It was another typical day in Ponyville. Twilight Sparkle and her friends, along with Starlight Glimmer, Trixie Lulamoon, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Toola Roola, and Coconut Cream, were walking along, minding their own business. They were still relishing the adventure they had at the Grand Palace Cinema just the other day.
“I heard of immersive theater, but the Grand Palace Cinema takes it to a whole ‘nother level!” Applejack commented.
"I'll say! I can't wait to go on another adventure in that place!" Rainbow agreed in excitement.
“Who knows what other crazy things we could encounter next time?” Pinkie spoke with eagerness.
"And that's not all!" Nyx said with a smile, "Because of how well they did alongside us the other day, Toola Roola and Coconut Cream are now new members of the Cutie Mark Crusaders!"
"That's great!" Twilight exclaimed proudly.
"And it's great to be part of a group of good friends, too!" Toola Roola remarked happily.
"It's wonderful to see your group of friends is getting even bigger, my little ponies." Twilight said with a smile.
"I agree! How could it get any better than this?" Spike asked happily. Just then, he looked like he was gonna barf, until he belched out a scroll with his magic fire.
Twilight looked curious, “It’s been a while since that last happened.”
"What's going on?" Starlight asked in confusion.
"It's a message from Mom!" Ben Valorheart exclaimed.
Every pony gathered around as Twilight opened the scroll and began reading it.
Dear Princess Twilight,
I need you and your friends to come to my castle immediately. It's a very urgent and serious emergency, and I'm having all of you be the first to know what is happening since you're Equestria's greatest heroes. Please hurry, Equestria needs your help.
“A serious emergency?” Fluttershy asked, suddenly looking concerned.
"What could be the problem?" Rarity asked in concern.
"Only one way to find out: We must go to Princess Celestia so that she can explain to us what happened," Twilight said seriously.
"We better get to Canterlot right away, then!" Applejack exclaimed.
Without any disagreements or second thoughts, the Mane Six, Spike, Nix, Ben, and Phobos rushed for the train station where they hopped onto the first train to Canterlot. During the whole trip there, they couldn’t help but wonder what could be urgent enough to have their presence needed with the Princesses.
Soon, they arrived at Canterlot, headed to its castle, and went inside it. Once they entered the throne room, they saw where Princesses Celestia and Luna resided, both looking very serious.
“Princess Celestia, Princess Luna.” Twilight greeted them, bowing to the two with respect, “We got your message and came as soon as we could.”
"Twilight, Ben, Nyx, thank goodness you have come." Celestia said in a serious and worried tone, "Something terrible has happened."
"What happened, mother?" Ben asked in concern.
"Do you recall the statue of Tirek, Chrysalis, and Cozy Glow?" Luna asked.
“Yeah. Why?” Spike inquired, looking concerned.
"Well, the statue is gone, and what's left of it are stone fragments," Luna replied grimly.
Twilight gasped in worry, “You don’t think this means…”
"That's right," Celestia said with a worried expression, "Tirek, Chrysalis, and Cozy Glow... are free!!!"
"Oh, no!" Nyx cried.
"Three of Equestria's most dangerous villains freed from their stone prison?!" Ben asked in shock, "How?!?"
Fluttershy stuttered, not sure how to get the right words out to convey her shock over this news. She instead collapsed onto her back with her legs pointed up in the air.
"Fluttershy!" Twilight cried on noticing this.
"I got this!" Rainbow exclaimed as she flew over and whispered to the fainted Pegasus, "Fluttershy? Angel got into the carrots without permission again."
Upon hearing that, Fluttershy yelped before getting up, looking annoyed as she scolded, "Angel! Get out of...." She noticed the others sighing in relief before realizing what was going on. "Oh....you're saying that to wake me up, did you, Rainbow?"
"Yeah, sorry, it's the only way to do so," Rainbow admitted to her friend with a shrug.
"Well, thanks anyway," Fluttershy said.
“Did they ever find out who let them free?” Applejack asked the princesses.
"One of the guards who happened to be there told us exactly what he saw that night, including who let them free." Celestia explained.
“What’d they look like? Just say the word and we’ll take them down!” Rainbow exclaimed, looking determined.
