//------------------------------// // Act IV, Scene 1: Many Happy Returns // Story: Summer Sun, Dawning Chaos // by CTVulpin //------------------------------// Deep in the Everfree Forest, far from the abandoned road to the ancient Castle of the Pony Sisters, there was a vast clearing ringed with felled and torn-apart trees. The clearing had been created shortly after the chaos demon Tau’rin emerged from the void into Equestria. Since that time, the forest had been slowly reclaiming the clearing, starting with flowers and underbrush plants until the seeds of new trees could establish their holds. Recently, however, another force had imposed itself in the clearing, and nature had been pushed aside to make room for the strangest of fortress keeps, constructed rapidly by invisible power and integrating every known style of construction, and then some, in a random and haphazard style that maintained structural integrity through sheer will alone. The land in front of the fortress was filled with a garden of yellow flowers with vaguely heart-shaped petals which gave off a cloud of pollen with the slightest twitch. The clearing was still and quiet, for the creatures of the forest had learned quickly to avoid the new flowers and the disturbing atmosphere that hung over the area. For a long time, only the wind disturbed the clearing, until one day a fern rustled in a more determined manner as its fronds were pushed aside to permit a certain zebra to survey the clearing. Zecora had a long bamboo pole on her back, which she took in her mouth as she cautiously approached the Twisted Desire. She gazed with concern at the yellow plants, which looked to be withering away; whole patches of the field were clearly dead. Keeping her distance, she used the pole to prod some of the healthier-looking blooms near the edge and sighed as they discharged their pollen in reaction. “If Ponyville did not have such a need, I would be glad to see these have not gone to seed,” she said to herself, “but to repel the cave dogs may require a deterrent as potent as this Twisted Desire.” She prodded a couple more flowers, puzzling over how to harvest and transport the flowers without being affected by their magic herself. Her musing was brought to an abrupt end when a thunderous crack echoed through the clearing as a gaping, jagged hole in space tore open and a metal object the size of a half-grown Ursa Major came flying out and crashed through the tops of several trees before pulling up above the canopy. Wind stirred up by the object’s passing pounded the Twisted Desire and drew up a thick cloud of pollen. Zecora dropped her bamboo pole and bolted, chanting wards against evil in her native tongue as she outpaced the swelling pollen cloud and made for Ponyville. She passed her hut, ignoring the urge to go inside it and bunker down with the animals she was sheltering in favor of alerting her pony neighbors to the strange new thing that had come to the forest from parts unknown. She soon reached the forest’s edge and left by way of the road by Fluttershy’s cottage. Due to the present crisis, any plans which may have been proposed to restore the little house in Fluttershy’s memory had been put on hold and the location was too far from the town center for ponies to be hanging around in without a good reason, so when Zecora saw a bright and multi-colored mound near the chicken coop, she turned and went to investigate. As she drew near, she stopped with an incredulous gasp. Laying sprawled out and unconscious on the ground and over one another were Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack. “What is this I see?” Zecora asked, “The lost Six have returned! How can this be?” Thinking, quickly, she untangled the six ponies from one another and then ran into Fluttershy’s cottage to search for a first aid kit. “Hull integrity optimal, barring some superficial scratching or negligible dents. The shields took all the impact from the trees and are now down to 21 percent. Quick preliminary scans indicate we have arrived in Equestria, somewhere over the Everfree Forest. Currently updating and synchronizing all relevant databases on the Lirin.” “Thank you PC,” Ash said. The half-helmet-shaped computer was wirelessly linked to the Lirin’s computer which, while technically larger, was a far simpler system that mostly served as an extension of PC’s memory and scanning capabilities. “Any sign of the Element Bearers?” Ash asked. “I detect only a single equine lifeform in the immediate vicinity,” PC responded promptly, “Mobile and headed in the general direction of Ponyville at high speed. The most probable identification would be the zebra alchemist.” “There are zebra alchemists now?” Yu-san Maesi