//------------------------------// // The Magnet’s Nemesis // Story: The Malignant Magnet // by derpyland //------------------------------// The magnet used its newfound energies to slingshot around a row of mailboxes and soar high into the sky. Down below, frightened ponies were already running out of the city as fast as their legs could carry them. Flee, little ponies, the magnet cackled to itself. Flee for your lives! As the magnet briefly hung over the city of Ponyville, it sensed another presence of good – a presence that showed no signs of leaving town. This one was centered inside a rather prominent bakery. Wasting no time, the magnet allowed itself to fall toward the ground and then slung itself right through the plate glass window of Sugarcube Corner. It shot through the air, demolished a beautifully-decorated red velvet cake (which had white icing, if you must know), and embedded itself into the far wall. A pink pony screamed in dismay as she saw her delicious cake topple to the ground. The sight of such goodness being utterly demolished almost deflated her bouncy mane. Saddened but not defeated, she turned her head and stared curiously at the black circular object that was now firmly embedded in the wall of the bakery. When the magnet got a good look at the distressed chef, it was filled with an unspeakable horror. It can’t be! But – how is that possible? How could your spirit have possibly endured? “Well well well,” Pinkie Pie said suspiciously. “And just what do we have here? Is that what I think it is?” The magnet trembled. It had made a grave miscalculation! Yes, that pony was indeed a nauseating force for good – but there was another aspect to its nature that it had entirely missed. The being who was staring at it and frowning was not an ordinary pony. It had a peculiar magical presence that the magnet had not felt in eons. Pinkie Pie was filled with chaotic party energy – the very antithesis of the evil rage that animated the magnet. The magnet knew that it was in tremendous trouble, for it had no viable defense against the Element of Laughter. What could it possibly do to a pony that laughed in the face of danger? Using all the power it could muster, the magnet stretched its magnetic field toward the stove, pulled itself out of the wall, and desperately fled the store. But the pink pony was just as fast. Pinkie was outside in a heartbeat and raced toward it, grabbing at it quickly with her quick hooves. If Pinkie Pie had caught the magnet right then and there, Canterlot might have been saved and the Moon spared. If she had just been a little faster, or if she had eaten more candy that morning – but, sadly, it was not to be. Pinkie was fast, but the magnet was faster. In a frantic move the magnet focused on the nearest metallic object and launched itself high into the sky, desperate to get away from the cloud of pink chaos that had nearly ensnared it. Pinkie Pie remained on the ground and watched as the magnet flew into the air and soared off toward Canterlot. As it disappeared from her view, Rarity walked up to her. The white pony’s rage had not diminished in the slightest. “What in Celestia’s name is that thing?” Rarity demanded. To her surprise, the talkative Pinkie Pie said nothing. She simply stared into the sky in silence. “I think it’s a magnet,” a voice called out. Rarity turned her head and saw that Twilight was hurrying toward them, with Spike not far behind. “It used to be part of my lab equipment. Something must have happened to it, though, because it’s apparently gone crazy.” “I think you mean gone evil,” Rarity said angrily. “That cursed object destroyed my entire line of bridal attire! And it did it on purpose. I just know it!” Twilight shook her head. “It’s just a magnet. Magnets don’t have feelings, and there are no such things as curses. I’m sure there’s a simple, logical explanation to all this!” “I wouldn’t be so sure of that,” Spike commented. “I think something really bad is going on.” Pinkie at last spoke up. “This looks like… a magnet emergency. And there is only one cure for magnet emergencies.” “What’s that?” Twilight asked, thinking back to the parasprite invasion. “Musical instruments?” “No, silly! I need to find an anti-magnet.” Twilight frowned. “A what?” “An anti-magnet! A thing made of pure anti-magnetism. That’ll do the trick!” “But Pinkie, there is no such thing! The electromagnetic force–” But Pinkie was already gone. Spike spoke up. “So… what do we do now? Do you want me to write a letter to Celestia?” “And tell her what, exactly?” Twilight asked. “That a magnet is rampaging through town? That Equestria is in danger? Do you know what she would do if someone told her that Equestria was in danger? She would send us to take care of it! So that’s what we’re going to do. After all, we have Rainbow Power (tm). Nothing can stop the power of our friendship!” It was a noble thought – really, it was. But they did not reckon on the power of evil magnetism.