When the forces of evil have amassed a threat to the world, five teenagers wearing colorful lycra and themed helmets will save the day.
Sombra's Shadow Army and Chrysalis' Hive Forces have taken over Canterlot Castle, forcing the Princesses to retreat. Their final plan of action falls on the Harmony Orbs: magical conduits of power connected to the primal Zords: the slumbering guardians of the planet. Princess Luna has located the town of Pony Grove, where the Orbs had chosen the worthy bearers of the powers of good. These chosen people will then defend against the impending armadas to prevent the doom of the Earth...
“Sister, be careful...” Princess Luna said, embracing her farewell.
“You know what you have to do,” Princess Celestia replied, giving Luna a kiss on the forehead. “We need the Powers of Harmony out of their hands and into those of new Guardians.”
“But who will be chosen?” Princess Luna asked.
“It’s up to you, now fly off!” her sister replied, pushing her into her airship.
The airship took altitude, as Princess Luna looked on to Princess Celestia, eyes watering.
It then took off, with Princess Celestia shaking off any urge to cry.
She then proceeded to run away from the hangar, down the halls, and straight into the throne room. Approaching the throne, she sat on it, waiting for the attacking forces to barge in through the colossal doors.
Within a few moments, the doors blew open, with a menacing male shadow monster wearing a crown and cape, along with a female insect-humanoid monster covered in a green liquid sludge. Both of them were leading armies of lesser but similar looking monsters, minions,and grunts.
Princess Celestia stood firm, staring down the menacing couple as they approached.
“We have taken over your kingdom. Now, yield or die.” King Sombra said, his shadow minions in tow.
“We know you don’t want this to be… painful to your subjects...” Queen Chrysalis added, snapping her fingers to summon her changelings, bringing forth a captured squad of Royal Guardsmen.
Princess Celestia was known to be crafty, but the extent of her craftiness was unknown to the evil lord and lady standing in front of her.
“They’re trained to fight and die for the Kingdom,” Princess Celestia answered. “As much as I hate for them to die, they’re willing to take anything from a bullet to a full powered energy blast.”
She then smirked. “Oh, and I know how your kind proliferates, by conversion. You don’t kill, you capture.”
“Sombrero here's another story,” Queen Chrysalis cooed, stroking the Shadow Lord's cape.
“Get your hands off me,” King Sombra said. “Yet you speak truth. The Shadow Horde feeds on life force.”
“Interesting…” Princess Celestia remarked. “But neither of you will be able to feed on this kind of energy.”
A ray of sunlight blasted its way through the roof, wounding the Changelings and forcing the Shadow Minions to retreat. King Sombra and Queen Chrysalis were teleported back to their camps.
The Royal Guards got their bearings and took the Princess away, fleeing the castle.
An aircraft landed in the now-destroyed gardens of the castle, with the pilot chiming in.
“Princess Celestia, Shining Armor here, we managed to salvage this before the Changelings wrecked the Royal Guard hangars. I have a message from your sister.”
“All right then,” Princess Celestia said, entering the craft with the guardsmen at watch.
“It was something about the Harmony Orbs, but she managed to go into hiding in a small town called Pony Grove,” Shining Armor explained. “It would be better if she told you herself, since she came close to hyperventilating when she explained it to me.”
“To Pony Grove, then.” The princess ordered. “They wouldn't give chase unless they personally led it, knowing that I'm the target.”
Three days had passed since Princess Celestia caught up with Princess Luna, with the latter explaining the situation with the Harmony Orbs.
“They started glowing brightly once I neared the town…” Princess Luna said, adjusting her glasses and taking a sip of hot chocolate.
Princess Celestia grew weak, having depleted her magic in the trap she had set against the Shadow Horde and the Changeling Hive, as well as setting up foundations of a protective shield around Pony Grove. The rest of the shield was completed by Princess Luna and Shining Armor, both insisting that Princess Celestia rest.
Princess Luna had built a recovery chamber for her elder sister, to restore her magic from the critically low state she was in. “Pony Grove, Pony Grove… why does that ring a bell?” Shining Armor asked. “That's it! My family lives here!” He said to Princess Luna. “And I thought I was going to worry about a place to stay…”
He then paused to realize that the Princesses don't. “Your Highnesses, what about--”
“Go, now.” Princess Luna said. “This place is a vacation manor that our family actually owns. I can fix it up so that it wouldn't be like some lab, I can take care of this. Besides,” she said, bringing the chest containing the five golf-ball sized orbs to the young Guardsman. “You can find who the Orbs choose, they will merge with the person of worth. There was a sixth, but… it flew off right after the sky split in two.”
“Got it, the orbs choose their bearers. Oh, and ladies?” Shining replied after receiving the orbs. “Take care.”
Princess Luna nodded. “Be back the day after tomorrow, the orbs have plenty of time until then to choose their bearers.”
Shining had reached the house where his parents, Night Light and Twilight Velvet, live with his younger sister, Twilight Sparkle.
He rang the doorbell, only to be met with the warm hugs of a near-middle-aged couple.
“Son! What a surprise, Velvet, our son is back from Canterlot!” Night Light said.
“I hope the Princesses took care of you and your fellow Guards,” Twilight Velvet added, wiping his son’s face clean with a steamed face towel.
“Mom, Dad, please,” Shining sighed. “It's the other way around, we take care of the Princesses.”
“So, did they send you home?” his mother asked.
“Sort of,” he replied, “there was an invasion--”
“An invasion?” his dad gasped. “Don't tell me it's those Shadow goons again!”
“Worse, they had an agreement with the Changelings--”
“Oh no, not the Changelings!” Velvet exclaimed. “Are the Princesses safe?”
“They're fine, safe and sound.” Shining said, reassuring his parents. “They told most of the Guards that came with them to lay off the Guard duty, here in Pony Grove. Lucky me, that my family lives here,” he said as he looked around. “Where's Twily?”
“She's staying with her friend Sunset Shimmer, they're studying together.” Night Light said, turning to his wife. “Although, I bet our daughter may be more than friends with Sunset--”
“Night Light, don't jump to conclusions!” Velvet scoffed. “Even if she looks at Sunset like you look at me…”
“Twily’s got herself an other?” Shining asked. “Me and Cadance could use a double date someday.”
“Now now,” Velvet said, “Twily might not be comfortable telling us yet. After all, she only came out three months ago.”
“Please don't tell me she turned my room into a library…” Shining said with a gulp.
“Of course not,” Night Light said, chuckling. His expression changed to a deadpan, saying, “She did that to the basement.” “By the way, Shiny, dinner is Chinese food.” Velvet said. “Your dad and I ate out, and we brought home additional orders just in case Twily might come home early.”
“She and Sunset sometimes go to the basement,” Night Light added.
“Explains why it became the library,” Shining said, chuckling.
“We'll be heading up now, son.” Velvet said. “It's been a day for us, and your surprise return got us old folk spent.”
“Mom, Dad, you're only in your forties.” Shining said.
The next day, Shining met up with his girlfriend, Cadance, in the park.
“Well look who's back from the force!” Cadance said, jumping on the Guardsman.
“Woah, I miss you too, babe.” Shining replied, turning it into a hug.
Cadance littered Shining’s face with little kisses, almost toppling them over.
“So, what brings you back?” she asked. “No wait, let me guess, the Princesses retreated from an invasion, and they told you to relax while they handle things?”
“Well, that and Princess Luna gave me these,” Shining said, taking out the five Harmony Orbs. “Wait, they weren't glowing this bright before…” Shining wondered.
“What's that supposed to mean?” Cadance asked, in awe at the five orbs.
“Princess Luna said the orbs were to choose their bearers…” Shining explained. “But what does that--”
Suddenly, the black and pink orbs flew up to the sky, and started speeding up towards two girls buying coffee and biscuits. “These spa days are a wonder, Rarity,” one of the girls said. She was a meek, shy girl, with long pink hair that hides half her face, despite her being quite a looker, and cerulean eyes that dart away from any pair of eyes she makes visual contact with. She wore a canary sweater and jeans, which, despite her animal caring hobby, remain clean. “Angel has been really grumpy since the girl rabbit I set him up with didn't like him back.”
“Fluttershy, that poor thing, in terms of social cues from his own kind, is under a rock,” the other girl said. She was a beauty like no other, and she knew how to make use of it. Her curled purple hair, her stunning Pacific blue eyes, and her figure that her clothes, a white top, a black designer jacket, and a pleated purple skirt, only accentuate. “Have you seen a sheltered child hold up small talk with someone?”
The first girl, Fluttershy, shook her head.
Rarity, the second girl, sighed. “Now, enough about Angel, you mentioned the previous day, that you received an email from Rainbow Dash!”
Fluttershy felt her insides flutter at the mention of Rainbow Dash. “I'm so surprised she's heading here after her Wonderbolt training, I'd expect her to go on traveling with Gilda or stay full time at the Wonderbolts, or--”
“I bet she's coming here mostly for you,” Rarity added with a teasing wink, which made Fluttershy’s cheeks turn pink like her hair. “You're the only one she's that close to. If there was another, I'd bet it would be that loud farm girl.”
Their chat kept them from noticing the orbs heading straight for them. The black orb aimed itself at Rarity while the pink at Fluttershy. The orbs hit them square in their chests, sending them walking a few steps back. The girls were only carrying a coffee cup and pastry for each of them, so the impact didn't spill or ruin any of their meals, not to mention their clothes. They were approached by Shining Armor and Cadance, who were checking if they were okay.
“Did those things, hurt you?” Cadance asked.
“Not at all, in fact, we felt energized by those orbs or whatever they were.” Rarity replied.
“It's like they entered our bodies,” Fluttershy added.
“Entered? Like, merged?” Shining asked.
Both girls nodded.
Cadance shared a look with Shining. “Here,” he said, giving the two girls an address and directions to where Princess Luna is staying in. “Someone lives there and she has the answers to what those orbs are.”
Rarity blinked. “Say, aren't you that bookish girl's brother?”
“Bookish girl?” Shining asked. “Purple hair? Red shirt from her math camp?”
“Yes, she's our classmate.” Fluttershy answered.
After a conversation awkwardly brought up due to Twilight Sparkle being his sister, Shining and Cadance went to the marketplace.
“I'm really sorry I got you roped into this,” Shining said.
“Pretty exciting for a reunion date,” Cadance smiled, holding on to Shining's arm.
“Let's get some pie, it's about lunch time.” Shining beamed, noticing a stall run by a large man, and two girls, one young girl and one as old as the two who fused with the black and pink orbs. All three of them look like they're from a farm, with the third one talking to a very energetic girl with pink poofy hair. She was wearing a blue jacket over her pink shirt, and her joggers are colored like her jacket.
“Oh no, Pinkie, I ain't letting you put those into my pies.” the farm girl said.
“But Applejackieee, it's going to taste crazy amazing!” The energetic girl said back, trying to convince them. “Nope.” The large man said, as he counted the crates he brought in.
“My sister's said no, Pinkie, and it means no,” the younger girl said, as she tried(and failed) to stuff the pie she had. Shining and Cadance approached the stall. The girl named Applejack, who was wearing a stetson, turned to the couple. “Howdy Cadance, and welcome back Shining Armor!” she said.
“How did you--”
“Remember the time you sent me a picture of you in uniform?” Cadance asked.
“She went all mushy about it!” The younger girl added.
“Apple Bloom! Go on, you rascal!” Applejack said, shooing Apple Bloom off. She turned back to the couple and asked, “Now what can I get y'all on this fine day?”
“How about an apple pie?” Shining asked.
“A big ole apple pie? Done!” Applejack said. “Careful, still hot!”
“I still don't get why they can fuse to a person of their choosing,” Cadance wondered, holding up the blue and yellow orbs, which were glowing more intensely than the previous two before they fused with their bearers.
Applejack whistled. “What are those purty things?”
“They're orbs that the Princesses gave to me, tasked me to delivering them to someone.” Shining answered, taking a bite of some pie.
“They're solid, though.” Pinkie Pie added, curiously tapping one of them.
Applejack examined the blue orb, while Pinkie took hold of the yellow orb. “They're as big as oranges, well, the ones my Aunt and Uncle have produced in them orchards they own.”
The yellow orb slipped through Pinkie's grip and flew into Applejack, at the same time, the blue orb flew its way into Pinkie Pie.
“Whoa Nellie!” Applejack wondered. “I feel like I could do thrice my work in one day!”
“I feel like I could run from here to Canterlot and all the way to Cloudsdale!” Pinkie added, being even more energetic than ever. A sight that Applejack dreaded to see.
“We actually don't know what happened, trust us,” Cadance explained.
“But Princess Luna knows, she's in this address.” Shining added.
“She didn't tell you nothing about this?” Applejack asked.
“No, she was pretty cryptic,” Shining answered. “But better her than her sister, she's cryptic-squared. Anyway, head to that address, we'll be there too, there's nothing I understand about all this…”
Evening arrived, and Cadance finished talking to her guardians on her phone.
“They're good, I can have dinner with you,” she smiled.
“I hope mom and dad don't bring Chinese food,” Shining sighed. “The milk tea was just… ugh…”
“You never liked milk tea.” Cadance added. “Then again, who would, if it upsets your stomach?”
Shining knocked on the door, which was answered by his little sister.
“Cadance! You're here too!” She said, bringing both Shining and Cadance into a hug.
“You're happy, did something happen in Sunset’ house?” Shining asked, smirking.
“Brother,” Twilight whined. “I don't, like Sunset, like that way. The way you and Cadance look at each other, I mean..”
“She's cute, though,” Cadance said, which turned Twilight red.
“Dinner’s ready!” Velvet called out from the kitchen. “Your father made turkey, I don’t know why!”
“Same goes with your mother, she made macaroni!” Night Light added.
They both rubbed their noses together and then said in unison, “You surprise me every time,” earning eye rolls from both Twilight and Shining. Cadance stifled a giggle as she saw both brother and sister feeling all the embarrassment in the world. “So mom, dad,” Twilight said. “Sunset and I were talking about the winter camp we're considering, she's found something unusual located nearby. I was going to be her record keeper and assistant for this time, to repay her for last time when she helped me make those improvements to the station wagon, so can I go with her? Please?”
Night Light gave his daughter an okay sign, with Velvet smiling at her.
“Wait, what?” Shining asked. “Dad, what's she talking about the station wagon?”
“I uh, changed the fuel system from fossil fuels to biodiesel…” Twilight said sheepishly, “It runs on food grease, basically.” “Where do you get grease? The fast food restaurants?” Shining asked. His eyes widened. “No… You're joking…”
“No, Pinkie Pie's used cooking oil.” Twilight answered. “She makes her Fry-Day Foodsies every Friday, and replaces her cooking oil every month. The things that girl eats, BBBFF…” she said as she ate the last of her food and drank her water. “May I be excused? I have homework to do.”
“Sweetie, you just finished your homework over at Sunset's,” Velvet retorted.
“Mom, I'm talking about next week's homework.” The girl said as she slipped off into the basement.
“Homework for next week?” Night Light wondered.
“I know what she's doing, darling,” Velvet said, giggling. “I bet she and Sunset are sharing video calls together.”
“So, Miss Velvet--” Cadance began.
“Cadance, dear, call--” Velvet interjected.
“Mom, no,” Shining interrupted.
“So Cadance, any plans for the future?” Night Light asked.
“Well, um, I am considering education, I'm planning to put up a small school, maybe Miss Cheerilee can help--”
“Ahem, dear, I meant…” Night Light interrupted, his eyes looking back and forth between Shining and Cadance.
Cadance realized what her boyfriend's father meant, and blushed madly. -------- Twilight turned on her computer and video camera, started a video chat app, and clicked on the icon of a red sun, connecting her to a girl with red hair coupled with many streaks of orange and yellow mixed in, making her hair look like the perfect sky for, according to Pinkie Pie, for Applejack to walk away to, who was also wearing motorbike shades and a leather jacket.
“Hey, just got home,” she said to Twilight. “You?”
“Oh, uh, I just came from dinner,” Twilight replied. She then noticed that Sunset, the girl she was talking to, was taking off her clothes. “Umm...”
“We’ve seen each other in our undies, Twiles.” Sunset said, “Unless you suddenly want to pin me down and kiss me...” she naughtily added as her cheeks turned pink.
“Sunny!” Twilight said, covering her cheeks. “So, what do your folks say? We good to go this winter?”
“We are good to go, indeed.” Twilight beamed. “You and I are gonna have a snow hunt, yes!”
“Hey, get your stuff ready,” Sunset said. “I don’t want you hugging me or nothing...”
“Umm, Sunny, look what I found.” Twilight said, hoping to change the subject before she accidentally blurts out that she likes her.
“Go on, shoot.” Sunset said, having finished putting on her night clothes, consisting of a t-shirt with a metal band logo on it and a pair of shorts.
Twilight presented a red orb along with a card with an address with landmarks on it. “I found it in the stuff that my brother and Cadance left in the living room. I also noticed a checklist with the words Blue, Yellow, Black, and Pink checked off, along with question marks around the word Thunder? which was encircled. The word Red however, is untouched.”
“Safe to say that whatever you’re holding is what Red is,” Sunset said, tapping her cheek. “And that the other colors aren’t there, so it means that your brother is hiding these… orbs.”
“Hmm...” Twilight said, thinking of a plan. “Aha! I’ll give this back to my brother. And then, we follow him tomorrow!” Sunset, happily listening, realized that Twilight meant both of them. “Wait, tomorrow?” she asked. “Twiles, I have band practice tomorrow! The Dazzlings have no one to watch over them, have you any idea what they tend to do with their own equipment without supervision?”
“Hare-brained plots involving them making some crazy device?” Twilight asked.
“Yes and if they do that again to their instruments...” Sunset said, frantic. “The music shop will ban the whole band! Sure, I’d understand why Arctic would ban them, but me? Sure I had an edgy brooding phase where I almost started a sacrificial cult, almost is the key word here, got it? But still, it was a phase, that I got over!”
Twilight gulped. “I… Sounds like this is the first time we’re not doing this together, I’m getting nervous...” she said as she started breathing heavily.
