Recap / Adopted Displaced Supporting Cast

A recap for a portion of the Adopted Displaced series.

• Note: This page includes full recaps for the fics based on supporting characters from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (Spike, Coco Pommel, Princess Cadance, Moondancer, Gilda the Griffon, Sunset Shimmer, Trixie Lulamoon, Shining Armor, Maud Pie and the Cutie Mark Crusaders).

Another Hatchling

• Arc 01: The Return and Metroid/Metroid: Zero Mission (chapters 1-6)
  • Day 01: A month after Spike mysteriously vanished through a quantum vortex created by a spell of Twilight's gone wrong, he and his adoptive mother Samus Aran return to Equestria, reuniting Spike with his friends and family. He then tells Twilight and the other Bearers the story of his early years with Samus, including how she acquired his egg during her mission to Zebes to battle the Space Pirates and Metroids.
• Arc 02: Metroid Prime, part 1 (chapters 7-15); Interlude (chapter 16); part 2 (chapters 17-22); Interlude (chapter 23)
  • Day 02: Luna and Celestia, having learned of Spike's return, join the group. Spike and Samus recount the story of their mission to the planet Tallon IV in order to stop the Space Pirates from exploiting the substance known as Phazon.
  • Day 02 (interlude): The Cutie Mark Crusaders join the group. Spike helps Scootaloo learn how to fly.
  • Day 03: Spike and Samus continue their story, including Spike's battle with Ridley and Samus' confrontation with the mutated Metroid known as Metroid Prime.
    • Chapter 19: Discord is revealed to be present.
    • Chapter 22: Ridley is revealed to be alive and on Equestria, though in bad shape... until Garble and some other teenage dragons stumble upon him and he consumes Garble's companions to heal.
  • Day 04 (interlude): Spike and Samus recount events after the Tallon IV mission, including some of what they learned about Spike and how things went on the brief vacation they took.
• Arc 03: Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, part 1 (chapters 24-32), Interlude (chapter 33), part 2 (chapters 34-42), Interlude (chapters 43-44)
  • Day 04: Spike and Samus recount the story of their mission to the planet Aether in order to investigate a Galactic Federation ship after all communication is lost with it, and discover a war between the native Luminoth and the Phazon-born Ing... and encounter the being known as Dark Samus, the reborn Metroid Prime. While on Aether, Spike gains the armor he is wearing at the start of the story.
    • Chapter 42: the Emperor Ing is revealed to have come to Equestria and merged with King Sombra after its destruction; now, it still exists as a spirit and, after Sombra's severed horn is found by Ridley, is absorbed by him.
  • Day 05 (interlude): The group takes a break from story-telling to catch up on day-to-day needs.
  • Day 06 (interlude): Cadance and Shining Armor join the group. Spike and Samus tell about their return to the vacation planet. A spaceship appears over Equestria and lands.
• Arc 04: Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (chapters 45-68); Interlude (chapter 69)
  • Day 06: The spaceship is revealed to hold Spike and Samus' friends Rhundus, Ghor and Gandrayda, who are promptly given a "Welcome to Ponyville" party by Pinkie.
  • Day 07: The bounty hunter trio join the group in telling about their missions to the planets Norion, Bryyo, Elysia, the Pirate Homeworld and finally Phaaze, source of all Phazon, for the final battle with Dark Samus.
  • Day 07 (interlude): The group calls it a night. Rarity and Gandrayda discuss their respective feelings for Spike with one another and with Cadance.
• Arc 05: Metroid II: Return of Samus (chapter 70)
  • Day 08: Spike and Samus recount the story of their mission to the Metroid homeworld of SR388 in order to exterminate the entire species... except for a lone infant, which imprints on them.
• Arc 06: Super Metroid (chapters 71-79); Interlude (chapter 80)
  • Day 08: Spike and Samus recount the story of how they handed Squishy (the infant Metroid) over to the Galactic Federation's Space Science Academy for study, and how it was later stolen from Ceres Station by the Space Pirates and taken to Zebes. Following them, Spike and Samus battled the Space Pirates (including the resurrected Ridley and Mother Brain), who sought to clone the Metroids and use them as bioweapons, and finally destroyed Zebes and killed the last remaining Metroids.
    • Chapter 76: The Etecoons and Dachora that Samus and Spike had saved and taken with them to Equestria set up a home outside Fluttershy's house.
    • Chapter 79: Spike reveals that he ate Squishy's nucleus in the hopes that he could carry the little Metroid's mind and essence with him. After they arrived on Equestria, he knew it had worked: Squishy still lives within him, and can speak with him.
  • Day 08 (interlude): The group decides to take a break and rest. That night, Luna senses the arrival of a spaceship and is there to greet its controllers: Anthony Higgs and Commander Adam Malkovich, who join the group.
• Arc 07: Metroid: Other M part 1 (chapters 81-83); Interlude (chapter 84); part 2 (chapters 85-101); Interlude (chapter 102)
  • Day 09: Spike and Samus recount the story of how they and the Galactic Federation 07th Platoon, including Anthony and Adam, investigated the derelict space station BOTTLE SHIP and the genetically engineered creatures that had been created there.
  • Day 09 (interlude): Twilight's parents Twilight Velvet and Night Light arrive in town and join the group.
  • Day 09: Spike and Samus continue their story, including the discovery of a cloned Ridley and a new breed of Metroids designed to be immune to the cold.
  • Day 10 (interlude): The group takes the day off. Starlight Glimmer returns after two weeks, having tried to use her time spell to prevent Spike from disappearing in the first place, only to give up after visiting multiple disastrous timelines that resulted from her succeeding. Spike reunites with Dragon Lord Ember, who returns to Ponyville with him. Ridley continues gathering his power, devouring the Alicorn Amulet and discovering that Dark Samus still exists in some form... and is in his cave.
• Arc 08: Metroid Fusion (chapters 103-126), interlude (127)
  • Day 10: Starlight meets Spike for the first time since his return. Ember meets the off-worlders.
  • Day 11: Spike and Samus recount the story of their return to SR388, hired on as bodyguards for the Biologic Space Laboratories research team, who are studying the change in the ecosystem since the extermination of the Metroids, and discover their connection to the X Parasites... creatures so dangerous that the Metroids were designed to keep them in check.
    • Chapter 113: Flurry Heart is revealed to be present, having teleported in when they weren't looking.
    • Chapter 117: The Etecoons and Dachora are revealed to have snuck into the castle at some point and are playing with Flurry Heart.
    • Chapter 118: Spike remembers how he breathed energy into Ridley's corpse (which was in storage on the station), giving him a chance to survive and escape, but does not tell his friends about this.
  • Day 11 (interlude): The Ing Emperor explains his history in Equestria to Ridley, including how Discord created the dragons as a weapon against he and the Phaaze, and how he himself eventually created King Sombra in order to conquer Equestria and its natives, only for his plans to be thwarted... and how he plans to create a dark army to use for their revenge.
• Arc 09: The Last Adventure (chapters 128-133)
  • Day 12: Spike and Samus recount the story of the last six years before they return to Equestria. Following an incident when Samus lost control of herself, she decided to return to the ruins of K2L, her birthplace, in order to meditate and deal with her inner dragon. In a Chozo temple, with the help of the spirits of Old Bird (Samus' first friend among the Chozo) and Grey voice (the source of Samus and Spike's Chozo DNA), the pair descend into the depths of their minds, Spike learning the location of his homeworld while Samus, already at peace with her Chozo side, undergoes events that force her to come to terms with her human, Metroid and dragon sides, finally balancing all four parts of herself and unlocking a new power: the Omega System.
    • Samus's recollection is suddenly interrupted when Garble shows up in a panic, and informs the group of his and his underlings' encounter with another dragon, one which consumed his companions... and then reveals the name of that being: Ridley. As he speaks, the sky suddenly darkens...
• Arc 10: Final Battle (chapters 134-139)
  • Day 12 continued: As the sky darkens, Ridley appears in Ponyville, accompanied by Changelings possessed by X Parasites or Ing. As the rest of the townsfolk evacuate into Twilight's castle, Spike and Samus stand before Ridley and his army, ready to defeat their old enemy once and for all.
  • While Spike and Samus battle Ridley's forces, the others help out from inside the castle, Twilight blasting away from a window while Ember summons other dragons to help out. Meanwhile, Samus battles Dark Samus, and finally manages to destroy it through the power of her Omega Systems, her dragon and Metroid traits fully manifested, though the entire town is destroyed in the process. With Dark Samus gone, only Ridley remains, and Spike and Samus team up against him. Unfortunately, he has an advantage: the more he hates and is hated, the stronger he gets. Amplified by their hatred and having absorbed the Emperor Ing, the Nightmare spirits and a Phazon Core from a Leviathan, Ridley transforms into his Nightmare form and defeats Samus. Seeing this, Spike assumes his Dark form to continue the battle.
  • Having retreated from the battlefield, Samus watches the clash between Dark Spike and Nightmare Ridley. Unfortunately, Ridley soon has the upper hand and sends Spike crashing into the castle... and his friends, seeing him in a comatose state, weep. But as their tears fall upon his prone body and on the Cutie Map, something reacts. The castle glows... and Spike, down but not out, speaks to Ridley telepathically, letting him know that he's been holding back. But now, he can really cut loose. As both castle and dragon blaze with light, Spike emerges in a new form: Rainbow Spike, an upgraded version of Light Spike amplified by the Rainbow Power of the Crystal Castle and the Tree of Harmony.
  • Fully empowered, Spike clashes with his dark enemy. Driven by the desire to protect and by the power granted to him by his friends (including Squishy), Spike overcomes Ridley, ripping out the other dragon's Bloodstone, the core of everything he is. Devouring and purifying it, Spike obliterates Ridley and all of the dark powers that gave him his strength, then returns to his original form.
• Arc 11: Afterparty (chapters 140-141)
  • In the aftermath of the battle, the residents of Ponyville celebrate. Meanwhile, Discord explains to the princesses and Ember why he couldn't help out in the battle: ages ago, when Discord was the only truly sapient being on the planet, a Phazon Leviathan landed on their world. Discord first tried to get rid of it himself, but wound up in his current shape as a result. He then searched through space-time and found a template (Spike himself) he could use to alter the native dragons in such a way that they would be antithetical to Phazon (creating the first Dragon Lord in the process), but also decided he couldn't take any more direct action against Phazon or anything directly related to it. That limited his actions during the fight... the only thing he could do was, while within the castle, retroactively gather anyone that Ridley might have used as a hostage into the castle and thus protect them from Ridley's attack. And all without creating a causality paradox. His explanation makes sense to Luna and Celestia, and so terrifies them that they run off to drink it away.
  • Meanwhile, Spike goes off to think by himself for a while, has a conversation with Anthony, and runs into Zecora, who has only now become aware of what's going on.
  • Back in the castle, Twilight and Samus discuss matters. Samus admits that she's had her fill of adventure, and is hoping to make a home in Equestria for herself. Twilight invites her to stay in the castle, and Samus accepts, contemplating that she's seen worse reasons to start a relationship than "for their kid".
  • The next morning, Twilight awakens with a hangover, and quickly discovers Samus is in bed with her. The implications as to what happened are obvious. And then Spike walks in with coffee and aspirin for them, sees them together and, realizing what must have happened, mutters that "Well, that escalated quickly..."
  • The end.

---

Chapter/Day timeline:

• Note: "Day" count refers to time passing on Equestria, starting with the first day Spike and Samus landed on Equestria and continuing from there.

• Day 01: Chapters 01-06
• Day 02: Chapters 07-16
• Day 03: Chapters 17-24
• Day 04: Chapters 25-38
• Day 05: Chapters 39-42
• Day 06: Chapter 43
• Day 07: Chapters 44-45
• Day 08: Chapters 45-69
• Day 09: Chapters 70-101
• Day 10: Chapters 102-103^note Chapter 103 depicts the end of Day 10 and the start of Day 11.
• Day 11: Chapters 103-127
• Day 12: Chapters 128-141^note Chapter 141 depicts the end of Day 12 and the start of Day 13.
• Day 13: Chapter 141

