The ninja and the council took the injured Celestia and Sensei Wu back to the Airjitzu Temple, along with Tempura and the ill Clockwise. They all gathered in the library where Misako was pouring them both some healing tea.
Meanwhile Luna was chewing Celestia out, "I cannot believe you did not tell me Acronix had returned! What were you thinking, I could have aided you!" Luna exclaimed to her sister who was drinking her tea.
"Another cup please, Misako." Celestia asked as Sensei Wu finished his as well.
"Okay, but drink them slower this time, you two." She told them as she poured them both another cup. "Healing tea doesn't work on burnt tongues." The moment she was done pouring, they both went ahead and slurped up both the teas. "Sip! You both are quite impatient."
"The same could be said of them." Wu mentioned as he gestured to the ninja and the council.
"And Luna, you may be upset with your sister, but she needs rest after dealing with such an opponent." Misako told her as she walked past.
"Okay, Master Wu, you both had your tea, now can we talk?" Morro asked them impatiently.
"Yeah, we need answers," Rainbow said.
"Ask us any question you have," Celestia said as they were all spewing out questions in rapid fire..
"Who did we fight in the Monastery?" Landrush questioned.
"That was Acronix, right?" Frost asked.
"From the painting?" Trail asked.
"The one at the museum, it's real right?" Twilight asked.
"How is he still alive?" Spike questioned.
"Why was he so young?" Rarity asked.
"Twins look alike!" Lloyd added.
"So was that really Acronix?" Fluttershy started.
"Or was it Krux?" Aqua finished.
"Seriously, it's hard to tell which is which." Rainbow said.
"Is he from the future?" Gaia asked.
"Or from the past?" Applejack asked next.
"What was that gauntlet he had?" Morro asked.
"Does it involve that timey-wimey surge we felt?" Pinkie asked.
"How did he move so fast?" Flash asked.
"Who ate my pudding cup?!" Thunder question as he held up an empty pudding cup while the others looked at him strangely. "What? They said ask any question. I put my name on this. Just because we're in a new dojo, doesn't mean we disobey the refrigerator rules!" He exclaimed as the others still gave him a strange look as Morro cleared his throat.
"Really that's your biggest issue right now?" Morro said to him with a dull look. "And also, I saw Pinkie eat it."
"Snitch!" Pinkie exclaimed.
"Okay, now back to the guy from the monastery." Thunder mentioned before they all looked at Celestia and Sensei Wu. "What's his story again?"
"And does it have something to do with the Hooves of Time?" Twilight asked next as Luna looked at the two.
"Perhaps it's time they know." Luna said firmly.
Both Celestia and Wu sighed. "You're right, sister. They need to know." Celestia said.
"And to answer that, we must begin at the end." Wu said next. "It was 40,000 years ago, shortly after the First Great Wars…" He started as the three of them remembered back to those days.
40,000 years ago
"When we were much younger ponies." Celestia continued as their younger selves remembered the first Great War for Equestria with creatures from all the lands fighting because of Chen's deceptions and manipulation as the Elemental Masters did their best to save their home lands.
"As you know, we fought valiantly, but our enemies were strong and our powers and magic alone were not enough." Luna continued as the Elemental Masters were being overwhelmed by the Serpentine. "It was only thanks to the discovery of the magic flutes that allowed us to finally defeat the Serpentine. Arcturus and the Anacondrai Generals were unjustly banished but peace had returned." She finished as their younger selves and Garmadon were at the Monastery with smiles.
"It is done, siblings." Wu said with a smile.
"Indeed, Wu." Garadon said.
"Today, Equestria is finally at peace." Celestia added.
"A great victory. And one we could not have achieved without each of you." Luna said as they looked at the Elemental Masters. "The Elemental Masters." She finished as the Elemental Masters started cheering.
"Smoke." Wu started.
"Metal." Garmadon spoke next.
"Lighting." Celestia added.
"Shadow." Luna added.
"Wind." Garmadon added.
"Life." Celestia said.
"Fire." Wu added.
"Water." Garmadon spoke next.
"And time!" Luna finished as among the masters were Krux and Acronix with their helmets as they smiled to each other.
"Hold on a sec." Landrush spoke up.
"So that stallion at the monastery is really the Elemental Master of Time?" Landrush asked in shock.
"No. Acronix was an Elemental Master of Time." Celestia told them. "Like his brother, Krux." She said as she and Wu drank another tea.
"They were never worthy of such power." Luna mentioned with a somewhat angry tone.
"It sounded like you had a more grudge against it than your sister." Morro mentioned after hearing that tone.
"That's because Luna had somewhat of a crush on Acronix before he and his brother betrayed us." Celestia explained as Luna looked away with a pouting look.
"Wait an apple picking minute, Acronix was your ex?!" Applejack asked in shock. "We fought your ex-coltfriend?!"
"Not exactly, I was going to confess my feelings to him but that was before he and Krux betrayed us." Luna explained. "And I would have liked to have a chance to show him how angry I was if you two would have told me." She scolded both Celestia and Sensei Wu. "At any rate, the so-called Hooves of Time believed that time was the most powerful element and tried to take over Equestria, along with the lands beyond."
"Three guesses who told them that?" Landrush said, already knowing who was to blame for this.
"Chen," Twilight and Lloyd snarled.
"Yes, though unlike the others it was only until after peace had been one that they betrayed us, Garmadon and the rest of the alliance," Celestia continued.
"What did you four do?" Aqua asked.
"We have to stop them." Wu said to them. "And it would take all of us. Garmadon, ourselves, and every Elemental Master." He explained as Aqua and Trail looked at each other.
