Chapter 1

"Look, FlutterShy," a certain pink earth pony cried out. "New-comers! You know what the means - new friends! Come on, let's make some friends!"

FlutterShy hid behind a tree, trembling and shaking like the leaf above her head.

"Pinkie Pie," Twilight Sparkle scolded. "We don't know who they are."

"Who cares?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Yeah, Twi," RainbowDash argued. "Whoddya think they are? Besides, I'M always here to protect Ponyville, anyway."

"It's not about Ponyville, Rainbow," Twilight replied. "It's about Equestria! These strangers were hanging around here for three days straight. Wait for a few more days." She mysteriously fixed her binoculars on the seven ponies, who were doing nothing in particular - if chit-chatting and looking around counted as nothing.

"Oh my..um...Twilight?" FlutterShy asked. "Do you think - maybe those ponies could be --"

"Don't fret, Fluttershy! I'LL take care of 'em alright!" Rainbow Dash cried out. She darted to the new ponies.

"Oh, hey there. I was wondering - can we enter Eques -" the pony with the flashy costume, and sugary mane (obviously the leader), asked.

"No way! Not you guys! Are you a spy?" Rainbow asked.

"Us? Uh...just wanted to pass by," the dark one, with the dark voice, and grumpy/gloomy attitude.

"Why?" RainbowDash asked.

"None of your concern," the dark pony said again. "Loser."

"Well, then - until you tell us ponies what's goin' on - then you'll better stay clear!" Rainbow replied.

"Huh, petrified," the dark one said. She flew off, and Rainbow did the same - flying back, annoyed.

"So? How'd it go?" Rarity asked.

"Whaddya mean "How did it go?" It was going fine till the dark Colgate-like mare started speaking!" RainbowDash shouted.

"That's not the way to go, Rainbow," Rarity scolded. She daintily walked up to the seven ponies, her mane attractively swishing and curling. She fluttered her eyelashes, giving them a seductive look. "Hey, everypony."

"We're not filly-foolers," a smaller, younger pony replied.

"So I suggest you'd get lost," the dark one spoke again.

Rarity blinked her eyes in shock. "What language! You need a makeover, darling," she cried out.

"Makeover?" an alicorn filly asked. "Why?"

"Ooh...so - green...leafy..juicy," the colt muttered, as he stared towards Rarity's direction.

The silver-white mare, elbowed him. "Ya know - it's not a love game, Greenwich."

"I wasn't talking about her," Greenwich protested, as he continued to admire a specific tree in the orchard before him. "What a tree...juicy...finger-lickin'..."

"Anyway, I think you've misunderstood us," the leader said. "I'm --"

"Rarity, pleasure," Rarity gasped. She heard Pinkie Pie call her name, "Rarity!!!"

"Oh, I think I have to go," Rarity muttered. "Oh well..."

"Buck ya," the silver one groaned. "We just met."

----

"New-comers? Oh, Twilight," Celestia chuckled lightly, as she was later informed that day. "I invited them over, that's all."

"You WHAT?!" Pinkie Pie asked.

"But why, Princess?" Twilight asked.

"Well, I just figured you need more friends," Celestia replied. "They're harmless, really."

"See, Twilight! I TOLD you they were!" Pinkie Pie giggled, her laughter echoing in the palace.

She received a half-glare from her friend, which caused her to laugh more.

----

"Hi," Twilight introduced. "My name is Twilight Sparkle."

"Hey, girlfriend," the leader said. "My name's Azura. Mist Azura. Hence my blue coat, pink strips in my mane, as well as the dress I'm wearing now. Nice to meet you."

"I'm Metal Rocker," the silver one said. Her coat was silver, and her Wonderbolt-like mane was stripped with teal.

"Midnight Raven," the dark one said. Her mane was Colgate-style, with a darker and lighter shade of dark blue. She was a midnight blackish blue, and apparently, so was her personality.

