//------------------------------// // I. Asterisks // Story: Asterisk // by QuartzScale //------------------------------// Long ago… in an age when mortals fought one another for paltry ideas such as wealth, power, and status; two men grew disgusted by such concepts. These two beings were forced to become mortal enemies both by circumstance and by differences in opinion. One was the scapegoat of the people, turned into a monster by those people jealous of his status. He was given the chance to be more than he was due to a timely intervention by a force out of this world. Transformed, he took on the mantle of a vampire and became the very monster that the people called him. Justified in his actions due to the people’s revolution burning down his home and allowing his family to die within that sweltering inferno he swore to terrorize them for the rest of their days. The other was a sage of the people. He sought the goodness in others and did his best to guide the people down the righteous path. Those same people, instead of following his words, turned into beasts trying to gain more power and subsequently destroying the sage’s faith in others. He did his best to formalize the powers of the people and allow them to survive the harsh climates that they sought to live in. Unfortunately, hindsight drew the fog around him severing his sight to the people’s true motivation, greed. The two fought many battles leaving scars across the land and leaving the sky sundered from their might. At their second to last battle an angel fell from the heavens, desiccated and shattered but still barely alive. She gave them a warning before dying and the two put aside their petty differences. Crafting a plan the two decided that it was time to force change and escape the cycle of greed and lust for power. The Sage, with all his clout, managed to convince the leader of the people to allow him to centralize their power and enhance it at the same time. Taking small relics he bound several abilities into small gemstones known only as Asterisks. Each Asterisk was a power all on to its own, carrying several measures of might within each one. With the plan in motion the Vampire struck once more allowing the Sage to steal away all the powers and several enchanted weapons that the people had used to flaunt their power. The two had a certain measure of immortality due to their strange battles and certain forbidden arts not mentioned in any texts that exist to this day. With that measure taken the two finally went into hiding waiting for those who remembered them to fade with time allowing new leaders to take the reigns. That story should have gone towards the safety of their world… but something occurred fifteen years after their fated departure. After transporting said Asterisks to a concealed location, a magical force struck the pair ripping the Asterisks from their safety and across the aether to another world beyond their reach. The Sage attempted to salvage the situation and with the Vampire’s help they managed to grab the asterisks before they could venture farther into the portal. It was not enough. Within seconds, the departed spirits of those that would hold the asterisks enveloped them. The portal had not only ripped a hole across space… it had also messed with time forcing a future version of their wielder’s spirit to corrupt… to pervert… to change the very nature of the asterisks into something foul and evil. Forced into a losing position the two let go of the asterisks and decided that it was better to follow them and restore them one by one. So long as no one claimed the asterisk, then whatever world they landed on would be safe from harm. As the two traveled through the portal something happened that made things difficult. Their bodies shifted and twisted to fit in the new universe. With their powers they forced themselves into the strongest beings they could be but as soon as they reached the new world they were forced into an astral plane… forced to watch as the asterisks fell to a new world, a new world filled with… ponies. It was a fabulous night for all around as several celebrations were being held within Canterlot Castle. Ever since the return of the Pillars of Equestria several of the ponies of the world came to gawk and see the very ponies who kept their world safe from harm and continue working for the betterment of all equinity. It was at the tail end of a celebration that things got hectic. “Look! A meteor shower display. All praise Luna.” Several ponies shouted as several star like objects trailed across the sky flowing across different places in the world. For everypony that wasn’t the princesses it was a joyous occasion. For said princesses in question it was another matter altogether. “Luna! Did you know about this?” Celestia called out as she saw the meteor shower hit several places around Equestria without warning. “Meteor Shower? I never planned a meteor shower for tonight. Neigh. It was scheduled for closer to the Lunar Equinox Festival. Something is very wrong here.” Luna gritted her teeth as she scanned the heavens for any sense of the falling objects only to be knocked flat on her flank. “LUNA!” Celestia cried out as she rushed over to her sister. It took a bit of coaxing to get Luna to sit up but eventually she was pulled out of her stupor. “Ugh… what was that…? All I felt was… malice. Cold unyielding hatred and the constant desecration of morality zooming down to Equestria. Celly… it was horrible.” Luna stared at Celestia… but her eyes were looking beyond. They were unfocused and trying desperately not to focus on any one point. It was the kind of stare she saw long ago when the soldiers could no longer handle the harshness of war. “What could it be?” Celestia quietly whispered to Luna before something struck right above their private study. Two small hexagonal stars