• Published 19th Nov 2016
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This War of Ours - JDPrime22



Two sides of good clashing together, fighting for what they believe is right, breaking partnerships and ending friendships… human and pony alike.

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Chapter 2 - Change the Worlds

Ponyville, Equestria

Home of Princess Twilight Sparkle

Three Days After First Contact

3:57 p.m.



Once again, Twilight had nearly reached the end of her greatest experiment yet, and all she had to do now was wait.

Wait…

Standing directly in front of the large mirror connected to her machine.

Wait…

With her seven closest friends; Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Spike, and Starlight Glimmer. Their gear remained behind each individual, large and small backpacks, pouches, and containers filled with the necessities everypony needed.

Wait…

With so many others, such as the rulers of Equestria, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. The rulers of the Crystal Empire, Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadance with their foal Flurry Heart sound asleep and in tender care.

Wait…

With other friends previously made or family joining, like the Cakes, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Granny Smith, Big McIntosh, Fluttershy’s parents and younger brother, the Wonderbolt leaders Spitfire and Soarin, and of course—

“The Great and Powerful Trixie is tired of all this waiting!”

A chorus of gasps, flinches, and surprised yelps caught each of the groups off-guard, everypony turning their attention to the unicorn mare dressed in a colorful cloak and long, pointed hat, leaning against the nearest crystal table. Flurry Heart was wide awake and crying by the time Cadance tried to calm her down, the same ordeal befalling Mr. and Mrs. Cake with their foals.

Rainbow Dash groaned, covering her ears and slamming her face into her bag. Each of Twilight’s friends slowly began to return to their previous state, now with the sound of crying foals added to the mix. Twilight muttered something incoherent, frowning and facing the mirror with Spike sitting by her side as Trixie continued to complain. It’s not like she was wrong. Twilight could actually agree with the mare. In fact, it wasn’t the only thing she was tired off…

“It has been three hours since that… that… joke of an illusionist stepped through that mirror!” Trixie complained, her nose scrunching in agitation. She shot her hoof into the air, expelling with pride, “The Great and Powerful Trixie has a very important hoof massage in ten minutes! If Trixie misses her hoof massage because of some clumsy, annoying draconequus…”

Her threat ceased as a hoof was gently placed on her shoulder, followed by Starlight Glimmer’s notable tone of voice. “It’s okay, Trixie. It’s… normal for Discord to take his time,” she said, offering a forced smile at the end.

Trixie only face-hoofed. Groaning she asked, “Why Twilight couldn’t just ask him to teleport all of you there to the other world, Trixie will never know.”

“It’s because this is an experiment I want to do without any outside interference,” the voice of Princess Twilight quickly answered. Both Trixie and Starlight spun accordingly to see Twilight with her neck turned towards them, her eyes tired.

She continued. “Discord has helped immensely already. Without him we never would have made so much progress. But with what we have now, everything we’ve accomplished so far…” Twilight paused, turning to hers and Spike’s reflection, then turned back to smile at her five closest friends. “… I… I just want to finish this experiment with my friends, the technology we’ve managed to create, and Mr. Stark.”

Twilight could still see the skepticism strong on Trixie’s facial features, and she eased it by saying, “But if anything goes wrong, something the Avengers can’t handle on their own… Spike and I will be sure to send a quick letter to him.” She managed a dry chuckle, Spike’s smile growing. “Besides… I think he deserves a break. Finding Earth’s exact location isn’t an easy task… even for Discord.”

“She isn’t wrong, you know!”

Twilight and Spike both screamed as the mirror flashed several colors, shaking in its confinement. The two backed away towards the remainder of their friends, their eyes as well as everypony else’s centered and locked on the mirror. The book resting on the hovering stand began to shake, the magic drawing out of it, shooting to the two rods and enabling the machine to properly begin to function. In no time, the portal within the mirror began to swirl with life, a being even larger than life stepping out into the library.

There, Discord stood at the entrance to the portal

He sipped his soda, took off his sunglasses, and announced with a big, bright smile. “Sorry for the holdup, everypony! I was just catching up with some old friends Twilight and the girls know personally. We spent a good portion of the afternoon just eating out at a famous shawarma joint! Anypony here had shawarma before? Huh? No? This guy knows what I’m talking about!”

He pointed his disfigured claw over across the room, prompting everypony’s head to swivel over to Prince Shining Armor. His eyes widened, pupils darting in every direction. “Uh… I have no idea what he’s talking about,” Shining declared, though it wasn’t very strong, and it earned a humorous giggle from his wife.

