Hi, everyone, MarcellusMiro66 here! This is the final installment of my MLP: FiM trilogy, inspired by Twilight's Kingdom, The Cutie Re-Mark, and (mostly) To Where And Back Again. Taking a page from Captain America: Civil War, the main cinematic inspirations are Se7en, Fargo, and The Godfather, as well as Westerns and Brian De Palma's films.

During the events of To Where And Back Again, Twilight manages to escape and send a message to Sunset explaining the kidnapping of the Mane 5, the two Princesses, and the Royal Family. In response, she unwillingly assembles a team consisting of Flash Sentry, Sunburst, and Princess Ember. When her team comes to the rescue, well...let's just say things go terribly awry.

Enjoy! If you can...

PART 1: The Equestrian Overture

(Friday, October 21st 2016)

(6:00PM)

Two years. Two years since the incident. Two years since her disappearance. Two years since her death. It was two years now.

Today was October 21, 2016. It was a tempestuous twilight in Gotham City. Speaking of Twilight, she hadn't written to her in the following two years. Then again... Ronnie Anne had intentionally inherited from her the magic journal. She had been keeping in touch with her (Ronnie Anne) and her new boyfriend. This Lincoln kid better not break her heart; otherwise, she'd be breaking his body as a whole.

She squatted down on a gargoyle and watched as a company of police cruisers engaged in a speeding spar with a black surveillance van. She shot up and running towards the ledge while activating her earpiece,

"F.R.I.D.A.Y., you know what to do."

"Yes, ma'am."

She leapt off the ledge and out folded her memory cloth cape, utilizing it to sufficiently soar down and land on top of her black 1997 Harley-Davidson Softail, courtesy of F.R.I.D.A.Y. herself. She slipped on her mask and sped off after the bank robbers under the radar of the police in pursuit. Adjusting her goggles to get a better look at the van, she knew that she couldn't just shoot out the tires or relentlessly ram it until it tipped like in the movies. Pulling out of her pouch two Bat Bombs "borrowed" from Mr. Wayne, she made a hard left before tossing them at the van's line of sight. When they drove it over...

BOOM!

The van flipped over and landed roof first on the concrete road of Connecticut. She boarded off her motorcycle and drew her railed Desert Eagle Mark XIX, which by the way was loaded with .44 Magnum soft-nosed slugs. (Fun Fact: Soft-nosed .44 slugs blow holes in people the size of garbage cans.) Cocking the hammer and offing the safety, she approached the capsized camper and aimed at the men attempting to effortlessly escape authorities,

"Don't move."

The three men stopped dead in their tracks and raised their hands high up, one of them raising his mask up as well. She remotely recognized him through his grey eyes and brown hair, a sly smirk growing beneath her mask,

"Well, well, well. We meet again, Mr. Brandon Stone."

The other two masked men glanced and gawked at the unmasked man, who himself gawked at the caped crusader in bewilderment, "Have we met before?"

"I believe we have." Much to Stone's devestating dismay, she unmasked herself to revealed her actual alias...

"Sunset Shimmer."

"You were expecting someone else? Bang."

BANG!

Two years. Two years since the Anon-A-Miss incident. Two years since Sunset's disappearance. Two years since Sunset's death. It was two years now.

Today was October 21, 2016. It was a tempestuous twilight in Gotham City. Sunset Shimmer was Twilight Sparkle's best friend and...maybe her worst enemy. She was no longer Sunset Shimmer.

Sunset Shimmer was now the Red Hood.

(Friday, October 21st 2016)

(8:00PM)

Today was October 21, 2016. It was an extravagant evening in Central City, where the chronical celebration of their salient savior and his admired apprentice's Heroic Sacrifice was taking place. Kid Flash was one of the few superheroes to die in action during the Civil War between the Justice League and the Teen Titans four years prior. His selfless sacrifice was the source of immense inspiration for all citizens of the world and members of the government; the latter group in particular gave up on the League Accords, the one thing they fought for so valiantly. Just a few months ago in May, they released another version of it entitled the Sokovian Accords for the League's opposing team, The Avengers; one faction was a few members short, the other was a few members more...in individual incarceration.

One of the concerned citizens had the unfortunate distinction of being named after the city's vanquished vanquisher of evil. Flash Sentry was both amused and unamused by this revelation; he didn't exactly like the attention, but he certainly didn't dislike it either. Here he was, dressed in his blue suit worn for the Fall Formal. When Sunset was still pernicious. When Sunset was still pretentious. When Sunset was still his pretty puny ex-girlfriend. Okay, that last one he couldn't exactly explain, but regardless.

