Royal Guest Area
Party Hall
Pinkie Pie’s pink tent with blue highlights was filled with the hum of conversation from happy ponies. Waiter ponies trotted from table to table bringing tasty pastries. For a few hours, the refugees were treated to a small respite away from worries.
There was one pony that wasn’t so happy. A pink unicorn with a dirty blonde mane and tail aimed her gray eyes at what was left of her strawberry cake. It was tasty, but her worries stole the flavor out of every bite. Margot Summerholt had a lot to fret about.
If someone had told her she would be in a world with sentient ponies enjoying desserts, she would’ve scoffed at the idea. What she heard about and knew, there were no such things as non-primate equine worlds. Well, if she got back someone was going to revise their theory. Margot wanted to return to Earth, there was so much to tell.
The gleaners that ravaged Equestria were very powerful. She had first-hand, um, first-hoof experience. The Shatterleg and other strange wasteland areas showed how much magical power they had to change the land. With it, they were able to cause so much ruin. Also, they were able to drive alicorns who controlled the sun and the moon out of their castle homes. At least the ponies here knew about magic.
Back on Earth, the defenders were oblivious to the existence of magic. Tanks and jets were no match for the right spells. One electricity-blocking spell would turn any vehicle into a block of uncontrollable metal. What hope did the humans have when even magic-using ponies were being messed up? D-Core, her employers, would help, but they had only so many wizards. Again, Margot frowned. Her thoughts were getting too morbid. She turned her eyes to one of her friends.
Far Traveler, a medium-sized pegasus stallion with a brown coat, waved his hooves around while telling of his adventures. “There I was, right in the middle of a group of vicious Remnants with loudly chomping jaws.” He looked around at his enthralled audience with his brown eyes. The light shone on his black mane and tail.
Skybreeze Cloud, a large unicorn mare with a light blue coat, kept her green eyes on his glass of grape juice. She used her telekinesis to move his drink away from his flailing hooves.
Margot thought that having a red-and-white-striped mane and tail strange, but a few months had shown her other strange hairstyles.
Scootaloo whispered to Apple Bloom who had a pink bow in her hair. “I bet you two bits, he spills his drink.”
Apple Bloom looked at Scootaloo. “No way. Skybreeze is too good at moving it. I bet you two bits, he finishes it.”
They bumped fore hooves.
“Too bad Sweetie Belle isn’t here,” Scootaloo said.
“She didn’t feel like partying. I told her we would stay with her, but she told me to go.”
“I know that Jerome was trying to help, but...”
“You gotta let that go, Scootaloo. He said he was sorry.
Scootaloo nodded as one of Far’s fore hooves almost won her two bits.
“Wow, that was close!” Apple Bloom said.
Margot looked away from two of the Shining Hoof Crusaders. That brought to mind another worry, Empress Razorhoof. For a moment, she felt isolated and alone. The conversations faded away. A quick shake of her head broke that up and brought her back. No way was that monster going to get inside her head. Eventually, they were going to meet again, and this time she had an ace - or ass - in the hole, Jerome.
Jerome Siklas, a guy who was now a beige coated unicorn stallion with curly brown hair had arrived in Equestria in the nick of time. Margot and several of her friends were being beaten down by weaponized sadness, and he managed to save them. Unfortunately, his flippant attitude seemed to annoy almost every pony he met. She saw in his brown eyes that he was just somepony who meant well, but sometimes his mouth got him in trouble. He was also an enchanter. She hoped that he could help fight Razorhoof. One more worry remained.
Margot sighed. She wasn’t sure what to think of the changelings. Back on Earth, she killed one disguised as a teenager. That didn’t stop their strange devices from exploding or do whatever they did. Jerome might know, but they haven’t had time alone to discuss how he got to Equestria. On one hand, um, hoof, she could see why some ponies saw them as threats.
On the other hoof, she saw the bravery of Nga'Devro, a changeling they found in the Shatterleg Wastes. Also, Princess Chr'Aya, a small changeling with a light blue mane and tail, had admitted that they were responsible for bringing the Gleaners to Equestria and Earth. She could’ve skipped or evaded questioning, but instead, she told them what they needed to know.
