Chapter 10

Knights of Canterlot High

"They will not be able to pursue us into the church," Father Michael said as the group broke from the trees and ran for it. "It is sacred ground."

"Dash! Get the civilians inside," Sunset ordered. "Everyone else, start blasting!"

Rainbow Dash nodded before taking over for Applejack and helped the preacher towards the church doors. Sonia helped as well until they reached the door, where she managed to open it and pull them inside. Sonic and Starlight blinked in surprise at the new arrivals, having barricaded themselves inside due to the chaos erupting outside. As soon as Starlight saw Father Michael, she ran over and helped him into one of the pews.

"What happened?" she asked.

"The spirit within Sonia was much stronger than I anticipated," Father Michael replied. "If not for the timely intervention of the Ghostbusters..."

At the mention of the mainlanders, Starlight looked over at Rainbow Dash. The chromatic haired athlete was leaning against the door frame and fidgeting with her Neutrona Wand. It was clear she was both nervous and anxious. As Sonic tended to his sister, a lot of things were going through Starlight Glimmer's mind. Back on Main Street, the Ghostbusters had proved that they were able to fight. Now here they were, again fighting a battle that was not their own. If Sombra had returned, this was a matter for the Order to deal with. But at the same time…

Starlight closed her eyes before putting a hand on Father Michael's shoulder for a moment. After he returned the gesture, she opened her eyes.

"I'm sorry I failed you Father Michael," she sighed. "I… I was an idiot. A self-centered, stubborn idiot. You deserve better for an apprentice."

"While you have been difficult Starlight," Father Michael replied. "You haven't failed me. You just needed to learn a very important lesson."

The next thing he said shocked Starlight. Revealing that many of the Ghostbusters seem to have an unknown form of magic themselves. After a moment, Starlight thought back to Main Street, and how the Cowgirl was able to shift the cars away from their van by herself. Getting to her feet, Starlight approached Rainbow Dash.

"Is it true?" she asked. "You have magic?"

"Equestrian magic, but yea," the Ghostbuster replied. "We're still getting used to it."

Starlight looked out the door at the battle in progress, unsure what to do herself. Rainbow Dash surprised her by putting a hand on her shoulder.

"I get it," Rainbow Dash said. "Nothing's making any sense. You're island's being attacked by ancient ghosts, all hell's breaking loose, and I'm running around with a nuclear accelerator on my back. Trust me… I understand how crazy this is. But I gotta go out there and help my friends."

She pulled her hand away from Starlight and took hold of her Neutrona Wand again. Apparently the athlete had put two and two together and figured out Starlight was a magic user as well.

"If you wanna stay here… I won't hold it against you. We're good. But if you go out there… you hit those ghosts with everything you got. You walk out that door… you're a Ghostbuster."

Starlight bit her lip, unsure how to even respond. Rainbow Dash had just declared her intention to fight, even against overwhelming odds. And if a mainlander was willing to do that…

"Good talk..." Rainbow Dash trailed off as she looked back at the others and gave them a bit of a smirk. "Hey Sonic! Wanna see something cool?"

As soon as she had the attention of the Hedge siblings, Rainbow Dash took a couple steps away from the open door… then bolted outside almost as if she was shot out of a cannon, a rainbow colored trail left in her wake. Sonia blinked in shock, while Sonic…

"She… she's as fast as I am..." he trailed off. "An athletic girl… who can actually keep up with me."

"Oh boy… I think my brother is in love..." Sonia sighed and hung her head.

Starlight again closed her eyes. After a moment, she clenched a fist. Her mind was made up. Opening her eyes, she turned and headed in deeper into the Church and retrieved her staff. Taking a moment to just look over the old artifact, she again closed her eyes and nodded.

"No more..." she said to herself, before calling out to Sonia and Sonic.


Twilight ducked under a ghost before raising her hand and catching it in her magic and flinging it towards Rarity, who threw up a shield to catch it and slam it into a deployed trap. Just as the resident scientist was about to vent her pack, she turned and saw a ghost about to impale her on a spectral spear before it… froze solid. And not from a Stasis Stream. Looking past the ghostcicle, Twilight blinked and adjusted her glasses. Standing in the doorway was Starlight Glimmer, staff in hand and a cyan energy field engulfing her free hand. After a moment she swung her hand towards another ghost, and an ice bolt lanced out to spear it.

