Trapped in the Turbo-Powered Unicorn Magic Extractor!

THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN INVINCIBLE

A “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic” fanfic
by Erin Mills

Twilight Sparkle had a dilemma. It wasn't a large dilemma, exactly. The fate of Equestria wasn't at stake, nor did the lives of innocent ponies hang in the balance. It wasn't that kind of dilemma. It was a dilemma much worse than that.

It had begun when she decided to hold an impromptu re-shelving day after she had found one of the books on agriculture shuffled in with the books on zoology on the shelves of the lower level of the library. A trivial error, to be sure, but as Twilight continued making her way through the books Princess Celestia had sent as another homework assignment, she felt the inconsistency in her well-ordered library itching at the back of her mind.

Spike, as before, had been given the day off, this time with explicit instructions to not get himself into any situation where his dragon code would cause more issues for Applejack or any other pony. As such, he was out of the library and unavailable to check for any other misplaced books on the shelves. Finally, she couldn't stand the thought of some other books not being where they were supposed to be any longer, and decided to re-shelve.

It was while she was doing so that she found the book causing the dilemma.

It wasn't one of the books that belonged to the library. This was a journal that Twilight remembered giving to Spike on his last birthday before they had come to Ponyville. She had figured he could use it to jot down his thoughts, hopes, and dreams, much like she did with her own journal. To the best of her knowledge, he had never used it.

When she opened the cover, wanting to make sure that it was, in fact, Spike's journal, she found that the title page did not indicate that this was a diary. As she read the title again, she felt a small smile come to her lips as she read the words scrawled across the page in bright red ink with a bombastic flourish:

THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN INVINCIBLE!

By Spike

Directly under the title was the source of Twilight's current dilemma:

FOR SPIKE'S EYES ONLY! DO NOT READ!!

Twilight knew she should just close the book and make sure it was put back on the shelf designated for Spike's things, but then she thought about it. Spike clearly didn't want anyone to see these stories, even her, to the point that he had hidden the journal in the best place anyone could hide any book; among the other volumes in the library. So, naturally, if he found the book among the things on his shelf, he'd know she'd found it, and possibly assume that she had read the contents. Clearly, the best thing to do was to put the journal back on the shelf where she found it and go back to her studies.

On the other hoof, the fact that Spike was pursuing a creative outlet of any kind was giving her both a sense of pride and curiosity. Clearly, all the time spent around Twilight and the library was rubbing off on him.

Maybe I could just take a quick little peek... no! What am I thinking? This is Spike's private project. If I was meant to read it, he would have showed it to me long before now. This is going right back on the shelf, where it belongs.

Her moral convictions satisfied, Twilight levitated the journal, put it back on the shelf, and returned to her studies. She lasted ten minutes before she realized she had been reading the same paragraph over and over again. Her gaze kept shifting to the staircase leading to the lower level. She would chastise herself, then look firmly at the page of the book she was reading, and silently curse when she caught herself looking at the staircase again. The itch in the back of her mind had returned with a vengance. Finally, after almost an hour of self-chastisement, she gave in and went downstairs.

“I will read exactly one page,” she told herself sternly, levitating the journal back off the shelf. “One page, at random, and that is it.”

She floated the book in front of her and rustled the pages, not looking directly at them. When the rustling stopped, she looked back at the book and began to read.

“And now, my dear Miss Scoop,” chortled the diabolical Dr. Spectra, her tangled multicolored mane blowing in the exhaust of her Turbo-Powered Unicorn Magic Extractor. “You will have the honor of being the first to experience my latest work of genius at... um... work!”

Hot Scoop, the dynamic, plucky, always well dressed, and amazingly beautiful reporter for the Ponytopolis Times tossed her perfectly coiffed violet mane (which contrasted spectacularly with her ivory coat) and fixed the mad pegasus mare with a haughty glare, which was impressive since she was tied to a chair underneath the Turbo Powered Unicorn Magic Extractor.

“For all you claim to be a genius, Dr. Spectra, you certainly have a problem with vocabulary, don't you?” she said with a smirk. “I can point you in the direction of a good bookstore with a marvelous discount on thesauruses and dictionaries.”

“Silence, you ink-spattered floozy!” Dr. Spectra snarled as she flew up to make adjustments to the device, pulling levers and pushing buttons seemingly at random.

“Ink-spattered!?” Hot Scoop spat with indignation. “I may work at the newspaper, madam, but I am always well-groomed. Which is much more than I can say for you! Grease stains on your lab coat and those goggles... ugh! Black and green are not your colors, and I—mmmph!”

The “mmmph” was because a large suction cup attached to a long glowing tube had just clamped itself to Hot Scoop's muzzle, silencing her protests, and making her eyes widen in terror. Dr. Spectra lowered her black goggles with the green lenses over her eyes and snorted at her captive.

“Not so mouthy now, are ya?” The mad scientist let out another evil snicker, then turned her head towards another part of the lair. “Buttermint!”

The villain's yell brought forth a butter yellow pegasus with a long pink mane and tail. She was dressed in a black jumpsuit, a utility belt around her waist. She glanced up at her mistress.

“Um, you called, Dr. Spectra, ma'am?” Buttermint asked meekly.

“About time!” Dr. Spectra snorted. “Start the Extractor, and turn it up to ten... no!” The evil blue pegasus' mouth widened in a diabolical grin as she looked back down at the helpless Hot Scoop. “Make it eleven.”

Hot Scoop's muffled screams came from within the giant suction cup on her face, and she swung her head around to get Buttermint's attention. The yellow pegasus cringed at the sight of the tears forming in the reporters eyes.

“Um, Dr. Spectra... maybe we could turn the Extractor down a notch? I mean, it's not like it needs to be turned up that high.”

Buttermint let out a squeak of fear as the supervillain scourge of Ponytopolis swooped down from the Extractor controls and stopped mere inches from her face.

“What have I told you about questioning me!?” Dr. Spectra shouted, causing her minion to cower before her. “Now, get on those controls and do as you're told!”

“Yes, Dr. Spectra.” Buttermint gave Hot Scoop an apologetic look and glumly returned to her assigned post. Soon, the Turbo Powered Unicorn Magic Extractor began humming with an ominous whine, and Hot Scoop shrieked as her horn began glowing on its own, meaning her magic was beginning to flow without the unicorn deciding to use it. Dr. Spectra hovered next to her helpless captive and cackled maniacally.

“Yes, yesssssss,” she gloated. “Soon, the Extractor will have pumped every last drop of magic from you. Then, I will capture every unicorn in Ponytopolis and take their magic for my own. And after that, heheheh, I will inject that magic into myself and become the most powerful pegasus ever to walk the land, and from there, I shall destroy Princess Celestia and all of Equestria shall be mine! And there is nothing and nopony who will be able to stop me! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!”

“Not so fast, Dr. Spectra!”

Hot Scoop looked up sharply to see where the deep, booming, ultra-manly voice was coming from. Dr. Spectra and Buttermint did the same and all three goggled at the tall, muscular, ruggedly handsome figure that stood at the top of the Turbo-Powered Unicorn Magic Extractor.

The harsh lights of the lab glistened off his scales, the radiant purple and vibrant green almost blinding in their intensity. A flowing red cape blew in the unseen wind behind him, attached to a dark blue, almost black bodysuit which allowed his muscular tail to swing freely. Silver bracers covered his forearms, leaving his sharpened claws free for combat, while a matching silver belt circled his waist. His piercing intelligent green eyes peered out through a red mask that matched the color of his cape.

Hot Scoop's heart began to pound frantically as she recognized the love of her life, and her personal hero. Despite the large suction cup, she shouted out his name at the same time Dr. Spectra did.

“Captain Invincible!”

Captain Invincible let out a short, confident laugh. “That's right! And I'm going to shut your evil plans down for good, Dr. Spectra!”

With that, the Protector of Ponytopolis clenched his right claw into a fist and smashed it through the top of the Extractor. He let out a mighty grunt of exertion and dragged several tubes and wires from the hole he'd made. Dr. Spectra's jaw dropped and she swiftly flew up to meet her nemesis, preparing a savage right cross to the mighty dragon hero's jaw.

The mad scientist took her swing only to let out a gasp as her hoof was stopped in Captain Invincible's left claw.

“Haha!” laughed the hero. “After the last six times, you still think that will work? You're getting predictable, Doctor.”

Captain Invincible blinked as an evil smirk crossed Dr. Spectra's face.

“Oh, you thought that was meant to hit you? So sorry, that was a distraction. Now, Buttermint!”

Captain Invincible swung his eyes down to the floor of the laboratory, to see Dr. Spectra's minion holding a comically over-sized crossbow on her shoulder. Buttermint pulled the trigger and an arrow briefly took flight before opening up with a “whoomph” noise, transforming into a giant net that continued towards the hero. Dr. Spectra let out her trademark laugh once again.

“Mwahahahaaaa! Laugh that one off, Captain Incompetent!” She quickly pulled her hoof from the distracted hero's grip and made to fly out of the range of the net, but found herself stopped in mid flight. She looked back and stared in shock. Captain Invincible had grabbed one of her rear legs and was holding her in place!

Captain Invincible grinned once again. “Ha. Ha.”

With that, he threw the diabolical villain directly into the oncoming net with such force that it wrapped itself around her and began traveling back the way it had come, straight toward Buttermint. The henchpony looked up in fear, and uttered an obscure Germane expression of disappointment.

“Oh, viessen doodles.”

Mastermind and minion collided and rolled across the floor before the wall stopped them. Both were hopelessly entangled to the point that their wings could not aid them, and Dr. Spectra's goggles had come askew and wrapped comically around one of her ears.

“I haven't decided just how, yet,” Dr. Spectra snarled, “But I'm certain this is all your fault, Buttermint!”

Buttermint sighed. “Yes, Dr. Spectra.”

The villains taken care of, Captain Invincible made short work of destroying the Turbo-Powered Unicorn Magic Extractor before leaping down to the captive Hot Scoop. With one mighty tug, he pulled the suction cup free of her face, and quickly undid her bonds. The reporter swooned dramatically into the Captain's muscular arms.

“Oh, thank you, Captain Invincible. Celestia knows what damage that horrid device could have done to my complexion. Not to mention what it could have done if that tacky-maned mental case had managed to extract my magic.”

“I heard that!” Dr. Spectra snapped from the far side of the room.

“Well, not to worry, you're safe now, Miss Scoop,” Captain Invincible said, ignoring his archenemy. He reached down, placed a claw under the beautiful mare's chin and titled her head up so they were looking deeply into each others eyes. “Your wonderful, beautiful face is just as exquisite as ever.”

“Oh, Captain.” Hot Scoop leaned forward and closed her eyes, moving her muzzle closer to the Captain's face. Captain Invincible smiled and leaned forward, bringing his lips ever closer to that of the mare he knew he would do anything to--

“Twilight!” The yell broke Twilight's concentration, causing her to snap her head up, looking for the source of the voice. She quickly glanced down at the journal and inwardly groaned when she realized she had read almost ten pages instead of the one she had told herself she was going to read.

“Hey, Twilight? Are you here? I'm home!” Spike's voice came from the staircase leading to the main entrance of the library. Twilight inhaled sharply and quickly shoved the book back on the shelf where she had found it, just as her assistant appeared a the bottom of the stairs.

“Hi, Spike!” Twilight said, hoping she didn't sound half as phony as she sounded to herself. “You're home early.”

“Early?” Spike blinked. “It's almost sunset.”

“Is it?” Twilight felt her heart begin to race, as Spike began to frown. I knew I should have left his book alone. I should have put it back and left it there! Look at his expression! He knows I did something I shouldn't have. He's going to hate me for reading his story. He'll never forgive me for this! Never!

Spike looked at Twilight for a long moment, then snapped his claws. “You've been down here all day studying, haven't you?”

“Well, um, yes?” Twilight said, her voice echoing the confusion she felt when she realized Spike had no idea she had been reading his stories.

Spike's frown turned to a cheerful grin. “You probably haven't eaten anything all day, then. I'll get started on dinner. Pinkie Pie even gave me a nice triple chocolate cake for dessert.”

Twilight opened her mouth to speak, then closed it as she felt her stomach growling. She hadn't eaten all day, and the chocolate cake did sound really good. She gave a sheepish grin to her assistant.

“Now that you mention it, I could definitely use some food. You always take good care of me, Spike.”

“Hey, what's an assistant for?” Spike turned to go up the stairs. “You coming?”

“I'll be up in a minute. I want to straighten a couple of things down here first.”

Spike nodded, then went back up the stairs. As soon as he was gone, Twilight sighed in relief. She quickly straightened a couple of books as a token effort, and made sure the journal was back where she had found it.

“Never again,” she said solemnly.

For Whom the School Bell Tolls!

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“Never again” turned out to last about three days. During that time, Twilight completed her assignment, and kept herself busy with various other projects, as well as the day-to-day operations of the library. All through that time, however, she found her thoughts turning to journal of Spike's stories.

They weren't exactly well-written. The prose got a little ponderous from time to time, the action was melodramatic, and Spike tended to get carried away when describing either the power of Captain Invincible or the beauty of Hot Scoop. Still, the story she had read was fun, and Twilight had to admit that she found it amusing how Spike had written himself and their friends into the roles of heroes and villains in the world of the story. Rainbow Dash as a mad scientist, in particular, made Twilight smile whenever she thought of it.

I wonder who else he wrote into his stories? Maybe I could just take a quick peek. No, Twilight! You swore you wouldn't intrude on his privacy again. Leave it alone!

She resolutely walked away from the stairs leading to the lower level of the library, and busied herself with dusting the shelves in the common room. When that didn't prove distracting enough, she committed herself to reading the titles on the spine of each book as she dusted.

When she finished that, she tried reading a different book, but found her concentration wandering. She didn't want to read any other book. She wanted to read Spike's book. She wanted to know who else Spike had written into his stories. She wanted to see what other dangers Captain Invincible was going to face and how he would get out of them.

“All right! All right!” she cried aloud, glad Spike had been sent out on errands earlier in the day. “One story. I will go read the next story, but that's all. No more, Twilight!”

Huffing through her nostrils, and mentally chastising herself as she went downstairs to where the journal was waiting, Twilight still found herself eagerly anticipating the next adventure of Captain Invincible.

“I tell ya, Cap'n,” Sheriff Banana Bread said as she slid her white stetson back on her head. “I ain't never seen anything like this before.”

Captain Invincible nodded soberly. He frowned at the limp bodies of seven ponies that were scattered in the alley. Fortunately, they were all asleep, rather than injured. Around the walls and ground of the alley were nearly two dozen pie pans. Residue from the cream pies, ranging in flavor from banana to chocolate, covered the faces of the ponies and the walls and ground of the alley.

“It's a gruesome sight, Sheriff,” he said, rubbing his chin. “Also a very confusing one. Who would go out of their way to assault these ponies? This just seems like overkill for this to be some sort of mass mugging.”

“I got one that's even more perplexin', Cap'n,” the earth pony sheriff said. “We found union ID cards on all of 'em. They're all teachers.”

“Teachers?” Captain Invincible looked at his friend. “That is strange. Seven teachers, all assaulted with pies, and knocked out by them. How does that happen?”

“Well, that's kinda why I asked you to step in,” Banana Bread said. “Strange doin's like this are more the kinda thing you're equipped to handle. Deputy Sugarcube! Stop lickin' the evidence!”

Deputy Sugarcube, a pink earth pony with a bright yellow hat, looked up sharply from where she had been licking up the pie reside from one of the pans. “But it tastes so good, Sheriff!”

Captain Invincible hid his smile as the sheriff let out a groan and put a hoof to her face. He cleared his throat and regained his composure, turning his attention back to the issue at hand.

Seven teachers, all knocked out. Nothing stolen. Why would somepony do this? What do they have to gain? Why—wait! Teachers! That's it!

“Sheriff, we need to get out of here,” Captain Invincible said, turning his head sharply towards Banana Bread.

“What's goin' on, Cap'n?” Banana Bread asked, confusion evident on her face.

“This is a trap and a test.”

Banana Bread's expression turned grave. “A test? What kinda test?”

“A test of the pies. Think about it. Seven ponies in an alleyway, all assaulted by pies, all out like a light with no injuries that could have caused them. It's obvious.”

“The pies were drugged!” Banana Bread exclaimed. She quickly turned to her deputy. “Sugarcube!”

“Whooooaaaa... look at all the colors.”

The sheriff and the superhero stared at the deputy, who was sitting on her haunches and bobbing her head in circles, staring blankly at the wall. Sugarcube raised a hoof in front of her face and waved it slowly back and forth.

“My hooves are huge!” she said in wonderment. Her eyes rolled up in the back of her head, and she tumbled over onto her back. After a moment, she began snoring loudly. Suddenly, there was a flash of light and a magical barrier appeared at both ends of the alley, sealing the dragon and the ponies in. Shortly after that, evil giggling could be heard echoing through the alley. Captain Invincible and Banana Bread looked up to see three fillies looking down at them from the rooftops above.

“Looks like Captain Lamebrain finally figured it out,” said the orange pegasus filly with the short purple mane. Across the alley, on the opposite rooftop, were a while unicorn filly with a pink and purple mane and a bright yellow earth pony filly with a red mane, a black bow tied on the back of her head. Both laughed at their captives.

Captain Invincible and the sheriff frowned. “The Urchins,” the hero hissed. The sheriff bared her teeth at the yellow filly.

“Banana Split, y'all get your plot down here right now!” she yelled. Banana Split just sneered down at her.

“Sorry, sis, I never did cotton to all that law 'n order stuff y'all seem to like so much. Besides, Joybuzzer, Sour Note, and me we're just followin' orders. Ain't that right, Sour Note?” Banana Split elbowed the white unicorn filly in the ribs.

Sour Note smirked. “Right as rain, and those orders say to keep you right here.”

Banana Bread exhaled loudly through her teeth. “One o' these days, I'm gonna finally catch all three of you and tan yer hides somethin' fierce!”

Captain Invincible laid one of his claws gently on Banana Bread's withers. “Don't listen to them,” he whispered softly. “I know it hurts that your own sister struck out on a life of crime, but we need to keep our heads. The three of them are just the lackeys, there's a much more diabolical fiend at work here.”

Banana Bread looked at the Captain, then her eyes widened as she put it all together.

