In Canterlot Castle, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Princess Cadence were looking out of the windows in worry.
"I don't know what is happening, sister," Princess Luna said. "These New Heroes have no memory of how they gained their powers."
"And it doesn't stop here," Princess Cadence said. "There are reports in the Crystal Empire as well."
"I'm getting worried," Princess Celestia said. "How can so many ponies gain powers so quickly? I'm about to send a message to the Power Ponies. Hopefully, they have something that can help us."
Suddenly, the door burst open and the Power Ponies ran in.
"What a coincidence," Princess Luna said. "We were just about to summon you."
"Your majesties, there are superpowers showing up all over Maretropolis," Hum Drum said. "A lot of folks have it, including me."
"It's not just Maretropolis," Princess Celestia said. "Canterlot. The Crystal Kingdom. Saddle Arabia. Thousands of ponies from around the globe are gaining powers. We just don't know where it came from."
"We do," the Masked Matterhorn said. "It was a trio of human girls calling themselves the Siren Sisters; Carol, Melody, and..."
"Serena," Princess Celestia whispered in shock. "Luna, the sirens have returned."
"That is impossible," Princess Luna gasped.
"You know them," Princess Cadence asked.
"I'm afraid so," Princess Celestia said. "10,000 years ago, Discordant Convergence struck. We were prepared for the worst, but nothing happened. There was no earthquake, no flash flood, and no hurricane. We thought there was nothing wrong. Suddenly, we found three young ponies radiated by Discordant Convergence. They were dying. Suddenly, a unicorn came out and cast a spell on the girls. The girls changed into humans."
"The Siren Sisters," Mistress Marevelous said.
"Exactly," Princess Celestia said. "We thought that was the end of it, but Discordant Convergence's effect wasn't done. At will, the sisters could change into sirens and change society with their singing. It had to stop. So, the unicorn that saved them opened a portal and they were banished to a realm with no one for them to harm. We thought it was the end of it... until now."
"Well, how did they escape," the Masked Matterhorn asked. "And why are they creating superheroes?'
"We don't know," Princess Luna said, "But it seems we're going to need some additional help."
"Like who," Saddle Rager asked.
"The very unicorn who banished the sirens in the first place," Princess Luna said.
"But that was thousands of years ago," Radiance said. "How can he still be alive today?"
"Because to this very day, that unicorn is..." Princess Celestia said, "Anar D."
The Power Ponies gasped.
"Anar D," Mistress Marevelous asked. "As in Anar D, Anar D."
"When he turned Serena, Carol, and Melody into humans, I offered to teach him magic," Princess Celestia said. "He declined, but said that his sister, Pandora, was more powerful. And when D banished the sirens, Luna and I saw him, Pandora, and their friends as the next Heroes of Harmony."
"Let me guess," the Masked Matterhorn said. "That Discordant Convergence that created the sirens was the same one with the bit of magic that D found that eventually made him into Anar D."
"Of course," Princess Celestia said. "And as long as they're here, the balance is in danger."
"Balance," Zapp said. "Wait, that's what the Sinister Sorceress said when we got in the prison."
"What," the Power Ponies asked.
"It's true," Filli-Second said. "She was all 'it's the end of the world' and we were all 'whatcha talking about, Willis'."
"We never said that," Zapp said.
"I was paraphrasing," Filli-Second said.
"Anyway," Zapp said, "The Sinister Sorceress said the balance is broken. When we asked how, her exact words were 'the creator is going to escape'. No pony understood what she meant."
"Creator," Princess Celestia asked. "I wonder..."
Suddenly, a hard knock echoed from the door. Princess Celestia summoned him, and he was revealed to be the Masked Matterhorn's brother and Princess Cadence's husband, Shining Armor.
"Shining Armor," Cadence exclaimed with joy. "What are you doing here?"
"We've got to get Twilight out of here," Shining Armor said.
"What," the Masked Matterhorn asked.
"Explain," Princess Celestia commanded.
"I just got word from the West Mountain Prison," Shining Armor said. "Darkmatter escaped."
"What," the princesses gasped.
"After some investigation, we discovered that he was released by sirens," Shining Armor continued.
"No," Princess Celestia gasped. "That's how they've been traveling so fast. We all know how powerful Darkmatter is alone, but working with sirens, he's unstoppable."
"WOULD SOME PONY INCLUDE ME HERE," the Masked Matterhorn said. "Who is Darkmatter and how am I in danger?"
The princesses and Shining Armor looked at each other and sighed.
"Very well, sis," Shining Armor said. "Shortly after you were born, you displayed phenomenal magic. As soon as you did, a black unicorn calling himself Darkmatter approached the princesses applying to be your magic teacher. But they saw darkness in his heart and refused. Enraged, Darkmatter claimed that he knew the secret of killing a princess. At first, we didn't believe him, but he seemed to sure. We then caught him trying to kill you, but we captured him. We tried to make him confess how to kill you, but he wouldn't crack."