asked, incredulous, “Are magic talking shetlands not enough?” “I have record of at least nine distinct sentient species in this world,” PC said, “twelve if you consider the four types of ponies as distinct species rather than sub-catagories of the Pony species. Along with zebras, there are sentient cows, donkeys, griffons-” “That’s enough PC,” Ash said sharply, “get us pointed toward town and watch out for unusual magic signatures.” “Calculating and uploading flight path, sirrah” PC said flatly. “You’re still putting up with sass from a computer, huh?” Yu-san asked Ash snidely. Ash just rolled his eyes and gestured for Yu-san to get on with flying the ship. The old man did so, bringing the ship around and following the heading PC provided. Within minutes, Ponyville became visible in the distance, and as they drew closer it became evident that something was seriously amiss. Long deep cracks and deep sinkholes broke up the roads and several buildings had either collapsed or sat askew on compromised foundations. Yu-san flew over the town as PC scanned for life, magic, and geologic activity. The damage was the greatest toward the northeast, the direction of the local gem fields, and PC detected non-pony life signs moving about in underground tunnels, while Ponyville’s population seemed concentrated between the library and Sweet Apple Acres. “Are we dealing with those Diamond Dogs here?” Ray asked after listening to the data. “What reason would they have for attacking Ponyville?” Rachelle asked in turn, “I thought they preferred to be left alone.” “I don’t know,” Ash started to say, and then noticed a group of Unicorn Guards engaging Diamond Dogs as they emerged from a growing hole near the market. A squad of Pegasus Guards rose into the air from a nearby building, clearly intent on investigating the Lirin. “Hold us still Yu-san,” he said, locking his eyes on the battle, “I’m going to give them a reason to think we’re on their side before we show ourselves.” “Good plan,” Ray said, “but, what is it exactly?” “Observe if you wish,” the mage said, reaching out both hands and starting to Weave. He frowned as he worked and narrowed his eyes in focus. “Bah,” he said, “this is still like trying to braid high-tension wires… Come on… Ha!” He made one last broad gesture and then snapped his fingers. A sudden wind began blowing down into the hole the Dogs were emerging from, sucking those still inside deeper into their tunnels while the ground tilted to dump those on the surface into the hole. Once all the brutish canines were pulled under, the hole filled itself in and the dirt settled as if it had never been there in the first place. Ash sank back in his seat as he released the spell and wiped his brow. “I think I’m still gonna need to replace that skvetchte necklace…” he panted, “Maesi, bring us down gently so I have time to catch my breath.” “Aye aye,” Yu-san said. As the ship descended, Carmilla got out of her seat and began equipping herself with the Gel Launcher. Outside, the guardsponies formed rings around the intended landing spot, keeping their distance and their weapons at the ready. The Lirin settled to the ground and Ash and the twins got up to join Carmilla at the hatch while Yu-san powered down the shielding and thrusters. After a few minutes he put everything on standby and turned in his seat to look expectantly at Ash. Ash in turned looked at his team and got nods of readiness in return. “All right Yu-san,” Ash said, adjusting his robe to sit properly on his shoulders, “Open her up.” Yu-san hit the appropriate button and the hatch hissed as the airlock released. The Order-naries put on their most heroic looks as the hatch began to open, but just as the sunlight became visible through the gaps something knocked the four off their feet and they blacked out briefly. “Ok, what the…” Ray trailed off as he went to rub his head and discovered his fingers had been swapped for a hoof and that he had a horn on his forehead. “Oh.” “You have got to be kidding me!” Carmilla snapped indignantly, struggling to her hooves and out of the now ill-fitting Gel Launcher ammo pack, “I just got my signature weapon back and now...” “GYYAAAH! What happened?” “Oh yeah,” Ray said, nonchalantly looking toward the cockpit, “Yu-san hasn’t been a pony before.” Carmilla gave him a dirty look and went to check on her master. He was still sitting upright in the pilot’s seat, his shock apparently granting him sufficient balance as he held one hoof over his ruined eye and stared at the other forehoof with the good, bright amber eye. Like Carmilla, he had become an earth pony, albeit one of stockier build than his student. His coat was rusty orange and his mane – which covered only