“The Schoolmarm!” she shouted.

“Quite correct, Sheriff,” came a cruel, mocking voice. The two looked back up where Joybuzzer was stationed. A plum-colored earth pony mare with a two-toned pink mane tied in a bun appeared next to the pegasus filly, who had climbed up onto the parapet and was grinning down at the prisoners, her tiny wings buzzing madly. The newcomer looked at her over the severe pair of glasses she was wearing.

“Joybuzzer, you know better than to do something that dangerous,” she chided. Joybuzzer's wings stopped moving and she stepped down form the parapet.

“Yes, Ms. Schoolmarm, ma'am,” Joybuzzer said, dejected.

The Schoolmarm patted Joybuzzer on the head. “No harm done. Which, now that I think of it, is a problem. Get the special pies, won't you?”

Joybuzzer grinned, saluted, and zoomed off. The Schoolmarm looked across the alley to Sour Note and Banana Split. “How are you holding up, Sour Note?”

Sour Note grinned and gestured with her glowing horn. “No problem, Ms. Schoolmarm. I got the barrier holding just fine.”

“Good,” the Schoolmarm grinned. She then turned her attention to her captives. “It's so nice to see you again, Sheriff. You too, Captain Invincible.”

“You let my sister go, you evil hussy!” Banana Bread yelled up at the villain. “Y'all brainwashed her into doing your evil bidding!”

“Brainwashed?” The Schoolmarm assumed an unconvincing expression of shock. “I would do no such thing to a child! Banana Split, have I brainwashed you?”

“Nope!” Banana Split said, giving her sister an evil grin. “I just like doin' bad.”

Banana Bread growled in response. Captain Invincible looked up at the Schoolmarm.

“What's this all about, Schoolmarm? The last time we met, you swore you had given up your evil ways!”

“Oh, Captain, you really should pay attention to grammar. What I actually said was that I was giving up brainwashing. While I was languishing behind bars, I realized that actually brainwashing multiple subjects was far too time consuming. I used my time to plan my escape, of course, but also to find a new way to control the malleable minds of the masses. I finally found it, but, like any new discovery, I need to test it out first. Then I thought of you and the sheriff and how you always seem to show up precisely when I don't want you around.”

The Schoolmarm sneered as Joybuzzer returned, carrying a dozen pie boxes which she put down on the rooftop next to her boss. “Excellent work, Joybuzzer.”

“Thanks, boss,” Joybuzzer grinned. The Schoolmarm opened one of the boxes and hefted the pie inside.

“So,” she began, “I found a chemical compound that interacts beautifully with the filling used for cream pies, and I also figured out how to get the two of you exactly where I want you.

“Step one: Conceive a situation where you would absolutely have to get involved. Step two: incapacitate a group of ponies with one half of the compound. Step three: trap the two of you down there with the incapacitated ponies. And step four,” The Schoolmarm suddenly reared back and hurled the pie down into the alley, smacking Deputy Sugarcube in the face.

“Profit,” The Schoolmarm finished, as Sugarcube's eyes opened. They were unfocused and vacant. Her pupils were mere pinpricks. The deputy staggered to her hooves and began lurching towards the sheriff and Captain Invincible, moaning loudly. Both began instinctively backing up.

“Girls,” the Schoolmarm addressed the Urchins. “Let them have it.”

Joybuzzer tossed several boxes across to the other two fillies, and all four of the villains began hurling pies down into the alley. Each pie that made contact with one of the unconscious teachers caused that pony to rise up and begin moving like a zombie towards the sheriff and the Ponytopolis Defender. Soon, all seven teachers and Deputy Sugarcube were moaning and lurching towards them. Banana Bread's eyes widened and she pressed herself against the alley wall. Above them, the Schoolmarm and the Urchins laughed in triumph.

“What do we do, Cap'n?” Banana Bread asked, trying to keep the fear out of her voice. Captain Invincible frowned and looked up at the top of the alley, then at the magical barrier, then back up at his adversaries.

“Can you take on your sister and Sour Note on your own?” he asked. Banana Bread blinked.

“Sure, but how in tarnation am I supposed to get up – get back you!” Banana Bread whirled around and with one kick from her hind legs, she sent one of the hapless mind-controlled ponies sailing across the alley. Suddenly, she felt a muscular arm wrap around her body and her vision blurred as she sailed up into the air and came crashing down on the roof next to Sour Note and Banana Split.

“Oh, nuts,” said Banana Split. She turned to Sour Note. “Time to go!”

“Not yet,” Sour Note replied. She turned to face the sheriff, her horn began to glow a sickly green, then she opened her mouth and let loose with a piercing shriek that caused Banana Bread to wince in pain and put her hooves over her ears.

Hearing the magically enhanced scream, Captain Invincible leaped into the air, using his powerful leg muscles to bounce off each side of the alley until he came to the top, somersaulted over the parapet and landed in front of Banana Bread. He reeled slightly as he took the brunt of Sour Note's attack, but quickly tore a scrap of fabric form his cape and dashed towards the filly.

Before she knew what had happened the unicorn filly found herself gagged, unable to continue her auditory assault. Captain Invincible took off his silver belt and used it to immobilize the young pony. Once that was done, he looked at Banana Bread.

“Are you all right, Sheriff?” he asked.

“I'm fine, but the Schoolmarm's gettin' away!” Banana Bread pointed across the alley where the Schoolmarm and Joybuzzer could be seen making a break for it. “I'll get my sister and deal with this one. You go after those two!”

Captain Invincible nodded, and with one mighty leap crossed the alley and began pursuing the two villains across the rooftops of Ponytopolis. Stride after stride brought him closer to his quarry.

Ahead of him, the Schoolmarm glanced back and snarled. “Joybuzzer, take care of him!”

“Yes, Ms. Schoolmarm!” Joybuzzer leaped into the air and her tiny wings began flapping like a hummingbird's. She turned in the air and flew back toward the Captain. As she approached, a curious glow began emanating from her eyes and sparks began to shoot off her wings. She shot back across the rooftops, the sparks changing to little arcs of lightning that sparked from wingtip to wingtip.

Captain Invincible skidded to a halt and dove to the side just as a huge charge of lightning burst from the filly and charred the roof where he had just been. Joybuzzer's wings stopped fluttering and she dropped to the roof, landing on her hooves.

“Nuts!” she said. She began fluttering her wings again, and slowly began to lift off the roof. Before she could get very high, however, Captain Invincible unfastened his cape from his shoulders, dropped it over the pegasus, and swiftly tied several knots in the corners of the fabric, turning the cape into a large sack that held the evil filly captive. Knowing that Joybuzzer wouldn't have the room necessary for her to charge her lightning attack, he slung the makeshift bag over his shoulder and continued pursuing the Schoolmarm.

****

Meanwhile, back behind the hero, Banana Split faced off against her older sister. The sheriff sighed heavily.

“Don't make this any tougher'n it has to be, Banana Split,” she said, narrowing her eyes. “Just come quietly, and we can sort this out.”

Banana Split laughed harshly. “Ha! Nothin' to sort out, sis. Ms. Schoolmarm's shown us how to get what we want outta life, and it don't include nosy big sisters and stupid dragons in masks ruinin' all my fun.”

“Fun!?” Banana Bread snapped. “Breakin' the law ain't fun!”

“Not to you, maybe. Besides, Ms. Schoolmarm taught me a special trick too.” Banana Split's eyes began glowing an eerie pink, then the next thing the sheriff knew, she was surrounded by ten Banana Splits.

“Whose got the upper hoof now, huh, big sis?” the Banana Splits chorused. The next thing Banana Bread knew, she was being assaulted by a number of fillies, all kicking and biting her wherever they could. The sheriff's hat was knocked off her head, and soon, she was buried under a pile of her sister's duplicates.

Sorry, little sis, but ya left me no choice.

With a mighty roar, Banana Bread flexed her muscles and began bucking her legs sending the duplicates of her sister flying. Each landed with a cry of pain on the graveled roof of the building. Some were knocked out by the impact and vanished when they lost consciousness. When Banana Bread got back to her hooves, there were only four Banana Splits facing her, all slowly getting to their own hooves. She glanced down at her overturned hat, and quickly pulled the lasso she kept in the crown with her teeth. She began twirling it over her head and scanned the clones of her sister before her.

Dang it. No way to tell 'em apart. Well, I promised I was gonna tan her hide, anyway.

The sheriff threw the lasso, snagged one of the Banana Splits around her hoof, then pulled sharply. The lassoed filly flew across the roof and collided with one of the other duplicates. They rolled across the roof, both becoming entangled in the rope as Banana Bread let go, letting the fillies' momentum carry them along.

The other two Banana Splits started running away from their lookalikes as they bore down on them. Banana Bread dashed around them and started herding them back together in one group. All four looked at each other, then at their sister, and all assumed the same expression of dewey-eyed innocence.

“Y'all wouldn't hurt your own sister, wouldja sis?” chorused their voices as one. Banana Bread frowned in consideration, then gave her answer.

“Nope. But then, three of ya ain't really my sister. And since the only way I can tell y'all apart is by knockin' ya all out, well, I reckon I got no other choice.”

Banana Bread reared up and pounded her forehooves together with an ominous smack. The Banana Splits looked at each other, came to a decision, and their eyes glowed once again. There was another flash, and only one filly was looking up at the orange law enforcement mare.

Neither sister looked directly at each other as Banana Bread used her lasso to immobilize her lawbreaking sibling.

****

“All right, Schoolmarm,” Captain Invincible said, gently putting his captive down on the rooftop where he had cornered the villain. “It's all over. Your evil mind control pie scheme is finished and you and the Urchins are going away for a long time!”

The Schoolmarm's face curled up in an expression of anger. She glanced over the edge of the building, then looked back at her nemesis.

“I'm not going back to prison, Captain,” she yelled. “I'll die first before I let you take me back!”

“I'll talk to the sheriff and the courts,” Captain Invincible said. “If you come quietly, I'm sure we can work out some kind of arrangement.” He took a step forward, holding out a claw for her to take. As he did so, the mad teacher threw herself over the edge of the building.

“No!” Captain Invincible cried, racing to the edge of the building. He peered over the edge, expecting to see the broken body of the Schoolmarm on the sidewalk below.

There was nothing. Captain Invincible frowned in puzzlement, when he heard a shrill whistle from across the street. He looked up and stared at the rooftop, where the Schoolmarm stood, waving a hoof in farewell, her eyes glowing a deep magenta.

“Sorry, Captain, but you should have known that if I taught the Urchins some new tricks, I probably had one or two of my own in reserve. Until next time, Captain Insightful!”

With that, the Schoolmarm galloped off and out of sight.

*****

“The Schoolmarm got away,” Banana Bread said as she and Captain Invincible watched the Urchins being hauled off in the city's paddy wagon. The teachers who had been attacked had all awoken, as had Deputy Sugarcube, who was being seen to by one of the paramedics that the sheriff had called.

“Yes,” Captain Invincible agreed. “But she'll be back, and next time we'll be ready for her and her new powers.”

“Yeah.”

Captain Invincible caught the sad note in the sheriff's voice and looked down at her. “I'm sorry about your sister.”

Banana Bread sniffed. “She made her choice. Now she's gotta deal with the law. But that don't mean I gotta like it.”

The Draconic Defender placed a reassuring claw on the sheriff's withers. “No, it doesn't. But once the judge decides what to do with her, well, maybe she could use a little guidance from her big sister, rather than the Ponytopolis Sheriff.”

Banana Bread looked up at him. “Ya think so, Cap'n?”

“She's young, there's still plenty of time for her and her friends to turn their lives around. They just need a little help.”

Banana Bread gave him a small smile. “If you think so, then I reckon I can be around to help 'em out.”

Captain Invincible grinned back at her. “Now, let's go see if Deputy Sugarcube has come down from the Schoolmarm's mind control pie.”

“The narwhals!” cried Deputy Sugarcube. “They hunger for my succulent eardrums!”

The superhero and the sheriff both snorted as they tried to keep from bursting out laughing.

Twilight quickly slapped a hoof over her mouth as she let out a short burst of laughter. She backtracked a couple of pages in the journal and re-read them. This story was as much fun as the first but there were still a couple of things that bothered her about it.

Where did the Schoolmarm get her powers? Captain Invincible was surprised she could teleport like that, being an earth pony and all, so it had to be something new. How did she teach the Urchins their powers? Why wasn't that explained? Did it happen in another story? Maybe I should read the next one. Spike could have realized he left that plot hole and filled it in later.

Twilight nodded to herself and flipped to the next story in the journal, eager to see what Spike had come up with next. She was still so engrossed with her questions about the Schoolmarm that she failed to hear the sound of someone coming down the stairs, which was why she leaped almost three feet in the air when someone loudly called her name.

Twilight's eyes opened wide and her cheeks flushed bright red, as she realized that she had just been caught.

Sticky Fingers!

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Twilight turned to look over her shoulder and saw Applejack standing at the bottom of the stairs. The farmer gave her a small smirk.

“Caught up in a good book again, huh, sugarcube?”

Twilight responded with a sheepish grin, but quickly closed the book and levitated it back onto the shelf. “Yeah, you got me. I was supposed to be, um, dusting down here but I pulled a book of the shelf that was out of place and, well, y'know?”

Applejack chuckled. “Yeah, I know. Anywho, are we still on for lunch? When ya didn't come by the farm, I figured I better come check on ya.”

Twilight smacked a hoof to her forehead. “Oh, jeez! I am so sorry, Applejack. I completely forgot we were having lunch today.”

“No problem,” Applejack said, “If yer busy, we can just do it another time.”

“No, no, now would actually be perfect,” Twilight said, walking over to her friend. “I need to get out of the house for a while anyway.”

Not to mention away from that journal, she finished silently.

*****

A little while later, the two had finished their meal at the cafe. Twilight sighed in contentment. Applejack's smirk returned.

“And ponies say I have a huge appetite,” she said teasingly. Twilight grinned.

“I don't know what it is. If I spend the whole day reading I end up devouring nearly everything in sight. At least Spike will be pleased I haven't cleaned out the icebox again while he's been out.”

“What were ya readin', anyway?” Applejack asked. “Musta been pretty interestin'. Some new history o' magic book, or somethin'?”

“No, nothing like that,” Twilight answered. “It was--” She trailed off as she realized what she was about to say. Applejack noted the change in Twilight's mood.

“Twi? You okay?” she asked.

Twilight looked at her friend and sighed. “Applejack, I've... I've been doing something terrible.”

She went on to explain about finding the journal, Spike's stories, and how she hadn't been able to stop reading them. Applejack said nothing while Twilight explained, her expression blank. When Twilight had finished, Applejack let out a sigh of her own.

“Twi, honey, you know I love you like my own sister, but what in tarnation were you thinkin'? Invadin' somepony-- er-- dragon's privacy like that?”

“I know!” Twilight cried. “I know what I did was wrong, but the stories they're just-- they're fun. They're engaging. I haven't been this enthralled by a work of fiction since the Daring Do series started. I can't stop reading them. I want to know what happens next.”

Applejack fixed her friend with a serious look. “Sugarcube, whether the stories are good or not ain't the point. The point is that Spike didn't want anypony to see 'em, and y'all should have left that journal alone when ya discovered what was in it. If ya had, ya wouldn't be in this mess now.”

Twilight looked down at the table and nodded. “What do I do, AJ?”

Applejack's expression softened. “Tell him. Tell him what ya did and that yer sorry. Tell him why ya did it, and, hopefully, everything'll work out.”

“What if he says he hates me? What if he wants to leave? That he never wants to see me again?” Twilight asked, panic rising in her voice. “I don't think I could take it.”

“Twilight, that dragon loves you,” Applejack began. “And yes, he'll be mad. Maybe real mad. But he's not gonna run off or turn his back on ya. I wouldn't do it, neither would the other gals, and Spike's known ya longer'n we have. Shoot, he's known ya as long as he's been alive. But, if ya don't tell him, he's gonna find out on his own, and then things'll just be worse'n they already are.”

Twilight nodded, and looked back up at her friend. “You're right. I should tell him, and take what's coming to me. It'll be hard, but it has to be done. Thanks, Applejack.”

Applejack smiled. “Yer welcome, Twi. And if things get outta hoof, I always got an open door and a shoulder to cry on.”

“I might have to take you up on that,” Twilight said with a small smile of her own. “I better get back. Spike will be home soon.”

“And I gotta get back to the farm.”

The two mares got up and left some bits on table for their meals. As they made ready to leave for their respective homes, Applejack put a hoof on Twilight's shoulder. “It'll be all right. Just be honest. It usually pays off in the long run.”

“I hope so, Applejack. Talk to you later,” Twilight said.

“I'll be at the farm if you need me, sugarcube,” Applejack replied before setting off for Sweet Apple Acres. The two friends waved goodbye, and Twilight made her way back to the library.

The library was still quiet when she arrived. Spike hadn't yet come home. Twilight sighed. It would have been so much easier if he had been there. She could have told him and gotten it over with.

I'm going to go out of my mind waiting for him, she thought. I've got to do something to take my mind off this for now.

She let out a sigh when the usual thought came to her. Well, I was going to tell him I read it anyway. In for a bit, in for a pound.

She walked downstairs, retrieved the journal and brought it back up to the common room. She made herself comfortable on her favorite cushion, flipped open the journal and began to read.

With a flash of light, the Schoolmarm appeared in the abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of Ponytopolis. She looked around nervously. Meeting with her current employer always made her nervous.

“Hello? Is anyone here?” she called. She froze in place as the meager light coming from the filthy windows of the warehouse was suddenly blotted out. The atmosphere became cloying and oppressive, and the Schoolmarm swallowed as she recognized the signs that meant her employer had arrived.

“What happened?” The voice of her employer was distorted with the unmistakable tinge of dark magics. The Schoolmarm strained to see through the darkness, only seeing the vaguest outline of a pony standing in front of her.

“Captain Invincible,” she answered. “The Urchins are in custody, and he knows about the pies.”

“You didn't keep your mouth shut.” The harsh accusation was a sentence, not a question.

The Schoolmarm hung her head. “No, my lady.”

“It seems to be a recurring problem with the dragon's foes. Dr. Spectra babbled as well.”

“About the entire plan?” The Schoolmarm's voice was tinged with fear. If Captain Invincible knew what was actually going on, she was sure there would be no mercy from the dragon for any of his foes who were involved, given the information her employer had provided when she had been recruited.