"So that's why you've been protective of me," the Masked Matterhorn said.
"Wait a minute," Mistress Marevelous said. "At the siren's show, the host said their manager was named Dr. Mark Tate. Scramble the letters, and it says..."
"Market Dart," Filli-Second asked.
"No," Mistress Marevelous said. "Darkmatter."
"So he is working with the Siren Sisters," the Masked Matterhorn said. "Look, maybe if I try to talk some sense into Darkmatter."
"Absolutely not," Shining Armor said. "I'm sorry, but you can't reason with a madcolt. No one can change."
"Not true," a hysterical voice echoed. "I changed." Suddenly, Anar D appeared in a flash of light.
"Anar D," Princess Celestia said.
"Princesses," Anar D said.
"FILLI-SECOND," Filli-Second shouted.
"What are you doing here, Anar D," Zapp asked.
"Oh, wouldn't you believe it," Anar D said. "I was off on my investigation--you know, the one where I'm trying to figure out who the Changelings were working for--when suddenly, I came across this odd bunch who are looking for you, Celestia. One of them even claims to be an old friend of yours."
"A friend of mine," Princess Celestia asked. "Send them in."
Suddenly, the door opened wide. The Mighty Machines were standing there. The Power Ponies looked and they screamed in fear.
"See," Masque asked. "I told you this haircut was a nightmare, Dusk."
"I GOT THEM," Zapp shouted.
She charged straight at them until, suddenly, Anar D puled out a large bubble wand. Zapp flew through it and was surrounded by a bubble.
"Calm down, Zappy," Anar D said. "This is the odd bunch I just told you about. They're just as friendly as you Power Ponies are."
Zapp's bubble popped and Zapp flew back to her team.
"Celestia," the leading wolf gasped in joy.
"Do I know you," Princess Celestia asked.
"It's me," the wolf said. "It's Ricky."
All of a sudden, Princess Celestia widened her eyes and gasped in shock.
"Is it really you... after all these years?"
"You've got to be kidding me," Princess Luna said.
"What's going on," Radiance asked.
"Ricky there was a classmate of my sister in school," Luna explained. "One day, Discordant Convergence came, and multiple portals opened up to random places. Ricky fell through and he hasn't been heard from since."
"What happened to you," Princess Celestia asked.
"He has a new body," Anar D explained. "He's become a robotic werewolf; a 'wirewolf', to say."
"I can't explain how this happened," Ricky said. "I guess it must be a side-effect from crossing a portal created by Discordant Convergence. I was trapped in a Netherealm of eternal darkness. I guess I don't age there, either, cause I've been keeping this look for millennia. Over time, other wirewolves appeared out of nowhere. Together, we formed a peace-keeping team to protect the animals of the Netherealm."
"There are animals there," Princess Luna asked. "I always thought it was a barren wasteland."
"Discordant Convergence brought them there too," Ricky explained. "Since we became heroes, we got new names. For example, I am the Shadow Blot, able to create other creatures from my body as long as they're not too big. The one with the cider is Timberwolf, a healing multiplier that's a bit... accident-prone."
"I get blown up a lot," Timberwolf said. "Thankfully, my healing powers can put me back together.
"The one with the grin is Masque," the Shadow Blot introduced, "A shape-shifter who's part Changeling (don't ask). That one is Rodan. With his phoenix DNA, he can shoot fire and glow brightly. The scary guy is Dusk. Imagine a shadow version of Masque and Rodan combined. Last, but not least, the big guy is..."
"Devastate," the large one said.
"Rrrright," the Shadow Blot said. "This is Devastator. He can combine himself with other technology to augment himself. And if he has to, he'll swallow everything he sees."
"Devastate," Devastator said.
"What he said," Rodan said.
"But, he just said devastate," Saddle Rager said.
"Not really, kid," Timberwolf said. "Devastator has a very limited grasp on the English language. Devastate is pretty much the only thing he can say when it's not 'Devastator smash'. We wirewolves are the only ones who can understand him."
"Well, why have you returned, Ricky," Princess Celestia asked her old friend, "After all these years?"
"We're here to warn you," the Shadow Blot said. "Arcanus is coming! Equestria will perish!"
The Princesses paled in horror "No." whispered Luna, hoping against hope she had misheard, or that there was some mistake.
"Arcanus is coming," Princess Celestia asked in shock. "This explains so much. Now, all the pieces of the puzzle have fallen into place!"
"Uh, Princess Celestia," the Masked Matterhorn said. "Who's Arcanus? He sounds like a master of magic."
"More than that," Princess Luna said. "He's one of the creators of magic."
The room fell silent at the sound of that.