"Hey, dragon! It's a dragon, everypony!" Pinkie Pie chirped, getting excited. "I wonder if she's friendly!"

"Uh…yeah, right," Rainbow Dash answered back, barely concealing her paranoia under a thin veil of sarcasm. She was looking forward with her violet eyes widened, slowly stepping back. All five of the others except Pinkie Pie were identically mimicking Rainbow Dash's action, even Avery Johnson.

"First ghosts, now an adult dragon?" Applejack said with disbelief. "Where'd that even come from?"

"That's the biggest dragon I've ever beheld!" Rarity stated in a low voice as she tugged Pinkie Pie along with them. She was unsure of whether to be amazed or terrified.

"Sweet mercy…and I thought Risea Ruby-scales was big. Do you think she's noticed us?" Johnson asked. Fluttershy answered him with a whimper, having hunkered down to the level of the group's hooves and feet to remain unseen.

"She's about Spike's size when he went on that greed rampage," Twilight murmured with worry. "But she hasn't looked over here, yet. Careful, let's not attract any attention…"

Standing in between them and Ponyville, with its back to Sweet Apple Acres as it seemed to wander about and survey the besieged town, was a fully grown female dragon. She was clad in thick armor from head to tail, complementing her already robust natural defenses. Overlapping the weathered brown and gray scales of her sides, legs, neck, and head, was an ergonomic harness consisting of mithril battle plating, polymer straps, and gleaming runes of unknown function. On her back a metal platform meant for riders resided, which itself boasted a large sleek cannon and four smaller gun turrets, but no visible occupants.

For a whole minute, the Elements of Harmony and the Sergeant Major kept quiet and waited to see what the beast was going to do. A crack of thunder rumbled in the atmosphere and elicited an involuntary scream from Fluttershy. To everyone's alarm, the great dragon snapped her head in their direction to investigate the sudden outcry.

"Horse feathers! So much for not attracting any attention," Applejack mumbled. She and the group got a good look at the dragon's face as she stared down at them. The beast was surprised.

The dragon's head shape was typical of many Equestrian dragons. A helmet completed her silver-colored ensemble of war – a single piece of solid mithril covering the bridge and upper jaw of her slender snout.

Lightning arced across the steel gray sky and shined off the mithril raiment. While its draconic wearer was weathered by her age, the armor itself was not, and being wet, it shimmered almost as brightly as the pair of blue eyes that were now affixed on the six equines and the lone human. As her newcomers backed further away, the dragon lowered her head closer towards them and let out a low inquisitive grumble.

Johnson held the Mark I in a ready stance. "Let's hope she is friendly, Pinkie Pie," he remarked. "I doubt even yours truly can charm two lady dragons in one week."

"Ponyville and the apple cider…I mean Sweat Apple Acres don't have a week to wait!" Rainbow Dash declared in frustration. "We have to find a way to take this oversized lizard down, or make it go away somehow. Fluttershy, think you can do something?"

From between the others' legs and her own mane, Fluttershy peeked out. For a second she was about to nod and reply, then the size and sounds of the dragon became evident again. The Pegasus promptly retreated back, pulling the old helmet Pinkie Pie had given her protectively down over her face,

"Twi, Johnson, anything?" Rainbow Dash asked urgently, turning to them.

"I don't know, everypony," Twilight said with worry. "Maybe we can reason with her before anything regrettable happens."

"I'm waiting to see what that dragon is doing first. Be ready for trouble, just in case." Johnson advised.

"Of course, silly," Pinkie Pie replied, chuckling. "Trouble is always ready for us; it would be rude if we didn't return the favor!"

Suddenly, a familiar message appeared in the periphery of Johnson's vision, and he groaned in irritation.Checkpoint done, it said. A familiar posh voice appeared as well, and Johnson's groan was joined by those of Rainbow Dash and Twilight.