“Fortunately for her, no,” the magically distorted voice replied. “It does, however, mean we have to move up the timetable. The dragon may not be as astute as his mentor, but he's no fool. We need the doctor available. Now.”

“I can arrange a breakout,” The Schoolmarm said, her fear replaced by her noted skill for strategy. “But the second he hears of it, Invincible will be called in. She'll be back behind bars in no time.”

“I have taken care of that. Tomorrow morning, the dragon will find himself too occupied to worry about Dr. Spectra's escape. Speaking of arrangements, have you made the contact we discussed?”

The Schoolmarm grinned. “She's on her way to the city now. I have a meeting with her tomorrow.”

“You are certain she will accept the contract?”

“She won't be able to resist. The opportunity to have the head of the most famous dragon in Equestria on her wall? She'd never pass that up.” The Schoolmarm's grin could have come from the depths of Tartarus itself.

The shadowy pony chuckled. “Excellent. Now let us discuss the details of freeing Dr. Spectra.”

*****

Morning rush hour in Ponytopolis. Ponies moved through the city streets, going about their daily business. Among the crowd was Hot Scoop, along with her friend Spike Fireborne, another reporter for the Ponytopolis Times. He was a small purple dragon, with a ridge of green scales running up his back and over the top of his head. He was dressed in a smart gray suit, as befitted a reporter of the city's major newspaper. The two were heading for the office after stopping at their favorite tea stand, and, as usual, Hot Scoop was raving about her favorite topic.

“... and that horrid Dr. Spectra had me hooked up to yet another of those disgustingly filthy inventions of hers,” Hot Scoop was saying as they walked. “The chair was ridiculously uncomfortable too. After all these years of her kidnapping me to get Captain Invincible's attention, you would think she could at least provide a chair with some decent lumbar support.”

“I suppose,” Spike said. “And Captain Invincible saved you again, right?”

“Of course. How could he not? He's a true gentlepony – er – dragon. I'm just getting tired of this kind of thing happening every other week. It stops being frightening and becomes quite boring to be honest.”

The two of them rounded a corner, then dropped quickly to the ground when they saw the carriage flying through the air towards them. The carriage bounced off the side of the building next to them and careened into a fruit stand on the opposite side of the street. Hot Scoop and Spike looked up.

“Who in Equestria are they?” she asked aloud.

“I don't know,” Spike replied. “Looks like some other ponies have decided to get into the supervillain game.”

The ponies in question were rampaging further down the street. One was a teal unicorn mare with a light blue-and-white mane and tail. Surprisingly, she was walking on her hind legs. Her forelegs and upper chest was clad in a an odd silver and gold harness with a large glowing diamond in the center of the breastplate. Purple glowing tendrils of magic ran along her body and legs, clearly helping her keep the unnatural position she was in. However, the most amazing thing was the glowing magical projections coming from the end of her hooves.

The projections were two large purple clouds which tapered off into four tendrils each. Spike frowned as he noted they bore a resemblance to his own claws. The unicorn thrust a hoof forward and one of the “claws” reached out, grabbed a fruit cart and hurled it at a group of escaping ponies. The cart smashed harmlessly in the street. The unicorn laughed at the sight.

“This is great! Best deal we ever made, right, Sticky?” she called over her shoulder to her partner, an earth pony mare with a two-tone pink and dark blue mane.

The earth pony had a similar harness to her partner, this one with a glowing amethyst in the breastplate. She walked on all four legs, but attached to the harness on her back was an odd, cannon-like device which fired large glowing pink balls of cotton candy at the citizens on the street. Several ponies were stuck to the walls of the buildings, kicking and struggling to free themselves.

“Whatever you say, Stringsong,” Sticky said, firing another glob of cotton candy at a passerby. The unicorn turned and looked at her partner.

“Sticky Sweet, you have no sense of fun,” she said. “And stop calling me 'Stringsong!' I need something better. I know! 'Fingers!' I am now to be called Fingers!”

Sticky Sweet rolled her eyes. “'Fingers.' Right.”

The earth pony scanned the street again, and spotted Hot Scoop and Spike near the end of the block. She frowned for a moment, then her eyes widened.

“Hey! There she is!” she cried, swiftly training her cannon on Hot Scoop. Fingers turned in the same direction, and used her pseudo-claws to grab a demolished carriage. She held it over her head and threw it just as Sticky Sweet fired another cotton candy cannonball towards Hot Scoop.

“Roll!” Spike cried. He and Hot Scoop quickly rolled away from each other as the sugary projectile hit where they had been. Hot Scoop got to her hooves just in time to see the wrecked carriage come crashing down on Spike.

“Spike!” she screamed. Before she could see if her friend was hurt, another glob of cotton candy crashed into her, sending her bouncing into the wall of a nearby building. Pony and candy stuck to the wall with a resounding “splat.” Hot Scoop swooned, dizzy from the impact.

“Well, that was easy,” Fingers said as she walked over to their captive. “Probably enough for a bonus.”

“Getting her was only half the job,” Sticky Sweet replied, checking the strength of the cotton candy. “The hard part's coming.”

“Don't worry,” Fingers said, smashing her magical fists together. “I'm ready for him.”

Underneath what was left of the carriage, Spike let out the breath he'd been holding. Luckily, his small stature had managed to keep him from getting hit by any of the heavier parts of the wreck. He glanced through one of the many gaps in the beams and metal and saw Fingers and Sticky Sweet talking over by Hot Scoop. He frowned and quickly squeezed through a series of gaps, wriggling free on the other side of the wreck.

Dashing to an alley on the other side of the street, he reached inside his shirt, pulling out a small medallion with an onyx stone in the center. Surrounding the stone was an intricate carving of the sun. Spike held the medallion aloft.

“For the glory of Midnight Sun!” he cried. The onyx stone suddenly flared with hundreds of tiny pinpricks of light which expanded into a beam that bathed the dragon in pure white light. When the light faded, Spike had been transformed into the tall, muscular, square-jawed form of Captain Invincible.

Captain Invincible quickly leaped to a handy window ledge, then, using it as a jumping off point, launched himself out to the street and landed behind the two rampaging ponies.

“Why is it whenever ponies like you get hold of magic artifacts that they clearly don't know how to control, the first thing they do is go on a rampage of destruction?”

“Ha!” Fingers snorted. “Shows what you know. We're getting paid a bundle for--”

“Shut up, Stringsong!” Sticky Sweet snarled. She quickly trained her cannon on Captain Invincible and fired. The draconic defender nimbly dodged under the sugary sphere, grabbed it out of mid-air and hurled it back at the delinquent ponies. Fingers dodged out of the way but her partner wasn't nearly as lucky, taking the cotton candy ball full force and becoming stuck to another building. Captain Invincible quickly dashed to where Hot Scoop was imprisoned and freed her from her sticky restraints.

“Oh, thank you, Captain!” Hot Scoop breathed. Then, her eyes popped open fully. “Spike!”

“He's fine,” Captain Invincible said hurriedly. “I got him out before I got their attention. Now, you get somewhere safe, Miss Scoop, while I deal with Stringsong.”

“It's FINGERS!” came a cry from behind them. Captain Invincible rolled his eyes comically at Hot Scoop, who stifled a giggle with her hoof before dashing off down the street. The Ponytopolis Protector turned around to face his newest adversary.

“Right,” he said. “I will give you one chance to surrender now, and I promise to put a good word in with Sheriff Banana Bread.”

“Surrender?” Fingers' lips curled up in an evil grin. “Why would I do that? I'm having so much fun!”

Fingers raised her hooves and brought them down, the magical claws mimicking her movements. The claws smashed down on Captain Invincible, who thrust his own claws up, crossing them over his head. Fingers' magic claws impacted with the hero's forearms, the sheer power behind them forcing him to his knees.

Captain Invincible grit his teeth and brought one leg up, bracing himself against the ground before using his powerful legs to push back against the magical force trying to crush him. He slowly got back to his feet and with one mighty thrust of his arms, pushed the magical claws off of him and back towards Fingers.

Fingers' eyes widened and she quickly slapped the diamond in her chest plate with a hoof. The magical energy dissipated, and the pony dropped to her hooves. Captain Invincible frowned at her and started forward. Fingers quickly slapped the diamond again, and was back on her hind legs, and the magic claws reappeared. Fingers brought her hooves together and trapped the Captain in her two gargantuan magical fists.

*****

Hot Scoop watched in horror as her draconic hero was held captive. She started forward, but forced herself to stay put in the alley in which she had hidden. She levitated her notepad and pencil and furiously scribbled notes to herself for the story she would later write for the newspaper, muttering them aloud as she wrote.

“As Captain Invincible struggled with his magical bonds, the... oh, what's the right word? Evil? No, too plain. Diabolical? No. Nefarious? Eh, it'll do for now. The nefarious newcomer --ugh, lose the alliteration in the final draft-- approached the Ponytopolis Defender cackling in triumph.”

As the reporter continued to document the fight between Fingers and Captain Invincible, she failed to notice the dark mist that began to flow from the shadows of the alley and congeal around her. Suddenly, tendrils of inky blackness burst from the mist and surrounded Hot Scoop, wrapping tightly around her muzzle, silencing her yelp of surprise. Other tendrils wrapped around her hooves and dragged her into the heart of the mist. When Hot Scoop had vanished into the mist, an unnatural wind picked up and blew it away, leaving the alley empty and barren.

*****

“This has turned out to be a great day,” Fingers said, holding Captain Invincible up in the air with one magical claw, as she sent the other to free her partner from her spun sugar confinement. “My best friend and I get awesome super powers, we get a bagful of bits for a little mayhem, and we defeat Captain Invincible. This is awesome, isn't it, Sticky?”

“No,” Sticky Sweet said flatly. Fingers looked at her friend in surprise.

“What? But-- this is what we always wanted,” Fingers sputtered.

“No, this is what you wanted,” Sticky replied. She touched the amethyst on her breastplate. The cannon on her back disappeared and the glowing silver lines running along her body vanished. She began to shrug her way out of the harness. “You and your stupid obsession, it always comes first. Some pony offers you a chance to get claws of your own and you just go bananas for it.”

“Look at what they can do,” Fingers insisted. She grabbed another piece of debris and held it over her head. As she did so, her free claw began glowing brightly. Captain Invincible's eyes widened as she saw the claw holding him began to dim. He smiled to himself, but quickly made his expression blank as Fingers thrust him towards Sticky Sweet.

“We caught Captain Invincible! Nopony has ever done that before! Not even Dr. Spectra!”

Sticky Sweet sighed. “I don't care, Stringsong. I'm going to turn myself into the sheriff. I went along with this because you're my friend, but I don't want to hurt other ponies, and I don't want to smash things up either. I'm done.”

Fingers goggled. “Done? But, but, we won. We did what she wanted. We can do anything we want now.”

“And I want to just go back to the way we were,” Sticky said sadly. “Me and my best friend having ice cream, flying kites in the park, whining how much we hate our jobs. I don't want to rule the world. I just want to go home. Please, Stringsong? Let's go home.”

Fingers looked from her friend to the wreckage in the street, then to Captain Invincible, who simply nodded.

“My offer still stands, Stringsong,” he said. “Give up now, and tell me and the sheriff who hired you to do this, and I'll put in a good word for you. I'm sure something can be worked out.”

Fingers looked from him, to Sticky Sweet, and back again, clearly torn. As she did so, the glowing claws faded in brightness. Captain Invincible flexed his muscles and burst from the clutching appendages. Dropping to the ground, he quickly darted forward, seized the diamond in Fingers' breastplate, wrenched it free, placed it into his mouth and began to chew it to bits.

The magic instantly cut out, and Stringsong dropped to all fours once again. Se looked at Sticky Sweet, and burst into tears.

“I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!” she wailed. “I just wanted to make things better for you, Sticky!”

Sticky Sweet took her friend into her hooves. “I know. It's okay, now.”

As Stringsong bawled into Sticky's shoulder, the earth pony looked up at Captain Invincible. “We were hired by somepony who called herself Lunar Dust. She promised us a hundred thousand bits, and that we could keep the harnesses if we kept you busy for a while.”

“Busy?” Captain Invincible echoed. “Why would this Lunar Dust want you to keep me busy?”

“Captain Invincible!” came a new voice. The dragon and the earth pony looked up to see Deputy Sugarcube dashing towards them. She skidded to a halt, panting for breath.

“What's going on, Deputy Sugarcube?” the Captain asked as the pink pony caught her breath.

“The sheriff needs you at the jail right away,” the deputy said. “The Schoolmarm staged a jailbreak!”

Captain Invincible frowned. “She came back for the Urchins?”

Deputy Sugarcube shook her head. “No, the sheriff's been looking after them. The Schoolmarm broke out Dr. Spectra and Buttermint!”

A frown creased Captain Invincible's face. “Deputy Sugarcube, take these two into custody, but, be gentle. I'll meet you back at your office with the sheriff to figure out what to do about them.”

Sticky Sweet and Stringsong looked up at him. The unicorn's eyes were wet and red. Captain Invincible gave them a reassuring smile. “We'll work it out. I promise. But for now, do what the deputy says, okay?”

The two ponies nodded and Captain Invincible took a mighty leap into the air to the top of one of the shorter buildings on the street. With several more bounds, he was away over the rooftops to meet up with the sheriff.

*****

Across town, the Schoolmarm, having seen to Dr. Spectra's escape, was meeting with another newcomer to Ponytopolis.

“Naturally,” she said, “my employer would not have gone to the difficulty to contact you if she did not have need of your talents.”

The newcomer was a gray pegasus mare with a tangled blonde mane and tail. She was clad in a black armored vest. A large wicked looking sword was in a scabbard across her back. A black eye patch rimmed with silver covered her left eye, while her right eye was a vibrant gold. On her flank was a cutie mark in the shape of a dragon curled around its own tail.

“Save the flattery,” the pegasus said. “What do you want from me?”

The Schoolmarm smirked. “All right, I'll get to the point. You are the best known dragon hunter in Equestria. They say you can locate the hiding place of any dragon anywhere. Is this correct?”

“Ask the sixteen dragons who have their heads on my wall,” the pegasus answered.

The Schoolmarm's smirk turned into an open grin. “Excellent. Then we have a challenge for you. We want you to locate the lair of Captain Invincible, and then we want you to add his head to your collection.”

For the first time, the gray pegasus smiled.

“Tell me more.”

The sound of the doorknob turning brought Twilight out of her reading-induced trance. She quickly closed the journal and placed it on the small table next to her cushion, before getting up and turning to face the door.

“Twilight, I'm home!” Spike called as he entered. “Rarity says she's sorry she missed lunch with you and Applejack, but -- oh, there you are. Hey, are you all right? You look upset. Did something happen?”

Twilight sighed and looked at Spike with shame in her eyes. “Spike, I need to tell you something.”

The Pony with the Dragon Cutie Mark!

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“You... read my stories?”

Twilight's throat closed up as she saw the hurt and disbelief in Spike's eyes. She closed her eyes and hung her head.

“Yes, Spike, I did. I'm sorry,” she answered quietly. She opened her eyes and forced herself to look at Spike, who was staring back at her, tears forming in the corners of his eyes.

“I wrote that nopony should be reading them on the front page,” he said. “I didn't want them to be read.”

“I know, and I should have just put the book back on the shelf where you left it,” said Twilight. “But, when I found out you had been writing your own stories, I got curious. I wasn't intending to read more than a paragraph or two to find out what they were about, but they're really good, Spike! I couldn't stop reading them. The next thing I knew, I'd gotten through most of the book.”

Spike's expression turn into a frown. “And it never occurred to you to just ask me if you could read the rest of them? I probably would have said yes if you had!”

Twilight sighed. “No, I didn't think of it, and I should have. All I can say is --”

“No,” Spike interrupted. “I don't think I want to hear it right now, Twilight.” The dragon turned and headed back for the door. Twilight stood up fully and called to him.

“Spike, wait!”

“I'm going out,” Spike said quietly, not turning around. “I don't know when I'll be back. If you want to keep on reading, go ahead.” He opened the door and walked out of the library. He paused on the doorstep and looked back at Twilight, anger and betrayal still evident on his face.

“You reached the last story, anyway,” he finished.

The door slammed and Twilight looked down at the floor, ashamed of herself. She walked back over to her cushion and flopped down on it, resting her head on her forelegs. She let out a despondent sigh.

“I've made a mess of everything.” She rolled onto her back and let out another sigh. She cast her glance onto the floor, landing on the journal still sitting on her book rack. She snorted loudly and got up to stare at the offending volume.

“This is all your fault!” She swatted the book sharply, sending it flying across the room. It bounced off the far shelf and landed open on the floor. Twilight looked at her hoof, then at the book. She walked over to the fallen journal and levitated it up. “No, it's my fault. Spike's right, I should have asked.”

Twilight brought the book up to her face, intending to check it over for damage before she put it away. As she rifled through the pages, checking for loose ones, her eyes glanced down at one of them.

The pony resting in the crystal coffin was a purple unicorn, whose mane was a darker shade of violet, accented by a streak of magenta.

“Wait, what?” Twilight's eyes widened as her brain comprehended the sentence she had idly read. She backtracked a few paragraphs and read the entire passage. She blinked and looked up.

“He wrote me into his story,” she murmured, honestly surprised. She had figured that maybe the reason she hadn't shown up in the tales of Captain Invincible was because Spike hadn't wanted to write her in as a villain, which seemed to be how most of the ponies he knew had been incorporated, with the exceptions of Rarity, Applejack and Pinkie Pie. Nonetheless, here was a new character which matched her own description.

“But why is she in a coffin?” Twilight asked herself. “That makes no sense. Spike hasn't been overly morbid in these stories.”

She sat back down on her cushion, set the journal back on her reading stand, and flipped back to the beginning of the story, her curiosity once again getting the better of her.

She called herself Scaleseeker. It wasn't the name she had been born with, but it was the one she chose for herself when she had taken her destiny into her own hooves. When the dragon had come and taken everything she ever cared about away. She had taken the dragon's head in return.

Five years and sixteen dragons later, Scaleseeker watched from the roof of a building overlooking the Ponytopolis Jail. She normally didn't do work-for-hire, preferring to hunt down the fire-breathing vermin on her own, but this “Schoolmarm” and whoever she worked for were paying well, and Scaleseeker had to admit, Captain Invincible was a prize she couldn't allow herself to pass up.