hit nearby covered in a dark haze. The one on the left showed a bipedal figure wearing a long flowing black jacket and wielding a large claymore sword. On its face was a domino mask which made it all the more intimidating. Before either sister could react the star struck Celestia knocking her down and covering her in a haze. She wriggled and writhed in an endless silent scream while Luna could only watch… until she realized that there were two of those items in place. The other revealed a female figure of a creature with nine flowing tails. Her visage was one of a demon with several red marking all across what was most likely her body. It wielded a long ornate katana which charged for her. Luna took the initiative to fire any magic she could at it… only for the star to absorb the magic and slam into her face embedding itself on her forehead. Unlike Celestia, Luna knew how to fight the darkness segregating her mind from its control. It was for naught as the dark haze broke through the barriers and grabbed the astral projection of Luna pouring its power into her. She was also in a silent scream. The guards standing outside their rooms heard nothing strangely enough leaving the two sisters to suffer in silence leaving them as mere puppets for the stars that grabbed them. It was over in a few moments leaving both Celestia and Luna standing next to each other. Somehow that same black jacket had found its way onto Celestia and the mask was draped across her face. The same large claymore sword had been magically strapped to her back as she stared at the door seemingly unaware of everything around her. Luna, on the other hand, was adorned with a small hat with fox like ears on her head and her once nebulous tail turned more fox like. A sinister smile appeared on her muzzle and a katana magically appeared floating around her but there was no magical glow coming from her horn. “Are you certain this is the way?” Flash Magnus called out. “Aye. This was the way to this small pub I found that would work out well for us all.” Rockhoof answered. “Why were we dragged along?” Starswirl called out while Mistmane, Somnambula and Meadowbrook all glowered at the time it was. “Why not?” Magnus tilted his head in confusion. “What about Stygius?” Mistmane pouted. “He drank too much coffee and wound up burning himself out. It’ll take him all day just to sleep it off.” Meadowbrook sighed and facehoofed. It had been her task to not let him drink that much. “Shouldn’t he be done resting by now?” Somnambula puzzled as she looked towards her friends to answer. “He started drinking last night till this morning…” Starswirl grumbled under his breath. Before he could continue his explanation they all saw the meteor shower erupt in the sky. Most looked at the sight with some awe and wonder. Starswirl, however, was confused. Luna had given him a schedule of what was to appear in the heavens only to be shaken from the thought as six different objects shot down to them. Taking cover the six were able to escape the impact which turned out to be less threatening than they should appear. Curiosity took hold causing all six to get closer to the crater that formed. The six objects all formed a dark haze as six different figures rose out of the smoke. The first was of an old man of herculean build wearing a toga. That star in particular immediately sought out Starswirl slamming into his chest from below. Distraught, the others immediately went to check on him… only to fall victim to the other stars. The next two stars held the visage of a gaunt man dressed in doctors robes… only covered head to toe in blood spatters with the most deranged grin on his face leering at the prey before him. The other was a living suit of armor that seemed to move on its own with a ghostly fire burning from the open faceplate. These two found what they wanted in the forms of Meadowbrook for the bloody doctor and Somnambula with the living armor sending the two reeling on the ground groaning in pain as the shortness of breath caused them to descend into hysterical laughter and silent screams respectively. The other three revealed a figure wearing black plate mail hopping around before striking Magnus down and entering his body; a larger man wearing ornate paladin styled armor and an intricate circlet around his head slamming against Rockhoof, and a tall man wearing a doctor’s coat wielding a floating staff which seemed to be hovering next to him enter Mistmane. The three were sent down to the ground joining their companions in that same palpable silence that seemed to reverberate around their resting place and just as quickly as it started, it suddenly stopped. The six stood up each looking away from one another. Starswirl had a strange robe even though he still wore the wizarding hat above his head. He held no knew weapon and seemed to exude a strength he never had before. Rockhoof was wearing more armor except for around his head while his shovel had morphed into a large great sword resting upon his back. His stare was now full or purpose and reason. He didn’t dare look to his left or right. Flash Magnus was fully covered in black plate mail but it did nothing to deter his flight allowing him freedom of movement still. In his hoof was a sword with a crimson blade which he swung idly back and forth as he bounded in place on his left hooves and right hooves in tandem. Mistmane was forced into a very fancy doctor’s coat and wearing a pair of spectacles. Floating around her was a long staff that resembled an I.V. stand from the hospital she had visited while learning of the leaps and bound made in medical research. The most distracting change was that her beauty had been restore to before she selflessly gave it up for her friend’s sake. Meadowbrook and Somnambula were the most changed. Meadowbrook had lost her mask replacing it with a doctor’s