"I don't want to rush you Luna, but we don't really have much time to waste here" Twilight remarked, while the dark blue princess was busy casting some sort of spell. "Hey give me a break here, making the atmosphere was Celestia's job. And I know you can't survive unaided in a vacuum like I can". When Luna finished talking, her horn gave off a small spark of magic "Alright, good. A little envelope of Equestria for you, should give you some air to breath and protect you from the rigors of outer space".

Twilight nodded, a small smile gracing her face "Thank you princess". She turned her attention back to her friends, and the still-imprisoned Silver Surfer and said "Alright, while Luna and I make our way to find this 'Watcher' the rest of you will need to do your parts to help Celestia". She looked over at Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Applejack "Alright girls, you three are going to head over to that gigantic...thing Galactus planted outside Ponyville and do whatever you can to damage it" she turned to Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy "And I need you two to keep watch over the Surfer, make sure he doesn't escape".

"Okie dokie!" Pinkie exclaimed cheerily, plopping herself onto the bubble containing the Surfer. "Oh, um, okay" Fluttershy replied quietly "I just wish I could help more". Twilight smiled "It's okay Fluttershy, really. Keeping an eye on him is a pretty important job..And uh, keep an eye on Spike too". Fluttershy glanced backward, seeing the baby dragon sound asleep near the Surfer "How can he sleep at a time like this?" Fluttershy asked, and Twilight glanced about nervously "Well, not voluntarily. Sleep spell. I just...Didn't want him running off and getting hurt, this is far more dangerous than anything else we've ever faced after all". Fluttershy nodded, and gave a soft smile "Oh, I understand Twilight. Don't worry, I'll make sure nothing happens to him".

Twilight smiled at Fluttershy, just before she looked over at Luna and the two nodded at each other "Everypony, move out!" Luna ordered, doing her best 'regal' voice before she and Twilight vanished in a flash of white light.

Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Applejack exchanged glances and nodded at each other before running off toward the incredible machine on the horizon. Now Pinkie and Fluttershy were left alone to watch over the imprisoned herald and the sleeping dragon "Oh! I have an idea! Let's play I spy to pass the time!" Pinkie suggested, banging on the Surfers bubble prison. The Surfer didn't accept the offer, or even look annoyed. His gaze was transfixed on the heavens, where the gods themselves were doing battle.

Celestia let out a shriek of pain, the limitless potential of the Power Cosmic coursing through her form. She took a deep breath to steady herself, drifting through the void between Equestria and it's moon, and locked her gaze on Galactus, who was standing there with his arms folded, whisps of energy streaming from his eyes. Even starved, Galactus was strong enough to atomize solar systems, Celestia knew all too well she stood little chance at driving him away. She just needed to buy time, as much as she could.

Celestia raised her head up, her celestial horn glowing a glorious golden colour, illuminating the dark void. He head jerked forward and a bolt of starlight crossed the distance between herself and Galactus, knocking him further away from Equestria. With quich reflexes she flew behind the dazed god, stabbing at him with her horn.

It took incredible strength and force to pierce his armour, but once she did it had a visible effect, causing Galactus to yell out in pain. His armoured fist swung back, smashing Celestia in the jaw and knocking her away. Her vision swam, and she had no time to react to the bolt of cosmic energy he fired next, a blast so intense that it could be seen from Equestria.

"Well wouldja' look at that..." Applejack whispered in disbelief, her pace slowing, seeing the heavens above glow violently. "Come on, we don't have time to waste!" Rarity yelled, picking up pace. As they neared the giant machine on the outskirts of Ponyville, a series of bright flashes ahead of them caused the three ponies to grind to a halt.

Standing before them were several intimidating 6' tall robotic beings, their shining armour green and purple, their faces cold, unblinking, expressionless metal masks. These silent giants were Punishers, robotic agents designed by Galactus to protect his posessions. They stared down the group of ponies, as if silently daring them to make the first move, and the group looked at each other in uncertainty.