"Even our Ancestors?" Trail asked on behalf of him and his sister.
"Of course." Celestia nodded. "Trail, Aqua, your ancestors were great fighters."
"And like you both, the Elemental Masters of Fire and Water were brother and sister." Luna mentioned as they remembered back to that time.
The previous Elemental Masters of Water and Fire faced Acronix as they got into ready stances. "But it appears even they had met their match." Wu said as the Master of Water jumped over Acronix and landed on the other side.
"Acronix was a skilled warrior, one of the best we've ever seen." Celestia said as the Master of Fire threw fireballs at Acronix, who blocked them with his staff. "But his real power was his ability to control the forward movement of time." She added as the Masters of Fire and Water send two attacks from both sides of Acronix, but he raised his hoof as they glowed green and he disappeared to avoid the strikes.
"By sending himself forward, he was always ahead of the action. As if he has superspeed." Luna said as Acronix appeared behind the Master of Fire and whacked him back as his sister caught him as they glared at Acronix, who was laughing. "However, a slow progression can be just as dangerous." She said as the Master of Fire sent another fireball at Acronix, who raised his hoof again, this time it was glowing blue as the fireball was caught in some sort of time bubble that slowed it down. He then walked around the fireball before the bubble disappeared and the fireball hit a nearby rock. "Different power, but equally effective."
Acronix then jumped up and slammed his staff down at the two masters, knocking them back. "One Master of Time was bad enough, but like hands on a clock, there were two." Wu explained as Acronix got in ready stances as his brother, Krux, appeared behind him as he two prepared themselves against the rest of the Elemental Masters.
Krux charged at the previous master of Lightning and Earth before the Master of Gravity quickly stood in his way. The two of them clashed with staff before the master of gravity used his power to make Krux fall on the ground and slide into a rock.
"Krux's power was the opposite of his brother's." Celestia said as Krux concentrated as his hooves glowed yellow. Suddenly, everything that happened to him and the Master of Gravity went in reverse before he stopped to the point where the Master of Gravity was about to use his power. "He was able to reverse time. It's a huge advantage in combat, knowing your opponent's next move, and knowing how to counter it." Krux was able to jump over the Master of Gravity and knocked him back.
The Master of Wind then charged at Krux as he was about to use his powers, but Krux just smirked. "Krux could even control time…" Luna said as the Master of Wind shot a huge breeze at Krux, but Krux jumped over as his hooves glowed red and the Master of Wind froze, even his elemental beam. "...to the point of halting it. Of course, he didn't halt himself." She added as Krux just tipped the Master of Wind down as the four siblings helped him up with the other Elemental Masters behind them.
"They're unbeatable, siblings!" Garmadon called out.
"How do we stop them!?" Luna asked desperately.
"We don't know. Time is the thread that sews the fabric of the universe." Wu said to them in worry.
"And it appears they have all the needles." Celestia said grimly.
"Control time…" Acronix added as he did a flip and held his staff up.
"Control everything!" Krux finished as he did the same flip as his brother and held the staff up to form a clock as the Hooves of Time gave sinister laughs.
"We knew we had to prepare." Wu said to their pupils. "Fearing that next time, we would not be so lucky."
At Equestria City, on the TV screens, Borg appeared on screen. "The wait is over! The future has arrived! The BorgWatch. Launching today." Borg called as in a hidden room, Acronix was watching the TV in awed.
"Incredible." Acronix said with a smile. "A wall-mounted window for displaying 30 second dramas!" He exclaimed before Krux, who was at his desk, turned off the TV with a remote.
"Those dramas are called commercials." Krux explained to his brother with a distasteful tone. "Cynical films playing off of consumers' insecurities to convince them to purchase that which they do not need."
Acronix was even more amazed. "So cool." He said as he looked at each technology on his brother's desk. "I am jealous, brother. You got to experience the last 40,000 years of progress." He said after playing with the remote before walking up to the coffee machine, a calculator, and a cellphone. "Hot beverages at the touch of a button, a beadless abacus, instant communication." He then noticed the picture of both Tempura and Clockwise when they were fillies. "Oh ho! You've been really busy, brother! Are these your daughters? I am an uncle now!"
"Don't start with me, brother." Krux told him. "It's been 40,000 years and I arrived here 40 years ago, I have at least had a family around." He said while working on his machine.
"I truly envy you, brother, able to live in a world and a time where technology has improved our land and we have a growing family!" Acronix declared excitedly.
"Worthless! All of it!" Krux said as he sighed. "Clockwise is almost a reflection of you, brother. But I absolutely despise modern life." He said as he connected a cable.
"But it's filled with wondrous things we couldn't even conceive of 40,000 years ago!" Acronix said to him before holding up a tablet. "Like this amazing thing."
"A BorgPad. Vile contraption!" Krux retorted without looking as Acronix started playing with the tablet.
"I got it at the museum gift shop." Acronix said as he looked at the table. "A piece of glass that performs music." He said as he pressed a button that played familiar music so loud.
"My little pony, My little pony…" The music was so loud, Krux covered his ears while Acronix listens to it.
"Creates a permanent visual record of any event." Acronix said as he pressed the camera button and took a picture of his brother. "There's even games!"
"I hate those infernal devices most of all!" Krux retorted. "I prefer the old ways before Borg Industries expanded technology. Everypony perpetually plugged in, distracted like infants by bright lights and sounds."
"Yes! Bejeweled all gems!" Acronix cheered as he played on the tablet as Krux growled as he looked at the note Spike sent to him the other day.
"It's a good thing my daughters aren't here. Otherwise, our secret would be revealed too soon." Krux said in annoyance.
