Invasion of the Ecosystem: Rebooted

by Cipher800


Canterlot Snake Problem

The kudzu at Manehattan, the termites of Ponyville, the trilobites of the sea, the ants in the Everfree, and the Appaloosa's transformation from desert to savannah were just one of the things they had to worry about. The phenomenon is taking root all around the world of Equestria and beyond, and hit weather cities very hard. In fact, they were about to collapse in on themselves. Since the weather is starting to act on its own, cities such as Cloudsdale and Las Pegasus were slowly but surely becoming more and more unstable, though there was enough magic to keep them up and running for a little while as its residents did their best to keep the massive cloud city together, but the phenomenon would prove stronger in the end and tear the city down.

But this next scene isn't about them. Canterlot Castle is in the spotlight today. The city had a better situation due to being perched on a cliff, but it still had to deal with the occasional plant growing in a wrong place and an animal that managed to sneak in or appeared in a flash of light, particularly pterosaurs that threatened to carry of small foals to their nests and the occasional big cat or two. In the palace itself, Celestia herself is looking at the reports. Giant cave bears have been spotted stealing food and chicks in Griffonstone, Kirin Lagoon has been dealing with giant terror birds, and ugly 'goblin sharks' as the locals called them were outright horrifying. Now those thing would give her nightmares for eons. "This has been the most stressful thing I ever been in since fighting Nightmare Moon." she said with weariness in her voice. The nobles were enough, but these strange plants and creatures... they're another story. She angrily and exhaustingly stomped her hoof on the floor.

Granted, she's been in tough situations before, but there were too many darn things that hit her at once. And on the other side of the spectrum, she and her sister are losing control over the sun and moon. Now, she was tired of doing the same routine over and over again, and so is her sister, but to think what groups of religious extremist ponies, all of which she hated, would do if they find out that they are losing their power, that could spell a bunch of problems and more death by the hands of those predatory creatures. Speaking of which, there was something in the lake, a giant serpent that was bigger than the largest snakes found in Equestria. The Royal Guard was just a bluff, but she might have to buff them up so they can be better suited for the new world that is currently being made. "What good are they now..." she silently thought out loud as she got up from her throne. All she wanted right now was to sink in a hot tub with only her head above the water as she eats a slice of cake before going to bed. Why does she have to hire complete idiots for that job? But on their defense, she just made the Royal Guard as a bluff to prevent any wars. "Why did they have to be, wait, why did I have to be this... oh, stupid! Stupid!" Celestia ranted, only to kick her hoof on the wall. "BUCK!"


Ever since the Titanoboa wound up, it did not know where it was. All it knew was that there was some massive cliff with a bunch of caves near the mountainside where the lake it was in. There were frogs and fish, which were idiotic enough to let it strike its first meal, before running off the first time it ate one of them. The Titanoboa had no concept of friendship and platonic love within its brain, only the instinct to survive.

In this lake, it was a bit colder than usual, and it had nothing to fear, but those armored equines with floating sticks proved to be more of a nuisance than anything else. They all looked the same and kept coming like rats. "Come on, old friend, you can do this!" That was the thirty-fourth one it encountered, not that it kept count on how many, of course. Another one snakingly got and threw a spear at it, but the serpent's body moved the other way.

It kept its new home in the lake, yet there were no sings of these things quitting. "Augh! I'll-" the giant snake saw the unicorn guard attempt to pounce, and bashed him with his tail, forcing him into the lake. "Gah! Celestia, help me!"

The guard swam up to reveal a snake's jaw clamping onto his lower half, attempting to drag him into the water. The white guard charged his horn and attempted to jerk the black guard out of the Titanoboa's grasp. "Come on!"

The snake responded in kind by diving back into the water as the guard jumped in. The snake knew one thing, these creatures were too stupid to know what else is in the water. "Gah!" Both guards looked around, holding their breaths to see some assorted Asain carp, bass, and.. "AAAH!" Both jumped up and ran in place cartoonishly as pirahnas attempted to bite them off due to the white guard leaking some blood before zooming off for land. The serpent sensed something was coming and slithered to the shore to wait off the feeding frenzy, only to look at one other guard. If it knew human expressions, it would've smacked its lips at the sight of those morsels, if it had any. In fact, it didn't have eyelids, either.

The guards fruitlessly charged and threw their spears, but the snake managed to easily dodge due to its instinctual reflexes guiding it. Once the spears landed, it sped towards them and opened its mouth, ready to devour the morsels.