"According to the guard, there was a red skeletal humanoid figure, a brown-clad witch, a winged lion-like creature wearing gold armor, a female wearing scorpion-like armor, a half-white, half-camouflage-color skeleton, a short, blue-skinned hobgoblin-like creature with a large horn, a dark blue vampiric creature that looks like a cross between a monkey and a crippled-winged bat, a white bird-like creature, and an armored pig," Luna explained.
“Did he see where they went?” Spike asked.
"He couldn't, because the red figure knocked them out with a lightning spell." Celestia replied.
All of the ponies and dragons exchanged worried and concerned looks. Now that their enemies were free and roaming the world to cause trouble, they knew their troubles were at an all-high time once again.
The worried look on Nyx's face turned to determination as she spoke, "Well, wherever they are, we'll find them, and we'll stop them before they could even get a chance to conquer Equestria!"
“Yeah, but where do we start?” Spike asked.
"That's a good question, Spike." Applejack remarked.
"For the time being, keep your eyes and ears open for when something involving Tirek, Chrysalis, Cozy Glow, and their liberators comes up." Celestia informed the group.
Twilight nodded, “We will, Princess Celestia.”
"Hmmm, from those descriptions, that means only one thing...." Pinkie said as she began to think thoughtfully.
"Yes?" The others asked their friend, wondering what she was suspecting.
"These new guys are....from another dimension!" Pinkie boomed out as organ music begins to play dramatically.
"Discord? Did you have to play that now?" Luna asked Discord in annoyance as she glanced at the former villain playing the organ nearby.
"Sorry, I can't help myself," Discord said with a shrug.
"Oh, oh! Do the baseball theme!" Pinkie exclaims happily as she bounces up and down.
"Certainly!" Discord spoke like Curly Howard as he played the "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" song.
"Pinkie, you and Discord are so random," Rainbow said in annoyance.
"But Pinkie does have a point," Ben spoke seriously. "If what she said is true, these new villains must be from another dimension!"
Discord played the dramatic music again. Luna glanced as she spoke, "In that case, it's your task to find out where these intruders are from."
"We will, Princess Luna. You can count on us." Twilight said.
Then the group began making their way out of the castle to head back to Ponyville. Unknown to Twilight and her friends, Celestia, and Luna, a familiar pony was watching them from a big globe of light. He had a serious look on his face as he watched and listened to the whole conversation.
"As I said, this is only the beginning." Bethesda remarked, "Those descriptions that Luna mentioned... I know exactly who they are, and especially where they're from. It's time to bring Twilight and her friends over." He smirked a bit as he added, "And I wouldn't mind my theater having some spectators, too, like a few certain ponies who adventured with them last time. So, I think I shall, uh... use the map."
Then the dark blue unicorn closed his eyes as his horn started glowing.
Meanwhile, back in Ponyville, Twilight's group got off the Canterlot Express at the train station.
“I still can’t believe it; Tirek, Chrysalis, and Cozy Glow are on the loose again.” Applejack mused, still trying to let the news sink in.
"Discord's not gonna be happy about this." Fluttershy said in worry.
"Yeah, and finding them could take a long time," Rainbow added.
"We'll think of something," Ben assured the others.
"Yeah." Nyx agreed. Just then, she heard a pulsating sound before she turned to her cutie mark, which was glowing and pulsating. "My cutie mark!" She gasped.
“Hey, mine too!” Pinkie exclaimed, noticing her cutie mark glowing and pulsating as well.
"All our cutie marks are glowing!" Twilight gasped upon looking at hers, then everypony else's.
"Your cutie marks aren't the only thing glowing!" Spike remarked, "Look at my head!"
The group turned and gasped in amazement that the green scales on the top of the purple baby dragon's head were reacting the same as their cutie marks.
"Why, Spike! You're being called by the map, too?!" Rarity asked in shock.
"It looks like he is, and so am I!" Phobos exclaimed, showing the moon on the tip of his tail reacting just like Spike's head and the ponies' cutie marks.
“That can only mean one thing…” Twilight mused, “The Cutie Mark Map is calling us!”
"Then we better head back to the castle and check the map right away!" Applejack spoke.
"Let's go!" Ben shouted as the group trotted/flew towards the castle.
As they galloped/flew towards the castle, a familiar voice cried out, "Hey, wait for us!" A familiar voice cried out.