"Greetings again, alicorn, human, Pegasus, and company of friends," the Iron Skull greeted them. "I see you have finally met my dear companion, Tiamat." Everyone gained a look of realization as they discovered Iron was referring to the dragon, as the gigantic lizard craned her neck to gaze at the sky in response to the disembodied voice, recognizing it. "She served me well during the Great War, served Atlantis well. I'm amazed myself I was able to summon her here today."

Tiamat growled at the sky mournfully. "Supreme Technomancer, why have you awoken me from my slumber in the Outworlds?" the dragon asked. "My duty to the Protectorate Dragonguard ended when the world itself did."

"That was centuries ago! I have personal need of your service again. You will be joined by a crew of my soldiers, soon. Now, destroy these enemies in front of you!"

"But, Madame Technomancer…they do not look like soldiers of the Cloud Empire!" Tiamat's eyes briefly conveyed a sense of confusion Twilight had noticed a few times before in the ghost soldiers. "Nor of Grogar's legions."

"It does not matter, they are our enemies. Attack, before they do!" Iron demanded.

"…It will be done."

As Tiamat moved to obey the Iron Skull's command, Twilight Sparkle tried to catch her attention. "Wait, stop! You're right, we're not…" Before Twilight could finish her sentence, Tiamat unleashed a large ball of blue flame at her and the others. "Duck!" They immediately dropped and lay like planks on the ground. The fireball managed to pass over them, missing by just a few inches.

When they got back up, they found their manes and hair were slightly singed, but nobody was burned. Tiamat however, was already preparing for a second exhalation.

"Scatter!" Pinkie Pie cried. "She's another bad guy! A big bad guy!" Everyone broke up into pairs that sprinted and galloped to cover behind the nearest large object as a second bolt of flames scorched the ground they had just occupied.

Twilight and Rarity were getting ready to charge their horns behind a boulder, while Johnson and Applejack were squeezing the triggers of their rifles within a cluster of apple trees. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy held some magma grenades uncertainly as they crouched behind an overturned wagon somebody had abandoned. They had left their rifles in the middle of the road in the rush, and now the weapons were rendered useless by the dragon's breath.

Rainbow Dash had something else in mind.

"You two, what are you doing? Those grenades are useless against a dragon!" Dash shouted as she took to the sky. "I don't know what it is – a gut feeling, maybe – but something's telling me there's an easy way to deal with Tiamat. I think it's the storm, maybe I can take control of it away from the Iron Skull. You guys buy me some time!"

Johnson fired a round at the dragon. "We got you covered, Rainbow! Everybody, keep the lizard distracted!" The bullet bounced off an invisible force two inches away from the dragon's scaly hide. "Dammit!"

Watching Rainbow Dash dart off towards the storm's center directly over the town, Applejack followed up with a burst of plasma fire from her own rifle. "Ah hear ya!" The bolts of energy struck Tiamat's armor, and the blue aura of a kinetic barrier rippled around her entire body, easily drawing her attention away from the retreating pegasus. "Twi, Rarity, we'll do the soldierly thing and light up that dragon for as long as the ammo lasts. Since Pinkie and Fluttershy lost their fancy ray guns, we'll have to figure somethin' else out for them."

"That's okay; we don't even need ours," Twilight answered back. She quickly levitated her and Rarity's 'ray guns' over to Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. Rarity fired a destruction spell whose beam struck the dragon's breastplate, drawing her attention to the alicorn and unicorn. Twilight fired a similar attack spell, but unlike Rarity's, hers broke clean through a section of Tiamat's shielding, melting the armor plate protecting her left jaw.

Tiamat roared in anger and rubbed at her face with a single taloned hand.

"Excellent precision, Twilight!" Rarity complimented. "Maybe that will teach this Tiamat a lesson."

"Thanks, but something tells me all it did was anger her even more," Twilight replied, quickly disappearing behind their boulder again. Tiamat brought a taloned fist down on the boulder, forcing Twilight and Rarity to retreat to a new group of rocks as pebbles rained all around them.

