//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: Here we are again. // Story: The Misfits: Reviving harmony // by Cyber System //------------------------------// Equestria, a place of peace and harmony. One would normally think that everything would be similar and nopony would tease or mock one another if they had a difference. However if one were to think of such they would be wrong. Enter, The Misfits, a team of ponies who want nothing more than to fit in, they wander Equestria in search of ponies like them who don't want to be shunned, but rather accepted. And it all started with one unicorn, Cyber System, who lost his magic in a lightning strike and became a scientific genius, making many inventions such as mechanical hands, a cart that can turn into a house when needed, and the first fully emotional and willful equine robot, Clockwork. Of course he never did any of this alone, after all The Misfits only started with four members. Starting with Cyber, The Misfits gained ponies such as Dusty, a pegasus with a love for digging and a fear of heights; Fang, a pony who is a part of a newly discovered pony kind known as predator, which eat meat and have hunting instincts; and finally Mixy, a hybrid crossed between a pony and a changeling, one of the most feared and hated creatures in Equestria. The routine was normal for The Misfits when it was just the four, they would enter a town, see if anypony needed their help, then leave all while keeping an eye out for Canterlot. However everything changed when they entered the humble town of Ponyville, where they met all kinds of new friends and arrived at Canterlot with the help of Princess Twilight Sparkle. While at Canterlot, The Misfits showed their true potential to accept anypony by adding Solar Eclipse, a unicorn with the ability to control fire trough thought and emotions, however his anger makes him very dangerous and unpredictable; and Moonlight Shadow, a pony who controls darkness and shadows with a thought, however she keeps her origin a secret. Time went on, and more problems were solved by saving the entire predator kind from a famine, along with the addition of Marine, a hippocampus princess; Pixel Berry, a very shy satyr; Laa-Mohr, who's curse brought bad luck and disasters wherever he went; and Clockwork, who was built not just by Cyber, but one of Cyber's closest friends, Lyra Heartstrings, who may have a slight human obsession, but her knowledge combined with Cyber's allows the two unicorns to do extraordinary things together. However as much as they wanted to stay, The Misfits left Ponyville to continue their journey across Equestria, anxiously waiting for the day when they return, which may perhaps be very near after hearing about Twilight's new castle. "Come on, guys!" Cyber said. "If we continue now, we'll reach Ponyville by this afternoon!" The ocean blue unicorn could hardly contain himself. "Could we take a break at least? We're exhausted!" complained Dusty. "Speak for yourself, I'm ready to go," Fang replied with a toothy smile, showing his sharp teeth. "Not all of us are able to run non-stop, Fang," Eclipse argued. "Even Clockwork is exhausted," the albino unicorn pointed to the bronze body of Clockwork, which was turned off. "He's not exhausted, just low on power," Cyber replied. "Which is the same as being exhausted." Cyber sighed, knowing he was beaten. "Alright, we can see Twilight's castle tomorrow," The Misfits sighed out of relief. "Does anypony even have the energy to stand?" asked Mixy as she collapsed. "I can manage," Moonlight said under her cloak. "Shall I gather some firewood?" Cyber nodded. "Could you get some rocks to set up the base of the fire while you're out?" Moonlight nodded and trotted off. "Hm? Are we stopping?" Pixel asked as she woke up from her nap inside the cart. The satyr became in clear view with her upper human body and white pony legs and wings, covered by a strawberry pink hoodie and dark blue denim pants. "Just for a while, we'll be continuing for Ponyville by tomorrow," Cyber responded. "Alright, anything I can help with?" "Not at the moment, Moonlight's getting supplies for the fire." "You think that it will be easy to make it?" asked Laa-Mohr. "For the last time, Laa-Mohr, your curse won't cause a problem, and even if it does, we've got Eclipse." Eclipse rolled his eyes. "Is Marine still asleep?" asked Fang. Pixel nodded. "She's still in her tank, should I wake her up?" Fang shrugged. "If you want to, it won't really matter, just tap on the glass." "I thought she hates that," Dusty argued. "She does, but nothing