“Breathe, girl,” Sunset said, exaggerating her breathing so that Twilight can sync up with her. She managed to get the nervous bookworm to calm down with their breath syncing.
Suddenly, Twilight heard a voice from the stairs.
“Twily?” It was Shining Armor. “Did you see a red orb with some other stuff laying around?”
“They’re over here!” Twilight answered. “What is it though?”
“Something the Princess told me to take care of,” Shining said, going down the stairs. Twilight gave the orb and the paper sheets to her brother, who took them with a sigh of relief. “If I lose these, she’ll kill me!”
“Not if she kills me for failing to get the red orb to its bearer first.” he thought. He patted his sister on the head, saying “Thanks, I can’t imagine what Princess Luna would do to my hide if I lost this...”
He then left the basement, going up the stairs.
“Guess you’ll be going, planning your pursuit,” Sunset said, winking at Twilight, making the latter giggle.
“You owe me a hot chocolate date,” Twilight said back, pouting, “‘cause you couldn’t make it.”
The next day, Shining, finishing his call with Cadance, headed on, towards the direction where Luna’s lab is. Little did he know that his little sister, wearing a thick red hoodie to hide herself, followed pursuit. The guardsman had reached the entrance, where he encountered Princess Luna.
“Princess, about the red orb, I can explain--”
Suddenly, the orb started glowing.
“Well,” Luna exclaimed. “My guess was correct.”
“What guess?” Shining frantically asked.
“The orbs are varying in terms of pickiness.”
“Pickiness?”
“Yes, pickiness,” she said. “This one’s the pickiest of them all.”
The orb flew out of Shining’s hands, and collided with the hooded Twilight, who didn’t see it coming thanks to her hood. She was knocked down by the impact, disoriented.
Twilight took off her hood, rubbing her head. Shining was surprised.
“No, no, no, absolutely not! Of all the people to choose, not my sister!” Shining said, looking frantic. “If anything happens to you, I’m dead!”
“You mean like how the orb knocked me over and that I possibly scraped my--” Twilight said, as she suddenly looked for a wound or scratch. “I hate it when I can’t support my lies.”
“Shining Armor,” Princess Luna began. “The orbs choose their bearers. The decision cannot be swayed, and it also proves that your sister also has the spirit that you have shown when bringing my sister to safety.”
She then walked to Twilight, offering her hands to help her up. “Like I said, the red power is the most indecisive, tied closely with the lost sixth orb. All the orbs have powers unfathomable, but the red orb and its missing sixth sibling have more of their power unlocked, because my sister and I harnessed the energies to build up the shield around Canterlot, several centuries ago.”
“Ughhh...” Twilight said. “What’s going on--”
Her eyes widened at the sight of Princess Luna.
She then let out a squeal, and hugged the Princess. “Oh my goodness it’s you!”
Princess Luna chuckled softly. “I’d want to take the time to meet you, all of you, but time is not on our side. Follow me.” Twilight and Shining followed Luna into the large manor base. “Good thing you instructed the others to come, Captain.” she began. “King Sombra sent one of his Shadow Warriors, en route from Canterlot Castle. We need the five of you to find your powers.”
“Find our powers?” Twilight asked. “What did those orb things do, firstly?”
“The Harmony Orbs had chosen their bearers, they who would harness their powers,” Princess Luna began, leading Twilight into a large room with four girls in, waiting for explanations. “However, you can only access them once you connect with your Zords.”
Twilight looked at the four other girls present, recognizing them from school. “Zords?”
“Yes, Zords.” Princess Luna replied. “Imagine mechas. Imagine giant mechas. Imagine living giant mechas. Living giant mechas with spirits of good, waiting for worthy ones to awaken them.”
Applejack spoke up. “Hang on.” she asked. “We’re gonna speak to giant robots?”
“You’re going to connect to them,” Princess Luna explained. “Bond with them, win them over. Only their powers can unlock yours, and stand up to the forces of Queen Chrysalis and King Sombra.”
Princess Luna motioned the five girls to put their palms out together. Twilight took the lead, and put her palm out.
“Ah, heck. If it gives me what the hell is really going on...” Applejack said, putting her palm right beside Twilight’s.
“I agree. It might be something that can help keep our place safe from Sombra’s army.” Rarity added, putting hers out, beside Applejack’s.
“Weee!” Pinkie bounced, putting her palm beside Twilight’s, along with a silent peep from Fluttershy who gently put her palm beside the bouncy girl.
The five Harmony Orbs materialized onto their palms, and started glowing.
“They are now locating your respective Zords,” Princess Luna said, looking determined, and a little bit hopeful. “Gain their favor, and unlock your powers.”
The five girls found themselves engulfed in a growing ray of light, losing sight of Shining Armor, Princess Luna, and her lab.
Applejack found herself in the middle of a forest, with none of the others in sight. She was on her own, and all she had was her yellow Harmony Orb.
She stood up slowly, trying to regain her senses. She noticed a dirt road a few ways to her right, and walked towards it. She then looked around to see if there is any sign of civilization, and found no luck.
She called out, “Is anyone ‘round here?”
No response. She tried again, and heard nothing, except for a low rumbling noise coming from down the road, leading to a thicker part of the forest.
“That’s gotta be a live vehicle,” Applejack thought. “And when there’s a live vehicle...” She then ran toward the source.
Rarity came to her senses in the mouth of a large cave, with rail tracks and mine carts littered near the entrance. She gripped on her black Harmony Orb, as it glowed a light that provided enough illumination for her path.
She noticed that the cave was rich in some sort of crystal matter, something she didn’t quite recognize from her knowledge of crystals and gems. Her Harmony Orb glew a bit brighter as she moved towards where the unknown crystal seemed to originate, following the direction where the crystals are larger.
“Unbelievable,” she wondered. “These crystals… it’s as if they’re growing so fast that you could watch them grow!”
Pinkie Pie shivered as she walked through the snow storm, her blue Orb in hand. “I have to get to shelter soon,” she said. “Then I could make a fire and heat up my doughnuts! Hee hee!”
She then located a cave which she could stay in for a while, any longer and the winds might turn her into a frozen sugary Pinkie-popsicle.
She wiped all the snow off of herself, as well as shaking it off. “Brr, that was really cold!” she said. She then prepared a fire after she finished warming herself up. “Heehee, who knew the blue Orb’s light can do that?” she thought. “Okie-dokie-lokie, now let’s get this flat rock on top of the fire, and then...”
Fluttershy looked around the mountainside forest that she woke up in, finding feathers of different kinds of birds. “Am I in a nesting ground?” she wondered to herself. As she examined the more unusual feathers, she heard faint singing from a direction she could not tell.
She then pulled out her pink Orb. “It’s… glowing?” she thought.
As she moved the Orb around, she noticed that the song got louder as she pointed it near the side of the mountain, where the feathers lead.
“I don’t recognize that song…” Fluttershy said, walking towards it. “It could be a kind of bird I haven’t seen yet...”
Twilight looked in awe at the titanic mecha-like bear looking straight at her as she held the red Harmony Orb in fear.
She glanced at the red Orb she held, noticing that it’s glowing. The titanic bear turned its attention to Twilight’s Orb. “This?” the girl nervously asked. “You want to give me something, if I show you this?” She brandished the Orb.
The bear growled at a rustling within the nearby forest. Part of the forest was being engulfed in a patch of darkness that was moving closer.
“Shadow creeps!” Twilight gasped.
The bear put one paw forward. “Understood,” Twilight said, climbing on to the bear’s paw. It let out a large roar, causing a red shockwave that knocked the shadow back.
“Thank you…” she said, patting the paw she rode on.
Applejack looked on to the sight that she couldn’t believe: a large pack of wolves gathering around an enormous statue of a wolf. “What in tarnation? Are they worshipping the rock?” she wondered. Her Harmony Orb glowed even more, the intense light stinging her hand. She grunted in pain, while tossing her Orb into her other hand.
The wolves heard this, and noticed her. However, they didn’t attack. They slowly retreated, giving Applejack a pathway. “Whoa, Nellie.” she said, walking towards the wolf statue. The wolves didn’t move, they let Applejack push forward. However, as soon as she reached reaching distance of the statue dais, the wolves started growling.
“Why do you go here?” a rumbling voice demanded.
“To find the one bonded to this Harmony Orb.” Applejack answered, lifting the orb up. However, the Orb flew into the dais of the statue, causing the ground to shake. All the wolves suddenly started glowing, and turned into forms of energy that fired directly at the statue.
“Dog gone it, I had a bad feeling about this, It’s some sort of trap!” Applejack said, trying to run away. The moment she turned around, her eyes widened in shock. The area she was in, sealed inside a yellow barrier.
She gathered momentum to charge at the barrier hoping to break free. Her shoulder hit the barrier, but the barrier absorbed the impact like a cushion. It’s as if she hit a trampoline, because she was propelled back to nearby the statue, landing flat on her back.
Feeling sore, she slowly stood up, only to realize that the giant wolf statue was crumbling apart, revealing a more metallic structure underneath. The wolf head cracked in half to reveal the face of a yellow mecha wolf, looking at Applejack with judgment.
“Why do you come here, bearer of this Yellow Orb?” rumbled a disembodied voice.
Applejack, thinking it was the wolf who asked, sighed. “To be honest, I actually don’t have an idea why. I don’t know why the Orb chose me, or why it took me to this place...”
Another sigh.
“But what I do know, is that this Orb’s gonna help me try stop something that would doom the world. Because I feel like I can’t stand aside when an evil invasion’s started to take many places already.”
The stone that was covering the mecha wolf crumbled apart, falling off. The mecha wolf bowed its head slightly, and let out a howl.
The orb flew back to Applejack, which then materialized on her left arm, a bracer with a device on it, shaped like a wolf’s head which can open its mouth.
The mecha wolf barked at Applejack. “Well, alright then,” Applejack said. She took the Orb in her right hand, and opened the mouth of the device. She placed the yellow Orb into the mouth and closed it, the gadget letting out a phrase:
“Yellow, Hardened Wood Power!”
Her body started to glow, and then a yellow and white suit made of tights materialized on her. A yellow helmet also materialized around her head, having the features of the wolf mecha on it.
“Whoa, there. What the heck am I wearing?” she asked herself. The suit also had a grey vest and skirt on, as well as white knee-high boots and white elbow-reaching gloves.
“I look forward, to defending the world with you, Yellow Ranger.” said a voice sounding similar to the voice that asked her questions, but without the rumbling feel and the trembling earth.
“Yellow Ranger?” Applejack thought. Surprised, she looked around trying to find the source of the voice.
“Look at your Morpher,” the voice said. Applejack looked at her bracer that had the wolf head-shaped device on it.
“This is my Morpher?” she asked.
“You can communicate with us through the Morpher and the Orb. When both are separate, it cannot be done. I am the Timber Wolf Zord, Guardian of the Forests and Trees.”
“Trees? It wouldn’t hurt to ask.” wondered the southern belle. “Including apple trees?”
“Yes, including apple trees.” he replied. “Apples have indeed fed your family in more ways than one.”
“Them apple trees we have make the best apples I’ve had!” Applejack said proudly. “Make ‘em into an apple pie and it’d be deeeelicious!”
“Your heart is honest, Applejack.” Wolf Zord mused. “Your honesty will give you strength. Now, go, the Red Ursa will want to see you.”
The crystals had led Rarity to a large cavern made almost entirely of the minerals, which housed a large canine mecha with a black color theme, laying down.
The mecha dog whimpered at seeing Rarity touch the crystal walls. Her response was delayed at how much she felt marvel over the crystal structure that formed the cave.
“You… made these?” she asked.
The mecha dog nodded. It noticed the Orb that Rarity held, and then rose up a bit.
“You, know this?” the fashionista asked. The dog barked at her.
She raised the Orb up, and it flew towards the mecha dog. The dog filled with black rays of energy and let out a howl. The crystalline cave suddenly cracked and broke apart, much to Rarity’s fright. She tried to run away, but was trapped in a black-tinted barrier. She looked up, seeing that the barrier is also protecting her from the cave-in.
The barrier suddenly rose, moving the rubble out of its way. It carried Rarity up into the air, and then landed her on top of the canine mecha.
Her Harmony Orb flew its way back to her, as something materialize onto her left forearm.
The fashionista inserted her black Orb into the device that resembled the canine mecha, and then she glowed.
“Black, Earthen Crystal Power!”
A suit and helmet materialized onto her, mostly black, with a grey vest and skirt, and white gloves and boots. The helmet had the visage of the dog mech on it.
The Morpher’s eyelights started to flash. “Greetings, miss Rarity,” said a feminine voice. “You look good in black.”
“You flatter me, dear, but I am currently--” Rarity replied, being cut off when she noticed the suit that she was wearing.
“Oh my goodness!” she exclaimed. “This is, just… This is the cutest outfit I’ve seen! You have to tell me your secret, darling! How did you get it on me?”
“We can talk anytime, just insert your Harmony Orb into the Morpher, and you can talk to me, the Diamond Dog Zord.” the mecha replied. “But, first things first. I’m sending you to Red...”
The party girl shivered as she walked towards the area where her Harmony Orb flew to.
“Aww, why did you have to fly away?” She shouted in frustration.
She couldn’t see where she was walking due to the snowstorm, but she kept pushing on. However, she slipped on an icy rock, and slid away. She slid left, right, over, and under things, around and around, until she slowed down, falling onto thick snow.
She heard a whinny from behind. She got up slowly, feeling pained from bruises thanks to the fall. When she turned around, she saw a surprising sight. A towering blue mecha resembling the fabled windigoes, cold storm spirits that partly resemble steeds made of snow.
The windigo mecha’s eyes glowed, and Pinkie found that a Morpher materialized on her left arm.
Her Orb returned and she placed it into the Morpher’s mouth.
“Blue, Arctic Gale Power!”
A blue suit, coupled with a mostly grey vest and skirt, accented by white gloves and boots, materialized onto her, followed by a blue helmet with resemblance to the large equine mecha.
“Cool! This is amazing!” Pinkie said as she jumped up and down in delight.
“I feel like I’m on top of the world!” she said as she zipped around. She laughed and laughed until she was taken by surprise. She heard an old but sophisticated male voice from her Morpher. “Your arrival was something that I found exciting and hilarious! I, the Windicorn Zord, will fight with you, Blue Ranger!”
“Blue? I like blue! It’s like the color of the sky! The one thing I see when I bounce up and down!” Pinkie said as she kept zipping around.
“Now now, calm yourself.” Windicorn Zord said. “Because I’m sending you to Red Ursa!”
“Hello? Is anyone here?” Fluttershy squeaked as she approached the large nest.
She saw a large pile of ash, surrounding a large egg seated in the middle.
Fluttershy noticed the pink Orb she held glow intensely. The pink orb flew to the ash pile, and ignited the whole nest. She stared in horror as the egg was being engulfed in fire. It glowed bright from the heat, and then hatched in a large shockwave.
Out of the flames rose a large avian mecha, with shades of pink resembling waves of fire. The large robot bird sang a song that Fluttershy recognized from previously.
“You’re the one singing that song I couldn’t recognize!” Fluttershy gasped. “Amazing!”
Suddenly her pink Orb flew back to her, and lodged itself into the mouth of a Morpher Fluttershy knew she never had.
“Pink, Restoring Flame Power!”
Her surroundings went white, as a pink suit materialized around her body. The suit was followed with a grey vest, white gloves, and white boots. A helmet followed, which resembled the magnificent bird mecha she had encountered.
“Oh my goodness…” Fluttershy fidgeted. “This outfit is too much...”
“It looks good on you, don’t worry!” said an older feminine voice, which surprised Fluttershy, knocking herself over.
“You’re a shy little thing, aren’t you? Let me introduce myself. I’m the Phoenix Zord. You have been chosen to fight as the Pink Ranger, and in good time too… Evil has arrived, and Red Ursa was just alerted to the presence.” Before she could continue, the Phoenix Zord noticed Fluttershy raise her hand.
“Um… will we need to go to Red Ursa?” Fluttershy asked the Phoenix Zord, to which the mecha nodded in agreement.
The four girls were teleported to the lookout where Red Ursa and Twilight were located in.
“Girls! You’re here?” Twilight asked in surprise.
“Wait, how can you know--” Applejack asked in confusion, while Rarity interrupted her, deadpanning “Applejack. Our visors aren’t on.”
“That’s so cool! Visors on!” Pinkie shouted. Her visor closed shut.
“We’re supposed to go to the Red Ursa for something, right?” Fluttershy asked.
“Red Ursa?” Twilight wondered. She turned to the large bear and asked “That’s you?”
The bear’s eyes lit up, sending the red Orb to the bookworm. Her left hand lit up, and a Morpher appeared, looking just like the large bear. The red Orb inserted itself into the Morpher, and Twilight suddenly found herself wearing a suit similar to the ones that the other four girls had on.
“Red, Mysterious Void Power!”
What she didn’t expect, was the sudden spike of power that her suit gave her.
“What? What is this? What’s--”
“I’ve filled you with power, to send you back to your town!” Red Ursa said through Twilight’s morpher. “Time is of the essence, a powerful evil has arrived to your town! We’ll handle the evils here, now go!”
“Understood!” Twilight replied. She pressed onto her Morpher, making it do a biting motion. “Transport to, Pony Grove!”
Five pillars of light engulfed the girls, sending them back to Luna’s manor.
The five girls returned to Luna’s lab, where the princess was playing checkers with Shining, with the latter losing for the 14th time.
“King me.” Luna said. “Best 15 out of 29?” Shining demanded.
“We’re back, Princess!” Twilight said, walking towards the checkerboard.
“And we got them Zords to help!” Applejack added.
“At least there’s some good news,” Luna sighed. “However...” she said as she opened the live news feed. There was a snail-like monster armed with poison stingers on its wrist, chasing down the people at the park.
“Hear me, you dry whelps! I, Snail Soldier, will claim this little town for the Shadow Empire! After this, King Sombra will reward me with a bounty of mates for sure! Bwahahahahaha!”
“This just in,” said the reporter. “King Sombra’s Shadow Army has arrived for Pony Grove!”
“How are we gonna get there in time?” Rarity wondered.
“Oh no, we’re going to have to run there, are we?” Fluttershy asked with a gulp.
