//------------------------------// // Prologue: Lets Raise the Flag!! // Story: Cards with power // by Corsair49 //------------------------------// Celestia sighed the moment the doors to Day Court closed. Relaxing in her throne for a moment being with only her trusted guard and assistant. The day had been starting to grind her everlasting patience as she just had to deal with the same complaints from nobles, and it was only noon. Her drifting mind was brought back to attention as her assistant, a baby blue coated Unicorn with tant paper sand color mane. Her cutie mark was a simple notepad with several boxes and check marks. "I'm sorry Time Stamp, I didn't catch that. Would you mind repeating what you said?" Celestia smiled softly giving her a gentle look to which Time Stamp nodded returning the smile. Using her magic she held up her notepad. "Of course princess, As of right now we are ahead of schedule, probably because you only needed to find out if anyone had anything new to suggest and dealt with the same things as yesterday So now you have about two hours for lunch. Would you like to eat in the castle or would you like to go out?" Time Stamp smiled as she put the boards down looking at Celestia. Celestia thought for a moment and turned her head to look out towards the balcony. When she got there she looked around at Canterlot then turned her eyes towards Ponyville resting them on Twilight's Crystal Castle. Time Stamp who was by her side as she did this merely smiled before turning around and walking away. "I'll clear the rest of your schedule. You go enjoy the rest of the day with Princess Twilight, you do need a day off after all. Give her my Regards?" Celestia immediately snapped her head back towards Time Stamp, but she was already gone. Smiling softly her Celestia's horn glowed briefly before she disappeared from the balcony. *********Meanwhile In Ponyville********* Twilight was rushing around her machines looking over the results of tests and spike on the other side of the room monitoring several gauges as the center one was beginning to twitch violently to the right side seeing this. His eyes widened and he started to bite his claws. "Tw-Twilight another one is about to surge!" Twilight craned her head as panic was spread across her face. She flashed over to Spike to watch as the other gauges were starting to react. One of her other machines began to spit out a paper that at first had a single straight line but as time went on it became more and more jagged and growing without end till eventually the paper was coming out totally red and the machine short circuited. Twilight's Pupils shrank as fear took over her. Her horn glowing for a brief moment. Before she and spike disappeared. Reappearing in the map room, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie are all staring at the map with their ears against their head and eyes wide. Starlight Glimmer looked over to the alicorn and dragon before speaking. "Twilight? What's going on? The map just started to call everyone to... well..." she moved out of the way for Twilight and spike as they approached it slowly. Twilight's pupils shrunk to the size of pinpricks as it showed everyone who was present cutiemarks circling not one location but the entire circumference of the map. "Oh no..." was all Twilight was able to say. "Twi? Whats going to happen?" Rainbow dash asked. Since the map started calling for her she has been petrified at her seat not moving. Not having said anything before everyone looked at her. "As awesome as we are... we cant be everywhere at once, and I don't think anyone else has an Idea on whats going on." She looked at Twilight fear surrounding her. It was at that moment that Princess Celestia walked in making everyone's attention turn to her. "Good afternoon, my little ponies." She smiled endearingly to everyone but as they held their saddened expressions it faded. "What seems to be the-" She was cut off as Pinkie Pie Gasped jumping and maintaining herself in mid air as her tail seemed to vibrate. "Twitchy tail! It's Coming!!" When she landed she rushed passed Celestia, then came back. "Hi princes sorry for cutting you off but this something big!" She stood on her hind legs as she lifted her fore hooves in exaggeration. Suddenly all of the other save for Twilight, Starlight, and Celestia were running outside to see what the map was calling them for that would be falling from the sky. "Twilight? Starlight? whats going on?" Celestia looked confused as she walked to them looking at the map. Twilight began to cry silently. Starlight slowly hugged twilight before looking at Celestia. "It started the last time all of us, not including you your highness, hung out. Using out combined Lab results and magic we were looking for fun activities we could do together. Applejack had stated something that would be fair and wouldn't have many ways to cheat. Rainbow wanted something that would look cool. Pinkie didn't care as long as it was fun and could have lots of tricks. Fluttershy wanted there to be some cute or animals, Twilight and I wanted to add magic and spells to the mix. Spike wanted to be able to do something rather just make other things do things. Rarity didn't mind as long as she could look fabulous while doing it. So while looking we found this dimension where people were playing card games but they were apart of it as well. It had everything everyone asked for. What we didn't realize was that card game was more than just a card game but a gate way for other worlds to come to ours. So when we tried to recreate it.... well our spell fluctuated in such a way we couldn't control it. All we could do at that point was watch as it spread all across Equestria. We thought it failed but it wasn't until today that we got several readings of confirmed connections to each different world. We tried using the elements of harmony but that was when the map activated." Celestia's features went from one of concern to fear and solemn acceptance. "The elements accelerated the process... and .... well hear we are. Its all my fault." Twilight choked out as she cried more Celestia walked forward a bit more and wrapped her wings around Twilight and Starlight. "If we cannot stop it... then let us atleast try to defend our ponies from what may come. Pinkie said it was going to fall right? Let us prepare then." With that twilight nodded wiping her eyes. "It''ll be ok Twilight." Together they got up and walked out of Twilight's home to wait at the steps with everyone else looking at the mid day sky. They all were just sitting, all except for Pinkie who was vibrating like a jack hammer from her tail twitching. First it was a minute. Then two, and three, any sorrow and concerns of what they had unleashed was slowly changed into sheer annoyance and rage until Pinkie got up and screamed into the sky. "Hurry up and show yourselves so we can probably be friends and do really fun and cool stuff things together because you are most likely not going to hurt us, except for some really really mean guys who Spike and a friend will probably beat because this author is PREDICTABLE!!!!" Pinkie was panting when she finished her tirade and found her tail stopped twitching. Celestia only blinked before a new voice was heard. "Well she's definitely fun, but I wonder how much magic you guys know to have linked our worlds together?" Everyone turned to look at Purple bipedal monster with blue jeans rolled up at the ankles a pair of spiked sandals, a chain necklace and a Yellow Jacket with a hood that seemed to be covering spikes on both of his shoulders and biceps and horns. "Hmmm it's kinda cool though you're all ponies, I dig." He smiled showing his fangs. Rarity shrieked then fainted as everyone else stared him. "Dang, I know I'm a Demon Lord but still... I wasn't trying to be scary. I mean I can be if you want me to but I don't think that will be too good an Idea since I'm supposed to be the representative to Magic World an all." Celestia stood and approached him. "Representative? Magic World? I'm sorry but could explain please, and who are you and do you mean harm to my little ponies?" Celestia's Voice was serious as she looked up to the Purple Demon. who put up his hands defensively. "Hey hey, its ok, we come in piece, or pieces if your into that." As he said that he split into versions of himself one with a red jacked one with a blue jacket and the last one with the same Yellow. Before the other two disappeared, "But yes. My name is the Dancing Demon Lord, Asmodai. I know this may be cliched an all but How about you take me to your ruler?" He smiled as he bent over to look at Celestia. "And, if I may ask what would the purpose of desiring to meet our rulers?" Celestia was eyeing the demon careful who gave a slight sigh as he closed his eyes and rubbed the back of his head. "Well to be perfectly honest its so I can take over this world." His eyes held a dark glint as he gave a wicked grin. Celestia was just about to start casting a spell before Asmodai began laughing. "Oh man I couldn't keep a straight face long enough hahahah ....whew. No I'm here to assist in setting up negotiations between our worlds so we can have fun together and so some of the Monsters in Magic World can become Buddy's with some of the ponies here." He smiled greatly as he continued, "Afterall what could be more than a BuddyFight?"