coat as well, except on closer inspection it was actually a straitjacket untied covered in blood which also coated Meadowbrook’s face. Somnambula was covered head to hoof in armor which seemed to radiate will ’o’ wisps all around the face plate yet her face was clearly visible. A short sword was strapped to Meadowbrook’s side while Somnambula wielded a large halberd keeping it clearly ready to strike anyone who got near. The six looked at each other, glowering with what they saw. Somnambula and Meadowbrook trotted off in a random direction while Magnus, Rockhoof, and Mistmane went another. Starswirl, all alone, went off on his own never teleporting but trotting while staring at the sky. Every few minutes he would pull out a crystal from the toga that now wrapped around him and began scanning the sky for the proper constellation. “I reckon that this here spot should be good for tonight.” Big Mac drolled on as he guided the mare Sugar Belle on their second date out near Our Town. “Oh Big Mac, you’re incorrigible.” Sugar Belle giggled as she playfully ran her hoof across Big Mac’s chest. As he got closer to sealing things with a kiss the pair noticed that there was a meteor shower going on above them adding to the romantic mood. The impact of two objects stopped their romantic mood. The peered into the depths of the crater only to notice that the objects looked a lot like stars from long distance. Then the dark haze enveloped them showcasing two figures out of it. One was a burly biped that would make even a minotaur jealous wearing a pair of slacks and a thin vest that barely covered their rippling muscles. The smaller, obviously female, figure wore long white robes while also showing off enough skin just to drag someone in closer. She also had a very strange staff with two crooked horns acting as the grip. Before either could voice their concern the two stars raced forward. Big Mac stepped forward stopping both stars with his bare hooves… but it wasn’t enough as he was pushed through the dirt and forced to skid backwards into one of the similar houses. It was enough for the female based star to break through his defenses and strike Sugar Belle down causing her to contort to the silent screams. Big Mac flew into a rage attempting to crush the stars that had attacked him. Instead of charging forward, the star took on the challenge weaving through Big Mac’s frenzied assault before slamming itself into Big Mac’s temple knocking him to the ground. It did not enter his body at that moment allowing him to get back up. Dazed and confused, Big Mac tried again managing to parry and counter any strike the star could conceivably do. It was a surreal moment for the humble apple farmer. Then the star exploded releasing a wave of energy that slammed Big Mac back against the house knocking him unconscious. The star carefully placed itself on Big Mac’s chest taking care to meld with the body in quiet respect. Big Mac and Sugar Belle both stood up now changed by the things that happened. Big Mac was wearing a very easy to move in vest and seemed to have gauntlets around his front hooves now. Sugar Belle was wearing a very seductive white robe which covered up enough flank but left plenty to the imagination. The two smirked to each other as they wandered off in a random direction seemingly unaware of the world around them. Lightning Dust had been flying for hours around Appleloosa annoyed by past actions and plenty of other things that kept festering inside her mind. While she wasn’t expelled it was going to be a long time before she could become even a reservist for the Wonderbolts. Stopping in Appleloosa she looked for something to keep her mind off of things getting that in the form of a magic extravaganza being hosting by some showpony. Rolling her eyes, she reluctantly stayed nearby while a blue unicorn with a purple hat and cape covered in stars was busy setting up her stage with another unicorn with a heliotropic coat. They were conversing rights with a stallion wearing a cowboy vest and hat with an apple mark on his flank. It was gonna take a while till anything got done. Before she could fly off and wait for the show elsewhere there was a sudden cascade of falling meteors from the heavens. The four were suddenly shocked when four of those meteors struck the ground near them. Braeburn stepped up first making certain nothing bad was going to happen though with Trixie around he wouldn’t head in alone. They all noticed each other at this point before they could say anything the stars began hovering above their craters. “What in tarnation is going on?” Braeburn snorted out as the stars released their dark haze. They all took bipedal figure stances. One was of a tall man wearing a kimono with a katana strapped to his side. Another was an old man wearing black robes which holding on to a straw conical hat and a rod in his hand with a goat skull as its head. The next was a woman in a black robe that covered her face giving her a scary appearance. In her hands was a doll in a red dress which seemed to move independently of the woman’s hands. The final figure was dressed in loose clothing and had a hood over his head. Each looked menacing for some reason before striking out against the four around. Both Starlight and Trixie threw up their shield spells only for the stars to crack their shields in one strike. Lightning Dust began to fly off outpacing the star of the young figure with the hood over his head. Starlight and Trixie went down while Braeburn fought off his assailant. The star waited until he attacked and struck back with a wicked counter that knocked him back. Given the chance the star impacted against his chest. Lightning Dust raced around attempting to outfly the star chasing her but it shot forth with speed that was unimaginable and sent her spiraling into a crash landing right next