Fluttershy’s Morpher started blinking. “Use the powers we granted through the Morpher, that will get you there.” Phoenix Zord said.
“All right!” Fluttershy said with a nod. She pushed on her Morpher, saying “Umm…”
Twilight cocked her head sideways. “Let me try…” she said as she pushed on hers, and listened to each entry. “Hmm… Grizzly Shield… Star Blaster... Steed Speeder? I’ll try the Steed Speeder...”
She pressed on her Morpher, calling out “Steed Speeder, activate!”
A motorbike themed like a horse spawned in the empty space of the lab.
However, Twilight realized that despite her time with Sunset and her motorbike, she doesn’t know how to ride one. “Uh, Ursa?” “There’s autopilot options available,” the Morpher answered.
With a sigh of relief, she turned to the girls and nodded. “Now that that mystery’s taken care of, let’s get on our Steed Speeders!”
Pinkie, Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy summoned their Steed Speeders, and then got on.
“I’ll open the exit ramp,” Luna said. Without even looking, she pulled down a lever that opened the exit ramp. The five girls sped off on their Steed Speeders, heading for the park.
“Nothing is working!” a police officer said to another as he tried to shoot at the snail monster.
“Can we contact the Army?” a third one asked.
“They’re occupied!” the first one answered. “Thanks to the Canterlot invasion, their hands are full in order to maintain the blockade on Sombra’s army! Chief explained it to us this morning, remember?”
“Dammit!” the second officer said. “How about the rest of the Canterlot Guards? The Wonderbolts? The Shadowbolts?”
“Also occupied,” the first officer added. “They are keeping Chrysalis’ Hive in check.”
“All of them?” The third one asked.
“All of them.” The second one answered.
“If their forces aren’t held at bay,” the first one said, “they will be able to walk through conquering half the continent with ease.”
“This is such a bad day for lunch...” The second one said.
The monster turned around to the officers. “Ha ha ha! My slime just softened those shots you took!” it said.
“Oh yeah? How about these? Star Blaster!” someone shouted.
From out of nowhere, energy blasts littered the monster with hits, staggering it.
“Errgh, foul shot!” the monster shouted.
“You’re one to talk!” someone shouted back. “Heartwood Axe!”
The swing was dodged by the monster, and it curled up into a fetal position. “You’ll never get through the Shell Formation!” it shouted.
The police officers looked in shock and awe. Five female fighters, clad in colorful lycra, wearing helmets with animal visages. An officer spoke up. “Excuse me!”
The five girls turned to the officer, as he added, “You can’t park on the grass!”
The girls looked at each other, confused. They looked at their Steed Speeders, which they left parked on the park grass. “Hey, Windy!” Pinkie said, talking to her Morpher. “Can the Steed Speeders be de-summoned?”
“Of course, loud girl!” Windicorn Zord said, his voice sounding more gruff. “Steed Speeders, Dismiss!” he said out loud. The Steed Speeders then vanished into thin air. “Say ‘summon’ when calling on your arsenal, ‘dismiss’ when you don’t need them.”
“Thanks a lot, Windy!” Pinkie cheered.
“You girls better get used to the whole ‘fight against evil’,” Windicorn Zord said with a chuckle. “It’s a long one...”
“Alright!” Fluttershy said, gulping. “Burning Staff!” she said out loud, or what she would consider loud, and then put her hand out. A pink staff patterned with flames and topped with an avian head spawned onto her grip.
“Crystal Saber!” Rarity said out loud, as she conjured a fencing saber and took pose.
“Alpine fan!” Pinkie shouted, coupled with bounces. Two folding fans appeared, one in each of her hands. The three of them then charged at the snail monster, supporting Twilight and Applejack’s advance.
However, the monster was quick to dodge their individual attacks, evading the lunges Rarity made while stepping aside to be clear of Applejack’s swings.
Fluttershy’s fire blasts managed to hit the monster’s shell. However, the blasts only managed to leave scorch marks without burning through it. “Oooh, why I oughta scream--” Fluttershy said, annoyed. She then screamed in her standard Fluttershy manner, very softly. “Aaa...”
Pinkie fanned a couple of air gusts at the snail monster. The shell didn’t budge, but the antenna did.
“Dang it, I’m blinded!” it said, squirming and covering what seems to be its face, where the antennae retreated in. “Soot in my eyes!”
Applejack managed to whack a hit at the shell, making a crack. “Rarity, now!” Rarity then attempted a thrust attack, but she couldn’t get a stab at the crack. “Unbelievable, the crack’s too small! And it’s healing!”
Applejack swung her axe at the monster's feet. "No good, there's armor there as well!"
Twilight, after observing the recent effects, then turned to Fluttershy. “Scorch the ground and soot it up!” She then turned to Pinkie and said, “Blow the soot at the monster as soon as he comes to!”
“Okay!” Pinkie and Fluttershy both said. Fluttershy then aimed her staff at the ground, and exclaimed, “Scorch… please...”
The staff then blanketed the ground with a swath of bright flame, covering it with a considerable layer of soot.
Pinkie then prepared her fan. “Go Go, Gale Gust!”, she shouted, hurtling a dust devil made of soot, at Snail Soldier.
The soot then covered its eyes and antennae, this time, blinding it for good. “I can’t see! Why didn't Lord Sombra let me bring backup!”
Applejack then rolled her shoulders, and then nodded at Rarity. “C’mon, hun! Ah gotcha!”
“Why, I never!” Rarity scoffed. “Ladies like to have ample independence, for your information--”
Before she could finish, Applejack sprinted at the monster and cracked the shell in half with a solid swing.
Rarity shook her head. “Yes, dear, I can hear your muscles bulging… Forward, forward, dash, low outside!”
A solid pierce at the weak point by Rarity’s Crystal Saber, skewered the monster. She pulled her saber out from Snail Soldier as it collapsed and exploded, staggering the two girls.
“I...” Rarity said in shock.
“Darling, the forces of evil tend to… burst upon defeat.” Diamond Dog said. “However, this one was not of enough power to damage you.”
“Be warned, however,” Ursa added to Twilight. “Your victory may have just landed us on the Coalition’s radar.”
“Ursa is right,” Princess Luna said through communication. “To get to me and my sister, Sombra and Chrysalis will have to go through you girls.”
Chrysalis' Hive: Attack of Honeycomb and Summoning the Zords
The five costumed heroines were briefly questioned by the few officers as soon as they managed to settle down the civilians who were attacked. Fluttershy and Rarity consoled the people who were attacked by the Snail Monster, while Pinkie did the thing she does best; occupying the attention of the children. The five girls agreed that it is safer referring to each other based on their Ranger colors while in Ranger form.
“Looky here! Let’s play duck-duck-goose!” she exclaimed excitedly.
The children were happily occupied with the girl in blue, cheering and laughing.
Meanwhile, Twilight was nervously talking to the officers.
“Not that we weren’t grateful for your help--” one officer said.
“But isnt your arrival really convenient?” the second, an older uniformed one, asked.
“Not really, since we were in--”
Applejack, having a more calm demeanor than Twilight, interrupted. “Please, kind officers, she’s still tired from the fight.” She turned to Twilight and whispered, “Call Black.” Twilight nodded and used her Morpher to call Rarity. “Psst, Yellow needs your help, I think it’s--”
“She’s a terrible liar?” Rarity answered. “I know, I know, now accompany Pink so she doesn’t start clamming up.” Rarity then stood up and headed to where Applejack was, while Twilight went to accompany Fluttershy.
“Dear officers, we were not here by coincidence,” Rarity began. “We have been searching for monsters like them, what was coincidental was the sightings of this recent snail-looking monster in Pony Grove.”
“I was gonna suggest we offer our assistance,” Applejack added. “So that y’all can directly focus your efforts on protecting the civilians. I think that’s the most important thing these days.”
“Sir, are we gonna let vigilantes roam free?” the younger one asked.
“They took down a beast whose shell deflected our ammunition like it was nothing.” the older one answered. “And any run-of-the-mill vigilante will be asking for payment like some ol’ west cowboy. These girls stayed to help the people.” He turned to the yellow-clad Applejack and offered his hand for a handshake. “Now I can’t speak for the Department, but you at least got my vote, kiddo.” he said. “Also, the ambulance carrying the first aid force is arriving, I recommend you get on going before you find out it’s Redheart leading this group.”
Applejack and Rarity nodded. Rarity went to fetch Fluttershy and Twilight, while Applejack headed for Pinkie Pie. The five color-coded girls then bid the people farewell, summoned their Steed Speeders, and headed off. They returned to the Princesses’ mansion, entering the basement lair. Cadance waved at the five color-coded girls as they hopped off their Steed Speeders. “Hey, I’ve made some refreshments for you! Granted, I got lost and spent a lot of time wandering the first floor just to get to the kitchen, so they’re just sandwiches and lemo--”
Cadance gasped in surprise as the girls took the snacks, with Twilight, Rarity, and Fluttershy saying thanks in the process and the other two girls conveying thanks with their tears of joy.
"Worked up an appetite after the fight?" She asked.
"Yepperoni!" Pinkie answered, forgetting to remove her helmet before eating.
"Um, Pinkie," Fluttershy whispered. "You can't eat with the helmet on, blocking your mouth."
"What… Are… those…" Sombra asked, his hand gripping the throne's armrest, cracking and chipping it.
"Looks like the Snail has been salted." Chrysalis quipped. "Luckily, we have good news from the Hell Generals, who are--"
"I can't wait for them to arrive!" Sombra boomed. "Time is of the essence, the Princesses got away! Every second wasted is them being able to lick their wounds and regain their power! You should have sent the--"
Suddenly, three beings teleported into the throne room, in front of the fuming dark lord.
"Apologies for interrupting, King Sombra." said a voice. "The Hell Generals… Behemoth, Ziz, and myself, are here." The one who spoke, resembling a sea monster, with fins covering her mouth, bowed her head, her hair-like tentacles still floating as if gravity was a non-issue.
"Let me at them five color bozos, Leviathan!" Said the largest of the three, resembling a cross between a bear, lion, and minotaur. His eyes are clawed out, with a bloody blindfold covering the area. "I'll grind them into paste!"
"..." The third one, silently, blocked the large one with a sword resembling an eagle wing. Her appearance resembles a multi-winged avian gryphon with lion legs and claws resembling those of dinosaur raptors. Where her ears are supposed to be, claw-like earmuffs are embedded in place.
"Ziz, you insolent--"
"SILENCE!" Chrysalis shouted. "You three have one purpose in this summons. And that is to tell King Sombra of your plan." She stood up from her throne, and summoned her changelings. "Now, bring her in."
A group of changelings entered, pushing and pulling at a cage with a monster resembling a giant humanoid bee, with hexagonal holes covering its back. "The Growth Serum has been implemented amongst all future Beast-captains. This one is capable of returning to life after defeat, but those five fighters will have a BIG surprise should they be able to defeat her…"
The following day, Twilight arrived late to the Princesses' manor, looking sullen.
"You look dreadful, dear," Rarity said, offering Twilight some apple juice that Applejack brought.
"Sunset Shimmer, my best friend, just sent me a message saying she's had to take her whole band to a workshop, so she wouldn't be here for a week or two…" Twilight said with a sigh.
"I just don’t know what to do without Sunny, and at the same time I can’t stop worrying about her…” Rarity listened intently to what Twilight said. “You really care about her, I take it?” Twilight nodded.
“I gotta say, she’s really come through a lot ever since the whole thing she did, and the Dazzlings too,” Applejack chimed in. “You connected with her in another way due to having been in the same boat, I guess?”
“Mhm,” Twilight nodded. “I would have done much crazier stuff had they not gotten real with me.” She gave out a sigh as she looked at her phone’s wallpaper, which had her and Sunset while at one of the Dazzlings’ concerts. Rarity nodded to Applejack and left the red-clad girl, saying “I’ll ask Cadance if she can give you some water, Twilight. Will be right back.” The fashionista wearing black headed to the kitchen, where Cadance and Shining were. She was trying to teach Shining how to handle large kitchen knives.
“Come on, Shiny! These are easy to use!” Cadance said in confusion. Shining was very hesitant to approach the counter where the knives were.
“Both Twily and I have a bad history with kitchen knives,” Shining Armor said, his voice quivering in slight fear.
“Hey if I can get Twilight to use paring knives and steak knives and cut her food herself, you’re going to as well.” Cadance said, one half of sternness and one half of encouragement can be detected in her voice. “You’re going to be fine, Shiny.” Rarity cleared her throat, and spoke up. “Hello, I would like to ask,” she said as she filled some glasses with water. “Does Twilight have feelings for Sunset Shimmer?”
Shining almost collapsed. “My little sis Twily?”
Cadance nodded. “That obvious, huh?”
“Not quite that,” Rarity answered. “But when she spoke of Sunset, I recognized it as very similar to Fluttershy when she spoke about her longtime friend… As of now, that friend, she’s with the Wonderbolts.”
“Wonderbolts, huh?” Shining wondered. “Possibly one of the new ones, according to Spitfire, they had an exemplary upstart among them.”
“Oh dear,” Rarity gasped. “I must get these glasses for the others. Thank you for entertaining my question!” She said with a mild curtsy and left the kitchen, leaving the older couple to their knife debacle.
Rarity then handed the glasses to the other girls, with Applejack standing to help. Just as Applejack was approaching Rarity to help with the tray, alarms started blaring.
“Uh oh,” Pinkie said, looking at the video feed. “We got another visitor! It’s headed towards the--Applejack!”
Applejack, running towards Pinkie, looked at the screen, and shouted, “Helmet On! Steed Speeder, ready!” She then ran towards her Steed Speeder as her helmet materialized around her head. Rarity, upon hearing the commotion, sighed. “Oh dear. Girls, we need to follow Applejack, at once!”
Fluttershy and Twilight nodded, having already materialized their helmets. “The monster is headed towards Apple Orchard land,” the girl in black said, “and knowing how protective the Apple Family are of their livelihood, it’s a certainty that Applejack’s family might get hurt.”
“They’ll be fine!” Pinkie Pie said. “Big Macintosh will be there--”
“And so will Apple Bloom and Granny Smith!” Fluttershy said. “A grade-schooler and an old woman!”
“Now girls,” Rarity said with a clap. All four girls shouted in unison, “Steed Speeder, ready!” All the girls get on their Steed Speeders, with Rarity saying “Helmet On! Pinkie, you too!”
“Helmet On! Let's go!” Pinkie cheered.
The four girls drove their Steed Speeders headed for Sweet Apple Acres, in order to catch up to Applejack. By the time they got there, Applejack was already fighting off the monster.
“Buzz! Buzz!” the monster buzzed. “You have a nice orchard in bloom… I must feed!”
“No thanks,” Applejack growled. “Not after what you did to eight of our trees!” She said, pointing at an injured Big Macintosh, looking sad at the stumps of what used to be eight apple trees, along with an equally sorrowful Apple Bloom trying to pour some water at their bases. The monster saw this as an opportunity to throw Applejack off-balance, tripping her. She then hovered towards where she started her plant gorging.
“Blue!” Rarity chimed. “We gotta get Yellow on her feet! Red and Pink, chase that bug down!”
“On it!” Twilight and Fluttershy nodded. Fluttershy called her Burning Staff, and exclaimed, “Smoke Screen!” She pointed the staff at where Big Mac and Apple Bloom are, covering them and the trees in smoke. The creature accidentally inhaled some of the smoke, sending it into a disoriented daze. “Red, now!” Fluttershy said, hurrying to assist Applejack’s siblings.
Twilight aimed her Star Blaster at the monster, and prepared to fire. “Piercing Power Prioritized, Fire!” She took the shot, damaging the monster significantly. “Black!” She called through her Morpher. “Has Yellow come to? Need some assistance here! This Queen Bee thing ain’t going down anytime soon.”
“I’m already…” Applejack said, charging with her axe. “Done!” And with a cleave, the apid monster was vanquished. She then turned to Fluttershy and Twilight and knocked them to the ground. “Get down!”
The monster’s remains let out a large explosion, but the color of the cloud was redder than before. The cloud then spun itself into a small tornado, scurrying away into the distance. Just then, a red lightning bolt struck where it headed, letting out a bright flash, and a rumbling sound. A larger version of the monster grew out of the site where the bolt struck.
“Honeycomb has returned! Tremble in fear, Pony Grove!”
The five girls’ Morphers chimed in with a ring. Twilight pressed on hers, the Ursa head making a chomping sound. It was Luna. “Call the Zords, they’re the only ones who can size up to that! I’m sending you the command, read and understand it!” Twilight then scanned what the Princess sent her, reading through it quickly. She then nodded and turned to the other girls. “Alright! Come on girls!” Twilight said, waving her hand. “Ok, once I count down, say Zords Descend! then press and hold for two seconds, and they’ll enter the battle!”
The other four girls nodded. “Three, two, one!”
The five shouted in unison. “Zords Descend!”
A portal opened high in the sky, accompanied by lightning cracks and rumbling, and out came the five Zords, Ursa taking the lead in a charge towards Honeycomb. Following closely behind were Timber Wolf and Diamond Dog, with Windicorn at the back, and Phoenix soaring above. The Zord arrival took Honeycomb by total surprise, as Timber Wolf and Diamond Dog managed to subdue two of its limbs with bites, leaving an opening for Phoenix and Windicorn to blast at it.
Honeycomb broke free after managing to heave Timber Wolf in the way of Windicorn’s gust bullets.
“Oh, poppy.” Windicorn said through Pinkie’s Morpher. “Terribly sorry, Timber!”
“This monster’s stronger than I thought!” Timber said through Applejack’s Morpher. “Ursa, how about we show it, that?”
“Twilight!” Ursa spoke. “You know what to do!”
“Ok! Girls! On three!” Twilight exclaimed, as she counted with fingers. All five Rangers, while in a circle facing each other, held their right arms out. “Zords Combine!”
“Hold it right--” Phoenix protested.
“This is not--” Diamond Dog added.
“The command has been sent!” Ursa shouted.