Changelings had committed acts of war against two worlds which resulted in many deaths. They should be punished, but Margot wondered what D-Core would do to them. Then again, she was a Field Wizard and usually, the legal department handled these issues. All she had to do was get back to Earth. Again, Margot wondered if the prophetess would let her.
Margot turned to Jerome who was watching Pinkie like he was in love or she was a threat to them. Jerome had been spending a lot of time with her. It was no big deal. They were adults and whatever happened was none of her business. Then again, she was a bit curious about what was going on.
Again, like an annoying fly, her mind went back to dealing with Empress Razorhoof. She thought that maybe Jerome, who was an enchanter might be able to give her some tips.
Margot tapped Jerome. “We need to talk.”
“Huh, wha?” Jerome tore his eyes off of Pinkie to look at Margot.
“I need some lessons on how to fight Empress Razorhoof.”
Jerome sighed. “I can’t tell if you have an affinity for enchantment magic.”
“Come on, give me something. I don’t want her in my head again.”
Jerome frowned. “You do know invokers - energy wizards - are the hardest to teach enchantment magic to.”
Margot’s eyes narrowed. “Really? I’ve learned magics other than invocation magic. Conjuration, divination and others..”
Jerome looked away then back at her. “Fine, I’ll see about teaching you some stuff tomorrow. Let me get back to the party. You should try to enjoy yourself. You don’t know when you’ll be back in the crap, slogging away.” He turned to face Pinkie.
A gray pegasus mare with a blonde mane and tail opened the door. Her golden crossed eyes scanned the room. All of the conversations stopped as ponies looked at her. Whispers of “The Prophetess” followed her as she made her way to Margot’s table.
When she reached the table, she said, “Some of you must come with me to my tent. The time to rescue Rarity and Twilight Sparkle is neigh, um sorry, nigh. The Messenger has made a way!”
Celestia finished chewing and swallowed a piece of strawberry cake. “Can you tell us where Rarity and Twilight Sparkle are? We could put together a plan of attack.”
Princess Luna nodded.
“I’m sorry, Princess Celestia, but there’s no time for planning in this world, the portal will close soon and you won’t get another chance to save Rarity and Twilight Sparkle. When the rescue team crosses to the other world, they will have time to plan there. This world is similar to this one, but also very different.”
Applejack brandished a celery stalk. “Ah figured those ornery Gleaners had them stashed somewhere else. Ah’ll, go.”
Rainbow Dash waved her right crutch. “Aw yeaaah! Count on me, prophetess. Let’s get the egghead princess back!”
Margot remembered how Rainbow got hurt when they rescued the Prophetess. It would have taken a human a lot of time to move from coma to wheelchair to finally a crutch.
Fluttershy sighed. “Um. I guess I will go. I hope this world isn’t scary.”
Pinkie Pie jumped up and down with excitement. “Hey, maybe this world will be like the comic one. We could get cool superpowers. It’s gonna be fun!”
Celestia and Luna traded glances.
The Prophetess sighed. “I’m sorry, but none of the Elements of Harmony can go. If something goes wrong, we could lose you to the gleaners. Far, you and your team must go.”
Far looked up in surprise. He had been wiping grape juice off his leg when the prophetess came in. Skybreeze’s efforts to save his drink had failed. “Why my team? The Platinum Squad would be better.”
“The Messenger wished for the services of your team. He didn’t elaborate,” The Prophetess said.
Apple Bloom started to dig around in her saddle bag for bits, but Scootaloo tapped her and shook her head.
Princess Chr'Aya got off her bench where she was sitting with Nga'Devro. “I was with the team for a bit. Am I needed?”
The prophetess noticed that one was missing at the table. “No Princess Chr'Aya, you are not needed. Where is Sweetie Belle?”
Princess Chr'Aya’s ears drooped as she sat back on the bench.
Scootaloo frowned and left her bench to walk up to the Prophetess. “Sweetie didn’t feel like partying today.”