Just as Rainbow Dash was nearing the heart of the artificial storm, a group of ghost soldier stragglers had snuck around from Sweet Apple Acres and climbed the dragon's back. Now the weaponry on Tiamat's platform was manned and firing into the sky and at Rainbow Dash's friends on the ground – a powerful but unwieldy energy beam from the main cannon, and smaller magical projectiles from the series of automatic mounted turrets.

Within seconds, AJ and Johnson had discovered that the exotic weapons they had received quickly depleted sections of the dragon's shielding, and now the earth pony was breaking through specific sections, allowing Johnson to get his more conventional rounds to hit areas in between the mithril armor.

Pinkie Pie was running around on her hind legs, firing at random spots on the dragon with her ray gun rifle in one hoof, and chucking cupcakes and other desserts that she pulled out of her mane in the other. "I will eat your unhappiness!" she shouted, sneering.

Fluttershy fired her rifle in several second intervals, yelping each time it went off and forcing all but a few plasma bolts to miss their target completely.

The combined firepower was keeping Tiamat occupied, and she could get only a few attacks of her own out, Her undead gunnery team couldn't decide whether to focus on either Rainbow Dash or the others on the ground, and the dragon herself was still in a daze from her recent and quite sudden teleportation into Equestria.

High above, Rainbow Dash at last punched into the heart of the storm, which had formed right over Ponyville Town Hall. While she worked her weather magic, the Iron Skull detected her.

"Ni! You, winged ground trotter, stop!" Iron's voice demanded. "You cannot win!"

"We already have, Bonehead!" Rainbow Dash declared, smirking and looking down at city hall while taking rein of the clouds with her wings. Rain and wind were lashing at her, but she kept steady. "You're about to taste the rainbow!"

Iron was awkwardly silent for a moment. "…wait, what?"

"Enjoy the lightshow!" Rainbow Dash replied, before completing her work and zooming out of the thick clouds. The storm grew even darker, and the clouds move even faster, as a cyclone seemed to form in the heart.

Instead of a tornado as expected, a narrow aperture opened in the clouds, and a massive bolt of directed lightning slammed straight into Tiamat. The dragon flailed and roared at the top of her lungs. The magical shielding around her body dissolved into a blue mist that quickly faded away, and the storm above likewise gave way to calmer skies. Rainbow Dash had broke the storm apart.

Electricity travelled down from Tiamat and several nearby buildings into the ground. The rain steadily stopped, and everyone gathered together where Rainbow Dash had landed.

"Excellent work, Rainbow Dash. I have a feeling this fight is almost over!" Johnson said, clapping the pegasus on the shoulder. The two shared a smile and the others applauded her effort while their enemy continued to flail around in a stupor, until Rarity raised her voice.

"Heads up, darling! It appears we have more on the way!"

Looking up, everyone noticed two things. The first was that a massive rainbow was stretching across the visible sky, signifying Rainbow Dash's trademark impact on the atmosphere. Second, another dragon was rapidly approaching from the direction of Canterlot.

"Oh c'mon!" Applejack said. "Ain't one beast enough? It's a miracle none of mah trees have been damaged!"

"Wait a second, those red scales, that flight pattern! Johnson, it has to be that grumpy dragon that got us off the mountain!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, her eyes widening in recognition.

"You're right. Risea has returned!" Johnson said, lighting a Sweet William and laughing. "I figured we had chemistry."

Risea appeared and hovered over the much larger form of Tiamat on the ground, who was still reacting to the massive voltage she had taken from Rainbow Dash's attack. Her ghost soldier gunners had largely survived, and one of them fired the main cannons at Risea.

The beam missed by a wide margin and impacted a distant hillside, carving a large charred gash of earth into the terrain. Applejack cringed as she noticed how close the hill had been to her orchards.

Risea's reaction was swift. While the ghosts were attempting to steady their aim as Tiamat spasmed about, the crimson-scaled dragon set the entire platform – now unprotected – ablaze in white flames. The emission carried its own form of natural napalm, and everything on the platform was melted and charred beyond use in seconds. Risea banked off back into the sky to survey her attack's effects from afar.