Suddenly, the five girls found themselves enveloped in blinding white light. In an instant, the light faded, and they found themselves inside a room with five glowing circles on the floor, supposedly corresponding to their colors, but Rarity took notice. “Has anyone noticed I’m the Black Ranger? It’s not exactly an indicator of light, more like the absence of it.” “Try the one matching your gorgeous hair,” Applejack said. “That purple zone, I guess?”
“Oh dear, Yellow…” Rarity teasingly said with a light swoon. “Keep it up and you might take my heart too!”
“Yellow and Black, sitting in a tree!” Pinkie sang.
“Hey, hey!” Twilight said. “Let’s just get to the positions alright?”
They all nodded to the suggestion, and went to stand on the circles of light.
Diamond Dog and Timber Wolf screeched to a halt, and then their bodies began to change into what seemed to be robotic legs. This was followed by Windicorn propping his body upright and putting his rear area down, transforming into what passes as a right arm. Phoenix then followed suit, but did it in reverse, with her head and wings detaching to form a shield, and the rest of her transforming into a left arm. In the center, Ursa’s body shifted, with the front part attaching to the legs and arms that are the other Zords and becoming a torso, and his back part latching onto the back of the forming robot. Once the combination was concluded, the head of the new robot arose from within.
From five Zords, form one giant robot.
The Harmony Megazord is formed.
“What have you done?” Luna chimed in. “You aren’t supposed to combine all five Zords!”
“What?” Twilight asked. “How come? I was given the instructions and--”
“This combination won’t last long, I’ll explain later!” Luna said. “I’m overriding controls, shield yourselves!”
As the princess spoke to the five girls, the Megazord bolted towards the giant Honeycomb and grabbed hold of it.
“Rangers, eject!” Luna commanded the Morphers, which force-ejected the five girls out to safety. Applejack looked on to the battle, the giant robot made out of Zords holding the monster in a tight hold, as it flashed and blinked, faster and faster. In just a few more seconds, both the robot and the monster exploded, with the shockwave almost sending the Rangers flying. Rarity and Fluttershy were knocked over, Twilight and Applejack managed to keep their footing, while Pinkie out of sheer luck jumped around the shockwave’s path.
As they were coming to, the Steed Speeders screeched to a halt nearby, taking them by surprise. “Get on, you’re going back to base!” Luna shouted through the Morphers.
The girls did as they’re told and sped back towards the manor.
“Okay…” Luna sighed. “You girls are lucky I managed to take over, or else that would have been ugly. I don’t want to go on a lengthy sermon, so I’ll cut to the chase. With forming the Megazord, you can’t use all five Zords. I should know, because I made the same mistake… I was out for a week, and my sister was worried sick. And now I…” Luna sighed again. “Take a rest, girls, don’t forget what I just said.”
The girls nodded, and powered down their Morphers. Fluttershy whispered while raising her hand.
“Princess?” Twilight asked. “Fluttershy has a question.”
“Ah,” Luna wondered. “What’s on your mind, Fluttershy?”
“Will the Zords be okay?” Fluttershy asked.
“They will need to rest,” Luna said. “For the meantime you girls should too, luckily for us, that experiment that the enemy did ended up with their giant monsters having an effect on their troops, destroying a giant monster will put down any attempted advances for a while.” She then took off her hair ties with a yawn. “Go home now, let’s call it a day while we’re at it--”
Just then the front doors swung open, and a white haired girl collapsed on the doorway. “Uh oh,” Applejack said, rushing to carry the unconscious visitor to the lounge, with Fluttershy preparing a hot towel and Pinkie preparing some water to nurse the girl back to her senses.
The Hell Generals Arrive! Harmony Defender Megazord, Awaken!
Applejack and Twilight gently let the girl down on one of the couches, while Fluttershy put the folded hot towel onto the girl’s forehead as she gently tapped her cheeks. Suddenly, the girl jolted, standing herself up while shouting, “Ziz!”, startling Twilight and Fluttershy.
She looked at the five girls, and noticed the Morphers on their right wrists. “Thank goodness I’m in the right place.” She paused, looked at the towel and water prepared for her, and asked, “You were… Thank you,” The girl, with her white hair and gold cat-like eyes, then took a seat. “But I just need to rest a while, there’s a threat to this town and you’ll need utmost power to defeat them… I couldn’t even get through…” She trailed off.
Princess Luna walked towards the group. “You, what’s your name?”
“Oh, my name is Gry… My name is Gilda.” The girl then looked at the woman, who was now wearing a nightgown, her night-sky hair flowing as it usually does. “You must be the Princess?”
“Yes, and you said something about a threat?” the nightly royal asked.
“The Hell Generals…” Gilda said, her face turning grim. “The trio who made short work of the Shadowbolts.” Upon hearing the word ‘Shadowbolts’, Shining spat out the water in his mouth, accidentally choking from the surprise. “I suppose you too, know what happened to them?” Gilda asked.
“I am Captain of the Royal Guard,” Shining answered. “Now the designation is more akin to being Princess Luna’s bodyguard, since our escape from the castle.”
“I see… Well I must rephrase,” Gilda said, “Leviathan, the leader, made short work of the Shadowbolts.” She let out a sigh, and continued. “After which, Behemoth and Ziz showed up. The raging bull, and the tranquil eagle. You’re more likely to hear Behemoth start yapping than Ziz will.”
“What makes them a whole separate thing from the regular cloth of monsters?” Twilight asked.
“Other than sheer power, of which they are basically Megazords in a small package,” Gilda paused as she looked around. “The Hell Generals are made with people serving as cores… Beating them is hard enough, freeing the person inside is another story. I sure tried…”
“BBBFF, what are the Shadowbolts?” Twilight asked.
“The Shadowbolts are…” Shining answered, pausing to look at the Princess in a slightly pleading manner.
“They are a secret group within the Wonderbolts,” Luna interjected. “The Wonderbolts basically serve as the air team for the Royal Forces, but the Shadowbolts are a part of the Wonderbolts that answer only to either me or my sister. What the Shadowbolts are tasked to do can’t be known even by fellow Wonderbolts, or even the Shadowbolts themselves, except for the Strike Captain. They basically have to forget their missions.”
“It’s possible that the Hell Generals themselves,” Gilda said with a sigh. “They might also be Shadowbolts themselves.”
“If that’s the case, then we really need to find a way to beat them without harming the cores.” Luna added. “Exercise extreme caution with them, Shadowbolt or not, it still implies the Hell Generals will fight like people, very much unlike Chrysalis’ usual hive soldiers or even Sombra’s shadow troops.” The rest of them, bar Gilda, nodded. “All of you, go home, Gilda will stay with me.” the princess added.
“Fluttershy, may I stay in your house tonight?” Rarity asked. She showed Fluttershy the message her mother sent her. “Rarity dear, we won’t be home tonight, will be back tomorrow, love you” to which Fluttershy agreed, asking “what about Sweetie Belle?”
“She’s with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo,” Applejack interjected. “The Crusaders are sleeping over at the Acres, Big Mac messaged me about them messing up bales of hay tryna find Winona…”
The girls then headed to their homes, with Fluttershy and Rarity riding in Applejack’s family truck, and Pinkie riding with Twilight in her dad’s car.
Rarity and Fluttershy knocked on the Shy family home, after which Fluttershy used her keys. “Darling, why do we have to knock first?” Rarity asked.
“Dad thinks it proves that it's not strangers who stole keys,” Fluttershy answered.
As they opened the door, a man and a woman rushed to give Fluttershy a tight hug.
“Mom.. Dad… I’m home…” the shy girl said with a strained voice.
“But you didn’t message for five minutes!” Mrs. Shy exclaimed, as she and her husband let go of the hug. “Your father and I were worried sick!”
“But we were actually sent home earlier this time…” Fluttershy said. “Also, Rarity will be staying over tonight, I’m sorry I haven’t messaged earlier.”
“Hello, Rarity!” Mr. Shy exclaimed, shaking Rarity’s hand. “Nice to see you again!” Mrs. Shy added.
“Uuuugh, what’s with all the noise?” said another man, with disheveled hair sloppily tied in a bun, and patchy facial hair due to uneven shaving. “Oh, its you, Fluttershy. You’re home.”
“Zephyr…” Rarity sighed. “You could at least express some relief that your flesh and blood made it home safely.” “Eeeh, I just did…” Zephyr groaned. He then trudged to the kitchen to make himself a snack then headed back upstairs. “Well, that’s his dinner, I guess,” Mr. Shy said with a chuckle. “Now you girls must be hungry, my wife made some delicious dinner! I tried to help--”
“But he accidentally cut himself with the knife, and burnt the onions,” Mrs. Shy said with a sigh, which made Mr. Shy whimper, clutching his bandaged hand. “Moments like that, Fluttershy, make me think your father and the kitchen are mortal enemies.”
Rarity had a great time having dinner with Fluttershy and her parents, chatting along as she also listened with care. After dinner, the two girls then set up Rarity’s sleeping bag in Fluttershy’s room, with Rarity breaking the ice.
“So, Fluttershy…” Rarity asked. “You haven’t told your parents? About Rainbow Dash?”
Fluttershy’s face turned pink. “Uhh-umm what?”
“I have suggestions…” Rarity mused with a smirk. “Her coming back to Pony Grove? Your feelings for--”
“Rarityyy!” Fluttershy squeaked, covering her already red face. “I haven’t told anyone but you, and even then you were pushy.”
“Fluttershy, darling,” Rarity added with a slight groan. “You’re not good at lying, not Applejack levels of ‘terrible at lies’ but nowhere near the maximum, which is Pinkie’s randomness that can obscure really effectively. Basically like red herrings everywhere.”
“Oh…” Fluttershy said with a pout. “Well, I don’t know what mom and dad will say, plus my brother too…”
Rarity rolled her eyes upon hearing Fluttershy mention Zephyr. “Oh right… His crush on Rainbow too… But other than that pickle of siblings being romantic rivals, though honestly, I doubt that his case is even a step beyond mere infatuation…” The prim girl paused in thought. “Your parents like Rainbow, she is your first friend ever, and that she’d go above and beyond just to defend you, so what’s the issue?”
“I don’t know…” the shy girl said, trailing her thought. “I guess I should at least let dad know… it would probably get him to stop worrying too much, since Dashie has been protecting me a lot since we were children… Oh Rarity, I miss her so much…”
“Me too, and I bet the other girls too…” Rarity said reassuringly. “It was indeed a surprise when she said that she enlisted for the Wonderbolts conscription…”
Two years ago, seven girls were seated on a large table, enjoying their lunch. “Girls, I gotta make a sort-of confession…” Rainbow Dash said with a sigh. “I’ve enlisted for the Wonderbolts.” “That’s amazing news!” Pinkie said, her jovial energy making her hair bounce. “That means you ca--” “Pinkie,” Rainbow interrupted. “I meant the conscription. Because of the Coalition and all.” Rarity and Sunset gasped. Fluttershy had her head downcast. Applejack, breaking the silence, spoke up.“Sugarcube, ya mean you’re gettin’ drafted?” “Sort of,” Rainbow answered. “I volunteered, and my big bro helped with a recommendation since he also entered service, both as a Wonderbolt and a Royal Guard.” “You’ll probably encounter my big brother there,” Twilight added. “Probably not, since he’s a Captain, and would need to be near the Princesses.” “You don’t look too good,” Rarity said. “This has been a dream of yours, darling.” “Yeah,” Rainbow sighed. “After reading the summons mail, it hit me that I’d be leaving you girls. I’ll miss you so much…”
“I wish I told her,” Fluttershy said, tears pooling in her eyes. “Before she left…”
“Hey now,” Rarity said with a tut, dabbing Fluttershy’s eyes with a handkerchief. “She did say she’s coming back, right?” “Mhm…” Fluttershy nodded.
“Now let’s get some shut-eye,” Rarity beamed. “We can’t be Rangers with a lack of sleep, now?”
The next day, the five girls, clad in their Ranger suits, were fighting off changeling troops in the town plaza.
“Fire Sweep!” Fluttershy exclaimed, her staff bursting forth a blanket of pink inferno.
“Alrighty, Gale Twister!” Pinkie hopped, and spun around with her fans.
“Doggone it,” Applejack said with a groan. “Where’s the main monster?”
“I concur,” Rarity added. “This is far too much for a standalone platoon.”
“Maybe if we--” Twilight tried to say, but got cut off by an enormous lightning strike almost hitting her.
A figure emerged from the smoke, with multiple avian features and holding what looks like an unusual musical instrument. The bird-like figure had claws on either side of the head, looking like having ears covered.
“You just have to make a flashy entrance don’t you?” Said another figure, looking like a mermaid but with a large abyssal lower half. Her mouth is covered by a mask that resembles fins and gills. “But that’s what I like about you…” she cooed in addition.
“Now I crush those pastel pansies!” Raged a third, much larger figure, looking like a chimeric combination of several large beasts, and wearing a bloody blindfold. “This will be but part of Behemoth’s victo--”
He was immediately silenced by a slash from the first figure. “Be silent.”
The second figure clapped her hands. “Now now, Rangers!” She let out a whistle. “Over here! High time we introduced ourselves, I am Primus Hell General Leviathan! Nightmare of the Deep Seas!” She moved her open right palm to the direction of the avian. “This beautiful birdie here, is Secundus Hell General Ziz!” She then nonchalantly pointed her left thumb to the third figure. “And this barbaric brute, is Tertius Hell General, Behemoth!”
The largest of the three, Behemoth, let out a guttural roar. “I shall destroy you Range--”
Only to be cut off by a shot, originating from behind the Red Ranger.
“Thanks for lending me this,” said a girl with white hair. It was Gilda, having followed the Rangers. She then turned her attention to the Hell Generals, still holding the blaster. “Now for you…” She continued her fire, pelting the larger General with blaster fire.
“Psst…” Pinkie said to Twilight. “Remember what Princess said about not using all Zords?”
“Yeah, why?” Twilight asked back.
“How about we try using just Ursa, Phoenix, and Windy?” Pinkie suggested.
“Worth a shot.” Twilight said with a nod. “Gilda did say each General has a Megazord-level of power…”
Leviathan let out a sly chuckle. “Just grow already, you lug!” She then grabbed Behemoth with her tentacles, and tossed him up into the air.
This act left Gilda in utter shock. “But he’s one of yours!”
“Just watch!” Leviathan sighed in annoyance.
Behemoth then landed far from the others’ location, but then proceeded to grow to the towering heights that the likes of Honeycomb did.
“Rrrraauuuuggh!!!”
The roar sent shockwaves through the town, shattering some glass windows.
“That's your queue, Rangers!” Gilda shouted. She threw the blaster back to Twilight, who caught it without a blink.
“Ursa!” Twilight exclaimed. “Windicorn!” Pinkie said. “Phoenix!” Fluttershy joined in. “Descend!” the three girls said in unison.
A portal opened, with Windicorn and Phoenix soaring out of it, and Ursa leaping forth.
“We’re just going to cut to the chase, send the command!” Ursa urged Twilight.
Twilight nodded to Pinkie and Fluttershy. “Zords, combine!” they exclaimed.
The Windicorn and Phoenix Zords prepared to form the arms, as the Ursa Zord, like before, transformed into the Megazord torso, but this time the Ursa also covered the need for legs.
“Woah,” Twilight said in wonder. “Is this what the Princess said about only needing three Zords?”
“Twilight,” Fluttershy interrupted. “We need to board!”
“Oh, right!”
Twilight, Pinkie, and Fluttershy then teleported aboard the command room. With only three Zords, there were only three zones of light. Twilight went under the red zone, Pinkie in the blue, and Fluttershy in the pink.
The three Zords then finalized the combination, from three, one Megazord.
“Harmony Defender Megazord, awaken!” the three girls exclaimed in unison.
The mecha summoned a shield made from the Phoenix’s wings, and a blaster made from the Windicorn’s tail.
“Looks like we’re dealing with a riot here!” Pinkie said.
“Comprising one guy?” Twilight asked with a sigh.
“One Hell General, Twilight.” Fluttershy answered with a gulp.
“Uh oh, he’s charging at us!” Pinkie shouted. “Blaze Shield!” the three girls said in unison.
The Hell General’s stampede, as destructive to the landscape as it was, got blocked by the Blaze Shield. “Now, Gale Barrage!”
The Harmony Defender Megazord then fired the blaster, sending the stunned Behemoth staggering backwards for every shot.
As the battle was unfolding, Rarity and Applejack stood in the town plaza feeling unease. After all, two Hell Generals remain near them, who were also watching the same battle.
“Soooo…” Leviathan said out in the open. She then pointed two tentacles at the Yellow and Black Rangers. “”You two going out or something?”
Rarity and Applejack looked at each other, with Applejack immediately looking away. “I-ah, uhh… Well…” “She’s nervous, leave her be,” Rarity said, taking a hold of Applejack’s hand.
“Now see that, Zizzy?” Leviathan pouted. “Why can’t we be like tha--”
“Because I don’t return such notions, now leave me alone.” Ziz said in the most deadpan manner. Tears welled up in Leviathan’s eyes.
“Hmph!” She huffed.
While the two Hell Generals bickered, the third one managed to get the upper hand, wrestling the Megazord down. “Now stay down-- AARHHGG!”
The Harmony Defender Megazord had fired more shots at Behemoth, taking him by surprise once again.
The three Rangers piloting the Megazord took the opportunity to get up, and prepare its final attack. “Firestorm Vortex!” The Ursa head on the Megazord Chest opened its mouth, and spewed forth a tornado of fire that consumed the giant Hell General.
“Uh oh…” Leviathan said. She then waved her tentacles around as her hands glowed.
“He’s going to get himself destroyed.” Ziz sighed.
The fire tornado then collapsed into a spinning ball of flame, and sent its contents flying. “UUOOOOAAAAAGGGGHHHH!” screamed Behemoth.
“Portal open!” Leviathan shouted, tearing a portal big enough to fit the third Hell General through.
“We will meet again…” Ziz said to Rarity and Applejack as she opened another portal for her and Leviathan. “Let the other three know.”
Suddenly, Twilight, Pinkie, and Fluttershy were forcefully transported back to where Rarity and Applejack were. “Apologies,” Ursa said through the Morpher. “Our powers haven’t recovered fully, and we have to return to our land!” With that notice, the three Zords disappeared.