wakes her up better than that." "Why do fish hate that anyway?" asked Laa-Mohr. "Probably something to do with sound and vibrations," Cyber answered as Moonlight returned with a large container made of shadows that was full of rocks, wood and dry grass. "If you're going to start speaking in science again, don't," Moonlight said as she presented the items to Cyber, who used all four hands to set up a campfire, once that was all set, they just needed to light it. Cyber looked at Eclipse, who nodded and put his hoof on the dry grass, without any action and just from Eclipse's heat, the grass caught on fire and soon the wood burned in a steady glow. "There we go, now to cook up dinner. Clockwork! Are you charged yet?" Cyber called out to the automaton, which instantly came to life and began moving. "Oh dear, I may have overworked myself, that never happened before. Cyber is there something wrong with me?" Clockwork said as his screens that displayed eyes changed to express emotions. Cyber smiled. "If there was something wrong, you would've known. Could you please wake up Marine? and get what we need for dinner while you're there." Clockwork nodded and trotted to inside the cart, where not too long later he emerged carrying bags of ingredients such as flour, cheese and a few herbs. Next to him was Marine rubbing her head in pain and annoyance. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop tapping on my glass?" Marine scolded as she used her fish tail to move her robotic hind legs that allowed her to walk and breathe on land. "Calm down, Marine," Mixy said. "It's not going to kill you, is it?" "Sure feels like it will," Marine grumbled as Cyber took the ingredients off of Clockwork's back as he got to work on dinner. "So, you guys excited for Ponyville?" Fang asked. "Yeah! I can't wait to beat Rainbow Crash," Dusty replied. "Well, I'm going to ask Twilight about the weird events that were happening, like that Tirek guy." "Oh yeah, what was the deal with him, anyway?" Eclipse said. "He sucked my magic from my horn and said it was 'spicy'." "He said mine had a weird aftertaste." Laa-Mohr said. "Mine apparently tastes like sandpaper," Moonlight said. "And he said mine had an 'exotic taste'," Fang said. "What is wrong with him?" "I don't know," Cyber said. "But did you see his face after he tried to take my magic?" "No," replied Mixy. "We were too focused on you after he threw you and Clockwork against a brick wall." "At least I softened your impact," Clockwork said. "No, you didn't," Cyber replied, rubbing his back out of pain. "Anyway, I still want to know what the deal was with that rainbow," Dusty said. "First some centaur takes my magic and my cutie mark, then later a rainbow appears and I can dig again." "Maybe Rainbow Dash had something to do with it," suggested Eclipse. Dusty scoffed. "If Rainbow Crash had something to do with that rainbow, I'll drink Marine's tank water." Marine grimaced. "Eeewww, gross! Don't make me swim in your backwash just so you can make a bet." Pixel snickered. "I'll be sure to get a cup for you, Dusty," Dusty rolled his eyes as Cyber finished up the dinner, which was a special food Lyra shared with them that each of the misfits could enjoy. "Lyra really knows how to make good food," Fang said. "This pizza is amazing." Cyber took a bite from his slice. "Lyra said that humans loved this food, they even put meat on it," Fang licked his lips at the idea. "Humans ate meat?" asked Eclipse. Cyber shrugged. "That's what Lyra said." "If that's true, I wouldn't mind living with humans for a while," Fang said. "I think Twilight told me about a portal that leads to a human realm, she didn't tell me anything else other than to not under any circumstances tell Lyra about it." "Ever," Clockwork added. "According to what is in my programming, if she hears about it she may not rest until she finds it, and if she does who knows what will happen?" "Perhaps it is best if we don't find out," Moonlight said. "Speaking of Lyra," said Mixy. "Are you excited to see her again, Cyber?" Cyber beamed with excitement as he nodded. "Of course! I plan on finishing the mechanical wings I've been planning on making with her." Eclipse rose an eyebrow at Mixy's question. "You still worried that they'll end up a couple?" Mixy blushed and shook her head. "No! I'm completely over that. I'm just going to let whatever happens happen." Eclipse shrugged. "Still, Cyber, if Lyra doesn't work out, Mixy's always available," Eclipse shook his eyebrows suggestively, making Mixy blush and Cyber roll his eyes. "I don't think that I