Dressed to Steal

• Arc 1: Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus, part 1 (chapter 1)
  • Prologue: Police Headquarters
    • It all starts in the form of a small journal entry by the six-year-old Coco Pommel Cooper-Fox, telling her story. And it all starts with one of her father's biggest missions...
    • One night as Chief Inspector Carmelita Fox of Interpol is in her office, having set up a trap for notorious raccoon thief Sly Cooper involving a file on the criminal who's stolen the Thievius Raccoonus, the Cooper family's book listing all the special thieving skills his family has collected over several centuries. Answering her door, she finds Coco Pommel, her and Sly's adoptive pony daughter, who wants a bedtime story from her. It quickly transpires, however, that Cooper is already in the building and taking the file. And he's just as surprised to see Coco, whom he says was supposed to stay in the van. Coco admits that she snuck in to prevent the two from fighting, and Sly had nothing to do with it. Reluctantly, Carmelita lets the two go.
    • In the van, with Bentley the Turtle and Murray the Hippo, Sly is somewhat frustrated since he didn't get the file... except it turns out Coco managed to photograph every single paper in it while he and Carmelita were distracted. He's proud of her for it, but still disappointed that she used her skills on her mom.
    • The journal continues, in which Coco promises an explanation for how her family is so diverse, with a raccoon father, a turtle and hippo as uncles, a fox as a mother, and a pony as a daughter.
• Arc 2: The First Meeting (chapters 2-5)
  • Jumping back in time two years, sixteen-year-old Sly and his gang are in pursuit of Seft, a scorpion and Egyptian warlord wreaking havoc in Africa. Breaking into Seft's headquarters, they discover Seft's plan, using a portal device to seize a lifeform from another world. Carmelita (who's nineteen) is also present, and after Seft's device retrieves a tiny pony with a cream coat and light blue mane and tail, Carmelita swoops in and rescues the filly before Seft's agent can plug her into another device. As Seft orders his people to shoot her, she tosses the filly into the rafters, where Sly catches her and snags Carmelita as well, getting them both to safety. The apparently four-year-old filly, giving them her name as Coco Pommel, asks shyly if they're her Mommy and Daddy, which Sly quickly agrees to. Coco is thrilled. Carmelita's torn between wanting to comfort the child or be mad at Sly.
  • The five manage to escape to Sly's temporary hideout, and while she's not happy about it, Carmelita reluctantly agrees to work with Sly and his gang to take out Seft. While Murray entertains Coco, Bentley shares the intel they've picked up: Seft wanted to bridge dimensions long enough to snatch an individual from the other side, then plug that being into the portal device to stabilize the link so he and his troops can go in and conquer it, either using it as a base of operations for further conquest or stripping it of any and all resources. The latter is what he planned for Coco's world, because its magic would make it easier for him to open portals to other worlds and would be very useful in conquering their world. Carmelita is horrified. Sly, learning that they can't use the portal to send Coco back home for another ten years or so, decides they need to just destroy it and any documents related to it.
  • Given the evidence that Seft's plans now qualify as war crimes and Sapients Rights violations, Carmelita points out that even if she could contact her bosses, they'd just order him brought in dead or alive. Sly agrees. And since Seft designed it himself, they have to kill him to prevent him from ever recreating it. He's disgusted by the idea, but agrees that it's necessary.
  • Heading back into Seft's base, Sly and his gang manage to destroy the portal device, and Sly duels Seft personally. Drawn into another room originally meant as a trap for Sly's father, Sly learns from Seft that Conner Cooper was killed by the Fiendish Five, who stole the Thievius Raccoonus from him. Seft also brags that after dealing with Cooper and recovering Coco, he'll personally act to destroy the Fiendish Five and recover the Thievius Raccoonus. Angered and fighting back, Sly is joined by Carmelita, and manages to injure Seft, though the scorpion escapes.
  • Afterward, Sly and Carmelita talk, and Sly admits that he was trying to kill Seft and hates himself for it. But it was necessary. There's also the matter of Coco, whom Carmelita wants to put in an orphanage, but Sly refuses for multiple reasons, including his own experiences in an orphanage and the fact that Seft could get to her there and try to use her in a new portal device. He and his gang will take her in and protect her from Seft. Carmelita reluctantly agrees, especially after they promise to let Coco spend as much time with Carmelita herself as she can.
• Arc 3: Early Years (chapters 6-10)
  • Over the next two years, Coco learns the ways of the Cooper Clan, including only stealing from other criminals. Her thieving skills come to include safe-cracking (which her hearing greatly helps at), agility and pickpocketing, but also trains in critical thinking and logic with Bentley's help. He also teaches her reading and writing, since she can't read the local language yet. She also learns from Carmelita, who wants to teach her about law enforcement, little suspecting that she could use those skills for criminal activities. With Carmelita, she also demonstrates skill at sewing, and surprises her mother with a skill at thrown weapons, which works better than trying to adapt a gun to her hooves.
  • Aside from training, the family also gives her plenty of time to just be a child. This includes, a year after she came to live with them, an outing at a carnival for what they treat as her fifth birthday. Carmelita's torn between surprise and annoyance when she finds Sly, Murray and Bentley operating a couple of the booths, but comes to be glad she's there.
  • Finally, one day, Sly announces it's time for a couple of important tests of her skills: stealth, speed and agility, cunning, and accuracy and diplomacy. She passes all of them easily, and is now past the "beginner" level of being a master thief.
• Arc 4: Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus, part 2 (chapters 11-34)
  • Tide of Terror (chapters 11-15)
    • Jumping back to the present day, the gang now has what they need to go after the Fiendish Five, staring with their Frogman member Sir Raleigh, a pirate with a base on Isle O'Wrath in the Welsh Triangle off the coast of Europe. Sly, Coco, Bentley and Murray head in, figuring out that the large blimp-like thing overhead is a storm machine, generating storms throughout the Welsh Triangle. Sly and Coco move onward, working through the island and discovering both pages of the Thievius Raccoonus and Treasure Keys, letting them unlock more paths. During the exploration, Sly reminds Coco that no matter what, they are thieves - not assassins. Also during the exploration, Sly learns one disadvantage to having Coco with him for an island mission: she can't swim. Fortunately, they manage to get through several sections without trouble, and even find blueprints for Raleigh's entire operation, which will be useful in taking him down.
    • After getting three Treasure Keys, they unlock the second half of the island, where they collect a fourth key, then run into another problem: the area beneath the Tower is the primary furnace, offering power to the entire base, and it's a little too hot for Coco. She holds on long enough to crack a nearby safe, containing a page with information on controlling body temperature (just what Coco needs, letting her continue on safely), and the path to the fifth Treasure Key. After getting that key, Sly and Coco learn from Bentley that they need two more keys to get into Raleigh's hideout. They acquire both, and use them to unlock a cannon, then shoot themselves up to Raleigh's blimp. After some talk, Coco easily disables him with one of her drugged needles, then takes a key from him to unlock his safe, holding several more pages of the Thievius Racoonus and documentation leading them to his cohort Muggshot in Utah.
  • Sunset Snake Eyes (chapters 16-19)
    • Thanks to the broadcast Sly set up, Interpol is able to arrest Raleigh and his crew for all of his crimes while the Cooper Clan heads for Mesa City in Utah. While the town appears mostly deserted, the group heads in, Sly and Coco making their way through the area. They also discover more of the Thievius Raccoonus and the first of another set of seven Treasure Keys. After entering the actual city, Sly and the group continue to work their way through the area, recovering three more Treasure Keys and another page of the Thievius Raccoonus. They're able to enter Muggshot's building, and figure out they need three more keys to get into the elevator that will take them to his penthouse. After acquiring two, they head for the third, only for Carmelita to show up. Sly explains what Coco did, and Carmelita reluctantly accepts it, since her motives were noble. While they're discussing things, Coco gets the last key and another page of the Thievius Racconus, allowing Sly to take her and evacuate, leaving an impressed Carmelita on the roof.
    • With the seven keys in hand, Sly and Coco head up to Muggshot's office. During the conversation that follows, Muggshot admits to knowing about Seft, and promises that if he wins this, he'll make sure Seft doesn't get his hands on Coco. Sly is pleasantly surprised by the bulldog's attitude, but that doesn't stop he and Coco from outwitting him. Muggshot admits they won fair and square, and tells them where they can find more pages of the Thievius Raccoonus, along with the location of their next member: Mz. Ruby, who's in Haiti. But first, the team goes back to Paris to recuperate.
  • Vicious Voodoo (chapters 20-23)
    • After their break, the team heads for Haiti, where Sly is on edge due to Mz. Ruby's knowledge of magic and possible interest in Coco. Exploring the swamp area, they discover they need to find a series of purple candles in order to disable the force fields protecting each of her Treasure Keys. With this information, they retrieve the first key and another page from the Thievius Raccoonus. Entering the center of the swamp, they locate Mz. Ruby's base, and its entrance. Which needs more Treasure Keys to open. They have to escape a serpent creature to get the next Key and page, then find a third Key and a set of blueprints in a cemetery before returning to the center of the swamp.
    • Back in the main area, they have to use a swamp skiff to travel around a lake and light a couple of torches to activate a gate with a fourth Treasure Key behind it. With the four keys in hand, they're able to get through another gate, releasing the serpent from earlier, which smashes open a new gate for them. In the new area, they sneak past more of Mz. Ruby's henchmen and head deeper into the swamp, where Mz. Ruby suddenly contacts them and lets them know she is aware of the "power not of this world" he has with him, and intends to find out exactly what it is when he finally meets her. The two then recover another page and the fifth Key.
    • Heading into the next area, Sly and Coco manage to acquire the sixth Key, and finally earn the seventh from a panther ghost by trading fifty dead chickens for it (he wants to make gumbo). With all seven keys, they're able to access Mz. Ruby's skull temple, and finally meet her face to face. After Coco easily overcomes the crocodile woman, she informs her of their reasons, and Mz. Ruby is horrified when she realizes Sly witnessed his father's death. She then informs him that only their leader actually killed Connor Cooper - the rest only cleared the way. Now truly repentant, she offers to help Coco learn more about her magic when she's ready, which Coco agrees to if Mz. Ruby turns herself in. She does, and the two Coopers leave with her spellbook and more of the Thievius Raccoonus, then prepare to go to the Kumlun Mountains in western China to face their fourth foe, the Panda King.
  • Fire in the Sky (chapters 24-28)
    • The Cooper Gang quickly arrives in the Kumlan Mountains, just in time to see an empty village get buried in an avalanche by one of the Panda King's fireworks. Heading up the mountain toward a large statue, they have to set off periodic fireworks to open new paths, and in the process find a building, which contains a vault with another page of the Thievious Raccoonus, then head for another gate. Nearby, they find a maze of paths leading to the first of the local Treasure Keys. Coco is able to bypass most of the paths by traveling via the treetops, recovering the key and returning to Sly's side, before they open the gate, revealing a passage to the main stronghold. Once inside, they learn they need two more Keys. With three total, they can release a set of fireworks to destroy a reinforced ceiling hatch and make their way to the top of the statue they saw. Plan in mind, they set out to find the next set of keys.
    • Sly and Coco head around the main compound, where they manage to retrieve another page of the Thievius Raccoonus, blueprints to the Panda King's lair, and two more Treasure Keys. Murray collects the fourth one, which is outside the compound, and they use three of the four to activate the fireworks in the main compound, unlocking an area that includes a second group of fireworks, protected by seven locks They also find information suggesting the Panda King actually wants to meet them in battle.
    • Heading for the fifth key, Coco figures out Carmelita will soon show up, and as soon as she does, the young filly heads off to get the next vault and key while Sly talks with Carmelita. On her own, she collects another key and another page of the Thievius Raccoonus, then returns to where Sly and Carmelita are... staying warm, as she finds out. Deciding not to interrupt them, she asks Bentley for directions to the last two keys, which she'll get on her own. She quickly retrieves the sixth key, while Murray gets the seventh one outside the compound, and Coco picks it up from him on the way back.
    • Meanwhile, Sly and Carmelita stay warm, and Sly tells her about the gang members they've shut down so far. And then other things happen, and Carmelita implies that she might not be as eager to arrest him as before. Once she leaves, he gets back in touch with Bentley, learns Coco had walked in on him, and, embarrassed, goes to meet with her once he learns she's picked up the last three keys they need. Catching up with Coco, Sly joins her in unlocking the last set of fireworks, sending them to the Panda King's lair.
    • In the lair, the Panda King surprises them by freely surrendering the remaining pages in his custody, then challenges them to a fight so they can show how they have grown. The pair prove more than a match, Coco easily figuring out his fighting style of Flame Fu, before the two defeat him. Yielding, the Panda King has Coco take the pages back to Murray and Bentley, while Sly stays behind to hear what the Panda King has to say about the leader of the Fiendish Five, whom he refuses to speak of in Coco's presence. Once she leaves, the Panda King explains exactly what happened to Conner Cooper, and that he and his allies believed they were merely sending him a message and putting him out of action until he could heal. However, when he realized their leader - Clockwerk, an ancient owl who has replaced almost all of his body with metal, and has nothing but pure hate for the Cooper Clan - had come to kill Conner and take his abilities for himself, he personally blocked the sight from Sly's view after Conner shoved him into a closet, and later took him to an orphanage, which he chose specifically to protect Sly from Clockwerk. He then informs Sly of Clockwerk's location - the Krack-Karov Volcano in Russia - and teases him about his relationship with Carmelita.
    • After the gang leaves and heads for home, Carmelita handles the Panda King's arrest and processing, then heads back to her own home, where she finds Sly and Coco waiting... and learns she needs to give her daughter The Talk after what she saw on the mountain. She is not amused.
  • The Cold Heart of Hate (chapters 29-31); interlude (chapters 31-34)^note Chapter 31 has the end of one arc and the start of the other.
    • After getting through the discussion, the family spends a few days recovering before setting off to Clockwerk's fortress. Once there, Coco reluctantly agrees to stay back so she won't attract Clockwerk's attention. Fighting their way through various areas, they eventually find a glass chamber with Carmelita trapped inside. In their attempts to free her, they catch Clockwerk's attention, and he activates a death trap... which Coco is able to act against with what she's learned from the Thievius Racoonus, holding off the deadly gas until Bentley and Murray can shut off the vents it's coming from. Carmelita is then able to free them from the room they're trapped in, and explains she came along because she wasn't going to let Coco face Clockwerk (whom she refers to as "the devil himself") without her.
    • Leaving the room, the group is attacked by one of Clockwerk's owl drones, which steals Sly and Coco's canes. The pair are able to retrieve them, but find out that the structure they're on is going to sink into the magma soon. Escaping, they retrieve Carmelita's jetpack (which had been taken from her previously and was on top of a death ray Clockwerk had set up) and use it to take to the air, just in time to face Clockwerk himself. He admits to having hated their clan for centuries, keeping himself alive with jealousy and hate until he could surpass their reputation.
    • As the fight begins, Carmelita contacts Sly and Coco and points out his weak points, which they take advantage of to damage Clockwerk's armor and finally disable his ability to fly, though it's not enough to finish him. Clockwerk continues gloating, admitting that he knew Sly was there when Conner was killed and deliberately spared him just to show the world that without the Thievius Raccoonus, a Cooper is nothing. As he rants that he's going to finish Sly and their line, Coco manages to shoot him down, sending him back into the magma, before (with Bentley's advice) smashing his head, where the auto repair function is. Finally, his head collapses, and his body stops moving.
    • With Clockwerk defeated and the last of him fallen into the magma, Sly recovers the last of the Thievius Racconus from him, letting him reassemble the book at last. Despite being happy for him, Carmelita has no choice but to chase him, but gives him a head start... which he sneakily uses to handcuff her to the bridge they're on, though he leaves its key with her.
    • Interlude: Following their adventures, Carmelita (when she finally catches up to them) makes them agree to see a therapist for family counseling. The five attend their first session together with a weasel named Mozzie (based on the character of the same name from White Collar). A later meeting has Sly and Carmelita, with Mozzie's aid, see that they've each been seeing the other in one of three ways, and both need to think about how they stand with one other: as professionals, or family.
    • Over the next few months, as Coco is training in magic with Mz. Ruby (who now goes by "Ms." - turns out she's sort of dating Muggshot), Sly and Carmelita are still having a rough time of it, being somewhat cold to one another. Finally, the two come to a solution: she can't stop being a cop, and he can't stop being a criminal. But she doesn't want to arrest him and take him away from Coco. So, as a third option, Sly will provide anonymous tips to Carmelita about any criminals they're both trying to take down, while not leaving any contact information that Seft could find and use to track down he and Coco. Carmelita approves of the idea.
    • Over the next three years, the family continues in their normal routine, Sly and Carmelita working through their romance and enjoying the chase again. Finally, after Coco's eighth birthday, it's determined that she'll be allowed to work on her own during heists, but only if she can pass a sequence of tests. The first, a clever written test, she passes easily. The second is an obstacle course, which she also passes. The third and final is a one-on-one battle against an unknown foe, and she wins. Even after she figures out it's her dad.
    • Unfortunately, shortly after Coco earns her promotion, she and Sly learn that someone has gathered surviving parts of Clockwerk's metal body, and they're on display in a Cairo museum. Carmelita will be part of the security team, knowing they're a likely target for the Cooper Gang. And of course, they go after them. But soon, things take a very unexpected turn.
• Arc 5: Sly 2: Band of Thieves (chapters 35-59)
  • A Shadow from the Past (chapter 35)
    • As the Cooper Gang heads into the museum, Coco discovers the Clockwerk parts are already missing. Carmelita's new partner, a pink and purple Bengal Tiger named Neyla, suspects that the Klaww Gang, another group that deals in illegal spice and doesn't hesitate to get violent, is responsible. Carmelita, fully aware Coco is watching, tricks Neyla into revealing what she knows about the Gang, and Coco is able to escape with the information.
  • The Black Chateau (chapters 35-38)
    • Their first stop is Paris, where an iguana named Dimitri Lousteau is based out of a nightclub, The Black Chateau. He's also in possession of Clockwerk's tail feathers, and so Coco begins investigating the area. Once they've done that, they infiltrate The Black Chateau, Coco using her inherent cuteness to trick some of the guards and sneak in for more information. However, they still need to get more details before they can go in and retrieve Clockwerk's Tail Feathers. The mission goes as planned, until Constable Neyla shows up and reveals she knew Coco was watching them and deliberately revealed the information on Dimitri so it could be passed on to Sly. After they earn the key to the nightclub's back door from her and Coco gets suspicious of the policewoman due to her own maneuverability resembling Cooper clan techniques, they're ready for the last stage, and finally break into the club to retrieve the Clockwerk Tail Feathers. They manage to distract Dimitri with a conversation on art and escape with the Feathers, shortly before Carmelita and Neyla arrive to arrest Dimitri. They then take a week off to relax in Monaco.
  • A Starry Eyed Encounter (chapters 39-40)
    • The next stage takes them to India, where a tiger named Rajan holds the Clockwerk Wings and is producing illegal spice of some kind. The group has to infiltrate a party, which is being attended by Carmelita and Neyla, along with their boss, The Contessa (a centauriform with the lower body of a black widow spider), and the remaining two members of the Klaww Gang: Arpeggio (a parrot) and Jean Bison (a bison). While Sly infiltrates the party, Coco and Bentley will set things up to get rid of the security helicopter so Murray can get the Wings out of the ballroom. They succeed, Coco causing a distraction and unlocking the vault room for the others, while Sly and Carmelita enjoy themselves on the dance floor. Rajan is so distracted by their dance, he completely misses seeing Murray escape with the Clockwerk Wings... and is furious when he finds they're gone. Though he and the other Klaww Gang members escape, Carmelita and Neyla manage to arrest all their troops.
  • The Predator Awakes (chapters 41-42)
    • Having followed Rajan to a forgotten temple in India, Coco is assigned to find a vault and retrieve more weapon schematics, and finally learns that Rajan's spice is designed to drive anyone who eats it into an uncontrollable rage. They make use of this with an elephant so it'll smash the local satellite array. After this, Sly handles bugging Rajan's office, while Bentley manages to get ahold of the area blueprints. Once they have those, Sly manages to blow up the spice production operation on his own, and retrieve half of the Clockwerk Heart, while Rajan still has the other half in his staff.
    • Finally, after Sly, Murray and Bentley set things in motion to flood the entire place, Coco watches the battle that follows between Sly and Rajan, with Constable Neyla also showing up, only to suddenly abandon the fight and let Sly get knocked out. Murray steps in, and the fight finally ends with Murray knocking out Rajan and claiming the second half of the Clockwerk Heart for the team. Soon after, Neyla returns, along with Carmelita and the Contessa, and the tiger betrays them by giving the Contessa proof that Carmelita has been helping the Cooper Gang, causing them to arrest her, along with Sly and Murray. Coco is furious, vowing revenge.
  • Jailbreak (chapters 43-44)^note Chapter 44 has the end of one arc and the start of the other.
    • After their family has been captured, Coco and Bentley return to their base, only to find it overrun by the Contessa's goons, who have recovered the gang's Clockwerk parts. After a week of tracking and research, the pair find their family in a prison in Prague, run by the Contessa. With a little advice from Ms. Ruby (who, along with Muggshot and the Panda King, is being held there), Coco and Bentley head into the prison, where Coco uses some of the magic she's learned to summon an army of stone golems to assault the prison and rescue her family. Meanwhile, Coco herself has another objective. Traveling through the prison, she finds Ms. Ruby and learns from her that the Panda King has escaped the prison. She also discovers Ms. Ruby is pregnant, and she and Muggshot have decided to stay in the prison until they can get out legally.
  • A Tangled Web (chapters 44)
    • Continuing her travels through the prison, Coco finally confronts the Contessa, and learns that she is in fact part of the Klaww Gang. She learns from her that Neyla is also part of the gang, and is the one gathering the stolen Clockwerk parts. The Contessa also identifies two other members: Arpeggio and Jean Bison. With all this information transmitted to another ally in Carmelita's old precinct, there's enough evidence to arrest the Contessa.
    • Meanwhile, the golems Coco summoned have rescued her family from the Contessa's castle, along with the Clockwerk Eyes and Murray's half of the Clockwerk Heart. With the family reunited (and Carmelita less than thrilled by Coco's golem-summoning outfit), the Interpol agents arrive and arrest the Contessa and her goons.
  • He Who Tames the Iron Horse (chapters 45-46)
    • With the Contessa dealt with, the Cooper Gang, joined by Carmelita, decides to go after Jean Bison next. Their mission takes them to Nunavut Bay, Canada, the hub of his shipping empire. Splitting up, Coco and Sly both gather the information they need about Jean's three Iron Horses (the trains he uses) before planning the assault to acquire the Clockwerk parts that are powering them. During this planning session, Carmelita announces that she's made a decision: between her recent arrest and the fact that Coco needs to be the highest priority for her, she's leaving Interpol to join the gang for good.
    • With plans made, the Cooper Gang goes after the Iron Horses and are able to retrieve the three Clockwerk Parts: his Stomach and both Lungs, before returning to base.
  • Menace from the North, eh! (chapters 47-49)
    • Having lost his first set of Clockwerk parts, Jean Bison withdraws to the north and his logging operations, with the Cooper Gang in pursuit. They soon find he's put up the Clockwerk Talons as the prize for his Lumberjack Games, and after the Gang gathers more information, they plan to enter the Games and win the Talons, with Coco being the key to winning. In disguise, she proves herself against Jean Bison in the games, and During the third round, Coco questions him about the Northern Lights, which have been acting strangely. Jean explains that he's made a device that magically draws energy from them to fuel batteries, which his ally Arpeggio is using for some purpose, but that the draw isn't harming them. When he tells her just how much energy they're getting, Coco informs him that as much power as he's drawing, he's developed the perfect renewable power source. If he patented it, he could make more money than he could dream of. And the same power could easily fuel his trains, which is all he really wants. Surprised by this news, Jean falls off his log, letting Coco win. After she helps him out of the water, Coco helps him figure out that Arpeggio, who didn't tell him any of this, is just using him to get free shipping, making the bison very mad at Arpeggio and wanting to find a way to get even. Coco then offers him a way to possibly do just that.
    • Returning to the hideout with the Clockwerk Talons, Coco finds Neyla has already shown up there. When the evil tigress attacks Coco, Murray intercepts her. It's at this point that they find out he has a dangerous amount of spice still in him, thanks to his time in the Contessa's prison, and unless they get the counteragent in time, he'll burn himself out. The gang reluctantly trades their Clockwerk Parts for the antidote, then once Murray's recovered, they prepare to head for Arpeggio's base for the final showdown.
  • Anatomy for Disaster (chapters 50-52)
    • With the help of Jean Bison, the Gang uses his empty battery to sneak aboard Arpeggio's blimp and then flying fortress. Once aboard, they break into his systems and figure out what he's after: creating the ultimate flying body for himself. Coco also goes after some other key information. Finally, after Sly tricks Arpeggio into spilling his entire plan, Neyla betrays the bird and fuses herself with the Clockwerk parts instead, becoming Clock-La. Managing to catch Coco, she reveals that she's actually working for Seft, and her mission all along has been to retrieve Coco for him... though she also admits that once the portal's open, she'll gladly betray him as well.
    • While Coco and Clock-La argue back and forth, Bentley manages to hack her systems, enabling Sly and Carmelita to rescue Coco. The quintet quickly do what they can to try and stop her, and Bentley finally goes after the Hate Chip, the key part in Clock-La's body... but while he manages to get it away from her, Clock-La's beak snaps shut on his legs, shattering them. Coco is enraged and attacks Clock-La, using one of her darkest abilities: the necromantic magic Miss Ruby taught her. Binding Neyla within Clockwerk's skull, Coco renders her immortal... and then sends her to the bottom of a trench in the deepest part of the ocean. She is now forever trapped under miles of crushing water pressure, unable to move or sleep, and cursed to never die. Her vengeance achieved, Coco weeps over the crippled Bentley.
    • In the aftermath of Clock-La's defeat, Sly decides to let Carmelita arrest him, which will clear her name and let her be reinstated in Interpol, so she can keep an eye out for Seft from that side of the law. Murray leaves with Bentley and Coco, while Carmelita and Sly remain behind as Secretary Megraw, a member of Interpol's governing body, arrives. Megraw accepts Carmelita's story and Sly's arrest, and orders her to escort him into custody.
  • Interlude (chapters 53-59)
    • Some time after his arrest, Sly is finally put on trial, and his lawyer, a phoenix named Porcupine, puts forth that there is a lack of confirmed evidence of his involvement at any of the crime scenes, save for those where he was acting to prevent the return of Clockwerk. And in those incidents, there is plenty of evidence that he was being "encouraged" to steal the Clockwerk parts as part of an Interpol operation. The judge finally agrees, clearing Sly of all charges.
    • After the trial, Coco is very happy to have her father back. But she's also dismayed, because her uncles are leaving for a time: Bentley to further his technical research until he can deal with his paralysis, Murray to try to find peace with himself.
    • Over the next while, life goes on. Dimitri takes an interest in music, writing a song about Coco and Clock-La, while Coco discovers and decides to bring home a discovery: a little robo-crab called Deik-Beck, who was made by Clockwerk, and claims to have been thrown away... but by all appearances, it's not telling the truth.
    • Some time later, Commissioner Megraw calls Carmelita into his office to talk about her connection with the Cooper Gang. He knows full well that Sly and his gang only steel from criminals worse than them, and that Carmelita took advantage of this. He also approves, and wants her to send Sly a message: he can keep going after other criminals, but Megraw wants to know ahead of time so his agents can be there to arrest those criminals. In short, it's the same arrangement she'd hoped to set up to protect Coco. Sly agrees when he finds out.
    • Some time later, on her eighth birthday, Coco is given a special Cooper test: break into the house of a particular wealthy industrialist, steal one of his valuables, leave behind a calling card, and escape. All without getting caught. Accompanied by Diek-Beck, Coco makes it in and finds one particular item, but doesn't take it, having realized the test isn't about the theft, it's about proving she can get in and out. She also meets the owner, who gives her a message for Sly. Turns out he was in on the whole thing - every generation of Cooper finds a new hole in his security for him to patch. At the end of the test, she reads the note he gave her, and learns his name: Scrooge McDuck.
    • Not long after, Coco returns to Scrooge's mansion with her parents for a friendly dinner. Scrooge's nephews are also in attendance. During the dinner, Scrooge recognizes Carmelita as being the daughter, granddaughter and great-granddaughter of three Interpol agents he's been on cases with, and reveals that Sly and Carmelita's fathers actually worked together (along with Scrooge). He also manages to keep Coco happy, even after one mention of Clockwerk (when Sly wonders how he can still be alive after so long, and given how the only other immortal he knows did it...) makes her upset for a little bit.
    • After the dinner, Coco goes to spend some time with Huey, Dewey and Louie, while Sly and Carmelita fill Scrooge in on Seft and how they met Coco, and even how Carmelita was fully ready to join the Cooper Gang full-time after what Neyla did. After she confirms she plans to stay a cop, they get a surprise visitor: Conrad Fox, Carmelita's father. He's heard everything, and is very happy for the two of them, much to the surprise of the younger pair.
    • After meeting Conrad, the family learns that two of Connor Cooper's old gang are still alive. Sly meets with Jim McSweeney the walrus, who's in jail, and informs him of Dr. M, a mandrill and their tech expert, who left the gang on bad terms. Jim also informs them of the Cooper Vault, where all the family's loot has been held for generations. Jim holds the map, and allowed himself to be arrested to protect it. Jim gives Sly the map, and moments later, Bentley arrives, now using a mechanized wheelchair to get around and very happy to see Sly again, who is likewise thrilled.
• Arc 6: Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves (chapters 60-87)
  • An Opera of Fear (chapters 60-62)
    • With map in hand, Sly learns that Dr. M has acquired the deed to Kaine Island, where the Cooper Vault is located. Knowing he'll need a full gang to go in, Sly and Carmelita set up a mission in Venice, home of the Vincenetti Gang, and also, for now, to Murray. Setting up a meeting with their friend, they learn he needs to deal with a scheme of the Vincenetti's before he can rejoin them.
    • To deal with the scheme, they have to break into the Opera House to learn of Don Octavio's plans, and Coco confirms he was indeed behind the tar in the waters. Soon after, Coco, Bentley and Deik-Beck rescue Carmelita from enemy agents, and the team then moves on to recover blueprints for the tar pump reservoirs and then shut down Octavio's tar reservoirs, the latter task of which Coco accomplishes with the aid of Murray.
    • Once Sly finishes up another task and rescues Bentley from Octavio (who's abducted him), the team's final task is to set up Octavio's arrest. With all four official members present, Octavio's criminal activities are confirmed and he's arrested when Carmelita shows up, and the gang is officially back together. It helps when Jean Bison shows up afterward with Murray's van, which he's taken very good care of, making Murray very happy.
  • Rumble Down Under (chapters 63-67)
    • With their mission in Venice complete, the group sets off for Australia, but at the airport, have a surprising run-in with some old friends: Mrs. Ruby, who introduces Coco to her daughter Felicia. When she's told of their mission to the Outback, Mrs. Ruby warns her to be very careful about her magic down there, which is far more primal and dangerous to use. Coco promises to be careful. Soon after arriving, they set out in search of the Guru. Due to the situation with the local magic, Coco stays in their hideout, while Sly finds the Guru, a koala, who's being held prisoner in a mining camp. The Guru gets Sly to recover his gear, and insists on meeting Murray and Bentley individually before he'll help. Also, he wants the area cleared of miners, since he won't be able to use his powers until they're gone. Once all of these are carried out, the Guru and Coco meet for the first time, and he promises to train her in what he knows.
    • Guru and Coco begin their lessons, Coco learning how to handle the energies of the Outback and the Dreamtime Spirits, and sharing what she learned from Mrs. Ruby with him. He also tells her that they must seek out, pacify and lay to rest the Mask of Dark Earth, and she needs to learn how to handle her power before they can achieve this. While she makes some progress, she isn't ready yet.
    • Once Coco recovers, the group makes plans to get rid of the miners, playing on their paranoia. However, before they can get rid of the Mask of Dark Earth, it attaches itself to Carmelita, and makes her incredibly angry. Coco and Sly manage to get it off, but it promptly attaches itself to Coco. Though she manages to keep control of herself, she figures out that the Mask is missing something, and she gets memories from it. Calling on her powers, she manages to recreate a staff that is somehow linked to the Mask, reuniting the two and calming the Mask for good, then passes out from overexerting her abilities.
    • Some time later, still effectively comatose, Coco is contacted by the Guru, who explains exactly what she did, explaining the origin of the Mask of Dark Earth and the original Staff of Moonfire, long-destroyed when the Mask's power was turned against it. But now, the two artifacts have been balanced, healing the damage done to the land over generations, and have chosen to join Coco, giving her something of a power-up.
  • Flight of Fancy (chapters 68-71)
    • While Coco recovers, Bentley figures out what kind of people they need for their assault. The next person they're going for is Penelope, an RC specialist from Holland, and the way to recruit her is the Black Baron, her current boss and an aerial dogfight champion from the ACES dogfight competition.
    • When they arrive at the scene of the competition, they find Muggshot is part of it as well, competing for the prize money (which they intend to be for his daughter's college fund). Coco gets him to help out, by giving them an extra plane, in return for a favor in St. Canard. The group gets through the rounds, making it to the finals, where Muggshot persuades the Black Baron to make it a captains only match. The Baron agrees, and Sly wins the match by exposing the Baron as a disguise of the very woman they're trying to recruit, which she explains she created so she could begin entering the ACES competition while still underage a few years before. Once she learns what they're up to, she agrees to join. Coco then informs them that their next stop is St. Canard, per her promise to Muggshot.
  • Clash in St. Canard (chapters 72-77)^note This arc takes the place of the game canon arc Dead Men Tell No Tales, which brought Dimitri the Chameleon onto the team.
    • In St. Canard, Coco meditates with the Mask and Staff to try and find Mrs. Ruby, but discovers many, many magical users, or at least those with some ability or who are attuned to magic in some way, and can't narrow it down to her signal. After a slight reveal that makes Sly, Murray and Carmelita very mad at Bentley for a little while, the group gets down to business: there's a battle going on between the witches Morgana Macawber and Magica De Spell, and Mrs. Ruby has been enlisted by the latter to help her. Coco, knowing Magica is a villain and wondering why Mrs. Ruby would help her when she's gone straight, figures out Magica is holding Mrs. Ruby's daughter. The gang begins planning to rescue her, and Coco scopes out the volcano that Magica has created in the bay.
    • Exploring the volcano, Coco is able to avoid being caught, and finally makes it to the central chamber, where she finds Felicia, though she's unable to free her at the time. Once back out, she and her family discuss matters, and figure out what needs to be done: they need one of the local vigilantes to get through the volcano. And Carmelita has an idea as to just who they can recruit.
    • While the others have some doubts, Coco learns that the hero in question knows someone who works for Scrooge, and decides to give him a call to ask about the pair. Scrooge learns of her holding the Mask of Dark Earth and the Staff of Moonfire, but still warns her to be careful of a masked duck dressed in orange. He also, without knowing it, confirms what she needs to know about the very person she was going to ask about: Launchpad McQuack (whom Scrooge wants back in Duckburg soon for a mission) and his partner. With the information she now has, Coco searches for information on the "duck in orange", but can't find any, and notices some suspicious absences in the city's records, which really concerns her.
    • Once the group has the information they need, they start making plans. First off, find their new ally: Darkwing Duck. They finally find him, and while Sly keeps him busy, Coco meets his sidekick Quiverwing Quack and manages to explain that they're the good guys. The two girls almost instantly become friends. Quiverwing then goes to talk her dad into stopping the fight, and after explaining that they know Scrooge and explain they were just trying to get his attention, he agrees to work with them. The expanded group makes their plans to invade the volcanic base once again, where Coco and Quiver rescue Felicia. Once she's out of there, Mrs. Ruby (whom Darkwing expects is the one holding the place together) will pull her power out, causing it to collapse while the rest of the invasion team (Darkwing, Sly, Launchpad and Murray) fights their way out. Also, explosives are involved. Reactions vary, but three of the other five going in like it, while the others just groan.
    • The rescue goes almost as planned, but there's an issue with Coco, Gosalyn and Felicia's escape. Fortunately, they're safely caught by Mrs. Ruby, who promptly does as expected and wipes out the base, allowing the group to finish their mission.
    • After that mission, while Mrs. Ruby and Guru discuss what happened in Australia and the Cooper Gang discusses recruiting an underwater specialist, Coco has a run-in with the "duck in orange": Negaduck, who reveals to her that he's secretly been protecting Darkwing's secret identity, because beating him as a civilian would mean nothing. He's more interested in surpassing the legend of Darkwing Duck. After some thinly-veiled threats, he leaves, while the group heads off to find their next recruit: the Panda King, to be their ballistics expert.
  • A Cold Alliance (chapters 78-79)
    • The Panda King is still in China, living in the Kunlun Mountains and in a deep meditative trance atop a large pillar. Once up, Guru and Sly manage to communicate with him, and learn his daughter Jing has been kidnapped by the rooster General Tsao, who controls a large portion of the country and plans on marrying Jing to solidify his rule. Sly promptly announces that they're going to save her, and would do it even if they didn't need his help for their mission. Panda King is very happy to hear this, and gives them information on Tsao's army and fighting methods.
    • The group finds their way to General Tsao's compound, where they manage to infiltrate the place. Unfortunately, Tsao figures out what they're up to, and steals Bentley's computer. In the process of recovering it, Coco uses the Staff of Moonfire and Mask of Dark Earth to deal with Tsao, turning him into a woman... and then creates a distraction that lets them sneak in and rescue Jing. The group leaves her with her aunt, at the Panda King's insistence, then heads on to the next mission.
  • Honor Among Thieves (chapters 80-82)
    • With the full team gathered, the group heads for Kaine Island. Unfortunately, Coco is unable to join them for the first part of the mission due to a bad migraine that puts her into a temporary coma. By the time she recovers, Sly is back on the boat, unconscious and without his cane due to Dr. M's actions. In the events that follow, Mrs. Ruby and Muggshot have recovered the cane, and the entire group goes onward, finally reaching the vault (in no small part due to Carmelita secretly training herself in the family techniques).
    • Inside the Cooper Vault, the trio discovers their family's legacy. They also discover that Sly technically has blood ties to some of the most powerful families in the world's history, so he could rule the world if he wanted through that heritage alone. Sly, however, isn't interested - he just wants adventure and joy with his friends and family, and reminds them that the Cooper Clan is driven by a duty to protect the world from its own worst people. Finally, at the last portrait, of Sly and his father, they find a trail that's been left for him, which the trio quickly follow.
    • Making their way to the center of the vault, they find a hall of memorabilia, and Dr. M, whom Coco taunts as a distraction while Sly battles him, only for the raccoon to be sent flying into a wall, knocking him unconscious. Ultimately, the family defeats Dr. M's mecha, with Carmelita tossing both Dr. M and his mecha into a pit below to his apparent doom. Unfortunately, when Sly awakens, he's suffering from amnesia, not knowing who he or anyone else is. When a sudden explosion occurs from below, the trio realize they need to evacuate, because the place is about to collapse.
    • Once the group escapes, Coco leaves Sly in the care of Carmelita, and tells the others what has happened. In the meantime, they work to empty out the Vault, saving everything they can (which turns out to be all of it) and taking it back to Duckberg. In the meantime, Guru examines Sly's aura and confirms that he knows everyone, but the connections to his memories of them have been damaged, and he will need time to recover.
  • Interlude (chapters 83-87)
    • Returning to Duckberg, with the rest of their group having gone their separate ways, the group explains everything to Scrooge, and he helps them with Sly, figuring out the other man's skills remain intact, but he is consciously unaware of them. Scrooge shares this information with Carmelita and Coco, and Coco in turn shares it with the rest of the group. They come up with a plan to try and bring Sly's past back to him, but are uncertain if it'll work. Meanwhile, Deik-Beck studies Sly, and promises to ensure the return of Sly's memory, and to make sure that his legend lasts forever... because if Deik-Beck's true identity as Clockwerk couldn't conquer Sly, nobody will.
    • Time passes. Scrooge lets them rent one of his homes in Paris, which the trio lives in while Carmelita goes back to her job full-time. However, Sly eventually decides he and Coco should tag along on one of her jobs, and the pair wind up saving her from a group who are associated with Seft. Sly recovers a bit of his memory, though not much, during this event. By the time about a year and a half has gone by though, Sly has recovered enough of his memories to know how much he loves Carmelita, and proposes. She says yes.
    • Over the next few years, Sly's memory, including of his friends, continues to recover. One night, when Coco, her parents, Bentley, Murray, Penelope and Scrooge are all together, it's revealed Bentley's been getting special treatments for spinal reconstruction, in the hopes that he can eventually walk again. That same night, Coco and Penelope have a talk, and Penelope privately admits to Coco that she thinks Sly's moral code is holding Bentley back, since he refuses to put their new research into arms manufacture or a few other things. Coco, on the other hand, feels it's the other way around, that Bentley's even more morally centered by nature than Sly. Some of the information she reveals causes Penelope to go pale, and she hurries off to parts unknown.
    • While the group is worried about her, something else gets their attention soon after: Bentley has discovered that the writing is vanishing from the Thievius Raccoonus...
• Arc 7: Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time (chapters 88-124)
  • Paris Prologue (chapters 88-89)
    • The adventure starts with Bentley's message, calling Sly, Coco and Murray together (Carmelita is out on assignment). He's figured out that someone is messing with time to specifically erase the Cooper Clan's history. Using the time machine he and Penelope have made, they can stop the one responsible. In order to go back, they need artifacts from the eras where time has been altered. The first they need is a 17th century Japanese dagger, stored in a museum owned by a skunk named Le Paradox. Sly, who's been having the urges to commit another heist, is eager to go after it. Coco, however, thinks they should tell Carmelita, who is investigating the same museum. Sly is convinced that they should leave her out of this, if only so their enemy won't realize the connection with her and try to wipe out her past too. So Coco tells her anyway, in private. The following heist goes off without a hitch, until Carmelita shows up and promptly informs him Coco had snitched on him. The pair reveal that Carmelita knew Sly had been casing the museum and was counting on his pulling a heist, giving her the chance she needed to get evidence against La Paradox. Once they escape, they trigger the time machine, with the aid of Felicia, who is able to serve as their contact in their native time.
  • Turning Japanese (chapters 90-95)
    • Arriving in ancient Japan, the gang searches for Sly's ancestor Rioichi Cooper, an expert ninja and the inventor of sushi. Finding he's locked up by an enemy, Sly, Coco and Deik-Beck do reconnoissance, and discover the presence of El Jefe, a tiger mercenary general who's high on Interpol's wanted list. Using the information they've gathered, they break into the prison and find Rioichi, who inadvertently flirts with Coco and is distressed when, as she's freeing him, he realizes she's his many-generations removed granddaughter. Together, they escape from the prison.
    • Once the family has returned to the hideout, they begin plans to retake Riochi's sushi shop. While Riochi recovers his cane and then the keys to his ninja hideout, he encounters Carmelita, who has already disabled some of the guards and briefly mistakes him for Sly. The two finish chasing off the rest of El Jefe's guards, then go back to Sly's temporary base, where Carmelita happily reunites with her fiancé and daughter. She then explains how she managed to get enough evidence to take down Le Paradox, and stole a Quantum Shift Beacon that allowed her to escape to their time.
    • Examining the damaged device, Bentley tells Carmelita how it worked, and Felicia (who contacts them from the future) tells of her own part in making sure Carmelita ended up in the right time when she detected the activation. The family then begins planning how to figure out El Jefe's plans, which will involve one of them going undercover in a local geisha house once Riochi gets some outfits, which he takes off to do. Once he returns with the outfits, and some extra material for alterations, they decide they can have Murray pose as "Madame Geisha" while Carmelita will pretend to be her newest recruit. Coco promptly gets to work on the outfits.
    • The infiltration goes well, and El Jefe asks Carmelita for a private performance. However, when she gives him her cover story as a married woman dancing to earn money both to feed her family and medicine for her husband, El Jefe surprises her by proving himself honorable, giving her both money and medicine. Meanwhile, the rest of the family helps Riochi get his restaurant back on track, Coco (who is getting periodic flashes of an altered past in which Gyro Gearloose, a scientist who works for Scrooge, is replacing Bentley) restocks on potion ingredients, and Bentley gets information revealing that El Jefe is indeed working for someone (whom they're sure is Le Paradox), who wants Rioichi's cane.
    • With the information they have, the group prepares to go after El Jefe in his base. Meanwhile, Coco gets an explanation about her visions from Felicia. As they arrive at the palace, they witness a dirigible, belonging to Le Paradox, leaving the palace. El Jefe manages to steal Rioichi's came from him, then tries to get it aboard the dirigible, while Sly and Coco pursue him. In their fight, Sly questions El Jefe on what drives him, and it turns out he's the father of Tigress from Kung Fu Panda, and has been sending the money he earns to the Valley of Peace in order to help support his daughter's home and the people she protects.
    • As the fight continues, Sly finally wins, but Le Paradox's men escape with the cane; fortunately, they accidentally leave a clue to their next stop behind. The Coopers return to their present, taking a now amnesiac El Jefe back with them and delivering him to the Valley of Peace, where he becomes an assistant in Mr. Ping's noodle shop.
  • Go West Young Raccoon (chapters 96-101)
    • Back in the present day, Carmelita recommends that given the kind of foe they're dealing with, they should get some additional backup, in the form of someone who knows how to fly, has a plane of their own, has survived time travel before and has weapons of their own to help them out in other eras... and won't blink twice at working with a family of thieves to save the world. And she knows just the people. Consequently, the Cooper Gang makes a detour to Megakat City.
    • In the city, Carmelita meets up with the town's Deputy Mayor Callie Briggs, and asks for her aid in recruiting the SWAT Kats - who happen to be her old friends Chance "T-Bone" Furlong and Jake "Razor" Clawson - for help. The two agree almost immediately, once they find out just who's asking for help.
    • After introductions to Coco's newest Uncles, the team makes their way to the 1880s Old West, where they find that Sly's ancestor Tennessee Kid Cooper has been arrested by a new sheriff, an armadillo named Toothpick, and the team debates over how to break him out. Sly's plan, which involves letting himself be arrested so he can find where his ancestor is being held, is chosen. They succeed, and while he's in jail, Coco scouts the area.
    • Inside the jail, Sly is left in Tennessee's cell, and the two make their escape soon after. As they travel through the jail, T-Bone decides to give them a new door, allowing the pair to escape and get back to the hideout, where Sly introduces him to the family and Tennessee flirts with Carmelita, to Sly's annoyance. Eventually, they get him to behave and believe their story, and he in turn explains how he was caught during what he intended to be his last heist, and how he was suspicious of Sheriff Toothpick's arrival, considering their town already has a sheriff - Valina, a fox/raccoon hybrid, whom Tennessee has a serious thing for and wants to be in a relationship with. He is also convinced that Toothpick is the one who actually stole the gold that Tennessee was planning to steal. Now that he's safe, the gang has their next mission: steal back Tennessee's gun and prove Toothpick is corrupt.
    • The team's mission to recover Tennessee's gun (which is actually his Cooper Cane) goes well, and is followed by a brief talk about why Sly doesn't have a gun in his cane. Sly explains that Coopers have changed since his day, their methods being non-lethal and leaving no evidence, something it's hard to do at range. Coco's abilities are the first to really bring the concept back since Tennessee's day, something that makes the older Cooper proud.
    • Afterward, the team has to figure out Toothpick's plans, and after some events to get the keys to reroute the train with the gold and get Tennessee onboard. Meanwhile, Coco goes to find Valina and brings her in on the whole thing. Valina figures out the time travel part on her own, and joins them in taking down Toothpick. Once he's beaten, and Valina and Tennessee officially hook up, the time travelers bring Toothpick back to Scrooge's place to hold him until they can think of a better solution.
    • The Coopers then find the next object they need: Murray's necklace, which will lead them back to prehistoric times...
  • Clan of the Cave Raccoon (chapters 102-104)
    • Arriving in the prehistoric, ice-bound Gungathal Valley in 10,000 BC, the Coopers make it to ground safely, but find they need to do a complete retrofit on their van, which they need running to operate the time machine. Furthermore, passing so rapidly between three time periods has overloaded the spell linking them to Felicia, so they can't ask her for help.
    • After Deik-Beck offers his parts to repair the van and Sly refuses, telling him they aren't going to sacrifice a friend to save themselves, the group splits up. Sly scouts the area, along with recovering some of the pieces of the Time Drive.
    • After Sly's scouting mission, Coco is assigned the task of investigating the fortress set up by Le Paradox's general in this time: a black bear named The Grizz, a notorious art thief. Deik-Beck and Coco sneak in and find the native Cooper, and free him, though The Grizz escapes with his cane (a spear with a hook blade). Fortunately, the prehistoric Cooper likes them after he sees them scare off the guards.
    • Taking the saber-toothed raccoon (whom Coco nicknames "Bob") back to their hideout, they work up a translation spell to help with communications. Bob explains that Grizz had stolen some eggs before Bob could, and Bob had gotten depressed and out of shape from this, letting him get caught and enabling Grizz to steal his Cooper Cane, the first of its kind.
    • T-Bone and Razor help Bob get back into shape in a method that involves an obstacle course and food as bait, which he wins. Bob then helps them recover one of the missing parts for their time drive, while Murray gets another part back.
    • Coco then goes into the ice caves to track Grizz, and discovers his plan: making fake cave paintings he can sell in the present. Meanwhile, Carmelita runs into Bob's mate, a prehistoric fox, and learns a great deal about the Grizz's fortress, allowing them to charge in and take down their enemy.
    • While the group is taking down The Grizz, Bentley finishes the repairs on everything, allowing them to use Grizz's crown to head for their next destination: Medieval England.
  • Of Mice and Mechs (chapters 105-110)
    • Arriving safely in England, 1301 AD, the gang finds the knight Sir Galleth Cooper working in a circus. Razor, in the course of his scouting, also discovers a wanted poster for a vixen who looks just like Carmelita, and is identified as "Robyn Hood". Coco quickly figures out she must be Sir Galleth's girlfriend, while Carmelita decides her resemblance to the other woman means she'll have to sit the mission out until they get Sir Galleth to safety and get answers.
    • Once Sly and Razor have gotten materials for her, Coco makes a disguise for Sly that allows him to recover Galleth on his own. Once the other Cooper arrives at the hideout, he promptly mistakes Carmelita for his love, and from there the full story comes out: Galleth's friend, Sir Robin of Loxley, was the original Robin Hood, until he died at the hands of Rottingham. Robin's love Maid Marian has taken his place and name in order to honor his memory.
    • Galleth, meanwhile, is very much in love with Marian/Robyn, and she feels the same about him, but neither will act on them because they don't want to betray the original Robin's memory.
    • Galleth then gives them information on the Black Knight, whom they figure out is the time traveler they have to stop, something which relieves Galleth as it explains a lot.
    • The group's next goal is to recover Galleth's cane, which is built into his lance. The team's first attempt to recover it ends in success, with some sneaky aid from Robyn, though not without alerting the Black Knight to their presence. Meanwhile, T-Bone scouts out the castle and takes out its robotic guard. With that dealt with, the Gang is able to remove three other key elements of the Black Knight's operation and put them on the move.
    • While spying on the Black Knight, Razor learns their true identity: Penelope, who's being blackmailed into working for Le Paradox by none other than their old enemy Seft. After he makes his report, the group does their best to try and figure out how to draw out their enemy... but while everyone else is planning, Bentley sneaks out with a plan of his own, surrendering so he can be taken to Penelope and aid her in getting out from under Seft's control. Meanwhile, the rest of the clan plans for their own confrontation with Seft.
    • Blasting their way into the castle, the group confronts Penelope, only to find she's more than ready for them, and Seft is most amused by her and Bentley's betrayal. Until it turns out the betrayal is on Seft. However, he manages to escape, leaving the group in some distress.
    • Once everyone's free of Bentley and Penelope's traps, Penelope explains everything about how and why she got involved in this, including how she'd hoped to alter history so Bentley wouldn't meet Sly while still meeting her in time, feeling that Sly was holding him back. She went to Le Paradox to get the altered machine built, but by the time Coco made her see sense and she'd gone to tell him to stop, Seft was already working with Le Paradox to build the machine and essentially threatened Bentley's life if Penelope backed out... and had set up a machine that would send a signal to a specific point in time, where an assassin is waiting outside Bentley's hospital room just after his surgery. Now he's caught between two possible timelines, one where he lives and one where he doesn't and Scrooge sent Gyro Gearloose to be their tech expert, and Penelope's stuck working for Seft in order to keep Bentley alive.
    • After explanations are made, Galleth figures out a key point of the device and destroys it, which achieves exactly what he'd planned: the assassin's been stopped, and the collapse of the paradox, releasing all that time machine, has reversed the damage to Bentley's spine. While he still has some muscle atrophy to deal with, otherwise it's like his spine was never injured in the first place, and Penelope is extremely happy at the result.
    • While Bentley gets used to his legs again, the group has a run-in with Maid Marian/Robyn Hood, revealed as the granddaughter of Merlin, and explain the time issue and the paradox that Galleth broke. After she leaves, the group prepares to go to the next time period: the 17th century, home of pirate captain Henriette "One-Eye" Cooper, and the very early 11th century, home of Salim al-Kupar. Penelope explains that Le Paradox is after the Cooper Canes in particular so he can drastically alter the histories of the Cooper Clan and his own family. They already have the artifacts they need to go to both places - Carmelita has an Arabian coin from Le Paradox's warehouse, and Penelope has thirty silver doubloons (Seft's idea of a joke when he paid her). The 11th century is the last destination, so they're going to the 17th century. Using the Overlord mech, they head into the past... and the mech converts into a plane for the trip, then a ship for the landing. Which Sly and Coco's uncles are thrilled by.
  • A Pirate's Life For Me (chapters 111-116)^note This arc is an original, inspired somewhat by the Dead Men Tell No Tales arc from game 3; Henriette "One-Eye" Cooper is a canon character.
    • Arriving in Blood Bath Bay, the team sets out to find Le Paradox's agent in this time: modern pirate Captain LeFwee, whom Carmelita tracks down. Meanwhile, Sly finds his ancestor in a bar, and goes to talk with her. She initially mistakes him for an agent of LeFwee, until they clear things up and she agrees to help a fellow Cooper.
    • Back at the ship, Henriette tells them her story, and about her lover, Admiral Kyuubi Flametail Vulpine... whom LeFwee has managed to take captive, tricking her into a challenge of who could find the most buried treasure in a period of time, winner takes all. Using his future knowledge, LeFwee cheated and won, and Henriette is furious when she finds out.
    • Once she's calmed down and they've all recovered from the bruises inflicted while trying to stop her going berserk, the team sets out on their missions: recover Henriette's Hook (her Cooper Cane), take LeFwee's treasure charts (to prove he's a cheater), rescue the Admiral, and then set up a pirate rebellion against LeFwee. Three of the team make the first investigation attempt, on LeFwee's personal fortress. There, they successfully find and rescue Admiral Flametail, whom they discover is the source of the Cooper Clan's more magical techniques. They also find he's already swiped Henriette's hook back, and the group escape.
    • Back at the base, the Admiral gives them some new information, and the team makes their plan to sneakily defeat each of LeFwee's Captains and leave the Mark of the Coopers behind, which will turn the whole armada against him. The plan works, and soon afterward, the team battles and defeats LeFwee, Penelope taking his hand after he causes Bentley to be injured.
  • 40 Thieves (chapters 117-123)
    • With things taken care of in Blood Bath Bay, the team heads back to ancient Arabia, to find and aid Salim al-Kupar, a founding member of the legendary 40 Thieves. While Penelope and Bentley are out exploring, they cross paths with Ca li-Ta, another female fox. Ca li-Ta reacts negatively when she finds out they're looking for Salim, but is tentatively convinced that they're friends; she insists on proof though, which she gets when Penelope brings Sly, Carmelita and Coco to them, and asks for their aid in helping Salim, who is apparently not himself. Inside, they meet Salim, who is in an incredibly bad mood and is not happy to see an unveiled woman in the room. After he and Ca li-ta have angry words for a short time, Salim explains his situation: an elephant named Miss Decibel is buying up nearly the entire town, and he and his last three companions were going to pull one last heist on Miss Decibel, intending to get enough that he could move his family to another city called Agrabah, but her security system (which he mistakes for a Djinn) was too much for them, and he even lost his thieving outfit in the process. Ever since then, Miss Decibel has been out to capture him, and he tells them that if they can retrieve his outfit and show mastery of its hidden power, he might be willing to help them.
    • Coco figures out that there's another problem he's having, and Sly recovers Salim's thief outfit (which allows the wearer to literally slow down time) and spies on a meeting between Miss Decibel and Le Paradox, learning both the location of Salim's imprisoned allies and Le Paradox's plan in this era, to falsify a 'royal lineage' for himself. He also gets the ingredients that Coco needs, and she whips up Salim's tonic, which proves very, very effective in restoring a certain... drive, and he takes Ca li-Ta into the other room. Once the others figure out what Coco was making, their reaction rather amuses her.
    • Once Salim is feeling better, the group plans their next step. Splitting up, they rescue Salim's three comrades, The Panther, The Lion and The Tiger, and bring back some other things they find. Afterward, it's decided to plant a bug in Miss Decibel's private library, which Deik-Beck handles, though not without some soul-searching and debate over whether or not he should just kill the elephant as his original self would, or stay true to Coco's path as a Cooper. From the bug, they learn more about Miss Decibel's plans on falsifying Le Paradox's lineage, and make efforts to thwart them. Ca li-Ta is the one to figure out a plan to distract and get past the guards, at which point Salim reveals she learned a lot from him before they became a couple. Then it turns out Ca li-Ta's plan involves Carmelita and Penelope serving as her backup and fellow distractions. And Deik-Beck is very approving of the mental images this brings up.
    • After some initial nervousness on the two time-traveling women's part about the plan, Ca li-Ta, Carmelita and Penelope go through with it, the women distracting the guards (who wind up fighting one another into unconsciousness in their efforts to get to the trio) while Bentley, Salim, T-Bone and Razor get through the lamp shop and unlock the security door. Once all the guards are confirmed unconscious, Salim informs the group that he and Ca li-ta will not be accompanying them any further, for multiple reasons. Carmelita and Penelope choose to stay back with them.
    • As the remaining seven continue on, they find Le Paradox's blimp, and figure out what they need to do to stop it. After Deik-Beck disables the remaining guards and the traps, they promptly come back up... and Le Paradox reveals himself, having been fully aware they were coming, has backup controls to the security, and challenges them to get to him before it's too late. As the battle begins, Le Paradox manages to overwhelm them, both through his troops and outsmarting even Deik-Beck, taunting them that interfering with his Paradox Machine could have disastrous results for everything, and then when it's revealed Miss Decibel has captured Salim, Carmelita and Penelope, and that now he has all but one of the Cooper Canes he needs, and threatens the women if Sly doesn't give up his... which he does. With the last Cane, he disappears to the future with his two hostages and the Canes, abandoning Miss Decibel to Sly's mercy. As Coco recounts, now he has all the cards. But the Cooper Gang has a time traveling giant mech that can transform into vehicles. And upon saying that, Coco suddenly has the feeling that the situation isn't that hopeless.
  • Paris Epilogue (chapter 124)
    • The team's plan goes off, T-Bone and Razor controlling their mech to fly attack and distraction against Le Paradox, while Sly, Bentley, Murray and Coco break into the blimp itself to rescue Carmelita and Penelope, and neutralize the Paradox Machine. As they make their way through, Coco and Sly free the two women, and Le Paradox flees from them. As the team are joined by Bob, Rioichi, Tennessee Kid, Henriette, Sir Galleth and Salim, they get through the circuitry for the Paradox Machine and each Ancestor is able to retrieve their cane; once they do so, they automatically return to their own time period. Finally, as the team reaches Le Paradox, Penelope reveals his motivations: Le Paradox's father had intended to frame Connor Cooper for a theft, but Connor actually committed the crime before Le Paradox's father could do it, and the latter was locked up for his actions. Now, Le Paradox wants revenge, and is determined to get it; in a moment of desperation, he activates the Time Tunnel, intending to use the most recent Cooper Cane to fuel it. Unfortunately, he didn't realize Sly's cane wasn't the most recent: Coco's is. And thus, things suddenly go white.
• Arc 8: Lost in Time (chapters 125-142)
  • Awakening to find herself, her parents, Bentley, Murray, Penelope and Deik-Beck in a desert somewhere, Coco figures out they're probably in ancient Egypt, the time of Slytunkhamen Cooper I, creator of the Thievius Raccoonus, when there is a lot of strong background magic that makes using her artifacts a bad idea. She is suddenly met by a snake, who wants she and her family to help stop a threat: Seft is here, and has killed off Le Paradox. The snake, Wadjet, will guide them as she can, but only the Coopers can stop Seft.
  • Once the rest of the group awakens, Coco leads them to the hidden gave where Wadjet is waiting. In the cave, Wadjet explains to them how, when they fell uncontrolled through time, she reached out and brought them to this specific point so that they could stop Seft, who has exposed himself to the Divine River and thus become a Fell God, a divine being that should not have existed, and is committing acts that will release Set and, ultimately Apep, the serpent of Chaos, upon the world. And due to what he is now, the only way to stop Seft and contain the chaos he creates is to kill him.
  • Wadjet further explains that the only way to kill him is for the gang to create a special weapon and attack him at the point that let the water of the Divine River into his body. And since Sly and Carmelita made that wound, only they can attack it again. The six time travelers will have to be very careful when retrieving the four metals needed, and Wadjet explains what they are, where to find them, and who should get them. Deik-Beck will retrieve the Mithril from the lake just outside the cavern, Coco will go to Greece to retrieve some Adamantine and Orichalcum, and Sly will have to find the quarry where Naqahdah can be found (while not letting Seft find out where it is), but Murray will have to retrieve it. Their plans set, the group prepares to move out.
  • With her task assigned, Coco departs on her journey. Upon reaching the edge of the Mediterranean Sea, she encounters the being Wadj-Wer, who carries her the rest of the way to Greece. There, she meets an enormous serpent, who reveals itself to be the god Hades. After introducing herself and agreeing to his price (her autograph), she gains his help.
  • Elsewhere, Sly finds the Naqahdah and, with the help of a strange camel-selling being named Crazy Hassan, he and Murray are able to get the Naqahdah, but have a run-in with Seft, though battle does not ensue just yet.
  • Meanwhile, Deik-Beck goes after the Mithril, and remembers Clock-La's final end, Clockwerk's escape from the trench and his creation of Deik-Beck. As he continues on, he consults with Clockwerk and recalls some of their earliest memories, as the two start to figure out some of the consequences of all of them being in this time period.
  • Back in the cave, Carmelita trains with her Nekhaka, both physically and magically, until the others all return with their metals, and they begin to put things together. Once the new weapons are forged, they prepare to go after Seft... but first, Murray contemplates what he's figured out from reading Seft's papers regarding the portal machine, and together they figure out a bit about Equestria and of how Seft was planning to conquer it. This gives them even more motivation to stop him, before he can try again. Wadjet then gives Sly and Carmelita new outfits to help protect them from Seft's divine power, though they're not amused by how little is covered up.
  • With weapons in hand and their new outfits, Sly and Carmelita head out into the desert to confront Seft, and soon discover that he's grown into a gigantic version of himself. Still, they start to fight, though Seft soon gets the upper hand, and declares that with his power, he can easily free Apep. As he starts to squeeze Carmelita, the voice of a familiar, winged figure calls out, telling Seft that Sly and Carmelita aren't the only ones standing in his way...
  • Back in the Cave of Time, as Coco and her family watch the battle, they see Seft winning, but know that without a weapon forged of the four metals, there's nothing they can do. The only fragments they have left are the ones Coco had fed to Deik-Beck, who knows what he has to do... and dives into the River of Time, emerging outside as Clockwerk and joining the battle. Having met all the criteria, he is now a living weapon, fighting for Coco and managing to hold Seft long enough for Sly and Carmelita to deliver the fatal wounds and kill him once and for all.
  • With the battle done, Clockwerk takes Sly and Carmelita back into the cave, where he explains himself. Having once accepted his defeat and feeling that being a part of their legend would be enough, he eventually realized he was wrong - he could not allow others to end their legend, especially not when using his works to do s, and vowed to shadow them and ensure their legend would never die. Deik-Beck was meant to be merely a mask, but it turned out to be an echo of who he once was, before he became a monster, which ultimately lead to his being accepted as a part of their family. And his actions that led to their accepting him came from both Clockwerk and Deik-Beck. Now though, he expects them to hate him again... but to his surprise, they don't: Coco still loves him, and still believes that at heart, he's good. Her forgiveness, he finds, is more powerful than the hatred that once drove him, and he apologizes for his crimes.
  • The others aren't as quick to forgive him, but they don't object to his presence. Meanwhile, there's other problems: they're stuck in the past, since the Cooper bloodline is still in flux - a key member of a related bloodline is dead, and without that person's son being born, disaster will strike. They need to find someone who can take the son's place in history and sire Slytunkhamen I, creator of the Thievius Raccoonus. For the next few years, the time-travelers stay in the Divine Caverns and the Birth Oasis outside so they won't accidentally disrupt the time stream. In time, Wadjat finds the right substitute - Haras, the son that Sly and Carmelita conceive. Carmelita is naturally infuriated by knowing that she's going to lose her son to this, but in time, she eventually comes to accept it. Young Haras will stay with them for two years before he has to be sent into the world, and Clockwerk vows to stay in this time, to watch over he and his descendants until history is firm and the Coper destiny assured.
  • When the time comes, Crazy Hassan arrives with their van, suitably modified so they can drive through the Void and back to the future. As they travel, they watch Haras' history unfold, and Deik-Beck's involvement, including his final death, during the life of Henriette Cooper's son. This is the first and last time he makes direct contact with the family since the bloodline left Egypt, and his remains are stored as 'historical finds' in an offshoot of the Cooper Vault. Two generations later, Clockwerk's origins are set, as the orphan owlet Klaw becomes an apprentice of the Cooper of that generation, but things turn ugly when he develops a crush on his teacher's daughter, feelings which are returned. Cara's father does his best to split them up, tricking Klaw into leaving so he can create his own legacy and prove himself worthy... and not giving him time to say goodbye.
  • Sly, needless to say, is not happy with what he's witnessing: the formation of the first Klaww Gang, and the Heart Chip that turns emotional energy into physical energy, currently fueled by love but destined to become the Hate Chip. Which it does, when he returns and finds that not only has Cara married and had a son, but her husband, in a reckless attempt to prove himself a Cooper thief, led to her death. Outraged at the loss of her love, Klaw murders both the husband and Cara's father, vowing to haunt their line until their legend is no more. Transformed by hatred, he becomes Clockwerk, stalking the Coopers and, over the next few centuries, killing each Cooper parent once their child is old enough to fend for themselves.
  • Finally, having reached the present day and the final battle with Le Paradox, they are told to take a detour through the Elysium Fields en route to Equestria. As they pass through, they witness the spirit of Clockwerk, now Klaw once again, reuniting with Cara's own spirit and passing into eternity.
• Arc 9: Found in Time (chapters 143-144)
  • The VPS finally directs them into Coco's timeline of Equestria, with a brief visit from an unseen Pinkie (who drops off cupcakes), and into Manehattan. Changing back into her original outfit that she'd worn when she first arrived in Sly's world, Coco exits and heads into a building, where she suddenly runs into Suri Polomare, her employer before she was taken. Coco quickly realizes what a nasty mare she is, knocks her out from behind, and takes Suri's place in the Fashion Week show that's going on; she also meets and befriends Rarity, and returns the fabric Suri had stolen from the other mare.
  • Some months down the road, Coco encounters and tricks Tirek, as he attempts to steal magic from an unsuspecting unicorn (actually Coco in disguise), using her powers to thwart his plans, restrain him and, once he's down for the count, hands him over to a police officer she has a friendly relationship with in her disguised form, making sure he gets the crooks she takes down.
  • Later, Coco visits a Manehatten orphanage, having arranged for any rewards she earns from catching crooks to go to them. While dropping by, she sees one of the orphans, a griffon named Guila, who is different from other griffons - she's an owl in the front, and a raccoon in the back. Seeing Klaw and Cara in the child, Coco arranges on the spot to adopt her, and plans to teach her the ways of the Cooper Clan.
  • Some time later, ending her latest journal entry, Coco tucks her adoptive daughter in, her family all present. Coco smiles, looking from her daughter to the book she's written... the newest chapter in the Cooper Clan's story: the Thieviues Eques Raccoonus.
  • The End.
  • Note - Sly and co., thanks to their modified van, are now fully capable of traveling from Equestria to their own world and back, whenever they want.
  • Note - T-Bone and Razor were still in Paris when the time crash occurred. Once they got the message that the Coopers had succeeded in their mission, they went back to Megakat City.