"Speaking of which, brother, did my nieces happen to inherit our powers after we lost them?" Acronix asked while still playing on the tablet.
"I couldn't tell, but I have a theory that the moment the Time Blade arrived, it might have awoken the dormant powers that slept within them." Krux told him. "Only time will tell."
Back at the Airjitzu Temple, the team listened in to everything the three Ponies were telling them as Twilight grew curious about something. "You three said the Hooves of Time were unbeatable, but you managed to beat them." She mentioned. "How did you do it?"
"The way one often defeats an enemy." Wu said to them. "By taking away their weapon."
"But there weapon was time, and a part of their elemental powers, right?" Spike asked with a confused look.
"Indeed." Celestia nodded.
Young Wu was running up the Monastery holding a bag as he met up with his siblings and the other Elemental Masters. "Are they done, brother?" Garmadon asked.
"They are." Wu said as he opened up his bag.
"Then let's each grab them and be ready for the final fight." Celestia said as Luna nodded as the four went into the bag while Krux and Acronix ran up the stairs.
"Here they come!" Luna yelled as they looked at the doorway.
"Our only hope to stop them was four blades, hastily forged from Chrono-Steel." Luna said as her younger self and her siblings each took one familiar gauntlet just as Acronix and Krux came in with their swords. "The Time Blades." She revealed as the siblings each held a Time Blade, during the time without time energy.
The four siblings and Hooves of Time glared at each other before they then charged at each other while clashing weapons. Luna and Garmadon flew up to the roof while Krux followed as they continued fighting and clashed blades while pushing each other back.
On the ground, Celestia and Wu were fighting Acronix before Luna and Garmadon saw their siblings need help as they jumped down and pushed Acronix back as the four gave hoof taps with smiles. They switched partners before Celestia and Wu went to the roof with both Hooves of Time chasing them.
Celestia and Wu were side by side as they clashed with both Hooves of Time while holding their own before they managed to push them back before Wu lost his balance and was sliding down with their siblings watching before they nodded. Garmadon and Luna went towards Krux and whacked him down to the ground where Wu and Celestia followed before both teams were on the ground.
The four siblings continue their clash with the Hooves of Time before the two twins started losing the advantage as their swords were either tossed away or broken. The six glared at each other while the four siblings held the Time Blades before Acronix and Krux stood up and focus their powers as each of their hooves glowed their two separate colors before they moved their hooves in a motion that fired a time beam at them.
But the four siblings held the Time Blades when the beams hit them as the beam stopped while the four Time Blades glowed each a respective color of time: Celestia has yellow for reverse, Wu has green for forward, Luna has blue for slowmo, and Garmadon has red for stop. "Chrono-Steel was the only metal that can absorb Elemental Energy or magic, stripping the user of it forever." Celestia explained as the two twins looked at themselves in shock as they cannot feel their Elemental powers anymore. The Elemental Masters then surrounded them as the twins were powerless now. "Without their powers or magic, they were ordinary unicorns. Easily to subdue. But the ability to control time is too great for any creature to possess."
The four with the Time Blades looked at each other before they nod in agreement. The four of them then did some sort of dance as they were moving in sync in the form of the infinity symbol. "And so, the four of us knew the Time Blades themselves were a threat that had to be eliminated forever, but they were impossible to destroy." Luna mentioned as a vortex in the shape of infinity, opened up in the sky. "So we had created a temporal vortex with the blades to dispatch them in time, where they would be lost to the ages." After the four siblings threw the Time Blades into the time vortex, the twins looked at each other before they pushed the Elemental Masters back and jumped into the time vortex after the Time Blades. "But Acronix and Krux refuse to admit defeat. They truly believed they were more powerful than time itself."
"So, what happened to them?" Rarity asked as the others are wondering the same thing.
"Krux disappeared into time itself, and both Celestia and I knew Acronix was going to return yesterday, so we waited." Wu explained while Misako and Luna went up to Wu and Celestia.
"He was the remaining loose end to tie." Celestia said as her sister helped her up while Misako did the same to Wu as they guided them to two couches. "Now, he is no more."
"You mean like permanently?" Flash asked them.
"Never our intent, but it was his fate." Wu replied.
"Now Acronix is gone forever, along with that Time Blade." Celestia added as she and Wu laid down. "It took forty centuries, but the Hooves of Time will never again threaten Equestria."
"One question: How did you two know Acronix was gonna return to the Monastery at that exact moment?" Twilight asked.
"Why didn't you ask for our help?" Morro asked.
"How many Elemental Masters were there?" Frost asked.
"Can we make Time Blades?" Rainbow asked.
"Our ancestors, you two said they were there." Trail said, but Celestia and Wu are already fast asleep.
"Okay, I believe my sister and brother had enough questions for today." Luna mentioned as she looked at them. "They fought a powerful enemy, they need time to recuperate." The group nodded their heads as they left the studies.
"Hey, I just realized something…" Rainbow spoke up as they walked down the hallway. "The mural we saw at the Museum, that must have been the battle they told us about."
"But Dr. Saunders said the Hooves of Time were a myth." Fluttershy reminded them.
"History is art, not science." Frost spoke up. "Even an expert such as Dr. Saunders can be mistaken from time to time."
"Ha! True that!" Thunder said with a chuckle. "Know how I know? 'Cause Acronix was a so-called myth, and we totally busted him!"
"Aw yeah!" Rainbow shouted as she and Thunder high hoofed each other. "Except now, there's nothing to do." They then heard Clockwise letting out a frightful scream before they saw her just appear down the hallway before she suddenly disappeared while her hooves were glowing green. "What just happened?!"