She cast her single visible gold eye down at the large hole in the side of the jail, where her target and the sheriff were standing. Assorted other deputies, including the pink one with the absurd yellow hat, were securing the surrounding area. Her lip curled up in a half-smile. The great dragon “hero” was going to be a piece of cake.

Scaleseeker reached down and picked up a bow and arrow. She nocked the arrow into the string and pulled the arrow back. She took a deep breath, sighted her shot, and waited for the right moment to let the arrow fly.

*****

“It don't make no sense, Cap'n,” Sheriff Banana Bread said as she and the hero looked around the wreckage of the jail cell which had held Dr. Spectra and Buttermint. “Doc Spectra and the Schoolmarm got along about as well as two wet cats in a sack. So why in the hay would the Schoolmarm break the doc out of jail?”

Captain Invincible stood up from where he had been kneeling, taking a closer look at the damage caused to the jail.

“I don't know, Sheriff,” he said, clapping the dust from his claws. “These last few days have been very strange, and yet, I can't help but feeling there's something that we're missing.”

“Like what?” the earth pony sheriff asked.

Captain Invincible frowned. “I don't know. Dr. Spectra's invention, the strange new powers of the Urchins and the Schoolmarm, and those two ponies who were hired by this Lunar Dust, I can't help but feel they're all somehow connected. Find the connection and we find out what's going on.”

“Speakin' of the Urchins,” Banana Bread began. She quickly put a hoof to her mouth and whistled loudly. “Deputy Sugarcube!”

Deputy Sugarcube appeared in a blur of pink, her hat arriving on her head a full second after she did. She saluted sharply. “Yes, ma'am, Sheriff, sir!”

The sheriff rolled her eyes, then got to business. “Run down to my house and check to make sure my brother's got the Urchins under control. They still got them weird powers and if the Schoolmarm's breakin' ponies outta jail, she'll probably come for them next.”

“Right away, Sheriff!” the deputy saluted again and zipped off in another flash of pink. Banana Bread turned back to the Ponytopolis Protector.

“I got most of my deputies out searchin' the city for Doc Spectra and the Schoolmarm,” she said. “But, since they've managed to hide from us before, I'm not hopeful. Sure could use a lead right about now.”

Captain Invincible opened his mouth to speak, but quickly snapped it shut again as he spotted a metallic gleam coming from a rooftop across the street. He quickly thrust out an arm in front of the sheriff and deftly plucked a speeding arrow out of the air.

“What in tarnation?” Banana Bread shrieked, staring at the arrow in disbelief.

“I think that's our lead,” Captain Invincible said, not taking his eyes off the building where the arrow had come from. “Better get some additional deputies, Sheriff. I'm going to check this out.”

With that, Captain Invincible dashed across the street and leaped into the air, grabbing a convenient window ledge. He began swinging himself from ledge to ledge, scaling the building with incredible speed.

Banana Bread called several of her deputies over. “All right, I want three of ya to go around the back of the building and start headin' up the fire escape. Silver Star, Shiny Spurs, you two come with me.”

“Sheriff!” Deputy Sugarcube's voice came form down the street. In a moment, the breathless deputy had arrived.

“The Urchins,” she wheezed. “They're not there, and your brother is out cold!”

The sheriff's brow furrowed and she threw her hat to the ground. “Consarn it!”

*****

With one mighty leap, Captain Invincible landed on the roof of the building, and quickly scanned the area, looking for the pony who had fired the arrow. Seeing nopony on the rooftop itself, he turned his attention to the sky. It didn't take him long to find the armored gray pegasus hovering in the air.

“You know, for being the great hero of this city, you're just as stupid as the rest of the lizards,” the pegasus said.

“Who are you?” Captain Invincible asked, his fists automatically clenching when he spotted the sword slung across the pony's back. The pegasus rolled her single visible eye in exasperation.

“Not that it's really going to matter after I kill you, lizard, but your kind call me Scaleseeker.”

Captain Invincible's eyes widened. Although he had been raised by ponies, as he had gotten older he made it a point to find out about as much of his dragon heritage as possible. Time and again, he had heard tales from the elder dragons who lived in the high mountains. Tales of a gray pegasus who sought out the brash young drakes who were foolhardy enough to make their presence known near any major pony settlements. A pony who had single handedly brought down the menace known as Flamestrike the Unstoppable. A pegasus whose name was whispered in the lava pools and hidden volcanic craters when the Great Dragon Migrations occurred. The pony with the dragon cutie mark.

“Scaleseeker the Cold,” Captain Invincible stated. Scaleseeker snorted loudly.

“You lizards have to put a title on everything, don't you?” She reached back, unsheathed her sword, and with a fierce cry, streaked straight towards the mighty hero.

Captain Invincible flipped backwards as Scaleseeker swooped through the space where he had been just a second ago. The dragon hunter huffed a lock of her tangled blond mane out of her eye and swopped back down for another attack, raising her sword over her head and bringing it down towards her adversary.

Captain Invincible quickly brought his claws up and clapped the blade of the sword between theme. Much to his surprise, the pegasus was stronger than he expected, and his muscles strained as he struggled to keep his grip on the blade, even as Scaleseeker fought to free it.

“Why are you doing this?” Captain Invincible demanded, pressing his claws closer together. Scaleseeker simply gave him a wicked grin.

“I kill dragons. You're a dragon. Why make it complicated?”she said simply. She gripped the hilt of the sword and whirled around, using her wings to assist her movement. Captain Invincible's grip on the blade did not weaken, but the Defender of Equestria found himself skidding in a circle on the soles of his feet. Scaleseeker's grin widened and she began spinning in place, each turn causing Captain Invincible to rotate along with her, faster and faster, until the force of the spinning had lifted him off his feet. Captain Invincible felt his grip shifting, and one claw slid off the blade. He grit his teeth and increased his grip with his remaining hand, pushing through the pain as the blade bit deep into the flesh of his palm.

“By the way, lizard,” Scaleseeker said over the sound of the air rushing past him. “Just to make things interesting, I've got your little pony playmate. If you want her, you'll have to keep up with me.”

With that, Scaleseeker flexed her forelegs and yanked the sword out of Captain Invincible's hand, causing the hero to go sailing through the air and onto the rooftop of the building next door. He landed with a grunt, quickly shook off the dizziness he felt, and got to his feel. Across the way, Scaleseeker saluted mockingly, returned the sword to its scabbard and flew off across the rooftops of Ponytopolis.

Captain Invincible's face curled up in an expression of anger. He quickly blew a thin gout of flame across the wound in his hand to stop the bleeding, then bounded after the dragon hunter, intent on rescuing the love of his life.

*****

The chase didn't last long. Captain Invincible's powerful strides easily kept pace with Scaleseeker, and while the pegasus did try hiding and double backing several times, he easily kept her in sight until they had reached the roof of Ponytopolis City Hall. With a mighty bound, Captain Invincible leaped across the huge gap between the Equestrian Insurance Group building and landed solidly on the City Hall.

“Oh, thank Celestia!” Hot Scoop cried. Captain Invincible looked up to see the reporter tied to the flagpole that surmounted the building. He quickly dashed to her side.

“Are you all right, Miss Scoop?” he asked, beginning to untie her.

“Yes, I'm fine,” Hot Scoop answered. “I was abducted by some kind of black mist back where you were fighting those two ponies. The next thing I know, I'm here and tied up... again.”

“Where's Scaleseeker?”

Hot Scoop looked at him, puzzled. “Scaleseeker? Who's that? I haven't seen anypony since I found myself here.”

Captain Invincible quickly freed the unicorn and stood up, scanning the horizon. The gray pegasus was nowhere to be found. He strained his enhanced hearing, trying to pick up a heavy breath, the woosh of displaced air as her wings flapped, any sound that would tip off the dragon hunter's hiding place.

His frown returned as he found no trace of her. He looked down at Hot Scoop.

“It's not safe here for you, Miss Scoop,” he began. “Dr. Spectra has been broken out of jail, the Schoolmarm helped her, and I strongly suspect the Urchins may soon find themselves free as well. Not only that, there is a dangerous dragon hunter in the city who has threatened your safety. I fear she may try to use you as bait to draw me out.”

“How dreadful!” Hot Scoop exclaimed. “Well, if there's anything I can do to help you, Captain, you only need to ask.”

Captain Invincible was silent for a moment as he considered his options. Only one came to mind. One that would ensure Hot Scoop's safety until he could get all of the villains currently rampaging through Ponytopolis into Banana Bread's custody.

And Celestia knows, after everything she's been through with me, Hot Scoop deserves to see it.

Reaching his decision, Captain Invincible grinned down at his beloved unicorn maiden. “Miss Scoop, would you do me the honor of allowing me to show you my home?”

Hot Scoop's eyes widened and a grin appeared on her face. “Why, Captain, I thought you would never ask.”

Captain Invincible reached down and took the alabaster unicorn in his muscular arms, then leaped off City Hall, bounced off a passing carriage on the street, then up and over the rooftops of the city.

From a cloud high in the sky, Scaleseeker grinned evilly as she watched the hero and the reporter head off into the distance. Sher took to the air and began following them at a discreet distance. As she flew, she reached into the saddlebag attached to her armor and withdrew a glowing gold sphere. She raised it up to her mouth, all the while keeping the Draconic Defender in sight.

“The lizard's taken the bait. Follow the spell trail. I'll send a signal when I've found his lair.”

*****

After a breathtaking few minutes leaping across the rooftops, Captain Invincible soon came to rest at a small warehouse on the outskirts of the city. Putting Hot Scoop down, he withdrew a key from his cape and unlocked the door to the warehouse. Much to Hot Scoop's surprise, the warehouse was barren.

“This is your home?” she asked, perplexed.

“What were you expecting?” the hero asked.

“I'm not sure. Some kind of secret base filled with the latest in crime fighting technology, or perhaps a vast library filled with magical tomes from days of yore. Not an empty warehouse.”

“Ah,” Captain Invincible said with a grin. “Something more impressive, you mean.”

“Well... yes.” Hot Scoop admitted. Captain Invincible lead her across the vast floor of the warehouse to a far corner where a group of crates was stacked to the ceiling. He reached out and pressed on a protruding nail on the corner of one of the crates.

“Something like this, perhaps?” he asked, as a large section of the sides of the crates dropped down, revealing a large archway the two of them were able to pass through. As soon as they had crossed the threshhold of the arch, the secret door lifted up like a drawbridge behind them.

They stood in darkness for a while, then with a flash, the chamber they had entered was magically illuminated. Hot Scoop stared at the enormous crystal cavern they had entered. Multi-faceted crystals lined the walls, glowing with a soft magical light. There were piles of gems and gold coins scattered about the floor. Much to her surprise, off in once corner of the room was a comfortable looking bed and sofa, along with several bookshelves.

“This is amazing,” she whispered. “But, how? This room is far too large to be part of the warehouse.”

“Technically, it isn't,” Captain Invincible explained. “It's a magical construct that is attached to the warehouse, but doesn't occupy the same space. The crates are a dimensional gateway that allows us access.”

“You created this?” Hot Scoop asked. “I know you're powerful, but I've never seen you use magic before.”

Captain Invincible gave her an oddly sad smile. “I didn't create this place. It was done a long time ago, by someone very close to me.”

“Oh?” The curiosity was spelled out across the unicorn's face. Captain Invincible gestured with one claw towards another section of the lair, and the two made their way across the cavern.

Hot Scoop felt her breath catch in her lungs as she was lead to the largest crystal in the cavern. It lay on top of a platform that had been carved out of the rock wall. A small set of steps led up to the platform. As they climbed, Hot Scoop realized that the large crystal wasn't a natural crystal at all. It was a coffin. A transparent crystal coffin with a pony inside of it.

Hot Scoop looked up at Captain Invincible, who smiled gently, and gestured for her to take a closer look. Hot Scoop took a few tentative steps forward and looked down.

The pony resting in the crystal coffin was a purple unicorn, whose mane was a darker shade of violet, accented by a streak of magenta. She was dressed in simple golden robe. Her eyes were closed and her expression serene, like she was merely sleeping and having a pleasant dream.

“Who is she?” Hot Scoop asked. Captain Invincible stood beside her and sighed.

“Her name is Midnight Sun, and she was the pony who raised me. This cavern was her lab. From here we could travel to any city in Equestria”

Hot Scoop looked up at Captain Invincible in surprise. “Midnight Sun was a real pony?”

“As real as you or me,” the dragon replied. “She hatched me from an egg, and raised me as her own. She was one of the most powerful unicorns in Equestria. For a time, she served at the right hoof of Princess Celestia herself. She taught me everything I know about truth, justice, and doing what is right.”

“Is she... dead?”

“Yes and no,” Captain Invincible answered. “She's cursed. Years ago, when I was only a few years old, she was sent on a mission to rid Canterlot of an evil sorceress who had been abducting young foals in the night. Nopony knew what she wanted them for, but the Princess feared the worst. As her assistant, I went along with her, although she didn't initially want me to accompany her.

“We searched for weeks, but the sorceress was tricky. She never allowed her agents to see her face, and those agents we captured were fiercely loyal to her, or had delayed memory charms cast on them so that if they did talk, their minds would be instantly erased.”

“How did you find her then?” Hot Scoop asked. “I presume you did eventually manage to find her.”

“We did. She slipped up. She needed one more foal for whatever unholy ritual she was planning to enact. We had managed to whittle her network of agents down considerably, so she took the risk of taking the foal herself. Midnight Sun had realized the foals were all coming from wealthy and influential families around the city. All the foals were unicorns under the age of six and none younger than two. Midnight cast a tracking spell on all the foals who fit those factors, and set them to alert her if any of them were abducted after their usual bedtimes.”

Captain Invincible reached down and lightly placed his hand on the coffin over one of Midnight Sun's hooves. “We didn't have long to wait. One of the foals was abducted the night after the tracking spells were in place. The colt of one of the larger merchants in the city. Midnight Sun and I swiftly tracked the colt to a cavern much like this one deep in the mountain Canterlot sits upon.

“The foals were all alive. They were held in cages that slowly drained the magic from them. The magic was siphoned off to power a mystic circle etched into the floor of the cave. Those foals that had been there for a while looked drained and weary. The newer arrivals were scared and crying. And then, we saw her. The sorceress herself.”

Hot Scoop placed a hoof on Captain Invincible's arm as he trailed off. He looked down at her, a haunted look in his eyes, but smiled as Hot Scoop silently encouraged him to go on. The mighty dragon took a deep breath and continued his tale.

“Her name was, ironically enough, Lullaby, and she had been Celestia's court magician for years until it was discovered she was plotting a coup behind the Princess's back. She was tried and convicted of high treason, but managed to escape. A few months later, Midnight Sun gained Lullaby's former position. For some reason, Lullaby's twisted mind had rewritten the events so that now she believed Midnight Sun had been responsible for her loss of position.

“Lullaby had abducted the foals in order to steal their magic potential and increase her own power. She didn't care that doing so would severely weaken the foals, possibly to the point of death. She simply wanted enough power to destroy Midnight Sun and take the throne for herself.”

“What happened when you found her?” Hot Scoop asked.

“Midnight Sun and Lullaby fought, spell against spell, the cavern shook with the force of the magic they were using. With Lullaby occupied, I set to work freeing the foals. Those who could run did, while I tried to help those who were almost too weak to move.

“Unfortunately, Lullaby spotted me, and began turning her magic on me and the foals. I did what I could to rush them out, but Lullaby managed to trap us by firing bolts of magic at the ceiling, causing the caverns crystal stalactites to fall and keep us from escaping. Seeing me and the foals trapped, Midnight Sun did the only thing she could do. She summoned all her power and blasted Lullaby with it. Lullaby slammed into the far wall of the chamber, her bones smashing at the impact. She glared up at Midnight Sun with hate in her eyes, and before either of us knew what had happened, she had retaliated with a black bolt of magic that struck my mentor down.”

Captain Invincible's eyes were haunted and he swallowed heavily before continuing. “Lullaby didn't say anything, but she smiled as Midnight Sun fell, then she fired bolt after bolt into the ceiling of the cavern, intending to collapse it on top of all of us. Midnight Sun managed to drag herself over to where the foals and I were trapped, and she took the medallion she wore from around her neck. I watched as she poured her magic into the onyx stone.

“When she was done, she gave me a weak smile and handed the medallion to me through the gap between two of the stalactites. I remember what she whispered to me then, before the curse took her and she fell into this state you see her in.”

“What did she say?”

Captain Invincible closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “She said, 'call upon my glory to be the hero I know you are.' So, I took the medallion and said the first phrase that came into my head.”

He looked back down at Hot Scoop and grinned. “And that is how I became Captain Invincible.”

Hot Scoop returned the smile, then looked back down at Midnight Sun. “She sacrificed herself for the foals, and for you. She must have loved you very much.”

“Yes, she did, and I loved her. From that day forward, I vowed that I would use the gifts she gave me to defend those who couldn't defend themselves, and protect the ponies of Equestria from any and all threats.”

“What happened to Lullaby?” Hot Scoop asked. “I assume you rescued the foals and obviously you brought Midnight Sun here, but what happened to the sorceress?”

“I barely managed to get the foals and Midnight out of the cavern before it collapsed. I always assumed that Lullaby was killed in the cave-in. Certainly, I've never seen hide nor hair of her since that day. The next day I led a detachment of the Princess's Royal Guard to retrieve her. The cave-in was so complete it was impossible to access the cavern anymore.”

“I see,” Hot Scoop said, looking back down at Midnight Sun. “Is there a cure for her?”

“Princess Celestia tried finding one for a while, but whatever curse Lullaby cast, it used the blackest of magic. Magic even the Princess is reluctant to touch, lest she succumb to its evil power herself. Her scholars keep searching for something to counter it, but so far, there's been no success. Until one is found, she stays in this state between life and death.”

“That's so sad,” Hot Scoop said.

“Yes, but I find helping other ponies keeps me busy. Besides,” he said, tilting the reporter's chin up so they were looking into each others eyes. “If it hadn't happened, I would never have met you.”

Hot Scoop blushed and giggled like a schoolfilly.