And with the portals closing, the three Hell Generals departed, leaving a dumbfounded set of Rangers.
“Uhh…” Twilight wondered. She then activated her Morpher. “Princess?”
“Yes, I know,” Luna replied. “I know someone who can help, and I’ll let her know. But good work today, you five. Return to the manor.”
In the Canterlot Castle, Queen Chrysalis sat idly on Princess Celestia’s throne. She was about to close her eyes due to being sleepy from boredom until the doors to the throne room flung open, with Behemoth basically being thrown into the room through the portal which Leviathan and Ziz also came from.
“Don’t tell me you had your hides handed to you by the Rangers…” Chrysalis sighed. “You’re already disturbing my nap.” “Hehehe, wasn’t us for sure, but Behemoth sure got knocked down a few rungs.” Leviathan said with a smirk. “He thought he could handle the Megazord as is.”
“You buffoons.” Chrysalis hissed. “You know that you three have cores unlike the others? I made you from those cores, which serve as your strength AND a potential weakness!”
“Cores…” Ziz wondered to herself in thought. She then proceeded to head for the exit, opening another portal. “And where are you headed, Ziz?” Leviathan mused.
“These… Rangers… Interest me…” Ziz said, pausing on purpose. “Do not get in my way.”
“Cut! Cut! Snip!” screamed a slender monster whose body is a barber pole, and its fingers are replaced with scissors and knives. “Time for Haberdasher to style you up!”
In response, the Rangers scrambled to arrive at the scene. Pinkie and Fluttershy guided civilians out of the premises, while Rarity and Applejack fended off the monster’s sharp blades with their weapons.
Twilight fired her Star Blaster at the monster, punching holes through the barber pole glass. Applejack signaled Rarity to disengage, leaving the yellow-clad axe wielder to use her strength to toss the monster into the air.
“Star Blaster, full power!” Twilight shouted, aiming at the monster. “Orion Arrow!”
She fired the blast, but the monster managed to turn itself away from the shot and land itself.
“The Blaster’s out, crap!” Twilight said, putting it away. She then ran towards Rarity and Applejack, as the latter two nodded at her, signaling for her to rest and switch with Pinkie.
However, the monster managed to turn the battle around, and summoned half-scissor spikes from the ground to try and impale the present Rangers.
“Not a chance!” Applejack shouted, slamming her axe head onto the ground. The shockwave and tremors destroyed the field of scissors instantly. She then tagged out with Pinkie, who approached the monsters with her fans. “Saw this in a game, so I thought, time to fight like an Outworld princess!”
“Out.. what?” Luna asked Twilight through the Morpher. “Mmm,” Twilight answered with a shrug, defeated in trying to understand anything Pinkie references. Luna brushed off the nonsensical topic in annoyance, and continued. “You know what? Doesn’t matter, I’m supposed to let you know that after the attempt at combining all five Zords, they will need time to recover.”
“The Zords need time to rest, so they’ll be able to fight their best!” said a woman, who sounded like she’s standing beside Luna.
“The woman you just heard is Zecora,” Luna said. “Think of her as a doctor for the Zords.”
“Nice to hear you, Zecora,” Twilight replied. “I’ll let the other girls know!”
“Remember it, one in red, keep it available in your head.” Zecora added.
The bookworm then set her Morpher to contact the others, and gave them a call. “Girls, Luna just called me, and apparently the Zords need to rest, we can’t afford to get these enemies growing!”
“Rangers, remember what I say,” Zecora chimed in. “They must rest, to fight another day!”
“Alright, we’ll make sure they don’t get all big on us!” Applejack said. “Got that, girls?”
“Mhm!” Pinkie said, while Rarity and Fluttershy nodded silently.
“Blue, Black! On me!” Applejack said, brandishing her axe.
The three girls charged at the monster, with Rarity summoning a bunch of large gems from the ground with her Terra Baton, and Pinkie funneling the scissor projectiles away with a vortex from her Alpine Fans.
“Time for one good ol’ swing!” Applejack said, her axe head closing in on the monster’s barber pole of a body.
However, a flash of lightning blasted the three girls away. The monster didn’t emerge unscathed, suffering damage from the sudden attack.
“Hey, what gi--” the monster snapped, but then silenced itself upon seeing the figure responsible. “Oh no… You’re--” “Leave.” the figure said, to which the monster obliged fearfully.
“What in--” Applejack grunted.
“It can’t be--” Rarity added.
“Big Birdie!” Pinkie Pie concluded.
The figure, after the smoke cleared out, was revealed to be Ziz, holding her bladed gurdy, with one hand holding the crank. “Rangers… None of the other forces remain but me… And you five…”
“Whaddya want?” Applejack asked.
“The girl with white hair…” Ziz began to ask. “What is she to you?”
“Wouldn’t you like to kno--”
The avian turned the crank, and played a tune on her musical instrument. The sound then interfered with the helmets of the five Rangers, opening the visors momentarily.
The moment was enough for Ziz to catch a glimpse of the girls’ eyes, halting her playing.
“You…” Ziz whispered. “This is…” She then turned around and left, surprising the five girls.
“She just left…” Twilight said in wonder.
“That was weirder than a drunk Rainbow hitting on all of us,” Applejack said with a light chuckle.
“Speaking of which,” Fluttershy added. “Easy on the cider, Pinkie.”
“Why?” Pinkie asked.
“Knowing you,” Rarity said with a groan, “you’d throw her a party once she comes back.”
“Now if that didn’t point to the Hell Generals being people,” Gilda chimed in through the Morphers. “I really don’t know what will… Though out of all three, Ziz is the most autonomous, so there’s that.”
“Head back, you five.” Luna added. “This development is something peculiar and I want to discuss it.”
The five girls summoned their Speeders and headed back to the manor, telling Luna about the entire event. The Princess then dismissed the girls, saying that they need to rest first and foremost.
“Well, see you next week, Fluttershy!” said Tree Hugger, closing up the veterinary clinic. Fluttershy waved her goodbye and walked onwards to go home. “Hmm, it’s late…” she wondered.
“I know it’s not ideal, but…” Phoenix chimed in through the Morpher. “You could use the Steed Speeder to get home faster.” “Oh no,” Fluttershy said back. “What if Ursa or Princess--”
“I’ll handle it, don’t worry…” Phoenix interrupted, her voice warmer than usual. “Morph In!”
With the command, Phoenix activated Fluttershy’s transformation into the Pink Ranger.
“Oh dear,” Fluttershy said with a slight gulp. “Steed Speeder, activate!”
With the Steed Speeder summoned, she got on and rode it home.
“I better de-Morph without my parents seeing,” she thought to herself. “Dad would probably faint upon finding out that I have to fight off the invasion…”
She then took a left turn to the road that heads to near the Everfree forest, where her home is.
However, upon seeing what stood in her way, she screeched the Speeder to a halt.
“Oh no…” Fluttershy said. “You’re--”
“Pleased to meet you, Pink Ranger.” the avian spoke, holding her palm up to dismiss the Hivelings behind her.
“I am the Hell General of the Sky…” She said, trailing off as she brought the raised hand forward and downward, bringing herself to a bow towards the Ranger facing opposite. “Commander of her calamities, a walking storm, so to speak. Secundus Hell General, Ziz.”
“Why are you here?” asked the girl in pink, brandishing her Burning Staff.
She then fired forth multiple pink fireballs, in an attempt to overwhelm the avian swordswoman.
“I only seek your Harmony Orb, harming you is not on my agenda…” Ziz said, as she evaded the fireballs spewed forth by Fluttershy’s staff.
“Why do you want them?” Fluttershy asked, as she continued her attacks. “Why the Orbs?”
“I’m sorry,” Ziz said. “I am afraid I cannot tell. Not yet.”
The battle lasted long enough for the sky to turn red-orange, from the sun setting, however, despite Fluttershy’s efforts, Ziz managed to get the upper hand. With the side of her wing blade, Ziz knocked the Pink Ranger out.
“I only require the Harmony Orb.” Ziz said, taking the Pink Orb. “The other Hell Generals would have done away with a defeated Ranger, but--”
The avian got cut off, seeing the Ranger suit dissipate. Upon seeing the sight of the girl behind the Ranger visage, Ziz felt shock. She then instinctively rushed to catch the now unconscious girl, her long pink hair flowing right over the general’s face.
The general clutched her head, experiencing a sudden rush of visions and memories. A camp, where she defended the girl, albeit much younger. A woodside field, with the two of them watching countless butterflies. In what seems to be that girl’s home, with her introducing a very hostile rabbit.
“You…” She whispered, trying to avoid stirring Fluttershy awake. “You’re--all I know is you’re important to me…I can’t remember exactly why…” the general thought to herself. She carried the unconscious girl to safety, seeing a familiar looking house. She recalled a glimpse of a memory, her in the house, with the girl she was carrying, only much younger. “I really wish you’d be more careful,” she said. “I don’t like seeing you hurt…”
She went to the porch and dropped the unconscious Fluttershy down gently, and knocked on the door before quickly getting away from eye and earshot.
“Those people…” Ziz wondered, as she watched the nervous man and gentle woman frantically tend to the girl. “They also look familiar…”
“You WHAT?” Rarity shrieked, her cucumbers almost falling off her eyes.
“I tried fending off the Hell General Ziz,” Fluttershy said, even softer than she usually does due to Rarity’s reaction. “I woke up at home, with my parents thinking I was sick…I then noticed I lost my Orb…”
“This isn’t good…” Rarity muttered. “A Hell General with a Harmony Orb?”
“Why would she need one?” Twilight added as she read her book while Lotus, one of the spa owners, massaged her back. “Remember that they can grow to giant form as well, hence the fight with the Defender Megazord.”
“I don’t know…” Fluttershy squeaked as she winced from the nail filing. “She just said she only wanted the Orb…”
“Should we ask Princess Luna?” Twilight wondered.
“You’re going to have to come forward with losing your Orb, Fluttershy…” Rarity added.
After their spa session, the three of them headed to the Princesses’ manor, finding that Applejack and Pinkie were already there.
“Some spa date, huh?” Applejack said with a whistle. “You’re looking like a real catch, Rares!”
“Oh please, Applejack…” Rarity said with a blush. “You flatter me!”
“Now kiss!” Pinkie interjected, which meant it was Applejack’s turn to blush.
“Anyway…” the Princess said, with an expression of worry on her face. She gave Fluttershy a gentle pat on her shoulder. “We need to talk. Fluttershy, please, take the floor.”
The shy girl gulped. “I have…” She put out her right wrist, showing her defunct Morpher, lacking a Harmony Orb.
“The Hell General Ziz fought me one-on-one…” she added, tears welling in her eyes. “She said she only wanted the Orb…”
The others did their best to help Fluttershy ease into telling them everything about the fight with Ziz.
“Relax, Fluttershy.” Luna said with a softer voice. “It’s not you losing your Orb that I’m thinking about. It’s that Ziz acted like a warrior that cherished honor. She didn’t catch you off guard, did what she said and fought you one-on-one, but didn’t harm a hair on you.” The princess wiped her glasses. “I have a feeling she even took you to your home.”
“She… what?” Fluttershy asked in surprise.
“What Gilda claimed sounds more true…” Luna continued. “That is, judging Ziz and her actions accordingly.” She turned to Fluttershy and said, “what I said about Ziz bringing you home is just a theory of mine, based on how she acted.”
“Also, there is something else…” Fluttershy spoke up. “Ziz, the way she fought, felt familiar. I can’t describe it much more, but at times it was like she wasn’t fighting me, more like--”
Suddenly, an alarm blared out. A sighting of the Hell Generals was located near the Pie quarry.
“OH NO!” Pinkie screamed, immediately Morphing and speeding off.
“Aw dangnabbit!” Applejack growled. She then Morphed and chased after Pinkie.
“Huh?” Pinkie wondered, seeing her Morpher chime. She pressed on the Morpher until it made a chomping noise.
“Pinkie,” Luna said. “You need to calm yourself. I contacted the Pies and it seems that Ziz is there asking for rocks.”
“WHAT?” Pinkie shrieked, misunderstanding what Luna said. “She’s not gonna take control of my family’s rock farm!”
“Don’t worry, Princess!” Applejack chimed in. “I’m catching up to her!”
Luna then closed her end of the call.
“Dang it, Pinkie!” Applejack said to Pinkie through the Morpher. “Can’t ya wait up?”
“Nopey dopey lopey!” Pinkie answered, “Princess said Ziz’s at my family’s rock farm! Surely you’d understand, Applejackie!”
“Also ya even heard what Princess said?” Applejack retorted. “Ziz ain’t attacking the quarry!”
Pinkie wasn’t listening. She then sped on towards the Pie quarry, with Applejack tailing her.
“What are Rangers doing here?” wondered a girl slightly younger than Pinkie in age.
“Helmet off!” Pinkie shouted. “Limestone? Where’s mom and dad?”
“They’re in the main building just talking to the Bird Lady--Pinkie? You’re a Ranger?” Limestone asked in surprise. “No time! That bird lady’s dangerous!” Pinkie shouted.
In the main building of the quarry, a noticeably singed Ziz was chatting with an older couple, accompanied by a girl with a seemingly bored facial expression.
“I see…” Ziz said with a sigh. “So these Orbs are something mysterious indeed.”
“Aye,” the man replied. “I even called other Pie relations to ask if they encountered such a bizarre rock.”
“Not just bizarre,” the woman added. “Impossible. It’s perfectly round. There’s zero discrepancy in its radii, to the point that our Maud was asking if our calipers were broken.
“You have one too, don’t you?” Maud asked.
Ziz produced another similar Orb. Unlike the one she got from defeating the Pink Ranger, this one was navy blue in color, but didn’t glow like the Pink Orb. Maud took a glance at it, and saw that whatever was inside the Orb was completely frozen in time, unlike the Pink Orb which contained a breathing flame.
“This one’s as if it froze in time.” Maud said. “No hidden meanings, I simply lack the words to describe it. Such hidden meanings are more my sister’s wheelhouse.”
Just then the door slammed open. “Leave my family alone!” Pinkie screamed.
“Pinkamena Diane Pie!” the older man and woman snapped. “Can’t you see we’re handling an appraisal here?”
“Pinkamena Diane--” Ziz whispered. She then stood up and approached Pinkie. “That is you, right? Why is such a name so familiar? It’s as if-- AAARHGG!”
Ziz felt a bolt of pain surge in her head, to which she backed away from everyone, while clutching her temples.
“Helmet on!” Pinkie shouted. She then ran out of the building, with Ziz giving chase. “Wait! Come back!”
The Pies looked on in confusion, as a girl clad in yellow approached them while knocking on the already-open door. “Excuse me, y’all doing ok?” she asked.
In the open area of the quarry, Pinkie and Ziz were facing off against one another.
“Why are you here?” Pinkie asked with aggravation as she slashed her fans against the General. “Why my family?”
“They are said to be experts in rocks,” Ziz replied, blocking Pinkie’s attacks. “I merely seek their knowledge.”
“You’re here to hit us where it hurts!” Pinkie shrieked, not hearing any of it. “We heard what you did with Pink!”
“I touched not a single hair on her head!” Ziz shouted back, the fact that the Pink Ranger being brought up was something the avian warrior did not like. “Don’t you punish her for a duel we both agreed on!”
She then pushed the Blue Ranger with the side of her blade, and then prepared to strike.
“Gale Drive!” Pinkie fanned multiple small twisters into existence to surround and overwhelm Ziz.
“Hnnng!” Ziz grunted as the twisters combined into one larger, tossing her up into the air.
“Haah, haah, that would teach you a thing--” Pinkie said through pants, only for the ground to shake.
“Dark… Gryphon… Arise!” Ziz shouted.
“Windicorn, descend!” Pinkie exclaimed.
A giant portal opened within the chasm of the quarry, and an enormous gryphon mecha arose from it. It rivaled Red Ursa in size, but its energy was of a darker nature.
It soared out and about, intercepting the Windicorn Zord.
The pain that the Zord felt surged through the tired Blue Ranger, sending her to collapse. The Windicorn Zord then disappeared due to his partner Ranger being taken down.
Her Ranger suit disappeared, revealing the girl within. Pink puffy hair, denim jacket and multiple party balloon badges stitched onto her jacket and jeans.
Ziz then tore off a piece of her cloak, and soaked it with some water. She then proceeded to wipe the unconscious girl’s face in order to stir her awake.
“Huh…” Pinkie groggily moaned.
“I apologize…” Ziz said, refusing to look Pinkie in the eyes.
“You…” Pinkie choked in shock, clutching her Morpher as she realized what happened.
Ziz Zord Control? Harmony Striker Megazord VS Dark Gryphon Megazord!
“You’re… fine…” Ziz said uncomfortably. “That being said, I shall be back. It seems my fate is connected to you Rangers…” The avian general turned away from the group, holding the Blue Harmony Orb.
“Windy…” Pinkie said to her now-inactive Morpher, which no longer contains the Harmony Orb.
“First that Pink girl, I recognize her long hair and gentle eyes…” Ziz pondered in thought. “And now this Blue one… Party balloons… Who could they be…” The bipedal bird-creature then walked away, pulling out her bladed gurdy and playing music on it.
“Come, hop on!” Applejack said, riding her Steed Speeder. Applejack pulled Pinkie up, the defunct Blue Ranger getting on the Yellow Ranger’s bike.
“What about my--” Pinkie asked, only to be cut off.
“Yer family’s fine,” Applejack said. “Right now, Princess Luna’s talkin’ to yer ma and pa. But she told us to go back!” She said, revving up her Speeder.
The three girls returned to the manor. Luna and Fluttershy then checked Pinkie for any need of first aid, and took care of her.
“Pinkie’s doing fine,” Fluttershy said to the other girls as she closed the door to the room Luna is keeping Pinkie in. “I have a feeling about Ziz… It seems she knows us to some degree.”