"Party Rocker," the allicorn filly shouted, "Metal Rocker's sister."

"Greenwich," the green colt introduced.

"Ace O'Hearts," a light blue filly - in a red and black suit, with a half-mask, greeted.

"Memphis Eve," another blue filly added, bursting out into laughter.

"Weird names," Rainbow remarked.

"Weird senses of fashion," Rarity squealed.

"Weird colours?" FlutterShy whispered, from behind Rarity.

"Weird personalities!" Pinkie Pie cried out.

"Weird everything! How is this possible? You're alicorn fillies. You DON'T exist," Twilight cried out, pointing a hoof at Party Rocker, and Metal Rocker.

"I ain't no filly," Metal Rocker laughed. "I'm like..only 5 years than RainbowDash."

"I'm about 15 human years," Mist Azura added.

"No way, me too," Midnight Raven said, her voice unable to go any higher than a melancholy low not-very-piercing-at-all scream.

"I'm about 17," Greenwich said.

"Eighteen!" Memphis Eve shrieked.

"Twenty-one," Ace O'hearts added.

"14," Metal laughed.

"13," Party giggled.

"ENOUGH!!!" Pinkie Pie screamed. "All these names and ages are making my brain not work!"

"If only you had a brain to begin with," Midnight muttered.

"Hey, wanna hang out?" Misty asked, turning her attention to the mane six.

"Count me out," RainbowDash grunted. "I gotta go practice my flying skills for the Wonderbolts. I have no time for hanging around malls and stuff!"

"Wait - I'll practice with ya!" Metal shouted, after her. But Rainbow ignored her and flew off, taking no notice of her.

"So...yeah?" Misty asked.

"Of course! Come on, everypony! D'you know what this means? NEW FRIENDS!!!" Pinkie Pie shouted.

"Coming Mid-Rave?" Metal called out, to the pegasus.

"Hell. TO. The. NO," Midnight replied. She turned her back, and took off, flying away.

"Oh well, suit yourself," Misty said. "Don't worry 'bout Rave, girls! She's always melancholy anyway."

Suddenly, there came from behind them, a loud call, "Howdy, everypon -WAaaAaH!!!"

The ponies turned to see who had spoken. It was a rather tomboyish pony, with a brilliant orange coat, as well as white freckles on her cheek, and pale blonde hair, done neatly in a loose braid. A big brown cow-pony hat sat on her head, almost as if it was part of her, and as if without it - she would be incomplete.

"Who the hay are y'all?" AppleJack, that was her name, asked.

"Misty Azura, Memphis Eve, Metal Rocker, Party Rocker, Greenwich, Midnight Raven and Ace O'hearts. And --" Misty introduced.

"Blah blah gibbur gubbir biffle baffle Flicker Noodle Snicker doodle," Memphis recited. "We HEARD, DUH!"

"She sounds like Pinkie," Twilight whispered into Rarity's ear.

"More like a ruffian like Rainbow Dash to me," Rarity whispered back. "Darling."

"Uh...and you are?" Misty asked.

"AppleJack," AppleJack replied. "Ah'm from Sweet Apple Acres. Pleasure t' meet ya, pony!"

"It's Misty," Mist Azura growled.

"And besides, we're real, Twi - Twilit, was it?" Azura asked, holding out her hoof.

"It's Twilight," Twilight grumbled, correcting Azura rather indignantly. "Twilight Sparkle."

"Whatever," Raven groaned. There was a loud round of laughter. "Celestia knows who you are, but whatever, we're real, whether you like it or not."

"Then where's the explanation of all this?" Twilight asked, confused.

"Ask our creators," Mist Azura replied. "They made us."

"Who are THEY?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Bronies," Memphis answered. "Cool, huh?"

"B-b-bronies?" Twilight asked. She dashed to the library, burying herself in a pile of books, her eyes quickly scanning the worn white thin pages of a large brown book.

"It is as I feared."

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