Discord flung his sunglasses off his head, chugging the rest of his soda can’s outer covering and tossing the liquid portion away. “Anyhow, shawarma aside, I’ve been to Earth several times, in more than one dimension I might add, and to be honest it’s grown rather dull over these few centuries.”

He disappeared, then reappeared in a purple zoot suit directly behind Twilight and her friends. “Oh, how I miss the 40’s and their dedication to country, fashion, and super soldiers. Such a simpler time. Truly the last golden era.”

Another flash of white, and Discord was resting on the crystal table behind Trixie and Starlight, minus the zoot suit. Both mares spun around, eyes wide with surprise.

“By the way, Trixie, I heard what you said about me. ‘Joke of an illusionist’, eh?” Discord asked, his legs swaying back and forth behind him, dragon’s tail doing just the same.

Trixie gulped. “Well, y-you see, what T-Trixie meant was—”

She didn’t finish. Discord snapped his claw, and in a flash of light a pig with wings sprouted from beneath the unicorn. A pair of jet engines were added to the underbelly of the pig for good measure. The next thing everypony knew Trixie was gone before she could even scream, the exhaust from the jet engines leaving a trail through the library doors and down the hall.

Starlight watched in shock as the doors slowly closed. “Discord!” she cried, spinning to face the draconequus with an angry glare.

Discord waved her away, observing his talons. “She’ll be fine! I added an airbag… and you don’t want to know where.”

Starlight was about to unleash on him, but paused the moment Celestia strolled up behind her. Starlight turned her eyes upwards, gazing at the flowing mane and the elegant features of the Princess of the Sun. Her stare was hard, solid as stone, and held the strength of a thousand stars. And it was all directed towards the draconequus switching to lie on his back.

With a strong cough, Celestia said, “I think we all would like to know if the portal is truly functioning as it should, Discord.”

“Huh?” Discord asked, his face shifting right-side up. “Oh, yes, of course the portal is fine. Twilight and the girls can leave any moment now,” Discord declared, vanishing and appearing right next to Twilight’s ear. He whispered, “And don’t worry, I’ll take good care of your castle while you’re away.”

“Ah feel as if we should be concerned about that,” Applejack said, adjusting her hat and pack. The others by her side began to rise as well, ready to make the journey onward, the concern on their faces directed towards the Spirit of Chaos.

“You’d better take good care of my castle, Discord,” Twilight warned, her hoof pointed towards the draconequus. “If I hear of just one party…”

Discord vanished in a flash of white, then reappeared standing straight up and decked out in a scout’s uniform. He raised his claw, placed his paw over his heart and declared, “I promise not to throw any parties inside—”

“Or outside!”

“Or outside your castle,” Discord swore.

Twilight’s suspicious glare narrowed, only interrupted once Pinkie Pie shot right next to her, her pink hoof jammed at Discord. “Pinkie Promise…” the party pony said, her voice dangerously venomous.

Discord knew the routine. “Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake,” the delicious treat appeared in his claw, followed by Discord ramming it into his eye socket, “in my eye!”

Twilight and everypony else cringed at the sight of the gooey substance leaking from Discord’s empty eye socket. Pinkie just smiled, bouncing back to join Fluttershy and Rarity.

“With… that settled,” Princess Celestia coughed, all eyes training on her. “I suppose we are ready to begin. Friday!”

Twilight and her friends spun to the sound of familiar engines, watching as the Mark 45 Iron Man armor hovered out from behind the machine and clear over the portal to land by Celestia’s left side. Celestia observed the armor closely, asking, “Friday, is everything functioning as it should?”

The AI nodded. “Aye, Princess Celestia. The coordinates are locked and the portal is ready.”

“Then it is time indeed.”

Princess Celestia spun around, eyeing the large group of ponies staring at her, waiting for something to happen. Anything, really. It wasn’t the massive crowds Celestia had become accustomed to, thousands of ponies chanting her and her sister’s name for miles on end. That’s why she loved visiting Ponyville every now and then. The seclusion was nice, welcoming, and much needed.

Still, she announced as if she preached to the thousands, “A new dawn for Equestria is upon us. A new world, a new race. I trust no other pony to lead this important task.”

Her eyes trailed behind her, a smile seen by the Princess of Friendship.

Celestia faced forward, faced the crowd. “What Twilight and her friends will do here will change the course of our history. No longer shall separate worlds filled with life just as peaceful as ours become reclusive. Our worlds will unite, form a bond greater than any alliance known to ponykind. And it begins… now.”

