Magic Vs. Machinery

by Exotic Butter

V.~The unicorn sisters

AppleJack. Everyone knows her as the strongest Earth pony in Equestria. And also, as an element of honesty. But what most didn't know was that the slightest sound could wake her up. Uh…pretty minor fact, but…there's a reason for it.

For example, this morning she was awakened by a distant howling. And it's been a while since she's been trying to fall asleep again. The hooting didn't seem strange to her at all. They could have been firemen or ambulances.

Her attempt to fall asleep was interrupted again. Interrupted by frantic banging on the door, from outside.

"At Celestia, will ah get any sleep?!" She said, confused. As she sat up on the bed and looked at her bedside table, she noticed the clock revealing the time. Five in the morning. The sun was just rising.

AJ slowly walked out of her room only to see her younger sister Applebloom in the hallway who also wanted to know why someone was knocking at five in the morning.

When they both reached the ground floor and opened the front door, they were surprised.

“Rarity? Sweetie Belle?”

Two unicorns, one white with an elegant, swirling dark blue mane and tail, and the other, also white with a lavender-pink mane and tail. Both unicorns looked exhausted and had scratches in some places.

“Rarity! What happened?" She asked AJ worriedly, seeing them like this.

“Absolute horror! On the day we were supposed to have another show!” She said, placing a hoof on her forehead. To which her younger sister, Sweetie Belle, rolled her eyes.

"Ponyville has been attacked," She explained.

The two earth mares looked at each other first and then at the unicorns.

"What? By who?” Was all Applebloom could say.

"They'll explain it inside. Come on.” AJ said, motioning for her friend and her younger sister to enter.

After a while, the unicorns were sitting on the sofa and AJ was on the couch. Applebloom went upstairs to get some warm blankets.

"So… Who invaded Ponyville?" The orange mare yet again asked. Sweetie Belle took the floor.

"It is not known who, but I can tell what. Remember that 'meteorite' outside Ponyville?"

"Yea?"

"So imagine it wasn't a meteorite, but some alien machine that just kills everyponyin its path! Oh Celestia, these screams..."

AJ tilted her head.

“A machine? Did Ponyville come up with that?”

“Yes, a machine. Made of steel! Taller than Ponyville Town Hall. It uses magic that we don't know!”

“Uh…how did it look?”

“Like a head on three legs! And the worst; their weapon shoots a laser that melts everything!”

“Oh, Celestia… Has anyone tried to beat it yet?”

Now Rarity took the word for that question.

“Twilight! She fired at it twice, but nothing! It didn't even touch the surface!” She answered.

"So some kind of invisible shield?" Applebloom joined in carrying one large blanket.

"Probably. I don't know anything that magic can't break through.” Rarity said.

"And as the icing on the cake, four unicorns disappeared before the attack."

“Interesting… Where is it now?”

"We don't know. According to the survivors, it chased the ponies all the way to the Everfree forest.”

AppleJack has nothing to say. What to do now?

“Well…the only thing we can do now is wake up Big Mac and his family, take food and go to the cellar.” AppleBloom breaks the silence.

“Yea… I’m gonna wake them up. Bloom, you show Rarity and Sweetie the cellar entrance and take every food you can find to the cellar too.” She said, as she was going upstairs.

“So like a head on three legs, you say.” AppleBloom said, as she waited for the unicorn sisters to stand up.
“Isn’t a Tripod then?”

“Well… It would make sense.” Sweetie answered.

“You can think about the name tomorrow. So where is the cellar entrance of yours?” Rarity cut their conversation.

“Oh, right! Uh, right here.” She said, as she pointed at the wooden door under the stairway.
“When you get there, don’t forget to switch on the lights, take the blankets and rest. Ah, gonna get some food.” She said and trotted to the kitchen.

The Unicorn sisters opened the door and saw the stairway to the dark.

“Alright.”

Author's Note:

:Aunt Rarity, what happened?

: DUST!!