//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2: Army of Six 
// Story: Misfits 
// by MattTOB 
//------------------------------//

Luna hovers a ways outside of Canterlot, staring at the carnage. She simply left to get Shining Armor and Cadance a present, but when she returns, Canterlot is already under siege? What did she miss?!

Quickly realizing that she is exposed, she ducks behind an outcropping of the mountain. Lighting up her horn, she scans for the magical signatures of her sister and the Elements.

They're weak, but they're still in there. They must be unconscious.

Luna's eyes widen. She takes a glance at Ponyville; already, Changelings are beginning their descent on the nearby town. If she is to get help, she'll need to go elsewhere.





Back in Manehattan...

Icarus, Ollie, and Tepid Waters are sitting by the pool, drinking their morning drinks and talking. Lite the moth is sitting on the armrest of Icarus's chair.

"...so I say to the mare, 'Ginger? I barely know 'er'!" Ollie recounts, and everypony laughs.

As they laugh, the door to the pool area opens, and in walk Cupcake Foil, Morning Dream, and Lavender Burst.

Icarus immediately notices, and rushes over. "Cupcake, you're back!"

Cupcake grins, "Yep, you can't keep me away."

Tepid smiles. "See? They'll always make it back, one way or another."

Ollie stands up and addresses the two new mares. "So, who're your friends here?"

"I'm Lavender Burst, and this is my mom, Morning Dawn. We're traveling botanists, and we actually found Cupcake on the side of the road."

Icarus shakes their hooves. "Well, thank you for bringing them back. Wanna hang out with us for a bit?"

Lavender looks to Dream, who nods, "We've got some time before market opens."

"Great!" With that agreed to, Icarus leads them over to the group. "I'm Icarus, this is Tepid Waters, Ollie, and my pet moth, Lite."

Lavender leans over to get a closer look at Lite. "Aw, he's so cute! Where'd you get him?"

"I rescued his mom about four months back, and she was my pet until she passed. He's about thirty-nine days old."

Lavender holds out her hoof, which Lite gladly climbs onto. "Moths are so cool! Did you know that some moths don't have mouths?"

The unicorn chuckles. "I did, in fact, know that; my parents were entomologists. How'd you know?"

Lavender chuckled, "I just like to read trivia."

"They 'were'?" Morning asks. "Did they...?"

Icarus quickly shoots that down, "No, they just switched professions a few years back. My dad's a soldier now, while my mom takes care of n—foals."

Morning nods. "What about you, then?"

Icarus turns to show off his cutie mark: a plume of fire. "I'm a pyrotechnic. Need something like fireworks, sparklers, or even dynamite? I'm your guy."

Cupcake puts their wing around his shoulder. "Me and him go together like vodka and orange juice, 'cause a party ain't a party without fireworks!"

"Must be exciting," Lavender ponders wistfully. "All we do is grow and sell flowers."

"I swim for a living," Tepid Waters points out, "and I love it."

"Well, I don't." Lavender glances to her mom and adds, "No offense."

Morning Dream takes it well. "None taken."

Lavender glances at Ollie, "What about you, Ollie?"

He blinks, having been content just listening. "I'm just a stunt pony," he says. "I ride a skateboard and do tricks."

Lavender and Morning both nod.

Before they can continue, a hotel employee approaches them. "You guys had better come out here; Princess Luna is calling a gathering in town square!"

The six all look at each other, confused, before following the stallion out.





"Citizens of Manehattan, thank you all for coming on such short notice," Luna begins just as the six join the crowd. "As some of you may have heard, today was to be the wedding of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and Captain Shining Armor.

"However, it is my displeasure to inform you that Canterlot... was attacked today."

Several gasps ring out through the crowd, before they are silenced by Luna raising a hoof.

"Indeed, it is tragic. Seeing as the Elements and the Royal Guard are... busy... at the moment, I would like to send out a call for volunteers to follow me to the city and help with the... situation."

Several murmurs are heard through the crowd — some being rumors beginning about how bad the situation must be if Luna is calling for volunteers, others being frightened talk about how intimidating Luna is. Icarus, personally, is wondering why Luna hesitated so much during her speech.

Then a hoof shoots up. "I'll volunteer."

Gasps, mostly from the friend group, are uttered as Ollie steps forward. "I'll help however I can."

Quickly, Tepid shoots up a hoof. "I'll do it, too!"

This is followed by Icarus and Cupcake Foil. Morning Dream and Lavender Burst look at each other, before slowly raising their hooves, too.

Luna blinks. 'Six ponies? How fitting...'

The group makes their way through the crowd, past the hushed whispers from ponies too afraid to join. They eventually make it to where Luna stands, and bow before her.

Luna looks over the group, then smiles. "Excellent. You six will do just nicely. The rest of you," she turns to address the crowd, "lock your doors and stay safe, lest the attackers come here."

Almost immediately, the crowd disperses, rushing to get to a safe area. This leaves the six alone in the presence of Luna.

"Now," the Princess begins, "before we head out, I must inform you that I left out a few details from that speech."

"I kinda figured from how you kept pausing," Icarus mumbles to himself.

Luna ignores this comment. "First of all, the Elements and Guards are not 'busy', so to speak; from what I could tell, they have actually been captured."

The group gasps. "How'd you manage to get out?" Ollie asks concernedly.

"I was not there at the time of the attack; instead, I was fetching my present for the bride and groom." She holds out a wrapped box.

"What kind of wedding present requires you to leave Canterlot?" Icarus asks.

"That is irrelevant at the moment," Luna denies. "What is more, the attack is still ongoing."

"Then why'd you stop at six volunteers?" Lavender asks.

"With a smaller party, it will both be easier to sneak in, as well as easier to coordinate with. Besides, six is a rather nice number, wouldn't you agree?"

The group talks amongst themselves, coming out with, "I suppose."

"Wonderful," Luna nods. "Glad you agree. Now, shall we be going?"

They all nod. Luna lights her horn, and they vanish from the square.