Magic Gear Solid: Broken Balance

by Barrobroadcaster

Rising

"Hey! Wake up! Wake up!", a voice rang in Twilight's ear. She tossed and turned in the bed for a few moments before opening her eyes. Slowly, Twilight sat up in the bed and looked around. She was in a room in the Ponyville hospital on the second floor. The room was empty except for a bed, a nightstand and a cardboard box in the corner. The word "Muffins" was printed on the side of the box.

"Wow. Nice manecut.", said the box.

"What... what are you talking about?", Twilight asked. She noticed a mirror on the nightstand and levitated it up to her face. Her mane was blasted upward and singed on the ends. Her face sported a couple bruises and a cut on her right cheek.

"Oh no. I look like future Twilight again!", Twilight said in an exasperated moan. She threw her hooves back and fell to the bed again.

"Ha ha ha... what does that even mean?", the voice asked.

"Okay, who are you? Where are you?", Twilight asked.

The box lifted and from underneath appeared a blue-maned white unicorn with red eyes.

"DJ Pon-3?", Twilight asked.

"Vinyl Scratch, at your service. I bring the wubs.", she said calmly as she walked over.

"You were at my brother's wedding!", Twilight remembered.

"Yeah and I was at Celestia's party too last week when all hay broke loose. Weren't you there too?", Vinyl asked.

"That's right... I was with the princess and my friends and then...", Twilight thought for a moment.

"Then that thing showed up.", Vinyl finished her thought. The memories returned to Twilight. The fighting, the mechanical monster, the 'king of Equestria' and she and her friends failing to stop it. She closed her eyes tight and held her head in her hooves. Her friends, her teacher, were now most likely dead or captives of whatever that thing was.

"It's been a whole week?", Twilight asked.

"Since the party? Yeah. Me and Tavi just got back to Ponyville too. Security's tighter than a changling's flank up in here.", Vinyl said, peering out the window.

"Security?", Twilight said as she got up to look out the window herself. In the distance was Ponyville, though instead of ponies, black and grey figures marched upright in and around the town in groups of four and five. It was raining heavily but the shine of their metallic armor gave them away.

"Diamond Dogs, though none like I've ever seen. There's lots of them and they rotate the patrols pretty quickly.", said Vinyl.

"How did you get here?", Twilight asked.

"After the party, dogs stormed the castle and started slapping everypony in chains. Me and Octavia just split.", Vinyl explained.

Twilight shook her head in disbelief. "How did you get by all those dogs?"

Vinyl chuckled. "We musicians are experts of sound Twi. Knowing how to make more and less of it just comes with the game."

"We have to get back to the castle. We can get the Elements of Harmony, put a stop to all of this.", Twilight said, determined.

"Why do you think I came to get you out of bed? Now let's go see Octavia so we can figure out how to get into the castle."

"Where is Octavia?", Twilight asked.

"At our apartment. She'd be here but the box only fits one so she stayed behind."

"How are we going to get to your apartment? We don't have another box handy."

"Hmmm. I think I should teach you a few things about sneaking.", Vinyl said as she put a hoof to her chin.