Heart of the Dragon General

• Arc 1: Early years (chapters 1-13)
  • Ninety-five years after the coming of Sozin's Comet and the Air Nomad genocide, General Iroh of the Fire Nation is a broken man. His son Lu Ten has died in the siege of Ba Sing Se, and his father, Fire Lord Azulon, died soon afterward, leaving the throne to his younger son Ozai. Now, after his father and son's funerals, he seeks a place to mourn in private. While playing a song he wrote for his son, he hears a noise in the bushes, which starts to sing with him, and finds his companion is a tiny pink pony with a horn and wings. Surprised by her, but guessing she's a spirit creature, he gently draws her to him, and guesses her name, Cadance. The little filly's reaction to him is one of love and affection, and he bonds with her, offering to help her control her aura (which caused a surge of those same emotions in Iroh himself). When he asks who her parents are, she points to Iroh, who accepts his new position as her father, a role which will help him heal from his losses.
  • Bringing Cadance back to the rest of the palace, Iroh encounters first Zuko, whom she reacts happily to, perceiving that his heart "smells like" Iroh's, and Azula, whom she has an extremely negative reaction towards. But when they meet Ozai, though Cadance is nervous at first, she reacts happily when he shows that he does care for Iroh, who explains that he believes Cadance to be a Spirit Creature related to the Love Spirit, and asks permission to travel for a time so he can understand what the spirits have planned for the two of them, a request Ozai grants. Later, the two bid Zuko farewell as they set off.
  • Setting out, Iroh and Cadance head for the Earth Kingdom. During this time, Cadance begins speaking and learns how to play Pai Sho, which eventually leads to her becoming aware of the Order of the White Lotus. As they continue their journey, Iroh discovers Cadance is capable of Firebending, which he begins teaching her more about. He also learns she can perform telekinesis and read the memories of inanimate objects.
  • During another stop, the pair visit the city of Gaoling, where Cadance meets a young blind girl: Toph Beifong. The two girls become fast friends, especially after Toph reveals her Earthbending skills and is willing to teach Cadance, The two spend a week meeting, and Toph learns Cadance is the niece of the Fire Lord, but doesn't mind. The two part ways, still friends.
  • Some time after they leave, Cadance shows Iroh what she's learned. Iroh is surprised, but not upset. He takes her to the city of Omashu to meet King Bumi, who is quite happy to meet Cadance and, after passing the same three tests he will eventually give Aang, eagerly begins teaching her, which lasts several months. During her last training session, they discover she can also Waterbend, and Iroh decides to take her to the North Pole to learn more from Pakku, another member of the White Lotus.
  • At the North Pole, Pakku stubbornly refuses to teach Cadance because of her gender, but she convinces him to play a game - if she wins, he teaches her (and if he refuses, she'll tell the Moon and Ocean spirits on him). She opens with the White Lotus Gambit, and Pakku immediately realizes what he's in for. By the time they're done, he knows she's a fellow member of the Order and, as such, he is honor bound to teach her. The training, as with Bumi, lasts several months. During one such session, a storm breaks out. As Cadance is nearly struck by a bolt of lightning, Iroh intervenes and discovers his to redirect the lightning, astonishing both of them, though it knocks him out for three days.
  • Some time after the storm, the pair depart, Tui and La having given Cadance directions to someone who can teach her Airbending, which they know she must be capable of. Traveling to the Great Southern Desert, they make their way into the library of Wan Shi Tong, the knowledge spirit. When Cadance explains why she is there (to learn her suspected ability so she won't hurt others with it) and Iroh introduces himself as a member of the White Lotus, whom Wan Shi Tong knows of, and accepts his presence, if they can contribute to his library. Iroh offers his observations of Cadance's life; Cadance offers him something to study, which he accepts.
  • During the lessons that follow, Iroh learns from Wan Shi Tong that Cadance is not, as he believed, of the Spirit World. She is from another realm altogether, and while she can bend the elements, it is not true bending in terms of how the energy interacts. Finally, after two weeks, Cadance finally helps Wan Shi Tong understand what she was trying to teach him: knowledge of himself, helping him learn how to care for something besides knowledge again. It is a gift beyond any price, and he agrees that she and Iroh may have unlimited access to his library, as long as it remains in the physical world.
  • Nearly two years after leaving the Fire Nation, Cadance and Iroh return, and Cadance helps Zuko with his love life: Mai, who's been betrothed to him, isn't happy about having the choice of husband taken from her. At Cadance's suggestion, Zuko personally proposes. While Mai turns him down, she says she might reconsider some day.
  • About a year later, events transpire that leave Zuko permanently scarred after refusing to fight his father in an Agni Kai. At Iroh's advice, Ozai seeks to make things right with his son, but without weakening himself. He assigns Zuko the task of completing the mission their ancestor Sozin failed: to find and capture the Avatar, with Iroh and Cadance guiding him. During this trip, Cadance manages, through rather unorthodox means, to show them how difficult it would be to restrain the Avatar.
• Arc 2: Book 1: Water (chapters 14-23)
  • After a year of travels, Zuko and his team get a sign that the Avatar is near when Cadance feels an energy surge from the spiritual plane, and the crew sees a beam of light that is a likely source. Heading for the nearest settlement, they eventually arrive and, after some short discussion with the locals, finds Aang and convinces him to surrender. While aboard the ship, Aang meets Cadance and thinks she's adorable, only for her to try and arrest him. With the help of the Avatar State, he manages to escape.
  • Following an encounter with Commander Zhao (whom Zuko defeats in an Agni Kai in order to keep Zhao from meddling in his business) and another burst of spirit energy that leads Zuko and his crew to the Southern Air Temple, the group figures out what Aang is up to: he's visiting various vacation spots on his way north. This leads to a brief encounter on Kyoshi Island. Later, as the Winter Solstice approaches, Cadance and Iroh are captured by Earthbenders, but are rescued by Zuko. During this time, Iroh learns Aang is heading for the Temple of the Fire Sages. There, Aang channels the power of Avatar Roku to destroy the temple and then escape.
  • As Zuko's crew continue their journey, they take a small detour to restock on food supplies. While ashore, they encounter pirates who've had a recent run-in with Aang, and head for them. Zuko has an idea and sends Cadance on ahead to find Katara.
  • Cadance soon finds the other girl studying from the Waterbending scroll she's acquired, and while Katara is initially suspicious, she takes Cadance's advice and manages to improve her skills. She's shocked when Zuko suddenly shows up, but he tells her he's not there to fight, just "looking for my cousin", and returns the necklace Katara lost during a battle on a prison for Earthbenders, which his crew had retrieved. Wishing her well, he takes Cadance and leaves. After Katara runs off to warn the others that they need to keep going, Zuko explains to Cadance that he has two goals: to either convince Aang and his friends that he wants a peaceful resolution to all this, or to at least make them question his motives and be more hesitant in battle with him. Cadance understands.
  • A few days after a bad storm, Zuko receives word that Zhao has been promoted to Admiral, and is spending a lot of time with Azula. He, Iroh and Cadance figure out that Zhao is looking to capture Aang, shaming Zuko and, with Azula's help, take control of the Fire Nation. Consequently, Cadance intervenes to thwart Zhao's current plan to capture Aang, helping him escape and continue his journey.
  • Some time later, the Fire Nation trio visit an Earth Kingdom village and learn many things from Aunt Wu, a local fortune teller. Iroh learns he'll find true love again in his second life, while Zuko is told hs path is intertwined with Aang's and, by the last day of spring, he'll make a choice that determines the fate of the world, with its fate set in stone before summer's end. Cadance's own fortune baffles Aunt Wu, who tells her her presence is vastly changing things: what was once impossible is now inevitable, and vice-versa. Also, she hasn't already found her soulmate yet, which confuses all of them. The trio depart once more.
  • As winter ends and Zuko has been pursuing Aang for nearly three months, they approach the North Pole. After anchoring, they are met by Zhao, who "invites" them to help on a mission: destroying the North to prevent the Avatar from learning Waterbending. After learning exactly what Zhao plans (to kill the Moon spirit and destroy Waterbending), Zuko informs Iroh and Cadance. Deciding to intervene, Cadance has a talk with the two spirits, only for disaster to result: La, learning of Zhao's plan, has summoned a Kraken to attack the fleet and destroy them. Zuko's ship barely escapes the assault. Cadance is heartbroken over the deaths she's inadvertently caused.
  • Some time later, Ozai is informed of what happened, including Zuko's ship fleeing before the Kraken surfaced. Ozai decides to send Azula to bring them home so he can personally debrief them, but also suspects deeper motivation on her part and sends one of his own commanders with her.
• Arc 3: Book 2: Earth (chapters 24-41)
  • In the aftermath of the assault on the North, Zuko's crew finds a place to rest and recover. About a week and a half later, they're found by Azula, who explains she's been sent to bring them home for debriefing about the North Pole incident by Ozai. While Zuko can believe what she's telling him about Ozai, he doesn't trust her not to try and backstab them. Sure enough, when the group is about to board Azula's ship, one of her men refers to them as prisoners, and Zuko and his crew react. As Azula (who has managed to subvert Ozai's man and turn him to her side) accuses them of treachery and tells them Ozai feels the same way, Zuko and his team manage to escape. Soon after, Azula has the general send a message to Ozai, reporting that Zuko and his men are traitors and claiming that they're in active rebellion against the Fire Nation, which angers him.
  • Having made their escape, Zuko decides everyone needs to split up into groups. He goes one way, with Iroh and Cadance deciding to discreetly follow him, while the other men also decide to follow him, two actively showing themselves and joining him. He's annoyed at first, but also glad that they still choose to follow him. As they continue on, Mai sends Zuko another letter, informing him of her current whereabouts and that she plans to do what he can to make sure he stays ahead of Azula. A later message confirms that Azula has recruited she and Ty Lee to hunt down Zuko, Iroh, Cadance and Aang.
  • As Zuko and his two companions continue on, they eventually find signs of Azula's group, and also of Aang and his group. Meanwhile, Toph has joined Team Avatar, but quickly becomes fed up with them and leaves. Heading onward, she crosses paths with Iroh and Cadance, whom she's happy to meet again. The pair listen to her complaining about Katara, and give her another point of view, swaying her into deciding to go back, but before she can do so, they hear Zuko and Azula fighting nearby, and join in, the battle growing as the rest of Team Avatar show up and ending with Azula sending an attack that injures Iroh (who leapt in the way of the blast meant for Zuko) and escaping. While Zuko yells at the others to go away, Cadance steps in and accepts Katara's offer to help Iroh. Once she's done what she can, Team Avatar departs.
  • Once Iroh has recovered and learns the two groups have split up (the better to make things harder on Azula), he decides to help them both with more advanced Firebending so they can match Azula. Cadance proves able to generate lightning, though not quite in the way Iroh expected, and also manages to teach Zuko how to redirect lightning, due to her past experience with the technique.
  • Some time later, at Cadance's urging, Iroh initiates Zuko into the Order of the White Lotus. The group then heads for an oasis town, where Cadance overhears a couple of men who are searching for Toph, and Iroh obtains help so they can all continue onward. The five head for Ba Sing Se, and on the ferry, meet Jet and his two friends. Eventually, they make it into the city, unaware that Jet is now suspicious of them after seeing Iroh warm his tea.
  • Now in Ba Sing Se, the quintet settle in. Iroh finds a job making tea, and Cadance figures out a new way of making hot water, which she uses where a spying Jet can see to make him believe they're Waterbenders. Later, she finds a scroll Wan Shi Tong sneakily left her when she left his library a few years ago, and learns how to astral project from it. Using this technique, she finds Team Avatar going about their own day in the city, and also meets a young man named Kuei (who, unbeknownst to Cadance, is the King), who is able to see her when others can't, and his pet bear Bosco. Realizing he's unaware of the war going on and warning him of Long Feng, whose aura is filled with deception, she promises to meet him again and returns to her body. Later that evening, she watches Zuko's date with Jin, one of their regular customers.
  • The next day, after Iroh sneakily arranges to get a tea shop of his own in the Upper Ring (and to move Jin's father's shop there too), Zuko discovers a "Missing" poster for Appa. Setting out, he finds and, after some debate with how this will effect the war, frees the sky bison from the prison, then collapses. Appa carries him out and returns him home, barely conscious.
  • Later that day, Kuei thinks over what he's learned, and arranges for Aang and his friends to come meet with him. After listening to their story, Kuei agrees to let them prove that there's a war going on. At the same time, Cadance and Iroh watch over Zuko as he lies comatose, his psyche making war upon itself. Eventually recovering, he sends Mai a letter to break up with her, something Cadance finds when she herself awakens a day or so later. She also finds Mai's response, threatening him if he doesn't take it back. Cadance responds with a letter asking Mai to meet her, and when they meet, explains the situation. After they depart, Mai (in disguise) goes to talk with Jin, and the two girls somehow become something resembling friendly, even after Jin figures out Mai's the girl Zuko was involved with before.
  • After leaving Mai, Cadance joins Iroh and Zuko as they head to the palace, having been invited to serve tea to the King. When they arrive, they find it's a trap by Azula. Iroh and Cadance manage to escape, while Zuko stalls Azula and is finally captured, being thrown into a system of caves under the city, where Katara is also being held. Meanwhile, Iroh and Cadance make their way to Aang's apartment, where (after explanations are made as to how Cadance knows Toph) the two groups agree to work together to stop Azula and Long Feng while saving Zuko and Katara.
  • Back in the Crystal Caverns, Zuko and Katara talk, and Zuko manages to lead Cadance and the others there (being aware of the seismic sense she, Aang and Toph can all use). After Team Avatar departs, Azula and her minions finally arrive. A battle results, culminating in Azula's defeat when Zuko bends lightning at her, badly injuring her. Iroh and Cadance decide to stay with her and watch over her, while Zuko goes off to join Aang and the others. On the way out, he runs into his soldiers, who are also helping deal with the Dai Li.
• Arc 4: Book 3: Fire (chapters 42-57)
  • With the Dai Li dealt with, Zuko rejoins Iroh and Cadance, and the three are able to meet with King Kuei (who is already accompanied by Team Avatar). Kuei is quite shocked when he finds Cadance is one of them, and even more that, despite the fact that Zuko's troops are surrounding the palace, he's not there to conquer... but to join them in bringing down Ozai, laying claim to the throne, and bringing peace to the world. Toph vouches for Zuko, and so Kuei agrees.
  • Later on, Zuko goes to meet Jin, and explains his true identity and what he must do now. Asking Jin to accompany him, he's surprised when she asks if she can get back to him on this. She also asks where Mai is, and goes to talk to the other girl. By the time they're done, they (and Ty Lee, who was also in a cell nearby) really are friends, and none of them are feeling any hostility towards Zuko.
  • The groups continue working on their battle plan for the invasion, including staging feints at various key spots and diverting Fire Nation troops there, while a strike team enters the capitol. This team includes Jet and his Freedom Fighters, a group equipped by the Mechanist for flight, and the Swamp Benders from Foggy Swamp, who don't make a good impression on Cadance when two of them try to eat her. Fortunately, she's more than capable of defending herself.
  • Eventually, some time after a raid on the Boiling Rock brings them new allies, the day of the invasion finally arrives. Things go mostly as planned, until it turns out Ozai isn't there. Furthermore, Cadance sneaks off and warns Ozai, convincing him to run away and abandon his country. With Ozai having fled, nothing stands in the way of Zuko's ascending the throne. However, the war isn't quite over yet: having fled with a small army, Ozai questions his decision and decides that, on the day of Sozin's Comet, he will reclaim the throne.
  • A day or so later, Jin and Mai finally come to meet Zuko together, and discuss the subject of their relationship. Once Mai accepts his apology, the two girls reveal that they've decided to share him. It works out very well.
  • With Zuko's coronation, things work well. Zuko ends the war officially, and a peace summit is held in Omashu. It goes extremely well, despite Bumi's eccentricities. However, it's also decided that Aang still needs to learn Firebending in case Ozai decides to act against the world. When the initial training sessions don't go well, Iroh advises the pair and Cadance to visit the ruins of the Sun Warrior civilization.
  • At the ruins, the trio discover information about an ancient Firebending form, the Dancing Dragon. While in the confronted by the Sun Warriors (who are not as extinct as they were thought to be), the trio are sent to meet the Firebdending Masters of the tribe, Ran and Shao. Fortunately, it goes well, and the three prove themselves... or so it seems, as one of the dragons pulls Cadance into their cave. Fortunately, when they release her, it turns out they just wanted her help with their eggs, to make sure they hatched right.
  • Now fully understanding Firebending, Aang is able to progress well in his studies. However, another problem still awaits: Sozin's Comet is coming. And as Team Avatar, Iroh and Cadance discuss things, they realize that when the comet comes, Ozai will attempt to burn the Earth Kingdom to the ground. Cadance is horrified when she realizes what she's unwittingly done, and flees Omashu. Elsewhere, a maddened Azula breaks out of her prison.
  • On the day of the comet, Aang waits for Ozai's arrival, while Azula finds and confronts Cadance. Her damaged chakras filled with the power of the comet, she is literally burning up from the inside out, and is ready for what will happen soon: filled with the comet's power, she will soon overflow with power, the explosion destroying the entire continent. Driven mad, she attacks Cadance, who fights back: channeling all of her powers, she does the unthinkable and seizes hold of the comet, proving just how powerful she is compared to Azula, who is terrified... until Cadance offers her mercy and, with her magic, manages to show Azula all the love she's ever been shown, but never been able to express. Weeping, she begs Cadance for help, since she can't control her powers. All Cadance can do is give her a painless death, dissolving her. As the comet continues to pass over, Cadance collapses, and the now permanently scarred Alicorn, bearing marks left by Azula's fire, mourns for the cousin she could have saved if she hadn't been so upset by her the day of their first meeting.
  • A week later, Cadance awakens back in Ba Sing Se, and learns from Toph what happened while she was out: Cadance's actions with the comet had unwittingly had an effect on Ozai, cutting off his Firebending. While still connected to Fire in his spirit, he can no longer use it. Zuko has sentenced him to work in Iroh's tea shop to get over his anger, and then to serve as one of his advisors. Cadance then tells Toph about what she did to Azula, and the two discuss other matters. After taking her friend for a beauty treatment (one that goes rather differently than what Katara had her do the day they Cadance learned to astral project), the two head to Iroh's tea shop and meet the others again, where they watch Ozai prank Sokka, and Iroh reflects on how things are now and how perfect this day is.
• Arc 5: Finale (chapters 58-64)
  • One morning, Iroh awakens to find himself in a very different setting. For starters, he's on bare ground instead of his bed. Second, Cadance is now an adult, rather than an adolescent like she was the night before. Cadance explains that Iroh had died in bed of old age, surrounded by friends and family... thirty years ago. Having entered the Spirit World in order to find him there, she succeeded, and a deal was struck: his personal timeline turned back to one week after the war ended, with no memory of what came after, and he went with Cadance back to her original world.
  • Cadance also fills him in on what happened during those thirty years, including Zuko and his wives having two children, Aang and Katara marrying and having five, Sokka and Suki marrying and having nine, Toph having two daughters (one each with Jet and Haru), and Kuei and Ty Lee getting married. Their talk is interrupted when Cadance senses something malevolent nearby, and launches an attack in its direction, narrowly missing a spying Chrysalis, who decides to back off and not get involved in this particular wedding.
  • The pair are soon found by a group of royal guards, who are concerned - last they saw Cadance, a matter of minutes before, she'd detected a massive magical imbalance in the area they're in now, and went to investigate. Now that they're all safe, the group returns to Canterlot. There, Cadance (who's been slowly recovering her memories of her original life) introduces Iroh to Princess Celestia, and then to Twilight and Shining Armor, who are also waiting for them. Iroh is quite happy to meet Shining Armor, the love of his daughter's life. They also meet Twilight's pet Owlowiscius, who is wearing a familiar white lotus blossom.
  • Going back to spend time with Celestia, Iroh happily discovers she's a member of the White Lotus. Meanwhile, Cadance guides Twilight to the Spirit World, where she's shown to Wan Shi Tong's library, meeting both Professor Zei (whom Wan Shi Tong made into one of his Knowledge Seekers, with his agreement) and Wan Shi Tong himself, earning the right to visit there by magically restoring the burned books and scrolls that Zhao once destroyed.
  • That night, still haunted by nightmares of Azula and her fate, Cadance meets Luna in her dream, and is able to help her get past it. Cadance is also able to help Luna, who is tormenting herself in her own nightmares, to forgive herself.
  • The day of Cadance and Shining Armor's wedding finally arrives, and the ceremony goes off without a hitch. Friends and family in attendance, it is easily one of the happiest days of her life. Some time later, after their honeymoon, Cadance meets her aunts again and explains how she dealt with the return of the Crystal Empire, including saving Sombra from the purpose he was created for. While Celestia is happy that Cadance succeeded, she's a little disappointed she couldn't use the situation to test Twilight, something she's been planning on since she had a vision of it. Cadance shocks Celestia by being fully aware of what Celestia planned, and explains that she pre-empted it because during the war, she had three times chosen to delay personally acting, and each time it resulted in disaster. She has sworn to never again risk others on the chance of a better outcome. Fortunately, she's able to get through to Celestia, who decides to reevaluate her methods.
  • Doing just as she'd decided, Celestia decides on one last test for Twilight: redeeming Discord. Consulting with Wan Shi Tong, Twilight decides on an approach. Once Discord is freed, she apologizes for her past judgement of him, based on what she now knows. When she explains to the others, they understand and join in the group hug with a stunned Discord in the middle.
  • A little while later, Twilight takes all of them to the library in order to help resolve the longstanding conflict between the spirits of Chaos and Knowledge, each of the group making their contributions to the library. Discord's is one he apparently took eons ago and is now returning, which Wan Shi Tong accepts, along with the other spirit's apology. He then gives Twilight a special book: Starswirl's last spell journal, including an unfinished spell. The six ponies go off to try and figure it out, while Wan Shi Tong and Discord catch up.
  • Some time later, the two spirits hear an explosion in the distance. Running to investigate, they find the girls have completed the spell, and all become Alicorns. Discord starts laughing hysterically. Wan Shi Tong decides to write a note on the last page of Pinkie's book. And that note is...
  • The End.

Mother X: Father

• Arc 1: Beginnings (chapters 1-10)
  • Having left Earth after his conflict with the quartet of Ninten, Lloyd, Anna and Teddy, the alien Giegue reflects on recent events that led to mankind's betrayal of him and his departure, and how his mind is slowly dividing into two beings, one of whom is named Niiue and represents his innocence and capacity to love, and who will soon have to be excised in order to allow Giegue to continue to function, despite knowing that he'll drastically damage his own psyche in the process.
  • Giegue is interrupted from his thoughts upon seeing a shooting star, and remembers what his father figure told him about such things. He decides to wish on it for another way to be whole, and as a consequence his power links with another surge of power, summoning a tiny pony with a strong PSI impression to him. As she panics, Giegue does his best to calm her, and in the process discovers her power is different from but similar to PSI, and her name: Moondancer.
  • As he studies her mind, he discovers some of her past, and encounters her Nightmare - the manifestation of the evil in her mind. The Nightmare demands that he leave, letting her die and ending her and her Nightmare's pain. He refuses, choosing to become her second chance and realizing he and Moondancer are the key to saving one another. The Nightmare, determined to kill them both, attacks, but Giegue begins singing the Eight Melodies from his childhood, holding the Nightmare back. She promises to eventually break through and finish what she started, and that Giegue won't be able to help her then. Giegue in turn promises to make sure Moondancer will win, and will be able to help him conquer his own Nightmare, before returning to the physical world.
  • Giegue continues trying to understand Moondancer's energy, and at Niiue's advice, teaches Moondancer how to tap PSI so he can study how it interacts with her inherent power. He also teaches her languages, and in the process discovers another personality is forming within him. He also discovers that she thinks of him as a father, something which simultaneously horrifies him due to his past experiences, and offers him hope and love.
  • As Moondancer continues to grow and develop, she also learns how to broadcast complex thoughts to him, and when she learns he has a project he needs to do, she insists on helping him, simply because it's something of his. Eventually, he teaches her how to enter his Magicant (or the interior of his mind), in order to show her what he's working. In the process, she learns of his connection to a being named Cerue (another of his species with a base on Mercury), and that his mind is fractured into himself and Niiue, who will watch over her if he is unable to.
  • The next stage of her learning is how to use his ship's computers. In the process, she discovers the Nightmare Engine, which Giegue is only barely able to keep her from activating because of what it could do to her mind. In time, they continue doing similar things - finding systems Moondancer isn't supposed to get into, and Gigue figuring out how to block her access to them. He comes to find himself enjoying these times when he can match his wits against her, and develops a program that lets them do it without risking damage to the computers. But at the same time, his own mind is developing in ways he doesn't fully understand, and he doesn't know quite what to do about it, fearing that he could corrupt Moondancer with how he's changing.
  • Eventually, Moondancer begins having a dangerous nightmare. While Giegue tries to enter her Magicant to stop it, he can't, and eventually she awakens, and tells him of her dream: an apple that claims destruction is his fate, and that she'll help a group of children to stop him, which she doesn't want to do. When it tried to tell her she had no choice, she struck at it, and woke up.
  • Giegue decides it's time to finally tell her his Plan, and explains about his people and how he was sent to study and interact with humans. He tells of his childhood, of his human father's betrayal, of how he created the Nightmare Engine in order to try and separate emotional and logical thought within humans, but how it went wrong and instead amplified the emotional side, consuming them with rage and aggression. He tells of how he tried to fix it, but four children fought against the effects he was creating, and how three of them eventually confronted him and used his human mother's melody against him. Since then, he has had trouble keeping his logical and emotional thoughts separated, and shut down the Nightmare Engine to keep it from affecting him worse.
  • Moondancer reflects on his plan (to alter every mind on the planet at once and change them as he originally planned), and understands that from a Geeg perspective, this is necessary. But the conflict between logic and emotion is coming to a head, and it's almost time. Suddenly, there's a surge of PSI.
  • Rushing back to the cockpit, Moondancer finds Giegue and Niiue have split. The Giegue half leaves the room, determined to find the Apple of Enlightenment to get the full prophecy of his future from it, while Niiue promises to take care of Moondancer for both of them. Now, all they can do is wait and see what he does, and do their best to save him.
• Arc 2: MOTHER: Cognitive Dissonance (chapters 11-40)
  • Despite Giegue staying on the ship, Moondancer avoids him now, though she's desperate to help him. One day, a strange man referred to as "Mr. Greyface" arrives looking for Giegue, and gives him information that will help with the invasion of Earth. Greyface also gives him information on the Apple of Enlightenment, which has divided itself into four parts to keep itself away from him, and Giegue can now go after it, intending to hear its prophecy and then thwart it. Moondancer and Niiue will have to keep him from getting those pieces. Now that the ship's been badly damaged, they need to evacuate everyone aboard.
  • The rest of the Starmen aboard teleport out at Niiue and Moondancer's orders, and Moondancer sends one of them, Larice, to a particular ship so he can go down to Saturn and join a Mook (one of the native species, this one with three eyes and multiple tentacles) with an odd blue coloring. After Larice leaves, Niiue and Moondancer teleport out to an asteroid, where Niiue has a ship of his own stashed, letting them travel around and provide support for Larice and his allies.
  • While aboard, Niiue explains briefly about Cerue, then about the Mook. In orbit around Saturn, they reach Larice, and find he's hooked up with the Mook (named Alinivar) and their other allies, Col. Saturn and Zarbol. They're stable, but their ship needs help. Niiue and Moondancer advise them to go to Satralla Tower, where there's a signal from the Apple fragment, but Alinivar wants to investigate a third Point of Power first, unlocking PSI abilities for he and Col. Saturn.
  • While Niiue and Moondancer manage to get their allies a ship, the group reaches the Tower and confront Greyface, but he manages to get the Apple Fragment and flees. Niiue and Moondancer get the ship to Larice and his group, and send him to Jupiter, where another Fragment might be.
  • After sending their message, Niiue and Moondancer head away to get another ship for themselves from some of the Starmen, and investigate Greyface and how he got ahold of the technology he's using. To do that, they need to go to Earth, and a town where PSI readings are detected. Niiue privately tells Moondancer that he's learned the identity of those destined to defeat Giegue - a member of Ninten's family. Furthermore, he is fairly sure the only way to save Giegue is to make him face that family again.
  • Heading down, they arrive at the Polestar Preschool in Twoson, where Moondancer recognizes an infant girl as the source of the PSI they detected, and somehow knows her name is Paula... and Paula recognizes her. Niiue immediately warps himself and Moondancer away, back to the ship, where after calming down, he explains that he's fairly certain now that it may be impossible to save Giegue. Moondancer refuses to believe this, informing him that if their current information says they can't save Giegue, they don't have enough information. Furthermore, she admits that she's felt the start of the madness that's driving him, and knows that she has to stay optimistic, in order to keep it from sprouting. Because if it does, it will only hinder them.
  • Following a discussion on human prayer, Niiue tries to reach Giegue's Magicant in order to pick up more of his plans, while Moondancer gets the Starmen all to pray for Giegue, her father, to be all right. She's startled out of it when Niiue awakens and calls for them to get to Mars fast so they can save the Appleseekers from Giegue.
  • Arriving on Mars, they find Giegue and Greyface, who've managed to get one of the Apple fragments. Gieugue declares he will become a being of pure PSI in order to bind all life in the system to his will, including Moondancer, only for Niiue to turn up and warn him off.
  • After Giegue leaves, three of the Appleseekers - Alinivar, the Mook; Colonel Saturn, and the UFO-like Zarbol (whom Moondancer somehow knows the name of) - inform them that Larice was turned against them by Greyface, giving up the Apple segment, but managed to shut himself down for the time being. Niiue calls for some of his men to recover and heal him, and he and Moondancer then offer to join the trio, which they accept.
  • As the group goes on, Moondancer explains about herself to the group, and learns a little bit about the others. They then board their ship and head for the next Apple Fragment, which is on Earth. En route to Earth, they run into the ship-eating Gargiathan, but are able to destroy it by working as a team and earning a Reboot Orb in the process. Very soon, they arrive at Earth, only to find a barrier around the planet. Attempts to get past it lead to their being hit and crashing...
  • Everyone survives the crash, and while Niiue stays behind to continue repairing Larice, the others disguise themselves and set out to find the Apple fragment. In the process, they find the seventh Point of Power, but have to fight a creature to get to it, which Alinivar, Colonel Saturn and Zarbol easily defeat. When the group accesses it, Moondancer gets a vision from Alinivar's mind, showing Maria singing to Giegue, and realizes he's more important than he knows.
  • As the team explores the town, which they learn is called Thunderton, they eventually make it to the top of a tower, where Greyface is waiting and Moondancer winds up going almost comatose. When she awakens, she learns Greyface has given them the location of the Fragment and a way to get to Cloudvale, the next town over. There, they manage to get an excellent view of the land below and around, which Moondancer is awed by.
  • Once they reach the top of the mountain, Moondancer experiences snow for the first time, and they find statues of the quartet who stopped Gigue once before. They also find an underground facility and manage to recover the Apple. When Alinivar collects it, Moondancer hears a strange voice, hinting that Greyface is somehow connected to how Giegue is so far gone now.
  • The group soon returns to the center of Thunderton, and confront Greyface. During the meeting, they're rejoined by Niiue and Larice, now transferred into a new body, and learn Greyface is in fact a time traveler, sent back in time by Giygas, Giegue's own future self, to ensure he would become Giygas. Greyface in turn figures out Moondancer's abilities, and prepares to attack her, only for Moondancer to disable most of his mech's weapons with the aid of the others' PSI.
  • Greyface, angered by this development, prepares to use his mech's time travel function to escape, but Giegue suddenly arrives on the scene. Seeing him, Niiue orders Moondancer and her team into a vehicle, the Phase Distorter (prototype), and orders them to leave. Despite Moondancer's hesitance, they manage to escape.
  • When they rematerialize, they find themselves in the ruins of a town called Onett, and the Eighth Point of Power. It's guarded by an unfamiliar adversary, but they manage to defeat it, and absorb the power they need, then head to the next place they need to go... a strange pillar that transports them into Giegue's Magicant.
  • Exploring, they find many things, including odd individuals and a projection of Greyface, who taunts them. Further along, Alinivar recovers a guitar that can be used as a weapon, and finally, they reach a room where Niiue is waiting, and reveals what has happened: They are more than twenty years into a future where Giegue has been driven mad by the prophecy held by the Apple of Enlightenment and become Giygas, who destroyed everything. The only way to stop this is to return to their own time via the Phase Distorter, which they do, and acquire a certain mineral.
  • Returning to the past, they reappear aboard their ship and are reunited with Niiue. Informing him of what they need, they set off on the next stage of their journey, detecting something on Mercury. The team manages to get through the barrier around it, and investigate a rocky pillar that houses a large structure. It turns out to be a Geeg construct, and Moondancer realizes this is where Cerue was stationed. Finally, they locate Cerue herself, and Moondancer explains what has happened to Gigue. She also learns more about his past as an experiment on behavior, and what caused him to become what he is.
  • After explanations, Cerue instructs them on connecting to the power of Mercury, which she hopes can help them. After making them promise not to tell Niiue about her, Cerue further promises that if Giegue is saved from himself and returned to being his full self, she will find them. The group vows to do so, then returns to the ship to continue their quest.
  • Their next stop is Mars, where they set out to disable a factory set up to create Starmen. While there, Alinivar finds an Ultrasaturn that turns out to be the Mr. Saturn who accompanied him when he faced Gigue the first time, and whom he bought paints from. At the Ultrasaturn's request, they end his life, before setting the factory to explode and leave. Back on the ship, Alinivar paints his old friend, and Moondancer wonders if she'll have to "save" her father by ending him.
  • The team's next stop is Neptune, where they acquire more information and gear, including an upgrade to let them explore Venus. They also stop by Uranus and Pluto, where they pick up more gear and abilities, and stop to have some fun in Pluto's snow. At Venus, they get more abilities and items, and finally head for Jupiter, where Zarbol gets an upgrade and the group stops for some rest. However, Moondancer finds herself drawn to an unusual facility, where she encounters a single Fobby...
  • Confronting the Fobby, Moondancer learns it is Fobbygig, the true Cosmic Destroyer, and that Giegue's other identity as Giygas is an imitation of him. Moondancer confirms she is intent on saving her father, and so Fobbygig challenges her. She successfully overcomes him, and he rewards her with a new weapon, the Borange Ray, before she awakens.
  • The group's next destination is Giegue's old ship, where Moondancer grew up. Searching, they encounter a Starman being controlled by a plant-like growth. The quintet manage to put it out of its misery, but soon afterward discover there are more of these creatures onboard, and want to convert the five into more like themselves, much to Moondancer's horror. Once she calms down, the group travels around the ship, learning more about the invaders and realizing they'd unwittingly abandoned the Starmen to this fate when they abandoned the ship previously, and promise they'll fix it. As they continue exploring, they finally find and confront the Master Magnolia, and persuade it to change its ways, promising to transport it to Eris - a world where it and its friends can live in peace. The plant creature agrees.
  • After the plant creatures are dropped off on Eris (and Master Magnolia gives them a Starman skill disc in thanks), the group returns to the Mothership, where they explore the last part of it, arriving at the Nightmare Engine. Unsealing the final chamber, where Giegue had spent his childhood, they explore it a bit. Upon leaving, they find Niiue waiting, and he and Moondancer go on for a mission of their own. Bringing the Nightmare Engine back online, they manage to call old Memories back to life, and finally, on the bridge, encounter a Memory of Giegue, who apologizes to Moondancer for failing. The Memory reveals he is Giegue's Love, left behind when Giegue split apart. Merging with Niiue, he awakens two new skills in Niiue, in the hopes that they'll be enough to help save Gigue. With him gone, the Nightmare Engine shuts down for the last time, and Niiue and Moondancer rejoin their allies.
  • Their next stop is the Satanae village on Saturn, in order to acquire the Xexonyte mineral. There, they speak to one of the locals, and help them through a misunderstanding involving different methods of reproduction (since the sphere locals reproduce via explosive sporing, they think all other races do the same and that by attacking others, they were helping them reproduce as well). Now that that's settled, communications should be easier.
  • Having settled matters with the Spheres, the group heads to the settlement of Satralia, where they visit Alinivar's old home and recover the Zexonyte from nearby. They then head for Earth's Moon, where Alinivar plants the gems they've gotten on the other planets, opening a door to a new area inside the moon. There, they explore, and encounter Doctor Destructo, a robot who's been working for Giegue since before Moondancer came into his life.
  • Destructo reveals some of the history of the Geeg, including the fact that he was building a robot army for Giegue to lead against his birth people, intending to either force them into accepting Gigue and Cerue as part of the Geeg Empire, or conquering it. He also reveals four attempts by the Geeg Empire to conquer Earth, the last of which lead to their sending Giegue to conquer the humans from within.
  • Destructo finally asks them to leave, without the Knowledge Stones they brought. They refuse, and the doctor tries to activate his largest and most powerful robot, only for it to fall apart after Zarbol swiped some of its parts. Taking the parts and additional Knowledge Stones, the group leaves the area, and are contacted by Niiue so they can be picked up.
  • With everything they need, the group boards their Time Skimmer and prepares to return to the future to face Giygas. Before they go, they drink a special Mr. Saturn coffee, each receiving a message from an unknown source. When they arrive, they find the entrance to Giegue's Magicant, and the group (except for Niiue) enters. Inside, they make their way to the core, and prepare for a major battle against a decayed Gargiathan.
  • The team defeats the Gargiathan, and then find a set of doors leading to their individual Magicants, which Moondancer's companions will have to face on their own. They succeed, while Moondancer figures out that somehow, the Time Skimmer is the key and will, if she makes the right choices, allow her to find the right situations and conditions to save Giegue. Once the first four doors are cleared, they enter a fifth, taking them into Niiue's Magicant. As they explore, they see the same woman repeatedly, but Niiue doesn't want to explain. Finally, they reach the last spot, which transports all but Niiue back to the room of doors, with only one left: Giegue's.
  • Entering, they witness many of his memories of his youth, including his human parents. One of them is Maria, the woman they saw in Niiue's Magicant. Further memories show how he met Cerue and bonded with her, how they grew and ultimately left when Giegue's experiment, tampering with human minds, went out of control and led to Cerue leaving him, leading to the beginning of his mind's splitting. In the final moments, Moondancer tries to embrace the vision of him, only to see the memory of when she appeared. Moments later, the five appear back in the room of doors, and a new one appears as Moondancer weeps, praying for Giegue to find peace and be whole.
  • Once Moondancer has recovered, the group passes through the final door, and encounter what appears to be Giegue, but turns out to be a guardian shielding his innermost self. They defeat it with the aid of two of Niiue, then prepare to move on. Niiue finally admits the truth to them: Moondancer and Zarbol are going ten years into the past, where they must find a quartet of youths - Ness, Paula, Jeff and Poo - to set them on the path to try and change the destiny Giygas has created. Moondancer is key to them succeeding. Saying their temporary goodbyes, the group splits up - Zarbol and Moondancer on their own quest, the rest of them into the heart of the maelstrom.
  • With their information in hand, Zarbol and Moondancer travel back in time, where Moondancer reveals Niiue's true origins to Zarbol (now going by Buzz Buzz). With their ship disguised as a meteor, they head for Ness's hometown...
• Arc 3: MOTHER 2/Earthbound (chapters 41-?)
  • Moondancer and Buzz Buzz make their way to Onett, where they manage to find Ness and his neighbors, brothers Pokey and Picky Minch, who discover the meteor and with it Moondancer and Buzz Buzz. Once explanations are made, the group needs to get the Minch brothers home, but find themselves running into a trap... and Captain Deepsea, a Starman who works for Giygas and has come to eliminate Ness.
  • Despite Deepsea's efforts, he fails; Moondancer releases a wave of Emotion Driven PSI, while Ness manages to grab a PSI Bat from Moondancer's bag and uses it to defeat Deepsea, who flees. Meanwhile, Buzz Buzz wonders what cost Moondancer's new power will have for her.
  • Once everyone's recovered, and Pokey continues to act strangely, the group drops the Minch brothers at home, and have a confrontation with the Minch parents, who are both major jerks. When Mrs. Minch tries to attack Buzz Buzz, Moondancer gets very mad and nearly attacks her, until Ness breaks through to her and calms her down. Once she's calm, she manages to claim evidence of corruption on the Minch family's part, involving illegal interest rates they've charged on a loan they gave Ness's family.
  • The trio make their way to Ness's home, where they hand over the evidence to Ness's mother before falling asleep. The next day, they make their plans, and set out for the first of the eight points of power known as Your Sanctuary. Once they get a special melody from each, they'll be granted the power of Earth and then be ready to face Giygas. After encountering an odd photographer, they head south for Onett.
  • After making their way to Onett, the trio pick up a Town Map and then head for a house where, after paying, they learn what to do next, which involves going after the members of a street gang, the Sharks. Moondancer also learns a little more about Giegue's adoptive human father George from the Hint Guy, who then disappears and then leaves all of his hints with Moondancer.
  • The trio fight their way through the Sharks, and finally make their way to the arcade where the leader, Frank, is located. The trio confront Frank, and it's decided that Ness will fight Frank and his odd-looking mecha, while Moondancer and Buzz Buzz watch.
  • Ness manages to outwit Frank in the battle that follows, and the gang leader agrees to reform the Sharks into good guys, then helps them get to town hall to speak with the mayor... where Ness has an attack of nerves and can't bring himself to do the talking. Moondancer decides they'll go back to his house, and have his Mom make an appointment for him to talk instead.
  • At the house, they find Ness's mom talking with a strange man about their recent discovery of the Minch family's activities. The newcomer, who introduces himself as Theodore and says he's their legal advisor, helps him get through some of his anxieties, while hinting that he and Ness's Mom are somehow connected to Giegue's past.
  • Once Ness has made the appointment, they get in to talk to the Mayor, and get the key to the Traveling Entertainer's Shack, which they need to get into Giant Step, the first of the Sanctuaries.
  • Heading for the shack, the group overcome the smaller creatures inside, and finally defeat the Gigantic Ant that's guarding the Sanctuary, recovering the first of the eight Melodies, which empowers both Ness and Moondancer. The group leaves, and gets their next clue, guiding them to the Onett police station. Acting on the advice of the Captain, Ness proves himself capable of handling the dangers on the path to Twoson, and is given permission to go through the roadblock.
  • Once they're past the roadblock, Moondancer and Ness do some training, during which Ness figures out how to make Shields. Once he's won their practice fight, the trio decide to return to Ness's home for the night, where they find Theodore, who's helped her resolve their financial issues.
  • Meanwhile, Ness's Mom runs into a couple of beings, passing safely through to Threed and showing she has powers of her own.
  • Back at Nesss home, the group rests up for the night. During the night, Moondancer and Ness have the same dream, leading them to their next ally, Paula... the baby (now grown) whom Moondancer met during her visit to the Polestar Preschool during her time with the Appleseekers.
  • Once they're ready, the team heads for Twoson, only to run into a Mushroom that scrambles Moondancer's mind. The trio make their way to the hospital for help, where one of the healers removes the Mushroom. The team then decide to get some supplies before finding Paula.
  • After getting a few supplies, the trio head to Polestar Preschool, only to go right past it - Paula isn't there. As they find another house, home of the "Apple Kid", they give him some help while asking for directions, which he gives them, while his mouse companion gives them a small mobile phone of the kind that can receive but not send calls. The mouse wishes them good luck, and the trio head on their way.
  • Heading to the Polestar Preschool, the group find Paula's parents, one of whom, after some PSI work from Moondancer, recognizes she and Ness. However, Paula's not there. Her father tells them they might find her in one of two places - Burglin Park, or the Runaway Five. The trio split up: Ness and Buzz Buzz head to the park, where they meet Mr. Everdread, and Ness defeats him to learn Paula's location: she's in Peaceful Rest Valley, east of town, where she's been captured by two people.
  • Meanwhile, Moondancer finds the Runaway Five at the Chaos Theater, and confirms that her suspicions are right: they're Larice and Elmadan, the latter being a Mook who was pulled along with the others when time went wonky. It's revealed that Greyface was building a PSI amplifier called the Devil Machine, which Giegue was going to be installed in. Once the group sensed Moondancer and Buzz Buzz safely traversing through time, Alinivar managed to temporarily reconnect Niiue and Giegue, bringing Giegue out of his madness long enough to send the Applechasers and Elmadan back in time, instructing them to establish human identities and to keep an eye on Moondancer and the Chosen Four, making sure they'd stay well. Since they couldn't stick around Onett, and the only other one they knew the location of was Paula, they went to Twoson... but due to financial issues, they're stuck working at the theater until further notice.
  • While the group is unable to leave just yet, they can give information: there are two Sanctuaries they know the locations of, one beyond Peaceful Rest Valley and one somewhere in the Threed region. If they can be freed from the contract that keeps them from leaving the theater (which they owe a ton of money), they can help the group reach Threed.
  • Once Moondancer thanks them and leaves, Larice and Elmadan discuss what they've learned... that Moondancer may well be on the same path as Giegue, due to her having emotional PSI.
  • Meeting Ness again, Moondancer shares some of her information with Ness and Buzz Buzz. The trio head to Peaceful Rest Valley, where they run into a blocked path. Then they're called by Apple Kid, who needs them back in Burglin Park to get an invention from him.
  • Back in Burglin Park, the group acquires Apple Kid's device, the Pencil Eraser, which can destroy all pencil-shaped figures in just one second. Moondancer questions him on why he made it, and he explains he got the idea after talking with Groovy of the Runaway Five, who asked him to work on a device the cellist had found, which could combine two items into one. While he couldn't figure out how to make it work, he did upgrade it a bit, and gives it to Ness in the hopes that they can find someone who can improve it.
  • Returning to Peaceful Rest Valley, the team uses the Pencil Eraser to use the statue blocking their path. As they continue to explore and deal with various creatures, they enter another cave passage, and find their way to a village where nearly everything (including the people) is blue. After knocking out an attacker, they explore the town and learn that a Mr. Captainter is the "spiritual leader" of the settlement. They also find a cave leading to a secluded portion of the valley, where Paula is being held.
  • Once Paula is rescued, the team runs into Pokey, who's part of the Happy-Happyism cult, and drive him off; back at the village, they find their way to the cult's headquarters and, after a battle, they defeat Mr. Carpainter, learning the Mani Mani statue behind him is the real cause of his odd behavior.
  • With the valley freed, the team has another run-in with Pokey, and discover that there's a time loop going on. Something is happening in the near future, and there will be a moment where the loop ends but before it begins. That moment is the key to fixing everything.
  • As they continue on, the team finds the second Sanctuary, and defeat its Guardian, the Mondo Mole. They then get the second Melody. Once they get the power of Lilliput Steps, Ness stops to ask Mondo Mole what he can do to make the other more comfortable until they can come back and heal the Paralysis inflicted on him. Mondo Mole is shocked and surprised, and once Ness has shifted him into an upright position and Moondancer and Buzz Buzz have set up a voice-activated record player with several records of a band he likes, they leave him happy.
  • After making their way back through the village and to Twoson, Paula reassures her parents that she'll be safe, though her father is less than thrilled by the fact that she'll be traveling with multiple boys. Their next stop is to meet Mr. Everdread, who gives them enough money to buy the Runaway Five out of their contract, which they do. The band then takes them to Threed, parting ways for now.
  • Exploring the town, which is full of zombies, the group is ultimately captured by another group controlling the zombies. They come up with a plan: sending a message back in time two weeks, they reach Jeff, the next member of the group, giving him enough time to prepare and come to their rescue. Jeff gets the message, and with the aid of his friends Tony and Maxwell Labs, he gets ready for the trip. And somehow, this involves getting a telepathic monkey to join him.
  • Jeff continues his preparations, crossing the lake between Snow Woods and the southern areas with the aid of a being named Tessie, and learns that his PSI can't leave his body, so instead it enhances his mind and perceptions. Further south, he meets Brickroad, a dungeon developer who directs him to a cave leading to Stonehenge, with Jeff's father Dr. Andonuts and his lab not long after. While the Bubble Monkey gets distracted and runs off once they're in Stonehenge, Jeff reaches his father, who is talking with Ness's mother. The two supply him with the Sky Runner, a flying craft that will take him to Threed. Once he arrives, he crashes into the underground chamber where the rest of the group is being held.
  • Now that the group is together, Moondancer gushes over the technology Jeff has, before the five escape from the underground chamber and head for the hospital to find out how to keep Ness and Paula from turning into zombies. The Healer there informs them that the only cure is the "sacred light of the planet", which they figure out is the light given off by the Your Sanctuaries. When Jeff figures out a new weapon for himself, Moondancer declares that he'll take the lead during this leg of the trip and they'll stay behind him.
  • As the group leaves, they head south to a large purple tent, which turns out to be alive and their next enemy, which they defeat, leaving behind a jar of Fly Honey. They're then called by Apple Kid, who's just invented exactly what they need - Zombie Paper. The problem is, they'll need to wait at the Threed Bus Stop for it to arrive. Finally, it arrives, but has an effect on Ness and Paula too, forcing Moondancer to restrain them by making them get a good night's rest at the local hotel until the Paper's done its thing.
  • The next morning, Jeff takes charge in Ness's place, until the other boy is cured, and they make their plans. Continuing on, they reach the city limits at the back of the town cemetery, knowing that beyond that point, they'll encounter zombies again and have to deal with their enemy trying to speed up the infection for Ness and Paula. Still, they prepare to continue. Heading down the ladder, the group runs into ghost-like monsters, but defeat them before continuing their trip through the cavern under the cemetery. As they continue, Jeff is attacked and infected by a zombie; soon after, they battle and defeat the monster Mini Barf, then continue and emerge from the cave, meeting a man who points them to a cave leading to a valley full of strange beings; Moondancer recognizes them from his description as Mr. Saturns, and she and Buzz Buzz know they can help with the infection that Jeff, Ness and Paula are under. Once again taking the lead, Jeff leads them onward.
  • With a few more fights along the way, the group arrives in Saturn Valley, exposing them to a light that will help keep the infection from progressing. There, they receive help from a Dr. Saturn, who gives them medicine that will reduce their infections, but not cure it. The only cure is the next Sanctuary. Dr. Saturn also asks them to rescue some kidnapped Mr. Saturns from behind the valley's Grapefruit Falls, and after gathering information and further supplies, they go to do this. With Jeff still leading, they make it into the base behind the waterfall, and learn they must beat the base's boss to break all the chains holding the Mr. Saturns. After reaching the final chamber, they confront its inhabitant, Master Belch, and are able to defeat him.
  • Once Master Belch is gone, the group goes through a stone passage, leading to a higher area of Saturn Valley and finding a hot spring that washes away the mess left from Master Belch. As they relax and enjoy coffee offered by a Mr. Saturn, they all hear odd voices, giving them encouragement and telling them of the next stage: the city of Fourside, which lies beyond a vast desert. Once they recover from this, they pass through one more cave, and at its end, are met by the Trillionage Sprout, which they must defeat to continue. Once it's defeated, they enter the third Sanctuary, and are healed of the infection.
  • Now healed, the group is very glad, and Jeff happily surrenders command back to Ness, who decides they should go back to Threed and then move on to Fourside. The zombie infestation is gone, to their great relief, and they're able to catch a bus ride to Fourside... except when they hit the desert, they find it's full of traffic, and can't get through yet. Ness asks the driver to drop them off at a store they'd passed along the way, which he does, and they begin to plan their next move.
  • Inside the store, the five start planning, and finally, Jeff figures out a means to build Moondancer an environmental suit to protect her from the heat, Ness calling his uncle to get ahold of the material used to make the roads. He also calls for some other equipment, and learns that his mother is probably going to be in Fourside by the time they get there. Not long after, by using the equipment they've gotten in the Combinulator, they create a Hot Suit - a clear glass capsule that walks on four metal legs and can channel her PSI commands - that can protect Moondancer from the heat while also letting her defend herself.
  • As they continue along the desert, they run into minor troubles, but also encounter the Fuzzy Pickles photographer and a miner who's digging for gold. They help feed he and his crew, and in return he promises to give them some of the gold he digs up if they need it.
  • Continuing on, they reach Fourside and, while they don't find Ness's mom, they do find a message from her that leads them to the Runaway Five, who are in debt again. Via reading the manager's mind, she discovers how much they need and a possible solution, then projects her mind back out to the desert and learns that their miner friend needs help, since there are monsters in the mine. While they're heading back to the desert, Moondancer speaks to Paula and helps her come up with new ways to use her power so she can contribute more to the group.
  • Back in the desert, the group reaches the mine and learns there are some mole-like monsters down there. Entering the mine, they fight the creatures, and Paula shows off the new PSI techniques she's learned with Moondancer's help. Continuing their way through the maze, the quintet defeat more of the moles, until they've reached the fifth and final one, who is the wisest of the five. And his wisdom tells him to run away, which he does. With the mine clear, the group leave, making their plans for dealing with things. As they're heading back to Fourside, the miner's brother finds them and gives them a large diamond his brother's found, which is more than enough to pay off the Runaway Five's debt.
  • Taking it back to the Topolla Theater (where they're forced to make Moondancer out to be a therapy service animal so she can come in), the group heads in, and hand over the diamond to pay off the debt. The Runaway Five then hold a farewell show at the theater, which the group stays to watch. Afterward, they leave (and find the Five have gone on ahead), then hear that the Department Store is finally open. Going there, they split up to look around, and when they've gathered together, Ness has a little charm bracelet he's made for Paula. However, they suddenly come under attack, with Paula vanishing and the bracelet breaking. A message suddenly comes in, calling Ness to the fourth floor office.
  • As madness waves fill the store, the group goes to the top floor and, along the way, find Ness is being badly affected by it. As Moondancer figures it out, she reveals that the energies of the Nightmare Engine, amplified by Giygas' Madness Waves, are specifically targeting Ness to try and turn him to the path of the Destroyer. They figure out the source of the Mani Mani Statue, and know they need to snap him out of it.
  • At the top floor, they confront a Chimera Mook, and a surprising ally appears: Ness's mother shows up and snaps him out of the rage-induced madness, then promises to meet them at the bar near the edge of town, by the path to Dusty Dunes Desert. Once she leaves, Moondancer deals with the Chimera Mook, which has been weakened by the attack Ana used on it during the talk. Before it dies, it mentions a name, Monotoli.
  • With the Chimera Mook dealt with, the group plans their next actions. While they find a building with the name Monotoli on it, they know finding Paula has to be their first priority, and so go to find the bar where Ness's mother is in the hopes that she can give them more information. However, they don't find her. What they do find is a psychic illusion created by the Evil Mani Mani statue and basing itself off inverted versions of Fourside and Moondancer's homeland, called Moonside and Nightmare, respectively. Ness and Moondancer, unable to see their friends, wander off separately. Buzz Buzz follows Moondancer; Jeff goes after Ness.
  • Moondancer explores the place she knows as Nightmare, and is joined by Buzz Buzz. Together, they get warped around different parts of it every time they find a pink pony. Finally, they get to a brown stallion, who says they can only get past him to the focal point of Nightmare if they bring him the Muffin Mare. After much warping around, they find her, but she begs them to find "her little muffin" first. After dealing with a decoy version of the pink pony, they find a real one who sends them into the other Nightmare, where their target can be found. They also run into Ness and Jeff, but neither Moondancer nor Ness recognize one another until they start to attack one another and are stopped by their respective companions.
  • Once they've calmed down, they catch up on what they need to do: Ness goes into the Nightmare side, and finds the man he needs, but the person says they'll follow him even if they don't see him. Ness then returns to Moonside, and the four set out to find the Little Muffin, who turns out to be a tiny unicorn filly in the museum. They rescue her, and Moondancer's actions result in the two sides merging. The little filly and her mother are brought to the stallion, who takes them into a strange blue box that then vanishes. With the sudden aid of the man Ness had found, they're able to get into the focal point - a fusion of the Monotoli building and the crystal tree Moondancer had seen - and find the Mani Mani Statue behind it, which suddenly flickers and becomes Gigue, and between his screams and what they witness, they figure out that the Mani Mani is connecting Gigue and Giygas, the Devil Machine trying to break Gigue's body and make his mind stronger to turn him into Giygas. Together, Moondancer and Ness break through the Mani Mani to help him and destroy the Mani Mani statue, breaking its link to Gigue. As he thanks them for helping him, the four are blasted out of the building and land right in front of Ness's mother. Ana helps them recover from their exertions and explains about the new PSI variant they were using during the battle with the Mani Moni Statue. After eating, Ness and Moondancer fall asleep and, in their astral forms, find themselves in the land of Dalaam, where they witness Poo, the Crown Prince of Dalaam, in his meditations. Poo speaks to the pair and then to his master, who instructs him to go to the "Place of Emptiness" to undertake a final trial in his Mu Training. Ness and Moondancer follow him along his path, to the place where he's supposed to go. Once there, he begins meditating again, ignoring various distractions that try to make him give up. However, he continues on, accepting a dark emptiness into himself and finally awakening with new powers, with Ness and Moondancer also benefiting from what they experienced. After all three wake up, Ness and Moondancer tell him where to find them, and Poo promises to meet them there in person soon.
  • Upon awakening back in Fourside, Ness and Moondancer find themselves in a hotel, where Jeff has been investigating Monotoli and learned that all his orders are coming through his right hand man, Porky Minch. Ness immediately figures out "Porky" is actually Pokey, and the trio decide to do some more investigating. Once they leave the room, Poo arrives, and after discussing his equipment (or lack thereof), Jess admits to having used some of her things in the combinulator, including a sword she got from a Starman), creating the Sword of True Kings, which he gives to Poo.
  • The five head for the Monotoli building and prepare to get in via a back door to the top floor. Using their powers and equipment, they manage to run up the side of the building and onto the roof, using its access hatch to get into the building. Inside, they eventually reach Monotoli's office, finding he and Paula. Monotoli turns out to have been under the control of the Mani Moni Statue and Porky Minch, rather than a true bad guy, and points them to Porky's office. En route, however, the six have to deal with a Clumsy Robot.
  • Facing the Clumsy Robot, the team gets some surprise help from the Runaway Five, though they don't stick around for the entire fight. It is ultimately Moondancer who figures out how to stop it, performing PSI Friendship and combining the powers of she and her five teammates to overwhelm the Robot and destroy it. Furious at their victory, Porky leaves via helipad.
  • After learning Porky is not in his office anymore, the team heads for Monotoli's office, and figure out that he's headed for the Summers Museum. The museum has a new exhibit based on Scaraba, the desert where the secrets of PSI were first developed. The team, however, needs to do a few other things before they can go to the museum, with the eleven heading for Threed and the Runaway Five being dropped off.
  • Jeff, Poo and Paula stay in Threed to fix up the Skyrunner, while Moondancer, Ness and Buzz Buzz head to the cavern leading to the Lilliput Steps, where Ness heals Mondo Mole. and learn a little more from him. They then head back to Threed, where the others have fixed up the Skyrunner. Reunited, the six head for Jeff's dad, who can upgrade the Skyrunner. They also speak to a couple of Bubble Monkeys, who point them in the direction of a cave blocked by a starburst, believed to be a new Sanctuary. Dr. Andonuts names it the Rainy Circle, and cautions them to be careful before they head out.
  • The group continues on their way to the cave, where they confront Shrooom!, the being guarding the way to the fourth Your Sanctuary. It takes some doing, but they eventually figure out Shrooom!'s weakness, and defeat him via freezing and then shattering him, before Poo uses his Starstorm attack to vaporize the remains. Inside, they receive the fourth melody, and Moondancer renews her vow to save her father.
  • Returning to Dr. Andonuts' lab, the group takes the Skyrunner to Summers, and manage to get into the museum that Pokey was headed to, where they interpret some inscriptions regarding an evil stronghold behind space and time, in the Deep Darkness. On their way back out, they answer a phone call from the Fourside museum of Natural History, prompting them to make a detour back there. At the museum, the six meet with Mr. Spoon, but he won't show them his discovery unless they bring him an autograph from Venus, the new singer at the Topolla Theater. There, they watch Venus's performance, and note something unusual about her singing - they can't make out the words, just a sense of loneliness. After the performance, they get her autograph, and learn she somehow knew they were coming, and that her current stage name is her second choice, since her first (Mercury, which prompts a shocked gasp from Moondancer, whom Venus has been unusually affectionate to) was viewed as too masculine, before sending them out. Outside, as they head into the back room Mr. Spoon had been guarding, Ness mentally talks to Moondancer and learns that she's figured out Venus is in fact her mother Cerue. Poo and Buzz Buzz join in the talk, and together the four figure out that their battle with the Mani Mani Statue sent ripples through time and space, which Cerue felt, and is why she's come.
  • This settled, the group make their next plan to get through the sewers so they can reach the next Sanctuary Guardian.
  • To be continued.