Tiamat uttered a string of curse words in the same exotic language the ghosts had been speaking at Risea, and breathed out a fireball at her, which also missed.

"I think she's still a threat," Twilight declared, staring at Tiamat. "Knowing dragons, even Rainbow Dash's attack might have only stunned her."

Rainbow Dash scoffed. "Well in that case, I'll just have to finish her off for good, then! It wouldn't do to have Risea steal the victory for herself!" Before anyone could stop her, Dash zoomed off again, heading straight for Tiamat. Whatever she had planned for the dragon was averted, as Tiamat's foreleg knocked the pegasus out of the sky. Rainbow went into a tailspin and formed her own crater where she landed next to her friends. She lay there, groaning.

Everyone shouted her name with concern and rushed over, except , Fluttershy's ordinarily serene face took on an expression few who new her ever saw. Johnson was next to Twilight and the others checking on Rainbow Dash, when he felt something lift him into the air.

"Wha!" Johnson shouted, turning to see his abductor. "What are ya doing? Princess, tell her to put me down, if you'd be so kind!"

Twilight shrugged helplessly. "I'm sorry, Johnson. I haven't seen her angry like this in ages, we're going to have to just let her do her thing."

"Don't worry, sugar cube! She's not going to hurt you, Ah promise!" Applejack assured. Johnson frowned and grumbled, crossing his arms but saying nothing more. Fluttershy lifted Johnson up so that they were level with Tiamat's face, ignoring his grumbling protests. Her muscles were powered by righteous anger, it seemed.

When they got near, and the beleaguered dragon noticed them, Fluttershy unleashed her Stare. "This man's name is Avery Johnson!" Her voice was firm as steel, and her gaze, deadly fury. "You have threatened our friends, put Ponyville in danger, and helped one of Discord's evil skulls! Now you shall fear his laser face!"

"What's happening? I feel tears welling up in my eyes!" Johnson exclaimed. "UNSC Marine Corps tears!"

Fluttershy wailed a battle cry, and two red laser beams suddenly erupted from Sergeant Johnson's eyes. They struck Tiamat with a force reminiscent of two Spartan Lasers. The gigantic dragon unfurled her tattered wings for the first time, rising up and reeling back in absolute shock. Her snout was now smoking, and looked irritated.

"That's right, you meanie!" Fluttershy hollered. Tiamat shrugged the ruined gunnery platform off of her back, made a sound bizarrely resembling a scolded puppy, and quickly took flight. "Get outta here! Don't ever let us catch you threatening Ponyville again!"

Tiamat completely ignored Risea as she stormed off over the distant mountains and out of sight. Risea promptly sounded a triumphant roar and swooped down, perching herself on the smoking wreck of the discarded riders' platform.

Starting to calm down, Fluttershy looked at Risea, then at Avery Johnson and her friends. Rainbow Dash had gotten up from the ground, and was rubbing irritably at the back of her neck. "The Iron Skull is next!" Fluttershy declared.

"What in tarnation was that?" Applejack asked, gawking at Fluttershy and Johnson both.

"I dunno." Johnson said slowly, retrieving the Mark I repeater and stowing it on his back.

"Well it was awesome!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, in the most excited voice she could muster.

Fluttershy rubbed at her mane timidly, and her ordinary demeanor returned. "I can hardly explain it, myself. Sorry for picking you up without permission though, Mister Johnson."

"Don't worry about it. That was an impressive, unique, and effective usage of battlefield resources!" Johnson declared with a chuckle. "Couldn't have come up with anything better myself. Please don't ever do it again."

Fluttershy smiled at the marine, and then fixed her eyes on the listening dragon again. "Risea? You helped the Sergeant Major and Rainbow Dash here off that mountain, and earlier when you came here, too. Could you um, maybe help us ponies and our new friend once again?"

Twilight rubbed at her chin and stared at the ruby-crimson dragon thoughtfully. The others turned to her as well, curious as to her response "Sergeant Major Johnson here had nothing but praise and flattery to say since he told me the tale of his and Dash's encounter with you," the alicorn princess declared, smiling slightly.