Starlight Glimmer, resident mage of Westside Island, had joined the fight. Behind her was Sonia and Sonic Hedge. Something was going on, but right now they had bigger problems to deal with. With the addition of Starlight, the tide turned in favor of the Ghostbusters until they were finally able to clear out the area and catch a break.

"Ok… I think its safe to say this is it," Sunset said. "Endgame. Sombra's ramping it up."

"So it truly is Sombra..." Starlight trailed off before looking off towards Westside High. "This is a diversion. He knows you won't ignore innocent lives. Which means..."

"Westside High is gonna get hammered," Sonia finished before holding up a hand. "Its the biggest emergency shelter on the Island. Just about everyone will be there."

"But we ain't got time!" Applejack groaned. "If Sombra's goin' all out, and he's got Sunset's counterpart..."

Sunset turned to Slimer and Spike.

"I know you two don't like each other, but I got a really important job for you," she said.

Starlight wondered why she was speaking to a dog of all things, until said dog spoke up saying he wasn't sure about it. Sunset then explained that they couldn't be in two places at once.

"Look… we can't spare anyone to go to human Sunset's house. Its up to you guys," she said. "I need you two to go there, and get Gwenevere's Bow. Call it a hunch, but I have a feeling we're gonna need it. We'll meet you back at Westside High."

Slimer and Spike looked at each other for a moment as if considering turning the redhead down before reluctantly agreeing. Twilight then stepped in and described the Bow, as well as where it was. She also explained that there was a salt barrier that would most likely block Slimer, so Spike would have to find a way inside to help Slimer. After everything was said and done, Twilight handed Slimer the address, then the spud swooped down, grabbed Spike, and shot off on the mission.

"Ok… so you're in the fight now," Sunset said, turning to face Starlight. "Before you ask, its a long story. Right now we gotta deal with these ghosts."

"I have an idea. I can cast a shield spell over the school. But… in order for it to be big enough I would need to channel it. But seeing as how I know the Island better than you… I have to be with you," Starlight said. "That's where Sonia and Sonic come in. Together with their brother Manic, they can channel the spell I cast, and hold it long enough for us to do what needs to be done. If they spread out equally… the strain will be minimal."

Being more familiar with magic, Sunset considered the plan and nodded in response. She then called for everyone to get moving. They could talk on the way.


Slimer and Spike arrived at Sunset Shimmer's house and looked around. There was no dog door so getting in was going to be more interesting. Slimer decided to try and phase through, only to, rather comically, slam head first and pancake against the wall. Spike thought for a moment before looking up at the windows. One of them looked like it was cracked open a bit.

"Slimer! Think you can do something about that?" he called out. The ghost shook himself back into shape and flew over to examine the window. There was just enough room to slip his fingers in, but there was a screen in the way, and Slimer could feel his hands just stop as if hitting a solid object just inside the window. Muttering gibberish, Slimer pried the screen off before getting at least the tips of his fingers under the window and pulling up. It wasn't easy, but he was able to slide it up enough to fit Spike through. Helping the dog up, Slimer watched as Spike jumped in.

Looking around the unfamiliar house, Spike felt a little lost. Turning around, he sniffed the area and found something along the floorboards. Assuming that was the barrier Twilight mentioned, Spike narrowed his eyes before just deciding to dig it out. It took a bit to make a break in the line with his short legs, but Spike was able to do it and called out to Slimer. The ghost slipped in and shuddered as if he went through something.

"Ok… we're in. Now to find this bow..." Spike said. Slimer agreed before pointing over towards the front door and talking gibberish. It took a moment for Spike to figure out Slimer wanted him to remove the salt barrier in front of that so they could use the door to get out with their prize. As the pair split up, Slimer found the carrying case and swooped in close. He could feel magic coming off of what was inside. Carefully opening the case, Slimer found the Bow.

"Oooooooo..." he said as he carefully picked it up. With a satisfied nod, Slimer flew over towards the door, and found Spike had cleared it out. Opening the door, the pair slipped out. Being the nice guy that he was, Slimer made sure to close the door behind him before grabbing Spike and shooting off towards Westside High.


The Ghostbusters watched as a battering ram was readied to assault the front door to Westside High. The problem was they were still too far to do anything without being spotted.

