Six months. That was how long it was since the day the Elements Of Harmony left to investigate the strange light in the Everfree Forest. Since then nopony has heard from them or even seen them at all. It was around this time that Celestia began to worry and ordered the guards on high alert in case any sightings of the Elements were reported, but there was nothing, and no sign of any of the six ponies was found. Everypony that knew them feared the worst and were worried sick, and Celestia was no different. As those six days passed, Celestia paced back and forth in her royal chamber as she tried yet again to think of something to get them back. She considered using an old artifact from her early years as a princess but felt that she would be breaking a promise that she made Starswirl to never go through the mirror ever again.
“Princess?” A guard asked her during one of her walks as she was looking truly somber.
“Yes?” She asked in a voice that lingered with sadness.
“Our squadron returned from the badlands and… they’ve found nothing. I’m sorry to report this your highness,” the guard said as he removed his helmet. Celestia sighed as she turned to her throne and sat down on it.
“Very well. This leaves me with no choice. I want you to gather our best scouts and Shining Armor. I must show the Captain something I swore I would never go near again, and send out the scouts to look for the ponies on my list,” Celestia said as she and the guard left the throne room but as they did Celestia could’ve sworn she heard a deep, dark laugh echoing in the shadows.
“What the buck… damnit! Note to self, never buy a map from a Saddle Arab,” a tawny griffoness growled as she stared at a map. The griffoness kept looking at the map in the light of her camp fire but it still didn’t make any sense. She followed the path just like it said but according to it Ponyville should be right where she is. Instead, she found herself on the edge of a cliff. But what she never realized was that she had the map upside down.
“Screw it. Damn ponies always conning poor souls.” She hissed as she crumpled up the map in her talons and tossed it off the edge. As she walked back over to her campfire, she watched as a midnight black pegasus wearing shining gold armor flew over to her.
Crap. She thought as the guard landed.
“Are you Gilda the griffoness?” He asked her.
“So what if I am?”
“I need you to come with me.”
“For what? I haven’t done anything wrong since I-”
“Let me rephrase that. You are coming with me,” The pegasus said as he placed a hoof on her only to have it grabbed and then slammed into a rock.
“Listen bozo. I came here to apologize to a pegasus I insulted and fix a rocky friendship which I need now more than ever so stay out of my-”
“Let me rephrase that one more time. You’re coming with me because Princess Celestia requests an audience with you.” The guard interrupted.
“She wants an audience? With me?” She asked letting go of the ponies hoof and watching as he got back to his hooves.
“Yes. Now if you refuse to come I will drag you to her in chains.” He warned as he pulled out a set of hoofcuffs big enough to wrap around her talons.
“Alright. But why?” She asked.
“She needs to show you and five others something. Now hurry, there’s no time to waste,” He said as he flew off.
“What could the princess want with a griffon like me? I bet Rainbow Crash and her lame friends said something that got me in trouble with her,” Gilda growled as she flared her wings, before taking to the sky after the pony guard.
“Stupid runt. Thinking he could make a fool out of-” A red teenage dragon grumbled before slamming his fist into a boulder, cracking it in two. “I’ll show him. No dragon makes a fool out of Garble and gets away with it. I’ll show him just what happens when you mess with the best,”
Garble grumbled as he trudged through the lava pits as he contemplated the little purple dragon that humiliated him and his friends in one move. He even had to hide behind ponies, ancestor forsaken ponies, who fight his own fights! Yet he made a laughingstock of him and his friends. Everywhere he went, he was called a ‘weakling’ and ‘hatchling’ for that. Even since then, Garble would beat down any dragon that called him a name. But he also had a strange feeling within him that only appeared after Spork or whatever the runt called himself left with the ponies. Was it possible he was feeling-
“HEY HATCHLING!” And now that feeling is gone. He turned and saw a dark brown dragon snickering at him.
“What do you want?” He growled.
“Just wanted to ask… how’d it feel to lose to a baby?!” The dragon asked before breaking down into a laughing fit. Something inside Garble, though it happened many a time before, snapped as he heard the laughing dragon and just like the others his eyes suddenly only saw red and he knew no more but what was happening in the real world was that he was beating the dragon within an inch of his life and then trying to drown him in the lava pits with just his one claw. After a minute, he came back to the real world and saw what he was doing. He threw the dragon back out and watched as he spat up hot lava.
“WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!” The dragon roared.
“I-I’m sorry. I-I didn’t mean to-”
“GET AWAY FROM ME PSYCHO!” As he roared this the brown dragon flapped open his wings and flew away to wherever he lived. Garble could only stare in disbelief before he felt an unwanted sensation on his shoulder. He felt the armored feeling of a hoof touching him.