“And with outstanding support from a majority of our neighboring nations,” Luna chimed in, “we can assure that Twilight and her friends would do well as the ambassadors for our world. History has been made here,” Princess Luna added, stepping forward to stand with her older sister. “Now, it is time to change the worlds, as you have said, Princess Twilight.”

She finished with a wink to the young princess, earning a chuckle from the Twilight. “Thank you, Princess Luna. I suppose this is goodbye… for now.” Pressing forward, Twilight wrapped her forelegs around Luna’s neck, squeezing tightly. Luna hugged her back, a warm smile on each of their faces. Twilight broke away, turning to Celestia and giving her former teacher a hug as well.

As if that was the cue, individual goodbyes were shared with friends and family. Hugs were exchanged, tears were shed, and the quiet library was no longer silent. Pinkie Pie shared an especially tearful goodbye with the Cakes and Pound and Pumpkin Cake. Applejack gave each family member of hers a quick hug and kiss on the cheek, her hug with Apple Bloom much longer than the others.

Mr. and Mrs. Shy almost seemed more upset than their daughter, and they almost wouldn’t let her go. But trusting on the brave mare she had become, they finally let go, only to have their son Zephyr Breeze break through them and offer his own goodbye to his older sister. It was quickly interrupted by the Spirit of Chaos tossing Zephyr aside to offer the Pegasus a hug goodbye. Zephyr glared from where he lay. Discord glared back. It was a short confrontation.

“You tell mom and dad that I’m going to be fine, and they don’t need to worry any longer. Is that understood?” Rarity asked, cupping Sweetie Belle’s face in her hooves.

Sweetie Belle looked away, sighing, “Yeah, I guess. Kinda wish I could go with you.”

“Next time, Sweetie Belle. Hopefully when there’s no need for a ‘political’ visit,” Rarity declared, planting a big kiss on Sweetie’s forehead and squeezing the life out of her. “Oh, I’m going to miss you!”

“Rarity, stop! Not in front of Scootaloo!”

Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash were already well enjoying the show, giggling to each other. They each already said their goodbyes and shared a quick sisterly hug, Rainbow scrambling the younger Pegasus’ mane. She paused as both Spitfire and Soarin approached, humorous and knowing grins on their faces.

Practically dropping Scootaloo, a soft “Ow!” following, Rainbow Dash chuckled and asked, “So, it’s still cool if I take my vacation early, right?”

“Oh, sure!” Spitfire said, waving her hoof. Behind her shades, Rainbow could see mischief in her eyes. “We’ve got plenty reserves just itching to take your spot. And who knows… they might be better than you. We might have to keep 'em… and kick your flank right into the street.”

Soarin laughed. “Yeah, I doubt that! Rainbow’s still one of the best flyers we’ve ever had; no way we’d give her up!”

“Damn straight,” Spitfire finished, winking to Dash.

Rainbow Dash chuckled nervously, rubbing her foreleg. “Thanks guys, that means a ton,” she said. Both Spitfire and Soarin held out their hooves, Dash replying to both with a quick hoof bump each.

“Have a blast out there, Crash,” Spitfire told her, lifting up her shades.

Rainbow Dash smiled back, a confident, knowing, cocky grin that made the mare famous.

“You know it.”

With that, she and the others began to break away, Twilight offering her final goodbyes to Shining Armor and Princess Cadance. She kissed Flurry Heart on the cheek, the young foal giggling and patting the Alicorn’s face.

As Twilight, too, broke away and stepped forth with her bags in her magical grip, she turned to one final pony still standing by the crystal table several yards away. She dropped her bags, asking, “Um… Starlight… are you ready to head out?”

“Just a second,” Starlight said, smiling to Twilight before turning back to Discord. The smug draconequus lied in a foldable chair on top of the table, drinking from an extra bendy straw of cool, fruit punch. Her smile faded, her horn igniting, destroying the constraints on the foldable chair, thus causing Discord to be crushed from each padding folding up on top of him.

He squirmed from inside, then snapped his fingers and appeared just over the head of the unicorn. He opened his mouth to yell, only to be silenced as Starlight shot out her hoof to him.

“Trixie! Now!” Starlight warned, her horn glowing fiercely.

Feeling quite fatigued from his journey, Discord didn’t feel like dueling with the unicorn at the moment. He just groaned, snapped his fingers, and allowed Trixie to appear out of smoke and land directly between the mare and the Spirit of Chaos.

