest. "So unless you are here to help, I suggest you get lost and stay out of my way."

Twilight ran past Trixie and continued her way to Whitetail Woods' direction. Zecora and Spike followed soon after, leaving Trixie behind.

The showmare watched them go with a stunned face. Her face quickly contorted into an intense scowl. She growled and slammed the ground with her forelegs several times. Her anger quickly diminished and she calmed down, though she was still angry. "So that's what those explosions were..." Trixie then turned around and galloped back to her wagon. "Curse you, Twilight." she said under her breath.

Unbeknown to the showmare, a certain dust-colored earth pony stallion saw her gallop away. He put his hoof on his chin in contemplation, until he decided to follow her, making sure to stay out of her sight.

OXOXO

A hawk was flying over the edge of Ponyville. It kept its gaze on the ground, looking for its targets. So far, his search has proven fruitless. The bird was about to give up and return when a single metallic corner became visible through the trees. The hawk cawed and went to investigate.

There, just on the edge of the Everfree Forest, a cage holding five ponies was visible. The hawk landed on a nearby branch and screeched loudly, catching the attention of four of the five mares; the one with rainbow mane was still unconscious. It regarded the ponies with sharp eyes before it took to the air once again. The hawk then proceeded to fly around in circles in the space above the cage, loudly screeching every now and then.

"What's with the bird, Fluttershy?" asked Applejack.

"I don't know. I've never seen him before." responded the yellow pegasus. "He seems to be calling for someone, though."

"That would be me." said a light blue -almost white- pegasus with a slightly darker mane styled in a ponytail. Her eyes were a cobalt color and her cutie mark was that of two generic-looking clouds.

"Who are you? I've never met you before, so you're not from Ponyville. Where are you from?" asked the hyperactive pink mare.

"I'm Misty Breeze and this is Looker." said the new arrival as the hawk perched itself on her back and screeched. "I've come to help you."

She was about to kick the cage's door when Rarity yelled at her. "DON'T TOUCH THAT CAGE!" Taken aback, Misty Breeze asked why. "It's electrified. To keep others away." Rarity added.

"Huh. Guess I won't be of much help, then." Misty Breeze lowered her legs and frowned. She quickly perked up. "That's ok, though. Wait here and I'll bring someone who can."

"Wait!" said Applejack. "How did you find us?"

"That was Looker. I just followed his lead." Misty Breeze answered.

"No. Ah mean how did you know we needed help?"

Misty looked down for a bit. "I'm aware of the situation you're in. I can't say more." She quickly lit up and smiled. "Don't worry. Just know that you are not alone." She turned around and galloped away, Looker flying just above her.

"Wait! You didn't tell me where you're from!" yelled Pinkie Pie, but the mare was gone.

OXOXO

Samus sat on the ground after launching those missiles to lure Twilight. She had her Power Suit on, and was browsing through her logbook to pass the time. She was re-reading her notes about her metroid DNA and her apparent ability to drain energy. Why it only seemed to work when her suit was on was what had her thinking. She kept pondering for a while until a message on her visor snapped her out of it.

"Spatial anomaly detected."

Before she could look for more information, another message flashed.

"Spatial anomaly no longer detected."

"That's weird." Samus said to herself. She tried activating several sensors on her suit, and even asked Adam to run a scan from her ship, but everything proved useless. She would have to make a more throughout investigation later.

"I'm here." Twilight's voice brought Samus out of her pondering. "Let's end this."

"Let's make this right. I'm at your side, Twilight." Zecora said as she took place beside Twilight.

Spike took the other side, but said nothing. He just gave Samus a look full of both determination and sadness; something the huntress took notice of.

"Why did you bring him?" Samus asked angrily. "This was between you and me."

"It was his choice." answered Twilight. "He's come to see this end." Spike just nodded in confirmation.

Samus looked at the dragon again. She seemed to be mentally debating something, until she gave one nod, as if understanding what had to be done.

"Very well." said Samus in a sad tone. "I'm sorry, Spike. I really hoped you would've stayed behind." She raised her cannon and aimed it at the trio.

"Why?" asked the baby dragon as he looked intently at Samus's eyes behind the helmet. "I thought we were your friends. I thought I was your friend."

Samus hesitated. She lowered her cannon for a moment and looked directly at Spike. For the briefest of moments, a baby metroid stood in his place. One blink and he back to being a dragon. Several memories coursed through her head, all involving her baby; the most prominent one being when she saw the egg hatch, releasing a cute little fanged jellyfish. She remembered seeing the baby float around her in curiosity and, dare she say it, love toward her.

She closed her eyes and reminded herself of the present. She opened them and began speaking. "It's personal." She pondered for another moment, and then looked at Twilight. "You said you would do anything to have him safe and sound at your side; that you'd pay any price. Well, I'm paying the price now." She raised her cannon once more and opened fire.

OXOXO

Land Scout carefully trekked behind some bushes. He was following an azure coated unicorn mare, though the fact that she was galloping at full speed and that he wanted to stay out of her sight made it difficult for him. But never be said he lost track of something. Always keeping himself on track was, after all, his special talent.

The mare eventually reached her wagon, from where she produced a chest. Land Scout watched as Trixie picked up one specific outfit and donned it on herself. The stallion could barely contain his glee as he watched the mare dress up and gallop away. Once the mare was gone, he emerged from his hiding spot and almost laughed manically.

"I knew it! Ahahaha! I knew it!" He pumped a hoof in the air. "I flying-featherly knew it! Dang it, Land Scout, no one beats you in tracking! Who's the best? You're the best! Ahahahaha!"

His self-celebration paused when he heard a far-away screech. He looked up to the sky and saw Looker flying around something. It didn't take long for him to realize the hawk had found something. Land Scout wasted no more time and rushed to see what his feathered friend had found. His grin never left his face, though.

On his way, he saw Looker fly down. A few minutes later, the hawk had taken flight once again, this time heading towards him. He put a hoof on his mouth and whistled loudly. The sound caught the hawk's attention and it changed its course to land on Land Scout's back. He looked at the hawk and petted it.

"Fancy meeting you here. What are you doing?" asked a light blue pegasus mare. She had come from the same direction Looker came.

"Oh, Misty! I wasn't aware that you would be here. Are you back-up?"

"I was about to ask you the same question." replied Misty Breeze. "Why are you grinning like an idiot?"

"Oh! I have just confirmed my hunch! All I have to do-"

"Yeah, yeah. Congrats, and whatever." Misty's face went from teasing to serious. "I actually need your help."

Land Scout finally stopped smiling after looking at her face. "What's wrong?"

"Turns out the would-be newbie went rogue."

"The would-be new... Samus?" Land Scout leaned closer, curiosity drowning his earlier glee. "What do you mean by rogue?"

"Yeah, her. She came to the castle yesterday and incapacitated almost a hundred guards in less than an hour. She stole the Elements and is now hunting down their bearers."

"WHAT?!" Land Scout yelled. He was beyond flabbergasted. "Why would she do that?"

"No one knows. And there's more. She said if either Celestia or the Royal Guard interferes, she'll bomb Ponyville and everypony within it. The worst part is she already captured five of the Elements."

"Is that why you're here?"

"Yeah. Luna and I came to offer support. My task is to find and help the Elements. Luna went ahead to search for Samus's ship and neutralize it. I already found the Elements, but Samus turned more cautious than expected." Misty said while glancing at the general direction of the bearers.

"How so?" Land Scout inquired.

"She electrified the cage they're in. Contact will result in a nasty shock."

"Darn. Hmm..." Land Scout immediately lit up. "Well, then it's good that I just happen to find the mare that will help us."

Misty gasped. "You don't mean..."

"Yup! I finally found her! Come on, let's go get her. She headed to where the five blasts came from."

Land Scout and Misty Breeze dashed, Looker flying behind them. They ran past trees, following the signal Samus had sent a while ago. Even with the news he just received, Land Scout couldn't help but smile at his success.

OXOXO

Twilight erected another barrier as a missile made its way toward her. The blast impacted on her shield, but made no real damage to the mare. She looked around and spotted Zecora with some soot marks and panting heavily. The zebra jumped and another missile exploded on the spot she was in. The unicorn redirected her attention to the armored human and shot a bolt of magic at her.

Samus sidestepped effortlessly as another magic bolt sailed by her. She raised her cannon to return fire, but quickly jumped to her side as a green fireball attempted to strike her. Before she could even aim, Zecora tried to ram her. Samus deflected her with a kick, but didn't press on because she avoided another magic bolt.

The Hunter was getting tired of wasting time. She thrust her arm at Twilight and her Grapple Beam shot out from the round jewel in her hand, quickly attaching itself on the mare's horn. Twilight screamed when Samus began swinging her. Once enough momentum was acquired, Samus used Twilight as a wrecking ball and slammed her onto both Spike and Zecora.

The zebra and baby dragon didn't land far, but they were clearly in pain. Samus pulled Twilight toward her and stopped the mare with her foot. Samus then pushed Twilight to the ground and pressed, immobilizing the unicorn. Without missing a beat, she fired an Ice Missile at Zecora and Spike, freezing them on the spot. Once they were neutralized, Samus put her attention on the unicorn under her boot.

"You lose." Samus said ominously. "Powerful as you may be, combat is really not your strong suit."

Twilight said nothing, instead giving the huntress an almost hateful look. The Grapple Beam retracted, and Samus charged her Wave Taser. She moved to tase the lavender unicorn, but a powerful pink bolt hit her side and sent her flying. A second later, a pink fire snake rushed toward the frozen pair, melting the ice and thawing its victims out.

"Rise, Twilight. You won't fall today, not here." said a voice belonging to a mare.

"Why does everyone keep interfering?" Samus asked with venom on her voice. She got up and took a look at her attacker. She was a unicorn mare donning a full-body silver suit that covered every part of her body, including her face. The mare was wearing a white hood and cape above the suit, as well as a black mask covering her face. A pair of small rubies adorned her forelegs. "Who are you supposed to be?"

"You can call me 'Silvermane'. I'll be your opponent now." 'Silvermane' said. She turned to Twilight, who was looking at her with awe and gratitude. "Go! Find your friends and go look for someplace safe. I'll deal with this thing." said Silvermane as she put her attention back on Samus.

"Thank you." said Twilight. Spike and Zecora quickly joined their friend, bowing their heads in thanks. They were about to run back to Ponyville when another two ponies joined the party. One was a dust-colored earth pony stallion and the other was light pale blue pegasus mare. The stallion looked surprised for a second, but quickly recovered.

"That works, too. Come on, Miss Sparkle." Land Scout said as soon as he saw the lavender mare. Silvermane shot her a dirty look when she heard Twilight's last name. "We know where your friends are being held!"

"Follow us!" Misty Breeze exclaimed. Twilight, Zecora, and Spike began following the newcomers.

"I don't think so." Samus shot a Super Missile at the fleeing party.

"I think so." The Super Missile glowed the same pink as Silvermane's magic and stopped moving. It quickly spun around and flew toward Samus. "Don't waste anymore time. GO!"

Samus, for her part, cursed loudly as her body was sent flying from the blast of her own attack. She gave another look at Silvermane; she wouldn't catch her prey as long as the unicorn was there. Missiles were also out, unless she wanted to get blasted by her own weapons. She looked around and saw several Twilights, followed by several clones of her friends, running away in different directions. "What's going on?" She switched to the X-Ray Visor and saw only silhouettes. All of them managed to get away, so she reverted to the Combat Visor.

"Illusions." the masked hero responded. "Not to brag, but I'm quite good at them."

Furious as she should be, Samus couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, this is certainly going to be interesting."

"I wholeheartedly agree." Silvermane's horn began glowing again.

Samus tensed, waiting for anything that could get thrown her way. She stood still for a moment, until she began feeling very heavy. It became increasingly difficult for the Hunter to stay standing, and she eventually fell to her knees. She turned to Silvermane, who sported a victorious smirk, even if it was hiding behind her mask.

Samus eventually realized what was happening. A second later, the metallic orange in her suit changed to a shiny purple, and she no longer felt heavy. She easily got back to her feet. This brought a satisfying reaction of surprise from the masked mare.

"But how?! What did you do?"

"The Gravity Suit nullifies any adverse gravitational effects. I would never have expected gravity manipulation, though." Samus commented casually.

"I'm still working on it." Silvermane said as she stopped her gravity spell. "Though it looks like it works quite well."

Samus nodded once, then let loose a barrage of Plasma shots. Silvermane jumped back and evaded the shots. She responded with another bolt of magic. This bolt however, was thinner and faster than the one shot before, resembling those of the Plasma Beam. Samus had a hard time evading it.

"Beams instead of bolts?" Samus asked.

"I'm good at mimicking. Check this out." Silvermane's horn glowed once more. The pink hue began to solidify into a cylinder of sorts. A few more seconds and the hue took on the form of a Super Missile. Silvermane then hurled it toward Samus, who had to jump again to avoid most of the damage when it exploded with as much ferocity as a real Super Missile. "So what do you think?"

Samus looked at the mare with surprise. She quickly recovered. "I'm done playing."

"And I'm just starting." Silvermane's hooves began glowing pink. Then she started gliding around Samus, as if she were skating.

As the mare glided around the huntress, several clones started to form where Silvermane's body passed, as if leaving afterimages. Before long, four Silvermanes were gliding around Samus. Something about this particular strategy just irked Samus.

"I usually don't like clichés, but I can't help but ask: Which one is the real one?" all four Silvermanes asked simultaneously.

Samus immediately switched to her X-Ray Visor. She saw four silhouettes moving around her, but only one of them had a visible skeleton. "That one." She took aim, but before she could fire, a magic beam hit her from behind.

"Wrong." they all said at the same time. "The correct answered is: All of us." As soon as they finished their response, all four Silvermanes began shooting Samus with their beams. Samus, now knowing what to expect, evaded all the bolts fires her way, though she couldn't find enough time to counterattack. She prepared a Charge Shot just in case.

"Clones?" Samus asked as she leapt to her side, nearly getting hit by a beam aimed at her head. On that split second, she locked on the skeletal image and fired her weapon. The gliding unicorn couldn't avoid the blast and got hit dead on. The force of the blast still sent her spiraling through the air, so Samus quickly switched to the Plasma Beam and incinerated the rest of the gliding annoyances. Or at least it looked like it, since they burst into pink fire once the red beam hit them.

"Not quite." answered Silvermane as she struggled to stand up. "They are certainly more than mere illusions, but they aren't really clones. They're more like..." She left the sentence hanging, not knowing what to say.

"Echoes." Samus finished for her. Now she knew why the mare's previous strategy irked her.

"Hmm... Yes, I like how that sounds. They're echoes." Despite the bad shape the mare's suit was in and the heavy breaths, Silvermane managed to sound quite pleased. "Thanks for the name."

Samus regarded the mare for a few moments. "You look tired."

Silvermane didn't take her eyes of the huntress. Her horn glowed a little, but the light flickered. "And you look fresh and ready to keep going. Mind telling me your secret?" she asked with heavy breaths.

"It's all thanks to my Power Suit. But unfortunately for you..." Samus activated the Diffusion feature of her beam weapons and charged. "... I can't waste any more time."

Samus released the shot just as her Arm Cannon glowed pink and it rapidly moved to her chest, making the Hunter effectively shoot herself. The powerful beam exploded on the Power Suit, causing massive damage and sending Samus flying through a tree.

Silvermane saw the result of her plan and gave a big sigh of relief. She let herself fall on the ground and rest for a little while. "Thank Luna it's over. I don't think I would've lasted much longer."

Samus groaned and got up. She had seen her beam deal extensive damage, but in all her years she had never experienced in firsthand. She walked toward the masked mare, who got up as soon as she saw her. Samus was now angry, and her pride had suffered a big blow by shooting herself. The huntress ran at the mare with the intent of pummeling her.

"HIYAAAA!"

Samus found herself in the air again. She landed a couple of yards away with a crash. Ok, this time she was careless. "Martial arts, too?" Samus asked as she got up.

"I'm a mare of many talents." was Silvermane's smug reply.

Samus was still angry, but that maneuver had reminded her that she had to keep calm. She approached the masked mare again, but this time it was with calm and even steps. Screw what the voice in her head said, leaving this mare alive would prove too risky. She configured her cannon on the Imperialist, the Kriken sniper weapon, as the linings in her Arm Cannon colored red.

Silvermane noticed the change and charged her horn. She let out a blinding flash, buying some time as the Hunter recoiled a bit. She jumped out of the way as a red laser passed by the place her head was in, piercing everything in its path. She wasted no more time and her horn glowed a bright pink again. While she charged her spell, she kept moving to avoid being pierced by the Hunter's sniping laser; her movements random as to avoid revealing patterns.

Samus, for her part, had difficulty aiming. The mare was moving too much and in erratic manners, not to mention her cape was misguiding and distracting. She fired several shots, but they did nothing more than leave holes in the mare's white cape. The best shot so far just grazed Silvermane's leg.

Silvermane kept dodging the deadly lasers. Her eyes widened a little when the spell finished charging. With one final flash of her horn, the magic vanished from the pointy bone and reappeared as a thick pink disk on Samus's chest.

"This is Boomer's bomb!" Samus exclaimed when she saw the pink disk.

"Oh! You know Boomy? Then you'll probably know just how potent that little bomb is."

Before Samus could respond, the bomb detonated in a massive pink explosion that could be seen from Ponyville. Silvermane had overcharged her bomb, but found herself uninjured since it was still a controlled blast. The explosion had left a big crater, and in the middle of said crater laid the battered form of a Power Suit. Silvermane took a look at it before letting herself collapse, panting heavily; a few coughs escaped her throat. Needless to say, she was exhausted.

It was much to the masked mare's distress that the Hunter rose and looked at her. Even behind the green glass, she could feel the anger in Samus's eyes. The armored human looked like it was struggling to keep afoot, but her arm was steady. The Hunter aimed her cannon at Silvermane. The mare was too exhausted to even speak, so she just closed her eyes and awaited her end.

"NOW!" a voice shouted, and not a moment later, two spiraling rainbows were being directed at Samus. Silvermane opened her eyes to see six mares, one of them Twilight Sparkle, as the origin of the rainbow energy.

OXOXO

Twilight ran as fast as she could, which proved just barely enough to keep up with the ponies that called themselves Land Scout and Misty Breeze. Land Scout she already knew, but Misty Breeze had turned to be a pleasant new encounter. Behind her, Zecora kept up; and Spike was riding on her back. She also noticed a hawk was flying overhead.

As she ran, Twilight couldn't help but wonder if Silvermane would be all right. She had heard news about the mysterious masked hero and her prowess in combat magic, but she also witnessed the firepower Samus possessed. Taking down a creature from Tartarus was a testament to that firepower.

No one spoke until they eventually reached the cage holding the Elements of Harmony.

"We're here, Miss Sparkle." Land Scout announced.

"Twilight!" all the mares inside exclaimed in pleasant surprise. All except Rainbow Dash, who was still knocked out. Zecora and Spike joined Twilight, followed by Land Scout and Misty Breeze.

"Misty! You came back!" Applejack said in delight.

"Of course! It's my duty." replied the light blue pegasus.

"Girls! Are you all okay?" Twilight asked worriedly. She noticed the cracks on Rarity's horn. "Rarity! What happened to your horn?!"

"Samus was very thorough with her hunt. She cracked my horn to prevent me from using magic." Rarity answered. "But don't worry about me, darling. I'll be fine in a week or so."

"We're all a little battered, but fine. Don't you worry none, sugarcube."

"Ok. Brace yourselves; I've had it subtlety." Twilight said as her horn glowed purple.

"What are you doing?" asked Pinkie Pie.

"Getting you out of there."

The cage floated on the air for a bit. Twilight struggled a little as the bars began to bend. A little grunt from the unicorn and the cage was torn to pieces. All the trapped mares fell to the ground. The fall was enough to wake up Rainbow Dash. At their freedom, all the friends had a big group hug; some even shed tears of joy.

"So what now?" asked Rainbow Dash. "Do we go kick Samus's flank?"

Twilight's face had a troubled expression. "That we do." All her friends nodded.

"Then follow me." ordered Land Scout.

All ponies, zebra, and dragon followed the dust-colored stallion. It was time to use the Elements once more.

OXOXO

Princess Luna was concentrating her magic. She had witnessed Samus's ship fly around Ponyville, but it suddenly vanished. She was flying around trying to find it. If the ship could be neutralized, dealing with Samus would become much easier.

She was flying when she felt a disturbance. She couldn't exactly tell what it was, but it felt unnatural. However, the feeling left almost as soon as it arrived. She shook her head and continued with her task.

Luck smiled upon her, for a little after the feeling went away, she heard a low whirling noise. She turned and saw nothing, but a magic field began to form around her horn. The magic field quickly expanded, visible only to her eyes. Within the field, she could see the outline of an invisible gunship poised over the center of Ponyville.

She smiled and dissipated the field. She took hold of the ship in her magic, but cannon protruded from the side of the ship and began shooting at her. Luna barely managed to avoid getting blasted and made some distance from herself and the ship. The cannons kept on trying to shoot the princess down. Luna got as much distance from the ship as she could without letting it go from her sight.

The dark alicorn changed tactics a little. She surrounded the ship in a magic bubble. The cannons reactivated and attempted to blast her, but the shield absorbed every shot. With the ship safely inside her protecting bubble, Luna took hold o the ship in her magic once again. It was hard work, but little by little Luna was able to lower the ship to the ground.

She was halfway down when a loud explosion caught her attention in the distance. It was almost enough to let her lose her concentration and let go of the ship, but she managed to do it. The explosion was very powerful. She could almost feel the shockwave it must've created. Luna thought it was a miracle the forest around was still standing. She wanted to go and find out what that was, but she still had a job to do. She redoubled her efforts and eventually brought the ship to ground level.

As soon as the ship touched the ground, dark chains shot from the ground and tied the ship. Luna summoned more and more chains until she felt sure the ship would be unable to rise. Just as additional security measure, the moon princess erected another barrier around the Hunter's transport.

As soon as she finished, Princess Luna shot to the air and to the place she saw the explosion. "Please be safe, my little ponies."

OXOXO

It was only thanks to years of experience that Samus acted just in time to avoid getting blasted by the Elements of Harmony. "Again!" she heard Twilight yell. Samus watched as the rainbow energy rose again and prepared to jump. What the Hunter didn't expect was to get her body locked in place. She noticed her armor was glowing pink. A side-glance at Silvermane confirmed the hero was still not fully out of the battle.

Unable to move, Samus could do nothing more than see the rainbow energy wash over her. A translucent image of Screwball emerged from her chest. Samus saw as the pink mare twisted and morphed until her body resembled that of a draconequus. Samus watched the image of Discord scream in agony as it slowly vanished, leaving no trace behind. She also barely registered the six mares gasp at the revelation.

The power of Harmony continued to wash over Samus. She felt as if someone torn a piece of her brain and twisted it. She felt all her ideas shuffle and reorganize themselves. The whole process was incredibly painful to her body and strenuous on her mind. Samus let out intense scream of pain as the energy continued manipulating her psyche. Finally, it was over. The last thing Samus took notice of was a message in her visor.

"Harmony energy assimilated. Harmony Beam acquired."

Then, the mental exertion took its toll on Samus and everything went black.

A New Threat

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Chapter 14: A New Threat

The Bearers of the Elements of Harmony, Zecora, Spike, Land Scout, and Misty Breeze watched as the magical rainbow struck the bounty hunter. They all gasped loudly when they saw a pink mare emerge from Samus's chest. Said mare contorted and shifted until they were seeing a writhing Discord. The spirit of chaos wailed in apparent agony until his translucent form began disappearing, little by little, until there was nothing left of the draconequus.

Samus screamed in pain as she fell on her knees and tried to hold her head. The process of ridding her of Discord's influence was apparently very painful. Soon after, her screams ended and the rest of her body dropped to the ground. A few seconds later, her armor disappeared, leaving behind an unconscious woman wearing a Zero-Suit.

Silvermane barely avoided gasping in surprise at seeing the monster's true form, though she quickly recovered. As soon as she figured the human wouldn't rise again, Silvermane turned to Twilight. "We're even." She turned around to walk away, but was stopped by Twilight's voice.

"Wait! Where are you going? Are you all right?" asked Twilight when she saw the wound in the masked pony's leg, which had started to bleed.

"I'm fine." Silvermane used her torn and holey cape to cover her hind leg. She tried to ignore Twilight and continue, but was stopped by an orange mare.

"Thanks for your help, sugarcube. We really 'preciate it."

"Yeah, thanks! You really helped us." Rainbow Dash said with excitement.

"Right. Now, if you'll excuse me..." Silvermane walked around Applejack and attempted to continue on her way. Her attempt failed with the presence of a white unicorn.

"Oh! You're that Silvermane! It must be so exciting, defending innocent ponies with a mask and a cape. I must admit you have style, darling. An unusual color combination, but stylish nonetheless."

"Uh huh..." Silvermane gritted her teeth at the comments she received. She tried to go around the fashionista, but was once again stopped. This time it was by an energetic pink pony.

"Why are you leaving so soon? You should come with us to celebrate our victorious victory!" Pinkie Pie practically bounced around the masked mare. "Oh! It'll be so much fun!"

"Shut it!" Silvermane exploded. "I want to get away from all of you and rest. Alone. So stop bothering me and go home." All the present ponies (and dragon) were taken aback by her response.

"What did I do?" asked Misty Breeze, who was beside Land Scout at the back of the crowd.

"Not you. Nor your boyfriend..."

"Hey!" Land Scout and Misty Breeze complained at the same time.

"Anyway, I have to go. Don't follow me." She gave Twilight and her friends a dirty look. She turned around to start walking, but bumped into somepony. "Oh, for THE LOVE OF..." Silvermane was about to curse, but instead gasped loudly when she took a better look at the pony that got in her way. She quickly kneeled. Or at least tried to; the wound in her back leg was a little hard to ignore. "I'm sorry, Princess Luna. I didn't see you there."

"It's quite alright." Indeed, the Princess of the Night stood proudly, regarding the ponies present and the defeated form of Samus. With a quick glow of her horn, black handcuffs materialized on Samus's wrists and ankles. Luna put her attention on the light blue mare. "Misty Breeze, please take Samus to the dungeons in Canterlot Castle. I'd like to speak with her at a later chance, but don't hesitate to drop her to her doom if she proves to be trouble on the way there. Iron Shield will go and assist you in a moment."

All ponies present, with the exception of Land Scout, looked shocked at the princess's words. Misty hesitantly walked toward Samus and picked her up. "As you wish, your highness..." She bowed her head slightly. She then picked up the human and flew away to Canterlot.

"I want to thank you all for your bravery today. I must apologize for the trouble caused by Samus. We should've had a closer eye on her." Princess Luna said.

"Don't worry, princess. It wasn't your fault." Twilight looked a little pensive. "I just want to know what really happened. We saw Discord when we used the Elements on Samus." The news made Luna widen her eyes for a moment, before recovering.

"Worry not, Twilight Sparkle. You and your friends should go home and rest. You will be asked to go to Canterlot for Samus's trial, if you wish to assist, once we set a date for it."

"Trial?" all the present ponies asked in unison. Some began looking nervous, others uncomfortable.

"Yes. Regardless of Samus's intentions, she committed serious crimes. Such actions cannot be simply ignored." Luna said calmly, though she couldn't completely hide her disappointment and regret. "Now go. I'm sure you are all tired."

Twilight sighed. "I understand princess. Please excuse us."

Luna watched as all the ponies, plus dragon and zebra, returned to Ponyville. A quick look around made her realize that Silvermane was nowhere to be found. Only Land Scout has stayed with her. "Where is she?"

"She left a little after you showed up. Want me to go get her?" Luna simply stared at him. "Right... Heh heh... Be right back." Land Scout rushed past Luna to where he saw Silvermane leave.

Luna sighed and took a calmer pace to follow him.

OXOXO

Silvermane was trying to get away from the scene as fast as she could, but with an injured leg, it was harder and more painful than she thought. She kept limping, making as much distance as she could from the crowd of ponies. As much as she would enjoy basking in Princess Luna's attention, she couldn't stomach the presence of Twilight Sparkle any longer. She kept going until she was sure none of the Element Bearers were near.

"The Elements of Harmony! They are the Elements of Harmony! Of all the cursed ponies of Equestria, it had to be those four!" Silvermane ranted as she stomped the ground with her forelegs. All the anger she felt made it easier to ignore the pain all over her body. She calmed a little after a while. "Though really. Why would I expect any different?" She bitterly asked to no one in particular as she kicked the ground in frustration.

She promptly collapsed on the ground and sighed in exhaustion. She stayed like that for a few minutes, until she quickly got on her hooves when she saw a vaguely familiar dust-colored stallion walk ahead of her. She quickly hid her injury with her cape. The stallion had a prideful grin as he got closer to the mare. He stopped just a few yards from her.

"So it is true, then. The infamous Trixie is actually Silvermane." he said.

Silvermane's eyes went wide for a moment, before she narrowed them. "Who are you? What do you want?"

"Please don't get mad. I am Land Scout. I followed you when you went to your wagon. I saw you put on that disguise." Land Scout explained. "You see, I was given the assignment of tracking down the mare known as 'Silvermane'. I kept hearing about this 'Trixie' mare during my quest. I had a hunch both were related in some way."

"Keep the secret, or you will pay. And that's 'Miss Beatrix' to you." Silvermane said as she took off her mask, revealing her azure face and platinum mane. "Why were you tracking Trixie down, if you don't mind her asking?"

"Princess Luna has wanted to talk to you for quite a while. Given how you just appear and disappear in random towns, it was hard keeping track of you."

Trixie narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "As much as Trixie would love to acquaint herself with Princess Luna, Trixie doesn't see how she is of any interest to the princess."

