//------------------------------// // 2: An Unknown Enemy // Story: Transmutation // by RarityTookManehattan //------------------------------// "Ok... so first thing's first, we better contact Celestia," Twilight decided. Assembled around her in the council chamber of her new castle was one of the most strange assortment of ponies ever gathered in one room. Sat on her throne at the head of the group was Twilight herself - relatively normal, other than the fact that she was supposed to be an alicorn princess. On her right was Rainbow Dash, fidgeting awkwardly in her seat and occasionally sending rainbow sparks from her horn. Next to her was Fluttershy, who looked beyond bizarre and decidedly embarrassed in her new draconequus body. More and more it appeared she was struggling to control her new-found powers, and Discord as a pony stood looking extremely amused as little fluffy sheep clouds began to pop up around the castle. On the other side of the circle of thrones sat Applejack, who couldn't sit still or find a comfortable position in which her orange wings wouldn't poke into the chair. Rarity raised her eyebrows. "You just have to keep them folded in like this darling," she advised, her own white wings tucked neatly at her side. Applejack's hat was knocked to the floor as she tried to squash her wings back against her body. Finally, there was Pinkie. Every few seconds a pink flash would light up the room as she teleported uncontrollably. Even when she wasn't accidentally using her magical powers, she shot across the room with her wings, leaving a sparkling pink trail in the air behind. "Weeeeeeee!" squealed Pinkie, a huge grin across her face as she almost collided with one of the increasing number of strange sheep clouds. Discord was by now rolling on the floor laughing, kicking his hind legs in the air at the prevalence of chaos in the room. "Will everypony QUIT IT?" yelled Twilight. Pinkie teleported obediently back into her seat and Fluttershy apologized quietly, although the sheep remained. Applejack's wings finally snapped to her side and the group all turned to Twilight expectantly. "Sorry," Twilight added. "But whatever's going on is serious so we need to get to the bottom of it, and soon." "I just don't understand!" cried Rarity. "What possible purpose could there be for swapping our species like this?" "I'm not sure... but the Princesses will know what to do, I'm certain of it. Spike? Spike?" Twilight called. "Where is that dragon? It's never been more important for him to send a letter than it is right now!" A small sheep flew into Twilight's head and Rainbow, Pinkie and Discord all struggled to suppress their laughter. The doors to the chamber burst open and Spike ran inside, panting for breath. "There you are, Spike. Now I need you to write a letter t-" she began but Spike interrupted before she could finish her order. "Twilight - you - need - to come - outside - now," he gasped. "What now!? What could possibly be more important than this?" she cried exasperatedly. "I'll - write your - letter! Just - go!" he told her, flopping down in the corner and pulling a quill from behind his ear. Twilight hesitated, but then nodded. She knew Spike wouldn't be telling her unless it was something serious. "All right, come on everypony - let's go!" Twilight told her friends. Within fractions of a second, Pinkie had already zoomed past in a pink blur, Fluttershy had teleported away, Applejack and Rainbow had begun to run and Rarity had flown past with her new wings. "This is gonna take some getting used to," Twilight sighed. Discord tried not to laugh. It became apparent as soon as Twilight got outside what Spike had been worrying about. A huge, red, gleaming bubble seemed to surround all of Ponyville. It reminded Twilight of the protective shield Cadence had created to keep out King Sombra, only it had a much more sinister edge. Almost every resident of the small town was stood outside of their home, staring up at the ominous red dome with obvious fear. "What is it?" Derpy wondered from up in the air. "Where the hay did it come from?" asked Granny Smith. "Ok, I'll-" Twilight began but then hesitated. She was about to say that she'd go and consult her books, but she realized with dismay that most of them were now destroyed. Her second suggestion was going to be that she'd try and blast through it with her horn, but she was forced to remind herself that she no longer had magic. Her third, most simple option was going to be that she'd fly up and examine it - but due to her absence of wings she would have to walk over to its border. Before she could offer, however, Rarity had already spoken. "I can see that this... bubble thing, is scaring you all - no matter, for I will venture to find out what it is using my new wings," Rarity told the crowd below. The citizens of Ponyville stared up at Rarity's new pegasus form with awe and horror as she flew towards the uppermost reach of the huge red bubble. When she approached the top, she tentatively reached her hoof out to touch it - and upon doing so was instantly thrown back towards the ground. Her wings snapped to her sides at the shock and Rarity screamed at the top of her voice, unable to fly now that she needed to. Applejack managed to soar forwards just in time to catch her, and the two tumbled to the ground clumsily, but intact. "Have no fear everypony!" Pinkie yelled. "I'll teleport out of the bubble!" "Erm, remind me what's the benefit of that?" asked Rainbow, but Pinkie had already vanished in a pink flash. The residents of Ponyville cheered as they spotted Pinkie reappear outside of the bubble's wall - however, within seconds she reappeared back where she was, looking confused and disappointed. "This bubble's just a big meanie!" cried Pinkie, waving her hoof at it angrily. "Ok, enough games. I'm gonna try and blast it with my new magical horn," Rainbow claimed, licking her lips and focusing. Everypony watched with bated breath as a bead of sweat trickled down her forehead. With all her effort, she tried to fire a super awesome magical rainbow lazer - but all she managed was to fizzle a few sparks from her horn. "Stop it! Stop it!" cried Twilight. "We don't know what this bubble is or where it came from, but I doubt firing magic at it will work!" Rainbow grinned a little sheepishly. "So far we've established that we can't go through it -" Rarity nodded firmly, wincing- "and we can't teleport away from it." Pinkie nodded too, twirling her black scheming mustache. "So... I guess we just have to wait for Princess Celestia to reply and tell us what's going on. In the meantime, we'll research in the books I have left to see if we can find anything relevant. Earth ponies, try and get to work on the farms - we'll need to stockpile as much food as possible. Pegasi - see if you can still control the weather within the bubble and keep an eye out for any Cloudsdale ponies who might arrive with news on the situation. Most importantly, everypony needs to stay calm." After a brief pause, the residents of Ponyville murmured their assent. The earth ponies gathered with the apple family and started heading back towards the farm, while the pegasi flew up into the air to try and control the weather. Derpy flew along behind looking cheerful. "Nice work, Princess," murmured a voice in Twilight's ear. Discord winked at her and Twilight felt a little better. "Ok, I guess we better find out what we can," Twilight told her closest friends. They smiled back at her, supportive as always. "Good thinkin', Twilight," agreed Applejack. Before any of them could move, however, the sky darkened and a booming voice began to laugh...