"Has anypony seen my sister!?" Tempura cried as she rushed into the hallways to the Ninja. "She suddenly vanished in a green light and she's somehow appearing one place after another every few seconds! I know it's not teleporting, almost like because she's-"
"Hel-" Clockwise called out as she reappeared down the hall before disappearing and ended up appearing outside. "-lp me!"
"Clockwise!" Tempura cried as she rushed outside.
The others were shocked by this as Pinkie broke the silence. "Uh, haven't we just seen that kind of thing before?" She asked the others.
"Yeah, with Acronix and the Time Blade." Landrush mentioned before he looked confused. "But how is she doing that?!"
"How about we help and then think about it?!" Flash asked as they rushed outside to see Clockwise running around the yard while disappearing and reappearing after a few seconds.
"H-" She called out before she disappeared and reappeared. "-elp me! Can't-" she disappeared again and reappeared heading towards them. "-stop!"
"Incoming!" Pinkie called out as they all braced for the impact before Clockwise disappeared again.
"Uh, how do we stop something that keeps fast forwarding through time?" Landrush asked in wonder as Morro then realizes something.
"How about a vengestone bracelet?" Morro suggested as he held up a vengestone bracelet.
"Where'd you get that?" Flash questioned before Clockwise reappeared and headed towards the edge.
"Whoa! Oh! Oh!" Clockwise called as she was getting close to the edge.
"Clockwise!" Tempura cried out to her sister. "She's about to go over the edge!"
"St-" Clockwise shouted before she disappeared and reappeared, closer to the edge. "-op! St- op! Stop!" She then skidded to a halt just before she was about to go over and finally stopped. "Okay, maybe I should back away slo-" She was about to back up before she disappeared and reappeared when she faced planted right on the side of the temple, causing the group to cringe from that. "-wly. Ow…"
"On second thought, good call, Morro." Rainbow said as she took the vengestone bracelet before she flew towards Clockwise and quickly placed it on her hoof as her hooves stopped glowing green.
"Blocks elemental powers and magic, but it's a great accessory." Rarity complimented as they went up towards Clockwise as Tempura rushed up to her.
"Sis, are you okay?" Tempura asked in concern as she held her sister.
"Define okay, Tempura." Clockwise groaned as she got up. "Glad that's over."
"What happened, how did you do that?" Twilight asked her.
"I have no idea…" Clockwise responded. "You know after that time wave hit, I felt all sick and everything around me was, like, moving way too fast."
"And after she just woke up this morning, she was doing fine before her hooves started glowing green and she was poofing around like a unicorn filly does when teleporting using magic for the first time." Tempura explained in concern.
"Been there with Flurry Heart." Twilight said, knowing from experience.
"Ditto." Pinkie added when she used to foalsit the cake twins.
"Very curious." Frost spoke up as he was scanning Clockwise. "It would seem that the same time wave that hit yesterday awoke something within her."
"You mean like, an elemental power?" Aqua asked as they all looked at Clockwise.
"Wait, Frost, you're saying that Clockwise must've been somehow related to Acronix?" Thunder asked in surprise. "That's impossible."
"Yeah, I doubt I'm related to some stallion who tried to take over Equestria with his twin brother." Clockwise said.
"Plus, both Acronix and Krux had their powers taken away." Flash reminded them. "So it would be impossible for her to get their powers since they're gone, right?"
"We only found out more on Elemental Powers thanks to Chen's tournament. So it's still a mystery." Twilight said in thought while rubbing her chin.
"Well, at least this bracelet stopped me from going fast again." Clockwise said while looking at her vengestone bracelet. "Think I could keep it, Morro?"
"Sure, but you're going to have to take it off at some point which means you're going to have to master this power." Morro mentioned.
"Rats." Clockwise said.
"Lucky for you, you have Elemental Masters here to help you." Trail said with a smile.
"Yeah, it took me a while to control my powers, but thanks to the others, I managed to master them when I first unlocked them." Lloyd said with a smile.
"Well, if it will help me control this new power, I'll take it." Clockwise said with a smile.
"And I'll stay with her." Tempura said. "I hope our dad will understand."
"Well, now that was taken care off, we can get started on her training." Rainbow said before Lloyd looked inside and saw the boxes.
"Uh, guys, the temple still needs unpacking." Lloyd reminded them.
"Yeah, the others already move the boxes in. So we should get started on unpacking." Twilight said to them as Landrush sighed.
"Twilight and Lloyd are right." Landrush sighed.
"Okay, let's get to unpacking." Flash told the group. "The kids will be here soon to help out, so we might as well get a head start"
"Oh, kinda wish we hadn't busted Acronix or helped Clockwise stop her fast forward powers." Thunder groaned.
"Hey!" Clockwise called while Thunder ignored her as he turned to Aqua.
"Hey, Aqua, wanna hang out?" Thunder asked with a smile as Aqua returned the gesture to her coltfriend.
Back with the Hooves of Time, Acronix was still playing games on the BorgPad. "Shatter that diamond!" He cheered before his brother took the tablet. "Hey!" He yelled before he saw his brother holding up a helmet similar to the ones they wore 40,000 years ago. "What's with the getup?"
"Soon, we shall return Equestria to its pre-mondern glory." Krux said with a smirk.
"Yes. Heh. I like that." Acronix said with a smile as he was about to grab the helmet, but Krux reeled back.
"It's not for us." Krux said, which made his brother confused before Krux walked up to an orange tank with two big pods inside.
Back at the temple, Ultra Dragon was seen flying towards it as they had the Young Six, Cozy, Nyx, and the Serpentine kids on their back. "Can't believe our comrades are now living on a floating island," Wisps said in surprise.