"You're a vigilante. You save ponies. How could you not be of interest?" Land Scout asked with incredulity in his voice. "Anyway, I was tasked to give this to Silvermane. I guess it's for you since, well..." Land Scout produced a single envelope from his saddlebag and handed it to Trixie. The envelope was a dark blue, with a crescent moon serving as the insignia. Trixie took it with her hoof and inspected it a little closer.

"To Silvermane, from the Princess Luna." Trixie read out loud.

"Open it."

Trixie opened the envelope and read the letter within it. Along with it came a single gold coin. It looked much like a standard bit coin, but upon closer inspection, one could notice a crescent moon on both sides, as opposed to the sun and moon combination seen in the normal currency. As Trixie read silently, one of her eyebrows began rising. She read the letter again to make sure she didn't misread it the first time. When she finished, she looked directly at the stallion before her.

"Princess Luna is summoning Silvermane? Is this for real?" Trixie asked with incredulity in her voice.

"Yup!"

"What about 'Silvermane' and 'Trixie'?" the mare asked.

"I have already reported my suspicions to the princess. Still, that's for her to decide. So what do you say?" Land Scout asked with an eager expression.

Trixie thought about it for a moment. "If Princess Luna has indeed summoned Silvermane, Trixie guesses she should attend."

"That's good to hear." said a voice. Trixie and Land Scout turned to see Princess Luna walking their way. "There is much I wish to discuss."

"Princess Luna!" Trixie bowed. Only her pride kept her flinching in front of the Princess of the Night; that wound on her leg was being troublesome.

"Please, don't bother with formalities. Rest up and heal." Luna gave Trixie a smile. "We have lots to talk about. We'll be having a meeting tomorrow at midnight. I do so wish you could attend. Personally speaking, I'm eager to know how such an infamous mare decided to become a... 'superhero', as they call them."

"O-Of course, Princess. Trixie will be there." Trixie said. Land Scout cheered joyfully.

"Excellent. We'll see you there. Now, if you'll excuse us..." Princess Luna turned to the stallion. "Time to go. Come on." she said as she lowered herself.

Land Scout stared blankly at the princess for a moment, before he realized what she was saying. "W-what?! Can't we take the train?"

Luna rolled her eyes and gave Trixie a small apologetic smile. Her horn glowed and the stallion was levitated and put on her back. "It takes too much time. Besides, why the fuss? You love flying with me. You've done so before." Luna commented as she flapped her wings and took to the air.

"Yeah, but not when there are other mares watching..." Luna just laughed at his response.

Trixie watched the princess and the stallion shrink in the distance as they headed for Canterlot. "Canterlot, huh?" she asked out loud, a frown on her face. "I guess I could return to Canterlot, if only for Princess Luna."

Once they were no longer visible, she continued her way to her wagon. The trek was not too long, but thanks to her leg it was somewhat painful. She eventually reached her small wagon. Given her extremely low magic reserves, she opted to remove her outfit by hoof. She was extra careful when dealing with her leg. Once the disguise was off, she noticed just how badly injured her leg was. She winced just by looking at it; and now that she could see it, the pain felt even greater.

"It looks like it was more than a graze. Good thing she was partly blinded; I don't want to know how good her aim really is..." Trixie put the tattered outfit away and began looking through her things to see if she had any bandages.

No such luck.

Trixie looked at the small rubies in her attire for a moment. Completely empty. She ultimately sighed in exasperation. She would need to restock, and the only place close enough would be Ponyville, of all places. Oh, how she hated Ponyville. Sucking it up, she grabbed another cloak and a bag with bits. She did her best to hide the injury in her leg with the cloak and began another short but painful walk to town.

Did she mention how much she hated Ponyville?

OXOXO

Trixie was a mare of many talents, some of which include decent cooking, good-enough carpentry, above-average dancing, and illusions beyond the comprehension of the simple pony mind. Sadly for Trixie, navigation in a relatively unfamiliar town without a map was not one of them. Neither was singing, but that was beside the point.

The mare in question was walking through Ponyville. She was doing her best to ignore the pain her leg was experiencing. So far, none of the ponies seemed to recognize her. She didn't know how to feel about that. On one hoof, no ponies remembering her meant no hostility was being directed at her. On the other hoof, how dare these simpletons forget about her?!

Trixie sighed. It didn't matter. This was for the better. Making a fuss would only complicate things. Besides, she didn't even like the town anyway. She continued her way until she admitted to herself she was lost. As much as she hated it, she would have to ask directions to the hospital.

Looking around for some pony that looked nice enough, Trixie spotted a magenta earth pony mare with a mane a lighter shade than that of her coat. Swallowing her pride (and a teeny tiny bit of nervousness), Trixie walked over to the mare.

"Uh... Good afternoon, miss. I was wondering if you could help me." Trixie said.

"Oh? Please, call me Cheerilee. What do you need help with?" replied the mare with a gentle smile. Upon giving a closer look to Trixie, Cheerilee put a hoof on her chin and narrowed her eyes a bit for a closer inspection. "Say, you look familiar."

Now Trixie began feeling nervous. "I get that a lot. Now, I was wonderi-"

"I remember now! You're the Great and Powerful Trixie, right?" the teacher asked excitedly. Trixie's mood immediately darkened.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie is de..." She caught herself and released a sigh. "Just Trixie is fine. Trixie really needs directions to a hospital."

"Oh, my! What's wrong?" The earth pony asked with concern.

"Trixie just needs to buy some bandages. Nothing serious." Cheerilee raised an eyebrow. She grabbed Trixie's cloak and moved it to show the injured leg. "HEY!"

"Not serious my flank. You need to get that looked at; it looks pretty bad. What were you doing?"

"Uh..."

"It doesn't matter. Come on, I'll take you to the hospital." That said, Cheerilee tried to lift Trixie and carry her. Trixie, feeling her pride hurt, jumped from her.

"Trixie can walk on her own just fine!" she almost yelled. Upon seeing the startled face of the mare, her anger quickly subsided and her voice got an apologetic tone. "...though she thanks you for offering your help."

Cheerilee looked taken aback for a moment, before a smile returned to her features. "Always glad to help!"

Cheerilee started walking at a slow pace, which suited Trixie just fine. Both mares walked a short distance before Cheerilee attempted to start a conversation.

"You know, you left quite an impression on a couple of my students. I'm a teacher, you see."

Trixie groaned. "Joy." she said sarcastically.

"Oh, it's nothing bad, I assure you. Quite the opposite, in fact. They still admire you, even after all this time." This seemed to catch Trixie's attention. "You inspired them to make their very own magic show! They still have a ways to go, to be sure, but it's obvious they're getting better with their magic."

"Trixie... does admit having a certain soft spot for foals."

"That's great! Speaking of which, here they come!" said Cheerilee. Two young unicorn colts that were galloping stopped when they spotted the mares.

"Look Snails! It's the Great and Powerful Trixie!" yelled Snips.

"Awesome!" replied Snails.

Trixie's mood darkened once again at the colts' arrival. She tried really hard to not explode at the two colts that had brought an Ursa, therefore starting the destruction of her career.

She ultimately failed.

"YOU! How dare you dimwitted morons show your faces? Do you know how much Trixie has suffered because of what you did? Do you dimwits have any idea?!"

Snips gave a step back in fright. Snails just stood there, unmoving. Trixie stared the two colts down. Cheerilee was paralyzed at the outburst.

After a few seconds of silence, Snails bolted out and ran. Snips looked at his running friend, gave a hurt look at Trixie, and ran after Snails. Miss Cheerilee gave Trixie a disapproving frown before she, too, rushed after Snails.

The glare she received snapped Trixie out of her tantrum. She realized what she just did and flopped to the ground. She then slammed her head on the ground forcefully. "Stupid. Stupid. Stupid."

Trixie rose and followed after the ponies she just upset at a calmer pace, regret painted all over her face. It didn't take long to find Snails being comforted by Cheerilee and Snips. The taller colt was sobbing, which only made the guilt Trixie felt even worse. She got a nasty glare from Cheerilee, once the teacher spotted her. She hesitated for a moment, but managed to walk up to the crying colt.

"Trix - I apologize. I let my anger get the better of me. Please stop crying. I didn't mean all those things." Cheerilee's harsh glare softened at the apology. Trixie noticed it, but chose to remained focused on the colt.

Snails calmed a little before looking at Trixie. "Really?"

"Yes. Please forgive me. Um... What's your name?" Trixie asked awkwardly when she realized she didn't know the colt's name.

"I'm *sniff* S-Snails."

"Nice to meet you officially, Snails. I'm Trixie!" Trixie offered with a nervous but proud smile. She threw in a silly pose for good measure. It seemed to work because Snails chuckled.

"I know! But weren't you the Great and Powerful Trixie?" he asked in honest wonder.

"Yeah!" Snips chimed in. "With a hat and a cape!"

A look of hurt and sadness quickly came to Trixie's face, but left as soon as it arrived. I was missed by both Snips and Snails, but the pony teacher saw it. Trixie coughed a little before answering.

"I'm just Trixie at the moment. And forgive me, but I must really get going. Perhaps we will meet some other time."

"You heard her." said Cheerilee. "Miss Trixie here needs to get some medical attention, so let's give her some peace. Come on, off you go!"

"Yes, Miss Cheerilee..." both colts obeyed their teacher, albeit reluctantly. Once they were out of eyesight, Cheerilee turned to Trixie with a critical eye, who looked miserable once the colts left. "Ok, so what's your story? And don't lie to me; I'll know if you do."

Trixie gulped and complied. "All right. You see, Trixie..." Cheerilee raised an eyebrow. "I have been doing pretty bad since the Ursa incident. And seeing the two colts responsible is quite infuriating; but foals are foals, and Trixie is not about to hurt them. And now I really need to head to the hospital."

Cheerilee looked at Trixie for a few moments before nodding. "I understand." Her face lit up. "Now let's get you to the hospital! Come on! Hop up!" she said as she kneeled for Trixie to climb.

"Trixie told you. She is perfec..." One look at the teacher's face told her it was better to comply. "Fine." Trixie climbed on top of Cheerilee. The teacher rose and began the walk toward the hospital.

"Don't you worry! We'll be there soon. But you really need to get that leg looked at."

"But I just need bandages. I don't have tim-" She was once again stopped by that stare. "Just make it quick." Cheerilee smiled triumphantly and resumed her trek.

Trixie sighed in defeat. Curse that teacher stare!

OXOXO

Princess Luna looked with sorrow at the sight before her. Restrained with heavy shackles and chains, an unconscious Samus lay before her. She had ordered the removal of all alien accessories. That included her weapon, gadgets, and Zero-Suit. Before her, a couple of night guards stripped Samus of her gear.

As the night princess watched, the pink symbols on the suit's back caught her attention. What stunned her, however, was that those same symbols were present on the human's back after the suit had been removed. A feeling of uneasiness washed over her for a brief moment, before she shrugged it off. Before she could put much thought on it, a one of the guards spoke.

"We have removed everything, your highness."

"Good. Place the items by the dungeon. I have some question for our friend here about them." Luna replied. The other guard followed the order.

"We are ready to proceed, your majesty. We can start whenever you wish." the remaining guards said.

"Right. Let's not waste any more time. Shall we?" she asked rhetorically as her horn began glowing with blue light. She levitated the unconscious woman and began her way to the dungeon.

Once in the dungeons, Luna walked carrying Samus with her magic. On her sides were the two night guards that were with her earlier. They walked past the cell containing the only other prisoner at the moment, a sleeping changeling.

One of the guards opened an empty cell and Luna carefully placed Samus inside. The cell closed and the ponies turned to leave. Just before she left, Princess Luna levitated an old, worn-out blanket and covered the locked woman with it. She gave Samus another look and contemplated entering her dreams, but decided against it. It wasn't the time yet.

OXOXO

Hay. A blanket. The first things Samus felt when she recovered consciousness was the hay under her and the blanket covering her. She realized she wasn't wearing any kind of clothes. She quickly opened her eyes and found herself inside a dungeon cell, complete with a small bench. With the exception of the blanket covering her, she was completely naked.

Samus heard a voice yell. Neigh was more like it, actually. She looked outside the cell and found a white stallion in golden armor, spear in hoof. A guard, she realized. He was just like all the other seen so far, with the exception of the black, swollen left eye. The guard was giving her a nasty glare. He said something, but Samus couldn't understand what was being said. One hand to her ear revealed why; her translator was missing.

The guard attempted communication again, but Samus ignored him and looked behind him. Sitting on a table were the Zero-Suit, her Paralyzer, and her translator. "Nice try. Not that it's going to do them much good." she said to herself.

The guard, angry at being ignored, grabbed his spear and attempted to smack Samus. The Hunter responded by catching the spear and yanking it from the pony's hoof. Without losing momentum, she swung the spear through the bars and hit the guard with the pole on his good eye. She then snapped the spear with her knee and shook her head at the guard.

As the guard rose to his feet and prepared to snap back, a white hoof stopped him. He looked up to see captain Shining Armor giving him a disapproving look. The guard immediately calmed down and saluted. The white stallion merely nodded in acknowledgement and turned his attention to the captive human. He just looked at Samus with an expression that barely hid his anger.

Samus waited for any kind of reaction from the captain of the Royal Guard, but got nothing other than that look. After almost a full minute, Samus pointed at her translator. Shining Armor did nothing; he just stared at Samus. The huntress gave up and sat on the cell's bench. They both continued their staring match for some time.

At last, Shining Armor said something, but once again Samus failed to understand what was being said. Samus considered replying something, but decided against it. She simply lied on the bench with her arms under her head and proceeded to ignore the stallion outside her cell. Shining Armor yelled something in annoyance, but was promptly ignored by the human.

It wasn't until something hit her on the head that Samus reacted. She turned to see what had been thrown at her. Lying on the floor was her translator. She looked up to see Princess Luna looking at her with an unreadable expression. With one motion of her head, the princess sent both guards away. Samus picked up and donned the device.

"I have to admit this is embarrassing." said Samus.

"That you have been defeated and locked like a petty criminal?"

"That I forgot about you."

"You wouldn't be the first one." Luna coldly replied. Samus raised her eyebrow in interest. "Regardless. I assume you know why you are being detained?"

"Assault on royal personnel, confrontation with the crown, threats to the local population, theft of important artifacts, assault on civilians, destruction of property, and imprisonment of the previously mentioned civilians." Samus 'guessed'.

"That would cover it nicely." Luna said flatly. "I have a few questions I'd like to ask you before your trial."

Samus considered refusing to answer the princess, but simply shrugged. "Ask away."

"Why? Why did you do it?"

Samus expected that question. That didn't make it any easier for her to answer. In fact, she noticed she couldn't answer. No response seemed appropriate enough. Try as she might, she just couldn't come up with an answer. "I don't know."

"Tch." Luna seemed offended by the feeble answer. "Then I wish you luck at the trial." She turned around and left the dungeon.

Samus was left to her lonesome. Well, not quite fully alone; she idly noticed the sleeping changeling a few cells away. She sat down and began pondering the elusive answer to Luna's question. For the third time that week, Samus meditated.

As she focused, images began coming to her mind. She started remembering the latest events. She remained in her position for who knows how long, recalling her actions until it she saw the image of Discord leaving her body.

She quickly connected the dots after that. She found the answer to the question and felt furious at it. The rage she felt became so great it almost numbed her. She got up and punched the cell's wall in anger. The punch was strong enough to lightly crack the stone.

Luna wanted to know why she did it? Then Samus would tell her why she did it. She would tell her, tell whoever goes to the trial, and especially tell Celestia why she did it. Let the trial come. Samus now wanted to say some things too, and the trial seemed like the perfect time. For the first time in years, Samus couldn't wait to talk.

OXOXO

With nothing to do, and with a big moon decorating the night sky, Samus opted to sleep. She could have busted her way already, but she found nothing useful would come from that. Instead, she was lying on the cell's bench and was now asleep.

Of course, it wasn't surprising she didn't see the dark blue mist that slithered between the iron bars into her cell.

The blue mist shifted and began taking the form of an equine. In a second, the mist was replaced by the ruler of the night, Princess Luna. She nocturnal diarch took a couple of step and looked down at her sleeping target.

"Let's see what your dreams yield." Luna said to herself. Her horn glowed for a moment before she lowered her head to touch Samus's forehead. She saw a flash before the dream became visible.

OXOXO

The first thing Luna noticed around her was devastation. The scene was full of ruined buildings, most of which were burning. The sky looked dark with ominous clouds and the earth was dead.

As she looked around, a loud screech, followed by a booming noise, caught her attention. She turned to see a purple dragon being blasted by Samus. She watched as the dragon fell to the ground. No soon had it crashed, Samus leapt at it. The dragon tried to get up, but another blast from Samus's cannon made it impossible. At last, the huntress reached her prey. She used her hand and her boot to open the dragon's maw and shove her cannon down its throat. Several shots were heard as the dragon flailed and writhed, until it suddenly stopped moving.

Luna watched in rapt attention as Samus mercilessly ended the creature's life. Much to her shock and surprise, Samus swiftly spun and shot an electrical whip at her. Luna didn't even have time to process what was happening when the whip latched onto her horn and Samus pulled. The lunar princess was flung toward the armored warrior, who followed her yank with a kick.

Luna closed her eyes as she hit the ground. As she tried to get up, a heavy orange boot was pressed against her neck. She opened her eyes to see the glowing muzzle of the Arm Cannon.

"You have 30 seconds to give me an acceptable explanation. Otherwise, I'll blow your brains out." Samus said. Her tone implied she wasn't kidding.

It took Luna a whole 5 seconds just to process the fact that she had been immobilized in her own realm, dreams. Her shock swiftly turned to anger.

"How dare you threaten the Guardian of Dreams in her own domain?!" Luna struggled under the boot, but found the effort futile. Even her magic was useless.

"20 seconds." Samus said calmly.

Luna was taken aback again. This time she didn't hide her surprise. "How?!"

Samus looked at the shocked princess for a moment. "Let's talk." And she unleashed her Charged Shot.

OXOXO

Luna staggered back as she abruptly regained her senses. A quick glance revealed she was back at the dungeon cell. In front of her, Samus sat fully awake. Both ladies stared at each other for a full minute.

"How can you have such control over your dreams?" Luna finally asked.

Samus studied her for a while longer with an unreadable expression. Then, without breaking the unnerving eye contact, she answered.

"Not dreams, just my mind. I was trained to repel any psychic attack on my mind. Entering my dreams means entering my mind. To me, you are just another intruder that's easily dealt with." Samus explained.

"So how was Discord able to manipulate you, if you are so well defended?" Luna asked, equally defying and curious.

Samus's expression hardened. "I shall tell you. But you may not like the answer."

"I think I can handle it." Once again, Luna and Samus stared at each other.

Their optical feud was interrupted by a dark purple portal that materialized on the cell's floor. Both ladies moved in unison to put a little more distance between them and the strange portal. They watched as an equine shape emerged from it. When the portal disappeared behind it, Samus and Luna could see the skeletal body of Bonez. Even without any face muscles, the gatekeeper looked especially grim, more so considering his cheerful attitude.

Bonez took a second to see the scene before him. Then he turned to Luna and spoke with the eeriest voice. "Tartarus is restless. Sombra has returned."

Somber Approaches

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Chapter 15: Somber Approaches

On the farthest mountains in the north, a frozen wasteland was located; a land with nothing but ice and snow for as far as the eye could see. A white landscape with nothing but train rails that had fallen into disuse for years a few miles away. A pure and empty environment that was about to change forever.

The white snowy ground began turning a shadowy black. The icy wind turned to murky smoke. Soon, a dark stain formed on the ground. Like spilt liquid, the black began covering more ground, expanding and expanding until its diameter reached miles in length. From this black soil, buildings made of rock and crystal rose and formed. A whole city materialized in a manner of seconds, followed by hundreds upon hundreds of pony-shaped creatures roaming the streets, all dazed as if just waking from slumber. And from the center of the shadowy portal, the biggest and tallest structure of all erupted forth. A palace of crystal towered over the kingdom, with its dark ruler standing proudly on the highest tower’s balcony. It took but a moment for the king to open his blood red eyes and grin evilly with its sharp fangs.

The Crystal Empire had risen once again.

OXOXO

"Sombra has returned," Bonez said. Luna paled at the announcement. Before she could question the skeleton any further, he disappeared in another portal.

"Who is Sombra?" Samus asked when she noticed the alicorn's reaction.

Luna ignored the bounty hunter. She instead turned to mist and exited the cell. Samus watched her go. Just outside the dungeon, Luna's voice could be heard. Samus strained a little to listen.

"...a platoon of our fastest fliers to the Frozen North. They are to patrol the area around the mountains and report any irregularity. If you find anything, and I mean anything, report to Celestia or me immediately. This is a national crisis!"

"At once!"

Hurried hoofsteps.

Silence.

Slow hoofsteps.

Samus watched as the Princess of the Night returned to the dungeon. Though she had regained her calm demeanor, she still looked somewhat distraught.

"Dangerous feller?" asked the bounty hunter. Luna just looked at her.

"I'm afraid your trial will be postponed until certain measures are taken," Luna said. Samus just shrugged.

“Not like I have much to do.”

OXOXO

Trixie was not pleased. While she was grateful for Cheerilee’s assistance, her method was rather humiliating. But they had reached the hospital at last, so all could be forgotten once her leg was treated. After saying their goodbyes, Cheerilee left Trixie at Nurse Coldheart’s care.

“So what do we have here?” asked the harsh nurse. Trixie just opted to show her leg and let the nurse do her work. “How the boney hall did you get that wound?”

“Does it matter?” Trixie asked. The nurse just stared at her. “Fine! Trixie was fighting...err, a bear.”

Another stare.

“It was a mutant furless bear!”

The nurse sighed in an overdramatic manner. “Nevermind.”

The nurse just rolled her eyes and began treating the injured leg. She applied some medicine and wrapped the leg in new bandages. “Since the wound is clean and not too serious, your leg will heal nicely. But since it was fairly deep, it will take some time. The usual: rest, change bandages, blah blah blah. I’m sure a mare of your type should know the deal.”

“Trixie does, don’t you worry.”

“Good! Now get out. There’s nothing more I can do. Ask for more bandages at the lobby.”

Trixie didn’t even thanked the nurse and left the room. She made her way to the lobby, where she asked a random nurse for more bandages. Once she got them, she proceeded to the exit. It was there where her unpleasant trip turned even more unpleasant. Trixie glowered immediately.

Twilight Sparkle had just entered the building. Following her were her pet dragon, the ponies that represented the Elements of Harmony, and that zebra from before. But the one pony that mattered was Twilight Sparkle. Anger and pride blinded the showmare, and any reasonable thought escaped Trixie’s mind.

“Sparkle! Let’s settle this once and for all! You and me, a duel. Now!”

“Are you insane? I have more important things to do! Ponies were hurt and I have to-“ Twilight began saying, but was interrupted by Trixie.

“I’m not moving until we have our duel!”

“Trixie, please. There are ponies that need me right now.”

“Trixie doesn’t give a flying feather about them. Now face me!”

Then, something inside Twilight just snapped. Her horn glowed and Trixie was hurled outside the hospital. The showmare landed with a heavy thud. Twilight just walked out to follow the azure unicorn. As Trixie was beginning to stand, another magic forced Trixie to look directly at Twilight. Trixie lit up her horn, but her magic was instantly overpowered by the lavender mare’s. Twilight just approached Trixie and said in an angry voice.

“Face it! You are too weak to duel me! And I still have more important things to do than fight against a boastful fraud in a magic duel! So get through your overly thick skull that you are not worth my time! So if you know what’s good for you, you will leave me ALONE!” And with that Twilight hurled Trixie again.

The temperature seemed to lower as Trixie just looked at Twilight with intense loathing. This seemed to snap Twilight out of her anger, but before she could offer an apology, Trixie’s face turned to one of fear and broke out running, soon disappearing from sight. Twilight couldn’t manage to go after her, so she just settled to wallow in regret. She stood like that more a couple of minutes until Applejack came to her side.

“Hoo boy. Didn’t see that one comin’.”

“I’m really sorry, Applejack. I don’t know what came over me.”

“Don’t sweat it, sugarcube. It happens to the best of us. Can’t really blame you, either; it’s been a rough day. And Trixie does bring out the worst in a pony. She’s more trouble than weasel in a chicken coop.”

“You think she’ll be all right?”

“Dunno, but we can worry for her later. Right now, our friends need us.” Applejack went back to the hospital.

“I guess you’re right.” Twilight gave another look at where Trixie was before following Applejack to the hospital. “Our friends need us.”

OXOXO

High above the white skies of the Frozen North, just over the clouds covering the newly-returned Crystal Empire in more snow, yet another dark energy gathered. Unbeknown to the residents of the kingdom below, shadowy particles formed in the air, quickly gathering in a single point. Small at first, but quickly growing in size, an ebony orb came to existence.

The orb, no bigger than a tennis ball, just floated in the air. Suddenly it began spinning. Faster and faster it spun, until its shape began shifting. Moments later, purple lightning began shooting out from it and joined in the dizzying spin. It wasn’t long before the dark mass stabilized and expanded into a small portal. The portal stayed open for almost a second, just long enough for a blood red sphere to come forth, before it collapsed and vanished into thin air.

The dimensional object was about the size of an average pony’s head. Intense red in color, it also had a black circle on it, giving the appearance of a disembodied floating eyeball. And just like an eyeball, it seemed to glance at its surroundings.

Once its scan was complete, the red eye began moving toward its unknown destination. It had a job to do.

OXOXO

Trixie ran as fast and far as she could. Stopping only to retrieve her wagon, she kept running. She ran and ran until her legs gave up on her and she fell to the ground, being pushed further by her wagon’s momentum. She screamed in frustration. That encounter with Twilight was frightening, and she cursed herself for being so weak. She almost lost control of herself.

Trixie took a few moments to get her breath back and put some attention to her surroundings. If her memory served correctly, she was near the outskirts of Canterlot. Now much calmer, she unhinched her wagon and shifted to a more relaxing position, then she thought about what to do next. Princess Luna’s invitation quickly came to mind, so she opted to head for Canterlot proper.

As soon as she stood up, her legs gave way and she fell. She grunted and decided a quick rest would be a good idea. Her legs would be hurting all day tomorrow. She closed her eyes for a moment, but before long she fell asleep.

OXOXO

Samus was bored. Unbearably so. So bored, in fact, that she attempted conversation with the other inmate, Darkly the Changeling. It went good, she thought, considering their situation. She would ask questions and he would answer politely, albeit a little hesitant. Their conversation was interrupted when a couple of guards came to collect the changeling. They had more questions for him, they said. Darkly reluctantly followed the armored ponies to the door, leaving Samus by her lonesome. Needless to say, boredom returned.

Then a quick memory came to the Hunter’s head. After debating it for only a second, the marks on her back glowed and she materialized and activated her Power Suit. She set her Arm Cannon on the newly acquired Harmony Beam and fired at the wall.

Or at least that’s what she intended to do, since nothing came from her weapon. She fired again, but again there was no shot. She charged the next shot and fired, but aside from having a multicolored hue on the barrel of the cannon while she charged, the result was the same. Some tinkering revealed the Harmony Beam couldn’t work in tandem with her other weapons so she couldn’t combine them.

Puzzled, Samus ran a few scans of the new beam, but the results were even more puzzling. According to her suit’s information, the Harmony Beam was just focused harmony. How that was possible, she had no idea. When she tried looking what that meant, the result was ‘insufficient data’. She would need more research on the subject.

Samus gave a mischievous grin at the thought. Oh well, it’s not like her sentence was going to get any lighter. With minimal effort, she forced her cell’s door open and left the dungeon to look for the castle’s library.

She quickly came back, deactivated her Power Suit, donned her Zero Suit plus equipment, and left again. The Power Suit was a little uncomfortable without the Zero Suit.

OXOXO

Trixie awoke to the feeling of something poking her side. The first thing saw was a pair of golden eyes looking right back at her. The eyes quickly receded and Trixie could see they belonged to a griffin.

“You okay?” the griffin asked.

“Wh-who are you?! What are you doing here?” Trixie asked surprised.

“Listen, you dweeb...” the griffin caught herself and gave a deep breath. “Sorry. The name’s Gilda. I saw you passed out here and thought I’d drop by and make sure you were ok.”

“Trixie. Trixie thanks you for your concern, but she is perfectly fine.” Trixie stood up, but flinched when her legs made their soreness known.

“If you say so...”

Trixie raised her eyebrow at the answer. She gave another look at the griffin and noticed a peculiar hairpin on Gilda’s head. “Nice hairpin.”

“You making fun of me?” Gilda quickly adapted a hostile pose.

Trixie backed a little. “No. Trixie really means it,” she said in a pacifying manner.

“Oh. Sorry.” Gilda took off the hairpin and showed it to Trixie. “It’s a bad habit I’m trying to change. Here.”

Upon closer inspection, Trixie noticed the hairpin had a simple but cute muffin motto, complete with tiny gems serving as fake chocolate chips. “So you like muffins?”

“Not really...” Gilda scratched her neck and looked away for a moment. “A, uh, friend gave it to me to remember her by. She has helped me a lot.” Trixie smiled at that.
“Trixie understands that pretty well.” Gilda returned the smile a little awkwardly, but genuinely.

“Anyways. I see you’re doing good, so I’ll leave. Have some things to do. Smell ya later!” Gilda waved and shot to the air, leaving Trixie by herself.

Trixie watched the griffin go. Then she saw it was going to be night soon, which reminded her of her appointment. Trixie donned her Silvermane attire once again, and with sore legs, she began her walk to Canterlot Castle.

OXOXO

Twilight and her friends exited the hospital with the most relief she ever remember feeling. None of Samus’s victims were in any mortal danger, thanks to the efforts of the nurses and doctors at the hospital. Her own wounds and those of her friends were all minor and would be completely healed in a few days. Even Rarity’s horn was expected to be in top shape by next week.