to the other three who were writhing in pain at that point. Before she passed out from the pain the star embedded itself in her back causing her to writhe in silent pain like the rest. There the four laid writhing in pain. Braeburn was the first to awaken, dressed in a fancy kimono and wearing a katana on his side. He dropped his hat to the ground and never once turned around as he trotted off for parts unknown. Trixie awoke wearing a black gown which hid almost all but one eye and forced her mane to droop over her face. A Smarty Pants doll was conjured right next to her made entirely of her magic which allowed her to manipulate it to the point she didn’t seem to be casting magic anymore. She trotted off as well leaving behind her worldly possessions. Starlight was focused and seemed to be in great pain as she fought as hard as possible against the magic that seemed to be seeping into her core. It felt right… so right. It felt just like her old self. Starlight tried to scream as the magic finally found her core and changed her like the rest. She wore a black mage’s jacket and a straw steepled hat appeared on her head. Floating by her side was an intricate looking rod topped with the same goat like skull. “Spike~ Where are you my faithful pet dragon?” Starlight sang out as she started walking off towards Ponyville. Lightning Dust was the final one to wake up. Changed like all the rest, she wore a hood over her head concealing the darkened glare she now wore. In her teeth was a long serrated knife begging for the chance to slip into anypony at that point. Lightning Dust flew off heading in no direction but uncertainty. Moondancer had been having a decent evening curled up with a good book in her now cleaned out house. Thankfully Minuette, Twinkleshine, and Lemon Hearts had come over to help organize the house back into something more presentable. It wasn’t that she was lazy but it was a little overwhelming to fix up your entire life in a manner of days after that time that she decided to give up on others. Moondancer sighed as she looked out the window at the night sky. Feeling a bit brazen she trotted down outside to her front yard feeling different overall from the past she once harbored. No longer did it feel tight around her chest and the weight on her back lifted away. She was free from the burden she once wore and looked forward to the future. As if to give her a sign a collection of stars shot overhead making her smile as she adjusted her glasses. ‘I need to get some new ones later…’ She giggled to herself until the loud impact and following explosion of something hitting the front yard woke her up. Deep in the crater was a hexagonal star that seemed to still be in pristine order. Moondancer cautiously took hold of it in her magic to lift it up, relishing in discovering something so wondrous. Before she could celebrate a dark mist cut off her magic forcing her back. A figure rose from the mist dressed in a very red flamenco shirt and dance pants as she knew them as. The figure seemed a bit old but the vibrant red hair and rose in his mouth seemed to belay that fact. The star shot out at her before she could question it and she was left on the ground writhing in silent pain. Soon it passed and she stood up nearly completely changed. No longer wearing an oversized sweater she was now dressed in a red dress that seemed to flow around her legs easily. A rose was connected to her dress strap. Sensing her changed look she swiftly took off her glasses and let her mane down shaking it around until it was fancier than it had ever been. A sultry smirk appeared on her muzzle as she trotted out for the Canterlot nightlife. It had been a long night of raking in the bits with their new casino out in New Pegasus. Since the dethroning of Gladmane, Flim and Flam were living the high life and enjoying the prestige that came with owning one of the most influential casinos in the Equestrian nation. The two had decided to retire to their penthouse suite though it had slowly become the office by which they operated out of. “I’ll say brother this is quite the pickle that we are in.” Flim intoned as he looked at the small crater that had formed outside their casino. “Of course brother. We should check it out before we lose any more business.” Flam replied opening the door to their suite and allowing his brother to go first. “After you brother.” “Thank you brother.” Flim answered with a smile. The two trotted down the entire way while the guards that they had hired had cordoned off the impact site. Nopony had gone near and the guards all looked slightly worried. The impromptu meteor shower had been so far out of left field that nopony knew what was going down that night. The two brothers stood at the edge looking at what seemed to be two stars fallen from the heavens. The fact that they resembled stars had made them a rare commodity for any enterprising business pony. Before the two could collect the spoils of war the two stars floated up releasing their dark mist and causing all the regular patrons to go running off. From the darkness came two figures. One was a short bipedal creature wearing an extremely fancy suit and seemed to have the air of wealth screaming around him. The cane he wielded seemed to hold a great weight of prosperity behind it. The second figure was much taller and wore several clock parts as part of his outfit. Strangely his helmet looked really off. The two were taken off guard as the stars shot straight for them. The guards that were hired noticed in time but were viciously tossed aside allowing the two stars to embed themselves in the bodies of the two brothers. As they silently screamed in agony the guards attempted to move them, at least the ones who were still up, only to be flung back once again by the brother’s regaining consciousness. “I feel so different