While dashing towards the castle, the group turned to see Starlight, Trixie, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Toola Roola, and Coconut Cream catching up to them until they were running alongside them.
"Starlight! Trixie! Cutie Mark Crusaders!" Twilight exclaimed in surprise, "Is the Cutie Mark Map calling you, too?"
"Yeah, and that's the first time it ever happened to me and Coconut Cream!" Toola Roola spoke in an excited tone.
"And Trixie, too!" Trixie added with pride.
"It must be important to summon all of us at once!" Scootaloo remarked.
“Well, what’re we waitin’ for?! Let’s move!” Apple Bloom exclaimed, making haste for the Castle of Friendship.
Once inside the castle, the group, including the CMCs, Starlight, and Trixie, ran up to the Cutie Mark Map.
They all carefully looked over the map of Equestria, wondering where it could be summoning them to. It didn’t take them long to notice that their cutie marks and scales were hovering over…
"Hope Hollow?" Trixie asked in confusion as she raised an eyebrow.
“What, is it summoning us there to see another movie?” Starlight joked.
"Right, and if it's the case, that means that Pinkie may be right." Rainbow spoke. "And our new enemies are from another dimension!"
Dramatic music was heard as everyone saw Discord playing the organ once more.
"Okay, will you stop doing that?" Twilight snapped at Discord in annoyance. "We aren't turning this into a running gag."
"Sorry. I'll be off now." Discord said with a slightly sheepish grin before he and the organ disappeared with a snap of his fingers.
"Hmm... Well, Bethesda did say that his theater is magical." Twilight said, getting back to the subject.
Rainbow gasped before she asked in shock, "What if those villains Princess Luna mentioned are from one of those films?!"
“You mean they could be going to the movies, too?” Spike asked.
“But to cause problems in said movies?” Pinkie added, looking worried.
"Oh, my gosh, you might be onto something, Rainbow Dash!" Twilight exclaimed in worry, "We better get to Hope Hollow right away!"
"Villains?" Starlight asked in confusion, "What are you girls talking about?"
"There is a new group of villains, and thanks to their leader, Tirek, Chrysalis, and Cozy Glow are free!" Nyx explained urgently.
The pink-furred unicorn was at a loss for words the second she heard the black Alicorn say that. “… what?”
"Tirek, Chrysalis, and Cozy Glow are free?!" Sweetie asked in shock and horror.
“How’d they even do that?!” Scootaloo exclaimed, looking panicked.
"By cracking them wide open," Nyx explained clearly.
"What kind of dark magic does that new villain have?" Coconut Cream asked in worry.
"I don't know, Coconut, but somehow, we've got to stop all those villains and save Equestria, and possibly, other worlds!" Twilight said with determination.
"Then it looks like we'll have to use the hot air balloon to fly to Hope Hollow again," Applejack remarked.
“I doubt this time, we’ll get there in the blink of an eye.” Rarity couldn’t help but comment.
Just then, at that very moment, the same bright rainbow glow that happened to the group during their hot-air balloon travel started occurring again. This time, it was right where they were standing.
“What in tarnation?!” Applejack exclaimed.
"It's that rainbow glow from the other day!" Apple Bloom cried.
"Why use a hot air balloon to come to my theater, when I could just teleport all of you?" A familiar voice asked rhetorically, echoing from the glow.
"Bethesda!" Twilight gasped, recognizing the voice.
Trixie looked confused, “Has he been watching us this whole time?”
"Yes." Bethesda's voice boomed out. "But not the private parts when you use the bathrooms. Even I got standards."
"Oh, good." Trixie said with a nod of confirmation.
"My Pinkie Senses must've tingled somehow during our trek back to Ponyville!" Pinkie exclaimed.
Rainbow looked at Pinkie. “How’d you not feel your own Pinkie Sense?”
"Well, duuuuuh! The author just mentioned it." Pinkie explained playfully to Rainbow. "And now his friend just mentioned it. And this. And this. And...."
Get on with it, Pinkie!
"Oops, sorry." Pinkie spoke sheepishly. "Anyway, my Pinkie Sense comes and goes. Besides, I felt a tingle in my head and my flank during the train ride back to Ponyville, but then it stopped. It felt like somepony was triggering my Senses with magic on purpose."
