//------------------------------// // The Fire Begins // Story: The Friendly Plague // by TheClownPrinceofCrime //------------------------------// It was early afternoon in Equestria. The Legion of Doom were traveling to the city of Canterlot to commence their attack on the ponies, particularly the princesses, the Elements, and Discord. They knew that with their powers combined, they will be unstoppable. They were confident more than ever that they will triumph over their enemies and crush the heroes for good. Equestria will surely be in their hooves and hands forever. Grogar led them through the Everfree Forest while on their way to Canterlot. His minions were former Queen Chrysalis of the Changelings, Lord Tirek the magic eating centaur, King Sombra the former tyrannical ruler of the Crystal Empire, and lastly, Cozy Glow the former student of Twilight Sparkle from the School of Friendship. He stopped trotting and turned to face his lackeys. “My comrades, if we are to seize this land once and for all, we need to construct a strategy. Canterlot is a highly guarded city since the princesses rule there. The best way to take them all out is through the element of surprise.” Grogar spoke. “As a changeling myself, I’ll volunteer to distract the Royal Guard. I can tell you how easily gullible they are. They’ll fall for any trick you throw at them!” Chrysalis chuckled. “Tell me about it!” Cozy concurred. “I remember when all the students fell for my deceptions at the School of Friendship and made them turn against Chancellor Neighsay! Haha, that was fun!” “And let’s not forget about Discord. That weak-willed turncoat was blind enough to work with me until I got him right at the moment! Absorbing his precious magic tasted delicious!” Tirek gloated, licking his lips. “Vengeance and destruction will be more delicious when we exterminate anypony who will stand in our way! None shall dare cross us or fight us once we destroy Twilight Sparkle and her weak friends!” Sombra added with an evil smirk. “Right you are, Sombra. Now that we are together, it will take much more than just friendship for them to stop us all. Now let’s get into business, shall we?” said Grogar. “Chrysalis, I need you to put your shapeshifting abilities to good use in order to distract the Royal Guard. Also, do not even bother to battle them; for the moment you hit, shoot, or attack one, the guard falls. Thus, do so with minimal effort.” Grogar ordered. “Gladly! I also despise those incompetent fools! It would be a waste of strength to even battle with them. They go down within five seconds at least.” she said. “The same goes for the rest of you in regards to the Royal Guard.” Grogar commanded them. They nodded their heads in understanding. “Tirek, you will burst through any door you encounter. If Discord confronts you or starts to attack you, you know exactly what to do.” Grogar ordered while wickedly smiling. “Oh yes, I do.” Tirek grinned. “Sombra will brainwash all the ponies of Canterlot to side with us to attack the Canterlot palace. Cozy and I will take on the princesses.” he finished, looking at Cozy. She look confused when he mentioned her. “Ummm, but I'm just a kid with no magical powers. How can I fight them like this?” she asked. “Fear not, little Cozy, you shall have a portion of my power to remedy that lack. The alicorns will be powerless against you, me and all of you.” Grogar promised. Grogar rang his bell and shot a a large wave of magic at Cozy. The filly remained the same but a with large horn on her forehead, big wings on her back, and an armor plating that surrounded her neck. She flew up to Grogar in surprise. “Mr. Grogar, I’m...I’m now an alicorn!!” “Indeed, you are. Your power is now superior to that of the princesses. You can wipe them out with one full blast.” Grogar grinned wickedly. “I love it! Twilight will cry for mercy when I will finish her!” bragged Cozy. “There’s no time to waste, my friends! Together, Equestria is ours for the taking!” Grogar shouted. The whole Legion laughed evilly together as they were now savoring the victory. They will have the biggest time of their lives in tearing the heroes apart. However, things started to go south. The black and purple panther who overheard them earlier spied on them from on top of the tree branches while invisible. He looked down on them and waited for the right opportunity to introduce himself. He refused to allow the Legion of Doom to hinder him from gaining his objective. “Let’s move on! Canterlot shouldn’t be far from here.” Grogar commanded. They went forward for several more miles until they saw Canterlot in the distance. The villains grinned widely at the sight of their first target. “This is it. Those poor ponies won’t stand a chance against us.” Grogar grinned. “Neither will you.” an intimidating voice spoke. The startled villains turned around to see the peculiar wild cat emerge from the shadows. The panther evilly grinned at his stunned prey. However, the moment Grogar set his eyes on him, he widened them in pure shock and absolute unusual fear. The villains looked at Grogar confused and anxious. “No...no...NO, NO, NO, it cannot be!! How...how are you here?! This cannot be happening!!” Grogar screamed. The panther chuckled sadistically. “Whyyyy, if it isn’t my precious big brother in a futile attempt to prove his worth.” he said. He then glared at the Legion beside the horrified ram. “You think your weak wannabe minions are going to be successful in everything they do? How sentimental...” “What?! That animal can talk?! How is that possible?!” Chrysalis cried in disbelief. “I didn’t know walking piles of garbage can talk. You learn something new every day.” The panther condescendingly spoke. “Brother, how...did you get here?! Why...?” muttered Grogar. “You know this creature? He’s your brother? It can talk? I have so many questions!” Cozy shouted. Sombra and Tirek stood there speechlessly. They didn’t know if they should be terrified or doing something to appease the situation. “Comrades, my brother’s name is...” Grogar said before the animal spoke again. “Slash. That’s right. I’ve escaped from that cruel prison where you placed me. I was about to fulfill my destiny by creating all the monsters needed to destroy Gusty the Great until you interfered!” Slash angrily said. “That was MY duty to fulfill. I was the one appointed to be their creator, not you! You didn’t have the integrity or the wisdom to guide them in the right direction!” Grogar defended. “Your crimes against our family were too great for us to keep you around. I had to in-prison you!” “Oh, shut up, do not even take the high horse now and act all holy and perfect.” Slash snapped. “Besides, you are an insignificant pathetic excuse of a necromancer who was always our mother’s favorite. Man, was she that dumb and naive before her death?” “DO NOT SPEAK OF HER LIKE THAT AGAIN!!!” Grogar bellowed in anger. Slash circled them while his paws generated his electrical magic. “I believe it’s high time that you feel the pain and suffering that you put me through while I was in-prisoned in Tartarus for 500 years and before then. Your beasts of burden here will have that same experience as well.” he said before he stood on two feet and shot his magic behind them creating a huge portal. The Legion grabbed hold of the ground to avoid being sucked in. Slash had his paws turn magnetic to remain firmly on the ground with no struggle. “WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?! THIS CANNOT BE HAPPENING!!” Sombra cried before he was sucked in. “I can’t hold on! The portal is too strong!” Chrysalis shouted before turning into a monkey to get a firmer grasp on the grass. Slash breathed purple fire on her that pushed her off the ground and sent her flying to the portal. Cozy held unto Tirek’s arm while he was stabbing his arms into the dirt for anchorage. Grogar tackled Slash on the ground to subdue him. He punched him several times on his face, but the evil animal scratched the ram across his muzzle with his claws. Grogar was then kicked on the chest by Slash which caused him to hit Tirek and Cozy from the ground; the remaining three screamed in terror as they were sucked into the portal before it closed behind then. Slash wickedly laughed in triumph. “Those fools will have an exceptional time with dangerous creatures that will...give them the shock of a lifetime. Now, where shall I go now?” he said out loud. He looked around the landscape and noticed Ponyville in a distance. He grinned widely. “Now there’s a sight. That’s where I’ll execute the first phase of my plan.” Slash finished before walking out of the forest.