*****

Scaleseeker paced in the empty warehouse. She was sure the dragon had come here. She had already sent the signal to the Schoolmarm, who was probably on her way, but the lizard had simply vanished.

The dragon hunter frowned in thought. There was one way to determine where he had gone. The “gift” left to her by the dragon called Nightfire the Seer. The kill had been difficult, and Nightfire herself had left her own mark on the dragon hunter, giving her the ability to locate any dragon no matter how elusive. The catch was that every time she used the ability, it devoured another piece of her soul. When it was all gone, Scaleseeker would die, an empty hollow husk where a pony once dwelled.

She had used the ability sparingly once she had been informed of the cost. Three times in the last four years, and then only in the most dire of circumstances. The pegasus let a breath out through her teeth in exasperation, then reached for her eyepatch. She pulled it off, revealing her other eye.

The left eye was the same shade of gold as her right eye, but unlike her right eye, the pupil was slitted like a dragon's and moved around involuntarily, constantly scanning the area. Getting used to the constant movement had taken some time, but Scaleseeker soon found a way to live with it.

As she was about to activate the ability, there was a flash of light and the Schoolmarm appeared next to her. Scaleseeker quickly covered her dragon eye with her mane and turned to face her employer.

“I expected something more flashy,” the Schoolmarm said, looking a the warehouse with disdain. “I hope you are sure this is the place.”

“I was just about to confirm,” Scaleseeker said coldly. “Don't question my methods.”

“Oh, I'm not,” said the Schoolmarm. Scaleseeker took a step back as the warehouse became considerably darker, and the air more oppressive. A dark mist began coalescing out of the air and turned into a massive cloud in the center of the room. The Schoolmarm looked back at Scaleseeker and smirked.

“Our mutual employer, on the other hand, just might,” she finished.

The cloud suddenly dissipated, as if by an unseen wind. Standing where the cloud had been was a blue unicorn mare. Her mane and tail were striped with two lighter shades of blue. She wore a dark cloak and a black tiara surmounted by a large red gem. She glared haughtily at the two other mares.

“Where is it?” she asked quietly.

Scaleseeker shrugged. “I was about to look for it before I was interrupted.”

The unicorn's eyes narrowed. “Do you know to whom you are speaking?”

“Yeah, I'm talking to the one who is paying me to find the lizard's lair, and who's keeping me from doing that.” The dragon hunter turned away from the other ponies, pulled her mane out of her eye and silently muttered the incantation to activate it. Her eye briefly flashed with a golden light, and began moving even more rapidly than before.

As Scaleseeker investigated the warehouse, the unicorn turned to the Schoolmarm. “You are certain of her abilities?”

“Very, my lady,” the Schoolmarm replied. “If she tracked Captain Invincible here, then he is here somewhere.”

“Not somewhere,” came Scaleseeker's voice. “He's over here.”

The unicorn and the Schoolmarm looked over to see the dragon hunter standing in front of a stack of crates piled in the corner. They walked over, as Scaleseeker replaced her eye patch.

“There's some kind of magical gate here,” Scaleseeker reported. “Probably a pocket dimension or something like that.”

“Easily dealt with,” the unicorn said. She turned to the Schoolmarm. “Fetch the Urchins. We'll probably need a distraction.”

“Yes, my lady.” The Schoolmarm vanished in a flash of light, and returned a few seconds later with the Urchins.

“That was cool!” Joybuzzer squealed. “Can I learn how to do that next?”

“Perhaps. If we're successful,” said the unicorn. She turned to Scaleseeker. “Where is the door?”

Scaleseeker peered at the crates, then stuck out a hoof and pressed down on a protruding nail. The fronts of the false crates dropped down, revealing the archway leading to Captain Invincible's lair. The unicorn smirked and turned her head to address her minions.

“Let's go see my old friend's disciple, shall we?”

*****

Captain Invincible was pacing. “There is still the matter of the Schoolmarm and the Urchins' new powers, Dr. Spectra's break out, and the arrival of Scaleseeker. These events all happened far too close to each other to be coincidental.”

“I agree,” Hot Scoop said. “There has to be something linking all these together. Wait!”

The white unicorn got to her hooves and dashed to the living area of the lair. “Do you have any paper, or a chalkboard or something?”

Captain Invincible joined her and unearthed a small slate and a piece of chalk. “What is it?” he asked.

Hot Scoop levitated the chalk and began scribbling names on the slate. “Follow me on this. The Schoolmarm and the Urchins re-appear in town, but this time they all have magical abilities they didn't have before. At the same time, Dr. Spectra is working on a unicorn magic extractor, intending to somehow implant the magic she stole into herself.”

Captain Invincible's eyes widened. “But, Dr. Spectra is still, first and foremost, a scientist. There's no way she would try an untested process on herself.”

“Emphasis on 'untested,'” Hot Scoop continued. “However, we know four certain ponies who suddenly acquired abilities and powers they didn't have before, don't we?”

Captain Invincible began rubbing his chin in thought. “Dr. Spectra puts the word out that she can give magical powers to non-unicorns--”

“And enhance the abilities unicorns already have,” Hot Scoop interrupted. “Remember Sour Note?”

“Right,” Captain Invincible began pacing again. “The Schoolmarm and the Urchins respond. The test is successful. Dr. Spectra prepares to extract your magic and transfer it into herself, and then I foil her plans. Later, she's broken out of jail by the Schoolmarm.” The dragon stopped pacing. “There's still Scaleseeker. How does she fit into all this?”

“Well, what do you know about her?”

“The dragons call her Scaleseeker the Cold. She's hunted down and taken the heads of sixteen dragons. Every major dragon that roamed the Crystal Mountains fell before her. Even Flamestrike the Unstoppable. It's said that she can find any dragon she wishes to hunt, no matter--”

“No matter where they may hide,” came a voice that caused the blood in the hero's veins to run colder than it already was. He whirled around to see his enemies standing at the entrance to the cavern. In the center of the group was a pony he had thought he would never see again.

“Lullaby,” he hissed. Lullaby gave him an evil grin.

“Good to see you again... Spike.”

“What?!” Twilight shrieked, startling herself out of her reading induced trance. She flipped the page, only to find the next one was blank. She rifled through the remaining pages, only to find they too were blank. She had finished the last story, but the adventures of Captain Invincible hadn't been completed.

Twilight felt her heart sink as she realized what that meant.

If I hadn't started reading his stories, Spike would have finished the series. And now...he never will.

Twilight let her head drop to her hooves, cursing herself for letting her curiosity get the better of her.

An Interlude

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“Spike? Spike, is that you?”

Spike snorted and awoke at the sound of the voice. He let out a gigantic yawn and looked up to see Rarity standing over him, looking concerned.

“Spike, what on earth are you doing sleeping in the park? And so late!” she asked.

Spike blinked and looked around. He had fallen asleep under a tree in the Ponyville Park and the sun was setting.

“Oh, jeez,” he said, getting to his feet. “I didn't mean to sleep this late. I just wanted a quick nap.”

“Well, come on, I'll take you back to the library. I'm sure Twilight is worried sick about you.” Rarity blinked as she saw Spike's face fall. “Spike? Is everything all right?”

“Fine. Everything's fine,” Spike mumbled. Rarity frowned.

“Spike, if something's wrong, you can tell me. Did you and Twilight have a fight?”

Spike looked down at the ground and nodded.

“Oh, dear,” Rarity said. “Well... come with me. You're probably hungry, and I have some simply divine gems left over from my last order. It'd be a shame to let them go to waste.”

“Thanks, Rarity,” Spike said quietly. The two of them began walking back toward the center of Ponyville and Carousel Boutique. They were silent for a moment, then Spike broke the silence.

“She read my stories.”

Rarity looked over at Spike. “I'm sorry?”

Spike let out a sigh and told Rarity about the stories of Captain Invincible, how he hadn't wanted anyone to read them, how he had hidden the journal to make sure they'd be kept secret, and how Twilight had confessed to reading them behind his back.

“What gets me is she could have just asked me!” Spike finished. “She didn't have to sneak around.”

“I'm sure she didn't mean to hurt your feelings, Spike,” Rarity said. “True, she should have told you when she started reading your stories, but I seriously doubt she was trying to be deliberately snoopy or anything like that.”

“I know, but... if she did this, what's going to happen when I get older. I know she wants to look out for me, but some things should be kept private.” Spike looked up at Rarity. “Am I wrong to think that?”

Rarity stopped walking and turned to face Spike. “Not at all. Anypony would object to their privacy being invaded like that. But, she did tell you and apologize.”

“I know,” Spike muttered. Rarity caught the downhearted tone of voice and brought her head down closer to Spike.

“It's not just that she read the stories, is it?” she asked. “Spike, what's really bothering you?”

The dragon took a deep breath and let it out with a sigh. “It was supposed to be a surprise.”

“What sort of surprise?”

“When I started writing them, the stories were just for me. You know, something to act out the stupid fantasies in my head. But as I kept writing, something happened. Suddenly, I had a plot, and what looked like it would be a really good series. I wanted Twilight to read it. I started doing my best to tell stories she'd love.”

Rarity smiled as she put it together. “But you didn't want her reading them until they was finished.”

Spike nodded. “If she didn't like them, at least that meant the whole story would have been told.”

“And she told you what, exactly, when she admitted she'd been reading them?”

Spike looked away and muttered something Rarity couldn't make out. She quirked an eyebrow.

“I beg your pardon?” she asked. Spike looked back at her.

“She liked them. She said they were really good.”

“Then it sounds like the worst is over. All that remains is for you to let her know that you forgive her.” Rarity paused, a concerned expression crossing her face. “You DO forgive her, don't you, Spike?”

“Of course!” Spike said, astonished. “Why wouldn't I? Yeah, I was mad, but it's not like I hate her for it.”

“Then I'm not seeing the problem. You go home, Twilight will apologize again, you'll forgive her, and everything will be back to the way it was, yes?”

“It's not that,” Spike said. “It's just... the surprise is ruined now. She's already read everything I wrote.”

“Everything?” Rarity quirked an eyebrow.

“Everything,” Spike confirmed. Rarity looked at him for moment then smiled.

“What about the ending?”

Spike looked up. “What?”

*****

Spike opened the door to the library, letting himself in quietly. The tree was dark, the only light coming from the last rays of the sun as it set. He walked over to one of the lanterns, intending to light it when he heard a sigh come from behind him.

Spike turned to see Twilight asleep on her reading cushion, her head resting on her hooves. Spike smiled, and rather than lighting a full lantern, lit a candle. He walked over to Twilight and held the candle close. Twilight didn't respond, but Spike could see tear tracks drying in the fur under her eyes. He gave another sad smile, then went upstairs, grabbed a spare blanket, then brought it back down and covered Twilight with it. When that was done, he looked at his journal, still on the reading stand. He picked it up and thumbed through it, re-reading the end of the last story. He thought about everything that had happened that day. Twilight's words, Rarity's advice, and his own feelings on the matter. After a moment, he came to a decision.

He closed the book, picked up the candle, and took both to the lower room of the library. He placed the book on the table in the center of the room, found a quill and a bottle of ink, sat down on one of the stools, and began to write.

Lullaby and Good Night!

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Twilight's eyes creaked open and she peered blearily up at the window, and made a face at the sunlight streaming in through it. Her mouth felt like someone had scraped the gunk from the bottom of the oven at Sugarcube Corner and pasted it into her teeth, gums, and palate. Her eyelids felt puffy from falling asleep while crying the night before and in general, it was not a good morning to be her.

As she rose to her hooves, she blinked as the blanket which had been covering her fell to the floor. She peered at it, confused, knowing she had not fallen asleep with it the night before. She levitated the blanket and left it neatly folded next to her reading cushion. She walked towards the icebox, deciding to look for something for breakfast.

As she passed into the kitchen, her nostrils widened at the scent of eggs, toast, waffles, and (Thank you, sweet Celestia!) coffee. She moved to the table where the repast had been laid out for her. She sat on the cushion at the table, ready to devour everything in sight. She looked over the food and stopped as she realized there was something else sitting next to her plate.

Spike's journal.

Twilight swallowed heavily, her appetite suddenly gone. There was a folded note sitting on top of the book. She grabbed the note with her magic and unfolded it in front of her.

Twilight,

I did some thinking yesterday, and yeah, I'm still kind of mad at you. But, I also don't really want to keep on being mad at you. I made you some breakfast, and I left you something to read. I'm going out to run some errands. Should be gone most of the day. We'll talk when I get back.

--Spike

P.S. Hope you like what you read.

Twilight put the note down and moved the journal in front of her, pushing her plate aside. She rifled through the pages, turning to where she had left off. Sure enough, there were more paged that had been filled in, almost completing the journal.

Did he write this all last night? Twilight thought. And he still went out this morning? He must be exhausted.

Twilight looked back at the door and felt a small smile cross her face. She had made a mistake, but it could be fixed. In the meantime, Spike had finished the adventures of Captain Invincible, and this time, he had given her permission to read them.

She quickly loaded food onto her plate, then flipped the journal open next to it and began to read and eat.

*****

“I thought you were dead,” Captain Invincible snarled, narrowing his eyes at the evil sorceress he and Midnight Sun had fought so long ago.

“You should have made sure,” Lullaby replied with a wicked smile. “And as much as I'd love to catch up with you, Spike, I have more important things to do here. Take him down.”

With a grin, Scaleseeker took to the air and shot straight toward Captain Invincible. The great dragon hero braced himself, but the dragon hunter was moving fast enough to send the two of them hurtling across the cavern and through the far wall.

“Captain!” Hot Scoop cried. She started galloping towards the large hole in the wall, but quickly found herself staggering under an unexpected weight. She looked behind her and saw six Banana Splits grinning at her.

“Not so fast now, are ya Miz Fancyhooves?” they chorused. Hot Scoop frowned and began bucking her hind legs, attempting to dislodge the evil clones. Banana Split responded by multiplying herself further, causing Hot Scoop to stagger and fall under the weight. She collapsed on the floor, causing a couple of the Banana Splits to roll off her and away. The unicorn pressed her forehooves to the floor and pushed up with all her might. The earth pony fillies on her back went flying from the sudden jolt and Hot Scoop continued her run to aid Captain Invincible.

As she approached the hole in the wall the Captain and Scaleseeker had vanished through, there was a sudden explosion of crystal and blur of motion. Hot Scoop whirled around to see Captain Invincible and Scaleseeker crash on the floor. She began to run to help, but let out a gasp as a bolt of lightning struck her. Her eyes rolled up in her head and she collapsed to the floor of the cavern.

Behind her, Joybuzzer dropped to the ground, smirking evilly. Half a dozen Banana Splits came over and began hoisting Hot Scoop up between them, one pausing to hoofbump the pegasus filly.

*****

Captain Invincible let out a grunt of pain as Scaleseeker drove one of her hooves into his jaw. Both of his claws shot up, catching the dragon hunter's hooves in mid-strike. Scaleseeker let out a growl of frustration and drove her head forward, headbutting the Ponytopolis Protector.

Captain Invincible responded with a growl of his own, bent his knees and pushed as hard as he could against the crystals at his back. The Captain's mighty strength caused both dragon and hunter to rocket back out into the main cavern of the lair. The two landed hard, both letting out gasps as the air rushed from their lungs. Captain Invincible recovered first, shoved Scaleseeker off of him, and got to his knees. His mouth curled up in a snarl as he saw Lullaby and the Schoolmarm approaching the crystal sarcophagus that held Midnight Sun.

“No, you don't!” he cried, getting to his feet and racing to stop his enemies. Lullaby gave him a wicked grin and fired a bolt of crimson magic from the tiara on her head. Captain Invincible dodged to the left, letting the bolt crash into the floor. He rose to one knee and grinned at his old enemy.

“You're out of practice, Lullaby!” he taunted. The sorceress' grin widened.

“And you're just as gullible as ever,” she sneered. Captain Invincible opened his mouth to speak, but his words were cut off as Scaleseeker leaped onto his back and threw a foreleg around his neck, getting the hero in a choke hold. Before the Captain could react, the dragon hunter reached into a compartment on her breastplate with her free hoof, and extracted a golden collar with a skull shaped clasp. She quickly slapped the collar around Captain Invincible's muscular neck. The collar snapped shut and the clasp latched.

Captain Invincible grabbed the collar and pulled with all his might. His mighty arms strained to remove the jewelry, but it refused to budge. He glared at Scaleseeker.

“What have you done?” he demanded. Scaleseeker grinned.

“This,” she answered. She held up her free hoof, displaying a gold bracelet with a similar skull-shaped clasp. She tapped the skull and Captain Invincible collapsed to the ground, his whole body suddenly feeling ten times heavier than it usually did. The collar was glowing brightly as he struggled.

“Don't bother,” Scaleseeker said, walking around in front of the dragon hero. “The more you struggle, the heavier you're going to get. Keeps your kind subdued and easier to ki—GAAAHHKKKK!”

Scaleseeker's face began to turn red as Captain Invincible forced on claw upward and grabbed her around the neck, dragging the gray pegasus to the ground next to him. He loosened his grip slightly, allowing the dragon hunter to get enough air to breathe while still keeping her restrained.

Lullaby smiled again at her immobilized nemesis, then turned to the Schoolmarm. “Can you do it?”

The Schoolmarm looked up from where she was examining Midnight Sun's coffin. “We'll have to take everyone, but I think so.”

“Excellent,” Lullaby turned to face Captain Invincible. “It's been lovely seeing you again, Spike, but I have some other things to do at the moment. Girls?”

The Urchins appeared, the Banana Split duplicates balancing the unconscious Hot Scoop on their backs. Captain Invincible struggled to extend his free claw.

“Leave... her... alone,” he growled. Lullaby let out an evil chuckle.

“Sorry, but as you so aptly noted, Dr. Spectra won't do anything without appropriate testing, so I'm afraid Miss Scoop is going to be coming with us.”

“If you... hurt... her,” Captain Invincible hissed through his teeth.

“You won't be able to do anything about it,” Lullaby finished. “In fact, I think it's only right that I leave you the exact same way you and the purple harlot over here left me. Sour Note?”

The unicorn filly smiled and trotted over to her mistress. “Yes, Miss Lullaby?”

“Bury the good Captain in his own lair, won't you?”

“Yes, ma'am!” Sour Note chirped. She took a deep breath and was about to start singing when Scaleseeker's voice rang out.

