Jeez, this is becoming a habit for me, isn't it? I've finished up half of the next volume, Demons Within, already and I forgot to post it here! Well, wait no longer, for it's finally be posted!

Note that this chapter is shorter than usual, but given how lengthy many previous chapters were, I think it's fair.

Sub-Volume 5 - Demons Within

Chapter 1 - Coming Up (McCartney, 1980)

AUGUST 10, 2038

It was another peaceful day in the Sentry family, having just gotten over the funerals of Bloody Sunday. Twilight, Flash and their kids, Dusk, Twilight V and Violet, were watching TV in the family room.

"It's a shame such a day exists," sighed Twilight V. "So many people injured or dead."

"I know, my little one," said Flash, hugging his oldest daughter close. "Hardships do exist, but... it was what brought your mother and I together."

"And uncle Shining's ire," Violet giggled.

"Yeah, that too..." muttered Flash.

"But it's been worth it," smiled Twilight.

"How did your relationship start to really take off?" asked Dusk.

"Well," said Twilight, "it was shortly after I got out of the hospital following my recovery from being shot at..."

SEPTEMBER 16, 2015

It was just a few days before the fall semester could begin.

"I can't believe I'm a senior this year!" Pinkie was saying to her friends. "Oh, but since the rest of you graduated already, I won't see you at school for a whole year. That's a super long time..."

"We know, Pinkie," said Twilight, "and we'll all miss you too." Since being discharged from the hospital, Twilight had been told to take it easy with her movements lest she risked injuring herself.

"We'll still keep in touch with you, Pinkie," said Rarity. "And don't forget, you have your twin sister with you, and some of us have younger siblings attending Canterlot High as well."

"You're right, Rarity," said Pinkie. "And I'll keep them company. I Pinkie Promise. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!"

"Well, that's great ta hear, Pinkie," smiled Applejack.

"I can't wait to see what the university is going to be like," said Fluttershy. "Mine and Twilight's first year there."

"And Vincent's too," added Rainbow Dash. "As well as Song Cue and Comet."

"Speaking of Comet," said Fluttershy, "he's been acting strange lately."

"What for?" asked Twilight.

"I'm not sure," Fluttershy sighed. "I was with Song Cue and Comet the other day at the shop, and he was deep in thought about something."

"That could be anything," said Rainbow Dash. "Maybe it's about his siblings and how they started turning things around."

"Hopefully it ain't too late for them," said Applejack. "Ah mean, it took the death of Lyra to make them see the light." Twilight's expression soured at the mention of Lyra's name.

"I still can't believe I was friends with her!" Twilight muttered. "How did I not see how cruel she was being to Comet?"

"I did see Lyra and Electric Sky a few times at Canterlot Middle," Rarity admitted, "and before I knew about Comet, I thought they were decent. I guess... some people aren't who they appear to be."

"Like Blueblood?" asked Rainbow Dash. Rarity scowled at the mention of his name. "Sorry, shouldn't have brought that up," Rainbow Dash recoiled.

"Well, maybe we can ask Comet what he's up to... right now," said Pinkie, having spotted him walking over.

"Hey there, Comet," said Twilight.

"Who... oh, hey girls," Comet said suddenly. He was holding something close to him, trying to hide it.

"What's that you've got there, Comet?" asked Twilight.

"Oh, that?" asked Comet. "It's a ring box."

"A ring?!" gasped Fluttershy, her heart pounding with excitement. "Oh, are you planning to..."

"Kind of jumping the gun, aren't we?" asked Rainbow Dash. "Aren't both of you only eighteen?"

"We've both been dating since high school," said Comet. "Plus, we've been major supports in each others' lives. Song Cue helped me to become more confident, I've helped her to slow down and enjoy things..." The blue haired graduate gave a wistful sigh.

"That's so sweet, Comet," smiled Fluttershy. "I approve of you as a cousin-in-law."

"Thank you, Fluttershy," replied Comet. "I look forward to being your cousin-in-law too."

"Only a mere few days after Song Cue's birthday too," said Applejack. "She'll be in fer a surprise."

