A Bit(e) of Hope (Private)

The unicorn followed along with the thestral speedily, helping to ensure that the captive maids returned to his airship undisturbed by keeping watch and ready to intercept any magical attacks, though none came so far. However, the search itself was proving fruitless as far as he knew, not knowing what exactly she was looking for. "Hey, this bond of yours... Will it stand out if I try to scan for it? It'd help to know if there's a frequency worth tracking... Like that spot over there, where something once was." He pointed to the empty case out of curiosity.

lightning looked to it and grinned "that is an afterglow my inquisitive friend, so you are halfway there what we are looking for doesn't hold standard magic and would need that same specific magic to find it, but the magic can charge other objects near it like that case has been, so i think that's a good sign." lightning ran other to the case and began to deconstruct it carefully so as to not trigger any security measures.

"lightning, lightning, lightning," came a stallions voice from the speakers in the corners of the room. "so you break my ship, steal my favourite pet, and now what you want to add burglary to this list?" a light shone at the exit as a very smartly dressed stallion teleported in with around 20 armed mob style guards.
lightning turned to face them the smartly dressed stallion had a cocky look on his face and that just made lightning grimace. "look you broke the ship by flooding her, and as for my sister, she isn't your pet for your managory"

Sugary attempted to scan and trace as best as he could, but immediately kept a neutral expression and turned on a dime with his horn flaring up when the owner had arrived, scouting each and every corner and foe now present while staying by Lightning's side, whispering to her and trying not to get distracted by the stallion's words. "... If I need to blast an opening, just say so..."

lightning looked down then to market, "i know what i have to do i dont know if it work" she seemed to be getting desprate as she saw the numbers, her hoof began to glow, the mobsters began to ready themselves,,, but then nothing, time seemed to stop, surgary would find it imposable to move as a voice came to him inside his head "well, i must say ive seen drematic displays before but in all my years upon this earth, i must say, all this for me, im flattered kind and noble sir, but i fear i cannot pay you return for this bold rescue, well," the room darkened and a young mare appeared infront of him, dressed in nordic style clothes, her main was a flowing silver and her eyes a peircing saphire blue. "i could give you my body. no, you see most boys your age would fall for me but i can feel it, its not the damsels in destress you like is it, its the strong women with no so slim figures, aye, much like lightning over there hmm?" she cackled at markets expence. her eyes sharpened with a lashing of her fluffy tail and face the mobsters. so, normally id tear each one of these stallions apart, blood everywhere, but that feels too easy. so how would you have me deal with them?".

(Missing Princess...?)

Sugary thrived in such situations, not one to shy away from a group fight even when outnumbered; His experience had earned him ways to break through... However, that meant little when he felt a sudden shift in the air, barely having enough time to feel what was happening as he realized he could only stare forward, and not even speak, as he cautiously admired who appeared just now.

Their offers were tempting, even that of the flesh despite her thoughts about him for she was quite the looker, but though his emotions and thoughts reflected that, at the forefront was of course where his loyalty lay. "I don't know who or what you are, though I suspect you're what we came here for...? But I am no colt, and my companion isn't in the best of health. I'll accept your help, if it means she can leave safely with what we came here for... Though if you can rough them up for her sake, I think she'll appreciate it."

"then that it will be, but a request, dont drop me." the mare faded away and as the room lit up to its previouse state time began to return. as it did, the mare made good on her promise, as a huge wolf from erupted from lusion bellthorns coat pocket practically flattening the mobsters on her arivel, she spared most of the ponies some just being in a bad place as her paws crushed them undoubtably. her body turned as agilly as a fox despite her size, she stood 7 meters tall as she bit down towards the kingpin lifting her head showing she had ownly grabbed the coat off of him and throwing it to market.

lightning stood there motionless practically unable to speak, she followed what happened with her eyes but, didnt speak, a taken aback look on her face. "i do beleive, wine is in order yes?" the great wolf said through thought, lightning smiled and nodded as the wolf vanished to the coat.
it took lightning a moment to regain composure before she spoke, "ok we have to get out of hear, get the bond out of the coat, and ill take us back, but hurry there are more ponies coming and we dont have a wolf to help us anymore.

Sugary barely had time to register what was happening as he caught the coat and saw the destruction before him, as well as the great spirit that had chosen to ally with them. All he could do was to look in the coat and gather the gem to be put away into his own Inventory bag for safekeeping instead, responding to Lightning with a bit of hesitation in his tone. "Right. Let's go. And I hope you know what just happened, because I think I just talked to a ghost princess..."

Lightning smiled with an amused glint in her eye "yeah, she has that feel about her when she wants to" lightning walked over to the stallion with haste "but i hope this is the only princess that has your eye" she said flaunting her rear subtally, before teleporting them both back to the ship with no warning and with even less time to react the ship blinked to a new location.