Saying their goodbyes, the ponies split up and headed to their respective homes. It had been a long, awful day for everypony, so a good night’s sleep was all they wanted at the moment. Twilight and Spike headed for the library. Once there, Spike wasted no time and headed to his basket upstairs. Twilight opted to get a hot cup of tea first, so she went to prepare one at the kitchen.

Twilight took her time in drinking her tea. The events of the past few days replayed in her mind while she drank. Once her cup was empty, she tried to shrug away the bitter memories. She made her way to her room, where she found Spike crying in his pillow. He didn’t seem to hear her, so she just silently went to her bed and lied down. They both stayed like that for a while, until slumber claimed them both.

OXOXO

‘Silvermane’ discreetly made her way to the castle’s entrance. The leisurely walk there managed to calm the soreness in her legs a little. Her legs still hurt, especially the injured one, but it was manageable. She wanted to avoid attention for the time being, so she mostly stood away from crowds. It wasn’t until she arrived at her destination that ponies saw her. More specifically, night guard ponies.

As was usual with guards, they blocked Silvermane’s path. She took out the special coin and showed it to the guards. “I’m here in on Princess Luna’s request.”

“Ma’am, bribing us won’t-“ started on of the guards, but the other guard stopped him.

“Code New Moon,” he said to the other guard, then turned to the mare. “Come with me, ma’am. I’ll show you to the princess. Though I’ll warn you that she has just received some grave news. I’m not certain she’ll be too willing to talk right now.”

The guard led Silvermane inside the castle and through hallways. They eventually reached a fairly large study room, empty except for Princess Luna, who was reading some books. She had her head resting on her hooves and her eyes looked distraught. It was obvious the princess was quite stressed at the moment.

Silvermane managed to see a rather beautiful amulet painted on the page Princess Luna was reading. The amulet depicted was shaped like a triangle with a unicorn’s head that had a long horn and wings on top, and it was a silver color with a blood red gem in the center. A closer look revealed the book’s title, ‘Dangerous Magical Artifacts’. It instantly caught the masked mare’s attention. Other books she saw were ‘Story of a Tyrant’ and ‘Sombra’.

“Your majesty, your guest has arrived.” announced the guard. Princess Luna gave a little jump, just now acknowledging her company. She hastily closed the book she was reading and turned her attention to her guest and the guard, but not before Silvermane managed to memorize the page number it was on.

“Thank you. You may leave us,”” she said to the guard. The saluted and left, leaving the mares to their lonesome. Silvermane quickly kneeled to the ruler. “Rise. I do apologize, but tonight’s meeting had to be cancelled. Still, I do believe we can talk for a few moments. I wanted to converse under more relaxing circumstances, but there have been… complications. ”

“Fret not, princess. I understand. Perhaps we can meet some other time?” Silvermane asked with a tint of resignation in her voice.

“Tell me, does the name Sombra mean anything to you?” Princess Luna ignored the question.

Silvermane was taken by surprise and hesitated only a moment, but quickly tried to remember. After a while, she shook her head. “Can’t say it does.”

“I see…”

“May I ask why you ask me this? And who is Sombra?”

“Nothing you should worry about right now. Let us carry on.” The Princess gestured at the door with her hoof. Silvermane was about to follow when the princess stopped her.

“I’d rather talk to a pony whose face I can see, if you don’t mind.”

“O-of course.” Silvermane took off the suit and mask, leaving her azure face and body visible to the dark alicorn.

“You may leave your belongings in this study. We shan’t take too long,” said the lunar ruler.

Trixie did so. She folded her attire in a crude manner, dropping it by the desk and quickly joining the princess waiting by the door. Together, they left the room and started walking, Luna guiding and Trixie following.

“So,” said the lunar ruler as she and her follower walked “Miss Lulamoon. How does a pony of your reputation go from a fraud to a hero? A fairly famous hero, I might add.”

Trixie cringed at the question for but a moment. “Despite what some, ah, rumors might suggest, Trixie is not a heartless pony. She can be quite helpful, should a pony need it. Or a not-pony, if such was the case.”

This made Luna raise an eyebrow. “We see. So then, why the mask? Surely with all the help Silvermane has been, Trixie would be able to prove she is not a bad pony.”

The showmare scoffed darkly at that, but quickly composed herself when she remembered she was in the presence of the highest royalty. She cleared her throat before continuing. “There are several reasons for that, your majesty. You see, every story needs a villain. Trixie, due to some past deeds, was given that role. She is seen as a bad pony, so she will be considered a bad pony. Twice has Trixie attempted to help a town from disaster, and twice she was kicked out of town while being blamed for the disaster. One was a parasprite infestation in Fillydelphia, and the other against a rogue basilisk in Horsetown. It was a blind basilisk, mind you.“ Trixie added when she noticed the sudden worry on the princess’s face. “And so, Trixie couldn’t show her face, even if it was to help.”

“And the other reasons?”

Trixie grinned at the question. “Trixie has always liked attention, but she likes the dramatic even more. Silvermane will gather much more positive attention than Trixie ever will, but Trixie decided to don the mask not just to hide her face, but to create a character that ponies love but know nothing about. The unknown face, the mysterious personality, the flashy performances of someone who disappears after the deed is done… It all adds to the intrigue one feels when talking about the masked vigilante, doesn’t it? It makes you want to know more, but at the same time you don’t.”

“We will admit that is true.” Luna said with a smile that suggested she has been found out. Her smiling face quickly turned into a serious one. “One last question. One thing is to help somepony in need, and another is to risk life and limb to fight against the monsters Silvermane had fought. Why take such risks? There is a fine line between bravery and stupidity.”

Trixie remained silent for a moment, but then began talking. “Tell me, princess. Did you ever hear about what happened in Ponyville some time ago?”

“Many things happen in Ponyville. We’re afraid you’ll have to be more specific.”

“The incident with an Ursa Minor. Are you familiar with it?”

“Yes. Quite the interesting tale. The first of its kind we heard since our return.”

“What did you hear?” asked Trixie.

The princess pondered her response for a moment. “They say you arrived at Ponyville and claimed you vanquished an Ursa Major. Then you humiliated ponies at your show for doubting you. After that, you brought an Ursa Minor to prove your point by trying to vanquish it, but you failed and were forced to flee town after Twilight Sparkle subdued the beast and saved the town.”

“And word spread out that Trixie was a fraud, a monster, that she couldn’t even handle a cub.” Trixie added. Luna looked at her inquisitively. “Of course that’s what they said…”

“We would like to listen to your version, if you don’t mind telling us.”

“When I arrived at Ponyville, I just planned on putting on a show. Entertain the crowds, you know. But no…” Trixie sighed. “Trixie presented herself as the Great and Powerful Trixie, the most powerful unicorn of Equestria who once vanquished the dreaded Ursa Major. A flashy introduction for a flashy show. But while most of the ponies enjoyed the presentation, a few of them didn’t. And they were quite vocal about it. Trixie takes great pride in her shows, and she wasn’t about to let some fools ruin her act. So she did what she usually does with hecklers: she challenged them. Trixie beat them. Defeated and humiliated, they left Trixie alone and the show carried on. Everything looked like it was going well.”

“And what happened?”

“A couple of colts took a liking to the Great and Powerful Trixie. Trixie decided to humor them for the remainder of her stay, so she stayed on character. What happened that night was something she will never forget. An Ursa began rampaging through town. The two colts later admitted that they brought the Ursa so that Trixie could vanquish it, like she had claimed. She tried, but she failed miserably. And when everything seemed lost, Sparkle appeared and saved the day.” Trixie’s expression darkened. “When everypony was celebrating and wondering how she beat an Ursa Major, she casually mentioned it was a Minor, a baby. Trixie’s believability was destroyed because some ponies couldn’t differentiate a made-up story from reality, and her reputation shattered because of a casual comment.”

Luna said nothing for a long time as she processed what she had just heard. When she was about to finally say something, Trixie beat her to it.

“You ask why Trixie battles monsters?” said Trixie with grim determination on her face. “It’s because Trixie will prove that she is not weak. She will prove to everypony, specially that smug Twilight Sparkle, that Trixie is not an inferior mare. She will prove that she can, and she WILL, defeat anything and anyone that challenges her power.”

“Even if it is us that challenge you?” asked the lunar ruler. “Also, would you know anything about an Ursa Major that was found dead in the Everfree?”

Trixie looked taken aback, but her face turned to a regretful one. Before she could answer, though, a night guard came rushing to them. He stopped and kneeling hastily before he rose. For a pony with a dark colored coat, his face was rather white. He spoke with urgency. “Your majesty, terrible news! Samus has escaped!”

“Let us go this instant!” Luna said, then immediately broke into a gallop toward the dungeon. Trixie and the guard ran after her a second later. By the time they reached the moon princess, she was already exiting the dungeons. “She’s gone.”

OXOXO

Samus awoke with a start. “Pacman? They invited Pacman?!” She shook her head and gave a look to her surroundings. She was in a royally big library, with a few books on the desk she had dozed off on. She stretched and saw what she was reading. Then she noticed she was still wearing her helmet.

The short research had proven fruitless so far. Anything mentioned about harmony was just tales and definitions. The subject was also so dull and boring she had fallen asleep, something she hadn’t remember doing since that particular orientation course back on her academy days.

“Do what you must to me, but please don’t damage the books!” a panicked voice spoke from her side. She groggily turned her head and saw an aging unicorn stallion with a dull grey mane and a duller grey coat. He was wearing a dull pair of glasses over his somehow dull eyes.

“Huh?”

“I’ll do anything you ask, just please spare the books!” the stallion said.

“Relax. I’m not here to dama-“

“HALT!”

In less than a moment, Samus and the librarian were surrounded by night guards. Their sudden and aggressive entrance made them scatter some books and pages, which caused the unicorn to faint. Samus, on the other hand, yawned unimpressed.

“You are really giving me a hard time. I don’t know what to think of you.” Luna said as she approached the huntress. “You escape your cell. And instead of fleeing or strike back, I find you taking a nap in the library, of all places.”

“Fancy meeting you here,” said Samus when she noticed Luna’s companion.

“Trixie could say the same thing,” said Trixie as she came from behind the princess, along with the previous guard. Samus quickly took notice of the bandaged leg.

“You two know each other?” asked a surprised Luna.

“We met.” Both Samus and Trixie answered at the same time, which made them look at each other again.

“How’s your leg doing, Silvermane? Laser wounds tend to be not serious if the missed the vitals.”

“How did you…?” Trixie asked surprised.

“Similar voices, pink magical aura, that particular air around you… It’s all in the details. Plus, you just confirmed it.”

“Enough!” Luna yelled. “Samus, explain to me what you are doing here. And how did you escape your cell?”

Samus shrugged. “I got bored, so I decided to pass the time here. Not much better, but at least it’s comfier. And your dungeon cells could use some maintenance. They look like they haven’t been used in decades. Forcing the door open was easy.”

OXOXO

Two pegasus ponies were soaring a cold, but rather gentle, breeze. One was white and the other was a light gray, but both were donned with armor, scarves, and snow goggles. They had been tasked with the mission to scout the unpopulated snowfields of the Frozen North for anything unusual. Just the day before they had been assisting with some social event near Caneighda, but then the urgent mail had come. The Royal Sisters had sent several squadrons to scout the area, but they were far away, so the task came to them for the time being. Both were happy to accept, given that social events rarely pleased a guard.

Then again, a scouting mission to a desolate place was boring. They had been flying for almost three hours, but nothing out of the ordinary. Just fog on the ground and some clouds on the sky. Just as they were about to land and take a break, a red eyeball flew past them. All three flyers stopped in their tracks to turn around and gaze at the novelties.

A few seconds later, the eyeball turned again and continued its way. The guards wasted no time and flew after it. They followed it past another cloud, but what they saw made them drop their jaws and forget about the mysterious flying organ.

Before them stood an ancient city, both beautiful and unnerving. Where snow was supposed to punish the homes and houses, a pleasant grass stood instead. The gorgeous architecture on the inner city was contrasted by the barren outskirts. But most notorious of all was the sense of the heavy air around them, and the evil presence that was easily felt in it.

Both guards quickly turned around and flew back toward Caneighda with all the speed they could muster, leaving the Crystal Empire behind. The Princesses needed to know about this. After so long, it had returned.

OXOXO

Samus was sitting with her legs crossed, her arms crossed, and feeling cross overall. She was trapped inside a magical bubble shield, thanks to the lunar princess. The shield was dense enough that her leeching abilities would never absorb it, not that she had the means to store the energy anyway. She was being escorted back to the dungeons by the princess herself, a squad of night guards, and a tag-along performer with an injured leg. At least she was allowed to bring a couple of books to pass the time inside her cell, so she had that going for her, which was nice.

“Trixie?” asked a surprised changeling when he saw the party arrive.

“Darkly? What are you doing here?” an equally surprised Trixie asked back. She turned to the guards. “What is he doing here? Release him this instant!”

The guards, however, didn’t move. It was Luna who casually spoke. “You seem to be well acquainted, Miss Lulamoon. An alien and a changeling… Still, you may do well to remember who you are addressing. He is here for a reason, so you’ll understand if we don’t free him for the time being.”

“Don’t worry about me. It’s not as bad as it seems,” said Darkly from behind the bars. Trixie looked unsure for a moment, but nodded her understanding at the changeling.

“Good. Now, if you’ll excuse us, Miss Lulamoon, we still have some manners to discuss with the prisoners. A guard will escort you to pick up your things and take you out of the castle,” Luna said with a stern face, but it warmed up a little. “We enjoyed our talk. Maybe we can meet again under better circumstances.”

“Trixie would like that.”

With that, a guard broke from the formation and took Trixie out of the dungeon and into the study room where her things were. Luna put her attention back to the trapped Hunter.

“So. What are your intentions?” asked the alicorn.

“I have none for the time being,” answered Samus. “So I’d say try to figure out what to do.”

“There are more things I’d like to ask you.”

“Your questions can wait until the trial. I want your sister to listen. There are also a few things I’d like to tell you both.”

“And if I refuse to wait?”

“I refuse to answer.”

“Agreeable, I suppose.” Luna sighed tiredly. “Just, please, behave. Don’t cause me any more trouble. At least until your trial.”

“I don’t plan to.”

“Good. I shall be leaving now. Sorry if your accommodations had to be changed, but we can’t have you prancing around the castle. If everything goes as planned, your trial shall be in a few days.”

And so Princess Luna left, leaving behind four unicorn guards to keep an eye on Samus and maintain the bubble prison. Samus, for her part, re-activated her helmet and opened a book.

OXOXO

Trixie was being led to the study room by a night guard. The walk was mostly silent, given the guard’s stoic personality. After only a few minutes of walking, they reached the study’s door. Trixie went in first, intent on getting her things and go out to look for a place to sleep. The guard followed after and just stood by the door.

Trixie approached the desk where the princess was reading. Her clothes were crudely folder by its side. As she went to fetch them, the same book she had eyed before caught her attention. Following an impulse she couldn’t quite comprehend, she ‘accidentally’ dropped her cape over it. She picked up the cape, making sure she picked up the book as well. A few folds to the cape and the book was hidden from sight.

She exited the room, feeling more nervous than she had ever felt. The guard barely noticed her nervousness, him being used to ponies feeling unnerved by his appearance. Trixie was eventually led to the castle’s exit gate, where she gave her nervous thanks to the guards and left. Once she was sure the guards couldn’t see her, she rushed back to Canterlot’s outskirts, leg injury forgotten due to anxiousness.

Her run eventually stopped. She could now add royal theft to her list of questionable acts. Not even knowing why she did it, Trixie opened the book. The pages casually opened on the same page depicting the Alicorn Amulet. She read the lines under the picture one, two, three times. She slowly closed the book after that. Her anxiousness quickly disappeared, and her grin grew accordingly.

This was just what she needed.

Judgment

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Disclaimer: Samus and Metroid elements belong to Nintendo. My Little Pony belongs to Hasbro/the Hub. I own nothing but the plot.

Chapter 16: Judgment

Luna walked to her balcony with weary eyes. She was, to put it mildly, so exhausted she could almost taste death. She only had one more job to do before sweet, sweet slumber could claim her, and that was to lower the moon. As per usual, Celestia joined her on her way to the balcony.

“You look tired, sister.” Celestia sometimes had this annoying habit of pointing out the obvious.

“I am.”

“Samus?”

“Indeed. I just can’t get a good read at her. One time she’s deadly serious, another she casually strolls around the library.” They reached the balcony. “Any news on Sombra or the Crystal Empire?”

“Not yet, but our scouts are on the lookout. We’ll let you know as soon as we get anything.”

Luna nodded in acknowledgement. Then she lit her horn and began lowering the moon. In a few moments, the Sun would begin to rise and Celestia would take over the day. Finally, she would get some well-deserved rest.

“You get some sleep, little sister,” said Celestia as her horn glowed a golden hue and the Sun began creeping out from the horizon. “I’ll take care of things from here.”

“Thank you. Now if you’ll excuse me…” Luna turned around and headed directly to her bed. She didn’t even bother removing her royal regalia before she dropped ungracefully on her bed.

“Rest, little sister. You’ll need your energy for the coming days.”

OXOXO

Princess Celestia was sitting on her throne, going over some papers regarding Samus’s trial. She read through several of her counsellors’ suggestions, plus some of her own ideas that were written in paper.

The Hunter had been complying so far, not causing much trouble. Celestia was grateful for this, since there were other manners that needed to be dealt with. If things with continued to go smoothly with her, she might even…

Suddenly the doors to the throne room were abruptly opened, and a guard came rushing in. “News from northern Equestria, uh… your highness,” said the guard as he knelt before his ruler.

“Yes?”

“I am simply to tell you that it has returned.”

“Find Princess Cadance and Shining Armor,” she ordered another guard who was standing by her throne. The time had finally come, and she was ready.

“Yes, your highness.”

As the guard galloped away, Princess Celestia gathered some paper and began writing.

“My dearest Twilight, you must come to Canterlot at once…”

OXOXO

“Are you sure you don’t want me to go as well?” Luna asked her sister. Both were regarding the several stained glass windows that decorated that room. They had received news from the North just yesterday, and so they had taken the necessary precautions.

“Yes. Princess Cadance and Shining Armor are already there. The others will be joining them soon.”

“The Empire’s magic is powerful. It cannot fall again, my sister.” Luna was a bit apprehensive about leaving such an important task to her sister’s student. She didn’t doubt Twilight’s prowess, but after hearing Lulamoon’s side to that particular story, well… Maybe she did doubt Twilight a little.

“She will succeed at her task. And when she does, we’ll know that she is that much closer to being ready.” There was the sound of someone clearing her. “Trust me, little sister.”

At least her older sister had complete faith in the lavender unicorn. That reassured Luna a little. The lunar princess made her way to the door to leave, giving Twilight one brief but observing glance. She still had to deal with Samus, after all.

“You wanted to see me? To give me a test? I brought my quills! And plenty of paper to show my work.” Luna heard Twilight say as she exited the room. Then the sound of things hitting the floor. ”Sorry, sorry!” So much for reassurance.

Luna stood by the door to the throne room, waiting for Celestia and her student to end their discussion. Twilight seemed extremely nervous about the idea of a test, which didn’t bode too well with the lunar alicorn. She briefly considered sending Samus to the Crystal Empire, she quickly scoffed at the idea. She had caused enough problems as is. As Luna’s mind began to wander, she heard hoofsteps approaching.

“I have every confidence you will succeed. And when you do, I’ll know that you are ready to move on to the next level of your studies.” Celestia said in that motherly tone of hers.

Luna wasn’t completely convinced, though, and she made Twilight know as much with her stare.

“But what if I fail?” Twilight asked, still unsure about the whole thing.

“You won’t.”

“But… what if…?”

“You won’t.” Celestia said while putting her hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. This seemed to silence any doubt Twilight had. “But Twilight, in the end it must be you, and you alone, who ultimately assists Princess Cadance and Shining Armor in doing what needs to be done in order to protect the empire. Do you understand?” Twilight’s resolve strengthened at that. ”Then go. There is no time to lose.”

And so Twilight left, leaving the two sisters behind. They watched the unicorn leave until they were by themselves again. Silence reigned for an uncomfortable while.

“You seem to have an awful lot of trust on your student, sister.” Luna said at last.

“And you seem like you don’t,” the solar princess observed.

“After the last few days, can you blame me?”

“What is that supposed to mean?” asked a befuddled Celestia, but Luna was already leaving for the dungeon.

The walk was, as always, uneventful. Luna arrived at the dungeons to find the guards in rapt attention at Samus, who was doing some exercise. Those flexes looked like it would at least dislocated half your bones, but the human did them effortlessly. Perhaps it was human anatomy?

“What brings you here today?” asked Samus when she noticed the princess, despite the solid wall of magic that blocked the door of the cell. It was a sturdy wall, but it was translucid and still allowed sound to go through.

“Just came to make sure there were no problems concerning you,” Luna answered.

“Nope. Though I do have a small request,” Samus said.

“And what would that be?”

“More books. I already read the ones you lent me.”

Luna sighed. “Of course. Any special interests?”

“Whatever seems interesting.”

“Right. I’ll be back shortly.”

Luna walked to the library. Despite being the highest of royalties, here she was running an errand for a prisoner. A small price to pay, she bargained. It was better to keep Samus distracted so she didn’t attempt any more mischief. While Luna was certain she and her sister could take on and overpower the huntress, she’d rather not resort to violence.

Not yet, at least.

And so she reached the library. She wondered through the countless bookshelves until she casually came upon a specific section. Now it was her turn to give a mischievous grin. Samus didn’t specify just what kind of interesting she wanted to read.

OXOXO

Samus turned another page of her book. She thought, for the Nth time during the last couple of days, that Luna could be quite naughty. Not full on despicable, no. But she certainly knew how to play a prank, the kind that Samus could appreciate. The huntress gave a quiet chuckle as she closed that copy of the Ponysutra and put it on top of the others: A Foal’s ABC, All There Is to Know About Canterlot Arquitechture, and some horror novel that surprised Samus when she saw just how morbid the imagination of some ponies could be. On the upside, she could now read the ponies’ language without her helmet’s translator.

She put the book down and stretched. The guards that were in charge of keeping an eye on her didn’t move. They never moved, and so they had become part of the background in the Hunter’s eyes. She yawned a little and looked outside the small barred window of her cell. Purple skies and some clouds here and there. It was an overall nice evening.

That is until the aurora came. Samus watched with some interest how an aurora blue, pink, and yellow started decorating the skies. It was clear something happened somewhere, something big. She idly wondered what that was, but shrugged and continued with her book. She would find out later, she reasoned.

OXOXO

It finally came.

Two days after the aurora incident, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, along with a squad of guards, had come to collect Samus at the dungeon. It was time for the trial, and Samus felt something akin to nervousness and eagerness combined.

They were walking through the castle corridors on their way to the trial room, where several other ponies were already waiting. Sporting shackles on her legs and wrists, it was a little more difficult for Samus to keep up with the four-legged equines. Nonetheless, she kept up. It was as they were passing through a big hallway that Samus noticed the newest addition to the decoration of the room: a new stained glass window. While she would normally ignore such things, this one was different in that it depicted none other than Spike holding what looked like a crystal heart. She recalled hearing that only events of great importance were described in these windows, so seeing Spike in them caused the Hunter to feel a certain pride for the baby dragon. She gave the tiniest of smiles at that window.

Still, they marched on. The trial room was not too far, so they reached it in a matter of minutes. The trial room was, not much to Samus’s surprise, the throne room given some modifications. There were two thrones in the back of the room, were the princesses would likely sit. Stationed by the wall every three meters were guards, surrounding the room. Forming an arc beside the left throne were seven chairs, each occupied by an Element bearer or one particular baby dragon. Next to the right throne were only three chairs, one occupied by Land Scout, one by Iron Shield, and the last one by some light blue mare Samus briefly recalled seeing during her ‘purification’ with a harmony blast. Around the rest of the room, several other seats were being used by other several ponies Samus didn’t recognize. All the seats were on a higher level floor than the single stool that stood at the center of the room.

The guards accompanying the newly arrived group led Samus to the stool, where every pony in the room could see her. She unceremoniously sat down. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna took their places on the thrones, while the guards took theirs by the entrance to the room. As expected, it was Celestia who spoke first.

“We are gathered here for the trial of Samus, alien visitor, for her actions against Equestria,” Celestia said in a loud but gentle voice. She then turned to the Elements bearers. “I would like to thank you all for attending this event, and I would like to apologize for the unpleasantries this may cause after you were celebrating such a historical event.”

“We understand, princess. Don’t worry!” said Twilight on behalf of her friends.

“Thank you.” Celestia answered. She then turned to Samus on the lower ground. “We are ready to begin. Samus, anything to say before we do?”

“I can see how you resemble the sun,” said the huntress.

“Because she’s bright and warm and looking over us all?” piqued the lavender unicorn. Samus gave her an annoyed glace.

“No.” Samus turned to Celestia again. “It’s because I can’t stand looking directly at you for long.”

There was a collective gasp at the insult. The princesses, for their part, remained stoic as if nothing had been said, save for one miniscule twitch in the solar ruler’s eyebrow that went unnoticed by all. “Anything else you wish to add?”

“No.”

“Good. Then let us begin. Samus Aran, you are charged with royal theft, assault on authority, property damage, endangerment of civilians, and attempt of murder. Though it comes to my attention that you were under the influence of Discord’s evil magic. I hereby ask you, how do you declare yourself?”

“Guilty,” answered Samus with a calm voice. This seemed to surprise quite a bit of the ponies present.

“We admire your honesty and responsibility,” Luna said.

“Guilty? And you say that like it was nothing?!” Rainbow Dash exalted. She got up from her seat and flew over to Samus’s face. “Scootaloo is in the hospital because of you. We almost lost our friends because of what you did!”

Samus didn’t flinch. With the same calm voice as before, she spoke. “I suggest you calm yourself, Miss Dash. Otherwise, I’ll break your neck.”

“Why, you little…“ The pegasus tensed and was about to lash. Several guards were already in position to interfere if necessary.

“Rainbow Dash!” both Celestia and Twilight scolded at the same time, but it was the princess who kept talking. “Take your seat. Now. We are having this trial for a reason. Please avoid any further offenses until this is over.”

Dejected, Rainbow Dash flew back to her seat. “Yes, your highness.”

“And Samus,” the princess continued “I will not tolerate any more aggressions.”

“Or what?” defied Samus “Are you going to scold me? Turn me to stone? Banish me to the moon?”

Every pony, sans the guards, recoiled at the last sentence. Celestia looked like she was physically hit, although she recovered quickly. A quick glance to her sister revealed Luna was angry, though she couldn’t determine if it was at her or at the huntress.

Luna rose from her seat, and calmly paced to where Samus was. Once in front of the human, Luna raised her hoof and slapped Samus in the face with enough force to make her fall of the stool and hit her head on the floor.

“It would do you good to remember where you currently stand, human,” the dark alicorn seethed.

The shock didn’t last long for the Hunter. Samus simply got up and took her seat in the stool, sporting a red swelling cheek and a small trickle of blood from her nose. “And you would be wise to understand why exactly I’m standing where I am.”

Luna gave a couple of steps back. Not in fear, but to give the huntress some space. “Explain.”

“You ponies don’t know what true evil is,” Samus began “You claim Discord is one of the greatest evils this land has faced, but he is nothing more than an attention-seeking brat. For reasons that now seem idiotic, I let him get some control over me. He promised something, and against my better judgment I believed him. All this manipulation just for one purpose: to make the Elements of Harmony unavailable to the ponies. That way he could roam free unopposed. Then he could proudly show everybody what he can do, just like some child who wants to show off the pretty drawing he just made. He is powerful and twisted, I’ll give you that, but he is not evil.”

“Care to explain that?” Celestia asked. Luna had joined her by the throne while Samus talked.

Samus gave each Element, princess, or dragon a look in the eye before continuing, taking a little longer on the latest. “While under Discord’s influence, there was one order he kept repeating. That is to avoid killing any pony. Dead ponies are no fun, he reasoned. Still, he wasn’t going to cross that line. I, on the other hand, would’ve done the job faster and with less trouble if I didn’t have to hold back. While I avoid killing bystanders, I won’t hesitate to terminate whatever gets in my way.”

“And why are you telling us all this?” asked Luna. “You are defending that which made you act out of order, that which manipulated you.”

“I’m not defending him; I’m stating how I see things. He is clever,” was Samus’s answer. “He knows where to attack, and how to manipulate. And I let him. Ultimately, it was his overconfidence what eventually led to his downfall.”

“True,” commented Celestia. “But he always seems to have an alternative course of action. He is, after all, quite unpredictable on that regard.”

“Yes,” Samus agreed. “Which brings me to my point. You, Celestia, have to be the biggest imbecile I’ve had the disgust of meeting.”

The reaction was almost chaotic. Most of the ponies in the room gasped loudly, some getting vividly angry at the statement, and even a few fainted. Applejack and Rarity had to physically restrain Rainbow Dash and Twilight, respectively, to keep them from pouncing at the human for her bold insult.

“Order!” yelled Luna. The effect was almost instantaneous, as every pony calmed down at the princess’s outburst.

“While I can understand your dislike for me, I would like to know why you think that,” Celestia asked with a neutral voice.

“What do Luna, the changeling queen, and Discord all have in common?” Samus asked. “Tell me.”

“They were all, at one point or another, a threat to Equestria.” Celestia’s gaze turned uncharacteristically cold for a moment. “Not unlike you, I might add.”

“And just like me, they are alive. While I can understand wanting to spare your sister, what reasons did you have to not finish off the other threats? Why not kill them when you could? In fact, how many more ancient threats have you failed to properly slay? How many of those will one day return to wreak havoc, hm?”

The princess looked at the Hunter with almost disdain. “I will not commit murder. No matter what reason, there are lines I will not cross.” Celestia flared as she spoke. “Nopony has the right to decide whether other sentient being lives or dies.”