“Somethin’ about what the Pies said about Ziz reacting to Pinkie’s name?” Applejack asked, to which Fluttershy shook her head to indicate she can’t conclude. “Pinkie also told me she felt a similar feeling I did when I fought Ziz one-on-one… it’s as if we should know who the person serving as her core is…”
Pinkie then opened the door, leaving the room to join the girls, with Luna following. “Girls… I’m sorry I sped off like that…” she said with her hair slightly deflated. “I was scared of what Ziz would do, first Flutters losing her Orb, then Ziz visiting my family, I didn’t know what else to do…”
“It’s all right, Pinkie…” Applejack said, with Twilight chiming in. “We’re just glad nothing pointed to Ziz wanting serious harm, and that she only wanted your Orb.”
“She may have beaten us and taken our Orbs,” Fluttershy said, holding Pinkie’s hands. “But I don’t think she meant any harm to us, remember what she did when--”
Fluttershy was about to continue when her phone rang. She answered her phone, only to hear her father’s hysterical screaming.
“Oh thank the Princesses you answered! I was beside myself trying to think what to do next-- Excuse me, are you sure the tests aren’t misread? I legitimately felt I was going to die!”
“Dad? Where are you?” Fluttershy asked.
“In the hospital, honey,” Mr. Shy replied. “I had a palpitation when your mother said she couldn’t find the manor you said you would be in, and-- hey!”
“Excuse me, are you this man’s daughter?” another voice asked. “This is Nurse Redheart speaking, and he’s been causing a fuss ever since he and his son arrived here.”
“Oh no, I’m so sorry--” Fluttershy said, only to be cut off.
“Well we’re administering him anesthetics, his heart rate and blood pressure are worrying to say the least.” Redheart said. “I will be passing the phone to your brother so he will tell you where to find your mother, ok?”
“Oh no…” Fluttershy gulped.
“Hey,” said another voice. It was Zephyr, sounding apathetic and uncaring, with a tinge of annoyance in being bothered. “Mom said she went to the manor you’re in, it is supposed to be on the eastern side of Everfree, right?”
“WHAT?” Fluttershy snapped uncharacteristically, shocking Rarity and Twilight. She then sighed and answered in defeat. “I’ll go to where she went, Applejack and Rarity can help me…”
“Cool, I’ll send you where her location pings are.” he said, in a tone implying slight glee of foisting a burden of effort off of his shoulders.
“I’m sorry, girls…” Fluttershy sighed. “AJ, Rarity? Could you help me?”
Applejack and Rarity nodded. They motioned for Twilight and Gilda to hold the manor while they accompanied Fluttershy, with Applejack offering to get on her family truck.
“Rrgh,” Applejack growled as she started the engine. “That no-good--”
“Calm down dear,” Rarity said, holding the farmgirl’s hands. “Let’s help Fluttershy instead of mulling on Zephyr being a knob.”
“Yeah, if I told him off he’d probably start crushin’ on me instead…” Appleack said with a shudder.
“Because Big Mac will beat him to a pulp?” Rarity asked.
“Nah, Mac’s a softie… It’s Granny Smith who’d do that.” Applejack answered. “Granny Smith’s the reason why predator wildlife are afraid to go into our Acres.”
“Mhm, I learned to subdue bigger animals from her,” Fluttershy added. “It’s why the Crusaders say I’m a bear-wrestler.”
The three then drove to the location where Zephyr said Mrs. Shy went to, and they immediately found the Shy family car, parked at the road with hazards on.
Fluttershy immediately darted out of the truck, with Rarity and Applejack trying to catch up.
“Fluttershy, wait!” Applejack said, trying to unlock her and Rarity’s seatbelts, “Dang, I can’t see with this darkness!”
“We have no choice but to stay and hope Fluttershy doesn’t get lost.” Rarity added.
As the farmgirl and the fashionista stayed near the vehicles, Fluttershy managed to ask help from a group of squirrels to guide her in the direction of where Mrs. Shy might be.
After minutes of diving deeper in the forest, she then heard signs of fighting.
“You will not harm this woman!” exclaimed a familiar voice.
Fluttershy then headed to the direction of where the voice came from, and she saw a peculiar sight.
What she saw was the Hell General of the Sky, Ziz, protecting a passed out Mrs. Shy from Sombra’s monsters, one of which was the barber pole and scissors monster that got away.
“She deserves a good cutting!” the monster exclaimed. “A snip there and here!”
“Not even a chance will be afforded to you.” Ziz said, holding what seems to be the Pink and Blue Harmony Orbs, and a third Orb that has no glow to it. She then borrowed some energy from the first two Orbs, channeling it into her blade. Fluttershy then heard the Hell General exclaim something that took her by surprise.
“Shadowbolt Art: Blaze Tornado Fury!” Three consecutive slashes with her wing blade, bearing the powers of wind and fire, the Blue and Pink Rangers’ respective attributes, flew at the monster, obliterating it. Fluttershy could hear the monster’s final words, “The Queen will hear of this, you kill your own kind!”
Fluttershy then took this as a chance to approach her mother quietly, trying not to draw the Hell General’s attention. “Take care of her…” Ziz said, not even glancing towards Fluttershy trying to sneak. “All I ask from your other friends is to fight their Megazord.
“You… You said Shadowbolt-” Fluttershy asked. “Are you a Shadowbolt?”
“I do not remember…” Ziz said. “I only have a feeling that you Rangers are key.”
The avian general then walked away.
Two days have passed since Fluttershy rescued her mother. The shy girl sat by herself, repeating the events in her head.
Ziz held in her hand, three Harmony Orbs, two being the ones Fluttershy and Pinkie had, and a seemingly dormant third. “Shadowbolt Art: Blaze Tornado Fury!”
She then recalled her first encounter with Ziz.
“Pleased to meet you, Pink Ranger.” “I only seek your Harmony Orb, harming you is not on my agenda…”
She then thought about Pinkie’s recollection of their fight.
Ziz replied, blocking Pinkie’s attacks. “I merely seek their knowledge.” “I touched not a single hair on her head!” Ziz shouted back. “Don’t you punish her for a duel we both agreed on!”
“It can’t be…” Fluttershy thought to herself.
Just then, two sets of knocks rapped on Fluttershy’s bedroom door.
“Come in…” she squeaked.
“Hello, dear.” It was her father, bringing a bowl of sour vegetable soup. “I’d like to claim I made this, but your mother just forbid me from even touching anything in the kitchen…” he said with a light chuckle, hiding his wincing from the pain. Fluttershy noticed the source, more bandages on her father’s hands. “Thanks, daddy. Umm, can I tell you something?”
“Of course, pumpkin.” He said, sitting beside her on her bed. “We’re your family, always here for you.”
“Daddy, what if someone likes someone else, even if they’re both girls?” she asked.
The older man tugged on his mustache, thinking. “Well she’s gotta hope the other girl likes her back, right?” he said reassuringly. “Now it’s dad’s turn to ask a question. Are you talking about your friend Rainbow Dash?”
Fluttershy’s cheeks turned pink. “I-- uhh--”
“I gotta be honest, pumpkin,” Mr. Shy said, scratching his head. “Seeing the closeness you have with Rainbow, I was kind of hoping that was the case… I still remember the time I was called by the camp in Cloudsdale, something about you being bullied. I was terrified about what they meant, but when I saw you unharmed, and seeing Rainbow in your bandage work, I could tell she did anything and everything to stand in the way and protect you.”
“Daddy, you accept?” Fluttershy interrupted.
Her father smiled. “Now now, I’m still nervous of my little girl expressing romantic feelings, but… put it like this: you like Rainbow because she’s Rainbow. You’ve spent thick and thin together.”
“I guess so…” the shy girl said. She gave her father a hug. “Thanks, daddy… I was scared you’d faint if I told you I had feelings for someone, let alone who I had them for.”
“I gotta be strong for my kids, that’s what a father does.” He beamed. “Also, the wounds from trying to make the soup, come to think of it, makes sense why your mother kicked me out of the kitchen.” He then stood up and headed out of the room. “Make sure to finish every drop, okay?”
“Mhm!” Fluttershy said, already taking a bite from the vegetables in her bowl.
“Princess!” Fluttershy called out. “I realized some-- where’s everyone?”
“Ziz called out,” Luna said, monitoring the location. “She’s just... sitting there, look, she painted three colors on the ground and just... sat there.”
“So they’ve already headed out?” Fluttershy asked. “Oh damn, and when I realized something about all of this…” She then sighed and left the Manor, taking her bicycle to the location, which unbeknownst to the others, she immediately recognized. “That area’s just near the road to Cloudsdale, Dashie and I used to sit there and watch the stars!” “Fluttershy, wait!” said a voice. It was Gilda, running beside her trying to catch up. “Take me there, to the fight!”
Fluttershy nodded, switching with Gilda so that the white-haired girl would be the one driving the bicycle, while Fluttershy held tight from behind Gilda. “We’ll get there faster with you pedaling!” Fluttershy said with slight panting.
Meanwhile, Twilight, Rarity, and Applejack scrambled to the location that Ziz had indicated. The Hell General, still wounded from the burns and cuts from her previous duels, was seated in the seiza manner, behind three emptied buckets of paint, each being red, yellow, and black, representing the three active Rangers.
“Welcome, Rangers.” Ziz said with a slight bow before standing up. “I will be cutting to the chase.” The Hell General materialized the bladed gurdy she sported, and played a tune with it.
“Dark Zords, arise! Gryphon, Phoenix, Windicorn!”
The distant ground quaked, splitting open. Out of the cracks, emerge the aforementioned Dark Zords.
“Zords, descend and combine!” the three Rangers said in unison.
The Red Ursa arrived from a crack in the sky, followed by the Diamond Dog and Timber Wolf Zords. The Diamond Dog and Timber Wolf Zords screeched to a halt, and transformed into legs. The Ursa Zord turned into a torso and arms, descending to combine with the two legs.
The three Zords form together, the Harmony Megazord, in another format.
“Harmony Striker Megazord, awaken!” Twilight, Applejack, and Rarity shouted in unison.
“Dark Zords, combine!” Ziz shouted.
The Dark Gryphon transformed into an armless winged robot, with the Dark Phoenix and Dark Windicorn forming arms to combine with.
“There it is…” Gilda said, as she and Fluttershy, just getting to the location, got off the bicycle. “The Dark Gryphon Megazord!” She clutched her head. “Phoenix… Windicorn…”
“Dark Gryphon Megazord, awaken!” Ziz exclaimed, now inside the Dark Gryphon Megazord’s control room.
The Dark Gryphon Megazord then summoned a weapon made from the combination of the Blaze Shield and Gale Blaster. “Behold,” Ziz spoke. “The Storm Lance!”
The Dark Gryphon Megazord, wielding the Storm Lance, began its onslaught, pushing back the Harmony Striker Megazord. The Rangers found themselves skirting closer to the city proper than they would like.
“We can’t defend against this barrage!” Applejack said to Twilight. “We gotta evade when Ziz relents!”
The Dark Gryphon Megazord then backed away, funneling power into the Storm Lance.
“Charge at them!” Twilight said.
The Harmony Striker Megazord made a beeline to the Dark Gryphon Megazord, which Gilda saw from where she stood. “What are they doing?” Gilda shouted. “Looks like I have no choice…”
She put her palms together and generated what looks to be a miniature storm within them.
Fluttershy looked on at the girl, noticing her form flickering into an ethereal state.
In the Megazord fight, the Harmony Striker Megazord managed to close the distance between it and the Dark Gryphon Megazord.
“Now,” Ziz said as the Storm Lance glowed intensely. “Eye Piercer Lun--”
“Slide!” Twilight shouted.
The Harmony Striker Megazord then went into a sliding attack, tripping the Dark Gryphon Megazord as it prepared to lunge. “AAAGHH!!” Ziz screamed, feeling the feedback from the charged energy. She felt parts of herself cracking and chipping off.
“Come on… Stand up, Gryphon Megazord…” Gilda grunted, trying to maintain the charged power within her palms. The Harmony Striker Megazord stood itself up, and entered into a fighting stance. Seconds later, the Dark Gryphon Megazord stood up.
“Thunderstorm, return!” Gilda shouted, firing the storm at the Dark Gryphon Megazord’s chest.
“And now, I return to my true form…” She said to Fluttershy, as her body faded into thin air.
“What?” Fluttershy said, panicking. “Oh no, Gilda’s--”
“There is only one way this will end!” Ziz shouted.
“You’re absolutely right! And it’s with your defeat!” Gilda said through the Gryphon Zord. “Now, Rangers! Strike at me! I’ll do my best to resist Ziz’s control!”
“What?” Twilight gasped.
“Gilda…” Applejack said, trailing off.
“She’s the Gryphon Zord?” Rarity wondered.
“Hit me with your final attack!” Gilda commanded.
The Harmony Striker Megazord then channeled power through its palms, until they crackled with an aura fluctuating between red, yellow, and dark purple.
“Constellation Palm Strike!”
The Harmony Striker Megazord then slammed its palms towards the Dark Gryphon Megazord, sending a burst of energy that destabilized it into breaking apart.
The dark energy that enveloped the three Dark Zords was purified, freeing them. However, the toll of the battle meant they were knocked out of commission.
Rarity and Applejack unboarded the Megazord, and approached the Gryphon Zord. Her claws were holding what remains of the Hell General Ziz, the avian shell crumbling apart, uncovering a shocking revelation.
“No…” Applejack said, looking at the unconscious girl lying at the foot of the incapacitated Gryphon Zord.
“It can’t be her!” Rarity said in shock. “Ziz, is Ra--”
“RAINBOW DASH!” Fluttershy shouted, pushing past her fellow Rangers, surprising them, as she ran towards the unconscious girl.
She was wearing a dark version of the Wonderbolt uniform, complete with aerial gear and goggles, with the only missing thing being an aerial mask. The most noticeable thing Rarity would have mentioned, had it not been for Fluttershy who is now crying and embracing the unconscious Rainbow Dash, is the supposed unkempt prismatic hair, now significantly longer, to the point it is comparable to Fluttershy’s very long hair.
“Dangnabbit,” Applejack said, quietly cursing herself as a tear or two rolled out of her eyes. “I should’ve spoken up, if I knew this was what she’d end up as for enlistin’, I-”
“None of us could have known,” Rarity added, interrupting Applejack’s attempt to beat herself up. “Not to mention the odds of Dash becoming a Hell General…”
Fluttershy, however, tightened her embrace on the girl who used to be the Hell General of the Sky, as her tears continued to flow. “Dashie… I… Why…” she said between gasps of breath as she sobbed her heart out.
“Oh… No…” Twilight said in shock, as she approached the group. “Would like to say I sent the Zords back but…”
“Yeah, sugarcube,” Applejack sighed. “I dunno whether this is a win or… Just felt like it ain’t a loss, but sure as heck ain’t a win.”
“Rainbow…” Twilight whispered. “She’s…”
“We definitely need to bring her back…” Rarity said. “But what about the Dark Zords?”
“I’ve sent word to Zecora, she’ll handle it.” It was Luna, chiming in through the Morphers. “Bring Rainbow Dash to the manor, I want to get to the bottom of this Hell General business…”
The three girls still with Ranger powers summoned their Steed Speeders. Applejack secured the passed out Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy got on Rarity’s Speeder. “We gotta go slowly,” Applejack said, “unless we want Rainbow here to--” she then stopped upon seeing Fluttershy shooting her a glare.
“No exceptions, we are taking it slow,” Rarity said, in order to reassure the usually timid girl.
The three girls then headed to Luna’s manor, taking it slower than supposed. After making it back, Luna and Fluttershy prepared a room to serve as a sickbay for Rainbow.
Minutes later, Luna left the room, motioning for the other four girls to come with her. “Shining, you too.”
She let out a deep sigh. “Gilda’s info was correct. The Hell Generals do indeed have people as their cores, with Rainbow Dash being living proof.”
“And since Rainbow’s been part of the missing Shadowbolts,” Shining added, “it couldn’t be far of a guess to say the other two Hell Generals might be Shadowbolts too.”
“Just what did Chrysalis do to make the Hell Generals…” Luna asked in the open. “Doesn’t help that we’re short in hands right now, only three of you have your Harmony Orbs.”
“If Rainbow was awake,” Twilight said, “she’d have given Pinkie and Fluttershy their Orbs back, but even then their Zords would need to rest, since we just defeated the Dark Gryphon Megazord.” She turned to Applejack, who cut her off. “No need to say it, sugarcube, Rainbow and those Zords need rest.” The farmgirl turned to Pinkie and gave her a pat on the shoulder. “Pinks, even without your powers, you’re still the best shot of defense for this manor, especially when we got a friend KO’d, and Flutters’ whole attention on said friend.”
The confectioner nodded with determination in her eyes. “Once Rainbow wakes, I’m gonna give her the biggest party ever!” “Also, about Gilda…” Fluttershy asked. “Is she… gone?”
“Hell no!” Gilda said through Twilight’s Morpher. “I’m just taking a rest.”
“Gilda?” the shy girl blurted out, trying to look for the white-haired girl.
"I'm at the Zord Lands, with Zecora!" Gilda exclaimed. "I gotta say it's good to be back."
"Wait, you're the--"
"Correct, I'm the Gryphon Zord." Gilda said. "I got separated from my Zord body when the Thunderstorm Orb bonded with the person who was Ziz's core, the evil energies taking over the Zord."
"The Thunderstorm Orb chose Rainbow?" Luna mused. "And here I thought the Orb was lost… it's not like I could start a search force to retrieve it--"
"It's fine, Princess," Gilda said reassuringly. "Plus your sister had already sent the Shadowbolts to locate it, explaining why it had chosen Rainbow Dash."
"She still hasn't awakened…" Luna said, tears in her eyes.
"We Zords have faith she will wake up," Gilda replied.
The Princess sighed. "Thank you…"
“Girls,” Fluttershy said, leaving the sickbay housing Rainbow. “Can I ask something? I want to stay here for the meantime, until Dashie recovers.”
“Hmm…” Rarity thought. “I could tell your parents, but--”
“I’ll help you,” the princess interjected. “Fluttershy’s parents will understand if I would vouch for her safety.”
“I want to be there to talk to them too,” Fluttershy added.
“Very well,” Luna nodded. “We’ll proceed to your home, then.”