“Happy?” Discord asked, returning to fix his foldable chair.

“Very much so,” Starlight smiled. She quickly turned her attention to the shivering Trixie struggling to stand, her breath ragged and teeth chattering. She helped Trixie to a standing position, offering a helpful smile to her best friend.

Trixie shook herself, growling to see her torn cape and ruined magician hat. “Oh, once Trixie gets through with you, Trixie will—” Discord looked at her, holding out his claw and preparing to snap. “… Most likely apologize… heh.”

Discord smiled triumphantly, lying back on his fixed foldable chair and having a fresh fruit punch appear into his grasp. Trixie’s nervous grin faded, replaced only with a look of malice and ill intentions. Those feelings faded as Starlight’s hoof fell on her shoulder.

“I guess I’ll be seeing you later, Trixie,” Starlight offered, the magician turning to the mare, her expression suddenly softening. “I’ll definitely visit once we get back in a couple months. Next time, you’re paying for lunch.”

Trixie’s glamourous grin returned, one only belonging to Trixie. “Oh, we shall see about that, won’t we?” Her smile widened, eyes narrowing, then all faded as the two shared in a quick laugh. Those laughs faded as well, each mare wrapping each other in a tight hug.

“Be safe, and have fun,” Trixie whispered, the voices of everypony else making it hard to hear.

They broke away from each other, Starlight smiling. She said, “I’ll have a great time. I know I will.”

“Don’t just have a great time,” Trixie declared, standing on her hind legs. “Have a great and powerful time!”

Trixie held that stance for a solid three seconds before she fell back down. The two shared in another fit of laughter, Starlight saying, “I’ll keep that in mind!”

Another hug, then the two separated.

Finally, with her bags secured, Starlight Glimmer stepped forward to join Twilight and the others. They stood side by side, each one of them sharing a look, a smile, a laugh with one another. But not Starlight. She just stared into the swirling colors of the portal, like a vortex into the unknown. Into a whole other world.

And she didn’t move. Barely did, even when Twilight announced, “Are you guys ready?”

Pinkie bounced in place, paused in mid-air, and saluted. “Ready, Freddy!”

Fluttershy checked her bags, then nodded to Twilight. “Ready…”

Rarity flipped her mane. “I am as well, darling.”

Applejack pushed her hat down, hoping it would stay secured. “Ready as Ah’ll ever be.”

Rainbow Dash punched the air, then landed with a solid thump. “Ready!”

Twilight turned to the last mare of the group. Starlight nodded, eyes bright with determination. “Ready,” she declared. But once Twilight looked away, Starlight’s smile fell, her eyes growing worrisome, her expression weak.

I hope.

Spike adjusted his backpack, giving Twilight thumbs up. “I’ll be if you are, Twi!”

That was all she needed. On cue, almost as if they rehearsed, all seven mares and Spike spun around and waved goodbye. Families and friends alike all waved back, some of them crying, most of them calling out to their loved ones to be safe.

And Celestia…

She and Luna smiled, waving as the Princess of Friendship and her closest allies stepped into the light.


Earth

Upstate New York

New Avengers Facility, Lower Levels

5:08 p.m.



There was a flash of light, so bright that everyone shielded their eyes. No one was safe. The darkness of the basement no longer existed as the light filled everything, covered everyone. It was so fast, so powerful, so alive. And then it died.

Just like that.

And what followed was the sound of hooves on solid concrete.

The two men leading the pack lowered their arms away from their eyes, staring cautiously at what entered through the machine. One was an older gentleman, his white hair opposite to that of his dull brown goatee. The other wasn’t so young himself, but was definitely younger than the first man.

Together, with the rest of the group behind them, they peered through the smoke that filled the basement, eyeing what appeared to be movement lying just ahead, standing in front of the machine.

A small drone flew by, quickly scanning the smoke. It spun to face the two men, its large, robotic pupil growing and shrinking with almost every word it said.

“The portal performed exceptionally well. Eight healthy life forms detected, sir.”

As the drone flew aside, choosing to hover next to the younger man, the older one stepped forth. He adjusted his glasses as the smoke finally cleared, revealing what the robotic drone had observed. And he almost didn’t believe it.

“Um… hello,” the violet one greeted, her wings fluffing next to her sides.

Hank Pym was nearly at a loss for words.

“Colorful, talking… ponies…”

He reached into his pocket and handed Tony Stark ten bucks.

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