Then Applejack turned back to the Punishers, narrowed her eyes, and spun around on her front hooves to smash the nearest Punisher in the face with her hind legs.

"There's a citadel on the moon?" Twilight asked in disbelief, seeing the towering futuristic structure before her "Yes" Luna replied bluntly, walking to the metallic front door. B-but how has nobody seen it before?" Twilight asked, following slowly behind the princess "Well, it would require an incredibly powerful telescope just to see it in the first place, and even then it's colour blends in so well with the lunar surface you probably wouldn't even be able to make it out". Twilight glanced about nervously "So, this Watcher, what does he look like?" she asked, trying to distract herself from this wholly bizarre situation.

"Well, like a giant Earth Pony I suppose. Don't stare at his head though. Seriously, don't" Luna replied, telekinetically opening door to the Watcher's Citadel. Once inside, Twilight's jaw dropped as she saw the Watcher emerge from the shadows. He was an incredibly large white pony, at least as tall as a fully-grown dragon, dressed in elegant blue robes decorated with golden jewelery. Perhaps his most striking features though, were his faintly glowing eyes and his gigantic round cranium. "Ah Luna, your company is always a welcome change from the monotony. And I see you have brought a friend".

Luna nodded and gestured at Twilight with one hoof "This is Twlight Sparkle, my sister's apprentice...Sorry Raun, but we don't really have time for formalities. I'm sure you known of Equestria's situation". The Watcher, appearantly named Raun, nodded and frowned at her "Yes. Galactus has set his sights on Equestria to quench his endless hunger...A truly regrettable turn of events, but you know full well a Watcher is sworn never to interfere".

Luna approached the looming figure and touched a hoof on his "Raun, please...If you ever considered me your friend, if you ever felt any compassion for Equestria and it's inhabitants, if you ever cared for me or my sister at all, please...Help us". Raun stared at her, seemingly unmoved, and turned his gaze from her "Luna please...You understand my situation, my hands are tied...". From the corner of his eye, he saw the look of sorrow in her eyes and sighed "I...Suppose I can help, and deal with the consequences later". Luna let out a squeel of delight, and hugged the alien's fron leg tightly "Thank you Raun!".

The Watcher nodded "Come. I can take you to Galactus' home...I can show you the one weapon her fears in this universe...The one chance you have to save your world". In a flash of light, the three ponies were gone and the dust of the Watcher's citadel settled once again.

Applejack jumped into the air, narrowly avoiding the Punisher's fist as it buried into the ground. Her hooves, well toned from years of kicking down apple trees, had only served to leave two hooveprints in the giants face. He wasn't exactly pleased as you can imagine. Rarity, despite her feminine nature, was no slouch in the physical department, and had done a good job dodging the Punisher's blows and had even dented his armour plating with a few precise strikes.

"Dash! We can keep these fellers busy! We need y'all to pick up speed, smash that machine with a Sonic Rainboom!" Applejack yelled, before getting swatted through a tree by the pissed off Punisher. Rainbow Dash nodded, though she didn't feel right leaving the others to fend for themselves she knew only a Sonic Rainboom could damage machinery of that size. She flew into the sky as fast as her body could carry her, 'till she was miles above and away from Ponyville. She narrowed her eyes at Galactus' world-eating machine and divebombed toward it as fast as she could "I'll show that Stupid Surfer who the fastest in Ponyville is...".

From where he was sitting, the Surfer's vast senses were picking up on almost everything the Elements of Harmony were doing, and shook his head "It's hopeless, surely they know this. No world has escaped Galactus before...So why do these ponies persist?".

"Because my friends never give up, not if there home is in danger...There's always a way Surfer..." Fluttershy said, sounding surprisingly confident. The Surfer turned his gaze to the heavens and whispered "There's always a way...?".

AN: Woot, penultimate chapter!