the back of his head – and tail were snow white, and on his flank was a hammer striking a piece of red-hot metal. “Master Maesi, it’s ok,” Carmilla said, placing her hoof comfortingly on Yu-san’s shoulder, “You’ll get used to it.” “Kara,” Yu-san said, turning his head to look at her in shock, “You… What magic is this?” “Search me Master,” Carmilla said, “This world apparently wants us to be ponies, and so that’s what we are.” “Hey Gale,” Ash called from the airlock, “Come back here please. I think we’ve got a problem.” “What sort of problem?” the brown earth pony asked, her mind automatically switching gears to her Equestrian persona. She trotted to the hatch and saw Ashen Blaze maintaining a shield to prevent a rather determined-looking pair of unicorn guard ponies from getting into the ship. Gale blinked in confusion at the scene and looked to the twins – Soul Mage and Gold Heart – for clarification. It was Ash who provided the clarification though, in the form of a question: “Guess who I have the bad luck of resembling at the moment?” “Ah,” Gale said with a frown, “So… what?” “You will surrender yourselves to us now,” one of the guards said to Ash, his glowing horn pressed up against the grey unicorn’s barrier. “Give us a reason,” Soul said, stepping forward. His horn lit up and sent out of lash of spirit energy through the barrier to push the guards down the ramp a ways. “Seriously,” Soul said, “is this how you greet a fellow, no, two fellow members of the guard who just came back from the dead?” Heart took her cue and came to stand by her brother in front of Ash. “And their friends,” Ash added. He dropped the barrier as the twin golden-yellow ponies took charge of barring access to the ship. “Soul Mage, Gold Heart,” the lead guard said officiously, “stand down.” “With all due respect Sergeant Bastion,” Soul replied coldly, “our duty to the Royal Guard is trumped by our need to stick by our fellow Order-naries, especially against false charges and breaches of justice.” “False charges?” Bastion exclaimed, “That pony you are protecting is responsible for… everything that’s happened in the past week: the disappearance of the Elements of Harmony, the Diamond Dog attack on Ponyville and-” “And us going missing as well?” Heart asked, raising an eyebrow, “Well, as you can see, we’re back and we testify that the unicorn you are thinking of is not the one standing behind us.” “I second that motion!” Ash declared loudly. Heart glared over her shoulder at him and gave him a chastising kick in the shin. “Don’t try to help,” she hissed, but the damage had already begun. “Well now,” Bastion said, charging up a spell, “from what I’ve witnessed, Ashen Blaze there’s grown quite powerful lately. Who’s to say he isn’t holding you under some sort of mental control?” “This,” Gale said, dragging the gel ammo backpack closer to the hatch so as to be in plainer view. She then tried to open the pack, but her hooves kept fumbling on the catches. Ash, knowing what she was planning, tried to lend a telekinetic hand while fighting back the pride-preservation alarms in his head. As his horn lit up, however, Sergeant Bastion let his spell go and clipped Ash’s ear with a stunner bolt. “Ok, enough!” Heart shouted, stomping a hoof and eliciting a very satisfying reverberating clang from the Lirin’s floor. Once she had silence she walked purposefully down the ramp, wings fully spread and held at stiff upright attention. “Let’s have decorum here gentleponies,” she said, “You’ve stated your charges against Ash, Sergeant, and we have counter-claims in his defense, so let’s be fair. The Order-naries will surrender-” “Oi!” Ash and Gale exclaimed. “On condition,” Heart said, casting a sharp glance back at her friends, “The condition being that we get a chance to prove the validity of our claims before whoever is in charge at present.” Sergeant Bastion walked a short distance away and conferred with some other guards, casting dubious looks at the Order-naries every so often. Finally, he came back and conjured four sets of shackles. “You four are under arrest,” he began, but cut off when Yu-san came stumbling into view from the cockpit, trying to keep his bad eye covered and walk at the same time. “Five then,” Bastion began again, conjuring up another set of shackles. “Those won’t be necessary Sarge,” Ash said impatiently, pushing past Heart and Soul to walk down the ramp, “Nor sufficient anyway; having been conjured by magic, they can’t possibly hinder my vaunted magic enough.” “What is going on here?” Yu-san asked. “Just follow us,” Soul said, “I’m pretty sure the matter’s under control now. Oh, Ash, are you going to want to lock up the ship?” “Hm? Oh, yes,” Ash said, turning away from the