"She sure will," grinned Comet. "Speaking of lovers, I hear that you and Math made it official, Rarity. Congratulations."

"We sure have," said Rarity. "Thank you, Comet. I realized that all my past attempts at romance all happened way too fast, but... Math and I just took it nice and easy and... now we're a thing."

"And you have a budding relationship with Flash too, Twilight," added Comet.

"M-Maybe..." stammered Twilight.

Later, down at the campus, many university bound students were already finding houses or had reserved some for new members. Flash and Sunset had done just that for Vincent and Twilight.

"What do you guys think?" asked Flash. From the outside, it looked like they were four individual houses, but on the inside, they were one larger house with an individual space for each.

"It looks very nice," said Twilight. "I think I could get used to the place."

"I agree," said Vincent. "I think Song Cue said she, Orange Sherbet, Comet and Fluttershy are going into a house next to us."

"Oh, haven't you heard?" said Twilight. "Comet wants to propose to Song Cue."

"Oh my goodness, he does?!" gasped Sunset. "That's so sweet."

"They've been together since high school," said Flash, "but are they ready for this so soon?"

"Yeah, that is a good point," said Vincent.

"Well, they've raised Mystic Light together," said Twilight, "and now with school out of the way, they may be able to focus more on their relationship."

"Another good point," said Vincent.

"It's up to them," said Sunset. "I do wonder how Song Cue is going to take this news."

"Same here," said Vincent, "especially since they're both eighteen."

"Would Song Cue's parents and Comet's dad approve?" asked Flash. "And their other relatives?"

"We'll just have to let nature run its course, I guess," said Twilight. "Besides, Fluttershy approves of Comet."

Next door, Song Cue, Orange Sherbet, Comet Tail and Fluttershy were getting organised at their own house. Math Equation and Rarity were helping them unpack their stuff.

"Thanks for helping us unpack our things," said Song Cue. She was placing a few books into the bookcase.

"We're glad to help," replied Math.

"Are you guys excited for your first year here?" asked Rarity, as she was helping Fluttershy get some of her clothes into her drawers and wardrobe.

"I'm a bit nervous, actually," said Comet. "I only just found out who my real dad is and my half-sister, not to mention my other siblings started to connect with me again."

"Well, they are doing courses here," said Rarity. "I've heard some of the other university people mention that."

"Well, I guess Rare Find has been held back due to being a slacker," said Comet. "Before Top Marks left, he's been rather lazy. Cayenne's mostly been flirting with other guys on campus until she started to change that. And Neon Lights and Electric Sky are on the younger side anyway."

"I doubt Lyra would've even made an attempt to change," said Song Cue.

"You're right," Comet agreed. "She was always the worst of the bunch. She was a bully to me even when I was a baby."

"That's not the way to do things," grunted Song Cue. "And babies don't know if they've done anything wrong. Babies need patience and gentle mentoring, like what we did with Mystic Light."

"She's growing up fast, isn't she?" giggled Fluttershy.

"Oh yes," said Comet. "Firelight gives us updates about Mystic Light all the time. She's been getting into Blue's Clues lately, oh and we even saw the new Wiggles TV series, Ready, Steady, Wiggle. She's loving it."

"Oh yes, Emma, Lachy and Simon all took over from the old group we grew up with," Rarity nodded. "I heard they're doing well."

"Mystic Light loves seeing Emma do her dancing," smiled Song Cue. "Emma's turning into quite the popular Wiggle indeed."

"It's good to see Mystic's enjoying herself," said Math. "I bet you're going to miss seeing her while you're here."

"Yeah," sighed Comet.

"She's got a good dad to look after her," said Orange. "Besides, when the holidays roll in, you can check in with her."

"Well, there's that," said Comet.

"Indeed," said Song Cue. "For now, we gotta pick what courses we gotta do for our future jobs. I'm thinking I'd want to be a preschool teacher."

"I majored in astronomy in high school," said Comet.

"I'll do a course in animal studies," said Fluttershy. "Maybe I'll even open a shelter for cats and dogs."

"That's so sweet," said Orange. "I may do a cooking course myself."

"Sounds like you four have a rough idea on what to do already," said Math. "That's half the battle."