“Then,” Samus began, “be prepared to face the consequences. Had Discord perished when you had the chance, he wouldn’t have manipulated me in the first place. Had the changeling queen been slain, she wouldn’t have abducted your ponies. If you won’t eradicate the threat, the threat will eventually return.” Samus gave another look to the gathered ponies. “And not all evils are as mellow as Discord.”

“You think Discord is mellow?” some random pony from the audience asked in shock.

“There are creatures that will maul for entertainment. Fiends that will torture and kill because it’s fun. Monsters that will commit genocide on a whim. Demons that you can’t stop with harmony or friendship.” Every word that Samus spokes came out with more venom than the last, and in her mind she could see the silhouette of a space dragon burning down a village. “You think Discord is evil? You ponies wouldn’t know true evil until Equestria burned to the ground.”

There was a long moment of heavy, uncomfortable silence.

“Is that what happened to you?” Luna asked at last. Samus looked down and remained silent. “You… You are the last survivor of your village. That wasn’t just a nightmare I saw, it was a memory.”

Several murmurs could be heard from the several ponies throughout the room, but still Samus said nothing, letting her silence speak for her.

“With such a troubled past, it is no wonder Discord found a way to break you,” Celestia once again spoke. “I see that it wasn’t your intention alone to cause so much damage. And before this whole incident, you were always honest. While I know you can be quite ruthless and you lack sympathy, I don’t think of you as evil or malevolent.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because,” Celestia answered “you stand before us. Were you truly evil, the Elements would’ve done much more than cause you to black out.”

“Why bother with a trial, then?” Samus asked. “What were you hoping to accomplish with this?”

“First of all, whether influenced or not, you were the one that made all the mess. We can’t simply ignore that fact. Secondly, I wanted to hear your version of the events. Thirdly, we all know you a little better after this. Lastly, I want to make sure you won’t represent any more danger to our people.”

“I see…” Samus said, feeling a lot more pensive than when she just arrived at the trail.

“Do you remember our talk when we first met? The one by the gardens?” Samus nodded in response. Celestia nodded in acknowledgement. “I’m glad you do. So, before we reach a decision, I would once again like to ask you: Can we trust you?”

“My answer remains the same,” said Samus as she looked at Celestia, but her gaze quickly went to the darker alicorn “I have no intention of bringing any harm to your land or its inhabitants.”

“Thank you for your honesty,” Luna told Samus. Then she directed her voice to the rest of the ponies in the room. “Thank you for your time, everypony. We will now make our decision, and will let you know shortly.”

“Please excuse us.” Celestia said. “Twilight and Applejack, if you could join us, please. And you too, lieutenant.”

Iron Shield followed with the military behavior of a guard. The summoned mares, however, followed the princesses out of the room with clear confusion as to why they had been summoned. It was pretty obvious to Samus, though. Iron Shield had been keeping an eye on her, so he would know more about her than the common pony. Applejack was honest and to-the-point, so her opinion would probably be harsh, but true. Twilight was Celestia’s student, and so was likely there for a more personal opinion.

Silence reigned yet again. Samus took another look around the room, until her gaze fell on Spike. He noticed her looking at him, but he shied away. Samus maintained her gaze, feeling uncharacteristically ashamed of herself. She looked away when the sound of opening doors was heard.

The judges took only a few minutes to come to their decision, and so they opened the doors and reentered the room, each of them taking their place. Until every pony was seated, some calm and collected while other barely contained their nerves, Celestia gave her verdict.

“We have come to a decision. After consulting with some of the present ponies, we have decided that Samus Aran is worthy of being trusted. However, “Celestia said before neither celebration nor riot could start “she is to publicly apologize to those she harmed. She will also provide community service during her stay in Equestria in atonement for her actions, as they were not all entirely to be blamed on Discord’s influence. In addition, she will be kept under surveillance until she finds a way to go back home. Not only that, but she will also respond to the call of either princess should the need for her services ever rises. This, of course, will be rewarded in monetary goods.” She looked at Samus again. “Does the accused agree to these terms?”

Samus looked at Celestia. “You really are a soft idiot,” she said, though she gave a small smile, “but thank you. I agree to the terms.”

‘And I swear on the Chozo that I will not let this planet be robbed of its peace or its beauty’ Samus thought to herself as she glanced at Luna and Spike.

“Then we declare this trial OVER!” Luna declared with a loud voice.

OXOXO

Samus was sitting on a tree by the royal gardens. She watched as the festivities around the castle continued, despite the trial that just took place. They weren’t for her, after all; the honors belonged to a certain baby dragon.
Princess Celestia was over there, idling with other ponies and snacking on some sweets. Princess Luna had disappeared somewhere. And all the other ponies were having fun taking part in the celebration. From the distance Samus watched, silent and thoughtful. It wasn’t until a rustling sound alerted her that she was no longer alone.

“Hey, there,” Spike the dragon greeted as he struggled to climb the tree. He eventually succeeded and sat by Samus.

“Hello,” the huntress responded.

“So, uh… Nice weather we’re having.” Spike was nervous. Samus couldn’t really blame him.

“It is,” she said, looking up to the sky for a moment. She then motioned her head toward the party at the castle. “Why aren’t you over there enjoying the party?”

“I, uh, wanted to talk to you.”

She looked back at him. “What about?”

“It’s just that you were really scary, and I thought you were a bad pony when you started hunting down my friends. But now I see it wasn’t your fault. So, uh, sorry for attacking you.”

Samus couldn’t help ruffling his spines. “Don’t worry, kiddo. I kinda deserved it. And I applaud your bravery. Speaking of which, I heard this whole party was because the Crystal Empire was saved thanks to you. For what it’s worth, I’m proud of you.”

“Aww, shucks…” Spike blushed. Samus laughed a little at the flustered dragon.

“What’s the matter? You can valiantly save an empire head on, but you shrink at a girl’s compliment?” Samus teased. The effect was instantaneous, Spike blushed even redder. Samus laughed again.

“Hey! It was a thing of the moment! And besides, King Sombra didn’t tease me like that.”

“King Sombra, you said?”

“Yeah. Have you heard about him?”

“I heard the name. Nothing else, though.”

“I see.” Spike’s flustered state was gone now. “Hey, Samus? Can I ask you another question?”

“Sure. Shoot.”

“Why did you say all those mean things to Princess Celestia? Do you hate her?”

Samus looked back to the celebrations at the castle. “Honestly, I believe she is an idiot. She strikes me as egotistical and vain. And I’m angry that it seems like she’s careless when it comes to dealing with enemies. She has a good heart, and I can respect that, but sometimes that’s not enough. I think she’s too soft and too forgiving.”

“But aren’t you free because she is soft and forgiving?” countered Spike.

“I suppose you’re right,” Samus conceded. “Still, I don’t like her. I don’t rightly hate her, but I certainly don’t like her.”

“I see,” Spike said with some thoughts, but he quickly perked up. “Heh, you should’ve seen Twilight earlier. She was really angry at you for saying all those things.”

“Yes, well, not all of us hold Celestia in a high pedestal and worship the ground she walks.”

Spike laughed. “It’s good to see you’re not evil.”

Samus smiled at the little drake. “Got that right.”

Things were once again starting to look good for the Hunter.

More Days in Ponyville

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Chapter 17: More Days in Ponyville

Samus Aran’s Log, entry 020:
I have been possessed by Discord, the Spirit of Chaos. I was weak, and he took advantage of that. He made me do things that almost destroyed the trust these ponies have for me. How could I fall for such stupid tricks? How could I be moved by such foolish reasoning?

But it’s all over now. The ponies managed to stop me with the Elements of Harmony before I did something truly bad. The Elements are truly powerful, but seem to be very situational. Still, I appreciate the current outcome. I was trialed for my actions, but the verdict was a benevolent one. I still have to work to recover the shaken trust, but things look promising.

Another thing that may require more investigation is the Harmony Beam. It has proven to be useless so far, but I’m convinced there’s a way to properly wield it. But it’s nothing pressing; I have decided to enjoy my stay in this planet for the time being. There’s already a couple of projects in mind.

OXOXO

Samus was a little unnerved at Ponyville. She wasn’t afraid of retaliation, no. In fact, she had given her public apology to the Royal Guard and the princesses, as well as personally apologized to Luna, for her recent troublemaking. And other than them and the ponies present at the trial, her actions had passed under the radar for the rest of Equestria. A couple of days had passed since the trial and now Samus and the other ponies were back at Ponyville as if nothing happened. Her ship was back in the same place it used to be, ponies greeted her when they saw her, and not a single hostility went her way. It was precisely that lack of retaliation that somewhat unnerved her.

After the situation was explained, none of the hurt ponies held any hard feeling toward her. Scootaloo was doing a lot better and so was out of the hospital. She and the other crusaders were apparently fast healers. Some nurse commented she wasn’t surprised, given of the amount of visits those foals had to the hospital; they were quite a handful sometimes.

Big Mac, on the other hand, was recovering slower than the filly. He was doing well, but he wasn’t going to be able to do much in the farm for at least the rest of the week. When Applejack explained the situation, his only demand for forgiveness was that Samus do his work while he was out of commission. She agreed without hesitation.

And so here she was, doing some farm work around Sweet Apple Acres. Big Mac had a passive smile on his face as he saw her work. Applejack was busy elsewhere, and so the stallion was there to supervise her and make sure she did a good job. He was patient with the human, which made her feel a little guiltier when she remembered just why he wasn’t doing the job himself.

Samus raised her leg, took a deep breath, and swiftly spun to deliver a stamp kick to the apple tree before her. After quite a few tries throughout the last hour, Samus had gotten the hang of it. The tree shook with the impact of the kick and the few apples that remained fell to the baskets below. She noted, interestingly, that kicking trees was a tad more complex than it looked, if one was to harvest the fruits. It was also more fun than climbing the tree and picking the fruit one by one, not to mention faster.

“Nice kick,” said the red stallion in a complimenting voice.

“Thanks.” Oh yeah, that was a nice kick. Samus felt especially proud of that kick.

“Let’s take ‘em,” Big Mac motioned to the baskets. He picked up one and left the other two to Samus. They were a little big to comfortably carry with one arm, but not heavy to prove a problem. After a little shuffling, Samus got both baskets and followed the stallion.

“Aren’t we taking them to the barn?” Samus asked when she noticed her coworker was heading for the house and not the old barn.

“Eenope. These are for selling. Plus, we’re gonna rebuild that barn,” he said as he motioned to the building in question.

“All right.”

The both of them delivered the apples to the house, where Granny Smith had already made lunch. Applejack was also there taking a break from her chores. Apple Bloom was still in school, so she was not present. The elderly mare asked Samus if she was going to join them for lunch. When Samus looked at the food, she couldn’t help but accept the offer. She also salivated when the smell reached her nose.

OXOXO

“Ready?” asked the armored form of Samus as she aimed her Arm Cannon.

“Ready, sugarcube,” Applejack answered from behind a fallen trunk serving as cover. Beside her, Big Mac and Granny Smith watched with goggles over their eyes. “Fire!”

A Super Missile was shot from the cannon. It’s destination? An old barn standing in the fields of Sweet Apple Acres. The missile went inside the barn, and not a moment later, it impacted. The barn exploded in a beautiful display of fire and destruction, with metal pieces and splinters flying in every direction. The Apples energetically cheered at the show.

“Now that’s what Ah call demolition!” Applejack said as she removed a splinter that had landed on her hat. “We can get started on building the new barn. You take it easy, Big Mac. We can handle it.”

“The doctor said Ah could work now,” the stallion said.

“Ah can picture it already!” Applejack promptly ignored her brother. “It’s gonna look great!”

Samus watched the family cheer when she felt something dreadful. A sinking feeling in her guts told her she should flee this land in the very near future. It went away as soon as it came, though, so she didn’t put much thought into it. After saying her goodbyes and borrowing a small wagon, Samus opted to visit the junkyard again. She had a project she wanted to start.

And so a while later Samus was walking through piles of discarded pieces and scrap metal. Not long after she arrived, she spotted Time Turner inspecting a bunch of small gears he found and decided to greet him. The stallion in question looked up and beamed brightly at his new company.

“Samus! What a surprise! What brings you?”

“Decided to start a little something I’ve been wanting to do for a while. Figured I might find some pieces here.”

“Ooh! A construction project, huh? May I inquire as to what?” Time Turner asked excitedly.

Samus couldn’t help but let out a rather proud chuckle. “I’m going to build a robot.”

Time Turner raised his eyebrow skeptically. “A robot?”

“A robot.”

“You’re not mocking me, are you? Because that whole ‘Doctor Whooves’ thing is really annoying. Those time-travelling things are for comic book heroes, not your average clock builder and Mayor’s assistant. It’s bad enough that-“

“I’m not mocking you. I really am building a robot. What are you going on about?” Samus asked with confusion on her face.

“Oh. Oh! OH! You can build real robots?!” Time Turner’s excitement returned tenfold. “Are you really going to build one? May I see it when it’s ready?”

Samus amusedly watched the stallion go from a grumpy old horse to acting like an overly excited child. “Of course. You’ll be the first one to see it working, once it’s ready. Now, what was that about ‘Doctor something’ and time travel?”

“Just a prank that got a little too far. Some foals, and even a few adults, somehow got it into their heads that I’m an alien that can travel through time and go on ‘timey wimey’ adventures in a blue box. It was fun at first, but it quickly got old.”

“Hehehe. That sounds like one of those Timelord things. Urban legends, if you ask me. Then again…” Samus threw a suspicious glance at Time Turner.

The stallion gave a step back, but his face quickly turned to annoyance. “Oh, come on! You too?”

Samus giggled at the stallion. “I can see why it’s fun.”

“Oh, ha ha. Very funny.”

“It is. Anyways, I’m gonna look around for pieces now. Nice talking to you.” Samus waved her hand as she got up and left.

“Likewise.” Time Turner nodded and headed his way.

The huntress walked to and fro, looking for anything that might be useful. Any piece of metal that caught her attention was deposited in the wagon she borrowed. In just a couple of hours she managed to get enough scrap to start assembling her Tinbot. Most pieces would need to be worked on beforehand, though. Still, Samus knew her way in metalwork. It was nothing she couldn’t handle.

On her way back to her ship, Samus encountered Pinkie Pie. “Hey, Sammy! Are you doing anything fun?” The pink pony seemed even more hyperactive than usual.

“No. I’m on my wa-“

“Because if you are doing something fun, you should, like, totally invite me. Then we could have fun together! I love fun, and I love it even more when there’s more ponies involved! So! What are you doing? What are you carrying all that junk for? Why did yo-“

“Shut it!” Samus shoved her palm on the pony’s mouth to silence her, but quickly calmed herself. “I’m going to, uh, observe rocks. And junk.”

Pinkie Pie stood still for a short moment. She then exploded in her usual enthusiasm. “That’s great! That’s what my sister likes to do! Hmm... I should go visit soon. Or! Or she could come visit! That has to be the bes-“

Samus left the rambling pony by herself while she resumed her trek toward her ship. It was during that trek that she found out why she had the sinking feeling earlier. Obscured from sight thanks to a conveniently placed bush, Samus watched with barely contained dread as a group of four Pinkie Pies bounced on their way to town.

Samus kept her cool. She simply resumed her walk to her ship. Once there, she simply shut the hatch shut, started her ship, and flew up to the sky. Samus left a sigh of relief she her ship left the planet’s atmosphere. A screen on her control panel lit up, showing Samus the events happening on the surface. She decided Ponyville, or the rest of the planet, would be fine without her for the rest of the day. Samus reclined on her chair to let the pink apocalypse below happen without her while she watched from the safety of orbit.

“Oh, HI! It’s the first time I’ve been to space! This is super fun! Are you going to observe space rocks? Ooo! A screen screening scree...” A pink pony had materialized just beside Samus. The Hunter simply sighed in annoyance.

OXOXO

The gunship’s hatch opened, and from it a pink pony was forcefully ejected to the emptiness of space.

“WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeee…” Pinkie Pie cheered as she shrunk in the distance. Samus watched with morbid indifference from inside her ship.

“Perhaps that was a bit harsh.” Adam suggested.

“For you perhaps. How convenient you happen to deactivate for the whole four hours we were trapped with her. That’s more than enough to break any sane person. Besides,” Samus said “it was just a clone. They found the real one and got rid of the doppelgangers.” Samus motioned toward the screen in her panel.

“Perhaps it’s time to land?”

“Yeah. I still need to work on the scrap I found.”

The gunship descended back to its landing stop just outside Ponyville. There were still a couple of hours of daylight, and Samus went to town to purchase any tool she was missing to work on her Tinbot.

But not before grabbing a bite at the café.

After enjoying another sandwich and a batch of fried potato sticks (which had gained popularity at the café), Samus continued her endeavor. Despite the early chaos induced by the pink pony clones, the town seemed at peace now. A quick search led her to a small hardware store. She found, as expected, that the tools weren’t exactly technologically advanced. Still, the simple hardware she acquired was more than capable of helping her with the project. She already had sophisticated tools for the sophisticated parts of the project, after all.

The sun was setting as Samus left the store. When she reached her ship, she decided the project would be started the next morning, with natural light helping her see. Still, it was a little too early to call it a day. Leaving the stuff in her home/transport, she went for a walk to the outskirts of town.

Her nightly stroll was calm and pleasant, unlike the middle of the day. Samus sighed contently at the night’s peace; no hyperactive pink ponies around to ruin it. Her walk eventually led her to a hill, where her eyes fell on the same pink pony she was glad wasn’t around.

But said pony wasn’t hyperactively partying. In fact, she looked very calm. Pinkie Pie was sitting at the top of the hill, overseeing Ponville from her vantage point. She was just sitting there, doing nothing. The sight was unnatural, and so it piqued the huntress’s curiosity. “Pinkie Pie? What are you doing here?”

“Hello,” Pinkie serenely greeted without turning to see who had joined her. “Just enjoying some peace and quiet. Care to join me?”

The human obliged, much to her own bewilderment. Samus noticed the placid, almost melancholic, smile on Pinkie’s face as she looked over the town she considered her home.

“Something troubling you?” Samus asked a bit hesitantly. Pinkie sighed in response and looked at her cutie mark.

“Not really. It’s just that I’m glad I’m the only me. With all those clones running around, I lost sense of who I was. How can I be special if there’s literal clones of me in every corner of Ponyville?” Samus raised her eyebrow at the question. Pinkie Pie giggled a little. “I guess you could say I’m having a bit of an existential crisis. And I can’t solve it with a party!” She giggled again.

Samus didn’t find it funny. She’s had her own share of those, and it was never funny. Nor was it for Pinkie, apparently, if the tear she wiped from her face was any indication. But to each their own, Samus supposed; however Pinkie dealt with those was her own issue. She just sat beside the pony in silence and hugged her own legs as she watched the quaint little town below.

“Please forgive me. I promise I’ll be my usual self by tomorrow. It’s just that it was a very hard day for me.” Pinkie Pie apologized. “Even I need my down time, you know?”
“Yes, I understand that perfectly.” Samus gave a little smile “Besides, I rather like the calm Pinkie.”

Pinkie Pie giggled a little again. “Maybe the calm Pinkie should come out a bit more often?”

“Maybe she should.”

Both girls giggled again, and then stayed silent with small smile on both their faces. They stood like that in peaceful silence for some time, just enjoying the quiet night.

OXOXO

The next days were spent mostly fining some metal pieces and helping some ponies with several jobs, as Mayor Mare made sure to take advantage of Samus’s community service sentence. It helped pass the time when she got tired of working on her project, if anything. She had something on her mind she wanted to discuss with the mayor, but some details still needed a bit of polishing.

On another trip to the junkyard, the Hunter was somewhat surprised to see the Cutie Mark Crusaders looking around for materials. After greetings, apologies, and some questions, Samus learned there was going to be some sort of harvest festival in a few days and the fillies were going to attend with a float of their own.

Still feeling somewhat guilty for possibly causing them psychological trauma, Samus offered her help should the trio need it. The three fillies thanked the huntress, but said they wanted to do it on their own. And so each girl set on their own little path to continue their search. Samus offered if the girl would like to go build their float over by her ship and spend some time knowing each other a little better; she had a feeling it would be better to keep an eye on the troublemaking fillies than let them on their own with access to tools. She was once again a little unnerved at the eagerness and total lack of fear from the fillies.

OXOXO

Samus looked unbelievingly at her hand. More specifically, she looked at the viscous fluid that stained her hand.

It was tree sap.

How, she asked, did her hand get covered by tree sap? She remembered inviting the Cutie Mark Crusaders to begin building their float by her ship. Construction was good at first, with a couple of mistakes here and there, but nothing that couldn’t be corrected. Samus was fidgeting with the metal canister she found, which would be later modified to become her robot’s head.

She also remembered she specifically landed her ship in this clearing with no trees in the near distance, and that that fillies were not working with any viscous fluids of any kind. So how was it that when she was distracted with her metal pieces and the fillies messed up, they ended up covered in tree sap surrounded by their float’s destroyed frame?

Even the fillies looked baffled at the tree sap.

Samus eventually sighed. “Are you sure you don’t want any help?”

“Um... if it’s not too much trouble, please,” the crusaders answered a little embarrassed.

OXOXO

Samus and the fillies gave a couple of steps backs to admire their work. The wooden frame of what would eventually become a giant pumpkin float stood before them, proud and tall.

“It looks great!” yelled Scootaloo. While her friends agreed, Samus couldn’t help but think it could’ve been better. Then again, carpentry wasn’t her forté and she was helping little fillies; it was a good job all things considered. Besides, she just wanted to avoid any more disasters, so she didn’t really do much other than provide the muscle required.

“Thanks a lot for the help, Samus!” Apple Bloom hugged Samus’s leg in appreciation, her friends mimicking her soon after. “We’ll take it from here. We can finish it in the barn.”

“I’ll help you move it, then.” Samus offered.

OXOXO

A few days later, coming back from the library, Samus walked toward her ship with a couple of metal rods on one arm and a book on the other. She then noticed three miserable-looking fillies on their way to town.

“Is something the matter?” Samus asked.

“My cousin Babs is visiting.” Apple Bloom answered.

“And...?”

“We thought she was going to be nice, but she’s nothing but a bully!” The girls proceeded to tell all about the things Babs had done to them. Samus listened with attention.

“Yeah! Anyways, we gotta go now. Rarity is waiting for us.” Sweetie Belle said.

“Bullies are always a handful. I really hated those guys when I was in the academy.” Samus told the fillies as she remembered her academy days.

“You were bullied? You? Samus? Space bounty hunter?” Scootaloo was almost speechless.

“Well, it was for a short time, but I guess you could say I was.”

“Tell what happened!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed.

“Back when I got into the academy, a lot of people looked down on me because I was the only girl. While only a few caused problems, it was obvious the macho guys didn’t like me. At first, it was just annoying. But then this asshole thought it would be funny to start playing pranks. I ignored most them at first, but when they started interfering with my duties, I politely asked him to stop. Being the moron he was, he paid no mind and continued. Again, I told him to stop or he would get hurt. He didn’t stop...”

“So what did you do?” Apple Bloom asked.

“I broke both his leg and both his arms. It got me in a lot of trouble with the higher-ups, but no one ever bothered me again.” Samus said with a nostalgic smile.

“O-oh...”

“Anyways, I got some things to do and you were on your way to Rarity’s. Don’t want to keep you. See ya.” Samus continued on her way and the fillies on theirs.

The next couple of hours were spent working on another metal piece and writing a document with help from the book Samus borrowed from Twilight earlier. Said document was going to be presented to Miss Mayor Mare in the near future. After making the first draft, Samus opted for some lunch. And what better place than her now-favorite café?

So after another great meal, Samus was simply enjoying a nice cup of tea on the outside of the café. As she took a sip, she saw the Cutie Mark Crusaders for the second time that day. Deciding to check on them, she finished the last of her tea, left some coins on the table, and headed to talk to the girls.

“What’s up, girls? Looks like you aren’t feeling down anymore.” Samus observed. Indeed, the fillies had an outright naughty look on their faces.

“Oh, we just decided that we’re going to get back at Babs for bullying us.”

“Now now, girls. You want to get revenge? A responsible adult would tell you revenge is bad and you should all get along.” Samus started. She took a look at her surroundings before facing the girls again. “But I don’t recall someone ever calling me a responsible adult. I’m all up for revenge. What’s your plan?”

Samus kneeled as the girls whispered their idea on her ear and nodded several times.

“Ooh, I like it,” the huntress said with a devious smile of her own. “I have some ideas you may like. Need any help?”

OXOXO

“...and a bag of fried potato sticks to go, please.” Samus ordered some snacks from the usual place, ready to enjoy the harvest festival that was taking place in town. She paid the clerk with some bits and started making her way. Seeing as the ground was too crowded, she climbed a house and took a seat on the roof. She ate one of her fries while she briefly wondered if giving blueprints for a booby trap to three small fillies was a good idea.

Who was she kidding? Of course it was! She had been looking forward to see how it was going to end all day! She made sure it was nothing too dangerous, anyway; it was all going to be fine. And in the unlikely-but-possible case something did go wrong, she would be ready to jump into action and intervene.

Oh, there’s the golden apple! Samus watched her three accomplices getting shoved by an earth-colored filly with red mane, who she assumed was Babs Seed. Babs got into the float and left the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Looks like things were going according to plan.

“Wait, what?” Samus said to herself as Applejack arrived at the scene. The huntress watched as the farmer said something she could hear because of the distance. Whatever she said, it must’ve been bad, because the triumphant looks of the fillies turned into surprise, then into regret. As Applejack left, the Cutie Mark Crusaders talked in group before rushing over to catch the golden apple float. Things turned interesting, it seemed.

Samus grabbed her bag of fries and began jumping from roof to roof to keep the golden float on sight. She saw the fillies enter a giant lettuce to give chase, but Babs was a lot rougher than she thought, given that the apple float bumped into the lettuce float, making it go out of control and crash. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were not down, however, and continued their chase. They reached their target and shoved Babs out of harm’s way. In doing so, the three blank flanks got into the receiving end of their own trap.

Samus stopped at the last roof of the hill and watched everything happen. So they decided to save Babs instead of enacting their revenge, huh? Samus felt a little disappointed that their plan failed, but there must’ve been a reason for that and she was going to find out what it was. Still, a show was a show and she felt a little proud of seeing her design work.

The four fillies and Applejack left the scene almost as soon as the crowd arrived to see what happened. Samus saw them go to the farm. She sat down to finish her fries, and made her way to the farm when she was done. By the time she arrived, she saw the muddied fillies taking a bath. A confused-looking Babs Seed approached the fillies, so Samus hid behind a tree to see the events unfold. From her hiding place, she could hear all the explanations and apologies of the ponies.

So that’s what happened. Samus saw the fillies go to their clubhouse while Applejack stayed behind to put away the bathing supplies. Deciding to make herself known, Samus went out of hiding to talk to the farm mare.

“Oh, heya Samus! What brings you here?” Applejack greeted.

“Just checking up on the little ones. So everything turned out to fine in the end?”

“Sure did! They made up and things looks like they’ll be good between them. Heh, kids will be kids, but they still have their own problems. Know what I mean?”

“I guess...” Samus looked a little pensive at the statement.

“There’s still something that bothers me a little...”

“Oh? And what would that be?”

“Apple Bloom has gotten really good at building stuff, but how did they manage to engineer such a trap?"

“Ah, that would be my fault. I gave them the blueprints to make the booby trap. The whole revenge thing may have also been my fault.”

“You WHAT? Why would you do that?!” Applejack almost strangulated Samus. “What in the world would possess you to do something like that?”

There was a long, awkward pause. Samus coughed.

“That was a bad choice of words...” Applejack conceded. “But still, they’re still kids.”

“Things worked out in the end, right? Besides, young or not, they need to stand up for themselves. Most bullies will stop bullying with a good punch to the face.”

Applejack hit her own face with her hoof.

OXOXO

Well, yesterday was a fun day. That scold Applejack gave her was...uncomfortably enlightening, to put it in a way, but didn’t do much to lower her good mood. Samus got out of her ship with little more insight of pony philosophy. They really did believe in the power of friendship.

Today was a little colder than usual, and so Samus decided to go get some coffee at usual café. Once there, she sat on her usual spot and enjoyed her drink. A little strong, but with milk and lots of sugar. Despite the image her career might project, the legendary intergalactic bounty hunter actually had a very sweet tooth.

With currently nothing to do, and nothing planned for the day, the Hunter decided to visit the spa and enjoy their various services. It was coincidentally the same day Rarity and Fluttershy had their weekly visits, so the two mares were surprised to see Samus already at the counter. Given that she hadn’t really interacted much with either mare after the trial, Samus decided it was as good a time as any to spend some time with them and hopefully find a way to make it up to them for the trouble she caused. And so the three were now sharing the spa’s bathtub.

Needless to say, it was an awkward situation.

“I see your horn is doing good...” Samus said. Rarity did her best to stay calm, while Fluttershy sunk a little deeper in the water and avoided eye contact.

“Yes, it is doing well.”

“Sorry about that.”

“It’s all in the past, darling. I can’t rightly blame you; I know how irritating someone can be when brainwashed by Discord. Firsthoof experience.”

“Yes. It wasn’t very nice” Fluttershy added.

“But it all worked out in the end. I couldn’t really work too well with a fractured horn, so I took the week off and enjoyed a little vacation and refill my creativity. Business was a little slow, anyway,” Rarity said.

“Good to see it work out for you. Still, it’s kinda my fault too, so if there’s anything you need help with...” Samus started, already regretting her next words, “Just tell me and I’ll help however I can. Same goes for you, Fluttershy.”

“Oh no, I couldn’t possibly make you work for me,” the shy pegasus said.

“What about your home?”

“Oh. Well, it wasn’t too damaged. Remember you put out the fire. And my animal friends already helped me clean up.”

“Well, if anything comes up, just let me know.” Fluttershy nodded at the huntress’s offer.