guards coming to surround him. Once Gale had coaxed Yu-san out of the ship and everypony was off the access ramp, Ash spoke a few commands in his native language, the ship closed up tight. “Secondary pass-phrase,” he told his team and then turned to look at Bastion and said, “lead on Sarge.” The feeling of a cold wet cloth being placed on her forehead roused Twilight from the depths of unconsciousness, and the first thing she saw was Zecora’s face. “Ah, so you too have rejoined the living,” the zebra said, “what a joyous day of thanksgiving.” “Good to see you too Zecora,” Twilight said, lifting her head, “who else is up, and how long have we been out?” She looked around and saw that she was laying on a blanket on the floor of Fluttershy’s cottage. Her five dear friends were close by, either getting to their hooves or laying on blankets of their own. “Fluttershy’s the only one still out of it,” Rainbow Dash said, indicating the butter-yellow pegasus, “and as best I can tell we’ve only lost about twenty minutes or so.” “That’s how long Zecora’s been carin’ fer us anyway,” Applejack said, stretching her back, “Hoo-wee, does it feel good to be back ta mah old self again.” “I quite agree,” Rarity said, delicately plucking frayed threads out of her blanket with her magic, just to see if she could. Twilight focused on her own horn and felt grateful relief flood through her as the familiar sensations of magic filled her mind. “Ditto!” Rainbow agreed emphatically, preening her wings with great affection. “Tel me, are things so bad in the land of the dead?” Zecora asked, “Your comments are filling me with dread.” “Nah, we weren’t dead Zecora,” Applejack said, “We just got sent somewhere else and into a different kinda body.” Twilight looked at Pinkie Pie, who was being uncharacteristically quiet again. The pink pony’s coloring was a few shades too grey, her mane hung straight, limp, and barely reached the middle of her neck, and her tail was all but absent. “Are you ok Pinkie Pie?” Twilight asked in concern. “Oh dear,” Rarity said, getting up to walk over and lay down next to Pinkie, “Your poor tail. Is this what that awful Thamule did to you? Tell us, please.” Pinkie looked up as the others gathered around in concern, and then lay her head despondently down on her legs. “He ruined Pin-the-tail-on-the-pony,” she said, “forever…” She screwed her eyes shut as the group picked her up in a comforting group hug, but didn’t resist. The five stayed like that until Fluttershy began shifting about and muttering, whereupon the hug broke up and Zecora went to coax the pegasus out of her sleep. “Mmm… Angel…” Fluttershy moaned, “where…” “Your little friend is safe in my home,” Zecora said as Fluttershy opened her eyes, “recovering well from his broken bones.” “Oh, Zecora,” Fluttershy said, smiling, “Hi. And thank you.” “It was the least I could do, my friend,” Zecora said, “and I am glad to see you have not met your end. Although, you have returned to a land filled with fear, for from Ponyville the cave-dwelling dogs no longer steer clear. In my forest home all the creatures are still, and a strange metal thing has appeared with an unknown purpose to fill.” “Metal thing?” Twilight asked, “Did you see it? Was it long with a pointed front and stiff wings near the back?” Zecora nodded and Twilight grinned. “Don’t worry about that Zecora; they’re here to help. How are you all feeling girls?” “Rarin’ to go,” Applejack said. “Like a new pegasus,” Rainbow said. “Fine,” Fluttershy said demurely. “I am ready,” Rarity said. Pinkie simply stood up and nodded at the door. “Ok,” Twilight said, giving Pinkie a look of concern, “Let’s go find the Order-naries.” The six left the cottage and galloped into town. It didn’t take long for them to locate the Lirin, and the guards stationed around it proved to be fairly helpful after getting over their surprise at seeing them alive and well. They informed the mares that the ship’s occupants had been taken to the library for questioning, and so that became the next destination. It took a bit longer than usual to reach Twilight’s home due to the destruction in the streets, but they soon arrived and brushed past the dumbstruck guards maintaining a perimeter around the tree. Twilight took the lead, unlocking the door and flinging it open dramatically with her magic. “Spike!” she shouted as she walked inside, “I’m back!” She froze mid-step at the tableau before her, which consisted of the Order-naries and a one-eyed, balding, rust-orange stallion being restrained by Cadance and a set of unicorn guards while Ash was trying to dislodge a very angry baby dragon from his head. “Impeccable timing Twi,” Ash said with forced casualness, “A little help here?”