Prompt: A natural disaster strikes Ponyville, and there’s nothing anypony can do to stop it.
Applejack cried bitterly over the remains of an apple tree. The view around her was devastating. Miles and miles of splinters, apple pulp, and leaves floating on a feet of water brought the flood to the farmer’s memory.
Nopony knew exactly what had happened. How could a dam break so suddenly? A monster’s attack, maybe? Was it poorly built? Whatever the reason, it didn’t matter anymore.
Applejack had been the first to react. When she had heard Dash screaming, warning of the flood she had ran to the village with her brother pulling a sandbag-filled cart.
---
“Push!” screamed Applejack. “We hafta resist! We hafta alter its course!”
Taking advantage of a little gorge in the path between the lake and the village, unicorns and earth ponies joined together to create a wall, using everything the could find. Rocks, sacks, and other things moved hectically, held in multiple telekinesis auras and strong hooves, while every single pegasus tried to create enough wind to divert the water.
The idea, of course, came from the most dependable pony in Ponyville.
“It’s working, AJ! It’s working!” Rainbow screamed from above. “Flitter! More wind! We need lateral force!”
Yes. It was working. All of the water was being diverted to the side path. Lots of eyes watched Applejack, Big McIntosh, Apple Bloom, and Granny Smith with perplexity. Lots of eyes who knew where that path ended.
After all, the side path was the quickest route to Sweet Apple Acres.
When the last drop of water went away, everypony broke into applauses and cheers. Maybe the Apples did too in a little moment of euphoria. Certainly, Applejack didn’t remember it. Then there was silence. Feeling watched by everypony, the Apple family left slowly the improvised dam, walking to their farm.
---
Ponyville had been saved almost entirely at the expense of the Apple family lifestyle. Even if Ah could go back, Ah know Ah would do the same, thought AJ, but it hurts a lot. We’ll need years to raise everything again. Years to grow the trees again. Ah don’t think Ah’m strong enough for this.
Suddenly, she heard a little splashing. Looking to the horizon, the splashes became massive hoofsteps on the water. Against the light of the sun she could see the silhouettes of a multitude that trotted towards the orchard. When the got closer, Applejack started recognizing them.
Wings, horn, and short mane: Twilight was in the front, levitating hundreds of tools.
Spiky mane, wings, and hooves that didn’t touch the floor: Dash flew besides Twilight, and behind her, Ponyville’s full weather team.
Puffy mane, happily skipping: Pinkie carried a banner.
Soft and droopy mane, and wings: Fluttershy commandeered an animal army that carried building materials.
Elegant poise, and raised horn: Rarity had behind her hundreds of ponies, paid in full with her own bits.
Behind those five, towering over them, two smiling princesses, dressed as workers. And behind the princesses, a complete village. When they got closer, Applejack could finally read Pinkie’s banner. It said: “Let’s rebuild the Apple family farm party.”
AJ ran with tears in her eyes and hugged her friends.
The minotaurs were coming. It was the second time in Equestria’s history war had broken between ponies and minotaurs, and Celestia and Luna weren’t going to allow a third one. Wearing their best battle regalia, the two sisters kept looking at one another. In front of them, Everfree’s Valley, the last barrier before the castle of the Royal Pony Sisters.
I won’t let them destroy this place, thought Celestia. This is my land. These are my ponies. I’ll gladly give my life for them.
Celestia climbed a bit. Her armor creaked softly to the rhythm of her wings. “They’re coming,” Celestia said looking to Luna.
“Keep calm, sister. This time, everything is under control. They won’t expect our secret weapon,” said Luna, closing the distance between her and her sister.
“I couldn’t endure another war like the last one, Lulu. I understand that, maybe, cow milk with cookies is not the best breakfast we could have had with that ambassador, but I don’t think that is enough casus belli.”
“Well, Tia,” said Luna, “I think lord Bluehorn asking the ambassador for a refill was the real error.”
“We should forbid him from reproduction. That unicorn is dangerous.” Celestia adjusted her helm again. “On a different topic, about our secret weapon, are you sure we can trust them?” Before her sister could answer, Celestia gave some orders using the Royal Canterlot Voice. Two hosts changed positions to be safer. Then, she looked at her sister with an apologetic smile.
“Without any kind of doubt, Tia. The -” The racketing noise of thousands of hooves drowned Luna’s words. Looking to the front, the earth started shaking.