“I think I may take you up on your offer,” Rarity said when a brilliant idea formed in her mind. “Would you mind helping me around the shop? There’s some ideas I’ve been dying to try out on you ever since I first saw you! How does later today sound?

Samus only hesitated for a moment before she gave her agreement. While she wasn’t really looking forward to being Rarity’s fashion test subject, it did wonders in lifting the heavy air around them. The rest of the spa session was spent sharing some stories and talking about some gossips Rarity heard. Fluttershy was mostly quiet, but it wasn’t the awkward quiet. Even Samus found herself having a good time with the gossips, even if she had no idea who some of the ponies in question were.

OXOXO

As evening settled, Samus exited the Carousel Boutique carrying a bag. She had never really been into fashion, but she had to admit trying out different outfits was fun. Sure, she was a ruthless bounty hunter, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy looking at clothes and trying them out. The pretty dress that was inside the bag was proof of that. The huntress took out her dress and gave it a look. It wasn’t too gaudy or frilly, but had enough effort put in it to really show.

The dress also represented the fruits of Rarity’s and Samus’s creativity working together. Rarity had been ecstatic to be the first pony in Equestria to design clothes for an alien, and went all out to obtain all the information regarding human clothes she could from the huntress. Samus, not being someone that cared much for it, couldn’t offer much and mostly described some of the clothes she and her race usually wore. Rarity drew sketches of what her imagination thought they looked like and Samus mostly nodding. Once she had had enough rough ideas, the white mare’s fashion sense kicked in. Sketch after sketch she drew, combining pony fashion trends with the new shapes of clothes. Samus eventually got caught up in the moment and started pitching her own ideas.

It was then that the bounty hunter realized she didn’t really owned a lot of clothes, especially nothing formal. Voicing her thoughts, Rarity wasted no time in suggesting they both designed a dress. Samus was going to refuse the offer, but after the day she had been having, decided she might as well. It was ‘quality girl time’, as Rarity had put it. It certainly was more fun than anticipated.

So here she was, looking a dress she and Rarity made together. Samus let out a small laugh as she put her dress back in the bag and continued her walk to her ship. The dress was a nice reminder that not all her life had to be conflict, and that she could still enjoy all this peace and friendships while she was in this planet.

With nothing else to do, the dress-owning woman entered her ship and prepared to sleep.

OXOXO

The next morning, Samus decided to visit the junkyard again. She almost had all the pieces required for her little project, missing only a couple of parts she could adapt for her Tinbot.

“Hold it right there!” A voice suddenly yelled. Samus stopped her walk and turned to see who the voice belonged to. It was Trixie.

“Hello. What brings you here?” Samus asked.

“I’ve come here looking for you. There’s something I want to try out.”

“Oh?” Samus did a more throughout observation on the mare before her. There’s was something off about her, but aside from the silver and red necklace she was wearing she looked like the same azure mare she met before. “And what would that be?”

Samus barely had time to jump to her side as a red lightning bolt attempted to strike her. As soon as she landed, she had to jump again as more bolts came her way. “I just acquired this little piece of jewelry. Very powerful, it seems,” Trixie said as she stopped her attack to show her newly-acquired Alicorn Amulet. “I figured a test run was in order. And being as powerful as you are, who better to test it with?”

For a few moments, Samus could see Trixie’s eyes turn red in color. Her magic aura was also red, now that she gave a closer look. It was obvious this wasn’t the same Trixie she knew, and Samus wasn’t going to be anyone’s target practice. Without hesitation, she materialized her signature Power Suit.

Trixie grinned evilly at the armored woman and resumed her attacks. Samus evaded the bolts and returned fire, but her shots bounced off the red spherical barrier that now protected the magician. “Nice try, but you’ll have to try harder.”

Not missing a beat, Samus switched from Power Beam to Wave Beam and fired again. As expected, the electrical beam bypassed the shield and hit Trixie on her chest. The Hunter shot a few more times, but Trixie was smart enough to dodge the incoming shots. She was not, however, knowledgeable of the homing properties of the Wave Beam, and so she still got hit. As Trixie struggled to get up, an orange uppercut hit her square in the jaw and sent her flying.

“Wanna keep at it?” Samus asked calmly.

Trixie shot her a death glare. “No. In fact, Trixie thinks she’ll end this now.”

Samus didn’t take her too seriously, but still put her guard up in case the unicorn decided to surprise her. For a few seconds nothing happened, but then the Hunter started levitating. Trixie’s horn was glowing red, and so was Samus’s suit. The human smirked at this, knowing her leeching abilities would start absorbing Trixie’s magic shortly.

Her smirk quickly turned into a pained expression. She was indeed absorbing a little magic and her energy tanks were slowly filling, but the sensation was unlike any other time she drained magic. While other times she just felt a reenergizing sensation, now she felt like the magic would get her sick; it just felt wrong.

Trixie also felt the slow draining process, but ignored it. Instead, she began pulling the Arm Cannon away from the suit, putting more and more energy into it. Samus felt the tugging at her primary weapon, but could do nothing at the magical aura restraining her movements. The unicorn kept putting more effort in her task, keeping the restrain and attempting to rip the cannon off. She put so much magical force behind it that her expression was pained and sweat covered her face.

Samus realized what the mare was trying to do. While she remained calm at first, she began to panic when her visor showed the damage that was being inflicted on her suit’s arm. Before any more damage could be done, she commanded her suit to eject the Arm Cannon, thus saving the piece from any more abuse.

Trixie, seeing the cannon separate from the rest of the suit, laughed at her opponent. “This is incredible! I never would’ve done that on my own, but now that I possess the Alicorn Amulet I’m more powerful than ever!”

Samus only glared at her with gritted teeth. “You’re going to regret this.”

Trixie’s cackling died a little after, but het wicked grin stayed. “And what are you going to do about it?” Before Samus could respond, Trixie’s horn glowed red again. A nasty-looking thundercloud materialized above the bounty hunter. “I’d like to stay and gloat, but there’s a pesky purple librarian I need to humiliate. It was fun, Samus, but now it’s the end for you.”

Samus looked at the cloud as it released a ferocious red thunderbolt at her. Without the full protection of her suit, she received a lot more damage she would’ve taken otherwise. She screamed as her body convulsed in shock for what seemed like an eternity.

At long last, the attack ended and she fell to the ground. She watched Trixie walk away while laughing manically, leaving her behind. Samus could only curse the azure mare as her body gave up on her and she collapsed.

Trix of the Trade

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Chapter 18: Trix of the Trade

Samus groaned as she came back to her senses. The Power Suit was still on, except for the ejected Arm Cannon. Her whole body ached horribly, but her right arm suffered the most damage; burns covered the majority of her limb, as well as the surrounding areas of her shoulder. She regretted not wearing her Zero Suit. Samus gritted her teeth as she stood up and suffered greater pains while doing so.

She looked around, but saw she was alone. Though the gigantic glass bowl covering Ponyville was hard to miss. And even though it was a sunny day, the sealed town was covered by storm clouds. Just how long was she out and what had happened during that time?

A quick check on her suit’s info answered the question regarding time. She was out for three whole days, which honestly frightened the Hunter to some degree. She must’ve suffered more damage than she thought. Trixie went too far, and Samus was not going to just let this slide. She picked up the damaged Arm Cannon and headed for her ship, which was thankfully ignored and was located a ways outside the transparent barrier covering Ponyville. As she was about to enter her ship, the huntress looked as the giant dome briefly flashed red and promptly disappeared. Samus looked confused for a moment, but decided whatever happened could wait until after a visit to the medical bay. Her suit would need a check-up as well.

Once inside the Gunship, Samus removed the suit and placed it in the medical bay along with the damaged Arm Cannon. Her gaze drifted to a metal container with the Federation logo that was located on the right wall of her gunship. She ordered Adam to cloak and relocate the ship for the time being. As the ship took off, plans for a counterattack began formulating inside the huntress’s head. She entered the medical bay and fell asleep while the treatment began.

OXOXO

“Don’t you think the Great and Apologetic Trixie is the most magnificent humble pony you’ve ever seen?” Trixie cheerfully asked to a forgiving and bemused Twilight. Despite the apparent joy, the magician was emotionally destroyed. As a tear threatened to fall, Trixie summoned a rather pathetic smokescreen and bolted before Twilight could see her pain. In her haste, she tripped on a small rock she couldn’t see due her blurry vision, but quickly got up and continued running.

She ran and ran as fast as she could. She kept running well after leaving Ponyville, her tears never ceasing their assault. She ran until an explosion cut her way and sent her flying. She landed a few yards away, her left side burned, her foreleg broken, and most of her body sporting cuts and bruises. A few moments later, Samus stood over her with a grenade launcher mounted on an assault rifle aimed at her head. Both looked at each other in the eyes.

“Please...” Trixie pleaded. Samus was used to people who wronged her begging for their lives after she’d cornered them. She mostly always responded with a killing blow. Of course, killing Trixie would bring unwanted problems, so she’d probably call Luna or something. Still, she should at least be incapa- “...kill me.”

The Hunter was taken aback. For a split second, she lowered her weapon. It was quickly raised again, her finger hovering over the trigger. With a deep breath, she pressed the trigger.

Except she didn’t. Samus was unable to shoot the crying mare before her. Trixie was broken. This was not the same mare that had almost killed her. This was a pony that had lost the will to live, and for once Samus was unable to grant her death.

Debating what to do, Samus noticed the magician had lost consciousness. She sighed and cursed herself. Strapping the rifle on her back, Samus picked up Trixie’s motionless body and headed to Ponyville Hospital. She cursed again when the burns on her arm hurt at the strain.

The way to the hospital was long. It wasn’t so much the far distance, but the fact that Samus was in bad shape from before. Despite the medical bay’s treatment, the damage had been greater than she estimated. That, and Trixie wasn’t exactly a lightweight. An injured body coupled with the weight of an unconscious unicorn and a Federation-issued assault rifle made the trip slower than it should.

At long last they reached the hospital. Samus was about to call for help when her own body gave up. Fatigue taking over her, Samus, too, felt her senses leave her body and fell asleep.

OXOXO

“Come on... Come on... Weaken it just enough to catch it. No! No, don’t kill it! Stupid critical hits!”

Trixie heard a voice. She slowly opened her eyes and looked around in confusion. She was on a bed inside a white room with a few commodities. Her foreleg had a tube that was connected to a medical IV dispenser, and she could hear a heart monitor somewhere. But what caught her attention was the human seated on a small armchair in the corner, holding a device with two screens and several button; her arm was also covered in bandages. As memories of last night rushed back, her confusion turned to spite.

“What are you doing here? What am I doing here?” Trixie asked.

Samus looked from her game to the mare in the hospital bed. “Well, you’re hurt. Hurt ponies go to the hospital to get better. At least what they taught me here.”
“Cut the act. Why didn’t you kill me?” Trixie all but screamed.

Samus pondered her response for a second with an unworried face. “Several reasons, actually.” Seeing the confusion in the azure mare’s face, she continued “First: spite. You wanted to die, so to spite you I make you live instead. Second: seeing you teary and broken after you attacked me means something happened, and I’m interested to see where this whole thing goes. Third: you caused a lot of damage to my suit, so you’re going to make it up to me some way or another. Fourth: I’d rather avoid another of Celestia’s lectures. If I were to kill you, I’d never hear the end of it. I’m on probation as is. Last... you kind of remind me of him.”

Trixie stared at Samus. All strong emotions quickly left her face as she just slumped in her bed looking defeated and indifferent. At that moment a nurse entered the room to check up on Trixie. “Hello. I’ve come to check up on the patient. Patients,” she corrected when she saw Samus.

“What’s the point? You probably hate me, anyways. This whole town hates me, just like the rest of Equestria,” Trixie sulked. “Why bother keeping me here?”

The nurse checked her signs and made sure everything was in order, though it was evident she really didn’t like doing so. “Well, yes. But I still have a job to do. What you do after you’re cleared from the hospital is your business. I’m here to make sure patients recover.” Trixie stayed silent.

Once finished, the nurse went over to Samus, but the huntress stopped her. “No need. I just got this bandages done by the doctor. They’re covering the salve used for my burns.” Trixie just winced a little at hearing that.

“Alright. Well, have a good afternoon.” The Nurse left the room.

“I should be going too. It’s been two days, so I just wanted to check up on you. There’s a couple of things I need to do,” Samus said as she stood up and went for the door.
“Why? Didn’t I hurt you? Shouldn’t you be making sure I suffer?”

Samus stopped to look at the mare. “Like I said, you’re going to make it up to me. Now don’t go making anything stupid. I’ll deal with you later.” And with that, Samus left.
With nothing to do and too much to think about, Trixie pondered in silence until sleep eventually claimed her.

OXOXO

Trixie awoke violently to a nightmare. The sudden movement did not go well with her injured body, and that, along with the terrible things in her mind, left her sweating and panting. After a few moments to calm herself, she let her head fall on the pillow again. It was little past midnight, but Trixie doubted she would fall asleep again. She dreaded falling asleep.

“Having bad dreams?”

Trixie screamed at the sudden voice. She looked around the room and saw Princess Luna standing by her bed, watching. The sight made Trixie pale.
“I was really looking forward to meeting you again. It is a shame the reasons are less than desirable.”

“How did you know I was here?”

“Samus was kind enough to a pay a visit earlier and let me know; said she saw you acting weird with some creepy necklace. It is rather reassuring to see her prevent trouble rather than cause it... for a change. Now, where is the Alicorn Amulet?”

“Hidden. Ask that zebra, Sparkle’s friend. She took it,” Trixie said with indifference.

“Ponyfeathers,” Luna cursed. “Well, at least it’s in good hooves.” She turned to Trixie and her harsh features turned to worry. “Why did you do it?”

Trixie looked away. Tears began forming in the corners of her eyes. “What does it matter?” she choked. “Trixie is guilty of everything. Who cares what the reason was? I did it. I made them all suffer. The world would be better off without me in it. Why can’t I just DIE?!” Trixie burst into crying.

Luna just watched her with sad eyes. “Don’t be so quick to crave death. You still have your whole life ahead of you. You aren’t fully at fault for what the amulet made you do.”

“YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND! No one understands...” Trixie just kept crying with no signs of stopping.

Luna sighed. “We’ll make sure this whole incident stays in Ponyville and doesn’t spread further. For now, we shall leave you. You need some time, it seems.” Luna gave another sigh and turned to mist, leaving the room via the window. Trixie just kept weeping for what seemed like hours.

OXOXO

A floating red eyeball flew past the frozen mountains and was now near a cold prairie. It stopped and scanned its surroundings. After a few moments, the scan ended. The eye lowered its altitude until it was only a couple of yards from the ground. Locking in position, the retina began growing slowly. Soon, black particles began forming around the space the eye was observing. The particles all gathered until they formed a small black ball, which later expanded into a black and purple portal. From it, a glowing yellow ball, with four smaller orb attached to it, came forth. The portal collapsed once the inter-dimensional trip was complete.

OXOXO

Morning came to Ponyville. Not that it mattered to Trixie, who couldn’t fall asleep after the princess’s visit. Her baggy eyes only complemented how she felt. A nurse came again to check on her, and Trixie asked for a crutch to get up and get some air. The nurse offered to help Trixie, which the magician refused. Trixie used her magic to grab the crutch and found it a lot heavier than she expected. With a little help from the insisting nurse, the crutch was correctly placed under her shoulder and began to walk. Eventually, she made it to the hospital’s garden.

Once there, she waited until no staff was present. Security wasn’t really necessary in a mostly-peaceful town like Ponyville, and so she didn’t have to wait long. As soon as she was in the clear, she made her move to escape the facility. Despite the slow progress, it wasn’t a difficult task for the azure mare. There was one place in mind for her destination.

OXOXO

Samus exited the town hall, giving her good byes to Mayor Mare. The document she’d been working on had been finally finished and delivered, and now all she had to do was wait for an answer.

Today she had opted to wear her casual orange tank top and shorts. Her arm was yet again bandaged, but it didn’t seem like it got in the way of moving too much. They were mostly there for the burn-relieving salve.

As she walked back where she had located her gunship, she caught sight of miserable-looking unicorn walking with the help of a crutch. Judging from the direction she was walking to, Samus dared a guess as to where she was going, and why she was going. She gave a conflicting sigh, and headed toward the hill that overlooked Ponyville before Trixie could arrive.

OXOXO

After a couple of hours of painful walking, Trixie had finally reached her destination. She was now standing atop a hill, from where she could see the town that had caused so much grief. But that would all change in a few moments. She neared the edge and looked down. She felt a little nervous at the sight, but she had made up her mind. She closed her eyes and tilted forward, letting gravity do the rest.

Only to feel a tug on her tail.

She opened her eyes and saw that she wasn’t falling. Looking back, she saw Samus pulling her tail with quite a bit of effort. With a final grunt, the bounty hunter pulled and hurled Trixie back to safe ground.

“What are you doing?!” Trixie all but yelled.

“What does it look like? I told you not to do anything stupid!” Samus answered.

“What’s it to you? Why do you care?”

“Throw me a bone here. It’s the first time I stop someone from killing themselves; I’m usually the one doing the killing. Could you at least tell me what happened? What made such a proud unicorn fall to the point she wants to die?” Samus asked.

Trixie remained silent.

“I would very much like to hear that too.” Luna had arrived at the scene, surprising both Samus and Trixie.

At last, Trixie sighed defeated. “I’m just tired. Tired of all the hate. Tired of being defeated. Tired of trying to be a strong pony. Trixie is tired of life. Being possessed by the amulet just made me give up.”

Samus and Luna looked at each other before returning their gaze to the showmare.

“It’s not all your fault. The amulet was crafted with dark magic and is known for corrupting a pony’s mind. Be glad all you did was humiliate some ponies and not committed something more atrocious,” Luna said.

“You still don’t understand. After everything that happened, my pride was the one thing that kept me going. And now, even with the power of the Alicorn Amulet, to be tricked by Sparkle with stage magic of all things, the one thing I’m supposed to be good at, my special talent... You know how pathetic and stupid that makes me feel? How worthless I am that a simple smokescreen and some paint was enough to best the most powerful unicorn? To be so easily controlled by a piece of jewelry. To lose who I am to some shiny rock on a necklace... I’m just a weakling that will never amount to anything.”

After a long moment of silence, it was the huntress that broke it. “Don’t give me that crap. You’re expecting me to accept that the sorry excuse of a unicorn that stands before me is the same unicorn that gave me so much trouble back when I was hunting down the Elements? I don’t think so. Even if I was under Discord’s influence, that fight was all me. Don’t you dare call yourself weak, because that’s insulting my own power as well.”

“We all have our moments of weakness, Trixie. I should know, being trapped in the moon for a millennia because I let myself be corrupted by my own darkness. All because I wanted ponies to notice my nights.” Luna said in a sympathetic tone. “What happened happened. You need to look forward to mending the wrongs you did. Just like I am doing. Just like Samus is doing.”

Trixie looked at her with teary eyes. She suddenly launched herself at the princess of the night, hugging her tightly and crying all her problems away. Luna flinched only for a moment before returning the embrace and stroking the magician’s mane in a consoling manner. Samus, for her part, just looked at them uncomfortably; but she couldn’t deny it was a rather heart-warming moment for the ponies.

OXOXO

“Princess Celestia! We have a situation!” An armored stallion came running to deliver the news. The sun princess was sitting on her throne going through some papers when the guard interrupted her.

“Yes, what is it?” Celestia asked with the tiniest hints of worry.

“Th-there’s a changeling queen in the front doors of the castle!”

The princess raised an eyebrow. “A queen? What is she doing here?”

“Um... N-nothing, your majesty. She’s just sitting there...”

“Hm?”

“...politely asking for an audience...”

“Oh?”

“...with you.” At this point the guard had shrunk under the alicorn’s gaze.

The silence lasted more than it really should have.

“Well, what are you waiting for? Let her in!”

And so they did. A changeling queen walked to the throne room, and bowed at the princess in respect. “Princess Celestia. A pleasure to finally meet you.”

The sun princess looked at the creature before her for a moment. She was bigger than the average drone and her wings and horn were different, but she was still too small to be a fully grown queen. This sparked Celestia’s curiosity. “Likewise. I have to say this is a most unexpected visit... um... Please pardon the rudeness, but I don’t believe I know your name.”

The changeling blushed a little. “Oh, silly me. I’m so sorry! You can call me Princess Anis.”

“But of course!” Celestia exclaimed as if hit by epiphany, “How foolish of me. Darkly keeps mentioning you almost every time we question him. He has a rather high opinion of you.”

“Really?” Princess Anis blushed at the comment. She quickly reminded herself why she was here and regained her business demeanor. “I mean, *cough*, of course. I’m his princess, after all. A-and he’s a loyal subject. Which is why I’m here.” Anis looked at the solar monarch in the eyes, “I have come here looking for Darkly. Last I heard of him, he was being brought here because he wished to speak with you.”

Celestia then looked a little guilty. “Oh, dear me. Yes, he was indeed brought to the castle. And we did speak... sort of. I must beg for your forgiveness, but you must know Darkly was locked in the dungeons.” Seeing the dangerous expression the changeling princess was giving her, Celestia continued her explanation. “Please understand that just like you, I take the safety of my subjects very seriously. And I had him locked to provide security and avoid trouble with the more impressionable ponies. They can be quite overdramatic sometimes. Still, it was just a temporary measurement to ensure he posed no threat. And I’m glad to say he isn’t; he’s quite charming, actually.” Anis couldn’t help but agree with the pony in this regard. “Unfortunately, some rather grave and unforeseen events took place and, I’m ashamed to admit, it simply slipped our minds to relocate Darkly to a more comfortable room. But now that you’re here, why don’t we call him?”

Celestia then ordered a guard to bring Darkly to the throne room.

“Thank you, Princess Celestia.”

“It is no problem, dear. We did get some rather useful and intriguing information about changelings from him.”

“That’s another reason I’m here,” Princess Anis said, “As you may or may not know, I am Queen Chrysalis’s daughter. And our race is slowly dying, so she was forced to make desperate calls to help with our survival.”

“I can understand that. How is she doing, by the way?”

“Mother is doing fine. She is still recovering from that fight she had with the alien,” Anis said angrily.

“I’m really sorry about that. But-“

“Your ponies’ safety comes first, I know,“ Anis interrupted. She breathed deeply and calmed herself. “And I admit mother is... a little difficult to deal with sometimes. For which I apologize.” Anis bowed again. “The thing is, mother is no longer the queen of changelings.”

Celestia’s eyes widened at the news. “So... What you are trying to say is...”

“I am the new changeling queen. And the purpose of this visit is to try and reach a diplomatic solution to our problems with the ponies of Equestria. Mother was right when she said this was the most love-filled land we’ve ever seen. Despite that, I realize her approaches were... counterproductive, as is. Much too aggressive. What I would like to propose is a peaceful coexistence between ponies and changelings,” Anis finished looking directly at Celestia’s eyes.

“I must say, I am rather surprised,” Celestia said as she absorbed all the information she had just received. “I never would have guessed the daughter of the same queen that invaded my city, took my niece’s place, and bested me in combat would come and propose a peaceful negotiation. And while I am thrilled to give this a chance, I must first discuss with matters with my sister. As you know, we both have equal authority. But worry not, little Anis,“ the sun alicorn said when she saw the worry in the changeling’s face, “they are merely formalities. I am sure my sister will be happy to lend her support as well.”

“Thank you kindly, Princess Celestia.”

“Oh, just Celestia is fine. We’re both princesses. Well, princess and queen, I suppose.”

At that moment, a couple of guards arrived with Darkly. No sooner had he stepped inside the room, he was tackled and embraced by Anis. “Oh, Darkly! I’ve missed you so much!”

Celestia just watched with an amused smile on her face.

OXOXO

Samus, Luna, and Trixie were back at the hospital room Trixie was staying, deciding that the unicorn’s recovery was their first priority. Luna had convinced Trixie to keep living and give life another chance. The mood of the hospital staff also improved considerably when taking care of the azure unicorn was now a petition from Luna herself. I was amazing to see how much these ponies followed their princesses.

It was late afternoon, but Trixie had fallen asleep on Luna back in the hill. With the help of Luna’s magic, they all teleported to the hospital room and laid Trixie on the bed, effectively leaving Samus and Luna to their devices. As they pondered what to do, it was Samus who spoke first. “So what now?”

“For now, we let her rest. She needs to recover before she can do anything else.”

“So that amulet... was it really that dangerous?”

“Yes. It grants the user with great amounts of power, effectively becoming almost as powerful as an alicorn, but at the risk of losing one’s mind. The more power the user draws from it, the more corrupted their mind becomes. To be honest, we don’t know much about it. I was investigating the amulet myself, but I had nothing to go by except some books. To think she would find it so soon after Sombra’s defeat... I don’t know if it’s coincidence or not, but I’m certain there’s more to that amulet than we think. I think they may be related somehow.”

“I see,” said Samus as she looked at the sleeping unicorn.

“If I may,” asked Luna, “what exactly is your relationship with Trixie? You seem unusually caring for her.”

“Really?” Samus slightly raised her head in a pensive manner. “I don’t know. There’s something about her... I guess I could say she reminds me of someone. Someone I used to know.”

“Oh? And what happened?”

“He died. He killed himself,” Samus said sadly.

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Don’t be. I’m alive because of him. I only regret not being able to repay the favor.” Before Luna could offer any sympathies, Samus turned to the door. “Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m going to continue my little project at my ship. I’m close to finishing!”

“Have a good afternoon,” Luna said as the bounty hunter left the room. She pondered about this little piece of information Samus had just shared. The alicorn smiled. It would seem Samus was opening up more and more. Luna gave the sleeping Trixie one last glance before heading to Canterlot. The evening was approaching and she needed to raise the moon.

The flight was uneventful, only serving to make Luna wonder about the current events going on. As she made it to Canterlot castle, she saw it was still a little early to raise the moon. So she opted to drop by the throne room and have a chat with Celestia. Luna was completely unprepared for what would be waiting for her there.

“Why, hello dear sister,” Celestia greeted with her usual smile, “We have been expecting you. There’s someone here I’d like you to meet. We have much to discuss!”

Luna saw her sister causally having some tea and cookies with a couple of guests. She knew one of them, having visited him on occasions at the dungeon. The other was a small changeling queen. Luna had to do a double take. Just to be on the safe side, she cast a small detection spell on her sister, but found she wasn’t being manipulated. The lunar princess shrugged and joined them for tea. “Yes, we do, sister. So, what’s new?”

OXOXO

Samus was making the finishing touches on the welding of a metal piece. After a couple of minutes, the welder was shut down and Samus removed her helmet. As she gave one last look at her work, she got up and raised her arms in victory.

“Yes! It’s almost finished! All that’s left is to upload the A.I. in the head module and we’re done.” She turned to the ship’s computer. “Adam, I want you to make a basic A.I. code for the robot.”

“As you wish, my lady. I should be done in 12 minutes.”

“Good.” Samus grinned. She couldn’t wait to show Time Turner.

“Attention. Spatial anomaly detected.” The computer’s screen flashed. Samus immediately put her attention at the screen, but before she could do anything, the warning message disappeared from the screen. “Spatial anomaly no longer detected.”

“That’s the second time this happens. Adam, can you track it?”

“I’m afraid not, lady. The detection was very brief.”

“Hmm...” Samus pondered. “Adam, be ready to track a signal the moment something like this happens again. I want to be notified immediately. I get the feeling this is not the last time we see that message.”

“Very well. I will prepare to track down the signal if this happens again. In the meantime, I will begin the A.I. program for the robot.”

“Excellent. It’s getting late, so I’m going to bed.”

“Pleasant dreams, lady.”

OXOXO

Morning came once again to Ponyville. And with it, several ponies began their day. Among those ponies was a golden-maned gray pegasus carrying a bag filled with letters. Her destination was a spaceship. She smiled in excitement; it was the first time she delivered mail to a spaceship! Ditzy Doo, or Derpy, as most ponies referred to her, flew and quickly reached her destination. She frowned a little in confusion when she didn’t see a door she could knock. Her worries were short-lived, as a hatch opened from below the ship and Samus emerged from it in an elevator.

“Good morning! You have mail,” Derpy smiled and delivered the letter to Samus, who received it and gave her thanks. The mailpony saluted and left to continue her route.
Samus gave the letter a once-over and opened it. She took the piece of paper from the envelope and started reading. This was the answer to the document she gave Mayor Mare. That document was a permission, and this letter required the bounty hunter’s presence in town hall later today for more information, which meant they were seriously considering her proposal. Samus smiled and took to Ponyville. There were a few things she wanted to do.

First thing was checking up on Trixie. The thought of the magician brought a new set of alternatives to Samus’s plan. They promised to be interesting, at least. A few modifications here and there and they would be set.

The bounty hunter headed to the hospital. She spoke to the nurse and got clearance for a visit. Opening the door revealed Trixie was already awake, hugging two colts. Her eyes were shedding tears, but her expression was not of pain. Quite the opposite. Trixie had a very happy smile, and she kept saying “thank you” to the two colts.

As she broke the embrace, Trixie noticed Samus on the door and welcomed her in. The two colts looked at her, both with awe in their faces. One of them was short and pudgy, greenish blue in color, with scissors for a cutie mark and orange hair. The other was tall and lanky, a snail for a cutie mark, with a pale orange coat and light teal mane. They looked vaguely familiar to the Hunter, but she couldn’t quite remember who they were.

“Hello, ma’am!” both colts greeted.

“Hello,” Samus replied a little nervously. They simply smiled at her for a while.

“Trixie is happy and grateful you two made time to worry about her, but shouldn’t you be at school?” Trixie said from her bed. The colts’ faces quickly went from smiles to frowns. “Now now, boys. Education is important. If you do well in school, Trixie promises she’ll teach some magic tricks when she gets better.”

“Ok! Come on, Snails!” Snips called after his friend when he left for the door. “Bye, Trixie!”