"I think we're all going to have a great time doing this," said Comet.

"Maybe once we're all done here, we can show you around the campus," Math offered.

"Oh, I'd love that," said Song Cue.

"That would be fun," said Fluttershy. "I wonder if we'll meet some new friends around here."

"As long as we don't run into a certain green haired murderer," Song Cue muttered to herself.

"Something up, Song Cue?" asked Math.

"Oh, I've been a bit distracted with things lately, Math," Song Cue admitted. "I know Cinch was awful and all, but the guy that killed Cinch... Twilight told me she knows him from her time at Canterlot Elementary."

"Who is he?" asked Math.

"Timber Spruce," Song Cue explained. "Twilight said that he was annoying at times, but she didn't expect him to stoop as low as to kill somebody."

"Yikes," gasped Rarity. "I guess we'd all better take caution. Do the others know?"

"I heard people were split as to whether or not he was right in doing so," said Comet.

"That's one way of putting it," said Orange. "It's like how Whiplash had attacked and beaten Scattered Marbles up to his last breath."

"Except Cinch's death was quick and sort of painless," added Math.

"I suppose," said Song Cue, "but it's still wrong to kill others."

"It is scary," agreed Fluttershy. "I guess we'd better avoid him as best we can."

After both groups were done unpacking, Flash, Sunset, Math and Rarity decided to meet up and show their friends around the campus.

"Down this way, from where the houses are, is the library," said Math, gesturing toward a large cream colored building. Vincent and Comet silently counted "three, two, one", knowing who was going to geek out over it...

"Oh my gosh, I could definitely use those books for my research for my course!" The group let out light chuckles at Twilight.

"Further this way," said Rarity, looking over at another building, "is the cafeteria. I'm sure we'll all arrange some times to have a nice lunch or something."

"That would be lovely," said Orange. "I can't wait to see what food they have on the menu there."

"They got an internet cafe nearby, don't they?" asked Vincent.

"Yeah, I think they do," said Orange. "We'll have to check it out when we get a chance."

"It's a shame Pinkie's not here to join us," said Song Cue.

"She'll be here next year," said Flash. "We can still talk to her."

"There's no limit as to how long you can attend college, is there?" asked Vincent.

"I don't believe there is," said Sunset. "You choose whatever courses you wish and get your certificates at the end of the course."

"That seems simple enough," said Twilight.

"It's going to be an interesting time to say the least," said Flash.

"I look forward to studying in peace," said Twilight. "Especially after the harshness of what happened during summer."

"I say we all needed some peace following Cinch's reign of terror," agreed Math.

"With Weseluck back as mayor, things should go smoothly," said Sunset.

"Hopefully," said Comet, "but anything could still happen whether at Rainbow Falls or Canterlot."

"Let's just enjoy our time out here," said Fluttershy. "This place looks so amazing." As the group continued the tour around campus, Comet felt the ring box in his pocket.

"It's a group setting," Comet said under his breath. "I want Song Cue and I to be by ourselves." He looked on with a small smile, thinking back to him and Song Cue watching Disney movies and how the couples were usually alone with the moonlight when they finally married, or in the cases of Bambi, The Lion King and Lady and the Tramp, became mates. Song Cue and Comet would often sing love duets from these movies together.

"And down this way is a park where we can..." Sunset broke off in surprise. "Uh... guys..."

"What is it, Sunset?" asked Rarity. Sunset directed her friends' attention to someone sitting on a bench.

"I see what you mean," said Twilight, her body feeling stiff and uncomfortable at the familiar green hair. "Let's go somewhere else."

Fluttershy was the last to leave; something about that green hair looked familiar to her, but she couldn't put her finger on it as to why.

FOOTNOTES

Though not mentioned in the chapter, the house Song Cue, Comet, Fluttershy and Orange moved into used to be where Lyra, Juniper, Vignette and Rare Find used to be. But since Lyra was killed, Rare Find kicked the other two out and decided to move somewhere else to allow Comet and the Shy/Cues to move in.

Emma's popularity in the Wiggles is actually true. In later years, she got her own spinoff TV show named after her. Lachy got one as well.