The two girls then followed the princess and headed for Fluttershy’s house. Luna had to come up with a story of how Rainbow ended up in the manor, leaving out anything about Fluttershy being a Ranger or Rainbow being turned into a Hell General. Fortunately, her parents, being very familiar with Fluttershy’s strong bond with Rainbow, accepted their daughter’s request.
Fluttershy then brought some clothes with her to the Princess’ manor, as well as her own bath supplies, she did not want to further impose on the princess.
The next day, as it was a Monday, the five girls had to go to school, leaving Luna mostly by herself, as Shining Armor and Cadance wouldn’t arrive until lunch time.
The alarm went off, signaling Luna to command Twilight, Rarity, and Applejack to set out.
“Oh no,” Luna grimaced. “It’s a two-pronged attack… Changelings are headed for the school!” She dialed in Pinkie’s and Fluttershy’s phone numbers and sent them a call.
“Pinkie, Fluttershy, this is the Princess!” Luna shouted in urgency. “Changelings are headed for the school, get them to evacuate!” She gulped, showing signs of nerve. “Damn… They still don’t have their powers!” she thought.
She then heard a noise in the sickbay room made for Rainbow. It was a sound of items falling on the floor, as if someone tried to gain their footing.
She then rushed to open the door, finding the now-awake and moving Rainbow Dash, trying to place back the lamp and clock she knocked off the end table.
The former Shadowbolt saw the Princess enter the room, and quickly bowed to her, ignoring the pain in her body. “Your Majesty…” said the prismatic-haired girl. “I want to ask for your help.”
Rainbow Dash took out the Pink and Blue Harmony Orbs from her pockets. “I have to return them to Pinkie and Flutters,” she said in a slightly pleading tone.
“You can’t!” Luna said. “You haven’t fully recovered, at least wait for Shining Armor and Cadenza to--”
“Please…” Rainbow pleaded. “I want to set things right myself…” She then put back the Pink and Blue Harmony Orbs in her pockets, and took out the Thunderstorm Orb, which now glowed a navy blue hue, its thundering interior starting to stir. “It’s coming back,” Gilda said in a disembodied voice. “You’ll need a Morpher, Dash.”
The Thunderstorm Orb sent some power into Rainbow Dash’s wrist. The area then crackled with lightning, the Morpher materializing on it. “Hey, can you also head to an open place?” the Zord girl asked.
Rainbow looked to the princess, asking wordlessly. “The garden might do,” Luna said, taking the lead. “Come.”
The rainbow-haired girl followed the princess to the garden, a section with less of the decorative shrubs. “I'd rather not have a fire start, lest my sister wakes up and I get an earful,” she said with a chuckle.
Rainbow looked around, and approached a spot that’s the farthest from any plant life. “Right here, Princess,” said the former Shadowbolt. “This spot will do.”
“You must be careful,” Luna said as she stood observant near Rainbow. “This is only based on a wild guess, after all.”
“You think I don’t know that?” Rainbow said. “All the other Shadowbolts are dead because of me--”
“That was Ziz-”
“And Ziz was me!” the girl with the rough prismatic hair shouted. “If it weren’t for Gilda, I wouldn’t be here talking to anyone right now, most likely still under Chrysalis’ yoke. Most good I can offer is inside information on how Chrysalis and Sombra operate. And even then I suspect Leviathan’s gotten everything rearranged…” “You done beating yourself up?” Gilda said through the Thunderstorm Orb. “You gotta pull yourself together, Dash. I may be the Gryphonzord, but thanks to Leviathan, I was separated from the Thunderstorm Orb. Anything you as Ziz experienced is solely within you.” Rainbow Dash growled in anger and kicked the nearby tree, sending pain through her body. “Remember, Dash. It’s the biggest and best way you can atone and help,” Gilda said. “I… Can’t…” Rainbow Dash said, clutching her head. “After we got into that ambush, and I saw Chrysalis herself, that’s it. Everything between that and the girls bringing me back, it’s a hazy mess. All I’m sure of, is I was the last of the Hell Generals to be made…” “Could the other two Hell Generals also be converted Shadowbolts?” Luna asked.
Rainbow sighed. “In short, I have no concrete clues. Only conjecture, and applies solely to Leviathan.” She looked on towards the northwest, towards the school. “I think she’s my troop’s captain, Lightning Dust. As for Behemoth, I have no clue.” She then massaged her arm, trying to soothe the pain. “But let’s cross that bridge when we get there, it’s Behemoth we need to get out of the way before Leviathan even considers stepping in.” She raised the Thunderstorm Orb up to the sky, slightly wincing. The clouds started swirling into a vortex, with bolts striking at where Rainbow Dash is standing. Luna, despite warnings, stayed nearby. “Princess, wh-”
“You forget that the Orbs were utilized by me and my sister ages ago!” Luna retorted.
“Dammit…” Rainbow muttered in her thoughts. The storm raged harder and more intensely, imbuing the Thunderstorm Orb, and Rainbow Dash’s arm, with unspeakable energy.
Suddenly, a massive lightning bolt engulfed Rainbow Dash, transforming her into the Thunderstorm Ranger, after which she bent her knees and knelt in fatigue.
Her suit, while looking similar to the other Ranger suits, has several differences. The sides of the helmet has claws on it, similar to Ziz. Her torso also has the Nimbus Armor, made from the energy of thunderclouds.
“Gilda…” Rainbow Dash said, panting in exhaustion. “Do I have to do this every time I Morph?”
“Nah,” Gilda said through the Thunderstorm Morpher. “This whole song and dance was partly for me re-syncing with the Orb, and also to get back at you for forcing me to retreat.”
“What a jerk you are…” Rainbow Dash said jokingly, despite her physical struggle. “Can’t feel my limbs, ‘cause of the tingling sensation.”
“Are you going to head to where the girls are?” Luna asked. “This was in order to help them, I presume?”
“Yep, to the school,” Rainbow Dash said. She raised her right hand into a fist up into the air. “Dammit Pinkie, this video game thing you told me before better work--”
Suddenly, there was a flash of light. A bolt of lightning hit the Thunderstorm Ranger, engulfing her fully.
Luna covered her eyes to avoid getting blinded. The moment she opened her eyes again, Rainbow Dash was gone.
Rainbow Dash found herself in the middle of the school field. “It worked??” She then pushed on her Morpher to call the Princess. “Princess! It worked!”
“Yep,” Gilda said through the Morpher. “Now get your butt going!” "I don't need to repeat what she said," Luna added. "Time is of the essence!"
Rainbow nodded, running towards the school’s main building. She summoned her Lightning Katana as she ran, cutting through the changelings as she ran past. She checked each room in case someone was still trapped, freeing a few teachers and students. They were cleared a path to the school field, where the Thunderstorm Ranger told them to stay within the football area.
“Woohoo! A new Ranger!” a student cheered.
“The Princesses bless you, kind lady,” said a teacher, her eyes tearing up slightly.
“Oh right, there were three girls trying to run Changelings over with a cleaning cart!” Another student added.
“And the party-girl, what’s her name? Pinkie? She was blasting her party cannon!” A third chimed in.
“You got it! I’ll head for the three girls first!” Rainbow said with a thumbs up. “Head for the track field, all clear over there!”
And with a flash of lightning, she was off.
After several hallway searches, she found the cart in question. A girl with red hair tied in a bow, another with curled long light lavender and pink hair, and a third with short magenta hair, screaming in an attempt to scare off the changeling troops. Rainbow Dash let out a chuckle, whispering below her breath, “Heh, they sure haven’t changed.” She then threw her weapon to the opposite end of the hall, and teleported to its location. She snapped her fingers, and all the changelings in the hall collapsed.
“Okay, squirts,” Rainbow said. “Go on to the school field, there are teachers and other students waiting there!”
The three girls nodded and scurried on to the exit.
“Now for Pinkie… Maybe she knows where Flutters is…” Rainbow said to herself, blasting past more corridors of changelings.
In a stroke of varying luck, she encountered the party girl in question. But it was through almost being hit by a party cannon blast. The speedster then backtracked to where the cannon fire came from, and sure enough, Pinkie was there, blasting her party cannon like it was another of her celebrations. “Helmet off!” Rainbow exclaimed. “Heyo Pinkie, got something for you!” She tossed a blue orb towards Pinkie, who caught it with a cheer, Morphing into the Blue Ranger. “About time, Dashie! Now hurry up, Fluttershy is in the stable, trying to get Smarty Pants to leave!”
“Twi’s old mule’s still kicking? And still the school masc-- Hang on, don’t call me Dashie!”, the daredevil retorted.
“Oooh right, only Flutters can do that huh?” Pinkie teased, to which the newly-minted Ranger blushed.
“Whatever, you’re sure you got this? Backing up the folks in the field?” Rainbow asked. The hyperactive girl gave her a nod, and whacked her party cannon again, sending more changelings flying.
“Taking that as a yes… Helmet on!” Rainbow said, and zapped on towards the stable.
The path from the main building to the stable took Rainbow to the opposite end from the school field, same as where the gardens and greenhouse were located. She immediately spotted the horse named Smarty Pants, however, trotting away with no Fluttershy nearby.
Her chest froze. “No!” She screamed, bolting towards the stable. She found a swarm of changelings gathered around a crouched girl with long pink hair, and then halted right next to them, causing a shockwave that knocked all of the changelings away, and stunning Fluttershy.
“Helmet off!” Rainbow said frantically. She then took the girl in her arms, and shook her gently. “Crap... come on, Flutters. Come on…” Rainbow whispered.
The timid girl stirred awake, as Rainbow sprinkled some water on her face. “Hunh-- Dashie?”
“It’s me, Flutters,” Rainbow replied, giving her an embrace.
“Oh, Dashie!” Fluttershy exclaimed, hugging her back.
The two girls enjoyed their warm hug, until Rainbow pulled back. What the speedster did surprised Fluttershy to no end. She gave her a light peck on the lips.
“Uhm-uhh-Da-Das--” the shy girl stammered.
“Also look at your wrist.” Rainbow said, avoiding eye contact. “I-uhh, let’s talk about it later…”
Fluttershy looked at her Morpher. The Pink Orb was back. “Oh Dashie, I--”
“Let’s go save the school,” Rainbow smiled. “Together.”
Fluttershy smiled back, and steeled herself to prepare. “Morph, In!”
“Helmet, on!” Rainbow exclaimed. “Let’s go!”
After fighting off the Changelings, reuniting with Pinkie, and having to get Smarty Pants back, the school was mostly cleared of changeling forces.
“I’ve called Princess Luna,” Pinkie said, “she’s ordered the police to send a squad for the teachers and student body,” after suddenly falling on her back. “I want some cake…”
Rainbow chuckled at seeing Pinkie’s sugar-crash, and said, “Gotta say, honesty is Yellow’s thing, but it’s good to see you again.”
“Same here, Thunder,” Pinkie said with a growl of her stomach.
“Short for Thunderstorm… I love it!” Rainbow said, offering a thumbs up.
Fluttershy wrapped her arm behind Rainbow’s waist, pulling her close to her side. The younger students saw it happen, and reacted teasingly.
“Ooooh, Thunder and Pink!” one said. “They’re so cute together!” another added. “Excuse me, students!” a teacher interrupted. “That’s no way to act to our heroes!”
The sudden attention spooked Fluttershy, letting go of her hold on Rainbow and promptly hiding behind her.
“Come on, guys!” Rainbow said, chuckling. “We just haven’t seen each other in a while, that’s all!”
The three Rangers and the group of students shared some chuckles, until the ground started to quake.
“Uh oh,” Pinkie said. “Look!”
From the distance, they could see three giant creatures arise, one was the monster that Twilight’s group was sent to fight, and the other two were basically giant versions of changelings, with more vibrant wings.
"Looks like we need to join in, back em up!" Rainbow said. "But where's the police? We can't just--" Rainbow was interrupted by a megaphone siren. Two girls close to their age arrived, wearing trainee police outfits.
"Trainee officers Flitter and Cloudchaser, reporting, whoo!" one of them said, catching her breath. "I told you we shouldn't have ran for it," the other added.
"It's fine, there's Corporal Biceps trying to catch up…" the first girl replied.
"Dammit, you two," the larger officer said. "Detective Rainbow Blaze isn't gonna like this…"
"Crap…" Rainbow thought. "My brother's gonna be here…" she then let out a nervous chuckle, and approached the officer, shaking his hand. "Officer, I think your squad got this, so we gotta go and deal with those giant things, alright? Bye!" She said quickly and darted off, taking Pinkie and Fluttershy with her.
"Wait, we still need to--" Biceps said as he watched the three color-coded warriors speed off. "...Question you…"
"Wait wait, Rainbow!" Pinkie said. "Why'd you leave?"
"Pinkie…" Fluttershy jumped in. "The squad is led by a Rainbow Blaze… Dashie's older brother…"
"No lies get past the Rainbow Family…" Rainbow added. "If there's any secret, the entire family will know. But they'll also help to keep it, so there's that… I just don't wanna have to explain the whole thing to my brother, the Hell General thing is a big enough issue on its own…"
"Good point," Pinkie said with a sigh. "I still have no idea how to explain the Blue Ranger thing to my folks! And I didn't hide it!"
"Girls, I think we need to--"
As the three of them talked, the battle turned against the Harmony Striker Megazord. The two winged Changelings managed to grab hold of the Megazord while the serpentine monster landed a few punches.
"Aw crap! Pinkie, Flutters, let's do this!" Rainbow exclaimed. "Gryphon!" "Windicorn" "Phoenix!" "Descend and combine!"
The sky turned dark, and a storm brewed. Lightning bolts and thunderclaps littered the battlefield the Harmony Striker Megazord was fighting in.
The Gryphon Zord, flanked by the Windicorn and Phoenix Zords, formed into their respective Megazord components, and attached together.
With the power of the Thunderstorms rightfully with Gilda, the Thunderstorm Megazord is formed.
“Thunderstorm Megazord, Rumble!” Rainbow, Fluttershy, and Pinkie shouted in unison, finding themselves within the control room.
“This looks different,” Pinkie wondered.
“From what the one Twi has?” Rainbow asked. “‘Cause this looks way better than when the darkness took control…” “Gilda redecorated?” Fluttershy mused.
“Thanks, girls,” Gilda said. “And from what you said, Dash? Chrysalis’ evil must’ve taken a number on this, and I only saw what it looked like when Ziz was almost defeated.”
“How bad was it?” Fluttershy asked.
Rainbow tapped her head, and then answered, “Looked like the lab of a scientist who wanted to revive a stitched corpse.”
“Spooky.” Pinkie quipped.
“Now let’s back up team Twi before it’s too late!” Rainbow exclaimed.
The Thunderstorm Megazord then flew towards the main monster, gaining speed. Once the battle was in view, it gave a high speed flying right hook. “And that’s what you call an entrance!” Rainbow and Pinkie cheered.
“Storm Lance!” the three exclaimed, summoning the Storm Lance and striking at one of the giant changelings, destroying it. “Hey gals, can we call those things Winglings?” Pinkie asked.
“Because they got wings?” Fluttershy added.
“Basically, yeah.” Pinkie nodded.
“Winglings it is, then.” Fluttershy and Rainbow said at the same time, surprising both of them. They all then broke out into mild laughter.
“Hey, you’ve got your powers back!” Twilight said through the Morphers.
“And look who’s back up and joined the club!” Applejack added.
“I want to see your suit, Rainbow!” Rarity chimed in.
“Heheh, please don’t add ribbons to it, Rarity,” Rainbow said back.
“Did you know some students think Pink and Thundy are a thing now?” Pinkie asked. “Eep!” Fluttershy said, flustered.
“Don’t call me that, Blue!” Rainbow retorted.
“Girls, girls!” Rarity said. “Let’s take care of these lumbering oafs!”
“Alright, before they get up again!” Rainbow said. “I wanna try something! Hey Gilda, could you let Ursa know?”
The two Megazords then moved back from each other. The Thunderstorm Megazord produced a ball of lightning, and threw it at the Harmony Striker Megazord. “Penalty!”
The Striker Megazord then spun and kicked the ball towards the two enemies. “Comeback!”
The impact then exploded, destroying the Wingling and the snakelike monster. “Goal!”
With the Zords returning to their territory, the six girls ran back to the school proper, stopping before the police could spot them.
“Morph Out!” they said in a whisper.
Rainbow Dash then felt a sudden surge of pain through her entire body, luckily there was Applejack and Pinkie, both catching the former Shadowbolt before she fell onto the ground.
“Looks like I’m not A-ok yet…” Rainbow grunted. She then looked at the other girls, and said in an apologetic tone. “Listen, about what I-erm, Ziz, did…”
“Don’t be absurd, Rainbow,” Rarity chided. Applejack then joined in. “Look, sugarcube, we know it was the evil power of Chrysalis, and it wasn’t you.”
“And even then,” Twilight added, “you still had a strong sense of honor, that Ziz only wanted to fight one-on-one.”
“And saved my mom, by killing a monster supposedly on her own side…” Fluttershy said, giving Rainbow a hug.
Pinkie also gave Rainbow a hug. “Even if I was mad then, she did still ask for help from my family, appraising a Harmony Orb is kinda weird though,”
Rainbow felt tears well up in her eyes. “You girls…” she then hugged back, with Applejack, Rarity, and Twilight joining in.
“Mmm…” they all hummed, enjoying their hug. Rainbow then smirked lightly. “Wish Sunset was here, the group hug feels weird without all seven of us…”
“Funny, that’s what we all thought after you went to Canterlot,” said a voice.
It was Sunset, carrying her guitar case and giving a warm smile. “I knew I heard some familiar voices.”
Twilight then pulled Sunset in, surprising her. “Come here, you!”
And thus the group hug was complete. Sunset spoke up. “Oh yeah, liking the hair, who knew long would be something you’d pull off?”
Rainbow then took notice of her hair. “I dunno, was hoping to get home and cut it--”
“No, Dashie!” Fluttershy spoke up, surprising everyone. She then softened her voice back. “I’ll… umm…”
The prismatic girl, who immediately understood, smiled at Fluttershy. “Sure…”
“By the way,” Sunset said while clapping her hands. “Twilight, can you come with me? I also need your brother’s help.”