My Little Killing Machine

• Arc 1: Early Years (chapters 1-8)
  • As events start in the Aperture Science Enrichment Center, GLaDOS is working on her main project, attempting to train birds into suitable killing machines. However, she finds they aren't working out due to an inability to carry the tools needed to complete standard tests. While trying to clean up the mess and remove a pair of portal guns from an acid pit, bits of the melted birds get into the guns' circuitry and cause them to malfunction. The resulting explosion creates an unusual portal that, when it vanishes, leaves behind a young griffon.
  • Dismissing the new arrival as harmless, GLaDOS quickly finds out how wrong she is when the little griffon latches onto her with beak and talons, and proves to be quite the little fighter. GLaDOS is impressed, and after feeding her new arrival, she orders the robots Atlas and Peabody to take the little one to the detention block. As she's taken away, the griffon surprises GLaDOS by calling her "Mama".
  • GLaDOS eventually shakes off the surge of emotion and looks into naming her new test subject, finally naming her Gilda after the only woman that Caroline (the woman whose brain was uploaded into GLaDOS long ago, and later apparently deleted) ever feared.
  • During the time that follows, GLaDOS puts Gilda through a series of tests, while also creating a new Turret companion for her named Different, and a set of Aperture Science Portal Tech Body Armor. Gilda's forays through the Test Chambers prove her to be quite skilled, even managing to modify Different to give him a laser weapon.
  • Another test has Gilda claim an Edgeless Companion Cube as a permanent companion, and survive being apparently thrown to her death as she learns how to fly. The same test ends with her leaving the original course and flying to GLaDOS' main room, dealing with various other challenges along the way. GLaDOS finally decides she's proud of her, and upgrades her Edgeless Companion Cube into a "Cuddle Core".
  • Gilda's next round of tests involve a classroom setting and the various technology she'd encounter in the Test chambers. She winds up upgrading some of it in various effective manners. Other classes involve chemistry and art, the latter of which has a profound effect on GLaDOS when she sees Gilda's project, and wonders why she can't cry in happiness over it.
• Arc 2: Wheatley's Revenge (chapters 9-15)
  • After GLaDOS decides to change Gilda's status from "Test Subject" to "Valued Employee" as a result of that last lesson, she puts her through one more set of tests to distract her while GLaDOS works on a surprise for her elsewhere. This test is interrupted, however, by the sudden return of the A.I. personality core Wheatley, who had once been plugged into GLaDOS' mainframe and gone completely nuts as a result. Now upgraded by unidentified backers, he's back for revenge. GLaDOS orders Gilda to run, since her weapons aren't active yet.
  • While Gilda is out of the room, Wheatley manages to take over the facility, locking GLaDOS out by disrupting her interface port and taking over as its main Core. That's when Gilda returns and mauls him, then catches GLaDOS and escaping with her. The two head for the location of GLaDOS' surprise for Gilda, a remote drone GLaDOS could transmit herself into. Now, it will serve as a physical body for her. Gilda figures out how to overcome the problem with her interface port, letting her connect to her new body: essentially a mechanical griffon.
  • After some bonding, the two set to work. Gilda reveals she's modified her armor to include a sealed compartment that could hide objects from the Emancipation Grids, and the pair head into the depths of Aperture. There, they find both some powdered moon rock (which can turn any surface into a viable portal) and another Core, whom GLaDOS recognizes and is quite angry with, since he's Cave Johnson, her former boss and the one whose actions resulted in Caroline Johnson's brain being uploaded. She finally releases him after he apologizes to her, and he joins she and Gilda as they head back up.
  • The trio head back up, where they find Wheatley's attempts to get the construction drones working have resulted in many humorous failures. Wheatley quickly detects their return, and is infuriated when they respond with insults and eliminate the mantis men he sends after them. The trio head through Wheatley's various attempts to kill him with very little problem, and finally get back to the Central Computer Chamber. Using what they have with them, they create a makeshift bomb that destroys Wheatley.
  • With Wheatley gone, the facility needs a replacement Core, and Gilda figures out how to modify GLaDOS' new body to let her hook back in. She also upgrades the larger body so it now looks like the one she was in while they beat him. During the cleanup event that follows, Gilda finds her personal room was trashed, and Cuddle Core was damaged... and she can't sleep without him. Cave solves this by putting himself into a cloth covering, letting Gilda curl up around him. She calls him "Dad" as she drifts off, leaving GLaDOS feeling somewhat conflicted due to her history with him.
• Arc 3: The Return of Chell (chapters 16-22)
  • Time passes. The facility is repaired, Gilda trains, GLaDOS adapts to her new body, and Cave studies what Wheatley left behind. And then, Chell manages to break back into the facility, after years in the Resistance against the Combine, an alien empire trying to enslave mankind. Their last attempt to retake the Black Mesa Research Facility ended in disaster, and she's fled back to Aperture. GLaDOS quickly detects her arrival, and challenges Chell to face off against Gilda and see who can overcome who.
  • After reading through several entries about Gilda's life, Chell finally reaches the test chamber where she'll meet Gilda. The two have a short battle, only for Chell to find out Gilda's real intentions after she cuts Chell's throat, shoves an item into the wound, and then seals it: she's installed a new artificial voice box into her "sister", and shows her a video recording of GLaDOS raging at Cave over what she had to do to Chell previously. Chell breaks down as she realizes the Caroline side of GLaDOS is still in there. The sisters continue to bond, and Gilda explains more about Chell's new voice box. She also shares Cuddle Core with her while GLaDOS and Cave watch them. After a while, Gilda brings her to their room, and GLaDOS, Cave and the robot trio (now including Derp-Face, a construction drone that Wheatley had made) happily welcome her home.
  • Once Chell has recovered, the four begin figuring out a plan to deal with the Combine. Meanwhile, Gordon Freeman searches for the Aperture facility in order to try and find something that can save Earth... or Chell, who would qualify. When he arrives, Chell and Gilda emerge, Gilda leading an army against the Combine structures while Chell happily greets Gordon, who faints in response.
  • While he's out, the group spends three hours claiming every single Combine facility on Earth and breaking their command over humanity. During their assault on the most heavily defended facility, they find the Combine Central Command, letting them take over the entire Combine and everything it's controlled. However, in their attack, they wind up transported into a new facility that looks like a copy of Aperture Science, run by Wheatley... In the resulting confrontation, he's destroyed once again, though this time at the cost of the lives of Assphalt, Pea-Brain, Cuddle Core and Different. Gilda is heartbroken.
  • After Wheatley's destruction, the computers state that an uncorrupted backup is on its way, but Cave decides to plug himself in first, and he manages to take over the entire Combine as a result. Though there's a brief moment of megalomania on his part, he soon returns to normal.
• Arc 4: Return to Equestria (chapter 23)
  • With the Combine completely defeated, things go peacefully for the next several years. Seven years after the birth of Gordon and Chell's first child, their daughter Caroline, Gilda begins gaining flashes of her past life. With the help of Cave, they find the way back to her native dimension, where Gilda happily reunites with Rainbow Dash, arriving when she would have in canon.
  • While Pinkie Pie is initially freaking out, Twilight is fascinated by the flying Aperture Fortress, and they're all invited in, though GLaDOS decides to "test" them before they can learn the full story of her history.
  • The End.

My Own Wings

• Arc 1: Beginnings (chapters 1-8)
  • One night in Equestria, Princess Celestia has words with the guards whom she had assigned to escort her personal student, Sunset Shimmer, back to her room so she could retrieve her personal belongings, intending for Sunset to then be taken to Ponyville, allowing her to continue her research while being around other ponies, whom Princess Celestia had hoped she would bond with, and that these bonds would offset her desire for power. Instead, as she has learned, Sunset overpowered them and fled to the room with the Crystal Mirror. There, both she and a stunner spell by one of the guards hit the mirror at the same time... something that the Princess realizes has destabilized the mirror, causing it to send Sunset somewhere completely random in space-time. Observing the mirror, Celestia wishes for Sunset to be safe, wherever she is.
  • Meanwhile, on the planet Corneria of the Lylat System, 15-year-old Fox McCloud has just dropped out of the Academy upon learning his father is missing, presumed dead, due to the betrayal of his teammate Pigma during a mission to investigate the activities of the Cornerian scientist Andross. Consequently, Fox has inherited his father's warship base, the Great Fox, and leadership of the Star Fox combat team that protects the Lylat System. Angry and depressed, Fox yells at the sky, demanding that it show him something worth fighting for. The universe answers by smacking him in the face with an infant and anthropomorphized Sunset Shimmer and her stash of books and papers, all launched out of a nearby mirror. When he realizes just what's hit him, Fox is surprised, and winds up comforting the scared infant. Taking up the mirror and everything that came out of it, he heads for home in the hopes that his father's other teammate Peppy can help him.
  • Aboard the Great Fox, Fox meets with his friends. There, with the aid of Falco Lombardi (an avian ace pilot), Slippy Toad (a skilled scientist and mechanic) and Peppy Hare (James McCloud's last loyal teammate), he figures out Sunset's name and that she's a magical being. The group decides raising Sunset is the first mission for the new Team Star Fox.
  • While deciding to take care of her is easy, actually doing so is more difficult, in part due to her magical abilities. At Fox's joking suggestion, Slippy posts an ad for a babysitter to help in taking care of her, and within days, they get an answer: Krystal, a magic-wielding vixen from the destroyed planet Cerina, who has come to the Lylat System in search of aid. The want ad about Sunset is just the clue she needs, and when she arrives, after some initial misgivings (they were expecting someone older), Krystal is welcomed aboard.
  • Meeting Sunset for the first time, she is quickly able to discern the cause of the problems Sunset has been having, and once the ship is aimed properly, she gets Sunset to release all the magic she's built up. She then explains the problem to the others, about how Sunset's magic is naturally being released into the surrounding environment, but since the Lylat System is naturally magic-free, Sunset's reabsorbing the magic she gives off, causing painful surges in her horn. They need to build something that can absorb the magic she's giving off so she won't reabsorb it; otherwise she'll wind up needing another energy drain like the one she just had. Slippy gets to work, while Sunset goes down for a nap.
  • While Sunset's napping, Krystal explains what she knows about magic and how it works, and how powerful Sunset really is. While she explains, Slippy completes the prototype energy collectors. They won't last forever though, so Fox asks Krystal to stay with them and, when Sunset's old enough to have conscious control of her magic, to teach her that control. After working out a deal on payment, she agrees to stick with them.
  • Krystal soon settles into routine with Team Star Fox. Over time, they continue upgrading the Arcane Collection and Storage Units (ASCU) that Slippy built and figure out how to convert the stored magical energy into fuel for the ship and raw material for the synthesizers, while Krystal bonds with each of them. Meanwhile, Sunset's language capabilities improve until the day she finally starts calling Krystal "Mama", while Falco and Fox argue over who's going to be "Dada".
  • Time continues, and Krystal begins teaching Sunset more by carrying her around the halls, watching her interactions with ROB 64 (the Great Fox's robotic operator), and with Slippy, whom Sunset has begun calling "Unca Silly". Slippy has also been figuring out a means to turn the Great Fox itself into a battery for Sunset's magic, which will easily solve their problems with magic storage.
  • As Sunset continues to grow and soon begins exploring on her own, she develops her bonds with the others as well, making Peppy very happy the first time she calls him Grampa. However, Fox and Falco's continuing arguments over which of them is her Dad upset her, and Fox finally realizes this and apologizes. When he does, Sunset calls him "Da" for the first time, much to Falco's annoyance... until she calls him "Uncle Bardi", and Krystal quickly explains it's short for his surname, which he accepts.
  • Years pass, and routine sets in, as the team no longer needs to expend as much physical effort to watch over Sunset, though Krystal is now working on teaching her control of her magic. The rest of the team does their own projects, Slippy focused on repairs and maintenance of the Great Fox and its four Ar-Wing fighters, Peppy relaxing, Falco looking for companionship elsewhere, and Fox getting to know Krystal better. Eventually, the four pilots begin practice runs in the upgraded Ar-Wings, much to Sunset's awe, leading to her own desires to join them.
• Arc 2: Star Fox / Star Fox 64 (chapters 9-20)
  • As Krystal expected, the now three-year-old Sunset has been trying to convince the others to let her have an Ar-Wing of her own, with no luck. Slippy finally explains why she can't have one - to legally be able to pilot an Ar-Wing, she'd need to be old enough to have special cybernetic interface points implanted into her legs, which would help deal with the G-forces that come with flying an Ar-Wing. Or to prove that her biology can handle the G-forces without the implants. Either way, she can't be tested to see if she's suitable for them until she's at least twelve. Sunset, finally understanding what all this means, accepts his explanation.
  • Just then, the team gets a message from General Pepper (the hound general of the Cornerian Army), who informs them Andross has declared war and they need Team Star Fox's help. The four pilots launch immediately, defending Corneria against Andross's drone ships. As Krystal and Sunset watch from the Great Fox, Sunset manages to access the Great Fox's systems, using the ship itself as a focus to project her magic and take out a ship going after Slippy, much to everyone's astonishment when they realize what's happened. Using a different method to take out another ship though exhausts her.
  • The team moves on, intending to clear every planetary region on their way to Andross's base on Planet Venom. They first clear the Meteo Asteroid Field surrounding Corneria, then the planet Fichina, where they must battle Team Star Wolf, an enemy squad working for Andross and including the traitor Pigma. When Krystal and Sunset find out, they both get mad, and Sunset's efforts lead to the Great Fox projecting enough energy to supercharge the team's Ar-Wings, allowing them to outmatch and drive off the Wolfens.
  • After clearing Fichina, the team goes into Sector Y, where they rout Andross's forces, then head for the planet Aquas and, with the help of the team's submarine Blue Marine, destroy a bio-weapon Andross has set up deep within the planet's oceans. Their next stop is Katina, a planet much like Corneria, where Fox happily reunites with his old classmate Bill Grey (a Cornerian Bulldog) and battles the attacking forces. Sunset helps out, firing a powerful shot from the Great Fox that destroys the enemy Mothership.
  • The team's next stop is Solaar, a molten planet and the central point of the Lylat System. As they approach, Krystal notes Sunset's reaction to it, and realizes she has an elemental affinity to fire, so she and the Great Fox are unharmed by their proximity to Solaar. As they fly over it, they encounter some of the local wildlife, and some of Andross's ships, which are trying to mine it for resources. Sunset quickly puts a stop by that when one of the local creatures, which she's bonded to via astral projection, destroys the enemy ships.
  • The team next heads for Sector X to eliminate a superweapon Andross is having made there. It turns out to be a massive AI combat machine, which manages to take out Slippy's Ar-Wing and send it crashing onto the nearby planet Titania. The team rescues Slippy, but are forced to use their main Mana Canon to destroy the Ar-Wing, which has been caught by a plant-like bio-weapon left there by Andross. Once this stage is complete, they head for the next planet, Zoness.
  • On Zoness, the group discovers that Andross has a strong military presence, and encounter Katt Monroe, one of Falco's old girlfriends. The two groups manage to destroy a massive manned sub that's spewing pollution into the ocean, then heads for Sector Z, where they're attacked by Andross's fighters, swarming the Great Fox to try and capture it, though the two groups are able to protect it. Katt and her team then head off to another sector.
  • The team's next destination is the factory world of Macbeth, where Team Star Fox reroutes one of Andross's supply trains into his main manufacturing base, destroying both and clearing a path for a later assault on another outpost.
  • Next, the team goes after the Bolse Defense Satellite around the planet Venom, with Fox, Falco and Peppy targeting the satellite (Slippy can't since his ship can't handle the radiation they'll be dealing with). The Star Wolf team also shows up and attacks the Great Fox to try to capture it, forcing Krystal and Slippy to defend the ship, with Krystal shooting a wing off Pigma's craft and providing enough of a distraction to draw Wolf away, allowing Fox, Falco and Peppy to destroy their target, causing Star Wolf to withdraw.
  • With the Bolse Defense Satellite destroyed, the team moves on to the aerial defense field in Sector 6, the last defense that Venom has against them. The four Ar-Wings and the Great Fox head in, battling their enemies, only to receive a communication from Andross, who's figured out there's more to their upgrades than what Krystal can do. Not wanting to risk him getting his hands on Sunset, the team orders Krystal to take the Great Fox out of range and to Solaar orbit, which she does. Meanwhile, they've also figured out that Andross's real plan is to weaponize magical energy on a greater scale than ever before.
  • With the outer defenses eliminated, Team Star Fox charges into Venom's atmosphere, taking down the local drone forces and finally making their way to a massive stone temple, which turns out to be bait for a trap, Team Star Wolf coming in to go after them. The enemy fighters are forced to retreat, but so are Peppy, Falco and Slippy, while Fox goes the rest of the way by himself.
  • Flying deeper into the planet, Fox finally confronts and destroys Andross himself, fully expecting to die... until James McCloud's spirit appears and shows him the way out, giving him some advice in the process. Once outside of Venom, which is exploding around him, Fox is teleported back to Solaar by Sunset's power and brought aboard the Great Fox.
  • Back aboard the Great Fox, Fox reunites with the rest of his team and informs them of what happened in Venom. After this, they're called by General Pepper, and wind up having to explain some of their upgrades, including what Sunset did, to him. Understanding, the General promises to try and keep this information out of the wrong hands. Meanwhile, a tiny and mysterious thing has snuck aboard the ship via Slippy's Ar-Wing... Andross has survived.
  • Later on, Slippy explains the ACSU system to General Pepper and his advisors, the general declaring the information to remain classified. Elsewhere, Fox and Bill watch over Sunset, Fox having explained things to him, and telling him about how he encountered his father's spirit. Falco, meanwhile, catches Katt up on things.
• Arc 3: Interlude (chapters 21-32)
  • Sometime after the reunion, Bill and Katt have returned to their own duties, and things are peaceful aboard the Great Fox. Until a pair from Child Services show up, seeing how Sunset is being raised and generally checking up on things. While one of them doesn't approve due to Fox's age, the female of the pair recommends they move to Dinosaur Planet, due to its magical field to help her and the fact that there are people with children Sunset's age. The group decides to check it out and see how it works.
  • Krystal and Sunset head for Dinosaur Planet, where they land near the Walled City, where the Earthwalker Tribe lives. Upon arrival, they have some trouble with a pair of guards, but soon get past them and meet with the King and Queen, the latter of whom is far more sensible and reasonable than her husband, whom it is revealed had tried to use their communications device, which had broken and could neither send or receive messages, to send a message saying it needed repairs.
  • After getting things straightened out, Krystal gets to the heart of the matter - they wanted Prince Tricky to come out and play with Sunset. The pair react oddly to her name, but allow their son to come out and play.
  • While Sunset and Tricky play, Krystal and the Queen talk, and Krystal explains how she came to be Sunset's mother, and they get into a discussion on Sunset's name and why it first disturbed them - they don't like translating names, because if they do it wrong, it could cause great offense. In Sunset's case, there's also the similarity between her name and a prophecy that speaks of "The Last Light of a Dying Sun", which they first thought she was referring to when she tried to translate Sunset's name into their language. When the Queen describes part of it, Krystal realizes it does sound similar to Sunset's arrival, and the two go off to discuss the matter further.
  • Meanwhile, Sunset and Tricky play some more, and have a run in with a store owner, agreeing to collect scarabs in exchange for merchandise. Sunset proves extremely good at collecting them.
  • Back with Krystal and the Queen, they visit the mural and its prophecy, where Krystal explains the concept of a mirror, and learns the prophecy. Part of it has come true already, predicting Sunset's arrival and Andross's attack on Lylat three years later. The prophecy also speaks of "the demon's final face" and the "Angel of Flames", and Krystal wonders what it could mean for Sunset. The Queen encourages her to raise Sunset well, teach her to master her power, and teacher good values and to care about others. Only when she is ready should they show her the prophecy.
  • The two then go out to find their children, and find they've earned enough scarabs to practically buy out Shabunga's store, to his great annoyance.
  • With everything they've experienced on Dinosaur Planet, the group chooses to spend more time there. The next visit has Slippy take her, and Slippy asks Shabunga for help in figuring out how Sunset can carry an ACSU panel with her on a regular basis. After some discussion and haggling, the two figure out how to reproduce its functions in cloth, creating an ACSU suit Sunset could wear.
  • While they work, Sunset and Tricky go out to explore Thorntail Hollow and run into the sapient Mighty Warpstone, who can send them almost anywhere they want to go on the planet. Though he can't send dinosaurs like Tricky. Sunset, not wanting to leave her friend behind, figures out a spell to overcome this problem, creating a charm that provides a linkage between his magic and that of the dinosaurs. The two then go out and plan in Ice Horn, a new area full of snow, hot springs, frozen lakes and even lava chasms. When they get done and finally make it back to Thorntail Hollow, they arrive in time to meet Slippy, who's just finished up at the shop.
  • Time passes, Sunset spending a lot of time in Dinosaur Planet with Tricky and getting to know the locals, while the rest of her family work on their own things - Slippy works with Shabunga, Peppy catches up on sleep, Fox and Krystal spend time with one another, and Falco tags along on their adventures.
  • One day, after reminiscing, Sunset gets a surprise - her birthday. She also gets a surprise present: the Focus Outfit Slippy and Shabunga have been working on. During the party, the Warpstone inadvertently spills the beans on her and Tricky's explorations, much to her annoyance and her parents' stern response.
  • It's several weeks before Sunset is no longer grounded, though she's still under restrictions. Meanwhile, Fox and the others begin her formal education, doing assessments and then setting up classes to help her. The most difficult is history, which she shows no interest in. Fortunately, Falco is able to come up with a means to make these lessons interesting for her. It lasts six months. Unfortunately, near the end (and after she's finished her exams), she gets to the part where her grandfather dies... and reacts by getting hold of a necromancy book and trying to send them to Venom, supposedly to resurrect James.
  • While informing Katt of all of this, Falco agrees to help her investigate Venomian signals on Titania...
  • Back on Dinosaur Planet, where Sunset's had her book confiscated, she's very upset at this. When Krystal finally asks her about it, it's revealed that she just wanted to talk to James, but her dad and uncles wouldn't listen, especially since she was using a different language to explain it.
  • Krystal then suggests an alternate method of contacting him (hooking up a Ouija Board up to a Text-to-Speech device), which Sunset hadn't thought of - she wanted to attune a speech-related device to James' spiritual wavelength so he could speak to them whenever he wanted, and from there eventually build a robotic golem for him to possess.
  • It's at this point that Sunset learns the others are on a mission to Titania. Suddenly, Falco shows up, and also learns Sunset wasn't trying to resurrect James, just talk to him. He also reveals he and Fox have had a major argument, and so he has to go away for a while. He promises to stay in touch with Sunset though.
• Arc 4: Star Fox Adventures (chapters 33-68)
  • Over the years that pass, Sunset continues to learn, but is less happy with part of her family being away. During this time, she focuses on her studies, and adds hand-to-hand combat, with aid from Krystal and Falco, when he can be there. But one day, while recharging at Solaar, they get some unexpected news: Dinosaur Planet has shattered. Krystal, when she sees it, is reminded of what happened at Cerinia, and starts preparing to go investigate.
  • Some time after Krystal leaves, the team gets a message from General Pepper, giving them word of a distress signal they've picked up from Dinosaur Planet. Fox in turn tells him what he knows, and learns that if the energies continue to expand, the explosive discharge could disrupt the entire Lylat System; Fox needs to go and investigate, and find a way to repair the planet. Fox prepares to head out on his own, but upon arrival, finds Sunset was pouting in the cargo hatch of his Ar-Wing and is thus with him. Before he can really scold her though, they see Krystal's staff embedded in the ground nearby. Fox decides to bring Sunset with him to find her, but their first stop is Thorntail Hollow, to find the Queen Earthwalker.
  • While searching, the pair discover Fox's blaster won't work due to the planet's unstable magical field, moments before Slippy calls to warn them about the same thing. Fox is reluctantly forced to pick up spells with Krystal's staff and use it.
  • Further explorations lead them to the Queen Earthwalker, and they learn her King is in the Walled City, while Prince Tricky has been captured by Sharpclaws and taken to Ice Mountain. With the Warpstone, they go to Ice Horn, and manage to rescue Tricky. Shortly afterward, Fox gets a translator from Slippy, allowing him to understand the native language.
  • As the trio make their way around the mountain in order to get to their next destination, Sunset terrifies a Sharpclaw with just her name. The trio get back to Thorntail Hollow, where they need to get some White Grubtub mushrooms to serve as medicine for the Queen. It can only be found in the old well, and Sunset and Fox head down immediately. After retrieving the mushrooms and giving them to the Queen, they learn more information, as she explains that General Scales of the Sharpclaws has taken over their leadership, and has removed the Spellstones from their proper places, releasing the excess magic from the planet's core and planning to harvest it, using his technology to turn the core of the planet into a massive power generator for an armada that he can then use to conquer the Lylat system. Without the Spellstones regulating the energy, Dinosaur Planet is falling apart, and if they aren't returned to their proper places, it may well result in total destruction. The Queen also tells them what they need to do: get the Spellstones to their Force Point Temples one at a time (which will require Tricky being there to activate them), get the Krazoa Spirits to the Palace (Krystal had intended to go there to find the locations of the Spirits after raiding General Scales' flying flagship) one at a time, and only Fox can carry the Spellstones since they could have harmful effects on Sunset.
  • There is also the case of General Scales, who is far more powerful and dangerous than before, so they have to be careful when dealing with him.
  • The Queen's final instruction is that they need the help of a particular Gatekeeper, who can release the seal on the Darkice Mines where General Scales is currently based out of. The Gatekeeper they need is in the Snowhorn Wastes, and they'll need a key to a gate there... which the Queen has recovered after the Sharpclaws dropped it when attacking her. With all of this information, Fox, Sunset and Tricky set off on their mission.
  • Reaching the Snowhorn Wastes, the group finds Garunda Te the Gatekeeper, and are able to free him by getting him some Frost Weeds, which gives him the energy to smash through the ice imprisoning him. Once freed, he explains that General Scales threatened him with the destruction of his tribe if he didn't cooperate, then took the Spellstone back to the Darkice Mines. Now, the group must recover it and return it to the Volcano Force Point Temple to restore its power. The trio are able to fly there in their Ar-Wing, and discover the mines are full of magma, which stabilizes Sunset's magic.
  • Making their way through the mines (and rescuing the imprisoned Snowhorns, including one who gives them an odd cog she'd found), they find and free the Gatekeeper's daughter Belinda Te, who agrees to guide them to the bottom of the mine where the Spellstone is.
  • Continuing their journey, the group makes their way to a teleporter, which takes the four to a chamber where Galdon, one of General Scales' experiments, is being held. Galdon is also holding onto the Spellstone, and while Belinda ducks into the previous room, Fox and the two youngsters manage to outwit Galdon, end him, and recover the Spellstone.
  • Leaving Belinda to guide her tribe members in the mines, Fox and the youngsters take the Ar-Wing back to Thorntail Hollow, then go searching for Moon Mountain Pass, leading to the Volcano Force Point Temple. After relighting the beacons for the Thorntails, they receive the Moon Pass Key, which will open the way through Moon Mountain Pass to the Volcano Force Point Temple.
  • Following the path, the three get to the temple, but the overwhelming fire magic makes it very hard for Sunset to restrain herself; while she waits outside, Fox and Tricky install the Spellstone and return with a new spell for Fox's staff. With this phase of their mission complete, the trio prepare to leave, but Fox promises they'll return.
  • As Fox, Sunset and Tricky head back through Moon Mountain Pass, they encounter a Krazoa Spirit, who presents Fox with a test, to earn the right to call on the powers of the Krazoa Spirits. He accepts, and the first is to defeat a large creature to collect a Moon Seed, which they plant to create a climbing vine that allows them to travel deeper into the Moon Mountain Pass. Finally, they reach a Krazoa Shrine, which Fox enters, passing the test within to receive a Krazoa Spirit that they must now bring to Krazoa Palace.
  • After making their way back through the Moon Mountain Pass and returning to the Warpstone, the trio learn he can only safely transfer three souls at a time, and the Krazoa Spirit counts as one. Tricky opts to return to his mother, while Fox and Sunset go the Krazoa Palace, and make their way through some Sharpclaws standing guard. In the Palace, they find Krystal trapped in a pink crystal, along with a Krazoa Spirit. While Sunset rushes to try and save her, Krystal herself warns her to stay back; it's too dangerous for Sunset personally to get too close to the crystal. Fox pulls her away and releases the Krazoa Spirit to the place where it needs to go, and the two are returned to the Warpstone. Once there, Fox explains that whomever trapped her there is after magic power, and is using Krystal as a medium to tap the power of the Krazoa Spirits and the core of the planet, but he'll only get what he wants if the six spirits are all together... or if he gets Sunset, since her power is so great. Reluctantly, Sunset agrees to stay away from the palace until they get the last spirit. The Warpstone then points them towards the coast to continue their quest.
  • After returning to the temple where the Queen Earthwalker is, Fox takes Tricky outside, at her request, while she speaks to Sunset about how she's feeling; Sunset is scared that she's going to lose Krystal, but doesn't want to admit this to Fox. The Queen comforts her and helps her feel better, and she rejoins her father and Tricky afterward. The trio then take a passage to Cape Claw; along the way, Fox quietly calls Slippy to see if they can reach Falco to have him talk to Sunset.
  • As the trio reaches Cape Claw, they meet a member of the Hightop Tribe, who agrees to help them if they find and dig up four gold bars he'd hidden when he heard the Sharpclaws were coming. Once they get the bars and deal with a number of Sharpclaws, they learn the Sharpclaws have captured a Cloudrunner, and Fox, Sunset and Tricky go to rescue them. After following a path, they find and rescue the Queen Cloudrunner, who is very happy to see all of them. She also confirms she is the Gatekeeper of Cloudrunner Fortress, and that it has moved to the barest edge of the atmospheric envelope. They will need to go there via Fox's Ar-Wing, due to the thin air up there, but she can open the Gate and ensure the landing pad is safe; once they get there, they can recover a Water Spellstone that should be there.
  • After returning to the Hollow and dropping off Tricky (who doesn't think he should go because he's too heavy for the paths, and Sunset needs all her magic to help Fox and can't spare any to carry him), Fox and Sunset fly to the Cloudrunner Fortress and rejoin the Queen Cloudrunner. As they make their way through, they witness General Scales interrogating the Queen Cloudrunner, whom he's captured, and demanding to know where "the Sun Killer" is. After the Queen is taken away, Fox and Sunset are attacked by General Scales; Fox is captured, but Sunset manages to escape. Her new focus: find and rescue Fox.
  • Following his trail with the help of Krystal's staff, Sunset figures out Fox is in the Fortress prison, and soon finds him, but he's "rambling", in fact giving her a message she correctly interprets, and she sneaks off to continue her mission. Heading for the Sky Dock to create her distraction, she studies the area and observes a handful of Cloudrunners being targeted by the Sharpclaws, and sneakily helps them by dealing with their tormentors, and they in turn hep her get to their mother's prison. Once the Queen Cloudrunner is free, she tells Sunset that Fox may be in danger, since explosions have rocked the prison recently and a Sharpclaw was seen leaving. Sunset promptly teleports away, determined to help her dad.
  • Meanwhile, the Sharpclaw in question turns out to be Fox wearing a holographic disguise provided by Slippy; the explosions were from his own distraction. As he heads for the Wind Lift controls, he's suddenly attacked by Sunset, who doesn't realize it's him, until he starts talking. She is immensely relieved to realize the truth, and once they've both caught up on what happened while they were separated, Fox decides that except for her age, she's ready for the Academy. In the meantime though, they're able to get back to the Sky Dock and learn the location of the Spellstone. The two make their way through, only to find General Scales working with a tinkerer and the Spellstone, and swipe a couple of speedsters to go after it. While they're chased by some of the general's men, they do manage to evade them and catch up to Tinkerer, and figure out that she's willing to defect. In a large part because she knows that General Scales, if he wins, intends to turn her and all the other females of their society into sex slaves. They accept her defection, the Spellstone and the blueprints she's offering, and head back to their Ar-Wing; with the Spellstone in hand, General Scales and his troops have been forced to leave.
  • Their mission accomplished, the group go back to the Great Fox, and then to Thorntail Hollow, where Fox, Sunset and Tricky prepare to head out for Cape Claw. Along the way, Fox has a run-in with a pair of the Sharpclaws and overhears what General Scales has in mind for Krystal once he can get Sunset and use her as their mana channel instead. Enraged, he attacks them and manages to generate lightning straight into them, burning the two into ash. As he and Sunset try to figure out what caused it, Shabunga appears and informs them that as a result of Fox's long-term exposure to Sunset and magic in general, his own magical potential has been building up and, due to his carrying a Krazoa Spirit for a time, it's been activated. Between his natural sky affinity and exposure to Sunset's fire affinity, he's gained natural lightning magic.
  • Of course, there are still some complications, and so Shabugna does a quick tweak on Fox's blaster, letting it run on Fox's lightning magic. He then leaves, and the trio continue on their way to Cape Claw, where they rescue a Lightfoot Tribesman from some Sharpclaws. They're rewarded with a Fire Gem, which is entrusted to Sunset. It proves useful in getting the Ocean Temple open, but once they're inside, Sunset finds her magic is low. As they head in and explore, they finally reach its Heart Chamber, where they find the Choke, the structure that contains and channels the endless flow of magic within the planet. However, as Sunset studies it, she finds that, according to the runes on the structure, the planet was built around the Choke to contain the energy it regulates, and to hide it... because it's a weapon.
  • Once back outside the temple, the group returns to Thorntail Hollow, but as they pass through the clearing where Fox unlocked his magic, they find a group of adult Lightfoot who want to contain him because of his power. Tricky, however, scares them into behaving with his words, letting them safely enter the Lightfoot Village and make their way to a totem. Solving its puzzle unlocks the path to another Krazoa Shrine, which Fox enters, meeting another Krazoa Spirit and dealing with the Test of Fear, which he passes. Once he's infused with its energies, he is warped back out.
  • Once Fox is back under control, he leads them back to Thorntail Hollow and then to the Warpstone so he can visit the temple and release the Spirit he carries. While he's away, Sunset and Tricky save a Thorntail's eggs from another creature, and once Fox returns, he accepts the spell the mother Thorntail offers in thanks. They then go back to Tricky's mother, and learn that she's found where her husband is being held: the Walled City. However, there's no way in... except for the spell Fox just got from the mother Thorntail, opening the path. Approaching the Walled City, they find the place infested with Red Eyes that General Scales let loose to cause trouble.
  • Inside, they learn the King is inside the Temple, and make their way through some switches to unlock the temple and find the King, who tells them the Spellstone is in the lair of the Red Eye King and how they can get into it, using the two sacred teeth, and to get to those, they need a new spell inside a Magic Cave. Following his directions, they get the spell - Super Ground Quake - and are able to get to the place where the Teeth are held. With the Gold Redeye Tooth and Silver Redeye Tooth, they return to the King's chamber, and unlock the path to the Red Eye King. Working as a team and using the environment to their advantage, they beat the Red Eye King and get the Spellstone.
  • Back in the King's chamber, Tricky's father explains the meaning of a swear word Fox had used when yelling at the Red Eye King, and the trio then leave to place the Spellstone. Along the way, Sunset and Tricky have a private moment (and Sunset kisses him on the cheek), but Tricky completely fails to understand what it means, angering her. Once they get back to the Volcano Force Point Temple, Fox takes him aside and explains it, but Tricky is still confused.
  • As they explore the temple, they find more runes, revealing more history: the Krazoa built Dinosaur Planet to hide an immense source of magical energy they'd found, and figures out that the part she misread as "weapon" is that the Krazoa developed a way to use large amounts of the magic in the source all at once to stave off some disaster they saw in the future: guarding reality from the Fallen Angel unleashed, which she doesn't understand. Fox convinces her to stop reading, telling her it sounds like a prophecy of some sort, and the last thing he wants is to get tangled up in one of those. He then places the Spellstone, which reveals the rest of the prophecy before they're warped away: Power comes from the land of the New Sun. The Dying Sun shall seek the power in the hour of need. If the Dying Sun rises alone, then the Angel will Fall. This weapon awaits, for if that comes to pass, only the power contained will suffice to erase the Fallen Angel and the Demon born of her power.
  • Sunset refuses to comment on it, and they return to Thorntail Hollow and protect the locals from some strange flying creatures. In return, they're directed to Shabunga's place again, and he gives them a Snowhorn Artifact. They also figure out that he cares for Tink, and he asks them to bring her to him if they beat General Scales. The trio then head back to the Snowhown Wastes, where the artifact they find is returned to its owner, who activates a new challenge for them. Once Fox clears the trial and unlocks the path to a Krazoa Shrine, picking up another Krazoa Spirit, and they return to the Warpstone so it can send them to Dragon Rock. They also figure out the identity of the Thorntail who is the Gatekeeper. The Gatekeeper tells them that three of his friends are imprisoned on Dragon Rock by General Scales, and he opens the air path so they can go save his friends and get the fourth Spellstone.
  • Arriving at Dragon Rock, the group are able to free the Gatekeeper's friends - Mmo, an Earthwalker warrior; Koh'sole, the High Top; and Pea-shi, who had helped Krystal get onto General Scales' galleon, and helps them get to the great tower where the Spellstone is held, Fox and Sunset enter the tower, and do battle with the Drakor within, finally getting the Spellstone from it and sending the monster into the magma below. With the Spellstone, they make their way to the Ocean Force Point Temple, and place the Spellstone. They also learn that while the Spellstone now being in place means that the planet won't damage itself anymore, they still need the six Krazoa Spirits together in order to heal the planet. As the group reaches the Heart Chamber, Sunset admits that she knows the prophecy, and that Dinosaur Planet was made to destroy her. Tricky, however, promises that they'll make sure things go right, so she instead becomes a hero with friends. When the Spellstone is placed, new markings appear on the Choke, and their words confirm what Tricky said: with friends, she and others will Rise.
  • Back at Thorntail Hollow, the Queen Earthwalker tells them that the Walled City has not yet returned to the planet, and Sunset quickly explains to her that they need all six Krazoa Spirits together to carry out the restoration. The group also figures out that General Krazoa still has one of the Spirits, Krystal had another there, three have been returned to the Temple (specifically, to the place where Krystal is being kept), and the last one must be in the Walled City.
  • Returning to the City, the group recover the last Krazoa Spirit, and prepare to head for the Krazoa Palace. However, the King Earthwalker tells them Tricky cannot go with them any further, since those of the Gatekeeper line cannot enter the Krazoa Palace. He reluctantly accepts, and Sunset and Fox fly off in the Arwing.
  • In the Palace, Fox releases the fifth Spirit, and the two then head off to face General Scales. Together, they battle and defeat him, releasing the Spirit from him and into Fox. As they stand over Scales' body, they figure out there must be another power here manipulating the General, and then head to release the last Krazoa Spirit. When they do, the Spirits return to their proper place, and Krystal is freed. However, the statue that the Spirits went into suddenly animates, and is revealed to be possessed by Andross, who'd severed pieces of his own soul and hid them away so that his main portion would be drawn to them and merge with them, allowing him to revive if he ever got killed. As Andross tries to attack them, Falco's Ar-Wing suddenly arrives and disables the statue, freeing the Spirits.
  • Falco explains that Think knew about the soul-extracting project, and one of the old Ar-Wings turns out to be the perfect counter to it, so Andross is now trapped. The trio board Fox's Ar-Wing and join Falco in returning to the Great Fox, happily reuniting with Falco, who's back for good, and admits that a big part of why he left is because he didn't think Sunset needed the Academy, since there were other ways to get Ar-Wing certified. When she admits that she wants to go, because it means she can make more friends her own age, Falco is surprised and asks why she didn't say so in the first place. Sunset's answer: nobody asked.
  • Once Fox and Krystal get out of the cockpit, everyone watches Dinosaur Planet be reassembled, and Tink asks to join them on a permanent basis, which everyone agrees to. The group then gets a call from General Pepper, congratulating them. They also explain Andross's means of resurrection, and how they've got him trapped for now so he can't cause trouble. Pepper's last bit of news is that Sunset, once she's able to move freely in a non-magic environment without difficulty, will be allowed to take the placement tests for the Academy, something which makes her very happy.
• Arc 5: Interlude 2 (chapters 69-75)
  • Fox catches Krystal up on the details, with Sunset occasionally adding her own comments. Once the story is done, they return to Thorntail Hollow to relax, with Sunset and Tricky playing while Fox and Krystal watch them. Soon enough, Shabunga arrives with a new outfit for Sunset.
  • Soon after, the group finds... complications, as the admissions officer at the Academy says that due to regulations, Sunset can't attend after all... because she's tested so high in the majority of their courses. And because she has ambassadorial status and diplomatic immunity due to her adventures on Dinosaur Planet - the Academy has restrictions against those with that status taking the accelerated programs. Only the headmaster can approve her at this point, and he needs approval from three other sources due to the cause. Fortunately, with the help of General Pepper, they're able to get things settled, and Sunset begins her Academy training.
  • During an early lesson, Sunset proves herself more than capable of handling G-forces, and in the process sets a new Academy record, angering the previous holder. Prismaya, the Avian, soon picks a fight with Sunset, but Sunset stands up for Prismaya when they have to see the Headmaster for fighting in the halls. The two wind up friends as a result.
  • Later, en route to her Field Medicine class, Sunset meets a new girl, Faris - a Lagomorph like Peppy, and a friend of Prismaya, who introduces them. Faris is in training to be a field medic, and she and Sunset quickly hit it off.
  • Some time later, heading for her Extra-Stellar Astro-Navigation class, Sunset finds a workshop in part of the area, where she meets a Felinoid who's experimenting on fabric to incorporate a version of the properties of the G-Diffusion system into fabric and metal. At Sunset's suggestion, she figures out what went wrong, and Sunset figures out she made Faris' armor. The two wind up bonding, and the Felinoid girl finally introduces herself as Raquel.
  • After much work on the Diffusion Weave, Sunset heads to her next class in Mixed Martial Arts, where she meets Jacqueline, a rival of Prismaya and a member of the Lupoid species. After Jacqueline and Pris finish their spar, Jacqueline agrees to a spar with Sunset, and the two wind up tying... but gain respect for one another and become friends.
  • During her final class, Cultural Interchange, Sunset meets Diane Rocksalt, a poodle girl who finds the class incredibly boring... and winds up getting Sunset to do a lecture instead, since the lesson is based on her own report about the culture of Dinosaur Planet. The lecture takes a bit of an unexpected turn, but she ends up with a new friend.
• Arc 6: Star Fox Assault (chapters 76-ongoing)
  • Calling her father just to chat and catch up, Sunset winds up introducing a couple of her friends to him. Suddenly, when Sunset reveals where they are - an old base on Fortuna - Krystal interrupts them and reveals that Team Star Fox's most recent debriefing was about how the last dregs of Andross' forces have gathered on Fortuna, following his nephew Andrew Oikonny, in preparation for a major battle against the Fleet. She urges Sunset to get to shelter, just before communications are cut off.
  • Sunset quickly alerts her friends about what's happening, and the six figure out that the whole situation they're in is actually a trap, with their enemy intending to use them as hostages against anyone who might be sent against the attacking forces. In the process, it's revealed that Jackie is actually Wolf O'Donnell's granddaughter. The team decides to put that aside and focus on avoiding the attackers... luckily, it turns out Faris has a set of six Arwings stashed back at the temp dorms, courtesy of her brother Zeke. Diane then somehow provides them with a set of six All Terrain Hover Cycles so they can get back to the dorms in a hurry. Once they get back (though not without some difficulties when Sunset's magic overloads her cycle, along with running into a mysterious creature called an Aparoid just outside the hangers), they manage to get into their Arwings and head off into space.
  • After some tricky flying, the girls get aboard the Great Fox. Once Fox and his team rejoin them, they prepare to call General Pepper in order to set up a council of war so they can plan for the main swarm of the Aparoids' armada, only to be interrupted by a call from Star Wolf... and Fox finds out about Jackie's heritage. Fortunately, they manage to put their differences aside for now when Wolf reveals that Pigma has sold out to the Aparoids and is no longer a member of his team, promising a full explanation once they get Diane's grandfather on the line.
  • Once the three-way communication is set up, Wolf explains that a guiding intelligence has taken complete control of the Aparoid swarm; it wants to have something in Lylat dealt with before it arrives, and had offered a position of power to Pigma in return for his dealing with that something. From what they've found, it involved "eliminating any touched by pony magic". Discussion results in their figuring out Dinosaur Planet also needs to be protected, which Sunset and her team are bound and determined to do themselves, all of them hopping in their Arwings to visit Solaar before going to Dinosaur Planet. Wolf and Fox, unable to stop them, agree to work together.
  • To be continued.