“Are you Garble from The Fire Heart Clan?” A voice asked. Garble turned his head and saw an armored pegasus.
“I am. What do you want?” He asked.
“Princess Celestia requests an audience with you,” The guard explained.
“About what?” He asked.
“She needs to show you and five others something. If you don’t agree I’ll-” The guard began. Garble simply glared at the pegasus and growled.
“You’ll what?” He growled.
“I will put you in chains and drag you to her myself. Do you want to ask anymore dumb questions?”
“I’d like to see you try and put those chains on me,” Garble growled as he extended his claws. The pegasus sighed and waved his hoof. Garble barely had time to raise an eye scale when he felt something peck his neck. He looked down and saw a small needle sticking out and soon felt really light headed.
“W-What did you-” Garble began. But then, he felt his knees turn into jelly, making him fall onto his scaly stomach. A few seconds after that, the loud sounds of snoring was heard.
“Oh my. This is truly dreadful news.” A blue unicorn said as she read the front page of the Equestria Daily newspaper. “Trixie wonders if Twilight is okay wherever she is.” She said as she placed the paper down. Suddenly she felt like a pair of eyes were watching her every step and breath. She looked around the tavern that she was in and saw that several ponies in armor were, indeed, staring in her general direction.
“Trixie Lulamoon, we need you to-” One of the guards began. But before the guard could finish, Trixie used a flash spell, creating a powerful light that blinded nearly everypony in the room. She got off the barstool and ran out the backdoor of the tavern. But just as she opened the door she was met with several spears that were pointed right at her.
“L-look Trixie is v-very sorry about what happened in Ponyville but Trixie doesn’t-”
“Trixie Lulamoon if you would let us finish we are trying to say that your past criminal offenses have been waived, if you will join us to see the princess that is. She has requested your need.”
“W-what? But why would Celestia-”
“She didn’t explain all of the details to us. She just wants your presence at the castle as soon as possible. Now, please come with us,” the guard said gently. Trixie simply nodded as she walked behind the guards and wondered what the princess wanted her for.
The city of Cloudsdale was normally a marvel to beheld by not only the princesses and other earth bound ponies but even the pegasi have been overwhelmed by it’s beauty but today it was empty and void for good reason. Today was the first of the year that the Wonderbolts would be hosting tryouts for their team and only the best of the best could join them every pegasi knew this. One pegasus in particular knew this better than the others because she was kicked off. Not for being horrible, on the contrary she was one of their best fliers, but for endangering her team. Now this mare was on the bottom, wandering the streets of Cloudsdale as she looked for something to eat. Wherever she went, ponies looked down on her, the rumours of her supposed recklessness having been spread around the city like a plague.
“LIGHTNING DUST!” A loud voice called for the teal green pegasus mare. She turned towards her boss in the burger joint.
“Yes Flap Jack?”
“We got an order on table sixty five. Make sure you get there and try not to screw it up this time please?” The pegasus stallion Flap Jack said as he pointed towards the table she was delivering.
She looked at it and realized why her boss said it. The pegasus that was sitting at the table was her normal tormentor ever since she was kicked out. The worst part? The pegasus was also her brother.
Of all the ponies in Equestria, why did it have to be him? She asked herself as she picked up the plate and started her way towards him. This bucking sucks. I could’ve been flying with the Wonderbolts. But no, I had to be a bitch and get booted out. She thought again as she neared her brother.
“Hey dodo what’s up?” The stallion said as he smirked.
“Here’s your order sir. Enjoy,” Lightning said through gritted teeth as she put the plate down a little forcefully.
“Whoa. Somepony’s cranky. Need me to get you the you-know-what sis’?” He asked, making Lightning growl.
“Shut. Up. It isn’t that. It’s just the fact that I’m serving the only pony that I hate besides Rainbow Dash,” she replied. Her brother just chuckled at this.
“Are you seriously angry about that? I figured you would’ve gotten over being-”
“DON’T YOU DARE FINISH THAT SENTENCE!” Lightning roared at him. Everypony in the burger joint turned their heads and stared at Lightning and her brother.
“Lightning, calm down. You don’t want to cause a scene,” he said as he heard the heavy huffing of his sister. Lightning took a deep breath and then put on a smile that even an illusionist would’ve thought was fake.
“I hope you enjoy your meal sir. Have a nice day,” Lightning said as she went back to the kitchen.
“Dang it sis if you’d just listen you’d hear that I’m trying to help you.” Her brother said as he chomped down on his hay burger. Back in the kitchen, Lightning sat in a stool as she silently sobbed to herself.
