The nature preserve, Twilight was sure, would have been a tranquil place under normal circumstances. Strange and wonderful trees stood delicately small, bursting with a spectrum of blossoms. In the center of the sizable plot of land lay a pond, big enough for hundreds of fish to live in, and muddy tracks on its shore revealed the animals that frequented its offering.
As it was, though, large gouges had been torn out of the earth, and exotic trees lay uprooted here and there. The pond looked half empty, and its barely settled surface was broken by the sudden impact of a thrown, winded creature. Above, a huge feathered lizard hissed in triumph, only to squawk as the gothic biped in the water struck it with a bolt of electricity, sending it flailing into the water.
“What a sad creature,” Discord said idly, dismissing both creatures with a flick of his talons. “I should replace his face with something new, something preferable. Like an old boot.”
Twilight’s vision swam. She dipped down as her wings faltered, just managing to turn a fall into a haphazard glide. “Can you see Fluttershy anywhere?”
“Mmm … let’s see.” He brought his hands together, creating a functional pair of binoculars. Dark lenses expanded and contracted as he gazed across the preserve. “Not there, or there … Ooh, certainly not there … Ah! Over with the adorable vermin ponies.”
She grabbed the binoculars from him and trained her vision on the indicated spot. Her eyes widened. “They’re all over her! Fluttershy, don’t worry!”
A striped violet streak trailed after her as she shot toward a busy clearing. Purple wings flapped deeply as she dropped into a landing, and she rubbed her head with a wobbly hoof as she steadied herself. Listening, she caught the sound of squeaks and chirrups, ignoring Discord as he simpered slowly downward on butterfly wings.
“Fluttershy?” Bile threatened to rise, but Twilight swallowed it staunchly. “Are you there?”
A bush rustled. “Oh! Twilight!” A yellow muzzle poked out from the midst of the leaves, smiling. Little colored patches hung from Fluttershy’s mane, and only when she came closer did they reveal themselves as tiny, bug-like equines that clung to the strands like their lives depended on it. The Breezies swung there when she suddenly stopped, considering. “Um … what are you doing here?”
Twilight’s smile could have lit a dark cavern. “Getting you, of course! The princesses are missing, giant dragons are fighting above Ponyville, and alien knights from another universe are trying to take our friends captive!”
Fluttershy blinked.
“Eheheh … That does sound like a sentence Pinkie Pie would be proud of, doesn’t it?”
“Oh, don’t worry, Twilight. I do believe you.” Fluttershy gestured toward where the lizard and biped were fighting; there was an almighty crash as a tree toppled. “After all our scary adventures, you know, it doesn’t seem so strange.”
“Great!” Twilight flared her wings. “Hurry, Fluttershy! We can still reach our friends in time!”
She pushed off, and the wind rushed in her feathers. High in the sky, Twilight looked down at the wreckage of the preserve, where smaller variants of the foreign creatures fled from the violence. She smiled at Fluttershy, assuring her that they could fix this, and …
Twilight frowned. “Fluttershy?” She made a u-turn, wobbling a bit in midair, and came to an uneasy landing. “Fluttershy, aren’t you coming?”
“Oh, I will.” Fluttershy made shushing sounds for a crying Breezie. “I just need to help these little guys stay safe first.”
A purple ear twitched. “Okay … Can I help?”
“That’s very nice of you, Twilight, but Breezies need a gentle touch.” She smiled apologetically as another Breezie stared at her friend in abject terror. “And I think they’re not used to ponies. It’s a wonder they opened up to me at all.”
Twilight grit her teeth as a great roar shook the trees. “How long do you think it’ll take?”
“Hmm …” Fluttershy tapped her chin, careful not to disturb the Breezies. “Probably only a couple hours.”
“A couple hours?” Twilight’s eyes bulged. “Fluttershy, we have to help our friends right now! They need us!”
Fluttershy’s ears pinned back, but she didn’t shrink away. “I’m sorry, Twilight, but our friends can take care of themselves. The Breezies can’t. I—”
“But what about Equestria? I don’t know how long everypony can deal with these creatures!”
There was a sigh. “I really am sorry. But the Breezies come first right now.”
The light faded from Twilight’s eyes. Slowly, her wings drooped. The bile in her throat threatened to rise again. “... Now I know why Loyalty didn’t choose you.”
Fluttershy stared.
“Ooh, zing.” Discord clapped tentatively; Twilight had forgotten he was there at all. “Fluttershy, dear, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but why not listen to Twilight? This when-worlds-collide debacle isn’t going to fix itself.”
“Now, Discord.” Fluttershy leveled a look at him. “You know very well that ponies in need have priority. Even …” She giggled as a Breezie nuzzled her. “Even if they’re not exactly ponies.”
Twilight snorted. “Actual ponies need you.” Her head lifted, revealing a glint of steely determination. “You’re coming, Fluttershy. Right now.”
“Oh, Twilight, you know you can’t EEEK!”
“This is for everypony’s good, Fluttershy!” Twilight huffed as she pushed off into the air, magically dragging Fluttershy behind her. Breezies fell like leaves from Fluttershy’s mane, squeaking. “You have to see the big picture!”
“Twilight …” Fluttershy grunted, struggling to free herself. “They’ll be fine! They always are!”
“No, they aren’t.” The nature preserve disappeared behind them, and the land before lay crowded with creatures. “Hold still, Fluttershy! I can’t concentrate on flying and taking care of you at the same time!”
“Then maybe you should let me go.” Fluttershy’s voice was soft, yet hard. “You’re not thinking straight.”
“I’m not thinking straight?”
“Do you think they can’t handle themselves?”
“Don’t talk like that. Whenever this level of problem has come up, have any of us ever faced it alone?”
“Let me go, Twilight.”
“Of course not! We’re strong because we’re friends. That’s what it all comes down to.” Twilight’s eyes narrowed into a distinctly unfriendly glare. “I know you’re not scared, Fluttershy. You have to help us.”
“No.”
“Fluttersh—”
All sound vanished. The world vanished in a blast of color, rapidly drowning in violent brightness. Both ponies ceased arguing, their anger trailing off as they hovered in midair, squeezing their eyes shut in a vain attempt to block out the light. The very air shuddered with power, tickling every hair on their bodies unpleasantly.
Wait, Twilight mouthed. Not even the vibrations in her throat were tangible. This isn’t like—
A split second later, her magic flickered—
somepony screamed—
and then—