//------------------------------// // Meeting of Generations // Story: Power Ponies: Heroes of the Next Generation // by N7_Spartan117 //------------------------------// Twilight was just about finished placing the last bit of refreshments out when the bell above the library door began to ring, and Spike and Rarity walked in. “Twilight, darling, we are here,” announced Rarity as she and Spike made their way to the back of the library for their meeting. “Oh good, you could come!” said Twilight as she placed a large tray of sweets on the table, “You guys are here early.” “Yeah, it was a slow work day,” commented Spike as helped Twilight with the rest of the hors d'oeuvres. “Thank you, Spike. So, how have you guys been?” “Everything is splendid!” answered Rarity, “Business has never been better, and Claire and Turquoise are doing well.” “That’s good. Speaking of which, were are they?” “Claire had to work today, and T should be on his date with Anthea right now,” answered Spike looking at the clock. “Like father, like son, I see,” remarked Twilight as she and her two guests sat down at large round table. As Twilight turned off her own Image Inducer, Applejack and Fluttershy started to arrive. “We’re here,” announced Applejack as she walked in with Fluttershy close behind. “Girls, you made it!” “You know we wouldn’t miss our little get togethers,” said Fluttershy as she took her seat beside Rarity, “So, how have you girls been?” “You know, same old-same old,” answered Twilight, “How about you?” “Annie and I are doing wonderfully,” answered Fluttershy. “Although, I do wish Annie would stop practicing her powers on the critters.” “Ah’m sure she does her best not to hurt them,” reassured Applejack as she took her place at the table. “I can’t believe how much Anthea’s abilities have evolved!” exclaimed Twilight, excited to talk about her prized pupil. “Her powers have grown at an accelerated rate, and I bet that before long, she’ll be able to use her telekinesis powers while in her diamond form.” “That would be interesting,” said Fluttershy. “How is Starburst doing?” Hearing this caused beads of sweat to form on Twilight’s brow. “Uh…. Starburst….. is… is.. doing well,” she said nervously as her eyes shifted back and forth. “You okay, Twilight? You seemed spooked,” asked Spike in a concerned tone. All eyes were on Twilight as she frantically searched her brain for a believable story. “Yeah… yeah, everything is fine!” Thankfully just as the others were about to press her with more questions, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie entered into the library. “Are you serious? She really said that in her sleep?” laughed Rainbow as she and Pinkie made their way to the meeting table. “Yup, and then she teleported away before I could get her to admit it,” answered Pinkie. “You’re a little late,” remarked Applejack as Rainbow took the seat next to her. “Yeah, I figured I would keep you waiting this time,” remarked Rainbow as she placed her hooves on the table, “So what have we missed?” “Nothing, we’ve just been talking about the kids is all,” answered Fluttershy as she began to take a sip of tea. As her mother hosted her annual Power Ponies meeting, Starburst had already made it to Sweet Apple Acres and found her friend Golden Delicious moving a large apple tree that was snapped in half. “Hey Gold,” said Star as she made her way to Del. “Oh hey, Star. How y’all doing?” asked Del as took off the harness he was using to pull the tree with. “Okay. You?” “Ah would be better if ah didn't have to pull this stupid tree,” answered Del as he turned his right front hoof into metal and kicked the tree. “I see.” As she watched Del struggle with the tree, the symbiote watched from inside Star’s head. “Why not help him?” asked the symbiote, “You seem to have affections for him.” “No, I don’t!” thought Star as she hid her reddening face from Del, “Del…..Del’s just a good friend.” “A good friend that you spend all your free time with, training?” asked the symbiote as he forced Star to raise an eyebrow for him, “Seems that there is something about him you are hiding from us.” “Hey Del, let me help you with that!” yelled Star to avoid talking to the symbiote. “Ah don’t know Star. You might hurt yourself,” said Del as he stopped to see Star already making her way towards him. “No, I won’t! just watch.” Star quickly grabbed the base of the tree and began to drag it towards the barn. As she dragged the tree, the symbiote began to strengthen every muscle in Star’s body, causing her to easily lift the two hundred ton tree three feet above the ground. Del could only look in shock as Star placed the tree inside the barn. “See, I told you I wouldn't,” remarked Star as she made her way back to Del, who stood with his mouth wide open in shock. “Uhhh……” “It seems we have caught the stallion’s attention,” remarked the symbiote, “Now we have achieved what we wanted.” “What are you talking about?” asked Star in her head. “We see the way you look at him. We are just helping you achieve your objective of winning his affection.” “Whoa, whoa, whoa, I do not have any feelings for him,” protested Star. “What gave you that idea?” “We are connected to your mind. We know what you think of him. That is why we are helping you right now.” “Uhhh, Star?” asked Del as he began to blush. “What are you doing?” Pulling herself out of the argument, Star’s face turned crimson red when she realized that during her argument she had been nuzzling Del, one of her large wings wrapped around him. “I….I….I am so sorry!” said Star as she jumped away from the red-faced stallion, “I have no idea what came over me.” “It...it’s okay, Star. I don’t mind it.” Both ponies’ faces turned a darker red as they realized what was just said. The symbiote could only smile as the pair stood in shock. The symbiote began to take over Star’s body and made her walk towards Del. “Wha...what are you doing?” asked Star as she began to panic. “We will gain his love,” answered the symbiote. “Now, just relax. We will have him soon!” “No, stop!” said Star out loud, “I don’t want to.” “Don’t want to what?” asked Del, unsure of what was going on. “Yes, you do,” remarked the symbiote, “We will have