“I-is it too much to ask f-for a second chance?” Lightning sobbed to herself before she heard metal hooves connecting with the floor.
“Lightning Dust?” A stallion’s voice asked her.
“W-who wants to know?” Lightning asked gingerly as she turned to see a snow white pegasus in gold armor.
“I’m Sergeant Cold Steel. My superiors are looking for you. You’re not in any trouble by no means.” He said as he saw the surprised look on her face. “We just wish to show you something and need your assistance.”
“W-What do you need my help with?” She asked as she wiped the tears out of her eyes.
“The princess requests that you come to the castle immediately.” He said.
“A-Alright. B-But my job-”
“I’ve already explained everything to your boss. He said that you are allowed to come with us,” Cold Steel interrupted. “Now please, come with me.” He said as he exited the room. It took her a minute but Lightning got off the stool and followed the guard.
Come on you stupid piece of junk let me through already. A young girl said to herself as she stared angrily at the stone statue in front of her. It has been a few minutes since she stood at it but she had her patience worn thin. She continued to stare angrily at the stone slab until it finally rippled like water, before becoming smooth once more, and then she smirked a little.
Finally. She thought as she touched the mirror, only to have her hand go through it. She then continued into the mirror and when she was fully inside of the mirror, she felt a wave of tingling surge through her body. A few moments later and she suddenly had hooves and a horn sprouting from her forehead. She soon fell from the portal and landed on the floor with a thud along with the clattering of hooves beneath her.
“This will never feel natural,” she groaned as she struggled to get up.
“Why Sunset? Still used to walking on two feet?” A voice asked. Looking up, the mare saw an alicorn she thought she’d never get to see again.
“Celestia. And here I was hoping I could get out of here without you seeing me but noooo. I had to be caught,” She groaned, pushing herself to her fe...hooves. “So, here to arrest me for my crimes against Equestria?”
“Relax Sunset I’m not here to arrest you but I need your expertise in mirror travel to help me.”
“Help you? The great Celestia needs my help? Give me a good reason I should help you,” Sunset laughed loudly, before sneering at this princess who returned her hard look.
“My student Twilight has gone missing-”
“So what?”
“-along with her friends after I asked them to go to investigate a disturbance in the Everfree and so far they have yet to return., Celestia explained.
“But still, why should I help them? You didn’t care that I left,” Sunset pointed out angrily.
“I did. I felt a piece of me fade away from not stopping you. I know that you are still upset that I made Twilight my new star pupil but that is all in the past. You need to act in the present,” Celestia said as she approached the unicorn. Sunset merely rolled her eyes.
“Okay but I’m not doing this for either of you. I’m doing this to avoid being sentenced,” Sunset said as she followed Celestia.
“Sunset, you won’t be alone when you go to find them. I’ve recruited others to go along with you,” Celestia said.
“And who are the “others”?” Sunset asked.
“You’ll see when they arrive.” Celestia said. As they walked down the corridor, Celestia swore she heard somepony chuckling an evil chuckle. I hope I’m just hearing things.
However in a different dimension deep in the darkest pit in that realm a giant machine was watching with blood red eyes through a glistening pool at the scenes.
“She has recruited them. Just like you predicted my apprentice,” the machine said in a light yet raspy voice to a pair of green eyes.
“Tch like I expected anything else. After six years now she cares about me and the others,” the other being said.
“I know my apprentice. But soon, you’ll be able to collect new ones for me. Go get the others. Tell them we’re about to have company.” The machine ordered.
“Yes master.” The being said as it slowly walked away. The machine sighed as he turned towards a giant building that looked like a face.
“The first part of the prophecy has come to fruition. Again the legends of the matoran seek to betray me. I have unleashed Rahi to frighten them but they have grown braver,” as it said this it pointed to a stone picture of a strange scorpion. “I have unleashed Borohk to destroy their homes but they grew stronger from it,” once more it pointed towards what appeared to be a picture upon which weird beings that seemed to be shaped like orbs were shown.
“Now they have forced my hand. Now I must unleash those who never are supposed to see the light of day.” The machine said as he pulled out three worms from the ground. As the worms wiggled like crazy, the machine waved his hand and dropped them onto the ground. They then moved to three different pillars and crawled into the immobile figures inside. The beasts stirred for a bit before they were freed. The creatures, besides being bizarre looking with their strange bodies and weird spines, were also differently colored, green blue and brown respectively
“I will poison their unity, their duty I must destroy, and their destiny I will shatter.” As the machine said this he soon heard the clattering of metallic hooves from behind him.
“Master. What do you want us to do with these newcomers once they arrive?” A scratchy voice asked.
“Simple,” He said. “Bring them to me.”