“Coming,” said Snails. He gave one last slow smiley face at Trixie. “I hope you get better soon, Trixie! I’ll come back later.” With that, he followed Snips to school. Samus and Trixie watched them go.

“Feeling better?” Samus asked.

“A lot, thank you.”

“So... those two kids...”

“Snips and Snails? Oh, they were here to tell me they forgave me. And also to apologize,” Trixie said with a small smile. “They were the ones that brought the Ursa to town after they believed my claims in a show I made here some time ago.”

“Ursa?”

“Didn’t you hear?”

“I’m not exactly from around here.”

“Oh, right. See, some time ago, I came to Ponyville to perform a show. I made some claims that I vanquished an Ursa Major; you know, to catch attention. Well, these two colts believed everything and brought an Ursa for me to vanquish. I... couldn’t do it. Then Sparkle showed up and saved the day. I lost everything that night. That’s why I came back to get my revenge.”

“So why where you thanking them, then? I would’ve been furious.”

“I was. But then, while I was under the influence of the amulet, I did some horrible things to them. By all means, they should be hating me. I was beyond forgiveness. But here they were, giving me just that. I realize there’s still hope for a bright future.” Samus laughed at that last part. “What are you laughing at?” Trixie asked, annoyed.

“You sound so corny right now,” Samus answered, “but I can understand it. This place... Equestria... It’s just so peaceful. It makes for a nice break from my usual life.”

Trixie just stared at Samus, unsure of what to say.

“Anyways, just came to check up on you. The doctor said you should be good as new in a few days. I have to go. There some stuff I need to do. Bye.” Samus waved her two fingers and left for the door.

“See you later,” was Trixie’s response.

That went smoothly. The second thing Samus wanted to do today was have her audience with Mayor Mare to discuss her little idea. Things were looking promising, and she wanted to start as soon as possible. So with a destination in mind, she started walking.

The Trouble Center (part 1)

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Chapter 19: The Trouble Center (Part 1)

Samus reached the town hall. There, she was greeted by the mayor and Time Turner. Seeing him only served to make Samus’s day even better. She was led to the mayor’s office, where she would discuss her proposal in greater detail to the two earth ponies.

“The basic premise of your proposal is quite interesting, but I would like it if you would tell more about it. More details. I don’t want to sound rude, but the papers you gave us don’t really convey the idea too well,” Mayor Mare said as she looked at the human woman before her. She seemed to still be a little shaken, but Samus couldn’t tell why.

“Yeah...” Samus scratched the side of her face with a finger. “I’m not exactly good at writing reports.”

“Fair enough. So tell us!”

“What I want to do is open a little ‘business’. Not sure if I can call it that. This is something I picked up from one of my many travels, and I liked the idea. It’s called the ‘Trouble Center’. The idea is to open a small place where people with problems come to ask for help. They would write down their request and offer a reward for completing it. Not necessarily money; it could be anything. We would then do the job. Or any volunteer that wants to help or collect any specific reward,” Samus explained.

“Hmm. I did get that general idea. Mind giving us an example to better grasp the concept?” Mayor Mare asked. Time Turner nodded enthusiastically.

Samus thought for a moment. “Imagine a miner. The mine he usually goes to is blocked by some rocks after an accident or something. Now, he would make a request, a ‘trouble’, to ask for help with the mine’s entrance, and he could offer some jewel he found as a reward. Either I or someone who likes the reward will accept the job and help. I don’t know if your get the picture.”

The mayor’s eyes lit with delight at the prospect. “I do, dear. It sounds like a magnificent idea, now that I understand a little better how it would work!”

“But what about troubles that you can’t do? There’s bound to be some things you can’t do, no matter how good you are.” Time Turner’s question was pure curiosity.

“Ah, that’s why I want to include the option of hiring volunteers. Imagine I don’t know a thing about demolition. So how would I help? I couldn’t. But then comes a demolition pony, and he likes the reward offered. He could take the trouble and solve it. Of course, I would have control over who takes what job. I want to make this accessible to everyone. Foals and adults alike will be able to submit their troubles, as well as offer to solve them. Also, there will be the option of anonymity for troubles, though given their nature, only I would attend those. You know, in case you don’t want everybody knowing about your trouble.”

“Marvelous, dear! I love it! I fully approve your proposal. There’s just some details we have to work before I grant you permission. Mainly where you will be located and if there’s going to be more ponies other than yourself manning this center,” the mayor said.

“I was thinking of putting a billboard here, given that this is in the center of the town. There’s also going to be one by my ship, where I will mostly be. As for personnel, I’m going to start by myself. Then, if things go well, I could expand and take a helping hand, er, hoof from someone.”

“Very well,“ Mayor Mare said as she took out some papers. “I will start working on the paperwork. I’ll probably have it all ready for tomorrow, so please come at your earliest disposition.”

“Thank you very much, miss Mayor,” Samus said as she stood up. “Oh, and Time Turner?”

“Yes?” asked the stallion in question.

“Meet me at my ship this afternoon at 6. I finally finished it.”

Time Turner took a second to realize what Samus said. His face lit up in excitement. “Really?!”

“Yup. I told you would be the first to see it.”

“YESSSS!” Time Turner practically screamed. Mayor Mare shook her head amusedly.

“Well, gotta go. Later,” Samus left the building.

“Good bye, Samus,” Mayor Mare said. She turned to the brown pony beside her. “Oh, Time Turner, you can be such a dork sometimes.”
Time Turner simply giggled sheepishly.

Samus made her way to the usual café to have some breakfast. Today she was craving something sweet, so she ordered some pancakes and a cup of coffee. A few minutes later, her food arrived and she dug in. After eating half of her food, she was joined by Rarity, who was passing by and decided to say hello. This worked for the huntress, as the boutique was one of the stops she planned to make.

“Good morning, darling. How are you doing today?” Rarity asked.

“Doing good. Want something to eat?”

“Oh, no thank you. I already had breakfast.”

“Ok. I was actually going to stop by the boutique later today. There’s something I need your help with.”

“Oh? And what could that be?”

“Well, there’s this thing I want to start. And I was wondering if you could pitch in some ideas.”

“I’m listening...”

“I’m going to open a trouble center and I plan on having some volunteers. I need some way to identify them. I was thinking on having some sort of uniform or something. Something that lets people know they are taking a trouble.”

“Hmm... Well, I don’t know exactly what it is you’re going to do, but if what you’re looking for is some accessory or apparel to distinguish them, then you’ve come to the right mare.”

“Nothing too gaudy or fancy, please. Just something simple and practical.”

“Aww... I understand,” Rarity said a little disappointed.

“Thanks. I’ll drop by later to see your ideas and share mine if I come up with something. We can work out a price later.”

“Very well, darling. I’ll see you later with some drafts.”

“Later.” Samus paid for her food and left.

The next stop was the library. It’s been a while since Samus visited her favorite dragon, and she had a little research to do. So without further ado, she headed to Golden Oaks Library, where she was received by Spike, who was happy to see her.

“Hello, Samus! What brings you here?” Spike asked enthusiastically.

“Hey there, Spike. I was wondering if you had an archive for newspaper here. There’s a little something I want to look up.”

“Sure. Let me just check the basement for it. They should be around somewhere,” Spike said as he let Samus enter and headed for the basement. A few minutes later, he returned with a big stack of newspapers. Samus went over and helped the little guy with them. “Here you go! Anything else I can do for you?”

“Now that you mention it, do you mind making some tea? I heard Rarity say you make the best tea.”

Spike blushed heavily at the comment. “Uhh... sure. I-I’ll be right back.” Samus couldn’t help but laugh at the baby dragon’s reaction while she started look through the papers, looking for any promising pictures.

A while later, both Spike and Samus had their cup of tea and were reading in silence; Samus was reading the old news and Spike was reading one of his comic books. “Where is Twilight, by the way?” Samus asked, breaking the silence.

“She went to visit Zecora, so I don’t think she’ll be back soon,” Spike answered.

“I see. Oh, here it is!” Samus exclaimed out loud when she finally found the paper she was looking for, a paper depicting Trixie and a giant bear.

“Found what you were looking for?”

“Yeah. Thanks for the help.”

“No problem!” Spike replied happily. “Oh, I forgot to go pick up something at the market. I’ll be right back, so make yourself at home.”

“Alright.”

Spike left in a hurry, leaving Samus alone in the library. She read the paper a couple of times, but there wasn’t much that Trixie hadn’t already said. Still, she could see how the performer’s reputation had been destroyed. Despite the size of the bear in the picture, the article still called it a cub.

Putting the paper away, Samus was left wondering what to do while Spike returned. All of a sudden, a wicked grin plastered itself in Samus’s face. She was in a library, so of course she was going to read a little about recent history. Knowing Twilight, she would have just the right book.

OXOXO

It was past noon. Samus was laying on a couch reading a book. Spike had returned a while ago and was joining Samus with his comic books. The huntress then began snickering at what she was reading. The snickering quickly evolved into laughter.

“Oh, man. That’s rich!” she said as she turned the page.

This obviously caught the dragon’s attention. “That book must be pretty funny. What are you reading anyway?”

“It’s the story of a socially awkward pony that moves to a small town to learn about the wonders of friendship.”

“Heh, sounds familiar,” Spike commented.

“Oh, you have no idea,” Samus replied as she turned over one of the last pages.

Twilight Sparkle chose that moment to enter the library. “Spike, I’m home!” She saw both dragon and human enjoying the act of reading and she couldn’t help but smile.

“Hey, Twilight! How did it go?” the baby dragon asked.

“It went well. We had a lot to talk about, Zecora and I. And I see Samus is here!”

“Hello,” the bounty hunter greeted.

“Well, it’s always nice seeing someone enjoying the wonders of books. It always brings a smile...to...” Twilight then gave a closer look at the ‘book’ that Samus was reading. “Samus?”

“Yes?”

“Is that my dairy?” There was a twitch in the mare’s left eye. Spike gulped and fled the scene as quickly as he could.

“Oh! Yeah. I figured you wouldn’t mind since this is a library and books are supposed to be available to the public.”

“It was HIDDEN!”

“Under the mattress is hardly a good hiding spo-“

“Get out. Get out! GET OUT!!!” Twilight all but screamed. “And give me back my dairy!”

Samus was levitated and promptly thrown out the library. She picked herself up and dusted the dirt on her. She casually headed back to her ship. It would probably be a good idea to avoid Twilight for some time. Oh, well. She found the information she was looking for, plus some pretty good blackmail material, should the need arise. Then she chuckled as she remembered some of the content.

OXOXO

Samus checked the cable that connected the computer with the robot’s head. As the A.I. program uploaded, she checked the progress on the screen. In a few minutes, the robot would be completely operational. Samus grinned at the prospect.

A few minutes later, Time Turner showed up. “Welcome, Doctor,” Samus welcomed him into her ship, where the tinbot awaited. The stallion couldn’t help looking like a kid in a candy story. He looked here and there with extreme fascination while she explained the many parts and functions of her vehicle/home.

At long last, the uploading finally finished. A few seconds later, the lights in the robot’s body began lighting up. Soon after, the tinbot raised its body and stood up. It looked between Samus and Time Turner in what seemed like curiosity. The stallion let out a rather high squeal as he saw the little metal robot look at him.

The design was based on the Elysian security robots, but with a few modification. The kinetic pistol was removed, and instead was mounted on its left arm for self-defense purposes. The right arm was equipped with several common tools and looked a little wider, given that Samus planned to use the tinbot as a helper. Finally, the robot itself was smaller in size, slightly shorter than the stallion before it.

The next couple of hours were spent teaching the little robot some tricks and chores. Given that the A.I. of the robot was pretty basic, it was like teaching a child. Some things it got on its first try, others took more effort. Time Turner even went as far as to try and teach how to build a clock, which the robot did decently.

“Well, that was certainly very fun! I can’t believe robots actually exist!” Time Turner exclaimed excitedly. “Well, I have to get going. Drop by Town Hall or my shop sometime! I’ll see you later.”

“Yeah, and I have to meet with Rarity. Take care.” Samus replied when the stallion went to the elevator to exit. Once he was gone, Samus gave a couple of steps toward the exit, but stopped and gave a look to her newly constructed helper. Deciding it was well worth a shot, she called for the robot to come with her to the boutique.

Aside from a few reactions and weird looks from the passersby, the trek to the boutique was a peaceful one. Samus knocked on the door and Rarity opened it to welcome the human inside.

“And what might this be?” Rarity asked while looking at the small robot. It saluted in greeting.

“This would be my tinbot. I just finished building it today,” Samus said with some pride. “I plan to use it as my helper.”

“My, that sounds like a convenient little pet project. But little Spikey Wikey is all the help I need. He’s such a gentlecolt!”

At the mention of his nickname, the baby dragon in question reared his head from the adjacent room. “You called, Rarity? Oh! Hello, Samus! What brings you here? And what is that thing?”

“Hey there, kiddo. Just have some business with Rarity. And this is my tinbot. It’ll be helping me from now on.”

“Wow! A real robot! That’s so cool!” Spike exclaimed. “Does it have a name?”

“You know, I haven’t really thought about it...” Samus pondered for a while. “Hmm... I think I’ll call it ‘Tim’. Nice and simple. Say hello, Tim!” The little robot made some beeping sounds and greeted Spike with a wave of its hand.

“Hello!” Spike greeted back.

“Why don’t you take Tim for a tour while I talk with Rarity? He still has much to learn, and who better to teach him than Twilight’s number one assistant?” Spike beamed at Samus’s praise. “Please help him be a great assistant like you.”

The young dragon saluted. “Leave it to me! Come on, Tim! Let’s start right away!” He returned to the back room. The tinbot beeped once before following Spike.

“My, my. You never struck me as the kind to be good with kids, darling. I guess I was wrong,” Rarity commented.

“Nah. I don’t really like kids. But Spike just kind of grew on me. He’s a very special little guy,” Samus said with fondness.

“That he is, darling.”

“Anyways, I trust Tim will be in good hands, so let’s get back to business.”

“Very well. I made some sketches of various accessories and garments that may suit your needs. Tell me what you think,” Rarity said as she levitated some papers to Samus’s hands. The paper were several sketches the fashionista drew. They included scarves and pins, and even a couple of hats. Samus gave them all a detailed look before dismissing them and going on to the next.

Until she found the one.

It was rather simple, but quite charming. Samus’s face lit up at the sketch of two small scarves, each with a pin. One scarf was light blue, the same as her Zero Suit, and had an orange pin in the shape of her sharp ‘S’ insignia. The other scarf was orange in color, mimicking her Power Suit, with a green S-shaped pin.

“I love these! They’re perfect! Just what I had in mind!” Samus said, giving Rarity a smile.

“Yes, I had a feeling you were going to like those,” Rarity said with pride, but sparing a longing gaze at her more elaborate designs. “A short scarf to go around the neck, easy to see but not distracting. The pins will serve to distinguish the wearer as part of your little group. I got the idea from a symbol I saw on you some time ago, and I thought it would look good. It’s rather unique. Now, we can settle on a price after you tell me how many scarves you would like to order.”

“Just two of each color for the moment. If business picks up, I’ll order more. And maybe even ask for different colors.”

“Very well,” Rarity said in a pleasant businenessmare tone. “That’ll be 48 bits to cover materials and services. You can come pick them up tomorrow by noon.”

“We have a deal, then,” Samus said as she stood up. “I’ll bring the money tomorrow.”

“Marvelous,” chimed Rarity. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

After giving her goodbyes to Rarity and Spike, Samus and her tinbot returned to the gunship.

OXOXO

Morning came, and with it, another bunch of things for Samus to do. First thing was finding a way to quickly promote the Trouble Center. She was starting to get low on money and she would rather not be broke.

As always, her day stared with breakfast at the café. When she and Tim arrived at the café, the owner had offered her a free meal, given the success the fried potato sticks had gained since she gave the idea. Business was booming and it was all thanks to her. Samus gladly accepted the offer and ordered the biggest waffle plate she had ever seen. Coupled with some fruit jelly, the dish was nothing short of heavenly for the huntress. Samus really, really liked that café.

After her divine experience regarding food was over, Samus headed for the hospital. Her azure almost-but-not-quite-friend was still recovering, and she wanted to see how fast the magician recovered. She walked over to her room and was about to open the door when a booming voice coming from the other side of it almost scared her.

“COME ON! DO IT! JUST... DO IT! YOU HAVE THE POWER! JUST DO IT!”

Samus opened the door and found quite an amusing scene. Nurse Redheart was watching intently as Trixie’s horn shined pink and her face contorted in strain. Besides her was the bulkiest pony the Hunter had ever seen. He was shredded. Almost every inch of his white body was ripped with gigantic muscles, the exception being the minute wings he sported. He was yelling all sorts of encouraging phrases to the magician as she struggled to lift a 20 pound dumbbell with her magic.

“What’s happening here?” Samus asked the nurse. “Who’s that?”

“That’s Bulk Biceps, my brother, but we all call him ‘Snowflake’. He often comes to the hospital as a volunteer to cheer the sick ponies up,” Nurse Redheart answered between the motivational shouts of the white stallion. “He’s such a sweetheart!”

Trixie gave a loud scream of effort as the dumbbell rose another feet in the air and then fell to the floor. “That was great! A little more exercises and your magic will be good as new!” Bulk Biceps, or Snowflake, said to the unicorn. Trixie managed a smile between of the panting.

“What’s wrong with her magic?” Samus asked.

“She’s suffering from magic abstinence. Basically, her horn stopped using her own magic, and used the amulet’s magic instead. Now it is unfamiliar with her body’s magic, so it takes a lot more effort to use.”

“Like when you take away alcohol from an alcoholic.”

“Exactly. It is very rare, given the lack of magical artifacts like the cursed amulet, but there have been several recorded cases in the past. But it usually just requires some magic practice and therapy to overcome. Once her horn gets used to her body’s magic again, she’ll be good as new.”

“I see. What about her injuries?”

“They are healing nicely. She can move around, but still needs a lot of rest and to avoid strain.”

“Already? It’s surprising how fast you heal. You ponies are sturdier than you look.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah. Anyways, thank you, nurse.”

“My pleasure.”

“Samus!” Trixie exclaimed when she noticed the unexpected guest. “What brings you here?”

“Heya! You’re that Samus gal, aren’tcha? I’m Bulk Biceps,” the stallion introduced himself. “But you can call me Snowflake. Nice to finally meet you!”

“Nice meeting you, too,” Samus greeted back, giving a firm handshake to the muscular stallion.

“Ya here to pick up Trixie?” he asked.

“Just checking up on her. Once she’s clear, we’re going out for some bonding time.” Trixie raised an eyebrow at Samus’s choice of words. “She’s going to be helping me with some things.”

“She is going to be released tomorrow, if no complications arise, but her body still needs plenty of rest,” Nurse Redheart said. “And she also needs to keep doing her magic exercises.”

“What are ya gonna do, anyhoo?” ‘Snowflake’ asked.

“Mainly, she’s going to be making it up to me for almost destroying my suit’s main weapon.”

“I’m really sorry about that,” Trixie said while she lowered her eyes. “I’ll make it up to you. It’s the least I could do.”

“Oh, you will. But not today. You make sure to rest and heal. It’d be best if you were at top shape.”

“And what do you have in mind?” the unicorn asked.

“I’ll tell you later, Miss Great and Powerful. First, you need to heal.” Trixie groaned at the title. “Meet me tomorrow at Town Hall. I’ll fill you in when you get there.”

“Figures. And what is that thing?” Trixie asked, referring to the small tinbot that just entered the room.

“This is Tim, my own personal robot assistant.” The robot beeped its greetings. “Still showing him around, though. Which reminds me I was going to ask for a favor, nurse.”

“What may I help you with?” Nurse Redheart asked.

“If you’re not too busy, can you teach him some first aid? He is still learning, but I promise he won’t be trouble.”

“Well, it looks like a slow day and this seems fun. Alright! I’ll teach him some first aid and maybe even a little more,” Nurse Redheart said with a wink. “Come on, Snowflake. We have a robot to teach!”

“YEAAAAAH!”

“See you later, everyone.” Samus said as she left the room.

Samus was about to exit the hospital when she spotted Ponyville’s shyest pegasus. Fluttershy was a nervous wreck, barely trying to keep herself from fainting as she headed for the exit. It was there that she spotted Samus.

“Oh, Samus! Thank goodness! What a nice surprise!” Fluttershy almost screamed, which sounded like a little-louder-than-usual whisper to the Hunter.

“Is something wrong?” Samus asked.

“Oh, it was awful. Rainbow Dash had to be hospitalized after running into a wasp hive. I just got brought her here. The doctor said she would treat her immediately. I was so scared. She almost died!” At the last word, Fluttershy began hyperventilating. A somewhat strong slap from Samus kept her from having an anxiety attack. “Ouch. Umm, thank you.”

“Don’t mention it,” Samus said. Her face quickly darkened. “Though I didn’t expect to find wasps in this sector of the galaxy. My beam weapons aren’t operational yet, but I still have ammo weaponry. Quickly, take me to the wasp hive.”

“But they’re not-“

“NOW!”

The winged pony clamped her mouth shut, nodded, and darted to the exit, quickly followed by the Hunter. It only took them a few minutes to reach Fluttershy’s cottage. Samus materialized her suit and scanned her surroundings. Soon, she found her targets. And she had to take a second look.

“These are the wasps?” Samus asked, referring to the miniscule insects that swarmed a very tiny hive hanging from a tree.

“Umm, yes. Is there something wrong?”

“These things aren’t even half the size of my thumb.”

“Oh. I’m sorry if you expected something different, but wasps are that size.”

“Could you please explain how something this small could hospitalize Rainbow Dash? Are they venomous?”

“Oh, no. Wasps barely have any venom. And it’s not dangerous to most ponies.”

“So what happened?”

“She had an allergic reaction. It seems that Rainbow Dash is allergic to wasp stings.”

Samus struck her face with her palm. “I thought she had been mauled by war wasps.”

“Oh, no. They are just regular wasps. Um, what is a war wasp?”

Samus deactivated her Power Suit. “War wasps are wasps the size of a pony. Their stingers can puncture steel sheets. They are a plague in most places, and very aggressive. Glad to see these wasps are nowhere near as dangerous.”

“Oh my! That sounds scary. Good there aren’t any war wasps in Equestria. They sound awful. But still, wasps can be dangerous in large numbers.”

“How dangerous can they be?” A wasp decided to prove a point by stinging the Hunter’s palm. “Son of a-“

OXOXO

“I hate wasps,” Samus complained as she walked beside a butter-colored pegasus.

“They can be a little difficult to deal with sometimes,” Fluttershy said. “Thank you again for helping me relocate their hive. As much as I would love to have them in my garden, they just don’t get along with all the other animals.”

“And we couldn’t just burn them because...?”

“Samus!” Fluttershy gasped in shock. “How could you say that? There’s no need for such violence.”

“Right. Right. Sorry.” Samus found Fluttershy to be quite frustrating at times. It was probably the fact that she only seemed to have courage in the less convenient of times. Like when stopping Samus from burning down a hive of wasps. “Next time ask someone with more patience with animals.”

“I’m sorry. I asked Rainbow Dash to help me, but she got stung.”

“Oh, yeah! I forgot about her.”

“Well, I think I’ll see you later. I’m going to the hospital to check up on her.”

“I’m also going to the hospital to pick up Tim.”

“Who?”

“My robot assistant.”

“Oh.”

They reached the hospital in silence. Once there, Fluttershy went to Rainbow Dash’s room while Samus went to look for Nurse Redheart and Tim. From the look of things, the nurse had taken a liking to the small robot. Samus assumed things had gone well.

OXOXO

Samus and Tim headed to Carousel Boutique. With a smile, Rarity had invited them inside. Samus’s order was ready to go, and so was Rarity’s payment. After business were done, Samus accepted the mare’s offer for a cup of tea and cookies. They spoke about this and that, and Samus actually found it surprising how much she was actually speaking. She attributed it to actually having someone to talk to. Whatever the reason, the huntress found it quite refreshing.

A couple of hours later, Samus gave Tim the purchased accessories and ordered him to take them to the ship. Samus still had an appointment at Town Hall to ‘seal the deal’ with the Trouble Center and she didn’t want to postpone it for tomorrow.

Once there, Mayor Mare was kind enough to show her a more detailed version of her proposal. There would be a billboard in Town Hall dedicated to the Trouble Center. Clients would write down their request and offered reward, as well as other details regarding their trouble. Samus would come by a few times a day to check on it and pick up any jobs. She would then meet up with the pony to discuss the trouble in greater detail. After solving the trouble, it would be removed from the billboard and she would collect the reward. Alternately, ponies could look for her at her ship or ask for help if they encountered her.

The whole thing was basically mercenary work, only put in nicer words.

Once the procedure for the center was finished, Samus opted to return to the ship. The kinetic weapon mounted on Tim’s arm wasn’t just for show, after all, and a little combat practice would serve to pass the rest of the day. So after a quick trip to the junkyard to look for targets, Samus returned to her gunship.

Tim had completed his task successfully, and was now waiting for Samus. As soon as she entered his visual receptors’ range, he stood up and saluted in a manner similar to how she had seen Spike do. The sight brought a small smile to her face.

“Alright, little guy. I know this place is peaceful for the most part, but a little combat training should do us both good. And I did spend some time working on your kinetic blaster, so I don’t want it to go to waste.” Tim beeped in response. “Let’s get started, then. I’ll set up some targets and you will shoot them. After that, we will practice some maneuvers.” Tim saluted again.

The rest of the day was spent teaching Tim self-defense. Samus would set up targets, equip her suit, make a demonstration shot, and Tim would follow. Then the robot would learn some basic evasive maneuvers and a couple of combat techniques. As it had demonstrated before, the tinbot was a fast learner, and it made Samus feel proud of her creation.

OXOXO

The Lunar Secret Service was having one of its meetings. In it, matters of great importance were discussed by its members. Princess Luna, royal sister in command of the night sky, was at the head of the organization. It was her who had the final say in every matter the group discussed.

“You were found out by the guards. You are to be sentenced to a lifetime in the dungeons,” the lunar diarchy dictated. “What are you going to do?”

The stallion before her seemed to ponder for a short while. “I try to convince them I was framed. I roll for charisma.”

Before he could roll the die, the heavy door protecting the room opened. From the entrance, a very light blue mare entered the room. She was carrying a saddlebag, and looked somewhat weary.

“Misty Breeze,” Luna greeted. “We were beginning to think you weren’t coming tonight.”

“Sorry I’m late,” Misty Breeze apologized. “Had to stop to get some snacks.” The present ponies cheered at the prospect of more food. “Oh, and we have a situation. Outside the dice.”

“A situation, you say? Is it serious?” Luna asked.

“Well, I don’t really know. There’re reports of something. It attacks ponies if approached, but it otherwise leaves them alone. We don’t know what it is; we’ve never seen something like it. Here,” the pale blue pegasus took out some pictures from her saddlebag, “This is what we’re dealing with.”

“Hmm...” the lunar alicorn mused, “It is indeed nothing like we’ve ever seen. Does anyone have any idea on what this is? Or know anyone who might have an idea?”
The pictures were passed by each member of the Lunar Secret Service.

“I might have an idea of who might know what this is,” a gray unicorn stallion said. He was dressed in a purple cape with star patterns. “It might be a long shot, but she was as unknown to us as this thing is now.

“Good idea, Boomer. No harm in asking anyway. By the way...” Misty Breeze said, “Why must you wear that?”

Boomer laughed. “Well, my character is just a little tribute to a friend of mine. Speaking of which, I volunteer for this mission. I hear she’s in Ponyville and I’d like to pay a visit before she goes away again.”

Princess Luna smiled. “Very well, you may carry out your mission. But let’s wait until tomorrow. This night’s game is getting interesting!”

OXOXO

For reasons this story won’t mention, a certain pink clone floated through the vastness of space. She was counting stars to pass the time. She was counting her 145862th cosmic body when a sound caught the space-dwelling pony’s attention.

BZZZZZZ.

“Wazzzzpinator izz lozzt. Wazzzpinator not know where Cybertron izz. Why universe hate Wazzzpinator?” Flying by, a gigantic wasp entered clone-Pinkie’s vision.

“Hi!” She greeted with enthusiasm. “I’m Pinkie Pie. Who are you?”

“Ooh! Wazzpinator did not expect to find pink fleshy-bot in space. Wazzpinator looking for Cybertron. It’s Wazzzpinator’s home.”

“Ooh! Ooh! Is it like a giant robotic planet with lots of robots living in it?”

“Yezz. Has fleshy-bot visited home?”

“Nope! It just sounds like the name of a giant robotic planet with lots of robots living it.”

“Fleshy-bot zeemz nizze. Wazzpinator try to be nizze, too. Wazzzpinator quit being evil.”

“You were evil?”

“Yezz, but after Wazzpinator tired of being evil, friends destroy Wazzpinator.” The gigantic bio-robotic wasp lowered its head.

“Aww, don’t be sad. I’ll be your friend! Just tell auntie Pinkie what’s wrong and she’ll put a smile on your face! Well, the closest thing to a smile you can get! I don’t know if wasps can smile, but if they can, I will-“

“It all began when Wazzpinator help steal dizc. Wazzpinator was...”

The Trouble Center (part 2)

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Chapter 20: The Trouble Center (Part 2)

The sun rose from the horizon, signaling the start of a new day. A day that was going to be an interesting one for a certain bounty hunter and a certain magician. Samus rose from her comfy pilot chair and stretched her body. Somewhere behind her, Tim went online. The huntress and her robot assistant exited the gunship, and in case of the human, started doing some morning work outs. Tim, having nothing better to do or learn, followed the same steps of Samus.

A few minutes later, Samus’s morning was soured by the arrival of Rainbow Dash. There was something about the chromatic pegasus that irked Samus.