On the Corner of Straight and Narrow

• Arc 1: Early days (chapters 1-2)
  • One morning, while on a snack run to Bosco's Inconvenience Store, Max returns to the office with a magician's hat and, while pretending to perform a magic trick with it, manages to a unicorn filly out of it. Identifying herself as the "Gweat and Powaful Twixie", she promptly adopts Max as her daddy. The next day, Trixie gets introduced to the incredibly paranoid Bosco, and while playing outside, manages to earn enough money to pay the exorbitant prices he charges them for supplies.
• Arc 2: Season 1 - Save The World (chapters 3-20)
  • Culture Shock (chapters 3-6)
    • A little over a month after Trixie's arrival, the Freelance Police get their first case since her arrival: the Soda Poppers, a group of former child stars, have been hypnotized and released from a mental institution and are causing trouble in the neighborhood, trying to hypnotize people into adoring the man who hypnotized them. Fortunately, the trio are able to stop the master hypnotist's evil plan.
  • Situation: Comedy (chapters 7-9); interlude (chapter 10)
    • A month passes before the trio get their next case: annoying talkshow host Myra Stump is holding her entire audience hostage. The trio manage to get into the station by agreeing to fill in on a few other shows (since all the usual actors are in Myra Stump's audience), and in the process, Trixie wins a recording contract after performing on Embarrassing Idol. After three shows, the trio get into Myra's studio and discover Myra herself is under the influence of an animatronic teddy bear, which is manipulating her into making the best show ever. Tribe manages to disable the bear, ending its control of Myra.
    • Interlude: A day in the life of Trixie. Adorableness ensues.
  • The Mole, the Mob, and the Meatball (chapters 11-12)
    • The trio gets their next case when the commissioner sends them to investigate Ted E. Bear Mafia's-Free Playland and Casino (which is, of course, being run by the Toy Mafia) and rescue the agent he'd previously sent to infiltrate the place. After discovering the man they're supposed to rescue is a traitor, they inadvertently blow up the casino, and head off to celebrate.
  • Abe Lincoln Must Die! (chapters 13-14); interlude (chapter 15)
    • When the President of the United States begins passing crazy new laws, the trio head out to investigate. They soon find he's been replaced by a hypnosis puppet (like the bear controlling Myra), which is quickly disabled... only for its controllers to declare an emergency special election, with a giant robotic duplicate of Abraham Lincoln as their candidate. Trixie gets Max to run against him, and after speaking up in support of him, wins every vote in the country in his favor. The mecha Lincoln accepts this, crushes the guy trying to control him, and heads off to find work in Hollywood.
    • Interlude: Max's first days in office. Now President for Life (with Sam as Vice President and a robot named Maimtron 9000 as Secretary of Defense), he's passed all kinds of crazy laws of his own, yet his approval ratings are the highest in history.
  • Reality 2.0 (chapters 16-17)
    • While Max is still president, this doesn't stop the trio from getting a new case: the internet and an associated virtual reality game, Reality 2.0, are hypnotizing people and causing systems around the world to go haywire. The group manage to use the game to enter the internet and locate the Internet's avatar, learning that she too is being manipulated by a being known as Mr. Roy G. Biv, and is also trying to make sure nobody will purge her for being an artificial intelligence. Trixie figures out a solution: by declaring the Internet (renamed Jane Wiggin) her new mommy, nobody will want to get rid of the Internet. Naturally, it works.
  • Bright Side of the Moon (chapters 18-20)
    • After Trixie guesses who's really behind all the hypnosis cases they've been dealing with lately, the trio get a call informing them that her guess is right: Hugh Bliss, host of the third show they were on during the Myra Stump case, has taken over the moon and is preparing for a mass hypnosis of the entire world. The trio heads to the moon to confront him, and when he tries to control Max, Trixie gets mad... and her anger not only breaks his control (and puts everyone under her control), it exposes his true identity as a space-faring colony of sentient bacteria. Backed by the powers of everyone on Earth, Trixie obliterates him, and then the trio set out to punch everyone on Earth in the head to undo the hypnosis.
• Arc 3: Season 2 - Beyond Time and Space (chapters 21-31)
  • Ice Station Santa (chapters 21-23)
    • Returning from their trip to de-hypnotize everyone on Earth, the group discovers they missed one (their fish Mr. Spatula), and he's controlling Maimtron 9000 to try and wipe out Trixie, believing she's an imposter and he's the real one. After wiping out Mr. Spatula, Maimtron shuts down, inadvertently reminding Trixie that she hasn't sent her Christmas letter yet. The trio decide to go deliver it in person, and shenanigans ensue when they discover Santa is possessed by a demon. Fortunately, after recovering four action figures of the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, they manage to exorcise the demon and save Christmas without any casualties.
  • Moai Better Blues (chapter 24)
    • After a month-long trip back from the North Pole, Sam and Max must travel to Easter Island to save Trixie after she's kidnapped by the monkey-like Underfeet... who recognize her and worship her. When Sam and Max arrive, they help stop a volcanic eruption, saving the day.
  • Night of the Raving Dead (chapter 25)
    • When zombies begin rampaging, the trio heads for Germany to confront Jurgen, an ego vampire running a nightclub that creates the zombies, who all love Trixie's TV show. When she performs for them, the zombies turn on Jurgen and end his threat.
  • Chariots of the Dogs (chapters 26-28)
    • When Bosco goes missing, the trio team up with their neighbor Flint Paper to try and rescue him. However, they soon discover Flint is both working for Bosco's kidnappers - the mysterious T.H.E.M. - and in control of them via time travel. After taking control of the time machine, they manage to set things right, meeting Bosco's mom in the process. However, T.H.E.M. suddenly show up and try to crush his soul. Finally, a series of incredibly convoluted events end in Bosco's soul being pulled through one portal, while the others go through a different one.
  • What's new, Beelzebub? (chapters 29-31)
    • The trio emerge from their portal with Bosco's body and find themselves at the gate to Hell. With the aid of Trixie (who apparently is friends with someone already there), they get visitor's passes and enter Hell, where they manage to free both Bosco and Stinky. Unfortunately, Sam trades his own for them Fortunately, Trixie gets it back, and the group, after dealing with Hell's management, manage to put Satan back in charge and return home, though not without getting a couple of spells Trixie will need in the future from him.
• Arc 4: The Devil's Playhouse (chapters 32-42)
  • The Penal Zone (chapters 32-35)
    • Back in their own world, the trio find themselves confronting General Skun-ka'pe over a future-telling toy, which they discover is from the Devil's Toybox, a dangerous artifact associated with the Elder Gods. After much work, they manage to banish Skun-ka'pe to the dimension known as the Penal Zone.
  • The Tomb of Sammun-Mak (chapter 36)
    • While the trio are taking refuge in some caves under their apartment building and watching a movie about a their ancestors (and influencing the events) via a movie projector that gives off eldritch energy, it also affects Trixie, forcing her to relive bad memories from her previous life... and wakes up to find Max apparently lifeless. To her horror, his brain is missing!
  • They Stole Max's Brain! (chapters 37-39)
    • Sam sets out to find Max's missing brain and discovers Skun-ka'pe has returned and is behind the theft. Interrogating a gorilla, he learns Skun-ka'pe also has the Devil's Toybox and is working with a magic-user, Anton Paiperwaite (who was also in the movie they watched). Sam and Trixie head to the Museum of Mostly Natural History, where they learn the evil duo have hooked Max's brain to a magitek device that's summoning all the toys to the Devil's Toybox. In order to temporarily animate Max's body, they install the brain of Sammum-mak, a long-dead pharaoh, into it and convince him to help them, promising that after he does so, they'll move his brain into a spaceship so he can travel the cosmos. Unfortunately, despite this, he turns on them and uses the contents of the Toybox to create an alternate reality under his control. Fortunately, the trio (including Max's brain in a jar) are able to destroy the Devil's Toybox (via the same type of magical surge that defeated Hugh Bliss), undo the effects and restore Max to his body... but with the side-effect that a bunch of Sam clones are approaching them, forcing the Freelance Police and an unconscious Trixie to retreat.
  • Beyond the Alley of the Dolls/The City that Dares Not Sleep (chapters 40-42)
    • Trixie awakens a little over a week later to find herself in Mama Bosco's lab and discover that the city is full of Sam clones and Max, having unwittingly eating a partially formed Elder God corpse (the portion of the Elder God Yog-Soggoth that was absorbed into Paiperwaite), has been turned into a giant monster. After managing to get into the Max-Beast's stomach, the trio travel through his body and confront the Superego portion of his mind. They beat it when they discover a copy of his will (which he's locked off so even he doesn't remember it) and, when he reveals he truly does love Trixie as his daughter, the Superego agrees to help them. Trixie then draws on all her power, including absorbing dark dimension energy from the tumor, and uses it to destroy the tumor created from the Elder God corpse, saving Max.
    • When Sam, Max, Paperwaite and Yog-Soggoth reawaken, they discover Max is safe, but also weep at Trixie's loss... until Sam coughs up a sphere of light that turns into Trixie, now an Alicorn. By absorbing and purifying dark dimension energy and achieving a new form while retaining her original personality, she is now effectively a goddess, and everyone around her kneels to worship her. Max, however, is just happy to have his daughter back.
• Arc 5: Finale (chapters 43-44)
  • As Earth recovers and its citizens worship their new goddess, all the world's people now following and serving her. A few years later, a now eighteen-year-old Trixie wishes for a consort. While trying to find her one, they find Mama Bosco has tracked down her home dimension, and now has a way to let her go there and find a love partner. The group passes through, and are met by Twilight and her friends, who are astounded when Trixie appears before them. Trixie, for her part, is surprised when she learns she's now one of five Alicorn Princesses, and decides to head back home as soon as she finds a stallion. And while she chases Big Macintosh, trying to persuade him to fill that role, Celestia shows up and asks Twilight to explain. Twilight, unfortunately, can't.
  • The end.

Sons of Damas

• Arc 1: Early years (chapters 1-5)
  • Jak, his brother Shining Armor and their friend Daxter get into shenanigans as they grow up and undergo training under their mentor and caretaker Samos Hagai.
• Arc 2: The Precursor Legacy (chapters 6-16)
  • Jak, Shining Armor and Daxter travel to Misty Island, resulting in Daxter being transformed into an Ottsel by Dark Eco. The group set off to find a cure, only to encounter a plot by Gol and Maia Acheron to use Precursor artifacts in order to rebuild a Precursor robot.
• Arc 3: Daxter (chapters 17-20)
  • The trio, along with Samos and his daughter Keira, pass through a Rift Gate that leads them five hundred years into the future (though they don't discover this until later), where they are separated. After about a year and a half, Shining Armor is ultimately found by Daxter, who reveals they're in a place called Haven City, which is under siege by a biomechanical alien race known as the Metalheads. Six months of recovery later, the two discover Jak's whereabouts and set out to find him.
• Arc 4: Jak II (chapters 21-48); interlude (chapters 49-50)
  • Shining Armor and Daxter rescue Jak from Krimzon Guard fortress, where he's been forcibly experimented on and given the ability to channel Dark Eco. Soon after, the trio discover they're in their own distant past when Jak and Shining Armor meet Mar and Ar-Mar, their own respective younger selves. Soon after, they join an underground rebel movement that seeks to defeat Baron Praxus, who ordered the experiments on Jak, and place the rightful ruler of Haven on the throne. In the process, they reunite with Keira and Samos, and manage to turn Baron Praxus into an ally. In the climax, the group destroy Kor, leader of the Metalhead race, and succeed in sending the younger Samos, Mar and Ar-Mar back in time to fulfil the stable time loop. With the war over for now, Praxus resumes his duties as governor of Haven City.
  • Interlude: Jak and Praxus discuss the truth about what happened to Damas when Praxus overthrew him. The two set up a plan for Jak to be "exiled", allowing him to go into the wastelands and search for Damas.
• Arc 5: Jak 3 (chapters 51-85); interlude (chapters 86-87).
  • A year after their previous adventure, the continued assaults of the Metalheads and the destruction of the palace allows Jak's plan to be "exiled" at the hands of Count Veger to be enacted. Made the scapegoat for everything that had gone wrong, he, Shining Armor, Daxter and their friend Pecker enter the the Wasteland, where the group are discovered and rescued by residents of the city of Spargus, founded by Damas as a home for exiles from Haven City. After proving their identities and worth to Damas (and in the process devising a plan to unite both Haven and Spargus with Damas on the throne, allowing them to fight together against any threats to the entire world), the group encounter a Precursor Monk named Seem, who prophecies of the destruction of the planet due to the appearance of the "Day Star". In a Precursor temple, the group learn the Day Star is a sign of the Dark Ones, who seek to bring about the end of the world. The Precursors bestow Jak and Shining Armor with new powers derived from Light Eco, balancing out the Dark Eco powers they already had. Soon after, Jak figures out a way to combine the two powers and use them together, activating his Shadow Jak form for the first time.
  • Returning to Haven, the group encounter Count Veger and learn he was responsible for the Palace attack, seeking access to the planet core, where he hopes to gain Precursor power to destroy the Dark Ones. The trio joins with the resistance, where they discover their old enemy Errol is alive, having been rebuilt by the Dark Ones into a cyborg and now commands both the KG Robots and Metalheads. Later, after unlocking a Precursor telescope in the forest, the group learns the Day Star isn't just a sign of the Dark Ones - it's their spaceship, and the Dark Ones themselves are actually the Dark Makers, a race of Dark Eco-tainted Precursors who seek only to conquer worlds and twist them to fit their own dark image. They also learn of a planetary defense system at their world's core, which can stop the ship. The group determines to find and activate it.
  • Following multiple missions, the group heads for the Planet Core. Encountering Metalhead resistance, they're saved by Damas. As they continue their journey, an unexpected attack from Count Veger destroys their vehicle and leaves Damas fatally wounded, Veger explaining that he knew of their plan to unite Spargus and Haven and has no intention of letting them do so, simply because of their being tainted by Dark Eco. Enraged, Shining Armor enters his Dark Form for the first time and chases after Veger. Fortunately, Damas is able to snap him out of his maddened state, and kills Veger himself. The group is then contacted by the Precursors, who take the form of Ottsels and explain the true nature of how Precursors are created. They then transform Damas into one of them, saving his life, and send Jak, Daxter and Shining Armor into the Dark Maker's ship to confront Errol and the Dark Makers. Aboard, Jak is able to destroy the ship from within while Daxter and Shining Armor teleport back to Spargas; crashing back to earth, Jak confronts Errol and the Dark Maker terraformer he's now piloting and destroys them for good.
  • Interlude: One week later, Jak awakens from a long healing sleep, and learns that with Errol's demise, all the enemy forces have shut down. Meanwhile, the wastelanders and citizens of Haven have come together under the leadership of Baron Praxis and Spargus, and are now rebuilding, together, uniting as Jak had wanted. As progress continues, Jak begins to think about another plan for his future: finding his brother's homeworld for him, with the aid of the Precursors.
• Arc 6: Jak X: Combat Racing (chapters 88-99); interlude (chapter 100).
  • One year after the defeat of the Dark Makers, the former Wastelanders have ceased their attacks and are instead focusing on defending their existing territory. Also, with the end of non-human attacks on civilization, a new sport has risen: Combat Racing, mostly held in Kras City. Meanwhile, Jak, Daxter, Shining Armor and some others are invited to Kras City for the reading of Krew (an arms dealer who died during the events of the previous arc)'s will. Suspecting a trap, Jak and some of his friends decide to go, attend the will reading and take part in the Combat Racing Championships. While there, they also hope to figure out and deal with whomever's come to be in charge of the various gangs there, which should neutralize the entire criminal network of Kras City as a result.
  • Arriving in Kras City, the group attends the will reading first and meets Rayn, Krew's daughter. When the video will is played, it's revealed Krew has left the attendees a slow death by poison (courtesy of the wine they were all given just beforehand), with the antidote being offered only if they compete in the current Combat Racing season and win it for him. Fortunately, Daxter has secretly neutralized the poison, and Jak figures out that Rayn is in on it.
  • Over the course of events, Jak wins pretty much every race he's in, while the group keeps an eye on things. During one race, they encounter a man named Razor, who says he works for another man named Meezo, and hints that Meezo controls the city. They also learn that mercenaries are being hired to compete, upping the danger level of the races, and get another possible suspect, a reporter named Blitz. Meanwhile, the team prepares additional strategies in order to bring Kras City into their alliance, just in case.
  • As the season approaches to an end, Rayn is able to find Krew's decoder for his will and, playing it for Jak, discovers that he and Meezo made a bet, with the winner of the next Kras City Grand Championship Race inheriting the others' dirty business. Jak also guesses that if his team wins, all the organized crime on the continent will be handed to Rayn, due to her being Krew's heir. Rayn is unsettled by Jak's reaction to this. Several races later, Rayn confronts Jak and confirms that he killed Krew during the war with the Dark Makers, and that he'll deal with anyone who threatens those he cares for in the same way.
  • The final race comes up, and a mystery racer does his best to knock Jak off the track. He fails, Jak winning and exposing him as Blitz, who was really the mysterious Meezo in disguise. As he flees the scene, Jak speaks to Rayn, confirming that if Meezo dies, she inherits everything. He then takes a long shot with a rocket launcher and kills Meezo. In the aftermath, Jak and Rayn have one last talk, and Jak intimidates Rayn into allying herself with him, making Kras City into part of the developing continental alliance, which she finally agrees to.
  • Interlude: Back in Spargus, Jak works to deal with his battle junkie tendencies. Meanwhile, he learns from Damas and Shining Armor (who learned from Elder) that there are some odd fluctuations in the planet's Eco fields, hinting at a possible cause for why there's so much Dark Eco in the world nowadays.
• Arc 7: The Lost Frontier (chapters 101-122)
  • Time passes, and Samos and Elder decide that it's time for Keira to take her Spirit Quest and fully manifest her nature as a Green Sage. They have also learned that the planet's Eco appears to be running out, and Dark Eco is acting up - meaning that they're on the verse of a planetary collapse. They decide to solve both problems at once by sending Keira to find and repair the Eco Core as her Spirit Quest, accompanied by Jak (since they believe his own Spirit Quest is not yet complete). This will take them to the Brink, a portion of the planet that was left unfinished when the Precursors created it.
  • Soon after, Jak, Keira and Daxter (as a Precursor whose training is incomplete) set off on their quest. En route, while landing near the Brink to make emergency repairs after a pirate attack, they discover Shining Armor, at the suggestion of Samos, snuck aboard their ship to say goodbye, but fell asleep in the back while waiting for them and wasn't noticed until they arrived at their destination.
  • After repairing the ship, the quartet encounter another airship being attacked by the same pirates as attacked them. Driving away the pirates, they meet Duke Skyheed, leader of the ship, and while he seems friendly, inviting them back to his floating city, the group is suspicious after some remarks that he makes. En route, Keira tells them about something she's developed: using the crystal they installed in the ship, she believes (and soon confirms) that she can use its conversion effect to absorb Dark Eco from Jak, convert it into one of the four natural Eco varieties, and infuse it back into him to reactivate some of his old abilities. It works, and Jak also figures out how to share his reactivated abilities with Shining Armor.
  • Once in the city, the group does some exploring, then meets Duke Skyheed face to face, and Ruskin, one of the other city administrators. The pair show the team a device called the Eco Seeker, which they hope to use to find the Eco Core. While Jak is able to get a reaction out of it, he can't find the core himself with the device. Skyheed and Ruskin agree to let Keira also try it, but only after the four prove themselves and their ability to protect the Eco Seeker in the Danger Course. While the team is concerned about how the locals have shown they know more about them than the four know about the locals, they still agree to do this. The quartet easily make their way through the Danger Course, but on their way through the Sanctum, Daxter falls into a hole and discovers a new variety of Dark Eco crystals that tries to corrupt him. Daxter manages to overcome the energy and assume a new Light form in the process, which allows him to purify the Dark Eco crystals and change it into the four Nature Colors, which then fuse back into Light Eco that he absorbs. Fighting his way through the area, he makes it back to the surface and reunites with his friends.
  • The group makes it back to the city to meet with the Duke and Chancellor, only for the meeting to be interrupted by Sky Pirates who steal the Eco Seeker from them and capture Keira, with Shining Armor, Jak and Daxter pursuing the pirates to get her back. Unfortunately, the pirates get away, losing Shining Armor and Jak (whose ship goes down on a flying island), though Daxter is still able to keep up with it via the powers of his Light Daxter form. While he keeps going, Jak and Shining Armor explore the island they've crashed on and run into some hostile robots. They also find the man who created the robots, only for them to turn against him, and he agrees to help them repair their own ship if they can get the appropriate fuel. Which is on the biggest, nastiest robot on the island. Fortunately, they manage to defeat the robot easily, repair their ship and set off after the pirates, finally catching up to them. There, they find Keira has already made a truce with the pirates, and that Captain Phoenix, their leader, isn't really a bad guy. And he respects Sages, which he didn't realize the others were until he sees them glowing with their Eco. Unfortunately, the sight of Light Daxter also results in one of the pirates accidentally dropping the Eco Seeker out the window, to Keira's annoyance.
  • Later, as the pirates are fixing their ship, Jak is more than a little disturbed by their hero worship of him due to his being a Prism Sage (master of all Eco colors), and tells Keira that once the world's stable, he just wants to find out where Shining Armor came from and go there so he won't have to deal with people's expectations of him. Keira agrees to do what she can to help. Soon after, the quartet return to the island to retrieve the Eco Seeker. Jak, Daxter and Shining Armor recover it, and return to their ship. While there, they discover the old man who helped Jak before has stowed away, and decide to let him come along. When he's introduced to the pirates, Captain Phoenix seems to recognize him, but the old man doesn't know. However, he does start to regain memories of warehouses of Dark Eco, and agrees to help them with the Eco Seeker. Activating it, he gets it pointing toward a new energy fuel cell that can recharge the Eco Seeker. Afterward, the quartet quietly discuss things, having figured out the old man was involved in experiments like the ones that created Jak's Dark form, and they cost him his memory.
  • Soon after, the group arrives at the town of Far Drop, where a local offers Jak, Daxter and Shining Armor money in return for protecting him from Dark Eco mutants infesting the town. They agree to do it in exchange for supplies, which they need more. After dealing with the mutants and getting their supplies, he asks them for one last thing: to start a bar brawl so they can all blow off some steam. They happily agree. After the brawl, the group returns to the ship and heads for another place to recharge the Eco Seeker's supply of Light Eco. Onboard, Keira accidentally falls down an elevator shaft, but is unharmed, while the three males go exploring and run into another Precursor Totem, letting them acquire a new power: Eco Teleport. Heading deeper into the facility, they discover a lab that contains the beginning of Aeropolis' own Dark Warrior project, which deeply disturbs Jak due to his remembering his own time in a similar facility. Continuing on, they catch up to Keira, and run into another group of Dark Eco mutants. Facing his fears, he manages to accept the Darkness within him and use it to drive away the Dark Eco mutants. Afterward, they get the Light Eco they need. Not long after, Keira tells them about the Corrupted Green Eco gun she found in the lab, and they discuss what new abilities they might be able to bring out in him. A little after that, after installing the encapsulated Light Eco into the Eco Seeker, they learn they need to go find three more parts for it.
  • The quartet go out with the old man and, while recovering one of the parts, he remembers that he is indeed the Dark Eco Sage, who created the project. Phoenix also turns up and admits that he was in charge of the project, until he realized it was only turning humans into monsters and so kidnapped their chief scientist to keep him safe from Duke Skyheed. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to stop the project for good. The Dark Sage, however, informs them that if they can get Jak to the Eco Core, he can link directly to it and safely extract the Dark Eco from every living thing on the planet, then return it to the core to restore balance to the planet. While the others are uncomfortable with the idea, Jak is thrilled; it means he can finally fix and actually save people, which is what he's wanted all along.
  • The group returns to the flagship and, after dealing with an automated defense system attacking it, head for the settlement of Far Drop to recover the second part, which is in the hands of a female pirate captain and Blue Sage, Malicious Megara. She makes a deal with them, agreeing to fight Shining Armor for the piece. Shining Armor wins, and Megara hands over the piece, then explains her motivations to the group: she wants to rescue her sisters, who are also Eco Sages, from Duke Skyheed. Jak agrees to help her with this, so she joins their crew. With the new part installed in the Eco Seeker and Meg introduced to Keira (and promptly declaring her another sister due to their both being Sages), the group returns to the research rig to find the last artifact, which is in a Precursor facility below the research rig. Shining Armor is forced to use his Black Knight form to get past a Behemoth in their way so they can escape with the artifact.
  • With the Eco Seeker completed, the group (Jak, Shining Armor, Daxter, Keira, Meg and the old man, who gives his name as Tym) heads for the Eco Core, by way of the research rig. Their goal of fixing the Core is interrupted when Skyheed and Meg's brainwashed sisters show up. Jak is able to stop Skyheed, stripping him of his Dark Eco (due to their being so close to the Core). Now they just need Keira to finish realligning the Prism in order to bring the Core back online. The mission is quickly finished, with Keira, Meg, Ven, Art, Tym, Daxter and Shining Armor working with Jak to complete their task of fixing and finally sealing the Brink, reabsorbing all the Dark Eco of the planet in the process. However, it comes at a cost: Tym's heart couldn't take the strain, and his body didn't have enough Eco to undergo a metamorphosis into a Precursor, and he passes on.
• Arc 8: Return to Equestria (chapters 123-135)
  • Some time later, the team returns to the former Wasteland, reflecting on what they've accomplished. While Meg, Ven and Art return to their home, Jak, Daxter, Keira and Shining Armor return to Spargus and reunite with Samos, Tess and Damas, and Jak shows off his new Sage Mode, now complete.
  • With the revelation of Jak's new power, the citizens are now treating him as their new king, which he's not entirely comfortable with, since it's essentially a symbolic role. What he really wants to do is find where Shining Armor came from and help him go back... which Keira turns out to have already taken care of: she's made a Rift Gate, a device similar to a Precursor Rift Ring, which can scan a being to find a point of origin through all of space-time. With explanations made, she scans Shining Armor and opens a controlled tunnel back to his world. The group promptly goes through, and into the unknown...
  • Or rather, Equestria, where Shining Armor awakens, alone, in his old bedroom in Canterlot Castle. There, he finds a few clues to his past, including a picture of his family and another pony he soon finds is his girlfriend. Shortly after, Princess Celestia enters and shrugs off his addle-headedness as being a side-effect of his bachelor party the night before. She also informs him that he's been maintaining a shield spell around the entire city, and that his sister should be arriving soon, which he's very happy about. And there's a chance that something big, and dangerous, is up. After she leaves, Shining Armor dons his captain's armor and hopes Jak shows up soon.
  • Soon after, Shining Armor directs his guards to new posts, using what he's learned from his experiences in Haven, and eagerly awaits Twilight's arrival. Naturally, she's annoyed he didn't tell or write to her in person that he was getting married, but he's able to explain that between his shield and guard details, he couldn't focus enough to write a good letter, so he let Princess Celestia do it when she offered. The two spend a few minutes bonding, and he informs her of his bride's identity, their discussion helping bring back more of his memories. Things are interrupted when Cadance arrives, and Shining Armor senses something off about her, including something like Dark Eco. He decides to keep it quiet for now, not wanting to put Twilight at risk until he figures out what's going on.
  • While Shining Armor does some last-minute paperwork and contemplates things, he's interrupted by Flash Sentry, who has a message from Twilight. His comments, and what he's been told by Twilight, serve to make Shining Armor even more suspicious that Cadance (and possibly some of the guards) aren't who they seem. He asks Flash to keep an eye on Cadance so that if she starts to get too overstressed, he can report back and Shining Armor can do something about it. Flash agrees to this, and to tell Keira, Jak, Samos, Daxter, and Tess (when shown a picture of them) of Shining Armor's whereabouts if he finds them.
  • Some while later, Shining Armor is almost ready for the wedding, and reflects on what he's been doing (playing along with Cadance while secretly letting Twilight know he's not fooled at al), when Flash comes in and reports to him that he saw Cadance make Twilight disappear. Then he presents a recording of the false Cadance's singing, thoroughly exposing her as a fake. Afterward, the two set things up to alert Celestia that something's up with Twilight, and prepare for the wedding... and for something major to happen.
  • Soon enough, as he stands at the altar, Shining Armor awaits Twilight's arrival and is glad when she and the real Cadance show up just in time and reveal the imposter's true identity: Queen Chrysalis of the Changelings. And as she's gloating, Shining Armor reveals that he's faked being under her control for quite some time, and is fully prepared to defeat her. Cadance is very impressed.
  • Suddenly, a guard pops in to alert them that a swarm of Changelings are attacking the shield, and the Everfree Forest has turned into a giant bipedal forest beast and is coming their way. Recognizing it, Shining Armor tells them that's actually his backup. Chrysalis, angered by the sudden rebellion, suddenly attacks Cadance and Twilight, but Shining Armor stops her, nearly resorting to lethal force before Cadance talks him down. Embracing her love, Shining Armor regains control, and so transforms into a new form: no longer the Black Knight, he is now the White Knight, and this transformation is enough that just the sight of it prompts Chrysalis to surrender. Shining Armor teleports her to the dungeons, then reverses the transformation. Except, to his surprise, the wings stayed behind, albeit as flesh and blood instead of Eco.
  • As he contemplates this change and his new alicornhood, Celestia tells them that with all that's happened, they need to go arrange the wedding more properly, while Pinkie goes to get Jak and the others and Celestia gets answers from Shining Armor, taking him to a private room, where she surprises Shining Armor by asking how he's come to access Eco. Shining Armor is immediately suspicious of her, wondering if she might be another shapeshifter replacing the original Princess. Fortunately, a fight is finally averted (though not the possibility of an exhibition match later), and Celestia explains how the Precursors and Dark Makers came to be. Furthermore, there was a third faction of this same race, who chose to focus on quintessence, or magic, and that faction ultimately created Equestria. Her explanation also reveals that alicorns, or Magesti, are their world's equivalent of the Precursors, and Discord is the only equivalent to a Precursor Spirit, though his transformation into such apparently went wrong. Changing subjects, Celestia advises him to go handle the captured Changelings, while Twilight, her friends and Cadance handle the wedding.
  • Some time later, Shining Armor and his bride dance at the wedding, and reflects on what happened when his two groups of friends and family met... and how Celestia revealed that of the three leaders of the race that became the Precursors, the Dark Makers and the Alicorns, one of them was Jak's ancestor Mar.
  • Returning to the here and now, Shining Armor sees Luna arrive, and her introduction to his changes and to Jak. And her immediate interest in him, much to Cadance's annoyance. Fortunately, everything's settled, and Shining Armor agrees to an exhibition sparring match with her. Which Celestia and Jak quickly join in on. The fight ends with no real winner.
  • In the aftermath, Shining Armor and Cadance head north for their honeymoon, but Shining Armor is suspicious, quickly figuring out there's a lost kingdom up there that's due to return, and Cadance is connected to it. Celestia didn't expect him to figure it out, and responds appropriately... but finally admits that Cadance has a blood connection to its royal line, so it should react to her presence.
  • Some time later, the Crystal Empire has returned, and Shining Armor has sent his wife to explore while he confronts the source of the curse: King Sombra, who is astounded to see Shining Armor can be an alicorn while being connected to darkness (especially when he unveils his Black Knight form), and Shining Armor promises the story as long as they can do it at a bar. Sombra's too curious not to agree.
  • Soon after, the pair are down at a bar, getting drunk and blabbing out their backstories to one another. In the process, they find out how much they have in common, both having once been used as weapons by an enemy (the Umbrum for Sombra, and Baron Praxus for Shining Armor). Some while later, Shining Armor has to explain to his wife why Sombra is passed out drunk on their couch: he reunited the former king with his beloved Radiant Hope, who is just overjoyed to have him back, and is also on the couch with him now. Given the circumstances, Cadance is happy for them... though probably not about the mess on the carpet.
  • Some time later, the two Royal Alicorns and Sombra set out to recover the Crystal Heart and get it back into place, while Twilight, Keira and Radiant Hope work on something to find the fragments of Princess Amore (whom Sombra had turned to crystal and shattered before taking over the Crystal Empire a thousand years before). During the search for the Heart, it turns out Sombra is a fan of Ogres & Oubliettes, as he and Radiant Hope played it back when he was a kid, and is surprised to find out it's still around. Cadance, meanwhile, is amused by his and Shining Armor's shared love of the game.
  • Once the Crystal Heart is recovered, the Crystal Empire is fully restored, and Keira and Twilight have created a means to leave Sombra immune to the Crystal Heart's power. Soon after, he and Radiant Hope go out to find the shards of Princess Amore. Meanwhile, Keira also uses the Empire's crystals to create a second Rift Gate, letting them travel between Equestria and Oasis easily. Later, Twilight also becomes an Alicorn, and half a year after the wedding, Jak and Keira become parents.
  • Some time later, Tirek begins his rampage, and it's learned that he's coming after the Crystal Heart. Shining Armor promptly develops a plan... and, when Tirek arrives, he finds Shining Armor waiting for him, along with five Dark Terraformers. Combining their power with his Black Knight form, Shining Armor easily slays Tirek, and sends his head to Daxter as a gift, which ends up on display in the newly redecorated Naughty Ottsel.
  • The End.