“Hey! What about me?” she demanded, as she still fought to escape Captain Invincible's grip. Lullaby sneered at the dragon hunter.

“I hired you to track down and kill Captain Invincible, and as far as I can see, you failed. In which case, I no longer require your services. Sour Note?”

Sour Note cut loose with a hyper-sonic scream that resonated the crystals composing the cavern. The crystals began to resonate and chime ominously. Bits and pieces began to fall from the ceiling.

“Time to go,” she said. The Schoolmarm's eyes began glowing magenta. The magical energy flowed around Lullaby, the Urchins, Hot Scoop, and Midnight Sun. “Next stop, Canterlot.”

There was a blinding flash, and soon the Captain and the hunter were alone in the rapidly collapsing cavern. Scaleseeker cursed, and began fumbling at the bracelet on her left hoof.

“Lousy stupid double-crossing... Stop struggling!” she yelled at the Ponytopolis Defender. “I'm trying to turn the collar off.” Captain Invincible stopped struggling against the spell, and relaxed his grip, allowing Scaleseeker to get to her hooves. She slapped the skull on the bracelet. The golden glow faded from the collar and Captain Invincible got to his feet.

“Right,” he said. “First thing we do is--”

His words were lost as the ceiling came crashing down on the two of them.

*****

“Oh, darn it!” Twilight said, looking up from the journal. There was an insistent knocking on the library door.

“Twilight?” came Apple Bloom's voice. “Are ya home? Applejack said y'all got those books on rock climbin' we asked for last week!”

Twilight rolled her eyes and got to her hooves. “Yes, I'm here Apple Bloom. I'll be right there!”

She levitated the plate and silverware to the sink, and flipped the journal closed. She headed out of the kitchen and back to the main room, planning to get Apple Bloom on her way and get back to the story as soon as possible.

Crushing Doom!

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“Okay, there's your book!” Twilight said a little too brightly. She began none-to-gently shoving Apple Bloom towards the door of the library. “Thanks for coming. If you need anything else feel free to come back--”

“Well, now that ya mention it, we were thinkin' about findin' books on makin' fireworks,” the filly began.

“Tomorrow!” Twilight shouted, then continued in a more normal tone of voice. “Come back tomorrow and I'll find you all the books you need. Thanks for stopping by, Apple Bloom, good night!”

With a final shove, Twilight finally got Apple Bloom out of the library and onto the doorstep. Apple Bloom turned to thank Twilight again, then blinked as the door slammed shut.

“But, it's ten in the mornin',” Apple Bloom said, confused.

After making sure the door was locked and the “closed” sign was up in the window, Twilight retrieved Spike's journal and relocated back to her favorite reading cushion. She made herself comfortable and opened the journal.

“All right, lets see. Captain Invincible and Scaleseeker had just been caught in the cave-in Lullaby had Sour Note start...”

Scaleseeker's good eye opened and she glanced around, surprised she was still alive. She tried to get to her hooves, but found a large weight pressing down on her. She struggled against it, then her nostrils detected an unmistakeable smell.

“Get off me, lizard!” she snarled.

“I would love to,” Captain Invincible replied, “but right now, I'm a little busy keeping a few tons of crystal from crushing us to death. I think I can get you a little more room, though. Hold on.”

The Captain let out a grunt of exertion and Scaleseeker felt the dragon's weight lift off her enough for her to turn around so she could see the situation they were in. The two were trapped in a small pocket of air barely large enough for the two of them. Even though Captain Invincible had raised himself enough to move, Scaleseeker could still see the dragon was bent over at the waist, using his back, shoulders, and arms to keep the crystals that made up his former lair from burying them both. There wasn't enough room for the pegasus to stand up, so he folded her wings in as tightly to her body as she could, trying to make more space.

“The air's not going to last long in here,” she said, surveying the small chamber. “How are you doing with all that?”

“I can hold it for a little while, but not long.”

“I don't suppose you have some sort of escape spell or something in case something like this happened?”

“Considering that I'm not a wizard, and Midnight Sun figured that no one but me and her would ever come here, no. No, there isn't.”

Scaleseeker rolled her eye. “Great. So we're gonna die here.”

“I said there isn't an emergency escape spell,” Captain Invincible replied, “I didn't say we weren't going to get out of here. But we're going to have to work together to do it.”

“Oh, great. My life is in the claws of a lizard,” Scaleseeker groaned. She snorted loudly in irritation then looked up at the hero. “What do you need me to do?”

“When I count to three, crawl through the gap that opens as fast as you can.”

“Which way?” Scaleseeker asked.

“The direction the breeze is coming from. Up by your head.”

Scaleseeker frowned and tilted her head upward. Sure enough she could feel a small breeze coming from between the crystals by her head. “What am I looking for when I get through?”

“A dark blue crystal about the size of your hoof. All you have to do is hit it, the crystal will do the rest of the work.”

“Right,” Scaleseeker twisted herself around so she was on her stomach and facing the direction the breeze was coming from. “Okay, ready.”

Captain Invincible took a deep breath, then bent his knees and pushed upwards on the crystals above him with all his might, quickly repositioning his arms to take the brunt of the weight. His muscles bulged and strained with effort and he let out a mighty growl as he pushed the collapsing cavern roof upwards.

Scaleseeker watched as the crystals in front of her began to part and she quickly scurried through the widening gap. She popped out into a small alcove near the dimensional gate which led to the lair. She looked around and found the large blue crystal Captain Invincible described embedded in the wall. She raised her hoof, and paused.

I can get out of here myself. Why do the lizard any more favors?

Scaleseeker grinned and turned to look at the gap she had came through. “Sorry, pal.”

The dragon hunter ignored the crystal and strode through the gateway. She quickly stopped, however, when it became clear the dimensional gate was no longer there. She stared in disbelief at the wall of crystal which stood beyond the archway that led to the gate.

“Scaleseeker?” came Captain Invincible's voice. “Did you find it? This ceiling's getting heavy.”

Scaleseeker looked up at the wall. A snarl crossed her face and she let out a growl of frustration.

“Fine,” she hissed through her teeth. She walked back to the blue crystal and smacked it violently with her hoof. The crystal began to glow with a magical light, which soon overwhelmed the dragon hunter's vision. Then there was a brilliant flash, and the cavern collapsed completely.

*****

“Let me out!” Hot Scoop cried as she pounded her hooves against the side of the giant glass dome she was imprisoned under. “Let me out of this thing right now!”

“Aw, keep quiet,” Joybuzzer said, sending a jolt of electricity through the surface of the glass, causing Hot Scoop to recoil in pain. The pegasus filly smirked and trotted back over to rejoin the rest of the Urchins.

Hot Scoop got back to her feet and walked back to the edge of the dome. She took a deep breath and forced herself to keep calm. She watched as the Urchins rejoined the Schoolmarm at the other end of what she presumed was another of Dr. Spectra's hidden laboratories. The older earth pony and the three fillies began connecting cables and wires to one of the many consoles that lined the lab.

“Dr. Spectra?” the Schoolmarm called. “Where do you want the green cable connected?”

“Isn't it obvious?” Dr. Spectra swooped down from a towering structure Hot Scoop remembered all too well: the Turbo-Powered Unicorn Magic Extractor. The mad scientist raised her goggles and hovered in front of the Schoolmarm.

“Connect the green cable to the secondary console over there, then hit the row of switches with the yellow lights-- oh, forget it! I don't have time for this! Buttermint!”

The yellow henchpony emerged from behind one of the other consoles. “Y-yes, Dr. Spectra?”

“Help the teacher and her dimwitted pupils hook up the consoles for the initial sequence. I have real work to do, and make sure they don't blow themselves up in the process!”

“Hey!” the Urchins chorused, as the Schoolmarm snorted at Dr. Spectra.

“Yes, Dr. Spectra,” Buttermint said meekly. She walked over to the console and began giving instructions to the Schoolmarm and the Urchins.

Dr. Spectra sighed and flew up to a higher section of the Extractor. She connected a few cables and tubes, then flew to another section near a catwalk to check the power couplings.

“Is it ready?”

The mad pegasus did an impressive backflip in mid-air as Lullaby suddenly materialized on the catwalk. Dr. Spectra quickly recovered her composure and turned to face the sorceress.

“It would be ready sooner if I didn't keep having all these interruptions!”

Lullaby's eyes narrowed. “Watch yourself, Doctor. You'd still be rotting in jail if it weren't for the Schoolmarm and myself. And you are not the only scientist in the world.”

Dr. Spectra gulped as Lullaby's eyes began to glow with an unearthly red light. She cleared her throat and forced a grin onto her face.

“Sure, no problem, Lullaby. It'll be up and running in a couple of hours.”

“It had better be,” Lullaby said quietly. “I've waited far too long for any more delays.”

With a flash of crimson light, Lullaby disappeared from the catwalk. Dr. Spectra let out a breath she hadn't been aware she was holding, and quickly got back to work.

Lullaby re-appeared at the bottom of the Extractor, where the crystal coffin containing Midnight Sun had been placed on one end, held in place by a large metal clamp. Lullaby leaned in close, gazing at the purple unicorn's peaceful sleeping face.

“All that talent... all that power... and all you did was kiss the flank of that sun-raising figurehead. Well, soon, that power will be mine, and Equestria will follow, and your precious little dragon isn't going to be able to do a single thing about it.”

*****

The flash of blue light in the alley behind the warehouse grew larger and larger, until it transformed into a glowing blue portal that appeared in mid air. After a moment, Captain Invincible and Scaleseeker dropped onto the ground. The portal winked out and the two got to their feet.

No sooner had she cleared her head, Scaleseeker took to the air and unsheathed her sword from the scabbard on her back. Captain Invincible held up his claws.

“You don't want to do this,” he told the dragon hunter.

“Yeah, I do,” Scaleseeker responded. “I don't care how you've duped everypony else into thinking you aren't like the rest of the lizards, I'm not going to buy it. I will kill you.”

The hero and the hunter faced each other. Captain Invincible could feel his heart pounding. Even with his great strength and power, he knew he was up against the most feared dragon hunter in Equestria. A pegasus with years of experience in taking down the most powerful dragons in the world. Her body language told him that she would fight to her last breath to take his head. Every flap of her wings, the bulge of the muscles on her forelegs as she raised the sword towards him, the curl of her lip as she sneered at him told him that she did not see him as anything but a threat.

Then, as quickly as she had drawn the sword, she replaced it in its scabbard.

“But first,” she said, “I'm taking down that double-crossing witch, and I assume you're going to go after her yourself.”

“That's right,” said Captain Invincible, lowering his claws.

“And I probably won't be able to warn you off.”

“She has my closest friends hostage, and a plan to take over Equestria. There is no way I'm not putting a stop to it.”

Scaleseeker took a deep breath, then slowly let it out through her nostrils. “Okay, fine. We team up. For now.”

“For now,” Captain Invincible agreed.

“So what's the plan?” Scaleseeker asked.

Twilight fidgeted on her cushion, trying to ignore the pressure she felt building inside her. There had been enough distractions already. She was going to finish Spike's story before he got back home, and nothing and no pony was going to-- to--

The journal was left forgotten as Twilight rushed out the back door of the library, praying she made it to the outhouse in time.

Lullaby Rises!

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Twilight let out a sigh of relief as she came back into the library. In retrospect, she probably should have taken the journal with her, but when nature called and wouldn't stop, sometimes you just had to focus on the problem at hoof. And speaking of the problem at hoof, she still needed to see how Captain Invincible was going to save the day.

After double-checking that the “closed” sign was still in the window, and taking a brief moment to make herself a sandwich just in case any other biological functions decided to lodge complaints while she was reading, Twilight returned to her cushion and resumed Spike's story.

The distance between Ponytopolis and Canterlot wasn't great, but it still took Captain Invincible and Scaleseeker two hours to get there. This was mostly due to the two of them trying to keep a low profile, (if you could call hitching a ride on the top of a Canterlot-bound train low profile) but also because of one small difference the Draconic Defender had from other dragons.

“I still can't believe you can't fly,” Scaleseeker complained, wrapping her forelegs around her as protection from the chill wind that blew by as the train raced towards Canterlot. “Even ignoring that you're a lizard, I thought all superheroes like you could fly!”

“Only in comic books,” Captain Invincible replied. He took off his cape and moved to wrap it around the pegasus. The dragon hunter snarled and pushed his arm away.

“I don't need your sympathy. Remember, this is only temporary.”

“Of course,” said Captain Invincible, resuming his seat on top of the train car. The two sat in silence for a while, watching the scenery roll past.

“So what's the witch up to, anyway?” Scaleseeker asked, breaking the silence.

“I'm pretty sure she's picking up right where she left off,” replied the Ponytopolis Protector. “Everything she's done so far indicates she's going to extract the residual magic out of Midnight Sun and implant it into herself. From there, she'll probably try to challenge Princess Celestia and take control of Equestria.”

“I think her sister would have an objection to that,” said Scaleseeker.

“If Lullaby manages to take down Celestia, she could use the Magic Extractor to take the Princess's magic and after that... well, I doubt Princess Luna would be much of a match for her.”

“She can't be any worse than what we've got now.”

Captain Invincible frowned and repositioned himself so he was facing the dragon hunter. When he spoke, his voice was quiet and cold.

“Let me tell you something about Lullaby. There is nothing she won't do to gain power for herself. When I last encountered her, she was about to siphon the magic out of innocent foals and take it for herself.”

“Foals?” Scaleseeker's visible eye widened. “Were they okay?”

“Luckily, Midnight Sun and I managed to rescue them before she got that far, but if she had succeeded--”

“It would have killed them,” Scaleseeker finished. “I know a few things about unicorn foals.”

Captain Invincible quirked an eyebrow. “Yes. Anyway, Lullaby doesn't care about anypony or anything other than her own power. If she takes control of Equestria, everypony from the Crystal Empire to the Badlands is doomed.”

Scaleseeker looked at the great dragon hero for a moment, then her usual annoyed expression came back. “Stop trying to influence me with your 'the whole world is at stake' stupidity, lizard. I'm in this to pay back the witch for double-crossing me. Nothing else.”

“Understood.”

The two said nothing further as the train continued toward the capital of Equestria.

*****

The loud crash of equipment and Dr. Spectra's screeching voice caused Hot Scoop to awaken abruptly. The reporter raised her head from the stone floor and looked up to see what had happened.

Dr. Spectra was hovering in the air and screaming down at the Urchins, who were clustered around some unidentifiable piece of scientific equipment. Buttermint was hiding behind one of the large crystals that sprouted from the floor of the cavern-based laboratory. The Schoolmarm rushed across the lab and began yelling back at Dr. Spectra. Knowing this would take a while, Hot Scoop rolled her eyes and tried to make herself comfortable on the floor again.

One of the things no one ever took into account when you were a repeat hostage for the enemies of a superhero was the boredom. You could only be afraid of so many evil ponies out to take over the world or destroy a city or what have you before it stopped being frightening and just became routine. And there were always hours to kill between the time you were captured and the time somepony came to rescue you. The end result was always the same: excruciating boredom.

Hot Scoop watched the villains squabble for a few moments more when the living shadow slid across the floor and formed into Lullaby. The archmage did not look happy.

“Enough!” Lullaby shouted, her voice cowing the others into silence. She turned her gaze on Dr. Spectra. “Power up the Extractor. I want Midnight Sun's power before Captain Invincible makes his inevitable appearance. I seriously doubt we were lucky enough for him to have perished in the cavern collapse. ”

“It's not ready,” Dr. Spectra protested. “Every time I get close, something–” She shot a pointed glance at the Urchins. “–happens to delay things further. Not to mention the preliminary tests still need to be done.”

Lullaby growled and her eyes flashed red. She reached up, grabbed Dr. Spectra by her lab coat and dragged her down to the ground. “I am tired of these delays, Doctor. You will get this machine running in the next hour or there will be consequences. Severe ones.

“As for your preliminary tests,” Lullaby pointed a hoof towards Hot Scoop, who sat up sharply, all traces of boredom gone. “Drain the reporter. I want Captain Invincible to see he arrived too late to save the two mares he cares about more than anypony else in the world.”

“You can't!” Hot Scoop yelped. “It would–”

“Destroy him?” Lullaby walked over to the glass dome that formed Hot Scoop's prison. She gestured at Midnight Sun's coffin. “I think you're missing one of the benefits of this entire exercise. I get Equestria, and revenge on that little nag and her insignificant pet dragon all in one fell swoop. It's a pity you won't be around to see it.”

Lullaby sneered and flounced back to her minions. “Banana Split, Joybuzzer, Sour Note, make yourselves useful. Head up to the city proper and watch the airship docks and the train station. He's too much of a goody to travel any other way. You see him, get back here at once.”

“Yes, Miss Lullaby,” chorused the Urchins before rushing out of one of the passages leading up to the city. Lullaby turned to Dr. Spectra.

“One hour,” she hissed. Her shadow rose up behind her, engulfed the sorceress, and slid away into the darkness. Dr. Spectra let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

“Buttermint! Get the spare cables! We have work to do.”

*****

Despite being a tall, well-built dragon and a one-eyed, heavily armed and armored pegasus, Captain Invincible and Scaleseeker managed to get into Canterlot without attracting attention. The two had left the train as it entered the city, leaping to the rooftops and making their way to the town square. They crouched atop one of the city's finer boutiques, trying to keep out of sight of the ponies going about their business below.

“Well, now what?” Scaleseeker asked.

“I'm trying to get my bearings,” Captain Invincible answered. “If I know Lullaby and Dr. Spectra, they've probably set up shop in the caverns under the city.”

“Then why are we on the roof?”

“Because Lullaby's smart enough to plan for our survival. She'll have sent somepony out to keep an eye out for us.”

“So your plan is to spot a sentry and then what? Follow them aimlessly around the city?”

“Well, unless you have any other ideas on how to locate the lair. What about how you found mine?”

“I didn't find your lair. I found you. And even if it worked that way, I'm not sacrificing another piece of my soul just to find a crazy mage.”

“A piece of your soul?” Captain Invincible's eyebrows raised. “What sort of--”

“It doesn't matter!” Scaleseeker snapped. “Besides, there's a better way to find out where they are.”

“What do you mean?”

Scaleseeker smirked and pointed into the street. Captain Invincible's eyes widened as he spotted Sour Note at a cart set up outside a candy store.

