Twilight's last vision occurred during the group's first night with Zane. She found herself standing in the front yard of Maria's home. Zane, Maria, Emily, and two other people faced each other down. Noticing the similarities, Twilight deduced Brandon's identity right away. The last person was a complete mystery, though. His complexion was darker than the others. She recognized the pigmentation, recalling a brief segment in the archives detailing the history of Africa. Her notes had mentioned their lineage as well, tracing humanity's origins back to the ancient continent. Without warning, the group engaged in combat. Twilight couldn't figure out why such good friends would be fighting, and then it dawned on her. They were training.

"Come to think of it, Emily looks a bit older. A glimpse into the future maybe...?"

A warm blue light encapsulated their bodies. Its shade and hue were exactly as the stars Luna described. The princess's theory was correct. Zane's friends were the ones who would beat back the darkness.

"I have to tell him. This could change everything."

Twilight awoke after six, checking to make sure her friends were safe. Everyone was sound asleep. She rose from the mattress, heading towards the living room where Zane rested peacefully. She nudged him into cognizance, eager to reveal what she had learned.

"Zane..."

The man opened his eyes, rubbing his face and yawing as he regained control of his muscles.

"Morning, Twi. Everything okay...?"

"I had another dream. You were training with Maria and the others. Emily, Brandon, and someone else was there. He was tall with a black coat and braids."

"Probably Eric. He's a mutual friend of ours. Let me up and I'll make us some coffee."

Twilight moved aside, following her ally to the kitchen. She told him about the light, and how they seemed to be harnessing it for an unknown purpose.

"Try letting Maria know. She lives close to her school, so you should be able to catch her before she leaves."

"Good idea."

"I'll give you her number, that way you can get in touch when I'm not here. May as well give you the office number while I'm at it."

"Thanks. We would really appreciate it."

Twilight transferred through to southwest Georgia. Luckily, the Drake was still home.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Maria. It's Twilight."

"Hey. What's up?"

"I remembered last night I forgot to tell you about the visions I've been having."

"Visions?"

"Zane told me about Emily and Eric, but I dreamt about what happened before we came to Earth. She was attacked by wolves yesterday, wasn't she?"

"Precognition, eh? They mentioned that power in The Shining. Never thought I'd actually see it."

"So there is a technical term for it. Interesting."

"Yours seems to be more accurate. Maybe 'cause you're older. Danny was only five in the novel. Dick mentioned there was a chance he could've been wrong."

"So far I've had three. The first two came true already. I knew about you before Zane came home. The third just happened this morning."

"What was it about?"

"You guys were all training somewhere. I couldn't tell where, but your bodies were glowing this soft, deep blue color. You think it means anything?"

"Doesn't ring any bells. Did it do anything special?"

"Not that I could see, but maybe it doesn't work on people who can use it. Emily seemed older in this one, which leads to believe it's supposed to happen several years from now."

"Good. Means we have time to prepare."

"I don't know if this helps, but when you were using it, you appeared totally immersed, like you were focusing on the present moment. Calming your mind might help you tap into it. It's worth a try anyway."

"I'll see what I can do. Thanks for letting me know. Least now I have something to work towards."

"Zane mentioned you had to leave for school soon. Can I make a request before you go?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"I want us to meet up in person. There's only so much we can do over the phone. We may be able to help you better if we're physically present."

"Already workin' on it. Might take some time, though. Can you give me until the end of the month? I'm planning to visit Em for her birthday. We'll meet up then."

"I guess if that's the best we can do."

"Better to do things right so we're prepared for all possibilities. I've already been training on my own the last few years. Guess it's about time to up the ante a bit. The real question is, are you planning to fight alongside us?"

"To be honest? I don't know. I was never much of a combat strategist. That was my brother's thing, but he doesn't know we're here. The princesses insisted on absolute secrecy. Given mankind's history, I understand why."