brother…” Flim stated but his tone was much more morose… fake even. He wore a fancy pinstripe suit with a small top hat adorning his head. At his side was a small cane which he tapped in between two magical constructs he made that resembled claws without the large gouging nails on them. “As do I brother…” Flam answered though the sniveling tone was apparent from the moment he opened his mouth. He wore a fancy cape and a black bodysuit. On his head was that strange hat that the figure of mist had worn when it had materialized and appeared to be shaped like a clock cog. Floating in his magical grasp was a staff shaped like a clock hand. The two went silent as they looked towards the casino and walked in without paying attention to their guards. Far north, in the Crystal Empire, the royal couple sat at dinner with one of the visiting nobles and even a pop pony diva had joined in as well. Cadence was regaled with stories from her two guests Sapphire Shores and Fleur De Lis, detailing several grievances with their schedule on taking care of Flurry Heart. Shining Armor, on the other hand, was still speaking politics with Fancy Pants after the Storm King invasion a couple of months back. “I tell you Prince Armor that was one of the most dire moments in my life. That tyrant was close to conquering us.” Fancy Pants whispered conspiratorially for Armor. Fleur was still winded from the incident and never wanted to hear about it again. “Please, just Shining Armor is fine. I concur though. I was taking care of Flurry Heart at the time and our soldiers were dealing with an extra contingent outside of Appleloosa at the time. They blindsided us too well.” Shining admitted even reluctantly as he felt. “What happened to his troops?” Fancy asked looking over to the mares who were giggling with wild abandon. “Most fled after the Storm King lost. I think a few stayed behind with one opening an art studio in Canterlot. Their Commander is under my sister’s jurisdiction once again.” Shining chuckled under his breath. “Ah, so that's where Fluffy came from. He’s a damn good artist as well.” Fancy muttered under his breath. While the two stallions continued discussing politics, the mares discussed other things. “I'll never understand just how you kept the weight off.” Fleur poked Cadence’s side marveled at how skinny she was so soon after giving birth. “Is was that dance regiment I gave ya, right mare?” Sapphire giggled. “Yes it was. Thank you so much for that Sapphire. Without you I may have been carried around for the rest of my life.” Cadence chuckled, bringing a hoof to daintily cover her muzzle. “My word. Was that all you needed to stay fit? To think all the training I do and dance was all I needed.” Fleury seemed astonished as the revelation though her acting career had made her emotions hard to see through. Before the party could continue on a meteor shower seemed to go off dragging everypony’s attention. Aside from the gasps and awe from the sight, Cadence was confused about the arrival of an impromptu meteor shower out of nowhere. Before she could think further on things five stars impacted nearby their position causing them to slowly edge forward, compelled by curiosity mostly. When the five reached the edge the stars were already floating in mid air causing a few of them to rear back in surprise. It got even worse when the stars emanated a dark haze that filled the crater up. Five bipedal figures rose from the haze to the shock of the five ponies. The first figure was a tall bipedal male dressed completely in plate mail holding a grand shield and long broadsword. The second was a short old male wearing flowing robes and wielding a staff that seemed to double as a spindle wheel for weaving clothes. He was the strangest overall since unlike the other figures whose legs reached the ground, this particular figure floated above the ground. Before anypony could say anything the two stars shot out towards Shining Armor and Cadence. The two brought up a shield which the old one broke in a single swing allowing the stars to embed themselves on their respective pony. The third figure was a young female dressed up like a pop diva with bunny ears adorned on her head. She was wielding a microphone and while there was no sound Sapphire Shores found herself mesmerized. The star easily took the chance to cling to the princess of pop pony sending her down to the same silent screams that almost everypony that had been touched by the stars had also been left in. The last two figures were also male. The younger looking one had long flowing hair and a dangerous look in his eyes as he wielded a rapier seemingly ready to make his point. The other figure was a tall male with strange hair that looked like a minotaur. He wielded a large staff that resembled a shepherd’s crook. These two immediately shot forward knocking Fancy Pants and Fleur De Lis off their hooves leaving them in the same sorry state. The five rose up now completely changed. Shining Armor was covered head to hoof in plate mail resembling his royal guard captain armor as a large shield floated around him in his magical glow. Cadence was wearing flowing robes and wielding the same staff though she filled out the robes better. Sapphire Shores was dressed in a fancy Lolita style dress and bunny ears hood and held a microphone in one of her hooves. Fancy Pants was dressed in a dueler’s outfit and was holding a rapier in his magic. His mane had gone just as wild as the figure’s had. Fleur was forced into a mage’s robe with the same high collar though she also had a mitre on her head. She also wielded a shepherd’s crook in her magic. The five looked at each other with shared disinterest. There were no minced words as all five left together towards the train station leaving any guard that tried to stop them on the ground unconscious. Zecora had had a very