The Rock in the Gulch

• Arc 1: Early years (chapters 1-20)
  • Out in Blood Gulch, Captain Flowers, head of Blue Team, observes Red Base on the far side of the canyon and reflects on things. Both Teams in Blood Gulch have been carefully assembled with three members each for the purpose of creating a never-ending simulation battle with no casualties. The canyon is also home to something important, which is being kept hidden and safe. And keeping things that way is Captain Flowers' job.
  • Checking up on his team, he finds all are acting normally, except for Private Leonard L. Church, who is very close to the area held by Red Team... and is investigating something he's found there: a tiny pony, whom he learns is named Maud, likes rocks, and has decided he's her father. That's when Captain Flowers calls, and after learning of this, calls them home. In the process, Church discovers Maud is very, very strong when she accidentally crushes his arm armor.
  • Back at Blue Base, Maud is introduced to Captain Flowers, who decides that Maud is officially Church's responsibility now. After introducing her to Tucker, the captain goes off to speak with Command, while Tucker learns how strong Maud really is when she punches the armor on his ankle and shatters it.
  • In private, Captain Flowers speaks with Command, ordering the replacement part for Church's armor, and alerting Vic (the AI controlling the computer network of Blood Gulch, who is also the liaison between the Gulch and the Freelancer Program) of Maud's existence.
  • While Captain Flowers fixes Tucker's ankle, Church gets him to agree to letting Church take Maud to explore some caves she'd spotted on their way back. While he declines, Captain Flowers does let him take her up to the clifftops to study the rocks up there.
  • Outside, Maud studies the rocks, and then begins making a cave of her own. While she's doing that, they're caught by Sarge of Red Team, who thinks they're planning something for an attack on Red Base. In the process, he discovers Maud, whom he initially mistakes for a mining tool until she speaks. Sarge decides he doesn't want to kill Church in front of Maud, and orders her to return to Blue Base... and while he's rambling after her refusal, Maud proceeds to punch Sarge in the ankle and proves she's more than capable of defeating him when holding back. (Tucker, however, she'd hit at full force - "Family should know better".) Church concludes that Maud is indeed so much like "her".
  • While Church taunts Sarge, Maud gets bored and starts to work on her cave again, and somehow finds herself in Red Base. While there, she runs into Grif and Simmons, and they figure out she somehow teleported into the base. She's not happy and tells them she wants her Dad... and proceeds to somehow teleport around them. Coupled with her strength, she terrifies them into behaving, and then Church comes in with an injured Sarge, looking for Maud. When the two are happily reunited, they leave... and it's only outside that Church allows himself to scream in pain over the injuries he inflicted to his hands while punching through Sarge's armor while Maud was missing (which he thought was Sarge's fault).
  • Back at base, Flowers gives Church some tentative medical treatment, then goes to call Vic and get a medic to the base for Church. They agree on Medical Officer Frank DuFrense, and then Flowers asks to be put through to the Counselor, who calls him Agent Florida. Requesting certain information, relating to Church and his origins, he gets unofficial confirmation that his theory is correct. Once this happens, they disconnect.
  • In the medical room, Maud asks about the "her" Church had compared her to, and he admits he was referring to his ex-girlfriend, Agent Texas, whom he tells her about. Including he can't remember why they're not together anymore, due to some memory loss. Maud asks if Agent Texas is her mom; Church hesitantly decides that if she ever comes to their base, Maud can ask her in person.
  • Flowers and Frank then show up, and Frank examines his arm, which is so badly injured that Frank (whom Maud starts calling "Doc") decides there's nothing to do but amputate and replace it with a cybernetic one (which, fortunately, he has on hand). After some short conversation between he and Maud, he replaces Church's arm, then goes off to Red Base to treat Sarge, since he's been assigned to provide medical service to both Reds and Blues.
  • Over in Red Base, Grif and Simmons try to figure out what to do; luckily, Doc arrives and starts working on him. When the treatment is done, Sarge announces that he knows what their purpose here is now: the battle between Reds and Blues, in his mind, isn't about control of the canyon - it's about control of the pony, and whoever holds Maud holds the key to victory. He decides to arrange a non-lethal contest between the two teams; whomever wins gets custody of Maud until the next round.
  • Sometime later, Sarge comes out under flag of truce, and discusses what he had decided on with Captain Flowers: competing for custody of Maud. (And weaponizing cute.) They decide on Capture The Flag, once a week, using a particular training ammunition. Sarge likes the idea because he's delusional; Captain Flowers likes it because it will give Church combat training without putting him in danger, and disguise the true purpose of Blood Gulch. This will be the rules until Mad is old enough to use a gun, and she can decide which side to be on.
  • Naturally, when he finds out, Church isn't happy. Flowers finally convinces him to agree, in part because the training will keep them all in peak condition and skill to protect Maud, and in part because if the Reds get custody, they'll be so charmed by her that they'll work with the Blues to protect her from any non-Red threat that comes after her for as long as she needs protection. And since they're all terrified of what she might do to them, they won't break their word.
  • Church finally explains things to Maud, and she agrees as well.
  • Once conditions are ironed out (they agree that no matter where she is, neither team will prevent her from seeing or being seen by those she declares her parents) and the training ammunition arrives, the two sides agree to their match the next day. Church, acting on Maud's advice and tapping into skills he didn't know he had, almost single-handedly wins the round for them (and embarrasses Tucker by zapping him with a non-disabling wound to the crotch plate in the process). Afterward, he has to explain how he did it to Flowers, and they return to base.
  • During the next week, Church trains in melee combat to be a more rounded fighter. Meanwhile, Sarge discusses matters with his team, during which Grif repeatedly goes against the natural order of things by making several good points, culminating in his finishing what he started by going to find the pick ax he was going to use to dig up rocks for Maud to eat in case she warped into their base again or in case they won and she stayed with them. Heading for the potential gem vein he spotted (both for Maud's food and for bribes to get their flag back), he finds some very odd things, including a mine cart and tracks that he's sure weren't there before.
  • Once he's back to base, he finds Maud waiting with their flag, and finally trades some rock candy geodes (which she won't eat, but receiving it makes her happy) for Red Team's flag. And with everything he brought back, there's enough supplies of all sorts to keep their base running and armed for years.
  • A week later, they have their next round, and Red wins, so Maud goes with hem. Church visits to find them teaching her gun safety, and witness more of her astounding abilities (which involve disassembling and reassembling a gun by sitting on it and shaking it out of her mane). This lesson, and others that follow, lead to her causing considerable harm (yet nothing permanent) to Grif. Despite this, she's bonding with him. The pain stops after he manages to freak out Sarge by pretending to get off on the pain.
  • The third round begins, and the Blues win again. Afterward, Maud asks that they cut the matches to monthly, because she doesn't like going back and forth every week. After renegotiating, they decide to hold the matches monthly, but the other team will host a cookout once a week instead. A week later, the Reds host theirs, and between food and games, they enjoy themselves.
  • Some time later, Church relaxes and reflects, and worries what will happen when their arrangement ends. Maud comes up to see him, and Grif drops by briefly as well with a cake for him. Once he leaves, Maud wishes Church a happy birthday, to his surprise. Once he's had his piece, he goes down to make something spicy for Maud (which she likes). Their time is suddenly interrupted when Doc announces, with a scream, that Captain Flowers has just suffered a fatal heart attack - apparently the result of eating some of Church's cake.
• Arc 2: The Blood Gulch Chronicles (chapters 21-ongoing)^note Ccovers seasons 1-4; Out of Mind; Recovery One; season 5.
  • A day later, the team gets a new member: Private Michael J. Caboose. And a tank. Maud likes him, and Church, despite thinking Caboose is unbalanced, decides he's Maud's new little brother. Meanwhile, Sarge is spying, and is mad that they have a new soldier who's bonding with her. Right after he declares they need a new recruit who can act girly to try and win her over, their new recruit arrives: Private Franklin Delano Donut, who brought a jeep. Sarge orders him to go paint his armor pink and make friends with "the pony", which delights him.
  • Obeying orders, Donut goes over to Blue Base and meets Maud, who says she's keeping him. The rest of Red Team soon shows up wearing tutus and ballet slippers over their armor, and start singing and dancing. When Caboose decides to do his own dance, a full-fledged dance and gun battle breaks out, with both teams trying to out-dance and out-shoot each other simultaneously while Church and Maud watch. Maud is happy at the sight; Church winds up joining them.
  • Once things are back to normal, Sarge and Church discuss the arrangement again, with Church being told by Sarge to read the newcomers in on the situation. Maud beats him to it. They then discuss the vehicle arrangements, and Maud names their new jeep the Manticore. When they discuss the tank, Caboose winds up checking how to reload it. Unfortunately, he really doesn't understand how to use it, and when the two sides head back to base, he accidentally activates it and shoots Church (the auto-target was aimed at Maud; Church jumped in the way), who is badly injured. As he lies there, Church tells Tucker that if he doesn't make it, get someone to fix his armor up for Maud.
  • With Church dead, Tucker and Caboose rework his armor for Maud, and Tucker calls Command to ask for a specific Freelancer to join them - Tex.
  • Several hours later, the armor for Maud is finished, and she makes a few tweaks herself. In the process, she discovers an AI fragment in the armor, which she decides to ignore. That's when Church's ghost shows up and freaks out Caboose just by his presence, and is annoyed when he finds Tucker isn't there, since he came back to give him an important warning. Maud, at least, is happy to have him back.
  • Later that day, Agent Texas arrives, looking over the canyon and wondering who knows enough about the Freelancer program to ask for her by name. Going after the person who's alone first, she finds it's Doc, who explains she was called in because of the pony who's somehow her daughter. That's when Maud shows up, and starts calling her Maud... something Texas isn't happy about, and combined with the voice in her head (Omega), prompts her to try and attack, only for Maud to prove herself more than a match for her. She even knocks out Omega's invisible projection. This, coupled with all Texas knows she's capable of (and a dash of tears in Maud's eyes), leads to her accepting her new position as "Mom".
  • As Texas continues her way into Blood Gulch, she is not amused by having Maud on her head, feeling it'll make her less intimidating. Then she finds out Maud already scares all of them, and learns just why. She also figures out who Maud's father is, but gets distracted when Caboose shows up, insisting Texas is his mom too since he's Maud's "idiot little brother", which she is not happy about and threatens to shoot him until Maud eats part of her gun. That's when Texas decides to go along with it. And when Caboose starts using Maud as a fully functional minigun, she is awed and realizes that yes, holding Maud, adorable as she is, is still the way to be intimidating in Blood Gulch.
  • Texas asks Caboose about the situation in Blood Gulch, and he explains about the weekly get-togethers (including the one training battle a month over Maud and why it happens). Along the way, they run into Simmons, who explains a little more and shows them the rest of the way back, where they find Tucker is sparring with Grif, and she finds herself impressed with their skills, given their status as relatively untrained combatants.
  • After the match is over, Texas learns exactly where Church is, and astral projects to speak with him, while Maud keeps the other self in her body under control. Church explains, at Texas's request, about Captain Flowers arranging for their current state of affairs under the intention of making them into better protectors for Maud; Texas immediately figures it's really to help protect Church. After the two reconcile somewhat, Texas returns to her body.
  • Once she's back, she speaks to Sarge, who explains about another member of Team Red that Maud hasn't spent much time with - Lopez, their artificial mechanic, who doesn't have a voice chip and thus can't speak. Fortunately, Texas has a spare voice modulator she can use for him, which Maud promptly swipes and installs. Unfortunately, it turns out that she skewed the settings, so he only speaks in Spanish. Texas continues speaking to Sarge, and discusses who's in charge of the Blues now that Flowers and Church are dead, and who needs to be talked to about the Combat Arrangement. It's determined that Maud is now a Freelance like her mother, but is in charge of the Blues; while this would normally end the truce, Texas points out that as a Freelancer, Maud is free to be hired by either side, so technically neither has won yet. Maud is willing to accept payment in the form of "love and snuggles"; Sarge decides he'll have Grif get back to mining in order to distill the essence of snuggles out of the Earth, and distill love out of whatever he can get Simmons to grow, so he can offer more of it to Maud than the Blues can. And then he'll weaponize it so they can use it to kill Blues as they win over Maud.
  • While Sarge works on his plan over the next while, Texas watches them, alongside Maud and a confused Lopez, who is suddenly possessed by Church, who discusses the current situation with Texas. They find the current situation at the Red and Blue bases to be rather strange, yet all those involved are proving to be dangerously competent idiots, in Texas' opinion. And she can't help but wonder what they can do given proper motivation.
  • Some time later, Texas observes the weapon the Reds have made: the Multi-emotional Anti-blue Utilitarian Distributor (MAUD) cannon, which looks just like a giant Maud. Sarge, once he gets Texas' opinion on the design, prepares a test-fire, but something suddenly goes wrong, as she and Maud (who's shown up all of a sudden) realize Omega is gone from her: the A.I. takes over the MAUD cannon, and vaporizes Texas. In her last moments, she calls for Church to protect Maud.
  • In the aftermath, Simmons panics over what's happening, but Sarge keeps calm and does his best to try and figure out what caused it and how they can reassure Maud that it wasn't her fault. Meanwhile, Maud sits alone, listening to the Blues and Reds reacting, and finally gets a communication from Texas: while her Life and physical body are gone, her Soul and Magic are still there, and Maud can understand them and how they're tapping the inherent Magic, along with all the others in the canyon (their Magics resonate with one another on probability, and that hotbed of probability magic summoned Maud; furthermore, her presence is drawing out everyone's magic so they can use it actively). Still, while she's not upset with the Reds, she plans to get them to make new robot bodies for Church and Texas for when someone from Freelancer Command comes to investigate. Speaking with Church, she takes him to Red Base and there negotiates the creation of new bodies for he and Texas. A week later, she accepts delivery, with Church transferring out of Lopez and Texas transferring out of Maud's armor, both entering their new bodies, while Omega figures out something from within Caboose's body.
  • As the family temporarily departs, Texas and Church talk in private, and discuss Omega, figuring out that he's in Caboose and that Caboose is actively fighting his influence. The two also start to contemplate how to get rid of Omega for good, only to find Maud is listening in and has figured out much the same information as them. In the process, they find that their new bodies are keyed exactly to Church and Texas (meaning Omega can't take control of them) and can assume pony forms as well. Soon after, they figure out a plan to trap Omega, but still need to get him out of Caboose.
  • Having figured it out, they ghost into Caboose and enter his inner world, where they run into Caboose's mental versions of Church and Texas, who quickly realize why they're there, and explain their own true nature. They then agree to take the real Church and Texas to Caboose's own inner avatar so they can deal with Omega. While the mental Texas stays behind to keep Maud in check, the trio continues on and encounter mental versions of some of the other Blues and Reds, and finally find Caboose himself. Caboose explains that he can't do much for now, because he's busy keeping the mental representations of all of his sisters (all currently in the form of ponies) safe from Omega. Then Church and Texas point out that Maud had once punched Omega out of Texas' head, and if she can, all ponies can, including all of his sisters. Church then gets an idea, and calls out to the "sister" fillies that Omega is a pinata. The fillies go nuts on him, until he jumps out of Church's body. Church and Texas, once Church gives the fillies the candy promised, follow him.
  • Omega, meanwhile, finds himself in Simmons' head, and runs into Little Simmy, Simmons' split personality who handles the drink science. She proceeds to terrify him into running just as Church and Texas arrive, and he finds himself in a mind where gigantic M.A.U.D.-bots are rampaging, then jumps into one where Grif and Tucker are fighting, and is ejected into yet another one, also home to Grif and Tucker (and a group of cannibalistic space amazons), where Church and Texas finally catch up to him. Omega escapes yet again, only to find himself in Donut's head and in the middle of a musical number that includes a chorus line... where every time they kick out, Omega gets hit in the dick. It ends with Omega getting blasted out again... but this time, when Church and Texas catch up, Church realizes he can suddenly swear uncensored again, prompting he and Texas to follow Omega again... this time into Maud's mind.
  • In Maud's mind, Omega decides he has to figure out a way to take over, but before he can do anything, the portion of Church that's still in Maud proceeds to attack him. Pink Pi-D, Church's Parenting Instinct, boots him out, right after Texas arrives, and then goes off to do something on the computer. Texas, who's just confused, decides to ghost out at this point.
  • Meanwhile, back in Blood Gulch, Omega jumps into Lopez, and takes control of his body. Soon after, Texas and Church return to their own bodies and find Omega controlling Lopez, taking both he and Doc through their teleporter and escaping.
  • Knowing that at least some of them have to go after Omega, it's decided that Church, Simmons and some others go through the teleporter; Texas, Maud, Donut and the tank will stay.
  • The teleporter proceeds to split the group up. In their own area, Simmons and Tucker try to figure out where they are, while elsewhere, Sarge and Caboose find a bunch of dead Reds and Blues, who proceed to revive, see the pair, and start insulting them for liking Maud. Sarge responds with extreme violence. In another area, Church and Grif come under attack by white-armored troops, who stop when they mistake Grif for a Freelancer.
  • Back with Simmons and Tucker, Simmons tries to advance their com gear so they can reach the others, and winds up in visual contact with Sarge and Caboose, who have finished beating up the Reds and Blues who insulted them. Apparently, Caboose really doesn't like it when they insult his sisters. Simmons has also figured out how to get them back to him, and tells them how.
  • Elsewhere, Omega continues his plots, and explains it to Doc and Lopez, involving the weather-control technology inside Lopez. The storms he creates will distract everyone, and the lightning will strike and supercharge a very large explosive he's acquired, with the blast being enough to rip a hole in the fabric of space and time, scattering the Reds and Blues to the far corners of the multiverse while the anti-magic reaction generated destroys Maud. He suddenly finds Grif and Church right behind him, and accidentally reveals his current location, which is broadcast to Maud and Texas. Now Maud knows where they are and has gone to get the others so they can deal with the bomb. Unfortunately, as the teleporter gates start opening, they realize they've just walked into his plan, as Lopez activates the weather control and lightning strikes the bomb. Church promptly throws himself over it...
  • When the dust's settled, it's revealed that everyone except Church has been sent through space (and all but Maud now look different and have different equipment); Church is somewhen else. Texas is somewhere completely different, and Maud is not happy that both her parents are elsewhere. While Simmons explains to Tucker and a nearby Grif what's happened, the others try to keep Maud calm.
  • Elsewhere, Church tries to figure out where he is, and learns from the computer that he's been drawn to the nearest source of temporal instability that can stabilize his own temporal coordinates. He's advised by it to seek out the machine controlling time manipulation in the facility, and sets out.
  • Back with Maud and the others, they discover the Manticore jeep is with them, and Caboose asks if this means that Lopez, Doc and Omega are there too. They are, but Lopez/Omega aren't in one piece anymore, until Doc makes the mistake of putting his head back on, allowing Omega to take direct control of he and then to work to control the base they're in. Texas is also there, watching from a distance.
  • Elsewhere, Simmons works on the jeep to upgrade it, and tells the others that Texas is on the line, which relieves Maud. With their plans made, they prepare to attack Omega's base in an hour. When it arrives, the group catches up on Omega's status and his new ally (one of the nuts Sarge and Caboose beat up, who is now there on a pilgrimage in search of "the magical powers of friendship in crystalline form"), then outline the plan to invade and deal with him. These plans involve getting through a few walls and planting a huge bomb, which only Maud is strong enough to carry. The group quickly begins their invasion, with Grif finally figuring out that his weapon is much more impressive than he'd thought, while Tucker, Texas and Simmons handle their part of the mission.
  • Meanwhile, in the distant past, Church encounters the local A.I. and learns when and where he is, and of a prophecy regarding "The Great Destroyer" - Maud. With the A.I.'s help, Church records a message for Maud, warning her of what he's learned, and assigns the A.I. to making a teleporter so he can take care of some things when he needs to, then goes into a form of standby so he can rest until he catches up with the timeframe he's supposed to be in. Back in the future, Maud and her team hear the message, and take action to make sure it doesn't go off as expected.
  • Eventually, the computer completes the teleport and awakens Church, who teleports off through time and space, arriving in Blood Gulch just in time to save Captain Flowers from his death, leaving a fake body in his place. Later, as the two watch Maud and Texas meeting, Flowers explains the truth about Blood Gulch to Church: the conflict is a fake, a series of simulation battles between troops not in the know, and all so it can serve as training grounds for Agents from the Freelancer program to train against real people and test out the effectiveness of new equipment. Flowers also admits that he's a Freelancer too, Agent Florida, and that this particular set of Red and Blue Sim Armies are designed to keep Church himself hidden and safe, though he can't tell Church why he needs to be protected.
  • The two then return to the facility Church had been in, and Flowers talks to the computer to learn an explanation for what happened, then erases their conversation from the computer and goes to find Church.
  • Meanwhile, Maud's group has a conversation with the bomb, and convinces it to deactivate shortly before Church arrives and reunites with them, explaining what he's been up to in the meantime. Including setting up a will for himself, which proceeds to turn into a spoof of the "Muldoon's Will" sketch. Maud is quite amused. So is Flowers, who's listening in from nearby.
  • Once everyone finishes laughing, the group continues to discuss what they need to do, while Simmons builds them a new weaponized motorcycle in preparation for battle with Omega and his army. The group continues battling, but soon enough, the actual Great Destroyer arrives: a bizarre alien creature. It turns out to be a Quester, searching for Tucker's sword, which turns out to be called the Key of Harmony. The Quester wants the Key so it can be brought back to his people and used to teach them the Magic of Friendship. Tucker, whom the weapon is bonded to, agrees to accompany him back. while Church checks on Maud and Captain Flowers, still watching, decides he needs to continue watching them.
  • Eventually, the team decides Andy and Caboose will also accompany the Quester (whom Caboose nicknames Ferdy) back to his people, while Texas secretly follows them, along with a still-hiding Flowers, and everyone else goes back to Blood Gulch. Finally (and after Tucker and Ferdy bond romantically), they make it to the Temple. In the process, Texas meets Flowers and learns he's still alive.
  • Wyoming also turns up at the Temple, and battle begins. Wyoming soon escapes, and Caboose helps reactivate the life-support system in Tucker's suit. Once everyone's healed up, Texas heads in one direction to track Wyoming, and the trio head back to the Gulch.
  • Back at the Gulch, Church and Maud talk, and Church learns Maud can now track everyone thanks to learning it from Ferdy. He also learns the trio are heading back, and Texas is going somewhere else. Soon after, Tucker's group returns, with Tucker and Ferdy getting into a rather heated discussion that boils down to "Tucker's pregnant with Ferdy's child and is having a hard time dealing with it". Fortunately, Church is able to get them to settle down somewhat.
  • Over the next week, the team prepares for the births (since Ferdy is also expecting), and finally, the children are delivered. Poking his head out of the tent, Caboose names the two after what he sees outside: Tucker's is named "Two-Ponies-Wrestling" (Twerp for short), since Caboose sees Church and Texas' pony forms being... involved, and then Ferdy's is "One-Man-Bucket" (or Mob), short for "One-Invisible-Man-Throwing-Bucket-of-Water-on-Two-Ponies!" (the invisible man being Flowers, who apparently decided to interrupt them). Ferdy is very happy that both her children have names associated with ponies, and thus the Friendship she was Questing for.
  • Soon after, a large ship crash-lands on the surface, which Sarge admitted he'd ordered, on the grounds that a "ship" always contained "enormous amounts of love, snuggles, cuteness, and other such things" that he could use to bribe Maud so she'd work for Red Team instead of Blue Team. He's disappointed when its cargo bay is empty, but Maud decides to claim it for herself anyway, which Sarge agrees to.
  • The ship, as it turns out, is not as empty as they thought; it's occupied by Kaikana, a woman who turns out to be Grif's sister (and a potty mouth, which Sarge takes offense to since there are underage beings around to hear her). While she and Sarge are arguing about her language, Maud relocates the ship somewhere safer, and Simmons decides to go somewhere where he can't hear Kaikana complaining about not having gotten laid in months.
  • To be continued...

Three More Things!