If nothing else, the stallion at least appreciated that the mare he was joining in this near suicidal crusade for revenge had the time to tease him, and of course remind her of her royal status; He actually kept forgetting about that detail. Of course, it took him a fair bit to get his bearings once they returned, teleporting quick along with his airship as well after all the preparations...

Once they were safe enough however, he began to look around, until he gave his full attention to Lightning with a smile. "... Alright, we seem to be doing fine. I'll go and get our bearings then, meet me at the bridge when you can to discuss the gem..." As he walked by her, his smirk broadened. "Oh, and... My eyes are yours to have as much as my hooves if you're still wanting them." And so, he went back to business.

lightning smiled lightly and blushed before retreating to her quarters desperately geting out of the clothes she had chosesn for the mission nigh colapissing finally being able to breath properly, she streched and although laying down would be perfect she knew there was work to be done. she galloped back up all the way to bridge her many books and scrolls following her with a student like glea in her eye. "do you know how off corse we are yet then" she asked clearing a table ready for he work on the bond. her work was her joy as was her research, but there was something more, a freshness about her relaxed but busy as she worked away.

Sugary had been as busy as could be piloting the airship and looking after the gals from his spot. But, even then, he would give Lightning a warm smile and speak plainly. "Well, we're actually ahead of schedule. Got pushed ahead towards what our next destination was meant to be! How lucky... And speaking of good omens, do you have any idea who or what just helped us back there?"

lightning terned on the spot to look him streight on "i know exactly who that was, but she may not like us talking about her like this, especally since she cant talk right now" she set finished lining up her runes and a small metal cup on the table before tuning once more to to her stallion and holding her hoof out "give me the bond, and you can see her again if you like hehe."

Mysteries were abound ever since meeting the royal mare of questionable origins, but one after another only seemed to send the adventurous stallion down a rabbit hole of wonders... With a hesitant smirk, he stretched his hoof towards the mare, eager to see where this went. "If we have a fourth guest aboard, she ought to introduce herself then."

lightning placed the bond furmly in the cup and began to power the runes. the bond began to to shine brightly as the plump purple mare channled more and more magic into the runic circet. quickly the bond began to float and with lightnings guidence she led it to the center od the room. retreated and made sure market wasnt to close as the crystals glow brightend to a blinding shine, all magic sensertive things in 10km felt a strong tug towards the bond before a sudent flash. both sugary and lightning would have gotten very close to loosing contiousness during the flash but now the pull had gone and where the bond had been the mare from before stood, looking almost as off stance as lightning whos for knees had buckled due to the wave of energy loss.

"ah,, tis good fortune to have met you lightning,," the mare uttered before mildly colapsing to a prone position.

Sugary felt drained all of a sudden, but more so panicked when after meeting the mare that had been summoned the airship was losing altitude and he knew why; Too much power had been lost and the systems were damaged here and there. Though strained, he waved at the new mare casually and quickly walked right back to the wheel to eventually gently land the airship onto water where the engines could function with less of a sudden strain and lacking power. "Agh... Well... At least the Levistone proves stubborn as ever. We'd have dropped less gracefully without it... So..." He looked to the new mare once more. "...Hello there, again... Lightning seemed intent on getting you to come with us... Why?"

lightning stood werily on her hooves as her wings instictively unfurled to the sence of falling, it took her a breif moment before she colected herself disconected her now limp bionic prosphetic leg and then eye having them flash to somewhere not there while grumberling about magic and technology.
the young mare sat carmly almost unbothered by the sensation of falling and simply waved back to the stallion with a scielent face. she held this les than warm face as the stallion turned to question her. "well, tell me, you know somepony is being held captave" she paused as she stood with a grunt, "held as some form of idol, inflating that stallions already obceine ego, and yet beyond that being put on show as some form of pet" she began to walk towards him now nigh refusing to make eye contact "and tis not just some mare but a freind from a distent past" she drematically looked to the stallion "need you know more? hmm or do you expect some sort of reward, is that it?!" the mare now inches away, despite her size the little mare was nothing if not imposing, "i understand you woke me, and i am thankful for this, but having woken up with masivly inapropriate magic on what apears to be some form of ship with intrusive questions being thrust upon me."

Sugary remained quiet and watched the new mare share her grievances, never looking away as he had much to learn with what was going on. He of course gave her a stern cocked brow in turn when she was done. "If the spell bothered you, that was Lightning's doing, not mine." He then smiled softly. "The gratitude is appreciated however... You'll have to pardon the lackluster hospitality, we've all been in a rush lately, but we can work our way up from there. Name's Sugary Market, and welcome to the Black Mambo." He stretched his hoof out again, trying to make the grumpy mare feel welcome at the very least while the others regained composure.