"Which is an upgrade compare to the other living places other than the Bounty they've lived in." Torch added with a chuckle.
"Try lifting those boxes, loading, and unloading them from the Bounty." Smolder said to the six-headed dragon. "Seriously, I was shocked they even have so much stuff on that ship."
"Well, did you really think they would pass up an opportunity to make a floating Island one of their headquarters?" Wish star asked when she appeared next to them.
"Wish, do you have to keep doing that?" Ocellus said.
"Sorry, old habit." Wish said with giggles.
"Couldn't we just wish them all to be unpacked?" Gallus complained.
"Sorry, I'm a genie and godmother. Not a janitor. Besides, it's important to know the responsibility of hard work." Wish said to them.
"Oh, I hate it when she's right." Coal muttered. "But, at least unpacking is easier than carrying heavy boxes."
"Guess that's fair." Sandbar said with a shrug.
"Okay, passengers, we're here." Rocky said as the Ultra Dragon then landed on a space for them to land on the floating island as the group got off the Ultra Dragon.
"Yona still afraid of being up high." Yona said with a nervous look while avoiding the edge.
"Hey, don't worry, Yona." Sandbar said to her with an assuring smile. "At least we're here with you all the way. And we're on solid ground. So don't worry. You'll be okay."
"Come on, let's see what we need help unpacking with." Autumn said as they went up to the temple and saw Tempura and Clockwise inside. "Who are they?"
"Oh, from what Twilight and Flash told us, they're Tempura and Clockwise, Dr. Saunders' daughters." Ocellus said.
"What are they doing here?" Nyx asked in confusion. "Shouldn't they be with their father at the museum?"
"Well, let's go in and find out." Cozy said to them.
"We'll stay out here." Orchy said to them. "Since, you know, we're a giant six-headed dragon, we might crush the temple."
"Yeah, good call." Melody said with a nod as they all entered the temple where they saw the others doing some unpacking. "Hey, guys." She said with a smile.
"Oh, kids. Wish Star, you're here." Flash said with a smile. "We were just ahead of unpacking. But we're glad that you all could help us out."
"Well, we couldn't leave you guys hanging." Silverstream said with a smile. "And also, it's pretty cool to be on a floating island above the clouds. I bet Cloudsdale is jealous right now." She added with giggles.
"Come on." Gallus said as they walked into the temple to see not only Tempura and Clockwise, but Thunder and Aqua packing up Aqua's Samurai X gear. "Huh, Aqua's old suit. She must've pack it here by accident."
"Come on, let's go help with the rest of the unpacking." Nyx said to them as they walked past them.
"When I asked if you wanted to 'hang out', I meant play video games or something, not pack and ship your Samurai X suit back to the cave." Thunder said to his marefriend as he put the suit back in the box while he noticed Aqua looking at her old helmet longingly as he sighs. "You gotta let it go. You're the water ninja now."
"I know, but it's hard." Aqua said as she placed the helmet back in the box. "I only inherited my water power. Samurai X is something I actually created, with my own hooves." She said as she looked at her font hooves.
"These hooves?" Thunder asked as he held Aqua's hooves as the two smiled warmly at each other slowly.
"Whoa!" Trail called from the doorway while Aqua and Thunder turned and saw Trail covering his eyes with his wings. "Sorry! Didn't mean to interrupt! I didn't see anything!" He quickly said to them.
"What's up?" Aqua asked her brother.
"Something you need to see." Trail said while still covering his eyes. "Hurry!" He called as he turned around, but he ran into the door facefirst as he groaned and rubbed his face while Aqua and Thunder looked at him in amusement.
Soon, the others stopped unpacking and went up to the living quarters where Lloyd is on a laptop as they watch a video. "That's why I camped out all night." Dareth's voice spoke up as they all saw Dareth at a tech store on a news setting. "I'd never miss a BorgStore product debut."
"Oh man, I should really get back to the museum soon because I pre-ordered my own Borg-product and our dad does not like anything modern." Clockwise mentioned.
"While I'm all for the interest of modern life, I prefer doing things the old fashion way, sis." Tempura said.
"Yeah, well, let's go before father throws away or put my order in the giftshop." Clockwise said to her sister.
"I'll give you both a lift there." Flash offered.
"Thanks. Because it's a long way down." Tempura said with a slight chuckle.
"Come on." Flash said as he guided the two to the exit. "Mind leaving some boxes for me while I'm gone, hon?" He asked his wife.
"Sure thing, dear!" Twilight said with a smile as Flash exited the temple with Tempura and Clockwise as he did Airjitzu to take them down and got on his vehicle and drove off while the others went back to the news.
"PorgPad, PorgPod, I even bought the Cyrus PDA." Dareth said to Gayle and her news crew while bringing out some borg devices. "I guess you could say I'm the company's Borg-est fan." He joked as he gave a laugh. "Borg-est. Ha. Get it? Hahaha!" He kept on while Galye and her camera stallion gave a confused look before Dareth stopped. "Anyway, I'm pretty excited."
Then DJ-PON3 then started playing some music as Dr. Gear and Borg exited the shop as the crowd started cheering for them. "Thank you all for coming." Dr. Gear said with a smile.
"Now, not so long ago, if you wanted to tell time, you had to look at the sun, or a clock, or your wristwatch, or ask a friend." Borg listed out.
"The point is, there has to be a better solution." Dr. Gear told them. "Something merging advanced electronics."
