//------------------------------// // The Message // Story: War of the Villains // by AntiBronyBenSwolo //------------------------------// Grogar looked deeper into his crystal ball deeper than ever before. Not only to take down the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, but the new band of villains who threaten to take Equestria before Grogar and his team do. As he stared deeper and deeper, no plan came to be. In the meantime, Cozy Glow played a few card games with Tirek, Chrysalis minded her own business, and Sombra came out of his dorm. "Sombra? Funny seeing you back." Cozy Glow said, placing a card down. "Likewise, child." Sombra said as he took a seat, hoping for a plan to come into action. "Honestly, we thought you were done for. And used as an example for Grogar to secure our loyalty." Chrysalis commented. Everyone looked at Chrysalis awkwardly. "What? Isn't that what most villains do?" Chrysalis asked. "Honestly, that was the intention." Grogar mentioned. "Then those weirdos showed up. Boy, I wish they were here so we could deal with them now." Tirek said, placing down three cards. "Don't we all?" Grogar asked, staring into the crystal ball. Suddenly, the Crystal Ball went black and started glowing a bright red. Red lightning sprouted in all directions, one of them blasting Grogar and knocking him back. Cozy Glow hid behind a rock, while Chrysalis formed a shield around herself and Tirek. Sombra went into his shadow form so the lightning would go through him. Then, suddenly, the lightning stopped, but the Crystal Ball still went black and glowed bright red. "Is this thing on?" A voice called out from the Crystal Ball. Everyone stopped defending themselves and huddled close to the crystal ball, which went from pitch black, to the face of Lightning Bug. Grogar sneered at the boy's face. "What do you want?" Cozy Glow asked Lightning Bug "To formally introduce ourselves." Lightning Bug explained to Cozy Glow as the villains looked at one another. "I am Lightning Bug. With me in my crusade to conquer Equestria are Bobby Worst, Blue Banana, Herobrine, Mad King Ryan, Jimmy Casket, and Desti." Lightning Bug explained as he revealed his team to Grogar's team of villains. Bobby Worst had a unicorn body with black-greying hair, a black jumpsuit with buckled, a cape, and gold sneakers, and wore green eyeshadow and lipstick. Blue Banana had an Earth Pony body and wore a light blue jumpsuit with various color decals, as well as a blue and yellow cape, and wielded a blue banana in his front right hoof. Herobrine had a unicorn body and his description revealed himself to be Starlight's kidnapper, while Mad King Ryan's description revealed himself to be Spike's kidnapper. Jimmy Casket had a pegasus body and wore a torn up sweatshirt, wielded a large kitchen knife, and appeared extremely mentally sick. Desti had a pegasus body, but had pinkish purplish tentacles for hair, wore a blue sweatshirt, and had dangerous yellow eyes. "Now, if you have any questions about us, speak now or forever hold your peace when we head off to war." Lightning Bug explained as Grogar and his team examined Lightning Bug's team of villains. Without any armies, they'd still be outnumbered 7-5. They'd have to think this through carefully. They don't even know what these villains are capable of alone. "What are you gonna do about the Elements of Harmony?" Chrysalis asked Lightning Bug, who scoffed in response. "I have hostages, which would be the perfect leverage against Fluttershy and her friends." Lightning Bug explained. Everyone was confused. Why did he refer to the Element of Kindness, rather than Magic? Sombra might have had a good idea of what he was planning. "You were watching my battle against Discord, weren't you?" Sombra asked Lightning Bug. "No. That was Blue Banana, actually. But I get what you're trying to get at. Any other questions?" Lightning Bug responded. "No. All I have to say is, I'll be looking forward to seeing you on the battlefield." Grogar said, wickedly smiling. Lightning Bug smiled wickedly in response. "Can't wait to kick your butt, old man." Lightning Bug remarked, ending the message. "So, any ideas for plans?" Cozy Glow asked as Grogar sat back into his seat. "Not one at the moment, child." Grogar explained. Chrysalis put her hoof to her chin. "You know, I have an idea for a plan. I just need an army of changelings loyal to me in order to pull this off." Chrysalis explained as Grogar thought it over. "I know just the glyph for this." Grogar commented as the two headed off to the back of Grogar's lair. Twilight spent hour after hour scouring the Cutie Map, hoping to find Spike and Starlight. She was slowly losing energy after examining the map for so long, she couldn't be able to sleep. "Ummm, Twilight?" Fluttershy asked as she peeked through the door. "I haven't found them yet, but I will." Twilight explained, trying to examine closer. Trying to see if there was anything she missed. "Twilight, it's very late. You need your rest." Fluttershy countered, placing her hoof on Twilight's wing. "Not while Spike and Starlight are counting on me. Whoever these kidnappers are, they'll surely regret it." Twilight said. "Maybe that's what they want." Fluttershy theorized, raising Twilight's eyebrow. "Look, I'll look over the map and see if I find anything. But I can't do it for too long. For now, you need your rest." Fluttershy said, as Twilight got down from her seat and headed up to her room. "Thanks, Fluttershy. At least I still have you." Twilight said as she closed the door. Fluttershy got to work on examining the map. There was nothing out of the ordinary, except the Everfree Forest was glowing a bright red, as if these new villains were setting up some sort of camp there. "Oh, no. Zecora!" Fluttershy whispered to herself, as Zecora's hut was in this red space. She also found a red space in the cave where the remains of the Tree of Harmony rested. "What do they want with the fractured Elements?" Fluttershy asked herself Fluttershy had to come up with some sort of plan to deal with both problems, but it had to be in the morning. She left the map open on those two spaces, hoping Twilight would find it in the morning, and headed off to her hut to get some rest herself. Hopefully, Twilight would come up with some sort of plan by then.