Before the attack in the Everfree.
Location: Canterlot castle
The door to the royal balcony was opened by the solar princess herself as she looked across her magical kingdom of Equestria. It’s once again a marvelous evening. Celestia took a sip of tea and sat the cup on a nearby table as she began to channel her magic into her horn.
The sun began to set ever so slightly, enough to make one think it was setting on its own accord. While setting the sun, Celestia felt like something was off. It started as a stinging feeling but Immediately turned into a major migraine. She stumbled to the floor, her focus no longer on the task at hoof.
After a while, she got back onto her hooves and looked out into the sunset, her eyes squinting, trying to find anything out of the ordinary.
“This hasn’t happened in a long time, I must tell Twilight about this.” Once back inside, she Headed over to her desk, the fire creating light and a warm glow in the room she stood in, she pulled out a parchment, quill, and ink. She began to write on the paper after dipping the quill in the glass of ink.
“Dear Twilight Sparkle, I have recently felt two major disturbances deep within the Everfree forest. I need you and your friends to investigate, I have picked up powerful changeling magic, I will be sending a few of my best guards for your safety, be careful, from your mentor, Princess Celestia.” Wrapping up the message, she teleported it towards the quaint little town of Ponyville.
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Twilight and her friends were in the castle of friendship, all bored of having no missions since the defeat of Chrysalis and the rise of Thorax.
“Man, can’t things be more fun around here,” Rainbow Dash grumbled while flying in circles, trying to relieve herself from boredom.
“Come on, RD, it’s better than being trapped in that green goop,” said Applejack, playing with her stetson.
“Hey, I meant to get captured, I had a plan to get out of there.”
Leaning up to Rainbow, Applejack smiled mischievously.
“Oh, and what was your plan exactly, Rainbow?”
Rainbow Dash started to stutter on her words while Applejack’s smile only grew.
“Fine, I didn’t have a plan, but I could still fight with both my hooves behind my back.”
“Honestly, is fighting all you two can think of, why not a more cheerful subject,” Rarity said from behind, making her way to her designated seat.
Before Rainbow Dash or Applejack could retort, Twilight ran in with a scroll in her telekinesis.
“Whatcha got there, Twi?” Asked Applejack.
“I don’t know, Applejack, the princess just sent me this only a few minutes ago.”
Twilight unwrapped the scroll and began to read.
“Dear Twilight Sparkle, I have recently felt two major disturbances deep within the Everfree forest.
I need you and your friends to investigate, I have picked up powerful changeling magic, I will be sending a few of my best guards for your safety, be careful, from your mentor, Princess Celestia.”
The six looked at each other before Rainbow flew into the air and fist pumped. “Yes, we finally get some action.” Um, do we have to go into the Everfree forest, at night no less. Not to worry, Flutters, you can speak to the animals and we can get to whatever the princess wants us to find. Rainbow is right, we can make it through if we all go, we have the Elements with us. Well, if you insist, I guess I’ll go, if that’s okay with you. I really dislike that forest, but I really need to get a batch of flowers for a dress. Rarity levitated a picture of a dress in development. Alright, let’s go.
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It was still night as the six wandered through the deep Everfree forest, the sounds of forest critters were everywhere. Twilight led the group, her horn glowing a vibrant pink. She was using one of her tracking spells to find anything out of the ordinary.
“So, twilight, how do you know this isn’t some kind of animal of the forest?” Rainbow said while flying over the group.
Twilight rolled her eyes and returned her question.
“Because, the princess wouldn’t lie to us about an emergency like this.”
“Oh come on, Dash, where’s your sense of adventure?” Applejack playfully nudged her rainbow friend.
“Hey, it’s here,” rainbow pointed to her chest.
I just don’t like going out in the Everfree forest that much.”
“I do agree with Rainbow Dash, this is a very… icky forest,” Rarity complained as she walked into a pile of mud.”
“Girls, quiet, I think we are getting close”.
After shushing the group, Twilight motioned everypony to follow her lead. Silently making their way through the bushes, they came upon a gruesome scene. Dead bodies were everywhere, so mutilated that their species couldn’t be identified.
The group gasped in shock as they saw the carnage. Dead bodies of timberwolves also littered the ground along with strange pellets of unknown origin. Immediately Fluttershy started crying at the sight of not the human bodies, but the Timberwolf carcasses.
“Who could do such a thing to these poor creatures.”
Rainbow shot into the air, looking at the carnage along with her friends. A pit of rage started to boil in her stomach after seeing her friend break down into tears.
“Well, whoever did it, I’m going to show them what happens when you make my friends cry!”
We should really keep moving, said twilight, who did her best to ignore Rainbow’s wrath.
“Before we left, I got a second message from the princess saying she wants whatever we catch to be brought to Canterlot for further questioning.”