"Right on the mark, Pinkie Pie." Bethesda's voice said, "Now, hang on tight, my little ponies, as I summon you all."
Then the rainbow glow flashed very brightly, enveloping Twilight and the rest of the group gathered around the Cutie Mark Map.
A moment later, as the flash subsided and the group unshielded their eyes, they slowly opened them and saw, to their amazement, that they were right at the front of the Grand Palace Cinema.
“Wow! We’re back!” Spike exclaimed in surprise.
"That was even quicker than the last time!" Ben spoke in astonishment.
"Come on, as they say, let's go to the movies." Twilight spoke to everyone with a grin.
"We're with you, Twilight!" Starlight said with a grin, and she and the rest of the group went inside the theater.
"Man, I still can't get enough of this place!" Rainbow exclaimed as she looked around the interior.
"Boy howdy, and the staff is still so nice," Applejack spoke, waving to a pony who is working the concession stand.
"We went to that theater the last time when we experienced The Pagemaster," Nyx said as she pointed at a certain set of doors.
“I wonder what movie we’ll experience this time around?” Fluttershy spoke aloud.
“I hope it’s a movie about two star-crossed lovers who meet on an ill-fated voyage and the boy saves the girl in more ways than one.” Rarity commented dreamily with a content sigh.
"Ugh, not a chance," Rainbow remarked dryly. "I rather it sink!" The white unicorn frowned at her as the blue pegasus continued, "In fact, I'd rather it be an action film! A superhero film! An adventurous film!"
"Maybe you wanna be the Last Action hero!" Rarity remarks, giving the same dry comment as she did.
"No way, that would be mission impossible!" Rainbow scoffed right back.
"Now, girls, let's not fight." Fluttershy spoke calmly to her two friends, "I'm sure whatever we're seeing is good as what you're suggesting."
Then a spotlight shone on an area with another set of doors close to the group.
"There's our theater, everypony." Toola Roola announced upon noticing.
"Bethesda is no doubt in there." Coconut Cream stated.
"Then let's get inside," Twilight said.
The doors opened by themselves with a glow as the group headed into the theater. Sure enough, waiting inside was Bethesda as he stood before a film screen.
"Welcome, my little ponies." The dark blue unicorn greeted Twilight and her group as they walked up to him.
“Hello again, Bethesda.” Twilight greeted in response.
"So what's the scoop, Bet?" Ben asked Bethesda curiously. "Does it involve whoever just broke our enemies out of that statue?"
"Why did you summon us all here?" Fluttershy asked the owner of the theater.
"I'm glad you asked, Ben and Fluttershy." Bethesda replied, "I have been watching you from my special globe. I watched and heard everything between you all and Princesses Celestia just now, including what happened last night."
"You mean you know about Tirek, Chrysalis, and Cozy Glow's escape along with the new villains?" Apple Bloom asked in amazement.
"As a matter of fact, regarding the villains Luna described to you- I know exactly who they are," Bethesda said with a serious look on his face.
“Really? Who?” Spike asked.
"The villains are precisely from one of the films in my theater," Bethesda replied.
"I knew it!" Rainbow exclaimed.
"Where can we find them?" Twilight asked Bethesda.
The dark blue unicorn pointed to the screen behind him as he replied, "You will find them right in this movie because that's where the red leader and his associates are from."
"Well, then, let's all go in that film and kick some flank!" Apple Bloom shouted with confidence, "When we're with the Mane Six, Ben, Nyx, Spike, and Phobos, we'll be ready for everything!"
"Yeah!" Sweetie, Scootaloo, Toola Roola, and Coconut Cream shouted in unison.
"I'll go, too, for Princess Twilight!" Starlight added with a confident smirk of her own.
"And so will the Great and Powerful Trixie!" Trixie added with a grin.
"Sorry, ponies, not this time," Bethesda said as he looked at the ponies that wanted to join the Mane Six, Ben, Nyx, and the dragons.
“Wait, what?” Starlight said in confusion.
"Why not?" Apple Bloom asked.
"This mission requires only the Mane Six, Ben, Spike, Nyx, and Phobos," Bethesda replied.
Trixie looked disappointed. “I was looking forward to taking down some bad guys.”
"Me too," Scootaloo said.
