Have you seen the music video "My past is not today"? If not, non-bronies are calling it epic. check it out. Anyway, to the town of equality.
Andrew walked to Twilight's castle as the mane six came out. "Found a map?" Andrew asked.
"Yeah, you want to come huh?" Twilight asked. Andrew seemed to know everything in Equestria so this wasn't a surprising question to her. Andrew nodded and the seven of them headed to the train station.
...
"Dinky, Diamond, please come out." Andrew said mildly about mid-ride. The fillies in question came around the corner of the next row.
"How long did you know?" Diamond asked.
"Since we boarded, but you two have to listen or I'll teleport you back to Ponyville, understood?" The fillies nodded.
"Andrew, they can't come." Twilight hissed.
"If they stay close, there won't be a problem. They come." Andrew said in a tone that left no room for argument.
"Hey Dinky, want to duel?" Diamond asked.
"Sure. I'll beat you with the deck Andrew gave me."
"Don't bet on it kid."
...
"Poki Draco, attack with Poki embers!"
Diamond:200-0
"That's ten duels in a row. How?" Diamond said in astonishment.
"The Experiment is fit with the most powerful cards I could find. Everything connects to another move easily used. I built this good enough to be a rival for my own deck." Andrew supplied.
"I think you built it too well." Twilight said in equal astonishment.
Andrew began singing "Hyperdrive" quietly. Hearing another challenge, this time Twilight and Rainbow against Diamond and Dinky, Andrew smiled and watched them.
...
"Now, Aquamarine, End IT!"
Twilight and Rainbow Dash:1900-0
"Wow, you two worked great together." Andrew said. "But Dinky, next time try Ryu-Ran before Flame-Wingman appears with a boost." Dinky nodded and sat down.
"Well that was interesting, five duels in a row." Twilight said, disengaging her disk.
"I can't believe it! One more duel, You and me Diamond." Rainbow snapped.
"I don't think so, we're at the end of the tracks." Diamond said, disengaging her own disk. They began the long trek.
...
By the time they reached the town, everypony except Rainbow and Andrew were exhausted. "Rainbow Dash Ah get, but how are you fine?" Applejack asked.
"I've walked for days on end without rest. This was a walk through the castle to me." Andrew explained.
"Hey!" Matt and the girls came in overhead. "What's the big idea leaving us behind?" Lightning demanded.
"And why is Dinky here?" Derpy demanded, hugging her little filly.
Matt and Lightning I expected, but what the hell is Derpy doing here? Andrew thought. "They were stowaways, we didn't know until we were on our way." Andrew explained quickly, "Since we're all here, care to come along?" Matt shrugged.
"I don't like this." Pinkie said suddenly, "I know smiles, and those smiles are just weird."
"Forget the smiles, look at their cutie marks." Twilight pointed.
...
Andrew groaned. "If one more pony says welcome, I'll show them a Wolf-Falcon welcome."
Matt nodded in agreement as they approached Starlight Glimmer's house. Double Diamond left as the Unicorn walked in. "Welcome to our beautiful town."
"Andrew," Matt said.
"I see it. She has a Soul Edge shard in her tail." Andrew whispered in reply. After giving her POV, the group left. "We have to figure out how to get it." Andrew said as soon as they were away from the house. "Options?"
"The Cutie Vault, we get caught and expose her, get the shard in the confusion. Or we can just storm her now."
"Good ideas, but no. There is an ambush when we get to the vault. You disappear with the kids, did you bring the Umi?" Matt nodded. "Good, have Diamond and Dinky shatter the vault, there's a communicator in Dinky's disk. Play it like we aren't even here and follow the script. This should work."
"You guys coming?" Lightning and Rainbow asked. They came to the diner.
"What would you like today? we have muffins..." the waitress asked.
"Twelve muffins please." Derpy chimed in.
"Look, come in before you leave." she whispered before darting to fill the order. When she came back, she had that smile on her face, Andrew clicked his tongue and they all ate the now cream filled muffins.