"So, fillies and gentlecolts, creatures of all kinds, today we are proud to announce that we are changing time itself!" Borg announced as DJ-PON3 played the announcement music. "We present to you…"
"The Borg-Watch!" Both Dr. Gear and Borg announced while showing a new digital watch. But then screaming can be heard as the music stopped as the crowd ran off.
"Uh, really not the reaction we were going for." Borg said weirdly.
"I don't think they're running from your watch, Dr. Borg." Dr. Gear said as they then noticed some sort of armored creature coming into the store while one of the creatures was wearing cloak with its hood on watches close by.
"That was the scene just moments ago in downtown Equestria City. Where the launch of the now Borg-Watch was tragically marred by a samurai." A news stallion said as the group on the temple looked in surprise.
"A samurai, huh? That's a surprise." Spike commented.
"Well, Trail, you said there was nothing left to do…" Landrush started.
"And Ninja-ing certainly beats unpacking." Thunder added. "Actually, anything beats unpacking."
"True enough." Gallus said in agreement.
"Yeah, too bad there's only one samurai." Lloyd said with a frown. "They don't really need all of us."
"So how do we decide who gets to deal with this?" Rainbow asked in wonder.
"I suggest randomly assigning each of ourselves a digit, then manually engaging a cube with graphical representations of each number to make a random, unbiased selection." Frost said while his friends looked at him strangely.
"He means roll dice." Twilight translated.
"Yeah. Or we could race there in the first one who gets there first to fight him." Trail suggested as they all thought for a moment before they all ran out.
"Heh, they sure know how to have fun in certain events." Nyx said to her siblings.
"That's how they lived for." Wish said with giggles as the heroes exited the temple and did Airjitzu to get down and entered their vehicles and rode off straight towards Equestria City at high speed.
At the BorgStore, the samurai was trashing the place while Dareth was being flung around while wearing his hood while Gayle and her camera stallion still caught the action. "Even the normally un-" Gayle tried to say before Dareth screamed. "Wow. It's chaos here! I've never seen such destruction!" She called before she realized something. "Yeah, okay, I have, but it's been a while, and you never really get used to it." She told the viewers.
Then the samurai lifted up a laptop. "Hey! You messed with the wrong purveyor of high-quality consumer goods, hombre!" Dareth yelled as he placed the tablets back in their display. "'Cause this BorgStore is friends with me! The Brown Ninja! Drop the laptop!" He warned before the samurai smashed the laptop to the ground, breaking it. "You animal! I didn't mean literally!" He cried dramatically before the samurai reached out to him.
Outside, on the rooftop to a building close to the BorgStore, Acronix and Krux are watching the chaos while Krux is using a periscope to get a closer look. "What's happening down there?" Acronix questioned his brother impatiently.
"The pony in the brown jumpsuit is crying, and our Vermillion Warrior has picked him up, is holding him over his head, and…" Krux then cringed back after seeing what happened to Dareth. "Oh! Brown jumpsuit is gonna feel like that in the morning." He commented.
"I'm mean Cryus Borg and Dr. Gear!" Acronix pointed out. "Our warrior is supposed to kidnap them!"
"Have patience, for he will." Krux told him.
"When? It's like you ordered him to destroy the store first then grab them!" Acronix assumed before he quickly thought it over. "You did order him to do that, didn't you?!"
"Mm-hm." Krux said with a smug tone before he got a message from a little that appeared in front of him as he looked at it. "Huh, it appears the Master of Wind is returning my daughters back to the museum."
"Pfft, you don't like technology and they have cellphones created in this era, yet they still send letters?" Acronix questioned with a brow.
"At least it's something that will never change." Krux retorted.
Then on the ground, the Ninja, Council, and the Young Six parked outside the store as they exited their rides. "We got here at the exact same time." Trail said to them.
"Oh, darn!" Landrush cried.
"Now how do we decide who gets to fight this mysterious samurai?" Gaia asked in wonder.
"Is that Dareth?" Smolder asked while looking inside the store, "Maybe he'll-" She was cut off when they heard Dareth screaming as he landed in front of them with a groan.
"Sup?" Dareth asked in slight pain and exhaustion. "I roughed him up for you. But feel free to finish the guy off." He said as he passed out as the heroes turned to the store and saw the creatures running away while one of them with the cloak still watched from behind.
"Hey, Frost, you still have those dice?" Applejack asked.
"I have virtual ones, I can project them for us." Frost mentioned as they didn't notice a Griffin wearing a dark gray hoodie was watching them from across the street. Frost blinked his eyes as he projected virtual dies that rolled on the ground.
"Trail." Pixal said as the dice stopped on Trail's elemental symbol.
"Yeah! Haha!" Trail cheered as he put on his hood and rushed to the store.
"Wait! Aren't you gonna draw your sword?" Aqua called to her brother.
"I'm good, sis!" Trail called as he entered the store.
"Well, I give him 10 seconds." Morro said with a brow.
Trail then saw the samurai. "Okay, I don't wanna brag, but the other day, I helped stop like, an Elemental Master of Time, so I think I can handle one lousy samurai-" He was cut off when the samurai landed a punch to his face, which sends him flying out of the store as he landed in front of the others.
"Huh, you win the bet, Morro." Pinkie said with giggles as Morro smirked before Trail weakly raised his hoof.
"Who's next?" Trail asked in pain as they turned to Frost as he rolled the dice again before it stopped.
"Frost." Pixal said with a smile, which made the others frown while Frost hopped up excitedly.
"Aw, come on! That was totally rigged!" Rainbow complained as Frost put on his hood and rushed into the store. "You have Pixal in your head controlling the dice!" Frost then charged in before just a couple of seconds later, he was tossed right out.