Nodding, the group set out, not knowing how difficult it would be to bring them back.
A pair of blue eyes in the shadows watched the six ponies depart as an insect-like creature with black chitin, purple wings, and a horn emerged from the brush. It looked both ways before pulling out a Samsung phone.
“Your majesty, it’s me, the six ponies are planning on bringing your test experiments to Canterlot.”
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Rick Miller sat in his chair while sucking on a lollipop. A group of private military contractors stood in front of him.
“Is that so?”
“Of course Celestia would do something like this.”
The changeling on the other side of the phone watched the six disappear into the foliage.
“So, what should I do now?”
The man was engulfed In a blinding green light. His hands became hooves with holes similar to Swiss cheese. His body began to morph into a quadrupedal creature. Sharp teeth replaced his human teeth as a new creature in the same business suit walked up to the guards, who now looked the same as the changeling drone in the forest, all had assault rifles.
“Building my new hive in this magnificent world teeming with tasty emotions, I could live within the government for an eternity.”
“I do not plan on returning to Equestria as I feel at home here.”
The changeling on the phone was worried his Queen would never return.
“But queen Chrysalis, what about the other Changelings that still follow you?”
“I will make another portal so the rest of you can join me, with my weapons inside of Equestria, they can cause the destruction, I will return in a matter of years when I retire.”
The changeling said his goodbyes as he hung up and flew away.
Chrysalis hung up on her end of the phone and turned to a camera feed, looking at her private air base that was stationed in the countryside of California. She transformed into her human form and grabbed a remote and the entire air base was engulfed in green flames as it disappeared off the map.
“I’d like to see you deal with this, Celestia”.
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The sun immediately rose into its rightful position and it bugged the heck out of the sleeping trio. Jake was the first one to wake up, getting to his feet, he saw that everything wasn’t a dream after all since they were still stuck in the clearing.
Blade walked over and started licking Delta’s face as she tried to ignore the excited dog. Having enough, she had no choice but to wake up. The sunlight hit the now awake team’s eyes, well, the ones who weren’t eaten.
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Jake’s POV
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I was still getting used to this new night and day cycle, and I probably won’t get used to it no matter what I do. I saw Matt working on that radio, his face full of concentration as he pressed buttons and tried signaling any nearby aircraft or ground units.
“Work work work work, for the love of god, would you work!!!”
My eyes went a bit wide at his sudden outburst but I didn’t pay much mind to it. My stomach began to alert me of my need for food. I scolded myself for not asking Matt for some of that chicken he was cooking. Seeing my youngest up, Charlie walked up to me. She only came up to my waist while Delta came up to my chest.
“Um, dad, what’s for breakfast?”
The girls' diets consisted of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and meat. They can eat meat due to the small unnoticeable canines and the grinding teeth in the back part of their mouths making them more predator than prey, to put it simply, they were omnivores. They share the DNA of humans, that's how they can speak like human beings.
I knew we had to eat something so I told Matt to watch the girls while I go hunt for something to eat. I don’t have a hunting license but this was for survival, and being in another world entirely.
Making my way deeper into the forest, I saw various creatures scamper into the bushes, no doubt running from me. I trekked through the forest until I came to a tree line.
“Is that… a house?”.
I stared in utter disbelief as there right in front of me was indeed a small house, or cottage with animals all around it. I decided to take a closer look as I silently broke out of cover to inspect this odd cottage.
Moss covered the place and many birds and other critters scattered at the sight of me. I walked up to the door and I immediately knew someone resided here. Extending my arm, I knocked once. I waited for a while but no one answered, I knocked twice…. No answer. I may not be a guy to give up so easily, but I can make exceptions.
As I was about to knock for the third time, two big helicopters soared overhead. It seemed they were headed to base camp. Abandoning all thoughts on trying to make contact, I ran towards the direction the two choppers went. I know i didn’t get any food but at least we could get food once the helicopters take us back to wherever they came from, it was a win win.
Once there, two helicopters of Killborne security laid on the grass. Matt walked up to me and told me what was going on.
“So what’s happening, Burg?”
“Let’s just say the base we were stationed at recently was engulfed in green flames, similar to that vortex we saw.”
Jake’s mind: “another vortex, something is definitely up.”
“To make a long story short, you work for me since we have officially lost contact with my boss.”
“Uh… okay, cool beans, boss.” I replied, unsure about this whole vortex thing.
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End of POV
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Seeing nothing could go wrong at this moment, Jake decided to get ready for the ride until Blade started barking at the forest behind us.
“What’s up with him?” Asked Matt, now focused on the dog rather than the helicopter.
“I don’t know, but I’m going to check it out.”
“Be careful, that one wooden wolf killed the entire team, who knows what other hell spawned beasts inhabit this forest.” Burg warned me, getting ready for the flight back to the air base.