Far away they could see the shadows rising proudly on two legs, with large horns and metal armors. Luna and Celestia flew slowly to the front and studied the little company that led the defense forces at the valley’s entrance.
They all were brown and cinnamon-colored ponies, with deep and dark eyes. They wore red clothes, with golden filigrees, and they carried capes in brighter red tones.
“Soldiers!” yelled Luna. “This is the moment you’ve been waiting for for all of your lives! We know we ask a lot from you! You are going to risk your lives. We also know we couldn’t ask for anything else that would make you happier!”
Celestia nodded, following closely with her eyes the minotaur army approach. “Get ready!” she said.
One after another, the soldiers got up on their hind legs. Releasing with slow but elegant movements the golden clasps, they held their capes besides them with their forehooves. Somepony played a trumpet.
When the minotaurs started charging, Celestia looked once again at Luna with doubt in her eyes.
“Stay calm,” said Luna, “this is the Spaneighsh Cavalry’s specialty.”
The minotaur charge lost its momentum when they listened the fearsome battle cry that came from the frontline of the pony army.
Prompt: One of the main six tells or writes a story about another of the main six.
Special rule: Your story must be written as though it were the story being written/told.
"My plan? Why, that's simple, my dear Daring," said Twilight Sparkle. The fearsome alicorn floated slowly in the middle of Canterlot's castle throne room. "When dawn breaks, and, believe me, it will break, I will use this catalyst crystal to absorb all of Celestia's power. Then, I'll become the absolute goddess of all of Equestria. Oh, and, incidentally, you will die."
It was true. After all, being chained in the middle of the throne room under a giant magnifying glass, the ceiling destroyed by Twilight's magic, Daring Do knew that whenever the sun rose, she would be burned to a crisp.
Twilight laughed like a maniac as she landed. Then, she trotted slowly towards princess Celestia who glared at her with furious eyes, trapped inside her cage. "Don't look at me like that, Princess. You only have to do your job."
"I won't rise the sun, Twilight!" Celestia looked at the giant crystal that floated over the magnifying glass. It was glinting in a black so dark it almost looked like a new color.
"Oh?" Twilight continued. She smiled with such a frightening sweetness, it made her beauty almost unreal. "Your choice, Princess. You could obey my orders and ensure your last seconds will be quick… Or you can try to delay my plan… At the expense of your sister, of course."
Besides Celestia's cage, trapped in a magically-reinforced guillotine, an unconscious Princess Luna rested her neck.
"If you behave exceptionally badly, I might wake her up before her execution, just so she knows you betrayed her." Twilight laughed again, her wings wide open, rising majestically.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" an insidious laughter interrupted the evil princess' exhibition. She lowered her head to look at her daring prisoner.
"Do you find this funny, Daring? You're about to behold an apotheosis. Then again, this might just be a natural reaction to fear. I read about it once."
"Yes, Twilight. I find this funny," said Daring with a cynical smile. "I find funny that you think killing two princesses and absorbing their power might be the best way to get your lover back."
"Shut up!" Twilight climbed down, staring Daring face to face. "You know nothing, Daring Do!"
"But I do. Do you know what she will think when you revive her?" Daring continued, frowning with defiance. "'Oh, thanks for destroying our world and killing ponies just to revive me, Twilight. I clearly still love you even though you've become a destructive maniac!'"
"Don't you dare mimic her!" Twilight raised a bit and, with fury in her eyes, shot a dark bolt from her horn.
Daring Do didn't hesitate. Twisting herself as she could, she put the chains that trapped her hooves in the projectile's trajectory. The chains melted with a bubbling and screeching sound. Daring didn't even dare to think what would have happened if the shot had actually hit her. It wasn't 'think' time. It was 'Do' time!
Spreading her wings, the brave pegasus jumped on Twilight, hitting her on her croup. Twilight lost her balance and fell to the floor.
Before she could react, Daring jumped on the catalyst crystal and kicked it, fracturing it.
"No! You're crazy!" yelled Twilight. "Now it won't be able to withstand all that pow…"
Twilight wished she had swallowed her last words.
"Princesses! Now!" Daring shook Luna to wake her up. Without hesitation, Celestia and Luna raised their horns and, in a display of surgical precision, they rose both sun and moon.
The eclipse was as beautiful as fearsome. The catalyst crystal started to swallow up power from both celestial bodies. Soon, it started to blaze with black flames, shooting powerful lightning everywhere.