lucrative time looking for new plants out in the Everfree forest. She had needed some time to create a new concoction for the removal of sores and the plant she needed was very difficult to find. Perseverance paid off and she found a small patch close to a hydra nest. Dangerous as it was it well worth the effort in the long run. The sudden meteor shower had been surprising but nothing she hadn't seen before. While waking back to her hit she came upon the impact crater of one of those stars. Unable to rein in her curiosity she looked down into the hole noticing the small star shaped object. Before she could sate her curiosity the dark haze shot out revealing a tall male figure wearing an extremely large parka and several layers of protective clothing. The star shot out homing in on Zecora only to be kicked off and sent flying. She ran off quickly through the forest while the star reoriented itself and shot straight for Zecora. It broke through everything in its path splintering trees and crushing rocks before finally slamming into her back. As she tumbled to the ground a large protective suit appeared around her with a small mask adorning on top of her head. She looked around mutely and wandered off for her hut. There were experiments to run. It was one of their get togethers and time to have fun. Ditzy had set up some extra muffins while Time Turner was busy getting the specialty hay treats from his ice box. Vinyl had successfully gotten her contract with Hoofbeat Records and thanks to Octavia’s urging had gotten trapped into a party along with Lyra and Bon Bon as well. The six had been friends for a while now and it was certainly something they had been looking forward to. “Thanks Turner for opening your home to us. Well, your backyard at the very least.” Octavia chuckled to the bashful muttering from Time Turner. “Well, how could I resist. Seriously though, with Ditzy, Lyra, and Bon Bon jumping on my back how could I resist.” Turner sighed as he stretched out a bit. “Jeez, dude. Save some mares for the rest of us.” Vinyl nudged him on. “Truly, Turner has the strongest back.” Lyra agreed, “Don’t worry Turner I can make some banana muffins so you can carry us all.” Ditzy responded not getting the joke. “I don’t think that’s what Vinyl meant.” Bon Bon rolled her eyes though her smile was clearly showing that she enjoyed the show immensely. “Please don’t make me your beast of burden already. Anyways Vinyl is that an admission?” Turner quirked his eyebrow to the giggling of the other mares. “Well yeah. I mean seriously you’re taking half my fan base already.” Vinyl admitted. “Not what he meant.” Octavia groaned as she carefully ate her hay chips… secretly wanting to stuff her face since she didn’t have to keep up the poise amongst friends. “Oh I know what he meant. I’m just not giving him any special dreams tonight.” Vinyl faked balking at Octavia to the laughs of everypony. When the meteor shower started everypony looked up in wonder enjoying themselves amongst their friends. Six stars like objects hit nearby surprising everypony. Turner being the most scientifically based immediately rushed over to see what was going on. Ditzy followed close after since her friend had problems with remembering to not get too caught up in his research. The others followed shortly after with Octavia and Lyra being the last. It wasn’t because they were slow and it certainly wasn’t because they stuffed themselves up with snacks before they went. As soon as all six were around the crater the stars went into a dark haze. Six figures stood up from their respective stars. The first was an overbearing male figure dressed in pirate garb. He even had an eyepatch and peg leg to complete the look but attached to where his right hand was was a large anchor. The second was a very demure looking female wearing a very tight kimono. Her face was expressionless and let no emotion through as light glinted off her two kunai blades. The third was another female with a very ornate robe. She held a small rod with a jewel as the cap piece. The fourth was actually a centaur though instead of the natural look of having horns and red skin this particular centaur resembled the other male figure that had appeared to some degree. He was as old though he wielded several different weapons all at once somehow. The fifth figure was a small female barely bigger than a foal though she wore cat ears and even a tail to match. She also held onto a very large serrated axe that seemed to scream for blood. The last figure was another female dressed up in hunter’s gear with a matching cowboy hat. The six were blindsided as each star raced along the ground towards their target. The pirate lunged at Ditzy knocking her from the sky while the hunter managed to get Turner when he was distracted. The star that held the female with the kunai blades disappeared for a moment and slammed into Bon Bon from below while the woman in the robe got Lyra from the side. The small foal like female with the cat outfit managed to knock under Octavia’s chin while the centaur like figure trampled Vinyl and melded with her. The six slowly changed as the star shaped items settled into their respective bodies. Ditzy adjusted her new pirate hat and eyepatch over her lazy eye which disoriented her slightly. Attached to her right hoof was a very large gauntlet with a large anchor that she effortlessly lifted with her strength though her smile was still a joyous one. Time Turner stood next to her wearing a brown cowboy hat and brown vest though his eyes had hardened and a large thin cannon with an axe attached to the barrel on his back. He seemed to peer off into the horizon seemingly at nothing before pulling out the cannon on his back. With a flip of the trigger a bullet flew out of the barrel and three flies fell to the ground without their wings but very much