• Arc 1: Early years (chapters 1-19)
  • An accident with a scrying potion in Zecora's hut leads to the Cutie Mark Crusaders winding up in "Uncle's Rare Finds", an antique shop in San Francisco, as infants. Its owner is Uncle Chan, an elderly chi wizard who recognizes the trio's magical potential and decides to raise them.
• Arc 2: The Twelve Talismans (chapters 20-84)
  • The Dark Hand (chapters 20-23)
    • Ten years after the trio first arrive in San Francisco, Jackie's niece Jade Chan (daughter of his cousin Shin), who's been getting into trouble, also arrives to stay with the family, her parents hoping Jackie can provide her with much-needed guidance. They are unaware that the cause of this trouble is Jade's innate magic, which allowed her to see other magical creatures and in turn was distracting her; when she tried to tell the truth about it, nobody believed her, thinking she was just making up stories. Fortunately, the Crusaders are able to recognize her talent and explain it to her.
    • Meanwhile, Jackie has brought back a shield from Bavaria and encounters the Dark Hand crime syndicate, which is after it. When he's unexpectedly captured by the secret government agency known as Section 13 and Uncle is captured by the Dark Hand, demanding the shield in return, it comes out that the Dark Hand is really after twelve talismans based on the animals of the Chinese Zodiac, including the Rooster Talisman, which is embedded in the center of the shield.
    • What the family does not know yet is that with all of the talismans in hand, the Dark Hand can resurrect Shendu, the Demon Sorcerer of Fire... unless the six Chans can get them first.
  • The Power Within (chapters 24-27)
    • Still pursued by the Dark Hand's four Enforcers, the Chans discover the Rooster Talisman's power of levitation.
  • The Mask of El Toro Fuerte (chapters 28-31)
    • Heading to Mexico to recover the Ox Talisman, the Chans meet a young boy named Paco and his hero El Toro Fuerte, a masked wrestler who follows the code of Lucha Libre and has been using the Talisman's power of enhanced strength to make a name for himself in the ring.
  • Snake Hunt (chapter 32)
    • Jackie and Jade seek the Snake Talisman in the jungles of Brazil, but are unsuccessful due to the interference of Wesley Rank, host of a TV show called Just the Artifacts, who stole it from them. Returning home, they find his cameraman Dino Stephenson has taken over as host of the show and, after recovering the Talisman from the pawn shop that Rank sold it to, has donated it to a museum in New York City.
  • Enter the Viper (chapters 33-37)
    • When the Snake Talisman and its power of invisibility ends up in a New York City museum, Jackie must face both the Dark Hand and a thief named Viper who gets mixed up in the case and manages to steal the Talisman herself. Fortunately, Jade and the Crusaders recover both the Talisman and the Pink Puma (a gemstone she was trying to steal) from her and manage to recruit her to their side.
  • Shell Game (chapters 38-41)
    • A Galapagos tortoise named Aesop, with the Rabbit Talisman (which grants enhanced speed) embedded in his shell, ends up in a local zoo. While Jackie and the girls seek to protect the animal and recover the Talisman, the Dark Hand also wants the Talisman and plan to sell the animal to Carl Nibor, a wealthy man with a literal taste for endangered animals. Nibor also discovers Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo's true nature, and decides to add them to his menu. Fortunately, after recovering the Talisman, Jackie arrives in time to save Aesop and the girls. After learning of Nibor's intentions toward them, a furious Jackie displays his rarely seen temper in order to terrify Nibor into surrendering to the authorities, and is barely able to restrain himself from killing the man.
    • On the way home, Captain Black explains to the girls that Jackie had a bad experience in his past, and that while he's learned to control his anger, he's never truly learned healthy ways to let it out. Meanwhile, Jackie gets some unexpected help from Aesop, who guides him in a breathing exercise and helps calm him.
    • Meanwhile, Shendu contemplates what he has learned of Jackie from this incident (having felt Jackie's rage through the Rabbit Talisman), and what he could be capable of if he doesn't hold back.
  • Through the Rabbit Hole (chapter 42)
    • It's another school day, and Apple Bloom is staying at home with a bad cold. Running late for school, Jade considers using the Rabbit Talisman to get there on time, but decides against it - Scootaloo and Cumulo give her a lift instead. Meanwhile, Jackie talks things over with Captain Black and gets the odd feeling that something was supposed to happen but didn't (and he's right: Jade's decision to not use the Rabbit this time keeps her canon time-traveling adventure from happening). Wondering how his friend deals with such odd feelings, he gets the answer: "I just accept that my life is going to be weird." And then Audrey III dances past the room, an amused Apple Bloom in tow.
  • Project A, for Astral (chapters 43-44)
    • Jackie returns from another trip with the Sheep Talisman, but is too tired to take them to Mooseworld as planned. Apple Bloom decides to let him sleep while she and Scootaloo help Uncle research the Talisman, and Jade and Sweetie Belle mind the store. Meanwhile, Jade is annoyed at being called reckless earlier and decides to figure out what the Talisman does through trial and error. A while later, Apple Bloom goes up to check on both Jade and Jackie (who's being watched over by Audrey III). Jade awakens and sounds a little odd... and Apple Bloom quickly realizes she's been possessed by a demon, calling for Audrey to catch her.
    • The commotion wakes up Jackie, who explains about the dream he had. From his information, they realize the Talisman has the power of Astral Projection, and the Dark Hand has stolen it from her while she wasn't in her body. Uncle also announces that they can get the demon out in one of three ways, and as Jade's body suddenly goes limp, he adds that one is already happening: by exposing it to enough stable good chi magic, like Audrey's vines, they'll damage its spirit body enough that it can't maintain its projection anymore and won't be able to Astral Project again until it heals. Right then, Jade returns to her own body and awakens.
    • Meanwhile, returning to his original stone body, Shendu curses angrily, having realized the same thing Uncle did (that he's stuck there until his spirit heals, which will require either the Horse Talisman or his flesh-and-blood body).
  • Bullies (chapters 45-47)
    • Jackie returns home from a mission, in which he failed to acquire the Dragon Talisman, and finds out Jade is in trouble at school. Reluctantly, he goes to take care of her problem rather than joining Captain Black and his men on a mission to stop Valmont and his men, who are using the Talisman's power of Combustion to rob the U.S. Mint. At the school, the Chans discuss Jade's recent issue - a fight she got in with an older bully - and fortunately, Sweetie Belle has video evidence that shows Jade was acting in self-defense, and of the bully's wrong-doing. Now aware of the problems Jade is having and why, her teacher can actually do something about them. Their talk is suddenly interrupted by a phone call: Captain Black is in the hospital.
    • Visiting his friend, Jackie once again lets his temper get the better of him, and again back at Section 13 when several agents keep dropping in to ask how Captain Black is doing. When a report comes in that Valmont is attacking Fort Knox, Jackie goes with the agents to stop him, but before leaving, the fillies advise him that he needs to use his anger, not let it use him. Taking their advice, Jackie is able to thwart their plans to rob the gold repository, forcing Valmont's men into retreat, but the Shadowkhan arrive just in time to retrieve he and the Talisman before Jackie can get it. Back at their base, Shendu smugly reminds him that he'd been warned not to underestimate Jackie.
    • Meanwhile, back in San Fransisco, Jackie remembers how he handled things at Fort Knox, and decides that he still needs to work on controlling his temper: he doesn't like himself when he's angry. And at their school, Jade and the fillies have been given permission to give informal martial arts lessons to their classmates, with all participants getting extra credit in gym. Including the bully Meynard, whose attitude is vastly improved as a result.
  • Tough Break (chapters 48-53)
    • While Jackie's off at an auction to recover the Rat Talisman, the girls and Uncle spend a day at the mall, where Jade buys a Turbo Troll figure to go with her Gnomekop figure. Unwittingly, Apple Bloom activates the magic of the mall's wishing fountain, and her wish for Jackie to stay home for a while instead of having to go off after another Talisman results in his falling and breaking his leg when he returns home. Scootaloo, since it was her toy he stepped on, is very upset, as is Apple Bloom, who admits to the accidental wish she made and blames herself, then promises she and Audrey will take care of him until he's all better. They prove extremely efficient at it, allowing him to rest and research the Talisman, translating the inscription on its back as "The power of the Rat brings motion to the motionless..." unfortunately, this leads to disaster when the Talisman falls into an HP Lovecraft book and transforming it into something horrific, which escapes the apartment.
    • While the four Enforcers are out trying to find the Talisman, they encounter the Lovecraft book, now in the form of a tiny Cthulhu. Contacting Shendu for advice, they learn from him that Cthulhu is a very real being, though he also recognizes that the Cthulhu before them is the Rat Talisman animating a book. And if it absorbs enough "body magic", it could call the spirit of the real Cthulhu into it, allowing him to summon his brethren into their world. Which would be very, very bad. Shendu thus authorizes the group to do whatever it takes to get the Talisman out of the book, even if it means teaming up with Jackie and his family. He also warns them not to speak his name again until the Cthulhu facsimile is stopped, because it would attract the facsimile's attention and cause it to go after him - his destruction would provide it with enough "body magic" to complete the summoning of the real Cthulhu. He also warns them never to speak his name where the Chans would learn of it. Tohru is intrigued by this, now aware that knowing Shendu's name would provide Uncle with an advantage against him.
    • Soon after, while the Crusaders watch the destruction caused by the Cthulhu-copy, which Uncle admits his Chi magic can't do anything against, the Enforcers arrive at the shop and explain the copy isn't complete yet and thus can be stopped. But they must do research to figure out how to stop the ritual... and on advice from Jade and Ratso, they realize they can use the Rabbit talisman to make a room faster relative to the rest of the world, giving Uncle more time to research. It works, and while twenty minutes pass outside, he experiences five days, but has the solution: by transferring Tohru's chi to Audrey (by way of Apple Bloom), they can fight together as a giant and do enough damage to the facsimile to destroy it. The plan works, with the minds of the three effectively merging with Audrey's body. Together, they drive the creature into the bay and, each channeling magic of their own, destroy it. An unconscious Tohru is taken back to Dark Hand headquarters by the other Enforcers, awakening en route.
    • In the aftermath of the battle, Jade, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo help Jackie, Uncle, Audrey and Apple Bloom recover from their injuries and/or exhaustion. Uncle expresses much gratitude for their help, and reveals that due to her age, Apple Bloom's magic isn't yet stable, which is why she's more tired than the rest. He also learns from Jade that due to the magic involved, every recording device that could have captured an image of the battle had shorted out or just didn't work. And Captain Black didn't see it either, so he still doesn't believe in magic.
  • The Rock (chapters 54-56)
    • Returning from his mission to acquire the Horse Talisman, Jackie tells the girls about it. However, Apple Bloom is still concerned about Tohru, since Jackie left him in sub-zero temperatures without a shirt. Back at the shop, Jade wonders why Apple Bloom is concerned about him, but Sweetie Belle reminds her of the fusion spell: the two are, in a sense, still connected, so it's best if they don't talk bad about Tohru. Meanwhile, Uncle successfully translates the Talisman: "If activated, the Noble Horse expels all alien forces from within." Jade's talk of it summoning actual alien forces brings some disdain, until Apple Bloom points out that in the time the Talismans first were around, they didn't even have the concept of life on other planets. Suddenly, Captain Black calls about activity on Mount Rushmore.
    • While Jackie's away, the group continues researching. Meanwhile, Scootaloo has her own project: figuring out what kind of power the Talismans would grant if all twelve were brought together. Her research is interrupted when Jackie returns with his finger turned to stone. After explanations are made, Uncle goes to try and create an antidote, while Jade decides to just hand over the Talismans and get a cure from the Dark Hand. However, as she and Scootaloo argue, Scootaloo suddenly puts two and two together and figures out that the Talismans aren't just superpowers - they're spells. And the Horse's description sounds like the flavor text for one particular spell: Esuna, the cure-all for status effects. Including petrification. Running into the back room, Jade hits Jackie with the Talisman, which cures him. The others are awed, and Uncle happily praises them. However, there's still the matter of the Dark Hand waiting for the trade. And Jackie entrusts Sweetie Belle with handling that little problem. Specifically, she calls the Enforcers, setting up a sting operation, but lets them go in exchange for Tohru's home address so Apple Bloom can visit him and help him get over the cold he got at the North Pole (not with the Talisman though), something he very much appreciates. Meanwhile, Shendu and Valmont discuss recent events, and Valmont explains that he has no doubts about Tohru's loyalty, but also that he didn't hire him or the others for his ruthlessness. For that, he'll need someone else... and he knows just who to hire for that, as he studies the resume of one "Black Tiger".
    • Canonically, the events of The Warrior Incarnate (in which the Chans acquire a statue of Lo Pei, the warrior who originally sealed Shendu in stone and scattered the Talismans, and after it's broken, Jade decides to use the Horse and Rat Talismans to restore it and bring Lo Pei to life in order to learn where the other Talismans are) would have occurred at this point in time. Due to Jade's riding Cumulo to and from school, she does not break the statue this go-round, thus averting the plot of the episode.
  • The Jade Monkey (chapters 57-61)
    • Some time later, Jade comforts Scootaloo, and also manages to get both Jackie and Uncle to slip some happier moments into their Career Day presentations to help cheer her up. Soon after, the four girls and Jackie prepare to head for Micronesia to recover the next Talisman, which is at the bottom of the ocean... and they can't easily acquire filly-sized scuba suits for the trio. Fortunately, due to the link between Tohru and Apple Bloom (she knows how he thinks as a result of their bond), he shows up with the needed suits for them. Jackie still can't quite believe it, but accepts it.
    • The quintet thus equipped, they head for Micronesia, where Jade manages to find the Monkey Talisman. Unfortunately, when they return to the surface, they still have to deal with the Enforcers. During the resulting fight, the Enforcers demonstrate some actual intelligence (they've heard what happened to Nivor and know better than to mess with the trio), and Jade inadvertently activates the Talisman's power of animal shapeshifting. When the boat is destroyed by a lightning strike, Apple Bloom manages to use the Talisman's power further to turn herself into a Storm Dragon, letting her survive in the water, then changes Jackie into an Elasmosaurus so he can carry all of them.
    • Soon after, the group awakens, and are quite surprised to learn of the Talisman's powers. They're also surprised to learn that Jackie's carried them all back to San Fransisco, where he drops the Enforcers off at the beach and then returns the others to the pier closest to Uncle's shop, the Talisman reverting he and Apple Bloom back to normal so they can land. And yet again, Captain Black arrives too late to see the magic in action, though he does admit to getting reports of a creature resembling the Loch Ness Monster in the bay.
    • Back at Section 13, Jade experiments with the Monkey Talisman, trying to turn herself into a pony like the girls, but it doesn't work - though they don't know it yet, the Talisman can only turn beings of one realm into other creatures of that realm, so she can't become an Equestrian pony. Neither does turning them into humans (for the same reason), and Jade explains that she wished they could be the same so they could spend more time together, or that the trio could be human so they could be actually noticed for their skills rather than being overlooked as "normal". The girls understand, and hug her for it.
  • The Dog and Piggy Show (chapters 62-69)
    • Some time later, the girls make plans for Uncle's surprise birthday party. They've got presents ready, the weather's going to be perfect, and all they need is for Jackie to be there. The party goes well, and Jackie brings Uncle the Dog Talisman, which he successfully translates as restoring youthful energy and granting eternal life. Remembering how his daughters worked to give him happier memories, he decides to keep it on hand for a few days, in which its energy will let him show them the joy they bring him.
    • Back at the Dark Hand's headquarters, Tohru reports his failure to Valmont, and is introduced to freelancer Hak Foo, who will be going on the next mission. He is disturbed by the man, an obvious killer who will not hold back against the fillies.
    • Meanwhile, the Chans have figured out where the next Talisman is, and head out together, with everyone bring surprised when Uncle chooses to go. Apple Bloom, spying him tucking something into his shirt, is suspicious... soon after, Valmont, who is tracking their activities, becomes aware that the seven are heading for Bavaria, and sends Hak Foo there. Tohru chooses to go with him, secretly planning to protect Apple Bloom from the Black Tiger if need be.
    • Arriving in Bavaria, the six (plus Audrey) split up: Jackie heads for the chocolate factory, while Uncle entertains the girls. While out, they figure out something is different about him, and he finally admits that the Dog Talisman is responsible, explaining its powers. Apple Bloom, knowing magic always exacts a price, is worried about what might come from this, while Jade contemplates thoughts of immortality.
    • While the girls and Uncle are doing their tourist routine, Hak Foo waits for Jackie at the chocolate factory. When Jackie arrives, the two battle. Their fight is interrupted when the girls and Uncle arrive, and he warns them to stay out of this. The four refuse to back down, and when he prepares to attack them, Uncle steps in the way and hits him in his... vulnerable place, cautioning that he won't hold back against anyone who threatens his little girls. He proceeds to easily match Hak Foo, while Jade checks on Jackie. However, the fight suddenly takes a turn for the ugly when Hak Foo starts playing dirty, pretending to attack the girls to lure Uncle into a sneak attack. Knocked out, Uncle has a brief conversation with himself, and then wakes up.
    • With Uncle fully recovered, the group heads for the clock tower where the Talisman is located, only to be ambushed by Tohru and Hak Foo. When Uncle shows himself to be fully recovered, Hak Foo freaks out... and the explanation why is interrupted when Tohru learns Hak Foo tried to attack Apple Bloom and goes berserk. The others head for the tower, and Sweetie Belle grabs the Talisman while Tohru terrifies Hak Foo into behaving, warning him that Valmont knows what Jackie is capable of to protect the girls, which is why none of the Enforcers will go after them... and now, Hak Foo will have to admit to doing so and claim Jackie caused his injuries in retaliation. The two men, knowing the Talisman is lost to them, then leave the scene.
    • Later, heading back to San Francisco, Uncle has removed the Dog Talisman and is recovering from the toll it took on his body, and unintentionally hears an argument between Dan (of Dan Vs.) and Pinkie Pie, making a crossover appearance from The Wheel and the Butterfly Saga. Meanwhile, in the Dark Hand base, Hak Foo is forced to explain how he was so badly injured and failed his mission. He blames a group of toys brought to life by the Rat Talisman (with a little aid from Tohru), then returns to his quarters to watch a DVD of Powerpuff Girls Z.
    • Finally, back in the shop, Apple Bloom works on a nerve restoration potion, inspired by the Dog Talisman, but doesn't quite get the results she planned. The resulting crystal does, however, give energy to liquid (as she finds out when it affects the water given to their pet hamster Rhino), and she attaches it to the inside of Uncle's favorite teacup, not noticing that the crystal's magic has turned the lead-based paint on the bottom of the cup's outside has turned to gold: she's unintentionally created a Philosopher's Stone.
  • The Tiger and the Pussycat (chapters 70-77) ^note The last chapter of this episode and the first of the next overlap.
    • With one talisman left, Jackie is a little weirded out that the Tiger Talisman has been baked into a pie that was donated to a pie-eating contest, and so he, the four girls and, to their dismay, Tohru, enter. The other competitor is an old man, who accidentally bites into the Talisman, while Tohru is named the winner of the contest after eating 47 pies, a new record.
    • Later, Shendu is very upset, since all twelve have been recovered and he only has two. Furthermore, the Year of the Dragon, is coming to a close, and their powers will seal themselves if he doesn't get them before that point. And what's more, an alignment of stars attuned to Dark Chi is due to occur before the next Year of the Dragon... and if the Talismans are sealed during that time, they'll stay sealed for another nine hundred years. Valmont, however, is less concerned, having a plan to discover the location of Section 13 and retrieve the other Talismans when Jackie goes there next.
    • At the shop, Uncle figures out the Tiger Talisman's power: spiritual balance, which Scootaloo quickly guesses means it would let a single person use the other eleven all at once without problems. Uncle confirms she's correct. As Jackie prepares to take the Talisman to Section 13, it suddenly cracks and splits in two, right along the Yin-Yang line...
    • Reawakening, Jackie is confused, finding himself lacking in rage and pain, and only half a Talisman in hand. And then he steps on a bug and freaks out, to Uncle's confusion.
    • Meanwhile, Jackie awakens and feels somewhat different... except for only having half a Talisman. This Jackie promptly starts raiding the New Year's candy.
    • After both encounters, Uncle and the girls meet and inform the other of Jackie's strange behavior. Suspicious upon hearing of such opposite actions, they call for him and quickly discover there are two Jackies. And upon seeing one another, the pair promptly freak out. Once the pair have calmed down, Uncle quickly figures out what's happened: the Talisman has split Jackie into his Yin and Yang halves. Now, they need to become one again. Except neither likes the idea - Jackie Light claims Jackie Dark made him a monster, but Jackie Dark claims it's the other way around, having had all of their pain, misery, anger and hate poured into him. Uncle breaks up their argument, only to end up in an argument with Jackie Dark. They're soon interrupted when Scootaloo spots Hak Foo outside, and Jackie Dark goes to confront him, easily defeating him.
    • Hak Foo's defeat is witnessed by three of the other Enforcers (and one random henchman), who quickly decide to run for it. Jackie Dark follows them. Meanwhile, Jackie Light leads Ratso and two other henchmen on a merry chase.
    • Meanwhile, Valmont awaits the return of his men as he contemplates what Shendu told him about the Tiger Talisman, and how, if it indeed cracked as Tohru thought it had, it could split a person into their Light and Dark halves.
    • When Tohru, Finn, Chow and their companion finally arrive, they've been badly beaten by Jackie Dark, who threatens Valmont for trying to hurt the girls. Valmont quickly bluffs him, explaining that his men were under orders not to harm the girls. When Jackie Dark informs him of Hak Foo having tried to attack them previously, Valmont is able to explain the other man's actions as those of a freelancer whom he can't entirely control. He then offers Jackie Dark a deal: bring in the Talismans for Valmont's client, and he'll make Jackie rich. If they try to pull something... well, Jackie Dark knows where to find him. Jackie Dark agrees, and Valmont returns to his office to inform Shendu of this development.
    • Meanwhile, Jackie Light escapes his pursuers (with the girls' help), and informs them that he thinks his dark half is going after the Dark Hand alone. They quickly formulate a plan, and inform Captain Black... who still doesn't believe in magic, until he sees Jackie Dark and Jackie Light in the same place. Dark knocks out Captain Black and reveals what he's up to, prompting Jackie Light to try to stop him. However, while they're fighting, Hak Foo sneaks in, grabs the box of Talismans and the girls, and escapes. When they see what's happened, the two Jackies react differently: one in rage, one in sorrow. Finally, the pair come to grips with what's happened and, reconciling, agree to work together to rescue the four.
    • Elsewhere, Valmont contemplates his situation: he'll soon get his reward, but Hak Foo's actions means he'll soon have two Jackies out for his blood, and a probable mutiny on his hands from Tohru. But as he gives Shendu the Talismans, he finds half of the Tiger Talisman is still missing, and Shendu is not happy... and neither are the girls, both because Shendu's dark chi aura is weakening the fillies and because he has made his intentions toward them clear. And it doesn't help that Hak Foo prepares to question them about the last piece his way. Fortunately for them, the two Jackies are almost there. The pair soon arrive and battle the Shadowkhan, while Hak Foo figures out Jade has the last Talisman half. When he threatens her, Tohru decides to take action and attacks him... but right as the two Jackies arrive, Hak Foo is able to free the Talisman, which Valmont grabs and returns it to Shendu, restoring his full form...
  • Day of the Dragon (chapters 77-81)
    • Shendu promptly attacks the fillies, only for Tohru to take the blast and, surviving mostly unharmed, informs Valmont that he quits. Shendu's response is to throw him out of the building through a wall and, when Valmont reminds him what he's owed, tells the human to meet him at his temple. Valmont accepts and promptly retreats with his four remaining Enforcers via helicopter. Shendu then attempts to attack the girls again, only for Jackie to step in his way, looking remarkably like Lü Dongbin, the Immortal who defeated Shendu in the ancient past. This resemblance is enough to startle him into stopping, and when Captain Black and his men arrive, Shendu decides to make tracks for China.
    • With Shendu gone, the team heads back to Uncle's shop, where Uncle examines the sword created when the two Jackies (each holding one of the Dark Hand's electric swords at the time) fused back into one. The weapon, which now has runic inscriptions on either side of the blade, is revealed to have absorbed magic from the Tiger Talisman, and has become Balance Breaker, capable of cutting the aura of a target to break its internal balance of energies. This will make it very useful against their enemy. And when a badly injured Tohru arrives, he also brings something useful: the demon's name, Shendu, which he confesses he'd been ordered not to let them find out. He then collapses into Audrey's vines, the plant doing what it can to help him.
    • With Shendu's name, Uncle is able to find what he plans, and the group prepares to head for Shendu's palace, near Hong Kong (minus Tohru, who is too injured to travel - Uncle has him watch the shop instead, and Captain Black leaves a couple of medics with him). By the time they've arrived at the newly risen palace, Uncle has prepared two potions: one that will let Jackie remove the Talismans from within Shendu, and another to provide magical protection for him based on the willpower and chi that the others can send him. Sword in hand, Jackie heads to face Shendu and the Dark Hand members who've also arrived, while the other people present (including all the Section 13 agents they brought with them) begin chanting the spell to send him the energy he needs.
    • Spells and sword prepared, Jackie disrupts the portal Shendu is preparing and challenges the demon. As the two do battle, Shendu finally realizes he needs to resort to desperate measures and turns to trying to literally rip Jackie apart. They're interrupted when the Crusaders and Jade head their way, with Uncle in hot pursuit... at the same time, Captain Black prepares a surprise of his own, and in San Francisco, Tohru finds a spellbook and begins reciting a spell... one which sends power to Apple Bloom, and she also begins to recite the spell. The other girls and Uncle join in, and the new spell, which is antithetical to Shendu, distracts him... and Captain Black's experimental laser rifle also hits right then, causing him to drop Jackie. And with the six reciting the spell, a six-colored rainbow cyclone forms, and blasts Shendu... who is overwhelmed by the power of Harmony and explodes.
    • With Shendu dealt with, the group deals with the aftermath... such as the area being leveled, a blinding rainbow spreading over all of China, the girls' pendants being destroyed, and their Cutie Marks appearing. Rounding up the unconscious quintet, the heroes leave (and take Jackie's sword), while Valmont, who is still hiding nearby, discovers the Talismans have survived.
    • Back in San Francisco, everyone has reawakened, and Uncle recognizes that the power they used was Harmony, from the world the girls came from. They also figure out that the Harmony wave has affected the entire world, which now thinks magic is normal, but don't consider it important unless they're magical. This includes Jade's parents being aware of magic and giving her permission to stay with Uncle and learn to master her powers.
    • The girls and Tohru return around them, and Tohru (who was healed by the Harmony wave) asks about the marks on their flanks. Uncle explains the nature of Cutie Marks, and what they mean: all three are their special talents, which are related to chi magic and are naturally attuned to combating demonic power. The girls promptly and happily declare themselves Cutie Mark Crusaders Demon Hunters.
  • The Mother of All Battles (chapters 82-84)
    • Some time later, Tohru is now living in the shop, and is worried... his mother is coming to attend the upcoming Japanese Cultural Expo and see Kara Noki and her yodeling kabukis perform, and he's afraid she'll be disappointed in him. Fortunately, Apple Bloom has a plan, and when Mrs. T arrives and starts nagging him, Apple Bloom rushes into the room and starts calling him "Onii-chan". Mrs. T recognizes her as a magical being and is surprised, but an explanation on how they met and bonded follow, and she seems intrigued by this knowledge, as well as by Tohru's explanation that when he had a choice between staying with Valmont and being there for Apple Bloom, he made the choice that was right for him.
    • As Mrs. T watches Tohru interacting with the fillies, she likes what she sees of him... but expresses her doubts about his new career, leading into a massive argument and magic duel between Mrs. T and Uncle. It ends with no clear winner, but afterward, Uncle tells them that in his youth, he was part of a traveling theater troupe, and Mrs. T was part of a rival troupe - the two did dueling magic shows when they were in the same town. While romance nearly ensued, the two wound up parting with happy memories and a very strange friendship. After explanations are made, the talk turns to where Mrs. T will stay, and since they have no more room... Apple Bloom makes one, adding an entire third floor to the shop, which Mrs. T is very impressed by.
    • Later, the entire group goes to the Japanese Cultural Expo, generally enjoying themselves - even Uncle and Mrs. T, who wind up getting into a public debate on various aspects of Japanese and Chinese culture, vastly entertaining the other attendees, who think it's all part of the show. After the debate, Uncle explains recent events to her, though he's vague on certain details. However, he does tell her of Tohru's role in Shendu's defeat, and they discuss how Shendu's death will affect the balance of Yin and Yang in the world. A greater evil is soon to replace Shendu, and Uncle is already preparing for it, including having the aid of the girls - the trio, with their magic stabilized thanks to the appearance of their Cutie Marks, are now the equivalent of a complete Master Chi Wizard.
    • Meanwhile, Audrey III handles the Yokanawa crime family (who were after the Kyoto Octopus, a golden jeweled statue on display at the Expo) in his own manner.
• Arc 3: The Eight Demon Portals and the Book of Ages (chapters 85-ongoing)
  • The Stronger Evil (chapters 85-87)
    • Shendu, now a spirit, has been banished to the Demon Netherworld by the blast that destroyed his physical body, and finally recovers enough to recognize where he is... and that he's surrounded by his seven brothers and sisters, who intend to torment him for effectively abandoning them in their prison... after he tells them about the magic that destroyed him. They already know of the trio who brought the magic, but they want to know more. When he can't tell them, they prepare to torture him some more.
    • Desperate to avoid their torment, Shendu quickly devises a plan: if they allow him to return to the mortal world, he can free them from their prison. By possessing Valmont, he'll be able to travel the world to reach the portals that can free his siblings, and have allies on hand to fight off the Chans when they inevitably try to stop him. The others agree, but cast a spell that will bind him to his host... just so they can keep an eye on him.
    • Meanwhile, Valmont has attempted his first Talisman-powered heist, only for Section 13, including Jackie, the girls and a group of battle mages now working for them, to show up and intervene. The fight culminates in a one-on-one match between Jackie and Valmont, leading to Jackie falling off a cliff and Shendu arriving just in time to possess Valmont. Taking charge, he leads the Enforcers and their loot away. When Valmont finally awakens, Shendu explains the situation to him, and he agrees to cooperate.
    • After returning to his base, Valmont begins searching his employee records for certain information, despite Shendu's insistence that they can get what they need from Uncle's shop. Valmont, however, points out what a bad idea that is and why. Shendu reluctantly agrees. Valmont then explains what he's after: the wave has changed things so he now has access to people with magic, and so he finds one in his employment records: Daolong Wong, the Dark Chi Wizard. Shendu is impressed by this revelation.
    • Learning of the situation and who's involved, Daolong Wong gladly agrees to help them, especially after Valmont informs him of the three Qi Lin in Uncle's custody. Furthermore, he already knows the location of the Pan'ku Box, so they don't have to go after Uncle's tome containing the same information.
  • The J-Team (chapters 88-95)
    • Later that same day, the girls and Audrey discuss that day's events in the shop, and try to figure out what they can do to help deal with Valmont and his gang. One of Sweetie Belle's comments inspires Jade, and she decides to call in some old friends... much to the surprise of Uncle, who was not expecting to have a masked wrestler, his apprentice and a former thief show up. Nor was El Toro expecting to find Tohru and a giant plant in the shop. Fortunately, explanations are made, and El Toro apologizes for his mistake.
    • While Jackie is a little exasperated when he figures out who called them, he changes his mind about their involvement when Viper is able to tell him what the Dark Hand is up to (being in contact with Daolong Wong and flying to Tibet). And since he knows he can't get them to stay out of it, he agrees to let them help.
    • Soon enough, the entire group of eleven has arrived in Tibet and set up in an inn for the night. There, Jackie accidentally stumbles onto two of the Enforcers, but avoids their attention and learns some valuable information from them. With this, he sneaks into the gang's room and decides to ask Viper for help in retrieving their Talismans, only to find she's already behind him. Together, the two manage to swipe back all of the Talismans, using a clever bit of magic to temporarily disable the Dark Chi Warriors standing guard, and then replacing the original Talismans with stone copies. Escaping without being caught, they give eight of the Talismans to Audrey while keeping the others for themselves, El Toro and Tohru, and head back to their respective rooms for the night.
    • The next morning, the Dark Hand heads out, with Audrey sneakily following after them and alerting the rest of their group. When they arrive at the temple, Daolong Wong orders the Enforcers to retrieve the Pan'ku Box - his own dark magic means he can't touch it, and it'll have the same effect on his Dark Chi Warriors, so only a human can take it. When the J-Team reveals themselves, Wong recognizes Uncle, and it comes out that Uncle once, during their time learning chi magic together, exposed Daolong Wong as being in possession of illicit dark magic items, and he was expelled for it. Wong has hated him for this ever since, and orders his Dark Chi Warriors and the Enforcers to kill the group. Finn isn't happy about this, but reluctantly prepares to follow orders. They're spared from having to do so when they find out their Talismans are fake, and instead go after the Pan'ku Box while Hak Foo and the Dark Chi Warriors attack the group, and Wong faces Uncle. Wong quickly confirms that Uncle was at the epicenter of the recent magic wave, and shows what it's done to improve his abilities. However, Uncle has a counter: a hairbrush he's used on the trio for years.
    • As the battle continues around them, the Crusaders stand in the way of the three Enforcers. Despite their best efforts, Ratso manages to snatch the Box, and with it in hand, the villains escape. While Scootaloo apologizes for losing the Box, Uncle isn't upset, and promises to translate the inscriptions left behind and figure out why he was after it. His study reveals that Shendu is one of eight Demon Sorcerers, how they were defeated, and that the Pan'ku Box can unseal their portals. Contemplating what this means, they figure out that Valmont is trying to release the other seven Sorcerers in order to gain wealth and power from them, just as he wanted from Shendu. The group decides to return home, with El Toro and Paco going back to Mexico while everyone else returns to San Fransisco.
    • Meanwhile, Valmont meets with Daolong Wong, and they work on plans to counter the Chans. And among those plans, Valmont wants a way to talk with the other Demon Sorcerers.
    • Finally, back in San Fransisco, the group finds a small frog in the shop, and a confused Jackie wonders where Captain Black, whom they left in charge of the shop, has gone. Everyone else just facepalms.
    • Back at his office, Valmont finally gets in contact with the seven other demons, and discusses matters with them. After the initial discussion, in which the seven demonstrate their approval of him (and there is flirting from Bai Tza), Valmont informs them of the Chans and their allies, and his conditions for their release (in short, avoiding confrontation with the Chans until all seven are free, and receiving payment afterward, including getting Shendu out of him). The seven decide to discuss his terms and get back to him afterward.
    • Elsewhere, once Captain Black is back to normal and sent on his way, Uncle declares he must begin researching, seeking the chi spells they need to seal the seven portals. After the others all make good points about how they can help, he also decides he must train an apprentice, and chooses Tohru. He then declares the trio have also proven themselves the equivalent of one competent Chi Wizard, and gives them the task of training Jade.
    • Meanwhile, Captain Black contacts his superiors in order to request backup. Finally, he gets through to North America's Veil Liason Officer, a young man named Long, who is part of a group that deals with those that breach the Veil that generally keeps magic unnoticeable. When Black informs Long of Shendu's death and that the Dark Hand has the Pan'ku Box, Long decides to make this a conference call, contacting three other Liaisons (Negi Springfield of Europe, Sakura Kinamoto of Asia and Lucoa of South America) to inform them of the situation. Then they find out ponies are involved, declare the situation to be "Shining Faust", and disconnect.
    • Over in Valmont's office, the demons contact him and agree to his terms. It's decided that Bai Tza will be the first released, and Po Kong the last due to her size and inability to assume human form. Tso Lan also tells them how to activate Bai Tza's portal, and Ratso does so, summoning the map to her portal in Rome.
  • The New Atlantis (chapters 96-97)
    • The Dark Hand goes to the Colosseum in Rome, Italy to open the portal of Bai Tza, the Water Demon. Meanwhile, Jackie and co. get some unexpected aid from the Veil Liaison offices, who arrange for transport. However, they arrive too late - Bai Tza has been freed and, at Valmont's advice, agrees to be temporarily held within a thermos in her water form, which (after some trickery against the Chans) he sends back to his office, getting her out of their reach. The Dark Hand then escapes with the plan they'd had prepared, involving other thermoses loaded with spells.
    • With their mission a failure, the Chans return home and try to figure out what happened. Jackie suspects Shendu is involved, but Uncle dismisses it with his own observations (unaware that Jackie's right). They do figure out that Valmont is under contract to free all seven and has talked them into being patient.
    • Their talk is interrupted by El Toro calling about needing their help with a Chupacabra. It's decided Viper and the girls will stay home, since its nature (being wild magic, uncontrolled and feeding equally on light and dark magic sources) puts them at risk.
    • Back in Valmont's base of operations, Valmont releases Bai Tza from her thermos into a seawater infinity pool, part of a full spa and sauna he had made for her to imitate the ocean. Once released, she turns into human form, and thanks him for helping her, promising to reward him properly in a few hours.
  • The Curse of El Chupacabra (chapter 98)
    • Leaving the girls, Tohru and Viper in San Francisco, Jackie and Uncle head to Mexico to help El Toro. During the following confrontation, Jackie is inadvertently infected with the curse of the Chupacabra, and they need one ingredient yet to make the cure. En route to the location of that ingredient, he starts to transform, but with the help of his Light and Dark personas, they're able to fend off the Chupacabra's curse and retain control of their mind when transformed, much to the surprise (but relief) of Uncle and El Toro.
  • Rumble in the Big House (chapters 99-100)^note Overlaps with the following episode.
    • Back in Valmont's base, he has a discussion with Valmont, and discusses matters with his men over who to release next. They decide on Xiao Fung, the Demon Sorcerer of Wind, only to find his portal is in Hollowlands Penitentiary in Colorado's Black Forest. Valmont decides to let Bai Tza infiltrate the place, and get in touch with one of the existing inmates to open the portal for them.
    • Making her way to (and into) the prison, Bai Tza locates her target, a man named Mongo, and gives him his instructions. All goes as planned, and Xiao Fung and Mongo are freed from the prison.
    • Once they've returned to San Fransisco, Valmont gets Mongo settled in (including reuniting him with his son, DJ Fist), and spends some time conversing with Xaio Fung and Bai Tza. They discuss the possibility of turning Valmont into the next Demon Sorcerer, replacing Shendu as Fire, and decide on the next Demon to release: Tchang Zu, Demon Sorcerer of Thunder.
  • Lost City of the Muntabs (chapter 100)^note Overlaps with the previous episode.
    • Meanwhile, in the shop, Jackie is preparing for a trip to find the Lost City of the Muntabs... until the Muntabs call and inform him they don't want to be found.
  • And He Does His Own Stunts (chapters 101-109)
    • The next day, Captain Black calls Jackie to inform him Valmont is currently in Hollywood. The full group heads out, after getting into a short discussion on various movie stars. Meanwhile, in Hollywood itself, Valmont and Bai Tza (disguised in human form) enjoy themselves in town. During the trip, Valmont runs into an actor he's acquainted with, who tells them he'll be going into space soon as a publicity stunt. Valmont promptly hits on the idea of using the actor to free Tso Lan, since he suspects the Moon Demon's portal is in space. Bai Tza is quite impressed when she figures out what Valmont has planned.
    • Once Jackie and his family arrive in Hollywood, they run into Captain Black's contact: Ray Lee and his dog Monroe, who give them a suitcase full of ingredients for all eight banishing spells, plus the recipes and symbolic items needed.
    • Meanwhile, Valmont and Bai Tza explore the lot, and finally encounter the Chans. As it happens, it's while they're shooting a movie scene, and it comes off very well. Once the cameras are off, Valmont clarifies that he's in it for the money, and also points out that he's giving the demons a chance to choose a different way of life in the present day. Ultimately, the youngsters convince Jackie to go along with this, which he's not too happy about.
    • While the group is waiting for the next round of filming, Bai Tza has a conversation with Apple Bloom, who wants to know if she makes Valmont happy, and surprises the demon with her opinion of the man. The other girls join them, and Bai Tza is reminded of her three daughters, whom she mentions to them. Valmont, who's overheard, promises to help her find them and bring them home. The four girls smile happily at this. Ratso also reacts, and accidentally triggers the Pan'ku Box, activating Tchang Zu's portal. Tchang Zu's first act upon emerging is simply to attack the Chans, and the two groups wind up fighting: Jackie faces Valmont, Bai Tza faces Viper, Uncle is intercepted by Daolong Wong, and Tohru clashes with the Dark Chi Warriors, leaving the girls and Audrey to try and cast the spell. Unfortunately, Tchang Zu sees what they're doing and tries to stop them. Scootaloo, being the one best suited to handle lightning, tries to stall him, only to get knocked into the stratosphere...
    • Meanwhile, Jackie and Valmont talk as they're fighting, and Jackie admits, with everything Valmont had said, that he has a point about the demons. Elsewhere, Viper figures out Bai Tza's a demon in disguise, and which one, while Tohru unveils a new trick to help defend against the Dark Chi Warriors, and Scootaloo finds herself supercharged with lightning, her enemy's demonic power being matched by divine magic. With this power, Scootaloo flies back down, and rams into Tchang Zu.
    • As the fight continues, the Chans begin to get the upper hand, and Valmont calls for a retreat, but Tchang Zu refuses. This proves a mistake, as a combination of a spell from Tohru and then a final attack from Scootaloo triggers his portal, dragging him back into the Demon Netherworld. Worn out, Scootaloo collapses and faints.
    • As the group heads home, Uncle explains more details about different types of magic, and what happened with the Divine Chi. In short, Scootaloo is now the Avatar of a Thunder God, but without the proper focus, she can't channel its Divine Chi very long. Still, she's alive, and wakes up long enough to give them a hint, revealing she's now linked to the god Raijin. At the same time, Uncle reassures them that Tohru will recover from using up as much chi as he did with just sleep and lots of food, and Jackie and Jade treat Viper's wounds from her own fight. And then it's revealed Audrey is driving.
    • Meanwhile, Valmont and his group return to base and find Tso Lan waiting to speak with them (via mirror). While Valmont initially takes responsibility for Tchang Zu's return to the netherworld, the Moon Demon reassures him that Tchang Zu's failure was not Valmont's fault, but then suddenly catches what Valmont was saying during his apology. Valmont reveals what he's figured out: Shendu's portal can be opened twice, once with the Pan'ku Box and once with the banishment spell. And as a spirit, he himself no longer needs it... so they can use it to free two other demons if necessary, and Tso Lan is quite impressed by him.
    • Valmont then tells him he's next to be freed, and the Chans shouldn't know anything about it. Also, since a different means was used to banish Tchang Zu, his portal could possibly be used again. This, on top of everything else, prompts Tso Lan to promise that he'll do everything he can to Ascend Valmont to Demonhood, if only because of the sheer asset that is his mind. Valmont is honored, and Bai Tza is very happy.
  • Showdown in the Old West (chapter 110)^note Overlaps with the following episode.
    • In the aftermath of events in Hollywood, the group goes through a few minor adventures, including a stop in an Old West ghost town, where they find a book about the adventures of someone who could possibly be Jackie's great-great-grandfather.
  • Queen of the Shadowkhan (chapter 110)^note Overlaps with the previous episode.
    • Another trip has Jackie recover an ancient Archive filled with Dark Magic. Once he gets it back, the girls research it, , and Jade can feel the evil from it, so she decides against using its symbol as a temporary tattoo. Meanwhile, the Crusaders discover the book is actually a Chinese recording of spells from ancient Japan. Furthermore, they find the book discusses Oni, which causes Tohru to freak out when he hears it. With their combined knowledge, they decide to lock the book up, since it isn't very helpful at the time.
  • Origami (chapter 111)
    • Another family trip takes everyone except Tohru to Paris, where they encounter a being made of folded paper. With Balance Breaker on hand, Jackie easily defeats the stranger, splitting it into a human male and a scroll inscribed with runes and reeking of magic, which Viper confiscates, while the criminal is arrested.
  • Shanghai Moon (chapter 111)
    • Meanwhile, Tso Lan's portal, located between the Earth and the moon, is opened by Bai Tza (using gloves to hold the Pan'Ku Box) disguised as Raphaelo Di'Capizzio after Valmont convinced him to let a body double handle the actual stunt he was meant to be doing. The pair then return to Earth, where Tso Lan confirms his earlier promise to see to it that Valmont becomes a demon.
    • Elsewhere, Tso Lan's daughter Luna discovers his release and sends her servant, a human-turned demon named Pascal, to investigate and ensure that balance is kept.
  • The Lotus Temple (chapters 112-116)
    • Another adventure sees the girls and Jackie on a quest to find the lost Lotus Temple. After some doing, Jackie talks them into getting firewood. While out, the quartet find the Temple, and wonder if it's related to He Xiangu, the Immortal who sealed Tso Lan. Before Jade can go in, they find a young Chinese girl, who tells them they shouldn't come in. Sweetie Belle correctly identifies her as a temple Guardian, and the others figure out she ended up in the position by accident. Jade is able to figure out how to get around the geas on her, by asking to be invited in as guests, meaning they won't be viewed as "intruders" and can visit safely. Xu Lin, as she identifies herself, happily invites them in to come in and find a way to free her. They also make plans to put up a sign to invite Jackie, Audrey and possibly Cumulo (if it counts as a separate being) in, but nobody else. Hearing all this, Xu Lin is quite surprised by the company Jade keeps.
    • Once their sign is up, the group explores the temple, leaving a trail of living moss for him to follow. Meanwhile, outside, Jackie finds his way to the temple, and after some suspicious words from the monk, his Light and Dark sides debate what to do, and Dark Jackie confirms the monk is not to be trusted. Then both are surprised when Jackie can see them. Their debate is interrupted when Jackie finds the sign left for him, allowing he and Audrey in.
    • Meanwhile, the girls study the library, and decide to use a spell to create temporary copies of everything inside the library, so they can take them back to Uncle, so he can study them and figure out how to free her. Once they've got all the copies, they decide to stay with Xu Lin for as long as they can. Their conversation is interrupted when Luna appears and introduces herself. From them, she learns both what they're after, and that Valmont is freeing Shendu's siblings.
    • Luna then explains why she's there: the Veil Council left He Xiangu's temple in her care two hundred years ago for her part in helping to create and maintain the Balance of the World. She stays there to keep an eye on things and make sure nobody tries to tap a hell dimension on a massive scale.
    • Furthermore, she didn't know Xu Lin was there until their packing spell disturbed her. Now that she knows, she tells Xu Lin how to leave safely (by wearing a suit of armor meant for Soldiers of the Moon when they go off to battle). Luna also explains that she's half-human, so Good Magic won't automatically hurt her as long as she's not actively doing evil... meaning she can safely touch (and be touched by) Sweetie Belle, which she demonstrates by gently stroking the little unicorn's mane in apology for upsetting her.
    • Now that they can go, she asks them to keep an eye out for someone who might make a better Guardian for the temple and send them her way. On their way out, they find Jackie, and explain things. After the six leave, the monk decides to enter and steal the scroll he's after, unaware that Luna's already relocated the scrolls with actual magic in them, meaning he won't find what he's looking for. Also, he's now the new Guardian.
    • Meanwhile, Captain Black studies his information packet on the Veil and everything related to it. Among other things, he learns Santa is real, and that Australia is off-limits to anyone with magic in order to prevent the creation of another of the highest rank of power.
  • Tale of the Demon Tail (chapters 117-128)
    • Back in his base, Valmont discusses matters with Tso Lan, planning on the next demon to be released. After debating between Dai Gui the Earth Demon and Hsi Wu the Sky Demon, they decide to release the latter first. His portal is in Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts, where Valmont and Bai Tza watch the game while Ratso searches for the portal. Valmont is unpleasantly surprised when they find Jackie is also there with Captain Black and the rest of the group.
    • Meanwhile, Jade and the fillies are pleasantly surprised to discover that thanks to magic now being normal, the restrooms come with the ability to summon enough empty stalls for everyone who needs them.
    • At the same time, the trio of Enforcers try to find Hsi Wu's portal, and find it on the door to the women's room. They succeed in releasing him, only for the girls come out and Jade, seeing him, slams the door shut on his tail; she and Sweetie Belle then begin to work the banishing spell on him. Desperate to escape, Hsi Wu severs his own tail, then flies off after informing the Enforcers he'll rejoin his sister once he recovers his tail. Moments later, Tohru turns up behind the Enforcers, who promptly run for it, while Jade wonders what they're going to do with the tail.
    • While the Chans take the tail home, Hsi Wu secretly follows them and overhears Uncle's plan to prepare for the next demon while the four youngsters handle Hsi Wu, as well as the fact that he can't enter the shop, where his tail is sealed in a chest, without being invited. The next day, transformed into a human, he pretends to be a new student at the local elementary school and befriends Jade. Soon after, he accompanies her back to the shop, where he learns some of her stories, including how she accidentally summoned a facsimile of Cthulhu, and comes to realize that Jade and her family are fully capable of handling anything that comes their way. And now, they represent a chance to push him to himself to his limits, something he's been really looking forward to.
    • Once they're in the shop, Jade nearly shows him the tail, but the girls stop her, promising to let him see it as long as there's no chance of letting it out. While she's off looking up a spell, the trio take him upstairs and trap him in a circle that forces him to tell the truth, inadvertently revealing his identity. They wind up making a deal with him, in which he swears to be her friend and, after a while, take her to the upcoming Spring Dance at their school and make sure she has a good time. In return, they'll give back his tail without any complications. If he refuses, they feed him to Audrey. All four swear the oath on the binding circle, and then go back down to check on Jade. There, they find Jade has succeeded in the spell she was trying, and Hsi Wu manages to see his tail. After some back-and-forth teasing, the girls and Hsi Wu wind up going back upstairs, where Hsi Wu discovers their Dungeons and Dragons set. The five wind up playing, and have a lot of fun doing it. Afterward, they decide to watch TV, and at Hsi Wu's request, wind up watching Sharknado, which he'd heard Apple Bloom mention before and was curious about.
    • The next few days go quietly, until another group arrives in town: David Xanatos and his ally Goliath, who have come to investigate the demon activity, checking to make sure that whomever is releasing the Demon Brotherhood knows what they're doing, and in Goliath's case to investigate an apparent gargoyle flying about in the daylight. The two meet with Valmont and Bai Tza. Meanwhile, Hsi Wu bonds with Jade and, after she gives him one half of her yin-yang charm, invites her to their school's spring dance.
    • Later on, Valmont and Xanatos continue their meeting at Dark Hand Headquarters. While observing them, Bai Tza is suddenly called away for a private chat with Hsi Wu, who has come to ask her for help: he needs to learn how to dance. He also explains the kind of situation he's stuck in. Bai Tza teases him a bit about it, but agrees to help.
    • Meanwhile, Viper helps Jade get ready for the dance. Finally, the big night comes, and the two thoroughly enjoy themselves. Afterward, Jade returns his tail, having figured out he was probably a demon and gotten the others to tell her the truth. Despite this, the two have indeed become friends, and Hsi Wu promises to wait until sunrise before he tries attacking them. Furthermore, they make a deal that whomever wins, the other binds themselves in servitude to the other. Jade then gives him a goodnight kiss on the forehead and sneakily defeats him, having put the banishment spell into her lip gloss. With the spell, she banishes him back to the Nether Realm. Hsi Wu graciously admits defeat, but now he can't wait to see how Jade and the others will free him again so they can bind him to Jade as she promised.