"Now what?" Fluttershy asked timidly.

After a moment, Applejack just asked for the disk trap.

"Ok… seriously… you think you can throw anything that far?" Starlight asked. "There's no way it will make it!"

"Ah can make th' shot," Applejack said confidently as Twilight handed over the trap. "If ah can hit th' door, them ghosts will charge right into th' trigger zone and bam! Sucked in on their own."

Holding up a hand to counter any further argument, Applejack lifted the disk trap and got a feel for it before sticking her tongue out the corner of her mouth while lining up her shot. While it wasn't archery, or even using a Proton Pack, Applejack was still pretty good with accuracy. Once she was satisfied, she pulled her arm back, and threw the disk like a frisbee.

Just as the battering ram moved back a bit, the disk trap bounced off the ground, flipped a couple times, and attached itself to the front door. The ghosts, not noticing the danger, charged. As soon as they entered the detection radius, the trap opened up, and a vortex sucked all the ghosts in. The battering ram, having lost its transportation, dropped and just bonked into the bottom of the doors as the disk trap closed and chirped.

Applejack just crossed her arms over her chest and gave Starlight a smug grin. The rest of the team gave each other high fives before moving in. Twilight retrieved the disk trap and secured it to the side of her Proton Pack before levitating the battering ram and tossing it aside. Sunset, meanwhile, knocked on the door and announced that the Ghostbusters were there. The door opened, revealing Manic Hedge and his mother, Principal Aleena.

"Sorry we're late," Sunset said with a shrug. "Kinda got hung up for a bit."

Soon after, Starlight was explaining the plan to Manic and Principal Aleena. While the Hedge siblings were not as powerful as Starlight, it was generally agreed that whenever the three of them worked together, there really wasn't anything they couldn't do. After securing some radios from the PE teacher, the three spread out equally around the school's perimeter. Before Starlight could start casting the spell, Slimer and Spike arrived.

"Good boy Spike," Twilight exclaimed as she knelt down and picked him up, embracing her canine companion affectionately. She then turned to Sonia and offered Spike to her. "Its dangerous where we're going. Can you take care of Spike for me while we're gone?"

"Of course," Sonia said with a smile as she accepted the talking dog and set him down next to her.

Starlight closed her eyes and held the staff before her. After a moment, a shield started to form around the school. Sonia signaled to her brothers to start channeling before spreading her arms out towards the barrier. While she was no expert, she knew that it would take the strain off Starlight. Soon enough there was a dome over the school, and Starlight was free to let it go.

"Good luck out there," Sonia said.

"Thanks," Sunset replied.

As the group turned to leave, Starlight looked up into the sky for a moment.

"This was never your fight," she said. "And yet… here you are. Fighting all the same."

"Principal Aleena called us in," Twilight explained. "So… we're on a job. This is our fight."

Starlight nodded and approached Twilight, intending to offer a handshake. Symbolically it was to say that she accepted them. Just before their hands met, Starlight's staff lit up, catching the young woman off guard.

"Oooo… pretty," Pinkie Pie chirped.

"I've… only seen the staff do this once before," Starlight said. "When Father Michael discovered I was a descendant of Merlin. Which means..."

Twilight Sparkle blinked in confusion before pulling her glasses off and cleaning them.

"Wait a second," Sunset cut in. "Are you saying you think Twilight is also a descendant of Merlin?"

"This was Merlin's staff. So it would react to the presence of a descendant," Starlight replied. "And I remember Father Michael saying there was a branch of Merlin's family that seemed to just… cut off as if they lost track of them."

Twilight thought for a moment. In her mind she was freaking out at the idea. But her scientific side kicked in and analyzed the possibility. If she was right about magic being in their family history, it could make sense considering how strong she was without as much exposure as the others. After a moment she shook her head.

"We're figure it out later. Right now we need to find Sombra," Twilight said.

"Yea," Sunset agreed. "If what I saw when I touched that ghost was true… we're looking for something like a moon pool."

"It is said there is one in the center of the island, connected to the ocean through underwater tunnels. But there should also be a cave that leads to it. Father Michael might know where the entrance is… but… I… don't," Starlight said with a sigh.

As this was going on, Fluttershy saw something out of the corner of her eye and walked over towards the treeline to investigate.