"Let's get some more." Andrew said, leading the group into the store and then the basement. "We're here." Andrew called. After some cutie mark commentary, Andrew asked, "So where are your cutie marks?"
"On the Cutie vault." Party Favor answered. "She has the Staff of Sameness and all of the town's cutie marks there." Andrew nodded. "Time to pay a visit to Starlight." Andrew said mildly.
...
"So this is the Cutie Vault?" Andrew asked as they entered the cave.
"Yes, and this," Starlight pointed the staff, "Is the staff of sameness. It was the great mage Meadowbrook's ninth magical items." Starlight turned. "How did the subject of the Vault come up?"
"We were curious about where the Cutie Marks were stored after they were removed. A few ponies were happy to share." Andrew explained before Pinkie had time to respond.
"Hey, where are-" Rainbow began.
"Sakuro." Andrew muttered under his breath. Rainbow Dash fell silent. That was close. Now the ambush. Sure enough, the ponies in the shadows came and surrounded the group. "Saruto Makota Mera/Kiro-" Starlight zapped Andrew before he could finish. Andrew almost silently clicked his tongue. As they were sent to the "Detention house" it took all Andrew had not to smile.
...
"Forget it, it's magically reinforced." Andrew said as Applejack tried to kick the door down.
"Oh, I don't know. Applejack has busted Twilight's force fields before." Pinkie said in her speedy tone.
"I can't believe it!" Rainbow mouthed.
"Here, let me fix that. Saroka." Andrew commanded.
"What did you say that for?"
"You haven't talked in the last hour, I forgot to disable my silencing spell." Andrew explained. "I couldn't have you giving away anything."
"What's to give away? We're trapped. Matt took the kids and ditched-"
"No he didn't." Andrew cut her off. "Everything is going according to plan. A plan you almost gave away by pointing out that Matt and the kids had vanished."
"What do you mean?" Twilight asked.
"I knew about the ambush."
"WHAT?" all the mares said in unison.
"Relax, haven't you noticed not one of you has changed in personality?"
"Now that he mentions it," Fluttershy said, "Nothing seems to be different about us." Andrew clicked his tongue and all their cutie marks appeared. "Oh my goodness."
"It was an illusion I cast to trick Starlight." Andrew explained and got them up to speed on his little plan. "That's why Matt vanished. Tomorrow, we expose Starlight, I get the shard, and the town get's their cutie marks back."
"That actually might work." Derpy said.
"Yeah, awesome plan." Lightning chimed in.
...
The next day, Starlight came right on schedule. All the ponies came out in front of the house. "Now, are there any who have decided to accept our way?"
"Before we answer that, thirsty Starlight?" Andrew asked.
"I play the field spell Umi!" a tidal wave splashed through the town, splashing Starlight with it. Andrew had done it, she was exposed.
After the initial chaos, Andrew disabled his illusion. "Get the girls, I'm going after Starlight." he ordered as everypony took off. Andrew stood at the tunnel exit as Starlight walked out. "Don't think so." he said with a smile.
"Out of my way." The mare ordered.
"Not till I have what I want. Give me the Soul Edge shard." Andrew easily saw the glow.
"Not a chance."
"Night King Transformation!" Andrew ordered before Starlight could perform her spell. "Starwing Disk, engaged." Andrew drew. "I summon the Flame Champion and Harpy Girl." both monsters appeared and lunged for the frightened unicorn. "I'll take that." Andrew said, taking the shard from it's hiding place in her tail. "Now you can go." Starlight ran.
...
"The town is free." Andrew said.
"The ponies have their cutie marks." Matt continued.
"Andrew has a shard." Derpy said.
"And we kicked flank." Lightning finished.
"All in all, a pretty good day." Diamond said with a smile. They joined the party.
...
"We have to handle them." Talia snapped.
"No. Send the assassins, then if they fail, you may face them."
"As you wish Nightmare."
The assassins, that doesn't sound good. Thanks for reading, and don't forget to review!