him!” “NO!” shouted Star, stopping in her tracks. Star had somehow managed to break the physical hold on her, surprising the symbiote. “What is this?” “Nevermind what it is. What did you just do to me?” asked Starburst in her thoughts. “We were only helping you,” answered the symbiote, forcing Star to give a shy smile. After hearing the symbiote’s statement, Star realized that her face was only an inch away from Del’s. “Are you okay, Star?” asked Del as Star backed away from him, blushing. “Yeah...yeah, fine!” said Star as she turned away from Del, rubbing her hoof. As she did, Star accidently hit the off button on the image inducer, showing her now black-coated alicorn form. “I’m really sorry we have to go Sweet Apple Acres,” apologized Annie as she and Turquoise made their way to the entrance of the farm. “It’s okay Annie. I don’t mind,” said T as he wrapped his large dragon wing around her, “So, what is it you need to get?” “Mom wanted me gets some apples for the animals, that’s all.” “Okay. Hey, who’s that with Del?” asked Turquoise as he pointed his hoof-claw at the black coated pony next to Del. “Who? All I can see is a dark blur,” remarked Annie, causing T to realize his poor choice of words. “I’m sorry, Annie. I forgot, I didn--” Annie gave T a small kiss on the cheek to calm him down, “It’s okay, T. I’m just playing with you.” “Oh, okay. You want to go see who it is?” T asked nervously. Annie only gave an existing nod in response. It did not take the couple long to make it to the strange pony. “Del...Del let me explain,” said the mare as she tried to talk to the scared earth pony stallion. “That sounds like Starburst,” said Annie as she tried to get a better look at black blur, “Is it her?” “I don’t think so,” answered Turquoise as he started to get a better look at mare, “She sounds like Star, but she’s an alicorn.” “Really? That’s so cool!” “Star, wha... what happened to you?” asked Del nervously as he examined Star’s black coat. “Did Del just call that mare Star?” “I...I was… Can you please keep this a secret?” asked Starburst as she gave Del a pleading look. “Please?” “Ah will, Star, but can you please tell me what happened?” asked Del as he placed a reassuring hoof on Star’s shoulder, causing her face turn bright red. As Star began to explain the situation, T and Annie galloped behind the downed apple tree to hide and hear their friends’ conversation. “We have intruders!” said the symbiote. The symbiote quickly raised Star’s right hoof and shot two long, black threads out of it, pulling the tree to reveal the spying couple. “T?! ANNIE?!” yelled Starburst in anger, but Del, Annie, and T only stood in shock of Star’s amazing abilities. “That was awesome!” yelled Prism as he appeared behind the moved tree, “How did you do that?” “PRISM!!!” yelled Star with the combined anger of the symbiote and herself as she shot another ‘web’ at the pegasus and flung him over to the others. “Owww, what was that for?!” “For spying on us, you miserable TWIT!!!” screamed Star as the symbiote messed with her emotions. “Whoa! Star, calm down,” said Del as he tried to calm Star. Seeing the look of fear in her friends’ faces, Star was able to regain her composure. “I’m sorry.” “Hello, Starburst,” said Claire as she and Candy appeared through a pink tear in space a few feet away. “Ready for our Girls Nigh-” Candy stopped mid-sentence when she and Claire saw their friend as a black-coated alicorn. “Anyone else want to appear out of nowhere?” remarked the symbiote sarcastically. “Okay girls, I think that was good meeting,” remarked Twilight as she put away a large stack of papers and books. “You know, these meeting would be less boring if you stopped documenting everything we say,” said Rainbow as she ate the last cookie on the table. “Or do,” said Pinkie, contributing to the list. “That too.” “Boring?!” exclaimed Twilight as she pulled out a worn-out notebook stuffed with loose paper and pictures, “I plan on writing a book about super-ponies after the Anti-Superhero Act!” “Let me guess: it’s called ‘The Boring Life of a Retired Superhero’,” remarked Rainbow. “No! I haven’t came up with a title yet.” “I like Rainbow’s title,” said Spike as he helped Twilight put away the rest of her notes. “Ah have to agree with Spike on this one,” remarked Applejack, with the rest of the ponies giving nods of agreement. “As much as I hate to admit it, I do as well,” said Rarity, “Sure, life’s been wonderful these last couple of years, but….” “It’s really super-duper boring!” exclaimed Pinkie Pie. “I miss being able to gallop around freely without fear of being discovered.” “I miss being able to shock bad guys with lighting,” commented Rainbow as she looked down her lightning bolt necklace. “I miss the fantastic costumes,” said Rarity. “Ah miss using the old lasso and hoofrangs,” added Applejack. All eyes went to Fluttershy, as she was the only one not contributing. “Don’t you miss anything Fluttershy?” asked Spike. “Uh….no...not really,” answered Fluttershy in a nervous tone, “I actually enjoy my life. I haven't had an incident in over ten years.” “Which is why I chose this place for us,” said Twilight, “Nopony would ever think to look for us here. It’s so peaceful.” “True.” “Anyway, I should be heading home,” said Rainbow as she got out of her seat, “Prism wants a rematch. He still thinks he can beat me in a race.” “Well, with the new armor I have designed, he should be able to reach speeds of Mach 2,” commented Twilight with a smile on her face. “We’ll see. First, I have to get him to stop staring at Candy long enough to find out.” “Oh, Candy doesn’t mind,” said Pinkie, “I’ve caught her staring at him a couple of times.” “Well, I guess that we should be heading home as well,” said Rarity as she made her way towards the door, “It was nice seeing you all again.” “Yeah, we need to do this more often,” remarked Spike as he rushed ahead of his wife to open the door for her. “Thank you, sweetie!” Rarity gave Spike a soft kiss on the cheek, “See you girls lat----” The whole room went silent as the former Power Ponies looked at the blue-coated unicorn mare with bloodshot and baggy eyes standing in the doorway. “Hello, girls,” said Trixie in a monotone voice.