Flash slightly stuck out his collar and loosened up a little before he left the car. The gun in his possession, a SIG-Sauer P226 E2, was performed on for a brass check before it was placed in his holster; in the two years following Sunset's death, he practiced with his proficient pistol handling to proficiently perfect them, and it posolutely paid off. He exited the vehicle and entered the Missouri State Capitol; flashing his ID to where it was visible, he then flashed it to a nearby guard who allowed access to enter inside. Well, that was easy, Flash thought.

"Flash, do you copy? Over."

Flash balanced his Bluetooth to where he could hear her clearly, "Copy, Sonata. Over. Are you sure he's here?"

"Roger, Flash. I'd know his face anywhere...unlike some people."

"Okay, for the record, how was I supposed to know you're bad news? I was hypnotized."

"My point exactly."

Flash realized in a split second what he and Sonata's conversation was about and face-palmed himself in the middle of the dance floor...where she was waiting for her dance partner,

"May I have this dance, Mr. Sentry?"

Flash turned to find Sonata in a multicolored dress – specifically red and blue. The dress consisted of a ruby red top with off-the-shoulder sleeves and a matching necklace, a sapphire blue belt with silver buckle, a garnet sparkle-sprinkled skirt with pale blue slip-on ballet flats, and an amethyst Scrunchy to keep her hair in a ponytail. He wanted to completely compliment her on her dress decisions, but they had a mission to accomplish. That, and she was a siren,

"I thought you'd never ask."

Both locked arms and hands, instantly becoming dance partners. The couple sumptuously swayed to the sound of the music playing, which was the appropriately themed and titled Unforgettable by Nat King Cole and his daughter Natalie Cole. It was actually appropriate for the occasion, considering the anniversary of Kid Flash's sacrifice perfectly paralleled with Sunset's own... That is, if you do want to call it a sacrifice. Regardless, the song was a timely testament, a perfect paradigm, and yes... Truly unforgettable.

It was almost enough for them both to be lost in their fantasy and forget the reason why they were here. Almost...

"We have a mission, Sonata."

"I know, Flash. That's what hurts me."

"Why does it?"

"Sunset was clearly the only hope my sisters and I had for survival in the world; now I see the true meaning of friendship too little too late."

"What happened to Sunset wasn't your fault. The ones responsible for her death are already dead themselves, so revenge is out of the question."

"It's less vengeance and more solace. ... There is one more?"

"Well, why do you think you call me here in the first place?"

Sonata sported a small smile and laughed ever so slightly, before stopping herself and frowning; she gestured behind Flash and he turned to find the one man – no, target – who took advantage of Sunset's death first-hand.

Hank Carter was highly hypocritical in terms of gun usage. The Midsummer Festival Massacre of last year was one of the most deadly and horrifying events in history, and he was one of the contemptuous commentators overseeing the tragedy. Neither of them both particularly saw one redeeming quality in this man, but the one thing he did to cross the Moral Event Horizon? He was the true orchestrator behind Sunset's death as a means to boost his politcial campaign; nobody besides Flash and Sonata knew the tentative truth...until now.

Today was October 21, 2016. It was an extravagant evening in Central City. Blood will be shed. Vengeance will be his. Justice will be hers.

(Friday, October 21st 2016)

(10:00PM)

Today was October 21, 2016. It was an ominous obscurity in the Crystal Empire. The citizens had been understandably unruly ever since the Changelings took over for a brief period of time. Their damage, however, fell strongly short to the main mastermind's doing; it was Queen Chrysalis who confronted Princess Cadance and Shining Armor directly...a silent, sleeping Princess Flurry Heart in her possession:

"Her life or yours, Cadance." Her words were, a hiss hampered no less.

The citizens were beginning to question Sunburst concerning the Royal Family and their whereabouts. Telling the truth in his right mind didn't have the same outcome as he thought; while they were horrified to hear that they were ponynapped, they were relieved regardless of what their current condition was; if they were killed, a war was waiting and wanting to occur.

Sunburst had just dispatched Thorax to find and warn Starlight of the predicament, beginning to settle down when the door was knocked on. Muttering to himself, he called the visitor to come in, and the visitor did just that,

"Ah, Royal Guard Sentry. How may I help you?"

"With a place to sleep. The citizens are almost nowhere restless, but it's enough."

"Yes, it seems." Sunburst adjusted his glasses before skimming through the row of books, just as Flash sat down on a chair and slipped off his helmet,

"I wish there was something we could do," Flash could only lament.

