Chapter One: Scape Summon !
“What do we do with it?” Ozan asked as The Raptor dangled the pink creature by it’s back hoof.
“I think it’s a her…” Arianne replied as she studied the equine.
“Can I kill it?” Raptor asked, causing the pink one to flail desperately.
“Don’t hurt me! I just wanted to throw you all a party!” Pinkie squealed as she struggled valiantly.
“I’m going to kill it.” Raptor said flatly.
“Her...and no, you aren’t. She doesn’t mean any harm.You can speak our language?” Arianne said, she looked intently into the pony’s terrified eyes as she nodded.. “Put her down.” She continued sternly.
The Raptor gave as menacing a glare as he could muster behind his heavily plated helmet. After a fifteen second standoff between the two, Arianne grew tired of The Raptor’s stubbornness and her glare intensified. As proud as Raptor was, he didn’t want to take a fireball to the chest...not currently anyway. The pink one dropped from his grasp and quickly scrambled to Arianne’s feet to get away from her former captor.
“We’re in an unfamiliar place and the first thing you can think of is to murder the first little pink creature that offers us a party...Probably a damn good party too.” Ozan said with a sigh.
“Pinkie, are you alright?” Came a worried voice from the door, a winged purple unicorn entered and immediately began to stare in awe at the strange creatures in the room.
“Twilightthatguywasgunnakillme!” Pinkie yelled as she ran at unrealistic speeds to hide behind her friend. Once she thought she was safe, she pointed an accusing hoof towards the metal man who offered a simple nod in return.
“No no no! I’m sure he wouldn’t have killed you...errr maybe he would have, but I assure you that none of the rest of us are hostile!” Ozan proclaimed in an attempt to not blemish his reputation in a new place. “But he’s a really charming guy once you get to know him.”
“Screw off.” the Raptor’s raspy metallic voice cut in.
“What are you all?” Twilight asked, her mouth still agape.
“I’d like to ask you the same question. Are you a horse of some kind?” Arianne said to the purple alicorn as she approached to get a better look. These creatures seemed harmless, but they were an enigma to say the least. Creatures that weren’t of Gielnor, or any plane known to her...and yet they spoke the same language.
“I’m a pony, actually. Are you humans?” Twilight stated. “And you? Where are you from? Is it”
“I-we are humans, yes. How would you know that?” Arianne asked curiously.
“Heh-it’s a long story, I’ll explain it later. But you all aren’t dressed like any humans I’ve ever seen.” Twilight mused as she looked between the three humans gathered...three? “Weren’t there five of you just a moment ago?”
“Yeah...Where did Ozan go?” Arianne asked the others, eliciting a quick shrug from The Raptor and a facepalm from Sir Owen. “Wait...Where’s your pink friend?”
“Pinkie?” Twilight asked as she turned her head to look for her friend. Her looking became more frantic when her friend didn’t answer.
“Don’t worry, Ozan’s harmless...unless you’re a jewel...or money...or anything shiny really.” Sir Owen said calmly. “I promise he’ll give back anything he manages to steal here...I’ll force him to if necessary..”
Elsewhere
“Sister, the creature has struck again...The victim is in a similar condition to the last.” Luna said with a grimace.
“Could they identify the remains?” Celestia asked, almost not wanting to know.
“It was...one of the lieutenants of your solar guard...Lieutenant Sunspot.” Luna said grimly.
“Lieutenant Sunspot...Did anypony witness their battle?” Celestia asked as Luna shuffled through papers.
“Two soldiers claim to have been ordered to retreat once that...thing was identified. There was also an earth pony present that reported that she watched the whole thing from the safety of a dumpster nearby.” The lunar Diarch said as she read from one of the papers.
“What did she see?” Celestia asked.
“She says that it looked as if the lieutenant was fighting a ball of rags with legs...But this ball of rags apparently had claws and haunting red eyes. Sunspot was said to have fought bravely, but was almost unable to hit the creature...The report says that in the end, it speared him with two set of claws and then proceeded to rip his corpse to pieces” Both princesses shared a brief shudder.
“Has his family been informed?” Celestia asked to break the silence.
“The rest of his team took it upon themselves to break the news.” Luna said.
“That’s good, but we need to find some kind of solution to this menace. The trail is beginning to near Ponyville...if we lose the element bearers, Equestria could be in serious trouble.” Princess Celestia said, obvious concern permeating her voice.
Suddenly, a letter appeared in front of the pair. The words Dear princess Celestia showed across the top.