"No, no, no, no! NO!" yelled Twilight, but it was too late. A braid of lighting hit her, forcing her to absorb all of both princesses' power. Maybe she wanted to say some last words, but nopony will know. Burning in a flame so black it looked like a hole to the void, the evil princess disappeared, not to be seen again.
* * *
"You are Bravely Blue…" Twilight Sparkle incredulously stared at Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow smiled arrogantly.
"You're telling me you're the author of my favourite adventure series?!" yelled Twilight. Her voice thundered all over the library's trunk.
"Eeyup." Rainbow couldn't contain her laughter anymore.
"But… But… But! I introduced you to the series!" Twilight trotted in circles, trying to join all the pieces to this puzzle.
"C'mon, Twi. Can you imagine how funny it was when you brought me that book? I was dying to see your face when you finally found out this!" Rainbow rested one of her forelegs on Twilight's shoulders. "It was cute."
"And you put me in your last book."
"Yes."
"Why am I the villain?"
"Are you kidding, Twi?" Rainbow gave Twilight's back a pat. "Villains are always the coolest characters! They get the best lines, the best songs, and they dress sexier! If I was going to put you in a book from your favourite series, I had to give you the best role!"
"But…" Twilight looked at Rainbow Dash's eyes. "Why?"
"Because I love you, egghead." Rainbow smiled. "Do I need to spell it out?"
Octavia was tuning her cello in the middle of the stage. In less than two hours, she would open the first Canterlot Festival for the Union of Musical Styles, and so, she wanted everything to be perfect.
Besides her, a brown, white-maned pegasus was cleaning a guitar, and a little to the right a reddish earth mare warmed up her voice with some trills. Even if she couldn't avoid a bit of a superiority complex, Octavia respected her colleagues. Provided that they played their instruments with their hooves or other parts of their bodies.
That's why something had to go wrong. Octavia picked her bow and got ready to play some warm-up exercises. She had barely finished her first note when she felt an uneasy presence. In front of her, a white unicorn with a weird electric blue mane smiled with glee, staring at her just a little too close to her comfort.
When Octavia opened her eyes, the other mare didn't wait to talk: "You are Octavia Philharmonica, aren't you?"
"Yes," replied Octavia.
"Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! I can't believe this! I am Vinyl Scratch, one of your biggest fa…" Vinyl found a hoof on her muzzle.
"Look, I need to warm up and, frankly, I know who you are and I'm just not interested. I can't respect anypony who makes 'music' with machines." Octavia closed her eyes and focused again on her instrument.
"But… I…" Vinyl, red as a tomato, didn't know where to look.
"When you learn something about real music, look for me again."
Vinyl moved away from Octavia and started assembling her gear, muttering in anger. Octavia started her warm up exercises once again.
Oh, Celesta… There was just so much beauty in that music that Vinyl couldn't even stay angry. However, her honor had been tainted, so she needed to teach that mare a lesson.
Vinyl finished setting up the sample launchpad and, as quick as she could, a keyboard and two envelope controllers. Then she closed her eyes and started counting to the beat of Octavia's music.
"One, two, three… One, two, three…" Making some adjustments to her gear, Vinyl smiled with malice.
Octavia chained a simple piece with another one in the same beat and key. As soon as she hit the first note, an insidious and thundering kick drum started playing, but she didn't mind it too much. After all, she had to share the stage with a lot of ponies and everypony had the right to test their gear. At least it was playing to the same beat. Little by little, new percussion sounds were added to the piece, giving it new life. Undoubtedly, it had to be that earth mare that was getting ready her drum kit besides the pegasus guitar player.
"One, two, three… One, two, three…" Octavia counted to her own beat, getting ready for the chorus. A deep, distorted bass started playing, nailing the switch of the melody and giving it some extra power. Octavia felt her entrails resound with so many simultaneous sounds. It was like playing with a backing orchestra, but wilder and way more aggressive.
Also, it was fun.
The cellist garnished the piece with some extra filigrees and trills. Before she could even notice it, she was smiling. The sound of a piano that played soft diminished arpeggios made her start to hum.
Unfortunately, she knew the magic would end soon. After all, this was her favourite piece, and nopony played it right the first time. Nopony expected that key modulation.
"One, two, three… One, two, three…" she counted once again, this time with a little sadness. Playing the first note after the modulation, Octavia lowered her head, getting ready for the dissonance.
That's where the craziest, wildest, most aggressive synthesizer she had ever heard began to play. It's sound spun around the room. It raised and lowered its volume, screaming with a bit of a vocal quality.
And it was in bucking perfect harmony.