"If you'll grab a pen and paper, I'll walk you through my routine. It might be a bit taxing at first, but you'll get used to it."

Zane handed the Alicorn a writing utensil and stationary, remaining quiet so she could make out the details.

"I'm ready."

After finishing their conversation with Maria, Zane headed for work. Twilight told her friends their plan, starting with the end of that day.

"Zane will bring home fabric so Rarity can make us some clothes. We decided on a modern style like theirs. We've never cobbled shoes before, so it might be a bit tricky, but we can use references if we need to."

"I cannot deny," Rarity acknowledged, "Human fashion struck a chord with me. It will make a good challenge, to be certain."

"I thought you might say that. Maria said we would meet up at month's end. Until then, we'll follow her routine to the letter."

"Very well. I'll get my hooves dirty for a change."

"Oh, man," Spike groaned, "Do we really have to fight evil monsters? It's cool in comics. Not so much in real life."

Rainbow playfully shoved the dragon, smiling to ease his nerves.

"This coming from the guy who bragged non-stop about saving the crystal empire. This'll be way more epic! We'll be exploring a whole world in a far away galaxy!"

"I remember you bragging every time you helped somebody. Besides, that's not what being a hero's about. No one's ever gonna know what we do here. I'm only in because it's the right thing to do."

"No one will have to fight if they don't want to," Twilight clarified, "I'm still not sure if I'm going to either, but Zane and Maria have been exceptionally kind to us. I feel like we should do what we can to help. You all feel the same, don't you?"

The others nodded. Their expressions were more serious than usual.

"Once we're cleaned up and dressed, we'll head home. We should try to relax in the meantime."

The group spent October 2nd watching movies, playing games, and learning more about Earth through the internet. Emily's birthday was scheduled for Halloween - a holiday very much like Nightmare Night. Children would dress up in costumes, collecting candy from their neighbors and partying to celebrate. Pinkie was disappointed she had to operate covertly. Using what she'd learned, she could've thrown her biggest shindig yet. Maybe it'd be possible later, but until then, she had to stay hidden. She had to keep both worlds safe. Later that night, everyone finalized their designs. Each of them chose styles based on their specific tastes, from sweaters and jeans to jackets and skirts. When all was said and done, the modernization of their wardrobes concluded with a resounding success. Despite his ethical exterior, Zane couldn't help but find the mares somewhat attractive in their new get-ups. He perished the thought as quickly as it came.

"Lookin' good. Guess y'all are ready for battle, huh?"

"Not quite, darling" Rarity corrected, "We still have to train first."

"Fair enough."

"I suppose we should take our leave. Perhaps we'll drop by for a visit. Luna will inform us if the situation changes."

"Later."

One after the other, Twilight's friends returned to their home planet. She stopped short, looking back with a frown.

"Hey, Zane?"

"Mm?"

"In my dream, that weapon you were using. Was that the one? The one you were planning to end your life with?"

"You mean my gun?"

"Yeah."

"I was in a bad place for a while. I was only up front with you so you'd trust me. I knew it must've been scary for you coming here, but I didn't wanna lie to you either. Humans are a fucked up ass species. I just wanted to be better than that."

"I appreciate it. We just wanted you to know we were all sorry about your mother. We could tell you loved her lots."

"It's not easy. She was a good person. That's what hurts the most. She didn't deserve to die like that, but it's life. I'll move on eventually. It'll always be in the back of my mind, though. Helping you is how I'll honor her memory."

"Applejack can relate. Her parents passed when she was a foal. I know the wounds are still fresh for you, but if you need someone to talk, we're always here."

"Don't destroy yourselves for me. You deserve better than that."

"Sometimes we have to collapse before we can rebuild. I won't leave you behind."

"You guys have good hearts. I'll do everything I can to keep it that way."

Twilight smiled, nodding in Zane's direction. A bond of trust and honor began to form between them. Someday, their debts would be repaid, and their worlds would be peaceful once more.