"Hey guys!" They heard Flash called out before they saw him with Tempura and Clockwise driving up to them. "We saw the news and we rushed as fast as we could here. Did we miss anything?"
Then they heard Frost screaming as he flew out of the store and crashed into the mailbox where Dareth was hiding behind. "No. You're just in time, darling." Rarity said.
They then re grouped together as the samurai then exit the store. "You guys got this? Good!" Dareth said fearfully before he ran off in fear as they all put on their hoods while Tempura and Clockwise watched from the sidelines.
"Okay, who's gonna lay a hit on him?" Sandbar asked.
"Hang on, guys! There's something I've been wanting to try again." Landrush said as he stepped forward and his hooves glowed in his Magma Punch.
"Oh, what, that magma punch thing?" Thunder questioned. "Like it worked so well last time." He sarcastically said.
"No problem!" Landrush declared before he charged forward and delivered a punch right towards the samurai. The impact sent a shock wave everywhere before the samurai wasn't flying up and his armor pieces fell to the ground, along with a few orange snakes.
"What the…and the…LANDRUSH! WHAT DID YOU?!" Twilight shouted in shock after seeing what just happened.
"Whoa!" Lloyd called.
"Gross!" Trail cringed.
"You disintegrated him, Landy!" Gaia screamed as the snakes then slithered around to the armor.
"It was an accident! I didn't mean to, honest!" Landrush shouted.
"Uh guys, why are those snakes piling up in the armor pieces?" Clockwise questions with concern as they saw the snakes gathering the armor and started to pile up. They were then shocked when they formed the samurai guy from before.
"Th-The samurai is made of snakes?!" Rarity gasped in shock. "You think I wouldn't be so surprised by this but I am."
"Ew! Grosser!" Thunder called.
"Now I've seen everything." Fluttershy said in surprise.
"Come on, team, we've done this before." Lloyd said to them.
"Lloyd's right. There's more than one way to stop a snake." Flash said to them as they got into a stance. "Tempura, Clockwise, watch and learn!"
"NINJA, GO!" They all, Tempura and Clockwise, did Spinjitzu as they knocked the Vermillion samurai into their tornadoes like a pinball before it fell to the ground and it's armor scattered as the snakes slithered around as the heroes stopped their tornadoes as they saw it reformed.
"I'm starting to think we might have underestimated this guy." Spike said to them.
"You think?" Morro questioned with a brow.
"I don't think those are normal snakes, my friends." Fluttershy said fearfully.
"May I help?" The Cloaked creatures asked, and got their attention as she fiddled her hooves.
"Uh, shouldn't you be getting to safety or something?" Rainbow asked the creature.
"Pffts. I've seen danger. Heck, I'm pretty sure every creature in Equestria has. A single snake is no threat to me." The griffon said with a smile while looking at her talons. "Besides, you might need my help, considering."
"Na, we got this." Rainbow said to them as the Vermillion warrior gave a laugh at them.
"Lloyd, you said there was more than one way to stop a snake! Which one do you wanna try now?" Thunder questioned while Lloyd tried to think of a plan.
"Um, any of them?" Lloyd suggested as they all drew their weapons, but the vermillion then walked back into the store. "It must be after Cryus Borg and Dr. Gear!" He realizes.
With Krux and Acronix, they were watching the fight. "It works!" Acronix cheered. "He's practically unstoppable!"
"Yes…" Krux said as he took his periscope back and walked up to the two other pods with more armor on the side. "Although, I hadn't expected the Ninja and the Council to be there with my daughters. Good thing we have reinforcements." He said as he slammed the pods open as the snakes slithered to the armor and formed into the same samurai forms as the other. "Go! And don't hurt my daughters!" He ordered as the Vermillions rushed off to battle.
Inside the store, Dr. Gear was pushing Borg before they were cornered and trapped as the Vermillion warrior advanced towards them before Applejack jumped in front of it. "Okay, big guy, that's as far as you go." She said as she was about to buck the snake warrior, but it laughed and grabbed her hooves before tossing Applejack away with yells as the others rushed in.
Then more Vermillion warriors jumped down from the ceiling with swords. "There's more of them?!" Twilight asked in shock as one of the vermillions tried to get Dr. Gear and Borg.
"Man, am I a little glad I pre-ordered my watch." Clockwise whispered to herself after seeing the damage done to the store.
"Cyrus Borg! Dr. Gear!" Lloyd called out. "Frost, get them out of here! We'll deal with the samurais!"
"You mean Snakrais." Pinkie corrected. "Because they're made of snakes."
"But you'll need my battle skills!" Frost protested as he looked at his mother and Borg.
"Frost, our creators need you too!" Pixal told him with a concerning tone.
Frost nodded as he flipped over the displays and grabbed his mother and pulled Borg. "Right this way, doctor and mother!" He said as he led them out of the store.
"Frost! Am I glad to see you, son!" Dr. Gear said with a smile as they ran out of the store.
"The Ice Ninja is trying to get Borg and Dr. Gear to safety!" Acronix called after seeing the three trying to escape.
"Good." Krux said with a smirk as he put on his Dr. Saunders' disguise.
Inside the store, the heroes are trying to fight the Vermillion warriors, but they were having a hard time fighting them as they kept reforming and hardly keeping them down when they separated the snakes but they kept reforming.
"Hey!" Dareth called as he entered the store and did some fighting moves, but he saw the chaos as he got afraid and ran away in fear.
"Is he really an ally of the Ninja?" Tempura questioned with a weird look after she and her sister saw Dareth run off.
"I think it's a maybe." Clockwise whispered as the cloaked creature then rushed up to the store. "Hey, wait. Where are you going?"
