Chapter Six: Ashes

Scotty awoke slowly, certain elements of his surroundings appearing faster than the others; he saw a picture on the wall, a bandage wrapped around his wing and Ratty standing at his side watching him concernedly. Eventually, after what seemed like an age, he sat up. Ratty smiled at him but his face was grim. "How long was I out?" Scotty asked him. "Three days." He replied helping Scotty to his feet. "What happened in Ponyville?" "Once Shadow left with Celestia we attempted to follow him but we lost him." "We?" "It'll take more than a building to stop us." Laughed Rainbow Dash as she fluttered into the room, followed by Pinkie and Fluttershy who were carrying Rarity between them, Rarity had her left foreleg in a sling. Behind them came Twilight who, when she saw Scotty, broke into a huge grin and ran to him, wrapped her legs around his neck and held him in a close hug. He hugged her back and laughed. Rarity turned to Ratty and spoke. "Applejack just came back, she didn't find much food but it's enough." Ratty nodded and turned to Scotty. "Come on then, lets get you fed and we'll tell you what's been going on since you got knocked out." Once breakfast was eaten the group quickly filled Scotty in about recent events. They were in one of the Secret Service's emergency bunkers in Ponyville. The entire town had been burnt to the ground and the townsfolk rounded up and taken away. Then Shadow had gone to Canterlot and had quickly defeated the guard there before claiming the throne. Princess Celestia had still not been tracked down and only Shadow's group of leaders: White Stripe the zebra general, Dark Spark and Nightmare Moon knew where to find her. "So," Said Scotty finally after their story was finished. "We need the Elements of Harmony to stop Shadow, but they're sealed away in a vault which only Celestia can open. This means we have to capture and interrogate one of Shadow's lieutenants, rescue the princess and save all of Equestria." "Yeah…" Said Rainbow looking slightly unconfident. "Walk in the park." Said Scotty smiling. "Who are we going to capture?" Asked Applejack as she chewed an apple. "You guys say that Shadow keeps Nightmare Moon and Dark Spark close so that leaves only White Stripe." "Who is now ruler of Los Pegasus." Pinkie pointed out. "Only makes things a little bit more complicated." Said Scotty. "This is all very well and good but, well two things," Said Ratty shaking his head. "Firstly, there are two ponies here with crippling wounds." "They'll heal." Said Rarity shrugging her shoulders. "Secondly, there are only two ponies here with any real combat experience. No offense." "None taken." Muttered Rainbow as she folded her legs across her chest. "Also not a problem." Said Scotty standing up and walking to a button on the wall. "How do you plan to make these girls into ponies capable of taking on an army of zebras?" Asked Ratty. "This is one of our bunkers." Scotty pointed out as he pressed the button causing part of the wall to open, revealing a vast space filled with target ranges, flying courses, obstacle courses and training dummies. "We simply train them."

Chapter Seven: Gadgets

Over the next week the group trained without stopping and by the end of it all even Ratty agreed that the six girls had trained themselves up to a level worthy of agents. Fluttershy had come to a par with the average speed of an agent through the flight courses. Rainbow had of course, smashed right through the current record, held by Scotty. Both Twilight and Rarity could move through the target range in a matter of seconds and still have a 97% accuracy rate on their spells. Pinkie had never been caught out once by the constantly changing obstacle course and Applejack had made Scotty and Ratty stitch and restitch every one of the training dummies every time she kicked them. On day six however Scotty stopped them all early. "Well done," he said grinning as Ratty flipped him yet another gold bit. "You have all mastered your own fields of expertise, but being an agent isn't about being the best at what you are already good at but also what you have no skills in at all." He looked down at six very confused faces before continuing. "For example, Ratty here is going to now perform the flight course." This caused even more confusion, how was this possible? Ratty was a unicorn, he had no wings to fly with. Ratty grinned and tapped his right foreleg of the ground three times, in response to this, blue flames shot from the bottom of the armoured boots he was wearing and he hovered off the ground. Then the boots fired off more flames and he shot off around the flight course with ease. Meanwhile Scotty carried on talking. "Flight boots for all non-pegasus agents, tap three times to activate them and then control them with your mind, think left and you will move left." He produced four sets of boots and placed them in front of the group. Then he raised his head, looked straight at one of the target dummies and a blue magic bolt darted from a necklace he wore with a blue gem stored within. The bolt struck the dummy and it fell backwards, bolts of blue lightning darting around its body. "Magic storing necklace of all non-unicorn agents, control it with your mind and it will do your bidding, think fire and it'll fire." He laid four such necklaces next to the boots. "These are yours now. Use them well." With this Ratty landed gracefully next to him and the six girls stepped forward, collected their gadgets and began training again.

Chapter Eight: Dark Spark

Sparky hated himself; he had hurt and quite possibly killed his best friends and had been instrumental in the fall of Equestria. But that wasn't him, he wasn't Dark Spark; mindless evil thrall of Shadow. He was Sparky; student of Celestia and saviour of Canterlot. Just as the dark pony before him wasn't Nightmare Moon, she was Luna; princess of Equestria and Mare of the night. It was Shadow's magic that had done this to them, that had corrupted and tainted them. But they couldn't fight it, couldn't beat it, could they?