"Don't worry, little buddy." Rainbow assured Scootaloo, "I'm sure you and your friends along with Starlight and Trixie will go with us on another adventure."
"Or perhaps y'all could get in this adventure in a different way," Applejack added, "Ya never know."
"Ah hope you're right, Applejack." Apple Bloom said.
"So Bethesda, since you said the new villains are from this film, does that mean it's gonna be an action film?" Rainbow asked a bit eagerly.
"As a matter of fact, it is," Bethesda replied with a nod.
“So that means we might encounter superheroes??” She asked even more eagerly, her wings slightly flapping to show her excitement.
"You could say that." Bethesda replied with a wink.
“OMIGOSHOMIGOSHOMIGOSHOMIGOSHOMIGOSH!!!” Rainbow chanted excitedly, wings flapping even harder.
"In fact, this film is full of surprises for all of you," Bethesda smirked.
The ponies and dragons all exchanged looks of curiosity. All of them were wondering what Bethesda had meant by that, but weren’t sure how to ask him.
"What surprises are in this film?" Twilight asked.
"You'll know soon enough," Bethesda replied, "Until then, get ready to enter the portal."
With that said, the Mane Six, Ben, Spike, Nyx, and Phobos got onstage, Rainbow flying on ahead and landing on and trotting in place a bit eagerly.
"Good luck, you guys!" Starlight said as she, Trixie, and the CMCs took their seats.
"Yeah, kick those villains' butts for us!" Trixie added.
"Don't you worry, we will!" Nyx assured the blue unicorn with confidence.
"Before you enter the film, take heed of these coming words," Bethesda instructed Twilight and her group just after the countdown on the screen reached zero.
“What are they?” The lilac Alicorn asked.
Just then, as the screen shows a field of stars, a soothing female voice got the attention of everypony in the theater as it spoke the following words that appeared:
Centuries ago, a legendary inter-dimensional being known as Zordon came to the city of Angel Grove to establish a command center for his never-ending struggle against evil. With the aid of his trusted assistant, Alpha 5, the noble master sought six extraordinary teenagers and gave them the power to transform into a superhuman fighting force. In time of great need, the young heroes could use their powers to call upon colossal assault vehicles known as Zords. The identity of the six remained a guarded secret. Today, that tradition continues...
Twilight and her friends inwardly read the narrated words as they appeared on the film screen. They couldn’t help but wonder who this Zordon was and his assistant Alpha 5. All these questions continued through their minds before a bolt of lightning flashed across the screen, nearly startling them as they looked back at it. Now displayed on the screen was what they assumed was the film’s title:
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
Just then, a bolt of lightning struck just underneath the title, displaying two more words underneath.
The Movie
"Cool!" Rainbow exclaimed with a grin.
“Mighty Morphin Power Rangers…” Spike read in awe.
"Awesome title!" Nyx exclaimed.
"Is this movie supposed to be based on a TV series?" Pinkie asked her friends curiously. "And not really canon to it but is still neat?"
"Ah believe it is, Pinkie," Applejack replied.
"Come on, let's go!" Twilight said to the others.
"Um... okay," Fluttershy said timidly.
"Don't worry. You and your friends will be fine." Bethesda assured the yellow pegasus, "In fact, perhaps you'll need this spell I'll put on you once you entered the film."
"What spell, darling?" Rarity inquired curiously.
"To turn you all human, of course," Bethesda replied.
"Human? Like how I looked when I went to Canterlot High?" Twilight replied.
"In a way, but this is a little different," Bethesda said.
The lilac alicorn looked both confused and intrigued. She wasn't sure how this spell to turn her and her friends human could be any different from the humanoid form she had assumed any time she had journeyed with Spike to the world of Canterlot High. However, she figured she would like to see what Bethesda had meant for herself.
"What do you mean different?" Nyx asked in curiosity.
"You'll soon find out, my little ponies," Bethesda replied.
“Well, in that case, ready, everypony?” Twilight asked.
"Ready, Twilight!" Rainbow replied with confidence.
And then the group headed inside the movie screen to start their second filmatic escapade.
“Good luck, my little ponies.” Bethesda spoke as the group walked through the screen.
And with that, he, Starlight, Trixie, and the CMCs all began watching the film. Only Bethesda knew this, but Twilight and her friends were about to have what could be their greatest film adventure yet.