Now at a reasonable distance, Jake held up his rifle, scanning the foliage with his weapon as he flicked the safety off.
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End of Jake’s POV.
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Matt was talking to the pilots while keeping an eye on the two equines next to the second helicopter. He didn’t really trust them, seeing that they could completely annihilate him in an instant, he kept peering to the side so they didn’t make a move.
The smallest was just preening her feathers while the oldest fidgeted with her Kevlar vest, adjusting her equipment. Seeing they were both occupied, he continued the chat with the helicopter crew.
He was cut off when a few gunshots were fired as Jake was flung right into the first helicopter’s hull, knocking him out cold.
“Daddy!” Screamed Charlie as she ran up to him, placing her hooves on his forehead as to stop the flow of blood traveling down his head.
“Delta, I need you to check his head for any injuries?” Said Charlie as Delta ran up to Jake.
Delta’s irises changed from their vibrant green to a cold white as she stared at her father with great intensity. She saw a fractured skull, it wasn’t very bad but if not treated could have terrible results.
“He has a fractured skull, it isn’t horrible but we need to get it treated,” said Delta, worried for her father’s well being.
Charlie had the ability to heal bullet wounds and other minor injuries due to having the DNA of the African spiny mouse. Despite her healing factor that can affect others around her, making Charlie a remarkable medic, she could not heal injuries such as Jake’s.
A group of six ponies and a few armored ones came out of the forest to their right.
The pilots and Burg took out their weapons and aimed them at the advancing group.
“That’s for making my friend cry you monsters!” Said a cyan rainbow maned Pegasus.
Turning her head towards the Pegasus who attacked Jake, Delta’s vision was no longer clear, her vision was blood red, the rage she felt towards the cyan Pegasus was far greater than a thousand suns.
“Hold your fire!” Yelled Delta as she slowly made her way towards the group, the dog following suit, showing his large teeth.
The helicopter crew didn’t want to listen to her but Matt decided to follow along, telling the pilots to do so.
“Stand down, all of you.”
The pilots and crew knew not to disobey a direct order and did as told, holstering their sidearms. Only meters from the unknown hostiles, delta came to a stop. Nowhere near the size of the princesses, she still made some of the smaller ponies' knees shake.
“Give me a reason why I shouldn’t incinerate you on the spot!” Spat Delta, closing the distance between her and the cyan Pegasus.
The Pegasus had to slightly look up at Delta and to be honest, she felt rather intimidated in front of this unknown Alicorn, seeing that she could make that threat come true. Applejack came to her aid which made Delta take a step back, alarmed by Aj’s sudden and quick approach.
“I don’t know who you are, but no one talks to mah friend like that, ya hear?”
One of the guards saw that things were getting heated and told the others to head back into the forest and flank each side of the aircrafts and have their crossbows loaded with non-lethal rounds aimed at Burg, the pilots, Blade, and Delta. After a while of standing around, the guards in the forest attacked.
“Fire!” The lead guard yelled as the others shot the group and the dog who all went unconscious.
One by one, the armored ponies began to drag the unconscious humans, dog, and pony to a chariot that was brought down by two Pegasus guards. One of the medics, a mare, which was a rare occurrence in the guard, even in the medical unit, saw Charlie hiding behind the unconscious body of Jake.
She slowly came over to the young filly who backed up, pressing herself against the helicopter’s cargo door, whimpering in fear. The mare’s heart ached at the sight, knowing how scared the filly must have been. Keeping her distance she tried to get Charlie to come with her.
“Corporal Sunny Shield, we’re waiting for you,” said the commander, out of patience.
“Sorry sir, Just give me a second and I will be with you in a minute, sir”, She replied, turning her attention back to the terrified filly.
“It’s okay, sweetie, I’m not going to hurt you, I only want to help you, will you let me help you?”
Charlie’s eyes were the size of pinpricks, her breathing became labored but as she stared into Sunny Shield’s deep sapphire eyes, she realized she meant no harm to her.
Charlie slowly shuffled towards her, flinching once and awhile until she closed the distance between each other.
“There you go, see, I’m not going to hurt you,” Sunny Shield whispered, shushing Charlie who walked next to her as they strolled up to the chariot.
“Hey, got yourself a little friend there, Sunny?” Mocked a guard.
Sunny gave a slight glare to the Private who kept chuckling as the two hopped into the chariot, Charlie didn’t say a word, as she sat with the rest of the ponies, unicorns walked up to the helicopters levitated them into the air as they disappeared along with the unicorns.
“Where are we going?” Asked Charlie, still worried about everything.
Sunny Shield pointed to the mountain distance. Charlie zoomed in on the mountain and saw something that boggled her mind.
“Is that a city”