The prophetess looked down and touched Scootaloo gently with her left forehoof. “I know of her suffering. It breaks my heart. Know this, all of you. Rarity and Twilight Sparkle live. Please bring Sweetie Belle to my tent and pass the joyous news to her. With Sweetie’s help, Rarity can be brought home.”
Then the prophetess looked up. Her bright golden eyes were filled with magical power. “You must leave soon if you wish to succeed in your mission. Please follow me. Scootaloo, you must go get Sweetie Belle.”
Margot watched as the members of Far’s group followed the Prophetess. She wanted to discuss her deal. The Prophetess had promised to send her home after Pinkie Pie was rescued.
Margot cantered to catch up with the Prophetess. “Wait, you promised me I would be sent home.”
The prophetess turned and smiled at Margot. Before she could do anything, the prophetess eyes focused and her mind was filled with a blizzard of images. Petrified ponies filled with fear, a large but somewhat familiar city, a strange streetwise zebra and a building that caused her eyes to burn. Her sight filled with red and shrunk down to black. She passed out from the overload.
Jerome had been sitting at the table. It seemed that the prophetess had ignored him. He was quite content to sit next to Pinkie and ask her more questions about Ponyville until he saw Margot fall. He was filled with dismay. He wondered what happened to Margot as he left the bench.
The Prophetess pointed at Jerome with her left forehoof. “You must come too!”
“Go where? What did you do to Margot?” Jerome asked while his eyes narrowed..
Far and Skybreeze walked up to the prophetess.
Far frowned. “What did you do?”
Nga'Devro’s horn began to glow. “Nga'Devro is unhappy with how you treated Margot!”
“I’m sorry about how I behaved, but the portal to the other world won’t stay open much longer. Please hurry. If it closes before all of you enter, the mission will fail,” The Prophetess said earnestly. “Far, all of your team must leave now if you want to see Rarity and Twilight Sparkle again.” She turned and left the tent.
Far looked around and then left. The rest of the group followed him.
Skybreeze panted while still focusing on the telekinetic spell that carried Margot. “This is very irregular.”
Jerome galloped along with the ponies and wondered if they would make it. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle galloped alongside him. She even gave him a wink. Scootaloo just nodded in his direction.
“So they’re getting the band together again?” Jerome said and smiled.
That comment just made frowns break out on Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo’s faces.
Sweetie Belle looked up. “We haven’t done any singing, or played any songs. What are you talking about?”
Jerome sighed. “Well, I meant that the group is back together. You, me, Skybreeze, Margot, Far, Nga'Devro and you guys.”
Scootaloo peered at Jerome. “Yeah, so?”
Jerome looked forward, and then at Scootaloo. “Wait, why are you guys going? Margot told me what you did earlier. Saving Fluttershy and stuff. I saw you do spells later in the marsh.”
Scootaloo sighed like this question was so self-evident that anypony would’ve known. “We are the SHC, Shining Hoof Crusaders. The Messenger of Oonte chose us to help save Equestria.”
“Yeah, but aren’t you guys kinda young for this?” Jerome said while gazing down at Scootaloo.
Sweetie Belle looked at Scootaloo then at Jerome. “Scootaloo, relax. Jerome, we are older than we look and we wanted to help. Maybe that’s all we need.”
“Fine but there are a lot-” Jerome stopped as he saw Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle give him stink eye. He sighed again. “Fine. You guys are on a mission from God.”
Sweetie Belle wrinkled her nose. “Who?”
Jerome just kept running.
The Prophetess opened the door to her gray and gold tent. Jerome saw a bright whitish blue oval floating above the floor. Far was the first to stand in front then he stepped back a bit.
The Prophetess glanced at him. “Step in and move off to the side so the other ponies won’t hit you.”
He swallowed, and then stepped into the portal. Apple Bloom jumped through with a squeal of delight. Nga'Devro strode through without a comment. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo jumped into the portal like they were in a ride at a water park.
Skybreeze paused for a moment, then walked through the portal herself. Jerome took one last glance at the prophetess before running into the portal. He hoped he wouldn’t regret this.