"It's true, shiny-scales. You did us one mighty fine thing back there." Johnson added.

Risea was quiet for a few seconds, studying each of the seven heroes carefully. "Our paths cross again, Avery Johnson," she said finally. Johnson smiled and nodded at her. "I sensed your encounter with this 'Iron Skull', as you've called it. At first I planned to ignore it, but then I detected another dragon here, and I decided upon action. Yes, ground trotters, I will lend you my aid. However, only under one condition."

"What might that be, Risea?" Rarity asked. "I think us ponies to be quite accommodating if you let us, darling."

"The condition is this: if anypony asks, you must tell them I was not helping you. Another dragon was intruding on my hunting grounds here, and I arrived here simply to drive them out. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Now hold on a darn minute!" Applejack interjected. She smiled and grasped her rifle. "You just don't want to admit that you're starting to like us Equestrians."

Risea stood up on her hind legs and started twiddling her talons together, growing defensive. "No, you are wrong! Pegasi are nothing but treacherous thieves and dragon slayers, and the other two races are equally as trustworthy, or pleasant."

"Hey!" Rainbow Dash said, offended.

"Uh-huh." Twilight replied, not convinced. "Sure, whatever you say, Risea. Now, can we please get on with stopping the remaining ghosts and finding the Iron Skull? I'm sure the Guards still in the orchards won't take too kindly to us standing here while they fight a horde of undead soldiers."

"Very well," Risea nodded. "Those who can't fly, climb on my back. We'll clear this orchard, and then I'll obey your commands from there on."

Everyone clambered onto Risea's back via her lowered wing or got into the air using their own. "Yippee! I always wanted to ride a dragon!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed with glee. "I heard from a friend that it's quite relaxing!"

"Ha!" Rainbow Dash chuckled, hovering next to her. "You're in for one heck of a surprise then, Pinkie!"

"Prepare yourselves!" Risea cried, posturing herself for takeoff. She jumped up into the air and flapped her powerful wings, causing Pinkie Pie and Applejack to shout in surprise. Johnson meanwhile, took a moment to remind his brain that he wasn't in some strange open air UNSC craft, and was in fact riding on the back of a fire-breathing dragon.

With Risea on their side, Johnson and the Elements of Harmony had even less trouble reclaiming Sweet Apple Acres from the Iron Skull's forces. After putting out any field and brush fires from the lightning strikes they saw, the Elements of Harmony focused their attention back on the ghosts. Those that remained in Ponyville wreaking havoc were cleared from the streets by air in no time, and citizens were already starting to reappear and bring things back to normal. Some of the ghosts were so intimidated by the heroes' usage of a dragon that they panicked and crossed themselves over to the afterlife on the spot, returning to wherever Iron had summoned them from.

A quick investigation of Twilight's Mansion revealed that Spike, Iron Will, Flash Sentry, and the other inhabitants on the property had defended the mansion from several attacks. Ectoplasmic goo was spattered everywhere, even on the sides of the house. A group of the unicorn apprentices and scientists Princess Twilight had in her employ were already cleaning things up using some contraptions they had invented in the workshop.

Not all had gone well, however.

"Oh my Celestia! They killed Wexley!" Davenport shouted, standing next to the other soldier, who had been hit by a ghost soldier who had been wielding a rifle.

"You bastards!" Iron Will said.

"Guys? I'm right here, perfectly fine! I must have respawned or something," the earth pony declared with astonishment. A large chunk of chimney from the mansion's roof, having been weakened by a rogue lightning strike minutes earlier, fell and crushed him.

Spike meanwhile, had been watching the sky and not paying any attention. He noticed Twilight and the rest of his friends travelling with a large red dragon, and waved at them, scratching his head in puzzlement. Twilight waved back with a grin, and Spike looked even more confused as she and the others flew by.

All that remained to reclaim was Ponyville Town Hall. There, the Iron Skull had teleported and ordered her remaining soldiers to rally to.