In fact, it was playing an impeccable solo, fast and violent, with the precision of a dancer and the subtlety of a missile. Octavia was hearing musical figures that had almost slipped her mind after so many years. Before she could even notice, she was playing harder, getting awash with the musical flow.
As the last note died, Octavia opened her eyes and looked for her mysterious accompanist.
The pegasus guitar player looked perplexed to the floor. The earth drummer mare hadn't even finished setting her kit up. The xylophonist zebra couldn't have made such crazy sounds and, certainly, Octavia didn't believe a voice could make them either. That's why she turned her neck with a feeling of dread in her stomach.
There she was. Smiling with pure malice, Vinyl looked at her eyes and put her hoof on her keyboard, replaying with swift movements the last measures of her synth solo.
Octavia let her cello fall to the ground as she got up to get closer to Vinyl. "How?!"
"Oh, I dunno, miss 'You know nothing about music'," said Vinyl with sarcasm. "It's nothing special."
"But… But… That was…" Octavia felt at a loss for words.
"What? It was nothing. Please, it was just a basic 3/4 rhythm, an A minor pentatonic played with a simple bass sample, with some blues notes just to give it some flavour. Left hoof playing arpeggios on the keyboard and right one playing a C minor harmonic solo." Vinyl played a quick demonstration. Her horn flamed in hypnotic blue, moving the sampler's buttons to the beat while her hooves fiddled with the keyboard, fluttering sometimes over the envelope controllers.
"Everypony fails the switch to C…" Octavia continued.
"I know this piece by heart," said Vinyl. "Before you cut me off, I was trying to say that I'm one of your biggest fans. Listen, electronic music doesn't compose by itself. You don't turn on a machine, feed it some magic and say 'hey, machine, make music'. Machines don't even do nothing ponies don't tell them to do before, and, in this case, it's me giving it the notes they have to play. To do that, I had to study a lot about music."
Octavia blinked twice, her face that of somepony whose preconceptions lay battered on the ground. Staring at Vinyl, she shot a quick question: "I - V - VI in G minor?"
"G, D, Eb," replied Vinyl without missing a beat.
Octavia stared at Vinyl once again and blinked twice again. She wanted to ask so many questions. She wanted to ask where did Vinyl study, how much did she know, how did her machines work and how could she focus on so many instruments at the same time. So she opened her muzzle and asked the first question that came to her mind: "Will you marry me?"
Vinyl chuckled. "Mmm… Tell you what. Buy me a drink after the gig and… We might play the first notes to that melody.
Oh, I didn't expect anypony here today. No, no, don't worry. I only come here to remember. Yes, to remember. I have so much to remember, after all.
No, don't worry, you don't bother me. It's only that… Sometimes there are little things that creep in my mind. Things about how quick time passes.
Do you remember Pinkie's wedding? I would have never thought she would be the first to tie the know. Nor would I have believed her to be the first mother of their group, even if I sometimes joked about the probability, being so irresponsible and such.
What? Oh, no, no, I'm not suggesting that her foal isn't a wanted one. She has proven herself time and again. Yes, I'm sorry. Whenever I think about these things, I get bitter.
If only I wouldn't have made my job the focus of my life… Maybe I could also have had foals. But now it's too late. I'm too committed to my responsibilities.
Rainbow Dash's first show as a Wonderbolt? I don't think I could forget that ever. So much colour, so much speed, and, above all, so much happiness. A dream becoming true is always something to be regarded with pride.
Tears? Oh, no, no… This is… How did he call it? Liquid pride. You know what? I would like to be able to do those things. Soaring the skies without any concern. Without any duty. No mysterious spells to keep at bay. No dangers to stop.
Yes, I am proud of my work. I am proud of almost everything I've done in my life, and of everything that I will do. Of course I could stop. I could stop serving others and serve myself. I could, but I wouldn't forgive myself for the rest of my life.
Sometimes I miss her a bit… Yes, I know. Who am I trying to fool? I miss her a lot. Those nights when she would hop on my bed and hide under my wing because she was scared. Now that she has her own wings, does she even remember those nights? When I felt her heartbeat by my side, even if just for an instant everything was alright. At dawn, she would leave, her cheeks red with embarrassment, and bring me breakfast. Nopony has given me so much and asked for so little.
That's why, whenever I feel sad, I come here to watch the moon raise. It's the only time of the day this world's stability is in somepony else's hooves. It weighs upon me.
After all, what's the use of being the sun when I've got nothing?