alive. Bon Bon was wearing a similar kimono on top of a thin black bodysuit her mane pulled back into a long ponytail. In each hoof was a small kunai blade. She looked a Ditzy who started chortling in glee and resigned herself to silence. There was nothing more to say. Lyra was wearing an ornate robe and a rod, with an onyx gem adorned a top it, floated around her. Her eyes were cold and dark. As a small insect crawled around her she cruelly stomped it into mush with a gleeful sadistic smirk plastered on her muzzle. The talent around her could use work. Octavia gleefully trotted in a circle with cat ears on her head adding to the pony ears she also had. The rest of her ensemble included cat paw gloves and a bushy cat tail as well as a large axe attached to her back. She lapped up some milk without too much mind to the others. It was too warm and with a sour frown on her muzzle she pulled out her axe and sliced the table in half. Satisfied, she trotted around in place and rested on the ground watching everypony else go about their own examinations. Vinyl was the most changed. While she wasn’t a centaur she wore a horse head hood over her own pony head and a ship steering wheel was rotating on her back. Attached to the wheel were five different weapons, a longsword, an axe, a spear, a great sword, and a katana rotating at random intervals while Vinyl merely smiled gleefully. She trotted in place joyfully letting her weapons do the talking as they slashed through several other fence posts that were around. The six looked at each other and walked off to random locations two by two. The rest of Time Turner’s yard was a mangled mess after their excursion and the rest of Ponyville was none the wiser. Twilight looked out to the sky as the meteor shower started. All her friends were busy getting ready for their slumber party. Applejack had brought several apple treats which Fluttershy was helping set up on their table. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash were planning out some pranks for much later while Rarity was setting up some fanciful blankets for them all. “Twilight get down here we need to get ready for our party!” Pinkie called out as she stuffed her mouth with some cupcakes. The large window in one of the extra large rooms was wide open as they all stared at Twilight who was locked on the meteor shower. “Yeah Egghead, come on and let’s get the party started.” Rainbow Dash cheered as Twilight merely scowled at the rest. “Twilight, what’s wrong with you?” Rarity questioned as Twilight chewed on her lip. “It’s that meteor shower. There wasn’t supposed to be a meteor shower tonight. Luna scheduled that later for the Lunar Equinox Festival. This doesn’t seem right. Spike went to sleep already and I don’t want to wake him up just to send a message.” Twilight groused clearly anxious about things. “Shoot Twi, I doubt that it wasn’t planned. Y’all know that Luna likes dropping surprises from time to time. I reckon she wanted to do something special, is all.” Applejack advised thinking about it at another angle. “I think it looks really pretty. It’s always nice to see something like this once in a while…” Fluttershy trailed off as the stars fade from sight. “I know Fluttershy. It’s just a bit weird.” Twilight pointed out. “Uh oh. Twitchy tail!” Pinkie suddenly shouted causing everypony to take cover. Six objects fell from the sky impacting outside the castle causing Twilight’s eye to twitch at the sudden explosion. Her gaze turned to Applejack who merely chuckled sheepishly at the sudden incident. “Let’s go make sure nothing bad happened.” Twilight sighed out causing everypony to follow along excited at the new adventure that fell in their lap. Spike had managed to remain asleep through it all as well leaving it up to the Elements of Harmony to handle once again. Outside the ponies crowded around the stars peering at them carefully. Nothing seemed out of place but Twilight didn’t take any chances. Quickly, she placed a shield over the crater making certain Pinkie didn’t get close. “Aww… I wanted to see them up close.” Pinkie muttered but stopped as her whole body spasmed out of control. “Woah… that was a doozy. Twilight I felt a doozy!” “That’s rare. So whatcha all think it’s going to be?” Rainbow looked closer at the stars… only to see that it was dark beyond the shield. “Uh… Twilight. The stars thingies are gone.” “What!?” Twilight screamed and in a moment of panic accidently let go of the shield to see the stars closer. The dark haze shot out covering the area around them all causing Pinkie Pie to shake even worse as her knees started to feel pinchy. Fluttershy tried to desperately hide somewhere but the haze was everywhere around them. Applejack and Rainbow Dash took aggressive stances while Twilight and Rarity lit up their horns. From the darkness rose six bipedal figures each of varying heights and ages. The first was female but it looked immensely small in a red dress of some sort. It floated in the air and seemed to have pigtails and wielded a rod with a red and white diamond covered by a jester’s cap. Her smile was incredibly dark and sadistic tendencies seemed to flow off of her. The second female was dressed in a white dress though her large skirt had spears attached to them and she held an even longer spear in her arms. Her neutral grimace said nothing of what she was thinking nor what she was planning to do to the ponies that it came off as unsettling. The last female was short and seemed to wear an animal skin mask, a purple rabbit mask, over her face and held a bow in her right hand. Fluttershy nearly fainted at the sight but the fact that all the figures were made of shadows and seemed malicious kept her from doing so. The fourth was male and seemed to hold an intense gaze over the ponies. He had the an aristocratic air about him and the cape only added