Mayor Mare greeted them all as Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Risea touched down in the town square in front of the multi-story circular building. Crowds of curious onlookers and organized lines of vigilant Town Guards populated the square, and their murmuring amped up at the sight of the red dragon.

The Mayor was about to question the dragon's presence, but decided it wasn't the best time, and walked up to Twilight, straightening her tie professionally. She gave a quick bow.

"Ah, hello Princess Twilight Sparkle. I've been looking for you all day, Your Highness. The Town Guard and your Royal Guards have secured every area except for the obvious. Unfortunately we cannot simply walk right on in to deal with the last ones, just yet." Mayor Mare gestured at the front entrance with a frown. "They've barricaded themselves inside!"

"Mayor Mare, we've got the Town Hall situation under control," Twilight assured her. "You and the Guard have done quite well; we'll take care of the ghosts from here on."

"Don't worry, ma'am. We'll flush them out and call it a day," Johnson said.

The Mayor seemed pleased to hear that, for a small smile danced on her face. "Please do. Those ghosts – and their cursed magical skull – whatever they are, they're a public menace! Why, it's a miracle no civilian fatalities have occurred. Well, don't let me keep you!"

"We're on it, Miss Mayor," Applejack said, trotting towards the front entrance of Town Hall. Johnson jogged right behind her, followed by Rainbow Dash and Twilight in stride, then Fluttershy, Rarity, and lastly Pinkie Pie, who briefly spoke to Risea.

"Thanks for the ride, dragon lady!" Pinkie said. "What are you going to do now?"

Risea hummed in her throat. "I have a pile of sapphires awaiting me back home, and I shan't test Ponyville's hospitality any longer. Farewell, give the human and your Princess my warmest regards." With that, the dragon leapt into the air and took off towards Canterlot.

"Okie dokie, have a good one!" Pinkie Pie called after her, waving.

"Pinkie Pie, c'mon!" Rainbow Dash urged, waving her over. "We need you and AJ's strength to buck these doors open!"

"Coming!"

Pinkie Pie passed everyone, who were positioned in a type of formation on either side, and joined AJ. A few guards had joined them to enter the building, including Captain Flash Sentry, who had positioned himself in between Johnson and Rainbow Dash.

"On a count of three," Twilight began. "One, two…" Pinkie Pie and Applejack had their backs to the door, grinning expectantly. "Three!"

The doors flew open easily, and the furniture – heavy oak desks, benches, and shelves – that had been piled up against it flew back like thrown toys. Everyone stormed in, and victory followed. At least half of the ghosts resigned and quitted Equestria all together at the sight of Twilight and Johnson, and the few that remained surrendered immediately.

"Take their weapons!" Flash Sentry ordered. "Make sure none of them try anything!" The guards complied and started to round up all the ghosts present in the building's large central room. Before they could however, the spirits promptly showed themselves to the metaphysical exits, vanishing into thin air without a single word.

"Iron Skull! Where are you? Show yourself!" Twilight demanded. While the others helped the guards open up the other entrances and assess the area, she, Johnson, and Rainbow Dash all strode towards the stage, looking quite angry as they went.

"Up here, on the podium." Iron's voice replied with resignation. "I was simply enjoying my time away from Discord. Did you hear he was heading to some strange tropical islands next?"

"Yeah? Well your time is up, we've won, Bonehead!" Rainbow Dash retorted. The trio stood next to the platform and studied the skull. She was sitting there, seemingly as inanimate as ever. Oddly enough, a fresh, half-full glass of chocolate milk sat next to her.

"Won?" Iron cackled a bit. "I'm only a single piece on Discord's game board, you winged Equinoki. And Discord? He has many pieces."

"Save it, dirtbag. I'm about to figuratively kick your ass!" Johnson said, reaching out to grab the skull and make it disappear.

"Good luck Johnson," Twilight said. "Hopefully you can send her straight to Tartarus."

"Damn straight."