"Ugh we could really use some help!" Rainbow shouted as she was getting pinned down.
"Leave them alone!" The creature called as she raised her hooves, which were oddly feathery as they glowed silver, as the Vermillion armor's shook as it then broke apart and spread out and broken into tiny pieces as the snakes slithered off. "Oops"
"Whoa! Did, you do that?!" Rainbow asked the griffon in shock.
"No!" The cloaked creature said, hiding her hooves again.
Rainbow was confused before she remembered what the griffon did to the Vermillion before looking at the remains of the armor. "That's it!" She called.
With Frost, he was getting his mother and Borg away from the battle while taking an alley path. "What are those… things?" Borg asked nervously.
"And what do they want with us?" Dr. Gear asked in wonder.
"I don't know, but we will find out!" Frost answered before they stopped and saw Dr. Saunders, aka Krux, in front of them.
"Well, this is a surprise." Dr. Gear commented.
"We didn't expect to see you." Borg finished while Frost was behind them as he couldn't see who they're talking to.
"Who did you-?" Frost was cut off when a fast green and familiar blade blurr tackled him down.
"Frost!" Dr. Gear cried out to her son in concern.
Back in the battle, the others took the fight outside while still having trouble beating the Vermilion warriors as Rainbow rushed out. "Guys! I know how to stop these things! We gotta keep the snakes from getting back into the armor and reforming!" She exclaimed.
"In that case, let's try this!" Thunder shouted as he used his powers to shock the snakes out of their armor. "Aqua, now you. Together!"
"On it, Thunder!" Aqua called as she fired water at the snakes, washing them down.
"No good! Those snakes can swim!" Trail called.
"Not in this pool!" Thunder called as he sent another lighting and electrified the water as the snakes then shriek in pain. "Haha! Look, guys! Electric eels!" He joked as the others just gave him blanks looks. "Oh, come on, that was a good one!"
"Just focus on the snakes." The cloaked creature said to them as the snakes then slithered off without their armors.
"Guys, it's working!" Twilight called as the snakes went down into the sewers while Thunder sighs.
"And I thought unpacking was tiring." Thunder said as Aqua placed a hoof on his shoulder.
"Nice job! They're gone!" Aqua cheered.
"For now." The cloaked griffon said.
"Hey, thanks for the help back there." Rainbow said to the cloak griffon. "Now the question is, who are you?"
"My name is Irona Mills." The cloaked creature said to them as she pulled down her hood to reveal her to be a pony with a silver coat, a beak-shaped muzzle with her mane platinum periwinkle.
"Well, thanks for the help, Irona. But uh, what did you do to help?" Morro asked in wonder.
"Get this, she has some sort of power to pull apart one of those snake samurai' armor to pieces that send those little slithering freaks away in fear!" Rainbow called with a wide smile.
"Snakurai!" Pinkie quickly corrected.
"Wait, seriously?" Spike asked in shock.
"It, wasn't really anything special," Irona said, hiding behind her mane.
"Hey, why are you hiding yourself? We're grateful to you." Flash stated as Irona looked away with a nervous look.
"Um, well, I just, didn't want to be seen," Irona said nervously. "I am, kinda shy."
"Is that why you were wearing a cloak?" Fluttershy asked in surprise.
"Well, yes but, it's for, another reason," Irona said with a nervous look.
"Hey, it's okay. We won't force you." Morro said softly. "We can get to know each other and you'll get used to us."
"Yes. Don't worry, darling. We'll go slow." Gaia assured.
"T-Thanks." Irona said to them before turning and leaving them.
"Well, back to the matter that we have some samurai snakes on the loose." Morro said to the team, getting back on topic.
"Yeah, I have a feeling they'll be back," Landrush asked.
" But I wonder… who were they?" Trail asked as he picked up a helmet in wonder.
"And how come they were in no mood to attack me or Clockwise when we were clearly defenseless and exposed?" Tempura asked in wonder.
"Good question," Lloyd said to them while rubbing his chin. "Frost, can you analyze?" He asked as he looked around, only to realize Frost wasn't with them. "Oh, right, he's with Dr. Gear and Cyrus Borg. Come on! Let's go get them!" They quickly ran down the only way where Frost took them as they were looking for any sign of him. "Frost?!"
"It's safe to come out now!" Flash called out.
"Mr. Borg?!" Ocellus called next.
"Dr. Gear?!" Yona called next.
"Frost?!" Twilight called next.
"Frost!" Thunder called.
Tempura then saw something on the ground as she saw a BorgWatch. "Hey, Cyrus Borg's BorgWatch, but no Cyrus Borg or Dr. Gear." She said in concern as she picked up the watch so the others could see it.
The others then turned and gasped. "Frost!" Sandbar called as they rushed to Frost, who was lying on the ground, badly damaged.
"Oh, no," Spike said.
"No, Frost!" Rarity cried in concern as the others all huddled around the damaged Nindroid.
"We gotta get him to Rivet and fast." Flash told the others as he and Trail carefully picked Frost up.
Back in the Hooves of Time's hideout, the snakes that came from the sewers hissed and crawled up to new sets of armor as they reformed. "The first one was a success, but we lost much of our armor." Acronix stated with a frown as his brother was on the table.
"I already have my best blacksmiths on it." Krux said with a smirk.
"Will they be able to make enough to suit up the remaining serpents?" Acronix asked with an exciting smile.
Krux kept his smirk. "Oh, I have much bigger plans." He said as he gestured to another hidden door that led to the sewers. Far from the city and at the end of the sewer tunnels was a swamp filled with thousands of pods as each one slowly broke open as some orange and red snakes slithered out with hisses.