“Heya, Samus, what’s up?” Rainbow Dash greeted, but there was something in her tone that didn’t quite agreed with the greeting. A closer look to her face would validate the suspicion.

“Hello,” Samus said, somewhat wary of the pegasus, “May I help you?”

Rainbow hesitated. She drew a deep breath and spoke. “Look, I just came to thank you for helping Fluttershy yesterday. I don’t fully trust you, after the things you pulled out, but I gave her my word I would at least thank you. She seems to like you just fine.”

Samus regarded the mare for a few moments. “You’re welcome. And don’t worry about that happening again; I learn from my mistakes.”

“Just so we’re clear, I don’t like you and I don’t trust you, but Fluttershy does. I’ll keep an eye on you.”

“That’s fair. I actually dislike you very much, so I say we’re even,” Samus said. “Still, no need for unnecessary tension. You stay out of my way, I stay out of yours. Deal?” Samus offered her hand.

“Deal,” Rainbow Dash gave her hand a shake, albeit with a suspecting glare.

“Good, now go away. I have business to attend to.” With one last glare, Rainbow Dash flew away. “Come on, Tim. Today’s the grand opening.”

OXOXO

After a meaningful ‘thank you’ and a nice hug, she said her goodbyes to Nurse Redheart and Snowflake, who were seeing her off. Trixie left the hospital with a smile, carrying a small bag; a gift from Snowflake. The healthy-but-still-recovering magician took a deep breath and made her way to the center of town, where Town Hall was located. She still had some things to take care of, like making it up to Samus for all the damage she caused. And Twilight Sparkle. And the mayor. And pretty much all of Ponyville.

Trixie deflated. She could just leave and nopony would miss her, but she had made her mind about making a new start, and she’ll be damned if she started by leaving without making amends for her wrongs. While she could blame the amulet for her behavior, it was ultimately her weak mind that allowed it.

Trixie took another deep breath.

She was weak, but not anymore. She was going to make up for her past mistakes, starting with Samus. And if she looked at the bright side, Samus was a strong individual. With any luck, the alien might reveal the secret of her strength.

With renewed resolve, Trixie marched onwards to Town Hall, the first step to her new self. She marched ignoring the nasty glares the ponies around her threw her way. It only took a small magic feel of the dumbbell within her bag to reassure her that there were still ponies that could give her another chance. Snowflake was proof of that.

By the time Trixie arrived, Samus was already there. For her part, Samus was very pleased. When she arrived, Time Turner was waiting in her new space. A simple desk with a simple billboard, but Samus could appreciate simple. The stallion had taken the liberty to prepare this space for her. “Good luck in your first day,” he said. After a few pleasantries were exchanged between the alien and the timekeeper, Time Turner left to return to his duties.

That’s when Samus saw Trixie.

“Oh, you made it!” Samus said somewhat enthusiastically. “Ready?”

“Ready for what?” Trixie asked. “What are we doing? What’s with the desk?”

“Welcome to the Trouble Center,” Samus said with pride. She proceeded to explain its workings to the confused magician. Trixie, for her part, nodded as she listened.

“So what made you do this?” Trixie asked, once the explanations had concluded.

“To strike three birds with one stone,” Samus answered. “One: this is a way I could do the community service I agreed with the princesses to do to make up for my little bout of madness. Two: I do the community service thing while still having the chance to gain something from it. Three: if this hits, it will eventually let me get more information.”

“Information about what?”

“Afloraltite.”

“What?”

“It’s a mineral. It’s used to kick-start a ship’s hyperdrive to travel in space. Without it, it would take years or even decades to reach my destination. So I need afloraltite, or a good enough replacement. Thing is, I don’t even know if there’s any in this planet.”

“...So you’re looking for a rock,” Trixie concluded.

“Pretty much, yeah.”

“Well, you may be in luck. I just so happen to have made acquaintance with...” Trixie looked suspiciously to her right and left. She got closer to Samus and whispered the next part. “...somepony known as ‘Clyde’. Clyde may be able to help you.”

Samus raised her eyebrow.

“But that’s for another chapter. What Trixie wants to know now is why you summoned her here,” Trixie said.

“Well, I wanted to show you the Trouble Center, since you’re going to be helping me run it.”

“WHAT?!” Trixie yelled. “Actually no. Trixie figured as much. And Trixie appreciates what you’re trying to do. Her question is: Why Trixie?”

“You seem like you want to redeem yourself, so I figured you could give the Trouble Center a chance at that. Also, you are well-traveled, apparently well-connected, and you seem to know a thing or two, so I figured you might be useful as a source of information. I figured right, since you already gave me a promising lead of afloraltite. Plus, I find you interesting.”

Trixie pondered the answer. After a few moments, she spoke. “Trixie might as well try her luck here. If anything, it’s a start.”

“Trixie!” a booming voice exclaimed loudly. Samus and Trixie turned to see Mayor Mare accompanied by a gray unicorn. Samus recognized him as Boomer, one of the guards that assisted her back in her reconnaissance mission to the forest.

“Boomy!” Trixie rushed and hugged the stallion. “It’s wonderful to see you! But what are you doing here?”

“Hello, Samus. Miss Trixie,” Mayor Mare said that last part with barely concealed loathing. “This young stallion was looking for you, Samus. I told him about the Trouble Center.”

“Thank you, miss Mare,” Boomer thanked. He turned to Samus while Trixie returned to the Hunter’s side. “She told me today was the grand opening. I was going to ask for a favor, but why not be your first customer instead?” Boomer laughed.

“Very well,” Samus said. “How may we be of assistance? And what are you offering as a reward?”

“I want your help identifying and possibly neutralizing an unknown entity. We don’t really know what else to call it. I offer 5000 bits for your help, plus a bonus depending on how well you perform.”

“We accept!” Trixie yelled.

“You are aware you just came out of the hospital, right?” Samus asked.

“Trixie is fine. She’s had much worse,” the blue mare said. “Plus, I haven’t seen Boomy in a while, so I would like to catch up.”

“Betty’s right. We have so much to talk about!” Boomer added.

“Betty?” Samus asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Short for Beatrix. I like to mess with her,” Boomer laughed.

“Trixie doesn’t mind. He lets me call him Boomy, after all.”

“Right. So, about this mission...” Samus said.

“There was a sighting of an unknown entity in the fields near Fillydelphia,” Boomer answered. “It drops small exploding orbs that damage the vegetation, but it doesn’t really move much. It attacks anything that comes too close with a nasty bolt, but it is otherwise not aggressive. Any ideas?”

“Hmm... Trixie doesn’t recall encountering anything like that. Perhaps if she were to see it?”

“Well, I did bring a picture one of the Fillydelphians took.” Boomer took out a picture from his mane. “Here.”

“Trixie has never seen something like it,” the azure mare said as she looked at the picture. “Any chance you have?”

Samus took the picture and gave a look at it. She recognized the object in question immediately. “Impossible! There’s no way that could... be... Unless... Tim, stay here and keep an eye on the center. I’m going to investigate something.”

Boomer and Trixie gave each other a look before turning their attention to Samus again. “So, do you recognize what this is?” Boomer finally asked.

“I think I do, but something is not right. Let’s go. I accept your trouble, so let’s get a move on.” Samus began walking toward her ship.

“Um, the train station is that way,” Boomer said while pointing to another direction.

“We’re riding something much better than a train. Follow me,” Samus ordered. Boomer and Trixie obeyed.

OXOXO

Once they reached the gunship, Samus asked for coordinates and Boomer was quick to provide them. The coordinates were set and the ship took off. Despite the growing uneasiness she felt, Samus was enjoying seeing the faces of her two pony companions. The ponies had apparently never flown before. Trixie seemed to enjoy it, while Boomer had a nervousness around him. It was quite funny.

The trip took only around 20 minutes. Samus landed the ship on the Fillydelphia outskirts and all three travelers got out. Boomer almost kissed the ground when he got out, but managed to keep some dignity.

“Alright. Lead the way,” Samus commanded.

“This way,” Boomer said.

They walked toward a rather damaged field, were a couple of ponies were keeping watch on the mysterious entity. Boomer got ahead and explained the situation, making sure he introduced Samus as an ally and not another thing they should worry about. Despite their uncertainty, the ponies knew better than to mistrust a royal guard. With all that out of way, Samus equipped her signature armor and began scanning the orbs depicted in the picture.

“Shit.” Samus’s fears were confirmed. The floating orb was a Harmony class drone, of Luminoth origin. “Message incoming” her visor showed. She opened it, seeing it came from the drone before her.

“Beware the ma-“ it read. Whatever it was trying to say, the message had been cut short before it could be transmitted. Samus gave another look at the drone.

“What are you trying to tell me?” she asked. The drone did nothing to answer her. Samus gave some steps toward it, but jumped back when it shot an electrical beam at her. “Whatever it was, looks like you’re not going to give me any more answers, are you?” Another electrical beam. She sighed and aimed her cannon. A few shots from her Battlehammer blasted the drone to oblivion.

Samus turned and found Trixie looking expectantly at her. “What?” Samus asked.

“Ugh, you had the perfect chance and you blew it!” Trixie said exasperatedly.

“Excuse me?”

“That was the perfect time for an epic one-liner. Have you no showmanship?”

Samus groaned. “One-liners are for douchebags.”

“Anyway, what was that thing?” Boomer asked.

“That...” Samus said, turning her attention to the gray unicorn, “...was a Harmony Class Drone. They are Luminoth technology; units originally designed for cleaning, but something messed up their programming.”

“So you’ve seen these things before?

“Yes. What I want to know is why a piece of a civilization lightyears from here would be found here? How did it get here? And what does finding it here mean?”

“You said Harmony class? As in the Elements of Harmony?” Trixie asked.

“Could they be related?” guessed Boomer.

“I don’t know. For now, the thing had been dealt with. Let’s go back to Ponyville. There is something that’s been bothering me for a while,” Samus said.

OXOXO

“Here you go, 5000 bits. Plus a little extra. I’ll head back to Canterlot now. See you later!” Boomer said as he made his way to the train station. Samus, Trixie and him had returned from the little mission and were now in Ponyville again. “It was great seeing you, Trixie!”

“It was nice seeing you too, Boomy,” Trixie said as she hugged the stallion. “Trixie will likely stay in Ponyville for a while, so feel free to come say hi.”

“Will do,” Boomer replied. “See you later! You too, Samus.”

“Later.” Samus gave one of her two-finger wave.

Once Boomer left the scene, Trixie turned to Samus. “Now what? There’s still some time before the days ends.”

“We got way more money than I thought we would on our first day,” Samus said. “Wanna go spend it? Tim can handle any customers for the rest of the day.”

“What do you have in mind?”

“Well, there’s this spa I went to the other day...”

OXOXO

Way above the atmosphere of the planet, a single drone flew by. As it entered the stratosphere, a protective energy bubble materialized, protecting it from the harsh temperature of planet entry. Minutes later, the drone broke the fall with its thrusters, stopping a ways before it hit the ground. The drone consisted of a spherical head with a single optical receptor, mounted on a body resembling a bird, complete with metal wings.

The drone took a look at its surroundings, taking in every detail available. A few moments later, the energy bubble blinked out of existence and its body seemingly disappeared. The cloaking capabilities of the drone were not perfect, but more than good enough to fool the majority of the life forms it had encountered so far. With precautions taken, the drone began the search for its objective. Its target: Samus Aran, wanted dead or alive by the Galactic Federation.

OXOXO

Elsewhere on the planet, a single red eyeball watched as the legendary bounty hunter blasted the Harmony class drone. The work was done swiftly and efficiently. The eye remained hidden from sight, lest it risked facing the Hunter, which it knew wouldn’t be much of a challenge to her. It watched as the armor-clad woman discussed something with her equine companions, and then left.

Still, the red eye remained stationary for several more moments. It wasn’t until the sun began its descent that the eye moved, determined to look for another suitable spot for the next delivery.

OXOXO

“That was a wonderful afternoon. I thank you for your visit,” Princess Celestia said to her two changeling visitors, who were just now leaving the castle after an afternoon with the solar alicorn.

“The pleasure is ours. It was indeed a pleasant meeting. We hope to see you again soon,” Queen Anis, current monarch of the changelings, said as she bowed her head.

“Yeah, thanks for everything! The tea and cookies were great!” Darkly, Queen Anis’ chamberlain, eagerly complimented.

“You’re welcome any time you wish. I look forward to our next meeting.” Princess Celestia flashed them her signature motherly smile.

“It will be soon,” Anis said with a smile of her own. “There’s still much to discuss, but I feel that things will turn out better than I hope.”

“Very well. I will see you soon,” the solar alicorn said. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, there are some things I need to attend to.”

She left the room, knowing the guards would escort the changelings out without trouble. She made her way to the familiar balcony, where her sister Luna awaited. After a brief greeting, Celestia focused her power and began lowering the sun, at the same time in which Luna began raising the moon.

“Tell me, sister, how did the meeting with the changelings go? I hope everything went well?” Luna asked.

“Oh, very well indeed. It’s hard to imagine sweet Anis to be related to Chrysalis. Their personalities are completely opposite. Which is why I’m glad the changelings are ruled by Anis now. Things look very promising. With luck, we could officially welcome the changelings to Equestria before long,” Celestia answered. “And how are things on your end?”

“Things are looking up,” Luna commented. “My little group got a new member yesterday, and we’re showing her around. A little hotheaded, but she means well. Boomer also came with news that the little incident near Fillydelphia has been addressed. And by Samus and Trixie no less. Though he mention Samus recognized the entity.”

“Did she mention anything about it?”

“Boomer said she didn’t say anything enlightening, but she was going to investigate the matter. Whatever it is, I’m confident Samus can handle it.”

“Looks like you have her in high regard again,” Celestia said with a grin.

“She is a rather unique character, I’ll admit.”

“Well, she did come from outer space.”

“And she did come from outer space. But you know what I mean.”

“Relax, I’m just teasing you a little. And what about Trixie?”

“Doing a lot better, says Boomer. Looks like she no longer wants to die.” Those words tensed the mood.

“That’s good to hear,” Celestia said with heavy air. “Though I shudder to imagine what had to go through her head to even consider... you know...”

“Yes, I know. But relax, sister. It is something you cannot understand, so it’d be best if you didn’t linger on such thoughts.”

Celestia looked at her younger sister. She understood the undertone of Luna’s words, but chose not to comment on it. Instead, she figured she would return the conversation to more pleasant topics. “You’re right. By the way, the new chef says he has the recipe for a never before seen cake, and he was going to bake one tonight. Would you like to accompany me?”

“A new cake, you say? It sounds like a good idea.”

OXOXO

“Wow. Trixie had never given herself the chance to try a spa. This is just... Wow!” Trixie said as she relaxed in the spa’s relaxing tub.

“I hear you, sister. I never knew you could be this relaxed.” Samus sunk a little more so the water would cover her neck. “Rarity was the one that brought me here. And well, I actually liked it.”

“Rarity? The name sounds familiar...”

“White unicorn, purple mane, posh attitude. Element of... One of the Elements of Harmony.”

“Oh, right. Her... Trixie doesn’t much like her. Or most of Sparkle’s friends, for that matter.”

“They’re not so bad. Most of them, at least.”

“I’ll take your word for it. For now, let us relax.”

And before long, their time in the water was over. After Samus and Trixie were done relaxing in the spa, they exited the building and went for an evening snack. They opted to get some ice cream and went to the park.

“So, I was wondering,” Samus said as she licked her orange-flavored ice cream.

“Yes?” Trixie had ordered a rose-flavored ice cream for herself.

“Where are you going to stay? As far as I know, you don’t have a place of your own here.”

“That is true. Trixie does not have a place to stay. That is because Trixie does not need a place to stay. She has been travelling for a long time now, and camping is as comfortable to Trixie as a house is to the common pony,” Trixie said with an air of tranquility. “Trixie will set camp outside Ponyville.”

“Very well. See you tomorrow at the center.”

OXOXO

Another day, another dollar. Or something like that (what the hell was a dollar?). Samus couldn’t remember how the phrase went exactly, but she understood what it meant. Mostly.

As per routine, the day began with morning exercises, followed by a delicious breakfast at the usual café; the only difference being Tim now followed her. On her way to the trouble center, he passed Twilight and Spike, who were annoyed and excited to see her, respectively.

“Hello, Spike. Hello, Twilight,” Samus greeted.

“Hi, Samus!” Spike returned the greeting with energy.

“Hi.” Twilight, not so much.

“Still angry, I assume?” Samus asked. Twilight answered with a glare.

“Oh, boy. You have no idea,” Spike said. “She made me clean the toilets twice! With a toothbrush! And I didn’t get dessert.”

“And you should be glad that’s all I made you do,” Twilight admonished. “I can’t believe you let her read my diary!”

“Hey, easy on the kid. It wasn’t his fault you left your diary defenseless.” Samus took a step toward Twilight.

“It was HIDDEN!” The librarian yelled.

“Again, under the mattress is the worst place to hide valuable information.”

“I can’t believe you!”

“Calm down, you two!” Spike interjected. “Weren’t you two friends?”

“Ah... I don’t know how to answer that,” Samus answered.

“I think of you as a friend,” Twilight suddenly said in a much milder tone. “Even after all that happened, I still consider you my friend, Samus.”

Samus suddenly began feeling a little uncomfortable when both Spike and Twilight looked at her expectantly. Lucky for her, she was saved by a rather flamboyant azure mare.

“Samus! Good morning!” Trixie greeted when she spotted the alien. “Oh, and Sparkle and her pet dragon. Good morning.”

“Good morning, Trixie.” Although trying to be civil, Twilight couldn't fully hide her current feeling of dislike for Trixie.

“I’m not a pet! And what are you doing here, anyway?” Spike didn’t really try to be civil. “I thought you were going away. Far away, preferably.”

Although good at masking it, the comment still hurt Trixie. “Sorry, little lizard, but Trixie will be staying for quite a while.”

“Be nice, Spike,” Samus said. “Trixie will be helping me run a little business of mine. Why don’t you come later and try to patch things up?”

“Why are you taking her side?” Spike whined. “She enslaved the whole town! She turned me into a ball, for goodness sake.”

“Um, Trixie is really sorry about that. She wasn’t in her own right mind.”

“I somehow doubt that.”

“Spike! That was uncalled for. Apologize this instant.” Twilight commanded. Despite her own dislike, she was not going to stand idly while her number one assistant badmouthed someone.

“Alright, alright. Jeez,” Spike begrudgingly conceded. “I’m sorry for being rude. But you still deserve it.”

“Spike, let it go.” Samus intervened this time. “She’s trying to make up for it.”

“But why are you defending her? She hurt you, too,” the little drake countered.

“True, but as I said, she’s making up for it. You shouldn’t be too hard on her; that would be hypocritical.”

“What do you mean?” both Spike and Trixie asked at the same time.

“Well,” Samus said while she put her finger on her chin in mock thinking. “I recall reading a couple of pages depicting a certain baby dragon being overcome by greed and transforming into a giant dragon that almost destroyed Ponyville.”

“Oh... That,” Spike conceded defeat.

“She’s right,” Twilight, none too happy knowing just where Samus read that little event from, still recognized the voice of reason. “You shouldn’t be criticizing others.”

“There was also that incident with a doll and forbidden magic,” Samus added.

“We get it!” Twilight exclaimed. “Now we’ll be on our way and do the stuff we were going to do.”

“Like what?” Spike asked.

“Like reshelving the library, of course. Someone made a mess of it last night,” Twilight answered.

“That was you! You stayed up all night reading. Again.”

“Yes, I did. But you’re going to help me anyway.”

“Why?”

“Because I’ll buy you that ruby ice cream you mentioned the other day if you do.”

“Ooh! Deal!”

And with that, Twilight and Spike left for the library, leaving Samus, Tim, and Trixie.

“Umm, thanks for sticking up for me. I appreciate it,” Trixie said after a while.

“No problem. Let’s go.” And so they did. In a few minutes, they reached their place at the trouble center. Today there were only a couple of troubles, but it was to be expected, given the place had only been open for a day.

“So, how do we proceed?” Trixie asked when she saw the two requests, not yet fully understanding how the trouble center worked.

“We have someone asking for help moving some furniture. The reward is some tea and cake. There’s another one asking for help looking for a lost pet that offers 50 bits.”

“They sound kind of mundane.”

“Well, not all troubles involve saving the galaxy,” Samus said with some content. “So let’s get moving. We’ll meet with the moving guy, and proceed to the pet guy when we’re done.”

“Alright, you’re the boss.”

OXOXO

“Thank you so much for your help, sweeties,” said an elderly mare. “You can have as much cake as you want.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” answered Samus, who was currently eating a generous slice of chocolate cake.

Trixie, who was sitting beside her and was panting heavily, also spoke. “Trixie *cough* is happy to help *wheeze*. This cake *pant* is delicious.”

“Oh, have more if you want,” the mare offered.

“That’s alright. This is more than enough,” Trixie said as she downed her tea.

“I didn’t expect you to be so tired after lifting a few pieces of furniture,” Samus commented as she sipped on her tea.

“I’m still not over the magic abstinence. I still need more time and therapy.”

“Oh, right. Sorry.”

“No problem.”

“Alright,” Samus said as she stood up, cake and tea finished. “Time to go. Thanks for the cake, ma’am. It was great.”

“No problem, sweetie,” the older mare answered. “Come back anytime.”

OXOXO

“Here’s a picture of my sweet Snugglewhiskers. Please find him!” a white stallion begged.

“We’ll do what we can, sir,” Samus said.

“Yes, just leave it to us!” Trixie added.

“Oh, thankyouthankyouthankyou!” the stallion eagerly thanked. “”He likes to roam the market, so maybe that’s where you’ll find him.”

“Thank you for the info. We’ll be leaving to search for him now.” The huntress turned to leave, Trixie following behind her.

As they made their way to the market, Trixie couldn’t help but comment. “That stallion’s unbearable! No wonder his cat ran away.”

“Yes, but a job is a job, and we already accepted this one. Suck it up and help me search. We’re looking for a white and orange cat with a blue bow.”

“Trixie knows. Hmm. It’s a shame she can’t use too much magic now; a dowsing spell would be convenient.”

“Probably. Lucky for us, I have this,” Samus said as her helmet materialized on her head. “Just a few minor adjustments to the scanner and... there! I can track felines with my sensors.”

“And...?”

“And... I got something. Hmm. Two signals. Come on.” Samus led Trixie to an alley, where they found the stallion’s cat and his mate, a cute black cat.

“Aww, they look so cute together,” Trixie d’awwed.

“Sadly for them, we have a job to do.” Samus swooped in and snatched the cat with the blue bow.

“Have you no heart?” Trixie admonished when she saw Samus’s lack of empathy.

“I can’t afford a heart during my missions. Besides, it’s not like I killed them. Now let’s go.”

“Who said that?” Trixie suddenly demanded as she looked suspiciously at the alley.

“I did. What’s wrong with you?” Samus asked, but Trixie paid her no mind. A minute later, Trixie seemed to come back to her senses. “What was that about?”

“What? You didn’t hear that?” Trixie asked.

“No, I didn’t.”

“Huh. Well, I suppose I’m hearing things. Wouldn’t be the first time. Let’s go return this cat back to his owner.”

“Are you ok?” Samus almost sounded worried.

“Yes, I’m fine. Being on the road makes you sensitive to small noises. Sometimes those noises are just your imagination,” Trixie answered.

Samus looked at Trixie intently for another moment. “If you say so.”

After returning the cat to its obnoxious owner, Samus and Trixie wandered around town for a while. Samus noted with some worry that Trixie seemed very distracted, so she suggested the mare went to her camp to do some more magic exercises and rest afterwards; a suggestion Trixie took with not much joy.

Saying their farewells, they parted ways. Samus still wandered around town, looking for something to do while Trixie returned to her camp. The huntress then wondered if her favorite baby dragon would be free for the rest of the day. If anyone were to show up at the center, either they could just post their trouble or Tim would sent her an alert. Either way, she doubted it. The center wasn’t that known yet. With a plan in mind, Samus made her way to the library. She wasn’t overly keen on greeting Twilight, but she figured Spike was worth the hassle.

A few minutes later, Samus arrive at the town’s library. She opened the door and found Twilight barking orders and levitating dozens of books around her. Spike was on a ladder, trying desperately to keep up with the librarian’s commands. Neither of them noticed the amused human by the library’s door.

“Knock knock,” Samus said after a while of being unnoticed. “May I come in?”

“Samus!” Spike greeted excitedly, which prompted him to lose his footing and fall to the ground, along with a couple of books. He quickly recovered. “What brings you here?”

“Well, I have the rest of the day probably free, so I was wondering if you would like to keep me company?”

Spike only looked at Twilight to ask for unspoken permission.

“Alright, you may go. I could use a break, too. But this will be done before you go to bed, okay?”

“Yes, ma’am!” Spike saluted like a soldier.

“Okay! Have fun, you two. I’ll go visit some of the girls,” Twilight said as she picked up a saddlebag and left the library.

“Any idea on what to do?” Samus asked once she was alone with Spike.

“I don’t know,” Spike mused for a short moment. “Oh! There’s this new cupcake flavor Pinkie Pie invented. Wanna go try it?”

“Sounds like a good idea.”

And so human and dragon left for some sugary goodness. And as a little token of appreciation, Samus volunteered to help Spike with his work after their snack.

OXOXO

In was evening now, and Samus was trekking back to her ship after sending Tim the command to return to the ship for the day. As always, she had greatly enjoyed her time with the little baby dragon. As she walked, the bounty hunter figured it would probably be a good idea to check on Trixie. It just wouldn’t do if her partner wasn’t in good shape, would it?

So taking a little detour, she quickly reached Trixie’s camp. The sight that greeted her was somewhat odd. There was Trixie, standing on her back legs doing some strange pose. She had her eyes closed and her horn glowed pink, signaling that the floating dumbbell floating around her was caused by her magic. As the mare released her breath, her pose slowly changed; her forelegs moves in a flowing movement, and one of her back legs traces half a circle on the ground to keep the balance. This continued for some time, until the unicorn finally opened her eyes and gave a high-pitched shriek.

“WHERE IN TARTARUS DID YOU COME FROM?!”

“K-2L. But the question is what were you doing?” Samus answered and asked with her distinct calmness.

After a few seconds to calm down, Trixie answered. “Just a few exercises that help me think and calm down. I learned them from one of my travels around the oriental province. An antelope called Long Hon taught me.”

“I see. Looks like a nice way to clear your head. I usually meditate when I need to clear my mind.”

“So they meditate back where you come from?”

“The people that raised me had a very strong spiritual connection. I was never too good with spiritualism, but some techniques have been useful to me.”

“Same with Trixie.”

“So what’s troubling you?” Samus finally asked.

“There’s a lot going on in my head right now.”

“You can start with the biggest issue.”

The unicorn looked uncertain for a moment, but eventually gave in. “Fine. The whole thing with the amulet is still bothering Trixie. She knows it is safely locked away with that zebra and that there is nothing to fear, but it still bothers her.” Trixie gave Samus a pleading look. “And Trixie still feels like a failure. If you don’t mind, would you share with Trixie the story of how you got your power?”

Samus gave the question a long, deliberate thought. She internally debated whether revealing some of the secrets of her suit and how she got it to a pony recently freed from a corrupting influence was a good idea. Were this any other place, the answer would’ve been ‘no’, but Equestria has proven several times to be unlike any other place Samus had visited. Plus, sharing how she got the suit would do no harm. Sharing information was, after all, a big part of the chozo culture.

Samus gave Trixie a small wistful smile. “Very well. Let’s go to my ship. I bought some tea some time ago and I haven’t had a chance to make some. I’ll tell you over a cup.”

Trials of Power

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Chapter 21: Trials of Power

Samus poured some tea over a couple of cups. She offered one to Trixie and kept one for herself. They were sitting on top of the huntress’ gunship, enjoying the night sky. Samus took a sip of her cup and decided tea-brewing was definitely not her strong suit. It was still enjoyable, but certainly nowhere near the quality of the tea Spike brewed.

“Where to begin?” Samus pondered out loud. “I suppose back when I lived in K2-L. It was a peaceful mining colony that specialized in afloraltite, a mineral used to power the ignition module for most space-faring vessels.”

“The one you told me about earlier?”

“Yes. Anyway, one day, the chozo came to visit. They were bird people I had never seen before. Of course I was only a small child back then. I was afraid of them when I first met them, but they proved to be friendly and taught me that appearance didn’t matter, friendship respected no shapes. Later that same day, I met Ridley, leader of the space pirates.” Samus’ tone immediately went venomous.

“Ridley?” Trixie asked.

“A space dragon. Thinking about what the Chozo said, I offered him my friendship. I was a stupid, naive baby. Ridley proved to be the opposite of the Chozo. He and his group of pirates had invaded the colony and slaughtered everyone. I was the only survivor.”

Trixie gasped. She offered a hoof in support and rested it on Samus’ leg. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to...”

“It’s alright. It was a long time ago,” Samus said, losing most of the venom in her voice. “Most of the pirates were killed and Ridley suffered severe wounds, anyway. After the whole ordeal, the chozo that visited earlier found me. They took me with them and raised me in their ways.” Samus’ voice now had a nostalgic tint to it. “I couldn’t survive in their homeworld at first, so they modified my body with some of their DNA to be able to survive Zebes’ harsh climate. I became part chozo, and for all intents and purposes, I became one of them.”

“Wait, so they modified you? So you’re not completely human?” Trixie asked, trying to wrap her head around the issue.

“I look human, but I’m actually a hybrid. Part human, part chozo, and now part metroid.”

“Metroid?”

“Yes. We’re getting a little off topic, so I’ll tell you about metroids later.”

The unicorn smiled. “Very well.”

“As I said before, the chozo took me in. They are one of the most advanced civilizations in the galaxy. Their technology was far superior than most, and their knowledge was ever-growing. And yet, they never forgot about the simple joys nature could provide. The perfect mixture of technology and tradition. They were the ones that engineered my Power Suit.”