to his mysterious nature, only to be shaken when his smile showed fang placed similarly to a vampire. The second male was dressed head to toe in a long robe that covered his entire body leaving only his face and the long blade in his left hand visible. Rarity gaped at the fashion choice but his pale face made her silent throughout her examinations. The last male was actually dressed as a fancy chef complete with a toque covering his head. His strange good looks caused somepony, Rarity, to blush at the sight though the cold look he gave the mares quickly cut that off. Before the six could respond to their appearance the star holding the chef struck Pinkie before she could warn the others what would happen. Rarity immediately went to check her only to see her silently screaming. Rainbow Dash and Applejack attempted to fight against the star objects with their hooves only for the spear wielding female and the bow wielding female to strike them both down and embed themselves on their bodies. Fluttershy tried to scream as Twilight held up a shield to protect the two. Rarity tried to rush to their side until the robed male star hit her to the side stuck to her chest. Fluttershy’s screams went unaided as the vampire star and the female doll star broke through the shield and captured their respective ponies leaving them in the same screaming mess as all the others. As quickly as it began, it ended just as suddenly. Twilight stood up first wearing a red corset and red socks over her hooves. She slowly glided in place as a rod with the jester’s cap floated around in her magical embrace. The sly grin on her face was more predatory than when she had lost her mind back during the Lesson Zero Incident as her friends called it. She immediately flew off not even caring of the other ponies left on the ground. Fluttershy was second and she had changed extensively. What was once a pegasus had now become one of the thestrals again. Her bat like wings covered her snugly while a fancy dress gown covered her body. Her eyes were still the same bright blue that they always were but her fangs showed just how much she changed. There were a few twitches before she flew off for her cabin ready to rest before the morning sun came up. Pinkie got up quickly enough to see Fluttershy fly off but did nothing to stop it. Her mane was slicked down but unlike her time depressed it was with purpose. Her body was adorned in chef ware and the toque upon her head was poofed up enough to not get overwhelmed by her mane. The biggest difference was the icy glare she gave everypony before slowly trotting off for Sugarcube Corner. She didn’t try to pronk even one step of the way there. Applejack awoke with a fright next seemingly unaware of things as all. Her hat was no longer on her head and had morphed into a large brown bunny skin mask that covered her face. On her back was a bow and quiver which she deftly pulled out with tail and used her right hoof to steady. With a sudden pounce she jumped into the forest leaving behind the last two ponies to groggily wake up. Rarity was second to last of the Mane Six to wake from her sudden slumber. Covered head to hoof in a robe and holding a large saber on her side. Her eyes focused on her clothing but everytime she tried to make changes something would stop her creative mind from working right. Foregoing those thoughts, Rarity slowly trotted away from the area leaving the last of the group behind. Unlike the others she wandered off to a random place, sticking to the shadows just because she could. Finally Rainbow Dash got up with a sudden start and peered around to make certain that nopony saw her. She was now wearing a strange white dress that had a strange skirt wrapped around her waist covered in spear tips. On her back was another ornate spear though she didn’t seem to find it discomforting. With a careful flap of her wings she shot off for parts unknown leaving nothing but the hoofprints of six ponies and a semi empty castle with a sleeping baby dragon. Before the last star could hit the ground it was caught by someone who was watching the whole debacle. He slowly twirled it in his talons and looked around through the heavens for where it came noticing two beings stuck between the two dimensional shells. As he slowly floated up to the two trapped beings he noted several different magical signatures interacting with the ponies. It wasn’t that bad just yet for anyone but it was at the very least chaotic. Discord enjoyed the sudden influx but it felt wrong. Looking into the small pocket dimension he noticed two bipedal beings within shifting between their original form and being turned into a pony. Each time the power shifted them into a quadruped they forced themselves back through their magical might. With a snap of his talons he immediately stopped it from changing them. “Hm… Looks as though I found something very interesting here.” Discord smirked as the two humans, as he recalled, looked up to him. Neither said anything but the implications were clear. “Thanks for that. I was starting to exhaust my magic at this point. These old bones of mine can hardly take that much more strain at this point.” The Sage spoke to the chimeric being almost candidly. “You are very calm about this. We had to continually force our shapes back into being. Thank you for the help we were worried that eventually we would have to deal with the problem in that particular form. It isn’t feasible for us to handle these problems in those forms. I… You only got one of those things that fell to your planet…” The Vampire concernedly stated. “There were more? Well now that I have your attention, how about you tell me what happened here.” Discord smirked as he created three chairs floating in space and a table with a few sandwiches of various meat and vegetable fillings for an interesting story to come.