"fool..." she sighed walking away "the spell woke me up, I fell I am to explain the very principals of emotion to you." she found herself a 'comfortable' place to sit  sitting in a prone position. "if a mare finds herself tired, 'hungry' and in unfamiliar grounds that seem to be falling from the sky do you not think she would be slightly surly, thus do you think its a good idea to ask personal questions especially when said mare had only recently saved your flank." She took another breath and looked him in the eyes this time locking eye contact as her surroundings melted into a snowy field illusion. it was as if they were there only the two of them him not able to break eye contact or even speak "I am Menacy, Amery of this land and all before it. I have lived many millennia alone, with friends only to live alone once more, for you the time moves so slowly one day before the next and another after that, but for me, a blink signal a season, a year can pass in an instant if nothing else occurs. you cannot waste my time, I simply hope I don't waste yours as fleeting as it is." her voice was soft as the supposed 'illusion' fell. Lightning stood there watching on as Menacy stood "I will need rest and will likely make magic imposable for the next day or so, I shall find myself a place to rest below deck if you need me." the small mare said as she once more got up and made her way down.

He lightly harumphed when the hoof shake was rejected, but then it seemed heir guest had too much on their mind at the moment. Nothing felt quite as entrancing as being made to experience eternity however, or what he felt was eternal winter with what he felt and saw from Amery just now as he blinked and stretched in place. When the mare made her way down, he spoke to her. "Uh... I'll prepare a meal for you later then."

Many questions were in his head, looking to Lightning more curiously than ever once their other guest had gone below. "... Lightning, honestly, what was all that just now? I think I'm getting more and more lost over how this relates to your project! We just found and resurrected an ancient being from their slumber, and I'm still certain the Princesses of Equestria are scrambling to know who else tampered with the sun and moon! I'm all for having an adventure with a Princess, but this is escalating well beyond an escort for the sake of science..." He took a breath for a moment, but smiled again to make one more point. "... Not that I'm not enjoying myself, mind you."

Lightning shook her head as she regained her composure slightly more looking up feebly and mildly sheepish. "that menacy, she's been a friend for a long time, but when they got sky they got her too and imprisoned her in that state. we were in the area and she could be extremely helpful to me, it all ties in I promise, but if you are having second thoughts, well we can go back ill hand myself in and hope Equestria doesn't go all gung-ho on Syjinia and assume this was some form of political attack."

He blinked when he was told the truth at last, and to that he lightly slapped his forehead and shook his head lightly at Lightning. "Honestly... Why didn't you just say that from the start? If she was your friend, then no wonder you've been out for revenge. How could I say no to rescuing a damsel in distress?" He finally finished doing what little he could for the controls and walked over to her with a smile, placing both hooves gently over her shoulders as he looked to her. "And hey... You're looking a bit out of it again. You should go get some rest too, you know? If you want, I can give you another massage, eh? We won't be going anywhere soon after all."

"maybe but I have been thinking, do you think the princesses will be upset, I haven't really met Luna, not directly anyway but Celestia, she was a co-tutor to me" she shook her head "no, I know in my heart that when she sees what I want to prove she'll understand, you're right I should rest, I think I'll just go to bed tho." lightning sighed and hugged the stallion "in the morning ill get this old girl running somehow, I don't need an element to save the day, we have only one more stop before we head to Equestria i should add, so we are nearly there. and with that lightning trotted off to her room.

sky, back on her hooves trotted into the room, rubbing her head "so uh, what just happened?"

Sugary simply nodded at Lightning and let her be to rest, though he had one thing to say as she left. "I'll give it maintenance while I can, so don't try to rush out of bed either, you hear?" And just like that, he continued to cement his kindness and tenderness towards her, whether he got a chance to put his arms on her or not.

At Sky's return, he smiled brightly at her, pleased to see her well. "Glad to see you well. Long story short... We've given Lightning much needed peace of mind by rescuing a friend you both know. She's likely in my guest bedroom if you wanna see her, while Lightning returned to her quarters..." At that, he then blinked and hummed. "... Assuming the temporal effects are still working. The airship isn't completely out of power, but Menacy's summoning still took quite a toll to get us here."

sky somewhat scratched her chin with her hoof, wondering who this friend was. she continued to watch on as she noticed that a lot of her implants weren't working, flexing her limbs now only just strong enough to collapse a castle. she was completely distracted by this, that was until Sugary said "Menacy?!" sky questioned in an excited voice "oh this is awesome, Menacy, when my mum got killed and I was left alone in the family home, she was the one that brought me up, she brought me food and was the one that eventually found me a family. she wasn't fond much of my dad though, something about her having to clean up after his mess heh" she laughed reminiscing.

It made the stallion be more at ease in hearing Sky have peace of mind as well at the news, getting a small chuckle out of him. "I see. So she's near and dear to you as well... As I said, she is resting below. Right now it's just us here to look after things, but there's not much else to do other than basic maintenance... That said, how are you? Any trouble while we were gone? Need anything?"