“How theatrical can you be?” Scaleseeker asked, a wicked grin spreading across her face.

*****

“Ooh!” Sour Note squealed. “And some peppermints, and cinnamon balls... oh! And can I have a half pound of gummy ponies?”

The candy vendor chuckled as he scooped the candy into a bag. “Where are you going to put all that, little lady?”

“Oh, I have some friends to share with.”

The vendor smiled again, folded the bag closed and plopped it on top of the cart. “That'll be three bits.”

Sour Note smiled. “No, I don't think so.” She opened her mouth and let loose with a piercing shriek that caused the windows in the surrounding area to shatter, and all the ponies on the street to throw their hooves over their ears in pain. The unicorn filly grabbed the bag of candy in her teeth and dashed off down the street before anypony could recover.

As she rounded the corner, a shadow passed over her and Captain Invincible landed in front of her. The Ponytopolis Protector thrust a claw towards her.

“Hold it right there, Sour Note!”

Sour Note paused for half a second, then hurled the bag of candy into Captain Invincible's face. He instinctively raised an arm to block the assault, allowing Sour Note to dash past him. As she sped away, Sour Note channeled her power and let out a cry to be heard form the airship docks to the train station.

“It's Captain Invincible!”'

At the train station, Banana Split looked up, grinned and began to run towards the direction of Sour Note's call. Meanwhile, at the docks, Joybuzzer fluttered her wings and took to the air.

As Sour Note rushed through the streets of Canterlot, Captain Invincible smiled and gave chase, making it clear that he was pursuing the criminal filly. Up on the rooftops, Scaleseeker took to the air, following Sour Note as she ran towards the entrance to the hidden lab.

*****

“Let go of me! I said let me go!” Hot Scoop kicked and struggled as Buttermint and the Schoolmarm forced her into a chair and tied her to it. A flailing hoof caught the Schoolmarm upside the head, knocking her glasses askew. The Schoomarm responded with a hoof of her own, smacking Hot Scoop across the face, shocking the reporter into silence.

Before Hot Scoop could protest, Buttermint fastened the strange suction cup device to her muzzle. It was slightly modified from the one she had worn before with the first Magic Extractor. It was smaller, and Hot Scoop found herself unable to open her mouth.

The Schoolmarm snorted. “At least maybe we can get some peace and quiet now.”

“Is she secured?” Dr. Spectra demanded from her place at the controls.

“Y-yes, Dr. Spectra,” Buttermint answered.

“Then get on with your test, Doctor,” said Lullaby, appearing next to the controls, causing the pegasus to jump. “I grow tired of these delays.”

“Yes, Lullaby,” Dr. Spectra said, shaking off her surprise. She threw a large switch on the control panel and the Turbo-Powered Unicorn Magic Extractor rumbled to life. The Schoolmarm and Buttermint took up positions at two auxiliary panels, waiting for their orders.

Hot Scoop looked up in alarm as energy began flowing through the gigantic machine. Then she felt the air rush out of the suction cup covering her muzzle and a tremendous suction.

Dr. Spectra grinned and pointed a hoof at Buttermint. “Throw open the switches on the sonic oscillator!”

Buttermint obeyed the command and threw three knife switches on the panel in front of her. The rumbling turned into a harsh whine as the sonic oscillator came to life. Hot Scoop felt a tingling in her horn. Her magic was activating.

Dr. Spectra pointed another hoof, this time at the Schoolmarm. “And step up the reactor power input three more points!”

The Schoolmarm complied, hitting three large red button on her console. The whining increased in volume and wind began to whip through the cavern, tousling the manes of all the ponies. Hot Scoop tried to scream as she felt her magic being sucked back down through her horn and out her nostrils and mouth. The suction cup attached to her face began to glow bright blue with the power being forced into it and down the cable leading to the nearby collection crystal.

Hot Scoop felt her eyelids grow heavy and her head began to loll. She felt sick to her stomach and her hooves began to throb as she was drained of her magic. She was about to succumb to the darkness at the edge of her vision when the Urchins rushed into the cavern.

“Captain Invincible's here!” Sour Note yelped.

“And we're pretty sure he's followin' us!” Banana Split added.

Lullaby growled through her teeth and reached across the panel, throwing the master switch. The Extractor powered down.

“We're out of time. Buttermint, hook the Extractor to the coffin. Urchins, put the reporter somewhere out of the way.”

“We can't just do that!” Dr. Spectra protested. “It will take time to calibrate everything again, not to mention bleeding off the magic in the collection crystal so we can be sure we get all of Midnight Sun's magic.”

“We won't be using the collection crystal.” Lullaby stormed across the cavern to the collection crystal. She pulled the cable connected to it out then levitated a second suction cup sevice over and connected it to the end.

“Are you insane?” the Schoolmarm asked. “We have no idea if a direct transfer can work. The magical influx could kill you.”

Lullaby fixed the Schoolmarm with a cold stare. “Never question me. I know what I'm doing. Buttermint! Is it connected?”

Buttermint let out a squeak as she heard her name. She turned to Lullaby. “Y-yes, Miss Lullaby. Everything's ready here.”

“Then take your positions. Both of you.”

Buttermint returned to her console. The Schoolmarm opened her mouth as if to protest again, but another look from the sorceress silenced her. She went to her own console.

“I'm not going to do it! The risk is too great,” Dr. Spectra said. “We can set up a distraction for the purple oaf or something. I—urk!”

The mad scientist's words were cut off as Lullaby constricted her magic around her throat.

“You will do exactly as I say,” said Lullaby. “Or I will kill you myself. Right here. Right now. Do you understand?”

Dr. Spectra nodded frantically. Lullaby dispelled her magic and fastened the suction cup to her face as Dr. Spectra got back to her hooves behind the main control panel.

“Now,” Lullaby said, her voice slightly muffled. “Begin.”

*****

Captain Invincible and Scaleseeker followed the tunnel leading beneath Canterlot. They had followed the Urchins to a ponyhole in a forgotten alley and soon found a breach in the city sewers leading into the caverns.

“Well, we know they're here,” said the Ponytopolis Protector. “Of course, our little display back in the city means they know we're coming.”

“You said you wanted to find them, you never said anything about subtle,” Scaleseeker answered. “Besides, I want to get this over with.”

“Yes, but–” Captain Invincible's thought went unfinished as the entire tunnel started vibrating. The hero and the hunter braced themselves against the tunnel walls to keep upright.

“Earthquake?” Scaleseeker asked. Captain Invincible's expression was grim.

“Worse, I think. Come on!”

The two ran down the tunnel and dashed into the lab. They stopped and stared in awe at the technological wonder. Awe turned to rage when the great dragon hero saw the Extractor hooked up to Lullaby and Midnight Sun's coffin. He bared his teeth and raced towards the coffin, intending to put an end to the experiment once and for all.

“I wouldn't do that if I were you, Cap'n!”

Captain Invincible stopped mid-stride and turned to face the source of the voice. His eye widened when he saw Hot Scoop tied to a chair surrounded by a dozen Banana Split clones. Sour Note was standing on one of the Banana Splits, her mouth close to Hot Scoop's ear, while Joybuzzer flew above her, her wings sparking dangerously.

“Another step an' yer little squeeze ain't gonna be feelin' so good.”

“Same goes for you, One-Eye,” Joybuzzer said, spotting Scaleseeker.

“Do what you want with her, I don't care,” the dragon hunter replied.

“Scaleseeker, stand down. Please.” Captain Invincible said.

“I don't take orders from you!” Scaleseeker snarled. “This is payback for all these nags double-crossing me back at the lair!”

Scaleseeker's wings flexed as she prepared to go airborne. But as she crouched to take off, an explosion rocked the cavern and part of the Extractor crashed to the floor of the cavern.

“Dr. Spectra!” Buttermint cried. “The generator is going critical! It's too much power!”

“The magic levels are off the charts!” The Schoolmarm reported. “Nopony could contain this kind of power!”

Dr. Spectra was frantically throwing switched and pressing buttons on the panel in front of her. “It's no good! I can't contain it! Everypony out! It's gonna blow!”

Banana Split blinked and her duplicates vanished. The Urchins left Hot Scoop behind and dashed up the tunnel, Buttermint and the Schoolmarm close behind them. Dr. Spectra took to the air and sped across the cavern. Scaleseeker growled and followed her, pulling out her sword.

“You don't get away from me that easily!” she cried as she shot back up the tunnel.

“Scaleseeker, wait!” Captain Invincible called. The cavern was rocked with another series of explosions as the Extractor tried to compensate for the unexpected level of magical power coursing through it. Captain Invincible scanned the area, trying to figure out how to save Hot Scoop, Midnight Sun, and even Lullaby. He dashed to the coffin and tried to disconnect the extractor cable. He hauled on the cable with all his might. A surge of energy rushed through it and the great dragon hero screamed in pain as it blasted him back across the cavern.

As he staggered to his feet there was another series of explosions and he stared in horror as the entire Extractor collapsed, burying Midnight Sun and Lullaby under tons of metal and wiring.

“No! Midnight Sun!” Captain Invincible rushed forth, but stopped when he heard a faint cry behind him.

“Spike... save me. Please.” Hot Scoop had awakened and was calling weakly to him. Her eyes were bloodshot and she was struggling for breath. “Please, Spike... help me.”

Captain Invincible looked back at the ruins of the Extractor. The metal was beginning to glow a bright red. Something was still running underneath all of it, and it was going critical.

“I'm sorry Midnight.” Captain Invincible turned away from the wreckage of the Extractor, grabbed Hot Scoop without bothering to untie her and dashed out of the cavern.

As he left, he failed to notice that the red glow had begun to be shot through with tendrils of black.

*****

As Captain Invincible crawled out of the ponyhole, he spotted Dr. Spectra pinned up against the wall of the alley, the point of Scaleseeker's sword at her throat.

“Scaleseeker, stop!” he cried. He untied Hot Scoop and laid her out on the ground before walking over and knocking the sword away.

“Get out of my way, lizard,” Scaleseeker said. “I may not have been able to take out the witch, but I can definitely take out this psychopath.”

“Not while I'm here,” Captain Invincible said harshly. “I know you're better than this.”

“No, I'm not.” Scaleseeker took to the air and swung her sword up, intending to bring it down on the great dragon hero. Captain Invincible braced for the impact.

Then the ground exploded beneath them. Dragon and pony flew through the air, landing hard on the ground. Scaleseeker and Dr. Spectra tried to use their wings to steady themselves, but were slammed into the walls of the alley and fell to the ground.

When the dust settled, Captain Invincible stood up and rubbed dust from his eyes. “Is everypony all right?”

There were groans in the affirmative. Captain Invincible rushed to Hot Scoop. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the unicorn was still breathing.

“Awww, is little Spike's sweetheart okay? How delightful.”

Captain Invincible frowned and looked upward. Lullaby floated in the air above them. Her eyes glowed a dark red edged in black. Her tiara sparkled with magical energy and her cloak floated behind her in an unearthly manner. She grinned down at Dr. Spectra.

“Congratulations, Dr. Spectra, the experiment was a success. And now that it is finished,” Lullaby pointed her horn down at the group in the alley. It began glowing with the same black tinged red magic. “I no longer need any of you.”

“I'm home!” Spike called as he closed the door to the library. Twilight looked up sharply, her concentration broken. She swallowed as Spike looked in on her.

“Hey, Twilight,” he said quietly.

“Hi, Spike,” Twilight said, trying to keep the nervousness out of her voice. “Um, get everything done?”

“Yeah, sooner than I thought. Um... so.”

“Yeah. So.”

The two of them stared at each other uncomfortably, not sure what to say.

Forever Invincible!

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Dragon and unicorn stared at each other, neither sure of what to say or even how to start.

“Spike, I –“

“Twilight, I –“

They both stopped and looked at each other, awkward smiles on their faces. Twilight took a deep breath and tried again.

“I'm sorry, Spike,” she began. “I'm sorry I invaded your privacy and read your stories without asking your permission or even telling you that I had found them in the first place. It was wrong and I should have just put your journal back on the shelf where I found it once I saw your warning on the front page. If there's anything I can do to make it up to you, please tell me. I'll do anything you want, Spike. I promise.”

Twilight let out a sigh and looked at her assistant, a sad smile on her face. Spike closed his eyes and let out a sigh of his own before opening them again.

“I'm sorry, too, Twilight. I shouldn't have gotten so mad at you and stormed out of here like that. I should have just talked about it with you.” Spike forced a smile. “At least you liked them. I was going to show them to you, but I wanted to wait until I had finished... and I wasn't sure if they were any good.”

“Good?” Twilight echoed. “Spike, they're the most fun stories I've read in a while. Captain Invincible is everything a superhero ought to be and I love how you've written ponies we know into the story. Of course, I don't think Rainbow Dash, Cheerilee, or Trixie would appreciate being cast as villains, but I think we can keep that to ourselves.”

Spike's smile widened into a grin. “Yeah, probably. Does everything work, though? I mean, does it make sense?”

“It's a little rough at the beginning,” Twilight said. “But you got better as you went on. If you wanted to go back and rewrite the first couple of stories, I think you'd have a really solid novella here.”

“What about the ending? It's not too over-the-top?”

Twilight bit her bottom lip. “Well... uh... honestly, I haven't finished it yet. I had just gotten to the point where Lullaby had emerged from the wreckage of the hidden lab under Canterlot when you got home.”

“What? But you just got to the best part!” Spike said, his excitement causing him to raise his voice. “When Lullaby drains the magic out of the Urchins and Scaleseeker –“

“Spike!” Twilight yelped. Spike blinked and gave a sheepish grin.

“Oh, right. Don't want to spoil it for you. Um, I'll just go do the dishes... or dust the shelves... or something. Oh, I know! Lunch! Have you had lunch yet?”

“Well, I made a sandwich earlier. I think that could hold me over for a --” Twilight trailed off as she noticed the plate on the floor next to her was empty. She gave a sheepish grin of her own. “Um, Spike would you mind making some lunch? I'm still hungry and I guess I ate the sandwich already.”

“Not a problem. You go on back to reading. I'll have something ready in a few minutes.”

Twilight smiled as Spike disappeared into the kitchen. She settled back onto the cushion and with a sigh of relief, returned her attention to the final pages of “The Amazing Adventures of Captain Invincible.”

“How dare you?!” Dr. Spectra shrieked, taking to the air and hovering in front of the sorceress. “Without my genius, you wouldn't have the power you have now! I demand my rightful payment!”

Lullaby's face turned hard for a moment, then relaxed into an amiable smile. “You know, you're absolutely right. You should get what's coming to you.”

Lullaby quickly lowered her horn and blasted the mad scientist with a concentrated bolt of magic. Dr. Spectra screamed in pain as she was hurled into the air and over the horizon, trailing thick black smoke behind her. Buttermint gasped and took off after her boss.

Lullaby smirked and turned her attention back to the inhabitants of the alley. “Now then, Schoolmarm, Urchins, I believe you have something that belongs to me.”

The Schoolmarm grinned brightly, trying to hide her terror. “Absolutely, Lullaby, we'll be happy to give back anything of yours we have. No problem!”

“Good.” Lullaby fired another bolt of magic from her horn. It struck the Schoolmarm, causing the magenta pony's eyes to roll back in her head. She fell to the ground and she was surrounded by an aura of pink magic as it was sucked from her body. The pink energy followed the red beam back to Lullaby's horn. There was a flash and Lullaby let out a sigh of satisfaction.

“You hurt Miz Schoomarm!” Banana Spit cried. She looked at the other Urchins. “Get her!”

Joybuzzer took to the air, her wing sparking. Sour Note's horn began to glow and she opened her mouth while Banana Split created several duplicates of herself. The fillies all leaped into the air, ready to attack.

Lullaby let out an evil chuckle and fired another bolt of magic. The Urchins screamed as they were struck by the beam, which quickly transformed into a containment field. The fillies' screams became louder as the magic was forcibly pulled from their bodies and transferred to the sorceress.

Lullaby sneered and dropped the unconscious fillies to the ground. “Pathetic. All of you.”

“Stop this now, Lullaby!” Captain Invincible demanded.

“You're not in a position to demand anything, Spike,” Lullaby replied. “In fact –“

She channeled a ball of magic through her horn and fired it at the great dragon hero. Captain Invincible threw his forearms up in front of his face and braced for the impact. The ball of magic crashed into him, knocking him off his feet and through the wall of the alley.

Lullaby laughed. “Midnight Sun couldn't finish me off before. What made you think you even had a chance?”

Lullaby began to float higher in the air, when there was a scream of fury from the alley below. The sorceress turned towards the scream, and let out an “oof” of pain as Scaleseeker rocketed from the alley, wings beating madly, propelling the two of them higher into the air.

“You hurt those foals!” the dragon hunter snarled, squeezing her forelegs around the unicorn's waist. “How dare you?!”

Lullaby grinned down at Scaleseeker and clapped her hooves on either side of the pegasus's head. “Because I can.”

Lullaby's eyes flashed red and magic coursed from her hooves and into Scaleseeker's temples. Scaleseeker screamed in pain as her vision blurred and she lost her grip on Lullaby. She felt her wings stiffen with the sudden shock to her system and she began to plummet back to earth. Lullaby laughed again, gave a mock salute, and flew off, heading towards the royal palace.

Captain Invincible hauled himself out of the hole he had made, shaking his head, attempting to clear his vision. He looked around, making sure that the mares in the alley were okay. He glanced upward and his eyes widened as he saw a familiar armored pegasus falling towards the ground. He quickly crouched down and leaped into the air, bouncing off the walls of the alley to the rooftops. He bounded his way across the rooftops and leaped into air, grabbing hold of a convenient flagpole. He bent the pole down at an arc, then relaxed his muscles, allowing the flagpole to snap upright and hurl him into the sky.

The Ponytopolis Protector pulled his arms to his side and drew his legs together, cutting down on wind resistance and propelling himself faster through the air. His sharp eyes quickly located Scaleseeker's falling form. He grasped the corners of his cape and snapped his arms out sharply. The rushing wind hit the crimson fabric and slowed his velocity. She tilted his arms slightly, correcting his course so that he was headed in the direction of the incapacitated dragon hunter.

As he had anticipated, he began his descent just below Scaleseeker. He quickly changed position and thrust out his arms. Scaleseeker's unconscious form dropped into them, and the two began to fall back to earth.