understand," Laa-Mohr said. "Mixy had a crush on Cyber ever since they met but kept it a secret," Moonlight explained. "Then after Cyber started hanging out with Lyra, she started to think that they were falling in love and had some kind of confused nervous breakdown or something before she admitted her love, but now she's fine." "How can you tell? I suffered a split in my personality and it took me years to regain control." "I sensed that her dark emotions were gone." "You can do that?" Laa-Mohr asked. "Yes," Moonlight said monotone. "What do you sense with me?" "Pessimism, worry, and that dark split in your personality you mentioned." "I never said it was dark." "You don't have to, everypony has a dark side, some stronger than others, yours is already out but locked in a cage that can only be opened by the captor." Laa-Mohr stared at her wide-eyed and mouth agape, she was dead-on in describing his dark side, and he never even mentioned his dark side to her before then. "So, tell me, is your dark side an alternate personality, or just your own bloodthirsty temptations held back by your righteous wisdom?" Moonlight asked. "Moonlight, I think you're making him uncomfortable," Pixel said. Moonlight rolled her blank, glowing white eyes that were the only visible detail on her shrouded face. "Whatever." "At least she's speaking more," Cyber said. "Back when she was first a misfit, she would barely say a word." "Don't get used to it," Moonlight said. Time continued and already the sun was setting and the fire dwindled down to mostly embers, the brightest light source being Eclipse's mane that almost appeared to be made of fire. Marine yawned. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to bed," she said as she trotted into the cart, which had her large glass tank that she slept in. Cyber looked around to see most of The Misfits were already asleep, Moonlight was in her shadow realm in some kind of shadow bed, Eclipse lay on a small ring of ash, Dusty slept on a dust cloud, and Fang was comfortably on his side asleep despite laying directly on a large rock. The only misfits that weren't asleep needed a sleeping bag or couldn't make their own bed. Mixy, Pixel, Clockwork, Laa-Mohr, and Cyber. "So, how long are we going to stay in Ponyville this time?" asked Mixy. "Certainly longer than last time," Cyber began. "I'm thinking on having a vacation for once, and since Ponyville is the one place we can go without anypony staring, it seemed to be perfect." "I agree," Laa-Mohr said. "After all, I haven't properly thanked Zecora for dimming my curse yet." "And Lyra will be thrilled to be working again," Cyber added. "Makes me wonder when you two will be a couple," said Pixel. "How about next to never?" Cyber said. "We're just good friends, besides I don't want a marefriend." "I would reconsider," Clockwork said. "By taking into account both of your personalities, the odds of you two falling in love with a successful relationship are around 86.2% to 77.7%." Cyber looked at Clockwork unimpressed and annoyed. "Have you also accounted the fact that neither of us want a romantic relationship anytime soon, both of us are just simple friends, and the fact that I have not programmed romance in you. Besides, who's side are you on?" Clockwork shrugged. "I'm just stating what I know, not really taking a side." Cyber sighed. "I understand your concerns, but I just don't think I'm ready to have a romantic relationship yet, now good night." "Good night," the others replied before they all drifted into a deep sleep. Somewhere in an underground ruin where nopony has touched for eons, a single beam of sunlight shined on one of the several statues in the area, specifically the larges one. The statue remained motionless, except for the one eye that the light shined on, which opened up. 'Great, I blacked out again,' the statue thought. 'No matter, I have waited for long enough, and at least there's some light to absorb to keep me conscious for now. I wish that I could share some with my brethren, but sadly they only have petrifying darkness and stone to absorb to stay alive. I have only a small beam of light that only opens one eye and let's me think. But I will soon rise up, I just have to wait for another rainbow or something, what was it called again? Sonic Rainboom? Whatever, if I just wait a while longer, then I will rise again and the mergelings shall conquer Equestria with me, Malgama, as its ruler, and-' he was cut off as the light began to fade. 'Oh, for the love of-' the eye closed and the thoughts were silenced when the sunlight faded away.