“Sure,” Twilight replied, before turning to the others. “Looks like I’ll be going with Sunset now, see you girls!” She then left with Sunset, who wrapped her arm around the bookworm.
“Bye, Twilight!” Pinkie waved. She then turned to whisper to Rarity. “To be honest I can’t tell what those two are.”
“Aw nuts,” Applejack said, pointing at three little girls trying to scramble free of two trainee police officers. “Rares, RD, looks like they’re at it again!”
“Uh oh,” Fluttershy gulped. “Let’s go help, Pinkie!”
The girls then approached the struggling police trainees, with Rarity starting the conversation. “Excuse me, miss, are those girls being unruly?” she asked.
“Oh, a little bit,” said the first trainee, a girl with long hair and a headband. “But nothing we can’t handle, right Cloudchaser?” “Mhm,” said the second girl, Cloudchaser, who wore the same uniform, and had shorter but messier hair. “Flitter is right, we got this.”
“I’m the sister of… that one,” Rarity said, pointing at the girl with gray and purple hair. “Sweetie Belle? Leave the poor officers be.”
“I’m... her sister,” Applejack added, pointing at the girl with red hair secured with a bow. “C’mon, Apple Bloom, let’s go!”
“Oh uh…” Fluttershy squeaked, taking out a note. “This note was written by Scootaloo’s aunts, who designated me as her current backup guardian… They’re out of Pony Grove, and it’s more difficult for them to go back here thanks to the current events…”
The two trainee officers read Fluttershy’s note, and looked at Rarity and Applejack. They saw that the whole group of girls had seen better days, some cuts and bruises here and there.
“Can we offer some first aid?” Cloudchaser asked. “Looks like you’ve seen a fight as big as the one here.”
“I’ll take your note to Detective Blaze,” Flitter added. “Neither of us are full-fledged officers, so our hands are somewhat tied. They can go with you, but you have to stay in the area.”
She then set off to look for the detective, while Pinkie took her attention to the three.
“Oh boy,” Rainbow said with a sigh, hiding her Morpher. “Big bro’s not gonna like this.”
“Don’t worry, RD. It’ll be fine,” Applejack said reassuringly. “He won’t bite.”
“He’s been worried about you,” Rarity added. “Ever since the takeover of Canterlot Castle, he’s been asking us if you’ve been back.”
“C’mon, Pinkie!” Scootaloo whined. “Why’d we have to wait here?”
“‘Cause the officers still have to approve of it,” Pinkie said, patting the three younger girls despite having only two hands. “For the meantime, let’s eat this pie I just got.”
“Alright, then,” Apple Bloom said with a sigh. “‘Ah wish we could see the cool Rangers again!”
“Especially the one who helped us!” Sweetie belle chirped. “We wanna thank her!”
“She was so cool!” Scootaloo cheered. “Almost as cool as Rainbow Dash!”
“Hehe, I sure would like to see that Ranger in action,” the Shadowbolt said, joining in. “Heya squirts, guess who’s back?” The Crusaders gasped in shock upon finding out that Rainbow Dash is back. They then jumped on her with hugs and cheering.
“Well well,” said an older voice. A man approached, wearing a dark blue shirt, jeans, and a windbreaker. On his belt hung a badge and a holster, and he was holding some takeout coffee. His hair was medium length and messy, but like the former Shadowbolt, it sported colors of the rainbow. His eyes were a bit tired, but still showed signs of relief. “Looks like rotten timing really does run in the family. My baby sister’s back right after a changeling surge…”
“Blaze?” Rainbow Dash said with apprehension, her eyes slightly watering. She put the Crusaders aside and jumped towards the detective, grabbing him in a hug. He could feel some tears spilling onto his shirt from the younger girl.
“Hey now,” the man, Rainbow Blaze, said, patting his sister’s back. “Remember, Wonderbolts gotta be strong, right?”
“Yeah…” Dash said, wiping her face with her sleeve. “It’s just good to be home…”
“I saw the letter Fluttershy has,” Blaze said with a light smile. “You can take those three to their homes,” he said, turning to the two trainees looking at him with pink tinges in their cheeks. “That way, you two can cut your teeth with escorting, how’s that?”
Flitter and Cloudchaser straightened their postures and saluted, albeit with excessive force, ending up hitting their foreheads too hard. The Rainbow siblings winced at seeing it happen. “Yes, detective sir!” the duo said out loud.
“Oh and Dashie,” Blaze added, “you gotta drop by the home, would mean a lot for Mom and Dad to see you’re back.”
“Alright,” Dash nodded. She then thought of something. “Hmm… Flutters, Scoots! How about you guys stay at my place? What better way to catch up?”
Scootaloo jumped onto Dash’s back, surprising the Shadowbolt. Fluttershy then helped the girl get into the right position for a proper piggyback. “I take that as a yes from Scootaloo, and this as a yes from me…” Fluttershy said, wrapping her arm around Dash’s. “Hey Pinks, we’ll be taking the squirts home now!” the speedster said, to which the party girl answered with a pie-covered thumbs up.
The group then walked towards the nearest place, Carousel Boutique, Rarity and Sweetie Belle’s stop. With the two trainees not being officers, they don’t have clearance for using vehicles.
Rarity turned to her little sister and hand-combed her hair. “See you soon, girls!” they both waved.
The group then walked onward, when Applejack spoke up. “Hey Flitter and Cloudchaser, what if we split? Down the block is where Big Mac gets oil for our tractor, we use it to roll the hay up into bales. He’s definitely in the shop by this time,” the farmgirl explained. She pointed to the parked truck, indicating that Big Mac is most likely in the nearby shop.
“I’ll stay with miss Rainbow,” Cloudchaser said, “Flitter, can you accompany the Apples?”
Flitter nodded, and waved to her sister. “See ya, AJ and Apple Bloom!” Scootaloo waved to the Apple sisters who waved back.
Cloudchaser then accompanied Dash, Fluttershy, and Scootaloo to the Rainbow family home.
After around twenty or so minutes of walking and Cloudchaser asking the former Shadowbolt multiple questions about her older brother, they caught sight of the Rainbow home.
“Alright, miss Cloudchaser, this’ll be our stop.” the Shadowbolt said with a grin. “Thanks for the escort, uh how will you reunite with miss Flitter?”
“I’ll radio her to rendezvous near where your friend Rarity was,” Cloudchaser said, and she saluted. “Escort accomplished!” she beamed before happily walking back to Carousel Boutique.
The athletic and shy girls then took Scootaloo with them to the door, and knocked.
The door was opened by a much older man, whose hair resembled Rainbow Blaze’s but shorter and more faded, with most of the colors being warmer ones. He wore a dressing gown with the name ‘Rainbow Flash’ stitched on it, with a faded Cloudsdale police tee and shorts underneath, and held a crossbow in his hands. The expression on his face read as annoyed and irritated, something Fluttershy mostly saw in Rainbow Dash’s face from when they were younger. “For the last time, you bug-eyed creeps, I’m not gonna--”
“Hey dad,” Rainbow said sheepishly, holding Fluttershy and Scootaloo.
“Little Dashie?” he said, his voice cracking. He then gently put the crossbow down and gave his daughter a big hug. “Thank the Princesses you’re safe!” He turned his attention to the shy girl and the little skateboarder. “Fluttershy, Scootaloo, it’s a miracle! My daughter’s safe and home!”
“Dad… Air…” Rainbow said, gasping for air.
“Heh, sorry kiddo,” Flash said, letting go of Dash. “I keep forgetting just because I’m retired doesn’t mean I’m out of shape… Come on in, I just thought of something…” he said as he carefully picked up the crossbow and removed the bolt.
“You see, your mom tired herself out yesterday, from all her uhh…” Flash paused in thought for a moment. “I don’t know, probably helping out your brother in his work.”
He then stuck his palms out to the couch, on which lay a sleeping woman close to Flash’s age. Her hair resembled how Rainbow Dash’s short hairstyle looked, albeit much more proper and feminine. Her hair colors were cooler, in contrast to Flash. “My dear Windy Gale, whatever shall I do with you…” Flash’s moment of basking in his sleeping wife’s beauty was interrupted by snorts and snores from the sleeping woman.
“Told ya she's my mom," Dash whispered to Scootaloo. She then noticed a green tortoise trying to crawl out of the sleeping woman's hold. "Tank! Come here, bud." Dash whispered again, carefully freeing the tortoise from her mother.
She turned to her father and asked in a whisper, "Hey dad, can Flutters and Scoots sleep over? I know it's a sudden thi--"
"Don't be bonkers, of course!" Flash said, giving her a thumbs up. "Go on up, your room's how you left it."
The girls, and reptile, headed upstairs to Dash's bedroom, with Scootaloo marveling in wonder, and Fluttershy sighing with pink cheeks. "Just like old times, Dashie…"
“Yeah, just like…” Dash said, wrapping an arm around Fluttershy as the two of them looked at the gushing Scootaloo. “Your room is so cool!” she cheered, while carrying Tank from the bed to the floor. “There you go, Tank,” she said to the tortoise.
The older girls then sat on the bed, with Fluttershy giving Dash a light cuddle. “Dashie,” the animal lover started. “I got an idea for your hair…”
“Hm?” the Shadowbolt hummed in an inquisitive manner. “I could trim your front back so you can get your bangs again, but I wanna try you sporting a ponytail…” the animal lover said.
Dash’s cheeks turned pink. “Um-uhh sure,” she stuttered. “I trust you, pal,” she said, unconsciously giving Fluttershy a kiss on her temple.
Their moment was interrupted by crashing and the sounds of upturned furniture coming from downstairs. “Scoots, stay here,” Dash said as she took Fluttershy with her to check.
Upon descending, they saw Dash’s mother, Windy, turning the living room upside down. “HONEY I CAN’T FIND TANK!” she shrieked.
“Easy, mom!” Dash said, interrupting her mother. “He’s with Scootaloo, in my room.”
Windy then paused in shock upon hearing her daughter’s voice. “Sorry I didn’t wake you, Dad said you were up all night with… that.” the Shadowbolt said, pointing at the now-messed up diorama and corkboard.
“My baby’s home!” Windy screamed as she snagged her daughter in a tight embrace. “I was worried sick when I heard the news of the invasion!”
“Jeez, what’s with all the noise?” said an older girl going down the stairs, who was about a year younger than Fluttershy’s brother, Zephyr. She had hair as long as Rainbow’s, however her hairstyle was more in line with those like Rarity tends to have. “Dash? You’re home!” she cheered, jumping into the hug.
Flash entered the living room, checking the commotion. “Family hug time!” he said, slightly lifting his wife and daughters off the floor. He looked at his wife and said, “Oh yeah honey, Dashie took Tank with her, he kinda wanted to retire from being your hug pillow,” he chuckled.
“Dad… Arc… can’t… breathe…” Dash croaked.
“Oh, right,” Flash said, letting go of the girls. Arc let go too, realizing something. “Oh no, I gotta go back to the stream! See you later, all!” she said in a sing-song manner, and went upstairs.
“Stream?” Dash asked.
“Oh, Arc switched to being an online personality,” Windy said, “she really meant it when she said she was only making one album.”
“She’s still mad that the Dazzlings made covers of her songs?” the Shadowbolt asked.
“She won’t say…” the older woman sighed. “You know your sister, it takes a long time for her to let go of a grudge.”
“Yep, I still remember her setting all of her ex-fiance’s letters on fire.” Dash winced. “Will Blaze drop by later?”
“I don’t think so,” Windy said in thought. She then took a glance at her watch, and gasped. “Oh, look at the time!” She turned to Fluttershy, continuing. “Terribly sorry, Fluttershy, we’ll have to order something for dinner instead!”
“It’s okay…” Fluttershy said softly. She then recoiled when the woman raised her voice. “Flash!”
“Yes hon?” Flash asked, peeking from the garage.
“Could you go with your daughter and order some…” Windy paused in thought. “Ooh! Italian! Pasta, pizza, lasagna, that kind?”
Flash took his keys with a smile. “Sure as shot! Come on, Dashie, Fluttershy!” he said proudly, going into the garage. “Dashie, I gotta warn you,” Windy added. “Your father’s done some work on the car, don’t ask about it or he won’t stop…” The girl nodded to her mother, and went to the garage, holding Fluttershy’s hand. They saw what Windy was warning about, the retired captain having modified the car with some upgrades.
“Hop on, you two!” Flash beamed, starting the car.
Rainbow got in the front passenger seat while Fluttershy in the back, and they headed off. After a few minutes of waiting (Flash taking the liberty of ordering a lot of food to celebrate Dash’s return) and receiving the food, they went back. The older man carried the stack of pizza boxes, while Rainbow carried the lasagna, and Fluttershy the pasta and salads. Windy went to the garage to check for more food, and took the drinks and desserts, with Scootaloo helping out. Arc, having already prepared the table, helped in setting the food.
The dining room bustled with the Rainbow family, Fluttershy, and Scootaloo enjoying their meal and chatting with one another. Arc mostly took the attention, talking about her annoyance with the recent changes put in place by the video platform she uses, if not regaling the young skateboarder with her recent video sessions. Fluttershy, seated closely next to Rainbow Dash, held her hand, which the Shadowbolt happily reciprocated. Flash mentioned another instance of his old squad trying to get him back on the force, while Windy sighed, jokingly asking if he needed her to scare them off again. Windy excused herself early, followed by Arc who had to return to talking to her agency. Fluttershy offered to help out with cleaning, while Dash and Scootaloo went to the backyard.
“Thank you for the great dinner,” Fluttershy said to Flash.
“No problem, kiddo,” Flash said, chuckling. “It was only takeout, imagine Windy and I cooking... Scootaloo's mind will be blown!”
“How come you didn’t make dinner by yourself?” Fluttershy asked.
“Well, we’ve been cooking together for so long it doesn’t seem right to not to…” Flash said in wonder. “I know it’s something little Dashie took after…” He turned to Fluttershy. “It’s why she didn’t stay long in the ‘Bolts, she felt she needed to be with you…”
“She-huh?” Fluttershy gasped.
“She sent us a picture of a letter of honorable discharge signed by Fleetfoot,” Flash explained. “At the time, she had two missions left, after which she’s allowed to go home. But then the invasion kicked into full force…”
“Dashie…” Fluttershy squeaked to herself.
“Go on, kiddo. Catch up with her,” Flash said, accidentally flinging some soap onto his face. “I’ll wrap up.”
The shy girl thanked Flash, and went to find Rainbow Dash. Scootaloo was already in the living room watching TV, and she said Dash went to her room. She opened the door, finding the girl in question, preparing to take off her clothes. “Hey, Flutters.” she said.
“Dashie…” Fluttershy asked. “Can I take a bath with you?”
They both changed into bath gowns, and went to the bathroom. They both lay in the bathtub, relaxing out the stress that recent events brought. Fluttershy nuzzled her nose into Dash’s cheek.
“Dashie…” Fluttershy spoke. “Your dad said something, about a discharge?”
“Oh,” Dash sighed. “More recent recruits were only required to do a fewer number of missions before being allowed to return home… But since it’s the Shadowbolts I was in, I don’t even remember how many missions I actually participated in… Even if the Princesses told me directly I wouldn’t be sure…”
“I’ll be honest, what I did remember is wanting to be with you…” Dash continued, whispering in Fluttershy’s ear. “Especially after your parting gift…”
Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy sat by a fountain, looking at the night sky. “Hey, Flutters, I know this is my last night before I set off tomorrow… I just--” The prismatic girl found herself cut off with a kiss from the shy girl, who then parted contact. “There…” she said with her soft voice. “I’ll wait for your answer…”
“Didn’t you give me your answer?” Fluttershy asked. “In the school?”
“I don’t think it was enough…” the Shadowbolt replied. The two girls gazed into each other’s eyes, wrapping their arms around the other’s neck in an embrace. They moved their faces closer, and locked their lips together.
The kiss sent sparks within Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash's minds. Their cheeks reddened as they deepened their kiss, increasing in passion. Dash sent her fingers through Fluttershy's long pink hair, while Fluttershy caressed her fingers over Dash's body. Her heart slightly broke upon touching scars on her shoulders and back alone, with the shy girl immediately breaking the kiss.
"Dashie…" she said, gasping for air.
"Easy, Flutters…" Dash gasped back. "It's not like you reopened some wounds…"
"But--" Fluttershy tried to protest, only to be silenced by Dash's lips.
"I thought you'd be happy having a girlfriend…" the Shadowbolt whispered teasingly. "But you've been worrying over my battle scars…" she playfully pouted.
Fluttershy huffed, something Dash found equal parts of cute and hot.
Dash chuckled, pulling Fluttershy's head close to her own. Fluttershy then dove in, capturing the other girl's lips with her own, before pulling back.
"Hmph," Fluttershy pouted. "You're lucky I love you so much…"
"I love you so much too…" the rainbow-haired girl crooned.
The two girls basked in each other's loving presence for the remainder of the bath, having reached a new level of closeness with one another.
At the Shy residence, the Shy parents were spooked by a sudden appearance of a masked figure wearing magenta. “Oh, Luna…” Mrs. Shy sighed. “Wind--I mean Firefly, you should learn to knock!”
“Sorry…” the figure known as Firefly said. “Your daughter is in the Rainbow home, just a reminder… Just in case my hus--err Flash, forgot to send a call.”
“He remembered…” Mr. Shy peeped, peering over from behind the couch. “Uhh, are you patrolling again?” he asked nervously as he sank back behind the couch.
“Can’t help it…” Firefly muttered. “Blaze isn’t used to police work yet…”
“Well, since you stopped by,” Mrs. Shy began to ask, turning around to get some tea. “Why don’t you--” only to find that Firefly had disappeared. “...stay for some tea…”
The timid couple then looked outside the window, seeing a streak of magenta shooting through the street, whom they chalked up to Firefly riding her motorbike, back to patrolling the night of Pony Grove.
At the basement of the Sparkle residence, Shining Armor paced around, trying to absorb the sudden request of his sister’s close friend.
“An audience with the Princess?” Shining said to himself. “For the Draco kid sleeping in Twily’s room?”
“I think you gotta back up a bit, Sunny,” Twilight said to Sunset. “A lot has happened lately.”