Captain Invincible quickly scanned the approaching rooftops of Canterlot below him. He spotted a likely rooftop and did his best to navigate through the rushing wind. The two quickly plummeted past the spires of Canterlot's tallest buildings, becoming visible to the ponies below, who gasped in horror at the sight.

At the last possible second, Captain Invincible tucked Scaleseeker under one arm and thrust out his other, grabbing a banner hanging from a flagpole jutting horizontally from a balcony. The flagpole bent under their combined weight, but before it could snap completely, Captain Invincible repositioned his feet and let go. The flagpole twanged back into place with a comical noise, while dragon and dragon hunter dropped twenty feet and hit an awning hanging over a rooftop restaurant. As they hit, the awning came undone from the frame supporting it, and the cloth wrapped around the two of them before the whole bundle crashed into one of the tables below. Ponies screamed and scattered at the sudden arrival.

Two waiters rushed up and quickly untangled the bundle. When he had sufficient room to move Captain Invincible propped Scaleseeker up and lightly slapped her cheeks.

“Scaleseeker? Come on, Scaleseeker, wake up!”

The dragon hunter moaned and her visible eye opened. She looked up at Captain Invincible. Her face was pale and drained.

“She hurt the fillies,” she said, her voice weak. “No one hurts fillies when I'm around. Not lizards, not ponies, no one.”

She reached up with her hooves and pulled Captain Invincible closer. “You get her. Get her and make her pay for what she did. Understand?”

Captain Invincible nodded. Scaleseeker let out a sigh, closed her eyes, and slipped into unconsciousness. The dragon hero gently placed her back on the awning then got to his feet and turned around. Two members of the Royal Guard had arrived, investigating the commotion.

“Captain Invincible!” exclaimed one of them. “What are you doing in Canterlot?”

“I wish I could say I was here for pleasure –” Captain Invincible quickly glanced at the guards rank insignia. “ – Lieutenant. Instead there's great danger to all of Equestria.”

“What do you need from us, Captain?” the lieutenant asked. “We're at your disposal.”

“First, send a runner to the castle immediately and have them tell Princess Celestia that Lullaby is back and coming for her. She'll know who they're talking about. Also let her know that I'm in pursuit. I also need medical attention for my friend here, as well as for five ponies in an alley off Trotter's Lane. Two mares, three fillies. The earth pony mare and the three fillies are wanted in Ponytopolis, the unicorn is a writer for the Ponytopolis Times. Make sure all of them are guarded. “

“Yes, sir. You heard the Captain, Corporal. Get moving!”

The corporal saluted and dashed off. The lieutenant looked back at the Ponytopolis Protector. “I'll stay here with your friend. Anything else you need?”

“No, just be sure the Princess knows what's going on. I have to hurry.”

With that, Captain Invincible turned and leaped over the railing surrounding the rooftop and began making his way towards the castle.

*****

Lullaby hovered over the castle, a cloaking spell hiding her from sight. The sorceress smiled to herself. It had taken her years to recover from nearly being crushed in her lair. It had taken more years to regain her magical strength after her body had healed.

But now, now the shoe was on the other hoof. She possessed the power of the same pony who had robbed her of her position, her magic, and very nearly her life. Soon, Princess Celestia's power would be hers, which would be more than enough to deal with her mopey sister who had returned from exile.

And then all of Equestria will be mine, and there's nothing Midnight Sun's stupid little dragon will be able to do about it.

Lullaby descended, still invisible to all eyes, and came to earth just outside a service entrance at the rear of the castle. She waited patiently for one of the scullery mares to exit with a bucket of trash, then slipped in through the door. She wound her way through the kitchens, dodging servants.

She emerged in one of the castle's lower hallways. She made her way through several other halls, and up several flights of stairs before emerging in a hallway adjacent to the Great Hall which led to the throne room. She glanced at a nearby clock and smirked, imagining Princess Celestia going about the daily business at court, unaware of the doom that was about to befall her.

Lullaby peered around the corner, noting that there were only two guards outside the door to the throne room. She checked for anypony coming up the hall behind her. Seeing no one, she dropped the cloaking spell and cast a sleep spell at the guards. The two guards yawned and dropped to the floor. Lullaby snickered and walked down the hall towards the throne room.

As she walked, she looked up at the large stained glass windows that honored and chronicled the great heroes and historic events that had happened throughout Equestria. She stopped in front of one that depicted Midnight Sun in her crystal coffin, with Spike standing guard over her.

Lullaby huffed through her nostrils. Celestia had to know Midnight Sun's favorite pet was running around in tights and a cape in Ponytopolis, so of course she put his origin out there in plain sight.

Oh, well, in a few short minutes there would be a new order in Equestria. Lullaby walked up to the throne room doors, charged up her horn and let loose with a blast of magic that blew them off the hinges. She strode through the cloud of smoke and dust and laughed menacingly.

Her laughter was cut off when she realized that the throne room was empty. No guards, no petitioners. No princess.

Lullaby growled through her teeth and stormed back down the hallway. She could hear the sounds of other members of the Royal Guard shouting orders to each other as they hurried to the throne room. She glared up at the stained glass representation of Spike.

“You did this. I don't know how, but somehow you did this. And it doesn't matter. I will find Celestia, I will take her magic and then I will send you to join your precious purple harlot in the depths of Tartarus!”

As she turned to deal with the rapidly approaching guards, she saw a shadow pass over the carpet in front of her. She turned back to the window and saw a large figure approaching the glass. Lullaby's eyes widened and she quickly covered herself with her cloak as Captain Invincible crashed through the window and tackled her to the ground. Lullaby let out a shriek of rage and fired a bolt of magic at the dragon. Captain Invincible rolled out of the way. And got to his feet as the sorceress did likewise.

“It's over Lullaby,” he said, pointing a claw at her. “Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are safely away and I'm putting you down for good!”

“Really?” Lullaby snorted. “Let's discuss the matter outside, shall we?” Lullaby fired another bolt which sent the great dragon hero back through the shattered window and followed him out.

She landed on top of Captain Invincible's back and blasted him again, forcing the hero to his knees.

“I've had enough of you, of that stupid purple fraud, and this whole stupid society!” Lullaby yelled. “I am going to take what is rightfully mine, and just before I kill you, I will take the last bit of power Midnight Sun left with you!”

Captain Invincible's claws shot up, and grabbed Lullaby's hooves in an unbreakable grip. He got to his feet and leaped into the air, carrying the two of them over the castle walls. They crashed in front of the main gate, the impact forcing Captain Invincible to release the crazed sorceress. The two got to their feet and faced off. Guards rushed towards them, but Lullaby fired off a spell and soon there was only a brigade of very confused looking mice scrabbling around on the cobblestones.

“Turn them back!” Captain Invincible demanded.

“Make me!” Lullaby retorted. She charged the hero and teleported at the last second before reappearing inches from the dragon's midsection. Captain Invincible let out a gasp as the air was forced from his lungs by the impact. Lullaby grabbed his head with her magic and slammed it back into the cobbles. Stars danced in front of the great dragon hero's eyes and he squeezed them shut as pain flowed across his forehead. Lullaby grinned over him, her eyes gleaming with an insane spark.

“You know, it's a shame you don't have wings like all the other dragons. Let me share with you what you're missing!”

Lullaby grabbed the end of Captain Invincible's cape with her magic and launched them both skyward. As they accelerated faster and faster, Captain Invincible shook off his daze looked upward where the mad unicorn flew above him, and began climbing up his own cape towards her. As he did so, the gold medallion with the onyx stone slipped out from under his bodysuit and glistened in the afternoon sun. The sunlight reflected off of it, catching Lullaby's attention. Lullaby looked down and grinned again.

“There it is!” she crowed. She stopped abruptly, and Captain Invincible shot upwards, sailing past her. Lullaby quickly let go of the cape and refocused her magic on the medallion pulling it from the Ponytopolis Defender's neck. She took the medallion in her teeth and sneered at the hero as he flew higher into the sky. She focused and began sucking the magic out of the medallion, feeling the residual power of Midnight Sun flow into her.

Captain Invincible shivered and blinked as there was a pop of displaced air, and suddenly, he was Spike Fireborne again. A small purple dragon just barely larger than a hatchling. Spike gasped as he realized he had changed back into his normal form.

“Ta-ta, Spike!” Lullaby called. She turned and began flying back down towards the city. Spike sailed a few feet higher into the air then felt gravity assert itself and he began falling back towards earth.

The little dragon frowned and he pulled his limbs towards his body and straightened his tail. She shot back down through the sky, gaining speed. He grinned to himself. Lullaby may have been able to control her descent, but the cloak she wore was slowing her down as the wind tore through it. Within moments he had landed on her back and dug his claws into her neck. Lullaby screamed in pain and fired her magic wildly. Spike nearly lost his grip, but used the momentum to swing around Lullaby's neck, holding onto her neck with his legs and the shoulders of her cloak with his claws.

Midnight, he cried out in his head, if there's any part of you left, please help me. I don't care if I die doing it, but help me stop her!

Lullaby glared down at him. “This won't save you, you insignificant little worm! I can kill you just as easily as gravity can!”

Spike opened his mouth to scream back at her, but his mouth snapped shut as he heard the voice come into his head.

Spike, magic is power, but specific spells are not so easily turned into raw energy. And containment vessels can store far more than they appear.

“Midnight?” he whispered.

“She's dead and gone!” Lullaby sneered. She shoved the medallion in Spike's face. “This stupid trinket is all that's left of her. And soon it will be all that's left of the great and mighty Captain Not-So-Invincible!”

Spike looked up at her and gave her an evil little grin. One claw shot out and grabbed the medallion. His grin widened and he spoke the first phrase that came into his head.

“For the Glory of Midnight Sun and the Protection of Equestria, I am forever Invincible!”

The onyx stone became spattered with pinpricks of light which grew brighter and brighter until it glowed white. Lullaby screamed and closed her eyes. They quickly snapped open again when she felt her own magic being forced out of her horn. She glanced up and saw the glowing red and black beams flowing into the medallion. She also saw that the claw clutching the medallion was considerably larger than it had been before.

She looked down and yelled in defiance at the face of Captain Invincible, who grinned broadly, his teeth glistening in the sun.

“It's over, Lullaby,” he said. He took the medallion and slapped it against the unicorn's forehead. Lullby screamed as the medallion absorbed all her magic into it. She felt her ability to fly cut out and she had a sickening sensation of falling, before Captain Invincible caught her. Lullaby looked dazedly down, saw Captain Invincible's feet below them then back up at the hero's face.

“W-What? How?” she stammered.

“Midnight Sun's last gift to me. All of your power,” Captain Invincible replied. With that, the great dragon hero did a somersault in the air and began flying back down towards the city, where he was certain the city guard would be waiting to take the powerless villain into custody. He smiled to himself, knowing that he had once again done his duty as the defender of Equestria.

The screams of terror Lullaby uttered as they rocketed downward was just a bonus.

*****

Hot Scoop sat up in the hospital bed as Captain Invincible entered the room.

“Captain!” she said in delight. “You're okay!”

“I could say the same for you, Miss Scoop,” the dragon grinned as he entered the room.

“They say I've been out for two days. No one will tell me anything. What happened to Lullaby? Dr. Spectra? All of them?”

“I took care of Lullaby,” Captain Invincible answered. “She's safely behind bars and will answer for all of her crimes. The Schoolmarm and the Urchins are also under guard, much in the same condition as you, being treated for having magic forcibly extracted from them. Sheriff Banana Bread is on her way to escort them back to Ponytopolis. As for Dr. Spectra, well, Lullaby injured her, but I have a sneaking suspicion Buttermint will have her back on her hooves eventually. But for now, everything seems to be okay again.”

“Yes,” Hot Scoop said. There was an awkward silence for a moment, then she looked up at him.

“I know who you are,” she said.

“I know,” Captain Invincible replied. “Lullaby used my real name.”

“No,” Hot Scoop said, smiling at him. “I know you're Spike Fireborne. I've known for about a year now.”

Captain Invincible's eyes widened. “How? I made sure to keep it a secret.”

“Give me some credit as a reporter, Spike,” Hot Scoop said. “I do have a knack for investigation, and with all the times I've been abducted by your enemies, certain patterns began to emerge.”

Captain Invincible stared at her for a long moment, then his face broke out in his winning smile. “I'm glad. Why didn't you say anything?”

“Well, it seemed like a good idea to make sure that no one else knew. I mean, who knows what sort of chaos could happen if the true identity of Ponytopolis's greatest hero was made public?”

She leaned forward and gestured for Captain Invincible to do likewise. He leaned forward until there was only an inch or two between them.

“Besides,” Hot Scoop whispered, “I like having a secret like that to myself.”

They smiled at each other and leaned in closer.

*****

Promising to escort Hot Scoop back to Ponytopolis personally once the doctors gave her a clean bill of health, Captain Invincible left the hospital and took to the air. He was enjoying his new powers of flight and took every opportunity to use them. He had an appointment with the princesses in an hour, but that was plenty of time to give the city a quick once over.

As he flew high above the rooftops and towers of the city, he heard a cold voice coming from beside him.

“So now you can fly. You're becoming more like the other lizards every day.”

Captain Invincible turned his head and saw Scaleseeker standing on a nearby cloud. He flew over and hovered in front of her. “I wondered what happened to you.”

“I don't like hospitals,” said the dragon hunter. “Did you make the witch pay?”

“I don't work like that,” Captain Invincible said. “But I completely drained her of her magic. They say she'll never cast another spell again. And I made sure that the Magic Extractor is completely destroyed. It's over.”

“Not quite,” Scaleseeker said. There was a sharp metallic ring as she pulled her sword from it. Captain Invincible didn't move as the pegasus rested the edge of the blade against his neck. “I said our truce was only until the witch was dealt with, then I was going to take your head.”

“If you really want to, I won't stop you.”

Scaleseeker frowned. “That's it? No protest? No self-righteous monologue about how all life is sacred?”

“It is sacred. Especially the lives of foals.”

Scaleseeker's frown deepened. “You know.”

“I guessed,” Captain Invincible admitted. “No pony would dedicate their lives to hunting all the dragons in Equestria unless one has taken something so precious from them, that the pain and the anger and the sadness would force them on what some would see as a lifelong suicide quest.”

Scaleseeker let out a long slow breath through her nostrils. “Don't pretend you know me. You don't know a thing about me.”

“No, I don't,” Captain Invincible admitted. “I can't even begin to imagine what happened to set you on this path. But, I'm not your enemy, Scaleseeker. I don't have to be your friend, and you probably wouldn't want me to be, but I'm not your enemy.”

Scaleseeker stared at him for a long moment, then returned the sword to its scabbard. “You did me a favor, so I'm going to do you one. I'm saving you for last. I don't know how long it will take, but know that one day you and I are going to finish this.”

“Understood.”

“See you around, lizard.” Scaleseeker beat her wings and flew off into the sky. Captain Invinicble watcher her go until her form was nothing but a speck in the distance. He let out the breath he wasn't aware he'd been holding and turned to fly back towards the city.

Suddenly, a cry for help echoed up to him from the streets below. Captain Invincible glanced down, his keen eyes spotting a purse snatcher that was running from an elderly pony who had been knocked down. He grinned and dove downwards. Evil was afoot and it was time to go to work.

THE END

Twilight closed the journal and let out a sigh of satisfaction. She glanced towards the kitchen where she could hear Spike making dinner. She opened her mouth to tell him how much she loved the ending, but as she did so, another way to show her appreciation came to mind. She grinned and dashed out of the front door of the library. If she hurried, she could get there before it closed.

Spike came out of the kitchen a few minutes later with a large plate of steamed broccoli and spinach, one of Twilight's favorite meals. “Dinner is served,” he called out cheerfully. When there was no response, he placed the plate on the table and looked around.

“Twilight?” He walked towards Twilight's reading cushion, and saw his journal sitting closed on the reading stand. He picked it up and thumbed through it, before bringing it back to the table and sitting down to wait.

Twilight came home about half an hour later. She had a wrapped package being held in her magic field. “Spike? Are you home?”

Spike came out of the kitchen. “Right here. Where have you been? Dinner would have gotten cold if I hadn't put it back in the oven.”

“I know, I'm sorry, Spike. I finished your story and – ”

“You hated the ending, didn't you?” Spike said, his face falling.

“Hated it? No!” Twilight said. “It was riveting and exciting. It was one of the best endings I've ever read! And I will gladly read anything else you decide you want to write. Whether you want me to proofread it, or just want my opinion on a story, I'll do it. You have a real talent, Spike and I want to help you develop it.”

“Really? You think my stories were that good?” Spike's eyes lit up.

“Spike, would I have kept on reading them behind your back and given myself a massive guilt complex over the last few days if I didn't?” Twilight blinked as she realized what she said.

Spike stared at her for a moment, then the two of them started laughing. Spike came over and hugged her.

“Thanks, Twilight. And I forgive you for reading them without telling me.”

“Thanks, Spike,” Twilight passed the wrapped package to Spike. “I thought of something when I finished reading the story, and figured you could use this.”

Spike took the present and ripped the paper off, revealing a leather bound book. He flipped through the pages, finding all of them blank. He looked up at Twilight.

“A new journal? Really?”

Twilight smiled. “Look at the cover.”

Spike closed the book and looked at the engraved bookplate on the cover.

The Astounding Adventures of Captain Invincible!

By Spike

“I thought you might have ideas for more adventures for the Captain,” Twilight explained. “But don't feel obligated to use it for that. Anything you want to write in it will be fine.”

“Well,” Spike began, “I do have to explain what happened to Dr. Spectra. And I have a bunch of cool ideas for the Schoolmarm and the Urchins.”

“Great,” Twilight said. “I'm all ears. Let's go eat and you can tell me all about them.”

As the two walked into the kitchen, Spike began to outline his idea for his next story.

“It all starts when Dr. Spectra discovers that there's still a large amount of magical energy radiating from the caverns under Canterlot...”

The Amazing Adventures of Captain Invincible!

by shallow15

Trapped in the Turbo-Powered Unicorn Magic Extractor!

For Whom the School Bell Tolls!

Sticky Fingers!

The Pony with the Dragon Cutie Mark!

An Interlude

Lullaby and Good Night!

Crushing Doom!

Lullaby Rises!

Forever Invincible!