Meanwhile, Fluttershy was busy going to Canterlot to talk with Celestia about all these creatures. She knew the white alicorn was aware of it all, but her animal friends wanted her to go there because they wanted to feel safe. The only animal friend who decided to go with her was a red bird, Albert, who came because he was scared. He tweeted something in her ear. "Yeah, I know you're scared of these creatures, and I don't blame you wanting to stay with me." Fluttershy said before Albert said something else to his caregiver. "Okay, I admit it, I am a little scared, too." the timid pegasus admitted as she pet Albert by the head feathers, which he liked. "I just hope that there isn't anything- OH MY FETLOCK BUCKING WITHERS!" Fluttershy and Albert had their respective integument stand on end at what they saw. They were glad Sandy wasn't here, she would have even more nightmares than them both, maybe even for the rest of her life. The large Titanoboa was playing tug-of-war with a white unicorn guard, trying to get the gray guard down its mouth as a black guard looked in horror. The large serpent won in the end and swallowed the delicious morsel.

Fluttershy wasn't sure what to do, but something began boiling. She knew that this creature was operating solely on what was programmed in its brain, but the fact that innocent ponies were being eaten, but then, the snake eyed one of the guards and attempted went straight towards the poor sap and began wrapping around him. "That is IT!" Fluttershy snapped as she went with blazing speeds towards the creature, freeing the guard from his grasp. "I am well aware that you creatures operate only on simple thoughts, but NO ONE..." Fluttershy said as the Titanoboa hissed at her. "...shall do that to whatever my friends for as long as I live!" The snake slithered to it as fast as it could, before Fluttershy noticed the apparent bulge within its midsection. "NOW SPIT THE POOR GUARD OUT!" She said as she targeted the midsection of the snake, causing a wet guard to barrel out of the serpent's mouth. Albert spotted a continently-placed paper bag from nowhere and nearly hurled into it at the sight of what happened, and the fact that the sight of the Titanoboa alone had nearly squeezed out his insides, and the fact that several dead fish from both Equestrian and Earthly origins were floating on the surface of the lake. The Element of Kindness was not known to have a temper, but she showed it whenever somebody harms her friends. But she let her rage give way to sadness as she went back down with tears in her eyes at what she had done, even if it did the deed for survival. Albert flew to his caretaker in order to confront her, knowing that she was being protective. "You're right, we still have something to do." the Element of Kindness replied as she waved to the guards, who opened the door for her.


Meanwhile, Celestia had heard the locomotion from a mile away, and recognized it as Fluttershy's voice. What was she here for? Probably because she wanted to talk to her in person. "Good thing it's her..." she thought aloud. The last thing she wanted was another noble begging for help or a priest sacrificing corn. And so, the Princess of the Day had went back to her throne, but not before making herself look presentable for the meeting, brushing her mane and putting on her regalia with a smile on her face. Not of anything else, but because a good friend and not some ambassador or noble was visiting. It only took a few seconds, but when she got to the throne room where Fluttershy was already waiting along with one of her animal friends. "I suppose you have had encounters with animals?"

"Eep!" Fluttershy said before looking right at Celestia. "Oh, hey, Princess Celestia. I came to talk to you because my animal friends and I were scared, and Twilight is busy with something." the Element of Kindness replied.

Celestia nodded in response. She was thankful that centuries worth of acting skills she had, or she would've wetted her bed in her nightmares. "I know that you're here for your animal friends, and I know the feeling." Fluttershy nodded in response before they began talking about the various things that had happened. Fluttershy was scared knowing the fact that it was happening through the known world and beyond, but she kept it together while they talked through their discussion over some tea and cookies.

But then, Discord came in with battered fur, looking exhausted. "I couldn't prevent what happened. I've been searching high and low for answers, but I couldn't find any." he said before being hugged by Celestia.

"It's okay, Discord, I forgive you. You did do your best, after all." Celestia replied.

"Thanks for the help, guys. I couldn't find any answers. And whatever is happening, it's like the environment is fighting against my magic harder than I was hit by the Elements, and you got the idea how hard it struck." Discord said. Fluttershy gasped at this revelation. "But the only thing I can say is that I have to prepare for this, we all have to. Magic is still at proper levels, it seems. You can still use your magic, right? Do you feel anything tugging on it, if you know what I mean."

Celestia charged her horn with a golden aura and levitated a tea cup with ease. "My magic levels are mostly the same as ever, but my hold on the sun is waning, so is Luna's hold on the moon. From what I've seen, nopony's magic is looking any weaker than it is, save for some certain fronts like weather control and plant growth. The world is starting to operate in a way that doesn't have magic. The Everfree is basically the same, but it is also starting to operate that same way."

Discord let out a grin. "Good, I thought it would affect me in some way, but, then again, I am from another dimension with different physics, so that would be less likely to affect me. But what I can say is, for the time being, you have to prepare for this new world. The Age of Harmony is over, and a new age, an Age of Change, has just begun..."