Chapter Nine: To Los Pegasus

It took yet another full week for the group to master using the gadgets to a level the agents were satisfied with. Once they were satisfied however things began to move suddenly faster. They packed food, camping gear and armour into saddlebags which they then slung over their bodies and then they opened the hatch that served as the entrance to the bunker and set off south westwards towards Los Pegasus. This was a two day journey by train but the group was on foot and was taking a less risky route than following the railway so it was likely to take closer to a week. The route they were following took them to the edge of Ghastly Gorge to the south and then westwards along the edge of the San Palomino Desert until they reached Applewood and Los Pegasus. They marched in a closely bunched group, having to hide from zebra patrols and avoid the dark creatures that lived upon the road ahead. They marched through rain and wind, snow and sun. When they finally came upon the rise that overlooked their destination there were no sighs of relief, no celebrations that their journey was at last over because they all knew that the real adventure was only just beginning.

Chapter Ten: City of Friends and Enemies

"We will head for the nearest safehouse in the city." Scotty told the group as the entered the city. "I have arranged for the Los Pegasus division of agents to meet us there." It took the group almost two hours to reach the safe house due to the fact they had to avoid being spotted and with someone with hair like Rainbow Dash in your group this is not an easily achieved feat. When they eventually got to the door of the house they all breathed a sigh of relief at simply being safe, for now at least. Scotty knocked on the door in a peculiar rhythm and it swung open revealing an exhausted looking pegasus. He had and orange body with a spiky brown mane that was streaked with blue. His eyes were dark blue and his ears came to a sharp point. He wore a creased blue business suit and a magic storing necklace. "You took your time." He said in an accent that would have been Scottish if he was on earth. "Can't be too careful when every zebra in Equestria is looking for you." Scotty replied quickly. The pegasus nodded and took a step back. "Well don't just stand there, come in." He said warmly. Scotty nodded his thanks and the group trooped into the house. "Jocky McJock," said Scotty to the pegasus. "Meet Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Fluttershy. Wielders of the Elements of Harmony and multiple time saviours of Equestria." Jocky nodded to them all and said. "A pleasure." Then. "Come through, do, Fii is just preparing dinner." "Oh, Fii's here?" Asked Ratty coming forward and falling into step with Jocky. Meanwhile back with Twilight and the others Scotty muttered. "There is no way I am doing that introduction again." The group entered a large kitchen with a green unicorn in it working at a baking oven. She turned, grinned at them and pulled Scotty into a crushing hug. Twilight took an instant dislike to her. She had choppy cut sandy brown hair with red streaks, violet eyes, a pale nose, and three freckles beneath her eyes. Luckily Scotty's wish came true as Ratty took over the introductions this time revealing the unicorn's name as Filly Fii. "Pleased to meet you all." Said Fii kindly. "But come, you must be hungry, let's eat and then talk about your business here." They ate in silence and when they were all finished Jocky sat forward. "Now, I assume you're here to deal with White Stripe." "We need him to give us the location at which they are holding Princess Celestia." Replied Scotty. Jocky nodded. "Well you are going to have some difficulty getting to him. He is holed up at the top of the skyscraper in the centre of town." "Is there a way of getting to him?" "Not easily, and it won't work for all of you." "Then we won't all go just me and Ratty." "Okay then, in that case I have a plan." Jocky smiled.

Chapter Eleven: Lord of the Zebras

The next day Scotty, Ratty and Jocky walked through the centre of town to the grand glass skyscraper in which White Stripe was to be found. The trio were dressed in business suits and sunglasses. They walked up to the zebra that was serving as the security guard in the lobby and showed him IDs which had been lovingly hoofmade by Fii the night before. After a moment he nodded and waved them through to the lift which was laying waiting for them with two zebra guards inside of it. They got in and the doors closed and the lift began to climb. When it reached its destination the three agents left it with Scotty fixing his tie, leaving two unconscious security guards inside. They reached two big double doors which opened automatically and allowed them to enter a large office. Two guards stood either side of the door and there, sat behind the desk in the centre of the room was White Stripe. The group entered and pulled off their sunglasses. White Stripe's eyes widened in shock as he recognised the three ponies now stood in the centre of the office. The agents didn't miss a beat, Jocky and Ratty launched into two hoofed spin kicks that instantly knocked out the two guards and Scotty launched a blast of energy from the necklace he wore that struck White Stripe and sent him sprawling. Scotty flapped his wings twice and landed on the zebra lord with a two hoofed kick that knocked the wind from him. Then the agent picked up the zebra and threw him through a glass wall, before charging him again, he punched him again and again and then yelled into his face. "Where are you holding Celestia?" White Stripe shook his head so Scotty hit him again. "Okay, Okay!" Spat the zebra. "She is in the Chill, the inescapable prison in the ice fields." "Thank you." Said Scotty and punched him again, knocking him out. "Scotty! We have a problem!" Yelled Ratty from across the office. Scotty ran to him and looked out of the window in amazed horror. An army of dragons, zebras and griffins were laying waste to the city below them. "It was a trap!" Said Scotty. "Shadow knew we would go for White Stripe, so he set a trap, as soon as he was knocked out his army would destroy the city!" "What do we do?" Scotty turned to his friends who were watching him intently, expecting him to flee. "We fight! For Equestria!" And with that Scotty spread his wings and leapt out of the window into the chaos of battle below.