"I know, Flash, but there's nothing here that could – " As if by a contrived coincidence, Sunburst's eyes laid eyes on a book, the cover of which was dampened by damage, but enough for him to get an incredibly idiotic yet imposing idea.

"What?"

"Of course."

"What?"

Sunburst pulled the book out and opened it to Page 100. He was an apparent agile and rapid reader, something Flash couldn't help but be impressed with; he previously thought Twilight couldn't be beat. A parchment of paper and quill with ink lightly levitated his way, and he narrowly missed it by that much. Sunburst swiftly scribbled a letter clarifying their condition at the moment before blowing out a puff of breath. He blew on the letter and it, with a green flame accompanying, disappeared into the night,

"YES!" Sunburst suddenly shouted in surprised satisfaction, sensibly scaring Flash, "Man, did you have to do that close to my ear?"

"You know, I can't help it when I learn a new spell."

"Yeah, but how was that possible? You're not a dragon."

"No, but I am the Royal Crystaller after all."

Flash blinked in bewilderment, "Huh. And Twi says I'm the overreacting one."

Today was October 21, 2016. It was an ominous obscurity in the Crystal Empire. The assemble was close to completion.

(Friday, October 21st 2016)

(12M)

Today was October 21, 2016. It was near a mundane midnight in the Dragon Lands. Princess Ember oversaw her new kingdom from the balcony of her newly constructed castle, an accomplishment achieved by herself, her father, and Garble. The last dragon was highly hesitant to properly participate in the building, but he gradually grew to see the benefits of hard work and respect for the new Dragon Lord. That, and Princess Ember saw something in him that she liked. Garble's interpretation of that double-sided statement trailed off to others, but only one stuck in his head for days at a time.

Ember herself hoped for Garble not to get the incorrect idea.

Suddenly, a green flame appeared near her head and a scroll was sucked out of it. Ember saw the scroll and caught it before it reached the ground; unrolling and reading it, her eyes widened with every sentence structured on the piece of paper. Whoever this Sunburst was, he would be the one she would question first. Ember swiftly suited up in her golden armor and wielded her bloodstone scepter, flying to her destination: The Crystal Empire.

Today was October 21, 2016. It was near a mundane midnight in the Dragon Lands. The assemble was absolute. From a distance, a Mare-Do-Well masquerader peered on with her non-pupils and followed Ember as she soared. She made almost no attempt to cover her holy legs. Then again...she didn't need to.

A few hours earlier...

Twilight relentlessly ran through the tunnels of the Changeling Castle. She thought she'd never see this perilous place again, but here she was. Luckily for her, thanks for being here before due to an intended infiltration, she knew every twist and turn there was in the bombastic building.

Twilight swiftly shapeshifted into one of the Changelings before hiding before a corner. She briskly breathed as her PTSD knowingly kicked in; she never wanted to see this dreaded place ever again as mentioned before, but she just had to be. Her friends, her family, the Princesses... They were all individually incarcerated in colossal cocoons. She couldn't catch a glimpse of either Spike or Flurry Heart. She had no idea where either of them were, but if they were already dead...

Twilight knew there will be blood spilled.

Twilight shook her head. She was letting rage fill her up again. It's been a full four years since that sin known as wrath had corrupted her. If she were to make it to five, she would continuously control it until the mindless message got through that thick skull of hers. Wait... Mindless...? MINDLESS? It was masterfully mindful, thank you very much. Damn it. I seriously need work on my esteem issues after this.

Twilight didn't dare dwell on that sole subject any longer. As a small squadron split into two, another one ran past them. Twilight joined them in the search for their previous prisoner. She joined them out of the castle and into the air to get a better view of the surrounding radius. She flew off and away from them as far as possible once the coast was clear. She needed help. She needed assistance. She needed the calvary. She needed... Sunset. She needed Sunset.

Twilight swiftly shapeshifted back to her former form, teleporting back to her castle. Except it wasn't her castle: It was Princess Celestia's.

Wow. My powers have advanced faster than I thought.

Twilight went for Celestia's room and searched for paper, quill, and ink. She swiftly scribbled a letter of urgency to four people whom she believed were capable of saving them: Flash Sentry, Sunburst, Princess Ember, and Sunset Shimmer herself. Little did she know, another team was being assembled at this very moment: Trixie, Thorax, Discord, and Starlight Glimmer herself.

Two teams by two ponies: One being her best friend and one being her loyal apprentice.

Well done, Twilight. Well done, indeed...