After being quiet for most of the day, the whispering voices attached to the skulls returned. "Iron Skull detected. You have defeated the Supreme Technomancer and saved this region. Collect us!" Johnson's gloved fingers closed around the Iron Skull, and the artifact suddenly vanished into thin air, as the others had previously. When nothing else happened and the room stayed quiet, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank Equestria that's finally over," Rainbow Dash said with a chuckle.

That was when Iron started laughing again. "Fools! Now you have fallen into my trap!" Johnson and Twilight shouted in surprise as a blinding light over took them. When they could at last see again, something seemed odd.

"Everyone, listen up! It's clear now: these skulls are no mere mischief from Discord." Twilight nudged at a fallen ghost's hammer with a hoof, but she had a strange look on her face "War, has come to Equestria. Canterlot might not have declared it against an enemy of our Kingdom yet, but...what the hay?"

She was back in the gardens of her home, giving her speech from earlier. Everyone was about ready to applaud, including Johnson, who looked as confused as her. She paused. "Oh no! Sergeant Major, I think we got reset to the first checkpoint somehow!"

"Ah, hell," Johnson groaned. "You have got to be kidding!"

"I am!" the Iron Skull gushed with absolute glee. "The looks on your faces was absolutely priceless!"

As soon as the soldier and the princess blinked, they were both back at the podium and once again in the present. Rainbow Dash was gawking at them, looking positively bewildered.

"Clearly the odds were in your favor. I spent the last of my energy on that little joke of mine." Iron remarked, her disembodied voice now seemingly emitting from where Sergeant Johnson was standing. "Enjoy your victory, Equestrians. I yield."

"Iron Skull acquired."

Twilight and Johnson shook their heads and sighed. "Well, looks like that's over with," the Princess declared with note of certainty.

Everyone within earshot began to cheer at the news, and the group of three retreated from the stage. They linked up with their friends, and all went outside to speak with Mayor Mare. Since the Town Hall still needed to be cleaned up, everyone headed to Twilight's Manor to discuss the aftermath, cleanup efforts, and the report that was to be sent to Canterlot.

Flash Sentry took care of the report, stating that both Twilight and Johnson's respective handlings of the situation were excellent before setting off for Canterlot. Johnson's combat performance during the fighting was sent to Princess Luna personally via Spike, while Twilight's designs for her rifle were taken by Iron Will himself back to his business headquarters immediately to keep the risk of "corporate espionage" at a minimum until he can begin making them for the Royal Guard.

That evening, Twilight had allowed the Mayor to throw a ball on the ground floor of the Manor to celebrate the victory over the cursed skull Discord had left in Ponyville, so the house was now brimming with guests from all over town. Mayor Mare had heard of Twilight's War in Equestria speech, and figured a celebration would be appropriate for the occasion.

Sergeant Major Johnson was seated in a sofa next to Spike and Pinkie Pie. Rarity, Fluttershy, and Applejack were nearby, as the marine was showing them an example of Flip music – a semi-popular descendant of human Rock and Heavy Metal music from the twenty-first century – on a small holo-pad he had in his possession from Earth. Twilight and Rainbow Dash in the meantime, were in the midst of a discussion with the Mayor Mare, Marius Melody, and the army officer and daytime owner of Quills and Sofas, Davenport.

The reaction to Johnson's Flip music was mixed – much like back in his own world – but it helped the ponies and the human to get more acquainted with each other as a result.

"Oh my, that racket is simply awful," Rarity said, covering her ears.

"I love it!" Pinkie Pie grinned.

"It's not too bad, I guess." Fluttershy commented.

"Meh." Spike said.

"Uh, what do ya call this here genre again?" Applejack questioned, scrunching her muzzle.

Before Johnson could answer, Twilight caught his attention. "Johnson, I have a message for you from Princess Luna." She and Rainbow Dash were smiling at him as she held out an official looking piece of rolled parchment. "It's something regarding the Royal Army."

Author's Note:

Sorry for the wait, everyone! Hope you're having an awesome Fourth of July!