“They sound like great people.”

“They were,” Samus said, but her tone lost some of its joy. “But after another incident with Ridley and the pirates, they vanished.”

“Were they killed by Ridley?” Trixie asked with some concern.

“Some were, but most escaped. When I say they vanished I mean that they... simply disappeared. To this day, I keep finding chozo ruins in many worlds, but I haven’t found the chozo themselves. To be honest, I have no idea if they still live.”

“What a mysterious race...” Trixie said mostly to herself. She returned her attention to Samus. “So they were the ones to give you your suit?”

“Yes. But the suit they gave me at first was nothing compared to the one I have now.”

“Oh?”

“When I was old enough, I left Zebes and became a recruit in the Galactic Federation. I spent most of my days hunting down and destroying pirates. After some differences I had with the federation, I left and became an independent bounty hunter. Still, they would be my most frequent employers. It was on a mission to assist Zebes during a pirate invasion that I got this suit.”

“What happened?”

“I destroyed most of the pirate base, but when I was about to leave the planet, they shot my ship down. My previous suit had sustained damage beyond repair. There were still many pirates and I had lost most of my offensive and defensive capabilities.”

“And yet, here you are,” Trixie said.

“And yet, here I am,” Samus repeated with a grin. “I ventured to one of the ancient temples, where I faced one of my greatest challenges yet: defeat the very power I was going to obtain.”

“What do you mean?”

“Shortcuts to power eventually lead you the wrong way. You can’t hope to control a power you can’t defeat by yourself. I faced the suit I now wield. A ghostly version of it, with my reflection inside. I had to defeat it with only my paralyzer.” At seeing Trixie’s awed expression, Samus’ tone got a wise quality to it. “You have power. It's up to you to master it and discipline your heart. And you can only do that on your own. Those were the words Gray Voice taught me. I can only hope they will be of use to you."

They stayed silent for a long time, just enjoying the peace of the starry night. The silence was eventually broken by Trixie. “I will head to camp now. Thank you for sharing all this. You gave me a lot to think about. Have a good night.” She got up and jumped down from the ship.

“Good night. Sleep well,” Samus responded from her perch point.

OXOXO

Elsewhere, not too far from the peaceful town of Ponyville, a winged drone continued its search. Night had fallen, but its optical sensors were sophisticated. It continued searching for its target well into sunrise.

It was morning when its sensors picked up a promising lead. It followed the signal until it reached the outskirts of a town. It was there the drone found its target. The gunship that stood there could only belong to Samus Aran. The drone stopped flying and landed. A big antenna emerged from its head, ready to send the information.

It was, however, blown apart by a missile. The very person it was trying to find had found it, armored and heavily armed. The drone attempted to generate a defensive barrier, but another missile blew up one of its wings, where the shield generators were located. Grounded and defenseless, the drone could do nothing to stop the bounty hunter from yanking its head and neutralizing it.

“Nice try,” Samus said to the piece of technology she held in her hand. She gave a closer look to it. “Hm. This must be the new scouting drone I heard about.” She grabbed the body as well and took all the piece to her ship.

Once inside, Samus ran some scans and retrieved whatever information she could from the flying robot. She had first felt dread at seeing a piece of Federation technology just casually flying toward her ship. Quick-thinking made her equip her suit and destroying the drone’s means of transmitting data. The scans showed that it had been unable to transmit any information, however, and this made the hunter sigh in relief. The fact that they had sent a scout drone and not something more dangerous meant that they had no idea if she was here or not.

“Still, this could come in handy. It’s not every day you happen across a Federation Hummingbird-class scout drone. Let’s see what we can gain from this little piece of equipment,” she said to Tim, who beeped in response.

After triple-checking this little invasion did not compromise her position, Samus removed the right arm of her suit and placed it on a desk littered with tools. She pressed some buttons on her helmet and faced Tim. “Alright, looks like we can’t postpone this any longer. I’m uploading the blueprints and specs of the Power Suit’s arm cannon to you. Make sure you repair it. Prioritize beam weaponry. I get the feeling we’ll be needing all the firepower we can get. It’s only a matter of time before someone finds us. Adam, keep a constant watch on anything that could mean federation technology or that spatial anomaly we detected some time ago. Let me know when the repairs are finished. I’m heading out.”

“As you wish, lady,” Adam responded.

Samus left her ship to return to the trouble center, leaving her suit’s repair to Tim. She walked back to Ponyville, unaware of how accurate her feeling was.

OXOXO

A few days had passed since the federation drone encounter. Scans confirmed the Hummingbird-class drone had been unable to inform anyone of her current location, meaning she wasn’t risking inadvertently summoning the Galactic Federation to Equestria. In any case, her suit was once again in peak working condition, everything in her arsenal’s history ready to fire, with phazon weapons and the Hyper Beam being the only exceptions. Still, the federation drone was but one of the many questions that now circled her head.

Was there a connection between this piece of technology and the Luminoth drone they had destroyed a few days ago? Or was that simply an extremely unlikely coincidence? Either way, Samus had a feeling things were going to get more complicated. Maybe not necessarily bad, but certainly more interesting.

Samus walked to the trouble center to see if there was any interesting trouble today. Trixie was already there, looking for any rewards that caught her fancy. They both greeted each other as they took their place in the stand.

“What do we have today?” Samus asked.

“Nothing,” Trixie answered. “Unless you count Snips and Snails posting a trouble for me to teach them magic tricks as ‘something’. By the way, I’ll be leaving early today. I’ll be teaching Snips and Snails some magic tricks this afternoon.”

“Yeah, I figured,” Samus responded. “Might as well. I have a pending visit to Canterlot. Seeing as today will be a slow day, I was thinking of going this afternoon.”

“Very well. Trixie was getting hungry. What do you say we go have some brunch?”

“My thoughts exactly. Some waffles sound good. What do you say?”

“Mmm... Trixie loves waffles.”

“Waffles it is.”

Samus and Trixie made their way to Sugarcube Corner. They arrived and took their seats. An overly energetic pink waitress greeted them, asking for their orders and telling some random story. Trixie, knowing the pink pony to be one of Sparkle’s friends and having literally removed her mouth not long ago, felt very awkward. Pinkie Pie, being Pinkie Pie, had seemingly forgotten such offense to herself had ever taken place. She treated Trixie like she treated every pony and non-pony in Ponyville: with lots of love and showers of friendship.

“I can’t believe that mare!” Trixie quietly exclaimed once the party pony left to fetch their orders. “I hurt and banished one of her friends. Heck, I even removed her mouth, for crying out loud!”

“What’s the problem?” Samus asked, clearly confused.

“There is no problem! That’s the problem!” Trixie almost yelled.

“I fail to see the sense in that statement,” the huntress calmly said.

“Did she forget who I am? Or does she simply not care for what I did? WHAT?!”

“Ah, that. From what I hear, this town suffers from some disaster or another on an almost weekly basis. You’re old news now. Also, Pinkie is the friendliest being I’ve seen in the galaxy. She probably considers you a good friend now.”

“That’s crazy.”

“But she’s riiiight~” Pinkie sang as she materialized, almost prompting Samus to retaliate with force and Trixie to suffer from a heart attack. She then happily deposited the plates with waffles on the table. “You’re in Ponyville now, which means we are now friends!” The pink mare hugged Samus and Trixie with her apparently-stretchable forelimbs.

Samus found Trixie’s reaction amusing. “Get used to it. If I can be friends with this mare, so can you.” It took Samus some moments to progress she just had called herself Pinkie’s friend. She smiled warmly. She supposed the pink pony simply had that effect on her.

“Um. Okay. “Trixie nervously gulped. “Trixie supposes we can start over. Uh, hello. I am Trixie. Pleased to meet you.” She broke the hug and offered her hoof.

Pinkie’s already gigantic grin somehow grew in size and shook the blue hoof with enthusiasm. “Hi! I’m Pinkie Pie! Welcome to Ponyville!”

The rest of the day was spent just talking with Pinkie Pie. Trixie had more fun than she had thought possible by just talking with the earth pony. Even Samus was in a more talkative mood than usual. Granted, ‘just talking’ was virtually impossible with Pinkie Pie, but for the most part both Samus and Trixie enjoyed their time. The magician even thought up a couple of trick just seeing how eccentric the party pony was and experiencing her antics in person.

The afternoon came quickly for the three girls, and so they had to say goodbye. Pinkie had an appointment with her other friends, Trixie had accepted a job to teach Snips and Snails, and Samus had planned a visit to Canterlot Castle.

The huntress flew her ship to the castle, trying not to catch too much attention. Nobles were, after all, mostly idiotic morons that would probably panic at her sight. This was one of the many times she had been grateful for cloaking technology. Landing some distance from the city proper, she headed for the castle on foot. As soon as the elevator hatch closed, her ship turned invisible.

Her visit had coincided with the lowering of the sun and the rise of the moon. Samus briefly wondered if it was all a farce or if Celestia and Luna really had control over the sun and the moon. She soon forgot about the question, though. As she neared the castle’s gates, a couple of guards stopped her.

“Halt! Who goes there?” One of the guards asked in a stern voice.

“Do you really need to ask? Who else would I be?” Samus snapped.

“What is your business in the castle?” the other guard asked, equally stern.

The bounty hunter had to admit the guards were at least very professional, not losing their stern faces for a moment. And considering she had almost decimated a relatively large percentage of the royal guard not too long ago, staying neutral faced was indeed impressive.

“I’m here to report about a case Princess Luna asked me to investigate,” Samus answered. “May I pass? Or do I need to summon her here?”

“Wait here,” the first guard said. The second guard went to announce the arrival of the alien to the castle. Samus waited a few minutes for the guard’s return. Finally, the guard returned, letting her know she was allowed inside.

“Princess Luna is waiting for you in her quarters. One of the maids will lead you there,” the guard explained.

“Thank you.”

Samus went inside, where a soft green earth pony mare was waiting. The maid led her to Luna’s room, where the dark alicorn was currently sitting in. The maid excused herself and left them alone.

“You wished to see me?” Luna asked.

“Is there a way to bypass all the guards and protocols? It’s annoying.”

“Nice to see you, too.”

“I have some news,” Samus said with some seriousness.

“Oh?”

“I was spotted by a scouting drone. I don’t think it has compromised my location, but just in case, I need you to warm me if there is anything out of the ordinary.”

“A scouting drone?” Luna asked somewhat perplexed.

“I did mention the federation was hunting me down, right?”

“Yes, you did. I also recall you saying this part of the galaxy was unexplored and as such it was extremely unlikely they would find you here.”

“Yes, and yet there was a scouting drone of federation technology. And there’s also the luminoth drone your guys found. They may be related, but I don’t have enough information to confirm that.”

“So what’s your plan?” Luna asked.

“I have scanners looking for any spatial anomalies and unusual technological signals, so I’ll know if something shows up. Still, I would like you and your team to inform me of anything out of the ordinary that may be related to this.”

“Very well, we’ll be on the lookout.”

“Here.” Samus gave Luna a device. It was a small communicator design to dock on the princess’ tiara. “This is a communicator. It’ll let us keep in touch instantly if something happens. Far more efficient than mail or sending someone.”

Samus taught Luna how to operate the device. After a few tests, Samus was pleased to see Luna had gotten the hang of it. Luna seemed happy to be able to use alien technology.

“Say, since you’re already here, why not join us for dinner?” Luna invited.

“You know what, I think I’ll accept the offer,” Samus said. “Just to be sure, do you know anything about afloraltite?”

“The name is unfamiliar to me. What is it?”

“Nothing. Don’t worry about it,” Samus dismissed. “Now, about that dinner?”

Luna smiled and led Samus to the dining room. After a magnificent dinner and a fun chat with the alicorn, Samus returned to Ponyville.

OXOXO

Morning exercises, meet with Trixie, breakfast at the café, man the trouble center. This had become Samus’ routine. The town of Ponyville seemingly forgot Trixie was once a ruthless tyrant that tried to rule with an iron hoof, with the exception of a few ponies. Plus, with enough therapy and exercises, the unicorn had finally gotten the full use of her magic again. The trouble center had gotten more and more popularity as well, and now had some volunteers and reward hunters working for it from time to time. Also, bits were abundant, so the pair enjoyed some indulgences every now and then.

Yes, things were looking great for the unicorn/human duo.

Today was an especially good day for the bounty hunter; the Cutie Mark Crusaders were out on a camping trip with Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity. This meant no imminent danger from the over-energetic fillies and no Rainbow Dash for at least the rest of the day.

“You seem to be in a good mood,” Trixie commented when she noticed Samus. “Any special occasion?”

“No Rainbow Dash and no crusaders,” Samus happily answered.

“Excuse me, is this the trouble center?” a random mare asked. She had a golden yellow mane and tail, while her coat was a vivid pink.

“Yes. How may we help you?” Samus replied.

“Oh, thank goodness,” the mare happily said. “I was tasked with a delivery to Manehattan, but I’m awfully busy and won’t be able to make it. Would you be able to deliver the package in my stead? They’re some parts for a hot-air balloon.”

“Of course. What are you offering as a reward?”

“I have some old jewelry you could have. And maybe offer you a free ride in my balloon.”

“Ooh, Trixie likes!” Trixie said excitedly.

“We accept your trouble. Can you give us some more details?” Samus asked.

“Yes, of course,” the mare answered. “The delivery is due for three days. There’s a stallion by the name of Heated Winds that runs a shop for vehicles and accessories at Horsehay Street, in Manehattan. Take the package to him and bring me the money. They should be around 300 bits.”

“Trixie knows the place! She bought some supplies for her wagon there once,” Trixie commented.

“Very well. We should be delivering the package by tomorrow. Just come here to pick up the money and give us the reward” Samus said.

“Oh, thank you! I was going to do the delivery in my balloon, but some stuff came up and I can’t,” the mare repeated. “I will see you later with your reward!”

Once the mare left, Trixie turned to Samus. “Manehattan! It’s probably the biggest city in Equestria, even bigger than Canterlot. It’ll blow your mind!”

“I’m no stranger to big cities,” Samus said with some amusement. “There’s even a small planet that’s all one big city.”

“Oh.” Trixie looked a little too stunned. She eventually recovered. “Guess you’re better traveled than I am.”

“Well, I do have a spaceship. That’s a pretty big factor.”

OXOXO

The next day, Samus and Trixie flew to Manehattan on Samus’ ship. Trixie, having visited Manehattan a couple of times, acted the role of guide. The city lived up to its fame; most ponies were too busy to spare more than a passing glance at Samus, who was obviously not from the neighborhood. This suited the human just fine.

The delivery went smoothly. Trixie even bought a couple of things she liked for her after it was done. Samus also browsed the store to see what it had to offer. Heated Winds was nervous about the extraterrestrial, but happy nonetheless to show his wares. At the end, he even managed to convince Samus to buy a little souvenir.

“Another trouble solved,” Samus said as she piloted her ship back to Ponyville. She offered her fist to Trixie. “Nice work.”

The unicorn, however, seemed to be lost in her mind. It took her a while to process the offered fist, and a little longer to react accordingly. “Likewise!” she said as she bumped her hoof against the fist.

“You ok?”

“Yes, Trixie was just a little out of it, that’s all.”

“You sure? Because you’ve been ‘out of it’ quite a number of times during the last couple of weeks,” Samus accused.

“Just some things I can’t seem to forget.”

“The amulet?”

Trixie hesitated for a moment. “Yes, the amulet. And also the things you told me the other day, about having power and mastering it. It has given me much to think about.”
Samus looked at her partner for some time. Her piercing gaze told Trixie that while she believe what was being said, there was more to it than just that.

With a sigh, Trixie continued. “I don’t think I have fully ridden myself from the influence of the amulet. Every now and then, I hear a voice whispering things in my mind. I try to ignore it, but it just turns whispers into shouts.”

Samus was unable to comment. Mostly because she had no idea what to say.

“Don’t worry, though. I know better than to actually listen to it. It is something I have to deal with myself,” Trixie added, noticing the face Samus was giving her.

“Very well. I’ll leave you to it,” Samus finally said. She then gave Trixie a rather uncharacteristically warm smile. “But don’t forget about me. If you need help, you just need to ask.”

Trixie returned the smile. “Thank you. I won’t forget.”

The rest of the trip was spent with the two girls talking about some of their previous travels. Once they reached their destination, both girls said their good nights and Trixie returned to her camp while Samus stayed in her ship and went to sleep.

Trixie, however, didn’t. She gave a look at the ship she just exited and sighed. She returned to her camp and procured a piece of paper from one of her bags. After some mental debating, she began writing, her nervous expression never leaving her face. Once she finished, she gave an almost regretful sigh. She left the camp and made her way to the Everfree Forest.

OXOXO

Another black portal began forming on the spot where a flying red eye focused. The portal expanded and grew, reaching gigantic proportions. And just as it was about to deposit another subject, the portal collapsed on itself, leaving nothing resembling a trace of its existence.

The eye just looked on. This experiment was a failure; further adjustments had to be made.

OXOXO

Elsewhere in the galaxy, a certain humanoid figure sat in front of several screens, looking over some plans and statistics. The room was dark, only the screens providing illumination. The sound of automatic doors opening was suddenly heard.

“Sir, we have some news that may be either promising or disappointing,” a voice said from the door frame.

“I told you to not call me ‘sir’,” the figure said.

“Sorry, sir. Old habits.”

The figure sighed. “Whatever. What are the news?”

“Scouting drone HS-1744 had failed to send a report ping. We believe it has been destroyed. And given its durability, we believe it was destroyed by our target.”

“Where was the drone sent?”

“Unexplored sector, sir. About two quadrants from the nearest map. We have its last coordinates.”

“Excellent news!” The figure said. “Looks like we may have found our target. Prepare a couple of squads to leave. I will go as well. I have a feeling this is it!”

“Very well, sir!”

The figure sighed again.

OXOXO

Samus didn’t see Trixie show up until around midday, and for some reason she was wearing a dark purple cloak. The pink mare that requested the delivery yesterday had showed up to receive her due payment and give them the promised reward. Trixie had quickly picked up a couple of sapphires, saying she had a fancy for blue jewels. She looked rather distracted yet again, but Samus decided not to interfere this time. Her decision didn’t matter, as Trixie eventually turned to her and gave her a piece of paper.

“I need your help,” Trixie finally said. “Here’s the trouble.”

Samus read the paper. Requesting for her assistance was Beatrix Lulamoon. She required help to on a possibly pointless hunt. The reward offered was information of a pony known as ‘Clyde’, Samus’ only lead on afloraltite.

“You sneaky little wench,” Samus said after seeing what the reward was, though there was no malice in her voice.

“You should know better than to use all your tricks in the first show,” Trixie shot back playfully. Her voice quickly became serious, though. “But I really need your help. I need a failsafe in case things go awry.”

“What do you mean?” Samus asked.

“I’ll explain on the way. For now, let’s get out of town. I want to start as soon as possible.”

“I’m ready to go whenever.”

“Good. Let’s get going, then.”

As they were about to exit Ponyville, Trixie and Samus were confronted by Twilight and Zecora. Both of them looked very irritated. Samus heard Trixie curse at the sight of the lavender unicorn. To make matters worse, the rest of the Elements of Harmony soon arrived at the scene; even little Spike was present.

“Give it up, Trixie. We’re on to you,” Twilight demanded.

“What’s happening here?” Samus asked in a rather commanding voice.

“That freak is nothing but trouble!” Rainbow Dash was quick to accuse.

“Trixie stole the Alicorn Amulet. She plans nothing good, I bet,” Zecora angrily said, pointing at Trixie with her hoof. “She demanded the amulet and attacked me last night. I couldn’t keep up with her tricks and lost the fight.”

“Yah tricky varmint! Can’t you just stay outta trouble?!” Applejack snarled.

“We can’t let you run free with that accursed amulet,” Rarity said in a more civilized tone.

Fluttershy, and uncharacteristically Pinkie Pie, stayed silent. Samus simply watched the events unfold.

“Guess there’s no choice, then,” Trixie said in a dark tone. She levitated the Alicorn Amulet and placed it around her neck. All opposing ponies took a step back. “Trixie has no time to lose with you.”

“That’s too bad, because we’re only here to stop you!” Twilight declared as she gave a step forward. The rest of the elements followed suit.

“Trixie figured as much,” Trixie said as her horn started shining a bright pink. “Rise, my soldiers!”

The azure unicorn shot a pink beam at the ground between her and her foes. A few moments later, a decaying hoof rose from the soil. Many more then followed suit, and soon the ground was filled with zombie ponies. All living ponies, zebras and dragons gasped and shuddered at the sight. They tensed when the zombies slowly turned to them and began walking.

“Let’s see you stop this!” Trixie taunted.

“Alright, enough of this,” Samus casually said. Suit equipped and cannon ready, she fired each zombie once. Each gunned corpse collapsed in a pile of pebbles and dirt. “Stop with the tricks, Trixie.”

“Illusions?” Twilight asked out loud as she saw the ‘zombies’ were just disguised soil. All her companions recovered their bearings and confidence.

“Very well. Looks like tricks won’t work on you. Time to reveal the real me!” Again, her horn shone a bright pink. The light quickly turned to flames. In another flash, Trixie was enveloped in a pink fire that lasted only a second. When the fire died, however, azure fur had been replaced by navy chitin. Where normal legs once were, now holes ones took their places; a unicorn horn was replaced by a curved one, and fangs and a pair of insectoid wings appeared where there were none before. Once the flames died, a navy changeling had replaced Trixie.

Once again, all opposing quadrupeds and dragons tensed and gasped.

“Don’t insult me,” Samus annoyingly said and jabbed Trixie with her taser. The ‘changeling’ lost consciousness, and with it, the magic powering the illusions. The magician reverted back to a pony form, and the necklace around her neck turned into a simple ruby charm on a silver chain.

“What’s going on here?!” Twilight asked in a rather high volume. “That’s clearly not the Alicorn Amulet!”

“Clearly,” echoed Samus.

“But what about Trixie’s intrusion?” Zecora asked, more confused than angry at this point. “Was it just an illusion?”

“But why would she bother with it in the first place?” Applejack pondered out loud. “Aargh! I just can’t figure out that mare!”

“Um, maybe she has her reasons,” Fluttershy said, her voice barely audible.

“Hmph. I bet she’s just going to cause more trouble.” Spike crossed his arms.

“I’ll deal with her. You guys go home,” Samus ordered.

“No, let us help. Whatever’s happening, we can figure it out together,” Twilight said with some hope.

“I said leave her to me. You guys would probably just get in the way.”

“But...”

“It wasn’t a question. Go home,” Samus said with finality.

“Hey!” Rainbow Dash yelled. “What makes you think you can just order us around? Let Twilight do her thing. Or do we need to ‘convince’ you?”

Rainbow Dash shook her hoof menacingly. A shot from Samus’ cannon singed the upper part of her mane and shut her mouth. Rainbow Dash gulped and shrunk a little. Once again, everybody tensed at the imminent confrontation. Samus noted this, but focused her attention on the prismatic pegasus.

“Can’t you just do as you’re told for once?” the bounty hunter asked in a tired voice. “You’ll have to trust me on this one, because the alternative is neutralizing you here and now. And honestly, I’m happy with both options.”

“Samus! Rainbow! Stop this now!” Twilight ordered.

“Aw, come on, Dashie!” Pinkie Pie bounced over to Rainbow’s side. “Let Sammy talk to Trixie.”

“But...” The blue pegasus sighed. “Alright. Just because you and Twilight insist.” She turned to Samus. “But you better keep an eye on her. I’m warning you!”

Samus, however, ignored her. She picked the unconscious unicorn and put her on her shoulder. Without saying another word, she walked back to her ship, Trixie in tow. One by one, the ponies left until there was only a unicorn, a zebra, and a dragon left.

“Do you think letting them leave was wise?” Zecora asked Twilight. “Trick or not, the amulet was gone; I saw it with my own eyes.”

“Samus is stubborn and difficult to deal with, but she knows what she’s doing,” Twilight commented. “It’s Trixie the one I’m worried about. I can’t figure out if she’s trying to become a better pony or if it’s all just a ruse.”

“I can’t say I trust either, but I trust you. If you need any help, just give me the cue.”

“Thanks, Zecora. To be honest, I feel a little uneasy,” Twilight said. “Trixie doesn’t have the best of history in Ponyville, and we can’t just sit around while the Alicorn Amulet is missing. Both are related, I know it. I’ll let Samus handle it for now, but there’s never too much caution. I’ll let the princess know about this. Maybe she’ll be able to help.”

“That is an option I like,” Zecora said with her signature grin. Then she looked around with a questioning expression. “By the way, where is little Spike?”

Twilight also looked around, only to find her number 1 assistant was not currently with them. “Oh no! Spike! Where are you?!”

OXOXO

Meanwhile, Spike was stealthily following Samus and Trixie. He was being extra careful not to give himself away, specially knowing of Samus’ almost-paranormal sixth sense. The going was slow and difficult for the little drake, but he eventually managed to arrive to a cluster of trees near the stationed gunship. With a determined expression, he found a good hiding spot and focused all his attention to spying the two girls on his sight.

Samus had arrived a few moments earlier. She dropped Trixie on the ground and de-equipped her armor. She entered her ship via elevator and disappeared from sight. A few moments later, she re-appeared in the elevator holding a metal canister in her hand. Tim had exited alongside her. Samus walked over to Trixie’s prone body and began rummaging through her cape. Eventually she procured a rather special piece of jewelry. Spike had to cover his mouth to stifle the loud gasp that had threatened to come out. In the human’s hand was none other than the Alicorn Amulet.

“Well, shit. Tim, I need you to go to town and close the stand for today. We may be gone for some time,” Spike heard Samus say. As the little robot run off, the huntress put her finger on her ear and started talking again. Spike leaned in a little closer to listen better.

“Samus here, come in... Good, but I’m afraid we have a situation... Related to the amulet you told me about... Calm down, she’s not wearing it now. I’m going to find out the details in a moment. Just wanted to give you a heads up... Yes, I’ll take care of it... No need, but I’ll contact you if things go badly... I understand... Come on, have a little faith in her... Alright, thanks. Call me if you find out anything regarding the other situation... Very well. Samus out.”

Spike watched in anticipation as Samus sighed and ran her hand through her hair. She opened the canister she was holding and promptly the cold water it was containing over the sleeping Trixie. The liquid had the desired effect of waking up the unicorn.

“Whu- Whe- Wha- Where am I? What happened?” Trixie asked out loud as she regained her bearings. She saw Samus. “Was this your doing?”

“I have some questions for you,” Samus said as she showed the amulet in her hand. “I can only assume your trouble is related to this thing.”

“Yes, it is.”

“Ok, I need to get some facts straight. You want to go on a hunt for some voice you heard in your head after your removed the amulet.”

“Yes. I believe there is more to the amulet than just corrupting power. I want to find out what, and silence the voice once and for all.”

“You are aware that this could be just a delusion on your part and that there may not be anything worth looking for, right?”

“It is possible, but I have a feeling I’m right. Trixie has learned to not question her gut feeling.”

“I can understand that,” Samus said with a grin. “Now, if the event we find out the source of this mysterious voice, what are your motives?”

“I will uncover the secrets of the Alicorn Amulet, and then I will either destroy it or seal it. I will defeat the amulet’s evil power with my own.”

“So if you seek to destroy the evil power, making you a good guy, why the false wickedness with the elements?” Samus asked.

“Trixie doesn’t want them interfering. If they knew what I want to do, they would just tag along to ‘help’. Despite trying to be a better pony, I still can’t stomach the thought of most of them, especially that unbearable Sparkle and her goody-four-hooves attitude. I’m grateful to her, but I still hate her guts. That, and Trixie doesn’t want to share the glory with them.”

“So the show was to take them off your back,” Samus deduced. “And what would you have done if they took the initiative and attacked you first.”

“That’s where you come in. I was counting on you to take matters into your own hoof, er... hand, and dissuade the situation,” Trixie smugly said. Then she rubbed the spot where Samus had tased her. “Though I should’ve known you weren’t going to be gentle.”

“And I played right into your game...” Samus was stunned for a moment. “I guess you’re trickier than I expected.”

“Well, I am TRIXie.”

Samus gave a small chuckle. “Touché. One last question. If this is a personal matter to you, why ask me for help?”

Trixie’s demeanor quickly darkened. “As I said in the trouble, I need a failsafe. What I’m about to embark upon will most likely require I wear the amulet. If things don’t go as planned and I succumb to the amulet’s corruption, I want you to end me right then and there.” Trixie looked unsure for a moment, but carried on. “I ask you, and only you, because you’re the only one I know that has the stomach to do what has to be done.”

Samus stayed silent for a rather long time, just looking at her new friend in the eyes. “Are you really sure you want to do this?” she finally asked.

“Yes. Even if it seems stupid, I won’t regain my pride unless I finish this amulet incident. And without my pride, I wouldn’t be able to live.”

Samus sighed heavily. She looked unsure, but ultimately agreed to help the unicorn. “Alright. I’ll come with you.”

“Hey, don’t look so grim! It’s just a failsafe. I’m still confident in my abilities. And I think it’s about time I master my own power and discipline my heart,” Trixie said with the most determined grin Samus had seen her wield. Samus eventually returned the grin with one of her own.

“Then let me provide some assistance with that.”

At this point, the hidden Spike’s jaw couldn’t go any lower and his eyes couldn’t open any wider.

Metroid: A Hunter in Equestria

by Cusi

Entering a New World

Encounters of the Pony Kind

A Different Perspective

Lessons Begin

A Day in Ponyville

The Power Suit

The Use for a Bounty Hunter

The Changeling Queen

Downfall

Stray Thoughts

The Hunt (part 1)

The Hunt (part 2)

Hunted Hunter

A New Threat

Somber Approaches

Judgment

More Days in Ponyville

Trix of the Trade

The Trouble Center (part 1)

The Trouble Center (part 2)

Trials of Power