    • Not long after, the girls ask Uncle for help in bringing Hsi Wu back to be bound as Jade's familiar. It takes some persuasion, but he agrees to do so, and they soon complete the spell, using their harmony magic. In essence, the binding means he can't use his magic in a way that goes against the spirit of Jade's desires. And he can't go outside the range of the binding (which is essentially the size of a city). Otherwise, he has more or less complete freedom. Shortly afterward, it comes out that Jackie is the only one who was fooled by Hsi Wu's Seymour disguise, much to the demon's embarrassment.
    • After the binding, Jackie goes to explain matters to Captain Black, enabling him to file the appropriate paperwork to register Hsi Wu as one of Jade's classmates. Meanwhile, Valmont, Tso Lan and Bai Tza discuss recent developments, having learned of the banishment and re-summoning under a familiar binding contract. While Tso Lan is initially unhappy that Hsi Wu is now bound to the Chans, since they want to prevent the demons' freedom, Valmont points out that he's only bound to people who want to prevent the Demon Brotherhood's conquest. Something, he reminds them, which he never agreed to help them with. Freeing them is one thing, but as he points out, he'd relegated any negotiations regarding world conquest to after the eight were completely freed. Tso Lan is perturbed by this. Bai Tza doesn't seem to mind.
  • Agent Tag (chapter 129)
    • At Section 13, Captain Black mentions to Jackie that he's sent one of his best agents out to deal with a technomancer. Meanwhile, Hsi Wu has his first day at school with Jade, and the girls run into a family of some very important and powerful people - the children of a devil known as the Oppai Dragon.
  • Armor of the Gods (chapters 130-136)
    • Jackie and Viper visit an old temple in China to retrieve a particular artifact, the Armor of the Eight Immortals, to help them deal with the more physically powerful demons. Jackie recognizes the armor's symbols as the same design the girls put on him when he fought Shendu. Once the armor is retrieved and brought back to San Fransisco, Hsi Wu observes it and identifies its capabilities, as well as how it was created by Zhao Guo Lao, the Immortal that sealed Po Kong.
    • Once the rest of the family wakes up, Uncle questions Hsi Wu, who explains what they know about the armor. He also explains that Valmont will be aiming to free Dai Gui next, and where his portal is located - Pamplona, Spain. Moments later, Captain Black calls to report that Valmont is headed for Pamplona. He also reports that there are actual minotaurs in attendance at the Running of the Bulls, which is about to be held, and gives Jackie advice about how to avoid offending them.
    • Later, in Pamplona, Valmont explores the area with Bai Tza and two of his Enforcers and wonders why female minotaurs look mostly human, unlike the males. An elderly male minotaur nearby hears and explains why - the females take after their human ancestors.
    • Soon after, the group encounters the Chans, and Bai Tza teases Jackie with what she knows about the demon in the armor. Valmont then reveals he's one step ahead of them: he's arranged with the local government to free Dai Gui for "The Running of the Bull Demon". If Jackie buys a ticket, he can face Dai Gui in battle and try to re-seal him. Their conversation is suddenly interrupted when Tohru comes running, chased by a number of female minotaurs who are rather attracted to him. He's not happy at the idea, and it doesn't help that his mother's obviously in favor of him being in a relationship with one of them.
    • Tohru manages to escape the herd, and finds himself outside of town and at the Temple of Labyrinthos. There, he meets a trio of more soft-spoken minotaur girls, and learns the temple's history: Labyrinthos, the first Minotaur, tried to lead his race in conquest but was cast down by his father Poseidon and twisted into the demon Dai Gui, whose gate to the demon netherworld would be located in the very place where Labyrinthos underwent his transformation.
    • The sisters, Sofia (who acts a great deal like Toriel from Undertale), Lucia (whose behavior is like Marble Pie) and Ysabelle (who is much like Twilight Sparkle), explain their family's ties to the temple, having sworn an oath to tend it until Dai Gui's portal was sealed a second time. Once it's permanently sealed, the trio will be free to see the world, and when Tohru explains why he and his companions are there, they ask him to be their guide in the world outside when this is achieved. He agrees.
    • Meanwhile, Valmont makes his way to the Temple, giving enough time for Jackie to get his ticket and don the Armor of the Immortals. Once they're ready, he gives the order to release Dai Gui. Once released, the demon rejects Valmont's conditions, instead intending to reclaim his kingdom by force. His actions unwittingly free Valmont from any obligation to help him.
    • Dai Gui is then approached by the temple sisters, who try to persuade him to change his ways and accept Poseidon's will, but he refuses and tries to attack them. Tohru, angered by this, promptly knocks him out cold. The Chans then come to banish him, which Valmont doesn't object to since Dai Gui had refused to abide by their agreement. And as a bonus, since Dai Gui violated their contract, he is the one who now owes a lot of money to the people who paid to face and/or outrun him.
    • Once Dai Gui is back in the Netherworld and the crowd disperses, Valmont sticks around to learn about why Tohru acted as he did, and to chat with Mrs. T, who reveals she's known all along he was a criminal. However, she doesn't mind Tohru having worked for him, preferring Valmont - a gentleman kingpin - over a Yakuza. Valmont, for his part, still prefers that his employees, both current and former, stay happy. Consequently, he offers to arrange the minotaur trio's passports and tickets back to San Fransisco.
    • That night, while the others are doing their own thing, Viper has words with Sharaka in the Armor of the Immortals. The two agree on a compromise - the Armor will let Viper use her, and be with her while she "entertains" Jackie as a way of accelerating Sharaka's recharge, something Viper agrees with.
    • Back in the Demon Netherworld, Dai Gui revives and learns from Po Kong of exactly how he was defeated.
    • Meanwhile, in San Fransisco, Apple Bloom expands the shop to add a fourth floor and a basement, allowing Tohru and the minotaur trio (who have been made "World Citizens", a special classification for nomadic magical creatures to let them travel anywhere as long as they have their papers) to live in the latter while Hsi Wu has moved to the top floor. The upgrades all work well, though Uncle is somewhat irritated that they'll need a new property tax assessment as a result.
    • Elsewhere, Mrs. T settles into her new office - she's moved to San Francisco and is now working for Jade's school as a magically trained guidance counselor for the various magical students. This lets her stick around to keep an eye on things with her son without hovering.
  • The Return Of The Pussycat (chapters 137-139)
    • Some time later, Jackie prepares for an expedition that he and Uncle are going on, exploring a recently revealed city underneath San Fransisco. The same night, it turns out, that Jade is due to perform in her school play as Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. While she's disappointed that Jackie can't make it, he suddenly has an idea: use the Tiger Talisman to split himself in two, with the Light half going to the play and the Dark half going underground with Uncle. Much to his surprise, Captain Black gives him easy access to the Vault, so he can just go in as needed instead of letting the girls break in.
    • Later that day, Jackie Light watches the play, and is surprised when Viper figures out what he did with the Tiger Talisman. Meanwhile, Jackie Dark and Uncle head into the underground city, where Jackie Dark is extremely cranky over missing Jade's play. Soon after, the pair encounter Spring-Heel Jack, and Jackie Dark quickly defeats him, threatening him with three choices: death, legal action or re-imprisonment. Seeing how serious his foe is, the troll chooses to go back to being a statue. Uncle, however, is concerned with Jackie's behavior and makes a note to have Viper talk to him.
    • The family returns home, where Viper entertains the two Jackies (who wind up freaking out), while Uncle and Tohru reveal they've figured out what Jackie was up to, and Uncle isn't upset at him, since he was using the Tiger's power for noble purposes and nobody was fooled by the attempted deception.
  • Scout's Honor (chapter 140)
    • Some time later, Jackie and Viper explore a tunnel in Venice, in search of a certain necklace. While there, they run into Vanessa Barone, a mercenary and treasure hunter whom Viper has worked with in the past and is not happy to see again after the other woman tricked her into being a decoy multiple times. The two women start fighting, while Jackie just watches with some goblin-provided popcorn.
  • The episodes Danger in the Deep Freeze, Into the Mouth of Evil and The King and Jade would normally follow this point, but have been skipped.
  • Jade Times Jade (chapters 141-143)
    • The Dark Hand makes plans to go to the last portal, which is at the mouth of the Sumia River in Tokyo, Japan, and Valmont is in something of a hurry to get there, both because the sooner they get the other demons out, the sooner Valmont is free of Shendu... and thus won't have him around when his parents show up. Also, because they want to get there before the Veil Authority decides to step in and post a guard.
    • Meanwhile, the World Magi Council is sending Jade, the fillies and Hsi Wu on a tour of the world's shrines, including the one where Po Kong's portal is located (not that they know it yet), for the development of Jade's magic.
    • Sometime later, Bai Tza gets the Dark Hand members, including Daolong Wong, to the shrine. Right then, Jade and her group arrive, but agree to let Po Kong be as long as she behaves herself... and as long as they're invited to Valmont and Bai Tza's wedding, which the two accept. As they head for the portal, Valmont and Bai Tza discuss Valmont's plans for alternatives to letting the demons conquer the world, giving them realms where they can be happy without causing trouble. He's figured out all but Xiao Fung, whom Hsi Wu offers a suggestion for, and Po Kong, who's emerged and overheard the discussion. She says she's willing to give him plenty of time (meaning until after the wedding and honeymoon) to figure it out, as long as she gets a good meal before the wedding. Fortunately, Valmont knows how to get the food she likes and has already planned to get it there.
    • With the last portal open, the group prepares to head out - the girls and Hsi Wu are planning to attend a gaming convention, and Valmont is willing to be human adult supervision for them. However, Daolong Wong asks to be excused, so he can take care of other business... namely, harvesting rare magical ingredients. Such as the three fillies, whom he promptly tries to attack.
    • Upon Wong's attack, all three flesh-and-blood demons promptly react, and Apple Bloom's pouch of potions breaks open, one of them smashing over the large drum nearby, while something odd happens to Valmont, causing him to fall back as the three demons move to protect he and the girls. Wont's response is to activate a chi-draining spell, targeting the demons... and Hsi Wu is furious, since he made the spell, and after it was used by the Eight Immortals to use their Demon Chi as part of their sealing spells, Hsi Wu had cursed it so no mortal eyes could ever behold it. Wong responds that his left eye is not mortal - he stole it from Mimir (implying the eye is that of Odin, the Norse King of the Gods who sacrificed it to drink from the Well of Knowledge).
    • As Wong's spell channels the Demon Chi into the Dark Chi Warriors, the girls try to come up with a counter, but discover Bai Tza is feeling extremely negative effects from the spell - if they don't stop it, she could die. Meanwhile, two of the Dark Chi Warriors dissipate after being thrown into the glowing drum, one by Audrey and one by one of Jade's spells, the recoil sending her closer to Po Kong. However, Hsi Wu realizes what will happen if the drum is hit a third time.
    • As Wong continues his assault, Po Kong decides to step in, knowing she needs to protect her sister and the fillies Bai Tza has come to care for. Knowing that the activation of a powerful enough Good Chi enchantment will negate Wong's spell, she does what she has to... and snatches the last Dark Chi Warrior. Telling Valmont to take care of her sister, she throws Wong's minion into the drum, activating her own banishment spell. As she's pulled into the Netherrealm, she tries to drag Wong with her, but he warps away. However, someone else is caught in her other hand...
  • The Eighth Door (chapters 144-145)
    • In the Netherrealm, Jade regains consciousness, realizing where she is and that she'd somehow been dragged in. Meanwhile, the three demons talk, Po Kong explaining why she banished herself. Unfortunately, Tchang Zu and Dai Gui soon catch on that Jade is there, and Tchang tries to attack her, only for Hsi Wu to show up and take the blow.
    • Meanwhile, Tso Lan and Xiao Fung discuss matters and, joined by Shendu, decide to try and force the Chans to cooperate on their shared interests.
    • Soon after, the Demons head for a place to try and meet with the Chans - Shendu's portal in Hong Kong - but when they get to the meeting place, they find a very angry Jackie waiting, clad in the Armor of the Immortals and with Balance Breaker on hand. Believing the demons are using Jade as a hostage, and have been manipulating Valmont (whom he has begun to see is more honorable and was genuinely acting to try and rehabilitate the demons), he is ready for a fight... and to do whatever he thinks is necessary. Driven by fury, Jackie attacks and destroys the Pan'ku Box, his sword absorbing the spells within and allowing him to simultaneously open the last portal to release Jade and Hsi Wu, while banishing the other four demons at once.
    • However, Jackie has made a big mistake. As Bai Tza is also sent away, she releases Valmont, who would have gladly gone with her. Furious at the loss of his love, Valmont undergoes Demonic Ascension, just as Bai Tsa once had, and transforms into a Demon Sorcerer of Light, blasting Jackie out of his Armor. Swearing vengeance, he disappears...
  • Demon World (part 1) / (part 2) (chapters 146-150)
    • Driven by anger and the knowledge he's secretly extracted from Shendu's mind, Valmont heads for his intended destination.
    • Meanwhile Hsi Wu awakens after he and Jade have been returned from the Netherrealm, and suddenly hears the alert that Valmont has entered Australia, where all the artifacts too dangerous to be left available for access to anyone are sealed, including five that Hsi Wu himself made - attempting to create a sixth, against orders from the Jade Council, is why he was locked up. As the two head for Australia, they're joined by the Crusaders and Cumulo, and at this point, find out that Valmont is heading for the Cave of Time - home of the Book of Ages, the magical tome that records all of history and can fundamentally change history all at once if someone writes in it. Hsi Wu regards it as considerably less dangerous than some of the other artifacts there.
    • Unfortunately, they're too late - they arrive just in time to find Valmont altering the book, though not before Jade unwittingly tears out a small fragment of it...
    • Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo awaken to find themselves still in the Cave of Time, and realize what's changed. Using the energy around the book as a scrying spell, they find out what's changed:
    • Jackie and Viper now work for Valmont as his chief agents, the Monkey and the Serpent, while Shendu is working on a project of his own for Valmont, which he's none too thrilled about.
    • Valmont, meanwhile, is guiding humanity in a means to protect it from the Old Ones, with one of his projects being a trap that will allow the Old Ones to break through... only to find themselves in a prison that uses them as a power source.
    • Tohru and his minotaur companions work for Po Kong, while Dai Gui is most upset at she and Xiao Fung for tempting them away from him.
    • Xiao Fung rules over Mexico, with El Toro battling for his entertainment and with several minotaur fangirls of his own.
    • Uncle is still running his shop, but instead of antiques, it's focused around magic, and Daolong Wong is his servant. They also see that Uncle's old teacher, Chi Master Fong, is alive and well in this new timeline and is paying Uncle a friendly visit.
    • The last window they open shows Jade, who's now an adult and transformed, but clearly remembers the old timeline; she also discovers that she is marked with both the Harmony Seal and the mark from the Demon Archives, albeit also surrounded with the Harmony Seal in a slightly altered configuration. She is then met by Captain Black, who reveals she's the Queen of the Shadowkhan. And is also Hsi Wu's "mistress". Going out to meet with him, she finds he's changed somewhat, being in far better physical shape; he retains the Harmony Seal. The two have some friendly banter.
    • Back in the Cave of Time, the girls decide to try and get out of there... except when Sweetie Belle takes the first step out, she starts to fade away; luckily, returning to the Cave returns her to normal.
    • As the girls try to figure out what happened, they realize they're somehow connected to the book, but wonder why... and it shows them the events of Through the Rabbit Hole, which never happened in the timeline they came from, specifically because of their presence.
    • When they wonder why they're stuck in the cave and aren't in this new timeline, Hsi Wu and Jade arrive, Hsi Wu explaining that the Book has no power over them. Valmont also arrives, and is quite surprised at their presence since he'd done his best to make sure the new timeline would "give no one with power to do so any desire to change it." And taken precautions so Wong wouldn't be able to. When they tell him what Hsi Wu said, Valmont examines the book and, after learning why Jade and Hsi Wu remember the old time, is told what happened when Sweetie Belle tried to leave and about the book showing Jade's time travel incident.
    • Valmont studies the book again, and realizes the timeline he created can't sustain itself due to a paradox: the timeline will only exist as long as time allows for there to have been nine Demon Sorcerers, but forces not under the Book's power - the fillies - are needed for his ascension to have happened. So the book is feeding on the girls' magic, and when they run out, the timeline will collapse and one where the fillies were never there will reassert itself. Valmont decides that cannot be allowed to happen, and tells Jade to put her fragment back after he leaves, which will restore time to how it was before his meddling.
    • Hsi Wu points out that the Jade Council will be aware of what he did, and will come to punish him. And Valmont is fully aware, but as he points out, without Bai at his side, there's no point - he'll willingly pay the price.
    • After he leaves, Hsi Wu explains to the others that this is why he's relieved Valmont only went after the Book of Ages - it already has enough protections and precautions built in to keep it from being successfully misused. After Jade puts the piece back, their timeline reasserts itself, while the fillies contemplate matters and know what they have to do in order to help Valmont before his time is up.
  • A Jolly J-Team Xmas (chapters 151-158)^note Originally episode 10 of season 3; moved to this point in the timeline instead.
    • The history of Sun Wukong, the man who forged a weapon to kill a cruel god, is revealed as Valmont reads up on the history of the Jade Council. He is interrupted as Daolong Wong arrives, and has it out with the other man, informing him that Valmont will no longer do business with him after his actions in Japan. Furthermore, he reveals his demonic status and that he has stripped Wong of all protection, including shielding Wong's location from the authorities after him. Wong, angry, leaves and decides to get new resources...
    • Meanwhile, at the North Pole, Santa Claus studies a few letters he's gotten from people who ask things only for others and not themselves. These include the Crusaders (who are asking that he get Valmont and Bai Tza back together and give them a happy ending), Valmont (who asks that Santa reunite Bai Tza with her daughters in his stead), and Bai Tza (who asks that he keeps her daughters safe and, if possible, let them be happy). Santa's musings, as the one day when he's in the real world, are interrupted by a sudden explosion.
    • Meanwhile, the Chans set up their Christmas tree, Hsi Wu learns a bit about the original timeline (before magic was normal) and how Jade was treated because of her ability to see through the Veil. Suddenly, Uncle informs the girls and Hsi Wu that an elf is in the shop looking for them. The elf, Elvin, informs them that Santa's been abducted by Wong, who's stolen Santa's cottage and the area around it with Santa inside (protected by an elf magic barrier). The full group is transported to the Magical North Pole so Uncle can prepare a locator spell.
    • While Uncle prepares his spell, Tohru and his minotaur girls agree to make Santa's deliveries.
    • Elsewhere, Santa acts to defend himself... and it's heavily implied that he was once Old Man Henderson, who defeated the Old One Hastur.
    • Once the sleigh is off, the others go after Wong - Hsi Wu can get them through it, and once inside, the girls will break Wong's barrier to free Santa, while the rest hold off Wong. Once inside, the quintet battle Wong and his golems, while the Crusaders and Jade break the barrier, freeing Santa from his prison. Santa proceeds to send Wong into the stratosphere, before summoning his sleigh and its occupants back. Taking the four girls and Hsi Wu with him, he sets off on an important mission...
    • The group arrives at Valmont's office building, where Santa opens a portal and summons Bai Tza through, leaving it open so Po Kong, Tso Lan and Xiao Fung can watch as he performs the marriage of Valmont and Bai Tza, fulfilling the wishes of the Crusaders to give them their happy ending.
    • After the group departs, they find some new arrivals: the Jade Emperor, the Fey King Oberon, and Lucifer Morningstar, who have come to render punishment on Valmont. Santa, however, points out that they cannot punish Valmont as they wish, because of the magic that binds his soul to Bai's; destruction of one means the destruction of the other, and it would violate the Christmas wish he's granted. Remembering what Santa is capable of, the trio decide to back off. Lucifer is the last to leave, and thanks Santa for what he did - it means Valmont is free to be trained as Lucifer's replacement in a few years.
    • Back in their own territory, the Triumvirate of Balance meet to decide their judgement, with David Xanatos representing Valmont. After some discussion, the Triumvirate agree to a merciful ruling, given he violated only the spirit of their rules and not the letter, having never actually set foot on Australia's soil and is offering aid to help defend mankind against the Old Ones: the Elder Trap that Valmont developed in the other timeline, and is willing to construct with his own resources.
    • Meanwhile, in the Demon Netherrealm, Spawn and Ghost Rider arrive with a case review for the Demon Brotherhood. Tso Lan and Xiao Fung agree to each serve out a a 200 year sentence as cell mates at an Element-null maximum security facility with amenities. Dai Gui reluctantly agrees to having his power and body reduced and being assigned as a familiar like Hsi Wu. Tchang Zu, for trying to attack them, is sentenced with death and reincarnation. Finally, Po Kong agrees to let them siphon off a large portion of her magic, which will be stored in a gem she can wear, sealing her in a human form in which she can adjust to the new world and find gainful employment; the two representatives recommend she work for Valmont as his new personal bodyguard and chief Enforcer, since Hak Foo is no longer his employee.
    • Come Christmas morning, Valmont awakens to find Bai at his side. Heading into the living room, he finds a present from Santa - a box with instructions to a ritual, which he sets up and attempts to perform, but can't quite manage. Bai, on the other hand, recognizes it as Siren magic and performs it properly, opening a door in the world... and on the other side are three voices she recognizes. Calling out their names, she is rewarded when her daughters - Adagio Dazzle, Aria Blaze and Sonata Dusk, as they now call themselves - hear her and come running through, happily reuniting with her... Valmont's Christmas wish has been granted.
    • The five spend some time getting to know one another, and Valmont's status as an ascended demon sorcerer is revealed. Valmont steps out for a moment to find Po Kong in the Personnel Resources department, and happily accepts her, then returns to his family and learns about what the girls have been through: they'd recently had their gems destroyed by the Humane Five (and Princess Twilight and Sunset). Valmont, studying the broken gems, is able to figure out how and why they broke, and fixes them so they'll only draw on the girls' Siren magic instead of their Chaos aspect.
    • Some time later, Uncle and the girls are visiting a mall for school supplies and magical ingredients, when they find Valmont, Po Kong, Bai and the Siren trio. Aria and Sonata are behaving themselves, but Adagio (who's gone off on her own) is still a little grouchy when Valmont finds her. Luckily, he's able to get through to her, and they wind up bonding.
  • Enter the Cat (chapters 159-167)
    • Some time later, Valmont and his new daughters meet in his office, where Valmont explains the various parts of his business. He chooses to involve the trio in the third part: find what other criminals want, and make sure he's the one they get it from. In this case, he wants them to go on "pleasure trips", which will actually be a cover for retrieving certain magical artifacts for him. Their first mission: retrieve the Cat of Khartoum from Tangiers. The methods he uses to get his point through impress Adagio, since they kept Sonata's attention.
    • Meanwhile, Jackie, Viper, the girls, Hsi Wu and Audrey III are in their own First Class flight (Hsi Wu is footing the bill), and Jackie, for once, has asked the four girls to come along.
    • After arriving in Tangiers, the Siren trio look around to see how things have changed since the last time they visited. Sonata promptly runs off to watch a street performer (a juggler with a dancing Genie of the Ring), while Aria and Adagio do their own investigations. Meanwhile, Sonata gets the things she needs to get the Chan family's attention when they arrive.
    • After some dealing with their shoulder people, the Chan Clan find Sonata waiting for them, and she informs them she'd rather stick with them while searching for the Cat of Khartoum. Making their way to the palace where the Cat was last known to be, they find a white cat in the rubble, whom Jade frees and names Ruby. Observing them, Sonata reveals Sirens like her can see auras and what they do, and Jade's reached out to Ruby and bonded them, which is why Jade can now understand her. With Ruby's aid, they find the Cat of Khartoum, except its hiding place is booby-trapped, and it somehow scratches all of them. Hsi Wu gets them out safely, and Sonata, after sneakily taking the Cat from its box, runs off to join her sisters; meanwhile, a cloaked figure is following them...
    • Out in the city, Aria and Adagio are having no luck, since anyone runs away when asked. Sonata suddenly shows up, explains what she did, and astounds the others with her methodology. And then with the tail she's suddenly sprouted.
    • Meanwhile, Jade, Hsi Wu, Apple Bloom and Ruby search for Sonata. During the search, Ruby reveals that the Cat of Khartoum turns people into cats; Hsi Wu wasn't affected because his demon form's dark magic is stronger and would have absorbed and metabolized the Cat's magic. Elsewhere, Jackie and Viper are also turning into cats, and more cloaked figures appear, tracking the statue's magic... the key to restoring their Goddess.
    • The Sirens examine their new forms and contemplate the ramifications - Sonata is just playful, loving how fluffy they are; Adagio is in full favor, because it'll be so much easier to make guys smitten with them, and the fur covering makes it harder for them to violate decency laws; and Aria is concerned, trying to figure out how this happened and any other effects it may have on them, until Adagio points out it's obviously the Cat of Khartoum, and due to their own magic working by manipulating the behavior of others, they're naturally resistant to anything that would manipulate their own behavior. Sonata, however, is acting like a cat anyway just for fun. Then she points out the cloaked warriors surrounding them, and the trio agree to surrender and be led away.
    • Meanwhile, the Crusaders and Jade react to their own transformations, only to find themselves attacked by members of the same group that came after the Sirens, and are captured. Elsewhere, Jackie and Viper look over their changes, until Jackie suddenly senses the girls are in trouble, and he and Viper head out to rescue them.
    • In their new prison, the girls, Hsi Wu and Sirens awaken to find they've been caught by a cult that worships Sekhmet, a cat goddess and warrior goddess of healing. Hsi Wu recalls how Sekhmet had lost her position on the Jade Council a few hundred years ago, and figures out that this cult is trying to get her back on the Council, and sacrificing those who have been transformed by the Cat of Khartoum is somehow key to their plan. Just then, Jackie and Viper arrive, and are soon confronted by the cult's leader Mirage, an old acquaintance of Hsi Wu's. After blabbing her full plan (sacrificing the transformed ones will give Sekhmet the power she needs to reclaim her throne), Adagio reveals something startling... and unlocks the mental wall that restrains Sonata's darker potential. Consequently, she is freed from her bondings... and shows her creepier side.
    • With her unlocked powers, Sonata deals with all of Mirage's henchmen, then knocks Mirage herself out to free the prisoners. However, she's too late to stop the divine circle from triggering. Fortunately, it's not Sekhmet who shows up, but her sister Bastet, who is not happy with Mirage for attempting to sacrifice children. In retaliation, she throws Mirage through the gate to feed Sekhmet, before apologizing for Mirage's actions. She also offers them a Level 4 Boon each, a Divine Favor. In response, Sonata asks to keep the abilities they gained, and after confirming, she ensures they will retain the ability to undergo their cat transformations and all behaviors, instincts, and enhanced abilities that come with it at will. After giving them an item to call her when it's time for the boon, she vanishes.
    • Back home, Valmont locks away the Cat of Khartoum (which Jackie had willingly given up when they found out he was planning to lock it away where it couldn't be misused), and then checks on two of his daughters as they go about their own fun, Adagio heading off to a party and Sonata getting Ratso to pamper her.
    • Elsewhere, Uncle and Bastet have a friendly chat, and Uncle asks for her help: remembering what he did to earn all the other Boons he's apparently collected. She gladly helps, just as an act of friendship.
    • Later, Jackie and Valmont meet in a karaoke bar, and have a friendly chat before going on stage for a round of "Just the Girl" by The Click Five.
  • Pleasure Cruise (chapters 168-170)^note Chapter 170 covers the end of this episode, all of Tough Luck and the start of The Chosen One.
    • Some while later, Jackie is in charge of transport and security for shipping the Golden Dragon statue back to Hong Kong, and thwarts an attempted robbery, and discovers his feline form is a lot stronger than before. Later, he tells the others of what happened, and warns them to be careful with their new powers. Their talk is interrupted by a call from Valmont, who learns of the attempted theft and that Jackie is looking for another way to ship the statue safely As it turns out, Valmont has a solution: he's taking Bai and the girls on a family cruise (one from a company he doesn't own) and is inviting them along, and the ship has a state-of-the-art vault that can be used. After checking a few details, they accept.
    • Later on, during the actual cruise itself, Ruby the cat explores the ship, checking up on her friends. In the course of things, she witnesses a couple of thieves trying to steal the statue, and Sonata and Ratso easily thwarting them, though they leave a fog monster in the vault in the process. Deciding to leave it be, she heads off to find some treats.
  • Tough Luck (chapter 170)^note Chapter 170 covers this episode, the end of Pleasure Cruise and the start of The Chosen One.
    • Back in San Fransisco, Jackie reflects on the rest of the journey (during which Audrey III dealt with the fog monster and the Golden Dragon was delivered safely), and then the events back home when Jade inadvertently accepted the Emerald of Killarney, a cursed gemstone from Ireland that brought bad luck, into the shop. Fortunately, Hsi Wu recognized it and asked Valmont to teleport it back to the tomb in Ireland, breaking its curse until it was stolen again. For now, things are quiet again, as Hsi Wu and the girls play Dungeons and Dragons upstairs.
  • The Chosen One/The Good, the Bad, the Blind, the Deaf and the Mute (chapters 170-176)^note Chapter 170 covers the end of Pleasure Cruise, all of Tough Luck and the start of The Chosen One. Glove Story, which aired between The Chosen One and The Chan Who Knew Too Much, is skipped.
    • Meanwhile, Tohru and his three ladies are getting takeout for the family, when Sofia detects three magic-users in robes following them. As Tohru prepares to fight, Ysabelle realizes that they aren't hostile, they're Ben-Shui monks, the caretakers of the Chosen One. Introducing themselves, the monks confirm their identities, and that they believe Tohru is the Chosen One. However, the three ladies point out that he can't be due to not meeting certain conditions, and that sometimes, a Guardian - in this case, Tohru - is drawn to the Chosen One to protect them. As the monks wonder who they've really been guided to, Jade pops her head out of the shop to welcome Tohru back and ask about the monks.
    • Inside, the monks explain themselves to Jade, and also explain more about the Chosen One - they are the focus of Living Good Magic, the South Pole to Santa Claus (the focus of Elemental Good Magic)'s North Pole, and there are similar entities for Dark Magic and Wild Magic. Hsi Wu also reveals that there was a female Chosen One a few millennia ago, Emeraude, whom he'd known. As discussion continues, the three fillies reveal that Sweetie Belle can see what Jade's chi looks like, and when describing it to the monks, they confirm that it's exactly what the Chosen One's looks like... and that it's beginning to catalyze, meaning they absolutely have to get to Bhutan to perform the ritual for a gentle awakening, so that her mortal mind won't be overwhelmed by the change... and if they try to stop it entirely, it will permanently destroy the Chosen One and completely destabilize the fabric of magic across the world.
    • As they go to Bhutan and prepare for the transition, Jade's not happy about the whole thing, and gets even more upset when she finds out Hsi Wu was Emeraude's familiar before she awoke and has been forbidden to tell her about the effects of the awakening.
    • The next day, as the awakening is to be carried out, Jade begins the transition... only for one of the monks to be revealed as a disguised Daolong Wong, who has come to steal the Chosen One's chi. As the battle begins, with Wong revealed to have gained control of the idol of the Three Wise Monkeys, since they are constructs of Wild, forged of Good to contain Darkness, and can only be unlocked in the presence of all three. Using them to weaken all others present, Wong reveals he is there not only for power, but revenge on Uncle for their past, as Uncle's "prank" in their past led to Wong, who was on the verge of figuring out how to combine Good, Wild and Dark Magic, being denied Mastery, and now he has killed Fong to deny Uncle the same thing.
    • As he continues to rant over his goals, Uncle draws out a few of the Level 5 Boons he has, intending to use them to protect his charges. This results in three angry gods dispersing Wong's spells and coming after Wong himself... and while they may not have their full strength this far away from Japan, Egypt and Greece, he has more and is ready to use them against Wong. Before he can do so though, there's a sudden pulse of pure Good Chi, which sends him flying out of the temple... and reveals Jade is floating above her couch and her eyes are glowing, much to everyone's shock.
    • Inside her mind, Jade hears the voices of the past Chosen Ones, but finally screams out, asserting her own identity. As she does, Jade's "saint" side grows into a full-size adult and introduces herself: she's Emeraude, and after Jade sees her making the others shut up, she realizes that she's been an idiot: she was never going to be overwritten by her past selves, since there was no way a human brain could hold all of them. Emeraude reassures her that she reacted the same way, and the two chat for a while, during which Emeraude reveals that she hadn't bound Hsi Wu to herself as a familiar, her father had done it, and Hsi Wu was like a brother to her. She also tells Jade why she made Hsi Wu promise not to tell Jade about certain things, and reassures Jade that she has a choice, to complete the change or to reject it and forget everything she'd witnessed, with magic being harder for her since she can't tap her past knowledge anymore. Finally, Jade makes her choice, accepting her position.
    • Back outside, Jade slugs Hsi Wu for not telling her that keeping his promise to Emeraude was for her own good, and for not mentioning Emeraude was his little sister. Then she thanks him for keeping his promise, and everything else.
    • With Wong gone, all that's left is cleanup, including calling Po Kong to move the Three Monkeys somewhere safe, and getting ready for the trip home. Meanwhile, in the Shadow Realm, the real Wong observes events and how the simulacra of himself that he'd sent was dealt with. Still plotting and planning, he considers for the future: he intends to acquire the powers of the Talismans for himself. The last resort is calling on the Shadow Oni, only one of whom is still free, but much deeper in the Shadow Realm than he is.
  • Chi of the Vampire (chapters 177-183)
    • Back home, the group deals with recent events, and Uncle gets a letter from a business associate who wants to sell the contents of an estate, including many valuable antiques, to Uncle for his shop. They decide to go there, expecting a relaxing trip and letting them get used to the new changes without anything serious., while Lucia and Ysabelle stay and run the shop. Uncle promptly tempts fate, and Jackie groans as he realizes another adventure is heading their way.
    • As the group heads for the mansion, Hsi Wu is nervous, and Audrey refuses to go near the place. Finally, Hsi Wu asks Uncle why he tempted fate, and he says he wants things to go crazy, because either they won't know how to handle the problems and will consequently learn from it and overcome, or they will know and can handle it easily. Either way, there's a fun adventure without high stakes... and if they have to fight monsters, it means he can get a big discount from Mr. Lam. The group continues talking as they get there, and after briefly talking with Mr. Lam, they head in.
    • Splitting up to explore and appraise the antiques (which Hsi Wu is in disbelief about), the group goes about their business. Hsi Wu sticks with Jade, in part because he's still incredibly nervous... and in part because he wouldn't know what qualifies as "antique". As they enter one room they run across a ghostly teenager, Mei-Ling, who reveals that she's not the only one there - she and her sister have been split up by accident, and something new was left in her sister's place. Elsewhere, Viper finds the something, a strange vampiric creature.
    • Meanwhile, Mei-Ling continues her explanation. She and her sister were elsewhere originally, but moved to the mansion they're in now; her sister's casket was switched for another mid-transit, the second casket containing an extremely dangerous Jiangshi, one unaffected by holy symbols. Suddenly, they hear a scream and run to find Viper. As everyone checks on her, the Jiangshi, its name revealed as Yakov, attacks and drains Uncle's chi, then targets Jade, but only gets some of her chi. They all escape, and reconvene in Mei-Ling's room, which is protected by special parchment scrolls.
    • As they try to figure out what to do, Emeraude revives in Jade's body, and reveals she knows how to recover the stolen chi - a method that requires one of the Jiangshi's socks. The bad news: she doesn't know which one. Even worse, when Viper and Uncle rise as the monster's slaves, the room won't stop them... and if Yakov drains Hsi Wu, the fillies or Jade, it would be disastrous. Fortunately, Mei-Ling reveals that due to her powers, she can become a parchment seal that can weaken the Jiangshi. Also, Tohru knows a spell to keep it from stealing his chi, via cutting off his eyesight temporarily, and the mansion is surrounded by running water that will keep Yakov from fleeing. With plans made (the fillies and Emeraude will get the other ingredient they need for the spell, while the others try to keep Yakov contained and steal his sock), they part ways.
    • Elsewhere, Yakov hides the books with the information to beat him, unaware that his enemies already know what they need. Soon after, he comes under attack, and Mei-Ling attaches herself to him, letting Jackie, Hsi Wu and Tohru go for his sock. Meanwhile, Emeraude and the fillies find the toadstool they need, and Sweetie Belle is keeping an eye out for Viper and Uncle.
    • Finally, Apple Bloom fins the toadstool, and grows some extras just in case. She also manages to restrain Viper and Uncle when they come for her, but detects a strange magic on the vines that are holding them.
    • Back in the mansion, Yakov continues the fight, but loses his socks in the process and pursues Jackie, as he gets them to the fillies. With Jade's sudden interjection, the group puts the toadstool in the correct sock, and try to get it into the river... but Yakov catches it, until Sweetie Belle suddenly manages to tap the magic of the Sirens and summons the river up to engulf he and his sock, allowing the chi restoration spell to work, while the force of the water destroys Yakov's body. With everyone restored, Jade and Hsi Wu happily reunite.
    • Once everyone is back together, the others scold Uncle for his recklessness and overconfidence, which nearly led to all of their deaths. He apologizes, and is granted forgiveness, then promises to not be so reckless in the future. Meanwhile, Viper has managed to get an even better deal from Mr. Lam, since he knew about both Jiangshi; Uncle is rightly furious with Lam for keeping this from them. There's more good news too: he knows where Mei Ling's sister is, and Jackie and the others are willing to take her to England to find her. Apple Bloom remarks that she hopes the trip to England is less dangerous than this one... while in England, something lets out an amused and wicked chuckle, to its employer's frustration.
  • The Chan Who Knew Too Much (chapters 184-193)^note Chapter 193 covers both the coda to this episode and the entirety of the next one.
    • Arriving in London, the group suddenly runs into someone who had apparently just called them a short while ago with news: someone has stolen Stonehenge, and he needs them to help get it back. Hsi Wu, who remembers the last few times someone stole Stonehenge, figures out that the thieves probably think it's a magical superweapon. He also recalls that the one time it was actually activated, the druids used it to help regulate the leylines when the planet's energy flows were destabilized by some magical battle... and reminisces briefly about an old friend of his. Jackie then sums up what they need to do now, and in the process accidentally activates a secret door... and behind it is the very group they're after. Jackie's Tiger side reacts with incredulity.
    • The group manages to escape from their pursuers, and Hsi Wu decides that their best bet for assistance is his old friend. Guiding them to the base of the Hellsing organization, he introduces everyone to Alucard, and to the other members - Walter and Sir Integra. As it happens, they also find that this is where Hsien Ko's coffin ended up, and Walter takes Mei Lin to reunite with her. While he's gone, Viper explains to Integra about Stonehenge, and the group learns about what happened to end the Millennium group, resulting in both Alexander Anderson and a strange engineered bio-weapon joining Hellsing.
    • After some more conversation, the group figures out who they're after - the Brotherhood of Magisters, a magic supremacist group who are trying to force things back to a magic-based society, rather than letting science and technology develop. Alucard is able to figure out where they'd be based, and the group sets out. Arriving at the Magisters' castle soon after, the Chans and their friends confront the Magisters.
    • The group is captured by the Magisters, thanks to the divine blood of their champion. However, the Magisters overlook Scamp (Seras and Schrodinger's infant daughter whom Anderson babysits and brought along), who goes on a rampage and slaughters most of them. The lead Magister still manages to activate Stonehenge, only for it to not destroy London as he'd expected.
    • Immediately after the Magisters' defeat, the Men in Black arrive to arrest the Magisters and secure the area. Talking to Jade and Hsi in private, Agent K reveals that Stonehenge is actually older than the Sun, and the only thing known for sure about it is that it's somehow tied to the Chosen One, as the original came into their power after sleeping in the ring. An alien ship then arrives and communicates with Jade, revealing that the purpose of Stonehenge and the Chosen One is to monitor life on Earth and guide it to the point of being able to openly and peacefully interact with the rest of the universe. And receiving this information, Jade relays some of it to K, and then passes out.
    • Jade wakes up in a recovery room on a plane heading home. Going to astral form to enable her boy to recover faster without her spirit in it, she and Hsi Wu play Eye Spy to pass the time.
  • Shrink Rap (chapter 193)^note  This chapter contains both the epilogue to The Chan Who Knew Too Much and the entirety of this episode, which is mostly skipped over.
    • Valmont mulls over his own communication with the aliens, who — after being pointed in his direction by Jade — contacted him in order to buy several of his Elder Traps, modified for their own use. Needing to take his mind off of the enormity of this, Valmont searches for a distraction and finds one in the form of Hak Foo, who is trying to steal the Bands of Shiva. Valmont trolls Hak Foo by making him think Shiva is possessing her statue in the temple, sending him running off without the bands.
  • I'll Be a Monkey's Puppet (chapters 194-199)^note The Amazing T-Girl would normally follow here, but was skipped.
    • While Jade is still recovering from her communication with the aliens, she's reminded that the school's talent show is coming up, and she hasn't picked an act yet. After several suggestions from the fillies and Hsi Wu, she decides on buying the Monkey King's puppet for a ventriloquist act.
    • Jade's attempts at ventriloquism don't go so well. Both Jackie and Viper want to help her better her skills, and start arguing over who gets to do so. In the process, they both pull on the Monkey King's legs, turning them into puppets (and unleashing their shoulder people personas) as he's released from his imprisonment. However, this also releases the Monkey King's original persona, Sun Wukong, whose presence causes the Monkey King to flee.
    • After Sweetie Belle guesses it, Sun Wukong confirms that the Monkey King persona is a result of Shendu having once used the power of the Tiger Talisman on him, inverting his moral compass and putting the Monkey King in control of their body. When he announces his intent to wait out the Monkey King until he overexerts himself and then reabsorb him, Tiger and Kitten protest how Sun Wukong's repression of his dark side is what caused the Monkey King to be so chaotic in the first place, and the group sits down with Sun Wukong to try and convince him to find a balance with his other half, finally succeeding after explaining Jackie's history that led to Tiger coming into existence and getting Wukong to agree to compromise if they can get the Monkey King to likewise agree. Meanwhile, the Monkey King prepares a big stunt to really "impress" people with his powers... which triggers something magical that immediately catches their attention.
    • The group tracks down the Monkey King, finding that he's inadvertently unleashed a Cthulic apocalypse on the city, to his own horror. Taking Tiger and Kitten's advice, Wukong offers to negotiate with the Monkey King, and is surprised that he readily accepts a compromise between their viewpoints. The two then merge together, causing Jackie and Viper to do so as well, recreating a balanced Sun Wukong the Monkey King. He then calls up Mrs. Claus, aka the Yellow Queen, and has her reverse the damage to reality.
• Arc 4: The Twelve Noble Animals (chapters 200-ongoing)
  • Re-Enter the J-Team (chapters 200-215)
    • While the others go home to recover from all of this, Jackie is called into a meeting with Captain Black, who reveals that he has been ordered to stop criminal investigations into Valmont, as it's been decided that with his demon powers making him one of the most powerful beings on Earth, it's better to have him as an ally than to antagonize him. It's also been decided that because of his and Valmont's near-friends relationship, Jackie will serve as Section 13's liaison with the Dark Hand.
    • After this meeting, Jackie heads for Valmont's office. During this, he has a short conversation with Kitten and Tiger, revealing that the chupacabra's curse has had a lasting effect, its personality remaining and tapped into the adrenaline junkie aspect of their being. After this, he talks with Valmont and learns that one of Valmont's business acquaintances is seeking to expand his enterprises, which Valmont disapproves of. The man is hosting a recruitment drive in the guise of a tournament to find the "strongest fighters" in several categories, and Valmont wants Jackie and his friends to enter on his recommendation as a subtle message to the other man to back off. Jackie agrees, and also accepts Valmont's offer of a friendly meeting for the future.
    • Accompanied by Viper, El Toro, Tohru, Jade, the fillies, Hsi Wu and Captain Black, Jackie heads for the island and has a discussion with Captain Black, Valmont and Po Kong en route, finally confessing to an incident from his past in which he totally lost control after stumbling upon a criminal group and their victim, who was younger than Jade. Between the three of them, they're able to help persuade Jackie that he is not a bad person - he found a group of people who were doing horrible things to those who didn't deserve it, and made certain they would never do those things again. And he had the control to stop it rather than cross the line and take a life. After hearing their points, Jackie is more at ease, admitting that this makes what he did easier to live with.
    • Upon arriving, the team meets Chang, and are introduced to him. During this meeting, it is revealed that Viper once did a few jobs for him, which she's not proud of; meanwhile, Captain Black is getting a nervous feeling about all this. Later, during an exhibition match between Jackie and another random fighter, who turns out to be a werewolf named Jon, Captain Black still feels uncomfortable, noting that things feel off: Jackie seems a little too eager to fight, Chang seems way too happy to have Jade involved... and his clapping sounds like flesh on flesh, instead of flesh on stone, like it should if one of his hands was made of jade.
    • Still suspicious, Captain Black tails Chang into his complex, only to immediately get lost, and soon run into a supernatural being acting as a guard. The fight ends when a stranger comes to his aid, whom he soon realizes is the god Fujin, who's conducting an investigation of his own. It turns out Chang is working for a warlord from another dimension, with his tournament being a pretext to let the warlord claim Earth if things go a certain way, and while Fujin can't directly act against Chang, he can choose a mortal to do so, and ends up choosing Captain Black. After wishing him good luck, Fujin departs, leaving Captain Black to get back to his work. Making his way through the halls, he encounters a hive of insect-like creatures, led by D'Vorah of the Kytinn, who is temporarily allied with the warlord that Chang is working with; when they try to impede his progress, he relies on a combination of wits and weapons to defeat them, though the resulting blast sends him flying out of the area where they're fighting.
    • Landing on a large pile of coins in a treasure room, he realizes he's in another Guardian Space. There, he battles and defeats its Guardian, claiming some of the latter's weapons for himself and learning that the Guardians serve a "Kahn", before heading off to the fourth space and facing a hooded figure with a scythe: Noob Saibot. It takes some doing, but he finally defeats Saibot by using the Tiger Talisman, which restores Saibot to his original self, Bi Han... once known as Sub Zero. He explains that when he died in Mortal Kombat, his soul was changed into a wraith, Noob Saibot, by a sorcerer who stripped away all that made him human and left only the evil behind, combined with Netherrealm energy and the sorcerer's own dark magic. The Tiger Talisman undid all this damage, but it took more energy than they both had to fully accomplish. Bi Han tries to encourage him to wait until he's recovered, but Captain Black says he can't wait. Bi Han, seeing his determination, gives him a message for two of his old friends before Captain Black moves on to face his next foe.
    • The next Guardian Space sees Captain Black meeting Sheeva of the Shokan, who offers him a meal to replenish his strength before they fight. She proves honorable, and they fight afterward, with Captain Black winning again before moving on, the two parting with a mutual respect. Continuing on, he faces the centaur-like Motaro, defeating him but also surprising his foe by saving him from falling to his death, though it leaves the man aching.
    • Moving back in to real space, he discovers the corpse of the real Bartholomew Chang, and meets the man impersonating him: Shang Tsung, who's absorbed Chang's soul. Captain Black manages to defeat him, but in a way that opens the gate that will allow Tsung's master Shao Kahn to cross over and cause Earthrealm to be bound to millennia of Mortal Kombat, unless someone stops him on the other side first. Captain Black willingly steps through the portal, to the astonishment of Fujin. Emerging on the other side, Captain Black finds himself faced with Shao Kahn, and after identifying himself as Veil Captain and ordering the other man to cease and desist his hostilities, he faces Shao Kahn in battle, augmented with a special bracelet he'd made that carries magical contributions from all three fillies, Uncle, Jade and Tohru, and finally revealing his secret weapon: Balance Breaker, which he uses to kill Shao Kahn and release all the magic and souls he's held.
    • With his fight won, Captain Black informs all present of why he came, and how he's far from the best their world has to offer. He then tells them that they need to figure out how to solve their own problems, and to not ever make him need to come back, because if he does, he'll be bringing reinforcements - the best their world has to offer, who happen to be good friends of his. He then leaves, unaware of the loud cheering that's resulted from people who are very grateful for what he did.
    • Back on the other side, Captain Black regains consciousness and discovers that he'd fallen flat on his face from sheer exhaustion after coming back through the portal, but Raiden and Fujin are tending to him. The two inform him that by his deeds, he has permanently made Earth safe from those who would try what Shao Kahn did. When talk comes up of a reward, he admits that the only thing he can think of is a gate to the Netherrealm so he can save Bi Han, then passes the other being's message on to Raiden, who promises to go with Black when he goes to assist Bi Han. He also requests information so he can help D'Vorah and her race recover, which Raiden also grants. After Raiden leaves, Fujin gives Black a special item to let him take an empowered form for a short time, in a way similar to Scootaloo's own empowerment from Raiden.
    • Later, once everyone's returned home, Captain Black gets back to work, and finds Sheeva in his office. She informs him that for his actions, he has earned the title of Kahn, and of the side benefits of this... and while he's hesitant to accept anything more for what he did, Sheeva is rather persistent, as she prepares to reward him in her own way.
  • The Powers Unleashed (chapters 216-217)
    • Captain Black, accompanied by Raiden and Sheeva, subsequently enters the Netherrealm to meet with its ruler, Quan Chi. Introducing himself as Veil Captain Augustus Black of Earthrealm, Augustus Kahn of Outworld, he informs Quan Chi that he's there for Bi Han. With aid from D'Vorah, he retrieves the other man, then returns to his own realm... only to find that things went haywire in Section 13 in his absence, with the Vault torn open and Jackie in the middle of the whole mess. Jackie explains that Valmont had gotten word that Daolon Wong was planning to steal the Talismans, so he sent his Enforcers in to retrieve them first on the grounds that Light magic was one of the only ways to deter Wong. They agreed to stick around until Captain Black showed up, but naturally, things went haywire when Wong arrived before Captain Black did and, when a laser cannon went off, it destroyed the Talismans' physical vessels. As Jackie is explaining this, Jade and Hsi Wu arrive with a small dog, which Jade explains somehow has the Dog Talisman's power inside him. Then she looks around, sees the disaster and asks what's happened here.
  • Monkey a Go-Go (chapters 218-?)
    • Soon afterward, Daolong Wong begins scrying for the next Noble Animal, recalling as he does so that he's recruited three new henchmen — Strike Master Ice, DJ Fist and MC Cobra — to replace his Dark Chi Warriors. However, his spell links to Uncle's own scrying spell. Both men talk, with Wong revealing he's busy distracting the Sirens, not caring if he's angering Valmont and Bai Tsa in the process. Uncle gets the last laugh though, using a parchment scroll to break their connection. Despite this, Wong has located the next animal, but decides not to pursue it, realizing that he wouldn't win this time, since the Chans will have gotten to it first.
    • To be continued.